- Location
- Earth
So... what happens if a Cursebearer just takes on a bunch of curses and goes all-in on Accursed Favor? 
A Simple Transaction I
- Thread starter Rihaku
- Start date
- Original
They would have a lot of Accursed Favor then. Which could be more valuable than most kinds of powers at a high enough level, since people will never know if the Accursed likes the Cursebearer enough to intervene on their behalf. Kind of like strategic deterrent.
They might also get invited to his birthday parties and get encouraging postcards when they're down.
"Believe in the Accursed that believes in you!"
"There are two kinds of people in the world - those who have Accursed Favor and those who don't."
"By the way, I like apple pie."
There are somecrazies really hardcore people that try to waifu the Accursed through this method, but even the Cullers don't talk about them. Sort of like you don't talk about people trying to marry a nuclear bomb except in a sort of 'life has been really hard on them' way.
They might also get invited to his birthday parties and get encouraging postcards when they're down.
"Believe in the Accursed that believes in you!"
"There are two kinds of people in the world - those who have Accursed Favor and those who don't."
"By the way, I like apple pie."
There are some
[X] Close of Day
[X] Preparation: Withdrawal
[X] Preparation: Resolve
Anyhow, no way close of the day is going to win, seems overall better if we're not trying to flip him though. The best chance we have seems to be taking advantage of his monofocus one way or another to lead him into subpar decisions. So being even more locked in to that mindset has its positives and negatives. Hey with withdrawal he might even continue heedless of the cost and get bugzapped by the temple instead of sensibly stopping.
Anyway, these two preparations seem pretty good, if we could somehow use Evening to cover our lost arm in such a way he thinks its still there and wastes a thrust on it that would be nice, but the important part is being able to activate FOR and using its increased attributes to be able to flee if we didn't do enough damage.
[X] Preparation: Withdrawal
[X] Preparation: Resolve
Anyhow, no way close of the day is going to win, seems overall better if we're not trying to flip him though. The best chance we have seems to be taking advantage of his monofocus one way or another to lead him into subpar decisions. So being even more locked in to that mindset has its positives and negatives. Hey with withdrawal he might even continue heedless of the cost and get bugzapped by the temple instead of sensibly stopping.
Anyway, these two preparations seem pretty good, if we could somehow use Evening to cover our lost arm in such a way he thinks its still there and wastes a thrust on it that would be nice, but the important part is being able to activate FOR and using its increased attributes to be able to flee if we didn't do enough damage.
Apparently it's possible to try and take so many Curses that the Accursed dissuades you from that build:So... what happens if a Cursebearer just takes on a bunch of curses and goes all-in on Accursed Favor?
Which is halfway between heartwarming and funny, proves that he values them for reasons beyond mitigation.
I assume the curses actually revert to him, if you die, so there's just no real point to letting them do this.
It wastes the power you had to invest to make them combat or progression type for like 5 minutes of mitigation.
ImperatorV
The Laughing One
- Location
- The Voyaging Realm
I thought of this as well, but there's a little issue: The Doom of the Culling exists. Why would the Accursed even offer that if Cursebearers dying is bad for him?
Strange9
hdellaverson@gmail.com
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Could be that the expected value of the Accursed having mitigation for that particular Doom >>> the expected value of having some Cursebearers cull one another.
Maybe because the people taking up this kind of Curse are either morons that are going to swiftly get themselves killed anyway or hardcore enough that feeding them power from the idiots is a greater benefit overall. Though the first group should get rapidly reduced as the overall levels climb, so maybe it's expected that one mitigates the Curse by that point.
Rihaku
The Internet
It also triples your CON for tanking his blows while you run! So convenient...
Maybe they're all that hardcore!
Could be...
- Location
- Omniverse #1345
I suspect the accursed has control of who, exactly, ends up matched with who. He probably grabs more morons every time the current hardcore crop is finishing up - with his level of power he'd easily be able to tell who'd choose it versus who'd actually be able to handle it.
...Though I have to wonder how that curse gets mitigated.
[X] R-Type #1
[X] Preparation: Withdrawal
[X] Preparation: Dialogue
[X] Preparation: Withdrawal
[X] Preparation: Dialogue
Sure thing buddy, you work hard and I only took Resolve out of solidarity with Orm. I think this is still in spirit with what he's going for anyway.
- Location
- Omniverse #1345
Tell ya what? We survive this update and Hunger lets us I'm all for leaving and not spending any arete cept on the Ring while we tackle problems we are actually capable of.
ImperatorV
The Laughing One
- Location
- The Voyaging Realm
I wish Close of the Day had more votes. Negotiating would be a lot harder at the end of the day, when he's so close to his goal and will be more likely to just push for it rather then consider alternatives - however, I'm really nervous about the possibility of fighting him when he's not exhausted.
- Location
- Omniverse #1345
- Location
- USA
Seems like there's some thought of using Dialogue offensively to destabilize him rather than recruit him though.
- Location
- Omniverse #1345
Just talking him into quitting or deciding we aren't worth the hassle would be sufficient for me.
