A Simple Transaction I

[HoratioVonBecker]

I am entirely disinterested in Battle Magic, as compared to another equivalent magical system of equal utility.

Archmage does all of it anyway.

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Archmage doesn't seem to directly buff attack speed. Battle Magic is exceptionally good for combat.

 

[Aabcehmu]

Archmage doesn't seem to directly buff attack speed. Battle Magic is exceptionally good for combat.

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Archmage grants access to a Time subdomain, that almost certainly could provide +30% Attack Speed just via temporal acceleration. Hunger is operating at a level where crude time manipulation is not especially relevant though.

 

[HoratioVonBecker]

Archmage grants access to a Time subdomain, that almost certainly could provide +30% Attack Speed just via temporal acceleration. Hunger is operating at a level where crude time manipulation is not especially relevant though.

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That's Activity Speed, not Attack Speed. Different multipliers, I think.

 

[Rihaku]

I'm interested, if you had the opportunity to build Hunger from his entrance into the Temple onwards to the final payoff of the Ring's Reward, what build (and major build-related, such as Renaissance Woman, Aobaru's upgrades etc) choices would you have made, assuming the same amount of Arete generated?

Starting Point: A Far Bastion
Ending Point: Threefold Meditations

If taking a significantly riskier choice than Hunger did, eyeball how much riskier, interpreting harshly, and roll for it using the forum dice roller (make a post declaring Hunger's action and your eyeballed success / death %s -> edit -> Throw Dice). Fan-created Advancements (such as if you'd picked, e.g. Gardener's Hallow) should also be written with a strict eye - never matching, much less exceeding, the existing Advancements in raw efficiency, and further penalized if they allow for unusual or exceptional synergies or effect access. These omakes may be in the form of text, visuals, some hybrid, whatever.

You may start or end at somewhat different points in the plot if you feel it's necessary for your build.

The best three entries will receive the following thread participation bonuses! You'll also receive any normal Arete bonuses for omake generation. Though it's mostly just an excuse to re-read the early quest in preparation for its ending.

First Place - Choose one of Hunger's current options. It receives a defensive re-roll. Discount its Arete cost by 5%.

OR Hunger retroactively adopts some aspect of your build, subject to GM approval. This will not substantially increase his power in this contest, but it may alter his chances to a minor or moderate (if especially impressive and well-thought out) degree.

Second Place - Choose one of Hunger's current options. Reduce its downsides by 5%. Discount its Arete cost by 1. Stacks with First Place if the same option is chosen.

Third Place - Choose a companion besides Gisena or Aeira. They almost definitely won't die from the Maiden's actions.

Higher places may exchange prizes with lower places if they so desire.

 

[ImperatorV]

Well. That's a thing.

What do I write here? Gardener Quest? Mage Lord with surprise guest Gabriella Fairbright? There's a lot of potential for divergence here. Someone could even do The Forbidden or Evening Gown into Total Eclipse or some other wacky combination. Oh shit, Rune King. Maybe that's my line, if we'd picked up Rune King from the Tiller Wurm that would majorly incentivize Mage Lord in the next build vote, and then I'm off into pure speculation territory.

Not to mention our actions would have been vastly different for a different build, leading to different encounter tables - man this is going to be a lot of work. It's one in the morning I'm doing this tomorrow.

 

[Aabcehmu]

If taking a significantly riskier choice than Hunger did, eyeball how much riskier, interpreting harshly, and roll for it using the forum dice roller (make a post declaring Hunger's action and your eyeballed success / death %s -> edit -> Throw Dice). Fan-created Advancements (such as if you'd picked, e.g. Gardener's Hallow) should also be written with a strict eye - never matching, much less exceeding, the existing Advancements in raw efficiency, and further penalized if they allow for unusual or exceptional synergies or effect access. These omakes may be in the form of text, visuals, some hybrid, whatever.

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Does our alt-Hunger also benefit from historical patreon-sourced rerolls or defensive wishes?

 

[Shard]

Lemme go check out canonanically winning options by update:

A Far Bastion
[ ] Investigate the Main Entrance [+0.5 Arete, spend half a day taking a longer route]
[ ] Bright Vanquisher [-9 Arete] (Double Echo of the Forebear, Undying Echo, Form of Rage)

The Solitary Moon
[ ] Conservative
[ ] +.1 Rank

War and Wind
[ ] Pick Off Stragglers - If successful, will add +1 pick to your next Experience spend.
[ ] Brute Force (2x Echo of the Forebear)

The Winnowing Garden
[ ] Yes, Obviously
[ ] Retreat to the Antechamber

Cutting Through
[ ] Search for Humans
-[ ] Apex (3x Echo of the Forebear, Apex; +0.2 Rank)

Promenade of Glories
[ ] The Magus

The Ritual Grounds
[ ] Bloodmight
[ ] The Wandering Caravan
(Benchmark: 8.77 Arete)

Coin and Realm
[] Tend to Gisena
[] +1 Pick

Red of Sky and Fang
[] Resident Outriders
[] Level Gisena.

Fending Off
[ ] Lingering Paralysis

Meditations on the Sword
[] Bloodslayer
[] Speak to Letrizia

Throne and Alter
[] Breach the Middle
[] Fall of Night has won.

Once and Future
[ ] Sublime Attainment
[ ] Opportunistic Raiding

Honor Unstained
[ ] Close of Day
[ ] Preparation: Dialogue
[ ] Preparation: Resolve
(Doom of Anti-Synergy: PROC)

Sky Above Sky
[ ] True Maiming
[ ] Uttermost

Arisen Again
[] Vigor Itself
[] Vacation

Thunder of Blood
[ ] A Besieged Colony
Unclear if To Rank 4.5 or Rank 5.25 (-2 Arete) won
[ ] +1 Arete, -10% Tyrant proc chance this update

Impunity
[] Investigate the School
[] Fierce Quickening

All Along the Watchtower
[] Cut Through
[] Study the Blade
[] Hot Springs
([ ] Surgecraft)

Accursed Implement
[] Zweihander
[] Upgrade Letrizia's Magic System
[] Check Up on Gisena

Vertiginous Heights
[ ] The Kaguya (From what I can tell)
[ ] Edeldross (7 Arete Version)

High Glades
[] Sharpbright
[] Stay and Train

Scarlet Legion
[] Vigor Itself
[] Control

Subtle and Quick
[] Infiltration
[] Shadowcord

Fleeting Respite
[] Edeldross Adept

Promenade of Glories II
[ ] High Marshall Avecarn
[ ] Ring of Power: Crimson Flare

Force of Nature
[ ] Fine
BV obviated due to Arete mining

A Wind Full of Knives
(Arete Benchmark: 27)
[ ] The Ring of Power: Crimson Flare

Interlude: The Star-Forge
[] Guile-Defeating Stance
[] Combat

To Battle's Close
[] Foment Rebellion
[] Vigor Incarnate

The Provinces, Roused
[ ] Larissa of House Alynne
[ ] Weapon-Defeating Stance
[ ] Fierce Quickening

Day of Independence
[] Scorched Earth

A Farewell to Arms
[] Evangeline Worldkeeper

The Ultimate Price
[] Treachery

Forefront
[] Peerless Grace
[] The Blade
[] Ruler & Vassal

In Wake of Silence
[] His People Need Him
[] Star of Grace

The World Your Oyster
[] Mass Ennoblement
[] Inherit the World

The Lord of the Rings
[ ] Gisena Allria, the High Sorceress of Nullity
[ ] Studying the Blade Praxis

Threefold Meditations
[] 4 picks for 12 Arete
[] Hunting/Errantry

 

[Rihaku]

Not to mention our actions would have been vastly different for a different build, leading to different encounter tables - man this is going to be a lot of work. It's one in the morning I'm doing this tomorrow.

