As long as we are loyal to the cult it works out the same. And should we become disloyal it comes out to our benefit.
You are right that their most valuable service is currently in being ablative wounds though.
Earth Bet: House of the Sun (Cultist Simulator/Worm)
- Thread starter Witherbrine26
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As long as we are loyal to the cult it works out the same. And should we become disloyal it comes out to our benefit.
You are right that their most valuable service is currently in being ablative wounds though.
I don't see much use for subordinates in future combat, given that taking them from a +6 to a +10 would probably take the same amount of effort as taking us from a +10 to a +20. It would probably be most optimal to just treat the training as a box we have to check to keep the master happy, rather than something to actively develop.
Outnumbering bonuses/maluses are probably their main use, ideally with just enough skill to avoid being one-shot by things.
And the cannon fodder is also good for taking hits. I believe we also had an option to take one as our apprentice. Maybe later, after we befriend the spymaster.
We're also training up a select group of Edge adepts, they'd be pretty useful as support. For example, if we'd had backup during our assault they could have tied our Foe down long enough for us to catch up again, or put that little bit more damage on her to shift the balance.
In action, nothing is said about the training of cultists to the Edge.
In addition, the main problem of using cultists does not disappear, the more people we use in an attack, the more traces that come to us and the cult.
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Mansus creatures or Risen being attributed to capes is even worse. Cultists could likely be dismissed as gang activity, while anything cape related is automatically more suspicious.
The investigation is automatically transferred to us and there is no need to mess with the police. In addition, the mansus creature and the corpse are almost impossible to associate with us or the cult.
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And if such investigations always lead nowhere or are promptly dropped by the PRT there'll be a good deal of suspicion. Besides, I doubt Thinkers couldn't dig around and find info.
That's actually something to speak with Ai about, how to deal with eventual Thinkers, or even Strangers and human Masters. Thinking on it, Moth, Lantern and Winter respectively could likely help.
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It depends more on the severity of the situation than on whether the cape was involved or not. After all, the really good thinkers at the disposal of the PRT are limited, compared to incidents involving fresh triggers and migrating capes.
I wonder how we could raise Ai from acquaintance to friend. Trying to suddenly spend free time with her would weird. Maybe we could spend our free AotL on her as a thanks for her help.
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Yes, but any cape being involved automatically raises the priority of investigation compared to non-cape crimes. Also, we aren't in BB which is pretty much a shithole and purposely given little support, Houston is Eidolon's backyard so stuff will be dealt with much more promptly.
That's why I was thinking about speaking with her about Thinker/Master/Stranger countermeasures, as it's something we know of due to being part of the PRT, and that she'll have to eventually deal with.
In any case, not all thinkers will be like a Tattletale, most of them are not even a quarter as effective, and given that the forces of mansus are involved here, the effectiveness should be even less.
Therefore, in a situation where we need to get a guaranteed kill, it will be much more reliable to have a powerful ally from whom you can easily get rid of without leaving traces than to use your cultists, which can be detected even by mundane methods.
While I agree that not all Thinkers are actually effective, and about the common cultists vs powerful ally power disparity, we're increasing loyalty so that our common cultists will be 'ready to fight', as following the Master's commands.
We can choose a protege to train up Next Turn, or even get Lantern 1 and then try to get Edge scraps from our quills.
It's literally the second option.
We did it on our second turn even.
Another go now that we have Edge 2 would (assuming they're following our own Edge bonuses) get them another +5 to personal combat as well as +1 to their martial scores. Our Foe is presumably uncommonly dangerous (though not as dangerous as us), against common criminals and other chaff our lads would stack up quite well. It's honestly such a hassle having to go around killing every single trash mob in a melee personally, delegation is important!
We were talking about the action of creating a group of followers, and since you switched your attention to teaching them the edge, I thought you meant that this was part of one action.
Ah. No, I was suggesting that after we take this turn's loyalty-boosting action we next go for another round of the Edge training with the Select, since we're like as not to have to fight our Foe sooner rather than later and a few better-trained bodies would be more discreet than a pile of cannon fodder.
Another History: Turn 6 - Results, Part 2
[X] Plan: Knowing is Half the Battle
-[X] On work and the challenges it entails.
