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Brian Moser
Mar 11, 2012
Voting for A. No mo' beatins, I'm up for dat.

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Walrusmaster
Sep 21, 2009

quote:

Your own countrymen are screaming now and your father cuts the edge of his palm with his giant shark tooth and begins to chant, you feel the wind begin to blow...

I like the idea of getting out of here, but it appears dad might have a few tricks up his sleeve. We might want to wait to see if the strangers better tech wins over dad's apparent occult power.

ConfusedPig
Mar 27, 2013


G. Ask Jalitha why did she say that we are cannibals. Changed vote.

ConfusedPig fucked around with this message at 17:30 on May 27, 2013

Hot Dog Day 80
Jun 23, 2003

Walrusmaster posted:

I like the idea of getting out of here, but it appears dad might have a few tricks up his sleeve. We might want to wait to see if the strangers better tech wins over dad's apparent occult power.

El might also intervene on our behalf!

Pochoclo
Feb 4, 2008

No...
Clapping Larry
Okay, so either:

- Our people's coming of age ritual involves cannibalism
or
- Jalitha is lying

But Asherah's creation myth includes "Asherah is loving hungry", and I don't know why she would lie, it would make no sense unless she was an evil caricature.

So, whatever. We have too little information. For now, gently caress dad, he's an rear end in a top hat, we gave him a chance.

OPTION A. While screaming "Jalitha! Can we save Jorah too?"

Because I get the gut feeling that Jorah's anger with our father was over the whole cannibalism issue. He seems like a chill non-cannibal dude. And if we're wrong, well, Jalitha would know, she's been living with him.

Also, I think this choice is a stealth reset. It will reset us back into the "A" big city choice (Baitel). I think the game was kinda meant for us to follow that setting after all, and Diog is giving us the chance to go back or something.

Zybourne Clock
Oct 25, 2011

Poke me.
Asherah eats his own children, and some of the people who undergo the solstice ritual never make it back. I feel stupid right now.

A. Let's not end up on the menu.

the_steve
Nov 9, 2005

We're always hiring!

D

As tempting as A and taking on some missionary work sounds, I imagine this path will lead to years of Jalitha and friends trying to convince us that our silly fishgod is nothing more than a magi and a pretender and otherwise not real.

And odds are, if Jalitha's people win this, our people are going to be captured and enslaved. We need to get them to safety.

spacetimecontinuu
Dec 31, 2004
A mix of A and hold the gate.

FoxTerrier
Feb 15, 2012

Perfectly logical poster who uses the tools available to him to come to solid conclusions

the_steve posted:

D

As tempting as A and taking on some missionary work sounds, I imagine this path will lead to years of Jalitha and friends trying to convince us that our silly fishgod is nothing more than a magi and a pretender and otherwise not real.

And odds are, if Jalitha's people win this, our people are going to be captured and enslaved. We need to get them to safety.

^^This.

D

Cowards! At least try to save your tribe!

Besides, how would Jalitha have ever seen the ritual or know what it contains? We only have her word that we're cannibals, and I don't trust her as far as I can throw her.

EDIT: To clarify: Why is it not possible for the cannibalisim to be metaphorical? With the sea 'eating' people who cannot complete a ritual task and end up drowning? There's zero reason to assume literal cannibalisim is happening.

FoxTerrier fucked around with this message at 16:18 on May 27, 2013

Paradox Personified
Mar 15, 2010

:sun: SoroScrew :sun:
So, we're horrible cannibals, eh?

We are what we are.

Lanky Coconut Tree
Apr 7, 2011

An angry tree.

The angriest tree

quote:

Jalith'a precise social status was fuzzy. Your people do not practice slavery insofar as slaves are not bought, sold, traded or taken for crimes, nor is their slavery for debts, your people not really engaging in commerce in any meaningful sense. Jalitha was found half drowned upon the shore a year before your birth. Your father claimed her as his possession in the name of Asherah, to help his newly pregnant wife keep his home clean. No one else in the village has her fuzzy status.

quote:

You spent some time with your mother. Your mother is as loving as she could manage to be, but is not as warm and affectionate as Jalitha, you still often sleep in your uncles home, though as you have gotten older, not in their bed.

quote:

She takes the stone knife and begins to cut your hair. You are not afraid. You know she would NEVER hurt you and oh boy, seaweed cakes! She starts to sing strange words as she cuts your hair, they don't sound like words anyone speaks but her song is very pretty.

