Whatever else the Enemy is I think it is Ignorance or some closely adjacent concept (like Stagnation) on some metaphysical level. Stopping information gains, especially on a societal level, is its Domain, and I think the closer to gaining and disseminating information whatever we are doing is the 'cheaper' it is for the Enemy to attack or interfere. Which, of course, makes us directly teaching people about something important the cheapest possible time to attack as well as perhaps the most important.
It also means that it probably knows when we're defying its attempts to keep knowledge suppressed. Like, it doesn't know when we learn a Trick (since that's not attempting to learn things it is trying to keep us in ignorance of), but it sure does when we use Odr or mess with our soulscape.
I think it's interesting that The Enemy *knows* about our state of cultivation. They also *knew* that we were walking with only Abjorn in the Hading. How does it get it's information? It can clearly be blinded - Odin was able to blind The Enemy to us, up until we hit Saga Formation.
Should we try talk to the Foemen? So we can see how smart they are or guess their motivations. Or if they even talk our language.
If they are magical constructs created to kill us, they probably can't talk or have higher intelligence. But if they are living creatures who allied themselves with the Enemy, maybe we can trick them in revealing information.
Should we try talk to the Foemen? So we can see how smart they are or guess their motivations. Or if they even talk our language.
If they are magical constructs created to kill us, they probably can't talk or have higher intelligence. But if they are living creatures who allied themselves with the Enemy, maybe we can trick them in revealing information.
I think the odds of them speaking the same language as us and being willing to talk are basically 0%. Like, even if they are living thinking beings they are attacking us without speaking, so they don't seem to want to talk, and are vanishingly unlikely to speak Norse or English even if they did. And given their speed, trying to talk gives them the opportunity to stab us.
And if they don't respond to us speaking (the most likely result, I think) we learn nothing.
I think the odds of them speaking the same language as us and being willing to talk are basically 0%. Like, even if they are living thinking beings they are attacking us without speaking, so they don't seem to want to talk, and are vanishingly unlikely to speak Norse or English even if they did. And given their speed, trying to talk gives them the opportunity to stab us.
I wonder if the reason The Enemy doesn't seem able to act in Christian Lands is because the Land is 'Dead'. The Norse believe the world is alive and full of magic, in contrast.
Or we just haven't seen them in Christian Lands because we haven't been there much on top of not actually being a real cultivator during our time there.
I wonder if the reason The Enemy doesn't seem able to act in Christian Lands is because the Land is 'Dead'. The Norse believe the world is alive and full of magic, in contrast.
Or we just haven't seen them in Christian Lands because we haven't been there much on top of not actually being a real cultivator during our time there.
I think the Enemy is focused on the Norse, not exclusively but heavily. I think it hates the Christians too, but has less of a hold on them. Arguably, I think the Norse are the Enemy acting in Christian lands when they go raiding. It has shaped their culture to induce that specific course of action and is pleased by the results. Like, as petty as it is, it seems like it would please it to use one enemy as a weapon against another.
If you want to tell someone non-Norse:
Why Jerasmus and not Gabriel? Is there anything we gain from telling Jerasmus that we don't get from telling Gabriel?
In the Relationship tab Jerasmus is categorized as Other(despite being 10/10 relationship), Gabriel as Friend (7/10).
Jerasmus is savier than Gabriel.
Hey Blackhand, how was it that you managed to close The Gate when we opened it for the first time? Is it a technique we can learn so we can close it for others who try to cultivate?
Edit: Also, depending on just how resource-strapped The Enemy is, it might even be that every point of resource - including stamina - that goes into their constructs costs them. Like imagine if we had to pay in Odr for every technique. So it might even incentive what's basically blitzkill machines that run out after like 4 rounds, because if they didn't get the job done by then they probably wouldn't have gotten the job done anyway.
If you want to tell someone non-Norse:
Why Jerasmus and not Gabriel? Is there anything we gain from telling Jerasmus that we don't get from telling Gabriel?
In the Relationship tab Jerasmus is categorized as Other(despite being 10/10 relationship), Gabriel as Friend (7/10).
Jerasmus is savier than Gabriel.
Jerasmus has much more of a scholar, philosopher vibe than Gabriel. Gabe might have insights from his style of cultivation that jerasmus hasn't experienced, but Jerasmus is who I'd expect to be able to take what we know and come up with insightful theories or ideas on what to test. Now if he'd be willing to help unfuck norse cultivation is another thing altogether.
