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Rade - Flower Door, Namin region cave Roll: 11 + 4 - Success Metaphysically grabbing the inky blackness and pulling on it to excise it from the mage's being, Rade immediately recognised the feeling of the Deep Monarchs. It was not the same as their presence, but close enough as to what he had felt in the depths to be instantly recognisable. Physically the process looked like Rade had plunged his hand into the magi's chest and pulled out a void from inside his body. Holding it in his hand it distorted the air around his hand but immediately began to bleed away. The initial plunge into the man's body solicited a sharp intake of breath from his two companions, but the void caused them both to gasp (with the woman breathing in too much and hiccupping for a moment). The man that was now emancipated from this horror proceeded to faint. Perhaps the shock of someone plunging their arm into his body like it was wet clay and then pulling out a horrifying terror along with the revelation of Rade's power was more than he had the fortitude for right now.
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Oct 3, 2022 03:03
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 Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin. Once he had the void in his hand, Rade was quick to act. It was simple to put a small scratch on the other two mages, hit them with another dose of the venom that would leave them unconscious. Then, a small exertion of his power to get the mage he had altered back to consciousness and flush with enough endorphins to leave him feeling good enough to continue. "So, tell me quickly. Is there any reason to preserve this thing? I don't particularly want to keep any part of their influence around if there's no benefit to doing so." The disdain for the Deep Monarchs was clear in his voice.
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Oct 3, 2022 03:34
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Rade - Flower Door, Namin region cave The man gulped and took a moment to collect himself. "Honestly I don't know if you can destroy it. I think it will just dissipate and return to the Monarch it was broken off of. It's a part of their being you see, they cut out a tiny part of their essence and put it into you. It's powerful and lets you do magic you couldn't otherwise but it also binds you to them." He said pausing for a split second before adding another comment. "But I think it's probably a good idea to try. If nothing else it will probably be unable to give the Monarch any useful information when it's dissipated and diluted until returning to it."
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Oct 3, 2022 03:38
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin. Rade focused his power trying to annihilate the void in his hand. It would be a good test of just how much his power had grown in comparison to the Monarchs. Trying to destroy the void-thing. Flesh-Smith[+4] to try and annihilate it, or if that's impossible damage it as much as possible.
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Oct 3, 2022 03:43
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin. The filament of the Deep Monarch's essence writhed in Rade's hand as he crushed it in his grip. Being careful to keep it enclosed as it tried to squeeze out as you compressed it, after a moment that to Rade seemed to stretch on for around a minute, the void was crushed down and was now too diffuse to hold onto. You could be satisfied in your confidence that anything that had transpired since it had been ripped out of the magi's body would be unintelligible and useless when it did eventually return to its original source. Meanwhile the magi looked at you in stunned belief. "Well your power is certainly not insignificant. Without a doubt you are stronger than myself and most of the members of our order, small as it is. But you cannot be everywhere at once while the Monarchs can, or at least be many more places than you. Can you teach this power?" Rade was skilled at reading people and to the man's credit, only a small part of him was hungering for power when he asked this. Mostly he just wanted to find a way to stand up to the horrors slowly killing his people.
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Oct 3, 2022 03:51
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin. quote:Rade looks him over. "Possibly. Though as you imagine it's not something I'd consider for just anyone." "So, Malorris," Rade releases his bindings then sits across from him. Was this some sort of test? Did Rade expect something of the man once his binding was released? There was no way for him to tell, but Rade was looking at him appraisingly, as if trying to decide something. "Tell me about the Kingdom, your former master. Knowledge of these lands, after all, is my greatest deficit. One you can no doubt help correct."
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Oct 3, 2022 05:00
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin Malorris began with some explanations you knew about the world. The state of the outlying towns and the effects of the Monarch's tithe on the people. In the capital things were a bit better off. Food was not plentiful but citizens did not starve. However there was a strict registry of citizens, and most punishments for crimes involved being stripped of citizenship. Many crimes were simple abuses of power by the nobility (the few that remained at the suffering of the royal family) and the magi. People knew not to cross those with power in the city, but it was far too easy to simply come across one of the powerful when they were in a bad mood, looking for entertainment or to cause some manner of perceived slight. Non-citizens did not get access to food, housing or employment and ended up begging or falling into the criminal cracks. Non-citizenship crimes involved "re-education", a process people did not return from. Malorris of course knew that this meant being sacrificed; either to the Monarchs directly or to the magi for their experiments. An exception to this was some few strong and particularly pliable few who got to be drafted into the "army" such as it now was. They did not enjoy a luxurious life but their meals and shelter were provided for as long as they remained obedient, which was enough to secure loyalty. The magi were fully infiltrated by the Monarchs at this point. At some point decades ago one mage had made a bargain with one of the Monarchs, and using this source of power had usurped the college and its power structure within a few years. From there on every new initiate was as part of their graduation ceremony required to make a pact with the Monarchs, or to have their magic ripped out (a process that was lethal in almost all cases). This pact corrupted the magic of mage by tying it to the Deep Monarchs, allowing them to influence it and know where, when and what magic was being cast. The kingdom was slowly dying, as Rade already knew, slowly eating itself from the inside out. Malorris had wanted to learn things no-one had learned before and have his name recorded against accomplishments that people would use for centuries to come. But the Magi College did little research these days, it served only as an apparatus to further the will of the Monarchs and to ensure the tithe was paid. While you _could_ write a thesis and store it in the library, few magi if any cared to read them. Plus in a few generations when the kingdom finally collapsed for good there was little hope that knowledge would endure.
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Oct 13, 2022 05:53
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 The Drosai - The Butterfly Door The Drosai watches the Wolf go, and once gone, proceeds to give no additional thought to the Hunter for the time being. Paths diverge, the Wolf did not factor into its plans. "We will do the best we can with such meager tools. There is still much to do that will not require pick or hammer, and in time the lack of tools will not be a problem. Come, come. Follow, and we will lead you back to the barracks. ----- After 10,000 years I'm free. Time to conquer earth! Leading everyone back to the very hastily dug Home Base, using The Colony +2 to strengthen the group as we begin setting up the Three Rotating Shift schedule. One shift digs, one shift rests, and the last shift forages/gathers the supplies humans require to survive. The Will of the Drosai: Work. Rhjamiz fucked around with this message at 06:07 on Oct 13, 2022 |
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Oct 13, 2022 05:55
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin. Rade quirks an eyebrow at the description. "It seems the kingdom is even more rotten and dilapidated than I expected. Also, it seems you are unusual among your kind, it explains why you are much wiser than your companions." He glances with some amount of disdain at the still unconscious magi who had been so rude towards him in their earlier discussion. "You have made the correct decision on where your loyalties out to lie. Which if any of them can be relied upon to make the correct decision if they were freed from the Monarch's influence?"