--[X] Leviathan has drowned Saint Petersburg, all hands on deck! (Lose one action this turn. +20 Funds this month. Default pick)
-[X] On your Foe, and the danger she wields
--[X] Keep an eye open and stay on guard (This will make it harder for Alicja to assault, spy on you, etc)
-[X] On the goal. (All of the following options are suspicious. This only applies if you are caught)
--[X] Ask the returning Heroes some questions, see what they learned (No suspicion)
-[X] On furthering the cause.
--[X] Build up the loyalty of the cult, ensure they'll listen to you if need be
-[X] On Rites, Rituals, and the Things between
--[X] You'll cast The Attention of the Laws (Grail)
-[X] On work and the challenges it entails.
--[X] Leviathan has drowned Saint Petersburg, all hands on deck! (Lose one action this turn. +20 Funds this month. Default pick)
--[X] Keep an eye open and stay on guard (This will make it harder for Alicja to assault, spy on you, etc)
-[X] On the goal. (All of the following options are suspicious. This only applies if you are caught)
--[X] Ask the returning Heroes some questions, see what they learned (No suspicion)
-[X] On furthering the cause.
--[X] Build up the loyalty of the cult, ensure they'll listen to you if need be
-[X] On Rites, Rituals, and the Things between
--[X] You'll cast The Attention of the Laws (Grail)
Your home wasn't what you'd call a fortress—far from it. It wasn't unsafe in the sense that anyone who walked through the door would be immediately in danger, but it wasn't well-defended either. You were used to better security, layers of protection that went beyond just locking the doors. Traps, alarms—things you couldn't exactly set up without drawing unwanted attention to your property. It left you feeling vulnerable, exposed in a way you hadn't felt in a long time now that Alicja was hunting you down.
And given that you had already tangled with Alicja once, you were especially on edge. After the exhausting post-Endbringer cleanup—though "cleanup" was a generous term given Houston hadn't been anywhere near the fight. You'd spent the last 24 hours straight on your feet. It was the kind of work that drained you physically and mentally, and though all you wanted was to crash and let your mind shut down, you couldn't afford to.
[Counter Espionage DC: 36/56]
[Roll: 43+8(Intrigue) = 51]
As you approached your front door, a prickle of awareness stopped you cold. Something wasn't right. It was subtle but enough to make you pause. There—on the stairs. A faint mark, barely noticeable unless you were specifically looking for it, but you knew for a fact no one else ever came by here. You made sure of that. You kept visitors to a minimum for your safety, and the thought that someone had been here while you were away set your pulse racing.
Your exhaustion vanished instantly as you stepped inside, sharp eyes scanning your surroundings. The house was eerily quiet, nothing obviously out of place, but that didn't calm your nerves. You moved quickly, hurrying from room to room, looking for any sign that something had been disturbed or that your space had been invaded. You hoped—foolishly—that it was just a simple burglary, some petty thief who'd picked the wrong house and would be swiftly dealt with by the police. But deep down, you knew better.
It wasn't until you returned to the porch, still on high alert, that you spotted it. A single, bright red hair caught in the cracks of the old wooden planks. The sight of it sent a chill through you. Alicja had been here.
You bent down, plucking the hair from between the boards and rolling it between your fingers, feeling the tension coil tighter in your chest. She was tracking you. The wound you'd inflicted on her before had clearly not slowed her down enough. If anything, it might have made her more determined.
You spent hours pacing around the perimeter of your house, searching for any sign of how she had gotten in or if she had left anything behind. She was skilled, and you were running on fumes, but you couldn't stop. Not until the sun began to set and darkness crept in, forcing you to call off the search for now. You'd found no clear answers, and that only made it worse.
Sitting at your kitchen table, you sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of your nose as a headache began to pulse behind your eyes. This was bad—very bad. If Alicja knew where you lived, you had no safe place to retreat to anymore. You had hoped the injury you'd dealt her would have bought you time and slowed her down long enough for you to come up with a plan, but clearly, that was wishful thinking.
You had to figure something out, and fast. An ambush at your home was the worst-case scenario for both you and her.
Alicja has been poking around and discovered your house, that much, you can tell. However, the finer details you didn't notice and any concrete evidence is beyond your sight.