As for why the Enemy doesn't murder us outright, the general answer you see with that sort of thing is that there's another being acting as a counterweight. So when the Enemy acts, the OtherDude gets to do something else in response, and the Enemy isn't convinced we're enough of a threat to let that happen. But if we start spreading knowledge we become an exponentially bigger problem so the gloves come off.
Those are added to every Hugareida usage individually. We could, with our combat dice pool, make 54 individual Kindle Spinners and Ignite's Hugareida dice would make each attack 3d6 (3d6+1 with Frenzy). We put 10d6 into each of three Firebomb Stirkes, and each is rolled at 12d6 (again, +1 due to Franzy).
Jerasmus has much more of a scholar, philosopher vibe than Gabriel. Gabe might have insights from his style of cultivation that jerasmus hasn't experienced, but Jerasmus is who I'd expect to be able to take what we know and come up with insightful theories or ideas on what to test. Now if he'd be willing to help unfuck norse cultivation is another thing altogether.
So you don't just want to check if mentioning Odr gets blocked / memory wiped, you want to discuss the issues and weaknesses of norse cultivation?
That seems risky. Very risky.
Jerasmus is a pleasent person, sure.
But do you think he would go against his order for us?
Do you think he would go against Christianity for us?
Because if he returns to christian lands (which i assume he will) and doesn't put us above christianity (which i highly doubt) that knowledge would probably spread.
And in the generations to come that could come back to bite us. That we want coexistance doesn't mean we should assume that there won't be any conflicts at all and just tell about our weaknesses that most norse don't even know about.
'The most distant land I traveled? I once dined with a King in a land called Mali, where the rivers ran with liquid gold. My memory of that land is a faint one, I would not trust it if you decided to travel there.'
Hey Blackhand, how was it that you managed to close The Gate when we opened it for the first time? Is it a technique we can learn so we can close it for others who try to cultivate?
'I retained a scrap of odr from my awakening and was waiting for the right moment to use it when the unlatching Gate forced my hand. I do not understand what happened, the only thing I can liken it to was when we found an Alteration.'
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I'll call voting in 30 minutes, so vote while you can!
It occurs to me that at some point, we are probably going to have to go 'through' the Gate and see what lies on the other side. But given that probably involves exposure to massively more odr than we've been touched with so far, that's probably several Realms away.
Edit: @Imperial Fister do we see anything on the other side of the Gate when we open it?
Scheduled vote count started by Imperial Fister on May 4, 2023 at 6:03 PM, finished with 134 posts and 6 votes.
[X] Plan Whoops Wrong Hill
-[X] Stoke Virthing (+40 Orthstirr)
-[X] Dedicate our first kill to Sagaseeker
-[X] Tap into Sagaseeker and the Armor's Orthstirr as necessary
-[X] 34d6 Attack (all tricks)
-[X] 10d6 Defense (all tricks)
-[X] 10d6 Intercept (all tricks)
-[X] Grab Abjorn and use Ember-Wing Cloak to leap over to the other side of the river (-12 Orthstirr) we will use one of our Skewer-Flick attacks (see below) to clear space to do this if necessary
-[X] Take the opportunity of being at range again to launch a 15d6+1 (w/Hugareida) Kindle Spinner using 7 Orthstirr for extra dice and 2 Odr for extra damage (-9 Orthstirr, -2 Odr), then make a total of four 8d6+1 Honed Skewer Flick attacks using Orthstirr to add Lightning Damage (-6 Orthstirr each) once they close
-[X] If we have time after the Kindle Spinner and before they get to us, put up as much Reinforce Shield as we can up to 10 layers (up to -5 Orthstirr)
-[X] Let Reinforce Shield tank attacks for as long as it lasts. In response to any attack against Abjorn (or us once Reinforce Shield is down) use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr each). If we try to use Halting Vortex but an attack penetrates it, use a 14d6+5 Honed Reinforced x3 Sway (-6 Orthstirr). If the Halting Vortexes aren't working and Abjorn is attacked defend him with a 14d6+1 Honed Reinforced x3 Hefty-Halter Chop (-7 Orthstirr). If Abjorn goes down use Stabilizing Palm on him (-12 Orthstirr).
-[X] Tactics – Leap over to the other side of the river to make them run more (maybe even swim), then attempt to hit a group of foemen with Kindle Spinner again (the same group would be funny, but we do the biggest group we can hit, and actually probably prioritize the other group if we have a choice), then after they close attack wounded Foemen (I think that's all of them at this point) with Skewer Flick to finish them off (tossing them into each other, especially tossing our own targets at those fighting Abjorn, if possible) while protecting ourselves and Abjorn from attacks as best we can, primarily with Halting Vortex.
