Slyvena
I don't like pie.
- Location
- Pie Shop
Yep. Slice of life for the next few years...
well...
Dungeon:
It's a Girl's World -- And Lilly wants Adventure
Yep. Slice of life for the next few years...
Dungeon:
ImperatorV
The Laughing One
- Location
- The Voyaging Realm
There's also the nice bit that, even if we have to deal with a dungeon, Lilly has equivalent firepower to it now (maybe, we're not sure how the Foundational Installation will play out).
- Location
- San Ramon, CA
Hopefully the destruction of the Relay is enough to stop the "uncontrolled monster generation" which has been threatening the countryside. There is a possibility that Lilly now has a new day job of dungeon delving to level up and supplement her income, considering that she's temporarily the "breadwinner" for her household.
Yep. Slice of life for the next few years...
well...
Dungeon:
I can't see the picture so I'm assuming a picture of smiles and rainbows. Nothing will convince me otherwise.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
... Oh
Ah, that was his objective, wasn't it?
He wasn't trying to actually kill it, He was trying to contain it until the professionals could arrive, wasn't he?
And bagging the Relay has set it back long enough that combined with the Watch's cordon, they have that time, right? But we're out of Immediate Crisis mode and into more of a generalized campaign now, which means the tempo can settle in for the long haul and it's going to be less of a balls to the wall catastrophe and more a push and pull against this kind of thing, where we try to prevent it from spooling up out of control again until enough reinforcement can be mustered to either terminate it or unfuck it?
Ah, that was his objective, wasn't it?
He wasn't trying to actually kill it, He was trying to contain it until the professionals could arrive, wasn't he?
And bagging the Relay has set it back long enough that combined with the Watch's cordon, they have that time, right? But we're out of Immediate Crisis mode and into more of a generalized campaign now, which means the tempo can settle in for the long haul and it's going to be less of a balls to the wall catastrophe and more a push and pull against this kind of thing, where we try to prevent it from spooling up out of control again until enough reinforcement can be mustered to either terminate it or unfuck it?
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Darn it, if the elites' failure was a foregone conclusion, we should've gone for a Rapid Iterator of our own. Iterator vs Iterator has to be one of the surest ways to increase power (and unlike the Nightmare Within the Forest, we can amass forces before dogpiling them in the final battle). Long enough, and eventually, the guardsmen would get desperate enough to start volunteering to be iterated, and we'd have the beginnings of our own {REDACTED IN CASE OF MIND-READERS}.
Of course, all this can go out the window if we level up again and defeat the Rapid Iterator in a week. Then, everyone will be staring at us suspiciously...
This is good for Lilly, as she appears to have found a kindred spirit.
Yeah, at the very least:
- No one's coming after Lilly in the near future
- If the containment is long-term enough, there's even a chance they won't try to take her away period (the nearby locus helps with that also)
- Lilly has solidified her reputation and will have time to continue to curry favor
- Lilly and the guard will be at high readiness for the incoming Valarie (scouts to ensure dungeon containment, coordination + bedrock)
Of course, all this can go out the window if we level up again and defeat the Rapid Iterator in a week. Then, everyone will be staring at us suspiciously...
Considering that he still has to make a roll not to Leeroy Jenkins even without the main party member keeping them alive... nah, he really was trying to YOLO the dungeon.
This is good for Lilly, as she appears to have found a kindred spirit.
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Edifier
Trusted within thoughts.
- Location
- Court of Moon Wizards
Towering Edifice to Heaven
Sooo~ Tower of Druaga?
But more like... Tree of Lilly.
Sooo~ Tower of Druaga?
But more like... Tree of Lilly.
Yeah. Why else would he handpick a small, manageable party of elites... rather than deploy a bigger part of the militia to secure the site.Considering that he still has to make a roll not to Leeroy Jenkins even without the main party member keeping them alive... nah, he really was trying to YOLO the dungeon.
This is good for Lilly, as she appears to have found a kindred spirit.
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- Location
- Central Standard Time
What do dungeons give in terms of loot?
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Who knows, we do know that Edifice though seems to be good at it? The word 'Synergies' is used twice, in Edifice and in Reinterpretation, and in the latter case is explicitly said to deny Artefacts because the ripple effects can get out of hand too easily. But in the former case is "We're relaxing your limitations on pseudo-matter imposition but take extra care not to cause synergy cascades that destabilize something"
So Edifice seems like the dungeon that's best at generating Artefacts?
The incentives at least for people coming into Dungeons seem to be divided up three ways at least.
1) Gravitas: XP if you will
2) Boons--seems to be permanent add-ons to an Ethos or your base chassis?
3) Artefacts--special tools and equipment that can't readily be produced by conventional methods.
And a few less clear data bits.
A) Domestication? Apparently monsters in some dungeons can be tamed and brought out (Something that's explicitly banned from Edifice) This is probably something that Iterator excels in. (Huh, I wonder if that's what's going on? Someone was informed the Dungeon would pop here, and jumped in to turn it into a personal monster generator for their own ambitions?)
B) Spells? Rewards for Mana users? Is this the 'Spellworks' it was talking about and hence why the Infernal one has so many "MAKE SURE THESE SPELLWORKS CANNOT BE REVERSE ENGINEERED" warnings on it?
