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File 129581124883.jpg - (271.35KB , 750x750 , The Azelhaedran State Channeler Suit Weinsho.jpg )
274023 No. 274023 ID: a76809

[ First Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/83524.html ]
[ Second Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/142119.html ]
[ Third Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/156884.html ]
[ Fourth Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/177882.html ]
[ Fifth Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/186331.html ]
[ Sixth Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/195348.html ]
[ Seventh Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/203684.html ]
[ Eighth Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/222777.html ]
[ Ninth Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/233735.html ]
[ Tenth Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/247147.html ]
[ Eleventh Thread http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/262177.html ]

[ Discussion Thread 1 http://quest.lv/kusaba/questdis/res/316616.html ]
[ Discussion Thread 2 http://quest.lv/kusaba/questdis/res/331007.html ]

[ Wiki Page: http://tgchan.org/wiki/Golem_Quest ]

LAST TIME ON GOLEM QUEST:

The place Mordre has come to call his public home, the Azelhaedran State, has come under attack by the Disciples of Domintus, a fanatical collective of war worshippers that follow the Pure Lady and the Soul Grave they claim holds their god - Domintus. The Domintus main force, led by both the Pure Lady and Domintus as well as dozens of their most elite, threatened to overwhelm the State capital they had put under siege. Fearing the collapse of his power base-and seeing a chance to gain more political power-Mordre arrayed his more public forces and moved to the State's aid, bringing with him his ally to the south, the Blue Knight and his forces. After carefully using surgical strikes with the aid of his Deep Spawn Burduko to maximize the effectiveness of his much smaller force, Mordre was able to bring the siege, which was in the process of breaking through the capital's last defenses, to a grinding halt. Finally, in entering the stage himself, Mordre was able to slay the Pure Lady, leader of the Disciples of Domintus.

Domintus yet remains, and in slaying the Pure Lady Mordre has attracted the singular attention of her one-time foe Aurockoth, an Anti-Soul Grave Life Golem, a famed living weapon from the final wars with the Mosmordren Empire.

AND HOW WILL THE INTREPID SOCIOPATH MORDRE MOVE FROM HERE ON OUT?

........................................................................................................................
................................................

ELSEWHERE:

>Oh FUCK what was that?
>Felt like someone dumped a gallon of rum on our brain!
>[Gelrick 17] It does not match any known variations of recoil, for conventional or Dream magic, and there does not seem to be any perceivable damage caused-I believe it to be a shockwave.
>Yes, a shockwave is an apt description-a Dreameater has fed. And from the strength of the back blast, it was-
>[Gelrick 13] The Pure Lady. Hm. With that blast, I found several aspects of my/our allegiance to her more questionable.
>[Gelrick 06] I note a similar sensation.
>[Gelrick 11] It seems safe to assume it applies for all of us.
>...The issue brought up about mental manipulation would normally be my focus, but something more pressing must be brought up beforehand.
This headache-what, what is it?
>Every Dream Eater... absorbs the properties and traits of its meals, in proportion to the scope of what was consumed. If the Pure Lady could hold off a Dreameater, as Gelrick seems to suggest, then she would be strong enough that the Dreameater has completely copied her-and lacking other targets to follow, will find its way-
>[Gelrick 01] Back to us. To what depth does this absorption apply?
> The Dreameater will have adopted a massive amount of her appearance into its existence, and may possibly be indistinguishable from her. It will have eaten her memories, tasted her power, and all the knowledge, skill and machinations she has claimed its made part of the Dreameater-in a manner rather similar to how Anchors absorb errant Ulzrick.
>So
>[Gelrick 13] So if we risk too much paradox from here, it might not just be a Dreameater that stalks us, but one possessed of all the Pure Lady's power and skill-possibly even her human cunning.

While voices in my head were too busy trying to render conclusions far-reaching and imperative to my long-term survival, I focus on my short-term, a blade that might have pierced armor, muscle and bone alike is batted aside, my Dream brother Ozrick appearing on my command to defend me. With him covering my back, I complete my swing with the expanded Crash Course, my favored weapon, and the massive, weighty blade simultaneously slices and blasts a gory path through the Domintus Forces, as the two of us continue to clear a way for the State survivors from the front lines following after us.

>[Ozrick]"..Brother, I am starting to get feedback from Everfeast's pilfered sword. It is trying to take over my flesh. Thus far, it has been quite unsuccessful-"
"We can worry about it when we get back then. If you ever feel it a direct threat, discard and break it."
>[Ozrick]"Understood."

And so my imaginary brother and I keep dealing with the here and now while those along for the ride ponder the future.

........................................................................................................................
................................................

ELSEWHERE:

>[Apprentice]"What is it you wished of this humble servant, master?
>[Weinsho]"I have made my decision-Mordre, along with Aurockoth, The Pure Lady, Domintus, Eisenhardt, Jak and myself in the Channeler-This is a chance to not only snuff out my competitors, but to claim glory in the State, and sweep my way into command of the country."
>[Apprentice]"At once master, the sacrifices will be prepared for you and the Channeler."
>[Weinsho]"Move swiftly, I have a feeling the battle is drawing to its conclusion, and I will not be denied my chance."

..........................................................................................[PERSPECTIVE SHIFT: MORDRE] ..........................................................................................

Aehroahquia, the Edge Of Oblivion, Mosmordren Golem Sword and Metallic Deep Spawn, sings in my hands, Inverter's touch racing from my left hand into the blade as temporal and spatial locks are inverted, and matter runs wild in my grasp. I swing a sword that now resembles a writhing whip made of fangs and acid, all this harm directed at Aurockoth, the Reaper Made Flesh.

CATACLYSMIC CHAOS CLEAVE!!

The title I have now ingrained for this magic item manipulation flashes across the Soul Grave's spell matrices as Aurockoth springs into motion. Slicing time just as finely as I can, he ducks under the blade, a wall of spikes from his back rising to tear asunder my weapon, the power of Severance carrying them through my blade with ease-

As Aurockoth twitches, the contact points smoking as acid continues to eat at his augmented spines, while my blade flows back together, the swing continuing onward into the side of the immense crater we fight in. Just before impact, I see Senth now paying attention to Domintus, the perpetually dazed Trollingwood resident ignoring the thundering battle happening all around him, while Keddic's eyes seem torn from darting to his pipe, still in Senth's grasp, to Aurockoth, the subject of a family vendetta, and to me from his perch on the lip of this massive crater.

The blade makes contact, and chews through stone and dirt with impressive rapidity, its momentum unstoppable as I collapse an entire wall of the deep crater we inhabit, hundreds of tons of earth crumbling and flying as my blade's edge retracts to normalcy post-swing. Several things happen at once.

-Aurockoth leaps forward, his body exploding into a massive ball of blades, his sword blazing with such fierce magic I can scarce perceive his supremely layered soul.
-Keddic Harksburton the Fourth leaps from the crater's edge, eyes blazing red and skin a greyish-gold as he roars the outrage of an inherited grudge, Proud Lion in hand as he hurtles at Aurockoth.
-Senth vanishes from the crater, his soul re-appearing somewhere amongst the Blue Knight's forces, engaging Domintus alongside the Metal Skulls Of the Indelible, my personal Rageglut brigade, and Bang Magnum.
-Eisenhardt turns to stare in utter confusion at an empty space in the air, the massive crystal-studded missile he used to strike at Domintus forgotten on the ground as thin air resolves into a titan every bit the equal of Domintus, a seven hundred foot tall behemoth that emerges into the dusky battle in the burning Domintus main Camp.






What should I do?
1439 posts omitted. Last 100 shown. Expand all images
>>
No. 286077 ID: 5b95eb

>>286075
Good Point... Hopefully, we'll either go TOO FAST, since it's a railgun and all, or the first few empty shots will show him that there's nothing interesting in there and he'll ignore it.


Or he'll come to the beach and eat us there. HMMM. yeah I have the worst ideas
>>
No. 286078 ID: ab04d4

Honestly, if you're going to fly, you might as well make an airship.

In order of preference:

Diplomacy and carefully thought out actions > Slaying a Spheregod and stealing his balls > Building an awesome Airship and fighting a legendary dragon > Shooting our ass out of a cannon into space where we are practically vulnerable to get eaten
>>
No. 286079 ID: b83150

>>286074
...That's not going to work, since we're pretty much a nice little delicious meal with nothing ugly or unappealing hiding the deliciousness from Broggamek.

Anyways, changing my vote (and my fanart, hopefully) to flying to the shore and constructing a metal ship, implanting the necessary Deep Spawn and spending the Pristine to hopefully make an airship capable of going through the Wall(s) safely (for both itself and its passengers) and quickly enough to reach the State for the meeting with Gialgorra. We could do all the indiscriminate murder/politics later, when there isn't a meeting about Gialgorra's daughter with Gialgorra, who, as one should note, is someone known to do anything for his daughters. Probably to the point of blasting his way to Gwendalazzia, causing large-scale indiscriminate damage to holdings we have put in not insignificant investment.

As for how to leave the village, perhaps using Arkus' remark as a platform. Like so: "And yes, it appears I'm not going to very good with meetings. My one with you was interrupted by another, and I suspect I am to be late to yet again one more. I really should get going." Then walk out into the woods surrounding the forest, deep enough to be sure the village (nor any other village) can see you in the air, and then take to the air, using pyromancy/geomancy/pomumancy to erase any signs of your passing.
>>
No. 286080 ID: 259738

>>286079
To construct a metal ship we need metal, and unless the Deep Spawn regeneration has changed this, we need to eat metal to produce more metal. And flying around gets Broggamek's attention unless we fly low, and flying low may set off the Sphere anti-pyromancy defenses.
>>
No. 286083 ID: 027b22

>>286079
Don't think a metalship can survive going through the wall. A sphere might be able to though.
>>
No. 286084 ID: ab04d4

>>286083
We really should make a metal ship at some point, though, when we return to the state. Cover it in gold and silver, put a big damn sunburst around a statue of our head on the very prow, and make it so that the core can be attached to our faith engines so that the entire thing is one big extension for our body. Best flagship ever. Bonus points if it has an impossibly large array of magnetomantic relativity guns.
>>
No. 286087 ID: 5b95eb

By the way
><TheBeardiestBob> I dig the immediate LETS KILL A SPHEREGOD... as that entails killing an entire religious sub-sect of warrior-worshipper guards, minimum twenty thousand, at least five thousand noble/servants, and the Sphere God. Such an act would be the most violent altercation to befall a Sphere God in.. a few thousand years, actually
><TheBeardiestBob> I say a few rather than a specific number because the last time it happened chronomancy was involved...
><TheBeardiestBob> so a bit hard to concretely quantify.

(Also no update tonight, go to bed, stop f5ing)
>>
No. 286090 ID: 6834bc

How about we make damn sure that Burduko isn't going to be showing up at our tea party looking for us after Phohn tries to talk to Administrator Mordre about how Bang wants to show him a new trick he developed with cancer (or something), and realizes "Oh no, I cannot talk to him; he must be out of my range! Who was the last to see him - oh, Burduko, you were? Would you go look for him so that I can deliver that message to him?"

And also, what is with you people and doing things that are foolish (I.E. trying to fly in Broggamek's airspace/attack a sphere god?)
If you absolutely must make a ship, at least consider inventing a submarine.

I'm not saying it'll be any less dangerous than trying to go out into space to pass by the wall, but at least we stand slightly less chance of being immediately noticed by Broggamek as a tasty treat.
>>
No. 286093 ID: 5b95eb

>>286090
Good remembering on that Burduko thing. If we decide to do something, we should first see if we can geomance a message into that big stone hoozits. Then again, three miles up means we'd have to fly up there to do it. Ok, toss a blade up there with a message magnetomanced into the side?
>>
No. 286122 ID: 259738

>>286090
Going under the wall avoids Broggamek, but still has to deal with miles long sea serpents or whatever.