Click to shrink...

Yes, feel free to do it in parts, especially since the content in question is something like a hundred thousand words long!

 

[HoratioVonBecker]

Well, thinking about the ones I want most, it's obviously Inheritor, Slice Fate, and Elixir. Gabriella Fairbright showing up might also be nice? I have to think about this a bit.

 

[Kirbstomp]

Spoiler: Mage Lord

[ ] Murderer's Panoply
To might alone, is given...
Double Echo of the Forebear, Undying Echo, Fall of Night, A Thousand Cuts
Adds ++++Str, +++Agi, +++++Con, 11 Arete

Though its stat block is identical to the Immortal Regiment, this build relies on a wholly different strategy revolving around the upgraded Fell-Handed Stroke. It can wear down enemies with a rain of cursed wounds, or go for the throat with an immensely powerful finishing move that can devastate foes far greater than yourself. Its high constitution grants it substantial staying power in a prolonged conflict. However, it spends all your Arete and is not as adept at social or mental encounters. On the battlefield, however, it is nothing less than a juggernaut of fell purpose, foe-conquering unstoppable shadow whose strength tears free the thews of titans and plants them as mountains into the earth.

[ ] Peerless Shroud [2 Arete] - Opalescence + Iridescence. With every plate and greave of their armor infused with destructive runes, greater coverage against magical attacks is a priority. With the power of the Evening Sky heavily augmented and attuned to the tenor of their magic, you should be able to weather the majority of their attacks with impunity. It'll also make you more terrifying to oppose, should you run into any other adventurers here.

[ ] Forebear's Blade - Dreadnought's Bearing (7 Arete, 3 picks) - The best defense is the Forebear's bearing.

Requires Undying Echo. Gain +++++++Constitution, +Protection. Gain 50% resistance to the Tired Condition, stacking multiplicatively with other sources of resistance, and 25% resistance to the Exhausted Condition. If you have, or later purchase, the [Iron Curtain] Advancement, you receive its benefits permanently rather than needing to activate them, and may choose to Ignore Exotic Attacks via a Constitution check rather than Deflecting them.

Choose:
Rune King - You may not regrow or replace your eye by any means. +Int, +Wisdom, Apply the effects of [To Shatter Heaven] to all magics you learn from now on.

[ ] Mage Lord - Azure Moon, Linear Halo [14 Arete]

Azure Moon grants access to the domain of Soul Evocation, the power to manifest high-level conceptual effects from the font of one's selfhood, a rare power that offers unique abilities to each individual practitioner. Your opponent just felled was The Librarian, but the light of your own soul is that of the Imprisoner. How odd, you don't recall directly imprisoning anyone in your life.

The Linear Halo imparts any one formal and systemic type of magic with power beyond reckoning, allowing its wielder to stretch the outer boundaries of its capabilities half a step above what might otherwise be possible, at the cost of preventing the acquisition (though not use) of other types of magic until the Outward Halo is taken. Gain +Int equal to your +Strength, +Wits equal to your +Agi, and +Wis equal to your +Con for purposes of researching the associated magic type and crafting specific techniques using it.

*Gain access to a powerful and versatile magic system with decent immediate utility and great long-term potential
*Scale your magical research with your physical stats! Manifesting the light of your soul also allows you to directly train your Rank, though it's a slow process.
*Focus all your magical training on a single powerful system at which you become supernally gifted, somewhat compensating for the ring's training debuff. Stress no more about acquiring other magic types!
*Can't acquire other magic types until you take another 7-Arete ability, the Outward Halo
*Weaker in terms of immediate power than any of the 'Might' options.

[ ] Evening Sky - Pearlescence - 7 Arete

Woe unto they who would stand against the bearer of Evening, for all the stars in heaven are their enemies, and the moon above as well.

That a frog in a well should leap at the moon, means only that they will never reach it.

+++Protection, and the protection granted by the Evening Sky now automatically scales to its wearer's power; effectively, the wearer is granted an additional Experience modifier whose output is automatically applied to the Evening Sky.

Requires Iridescence.

[ ] Evening Sky - Evening Gown - 7 Arete (2 picks)

The dress of night whose pearl is the moon and whose jewels are the stars.

Provides Gisena with a dress the same material as the Evening Sky, and infuses that material with a rich density of findross and the power of Nullity, dramatically enhancing its capabilities and rendering it immune to dispellation from that source. With the assistance of the Evening Sky, Gisena initiates a Sorcerous breakthrough.

Findross interweave enhances Hunger's attributes in a manner not unlike Sorcery so long as the Evening Sky is not discorporated. Choose two: +Agility, +Might, +Wits, +Charisma, and gain a Pseudo-Grace. You may have to vote on the nature of the Pseudo-Grace. By default it grants ++++Agility, +++Strength, 30% increased attack speed in melee.

Discounts [Total Eclipse] by 2 Arete.

[ ] Exalted Spirit - 2 Arete. Conjunctional [Hunger, Evening Sky]. Mind made vigorous as the body. Gain +Int, +Wits, +Wis, +Cha, -Heartlessness, while in a form with physical blood. Allies under blood enhancement gain +Int, +Cha. Blood enhancement requires physical blood.

[ ] The Ring of Power - Dominion - 2 Arete
A ring of power does not exert influence casually. It has its own will, its own preferences, and if that will should be inseparable from its owner's, its sway thereby shall be greater for it.

Select a domain of influence. While acting within its domain, [Ring of Power] effects are substantially less taxing and more potent; the effects of this can be abstracted as follows: treat the owner's Rank as if it somewhat* higher for related actions. You may select this advancement multiple times, choosing a different domain each time. If multiple domains apply, their bonuses do not compound.

*+0.5 if Low, +.25 if Mid, +.1 if High.

The available domains for Hunger are: War

[ ] Incident Nullification - Gisena is able to nullify specific phenomena or concepts on which she has practiced extensively; the more abstract and influential the target, the more difficult the Nullifcation, with even moderate nullifications being of surpassing complexity. However, the ultimate potential for this ability is vast.

*Low initial utility, high potential.

[ ] The Ring of Power - Inheritor (3 picks, 2 Arete)

He whose soul contains multitudes, may inherit the legacy of those fallen.

Defining Advancement. You may only have three Defining Advancements.

*Choose one Soul Evocation user you have slain. You may use their Soul Evocation at a substantial fraction of the original wielder's skill. Apply [To Shatter Heaven] to their Soul Evocation, but gain fragments of their selfhood.
*+50% to the value of that user's highest Attribute +s.
*+50% the value of that user's second highest Attribute +s.
*-10% to the value of future Rank +s, but you may train Rank manually.
*++Mental Contamination from the user you target. Their soul lives on as your prisoner.
*Available Evocations: The Librarian. The Correspondent. The Unerring.

