Ascensions and Transgressions: the Tales of Keris Dulmeadokht (Exalted game)
- Thread starter Aleph
- Start date
- Location
- Library
I think, as far as I can see the game scope and themes, that restoration of lost Creation-spanning infrastructure is not on the table.
So, at the simplest level, it's not something you're going to be doing over the course of an average game. Just look at Malra, from the Taira arc. That was a Solar Twilight with a big organisation and construction theme, and he wasn't rebuilding High First Age mechanisms from scratch. He was repairing what he could, and then he was doing things like "building canals" and "building greenhouses" and "inventing wooden flying machines that got performance comparable to early flight".
But you're not going to be accomplishing the scale or heights of the Shogunate or High First Age, because those took millions of Dragonblooded and you don't have that.
Take the dragoncrawlers, for example. They're not really all that complicated, by the standards of what the Shogunate did. Right now, Keris has a pretty good idea of how they work (from her knowledge of Yozi geomancy). The problems lie in building two dedicated manse-points and connecting them with steel roads (which in themselves damage the geomancy, but is easier than jadesteel roads), then making a big train pushed and pulled by big lumps of jade to do it.
Still, yes, Keris could probably do it, if given time, no external interference, and sufficient reason to build such a system. If she pumped a fortune, and the dedicated attention of a powerful Exalt and multiple demon lords and a workforce of lesser demons into doing it. But the Shogunate could do it as a regional expense, because they had factories that churned out high grade steel by the tonne and they had bureaus of works with more Dragonblooded employees than a Great House and corps of geomancer-sorcerers and entire workshops dedicated to making dragoncrawler attractor-repulsors and the parts for them. They had public education systems that produced mortal thaumaturges who knew how to handle and maintain this hardware. They had financial systems that could extend loans for investments that would take fifty years to start turning a profit. They had the mass industry that needed the kind of bulk transport that a dragoncrawler provided.
And that infrastructure does not exist anymore.
That's just one example of relatively simple Shogunate technology. The red jade heavy power armour Keris stole from Eshtock is a more sophisticated piece of Shogunate artifice than a dragoncrawler. And then on top of that, even more sophisticated things of the High First Age are even harder. And Keris is, lest her bisexual disaster millennial energies distract you, one of the most skilled alchemists and bio-engineers in Creation.
Reverse-engineering, after all, is not a panacea - and isn't trivial beside that.
Now, there are some caveats there. If you can find bits of the tools of older eras, you might be able to take advantage of them. If you have the ruins of a Shogunate alloy smelting factory and find a cache of parts for it on a dragoncrawler, you can probably start artisan-level production of those alloys - and with those alloys, you might be able to replace the parts as they wear out. Likewise, Exalts can push beyond what they "should" be able to do - a Twilight like @Shyft's Inks can laboriously hand-craft a suit of shogunate armour, say, replacing the missing infrastructure with sheer brilliance. Likewise, spirits let you cheat further - a cursed demon blade can do things that would require far more skill to craft if you weren't cheating by binding a malevolent wicked spirit into it.
- Location
- my house
Wouldn't the shogunate have access to those spirits as well though? If that's a cheaper/easier alternative why didn't they use it?
- Location
- Gladstone, OR
To build on @EarthScorpion 's point, I should stress that what he's describing is also very much a question of game tone and preference. He and @Aleph have done a lot of work building up the 'technological culture' of Creation for Kerisgame, to better suit the needs of their stories and characters. Reclaim, Reuse, Repair, Repurpose are all more interesting to them as storyteller and player.
To contrast, me and my experience with Exalted across several storytellers (especially artifice) can be summed up as 'No such thing as Lost Elf Crafting'. That if you're willing to put in the work, you can in fact recover, create or surpass what was made in the prior era. For me, after that point, the interest in artifice forks into a number of internal and external goals- one of which is that I like homebrew, so being able to write a custom artifact that looks and does exactly what I want, and then even deciding in broad stroke the process under which it is constructed appeals to me as a player. The second goal is that I'm a big fan of players having lasting impacts on the setting in their games, and that making artifacts are deeds of legend that people should be recognized and famous for.
Part of the tragedy of the HFA and Shogunate isn't that the knowledge was irrevocably lost- that can be recovered and that's largely the point of the Solar Narrative, of these young souls from a golden dawn of time coming back to realize the world is out of whack. And trying to say that the people who live today in Creation are willfully or shamelessly ignorant is equally wrong. Nations and communities in Creation don't think 'Hey we should wallow in our own filth and invite cholera and spiritual impurity into our lives', they in many ways literally can't afford to, due to economic pressures like getting enough food to eat.
I don't mean to presume about what ES wants with a lot of his developments re: artifice, but one of the problems he tries to address I feel is that of the Industrial Revolution Solar- a well-worn meme in the fandom that implies a single Solar can bootstrap Creation back up to the First Age by just stamping out artifice left and right. That's absurd; some games may certainly allow it, but it's hardly intended to be the default!
To contrast, me and my experience with Exalted across several storytellers (especially artifice) can be summed up as 'No such thing as Lost Elf Crafting'. That if you're willing to put in the work, you can in fact recover, create or surpass what was made in the prior era. For me, after that point, the interest in artifice forks into a number of internal and external goals- one of which is that I like homebrew, so being able to write a custom artifact that looks and does exactly what I want, and then even deciding in broad stroke the process under which it is constructed appeals to me as a player. The second goal is that I'm a big fan of players having lasting impacts on the setting in their games, and that making artifacts are deeds of legend that people should be recognized and famous for.
Part of the tragedy of the HFA and Shogunate isn't that the knowledge was irrevocably lost- that can be recovered and that's largely the point of the Solar Narrative, of these young souls from a golden dawn of time coming back to realize the world is out of whack. And trying to say that the people who live today in Creation are willfully or shamelessly ignorant is equally wrong. Nations and communities in Creation don't think 'Hey we should wallow in our own filth and invite cholera and spiritual impurity into our lives', they in many ways literally can't afford to, due to economic pressures like getting enough food to eat.
I don't mean to presume about what ES wants with a lot of his developments re: artifice, but one of the problems he tries to address I feel is that of the Industrial Revolution Solar- a well-worn meme in the fandom that implies a single Solar can bootstrap Creation back up to the First Age by just stamping out artifice left and right. That's absurd; some games may certainly allow it, but it's hardly intended to be the default!
Because binding malevolent spirits into your blade comes with slight side-effects of the 'constant struggle to not go murderously insane' variety, would be my guess. Spirits presumably have agency even if you enslave and imprison them, so while they're cheaper for the same performance, you still get what you pay for. The Shogunate wanted quality stuff without the side-effects from cutting corners like that, and had the means to pay for it, so they did.
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Well, firstly, there's a distinctly finite number of such spirits, and an even fewer number of such spirits who would be acceptable to the Shogunate. The Dead and demons, for example, are right out. And sure, you can make one train pulled by a tamed earth elemental the size of a house who's content to just plod back and forth and isn't doing anything else, but how many such elementals can you find? How many gods are willing to devote a good part of their power to doing something like that?
(Not to mention that Terrestials have much more limited summoning than other Exalts)
I guess that`s something else incentivizing people towards necromancy, in addition to the ability to gather necromantic essence through human sacrifice. There are a lot of Dead to bind into workings, they come in a variety of powers and personalities, and they have no one to speak for them in Heaven.
I wonder if that was one of the ideas beyond the Black Nadir Concordat; being able to exploit the dead to achieve wonders more easily than they normally could. The Dead are a renewable resource after all.
