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Relevant Links:

>Past Threads
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=Olympus+Incarnation+Quest
>Rentry masterlink, includes character sheets, shop information, inventory, and general information
https://rentry.org/olympus-quest-links
>Popularity Contest Round 2
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1k-rC03K-K6zUXKf_PV9p1IA8WJeoItsSzgL7caC1XrI

A couple months ago, the world changed forever.

Individuals worldwide began manifesting the qualities of various figures- gods, spirits, heroes, beasts, and monsters- from Greek mythos. The system that caused and continues to facilitate this phenomenon is shrouded in mystery, both in how it functions and why it began its activities when it did.

The protagonist of this tale is the incarnation of Atë, a minor goddess in the grand scheme of Greek mythology, who causes and presides over folly and ruin. She, formerly a miserable but ultimately normal office worker, has since accepted her role as the embodiment of her <Myth>. She, along with her partner in crime, the incarnation of Pheme, titan of rumors and gossip, have been working to expand their influence and stack the deck in their favor against not only mortals, but also rival incarnations. In her own eyes, she is no longer human. Her ultimate goal- the elimination of all rival incarnations and, eventually, complete and total world domination.

After traveling to Austria to hunt down a member of your pantheon who threw her lot in with the government, you discovered a conspiracy that, if revealed and believed, would shake societies across the world to their core- almost every nation is secretly being puppeteered by a small handful of powerful incarnations competing against each other for world domination. You decided to throw your lot in with the mysterious Commander, the incarnation of Kronos and absolute ruler of about half of Europe.

After spending hours negotiating a sufficient agreement, the two of you signed a system-enforced treaty of cooperation. Your first assignment is to hunt down the mysterious Isa, devoted muslim and leader of most of the Arab world.
>>
>>5964183

The Commander informs you that he has contacts in Israel that can give you key information regarding Isa- apparently he isn’t too familiar with the man- but he also wouldn’t have an issue if you decided to do the operation on your own. What should you do?

>I should wait: I need some time to check back in with the rest of the pantheon anyway
>I should do this on my own
>Write-in
>>
>>5964183
>>I should wait: I need some time to check back in with the rest of the pantheon anyway
do a little management first, and get that czech mafia
>>
I made a mistake the previous threat, the Pithos of Pandora doesn’t take influence, but divinity. So, we need to start using our secondary divine currency.
>Buy all the ambrosia we can for our level.
>Store half our divinity in the Pithos of Pandora.
>Take an ambrosia, just to see if it fills us up when the max divinity has increased.
>Max out our divinity with ambrosia. (and store divinity in the pithos if that works like that, but I doubt it)

Should get our divinity up to 600, at which point we could get 600 divinity for 200 influence (by buying and eating nectar). Since divinity also increases with the number of souls we have (10 per mortal under Faustian bargain, 40 per divine servant), that exchange rate only increases in the future. As it stands right now, we’d only need 10.000/600*200 = 3.333 Influence to level up any authority. Which means we should never ever need to level up an authority that is above level 6 from our own influence (6 to 7 is 3200). This would reduce the cost of upgrading an authority from 1 to X from 51.100 to only 16.300.
The next step would be at us having 65 human souls for 600base+650extra divinity: 10.000/1250*200 = 1.600, therefore only 9.500 Influence in total. That change is gradual, doesn’t need a jump from 64 to 65. At 190 souls our divinity would be 2.500, at 440 souls it’s 5.000, and at only 940 we have 10k divinity flat. Only a single nectar and pithos dumps to create a whole new plural myth. Well… one person needs to die per level, but that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. We can stock up authority crystals for enchantments. Or that new incarnation doesn’t need to die for a level-up. We can crank out an army.
In a world of growth having exponential cost for everyone else, having flat costs or even something that increases in benefit/cost is insane.

Of course, other incarnations can buy us nectar (as it would give us, with the highest max divinity, the best rate) and deposit their own divinity as well. In addition to that, we don’t only level-up one of our own authorities but also get one authority of that newly spawned incarnation. And if that authority is trash, we can buy an Authority Grinder for 200 influence, and see how much influence that trash authority gives.
>>
>>5964185
>I should wait: I need some time to check back in with the rest of the pantheon anyway

Check in with the girls, get a little downtime in. Get Bridgette's agenda planned. Get a combat tutor? We've got the money, and the mind melting voice to do it.

Decide what to do with the Lethe epitaph. Personally I think we should use it on ourselves, then bestow it to a divine servant later. Mind erasure powers could be incredibly useful to have on tap.
>>
>>5964204
With the Pithos at 8000, we ought to give this a quick whirl with a random homeless person. Deify them, murder them, level up whispers, collect an epitaph.

Busy busy busy. Should offer the bum a thousand dollars a day for the rest of their mortal life in exchange for their soul as well. Curious to see if anything changes when a person dies and we own their soul.
>>
>>5964183
gyatt zam, she thicc. OP tell me about your quest.
>>
>>5964227
To give a brief summary, the quest's protagonist used to be a depressed office worker with no prospects in life, but after she gained supernatural abilities thanks to an unexplainable system that dishes out powers based on greek mythology, she has decided to do anything, no matter how evil, in the pursuit of power, both worldly and divine. Her abilities are primarily based around making others succumb to their flaws and vices- she's a goddess of folly after all, one of which is shapeshifting, which she uses for espionage and to enhance her physical appearance (hence why her assets have appreciated since the first thread). The previous threads are a pretty quick read, but you can skip them if you'd rather just check out the system info and characters sheets linked in the op
>>
>>5964235
>To give a brief summary, the quest's protagonist used to be a depressed office worker with no prospects in life, but after she gained supernatural abilities thanks to an unexplainable system that dishes out powers based on greek mythology, she has decided to do anything, no matter how evil, in the pursuit of power, both worldly and divine
interesting.

>Her abilities are primarily based around making others succumb to their flaws and vices- she's a goddess of folly after all, one of which is shapeshifting, which she uses for espionage and to enhance her physical appearance
does she have an onlyfans then ?

>The previous threads are a pretty quick read, but you can skip them if you'd rather just check out the system info and characters sheets linked in the op
alright then, I'll give it a try later
>>
>>5964237

>does she have an onlyfans then ?

Funny you should ask. Whether or not to do porn was actually the second biggest if not the actual biggest debate this quest has ever seen. For now, she does not
>>
>>5964196
>>5964208

>I should wait: I need some time to check back in with the rest of the pantheon anyway

You decide to make the most of the Commander's connections and resources: in the long run, a week isn’t much time at all, and you do have some loose ends to tie up in the meantime.

What should you do first?
>Go back to LA and meet with the Pantheon
>Go back to Prague and look into the mafia
>Chat with someone (Specify who)
>Offer the Commander another exchange
>Write-in
>>
just too late for the first vote...

>>5964289
>>Go back to Prague and look into the mafia

>>5964204
will op let us get away with that?
at the very least we should never have a regenerating resource be capped out
I vote additionally to
>always store excess divinity in pithos
>>
>>5964289
>Go back to LA and meet with the Pantheon

>>5964204
I never follow the supplemental links so this reads like nonsense to me but it would be sweet if it works
>>
>>5964289

In priority order...

>Chat with someone (Specify who)
Give Pheme a call. Be clear that the line might have an eavesdropper. Ask about the Title she and a certain someone share.

---

>Chat with someone (Specify who)
Brigitte. Develop a plan for her role in our group going forward. I'm thinking social media sweetheart who funnels legal funds and godly influence to us. Cyber Siren can introduce her on stream with a heavy dose of Whispers to establish her and she can start making us resources.

---

>Write-in
Buy and use four nectars to fill up the Pithos, then forcibly deify a random in a hotel room and murder them. (Watch the system only give rewards within so many levels)

---

What was the deal with the Mafia again?
>>
>>5964320
Unless there's some rule about not getting rewards from murdering a level 1 while you're level 10. You get reduced Influence I think, but that's the only low level gank rule I've seen.
>>
>>5964326
>What was the deal with the Mafia again?
just to subjugate a criminal organization as our followers
>>
>>5964326
>>5964336

Sure, add
> Subjugate the mafia
To my list.
>>
>>5964289
>>Chat with the Commander
ask him kindly not to have us followed or wiretapped

>buy 10x ambrosia for 3000 influence and consume them all before doing the pithos/nectar strat
>buy a crystal and store "Around Every Corner" (because we gain an authority either way)
>do the pithos/nectar strat on a homeless
after that
>Go back to Prague and look into the mafia

for what to do with Philotes, I want to hold a seperate vote as it's something more important, and we shouldn't do something rash that we can't take back

>Philotes stuff
She goes public about being a goddess and takes "Miracle of Healing" while going around doing charity work, Doctors Without Borders and stuff, a really goody-two-shoes at that, someone other gods would approach on their own. She also does mostly just chatting streams with polyglot in the countries she’s in, with a variety of other streamer stuff.
At first there should be no recognizable connection between her and our streamer persona, but if she is successful, we take her epithet as siren and slowly come out as a goddess too, but as Siren, not as Ate. We admit that our directive would be luring men to their (financial) ruin, but didn’t want to “be evil”, so we set up the idol worship to gain in power while staying "good and moral". (But claim we can't do the same thing as Philotes because we'd slip in the Panacea problem.)
Both should be displayed as relatable goddesses that mortals can come to for questions about incarnations so we can guide public opinion.
Philotes end game could be to serve as a mediator for global divine conflicts. A miracle of Divine Realm + Mediate. Be something that other gods want to also trust in. More importantly, us being the first one to establish global neutral grounds, while having it under our control from behind the scenes. And such a (pretend) neutral party on global grounds is something I think a lot of mortals would like and be willing to pray to. So, she can rake in influence with her directive, which goes into our pockets as well.

>Pheme stuff
I want to get another pact up with pheme, because right now we basically only work together and are not allowed to use our abilities on the other, but something like this requires a little more trust and cooperation.
After taking over a mafia or more, we should also help Pheme ramp up her stuff. Finance a media empire. we maybe even shift Philotes’ “perfect partner” on Pheme, so she can take on multiple personas herself and slip into the roles of multiple different owners of different media companies that all spill several types of pro- and anti-god propaganda. Or just faustian bargain several media owners directly.
>>
>>5964311
>will op let us get away with that?
QM explicitly stated that deifying people through the pithos and killing them would allow us to level-up our authorities.

>>5964320
usually leveling up authorities has exponential cost of "influence"
1.) we have a special effect that lets us level-up any authority when we kill another god
2.) we have an relic that lets us deify mortals at a **flat cost** of "divinity"
3.) nectar lets us use "influence" to get "divinity"
4.) the more souls we put under contract the better the exchange rate from nectar becomes
so in the end we still use influence to level-up the authorities, but, by jumping through a few hoops, the cost is an order of magnitude lower
>>
>>5964756
I like the idea of Philotes being a public charity god, but I don't want us going public as well. We operate much better in the shadows.

A more formal alliance pact with Pheme would soothe my heart as well.
>>
>>5964846
well, at one point it's going to be pretty obvious that this one streamer girl asks people to pray to an idol of her on a 24/7 stream, is a god
the bigger, immediate takeaway from my post should more be
>we shouldn't do something rash that we can't take back
and if we, as cyber_siren, introduce her as a new streamer, that ship is sailed

I'd like to get back to talk this over with pheme first. Both what to do with Philotes, and cyber_siren eventually coming out as a god. Because there can be a lot of big rumors around it first for her to cash in.
It will happen sooner or later, but we should be in control of when and how it happens.
But all of this should be its seperate vote
>>
>>5964311
>>5964320
>>5964326
>>5964356
>>5964756

>Chat with Pheme
>Go back to Prague to deal with the mafia

You ask the Commander for the courtesy of moving without wiretaps or secret stalkers, and he readily agrees. You don’t trust his answer completely, but he seems to be satisfied enough with the terms of your agreement to allow you to roam free.

You and Brigita leave the cafe and head to the rendezvous point that the four of you had agreed upon in advance. Isabella and Dorota are there waiting for you.

“How did it go?” Dorota asks with a knowing smile, seemingly aware of the broad strokes of what happened.

“Good. I got Lethe’s myth.”

“Are you not going to mention the <Pact> you signed?”

Seems like they were observing using perception authorities. You respond coolly:

“Basically, it’s a nonaggression treaty: I promised not to wreck too much of his stuff in exchange for the privilege of not waking up to an Austrian dagger in my throat”

Isabella lightly punches your shoulder, “I’m just glad you’re ok, stupid. What did you trade away?”

“Tisiphone.”

Dorota’s eyes widen,

“<Postmortal> Tisiphone?”

She puts her hand to her mouth in contemplation. Isabella interjects:

“Well, anyway, what do we do with it now that we have it? There must be some reason you haven’t popped it yet.”

“I’m thinking about it. Anyway, the two of you can go back and report to Eris: I have some business to wrap up here.”

Dorota shrugs, Isabella gives you a hug, and the two of them fly off.
“What business do we have here?” Brigita asks once the two other incarnations are out of earshot, “we didn’t get anything from the Commander, right?”

“No. I want to deal with your former employer.”

Brigita’s eyes widen, but her face quickly steels with resolve.

“But first,” you say before she can speak, “I have a call to make.”

The two of you go back to your hotel room and you make a long overdue call to Pheme. Just in case your phone is bugged, you decide to use her feather instead.

“Yello?” Pheme answers your call, her voice transmitted through the grinning mouth on it.

What do you want to talk about? Select as many as you wish. A vote without an option will be considered a vote against it.
>Ask about her title
>Ask what she’s been up to
>Tell her what you’ve been up to
>Ask for information about Isa
>Ask for information about something else (specify)
>Ask about formalizing your alliance in writing
>Ask how her day’s been
>Write in
>>
>>5964912
first
>tell her we made a non-aggrission pact with Kronos, who's in charge in Austria. And he might be listening in, so speak carefully.
then some smalltalk
>Ask how her day’s been
>Tell her what you’ve been up to (at least what the commander already knows, and that we got fancy new abilities and toys, but remain vague whle we're still in Austria. We can tell her everything once we're "back home")
>Ask what she’s been up to

>Ask about her title
>Also tell her that we're also staying in europe for a little while longer, to do something where we might get an influx of cash in the near future. So, she can pick out a present for herself.
>Warn that we have to step up our game and power level if we don't want to be bottomfeeders
>>
>>5964934
+1
>>
>>5964912
>>5964934
+1 to all but the last, she's the info gatherer of our group so I'm sure she knows
We can gripe about it though
>>
>>5964934
Support. Covers the critical points.
>>
>>5964934
+1 but EXCEPT the last one, as >>5965069 said
Gripe away though!
>>
>>5965069
>>5965167
I'm fine with cutting it. I thouhght about not posting it myself
>>
>>5964912
>>5965069
+1
>>
>>5964934
>>5965030
>>5965069
>>5965161
>>5965167
>>5965181
>>5965267

Choosing your words carefully, you reply:

“I’ve made an arrangement with a government incarnation. We’re not fighting or anything, but he could be watching me, so mind your words.”

“Aha, that’s ok. Grab onto the feather.”

“...why?”

“Just do it, dude.”

You decide to follow her advice, clutching the base of the feather with your bare skin.

“Gimme permission to use an authority.”

You allow it. Immediately, your consciousness lurches, seemingly shattering into dozens-no, hundreds of pieces. A cacophony of sensations- pieces of conversation in more languages than you can count, flashes of vision, and a thousand other sounds you can’t place- assaults your brain. Your soul quakes under the pressure. Then, suddenly, it stops. You look around, regaining your bearings and assessing the situation. You recognize it as Pheme’s apartment.

“You, I, what?”

“Not teleportation. You’re not here.” Pheme explains, “You seem disoriented- I accidentally gave you full access for a millisecond or two.”

That was only a millisecond?

“I have this authority- <Word of Mouth>, if you recall, that allows for long distance communication and reconnaissance authority sharing. I haven’t been using it much because of our pact- it’d be easier to call than to ask for permission every time, and I couldn’t in good conscience allow you to keep it on auto-permit because, well, I could probably use it to kill someone if I wanted to.”

“Awfully considerate of you.”

“You’re talking with your mouth. Stop it. Use the feather instead.”

“Like this?” You manipulate the feather’s mouth: it’s awkward, more like moving a puppet than talking, but it comes to you pretty naturally.

“Exactly. Now, what is it you wanted to talk about?”

First, you decide to fill her in on what’s happened. Since you aren’t too worried about being watched thanks to Pheme’s trick with the feathers, you decide to give her a complete rundown.

“<Kronos>, huh? It checks out. It’s interesting, isn’t it?”

“What is?”

“That so many of the top incarnations are mythologically important. Statistically speaking, a vast majority of incarnations should be minor, plural, or both, right? What are the odds that the big fish are all people with names?”

You smirk, “I don’t see why you’re surprised.”

Her head cocks in confusion. You explain:

“The incarnation system works via two factors: divinity number and synch rate.”

She nods, and you continue:

“So, doesn’t it make sense that people with ego- but not with delusion- should end up with epithets of the great and powerful kings of the gods?”

She starts to laugh, first a little chuckle then a crescendo of hyena-esque cackling. Once she catches her breath, she replies.
>>
>>5965591

“That checks out. It’s definitely better than any theory I could come up with. But, it’s a very you response.”

You’re not sure what she means.

“Anyway, you’re not the only one out striking deals.”

You cock an eyebrow. Sensing your curiosity, she elaborates:

“Mine is a bit looser than yours, but it’s still pretty solid- I have an in with the <House of Hades>. Specifically, an information exchange: they ask for intel regarding who’s gonna kill them, and I get a reward of equivalent value. Critically, I don’t have any obligation to do anything- I just can’t give false intel in a trade.”

“It sucks, doesn’t it? Having to play support on the big stage.”

“Don’t be such a downer. Sure, it’d be nice if we had the playground to ourselves, but this way is much more interesting. Plus, it means that people are doing us the courtesy of laying the groundwork for us- all we have to do is sit back, turn ‘em against each other, and swoop in to pick off whoever’s left.”

“Still, it would be nice to be ruling the world already.”

“Heh, maybe, maybe not.”

You decide to ask her about her title with Eris. She essentially repeats what she told you before: the two of them met after Pheme sought her out, they struck a nonaggression pact, and started working together. However, you can sense she’s leaving something out: you press her, and she explains.

Apparently, the two of them used to post on a lot of the same internet forums- vent boards, conspiracy circles, etc. They became internet penpals, then close online friends, maybe explaining why the ever cautious Pheme was willing to reveal herself to a person like Ashley in the first place.

“In the end, when she told me her plan- the same one she told you- I just… I couldn’t go along with it. It’s funny, it was the kind of thing we talked about all the time. Burning it all down and dancing on the ashes. But, once I got something to live for- power, ambition, my sight back, the plan just seemed so STUPID. Completely shortsighted and spiteful and dumb. I couldn’t go along with it. I betrayed her.”

“You were right to.”

She shrugs. She’s still smiling, but you can see that, unlike usual, she’s forcing it.
>>
>>5965592

“I want to make a pact. A more formal one. I think we’ve both given each other enough proof of faith, and, unlike Eris, we share goals for our endgame. Let’s get this shit in writing.”

“I’d be happy to,” she says, “when you get back here for real.”

“And I want a rematch in Mario Kart.”

“It’s a deal.”

“Also, I’m probably getting some cash flow soon. Wanna pick out a gift?”

“Surprise me. I’ll put together something for you as well.”

What should you do now?
>Chat more (specify topic)
>End the call
>Write-in
>>
>>5965593

> Know anything about Isa, an incarnation in Israel?

Completely random, we ought to consider purchasing our personal relic from the store. Its expensive, but it grows with us and is presumably tailored to our skills.
>>
>>5965610
More random thing. Ask about Hacking and digital intrusion, do her powers cover that? What sort of god do you think would? We're maybe putting together a team of enslaved, I mean loyal underlings and some input on what might be useful would be appreciated.
>>
>>5965593
>>Chat more (specify topic)
>Tell her what you’ve been up to (this doesn't need to be written out by op, just as courtesy)
>Ask what she’s been up to

>tell her we have a power that let's us subjugate people now
>>5965610
>>5965621
+1
>we might want to get a supordinate we can drag along who can get their mind infused by phemes powers
>tell her that we previously killed Epimetheus the Titan of Hindsight, whom we know to have had an EX rated authority "perfect recall", and we can deify a mortal as that myth, as our divine servant
>what are her thoughts on the plan, and would she help us pick the right candidate, someone who was already competent as a mortal

>but we're first looking to subjugate the czechian mafia. Any intel she has on that region would be nice.
>>
>>5965593
Ask what she thinks of
>>5964204
>>
thoughts for useful miracles:
>Guerilla Tactics + Stealth
>Omen + Preservation Instinct
>Titanic Strength + Supernatural Speed
then again, those are all thematically related, and maybe in their result more boring. We might want to do something more spicy:
>Divine Folly + Assess Hamartia
>Divine Folly + Touch of Madness
>Faustian Bargain + Touch of Madness

using Enchant Item we also might be able to make ghetto versions of miracles by enchanting one authority crystal with another to get an authority with a combined/different effect.
>Divine Body + Divine Armor + Divine Will
>Enchant Item + Divine Construct
>Resplendence + Divine Awe (more for Philotes than ourselves)

we should also take more Drops of Inner Chaos, because the last time we got banger gear from it
but all of that requires us to have influence to spend
>>
>>5965610
>>5965621
>>5965774
>>5965939
>>5965991

First off, to those who didn’t notice it buried in the OP links, there’s a second round of the popularity contest! Last time’s results are in picrel.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1k-rC03K-K6zUXKf_PV9p1IA8WJeoItsSzgL7caC1XrI

You’ve already given her the rundown of what you’ve been up to. I didn’t write it out since you already know that, sorry if that was unclear.

>Ask about what she’s been up to

“Other than paying a visit to the world’s number 1 goth power couple? I’ve been looking into the King’s Court- that cult I’ve been telling you about.”

“And?”

“Despite multiple sightings of members using divinity, there hasn’t been a single instance of color among them.”

“Meaning?”

“No incarnations. Not one. They could be hiding in the shadows, puppeteering it all from behind the curtain but I have a hunch that that’s not the case. Something’s behind them. Something inhuman.”

“Like another <Incarnation System>?”

She shrugs.

>Ask about Isa

“Your next target, I assume?”

She swivels her chair around, clacking away at her computer for a bit before turning to face you again.”

“The guy is a recluse, mostly. Obviously deeply religious, but he keeps the specifics of his faith private- you know how bad religious sectionalism is in the Arab world, and I’d guess he’s trying not to divide his constituency.”

“So he’s more ethnopolitically motivated than religiously.”

“Seems like it. Although it’s possible that he is doing a jihad, just one step at a time: better to point your swords towards the great satan than your slightly misguided brothers in god.”

You nod. “So he hasn’t been trying to gain worship at all?”

“Funnily, no. One of the only public speeches he’s ever given says as much- “Though this power was granted to me by god, I am not his messenger. I am merely his broom, one sword of many. Do not worship at my feet, or revere me as you would Mohammed or Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him). All I ask is that we brothers cease or bickering and set our eyes towards the invader, the villain, and the shameless solicitors of the great demon, rather than to the throats of our fellow believer” is a rough translation of the excerpt.”

“And his abilities?”

“Physical, mostly. Strength, speed, and durability. He has essentially single handedly forced a cease to all attacks and settlements in the gaza strip and west bank. It seems like the only reason he hasn’t marched on Tel Aviv is because he’s worried about ticking off the west before his preparations are complete. Meanwhile he’s been consolidating the economies and agricultural output of the countries he has through dealings with other powers, particularly Ye Min and New Putin.”

“Any idea on how he gains influence?”

“It’s a mystery, but whatever it is seems to be working out fine.”
>>
Forgot image lol

>>5966010

>Ask about pithos plan

“Can I see it?”

You take out the <Pithos>- a pristine urn of glimmering white porcelain. A look of confusion washes over Pheme’s face

“Bit odd, isn’t it?”

“How do you figure?”

“Pandora’s box is supposed to be ornately decorated but this is just… white.”

You shrug, “Anyway, what do you think of the plan?”

“Seems solid, but I doubt the system would let you get away with infinite authorities and upgrades. There’s probably some sort of trick to it. No way to know without trying it, and I don’t see the harm in doing so”

>Ask about hacking and <Divine Servants>

“If you ask me, based on your testimony regarding <Philotes>, <Divine Servant> is better used on mid to high level incarnations than random joe schmoes. As for hacking specifically, I can’t think of a <Myth> it would pertain to. Maybe it’s in the purview of knowledge and information? Hard to say.”

“What about one that can handle your full <Wings> output?”

“Ah, make no mistake. I’ve got that covered.”

“You can deal with that? Seeing and hearing from hundreds of inputs all at once?”

“I had to build up to it but yeah. I think that your body, brain, and soul sorta catch up to fill the gaps of whatever your authorities are with enough practice. I mean, think about it, you were able to pretty seamlessly act as a boar on your first try, right? That should be super disorienting for a human to do. Plus, your <Faces>: you were awkward at first, but now you’ve gotten to the point where you can dynamically change your size and dimensions and still seamlessly perform complex tasks like combat.”

“Regardless, I’d bet we both have tons of epithets. Let me know if you find any decent candidates.”

“Will do.”

What should you do next?
>Chat more (specify topic)
>End the call
>Write-in
>>
>>5966011
>Chat more (specify topic)
>ask about czechia


>I don’t see the harm in doing so
playing with the pithos of pandora, what could go wrong?
>>
>>5966011
>End the call
>>
I'll wait a few hours for the tiebreaker and roll for it in the absence of one
>>
>>5966011
>>5966043
some intel before going on a trip
>>
>>5966219
meant to respond to >>5966127
>>
>>5966011
> End the call

I could probably hang out all day doing lore dumps, but we should probably get on with life.
>>
>>5966011
You... don't suppose the pithos will shatter after using it?
>>
>>5966043
>>5966127
>>5966219
>>5966221
>>5966248
>>5966250

Having gained the information you wanted, you end your call with Pheme.

You have one week to subjugate Brigita's former handlers. What steps should you take to prepare? Select as many as you wish
>Ask Brigita for information
>Spend influence (Specify how)
>Stream to farm influence before moving
>No need to prepare, we should fly straight there
>Write in
>>
>>5966500
>Ask Brigita for information
She can give us the highest level guy she knows, and we can thrall them and get the highest they know, all the way to the top

Oh and their resources and capabilities and all that.
>>
>>5966500
>>Ask Brigita for information
would have needed to do that either way
>>Spend influence (Specify how)
10x ambrosia and some nectars to top of the pithos, deify and kill a hobo to get whispers to X
>>
>>5966585
>>5966911

>Ask Brigita for information

She explains the basic hierarchy of the organization: there are a bit over a dozen regional divisions each managed by direct subordinates of the boss, Don Povondra. Povondra has essentially monopolized organized crime in not only the Czech republic, but in a number of regions in surrounding countries. They do it all: drug peddling, human trafficking and pimping, even white collar crime like cleaning dirty money on behalf of fraudsters and embezzlers.

“I’ve never met face to face with the boss himself,” Brigita says, “But I have spoken to the manager of the Prague division.” Her eyes narrow, “Josef Slavíček.”

“Does Slavíček own that restaurant you were working at?”

She nods. Each manager is responsible for operating their own money laundering schemes. Slavíček, however, is the only one to be running a business that also turns a significant amount of profit completely above board.

“Do they have incarnations among them?”

“They’ve been working on gathering them. Slavíček was able to buy one at an underground auction just before I left the organization. As far as I know, Povondra’s been an incarnation for a while.”

You raise an eyebrow: “Do you know what their authorities are?”

“I know the name of the <Myth> Slavíček bought: Phorcys. I looked it up- some kind of ocean deity. Regardless, I haven’t seen any of the incarnations in the organization use their powers: I’d guess they’re keeping it as a trump card or trying to avoid the eyes of rogue incarnations like you- or, I guess I should say us now.”

If they’re too scared to use their powers in public out of fear of retribution, they probably don’t hold a candle to the forces of the government: you guess that, rather than running rampant, they probably only continue to exist at the leisure of figures like the Commander or New Putin.

“Do you think you can get me in a room with Slavíček?”

“Maybe, but I probably wouldn’t need to. Odds are, you could easily infiltrate without my help given your abilities. We all pretty much know where he lives, I could just bring you there if you want.”

What should you do now?
>Ask for more intel
>Try out the scheme with the <Pithos>
>Ask Brigita to take you to Prague
>Write-in
>>
>>5968164
>buy and consume 10x ambrosia
>Try out the scheme with the <Pithos>
just a random hobo. I checked the inventory and we still have nectar from some earlier preptime
>>
>>5968164
Backing >>5968175
Let's see if it works or if the system is 20 steps ahead
>>
and before it becomes an issue: character sheet says we have 20/20 authorities right now, but we stored enchant item, it is still listed as an active authority (and we have it in the inventory as a crystal too, but that's where it should be)
>>
>>5968175
>>5968201
>>5968209


>Purchase 10 ambrosia
>Test <Pithos of Pandora>

You dump all 510 of your divinity into the <Pithos> in order to test if the ambrosia will refill your pool:

Divinity: 510->0/510 (+50)

<Pithos of Pandora> (8,076->8,586)

>Influence: 7025->4025/51,200

>Divinity: 0/510->100/610 (+50)

Guess not. You pour in the remaining 100 divinity and buy <Nectar> until the amount it holds hits 10,000

>Influence: 4,025->3,425/52,100

>Divinity: 416/610 (+50)

<Pithos of Pandora> (10,000)

Altering a German-speaking disguise using your <Faces> to fit in among the vagrants, you make your way to the slums and dirty alleys of Vienna, scanning the people you see for hamartia of <Spite>, <Vengeance>, or <Ambition>. Eventually, you find the perfect candidate, a young man riddled with bruises, shielded from the cold only by what seem to be the tattered, dirty remnants of a cheap business suit.

You approach the man and he seems to regard you with contempt.

Oskar Muig
Hamartia: Pride, Spite
Deepest Desires: Power, Revenge, Acclaim
Domain: N/A

“The hell do you want?”

“How,” you ask, ignoring his question and infusing your speech with <Whispers>, “did a man like you end up here?”
He seems reluctant to talk, but the desire to rant overcomes his caution:

“My brothers- those bastards- cut me out of my inheritance. Framed me for crimes THEY did. Sent me to a paid off court with a paid off lawyer to deem me insane. Took EVERYTHING from me- said they were “managing my estate.” “Taking care of me.” Bastards threw me out onto the street in less than an hour. I was locked out of EVERYTHING: my accounts, my business- I can’t even get work because I’m clinically insane! The last time I tried they ratted me out to the authorities and I got held in an asylum for a year!”

“You want revenge?”

“More than anything.”

“Then you’ll need power.”

“And how the hell am I supposed to get…”

His voice trails off as you manifest the <Pithos> from nothing.

“Have you ever heard of Pandora’s Box?”

“Of course I have.”

“Well, it wasn’t a box. It was a jar- this jar.”

His eyes widen, “What, you want me to open it and unleash evil into the world? Cause a calamity?”

“No, nothing that extreme. Not yet. We’re just gonna crack it open a little. Let out one- just for you.”

“You’re saying you’ll make ME a disaster?”

You grin: “A walking calamity.”

“What’s the price?”

>There is no price (Kill him after he deifies)
>Your soul (Keep him as a subordinate)
>Write-in
>>
>>5968926
>Write-in
Sex
>>
>>5968926
>"You allow me to watch your revenge, and you have to make it entertaining for me. While also not attracting the attention of other gods."
>Kill him after he had his fun
Maybe he gains some influence himself, and we do as his folly leads to other peoples harm.
if we make him our subordinate we'd probably not get a subjugation
>>
>>5968926
>Your soul (Keep him as a subordinate)
I wonder what he was like before he got backstabbed and his whole life ruined.

