Muschio 2025/06/18(Wed)06:08 No. 1109825 ID: 5dd6e5
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>"I spoke to Finesse, Ashedel, and yes, even Tislomer, about the Seer. What they could remember of His words.
>Here."
"Pendle, what are you getting at--"

>"Listen.
>'One of Us would set in motion the wheels of his death.'"
"But--"
>"'We saw him returned to the soil.'"

Muschio 2025/06/18(Wed)06:21 No. 1109827 ID: 5dd6e5
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"I killed Red Fang, Pendle. Me! No higher being smote him!"
>"Can you feel the hand of God, Prince?
>The Gesturer sent YOU!"

Horrifying, do you at LEAST get a Favor in exchange?

Smack Pendle out of it

Spill the beans, c'mon. You can finally confide in someone about the contents of your puzzling dreams

Let's keep this in perspective. Even if we're "guided" our goals have not changed. So what's the difference if we are or aren't guided?

Alright so obviously you need to figure out some way of communicating with the Gesturer so they can tell you what they want instead of... whatever they did to make you think you had to kill Red Fang.

I understand what you're getting at, Pendle, but calm down a moment. We've already established that this god is weak, that it can only act through small motions. If it's hand is on us - IF - then it is only capable of small nudges. Is there that much difference between that and any other remote player in our lives? No-one is being controlled or puppeted. We remain the chief architects of our fates. You're to be commended for identifying the possibility of an actor we were unaware of, but let's not work ourselves up just because we're dealing with something that once claimed a little divinity. Besides, so far it's been helpful.

>>1109827

Refresh my memory, but who was the Seer talking about, again?

>>1109827
Speaking to him of your dream may reinforce this fervor.
Perhaps later.
Did the gesturer send you? Irrelevent.
Your will is formidable and most certainly your own.
The How you learned of this place may reveal more than the why of its choosing.

Muschio 2025/06/20(Fri)14:57 No. 1110013 ID: 5dd6e5
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>"The Seer suggested Red Fang saw his death from divinity coming, and it made him desperate.
>That shrine of his we found, only one of the icons had been smashed -- I can only assume it was the Gesturer's, which would explain why its matching trinket had been removed from the room to where you found it."

"This is no small revelation, but... Pendle, how much does it really change our goal?
The Czar is already an imminent threat and a top priority. If he seeks this kind of power, then all the more reason to stay our course and pursue a means to his end."

>"Prince, that's just it. That's the point I'm coming to."

Muschio 2025/06/20(Fri)15:01 No. 1110014 ID: 5dd6e5
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>"This theory, I'd been on for a while. But when Finesse gave me the translation...

>Prince.
>When you told us how you fought the Spider in your dream. The very being that held me in its thrall for a year of my life. How even with this powerful demon in your mind, you tore it to shreds.
>With those ghostly hands.

>He who speaks with hands.

>I think it's no stretch of the imagination to suggest it was divine intervention from this Gesturer, this Odu Rumux."

Muschio 2025/06/20(Fri)15:14 No. 1110015 ID: 5dd6e5
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>"Odu Rumux is not dead, at least not completely. Diminished, in some way, but His actions have manifested directly, now.

>...Prince.
>I don't know if it's something about this place, or the legacy of your family line, or the aim of your efforts, but...
>No matter the Czar's efforts, I believe Odu Rumux has already chosen you, as His protégé.
>Maybe even His avatar.

>And this is no small patronage."

...I swear, we don't remember.

Well. Have you not made it a principle by now to be willing reach out to creatures that some consider too strange, too different? If you have another member of the team on hand, ha ha, then certainly their order of being should be no concern, only their quality as an ally and what quality of ally we can be to them. So far they have seemed helpful, granting insight and assistance. If they desire what is sustenance to them in return, is that not fair?

>>1110015
Oh.
You also lost your hand here.
Would that be considered a kind of sacrifice?
Or could it be the kind of symbology that a godform could latch on to?

...Being connected to a god would reasonably cause dreams of what the god is connected to.

I suppose the one who speaks in hands would prefer action over words, in nature

I wonder... the phantom blue we spy now... is it connected to that "Fire"? Did this story once BEGIN with the misuse of devine power we are now afraid of? Either way, it doesn't seem like it will be easy to misuse again so long as we put ourselves in the way, just think thigns through first.

>>1110015
Being chosen by a God, even a diminished one, lends power and credibility to your new goals. If you were to demonstrate in public that the Gesturer is with you while you work towards justice, then word will spread and people will flock to you. However, so far the Gesturer has not spoken to you. Is there any way we can establish communications?

Would simple prayer work, maybe in a place of power?

...Once again what does this change? How can we utilize this?

A divine patron is nice, and we should restore the idol and see about repaying the damn good work this god has been doing keeping our subjects safe. Honestly, if we've been accidentally mantling a god who aligns with our methods, I see very little downside especially considering how a totem can turn.

>>1110021
Ay yo, that's a good point. I wonder if the hand in the dreams was his missing one.

>>1110015
Tell him about the dreams and the hands in them that mimic your own.

Also, how about we convert that old ritual room into a full blown shrine dedicated entirely to Odu Rumux if they're going to favor us this much.

This is all fascinating. It makes me wonder however does the Orb of Infinite Psyche have anything to do with this? As one who "speaks in hands" that sounds like many different ideas conveyed at once. Perhaps the orb could be a physical totem or piece of Odu Rummox? Hell we don't even know how the orb was even created? It's entirely possible that something to do with this totem god went into the orb's creation.