>>286087
This actually makes me really want to go kill a Sphere God. 25k souls? Most of them probably skilled in at least one magical discipline? Probably a handful of heroics? We might be able to hit Curatiomancy mastery and Pomumancy mastery both, and double our total soul weight. Probably get another Soul Nexus. And all the souls we eat go to Heaven, so much better than this crappy place. It sounds like a better option than trying to fly home and having to fight off Broggamek. If we had twice as much power to draw on, we could probably keep him away for at least a while.

But first try the diplomatic route. We can always kill guys later.
>>
No. 286146 ID: d3dfb8

Oh, just a reminder for you guys, the purpose of the airship was to get us around the world without showing any belief for brogamekk to be interested in.
Here they place value in both wood and metal.
Therefore in order to do it we would need to built our airship out of dirt and piss.
Also there's absolutely no way we could use a Sphere as an airship, as they're carrying SO MUCH BELIEF
>>
No. 286147 ID: a0d5fc

>>286146
>Oh, just a reminder for you guys, the purpose of the airship was to get us around the world without showing any belief for brogamekk to be interested in.
>Here they place value in both wood and metal.
Therefore in order to do it we would need to built our airship out of dirt and piss.
>Also there's absolutely no way we could use a Sphere as an airship, as they're carrying SO MUCH BELIEF

The Sphere should be large enough and reinforced by sufficient Belief that we can simply fly it straight through the storm.

PS Attempt:

The Storm Wall's are not actually a wall, or an artificial magical creation, simply the natural state of a gas giant size atmosphere. The complete lack of system means that the Caged One's emanations are given free reign, so the areas suffer a perpetual version of the Great Curse.

Inhabited areas require active magical protection to hold back the storms, and if this magic is cancelled they will sweep in and engulf the land.

The System may well power these magical barriers.
>>
No. 286172 ID: 81f32a
File 129927447935.jpg - (373.23KB , 700x1068 , 1291242899712.jpg )
286172

>>286090
So that we meet something even more horrible than Broggamek in the deep sea?
Huh, I wonder if this is pristine worthy.
Since the Walls are so thorough in isolating continents, I predict that undersea travel is as dangerous as going through the Wall or over it, there are nighmare horrible beasts down there.

Shooting over the wall with rail-gun is also bad idea. Even if there wasn't Broggamek, I think we only end up shooting ourself into space.

Also, we aren't sure how think the Wall is, it might be hundreds of miles think, so shooting through it is also very ill-advisable

I am absolutely against the ship/sphere idea, now or ever.
It seems a massive waste of recourses and does not directly empower us.
And it looks like something that will become useless pretty fast. At one point or another we will become powerful enough to move through the storm on our own.
And what the hell is this obsession with trying to stick Egg Cores into stuff? Yes, Alratan, I'm looking at you.
I don't mind if we put them into our body to make us more powerful but wasting them on potentially useless shit? No.
If we make a Ship, better not use up Pristine Souls on it or Egg Cores

>>286087
>>286146
Hell Yeah!
And we'll do it while singing an up-beat song.


Seems like people are completely adamant against carnage and destruction.
Okay.
I suggest Mordre flies up (as safely possible) to scan the continent for any active battles.
Before anyone goes "but herpaderp, the village peasants just told us there haven't been wars for centuries!"
Yes, they told us that. The peasants told us that. People who live their whole life and die on a small piece of land.
Remember how huge is the continent from where we come from. Do you think an average Castellianth serf knows what the hell is happening in LoD?
'course not.
So search for active battle, then dig yourself under it and suck all the souls through the ground.
At least that way we might get some delicious curitomancer and ponumancer souls without upsetting anyone.
You know... like a cowardly scavenger and not like a machine of utter destruction and war that we are.

Hmm.
I wonder.
Here we see roots and spheres, back home we have leylines and geysers.
Could it be that each continent has their own kind of system?
Maybe this whole planet is experimental, to find the best system possible to prevent planets going magi-nova forever?
Either way, prediction, when we visit another continent we will find it as alien and unexplainable like we found Diopena.
>>
No. 286185 ID: 5b95eb

Also, I suggest wandering about a bit, finding some lone hunters (Really lone), and then killing/eating them.
>>
No. 286215 ID: 259738

>>286185
This is just totally unnecessary. I mean, all the good souls are going to be in the Spheres anyways. If we want to become more powerful, and also test out all our cool new abilities, just find a Sphere God who is oppressing the local populace and fight our way through his worshippers. Killing lone hunters is just mean.
>>
No. 286258 ID: 5b95eb

>>286215
I only meant enough to get curatiomancy started, and not from the people of this particular village, who we already gave word not to harm, but another one, if possible.

Of course, I only suggest this if we decide to not fuck with a spheregod, not fucking with spheregods seems to be a good idea.
>>
No. 286264 ID: 259738

>>286258
Fucking with Sphere Gods is a better idea than fucking with Broggamek. If we fly out there, whether in an airship or a Sphere, he will eat us. We are a perpetual Belief engine. We would continue to feed him Belief for eternity. That's pretty tempting. And we are unlikely to be able to fight him off at our current level of ability. Last time we only got away because he didn't care.
>>
No. 286277 ID: a76809

>>285843
With all the expectant faces-

I turn to Arkus to hold a brief exchange, as if their attention means nothing to me.

"...Arkus, how did you see the Pristine taking effect? I was under the impression you could not see magic."
>>[Arkus]"I can't. Piggybacked a replica of magic sensing restricted to Soul into the Heart of Winter gem battery with these runes on the shaft.... anyway, I got a Soul Magic senser. Figured it would be useful."
"An admirable bit of craftsmenship, especially considering you perform even more duties for me."
>[Arkus["I try."

>>285847
I turn back to the audience at large, their fear having further abated during my brief interlude, as I clarify the options before me.

"Are there any local caves, pits... depressions, crevasses or canyons-really, any considerable openings into the ground?"

>"Beyond wells, and maybe beneath considerable rivers? ...No."
>"The Sphere's anchor their roots into any opening, even as they occur-"
>"Sinkholes get dealt with swiftly-a few minutes, and a root is going deep."
>"-uess he really isn't from around here-"

>>285853
"Arkus, collect some local plant specimens-have the villagers here help you-and preserve them-Bang did express an interest in expanding his garden, did he not?"
[Arkus}"Oh man, my herbology is gonna be rusty, been doing all magic for quite a while... okay."

>>285858
I consider the local lack of metal, barring Spheres... and how my appetite will be largely unnaffected. Since I can endlessly generate spawn in the form of ammunition for the ruin revolver, rather than from Soul Grave restoration processes, I can fabricate my own meals, something I have been doing since making the Ruin Revolver-a shell a day keeps me fully sated, barring injury.

>>285878
>>285882
>>285898
>>285944
>>285962
>>285984
>>286048
The Wall impedes the sea-Broggamek blocks the void of space, and the roots prevent access to the Deep Spawn. To get home, I need more resources then I possess. To get those resources, I need to go to those with power-the Sphere Gods. And as this is about as isolated from the State as one can get, I am free to feast with impunity-master of Curationmancy and Pomumancy sounds highly palatable. And with an entire sphere and the memories of all who staffed it, surely I could find a way home. A systematic purging of all life and consumption of all souls in a designated Orbopolis sounds a perfect pursuit.

A thought strikes me.

The reason the local fauna looks a bit like those that suffered the Curse is because, in a lesser way, they have. The System is weaker here, because the roots tap into the Leylines to extract World Magic in a similar way to how Timmy did. There are far more of them though so they serve to weaken it, mutating the animals. The advantage of this is that the trees also siphon off the excess energy that would accumulate to form Core Beings. Destroying the Roots would mean that core beings would form again, planting them back home would do the reverse.

[MOMENT OF INSPIRATION!]
[+1 PRISTINE SOUL-----TOTAL PRISTINE SOULS: 05]

...So much to gain, unprecedented levels of safety, in terms of threat to my established position. I do not hold back.

"Is there any Sphere God that is more troubling, cruel or vicious than the others? One that is less forgiving?"
>"Kengehxion-ah!"
>"It.. it is as he says, the one all fear most, is The Reaver, the god Kengehxion."
"And which one of these spheres does he reside within?"
"The Orbopolis to the north of here with a scar on its front."
"Thank you. ...Arkus, I shall be back later-do as you will, but I would like to see an acceptable array of plant specimens on my return."

...................................................................................[PERSPECTIVE SHIFT: ARKUS] ...................................................................................

Without waiting for my reply, Mordre blasts off, golden smoke his method of propulsion, not a whit of heat emitted-well, at least the locals can't call it fire.

So... okay, I'm here. Pretty much the whole town is crowded around now, turning from watching Mordre's departure to stare at me-and the axe on my hip. I feel safe in my leather bodyglove, secure in the knowledge it will ablate kinetic threats as I realize-what I say and do will represent Mordre, and be every bit as important for future interactions as what he does now. I also need to figure out what kinds of plants I should ask after given Bang is the intended recipient. ...And if I find time to learn more about those VERY amply gifted lasses in the crowd-ah.. milkmaids? MY FETISH-then hey, could be a whole lot more personally rewarding.

So, I'm so far from the State and all the rest that it doesn't really matter, and from these people's perspective I am the next best thing to god.





So what am I gonna do?
[How Arkus talks about Mordre can influence how Mordre's own venture goes.]
>>
No. 286280 ID: 5b95eb

So, Arkus Mahboy, how've you been? What've you been working on? Neat magic sensor in your staff, have you got any other tricks like that? Any progress on producing morphic fluid?

See if you can glean some basic Pomumancy/Curatiomancy from these people, they seem to all know some of it.

Also, disregard orders, acquire milkmaids.
>>
No. 286282 ID: 81f32a

>[How Arkus talks about Mordre can influence how Mordre's own venture goes.]

Oh. That means that he can influence the active belief of these people?
So we probably shouldn't tell he is peace loving hippy or something like that.
Better tell them of all grand victories. The powerful battles we have won, no matter how how high the chances were against us we always surpassed and always became stronger.

Heh. Arkus can even exaggerate a bit too.
>>
No. 286284 ID: 259738

>>286277
Ask after plants like medicinal herbs, things with unusual defensive mechanisms, anything particularly unique. Plants that are only interesting aesthetically are probably lower priority.

How is your training with Kyorto going? Learned the language yet? Any new tricks?
>>
No. 286285 ID: 259738

>>286282
It might also mean someone is watching us magically. So don't give away anything particularly important about Mordre's capabilities.
>>
No. 286286 ID: 81f32a

>>286285
I really doubt that ... well except for Lenryt.

Besides, Arkus has no way of knowing all of Mordres capabilities, let alone the more devastating ones.
He should make it as grandiose as possible, maybe even making shit up.
This info will not help anyone.
>>
No. 286287 ID: 81f32a

I really wanted to know Arkuses thoughts on Mordres seizing of power.
When he first told him that and when he actually did it.

Then his thoughts on the governing, if he has any interesting ideas/propositions
>>
No. 286288 ID: f6360f

>>286277
As long as you're building belief here, it's time to found a religion. You know that Mordre now runs on Belief magic, and while you might not know THAT much about how it works, the basic principle- people think something, so it becomes true- is easy enough, and considering the fertile ground you've got to work with here... it would be a damned shame not to take advantage of it.