[ ] The Ring of Power - Dominion - 2 Arete
A ring of power does not exert influence casually. It has its own will, its own preferences, and if that will should be inseparable from its owner's, its sway thereby shall be greater for it.

Select a domain of influence. While acting within its domain, [Ring of Power] effects are substantially less taxing and more potent; the effects of this can be abstracted as follows: treat the owner's Rank as if it somewhat* higher for related actions. You may select this advancement multiple times, choosing a different domain each time. If multiple domains apply, their bonuses do not compound.

*+0.5 if Low, +.25 if Mid, +.1 if High.

The available domains for Hunger are: Passion

[ ] Outward Halo - 7 Arete. Unlocks other Magic Systems.

[ ] Surgecraft - A seemingly simplistic but bizarrely powerful art by which its practitioners manifest and control vast quantities of a personal Imaginary Element. These range from the mostly physical (Ironflame, with the stability and density of steel but the heat and mobility of fire) to the highly conceptual (Fellspite, a slow but all-corroding mist that induces hatred and despair in those it touches; Fullmight, which simply amplifies the raw power of anything to which it's applied). Even the weakest Surgecrafter can unleash walls and torrents of their element sufficient to annihilate a large building, but control comes slowly and unsteadily for them, if at all. One can imagine the instability of a society populated by such mages.

*Hunger and Letrizia can theoretically learn Surgecraft, though blood manipulation will be needed for Letrizia to acquire it.
*The quality of Hunger's Imaginary Element, should he decide to pursue this route, will depend in part on Arete spent.
*Though none have accomplished it so far, it's relatively easy for experienced Surgecraft practitioners to unleash blasts of their Element that would be relevant on national, planetary, or even interstellar scales. Simple power is something that it develops easily.
*A Surgecrafter's strength in a given moment depends highly on their emotional context, personal circumstances, momentum of the battle and so on. It is at its heart a spontaneous art that disdains preparation.

[ ] Forebear's Blade - Ruinous Valor (3 picks)

Where he advanced, so did the tide of entire wars, the shock of his blade like a hurled epicenter, the trail of his passage but wasteland and rubble.

[+++++Strength]
Power of Ruin now scales upwards depending on your Strength.

Choose:
Zweihander - Regrow your left arm. Your barehanded strikes now carry the full destructive power of the Forebear's Blade.
If Zweihander is taken, unlocks Martial Stances: Forebear's Blade

[ ] Inksky: Nothing less than the semi-sentient symbiotic substance of the Evening Sky itself. With this, the mantle's power is amplified threefold: suffused at a greater density, it provides more overall benefits; with its master capable of healing it, it can swiftly regenerate from depletion; and through the crude manipulation of High Elementalism it can be brought to bear as lash or aegis against one's enemies, curling around to stifle, trip, smother and crush.

Hunger's Imaginary Element is determined by his panoply.

Single Receptacle: Rather than firing blasts of inksky himself, Hunger manifests all instances of High Elementalism through the vessel of the Evening Sky, allowing it to benefit from Accretion. +100% to the Protection and Charisma granted by the Evening Sky. Unlocks a number of highly efficient Evening Sky Advancements dealing with the domains of space, night, majesty and magic.

Discounts Pillars of Creation by 5 Arete.
-Hunger may take an action to repair the Evening Sky; amount repairs depends on the total +Protection granted and his own ability in High Elementalism
-Hunger may directly manipulate the Evening Sky as an extra appendage, though control is crude until trained.
With time, the cloak could expand to truly cosmic size: become the evening sky in truth!

[ ] Exavolt - A tremendously versatile and staggeringly powerful energy that would actually be relevant in combat even at your scale. Combining broad varieties of electromagnetic force with the concept of excessive scale, this would allow Letrizia to easily defend herself in combat from the Astral Beasts currently attacking Verschlengorge, and can eventually develop into wide-ranging control of magnetism, visible light, gamma radiation, microwaves, and so on.

*Substantially increases Verschlengorge's effective firepower
*While many noncombat applications are possible, almost all require extensive mastery to pursue
*Far more capable in physical combat than an equivalent level of Sharpbright

[ ] Evening Sky - Philosopher's Wreath - 7 Arete (2 picks)

The twilight hours are a time of contemplation, growth of mind and spirit. Perhaps there are more things in earth and heaven than are dreamt of in one's philosophy. But that may not always be so.

They for whom the heavens themselves are aegis and raiment, these are the hours to speak - perchance to dream. And in dreaming, grow strong beyond the imagining of mortal men.

[+Intelligence, +Wisdom, +Charisma]

Select one magic system which you have personally encountered and which is no greater than the Noble Praxis. You may use that system to the limits of your Intelligence or applicable Attributes, developing any appropriate qualities within reason, but this may no more than double your overall advancement. Alternatively, you may improve an existing magic you possess under the same conditions, hastening your rate of advancement in that art by [Intelligence x 100%] and substantially increasing both the variety and the conceptual potency of effects available to it.

Allied mages with which the wearer dialogues extensively find they may develop novel applications of existing abilities and steadily grow in knowledge & power with effort, independent of their own paradigm. This can no more than triple their overall level of advancement, but any progression done on their own will raise this cap. Should said mage no longer be allied, the wearer may strip this power at will, like a dream dissolving at break of day.

[ ] Evening Sky: Shadowlord - 2 picks, 7 Arete. It's rare that such conjunctions occur, but the cloak of Evening has unusual affinity for the Elements of shadow. By absorbing the power of an Element willingly offered, some of its attributes may be infused into the wearer.

*+30% AGI, +30% Manipulation
*Gain +++++++Stealth, ++++Theft
*Weave of Silence: Immune to sound- and music-based attacks.
*Attention-Deflecting Shroud: +Protection from the Evening Sky now adds to Stealth.
*Assassin's Grace: 100% Critical Strike chance when performed from ambush.

*In exchange for paying Shadowcord a kingly sum of money, she will agree to let Hunger absorb her Element. This is not a permanent reduction; her ability to summon it will return slowly over the course of two years.
*Needless to say it's far more effective to have such capabilities present in Hunger himself than to rely on relatively-weak external sources
*Consumes one additional day as you farm the money needed.

[] Renaissance Woman - 28 Arete

Not merely a genius of one generation, nor of one era; hers is a greatness of mind and spirit that arises perhaps only once in the lifetime of a species. All-conquering talent that bestrides all fields and masters them beyond compare: only this genuine polymath can be said to embody the complete essence - the true quintessence - of humanity in the Maiden's image. Only so exalted a paragon can glimpse the mortal facings of Heaven's Lathe and depart with mind unshattered.

A singularity of findross births a Sorceress. A meta-singularity of findross, births a Maiden.

