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BHB
Aug 28, 2011

Raserys posted:

What happened to SerSpooks?

he's mike gallego now

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SerSpook
Feb 13, 2012




Raserys posted:

What happened to SerSpooks?

yo

BHB
Aug 28, 2011

nite crew is in byob now, how hosed up is that?

SerSpook
Feb 13, 2012




bonus hole boy posted:

nite crew is in byob now, how hosed up is that?

hosed up

100 HOGS AGREE
Oct 13, 2007
Grimey Drawer
So is Work Crew, which is a Better Thread.

Affi
Dec 18, 2005

Break bread wit the enemy

X GON GIVE IT TO YA

:gonk:

Tomn
Aug 23, 2007

And the angel said unto him
"Stop hitting yourself. Stop hitting yourself."
But lo he could not. For the angel was hitting him with his own hands

Blew my mind too when I first realized.

Absum
May 28, 2013

What it was super obvious jeez.

BHB
Aug 28, 2011

100 HOGS AGREE posted:

So is Work Crew, which is a Better Thread.

oh friend, no i'm sorry that's just not true

Grognan
Jan 23, 2007

by Fluffdaddy

Tomn posted:

I gotta be honest with you, dude - the more you talk, the more you strike me as the sort of tragic hero who realizes only too late that power and good intentions alone do not a better world make.
This might be the most honest answer to why Ishamal isn't giving us all the keys to reality.

JT Jag
Aug 30, 2009

#1 Jaguars Sunk Cost Fallacy-Haver

HiHo ChiRho posted:

There is a massive drop out of duders that post, althought the histogram is slightly misleading as it does not represent the normal people that post less than 100 times in this thread. 50 have posted more than 300 times, only 16 of those over 1200 times in the thread.

And now for the :catstare:
Diog has 4658 posts as of today. Sogol has 2102. Sogol would need to post, in the thread, 7 times a day for the next year in order to match Diog's count. That's if Diog, El forbid, doesn't post for a year.

Similarly, for Lanky Coconut Tree to Match Sogol, LCT would have to post 2 times a day for the next year.
This is my 1,089th post in this tread, clearly I'm half-assing it

Pladdicus
Aug 13, 2010

It's called INFLUENCING free will, not controlling it. And when it's done for a specific purpose it's called MANIPULATING free will. I never said robbed us, nor did I claim some big spooky boogiman-esque intention in the people doing it.

They want us to be trained with Ish, I assume. Ish wants that to, so we know our choices are (As it seems presented by them) "DEFY THEM ALL! AND BE DESTROYED/CONTAINED POSSIBLY"(A) "BE LOCKED AWAY FROM THE MORTAL WORLD FOREVER" (B)
"Go train with Ish for a bit and hold off on magic powers"(C)

Which is fair, all of those things can happen, but what are the other consequences of C? Why isn't anyone seriously considering the handicap of not using our magic when not allowed to?

Tomn posted:

I gotta be honest with you, dude - the more you talk, the more you strike me as the sort of tragic hero who realizes only too late that power and good intentions alone do not a better world make.
Okay! But I'm actually a dude who likes to argue theoretical outcomes to online internet games, so that's a bit off my personal viewpoint!

Tomn posted:

I mean, you've straight up declared that "If somebody wants to limit our powers, they lack wisdom and aren't worth listening to." That there is NEVER going to be a negative consequence of any sort from seeking all the power we can. And I really, really hope that the one person you trust with infinite power is God/El, because otherwise good Christ. You would have us sit on a throne as king of the cosmos, surrounded by advisors wiser and more knowledgeable than we but without even a hint of control over our actions. And the only reason you would resent that hint of control is because you are sure that one day, your advisors will suggest that you refrain from action, and you will tell them that despite all their knowledge and wisdom they are wrong, and you will act however you see fit - not them. And you think this is best for everybody.
Pretty big leap! Also something I never said, or at least intended to! Lets stop short of cosmic power then and stick with terrestrial.

Tomn posted:

Do you seriously not see any way in which we might misuse power, intentionally or not? Any way in which our judgment (which you have already declared to be higher and more true than anyone else's) might be flawed? Any way in which the unintended consequences of any given solution to various problems might cause further problems and disasters of greater scope down the line? Do you not worry at all that in the search for monsters to destroy, we may become one greater than all others combined?
I absolutely do! But I also see the ways in which us not being as strong as we can to face the horrible things that might come to this world might end up horrifying down the line. I worry about Norc armies and the inner-kingdoms, of crazy evil monsters calling themselves gods. I look at Tudiya running away from our old home in fear and I wonder if it has to be that way. I worry that if Ishamal trains us, something will happen before we're ready, where we might have been if we didn't!

Tomn posted:

Because if you do not...you scare me. You literally, honestly, IRL scare me. That absolute, ironclad certainty and conviction (especially in the absence of critical knowledge!) terrifies me more than anything Team Asherah has ever said or done or voted on.
Then grow up you big baby! Geez!