Its Belief will be crafted to reinforce the most useful aspects of what Mordre already has: When you speak of Mordre, play to the title that he claimed in the Land of Dragons- The Ascendant. If you tell stories about what he does, always make sure to end it with "and thus Mordre [did whatever] and grew stronger". Frame everything he does in terms of empowering himself or those beneath him. If possible, make it a ritualistic thing and 'correct' the others if they start to talk about him in a different way. If they question, explain that he is Ascendant and must always be spoken of as such, until the day when he Ascends; hopefully the emphasis on even how he's talked about will strengthen the Belief being sent to him. Refuse to talk about that last bit.

Play to that in a different way as well- you can benefit from Mordre's Belief here by writing yourself into his story. As his favored servant, you too get to Ascend (though less than him) and grow ever stronger, wiser, more capable. And those who serve you get the same, (although again less). As those beneath you grow better, so does their power and skill strengthen you, and as you rise in turn your might sends Mordre himself ever higher towards his Ascension.

My guess is that the very concept of upward mobility is virtually foreign to these people and will be alien but high appealing to at least a segment of them. If you do this right and have enough time, you could quite literally set this up as a magical pyramid scheme, wherein Belief is funneled ever upward in the form of power- and you'll be right next to the top.

>See if you can glean some basic Pomumancy/Curatiomancy from these people, they seem to all know some of it.
My impression was that those with magic talent are inclined in that direction, but none of them here have developed it.
>>
No. 286290 ID: 903f16

>>286277
Hello Arkus, feeling good? Doesn't this little adventure bring back memories of when you first met Mordre? Ah, you've come so far since those bygone days. You've got your own array of magical gear and your knowledge of magic as a whole has skyrocketed. Speaking of that, what can you do now? Oh and you were the one that had Ellayia's talking rock last, do you still have it one you?

After you sort that out in your head go chat up the local population about any peculiar plant specimens. What you're mainly looking for is anything dangerous or anything that could potentially be bred to become dangerous in a short amount of time. Once you know what you're looking for get together any of the magically inclined and whoever told you about it and head off for adventure.
>>
No. 286295 ID: 5b95eb

>>286288

Ah, well, that would make a lot more sense and makes me feel a bit silly.
>>
No. 286298 ID: a6ab09

first chance you get, motorboat the fuck outta those VERY amply gifted milkmaids
>>
No. 286306 ID: 9b0a68

Unless I'm mistaken, the last time we saw you, your only real means of fighting if you had to was using the staff plus pyromancy. Please tell me you gained some magic with combat applications that is not fire based incase one of the plants tries to eat you.

Oh, and since these plants are for Bang, you should try and get any with odd defense mechanisms. Of course, you're going to want to try and make sure they're ones the villagers know to bypass so you can collect them, but those types of plants should be a priority.
>>
No. 286308 ID: 704a82

"So which of you ladies would like to help a (insert Arkus' position) of the State find some of your local herbs?"
>>
No. 286309 ID: 12323e

The Roots, the way they gather, store and move energy, are almost certainly more interesting than anything else they've got, prioritize those. Are they attracted to Deep Spawn and the System, or are they a stopgap the Sphere-creators used to prevent their encroachment topside (I've always wondered why entrances dug to the surface are so appealing to the Deep Spawn, that Eldghodd would grant cores and things for it)?

Ask the villagers- not just their superstitions, but has anyone ever tried to take a sample of the Roots, is this going to get us killed if we try?

As for Mordre- why bother to lie? In many ways, Mordre is a superior being. Immortal, overwhelmingly powerful, able to make great strides in magical theory and understanding between one instant and the next. I say go for a two-sided thing. Mordre as a killer and a creator. A protector and a destroyer. Generous (if demanding; he demands the best in his allies because he gives his best himself) to his allies and wrathful to his enemies. He is Life, and Death- and Life After Death. Those who die around Mordre will live forever in him. He is large; he contains miracles.

And hey, Arkus. It's a pomumantic continent. Sow those wild oats.
>>
No. 286322 ID: 259738

>>286309
Well, if enough people believe that Mordre is a master Tractomancer, eventually the Belief magic is going to have an effect in that direction. So make stuff up about his Tractomancy expertise. We have yet to encounter a single Tractomancer of any kind. Jak had a sword that did it all for him.
>>
No. 286326 ID: a0d5fc

Arkus.

Consider your words and acts carefully. Mordre, your only ticket home, has made of himself an engine of Belief, and what you say or do could have significant repercussions.

Introduce yourself as the Speaker of Mordre, and make up a creed for him, of eternal improvement and growth (in keeping with the Poumancy potentials that you observe). Mention the Heaven of life eternal that he has made, and that he has already triumphed over an evil god of death and the destruction of the soul.

They should end up convinced that Mordre can be their champion, and that as an accomplished God-Slayer, will be able to free them from their fear of the Reaper.


For yourself, this land shows you a way to harness your nascent System. You should study the example of the plants that tap into it, and consider what you can apply to yourself.
>>
No. 286341 ID: ab04d4

>>286326
(imagines arkus with warts growing out of him with tap roots into his bloodstream to drain away excess power)

TAKE CONTROL OF BODY
advicearkus.jpg
NO MORE WOMEN FOREVER
>>
No. 286342 ID: a0d5fc

>>286341
>(imagines arkus with warts growing out of him with tap roots into his bloodstream to drain away excess power)

I was thinking more of having leaves for hair, that kind of thing.
>>
No. 286361 ID: a76809

>>286290
With all the expectant faces, I consider the parallels and differences between this moment now-and when I adventured with Mordre alone half a year ago. Mordre's still as hungry for souls as ever, but is less.... indiscriminate in his claiming. I am still resistant to the notion of directly participating in fights-but now I have three seperate high quality magic items I keep on my person (with plans to add my state robe into the mix as a fourth item)-and that's not counting my exploding magical knowledge, skill and total energy capacity, both through my two external batteries-and my bodies incorporation of System principles. I get all the benefit of having honed my soul itself to be larger, while having spent all my time just acquiring knowledg-in the end, I surpassed the growth speed of souls, barring Moments of Inspiration. With my soul still registering as largely 'normal', not even heroic by any measurement means, I think I possess about as much power as a lower mid-level Heroic soul. Assuming I can add actualy weight to my own soul in all this, I could have enough magical stamina to support near endless runing-which would make pursuing my personal and Mordre-specific projects easier around my normal duties as a State Mage. The fact I actually feel comfortable with so much attention on me is testament to my social growth-

Oh right.

I pull Ellayia's contact stone out of one of my... twenty seven... pockets, and consider the object. ..Huh, it does register as having a VERY faint trace of Soul magic on it-not the founding magic, and I can barely detect it a few feet from my staff, but there it is. On a whim, I try contacting Ellayia.

[Ellayia, can you hea-]
>[FINALLY, someone talks again-I've been trying to get in contact with you for days! I have a drugged up mage with unbroken skin and PLENTY of World magic to her name, and I found an unclaimed Leyline Geyser-where's your boss so we can discuss payment?]
[I seriously was not expecting a response-we're on the other side of the planet now.]
>[Excuse me?]
[Place called Dionepa? Lenryt took us here while she was having a chat with Mordre-he should be back soon.]
>[Soooooooooo.... the most infamous leader of the Mortal Coil brought the new leader of the State... to Dionepa?]
[Wait how do you know about Dionepa, its on the other side of the Wall!]
>[Did your boss really have to get a perceptive right hand man?]
[Trying to distract me from my query with complements?]
>[Trying to pin me down with my own tactic?]
[Trying to keep this going long enough the topic is forced to jump?]
>[Isn't it working?]
[So how did you know? Honestly, you want to talk payment with Mordre, I'm gonna need an answer-I don't like unexplained stuff.]
>[FIIIIINE, geeze. ....Actually, easier to explain than I thought. I'm... kinda like you, actually. Weeeell.... maybe a bit more experienced~."
[That supposed to be an answer that doesn't really say anything?]
>[Or is it supposed to have some clues in it?]
[What, like you also having an Immortal Soul, allowing you to register as 'normal' while migrating body to body, tying in with the experience claim?]
>[...Why do you work for Mordre again?]
[My turn to clam up some. So, can you reach Dionepa?]
>[Not currently, no.]
[Currently as in on a job or...]
>[Don't hold your breath.]
[Okay... well, if you want to meet with Mordre and get paid, you might want to contact Phohn-or really, any of Mordre's....]
>[Deep Spawn the term you are looking for?]
[-Anyway, if you want us back faster so you get paid, might want to do that.]
>[Not a job request, huh?]
[No, completely your choice. But if you want to get paid faster, might want to.]
>[Ahuh.... Hmmmmmmmmmm, I think I'm gonna need to keep my eye on you more, mr. right hand.]

And with that, the connection is severed. I carefully stow the stone back in my pocket.

-PHEW, thought I was going to slip up there-thank you bullshit powers! ...I am DEFINITELY going to have to think about what she said there at some point, but given I've been holding and staring at a rock for the last five seconds... might want to attend to the here and now.

>>286284
"Okay... so, what would be some good local examples of medicinal herbs?"
>"Right away!"

About a hundred of the onlookers run off in a dozen different directions. ...Their eagerness to please is... a bit creepy, actually.

"Plants with unusual defense mechanisms?"

This time, three hundred run off, with shouts of 'right away!' ...I don't know if Mordre should know just HOW eager these guys are, he might want to make a fanatic army out of the locals or something.

"And how about any plants that are hard to classify with the rest, having too many irregular properties?"

This time only twenty move, not a one running and all older-each heads off in a different direction, a group of five assembling around each as they depart. I find myself grateful for the language lessons with Kyorto, as struggling along with Mornostic is helping me pick up on different dialects more easily.

>>286282
>>286288
>>286295
>>286309
>>286326
As we wait for the several hundred gatherers, I decide the best use of my time now-is in building more rapport with the locals-and I think that can best be achieved by talking about Mordre. I recount individual min-events of his by the dozens, each one involving him surpassing a challenge and growing stronger as a result-I bring up this concept of growth, of ascendance as a pivotal trait around which Mordre is built-I even speak of the great gains I have made in his service. It takes about thirty minutes to get everyone clear on the fact that Mordre leads to upward growth for all who follow him-about twenty seconds after, I think the entire village would say yes if he asked them to follow him-the amount of wonder in their eyes, at the thought of elevating their own station, is almost mystical.

[MORDRE: NEW BELIEF SOURCE ESTABLISHED: THE EVER GROWING (DIONEPA)]

...Hold on. Mordre runs... on Belief now, right? So, this avenue of getting them to like him more-that can be used to make them Believe in him more, right? ...And as Mordre's oldest follower, and the only one they've met here.... couldn't I benefit from that belief too? Doesn't Belief magic act as a supplement to a soul's weight? Wouldn't this solve my issue of having too little soul weight?

Time to stop ruminating and start doing.

I play up my position following Mordre, I even mention my soul's immortality, the scope of the beings I have had interactions with thanks to Mordre, the wonders I've seen and things I've learned-I leave out mention of Pyromancy, instead focusing on the Restricted Phonomancy I'm learning from Kyorto to push my magical concealment talents to the next level, and my growing command of Aeromancy (not Kyorto's forte but I have some books on it at the Arcanoworks). I likewise do not mention my heavily modified, sky-fall runed Lightning gun, designed to loose two dozen charges in a second in a viciously rapid attack-a wrought metal and shaped glass holdout weapon, if you will. Everything else I divulge, explaining all the things I have and have learned-

And the people eat it up. A child of the streets, standing next to what they STILL think of as a Sphere God?

Let's just say I think I have attracted even MORE attention from said milkmaids-thought with the local fauna, I am hesitant to question just WHAT they milk....

....When those that rushed off to gather plants return, I am incredibly thankful that... shit, what are their names.... uh... Cledina and... Jostrine? Led me to their house. Give me time to get my face cleaned up, for them to pull their tops back in place, and me to not look like a complete lech when I stride out to.....