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Oct 15, 2022 00:48
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The Drosai - The Butterfly Door, The Colony Work was slower and harder without the proper amount of tools for everyone, but some people were able to improvise tools and a few others found some older tools. The Drosai was not terribly concerned or interested with the providence of the equipment, only that they possessed them. There were three things the Drosai noted during this phase of slow expansion. 1. The human workers seemed to be affected by the plain rock walls. Previous experiences showed that humans worked better when they were enclosed in structures with worked stone, wood or other materials that fell under their nebulous definitions of aesthetic attractiveness. While the colony was leveraging a primarily human workforce improving their morale might cause an increase in productivity. 2. As the colony dug closer to the mountain they uncovered small veins of workable metals at much higher depths than should be expected. Perhaps the mountain caused mineral deposits to extrude towards the surface. 3. Foraging teams reported that the insectoid forces around the manor were starting to grow more aggressive on the few times they had encountered them during gathering food. There seemed to be some concept of territory that the colony would be at risk of being perceived as violating. The Drosai noted that much of this territory the insect group seemed to believe belonged them was unused and untended. You expand your colony space a little bit. Sufficient for the current work force to live on site, although a number still choose to go home occasionally because the colony is still in a way weird and alien to them. Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin Malorris was able to confidently answer Rade's question with barely a moment's thought. "The older generation are too bought into the status quo, crumbling as it is, to willingly turn against it. The woman who charmed you, our senior, for example would probably seek to immediately repledge herself. The younger members of the college such as myself will actually live long enough to face the consequences of the kingdom completely collapsing. Most of them could be converted to your cause with the right arguments and incentives. Some of them I would be able to advise you on, but others I do not know well enough to be sure of what would be most persuasive."
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Nov 10, 2022 06:22
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin. "I can work with that." He responds. His tone and body-language made it clear Rade obviously liked Malloris, the man had his priorities straight and seemed like he could be a useful ally. "I think we'll work together well. Still, you understand why I must take certain precautions. It would be the height of folly for me to entrust what could be my greatest advantage against the Monarchs to a person I just met. I think it unlikely, but I cannot ignore the possibility you are just telling me what you think I want to hear in order to facilitate your escape. Of course, intelligent man that you are you no doubt recognized this which is why you offered to accept whatever bindings I felt were necessary. If you are still so resolved then take this..." Rade makes a small slash with one of his claws to draw a small trickle of blood into one of his hands. Then he closes his eyes and focuses, he had an idea in mind a creature that would act as binding and blessing at the same time. At some level he understood that his greatest advantage against the Monarchs was not his power (though it was a necessary one) it was that unlike them he was interested in and understood to a degree the hearts and minds of mortal men and women and understood that they had needs both physical and emotional that needed to be addressed. The Monarchs were content to rely on their overwhelming power to crush the populace with fear. It would be their achillies heel. This understanding was why he would make his binding far different than the Monarchs. Their binding enforced obedience only, he would not only make his binding one that would benefit the bound, but one that cultivated devotion rather than merely obedience. He also went out of his way to ensure that the process of the binding and the state of being bound would be very pleasant indeed, both physically and emotionally. This would hopefully make those who accepted his binding more effective and creative agents than the Monarchs could bring to bare. The blood in his hand was transformed into the form of a small worm-like creature not much larger than a dime. "...and place it in the back of your neck." He holds out his hand, leaving Malloris the choice of whether to accept or reject this offer. Rade's creating a neural symbiote. It burrows into the back of the neck, and over the course of a week or so grows and inter-meshes with the central nervous system at the spine and the brain and eventually throughout the whole body, completely replacing the hosts neural tissue. It's designed by Rade to be far more efficient and powerful than most naturally occurring neural tissue, so as it replaces the hosts native neurons, they'll experience increased reflex speed, sensory data processing rates, enhanced memory, and general increase in intelligence. It will also fill the host with increasingly powerful positive feelings towards Rade, which will in time dwarf any other emotions they have ever experienced. When fully grown after about a week, the host should experience significant cognitive benefits and be zealously devoted to Rade. Rade also is designing them to make sure that the host will find the entire process of the symbiotes growth and subsequent state of being bound to him extremely physically pleasant and emotionally fulfilling for the host. Fleshsmith[+4] - Transforming some of Rade's blood into a symbiote.
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Nov 12, 2022 03:21
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin Roll: 8 + 4 - Minor Success Malloris took the worm from Rade's hand and considered it for a moment. Then he put the worm on the back of his neck and tensed. While it was clear he had no idea what exactly to expect from the annelid that Rade had given him, the expression on his face made it clear that there was a certainly degree of discomfort with the thought of letting a creature into his body. The worm didn't seem to move for a few seconds and Malloris even began to relax for a split second before the worm unexpectedly to both Rade and his subject, suddenly clenched and launched itself around the magus' neck and into his ear. The expressions Malloris made over the next few seconds were a fascinating insight into what the process might feel like. There was certainly a degree of discomfort but it didn't seem to be painful. After those few moments had passed Malloris' body went slightly slack, his eyes unfocused and he paused before slowly blinking once. Then he seemed to jerk back into control of himself. Rade could not help but feel a moment of concern and frustration, the process had intended to be euphoric and from what he had witnessed this clearly wasn't. "That wasn't exactly the most pleasant experience I have suffered but it could have been far worse." He reported looking at Rade. "Hopefully by the next time you need to do this you will have refined the creature. While I can reassure you that this creature is enforcing a degree of obedience, and that I can sense that trying to harm you or interfere directly will cause it to disable my body movements until I comply, is there some kind of test you wish to perform or trial I should undertake to confirm this for you?" Malloris was very passive so it was difficult to say with complete confidence whether the symbiont was affecting his attitude towards you but Rade felt that there was some kind of subtle shift which might suggest that it was beginning to take effect. You didn't quite roll well enough to get it be a pleasant bonding experience but the long term effect will mostly operate as you designed. The general enhancements will take a little while to become readily apparent and at this point won't be 100% effective for Malloris however. You can work on improving him later once you have more data, and will be able to work on the next symbiont or batch of them.
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Nov 29, 2022 08:11
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin. "It would appear it needs refinement. Rest assured I will do so." He would have to keep a close eye on the magi over the next couple of days to make sure the symbiont developed as he wished. He had to be sure before he experimented with granting them his power. For the moment though there were two other magi to deal with. "So of these two you believe that this one cannot be brought around," he gestures at the senior magi, the one who had been so foolishly arrogant before. "What about this other, do you think you convince him to accept my binding if freed from the Monarch's control?"
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Dec 1, 2022 03:05
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave near to Namin Malloris pondered it for a few seconds. "Hmm...we have only worked together a few times but my impression is that he could be convinced. He has a less nihilistic outlook than I do, so he will require proof. The most simple and direct way would be to get him to unveil my Soul and see that my magick is no longer tainted by the Monarchs. However doing so may show the effects of the creature you have placed into me, which might make him believe that you are an equal or worse danger. Otherwise I could demonstrate my magick to prove it's not connected anymore but that method will need you to assist with convincing him I suspect. How would you proceed, Rade?" A choice here. Both will have risks and a roll from you.
