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A Simple Transaction I

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Adhoc vote count started by Rah13 on Sep 18, 2020 at 9:01 PM, finished with 275 posts and 57 votes.
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Unknown Devil
(Previously)
Behind the workshop, there's another, even larger workshop. And in that workshop, there's a tinker-woman who takes one look at my arm and dives for her tools.
"Hi who did this was it your work or someone else's scanner scanner scanner scanner scanner-"
I can barely take in what she looks like - 'literally Doctor Octopus, but with more and varied tentacles' - before she finds the tool she wants and yanks it toward me. I flinch, response dying on my lips. My arm lashes out, piercing the joint the cylinder/forklift/camera thing is mounted on. There is a loud pop, and my hand is briefly electrocuted.
I stumble backwards, babbling apologies. For her part, the tinker looks sheepish.
"Ah, um, I'm sorry about that. Are you okay?"
I nod, and wince. "Hi. My powers give me a combat instinct, but I'm new to them. It's ...just for the parts I've transformed. I'd, actually love to get some help studying them, just don't surprise me."
She looks relieved. "That's- okay, I can do that. Sorry again. It's just really amazing, whatever you did - I can tell." She perks up a bit. "Do you think you're ready now?"
I stare at her, and then relent. "Yeah, okay. I need a place to sit down, though."

Seated, with my feet up on the chair (which Chirault grinned at), I spend the next twenty or so minutes going through introductions, basic testing procedures, explaining what I know of my powers (which are impressively broad by local standards), and telling them what I know about the Nine, from records of what I believe to be their future. The major points I remember:
*Jack Slash has a secondary Thinker power which lets him sense, predict, and influence other parahumans. I should be immune to it. He is my primary target, for several reasons.
*The Siberian is seemingly immune to power nullifiers because she's actually a projection, and killing the power-projector is probably not a lot more difficult than hitting her with a really large area attack. Also I think she's basically a rolling-teleport-sculpture, probably mimicking the law of gravity and the movements of a human. I know... Clockblocker... can disrupt her temporarily, as can Flechette. The former can do so at range, if he hits her with a frozen object. (Or was that freezes something she's touching?) He's a Ward, though, and I'm not sure we need him.
*Shatterbird's range is extended by her glass, so hitting her with some kind of sonic disruptor should hopefully interrupt her ongoing effects. Likewise, hitting any of her glass with sonics may disrupt it - but they probably knew that. (Nonstop: We suspected, but it's good to have more evidence.)
*I believe I'm immune to Hatchet Face the same way I'm immune to Jack. Bonesaw's probably boosted him to insane durability, but if I have a weapon that can hurt him, I think I'm the best choice. (Nonstop: You haven't met Trickshooter yet. Chirault: Oh yeah, he really isn't who we're worried about.)
*Crawler died to a bomb from a tinker who... probably hasn't triggered yet, actually. If there's a bomber at Cornell, it needs to be a high priority to recruit her, or at least keep Lung from doing so. She was cool, but also really bad.
Anyway, Crawler can be killed by anything that turns his entire body to glass near-instantly, as far as I'm aware. Dangerous with Shatterbird in the picture, but maybe Glace - no, I mean Bauble - can whip something up?
(Chirault: We were wondering if we could disable Hatchet Face and use him against Crawler, actually. Me: Oh, cool!)
*Mannequin died to the same bomb that killed Crawler, but I don't have any special insight against him. Oh wait, his vitals are in his torso - the head is a distraction. (Nonstop: Good to know.) I don't remember him ever losing his legs, either. He had explosive poison gas, shotgun arms, blade arms, helicoptering via blades, and at the end he had four arms at once. (Chirault: Interesting.)
*They lost Miasma and probably at least one other before they hit Brockton Bay, because they had Burnscar and one of Heartbreaker's kids by that point. At the moment, they should be fairly low on long-range sensors. Does this world have targeting satellites? (Nonstop: Not... reliably.)
*Then the bad news, which they've almost certainly figured out by now: Before me and the reactor I brought, Nonstop would have died on this venture, without doing much damage to their roster. We need to be ready for a trap. (Nonstop thinks for a moment, then asks how many minions Bonesaw had afterwards, given that her monstrosities are presently estimated as more than half the Nine's current combat force. I say I don't know, but probably not that many.)

By now, we're done with the basic tests, and I'm excited to try more transformation options. What do I prioritize?