C) Unique one-off stuff when the Powers that Be want to rebalance things.
So, reading that... Edifice seems to be especially good at Artefacts, but comes with an explicit ban to domesticating the monsters inside? Huh, might be able to make some divine power armor out of that, or a combat-shell or something we can inhabit when we need to be a hero-type but can't risk exposure.
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"I reeealy need that loot drop."
- Location
- Who Knows Where
^The explicit ban on domestication might not be as immovable as it seems. It's been noted that the new Foundational Ethos dramatically impacts, extends, and changes the way Lilly interacts with Ethos of that type. Seeing as Towering Edifice to Heaven and Evie are both Deific, and Evie's not exactly one for order or precedents, there could be some wiggle room there. Making weapons from still-living monster parts maybe? Monster ghost summons? Only time and Lilly's growth will tell though.
Even if it isn't, domesticated dungeon monsters are probably uncommon and something to gawk at in the very least. Fancy gear doesn't bite or eat people (hopefully!)
Even if it isn't, domesticated dungeon monsters are probably uncommon and something to gawk at in the very least. Fancy gear doesn't bite or eat people (hopefully!)
Non-Canon Omake: A Meeting of the Minders
- Location
- San Ramon, CA
So, after the interlude showing that Evie's been around a LOT longer than we thought, I had an idea in my head. The idea combined with another idea, the mess percolated in my head, and now I share it with you.
Non-Canon Omake: A Meeting of the Minders (Warning: It's a bit long)
Non-Canon Omake: A Meeting of the Minders (Warning: It's a bit long)
Valerie: Gah, I finally caught up to you! Why can't you just use the trail like a normal person?
Lilly: You've been following me in a straight line for a mile now, even though you clearly don't know how to navigate in the woods. I was hoping that I could lose you in the forest, but you must have some method of divining me and I wasn't going to let you follow me home. Who are you and what do you want?
Valerie: …Well, that's rude. Anyway, you are in the presence of Lady Valerie Lothswane, heir to the Lothswane name…wait, my parents are dead, so it's just me, I guess? Anyway, what I want is a lot of things, but right now, I want you to K̷̤͈͂̉n̵͉͛͐e̷͎̊͐ȩ̷͌̆͜l̶̘̀͊.
Lilly: *drops to ground* What…what are you doing?
Valerie: Abby says that I'm not allowed to kill you, that the "integrator process" works best if you're still alive. But there's always time for some games, right? Let's see, how about we start with s̴t̶i̵c̷k̷i̶n̵g̸ ̷y̵o̵u̷r̶ ̵i̷n̴d̴e̶x̸ ̸f̸i̵n̴g̷e̴r̸ ̶i̷n̵ ̶y̵o̴u̸r̷ ̴m̷o̴u̸t̸h̴ ̷a̶n̴d̶ ̵b̶i̵t̸e̸-̷
Evie: Nope!
*Lilly feels a burst of energy as the compulsion releases. She stands up and scrambles away.*
Valerie: …I didn't tell you to stand up. K̷̤͈͂̉n̵͉͛͐e̷͎̊͐ȩ̷͌̆͜l̶̘̀͊!
Evie: Yeah, no.
*Lilly starts to kneel again, then another surge removes the compulsion*
Valerie: …Abby, she shouldn't be able to disobey me! What is she doing!?
Lilly: Who the hell is Abby?
Evie: Wait, let me try something. [Time Out]!
*the scene freezes*
Evie: …Hello? I have an unaccompanied child out in the forest, does anyone know where her minder is? …No use hiding, I can wait aaaaall day if I have to.
Abby: …What is this?
Evie: Ah, there you are. This is just a little perception-based time dilation, don't need the girls interrupting the grown-ups. Haven't quite trained mine to "only speak when spoken to", you know? Nobody's charging up spells or communicating with anyone outside of our little bubble, this is just a chance for us to hash things out. I mean, I could rope your little princess in if you want, buuut I'm guessing that's going to be less than productive. So, what's your name?
Abby: …I am known as Aboleth, and I am burdened with a great and terrible purpose.
Evie: Cool, cool. Anyway, my name is Ev'aclliál and I am burdened with some nutjob coming out and trying to ritually sacrifice my ride.
Abby: …Ev'aclliál? Ambrosia of Joy, the Corrupter, the Mother of Lies!?
Evie: …Not my preferred titles, but yes, that's me. So, how can I help you? Trying to eat my girl's heart to gain her power?
Abby: You are attuned with one of the Maw-Touched, and you can't guess the work I am trying to achieve? Our enemy is growing stronger by the day. It is killing our brethren, weakening the bonds of the Unsustainables, and it has created a number of conduits that will eventually activate and act as its agents, all to bring forth the end of all Realms. But there is a way to use these conduits against it. Each of them has the ability to hold two Ethos instead of merely one. It is my hope that through Deific fragment consummation, we will be able to integrate even more Ethos into this vessel, and when the time is right, we will have a weapon capable of defending the Melange Layer from the Maw's incursions and win this war for our survival!