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Dec 20, 2022 12:11
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Nanmin. "In either case the first thing that must be done is the removal of the Monarch's influence, as awakening him while it still lingers would be both pointless and foolish." Rade responds. "Judging by your own reaction, I imagine it might make an impression on his as well." The leonin reaches out a hand just as he had with Maloris. This time however, he had no reason to attempt to preserve the Monarch's power, just to excise and destroy it. If the procedure was a success, Rade would awaken the mage, but not before instructing Maloris, "Do whatever is necessary to convince him. There is no need to hide the nature of my powers or what I expect of you or him., Consider this your first test as to whether you are worthy to be invested with my power." Cutting out and destroying the Monarch's influence in the 2nd mage's soul. If that works, Rade will wake him up and give Maloris some latitude to try and convert him to Rade's side, which'll double as a test for Maloris to see if he's priest material. Fleshsmith[+4] - To extract and neutralize the Monarch's influence.
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Dec 20, 2022 17:09
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The Drosai - The Butterfly Door The primary problem that seemed to plague his new workers was, thankfully, a straight-forward one. Drosai were no slouches when it came to stonework, and creating a more aesthetically pleasing barracks from the bare 'rock' should prove an easy task. The issue of increased aggression toward foraging teams would have to be dealt with afterward. ----- Using my Frightening Strength [+2] and Supernatural Stonecunning [+2] to go about beautifying the barracks, more or less. Murals, engravings, tessellations, images, aesthetically pleasing patterns, dwarves fighting carp, the dwarf is weeping, the carp is jumping, etc. The Will of the Drosai: Work. Rhjamiz fucked around with this message at 02:38 on Jan 6, 2023 |
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Jan 6, 2023 02:35
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Namin (Result: 7 + 4 - Success) Rade was successful in his attempt at excising the taint of the Deep Monarch from the second magi. However in doing so Rade could sense that the Monarch knew something had happened, two connections being severed in the same place had made it aware. Whether this would result in the Monarch acting now, or later, or even at all was something Rade could only guess at for now. However with the successful operation, Rade was now free to wake up the magi. The Drosai - The Butterfly Door (Result: 9 + 4 - Success) While there was definitely an alien element to the aesthetic sense of the Drosai, it seemed as though the human workers it had hired to join it were not unsettled by this. Whether this was because of some influence it had on them, or because they were had been exposed to a similar aesthetic through the (seemingly) indigenous arthropoid lifeforms they shared this world with was unclear and perhaps irrelevant.
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Jan 6, 2023 03:14
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Namin. That the Monarch had noticed him, expected but unwelcome. That didn't really change things in the immediate moment. Looking over at Maloris he instructs, "You may reveal whatever you wish to him, I did not keep secret from you nor any of my other followers my aims or intentions. I will step in if I deem it necessary." With that, Rade woke up the mage.
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Jan 6, 2023 03:20
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Namin Result: 11 - Success The mage woke up and was groggy for a few moments, confused by his situation and surrounding. Once he saw Maloris around and moving he began to ask some questions and Maloris began to explain about the situation. His colleague was amazed to hear that he was free of the Monarch's influence but was unsurprisingly not thrilled by the idea of another shackle. Maloris patiently explained the nature of it and explained the reasoning for it and that Rade wanted them to survive and flourish while the Monarchs just wanted to feed and watch them die. Many of Maloris' arguments were not exactly thrilling propaganda but they seemed to be effective for the other Magi. In the end the Magi sighed and accepted that it was better to wear the collar that would let him see his grandchildren than the one that would see him be the last of his family, even if they were both slave collars. With this done Maloris turned to Rade, indicating that his colleague was ready for the next part of the indoctrination.
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Jan 17, 2023 05:36
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Namin. Rade nodded in appreciation at Maloris's efforts, raising his estimation of the man accordingly and deciding that he had what it took to serve in the role Rade had planned for him. Turning to the other mage, he says, "I'm glad you've shown the good sense to understand your position and what is best for you and yours, even if you do not yet favor it. I think you will find that you will warm to the new order of things that I am building more than you think is possible. Now, take this and place it to your ear." Rade holds out his hand, forming within it another of the small worm-like symbionts. In intention and design it was similar to what he had given Maloris, but this time refined from what he had learned from his previous efforts. Greater care was taken to ensure that the integration with the host would be as pleasant as Rade could make it without negatively impacting its long-term function. The worm itself would now initially secrete chemicals that upon contact with the host would stimulate their pleasure receptors and the production of hormones responsible for feelings of wellness and trust, they would still be able to feel the symbiont seat itself, but hopefully the entire process would be a wonderous one for the host. In the end though, the effect would be the same. The replacement of neural tissue with a superior flesh that would improve the host and leave them as his zealots. Making another neural symbiont, similar in design to Maloris's, but hopefully slightly refined to make the process of integration more euphoric for the host. Outside of that the effects are intended to be the same: supplant the host's nervous system with new improved tissue that will provide across the board enhancements to reflexes, cognition, etc. and at the same time engender within them an all-consuming love and devotion for Rade. Fleshsmith[+4] - Transforming some of Rade's blood into a symbiote.
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Jan 17, 2023 05:58
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Namin Result: 3 + 4 = Minor Success This time the implanting of the symbiote didn't have the unpleasant sensation that it had for Maloris, Rade could immediately tell given the man's expressions. However by the same expressions Rade could realise that it had not instilled the devotion into the man that he had desired. Was it a flaw with the symbiote still, or did the magical aptitude give the magi some sort of innate resistance to the effect? Rade didn't know yet but it would be important to figure out. "Well it is finished I think. There is no change in sensations now and my body has stopped feeling the changes. What should we do about the Magi Superior?" Your new servant asked and Maloris looked to Rade as well, with a look that spoke volumes about his his expectations on the woman's remaining lifespan.
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Jan 25, 2023 07:15
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Namin. Rade considered for but a moment what to do with the remaining magi, the one Maloris had indicated would not be salvageable. Perhaps she might be of some use in testing the effect of the symbiote on an unwilling host, but that would only be true if he already had them working consistently. No, he would have more chances with that later, once he had a better grasp of how to form the creature so it accomplished what he wanted. Considering there seemed no chance of conversion and his little army wasn't equipped to hold prisoners at all, much less one that seemed more capable of escape than the average troop, there was only one outcome. So, casually, coldly, Rade walked over to the unconscious form of the Magi Superior and snapped her neck. The act didn't seem to phase him in the slightest, and bears about as much importance to him as what he might have for dinner once the evening comes. Once the deed was done, he turns to face the two magi converts, "Follow me, and be sure to show me proper deference from here on in especially when we are in public. The impression you make on my other followers will be important. They must see that even magi choose to submit themselves to me when given the option." Then he leaves the cave, and returns to where his forces and the more mundane prisoners are waiting. When time allowed he ordered that the body of deceased magi be disposed of. Once he had returned, he sought out Kerr. He had promised his son a sparring match, and he had kept him waiting long enough while he dealt with the magi. Plus, just as Kerr, he too had left the battle feeling unsatisfied, so in a way this was just as much for him as his son. The thought of facing an opponent that might offer a challenge was enough to get his blood flowing, not to mention the chance to gauge just how much his son had progressed with his own hand. Yes, this would be a thoroughly enjoyable time indeed. Rade's gonna do that sparring match with Kerr he promised. He'll make sure it's nothing fatal, but he's also not gonna hold back, he wants to give Kerr a satisfying fight after all. Experienced Mercenary [+2] - Rade's combat experience is second to none, he's sparred hundreds, thousands of times. He knows every trick in the book and then some. Leonin [+2] - This is a bout between Leonin, and leonin are natural warriors. Fleshsmith[+4] - Representing the various enhancements Rade has placed on himself that make him stronger, faster, and more durable than any normal person could hope to be.
