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EM The man hurdles to the ground calmly, appreciating the immaculate vista. Never before had the setting sun, nor such a terrifying height, been so beautiful. And escaping the Night, finally, was a welcomed reprieve. Their current situation found Enno to be quite at ease. "Would anyone appreciate a parachute?" code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 15:05 on May 14, 2017 |
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May 13, 2017 21:56
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EM Enno spins a hand in the air, collecting a nimbus of clouds made manifest. Deftly, he pulls and works the ice into a long sheet, folds the new adjunct material, and fashions a strange, working parachute in the span of about six seconds, and passes it in midair. Just flavor, using artifice intrinsic for Johnny. code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 15:05 on May 14, 2017 |
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May 14, 2017 01:34
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EM Watching the cloud born parachutes control the others' descent, Enno focuses his attention on the town while he falls, trying to make a mental note of any particularly interesting facts he can glean while skyward. Particularly, he searches for any ingress points or defenses that may be seen from this vantage point, or major structures whose purpose might be ascertained. Without any remarkable developments, it seems the most logical destination for this beleaguered crew. code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 15:05 on May 14, 2017 |
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May 14, 2017 12:53
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EM "We're far from the Republic, Joey. You may not be as versed with the nodes as I, but without them we are going to have to do without any of our unhardened gadgets. That goes for most of our guns and phones. If memory serves, the town looks Dulimbaian in architecture. It may be helpful if you take point with the locals, for now." code:
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May 14, 2017 17:23
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EM Again, such talents must be put to use. Before deciding upon a less melt-prone source, the artificer begins to gather the distended old fabric of ice. The rest of the team chatters, and he collects his thoughts. This won't suffice the few miles they needed to travel. "One might be so put off." He scraps his work. Quickly rethinking his plan, he finds a few hollow logs, and instructing a few willing companions to expedite the gathering of materials, fashions them into a series of three pontoons. Feverishly, he fastens them along a series of elm boughs, splayed across the three in well measured intervals. He grabs a few sticks and bark, fashioning a pair of oars in a flash. Before the operators appears a quaint, shoddy double outrigger canoe. Its quality is suspect, and it likely wouldn't hold up to much turbulence, but it seems like just enough to travel the river instead of the land. "But then, one may not, if you are prepared to row. Let us take the Boulder's advice and wash the dust of that horrible place from us, and set off." My intent is to use the artifice intrinsic here again to fashion a canoe, but I understand if the scope of this work pushes us closer to the "Make Something" portion of a miracle. If that's the case, I guess it's not floating as precariously as it seems and I'll mark off one effort for the day. code:
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May 15, 2017 03:09
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EM "Forgive her, Chin. Her grasp of our trade cant is not the strongest, as you probably understand and can relate to. She says 'Lost,' but I believe in your language a better translation would be..." Enno whips out his smartphone, tapping a few keys, and studies the results for a second. "<Wandering.> Of course, we are traders of the Bright Republic as you can likely tell; and Ms. Zhou here butchers the language for our benefit. We are scouting out various resources and cities of trade, and our wallets are deep as you may imagine. Perhaps deeper with the requisite facilities." EM makes no effort to disguise a magnetic pistol as he fishes out a small bit of currency, far too much for fish, but effectively pocket change for a Republican. "For your help. Could you perhaps take us to a hotel... uh, hostel? Inn? In which we may retire and see the grander scope of this magnificent city by the light of day? And any tips that you might wish to bestow upon us would be greatly appreciated, of course." code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 13:56 on May 15, 2017 |
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May 15, 2017 13:53
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EM Enno finds no comfort in this place of strangers. His overarching thought throughout their time meandering the city is one of regret; but a drive in him staunches the thought. Something brought them here, afterall, and perhaps this was simply where they must be. Sleep would find them all, surely, and there would be solace in that, after so long without. They could assume the mantle of trying to egress back to the Republic with the dawn. But he was further put off the thought- What remained for them there? Surely this... divinity, this spark of the One, would be wasted in the bureaucracy. Surely, now, he could no longer sit idly at his desk, reading yet another missive or field report. Surely his team felt similar. Perhaps this new land, this strange new reality, was instead fate handing them a bicycle with training wheels. EM