The Streetwalker's Guide to the Hierarchy
- Thread starter Birdsie
- Start date
Forcibly redirecting a mask's natural evolution probably has costs that are currently significantly higher for us than just crafting a new mask from the ground up, since just a couple of dwindlings should bring it significantly above the current crimson lost in power.
Though maybe repeatedly forcing a mask to change could bring a nice thematic of some kind of "Mask of Change". Crimson lost may also be a worthy test subject for Contamination, especially if contamination and dwindling have an interaction - it's a relatively highly developed mask that has only grown naturally, and given its current bloodlusty state it also seems to be more expendable.
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[X] Alpha Strike
ThatGuyWithIdeas
Treize died for our sins
- Location
- Romania
[X] Alpha Strike
- Location
- 1
judging by the way the Masks developed for this one, it's possible it's more like 'the contamination makes blank masks via facelessness (because Dorian cares a lot about Masks), and even if those are supposed to have an identity that takes a few seconds to solidify properly'. The Masklings' masks aren't producing Facelessness anymore, they've turned into spidery survival-masks or something.
Zampano
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
- Location
- Simping for DSB
It might be that CL's disobedience will be brought under control by leaning into the hunt now: we would be harnessing its enthusiasm after our own strategic repositioning. But I can't say that I'm excited to vote for hunting because we got strong-armed by one of our magic items.
[x] Alpha Strike
Incidentally, the contamination blurb on our most recent character sheet says that it can transmute materials to similar forms (metal -> metal, or wood -> wood) but not reliably change shape. Clearly the power (plus mask) is dramatically more advanced than the last report card we got. If we are going to have identity issues with CL, dumping some Mana into Icarelion instead might be the efficient play. It doesn't give a Viscerality buff but it plays nicely with Japhris and Musorov's power sets.
[x] Alpha Strike
Incidentally, the contamination blurb on our most recent character sheet says that it can transmute materials to similar forms (metal -> metal, or wood -> wood) but not reliably change shape. Clearly the power (plus mask) is dramatically more advanced than the last report card we got. If we are going to have identity issues with CL, dumping some Mana into Icarelion instead might be the efficient play. It doesn't give a Viscerality buff but it plays nicely with Japhris and Musorov's power sets.
[X] Alpha Strike
Icarellion in general seems to be a pretty high-value mask to me, given that Contamination is prolly our strongest non-Mask system.
Leaning away from Crimson Lost in favour of Ica/Contamination synergies would work fine, I think. In this world, anyway, where we could elevate a mask to relevance with only minor costs.
Leaning away from Crimson Lost in favour of Ica/Contamination synergies would work fine, I think. In this world, anyway, where we could elevate a mask to relevance with only minor costs.
- Location
- 1
...Well, to be precise, it says we can "reliably transform one type of matter into another similar type.". Dorian's actions here were in no way reliable. He dumped Contamination without much specificity to his intent, and it made a Mask-spider-predator that started fighting.
All uses of Contamination, all the way back to the very first where Dorian converted an entire tree into a differently-shaped flesh tree with 68 Masks on it, indicate it's a versatile and powerful ability that is limited instead by the fact of being unpredictable and hard to control. This isn't new information, although I suppose it does give us a bit more data on what scale we're working with between 'tree-sized' and 'city-sized' at full capacity, probably in the house-to-mansion-sized range.
Taure - Total Burgeoning
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
[X] Alpha Strike
---
Total Burgeoning
Green ribbons of Arcane fulguration accumulated above Japhris' hand, as if the aurora borealis had spilled from the sky and now danced eagerly in front of them. Japhris looked to Dorian and nodded confirmation of readiness, her brightly painted facemask revealing only a mote of trepidation, eyes squinting worriedly through the sockets.
"Go," Dorian ordered.
A hammer of crisp destruction - did not descend from above.
The wave of energy roiled forward like a tsunami, it flared brilliantly; an emerald fluid refracting a thousand stars, its gleam coating everything in the environment with a mint shade. The spidermen screeched, covering masked leering faces, but couldn't escape as wrapped up within their foe's depths as they were. The urchin didn't react at all, incognizant of the threat. The Faceless screamed and scattered like fleeing insects, even these unidentifiable monsters recognizing the immediate threat of dissolution.
Everything within the luminescence abruptly disappeared, disintegrated. The Arcane zone of brightness condensed and shrank into a sphere, surrounded on each side by verdant emptiness. It hovered like that for a long and ominous moment, a small rotating orb of fearsome green light indubitably containing everything they'd been fighting. Its circumference flickered and trembled, as if it were an unstable bubble about to burst. Japhris huffed, sweat covering her forehead, arm shaking as she asserted control.