Loyalty. It was such a funny word, wasn't it? A concept that, on the surface, seemed untouchable, unbreakable, like it was forged from iron. Something people clung to as if it were sacred, a truth that could never be questioned. But you, of all people, knew otherwise. You had seen it break before—no, you had broken it yourself. Back in Poland, many years ago, when you had turned against your leaders. That had been a different kind of betrayal, though. One born out of exhaustion, a deep weariness in your bones, and the simple desire to stop killing. It had been less about principle and more about wanting to atone—at least, that's how you had justified it to yourself.
But this? This was something else entirely. Now you were building something, and you needed people—people willing to fight, to stand by your side, not ones who followed the banner of the Cult alone. Convincing them, though, was an entirely different beast. Diplomacy had never been your strong suit; you weren't one for sweet words or charming persuasion. You knew that, and they did, too. You had already broken them of any illusions that you might be their friend or confidant. No, this was a different kind of diplomacy. You weren't here to woo them—you were here to bend them to your will.
[Building Loyalty: DC 20/60/80]
[Roll: 47+9(Diplomacy)+10(GRAIL) = 66]
"Hit me harder!" you barked at the man in front of you. His fist flew towards you faster than it had months ago, his movements more controlled, more precise. But still, not fast enough to truly harm you. With ease, you slapped his punch aside, though he didn't stop. He kept coming at you, punch after punch, driven by a fire you had lit in him. His skill was growing, you could see that, but you were still better, far better. And soon enough, his body gave out, collapsing to the ground in a heap of exhaustion. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, but there was a grin on his face—an undeniable sense of satisfaction.
"Good," you said, your voice softening slightly. It wasn't the kind of tone you'd use with a friend, but there was something more to it. An acknowledgment, perhaps, of his effort, of his growth. You weren't here to make friends, after all. However, a rapport could be built in other ways, such as through strength and mutual respect. In a way, you were breaking them, yes, but not completely—just enough to make them understand their place. You had to if you were going to make them loyal to you.
"Thank you," he gasped, dragging himself off towards the side to gulp down some water. You watched him, and for just a moment, you allowed a small smile to slip across your face. It was barely noticeable, just a twitch of the lips, but it was enough. Enough to show them that you recognized their progress, that they were growing stronger, growing closer to you. Not in friendship, no, but in something more valuable—loyalty.
It wasn't how you truly felt, of course. Even if you had the time or inclination to befriend them, you knew that wasn't the goal. Friendship was fleeting, but loyalty—true, unwavering loyalty—was priceless. A small, tightly knit group of people who would follow you anywhere and fight for you without question, that was what you needed. And so, as the smile faded from your face, your lips pressed into a thin line. You turned your attention to the next one, your eyes narrowing with focus.
"Come. Let's see how much you've learned," you said, your body shifting into a ready stance. The woman in front of you mirrored your movements, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. But it wasn't the kind of smile you expected—there was trust in her eyes, a glimmer of confidence. She believed in you, in what you were building, and in herself. She moved first, and you followed, your body a blur of motion.
The fight itself wasn't the point. The bonding was.
It's a small subversion but a subversion nonetheless. A handful of the martial adepts are willing to follow you. They still fear the Master, yet they are willing to slink under her gaze to follow your orders.
You can now bring Combatants on Short Expeditions.
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Under the Children of Silence tab in Contacts you'll see Combatants. Those are the people you can take along on Short Expeditions.
@Witherbrine26 how many people is that? This will be important to plan how many of the same Lore artifacts we should get.
Also, can we ask Arch to buy multiple artifacts in one turn? That would staunch the wound from not buying any this turn.
You can bring up to two Combatants.
No, while he's willing to take time to help you he does have his own things going on.
Oh yes.
A bonus 6 Wounds to any Assaults. Give one the Edge 3 Artifact and we're getting even more dangerous on the attack.
Next turn we gotta start working on those socials though. A network of contacts is very useful for any professional.
A bonus 6 Wounds to any Assaults. Give one the Edge 3 Artifact and we're getting even more dangerous on the attack.
Next turn we gotta start working on those socials though. A network of contacts is very useful for any professional.
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