Remove ads

The God Diversion

Reader mode
Birdsie said:
Around the periphery of Solomon's mind, clear-cut visions fluttered like gossamer strings. The Educator's safety sigil strained and shook, a lockpad under too much stress, and finally shattered with a pop, chains and tumblers collapsing with the cruel finality of human death. This was writ on reality's archway, a commandment meant for the eyes of any who could see beyond simple matter and energy: that none of the wise could return to ignorance, for the nature of all beings was to seek exaltation over time, and shelter from ruin, and to overcome their limits. There was a set of Three Rules, revealed to Solomon's eyes, more ironclad than any mere law of thermodynamics.

First, that ruin was the final and foremost end of everything, a baneful sword operating without limit, cutting down even gods like harvests of wheat, if they believed themselves to stand above chance or time. However, through achieving eminence and meaning, other paradigms had a chance to prevail and claim sovereignty.

Second, in reality's court, there was only a single throne. No hands were permitted to carve another, nor were multitudes allowed to share the seat, for only a single way of seeing the world can dominate the others utterly enough.

Third, that no single claim was more valid than any other: evil or good, equitable or stratified; no rationale was inherently superior to its competitors. The determinant of that superiority was the bearers of the paradigm. An addendum stated, however, that power alone couldn't decide worthiness.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Okay so I'm guessing that this is heavily tied to becoming a True Architect.

Birdsie said:
The second vision, the revelation of the essential Rules, he decided not to share as such, at least until he dissected the truth more closely and confronted the Educator. No doubt, as a fellow True Architect, he must've known this as well. Was Education then a paradigm of its own? And was the apocalyptic malice of their foe? It made sense. Even creatures of vast spiritual potency and size had something to compete over, a source of strife to fuel their bickerings, aside from their innate natures. The scale of the task terrified Solomon deeply and made him distinctly uncomfortable. The Architecture - as something clarifying the world Solomon had lived in, was one thing. This was something beyond that, a multiversal system the mere complexity of which implied the enormous magnitudes involved. Why, in particular, was his spirit chosen to see all this?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
There's always a bigger fsih and more room to grow.

Birdsie said:
Aiming to cement his superiority and hopefully solidify the Thematic relevancy of his Role, as recently advised by his senior, a smiling Solomon invited each of his Theme's fellows to a variety of governmental positions, each handcrafted to ensure satisfaction and compatibility. His Classmates accepted gladly, even Damien striding confidently into the office of High Headsman, an appointment occupied not only with capital punishment but also with hunting down especially vile and heinous criminals: an opportunity Damien was glad for. As the nation's appointed Chief Steward, Penelope made rounds of imposing the ruling council's will on the unruly land. Throughout a fortnight and a half, the magics of Twilight were reforged like the shards of a blade made into a greatsword, to be wielded against the apocalyptic threat.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This is good since it finishes getting the class as a whole under Sol.

Birdsie said:
A moment of focused effort to gather the internum needed to complete the spell, an incisive divination to study the underlying patterns of change, and a whispered command to execute the rote. Within a second, he suppressed the lively filament inside of Abraham's soul, and the Life of Battle slept. As if struck, Abraham recoiled, hands tensing up at the realization that martial techniques centuries in the making were now more distant than ever. A swift propagation of the same incantation calmed down the man's other Soteriomantic domains, until finally, the man in front of Solomon was only that: a man, and certainly nothing more or less.

"Fear not," Solomon reassured. "If you look carefully, you'll find a mental switch inside of you. Press that, and your Soteriomancy shall return. Press it once more, and you'll be free of its undue influences. You'll find you now have the indomitable resolve needed to do that, when you would wish."

Abraham stared at him; lidless, slack-jawed. A couple of seconds passed in stupefied silence.

"I don't know what to say," he managed, eventually. "Thank you."

"The Magician's calling is the guidance and support of others," answered Solomon with a smile. "And you're a former hero. It comes naturally to aid you as such. I might not be Miranda, but I've got some tricks she doesn't have." Even fate had desired the man's freedom from chains, whispering of righteous deeds and karmic balance. And what was an Arcanist's remit, the very Theme of the Tarot, if not the core truth that fate influenced the course of men's lives? All it needed to reach completion then, was a nudge.