Evie: …Never heard that one before. Out of curiosity, once you've got your super-girl put together and beaten back the Maw, will you be graciously bowing out back your realm and let her live out the rest of her life as she wishes?
Abby: …I…do not know if I will be able to trust her judgment when left to her own devices, and there will be much reconstruction to do-
Evie: Of course, of course. So, a few questions, if you'd be so kind. What exactly is her other Ethos called?
Abby: [Will Winnower]. Allows for the complete subversion of conscious processes. Directions can be provided mentally, and we are slowly bypassing the limits of biology and physics in their implementation. And yours?
Evie: …[Dream within a Forest]. Massive Essence pool, great perception skills, can run for hours without rest, barely needs to eat or sleep, and able to regenerate Pithe in others. Not much direct firepower, but a solid support unit.
Abby: Excellent. This will be able to shore up some of Valerie's weaknesses. Removing the need to eat or sleep will be crucial as we continue to collect-
Evie: So, my girl's Ethos was weaved by the Flower. You wouldn't happen to know who the weaver of your Ethos is, would you….Mr. Maw Slayer?
Abby: …I can explain.
Evie: I'm quivering with anticipation.
Abby: The original plan was for Valerie to leverage her position as a noble heir to accumulate resources that would aid us in our plan to find the other conduits. Being able to track the location of the closest one was the first of my subskills, so all that remained was to keep quiet and bide our time. With my guidance, she would become master of her domain, and eventually gain the freedoms and power to complete the plan.
Evie: So, what went wrong?
Abby: I had…overestimated Valerie's capacity for discretion and self-control. Upon learning about the quest to save the world and the power that she would eventually wield, she…became disruptive to her parents and governess whenever she was forced to do something she didn't want to do. Her parents were concerned, they were going to send for the Lore Warden the following week, Valerie continued to throw tantrums, and then she triggered another Ethos pick. She was about to pick [Belle of the Ball], in the hopes that being seen as beautiful would be enough for her to be listened to, but she didn't understand the dire straits she was in if she got caught with me.
Evie: …So you told her to pick the Ethos that would make people listen to her regardless of how they felt about her. One that was crafted by the Enemy.
Abby: I had already resolved to use the Maw's tools against it; it was merely a matter of degree. There were…some transitions involved. Parts of the previous plan became unviable, and it was decided that the best use of the remaining resources was for Valerie to go out and find the other conduits as quickly as possible herself.
Evie: Yes, the brave hero leaves behind the trappings of her former life for the greater good. And what a trail of happiness and joy she left in her wake… I can see the dried blood on her skirts from here, how many people have been on the losing side of one of her "games"?
Abby: Are you seriously trying to imply that anything this girl has done is beyond your depravity?
Evie: Your princess's first response to the person you needed alive was to try and make her bite off her own fingers. I like to believe I have standards. Oh, I know, let's make a game of it.
Abby: …What?
Evie: Let's see, how would the spoiled princess start out? "Never have I ever"… made my governess choke on a bar of soap to "clean out her impolite mouth".
Abby: …How did you-
Evie: Ah, got it in one! Now, let's see if she escalated. "Never have I ever"…forced someone to pluck out their friend's eyes.
Abby: …There were bandits on the road. She needed a chance to train her powers-
Evie: And that's two! "Never have I ever"…hmm, let's see if we've hit rock bottom. "Never have I ever" told a mother to pick which of her children was her favorite and make her kill the rest.
Abby: …
Evie: Seriously? I mean, there's bad parenting and then there's letting your daughter run off a cliff because "that's what she's in the mood for today!"
Abby: And I suppose the child under your patronage is a living saint?
Evie: As a matter of fact, she is! Both compared to your disaster AND in general. Lilly here started off as the firstborn daughter of the town carpenter, but then used her skills to save her hometown from the excess resources of a Rampant Dungeon, granting her the continued patronage of the Watch Captain.
Abby: …And bringing her under the scrutiny of the Lore Warden. With no protections other than the "good will" of this Captain, who I presume has no familial bonds or binding obligations to keep him from throwing her to the wolves at the drop of a hat?
Evie: …She was tested at an early stage of her development which didn't set off any major alarms. She has proven to be an asset to her community, and even selfish people protect their investments. She is given access to resources to aid her, and she will have more opportunities for measured, plausible growth.
Abby: And when the Lore Warden tests her again to try and explain her exponential progress?
Evie: Then he will see what I want him to see. Tests can be fooled if you know what you're doing. Even if you aren't a weaver, adjusting a soul's outputs should be well within your capabilities. Unless you decided to attach yourself to a mortal without ANY knowledge of soul-crafting.
Abby: Don't try to lecture me about soul-crafting. Fragment consummation is a highly specialized technique, far greater than anything you are capable…of…What. Did. You. Do?
Evie: Oh drat, I was hoping you wouldn't notice that.
Abby: You crafter of abominations, what did you DO to this girl?