[ ] Totality - Crimson devil. Request restraint, then experiment with full augmentation. There is some risk of collateral damage, but I'm fairly sure I won't warp myself into something that wants to be worse. And even if I do, they know to sedate me and wait for it to wear off. (~20 minutes at tested densities.)
*If successful, ++Combat. Vastly increases my personal fighting ability, as well as my chance of killing Jack here.
*Progresses the Clarity skilltree, allowing better mental augs and ally buffs.
*Will likely take a while to get right. Less chance of getting something else done.

[ ] Cruelblade - Get some lab animals and see if I can make them turn on each other. Making the Nine fight each other would be a massive advantage.
*Morally questionable, and kind of scary. Probably not good for my general reputation, although this particular group is unlikely to give me much guff for it.
*Doesn't build toward anything directly, but does grant experience with Corruption.
*The Slaughterhouse Nine are pretty much the best possible targets for this, meaning it will probably never be this useful again.

[ ] Covered in Thorns - See how far I can warp things physically, what I can infuse, and what the Tinkers can do with the results. Also turns attention to getting me equipment and training me to use it.
*Grants ranged attacks and area denial. +Combat, +Crowdfighting.
*Significantly progresses the Corruption tree, mastering basic item buffs.
*Buffed weapons have +Attack. One of the things I can buff is assault rifles.

No one voted for the reveal plan this time, but there were two tactics posts so I decided to wing it anyway. Tech vote is somewhat in limbo, but if you can earn one more bonus point (I still need a good name), we'll be getting all of them.
As for the stats here, Combat covers all aspects of combat, while substats like Attack and Crowdfighting cover more specific ones.
 
Rihaku said:
What was the art of the realm into which the hero first stumbled? Though he had mastered it to a prodigious degree, the exertion of his final onslaught degraded his power in this field as it did others. Now in his pre-Cursebearer state he was barely more notable than an average soldier, given the many ills and maiming wounds that plagued him. As a Cursebearer, that may no longer be the case.

By default, options that grant you immediate power will take the most efficient route of restoring, upgrading, or expanding on your chosen magic. You may gain access to other sources of supernatural power as well, such as the Praxis if a certain Remittance is chosen, or simply the magics and technologies of other worlds. Each would possess varying levels of synergy with the options below. Especially as a Progression-type Cursebearer, no field is truly barred to you save that which your Curses preclude. And, of course, it's easier to tread a path already taken.
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ok, let's see: what was the magic the hero mastered in his old world?

I remember Accretion, and I know that one won, But I don't actually remember the others. Accretion itself didn't really feel like the "dark/forbidden magic" the hero apparently mastered against his mentor's will though.
Rihaku said:
[ ] Battle Mastery - At first glance a simplistic art, yet few are more sophisticated at their core. The power of battle magic appears almost shockingly literal: techniques of sword and fist sporting superhuman might, orbs and shields channeling stupendous energies, summoned beasts who charge fearlessly into battle. All the mainstays of a hero's arsenal are present, but their implementation cleaves conceptual lines with a precision that bewilders and frustrates. How can a torrent of lightning that vaporizes a giant leave the surrounding greenery unmarred, save for a cosmetically significant singe mark?

How can a technique of bodily resilience grant superior resistance to harm without affecting one's health or the texture of one's flesh? How can a technique sufficient to propel the hero in a sixty-meter leaping charge fail to generate enough force to break down a wooden door? How can a spell of healing restore one from the brink of death yet have no effect on maiming wounds? The values of the system seem orthogonal to physical reality or common sense, and yet prioritized over both.
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so it's basically d&d/standard videogame magic + the skill/talents of not-mage classes.
Rihaku said:
Mastery comes not only from cultivating its spells and techniques, but from clever exploitation of their confounding results. Lateral thinking is key. You need to scale a wall, but only wield a spell which summons a horde of skeletons that mindlessly attack a single target? Target the wall and use the skeletons as a makeshift ramp. Need to carve a statue? Animate a pile of marble into the weakest tier of golem so that it counts as a foe, allowing you to shape it with offensive spells. Polymorph passengers into helpless frogs so that your ferry can fit more, lowering the fares for all!