Tomn posted:

I take it you don't agree that mercy is never misplaced, and you hold no value in any love Ishamal or the Trio might feel for us?
I absolutely do. I just think they're too afraid of upsetting balance that they might not step in when it really matters.

Tomn posted:

By that definition, literally any conversation interferes with another person's free will. And no, they didn't say they NEVER interfere with free will, that's the whole drat point of the Balance - they intervene from time to time to prevent greater tragedies from arising! They balance between their desire to help improve people's lives and the need to maintain free will!
I'm not saying don't interfere with free will. I'm saying be aware of people influencing you.

Tomn posted:

Also if you're seriously concerned with the free will effects of a drat conversation I'm amazed you have the audacity to try and convince people never to wage war again, ever.
I'm not saying it's bad I'm saying be aware of it.

quote:

Edmund Burke did not have the power to shape reality itself like wet clay. This isn't about being able to do only a little, this is about being able to do almost anything we can think of - so what do we do?
We have the potential to do massive good for this world, and terrible things. It's scary but, if we pass that up because we're afraid we might use it wrong, then every death or horrifying outcome we could have stopped kinda becomes our fault.

---

this is an internet forum game everyone take a deep breath. I like hypothetical arguments about what to do with a fake mesopotamian superhero as much as the next guy, but the ad hominem are getting out of hand. oh wait I'm late nite crew came in to chill this the gently caress out.

Pladdicus fucked around with this message at 21:04 on Dec 4, 2014

HiHo ChiRho
Oct 23, 2010

No attacks on people IRL you mooks

SerSpook
Feb 13, 2012




I find it kind of hilarious that people still didn't realize I was SerSpook.

Raserys
Aug 22, 2011

IT'S YA BOY
It was probably during a period when I wasn't actively reading the thread vOv

BHB
Aug 28, 2011

Mike Gallego posted:

I find it kind of hilarious that people still didn't realize I was SerSpook.

You're supposed to trade up, for better usernames, not worse ones

BHB
Aug 28, 2011
lowtax threads are always a monkey's paw.

SerSpook
Feb 13, 2012




bonus hole boy posted:

You're supposed to trade up, for better usernames, not worse ones

but the allure of 1986 topps baseball cards....

Task Manager
Sep 5, 2008

A weird time in which we are alive. We can travel anywhere we want, even to other planets. And for what? To sit day after day, declining in morale and hope.

HiHo ChiRho posted:

Time for some :spergin:

Lookit all these nerds!


This one shows how bad it gets:


There is a massive drop out of duders that post, althought the histogram is slightly misleading as it does not represent the normal people that post less than 100 times in this thread. 50 have posted more than 300 times, only 16 of those over 1200 times in the thread.

And now for the :catstare:
Diog has 4658 posts as of today. Sogol has 2102. Sogol would need to post, in the thread, 7 times a day for the next year in order to match Diog's count. That's if Diog, El forbid, doesn't post for a year.

Similarly, for Lanky Coconut Tree to Match Sogol, LCT would have to post 2 times a day for the next year.

My stats are padded by the times I vote counted.

At least that's what I'll keep telling myself. :(

Edit: drat, and Sogol has been fairly inactive lately too. Team Sperg indeed, wear it like badge of honor sir.

Task Manager fucked around with this message at 21:45 on Dec 4, 2014

Diogines
Dec 22, 2007

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

Paradise Lost: Clash of the Heavens!

Diogines posted:

You speak to them of many things and your words flow out in a torrent.

You speak of your desire to help others.

You speak of your own failures.

You speak of your desire to make men free.

You speak of your own desire to be free.

You speak of your desire to do great things.

You speak of your frustration, your anger, some of your words even bordering upon your hatred of those present, though Asherah is absent from such words.

Most of all, you speak of your confusion and desire for answers. Your desire to know who you are, what you are, to know the answers to the many mysteries you have encountered.

The three figures lean in to each other and talk quietly. With your exceptional hearing you are well within range to hear them clearly, but their words are like the brushing of wind through tree branches and you cannot seem to make any sense of them.





Ishamal remains still beside you.

The figures seem to be talking at great speed and you sense more is occurring in front of you than you can easily understand with your eyes. After about a minute as best you can gauge, they stop speaking to each other and turn to you again.

The Man: "If you wish to live among men."
The Woman: "And live as a man."
The Child: "You must limit yourself to the abilities of men."

The Man: "You do things that men cannot do."
The Woman: "As you are now, you cannot do these things and live among them."
The Child: "Even with the best of intentions, the consequences will be dire."

The Man: "We are not here to judge you."
The Woman: "Or to punish you."
The Child: "But to help you."

The Man: "To stand between those who do not love you as we do."
The Woman: "And fear what you may do."
The Child: "And convince them you are not a danger."

