The Streetwalker's Guide to the Hierarchy
- Thread starter Birdsie
- Start date
That sounds pretty wishful and abstract. What makes Biology focus good is that we have Viscerality/Coil to immediately make great use out of it. Engineering focus has no synergies going for it - although now that I think about it Doctor's Barakah would be relevant synergy, so there's at least that.
HoratioVonBecker
Imperfectly Aligned
I think it's more interaction surface - we can get power from more sources, if we have a paradigm that allows us to. Also, it's helpful for uplift.
Also I just like the aesthetic.
My problem is that it doesn't actually do much(on top of being just bad Rook which is kinda frustrating after we had whole argument how tech sucks and it can't potentially ever be a pick) since I can't think of much we could do at Doctor's current level. Like we have Hammer and stuff, but would all that be better than just 1.5x multi to CK?
HoratioVonBecker
Imperfectly Aligned
I mean, yeah? Lightning-Within-Atoms II, plus Engineering Research, means he can synthesize space rockets and Hammer them into power armor basically as soon as he's promoted. But then he can get better.
[X] Temporize
[X] Plan Lichdom
[X] Clergydom(Bone)
[X] Bonecraftx2
[X] Greater Midnightx2
[X] Talented Skill(Biology, Research)
[X] Plan Vast Lorde
We got Bishop, might as well go all out. Great Visceral synergy, Biology plus Research plus double Midnight for super bone research and then we cross line into full on miracle territory so we can create Coil tier bone Visceral improvements. The best thing is that thanks to our Kingship, we can apply Visceral buffs to entire part, allowing Musurov to buff everyone.
[X] Plan Lichdom
[X] Clergydom(Bone)
[X] Bonecraftx2
[X] Greater Midnightx2
[X] Talented Skill(Biology, Research)
[X] Plan Vast Lorde
We got Bishop, might as well go all out. Great Visceral synergy, Biology plus Research plus double Midnight for super bone research and then we cross line into full on miracle territory so we can create Coil tier bone Visceral improvements. The best thing is that thanks to our Kingship, we can apply Visceral buffs to entire part, allowing Musurov to buff everyone.
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So there are three possible outcomes with Jukah. Either he is being mostly truthful, in case it is what it is, or he is just a fiction created by Jafar to scare us, in case any vote by running away should do it, or the truth is somewhere in between. Perhaps there is Jukah but he lost his powers, or he is bound more tightly that he would let us know. Maybe it is some other being of power trying to influence us.
The existence of Jukas as told to us is possible. There are reasons why he is hidden, and the baby eating lions do seem like something he would figure out. It is funny that I theorized already that Voyaging King was a vampire Visceralist responsible for lions and ghouls, but a part of his court works as well. That Voyaging King had authority to seal someone with enough power that even at his level Jukah can't get free is harder to believe, but it could be that he had some kind of fealty he can't really go around. And it is hard to believe that he couldn't convince or swindle or coerce or just pay Streetwalker in last two thousand years to get off this rock, but that too can be explained by Street not being ok with that kind of thing.
However, what gives me pause are headphone statements:
It is also very interesting that Jukah mentioned part where he held an oath to Magog and Gog. He mentioned it in a very offhand manner as if it didn't matter, and something like that really shouldn't matter. Then why bring it up at all? This alone is where my doubts started.
A theory would be that Jukah doesn't exist, but that the apparition wasn't specifically conjured by Jafar to scare us. Rather I would say there is a Djinn conspiracy to release their old gods, which would be why nation of Surirah is currently ruled by them, as that is where the Labyrnth is closest to the surface, and where the Barakah is most corrupted(headphones noted that Barakah is "stained" when we got here). In that context Jafar would rather be a pawn of theirs, although still a threat to us. That would be why Ifrit tried to stop us from getting here, as well. As such the apparition we are seeing right now would be cleric of those gods, channeling their fear based powers to no avail, other than managing to figure out more practical worry such as character of Jukah.
Reaching? Perhaps. Yet I do believe that nothing is as it seems. Cult of fear gods might be our true opponent here.
The existence of Jukas as told to us is possible. There are reasons why he is hidden, and the baby eating lions do seem like something he would figure out. It is funny that I theorized already that Voyaging King was a vampire Visceralist responsible for lions and ghouls, but a part of his court works as well. That Voyaging King had authority to seal someone with enough power that even at his level Jukah can't get free is harder to believe, but it could be that he had some kind of fealty he can't really go around. And it is hard to believe that he couldn't convince or swindle or coerce or just pay Streetwalker in last two thousand years to get off this rock, but that too can be explained by Street not being ok with that kind of thing.
However, what gives me pause are headphone statements:
A "single hour, millennia in the making" and "they are still sleeping" don't really jive with what we know of Jukah right now. It could be that "they" refers to Gog and Mogog Jukah mentioned, however them just sorta being there while Jukah is the biggest guy around makes little sense. They seem the source of fear headphones picked up, so it would also be strange if they together with Jukah shared those fear based abilities.
It is also very interesting that Jukah mentioned part where he held an oath to Magog and Gog. He mentioned it in a very offhand manner as if it didn't matter, and something like that really shouldn't matter. Then why bring it up at all? This alone is where my doubts started.
A theory would be that Jukah doesn't exist, but that the apparition wasn't specifically conjured by Jafar to scare us. Rather I would say there is a Djinn conspiracy to release their old gods, which would be why nation of Surirah is currently ruled by them, as that is where the Labyrnth is closest to the surface, and where the Barakah is most corrupted(headphones noted that Barakah is "stained" when we got here). In that context Jafar would rather be a pawn of theirs, although still a threat to us. That would be why Ifrit tried to stop us from getting here, as well. As such the apparition we are seeing right now would be cleric of those gods, channeling their fear based powers to no avail, other than managing to figure out more practical worry such as character of Jukah.
Reaching? Perhaps. Yet I do believe that nothing is as it seems. Cult of fear gods might be our true opponent here.
Seems pretty compelling actually. Combine these with Jukah being specifically a cleric for Gog and Magog, which to some extent implies him serving under them, and their names matching the names used in abrahamic religions which are tied to eschatological prophecies (and their granted abilities aligning with this), the suspicions seem to mount.
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- Location
- 1
I doubt "They" refers to Jukah, or to Gog and Mogog unless the cleric pact is an automatic function to them. The impression I got is instead...
