A Simple Transaction I
- Thread starter Rihaku
- Start date
- Original
Finality
Rihaku
The Internet
Finality
Thanks to everyone who has contributed Arete in any form to this thread. The advancements below reflect the sum total of combined effort, and the proper reward for such dedication of sweat, blood and genius can only be: power beyond all reason.
[ ] The Forebear's Blade - Inheritance
May you forever disregard the counsel of your lessors, no matter their wisdom or cunning. May you stifle all law and paradigm not born solely of your writ. May you carry on unswervingly until the bitter and uttermost end.
May you be doomed to tyranny in deed, and in name forevermore.
-The Forebear of Dynasties
The once and future king. At times little more than feeble whisper of a prophecy, now a promise vindicated in full. Hunger comes into the fullness of his power; the might of his former self at an analogous stage of development is added to his own. Moreover, he now is the Forebear of Dynasties returned in truth, and bears all the glory and terror of his unfathomable epochal reign. A law unto himself that uncontested could bring all creation to ruin; sheer limitless power, heedless will like the spark of divinity curdled into unyielding iron.
Req. Once and Future III, Haeliel
Uttermost, End: The Doom of Tyranny is removed from Hunger's Curses; rather, it is simply how the Forebear is. 'Mitigation' is meaningless and impossible for such a fundamental pillar of the Forebear's essential nature.
*What is Rank, but the weight of narrative compounded by density? And what is density, but a function of the weight within a given space? To the uttermost master of Law and Space, the natural conclusion is no supernova of will, but rather an inescapable singularity.
*Add infinite Willpowers +s.
*Set Rank to infinite.
Ruin Incarnate: The Forebear is Ruin itself and casts its pallor across all that he touches; every person, object, polity or phenomenon with which he enters contact is doomed irrevocably to ruin. Though, being its absolute master, the ending of his favored kingdoms may come only after the long and gentle decay of a vigintillion eons; while the barding of his enemy disintegrates in moments.
*Merge Rank and Ruin. The wielder's Rank now drives all within its influence to ruin of some form, though the wielder has great discretion over the nature and timeframe of manifestation.
*If Rank is infinite, its cardinality is now determined by the wielder's prior Rank and the might of their Power of Ruin.
Coronation: The king, must be stronger than anyone else. The king, must be grander than anyone else. Only then may he shelter his kingdom in the face of disasters outrageous and without end. Whether he stands alone or with countless legions behind, ultimate responsibility belongs always and only to the king. Glory is lighter than sunbeams; duty is heavier than eons. Those who fail to embrace it will find themselves without head or crown.
*+800% All Attributes
*+1000 Might +s
*Apply Imprisoner True's Sanctum effect to the entirety of Hunger's kingdoms.
Inheritence represents the past, Hunger's identity as the Forebear of Dynasties, the culmination of ancient promises, Hunger's relationships with Gisena and Haeliel; victory though at grievous cost and the might of Hunger alone. ++Gisena, +Haeliel, unlocks Haeliel Ending.
Arete generated from this point forward will directly, though likely modestly, improve Hunger's odds against the Maiden.
[ ] The Ring Crimson - Blood Halo
A lone silhouette on the horizon, the red sun of dawn like pennants of battle about him.
The Ring of Blood is for blood's spilling: as it is spoken, so may it be.
The Ring Crimson has been Hunger's foremost tool of restoration and augmentation for long months past; but the nature of its wielder is Progression, and the nature of Progression is change. Not every advancement comes unalloyed: that the universe might bend towards the just, does not dictate every arc of that journey curve towards the good. On the altar of victory the Maiden sacrificed rest; in rising to answer her, it is only just that Hunger make a sacrifice of equal proportion.
Dissolved the band of shining silver; gone the ruby jewel; the crimson brilliance all that remains, halo of war limning the form of its wielder. No more is the Ring an instrument of replenishment, or fulcrum of essential transformation: now simply a naked blade, implement of battle unceasing.
*+1 ISH in battle, applied to all direct offensive actions and relevant forms of defense.
*-0.2 ISH when not in battle. Applies to all active and passive actions and effects, though Once and Future II mitigates this.
*+100,000 Might and AGI, +10,000 INT, WITS, APP, PROT, and Prowess
*Add the Domain of Battles to the wielder's repertoire and maximize his ability therein. Within the context of battle he can easily manipulate virtually any circumstance, phenomenon or outcome. Effects of symbolic importance are heightened further still.
*The wielder's attacks cleave the blood and essence of his foe. Wounds he inflicts are ever-bleeding and unhealable, amplifying themselves over time. Damage so inflicted applies even if the target would not be harmed by bleeding, or lacks blood to spill. The wielder may classify any form of offensive interaction - insults, scheming, wearing garish clothing - as an attack utilizing his full physical parameters.
*Aobaru also receives the benefits and drawbacks above.