*Gisena immediately acquires the Maiden-level Graces: True Perfecting Blade, True Nullity, and True Quintessence.
*Gisena, through observation of the mortal-perceptible components of Hunger's Progression, replicates the effects of the Lesser Remittance, Retinue, for up to one cardinality of infinite escalation.
*True Perfecting Blade: Massively improves Gisena's STR, AGI, CON, WITS and APP. Her physical parameters are modestly superior to Hunger's own. Her Wits and Appearance are tremendously superior to Hunger's own. Parameters will continue to increase over time.
*True Nullity: Gisena applies the effects of Grand Nullification upon all of Hunger's Curses; her nullity strikes with absolute force. This may improve over time.
*True Quintessence: Gisena is treated as if possessing the Total Eclipse Advancement.
*Her outrageously superhuman Appearance, Charisma and Wits can be classified as a high-grade memetic hazard, making infiltration of the Inner Temple quite trivial.
*Does not build towards a Special Artifact Advancement but also does not commit you to a path.

[ ] Guile-Defeating Stance - Strongly improves odds of diplomatic victory. Somewhat relevant in combat against intelligent opponents.

[ ] The Ring of Power - Arisen Blood (7 Arete, 3 picks)

Blood learns swiftly how best to be spilled.

While at full HP, benefit from the following:
+++++Protection
+++++Agi, Might, Wisdom (Combat)
All Attacks deal double damage, stacking multiplicatively
You are treated as if in a form with corporeal blood, even if you would otherwise not be.

[ ] Forebear's Blade - Echo of the Forebear - Cloud-shadow of the Forebear's might.
Legendary strength and speed, and the resilience to exert them. Can be taken multiple times. [+Might, +Agility]

[ ] The Blade - Let this business be done with. Quickly, cleanly. Complete the objective and go; dwell not on the past which is beyond your power (yet) to change, but cut onwards and through into the future. Sever the Ring from its tormenter, its tormentor from his life, and the profits of that torture from the society he upheld.

This reckless hate is beneath your dignity, Azure. You are a Ring of Power, not some mewling simpleton of mortal span. Eternity lies before you; why dwell on enemies already buried? 'Slays Keeper, ruins town, and beats high temple down.' Let him be one hero more whom time has felled; let that be enough.

*Knife, Fierce Quickening, Echo of the Forebear, Hero-Defeating Stance - 3 picks, 9 Arete
*A strong, safe build that offers comprehensive power in both the present and the future, though obviously weaker than the Avenger while Avenger is active.
*Versatility of Rank, point-effectiveness of AGI in your current situation, and synergy with Crimson Flare
*The build that raises the best foundation for the mid- to long-term, though the influence of any one decision point is relatively small
*Reduces hatefulness but not by as much as The Eminence. Aims for a quick, clean kill or surrender.
*Great chances of success, but not guaranteed.

[ ] Imprisoner's Vestige - The light of the soul, awakened and intensified. Discounts Heavenly Tomb by 7 Arete, unlocks it, and augments it.

Evening Sky: Heavenly Tomb [Conjunctional: The Ring of Power, The Forebear's Blade] - 25 Arete (1 pick)

No paradise is this,
no splendid Realm of Evening's kiss;
but its colder distaff face -
a prison spun from time and space.

The heavens are vault and spectacle, vastness and sea; entombed among those countless points of light are elder beings and heralds of strange design. Trapped upon a pale green speck of planetary earth, it can be hard to grasp the enormity of that perilous ocean surrounding, but it would be unwise to forget: earth and sea and sky were never equals. The sky is more than a window and darkness, the stars more than the natural lighting of the cosmos. Beyond the far reaches of mortal grasp lie wonders and horrors as to remake the philosophies of man, contained by mere distance from their revelatory conquest.

*Walls of Night: ++++++++++Protection, ignore Protection penalties.
*Endless Depths: Massively increases the effective health and health regeneration of the Evening Sky before depletion.
*Imprisoner's Might: Grants immense but highly specific power over the interior Cloak of Evening, permitting the effects below:

*Enemies defeated completely may be consigned to the Heavenly Tomb, absorbed into the Evening Sky & frozen in the bleak nothingness beneath time and space. There is no limit to the number of foes that can be so contained; entire civilizations can be preserved in the amber of time.
*You may also store and retrieve inanimate objects so long as they are under your control.
*An enemy once trapped in the Heavenly Tomb becomes categorically incapable of ever defeating the wearer again. They may be released for rehabilitation, further punishment or annihilation at the wearer's leisure. Note however that this is not an absolute guard; those trapped are not preventing from resisting or inconveniencing the wearer, merely from ever defeating him.
*If you have Pillars of Creation, you may within the Realm of Evening unfreeze and interact with defeated foes from a position of perfect safety, employing the implements of the Realm of Evening as you please.
*Time and training may expand and revise these effects with no effective upper limit, including esoteric imprisonment effects such as the sealing of aspects or ideas.

[ ] Inherit the World - 7 Arete - The Worldkeeper's power, yielded to the Imprisoner's. Shattered in mind, whole in body, their spirit given over to the grasp of their successor.

Defining Advancement. You may only have three Defining Advancements.

*Acquire the Soul Evocation of the Penitent, whose shadow is a thing of stained glass and light, and whose figure can absorb punishment unending yet burst forth with ceaseless might. Ignore wound penalties; the user's body is held together by its shadow and cannot be slain short of total annihilation.
*The Penitent may call forth his shadow in an expunging tide. Those fallen beneath are physically encased and magically suppressed, though some arts of power vastly greater than that of Soul Evocation as a whole are immune to this effect. Overuse may decrease the user's WITS, WISDOM and finally INT, but would require many years of continuous deployment; penalties imposed are reverted once the shadow is recalled.
*Outrageous destruction and sober atonement are writ into the Penitent's place within the cosmos. Halve the social penalty from, and double the effective forgiveness for, escalating to violence in otherwise inappropriate situations. This is bound into the fabric of reality and is treated as a 'natural' social phenomenon, the expected baseline.
*Combined with high Charisma, the above effect is exceptionally useful for those possessing the Doom of the Tyrant. Mechanically it's represented as halving/doubling; in-universe the difference in actual sentiment can be an order of magnitude or greater. Still, a dangerous power to possess - and not to be used lightly, lest one be tempted to abuse it.
*+50% to the value of Might +s.
*+50% the value of Protection +s.
*+400% Health.
*+20% to the value of future Rank +s; you may train Rank manually.
*+++Mental Contamination. The wielder disdains cowardice, has little patience for torturers, and easily flies into a violent rage against those he considers morally repugnant. Willpower + alternate Mental Contamination to resist.

This is how I would have preferred the build choices to go, more mage heavy. Would eventually lead to Outer Sky, Outer Darkness, The Opalescent Tower, Pillars of Creation, Heavenly Tomb, and Imperishable Night.

Gosh I just love Evening Sky so much!

 

[Shard]

My build adjustments begins at Age and Treachery.

In lieu of taking Amaranth Star, Hunger takes What Rains May Come, fixing Letrizia's immediate wound issues and granting himself at least +30% effectiveness from the reversed wound penalties*. With Letrizia's and Hunger's injuries far less pressing, in Hunter Hunted, I assume the increased effectiveness from reversing wound penalties is equalized by the increased danger from having less Rank and agility. I take the Plumed Offering there, obtaining +0.5 Arete, and selecting the 7-Arete option of Echo of the Forebear + Undying Echo + Undying Vanguard. Hunger is at (+2+2-7+0.5 = -2.5) Arete relative to the Second Form/Pristine Star Hunger. He does not suffer from Chill of the Grave due to not selecting the Mire Wolf (+5% Effectiveness).

