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Conversion. Always conversion. and if it fails, mutation into something edible I really like "Thou shall eat" and "thou shall grow". Kind of thing that will get the commoners behind it. I would add "Thou shall respect the sea". Simple prelude to "protect the sea" violence later, or offering tribute of riches or infidels. We are not offering up gills. The more material magic we put out there the more likely we are to be exposed. Save that poo poo for later!
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Aug 8, 2018 14:52
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1 Bfollowed by C Stage One His religion preaches charity? Crushed by a rock while burying valuables he stole. Temperance and moderation? He's a glutton who eats most of the new harvest, then chokes on a fish bone. etc, etc. Stage Two If any hero comes to investigate, they will find Prophet Dave to be entirely on the level and the new addition to our cult can take the fall as a false prophet sent by somebody else to corrupt this innocent start-up religion. 2 Inner sanctums Asherah likes his temples on the coast, with sections of them forbidden from outsiders and even the lower ranks of the priesthood. Only those who are taken by Asherah to a special vision quest under the sea 3 Gills only handed out on a need-to-swim basis We have other uses for our magic, let's reserve these for the higher priesthood/marking somebody prophesied for greatness.
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Aug 8, 2018 15:06
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Hey, I don't know if we ever touched on this, but do priests actually get powers ala D&D in this world? Can the priest actually cast spells? Further, are the gods actually present? It seems like an upstart religion converting followers with no big demigod behind it is ripe for a very quick squish.
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Aug 8, 2018 15:07
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All good ideas so far. Sharks are holy, don't gently caress with sharks. Unless you want to eat one, in which case you must kill it a ritual Bone Harpoon of Zum'a'Kalis, who is Asherah's pet sawfish shark. Because all gods need some kind of eccentricity.
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Aug 8, 2018 15:44
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Blasphemaster posted:All good ideas so far. Sharks are holy, don't gently caress with sharks. Unless you want to eat one, in which case you must kill it a ritual Bone Harpoon of Zum'a'Kalis, who is Asherah's pet sawfish shark. Nah, you take that bitch on mano y mano armed with nothing but a ceremonial shark tooth dagger.
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Aug 8, 2018 16:47
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AJ_Impy posted:1C Conversion is almost always the best option. Your enemy loses an asset and you gain one. Yeah, this. Let them come to us.
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Aug 8, 2018 18:22
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Grey Hunter posted:
1- I'm ambivalent on this one. A, C, and E all sound workable. 2 - The Sea is a Harsh Mistress, but Fair - Life can be harsh, and this is a lesson. Like the shark, no matter the tribulations, we keep moving forward and looking to the next challenge. There is plenty for those who can face the hardships of the waves to claim it. Ask not for Asherah to still the waves, but rather for the strength to overcome them, as that which is weak is meat for the maw. 3 - We catch more flies with honey. If we make... changes, let them be as a reward for those who show exceptional strength and loyalty in service. Our benefactor wants this religion to push his people to be ready for a trade war, so we want to encourage aggression and strength.
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Aug 9, 2018 09:27
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Liquid Communism posted:1- I'm ambivalent on this one. A, C, and E all sound workable. I like it, but for #2 we did literally still the waves in our little con game.
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Aug 9, 2018 12:18
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Blasphemaster posted:I like it, but for #2 we did literally still the waves in our little con game. We did, but we called it out as a strike against another god, not an interference in nature's cycle. 
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Aug 9, 2018 15:55
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Liquid Communism posted:We did, but we called it out as a strike against another god, not an interference in nature's cycle. Ooh. A good take on things, I like it. Still, I think we should be careful of our phrasing in the future when speaking to the laity. Inconsistencies will surely bite us in the rear end if we are not careful. I also imagine that our capabilities with Bad Tidings i.e. weather control will come into play. What if, through a powerful enough ritual, the assembled faithful can call upon Asherah to slap an enemy with a lack of fish, or give faithful ships a nice tailwind for a time and what have you. As long as it doesn't make things necessarily unbalanced or too easy on the home front, Asherah is willing to dole out some weather control?