*Armies of the Shogun: Absorbs the Shogun to acquire the following ability - no matter how powerful the wielder becomes, the military forces under his personal command will always represent a significant contribution to his overall strength. This operates by empowering the wielder's subordinates so long as they exist within the context of an army, squad or military corps. Informal associations thereof (furious mob, adventuring party, hive-mind creature swarm) also qualify. The force in question must receive the wielder's personal leadership in combat; but once it has done so and is recognized as such, will persist with a significant fraction of its newfound strength even should the wielder fall. Only one force may benefit at a time, be it single yojimbo or limitless self-multiplying horde.
Forces of greater size, cohesion and quality enjoy a larger increase: the leader of a squad might find them empowered only to half his own strength, while the Shogun of a millions-strong army would see its combined might eclipse his own 100 times. Diminishing returns apply beyond that level.
*Devouring War: Absorb Verschlengorge to cause all peer-level or greater enemies to qualify as Hunger Sated targets. The Decimator's Affliction may now be fed directly through acts of violence caused in war. These effective mitigation abilities do increase the difficulty of further Decimator mitigation.
*The Progression penalty of the Ring Crimson is removed. Its bonus remains.
*Removes the power of the Ring Crimson over the domains of healing, rejuvenation, restoration, and the esoteric modification of life, mind, or spirit. The wielder may still receive healing by other means, though this is penalized brutally (-1 ISH).
*+50% to the effects of all other Halo Advancements, interpreted generously.
*Hunger loses the physical form of the Ring Crimson, and is perpetually outlined by a ring of crimson light behind. Enemies who touch even the radiant glow of that light are utterly sliced to ribbons.
*Perhaps due to this perpetual illumination, Hunger's Praxis-light appears crimson in color.
Blood Halo represents the present, the action of conquest, Hunger's identity as Supreme Commander of humanity, his mentorship of Aobaru, the ultimate purpose of the Foremost, triumph in the Ring- (and all further) wars, and the power of companions united. +5 Accursed Favor, +All Companions, additionally ++Aobaru, ++Adorie, --Letrizia, +++++++++Verschlengorge as its ultimate purpose is fulfilled.
Arete generated from this point forward will directly improve the survival % of Hunger's companions in the case both of his victory and his defeat.
[ ] The Tears of Winter, the Dog of War, the Evening Sky - Imperishable Night
Fear not the daybreak. All the stars in the sky are your aegis, and the night beneath them your armor still.
-Address of the Supreme Commander, opening of the Horizon War
Progression can overcome anything, with sufficient effort and time. The Maiden has stolen a march on Hunger, striking with complete preparedness cultivated in an infinite span; but Evening's Realm holds its own answer to the extravagances of its rival. Hold back the break of day through a veil of darkness impenetrable; the battlements of midnight which even the dawn sun may only break through in due time.
Expands the Cloak of Evening to encompass the entirety of Hunger's Realm, and causes its defensive parameters to become insurmountably higher for every iota of harm it suffers. The deeper the Maiden penetrates into Hunger's territory, the slower the advance, allowing for easy evacuation of most of the populace and a stable, predictable siege. If all goes as planned there will only be one outcome: for one combatant holds the Lathe of Heaven, while his opponent has reached the culmination of their personal potential.
Nonetheless, the Maiden herself is but a symptom of the greater ill, the interesting times which plague Lord Hunger and which even Evening's foremost protections cannot wholly forestall.
*Protection +s now defend against virtually every conceivable form of attack that beings of the Maiden's power level could initiate
*Protection +s granted by Evening Sky Advancements defend the entirety of Hunger's realm regardless of volume or quantity of inhabitants
*+2000 and +.2 ISH to Protection for every 1/8th of the Cloak of Sky that is removed due to damage, with the number of additional Protection +s doubling, and the ISH additionally increasing by +.05, for each further eighth.
*Synergy: Gilded Cage - The splendor of evening is without peer. +++++Quality of Life for those in Hunger's Realm as the Realm of Evening is instantiated almost completely over the physical and Astral planes. Hunger estimates ~90% of the Sphere will survive the Maiden's initial onslaught and can be safely evacuated into the interior territories. +++Letrizia, ++Aeira
He is not sure how far the Maiden can penetrate before her rate of progress slows perceptibly, but would be shocked if she managed to take more than 2/3rds of the territory in any reasonable timeframe.
*Synergy: The Tears of Winter - The chill of night which pervades inescapably. The deleterious effects of November Sky are extended to apply to all enemies within range of the Cloak, and strike through all forms of defense to inflict proportional debilitation. Treat Hunger as at least a peer-level opponent of any enemy for purposes of calculating November Sky's effects; and if its numerical parameters would be too insignificant to at least substantially inconvenience a given enemy, increase them until they do. Against targets associated with sun, light, warmth, fire, or order, double such penalties after all other modifiers. -Aobaru.
Greater contrast between the cold without and the bounteous comfort within improves Quality of Life by an additional ++. Even should they eventually perish, at least the peoples of Hunger's Realm will be rhapsodically content and filled with joy until they do. +Adorie.