Barakah is a strange power. It's a type of fate that accumulates around people and reshapes causality. Jukah's Barakah comes from being trapped here, so Barakah is probably limited entirely to the world of Providence. With all that, it wouldn't be so strange for Barakah to be a constructed power, made by "them", by which a single hour- that is, a one-hour span of specifically-planned events and incredible destined import - has been in the process of gradually being arranged for millennia; that one-hour span would probably be the point where "they" wake up, as well.
(and since "they" are sleeping, Gog and Mogog can't be 'them' unless they can cleric-pact in their sleep.)
I really don't see why sleep would be an issue for the pact
I think that Surirah expedition might turn out much more challenging than we'd expected. And I'm all for it, battling down old gods and sealing the crack in their prison sounds like a great campaign. However, we will also have to take this a bit more seriously I feel.
- Location
- 1
cleric powers in fiction often involve some kind of active intervention by the god on the cleric's behalf, or at least the god's agreement to the pact at formation. If they're asleep-so-deeply, they might not be able to agree/disagree or maintain any of the active-intervention features.
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[X] Temporize
[X] Plan Master Spark
Reassessing votes, the immediate threat to us is likely low (and leaving all these mysteries behind would sting)
Master spark is not quite my ideal vote as it is spread a bit thin, but it both plays to Musorov's personal strengths (rather than synergies with others) and seems much more closely aligned with his own expressed desires than the main competition: Biology focus would make visceral initiation almost a no-brainer goal, while he already said he wants to focus on the handful of magics he already has.
[X] Plan Master Spark
Reassessing votes, the immediate threat to us is likely low (and leaving all these mysteries behind would sting)
Master spark is not quite my ideal vote as it is spread a bit thin, but it both plays to Musorov's personal strengths (rather than synergies with others) and seems much more closely aligned with his own expressed desires than the main competition: Biology focus would make visceral initiation almost a no-brainer goal, while he already said he wants to focus on the handful of magics he already has.
I think that people are sleeping on Clergyman. Scholasticism is somewhat redundant with Dorian(and Mask I guess) already having high level decision making, especially if we end up figuring out how to dole out mental buffs. I like both Viscerality focus and mask plan Rihaku proposed, but even with tech build(reeeeee not taking Rook because Bishop magic and going back to do tech reeeee etc) you could do something like Clergyman(Lightning)/2xMidnight/2xAtom/Research/Engineering to nab a pretty potent build.
Mystic, on the other hand, just seems like ass. I guess you could do something like having Japhris teach Musurov Arcanism with build that is something like Mythic/3xMidnight/2xGreater Mind/Research but that just sounds really fucking mid.
Mystic, on the other hand, just seems like ass. I guess you could do something like having Japhris teach Musurov Arcanism with build that is something like Mythic/3xMidnight/2xGreater Mind/Research but that just sounds really fucking mid.
- Location
- Classified
[X] Temporize
[X] Plan Master Spark
Make the Doctor better at his thing, instead of horning in on ours.
[X] Plan Master Spark
Make the Doctor better at his thing, instead of horning in on ours.
- Location
- Classified
So what Musorov plan won? Looks like a tie.
HoratioVonBecker
Imperfectly Aligned
Have a new mask idea! This one took a lot longer, probably because I was learning a new art program (Kleki, which has several issues with how it handles cropping and panning, but it's got neat features and browser-based means it's light enough to not be laggy).
kleki.com
The Counterfactor
A mask of Distorted copper, swarming with ghostly reflections of itself. Its nature is to ask: What if?
Mass of Probability (X) - Unbinds the wearer into a ghostly probability cloud, collapsing only when necessary for interaction. This initially manifests as a percentile bonus to perception and dexterity, but it may grow deeper than the physical Aspect, in time...
(The concept for this was something that could access counterfactual builds, like the Expropriate from Terrascape. Balancing it around a 10-20 Potential mask may have obfuscated that, hence this note.)
Kleki - Paint Tool
Free web-app for painting and editing. Features different brushes, layers, filters, import, upload, pressure sensitivity, and more.
kleki.com
The Counterfactor
A mask of Distorted copper, swarming with ghostly reflections of itself. Its nature is to ask: What if?
Mass of Probability (X) - Unbinds the wearer into a ghostly probability cloud, collapsing only when necessary for interaction. This initially manifests as a percentile bonus to perception and dexterity, but it may grow deeper than the physical Aspect, in time...
(The concept for this was something that could access counterfactual builds, like the Expropriate from Terrascape. Balancing it around a 10-20 Potential mask may have obfuscated that, hence this note.)
HoratioVonBecker
Imperfectly Aligned
And another. The coin idea has been on my mind for some time.
https://www.deviantart.com/horatiovonbecker/art/1131604896
The Living Deathmask
A rubbery mask of undead flesh, coins affixed by phantom gravity. Should this burial rite be disturbed, it might unleash a curse.
Burial Sight (X) - A deathly and oracular spiritual sense replaces the wearer's eyesight. Blind or highly powerful eyes can become a potent sense, even at low Potential.
Mortification (Y) - Grants the resilience of the undead. At the low end, the wearer's wounds bleed as little as if their heart had stopped.
(Possible trait evolution name: Immortal Coil. I might use that for an ouroboros mask, though.)
https://www.deviantart.com/horatiovonbecker/art/1131604896
The Living Deathmask
A rubbery mask of undead flesh, coins affixed by phantom gravity. Should this burial rite be disturbed, it might unleash a curse.
Burial Sight (X) - A deathly and oracular spiritual sense replaces the wearer's eyesight. Blind or highly powerful eyes can become a potent sense, even at low Potential.
Mortification (Y) - Grants the resilience of the undead. At the low end, the wearer's wounds bleed as little as if their heart had stopped.
(Possible trait evolution name: Immortal Coil. I might use that for an ouroboros mask, though.)
Providence - Reach Out
New
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
[X] Plan Master Spark
[X] Temporize
---
Reach Out
It seemed, to Dorian's strategic sense and every intellectual faculty, increasingly probable that Nasir al-Jafar was simply an ominous human-scale prank.
He'd tasked Linneas with carefully shadowing the man for several nights, and done some investigating himself as well, if only to ensure they weren't missing any facts. For all of the man's doomy and sinister mannerisms, it didn't seem he was involved in anything truly illicit. His shadow lengthened, cast onto the wall as an ominous reflection of the true self with horns sprouting from the turban as if showing hints of the demon underneath, but much as the Mask said: nothing here that couldn't be explained as bad Barakah.
