It's a Girl's World -- And Lilly wants Adventure

[Alectai]

Sheesh, you're having intense feeling 'bout this...

"A knack for learning and mastery of diverse or tricky talents."
Learning is...everything? Like...Lilly doesn't know much, besides wood carving and being a Neophyte Rune Smith. Basically everything of importance that she'll need for survival she'll have to learn.

Also "rarity is not equal power".

And, that said, I don't really care for this discussion anymore.

I still feel like other parts could be done better, but people seem not to want to change their mind anyway, so whatever.

Huh, people posted more.

Okay. So, my understanding of the quoted part of Intuitor might be flawed (English not being my first language), but even if it's "learning of diverse or tricky talents", that's still "fighting in a way that optimizes our abilities".

And the thing with opportunity costs is: we have them on both sides, and I think we might get another good "martial" option after we've started training... *shrug*

Click to shrink...

Yes, I am, because I picked up this story and found myself liking it, and I don't want the Long Term Investment fairy to end it premature when there have been several warnings that 'There is no guarantee you'll even make it to your next birthday, let alone adulthood'.

So when I see people falling for the Long Term Investment Fairy's temptation, I start trying to figure out how to hype up an option that buys us time to get to that Long Term.

Like, I sincerely doubt [Intuitor] is a universal "Learns everything in the universe faster" buff, if it is, then I sincerely doubt that it provides any actionable powers beyond that. Because I would genuinely call that superior to "Can disrupt fate and causality" which makes the Rarity system make no god damn sense at all if Common stuff is stronger than Mythical stuff. The idea seems to be that higher Rarity is not necessarily stronger than Common Rarity. But as a good rule of thumb, there would be no purpose in rating an Ethos if the Rating isn't important at all. My feeling is that Common Ethos tend to deal with more concrete things, and higher rarity stuff tends to be more abstract in nature. "Emulate the strength of the forest" is easy to wrap your head around. "Fate is a suggestion and I can carve it as I will" is most definitely not

And if 'Common' Ethos are things like that, this guy is not going to be impressed with us just learning fast, but with only marginally better magic than anyone else. We should be treating this as much as a Job Interview as it is a training session.

 

[unmatchingsocks]

[X] Vague explanation. Hint at powerful and mysterious forces being at work. That your Ethos is unique from others in ways that would be trouble if it was revealed.

[X] (Family) You'll get an earful from mother, but Marcus will definitely rise early to play with you if you wake him.
[X] (Power) The words of wisdom are fickle and seemingly random. Try to get a handle on how to control or at least steer them.
[X] (Power) [Cleaver of Fortune] has gained a new feature. But you still don't really understand what it could do before that. Experiment and try to suss out how to actively put it use.
[X] (Power) Seeing the 'memory' in wood is actually a lot of fun. How else could such an ability be put to use?

[X] Gushing. You are incredibly grateful and will make sure both your father and Mathew know it.

[X] Keep things in reserve. Use what you have but don't push the limits. You just don't know what could go wrong otherwise.

[X] The roots sank deep, searching, yearning, until finally, water.

[X] Heartsworn (Common)
[X] Keeper (Lesser)
[X] Engraver (Common)

 

[jakjjjj]

[X] The whole truth. Both of your Ethos and of what reached out to you in the Forest that night. Swear your father to silence.
[X] (Power) [Cleaver of Fortune] has gained a new feature. But you still don't really understand what it could do before that. Experiment and try to suss out how to actively put it use.
[X] Gushing. You are incredibly grateful and will make sure both your father and Mathew know it.
[X] The best possible time to expand the scope of your abilities is during training. Once in a life-time opportunity. You can trust Mathew, he can probably even give you novel advice you wouldn't think of yourself.
[X] Claw scratched and tail lashed, but the bark remained unmarred.
[X] Brave Blood (Common)

I would like to say that @Slyvena has been doing a pretty awesome job thus far. Its very engaging to read your writing. Keep up the good work.