*Synergy: The Dog of War - At the center and seat of Hunger's power sits his ultimate forbidding, the Hyper-Dimensional fortress Novakhron whose flesh is the stuff of unbound infinities. Within the corridors of its eternal labyrinth reside entire continuums of lesser realities, of ontologies mundane or even slightly less magical sheltering beneath its illimitable aegis. The tribute of these uncountable realms accrues to Hunger as power: +Progression, +800 All Stats, and +.5 Stage Apocryphal Mitigation. ++Accursed Favor.
You may choose to dispense with the Apocryphal Mitigation and corresponding Accursed Favor to instead receive +100,000 All Stats, +1000% All Stats, +5 Rank and +0.3 ISH to all abilities while wielding Hyper Novakhron in combat. This is not very efficient but the enormous boost to combat-type actions may be helpful imminently.
Imperishable Night represents the future, the power to protect, enjoyment of life in the face of adversity, the act of procrastination, the path of rulership as opposed to conquest, Hunger's identity as Sovereign of the Human Sphere, and the fruits of labor well-deserved. Let us hope it offers might enough to defend those indulgences it grants.
Arete generated from this point forward will directly improve outcomes for Hunger's populace, regardless of his victory or defeat.
---
What a ride it's been, guys. Enjoy this, potentially final, build vote of the quest to determine Hunger's ultimate nature and the probable course of his destiny. Thanks so much to all of our readers and participants for making the quest what it was!
Thanks to everyone who has contributed Arete in any form to this thread. The advancements below reflect the sum total of combined effort, and the proper reward for such dedication of sweat, blood and genius can only be: power beyond all reason.
[ ] The Forebear's Blade - Inheritance
May you forever disregard the counsel of your lessors, no matter their wisdom or cunning. May you stifle all law and paradigm not born solely of your writ. May you carry on unswervingly until the bitter and uttermost end.
May you be doomed to tyranny in deed, and in name forevermore.
-The Forebear of Dynasties
The once and future king. At times little more than feeble whisper of a prophecy, now a promise vindicated in full. Hunger comes into the fullness of his power; the might of his former self at an analogous stage of development is added to his own. Moreover, he now is the Forebear of Dynasties returned in truth, and bears all the glory and terror of his unfathomable epochal reign. A law unto himself that uncontested could bring all creation to ruin; sheer limitless power, heedless will like the spark of divinity curdled into unyielding iron.
Req. Once and Future III, Haeliel
Uttermost, End: The Doom of Tyranny is removed from Hunger's Curses; rather, it is simply how the Forebear is. 'Mitigation' is meaningless and impossible for such a fundamental pillar of the Forebear's essential nature.
*What is Rank, but the weight of narrative compounded by density? And what is density, but a function of the weight within a given space? To the uttermost master of Law and Space, the natural conclusion is no supernova of will, but rather an inescapable singularity.
*Add infinite Willpowers +s.
*Set Rank to infinite.
Ruin Incarnate: The Forebear is Ruin itself and casts its pallor across all that he touches; every person, object, polity or phenomenon with which he enters contact is doomed irrevocably to ruin. Though, being its absolute master, the ending of his favored kingdoms may come only after the long and gentle decay of a vigintillion eons; while the barding of his enemy disintegrates in moments.
*Merge Rank and Ruin. The wielder's Rank now drives all within its influence to ruin of some form, though the wielder has great discretion over the nature and timeframe of manifestation.
*If Rank is infinite, its cardinality is now determined by the wielder's prior Rank and the might of their Power of Ruin.
Coronation: The king, must be stronger than anyone else. The king, must be grander than anyone else. Only then may he shelter his kingdom in the face of disasters outrageous and without end. Whether he stands alone or with countless legions behind, ultimate responsibility belongs always and only to the king. Glory is lighter than sunbeams; duty is heavier than eons. Those who fail to embrace it will find themselves without head or crown.
*+800% All Attributes
*+1000 Might +s
*Apply Imprisoner True's Sanctum effect to the entirety of Hunger's kingdoms.
Inheritence represents the past, Hunger's identity as the Forebear of Dynasties, the culmination of ancient promises, Hunger's relationships with Gisena and Haeliel; victory though at grievous cost and the might of Hunger alone. ++Gisena, +Haeliel, unlocks Haeliel Ending.
Arete generated from this point forward will directly, though likely modestly, improve Hunger's odds against the Maiden.
[ ] The Ring Crimson - Blood Halo
A lone silhouette on the horizon, the red sun of dawn like pennants of battle about him.
The Ring of Blood is for blood's spilling: as it is spoken, so may it be.
The Ring Crimson has been Hunger's foremost tool of restoration and augmentation for long months past; but the nature of its wielder is Progression, and the nature of Progression is change. Not every advancement comes unalloyed: that the universe might bend towards the just, does not dictate every arc of that journey curve towards the good. On the altar of victory the Maiden sacrificed rest; in rising to answer her, it is only just that Hunger make a sacrifice of equal proportion.
Dissolved the band of shining silver; gone the ruby jewel; the crimson brilliance all that remains, halo of war limning the form of its wielder. No more is the Ring an instrument of replenishment, or fulcrum of essential transformation: now simply a naked blade, implement of battle unceasing.
*+1 ISH in battle, applied to all direct offensive actions and relevant forms of defense.