I wonder if that was one of the ideas beyond the Black Nadir Concordat; being able to exploit the dead to achieve wonders more easily than they normally could. The Dead are a renewable resource after all.
Secrets Revealed - Chapter 8
- Location
- The sixth circle of Hell (second on weekends)
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Which is harder; Zanyi-proofing a place, or Ogin-proofing it? Chapter 8 of Secrets Revealed may not answer this particular puzzler, but it does have adorable new baby fluff and family time, lots of embarrassment, some cool Sorcery research, Keris doing yet more hilariously illegal things that the Reclamation would be very unhappy about (what else is new?), a brief turn-around where Keris got to tease Zanyira for a glorious few seconds before getting the tables turned back around on her, and - best of all - references to a sidestory that hasn't been fully written yet.
Have fun speculating about what happened in it. :3
(Also, there is some hilarious amusement to be found in the fact that the matriarch of a clan that contains 6+ demon lords, three or more potent emberi and an E9 titan-slaying neo-Primordial... is a mortal peasant woman who's halfway through college, because Zanyira was born three or four years earlier and Keris is a sucker for family.)
Have fun speculating about what happened in it. :3
(Also, there is some hilarious amusement to be found in the fact that the matriarch of a clan that contains 6+ demon lords, three or more potent emberi and an E9 titan-slaying neo-Primordial... is a mortal peasant woman who's halfway through college, because Zanyira was born three or four years earlier and Keris is a sucker for family.)
Well there is the fact that Zanyira is also the only one of the whole lot to put constant thought into the consequences of her actions ~ even if it most of it was "if I do X will I have the energy to do Y later today" helps prime her for the role.
Plus lets be honest here it gives Keris the chance to fill just a bit more of the gapping hole in her life that Rat filled. The one friend who can and will counsel you on the bigger implications of ones actions.
Another thought that got stirred up by Zanyira's discussion with Keris about Hanyel. Keris's kids are like the second most obnoxious type of Nouvo Rich children: the bloody brilliant ones who reach their full potential and are thus arrogent berks who havent been stuck in survival modes. Because they not only have plenty of resources to call upon but are also thanks to the educational resources Just That Good.
Plus lets be honest here it gives Keris the chance to fill just a bit more of the gapping hole in her life that Rat filled. The one friend who can and will counsel you on the bigger implications of ones actions.
Another thought that got stirred up by Zanyira's discussion with Keris about Hanyel. Keris's kids are like the second most obnoxious type of Nouvo Rich children: the bloody brilliant ones who reach their full potential and are thus arrogent berks who havent been stuck in survival modes. Because they not only have plenty of resources to call upon but are also thanks to the educational resources Just That Good.
I'm happy that this hints at more Ney interaction, if only in dreams. I like the dynamic that he and Keris have.
I adore pretty much every part of this story that has had Hermione in it. She's very tragic but also dangerous and powerful. Keris's belief in the ties of genuine caring and support being the strongest really pay dividends in her every interaction with Hermione, because her nature means that she knows that Keris means it.
I enjoy the infrastructure costs that Keris is running into summoning demons and setting up a sorcerous school, as well as seeing her students learn spells that Keris doesn't have the xp/need for. I also really like the imagery of Rathan fighting with a sheathed sword as if it were a staff. It goes so well with his thematics of Pay Each Back in Kind, because he can save the effort of fighting with a grand daiklave like it's a normal sword for when someone's crossed him significantly.
I adore pretty much every part of this story that has had Hermione in it. She's very tragic but also dangerous and powerful. Keris's belief in the ties of genuine caring and support being the strongest really pay dividends in her every interaction with Hermione, because her nature means that she knows that Keris means it.
I enjoy the infrastructure costs that Keris is running into summoning demons and setting up a sorcerous school, as well as seeing her students learn spells that Keris doesn't have the xp/need for. I also really like the imagery of Rathan fighting with a sheathed sword as if it were a staff. It goes so well with his thematics of Pay Each Back in Kind, because he can save the effort of fighting with a grand daiklave like it's a normal sword for when someone's crossed him significantly.
- Location
- Wingmaiden's Reach, the Near Roofs, Town
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Oh, hey, there's a Tragic Love Amusement principle for Ney on Keris' sheet now. With a romantic context, even!
This is great! It does double duty, since it can be channeled both to "be affectionate with Ney" and "smack Ney around for being an asshole."
This is great! It does double duty, since it can be channeled both to "be affectionate with Ney" and "smack Ney around for being an asshole."
The quintessential Adorjan approved Intimacy, I see.
Atoshi
The human equivalent of a potato
Soooo early last December I promised @Aleph that I would review some of the older Kerisgame arcs. That was 7 months ago ^_^'
But I've finally completed my rambling review of the Lady Sareh's Mistress arc!
But I've finally completed my rambling review of the Lady Sareh's Mistress arc!
Chp1
I think this mention of Dulmea's supplier may be the only interaction with her old life that we've actually had outside of conversation. I'd definitely be interested in seeing more (especially her former employer and Keris' reaction to them).
Fascinating little Isle of the Lotus Eaters thing going on with Shalshalme's garden. The aesthetic of these various little kingdoms nestled away in amongst the bustle of Malfeas is a cool one.
Ah, the days of not-quite-such-a-horrifying-social-powerhouse Keris. I'd forgotten how nervous she was.
(You can just FGL the principle) I wonder just how pissed off the Shalshalme would be if someone did that. Perhaps that's something Keris can do if she ever splits from the All-Thing; grab the most expensive thing she can without giving over her mind entirely, then book it.
"You walk a painful path, so close to the All-Makers" I'm afraid Miss Keris that you have contracted a bad case of 'Being The Protagonist". I'm sorry, but this condition is terminal.
Chp2
She sighs mournfully "Why couldn't I have well-behaved souls? Who weren't brats?"
Sasi shakes her head sadly "I have no idea," she says, with utmost sincerity clear and evident in her voice. Sasi, you are terrible. And also Keris, wait a couple of years, you will greatly miss these easier times
Chp3
I'm enjoying seeing the designing of a cult to Shashalme hiding under a different name. It makes me wonder just how many religions out in more remote areas of Creation are actually devoted towards demons without their members even realising.
Oh Keris. It's always heartbreaking to see your lack of self-confidence
Keris isn't sure if Sasi's lips curled up slightly at the corners, but she certainly looks serious and very pouty after that moment passes. Sneaky Sasi. I'm guessing she was trying to learn if she could see into Keris' domain?
Chp4
Keris is nothing if not shameless. Well, actually she's a lot of other things, but things like "embarrassment" and "shame" definitely aren't often among them, at least as long as one politely ignores the early stages of her relationship with Sasi. I refuse to forget it. You don't get to live that one down Keris.
She bites the inside of her cheek until the faintest glimmer of tears come, and looks up with wide, shimmering eyes. I'll bet that's a trick she learnt as a street rat for begging. It's nice to see how she utilises those skills in new situations.
But Keris is obviously a stupid, earnest foreigner. Not her fault. CME is such bullshit. The amount of millage Keris gets out of it is insane XD
(Oh, Keris. You're refining your cult technique as we watch. Next time, you're probably going to be "interestingly exotic" instead of a monk.) Cinnamon foreshadowing~
Smol Echo was a blessing, and even though she's a more interesting character when older I kinda miss her like this too.
Ch5
Adorjan/Metagaos for true murderhobo
Okay, even on my second readthrough of this arc I still have no idea why Keris is looking into this structure. Either I'm a dumbass who keeps missing something or something is actually missing.
