What forest? The presets are Arctic, Island, Hills. You guys are lucky it's an island, that or a coastal zone are the reasons the area is even physically survivable. If you were inland, winters could go to 50 below zero, as is you get a much milder winter average of around 30 F and a nice balmy 60 F in summer. Technically, the land would even be arable if it wasn't so dry.
EDIT: Well, not really. You still have nearly year-round snow coverage.
If you were inland, winters could go to 50 below zero, as is you get a much milder winter average of around 30 F and a nice balmy 60 F in summer. Technically, the land would even be arable if it wasn't so dry.
Problem with fear is that you have to threaten a large number of people, but only actually effect very few. And then by threatening so many, you become a target...
If you do too much damage, you destroy the source of your income. If you don't do enough damage, then people have no reason to fear you. If you find that happy middle ground, you're forced into heavy conflict where you either end up doing a lot of damage and win, or you die.
Very hard to balance being a fear spirit, in the long run.
That's the point of a fear spirit. The Loki, the Nidhogg, the Titans, the Demons and Oni, they are adversarial. There is constant risk of losing as a Fear spirit, but the payout is proportionally valuable so long as you keep not losing. You will be stronger than the spirits (maybe even pantheons) you oppose, but you cannot slay them utterly for the danger that you simply exhaust a population of fear and end up forcing them to revere you with faith instead lest you end yourself from starvation. (Think the volcano sacrifice god cliche. If you, the volcano, beat all the other gods to death and glut on that fear, you can't just constantly rain ash and death or people will stop caring, their fear loses it's edge. But if you make them sacrifice a virgin every so often, you still get some fear, and you accidentally worm your way into faith, turning you into not-a-Fear-spirit anymore). Basically, as long as you don't start Ragnorok, you get to exist. You can go ahead and start the local end-times and glut massively on the power that gives you, but if you don't have somewhere else to go, you'll end with the end times yourself.
The djinni had prowled the wastes since time immemorial. Travelers and traders feared the stories of ships and caravans covered in storms of sea or sand and disappearing without a trace. They feared the faceless, shifting wastes and the unreliability of the oases.
-but, they also knew that commerce stretched between even the greatest foes. They made their sacrifices. The creature of misfortune became a creature of fickle chance to be placated. They appeased the djinni, and in doing so discovered something which changed them both. The djinni was a creature of chance and fear, but he could enforce order. If two wary partners wanted to enforce their agreement they could mutually agree to a conditional curse brought down upon the breaker, and purchase it with a small sacrifice in every contract. Never certain, but often and severe enough to provoke anxiety and deter. The consent of the afflicted, in effect "worshipers" themselves, gave the djinni's wrath reach to wherever they might roam regardless of distance, domain, or ward. The feared djinni, a creature of chance, became the Enforcer. The People had discovered their way to maintain trust, order, and faithfulness within, between, and across any language or culture. Every agreement fed him with the implied fear of and trust in divine retribution, and he parceled that strength back out in ever more dramatic and impressive examples to feed the legend and strengthen his people's social order.
In time, the extensiveness of his reach and the extreme difficulty of binding him without his consent were called upon to weave and enforce order among the various protector spirits of the faith, eventually knitting together a loyal pantheon beneath him out of the spirits who understood the value of unity and impartial equity through covenant, and ultimately preferred the devil they knew.
Fear Spirit: The Enforcer
Nature: Dichotomy
Domains:
Law
Fortune
Awe
Skills:
Intimidation
Magic
Trade
Diplomacy
Performance: Creatively ironic punishments
Dominant fear spirit in his lands. He protects by absorbing available mana and starving other fear spirits. Faith income paid in tribute by subordinate faith spirits operating under his Aegis and management. Bonuses from player suggestions for especially humorous punishments.
My guess is that he meant -30 Fahrenheit (which is apparantly -34 in civilized measurments). My google-fu tells me that's Northern Canada weather. I see a lot of fishing blessings or scaring fisherman in our future.
My guess is that he meant -30 Fahrenheit (which is apparantly -34 in civilized measurments). My google-fu tells me that's Northern Canada weather. I see a lot of fishing blessings or scaring fisherman in our future.
Yes, I was using Fahrenheit (sue me), but it wasn't -30 F, it was 30 F, which is only -2 C or so, and is a seasonal average more than a monthly average (you'll have eternal nights in December and eternal days in July, they throw the numbers off a bit). Check out some areas of northern Norway, or the Kola Peninsula in Russia, where average seasonal temperatures are a little lower than yours due to the differences in currents, but the climate is roughly the same.