*-0.2 ISH when not in battle. Applies to all active and passive actions and effects, though Once and Future II mitigates this.
*+100,000 Might and AGI, +10,000 INT, WITS, APP, PROT, and Prowess
*Add the Domain of Battles to the wielder's repertoire and maximize his ability therein. Within the context of battle he can easily manipulate virtually any circumstance, phenomenon or outcome. Effects of symbolic importance are heightened further still.
*The wielder's attacks cleave the blood and essence of his foe. Wounds he inflicts are ever-bleeding and unhealable, amplifying themselves over time. Damage so inflicted applies even if the target would not be harmed by bleeding, or lacks blood to spill. The wielder may classify any form of offensive interaction - insults, scheming, wearing garish clothing - as an attack utilizing his full physical parameters.
*Aobaru also receives the benefits and drawbacks above.
*Armies of the Shogun: Absorbs the Shogun to acquire the following ability - no matter how powerful the wielder becomes, the military forces under his personal command will always represent a significant contribution to his overall strength. This operates by empowering the wielder's subordinates so long as they exist within the context of an army, squad or military corps. Informal associations thereof (furious mob, adventuring party, hive-mind creature swarm) also qualify. The force in question must receive the wielder's personal leadership in combat; but once it has done so and is recognized as such, will persist with a significant fraction of its newfound strength even should the wielder fall. Only one force may benefit at a time, be it single yojimbo or limitless self-multiplying horde.
Forces of greater size, cohesion and quality enjoy a larger increase: the leader of a squad might find them empowered only to half his own strength, while the Shogun of a millions-strong army would see its combined might eclipse his own 100 times. Diminishing returns apply beyond that level.
*Devouring War: Absorb Verschlengorge to cause all peer-level or greater enemies to qualify as Hunger Sated targets. The Decimator's Affliction may now be fed directly through acts of violence caused in war. These effective mitigation abilities do increase the difficulty of further Decimator mitigation.
*The Progression penalty of the Ring Crimson is removed. Its bonus remains.
*Removes the power of the Ring Crimson over the domains of healing, rejuvenation, restoration, and the esoteric modification of life, mind, or spirit. The wielder may still receive healing by other means, though this is penalized brutally (-1 ISH).
*+50% to the effects of all other Halo Advancements, interpreted generously.
*Hunger loses the physical form of the Ring Crimson, and is perpetually outlined by a ring of crimson light behind. Enemies who touch even the radiant glow of that light are utterly sliced to ribbons.
*Perhaps due to this perpetual illumination, Hunger's Praxis-light appears crimson in color.
Blood Halo represents the present, the action of conquest, Hunger's identity as Supreme Commander of humanity, his mentorship of Aobaru, the ultimate purpose of the Foremost, triumph in the Ring- (and all further) wars, and the power of companions united. +5 Accursed Favor, +All Companions, additionally ++Aobaru, ++Adorie, --Letrizia, +++++++++Verschlengorge as its ultimate purpose is fulfilled.
Arete generated from this point forward will directly improve the survival % of Hunger's companions in the case both of his victory and his defeat.
[ ] The Tears of Winter, the Dog of War, the Evening Sky - Imperishable Night
Fear not the daybreak. All the stars in the sky are your aegis, and the night beneath them your armor still.
-Address of the Supreme Commander, opening of the Horizon War
Progression can overcome anything, with sufficient effort and time. The Maiden has stolen a march on Hunger, striking with complete preparedness cultivated in an infinite span; but Evening's Realm holds its own answer to the extravagances of its rival. Hold back the break of day through a veil of darkness impenetrable; the battlements of midnight which even the dawn sun may only break through in due time.
Expands the Cloak of Evening to encompass the entirety of Hunger's Realm, and causes its defensive parameters to become insurmountably higher for every iota of harm it suffers. The deeper the Maiden penetrates into Hunger's territory, the slower the advance, allowing for easy evacuation of most of the populace and a stable, predictable siege. If all goes as planned there will only be one outcome: for one combatant holds the Lathe of Heaven, while his opponent has reached the culmination of their personal potential.
Nonetheless, the Maiden herself is but a symptom of the greater ill, the interesting times which plague Lord Hunger and which even Evening's foremost protections cannot wholly forestall.
*Protection +s now defend against virtually every conceivable form of attack that beings of the Maiden's power level could initiate
*Protection +s granted by Evening Sky Advancements defend the entirety of Hunger's realm regardless of volume or quantity of inhabitants
*+2000 and +.2 ISH to Protection for every 1/8th of the Cloak of Sky that is removed due to damage, with the number of additional Protection +s doubling, and the ISH additionally increasing by +.05, for each further eighth.
*Synergy: Gilded Cage - The splendor of evening is without peer. +++++Quality of Life for those in Hunger's Realm as the Realm of Evening is instantiated almost completely over the physical and Astral planes. Hunger estimates ~90% of the Sphere will survive the Maiden's initial onslaught and can be safely evacuated into the interior territories. +++Letrizia, ++Aeira
He is not sure how far the Maiden can penetrate before her rate of progress slows perceptibly, but would be shocked if she managed to take more than 2/3rds of the territory in any reasonable timeframe.