Evie: …Well, rather than go off on far-fetched plans of systematic pedocide, I decided to utilize and…improve my vessel's power with the resources at my disposal. The Maw's soul structure is surprisingly versatile; with a few minor adjustments you can have major dividends while neutralizing its influence-
Abby: By making her a half-spirit creature? You have created something that would be locked up and dissected in a heartbeat by any half-aware mage, and build her up to be a pillar of her community? If she ends up doing something she shouldn't be able to do-
Evie: Nothing that can't be explained with "good tactical sense" and "a bit of luck". My plan is actually working, because we didn't panic and go for the path of "maddening cosmic power" at the first sign of trouble. If something goes wrong with your "games"-
Abby: If something goes wrong, we only need a single word for everyone to Stop, and we make sure that no witnesses are left behind. My plan, however gruesome you might find it, works because we completely undermine any and all defenses and keep moving quickly-
Evie: For how long? Your girl's cover as a noblewoman, hells, as a functional person is completely shot. Yes, her ability is powerful, but the key advantage that makes it viable is the element of surprise, and I'm guessing little Valerie doesn't clean up her messes. She doesn't even have any "bodyguards" for plausible deniability or to do her dirty work for her, meaning either her range or duration are too small to be of any use, or that she never envisioned a scenario where she wasn't a fox in a henhouse. Do you think another Spirit is the only thing that can stop her? Illusions, pit traps, unthinking constructs. Hells, a [Keen Bow] could shoot her right in the eye from a mile away without her even knowing what hit her. My girl is able to hide in plain sight, but once ANYONE finds what Valerie can do and what she's done, her remaining lifespan is measured in days. And you think I'm the one who's one mistake from losing everything?
Abby: But now our powers can be combined! Don't you see? With your mortal's Ethos, we can make my strategy sustainable! No more having to go into towns to rest and resupply! We can run for hours though rough terrain! We can see our enemies coming from miles away! Look, your mortal is likely to be under heavy scrutiny for the rest of her life. But work with me, and you fulfill your wildest dreams. You'll have a powerful mortal that your silver tongue can better manipulate. We can work together to adjust Valerie's soul structure. You can redeem yourself by being known as an ally to the Savior of the Realms!
Evie: …So, you think that what you're doing right now is a viable plan to build up power against the Maw, and that any spirit in your position with half a brain would be doing the same?
Abby: …Of course.
Evie: Oh yes, you're the man with the plan to save the realms. Anybody who values living to see the next century should be behind you.
Abby: Where are you going with this?
Evie: Did you even LOOK at the Maw's soul structure in Valerie? There isn't simply a slot for one additional Ethos, there are slots for dozens. They take some time and growth to open, but they can slot into each other without going through fragment consummation.
Abby: …That…that's great news! There's a chance we can gain access to another Ethos while we go and collect the next conduit-
Evie: You misunderstand. You said that the Ethos pick with the Maw's ability was the only time it triggered after you were chosen. That was, what, a little over a month ago? I just found that a bit strange since Lilly's been picking up Ethae left and right this whole time.
Abby: …What? That's not possible, you said that your girl's other Ethos was [Dream Within a Forest].
Evie: I gave you the name of one Ethos, yes. But there's so much more power at our disposal now, and the weavers are falling over themselves trying to provide. You said so yourself, utilizing the conduits are the best hope for defeating the Maw, and everyone's putting aside their differences to lend us a hand. Or trying to get in on the ground floor of the future savior of the Realms, but who's counting? We've gotten offers from a variety of weavers, including at least 3 Mystic levels. I recall Lilly managed to get 2 Ethos in one night. Manoth himself granted us permission to use one of his test Ethos. Hell, the Flower let ME in to help, and I'm ME! All this outpouring of support…and none for you? It's not like they don't know who you are, and if nothing else, Valerie's been putting in the work to improve herself. So there's no good reason for you to not have gotten another Ethos by now…unless, of course, they are actively refusing to help you.
Abby: …Y-you're lying. Distributing Ethos should cost them almost nothing, there must be another reason-
Evie: You'd think that the threat of total annihilation would have at least some entities hedging their bets, but apparently mere survival isn't worth throwing even some Lesser scraps your way. The angels won't touch your little sociopath with a 10-foot-pole, and the fence-sitters will see the Maw's weapon used for mass slaughter and assume that she's working for the other team. Now, the demons shouldn't care about any of the prior objections as long as they get results, which means that either they think they have less faith in your strategy working than I do, or the thought of granting YOU that much power isn't worth it.
Abby: Silence.
Evie: I mean, from your perspective, you managed to get the reins on the horse, point it in the right direction, ride it towards the finish line as fast as you can, and NOBODY is placing a bet on you winning. Which brings up the question: are you sure that you're heading in the right direction?
Abby: I SAID SILENCE!
Evie: …Your little princess can't make me do anything, and neither can you. Your Ethos isn't omnipotent; it's brittle and lacking. Your vessel's "freedom" isn't a strength; it's a liability. If you're still committed to your dead-end plan, then fuck off and find another conduit to try it on first. We've got no patience for this.