A monkey child! Good child! Also it's amusing that Keris doesn't seem to realise what a momentumentous event this is. Just "yes I guess I'll just turn a bunch of bones and hair into a new demon species, showing how changed my soul structure is, no biggie"
Um. Hi. Elementals be scary. Good job.
Chp6
There is some of the gypsum rock here. I spot an error; Keris thought it was alabaster in the last chapter and had no idea what gypsum was.
Did we ever actually get to see what was behind the stone plug? I don't recall, just that Keris set some Demjen to work cleaning out the sediment.
and a water lily-pad that he's holding around himself in a sort of cocoon. Good! Child!
Good tube child.
Chp7
Echo working out demon creation first, like the little shit she is
-snobby little sisters Huh, didn't notice this the first time. The shift between seeing Echo as a little sister to as a daughter. I'm curious to see when exactly that happens.
-try to comfort her son. Who is not a sun, but instead a moon. So you've touched on this before but Keris' interpretation of gender roles is very interesting. Most traditional pantheons hold the moon as feminine and the sun as masculine (even if a lot of them didn't start out that way), but in Keris' soul it's the other way around. A subtle way of expressing those interpretations.
Keris' inner monologue is noticeably different compared to recent stuff. Much more excitable and less fluid in speech. I congratulate you on your character development.
Keris has levelled up a skill: Parenting!
Chp8
I require more on-screen stealthy sabotage and assassination, it's fun stuff.
Chp9
"Ciao!" What language even is ciao within the Exalted universe? I don't know, it just kind of bothers me.
*cackles at Keris being too fast for everything else*
A demon lord who exists to make sure people follow the rules and don't get ideas above their stations, but loves cats of all things
God everything Devah ever says makes me cringe, he's such a creepy kiss-ass.
Aaaand the surprise cat trope *slowclaps Keris*
Chp10
How do you make your villainous protagonist seem less villainous when she murders and manipulates her way across the world, infecting people with her seeds along the way? By bringing Invasion of the Body Snatchers into the mix (and now I know what Metagaos/SWLIHN looks like).
CRONCH
O hai body-horror Keris. Pretty sure you're just as creepy as Devah, but never mind. Also this kind of body-horror is my jam, I need to see a less humanoid and sympathetic version of Keris in the scene in a movie.
Keris how have you made this horny already? I swear Aleph, from Kerisgame alone you have more monster kink than the entire TMA community. Also Sasi, why do want to fuck this already? It just seems like something that should take a little bit of adjustment time, regardless of love and having banged various demons before.
Keris I swear you spend more time naked than dressed.
So why does Keris act like her full self inside her soul, rather than just the hun? Because every other part of her in there is acting separately.
Chp11
Her Urge is "Ruin the Dynasts who earn wealth from trade with An Teng" Oh wow I had not realised that this was still her general Urge so far back. Bet she's not going be happy when her Urge changes upon completing it and she has to go and put all her hard work into a different project.
Chp12
Heh heh heh. Keris is showing her Malfean side with these Lintha.
-making little miming games with her wind-girl friends where one of them notice that the other's hair has touched them. Echo and her keruby, showing their love of satire even back here.
Chp13
I can't believe it took you so long to recognise the session number joke. You're losing your touch.
I wish we saw more of the Felid Apes, especially after the whole Maryam business. They're interesting demons in that you would likely never find something like that occurring in Hell. They're a show of the difference between the Hell-born demons and those of the Green Sun Princes.
More of this mention of Echo being Keris' little sister, though she sees Rathan as her son from the start (possibly because she gave birth to him). Interesting.
Oh hi Haneyl. Welcome to the world, that was gross.
The horror! Navigation rolls! Her greatest weakness!
Chp14
Keris sure is unsubtle for a stealth character
Darling Yellow yaaaaaay.
Chp15
Sasi takes one look at Keris, and bursts into tears herself. I thought Sasi couldn't cry because of her Cecelyne charm?
Haven't seen Keris' poisoned slingshots for a long time either. Haven't really seen her using Kimberian poisons in combat for a while. Why did that change?
Chp16
Poor Dulmea. Must be awful, having this new familial connection to beings you're certain could kill you.
And yet again, poor Dulmea having no idea how to handle Keris just giving her power.
It seems this is the "Try to hug Dulmea through the screen" chapter.
So I know why in terms of mechanics - the Tiger Empire is a one-off purchase - but what was Keris' reason for never trying to run through the wall to expand her empire again?
"Oh!" she realises brightly. "You're teething!"..."... oh no," she realises, with considerably more dread. "You're teething." XD
Oh bless shy Haneyl. So different from what she would become.
"Maybe this one might be better behaved than the other two" Such an ominous statement to end the chapter on
Chp17
Her head, much like her Sixth Soul, is swimming Ba-dum cha~
Except, Keris remembers, Sasi can't cry real tears anymore. Yep, can't cry. I have caught you
It's so easy to forget that Sasi has kids from her mortal life. I wonder if we'll ever meet any of them.
Keris is just so casual about handing out sorcerous permissions to her loved ones, their reactions are hilarious.
The glyphs are also interesting. I can understand their meanings, but is this something specifically for mean doing stuff involving Krisity and its inhabitants or does it pop up whenever she does sorcery?
Chp18
Eww this demon is a creepy git.
"You wish for me to let you out of this circle?" Sasi asks. I see what you're doing Sasi, you sneaky bastard, and I applaude you
"I only counted three." "So did he," Sasi says, smiling quietly. Heh heh heh heh. Malefactors will wreck your day just as easily as any Scourge, it'll just take years for you to realise it.
It's interesting to see Sasi's view of Salina as almost like one of the Yozis. Brings home that yes, she's nice and friendly, but she still completely altered reality to force the world to fit her beliefs better.
Lol Keris is now so good with Lintha culture it's hard to relate fully to the actual Lintha.
Chp19
Keris how dare you make creating a demon worshipping cult cute?
Chp20
The wyld growths stuff is yet another really interesting moment of seeing how things from our world translate to Exalted's world of spirits and gods. Though I wonder how he got them in the first place if the Wyld is what causes the tumours?
All she needs do is bury her face in the ground to hide the glow of her caste mark and lie in wait along the paths they patrol. That mental image is just amazing. I need to see art of this.
Chp21
"Why is Rathan so little and so stupid when he's older than me?" That's the Haneyl I know and love!
Also Haneyl rooting herself to her pillow is yet another of the should-be-horrifying-but-is-actually-adorable things that I love so much about Kerisgame.
Chp22
Darling Yellow is such a great character. Just wanted to say that.
I love imagining Keris' attacks from the other side. Just thinking about how terrifying this scene is from the perspective of those on the ships. It brings home that for all her sweetness and dorky antics, Keris is the villain in this setting.
That woman, Keris vows, is going to die a painful death. Soon. Keris has obtained: 1 Nemesis!
Chp23
Keris, you of all people do not get to be mad at people for running away from a fight.
Oh boy, pieces of screaming primordial, what fun!
So with that dream in mind, what would have happened if Keris had chosen to learn Pyrian charms from the crystal shard? Because it seems pretty destructive and like it's trying to overcome her just from hearing it alone.
Chp24
So if Keris can feel through her hair, does that mean that cutting her hair would actually cause pain? Does she still get split ends? I require in-depth biology discussions regarding prehensile hair that has something equivalent to a nervous system.
Keris playing a tiny sad harp as a joke is something that needs to happen more often.
Chp25
"Please tell me I didn't just walk into a shadowland by accident without noticing the edge" The fact that this may not even be the greatest of Keris' navigational blunders really does say something.
((... you are not using who I think you are using.)) Well that's ominous.