Dorian had to admit, some of the man's activities did look like a smokescreen for anyone investigating him. Jafar donated a significant portion of his earnings to charity and often visited the local orphanage where the orphans cheerfully called him Uncle Jafar and smothered him in hugs as a greeting, to read stories and inspire the youths of Senumrah to aspire for greater heights in life. His readings were rather menacing - everything the man did simply was - but the children were delighted, and the morals weren't crooked or evil or anything. He didn't twist their minds into puppets or encourage infighting in the hopes of finding some kind of dark apprentice.
Just about the only matter truly suspicious at all was Kalila, the man's dead wife, whose grave he visited frequently - every other evening, sitting on a bench and quietly retelling the most recent events in the Caliphate. But Dorian had scanned the location thoroughly and there were no listening devices...
...so, Jafar was simply a misunderstood nice guy?
Question of Jafar aside, there was also Jukah.
The ancient vampire had taken surprisingly well to being informed Dorian would require more time to consider the matter - at least until they were on the shores of Surirah. The Voyaging King's former companion simply nodded along and told Dorian to take as much time as he needed to come to a decision.
At week's end, the stars were finally aligned, and a ceremony finally took hold.
The entire court of Senumrah had convened to attend the occasion, including the Caliph's guests. Heroes from as afar as the green north were invited, shining paragons from nations continents away exchanging tales of bravado, including some of Misrashan's most recognizable heroes, such as Shams al-Din ibn Bukrah, the daring traveler who'd visited every continent and delved even into the heart of Sijjin itself in his unquenchable explorer's thirst, or the infamous Veiled Swordsman, whose scimitar was poetry in motion, as captivating as the morning light; but to admire it was to die.
The course of that day was divided into a highly formal and proper ceremony and a slightly less formal banquet to follow. Naturally, it all shone with the casual majesty and awe-inspiring grand extravagance that Misrashan employed for every high instance of exceptional import. For the sculptures, ice was drayed directly from the polar caps by a courageous hero with nothing but a wooden cart, a spare axle, a hammer, and a dream of greatness in his heart; as soon as the boy came wheezing and panting with the bounty of the world's coldest reaches, he shared tales of terrible snow djinn and how he'd tricked one of them to give up its winter heart as a gift to the Caliph. And so on.
During the ceremony, Dorian stood in front of the Caliph and the Son of Destiny ceremonially asked him to affirm his faith in destiny, in the fairness of its final accounting, that it'd deliver him to victory abroad. And Dorian confirmed all this, and then bowed, and with a scent of ozone, was anointed as a hero, followed by his entire court.
After the banquet, the details were decided and settled over several meetings: Dorian would, with the Caliph's blessing, preside over an army of mercenaries and volunteers, and while the Caliphate wouldn't directly contribute any of its troops, it'd help fund the expedition abroad.
Once there was agreement on theory, it came time to start implementation.
And so they sat on a beach of golden sand, near tropical palm trees and scenic vistas of clear water and naval escarpments, on the outskirts of the port town of Banzar Mahr. Japhris luxuriated with delight, feet dipping in the water, as a manservant waved a giant leaf to fan her, and a maiden fed her exquisite dates. A similar situation went for Linneas, the Mask, Dorian himself, and even both of the Lions, who received near-constant grooming by trained experts. The Caliph had forcefully insisted that as long as they were within his nation's borders, and he considered them friends, they'd be swathed by opulent comfort. After some inquiry, Dorian conceded; it was good for the economy.
Arranging transportation to the port town was its own form of adventure. He'd denied a gilded palanquin when it was offered, and instead rode on a trained elephant as a concession, as a beast of that nature could be Viscerally steered with fewer compunctions.
The sole individual of the court exempted from this absurdly motile palatial treatment was Andrei, who now soared overhead, a cream turban and a steel mask covering his head; recently empowered as a Bishop, and driven into a mad maelstrom-flurry of tinkering and forging with Barakah guiding and empowering each motion, he'd grafted some kind of implant into his spine that permitted magnetokinetic flight and made him far more durable. His mask had also augmented his precision and insight.
Within a couple of nights, Andrei had devised a blueprint and after their arrival near Banzar Mahr, began to instruct the Caliph's men on constructing a massive metal war-vessel that'd act as their court's mobile command center, striking from the shore with cannons whose capabilities far outdid anything Dorian had ever seen, and whose engines could use - not steam, but rather a biofuel that could be refined from crude palm oil. Frankly, were Dorian not excised of cowardice, he imagined he might've slightly feared the man's incipient ability to look upon literally almost anything in the world and find some scientific method to engineer it into something instrumentally useful.
However, the most important of the vessel's purported capabilities would be its sheer professed speed: assuming no one misplaced a crucial element, its rotational output would exceed a hundred knots and be so high as to deliver them on Surirah's shores within two days and nights, assuming incessant operation. It could thereafter provide notable fire support from the shoreline or act as a high-speed extremely well-armed emergency supply line all on its own, depending on what they deemed more useful.
And, most importantly, with the doctor's exalted supernal skills, his rapidly increasing Barakah stocks, and constant personal oversight which both revivified and corrected the actions of the builders, the project would be completed fast enough that it'd still be noticeably swifter to await the warship's construction than sail on any other vessel that wasn't the Caliph's personal yacht. Even had Misrashan not agreed to source most of the materials, the issues presented would've been minimal, as between the Mask's ability to create or gather stockpiles of construction resources, Andrei's own transformative Fulminance, and Dorian's access to distortion, they had what was needed.
As the ship itself was nearing half-completion, Dorian dismissed the court's servants, having mulled over the dilemma enough, and called everyone - including Andrei and the Lions - into attendance for a meeting. After setting down the appropriate magical and Arcane countermeasures to potential scrying and espionage, they all sat down.
"I felt that I should inform you all of something potentially very beneficial, or detrimental, to our plans on Providence," he said, opening the conversation. "A couple of nights ago, I had a vivid - lucid, even - dream where I was contacted by an entity that claimed itself to be Jukah of the Thousand Estates."
"One of the Voyaging King's companions," Linneas sharply recognized. "What of it?"
"He is a vampire," he said, noticing the quirk of distaste on the doctor's face. "But claims not to be a sociopath."
Andrei, naturally, scoffed. "I wouldn't trust such a claim without verification, but continue, milord?"