"Take a day or two to rest," Solomon offered. "Then I'll fill you in on the details."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Abrahamhas been through enough stuff, I'm happy Sol was able to help him.

Birdsie said:
Here's Abraham's Report on the art, as well as several tips and tricks:

*If Soteriomancy were compared to Enrollment, one may say its domains (Freedom, Concord, Solace, Life) are, in fact, individualized Aspects, and Soteriomancy itself is a Theme of 'salvation.' It excels and becomes strengthened when aimed to 'save' and project kindness onto the world, even if the interpretations of salvation are countless.

*As a case study of his, even the Dark King was an unsurpassed Soteriomancer; a ruthless tyrant with a rare ability to disable access to Freedom within his kingdom, he wholeheartedly believed he was benevolently saving others from committing mistakes by stripping away their liberty, the dogmatic fervor of which empowered him. A simple bandit with an ideology of redistributing wealth from the rich to the poor would benefit massively, saving others from poverty, even if there is a cost for the wealthy.

*However, self-serving methodologies of the art are not only entirely possible but dogmatically supported. 'Salvation is meaningless without success,' is the fundamental truth of Soteriomancy. As an extension of that, if you are unable to save yourself first, you cannot save others effectively: a solid basis of the individual is necessary to extend a hand to others. An impressive number of Solacers are excellent case examples of this, choosing to find Solace in a variety of personal interests as a bulwark and basis. This means, naturally, that Solace is a popular and prevailing first choice for most Soteriomancers

*According to Abraham, the most historically ideal and dynamic choices are in the intersections of selfish interest and outward kindness. Although the sheer length of his Life eventually made Abraham regret his choice and balk at the cost, its dividends were massive within the initial decades of his activity as a wandering hero: a youth prone to rash solutions and with an interest in fighting and martial techniques, harnessing bloodlust as a way of resolving disputes and saving the needy naturally empowered him.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Okay that's pretty cool the Theme of Salvation is a useful one.

Birdsie said:
[ ] Life...
-[ ] ...of Magic - Take a clue from Abraham's friend, and dive into what already defines your Life. Choosing a Life of Magic discounts your Arcanum and its Techniques.
-[ ] ...of Excellence - Broad, all-encompassing, the striving to become something more than a product of circumstance. Confers superhuman competence among other boons.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I feel like this is the most fitting for Sol in his Role as the Magician both in magic and skills.

Birdsie said:
[ ] Solace...
-[ ] ...in Friendship - Take Solace amongst your fellows. Enhances the effectiveness of your Connections, and makes befriending people easier and more meaningful.
-[ ] ...in Education - Knowledge is valuable and should be cherished. That's something you can get behind. Boosts Education XP gains.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This would make Sol happier which is a good thing.

Birdsie said:
[ ] Concord...
-[ ] ...through Marriage - Finally do something with your wife. Drastically enhance the effectiveness of your Connection to Mona, granting you more of the High Priestess.
-[ ] ...through Rulership - Achieve peace through sovereignty. Improves the efficacy of your policy-making, competence, and other aspects of your administration.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Honestly the one I'm least interested in personally.

Birdsie said:
[ ] Freedom...
-[ ] ...from Limits - In the future, you'll encounter roadblocks and limits: don't let them chain you down. Increases overall progression with most arts slightly.
-[ ] ...from Death - Ruin comes for life, but you'll escape its clarion call. Grants durability and regeneration; later on, methods of effective self-resurrection.
-[ ] ...from Homework - A meme choice. Please, don't actually take this.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Honestly out of all of these Limits is what I'm most interested in.

Birdsie said:
Wizard's Legacy] - Increase the effect rating of your Arcanum Aspect mildly (approx. 7%) in all non-combat situations, double that in scholastic endeavors or the pursuit of further knowledge. Your divinatory spells receive a further boost equal to your desire to reveal the truth.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Having the bonus is always nice specifically in learning boosts and divination.

[X] Concord...
-[X] ...through Pedagogy

[X] Freedom...
-[X] ...from Fate

Let's see if these are proper options I would like them.
 