Wow.

That... that is a WHOLE MESS of plants. I think... they may have brought a ton, an actual ton, in gross weight.....

...Okay, time to get sorting.....







For sorting plants, what is the order of importance for collecting samples (medicinal/recovery, medicinal/boosting, defensive, irregular, or otherwise?
While I sort plants, what kind of things should I run over in my mind (This would be the time to ask Arkus questions. He will not answer all, so order your questions by importance)>
What more should I say about Mordre to continue pushing Belief his way... and mine?
How do I plan to get my face back between some luscious freckled mountains?
...Should I speak with Ellayia again?
>>
No. 286365 ID: d1bc5f

I think you can hold off on the whole Milkmaids thing until you've gotten some stuff done. But I suppose you could multitask by asking for someone who'd be willing to be a simple knowledge guide and "randomly" choose someone. Always nice to get to know new people, huh? :D (but do be careful, I would suggest asking many questions about culture before attempting anything)

Collecting interesting plants is good, and maybe you can also collect bits of the local wildlife, bits of flesh and bone and fur and such, the animals are just as important to an ecosystem as the plants, so to see if they are connected in some way could reveal some interesting clues about how it works over on this side.
>>
No. 286367 ID: 259738

For order of importance, I'd say defensive>irregular>recovery>boosting. New defense mechanisms and weird stuff seems like it'll be more useful to Bang than recovery/boosting herbs.
>>
No. 286372 ID: a0d5fc

>>286361
>For sorting plants, what is the order of importance for collecting samples (medicinal/recovery, medicinal/boosting, defensive, irregular, or otherwise?
Those that boost magical potentials more generally, or expand the consciousness should be the priority.

>While I sort plants, what kind of things should I run over in my mind (This would be the time to ask Arkus questions. He will not answer all, so order your questions by importance)>
As you've told the story, think back to your childhood. What do you remember of your childhood? Is the there anything that you can take from it to fuel your growth.
Can you feel any attraction to the naked souls produced when people die?

>What more should I say about Mordre to continue pushing Belief his way... and mine?
When Mordre returns I should suggest that he publicly implants a Deep Spawn Core into my System to act as its Administrator, so that the locals can witness the growth that following him leads to. At this time he should probably anoint me as his high Priest, and then I can induct a couple of the villagers who possess the strongest magical potentials. When I do that, Mordre should infuse a them with his Belief using the inverted Immortal Genocide, to serve as his priests and missionaries here.

In the interim, Mordre could so with a wooden statue being carved of him, as well as a small carved wooden amulet of his mask for every villager. If your runic skills are up to it, then carving a small rune of chaos and growth onto the back of each amulet would reinforce their Belief with reality.

>How do I plan to get my face back between some luscious freckled mountains?
Hmm. Lenryt explained about Death Belief, perhaps I should explain to my two milkmaids that I am looking for its counterpart, Creation/Birth Belief, and indulge in some practical research of those things involved in its creation. Including milk. On that subject, as the only mammals in the region seems to be humans, that would suggest they are also the only source of milk. Intensive study is required indeed.

>...Should I speak with Ellayia again?
Yes. As he how here communications rock works. This can wait until I've researched with the milkmaids.
>>
No. 286374 ID: 21e57a

>For sorting plants, what is the order of importance for collecting samples (medicinal/recovery, medicinal/boosting, defensive, irregular, or otherwise?

Irregular. Weird stuff can always be useful. Then, in descending order, Boosting, Defensive, Otherwise-Magic Based Plant Life, Otherwise-Plant/Animal Combination, Medical Recovery, Anything Else.

>(This would be the time to ask Arkus questions. He will not answer all, so order your questions by importance)

Mhm. Lets reflect on any family we have, and how Mordre might act as our surrogate father and all the emotional ties that leads to.

Also, fetishes. Milkmaids, of course, but that
Kyorto is one fine MILF. So, what else you 'want' out of life.

>What more should I say about Mordre to continue pushing Belief his way... and mine?

"Mordre...is a conquering hero. I have seen him defend thousands for no other reason than he wishes it."

Talk about Mordre, and how he has boot-strapped up a tribe from almost being wiped out to becoming a techno-magical force of destruction, how he saved a country in a matter of months, restored a handful of towns to economic safety and defended them from bandits. Wiped out an army…really, just tell them what Mordre has actively done, glossing over any losses. How he has cultured heroes in his shadow, and all that stuff.

And then tell them you have done everything Mordre has asked of you, in record time. And tell them what.

>How do I plan to get my face back between some luscious freckled mountains?

“This is a common practice where I’m from, to relax from hard work. Let me show it to you.”

>...Should I speak with Ellayia again?

Sure. Ask about the mage and the location of the geyser. If she argues against it, tell her there’s no sense in not telling us as we’ll pay her as soon as she gets in contact with Phohn.
>>
No. 286375 ID: bdd665

>>286366
>implants a Deep Spawn Core into my System to act as its Administrator

I do not think this is a good idea. Arkus's system is(probably) far to small to support or need this. Also theres no telling what it could do to Arkus for all we know it could magicly criple him.
>>
No. 286376 ID: a0d5fc

>>286375
>I do not think this is a good idea. Arkus's system is(probably) far to small to support or need this. Also theres no telling what it could do to Arkus for all we know it could magicly criple him.

OOC: Check what I just posted in the discussion thread.
>>
No. 286380 ID: a6ab09

>How do I plan to get my face back between some luscious freckled mountains?
just picture it arkus mah boi, a hundred milkmaids lined up in a tight circle around you, all those deliciously freckled assets there ripe for the motorboating There is no reason for this not to happen. play it off as a little ritual that females take part in back home to increase both fertility and attractiveness towards males they desire(if that happens to be you all the better).
>>
No. 286382 ID: b83150

On the soul weight issue, how much could you gain by opening Blood as a magic source? If you haven't gained Blood magic yet, perhaps use the World magic you produce - which resonates with Blood - to infuse your Blood with more energy, and thereby increase the presence of your blood, therefore increasing your awareness of your Blood, allowing you to tap into the energy your blood produces for magic? Even if you already know how to tap into Blood, infusing World magic into your blood is a good idea, as it likely would increase the magical potency of your blood. (Also might help any efforts on your part to learn Curatiomancy, since your body would have lots of magic helping with your body's natural regeneration; the Chaos inclination of World Magic should help with perpetually returning your body to a past, more fit, state, if you desire that.)

Anyways, on the plants, you are going to need someplace to store them, and your pockets are otherwise occupied (and insufficient in number to individually store each sample). Perhaps rely on the generosity of the villagers (and their fear and awe of you and Mordre...) to obtain compartmentalized bags? Make sure to get the villagers to tell you what the characteristics (magical properties, ideal habitat, seasonal cycle, etc.) are, and either make sure to memorize them or do something to ensure that you don't need to (e.g. store their words in a inked mark inside each pocket, using a combined Word/World based Triggered Restricted spell so that you need to touch the mark and speak a specific Word-based spell for the mark to play back the villager's words).

Also, the preservation of the samples could be done with something akin to World-based inversion spell that turned Mordre's Soulfire into crystal some months ago; except this time, use World Magic in replacement of the Soulfire (this should work, I think, as World Magic is similarly inclined toward Chaos). Perhaps use a Word-based spell to direct whatever results from the inverted World Magic (hopefully preservation crystal) to cover each individual sample in their own shell? (Word is your flashy fuel source, currently, which should hopefully impress the villagers somewhat, and thereby increase the Belief you are accruing from the villagers.)

On the topic of increasing Belief, using showier works of magic probably is an easy method, which would have the side-benefit of increasing your skill at magic. For example, using Aeromancy (Word- and World-based: the constant mild background Curse should increase the power of World-based spells, and Word for more flashiness) to lift the samples and place them into the pockets, for example. (Come to think of it, wouldn't the World Magic within the plants allow more powerful Pomumancy, World-based or otherwise, when used on those plants? And, therefore, Arkus could start learning Pomumancy by directly manipulating the World energies within the plants, and then, once enough familiarity is built up, manipulate the plants directly?)
>>
No. 286385 ID: 81f32a

>While I sort plants, what kind of things should I run over in my mind (This would be the time to ask Arkus questions. He will not answer all, so order your questions by importance)
Your thoughts on Mordres power grab in the State. That must have surprised him a lot. > Thoughts on Kyorto and her training > Things that you would like to see happen, be it something personal or how the governing of the State is going (or any other Mordres holding actually)

>For sorting plants, what is the order of importance for collecting samples (medicinal/recovery, medicinal/boosting, defensive, irregular
Irregular, boosting, defensive, recovery.
Take a paper and write down the names and short descriptions for each and every one of the plants you collect.

>What more should I say about Mordre to continue pushing Belief his way... and mine?
Hey, you are on presence of Dem Ladies.
You should boast like every other male boasts when trying to impress women. In your case those boasting would be likely true.
How fast can you make a rune? Could you make something simple but very flashy in short order? Like inscribing a flat stone or making a beautiful wooden amulet.
Show your magical skills, that's what I am saying.

>...Should I speak with Ellayia again?
Nah ... unless you want to know her closer and not in business like sense.
Iirc, she was also amply "gifted" if you know what I mean.

>>286376
Yah, sure lets do this.
If things go really sour we will bail out Arkus' soul out of his body.
>>
No. 286386 ID: f6360f

>>286361
>For sorting plants, what is the order of importance for collecting samples (medicinal/recovery, medicinal/boosting, defensive, irregular, or otherwise?
Irregular takes highest priority, followed by boosting. Have the villagers help you find the very strongest and most unusual examples of each kind; the more potent and more unusual, the better. Get the villagers to detail their properties to you as you go.

>How do I plan to get my face back between some luscious freckled mountains?
You walk at the side of an ascendant god. At this point, I'm pretty sure that you could dispense with the bullshit and pickup lines and be fairly blatant about wanting to fuck a half-dozen of the village's most attractive women simultaneously, and it'd work. Do not lie or try anything ridiculous to get women to perform sex acts with you while passing it off as something else. You don't need to.

That said, it might be a better plan to pick one and stick with her. Choose a buxom girl who seems fairly intelligent, and as you proceed with whatever you're doing, start teaching her things. If she's sharp she'll immediately detect that she's been promoted to your student/servant, and will be more than willing to do pretty much whatever you want of her for as long as you both are here. And hey, if this Belief thing works out she'll end up benefiting too and become something worthwhile eventually, just because you chose her.

>What more should I say about Mordre to continue pushing Belief his way... and mine?
Emphasize Mordre's constant drive to gather and nurture followers. Tell stories of the way that he seems to gather friends and servants effortlessly, and then tales of how each of them has grown greater in his service- Ulzrick is probably the most obvious example of this, aside from you, but it seems to happen all the time. Everyone should want to serve Mordre with all their heart, because they will grow thereby. This will, hopefully, push your fledgling religion towards expansionism and maximize the Belief you can create.

>>286376
After reading that, I will back those ideas. Also, making Arkus a high priest and anointing other priests could make huge strides towards growing this religion.
>>
No. 286388 ID: ab04d4

>>286386
Some examples... Ulzrick, Bang and Keddic... Actually, Derkin is probably the best example besides Arkus.
>>
No. 286397 ID: cd2f89

>>286386
yeah, i agree with what this guy says about sticking with one girl
>>
No. 286407 ID: 81f32a

>>286397
I do not.
This should be like a one night stand or something.

Arkus has higher standards than peasant girls who drop their pantaloons if you just look at them funny.
It's not rewarding man.
>>
No. 286412 ID: 5f0943

>>286407
I'm agreeing with this guy.
>>
No. 286413 ID: f6360f

>>286407
It's not a question of standards, it's a question of what's most beneficial.