"He said that we could help each other. He offered a thorough dossier of his capabilities, and seemed open about most things." Dorian passed around a short summary of them, disseminating the details to everyone seated at the table; those of them who couldn't read the language donned special masks to facilitate translation, while the Lions seemed to simply understand the contents, as they did with most language and nonverbal cues, despite not being human. "Naturally, I am not utterly naive. I'm well-aware this professed exchange likely contains a hidden hook or three... but then again, it does seem we have him at a disadvantage, in terms of benefit ratios."
"Hold on," Japhris cut in, noticing something amiss, "Didn't you say you don't have dreams anymore, Dorian? Ever since that incident from before we joined up?"
Dorian nodded.
"Apparently, that issue was amended - or at least, it began to amend itself at some point, for which I suspect the culprit is my ever-growing Crimson King's mask. I've started to dream again, in the most recent nights. That is what I suspect enabled Jukah's intercession at all. Otherwise, he might not have been able to contact me at all. Just to check and make sure: none of the rest of you recall any strange dreams of a similar nature? Potentially prophetic? Japhris?" She shook her head, and he nodded.
"I see," Linneas said, nodding, as he was done reading the paper. "And you wanted our takes on this, sir?
"Precisely."
Linneas nodded. "As far as my personal opinion, I believe that the potential benefits of cooperation are too vast to overlook. We could also be in danger if the vampire is lying about his equanimity towards our refusal. However, I will concede the same is true for the opposite case. I believe taking a risk here is worth it, assuming we aren't ill-prepared to handle the threat. However, if we're afraid to take confident action simply because of one ancient terror, we may as well give up and not form a Kingdom here."
"Boldness does have its rewards," said the Mask with a murmur.
Andrei looked down at the table. "Lord Croft... This is - and always has been - your mission, and whatever misgivings I have, I'll put them aside if need be; as I promised, I am with you, to the hilt if need be. I will trust and support whatever decision you come to. However, when making the decision, please know that my personal opinion is that we should instead plot some kind of blackmail or reassurance, such that this vampiric juggernaut cannot simply force our hand if we refuse, or indeed if we accept and are then scammed out of our desserts. Vampires are clever in their deceptive craft. This could be suicidal if we walk into it blind. If you command it, I'll work on countermeasures."
"Noted. Thank you. And you two?" Dorian looked at Japhris and the Mask.
Japhris shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. "I... It's hard to predict anything, if you want my prophetic skills here..."
"How about your opinion? Personal, no need for prophesying?"
"Then..." Japhris closed both of her eyes and contemplated the issue with visible strain and discomfort, an image of cold nobility almost too symmetrical and forbidding to call classically beautiful. "I don't think we should do this, but like the others, I'll follow your lead."
The Mask offered its final opinion: "What I said before, I still believe. If the leech isn't lying, or at least is willing to deal in good faith; excellent. This'll afford us great power and influence. And if he's lying?" The Mask slammed its fist into a palm, taking on the form of a hulking brute. "Together, we can take this leech."
The Lions provided their opinion after the Mask. Just as well, since Dorian was planning on soliciting them in a moment. Their vibe was that while Jukah was an ancient horror, they had sworn to protect and serve their lord in return for his support. They supported whatever decision Dorian made, but otherwise abstained from the vte.
As instructed, Linneas collected the dossiers once everyone else was done, and they were incinerated with an Arcane spark, Japhris channeling a bit of sunlight to create a mote of fire. She then cast a hand and arcanely commanded the cinders to never return to their previous form, before discarding them from her palm, scattering them into a desert wind that fortuitously picked them up, to ensure an even further disintegration.
"Not a word of this to anyone, not to the Caliph's servants, nor any of our troops," said Dorian. "At least not until we're in Surirah."
---
Barakah Status
Dorian - 35,000 fates: miracles, knowledge, rulership, grandeur, blood, healing, combat, the color red
Japhris - 37,245 fates; prediction, future-seeing, oracular acts, trickery, cold beauty, dreams, arcane, secrets
Andrei - 36,000 fates; science, research, genius, lightning, brightness, the miracle of engineering
Linneas - 20,000 fates; the world's most competent second-in-command; bravery, ingenuity, sheer professional proficiency and cleverness, total devotion to his King
Lions - 7,200 fates; bodyguards, endurance, pride, beauty
Mask - continued Potential growth, overall value equivalent to about 3,000 fates
A couple of decisions and dossiers to read:
The Warship
Constructed via an amazing feat of miraculous Barakah condensation, pure intellect, and supernal engineering prowess. Essentially, once in a blue moon, Dr. Musorov can now enter a 'forge-frenzy' to create a greater working of pure science comparable in overall input-to-output to an artifact. This is the first product of his genius.
Parameters:
*A vessel almost the size of a real-world aircraft carrier, capable of hosting a crew of over five thousand seamen and marines.
*High-tech interior, watertight systems; the vessel can also be powered by vast generators which are meant to enable synergy with Fulminance; the doctor's presence can vastly empower the vessel and overclock virtually all of its systems, including engines and armaments.
*Engines can utilize refined biofuel to operate but are easy enough to adapt to various sources. Palm oil suffices in a pinch; onboard distillery is present for that reason. The doctor's presence entirely vanishes the need for material fuel; Fulminance applied to superconductor coils connected to transformers and substations will suffice.
*Without Andrei's presence, its speed is slightly in excess of a hundred knots. With him around, magnetokinetic propulsion allows it to shoot at truly absurd velocity across the seas, practically cutting through them at nearly double that. Shock absorption systems ensure this isn't problematic for the crew.
*Armored with sets of experimental alloys and compounds formed with mass-scale high-precision Fulminance and slight distortion; its durability eclipses any vessel you would naturally find on Earth. The warship could float near a nuclear explosion and experience only moderate to high damage, but not total obliteration.
*Its chassis integrates deposits of the expensive sovereign metal named mithril; a narrativistic substance, which'll enable and accelerate the vessel's own gathering of fame. It'll accumulate its own Barakah, empower its crew (which'll itself become legendary), and it is furthermore protected against hostile narratives.
*Uses artillery based on the principles of semi-modern ballistics and primitive forms of ground surveillance radar (both of which Andrei figured out from base principles and the work done on Diana 11); capable of acquiring and firing upon targets many miles inland even without a direct sightline. Armament itself is comparable to low-grade battleship munitions, but compensates in sheer quantity; with the doctor's presence, barrels can instead fire via magnetic rail to yield vastly more devastation.
*Naturally, it also has a small manufacturing plant for necessities, including a smelter and factory that can convert raw ores into extra munitions and feed them directly into the guns on the higher deck. Because of course.