The Man: "It is our hope that our words this evening."
The Woman: "Have conveyed to you the wisdom."
The Child: "Of adhering to the lessons of your teacher."

The child motions to Ishamal who says "It is not magic, it is entirely wrong to call it magic, but you have an idea of what magic is. You cannot do magic, but what I give you permission to do. If you wish to hold your breathe, but not to such extremes as to kill yourself, do as you will. If you wish to move small objects or swirl liquids as I have shown, do as you will. If you wish to do those other things I shall teach you, when I say it is safe, do as you will. You do not truly understand what you are doing. All I have done, has been to teach you self control of aspects of yourself you do not truly understand. In gaining greater control of yourself, you have used such abilities in ways which will lead to bad ends and this will draw the intervention of others. No more "arrow-time". No more "ball-trances". No more magic of any sort but the sort I say is safe. If you wish to lead your men to hunt wild beasts, do as you will. If you wish to cease to do so, do as you will. If you wish to explore, do as you will. Do as you will, but no more magic, no more experimenting."

Ishamal takes a breath and then says "None here, today, will stop you or imprison you. The gate is behind you, if you wish, leave. No ambush from others awaits you beyond it. If you will promise them that you will obey me in the use of such abilities, they will persuade the others that the situation here is stable and outside intervention is not needed. If you do not wish to do this, then my mentorship of you is at an end, as you have broken our agreement and refused to mend it. You promised to obey me in such matters and to obey others who told you when you went two far, three such figures are before you now. I will leave you to do as you will, as will those here now. Others are nearly certain to intervene, but it shall not be us."

The Man: "We wish to help you."
The Woman: "We love you."
The Child: "And our power great, but not without limits."

Ishamal says that "If you will not refuse to cease your magic but wish to discuss other options, they will discuss those options with you, but they are options which will involve you no longer living among men, as men. I do not think is what you truly want and they will not force you to do so, but others may, at least that way you have a say of sorts."

After a moments reflection Ishamal says "Azzazel" Ishamal lets out a small groan "is not dead. Your actions with his... favorite student have caused him to... hide. The reasons are complex and I don't imagine he will explain them to you. Azzazel is a pest and once involved in your life, intervenes in what ways amuse him, you don't want to encourage him to get involved. I don't think he wishes to leave his hiding, but he seems to have taken an interest in you, for good or ill. I understand if you do not trust me or those here with you now. If you must consult with him on this... tell them and they will call him. He will likely come, though he would also likely prefer not to do so because he is hiding. Do not send for him unless you feel you must to decide this."





[...]

You decide that you will agree. You will resume studying under Ishamal and cease trying to use your strange abilities or "magic".

The Man: "We will persuade them you are not a danger to the balance."
The Woman: "It is likely they will listen to us."
The Child: "And not intervene."

The Man:"Do not draw conclusions about the nature of the world from what you have seen today."
The Woman: "Or what you have learned."
The Child: "And share it with none."

The Man:"Goodbye."
The Woman: "Goodbye ."
The Child: " Goodbye."



Ishamal walks with you towards the archway, beyond which you see his orchard at night.

You step through.


[...]


You awaken in your bed to a slobbery lick of Snarl's tongue and the smell of breakfast being made. You feel well rested, as if you have awoken from an excellent dream. He is staring at you as if he was waiting for you to wake up.

Time to play?

Yes. Yes it is.

Snarls barks once happily.

You, Snarls your children and the other household dogs enjoy the morning.


[...]



The next week is a flurry of invitations by many of the rich men of Zepath their parties as each wishes to host you in their home and celebrate your great victory. Your Balls relish the attention and however much you are a star in Zepath, you are even a greater one now.

You and your Balls enjoy the glory due to you for the great victory won.

You sense [???] is slowly increasing(*), but more quickly than it has in the past. You feel stronger. You have stubbed a toe twice. You broke your favorite chair when you only meant to pick it up and move it, crushing it with your hands entirely by accident. While training in the courtyard of your home, your spear escaped your grasp and you accidentally put a small hole in the side of your home.

You meet Ishamal in his home for lunch. He says to you "You wish answers? Here is, an answer. I am going to call what Asahel gave you... markers on the side of a well and what you sense within, water. Call it something else if you wish. If it empties, you will become a mindless horror and the only option will be to imprison you. Forever. Well, only One can be said to contemplate in eternities, but short of His intervention, forever. There is no power which will save you."