Bolded parts very relevant. We have no other siblings, because our mother is barren. Jalitha is our mother. Bet you our mother miscarried and Dad was banging Jalitha instead. Hence the unhappiness in our mother's marriage to Dad.

We are also taller than other kids our age. We look different.

Jalitha has been accused of being a witch on numerous times. This song she sang seems to be a ritual, consecration or rite of manhood or something. She knew what a risk she took in doing this ritual, she knew that cutting our hair would not go unnoticed and that our father would likely beat her very severely, he beats her for praying to El after all. So why was it so important to her that she perform this ritual, if she's just our nurse maid? Savages mean nothing to her.

quote:

Twice a year your father and all the men of the village leave for a week. In the weeks leading up to this, all within the village seem on edge and fearful and the women of the village afraid. The women wait together at the edge of the village on the seventh night and sometimes one of the women lets out a great shriek when she sees her husband has not returned, the other women comfort her as best they can. You have asked your mother what happens to the men and where they go, she tells you that you will know when you are older and not to worry because your father will return. The oldest boys of the village go with them on these trips and return as young men. Sometimes everyone returns, sometimes, just one or two of the men, or even the boys, do not.

quote:

"All are consumed by Asherah. Those who please Asherah are reborn as great fish. Those who do not, lesser fish who they are consumed by his hunger."

Our father will return because he is the priest of Asherah. Asherah, who always hungers. Not a fair stretch to believe that those who do not return are cannibalized. Jalitha has lived for years here, she would have picked up knowledge of this rite of passage from the other women.

quote:

"Father" you say "I thought I heard a voice within the waters once tell me that a storm was coming. Was that Asherah?" Your father nods "It was, or one of his children. When was this? Did a storm follow?"



Asherah is a real god. Jalitha is our real mother. Picking a side is a bad idea.

I vote that we move in between both parties, but out of grabbing reach. Try and calm them down, hold our hands out and physically separate them if possible. Then, openly declare that we are STAYING HERE. Go up to Jalitha and whisper in her ear that "We will follow you when we are a man, stay safe mother". Then stay here.

Althair
Jul 26, 2006
words are weapons
G What is this violence? Why is everyone so upset? Can't we touch each other with words instead of spears?

Say to Jalitha: "Why are they fighting? Make them stop! We are a family. Why do we need rescuing?! I don't understand, Jalitha! Make it stop!"

Outrail
Jan 4, 2009

www.sapphicrobotica.com
:roboluv: :love: :roboluv:

A Darker Porpoise posted:

Jalitha is going to get the entirety of our people killed, if Dad and Asherah don't take care of this Asherah's people certainly will.

A STORM IS COMING

Our people are a bunch of backwards troglodytes led by an unstable shithead. The other guys seem pretty chill and have monsters that sprout clay urns full of poison and can drink poison and like it. Is there a contest here?

Edit: Did Jalitha wash up on a wave of water or jizz? If it was the later we can assume Asherah may have had a part.

Outrail fucked around with this message at 16:25 on May 27, 2013

Big Bug Hug
Nov 19, 2002
I'm with stupid*
Perhaps dad had a son before us who died and Asherah "provided" another son by washing up Jalitha, possibly already pregnant(was "a year" an estimate?), from the ocean?

I like Lanky Coconut Tree's plan. Can I vote for that?

Big Bug Hug fucked around with this message at 16:29 on May 27, 2013

Globofglob
Jan 14, 2008
B, not gonna let them kill everyone we've known for our entire life. I mean, gently caress, you guys want to abandon our people at the drop of a hat and let everyone we know just die, just because our dad beats us? What the hell is wrong with you guys?

Globofglob fucked around with this message at 16:33 on May 27, 2013

Canuck-Errant
Oct 28, 2003

MOOD: BURNING - MUSIC: DISCO INFERNO BY THE TRAMMPS
Grimey Drawer


Let's not get involved in the dispute, but at least get 'our' people to safety, alright?