>>5968947
Funny, but that does remind me Ate has never had sex once this entire quest. Not even anything with Pheme. She's been operating solo for most of the quest entirely, and it's been only recently she got an in with Eris' bitch squad and a deal with Kronos' Neo Austrian regime. Recruiting Brigita instead of killing her too. Our girl has ZERO sex interest. She is all in on the world takeover nightmare plot too much to ever consider getting laid, too into the folly+ruin goddess LARP to cope with being a monster to ever consider fucking a mortal guy, and too into murdering other people with god powers to ever consider fucking a nonmortal guy.
>>
I'll wait another few hours for a tiebreaker before resolving the vote by chance
>>
>>5968926
>There is no price (Kill him after he deifies)
The entire damn point was to check if we can farm levels. KILL HIM.
>>
>>5968947
>>5968955
>>5968961
>>5969222

>There is no price (Kill him after he deifies)

“Did Zeus need a reason to give Pandora the box in the first place? No. He did it out of spite- to get back at Prometheus. At humanity.”

“Who’s your Prometheus?”

“I was telling a parable. Do you want the powers or not?”

“I-if I take them… will I be able to get back at my brothers?”

“Well, that depends on you. Big part on luck, bigger part on skill. But regardless of what you end up with, your odds will be better than zero.”

“So an improvement then.”

“Precisely.”

The man walks up to the jar like it’s a live grenade and places his trembling hand upon the lid.

The <Pithos> opens.

The inside is black- not like black paint, or a vat of black slime, but completely, endlessly black. A lime green ball of pulsating divinity appears from the void and seeps upwards. Oskar, equal parts enthralled and paralyzed by fear, does nothing but watch as the glowing mass forces its way down his throat. His body gives the telltale glow of <Deification>

Before he can even check his authorities, you tear through his throat with a single swipe of your clawed hand.

>Congratulations! You have successfully destroyed another incarnation, <Mania>! You have plundered their influence (0). Due to the difference in level, you receive only the influence to reach their current level (0).
>You have also gained 1 influence for following your directive and 10 influence for following your secondary directive

>Due to the authority <Divine Folly> you gain the authority <Cackle>
>However, all of your authority slots are full! (I checked, even after removing <Enchant Item> you’re maxed out on authorities.)
What should be done?
>Keep <Cackle> (specify which authority to delete or store, and specify whether you’d like to delete or store)
>Toss <Cackle>

Will you take one of the Plural Myth <Maniae>'s authorities or upgrade one of your own?
>Take a new one
>Upgrade an old one
>>
>>5969274
AHAHAHAHAHAHA

> Upgrade Whispers to X!
> Store Around Every Corner

What does Cackle actually do? And what's the catch?
>>
>>5969304
So what does this mean? We got 0 influence from him but we got a free authority?
>>
>>5969308
It would appear so, barring the system being an ass. He was worth 0xp, but he was still an incarnation, and that's apparently all it takes. I'm still pretty worried there's some kind of catch, but even if this is a one time thing we've still saved a bundle of influence.

Pity using the relic didn't grant any Pandora Sync.
>>
>>5969304
Oh right, it's customary to reveal that. My bad

Cackle (1):
You may infuse your laughter with <Divinity>, causing temporary panic in any mortals that hear it. Additionally, you can use any currently affected mortals who can hear your laughter as a point of origin for your other authorities at an increased cost proportional to distance. Does not function over recordings or brodcasts
>>
>>5969274
>Upgrade Whispers
>Store Banshee Wail
>>
>>5969317
> who can hear your laughter as a point of origin for your other authorities at an increased cost proportional to distance.
Oh that has terrifying potential.

>>5969323
We really ought to boost specter wail, the synergy with Whispers is nuts
>>
>>5969304
>Support

Well time to max out all our high level abilities. That saved us a fuck load of influence. Like 30k+
>>
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>>5969274
> Store Around Every Corner
> Upgrade Whispers to X!
>>
>>5969345
I think the synergy with around every corner is even better - we can spy on anyone affected within a huge range and now even use authorities through them? Just think, we make a dozen thralls, use them to scour a city for beasts or other incarnations, then remotely touch of madness them.
>>
>>5969565
> now even use authorities through them?
Has to be someone who can hear our laughter, so they wouldn't be that far away. Mayyybe we can use Spectre Wail and Cackle together to project over long distances? Not sure if we can Wail a Laugh.

Around Corners is nice utility, but Spirit Wail gives us a powerful ranged aoe attack, and we can couple it with Whispers to plant psychological hooks into our opponents.

Honestly it'd be worth it to boost Corners, Cackle, and Spirit Wail and see how they evolve, imagine if we could chain Spirit Wails across a city?
>>
>>5969623
I imagined we wouldn't have to be laughing while we used the ranged authority function, that the effect would linger after the laugh ends, at which point we could make them seeker missles. Perhaps that comes with upgrades past rank 1. I just worry that once we store around every corner it'll never come out again and what could be a Pheme tier info gathering authority will be lost.
>>
>>5969657
Honestly part of me wonders if we've put too much focus into being a deadly combatant. Survival traits like Omen and Preservation Instinct are great, but Titanic Strength, and Boar Mode are more about rip and tear, while Scourge of Mortals is mostly obsoleted by Divine Armor. If we drop those we might as well drop weapon training as well.

We'd have no melee ability, but we could focus entirely on being able to melt minds and be a sneaky sneak if we had Cackle, Corner, Wail, and we could finally get Flight. We'd still have powerful defensive authorities too, just no capacity for ripping a man's heart from his chest.
>>
guys, it's "Specter's Wail", not banshee nor spirit.

>>5969565
Whispers already works through broadcast or recordings, so we can just as well have an agent with a speaker around
and >>5969345 said the specters wail/whispers synergy, since you opted to store Wail

>>5969657
first we also got to figure out the cost per distance, and if it goes down as the level increases. But the cost might be too steep to have good utility if we want to actually take down a city or district with multiple agents in key locations.

We're constantly maxed out and are always getting distracted by the next shiny thing. (Even though I want to get some more drops of chaos to get thematic ones)
Easier if we can drop some into items.
>>
>>5969701
Yeah, Divine Servant has a lot of potential, but it eats up two of our slots without providing much critical functionality and ffuck that sucks.
>>
>>5969705
because we haven't got around to fully utilizing it. But neither has Regeneration, Bane of Calydon, or any of the others we haven't even used yet...
Divine Servant lets us get multiple people whom we can order to farm their influence and use as our own. That's a passive income, which, according to economics dudebros on the internet, is a good thing.
Faustian bargain gets us also quite literal passive income daily plus an increase in divinity.
And Induct can make some morals we have fausted more effective at things.
>>
>>5969717
we really should be reorganizing our portfolio and or getting some sort of guardian inside the jar of pandora
>>
>>5969717
Regeneration has definitely saved our life by this point, and Bane has scored a kill too, and both are peace of mind abilities anyway. Induct is single use, if we use it, it vanishes and disables Divine Servant at the same time.

Don't get me wrong, the potential of Divine Servant is insane, eventually it'll be totally worth it, but Faustian bargain will take months to pay for even itself, let alone turn a profit, unless we go around making bargains every day for a few weeks.

Admittedly we might be able to pick up quite a few souls at knife point while dealing with the mob.
>>
>>5969719
It really is capitalism.
We can use influence to make others generate influence for us with which we can make "employ" more people

>>5969721
>Induct is single use
is it? I thought the authority which we grant the inductee disappears
>>
>>5969723
> Allows you to grant an authority to a mortal, either directly or via an authority crystal. The target will gain the Pseudo-Myth: <Cultist of <Your Incarnation Name>>. They share your directives, and any influence, authorities, epithets, or titles garnered by the target are granted to you instead. It is possible for an <Inductee> to betray their god, at which point they will lose their power and pseudo-myth. Authority vanishes upon a single use.
>>
>>5969760
yes, but I interptered it in our favor.
Say we buy "Weapons Training (sniper rifle)" from the shop, and we use Induct on a mortal with "Weapons Training (sniper rifle)", then the authority "Weapons Training (sniper rifle)" vanishes and we'd have to rebuy it from the shop. Not that "Induct" vanishes.
You may as well be correct, in which case, fuck.
but let's wait for QM to confirm
>>
>>5969765
Yep, it's single use. On the bright side, the authority doesn't vanish, you just lose custody for a bit- you can take it back at any time.

>>5969304
>>5969323
>>5969378
>>5969390
>Keep <Cackle> (Store <Around Every Corner>)
>Upgrade an old one (<Whisper of Temptation>)

Influence: 3,436-> 3,136/51,200

You take a peek at the full glory of your newly maxed-out authority

><Whisper of Temptation> (9->X)

While in effect, individuals sustain permanent losses to their capacity for delayed gratification and impulse control, becoming more severe the longer they hear your voice. Recordings are sufficient for this effect. It is possible to lower the inhibitions of specific impulses. However, the more specific your restrictions, the longer it takes for your authority to take hold, and the more likely it is for your <Whispers> to not have any effect at all. (25 divinity/level per hour). It is also possible to use this authority with nonverbal sounds, such as breaths, footsteps, or clapping. When this skill is in effect, you may have it such that the target or targets experience sounds and words of your choosing contrary to the actual utterances or noises into which this authority is imbued.

It is possible to implant not only specific desires, but specific directives through your voice. However, as before, the more specific the command and the less in line with the desires of the target, the more exposure is necessary to bring about the desired effect.

You are capable of using your <Whisper of Temptation> to elicit not only desires, but beliefs which the target desires to be true: (for example, you can convince a person that they are beautiful). This process takes much longer than any other use of this authority.

It is also possible to produce a much more immediate effect with this authority by having the intended outcome align with the words you say.

Individuals who succumb to this authority will feel a sense of reverence and obedience for you if they are aware of your existence. Individuals affected in this manner will also subconsciously recreate the basic level 1 effect of this authority should you wish them to.

Aslook at the new text, possibilities for mass, international destabilization of the world governments play on your mind:
>Individuals affected in this manner will also subconsciously recreate the basic level 1 effect of this authority should you wish them to.
>>
>The authority doesn't vanish
Meaning the authority you lend out. Induct does vanish upon use- but you can have as many instances of it as you'd like

>>5970112

You carefully pick up the <Pithos> examining it for cracks or blemishes. Instead, on the side Oskar opened the jar, you see what appears to be a painted scene. The image shines just as the rest of the <Pithos>, as if it was put on before the piece was glazed and fired. The picture, all black and red, shows a man being harassed by a winged woman with the claws of a wolf and a snake for a tongue as he stands above a sleeping child. You recognize it immediately as a visual representation of <Mania>.

You wonder to yourself, what would happen if the Pithos is ever ‘finished’?

>Notice! One of your epithets has exceeded a synchronization rate of 75%! A new reward is available! Check the <Manage Epithets> tab to claim it.

You check out the tab:

Would you like to accept the divine weapon <Shawl of Delusion> or the rewards for the quest <Psychotic Breaker>?

>Weapon
>Quest rewards
>>
>>5970114
God, I gotta sleep more

<Shawl of Delusion> is not a weapon. It's a <Relic>.
>>
>>5970114
>Induct does vanish upon use
not cool beans

>Quest rewards
>>
>>5970114
> Quest Reward

Here's hoping Psychotic breaker gives us mental protections of some sort.
>>
>>5970114
>Individuals affected in this manner will also subconsciously recreate the basic level 1 effect of this authority should you wish them to.
Oh hell yeah
Turn that shit on right away
Now people all over the world are our mobile white noise speakers

>Shawl
>>
>>5970311
Yeah, just lingering in an airport bathroom and enthralling random passerbys would create little chaos fountains who spread madness everywhere they go. Or just announcing ourselves to a crowd of people and sending them on their way. The potential is crazy.
>>
>>5970311
>>5970343
for reference: whispers level 1 had a description that goes as:
>While in effect, individuals sustain permanent losses to their capacity for delayed gratification and impulse control, becoming more severe the longer they hear your voice. Recordings are sufficient for this effect

probably best to get radio/TV/podcast hosts. The kind of people that others listen to a lot.
Or just impersonate some of them for a little while.

>>5970114
what percentage of the pithos would you say has the image of mania taken up?
has the systems description of the pithos itself changed at all?

the obvious theory is that we can only do this a limited number of times. Even so, just skipping the 8->9->X is still enough of an influence saving option.
Also, since we can postpone taking the rewards for a subjugation, we should always do so until it's most cost effective, like when we already have an authority at something like 7 or 8

Right now I'm rather serious about keeping our expenses low unless they can make us more influence
having others use whispers for us, getting soul deals, making philotes huge for her own directive.
But mafia first. then some personal projects, and more info on Isa before going to this ever peaceful part of the world.
>>
>>5970353
Is it only new infectees? I figured all the people already under the influence from our streaming and white noise would turn into broadcasters.
>>
>>5970384
it's only people who "have succumbed to authority" that can spread it. probably those 1500 in our cult
but we don't know in what positions they are in, so I suggested going after people who are in position to spread their voice easily
>>
>>5970391
>Individuals who succumb to this authority will feel a sense of reverence and obedience for you if they are aware of your existence. Individuals affected in this manner will also subconsciously recreate the basic level 1 effect of this authority should you wish them to.
I think you missed the "this" in that sentence. It's anyone who is under the influence of Whispers itself.
>>
>>5970406
>you keep argueing semantics, maybe your reading compression is lacking
you're probably right...
I just think "succumb" means total control like the soldier (before his soul deal)
not people who've losend their inhibition because someone was in the bathroom stall next to them ripping a loud one, or any other non-directs command such as talking about video games or tv shows on their stream
>>
>>5970197
>>5970286
>>5970311

To clarify regarding the new <Whispers> clause, it specifically refers to individuals who we’ve been colloquially referring to as ‘Thralls’. That is to say, people who are both a) aware of your existence as an incarnation and b) fall prey to your <Whispers> completely in your presence.

>Quest Rewards

Wherever you tread, madness follows.

>You gain 700 influence!

Influence: 3,136->3,836/51,200

>You gain the title <Figure Unspeakable>

>Figure Unspeakable
Your appearance (while no transformation, disguise, or stealth abilities are in effect) defies comprehension. Those who gaze upon you may be stricken with madness. As this effect is not based in divinity, neither you no your allies are immune to it

>You gain the authority <Danse Macabre>! Due to a lack of authority slots, a crystal will be provided instead.

>Danse Macabre (1)
Individuals who see you dance, or perform other movement arts such as figure skating or synchronized swimming, will experience violent impulses proportional to the quality of the performance.

You wonder just what your “True Appearance” as defined by the system is now, given this new title combined with the effects of <No True Face>, but you decide to heed the system’s warnings and not gaze upon your own face.

You inspect the image on the <Pithos>. You estimate that the new painting takes up about 5% of the urn’s surface, but irregularities in the sizes of the “main” images and the rest. it’s difficult to tell how many times you can get away with using it again.

You consider the experiment a success. What should be done now?

>I’ve prepared enough, it’s time to head to Prague
>I should dedicate my time to using the <Pithos> to grind for authority levels
>I should sell off some of my less useful <Epithets> using the <Epithet Holder> to gain enough influence for a new <Miracle>
>Write-in
>>
>>5970444
>in your presence.
Damnit, I figured anyone affected through the white noise machines would be out because they weren't aware of us, but was hoping our streamer audience would start spreading it. No exponential growth if we have to infect each spreader personally :(

Shapeshifting our way into a major news outlet for a night is out too

>I should sell off some of my less useful <Epithets> using the <Epithet Holder> to gain enough influence for a new <Miracle>
Something with whispers perhaps?
Should sell Danse at the very least, dependent on dance skill and overlaps with a lot of our kit already
>>
I rather hold onto epithets and hand them out to future subjects who have already proven themselves useful
>I should sell off some of my less useful <Authorities> using the <Authority Grinder> to gain enough influence
>Grind "Grotesque Horns"
>Grind "Pride Before the Feeble"
I don't see us using either
The rest could all be useful on ourselves or subordinates
Riptide, for example, could come in handy when our cyber_siren persona would come out as siren and do a demonstration of her powers
Berserk and Bloodlust for a combat subordinate
Cursed Gold on a loan shark, which we can find in the mafia
Life Insurance is a soft immortality
etc.

>about 5% of the urn’s surface
so about 19 more "free" level-ups

It's becoming more clear with Danse now too, that we will not have a one size fits all solutions kind of authority set. Even though I don't want to invest the time to learn dance (rather further our music skills)
Danse could work on an inductee. Backupdancer for the superbowl halftime show without anyone even realizing...
Anyway, we probably want one set of authorities for "expected combat", and one "cause problems on purpose" (with the ability to get out of a fight if needed)
like swapping out Weapon Training and Titanic Strength for Scribe of Dysnomia and Around Every Corner
>>
>>5970482
I don't want to grind grotesque horns, it would be hilarious to induct someone with that and fit our theme.
>>
>>5970444
>Stream, use dance and whispers to make everyone into a Thrall and worship us. Make them think that they're better than anyone that doesn't like us and our music. Have them push it onto others.

Basically a self replicating virus. Have them worship our Idol we bought too. For more power gains. Time to destabilize the whole world.

>Use our money to buy ads in main stream media and YouTube ect. Let's push our content everywhere.

If we get ceos and every powerful person addicted to us they'll push our stuff too. Again a self replicating boost in power. Time to take over anyone that sees our stuff.

Let's do this guys we'll get potentially billions of influence. Once we have 100s of millions if not billions of followers we can order them to kill anyone that's a nonbeliever.
>>
>>5970501
We talked about this before the latest update, it doesn't work like that according to OP. Only people we dominate in person are contagious.
>>
>>5970444
We're truly becoming a monster. One of these days someone is going to use an authority to view our true form, and it is going to be amazing.

>I’ve prepared enough, it’s time to head to Prague

Alternatively, or in addition
> Level up Spirit Wail to 3
> Level up Cackle to 3

I'd like to see how these grow and change. All three together (more volume, spread from affected, melt minds) could be insanely devestating. Just touch down in the middle east and Spirit Wail a mad cackle laced with Whispers, then continue projecting it out from there. Fucking Joker Memetic Virus there. I really feel like we have a potential city killer there, and wiping out a city could give us a solid 500,000 to 1,000,000 influence.
>>
>>5970536
+1 support. This shit is evil and I love it. As small fry as we are, we are still a hazard. I am interested to see how figure unspeakable and no true face mix
>>
>>5970450
>>5970482
>>5970501
>>5970536

It seems like the people are in support of doing some spring cleaning in exchange for some influence, so we’ll do it like this:

>You may vote for as many of the listed options as you wish
>Any vote which does not include a specific option will be counted as a vote against that option
>Any option for which more people vote in favor of exchanging than do not will be ground up

>Authorities:

>Cursed Gold (1):
You may place a hex on any piece of currency (10 divinity per use). If a person willingly accepts that currency with the intention to keep it, they will be affected by the hex. The available hexes are:
-Sniveling Gratitude: The individual will be more susceptible to your orders
-Bottomless Greed: The individual is consumed by greed, neglecting all other motives in service of it.

>Life Insurance (2):
You may sacrifice money, of any widely accepted currency, to halt the aging process. The rate is 20,000 USD for a number of years equal to your skill level. Additionally, it is possible to make yourself younger, at a rate of 40,000 USD per year

>Riptide (1):
Allows you to summon saltwater from the sea, at a rate of 1 divinity per pound. This water is infused with your divinity, and can be manipulated freely by you.

>Berserk (1):
Increases all of your physical attributes, including durability, proportional to your rage. Additionally, deepens your anger when in use. Consumes divinity proportional to the strength of the authority’s manifestation.

>Bloodlust (1):
When active, increases your strength, speed, and stamina in proportion to the degree to which you want to kill your target. Also fosters your desire to do so while active. Consumes divinity proportional to the strength of its manifestation.
>>
>>5970800

>Scribe of Dysnomia (3):
Any recordings or images taken of you while this authority is active, as well as anything written or spoken by you while this authority is active, including verbatim copies or transcriptions, slowly erode faith in public order when perceived. Additionally, targets of this authority also exhibit reduced guilt for immoral and illegal acts. Consumes 1 divinity per 3 seconds.

>Enchant Item (1):
Allows you to create a Divine Relic. Works better for items made by the incarnation using this authority. If an authority crystal is used, a specific effect may be imparted. The item is severely damaged in the case of failure.

>Grotesque Horns (1)
Grows horns from your head that emit an unpleasant aura, causing nausea, vertigo, and nausea

>Pride Before the Feeble (1)
When activated, increases the strength and effectiveness of your authorities against a weaker incarnation for the duration of the battle. However, if this authority is invoked against an incarnation of greater or equal strength, a penalty is imposed upon the user instead.

>Around Every Corner (1):
Allows you to observe any individual who has succumb to your divinity within ten miles, multiplied by the level of this authority

>Danse Macabre (1)
Individuals who see you dance, or perform other movement arts such as figure skating or synchronized swimming, will experience violent impulses proportional to the quality of the performance.

>Epithets:

>Phonoi, Spirits of Murder (Plural Myth):
Synchronization Rate: 80%

>Chrysus, Spirit of Gold:
Synchronization rate: 17%

>Epimetheus, Titan of Hindsight:
Synchronization Rate: 8%
>Polyphemus, the Blinded Cyclops:
Synchronization Rate: 5%

>Pandora, Harbinger of Maladies:
Synchronization Rate: 90%

>Wrath of Artemis, Calydonian Boar:
Synchronization Rate: 20%

>Atalanta, the Swift-Footed Huntress:
Synchronization Rate: 10%

>Pride of Artemis, Ceryneian Hind:
Synchronization rate: 1%

>Dysnomia, Goddess of Lawlessness:
Synchronization rate: 79.83%

>Opaline Offering, Cretan Bull:
Synchronization Rate: 82.5%

>Wretched Blight, Catoblepas
Synchronization Rate: 53.9%

>Agamemnon, the Felled King
Synchronization Rate: 27.4%

>Lethe, River of Forgetfullness:
Synchronization Rate: 73.2%

>Maniae, Spirits of Madness (Plural Myth):
Synchronization Rate: 83.7%
>>
>>5970800
>Pride Before the Feeble (1)
Shit. Just bad.
>Danse Macabre (1)
We've got better, and less situational
>Grotesque Horns (1)
Probably actually really strong, but against our vibe.

>Agamemnon, the Felled King
The dork we got Pride before the Feeble from. Ugh no.
>Polyphemus, the Blinded Cyclops:
Weaksauce myth monster
>>
Off topic question about Cackle. If we Cackle and affect a target, then have that target cackle, affecting a second target unable to hear our original cackle, can we emit a third cackle from that second target?

Tldr, can cackle chain beyond our personal vocal range? Like sweep across an entire stadium?
>>
>>5970847
Cackle (for now) can only act as a <point of origin> for your authorities, which in the case of ones like cackle which are based on sound and not distance does not allow for chaining in that manner. Unlike <Touch of Madness>, for example, which does not need a medium like a laugh or a scream, <Cackle> <Whisper of Temptation> or <Specter's Wail>, alongside transformation or augmentation authorities like <A Thousand Faces, A Thousand Voices>, <Titanic Strength>, or <Polyglot> all cannot be utilized by individuals affected by cackle. However, if you had a line of people all affected by <Cackle>, you could move the point of origin all the way down the line one step at a time, effectively eliminating the exponential factor of the increased cost as related to distance
>>
>>5970519
Brain washing someone to be our fan boy. And having them compulsory show others is inherently self replicating. We can show our discord people that we're a God so it does work with the new X level.

Come on connect the dots.
>>
>>5970841
+1
but keep Danse, I already outlined how we could use it

also, upgrade both Specter's Wail and Cackle to 3
what is Cakle's range cost? it was never clarified.
>>
>>5970855
Ahh, so we could use Cackle, then follow it up with ToM on nearby targets.
>>
>>5970501
I was also pushing to be smarter about our streamer persona the past two threads.
get editors that cut our stuff together, to make more content per time we ourselves have to invest.
for videos always same shtick:
early in the vid, get the whispers command for people to watch through to the end. And at the end, whispers them to watch another one of our vids. Absolutely game the inherent algorithms that all those sites are already have in place. They already work exactly how we want them to. To keep the user on the platform as long as possible, and be subjected to our whispers as long as possible.
we don't even need ads for that.

>>5970855
>>5970993
right, we can use Cackle to not have to pay the *distance cost* of Touch of Madness, which is measured in inches
cackle would only deliver panic, but ToM is much more powerful, doing illusions
We still need to know what the distance cost of Cackle is. Description only says "cost proportional to distance"
>>
I'll wait an hour or two for a tiebreaker regarding <Danse Macabre>, otherwise I'll flip a coin for it
>>
>>5971219
we can always grind it later if another vote pops up, but continue on with the resale price of the common vote
>>
>>5970841
>>5970875
>>5970902

Authorities:

>Pride Before The Feeble (1): 2,900 (-200)

>Grotesque Horns (1): 4,800 (-200)

Epithets:

>Agamemnon, The Felled King: 10,000

>Polyphemus, The Blinded Cyclops: 12,000

Total gain: 28,300

Influence: 3,836-> 32,336/50,900

Your eyes widen: in retrospect, it makes sense that epithets, particularly non-plural ones would bring significant value, but the amount that you received from the authorities surprises you. You imagine that common authorities like <Titanic Strength> or shop authorities like <Polyglot> would go for much less, but even still, the profits are considerable.

What should be done now?

>Spend influence (Specify how)
>Head to Prague
>Write-in
>>
>>5971315
>>Spend influence (Specify how)
>Cackle 1->3 for 300
>Specter's Wail 1->3 for 300
>A Thousand Faces, a Thousand Voices 4->6 for 2400
>Assess Hamartia 4->6 for 2400
>Guerilla Tactics 5->8 for 11.200
for a total of 16.600

what the distance cost of Cackle ?
can you buy store authorities directly into authority crystals?

>>Head to Prague
>>
>>5971332
>what the distance cost of Cackle ?
It doesn't say: you'll have to test it out

>can you buy store authorities directly into authority crystals?

Nope
>>
>>5971332
Support!

+Buy our personal relic for 10k. It's gotta be good for us, right?
>>
>>5971332
>>5971372

>Cackle 1->3 for 300

The effects of this authority linger for (60->120) seconds after the termination of its use.

It becomes possible for individuals affected by your <Cackle> to personally recreate the first level effects of one authority specified before a specific continuous use of this authority using their own divinity until the effects of this authority wear off. However, this effect does not apply to transformation authorities

>Specter's Wail 1->3 for 300

The volume of the screams increases. Additionally, once the threshold of serious harm is passed, the sound will continue to carry for (20->30%) more distance.

Additionally, it becomes possible to select from any of the listed afflictions:

>Despair
>Wrath

>A Thousand Faces, a Thousand Voices 4->6 for 2400

It becomes possible for you to enhance your physical capabilities using this authority, including hardening your skin or increasing your strength beyond that which is attainable by structures created in the human body.

Additionally, it is possible to create additional structures (e.g. limbs, organs) provided that the structure itself is an analogue to something which exists in the human body (For example, you could create a third arm but not an insect’s wings)

>Assess Hamartia 4->6 for 2400

The extent to which this authority increases the power of relevant effects is heightened. Provided a sufficient difference in level, it is also possible to ascertain the name of the primary myth of your target.

>Guerilla Tactics 5->8 for 11.200

You may mask (->or change the color of) your divinity, including the visual effects of the use of authorities, while remaining completely visible. Negates the information gathering effects of shop items available below level ->8, as well as similar effects provided by divine relics below ->super rare grade.

While this authority is active, should you choose to remain visible, it also makes it more difficult to detect the use of transformation or illusion authorities which alter your appearance, as well as interfering with effects that detect lies or negative intent.

Influence: 32,336-> 15,736/51,200

Should you buy your personal <Divine Relic>?
>Yes
>No
>>
>>5971417
>>Yes
We want to get this sooner or later so why not now?

Also guerilla tactics seems like good synergy with our other things, now that it can hid the transformations.
>>
>>5971417
> Yes

Oh wow,. Thousand Faces is so much stronger than I thought. It's probably a full multipurpose polymorph at X including flight.

I wonder if Thousand Faces miracled with Whispers makes us a Memetic Hazard? LETS FIND OUT.
>>
>>5971633
Thinking we level Faces normally to 8, then use the Pithos Hack to go to 10. Then Miracle Faces and Whispers together to hopefully become a shapeshifting infohazard.
>>
>>5971424
>>5971633

>Purchase your personal <Divine Relic>

Influence:15,736->5,736/51,200

You purchase the relic from the shop. As you do, an ornately decorated silver- or is it platinum?- ring adorned with blood red rubies appears in your palm. You decide to take a peek at its effects.

Folly’s Grasp (Fable <Omega> Ring)

You may expend divinity (10 per hour) to temporarily possess any individual who has either met the conditions of your primary directive <By Their Own Hand>, is bound by a <Pact of Submission> or whose soul you have come to own. You may only use this effect on mortals or incarnations of a lower level than yours. Additionally, you must know the true name and, for incarnations, the identity of their primary myth in order to possess them.

It is possible to manipulate up to 4 targets at a time, including your own body, but with each target, including yourself, the mental strain increases, and prolonged exertion of the full power of this relic may damage your soul.

It is possible to make use of both your own authorities and the authorities of the individual you have come to possess while the possession is in effect, but, though the effects will remain the same as they are at the level at which you possess them, the effective level of the authorities will be at the incarnation level of whoever you are possessing, or half of your own incarnation level, whichever is higher.

Additionally, any actions you engage in using the body of a target under the control of <Folly’s Grasp> which satisfy your directives will grant you influence as if you had used them yourself.

Your eyes widen at the power of your new relic. While it is true that, had you purchased it earlier, the power would be considerably weaker, you still lament the missed opportunities.

Having wrapped up your little experiment, you decide to finally head to Prague; once you return to your hotel room, you give Brigita the signal that the time has come. Under the cover of <Guerilla Tactics> the two of you make your way to the building’s roof whereupon she <Monstrossifies> and begins to fly you to your location.

As you fly towards the city, you consider what the best method of approach would be. How should you go about this?

>Infiltrate by taking down and impersonating a low level mook
>Have Brigita take you to the man in charge
>Break the door down and start killing people until someone important comes out
>Sneak into the building with stealth authorities
>Write-in
>>
>>5971686
>Sneak into the building with stealth authorities
> Buy Diviners to identify the number of incarnations in the building
>>
>>5971686
>Have Brigita take you to the man in charge

Oh wow we got some buffs
Wonder how strong Kronos must be
>>
>>5971686
So Folly's Grasp. At first I was a bit disappointed, then I realized this effectively let's us puppeteer three people, and use all of our powers through them at level five. Possibly four people if we have a safe place to puppet from. (Implication that we are just another victim of Atë?) No maximum range is noted, and verrry interestingly no restrictions on transformation authorities is present either.

Possible applications:
- Boar Stampede. Three Calydon Boars on a rampage? Yes please.
- Four 'different' people shapeshifting into each other, or just mirrors of ourselves.
- Overlapping guerilla auras
- Multiple point blank Spirit wails
- Disposable attack drones

How long is the range? An important question.
>>
>>5971808
There's no element of distance: the target could be next to you or in Timbuktu or on the moon and the effect would be the same. Also, don't forget that the relic is a growth type and will continue to increase in power as time goes on
>>
>>5971813
Oh that's fun. So the big question is how quickly can we ruin a person without killing them. We should definitely pick up some ruined thralls before we leave for Israel.
>>
>>5971686
>Buy Diviners to identify the number of incarnations in the building
>Assess Hamartia anyone to see our differences in power
>Sneak into the building with stealth authorities
Eventually drop the stealth aspects as we just make a cocktail for ourselves at the minibar of the big dick in charge
then just start out talking about a business opportunity

>Folly’s Grasp
doesn't that also just make "Around Every Corner" obsolete?