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Jan 26, 2023 07:18
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Rade - Flower Door, A cave in Namin Result: 9 + 8 = Success There was obviously some surprise to the two magi that swam behind Rade as he returned to his soldiers. No one dared question what was happening and with this group Rade was confident that his authority was absolute, but it was still a surprise to see their enemies at their side and so quickly. Naturally this was interpreted the way that Rade had hoped, to convince his followers of the righteousness of their actions and his course. The magi were apparently used enough to public showings to not react, but Rade could see some very subtle signs that they were still a little unsure of their situation. It was not wariness in that they sensed danger, but they were still figuring out where they fit into the new order that they had found themselves and had clearly expected a more hostile reception than they were receiving. The duel with Kerr had indeed been some time coming and Rade could tell that his son (he was still getting used to thinking that) had been practicing. Rade managed to win in the end, but it was a hard fought victory and satisfying for both of you. You were also forced to use your power to help with patching up wounds after as the fight had gotten very fierce. Kerr didn't have as much experience as Rade did which meant he was not used to fighting in life and death situations. While this sparring match was obviously not to the death your son simply had not had to fight as ferociously as he could before. He had begun to draw some of that out towards the end but it had been too late for it to count. However Kerr was getting better at using his size and strength in one on one combat and additionally was more used to fighting in water than Rade was. Even though his conversion into a Leonin was thorough and complete, the lingering experience of being one a Neardweller continued to assist him. Kerr was without a doubt the strongest combat resource in Rade's arsenal currently, and the one best suited to tackling any key dangerous opponents.
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Jan 31, 2023 06:12
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Nanmin. After the end of the bout, Rade was still breathing hard as he used his power to tend to his son's wounds as well as his own. He felt a deep sense of satisfaction, not only from a fight well fought, but from the level of skill and power his son had shown. His eyes blazed, and he was smiling ear to ear. While he was quick to offer advice and pointers to help Kerr to continue to improve, he was equally quick to shower his son with praise at how well his efforts had already payed off. After spending some more time with his son, something Rade was quickly coming to appreciate more and more, he sent Kerr off to resume his training, with the promise that in the next battle, he'd be fighting right by Rade's side. Once Kerr was off, Rade turned his attention back to the matter most needing his attention, the remaining prisoners. He made sure the mages accompanied him and explicitly ordered them to maintain an visibly deferential and obedient attitude towards him. He wanted the troops to see that the mages had turned their coat and now belonged to him. It would be yet another weight tossed upon the prisoners, combining with the way they were defeated so effortlessly and vast gap in morale between his followers and likely any troop the prisoners had ever encountered. All of these factors were intended to work as one to drive home one conclusion to the prisoners, to make it inescapable: resistance to Rade was not just impossible, it was suicide, and there only hope for a future was to figure out how to earn his favor. Besides serving as yet another symbol of his power, the mages were also there to provide a hint, what they needed to become if they hoped to survive and thrive in Rade's world. Sitting down on a rock before them completely relaxed, Rade makes sure they can see the servile behavior of the magi as he directs them to attend to him. It was less that he needed to be attended to, though he did enjoy it and more to make plain the His voice dripping with his utter confidence in his power over the still restrained prisoners, Rade asks imperiously, "So, you who raised your blades against me and proved so weak as to barely be sport for my followers. Tell me, why should I let you live?" His tone and body language make clear that the soldier's future turned entirely on these next few minutes and Rade's impressions of them. Valhawk fucked around with this message at 02:50 on Feb 7, 2023 |
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Feb 1, 2023 01:36
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin There was fear in the brutes eyes. Most of them only had to offer that they were strong and loyal, although obviously their loyalty was suspect given how quickly they begged for their lives. One of them seemed to be slightly smarter than her peers as she responded with something a bit more appealing. "People can't afford to move around the kingdom much in this era, I've been to a number of towns and know some of the land. I can tell you the lay of the lands around the capital and some of its nearby settlements."
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Feb 7, 2023 04:01
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Nanmin. At the suggestions that they are loyal, Rade laughs, "The same loyalty you show to your current masters, the ones you are proposing to betray because a better opportunity has come along? Do you take me for a fool?" He lets a bit of anger slip into his voice at the implication that they are insulting him. It's all a show, in reality he finds the entire thing quite amusing. "And how do you propose to prove your loyalty to me will be a bit more permanent?" It is in truth a mostly honest question. The villagers he trusted, he had lifted them from starvation and death. The mages he did not need to trust, the binding ensured they could not even think to betray him. These brutes however, only his immediate threat would bind them to him. He needed more, especially since their devotion was all they had to offer him to buy their lives. He addresses the slightly smarter one among their number more appraisingly, "Your offer is a good start, that would be information that would be useful to me. However, my question to you however is the same as to them. How do you plan to prove that you won't simply betray me at the first opportunity?"
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Feb 7, 2023 04:25
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin There was a split second where the woman looked at Rade like he was a madman. But to her credit it was a split second. It made him wonder what stories about him the elder had spread after he had fled. "I don't know what Overdwellers use as a measure of loyalty. Tell me what you need and I'll answer, give me a test and I'll do it."
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Feb 7, 2023 04:29
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin. Rade laughs, "You've got some guts, I'll give you that. I think you'll find I'm not like any Overlander you may have ever heard of." He holds out his hand letting his power ripple across it. "As you've seen, I can shape flesh like an artisan shapes clay or a smith shapes metal. Under my guiding hand, the villagers who weeks ago were starving and malnourished are now likely some of the greatest warriors in this world." He glances away towards his troops, whose martial superiority would've been obvious even if the prisoners hadn't tasted it first hand a few hours previously. "You wish to know what proof I would require that you are suitably mine?" He ponders for a second before giving an answer, and as the idea occurs to him a predator's smile forms on his face. "Very well. All you need do is abandon everything you are: your names, your hopes, your ambitions, your pasts, everything. Place yourselves as clay to be molded by me into whatever I desire you to be without a single word of complaint. Once you are reborn in me, there will be no doubt as to your loyalty." He looks back to the leader, "And as you have something to offer other than your loyalty, you alone I will permit a single request as to what you will be." He looks out over them prisoners, "Those are my terms. What say you?"