And true, but we kinda need to worry about the short term here. And given he apparently easily defeated Fairbright while nowhere near the top of his game, and can likely be significantly restored by the ring... Well, he's probably actually enough for us to safely farm the middle temple. He's strong enough the Inner Residents are willing to add him to their number, so while he may be on the weaker end of them...
Despite the EFB of the same name and Forebear-themed option, the discussion here's more about reflecting on the past and moving forward into the future. A healing-type update, rather than the destined king returning from Avalon to reclaim his throne.
Speaking of which, the speculation about a Hitori/Faust Alberich closed time loop with the Forebear's interesting, especially given the 'strange affinity' with Vanreir in the subsequent update. We didn't pick Soul Evocation, so that magic never existed in Hunger's previous world, but the Amarlt's Unerring Blade nevertheless echoes the Forebear's themes? I don't know what the hell to make of him taking wounds that mirror Hunger's. Rank can make reality go cry in the corner, but the Pressure usage in Opportunistic Raiding shouldn't have resulted in this. Unless we inadvertently influenced his fight versus Gabrielle? Too many cooks in the cosmic kitchen, man. Back to the update at hand.
It's not paranoia if they're out to get you! Gisena's repose is a sharp contrast with her usual demeanor, but we already know she can be serious when fecal matter meets fan.
Her advance warnings have been helpful, Hunger's strong when it comes to physical combat but our choices haven't left him with a lot of utility outside of creative applications of Pressure. Passing up Soul Evocation/Battle Magic in favor of 'soft' systems like the Ring & Accretion makes for a cool and straightforward playstyle, but the costs shouldn't be ignored. Hopefully we get out of the Temple alive and can eventually afford to branch out, rather than investing more in being maximally murderous.
Another crazy coincidence for the conspiracy cork board. Findross as a method of directly enhancing Rank makes surprising levels of sense, though? We know Soul Evocation makes directly training it possible. The terrifying implications for the strength of any immortal Inner Residents aside, I can see findross being used similarly. Wonder what Prolessarch would make of this, he was described as having less synergy with fuzzier magics, but the sharp edge of Gisena's intellect is cleaving through all the fluff to reach the bedrock logic beneath.
In the AU where we didn't take as much int & cha, Hunger just got burned so badly I can smell the smoke from three timelines over.
Gisena did help with Operation Straight Answers, though it was only a partial success. Letrizia's really good at deflecting, that noble etiquette training's not just for show! Anyway, I guess she deserves some of her own, though nobody in this party's being completely open and honest. Hunger's lost half his memories, Gisena thinks candor might as well be an exotic fruit. Verschlengorge has the best excuse, since his ability to disclose stuff's restricted.
...huh. We knew the latter half of that already, but it takes a rare individual to see past the incentives and circumstances of their birth. It was easy to forsake Forsaken Mask when we knew nothing of Hunger's wife, but even this minuscule tidbit of information makes my mind wander down roads not taken.
Interesting that the Tyrant needed or wanted an heir, when he'd been alive for centuries. And for him to choose her over his own blood? From the Forebear's name and the Catacombs from which Hunger Abducted the Blade, we can infer the existence of a dynasty. If the Amarlt are - descendants or people who tapped into his legend or something, the Forebear's influence might've been broader than we guessed, but his Blade was in the Tyrant's keeping. Why turn his back on tradition?
Hunger deserves but doesn't need one, especially one with ulterior motives. But maybe I'm being uncharitable.
I'm not sure what's more irritating: the presumption of speaking for a woman whose existence Hunger just confirmed for her seconds ago or the fact that she's probably right. But the idea that he could have made a difference, that it's his duty to try and do better, to one day bring them back and tear down Their thrones? That's a core drive of Hunger's. It keeps him going, pushes him to live and grow strong. Gisena's trying to get him to forgive himself, but guilt's not the poison for Hunger that it was to Arthur.
Will we ever get everything in order? Legitimate question, if keep accruing complications at this rate we'll be totally screwed, and the Apocryphal Curse isn't going to let up. If take a devastating complication on top of Chill of the Grave and Lingering Paralysis it may be necessary to just spend the remaining free time on recovery, for reasons of survival.
I've been waiting for Hunger to call Gisena out on this, gratifying to finally see it happen.
The DIY isekai kit's a raw deal. Not that Hunger got a good one, though apparently he was supposed to. Anyway, the cultural commentary on the Maiden's curious, since Seram got briefed on her by Lelaine who was... not objective. Gisena's a strange sort of exemplar of the Implicate Duty, we know from bitter experience how her cookie crumbles, that she was willing to bet on a chance of victory without believing in it. We didn't dig too deeply into the implications (heh) of the Duty, but the focus on maidenhood alongside excellence is interesting? Would Seram have made a better Sorceror because of that? Purity in mind and body: overpowered no matter the magic system.
As Gisena accepts the world, her companions have to accept Gisena as she is. No crass displays of emotion, living and excelling in the moment. A tad disappointing, to dig in and find no dammed-up wellspring of grief waiting to burst forth. She almost seems repressed, if not for the fact that she clearly isn't. I understand Gisena better now, but in the end she's just kind of - like this. You can't hate the wind for blowing, but I regret Ceathlynn's loss, especially in the wake of the Amarlt reveal. We chose Gisena for mitigation, but then didn't choose mitigation. 2 Arete for 10% off the Apocryphal Curse isn't just value town, it's the throne-world of the Value Empire.