I mean, assuming that we've got the same kind of setup where the local population is only just large enough to support spirits, then we have a while before thats a concern; unless @Powerofmind changed either the starting spirit level or the whole elemental tree, since all the Sun traits were T2.5 or T3, and presumably even harder to get in the arctic (i can't imagine you could replicate the "burn a forest and glut yourself on the fear and death" trick to increase fire traits in this environment )
Yes, I was using Fahrenheit (sue me), but it wasn't -30 F, it was 30 F, which is only -2 C or so, and is a seasonal average more than a monthly average (you'll have eternal nights in December and eternal days in July, they throw the numbers off a bit). Check out some areas of northern Norway, or the Kola Peninsula in Russia, where average seasonal temperatures are a little lower than yours due to the differences in currents, but the climate is roughly the same.
(though you may experience some crossover).
That's actually pretty balmy. I mean I live in the middle of Europe and our winters are about that cold (or they used to be a few decades ago). The currents make a huge difference in tempreture between Norway and Canada, even if to places are on the same latitude. That means it will be much easier to build up our people into a machine of zealotry and death so we can conquer the world, melt the polar ice caps and make sure every piece of land we can get is under water, so our victory is total and unquestionable.
That's actually pretty balmy. I mean I live in the middle of Europe and our winters are about that cold (or they used to be a few decades ago). The currents make a huge difference in tempreture between Norway and Canada, even if to places are on the same latitude. That means it will be much easier to build up our people into a machine of zealotry and death so we can conquer the world, melt the polar ice caps and make sure every piece of land we can get is under water, so our victory is total and unquestionable.
That's actually pretty balmy. I mean I live in the middle of Europe and our winters are about that cold (or they used to be a few decades ago). The currents make a huge difference in tempreture between Norway and Canada, even if to places are on the same latitude. That means it will be much easier to build up our people into a machine of zealotry and death so we can conquer the world, melt the polar ice caps and make sure every piece of land we can get is under water, so our victory is total and unquestionable.
Locked Skills (Low Avatar Attribute)
You rolled 8 Navigation 2
You rolled 12 Fishing 2
NEW GAME START!
You wake. You have never awoken before, though you realize you existed in another state once before. The change excites you. Words and knowledge and concepts flood your newborn mind, and you latch onto one very quickly.
Foreboding.
A looming dread fills your being as the stars, reflected on the surface of your waters, shift and swirl with the waves. As the fog of not-being leaves you and you grow more aware, you try to feel for the danger again, only to find that the danger has passed.
Your senses expand, the half-formed memories of where and what you are return. You are Endless Water, Gaerig is the word uttered for you. The landmass you drift near has a settlement that begs you be calm when they send their little wooden things onto you, cowers in terror when the winds and the moon whip your waves over them, and mourns when transient lives are lost upon you. There are bones trapped at the bottom of you, when misfortune befell the people and their little things, when you were still too young to know their words. You cannot recall a time before the people and their little wooden things.
You also cannot recall a time when you felt so able. Though you have no form as they do, you can cast out or draw close the little people on their little wooden things. You could heed their beggings, or you could twist your waters and drive away the fish they hunt for, which are yours and not the little peoples' to take. You could swallow them whole as they drift over you in their little wooden things, or you could guide them back to their shores, benevolent and caring.
Divine Resources Available
Tool Tip: Devotional Energy (DE) is the accumulated prayers and sacrifices of your followers. It is the lifeblood of spirits and gods. You gain more from your followers and can spend it to cast blessings, fuel your avatar, and even work miracles. Improvements to the Faith or Fear of your Followers and to your Shrine level increase the amount generated each turn. If DE drops below 0 while you have an Avatar manifested outside your Shrine, it automatically disperses, resets your DE to 0, and you must reform it the next turn at its standard Ambrosia cost.
Tool Tip: Ambrosia is raw potentiality and can condense from excess Devotional Energy or certain natural phenomenon. It can be used to construct Wonders or manifest Avatars. You can store up to your Shrine level in Ambrosia, currently.
Tool Tip: Legend is how you upgrade your spirit into a more proper god or refine your worship, allowing you to expand your capacities to influence the world. Increase Legend by performing great deeds.
Divine Actions
[] Bless Petitioner for Sacrifices - Expend some of your DE to empower those who come to your shrine or pray to you in exchange for more offerings. Current Skills that can be blessed: Astrology.
-[] Expend <X> DE on petitioners
[] Inspire Petitioner - Expend DE to give inspiring visions and dreams to a petitioner who comes to your shrine or prays to you. At 2 Influence, Inspirations are somewhat random in their effects but are stronger than Blessings. Costs: 5 DE. WARNING: Your Legend is low, Inspiring may result in the Petitioner receiving credit instead of you!