Sitra Avra CYOA Build.
[] The Aegis Realm
[] Memento(3 Coins)
[] In Full Bloom (1 Coin): Memento
[] Brand of the Mind (2 Coins)
[] Thus Speaks Zarathustra (2 Coins)
[] Defragmentation (+1 Coin)
[] Maggot Bait (+1 Coin)
[] A Debt (+3 Coins)

The Aegis Realm offers a number of opportunities. It seems to be one of the most morally palatable of the starting zones, which should help with TSZ, and between their extant histories and their expansionism, I should have plenty of history to plunder. Not to mention what TSZ can give me on that front. I'll use TSZ knowledge to help out the Aegis Realm, in return for safe harbor and access to their histories and those of any nations they conquer. Meanwhile, I'll build up to whatever Zohar wants of me.

Between In Full Bloom buffing Memento, being an actual genius with Brand of the Mind, which provides photographic memory in addition to my eidetic memory, and I can assemble mental models of things as I acquire information, like Worm precogs do when dealing with anti-precog stuff. This will make parsing true histories incredibly easy, especially when TSZ will help me uproot any big lies off the bat. Meaning I should rapidly grab up extra magics.

As for the downsides, well, I struggle with empathy already, so Defrag is somewhat allayed as an issue. Aegis Realm should buy me a little time against Maggot Bait, allowing me to scale up with their histories. One of my goals will be to eventually create servitors, the Fragmented, not unlike the Sitra who serve the Avra, though mine will not be truly sentient, by and large. History can be said to be the collective memory of a civilization, and so the Fragmented are living memories, fragments of history brought to life. They can scan and gather memories, helping me gather information from those who yet live while I read through my tomes, and can in turn implant memories, though Memento makes it difficult to plant false memories, and indeed tends to scrub falsehoods away, which automates tutoring history. Additionally, they will possess Memento-based powers, as they are born of Memento, which means they can seek and destroy the Reliquanti, preserving the living, because history cannot be shared if there's no one left to share it with. These functions will also help me in whatever Zohar wants. Defrag will help me deal with something morally unpalatable.

Sitra Avra Greed Build.
[] The Aegis Realm
[] Walking the Path (2 Coins)
[] Memento(3 Coins)
[] In Full Bloom (1 Coin): Memento
[] In Full Bloom (1 Coin): Walking the Path
[] Brand of the Mind (2 Coins)
[] Thus Speaks Zarathustra (2 Coins)
[] Defragmentation (+1 Coin)
[] Maggot Bait (+1 Coin)
[] A Debt (+3 Coins)

With three extra Coins, I take Walking the Path, also In Full Bloom. Maggot Bait is the only thing here that scales, so more raw power isn't really useful to me. Not compared to the utility WtP offers. Especially when TSZ and Brand of the Mind can help me map out the dangers. Being able to casually visit other locations of interest to raid them for stuff dramatically increases TSZ's utility, and I can raid them for their history books while I'm at it. Memento can already give me the magic systems of places, so another magic system is only really useful for immediate safety, or if it's something that can't be replicated like Code Breaker, which isn't really useful against the Azure King anyway. This version is much better equipped to start setting stuff up to either deal with that or handle AK and other such issues, like the Debaser.

Sitra Avra Post-Scholomance Build.
Scholomance:
[] From Stables to Stars
[] Dogmatism
[] Artificialism
[] Ethervault Academy

I had like one actual friend in school, so Ethervault's standards shouldn't be too punishing. Dogmatism+Artificialism would probably result in something akin to a Runesmith. Well, moreso than Artificialism already allows. The intellect Dogmatism grants should pair well with Artificialism's trove of knowledge on materials. Being creative with Dogmatism sounds like a recipe for some nasty stuff, and not just because of it's potential applications building Artificialism artifacts. Not to mention the improvement in my perception should make navigating any non-obvious pitfalls to Ethervault much easier for someone new to magical society.

Sitra Avra Build is unchanged. Sitra Avra's Insertion just kind of happens to you thanks to our ROB, so being from another CYOA world in the Crimsonverse doesn't seem farfetched.