She's fond of playing the distraction. Are they still hugging? Wow. I'd call Gisena a homewrecker, but Hunger's home is already ashes.
Nice callback to Gisena's line after they defeated the dragon-jackal.
OOC the decision point was up to us, but it represented Gisena's choice for her own advancement. Perhaps she isn't aware of the possible outcomes yet. Freeing Gisena from the Maiden's shadow sounds good, though. She made some questionable decisions. Can't help but wonder about what Gown would've done; would Gisena have become a Sorceress Eternal? The use of findross in the Foremost magitech tree makes Total Eclipse more valuable, but eh. You have to honor your markers, otherwise the vote-trading metagame collapses.
Yes, blowing yourself up is a bad idea, I'm still salty about the last time you did it.
Gisena's not the only person who can deflect suitors! The past tense when she was talking about how it 'was' easy could be read as an oblique confession of interest, but I've no desire to descend into that particular rabbit hole after finally learning more about Hunger's wife.
It is nice to have at least one thing I'm unequivocally better than her at!
This is solid, heartwarming banter. No deep implications to pore over, just Hunger harnessing his maiming for comedic value; I laughed out loud on my first pass. Zweihander's more dangerous than I thought if it not only enables princess carrying (Hunger's had practice, his wife was in some sense a princess) but gives us a hug effectiveness multiplier.
Where does the water come from? The Astral, an efficient filtration and recycling process built into the mech? Gisena probably beat me to these questions.
These tangents are always fun. Answering little questions and patching holes in our perception of the worldbuilding is worthwhile. Even if they're not being focused on by the thread, Hunger should have curiosity independent of ours.
Speaking of everybody needing a cute quirk, we know what Letrizia's is!
Accursed save us from Letrizia's chirping, a health hazard to diabetics everywhere. Frequent headpats are damaging to dignity, but I have to ask: has Verschlengorge ever given her one? She's sacrificed a lot to be his pilot. Not just amenities, but an appreciable fraction of her life.
I think it's good for Letrizia to have someone to protect, a duty to fulfill. She perks up a bit on hearing that she'll need to look out for Gisena. If her backstory's anything to go by, she rises to challenges she receives. Would've been neat to see her interacting with Ceathlynn, someone closer to her own age without a daunting advantage in charisma and experience. Does she know of the Amarlt, I wonder? The Temple founders were apparently disparate exiles (strange that they came together around the Ring, implying its imprisonment predates them?) and the main Amarlt family dissolved into autocannibalistic strife, but there might be other surviving cadet branches somewhere.
A common reaction when contemplating entering into negotiations with her. You've my sympathy, Duchess.
Poor Letrizia, feeling guilty about not being able to shoulder more of the burden. She doesn't know about the Apocryphal Curse, so our decision-making must look pretty reckless... though even factoring it in, that's still an accurate assessment.
Powerful as the Ring is, we've still got to vote to use it to do anything for Versch! And there are always trade-offs, relationship bonuses and other powers to explore, not to mention that it'd attract more monsters and possibly scrutiny on top of that. We should just bite the bullet at some point and do it, though, Letrizia's skill as a pilot is wasted without Totality.
White hair and moon-themed powerups? A potent combination. Though since we took her as a Remittance, Gisena's a more reliable companion. Letrizia would absolutely choose the Empire's interests over our life if it somehow came down to one or the other. But it's premature to contemplate what to do with the Ring when we're only now learning just how ridiculous the defenses surrounding it are.
Why hasn't one of the Inners become a Ringbearer over however many years this setup's been going? Ceathlynn's blurb gives us a rough ballpark of the timescale, since she was hurled 'centuries' into the future. But the Knight-Commander's existed for eons, and the exiles seem to have just found the Ring. Maybe they were the first moonbrains? But if that's the case, why didn't they free it? Some troublesome implications there.
Man, who's the real surrogate parental figure here?! Telling us to be back before it gets too dark, asking what we'd like to eat... is this a coup? Will she be trying to give Hunger headpats three updates from now? Though with how the following segment went, I'll be happy if we're alive to receive them.
One more, 1809 words. Let it be enough.
ImperatorV
The Laughing One
- Location
- The Voyaging Realm
I don't think he would help us farm Middle. Remember all of the Outriders will be his ex-coworkers, asking him to help fight them might not go over well.
Anyway, I've decided I'm not interested in trying to recruit him, so here's a more combat-focused build.
[X] Close of Day
[X] Preparation: Focus
[X] Preparation: Resolve
As others have mentioned, we can get him to trade blows with us, getting him to accept a Crippling blow in exchange for killing us. And then we Form of Rage and smash him. He may already know about Second Form since we've used it in the Temple a lot, but we've never used form of rage. He has no way of knowing about it. At the end of the day he'll be at the end of his rope and more then anything else will just want to be done, to finish his great work. We can use his own high determination against him, by baiting him into sacrificing a lot to get the kill on us and finally achieve his goals. And then Form of Rage starts.
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