felt no pride in such a construct. His talk with the Taoist cemented these thoughts. Through his well trained Zen, his obvious state of contentment in what Enno could only see as sub-mediocroty, he saw an earlier version of himself. Truly this man's manner was not unlike that of a cog in the vast machine of the Bright Republic itself; medicated not on the latest mood stabilizer or telecast, but his own warped version of faith. It was demonstrably wrong. As an exercise in some latent instinct, Enno engages the man in some philosophical but friendly debate, and shares with him stories of creation and understanding of what he can remember of a once held faith of his own; and listens intently to the stories and counterpoints Red Cap Hong provides. He also lightly presses for more information about the priest's time in the monastery. After their good natured banter, and abound in earnest pleasantries upon their departure, Enno gives the man a handshake; turning and heading back to the inn to reconvene. Red Cap, however, would be surprised perhaps to find he had been given a gift in the foreign gesture; turning his palm upright to see the birth of five small paper lotuses bound with thread to a small metal medallion emblazoned with five fish in kind. The napkin his strange guest had used was mysteriously missing, and a small slug of the same metal now adorned the priest's quaint kitchen, in the northwest corner. code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 04:21 on May 16, 2017 |
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May 16, 2017 04:08
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EM Enno and Johnny spend time conversing, with some members reconvening throughout their repose. They perhaps come to a decision throughout their sharing, though it would take Roth finding his way back to the group. In a conjunction with his theotechnics, and his impressive workmanship, Enno begins work on a small miniaturized drone prototype, in the intent of getting a better lay of the land, while waiting for a decision, and Roth to return. The drone's shell appears as small bird fashioned of tea bush leaves held together on a scaffolding of a wooden body; but would require much more intricate work and dedicated time to be useful in any capacity. Will commit effort to build them faster if necessary, or to emulate the "Eyes in the Sky" gift (pg. 50), if code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 20:33 on May 17, 2017 |
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May 17, 2017 19:55
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EM By way of the fledgling spark of divinity, Enno instinctively reacts. Not dissimilar to the clouds in the sky, he takes to re-condensing the woman by way of his will. Winds adjust around her, adding atmospheric pressure to her billowing form, and the airspace she occupies becoming visibly cold. Even if merely as an exercise in the depth of his control rather than any sort of emotional concern, EM does his best to shape the word of sky to maintain her stability. Something in this situation speaks to the conversation he had with the Taoist priest who hosted him, and he makes a mental note to relate this happening to Red Cap Hong as soon as he can. "Woman, speak with purpose, I am unsure how long I can keep this- you- together!" Committing Effort to Sky-Miracle this chick into sticking around. code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 09:47 on May 18, 2017 |
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May 18, 2017 09:44
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EM The venerable artificer doesn't interfere in the more delicate matter of conversing with the family, or the girl as she stirs. He had done enough in saving her. However, he does have the foresight to record her waking words in a video captured on his smartphone. Of course, this bit of evidence against the Magistrate and Monastery was going to be difficult to explain to the residents of Gongfang; but the content of its record would be wisely kept for swaying detractors or bolstering the team's cause, should they need it. It could also be useful for blackmail against the powers of the city; but that thought was brief. When the clerk enters, Enno's attention is much more rapt upon the idea of actually meeting this man, who at the moment seems fashioned of pure evil. "Of course, Joey; Tam," he cuts a glance at Johnny and his coerced attendance, "Anyone decent would gladly see to your company." As they leave with the clerk, EM pays a young courier to advise Red Cap Hong to the address of the family; perhaps he could provide them some solace or magics to their aid if he saw fit. code:
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May 19, 2017 14:37
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EM "Our 'noble' dealings in this shanty-town would be much more facile with a certain degree of political flexibility, sir." Enno says, taking a sip of this dirty-flower-water and wishing, deeply, it was coffee. "I assume you know what I mean. Some manner of deputizing, that we can thereby avoid any of those who might intend to harangue us; like your slack-eyed constables or offensive pork-bun vendors." code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 14:59 on May 20, 2017 |
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May 20, 2017 14:29
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EM "Joey," Enno trails after her obvious misunderstanding of her own native culture, and mentions to her quietly, "If dossiers on the nature of this place are to be believed, slavery is a major part of this culture. A large portion of the inhabitants here consider themselves as such. It may be wise not to take such umbridge with their ways... I am surprised you did not know." He considers this for a moment, perhaps seeing it as a means to his own ends. "Of course if you should so deem it necessary. We could put an end to the practice with some time here." code:
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May 23, 2017 14:39
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EM "You must not have heard." EM says, gesturing toward Joey, " She has threatened to have these men's arms broken if they withhold any information, or lead us astray." Enno makes no effort to conceal his words with a foreign tongue. code:
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May 23, 2017 22:39
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EM Enno sighs, annoyed more that one of his number indulged that pork bun vendor than at the two idiots in Tam's clutches. Enno's tilts his head at Ji, the stronger looking of the two, and raises a hand. Clouds briefly coalesce around him, still in the Boulders grasp. The man convulses with excrutiating pain as the cloud fires lightning within itself, passing through him; enough to kill a lesser man; not unlike being clamped to a car battery. "I do not know the language you speak, and I do not much care for being left in the dark. As I recall, my young friend here asked you to bring us to Big Feet Zu. I emplore you to acquiesce to her demand. You are welcomed not to, I would very much like to leave your smoking husk of a corpse on the ground like a forgotten dog." With the words, EM looks to Johnny, "As my friend here would appreciate, I believe." How shocking!: 1d6 1 using the rain of lightning action to shock every desired target (just Ji) within 100 feet. code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 01:19 on May 24, 2017 |
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May 24, 2017 01:15
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EM "Oh, thank you for your words of restraint. I would certainly not have seen any qualitative reason to differentiate my interrogation methods between a hardened criminal employer of hundreds, and two common street ruffians. Really helping me dodge a bullet, there, Joey." code:
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May 25, 2017 23:10
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EM Enno strolls up to the steps while speaking, "We have come to you in order to attain some direction; you see, we intend to travel to the monastery controlled by Real Man Xiao. You will comply in telling us the exact method in which you or your intermediaries venture there safely, and you will hand over to me the shard that hangs around your neck. We will not harm you, as long as you continue to act in such a civil manner." He strides in front of the old man, and holds out a palm to receive the necklace. "Of course your expedient compliance is appreciated. Perhaps I will fix your gate, in return." Commiting effort for the day to enact a miracle of the Command Word, "A Thousand Loyal Troops," (pg. 35) against Big Feet Zu. code:
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May 28, 2017 14:35
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EM "I shall propose an alternative." Enno states, folding the chain of the shard into his palm, and into a pocket on his vest. "Instead, lay your weapons down. Listen to your master, Big Feet Zu, who though perhaps enamored with my reason, acts in his and your own best interest. Listen to my friend the Boulder. Allow us to work with you for unimpeded passage to the monastery, and nobody has to die." Clouds form from the ether about the courtyard. Committing effort to invoke the gift "Lines of Rule," which is a lot like "A Thousand Loyal Troops," but works on a group and allows a spirit saving throw if one so ensorcelled is alerted to the absurdity of being subservient to a stranger. Readying an action to fly up 60 feet and let lightning rain against any and all enemies who take an aggressive action. code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 23:45 on May 28, 2017 |
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May 28, 2017 18:42
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EM, Now the good guy, and pacifistic paladin of Freedom. Enno stares at the Boulder, crashing through the gates of the compound; followed by the fiery witch Joey immolating the area around her. He sees Johnny with intent on his face, and Roth perhaps acting in some capacity. And, of course, sympathizes with the terrified guards arming themselves for the defense of their home. Truly, this is an unruly bunch of scoundrels with whom he has found himself captured by in the interest of freeing the poor slaves from the compound they intended to assault for vain glory. He flies into the air for a better vantage in which to speak to the crowd gathered. "Please, please, this vile bloodshed is unnecessary! Stand down and mend your differences, our cultural dissimilarities are not worthy of such horrible violence," Enno screeches like a scared girl wholly unbecoming of her maternal role, overcome with an emotional reaction to a situation best suited with cold, calculating, reasonable apathy to peoples' suffering; the ends of which would justify the means for an entire populace rather than a small number of worthless captives, "Let us calmly set our weapons aside, and parley a truce!" "Let there be peace! We need only the slaves freed!" RPBotBOT - Today at 1:03 PM @Sljppers rolled 12. (9, 3) Charisma check to convince both the party and the guards to lay down their arms in a futile attempt to stop the fight from occurring, which will not work due to the rest of the party's bloodlust. code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 18:10 on May 29, 2017 |