*Synergy: The Tears of Winter - The chill of night which pervades inescapably. The deleterious effects of November Sky are extended to apply to all enemies within range of the Cloak, and strike through all forms of defense to inflict proportional debilitation. Treat Hunger as at least a peer-level opponent of any enemy for purposes of calculating November Sky's effects; and if its numerical parameters would be too insignificant to at least substantially inconvenience a given enemy, increase them until they do. Against targets associated with sun, light, warmth, fire, or order, double such penalties after all other modifiers. -Aobaru.
Greater contrast between the cold without and the bounteous comfort within improves Quality of Life by an additional ++. Even should they eventually perish, at least the peoples of Hunger's Realm will be rhapsodically content and filled with joy until they do. +Adorie.
*Synergy: The Dog of War - At the center and seat of Hunger's power sits his ultimate forbidding, the Hyper-Dimensional fortress Novakhron whose flesh is the stuff of unbound infinities. Within the corridors of its eternal labyrinth reside entire continuums of lesser realities, of ontologies mundane or even slightly less magical sheltering beneath its illimitable aegis. The tribute of these uncountable realms accrues to Hunger as power: +Progression, +800 All Stats, and +.5 Stage Apocryphal Mitigation. ++Accursed Favor.
You may choose to dispense with the Apocryphal Mitigation and corresponding Accursed Favor to instead receive +100,000 All Stats, +1000% All Stats, +5 Rank and +0.3 ISH to all abilities while wielding Hyper Novakhron in combat. This is not very efficient but the enormous boost to combat-type actions may be helpful imminently.
Imperishable Night represents the future, the power to protect, enjoyment of life in the face of adversity, the act of procrastination, the path of rulership as opposed to conquest, Hunger's identity as Sovereign of the Human Sphere, and the fruits of labor well-deserved. Let us hope it offers might enough to defend those indulgences it grants.
Arete generated from this point forward will directly improve outcomes for Hunger's populace, regardless of his victory or defeat.
---
What a ride it's been, guys. Enjoy this, potentially final, build vote of the quest to determine Hunger's ultimate nature and the probable course of his destiny. Thanks so much to all of our readers and participants for making the quest what it was!
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ImperatorV
The Laughing One
- Location
- The Voyaging Realm
...Dang.
For the final build vote, I suppose nothing less could suffice. This is brilliant.
First look: I'm a fan of Imperishable Night for the +Progression and Apocryphal mitigation, but Inheritance unlocks the Haeliel route... Blood Halo is my least favorite thus far, although there is definitely something to be said for that Army-buff. People other then Hunger being relevant is always something.
Ultimately though, I am always someone who looks to the future. And that means...
[X] The Tears of Winter, the Dog of War, the Evening Sky - Imperishable Night
Whatever happens, I will treasure this. Build votes are the essence of this quest, so what better way to cap things off?
For the final build vote, I suppose nothing less could suffice. This is brilliant.
First look: I'm a fan of Imperishable Night for the +Progression and Apocryphal mitigation, but Inheritance unlocks the Haeliel route... Blood Halo is my least favorite thus far, although there is definitely something to be said for that Army-buff. People other then Hunger being relevant is always something.
Ultimately though, I am always someone who looks to the future. And that means...
[X] The Tears of Winter, the Dog of War, the Evening Sky - Imperishable Night
Whatever happens, I will treasure this. Build votes are the essence of this quest, so what better way to cap things off?
- Location
- Poland
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It's a good thing that Arete will still be used, and I like the whole "this option will put everyone's final Arete into this pursuit". Just continues the Arete-mining tradition until the end.
[X] The Tears of Winter, the Dog of War, the Evening Sky - Imperishable Night
I got to say- on one hand, this option feels like Nameless' ending, but more noble and less debauchery. But on the other... I just like the noble comfiness of this all. Saving your people, flipping off Maiden and the Apo-chan forevermore, and turning an epic fight into a hilariously prolonged siege.
Also, I just love the Evening Sky. I love it's themes and purpose and just want it to have the last hurrah.
[X] The Tears of Winter, the Dog of War, the Evening Sky - Imperishable Night
I got to say- on one hand, this option feels like Nameless' ending, but more noble and less debauchery. But on the other... I just like the noble comfiness of this all. Saving your people, flipping off Maiden and the Apo-chan forevermore, and turning an epic fight into a hilariously prolonged siege.
Also, I just love the Evening Sky. I love it's themes and purpose and just want it to have the last hurrah.
Zampano
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
- Location
- Simping for DSB
[X] The Forebear's Blade - Inheritance
[X] The Ring Crimson - Blood Halo
[X] The Tears of Winter, the Dog of War, the Evening Sky - Imperishable Night
I was late with the colors, but my haircut looks good and that's what really counts.
[X] The Ring Crimson - Blood Halo
[X] The Tears of Winter, the Dog of War, the Evening Sky - Imperishable Night
I was late with the colors, but my haircut looks good and that's what really counts.
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- Location
- US
...Wait a moment.