Chp26
Yay underworld worldbuilding! Dead societies just trying to get by!
Chp27
Another thing I love reading; the differences between Keris' and Sasi's social infiltration, the way they build their identities etc. Especially how heavily Keris draws from herself compared to Sasi.
Oh Keris, you bisexual disaster.
Ah yes, when all else fails, rely on Keris' greed to overcome any other influence over a situation.
Chp28
Sasi...damnit Sasi that's cheating and you know it.
Infernals; holders of the Charms Most Usable For Kinky Sex Award since Realm Year 768. The Lunars are still mad about losing their previously undisputed title.
Keris stop breaking these incredibly difficult and challenging puzzles with the force of your own nonsense.
Some of the things Humble Root has to do to distract him leaves a bad taste in his mouth, but that goes away after breakfast. Damnit ES that was terrible.
Chp29
Keris you already knew Rathan was teething you silly goose.
Chp30
Sasi hasn't cast her spell hasn't happened yet. You might want to edit that a bit, it doesn't make any sense.
I really do love it when descriptions only refer to "vermin". Because emus are classified as vermin, and this means that you could (in this instance, for example) be talking about a ghost made of emus.
Noting that the bond between Keris and her kids definitely takes on more of an 'older sibling' tone in this earlier chapters, especially with Eko. Which ties in with Keris calling Eko her little sister earlier I suppose.
((kerisss noooo don't bear the heir to the throne of an teng)) *Noh cackles from the distant future*
Chp31
Echo nods enthusiastically, with an audible giggle...How?
Nooo baby mole worm
What ever happened to that crystal in the end? Not that Keris particularly cares as long as it's away from her.
Slightly abrupt ending to the arc, though it really did need to be wrapped up.
Overall
I enjoyed watching Keris and Sasi at work, and how much of a horror story this is from the perspective of most of the people they encounter. I also like the horror that affects K&S from their own changing natures and the forces of Hell, which you don't see as much in the later arcs since they've gotten more used to it.
However, this arc is definitely longer than is ideal, and needs more peaks and dips in the narrative rather than just flowing from one event to the next, especially since it's just one section in a large story rather than one self-contained narrative. It's kind of exhausting to read.
But overall, good stuff, good characters, gorgeous visuals. The playing pieces that have been set up in An Teng are great, and it's interesting to look at them and imagine how they might come to affect everything else.
I think this mention of Dulmea's supplier may be the only interaction with her old life that we've actually had outside of conversation. I'd definitely be interested in seeing more (especially her former employer and Keris' reaction to them).
Fascinating little Isle of the Lotus Eaters thing going on with Shalshalme's garden. The aesthetic of these various little kingdoms nestled away in amongst the bustle of Malfeas is a cool one.
Ah, the days of not-quite-such-a-horrifying-social-powerhouse Keris. I'd forgotten how nervous she was.
(You can just FGL the principle) I wonder just how pissed off the Shalshalme would be if someone did that. Perhaps that's something Keris can do if she ever splits from the All-Thing; grab the most expensive thing she can without giving over her mind entirely, then book it.
"You walk a painful path, so close to the All-Makers" I'm afraid Miss Keris that you have contracted a bad case of 'Being The Protagonist". I'm sorry, but this condition is terminal.
Chp2
She sighs mournfully "Why couldn't I have well-behaved souls? Who weren't brats?"
Sasi shakes her head sadly "I have no idea," she says, with utmost sincerity clear and evident in her voice. Sasi, you are terrible. And also Keris, wait a couple of years, you will greatly miss these easier times
Chp3
I'm enjoying seeing the designing of a cult to Shashalme hiding under a different name. It makes me wonder just how many religions out in more remote areas of Creation are actually devoted towards demons without their members even realising.
Oh Keris. It's always heartbreaking to see your lack of self-confidence
Keris isn't sure if Sasi's lips curled up slightly at the corners, but she certainly looks serious and very pouty after that moment passes. Sneaky Sasi. I'm guessing she was trying to learn if she could see into Keris' domain?
Chp4
Keris is nothing if not shameless. Well, actually she's a lot of other things, but things like "embarrassment" and "shame" definitely aren't often among them, at least as long as one politely ignores the early stages of her relationship with Sasi. I refuse to forget it. You don't get to live that one down Keris.
She bites the inside of her cheek until the faintest glimmer of tears come, and looks up with wide, shimmering eyes. I'll bet that's a trick she learnt as a street rat for begging. It's nice to see how she utilises those skills in new situations.
But Keris is obviously a stupid, earnest foreigner. Not her fault. CME is such bullshit. The amount of millage Keris gets out of it is insane XD
(Oh, Keris. You're refining your cult technique as we watch. Next time, you're probably going to be "interestingly exotic" instead of a monk.) Cinnamon foreshadowing~
Smol Echo was a blessing, and even though she's a more interesting character when older I kinda miss her like this too.
Ch5
Adorjan/Metagaos for true murderhobo
Okay, even on my second readthrough of this arc I still have no idea why Keris is looking into this structure. Either I'm a dumbass who keeps missing something or something is actually missing.
A monkey child! Good child! Also it's amusing that Keris doesn't seem to realise what a momentumentous event this is. Just "yes I guess I'll just turn a bunch of bones and hair into a new demon species, showing how changed my soul structure is, no biggie"
Um. Hi. Elementals be scary. Good job.
Chp6
There is some of the gypsum rock here. I spot an error; Keris thought it was alabaster in the last chapter and had no idea what gypsum was.
Did we ever actually get to see what was behind the stone plug? I don't recall, just that Keris set some Demjen to work cleaning out the sediment.
and a water lily-pad that he's holding around himself in a sort of cocoon. Good! Child!
Good tube child.
Chp7
Echo working out demon creation first, like the little shit she is
-snobby little sisters Huh, didn't notice this the first time. The shift between seeing Echo as a little sister to as a daughter. I'm curious to see when exactly that happens.
-try to comfort her son. Who is not a sun, but instead a moon. So you've touched on this before but Keris' interpretation of gender roles is very interesting. Most traditional pantheons hold the moon as feminine and the sun as masculine (even if a lot of them didn't start out that way), but in Keris' soul it's the other way around. A subtle way of expressing those interpretations.
Keris' inner monologue is noticeably different compared to recent stuff. Much more excitable and less fluid in speech. I congratulate you on your character development.
Keris has levelled up a skill: Parenting!
Chp8
I require more on-screen stealthy sabotage and assassination, it's fun stuff.
Chp9
"Ciao!" What language even is ciao within the Exalted universe? I don't know, it just kind of bothers me.
*cackles at Keris being too fast for everything else*
A demon lord who exists to make sure people follow the rules and don't get ideas above their stations, but loves cats of all things
God everything Devah ever says makes me cringe, he's such a creepy kiss-ass.
Aaaand the surprise cat trope *slowclaps Keris*
Chp10
How do you make your villainous protagonist seem less villainous when she murders and manipulates her way across the world, infecting people with her seeds along the way? By bringing Invasion of the Body Snatchers into the mix (and now I know what Metagaos/SWLIHN looks like).
CRONCH
O hai body-horror Keris. Pretty sure you're just as creepy as Devah, but never mind. Also this kind of body-horror is my jam, I need to see a less humanoid and sympathetic version of Keris in the scene in a movie.
Keris how have you made this horny already? I swear Aleph, from Kerisgame alone you have more monster kink than the entire TMA community. Also Sasi, why do want to fuck this already? It just seems like something that should take a little bit of adjustment time, regardless of love and having banged various demons before.
Keris I swear you spend more time naked than dressed.