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May 29, 2017 18:08
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EM, Now the good guy, and pacifistic paladin of Freedom. Enno crashes to the ground from sixty feet up, inexplicably tackled by what can only be understood to be a tower of these meek armed peasants. Obviously, they've been imbued with some magical jumping prowess by our Ursine overlord. "Well, as a paladin of freedom this certainly can not stand. I must, regrettably, defend myself." "Poor, misguided Dulimbaians. Dedicating your service to this dildo wielding menace will cost you your lives. Submit your will to me and see his, and our creator's rare misstep of humor, quelled beneath the iron boot of divinity." "For you see, the realities, the celestial mechanics of our world, allow me to do things like totally nullify the inspiring presence of your pot-helmed rakish dildo-wielder. And luckily for your groupthink, apparently, flying actually takes committed effort to maintain." Enno, once again, flies 60 feet directly skyward. Offensively dispelling Invincible Iron General with the word of command, by miracle. Fray: @Sljppers rolled 7, and 7 of the members of the mob submit to my grand logic. code:wtsnaename fucked around with this message at 20:03 on May 30, 2017 |
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May 30, 2017 17:29
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EM, Out of Mana The world begins to shiver, metaphorical temporal rifts crackling about the battlefield as the apparently not entirely forgone conclusion of battle echoes the anti-heroes' combat capabilities in lackluster whimpers. Tragically, ineffectuality incites Bizarro-Enno's divine agency, and he commands these tears in this slipstream diorama reality to lash out and end the suffering. Rain Of Lightning all enemies, mob and 1:01pm 5/31 RoL: @Sljppers rolled 4. Dealt straight to the mob, which I believe translates to 1 damage to LDM, reduced to 0. 1:01 5/31 Fray: @Sljppers rolled 8. Also to the mob. code:
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May 31, 2017 18:20
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EM Rabid dogs bark from within this bubble of reality in divine concordance as the threads of destiny weave beneath the reality taking shape. Their glowing fangs gnash with mechanical clacks as men fall in droves behind their raving commander absent blows struck. These men, by provenance, gobbled to nothing by fate like that of kibble from the hungry canines' bowl. The dog's cousin, bemused, yawns impatiently. He has waited so long for the circling to cease, and the hunger in their eyes to give way to attack. It never comes. With the quarry drawn and open, the pack never leaps to rend the hapless morsel. One nuzzles the prize, absently inspecting it with an arid tongue, and turns away. Ennui dances like wildfire across an ursine scowl, defrauding its ambition. This gift was wasted, just as all the rest. And to finally bring merciful death upon the emaciated and aimless hounds seems as fitting an end as any; thus the chute should be cleared. The most beaten til now, the hauteur mutt, pulls itself upon a lame leg to the mewling sacrifice; and with some duress sinks its teeth in. Sanguine venom bleats between its yellowed and missing teeth as the cur masticates its throbbing neck. The Boulder claps fined gravel powder from his hands; the tumult of stone burbling like a brook back to homeostasis, the courtyard returning to a serenity it had never known. The kerosene dreams of our Miss Zhou dash against its stoic facade, the crescendo of fire played a key above the audible and fizzling into a subtle whistling. Flesh-tattered swine begin feebly gnawing upon the blood flecked earth beneath them, their finest pleasure in life stolen from then like a blink in undeath. Johnny's eyes once again glaze over, any interest for the situation held aloft by the glory of combat suddenly dashed like a wave against the rock below. Enno, returns the shackles concealed around his neck to the bear on high, and lowers himself to the group he is tethered to by unknowable strings,. He retrieves his phone from a vest pocket, and begins again flicking the screen and tap-tap-tapping away at a keyboard known only by agents beyond the broken wall. Roth's eyes widen. The knowledge of the future is his alone, and rage trembles in the fingers of the Norns. A maelstrom of uncertainty lifts from the ground as the curtain of celestial gears is pulled away into a point in the sky. Playing in loops, a ragged pig triumphing with faux ingenuity over task after task as the wild eyes of the rest of the farm die briefly with each new hurdle easily surmounted. The Berkshire squeals with delight, somehow unknowing that animals' verve was slipping like sand hypnotically through the paws of the bear. All that remains in its six clawed mitt turns to salt. It clenches a fist. The bear slams this fist onto some crumpled foil; the divine mechanics otherwise cast aside. But a terrifying grins lapses and stretches across his face, to bask in the singular eye of the Godbound of fate. Roth calmly mumbles to the rest, "Of course something like this would happen. Why wouldn't it? What sort of continuity could exist after the farce of this reality bore itself so readily?" And thus, finds himself again within the collective, caught like deer on a winding night road ahead a careening semi. The air horn bursts its dissonance in the quiet dark, and soon they would be streaked across the ground by a roaring onslaught of disappointment without fighting with every fiber and scrap. God's words had been heeded, but not by God, and the mantra of effort blared its demonic klaxons