*It also acts as both an aircraft carrier and a carrier for smaller vessels, although you don't have much of either, right now.
What do you name your warship/mobile command center?
[ ] The Warwolf
*Good and simple, says exactly what it's built for and what it's built like.
*A homage to the doctor's homeworld. Also an amazing pun.
[ ] The Execrator
*In case 'Warwolf' wasn't aggressive enough as a name.
*An oath of vengeance is a badass name for a ship.
[ ] The Crimson Court
*In case you want to stress your royal authority.
*Let them know the Crimson Court's sailed into port.
[ ] Write-in
Next, what aspects should you focus on training while you await the vessel's construction?
[ ] Visceral Development - God forbid you abandon the incarnadine craft; it hasn't failed you yet.
[ ] Improve Masks - I hope you didn't forget how at the beginning of the story, it was mentioned that much better masks can be crafted if you deign to include rare and mystical resources in their construction? Good news! You're now powerful, well-connected, and rich enough to afford a Costco Silmaril or two to slot into your not-so-metaphorical-anymore crown. Find mithril, orichalcum, mystic gems, and other treasures - either by directly delving into Sijjin on low-stakes expeditions, tasking adventurers under your employ with such quests, or simply buying them - and add them into your masks.
Working some of such resources can be considerably difficult and lengthy, but the gains are notable: you can anticipate an immediate improvement, as well as increases to future growth. By default of course, the Crimson King shall earn the lion's share of upgrades.
[ ] Write-in - You could also gather Barakah, interview people who'd like to apply for Pawnship, etc. There are frankly lots of options available to you.
Finally, decide your army's composition. Choose six (6) of the following, you can pick the same option repeatedly:
[ ] Trained Braves - Often it is said, that quantity has a quality of its own. Your army will count three thousand hopefuls, mere conscripts with ramshackle armaments, but drilled thoroughly on basic tactics and dieted on harsh military discipline for the past week by Linneas and the Mask.
*Quantity: 3,000
*Average parameters: merely peak-human, but widescale Viscerality and crimson augmentation can amend that to about 3x peak-human, before diminishing returns
*Average relevant Skills: [2.5] to [3.0], rarely as high as [3.5]
*Average Barakah: 25-50 fates, noticeably but not drastically more likely to attain success in related endeavors than a single fateless soldier; the occasional exception has Barakah as high as 100-150, capable of vanquishing a fateless platoon on their own if providence aligns with thm
[ ] Seasoned Heroes - Harder to control, almost insubordinate by nature where the question of choosing whether to do good or follow orders arises, but undoubtedly powerful. Their characters, however, must be appeased with appropriate rewards and stimulus.
*Quantity: 300
*Average parameters: merely peak-human, with the occasional hero whose story grants them enhanced bodily strength; can be as high as 10x, or even 15x in some cases
*Average relevant Skills: surprisingly, can be lower than a Trained Brave's, as some heroes are arrogant and don't think they need drilling; in some cases, can be as high as [7.0]
*Average Barakah: 1,000 fates at minimum, sufficient to overcome even a squad of well-prepared Trained Braves; 3,000 on average, can be as high as 5,000
[ ] Great Legends - Not the absolute apex of what the Caliphate can theoretically offer (those stories are unfettered by your own), but perhaps one tier underneath that, are its great legends; heroes either born with a great destiny or ones who'd worked half a lifetime to carve it out.
*Quantity: 10-20
*Average parameters: varies, unpredictable; some are peak-human, others competitive with you in full accouterments; surprisingly considerable mental and social Attributes, making them worthwhile for acting as commanders and your personal lieutenants; these are those heroes who've returned with the elixir enough times to fill a pool
*Average relevant Skills: often very high, within their area of specialty, can even be in the low-supernal range
*Average Barakah: 10,000 fates minimum; 30,000 on average; an outlier could be as high as 75,000, or perhaps even 100,000 if you get lucky
[ ] Practitioners (costs 2 Troop Picks) - Instead of quantity and commonality, aim for something more exotic, and offer mercenary contracts to the Practitioners you're able to reach out to on Providence.
*Quantity: 150-300
*Average parameters: merely peak-human
*Average relevant Skills: a bare minimum of moderately supernal [8.0] within area of focus, which are decently diverse, acting as a great supplement to your own forces; a sufficiently supernal swordsman is more than a challenge even for a Great Legend
*Average Barakah: extremely variable, some are near-fateless, others are within the mid-thousands
[ ] Enhanciles (costs 2 Troop Picks, diminishes your training) - Call forth those of your assembled troops who are willing to undergo vast augmentation in the name of liberating a foreign land from the godless djinn who've taken over. You have the doctor's technology and the King's fleshcraft.
*Quantity: 250
*Average parameters: at least competitive with your own in full accouterment; those whose biologies and metaphysiologies are innately more compatible with enhancements biological and cybernetic could exceed you many times over and bear downright gross, inhuman augmentation
*Average relevant Skills: peak-human [7.0] attainment, but wholly devoted to war, logistics, and other areas which'll be relevant to mass djinn-slaying
*Average Barakah: simply from receiving your direct attentions, this legion's warriors will at minimum have Barakah counts of 1,000, but many of them are expected to progress quickly and rack-up quite a lot of fates as the war progresses; sadly, those of even greater destinies couldn't be roped into the process
You'll make a decision about whether or not to accept Jukah's offer once you've landed in Surirah as promised; Dorian wants to at least see the situation on the ground from up-close before making any overt decisions on the matter.
[X] Temporize
---
Reach Out
It seemed, to Dorian's strategic sense and every intellectual faculty, increasingly probable that Nasir al-Jafar was simply an ominous human-scale prank.
He'd tasked Linneas with carefully shadowing the man for several nights, and done some investigating himself as well, if only to ensure they weren't missing any facts. For all of the man's doomy and sinister mannerisms, it didn't seem he was involved in anything truly illicit. His shadow lengthened, cast onto the wall as an ominous reflection of the true self with horns sprouting from the turban as if showing hints of the demon underneath, but much as the Mask said: nothing here that couldn't be explained as bad Barakah.
Dorian had to admit, some of the man's activities did look like a smokescreen for anyone investigating him. Jafar donated a significant portion of his earnings to charity and often visited the local orphanage where the orphans cheerfully called him Uncle Jafar and smothered him in hugs as a greeting, to read stories and inspire the youths of Senumrah to aspire for greater heights in life. His readings were rather menacing - everything the man did simply was - but the children were delighted, and the morals weren't crooked or evil or anything. He didn't twist their minds into puppets or encourage infighting in the hopes of finding some kind of dark apprentice.