Abby: …Ah, I see. You almost had me fooled, Mother of Lies. You made a bluff that your conduit was more powerful than mine and that additional Ethos had been withheld from me, all so that I would back off and leave you alone. Well, the truth is clear to me now. You're scared that my mortal's Ethos is stronger than yours, and you didn't want to share power with anyone. And now, I will be retracting my offer. I will claim your conduit's power for my own, and cast you back to the Realms to be consumed. I will lead Valerie to be a Queen of this land, who will obey me and me alone. I will remake the Melange Layer in my image, and make my mark on history as the Savior of All Realms!
Evie: …Is this what [Obstinate Refusal] feels like? So, to recap, you are going to rip out my girl's soul hoping to gain enough power to make up for your disastrous failure to control a 12-year-old brat. Said brat has always had self-control problems, so unless there's a way to remove her Ethos (which there isn't), she will never be convinced to not use her powers to satiate her whims. And after all this is over, your little monster will skip off, continuing to torture and kill everyone in her way until she's put down like the mad dog she is or gains enough power to be virtually unstoppable. And this is how you're going to "save" the world?
Abby: There is nothing more to discuss between us.
Evie: No, I suppose there isn't. …Lilly, did you get all that?
Lilly: …Yes.
Abby: W-what? You said she wouldn't be part of this!
Evie: No, I simply said that we wouldn't be interrupted. What, I'm supposed to leave my partner out of the loop for an important conversation? We're besties!
Abby: You deceptive little monster! I can't believe I ever considered letting you join my righteous cause!
Evie: Lilly, do you believe we are in agreement with what NEEDS to happen next?
Lilly: …I really wish I didn't, but yes.
Abby: Valerie has my powers to support her, and she only needs a word to END you both. You can't stop both her and me!
Evie: Oh, I don't know. You'd be surprised what we can do with a one-second head start. [Time In]!
Lilly: You've been following me in a straight line for a mile now, even though you clearly don't know how to navigate in the woods. I was hoping that I could lose you in the forest, but you must have some method of divining me and I wasn't going to let you follow me home. Who are you and what do you want?
Valerie: …Well, that's rude. Anyway, you are in the presence of Lady Valerie Lothswane, heir to the Lothswane name…wait, my parents are dead, so it's just me, I guess? Anyway, what I want is a lot of things, but right now, I want you to K̷̤͈͂̉n̵͉͛͐e̷͎̊͐ȩ̷͌̆͜l̶̘̀͊.
Lilly: *drops to ground* What…what are you doing?
Valerie: Abby says that I'm not allowed to kill you, that the "integrator process" works best if you're still alive. But there's always time for some games, right? Let's see, how about we start with s̴t̶i̵c̷k̷i̶n̵g̸ ̷y̵o̵u̷r̶ ̵i̷n̴d̴e̶x̸ ̸f̸i̵n̴g̷e̴r̸ ̶i̷n̵ ̶y̵o̴u̸r̷ ̴m̷o̴u̸t̸h̴ ̷a̶n̴d̶ ̵b̶i̵t̸e̸-̷
Evie: Nope!
*Lilly feels a burst of energy as the compulsion releases. She stands up and scrambles away.*
Valerie: …I didn't tell you to stand up. K̷̤͈͂̉n̵͉͛͐e̷͎̊͐ȩ̷͌̆͜l̶̘̀͊!
Evie: Yeah, no.
*Lilly starts to kneel again, then another surge removes the compulsion*
Valerie: …Abby, she shouldn't be able to disobey me! What is she doing!?
Lilly: Who the hell is Abby?
Evie: Wait, let me try something. [Time Out]!
*the scene freezes*
Evie: …Hello? I have an unaccompanied child out in the forest, does anyone know where her minder is? …No use hiding, I can wait aaaaall day if I have to.
Abby: …What is this?
Evie: Ah, there you are. This is just a little perception-based time dilation, don't need the girls interrupting the grown-ups. Haven't quite trained mine to "only speak when spoken to", you know? Nobody's charging up spells or communicating with anyone outside of our little bubble, this is just a chance for us to hash things out. I mean, I could rope your little princess in if you want, buuut I'm guessing that's going to be less than productive. So, what's your name?
Abby: …I am known as Aboleth, and I am burdened with a great and terrible purpose.
Evie: Cool, cool. Anyway, my name is Ev'aclliál and I am burdened with some nutjob coming out and trying to ritually sacrifice my ride.
Abby: …Ev'aclliál? Ambrosia of Joy, the Corrupter, the Mother of Lies!?
Evie: …Not my preferred titles, but yes, that's me. So, how can I help you? Trying to eat my girl's heart to gain her power?
Abby: You are attuned with one of the Maw-Touched, and you can't guess the work I am trying to achieve? Our enemy is growing stronger by the day. It is killing our brethren, weakening the bonds of the Unsustainables, and it has created a number of conduits that will eventually activate and act as its agents, all to bring forth the end of all Realms. But there is a way to use these conduits against it. Each of them has the ability to hold two Ethos instead of merely one. It is my hope that through Deific fragment consummation, we will be able to integrate even more Ethos into this vessel, and when the time is right, we will have a weapon capable of defending the Melange Layer from the Maw's incursions and win this war for our survival!
Evie: …Never heard that one before. Out of curiosity, once you've got your super-girl put together and beaten back the Maw, will you be graciously bowing out back your realm and let her live out the rest of her life as she wishes?