Focusing on a single girl while he's here is not the same as somehow tying himself down permanently; it could be one night, or a couple weeks, or whatever, depending on how it goes. Picking one would quickly get him an assistant/servant in addition to someone to sleep with, emphasize the upward mobility bit that we're trying to spread here as he teaches her things, and frankly probably result in a more entertaining- if less varied- sex life than jumping every woman that he can.
>>
No. 286414 ID: 63fc62

>>286361
Arkus, start teaching them magic. You can give these people the headstart you never had in your younger years. Back home, the Mortal Coil already has the monopoly on magic and makes it damn near impossible to become a mage without LODES OF EMONE- The same cannot be said for Dionepa. You can hammer home the belief that magic has no price if one is willing to work hard enough. You know how you're always saying it'd be easier to get things done around the arcanoworks if you had a dedicated group of assistants? This is the chance to make that happen. It won't happen overnight... But, if you oversee their growth and convince every man and woman with even a hint of potential to practice the basics of magic every day, you will eventually have an army of magic users completely dedicated to your cause.
>>
No. 286416 ID: 5f0943

>>286361
>For sorting plants, what is the order of importance for collecting samples (medicinal/recovery, medicinal/boosting, defensive, irregular, or otherwise?

Defensive>Boosting>irregular>recovery


>What more should I say about Mordre to continue pushing Belief his way... and mine?

Talk about how Mordre has has faced armies numbering in the tens of thousands numerous times, and always come out on top. How he has faced impossible odds time and time again, only to emerge victorious.
How he has clashed with beings that where believed to be more powerful than him, only for them to fall before his might.

>How do I plan to get my face back between some luscious freckled mountains?

lolidunno

>...Should I speak with Ellayia again?

No, there is no need to at present.
>>
No. 286418 ID: 5b95eb

Knock out the irregular ones first. There are less, and it'll go faster.
>>
No. 286423 ID: a76809
File 129937363013.gif - (85.38KB , 720x976 , Inferno Golems Upgraded Into Faith Guardian Golems.gif )
286423

>>286367
>>286372
I set to it, having my multitude of helpers dividing up plants, slowly siphoning away those similar enough to plants native to our homeland, the irregular, and all manner of magically inclined plants slowly categorized, sorted, labelled and systematically packaged. I find myself thankful for the experience running the Arcanoworks and recent days as an official State Mage, as I actually have enough familiarity with command to keep this all running smoothly. As I work, I consider what my staff shows me, in particular to the haunting light of souls being cut from their host bodies. Its the defiance of entropy, the stark beauty of eternity-I have to admit now that I have a means to percieve them souls captivate me. They represent the summation of one's life and experiences, the nucleus of their ambitions and dreams, vessel of their hope and despair-the body means little compared to this, the seat of existence. I think I shall need to put more time into investigating how to perceive souls-after all, that's not outright Soul Magic, perfectly legal.

>>286374
As I slowly start rendering, sorting and grading this vast wealth of samples, already quite experienced at mass analysis, I consider what it must be like to have a family-I was a gutter orphan as far back as my memories go, and could never quite relate to others on the sensation of 'family' Hard to understand something I've never experienced. ..Why would my thoughts turn here after thoughts on the nature of life? Do I miss having a family? Certainly, but... no, that's not why I thought of this-have I relatives of any sort, a keen enough perception of Souls would allow me to identify them based on imprinted simularities, right? Yet another reason to do what I can-which will most certainly involve speaking with Bang-he can SEE magic, if I could get that....

As the sorting continues and I ponder the many options before me in my quest to make magic and souls both more visible to me, I continue to speak about Mordre, a topic that never fails to attract attention. I speak of the timeline of his existence-they marvel how his life reads like the baby-steps of a god now entering its maturity, and make no effort to avoid the comparison-being thought of as a God has got to make for good Belief, right? ....And better pull for me, his senior-most follower. I speak with absolute confidence in Mordre's success-even as I note that new faces are appearing in the crowd as the hours wear on-did they send runners to other villages then? I see their eyes glued to my metal axe.....

Okay....

I expend an unnecessary amount of World magic to make my axe crackle, a spark jumping to light an herb mixture touted to me as being consciousness expanding-some blend of mushroom, plant-based oils and grasses alike. As I inhale deeply, the almost hickory and orange flavored smoke coiling along to the backs of my brain and depths of my soul, I tip my head at the newcomers in a show of bravado that should bother me as being out of character-but with a second pull, I realize that if this moment is to be etched into reality in such a way I never regret it, I can't be held back by my conventional mannerisms.

>>286382
I consider my current magical state as I take another break from speaking come afternoon, as the excess herbs are put to spicing a massive feast, villagers from other areas likewise contributing as they feast a visiting noble-I correct them on this, saying I am a Mage, but not a noble. When they express themselves unfamiliar with the term, I eventually find out that their entire grasp of magic is all contact based-all those magically inclined in the village are combat mages. I continue to partake of the herbal roll I was presented as I explain the concept of Arcane magic, using some Phonomancy based hallucinations (flickers of movement, or hiding objects-combined with Aeromancy to make the wind move to my will. All are easily impressed-and the lunch becomes a two-hour affair in which I philosophize on the nature of magic, of how reality is defined as the Self, and the Outside, how one branch of magic, the one they practice, deals with the Self and things defined as part of the Self, is interlinked with the other. A few of those magically inclined try some of my examples-and find limited success quite quickly as I correct them when their soul gets out of balance for Arcane pursuits-again, even a limited perception of souls proves vital.

By the time we are back to sorting, at least ten thousand people have crowded into this village, all drawn by the news of what transpires, so many turning to look towards the distant Orbopolis of Kengehxion that I am left with 'only' five thousand or so helping supply an ever replenishing stack of unsorted flora, as I continue to note down everything brought forth, the pile of packaged herbs now thrice my size, while the unsorted mound is the size of a hut.

I consider my only recently stablized ability to use Will Magic... and the similarity to my self-generated World magic.... and wonder.... the World magic is generated from my blood-if I just keep the magic pooling in my veins couldn't I eventually use that as an insulator to handle my own Blood as a power source in absence of knowledge? And by doing so, would I not then gain enough experience to not need such a sheathing in future uses, allowing me to blend World and Blood together for my every magical use? It seems so simple-as I finish my last drag on the roll, I toss the dreg to the ground and grind it with my boot as I continue to sort the unending stream of specimens-with my REAL attention inward. I pool more and more magic in my veins, tentatively and incessantly testing my plan's viability, constantly failing, until-

My veins crackle with the thunder of a million rampagins beasts rampaging through my body, power unchained and unrestricted flowing everywhere, a deluge that makes my hair stand up my skin squirm and my eyes dilate. My heart's beat jumps and thunders, an echo that reaches to my toes and fingertips and rattles around my brain-

I direct the power outward, enough presence to me that I channel it into my axe, the power going to further anchoring the runes into the weapon itself, into making it a better magic battery.

The power that blinds me to reality is given an outlet as I focus on capturing every detail of the ordeal, learning as much as I can.

I only look down at my axe when I see everyone staring.

I look down.

The runes on the axe have folded in on themselves, now hollow pits that reach through the entirety of the axe from one side to the next-and in those gaps lies a silently howling abyss, a sea of oblivion that defies gravity, pooling in the hollows, quietly raging.

...Oookay.

[MOMENT OF INSPIRATION!]

That... that was definitely Blood magic-I guess the World saturation automatically forced a hybrid magic use-notebook.... ok, got to write down everything I remember, record every sensation and detail-my next attempt will not leave me with so many questions....

>>286385
As the afternoon begins to roll along, I consider how much of a good thing for me the State takeover has been. More prestige, more resources, more funds, more authority-everything involved has given me better resources to keep learning, and continue to grow as a mage. Mordre has consistently proved himself an ideal entity to follow for my own advancement, and this continues to be true. I have absolutely no problem with him being the Councilor Prime, and hope I can learn enough to get named as an Arch-Mage with Mordre, Kyorto and Eisenhardt. From there, I really don't see how I can avoid getting a Mortal Coil invit-

Shit, Kyorto will too.... I hope that gets handled well.

She really has been a great teacher-the hitting on me thing is a bit creepy, considering she is starting to get a bit.... creative in how she uses her particular physiology to 'flirt'. I mean, wow I am learning a good bit about a dead language that will let me read books on Soul Magic and on golem craft, and she's really teaching me a bunch with Phonomancy that really complements the stealth Word magic I know. It ties in very well with my personal studies of Aeromancy, which finally paid off when I manifested Will magic-

On that note having concretely inscribed every sensation from that first Blood magic use into my soul, I think I recognized, through my staff, the way my soul... opened... more fully. I have no other words to describe it, just that rather than growing, I learned how to use it more fully in that instant. Something to ponder.

After I have finished compiling and packing every kind of useful herb within a five league radius, I find attention slipping on me-even as, midway through another herbal roll, I am giving more lessons on Arcane magic with my use of Illusion and wind-manipulation. What could-

I turn around to look where they gaze.

The Sphere Mordre travelled to is rocking and quaking, the roots pulling free of its surface as it floats upward, the dense tnagles knitting together beneath it-

As a Golden figure, gleaming brilliantly in the sweltering heat-stands on its surface.

As people erupt into cheer, I can barely think as the full weight of how hot it is hits me, and I duck aside to strip off my robes and body glove. I don't know if I'm hallucinating when the Milkmaids find me-and I don't care.


..........................................................................[PERSPECTIVE SHIFT: MORDRE] ..........................................................................

Very interesting. Cellular manipulation is not so different, between Curatiomancy and Pomumancy-and my connection to the Sphere beneath me acts as testament to this, as I tap the many magic-producing organs within to keep it afloat without any energy demand from me. I consider what the Sphere God Kengehxion said, as he rent his soul apart to deny me such a feast-'A false heaven is a greater hell than any man could dream.' Rather harsh words..... but considering how much I feasted, how many lives were added to my Eden ,I care not. For in their passing, I learned of the capacity of Spheres, of the power within-and of how many further secrets it could hold.

[TOTAL SOULS REMAINING: 089,712]

I find little can disturb my equilibrium, as I note myself as having nearly a soul for every citizen of the State-and recollect how my Inferno Golems are now external partitions of my Eden, manifestations of my Belief power source....

And find my tranquility disturbed as I float down to spy Arkus... what was the term-ah, 'motorboating' his way down a line of seventeen women, each in the upper ninetieth percentile in mammary development, based on population norms I have yet established for Dionepa. He does not look up as I drift to the ground-granted, he cannot detect through walls as I can, and is within a sturdy shed-and I see nine hundred fifty one pounds of packaged samples, with evidence each was itemized and detailed by Arkus.... he did do as I asked...

But ultimately, the Sphere will not be able to provide spatial warping-I could try using it as a shell to brave the Wall, or dare flying through space, and with it achieve enough speeds to get to the state in hours.... but neither is by any means a sure bet.






What is my next step at this juncture?
>>
No. 286424 ID: a0d5fc

>>286423
>What is my next step at this juncture?
I need to solidify my worship, to convert the awe that the people of this land feel into a formal religion designed to channel their Belief to me.

To do so I will need to start with priests - and I see an opportunity to gift Arkus some of what I am collecting. I should publicly implant a Deep Spawn Core into his nascent System to guide its evolution as its Administrator, so that the locals can witness the personal growth that following me leads to. At this time I should anoint him as my Arch-Priest, and also induct a couple of the gathered crowswho possess the strongest magical potentials into the inner mysteries of my cult. When I do that, Mordre should infuse a them with his Belief using the inverted Immortal Genocide, to serve as his priests and missionaries here.