>>5971633
>Thousand Faces miracled with Whispers
hmm... I said earlier that a Guerilla Tactics + Stealth miracle would be good, but now I think a Guerilla Tactics + Thousand Faces would be best to fully pretend to be someone whom we are not.
We could actually become Siren, in the eyes of normal information gathering authorities.
>>
probably also worth to discuss our appearances.
It's barely ever explicitly stated

1.) We have our original form we had pre-deification, which is now probably unusable lest we want to make people go insane.
2.) The cyber_siren persona. That appearance for sure falls under No True Face.
3.) The mustachiod "Huber, Mercenary", whose appearance has likely been described to quite some people (maybe even been observed in Braun's memories). probably enough for NTF.
4.) We introduced ourselves as "Rosa Huber" to Eris while having a random plain looking appearance (not the appearance of Rosa Beisel, Tisiphone). It was never stated if we ever let Eris or the rest of our pantheon see our original form. Both if they have seen our original form and if they are simply too low in number, this appearance will probably count to trigger NTF and let us be that transformation with no cost.
5.) The yet unnamed musician persona. I don't know if there was ever a need to have her appearance be known, but we should give her an appearance, simply to have another appearance we can slip into at no cost.

and the rest were pretty much one off characters to get a grasp on german/czech

>>5971686
>create a new persona like we mixed and matched cyber_siren
have her be our new default by getting enough people in the czech mafia to trigger NTF for this appearance.
and then
>Buy Diviners to identify the number of incarnations in the building
>Assess Hamartia anyone to see our differences in power
>Sneak into the building with stealth authorities
>>
>>5971972
I was thinking we might want to develop a 'Combat' face for NTF as well since it can boost our stats now. Maybe even consider making it unusual, like with four arms and learning out to fight with that many.
>>
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>>5972022
also very valuable, as we don't want to have to worry about burning divinity on a transformation during combat...
then again, we can just make new social media accounts and get to a certain level of following to properly NTF them.
probably good idea to first consult with some anatomy people or xenobiology ones on how to best place joints and muscles and how these muscles should be refined. Then transform into exactly that.
It's meta knowledge that the system also handles how you think about moving newbody parts using your new center of gravity (from Braun and his training of Tisiphone and her wings). But Ate already knows that real skill is better than system granted skill, and we need to get real combat training regardless (though the mafia could probably help with that)

We could set up a persona who claims to be the myth of the Molionides, where the persona is able to grow another set of arms and legs, as well as head. Fitness/musclegirl workout videos. But the persona doesn't really want to use anything except the extra hands, because two heads is hard to handle, and another set of legs is >picrel

I should keep track of ideas...
>>
>>5970875
I don't think you know what self replicating means anon.
>>
>>5972103
It'd be interesting to see how far we could push the extra body parts bit. Like, extending our spine, adding additional limbs as we go until we're some hideous human serpent hybrid? At the very least we could manifest arms and wrap them around our body as makeshift armor, and of course we're also tougher and more armored as a result as well.

...I wonder if we could improve our own nervous system?
>>
>>5971972
Don't forget, there's a difference between <Atë>'s true face and her civilian identity. The former 'her', the one in all the OP pics, is (as far as the system is concerned) a persona right alongside Cyber_Syren or Rosa Huber.

>>5971745
>>5971790
>>5971899

>Sneak into the building with stealth authorities
> Buy Diviners to identify the number of incarnations in the building

Influence: 5,736->5,706/51,200

Brigita flies you to a large, seemingly innocuous office complex in the heart of the city under the cover of your stealth authorities. You purchase and shatter a <Diviner> providing you with the following information:

><Phonoi, Spirits of Murder> (Plural Myth): 5
>(The incarnation status of this incarnation is obscured by an authority. However, due to the difference in level, you are still able to detect their presence)

While the exact information regarding the latter incarnation is obscured, based on the system’s wording, they must be significantly less powerful than you: level 7 at the absolute highest.

“Do you have any idea who the other incarnation might be?”

She shakes her head: “I’m not sure- I didn’t know he even had another in his employ. Whoever he is, he’s gotta be a made man.”

“Your boss, does he seem like the murdery type?”

“For a mobster, not particularly. As a rule, he has his underlings do the dirty work… particularly one guy. Václav Osika. Huge guy, maybe 6 and a half feet tall and solid as a brick wall.”

You nod. It can be reasonably assumed that, if the boss had bought <Phonoi> and deified with it, he’d be doing the killing with his own hands to increase his sync rate and gain influence via his directive.

“Do you know where Slavíček works?”

“Follow me.”

She leads you to an office at the top floor of the building. You open the door and are met with an ornately, almost tackily decorated office replete with paintings, a couple of plush chairs, and an ornately carved black desk. Behind the desk, a massive window lets natural light into the room. One thing you don’t find in the office is Slavíček himself.
“Where is he?”

“Out on business, I guess. Probably in a meeting with either the boss or some government people”

“Does he bring Osika with him on these little escapades?”

“Always- he’s his right hand man.”

What should you do?
>Purchase a <Detective’s Compass> and track down Osika
>Wait here for the boss to come back
>Find a gang member and extract the information
>Write-in
>>
>>5972193
>Find a gang member and extract the information
maybe get as much thralls in the meantime as possible
pick them off one by one
>>
>>5972193

> Enthrall as many people as we can and stage an ambush
> Set up a minion for Folly's Grasp
> Send in the minion to land Touch of Madness.

I'm thinking we try what we did with Molotov again, but this time with Folly's Grasp. We find someone and have them 'Meet with Disaster', maybe publically out their mafia ties on social media? That person becomes our primary puppet, we use them to move in for a Touch of Madness on the weaker incarnation, then then whichever incarnation survives we finish off.
>>
>>5972193
>>5972206
sounds good
>>
>>5972199
>>5972206
>>5972240

“Brigita,” you ask, “Are any of the made men in the Prague division parents?”

She stops to think for a second. “I’d guess so. Most of them have civilian identities completely removed from their lives of crime. Generally, they try to keep the two as separate as possible, and even though for many their families are an open secret, there’s an unspoken code not to go for them which very few would be stupid enough to break.”

You nod. Rather than grilling people for information, you decide to sweep over the people in the building with <Assess Hamartia> until you find a suitable candidate. The individual, though decently muscular, seems more like an administrator than a fighter considering the crow’s feet under his eyes and the writer’s bump on his left hand.

Benedikt Doležal

Hamartia: Greed, Paranoia
Deepest Desires: Family, Money

You wait until the man is in his office alone before you reveal yourself to him, being sure to keep yourself hidden to the rest of the world and any cameras it might contain.

“Mr. Doležal.”

You appear to him in the form of the woman you used to meet Brigita, but this time adorned with a pair of ebony-black goat’s horns and a set of razor-sharp claws of the same color. The man, seeing you appear from what was from his perspective thin air, staggers backwards, falling out of his chair. You extend the reach of <Guerilla Tactics> to him to avoid drawing undue suspicion.

“Y-you, who the hell are you! How did you get in here!”

“Tsk, tsk Benedikt. Isn’t it obvious?”

He subconsciously crawls further back as you step forward to approach. Though the man is taller than your current form, you tower over him.

“Incarnation,” he answers, his voice more a breath than a whisper.

“Well done!”

“Did the boss send you? No he, government?”

You grin, revealing a mouthful of razor sharp teeth, “Not quite. I’ve come to make a deal with you.” You approach, stabbing him in the leg and assaulting his mind with your <Touch>, strengthening his preservation instincts several fold.

“Tell me the names and address of your family.”

Due to the effects of your divinity, he cowers, spilling information which in his right mind he would have died to protect.

“Excellent. Thank you.”

You withdraw your talon and release your authority. As he returns to sanity, he begins to panic as he realizes what he’s just done.

“Y-you bastard! When the boss gets back you’ll-”

You place your claw, slicked crimson with his own blood, upon his lips.
>>
>>5972468

“Listen, Benedikt. I’ll only tell you this once. I’m going to stroll out of this building, fly over to your little love nest, and put this claw,” you wiggle it, cutting a small incision in his filtrum for emphasis, before continuing, “And jam it into your wife’s eye socket. Then, I’ll pull it out, line up your little angels, and FEED them her organs before I bleed them out like pigs. Remember that little trick I used to make you talk? They’ll devour her innards like a bag of candy.”

“YOU BITCH” he desperately swings his fist at you. Rather than blocking it, you activate <To Mortals, a Scourge>, completely protecting yourself from the damage. The only thing he accomplishes is breaking his own hand.

“Unless,” you continue, “you give me your soul.”

“DEMON! WHORE! DIIIEEE!” He continues to uselessly flail his libs, until and after the bones break and the ligaments tear, to absolutely no effect. Once he tires himself out, he slumps down defeated.

“Well? What do you say?”

“God… god will come for you.”

“God is here for you right now.”

You extend your hand, crimson chains playing at the sides of your wrists.

“Last chance,”

Wordlessly, he shakes your hand.

>Congratulations! You have gained 10 influence for making a <Faustian Bargain>! You will receive 10 influence daily from this individual for as long as they live
>Your <Divinity> pool has increased by 10! This bonus will remain as long as they live

Though the divinity cost of that deal was significant, you have plenty of gas in the tank thanks to your recent ambrosia doping. First, you decide to try out <Folly’s Grasp> on your new pet.

Your mind quivers- while the strain is nothing compared to what you experienced with Pheme’s <Wings>, the experience of taking in the sensations and piloting two bodies is incredibly disorienting. It takes you a couple of minutes to acclimate. In the meantime, you use <Regeneration> as Benedikt, using his own divinity to heal the wounds he gave himself.

The two of you split up- the decreased effective incarnation level means nothing in the face of a building of mortal criminals, and, while still somewhat viscerally uncomfortable, you manage to maintain your usual standard of performance and ability while puppeting the other man’s body to a similar (possibly 75%) standard.

By using <Touch of Madness> and <Assess Hamartia> to soften their minds before commanding them with <Whispers>, the entire building soon falls under your control. Benedikt seems to be horrified- it seems like, even while you puppet them completely, the bodies underneath are fully conscious.

The gang is yours and your targets will return soon, but your and Benedikt’s divinity is nearly bottomed out.
>>
>>5972469

Should you use <Nectar>?
>On myself
>On Benedikt
>On both
>On neither

What command should you give your thralls?
>Act natural once the boss gets back
>Gun him down as soon as possible
>Set up a trap using explosives
>Write-in
>>
>>5972471
>On both
>Act natural once the boss gets back

Lure them in, get them with Harmatia, then have our new pet stroll up and nail them both with Touch of Madness. Gonna be fun with everything goes to shit.
>>
>>5972496
+1
>>
>>5972471
>>5972496
+2
>>
>>5972471
>On myself

>Act natural once the boss gets back

Would be cool if we could pact the incarnation too, but I want to see what their relationship is like
>>
>>5972517
actually don't use a nectar on Benedikt, we can just use someone else as a puppet
>>
>>5972496
>>5972498
>>5972517
>>5972548
>>5972575

>On myself (get a new thrall)
>Act natural

You ask your new goons to gather in a meeting room.

“Who here’s married?”

About a dozen of the 40ish people raise their hands.

“Put your hand down if your marriage is in shambles.”

Three put their hands down- less than you thought. You pick out the most physically gifted looking men and bring them to another room. Thereupon, you use <Touch of Madness> to show them illusions of beautiful women.

“[Fuck.]”

You command. Blinded by lust (and, for the one on the bottom, a heavy dose of illusions), they do. You snap a few pictures and send them off to their wives.

Influence: 5716->5724/51,200

You take command of the stronger of the two men, temporarily dropping Benedikt so as not to put needless strain on your brain. Finally, you pop a <Nectar> restoring your divinity to the max.

Influence: 5,724->5,524/51,200

Slavíček returns to the base with his small retinue, including the <Phonos> and seems to be none the wiser. You pilot your puppet, naturally positioning yourself in a place he’d pass by:

Josef Slavíček

Hamartia: Narcissism, Sadism
Deepest Desires: Power, Money, Authority
Domain: Water, Underworld, Fire

Through the eyes of your thrall, you watch him pass by. It seems like whatever obstruction authorities he has are marginally below level 5, so you should theoretically have no problem doing just about whatever you’d like with him. What should you do?

>Put him and his divine crony down
>Trap them with your <Touch> and command them with your <Whispers>
>Reveal yourself and offer a <Bargain>
>Write-in
>>
>>5972598
>Reveal yourself and offer a <Bargain>

Passive income maxxing
As for the bargain, we'll let him have his gang back and not torture then murder him for fun.
>>
>>5972598
>Trap them with your <Touch> and command them with your <Whispers>

Establish control first. Dominate, interrogate, then bargain.
>>
>>5972598
>>Reveal yourself and offer a <Bargain>
become a part of a bigger empire, or lose his small kingdom and die.
>>
>>5972598
>Reveal yourself and offer a <Bargain>
>>
>>5972598
>>Reveal yourself and offer a <Bargain>
we can play on his characteristics
tell him we're going intercontinental, we need someone to manage our european crime-division, and how "Kingpin of Europe" sound to him?
If he asks what'll happen if he says no, we can always find someone else in his organization capable of taking over for him. And we meant to give Algos, the goddess of suffering, a present anyway. He's gonna love her, she's the creative type.


I also came up with a nice heist idea.
There are temples full of gold in India, which were never touched in hundreds of years.
If we were to make him Chrysus, and he'd gain influence from amassing riches (and he's already level 8), he could take Divine Realm, we use some Guerilla Tactics and Stealth, get in the temples, go from vault to vault and move all the gold and gemstones into the divine realm, before fucking off without anyone knowing, because those vaults are never opened.
>>
>>5972633
>and ruin. She, formerly a miserable but ultimately normal office worker, has since accepted her role as the embodiment of her <Myth>. She, along with her partner in crime, the incarnation of Pheme, titan of rumors and gossip, have been working to expand their influence and stack the deck in their favor against not only mortals, but also rival incarnations. In her own eyes, she is no longer human. Her ultimate goal- the elimination of all rival incarnations and, eventually, complete and total world domination.
>After traveling to Austria to hunt down a member of your pantheon who threw her lot in with the government, you discovered a conspiracy that, if revealed and believed, would shake societies across the world to their core- almost every nation is secretly being puppeteered by a small handful of powerful incarnations competing against each other for world domination. You decided to throw your lo
>>5972655
>>5972679
>>5972789
>>5972891

>Reveal yourself and offer a <Bargain>

You emerge from the point you’ve been observing from, dropping your stealth authorities to reveal your presence. Your thralls do not react, but Slavíček’s small remaining entourage draw their weapons and point them at you.

“[Kneel]”

Your men, as well as one of Slavíček’s more cowardly subordinates, drop to their knees. Oiska fires a round into you, but you simply shrug it off with your authorities, only using <Divine Armor> to protect your clothes.

“Pathetic.” you spit out almost involuntarily.

Slavíček, successfully assessing the situation, drops his gun and puts his hands up.

“Alright, I’m new to this god business but even I can tell you’re out of our league. What can I do for you?”

“I’m glad you’re so cooperative. I’ll get to the point- I was thinking about taking over the criminal underworld of, well, just about everywhere, but I have more important things to do than manage the minutiae of organized crime. I need guys like you, competent, seasoned criminals to run my little empire for me.”

“And what do you want me to manage for you?”

“Europe. Maybe Russia too if you prove your mettle.”

He whistles, “Goddamn lady, that’s one hell of an offer,” his eyes narrow, “but deals like that don’t come cheap.”

“Clever. I’ll be blunt- in order to ensure your continued cooperation, I’ll need your soul.”

His shoulders go slack as he puts his hand on his face, seemingly trying to hide his expression. A laugh escapes his lips.

“I don’t have to ask what happens if I refuse, right?”

“Whatever you’re thinking of is probably better than what I’d do.”

“Alright you goddamn psycho, I’ll bite.”
>>
Wow, odd ui glitch there.

>>5972936

“Boss you can’t! You want us to grovel for this cocky bitch?! Besides, do you have any idea what Don Povondra will do when he finds out!?” Oiska interjects, outrage plastered on his face

“SHUT UP YA FUCKIN’ MORON BEFORE YOU GET US BOTH KILLED!” Slavíček roars. He calms down before elaborating “Look around you, dumbass, she’s probably got the entire building under her thumb. Do you think you can fight something that can do that?”

“But Povondra-”

“Forget about Povondra- I’d rather be dead later than dead right now.”

“A wise assessment.”

He extends his hand and you take it.

>Congratulations! You have gained 10 influence for making a <Faustian Bargain> with the incarnation of <Phlegethon>! Additionally, you may spend their divinity as if it was your own
>Your <Divinity> pool has increased by 20! This bonus will remain as long as they live

Huh, it seems like you don’t get daily influence gain by making <Faustian Bargains> with incarnations in the same way you do when bargaining with mortals. You ignore it for a moment and turn your attention to Oiska.

“Well? Your boss jumped on board, might as well join him.”

He draws a dagger from his inventory and leaps at you, dark red divinity shrouding the blade and pouring out of his body. You easily evade, but the fact that <Omen> and <Preservation Instinct> warned you to means that he’s at least capable of harming you. Slavíček screams at the man to stop, but he seems to be lost in some kind of berserk skill.

What should you do?
>Trap him with <Touch>
>Put him down
>Have someone else fight him (specify who)
>Write-in
>>
>>5972939
>Trap him with <Touch>
>Put him down
Overwhelm him with despair until he guts himself for us.
>>
>>5972939
>Trap him with <Touch>
>give Benedict a Cyclops eye and have him kill Oiska
that should transfer this Phonos to him, right?
>>
>>5972939
wtf no daily divinity? boo

backing >>5972952
good experiment to see what happens when a bargained mortal deifies

probably gonna lose the daily divinity from him :(

guess we're going for Povondra after this?
>>
>>5972948
>>5972952
>>5972955

Sorry for the delay, it took a bit to draft up the new status sheets

>Trap him with <Touch>
>give Benedict a Cyclops eye and have him kill Oiska

You extend your hand, basking the berserk incarnation with the crimson glow of your divinity. You easily trap him in an illusion where he can slaughter you and all of the treasonous wretches in the building to his heart’s content while, in reality, he slumps limply to the polished tile floor. You puppeteer Benedikt over to the hapless spirit of murder and use his now clawed hand to tear out his heart.

>Congratulations! Your vessel has successfully subjugated another incarnation! Would you like to claim the subjugation yourself or grant it to the vessel?

Without hesitation, you select the latter: as things stand, another incarnation on a leash is far more useful than the mediocre influence gain and authorities you would gain from taking the kill yourself.

You check your incarnation window and see… neither your divinity gain nor influence gain has increased. It seems like the passive income is a sort of incentive for incarnations to make deals with mortals, and that the system doesn’t particularly care what you do with them afterwards.

Slavíček, though obviously upset by the slaughter of his old friend, bites his tongue and resists the urge to say anything about it.

You check your incarnation window and notice that you’ve gained two more slots in your subordinate’s tab: <Phonoi> and <Phlegethon>.

https://rentry.org/phlegethon-incarnation-status
https://rentry.org/phonoi-incarnation-status

“Alright, I assume you wanna pay a visit to Don Povondra?” he asks instead of saying something stupid.

>”Yes, let’s go”
>”There are some things I want to take care of first” (Perform some system management)
>”No, I’m done here. For now, anyway.”
>Write-in
>>
>>5974023
>>”Yes, let’s go”
Interesting. Perhaps we could accumulate all the rivers under our control?

Also thought just occured to me that there is probably an Ouranus, Tartarus, Gaea, Pontus andKaos out there somewhere. Most importantly, Phanes is likely out there somewhere, and he may very well be the scariest of the bunch
>>
>>5974023
>”Yes, let’s go”
Oh man he's efficient, let's keep him
>>
>>5974062
>>5974088

>”Yes, let’s go”

Slavíček nods, “Since you came here first, I’m guessing you don’t know where Povondra is right now.”

“That’s right. Do you know?”

“Just about- he’s at an auction in Lausanne. Switzerland.”

“Switzerland- that’s like the hub for rogue incarnations, right?”

“That’s right. Them and Germany are just about the last places where the new gods don’t have the government by the balls, but Switzerland had to pay a pretty high price for it. Instead of putting themselves at the mercy of one psycho, they brought in a hundred and hoped they’d keep each other in check. The only thing crazier than the idea is that it worked.”

“So I assume this isn’t an ordinary auction?”

“You catch on quick. The place is an incarnation auction- they sell relics, weapons, epithets, authorities, and sometimes even incarnation slaves.”

“For currency?”

“Not generally. You can buy your way in with enough cash- I’m talking billions with a B- but all auctions are conducted with a sorta in-house currency that you get by submitting items to the organizers with <Stygian Pacts> to keep it all honest.”

This is the first you’re hearing of this. Pheme probably knew it was happening and probably also assumed you figured the same. While you could imagine people were commercializing system benefits, the details would have been nice to know.

“Even a boss like Povondra can only afford to buy the absolute cheapest shit on the market using cash. The real customers are incarnations- hunters, mercs, and the like. People with a motherload of worthless epithets or myths that might be valuable but aren’t any good to the person who owns them.”

“How high do you think Povondra’s level is? And what type of incarnation is he?”

“I know it’s something related to crime- he told me something about even his deification being about work, but beyond that I got no clue. The Don’s always been the secretive sort- the only reason I know he’s at the auction is because he asked me for something I was holding onto.”

“Being?”

“A <Myth>. <Oread>.”

“And you just gave it to him?”

“Didn’t have a choice. I can tell he outlevels me- at least by three, probably 4 levels.”

Formidable, but probably still weaker than you.

“Look, I threw in my lot with you because I kinda had no choice, but Povondra is serious business. Multiple incarnation bodyguards, top notch combat authorities bought straight from the auction, and even some old models of the anti-incarnation guns the Austrians are working on.”

“You mean these?” You toss him a Cyclops’ Eye.
>>
>>5974106

“Holy shit, this is the current model! Where the fuck did you get this?”

“From a corpse.”

“Jesus. you’re one scary lady.” he says as he hands the gun back to you.

“Hold onto it. In case you forgot, you’re tagging along.”

Having received your permission, he places the rifle in his inventory.

“So uh, how are we getting there, anyway? I don’t have my own jet or anything.”

“I have that covered.” You snap your fingers, signaling for Brigita to emerge from her hiding space. You release your stealth authorities placed on her and reveal her to the group.

Slavíček’s face contorts in recognition, but he stays silent, seemingly having a rough idea of the situation. You can see the hatred burning in his eyes as his skin goes red with rage. He clenches his hands until the knuckles go white and sizzling blood leaks from his palms, igniting as they splash upon the marble tiles of the floor.

“Mistress, remember when you said I could have revenge if I wanted?” Brigita asks. You nod, and she continues: “Can you do me a favor and let me borrow him? Just for a couple of minutes. I promise I won’t cripple him or anything.”

“If you wanted to enter the auction,” Slavíček deflects, “Registration and currency buying ends tonight at midnight. We need to get going as soon as possible.

Should you let Brigita have her revenge?

>Sure, why not
>Maybe later
>No
>Write-in

And how do you want to deal with Povondra?
>Enter the auction
>Infiltrate the auction without entering
>To hell with the auction, kill the guy and be done with it
>Write-in
>>
>>5974108
>Sure, why not
Don't worry, you can heal from this. You CAN heal from this, can't you? You bought Regeneration like a sane man with god powers, right???
>Enter the auction
He doesn't know
HE DOESN'T KNOW
>>
>>5974108
>Sure, why not
A few minutes couldn't hurt

>Enter the auction
Just to see what it's like, no biggie if we miss it. Subjugating or killing Povondra is the main goal.
>>
>>5974114
>>5974121

>Sure, why not

Brigita’s mouth twists into a grin so eerie, it even unsettles you for a moment. “Thank you very much,” she says.

After you order Slavíček, as well as a few of his enthralled goons, to follow Brigita’s orders for the next ten minutes, she drags the hapless men to another room. You see her manifest what appears to be a small wardrobe before the door swings shut.

Grunts, moans, screams, and the smell of burning flesh leak from beneath the cracks in the door. Brigita exits, followed by a limping Slavíček.

“Sorry, I forgot his blood was flammable.”

“What exactly did you do?”

She shows you pictures of the mob boss dressed like a cheap whore, makeup included, and videos of him reading embarrassing lines, licking Brigita’s feet, and having objects, living and inanimate, placed in his various orifices. Physically, the man is mostly fine, but the mental scars are probably significant. You’re impressed with how efficient she was in only ten minutes.

>Enter the auction

Brigita is able to transport you, Slavíček, and Benedikt, though she (according to her) has no choice but to carry Slavíček in her talons. It takes a few hours, but you manage to make it to the provided address before sundown.

They booked a 5 star hotel for the affair- makes sense, given the magnitude of the money changing hands, as people from all over the world line up to enter. You approach the entrance, where a guard emanating a slight purple glow waits.

“Proof of identity?” He says in English.

You look to Slavíček. “Proving divinity works too.”

You change your form to exactly match the doorman and make use of <Guerilla Tactics> to temporarily change the color of your divinity to a dark green.

“Is this your first time at the auction?”

Everyone but Slavíček nods as he hands the guard an ID card.

“You can register by gaining a balance of at least 10,000 points. If you intend to use currency, that translates to roughly 10 billion USD.”

Jesus, they weren’t kidding about the price point.

“Everyone but me is only here as guard staff.” you reply. The doorman nods and steps aside.

You make your way to a register where a woman dressed in men’s formalwear is slumped in her chair. She rights herself as you approach.

“Welcome to the auction! How can I help you today?”

“I’d like to get some points. Do I have to buy my own holders?”

“Oh of course not, miss! The auction house not only provides them free of charge, but even adds additional points should you have them prepared in advance. Is this your first time here?”
>>
>>5974161

You nod, and she pulls out a <Stygian Pact>.

“This contract states that, for the next 72 hours, you will not attempt to steal items from, destroy the property of, or assault the employees of the auction management. In addition, it stipulates that you not assault other guests in the auction room while the auction is in session during that three day period. You may do as you wish outside the auction room, including in other parts of the hotel. As a reminder, this hotel is not owned by the auction management. In exchange, we swear to give a fair evaluation of any items you submit for points. You may not enter the auction without signing.”

You read the contract, finding no tricks, loopholes, or issues with the wording.

Would you like to sign it?
>Yes
>No

If you are entering, what would you like to sell? If you cannot recall what you possess, feel free to check the following links:
https://rentry.org/ate-inventory
https://rentry.org/ate-incarnation-status
>>
>>5974163
>>Yes
Sell riptide, huntress' bow, achaen's sidearm, dryad's bough.

I am sure there is more we can sell, but desu I want to keep cursed gold :)
>>
>>5974186
Also Ate should be using whispers to bend every subordinate she has to like her. Everyone should constantly be exposed an affection aura so that we can make the most out of sweet venom. Furthermore, I feel like Ate should visit this auction in a completely different form for safety and infosecurity.
>>
>>5974163
>Yes

>Sell list:
relic - Dryad’s Bough
weapon - Ladon’s Fang
crystals - berserk, bloodlust, danse macabre

Also we should make a miracle with whispers already - perhaps whispers and induct? Might need to buy a second induct
>>
>>5974163
> Yes
Riptide, achaen's sidearm, dryad's bough

>>5974194
I was thinking Whispers and Divine Folly. Copy power from anyone we manipulate?
>>
>>5974163
Oh, do they do appraisal? Appraise

> Phylonoe’s Mercy (Mythic Dagger)
>>
>>5974163
>Yes
>ask if the Austrians are here

>Achaean’s Sidearm
>Ladon’s Fang
>Huntress’s Bow
>Berserk
>Bloodlust
>Phylonoe’s Mercy

Keep Dryad’s Bough
>>
>>5974163
>>Yes
sell:
relics: Dryad’s Bough
weapons: Achaean’s Sidearmm, Ladon’s Fang, Huntress’s Bow
authorities: Berserk, Bloodlust

don't sell Riptide or Danse Macabre
I already outlined how they could be used.
plus, I also thought of trying Danse Macabre in combination with Folly’s Grasp and have a quartett.

I'm willing to part with Phylonoe’s Mercy too. It is powerful by itself, or can be used by, whoever buys it, as a bargaining chip with the commander, maybe?
And selling it would establish us as a high roller, while the rest is low level stuff.

We still have 3x Purified Drop of Chaos in our inventory. We should pop them and see if something worthwhile comes out or sell it off too.

We should also ask Pheme for tips on mental strain, and train ourselves up to control 4 bodies in combat. In combination with supernatural speed which should also slow our perception of time more at higher level.
>>
>>5974186
>>5974194
>>5974207
>>5974219
>>5974512

>Ask if the Austrians are here

“Apologies, ma’am, but we cannot disclose the information of any of the other attendees. Speaking of which-”

She hands you a sleek blue venetian mask decorated with intricately carved sapphire serpents, as well as a set of similarly styled auction paddles and a white paper slip.

“We will keep a name- a pseudonym is alright, of course, to keep track of your in our internal records, but during the auctions, your ‘name’ will be Azure Serpent. An ID card will be prepared for you before the auction, but, in the meantime, please hold onto this temporary confirmation card along with your mask and paddles. Once your ID is available, you will gain access to the other services provided by the auction house.”

“Other services?”

She nods, explaining: “An item creation or enchanting service, mercenary services, both for clients and aspiring employees, an exchange system managed by the house to prevent scams, and a number of other useful resources.”

Votes and values:

Achaean’s Sidearm: 4- 40 points
Dryad’s Bough: 4- 210 points
Huntress’ Bow: 3- 130 points
Ladon’s Fang: 3- 310 points
Berserk: 3- 2,900 points
Bloodlust: 3- 2,500 points

Riptide: 2- 3,100 points

Phylonoe’s Mercy: 1- 45,800 points
Danse Macabre: 1- 2,700 points

The items which a majority have agreed to sell are insufficient to qualify for the auction (6,090/10,000).

>Sell other items, authorities, or epithets (specify)
>Use your <Purified Drops of Chaos> and sell whatever you don’t find useful
>Write-in
>>
>>5974536
>Use your <Purified Drops of Chaos> and sell whatever you don’t find useful
Whooo gambling

> Sell
Danse Macabre: 1- 2,700 points
I'll add the DANSE to the heap.