*Leaps, charges, strikes, sweeps, stances, orbs, bolts, cones, blasts, shields, fields, auras, lances, and other active effects distinguished by their kinetic and spatial parameters
*Extremely efficient at what it does; no extraneous power is wasted on combat-irrelevant effects, and even the most destructive effects unleashed at point-blank range will leave allies and bystanders untouched. Does eventually cap out, though many effects retain their utility; reducing damage taken by 99.8% is frequently relevant.
*Recombination of techniques allows for surprising versatility for the quick-witted and sharp of mind.
*Forbidden Art: Spirit Mastery. The hero learned to burn his own fundamental essence in order to magnify the power of his techniques, but he burned so much during the final confrontation that he has lost even the knowledge to attempt this.
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as I said before, these are basically d&d spells/feats/powers, except you're allowed to munchkin their effects. It reminds me a bit of the Two Year Emperor (guy gets isekaied into a d&d world to be king, abuses rules and knowledge of physics) and a fanfic named "Harry Potter and the Natural 20", in which a d&d munchkin mage ends up in the Harry Potter world, but he still follows standard d&d rules (he needs to fight and act according to rounds, standard action and movements, he can make cheap amulets of protection from evil to defend against the Imperius curse, as SALT in d&d costs much more than in real life he can use it in place of gold for the gold cost of creating magical items, he nearly gives himself harry's love protection by changing his background to include a mother who died to save him just like Lily did...).

Going back to this magic system, while pure "standard" attack spells are likely to become irrelevant relatively soon, utility spells, buffing spells and status effect spells would likely remain relevant for much longer. Polymorphing your enemy into a frog is certainly an attack that will end the fight against anyone not resistant to forced transformation, and the possibility of taking advantage of the various strange quirks of each ability is fascinating. The examples it makes make it clear just how much potential there is here for the creative minds.


Rihaku said:
[ ] Seven Seals - The magic of the world was evocation of the self, the light of the soul made manifest. Each who had awakened to the light could offer their own unique capabilities, but few were as versatile and encompassing as this. The power to Seal can broadly be thought of as the inverse of reification: a flame becomes the character for 'Fire'; an onrushing torrent locked into a picture of itself. But this is an ability whose applications well exceed mere storage and containment. Not only can attacks from one foe be captured to be released against another, the nature of things sealed can be intensified through addition or fundamentally altered via combination. One may lack the equipment to meld fire with stone, but far easier to combine the character 'Fire' with the character 'Stone.'

And stranger effects than this are possible for a true master of the art: drawing upon sealed reserves without unsealing them; sealing and combining concepts; safely converting one's self into a seal, thereby to reside halfway into the Realm of Forms!

*An extremely versatile ability that allows for countless permutations
*Seal and redirect enemy attacks or convert any convenient form of quickly moving mass-energy into attacks; contain and constrict the abilities of foes; channel intensified sealed strength for superhuman attributes, seal one's own tiredness, or even become a being of pattern more than form and sear yourself across the span of reality!
*The first two Seals are easy to learn. Each subsequent level represents a rapidly escalating leap in difficulty. Progress will be relatively slow compared to other disciplines.
*Forbidden Art: Fifth Seal. The hero can no longer recall any details of the Fifth or higher Seals.
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A more straightforward system, what it loses in variety and potential for shenanigans from the previous one it likely gains in direct applicability.

I don't really have much to say about this one, other than it reminds me a bit of Naruto's fuinjutsu (mostly the one used in fanfics really, where a good enough seal can basically do anything), or the "sealing" magic of the dragonball's quest "After the End".

Its conceptual nature promises for it to stay relevant possibly for longer than the previous one, but I find myself less interested. THe first one simply seems more interesting, funnier.
Rihaku said:
[ ] Accretion - A farmer's boy. A sword of fable. A perilous quest. Death or glory.

A form of symbiosis between wielder and object, integrating shared experiences, mythic archetypes, accumulated legendry and personal craftsmanship. The result is a being greater than the sum of its parts, not a man wielding a sword but Arthur with Excalibur, the blade closer to his being than his own sword-arm. That deep conceptual weight, wearing a groove in reality's current, permits the slow unfurling of impossible feats as a product of the partnership.

The power of Accretion is rarely replicable and never easily defined. Its greatest masters turn the tides of battle simply by taking the field, their presence an inexpressible radiance, sharp light beyond sense or reason, that erodes the existential basis of those who would oppose them. You will find them at the crux of fate, the critical point of inflection; there does that power reach its apex, starshine become a blazing sun, light and fire and fury as to bring the world to its knees.

*A power that is somewhat agnostic to the strength of one's foes. Battle Magic will never deflect a supernova; a master of this art might, though they'd have near equal difficulty deflecting a tank shell.
*Operates on a level beyond physical causality. With few exceptions, does not enhance physical parameters at all.
*With time and many shared tribulations, some of a union's powers may become relatively consistent and explicable. For example, the hero wears a suit of dark grey plate, and nothing may slay him short of annihilating the armor entire.
*Forbidden Art: Abduction. The forceful seizing of another's armament, inconsistent in applicable and terribly risky, as aspects of the prior wielder may impose themselves upon you. The hero stole into the Tyrant's Catacomb and emerged bearing the sword of the Tyrant's progenitor. That blade now lies broken, and with it its wielder.

