Dragon Summoning
CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[X] See if they have the idea of scribes? Maybe explain you're kind of like a... trainee priest-scribe? Oh, check if they have books. They might not have the kind of formal higher learning you're used to, but there HAS to be a better parallel than just priest.
[X] Yes
[X] Gold
[X] Yes
[X] Gold
Solarstream
It's all in the cards
- Location
- Zombie World
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Yes
[X] Blue (default)
[X] Blue (default)
E.I.G.
Robo-Bird
- Pronouns
- It/They
Um, Zalan, are you really saying that you can in practice alter and manipulate the things the locals might call gods?
Because "reshaper of deities" is not a civilian anymore. It in fact shifts the situation to "strategic weapon" or even "What Did You Summon!?!"
Perhaps you should not elaborate on the technical aspects of how you do various things with what they might call gods.
- Location
- Omniverse #1345
Or maybe just mention that combat is… not something you have any training, practice, or real experience in and trying to figure it out in something else is just asking to accidentally make an angry god.
- Location
- Omniverse #1345
A quick summary of the situation is in order I think:
Dragons need mana, this world has high levels of natural mana, and at least the local mana is untainted and perfectly breathable Zalan, which is nice. Probably gives us a lot of options if we had more innate magic or figure out how to retrieve our stuff.
This is a war of survival for the country, but not an existential war. That is, we don't need to worry about the world literally being overrun by unthinking or malevolent monsters. We probably can negotiate with the other side if it comes to it. Obviously best avoided but once they figure out they can't bind us we can probably just play the dragon card enough for them to decide we aren't worth bothering with. This is not good at all but is still a vast improvement over some of the darker possibilities.
The country we are current in disapproves of slavery and force servitude. A lot. Our "captor" seems to be having a serious problem trying to reconcile what he did with that now that we actually reminded him. We can probably use this, especially if we go with a plan to get more dragons summoned.
This world has greatly reduced magictech level compared to home. That probably means we take for granted things they have no clue about, like Spirits, but also lots of other things. This may be useful leverage. Particularly if any of it is relatively easily applicable.
This also is a bit of good news, because it means it is unlikely any of them will be able to figure out a way to bypass the vaccine in a reasonable timeframe, even if they realize we aren't bound and react hostilely.
[x] What do you know about the binding vaccine, Zalan? Any chance you or any of the dragons that are likely lost out there are capable of at least crudely recreating it? With a couple dozen dragons present all immune to binding you can probably just fuck off to do whatever and no one is going to try challenging that.
Dragons need mana, this world has high levels of natural mana, and at least the local mana is untainted and perfectly breathable Zalan, which is nice. Probably gives us a lot of options if we had more innate magic or figure out how to retrieve our stuff.
This is a war of survival for the country, but not an existential war. That is, we don't need to worry about the world literally being overrun by unthinking or malevolent monsters. We probably can negotiate with the other side if it comes to it. Obviously best avoided but once they figure out they can't bind us we can probably just play the dragon card enough for them to decide we aren't worth bothering with. This is not good at all but is still a vast improvement over some of the darker possibilities.
The country we are current in disapproves of slavery and force servitude. A lot. Our "captor" seems to be having a serious problem trying to reconcile what he did with that now that we actually reminded him. We can probably use this, especially if we go with a plan to get more dragons summoned.
This world has greatly reduced magictech level compared to home. That probably means we take for granted things they have no clue about, like Spirits, but also lots of other things. This may be useful leverage. Particularly if any of it is relatively easily applicable.
This also is a bit of good news, because it means it is unlikely any of them will be able to figure out a way to bypass the vaccine in a reasonable timeframe, even if they realize we aren't bound and react hostilely.
[x] What do you know about the binding vaccine, Zalan? Any chance you or any of the dragons that are likely lost out there are capable of at least crudely recreating it? With a couple dozen dragons present all immune to binding you can probably just fuck off to do whatever and no one is going to try challenging that.
another point for the summary:
Zalan could be the first to be summoned. Or the last. "timeless discontinuity" could be minutes, days, years, centuries.
In a quiet more rested moment we could also try to push Edaine with something like 'If you order us to answer truthfully and ask us if we would consider harming you or your loved ones, will you let us be free?', if Edaine agrees to drop the binding (or if that isn't possible atleast drop the command component) we loose the (abusable) false belief that he can command us. But we gain knowledge about him and build trust, a basis for genuine relationship. (which imho would fit Zalan much more than potential ratfuckery through the false belief). And if Edaine denies we would have lost nothing.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
OOC:
The remainder is for the sake of visual language. "This is the color of this magic effect." Like how Tieran-sha's conjured equipment was all orange.