Is the implication here that the Forebear was the one who cursed the Accursed with the Doom of the Tyrant? Because if so, wow, that's ironic.
ImperatorV
The Laughing One
- Location
- The Voyaging Realm
The interesting thing is that the three Final Advancements(TM) appear to be differing philosophies on how to handle the Apocryphal. Inheritance focuses on becoming as Dead Hard as you possibly can, so that you can power through every challenge that comes your way. Imperishable Night focuses on building up defenses to the point where the Apocryphal procs are simply incapable of killing you immediately, and then once you've managed to stall for time you can rapidly progress to overcome whatever the problem is. Blood Halo is kind of a weird mixed-route. It focuses both on having an enormous alpha strike to take out problems as soon as they appear (at the cost of the ability to heal and recuperate) and simultaneously recruits able allies that can assist in dealing with Apocryphal procs.
[X] The Tears of Winter, the Dog of War, the Evening Sky - Imperishable Night
I'll edit in a comment later.
ClawClawBite
Mad Engineering!
- Location
- Seattle, WA
[x] The Ring Crimson - Blood Halo
I like the idea of having such powerful synergy that having our team backing us will always matter.
Still, no vote here is a bad one.
I like the idea of having such powerful synergy that having our team backing us will always matter.
Still, no vote here is a bad one.
- Location
- Ostren
[X] The Forebear's Blade - Inheritance
Aabcehmu
Confusion as a Natural State of Being
- Location
- Aurora, CO
- Pronouns
- Any/All
I asked Rihaku in the special secret patreon chatroom whether Armies of the Shogun applies to the Hunger Echoes (like the one that was chilling with Letrizia in the first half of the update), and it does. So, that's a thing.
Genesys
(Discrete Mokona)
- Location
- California
nah
[X] The Forebear's Blade - Inheritance
Ok, so, analysis:
Imperishable Night, as appropriate for the future focused option, is, if can survive the siege it turns things into, clearly and obviously the best option going forward. It's also the only one I'm genuinely worried about letting Hunger lose to the Maiden.
Blood Halo should be enough to overcome this challenge, because the buffs let Aobaru survive being on the battlefield to boost Hunger, his ISH buff and the addition +1 ISH from the option itself on top of Sanctum and our existing bonuses... I think that breaks 5? Or, well, breaks 4.5 and then Sanctum debuffs enemies by .5
-The army boost should apply to the Peckish, and that should let them defend the whole Human Sphere as Hunger and Aobaru chase down the Maiden. ... @Rihaku , do each of Hunger's clones also have an instance of Armies of the Shogun? If we use it on them to make an overall force stronger than Hunger, can we then have each of them direct a planet in its own defense as a force stronger than that one boosted clone?
Inheritance. Victory is all that matters. I don't think this one even needs a strategy, it just wins. There might be things that can counter Infinite Rank, Infinite Praxis Stamina, and Infinite Power of Ruin, we know there; but the Maiden we built isn't one. Flower of Victory could have been a problem, maybe? No, the problem here is that we have to accept uncontrollable spreading of Ruin, and some of us (such as me) find fully embracing being the Forbear instead of Hunger a major disappointment.
Imperishable Night, as appropriate for the future focused option, is, if can survive the siege it turns things into, clearly and obviously the best option going forward. It's also the only one I'm genuinely worried about letting Hunger lose to the Maiden.
Blood Halo should be enough to overcome this challenge, because the buffs let Aobaru survive being on the battlefield to boost Hunger, his ISH buff and the addition +1 ISH from the option itself on top of Sanctum and our existing bonuses... I think that breaks 5? Or, well, breaks 4.5 and then Sanctum debuffs enemies by .5
-The army boost should apply to the Peckish, and that should let them defend the whole Human Sphere as Hunger and Aobaru chase down the Maiden. ... @Rihaku , do each of Hunger's clones also have an instance of Armies of the Shogun? If we use it on them to make an overall force stronger than Hunger, can we then have each of them direct a planet in its own defense as a force stronger than that one boosted clone?
Inheritance. Victory is all that matters. I don't think this one even needs a strategy, it just wins. There might be things that can counter Infinite Rank, Infinite Praxis Stamina, and Infinite Power of Ruin, we know there; but the Maiden we built isn't one. Flower of Victory could have been a problem, maybe? No, the problem here is that we have to accept uncontrollable spreading of Ruin, and some of us (such as me) find fully embracing being the Forbear instead of Hunger a major disappointment.
ImperatorV
The Laughing One
- Location
- The Voyaging Realm
So, continuing with my excited gushing... Blood Halo and Imperishable Night are both aesthetic as fuck. BH Hunger wades across the battlefield, illuminated by glowing red Praxis runes and his crimson halo of war that shreds enemies who look upon it. IN Hunger, on the other hand, sits on his opulent throne within his space fortress forged of infinite realities, and with a gesture plunges an interstellar empire into darkness that he rules over absolutely.
Both are very cool images, and very villain-coded, which is on brand for Hunger.
Both are very cool images, and very villain-coded, which is on brand for Hunger.