The arts not picked will never have been present in the hero's initial realm.

Please remember to copy your vote for the previous choice when you vote here, so as not to override your previous vote.
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The one that was picked in the end. I understand why, it's definitely the one most likely to stay relevant in the truly long term, and possibly the easiest to use as well (also likely the one with the least build votes required for it)...but I sort of regret not getting a chance to see what wild results we could have gotten from the right combinations of Battle Mastery spells...

470 words
 
HoratioVonBecker said:
Discussion's worth quite a lot in this quest!
Also you probably shouldn't use the official vote format for that; you've overridden your Absorb vote!
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I'm too tired to put together a good argument, I just want to vote for the reckless option since Absorb is losing in the actual vote.

Also thanks for reminding me, edited that to a D.
 
I really want to argue for Tower, and my best one is this:
Eating the tower isn't more trapped than climbing it.
Augustine knows three things about our powerset. A, we absorbed the Opalescent Tower. B, our Pressure is now very enormous. C, we were able to absorb the Opalescent Tower.
Thus, her best play is to counter the Tower, the Pressure, and the Absorption. Making a thematic inverse to said tower accomplishes the first, just in case eating the tower is the source of our abilities. It also, hopefully (from her perspective) does the second and third - the second by means of the first, and the third by either being thematically incompatible, or by being primed to attack whoever absorbs it.
But she probably also has a direct counter to our Pressure, like Bastion of Myth. Given that the Tower is the most impressive creation we've seen, and Earth has plenty of thematic connection to Gravity and Being The Thing That Pulls, I would place very high odds on it being essential to that endeavor. And medium-low odds on it turning our Rank against us.

She does have that twisted exchange power. On the other hand, it seems to have taken a fair bit of preptime to set up - @Rihaku, when was Verschlangorge kidnapped? - and I'm not sure we have anything worth stealing. There's the Azure Ring, which might be a geometric increase to her abilities if she can master it, but it's subordinate to Hunger and thus probably won't help her fight him. Also, it still needs preptime. (If her plan is to steal it and teleport away, though, that might work out for her. Hmm. It'd have to leave her stronger than she is while she still has her army, though, or at least seem like it could reach that level - I don't see her going for that otherwise.)
She could try stealing the Tower back, but that seems unlikely due to the blurb, and also because even a very twisted Equivalent Exchange seems unlikely to mean "I get the same thing back and something else too".
She could also try to steal the Forebear's Blade, but I doubt it would work. Between using Artful Thorn on the spell, calling it back to his hand, and the blade's own personality, I just don't think it would go well for her. Oh, and I totally forgot about Silver of Evening, which has a shorter recharge cycle than Gisena's ult.
...And should be possible to transmit via Undying Vanguard. You know what? I am no longer worried about this ability!

What could the tower do to attack us if we try to absorb it? Well, the first thing I thought of was root us in place. Possibly while Augustine summons a hyper-attack demon or a meteor strike, or even just bluffs at such and transitions to negotiation.
Secondly, it could attack our Essence. In that case, we're down to All-Defeating Whiteout Ruin as our passive defense, and hope we get Artful Thorn up in time.

So. Paths.
*Cut Through gets as close as possible to Augustine before firing Gisena's Tide of Nullity. That means getting close to the Tower, charging through all the traps including the Tower's default effect, and then hitting everything with a Nullity bomb. Can choose to spend Silver avoiding the Tide, at the cost of losing both magic defenses before the boss fight. Furthermore, Augustine is likely at least somewhat resistant to Nullity because of her bloodline, so there likely would be a boss fight afterwards. My guessed-at odds of catastrophe: somewhere around 30%.

*Absorb the Tower triggers one probable-trap, but dodges others. Getting close enough to absorb it means going through several traps, but almost certainly fewer than Cut Through - we aren't climbing the thing, unless heading to the top is a major factor in being able to absorb it.
...Which it very well might be, in retrospect. Hm.
Anyway, absorbing it means Augustine no longer has the advantage of a fully-prepped arena, which is doubtless a large boost. It carries some risk of her getting away, and a smaller risk of her abducting the Azure when she does so. On the other hand, it offers us the benefits of absorbing the Tower. My guessed-at odds of catastrophe: also somewhere around 30%, plus a higher chance of her getting away.


Finally: Guys. On an OOC level. @Aabcehmu paid for one of our defensive wish reroll things - not to mention much of the Arete we'd be spending - and wants to risk Absorb. It doesn't entirely seem fair to deny that to him.
 