Attributes-wise, Hunger is now at -0.25 Rank, --Agility, + Strength, +++Constitution relative to the original. Not so great.

I'd obviously choose not to go to the Temple of the False Moon in Wolf Moon, but that would make projections too difficult. Instead I select +0.5 Arete as opposed to +1 Pick, bringing Hunger up to net -2 Arete. The Route options in Synchronization Complete are significantly safer, but we can't exactly convert this to a benefit. In A Moment's Repreive, Hallow Star (from Pristine Star) is no longer an option nor is it needed due to previous choices. Instead Gisena gets Sorcerous Advancement I. I assume there will not be any practical effects for purposes of this build from these two advantages.

We proceed to A Far Bastion. Hunger selects Murderer's Panoply (with the caveat of being -1 Echo of the Forebear due to -1 Pick). Murderer's Panoply has Undying Echo which we already have, so we remain at -2 Arete relative to Canon!Hunger. Hunger is significantly more powerful relative to Canon!Hunger at this point, so I have rather more leeway with my pick options. My decisions in The Solitary Moon, War and Wind and Winnowing Garden are unchanged. In Cutting Through we grab Stranglethorn as opposed to the canonical Apex.

Spoiler: Deviation 1

I would pick 'Risky' in Synchronization Complete, as Letrizia is far safer due to Undying Vanguard, and with the increased power I would go for Aggressive in The Solitary Moon, with a net of something like +20% effectiveness & Gisena & Thousand Cuts within the Temple, which would absolutely make the option far more viable from multiple perspectives. Unfortunately, this would change too much of the story, so I'll stick with the canon decisions, even if I feel they are with the retrospective build suboptimal.

Heading into Promenade of Glories, Hunger at this point has:

- No Chill of the Grave penalty (+5% Effectiveness)
- No Second Form/Form of Rage
- Has Thousand Cuts
- Has Undying Vanguard
- Has What Rains May Come
- No Healing or Regeneration
- Likely has ~40% HP from injuries, with ~+30% effectiveness from What Rains May Come.
- ~0.4 Rank
- Stranglethorn

My evaluation of Hunger's battle with the Magus is that the odds are somewhat more in his favor (far lower odds of Gisena dying due to Undying Vanguard for example), but not so much that Hunger could pick Seize the Day without it being considered as more risky. So my decision there remains unchanged, even if an extra pick (in leiu of a re-roll) would be nice. Hunger picks the canonical Bloodmight in The Ritual Grounds because at this point he really needs healing to not die at this point. Also because not getting Blood domain massively alters all subsequent choices, making planning difficult without canon guidance. Of course, the Dreadbeast should be evaluated as the much safer fight due to Thousand Cuts, but that way lies deviation from canon.

Coin and Realm, Red of Sky and Fang have their choices unchanged. In Fending Off/Meditations on the Sword, my build is The Ring of Power - Quickening plus The Ring of Power - Dominion (War), with Hunger now having +5 Arete relative to Canon!Hunger (this is when Thousand Cuts was purchased). Hunger now has high-end regeneration, so keeping track of HP is no longer relevant. He does have Lingering Paralysis, as I evaluate his increased capabilities insufficient to substantially alter the Outrider battle outcome.

Spoiler: Deviation 2

Hunger will take Exalted Spirit in Throne and Alter, and will instead Buff Gisena. I assume this will give Gisena something like either a better version of Sublime Attainment, or discount the Arete cost to nothing when considered in Conjunction with Gisena's Sorcerous Advancement from A Moment's Reprieve. This would be my preferred option in that vote itself, as Vareir is an exceedingly dangerous opponent I'd rather just skip altogether. Given the importance of Hunger's battle with Vanreir to the story, this deviation will have to remain hypothetical.

Hunger will take Exalted Spirit in Throne and Alter (he already has Fall of the Night), following with Canon into the Vareir fight, Hunger will instead select Preparation: Focus as opposed to still select Preparation: Dialogue, though odds are presumably improved due to Exalted Spirit. Hunger has higher intelligence and +10% effectiveness in the fight itself, which does makes the fight safer, but I do assume that we still suffer the Devastating Consequence of True Maiming will still occur. Hunger picks Feat: Kinslayer. He now has Rank: 5, as well as +5 Arete relative to canon. Hunger will select The Ring of Power - Dominion (Passion) in Arisen Again. He now has +3 Arete relative to canon.

Thunder of Blood is unchanged. Versh may have Rank 4.5**, but Hunger is Rank 5. The plot for the Hot Springs events are likely to be significantly adjusted positively after considering the fact that Hunger with Rank 5 versus his canon Rank 4.3. Letrizia will pick Hot Springs and Go in Impunity. Hunger will pick Slice Fate, gaining 1 reroll/day and enabling Letrizia to become the Devouring Sorceress. Duh. We are now at 3+0.75-7 = -3.25 Arete relative to canon (Arete benchmarked at 9.5, so we have 6.25). Hunger's choices in All Along the Watchtower is unchanged. We do not investigate Elixir's magic system, so that's obviated.

Hunger's at 80% Heal, 40% double healing. Canon we got double healing, and I assume that Lingering Paralysis were cured, with True Maiming likely reduced in severity rather than completely cured, leaving Hunger with a mitigated True Maiming. We'll retain Letrizia's Magic being 7-Arete equivalent in Accursed Implement, but fluffed into being the 'Devouring Sorceress' instead of Sharpbright. Other options are unchanged. Hunger does not have Cut Through, so is +15.75 Arete relative to Canon. Due to not investigating the Hot Spring's magical System, Hunger does not acquire Edeldross, so has another +7 Arete relative to canon, and is now at +22.75 Arete.

In High Glades, Hunger will go for Farm, then Clear (+1 Arete), as opposed to his retain the canonical Stay and Train option. He does not perform a long term investment into Crimson Flare (+1 Arete) nor does he pick Edeldross Adept (+2 Arete). He picks up Once and Future I in Fleeting Respite as well as +0.75 Arete instead of +1 Pick(+2.5 Arete relative to canon), bringing his effective Rank to 6 (7 military). At this point, Hunger is rather weaker than Canon, so to make up for that deficit, he also purchases Renaissance Woman in Wind Full of Knives and All-Defeating Stance if it is needed to ensure victory (Hunger has 55.75 Arete to spend at this point). The remainder of the Temple should be, put simply, a stomp due to Gisena's True Nullity + Rank 6/7 Hunger. Hunger will purchase Pre-Eminence for War & Passion as well as Knife at The Ultimate Price, purchasing the standard Vigor Incarnate/Firce Quickening in the interim updates to that point.

With the Temple defeated, Hunger now converts the Chief Dominion of Blood and his two Pre-Eminences into Ruling Ring. Hunger picks up Assault Halo in the a suitably synergistic 7-Arete Advancement (Ideally Azure Moon, Philospher's Wreathe or upgraded Pillar's of Eternity) in Wake of Silence. He picks Feat: Mightier in The World Your Oyster. He now has Rank (5+ 0.15*1.2+0.3*1.2 = 5.54 )/6.54/7.54 as well as All-Defeating Stance at 1.33x power, as well as ++ Progression from Ruling Ring. Relative to canon, Hunger has +5.75 Arete and is making good progress to purchasing Pillars of Eternity by Threefold Meditations (which we skip owing to not having the Praxis; +12 Arete; +17.75 Arete relative to canon).