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Aabcehmu
Confusion as a Natural State of Being
- Location
- Aurora, CO
- Pronouns
- Any/All
+5 Accursed Favor is just a shorter way of typing +++++Accursed Favor, I'm confident.
Aabcehmu
Confusion as a Natural State of Being
- Location
- Aurora, CO
- Pronouns
- Any/All
[X] The Tears of Winter, the Dog of War, the Evening Sky - Imperishable Night
All three options are incredible, but I can't fool myself any longer. Nova's my boy, I can't turn down the option to turn him into a multiversal space fortress.
All three options are incredible, but I can't fool myself any longer. Nova's my boy, I can't turn down the option to turn him into a multiversal space fortress.
- Location
- Italy
...well, time for the last vote session.
Let's see what we get to pick from... I skipped the preview to read this directly...
It has been fun. I'm a bit sad I only joined pretty close to the end, but the reaction marathon kept me occupied for quite some time and resulted in that one vote I basically held unlimited power (insert Palpatine voice), so it's fine.
If/when you start another quest I'll probably be there from the beginning
...I should go back and finish reading the omake in here though. I'm just not sure where I left of... I think it was 600 to 800 pages ago...
mh... the quote already doesn't sound promising to me.
Ignoring the wisdom and cunning of our... lessors? Is that even a word? Shouldn't it be lesser?
In any case, ignoring them would mean we can't get advice from Gisena!
...unless she ISN'T our lesser, I suppose, which... well, she's our mad right hand, but I'm not sure I'd call her our equal, and certainly not our superior.
mh... analogous stage of development? Does that mean we're more or less equal to what the Forebear was at his apex, or that there's still more we can get out of this past life? I'm not sure about how to read this.
well, let's see the actual powers...
It's certainly a start. Now, when we remember that rank was basically, as it states here, the weight of narrative... I think infinite rank is more or less the equivalent of ISH 4+
I admittedly don't quite remember what our ISH was, but this is approaching the limit of what we can easily understand.
only a vigintillion eons? Hunger, you're slipping! Make it at least a googleplex^googleplex!
...then again, a vigintillion eons is probably enough "time" for us to find a solution for even that.
...I'm not familiar with the concept of cardinality, but the "infinite rank is strenghtened by prior Rank and Ruin" is easy to understand. I'm not quite sure WHY prior rank matters, but it doesn't matter that much.
This discussion of kings reminds me a bit of fate... and yes, the banquet of kings. I didn't read that quest, but I DID read that one update, and I have relatively recently watched Fate Zero anyway.
...wait, Gisena and Haeliel approve of this?
I... I'm not sure I understand why. I personally don't like it very much. I'd like Hunger to not be only defined by his past as the Forebear. Sure, it's an important part of him, but this feels like letting it be EVERYTHING.
well, let's see the next one. If this is the past, I imagine there's a "present" and "future" options too. That's usually how it works.
Probably something to empower allies and make them useful, and... I'm not sure about the last one. Something potential-based, a greedy option? Something that allows Hunger to stay... human?
Maybe something that will allow him to talk the Maiden down?
a ring sacrificed, and a sacrifice of peaceful power in exchange for irresistible power in battle (including offensive words, thoughts and crimes against fashion)
We're also strenghtening Aobaru... which I suppose is nice seeing as we're sending him some of our apocryphal procs?
It's a bittersweet powerup, but obviously very strong. Let's see what else is in here...
well, I called it. a power that makes our allies (though I should have said servants I suppose) useful.
Rihakuverse experience tells me that, usually, power concentrated in one person is better than power spread among a big force... but then again when your ISH is high enough does that "common sense" even matter?
...well, kinda. We STILL can do those things, just not through the power of the ring. We also can now actually train, though decimator still makes it easier to grow through battle instead.
...I find it a bit funny that Letrizia STILL cares about us eating Verschle, but that Verschle is actually happy about this.
I expect I'll like the "future" option the most. if the past was the forebear, and the present was the warrior kind with his retinue... what will the future be? I imagine it will be related to "making the multiverse a better place" in some way, like the Accursed wants.
What was he said, that Gisena saw inscribed in our progression? For a kinder world than this, or something close to it?
I KNEW IT! THE GREEDY OPTION!
It's the option that doesn't force Hunger in one path but risks everything for it!
Well, the feel-good option that makes everyone living in our territory impossibly happy with us, and for good reasons.
We quite literally turn the world into heaven.
Also this way we admittedly make sure the Human Sphere is sturdy enough that the Maiden can't use the nuclear option and destroy it to destroy US.
...Is Aobaru against it because it's the opposite of his element? That's a bit of a childish reason to disapprove of this... which he probably knows, as it's only a single -
Also look there, even more ++ quality-of-life!
well, the power of countless realities supporting their protector.
I wonder, could this option make it possible to actually talk down the Maiden? Probably not, but there's some hope.
I like what this says about Hunger... but it might be too greedy.
I'll have to think more about this choice and see what the others have to say. I'm honestly very uncertain right now.
...I suppose part of me just wants to pick the Future, because it's the one in which Hunger seems at his most likable. It's also probably the one with the highest chance of failure though.