You ask if this is what Asherah is? Ishamal says "No. That is... different. And I will say no more of that. As to you, if your well becomes too full, too turbulent, you won't be able to reliably pull as much water as you wish, the bucket will overflow on it's own or the bucket may spill. You will let the water out in ways you do not intend. There will be floods. Like putting a hole in your wall yesterday. You will also become clumsy. You are always drinking from the well a very, very small amount. This is why you are stronger than others, tougher and more nimble. You don't know how to stop sipping, you do it naturally. You can gain greater control in time, but you are past what you can manage now. We need to deepen your well. This will preserve the water within, though you won't be as strong. A fair bit more than before your hunting trip. I can help you do this, but not if you oppose me as you must relax . It will feel odd, but not hurt. Will you let me?"



1. As to Ishamal's request...
A. Agree.
B. Ask him to "empty the extra water from your well", expending [???] instead of saving it.
C. Insist on learning more control instead. Ishamal says of that "I have been teaching you such for years. You have actually been making good progress at it, but it takes time. You are running into problems now and it will only get worse." Still, insist. You believe you can somehow learn it faster.(**)
D. Refuse.
E. Something else. Fill in.


(**)You have just discovered that your years soup straining, pebble spinning, not breathing and performing other training with Ishamal have allowed you to maintain great strength without being a clumsy oaf! Had you ignored his training, you apparently would have hit this problem long ago.

(*)Updated [???] meter posted tonight.

We will get to dividing the loot and probably the stone you gave Indor in the next update. Also, what you want to do with yourself and your Balls in the short and long term. Also your mining discovery.





There was a renewed desire to free your slaves in the last round of voting, putting it in as a vote. You are wealthy, replacing slaves with merchants is not a trivial cost, though you would still be wealthy. Your wealth is comparable to a well established trader, less than the land owning elites.

People you own include:

Four household slaves Naomi bought for you, three women, one man. They are treated well and as far as you know, actually love you and your family, and vice versa.

Nine others who manage your herds of livestock beyond the city, which is how Naomi has mostly invested the family income. Naomi bought the those slaves. Seven men, two women. Naomi manages them well and the profits are good and reliable. They are treated about the same as any slave who does their labor, Naomi is a bit generous on their time off, clothing and food.

Two debt slaves who dig clay for Lefkandi. Lefkandi freed the gambler, he handles Lefkandi's finances and married his sister. That one actually worked out well for everyone in the end? Both are debt slaves and want to be free. Their labor is filthy and highly unpleasant but Lefkandi does not work them all that hard.

Sabium. A woman you tore away from everyone and everything she loved in Baitel to bring her masterful culinary skills to your home, for the pleasure and comfort of your guests, mostly merchants, sometimes others, such as your Balls. She is not at all rebellious and serves dutifully, while living a life of quiet desperation.

She has taught as much of her skills as she can to your other household slaves but the woman apparently has immense natural talent for cooking and what she makes is just better. You paid top dollar silver for an amazing cook and have one.

Naomi has no problems at all about owning these slaves, after all, she bought most of them.


2. As to your household slaves....
F. Keep them as slaves.
G. Free them, hire them as servants.
H. Pay them a wage as if they were servants, they are free when they buy themselves. This will take many years.
I. H., but pay them as if they were the most expensive servants, they can buy themselves in a year or less.
J. Something else. Fill in.


3. As to your nine cattle workers...
K. Keep them as slaves.
L. Free them, hire them as servants.
M. Free them and sell your cattle. With Naomi, figure out a new way to manage the family wealth which does not involve slavery. This will mean trading, sponsoring merchants, farm or other sources of income.
N. Pay them a wage as if they were servants, they are free when they buy themselves. This will take many years.
O. N., but pay them as if they were the most expensive servants, they can buy themselves in a year or less.
P. Something else. Fill in.


4. As to the two slaves digging clay for Lefkandi...
Q. Keep them as slaves.
R. Free them, work something out with Lefkandi.
S. Something else. Fill in.


http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3550307&pagenumber=1435&perpage=40#post438430935
5. As to your cook, Sabium...
T. Keep her as a slave.
U. Free her.
V. Free her and arrange a marriage for her in Zepath. She has poor prospects, absent your aid.
W. Free her and pay for her to return to Baitel. You are almost certain this is what she wants. She could never afford the trip on her own.
X. W., AND pay her years of back wages
Y. Something else. Fill in.



The following is only relevant if you are freeing your slaves. Do not vote for #6 otherwise.

In light of the great trophy you dragged home, the eyes of Zepath are upon you even more than usual. If you took the occasion of emancipating your slaves to send a message, people may be more apt to listen now.

Freeing debt slaves is always seen as a virtuous act. The clay diggers and three of the cattle slaves are debt slaves, the rest are not. Freeing other slaves is semi-virtuous, more so if they are natives of your city. About half of the other slaves you own are Zepathan natives.

The Melachim worshiping heretics believe the Melachim hate slavery and that it is natural for man to be free. They will probably be greatly pleased if you, a prominent son of Zepath decide to free your slaves. Your association with Paebel, a known heretic, may even send some of those who re-dedicated themselves to El back to this cult, if they see your decision to free slaves as agreeing with the heretics. Some of the Mighty Men and other elites will probably be upset for the same reasons.