Successful Businessmanga
Mar 28, 2010

Outrail posted:

Our people are a bunch of backwards troglodytes led by an unstable shithead. The other guys seem pretty chill and have monsters that sprout clay urns full of poison and can drink poison and like it. Is there a contest here?

Edit: Did Jalitha wash up on a wave of water or jizz? If it was the later we can assume Asherah may have had a part.

"Hey uncle Jorah, uncle Pagam, Mom have fun dying peace out! These guys seem real cool!"

Globofglob
Jan 14, 2008

Outrail posted:

Our people are a bunch of backwards troglodytes led by an unstable shithead. The other guys seem pretty chill and have monsters that sprout clay urns full of poison and can drink poison and like it. Is there a contest here?

Edit: Did Jalitha wash up on a wave of water or jizz? If it was the later we can assume Asherah may have had a part.

Really, cause their life seems sort of utopian to me. No violence except for dad, no hunger, no war. Just because Dad is a shithead doesn't mean we can condemn the village to death. We're next in line and can be a better priest than him.

FoxTerrier
Feb 15, 2012

Perfectly logical poster who uses the tools available to him to come to solid conclusions

A Darker Porpoise posted:

"Hey uncle Jorah, uncle Pagam, Mom have fun dying peace out! These guys seem real cool!"

But we're backwards savages and these new guys are totes civilized! :saddowns:

Besides, trusting explorers has never ended badly for a tribal people, right??

FoxTerrier fucked around with this message at 16:46 on May 27, 2013

Pththya-lyi
Nov 8, 2009

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2020

Diogines posted:

oh, this next bit is interesting, you caught this bit "son" "son" she says twice sobbing, pointing at you, you catch the name "Baitel" and "Enkidu". Wait. Wasn't that the story Jalitha told you about the wild savage Enkidu who was tamed by a temple slave?

Guys, I think we might be Enkidu's son! Jalitha is Shamhat, and she told us her own story in the third person! We should go with her and clAim our birthright.

EDIT: Putting in Canuck's awesome new badge:

Pththya-lyi fucked around with this message at 16:47 on May 27, 2013

ShadowMoo
Mar 13, 2011

by Shine
J Ask loudly what a cannibal is and laugh hysterically at the answer.

Eryxias
Feb 17, 2011

Stay low.
I'm torn on a few options, but this seems like the good one to do. At least try to save some of our village if things go down horrible.

LLSix
Jan 20, 2010

The real power behind countless overlords

Lanky Coconut Tree posted:

Bolded parts very relevant. We have no other siblings, because our mother is barren. Jalitha is our mother. Bet you our mother miscarried and Dad was banging Jalitha instead. Hence the unhappiness in our mother's marriage to Dad.

We are also taller than other kids our age. We look different.

Jalitha has been accused of being a witch on numerous times. This song she sang seems to be a ritual, consecration or rite of manhood or something. She knew what a risk she took in doing this ritual, she knew that cutting our hair would not go unnoticed and that our father would likely beat her very severely, he beats her for praying to El after all. So why was it so important to her that she perform this ritual, if she's just our nurse maid? Savages mean nothing to her.



Our father will return because he is the priest of Asherah. Asherah, who always hungers. Not a fair stretch to believe that those who do not return are cannibalized. Jalitha has lived for years here, she would have picked up knowledge of this rite of passage from the other women.




Asherah is a real god. Jalitha is our real mother. Picking a side is a bad idea.

I vote that we move in between both parties, but out of grabbing reach. Try and calm them down, hold our hands out and physically separate them if possible. Then, openly declare that we are STAYING HERE. Go up to Jalitha and whisper in her ear that "We will follow you when we are a man, stay safe mother". Then stay here.

Do this. If one god is good, two gods is better.

Callipygian Weasel
Apr 2, 2010

by Lowtax

Pochoclo posted:


OPTION A. While screaming "Jalitha! Can we save Jorah too?"

this version of a . gently caress dad and gently caress this shithole. I'm sure we'll have the chance to swim in the ocean with traveling traders, too.

Faclon
Aug 24, 2009
Option A

Deadly Ham Sandwich
Aug 19, 2009
Smellrose
I think we need to get everyone to chill the gently caress out.

J. Yell out at our people, that they need to chill the gently caress out and lower their spears. Yell at the foreigners in their language (as best we can) to stop and be calm. I think we could manage the words stop and calm.

