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A Simple Transaction I
- Thread starter Rihaku
- Start date
- Original
Rihaku
The Internet
Interesting that Fine + Maximum Greed is the combination with the most votes currently!
Nah, the Blade that is unshattered can always be repaired, and still function as a cutting implement in the meantime.
Taller than Aeira! She's still shorter than Hunger and Gisena.
But she has +AGI and a sneak attack crit! Plus the value of a Stranger effect in direct combat, which can be decisive if unmitigated!
That is indeed something to consider... this man may well have Age on you, best not to be taken in by any Treacheries attempted!
Risky... Cut Through, alongside his great stats, is one of the primary reasons Hunger isn't getting instantly flattened by this guy!
Oh, these are the good parts of the Voyaging Realm! Some would say the very good parts...
Nah, the Blade that is unshattered can always be repaired, and still function as a cutting implement in the meantime.
Taller than Aeira! She's still shorter than Hunger and Gisena.
But she has +AGI and a sneak attack crit! Plus the value of a Stranger effect in direct combat, which can be decisive if unmitigated!
That is indeed something to consider... this man may well have Age on you, best not to be taken in by any Treacheries attempted!
Risky... Cut Through, alongside his great stats, is one of the primary reasons Hunger isn't getting instantly flattened by this guy!
Oh, these are the good parts of the Voyaging Realm! Some would say the very good parts...
So, I have another omake following the ones I did on the Experience power a while back, feedback would be much appreciated if you have any. On any of the writing I have put up here really. There will be more to come after this, I am trying for at least 2000 words before the close, hopefully more.
754 Words
The trials are one of a number of rituals that have been gifted to various travelers who have accomplished something that truly catches The Traveler's eye. It can be anything from adopting a certain lifestyle, training oneself to react a specific way in dangerous situations, or even achieving some great or strange feat (though this is far less common).
Many are the potential gifts that The Traveler may give, all being of value beyond imagining. Of the more modest gifts the traveler chooses to give are such things as suitable artifacts and tools, as well as minor memories. Greater gifts include the memories and experiences of The Traveler and potentially some of his Experience. The greatest of gifts range from personally crafted artifacts of a variety of uses, to knowledge that would otherwise be unavailable, to rituals, promises, and trials of awakening so that the traveler may share the gift of experience with those who might perhaps not make the cut.
Trials are one of the more common means of perpetuating a society of travelers. Unlike many rituals which have guarantee awakening but are only useful a limited number of times, trials simply test the individuals sent through them and bring them to the attention of The Traveler earlier than they might otherwise have. Trials are designed to test for the qualities The Traveler looks for in someone to whom he would gift Experience and thus may be used again and again to ensure the continuance of a caravan or family as travelers.
There are many different types of trials given in accordance with the whims and values of The Traveler. These differences range from trials that merely test for the qualities of a traveler, to those that try to induce them through the course of the trials. Typically, the closer to the later a trial is the more dangerous, but this is not a hard rule. Truth be told, trials are more a test of how people respond to unexpected situations than of the capabilities that they already possess. Sometimes they are more dangerous, sometimes less but their ability to handle the level of danger or to solve the problems before them is far less important than how they choose to approach the situation. There have been cases in direct combat trials where a cunning coward manages to indirectly avoid or redirect all hostility and ended up being the only one to pass despite the nature of the trial. There have been cases in trials of cleverness and skill, where people with the power or endurance to slip through in a blunt manner have passed. There have even been cases in mixed challenge trials in which people who decided the trial was bullshit and just refused to interact with the challenges have passed. It is hard to say what counts as a pass in a trial as they are all under the direct supervision of The Traveler.
This has led those who run the trials making a habit, almost a tradition really, of sabotaging the function of the trials in some way or another to provoke dramatic, unrestrained, or unheard-of reactions. In some caravans, the elders have stopped preparing their children for the trials altogether, just teaching them what they will and exposing them to different experiences in the hopes that they will develop the right sort of unconventional mindset. Other caravans teach their children with the trial in mind but do not tell them about it until it is their turn, and then go the extra mile in ensuring the trial is a disaster beyond imagining. It is hard to say what the best ways to handle the trials are given the nature of The Traveler, other than to make they as unexpected and novel as can be.
The primary advantage of trials over rituals, or artifacts that may grant some usage of Experience lies in their repeatability and volume. Trials can be held frequently, in some cases up to once a year. Trials can also have varying numbers of participants. Sometimes people are even allowed to take the next trial if they failed the first time (up to three tries is the maximum known, although typically being a repeat trial taker tends to decrease, rather than increase the chances of passing). All these factors make trials significantly more valuable in the long run than most rituals or artifacts, particularly if one is a permanent or semi-permanent member of a caravan, or of course if they wish to start one.