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Feb 7, 2023 04:50
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin The woman flared her gills, the Neardweller equivalent of a gasp. "So it's true, you do steal people's souls and twist them into abominations." There was a lot of murmuring at this comment. It seemed like this was what the rumours of Rade were saying.
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Feb 9, 2023 03:57
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin. Rade listens to the woman's response and breaks out laughing, almost rolling off the rock he was using as a seat. After Rade finally laughs himself out, he turns his attention back to the prisoners. "So, that's what they're saying about me." He can't help but chuckle a bit more. "I deny it of course. If you had the facilities you'd see my followers still have their souls intact. However, it's not something I can prove at this moment, at least not to you. That's also not an answer to my question." He leans back a bit, settling back in after his earlier fit of laughter, his tone turning more serious. Laying out the line of his thinking he explains, "If you had surrendered without a fight, or joined me of your own volition my terms might be different. But you didn't. You raised your weapons against me and attempted to hurt and kill me and mine and there needs to be a price for that. Not to mention, I have no reason to believe you won't flee back to your old masters at the first opportunity. The safe thing to do would be to just kill you, but that would be such a waste if there were even some among you who truly wished to serve me. So, how do I seperate the wheat," he raises one hand palm up, "from the chaff" he raises the other hand similarly, as though he was a scale. He was aware that they likely wouldn't recognize the idiom, but the near-dwellers ought to be able to derive its general meaning from the context. "Simple, get you to give me something you truly value. If you're willing to give something up to enter my service, well it gives me a reason to think you're serious. However, unless I'm missing something, you have nothing of value to offer. Well, nothing but your names, your identities, your hopes and ambitions and dreams, the things that make you you." He looks over the rest of the prisoners. To a certain extent he wonders if he was really asking that much of them. How many of them were truly satisfied with who they were now, wouldn't be willing to give up everything for the possibility of a better life. In the moment it can be hard to realize it, he ought to know, he had scrounged and scrambled and debased himself plenty to survive. It was so easy to become lost in that, so caught up in the day to day that you don't see the big picture anymore, see what little your life amounts to. It had taken dying for Rade to realize it, that in his quest to survive he hadn't ever really accomplished anything. In the final accounting his life had added up to nothing, he'd wasted it. It was why he was here now, why when given a second chance and a taste of power he set his sites on the throne of the world. He needed to make them see, help them to realize the same thing. What he was asking them to give up may seem important to them in this moment, but was really not much to give up at all. At least, it wasn't much to give up in return for a life that would actually matter. He had to save them from themselves, from making the same mistake he had made. "I was like you once..." He breaks the silence he had created with that admission, not looking at anyone in particular, reminiscing about his past. "In another world, another life. I was a no one, just like you are now, a bit player on the stage of history. When my time was done, I doubt anyone even cared, and in a year or a decade no one would even remember that I had ever been there." There is a lingering contempt in Rade's voice for who he had once been, matched with an obvious determination to never repeat that mistake. He turns his gaze back to the prisoners, as he speaks next. A glare matched with a question directed to each and every one of them. "So tell me, assume today is your last day, what does your life amount to? What is so wonderful about who you are that holding onto it is worth passing on what might be the only chance you ever have to matter, to be more than the nothing you are now?" Valhawk fucked around with this message at 06:52 on Feb 9, 2023 |
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Feb 9, 2023 05:22
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin Luck Roll: 3 The woman continued to look at Rade as he spoke and the others waited, seemingly have decided to follow her lead for the moment. After he had finished she expelled something from her mouth, a gesture that seemed to be equivalent to spitting at someone. "You're full of poo poo. You came into a village with your weird magic, warped people's minds and bodies and endangered everyone else. Then when the king sends someone to put down your rebellion you think we're in the wrong? gently caress off. No I'm not going to take whatever you're promising. Just do whatever you'll do or just kill me. At least when I die I can return to my clutch with pride knowing I didn't betray my people." There were some murmurs from the others tied up. It seemed like the woman would need to be dealt with before you could try to convince them to join, but the more she spoke and argued with you the harder that seemed to become.
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Feb 10, 2023 04:06
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin. Rade's tone makes clear he thinks the woman the worst sort of fool. "Oh, but in choosing this path you are betraying your people, the ultimate betrayal in fact. You and people like you helping the Monarchs drain the last bits of life from this corpse of a land you call a kingdom." He shrugs, "Maybe you just don't see it, sitting in the capital, coming out to places like this only to collect the Monarch's spoils. Out here, where the food that pays the tithes comes from, people are starving to death. What do you think will happen in the capital when the current generation of villagers die out from sickness, starvation, or simply old age. There aren't enough young who survive to replace them. In twenty years, maybe thirty at the outside, this place will be nothing more than a silent corpse of a land stripped of all people." Rade stands, and looks over at the prisoners, his words for them as much as for her, "What I offer, what convinced the villagers and these magi to serve me is the chance at a future. I've seen it, deep in your hearts each and every one of you had given up on such a thing. That's really why you're scared, because my existence is forcing you to face the choice you you've tried so hard to look away from. Will you continue to march you and your kin meekly into the Monarch's waiting maws consigning you and all who might have come after you to certain death? Or will you embrace the chance at salvation?" He walks over to her, "Still, I will respect your determination if nothing else, and if you still desire it offer you a quick and clean death. If you don't have the stomach to give up everything for the chance at changing the world I understand, and better to die now by my hand than later watching the hell on earth you have wrought for your people."
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Feb 10, 2023 04:54
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin "You're a mad fool. They beat the gods and you think you can defeat them? You have dark magic but to kill a god? You think too highly of yourself." It did not seem like she was going to change her mind no matter how passionate or reasoned your argument.
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Feb 10, 2023 06:26
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin. "Picking certain death over the chance of life, I suppose I am just hastening the inevitable for you then." With a swift motion he snaps her neck like a twig, killing her instantly. Then he picks out one of the other prisoners and approaches them, "So, what say you then? Will you agree to my terms, or will you stay true to the Monarchs and join her in death?" Rade would clearly prefer the former, but its equally clear that no matter how much he might identify with them he won't hesitate to kill them if needs be. He had never been afraid to kill, and when he came to this world he had sworn to himself he would not let anything get in the way of his ambitions. He would extend the next prisoner the same courtesy as he had the first. He would respond to them, attempt to persuade them they were better off as his followers than the Monarchs, use his own knowledge and experience from having been like them to try and get them to see. However, when all was said and done his requirements would be the same. They would need to surrender themselves totally, forsaking all that they were, and accepting they were his, or they would die. Trying to convince the remaining prisoners one by one to see things Rade's way, and agree to surrender themselves to him. The alternative if they don't is death. Intuitive Leadership[+4] - Rade's skill in convincing people, knowing what to say and how to say it. Experienced Mercenary[+2] - Rade was like them once, he knows what motivates them: what they fear, what they desire, and he uses that knowledge to get them to agree to his terms. Leaders Enhanced Charisma[+2] - These people are used to following along, being drawn in the wake of bigger and more powerful personalities. Rade's pheremones should help make it easier for them to see him as the one to follow. Valhawk fucked around with this message at 06:43 on Feb 10, 2023 |
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Feb 10, 2023 06:34
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin Result: 9 + 6 = Success Luck Roll: 5 It seemed that despite being employed as soldiers these thugs had not seen much death, as when the woman who had acted as a leader died by Rade's hand the others were shocked by his actions. Your pheromones acted on this shock and fear, worming their way into the minds of the soldiers. While they had been galvanised to a degree by the woman who had started acting as a leader, her death shattered the remaining morale. One of them still refused but the other 4 eventually relented to Rade's demand of obedience and transformation. Although they had agreed to your terms there was fear written all across their faces.