Maybe two colors would look better, but my gut says to stick with one.
It's mostly for my sake, tbh.
The remainder is for the sake of visual language. "This is the color of this magic effect." Like how Tieran-sha's conjured equipment was all orange.
Maybe two colors would look better, but my gut says to stick with one.
- Location
- MN
should have said Scholar. I believe that is thee olden way of saying graduated collage student.
as for what do
[X] ask what made him go from potato farmer, to trinket maker, to would be summoner? Then ask what he hopes for you to do as a newly freedom impaired conscript of this war you're just finding out about?
[X] Yes
[X] Blue
[x] "You connect spirits with priests? Your world probably has spirits with will and individuality then, right? My work is creating new spirits, that aren't like that. The spirits I make just follow rules without becoming like a living being. Often very complex rules. They inhabit our magical artifacts to enable very complex magic."
-[x] "We should talk about magic and your worlds understanding of it, but can we do that later?"
[X] Blue
[x] "You connect spirits with priests? Your world probably has spirits with will and individuality then, right? My work is creating new spirits, that aren't like that. The spirits I make just follow rules without becoming like a living being. Often very complex rules. They inhabit our magical artifacts to enable very complex magic."
-[x] "We should talk about magic and your worlds understanding of it, but can we do that later?"
- Location
- Wörms, the half continent
[X] While you did anthromophise a lot of your code - mostly when swearing at it for being recalcitrant - It's probably not a good idea to leave them thinking you're good at dealing with spirits when you might need to meet with them more in this new world.
- [X] Perhaps try a different metaphor - a scribe, someone who's job it was to write instructions for machines, mechanisms.
[X] Yes
[X] Gold
- [X] Perhaps try a different metaphor - a scribe, someone who's job it was to write instructions for machines, mechanisms.
[X] Yes
[X] Gold
[X] Eh, they are likely just far less advance than your own society. Some average nobody from an technologically advance enough country can appear to be no different than a professional Doctor or whatnot simply because that nobody learned more via Osmosis than a nobody from a country whose science and magecraft is less than 30% of the advanced country's Science and magecraft. Like how that one comic you like has a god that is little more than an average brute amoung his own people but is intelligent as a Ivy League Professor on that primitive world he was cast to.
[X] Yes
[X] Gold
[x] "You connect spirits with priests? Your world probably has spirits with will and individuality then, right? My work is creating new spirits, that aren't like that. The spirits I make just follow rules without becoming like a living being. Often very complex rules. They inhabit our magical artifacts to enable very complex magic."
[X] Gold
[x] "You connect spirits with priests? Your world probably has spirits with will and individuality then, right? My work is creating new spirits, that aren't like that. The spirits I make just follow rules without becoming like a living being. Often very complex rules. They inhabit our magical artifacts to enable very complex magic."
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- Location
- Seattle Metropolitain Area
Use this design?
[X] Yes
[] No
Color:
[] Blue (default)
[X] Gold
[] Write-in
socks the dragon...
[X] Yes
[] No
Color:
[] Blue (default)
[X] Gold
[] Write-in
socks the dragon...
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Well, with the No to multi-color...
[X]Yes, use this design
[X]Blue
[X]Yes, use this design
[X]Blue
[X]This
Rarden
Miscellaneous reptile
- Pronouns
- She/They
Mmmmm, delicious worldbuilding.
Adia and Edaine's people seem like decent sorts on the surface of things. Edaine's constant reiteration of his intent is interesting, though I don't know if it has any significance beyond him feeling guilty for binding Zalan.
Edit: re-reading the update, it seems Edaine is trying not to say anything that could be construed as an order? That's considerate of him; even though he has no idea the binding was subverted he's still trying to respect Zalan's autonomy within the framework placed upon him.
[X]Yes
The programmer socks not looking like shackles is an advantage. Zalan taking the binding markings and turning them into, effectively, a harmless fashion statement might make him (and possibly Edaine) feel better about the whole thing until it can be gotten rid of for some real clothes.
Plus: it's funny.