754 Words
754 Words
The Trials
The trials are one of a number of rituals that have been gifted to various travelers who have accomplished something that truly catches The Traveler's eye. It can be anything from adopting a certain lifestyle, training oneself to react a specific way in dangerous situations, or even achieving some great or strange feat (though this is far less common).
Many are the potential gifts that The Traveler may give, all being of value beyond imagining. Of the more modest gifts the traveler chooses to give are such things as suitable artifacts and tools, as well as minor memories. Greater gifts include the memories and experiences of The Traveler and potentially some of his Experience. The greatest of gifts range from personally crafted artifacts of a variety of uses, to knowledge that would otherwise be unavailable, to rituals, promises, and trials of awakening so that the traveler may share the gift of experience with those who might perhaps not make the cut.
Trials are one of the more common means of perpetuating a society of travelers. Unlike many rituals which have guarantee awakening but are only useful a limited number of times, trials simply test the individuals sent through them and bring them to the attention of The Traveler earlier than they might otherwise have. Trials are designed to test for the qualities The Traveler looks for in someone to whom he would gift Experience and thus may be used again and again to ensure the continuance of a caravan or family as travelers.
There are many different types of trials given in accordance with the whims and values of The Traveler. These differences range from trials that merely test for the qualities of a traveler, to those that try to induce them through the course of the trials. Typically, the closer to the later a trial is the more dangerous, but this is not a hard rule. Truth be told, trials are more a test of how people respond to unexpected situations than of the capabilities that they already possess. Sometimes they are more dangerous, sometimes less but their ability to handle the level of danger or to solve the problems before them is far less important than how they choose to approach the situation. There have been cases in direct combat trials where a cunning coward manages to indirectly avoid or redirect all hostility and ended up being the only one to pass despite the nature of the trial. There have been cases in trials of cleverness and skill, where people with the power or endurance to slip through in a blunt manner have passed. There have even been cases in mixed challenge trials in which people who decided the trial was bullshit and just refused to interact with the challenges have passed. It is hard to say what counts as a pass in a trial as they are all under the direct supervision of The Traveler.
This has led those who run the trials making a habit, almost a tradition really, of sabotaging the function of the trials in some way or another to provoke dramatic, unrestrained, or unheard-of reactions. In some caravans, the elders have stopped preparing their children for the trials altogether, just teaching them what they will and exposing them to different experiences in the hopes that they will develop the right sort of unconventional mindset. Other caravans teach their children with the trial in mind but do not tell them about it until it is their turn, and then go the extra mile in ensuring the trial is a disaster beyond imagining. It is hard to say what the best ways to handle the trials are given the nature of The Traveler, other than to make they as unexpected and novel as can be.
The primary advantage of trials over rituals, or artifacts that may grant some usage of Experience lies in their repeatability and volume. Trials can be held frequently, in some cases up to once a year. Trials can also have varying numbers of participants. Sometimes people are even allowed to take the next trial if they failed the first time (up to three tries is the maximum known, although typically being a repeat trial taker tends to decrease, rather than increase the chances of passing). All these factors make trials significantly more valuable in the long run than most rituals or artifacts, particularly if one is a permanent or semi-permanent member of a caravan, or of course if they wish to start one.
754 Words
Talace
It must be raining somewhere else!
Taking a break from drawing to write another magic system
couldnt decide so made more than one
[ ] Flip - Once labelled the Urchin's Magic, the Beggar's Trade, and the Swindler's Luck, this succinctly apellated Flip is a system that generates effects based on touch-based teleporation, maintaining an object's properties such as momentum, temperature, and magical inertia even after a spell is cast. Historically, this was used by hedge mages in the capital of Nomina Caeli Romanum to scam tourists out of their money through shell games and luck. After an exploit was found that allowed projectiles to be sent long-distances (which massively defrayed casting costs) said capital was turned into a smoking ruin by a group of mages from a breakaway state of the once great Empire. Now, it is a mainstay in every modern arsenal, changing the face of warfare forever.
*Become a Flip mage, and teleport an object you're touching to another point on your body. Relatively simple concept, nearly infinite applications.
*Casting is gated by mana cost, which scales linearly with distance, multiplicatively with size, exponentially with force, and quadratically with density of mana.
*All it says on the tin. Here are a few ideas: teleport projectiles coming at you back at the opponent, teleport yourself to the farthest point of your body (essentially a close-range blink) and displace air to create point-blank thermobaric explosions.