So why does Keris act like her full self inside her soul, rather than just the hun? Because every other part of her in there is acting separately.
Chp11
Her Urge is "Ruin the Dynasts who earn wealth from trade with An Teng" Oh wow I had not realised that this was still her general Urge so far back. Bet she's not going be happy when her Urge changes upon completing it and she has to go and put all her hard work into a different project.
Chp12
Heh heh heh. Keris is showing her Malfean side with these Lintha.
-making little miming games with her wind-girl friends where one of them notice that the other's hair has touched them. Echo and her keruby, showing their love of satire even back here.
Chp13
I can't believe it took you so long to recognise the session number joke. You're losing your touch.
I wish we saw more of the Felid Apes, especially after the whole Maryam business. They're interesting demons in that you would likely never find something like that occurring in Hell. They're a show of the difference between the Hell-born demons and those of the Green Sun Princes.
More of this mention of Echo being Keris' little sister, though she sees Rathan as her son from the start (possibly because she gave birth to him). Interesting.
Oh hi Haneyl. Welcome to the world, that was gross.
The horror! Navigation rolls! Her greatest weakness!
Chp14
Keris sure is unsubtle for a stealth character
Darling Yellow yaaaaaay.
Chp15
Sasi takes one look at Keris, and bursts into tears herself. I thought Sasi couldn't cry because of her Cecelyne charm?
Haven't seen Keris' poisoned slingshots for a long time either. Haven't really seen her using Kimberian poisons in combat for a while. Why did that change?
Chp16
Poor Dulmea. Must be awful, having this new familial connection to beings you're certain could kill you.
And yet again, poor Dulmea having no idea how to handle Keris just giving her power.
It seems this is the "Try to hug Dulmea through the screen" chapter.
So I know why in terms of mechanics - the Tiger Empire is a one-off purchase - but what was Keris' reason for never trying to run through the wall to expand her empire again?
"Oh!" she realises brightly. "You're teething!"..."... oh no," she realises, with considerably more dread. "You're teething." XD
Oh bless shy Haneyl. So different from what she would become.
"Maybe this one might be better behaved than the other two" Such an ominous statement to end the chapter on
Chp17
Her head, much like her Sixth Soul, is swimming Ba-dum cha~
Except, Keris remembers, Sasi can't cry real tears anymore. Yep, can't cry. I have caught you
It's so easy to forget that Sasi has kids from her mortal life. I wonder if we'll ever meet any of them.
Keris is just so casual about handing out sorcerous permissions to her loved ones, their reactions are hilarious.
The glyphs are also interesting. I can understand their meanings, but is this something specifically for mean doing stuff involving Krisity and its inhabitants or does it pop up whenever she does sorcery?
Chp18
Eww this demon is a creepy git.
"You wish for me to let you out of this circle?" Sasi asks. I see what you're doing Sasi, you sneaky bastard, and I applaude you
"I only counted three." "So did he," Sasi says, smiling quietly. Heh heh heh heh. Malefactors will wreck your day just as easily as any Scourge, it'll just take years for you to realise it.
It's interesting to see Sasi's view of Salina as almost like one of the Yozis. Brings home that yes, she's nice and friendly, but she still completely altered reality to force the world to fit her beliefs better.
Lol Keris is now so good with Lintha culture it's hard to relate fully to the actual Lintha.
Chp19
Keris how dare you make creating a demon worshipping cult cute?
Chp20
The wyld growths stuff is yet another really interesting moment of seeing how things from our world translate to Exalted's world of spirits and gods. Though I wonder how he got them in the first place if the Wyld is what causes the tumours?
All she needs do is bury her face in the ground to hide the glow of her caste mark and lie in wait along the paths they patrol. That mental image is just amazing. I need to see art of this.
Chp21
"Why is Rathan so little and so stupid when he's older than me?" That's the Haneyl I know and love!
Also Haneyl rooting herself to her pillow is yet another of the should-be-horrifying-but-is-actually-adorable things that I love so much about Kerisgame.
Chp22
Darling Yellow is such a great character. Just wanted to say that.
I love imagining Keris' attacks from the other side. Just thinking about how terrifying this scene is from the perspective of those on the ships. It brings home that for all her sweetness and dorky antics, Keris is the villain in this setting.
That woman, Keris vows, is going to die a painful death. Soon. Keris has obtained: 1 Nemesis!
Chp23
Keris, you of all people do not get to be mad at people for running away from a fight.
Oh boy, pieces of screaming primordial, what fun!
So with that dream in mind, what would have happened if Keris had chosen to learn Pyrian charms from the crystal shard? Because it seems pretty destructive and like it's trying to overcome her just from hearing it alone.
Chp24
So if Keris can feel through her hair, does that mean that cutting her hair would actually cause pain? Does she still get split ends? I require in-depth biology discussions regarding prehensile hair that has something equivalent to a nervous system.
Keris playing a tiny sad harp as a joke is something that needs to happen more often.
Chp25
"Please tell me I didn't just walk into a shadowland by accident without noticing the edge" The fact that this may not even be the greatest of Keris' navigational blunders really does say something.
((... you are not using who I think you are using.)) Well that's ominous.
Chp26
Yay underworld worldbuilding! Dead societies just trying to get by!
Chp27
Another thing I love reading; the differences between Keris' and Sasi's social infiltration, the way they build their identities etc. Especially how heavily Keris draws from herself compared to Sasi.
Oh Keris, you bisexual disaster.
Ah yes, when all else fails, rely on Keris' greed to overcome any other influence over a situation.
Chp28
Sasi...damnit Sasi that's cheating and you know it.
Infernals; holders of the Charms Most Usable For Kinky Sex Award since Realm Year 768. The Lunars are still mad about losing their previously undisputed title.
Keris stop breaking these incredibly difficult and challenging puzzles with the force of your own nonsense.
Some of the things Humble Root has to do to distract him leaves a bad taste in his mouth, but that goes away after breakfast. Damnit ES that was terrible.
Chp29
Keris you already knew Rathan was teething you silly goose.
Chp30
Sasi hasn't cast her spell hasn't happened yet. You might want to edit that a bit, it doesn't make any sense.
I really do love it when descriptions only refer to "vermin". Because emus are classified as vermin, and this means that you could (in this instance, for example) be talking about a ghost made of emus.
Noting that the bond between Keris and her kids definitely takes on more of an 'older sibling' tone in this earlier chapters, especially with Eko. Which ties in with Keris calling Eko her little sister earlier I suppose.
((kerisss noooo don't bear the heir to the throne of an teng)) *Noh cackles from the distant future*
Chp31
Echo nods enthusiastically, with an audible giggle...How?
Nooo baby mole worm
What ever happened to that crystal in the end? Not that Keris particularly cares as long as it's away from her.
Slightly abrupt ending to the arc, though it really did need to be wrapped up.
Overall
I enjoyed watching Keris and Sasi at work, and how much of a horror story this is from the perspective of most of the people they encounter. I also like the horror that affects K&S from their own changing natures and the forces of Hell, which you don't see as much in the later arcs since they've gotten more used to it.
However, this arc is definitely longer than is ideal, and needs more peaks and dips in the narrative rather than just flowing from one event to the next, especially since it's just one section in a large story rather than one self-contained narrative. It's kind of exhausting to read.
But overall, good stuff, good characters, gorgeous visuals. The playing pieces that have been set up in An Teng are great, and it's interesting to look at them and imagine how they might come to affect everything else.
Atoshi
The human equivalent of a potato
The answers to my questions btw are
What happened with the Catalyst?
