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A Simple Transaction I

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[><] Accept the Curse of Hubris

How many times has Rihaku said to be cautious? How often have we been incautious? Have we ever experienced even a mild inconvenience for our choices?

Always, Frequently, and Nope. I say full-steam ahead! :V
 
Aabcehmu said:
There may have been significantly more time between the two than 500 years. Seram's task lasted 500 years, but there's no guarantee that Hunger showed up the instant Seram left, and in fact there was probably a long period in between, IMO.
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Seram's interlude is set at the same time as Hunger's current adventure, his interlude mentions the Apocryphal considering him. Seram has been a cursebearer for 500 years.

Rihaku said:
Eternity was at least less comprehensible, less viscerally enormous, than the nine hundred thirty-six octillion, nine hundred ninety-nine septillion, nine hundred ninety-nine sextillion... nine hundred ninety-nine million, nine-hundred ninety-nine thousand, five hundred years still remaining in the sentence of his Curse.
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That said, in a world with causal time travel who knows how meaningful all this is.

...

[X] Equinox Lacing

This might give us the best survival chance? Not that anyone cares about a thing so tedious and immaterial as survival chances.

Will probably change this when I see whatever suicidal plan everyone else goes for.
 
[X] Equinox Lacing
[X] Innermost Sanctum

Going with 2 picks, since I think that's maybe a balance of greed and caution, like Rihaku mentioned.
 
Ok hear me out what if by caution he meant caution against being a big baby bitch and by greed he meant greedy for a really awesome 7 pick fight ending, so by balance he meant pick all of the above?

[lol] Mega Maiden
 
Taking all of these is certain death. Taking even 2-3 has a way too high a probability of death. Let's go ahead and take one, embrace a limited outcome and call it a quest. With that in mind, it would be good to evaluate things.

Rihaku said:
[ ] Implicate Veil - Duties unspoken are often the heaviest.

*The Maiden is the progenitor of every Sorceress, their hallowed and ineffable mother. Never should one expect the kindling-spark to eclipse the origin flame.
*The Maiden receives all powers and abilities of every Sorceress anywhere, even those unassociated with findross. If any have Attributes greater than hers, her Attributes rise to meet them.
*The Maiden's Rank becomes 15 when manifest in this realm.
*She becomes unable to speak, though she may still communicate by other means. This may affect the magics she has access to.
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*Gisena's pseudo-progression
*Jeane's planning skills, executive function and Supreme Arcanum
*Probably a whole bunch of random systems and powers

I assume Seram is rendered immune via Cursebearer protections.

Her Rank effectively makes her immune to our Dominions, though I think we'd be immune to the direct impacts of such a level of Rank thanks Invincible. Would probably let her take the Human Sphere hostage pretty effectively though, which would not be ideal. The staggering competence boost and the potential for total OCPs is the biggest issue here though, even if they might be somewhat limited due to lack of speech.
 
[X] Implicate Veil
[X] Equinox Lacing
[X] Innermost Sanctum

I think there's enough overlap between these three that the Maiden won't get too big of a boost. Sanctum gives infinite training time but Lacing already gives her mastery over every Grace. Veil may be dangerous as she'll have time to fully incorporate all the other abilities but I think Hunger has enough versatility to counter most of what she can throw. Also all three of these picks have significant drawbacks. She can longer speak, perform foremost magic, or rest. While this is still dangerous I don't think it's impossible level dangerous. Not the greediest but still potentially lucrative, seems just right for us.
 
[X] Equinox Lacing
[X] Innermost Sanctum

I guess this sounds like the weakest (?) 2-pick iteration of the Maiden with just these option. Taking a leaf from Ceathlynn's book, the one thing that really matters is winning. No epilogue if Hunger just fails.

The infinite training time one probably is around the same, but this at least removes her Foremost Sorcery which infinite training one might let her access.
 
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Tyrant_Rayne said:
I think there's enough overlap between these three that the Maiden won't get too big of a boost. Sanctum gives infinite training time but Lacing already gives her mastery over every Grace. Veil may be dangerous as she'll have time to fully incorporate all the other abilities but I think Hunger has enough versatility to counter most of what she can throw. Also all three of these picks have significant drawbacks.
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You'd be giving her infinite training time, Gisena's Progression, Jeanne's training and planning skills and a bunch of unknown systems to synergise with her existing powers.
 