As if the Dwindling had reversed its course, the sphere glowed and started to expand, its energy becoming a dust, cast and sprinkled over the empty barren fields it'd absorbed, and then outwards even further, coating the forests and their shoulders.
Around them, everything started to return to life. Dead tree leaves crinkled and straightened out with newfound vibrancy. Flowers bloomed underfoot, as if to create a meadow from nothing. Viridescent webbing spread over the treetops and black spikes sprouted on every acorn. The loam was pressed flat and then rolled off in every direction, like a chaotic and unpredictable world treadmill, trees moving further away and soon reaching the horizon, as cracks sprouted to form minute canyons and gorges around them, fresh springs coming from nowhere and filling with the song of wind within instants: a new sector of the world, come to exist from some ephemeral mist.
And then it was all over, as fast as it started.
They stood in a clearing, like a clean scar amidst verdant flesh.
"What happened?" asked Linneas, uncovering his eyes.
"I couldn't control the mana, so it seems I accidentally caused a Burgeoning," said Japhris, and looked to Dorian to explain, already anticipating his questioning, "It is sort of like the reverse of a Dwindling. An expansion of the world, more of it added."
"Impossible," asserted Andrei, the moment he processed that statement. "You claim you've created new terrain? Inside this city?"
Her awareness of his disbelief didn't prevent her from nodding. "Yes."
"How?" The doctor's voice was straightforwardly incredulous. He chuckled, shaking his head and spreading his arms out. "You'd have to somehow fit this entire area into the surrounding geology without upsetting anything. This must be at least fifty hectares that you've created, conservatively. One cannot simply slot a chunk of mass into a planet like that, it'd increase the total diameter! This implies you've changed the entire world on a global scale in one spell. I am sorry - I believe in magic, but I cannot believe I have witnessed a feat so powerful as to accomplish this. There must be some other explanation."
"Perhaps," said Dorian, "magic does not follow the laws of thermodynamics."
"Insane," said the doctor.
"Certifiably," agreed Dorian, "yet indisputably, as you've said, at least fifty hectares of land were created."
"Then I've no doubt our cover is as blown as it could be. Even discounting those soldiers from team four over there bearing witness of everything that happened, they'll have no doubt had at least some of their staff monitoring - you know, the world - and noticing that a city has begun to occupy a mildly larger area, which in turn means everything now occupies a mildly larger area," he said. "It's only a matter of time before someone connects this to us. Caution advises that we leave at once."
"Or we could stay instead," asserted Linneas, and looked over to Dorian. "Your Majesty, if I may humbly propose an idea?"
"Go on."
"We could assert divine eminence - through a demonstration of power such as this, I've no doubt we could convince their government to cooperate. Elimination of a threat such as this, followed by the creation of a whole new territory is a fearsome feat of magic. They don't even understand how it works exactly, and that is very much to our advantage. They seek land - or at least a safe living space, away from the forest, yes? This means we could profitably exchange created land with amenities in return for relics. Have Japhris reify habitats on a moon with mana drained from the forests on Taure. I am sure we'd be offered anything in return. We stand much to gain from this."
"We also stand to be horrifically exploited," said the doctor, voice hard and drawn. "It is not as if they'll be content with a limited number of such habitats. They won't let Japhris leave, and likely won't be happy to allow any of the rest of us to do the same. Governments are not so eager to part with their golden geese."
"Then we shall threaten them harm," said Linneas, as casual as someone discussing the weather. "It's as simple as that. I do admit their scientific advancement is impressive, but for all its vaunted repute, it does not allow them to casually slay monsters such as this one. That aside, these people have no clue how their own relics work, let alone our magics. It should be easy to confront them if it comes to violence and threats."
"I don't know if I feel comfortable with this," said Japhris, a hand on her elbow. "Threatening - or even planning to maybe threaten people."
"Then we should leave," said the doctor. "Before they take the choice from us."
"Ugh, my head," said one of team four's members plaintively, getting to his knees slowly.
---
[ ] Leave Taure - Indeed, a feat of this scale won't go unnoticed for long. You'll have to retreat from Taure and hope this is written off as some freakish abnormality once you disappear. You can potentially Dwindle a couple more forests on your way out to form extra artifacts, if you feel so inclined.
[ ] Stay and Coordinate - Linneas' idea is appealing to a degree. You could stay here for a month and cultivate the Power of the Kings while collecting a tithe of relics. You'll help them and then be free to leave immediately after - or else.