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Here, have a supplement to @vali's CYOA.
Supplementary Curses - these are worth 3 points each.

The Doom of Illiteracy
You are utterly incapable of understanding recorded symbols. Icons, texts, computer files, self-evident memetic runes. Most communication technology is useless without an interpreter, and many magics are restricted or barred to you outright. While this curse is among the easiest to mitigate, beware, for even the simplest of warnings are not exempt.

The Brand of Broadcast
Your thoughts and secrets are made apparent to all who sense you, and cast in the worst plausible light. This typically takes the form of telepathic leak or writing on your skin, but many means are possible to reach those of variant senses. Furthermore, this curse will do its' level best to transmit any knowledge-based magics to your enemies. How will you live, if all your plans, vulnerabilities, crimes, and power are known to all?

And now, of course, magic books. These can be taken as Remittances for their listed point costs.

The Sorceror's Handbook (1 point)
A training manual for a number of disparate arts named Sorcery, none of which can normally be obtained by reading books. If you obtain one, this book will apply the To Shatter Heaven effect, increasing your growth rate in that art by 400% and allowing you to break its' conceptual limits when you reach them.

The Book of Unwise Magic (3 points)
The ultimate resource on powers better left alone. This Book provides comprehensive knowledge of all abilities that are generally too costly or dangerous to be advisable, sorted by relevance to your situation. Information too complex or dangerous for your present mind is excluded, although means to bypass this protection are clearly printed in the back of the book.
While not at all a safe foundation to build on, this book provides both a number of emergency tools, and the means to translate power into lower-level utility effects. In time, very useful.

The Heavenly Tome (6 points)
Initiates you into The Good Magic, the very strongest system for renewal and restoration that can be accessed at your level. While focused on those effects to the exclusion of all others, this system provides enough power to live comfortably and for ever, provided you don't make any excessively powerful enemies.

Meditations on the Praxis, by Seram Tiberius Law (0 points)
A primer on the Accursed's personal casting style.
This is a prototype, but it's getting late so I'm going to post it. I'll probably add to it tomorrow.
Presently, this is 425 words.
 
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Rihaku said:
"Please bring Versch back," Letrizia asked, wincing as she stood forward, putting pressure on her injured leg. "He's... my family has given so much to defend our partnership with him. Every Artriez has returned him in good stead to the keeping of the House. If I fail now, I..."

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Look on the bright side Letrizia! Even if you do lose Versch, you've gained the friendship of a Progression-type Cursebearer. As valuable as an Armament is, can it really compare to the affection of Lord Hunger? Its hard to find a better investment, especially if you can guilt him with his incompetence as a bodyguard.
 
Good thing about being Progression type, especially one as powerful as Hunger, is that "ill just retroactively solve it in three thousand years" is actually a relevant answer to many moral quandaries, as much as dislike that kind of thinking.
 
Wolfy said:
Good thing about being Progression type, especially one as powerful as Hunger, is that "ill just retroactively solve it in three thousand years" is actually a relevant answer to many moral quandaries, as much as dislike that kind of thinking.
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If you still remember it at that time. On that note, anyone still planning to revive Hunger's dead waifu?
 
And another CYOA build update. This one seems reasonably comfy, actually! It comes from stacking curses redundantly.

Brand of Broadcast (+3)
Curse of Plagiarization: Affliction of Slumber, The Flagrant Affliction, Geas of the Mendicant, Brand of the Addled, Brand of the Alien, Plenary Brand, Doom of the Martyr (+14)
Doom of Judgement (+1)
Brand of the Seer (+1)
Pedant's Doom (+1)
Reward of the Chronicler (+1)
(Final: 21)

A Simple Solution (-1)
Magic Progression (-3)
The Tower (-6)
The Staff (-1)
The Robe (-1)
The Ring (-1)
The Apprentice (-1)
Returning Player: The Four Signs (-6)
1 Accursed Favor

At Nameless tier, take Brand of the Heartless and drop Favor. At Hunger tier, take Brand of the Phoenix and Doom of Inflexibility, and trade either Tower or Four Signs for Heavenly Tome.

At base tier, I could also take Heartless and Seram. He's lonely enough that, provided the Remittance means he won't leave or attack me until I can get past the incomprehensibility Brands, I should be able to take him on as an Apprentice. That'd be a large advantage in power and immediate companionship, at the cost of a sneaky Curse. It's probably worth it, honestly.

Finally, there's probably cheese to be had with adding Curse of Misinformation on top of Brand of Broadcast. That's not enough for Seram and Hunger tier, but I guess I could take Seer on top of that.