Whew, that's a lot of points for Phylonoe’s Mercy. And item crafting services! Bet we could get some flight boots made for us here. And maybe negotiate a supernaturally good combat teacher for lessons.
>>
>>5974536
>ask if anyone offers the following services:
>>Combat training
>>Mental strain training
>>customized item enchanting
>>"Redeification", provided you give them the epithet first
mostly to see what the rates are, and to start a rumor on that last one

>Use your <Purified Drops of Chaos> and sell whatever you don’t find useful
>Add Phylonoe’s Mercy

is the venetian mask a relic that obscures information?
>>
>>5974536
>a name- a pseudonym is alright
since we made our aura dark green, let's go with: Atalanta
>>
>>5974536
Do not sell phylonoe’s mercy, that thing is amazing
45800 points god damn
Go ahead with the riptide and Danse sell
>>
>>5974536
>Sell other items, authorities, or epithets
>Phylonoe’s Mercy
>Danse Macabre
>Use your <Purified Drops of Chaos> and sell whatever you don’t find useful

>>5974559
think what better fitting stuff we could get for it
like trash epithets we can give to hobos to kill
>>
>>5974576
I don’t want to give away one of our best weapons for epithets we might be able to buy that we already get for free by killing incarnations
>>
>>5974590
fine, but will you at least vote for the drops of chaos too?
I want some points to buy stuff
>>
>>5974594
Ugh my hoarding tendencies
Fine

>Use the chaos drops and sell whatever isn’t useful
>>
Rolled 92, 45, 66, 54, 88, 15 = 360 (6d100)

Rolling for drops. First three are type, last three are rarity
>>
>>5974547
>>5974552
>>5974559
>>5974576
>>5974618

An <Uncommon> title:

>Multitasker:
Increases your maximum authority capacity by 1

A <Super Rare> shop item:

>Reilquary’s Drop of Chaos x1
>Cyclops’ Drop of Chaos x1
>Purified Drop of Chaos x1
>Personal Drop of Chaos: x1

A <Dud> Weapon:
>Paris’s Courage (Rare Dud Sword):
A bronze shortsword forged as an archer’s sidearm. When in the presence of a more powerful incarnation, the blade emits a panicked scream that can be heard by anyone but yourself or your allies

Danse Macabre: 3/4
Phylonoe’s Mercy: 2/4
Riptide: 1/4

You sell off <Danse Macabre> and hold onto <Phylonoe’s Mercy> for now.
>Auction Points: 8,790/10,000

Would you like to open up the three new <Drops> you got?
>Yes
>No
>>
>>5974674
Moar gambling!
> Yes

Can duds be used for enchant fodder?
>>
>>5974679
They can, but the inclusion of dud items adds in a chance of the resultant item to be a dud as well, proportional to the %of dice that are sourced from dud items
>>
>>5974681
Boo. I suppose a clever soul could use it as a crude diviner, or we could give it away as a poisoned gift.
>>
>>5974674
>that can be heard by anyone but yourself or your allies
Wait so it's an alarm for our enemies to hear? That's actually super fucking funny.
>>
>>5974687
Lmao I thought that was a typo
Explains the dud classification
>>
Rolled 17, 62, 32, 51, 1, 12, 79, 56 = 310 (8d100)

Rolling in order presented: reliquary, cyclops, purified standard, inner:

For weapons:
1-10: Dagger
11-20: Sword
21-40: Spear
41-50: Axe
51-60: Hammer
61-70: Bow, Crossbow, etc.
71-80: Shield
81-90: Gauntlet, Knuckles, Etc
91+: Other

For Relics:
1-20: clothing
21-40: armor
41-60: jewlery
61-90: hand trinket (non-wearable)
91+: other
>>
>>5974747
Since this is the first time we've ever rolled multiple different types of drops at once, I'll throw you guys a bone and have them grouped by category (in this case type,grade,type,grade,etc.) rather than collectively (type,type,type,type,grade,grade,grade,grade)

So this is:
Uncommon Clothing, Uncommon Spear, Dud Influence, and an Uncommon Authority of your primary myth
>>
>>5974750
Ooh personal authority could be really handy. One more thing to compete with flight, divine will, and corner.
>>
>>5974679
>>5974685
>>5974687
>>5974731
>>5974860

Uncommon Relic (Garment):

>Cloak of Chione (Uncommon)
Protects the wearer from all natural cold and cold effects of incarnations at less than half of your current incarnation level, rounding up, while worn

Uncommon Spear:

>Javelin of Perseus (Uncommon)
One of several spears wielded by the mythic hero <Perseus>. Deals additional damage to monsters, beasts, and any incarnation of an explicitly malevolent <Myth>

Dud Influence:

>Influence Coupon (Value: -10)
May be exchanged for the coupon’s value at any time

Uncommon Authority:

>Draw Eyes (1):
Shifts the attention of all individuals within earshot to you

Values:

Cloak of Chione: 1,200
Javelin of Perseus: 410
Draw Eyes (1): 3,400

Also thought I’d throw in values for some of the other inventory items haven’t seen much/any use:

Dysnomia’s Crown: 3,400
Psyche’s Lamp: 9,200

Cursed Gold (1): 4,100
Life Insurance (2): 20,300 (Note, price has been increased way beyond system-based appraisal value of rarity due to the projected popularity of the effect

As a reminder, 1,210 more points are needed to meet the minimum participation requirement.
>>
>>5974943
> Sell
Cloak of Chione: 1,200
Javelin of Perseus: 410

Don't seem super useful. I bet we could arrange temp usage of Life Insurance for a hefty fee.

Draw Attention seems useless...but maybe not?
>>
>>5974943
>after the book keeping break into other rooms and take them all as thralls. If we run into someone of comparable power we readjust skip them. Goals to take over as many people as possible. After the auction take over all the auction people too.

Time to make everyone team cybersyren.
>>
>>5974943
>>Sell
>Cloak of Chione
>Javelin of Perseus

>>5974977
+1
>subjugate low level in carnations, use their money to buy shit
>>
>>5974977
>>5975002

Low level incarnations aren't going to be hanging around a place like this unless they're someone's slave.

Hell, we should ask though what the going rate on an actual incarnation is, though I assume it varies heavily by level and attributes.
>>
>>5975126
Slavíček was here before he was anyone's slave
>>
>>5975183
That's a fair point, we might get lucky and find rich idiots we can pick off. I'm just concerned we're swimming in a much bigger pond than usual.
>>
>>5974943
sell
>Cloak of Chione: 1,200
>Javelin of Perseus: 410

it seems like points are about equivalent to the influence we got from authority grinder, therefore I expect epithets to start at about 10k which the shop gave us.
>ask what the Cyclops' Eye goes for
it's "uncommon", and the medium weapon ticket is also only available at level 9, so I believe that lower incarnations are willing to overpay for it
>buy a Divine Weapon ticket (medium) for the same make and model as the Cyclop's Eye
don't enter it into the auction, first I want to see just if we can get the same ones. maybe second vote on how many to buy and how many to auction off


>>5974576
>like trash epithets we can give to hobos to kill
does that even work?
QM mentioned the system keeps track of epithet ownership
we could try with Lethe, as I kinda would like to have a memory wiping authority
and in response to >>5974977 >>5975002
I'd also feel more comfortable going around and try to subjugate people if - when they don't bite - we can wipe their minds without causing a scene by having it turn into a fight

>>5975126
and pacts of submissions and faustian bargain is only available at level 10, so all the bodyguards a level 9 incarnation has are normally hired people
>>
>>5974964
>>5974977
>>5975002
>>5975126
>>5975183
>>5975279

Sell:
>Cloak of Chione: 1,200
>Javelin of Perseus: 410

Points: 10,400

“Congratulations, miss!” The receptionist says, “you now qualify for the auction! Let me activate your mask and account for you. Before that, I should mention the code of conduct here.”

“Were all of the rules not stated in the contract?”

She nods, “We try to keep as many of the rules as is practical outside of system-enforced contracts. The enforcement is a bit too absolute- it makes most guests uncomfortable. Why don’t you take a look at the mask we provided? You may keep it.”

>Auction Mask (Azure Serpent) (Common Relic)
Conduit for the Fable (Psi) grade relic <Heart of the Auction>. Facilitates exchanges and protects the identity of the wearer from information gathering authorities below their incarnation level while in the area of effect of the <Heart of the Auction>. Additionally, activates the <Alarm Mode> whenever authorities of types forbidden by <Heart of the Auction> are intentionally used against incarnations with masks not in <Alarm Mode>.

“Alarm mode?” You ask.

She nods, picking up another mask from behind the counter- this one, unlike yours, is a pearlescent white and is adorned with ram’s horns. She snaps her fingers, and the mask emits the loud sounds of a goat bleating as the mask begins to quiver before she signals a stop.

“Whenever you use offensive or mind altering authorities, inside the temporary <Auction House>- the hotel, in this case” she explains, “the <Heart of the Auction> detects them and puts your mask into alarm mode. If your mask enters alarm mode, other incarnations are allowed to attack you free of penalty. Additionally, you are immediately removed from the auction and,” she holds up a gloved finger for emphasis, “the next month’s auction is canceled. Of course, information gathering or stealth authorities are completely permitted should you wish to engage in any such activities outside the halls of the auction house.”

Your eyes narrow- an act of collective punishment essentially ensures that rulebreakers will be punished to an extent far greater than what the auction house could or would do themselves. Being banned from the auction would be one thing, but you doubt most incarnations could throw down with an entire stadium of pissed off godlings. It makes sense, you suppose- if it was feasible to use this place as an influence farm, someone probably would have done so already.
>>
>>5975288

"Anything else I should know?”

“You may only exchange 100 points for cash at each monthly auction using the auction’s bank. However, you may exchange as many points as you wish with other guests once you enter the designated exchange area. Ah, please put on your mask.”

You do so, and you can see your balance in the upper right corner of your vision.

“While in the area, you may exchange items, money, and points with transactions mediated by the <Heart of the Auction>, so there’s no need to worry about counterfeit currency.”

“Are <Faustian Bargains> allowed?”

Her eyes widen, “Yes, of course.”

>How much is a cyclops’ eye worth?: 470 points

“Ah, one more thing-” she gestures to your bodyguards, “they’ll need these.”

She hands you three white domino masks. As you touch them, they shift in color, turning blue.

“These masks are connected to yours- if they break the rules, all of your masks will enter alarm mode.”

The three of them put on their masks, finding that they automatically fit the form of their faces.

“The first round of the auction is tomorrow,” she reminds you, signaling for you to leave.

What would you like to do now?
>Sell more items
>Ask more questions
>Look for Povondra
>Head to the exchange area
>Write-in
>>
>>5975289
>Ask more questions
>can mind altering effects be used on subordinates of oneself?
>"offensive or mind altering authorities" is too small minded. Will the effect of relics, miracles, or divine weapons with offensive capabilities, such as just the Cyclops' Eye be detected?
>if an epithet is bought in the auction, can the transfer of ownership over it be directed to a third party without it going to us first?
>>
>>5975300
Good questions

>Head to the exchange area
I want to see the item crafting services! Jet boots!
>>
>>5975289
>>5975300
Yeah where do authorities like titanic strength fall?
>>
>>5975289
>>5975300
+1
>Head to the exchange area and mingle with the other incarnations

>>5975279
>does that even work?
I dunno

>>5975300
>if an epithet is bought in the auction, can the transfer of ownership over it be directed to a third party without it going to us first?
my man
>>
>>5975300
>>5975358
>>5975364
>>5975366

>Ask more questions

>Can mind altering authorities be used on my own subordinates? Or on myself?

The receptionist tilts her head, “Yes, you can. All people wearing masks linked to your identity are considered to be ‘a part of you’ as far as the <Heart of the Auction> is concerned.”

>Relics, Miracles, Weapons?

“Ah, right, I forgot to explain. Try using a <Divine Weapon>. Those gloves of yours are gauntlets, yes?”

You nod, attempting to pop your claws, but your fingers stay finger-shaped.

“Now try without the mask on.”

You remove the mask and try again. This time, the gauntlet works as normal.

“The masks not only channel the <Heart of the Auction>, they also power it. Any divinity you attempt to use on any lesser relic will be diverted into the mask instead. An exception is placed for items without any offensive or mind altering effects.”

“What about <Miracles>?”

She seems visibly confused: “What’s a <Miracle>?”

It seems like the receptionist is unaware of the abilities of higher level incarnations: it’s probably the case that very few incarnations have managed to hit the tenth level. You imagine that even a fable grade relic might have trouble interfering with, or even detecting, miracles. That being said, you’d wager that using one would immediately draw the attention of every incarnation powerful enough to wield one in the hall.

>Regarding Augmentation Authorities (eg Titanic Strength):

"Those may be used freely until you attack another attendee, thus using it against them."

Checks out, you suppose

>Regarding Epithet Purchases

“All epithets are given in the form of <Epithet Holders>. If you don’t use it on yourself, the epithet will never enter your ownership history.”

>Regarding Enchant Services

“If you want to make use of the Auction’s services in this regard, you can make a reservation at any receptionist’s desk, including this one. There are also freelance artisans, from whom you can commission services and purchase homemade items sold there rather than through the auction.”

>Head to the exchange area

You place your mask back on your face and, for the sake of being fashionable, you convert your black casualwear for a sapphire-blue sheath dress matching the color of your serpentine mask. You enter the foyer- a ballroom converted into a scene that almost resembles a comics or games convention more than a divine assembly, filled with stands selling various wares, not only the expected weapons and relics but also artwork, food, clothes, and what appear to be life-sized human dolls. Incarnations, all wearing masks of various colors.

What should you do?
>Search for Povondra
>Mingle with the incarnations
>Ask about setting up a stand
>Browse the wares
>Write-in
>>
>>5975404

Oops, forgot to finish that last sentence :

Incarnations, all wearing masks of various colors, meander throughout the ballroom, socializing, haggling over items, and excitedly perusing the various items sold at the guest-ran item stands.
>>
>>5975404
>Browse the wares
>Mingle with the incarnations

Be nice. Make friends. Prime people for Sweet Venom. Look for a gift for Pheme. Keep our ears open for hints of Povondra, but don't make it obvious we're looking for him.

Harmatia every fucking person we see. That's just information gathering right? And perfectly allowed.
>>
>>5975404
Backing >>5975414
>>
>>5975404
>>Mingle with the incarnations
>>Browse the wares
>Assess hamartia everyone
>>
>>5975404
>Mingle with the incarnations
>Browse the wares
>Assess hamartia everyone

If we pose as a huntress as I suggested here >>5974553 (I'm phoneposting) we can claim that we gain influence proportional to the strength of our victim
We can ask people to purchase epithets together if we get to deify and kill someone with it first, then transfer it to them.
Say an 85/15 split, which doesn't change anything for them except them gaining a discount. While we also pay for the 2k epithet holder needed to transfer the myth back to them.
>>
>>5975414
>>5975449
>>5975790
>>5975866

>Mingle with the incarnations
>Browse the wares
>Assess hamartia everyone

You take a look around at some of what’s being sold- it seems like, generally, things like authorities or epithets are generally sold through the auction itself rather than in this exchange area- you assume that, as a rule, the auction house will buy immediately, reliably, and at a consistently fair rate, whereas selling to other incarnations has none of the same benefits.

There’s a decent selection of armor, weaponry, and accessories with interesting effects, and, inspecting the booths, you find it curious that vendors are able to create multiple copies of relics with effects that aren’t related to shop authorities.

More interesting to you than the more standard fare, however, are the items that either wouldn’t come out of the system due to being an anachronism or because they lack what the system would consider to be a ‘practical purpose’: one standout is a platter that creates ‘eating experiences’- zero calorie food that imitates the appearance, taste, and texture of a variety of pre-made dishes, with bonus cartridges filled with related food items can be purchased separately.

On the more disturbing end, one individual is selling a line of divine real-dolls, pithily labeled ‘Galateas’ that can be customized to the exact physical specifications that you desire is being sold. Apparently, you can also purchase a cognition matrix that makes use of real human souls repurposed from death row criminals which can also be fully customized- for a fully tricked out Galatea runs for over 15,000 points.

You decide to check out some firearms as well, but most of them are inferior in performance to your <Cyclops’ Eye>, either succumbing to impractical frivolities like divine explosives or frost bullets, or performing the same function but simply worse.

You decide to browse around for a gift for Pheme, and a few things come up that might do-

>A mug that can consume divinity to constantly replicate its own (beverage) contents (hatch underneath must be regularly filled with water and organic material): 50 points

>Cufflinks that can store up to 50kg (around 110 lbs) of mass each: 400 points for a set of 2. They come in black

>A cat plushie that can store divinity (up to 5,000) and funnel them into other objects. Passively siphons divinity while you sleep whenever your pool is full: 75 points for a regular, 150 points for a jumbo (divinity capacity increased to 20,000)

>A blanket that can expand into a cushion (up to the size of a twin-sized bed) that will change shape to perfectly fit one’s form: 50 points
>>
>>5975917

You make use of <Assess Hamartia>- around half, maybe slightly more, of the incarnations you check are immune to its effects thanks to the masks they wear. You can reasonably assume that 6-7 is the modal level range for participants at this auction house based on what you can see.

You strike up a conversation with one of the more friendly looking incarnations with a level high enough to block your <Assess Hamartia>- an African lady around your age in a full-face orange owl mask with her hair tied into a neat bun, and engage in some idle chatter. You explain that you’re new to the auction and ask if there’s anything she’d recommend from the shop, and she gestures to a stall selling bows:

“I’m not sure if you use them, but I’d totally recommend them if you do,” she says: though her English is fluent, a noticeable accent is definitely present: maybe Zambian? She continues: “The bows are of modern make, night and day from period accurate ancient ones, and they don’t skimp out on the grade, either. Plus, all of the magic is focused on just increasing the damage output- no situational buffs or weird gimmicks. You might be able to get something better with enough gambling, but those are pretty damn solid.”

You wander around and chat with a few more incarnations- most are understandably wary of strangers, but you do manage to get a generally positive impression from a decent number of other incarnations. None of your subordinates recognize Povondra, with Slavíček noting that his mask identity, vermillion spider, isn’t in the hall.

What should you do now?
>Look for something a bit more specific
>Chat a bit more with Tangerine Owl
>Ask about selling your own goods
>Look for Povondra
>Turn in for the night (skip to the auction tomorrow)
>Write-in
>>
>>5975919
>buy the jumbo cat plush
>>Chat a bit more with Tangerine Owl
don't ignore the plot hook
>ask her if she has experimented with enchanting
and be honest that all our relics were from drops of chaos, quest rewards, or taken from corpses
>ask what she's looking to buy and that we're mostly interested in quantity over quality epithets
>bring up how we only look to deify randos and hunt these nascent gods down for our directive After that then we don't really need the epithet anymore


we have only ever seen enchant item at level 1, probably it gets additional info at higher levels that allow you to make stuff differently
>>
>>5975949
Epitaph Holder states:
> Mortals deified in this way will not grant any influence or authorities upon being eliminated.

>>5975919
> Check out those bows
We're pretty lacking in ranged options.
>A cat plushie (jumbo)
For Pheem
>A cat plushie (regular)
For ourselves, it'd be good to help fill the Pithos with.
>Chat a bit more with Tangerine Owl
Ask if she thinks the enchanting services are worth using
>Look for Povondra
We hunt!
>>
>>5975919
>>5976056
+1
>>
>>5975919
changing from >>5975949 to >>5976056
but also ask what she's looking for
and more smalltalk
>>
>>5975917
>Cufflinks that can store up to 50kg (around 110 lbs) of mass each: 400 points for a set of 2. They come in black
Heck yeah, one for each of us

>Chat a bit more with Tangerine Owl
Situational buffs are great though, just tune them to situations that give you trouble
>Look for Povondra
>>
>>5975949
>>5976056
>>5976140
>>5976180

>Chat some more with Tangerine Owl:

“What’s the issue with situational buffs?” you ask, “It seems pretty helpful to have the right tool for every situation.”

“In theory, maybe,” she replies, “but think about it like this. Let’s say you can either have one set of armor that protects you from 25% of all damage, or a dozen sets that give you 50% protection from specific types- one for piercing, one for bludgeoning, one for fire, that sort of thing. But what happens if the guy you’re fighting has a spear and breathes fire?”

“For armor, maybe, but what about weaponry?”

“The issue is that a lot of situational weapon bonuses are based on the character of the myth- domain, relation to specific circumstances, things like that. Stuff that you don’t know most of the time. Besides, what happens if you have to fight more than one enemy at a time? Things quickly become unmanageable. At that point it’s better to dump all of your different artifacts that do 50% damage to one thing into an enchant and get one that does 50% damage to everything instead.”

You nod, “Speaking of enchantments, what do you think about the auction house’s enchantment service?”

She tilts her head, “Well, it’s pretty expensive, but if you supply the right stuff and pay the coin for the Chief Artisan, you could theoretically get a low to mid <Fable Grade> with specific tailored effects for less than 100,000 points, which is a pretty solid deal- around the price of a low-grade Fable or particularly appealing top-grade Mythic. The issue is that the stuff you’d be submitting just to get a good shot at fable will probably cost you that much if not more on top of the commission fee. Honestly, if I cared enough about weapon quality and specific effects to put in the kind of work it’d take to pay 200-300 billion goddamn dollars for a bow, I’d probably just bite the bullet and learn to make the things myself.”

“What about for lesser artifacts for utility and stuff?”

“For those, you can probably find most of the kinds of things a person might want to use at the guest-ran vendors. Last month, there was a guy selling <Polyglot> tongue piercings, for example, and I think he’s supposed to be back . But, if you have something specific in mind, the rates for a subordinate incarnation are a lot more reasonable.”

“Fair enough. Any recommendations about bows?”

“Well, I’d recommend commissioning a custom bow from that craftsman if you can afford it. He makes up to mythic grade, but honestly Super Rare will do the trick for most hunting work, especially if you’re not using it as your main arm.”
>>
>>5976252

“Thanks for the advice.”

“No problem! It’s been a nice chat. Ah, one other thing,” her tone becomes much more serious, “Stay away from the girl in the red bird mask, Crimson Dove. Most people haven’t noticed somehow, but she’s seriously dangerous.”

You nod, thanking her once again for the tip before heading out to do other work:

>Shopping:

You go ahead and buy some of the things you were looking at earlier

>Jumbo Cat Plush (Black) (Common Relic) (0/20,000)
Stores divinity and can funnel it into other objects. Passively siphons divinity while you sleep whenever your pool is full

>Cat Plush (Pink) (Common Relic) (0/5,000)
Stores divinity and can funnel it into other objects. Passively siphons divinity while you sleep whenever your pool is full

Points: 10,400->10,125

You check out the bow stand. Like Tangerine said, they’re modern, compound bows constructed from metal and carbon fiber rather than the wood that most system bows are built of.

The ones on display range from common to uncommon grade, with the rare bows stored away and any higher requiring a commission fee. You inspect the bows- as expected, none of them have any elemental attributes or odd effects- the only functions they have are increased power and efficacy against incarnations. Also for sale are quivers, which fabricate temporary arrows using divinity that can be stored in advance. Cleverly, it is the quivers, rather than the bows, that can be purchased with specific special effects in mind.

You decide to check out the prices:
(Common) Bow: 120 points
(Uncommon) Bow: 500 points

(Common) Quiver, Standard: 100 points
(Uncommon) Quiver, Standard: 400 points
(Uncommon) Quiver, Monster Hunting: 500 points
(Uncommon) Quiver, Lawbringer (Anti-Evil/Chaos): 500 points
(Uncommon) Quiver, Frost: 450 points (Elemental quivers change daily)

You decide to leave the bow stand for now and come back later.

>Look for Povondra

Under the cover of your stealth authorities, the four of you sweep the hotel, searching for the Vermillion Spider. Eventually, you happen upon him and his guard personnel at the hotel bar, seemingly mid-negotiation with another incarnation, wearing a mask of a green cat.

You’re still within the confines of the <Heart of the Auction>, so you can’t use your authorities on him without breaking the rules. What should you do?
>Use <Folly’s Grasp> and have Benedikt tail him until he exits the territory of the auction
>Have Brigita seduce him and draw him outside
>Nothing, for now
>Write-in
>>
>>5976256
>Use <Folly’s Grasp> and have Benedikt tail him until he exits the territory of the auction
First a quick Assess Harmatia to check level and hopefully vices too

If he takes too long to leave ignore advice and look for Crimson Dove
>>
>>5976266
>support

>Find crimson dove. We like dangerous. She should be on the winning team. Aka ours.
>>
>>5976256
>>5976266
>>5976312
+1
more plothooks
>>
>>5976256
>just have Josef greet him normally, ask him to catch up later after he's done with the green cat
meanwhile
>Find crimson dove. We like dangerous. She should be on the winning team. Aka ours.
inb4 it's Eris
>>
>>5976266
>>5976312
>>5976577
>>5976618

>Use <Folly’s Grasp> and have Benedikt tail him until he exits the territory of the auction

You try <Assess Hamartia> on Povondra himself to no avail- as expected, he must be at least level 6 and thus protected by the Heart of the Auction. You peek at his four guards and one of them, a burly brunette almost twice your natural size, is able to be read:

Elodie Jordain

Hamartia: Greed, Temper
Deepest Desires: Money, Violence
Level: 5
Primary Myth: Sybaris (Domain: Monster, Mountains)

You once again possess Benedikt’s mind- immediately, you gain a sort of feel for his authorities in the same way that you do your own. For a moment, you stop to consider the possibilities- if you manage to get this guy- or any other incarnation subordinate, for that matter, to a level comparable to yours, you could potentially wield up to 41 authorities at once with no penalty using their body. You shake your head- theory crafting comes later- now is the time to act. As Benedikt, you use <Stealth> and <Guerilla Tactics>, easily avoiding the perception of the mobsters before leaving to do other things.

>Look for Crimson Dove

You decide to seek out the supposedly dangerous incarnation, Crimson Dove. Once you inform your subordinates of this, Slavíček sighs in resignation while Brigita asks you:

“Is it really smart to have us tag along for this? If they have some sort of observation authority, they could definitely see through both of us because our levels are so low.”

She makes a solid point- you decide to dismiss the pair for now as you search, allowing them to meander the building as long as they don’t cause trouble. The two immediately disperse in different directions as you continue your search.

Eventually, you spot your target: with most of their features obscured in a mourning shawl that clashes in tone somewhat with the tailored business suit and pristine sanguine gloves, the Crimson Dove is seemingly haggling with a jewelry craftsman, seemingly oblivious to the supposed danger. As you watch, she turns her head (concerningly, at a more severe angle than it should normally be capable of) to meet your eyes. You try <Assess Hamartia> but are met with immediate failure. However, rather than it saying that you were blocked by the Heart, it says:

>Authority has failed due to a difference in level
>>
>>5977061

Followed by a message of

><Guerilla Tactics> has blocked a perception authority

She lets out a chuckle which echoes and somewhat distorts as the sound reverberates through her full face mask:

“Interesting,” she says, “Not by the Heart, but by an authority.”

She moves towards you, almost seeming like teleportation as she appears before you faster than your eyes can track.

“But even then, you still couldn’t follow this?”

You turn your eyes down- the silver blade of a hidden dagger rests right above your sternum.

“I kid, of course,” she says, “What is it, Sapphire Snake?”

“Azure Serpent.”

“Interesting.” her tone quickly darkens, “You were looking for me. Why?”

“I heard you were dangerous. I like dangerous.”

“You’re quite odd. Is there something that you want?”

>”Nothing in particular, just wanted to say hi”
>”I was actually going to offer you a job”
>”I’d like to chat”
>Write-in
>>
>>5977064
>”I’d like to chat”
Huh, that's both of us not blocked by the heart
Wonder if she has some way of disabling it
If so, we don't need to wait for Pov to fly the coop
>>
>>5976618
Fucking kek. If you're right XD
>>
>>5977064
>”I was actually going to offer you a job”
>”I’d like to chat”

>How do you feel about causing mayhem and chaos? And sticking it to the man?(Aka the government)
>>
>>5977064
>>”I’d like to chat”
>>
>>5977064
>”I’d like to chat”
>>
>>5977064
>>”I’d like to chat”

>>5977144
probably her being (significantly) higher level than us, but her own information gathering authority still lower than our level 8 Guerilla Tactics
>>5977167
not anymore, Assess Hamartia even gave us Eris' mortal name the first time we met (while we were level 9 and AH was 4), I doubt Eris would have gone from significantly lower to significantly higher than us in the same time
>>
some influence stuff
(buy and) upgrade to level 8 for 71.2k Influence: A Thousand Faces, a Thousand Voices; Supernatural Speed; Preservation Instinct; Weapon Training (Claws); Weapon Training (Bow); Divine Armor
7 authorities 2 times pithosmaxxing from 8 to X, which would cost about 46.5k Influence if we buy our on Nectar and our Divinity doesn't increase anymore
upgrade to level 6 for an additional 13.6k: Regeneration; Titanic Strength; To Mortals, A Scourge; Omen; Specter's Wail
71.2k + 46.5k + 13.6k = 131.3k
open to suggestion, ofc

but I rather we get to level 12 as quick as possible, that's 102.4k Influence, which I think is feasible, then we also have a good chunk of the influence for the plan above
Assess Hamartia as many lower level incarnations to get their name and myth to later go after with Detective's Compass
use them to level up our authorities and sell their epithet to the system
always have an authority at level 8 before taking the rewards for a subjugation.

speaking of influence gathering...
the planecrash gave us like 7.5k, but also it was covered up and didn't result in mass panic
our last stream (in which we asked people to prove they are praying to the idol, that wouldn't work every day) gave us almost 2000
the 24/7 idol stream seems to bring in about 200~300 influence a day
Throw many more members of the mafia under Faustian Bargains and order them to worship to the stream every day.


current TODO list, if nothing else comes up (from my perspective, I don't want to get ADHD'd and jump on the next shiny thing before covering our bases)
>make a deal with/subjugate/kill Povondra
>get as many mortals in Slavíček's (and Povondra's depending on the previous point) criminal enterprise under Faustian Bargains
>set Brigita on her way to farm influence as a goddess streamer
>start building up an entourage who will move with us as we do our things. We can even go through legitimate bodyguard agency
>>Lethe for utility
>>Epimetheus for Pheme's information network
>>later Calydonian Boar and Atalanta, or others: with Epimetheus that'd be 3 differently speced combat followers we can slip in and out of
>multiple fan meetups, throw them under Faustian Bargains, but get a Lethe beforehand so we can wipe the minds of the people who don't fall in line without causing a scene.
>plan with Pheme which people we should hand out some epithets to for people to do their thing
>>Chrysus, preferably someone already in banking/business
>>Dysnomia, maybe some more extreme leftist activist who will follow through on "eat the rich"
all the while streaming too and training combat and the mental strain of controlling multiple people
I want to have a proper base before checking out what's going on in the middle east (Israel and Yemen)
>>
>>5977144
>>5977168
>>5977364
>>5977380
>>5977500

>”I’d like to chat”

“Well, you’re at least strong enough to be worth talking to, I guess. Let’s take this somewhere more private.”

Indeed: your <Assess Hamartia> was blocked by an overwhelming difference in level between the authority and its target- at the absolute lowest, Crimson Dove must be at least level 9 or 10 to have been able to resist the effects of a level 6 information gathering authority. However, given that your <Omen> didn’t react from her mere presence in the same way it did when you were meeting with the commander, she probably isn’t overwhelmingly more powerful than you, either.

Based on that conjecture, the two of you are most likely vaguely even in ability, with her perhaps holding a slight edge in combat and intel authorities. You watch her walk through the hall, her dress shoes not making a single sound as she moves across the marble floor of the ballroom. You watch with interest- the sound isn’t being canceled by an authority or trait, this movement, akin to a tiger stalking its prey in the underbrush, is pure, practiced, mortal skill.

As you follow, she says to you, “You really are quite odd.”

“In what sense?”

“Bluntly,” she replies, “you’re completely lacking in finesse. Your perception, your movements, your posture, none of it has even a drop of training or skill. As far as fighting goes, you’re a rank amateur, but…”

“But?”

“When I put that dagger to your chest- you didn’t even notice, and yet…” she gestures to your hand. As you look, you see that, beneath your now inert gloves, razor sharp claws have sprouted from your fingertips, “you reacted, completely subconsciously. Almost like a 6th sense, or perhaps more like an animal’s instinct.”

You retract your claws- her actions, lacking fatal intent, certainly did not activate <Omen> or <Preservation Instinct> and yet, your body somehow reacted anyway. Your eyes narrow as you look down at your hands as you ask yourself what exactly the Incarnation System has turned you into.

She looks at you, and, with a humid breath, exclaims, “God, you would be a beautiful hunt.”

You manage to control your discomfort and maintain a friendly facade as she leads you up to her hotel room.

“So,” she asks, closing the door behind her, “What is it that you wanted to talk about?”

>Talk about your upcoming hunt
>Offer to hire her
>Offer to exchange favors
>Ask what brings her to the auction
>Write-in
>>
>>5977862
>Ask what brings her to the auction

>Offer to exchange favors
She seems like she enjoys killing strong opponents, we have some extra strong opponents that might need killing in the near future. Though I wonder what she might want in return...

