Have a preview of an upcoming work, which should help generate Arete to oppose that pesky miserly Maiden!
A Winter Dynasty
Sometimes, there is no transaction, no exchange of burdens or services rendered, no terrible calumnies or duties worth the remittance. Sometimes, there is only a gift freely given - Heroism's hand extended, that the nature of one's present realm might resemble, even if infinitesimally, that dream which unites her kindred in unyielding strife:
A kinder world than this.
For it is the nature of grace to be unbidden and unearned; unasked-for, and undeserved.
You have arrived here, in the Winter Dynasty of the Forebear eternal, a land of wondrous abundance. It is a place of plentiful amusements and invincible stability, currently threaded through with endless holiday cheer. Here is the magnificence of its overlord's illimitable might refracted most perfectly through the lens of his realm; frost-crowned apex of his unyielding regime, before the Solstice Dynasty of his departure begins its slow and glorious dissipation.
Perhaps you perished in a previous life, spirited away by falling piano or runaway tractor; perhaps you were suddenly ignited by resplendent flame, to emerge unscathed in this vista of heroes; or perhaps you were simply plucked from the limitless cosmos, one experiment of many, seeking just recompense.
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In any case you may not stay here - not for free, so far from whence you belong - but the mandarins of this realm are happy to provision you with training and trinkets of relatively spectacular power before sending you on your merry way. They offer Gifts numbering 3, with the opportunity below to earn more.
Passage - Where then will you be sent? Regardless of your choice here, all powers and artifacts will remain fully-functional and intact.
[ ] Return [0 Gifts] - Return to the mundane world of your conception. There are certain individuals you will not be permitted to act against, but they are not so enormously influential that a reasonable individual would find their actions significantly constrained. Some are waived of even this limitation; you will know if you number among them.
[ ] Your Choice [+1, 0 or 2 Gifts] - A world of your choice, so long as it strongly resembles a well-established setting from (semi-)popular fiction. More appealing worlds are more costly. Consider all factors relevant to a world's general appeal: pleasantness, danger level, ease of power acquisition, exclusive or aberrant metaphysics, proximity to hypercosmic influences, etc. Examples below:
+1 - Settings with extreme levels of danger which would be exceptionally difficult to thrive within. Dies Irae, Exalted (Usurpation, Odyssial present), Lovecraft Mythos (HI*), Umineko (HI), Meme Settings (HI; Looney Toons, suggsverse, Dragon Ball Super parodies etc)
+0 - Highly dangerous settings with a great number of cosmic-level difficulties. Warhammer 40,000, Exalted (Age of Glory), Marvel/DC (Mainline, Reboots / Crisis events will occur), oWoD (HI, End Times inevitable, though can be delayed), Forgotten Realms (HI, Outer / Evil Planes), Fate/Grand Order (HI), Dragon Ball Z
2 - Any setting significantly more appealing than the examples above. These range from the anarchy and deprivation of Warhammer Fantasy; to the relative mundanity of Your Hero Academia; to the sybaritic overabundance of the Culture. It all depends on you!
Worm, Naruto, Bleach, Fate; Sailor Moon or Madoka Magica; Final Fantasy or Attack on Titan; the realms of Pathfinder or others now forgotten - nearly anywhere you'd care to visit, can all be made available to you here.
Settings more outlandishly appealing than the Culture at its peak, such as Nameless' hypothetical post-Awakening realm, are not accessible herein.
*HI - Use the higher-end interpretations of the setting's general power level. For some settings this is implicit, such as the +1 Gift version of Creation under the Exalted.
[ ] A Quest [+1 Gift] - Your proper place: a world of myths and monsters populated by individuals of superhuman capability. You may have to overthrow some epochal monster or god-king tyrant, but with fate's support it should be little more than the dalliance of a season*; to say nothing of the lifelong companions you might gain!