Abby: …I…do not know if I will be able to trust her judgment when left to her own devices, and there will be much reconstruction to do-
Evie: Of course, of course. So, a few questions, if you'd be so kind. What exactly is her other Ethos called?
Abby: [Will Winnower]. Allows for the complete subversion of conscious processes. Directions can be provided mentally, and we are slowly bypassing the limits of biology and physics in their implementation. And yours?
Evie: …[Dream within a Forest]. Massive Essence pool, great perception skills, can run for hours without rest, barely needs to eat or sleep, and able to regenerate Pithe in others. Not much direct firepower, but a solid support unit.
Abby: Excellent. This will be able to shore up some of Valerie's weaknesses. Removing the need to eat or sleep will be crucial as we continue to collect-
Evie: So, my girl's Ethos was weaved by the Flower. You wouldn't happen to know who the weaver of your Ethos is, would you….Mr. Maw Slayer?
Abby: …I can explain.
Evie: I'm quivering with anticipation.
Abby: The original plan was for Valerie to leverage her position as a noble heir to accumulate resources that would aid us in our plan to find the other conduits. Being able to track the location of the closest one was the first of my subskills, so all that remained was to keep quiet and bide our time. With my guidance, she would become master of her domain, and eventually gain the freedoms and power to complete the plan.
Evie: So, what went wrong?
Abby: I had…overestimated Valerie's capacity for discretion and self-control. Upon learning about the quest to save the world and the power that she would eventually wield, she…became disruptive to her parents and governess whenever she was forced to do something she didn't want to do. Her parents were concerned, they were going to send for the Lore Warden the following week, Valerie continued to throw tantrums, and then she triggered another Ethos pick. She was about to pick [Belle of the Ball], in the hopes that being seen as beautiful would be enough for her to be listened to, but she didn't understand the dire straits she was in if she got caught with me.
Evie: …So you told her to pick the Ethos that would make people listen to her regardless of how they felt about her. One that was crafted by the Enemy.
Abby: I had already resolved to use the Maw's tools against it; it was merely a matter of degree. There were…some transitions involved. Parts of the previous plan became unviable, and it was decided that the best use of the remaining resources was for Valerie to go out and find the other conduits as quickly as possible herself.
Evie: Yes, the brave hero leaves behind the trappings of her former life for the greater good. And what a trail of happiness and joy she left in her wake… I can see the dried blood on her skirts from here, how many people have been on the losing side of one of her "games"?
Abby: Are you seriously trying to imply that anything this girl has done is beyond your depravity?
Evie: Your princess's first response to the person you needed alive was to try and make her bite off her own fingers. I like to believe I have standards. Oh, I know, let's make a game of it.
Abby: …What?
Evie: Let's see, how would the spoiled princess start out? "Never have I ever"… made my governess choke on a bar of soap to "clean out her impolite mouth".
Abby: …How did you-
Evie: Ah, got it in one! Now, let's see if she escalated. "Never have I ever"…forced someone to pluck out their friend's eyes.
Abby: …There were bandits on the road. She needed a chance to train her powers-
Evie: And that's two! "Never have I ever"…hmm, let's see if we've hit rock bottom. "Never have I ever" told a mother to pick which of her children was her favorite and make her kill the rest.
Abby: …
Evie: Seriously? I mean, there's bad parenting and then there's letting your daughter run off a cliff because "that's what she's in the mood for today!"
Abby: And I suppose the child under your patronage is a living saint?
Evie: As a matter of fact, she is! Both compared to your disaster AND in general. Lilly here started off as the firstborn daughter of the town carpenter, but then used her skills to save her hometown from the excess resources of a Rampant Dungeon, granting her the continued patronage of the Watch Captain.
Abby: …And bringing her under the scrutiny of the Lore Warden. With no protections other than the "good will" of this Captain, who I presume has no familial bonds or binding obligations to keep him from throwing her to the wolves at the drop of a hat?
Evie: …She was tested at an early stage of her development which didn't set off any major alarms. She has proven to be an asset to her community, and even selfish people protect their investments. She is given access to resources to aid her, and she will have more opportunities for measured, plausible growth.
Abby: And when the Lore Warden tests her again to try and explain her exponential progress?
Evie: Then he will see what I want him to see. Tests can be fooled if you know what you're doing. Even if you aren't a weaver, adjusting a soul's outputs should be well within your capabilities. Unless you decided to attach yourself to a mortal without ANY knowledge of soul-crafting.
Abby: Don't try to lecture me about soul-crafting. Fragment consummation is a highly specialized technique, far greater than anything you are capable…of…What. Did. You. Do?
Evie: Oh drat, I was hoping you wouldn't notice that.
Abby: You crafter of abominations, what did you DO to this girl?