Also oh god I hope she doesn't stalk and kill us after this like we're gonna do to Povondra.

Also still a combat amateur? I'd have hoped experience alone would have gotten us to initiate by now. I guess our fights have been too one sided.
>>
>>5977977
From an objective perspective, Atë is actually a solid fighter as far as a street brawl goes. At the very least, she's marginally better than the average person. That being said, people like Crimson Dove, or even hobbyists like Isabella generally outclass her to a significant extent.
>>
>>5977977
It's cause we don't have a weapon use skill maxed. Like claws or a martial art. We just brute force most things. Most of our skills are for sneaking or awareness. Or mind fuckery. We've been repeatedly told we don't know how to "fight" aka proper fighting form. We just mind fuck people or use brute strength/speed to wreck someone. If we had a high ranking combat authority we probably wouldn't get told that.
>>
>>5977977
>>5977862
>Support
>+ how does she feel about chaos and mayhem. We would like to fuck with some hierarchies and the government.
>>
>>5977977
She's probably Artemis. Which means she really likes to kill shit and she is absolutely full of herself. Probably.
>>
>>5977862
> Actually I'm looking for a teacher on...finesse.
>>
Question: Are we outside the influence of the auction? Could we pull a subtle whispers? I desire mindfuckery, as long as we think she isn't immune.
>>
>>5978144
We can't do anything to people for 3 days. Due to the stygian pact.
>>
>>5977862
>Ask what brings her to the auction
>offer a friendly spar
>>
>>5977862
>"So, what usually happens if you make someone follow you to a third location?"
>"What is it you wouldn't want to discuss in company?"
>Ask what brings her to the auction
>make fun of lower incarnations, like there is this one dude who only gets influence if he punishes people who did something wrong.
>ask how she a chaos god
>offer a friendly spar
sounds good too
>"wouldn't prey with more finesse make for a more beautiful hunt?"
>>
>>5977977
>>5978010
>>5978084
>>5978178
>>5978494

>Ask what brings her to the auction

“Well, last time I came here to sell off some of the things I get on my hunts and trade the points in for money. There’s a limit of 100 points transferred through the auction bank per instance of the auction, but at the current price of points, that’s more than enough.”

“Why would you need money? Taking hit jobs should be more than enough to fund whatever you could possibly want.”

You see her eyes narrow from within the holes in her mask: “I’m a huntress, not a mercenary, and certainly not a soldier. I don’t do jobs- I take what I kill, sell it if I have to, but I never kill anything for petty cash.”

“To each their own, I guess. Based on the wording of your answer though, I assume you’re here for something else this time?”

She nods, “I’m gearing up for my next hunt- a life or death battle against the strongest incarnation in the world.”

Out of shock, you let out an involuntary snicker, “Ye Min? Or are you hunting down <Nascent God> Gaia?”

“Got it the first time- honestly, I don’t know how to even approach hunting Gaia- there’s absolutely no information available regarding who, where, or even what she might be.”

“So, you’re stalking the infamous president of the CCP. How strong do you think she is?”

“Well, I haven’t even seen her, but if her lieutenants are any indication, she’s crazy powerful.”

“Lieutenants?”

“An elite group of highly trained, carefully optimized, devastatingly powerful incarnations with high-grade myths hand picked by the queen herself. This,” She unbuttons her suit jacket and pulls up her shirt, revealing a massive scar across the tanned skin of her ribcage, “Is what I got in a brawl against her newest one. Probably the weakest.”

“Oh? What was their myth?”

“At least that part made the attempt worth the time and risk- I picked up <Artemis>.”
>>
>>5979219

>Offer to exchange favors

“Well, if you’re preparing for a hunt against the world’s strongest, how about training with one of her contenders?”

“They’re awfully slippery is the issue- or, in the case of the public-facing <House of Hades>, even better guarded than Ye Min. Getting information about any of the others is nigh impossible.”

“What if I told you that I got my hands on some?”

“Oh? Do tell.”

“Like you, I’m here at this auction to prepare for a hunt. My quarry is Isa, if you know the name.”

“The Arab leader? How the hell did you manage that, the guy’s practically a ghost!”

“I have contacts in Israel- unlike you, I’m not above mercenary work: for me, undermining Isa is a job. That being said, I won’t be compensating you for this.”

“What’s your proposal?”

>”I’ll play support, gathering intel, undermining his power structure, and drawing him out for you to take down”
>”We’ll make it a race- the two of us will each independently hunt down Isa after the initial brief, exchanging information at a price along the way: winner gets the glory of the kill”
>”We’ll do this together, like duck hunting: since this is like a practice run for Ye Min, power in numbers is a fantastic survival strategy”
>Write-in
>>
>>5979221
>”We’ll make it a race- the two of us will each independently hunt down Isa after the initial brief, exchanging information at a price along the way: winner gets the glory of the kill”
2 pronged attack
>>
>>5979221
>>”We’ll make it a race- the two of us will each independently hunt down Isa after the initial brief, exchanging information at a price along the way: winner gets the glory of the kill”

I still want to cover our bases first before heading there
>>
>>5979221
>”We’ll do this together, like duck hunting: since this is like a practice run for Ye Min, power in numbers is a fantastic survival strategy”

I'd rather do it together as two combat wombats rather than solo. Otherwise we're just giving ourselves someone else to fight against in the race to get the kill. Where as we can just kill them all together and not worry about sabotaging the other so we do better or vice-versa. Plus we have the info and she doesn't. Efficiency. Plus if we get into a position to save her ass it'll make her like us more.
>>
>>5979302
>Plus if we get into a position to save her ass it'll make her like us more.
I dunno anon she's kind of a nutcase, can't apply standard psychology to her.
That's why I picked the race, I think she'll be more agreeable to that one rather than cooperative murder with friendship and handholding.
>>
>>5979432
I don't think we'll ever be Bffs. But we could get a good working relationship out of it. I just worry about her stealing all the kills and loot if we leave her to her own devices.
>>
>>5979477
Funny, I worry about her taking all the loot and kills if we work together.
>>
>>5979240
>>5979270
>>5979302

>”We’ll make it a race- the two of us will each independently hunt down Isa after the initial brief, exchanging information at a price along the way: winner gets the glory of the kill”

“Hmm, I guess as long as he ends up dead, it’s a job done for you regardless of who kills him off, right?”

You put up your hands, “Caught me red handed. Do we have a deal?”

“Hell yeah we do. I couldn’t care less about whatever you get out of it, all that matters is that I’ll be taking down Isa.”

“Cocky, aren’t we?”

“Oh, you’re actually gonna try and win? Ha, ok, fun. I’ll meet you after the auction.”

“May the best man win,” you say as you exit her room.

As you’ve been chatting with Crimson Dove, your double (Benedikt) has been tailing Povondra and his men. A few minutes after you wrapped up your conversation with Dove, Povondra and his men exited the hotel- the confines of the <Heart of the Auction> to meet with some mundane government associates. How should you go about this?

>Use this opportunity to test out <Folly’s Grasp> (fight with Benedikt alone)
>Use this opportunity to give your subordinates a trial run (Send your other two underlings)
>Meet with Povondra face to face
>Write-in
>>
>>5979590
Whoops, forgot to use my name again. Just clarifying that is an update, not reader speculation or anything
>>
>>5979590
>Use this opportunity to test out <Folly’s Grasp> (fight with Benedikt alone)
Be close though, so we can step in personally if things go poorly
>>
>>5979590
>>Meet with Povondra face to face
talk first
>>
>>5979675
I thought I already added something...

>posess Brigitta and transform her into our current appearance
>meet with Povondra by having Josef make introductions
>discuss his subjugation
>meanwhile position ourselves with GT to make a potential OHKO when negotiations turn south
he will almost surely get away with a hydras head, but it gives us a chance to subjugate his subordinates
>>
>>5979590
>Immediately whispers his ass so he wants to talk to us and gives us his hydra heads.

>Then we can talk with him or Immediately fuck him up.

Come on guys be smart. Whispers is level 10. We can easily control his ass. There's nothing he'll be able to do to get away of we whispers him from the start.
>>
>>5979805
I'll include using whispers in our "negotiation", at least to get his subordinates aside.
but you can't faustian bargain someone who is not in his right mind, we know that already.
>>
>>5979590
>>Meet with Povondra face to face
talk first, get him and everyone under whispers control, or at least gauge how far we can take it
more info on his strength is needed, and stack the deck in our favor before jumping into a fight
>>
>>5979630
>>5979675
>>5979805
>>5979820
>>5979888

>Meet face to face, but lead with your <Whispers>

Cloaked by <Guerilla Tactics> and hastened by <Supernatural Speed>, you quickly catch up to Povondra and his gang. You check his and his guards’ <Hamartia>, and find about the things that you’d expect- greed, violence, temper, pride, shamelessness, and the like. Their incarnation statuses are as follows:

Guards:
Sybaris: 5 (Monster, Mountains)
Manticore: 7 (Monster, Blight)
Polybotes: 6 (Monster, Gigantomachy)
Alastor: 7 (Revenge, Retribution)

Lubomir Povondra

Hamartia: Greed, Ambition, Obsession
Deepest Desires: Power, Wealth, Self-Actualization

Incarnation Status: Chrysaor (Wealth, Monster, Violence)
Level: 7

Using your <Touch> and <Whispers> in tandem, you take grasp of their minds.

I'll need 3 rolls of 3d22, but before any dice are rolled, please specify between Cautious (closest to the EV of 34.5), Normal (the median value), or Reckless (farthest from the EV of 34.5)
>>
Rolled 15, 2, 6 = 23 (3d22)

>>5979908
Reckless, always

Level 7, hah, and here I was worried
>>
>>5979908

> Cautious

Personally I'd rather remove the worst case scenarios from the pool than promote the best case.
>>
>>5979908
this is important... and a roll for multiple opponents
rather bank on the hamartia bonus and level difference
>cautious
>>
>>5979908
>cautious
>>
Rolled 9, 18, 10 = 37 (3d22)

>>5979908
RECKLESS
Also haven’t rolled in a while wow
>>
Cautious takes it. Generally, I like to do the rolls and the roll type vote separately, so please give me another 3 rolls of 3d22
>>
Rolled 22, 4, 3 = 29 (3d22)

>>5979957
>>
Rolled 21, 2, 21 = 44 (3d22)

>>5979957
Here

>>5979959
Holy shit a maxroll
>>
Rolled 7, 6, 1 = 14 (3d22)

>>5979957
>>
>>5979980
haha, good thing we didn't choose reckless
>>
>>5979959
>>5979975
>>5979980

>14, 29, 44 (Cautious): 29

Povondra, as well as his retinue of guards, are rendered completely helpless by your power, reduced to little more than drooling messes of false ecstasy. You lower the illusions, no longer needing them as they have succumbed to the enthralling power of your <Whispers>

“[Give me your <Lizard’s Tails> and <Hydra’s Heads> and I’ll let you return to your illusions]”

Each of them tosses you a lizard’s tail- apparently, none of them even possessed a Hydra’s Head. Your mouth contorts into a sneer as you take in just how pathetic your adversaries are. You put the guards back under your trance as you turn your attention back to Povondra.

“Do you have any means of escape?”

“I can fly, but other than that, I do not,” the disgraced boss replies.

“Excellent.” You plant your high-heeled foot firmly on Povondra’s chest, pinning him to the ground, before you release him from your control. As the crimson haze dissipates from the nooks of his consciousness, he begins to tremble with equal parts fear and rage.

“What do you want from me?” he says in a thick Czech accent, doing his best to remain composed given the circumstances.

“Your soul,” you bluntly reply.

“T-the rules of the auction-”

“Don’t apply outside the designated auction house.” You interrupt, “If you didn’t want a fight, you should have stayed inside.”

He looks around at the state of his guard and it obviously begins to dawn on him just how hopelessly outclassed he is.

“If you let me go, I can get you whatever you want- money, drugs, diplomatic immunity, anything you could possibly desire.”

“I want your soul.”

He tries to spit at you, but only succeeds in getting his own shirt wet.

What should you do?
>Put him down
>Threaten him with a fate worse than death
>Offer him some sort of incentive
>Put him back under and move on to one of his guards
>Defer to one of your subordinates (specify)
>Write-in
>>
>>5980006
>Put him back under, ask who here is most suitable to succeed him, then put him down and move on to the indicated subordinate
>>
>>5980033
I'll support but add

>>5980006
> Take them to a discreet location and have an extended discussion on how they could best hand over the criminal organization to you and your thralls.

I'll be honest part of me, a big big part of me just wants to kill them all and reap the rewards. Or kill 4/5 of them. With a little influence farming as Siren we could easily take Thousand Faces and Touch of Madness to X. And then Miracle them and Whispers together into something terrifying. All of them as copies of us is also fucking insane.
>>
>>5980048
And of course, we could max Stealth and Geurilla Tactics instead and Miracle them into being frighteningly undetectable.
>>
>>5980006
>>5980033
>>5980048
I support this, keep him thralled until the transfer of power is over.
and not to raise stealth next, only GT. So at most kill two of them.
stealth is just the common store bought version of GT.
>>
>>5980255
+then go through with his current plan of meeting a government official.
That is probably worth something
>>
>>5979820
Bro you forget we can just THRALL them with whispers. We don't need the faustian bargain. And we were told if they're a Thrall we can the faustian bargain them.
>>
>>5980255
>>5980060
>>5980048
>>5980006

Key points. Faustian bargain doesn't allow us to COMMAND them to sell us their soul BUTTTT

"It is possible to implant not only specific desires, but specific directives through your voice. However, as before, the more specific the command and the less in line with the desires of the target, the more exposure is necessary to bring about the desired effect.

You are capable of using your <Whisper of Temptation> to elicit not only desires, but beliefs which the target desires to be true: (for example, you can convince a person that they are beautiful). This process takes much longer than any other use of this authority."

allows us to make them believe and desire to please us by willingly sell us their soul.

Though we don't need all of them.

>Kill 2 keep 3.

>Kill the weakest two.

>Max out GT.
>>
>>5980319
To clarify, any change in personality, perception of reality, motivations, emotions, or actions brought about by a use of divinity (including but not limited to authorities, items, and miracles) which could alter the person's willingness to make a deal is considered to make an individual incapable of consenting to any pacts (including Faustian Bargains). However, things like post-hoc rationalizations of actions taken under the influence, threats of violence or supernatural retribution, or any other method, including torture, which isn't actively altering the mental state at the time when the deal is struck is acceptable
>>
>>5980341
Thanks. So slight modification

Use whispers and madness to put them in a horrible torture loop. And pull them out every 10 minutes and ask if they'd like to reconsider giving us their soul.

Rinse and repeat.

They'll break eventually.
>>
>>5980319
>Faustian bargain doesn't allow us to COMMAND them to sell us their soul
pretty sure you meant that WHISPERS can't command them to take a faustian bargain

yes, we don't need to have their souls for them to work for us, but thrall effects can wear off by Breath of Serenity and likely other things

Getting them all under Faustian Bargains is preferable as it would keep the strength of the organization we are trying to take over, while killing them makes it weaker only for us individually to get stronger.

I'm fine with killing them to get GT up if they only ask in their Bargain for something that'd maybe increase their standing in the organization, or some other stuff.
Bargain the ones who take it in exchange for their lives first, make it look bleaker and bleaker to try to resist for the following people.

Faustian Bargain for their life or no more torture > killing them

but I still preferable keep them all, or at least keep Povondra thralled until their meeting with the government went through, then throw him into the torture cycle.

(phoneposting for>>5980271 )
>>
>>5980006
>>Put him back under (ToM torture) and move on to one of his guards
if he won't give in, try out our figure unspeakable on him
>>
>>5980437
Can ToM torture people? I assume it's a lotus chamber deal, you like what you see. It's based on their deepest desires enflamed to consume their every thought.

---

I wonder what sort of effect Divine Realm would have Miracle-ed with some of our abilities? ToM literally boots you to an alternate universe of our design? Divine folly gives us an incarnation prison where we can pick and choose powers from imprisoned incarnations?
>>
>>5980255
> stealth is just the common store bought version of GT
They actually have different listed effects. Stealth makes us literally invisible and is only sharable by touch, Geurilla Tactics seems to be more concerned with incarnation based detection for an organization. QM has said having both active makes us more difficult to detect, and ideally we'd eventually form a Miracle with both Authorities to take our sneakyness to the big leagues.

My Miracle Wishlist:
1. Divine Servant: Our only current miracle. Our way to build a team of incarnations that do our bidding.
2. Ultra Stealth: Geurilla Tactics+Stealth. We all know being undetectable is useful.
3. Survival Instincts: Omen and Preservation Instinct. An ability that warns of danger and an ability that gets us out of it combined together into hopefully something that keeps us forewarned, forearmed, and alive.
4. Infohazard: Touch of Madness, Whispers of Temptation, and/or Many Faces. Our first three abilities. I assume any combination of these three makes something truly nasty
5. Protection: Divine Armor and Divine Will. Protection from damage + protection from mind altering effects presumably equals protection from everything.

Hopefully we get more miracle slots eventually, but I feel like these five would be pretty useful. There's probably a case to be made for a lot of other abilities too. Cackle and Spirit Wail probably makes a WMD level noise.
>>
>>5980457
>lotus chamber
I don't get that reference
but ToM can create the illusion of torture and time dilation. limited by them realizing it's an illusion... probably means it would not work over a "few rounds". But it will soften him up at least
>>
>>5980486
Huh, it actually originates in greek myth, the Odessey, though I'm mostly familiar with sci-fi versions. The full term is Lotus Eater. It refers to any sort of pleasure trap, usually one you don't even realize you're trapped in. The OG Lotus was some sort of narcotic fruit.

The discussion is largely academic, Atë is perfectly capable of using physical torture. We could even take the Heal authority if we wanted to get creative!

(Been thinking we could have Brigitte/Philotes take Heal, and then stalk hospitals offering Healing for Souls. Maybe have Philotes play the part of a captured angel?)
>>
>>5980485
>They actually have different listed effects
yeah, i know. It was a bit of an hyperbole.
I was simplifying for the purpose of sneaking around, having GT topped off, doesn't give topping of Stealth itself more benefits.
I agree that we should max Stelth out eventually, but right now I'm thinking the opportunity cost is too high and we should max something else out instead.

I also think that any miracle would be useful, but the slots are the limiting factor here. And maybe it's better not to make one out of authorities that are too similar in nature like GT+Stealth or PI+Omen
some ideas from my side:
>Preservation Instinct + A Thousand Faces, a Thousand Voices
automatically shift vital spots out of harms way internally, or don't have any at all. Who needs a circulatory system or a head when you can run on divinity at the command of your soul?

>Guerilla Tactics + A Thousand Faces, a Thousand Voices
hide and make up information about us as we please

>Faustian Bargain + Touch of Madness
circumvent the restriction that the victim must be of sound mind

And I do believe that we will have to make some miracles and discard them if they take up a slot unnecessarily. And while it was my original idea, I don't quite like Divine Servant that much anymore, but that might change if we are able to get that ball rolling.

@QM:
can you give us a little rundown on the redeification we did on Brigitta?
I assume Read the Room, Perfect Partner and Mediate were the authorities of Philotes, and upon redeification, because she was already Level 4, she got them at level 4 too, right? But I assume there's a cap to that, we can't just redeify a level 10 and them getting four level X authorities, right?

>>5980493
>we could have Brigitte/Philotes take Heal
It was also in one of my Philotes plan outline
>>
>>5980553
Versatility vs Doubling Down is a really interesting debate, and yeah I think you're right that we're going to have to try and discard options. I feel like Doubling up a miracle with two similar effects is going to be the only way to overcome X level Authorities though. There's probably all sorts of terrifying possibilities by mixing two different things, though I'd wager bypassing the consent clause of bargains can't be done.

Weapon Skill+Faces: Innate combat mastery of any shapeshifting weapons we manifest? Manifest actual weapons as part of our disguise?

Faustian Bargain+Whispers: We can create standing contracts that people can take, even without us present or aware.

>Preservation Instinct + A Thousand Faces, a Thousand Voices
The wild thing is, this is already how it works, minus transforming our internals to not have vitals at all, and Faces might get there by the time it hits X. Preservation Instinct can already use Authorities to save our asses, so it has natural synergy with Omen and our other physical authorities. Maybe it would go all the way to reflexive intangibility to hostile actions?

Spectres Wail + Stealth/Geurilla: This is a weird combo, would it trigger the wail on anyone who detects us? Make us invisible to people who heard the wail? Make the wail not actually audible?

Divine Construct/Enchant+Whispers: Cursed objects that emit our Whispers effect?

Divine Realm+Omen/Preservation: Emergency Escape? We just eject to our Divine Realm anytime we're in danger?

Manipulate Object+Weapon Mastery: Telekinetic cloud of knives anyone?

Man, I could do this all day. The possibilities are insane.
>>
>>5980033
>>5980048
>>5980255
>>5980313
>>5980350
>>5980437

Somehow, I managed to get away.

The force the masked assailant had on my chest was powerful, by <Monstrossifying> into the form of the giant winged boar, I was able to use the rapid change in size and blinding light to take her by surprise and force her off of me. I flew towards the hotel where the auction was taking place as fast as I possibly could, and it seemed like the speed of my flight was enough to make a clean getaway.

I transformed back to my human self, confirming my identity as Vermillion Spider while sticking as close to the auction staffer as I could before I entered the auction hall. Half running, half stumbling through the glass doors of the decadent building, I struggled to calm my pulse and regulate my breathing before I fainted from the panic. I collapsed into the soft plush of the lobby sofa.

That thing wasn’t human.

Between the sound of her voice, the flash of crimson light, it took her less than a second for her to completely disable myself and my men: the fact that I got away is nothing short of a miracle. As things stand, I’ll have to consider them dead- even if I see them again, they are to be killed on sight- all of them are compromised, slaves to the power of her divinity

Worse than its cruelty, or even its power, were the demon’s eyes. There was something lurking behind them, like the leviathan beneath the calm waters of the ocean. I can’t meet that thing again- I’ll have to get home with a Lizard’s Tail instead

Looking around the lobby, I noticed that the entire thing was empty. Odd, considering the fact that when I left, it was bustling with activity. As I finish checking around, I’m face to face with her again- with it.

“You can’t hurt me here,” I said, knowing it well but not believing it in the slightest.

“Can’t I?” She responded, her voice almost teasing rather than threatening. I looked down- every bone in my hand was completely shattered; pain assaulted my body as I used every ounce of will I had to suppress a scream. I looked at her, the panic probably visible in my gaze.

“H-how the hell did you do that?! The auction, your mask, how is it still?!”

“Didn’t you know?” she replied, a smug expression painted across her mouth, revealed by the open mouthpiece of her mask, “The <Heart of the Auction> doesn’t apply outside the auction house.”

“But we’re in-”

“Can’t you feel it?” She interrupted, “the weight on your chest?”

I turn my focus to my chest- the cloth of my suit is pressed against my body as if something was pinning it to my sternum. Then, I felt the weight- it wasn’t crushing, but it was enough to restrict my breathing- and remind me of the reality of the situation. I never escaped- the load never relented.

I looked back through the holes in her mask, and, this time, I glimpse what lurks behind them

The face of calamity.

Everything around me melted away in a crimson mist.
>>
>>5980759

While it’s impossible to torture people with <Touch of Madness> in a strict sense, it’s possible to incorporate elements of reality into the illusion as you please. Of course, you had to actually break his hand for the scene in the lobby to work as it did, but this has served as a valuable experiment- dangling a realistic reality only to harshly remove it can be a more effective form of torture than any pain could bring.

Povondra seems to be at the end of his rope: he’s despondent, borderline unresponsive, as he stares up at you with dead, empty eyes.

“Are you ready to reconsider?” you ask him.

“There is no escape,” he states.

“Quite right.”

“Armageddon,” he says, his voice bereft of emotion, “I’ve seen the face of armageddon.”

“Are you going to fork over your soul or not?”

“Armageddon.” He replies, “I mustn't see those eyes again.”

He grasps your outstretched hand.

(We’ll resolve the soul contracts and incarnation statuses of the new servants after all dealings are finished)

What should you do with the guards? You may select a different option for each one
>Kill
>Offer a <Bargain> while Povondra stands aside
>Have Povondra order them to sign
>Write-in
>>
>>5980760
>Offer a <Bargain> while Povondra encourages them to do so
This is just what the organization has to become to survive
>>
>>5980760
>>Offer a <Bargain> while Povondra stands aside
they are dealing with us now, not him

>>5980666
I don't mind doubling down on stealth, but I want to get supernatural speed for preservation instinct to slow our perception of time alongside
>>
>>5980760
>Have Povondra order them to sign
Really liked how that update was written QM
>>
>>5980760
>Still kill two of the weakest for getting GT to max.

>Offer a <Bargain> while Povondra encourages them to do so.

If they refuse

>Torture loop them.
>>
>>5980760
>>5980850
+1 support.
Very well written update. The face of armageddon...
>>
I'm glad you guys enjoyed the writing! I got a bit experimental with it and I'm glad it had the effect I was intending

>>5980768
>>5980784
>>5980807
>>5980850
>>5980906

>Offer a <Bargain> while Povondra encourages them to do so.

You decide to keep 2 of Povondra’s guards while putting the other two down. At first, you consider just cutting down the two with the lowest incarnation level, but, as you’ve learned over the course of your run-ins with other would-be gods, incarnation level and power are not necessarily the same.

“Which two of these four would you say are the most useful?” You ask Povondra.

“Alastor and Sybaris, probably. They form a decent offensive-defensive core together, but I’m not an expert on combat.”

How should you go about deciding who to kill and who to spare?


>No need to overcomplicate things, just kill the two lower level incarnations (Sybaris and Polybotes)
>Take Povondra’s suggestion (kill Polybotes and the Manticore)
>Clear their minds and spare whichever two capitulate first
>Write-in
>>
>>5981227
last vote only 2 out of 5 wrote to kill any of them
>>
>>5981238
You're right- people were discussing it a lot before this vote and I got it mixed up- we'll do a similar thing we did with Jane where the option
>Don't kill any of them

Is valid and tallied against the collective of all kill votes
>>
>>5981227
>Don't kill any of them

I had like 5 IPs the last 3 days... do I get a new IP for driving through a tunnel? let's find out!
>>
>>5981227
>Don't kill any of them
If any refuse we can still kill them. While I'm deeply in the camp of "growing our empire", I also wouldn't mind getting GT up to 9 or X, and using the influence from the subjugations to upgrade assess hamartia to 8 to get more names+myths from the rouge incarnations at the auction to hunt down later

@QM
reposting the question on redeification:
I assume Read the Room, Perfect Partner and Mediate were the authorities of Philotes that Brigitta got upon redeification and, because she was already Level 4 as Siren, she got them at authority level 4, right? But I assume there's a cap to that, we can't just redeify a level 10 and them getting four level X authorities, right?

Can we buy "Divine Relic" from the shop a second time? It doesn't matter if it gives us a copy of Folly's Grasp or a different relic (surprise us), only if "Divine Relic" can simply be bought a second time.

>>5980341
this explanation works in favor of farming souls from fanmeetups, right?
people who were under our influence for months, loving us. just snapping them out for a moment to ask for their souls to make their object of affection stronger

I had another question but I forgot again...
>>
>>5981351

>Redeification?

Generally, the <Redeification> process doesn't grant new authorities, traits, etc: it replaces them. Specifically, the trait, <EX> authority, directive, and 3 standard authorities of the highest rarity are converted into authorities of the new incarnation. Brigita's stacked redeification is a specific effect of <Divine Servant>. As stated:

>Since they have <Redeified> using this specific miracle, they retain the core authorities, including the <EX> rated authority, of their previous <Myth>

>Can we buy our personal divine relic a second time?

Nope, each incarnation gets one. You could if you redeified, though
>>
>>5981245
I too would like to attempt to enslave them all, but if they refuse just kill them.
>>
>>5981238
>>5981261
>>5981351
>>5981401

>Attempt to <Bargain> with all four of them

You release each of the incarnations from their illusions, and they slowly begin to awake.

First, the manticore arises. As soon as he looks at you, the man immediately assumes a position somewhere between kneeling and groveling. As Sybaris awakes, you receive the message:

>Your authority <Guerrilla Tactics> has blocked a lower level authority

Her eyes widen as she turns her attention to the manticore, and she immediately mimics his position on the cold concrete.

Alastor, the revenge spirit, rises, audibly gulping as he sees the two other guards on the ground, but does not kneel. He seems like he’s about to ask you something, but before he can, <Omen> and <Preservation Instinct> activate: you lightly make a sidehop, easily dodging a giant fist directed at you.

You turn your attention upward- the guard Polybotes seems to have <Monstrossified>, not only based on his giant stature- 30 feet, give or take- but also from the tusk-like teeth protruding upwards from the underbite of his newly twisted visage. He draws a weapon- a massive metal club, and swings it at you, however, with the combined power of <Supernatural Speed>, <Omen>, and <Preservation Instinct>, you easily dodge him.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, you moron?!” the manticore roars, “Are you trying to get us all killed?!”

“SHUT UP,” the monster replies, rage- most likely authority induced- resonating in his words, “THAT BITCH HURT THE BOSS! BUT SHE’S NOTHING WITHOUT HER CHEAP TRICKS.”

Povondra stands aside, a look of resignation on his face.

You smirk- it seems like you’ll have to teach this thing a lesson.

What should you do?

>Give him an old fashioned beat down- it’s been a while since you’ve had a good fight
>Just put him back under mind control
>Order your new subordinates (Brigita, Josef, and Benedikt) to take him down
>Have Povondra deal with him personally
>Have Povondra order him to stand down
>Write-in
>>
>>5981570
>Have Povondra deal with him personally
While I'd like the fighting practice, he seems weak enough to just statstomp and it wouldn't inspire the rest to make deals as well.
>>
>>5981570
>"I will admit, my expertise is subterfuge and mind control..."
>Put him under mind control again and make him do a 30ft tall chicken dance.
>"Po, you said he's useful due to his usefulness in combat? Not because he's important to your organization, right?"
>Fight and kill him

>>5981581
I don't think it'll be a stomp, he's level 7 with monstrofication boosters, it probably will be our toughest fight if we fight him honestly
>>
>>5981581
+1 he's all yours
>>
>>5981570
Changing vote from >>5981594 to backing >>5981593
I want the black comedy moment. Bonus if one of these guys actually laughs involuntarily at it
>>
>Put him bacn under mind control

We'll be rolling more dice, so please specify between Cautious, Normal, or Reckless for the roll
>>
>>5981629
>Reckless
>>
>>5981629
>Reckless
>>
>>5981629
reckless
>>
>>5981570
>Just put him back under mind control
>>
>>5981633
>>5981636
>>5981640

Seems like reckless takes it; I'll need 3 rolls of 3d22 (10+6+6)>>5981581
>>
Rolled 4, 16, 18 = 38 (3d22)

>>5981653
>>
Rolled 1, 10, 20 = 31 (3d22)

>>5981653
Hopefully we can power through whatever defenses he's got
>>
Rolled 5, 19, 14 = 38 (3d22)

>>5981653
Rollan
>>
on second thought...
remember how Kronos went on about how good Monstrossification booseters are? And (as far as we know) nobody but the person with the "First Blood" title can copy the Monstrossification EX rated authorities, how the Calydonian Boar's EX-rated authority "Beastification" degraded to "Bane of Calydon" for us.
As much as I like getting our important authorities up to X, collecting Monstrossification/Beastification authorities
And a Monstrossification miracle also sounds really cool


QM, everything ok? need a breather?
>>
>>5984281
Huh, miracling two monster Authorities...well then.
>>
>>5984327
Bro, Miracle Typhon and Echidna together. The father and mother of monsters. Wild. Straight up printing lesser minions.
>>
>>5984331
>Miracle Typhon and Echidna together
I get the feeling that the original owners of those authorities as well as their original original owners would all want that to happen if they knew
>>
>>5984390
Twenty bucks says they already fucking?
>>
>>5984281
That's a smart idea
>>
>>5984331
Typhon seems to be in the Austrian's hands now, and I guess they'd fall under the "can't plunder authorities from mortals deified with an epithet holder" thing

So here's an experiment:
>get an epithet in a way so it wouldn't have been in our ownership history
>deify someone with an epithet holder
>have a mortal kill that nascent god
while people "deified in this way will not grant any influence or authorities upon being eliminated" to a god, it still might deify that new killer mortal
>this mortal deifies (hopefully)
>but they weren't deified by an epithet holder, they were deified by killing a god
>so... they might give subjugation rewards again.
>>
Sorry for the radio silence, everyone. I received some unfortunate medical news and I've been in a bit of a depressive state (plus I still have those commissions to work on). I'll try to update by today, thanks for the patience
>>
>>5985121
thanks for the heads up, I hope everything works out well for you
>>
>>5985121
>unfortunate medical news
Please don't get cancer and die. Please don't let it be cancer or something terminal
>>
>>5985121
take care of yourself.
You are number one
>>
>>5985121
Look after yourself please
>>
>>5985121
It's not an issue. Please take care.
>>
Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

31, 38, 38- Reckless (although, funnily, all 3 options would have given the same result here)

As the giant throws another punch at you, you sidestep and tap his outstretched arm with your finger, afflicting him with your <Touch> and assaulting his mind with your <Whispers>. The gargantuan figure goes limp as you smirk with satisfaction.