"IC, Keris - who is, lest we forget, a twenty-something overpromoted bisexual millennial disaster of a single mother - basically just kind of forgot about it; not having dared break into it to see what it was hiding and content that it was hidden enough that nobody else was likely to find it.
OOC, ES gently pointed out that it was probably the Shogunate equivalent of a nuclear waste dump and I suddenly became far less interested in opening it and causing a nuclear winter across everything downstream for three hundred miles to the coast."
What happened with the Crystal?
"Keris gave the Pyrian crystal's location to Sasi, who - having intuited how much it freaked the fuck out of her girlfriend - presumably arranged for it to be collected without Keris needing to be part of the operation or even aware of it, possibly learned a Charm or two from it, and then probably sold it for 4-5 Background dots worth of influence in Hell. Keris got the hull that would become the Baisha out of the deal."
Please explain Keris' hair biology to me
"Keris gets a certain level of tactile sensation back from her hair. Cutting it, when she feels the need for a trim to tidy the ends, feels similar to waxing - it hurts, but not as much as lopping fingers off would. She probably does get some split ends, necessitating the occasional trim, but given that her hair is as strong as steel wire and she treats it to what would be a Res 4 haircare routine if she wasn't the one brewing her ingredients from scratch, she gets them at a vastly reduced rate, since "excessive heat or mechanical stress" has a much, much higher threshold to do damage to Keris-hair than human-hair."
What happened with the Catalyst?
"IC, Keris - who is, lest we forget, a twenty-something overpromoted bisexual millennial disaster of a single mother - basically just kind of forgot about it; not having dared break into it to see what it was hiding and content that it was hidden enough that nobody else was likely to find it.
OOC, ES gently pointed out that it was probably the Shogunate equivalent of a nuclear waste dump and I suddenly became far less interested in opening it and causing a nuclear winter across everything downstream for three hundred miles to the coast."
What happened with the Crystal?
"Keris gave the Pyrian crystal's location to Sasi, who - having intuited how much it freaked the fuck out of her girlfriend - presumably arranged for it to be collected without Keris needing to be part of the operation or even aware of it, possibly learned a Charm or two from it, and then probably sold it for 4-5 Background dots worth of influence in Hell. Keris got the hull that would become the Baisha out of the deal."
Please explain Keris' hair biology to me
"Keris gets a certain level of tactile sensation back from her hair. Cutting it, when she feels the need for a trim to tidy the ends, feels similar to waxing - it hurts, but not as much as lopping fingers off would. She probably does get some split ends, necessitating the occasional trim, but given that her hair is as strong as steel wire and she treats it to what would be a Res 4 haircare routine if she wasn't the one brewing her ingredients from scratch, she gets them at a vastly reduced rate, since "excessive heat or mechanical stress" has a much, much higher threshold to do damage to Keris-hair than human-hair."
pheonix89
Wants to be Seven Of Nine
- Location
- North American Plaguelands
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Kasteen and the Nemisary both got hit with Kimbery poisons. Most things that Keris fights die the second she connects so the poison doesn't come up.
Two Nights Together (NSFW Side Story)
- Location
- The sixth circle of Hell (second on weekends)
- Pronouns
- She/Her
So, after the last session, people wanted to see exactly what Haneyl's reaction to Rathan gaining sorcery had been. And also what exactly Keris got up to in that dream with Ney. So @EarthScorpion and I went "you know what? That sounds like a good opportunity for another smutty sidestory!"
And then, as often happens in this sort of situation, Plot got involved. And we wound up setting some things up for the rest of the arc. And putting in more smut. And characterisation of people being adorable ridiculous dorks. And Ney kind of took over for a bit because writing Ney is far too much fun to be legal.
What I'm trying to say here is that we accidentally a 35k sidestory again. It's not as warning-festooned as Pride & Envy was, but it's still very much a NSFW story, and there are one or two bits of... concerning behaviour, within. There's also an awful lot of hilarious fun. It fits, as I'm sure you can guess, between chapters 7 and 8 of Secrets Revealed.
Without further ado, then; the link.
And then, as often happens in this sort of situation, Plot got involved. And we wound up setting some things up for the rest of the arc. And putting in more smut. And characterisation of people being adorable ridiculous dorks. And Ney kind of took over for a bit because writing Ney is far too much fun to be legal.
What I'm trying to say here is that we accidentally a 35k sidestory again. It's not as warning-festooned as Pride & Envy was, but it's still very much a NSFW story, and there are one or two bits of... concerning behaviour, within. There's also an awful lot of hilarious fun. It fits, as I'm sure you can guess, between chapters 7 and 8 of Secrets Revealed.
Without further ado, then; the link.
Kerisgame Side Story - Two Nights Together
BungieONI
Seven gremlins in a trench coat
- Location
- Lickwidget
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Ney is like, illegal to write soul cocaine.
Way too much Fun. All the healthy relationships in Keris's family are complete dorks.
And I really hope the rifts with Haneyl can be mended, it reminds me a bit too much of shit that's happened in my family though thankfully it is actually rather different.
Way too much Fun. All the healthy relationships in Keris's family are complete dorks.
And I really hope the rifts with Haneyl can be mended, it reminds me a bit too much of shit that's happened in my family though thankfully it is actually rather different.
Were these 35 thousand words written just so you could justify how sleep should count as training time for some many-bodied fighting Style?
Secrets Revealed - Chapter 9
- Location
- The sixth circle of Hell (second on weekends)
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Yoooo. So, a bit later than originally planned, and not as strong as some of the other sessions this arc, but still with a nice treat of goodies to pick apart. Secrets Revealed, Chapter 9! In which we discover that yeah, sorry Keris, running off for a month to avoid your interfamily problems get some perspective comes with consequences. On the plus side, she can always go for booty calls with her new Charm now - and she has something beautifully concrete to take out her frustrations on.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
- Location
- Queensland, Australia
Ouch on Keris botching the Haneyl managing action.
Also lol at the instruction to Calesco. And Eko is being very... Eko this chapter.
I love it all. The Sack of Chir promises to have an explosive start. And I'm certain the Climax and finale will be even more so.
Also lol at the instruction to Calesco. And Eko is being very... Eko this chapter.
I love it all. The Sack of Chir promises to have an explosive start. And I'm certain the Climax and finale will be even more so.
Secrets Revealed - Chapter 10
- Location
- The sixth circle of Hell (second on weekends)
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Welp. This has been building up and up and up. And now, in Chapter 10, we finally get the payoff. There are a bunch of spoilers and - heh - secrets revealed in this chapter, mostly centred around the main one, so don't read the extras first.
... oh yeah. And I'm sorry, guys.
But this is going to hurt.
... oh yeah. And I'm sorry, guys.
But this is going to hurt.
<The battle begins>
EarthScorpion: OK, right, so amusingly this kind of narrative wyld scene is the most canon use of this kind of resolution. One thing Keris will notice very quickly is that they are basically throwing 1HL goons at you, so they die to a tap. On the other hand, there's a loooooooot of them. Which means they actually resolve as more of a static difficulty at the moment.
EarthScorpion: So, combat roll, Diff 8 for Keris.
EarthScorpion: And I believe as per the plans from last time Calesco and Eko are going to split off to ensure you still have your exit? Or is Keris just scrapping the plan out of stress and hating fae?
Aleph: So yes, Keris is at the moment completely forgetting about any kind of plan in favour of fighting... honestly, it's not even that they're fae so much as them being targets she can let loose on which don't run out. But Eko and Calesco will stick to their role as the plan kind of drags Keris along with it, and keep them from being boxed in by troops when they find whatever fae are in charge of this place.