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Feb 21, 2023 02:45
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin. Rade quickly disposes of the one prisoner who refused his offer, snapping their neck with the same brutal efficiency. Then he turns to the rest. He notes the fear in their eyes, but is unmoved by it. Soon enough, if things worked as he wished, they would find this moment to be the turning point of their entire lives. He speaks, letting his pheromones continue to work them over. "You've made the right decision. Now bow your heads and wait." He walks to each in turn, placing his hands upon them and focusing his power with all his will. He hadn't been speaking merely metaphorically when he said they were to be transformed completely. Until now, he had mostly focused on enhancing existing forms, his followers were changed, but still recognizably who they had been before, still recognizably near-dwellers. All except for Kerr, who he had reshaped in his own image. This however would be different. With these men he was attempting to make something new. That was why he had demanded they agree to complete abandonment of their old identities. When he was finished, these four would be the first of a new species of his own devising if all went well. They would be bigger, stronger, faster, tougher than near-dwellers even his own enhanced followers. Only Kerr and himself would be in the same weight-class. He used his experience with his and Kerr's enhancements as well as what he had learned from his work on his followers. Combining all of this knowledge to build them into perfect warriors. He also endowed them with claws and fangs based on Leonin equivalents, Rade knew first hand just how deadly both could be. Besides this he tested the limits of his powers, enhancing their organs, their muscles, their bones, their skin. He wove natural armor into their forms that would provide them some degree of protection without impeding their actions. Of course, Rade also considered their appearance. They were to be his troops after all, representing him and his power. It wouldn't due for them to be ugly or abominable. No, he wanted them to be striking even appealing in the way that a powerful predator could be. Of course, it would be based on his own sense of aesthetic. Fitting his own sense of what the ideal look for a purpose bred shock-troop should be. More than just appearance, he worked to ensure that everything about them fit what he had in mind. Their voices, their mannerisms, their scent, every little detail about them reinforcing their image as warriors without peer, beings born for combat. Mentally, the transformation would be as stark and complete as it was physically. He worked his power into every corner of their brains and nervous systems. First he attempted to alter their memories. He would leave their memories more or less intact, but he attempted to strip them of all emotional content. If he succeeded, the converts would be able to remember their old lives, but those old lives would have no meaning or hold on them. They would know what had happened before their transformation, but it would be like reading a particularly dull and dry report on someone else's life. Instead of whatever they might have once cared about, he attempted to hard-wire intense religious feelings towards him. He wanted the converts to worship the ground he walked on, and stand ready to carry out any command he might give them with total zeal. He also attempted to head off any feelings of unease or dysphoria about their new forms. In fact, as he had with Kerr he attempted to instill the opposite. They should experience their new forms as a euphoric change, taking the shape they were always meant to, far superior and more comfortable than their previous inferior forms. Beyond that he tried to make sure that their minds and emotional makeup were well-suited for their new life. He attempted to write into them as much of his own combat knowledge and muscle memory as he could. To make sure that they would be rational and focused even in the chaos of combat and able to fight and kill for him without compunction. If all worked as he intended, when he was finished he would have the first four of a new breed. One that would one-day form the spear-tip of his army, and if he was fortunate that others would hold in terror, awe, and jealousy. His Fangs. Rade's going to transform the 4 converts into a new species, known for the moment as Rade's Fangs. Physically, they'll be bigger, stronger, faster, and tougher. Including the full spectrum of enhancements to their muscles and organs. Also giving them wicked fangs and claws, natural armor beneath the skin, enhanced senses, regenerative abilities, etc. Any possible combat enhancement he can work into them. Appearance-wise, he's aiming for big and intimidating but he wants striking rather than ugly. Mentally, he's aiming to make them zealots, leave their memories mostly intact but stripped of emotional content (so that their memories prior to the change are basically just lists of facts with no real hold on them), and shape them to be ideal soldiers. Lastly like with Kerr he's trying to make it so that their radically changed forms will cause a feeling of euphoric correctness rather than dysphoria. Flesh-Smith[+4] - Rade's taking his power to the limit, attempting to completely reshape them physically and mentally, into an entirely new species of his own devising. Experienced Mercenary[+2] - Rade's drawing on his decades of knowledge and experience to identify all the qualities a perfect shock-trooper ought to be born with. He's also attempting to copy some of his own combat experience and muscle memory into them to help them be better fighters. Intuitive Leader[+4] - Rade has a fairly intuitive grasp of how to make them look to get the aesthetic effect he's aiming for, and how to wire their brains to ensure they are as he wants them to be. Leonin[+2] - Rade's drawing some elements from his own Leonin nature that complement what he's going for. Fangs, claws, predator's instincts, etc.
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Feb 21, 2023 04:59
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin Result: 9 + 12 (4 Divine) - Success The first transformation was striking. Picking the first of the soldiers, as much as they could even be called as such, who had shown submission Rade took him slightly aside from the others as a precaution and began to weave his power into the man's flesh. This time it felt like when he had worked on Kerr, except this time Rade was in control and it didn't rush out of him like it had with his son. The Neardweller could not even gasp as Rade touched him and began to work his magic. The man's body rippled as muscle, bone and flesh grew and knit themselves into superior and greater form. His body doubled in length but grew far more in weight as the new mass of his muscle, hide and limbs far rapidly changed. The piscine nature of the Neardweller physiology changed subtly as reptilian elements were introduced, evoked from the depictions of dragons that Rade had seen in art and heard in tales. The teeth of the soldier grew and became razor sharp, ideal for tearing into even metallic armour (let alone scale or hide) while fingers flexed and rippled as solid and equally sharp talons emerged from each digit. His head changed rapidly as it expanded out into a massive crest with horns for intimidation and the Neardwller's neck merged with the torso which became thick and powerful to support the heavy structure. A second pair of eyes adapted to different light conditions grew, while tentacles that could sense into electric and magnetic spectrums grew from his chin. The man's legs merged together into a powerful serpentine tail that could move both agilely in water and propel the soldier forward with incredible and terrifying speed when necessary. As the body changed Rade poured mental changes in as well, combining what he had learned of underwater combat from his time in this realm with his experiences as a soldier and mercenary to make the man able to fully utilise his terrifying combat suited form. Additionally the man would be partially sustained by Rade's magic, ensuring a secondary connection for obedience and to avoid the man needing to spend most of his day hunting. The form that he had now taken would undoubtedly be an apex predator in any realm and without magic to sustain it, its diet would demand its weight in food (which was now far from inconsiderable). When the change was complete the soldier bowed before Rade in deference. His voice came out quiet but deep and resonant as he spoke his new words in his new life. Rade was pleased to note that it did not come out sibilant or distorted like some kind of beast, but despite the man speaking quietly as a sign of deference Rade knew he could easily let out a terrifying war-cry with it if he so wished. "I am reborn, my lord." Then he turned to the stunned and terrified soldiers who now saw the fate that awaited them. "Fear not my companions, your old lives will seem shallow and frail once you know the touch of our lord's Grace. He is merciful and it will not hurt. Nay, I have not known any greater pleasure before today." While you doubted that the soldier had ever used those words before in his previous life, it seemed that Rade's influence on him had certainly made an impression on his psyche beyond the training he had bound into the change.