[ ] A Fist Of One's Own - Become supernal, attain strength. This magic system is unique in that there are no esoteric effects, no spells to be learnt, not even a bloodline to be inherited. Instead, it simply removes one's limiters, and allows for scaling without end. This is the ideal of the Fist, to have no gods but self-improvement, to have no master but one's self. Fight hard, and become strong.
*Exercise now grants ever increasing gains to strength. While physical appearance may not meaningfully change, the blows one imparts can create earthquakes and shatter mountains given enough time. Growth is now holistic, in that muscle training in one area will develop strength in all areas.
*No other way to grow strong except for dedicated exercise and training. Forsake all other magics, all other supernatural influences. There is no place for impurity in the holiest of temples.
*Literally does not ever stop scaling. Eventually, a dumbbell will grant you transfinite amounts of strength with each bicep curl. Rip through puny defenses by iterating through numbers so high they don't even exist.
*Grants no defense. You may just straight up die to a gunshot.
*Isn't that manly, though?
[ ] A Mirror, Darkly - Gain access to the Broken Glass Heart, a metaphysical organ that embodies all the paths not chosen and dreams never broken. Ponder, on the decisions you make, and reflect on the person you are choosing to become. With a Heart of Broken Glass, you will never have to ask "What if?" again.
*Delve into mirrors, and visit alternate realities occuring in that very same room. You may take nothing, change nothing, but you may learn. An amazing detective skill, psychometry in motion. Suited for an urban fantasy detective setting.
*Gain a keen affinity for understanding the consequences of choices you end up not making. No direct knowledge of the path you are currently on, but indirect knowledge is possible.
*Every lunar eclipse, you can choose to swap places with a version of you living in an elseworld, consuming their life force and leaving your old world behind. To fuel this incredibly laborious task, the Broken Glass Heart shatters the world you were just in, ripping the universe apart and using it for energy.
*Gain an insight into the other Metaphysical Organs, such as the Skycloud Eye and the Lungs of Apoptosis. You have an instinctive knowledge of where their wielders are are, what they can do, and what they've done.
*They know where you are. And they're coming.
Last edited:
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
Genesys
(Discrete Mokona)
- Location
- California
after fighting with git for most of my morning I am mostly free to write
Today's update fluff will be awakening Soul Evocation, much less painful to write than social because I just have to purple prose it. Since we still have no information on how it works, I don't even have to keep to canon lines!
Today's update fluff will be awakening Soul Evocation, much less painful to write than social because I just have to purple prose it. Since we still have no information on how it works, I don't even have to keep to canon lines!
It's a mix of things. The Forebear himself is more inspired by Melkor, whose name means "He who arises in might", and who was the second most powerful being in LoTR after the creator. Makes sense, given we're told that the Forebear conquered a billion worlds. Sauron was Melkor's right-hand man, kinda like how the Tyrant was the Forebear's kid. Tolkien doesn't really talk much about his sword, but there's some nice fan art on the wiki showing him holding one.
The whole shattering, remaking, once and future king themes, drawing from Aragorn and Arthur, seem to be more related to the sword's legend after its shattering. I see these things as a twist Hunger added on top of the existing legend.
- Location
- Philippines
I can guess Fist came from my bastardized Magic Defeating Stance. Glass Heart, probably from the constant tangent negaverse omakes.
But Im trying to dig deep into the symbolism of Flip...at least beyond my vote flopping Kek.
Talace
It must be raining somewhere else!
flipflopflipflopflipflop (look at the name of the capital too, friend)
Talace
It must be raining somewhere else!
Why not approval vote, so that we can chance both Crimson Flare and safety!
- Location
- Philippines
I.
I was actually rendered speechless.
Putang Ina, chong HAHAHHA
Mother Fucker, dude HAHAHA
Keikaku means plan
Keikaku means plan
DkArthas
CAPITAL IS TO BLAME
- Location
- Earth
- Pronouns
- They
Maximum Greed doesn't really need the help of approval voting. It has most of the omake power I think and the vote is tied at this point.
- Location
- Omniverse #1345
Interesting name. A reference to the hotsprings, perhaps? Or something else entirely that I'm missing?
Interesting, meeting Gisena was very anticlimatic. And it doesn't look like she accomplished anything while we were gone. How sad! Amusing that Hunger is willing to collect payment after feeling like he's already been paid, but I suppose Tyrant isn't going to get in the way of seizing more for yourself than you would otherwise want.
Indeed, indeed. And Hunger is going to walk right into this one...