 

[The Meddler]

[X] The whole truth. Both of your Ethos and of what reached out to you in the Forest that night. Swear your father to silence.
[X] (Family) Chariot can be put out to graze, feedstock for the pigs can be replaced and bails can be moved. Unlike anyone else, you'll still be fresh and ready when you're done.
[X] Gushing. You are incredibly grateful and will make sure both your father and Mathew know it.
[X] The best possible time to expand the scope of your abilities is during training. Once in a life-time opportunity. You can trust Mathew, he can probably even give you novel advice you wouldn't think of yourself.
[X] Claw scratched and tail lashed, but the bark remained unmarred.
[X] Brave Blood (Common)

 

[araa]

[x] Acknowledge there is more. Try to persuade Father that you have very good reasons for not sharing them.
[x] (Power) You're physically stronger now. What are you limits? How far can you push things?
[x] Reserved. You don't know this man, but you'll see how things go.
[x] Keep things in reserve. Use what you have but don't push the limits. You just don't know what could go wrong otherwise.
[x] Claw scratched and tail lashed, but the bark remained unmarred.
[x] Brave Blood (Common)

 

[Slyvena]

I would like to say that @Slyvena has been doing a pretty awesome job thus far. Its very engaging to read your writing. Keep up the good work.

Click to shrink...

Thanks jakjjjjj that's very encouraging.

 

[Slyvena]

Just a quick interlude today, vote is still open for a couple more hours.



- - - - - Words of Encouragement
Elsewhere at a similar time

It was looking like it was going to be a good day today.

Life was looking up for Valerie. No more governess saying she had poor manners and she should watch her tongue. No more parents who always said no and that she should know better. Just open country and the freedom to go any direction she wished… eventually.

'Not quite the course I would have chosen myself,' Valerie thought as her foot stepped in something slimy on the mushy 'barely a path' way into the low counties. Refusing to find out what that had been, she pressed on in her by now quite well-torn dress. The tailor that had first measured her would cry tears of blood to see it trounced through the backwaters of the Loilsvan countryside like this.

That thought made Valerie giggle, life was just so funny now! Would people cry blood if she asked hard enough? Not yet, but maybe eventually.

She needed her day dreams to distract herself from the otherwise boring trek southward. Why Aboleath wanted to go to the Silent Sea was anyone's guess, but what Abby wants, Abby gets.

"Hey Abby," Valerie spoke out loud to her secret passenger as she continued onward, enjoying the occasional shade as she passed various denser patches of trees. "Remind me again why it has to be south, there's nothing interesting this way at all."

You know for a fact that is not true. Also, you asked me to never try explaining Deific fragment consummation again after last time.

Valerie's reply was cut short by the appearance of two men from another nearby copse of trees as she made her way along. Hiding off to the side of the road and out of sight like that meant they were likely of the naughty sort.

"A girl travelling alone," the first of the men said, the only description Valerie could think of for either was unwashed, "there is bravery and then there is foolishness," the plebian chuckled whilst eyeing her up and down in a way most ungentlemanly.

The second and older of the pair placed his hand on his belt hitched scabbard, "Now how about you-"

"-Plǘ̸̡ck out ë̴͎́ach oṱ̴̈h̵͎͝er's ey̵̩͐es and ea̸͓̓t them," Valerie stated.

She walked between the two men to continue on her merry way. Honestly, no one had any manners anymore. Oh Lord, now she was sounding exactly like her Governess. Stupid bitch.

The muted sobs behind her turned to shrieking and finally garbled choking moans as the thralls carried out her orders. Valerie felt a little bad for saying 'eyes' when 'eye' was probably enough of a punishment for bothering her.

Oh well, no use crying over spilt milk.

"You promise you can make me stronger Abby," she whined to her companion with all the righteous entitlement someone of her birth felt themselves owed.

Yes. Before the moon is out, you shan't need to speak for them to obey.

Hmm, good.

The sky was clear, the sun was warm. Valerie decided it really was a good day today.

 

[Aria the Mage]

That is...concerning.

 

[Zaealix]

[X] The whole truth. Both of your Ethos and of what reached out to you in the Forest that night. Swear your father to silence.
[X] (Family) Chariot can be put out to graze, feedstock for the pigs can be replaced and bails can be moved. Unlike anyone else, you'll still be fresh and ready when you're done.
[X] Gushing. You are incredibly grateful and will make sure both your father and Mathew know it.
[X] The best possible time to expand the scope of your abilities is during training. Once in a life-time opportunity. You can trust Mathew, he can probably even give you novel advice you wouldn't think of yourself.
[X] He grew taller each day, until the sun came to rest in his embrace.

 

[Chaosbrain]

[X] The whole truth. Both of your Ethos and of what reached out to you in the Forest that night. Swear your father to silence.
[X] (Family) Chariot can be put out to graze, feedstock for the pigs can be replaced and bails can be moved. Unlike anyone else, you'll still be fresh and ready when you're done.
[X] Gushing. You are incredibly grateful and will make sure both your father and Mathew know it.
[X] The best possible time to expand the scope of your abilities is during training. Once in a life-time opportunity. You can trust Mathew, he can probably even give you novel advice you wouldn't think of yourself.
[X] Claw scratched and tail lashed, but the bark remained unmarred.
[X] Brave Blood (Common)

 

[Deuterium Dawn]

That is...concerning.