Evie: …Well, rather than go off on far-fetched plans of systematic pedocide, I decided to utilize and…improve my vessel's power with the resources at my disposal. The Maw's soul structure is surprisingly versatile; with a few minor adjustments you can have major dividends while neutralizing its influence-
Abby: By making her a half-spirit creature? You have created something that would be locked up and dissected in a heartbeat by any half-aware mage, and build her up to be a pillar of her community? If she ends up doing something she shouldn't be able to do-
Evie: Nothing that can't be explained with "good tactical sense" and "a bit of luck". My plan is actually working, because we didn't panic and go for the path of "maddening cosmic power" at the first sign of trouble. If something goes wrong with your "games"-
Abby: If something goes wrong, we only need a single word for everyone to Stop, and we make sure that no witnesses are left behind. My plan, however gruesome you might find it, works because we completely undermine any and all defenses and keep moving quickly-
Evie: For how long? Your girl's cover as a noblewoman, hells, as a functional person is completely shot. Yes, her ability is powerful, but the key advantage that makes it viable is the element of surprise, and I'm guessing little Valerie doesn't clean up her messes. She doesn't even have any "bodyguards" for plausible deniability or to do her dirty work for her, meaning either her range or duration are too small to be of any use, or that she never envisioned a scenario where she wasn't a fox in a henhouse. Do you think another Spirit is the only thing that can stop her? Illusions, pit traps, unthinking constructs. Hells, a [Keen Bow] could shoot her right in the eye from a mile away without her even knowing what hit her. My girl is able to hide in plain sight, but once ANYONE finds what Valerie can do and what she's done, her remaining lifespan is measured in days. And you think I'm the one who's one mistake from losing everything?
Abby: But now our powers can be combined! Don't you see? With your mortal's Ethos, we can make my strategy sustainable! No more having to go into towns to rest and resupply! We can run for hours though rough terrain! We can see our enemies coming from miles away! Look, your mortal is likely to be under heavy scrutiny for the rest of her life. But work with me, and you fulfill your wildest dreams. You'll have a powerful mortal that your silver tongue can better manipulate. We can work together to adjust Valerie's soul structure. You can redeem yourself by being known as an ally to the Savior of the Realms!
Evie: …So, you think that what you're doing right now is a viable plan to build up power against the Maw, and that any spirit in your position with half a brain would be doing the same?
Abby: …Of course.
Evie: Oh yes, you're the man with the plan to save the realms. Anybody who values living to see the next century should be behind you.
Abby: Where are you going with this?
Evie: Did you even LOOK at the Maw's soul structure in Valerie? There isn't simply a slot for one additional Ethos, there are slots for dozens. They take some time and growth to open, but they can slot into each other without going through fragment consummation.
Abby: …That…that's great news! There's a chance we can gain access to another Ethos while we go and collect the next conduit-
Evie: You misunderstand. You said that the Ethos pick with the Maw's ability was the only time it triggered after you were chosen. That was, what, a little over a month ago? I just found that a bit strange since Lilly's been picking up Ethae left and right this whole time.
Abby: …What? That's not possible, you said that your girl's other Ethos was [Dream Within a Forest].
Evie: I gave you the name of one Ethos, yes. But there's so much more power at our disposal now, and the weavers are falling over themselves trying to provide. You said so yourself, utilizing the conduits are the best hope for defeating the Maw, and everyone's putting aside their differences to lend us a hand. Or trying to get in on the ground floor of the future savior of the Realms, but who's counting? We've gotten offers from a variety of weavers, including at least 3 Mystic levels. I recall Lilly managed to get 2 Ethos in one night. Manoth himself granted us permission to use one of his test Ethos. Hell, the Flower let ME in to help, and I'm ME! All this outpouring of support…and none for you? It's not like they don't know who you are, and if nothing else, Valerie's been putting in the work to improve herself. So there's no good reason for you to not have gotten another Ethos by now…unless, of course, they are actively refusing to help you.
Abby: …Y-you're lying. Distributing Ethos should cost them almost nothing, there must be another reason-
Evie: You'd think that the threat of total annihilation would have at least some entities hedging their bets, but apparently mere survival isn't worth throwing even some Lesser scraps your way. The angels won't touch your little sociopath with a 10-foot-pole, and the fence-sitters will see the Maw's weapon used for mass slaughter and assume that she's working for the other team. Now, the demons shouldn't care about any of the prior objections as long as they get results, which means that either they think they have less faith in your strategy working than I do, or the thought of granting YOU that much power isn't worth it.
Abby: Silence.
Evie: I mean, from your perspective, you managed to get the reins on the horse, point it in the right direction, ride it towards the finish line as fast as you can, and NOBODY is placing a bet on you winning. Which brings up the question: are you sure that you're heading in the right direction?
Abby: I SAID SILENCE!
Evie: …Your little princess can't make me do anything, and neither can you. Your Ethos isn't omnipotent; it's brittle and lacking. Your vessel's "freedom" isn't a strength; it's a liability. If you're still committed to your dead-end plan, then fuck off and find another conduit to try it on first. We've got no patience for this.
Abby: …Ah, I see. You almost had me fooled, Mother of Lies. You made a bluff that your conduit was more powerful than mine and that additional Ethos had been withheld from me, all so that I would back off and leave you alone. Well, the truth is clear to me now. You're scared that my mortal's Ethos is stronger than yours, and you didn't want to share power with anyone. And now, I will be retracting my offer. I will claim your conduit's power for my own, and cast you back to the Realms to be consumed. I will lead Valerie to be a Queen of this land, who will obey me and me alone. I will remake the Melange Layer in my image, and make my mark on history as the Savior of All Realms!