Randomly select one world among the examples given for the 0- and 2-Gift sections under Your Choice. Your adventure takes place in this setting. For example, roll a d20 and consult the chart below:
1 - Warhammer 40,000
2 - Exalted (Age of Glory)
3 - Marvel
4 - DC
5 - Old World of Darkness
6 - D&D Forgotten Realms (Randomly select a major Outer or Evil Plane)
7 - Fate/Grand Order
8 - Dragon Ball Z
9 - Warhammer Fantasy
10 - My Hero Academia
11 - The Culture
12 - Worm
13 - Naruto
14 - Bleach
15 - Fate
16 - Sailor Moon
17 - Puella Magi Madoka Magica
18 - Final Fantasy (Randomly select one, or spend one Gift to choose)
19 - Attack on Titan
20 - D&D Pathfinder
You may spend a Gift to instead roll three times, selecting your preferred result of the three.
*...No quest is guaranteed to merely be the 'dalliance' of a season. However, the difficulty of your quest scales only imperfectly to your capabilities, so it is possible to start with a considerable leg up relative to the world of your passage.
[ ] November Sky [4 Gifts] - If you wish to stay, such can be accommodated. The Winter Dynasty is a cosmic jewel in its overlord's infinite crown, and its dominion utopian beyond the conceivable reaches of mortal kind. The particular kingdom of your arrival offers incredible adventure and paradisiacal bounty in equal measure; furthermore, at least ten quintillion years will pass before the Forebear departs in full, leaving its peoples to their languorous decline.
As a naturalized citizen of the Winter Dynasty, you will receive axiomatic invincibility against oblivion or torturous mental states; a near unlimited mass-energy and complexity budget for projects smaller than a city-state (or galaxy, with sufficient authorization); and access to the full bounty of available magical systems which can, if properly utilized, eventually achieve outcomes of nearly arbitrary versatility from the perspective of an unaugmented human.
You are nearly guaranteed to attain hedonic experiences wholly beyond the reach of any physical substrate, biological or otherwise; joys which for all their overwhelming valence do not obliterate meaning or volition in your judgement and decision-making.
Who knows? Perhaps you'll even be of service to the greater cause in the battles to come.
Patronage - Who will favor you, tiny speck of mortal insouciance transported to lands beyond comprehension? Whose gifts will bedeck your form, and gird you to fulfill the resolutions of a new era?
[ ] The Duchess [+1 Gift] - The Duchess is mercurial and slightly petty; to receive her favor she asks only that you refrain from selecting any other's. You may still receive Passage and Provision effects without restraint.
[ ] The Overlord [+5 Gifts] - The burdens of the Overlord are vast, but his powers unimaginable. The Overlord charges that you yourself accrue power, which he will expend towards the minuscule reduction of the immeasurable duties laid upon his form. His appetite for power is virtually without limit; you will be driven unyieldingly towards this purpose at least sixteen hours a day, though the bountiful Gifts of his patronage should, if properly applied, easily overcome your need for rest or sleep, and outsized performance can earn a measure of respite.
You are free to apply your own judgement in determining the most effective long-term means of power acquisition, though such judgement must be unfettered and sincere if you wish to retain your complete volition. Nor are you required to surrender the power thus gained in its entirety, or at unreasonably brief intervals, so long as you contribute an appropriate quantity for your capabilities and reach. All forms of power ought theoretically qualify, but those most relevant to the world of your Passage will grant superior returns.
[ ] The Seraph [+1 Heroic Favor] - The Seraph charges you to be nothing less than a Hero. Your powers great: your burdens greater. This enormously amplifies the intensity of your adventures; tremendous danger and opportunity both will accumulate in your life unrelentingly. You must retain your Heroic nature through the tribulations to follow.
The nature of your heroic path is for you to decide, though at its core it must be true to yourself, and there is no more fooling your own heart than the gaze of the Seraph.
[ ] The Forester [1 Gift] - The gift of the Forester is focused purpose; honing of the self towards a particular methodology. Select one of the following:
Power - A form broad and powerful, with angular visage and fearsome thews; or a mind equally so, with raw computational horsepower unparalleled amongst men. All actions in which one takes the direct path, the path of violence, or the path of brute force are at least 50% more effective than they would otherwise be.