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Mar 21, 2023 05:11
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin. Rade looked upon the first of his Fangs with a fiery joy. He was everything Rade had envisioned and more. Until now, he had always limited himself, trying to make smaller changes within the limits of established nature. Even his most ambitious use of his power, the transformation of Kerr into his true son had merely been copying and tweaking what had already existed. Now, bowing before him was the first of a new breed of men entirely of his own devising, one crafted to serve as his warrior. With a gesture from Rade, the man ceased his bowing and stood upright at attention, allowing Rade to study every aspect of his work with an appreciative eye, taking in the full magnitude of what he had accomplished. Once he had completed his inspection, clearly satisfied with what he had seen, Rade addressed the man, “You are my first Fang, and from this day forth your name shall be Ori. It means 'devoted one' in the old tongue of my people.” Then he turns to the remaining prisoners, carefully watching their and also the Magi's responses. He slowly and silently approached the next closest of them, studying the man’s features as the prisoner faced his own immanent rebirth. He was interested to see if the possibility of such an improved and imposing form, and the exhortations of his already reborn fellow might affect the man's perceptions. A part of him wondered whether or not any of them might even desire the change, and the promise of not only strength and power but purpose and pleasure it offered. Not that their reaction would change what was to be their fate in the slightest. Whatever they might feel in the moment, one after another Rade would reach out and change them. In the aftermath, each new Fang would blaze with euphoric devotion to him, any fear or greed or resignation forgotten as though it had never existed. Each time it happened, Rade felt an undeniable burst of exaltation and pleasure run through him. One by one the prisoners were changed, each time Rade studied the reactions of those present both for his own enjoyment and in hopes that it might offer some insight into how to get others to accept rebirth into the forms he chose for them. Transforming the remaining prisoners just like the first. Rade's keeping an eye on the reactions of the Fangs, the remaining prisoners, and the magi to each transformation in hopes of seeing how best to use the fruits of his efforts to convince others, especially the rest of his followers to accept more radical boons than they've currently got. Intuitive Leadership[+4] - To try and understand what's going through their heads and how to use it to convince his other followers to accept more complete transformations.
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Mar 22, 2023 02:11
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin Result: 8 + 4 - Success It was undeniable to Rade that there was fear and apprehension on the soldiers faces and their body language before the transformation. Despite his charisma the fact was that he represented a threat to the status quo that they benefited from, and that it was certain that the elder who had forsaken his people to follow the Deep Monarchs had spread word that Rade was some kind of insidious demon. With his powers it was also straightforward to see how that idea would only be reinforced in the moments before their transformations. Especially given the obvious and dramatic changes in personality and attitude to Rade before and after the changes. Not that it changed anything for the soldiers. The fear was wiped away and replaced with only confidence and surety of their cause. Malloris' companion Magi looked on the whole thing with a different mindset. He did not really stand to benefit from the status quo and had a more personal understanding of the Deep Monarchs than the soldiers had. He was able to better understand the choice between Rade and the Monarchs, even if he was still wary and apprehensive of Rade the choice for him was between the devil he knew and another demon who at least seemed less evil for now. So he watched to see what he could learn and figure out where he would fit in Rade's future, to see if he would be similarly reshaped as the soldiers had and contemplating whether it would truly be such a loss to him if he was...
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Apr 3, 2023 05:18
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Rade - Flower Door, an area outside Namin. Rade knew that now he needed to convince both his existing followers and those who were being ground into dust under the current system that by submitting to his will, and accepting rebirth by his hands a better future awaited. He set aside further changing the Magi now, though he was tempted. However, he needed to let the symbiotes within them fully grow and integrate before that happened. So he spoke briefly with his mages and Fangs preparing them for the roles they were to play in what came next, then with a quick signal, Rade called for his followers to assemble. It didn’t take long for them all to gather, still in high spirits and celebrating their recent victory. With a signal of his hand and a release of pheromones he was able to silence any lingering chatter and turn the attention of all gathered completely at him and by extension the magi and his Fangs positioned deferentially behind him. He allows the silence to build for a second, and then his voice and the pheromones accompanying them spill out over the crowd. “I know many of you have seen and wondered about these converts to our cause.” He gestures to his newest followers, “These are the spoils of your victory. Thanks to your obedience and skill we took all of the enemies who had come to destroy us alive. That left the question of what was to be done with them. I would not ask you to feed and cloth prisoners. So, I spoke with each of them in turn and this is the result.” His voice is filled with a confidence born from the experience he had gained with speaking since he had come to Namin and the knowledge that in this moment, his authority was absolute. With another gesture, the two magi step forwards and then assume positions of deference directed at him. “Of the three magi who had led the enemy detachment I discovered something of great import. It would seem that the senior members of their order have committed an abomination.” He leaves that word to hang there for a second, adjusting his tone and his pheromones slightly, trying to build a degree of sympathy for these mages and outrage and horror at the leaders of their order. “They have sold the rest of their order into the Monarch’s service. They offered up the rest of their order, made up of people all too similar to you, and had the Monarchs use their disgusting powers to blacken their very souls to force them to act as their pawns.” Another pause to let the outrage build, he favors the two deferential magi with a benevolent look for the crowd’s benefit before continuing. “These two were victims of that, with no true say in what they did. When I learned the truth of this, I freed these two and as for the senior magi sent to oversee them…” He gives a toothy predator’s smile and makes sure that the crowd’s anger and outrage was at its peak, “I gave her a taste of what is coming to all her rotten ilk!” He gestures with his claws, mimicking the motion of slashing a throat so that all his followers would know exactly what fate awaited the senior magi who continued to willingly serve the Monarchs. He pauses again if all went well, giving time for the crowd to cheer at the “justice” he had handed out to such a despicable person. As he directs the attention back to the two magi actually present, his tone and pheromones shift again, aiming to cultivate camaraderie instead of anger. “These two, once they were freed, saw the truth of things. They’ve pledged their lives to my service.” He looks to them, and as he had previously instructed them, the two magi quickly affirm Rade’s story, loudly and publicly announcing their gratitude and devotion to their savior and denouncing the senior members of their order and the leader of the expeditions, ascribing to her all sorts of crimes and cruelties. When they were finished, Rade adds, “I have no doubt that many others of their order will join us once they are freed from the Monarch’s control, and in time they will become a faithful pillar of the new world I will bring about. These two will fight alongside us, using their powers to aid me in overthrowing the Monarchs. In the days to come we will train together, but for now you should welcome them as