Click to shrink...

A bit. We aren't anywhere near the Silent Sea are we? Also really glad we didn't choose Form Fracture now.

 

[Alectai]

Yeeep.

So, apparently a Princess got a Apothetotic Ethos, this is very good for the world at large but considering how whatever happened, apparently we got a bit of it too--it means someone we literally have no power to gainsay can will our death if they become aware we're a thing. And if there's some 'There can be only one!' shit going on, we're going to have a problem

EDIT: On a re-read, I was mistaken. She's rich and powerful but not a princess and she's not bringing her social power base with her. That's good because that means we can fight back or run away--at least in theory.

What's not good is she's almost certainly coming right for us.

What was that about 'Let's just get the jack of all trades' option again?

Yeah, this is good in the sense that 'Someone with at least a rudimentary understanding of empathy got an Apotheotic Ethos and is seizing the day to become stronger', but bad in the sense that 'She wants more god-bits and is probably coming right for us and will be here within the month'

In light of that, some immediate power is a very good idea

 

[Zaealix]

Uhh...Yikes!
Okay that's highly scary and worse yet ONLY Cleaver, if that, is anything approaching an answer to that freaky mind control thing.
...
I'm starting to wonder if Ethos in general will talk to people and alter their behavior, Worm-Shard style (In the sense of making them act differently? I don't really get Worm, probably needed to make sure I was keeping up with the supplementals better?)

 

[Alectai]

Uhh...Yikes!
Okay that's highly scary and worse yet ONLY Cleaver, if that, is anything approaching an answer to that freaky mind control thing.
...
I'm starting to wonder if Ethos in general will talk to people and alter their behavior, Worm-Shard style (In the sense of making them act differently? I don't really get Worm, probably needed to make sure I was keeping up with the supplementals better?)

Click to shrink...

Seems like straight up communication is tied to the Apotheotic stuff.

The impression I got seems to be "A God somewhere died, and their god-bits scattered across the land, setting into people who were just about to enter their Paths in life, which seems to have broken things--sometimes you can make a direct connection to a sapient god-bit which gives tremendous power very quickly but at the cost of your humanity."

 

[Deuterium Dawn]

Yeeep.

So, apparently a Princess got a Apothetotic Ethos, this is very good for the world at large but considering how whatever happened, apparently we got a bit of it too--it means someone we literally have no power to gainsay can will our death if they become aware we're a thing. And if there's some 'There can be only one!' shit going on, we're going to have a problem

EDIT: On a re-read, I was mistaken. She's rich and powerful but not a princess and she's not bringing her social power base with her. That's good because that means we can fight back or run away--at least in theory.

What's not good is she's almost certainly coming right for us.

What was that about 'Let's just get the jack of all trades' option again?

Yeah, this is good in the sense that 'Someone with at least a rudimentary understanding of empathy got an Apotheotic Ethos and is seizing the day to become stronger', but bad in the sense that 'She wants more god-bits and is probably coming right for us and will be here within the month'

In light of that, some immediate power is a very good idea

Click to shrink...

On the flip side, more esoteric means might be required to combat something like that. Whatever she is, punching is probably not the answer. Also I'm not at all sure she's coming for us, I can't find any mention of the Silent Sea or Loilsvan anything in the updates or informational posts.

Seems like straight up communication is tied to the Apotheotic stuff.

The impression I got seems to be "A God somewhere died, and their god-bits scattered across the land, setting into people who were just about to enter their Paths in life, which seems to have broken things--sometimes you can make a direct connection to a sapient god-bit which gives tremendous power very quickly but at the cost of your humanity."

Click to shrink...

An interesting if concerning theory, which would suggest we also have one, and Form Fracture or something like it will probably make a reappearance at some point. Although there's no telling if these things can effect someone who already has an Ethos.

Also...who's speaking in Green to us? Is it "Fate" or one of these fragments?

 

[Alectai]

On the flip side, more esoteric means might be required to combat something like that. Whatever she is, punching is probably not the answer. Also I'm not at all sure she's coming for us, I can't find any mention of the Silent Sea or Loilsvan anything in the updates or informational posts.

Click to shrink...