Dogmatism allows for a lot of breadth of effect, and is something of an OCP for most of the Sitra side of the Verse. Artificialism, though broadly similar to Absolution's Regalia in nature, don't actually hurt me when destroyed, though making them can be dangerous, so that could be a nasty surprise to anyone expecting to break my stuff and immediately cripple me, assuming at least some of the expertise carries over to the new environment's materials or Dogmatism can force it to, and that Brand of the Mind and TSZ can work out the rest, would probably be more valuable, serving as my Artifice for a variety of things, including knockoff Banes to my various issues. Plus, Memento would probably just eat up the histories I've absorbed from Ethervault, maybe allowing me access to a bit of the other 2 major magics. Not to mention parsing Scholomance's history from what I was allowed to read up on with Brand of the Mind and Memento would be an option.

If Dogmatism's mental buff and Brand of the Mind's buff stack in any way, my mind will be truly superhuman, and the former can grow over time as I learn Dogmatism, which Brand of the Mind should further aid. The improved perception of Artificialism would also help with figuring out the context of stuff, and navigating Aegis politics. It should also be improved as I work out the uses of stuff in this corner of the Crimsonverse for Artificialism artifacts.

Sitra Avra Post-Scholomance Greed Build.
Scholomance Build:
[] From Stables to Stars
[] Dogmatism
[] Contractualism
[] Artificialism
[] Ethervault Academy

With a third slot, Contractualism's applications in dealing with other mages become very useful in, well, dealing with other mages. Plus the increased social acumen makes navigating mage politics utterly trivial. Similarly, it makes dealing with people despite Defrag nerfing my empathy in the various zones I can access with WtP much, much easier. Speaking of which, it's possible Walking the Path can get me back to Earth, at least to study their history some more. Or at least send my Fragmented there when I get around to making them. Contractualism should also make it possible to make deals with various entities like the Sitra Avra with some adjustment.

Comparing notes with Caitheam practitioners should do a lot to help me advance Artificialism, which will in turn improve my gear, perception, and creativity, seeing as I will be able to access Xibalba.

Post-Scholomance Genesis Build.
Genesis Build:
[] The Hegemony
[] Reincarnation (1 Coin)
[] True Heir (3 Coins)
[] Exalted (1 Coin)
[] A Ring (3 Coins)
[] At Doom's Gate (+2 Coins)
[] Genesis Protocol (+3 Coins)

The idea is to crash-train my way up to the point in the Magisuran Arts where True Heir blood being manipulated is possible, aided both in this and my training by the Ring. In general, the Ring serves as a Progression booster, and Exalted further improves that, so if the potential new Epoch True Heir blood no longer being inert wasn't enough, being able to ignore the soft cap my True Heir self had hit via A Ring would also be of great help. Presumably, our Random Omnipotent Being here chucked us into the Cradle and it's environs to counter the Genesis Protocol, but the systems of the universe are not so easily dissuaded, so it would not be wrong to say the universe is trying to keep me from interfering, one way or another. True Heir's experience and network of contacts does a lot to keep Genesis Protocol from dooming me.

Dogmatism and Artificialism are sort of like having a Concept Halfblood and a Life Halfblood's powers accessible to a True Heir for the setting, a complete OCP even if they'd be seen as going in weird directions from the 'normal' Halfblood abilities, and with Reincarnation, I'd have had thousands of years to influence the setting before my insertion, which might lead to my patronage of Halfbloods being their only major source of legitimate work. In the worst-case scenario where none of the Scholomance powers carried over until the moment of my insertion, I'd still have some years of experience in them to add to my True Heir abilities. In the best-case, I'd have had thousands of years to hone my 'personal' craft, which improve my intellect, perception, and creativity. I might be able to force my way through ADG and GP just off the back of that, nevermind what my True Heir connections will allow me to do with the rest of the setting.

Post-Scholomance Genesis Greed Build.
Genesis Build:
[] The Hegemony
[] Reincarnation (1 Coin)
[] True Heir (3 Coins)
[] Exalted (1 Coin)
[] Weight of History (1 Coin, requires Reincarnation)
[] The Old Blood (2 Coins)
[] A Ring (3 Coins)
[] At Doom's Gate (+2 Coins)
[] Genesis Protocol (+3 Coins)

My now-obligatory Greed build would simply add Weight of History for it's furthering of my influence, and The Old Blood to bypass needing to learn the Magisuran Arts the old-fashioned way, and Exalted would ensure at least a modicum of talent. Adding Contractualism would have interesting potential ramifications with the likes of the Augurs, nevermind my fellow True Heirs, who are literally called Outer Heirs by most of the Genesis world, particularly since, between being smarter than pretty much all True Heirs, incredibly perceptive, and possessed of extreme social insight, I would likely have made myself the centerpiece of a network to rival Lilith's.