[ ] Stay and Hide - Taure's potential for relic creation is too exciting to easily pass up on, but neither do you want to get wrapped up in the affairs of a potentially desperate government. Much as you'd like to help these people, it is not a kindness you - or anyone, really - can afford. It's better to stick to the shadows.
[ ] Write-in
---
Total Burgeoning
Green ribbons of Arcane fulguration accumulated above Japhris' hand, as if the aurora borealis had spilled from the sky and now danced eagerly in front of them. Japhris looked to Dorian and nodded confirmation of readiness, her brightly painted facemask revealing only a mote of trepidation, eyes squinting worriedly through the sockets.
"Go," Dorian ordered.
A hammer of crisp destruction - did not descend from above.
The wave of energy roiled forward like a tsunami, it flared brilliantly; an emerald fluid refracting a thousand stars, its gleam coating everything in the environment with a mint shade. The spidermen screeched, covering masked leering faces, but couldn't escape as wrapped up within their foe's depths as they were. The urchin didn't react at all, incognizant of the threat. The Faceless screamed and scattered like fleeing insects, even these unidentifiable monsters recognizing the immediate threat of dissolution.
Everything within the luminescence abruptly disappeared, disintegrated. The Arcane zone of brightness condensed and shrank into a sphere, surrounded on each side by verdant emptiness. It hovered like that for a long and ominous moment, a small rotating orb of fearsome green light indubitably containing everything they'd been fighting. Its circumference flickered and trembled, as if it were an unstable bubble about to burst. Japhris huffed, sweat covering her forehead, arm shaking as she asserted control.
As if the Dwindling had reversed its course, the sphere glowed and started to expand, its energy becoming a dust, cast and sprinkled over the empty barren fields it'd absorbed, and then outwards even further, coating the forests and their shoulders.
Around them, everything started to return to life. Dead tree leaves crinkled and straightened out with newfound vibrancy. Flowers bloomed underfoot, as if to create a meadow from nothing. Viridescent webbing spread over the treetops and black spikes sprouted on every acorn. The loam was pressed flat and then rolled off in every direction, like a chaotic and unpredictable world treadmill, trees moving further away and soon reaching the horizon, as cracks sprouted to form minute canyons and gorges around them, fresh springs coming from nowhere and filling with the song of wind within instants: a new sector of the world, come to exist from some ephemeral mist.
And then it was all over, as fast as it started.
They stood in a clearing, like a clean scar amidst verdant flesh.
"What happened?" asked Linneas, uncovering his eyes.
"I couldn't control the mana, so it seems I accidentally caused a Burgeoning," said Japhris, and looked to Dorian to explain, already anticipating his questioning, "It is sort of like the reverse of a Dwindling. An expansion of the world, more of it added."
"Impossible," asserted Andrei, the moment he processed that statement. "You claim you've created new terrain? Inside this city?"
Her awareness of his disbelief didn't prevent her from nodding. "Yes."
"How?" The doctor's voice was straightforwardly incredulous. He chuckled, shaking his head and spreading his arms out. "You'd have to somehow fit this entire area into the surrounding geology without upsetting anything. This must be at least fifty hectares that you've created, conservatively. One cannot simply slot a chunk of mass into a planet like that, it'd increase the total diameter! This implies you've changed the entire world on a global scale in one spell. I am sorry - I believe in magic, but I cannot believe I have witnessed a feat so powerful as to accomplish this. There must be some other explanation."
"Perhaps," said Dorian, "magic does not follow the laws of thermodynamics."
"Insane," said the doctor.
"Certifiably," agreed Dorian, "yet indisputably, as you've said, at least fifty hectares of land were created."
"Then I've no doubt our cover is as blown as it could be. Even discounting those soldiers from team four over there bearing witness of everything that happened, they'll have no doubt had at least some of their staff monitoring - you know, the world - and noticing that a city has begun to occupy a mildly larger area, which in turn means everything now occupies a mildly larger area," he said. "It's only a matter of time before someone connects this to us. Caution advises that we leave at once."
"Or we could stay instead," asserted Linneas, and looked over to Dorian. "Your Majesty, if I may humbly propose an idea?"
"Go on."
"We could assert divine eminence - through a demonstration of power such as this, I've no doubt we could convince their government to cooperate. Elimination of a threat such as this, followed by the creation of a whole new territory is a fearsome feat of magic. They don't even understand how it works exactly, and that is very much to our advantage. They seek land - or at least a safe living space, away from the forest, yes? This means we could profitably exchange created land with amenities in return for relics. Have Japhris reify habitats on a moon with mana drained from the forests on Taure. I am sure we'd be offered anything in return. We stand much to gain from this."