We were explicitly told "Lilly doesn't really know much of anything". She's barely even acknowledged the existence of places existing outside her hometown and the area immediately surrounding it.

And [Intuitor] is Not Esoteric in the slightest. It's 100% utility--that the utility theoretically might manifest as "Can use your other Ethos better" doesn't mean it'll get to that point in one month when we've also potentially squandered our best opportunity to get the necessary ability to survive this kind of thing while gambling for finding One Neat Trick to save everything.

"I can learn little tricks really fast" doesn't help you resist a "Please die for me" command when we have no IC reason to believe such a thing is on the way anyway. Having an Ethos that's all about "Don't give in to evil, stand out and face it with superhuman strength and courage" though might. Especially in conjunction with Cleaver of Fortune which says that the usual rule of "Mortal Heroes don't get to stop Gods" can go fuck itself.

The impression I get is that an Apotheotic Ethos is still an Ethos. Which is to say "It's a profession and approach through life." Form Fracture has already been confirmed as not being the only Apotheotic Ethos on the table.

So more likely, it seems to be that an Apotheotic Ethos is an idea that transcends what mortals can grasp, but the usual limiters that would stop something like that were broken by the Weirdness. And they often end up linking with something else in the process.

And by all indications, she hasn't had her Ethos any longer than Lilly has.

 

[Deuterium Dawn]

We were explicitly told "Lilly doesn't really know much of anything". She's barely even acknowledged the existence of places existing outside her hometown and the area immediately surrounding it.

Click to shrink...

I mean, she knows the road to her town doesn't extend in her family's direction because of bad relations with the kingdom that way. I'd expect to at least be aware of a sea in her area, and the name of the kingdom she lives in.

And [Intuitor] is Not Esoteric in the slightest. It's 100% utility--that the utility theoretically might manifest as "Can use your other Ethos better" doesn't mean it'll get to that point in one month when we've also potentially squandered our best opportunity to get the necessary ability to survive this kind of thing while gambling for finding One Neat Trick to save everything.

"I can learn little tricks really fast" doesn't help you resist a "Please die for me" command when we have no IC reason to believe such a thing is on the way anyway. Having an Ethos that's all about "Don't give in to evil, stand out and face it with superhuman strength and courage" though might. Especially in conjunction with Cleaver of Fortune which says that the usual rule of "Mortal Heroes don't get to stop Gods" can go fuck itself.

Click to shrink...

Was actually referring to Heartsworn. Which explicitly lets us make concepts real and might potentially help dealing with Eldritch Entities.

 

[Alectai]

I mean, she knows the road to her town doesn't extend in her family's direction because of bad relations with the kingdom that way. I'd expect to at least be aware of a sea in her area, and the name of the kingdom she lives in.



Was actually referring to Heartsworn. Which explicitly lets us make concepts real and might potentially help dealing with Eldritch Entities.

Click to shrink...

I'm not against Heartsworn materially, I just really feel here that we want maximum power now, and that bullying a pampered and entitled brat while having a spread of Ethos that seems to go a good distance to mitigating her apparent threat is a safe move, especially since if we blow our performance away well enough, we might keep getting training.

I sincerely doubt this girl's Ethos also makes her good at martial combat. Why would it need to be when she seems to have a measure of foresight brought on by her Imaginary Friend combined with the ability to just tell her problems to go away.

 

[Deuterium Dawn]

I'm not against Heartsworn materially, I just really feel here that we want maximum power now, and that bullying a pampered and entitled brat while having a spread of Ethos that seems to go a good distance to mitigating her apparent threat is a safe move, especially since if we blow our performance away well enough, we might keep getting training.

I sincerely doubt this girl's Ethos also makes her good at martial combat. Why would it need to be when she seems to have a measure of foresight brought on by her Imaginary Friend combined with the ability to just tell her problems to go away.

Click to shrink...

Brave Blood is a good Ethos, but "maximum power" might be stretching it a bit. It might be the most straightforward of our options but not necessarily the best. I'm not against it but I'm not sure I want to trust our mind entirely to Cleave. As for the last bit, if she has one of these fragments it's likely she can also have more than one Ethos, and we don't know that's all this one lets her do.

 

[Alectai]

Brave Blood is a good Ethos, but "maximum power" might be stretching it a bit. It might be the most straightforward of our options but not necessarily the best. I'm not against it but I'm not sure I want to trust our mind entirely to Cleave. As for the last bit, if she has one of these fragments it's likely she can also have more than one Ethos, and we don't know that's all this one lets her do.