Just about the only matter truly suspicious at all was Kalila, the man's dead wife, whose grave he visited frequently - every other evening, sitting on a bench and quietly retelling the most recent events in the Caliphate. But Dorian had scanned the location thoroughly and there were no listening devices...
...so, Jafar was simply a misunderstood nice guy?
Question of Jafar aside, there was also Jukah.
The ancient vampire had taken surprisingly well to being informed Dorian would require more time to consider the matter - at least until they were on the shores of Surirah. The Voyaging King's former companion simply nodded along and told Dorian to take as much time as he needed to come to a decision.
At week's end, the stars were finally aligned, and a ceremony finally took hold.
The entire court of Senumrah had convened to attend the occasion, including the Caliph's guests. Heroes from as afar as the green north were invited, shining paragons from nations continents away exchanging tales of bravado, including some of Misrashan's most recognizable heroes, such as Shams al-Din ibn Bukrah, the daring traveler who'd visited every continent and delved even into the heart of Sijjin itself in his unquenchable explorer's thirst, or the infamous Veiled Swordsman, whose scimitar was poetry in motion, as captivating as the morning light; but to admire it was to die.
The course of that day was divided into a highly formal and proper ceremony and a slightly less formal banquet to follow. Naturally, it all shone with the casual majesty and awe-inspiring grand extravagance that Misrashan employed for every high instance of exceptional import. For the sculptures, ice was drayed directly from the polar caps by a courageous hero with nothing but a wooden cart, a spare axle, a hammer, and a dream of greatness in his heart; as soon as the boy came wheezing and panting with the bounty of the world's coldest reaches, he shared tales of terrible snow djinn and how he'd tricked one of them to give up its winter heart as a gift to the Caliph. And so on.
During the ceremony, Dorian stood in front of the Caliph and the Son of Destiny ceremonially asked him to affirm his faith in destiny, in the fairness of its final accounting, that it'd deliver him to victory abroad. And Dorian confirmed all this, and then bowed, and with a scent of ozone, was anointed as a hero, followed by his entire court.
After the banquet, the details were decided and settled over several meetings: Dorian would, with the Caliph's blessing, preside over an army of mercenaries and volunteers, and while the Caliphate wouldn't directly contribute any of its troops, it'd help fund the expedition abroad.
Once there was agreement on theory, it came time to start implementation.
And so they sat on a beach of golden sand, near tropical palm trees and scenic vistas of clear water and naval escarpments, on the outskirts of the port town of Banzar Mahr. Japhris luxuriated with delight, feet dipping in the water, as a manservant waved a giant leaf to fan her, and a maiden fed her exquisite dates. A similar situation went for Linneas, the Mask, Dorian himself, and even both of the Lions, who received near-constant grooming by trained experts. The Caliph had forcefully insisted that as long as they were within his nation's borders, and he considered them friends, they'd be swathed by opulent comfort. After some inquiry, Dorian conceded; it was good for the economy.
Arranging transportation to the port town was its own form of adventure. He'd denied a gilded palanquin when it was offered, and instead rode on a trained elephant as a concession, as a beast of that nature could be Viscerally steered with fewer compunctions.
The sole individual of the court exempted from this absurdly motile palatial treatment was Andrei, who now soared overhead, a cream turban and a steel mask covering his head; recently empowered as a Bishop, and driven into a mad maelstrom-flurry of tinkering and forging with Barakah guiding and empowering each motion, he'd grafted some kind of implant into his spine that permitted magnetokinetic flight and made him far more durable. His mask had also augmented his precision and insight.
Within a couple of nights, Andrei had devised a blueprint and after their arrival near Banzar Mahr, began to instruct the Caliph's men on constructing a massive metal war-vessel that'd act as their court's mobile command center, striking from the shore with cannons whose capabilities far outdid anything Dorian had ever seen, and whose engines could use - not steam, but rather a biofuel that could be refined from crude palm oil. Frankly, were Dorian not excised of cowardice, he imagined he might've slightly feared the man's incipient ability to look upon literally almost anything in the world and find some scientific method to engineer it into something instrumentally useful.
However, the most important of the vessel's purported capabilities would be its sheer professed speed: assuming no one misplaced a crucial element, its rotational output would exceed a hundred knots and be so high as to deliver them on Surirah's shores within two days and nights, assuming incessant operation. It could thereafter provide notable fire support from the shoreline or act as a high-speed extremely well-armed emergency supply line all on its own, depending on what they deemed more useful.
And, most importantly, with the doctor's exalted supernal skills, his rapidly increasing Barakah stocks, and constant personal oversight which both revivified and corrected the actions of the builders, the project would be completed fast enough that it'd still be noticeably swifter to await the warship's construction than sail on any other vessel that wasn't the Caliph's personal yacht. Even had Misrashan not agreed to source most of the materials, the issues presented would've been minimal, as between the Mask's ability to create or gather stockpiles of construction resources, Andrei's own transformative Fulminance, and Dorian's access to distortion, they had what was needed.
As the ship itself was nearing half-completion, Dorian dismissed the court's servants, having mulled over the dilemma enough, and called everyone - including Andrei and the Lions - into attendance for a meeting. After setting down the appropriate magical and Arcane countermeasures to potential scrying and espionage, they all sat down.
"I felt that I should inform you all of something potentially very beneficial, or detrimental, to our plans on Providence," he said, opening the conversation. "A couple of nights ago, I had a vivid - lucid, even - dream where I was contacted by an entity that claimed itself to be Jukah of the Thousand Estates."
"One of the Voyaging King's companions," Linneas sharply recognized. "What of it?"
"He is a vampire," he said, noticing the quirk of distaste on the doctor's face. "But claims not to be a sociopath."
Andrei, naturally, scoffed. "I wouldn't trust such a claim without verification, but continue, milord?"
"He said that we could help each other. He offered a thorough dossier of his capabilities, and seemed open about most things." Dorian passed around a short summary of them, disseminating the details to everyone seated at the table; those of them who couldn't read the language donned special masks to facilitate translation, while the Lions seemed to simply understand the contents, as they did with most language and nonverbal cues, despite not being human. "Naturally, I am not utterly naive. I'm well-aware this professed exchange likely contains a hidden hook or three... but then again, it does seem we have him at a disadvantage, in terms of benefit ratios."