Not sure what all to say about this. Seram tier is actually quite comfy, so long as I can talk to people. (Does 'A Simple Solution' give me a connection back home so I can videochat?)
Probably the most interesting is the no-Tower build, because it's so different from Orm's. Notable capabilities:
*Flight.
*Robe is immune to direct magic attacks.
*Indestructible staff.
*"Doubled intelligence and wisdom", which means that Doom of Inflexibility applies to more-or-less my best self. It's going to be a mitigation priority, but maybe second-tier.
*Gamer Magic, Outer Sorcery, and Seram Law as my first Apprentice. Mastery of those in short order.
*A bewildering variety of Brands, all focused on making it hard to think of me as personlike and friendly. Also, the really nasty combo of Martyr and Broadcast. Broadcast is kind of a knockoff Apocryphal, actually, but the Tower is excellent mitigation for... okay, never mind. The no-tower build would have to be specifically dedicated to that purpose.
 
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Rihaku said:
The winning vote is Vendetta. Given the nature of Vendetta, please choose a Vendetta subvote alongside your votes below.

[ ] The Sword That Ends the World - Access to the Praxis, the fearsome supernal art of the Accursed himself. Only access, no immediate power. Given the obstacles arrayed before you, even if you choose optimally at each juncture, there is a between 1/3rd and 2/3rds chance you will die within the first few fights. Thread participation will not be able to change this, but you are free to take this risk. No one can say I have not repeatedly warned you.

[ ] The King's Scepter - The Accursed will grant you some degree of immediate power, which can be leveraged into further growth and which will provide substantial safety in the early stages of your journey.
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nothing really new to say to this. King's Scepter is the most logical, the wisest choice.

I still wish Praxis won. I've been wondering what it does for ages! The omake version with the ignition shell and pelagic arm was nice, but the real thing is bound to be even more interesting.

Just what kind of magic system would the one created and used by the strongest being in the multiverse even be?!


Also:

half of the people voting for Sword: "sure, it's harder, but if we take the optimal choices we can still win!". Rihaku: "No, no matter how good you are, you STILL get a 33% to 66% chance of dying!". I wonder if after this update there were still people arguing that taking the right choices would fix everything.

The other half simply goes "YOLO" and "but the praxis is so cool!", and really, how can you argue with that? Truly wise fools they are :V
Rihaku said:
I'm going to eliminate Battle Mastery of the three systems, but Accretion and Seven Seals are really close in terms of thread participation. As we build momentum, I hope we will be able to decisively close out these votes in a more timely fashion. Either way, this initial period of character creation is coming to a close. Please choose one of:

[ ] Accretion
[ ] Seven Seals

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Aw. It was my favourite!

Well, I suppose I would have gone with Accretion too at this point. I'm not sure why but Seven Seals is the least interesting to me. It's probably all the naruto fanfics I've read in the past.
Rihaku said:
Cursebearer, Select 3 Lesser Remittances

Companion:

[ ] Gisena Allria, the Nullity Sorceress

Physical **
Social ****
Mental ****

On the brink of her execution by a mighty foe, the Nullity Sorceress employed a novel and highly risky application of her powers to tear a hole between realms. Nihilistic, cunning, and disarmingly vivacious, she is an exceptionally talented technologist and socialite. Beautiful, and fond of using her charms to tease, manipulate, and frustrate friend & foe alike.

Modestly superhuman strength, speed, constitution, appearance, and quickness of thought. Her Sorcerous Graces allow her to nullify, negate, or weaken a very broad range of supernatural effects, or, in theory, aspects of reality. Well-suited to Curse mitigation. Can continue to advance by attaining Coalescences.
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Hi Gisena!

so here is what happened to the Gisena that tried to fight against Jotaro Kujo. Foolish woman, she was no match for Star Platinum The Hero out of Legend!

Definitely a good choice, comes with in-built curse mitigation powers, and surely in the vast multiverse we'll find ways to cause more Coalescences to happen even without other sources of Findross around. And at some point we might very well end in Findross-rich worlds, who knows (though that would likely happen post-epilogue. It's unlikely the quest will last more than one world after all.

She also has some potential as tech expert, and intermediary when we need to deal with society and laws.
Rihaku said:
[ ] Ceathlynn "Catherine" of Amarlt

Physical *****
Social * / ***
Mental **

Considered a failed prototype in the Amarlt family's disavowed eugenic super-soldier program, Catherine was relegated to the role of a lab assistant in the Astral Exploratory of her nominal House. A high-energy rift experiment gone wrong displaced her in space and time. Hurled centuries into the future, she is now the sole pureblooded inheritor of the Amarlt lineage, the main branch having long consumed itself in a fiery internecine war.