Even of those who are not heretics, many young men look up to you and yearn to be like you one day, or to join your Balls. Many a 16 year old who goes on a Manhood trial hopes to return having earned glory as you did. It is not inconceivable some may become opposed to slavery if you decide to send a message along with your actions. Some may grow up to be important men some day. If Enkidel, the Hero of Ibleam speaks, people listen.


6. Do you wish to send a message, along freeing your slaves?
A. No.

B. gently caress! Okay. I don't want to risk bolstering the heretic ranks at all. Whatever I voted for above, I spread out freeing the slaves over several years to try to hide what I am doing.

C. I let it be known that I will not again own slaves. Others can draw from it as they will.

D. I let it be known that I personally oppose slavery.
F. I let it be known that I oppose hereditary slavery, but not debt slavery.

G. I declare that El made man to be free and that slavery is wrong. This is a challenge to the established social order.
H. Rhetoric Knowledge Bonus! As a former slave, I pin my anti-slavery views on the fact I was once enslaved. I don't bring up El, I base this view on my personal circumstances, rather than claiming special knowledge of the divine or the teachings of Labaras. If I am successful, social elites will be less upset.

I. History Knowledge Bonus! Religion knowledge bonus! Legal knowledge bonus! C-C-C-C-OMBO BONUS! I explain that the purpose of the jubilee was that El wished men to live free lives, for what is at most 50 years a slavery to a man who might live 300 or more? Men don't live as long now. El can't have meant to keep the jubilee as it is now, so we should have no more slaves. This could win the social elites or backfire and go drastically wrong. You suspect there is a CHANCE this could work on the local clergy of El but this could also backfire horrendously. El's clergy in other cities will likely be upset. You have cultivated an excellent relationship with the Priesthood, they like you and even a low ranking priests in a shrine when you went after Jesbaam wanted to help you. This option is dangerous and could go horribly, who are you to speak for El?
J. I., but the jubilee should be ten years. Only kings call jubilees early. This challenges Tudiya's authority. If he buys your argument, no harm will come. If he thinks your trying to usurp him...

K. I., also, I claim that the events at the city of Tadmor are proof of this and appeal to the Zepathan sense of superiority over the interior cities. Tadmor's foes all did not practice the jubilee. This option is not "better" it is a different approach.

L. J., also, I claim that the events at the city of Tadmor are proof of this and appeal to the Zepathan sense of superiority over the interior cities.

M. (Add on with I, J, K or J above)- Swap El for Labaras.

This is not Mass Effect. Knowledge bonuses don't always work. It is just a way to show you how your options to respond to decisions are sometimes only available because of skills you learned from prior decisions. It just means you can try, not that you will succeed. A carpentry knowledge bonus does not mean you automatically succeed at building a wooden bridge, it means you can only try.

N. Claim El told you he is against slavery.
O. Claim a Melachim told you slavery is bad.

P-formally N. Rhetoric Knowledge Bonus! As we are attacked by monsters extra times this generation, we need to give proper thanks to El and/or show him we are EXTRA pious and show El we are different from some of the interior cities, who dishonor the jubilee by making ours 10 years. Appeal to Zepathan attitudes of superiority over the interior cities.
Q formally R. N., but no slaves at all.

R formally P. I don't let my view be known, I meet with Tudiya alone and try to persuade him one of the options above is true(which?), or try another approach on him(fill in).

S. Something else. Fill in.



I do not have time for questions for a few hours.










Diogines posted:

The Capybaras checked when the next Jubilee is, at which time, all debts will be forgiven and all slaves unconditionally freed. They had to check their records since it had not come up in a while.

The next Jubilee is in 7 years.

You paid 28 pounds of silver for Sabium.

You are now 31. Naomi is 35. Ruth is 13, Asahel is 11, David is 12 and Ahaz is 4. Your brother Danal is 26.

What the heck is silver worth? posted:

People trade in a variety of goods and livestock. For the sake of goon sanity, we simplify most goods of value as "pounds of silver". A reminder of the buying power of silver in Zepath, things are more expensive in Baitel, all are approximations and not necessarily precise:

One ox = 4.5 pounds of silver
A common slave suitable for labor with no special skills= 4 to 5 pounds of silver
One cow ready for slaughter = 2 pounds of silver
One donkey = 2 pounds of silver
One sheep = .75 pounds of silver
One goat = .5 pounds of silver

One years income for a farmer or laborer = 1 to 2 pounds of silver. This includes the labor of their entire familly, which may be composed of a sibling or two, an elderly relative or two, a wife and a number of children. It is not the income of one farmer, it is the income of that farmers familly.

One years income for a skilled artisan = 6 pounds of silver.