"Hold on," Japhris cut in, noticing something amiss, "Didn't you say you don't have dreams anymore, Dorian? Ever since that incident from before we joined up?"
Dorian nodded.
"Apparently, that issue was amended - or at least, it began to amend itself at some point, for which I suspect the culprit is my ever-growing Crimson King's mask. I've started to dream again, in the most recent nights. That is what I suspect enabled Jukah's intercession at all. Otherwise, he might not have been able to contact me at all. Just to check and make sure: none of the rest of you recall any strange dreams of a similar nature? Potentially prophetic? Japhris?" She shook her head, and he nodded.
"I see," Linneas said, nodding, as he was done reading the paper. "And you wanted our takes on this, sir?
"Precisely."
Linneas nodded. "As far as my personal opinion, I believe that the potential benefits of cooperation are too vast to overlook. We could also be in danger if the vampire is lying about his equanimity towards our refusal. However, I will concede the same is true for the opposite case. I believe taking a risk here is worth it, assuming we aren't ill-prepared to handle the threat. However, if we're afraid to take confident action simply because of one ancient terror, we may as well give up and not form a Kingdom here."
"Boldness does have its rewards," said the Mask with a murmur.
Andrei looked down at the table. "Lord Croft... This is - and always has been - your mission, and whatever misgivings I have, I'll put them aside if need be; as I promised, I am with you, to the hilt if need be. I will trust and support whatever decision you come to. However, when making the decision, please know that my personal opinion is that we should instead plot some kind of blackmail or reassurance, such that this vampiric juggernaut cannot simply force our hand if we refuse, or indeed if we accept and are then scammed out of our desserts. Vampires are clever in their deceptive craft. This could be suicidal if we walk into it blind. If you command it, I'll work on countermeasures."
"Noted. Thank you. And you two?" Dorian looked at Japhris and the Mask.
Japhris shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. "I... It's hard to predict anything, if you want my prophetic skills here..."
"How about your opinion? Personal, no need for prophesying?"
"Then..." Japhris closed both of her eyes and contemplated the issue with visible strain and discomfort, an image of cold nobility almost too symmetrical and forbidding to call classically beautiful. "I don't think we should do this, but like the others, I'll follow your lead."
The Mask offered its final opinion: "What I said before, I still believe. If the leech isn't lying, or at least is willing to deal in good faith; excellent. This'll afford us great power and influence. And if he's lying?" The Mask slammed its fist into a palm, taking on the form of a hulking brute. "Together, we can take this leech."
The Lions provided their opinion after the Mask. Just as well, since Dorian was planning on soliciting them in a moment. Their vibe was that while Jukah was an ancient horror, they had sworn to protect and serve their lord in return for his support. They supported whatever decision Dorian made, but otherwise abstained from the vte.
As instructed, Linneas collected the dossiers once everyone else was done, and they were incinerated with an Arcane spark, Japhris channeling a bit of sunlight to create a mote of fire. She then cast a hand and arcanely commanded the cinders to never return to their previous form, before discarding them from her palm, scattering them into a desert wind that fortuitously picked them up, to ensure an even further disintegration.
"Not a word of this to anyone, not to the Caliph's servants, nor any of our troops," said Dorian. "At least not until we're in Surirah."
---
Barakah Status
Dorian - 35,000 fates: miracles, knowledge, rulership, grandeur, blood, healing, combat, the color red
Japhris - 37,245 fates; prediction, future-seeing, oracular acts, trickery, cold beauty, dreams, arcane, secrets
Andrei - 36,000 fates; science, research, genius, lightning, brightness, the miracle of engineering
Linneas - 20,000 fates; the world's most competent second-in-command; bravery, ingenuity, sheer professional proficiency and cleverness, total devotion to his King
Lions - 7,200 fates; bodyguards, endurance, pride, beauty
Mask - continued Potential growth, overall value equivalent to about 3,000 fates
A couple of decisions and dossiers to read:
The Warship
Constructed via an amazing feat of miraculous Barakah condensation, pure intellect, and supernal engineering prowess. Essentially, once in a blue moon, Dr. Musorov can now enter a 'forge-frenzy' to create a greater working of pure science comparable in overall input-to-output to an artifact. This is the first product of his genius.
Parameters:
*A vessel almost the size of a real-world aircraft carrier, capable of hosting a crew of over five thousand seamen and marines.
*High-tech interior, watertight systems; the vessel can also be powered by vast generators which are meant to enable synergy with Fulminance; the doctor's presence can vastly empower the vessel and overclock virtually all of its systems, including engines and armaments.
*Engines can utilize refined biofuel to operate but are easy enough to adapt to various sources. Palm oil suffices in a pinch; onboard distillery is present for that reason. The doctor's presence entirely vanishes the need for material fuel; Fulminance applied to superconductor coils connected to transformers and substations will suffice.
*Without Andrei's presence, its speed is slightly in excess of a hundred knots. With him around, magnetokinetic propulsion allows it to shoot at truly absurd velocity across the seas, practically cutting through them at nearly double that. Shock absorption systems ensure this isn't problematic for the crew.
*Armored with sets of experimental alloys and compounds formed with mass-scale high-precision Fulminance and slight distortion; its durability eclipses any vessel you would naturally find on Earth. The warship could float near a nuclear explosion and experience only moderate to high damage, but not total obliteration.
*Its chassis integrates deposits of the expensive sovereign metal named mithril; a narrativistic substance, which'll enable and accelerate the vessel's own gathering of fame. It'll accumulate its own Barakah, empower its crew (which'll itself become legendary), and it is furthermore protected against hostile narratives.
*Uses artillery based on the principles of semi-modern ballistics and primitive forms of ground surveillance radar (both of which Andrei figured out from base principles and the work done on Diana 11); capable of acquiring and firing upon targets many miles inland even without a direct sightline. Armament itself is comparable to low-grade battleship munitions, but compensates in sheer quantity; with the doctor's presence, barrels can instead fire via magnetic rail to yield vastly more devastation.
*Naturally, it also has a small manufacturing plant for necessities, including a smelter and factory that can convert raw ores into extra munitions and feed them directly into the guns on the higher deck. Because of course.
*It also acts as both an aircraft carrier and a carrier for smaller vessels, although you don't have much of either, right now.
What do you name your warship/mobile command center?
[ ] The Warwolf
*Good and simple, says exactly what it's built for and what it's built like.
*A homage to the doctor's homeworld. Also an amazing pun.
[ ] The Execrator
*In case 'Warwolf' wasn't aggressive enough as a name.