Separately, you should activate the Infuser and have it continuously divert the excess run off from the Belief engine into my own soul.

I should also consider what I have learned of the growth of cells, and hence the formation of life. Such a primal aspect of existence, the generative acts of Creation, one so celebrated by mortals – as my future High Priest is doing pretty much at this moment, actually, cannot help but have garnered a pool of Belief Magic is a counterpart to the Death Magic Weinsho has exploited. I should extend my new sensitivity to Belief to the fullest when I announce to the assembled multitudes what I am creating, and the Deep Spawn core blossoms to life within Arkus' system.

On getting home, when I have left these seeds of my worship behind me, I should reinforce the Sphere as best I can, and then prepare to take it home with us. I can already see many tactical opportunities for the coming conflict in the Land of Daragon, and it would make a perfect home for Niddhogg and her spawn.
>>
No. 286425 ID: d4f98d

What was the disposition of the Sphere Populace and Kengexhion? Did they fight to the last? Is it completely depopulated? What capabilities of the sphere have you discovered?

Also, I wouldn't pay much heed to Kengexhion's words. Empty bravado in the face of lost hope. I doubt he has any place determining whether a heaven is "false" or not, given that it is by and large a very recent concept given actual form. When your three ultimate fates are "be eaten by the system", total annihilation, or, in Mordre's case, "be granted a genuine afterlife, however metaphysical", choosing oblivion is just useless (and foolish) pride and vindictiveness.
>>
No. 286426 ID: d4f98d

Also, what are the capabilities of your Faithfire (as opposed to your SoulFire) and your Faith Guardian Golems?
>>
No. 286427 ID: 5f0943

>>286423
First of, run down of the capabilities gained from nomming so many curatiomancers and pomumancers

Second, run down on all capabilities of the sphere. We need to find ways to improve it if possible.

Third, implant a deep spawn core into it, because we have to put a deep spawn in EVERYTHING! (No I am not sure if I am being serious or not here... might be sleep deprevation)
>>
No. 286428 ID: a0d5fc

Also, did we use our new improved Blood Magic?

If so, how did it work?
>>
No. 286430 ID: 12323e

> -'A false heaven is a greater hell than any man could dream.'
Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven, eh?

Actually, since he recognized our Eden and avoided it, maybe the Spheregods already have a system for their souls to go to - the Roots, or the Spheres, or something.

Just what did Arkus tap to do that to his axe? Void, or that weird thing Mordecai did when he took over, or what?

Whatever we end up doing, should we accept volunteers from the locals to come with us? That sphere could hold, what, 20,000 people comfortably?
>>
No. 286431 ID: d4f98d

Also:

Hey. Hey guys. Remember that tale we joked about with how "Mage" Mordre was never around because his home was basically a floating castle?

We found our castle.
>>
No. 286433 ID: f88f02

>>286431
>>286431
Yay
>>
No. 286435 ID: f88f02

We need to fortify the exterior of the sphere somehow to make going through the Wall less of a pain. Also, you didn't get ANY heroics in a population that big?

Troubling.

Also, let's have a chat with our heroic souls that we have now - a round table conference with those who would actually speak with us. Might provide some interesting ideas, no?

Finally, ask Arkus about the Storm Wall and what he knows.
>>
No. 286436 ID: a0d5fc

>>286424
When we make our new Priests, we should make it a grand ceremony. First they should renounce their old names, then we should baptise them in a pool of our metal blood, and then we should grant them new names in our service.
>>
No. 286437 ID: 81f32a

>'A false heaven is a greater hell than any man could dream.'
HAHAHAHA
I bet he would sing his tune differently if he was a normal mortal and knew the alternative to Soul Eden.
Fucking prick. Who does he think he is.
We specifically chose him because he was the most cruel and now he tries to tell us something about morals? Meh.

>For in their passing, I learned of the capacity of Spheres, of the power within-and of how many further secrets it could hold.
Which are?
You need to elaborate man.

Also what other powers did you gain besides Curimancy and Ponumancy? They should have know stuff beside those two if they spread their knowledge of Magic so widely.
And what is their level?

I wonder how the cleansing of the polii went through. Did you just bust in and started to kill everybody? How long did it take and what kind of methods did he use? How hard was the fight with Reaver?

>and I see nine hundred fifty one pounds of packaged samples, with evidence each was itemized and detailed by Arkus
Make a crate out of nearby woods. Adore it with metal from your body so that you can move it easily with the help of magnetomancy.

>What is my next step at this juncture?
Use your newfound powers at curimancy to check on Arkus. See if his mind is alright (it is not, he's high).
Then use you healing to put the drugs out of his system and then say to him to put his damn pants on and come out. (or if you are feeling generous, let him have some fun for 15-30 minutes).

He the should tell you something important that will help you get back home (contact with Ellayia)


Give gifts to onlookers, make shit out of your own body or cannonshells (like coins or statues and shit). Just Because.
It should help us with Belief we are generating here.

Make an off hand comment how you dealt with Reaver.
Ask villager what's up.

Also I am voting against for putting Cores into the sphere and absolute no to using PS, for now. We might want to use up everything we've got before spending our most valuable resources.
[If we do make a damn ship/floating castle out of the sphere. Please use the fan-arts that had been posted few days before for extra "oomph" (they aren't from me, but I think the artists wanted them for ship/sphere ideas)]

A PS attempt:
This little venture we just did of exterminating a small nation will have massive social and political fallout in Dionepa.
If we go back home again and never be heard again (for months or forever), these villagers we had contact with will be persecuted and probably killed for being "heretics" or something like that.
So now we need to send a delegation and set up base here. We'll need to have presence over here from now on if we don't want these people to come to harm.
Since we made these people believe we are god, sending people from State might be ill-advisable. I suggest we send our techno-magical Premen friends to set up shop here.
And have Burduko establish a warp-point.
If we don't mind people from back home finding out that here in Dionepa they decided to see us as god, I suggest starting Dregas trade-network here, too.
>>
No. 286439 ID: ab04d4

I think it's obvious that we put all the villagers who want to come into the sphere. I mean all of them, within the next, say, five hours. Should be enough to fill everyone up- they won't refuse going with Mordre, their new Spheregod-substitute, and we could set up some stuff.

We have to come back with Burduko someday.

Also, I can't believe how easy that was. You killed a spheregod just... Like that? No fight, no major scarring, nothing like what happened with the Goran fight...

We're either fuck powerful or the Spheregods are all pussies who've lived too long in luxury. I'm pretty sure it's the first one, though.

Shall we loot the Orbopolis? Half the metal goes to you, other half is divided among all the villagers who come with you. Every cool artifact and magical item also goes to you, especially magic weapons. What weapon did Kengehxion use anyways- we could add it to our Weapon Grave.
>>
No. 286440 ID: 81f32a

PS

Trollzaru uses tractomancy signatures to track us down (as evidenced from the post in Discussion)
That means that he can know where we travel.
Meaning that he would be able to track our Gialgorra base.
Meaning that he will eat Domintus which will lead to BAD END.
Also, if we don't deal with him soon, he might also attack Mordreden and eat Weinsho, which is also BAD END.
>>
No. 286441 ID: 81f32a

>>286439
>I think it's obvious that we put all the villagers who want to come into the sphere. I mean all of them, within the next, say, five hours. Should be enough to fill everyone up- they won't refuse going with Mordre, their new Spheregod-substitute, and we could set up some stuff.

Just make sure that the sphere is not filled with blood and gore from previous inhabitants.
>>
No. 286443 ID: f6360f

>>286437
>If we go back home again and never be heard again (for months or forever), these villagers we had contact with will be persecuted and probably killed for being "heretics" or something like that.
Well, naturally. Arkus has been breaking their caste system rather rampantly and teaching them of new powers, Mordre is stealing Belief that has historically gone to the Sphere Gods... the obvious reaction is complete extermination of this new religion, root and branch, by the existing Sphere Gods. If Mordre's not there, they'll get rid of his followers. If he IS there, they might well unite against him. It's a sticky business.

>>286424
I do rather like this plan for Arkus and creating priests. The question is, will it be enough to let them survive? I suspect that unless a stronger hand is taken, the answer is no. Well, perhaps if a Deep Spawn infused Arkus is left here to manage and expand the cult personally, he would be able to keep it alive. Could work out well, and while he's learning some cool stuff in the State he could hone his soul like nobody's business by being set to a task as huge as this one, if he manages to succeed in it.

Oh, and make sure that we give Arkus a bit of warning and do nothing that would make others ridicule or disrespect him as we pull him from his current activities. It would be bad for our Belief. And he can explain the details of why there are ten thousand people here and what they think of us before we take any drastic steps.

>I think it's obvious that we put all the villagers who want to come into the sphere. I mean all of them, within the next, say, five hours.
We could use them to staff the Sphere, or possibly we could just use the Sphere to transport them and spread them out widely over the land to spread the good word of our existence and maximize our Belief intake. Depends upon how easily we can maneuver the Sphere and avoid the other Sphere Gods' wrath.
>>
No. 286444 ID: 12323e

PS attempt: the reason everyone in Trollingwood is insane is the Lortoxite meteor that landed there years ago.

Poor Oz and CANTI; they're just going to get more eccentric the longer they spend in contact with the stuff.
>>
No. 286447 ID: 81f32a
File 129938096973.gif - (971.62KB , 1600x1200 , Sphere-Mobile.gif )
286447

This is how we will arrive back home.
In style.

Should shut up anyone who questions us where we had been the last day.
"Oh, Mordre, FINALLY! Where had- ohwhatthefuckisthat?!"
>>
No. 286448 ID: 12323e

>>286440
Does this mean he could track us across the Wall to here? We need to keep an eye on that guy, stat.

Or just murder him. Murdering's good.
>>
No. 286449 ID: 81f32a

>>286448
Cannot agree more.


After we get back home.
We should imbue ourself with the alloy we have been planning. We should add platinum and rare valuable gem dust to it. Then add Lenryts tea. Maybe out an Egg Core in the mix.
Do all of this at leyline geyser (and the Sphere if we manage to take it with us).
After this massive upgrade we go to deal with that fucker.
>>
No. 286453 ID: 903f16

>>286423

>What is my next step at this juncture?
Sail down into a clearing near the village. Enter town, invite followers to join you on your journey home, having them load in the plant materials. Handle the situation with Arkus however you wish and examine his weapon. Get that all sort and squared away with and then get the sphere back into the air. I suggest we go through the wall and attempt to use this >>286071 plan to move through.


>>286424
As an addition to this plan I'd like to propose a system for our up and coming cult. In addition to the baptisms for our priests we should work out a method for advancement amongst the ranks. Give the priests markings, markings made from our own blood iron. Our markings can be rune tattoos, made from our blood iron, using our own blood we can empower it with belief and bind our priests with our ownership. These rune tattos should be focused in a similar manner, giving us better ownership of the wearers and letting them grow in belief as we grow. But as I said, these tattoos are rewards for devotion to us and our cause. When a priest proves himself worthy he can have a tattoo added to him. We don't want them just anywhere though, we need them to concealable so our enemies don't snuff out our belief network. There is an existing example for this, the Yakuza, who wear tattoos that can be hidden under clothing and exposed when needed. Once we learn about Deep Spawn restrictions we may even be able to restrict the priests who serve us in a suitable manner, those who earn high enough rank getting more restrictions as gifts.

>>286431
Wow, that gives me an idea. If this is going to be our floating castle, we need personnel. We need butlers, we need cooks, but most of all we need maids. How do we get these personnel? Let's get them from here, fill our sphere with loyal followers to maintain our home. The regular staff are simple enough, they can be anyone who decides to join us, but the maids need to be hand picked. Arkus has his face resting in the ample resources of some rather capable milk maids. Why not convert these milk maids into our maid maids? With these people and our floating castle we'll add an entire layer to our cover.