Changed my vote to D.

Deadly Ham Sandwich fucked around with this message at 00:39 on May 28, 2013

HBar
Sep 13, 2007

J, plan Lanky Coconut Tree. It might not work, but at least it doesn't betray anyone close to us. And we need more time to learn Asherah priest powers.

Theglavwen
Jun 10, 2006

Frankly, I don't know anyone who likes Chinese bronzes, but I have one of the finest collections in the country.
Yeah, not voting to abandon our village, our people, our family, particularly after we've just been impressed by Dad's lessons and the importance of learning Asherah's rituals, just because some new dudes have shown up and Jalitha's started freaking out and shouting gibberish. Do we know what 'Cannibals' means? Is it necessarily a problem if we do? Maybe it is part of Asherah's rituals, but we don't know, we don't know how. Sometimes everyone returns safe from the mystery rituals, so it doesn't seem like our village is secretly bringing up children as a succulent buffet, more, perhaps, that people who die in the ritual get eaten ritualistically, or something. We don't even go about eating people indiscriminately, as we know burial at sea is a big deal (don't we? I think that was in an update, but maybe that was just speculation).


Anyway, I see no reason why we'd just decide to gently caress everything we know and head off with Jalitha, just 'cause she says so. I don't really want to run away, as I want to see what Dad's got up his sleeve, but fighting doesn't seem like a super idea, especially not with our hands, and running off to get a spear still leads to us running off. I do think getting a spear and being willing to fight would raise our status amongst our people, and even if we lose, I don't think the invaders will try and kill us, a child whom Jalitha seems so fond of.

Still, the best plan might be B; we're certainly going to be overwhelmed as is if Dad doesn't have a solution in hand. Running off and getting the women and children to run won't accomplish anything in the long term, I don't think, and lumps us firmly in with the other kids running for safety. Going to get other men could help bolster our defenses, and demonstrates a proactive sensibility on our part. It may get more chaotic, but if things do devolve into a fight, at least we'll be better set up. Additionally, going to get the other men could include finding Jorah, who, if anyone will, seems best positioned to diffuse this situation; he surely has Jalitha's good will, can likely speak the language better than Dad or us, is level headed but still, I think, loyal to the village, and is big and strong.

So yeah, voting B: Find other dudes, and particularly Jorah.

Changed my vote to Not-A later on.

Theglavwen fucked around with this message at 22:31 on May 27, 2013

ConfusedPig
Mar 27, 2013


Lanky Coconut Tree posted:

Bolded parts very relevant. We have no other siblings, because our mother is barren. Jalitha is our mother. Bet you our mother miscarried and Dad was banging Jalitha instead. Hence the unhappiness in our mother's marriage to Dad.

We are also taller than other kids our age. We look different.

Jalitha has been accused of being a witch on numerous times. This song she sang seems to be a ritual, consecration or rite of manhood or something. She knew what a risk she took in doing this ritual, she knew that cutting our hair would not go unnoticed and that our father would likely beat her very severely, he beats her for praying to El after all. So why was it so important to her that she perform this ritual, if she's just our nurse maid? Savages mean nothing to her.



Our father will return because he is the priest of Asherah. Asherah, who always hungers. Not a fair stretch to believe that those who do not return are cannibalized. Jalitha has lived for years here, she would have picked up knowledge of this rite of passage from the other women.




Asherah is a real god. Jalitha is our real mother. Picking a side is a bad idea.

I vote that we move in between both parties, but out of grabbing reach. Try and calm them down, hold our hands out and physically separate them if possible. Then, openly declare that we are STAYING HERE. Go up to Jalitha and whisper in her ear that "We will follow you when we are a man, stay safe mother". Then stay here.

+1 for plan Lanky Coconut Tree

dyzzy
Dec 22, 2009

argh
D

Crudus
Nov 14, 2006

I agree with Lanky Coconut Tree's plan. Think of how this game was pitched - it has the potential to grow into epic conflict between mortals and gods. Just staying in the village forever hardly seems to give much chance for divine conflict.