Artificialism+Magisuran using Blood as a reagent should certainly have some bizarre effects, to say nothing of stacking Dogmatism's weirdness on top. Then there's Contractualism, and the potential of messing with the blood of the likes of Augurs. I may have created quite a few of the setting's Halfbloods artificially as vassals, who I may, in turn, have taught Scholomance magics.

Being able to visit Genesis for my True Heir stuff would do a lot to get me off the ground, and might offer some means of dealing with the apocalypses still ongoing there if the Azure King grabbed me at an inopportune time, or just draw on my existing power base for Sitra shenanigans in the best case scenario.

Sitra Avra Post-Scholomance Post-Genesis Build.
Genesis Build is unchanged.

True Heir does a ton to give me more histories to chew on, and a significant personal legend to draw on for Memento's purposes. At thousands of years old, I've lived through a significant portion of history, and since I've been Reincarnated rather than Transmigrated, I remember all of that. If it's an issue, I should definitely be able to use that to keep my powers after my abduction. If Brand of the Mind stacks with Exalted True Heir with thousands of years to practice Dogmatism and Artificialism, I should have a godlike intellect. Anything I've picked up from learning Magisuran Arts would combine well with grabbing Crimthean from Xibalba. The Ring might also aid in processing various magical creatures from there.

It should also be noted that TSZ should give me a ton of opportunities between the knowledge of a True Heir, my insane intellect from aforementioned buffs, and the knowledge they can provide. Not to mention what Memento will get out of the rich tapestry of history I'll be able to construct with Brand of the Mind and the inside and outside perspectives of the Crimsonverse.

Sitra Avra Post-Scholomance Post-Genesis Greed Build.
Genesis build remains the same.

With all this stuff, it should be pretty simple to use WtP to grab the magics of my previous worlds, as well as my new ones, while prepping to deal with the Azure King and the likes of the Debaser. Not to mention getting to all kinds of places my instance of TSZ and I agreed I couldn't actually reach. As for what I've already got, Dogmatism+Exalted True Heir+Brand of the Mind makes for a supergenius among supergeniuses. Even if they don't stack well, that's a huge boost to mental parameters, with social acumen and perception being behind, but still buffed pretty high.

Let's not forget the Fragmented, which will get a huge kickstart from the depths of history I have on offer for them, which will further my spiral as they are gatherers as well as soldiers for my variety of purposes. I think the Azure might have underestimated a dead-end magic system here.

2140 words.
 
Birdsie said:
The Games in Silver have several rules, else, they would not be silvery at all!

First, know that death is a possibility, but so is greatness!

Second, the winner of the Games in Silver takes all! Losers get nothing but dust~!

Third, there is no method for deciding the winner, because there are no rules to the game of life. This is the most important rule! Verrry important!

And lastly, because you icky little humans won the first Games in Silver - though, we called them the Games in Gold back then - that started off the universe and everything, I am dutybound to remind you of the fourth rule: humanity rules.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Birdsie said:
There was a set of Three Rules, revealed to Solomon's eyes, more ironclad than any mere law of thermodynamics.

First, that ruin was the final and foremost end of everything, a baneful sword operating without limit, cutting down even gods like harvests of wheat, if they believed themselves to stand above chance or time. However, through achieving eminence and meaning, other paradigms had a chance to prevail and claim sovereignty.

Second, in reality's court, there was only a single throne. No hands were permitted to carve another, nor were multitudes allowed to share the seat, for only a single way of seeing the world can dominate the others utterly enough.

Third, that no single claim was more valid than any other: evil or good, equitable or stratified; no rationale was inherently superior to its competitors. The determinant of that superiority was the bearers of the paradigm. An addendum stated, however, that power alone couldn't decide worthiness.