>>1110021
This is also entirely plausible.

Muschio 2025/06/23(Mon)15:21 No. 1110136 ID: 5dd6e5
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"Great!"

>"...Prince?"

"This is all good news!
You're saying I might have a God as a patron? How is that anything but good? Sure, they're unfathomable, but our goals seem to align! If Odu Rumux truly is the protector of the weak and unwanted, our alliance with the downtrodden peoples of Timore and the surrounding lands will surely put us in His good graces."

>"There's much more to consider, as with the Czar fighting for influence!"
"Surely, but that's why it's more important than ever to stop him posthaste, and with the Gesturer's help, attainable."

Muschio 2025/06/23(Mon)15:25 No. 1110138 ID: 5dd6e5
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We could sit here all day talking about my dreams (which I'm not sure Pendle needs to know about just yet, not in this state) but it seems clear the God and I have very similar goals and motives. If my campaign pleases Him enough to help, then I surely won't turn down a deity as an ally. The path forges ever ahead!

"I'll assign someone to start renovating the prayer room as a dedicated shrine to the Gesturer. Such direct intervention of the divine warrants thanks, I think.
Beyond that, this doesn't change our goals; that we do not have to put on pretenses to please Him is a great boon to our goal all by itself.
Chin up, Pendle! This is good news!
Now get some rest, comforted in the knowledge we are safer now than ever."

...we should jump to Pendle at this point, this is starting to encroach on a second instance of mental interference

Were you being honest there, Muschio? I mean, yeah that's basically correct, but it's also unnerving to know you were sent here without knowing you were sent.

>>1110138
Let's go find Finesse and get a run down of today's concerns and tasks.

>>1110138
...whatever suddenly concerned you, i think it was prudent to keep it to yourself albeit temporarily.
Though i think pendle is mentally strong enough to bear any burden you share with him after all he has endured, a little peace for him is well earned and deserved.
I dont think he bought it though.

Muschio 2025/06/24(Tue)10:49 No. 1110218 ID: 5dd6e5
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...eh?

What are you talking about? I'm not hiding anything!
Weren't YOU just telling me that this doesn't change anything?? That my goals, motives, and plans are all still the same?

I admit, having a literal God watching, even in such a diminished state, gives one a bit of performance anxiety. But our goals already align, shouldn't I just keep doing what I'm doing?

Muschio, don't you get it?
Odu Ramux's focus isn't just you, it's your bloodline. Your ancestors have been cultivating their communion with a god - molding the god almost as much as the god has molded your bloodline and kingdom.
You still think we're the impulses that make up your free will. No; we're the product of that god, created from what I theorize is a crucial aspect of society, an aspect that few commoners ever attain and all aspire purely for their own survival and dignity:
Influence.
The usurpers - were they really motivated only by their own greed, or could they not stomach the idea of a God of the commonborn rising to prominence as the patron god of your kingdom? Why, it would result in a more egalitarian society... and, true to the curated egos of the pampered highborn, would be a fate worse than death; they'd rather burn their own castles, than accept becoming even even richer when everyone else is too well-of to worship the elites' feet in desperation.

And then there's Finesse.
There needed to be someone orchestrating the curation of the gesturer, or one Caligulan psychopath could undo generations of work. An immortal - with a particularly shaped hand.

Mania is just as distressing as depression, and one of the things you were doing is Taking Time. C'mon, man, take time to think things through, it will become less stressful if you do!

After all, if you can time time for all those whom you care for... than surely you can time time for yourself, too

>>1110218
Alright. It's not like we can learn much more about a forgotten god anyway, not until it's strong enough to manifest. Let's get that prayer room built and then... hmm, are there any other downtrodden groups nearby? If not, then... you could tell Ridder about how you've reformed and found god.

>>1110218
It's your bath time! OH BOY!!

>>1110218
Im glad to hear you are unworried.
I took your momentary processing of the situation to indicate you were burying concerns.

Lets make our new patron proud then. Give worth to their faith in you.

We can ponder implications. Strategy however is overall unchanged.

Muschio 2025/07/01(Tue)17:58 No. 1110605 ID: 5dd6e5
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Yes, there's still much to learn, I agree. But whatever remains, we will find it. Until then, my plans have not changed, and my goals are the same.
If the Gesturer has other plans, I'm sure we'll know in time.

>"Oh, hello, Master Muschio. Were you heading for the baths?"

Tell Finesse you haven't decided yet. You do need to talk to Dompag about something.

you definitely need to relax sooner rather than later
>>1110606
Perhaps invite Dompag to the baths with you then?

>>1110605
I think we just came from the baths.

>>1110605
Why not?
Bath tine.
Plenty of great thinking has happened during baths.
Relax the body and the mind follows.

Muschio 2025/07/03(Thu)12:14 No. 1110649 ID: 5dd6e5
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"Actually, I was just coming from the baths. I had to speak with Pendle.
But come to think of it, I may just take a morning bath myself. I haven't had a chance to try out the new facilities myself."
>"In that case, I hope you don't mind if I join you? I can brief you while you relax."

Sure! We have a lot to talk about. Maybe we can figure out how she feels about this Gesturer business?

>>1110649
hell whats the harm I think she can behave herself

She is a professional.
Show your faith in her integrity.
Bathing, briefing and then breakfast.
There really are far worse starts to a day.

boop her nose

>>1110649
Bathe together, but seconding >>1110670.

>>1111020
Bathe together and boop her cervix.

.
.
.
Boop something dammit!