“[Dance]” you command

Polybotes begins to flail his limbs about in a crude approximation of a chicken dance, accidentally crushing cars and nearly slipping on the cracked concrete as he does. You’ve used your <Guerilla Tactics> to not draw the attention of the authorities, but even with your subterfuge, the inhabitants of the town are most likely experiencing what appears to them to be an earthquake.

“[Be still]” you order. He complies, frozen with his hands beneath his armpits and his face contorted mid cluck. For the sake of convenience, you compel him to kneel.

Before you land the killing blow, a flash of light bursts out from behind you- you wheel around, finding that the incarnation of Alastor has vanished. He must have bought a <Hydra’s Head> and given himself a critical injury. You click your tongue- it would have probably been best to immobilize the peanut gallery first, but, ultimately, it’s no great loss.

Turning your attention back to the giant, you completely divorce him from reality, granting fantasies of satisfying violence and lustful romps, before quickly tearing out his jugular.

>Congratulations! You have successfully destroyed another incarnation, <Polybotes>! You have plundered their influence (953). Due to the difference in level, you receive only the influence to reach their current level (1600)

>You have also gained 1 influence for following your directive and 60 influence for following your secondary directive

Total influence gained: 2,614

Influence: 5,744->8358/51,200

>Due to your authority <Divine Folly>, you gain the authority <Born of Vengeance, Born of Blood>

>Born of Vengeance, Born of Blood (1)

Increases your strength, stamina, and regenerative capabilities when fighting against an individual with whom you have a personal grudge, or who has a primary myth of or relating to the <Olympians>

Your authority slots are full! What should be done?
>Store an existing authority with an authority crystal (Specify)
>Toss an existing authority (Specify)
>Toss <Born of Vengeance, Born of Blood>

And should you take another of <Polybotes’> authorities or upgrade one of your own?
>Take a new one
>Upgrade an old one (Specify)
>>
I know things can look tough, but you are bringing joy to others, thank you for doing so

>>5985904
this could be useful, olympians surely are high tier gods
>>Store an existing authority with an authority crystal (Draw Eyes)
>Take a new one
plunder their Monstrossification/Beastification

Actually very respectable choice Alastor made, but we already have Alastor's real name from assess hamartia, right? It gave us Povondra's first name and they are the same level. Detective's compass is a level 6 item, so he should know it exists.
>>
>>5985904
>>Store an existing authority with an authority crystal
Draw Eyes and Specter's Wail
>Take a new one
>>
>>5985916
+1
>>
>>5985904
>Store an existing authority with an authority crystal (draw eyes)

>Upgrade Guerilla Tactics to 9

Guys... the whole reason we're killing two is to max GT.... brains of goldfish.
>>
>>5985904
And qm I don't know why you just let him buy a hydra. Why would we release them then go fight one... we specifically said release one at a time and torture loop... baka

Hope you feel better though.
>>
>>5986151

The players voted to:

>Attempt to <Bargain> with all four of them

And the narrative stated:

>You release each of the incarnations from their illusions, and they slowly begin to awake.

As well as:

>Alastor, the revenge spirit, rises, audibly gulping as he sees the two other guards on the ground, but does not kneel. He seems like he’s about to ask you something, but before he can, <Omen> and <Preservation Instinct> activate: you lightly make a sidehop, easily dodging a giant fist directed at you.

With the implication being that you had released all of the guards at once and at no point did any player suggest that the non-offending guards should be restrained (presumably because they had given away their tails already). I also believe that this is a mistake that wouldn't be OOC for a character like Atë, especially since she has a habit of not anticipating the ramifications of her choices and the independent actions of other people (like with Braun's escape or Pheme's feathers)
>>
>>5986157
lol I'm OK with this
>>
>>5986157
Who in their right mind frees all the captives? That's udderly retarded. We didn't do that with the leader. Stupid QM gotchas don't make the story better. Did we do that to his crew earlier? NOPE WE DID THEM ONE BY ONE. Bro I know you're probably stressed from irl shit. But God damn really? We even took all their hydras and lizard tails. That clearly implies what we're trying to do. Especially how you did it for the leader without us explicitly saying it. This is nearly as bad as the Brettonia quest gotcha where the qm just flat out ignored what was written in the oath.
>>
>>5980350
>>5980437
>>5980759
Look we talked about the torture loop.

Then you implemented it.

>>5980850
Here's where after the post you just put out where we did one at a time. It was heavily implied we would do the same thing free one ask him if he says no back into the torture loop. Rinse and repeat.

>>5981227
Then you ask us which two.

>>5981570
Then you just decide to free them all. Without any input from us.

>>5981581
This is what we voted for but you did this one instead. Then did a gotcha.

>>5981593

Like God damn bro.
>>
>>5986223
>>5986230

>Then you just decide to free them all. Without any input from us.

I don't think that's true- I redirected from killing off two of them to not killing off any of them based on the (valid) objection that a majority didn't vote on killing them off. I placed it to another vote, and people almost unanimously agreed not to kill anyone

>This is what we voted for but you did this one instead. Then did a gotcha.

Also not true- if you tally the votes after >>5981594 switched to >>5981596, this vote >>5981593 was the majority decision

I wouldn't really call this a gotcha- the players got the chance to clearly read the course of events, and I believe that the interpretation I wrote was most similar to the text of the votes.

Specifically, the implications of the discourse and voting surrounding the decision to personally fight Polybotes actually implied that players didn't want to re-sedate them; the primary purpose of a spectacle like the one they voted for is to create an impression in any spectators- an action which would be completely wasted if the guards were under an illusion

Ultimately, Alastor's little escape trick doesn't matter too much in the grand scheme of things- I can understand if you think it's cheap (and apologize if it seems like I gypped you), but ultimately I think that what happened was the most realistic outcome given the previously established posts and the general attitude surrounding the confrontation- stuff like this (generally) won't manifest in situations that will have real, long term impacts on the narrative

Also, there should be a new update tonight
>>
>>5986246
>there should be a new update tonight
epic
>>
>>5985904
Toss it, upgrade GT

Nice play by Alastor, totally got distracted by polybotes there that’s on us
>>
>>5985904

> Store Draw Eyes
> Upgrade Geurilla Tactics

Plundering authorities when we basically have a full kit is pretty useless imo. Upgrading high level abilities is amazing though.
>>
bane of Calydeon, carry over gigantification, go full Kaiju. control a second body that has GT active. Invisible Kaiju.

Gigantification will not come around a lot more. Killing random NPCs to level up GT will.

>>5986246
ngl, it happened before that you wrote something in that could have been avoided if Ate was a little less reckless. The irony being that this time we literally voted on being reckless.
I'll be more specific with my write-ins in the future.
We have to play smarter and not just rely on having pure strength advantage.
I already said that Alastor made a really good decision in the heat of the moment, which makes me want to collect him as a competent subordinate more.
>>
>>5986646
Eh, big body big target if you ask me. I'm not impressed by a giant. All it's good for is scaring mortals.
>>
>>5986658
it can still be given to others, beasts themselves who can go kaiju then.
I'll not argue this for every coming god, even if they all have unique EX rated authorities.
>>
>>5985939
>>5985916
>>5985946
>>5986150
>>5986304
>>5986356

Seems like there's still a tie between picking a new one or upgrading guerilla tactics. I'll delay for another hour and then just flip for it
>>
>>5985904
> Store Draw Eyes
> Upgrade Guerilla Tactics

the born of vengeance, born of blood trait although really specific in its targets might honestly come in clutch due to Ate's Olympian exile trait
>>
>>5986681
>>5986682

Seems like the consensus is
>Store <Draw Eyes>
>Upgrade <Guerilla Tactics>

Influence: 8,358->8,058/51,200

Guerilla Tactics 8->9

It is possible to perform actions that directly affect an individual (such as stealing possessions or injuring them) without revealing yourself. Instead, the target will produce some rationalization for the negative consequence, despite the apparent irrationality or impossibility of the conjured explanation. The extent of the negative impact you can cause on another person while maintaining this effect is proportional to the difference in incarnation level.

You turn your attention back to the groveling guards. Sybaris remains silent, but the manticore speaks, his voice quivering in abject terror:

“Boss, no, goddess! Please, don’t punish us for the actions of those fools!”

“I don’t intend to, as long as you fork over your souls.”

The manticore, still in his human form, bashes his skull into the concrete, creating a crack-filled dent in the sidewalk. Sybaris looks between him and you, obviously not as afraid as her associate but smart enough to recognize what his fear means. She too places her forehead on the concrete, but does not do so at the peril of injuring herself as the manticore does.

You approach the manticore, tilting his chin upwards to meet your eyes. You can see him tremble like a baby bird in the mouth of a lion.

“You must have some sort of danger perception authority, yes?”

“<Animal Instinct>,” he explains, “lets me see the gap between others and me”

You nod, and then turn your attention back to the situation at hand- after <Bargaining> with Povondra, you only have about enough divinity left to form a contract with one of the two remaining guards.
What should be done?

>Use a <Nectar> and bargain with both right now
>Form a <Bargain> with Sybaris and trust that the manticore won’t do anything dumb
>Use <Folly’s Grasp> and delegate ownership of one of the guards to one of your subordinates (specify)
>Keep them doped up in a hotel room somewhere until you’re able to deal with both
>Just kill one of them (specify)
>Write-in
>>
>>5986682
What if we combine it with To Mortals, A Scourge?
>>
>>5986686
>Use a <Nectar> and bargain with both right now
Spare no further time
>>
>>5986686
>>Use a <Nectar> and bargain with both right now
>>
>>5986686
>Use a <Nectar> and bargain with both right now
Minionmaxxing
>>
>>5986687
I guess we could maybe get some miracle that could let us nulify attacks of the olympian gods, which honestly wouldn't be that good due to the fact there are only 12 of them and they are bound to have minions

>>5986686
>Use a <Nectar> and bargain with both right now
>>
aww, beans

>>5986686
>Use a <Nectar> and bargain with both right now
have Povondra buy us a nectar
>>
>>5986710
It includes those we have a grudge against as well, so anyone who gives us trouble we could naturally develop a powerful defense against. Or possibly because Scourge is about mortals it might expand the bonus to mortal servants of Olympians? It's hard to say, investing some time into miracle making and experimenting is in order.
>>
>>5986773
I agree, but to even do miracle making we need to get the authority we use as material to X rank which is quite the investment, and considering that we are about to go on quite a dangerous undertaking I believe that skills that increase our survivability should be the priority when leveling. also, a risk when it comes to creating X-rank authorities is that we are unable to buy an authority crystal capable of holding them thus forcing them to be a permanent stay.

on an unrelated note, I wonder how efficient/inefficient the divine body authority is compared to having the titan strength authority and the superspeed authority
>>
>>5986691
>>5986698
>>5986703
>>5986710
>>5986722

>Use a <Nectar> and bargain with both right now

“Got a <Nectar> on hand, Povondra?”

“One for emergencies, why?”

“Hand it over.”

Without questioning it, he tosses you the nectar from his inventory. Both incarnations submit to you without putting up a fight.

Maximum divinity: 600

You’ve accomplished what you came to the auction to do, but the actual event will take place over the course of the next three days. What do you intend to do? The days’ events are items, authorities, and myths in that order

>Leave the auction after giving your contact details to Crimson Owl
>Attend the auction
>Write-in
>>
>>5988913
You mean crimson dove danger lady ya?
>>
>>5988913
>Stay catch people outside the auction and enslave more people.
>aka stay for the auction.
>>
>>5988933
Whoops, you're right. Mixed her up with Tangerine Owl
>>
>>5988913
>have Povondras still attend his meeting with the government if possible
>write down as many names and myths as possible to hunt down later with detective Compas, without it seeming like the auction would be unsafe
>have manticore assess crimson dove to see to whom he has a worse reaction
>pool our and Povondras points to attend the auction.
>talk to enchanter and see if they can give us more info on how it works
>>
>>5988981
+
>hunt down Alastor
>have them give you a run down of their criminal enterprises and lay out a plan to get all of Czech in check
>>
>>5988981
>>5988999
>>5988934
I'm happy to support these too.

I still want to capture more incarnations though and kill any weak chaff.
>>
>>5988913
>Attend the auction
Might as well see what it's like
They'll probably have at least one thing we want
>>
>>5988981
>>5988999
+1

>>5986842
I honestly believe that if we were to get a miracle combining shapeshift and a thousand voices, a thousand faces we would be able to take on a form akin to an eldritch being optimized for combat. And as an aditional thing we could probably make no true faces make said form cost nothing via harassing the mentally ill into believing us to be a demon or god or whatever. We might not even need a miracle depending on what the max level of a thousand voices a thousand faces limits are
>>
>>5988934
>>5988981
>>5988999
>>5989009
>>5989020
>>5990008

You decide to send Povondra and the weaker of his two guards to his planned meeting. Meanwhile, you and the manticore stake out the auction house, hoping to snare a few more incarnations as servants.

To your chagrin, hours pass without a single person leaving the hotel- it seems as if the incarnations present are generally aware of the risks of exiting the threshold of the Heart’s protection. Eventually, two incarnations exit, both still wearing their masks. One is a tall, lanky African man in a green deer mask, the other a shorter, but much more muscular man wearing the visage of some sort of black rodent. His ethnicity is much more difficult to place, especially given the masks, but your best guess is somewhere in central Asia or north Africa.

You attempt <Assess Hamartia> but are met with:

>Your authority was blocked by another authority
>Your authority was blocked by a <Relic> of rare grade or higher

It seems as if the two are looking for a good place for a duel- they must have exited the building to not trigger the non-aggression zone dictated by the <Heart of the Auction>.

“Manticore,” You ask your new servant, “How dangerous are they in comparison to me? Answer as objectively as possible- flattery isn’t helpful.”

He concentrates on his authority and thinks for a moment.

“Weaker than you, my lady, but not by a wide margin. That being said, one of them, let alone both, could most likely best you in a physical confrontation.”

“Combat builds, then?”

He gives a solemn nod: “Their levels are most likely around the range of eight or nine.”

You stroke your chin in contemplation, deliberating on the best course of action.

What should you do?

>Enter the fray
>Approach with <Guerilla Tactics> and use <Touch of Madness> and <Whisper of Temptation> to immobilize them
>Watch from a safe distance and pick off the winner
>Go back to the auction house and focus on gathering the names of weaker incarnations
>Go find Crimson Dove
>Write-in
>>
>>5990264
>Watch from a safe distance and pick off the winner
Having a few more combat powerhouses could be to our advantage. I wanna actually watch a duel for once and see how other people built their characters in this twisted game. Of course we'll swoop in and take both before one can kill the other, but there's no real harm in watching
>>
>>5990264
>Scout out the area while they duel
They might have set up protections
>>
>>5990492
>>5990264
+1 support. This. Otherwise, pick off the winner.
>>
>>5990264
>>Approach with <Guerilla Tactics> and see if we can land a few jabs they rationalize away.
>get them both near death and use <Touch of Madness> and <Whisper of Temptation> to immobilize them for a potential subjugation
>>
>>5990264
GT tells us when it blocks an authority, stands to believe that these guys also have been notified that someone was trying to gather information on them.

>Scout out the area while they duel
>wait until they're exhausted
>Approach with <Guerilla Tactics> and use <Touch of Madness> and <Whisper of Temptation> to immobilize them
>>
>>5990264

> Experiment with whether or not the stealth properties of GT blocks the sanity slippage of Whispers

I am curious if we could walk near them, encouraging bloodlust with Whispers while under the effect of GT and Stealth. Do they need to be aware of the sounds for our whispers to erode their inhibitions? Or can we Whisper at them without them being consciously aware we are doing so?
>>
>>5990547
changeing to >>5990621
>>
>>5990292
>>5990492
>>5990519
>>5990547
>>5990621
>>5990714
>>5990753

>Scout out the area while they duel

You decide to check the perimeter for traps or ambushes while keeping note of the behavior exhibited by the two incarnations. You find a decent vantage point to watch the fight, but don’t encounter anything else of note- it seems like this really was a spontaneous brawl.

Just in case, you ask the manticore to observe the area nearby and notify you if it detects anything dangerous.

You plop yourself down on the ledge of the rooftop you’ve climbed onto- it’s time to watch the show.

~

“Let’s start by putting up the collateral,” Deer says, a thick Nigerian accent audible in his words.

“Agreed. <Stygian Pact>?” Mouse replies in <Polyglot>-perfect english.

Deer nods, pulling out a sheet of paper.

“If you win, I’ll provide you with the myth of <Medusa>,”

Mouse whistles, “That’s tough to match. I’ll put up <Achilles> if you throw in a decent relic”

He nods, pulling a necklace out from seemingly nowhere, “Will this suffice?”

Mouse holds the item, examining it, “Yes, I think this will just do.”

“Assume positions, then,” Deer says, taking about five paces across the grass of the empty park. Mouse does the same in the opposite direction before pulling a coin out from his pocket. He flips it with his thumb, assuming a combat stance as it flies through the air.

The coin lands soundlessly on the moist grass, and both men vanish.

For a moment, you suspect that they used stealth authorities, but that’s not the case- they just started moving faster than your eyes could track. You activate <Supernatural Speed>, enhancing your perception barely enough to follow the duel.

Muted bronze divinity swathes Deer, who drew a dazzling golden spear- at the very least, a <Super Rare> relic based on its sheer destructive power. Whenever Mouse avoids a swing, the cutting power of the spear extends beyond its tip, tearing up the sod of the grass.

Mouse, meanwhile, seems to have been put on the backfoot, sparkling purple energy leaking from his body and lingering in the air around them as he dodges. You notice that he has yet to draw a weapon, merely focusing on avoiding Deer’s onslaught.

“What’s wrong?” Deer shouts, taunting Mouse as his spear cuts through his divine armor and barely misses his thigh, “Not so confident anymore?”

Mouse remains silent, rapidly forming odd signs with his hands. After sustaining a substantial cut on his right arm, he finally speaks.

“[Run rampant, <Tauros>]”
>>
>>5990820

The dark purple divinity, now adorned with glistening white stars, coagulates into the form of a massive bull, at least two stories tall.

You see Mouse smirk through the open mouthpiece of his mask- in a flash of light, he switches places with the construct, fleeing backwards as the raging beast attempts to crush Deer.

The agile warrior, now on the defensive, narrowly avoids the powerful stomp of the bull. Mouse smiles, standing perfectly still beneath a tree as divinity shrouds his wounds, healing them.

Deer’s spear cuts into the construct, but any injury the bull sustains is seemingly instantly recovered. The bull lands a devastating kick on the man, rocketing him backwards into a tree, shattering the point of impact into a mess of splinters and bark fragments.

Seemingly unrelated to Deer’s actions, the bull dissipates. Mouse, after once again forming a sequence of hand signs, draws a bow, seemingly of modern make, as divinity begins to pour over his body. “[Fly true, <Sagittarius>],”

Arrows, aimed perfectly, are loosed from Mouse’s bow. Deer begins to approach once again, deflecting the sparkling arrows with his spear and, though they slow him down, none of them seem to stop him.

Mouse clicks his tongue, running backwards as he fires more arrows at the approaching warrior.

You stroke your chin- it seems like Deer is trying to force a rapid conclusion to the fight, whereas Mouse hopes to stall him out and win a war of attrition.

What should you do?
>Keep observing
>Descend from your vantage point and approach the fight
>Go back to the auction house
>Write-in
>>
>>5990822
>Keep observing
These two are cool
>>
>>5990822
>wait until they're exhausted
>>Descend from your vantage point and approach the fight
>Approach with <Guerilla Tactics> and use <Touch of Madness> and <Whisper of Temptation> to immobilize them
>>
>>5990822
>Keep observing
Good chance to see pure combat builds in action
>>
>>5990822
>Keep observing
Honestly, I'm getting the impression we need to get out of the combat world, or get deeper in.
>>
>>5990828
>>5990831
>>5990834
>>5990863

>Keep observing

Deer’s pursuit is relentless, the bronze glow encompassing his body getting brighter and brighter as he dodges and deflects the arrows fired by his adversary. Mouse’s bow disappears, presumably placed back in his inventory, as his divinity recedes back into his body. Before Deer can reach him, dozens, maybe even hundreds of tiny grains of divinity explode out from his position. Some touch Deer, instantly and harmlessly dissolving.

Deer, unperturbed, launches an attack against Mouse, however, the incarnation vanishes before the spear can touch him, appearing over a dozen feet away.

Your eyes widen- he must have some authority that lets him swap places with constructs, as he did with Taurus earlier, with every single speck of the cloud he produced counting as its own unique construct.

“You really are cowardly!” Deer roars, “Why will you not fight!”

Instead of responding, Mouse begins to glow- no, it would be more accurate to say that the ambient light of the night sky begins to surround him.

“The greatest star may not be out as of now,” Mouse says, ignoring Deer’s taunt, “but these ones will do.”

It seems as if Mouse has some authority or relic that allows him to convert the light from stars- possibly including the sun- into divinity. While the extent of the recovery is obviously far from instant, it should be enough to win a war of attrition. From the looks of things, it seems as if Nectar and other recovery items are banned, probably by the <Stygian Pact> they signed earlier.

Deer’s spear glows- you suspect that he’s activating one of its abilities. He swings it, creating a devastating burst of wind. The gale is indiscriminate, slicing through concrete like butter and rendering the well-maintained lawn a mess of cut grass and loose dirt. The divine gust obliterates mouse’s cloud of divinity and, though he manages to avoid the brunt of the strike, sends him tumbling onto the grass.

Mouse frantically weaves hand signs, “[Mother and son, tear him to shreds, <Ursi>!]”

Two bears, one larger and one smaller, intercept Deer as he approaches. Mouse uses the time to stand up. Particles of brilliant purple light begin to surround him much like the cloud he created before, but this time they compress into a brilliant white sphere. Mouse points to his adversary, launching the ball of divinity at a speed that puts every bullet you’ve seen to shame.

Deer, distracted by the unkillable bears, notices the attack too late. Though he dodges the brunt of it, the orb grazes his right arm, exploding in a burst of light. Taking advantage of the blinding radiance of the attack’s aftermath, Ursa Major sinks its teeth into the man’s opposite shoulder, tearing through his flesh and crushing his bones.
>>
>>5990898

However, you notice something odd- the man’s spear is gone.

You turn your attention to Mouse- a spear embedded in his chest. While he managed to protect his heart, blood and rib fragments have begun to pollute his lungs. He coughs, crimson spittle spraying from his lips.

You smirk in recognition- how could you forget? Deer blocked your <Assess Hamartia> with an authority, not an item and not by level gap. He must have used that same ability to disguise his movements and conceal his thrown spear before it was too late. Mouse’s concentration breaks, causing the bears to disintegrate. Mouse pulls the spear out from the bleeding cavity in his chest, tossing it to the floor (seemingly unable to claim it for himself) as his divinity begins patching up the wounds.

Both fighters are heavily injured- it seems like the clash will come to an end soon.

What should you do?
>Allow the duel to end
>Approach with guerilla tactics
>Openly intervene
>Write-in
>>
>>5990822
>Keep observing
maybe learn some techniques, or at least the reactions of people to others authorities and their effects
>>
>>5990899
>>Approach with <Guerilla Tactics> and use <Touch of Madness> and <Whisper of Temptation> to immobilize them
can't allow them to take recovery measures
>>
>>5990899
>Openly intervene
Party time!
>>
>>5990899
>>5990905
+1
they do seem sorta honorable with the duel thing and would likely be pissed at subjugation attempts
>>
>>5990905
+1
But then tell them to keep dueling and forget we were ever there, but they stop BEFORE killing the other contender
>>
I'll need a roll for this, so please specify between Cautious, Normal, and Reckless
>>
>>5990943
RECKLESS
>>
>>5990943
RECKLESS
>>
Alright, reckless takes it. Please give me 3 rolls of 3d16
>>
Rolled 1, 2, 16 = 19 (3d16)

>>5991079
GOING IN
>>
>>5991081
Holy shit what are these rolls. Way to minmax the fucking bell curve dice gods. Speaking of, is there anybody in your quest setting that has a kit specifically to dice RNG manipulate? What if Ate goes against them, and their rolls are always set to specific numbers?
>>
Rolled 16, 8, 15 = 39 (3d16)

>>5991079
>>5991082
Don't worry bro, I'll roll a 48 right here and now
>>
Excited to see how this goes!!
Perhaps Mouse is Apollo? Or the Delphi Oracle? Definitely something star/astrology related.
>>
Rolled 3, 2, 14 = 19 (3d16)

>>5991079
>>
I think we should make up a rule on what to do with incarnations we get under our spell in general.
First command should probably be for them to tell us about their myth and real name, to have better control (and find them later), as well as forking over /ALL/ their items. relics, weapons, and mundane stuff like nectars and hydra heads.
almost regardless of what our further plans with them are.
>>
Rolled 5, 11, 12, 12, 6, 9, 8, 12, 12 = 87 (9d12)

First roll: Mouse, reckless, 3d12+5 (first 3, second 3, third 3)
Second roll: Deer, reckless: 3d17+1
>>
Rolled 5, 13, 2, 11, 13, 7, 6, 5, 16 = 78 (9d17)

>>5991744

Rolling deer
>>
>>5991081
>>5991149
>>5991309
>>5991352

19, 19, 39- Reckless: 39
against 32, 32

You approach the two exhausted combatants before they can come to a decisive conclusion, obscured under the cover of your <Guerilla Tactics> using your touch and whispers in order to immobilize the pair. They collapse to the ground, clutching their heads and gritting their teeth, seemingly giving everything they have in order to resist the power of your authority. Mouse, through hot breaths, reaches into his inventory, probably attempting to grasp a <Breath Of Serenity>. The second the item appears in his hand, you kick it away. It seems as if using authorities of this level with a relatively small difference in level has caused you to be revealed.

Your whispers eating away at Deer, on the other hand, have caused an opposite effect. He lunges for his spear, a mad fervor in his eyes, faster than you can react. He screams in a language that you can’t speak, clumsily overswinging his spear at you. Thanks to <Omen> and <Preservation Instinct> you are easily able to avoid the swing.

You narrow your eyes- it seems that, even when your authorities manage to break through their defenses, there are different levels of control you can attain. You’re able to exacerbate the folly that they have, but should an incarnation have a bigger divinity pool, your touch has a less potent and sophisticated, not dissimilar to trying to heat a swimming pool as opposed to a single glass of water.

That being said, based on their reactions, you could probably fully obtain one of them through specific tactics targeted against their individual hamartia- but to do so, you’d probably have to send one of them packing. If you concentrate on Deer, Mouse will likely escape, and if you focus on Mouse, Deer will attack and interrupt.

What do you choose?
>Deer
>Mouse
>Write-in
>>
>>5991746
>Deer
He has the d17 to Mouse's d12, so therefore he's better.
>>
>>5991746
>>5991748
Can we carry Mouse and dodge Deer until we have Mouse secured, then focus down Deer? Do we not have anybody else nearby to help us?
>>
>>5991746
>>Mouse
Smaller divinity pool perhaps? Just thinking it'd be easier to folly them, plus they came off as pretty cunning earlier so best take them out rather than leave them a loose end.
>>
>>5991746
> Deer

He has Medusa. I want Medusa.
>>
>>5991746
>the one that had assess hamartia blocked by a relic
>>
>>5991746
>Folly's Grasp over Manticore to keep the wounded Mouse occupied
>focus on physically restraining mouse while keeping the mental attack on Deer up
>>
>>5992118
+1
>>
>>5992118
I'd change to this, wanting it all, but commanding manticore would split our attention even more
>>
>>5992327
how about only using folly's grasp to give him the speedup he needs to get here faster, he should not be far off
while there is a level difference,
then he just needs to keep mouse occupied and from using items or giving himself a lethal wound to disappear
in the meanwhile we focus on deer properly
If I read it right, Deer very likely has GT too, and it's at least higher than 6 to block hamartia. So while QM said Mouse is more likely to flee, I guess at the same time, deer is more able to flee

(>>5992118 was me phoneposting)
>>
>>5992352

To clarify, it isn't possible (yet) to possess somebody with Folly's Grasp without splitting your consciousness and fully taking over their bodies
>>
>>5992380
I'm aware. But if you are pointing it out it might be too much for us to split our focus three ways
Again, he's already close. We can split our consciousness for a second speak through his mouth he should come ASAP
>>
>>5992352
>>5992380
>>5992391
sorry man, if QM goes "are you sure", I'm out
>>5992087
switching to
>Deer
better prize
>>
>>5991748
>>5991776
>>5991836
>>5991915
>>5991915
>>5992087
>>5992118
>>5992209
>>5992327
>>5992352
>>5992380
>>5992414

>Deer

“Sorry, but I don’t have time to play with you right now,” you say to Mouse as you lazily avoid another telegraphed swing from Deer, “Let’s dance again sometime.”

He begins to form a hand seal, but you pierce his chest with your hand before he can finish. Blood bursts from his mouth as he vanishes in a flash of light.

“Now then,” you turn your attention back to Deer, “Let’s play.”

You constantly keep just outside the reach of his spear, avoiding both the blade itself and the razor sharp wind that follows in its wake. Rather than countering physically, you drench him in your touch again, and again, and again. Crimson light illuminates the park with each application of your divinity, drowning the helpless warrior in mental attacks too powerful and persistent to resist. Now that you know his hamartia (or at least the broad strokes) your <Touch> and <Whispers> are enhanced by the specificity of their application.

It’s only a matter of time before his resistance crumbles. In his mind, he’s having the fight of his life, but in reality he’s kneeling helplessly before you, his spear plunged into the ground.

You stroke your chin- it’s probably possible to take all of his items and put him down without any risk, but based on his combat abilities, he’d make an invaluable pawn. Then again, even after taking away all of his items, there’s a decent danger in letting him confront you with a clear head.

What should you do?
>Just kill him after taking all of his items
>Try to interrogate him for potential blackmail
>After cleaning him of items and influence, beat him within an inch of his life before threatening to finish the job if he doesn’t sign
>After cleaning him of his items and influence, try to negotiate with him normally
>Write-in
>>
>>5993186
>Just kill him after taking all of his items

The speed at which a person could buy an item and bit off their tongue concerns me. Especially someone who has too fast to see speed.

