Hellraiser
The story was passed on by ancestors as a cautionary tale;
If you let Hell notice you, be prepared to wash in flaming glare.
- Unknown Sage
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Your Worship,
After this recent conjunction of spheres, it has come to my staff's attention that a new realm has entered the operational range of the Anchor of Harvest. A brief surface analysis has yielded a profusion of information, and I believe this world, unprotected and yet close as it is, would be ripe for the picking.
Form Codes: Void / "Sheaf"-like Progression
Magic Codes: Bond
Tech Codes: Information Age (unconfirmed/inconsistent data)
Soul Codes: Class 3
Guard Codes: Unprotected
A more detailed dossier has been attached below.
I firmly but politely request an assignment of Level 5 Resource privileges for the potential Conquest or Destruction of this realm. Of course, I shall leave any of the details to you, should you find it pleasing.
Gloria Ad Infernos! For Hell's Glory!
Your Faithful Servant,
Nullkross
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Arise in glory,
[Emperor of Demonkind], magnificent and omnipotent
Kaiser of Hell! Arise in glory, for another world is about to bend in your thrall.
As your idiotic and contemptible monitor-servant has pointed out in his brief excuse of an 'opportunity report,' this new "Earth" closing into the Meiradaan Cluster is ripe for the picking, and unprotected to boot! Maybe the only threat would be the new Knight-Aspirant of the Lotus Maiden whose appearance seems to have accelerated thaumo-mundic drift. Ah, but it doesn't matter. He's only now unlocked his Knight Arm - he'll bend the knee, in time. (Don't they all?)
Although, it would be rather foolish to spend too many resources on this conquest. Select
1-3 options; if one is selected, it will be active at 100% potency (as per description); if 2 are selected, they will be active at 60% potency; if 3 are selected, they will be active at 33%-40% potency.
Ah, one last thing, Your Worship: I advise you to utilize a
planning format - you don't want to look like an idiot in front of your subordinates!
[ ] Widespread Possession - A common-as-sand but effective-as-a-sledgehammer strategy. It never fails to deliver some results, even if those results are unimpressive in scale. An Essence Seed on par with a Grand Mechanism will be conveyed using the Anchor of Harvest in order to slowly infect the new reality with demonic essence.
*After two celestial months, the Earth will be saturated in enough demonic essence that demonic possession will become plausible. Around 1 in 25 humans will be vulnerable to corruption of demonic essence (functional "possession") due to specific animosomatic traits, and will be especially likely to be possessed during moments of great stress.
*After six celestial months, the Earth will be saturated in enough demonic essence that demonic possession will become almost inevitable. Around 1 in 8 humans will be extremely vulnerable, often being possessed even when undergoing specific counter-rituals. Another 3 out of those 8 will be vulnerable as normal.
*After twenty-four celestial months, this reality is basically yours.
*Assuming no one stops this process, of course. The Essence Seed will be vulnerable to physical destruction if located by the humans...
*Naturally, you'll send in a legion of demons to protect the Essence Seed - you aren't a
moron.
[ ] Wish Fulfillment - As often told by the great Knower, it's unnecessary to conquer all of a world's mortals to control it. All you need, of course, is to own the souls of their leaders - a task which should be easier than spitting on a grave, in this case.
*A platoon of tempter devils and crossroad demons will be dispatched into the target reality in order to cajole, intimidate, seduce, and bribe its world leaders, head scientists, archmages, and similar. Also, they will grant wishes and act as reinforcement of the local (now-corrupt) power structures.
*Slowly but surely, the world governments of Earth will be pushed to doctrines more aligning with Hell's desires.
*A silent and slow death, happening over decades of passed legislation and the gradual slope of corruption.
*Almost impossible to stop fully.
*Easy to countermand on a local scale, however. Damnable princedoms.
[ ] Devilcraft - Ah, so they use magic that relies on bondage to objects? How quaint. How... silvery.
*Corrupt the magical foundation of Earth in order to make an inclusion of infernal power at its core.
*All Godcards will be slowly reprogrammed to run on tainted mana. Some of them, particularly the ones focused on holy beings, will be immune or resistant. Others will bend especially fast. All Godcards in tune with demonic essence will receive power-ups and their users will become loyal servants, as brainwashed as any sleeper.
*There is some kind of entity interfering with this process, actively warping reality. It'll limit how fast this process can happen. Don't expect results in less than a month.
*It might backfire if everyone decides to shred their cards into pieces. The resultant backflow might even cause the Anchor to explode...
*Fortunately, they won't. Humans are too greedy to even consider giving up such power.
[ ] Heraldry - Now this! This is an occult classic - one can never go wrong with sending in a Herald-type Archdemon! A mighty entity of considerable might and trickery - it has been outfitted; genetically and thaumaturgically, with the most optimal capabilities to efficiently push a reality closer into Hell's grasp.
*A Herald of Hell is powerful beyond reckoning and not to be trifled with. If you wanted to fight one off using direct, physical means, you'd probably need the help of something like the Mangler.
*It can overthrow the United States government in one night and seamlessly assume the role of the president for self-defense.
*After that, it will sacrifice mortals and perform arcane rituals in order to aid the Anchor in reeling the Earth in closer to Hell.
[ ] What Is Thy Bidding?... - Can't be picked alongside other choices. Must be standalone.
"A conquest? At your behest, a thousand devils would carve the immortal legend of the Heltkaiser into the very bones of this sodden, wretched realm.
Fortunately, all you need is one."
*Call in a favor with one of the big shots and have them pick this one up for the team.
*One of the Great Threats of Hell will conquer Earth directly and personally. Select any of the below as a sub-vote.
*It can be any of the following:
The Knower of Names - A manipulator without peer; a devil among devils. A demon noteworthy for being an utter penis even to his own kind. (He's also the one to blame for all dragons in existence being dicks - he corrupted their souls at birth, back when he was a mere imp.) He never conquers directly - he makes deals, bargains, and corrupts people. Maybe the only useful defense against him is being literally deaf and blind, so as to be essentially incorruptible to the mental influences he exerts when on a 'serious mission.' However, even the Demon Emperor is loath to call in this bastard...
The First and Foremost - A loyal servant, he's earned his nickname for a reason. A history of utter, extreme, and spotless professionalism; a stainless record as far as protocol adherence goes - rare traits for an archdevil. Also a record for violent thoroughness in his conquests. He will often begin conquest by subverting the world leaders and offering honest and profitable deals to useful but corruptible players. He will slay the rest, and then funnel mortals in mass sacrifices meant to rapidly accelerate the Anchor's draw. After that, his job is done. His routine may be predictable, but it's efficient - and he's never failed thus far.
Seven Clever Devils - Unavailable on account of being lost fuck-knows-where doing fuck-knows-what. You can never rely on these self-indulgent incompetents. Rraagh! Fine! Let's try for their sisters instead...
Seven Sisters of Sin - The seven beautiful daughters of the First Heltkaiser, the original founder of the Hell Realm, and Traitor-Son of the Iron Gods. As a show of gratitude to their father, each of the sisters has aspected herself to a particular form of deadly sin, which they personify and embody as quintessential "Goddesses," having sacrificed a large amount of their own personal individuality in return for power and influence. Maybe the most loyal servants of Hell after the First, although hardly the most powerful. However, there'll be seven of them and they support each other unquestioningly - good luck, Earthlings. You'll need it...
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