Handling this delicately will let us plant the seed of adventure: as we grow older, we are going to start to wonder about our true past, and seek out our mother to do it. Yes, it would mean rejecting the training and goals of our father, but I feel that after this event, our character is likely going to have his whole perspective on the world called into question anyway. Everything that happens to him afterword will be questioned. "This is normal... or is it? Would my mother's people see it as normal? What should I do, since I am half of each people?" Adolescence is a time when kids are trying to figure out who the hell they are anyway.

Perhaps we stay and get to do the coming of age ceremony, and find out Jalitha was right about the cannibalism thing! That would be a great point to make a break for the north and start our epic journey.

A Terrible Person
Jan 8, 2012

The Dance of Friendship

Fun Shoe

Diogines posted:

Your own countrymen are screaming now and your father cuts the edge of his palm with his giant shark tooth and begins to chant, you feel the wind begin to blow...

OPTION I Say something to the man at the front of the group of outsiders(Specify)

I'm not sure just what we can manage to say with our limited knowledge of their language, but maybe Jalitha can help us fill in the blanks.

Voting we try to tell the empty-handed outsider to stay calm, but stay back. There is some sort of misunderstanding here, but we will try to mediate as best as possible as son of the village leader and possibly Jalitha. We're not going anywhere until we know what, exactly, is going on.

If dad is summoning the wrath of Ashera I'd prefer we weren't siding with the outsiders when it comes down on them, but I'd also like to hear them out and try to come to a peaceful resolution.


Edit: changed my vote.

A Terrible Person fucked around with this message at 22:44 on May 27, 2013

Diogines
Dec 22, 2007

Beaky the Tortoise says, click here to join our choose Your Own Adventure Game!

Paradise Lost: Clash of the Heavens!

Theglavwen posted:

Do we know what 'Cannibals' means?

You know what it means. She did not scream the word "cannibals" three times, but it was mixed among other words you did not know. Neither your tribe or the strangers speak English, so we are approximating.

No one in your village has ever discussed the ethics of eating people, if it is good or bad. Did anyone ever have a sit down with you about cannibalism as a kid? Perhaps you heard about it in stories, but I suspect some of us never even heard those stories. You did not, from anyone except Jalitha.

Your entire frame of reference from the concept of eating people, comes from Jalitha. In the stories you grew up hearing from her, cannibals were a common theme. They exist at the edge of the world and try to eat women and little children and are usually stopped JUST in the nick of time by Sky Giants or men who are heroes or who become heroes.

Raserys
Aug 22, 2011

IT'S YA BOY
Yup, that sounds like us!

Changed my mind, haul ss out of there!

Kyyp
Jan 14, 2007

Best option seems to be C.

This way we're not picking any sides, and the winners of the fight can come find us after they're done killing eachother.

Theglavwen
Jun 10, 2006

Frankly, I don't know anyone who likes Chinese bronzes, but I have one of the finest collections in the country.

Diogines posted:

Your entire frame of reference from the concept of eating people, comes from Jalitha. In the stories you grew up hearing from her, cannibals were a common theme. They exist at the edge of the world and try to eat women and little children and are usually stopped JUST in the nick of time by Sky Giants or men who are heroes or who become heroes.

Hm, I wonder then if Jalitha even has any real reason to suspect cannibalism as actually occuring. She might just be calling us cannibals, or assuming that we are, because we're 'barbarians that live at the edge of the world'. She might just be lumping us in with 'evil people whom the Sky Giants stop'.

I mean, maybe Jorah has told her about the secret male rituals during which corpses are devoured, but that seems a little far-fetched. If it's something that is pretty much never discussed or brought up at all in village life (I know we don't spend a lot of time around people, but I imagine we'd at least hear rumours, and even Jalitha has never mentioned anything to us in our time alone), then it must be a pretty big secret; why would Jorah just decide to start confiding in her?

Pochoclo
Feb 4, 2008

No...
Clapping Larry
We don't have any solid information, and we're in a chaotic situation and all hell is gonna break loose. No matter what we pick, we're hosed.

It's not about picking the "right thing". It's about surviving, for now.

Space Kablooey
May 6, 2009


Changed vote

Space Kablooey fucked around with this message at 20:54 on May 27, 2013

Mad Wack
Mar 27, 2008

"The faster you use your cooldowns, the faster you can use them again"
I was sick of this village anyways - A

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White Noise Marine
Apr 14, 2010

A

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