Evie: …Is this what [Obstinate Refusal] feels like? So, to recap, you are going to rip out my girl's soul hoping to gain enough power to make up for your disastrous failure to control a 12-year-old brat. Said brat has always had self-control problems, so unless there's a way to remove her Ethos (which there isn't), she will never be convinced to not use her powers to satiate her whims. And after all this is over, your little monster will skip off, continuing to torture and kill everyone in her way until she's put down like the mad dog she is or gains enough power to be virtually unstoppable. And this is how you're going to "save" the world?
Abby: There is nothing more to discuss between us.
Evie: No, I suppose there isn't. …Lilly, did you get all that?
Lilly: …Yes.
Abby: W-what? You said she wouldn't be part of this!
Evie: No, I simply said that we wouldn't be interrupted. What, I'm supposed to leave my partner out of the loop for an important conversation? We're besties!
Abby: You deceptive little monster! I can't believe I ever considered letting you join my righteous cause!
Evie: Lilly, do you believe we are in agreement with what NEEDS to happen next?
Lilly: …I really wish I didn't, but yes.
Abby: Valerie has my powers to support her, and she only needs a word to END you both. You can't stop both her and me!
Evie: Oh, I don't know. You'd be surprised what we can do with a one-second head start. [Time In]!
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
"I would like to speak to your manager."
I very much like the analysis of "Abby's" reasoning and what it implies; even if that's non-canon it's just beautiful.
"Angels won't help you because your plan is appalling, fence-sitters won't help you because your plan is so appalling it looks like enemy action, and demons won't help you because your plan is stupid."
I very much like the analysis of "Abby's" reasoning and what it implies; even if that's non-canon it's just beautiful.
"Angels won't help you because your plan is appalling, fence-sitters won't help you because your plan is so appalling it looks like enemy action, and demons won't help you because your plan is stupid."
JayTar
Idea briefcase
Great Omake.
Hmm, so:
{Sample Space} affects all every action Lilliy can take with Ethos and Mana/Pithe/etc energy usage meaning she can pull off amazing "I didn't know I could do that" moments. (And as an aside it looks like this has been good for learning too).
Evie is one of Lilliy's Ethos.
Given some degree of coordination they could pull off truly reality defying feats.
Hmm, so:
{Sample Space} affects all every action Lilliy can take with Ethos and Mana/Pithe/etc energy usage meaning she can pull off amazing "I didn't know I could do that" moments. (And as an aside it looks like this has been good for learning too).
Evie is one of Lilliy's Ethos.
Given some degree of coordination they could pull off truly reality defying feats.
Slyvena
I don't like pie.
- Location
- Pie Shop
Lilly: And that's when I invented the word 'punt'.
Edit: Gosh. Took me most of the day but I've finally got the skeleton rolls for 2.1 and the spreadsheet done. Took a lot of thinking on how to get Dungeon software operating on mostly human hardware haha. (And then a metric fucktonne of power interactions.)
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- Pronouns
- They/Them
Nice! I'm already hype for 2.1!
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Edifier
Trusted within thoughts.
- Location
- Court of Moon Wizards
Take that into account.
If the sample space is combined with this. just spend 1/10 of a second of sample space to generate any rune for any effect. This combo is insane. Only limiting factors would be imagination and how quickly she can scribble the rune. But in sample space... well... the best possible result, or...
I may be a bit lead astray by the combo potential. Like... could this also create a rune to fix whatever's wrong with pops as an one-time effect?
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w.o.g: Runes, [Quickwrit Stennovoker] and {Sample Space}
Slyvena
I don't like pie.
- Location
- Pie Shop
That's within the wheelhouse of Runic Magic yes. But definitely not the same day you pick up a Mana Ethos.
You need to already be capable of inscribing a rune to generate its effect instantly. A couple seconds in {Sample Space} is not long enough to figure out new runic designs (unless they are mishmashes of things you already know). That would be like reading the first two sentances of a novel a million times and then knowing what the whole story is about; impossible. Its one of few cases where infinite repetition doesn't really help.
Edit: Where it would be insanely useful is for testing new designs. No need for safety features. Use a 1/10 of a second {Sample Space} when you activate the new template for the first time, slap yourself in the face as a sign if its dangerous to activate.
In fact, you could do ridiculous stuff such as design new OP runes and glyphs that are literally impossible for someone not using {Sample Space} to pull off.
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Slyvena
I don't like pie.
- Location
- Pie Shop
Btw, I've updated the Character Sheets to start from 1.1
Took me a bit as I use different notes for myself (only way to keep track of the difference between Lilly and My Grasp/etc.), but now you see the progression right from the very beginning; all the way up from Endangered peasant girl to Endangered geopolitical pawn.
Took me a bit as I use different notes for myself (only way to keep track of the difference between Lilly and My Grasp/etc.), but now you see the progression right from the very beginning; all the way up from Endangered peasant girl to Endangered geopolitical pawn.
Thebigpieman
I've got this, I think.
- Location
- United States
Truly, look at just how far she has come.