Rihaku said:
Now was a Sphere unrecognizable to a resident of even ten years past, whose few remaining resource constraints rapidly dwindled into irrelevance in the face of Allrian hypertechnology.
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Should this be *Allerian?
Rihaku said:
Even if his rule were as temporary as he claimed - a matter of decades and centuries, rather than eons - the universe would be forever scarred by his passage, his dynasty and its institutions so deeply entrenched as to be equally unassailable, with little guarantee of competence or benevolence.
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This... is actually kind of a fair point? The Tyrant that Hunger originally shattered himself killing was the culmination of a dynasty left behind by the Forebear.
Lealope said:
Would probably let her take the Human Sphere hostage pretty effectively though, which would not be ideal.
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Not sure how interested she'd be in doing that, though. AFAICT the Maiden is a very different kind of personality from Dien.
Tyrant_Rayne said:
I think there's enough overlap between these three that the Maiden won't get too big of a boost.
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Uh. A zero-option Maiden is a 4-pick fight. Each option is synergistic with her base build, and AFAICT with each other. Procyon, who came rather close to killing Hunger, was "only" a 5-pick fight. Adding three options to the Maiden, given their synergistic nature, could add more than 3 "picks" worth of difficulty to the fight. Remember, the "pick" difficulty of a fight is not an objective measure of power, it's strictly relative to Hunger's own current power. If a 5-pick fight is a severely lethal threat, what do you think an 8-pick fight would look like? Or a 9-pick fight? I'm concerned that might look something like our "fight" with Aobaru, but from the wrong side of the equation.

Lealope is definitely correct that only one option should be chosen IMO.
 
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Lealope said:
You'd be giving her infinite training time, Gisena's Progression, Jeanne's training and planning skills and a bunch of unknown systems to synergise with her existing powers.
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Oh right I forgot about the pseudo progression.

[X] Equinox Lacing
[X] Innermost Sanctum

In that case thus is probably the 'safest' 2 pick. Or atleast as safe as any of this can be. I still want some greed.
 
Fayhem said:
Not sure how interested she'd be in doing that, though. AFAICT the Maiden is a very different kind of personality from Dien.
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Given all the "win no matter the cost" being thrown about by Ceathlynn, I don't want to take risks with that. She could decide to kill them off now, and then slowly ress them with Auspice Temporal + Make Whole or something.
 
I'm kinda tempted by
[X] Unbidden Grace
tbh.

I mean, it's not the most optimal choice, I'm pretty sure. But as the only option selected I think it's as viable as need be. And I'm a stone sucker for a chance at nonlethal reconciliation with a virtuous antagonist, even if it's a mere 10% chance (perhaps this is what I'm greedy for, in the end). Still more so when it's Hunger's pseudo-wife.

As far as a possible basis for negotiation: she is concerned over what will become of this realm when Hunger departs. Why not ask her to take over once we depart? She can moderate or reform whatever she thinks needs to be changed or fixed then. And honestly, even with her antagonistic attitude, I'd still trust her as a steward more than Aobaru; our fiery boi did not impress me with his temperament or fitness to rule even before his murderous temper tantrum over not being recognized enough. And his "redemption" moment featuring him killing somebody we wanted to spare so he would help fix the massive damage he'd done out of a misguided desire to "honor" a monstrous opponent didn't impress me either. So frankly I'd consider that a trade-up.
 
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Thread, I'm calling on you to help me decide my next omake. Please vote for just one.

[] Update: A Simple Transaction: Zethale - This is a Cursebearer subquest where the CB is Hephaestus, prior to his return to Olympus, when he still wandered the mortal world below. The winning vote for his build is Stand Up (become a combat-type), Mutilating Affliction, Brand of the Wretch, Brand of the Champion, and Quest (an alternative to Wishes, which lets him take on tasks given by the Accursed and by other CBs in order to earn rewards). The next update would probably be pretty short, and would involve voting for Zethale's Lesser Remittances.

[] Update: Unideal - This is another Cursebearer subquest, but this one stars an alternate version of myself! He's a progression-type with Brand of the Wretched, Brand of the Champion, Doom of the Martyr, Doom of the Tyrant, and Geas of the Sanctum. He's been grinding away at this magic-based remittances (he has no lesser remittances because he had very poor compatibility) and just achieved Stage I mitigation on all of his curses in the last update. The next update would like be after a long time-skip, and would go over the ways he's changed the world with his abilities, especially the super-technology he will develop.

[] New CYOA: Garber's Diner - A CYOA themed after the food and drinks available at a stereotypical american diner. You'd start out with $20, and would make purchases from the Appetizer, Brunch, Entree, Dessert, and Beverage sections. Tax included!

[] New CYOA: Light at the End of the Tunnel - A CYOA about being dead, and crafting your personal afterlife. You'd have 3 Eternal Essences to construct the cosmos of your afterlife, 2 Infinite Essences to imbue it with a semblance of motion and life, and 1 Radiant Essence to enlighten yourself with.
 