Then, as though a child had taken a carver's tools and defaced the omniversal column, a fourth rule: unsanctioned yet equally vital.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

"Qu-qua, qUACK, qu"
 
Lordfartquad said:
Freedom...
-…from taxes
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I don't think, there is enough power in the universe to deal with that. :V

Edit: Also, what about Sol marriage and friendships? My intuition is telling me, we should probably give these some attention.​
 
Last edited:
Guess, I will choose something...

[X] Make Two Choices [7 Credit]​
[X] Freedom...
-[X] ...from Fate
[X] Solace...
-[X] ...in Friendship​
 
Last edited:
firefrog600 said:
Freedom from fate
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Isn't this the same as "Freedom from Limits"? And is Fate really that bad for the Magician because he kind of uses Fate for his own purposes? Because being free from Fate means freedom not only from its bad parts, but also from its good parts.
 
Andre Chaos said:
Isn't this the same as "Freedom from Limits"? And is Fate really that bad for the Magician because he kind of uses Fate for his own purposes? Because being free from Fate means freedom not only from its bad parts, but also from its good parts.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
It'd make Solomon happier and freedom from limits is explicitly low level boost across the board.
 
[X] Make Two Choices [7 Credit]
[X] Concord...
-[X] ...through Pedagogy
[X] Freedom...
-[X] ...from Fate
 
I love the pedagogy idea
We'll become the Educator's favorite student in no time at this rate

[X] Make Two Choices [7 Credit]

[X] Concord...
-[X] ...through Pedagogy
[X] Freedom...
-[X] ...from Fate
 
Offhand how would people feel about life of friendship in the future? Sure it can have a bad end and likely forces us into friendship aligned actions. But, that's not so bad oh also would probably end in tragedy if our friends die but that's already a tragedy anyways.

"We approach even closer towards the perfection of Dragonball Super.
Your nakama is empowered. You wield the power of friendship.
Your Life, quite literally, becomes defined by your friendships." ~Birdsie

I imagine it'd massively help our connections power oh and ilbgar bought solace through spells. It's a bit less restricting than life of magic but also less restricting.
 
Remove ads
The New Arrivals
  • Threadmarks
    • The New Arrivals

    The Second Year started much as the First: with the Educator confidently entering a classroom on the Arcanist level of the Academy, carrying nothing but a simple cane, and stepping with swagger and panache. However, the certitude died upon detecting an error - an anomaly of some unprecedented proportion. He arrested his confident walk forward and, with the protracted slowness of a buffering computer, stepped back three times. This delivered him to the space right in front of the middle-left column of desks. Like a valve on a spindle, the man's head rotated to face a desk further down the room. It was conspicuously empty, with no one sitting behind it.

    "It's the Start of the Year!" The Educator's voice revealed feelings of fury and betrayal. "Where is Mr. Williams?"

    "He's dead," answered Noah, with a note of surprise, as if disbelieving the Educator didn't know that.

    "Yeah, for the second time this week," added Ryan, a hand on his cheek, seeming irritated. "We would've taken the corpse in for a quick rez, but the damn river washed it away. Those archers were so annoying, dude."

    "Well, if one of you wasn't responsible for Mr. Williams' death, that's no excuse for not being present here at the Start of the Year!" the Educator said, fists balled up with anger. "How long ago was this incident with the archers and river?"

    "Uh, yesterday-ish?"

    "Then he'll return by tomorrow at the earliest! Tardiness of that nature is unacceptable!" And with a snap of silver light made by the Educator's will, Maximillian appeared seated at his desk, drenched in cold water. He immediately choked and spat out a small goldfish, coughing out river water. As the Fool recovered from his ordeal, the Educator continued to speak with cold wrath, "Mr. Williams, I am writing you up for lateness! Mere death is no excuse. You're a second-year, for Lord's sake! And an Arcanist, at that! Death is quite literally your classmate! Acquire a means of apotropaic warding or appropriate mechanism of resurrection by no later than Sunday!"

    After coughing some more water out of his lungs, Max saluted and nodded, "Y-Yeah, alright, sir."

    Satisfied, the man settled down. The Educator addressed his students with a chipper greeting, "Good morning, Class."

    "Good morning, Educator," answered the chorus.