We ought to find/invest in a tool for physically locking people down.
>>
>>5993186
>Try to see if Assess Hamartia works if he's not consciously able to use GT (or whatever other authority)
>Clean him of all his items
>Clean him of his influence by make him buy all the "Drop of Inner Chaos" he can afford, and the rest on low grade authority crystals
this will make him have less than 300 influence left, not enough for a hydras head
>Cleaning him of these items too
>Beat him within an inch of his life
>meanwhile guide his illusion in such a way that he will think he lost "honorably" due to us being the better fighter
>Offer a Faustian Bargain for his life
>>
>>5993229
+1
>>
>>5993229
+1

>Drop of Inner Chaos
i almost forgot these existed
>>
>>5993229
>>5993186
>Support
>>
>>5993186
>>5993229
Nice plan
>>
>>5993225
>>5993229
>>5993230
>>5993275
>>5993409
>>5993450

The first order of business is to clear him of his items and reduce his influence beneath the threshold of being able to purchase a <Hydra’s Head>.

You try to pick up his spear, but the very act of holding it seems to singe your hand a bit, as if it were heated to beyond the boiling point of water. You frown, kicking the weapon out of Deer’s reach.

He drops a couple more items which you are capable of holding onto.

Lizard’s tail x3
Nectar x5
Hydra’s Head x1

Rebellion Against Olympus (Mythic Shortsword)
Hunting Hawk (Legendary Javelin)
Boots of Celerity (Rare Relic)
Braces of Ares (Mythic Armor)

It seems like he, like you, sold off most of his less relevant or useful relics for points at the auction, sparing only a single ranged option and one sidearm in addition to his spear which, based on its rejection of both you and Mouse, is almost certainly his <Personal Relic> or possibly a personal weapon like <Folly’s Chains>.

You force him to purchase as many <Inner Drop of Chaos> items as possible. He hands over just 5- he must not make a habit of hoarding too much divinity.

Interestingly, as you pick them up, they seem to be labeled:

Inner Drop of Chaos (Pallas) x5

It seems like <Inner Drop of Chaos> doesn’t adjust automatically to the holder, but rather takes on the primary myth of the purchaser.

Now then, it’s time for a bit of chicanery.

~

She’s nothing if not slippery.

The interloper moves with flexibility and grace unbefitting of a woman constrained by a party dress and moving in high heels. It almost seems as if these elements are a part of her body, like a second layer of skin which she can manipulate at will.

Those red lights of hers are dangerous- they do not do damage, but they affect my mentality, inflaming my rage and blurring my focus. She takes advantage of the opportunity masterfully, baiting me into using high divinity attacks and exploiting the gaps to land a blow.

Her attacks are weak, level 4 or 5 at best in terms of power, but they stack up more and more as the fight progresses. Worse still, every strike she lands increases the blood drunk madness of her lights and her cries. This way of fighting embodies the concept of ‘death by a thousand cuts’.

She’s hard to hit, evading attacks with a mix of pure instinct and her odd method of dynamically changing her body’s dimensions- probably with an effective precognition level of at least 7- maybe even as high 9. A high level authority? Doubtful- she probably has two separate ones.

After another red light, I take advantage of her expectations, pretending to toss out a provoked attack as a faint, before pivoting to land a devastating blow. She blocks with her left arm, but the technique is clumsy, allowing the edge of my weapon to crush her bone like chalk.
>>
>>5993590

However, I underestimated her ferocity.

She grabs the spear’s body, grinning madly as the recoil burns into her skin. She digs her legs into the soil and uses the spear as leverage, pulling me inward. My exhaustion limits my ability to dodge as she digs her claws into my chest.

I pant with exhaustion as blood leaks from my lips- it seems like I still can’t use my items thanks to my duel with Mouse.

She stumbles, collapsing to the ground bloodied but conscious as the arm she forced through my ribcage takes me down with her.

She drops the spear, a smell of burnt meat wafting through the air as she tears the melted skin affixed to the weapon off of the muscle and sinew of her palms. She barely stifles a scream as I struggle and fail to overcome my wounds and exhaustion in order to mount a counterattack.

She smirks, reveling in the victory as I black out.
~

Replicating the wounds on his body was tricky- a fighter as skilled as he is would most likely immediately notice if you were anything less than imperceptibly precise.

That, however, was the least grueling part of the stage you wanted to set. Though you could imitate wounds with <Thousand Faces> well enough to trick a layman, you have no doubt that he’d be able to see right through your facade if you were to merely act out the injuries. You grit your teeth, enduring the pain as you cut into your own flesh.

After a few seconds, he comes to.

“Apologies for the impropriety, but I had no choice but to rob you,” you say, making a show of healing your wounds with <Regeneration>.

“To the victor go the spoils,” he responds, his deep voice being tinged with what you can only describe as poutiness, “How long was I unconscious?”

“Only a few minutes,” you answer honestly.

“Why am I not dead?”

“Excellent question- I’ll cut to the chase. You’re a brilliant fighter- definitely the best I’ve seen in action. I want you to come work for me.”

“I assume that when you say ‘work’, you do not mean it in the traditional sense.”

You nod, “You know how things go in the world of incarnations. I need your soul.”

“And why should I agree to this?”

“I’ve seen your deepest desire. Your raison d'être is to face off against strong opponents.”

He nods, and you continue:

“I plan to go toe to toe with the most powerful incarnations in the world. Work with me, and I guarantee you the fight of your life. Unless, of course, you want this battle to be your last.”

He smiles: “I most certainly do not.”

You use up one of his <Nectars> and shake his hand.

Now that you have him under your thumb, what should you do with his items?
>Return them
>Keep them
>Somewhere in between (specify)
>Write-in
>>
>>5993591
Well well well, isn't that fascinating. I can see a lot of interesting applications for inner chaos drops being associated with the god who makes them. Could be a useful system quirk for developing our minions powers.

> Try one of the typed inner chaos items, being able to acquire the tools of our minions could be useful. Or they ours.

> Give him back his items, after ensuring he's properly ours with Folly's Grasp.
He's a tool, and tools must be properly maintained. And I'm paranoid. I'm always paranoid.
>>
>>5993616
Just now realized I forgot to explicitly say it, but you established a Faustian Bargain
>>
>>5993591
>Return them
Awright
Maybe we'll see Mouse again someday
>>
>>5993616
>>5993665
+1
>>
>>5993616
>>5993591
>support.

Always be paranoid.

>ask for more information about anything he knows.

>see if he could bait others here. So we can gank more people out here.
>>
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>>5993591
>Pallas
which one tho? >picrel
I'm gonna need more info first

>check out what each of the items do before making a decision
>ask him to tell us about his incarnation to clarify which Pallas he is, and what he does for influence
>ask him about any epithets he has
>casually tell him that we can do a miracle redeification
if we get a combat specialist epithet, like Achilles, if he's interested to do that

The stygnian pact with mouse should still hold, right? he can always do a rematch to get Achilles, or just ask mouse to formally surrender the fight and therefore the epithet
>>
>>5993765
I think he means Pallas like the cats.
>>
>all of the above mentioned suggestions
>pop his drops of chaos
>ask him for his perspective on the world and currently known powerful incarnations
basically nuputin, isa and chinawoman
>ask if he knows about enchanting stuff because he has nice relics
>>
>>5993616
>>5993591
+1

>>5993765
I think it might be Pallas the daughter of Triton, Pallas the daughter was raised alongside Athena and was proficient with a spear which would explain the spear personal weapon. I would have suggested it being pallas the Giant if not for the fact that giants are counted as monsters and he did not go monster mode.
>>
Hey everyone, I've been away from home and out of commission for a bit (medical stuff, don't wanna get into it) but I'm back and will update today
>>
>>5996254
get well soon, don't stress yourself with forcing an update
>>
>>5996254
take care of your physical and mental health, dude
we'll be here even if you disappear for a week
>>
Rolled 29, 77, 90, 98, 65, 3, 57, 57, 12, 6 = 494 (10d100)

Rolling for drops of chaos
>>
>>5993616
>>5993665
>>5993672
>>5993691
>>5993765
>>5993825
>>5994037
>>5995971
>>5996299
>>5996335
>>5996535

I’ll throw you guys a bone and do rarity, type rather than type, rarity. Therefore, the results are

29, 3- Common authority
77, 57- Rare weapon
90, 57- Super Rare weapon
98, 12- Mythic authority
65, 6- Uncommon authority

>Grit (1):

Allows you to move your body as if it was in perfect condition, regardless of any injury. May exacerbate the damage by doing so. Consumes divinity proportional to the damage

>Ichor Drinker (Rare Spear)

A crimson spear that thirsts for the blood of gods. While wielding the spear, its point is automatically attracted to the blood vessels of your target. Recovers divinity by absorbing blood, either your own or that of an opponent. More effective against incarnations, proportional to their divinity

>Athena’s Tears (Super Rare Spear)

A translucent icicle spear crystalized from the bitter tears of a friend. Pierces the defense authorities of other incarnations, proportional to the level of the wielder. More effective against non-beast incarnations.

<Active Ability, Mourner’s Wail> (4): Releases a cry of sadness, lowering the morale of all enemies. Additionally, the cries from this ability qualify as your own voice for the purposes of other authorities

>Awaken The Palladium (EX):

Summons a wooden construct capable of fighting autonomously, with an effective incarnation level of your choosing up to your own incarnation level. The construct may use each of your own authorities with their full effects, with an effective level equal to either its own incarnation level or the level of the authority as you possess it, whichever is lower. It is possible to directly control the actions of the construct, though doing so may take a toll on your consciousness. You may summon as many of these constructs as you which, so long as the total level of all constructs in play is less than or equal to your incarnation level. Consumes 1 divinity per second per total incarnation level in play in addition to the cost of whichever authorities they use.

>Battle Acuity (1)

Slows down your perception of time by up to 10%. Consumes up to 10 divinity per minute.

You do not have enough authority slots for each authority. What should you do?

Grit (1)
>Toss <Grit>
>Store another authority (specify)

Awaken the Palladium (EX)
>Toss <Awaken the Palladium>
>Store another authority (specify)

Battle Acuity (1)
>Toss <Battle Acuity>
>Store another authority (specify)

You may resolve these in any order you wish
>>
>>5996552
>the cries from this ability qualify as your own voice for the purposes of other authorities
>The construct may use each of your own authorities with their full effects, with an effective level equal to either its own incarnation level or the level of the authority as you possess it, whichever is lower
Hehehehehehehe
>>
>>5996581
Sweet mercy its EX too. We could Miracle with the damn thing. You don't suppose Divine Folly and Awaken The Palladium together would let us summon copies of gods we've defeated?

>>5996552
> Toss Grit
> Store Born of Vengeance, Born of Blood
> Take Battle Acuity, then store it
> Take Awaken the Palladium
>>
>>5996552
oh shit we can get EX authorities from those?
we should gamble more

> Toss Grit
> Store Specter's Wail
> Take Battle Acuity, then store it
> Take Awaken the Palladium
>>
>>5996552
>>5996630
+1
We got to get level 15 for the next authority level slots
>>
>>5996630
+1
>>
>>5996630

I'd like to change my vote to

>Toss Grit
> Store Born of Vengeance
> Store Cackle
> Take Battle Acuity
> Take Palladium

Cackle and Vengeance have mad potential, but at the moment I think Acuity beats them both out in the short term. If we need to do wide scale havoc Spectre Wail is the better option and Vengeance is only good against someone we have a grudge against, or an Olympian, and fuck, I really hope we can plan our assault ahead of time in that situation.
>>
>>5996581
>>5996630
>>5996632
>>5996698
>>5996739

Ironic, >>5996740 that you would be outvoted by your own support

Also, picrel is a drawing I did for the loser's bracket of the king and queen competition- if you haven't seen it, you can find more of my art there (though unrelated to this quest)

> Toss Grit
> Store Born of Vengeance, Born of Blood
> Take Battle Acuity, then store it
> Take Awaken the Palladium

After sorting through your authorities, you turn your attention back to Pallas.

“Take these back,” you say, returning his weapons and equipment.

You can assume based on the <Drops> that his myth is the Pallas that Athena played with and accidentally killed, but you decide to ask. Indeed, he tells you the myth is described as:

>Athena’s Beloved, Pallas

“Before we do anything else, what’s your name?”

“Ah yes, I forgot to show you.”

Copper smoke leaks out of the giant man as his body shrinks to that of a woman much smaller than you- 5’3 at the absolute most. Her body is obviously well trained, but she seems almost comical in the massive men’s clothes she was wearing.

“I have a title,” she begins, her voice surprisingly deep considering her small stature, “called <Warrior’s Body>. Picked it up from a drop of chaos. It basically lets me transform my body into whatever my conception of the perfect physique is.”

“And it made you into a man?”

She shrugs, “Men are stronger than women.”

You suspect that it wouldn’t have changed the output in terms of strength or speed if she had remained a woman based on the system’s tendencies, but you decide not to pry.

“My name is Iyawa Manye,” she declares, “What is yours?”

You shrug, “I have a lot of names now, I guess. You can call me Rosa. Rosa Huber.”

She extends her arm out to shake your hand, but finds it difficult to get her arm to poke through her jacket sleeves. She scowls and, in a puff of smoke, returns to her imposing male form.
Once again, you shake his- her? hand.

“Go back to the auction and participate as you normally would,” you order him, “I’ll let you know if and when I need something from you.”

He nods and makes his way back to the auction house.

You begin to do the same, considering your options:

Would you like to sell any of your new items?
>Yes (specify)
>No

Over the next three days, there will be three auctions- first weapons and relics, then authorities, then epithets. During each day, you may either participate in the auction or focus on gathering names and picking off incarnations foolish enough to wander.

Which days should you participate in? Select as many or as few as you wish
>Items
>Authorities
>Epithets
>>
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>>5996796
Whoops. forgot the image
>>
>>5996796
>Sell Ichor Drinker
>Sell BoVBoB

>Items
>Epithets
We have too many authorities already

>>5996798
Nice, we got a visual upgrade
I like the claws
>>
>>5996796

> Sell Ichor Drinker
> Attend all days
>>
>>5996552
>Sell Ichor Drinker
>upgrade Assess Hamartia to 7 (3200)
>summon a Palladium to go around and note names and myth using the now level 7 assess hamartia
>command manticore to stand guard and alert us if people leave the auction
while I do like subordinates, some are bound to not play ball, and I'd like to get some murder in too
>at some point let manticore check out Crimson Dove on his animal instincts
> Attend all days, but only pay full attention when something interesting comes up while keeping eyes on the rest


>Awaken the Palladium
basically doubles our battle power
if we have someone under Folly's Grasp, they can also get a construct, which then has potentially 41 authorities and can operate intependantly.
got to level up and have Folly's Grasp grow to handle controlling multiple bodies better tho

>Pallas' shape shifting by actively using a <title>
interesting
>>
>>5996796
>sell ichor drinker
>sell riptide
Realistically speaking we are never going to actually use riptide

>attend all day
Might as well attend all day

>awaken the palladium
I wonder if we just made it so that Pallas is unable to get this skill because we have it, for this is clearly a skill only gained because we used Pallas inner drop of chaos
>>
>>5996916
+1 all this
Add
>command manticore to stand guard and alert us if people leave the auction
>at some point let manticore check out Crimson Dove on his animal instincts
>>
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>>5996796
>>5996887
+1
Assess Hamartia should also be our next authority to X after Guerilla Tactics
our main mode of combat is getting people under our thumb, and AH gives a bonus to that


didn't we want to use riptide to pretend to be Siren when cyber_siren comes out as an incarnation?
>>
>>5997003
We don't need riptide when we got follys grasp and someone who was a siren as a minion under us, thus allowing us to possess her.
>>
>>5997139
it's something flashy and easily presentable, and can do for party tricks at conventions
>>
>>5996916
We do have a minion who is associated with a river, and can manipulate water, so riptide might be good synergy for them.
>>
>>5997195
Do we just give Riptide to Brigita then? Also we have a small group of allies and "allies" now
>Pheme
>Povondra/Phlegethon
>Brigita
>Manticore
>Pallas
Though only Pheme is >>5997162
a real friend that isn't soul bargained
>>
>>5997201
can just be an Faustian bargained mortal inductee with riptide
>>
>>5997201
Povondra/Phlegethon is the water/blood manipulator of our group. I'm not opposed to just giving it to him, I have delusions of DIYing piles of magical gear but I don't think that will happen.
>>
>>5997209
using induct makes us lose the skill thus making us lose divine servant
>>5997162
if we want a party trick then we already got plenty, if we possess philotes we could use her flight skill as a party trick which also makes people subordinate and increase their desire.
>>5997195
he already has flow of phlegethon which is arguably stronger, although it could maybe synergize with riptide depending on what the second part of the text means
>>
>>5997230
His skill manipulates, but doesn't summon. Riptide summons water, so if he had both he'd always have water to work with. I'd hazard that eventually Flow would let him turn water to blood as well, but that's just conjecture.
>>
>>5997240
Absolutely random note: Riptide measures water in pounds, while Flow measures in Liters, and I'm wondering if system descriptions change from imperial to metric based on the reader?
>>
>>5997230
We can take a second induct, we confirmed this already
and Brigitta has other stuff to do if we go according to previous plans to make her her own streamer

>>5997230
>>5997240
flow is capped (currently) at 10kg
riptide summon has no cap but takes divinity per pound to summon
>>
full on discussion and I'm not part of it? cool

I thought I was still in my home wifi when I posted this >>5996887 so I wont vote again, but I do
> + ask Iyawa to find Mouse again and rematch them, or simply ask them for formal surrender
I still want their Achilles
> + pool points with Iyawa
that should get us to 30k at least (minus what we collectively already spent on stuff like plushies), with which we can get something cool, I hope


>>5997201
>>5997226
>Povondra/Phlegethon
they are not the same person
Lubomir Povondra is the incarnation of Chrysaor
Josef Slavíček is the incarnation of Phlegethon
we don't have character sheets for Povondra, the manticore yet, or Sybaris for that matter, whom we also subjugated (Polybotes we killed and Alastor got away)

>>5997209
regardless of whether or not they get riptide, but I think getting a specific person we can Folly's Grasp and be cyber siren with is a good idea. She needs a regular streaming schedule. Currently it must suck ass and might be the biggest contributor to not growing faster.

Alternative idea:
We get someone who can shapeshift, so we wouldn't even have to consciously control them. And the only other shapeshift ability we have is Philotes' "Perfect Partner", we could ask her to put it into an authority crystal and use it to induct someone. (With a second Induct bought previously, of course)
As an "Cultist of Ate", they'd share our directive, and any influence would go straight to us. But she'd, of course, only maintain the brand of cyber siren by streaming regularly, and not be able to use whispers of temptation herself. But we're not actively ruining our viewers, we want to get them to worship us, and for that we can have whispers run from a recording as background noise to the stream.
alternative to perfect partner, we could also try to see if there is maybe an item that allows someone to transform into a singular other human appearance, or have one comissioned, or another shape shifting authority

>>5997244
Well, we expect the system to be in the incarnations mother tongue, as well as at least within their cultural background, because "Faustian Bargain" or "Sweet Venom" are reference that not everyone on earth would know
>>
>>5996813
>>5996858
>>5996887
>>5996916
>>5996982
>>5997003
>>5997294

>Sell Ichor drinker
>Upgrade <Assess Hamartia>
>Experiment with <Awaken the Palladium>

You summon your <Palladium> at level 10- a fifteen foot tall wooden statue of yourself as Azure Serpent appears in a glittering crimson smoke. You find it inconvenient that the statue is so big, and will it to shrink- it seems like, even without using your authorities, it can freely change size between its maximum of 15 and whatever ‘your’ size is.

You experiment with it- it seems capable of following simple instructions such as “raise your left arm” or “return my spear to me” and engage in combat autonomously, but it seems incapable of performing complex tasks such as “solve a crossword puzzle” or “find the most valuable of these coins.”

In addition, while it is capable of repeating speech- for example “say the phrase ‘I am Azure Serpent’,” the Palladium is incapable of independently formulating language, being incapable of following orders like “Introduce yourself,” or, “Explain your purpose”. It also seems to be incapable of reading and writing.

You take the opportunity to upgrade <Assess Hamartia> in order to be more able to note down the names of attendees at the auction.

Assess Hamartia 6->7

It becomes possible to read the current thoughts of the target of this authority, provided a sufficient difference in level.

You return to the auction house and sell of the <Ichor Drinker>, and receive 1,200 points for it

Points: 10,125->11,325

Once Povondra returns from your meeting, you order him to fork over his points as well. He complies without resistance

Points: 11,325-> 23,519

As you return to the auction hall, you can feel the fatigue beginning to weigh on your body. After all, especially without <Ladon’s Fang>, you still need to sleep. You make your way to your hotel room and call it for the night.

~

The next day, you, as well as Brigita, Benedikt, and Slavíček, make your way to the auction hall. Povondra and Sibaris are attending as well (though without any points to buy anything). You’ve ordered the Manticore to stay outside the auction hall in case you need to possess him for some sort of task.

As you enter the Auction Hall proper, a massive, dimly lit amphitheater outfitted with decadent leather seats and sufficient space for each incarnation and their bodyguards, a notification appears from the system as you attempt to use <Assess Hamartia>:

>The relic <Heart of the Auction> is interfering with your authority!

It seems like, in order to prevent people from interfering with or stealing the items, the authority prevention is even more powerful within the confines of the room.
>>
>>5997305

You take your seat and your three subordinates stand behind you. Men in white masks and black vests scurry through the hall, providing refreshments and guiding the incoming incarnations to their seats. The sight of the entering godlings is almost surreal- the image of people in formalwear mingling with people in full medieval armor, monsters chatting with military men, and all of them filling into a theater hall seems like something out of a weird trip.

A woman dressed in similar garb to the attendants, but with a much more elaborate mask in the shape of a rabbit, begins to make an announcement:

“Welcome, one and all, to the monthly incarnation auction! First on the agenda…”

How many points would you be willing to spend today?
>All
>Some (Specify)
>None
>>
>>5997306

Forgot to note influence loss

Influence: 8,358->5,158/51,200
>>
>>5997306
does it matter how much we're willing to spend per day? shouldn't that go per item?
how are you planning to run this auction? (without us needing a day per lot)
>>
>>5997306
Oh damn Pov had a fair amount of points

>Some (Specify)
10,000
>>
>>5997316
I was thinking of only showing items within the price range that they specified- so obviously you can't afford any mythic items today, but if, for example, you weren't willing to spend more than 10,000, I wouldn't have to bother showing off the legendary items. Once you bid, I'll roll for people trying to outbid you. Obviously being able to see all of the items at once gives you the player an advantage over the general attendees of the auction, but that's in my opinion an acceptable degree of protagonist privilege for the sake of saving time
>>
>>5997332
hmm tough. But I think...
we're out of authority slots anyway
we still have a ton of epithets we can give prospective subordinates
probably not the answer you want to hear but...
I say we splurge on items that can directly benefit us.
>All
>and get Iyawa's points too
>>
>>5997332
oh in that case
>All
>>
>>5997306
>>All
the first day was items right?
can we still get Iyawas points?
>>
>>5997240
Yes, while he does have the ability to co trol water it wouldn't be that useful unless he is able to remake it into blood, if he is then riptide would be goated for him

>>5997306
>All
No reason not to go all, items would be the best for us anyways
>>
>>5997306

> All
Items are probably our best bet for easy useful power, or critical functionality. I'd murder someone for rocket boots, or a ring of Mental Tampering Warning, to say nothing of some simple physical armor. Epitaphs also have a lot of potential, especially given what we could do with them via Divine Servant.

QM. Did we cuddle with the teddy bear?
>>
>>5997471

>QM. Did we cuddle with the teddy bear?

Yes. 500/5,000 divinity

>>5997321
>>5997340
>>5997344
>>5997351
>>5997412

You guys really wanna make me write up 20 items, huh?

>Take Iyawa’s points

You use <Folly’s Grap> to take possession over Deer’s body, using it to order him to transfer his points over to you. He-she? You’re really gonna have to ask her about that- grumbles and complains, but ultimately complies in forking over the points.

Points: 23,519-> 59,381

>Rules of the auction: All items with starting bids within your chosen price bracket (59,381 points) will be written out for you here. You will have the opportunity to bid for as many as you can afford. For each bid, I’ll roll dice for other bids based on the price of the most recent bid in comparison to the starting bid with a maximum. A new bid must be greater than the last bid by at least 100 points.

>The odds of a new bid will be resolved using the equation (current bid/starting bid * 0.75 +0.1)

>Once all final bids are locked in, they will be resolved in sequential order- meaning that, if you bid on items 1, 7, and 10 but more than you could afford, you will lose out on item 10.

We’ll do the first ten, in one vote, the next ten in another:

>1) Rare Relic (Ring)- Lending Ring: Starting bid: 800 points

You may imbue the ring with any authority you possess. The holder of this ring may use that authority with its current effects but at an authority level of 1. Should you choose to do so, you may return the ring to your inventory at any time, regardless of the current holder, so long as you do not willingly transfer possession.

>2) Uncommon Relic (Goblet)- Judgement of Tiresias : Starting bid: 1,000 points

Creates a fluid that, when willingly consumed, changes your biological sex from male to female or vice versa. For intersex, it will give the opposite of your perceived sex

>3) Rare Dagger- Time Taker: Starting bid: 2,000 points

When you kill a mortal, you steal their remaining lifespan, and, should you plunder sufficient time, return to whichever age you perceive as your personal prime. Can not be used against incarnations

>4) Rare Relic (Cloak)- Cloak of the Pegasus: Starting bid: 2,500 points

When worn, allows you to fly at a velocity of 22 miles per hour (Roughly 10 meters per second), multiplied by your incarnation level. Consumes 10 divinity per minute, multiplied by the velocity increment of 22mph. Can store up to 2,000 divinity at a time.

>5) Rare Longsword- Wrath of Achilles: Starting bid: 2,600 points

More effective against monsters and beasts. When in use, increases the effective level of all physical strengthening authorities by 1. Consumes a number of divinity per minute equal to 10 times the number of authorities enhanced
>>
>>5997556

>6) Rare Armor- Nemesis’s Protection: Starting bid: 3,200 points

Protects against attacks imbued with divinity. Additionally, once you block a sufficient number of attacks while wearing this armor, you may either use the energy to restore your divinity or release it as a devastating attack

>7) Super Rare Consumable- Fortune’s Favor: Starting bid: 5,200 points

Consumable. Once used, the next event will go as well as it possibly could have. Can not be used in conjunction with items provided by the system, such as Drops of Chaos

>8) Super Rare Bow- Daybreaker: Starting bid: 7,000 points

More effective against incarnations. Additionally, while wielding this weapon, you may use the authority <Wrath of Helios> at an effective level equal to your current incarnation level on arrows fired from this bow

>Wrath of Helios (1):

Imbues your attacks with fire and brilliant light, with power proportional to the divinity expended. Deals additional damage to gods associated with cold or shadow. You may expend up to 5 times the level of this authority

>9) Super Rare Relic (Glasses): Lenses of Theia: Starting bid: 8,500 points
Widens your field of vision by 100%. While wearing these glasses, it becomes possible to see through illusions, as if you had a perception authority with an effective level of your incarnation level plus 4. Any secondary effects of the authorities responsible for the creation of illusions resisted in this way will also fail to affect you

>10) Legendary Relic: Might of Uranus: Starting Bid: 12,000 points

Divine relic. Can be infused with divinity to achieve certain effects.

>Weather Manipulation: 5,000-
Changes the weather in a radius of a number of kilometers equal to your incarnation level to snow, rain, sun, or wind, whichever you choose

>Sky’s Wrath: 10,000-
Creates a tornado at a location of your choosing within a radius of a number of kilometers equal to double your incarnation level
>>
>>5997556
My wishlist:

> Lending Ring
Lend out Many Faces to Philotes and put her in charge of our stream. Easy, continuous cult growth, and she can befriend our pack of incels to farm her own influence too.

> Cloak of the Pegasus
Flight bitches! What else to say?

> Lenses of Theia
Honestly, might be more important for someone else to NOT have them given our use of stealth.

Runner ups...
> Nemesis’s Protection
It's armor, it keeps us alive. More alive is a good thing.
> Judgement of Tiresias
Something tells me we could buy true loyalty with Deer using this, and probably many a mortal soul as well.

Strategy: I'm thinking we come in at double each item's initial price to start to try and push off competition, then chip away from there, but clever math anons can probably optimize a better strategy.
>>
>>5997556
>1) Rare Relic (Ring)- Lending Ring
>4) Rare Relic (Cloak)- Cloak of the Pegasus
>6) Rare Armor- Nemesis’s Protection
>9) Super Rare Relic (Glasses): Lenses of Theia

hmm... not sure how this odds function goes, I assume that it is that equation N to 1. As N rises the chance of the bid being resolved rises
so P(N) = N/(N+1), or for a N=1 is 1/2 is 50%
If so, then simply by how combounding odds work, we ought to get in at the starting bid.
If we start at starting bid it'll be 0.85 to 1 -> 0.85/1.85=45.9% resolve chance, (or a 54.1% continue chance)
but let's be generous and say it starts at 50% and stays there,
so imagine coinflips and as soon as one turns up head the whole thing is over.

>>5997587
We want as many coinflips at as low of a price to happen for it to be over. So go in at the starting bid. and just bide our time for 4 individual bids
>>
>>5997824

Sorry for the ambiguity, the equation is more like

P= 0.1 + 0.75(A/B) where A is the current bid and B is the starting bid. In other words, if you bid an amount such that A=B, the odds of an opponent bidding are 85% and, as A approaches infinity, the probability approaches 10% rather than zero

I was considering adding sunk cost fallacy (as in more rounds of bidding increase the probability), but decided it wasn't worth it
>>
>>5997824

I am the confusion.

> current bid/starting bid * 0.75 +0.1)

So let's plug some numbers for the Lending Ring at minimum bid and double bid.

900/800 * .75 +.1 = 60%
1000/800 *.75+.1=103%
1600/800 * .75 +.1= 160%

Is this the odds of us getting the item at a given bid? Or the odds of not getting another bid?
>>
>>5997838
25% increased bid for a 100% chance of... something?
>>
>>5997835

Goddammit, got it upside down again. Divide starting bid by current bid. How on god's green earth did I pass stats. You guys get the idea
>>
>>5997844
To the maths!