EarthScorpion: Well, mmm. Caleco probably will, and Eko will probably just wind up where there are - temporarily - the most fae.
Aleph:
Aleph: Keris will be flaring to bonfire level and using her combat suite - most relevantly her "territory control" stuff to snarl groups of mooks in patches of murder-vine hazard that pops them all, as well as Silence In Her Wake.
Aleph: So, 5+5+3 Snake Style+2 stunt+10 Adorjani ExD {always in motion, kills because it is in her nature, hurt everything}=25. 10 sux.
EarthScorpion: So, uh, hilariously Haneyl utterly fucked up her roll and got 1 success on 15 dice, but Vali spent his to save her.
Aleph: urk :S
Aleph: oh haneyl
EarthScorpion: things worked out way too perfectly with the rolls it almost looks fake
Aleph:
EarthScorpion: And while Eko has Keris's spear, she isn't using it. She's using a scythe to make her darling imouto-chan happy. Because it is the gothiest of weapons.
Aleph: she's having fuuuuun~
Aleph: god, she's doing some Ruby Red-level shit
EarthScorpion: Calesco is having fun too, though she'll deny it afterwards.
Aleph: Meanwhile, Keris is only one snake-Shintai away from basically being Leviathan happening to Brockton Bay.
EarthScorpion: She does also have Scarlet Rapture Shintai sitting on her sheet doing nothing if you want to activate it later on as a response to a threat escalation.
Aleph: I am in fact planning on it, and very nearly led with it.
Aleph: But I wanted her to use it during stage 2 of the fight when they find the bosses. : 3
Aleph: Oh, hmm. Just gimme a Diff for Keris noticing the scent of Haneyl's blood over the general chaos, would you?
EarthScorpion: Um. Okay. Well, 10, because there's SO MUCH BLOOD.
Aleph: Yeah, just thought I'd give her the chance. 5+5+2 Coadj+2 stunt+2 PWL "scent" autosux=14. 7+2=9 sux, ohhhh, so close, Keris. If she hadn't been so far ahead, she'd have noticed - but she ran on recklessly without paying attention to her group, so she missed it.
...
<Attack of the killer wasp-gunships>
EarthScorpion: So Keris has a choice - the easier option is to retreat back to Calesco, or she can pick up Zanara and run for it, being chased by not-at-all helicopter gunships trying to find a place or way to engage them.
EarthScorpion: Phys + Ath - 3 for Zanara burden vs the gunships Reaction + Ranged + 3 autosuccess for numbers.
Aleph: 5+5+2 stunt-3 Zanara+10 Adorjani ExD {always in motion, unconsidered variable}=19. 11 sux.
EarthScorpion: OK, they rolled 10, so Keris barely manages it. Now... Calesco's Phys + Ranged vs their Reaction + Athletics...
EarthScorpion: Calesco's 12 vs their 4 - she murders them.
Aleph: Lol.
Aleph: Calesco is bestest best anti-aircraft missile launcher. ^_^
EarthScorpion: Keris Diff 8 combat roll to fight back to Asarin, Haneyl and Vali.
Aleph: Does Zanara-support give a bonus?
EarthScorpion: Already lowered the Difficulty for you.
Aleph: Ah, cool. 5+5+3 Snake Style+2 stunt+10 Adorjani ExD=25. 9 sux. Yeesh, Keris is barely squeaking some of these grand melee rolls.
Aleph: If this goes on long enough for her fatigue penalties to start kicking in, she'll be in trouble.
EarthScorpion: God, Haneyl, stop fucking up your rolls. This time you only got 2.
Aleph: ... okay so on the one hand I'm concerned
Aleph: but on the other, narratively, this is amazing
Aleph: Heh. I note that Eko has fantastic hearing and can Hurry Home to directly behind Keris at an instant's notice, while Calesco is a sniper. If they decide to come check out what that was, they may be able to pull Haneyl's ass out of the fire if she rolls badly again.
...
<Fighting the Gaarda Force>
EarthScorpion: OK, so, declare an attack and a defence pool for Keris. Gaarda Red is attacking with Phys + Melee, and defending with Reaction + Command.
Aleph: Keris is attacking with Phys+Melee and defending with... Reaction+Athletics, I guess, for "lol u can't touch this".
EarthScorpion: Yep, so roll both pools. Everyone's Attack pools have a -3 external due to all the explosions and ruined terrain and so on. Keris may negate... uh, all of that due to her charms, stupid Keris.
Aleph: ^_^
Aleph: hey now, Eko would be doing the same : 3
EarthScorpion: Red rolls 9 sux on Attack and 3 sux on Defence.
Aleph: Attack: 5+5+3 Snake Style+2 stunt+1 Ascending Air bonus {Slipping Through Armour +1}+10 Adorjani ExD=26. Haha! 18 successes! The wind is super-effective!
Defence: 5+5+2 stunt+10 Adorjani ExD=22. 12 sux, plus whatever penalties Red may or may not be taking for the fact that Keris, uh, can't even be touched by any blow without essence behind it, can dodge even when she literally has no room to do so, can't be blockaded except by airtight barriers and can't be heard.
Aleph: ... seriously, SRS is horrifying, wow.
Aleph: I need to use it more.
EarthScorpion: It's a true combat shintai, unlike snek shintai.
Aleph: Yeah. Snek Shintai spends most of its metaphysical oomph on "not being compromised by anything". SRS spends it all on MURDERING SHIT.
EarthScorpion: OK, so this is a 3 threshold opponent. You've got one threshold - what do you want to spend it on? You could disarm him, break some armour, damage a limb, etc - come up with suggestions.
Aleph: Okay, so three stages, yeah? Then yeah, Keris is going to disarm it and see if she can cripple its hands.
EarthScorpion: So, uh, meanwhile there are draws all around vs Yellow, Haneyl failed to hit, and Vali got stomped on when Blue rolled 14 successes on 13 dice.
EarthScorpion: Though he also won before that.
Aleph: nuuu!
Aleph: ... on the other hand, he's Vali
Aleph: he'll probably power up from it
EarthScorpion: Let's be honest, if he had to pick a way to get hurt, "getting kicked by a giant robot" is one of his top picks.
Aleph: this is true ¬_¬
Aleph: God, though. Haneyl is not doing well.
EarthScorpion: She's just having an awful day for dice.
Aleph: Second stage - Keris is aiming to cripple its legs and bring it down for a murder on the ground.
EarthScorpion: Ok, roll again for attack and defence.
EarthScorpion: god he got the inverse luck-wise in his spread this time
EarthScorpion: Attack: 3 sux, Defence: 8 sux.
Aleph: Lol. And it's Diff 3 to attack. Without his weapon he's literally useless.
Aleph: Well, I'm bonfire-flaring, so I can afford the ExD until I collapse from exhaustion. Oh, is this a new scene from the city fight? That is to say; is Keris on her second scene of bonfire flare?
EarthScorpion: Yes, she is.
Aleph: Cool. Then yeah, she's gonna collapse after this, Kakashi-style, heh.
Aleph: Same pools; 16 on attack and 12 on defence again. KILLKILLKILL.
Aleph: And ooo, yikes. Zanara getting access to your eyes in combat is even worse than Keris. At least Keris will only blind you.
EarthScorpion: Yeah, Yellow got a success vs Asarin, but Asarin and Zanara both got their successes.
EarthScorpion: And um. Same for the other fight. Which means team Vali-Haneyl now have 3, so Vali is in full FINISH HER mode.
Aleph: *wince*
Aleph: oh Blue
Aleph: You were doing really well until they, uh, both took on their warforms.