[X] Plan Whoops Wrong Hill
-[X] Stoke Virthing (+40 Orthstirr)
-[X] Dedicate our first kill to Sagaseeker
-[X] Tap into Sagaseeker and the Armor's Orthstirr as necessary
-[X] 34d6 Attack (all tricks)
-[X] 10d6 Defense (all tricks)
-[X] 10d6 Intercept (all tricks)
-[X] Grab Abjorn and use Ember-Wing Cloak to leap over to the other side of the river (-12 Orthstirr) we will use one of our Skewer-Flick attacks (see below) to clear space to do this if necessary
-[X] Take the opportunity of being at range again to launch a 15d6+1 (w/Hugareida) Kindle Spinner using 7 Orthstirr for extra dice and 2 Odr for extra damage (-9 Orthstirr, -2 Odr), then make a total of four 8d6+1 Honed Skewer Flick attacks using Orthstirr to add Lightning Damage (-6 Orthstirr each) once they close
-[X] If we have time after the Kindle Spinner and before they get to us, put up as much Reinforce Shield as we can up to 10 layers (up to -5 Orthstirr)
-[X] Let Reinforce Shield tank attacks for as long as it lasts. In response to any attack against Abjorn (or us once Reinforce Shield is down) use Halting Vortex (-4 Orthstirr each). If we try to use Halting Vortex but an attack penetrates it, use a 14d6+5 Honed Reinforced x3 Sway (-6 Orthstirr). If the Halting Vortexes aren't working and Abjorn is attacked defend him with a 14d6+1 Honed Reinforced x3 Hefty-Halter Chop (-7 Orthstirr). If Abjorn goes down use Stabilizing Palm on him (-12 Orthstirr).
-[X] Tactics – Leap over to the other side of the river to make them run more (maybe even swim), then attempt to hit a group of foemen with Kindle Spinner again (the same group would be funny, but we do the biggest group we can hit, and actually probably prioritize the other group if we have a choice), then after they close attack wounded Foemen (I think that's all of them at this point) with Skewer Flick to finish them off (tossing them into each other, especially tossing our own targets at those fighting Abjorn, if possible) while protecting ourselves and Abjorn from attacks as best we can, primarily with Halting Vortex.
0~0~0
With the Foewoman this close to you, there's no way to bring Sagaseeker to bear in time to intercept her next strike. So when her club whistles through the air, you're forced to counter with Halting Vortex. (Halting Vortex'd)
Her club crashes against the semi-visible whirlpool of stopping intent as the sheer power forces you back a half-step. (Trick Attack: 50 vs Double-Point Defense: 45, Attacker Wins! 4 Damage Dealt!)
As you slide back in the churned-up dirt, a grunt of pain and a sharp, cracking sound snaps your attention to Abjorn. His Foeman falls to the ground in a crumpled heap, Abjorn's fingers in the side of his face the only thing keeping the Foeman from fully collapsing.
Abjorn pulls his blood-slick hand free and you know that this is the best opportunity you're gonna get. All you need to do is get rid of this damned Foewoman!
She leaps forward with club held high, completely undaunted by her comrade's gory death. Finding footing in the dirt-turned-bloody-mud, you lunge out with Sagaseeker before she gets a chance to close the gap. (Honed Trick Attack: 27+1=28 vs Triple-Point Defense: 49, Defender Wins!)
Ready for a lunge like that, she twists to the side and Sagaseeker's point passes harmlessly by her broad shoulder. The club held high swings down and you shift to counter, freeing a hand from Sagaseeker to call Halting Vortex forth. (Halting Vortex'd)
Except, even though you stopped the club, your eyes widen as her other hand comes forward, the final two bone darts held in her fingers. (Double-Point Attack #1: 48, #2: 32 vs Honed Reinforced Trick Defense #1: 41+5=46, #2: 50+5=55, Attacker Wins 1! 2+2(1 Point)=4 Armor Damage!)
You start twisting away as she lets the bone darts fly. The first takes you in the stomach, but shatters against your armor after cracking several rings. The second flies harmlessly under your arm as it sails off into the trees.
The Foewoman's face is slick with sweat and you know that she's hit her limit, but before you can move to take advantage, she kicks back and the wounded Foeman leaps in to take her place, spear raised and ready for more.
Teeth grinding together in irritation, you prepare Sagaseeker to give him just that. (Honed Trick Attack: 38+1=39 vs Double-Point Defense: 38, Attacker Wins! 6-1=5 Damage!)