He walked right into that one. Silly Hunger, stop leaving her such massive openings. You might actually win social combat for once!
...Yeah, that's a pretty good summary of what Hunger managed to pull. We really have to get him to be less suicidally risk-taking about these things or again it isn't going to matter if we reach the end of the quest or not. Unfortunately I don't think the quest is actually able to pull together for this... Poor Hunger, he needs better managers.
It is true this is Hunger's standard behavior. I suppose that is why picking Gisena was good for our mental health, though. She's going to push us away from continuing to do this at every meaningful opportunity.
Bad Gisena! The technology is cool, but think of how much better it will be after you complete the meditations!
Hot springs! Finally! ...Shame we're a bit dead to take advantage of them, but I suppose that isn't going to last very long.
Gisena has interestingly varied taste. A modern resort paired with an eastern-style villa? I suppose to her both feel exotic, though.
Yep, money here isn't important at all. ...Also if we want more we can always just go kill more rotbeasts. We don't have much of a problem with it, and that Primary one was our worst match up so future ones will probably be much less ridiculous of a fight. Still think we should have taken rank there, though.
...I'm not sure if that's in order or if that's backwards. I suppose as long as they all get fixed it doesn't matter very much.
Indeed, I didn't realize just how dangerous Primary rotspawn could be. I wonder how the entire place hasn't fallen already after how much trouble just the one gave Hunger? But it does explain why they keep getting pushed back.
Sigh, thanks to the liver the list hasn't actually gotten any shorter than it started. Still, the wound to the heart is going to be the hardest one to repair by far.
Tell the other one, Hunger.
Well, that is a point. Perhaps not the best one, but still probably one Hunger should listen to. We chose Vengeance but that doesn't mean we need to be stupid about it.
Sorry, desk guys, you'll never convince Hunger to actually fight the rotbeast. Because he doesn't know how long killing something that insanely large would take. Though I suspect it wouldn't be as long as it might seem otherwise. Cut Through is more than a little ridiculous.
...Are you trying to check a wraith for a fever, Gisena? Are you feeling alright yourself?
Makes sense. it's the size of a mountain. It can't be easy to kill or it would already have been killed. Still hope we can come back and clean up later, after the temple though. For now we just need to get there...
Ha! Unfortunately Hunger's growth is a bit too limited to grab that, Gisena
....That wasn't even a trap and Hunger managed to walk right into it. Still, not a bad loss here. Not a bad loss at all.
Probably genuine. How cool! Still not a victory, though. Grrr.
Oh, yeah, we know the result but Hunger doesn't.
Nice job Letrizia. But boo on you for managing to get caught in under an hour! You should have had them completely believing it for days! Political connections are useful. Who knew?
Yeah. I'm getting very concerned about that. Something is going on that we are unaware of, and I suspect if we do figure it out the thread is going to be compelled to go rushing off into danger that outscales us just as much as the Temple. Again.
True, they wouldn't know about whatever internal problems the Empire is having, and they would have an idea of what the Empire is capable of if they got pissed off. I would expect the sheer damage Versch has suffered makes it clear something is up, though. But not worth the risk for such a petty violation.
To be fair Hunger you weren't exactly looking. You basically just charged straight ahead into insane danger. As normal.
Yeah, no way that isn't related. Rotbeast probably wants the magic of the Hot Spring for whatever reason. And man that name for themselves is presumptuous. But I suppose they let the kids name themselves, and that result was utterly inevitable. Perhaps Hunger can convince them that they think too highly of themselves... eh, not worth the time.
This is true, but Gisena has a significant advantage over them in skill and experience before naming herself that!
Gisena gets it! Also yeah, why name yourself "high elementalists" when there aren't even any elementalists? That just seems silly. Particularly when your particular type of magic isn't very good at finess!
Of course? What could possibly be more important, Hunger?
Gisena is playing you and you are totally going to walk right into it. Well, I suppose that is Hunger for you.
You fool, Hunger, thinking that that cuts both ways. No no, that only applies to Gisena's hard work and you know it! You shall never be free of the teasing!
And here Gisena celebrates her victory without Hunger even realizing he's lost. How sad. Now the resort is kinda ridiculous, and ridiculously expensive, but hey, money is one thing we don't have issues with right now.
No Hunger, not another round! Your wraith form can't take the blow! You risk being destroyed with every word!
Ah good, continuing to charge the Empire for everything you do as Letrizia's "bodyguards". How mercenary. And hilarious.
Careful Gisena, that's a lot of money! And by then you may not be able to wrap Hunger around your little finger effortlessly anymore!