A "good" spear, albeit not one of a quality used by your Mighty Sons = 1 pound of silver
A "great" spear, the sort your Mighty Sons = 4 pounds of silver
You and Danal usually use spears of a quality only made by a Blooded craftsmen, they can't easily be bought, Tudiya provides you with them.

A suit of armor and shield of "cheap" quality, such as most men in Zepath use for summer drills = 10 pounds of silver.
...of "good" armor, such as might be owned by a successful craftsmen = 20 pounds of silver.
..."excellent" armor, such as might be used by a rich merchant = 30 pounds of silver.
..."fantastic" armor, the best quality equipment which can be bought from normal smiths = 50 pounds of silver.
...."Blooded" smith armor, the sort made by Blooded men which they might still sell = 100 pounds of silver. Such smiths are all closely related to Mighty Men.
..."Very Blooded Smith" quality armor. Cannot be purchased. Made by old Blooded men for their families. If they are not a Mighty Man, their brother/father/uncle is. You and Danal have armor of this sort.

Your easily sold assets are valued at approximately 779 pounds of silver. Naomi has managed the household finances and invested most of it in cattle. You do not have 779 pounds of silver ingots laying about, the largest portion of it is invested in cattle beyond the city which are tended to by nine slaves Naomi bought. You do still have some silver and gems laying about, but not a vast amount. Cattle are easily converted into silver. This does not include the value of your household furnishing, arms and armor or your house itself, nor the value of the slaves you own.

A large portion of that 779 pounds of silver is from your monster hunting and adventuring and your trip to Baitel.

Naomi is a good manager of your wealth, even when you occasionally make vast expenditures, such as 150 pounds of silver to the master sculptor and stone carver, Dodi.

Your wealth ranks you among the the very wealthy in Zepath, though not so wealthy as the patriarchs of the Blooded families, who own the richest and best land near Zepath. The most successful traders are also wealthier than you. This is all the more impressive since you built this fortune if not from nothing, than almost nothing.

Diogines fucked around with this message at 02:54 on Dec 5, 2014

HiHo ChiRho
Oct 23, 2010

1. As to Ishamal's request...
A. Agree.

2. As to your household slaves....
F. Keep them as slaves.

3. As to your nine cattle workers...
K. Keep them as slaves.

3. As to the two slaves digging clay for Lefkandi...
Q. Do nothing.

4. As to your cook, Sabium...
T. Do nothing.

e:

Also note the abomination I made in reference to certain stats nerds in IRC - I won't name and shame of course:

Successful Businessmanga
Mar 28, 2010

HiHo ChiRho posted:

1. As to Ishamal's request...
A. Agree.

2. As to your household slaves....
F. Keep them as slaves.

3. As to your nine cattle workers...
K. Keep them as slaves.

3. As to the two slaves digging clay for Lefkandi...
Q. Do nothing.

4. As to your cook, Sabium...
T. Do nothing.

Yep

BHB
Aug 28, 2011

HiHo ChiRho posted:

1. As to Ishamal's request...
A. Agree.

2. As to your household slaves....
F. Keep them as slaves.

3. As to your nine cattle workers...
K. Keep them as slaves.

3. As to the two slaves digging clay for Lefkandi...
Q. Do nothing.

4. As to your cook, Sabium...
T. Do nothing.

e:

Also note the abomination I made in reference to certain stats nerds in IRC - I won't name and shame of course:



SerSpook
Feb 13, 2012




HiHo ChiRho posted:

1. As to Ishamal's request...
A. Agree.

2. As to your household slaves....
F. Keep them as slaves.

3. As to your nine cattle workers...
K. Keep them as slaves.

3. As to the two slaves digging clay for Lefkandi...
Q. Do nothing.



All of this.

However, I am swapping 4 to X

There Bias Two
Jan 13, 2009
I'm not a good person

1. A + "Oh my El thank you for giving me answers and guidance. You have no idea how meaningful this is to me!" 2. F 3. K . 4. Q 5. W

Arkanomen
May 6, 2007

All he wants is a hug
A H N Q X A
Just free the slaves we own in a quiet way and undo the cooks servitude. Don't say anything about it.

BHB
Aug 28, 2011
3.1 and 3.2 I guess

Rahul
Dec 10, 2004

Can you give us a rough idea of how much doing the most expensive option in each case would cost us? We're pretty loaded now, will paying everyone as servants and sending our cook home even have a huge impact on our lifestyle?

JT Jag
Aug 30, 2009

#1 Jaguars Sunk Cost Fallacy-Haver
1. A. This is part and parcel of the deal we made.
2. H. Pay them a wage so they can eventually purchase themselves. I wish to do this with all our servants. I believe that paying our slaves wages to free themselves is something that might catch on, and become an institutional thing, as opposed to just freeing our slaves, which will be seen as noble but no one else will follow our example.
3. N. See above.
3 again (actually 4). S. Pay them a wage so they can free themselves in time. See above.
4 (actually 5). Y. Pay her wages of an expensive servant so she can free herself soon if she wishes, and pay for her return to Baital when she does. In the meantime, have her train a servant.
5 (actually 6). B. What I voted for will lead to the slaves being freed over an extended period of time anyway.