EarthScorpion: Oh, no, Haneyl hasn't done that.
EarthScorpion: She's just really pissed that someone hurt her brother.
Aleph: Oh? Ah, she's just really close to it.
Aleph: Last attack, then. Basically finishing off the crippled Red.
EarthScorpion: OK, he's dismounted and is going for the last clash. He's channeling a 5-dot; Glory to Strike Force Gaarda, and sacrificing his defence to try a second attack.
Aleph: Nice.
EarthScorpion: Attack 1: 16. Attack 2: 4.
EarthScorpion: Lol he's probably dead before the second attack "happens".
EarthScorpion: So how does le keris do?
Aleph: Last pair of rolls... heyyy. 9 sux on defence - he actually lands a serious hit on the wind! Buuuut 13 sux on the attack, so yeah. He ded, yo.
EarthScorpion: Keris takes 3L from being stabbed, and on the plus side has a weird tainted wyld artefact stabbed into her.
Aleph: yay! new toy! Not-yay; ow. ow. ow.
Aleph: Oh! Iris was going to eat a fae! Is this when she does it? : 3
Aleph: cheeky little dragon nomming the raksha lord that mama just stabbitied, once it wasn't a threat anymore and couldn't fight back but wasn't quite dead yet~
Keris: "..." :-/Aleph: Also, god. Vali getting the kill-shot. This is basically just perfect for getting Haneyl ready for Zanara ripping the mercury out of her. : 3
Aleph: This whole mission has brought her envy right up to the surface, and she's even already bleeding.
EarthScorpion: Zanara gets more successes than Asarin, so they get to finish Yellow off.
Aleph: o zanara
…
<Asarin-Haneyl fight>
EarthScorpion: Ha ha, and Asarin's defence for that first round beats Haneyl's attack, by 8 to 7. I think she gets a free social counter attack for that, just for such a sassy thing.
EarthScorpion: ... and she wins 3 to 1. Both roll badly, but Haneyl rolls worse. So a not very good barb sticks home.
Aleph: oh asarin
Aleph: she is very good at getting haneyl mad
EarthScorpion: They're like nega Louise and nega Kirche
Aleph: ...
Aleph: i hate you a little bit for pointing that out
EarthScorpion: Bout 1; Haneyl rolls Attack 5 sux and Defence 6 sux.
EarthScorpion: Asarin rolls Attack 7 and Defence 3.
Aleph: *wince*
Aleph: double-blow
EarthScorpion: Bout 2; Haneyl gets 4 on both Attack and Defence… as does Asarin.
EarthScorpion: pfft
Aleph: *sad trombone noises*
EarthScorpion: Bout 3; Haneyl rolls 7 sux for Attack and 6 on Defence.
EarthScorpion: Asarin rolls 4 sux on Attack and 6 on Defence.
EarthScorpion: But Bout 4; Haneyl gets 5 and 4 to Asarin's 11 and 8.
Aleph: >_<
Aleph: welp
Aleph: That last one pretty much lost Haneyl the fight, it seems.
Aleph: She was briefly on top, but... yeah.
Aleph: You wanna write Zanara mercury-rip her, or can I? : 3
EarthScorpion: Nearly. Just one more thing to do before they treacherously cuts open Haneyl's chest and tear out her heart and eat it.
EarthScorpion: (Which means Haneyl has a year trapped inside Keris, though at least Keris can talk to her and visit her once she's recovered enough in her tree - she just can't be summoned for a year.)
Aleph: Oh shit, it's gonna tempkill her?
Aleph: Eeesh. Makes sense, but I didn't realise it would go all the way. >_<
EarthScorpion: Well, I mean, at a metaphysical level Zanara needed to collapse her down to a formless thing to do it.
EarthScorpion: ... and at a physical level, they're going to tear out her heart and suck out the mercury.
Aleph: ... sigh. She reverts into her tree. She literally has to grow enough body from her fruit - it takes her a year for it to detach.
EarthScorpion: Zanara rolls: Attack 4 sux, Stealth: 11.
EarthScorpion: Asarin gets 4 on Awareness.
Aleph: ... did Zanara just stab Asarin in the ankle to stop her from interfering?
EarthScorpion: ... yes.
Aleph: fucking Keris children ¬_¬
…
<BETRAYAL>
Aleph: o zanara
Aleph: their cherubic little faces
Aleph: as they bite down on their sister's heart
Aleph: Hmm. Zanara probably did put some planning into how they'd handle the reactions - especially mama's.
Aleph: Sigh. Honestly, Zanara was probably banking on Keris being incapacitated by internal conflict as their main defence against being slammed against a wall and screamed at or stabbed.
Aleph: (though it was lucky that Vali got knocked out)
Aleph: (I bet they weren't looking forward to that contingency)
Aleph: This is very nearly a best-case scenario for them.
EarthScorpion: Their last fallback is Keris's sense of fair play, and accepting a one year respawn as punishment.
Aleph: Heh.
…
<Post-session>
EarthScorpion: so
EarthScorpion: 'ow was zat?
Aleph: Everything I was hoping for. : 3
Aleph: and god
Aleph: the dice loved us this session
Aleph: narratively speaking
EarthScorpion: ikr
EarthScorpion: they saved all their drama for this rolling-heavy session
Aleph: beautiful the whole way through
Aleph: hee!
EarthScorpion: this episode was like
EarthScorpion: all the animation budget
Aleph: The mid-season climax before the break?
EarthScorpion: I think we ran out of budget for this, so the last episode is just a flashback.
Aleph: Lol.
Aleph: We do tend to do this with our big fight scenes, don't we?
Aleph: Game Theory was the same way.
Aleph: (lol the Chapter 11.11 you released, heh)
EarthScorpion: Hee. It is fun how Asarin and Haneyl are just... like, so good at getting on each other's nerves.
Aleph: yyyup
EarthScorpion: And Vali is the cute smol boy to Asarin and sexless.
Aleph: oh vali
Aleph: he is three different kinds of shonen bullshit
EarthScorpion: Of course, post timeskip, he'll want to be her rival (and hence fuck her).
EarthScorpion: Meanwhile Haneyl just hates her and says "fuck her".
Aleph:
Keris: "no fair asarin was my attempt at making friends outside my kids' social lives"EarthScorpion: Eko nods firmly. Vali can't sleep with her bestie. She's not a target for lewds! She is for wholesome tea parties and eating sweet things! Mama can be wholesome with them too!
Keris: "now they're all stealing her" :c
…
EarthScorpion: Ney, stop flaunting your disguises https://www.artstation.com/artwork/oOK80W
Aleph: That man must spend a fortune on body paint.
EarthScorpion: Ney: "Oh, Kiss, you think I buy it."
Aleph: Keris: "I didn't say it was your fortune."
EarthScorpion: Ney: "Touche."
...
Aleph: Oh Zanara
Aleph: They stole a root charm from their two older siblings.
Aleph: That's probably on the same order of magnitude of difficulty as what Eko did when she backhacked Elloge into Keris.
Aleph: ... sigh. And Zanara is Eko's opposite number. Symmetry again.
EarthScorpion: Nah, it's notably easier because so much of Zanara was made from Haneyl and Rathan's cast-offs. Zana's constantly a chimera, after all, and Nara is often even more of one.
Aleph: Hmm. Fair.
Aleph: Still very much a non-trivial thing, though.
EarthScorpion: Oh yes. But at least the parts were there.
EarthScorpion: ... also Rathan wasn't a challenge. Rathan just wants the physical side - he doesn't want Envious Heart.
Aleph: Or he was just too lazy to fight for it.