*An oath of vengeance is a badass name for a ship.
[ ] The Crimson Court
*In case you want to stress your royal authority.
*Let them know the Crimson Court's sailed into port.
[ ] Write-in
Next, what aspects should you focus on training while you await the vessel's construction?
[ ] Visceral Development - God forbid you abandon the incarnadine craft; it hasn't failed you yet.
[ ] Improve Masks - I hope you didn't forget how at the beginning of the story, it was mentioned that much better masks can be crafted if you deign to include rare and mystical resources in their construction? Good news! You're now powerful, well-connected, and rich enough to afford a Costco Silmaril or two to slot into your not-so-metaphorical-anymore crown. Find mithril, orichalcum, mystic gems, and other treasures - either by directly delving into Sijjin on low-stakes expeditions, tasking adventurers under your employ with such quests, or simply buying them - and add them into your masks.
Working some of such resources can be considerably difficult and lengthy, but the gains are notable: you can anticipate an immediate improvement, as well as increases to future growth. By default of course, the Crimson King shall earn the lion's share of upgrades.
[ ] Write-in - You could also gather Barakah, interview people who'd like to apply for Pawnship, etc. There are frankly lots of options available to you.
Finally, decide your army's composition. Choose six (6) of the following, you can pick the same option repeatedly:
[ ] Trained Braves - Often it is said, that quantity has a quality of its own. Your army will count three thousand hopefuls, mere conscripts with ramshackle armaments, but drilled thoroughly on basic tactics and dieted on harsh military discipline for the past week by Linneas and the Mask.
*Quantity: 3,000
*Average parameters: merely peak-human, but widescale Viscerality and crimson augmentation can amend that to about 3x peak-human, before diminishing returns
*Average relevant Skills: [2.5] to [3.0], rarely as high as [3.5]
*Average Barakah: 25-50 fates, noticeably but not drastically more likely to attain success in related endeavors than a single fateless soldier; the occasional exception has Barakah as high as 100-150, capable of vanquishing a fateless platoon on their own if providence aligns with thm
[ ] Seasoned Heroes - Harder to control, almost insubordinate by nature where the question of choosing whether to do good or follow orders arises, but undoubtedly powerful. Their characters, however, must be appeased with appropriate rewards and stimulus.
*Quantity: 300
*Average parameters: merely peak-human, with the occasional hero whose story grants them enhanced bodily strength; can be as high as 10x, or even 15x in some cases
*Average relevant Skills: surprisingly, can be lower than a Trained Brave's, as some heroes are arrogant and don't think they need drilling; in some cases, can be as high as [7.0]
*Average Barakah: 1,000 fates at minimum, sufficient to overcome even a squad of well-prepared Trained Braves; 3,000 on average, can be as high as 5,000
[ ] Great Legends - Not the absolute apex of what the Caliphate can theoretically offer (those stories are unfettered by your own), but perhaps one tier underneath that, are its great legends; heroes either born with a great destiny or ones who'd worked half a lifetime to carve it out.
*Quantity: 10-20
*Average parameters: varies, unpredictable; some are peak-human, others competitive with you in full accouterments; surprisingly considerable mental and social Attributes, making them worthwhile for acting as commanders and your personal lieutenants; these are those heroes who've returned with the elixir enough times to fill a pool
*Average relevant Skills: often very high, within their area of specialty, can even be in the low-supernal range
*Average Barakah: 10,000 fates minimum; 30,000 on average; an outlier could be as high as 75,000, or perhaps even 100,000 if you get lucky
[ ] Practitioners (costs 2 Troop Picks) - Instead of quantity and commonality, aim for something more exotic, and offer mercenary contracts to the Practitioners you're able to reach out to on Providence.
*Quantity: 150-300
*Average parameters: merely peak-human
*Average relevant Skills: a bare minimum of moderately supernal [8.0] within area of focus, which are decently diverse, acting as a great supplement to your own forces; a sufficiently supernal swordsman is more than a challenge even for a Great Legend
*Average Barakah: extremely variable, some are near-fateless, others are within the mid-thousands
[ ] Enhanciles (costs 2 Troop Picks, diminishes your training) - Call forth those of your assembled troops who are willing to undergo vast augmentation in the name of liberating a foreign land from the godless djinn who've taken over. You have the doctor's technology and the King's fleshcraft.
*Quantity: 250
*Average parameters: at least competitive with your own in full accouterment; those whose biologies and metaphysiologies are innately more compatible with enhancements biological and cybernetic could exceed you many times over and bear downright gross, inhuman augmentation
*Average relevant Skills: peak-human [7.0] attainment, but wholly devoted to war, logistics, and other areas which'll be relevant to mass djinn-slaying
*Average Barakah: simply from receiving your direct attentions, this legion's warriors will at minimum have Barakah counts of 1,000, but many of them are expected to progress quickly and rack-up quite a lot of fates as the war progresses; sadly, those of even greater destinies couldn't be roped into the process
You'll make a decision about whether or not to accept Jukah's offer once you've landed in Surirah as promised; Dorian wants to at least see the situation on the ground from up-close before making any overt decisions on the matter.
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Zampano
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
- Location
- Simping for DSB
[X] The Warwolf
[X] The Execrator
[X] The Crimson Court
[X] Write-in
[X] Visceral Development
[X] Improve Masks
[X] Write-in
[X] Trained Braves
[X] Seasoned Heroes
[X] Great Legends
[X] Practitioners (costs 2 Troop Picks)
[X] Enhanciles (costs 2 Troop Picks, diminishes your training)
[X] Practitioners
[X] Enhanciles
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[X] Plan Courageous Charge
[X] Improve Masks
[X] Great Legends x4
[X] Practitioners
A faceless squad of irrelevance seems all too likely to fall to creepy cliches and horror-induced idiot balls, whereas trained heroes and practitioners can tackle the djinn head on. This is a high-level quest by providence standards, and "small team of experts" is a trope for a reason.
Plus, it gives us good contacts later, and (a very small shadow of a chance of) people who could stand up to Jukah for us.
[X] Improve Masks
[X] Great Legends x4
[X] Practitioners
A faceless squad of irrelevance seems all too likely to fall to creepy cliches and horror-induced idiot balls, whereas trained heroes and practitioners can tackle the djinn head on. This is a high-level quest by providence standards, and "small team of experts" is a trope for a reason.
Plus, it gives us good contacts later, and (a very small shadow of a chance of) people who could stand up to Jukah for us.