Feet driving against the ground, you thrust forward as he makes contact and take him in the eye. His arms fall limp as lightning discharges, frying his brain in his own skull. The spear falls from strength-less fingers as you wrench your atgeir free in a spray of blood.
Sagaseeker's purrs reach a fever-pitch as you dedicate that kill to it.
With her defense gone and her stamina spent, the Foewoman can do nothing but watch as Abjorn leaps after her retreat. (Honed Attack: 5 vs Defense: N/A, Attacker Wins! 4 Damage Dealt!)
Avow cleaves her from head to hips as two halves of the Foewoman fall in mirrored directions.
With the other party of Foemen just now reaching your position, it's certain that you're not getting another chance to do this. Not even bothering to notify Abjorn, you wrap an arm about his waist as your wings of fire trigger once more and you shoot off into the sky.
He grunts in slight surprise, but does nothing more than that as the Foemen spray dirt from how hard they pivot. Their pumping legs are a blur as they race across the ground, following you at a breakneck pace.
Water flies in a shower of wet as you hit the shore of the minor river. Sliding to a stop, you eye the Foemen bursting from the treebank.
They skid to a stop on the other side of the river, eyeing the waters with some concern. Why aren't they crossing? Are they scared of water or something?
'No, just not stupid.'
One of the Foemen stoops low and scoops a rock off the bank of the river. Teeth gnash as you briefly consider nailing him and his with a Kindle Spinner, but Frenzy notes that the waters will simply extinguish it.
Damn. (Halting Vortex'd)
Abjorn grunts as a rock races towards his face, but you burst into action with a Halting Vortex before he can move. The rock explodes harmlessly against Standstill, but it does drain your orthstirr supply.
And then another one falls.
Then another one.
Rocks fall with pinpoint precision as you hold the Halting Vortex shield wall. Each rock explodes against your shield and you find yourself drawing on your armor's reserves to spare your own.
By the time they determine that no, Halting Vortex cannot be overcome with sheer force, your armor's reserves are drained.
One of the Foemen crouches down and locks his eyes with yours. Two fingers extended, he drives them into the riverbank shore.
Half of the Foemen are dead and the half that remain are injured. They stand across the river from you, a functionally unlimited supply of rocks on either bank.
There's currently a stalemate between you and the Foemen. They're not stupid enough to try and slowly cross the river when you can fly or wield unknown ranged tricks and you're out of ranged options unless you'd like to throw rocks back.
One is trying something, something you can't quite figure out.
Abjorn is fairly injured — he let the Foeman freely hit him to get an opportunity to strike back — but he's still fighting fit. He's triggered his virthing, the bear pelt shining bright on his body. He's having to burn through a lot of orthstirr to keep up, he won't be able to keep this up forever.
Endurance: (7/7) | Frenzy: (1/1) | Armor Health: (14/17)
Orthstirr: (70/120) | Odr: (20)
(X) Frami: 40 | (X) Virthing: 40 | ( ) Saemd: 40
Sagaseeker has 20 orthstirr in its reservoir.
Your Armor has no orthstirr in its reservoir.
Your combat pool is 54d6.
What do you do?
[ ] (Plan Name)
-[ ] (Dice) Attack
-[ ] (Dice) Defense
-[ ] (Dice) Intercept
-[ ] (Dice) (Trick) (Orthstirr)
-[ ] Tactics Write in
0~0~0
AN: Well, I can't say that that was the greatest of plans, but you're not dead nor are you in a particularly bad position so I guess it worked out okay.
I got this one out really quickly, lmao. I reckon I can get another update out today.
Normally, I wouldn't complain about an action not getting used (happens all the time), but we did actually have a ranged attack (Kindle Spinner) specifically to be used when we got the opportunity, why wasn't it?
The plan certainly included it partially to encourage them to try and close with us.
Normally, I wouldn't complain about an action not getting used (happens all the time), but we did actually have a ranged attack (Kindle Spinner) specifically to be used when we got the opportunity, why wasn't it?
Oops. Well, mistakes happen. Just because they carry darts doesn't mean they can't use other things as ammunition.
Betting they're going to animate the water, call up its spirit or some other sort of shamanistic thing. But honestly could be pretty much anything, we just don't know enough about their capabilities. Still, we're more than halfway through the encounter and have 130 orthstirr and most of our armor and endurance left, we should be fine as long as we can keep Abjorn alive. At this point I'd say just charge them with EWC and finish them off.