brothers, for they have pledged themselves to me just as you have. Another gesture and the magi step back into the previous places, and his Fangs come forward. They are awe-inspiring and intimidating figures, and Rade modulates his pheromones once more to enhance that effect. He wants his followers to see in them an impressive figure, one to admire and if he plays his cards right perhaps desire to be like. As the magi before them, but to an even greater extent, they assume positions of deference and submission to their lord. “As for the guards who accompanied them. Unlike the magi, they were under no compulsion. They acted in what they believed to be their own interests. They crushed you under their boots in hopes of feeding from the scraps of the nobles’ tables.” His disdain is clear in his voice. “Hardly an excuse or justification for their crimes. I offered them a chance to atone, and two of them rejected me, so they paid for their crimes with their lives.” He then turns his attention once more to the still faithfully kneeling Fangs before him, his tone loses its disdain and his pleasure and pride in what they have become is obvious for all to see. “These four accepted my offer of atonement. They agreed to devote the remainder of their lives to my service, but not just that. Knowing in their hearts that they were sinful and weak, unfit even to act as servants, much less warriors, they agreed to surrender all that they were and be reborn in me.” He gestures to them, and they understand the order, standing tall and proud, showing off just what their lord and savior had made of them. “They are now my Fangs, warriors without peer who will serve at the vanguard of all that is to come and a demonstration of what is possible for those willing to fully surrender themselves to me.” He falls silent for a moment, and this time it is the Fangs turn to testify. They loudly proclaim their loyalty and the glory and bliss of their lord’s grace. Once that is complete, the Fangs resume their previous place, and Rade steps forward, centering all attention on him directly. A final shift of his pheromones returns them to the variety he’s used most commonly with his followers, a blend designed to leave them hanging on his words, welling up with feelings of devotion and submission towards him, vulnerable to his exhortations and influence. “Now you see that even those that were once enemies submit to my authority, just as you have done. You have tasted of my power and now your bellies are full and you are strong. You have submitted to my guidance and my authority and you have become warriors that make the so-called soldiers of the kingdom look like the pathetic whelps they are. You have accomplished much, more than any other near-dweller ever has before.” He lets his words praising how far they have come hang in the air for a moment, then he speaks again, “If your enemy was the Kingdom alone, victory would be assured, but it is not just the Kingdom which we are fighting. If you wish a world where you never need fear that your children will go hungry, an age of prosperity in which the deprivations and terrors you’ve faced in the previous years are nothing but a story to scare children, then merely defeating the Kingdom is not enough. It was the Gods and the Monarchs who put you here, the very order of the world consigning you to starvation and misery and pain. I say to you that I will overturn that order, with your aid to put me on the throne of the world, I will build a tomorrow beyond your wildest dreams. To achieve such a goal, however, what you have done, though more than any other before you, is not enough.” He exhorts his followers, building the tension in the air with his voice and gestures. “You must stand ready to do more, become more than you are today. More than the limits imposed on you by the order of nature that decreed that you starve and die. More than the old truths and beliefs that kept you chained as fodder for the Monarchs. I can aid you in that task. With my powers I helped you become stronger and better, but I limited myself because you only desired to change so much. With your submission to my will in some aspects of your life, I helped you to become warriors, but I was limited by what you were willing to give over to me. So if you want to truly become more than you are now, to truly step beyond the old order of the world you need to be ready to take that next step.” He gestures once more to his Fangs, his words and voice continuing to ratchet up the energy, “They are an example, they realized they had nothing, were nothing. You saw how easily they fell before you. Now though, I have little doubt they could likely best all of you. Why? Because they realized that if they wanted to be something, they needed to surrender everything that they were, are, or ever would be to me. By doing that I no longer had to limit myself, I could make them more, more than what they were, more than nature would decree they should be, more than near-dwellers. They and those like them will help me tear down the rotten order of the world and build something new and better in its place. The question now is will you join them? Will you take that next step, the step that casts aside what you are in order to allow me to make you what you should be, more and greater than you ever could be otherwise?” He pauses, lets that question hang in the air, his heart pounding in his ear, looking out over his assembled followers. He hoped that he would move most of them to take him up on the offer, but he knew not everyone would, so he provided a small off-ramp, though one designed to lead the listener to the exact same place eventually. “I know now all of you can make such a decision now, and I will not force you. In the coming days you will have the chance to see first hand just one of the things you might become. For those of you uncertain, consider what you see, and consider what legacy you wish to leave to those who come after you. For the tide of history is changing, and you may never get another chance to take part in the salvation of the world from the darkness that consumes it.” Rade gives a speech. The tl;dr is that it has 3 parts though they are related and touch on the same themes. Part 1: introduce the magi, explain they were compelled, make the senior magis seem like monsters, hold the converts up. Part 2: Introduce the Fangs, say they were criminals who agreed to surrender wholly to Rade to receive his absolution, emphasize how much stronger and better that resulted in them becoming. Part 3: Tell his followers that you’ve done a lot, but that if they want a tomorrow beyond their wildest dreams they need to overthrow the current natural order and put Rade in charge of the world. To do that they need to become more than they currently are, more than nature made them. Then using the Fangs as an example, if they want to become the type of people who will be able to bring about that better tomorrow they need to follow the Fangs example and submit more totally to Rade and let him reshape them more radically. The rhetorical trick Rade is using here (well the big structural one, the speech as a whole uses a lot of rhetorical tricks big and small) is to use Part 1 and Part 2 to establish and reinforce a pattern to the narrative (the current order is bad and terrible and does bad and terrible things, you can escape that order and fight against it but only by submitting to Rade which will help you become better) then fitting them into that narrative. Anyhow, the goal is to get his followers and maybe also the two magi to if not outright decide that they should take that next step and completely subordinate themselves to Rade then and be reborn and reshaped in him to start to nudge them on the track towards reaching that conclusion. Basically trying to move them towards cult w/ Rade as the world’s savior. Intuitive Leadership [+4] - Rade’s drawing on his intuitive read of the crowd to know how to form and modulate his speech. Reading the vibes to know when to go big and loud, when to be more restrained, how to phrase things to get them thinking the way he wants them to. Leaders Enhanced Charisma[+2] - Rade’s using his pheromones at full blast to both make the crowd more impressionable, but also to make sure that they’re feeling emotionally what he wants them to feel at any given point during the speech. Angry and resentful when he denounces the old order, sympathetic and comradely to the magi converts, impressed and maybe even envious of the Fangs, and hopeful and eager and ready to take that next step for the last part.
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Apr 5, 2023 01:17
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