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Aug 9, 2018 21:36
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 Conversion to the commandments. The priest was an opportunity - someone who knew how religion works, and could guide The Prophet Dave, who had proven to be a good public speaker, in forming a stable religion. Everyone knew that religions were only as good as their churches. Everyone could be turned, it was just a matter of knowing their weak spots. And Hurn was a pacifist sect - they firmly believed if you did nothing, you would commit no sins. This would give Sarga at least one way in to the man’s mind. Casting her scrying spell on the man, she found he had no protection at all - Hurn must be as lazy as his followers to not protect his holy men. The gods were not ones to meddle in the lives of men, unless you messed with their stuff. The priest turned out to be comically easy to break - just one evening watching him in the taverns showed her he could not keep his eyes off the tavern owner, and she had been very friendly towards him - although Sarga could not tell if that was just to get on the right side of the church. The priest spent the next day giving the standard “beware of false gods” speeches, and warning that he would have to take action against anyone who continued to believe in Asherah. It was so dreadfully rote. That night, Sarga crept into his dreams, They were a mess of images, Hurn turning his back on the people, the city burning, Asherah rising from the waves to defend his people. That kind of thing, then she twisted them to show the priest, in fancy reinments, jagged sword in hand, muscle chested with the Landlady at his side armoured and looking longingly at him. His brain took over, and Sarga left, feeling a little put off at what followed. Humans were disgusting. Why could they not lay eggs like a proper species? The next day the followers of Asherah found two large, ornate shells waiting for them as they went to put their nets in the water. On each was inscribed a message. Thou shalt eat. Quell the hunger inside you. Is it regular hunger? Is it your sexual appetite? Is it your thirst for blood? Sate yourself so it doesn't gnaw on your mind. Thou shalt grow. Strive for improvement of both the self and the space where you live. Grow stronger and smarter, build your home into a fortress that none may assail you and expand your borders to have more room to build. The people read these, and tried to lift them. They found they could not move them. The Priest read them, and Sarga could see his mind working. The shells gleamed in the sun, and soon the nets were full. The devotees of Asherah took these new commandments to heart, and began to fill their desires, while those who did not looked on with growing worry. The Priest once more tried to turn people back to his do-nothing god, but more people, the younger ones mainly, drifted towards the new god. Another night of dreams wracks the priest, he sees Hurn dead in the gutter, and Kilira laughing over him, he dreams of the Landlady and a cathedral built around the stones. He dreams of terror and glory. The morning comes, and he cannot look the Landlady in the eye, but he cannot stop thinking about her. He visits the stones again, and he sits on the shore alone. Asherah rises from the sea to greet him. ”You look troubled little one.” He says. The priest scrabbles backwards in the sand. ”Stand back monster! You are no god!” ”Am I not? You call me monster, but what have I done that is not in these people's best interests? I have fed them, saved their lives, protected them from a storm. You are the one coming in here telling them they are living wrong. I want them to be strong and happy.” ”Tempt me not, you have been sent here by some vile creature to turn me. The gods do not appear before people like this. They do not take part in people lives.” ”Then what good are they as gods?” It was simply put, but Sarga, watching from the water, could see Asherah’s point hit home. Doubt flashed across the mans face. ”The old gods have lost their way. They watch and take, but never give. I am a new god ys, but I am doing something, trying to save people.” ”Save people?” ”Yes. And I need you. I need someone to help my prophet spread my teachings. If we do not, death will come to this country, and Cliffcut will be the first city to burn. War is coming, and Hurns outdated ideals will just lead to death. I am the only way these people will survive!” ”I have dreamed of another god.” ”Kilira. Yes. He is breaking the pact of silence, and whipping his followers into a frenzy. We need to do the same.” ”We?” ”You are mine Olimas. You have just been learning how not to do things. Now, go, feed your hunger and spread my word.” With that Asherah stood and strode back into the seas. The next day the Priest was wearing common clothes, talking to the Landlady and Dave. He was theirs. Another week saw the people bring stones to surround the shells. And the start of a building going up - wood for now, but it would grow in time. The last of the villagers either joined the new religion or left their homes in fear. The village was hers. Do we A - Push into the surrounding villages? B - Go for Cliffcut? quote:Mana = 360/450 1 Large Manawell 455/1000
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Aug 13, 2018 08:50
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I think A is a better choice strategically.