By Ageless Hour, this version of Hunger has 25.25 Arete***. By Choice of Import, the Apocryphal Curse strikes at 80% power due to Stage 2 Mitigation + All-Defeating Stance (at 1.33x power****). With Trinity obtainable early, I'd get A Promise Kept, which would have immense synergy with the newly-bought Pillars of Eternity (50% positive Apoc in time-dilation every month compounded with Ruling Ring's ++ Progression). Artemisnin mitigation for the Affliction of Decimation will also be acquired early, making its handling far easier, Gisena's Artefacts are significantly augmented compared to canon owing to Renaissance Woman, and she starts acquiring additional graces much earlier, all of which will make Hunger's future journeys from the Temple-onward far easier. To say nothing of the impacts of a two-stage mitigation to the Tyrant's Doom due to us not picking Uttermost.. Superior scaling & safety, what's not to like? Well, aside from not having the Praxis or Surgecraft.

This Hunger does have 3 unfilled Defining Advancement Slots, which would ideally be filled with appropriately themed advancements in the post-Temple quest. The Magic System preferred for Hunger to study would be Azure Moon (Soul Evocation of the Imprisoner), but the timing within the build is off to acquire it.

*It's not clear how What Rains May Come's effectiveness boost effect works. For example, whether it applies on the 'base' wound penalty, or whether is applies on 'after accretion mitigation' wound penalty. I assume the latter.
** Rank 5 Hunger w/Exalted Spirit would probably be able to boost Verch to Rank 5.25 without Arete expenditure. I assume he can't/won't due to injuries.
***Fanwork production would likely be much lower when considering that the plot would have been gone through faster, and that much of omake surges were due to Praxis DEEPLORE, so current projections are likely... excessive.
****Assault Halo increases the numerical values in All-Defeating by 1/3, but it is not clear if this would also apply to the mitigation aspect of All-Defeating. I assume it does not.

(~1772 Words)

 

[Rihaku]

Following with Canon into the Vareir fight, Hunger will instead select Preparation: Focus as opposed to Preparation: Dialogue. Hunger has higher intelligence and +10% effectiveness in the fight itself, which does makes the fight safer, but I do assume that we still suffer the Devastating Consequence of True Maiming & Moderate Consequence of Trauma (ad-hoc -10% effectiveness) will still occur.

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Interesting! Hunger only beat Vanreir due to dialogue-related treachery, so this might be riskier than you believe...

Hunger's at 80% Heal, 40% double healing. Canon we got double healing, and I assume that the Moderate Condition of Trauma and Lignering Paralysis were cured, leaving Hunger with just True Maiming. We'll retain Letrizia's Magic being 7-Arete equivalent in Accursed Implement, but fluffed into being the 'Devouring Sorceress' instead of Sharpbright. Other options are unchanged. Hunger does not have Cut Through, so is +17.75 Arete relative to Canon.

In High Glades, Hunger will go for Farm, then Clear (+1 Arete)

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Hm... without Edeldross, Cut Through or Uttermost Hunger's overall stats will be much lower at this point! Uttermost + Cut Through was something like +9 Might/Agility and Edeldross +30% All Stats on top, plus the utility associated with both... somewhat higher Rank is probably not sufficient to compensate for that! Farm, then Clear odds would be substantially worse, and All-Defeating Stance synergy much lower. But don't worry, the Renaissance Woman can probably carry you, it'd just take a little bit longer than canon Hunger!

 

[Shard]

Interesting! Hunger only beat Vanreir due to dialogue-related treachery, so this might be riskier than you believe...

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Huh, I thought it would be safer. Still, if it would make the resulting build harder rather than easier to execute, Preparation: Dialogue would be preferred. He would have Exalted Spirit in lieu of the already-taken Fall of the Night, so the adjusted odds should theoretically be better than the original. (One objective of the alternative build is to have retrospectively better odds than canon overall.)

Hm... without Edeldross, Cut Through or Uttermost Hunger's overall stats will be much lower at this point! Uttermost + Cut Through was something like +9 Might/Agility and Edeldross +30% All Stats on top, plus the utility associated with both... somewhat higher Rank is probably not sufficient to compensate for that! Farm, then Clear odds would be substantially worse, and All-Defeating Stance synergy much lower. But don't worry, the Renaissance Woman can probably carry you, it'd just take a little bit longer than canon Hunger!

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Hm, if Farm, then Clear has substantially worse odds at that point, it would probably be a better idea for Hunger to pick Stay and Train, purchase Once and Future I instead, which would give him like Rank 6 (5+1), which should be moderately synergistic with Gisena Renaissance Woman-carrying us through the temple.

 

[Rihaku]

Hm, if Farm, then Clear has substantially worse odds at that point, it would probably be a better idea for Hunger to pick Stay and Train, purchase Once and Future I instead, which would give him like Rank 6 (5+1), which should be moderately synergistic with Gisena Renaissance Woman-carrying us through the temple.

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Once and Future I is also effectively 4 Arete cheaper! 7 Military Rank would be substantial, though there is some anti-synergy with the lack of Uttermost +30% Rank Gain... Feat: Knife and Mightier would both be worth substantially less, especially since you took Kinslayer first!

 

[Shard]

Once and Future I is also effectively 4 Arete cheaper! 7 Military Rank would be substantial, though there is some anti-synergy with the lack of Uttermost +30% Rank Gain... Feat: Knife and Mightier would both be worth substantially less, especially since you took Kinslayer first!

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Just going for RANK even with the lack of synergy is highly tempting regardless due to External Rank boosts, however. The Ruling Ring/Pillars of Eternity/A Promise Kept + Rank synergy are already coming up soon for that particular build, so working for synergistic build decisions aren't especially important unless novel or compounding capabilities can be obtained. It might be possible to try and slot in Defining Advancements that give +Rank earlier on in the build (ex: Stranglethorn at Cutting through), though stretching battle odds will likely be needed.

(Though I think Feat: Knife and Feat: Mightier would give similar rank since Canon!Hunger has Crimson Flare bringing his Base Rank to 5? Though Crimson Flare has it's own interactions since it's rank increase is variable.)

Wake of Silence at this point probably provides dramatically different results due to no Edeldross (so Silver of Evening would be adjusted), no Stances taken so far (so Assault Halo would likely not be offered), Crimson Flare not taken (The Ring of Power: Ring-Lord not offered or significantly altered). Plus Gisena would be doing most of the work..

 

[LordOfMurder]

[X] Supreme Merger [50 Arete]

If we have the Arete to support it, I want the three signature moves. Not one, not two, but all three at once.

Now, follow me on this one. Novakhron was shown to be able to learn a Signature Move that one time, back when we were fighting Aobaru. And, as it turns out? I recall rather clearly that the Face Card option teased available as a minor remittance for Combat-type Cursebearers using the Regalia for a power-up - it made mention of Weapon Forms and Chief Strikes.