All of this is good, but we can build on it, we can do more to perfect it. If we show up with our castle people will ask where we are? To stall the issue we can lock off the center of the sphere, take the same seat of power Kengehxion had. Once safely closed away we use this area as a sort of testing grounds. I propose we not only move the components for our new body that we have been building inside, but also start work on the creation of new beings. We should create our own version of Illia and our various cats by creating life golem versions of them. We never mentioned she was human and being a life golem actually works well with the established personality of Mage Mordre. As for the cats, we should make them monstrous life golem constructs that act as guards. With a little time a work we could get this down, we have the prerequisite magic now. If we ask Kyorto for help I'm sure it could be done in relatively short order.
>>
No. 286455 ID: b83150

Whatever you do, make sure that Arkus doesn't forget his robes and body glove.

>>286437
The artist does desire the fanart posted in posts >>286053 and >>285577 to be used in upgrading/modifying the Sphere so as to be capable of surviving going through the Wall, or otherwise capable of getting Mordre and company back to the State safely and quickly.
>>
No. 286456 ID: 5b95eb

>>286431
noooo. Not if we say that's where we live, I mean, if we just use it as a floating castle that's fine, but if we say that's the floating castle where Mage Mordre actually lives...

I don't like making elements of our cover into reality. Our cover should remain just as it is, somewhat vague, flexible, and hard to disprove. No one can blow it up and call us out when we sill move around. No one can sneak in and attempt to murder us, only to find we're not there. No one can call us out on something we make up about the place.

>>286453
Downvoting that ending bit hard. I like to think that Mage Mordre would be an eccentric old man, but still pretty normal, not crazy.
>>
No. 286459 ID: afc243

First of all use inverted faithfire to preserve the plant collection. That way it'll stay fresh.

The other spheregods might retaliate once they get what's happened. Could you possibly outmaneuver them by say putting runes on the roots they might use for a counterattack so they give you power?

Try getting Arkus to link/interface with the Sphere and see if his System like properties means he can literally make it a self-contained world. Then he might be able to absorb and reprocess souls etc.

Also try out your combined magical abilities. Take some local beasts and plants apart with curatiomancy. Then take a promising local volunteer aside and attempt to REBUILD him using curatiomancy, pomumancy, magnetomancy and soul magic. See if you can add Blootz steel reinforcements, strengthened muscles, bark skin and an order rebalancing to stabilize the creation. You could potentially create some hardy speakers capable of travelling the continent to spread the word of Mordre.
>>
No. 286463 ID: 259738

>>286423
So...no heroics? That makes Dionepa seem pretty pathetic. We get anything interesting? Runecrafters, word, rare magic like Phonomancy/Gravimancy/Chronomancy? If not I'm not sure what's really stopping us from just rolling over this entire continent.
>>
No. 286465 ID: ab04d4

>>286463
Well, we did pretty much kill Kengahxion, the most horrible Spheregod around (though not necessarily the most powerful one), and based on the difficulty of the fight (I mean, Bob just skipped it which means it was probably a one-shot or something), I estimate that this spheregod was just a low-tier Heroic, something like Fang-Taker in terms of power.

Given that, one does come to the conclusion that Dionepa fails forever- or we probably just haven't explored far enough to hit the big roadblocks. I'm sure they're out there somewhere- I'm thinking a soul grave the size of a Sphere, fused with the systemroots, or something.

Hopefully, the other spheregods will give up when they find that we've vanished with an entire three or four villages. I mean, Kengahxion couldn't have been the strongest out of all the spheregods based on my argument. But if we go and smash more spheres up, the spheregods will come after us and we will have huge sphere-fights in the air. Not like that's a bad thing, though.
>>
No. 286466 ID: a76809
File 129938923664.gif - (178.56KB , 1533x974 , Gialgorra gets Serious.gif )
286466

>>286425
Kengehxion's warrior-worshippers were a mixed bunch, ranging from the lowest level of heroic to a middling tear of magical proficiency-but all based on organic targets. Immune to their strikes, I cleared out every last warrior on the Sphere's surface in one hour, and consumed them all. Not a one fled me, all willingly laying down their lives-and I felt Belief somehow wrapped about their souls, in a manner that made me wonder if it was related to their fanaticism. From there, I fought Kengehxion's personal assistants for the next three hours, two hours of which they benefitted from Kengehxion's personal presence until the last of his attendants perished. They all were... altered, reformed into new beings in a manner similar to Bang's own transformations-and every last one of them had magical capacity roughly ten times more than their soul weight should suggest, thanks to magic-producing organs within their structure. They fought in a manner very similar to Bang, tremendous agility and brute force the attack pattern of choice, with corrosive acids, monomolecularly sharpened bone, and ample manipulation of the Sphere's interior to create new attacks or footing for themselves. With Kengehxion's Ownership of the Sphere I had significant issue for a time, and was forced to use Chaos/Order collisions to outright erase clumps of enemies-I used the ability as minimally as I could, but still the permanent loss of some one thousand of Kengehxion's personal attendants' souls irks me.

Kengehxion himself lived up to the Sphere God image, in my opinion. An Biological weapon some twelve feet tall, he was covered in chitinous orange bone with carbon nanotubes giving them unbelievable durability, while plates of metal where embedded in sections of his shell. Openings allowed for highly pressurize gar expulsions with internal ignition, flame lances that stretched hundreds of feet and carried temperatures hot enough to melt steel in seconds, Acid capable of dissolving more ably than dragons back home, shot with enough pressure to core through armor. Twin translucent portions in his chest were highly specialized lenses, allowing for the refocusing of light to craft lasers of his own-he matched a full discharge of the Amaranthine Annhilator jolt for jolt, and showed regeneration comperable to Bang-at the start.

But no matter how personally powerful, no matter how capable of potentially obliterating me had I miscalculated, he could not stand up to what, at that point, was the weight of nearly a hundred thousand soul's Belief, my existing magic-and the thousands of his followers own organic magics. I began to unmake him, attacking his fatigued soul with my attempts to take Ownership of his body and his vessel. For an hour after the fall of his last supporter he faced me, frequently so overwhelming all my attacks are spent striking away his own offense-but finally he slips, too focused on commanding his Sphere-and I had him. it was at that point, as I was peeling his flesh away to get at his soul, that he used some strange organ to commit spiritual suicide after his parting comment. Words of no value, as he did not even realize how much better than the normal ultimate fate of souls my own Eden has become.

>>286426
I reconsider my new Faith Soldiers, who I can constantly build more of so long as they are facing foes capable of putting any sort of reflexive Belief into their transient existence-non-sapient foes are a poor match-up, but against Mortals with time I can make my own self-sustaining army I need only give general orders to. A powerful force-and, should I reveal it in the State, liable to get me even more attention than trying to bring this Sphere home.

I then consider what my Inferno Golems became-Faith Guardian Golems. By using my paired Deep Spawn assistents within my Eden, I siphon off samples of the total population, and give them reason to believe themselves opposed to their own most hated foe, turning their resultant belief into the offensive force of the golems. With their aide, and Fjordak at full output, I can support twenty such manifestations with the same strain as one Inferno Golem, thirty with the strain of five. I assume the returns to diminish past there, relying more on my own computation to command. They can be sustained indefinately-but if destroyed, permanently deny me the souls manifested in their forms. I learned that the hard way when one with two hundred eighty souls was destroyed by Kengehxion-after which point I made only ten thousand-plus soul Golems.

While my own Eden and twinned Deep Spawn are most useful, it was Fjordak that proved my most useful addition-the aid of Goran's heart rhythmically vibrating thousands of times a second to create a supersonic flow of Blood Iron with glimmerings of Phonomantic and Magnetomantic energy just from running.... quite frankly, I think with Fjordak's boosted Blood Magic at full output, it and my soul could account for an equivalent magical output to a Soul Grave of fifty thousand souls. Fjordak's own spawn are microscopic amplifiers in the whole mix where it imbues its entire essence into the resonating magic of Goran, myself and the internal Deep Spawn. Combined with the unfailingly accurate, ever-replenishing, magic-nullifying cannon... again, I marvel at the scope of the Deep Spawn's versatility.

>>286427
I find myself now fully capable of manipulating the cellular structure of any organic material I make physical contact with-or make contact with through my runed saw rings. Presuming I do not meet an Ownership I cannot overwrite, I am effectively free to do as I please-and likely could emulate many of Bang's modifications, and place them in others, should he be willing to fully demonstrate them to me. Sadly, not a one beyond Kengehxion was Arcanely inclined, and no matter how potent he was, his soul was denied to me. As such, I find myself limited in application in a manner markedly similar... to Bang.

...I fear for this place should I bring Bang here, all the same as I marvel at what he could accomplish here....

The Sphere itself is capable of much. It can create roots to dig into the ground and attempt direct interface with the System for energy absorption purposes, both able to absorb the energy of Core Beings, and the ambient souls caught by the System before the completely dissolve. It can also directly feed from Leyline Geysers, and this is on top of massive internal magic producing organs. While it can internally sustain itself-it would be in an 'emergency' mode, unable to fly, or regenerate. To power full function, where I could, with full devotion of all my magic as conduit, I would need either an external feed from the System-or some truly potent internal engines. With them, I could reshape the Sphere at large like Bang does his body.... a 2.8 mile wide living weapon at my beck and call....

Weinsho and Domintus spring to mind as possible power sources.

Currently, I find myself locked out of the local root system and with enough power left for full function for... twenty three hours, fifty two minutes. I note that only full function allows endless production of nutrients for up to fifty thousand residents. Having completely removed the corpses from the battle, having made the sphere subsume them and derive chemical fuel from their breakdown, I could easily hold every person gathered here-twelve thousand, five hundred eighty as of this moment. With how swiftly their attention turns to Arkus, and the faint pall of Belief I feel directed both at me and to a lesser extent towards Arkus, I seriously consider doing just that. I note he only needed five seconds after noting my presence to find a.. presentable... way to publically greet me on my return. We exchange pleasantries, I comment on his Axe, he notes he used personal System World magic and Blood magic in a hybrid in a magic theory test, with this being the result, while he asks how my battle with Kengehxion went, and I give him a brief rundown. All in all, normal dialogue for us.

>>286430
I check through the vast compendium of memories I consumed along with souls-and find confirmation that the Sphere Gods do indeed have knowledge of and actively tap Belief magic-but it seems to be for their host Orbopolis, not their personal use. I find no reason for this lack of personal empowerment in any of the lives I ate-a pity.

>>286431
>>286433
>>286435
>>286436
>>286437
>>286439
>>286443
>>286447
[FANART BONUS]
>>286453
>>286455
As I consider how the other Sphere Gods will react to this-the memories I consumed suggest they will face me in mass, willing to put aside differences to obliterate a dangerous outsider-and together, I have little doubt they could do it if more than five of Kengehxion's level faced me at once, with everything they had from the start-if Kengehxion had not failed to attack me at range on my approach, things could have gone differently-the shaped lens cannons, the pressure jets, all the weapons the body can hose possess considerable power. If I leave, these villagers, who now clearly begin to Believe in me, would be slaughtered to prevent disruption of Belief. I need to take them with me, lest they die for no purpose. I can house them all in this Sphere. It seems so simple, so straight forward.