JT Jag fucked around with this message at 22:09 on Dec 4, 2014

Cat Wings
Oct 12, 2012

1A
2F
3K
4U

Successful Businessmanga
Mar 28, 2010

Diog IRC posted:

<Diog|Cell> FIRST PART OF UPDATE DELETED BY MISTAKE! CAPYBARA TECH SUPPORT SCRAMBLING TO FIX NOW!

The first chunk of the update is missing so look forward to it haha :v:.

Razakai
Sep 15, 2007

People are afraid
To merge on the freeway
Disappear here
1A
2G
3L
4S - Pay them a wage to free themselves. Lefkandi can deal with his own slaves after that.
5W
6A

Ouroborus
Mar 31, 2010

I really only come here for the Paradise Lost: Clash of the Heavens CYOA these days.
SA was one of the first websites I ever frequented, waaaaay back in the day. I only got off my ass and got an account about 8 years ago. I bought the platinum upgrade recently.

Tomn posted:

I take it you don't agree that mercy is never misplaced, and you hold no value in any love Ishamal or the Trio might feel for us?

Edmund Burke did not have the power to shape reality itself like wet clay. This isn't about being able to do only a little, this is about being able to do almost anything we can think of - so what do we do?

We had mercy, oodles of it. Every time we did something we promised not to and didn't get punished for it was a mercy. When they saved Snarls after the mind meld, that was a mercy. When Ish fought what could very well have been Aserah way back when we tried to use !Fishlightning! was a mercy. If they're telling the truth about everything then we're a genuine global threat with a history of breaking promises when it suited us and experimenting with forbidden magic we apparently do not understand. Sometimes mercy can involve ending a life rather than preserving it. . .

Edmund Burke did not, correct, but that is beside the point. You were saying we shouldn't try changing stuff at all because our 2014 mindset is still flawed. Which unless I've misunderstood your intent is a logical fallacy.

Tomn
Aug 23, 2007

And the angel said unto him
"Stop hitting yourself. Stop hitting yourself."
But lo he could not. For the angel was hitting him with his own hands
Wheeeelp, looks like soup-straining had a point! Gee, who would have thought that waxing mean ol' Mr. Miyagi's car had practical applications?

1. A. Though I want to ask Ishamal, Will deepening the well cause any other effects?

2. H, if they want it. Literally what I've been advocating for a while now. Sustainable emancipation!

3. N, if they want it. Ditto.

4. S: Pay the slaves a wage slightly below market average. When they've accumulated as much silver as they cost, free them. Convince Lefkandi that we will renew the deal when they are free by using the money to buy new slaves to offer the same deal. Seriously, this allows us to free slaves and KEEP freeing slaves at a rate that still brings in a moderate profit. Lefkandi's happy, he still has his clay diggers and his terms haven't changed, the slaves are happy, the slaves we buy and free in the future will be happy, and all is well with the world. Do it!

VOTE CHANGED, wages won't work, but working off their labor does. Changing vote to 4: S: Free the slaves now, buy new slaves to replace them. Make plans to free the new slaves in three years with the profits earned from Lefkandi, repeat ad infinitum or until slavery is abolished. Smooth things over with Lefkandi, which should be easy.

5. Y: Ask her to teach one of our servants how to cook as well as she does, and promise her that when this is done, we will free her and pay her way back to Baitel. Gives her a goal to work towards, lets us keep the food, and teaches a new servant valuable and interesting new skills. Goodo all around! CHANGED VOTE TO Y: W, but tell her that if there's any cooks of her caliber (slaves or free) in Baitel that'd be willing to live in Zepath, let them know about us and us about them by caravan mail/passed on oral messages. Apparently she can't teach her talents to anybody else.

I AM AN INDECISIVE rear end in a top hat, vote changed to 5. Y: Learn how to cook from the cook, then free her and send her to Baitel.

6. Abstain for now. Oooh, this one is interesting. Ask Ishamal what he thinks about I or J. If he thinks we may be able to get away with it, drop a private word in Zeb's ear about the same. If both are chill with it, move on to Tudiya.

Tomn fucked around with this message at 11:26 on Dec 5, 2014

Nolaterif
Jan 10, 2003

Pladdicus posted:

Which is fair, all of those things can happen, but what are the other consequences of C? Why isn't anyone seriously considering the handicap of not using our magic when not allowed to?

Some people have.

I voted B. I did so with the full understanding that people might die because of the restrictions put on our use of power. I also understand that these may be people close to us. I understand that refraining from action may cause us grief in our society. I understand that we may be thought of as a coward. I understand that we may have other people (and posters) question the inaction, or our reasons, and lose status among our peers. I understand that people will say it's our fault.

