Corco's Villa (IC)

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Bel takes pride in his bloodthirst and cruelty. The others incline in a similar direction, but lack either his dedication or his success."

"Well I don't know anything about destiny, but if I was going kill any king I'd be killing the biggest, meanest ************* king around. I say we proceed with the assumption that our target is this Bel fellow. How could we get access to his person? Do we know how he might be hiding the information? If I had a secret way to be killed, I wouldn't tell anyone."

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Our agents are unaware of how to kill any that we believe would substantially improve conditions on that world."

"Cause they're already dead?" I say, hopefully. "Do we know what happens if they sustain massive damage but not actually die?"

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"Well I don't know anything about destiny, but if I was going kill any king I'd be killing the biggest, meanest ************* king around. I say we proceed with the assumption that our target is this Bel fellow. How could we get access to his person? Do we know how he might be hiding the information? If I had a secret way to be killed, I wouldn't tell anyone."

"I cannot tell you either how you may see him, nor where he hides his greatest secret."


"One witch must have told him his secret, on the day be became immortal. they are surely dead, but may have left some remnant. Another witch may be convinced to uncover the secret, but Bel surely has witches predicting if such an action is happening."

"Cause they're already dead?" I say, hopefully. "Do we know what happens if they sustain massive damage but not actually die?"

"They will recover from their wound in mere seconds. And it is difficult to land such a blow in the first place: you are likely to miss, or to find your blade turn in your hand. And yes, when the weakness of a great king of Bel becomes known, he is not often remain alive for long."

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"I cannot tell you either how you may see him, nor where he hides his greatest secret."

"Would it be practical to challenge him head on? Surely if we smash up Babylon long enough he'd decide that not being King of Ruin is worth the effort."

Originally Posted by ericthered

"One witch must have told him his secret, on the day be became immortal. they are surely dead, but may have left some remnant."

"Isn't that like a thousand years ago? Surely any remnant couldn't possibly last that long."

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Another witch may be convinced to uncover the secret, but Bel surely has witches predicting if such an action is happening."

"Could such a witch work remotely if we retrieved her back to here?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

"They will recover from their wound in mere seconds. And it is difficult to land such a blow in the first place: you are likely to miss, or to find your blade turn in your hand. And yes, when the weakness of a great king of Bel becomes known, he is not often remain alive for long."

"Are these people actually immortal or simply fated to die only in a particular way?"

Obviously it's moot as game mechanics are already specified, but just something I thought about.

[the_matrix_walker]

Vassarious muses that there may be research they can do... or something that can sense. Do they need a witch to do these rituals, or may they be able to perform these divinations themselves?

"If it is prophesy that summons us to perform destiny's whim in a world thick with predestination, we must presume it will present us with the means to fulfil said prediction, wouldn't you agree?"

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"Would it be practical to challenge him head on? Surely if we smash up Babylon long enough he'd decide that not being King of Ruin is worth the effort."

Pang Zhen: "That is a question for another."


Hua's research indicates that Bel has an army, of ordinary soldiers, men turned monsters*, lesser immortals, and witches.



*Griffons, Beast-men, Giants, Elephants, Wingless Dragons, Giant Horses with Lion's Teeth, Ect...

"Isn't that like a thousand years ago? Surely any remnant couldn't possibly last that long."

Pang Zhen: "It is closer to eight hundred. Perhaps not. But he has remained this long."

"Could such a witch work remotely if we retrieved her back to here?"

Pang Zhen: "No, It takes an exceptional diviner to cross the boundaries between worlds. And in the case of Bel, the world is an amplifier in and of itself."

"Are these people actually immortal or simply fated to die only in a particular way?"

Pang Zhen: "They are fated to die, each in their own manner. This is their boon and their curse. The title Immortal is perhaps a display of Hubris on their own part."

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Vassarious muses that there may be research they can do... or something that can sense. Do they need a witch to do these rituals, or may they be able to perform these divinations themselves?

They can perform the divination themselves, once they meet a witch that V can copy... But they will also require the correct ceremonial setup, the correct herbs and incenses, and a bit of research to clarify and confirm exactly what you're doing*.



*Thaumatology! should let you pick up the magic of the world, but I think you'll need to research the principles of each world before using extremely specific magic like this.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Hua's research indicates that Bel has an army, of ordinary soldiers, men turned monsters*, lesser immortals, and witches.

But Hua's still on the Nightfall, ho ho ho.

Well so much for going with a Maxim gun solution.

Originally Posted by ericthered

men turned monsters*

*Wingless Dragons

Turning someone into a dragon and then cutting off their wings... What a jerk.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Pang Zhen: "It is closer to eight hundred. Perhaps not. But he has remained this long."

"Well I suppose he wouldn't trust anyone but himself to actually search out and destroy the remnant anyway. Do we know where this guy lived eight hundred years ago?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Pang Zhen: "No, It takes an exceptional diviner to cross the boundaries between worlds. And in the case of Bel, the world is an amplifier in and of itself."

"Would bringing you to Bel sort this out, or would we be better off looking for a local? If we dropped in to the middle of the Gobi or something that would surely be too remote for anyone to do anything even if they all cooperated (Which I doubt they would)."

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"Well I suppose he wouldn't trust anyone but himself to actually search out and destroy the remnant anyway. Do we know where this guy lived eight hundred years ago?"

"Somewhere in the Vicinity of Babylon... perhaps within the city walls, perhaps merely along the two rivers."

"Would bringing you to Bel sort this out, or would we be better off looking for a local? If we dropped in to the middle of the Gobi or something that would surely be too remote for anyone to do anything even if they all cooperated (Which I doubt they would)."

"I will not be leaving the Villa for this. I have too much to see, and am too vulnerable on a world like Bel. Corco cannot spare me."

"You may try such a strategym. The distance may protect you. But it may also protect them."

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"I will not be leaving the Villa for this. I have too much to see, and am too vulnerable on a world like Bel. Corco cannot spare me."

Ah, well. Worth asking.

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Somewhere in the Vicinity of Babylon... perhaps within the city walls, perhaps merely along the two rivers."

"You may try such a strategym. The distance may protect you. But it may also protect them."

"Well, what do you think V? You want to find a witch far away from Babylon while I investigate around Babylon or vice versa? Or do you have your own idea?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

"The Time has come on Bel -3, when a great king shall fall. Your hands shall shake the spear that does this."

She opens her eyes slowly. "Bel-3 is a world strongly touched by fate. Remember this: that on that world, what will happen, will happen."

"If things are so heavily fated, and we're going to slay the great king, surely we could go there, blunder about for a few days until we figure things out, and there's nothing anyone could do about it, no?"

[the_matrix_walker]

Can Vassarious imprint a form without assuming it? They are curious to see if they can duplicate Pang Zhen's nature, but not sure how that would go over... But they are most curious to examine the threads of fate they way she does.

But Vassarious believes from the sound of things that they should just go and let fates nature take them on their course.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"If things are so heavily fated, and we're going to slay the great king, surely we could go there, blunder about for a few days until we figure things out, and there's nothing anyone could do about it, no?"

"Perhaps. Your own fate is not spoken for in this prophecy."

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Can Vassarious imprint a form without assuming it? They are curious to see if they can duplicate Pang Zhen's nature, but not sure how that would go over... But they are most curious to examine the threads of fate they way she does.

Yes, you can imprint a form without assuming it. You can try to duplicate her nature. Any place you want to do that?