Hmmm....
The Voyaging realm is meant for something. We still don't know what, entirely, but this sort of thing makes me redouble my belief that it's a training ground for new cursebearers. Just the right amount of danger with lots of potential sources for new growth, with more ever appearing to make sure that there is always something new.
But in exchange all of these minor sources are finite. They traded having guaranteed magic of certain types for having a guarantee that there will always be something new to learn. An interesting choice, if that was really what it was.
Is that really a question, Hunger? Water can be renewed. Magic, on the other hand...
Aka it is almost the new moon, now. Only 60 years until they stop getting magic users... unless the magic users kids end up natural magic users. That could allow things to continue even after the spring's magic has dried up.
*ppof* Hunger's wraith form disintegrated, defeated one too many times by Gisena to hold itself together.
Very true, and very expensive. Not really sure why we picked the expensive one, but eh, it shouldn't matter... hopefully.
Letrizia is really happy to finally have magic, huh? And Gisena continues being distracted by every new piece of technology she sees.
Interesting. Especially given that we know how much water it took Hunger to pull it off with. I wonder if that's a result of Hunger being inefficient about it, or if the kids that develop it naturally already have a talent for magic and spring just awakens it and gives it direction?
Wow, Letrizia is cruel! But more seriously this is very helpful for Hunger.
Indeed, indeed. It is time to parent her, and that means she must be disciplines for being mean to those unwary guys!
Come on Gisena, at least try! That isn't you trying!
It's the only way they stood a chance against you, Letrizia, don't be too hard on them.
I don't know why this comment is so funny to me, but it is. Perhaps it's because he's being entirely literal about blood here...
Yes you can! Bottomless chasms!
What is discipline, is it this shiny red button?
Cough. But wraith-form isn't a lack of discipline. It's a lack of proper risk assessment!
Wisdom, intelligence, wits, and probably just a horribly miscalibrated sense of risk-assessment. That's probably our fault.
Shhh, you know as well as we do that doesn't matter Letrizia. Now go apologize!
Yeah, Hunger has a thing about food. We can probably use that for use the ring to enhance training. By putting his food on the line. Horrifically cruel, but we shall do what we must!
Huh, interesting. I wonder what kinda of magical essential is missing that makes a feast this extravagant feel like it is missing something...
Oh. Hunger's just a purist. We did that to him
.
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I'll be online, if Rihaku says the arete is close I can adjust
- Location
- Omniverse #1345
I mean, it's a hard thing to strategize for. On paper we utterly outclass him. In practice he utterly outclasses us thanks to Rank.
Our only real chance, is to draw deep on the stances or the Ring if we get Crimson and then try smacking him down with Praxis before his Rank has enough time to make the battle unwinnable.
As an aside how are we doing on arete, roughly?
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I think a huge Tide of Nullity would favor us due to our stats advantage? Then... try to end it fast by exchanging lethal wounds
wait but only if we're sure Second Stage functions inside a Tide of Nullity
- Location
- Omniverse #1345
We're past 28723 words, since I'm not collecting the magic system count.
Note we should have at least 10% arete gain improvement from before, assuming Patreon already applies, and 50k with a decent assortment of images and discussion was worth over 8 arete.
We're probably most of the way there, realistically. Can everyone try to add at least 1k more words to the mix? Even if you don't want Crimson it's best to restore our Arete stockpile as much as possible, and the way it is set up it snowballs so the more we've posted the more value new things have.
Note we should have at least 10% arete gain improvement from before, assuming Patreon already applies, and 50k with a decent assortment of images and discussion was worth over 8 arete.
We're probably most of the way there, realistically. Can everyone try to add at least 1k more words to the mix? Even if you don't want Crimson it's best to restore our Arete stockpile as much as possible, and the way it is set up it snowballs so the more we've posted the more value new things have.
That's what we took Edeldross for, though I don't know how good we're at controlling it to only shield ourselves. Hmm, how does Edeldross interact with Rank anyway?
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
not at all I think? I think it acts on the material world
I meant with Pressure, sorry, am too distracted to properly articulate. They both act on the world, so there should be some interaction, the question is if we can finagle it into defusing part of the Pressure somehow. Filtering the Pressure maybe?
HoratioVonBecker
Imperfectly Aligned
Yes please! If it helps, you could interpret my username as "Horatio from the Beacon", or else as the reference to an OC of mine (one of the more prominent ancestors from a mad scientist family), though i don't think I've mentioned that elsewhere.
(I'm working on Sovereigngun, by the way.)