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[Aab] Update Unideal

tell me all about that sweet, sweet hypertech

Rihaku said:
[ ] Unbidden Grace - Unasked for, but not undeserved.

*The Maiden receives 100 Arete from Ceathlynn to spend on Advancements comparable in power and scope to Hunger's current 25+ Arete Advancements.
*These will be designed specifically to counter Hunger.
*There is a 30% chance any hostile effect launched at the Maiden will irrevocably fail.
*There is a 10% chance the Maiden will be open to negotiations. Success is far from guaranteed, of course.
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That thirty percent chance of hostile effects just flatly failing is extremely painful, especially considering that she could buy an Archmage tier advancement focused specifically on countering us. I wouldn't expect Invincible to be able to shield us from harm with this, which would be pretty extremely unfortunate since it's our biggest asset right now.
 
[aab] Update: A Simple Transaction: Zethale

I think that this one is really neat and original and it fits into the greater Rihakuverse in an interesting way. Maybe we could also vote for the first Quest along with a starting remittance? Like an overarching task for The Accursed?
 
[X] Flower of Victory
[X] Unbidden Grace

I don't care about anything else but I would really like to see this option take effect - it's the power most essential to Catherine's character and would probably provoke the greatest thematic resonance from her fight with Hunger. Plus, if Catherine really does go full Shattering Blow, it would be a beautiful inversion of Hunger's position at the beginning of the quest. I'm holding out hope that we may not have to kill Ceathlynn but if she has to die, I think this is the best possible way for her to go out.

I think getting just 2 options would be best, setting the Maiden's threat level to something rivalling or even surpassing the difficulty of all fights beforehand - cementing her status as the Final Boss, without outright dooming us to failure. Equinox Lacing or Unbidden Grace might be good, with the latter being my preference since it opens up the possibility of negotiation and also allows Catherine to be an even more perfect mirror to Hunger, a custom-built Hero with equivalent Arete to our Tyrant.

Regardless, I'm super excited to see the final battle of the quest and very eager to enter the epilogue of AST I!

EDIT: Also,

"There's always an ending," says the Maiden?

Hunger's response can only be one thing, following in the Most High's footsteps:

"Not always."
 
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Zampano said:
[aab] Update: A Simple Transaction: Zethale

I think that this one is really neat and original and it fits into the greater Rihakuverse in an interesting way. Maybe we could also vote for the first Quest along with a starting remittance? Like an overarching task for The Accursed?
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I was originally just thinking of giving Zethale the Accursed Quest: Surpass your father, Thunderer Zeus, Slayer of Typhon, in personal might, but yeah, giving you guys the choice between that and a couple others would make sense.
 
Aabcehmu said:
I was originally just thinking of giving Zethale the Accursed Quest: Surpass your father, Thunderer Zeus, Slayer of Typhon, in personal might, but yeah, giving you guys the choice between that and a couple others would make sense.
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Even something like choosing what tactics Zethale will use towards the Accursed Quest given above would be a way to link the Chargen chapters with the (hopefully forthcoming) plot-chapters
 
Kurowari said:
[X] Flower of Victory

I don't care about anything else but I would really like to see this option take effect - it's the power most essential to Catherine's character and would probably provoke the greatest thematic resonance from her fight with Hunger. Plus, if Catherine really does go full Shattering Blow, it would be a beautiful inversion of Hunger's position at the beginning of the quest. I'm holding out hope that we may not have to kill Ceathlynn but if she has to die, I think this is the best possible way for her to go out.

I think getting just 2 options would be best, setting the Maiden's threat level to something rivalling or even surpassing the difficulty of all fights beforehand - cementing her status as the Final Boss, without outright dooming us to failure. Equinox Lacing or Unbidden Grace might be good, with the latter being my preference since it opens up the possibility of negotiation and also allows Catherine to be an even more perfect mirror to Hunger, a custom-built Hero with equivalent Arete to our Tyrant.

Regardless, I'm super excited to see the final battle of the quest and very eager to enter the epilogue of AST I!

EDIT: Also,

"There's always an ending," says the Maiden?

Hunger's response can only be one thing, following in the Most High's footsteps:

"Not always."
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Nah, he knows Earth pop culture, remember.

"Only an Orc deals in absolutes".
 
Stacking the Maiden up with additional transcendental ultra-powers is sheer suicidal folly. Ideally we want her to have none of these things; she is quite strong enough as is!

Therefore, it behooves us to vote for, and only for, the least popular options. In principle we could attain a state where there are a great many votes, and none can agree on which power to give her, so she gets none of them because none break the 50% line.

[X] Unbidden Grace
 
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