Though she possesses peak human reflexes, agility, kinesthetic sense, bodily coordination and melee combat skills, lacking any supernatural abilities she is little more effective than most humans against soldiers armed with guns. However, virtually any form of supernatural augmentation or equipment would act as powerful force multipliers for her. For example, she has an astonishing talent for piloting advanced weapons systems. Reserved and timid, she has not yet found her self-confidence in social situations, though she displays implacable will in the pursuit of any mission assigned.
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less interesting choice for me. She has potential, sure, but Gisena is better suited to us. I think she's a new characters, I can't remember her from old quests and I don't think she fits the setting of most of the ones I know of but didn't read.

I think she was chosen though, I remember seeing a woman coming with the giant affliction-powered robot. Unless she was a random encounter this is most likely her.
Rihaku said:
[ ] Prolessarch [2 Remittances]

Physical **
Social ***
Mental *******

A lich who studied under a legendary Great Sage, the easy-going and adventurous Prolessarch completed a powerful spell which allowed him to traverse the void between dimensions. Though he has lost the vast majority of his magics in the process of powering his immortality, he still possesses a keen analytical intellect capable of insights well into the superhuman range. A human supremacist and somewhat set in his views; the topic of elves is one of the few issues that can rouse him to anger.

A masterful researcher into all forms of supernatural power, his prodigious intuition allows him to grasp foundational insights with startling frequency. Though this is perhaps less relevant for abstract systems such as Accretion, it will certainly be a boon for other systems you encounter. Though his undead frame is no faster than a well-trained human, it possess a corpselike resilience and the ability to drain the life essence of sapient beings. Possesses functional immortality; he cannot be killed until all trace of his memetic legacy is erased from the universe. Able, convivial, a fiercely loyal friend, a monstrous and unwavering foe.

Unconcerned with the vast array of magical powers he has lost; confident in his ability to acquire temporal power when needed, though it bores him.

"Easy come, easy go, hm? Now tell me more about this 'Astral' Exploratory of yours!"
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ah, someone nearly as interested in the various magical systems as me! I like him!

I wonder, would WE count as part of his memetic legacy (say, by becoming his student/friend/ally)? Because in that case we're basically making him completely immortal as far as it matters to us (though if his legacy is in another universe than that doesn't really matter anyway). He can also spread his legacy in all the worlds we visit, making himself even harder to destroy for good.

Oh, How would I have enjoyed him in conjunction with Battle Mastery!
Rihaku said:
Artifact:

[ ] Hunger

A ring of power, two thin bands of black surrounding a band of blood-red. When worn, it merges onto the finger, unable to be removed. The user's appetite for all the visceral pleasures of life is notably sharpened, increasing motivation and drive but with the obvious side effects. Indestructible as far as you can tell.

Dramatically reduces the benefits of training, but explosively increases rate of progression during active conflict. An active Cursebearer would progress many times faster in total. You don't have to wear it yourself.
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Good motivation to avoid training sequences and stay right in the middle of the action. Also motivation is something good to have for a progression type, especially one with such important curses to mitigate as the Decimator's Affliction and the Apocryphal Curse (which, by the way, would make training for long time periods a bad idea anyway).

I know it was taken, and I think it was a good idea all things considered. It would have been even better in conjunction with the Affliction of Slumber though.
Rihaku said:
[ ] Talon

A long, raking talon of yellowed ivory, stained with blood on its lower side and warm to the touch. Upon slaying an enemy of notable strength, the body can be processed to yield an amount of wealth, resources, or relevant equipment commensurate to the power of the foe. If the bearer is in particular need of food, water, or shelter, slain foes become more likely to provide an appropriate resource. Can break, but can repair itself from a sliver by feeding on a notable foe's blood. Intimidating if worn.
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...I wonder if this can help mitigate Decimator. Still, a good choice, especially combined with Hunger and Apocryphal curse.

I'm not sure if this was taken, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was.
Rihaku said:
[ ] Forebear's Blade

Reforged shall be blade that was broken.

Accretion - Infused with a spark of Accursed power, the blade slowly repairs itself as you progress, assuming a new form well-suited to the character and strengths of its master. As your power grows, so too shall its form be refined, become ever sharper and mightier without limit.