These were under the name of War Magic, which we know from Even Further Beyond was the art wielded by Orcs. Which is to say, Heroes. Unlike the Elves, who are actually the Stewards. Their expertise in Soul Evocation stems from mastery over Essence, just like we see again in Even Further Beyond where their Binary Magic involved cultivating essence in their environment - and expending it from themselves to produce effects. The peoples we see who specialize in Soul Evocation also display this dichotomy - False Hand of the Maker vs Gardener's Hallow, Artifice vs Naturalism.

I could go on, but I don't have to. The story's drunk with internal reference on the subject. But it's not about what the Makers, Stewards, and Heroes were. It's about the part where we see this set of divisions elsewhere. In the beginning, when we were offered them by different names. Accretion, the Seven Seals, and Battle Mastery. I am willing to postulate, that these are not actually the favored forms of these systems as used by the Foremost.

I believe we were offered them, because they were the forms of magic most favored by the Forebear.

Statistically it's a perfect combination. Three processes exactly enable him to make the Blade, Imprisoner, and Battle Mastery his panoply. Soul Evocation requires rank to function and training to employ well. Battle Mastery works best with a stable fighting style, and in traditional video game format he is both a weapon master and a spell-slinger via Imprisoner.

It's appropriate characteristically for the Forebear as well. He placed his trust foremost in himself, his blade, and his depth of experience. These were the things he found he could carry along, where thousands of boon companions and world-rending artifacts had no doubt fallen aside. And we see here, these qualities align exactly.

There are further internal parallels between the three, between what we've see of his inheritance by way of Accretion. The Fell-Handed Stroke is a textbook signature technique; the second stage and its follow-through would likely synchronize well with the Hindu-inspired Seven Seals and their power over illusive metaphysics. Concurrent development of mind, body, and soul were likely necessary in forming his Cut, if that heavenly shade is anything to go by.

So with all that out of the way, I'm about to reach a little bit further beyond. I'm going to say that I believe, because of their Shrouds and insane Rank, that the Armaments all use the same three systems. And that therefore, the Signature move is how the Battle Mastery system imitates class mechanics intuitively.

So by getting a Supreme Merger, and collecting exactly three Signature Moves, we end up closer to Forebear's legacy than the Arcanist option does. Not as close as Inheritance would have allowed for, but closer than Gisena would.

Because those three moves complete the perfect original threefold. Our Accretion is already the centerpiece of our build. The Seven Seals are now interwoven beautifully into everything we do. With Invincible Vigor, the weakness of Accretion (offensive and defensive potency) is eradicated. With Living Legend, the weakness of the Seven Seals (spiritual exhaustion) is decimated.

The Hour of Destiny is the third of three, the third of the third, and the third completion of three. It would be his third Trinity. Each has marked a grand ascension, in his ambition and his journey. For this reason, it make no thematic sense to me except as part of the full package deal. This is the moment when the King is reborn! The grail is in hand, young Mordred reconciled, the table reconvened, and all save the cold light of day left to bear! It just doesn't work if he is not yet complete.

The Forebear is not himself, unless he reigns Supreme.

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Hour of destiny is terrible though. Sure it's strong but every time we use it we weaken our ability to mitigate the apocryphal, which is a super bad thing! We're only in this position to begin with because of the apocryphal!

If we can't mitigate it enough it'll get us killed eventually. Even if we win every time but once we'll still have lost in the end.

 

[Rihaku]

(Though I think Feat: Knife and Feat: Mightier would give similar rank since Canon!Hunger has Crimson Flare bringing his Base Rank to 5? Though Crimson Flare has it's own interactions since it's rank increase is variable.)

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You don't have Uttermost, which grants +30% Rank gain.

 

[Shard]

You don't have Uttermost, which grants +30% Rank gain.

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Probably would end up at ~5.3 (6.3 External/7.3 Military) Rank after considering debuffed (or rather not-buffed) Rankgain options by end of the temple. (Canon went to 5.2 with Knife, then had the potential to go to 5.59 with Mightier.)

Though there's an argument to be made that the Gisena Carry build would likely have much lesser opportunities to gain Rank/Picks at all, since she's basically doing most of the work within the final stretch.

 

[Aabcehmu]

A note for those participating in the Contest: Mage Lord includes Linear Halo, which forbids acquiring new magic systems without first purchasing Outward Halo (which we know little about, but which we do know costs 7 arete, and which we can guess also probably costs at least one pick). @Kirbstomp's Mage Lord build, for example, acquires Inksky, a Surgecraft, without first purchasing Outward Halo, and thus is not valid (I think?).

 

[Zampano]

Hour of destiny is terrible though. Sure it's strong but every time we use it we weaken our ability to mitigate the apocryphal, which is a super bad thing! We're only in this position to begin with because of the apocryphal!

If we can't mitigate it enough it'll get us killed eventually. Even if we win every time but once we'll still have lost in the end.

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Hour of Destiny is great.
1. The boons used to help Hunger overcome any given crisis are, presumably, permanent. Turning the Apo's charge against itself gives additional time for Hunger's extremely potent +Potential advancements to kick in. Battles + Space + Law were enough to stalemate the Maiden's generalized omnipotence. After draining the Apo's charge we'd have time to pick up an extra Domain mastery before the next proc

2. Haeliel is at stage 7 mitigation and she seems to be doing just fine.

3. Get-out-of-jail-free cards are a major component in two different Remittances (Wishes & Regalia). The Accursed seems to think that finite-usages of Perfect Safety are a powerful asset to Progression Types at the start of their journey. This is one such safety net!

Edit: 4. Mordred cost Apo-chan 1% of her operating budget for the next billion (?) years. Hour of Destiny represents the Accursed preserving Hunger's life because he has already shown to be a promising source of mitigation for the Apocryphal. Even if Hunger's splinter of the Apocryphal Curse is never fully mitigated, he will be able to draw resources like energy (& attention?) from the Curse in a meaningful way.

 

[Aabcehmu]

I think I'll switch to Supreme if we get confirmation that we can afford it.

 

[LordOfMurder]

Hour of Destiny is great.
1. The boons used to help Hunger overcome any given crisis are, presumably, permanent. Turning the Apo's charge against itself gives additional time for Hunger's extremely potent +Potential advancements to kick in. Battles + Space + Law were enough to stalemate the Maiden's generalized omnipotence. After draining the Apo's charge we'd have time to pick up an extra Domain mastery before the next proc

2. Haeliel is at stage 7 mitigation and she seems to be doing just fine.

3. Get-out-of-jail-free cards are a major component in two different Remittances (Wishes & Regalia). The Accursed seems to think that finite-usages of Perfect Safety are a powerful asset to Progression Types at the start of their journey. This is one such safety net!

Edit: 4. Mordred cost Apo-chan 1% of her operating budget for the next billion (?) years. Hour of Destiny represents the Accursed preserving Hunger's life because he has already shown to be a promising source of mitigation for the Apocryphal. Even if Hunger's splinter of the Apocryphal Curse is never fully mitigated, he will be able to draw resources like energy (& attention?) from the Curse in a meaningful way.

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For 1 permanent buffs are nice but any cards we show just mean the apocryphal escalates more on the next proc, the only meaningful advancements against it are mitigation or + progression and I'm not even sure it doesn't take our progression into account when introducing new obstacles. The only long term solution is to either already be so powerful there's nothing for the apocryphal to throw at you (which I assume is what Haliel is doing?) or mitigating it till it's procs can't possibly keep up with us.