within the glass walls of the rift. The puppies had been cast from a bridge, in a burlap sack. The ground vomits forth the man wielding bronze members. The pups yelp and plead, whining as their cloth tomb fills slowly with water. His masterful strokes send bits of skull and brain to the ground, and Johnny falls dead. One whelp coughs its last bubbles of air and goes slack. Phallic Justice rains more wet blows amidst the fledgling pantheon- Thwuck, Thwuck, and the silence but for the bronze resonating after breaking bones. Roth's lower mandible slides across the floor, and he falls clutching at a tongue flailing vainly as darkness overtakes his vision. A single soundless yelp is crushed in the dark as the three continue to tear at their prison. Rage boils the battlefield, Tam tears a slab of stone from the ground and brings its heft to bear against the newly elite warrior, but it is too little. A vicegrip of crossed thrombotic veins choke the joviality from his face, and he falls limp. One tears through the bag, and succumbs to the pressure in the deep dark. The battle begs relent, but absent divine order and rule, Joey's ineffectual bolts of flame singe not a pubic hair emblazoned upon the crest of scrotal cudgels brought unto her. Her ribs are left cracked and broken. She tries in vain to scream for help, but exsanguination takes her as her calls only drive the last of her blood from her lungs. One last young dog tears its sister's jaws from its leg, kicking with abandon, trying to reach the surface; she floats away into the murk. Enno is left. He ogles the dire demon before him, dual-wielding dildos of death, drops his guard, and dislodges his dutiful weapon. He raises the pistol against the beast, but realizing the futility of it all, turns it upon his mouth, and pulls the trigger. The lone mongrel finally breaks water, the sun hits his face, and he finds himself in a vast bay; there is simply no drive left, he limps along a short distance, and falls to the sea floor like his sister before him. The bag floats to the surface like a lost jellyfish, marooned as the last of this vignette, in a sea with nothing for miles in every distance. Dildor looks up to Ursa Major, with a petulant squeal of delight; but his purpose absent. The well dressed bear laps another sip from the Blood Mary, taking a moment to appreciate his own work. Without ceremony, he snaps his fingers; forever winking Lord Dildo Man from existence. code:
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Jun 4, 2017 07:20
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EM While the Boulder decides to do something truly heroic, something worthy of praise and the stature this rag-tag team now found themselves to hold, Enno characteristically bucks the entire ordeal; drawing ire from whatever celestial mechanics keep this world turning. Instead of providing any benefit at all to the group, he comes up with a machiavellian scheme to ensconce himself in this unassuming town by using what he understands of the peoples' faith against them. Paying his due diligence to the city officials which he consummately disarms with his bureaucratic gifts to attain the proper permits despite having a very tenuous grasp of the local language, the week sees EM build strange machines near ancestor shrines, graveyards, and taverns. They appear to be stone boxes affixed to poles, displaying a high cost in the currency of Gongfang, along with a phrase stating "<Speak with your ancestors! At shrine, rub, and state "My soul to the creator."> The machines carry a hardened translucent window displaying a great many half inch wide beads in a rainbow of colors and patterns. To any from the Bright Republic, they greatly resemble the old gumball machines in function. Inside, the beads hum with light magical power, and any who buy them and use them as stated are greeted, frightfully, by the voices of their ancestors. The beads do not work for long, but allow for a small exchange between the wielder and the dead. For now, perhaps Enno could not capitalize on the value of the users' incantations, but he could certainly use a source of constant income. Similarly, he makes sure to bribe some children to wear spent beads on bracelets, turning the product into a sort of display of devotion and, more importantly, status. Using 2 dominion to set up technology to dispense prayer beads that allow the populace to cast a low magic spell to speak with their dead ancestors. Issuing one influence to increase the demand for the beads. More or less just putting up a post because this game is cool and to slow down is the death of many a thread. code:
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Jun 12, 2017 07:03
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EM "For the first time in my life I am inclined to agree with our necrophiliac friend with the poor morales and reasoning. We don't particularly need to deceive this Perfect Woman Wen. If there are no more sacrifices being made by way of Zu being dealt with, Xiao's methods will become more overt. If we do not manage to convince her to give us the information we need, we can wait until he comes to us." "Furthermore, the monastery is not going anywhere. We could see to more issues plaguing Gongfang if we are in need of tasks in the meanwhile, after Wen comes for the slaves." code:
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Jun 20, 2017 11:37
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EM "Who cares, if it gets us to the monastery? Make the most of this little gift falling into The Boulder's lap, as it were." Sub-negative effort. code:
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Jun 30, 2017 17:25
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