-[ ] Physical Power: Specialized for strength and endurance, capable of out-fighting an ox in single combat, with the durability of a fully-grown oak.
-[ ] Mental Power: Powerful intelligence with a faultless memory and peak-human information processing abilities. Grants a minimum of +10% Progression speed in any skill with a significant mental component. For most skills the user advances orders of magnitude beyond average speed.
-[ ] Spiritual Power: Nigh-unbreakable will and fearsome totality of self; an unquenchable vigor of personal presence that cows and subordinates others. Grants enduring patience, magnetic charisma and immense reserves in any magical system that relies on personal spiritual power.
Agility - A form lithe and slender, with quicksilver reflexes and faultless coordination; or a mind cunning and circuitous, capable of sniffing out any plot. All actions in which one takes a notably indirect path, the path of preparation, or the path of finesse are at least 20% less risky than they would otherwise be.
-[ ] Physical Agility: Specialized for speed and precision, capable of snatching an arrow mid-flight, with reflexes to match the swiftest in the animal kingdom. If the recipient wishes, may also grant a delicate physical beauty to match the fairest of natural-born humans.
-[ ] Mental Agility: Perceptiveness, speed of thought, and practical wisdom to match any human ever to live. The recipient's judgement, decision-making, and cool under fire are legendary, their discernment cogent and incisive. In almost any scenario they at least have a rough idea of what ought to be done - a capability often sorely underestimated by those who haven't opposed such a character.
[ ] The Mandarin [1 Gift] - The gift of the Mandarin is exploitation, optimized mastery of systems for good or ill. Double the effects of any one Patronage or Provision benefit. Benefits are only those noted within the description text of an option. For example, one could select both Spiritual Power and Mental Agility for the Forester's Gift, or two domains for the Heir's, but selecting the Overlord would have no effect as the description text of his option offers only burdens.
[ ] The Genius [2 Gifts] - The gift of the Genius is nothing less than perfection in life. The recipient is blessed with a powerful guardian which will work to prevent, mitigate or undo the worst misfortunes of their personal journey. In the prevention of minor inconveniences it will not bestir to action, but its power to circumvent death borders on the absurd. The recipient is easily capable of surviving a seemingly endless string of deadly circumstances that would surely lead to annihilation in any reasonable scenario.
Additionally, such mitigation will occasionally result in astounding reversals of fortune, by which the recipient will receive an opportunity to profit enormously in resources, power, or circumstances favorable to their objectives and disposition. +++++Luck
[ ] The Heir [3 Gifts] - The gift of the Heir is as simple as it is mighty. Select one of the following domains and gain powerful influence over its purview, growing steadily with effort:
War, Bureaucracy, Medicine, Thievery, Logistics, Politics, Energy
Dominion
++Willpower, +Might, +Charisma, +Appearance
Progression: Aggressive. Should one work diligently at it, master-level capabilities can be achieved within twenty years. Adept-level effects take roughly a week to a month to develop, depending on power.
Beginner: Develop expert-level skills in one's domain. Modestly alter outcomes and circumstances relevant to one's domain. Ward powerfully against negative outcomes arising from one's domain. Consistently win battles that would normally have a one percent chance of victory (War); steal a man's fortune out from under his nose (Thievery); Amplify the force of one's blows five-fold (Energy).