Click to shrink...

We're not trusting it entirely to Cleave, [Brave Blood] is all about fighting monsters and horrors head on.

(Gestures at the fact little missy was skipping down the woods, and made two grown men tear their own eyeballs out and eat them)

I'm pretty sure that's a exactly the kind of thing [Brave Blood] is made to oppose

It's that and Cleave that I think would give us enough to act--and I feel as long as we get to act, we probably have a decent chance of doing alright. I've seen nothing that suggests she could tank getting an axe to the neck and a lot of circumstantial bonuses towards surviving that initial order.

 

[Deuterium Dawn]

We're not trusting it entirely to Cleave, [Brave Blood] is all about fighting monsters and horrors head on.

(Gestures at the fact little missy was skipping down the woods, and made two grown men tear their own eyeballs out and eat them)

I'm pretty sure that's a exactly the kind of thing [Brave Blood] is made to oppose

It's that and Cleave that I think would give us enough to act--and I feel as long as we get to act, we probably have a decent chance of doing alright. I've seen nothing that suggests she could tank getting an axe to the neck and a lot of circumstantial bonuses towards surviving that initial order.

Click to shrink...

The imagery is knight and shining armor and while yeah, fighting horrible monsters is probably in line with it, the description is about physical abilities. It's not useless, but there's nothing in there that will shield our minds or otherwise counter her abilities. We don't know what she's capable of, and assuming we do is likely to get us killed. Personally I'd like to avoid facing her directly at all, but we know that might not be an option.

 

[Alectai]

The imagery is knight and shining armor and while yeah, fighting horrible monsters is probably in line with it, the description is about physical abilities. It's not useless, but there's nothing in there that will shield our minds or otherwise counter her abilities. We don't know what she's capable of, and assuming we do is likely to get us killed. Personally I'd like to avoid facing her directly at all, but we know that might not be an option.

Click to shrink...

Okay, let me put it this way then.

I don't think we're going to get the option to avoid her, because she's got that head ghost radar pointing our way. If we move she just follows.

I also think her wake is going to be a devastating line of disaster.

I don't want to go up against her greatest strength and think we can beat her at it. I want us to be just good enough that she can't just run us over, and then hit her in the neck a few times with an axe until it sticks.

Will it be trauma? You're guddamn right.

But the best way of being in a position to do this is to be as strong as we can be when she arrives, and the best way I can think of it is taking a route where we seize this training opportunities with both hands.

 

[Zaealix]

As I see it Cleave is dice-nudgery. It's about using what you've got well.
Dream is life magic.
Blood gives us the hero archetype and probably scales nicely with the training we're about to receive.
Intuit is also good, but...
Intuit to me translates to 'we sword extra good and use our Ethos extra good'.
Brave Blood translates to 'you are a hero' and this time only, 'Training Montage!' Like we go from 'wat is sword' to 'we are now elite swordswoman in skill and strength' admittedly we likely only ethos okay, but it gives us something we can use to defend ourselves and makes it extraordinary, versus being say roughly on the level of those guys eating their own eyes.

 

[Alectai]

As I see it Cleave is dice-nudgery. It's about using what you've got well.
Dream is life magic.
Blood gives us the hero archetype and probably scales nicely with the training we're about to receive.
Intuit is also good, but...
Intuit to me translates to 'we sword extra good and use our Ethos extra good'.
Brave Blood translates to 'you are a hero' and this time only, 'Training Montage!' Like we go from 'wat is sword' to 'we are now elite swordswoman in skill and strength' admittedly we likely only ethos okay, but it gives us something we can use to defend ourselves and makes it extraordinary, versus being say roughly on the level of those guys eating their own eyes.

Click to shrink...

It also seems to include some limited short-term foresight. Like "What is a good idea" or not.

 

[Skyborn.12]

[X] The whole truth. Both of your Ethos and of what reached out to you in the Forest that night. Swear your father to silence.
[X] (Family) Chariot can be put out to graze, feedstock for the pigs can be replaced and bails can be moved. Unlike anyone else, you'll still be fresh and ready when you're done.
[X] Gushing. You are incredibly grateful and will make sure both your father and Mathew know it.
[X] The best possible time to expand the scope of your abilities is during training. Once in a life-time opportunity. You can trust Mathew, he can probably even give you novel advice you wouldn't think of yourself.
[X] Claw scratched and tail lashed, but the bark remained unmarred.
[X] Brave Blood (Common)