[X]Gold
[X]Blue (default)
I could go either way on the colours. The blue looks nice and mirrors the colour of Zalan's nodes.
Gold, on the other claw, is the colour dragons use in hi-vis safety gear*, and don't we want other dragons to notice us? I'm sure there won't be any cultural misunderstandings arising from that choice.
*Hijacking a draconic instinct to pick out shiny, shiny gold as part of the design of safety equipment is a really neat and funny detail. Is gold so readily available to Zalan's people that having a bunch of it is no longer a status symbol?
Adia and Edaine's people seem like decent sorts on the surface of things. Edaine's constant reiteration of his intent is interesting, though I don't know if it has any significance beyond him feeling guilty for binding Zalan.
Edit: re-reading the update, it seems Edaine is trying not to say anything that could be construed as an order? That's considerate of him; even though he has no idea the binding was subverted he's still trying to respect Zalan's autonomy within the framework placed upon him.
[X]Yes
The programmer socks not looking like shackles is an advantage. Zalan taking the binding markings and turning them into, effectively, a harmless fashion statement might make him (and possibly Edaine) feel better about the whole thing until it can be gotten rid of for some real clothes.
Plus: it's funny.
[X]Gold
[X]Blue (default)
I could go either way on the colours. The blue looks nice and mirrors the colour of Zalan's nodes.
Gold, on the other claw, is the colour dragons use in hi-vis safety gear*, and don't we want other dragons to notice us? I'm sure there won't be any cultural misunderstandings arising from that choice.
*Hijacking a draconic instinct to pick out shiny, shiny gold as part of the design of safety equipment is a really neat and funny detail. Is gold so readily available to Zalan's people that having a bunch of it is no longer a status symbol?
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WanderingEye
smol skeleton
[X] Yes, this design is good
[X] Blue (default)
everyone knows programming socks gives +3 to programming
[X] While you did anthromophise a lot of your code - mostly when swearing at it for being recalcitrant - It's probably not a good idea to leave them thinking you're good at dealing with spirits when you might need to meet with them more in this new world.
- [X] Perhaps try a different metaphor - a scribe, someone who's job it was to write instructions for machines, mechanisms.
-- [X] OR WAIT a writer that writes scripts for uhhhhhh actors? but less alive and more unfeeling and uh
dragon actors exists right
[X] Blue (default)
everyone knows programming socks gives +3 to programming
[X] While you did anthromophise a lot of your code - mostly when swearing at it for being recalcitrant - It's probably not a good idea to leave them thinking you're good at dealing with spirits when you might need to meet with them more in this new world.
- [X] Perhaps try a different metaphor - a scribe, someone who's job it was to write instructions for machines, mechanisms.
-- [X] OR WAIT a writer that writes scripts for uhhhhhh actors? but less alive and more unfeeling and uh
dragon actors exists right
- Pronouns
- He/Him
O Smaugeo, Smaugeo, wherefore art thou Smaugeo?
Deny thy hoard and refuse thy lair.
Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love
And I'll no longer be lairless.
'Tis but thy hoard that is my enemy:
Thou art thyself, though not a hoarder.
What's a hoarder? It is nor claw nor wing
Nor arm nor muzzle nor any other part
Belonging to a dragon. O be some other dragon.
What's in a hoard? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Smaugeo would, were he not Smaugeo laired,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Smaugeo, doff thy hosrd,
And for that hoard, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.
Deny thy hoard and refuse thy lair.
Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love
And I'll no longer be lairless.
'Tis but thy hoard that is my enemy:
Thou art thyself, though not a hoarder.
What's a hoarder? It is nor claw nor wing
Nor arm nor muzzle nor any other part
Belonging to a dragon. O be some other dragon.
What's in a hoard? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Smaugeo would, were he not Smaugeo laired,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Smaugeo, doff thy hosrd,
And for that hoard, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.
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Rarden
Miscellaneous reptile
- Pronouns
- She/They
Absent a perspective not filtered through draconic academia: please try to avoid calling other people's gods false without basis, Zalan. At least out loud? That's a good way to quickly get on people's bad sides.
Come to think of it, how are dragons differentiated from spirits in terms of biology? I'm guessing it's something along the lines of "dragons are thaumavores with highly magic-dependent physiology while spirits are pure mana constructs" but what do I know, I'm just a weird voice in your head.
Potential high heresy warning: What differentiates an entity like Tiamat from an eidolon, if indeed "true" gods exist?