[] Roil Waters - You bend the waters to your command against your enemies, sending larger waves at the settlement near you, or creating deadly sprays and whirlpools that will capsize any boat they dare put upon the surface of your waters. Costs: 5 DE
[] Calm Waters - You calm the waves and direct the currents for those under your care, ensuring the boats that travel your surface are safe and see greater success in their endeavors. Costs: 5 DE
Avatar Actions [] Form Avatar (0 Ambrosia) (Avatar 0, cannot form an Avatar)
[] Study Stars - Study the skies and stars, seeking patterns that will tell you what was, what is, and what may yet be. -[] Read the Future
-[] Read the Past
-[] Scry the Present - See distant places as they are, reflected by the stars above. NOTE: Option available only while Avatar is 0. Costs: 6 DE
Commune Actions (Disabled, no avenues of approach) [] Issue Decree - You take form within your shrine or via avatar to address those who you can reach and issue a decree about the right way to live and how to worship you correctly. Decrees Issued: 0/0 WARNING: Your total Legend is currently too low issue a Decree. You currently cannot issue Decrees.
[] Make Demand - You have need of something and you will tell people what you want. You currently have no Demands you can issue.
You are a young spirit seeking to grow your strength and (possibly) do right by your people. As an Elemental Spirit you have no ability to act personally, but your greater influence over the material world and power over your natural element allows you to quickly garner a reserve of devotional energy and Legend. Since you have an unusual starting skill, blessings will have unusual results for you. You should incite fear or adoration by supernaturally affecting the waves, and consider Blessings to reveal quests and events to endear yourself to the local tribe.
You have exceeded your maximum skills allotted, either by accident of play or through starting conditions. Locked skills cannot be raised and are automatically learned when the Avatar Attribute is increased, and new skills cannot be learned until the number of known skills is less than a spirit's skill capacity. To raise your skill capacity and use skills, raise your Avatar Attribute.
[X] Calm Waters - You calm the waves and direct the currents for those under your care, ensuring the boats that travel your surface are safe and see greater success in their endeavors. Costs: 5 DE
[X] Bless Petitioner for Sacrifices - Expend some of your DE to empower those who come to your shrine or pray to you in exchange for more offerings. Current Skills that can be blessed: Astrology.
-[x] Expend 2 DE on petitioners
[X] Roil Waters - You bend the waters to your command against your enemies, sending larger waves at the settlement near you, or creating deadly sprays and whirlpools that will capsize any boat they dare put upon the surface of your waters. Costs: 5 DE
I say we start so slow and start by gathering some juice. Next round scrying and other fun stuff.
[] Bless Petitioner for Sacrifices - Expend some of your DE to empower those who come to your shrine or pray to you in exchange for more offerings. Current Skills that can be blessed: Astrology.
-[] Expend 5 DE on petitioners
[] Calm Waters - You calm the waves and direct the currents for those under your care, ensuring the boats that travel your surface are safe and see greater success in their endeavors. Costs: 5 DE
I don't see any need to bless or inspire anyone yet, as astrology isn't that helpful for mortals (right?). Roil/Calm is a clear Fear/Faith choice, one of which will be chosen. scrying the present looks really nice, but it could be rather costly, someone who knows more can weigh in on that
I don't see any need to bless or inspire anyone yet, as astrology isn't that helpful for mortals yet. Roil/Calm is a clear Fear/Faith choice, one of which will be chosen. scrying the present looks really nice, but it could be rather costly, someone who knows more can weigh in on that
Astrology could be very useful for people who spend a lot of time on boats. Navigation, understanding the tides are the mundane aspects, knowing when the next storm hits, or where the fish will be are the more supernatural ones.
[X] Bless Petitioner for Sacrifices - Expend some of your DE to empower those who come to your shrine or pray to you in exchange for more offerings. Current Skills that can be blessed: Astrology.
-[X] Expend 4 DE on petitioners
[X] Calm Waters - You calm the waves and direct the currents for those under your care, ensuring the boats that travel your surface are safe and see greater success in their endeavors. Costs: 5 DE
[X] Bless Petitioner for Sacrifices - Expend some of your DE to empower those who come to your shrine or pray to you in exchange for more offerings. Current Skills that can be blessed: Astrology.
-[X] Expend 4 DE on petitioners
[X] Calm Waters - You calm the waves and direct the currents for those under your care, ensuring the boats that travel your surface are safe and see greater success in their endeavors. Costs: 5 DE
Scrying the present is uniquely enabled for spirits who cannot form an avatar for whatever reason and have Astrology. When you are able to form an avatar, you will have to explore normally.
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