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Aug 13, 2018 09:09
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Always grab your natural expansion first before going on the offensive.
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Aug 13, 2018 12:00
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A, but make our followers more attractive so we can sell the religion better
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Aug 13, 2018 12:24
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Blasphemaster posted:Always grab your natural expansion first before going on the offensive. This is pretty much the perfect way of putting it.
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Aug 13, 2018 14:04
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A
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Aug 13, 2018 14:48
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Blasphemaster posted:Always grab your natural expansion first before going on the offensive. 
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Aug 13, 2018 15:40
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Blasphemaster posted:Always grab your natural expansion first before going on the offensive. Trufax.
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Aug 13, 2018 16:23
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Blasphemaster posted:Always grab your natural expansion first before going on the offensive. Good tactics here.
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Aug 13, 2018 16:24
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A is a good idea.
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Aug 13, 2018 17:59
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Blasphemaster posted:Always grab your natural expansion first before going on the offensive. This is truth. This is wisdom.
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Aug 14, 2018 01:16
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A
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Aug 14, 2018 02:09
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AJ_Impy posted:This is truth. This is wisdom. Interestingly, I forgot this wisdom and lost a bunch of games today. Thus is the consequence of playing Random.
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Aug 14, 2018 04:09
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You shall grow. There comes a time in all new religions when they have to step beyond the cradle and into the wider world. The Prophet Dave and newly minted High Priest Olimas were ready to take that step. Olimas readied his horse, and was joined by Olga the taverns Landlady. Sarga continued to sit in her room watching events unfold. Really, this was a nice contract, very little personal danger and the ability to manipulate people into worshiping one of her creations. And a huge paycheck at the end! Olimas arrives in the next village over, and was immediately greeted with some unease - some of the people from the first village had moved here, and had spread the news of the new god. There was not open rejection by all though, as several people sheepishly moved over to the new arrivals to talk to them. Word had gotten around, and the huge hauls of fish that the followers of Asherah were bringing in had not gone unnoticed. Olimas started his sermon from the village square, and had a small number of followers looking on, then a rotten fish sailed from the crowd and hit him square in the face. Sarga saw her opening, and placed her hand on Bad Tidings. ”Who did that?” Olimas roared, he had been a priest most of his life, and was used to being treated with respect, as he did so, Sarga reached out and formed some dark clouds. The sun dims, and one or two peasants look to the sky. ”How could you turn your back on Hurn?” someone shouts as another glob of fishguts slams into Olga. ”Turn my back? He has not done anything for us in centuries! We are alone, and only Asherah is her to protect us!” The skies form noticeable clouds now. ”Get out of here you monster loving fool!” The man with a bucket of fish guts strides to the front now, he is old, but has the body of someone who has done hard work all his life. ”Your Asherah will only bring war, Hurn has kept us safe for generations - this is a trick my some dungeon master!” ”Ashera is a god! Her care’s for us, but he will not be willing to let one old man doom an entire country.” ”Oh yeah? If he’s so good, so all powerful, then let him show it. If I’m standing in the way of the salvation of the country, then have him strike me now.” he points to the heavens with one had. An evil smile crosses Sargas’ face. Lightning from the heavens is so passe, but you cannot deny that when someone has just ask for a god to smite them, it’s a good go to option. The man doesn't know what hit him. Everyone around him does as the lightning passes down his hand and earths into the ground. Sarga pushes a good amount of juice into him, and he catches fire immediately. A bit more mana holds him there, upright and burning - one finger pointing towards the sky. After a minute she lets the skeleton crumble to the ground. The stunned villagers look out from behind whatever cover they had scrambled behind. An equally stunned Olimas managed to rally quicker. ”Anyone else doubt my lords power?” The Village was soon full of Followers of Asherah, less those who had left. Another few days pass before the two left and headed on for the next stop. A town on the road to Cliffcut known as Applepass. As they approached an arrow shoots down an lands at their feet, and a voice booms out. “”This is a city of Hurn, turn back, or we will be forced to do something that will put our immortal souls at risk!” Sarga scans across the walls and sees they have put guards on the gate - they seem to be church men, but the city guards are making no moves to stop them. How do we deal with this city? 1 - Make it an example to those who disobey Asherah! 2 - Launch a false flag attack using the Stingrays. 3 - Try and talk it out. 4 - bypass the town and head to the city 5 - something else, much more creative and evil. quote:Mana = 362/450 1 Large Manawell 480/1000
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Aug 14, 2018 13:46
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How big is this town? Are there a couple of guards and little else? Is it on the water?