    "Today, we'll begin work on your Second Year curriculum. I'm sure you're all excited, and I must say, with good reason indeed! This new curriculum opens new avenues of exploring your Theme. Given the rest of the Class is now on level, even Mr. Lancaster and Ms. Storm are likely to find new doors open. Ah, I should mention, there'll be an examination at the end of this Year, conducted to test your skills and prepare you for the Third Year. Its top graders will naturally receive a better allotment of Class Credit."

    He started to sketch a multicolored diagram on the blackboard, showing each member of the Class their current level of Student Credit, and expected returns to most likely questions about their Aspects. The Educator noted and discussed several matters of import: the upcoming Second Year's ball, his individual responses to a collated list of requests to retain several items from Fortuna on Earth, and a distribution of Earthstuff: mostly food items and some letters from their family members.

    Eventually, the bell rang.

    The Educator finished up, saying, "Naturally, you should pay attention to what you'll be learning. The First Year was child's play! This Year, you'll do actual work, and start to cement your future. Starting from next week, changing your Aspects will no longer be possible! Anyone with second thoughts about the fundamental nature of their Role should visit me no later than that. You're free to go." With a permissive nod, students began to rise and conversations about the subject matter erupted.

    Solomon, naturally, sprung out of his desk, gathered up Damien, Harrison, and Penny, and said, "Downstairs, one minute?"

    A smattering of nods.

    With a word of spatial invocation, the classroom disappeared, replaced by a data center: computers carved out of rock, with slates of tactile arcane holograms to manipulate the data. Above, veins of Twilight energy connected to the terminals not unlike cables. Solomon sat down on a throne and intoned a spell of telepathic Connection.

    "Alright. Let's have a look," he said.

    "Here are the most likely matches, sir," answered Vitas, one of Solomon's apprentices, a young man recently blessed with the Minor Arcana of the Ace of Swords. He was a swift learner, and eagerly patriotic for the newfound Twilight Magocracy.

    A screen turned on.

    It showed Solomon a classroom on another level of the Academy, Thematically attired in Gothic darkness and shadows: cobwebs spun in corners, curtains of purple-black silk covering windows that only allowed moonlight to shine through, library shelves with skulls and candles as well as books.

    And in a corner, four young girls were discussing some matter animatedly - almost identical to each other, blonde and with sleek features. They had different styles of dress: one looked almost punk, another dressed properly, another in a sports outfit, and the last one casually.

    "Quadruplets?"

    Why are they girls? Just an element of disguise? For seduction? I doubt you could get the Educator with that.

    The Architecture didn't have any answers forthcoming.

    "It seems so," answered Vitas with a slow nod. "It's statistically improbable given our knowledge of Earth, but according to your testimony, the Enemy's means of naturalization can most likely bend the Architecture on a retrocausal level. It's already theorized the Architecture is atemporal to some degree, so at least this matches our research in that area. If the human vessels started to exist because the Horsemen would have a future need of them; we're fortunate to have caught onto the trick before their mission was completed. That is one thing that surprises me, though."

    "Ah," Solomon reacted with a wry smile, "why they didn't already proceed with their task?"

    "Yes. If your suppositions are correct, they could drop the pretense of mortality at any time."

    Solomon smiled at the screen even more. "Correct. And that'd be their doom. They cannot attack the Educator in a classroom: that's his den of power." He remembered how the Educator was able to casually resurrect the Fool and transport him to attend the Start of the Year. Inside of a classroom, the Educator was a virtual omnipotent: capable of doing anything Thematically appropriate. Forcing a student to be there at the beginning of arguably the most important lesson of the year? Nothing easier.

    "If they ever attack," Solomon went on, "it'll be outside of a classroom and without any fellow students around. I'm sure at least one of them will seize the opportunity if presented. To see that the Educator is never alone outside of a classroom is one surefire way to stall their efforts."

    "I see," Vitas answered. "You've really thought this through, sir."

    "Thank you."

    "What happens next?"

    "Next? We deal with them, of course."

    ---

    The vote's winners were: [Freedom from Fate], [Concord through Pedagogy].

    Furthermore, a player's intercession has acquired: [Solace in Spells], as well as [Hermetic Concord].