Perfect Merger hits both points at once by giving extra strength through a buffed Gisena while at the same time mitigating it, while hour of destiny hits only the power point while being actively detrimental to mitigation.

I'm not sure an hour of positive apocryphal procs are equivalent to a defensive wish. Beric had at least a couple of positive procs and still practically died off screen!

4 applies to any cursebearer that can successfully mitigate the apocryphal curse. Draining the curses is the entire reason cursebearers exist in the first place. In the event we entirely mitigate the apocryphal we'll have even more resources to dedicate to mitigating the curse for others since we won't have to desperately grasp at every scrap of power just to survive the next proc.

 

[Box Lunch]

The QM again moves to earn that [Absolute Peak Degeneracy] tag.

We can now earn Arete from historical revisionism.

I don't know how seriously to take this, so...

STEP I: "I got no strings!"

[What if?] Hail the Outpost​

The Lord Hunger walked up, flanked by his armament pet Verschlengorge and the sorceress Gisena. Small as it was, the camp was neither poorly defended nor ill-equipped. The mark of a place where adventurers gathered, and madmen made parlay? No, solely the promise of the Azure and its bounty. This place was a pigsty, a far reflection of the Ring's own debased cravings.

Their palisade was crude, but heavy and effective. The guards along its rim were keen-eyed, but half were drunk and the other paranoid. The gatekeepers were crooked and quite proud of their 'unofficial tolls' but the sight of an Armament made clear the absurdity of direct combat. No, they did something altogether more obnoxious. They immediately sent it up the chain of command.

Letrizia had seen it enough times to know without drawing attention. Had Hunger not lost so much of himself, he would undoubtedly have as well. He didn't have to be told they were watched from the moment they entered the camp though. Nor did Gisena, she could see the invisible spirits that were trailing them as they went.

Spoiler: What three consecutive question marks mean.

5% chance of something extremely useful
10% chance of something mildly useful (roll 6 times)

10% base chance of getting into a fight over nothing
For every one of the above hit, add 10% chance
Extremely useful guarantees a fight and doubles lethality risk

There is no guarantee of Form of Rage triggering (12.5%)
Jackpot raises odds to 50%, it's really good!

Lethality odds for Hunger start at 0%; injury 50%
+5% lethality odds for each mildly useful discovery
Gisena and Letrizia both have 20% odds persistent injuries

Getting into a real fight and escaping alive is +1 pick
+1 if you get into a fight with multiple foes worth talking about
+2 instead if it's one foe but they're a jackpot guardian

Guardian backgrounds use the Auger mechanics from A Winter Dynasty
Conversion tech uses the following table
1: guardian evocations |2: spiritual attributes |3: freakish mutations |4: color magician |5: jailbroken prototype armament |6: lost Azure sorcerer

Box Lunch threw 12 100-faced dice. Reason: It begins Total: 472

Box Lunch threw 4 100-faced dice. Reason: And continues Total: 208

Box Lunch threw 4 6-faced dice. Reason: Also these guys Total: 15

 

[qwolfs]

I'm interested, if you had the opportunity to build Hunger from his entrance into the Temple onwards to the final payoff of the Ring's Reward, what build (and major build-related, such as Renaissance Woman, Aobaru's upgrades etc) choices would you have made, assuming the same amount of Arete generated?

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As I understand things I control the build, for hunger and the companions, but not the choices he makes.

The Build

A Far Bastion

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[ ] Immortal Regiment

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It is hunger's lack of agility that forces him to enter his second form in the next coming fight. With Immortal Regiment he is ++ Strength and + Agility ahead.
It is unlikely hunger will enter his second form. If he does the fight against the first knight is all but certain. Gisena and Letrizia are well protected.
Net: ++ Str, +Agi

War and Wind

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[ ] Peerless Shroud [2 Arete]

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The Wurm was difficult for Hunger, but not unmanagable. It is likely that Hunger will be forced into his second Form during this fight, despite his increased Protection. However, he should still win this fight, particularly as some of the chip damage from hunting the knights will not have occured.
Net: -2 Arete, - Agi, ++ Protection, Significant Magic Defenses, + Charisma

Cutting Through

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[ ] Apex - Double Echo, Apex

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Dreadnaughts bearing would be nice here, both for it's magic defences and to regain hungers eyes. But now is not the time, now is the time to save.

Net: -2 Arete, - Agi, ++ Protection, Significant Magic Defenses, + Charisma

The Ritual Grounds

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[ ] Full Might -

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Hunger wins this fight. Gisena is much less damaged as her protection and Constitution are far greater than in canon.
Full Might is acquired for 7 Arete, as most of it was already. Only A Thousand Cuts is missing and costs Arete.
Net: - Agi, ++ Protection, Significant Magic Defenses, + Charisma, Passive Cursed Wounds, Septupled Fell Strike and gives it range

Fending Off

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[ ] Evening Sky - Pearlescence - 7 Arete

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[ ] Evening Sky - Evening Gown - 7 Arete (2 picks)

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Hunger now has scaling Prot, as do all his companions. Gisena gains her Sorcerous Breakthrough much earlier, acquiring Sublime Attainment for 2 Arete, and thereby gaining stats comparable to hunger when he goes up against Vanreir. As she isn't an idiot she will also begin experimentation with Incident Nullification. By any reasonable measure this attainment would radically alter the nature of the quest, since she is now exceptionally charismatic, attractive, and inteligent. When they reach the Sovereignty it should be an entirely different experience.

This is where I'll stop this build, as well, because from now on many of the choices simply won't make sense. Hunger lacks the Ring of blood to catalyze Surgecraft and while Gisena may be able replicate that with her incident Nullification and the help of the Lathe of Heaven it's not something I feel qualified to speculate on.

Somewhere down the line, I'd pick up Philosopher's Wreath for the Noble Praxis, then skip Cut Through to instead by the Ruling ring for its ++ Progression. Assuming, of course, Hunger survived that long.

Man, this was tricky. Since past choices didn't lead to new options the build is always sort of growing between the choices you have, rather than growing from them. It was pretty fun to try and keep the story and the build in line though. Nothing big should really have to change within the time frame of my build, but this would also be about the point where serious change becomes inevitable.

2. Haeliel is at stage 7 mitigation and she seems to be doing just fine.

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Mitigation caps at 8, so hunger would cap at 5.

 

[Box Lunch]

The Hour of Destiny is actually insanely good. It's not just 'win this event' it's 'reverse this event.' Like turning it into a wish, it's effectively converting that mitigation back into raw power. +Progression might actually be weaker at the scale Hunger's at, because it's the unrestricted mind of the Apocryphal Curse that's adjudicating how it turns out.

It doesn't reset mitigation as a cost - that's its point. Embrace the escalation! By accepting the fate of a warrior, the shackles of a Tyrant cowering within his redoubt are thrown off. Destiny ceases to be a prison, instead becoming the palace of a hero-king. Adversity is a tool, the whetstone upon which one's forebear's blades were sharpened. To shy away is to choose weakness; cowardice, hypocrisy, entitlement.

To back away would be an act of surrender before the fear of Interesting Times. And Hunger does not surrender.