I tell them, frankly and without reservation, that the other Sphere Gods will likely retailiate for this, and you want to keep them safe-at the invitation to live within the Sphere, a place hallowed in their legends, all leap at the chance, and after a mere hour spent picking up locals, the ground is depopulated, all the residents now walking about the surface of the Sphere, filing down the many entrance tunnels in the surface level. They bring with them the guts of their homes, and I do not object as they ask to claim things from other villages, friends and belongings alike. At the free extra worshippers, how can I say no? It takes six hours total, and the sun is beginning to set, when No one complains of a missing relative that could join-with a total population of twenty six thousand, seven hundred eleven, not counting myself or Arkus. with the contents of some nine villages and a ground major trade hub all packed within, I have a miniature city now within a construct completely under my Ownership.

It is at this point Arkus comes to me, saying that Ellayia will tell Phohn we are in Dionepa for ten thousand marks, plus ninety thousand more for the two things she found for us. Knowing Burduko to have, via Lenryt, been here before, I readily agree-

And one second later, the Sphere's sensors show me Burduko and Rutgur, teleporting in. I explain their service to me, and they are instantly treated as demigods by the locals, as Rutgur systematically stores them, while I assure them all I will bring them to a safe place, Arkus stored with them-

As Burduko nearly kills himself bringing us to Mordreden, where the massive sphere, the grandest of prizes from a titanic clash that lasted half a day and involved deicide, now hangs above the icy city, I wish myself capable of grinning, as I wonder at all the marvels the Premen's belief in me can achieve when exposed to the more palpable Belief of my new followers.......


I decide I shall take half an hour to set things in affairs here, even while Phohn informs me that per my orders he has dispatched a comment that a Grand Elder Mage of the Mortal Coil called a meeting outside of communication range, so teleportation was not an immediate option. He has left the explanation vague enough I can even go with my plan to use this sphere as the touted 'home' of the Mage Mordre. That Phohn comments Gialgorra has not only arrived, but become a local hero for, with Eisenhardt's aid, completely subjugating a Soul Grave, found already active in a hidden basement of a research outpost. So many possibilities glitter in my future now-I feel I am on the cusp of something important....




GOLEM QUEST ARC 12: COMPLETE]


GOLEM QUEST ARC 13: WHILE WEINSHO'S WIGHT WEEPS, MORDRE MANIFESTS MAJESTY
>>
No. 286472 ID: a76809

[Oh right.]
>>
No. 286474 ID: 5b95eb

>>286472
honk

Also
><@TheBeardiestBob> tomorrow I will start [the next thread] after wake and baking. It will take some time to write, but will be fun. Feel free to use the tail end of the ended thread to brainstorm how Mordre is going to handle returning, what kind of speech he can make, how to handle Gialgorra thing, etc.
>>
No. 286475 ID: d4f98d

Regarding Gialgorra:

>>285012
>>
No. 286478 ID: 259738

So...we ate some heroics but they didn't do any of the stuff heroics are supposed to do? No new abilities? Is our new furnace design broken?
>>
No. 286480 ID: d4f98d

It's probably a side effect of the way our furnace runs, now. Low Level heroics no longer register as significantly unique (like the Jade Soul Monks we devoured).

[It probably also doesn't help that it'd be assinine to have to try come up with the that many unique abilities, and figure out how each one interacts with others. Roll with it, its the price you pay for quantity]
>>
No. 286486 ID: 259738

>>286480
But not even one new heroic ability? That's disappointing. We didn't even get to participate in the fight with Kengehxion.
>>
No. 286489 ID: 12323e

>>286478
As I understand it, it's the Spheregods' training methods at fault. Their mages are spoonfed knowledge and don't properly grow and innovate; their soul weight is Heroic class, but no personality. As such, we get Curatiomancy (Combat, not Arcane) and Pomumancy from them, but no hero soul. Like when we ate the Jade Soul monks, or the Domintus clay golem mages.

>>286447
Honestly, I kind of want to roll up like this.

The massive city sphere descends on Mordreden, Mordre (and Arkus) glowing like a golden god atop it. "MORDRE IS BACK," the earth seems to cry.

Invite at least Lorgk, the Peace Chief, Mingsk, Jojo, Oggroth, and Ulgrokk (perhaps more, like the Sons of Mordre), onto the ship as we bring each other up to speed. Status symbol and a show of power for Mordreden among the other clans, and the old followers get to meet&greet the new ones.

How goes the unification? Any more Red Knights come calling on Lorgk? Oggroth eat any In particular, I'm curious how Jojo and Heol (our resident ghost) are coming along, but that's just me. We did just buy a soul-empty body from Ellayia.

Eventually I'd like to settle the Orb in Mosmordre with Bang aboard and power down. 1) Bang (introduced as "a master Curatiomancer on par with a Spheregod") can deal with any weird Curse stuff that comes calling while he gets up to speed with our Dionepa underlings (zealots?), 2) someone on IRC pointed out that we don't need all our eggs in one basket, or even let word of our new Orb get around, 3) if Mordecai was the old Mosmordren Administrator and if they haven't selected a new one however they do, Curse lands are a good place to tap into the System outside of a Deep Spawn jurisdiction (while we decide whether to hook up Weinsho and Domintus to this thing to give it perpetual energy to the engines; I'm in favor of this by the by, since Bob said we could still decouple them later if we find a way to eat Weinsho).

Also, if Welgahoo can be spared from Mordreden, have come with the Orb and begin restoring Mosmordre's Curse damage, perhaps starting around where Kyorto was found. Or split its time between the two, if it is still needed up north.

I'd also like to dub our Orb 'The Ark', both in honor of Arkus and due to a certain religious overtone in our recent ventures.
>>
No. 286491 ID: 259738

>>286489
We didn't actually buy a soul empty body, we bought a World Mage with unbroken skin. Which is not really useful to us anymore, but it was part of the deal for getting us out of there. Maybe Kyorto can still use it.

Aside from that I agree with this.
>>
No. 286497 ID: 5b95eb

>>286491
Yep, we bought a whole mage. Arkus should ask what kind of magic she does. Maybe we can employ her (haha no) or more likely just eat her. Here's hoping for something we don't already have.
>>
No. 286518 ID: a0d5fc

>>286466
We should wrap Kengehxion's body, and those of his worshippers in Stasis Crystal, so that Bang can inspect them.

It is when we return to Mordreden that we should initiate Arkus as the Hierarch of our new religion and the more magically potent of my new flock as my priests, as described here:
>>286424
and here:
>>286453
This should be peformed in a grand ceremony, and the Premen Shamen would be welcomed to join the priesthood.

We should further augment them with our new knowledge of Curiatomancy and our old Blood Magics we baptise them in our Blood, augmenting with the passive augmentations that we have learned.

In the case of scar, if his captors will permit him, we should devour him whole, adding any runes or heroic souls he has to ourselves, and incorporating his soul furnace for those souls we wish to destroy. After all, Lenryt let us know that the standard soul furnace can be radically upgraded without converting it into a Belief engine.
>>
No. 286519 ID: 81f32a

One thing that must do before coming to State.
Is to make the Administrator Spawn (Acronum) and Engineering/Construction Spawn (Idoneus). Do this while getting more energy from the Sphere.
People will be too distracted by our new form and soul weight to ask questions about them and if they do, we can just brush them off saying that we had been working on them for weeks.

Pay Ellayia for the geyser and the mage. Claim the geyser as property of the State (or Mordre) and eat the delicious mage.

Also put Weinsho and Domintus to power the sphere.
>>
No. 286521 ID: 81f32a

>>286518
>It is when we return to Mordreden that we should initiate Arkus as the Hierarch of our new religion

You know, I am kind of against making the religion thing so obvious, like making priests and shit.
It is unnecessary and will lead to problems.

We let the things go their own way.
We will not go around and flaunting that we are a god and anything like that.
If anyone call us on it, we can say with truth that we have already told them we aren't a god but they refuse to believe and see us like one anyway. And we, in all Mages Mordres glory, will say that we let them do as they pleased but never force anyone anything.

By making arch-mages, temples and shit, we can't denounce this.


Also, it will be weird for Arkus.
>>
No. 286524 ID: d4f98d

Don't eat the mage. Consuming a lone mage of unknown power is a pathetic waste of potential resources when placed against the full scope of our current magical might.

Before we try and decide what we're going to do with this person, lets find out what/who exactly Ellayia has brought us.
>>
No. 286525 ID: a0d5fc

>>286521
>You know, I am kind of against making the religion thing so obvious, like making priests and shit.
>It is unnecessary and will lead to problems.
Given what Arkus has already told them, I think that ship has sailed. Now we simply need to exploit use of the fact that he's already explicitly founded a religion as much as we can.

On that note, we should have Burduko infiltrate some of our priests back into that society as missionaries.

We should also consider what we can do with the Sphere. Mordre has the theoretical ability to control/possess multiple golems at once, and, at it's heart, the Sphere is just one very large Life Golem. To do this, may may need to implant a Deep Spawn Core, one based around Life and Growth, to act as the control interface to bind it to our soul, as we have done with Heaven, and make the Sphere body as much us as the body the Morderean Empire made.

Then, when we possess both our conventional body and the Sphere, we should consider how to power and upgrade it. With both Goran and Ugrokk as examples, or, if not, we should get the Deep Spawn's teaching, we should learn how to use the SPhere as an Organic Soul Grave, and use it to eat Weinsho's Death Belief infused soul to fuel both us and the Sphere.

We should also upgrade the Sphere's body, asking Bang for help. We should have it grow a vast circulatory system to pump blood and energy around its body, to give it another power source, Blood.

We should then investigate it's other organs, and seek to copy both the human and plant reproductive system on a massive scale, and grow cloning chambers that combine both. The first use we should put them to is a grow a crop of blanks to trade to Eldghodd for knowledge of the Deep Spawns various magics, but we should go on to create massively genetically engineered clone soldiers to serve in our army.

Given the strategic possibilities this all presents, I vote we spend souls and cores freely to accomplish this. If we can grow our own armies, be simultaneously a Soul Eden and an Organic Soul Forge, depending on which body we use to eat with, and so we able to consume Weinsho, then it would be well worth it.
>>
No. 286526 ID: afc243

Actually now that Ellaiya has brought a drugged up world mage perhaps his body can be used as a Mordre proxy puppet body. Doesn't really matter what he looks like if Curatiomancy can alter him a bit.

Try to pick up/kidnap some additional 500 people from Dionepa with Burduko and Rutgur's help and trade them to Weismahn. Things to get are:
- Deep Spawn cores for Arkus' own use
- The ability to alter Deep Spawn restrictions
- More information or ability on how Deep Spawn growth can be forced or encouraged
>>
No. 286532 ID: 81f32a

>>286526
Remember, initiating contact with Deep Spawn alerts the Paradox Knights.
I advise against trading with Weishman, it's better to trade with Eldghodd (besides, we can trade technology with him)

>>286525
Yes.
Arkus told that, not Mordre.
Besides, they made god connections themselves. Arkus just told the story.

Let them start up their religion if they want to but do not do anything as blatant as setting up priests, missionaries, temples, whatever.
>>
No. 286533 ID: a0d5fc

>>286532
>Let them start up their religion if they want to but do not do anything as blatant as setting up priests, missionaries, temples, whatever.

I really fail to see the downsides to doing this.

We can have our new worshippers repopulate the ex-Mordesmordan Empire using their magic to protect themselves from the curse, and they'll be isolated from everyone else.

No one else on this continent even needs to know we have a religion.
>>
No. 286546 ID: 259738

>>286526
Bump this number up to 700 or so, see if we can trade for some extra Administrator magic tricks?
>>
No. 286551 ID: d4f98d

I would like to echo the warning about trading random humans to Weismahn. The Paradox Knights have a method of monitoring our meetings with the Deep Spawn, and knowing they take place. Trying to trade BULK HUMAN LIVES is liable to get our shit fucked up if they find out about it, and they already KNOW about our dealings.
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