But all of that boils down to fear. Fear about consequences, fear about what other people might say.

I don't want to act out of fear. I empathize with the whole "I'm afraid that if we do x, we might get hurt/we might die/people might die/people might get hurt/property might get stolen or destroyed/the endtimes will come/etc. etc. However, it's still fear, and I don't care to play that way.

I'm not voting B because of loyalty to the watchers. I'm not voting B to curry favor or to spite Ishamal. He has very little to do with it, really. I'd vote the same way even if we had a different mentor.

I came across a saying recently: "Be careful when a naked man offers you a shirt." It's a poo poo saying, sure, but it's got a few interpretations that might be applicable here. What assistance can/should a naked man offer when he can't even keep himself clothed? In other words, what help can we offer the world when we're a broke rear end mofo ourselves? How can we even begin to fix anything or save anyone when we can't even master our own impulses? When we offer help, are we trying to offer something to the world we can't truly give?

Some of the reasons I voted B are:

1) The watchers are right to question whether we're able to rule ourselves in a sound manner, let alone be trusted with godlike superpowers. We're not honest in our dealings. Collectively, when left to our own devices, we continuously lie to the people around us (see: Indor and Tudiya, Ishamal and his training). We turn away responsibility when it's inconvenient to us (see: Mighty Men, Keturah). We're cowardly (see: Ibleam, following the Norcs). We are unable or unwilling to set proper boundaries (see: Uriah). We're glory-seekers (see: seeking out the Zviv for shits and giggles, our continual monster hunting, etc.) I think Enkidel has become a poo poo person, and I don't like it. I would prefer he fix his own poo poo (metaphorically since we don't seem to poop) before bringing it down on other people.

2) Fighting monsters is simply not fulfilling to me. I'm ok if we back off it for a bit to pursue something else, whether it's training or a trade or growing loving turnips.

3) While this is a game, I do actually believe that giving people what they have not earned breaks them on some level, whether that goes for us or for other people. This is not to say I don't want to help others (I do), or that there's always a problem with helping others. But unearned aid does tend to bring up issues. Inefficiency of the aid, dependency, etc. Enkidel needs to earn his powers. Because he's kind of poo poo. This appears to be his last chance to do so.

Vote however you want to. Disagree with me if you like. But no, it's not a matter of "you don't know the consequences of your choices", or "you don't fully understand what you're doing!" Because gently caress that.

JT Jag
Aug 30, 2009

#1 Jaguars Sunk Cost Fallacy-Haver
Me and you Tomn, our votes against the world

BHB
Aug 28, 2011
I always feel bad for the people who type out all those words, hit the page preview, and see diog has already pushed out an update

Althair
Jul 26, 2006
words are weapons

Tomn posted:

Wheeeelp, looks like soup-straining had a point! Gee, who would have thought that waxing mean ol' Mr. Miyagi's car had practical applications?

1. A. Though I want to ask Ishamal, Will deepening the well cause any other effects?

2. H, if they want it. Literally what I've been advocating for a while now. Sustainable emancipation!

3. N, if they want it. Ditto.

4. S: Pay the slaves a wage slightly below market average. When they've accumulated as much silver as they cost, free them. Convince Lefkandi that we will renew the deal when they are free by using the money to buy new slaves to offer the same deal. Seriously, this allows us to free slaves and KEEP freeing slaves at a rate that still brings in a moderate profit. Lefkandi's happy, he still has his clay diggers and his terms haven't changed, the slaves are happy, the slaves we buy and free in the future will be happy, and all is well with the world. Do it!

5. Y: Ask her to teach one of our servants how to cook as well as she does, and promise her that when this is done, we will free her and pay her way back to Baitel. Gives her a goal to work towards, lets us keep the food, and teaches a new servant valuable and interesting new skills. Goodo all around!

6. Abstain for now. Oooh, this one is interesting. Ask Ishamal what he thinks about I or J. If he thinks we may be able to get away with it, drop a private word in Zeb's ear about the same. If both are chill with it, move on to Tudiya.

Voting this.

BHB
Aug 28, 2011

Tomn posted:

5. Y: Ask her to teach one of our servants how to cook as well as she does, and promise her that when this is done, we will free her and pay her way back to Baitel. Gives her a goal to work towards, lets us keep the food, and teaches a new servant valuable and interesting new skills. Goodo all around!




Diogines posted:

She has taught as much of her skills as she can to your other household slaves but the woman apparently has immense natural talent for cooking and what she makes is just better. You paid top dollar silver for an amazing cook and have one.

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Grognan
Jan 23, 2007

by Fluffdaddy
1.A
2.F
3.K
4.Q
5.W
6.H

Grognan fucked around with this message at 00:10 on Dec 5, 2014

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