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Aug 14, 2018 14:23
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Its a decent sized town, on a river a bit inland. there will be ten-twenty guards on each gate, and some local law enforcement in the city. No army or militia - the rulers of this realm WANT you to succeed, remember. They just can't be TOO obvious.
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Aug 14, 2018 14:32
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Talk it out. It would only be a bit of enchantment to make our priest's voice boom and his eyes blow, right? A couple of minor miracles and a good orator should be able to show these yokels that Hurn has left and obviously withdrawn his protections.
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Aug 14, 2018 14:56
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The job called for a violent religion, feel like this is the time to start seeding the obligation to bring the infidels into the faith. Try to talk it out because we are a religion of peace, but when they are unwilling to listen it is time to go to arms. Send the army straight through the field towards the gates, assist Ashera in creating a shield of water to protect them from arrows. Capture everyone and give them the option, convert or drown.
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Aug 14, 2018 16:11
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Time for a peacekeeping mission
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Aug 14, 2018 17:08
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We are the peaceful ones, we do not bring soldiers. We do not need them. Only when someone deliberately challenges Asherah should they be smote directly.
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Aug 15, 2018 01:32
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AJ_Impy posted:We are the peaceful ones, we do not bring soldiers. We do not need them. This kind of goes against the order.
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Aug 15, 2018 01:45
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AJ_Impy posted:We are the peaceful ones, we do not bring soldiers. We do not need them. This
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Aug 15, 2018 01:46
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Nephzinho posted:This kind of goes against the order. I wasn't very happy with the tenets seemed like the converted priest wanted to be a little rapey. "Just take what you want"
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Aug 15, 2018 02:03
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We're trying to get a crusader army together, not make saints.
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Aug 15, 2018 02:06
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Nephzinho posted:We're trying to get a crusader army together, not make saints. True but I was thinking we're just getting them open up to the idea of violence in self defense from the neighboring country. Walk softly but carry a big stick vs let's kill them all(including the citizens of the client nation) we can't start a civil war to weaken the nation we're being paid to stir up for a fight of self defense.
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Aug 15, 2018 02:28
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C. What up my dudes? Why would you need to do something to drat your soul? Just here to chat, friend.
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Aug 15, 2018 02:47
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3. Argue that by declaring their willingness to fight, they have proven they do not truly believe the teachings of their god. They value their own lives above their beliefs. They may not have broken the tenets of their religion in deed yet but they already have in spirit. If their faith was truly unshakable, they would not fear the teachings of another god.
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Aug 15, 2018 02:55
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super sweet best pal posted:3. Argue that by declaring their willingness to fight, they have proven they do not truly believe the teachings of their god. They value their own lives above their beliefs. They may not have broken the tenets of their religion in deed yet but they already have in spirit. If their faith was truly unshakable, they would not fear the teachings of another god. This. No true god would demand they weaken themselves to aggrandize him, when they should instead be making themselves as strong as they can in his image.
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Aug 15, 2018 05:37
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super sweet best pal posted:3. Argue that by declaring their willingness to fight, they have proven they do not truly believe the teachings of their god. They value their own lives above their beliefs. They may not have broken the tenets of their religion in deed yet but they already have in spirit. If their faith was truly unshakable, they would not fear the teachings of another god. I like it.
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Aug 15, 2018 06:07
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5: A combination of 1, 4, and 2 Rebuke them: "Misfortune befalls those who do not welcome followers of Asherah peacefully and with open hearts!" Bypass Applepass and move on to the next town, Cliffcut, without incident. One week later, send the Stingrays to murder Applepass's religious leadership in the middle of the night. Use poison to make their deaths look like accidents. e: This idea is meant to make for a great "I told you so"-type legend in the chapters of Asherah. Asherah's prophet predicted bad stuff to befall these guys, and now look what's happened to them! Lux Anima fucked around with this message at 06:43 on Aug 15, 2018 |
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Aug 15, 2018 06:35
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