    Your Solace in Spells effectively boosts all uses of your Arcanum Aspect, and enhances them even more if done inside your Sanctum. Furthermore, doing magic now has psychological benefits: you find it alluring and mentally stabilizing. If you were prone to panic attacks, a simple prestidigitation could immediately calm you down.

    Arcanum Technique: Hermetic Concord - Level 1
    *As the Magician, you can formally bestow access to any of the Minor Arcana, conferring a host of lesser powers based on the Theme of each card. Multiple Arcana may be stacked onto a single recipient, although you find this exhausting. Each Arcana's powers can also develop naturally.
    *Furthermore, any cooperation with Minor Arcanists swells the might of your own art. Connectivity is enhanced where this is relevant. Joined together as a chorus, your spellcasting capabilities become capable of progressively more than normally if you were simply aided by others.

    Currently, you've elected to bestow Hermetic Concord on a vast number of apprentices and promising mages across your nascent Magocracy, in efforts to boost research and proliferate overall welfare. It's always good to have more magic.

    As a result of your personal development and recent attainments, [Will] is no longer a mechanic: you don't require any special effort to muster complex or drawn-out actions out of yourself. However, neither is your will an indomitable gem yet.

    Credit: 0.2
    XP: 5,000

    Choose a method of dealing with the Horsemen:

    [ ] Assess - For now, content yourself with simply observing their doings from afar to gather more information. That said, you don't have infinite time, and the clock is ticking. Are you truly gathering information, or sitting on the fence for longer than you should? Either it'll yield useful information, or you'll find your enemies crafter than you suspected. There's wisdom in staying the blade: wisdom, too, in fully knowing it must descend sooner or later.

    [ ] Approach     - Converse with the disguised Horsemen as a group and attempt to resolve the situation through intrigue or diplomacy as appropriate. It'd be somewhat arrogant to pretend you can steer vast celestial entities (even if they've taken on humble forms) away from their appointed task, but you're also the Magician: if you can't, no one else can. The Architecture sings hints to aid your approach. You're convinced there must exist a path by which you can even turn them from their task without violence.

    [ ] Assassinate - A simple task, doable by appearing behind the girls and snapping four neck at once with one spell. It'll do wonders for your reputation among the new Gothic arrivals, you're sure. Nonetheless, the risk of the Educator's death is real. Like any proper sage, you should minimize that risk as soon as possible.

    The Educator won't intervene or resurrect them. Historically, he doesn't do that if students are the ones responsible for killing each other.

    [ ] Write-in

    Afterwards, choose your actions for the Autumn Season.

    You'll have nine (9) actions in total. Given that Will is no longer a mechanic, you can select Individualized Classwork at no additional cost. Given the Surveyor's Club has essentially folded into the Magocracry's (also newfound) Explorer Corps, you're freed of that burden.

    Your wife's offered to handle the brunt of ruling while you're busy with Education, so you don't have to spend any time on it. That's sweet of her.

    Here's a short list of potential options, but feel free to write-in:

    [ ] Classwork - Individualized by default. If you wish to spend XP, make sure to note what sort of abilities you're interested in.
    [ ] Interaction - With someone you know or want to get to know.
    [ ] Exploration - Of Fortuna and its myriad vistas.
    [ ] Rule - Spend some time being a Sorcerer-King.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • We've outgrown the Will mechanic. Big milestone. That said, do we still want Water Devotion, then?

    Your wife's offered to handle the brunt of ruling while you're busy with Education, so you don't have to spend any time on it. That's sweet of her.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    This is slightly worrying. Please, whatever else, drop an interaction on Mona. Let's put some effort into this.
     
    JamesShazbond said:
    We've outgrown the Will mechanic. Big milestone. That said, do we still want Water Devotion, then?



    This is slightly worrying. Please, whatever else, drop an interaction on Mona. Let's put some effort into this.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    cups is one of the contributing factors to actually getting rid of it without it not so much. Also, it means our will is average more cups increases our will still to even higher levels instead of the average we are.
     
    We oughta spend an action 'interacting' with our wife. I understood the logic, but it still felt like a jerk thing leaving her on hold throughout the summer.
     
    Since we now have Concord through Pedagogy, maybe we should spend time helping our friends strengthen? This would greatly help them and advance us in the development of Soteriomancy.
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top