"We also stand to be horrifically exploited," said the doctor, voice hard and drawn. "It is not as if they'll be content with a limited number of such habitats. They won't let Japhris leave, and likely won't be happy to allow any of the rest of us to do the same. Governments are not so eager to part with their golden geese."
"Then we shall threaten them harm," said Linneas, as casual as someone discussing the weather. "It's as simple as that. I do admit their scientific advancement is impressive, but for all its vaunted repute, it does not allow them to casually slay monsters such as this one. That aside, these people have no clue how their own relics work, let alone our magics. It should be easy to confront them if it comes to violence and threats."
"I don't know if I feel comfortable with this," said Japhris, a hand on her elbow. "Threatening - or even planning to maybe threaten people."
"Then we should leave," said the doctor. "Before they take the choice from us."
"Ugh, my head," said one of team four's members plaintively, getting to his knees slowly.
---
[ ] Leave Taure - Indeed, a feat of this scale won't go unnoticed for long. You'll have to retreat from Taure and hope this is written off as some freakish abnormality once you disappear. You can potentially Dwindle a couple more forests on your way out to form extra artifacts, if you feel so inclined.
[ ] Stay and Coordinate - Linneas' idea is appealing to a degree. You could stay here for a month and cultivate the Power of the Kings while collecting a tithe of relics. You'll help them and then be free to leave immediately after - or else.
[ ] Stay and Hide - Taure's potential for relic creation is too exciting to easily pass up on, but neither do you want to get wrapped up in the affairs of a potentially desperate government. Much as you'd like to help these people, it is not a kindness you - or anyone, really - can afford. It's better to stick to the shadows.
[ ] Write-in
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Zampano
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
- Location
- Simping for DSB
yee. reserving post for vote purposes
[X] Leave Taure
[X] Stay and Coordinate
[X] Stay and Hide
[X] Write-in
This is what we get for putting our unlimited arcane power into the hands of an NPC. A disgusting show of morality in the face of potentially broken blurbs.
[X] Leave Taure
[X] Stay and Coordinate
[X] Stay and Hide
[X] Write-in
This is what we get for putting our unlimited arcane power into the hands of an NPC. A disgusting show of morality in the face of potentially broken blurbs.
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- Location
- 1
[X] Write In: Unassailable Coorhidenation
-[X] Attempt to create a Mask (or Relic) that allows for the manifestation of selective (ie: things can only pass through with your consent; or else, just one-way except to Mana and a limited amount of light) portals through which Japhris can work her magic, using a minimum of Dwindlings and moving on from the location you did so at immediately. If successful, you can engage in the Coordination (or Stay and Hide at your preference) without exposing yourself (making another Mask for general concealment, in case of advanced scanners or tracking). If this is impossible, Leave Taure.
-[X] Unless Leaving Taure, dispose of your body armor and other Government-sourced objects if you think they might betrackable, such as via a GPS.
As the Government has little understanding of their relics and no other magic to call their own, they probably can't track us through Mask-made portals purpose-crafted for the task and likely won't have access to a tracking Relic more powerful than a concealment Mask we can make with a few dwindlings regardless.
That said, I'm not sure there's any value in collaborating with the government directly anyway, if we can manage the portals. We can make Relics and we probably can't carry much more Tech than we have.
-[X] Attempt to create a Mask (or Relic) that allows for the manifestation of selective (ie: things can only pass through with your consent; or else, just one-way except to Mana and a limited amount of light) portals through which Japhris can work her magic, using a minimum of Dwindlings and moving on from the location you did so at immediately. If successful, you can engage in the Coordination (or Stay and Hide at your preference) without exposing yourself (making another Mask for general concealment, in case of advanced scanners or tracking). If this is impossible, Leave Taure.
-[X] Unless Leaving Taure, dispose of your body armor and other Government-sourced objects if you think they might betrackable, such as via a GPS.
As the Government has little understanding of their relics and no other magic to call their own, they probably can't track us through Mask-made portals purpose-crafted for the task and likely won't have access to a tracking Relic more powerful than a concealment Mask we can make with a few dwindlings regardless.
That said, I'm not sure there's any value in collaborating with the government directly anyway, if we can manage the portals. We can make Relics and we probably can't carry much more Tech than we have.
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OctarineShrike
Avatar of Mandos
[X] Leave Taure
[X] Leave Taure - Indeed, a feat of this scale won't go unnoticed for long. You'll have to retreat from Taure and hope this is written off as some freakish abnormality once you disappear. You can potentially Dwindle a couple more forests on your way out to form extra artifacts, if you feel so inclined.
[X] Leave Taure
- Location
- Somewhere else
[X] Leave Taure