Seven Seals - The Soul Evocation of the chosen hero was Imprisonment, the power to seal. This blade extends, reinforces and magnifies the power of the soul, vastly enhancing the unique affinity of its wielder. Those struck by its edge can be sealed with far less resistance, while energies striking its flat are easily imprisoned. Seals draw by its point hearken as if cut into the primordial clay, becoming easier to comprehend and more potent in function. Increases effectiveness of Imprisonment on Curses.
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Not bad, but somehow I don't find it as interesting as most of the other choices, especially taken together with Accretion
Rihaku said:
Upgrade:

[ ] Retinue - You may designate up to five members of your Retinue. Each reduces your rate of Progression by 25% multiplicatively. Each advances in their primary area of specialization with Progression one-fourth the potency of your own. Needless to say this is an outrageous and irreplaceable boon. Retinue companions are easy to add, costly to remove.

Your Retinue companions may with a short ceremony voluntarily pledge loyalty to any member of your retinue or yourself. This axiomatically prevents that character from betraying the one to whom they have so pledged. Breaking a pledge is possible but is always time-consuming, obvious over any distance, extremely onerous and afflicts the forsworn with a particularly ironic flavor of the Apocryphal Curse centered upon themselves. Pledges can be voluntarily released by mutual agreement in a less time-consuming process.

You may pledge loyalty to Retinue companions as well. Pledges may be mutual or not, mutual pledges may be simultaneous or not. You must add a character to the Retinue before pledges (from or to) can be made.
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interesting. It's basically a guarantee of keeping our companion relevants (and loyal) at the cost of personal power. At the full 5 that would mean we'd get a progression 0.2373046875 times as fast as the original one (basically a fourth), in exchange of 5 companions that can keep up.

I think it's a good trade, not just because of the help they'd be, but the certainty this would give the cursebearer of having someone they can trust absolutely, and that would be able to help and defend themselves.

Rihaku said:
[ ] Intensify - Sharpens and narrows the domain of your Primary Remittance.

*The King's Scepter - Substantially increases power level at the cost of non-combat versatility. Better fulfills its function of initial security and leverage, but scope of action is less broad.
*The Sword - Substantially increases rate of progress and overall effectiveness of the Praxis, but prevents you from ever employing any other supernatural arts. The jack of all trades cannot overcome the master of one.
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A classic, basically one of Seram's lesser remittances. obviously good. I think I'd be against this with the Praxis though. Sure, it might be the strongest system around, but I love exploring interactions between multiple systems too much to limit myself to only one, even if it's the best one.
Rihaku said:
[ ] Relinquishment - For each decade of service as a Cursebearer, gain one week of freedom from your Curses. Your burdens will be transferred to volunteering Cursebearers for that time. You are free to travel even with the Geas but must be back before the week is over. You may improve the term and frequency of Relinquishment by mitigating your Curses more.
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...a good quality of life choice, especially in the really long term... but not likely to be that relevant in the timeframe of this quest, so It's pretty much impossible that this was could get picked.

I'd definitely consider it if I actually had to chose curses and remittances for myself though. What good is eternity if you can't relax now and then? The Apocryphal Curse basically doesn't even allow you to relax between one Geass of Indenture mission and the other!
Rihaku said:
[ ] Accursed Favor

Forgo a Lesser Remittance. Causes the Accursed to like you slightly more. Benefits uncertain, can be taken multiple times.
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Let's face it, this will NEVER get chosen, and one day Rihaku will reveal that if we had taken this we would have gotten the most precious treasure of all the multiverse: more interactions with the Accursed!

Maybe he would have even come to visit us for Tea sometimes!

895 words
 
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"Stay close," Hunger commanded, as his Cloak writhed and snapped like a striking whip against the air.

Gisena smiled faintly. She knew the Cloak of his panoply would do them no harm, but it wasn't every day that the Lord Hunger cut so unintentionally hilarious a figure! Idly she preserved the image in her mind's eye as they strode forth upon the Protector's tower. Magics assailed her vision, daunting spellcraft in vertiginous lines, flashes and fluxes of green witchfire and nauseating distortion that pressed at her temples against the shield of her Nullity. The Lady Protector was an adept magus, a twisted sorceress of the highest order. It was more than fitting that Gisena would stand against her today.

Their enemy was limited chiefly by time, secondly by resources. That Augustine had spent precious moments crafting the runes of this initial assault, an attack totally incapable of felling Lord Hunger, meant that her purpose had not been to finish - or even deter - them with this strike. It was part probing attack, part feint: testing esoteric vectors to see if any would register disproportionate effectiveness, while simultaneously feigning weakness to encourage overconfidence on Hunger's part.
 
HoratioVonBecker said:
I think Cut Through actually doesn't have very much argument power. Could be wrong, but an omakestorm by Tower voters might be enough to tip the scales.
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I was collecting some material, but the temp threadmark beat me to the punch. We'll just have to hope that things turned out okay regardless!
 
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