800/900 * .75 +.1 = 77%
800/1100 * .75 +.1 = 65%
800/1300 * .75 +.1 = 56%
800/1600 *.75+.1= 47%

Probably important to remember we don't get every step between two numbers, some jackass could skip straight to doubling up after our initial 100 bet, or even worse. But it does feel like we want as many dice rolls as possible, unless NPCs like to jump by thousands.
>>
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8 KB
8 KB PNG
>>5997835
>>5997844
ok, but my conclusion remains the same
we want the auction for one lot to end asap, and with each bid we get a chance to end, say 85% and 75% for the first two, then the total chance for the bid to end was already 63.75%

assuming start at starting bid and each back and forth bid increases the price by 20% (although we should only ever add the minimum amount to the bid)
number of bids with price estimation
1st bid: 85.0% (total chance: 85.0%, price: 100.0%)
2nd bid: 72.5% (total chance: 61.6%, price: 120.0%)
3rd bid: 62.1% (total chance: 38.3%, price: 144.0%)
4th bid: 53.4% (total chance: 20.4%, price: 172.8%)
5th bid: 46.2% (total chance: 9.43%, price: 207.4%)
6th bid: 40.1% (total chance: 3.79%, price: 248.8%)
>>
>>5997885
Yeah, I agree with your approach. NPCs don't get 'invested' like a real person might, so its best to give them as many chances to quit as possible.
>>
>>5997556
>Cloak of the Pegasus
I've been on flight since we killed Rosa
>Lending Ring
to outsource cyber siren
>Judgement of Tiresias
souls for a sip of the magic HRT
or just anyone who wants to give the opposite sex a test drive for a day for money.
I don't think Iyawa is strictly trans, but we haven't asked them. maybe in denial themselves arguing the transformation to be "pragmatic"
>Lenses of Theia
level 14 perception authority, yes please

>>5997587
philotes has a shapeshifting ability already, and she'll get her own stream.
we can make more subordinates.
we can find a mortal who would sell their soul for a shapeshifting ability, easy. we just have to filter for personality for someone who can emulate cyber siren as we set her up.
>>
>>5997557
>pegasus cloak 3000
>fortunes favor 6000
>>
Rolled 61, 74, 62, 71, 11, 32 = 311 (6d100)

After tabulating the votes, it seems like the only items with a majority vote are the Lending Ring, Cloak of the Pegasus, and Lenses of Theia. Rolling 6d100, assuming a starting bid. First three for the of odds of a person bidding (must be higher than the probability number to NOT bid) and the latter 3 are for percentage of the starting bid raised (rounded to the nearest 100)
>>
>>5998367

Lending Ring: New bid, 1,400

Would you like to continue bidding? The minimum bid to raise is 1,500.
>Yes
>No

Cloak of the Pegasus. New bid: 2,800

Would you like to continue bidding? The minimum bid is 2,900
>Yes
>No

Lenses of Theia: New bid, 11,200

Would you like to continue bidding? The new minimum bid is 11,300

>Yes
>No
>>
>>5998367
I also don't mind the Judgement of Tiresias

>>5998370
>Yes
>Yes
>Yes
>>
>>5998370
> Yes
> Yes
> Yes
>>
>>5998370
https://youtube.com/watch?v=SeGw5QyX8Qo
>>
Rolled 35, 72, 89, 83, 50, 100, 44, 88 = 561 (8d100)

>>5998409
>>5998409
>>5998424
>>5998446

Rolling, tossing in Judgement of Tireseas at the starting bid
>>
>>5998463

Lenses of Theia resolved at 11,300! Calculations will be performed after the first round of items are sold.

Lending Ring: New bid, 1,800

Would you like to continue bidding? The minimum bid to raise is 1,900.
>Yes
>No

Cloak of the Pegasus. New bid: 5,300

Would you like to continue bidding? The minimum bid is 5,400
>Yes
>No

Judgement of Tiresias: New bid, 1,900

Would you like to continue bidding? The new minimum bid is 2,000

>Yes
>No
>>
>>5998467

Also, if you want to expedite the process, you can declare a "Maximum Bid" for any given item and I'll use it as a cap to automate the process
>>
>>5998467
>> Yes
>> Yes
>> Yes

I'm not really concerned with cap rn
>>
>>5998467
>>> Yes
>>> Yes
>>> Yes
5k, 10k, 4k
>>
Rolled 77, 73, 52, 65, 34, 57 = 358 (6d100)

>>5998474
>>5998482
>>
>>5998484

All sold!

Total cost of items: 20,600

Points remaining: 38,781

Due to the expenditure, some of the items are no longer able to be purchased

>1) Legendary Gauntlet: Claws of Cerberus: 16,000

More effective against incarnations. Increases all of the physical capabilities of the wearer proportional to incarnation level.

<Active Ability: Guard Dog’s Howl> Temporarily increases the effective level of all combat authorities related to the use of the <Claws of Cerberus> by a number equal to the number of days spent in a designated 10m circle, with a maximum increase equal to your incarnation level. Consumes 10 divinity per second.

>2) Legendary Relic: Orb of Morpheus: 18,500

Allows you and any number of willing targets to enter a collective dream which you are able to freely control. During the dream, you may manipulate time such that every second lasts for a number of hours equal to your incarnation level. Individuals in the dream will be able to leave at any time they wish

>3) Legendary Spear: Astrape’s Might: 23,900

Radiates an aura of lightning that can penetrate the defenses of incarnations. Increases your speed proportional to your incarnation level.

<Active Ability: Heavenly Judgement> Summons a series of lightning bolts imbued with divinity at an effective level of 6+your incarnation level. Consumes 30 divinity per use, multiplied by your incarnation level.

>4) Mythic Shield: Walls of Troy: 30,100

Capable of blocking divinity based or elemental attacks, provided that you can put the shield between the attack and yourself.

<Active Ability: Impenetrable>: Can be invoked before receiving any attack, negating all damage for 5 seconds so long as you have enough divinity to bear the cost. Consumes divinity proportional to the power of the attack. Can be used 1 time per hour.

>5) Mythic Relic: Gown of Eris: 34,000

Provides protection from law-aligned attacks. The appearance of this relic can be freely manipulated to resemble any other article of clothing. May be imbued with divinity to accomplish certain effects

>Crash the Party: 1,000
Allows you to appear at any location once per day so long as it lacks any divine protection status, so long as you know that a person of whose name you are aware resides there. Using this ability with incorrect information will result in its use being sealed for 10 days

>Toss the Apple: 5,000
Creates an illusory golden apple that all individuals in eye shot will be compelled to pursue

>Mother of Chaos: 10,000
Increases the effective level of all mind altering authorities, titles, or miracles related to a <Primary Myth> associated with chaos or discord by your incarnation level for 1 hour
>>
>>5998514
>all combat authorities related to the use of the <Claws of Cerberus>
what counts as "related to"?
weapon training claws, titanic strength, supernatural speed, battle acuity, ...?
>>
>>5998537

All of the above- it only wouldn't include things like, for example, <Weapon Training: Spear> or <Flow of the Phlegethon>
>>
>>5998539
and, say, if we do most of our work sitting in a hotel room, controlling a proxy Palladium, we wouldn't have "left the room", right?

>1) Claws of Cerberus: 16,000
>all in
>>
>>5998514
>Claws of Cerberus
if that won't work out, try
>Gown of Eris
but I don't like divinity storing items that need to be preloaded
>>
>>5998601
+1
>>
>>5998553
changing/extending my vote to this >>5998601

I think our only chance of getting the gown is if few other people want it...
it specifically names miracles
If we make a touch/whispers miracle and instantly increase it 10 levels with this gown, we'd go nuclear
>>
Rolled 38, 19 = 57 (2d100)

>>5998553
>>5998601
>>5998606

Rolling it
>>
>>5998611

New bid: 19,000

Would you like to continue bidding? The minimum bid to raise is 1,900.
>Yes
>No
>>
>>5998612

Minimum bid to raise is in fact 19,100, not 1,900
>>
>>5998612
>>Yes
>>
>>5998514
> Mythic Relic: Gown of Eris
All in.

Good lord level 20 Whispers. We could record it, then just throw up an anonymous video on the internet that brings down society. We probably won't be able to afford it, but fuuuuck I want. I want to cash out Life Insurance and use that to get it. I mean fuck, +10 to our core powers.
>>
>>5998612
> Yes, like it's the god damn golden apple itself
>>
>>5998618
Guys that's mother of chaos.... not the gown. Idk why you're all confused...
>>
>>5998646
Mother of Chaos is one of the three abilities that gown of Eris can cause when it's filled with enough divinity
>>
>>5998514
holy fuck that gown
we should have saved!

bid on the gown
>>
Rolled 3, 10 = 13 (2d100)

>>5998614
>>5998623

Rolling
>>
>>5998712

New bid: 20,700.

Would you like to continue bidding? The minimum bid to raise is 1,900.
>Yes
>No

Also, it technically shouldn't be possible you to sell between auction votes, but I'll allow it
>>
>>5998714

>The minimum bid to raise is 20,800

I hate this website
>>
>>5998714
>Yes
>>
>>5998714
> No
I say we let it go and take a shot at getting mom's dress. Would we even be able to use this and our Gloves of Ruin at the same time?

> Sell Dysnomia’s Crown and Riptide for a few extra points.
I don't think we'd get much use out of them

> Sell Phylonoe’s Mercy
It's a powerful item, but I'd rather have the dress.
>>
>>5998725

>Would we even be able to use this and our Gloves of Ruin at the same time?

You could wear a different glove on each hand, but the effects wouldn't stack.
>>
>>5998728
Somewhere Hecatoncheires is collecting all the gloves and bracers ever.
>>
>>5998714
>No
>>
While we wait on a tiebreaker, I am once again taking suggestions for next thread's OP image
>>
>>5998714
>>No
nah
>>
>>5998721
>>5998725
>>5998780
>>5998788

>No

Would you like to bid on anything else?

All of the starting bid prices can be found here
>>5998514

>Yes (specify)
>No
>>
>>5998801
> Gown of Eris

> Sell Dysnomia’s Crown and Riptide for a few extra points.
I don't think we'd get much use out of them
>>
>>5998801
>Yes
Gown
Backing the selling in >>5998826 too, sell the dud sword as well if possible
>>
Rolled 87, 63 = 150 (2d100)

>>5998826
>>5998874

The auction does not accept duds

Sales:
Dysnomia’s Crown: 3,400
Riptide: 2- 3,100 points

Gain from sales: 6,500
Points: 38,781-> 45,281

Rolling for bidders (starting bid: 34,000)
>>
>>5998896

Lucky! Nobody attempts to outbid you!

Points: 45,281-> 11,281

Having purchased all of the items you wanted, you move to the distribution room where they give the items to the winners after each transaction. You happily place the items into your inventory, satisfied with your expenditures.

You walk to the hotel lobby and gaze out the window- the sun has already dipped below the horizon, the only trace of its existence being the dim saffron glow of early dusk. Evening though it may be, the night is still young. What should you do?

>Stake out the outside of the auction hall for any potential prey
>Float around the areas with high activity and focus on gaining the names and myths of lower level incarnations
>Try out some of your new gear
>Leave the auction hall- you’ve already spent most of your points, after all
>Write-in
>>
>>5998904
based
BASED
>Write-in
Ask what happens to left over points - they carry over to next month, and so on, we keep the mask, etc? In case we want to leave.

>Try out some of your new gear
Eris gown seems too expensive to play around with, but the Pegasus Cloak in particular seems like it could benefit from practice.
>>
>>5998904
>Float around the areas with high activity and focus on gaining the names and myths of lower level incarnations
>Try out some of your new gear

Literally float around if the ceilings are high enough. And pop on our new glasses to see who we weren't seeing before.

We must have lucked out that no one else present was a chaos spawn, of course we do know most of them. On the other hand we basically outted ourselves as chaos spawn so uh... yeah.

> Ask about discrete departures, we did just buy a lot of valuable merch
Don't care for being jumped on the way out.
>>
>>5999030
If we have to focus on just the one thing let's focus on
>Try out some of your new gear
Best to know our tools.
>>
>>5999009
>>5999030
>>5999049

>Leftover points?

Any points that aren’t spent in one auction are able to be used in the next- for as long as the Heart beats, anyway

>Try out some new gear

Under the cover of <Stealth> and <Guerilla Tactics> you make your way out of the auction hall, equipping your new items. The <Lenses> seem to adhere to your face, even with the mask, and their visibility can also be freely manipulated via your stealth authorities. The cloak, a knee-length white garment mantled with pristine white feathers, settles naturally upon your shoulders.

You turn your eyes towards the dimming sky and, for the first time ever, take flight.

You experience a feeling of weightlessness which you never felt even when being flown around by other fliers. The motions of flight feel natural, and the complete freedom of movement is borderline euphoric. You cast your gaze downwards, a sense of vertigo pricking at your chest before being consumed by a feeling of actualization.

You are a god.

The people below, seem so tiny, bumbling through their silly little lives like ants ferrying crumbs from beneath the table of a human feast. You return to yourself- this isn’t the time for revelry: you have things to test.

You practice fine maneuvering- it’s doable at near human speeds, but once you approach triple digit mile per hour speeds, it becomes difficult. Traveling at full speed, it’s obvious that your divinity shields you from the brunt of the consequences of high velocity flight.

Your last test is <Supernatural Speed>. You honestly don’t expect it to work, seeing as the movement is born from an item and not yourself but, to you’re surprised. In fact, the multiplicative nature of the increase stops you as you lurch forward, feeling the effects of the speed much more than before, as you lurch to a panicked stop just before breaking the sound barrier.

You also decide to put on the dress- unlike many items, ones with shapes that can be freely manipulated can generally only be destroyed if completely obliterated, so you feel safe to put it on.

>Optional write-in, what does the dress look like?

You decide not to focus too much on testing it for now, though you do make sure to channel any excess divinity into it.

You still have some time left before the night ends. What should you do?

>Stake out the outside of the auction hall for any potential prey
>Float around the areas with high activity and focus on gaining the names and myths of lower level incarnations
>Talk with someone (Specify)
>Leave the auction hall- you’ve already spent most of your points, after all
>Write-in
>>
>>5999151
>Your last test is <Supernatural Speed>. You honestly don’t expect it to work, seeing as the movement is born from an item and not yourself but, to you’re surprised. In fact, the multiplicative nature of the increase stops you as you lurch forward, feeling the effects of the speed much more than before, as you lurch to a panicked stop just before breaking the sound barrier.

This paragraph is really messed up- I think I accidentally undid some proofreading stuff. It should read:

Your last test is <Supernatural Speed>. You honestly don’t expect it to work, seeing as the movement is born from an item and not yourself but, you’re surprised. In fact, the multiplicative nature of the increase shocks you as you lurch forward, feeling the effects of the speed much more than before, as you lurch to a panicked stop just before breaking the sound barrier.
>>
>>5999151
>>Stake out the outside of the auction hall for any potential prey
continue to have manticore stay watch
>>Float around the areas with high activity and focus on gaining the names and myths of lower level incarnations
>ask povondra how his meeting went
>>
>>5999207
+1
>>
>>5999151
I bet with Battle Acuity we could really take advantage of that flight speed. I'm glad Atë has more self control than me, the temptation to just let out a Spectre Wail at high altitude would be immense.

So...dresses. any thoughts on color? My mind naturally drifts to red of course but there's something to be said for not being obvious.

>>5999207
+1
>>
>>5999284
>>
>>5999286
>>
>>5999288
>>
>>5999290
>>
>>5999286
I think I like this one myself. Bloodstained suits Atë.
>>
>>5999151
Oh man fantastic
I told you guys flight would be OP
We can break the sound barrier
Gotta try that out, maybe when the auction is over

>Float around the areas with high activity and focus on gaining the names and myths of lower level incarnations

>>5999291
Backing this dress appearance but in gold rather than red
>>
>>5999330

> Wear Eris's Gown
> Color it her divinity
What could go wrong mimicking a goddess of spite and jealousy?
>>
>>5999291
>meme dress
it's not important, it can be freely changed

>>5999376
an excuse to convince the rest of the pantheon to get rid of her
>>
>>5999330
>>5999376
>>5999378
Why not red AND gold? Make the gold minor and the red major
>>
>>5999376
We're planning to subjugate her and take over the pantheon already anyway, and it's not like we have to wear it in front of her.

Plus she's not Eris, she just possesses the myth. She's a human under that.
>>
File: not today.jpg (109 KB, 800x800)
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Wait, where's my post? I swear I had a huge thing typed up this morning. But now I'm too lazy to write it again.
Basically I am quite glad the auction on the claws failed yesterday after I went to sleep, and reiterated the plan to ruin another streamer girl, complete with a now nuclear whispers
- get a rival streamer girl to make a sex tape
- spread the rumor with pheme for drama channels
- leak it
- make a countdown thing for her to address it
- during the stream nuclear whispers command everyone to spread it around, like everyone "needs to hear this"
- then a command with not wanting to live in this world and follow me into death and go kill yourselves for me
- have her first attempt fail, only to let out an (silent) scream which we dub over with death whistle, and then go for real
we can get quite high viewership...
I wonder how much influence is 30k deaths according to our primary directive and death whistle brings
>>
and the vote portion is of course missing too

>>5999151
>>5999207
support, plus
>Command a Palladium to do also note down the names and myths of lower level incarnations at a different location
>>
>>5999404
Should be good practice at using multiple bodies at once. We need to train our way up to handle four, and probably more as we grow more powerful.

>>5999390
I'm a little tempted to record an anonymous song pumped full of our current power level of Whispers just to get a baseline idea of what it's capable of. There's a real possibility that we can go viral on command with music/songs made with our magic harp, given our power level. If those songs encourage people to murder their boss...well...
>>
>>5999413
we just need to get around to doing more personal projects, right now we're chasing all these "plot hooks" by the QM

next order of business after the auction should be to find Alastor, subjugate him too and then faustian bargain as many humans in Slavíček's and Povondra's mafia as possible for that passive income.
At the same time get Brigitta set up with miracle of healing and start helping people and streaming.
The mafia should have their IT experts to keep her IP safe too (the same setup we'll want for a fake cyber_siren eventually)
Only then do I want to continue the main quest and go to Israel
>>
>>5999473
Heh, even the auction and our crime boss acquisitions are all just a side quest too. If we consider the main quest as things the QM initiated on us that's really just Eris, Lethe, and Kronos. Even Israel is something we initiated by asking Kronos for work.

But yeah, I'd like a chance to chase minor projects.
>>
>>5999390
still kino

>>5999473
I actually want to get to level 12 before trying to take on heads of state maybe then follys grasp has grown to give less mental strain
also 100k influence to level up our arsenal to 8 each and do some more pithosmaxxing, but don't spend more influence right now
>>
>>5999530

Personally I'd like to build out a couple more miracles before leveling more. Our skills can't go past ten, so taking some time to level up our abilities and tools seems prudent where we are.
>>
>>5999530
>level 12
>102400 influence
think 30k death could swing that?

>>5999561
miracles are expensive, and if we keep using the influence, we will continue to delay leveling up.
but it wouldn't quite matter if we'd had a way to get a shitton of influence in one fell swoop...
>>
>>5999561
Is that not the goal? To Miracle fuse all the core authorities plus shit we always use together so we have space for more autorities to plunder again. Eventually Ate will only have "one" "authority" which is her entire repertoire in one thing constantly growing
>>
>>5999580
it will also trigger people actively looking for us because god's will know we're a huge threat afterwards

>>5999585
Noth how miracles work, dude
>>
>>5999585
if we miracle together authorities they don't disappear. to the contrary. if we were to lose the authority, the miracle would disappear.
and you can't miracle together two miracles... I think
>>
>>5999390
>>5999413
Rather than commands that deplete our viewerbase like kill yourselves/people around you, I'd prefer to just accumulate as many viewers as possible, with commands like "watch/listen to my content and get others to do the same"

30K all at once is great, but if we get millions of followers we could be getting 30K every day passively.
>>
>>5999404
Remember, while performing autonomous actions, the Palladium is incapable of reading or writing

>>5999284
Solid dress inspiration! These will be helpful for the OP image (assuming I do what I have in mind right now)

>>5999207
>>5999254
>>5999330

>ask Povondra how his meeting went

You call Povondra to you and, still wearing his mask as Vermillion Spider, he arrives. You ask him how his meeting went, and he tells you that he managed to broker an agreement- his men will from this point forward be able to operate and sell in Switzerland

You notice that there is no joy in his voice as he communicates it, contrary to Josef’s seeming excitement at the prospect. The slight anguish on his face could only be described as guilt.

>Stake out the outside of the auction hall for any potential prey
>Float around the areas with high activity and focus on gaining the names and myths of lower level incarnations

You decide that it’s a good time to practice manipulating multiple bodies at once. You split your consciousness between yourself and the Manticore. It’s more difficult to use his authorities than yours, kind of like driving somebody else’s car, but you’re eventually able to acclimate.

Meanwhile, your real body hovers above the lobby using your new cloak. Wearing the <Lenses>, you notice a few hidden incarnations you couldn’t see before, skulking through the halls under the cover of stealth authorities. As you watch, you lock eyes with Crimson Dove, who is seemingly able to see through your divine obfuscations. Her face is hidden, but you can feel her smirk.

Over the course of the night, you write down 26 names. Almost all of them are either plural myths like Dryads or Nymphs, or minor monsters or deities you've never heard of. The only non-plural name you recognize is the Minotaur.

Just before you were about to leave, the Manticore sees an incarnation walk out the door. Based on the Manticore’s instincts, the incarnation seems to be about as dangerous as you are. What should you do?

>Leave the auction
>Chat with someone (specify who)
>Go after the other incarnation
>Write-in
>>
>>5999611
we wouldn't kill our viewerbase but the one of the streamer girl we ruin.
sure, there'd probably be overlap, but we can stream at the same time tell ours viewers to not watch this drama, because the whole thing is just a stunt for attention. So our watchers would not kill themselves.

And increasing our own viewerbase is also still very much something we should do. For 10k divinity, we get an hour of supercharged whispers. In that time we should record as many short form clips for shit like tiktok and youtube shorts. As well as background music for our fake cyber_siren to run in the background of.

>>5999596
you're right, we need to be smart about it.
neither the making of the sextape, the spread of the rumors, the spread of the tape nor the final act should lead back to us (or pheme)
This should probably be a larger project where we cover all eventualities that we can think of. Probably not something we can pull off in a short timeframe before Crimson Dove would get impatient to move on with Israel.
>>
>>5999627
>>Go after the other incarnation
follow inconspicuously with main body
>>
>>5999627
>Go after the other incarnation
on one hand I want to be cautious, on the other we are planning to go after heads of state soon, so we should not be too scared of an even fight...
on the other other hand
>call pallas after us
>>
>>5999627
>Go after the other incarnation
Conjure a Palladium or 5 as backup in case things get violent
I hope we gave Crimson Dove a little wave back
That also reminds me, we ever spot our good friend Tangerine Owl again?


>>5999629
>For 10k divinity, we get an hour of supercharged whispers. In that time we should record as many short form clips for shit like tiktok and youtube shorts. As well as background music for our fake cyber_siren to run in the background of.
Yes perfect. Stagger the release of them too, one per day or something.
>>
>>5999627
>Leave the auction
Eh, I think this is a bad move. As strong as us is a frightening and powerful opponent, and one we know nothing about. And Palladium is super strong, but it burns 10 divinity a second, plus whatever abilities it uses. We can probably only use it for a handful of seconds at critical moments.


Buuur since we're doing this make sure to get Deer in close by for backup.
>>
>>5999635
>>5999638
>>5999643
>>5999654

>Go after the other incarnation

You compel Pallas to follow after you, using his own stealth authorities to stay hidden as the two of you tail the other incarnation, a European man with an average height, decently muscular build, and what looks like a steampunk inspired outfit with an ornately decorated, slightly ridiculous black top hat, a gothic-style waistcoat, high leather boots, and a shimmering bronze mask seemingly styled after some sort of lizard.

He taps his boots on the street cobbles, causing a roaring turquoise flame to explode out from the heels as he launches into the air. You hastily pick up deer, flying after him in an attempt to keep up.

Eventually, he lands in front of a small, well lit building on the lower level of a larger complex. He opens the door, the trademark jingle of a bell ringing as he enters the establishment. In your current form you can read the German lettering of the sign- it seems like a schnitzel shop.

He walks up to the counter, chatting with the man working there. Based on his non-reaction to the incarnation’s attire, he seems to be a regular. Did he really risk putting a target on his back in a hornet’s nest of murder-happy godlings for schnitzel?

You find yourself staring through the window, slightly dumbfounded by the situation.

What should you do?
>Go back
>Use an authority
>Have Deer attack
>Causally enter the shop
>Write-in
>>
>>5999706
Do we get sandwiches for the minions?
>>
>>5999706
>Use an authority
Assess Harmatia
Infogathering max
Shopkeep is mortal right?
>>
>>5999706
>Tell Pallas to wait hidden outside
>Transform to inconspicuous clothing and give it some discretion time
>Causally enter the shop
>Assess Harmatia the people around, not the known strong god
more when the situation changes
>>
>>5999706

> Use Cackle/Whisper on a random mortal
"I will kill you unless you run into that shop and hug that man"
> Trigger touch of madness off the mortal onto the target
> Observe
>>
>>5999781
Also HE HAS ROCKET BOOTS AND MUST DIE
>>5999717
And yes, of course, we aren't a monster.
>>
>>5999717
>>5999718
>>5999737
>>5999781

>Use an authority (Assess Hamartia)
>Causally enter the shop

You assume the appearance of a local you passed by- specifically, an elderly woman. You reduce her age to something more to your tastes, change your conspicuous ball gown and mask out for casual modern clothes, and enter the shop.

The incarnation turns his head to look at you, his goggles clumsily falling off of his hat and onto his face.

Aside from the incarnation, the only other people in the building are the shopkeep and a middle aged man in a business suit sipping on a beer. You <Assess Hamartia> for both, and find nothing out of the ordinary, aside from the fact that the suited man seems to be leering at you a bit.

You shrug off his gaze and waltz up to the bar, ordering a wienerschnitzel platter for here and 4 chicken schnitzel sandwiches to go. You take a seat next to the incarnation as the shopkeep hollers your order back to the cook.

You sigh, sipping on the complementary water- you always did enjoy the vibe of empty restaurants late at night. You turn your attention back to your target.

How do you want to go about this?

>Ask him what the deal is with his getup
>Use an authority
>Reveal yourself as an incarnation
>Write-in
>>
>>5999825
>Ask what the deal is with his getup
Does he not have information gathering authorities or did he just not bother?

I’m suddenly interested in his life
>>
>>5999855
+1
>>
>>5999855
+1

Sure, why not. Goggles might pierce illusions, but he might be some dorky inventor god. Could be useful.
>>
>>5999958
Daedalus maybe? Father of Icarus.
>>
>>5999825
>Ask him what the deal is with his getup
>"is there some gathering where they like to dress up like characters from movies?"
though depends on how far we are from the hotel
I definitely want to employ a crafter so I want to approach this peacefully
>>
>>5999825
>>Ask him what the deal is with his getup
make smalltalk before
>Reveal yourself as an incarnation
if he's a level 10 divine engineer, he could have, say goggles that conveniently fell on his face that give him some higher perception, like our lenses give us level 14 perception
at best admit to it before he can point it out

it seems Povondra's spirit is broken, he might not be as useful as he could have been. Subjugation through torture, fear and threats of death might not be the best route to take.
>>
>>6000155
changing to include >>6000273
both are good observations

>this guy
We shouldn't take people for fools, if we already know them to be strong.
besides the steampunk getup nothing really suggests him to be an inventor though
if he asked why we followed him we say that only strong incarnations would be confident enough to leave, and those are the only ones worth our time, really

>Povondra's spirit is broken
one part of the problem with faustian bargains in return for not killing people... doesn't allow us to kill them once they outlive their usefulness, or simply decide to give up.
Keep tabs on his behavior, and maybe get a Lethe to extract the bad memories
>>
>>6000434
> maybe get a Lethe to extract the bad memories
Atë: Whoops, took all the good ones instead.
>>
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>>6000440
You want to keep the memories of your children, right? there goes Dave's high school graduation.
>>
>>6000447
I wonder if we could pull off a private meetup of our fans where we abduct them all into a divine realm where they do nothing but worship us for all eternity. Hell, if we get a critical mass of cultists in the divine realm we could just abduct randoms and they'd indoctrinate from Stockholm's.
>>
>>6000457
I don't think that's even necessary. Divine Realm might not be big enough to have many people live there, plus it'd need food to be grown, and tons of other labor.
just meetups, collect souls and order them to worship on the idol stream daily.
>>
>>5999855
>>5999886
>>5999958
>>6000155
>>6000273
>>6000434

>Ask him what the deal is with his getup
>Reveal yourself as an incarnation

“So,” you say, angling your chair towards the man, “What’s the deal with the outfit?”

“Like it? I made it myself,” he replies, straightening his hat, “I just came back from a sort of convention where I sell the things I make. You can think of this as… a walking advertisement.”

You recall an acquaintance from highschool who was super into cosplay “Interesting. Is that real leather? If it’s synthetic, it’s super realistic- and is that hat handmade? It looks artisan”

“Oh, yes, the leather is all real. So’s the gold on the buttons.”

You whistle- if he wasn’t at a multimillion dollar incarnation auction, the price and craftsmanship of his outfit would be genuinely impressive.

You decide to get down to brass tacks, “I don’t remember seeing you bid for anything at the auction.”

He smirks, “I knew it! That trick you do with your divinity is pretty impressive,” he says, probably referring to your <Guerilla Tactics>, “but you really ought to pay more attention to emotional fluctuations.”

You tilt your head in confusion and he adjusts his goggles before continuing, “Your soul, the essence of yourself, is fundamentally alive and constantly moves. Generally, when people exert effort or feel strong emotions, their divinity tends to surge a bit- you walked into a schnitzel shop and saw a guy dressed like this,” he gestures to himself, “and it didn’t even wiggle.”

As you suspected, his goggles really did have some sort of detection ability- most likely a much more potent version of Brigita’s opera glasses

“So,” he asks, sipping on a comically large beer stein, “What brings you here?”

“I’ve been looking for associates,” you explain, “And only people strong enough to be worth my time would have the balls to leave the auction hall like that.”

“Makes sense, I guess. So, what exactly are you proposing- ah, shit.” he spills a bit of beer on himself, putting the mug down as he pulls a handkerchief from his chest pocket.

>Offer epithets
>Offer authorities
>Offer connections
>Make threats
>Write-in
>>
>>6000526
>Offer authorities
>Offer connections
We've got authorities to spare, and we're the proud owner of a growing crime network.

>>6000273
>it seems Povondra's spirit is broken, he might not be as useful as he could have been. Subjugation through torture, fear and threats of death might not be the best route to take.
Annoying. If it persists we'll have to give him nice things, and remind him that his family remains untortured due to his hard work. Possibly start using illusions to set ourself up as a savior for future deals like we did with deer to keep motivation up. Touch should be high on our leveling priority.
>>
>>6000526

>Ask what he's looking for. We have no shortage of authorities and epithets, or even connections, but we can also provide discreet violence, kidnapping, brainwashing and other darker arts.
> Show him glimpses of one of our pretty faces, and flirt shamelessly that we need the talents of a master craftsman.
>>
>>6000526
>Tell the businessman that staring's impolite and that he can leave now.

first, easy, make sure he's an inventor
>Ask him about his stuff and if he enchanted the stuff himself because we are looking for a master craftsman.
He doesn't have to reveal what each item does.
>Flirt a little bit, but not shamelessly.
He's a dork. It would be more likely that we make him uncomfortable. Instead, show real interest in his work (which we are truly interested in).
Seemlessly transition into asking what he needs for his work, because we have...
>offer connections
>>We have access to mortal money
>>We have people that can get us easy nectar
>offer epithets
>>We have in the order of magnitude more epithets around than we know what to do with immediately and are wondering what would happen if an epithet holder is used as an enchanting ingredient.

would be good to hear what kind of work he has already done before, just to tease out if he is already part of some organization or pantheon, or has returning customers
>>
>>6000526
>you walked into a schnitzel shop and saw a guy dressed like this,” he gestures to himself, “and it didn’t even wiggle.”
I mean, it's not like weirdos in steampunk are uncommon in Europe. Big market for people like that. To say nothing of all the other true freaks out there who are even weirder and actively parade themselves instead of just existing. I guess if we weren't pretending to be a granny it'd be less of a tell that we didn't react. He's still a bit silly.
>>
>>6000581
There's a valuable lesson there though, that we need to be aware of and manage our divinity to really sell the disguise.
>>
>>6000581
it reinforces my desire for a thousand faces+guerilla tactics miracle
maybe thousand faces will get there alone though

but speaking of GT
@QM
can you update it to level 9 on the character sheet?
and maybe change the formatting on rentry for Gown of Eris, Specter's Wail, Phylonoe’s Mercy, Athena’s Tears
they all have subheadings that are displayed as were these effects on the same level as the relic or authority they belong to
>>
>>6000526
>>6000568
+1 support.

I don't really mind what else happens, I just think that threatening this guy in any way is a REALLY BAD IDEA. It's just a hunch but we can't afford to be making enemies everywhere, and this guy seems a lot more canny then he lets on.
>>
>>6000526
>>6000568
+1
sure would work



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