Adept: Develop grandmaster-level skills in one's domain, allowing for feats of improbable skill. Majorly adjust outcomes and circumstances relevant to one's domain, and ward overwhelmingly against negative outcomes from such. Cure fully metastatic cancer with a five-minute operation and minimal side effects (Medicine); reach any destination in time for your needs so long as a road to there exists (Logistics); go from a local official to President of your country for life (Politics); achieve supernaturally-positive outcomes over virtually any domain already administered by an existing bureaucracy (Bureaucracy); fight off a thousand armed soldiers single-handed (War); steal a con-man's charm, or a professor's genius (Thievery); emit destructive energies capable of leveling a skyscraper (Energy)
Master: Near-total influence over any concept even tangentially connected to one's domain. Create a Celestial Parliament of supernaturally-powerful spirits to administrate metaphysics (Bureaucracy); wage meaningful war against the concept of entropy (War); create a new form of energy which allows for supernatural manipulation of reality (Energy); cure the ills of the Earth, removing all harmful pathogens and restoring an unpolluted ecosystem (Medicine); make political engagement fun, interesting, and great overall even for ordinary participants (Politics)
Provision
...This section still under construction!
Panoply
[ ] Shimmer of Possibility [1 Heroic Favor] - That phantasmal light of infinite color, which is potential itself bestowed unto flesh.
Become the unique and irrevocable bearer of the Aurora Halo, refracted expression of limitless forms which span the continuums of abstract, spiritual, ethereal and material. Even a beginner's fumbling could manifest a handful of Chroma enhancements granting temporary augmentations on the level of "invulnerability to a specific element," while the delicate interplays evoked by a master can make of the wielder a god-chimera bestriding infinite realms.
The Aurora Halo represents mastery over form in all its expressions. All types, parameters, and principles of form fall within its purview; in theory virtually any effect imaginable can be achieved by its mastery, so long as it is manifest through the lens of self-transformation. From the shape of one's mortal vessel to the superstructure of one's oversoul, all can be altered as easily as shifting pictures on a carousel.
Transgression of form is the nature of monstrosity; your Heroic path will take you down avenues that cause you to be perceived as a monster, at least to some.
Shimmer of Possibility
++++++++++Protection, and a further +++++All Stats
Progression: Modest. Assuming near-optimal compounding of personal capabilities, mastery can be achieved with one century's strenuous exertion. Further acceleration of one's growth rate is somewhat possible, but difficult even with the abilities below. Each adept-level ability requires about a year to develop, though partial applications can be trained within weeks or even hours, at correspondingly lower total utility.
Beginner: Attune one's physical corpus to various elements, thereby becoming immune to harm from them. Increase or decrease one's height or muscle mass, though with obvious cosmetic imperfections. Emit blinding light from one's soul which repels and terrifies lesser hostile spirits. Grow and coordinate fully functional additional limbs. Overlay a template of wholeness upon one's body, attaining slow but total regeneration.
Adept: Attune to the fundamental nature of mass-energy, selectively phasing through all forms of physical interdiction or harm. Assume arbitrary biological templates within 100x mass-volume of one's original form. Emit memetic pheromones capable of dominating all physically instantiated minds regardless of substrate. Grow and coordinate fully functional additional brains and sleeve them, with near-arbitrary variations on personality, talent, physical capabilities, appearance. Overlay a template of perfection upon a facet of one's mental, physical or spiritual forms, becoming infallible within relevant fields given the bounds of conventional metaphysics.
Master: Assume arbitrary forms of any type; embody all concepts and none, as well as the duality between them. Assume a template of perfect upon the entire continuum of one's forms, becoming infallible and unassailable within conventional metaphysics. Remove the limits of one's growth in any field. Assume paradoxical, fanciful, or impossible forms. Besiege the Realm of Forms by encompassing all that it is not, breaking into achievements beyond conceptual definition. Manifest any Halo advancement or combination thereof, at will.
[ ] Special Dispensation [1 Heroic Favor] - It's not quite administrative privilege, but the Seraph's intercession can grant a semblance of that peerless power, the dream of fairness instantiated. And easier to use, to boot!
The dream of fairness is anathema to entrenched powers; in the pursuit of justice your Heroic path will see you encountering potent enemies over time.
Gain access to the Royal Praxis of the Accursed, with a special version of To Shatter Heaven applied which reduces the difficulty, rather than increasing the rewards, of further steps into the Praxis.
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Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