988 words
Let's see what we get to pick from... I skipped the preview to read this directly...
It has been fun. I'm a bit sad I only joined pretty close to the end, but the reaction marathon kept me occupied for quite some time and resulted in that one vote I basically held unlimited power (insert Palpatine voice), so it's fine.
If/when you start another quest I'll probably be there from the beginning
...I should go back and finish reading the omake in here though. I'm just not sure where I left of... I think it was 600 to 800 pages ago...
mh... the quote already doesn't sound promising to me.
Ignoring the wisdom and cunning of our... lessors? Is that even a word? Shouldn't it be lesser?
In any case, ignoring them would mean we can't get advice from Gisena!
...unless she ISN'T our lesser, I suppose, which... well, she's our mad right hand, but I'm not sure I'd call her our equal, and certainly not our superior.
mh... analogous stage of development? Does that mean we're more or less equal to what the Forebear was at his apex, or that there's still more we can get out of this past life? I'm not sure about how to read this.
well, let's see the actual powers...
...well, infinite rank and infinite willpower at the "cost" of making the Doom of Tiranny part of us, indefinitely and permanently.
It's certainly a start. Now, when we remember that rank was basically, as it states here, the weight of narrative... I think infinite rank is more or less the equivalent of ISH 4+
I admittedly don't quite remember what our ISH was, but this is approaching the limit of what we can easily understand.
only a vigintillion eons? Hunger, you're slipping! Make it at least a googleplex^googleplex!
...then again, a vigintillion eons is probably enough "time" for us to find a solution for even that.
...I'm not familiar with the concept of cardinality, but the "infinite rank is strenghtened by prior Rank and Ruin" is easy to understand. I'm not quite sure WHY prior rank matters, but it doesn't matter that much.
This discussion of kings reminds me a bit of fate... and yes, the banquet of kings. I didn't read that quest, but I DID read that one update, and I have relatively recently watched Fate Zero anyway.
...wait, Gisena and Haeliel approve of this?
I... I'm not sure I understand why. I personally don't like it very much. I'd like Hunger to not be only defined by his past as the Forebear. Sure, it's an important part of him, but this feels like letting it be EVERYTHING.
well, let's see the next one. If this is the past, I imagine there's a "present" and "future" options too. That's usually how it works.
Probably something to empower allies and make them useful, and... I'm not sure about the last one. Something potential-based, a greedy option? Something that allows Hunger to stay... human?
Maybe something that will allow him to talk the Maiden down?
a ring sacrificed, and a sacrifice of peaceful power in exchange for irresistible power in battle (including offensive words, thoughts and crimes against fashion
)We're also strenghtening Aobaru... which I suppose is nice seeing as we're sending him some of our apocryphal procs?
It's a bittersweet powerup, but obviously very strong. Let's see what else is in here...
well, I called it. a power that makes our allies (though I should have said servants I suppose) useful.
Rihakuverse experience tells me that, usually, power concentrated in one person is better than power spread among a big force... but then again when your ISH is high enough does that "common sense" even matter?
Not for us the powers to heal, restore, improve. Only to destroy.
...well, kinda. We STILL can do those things, just not through the power of the ring. We also can now actually train, though decimator still makes it easier to grow through battle instead.
...I find it a bit funny that Letrizia STILL cares about us eating Verschle, but that Verschle is actually happy about this.
I expect I'll like the "future" option the most. if the past was the forebear, and the present was the warrior kind with his retinue... what will the future be? I imagine it will be related to "making the multiverse a better place" in some way, like the Accursed wants.
What was he said, that Gisena saw inscribed in our progression? For a kinder world than this, or something close to it?
I KNEW IT! THE GREEDY OPTION!
It's the option that doesn't force Hunger in one path but risks everything for it!
Well, the feel-good option that makes everyone living in our territory impossibly happy with us, and for good reasons.
We quite literally turn the world into heaven.
Also this way we admittedly make sure the Human Sphere is sturdy enough that the Maiden can't use the nuclear option and destroy it to destroy US.
...Is Aobaru against it because it's the opposite of his element? That's a bit of a childish reason to disapprove of this... which he probably knows, as it's only a single -
Also look there, even more ++ quality-of-life!
well, the power of countless realities supporting their protector.
I wonder, could this option make it possible to actually talk down the Maiden? Probably not, but there's some hope.
I like what this says about Hunger... but it might be too greedy.
I'll have to think more about this choice and see what the others have to say. I'm honestly very uncertain right now.
...I suppose part of me just wants to pick the Future, because it's the one in which Hunger seems at his most likable. It's also probably the one with the highest chance of failure though.
988 words
Ok, I'm very much open to my being wrong here, but I think this is talking about it's Area of Effect? Because it dieing off over distance wouldn't matter to an Infinite base level, no matter what it's divided by; so it hits the area our previous Rank would at full Infinite effect.
Aabcehmu
Confusion as a Natural State of Being
- Location
- Aurora, CO
- Pronouns
- Any/All
Don't underestimate that +Progression combined with effective stall tactics.