With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

[Mr Zoat]

Extraneous 'that' after the comma.
'is debatable'
'Neferata'?
Space between 'don'' and 't'.
'vampires'?
Maybe 'ageing'? But you might just prefer that spelling.
'Chaos-based'?
'finding out about me'?

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[Tzeentch]

"Part of the process of becoming a vampire causes the soul to be brought into the physical world and merged with their body. That's why vampires can't undergo Chaos-based mutation or be marked by the Gods of Chaos. But it also means that they can't ever enter an afterlife. Instead, when their body is destroyed, their soul is bound to their remains and gradually soaks up dhar until it can repair their body and… Then they're ready to go again.

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Given both Lichedom and Vampirehood are essentially corruptions of what the Liche Priests sought to attain, it makes me wonder what the Qhaysh equivalent to attaining "Immortality" would be like in opposition to the individual "Dhar Methods" Nagash and Neferata came up with.

Given the transcendent, ephemeral nature of High Magic in contrast to it's counterpart, I imagine it's main benefits would be in bestowing spiritual immortality, rendering one an "Eternal Soul", with any other benefits, (supernatural health and longevity, self supremacy), being but side-effects of it.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Given both Lichedom and Vampirehood are essentially corruptions of what the Liche Priests sought to attain, it makes me wonder what the Qhaysh equivalent to attaining "Immortality" would be like in opposition to the individual "Dhar Methods" Nagash and Neferata came up with.

Given the transcendent, ephemeral nature of High Magic in contrast to it's counterpart, I imagine it's main benefits would be in bestowing spiritual immortality, rendering one an "Eternal Soul", with any other benefits, (supernatural health and longevity, self supremacy), being but side-effects of it.

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Both the Jade College spell The Jade Casket and the High Magic spell Apotheosis can bring someone back from the dead.

 

[crazygrox]

"He's back?"

"Yes, but he's trying to unify Sylvania at the moment so it's not urgent.

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I feel like this was the wrong thing to say if he didn't want them to prioritize Mannfred.
The empire is going to want to prevent him from unifying Sylvania.

 

[Tzeentch]

Both the Jade College spell The Jade Casket and the High Magic spell Apotheosis can bring someone back from the dead.

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True, but I'm afraid I wasn't talking about Resurrection, (rather the difference in the kind of Immortality that Qhaysh could likely provide in contrast to Dhar), though on that subject, suddenly the collaboration between the Imperial Colleges of Magic and Liche Priests looks to be more fruitful than expected, particularly if the Jade Wizards can put the finishing touches to Paol's work.

Given the Liche Priests are probably only sparingly familiar with Ghyran, as their incredibly developed syle of Divine Magic which encompasses the "Lore of Nehekhara" focuses mainly on Hysh and Shyish, it amuses me to think how they might react to the fact their salvation may be further owed to "foreign heathens" who know about certain aspects of Magic which they've been ignorant of.

 

[Mr Zoat]

True, but I'm afraid I wasn't talking about Resurrection, (rather the difference in the kind of Immortality that Qhaysh could likely provide in contrast to Dhar), though on that subject, suddenly the collaboration between the Imperial Colleges of Magic and Liche Priests looks to be more fruitful than expected, particularly if the Jade Wizards can put the finishing touches to Paol's work.

Given the Liche Priests are probably only sparingly familiar with Ghyran, as their incredibly developed syle of Divine Magic which encompasses the "Lore of Nehekhara" focuses mainly on Hysh and Shyish, it amuses me to think how they might react to the fact their salvation may be further owed to "foreign heathens" who know about certain aspects of Magic which they've been ignorant of.

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Priests being able to use low powered spells was after my edition, and as such will not be included. If they want magic they can learn to use the WInds of Magic properly.

 

[Patrick Holt]

Not nearly magic resistant enough to shake off things like having his soul ripped out of him by some of the stronger Necromantic spells, after all.

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Did Mr. Zoat ever explain how Paol is resistant to magic here? If magic is produced by winds from the polar gates, (again I barely understand how Warhammer works) shouldn't he be contently drunk? Has he just become a functioning alcoholic? Or did the dark elf give him some protection?

Can anyone point me to the first few posts of the Warhammer side story?

 

[Mr Zoat]

Did Mr. Zoat ever explain how Paol is resistant to magic here? If magic is produced by winds from the polar gates, (again I barely understand how Warhammer works) shouldn't he be contently drunk? Has he just become a functioning alcoholic? Or did the dark elf give him some protection?

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Basically, the ring powers itself using the winds. He'd only have a problem if he tried hanging around the poles without using power.

Can anyone point me to the first few posts of the Warhammer side story?

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This one, I think?

 

[PDV]

Given the transcendent, ephemeral nature of High Magic in contrast to it's counterpart, I imagine it's main benefits would be in bestowing spiritual immortality, rendering one an "Eternal Soul", with any other benefits, (supernatural health and longevity, self supremacy), being but side-effects of it.

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Probably the pre-Fall Eldar shtick - eternal reincarnation retaining your memories.

 

[Tzeentch]

Probably the pre-Fall Eldar shtick - eternal reincarnation retaining your memories.

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Should we also use those rare mortals, like Sigmar, who manage to acquire divinity somewhat as an additional example, able to exist in the Aethyr on their own without being consumed by daemons?

 

[Ganurath]

What's a Herdstone? Tried looking it up in the wiki and it's just a corrupted waystone? A rock with maybe some spikes and skulls attached - not something particularly disgusting. Is there some older lore about how gross it is?

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In addition to what's already been said, it's anointed with every bodily fluid and excretion available.

 

[Coda]

It's why other vampires put the bodies of their fallen in Black Coaches; so they can absorb power from death as they go and speed up their resurrection.

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, instead of ; (or maybe : if you prefer that)

 

[Mr Zoat]

, instead of ; (or maybe : if you prefer that)

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[Vaermina]

Both the Jade College spell The Jade Casket and the High Magic spell Apotheosis can bring someone back from the dead.

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No they can't.

The Jade Casket just animates the corpse for a couple hours.

And Apotheosis just restores health to the living, it doesn't bring someone back from the dead.

 

[Tzeentch]

No they can't.

The Jade Casket just animates the corpse for a couple hours.

And Apotheosis just restores health to the living, it doesn't bring someone back from the dead.

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Well, regardless, as the citizenry of Nehekhara are bound in soul to their bodies and Paol can do most of the work in restoring their bodies, it seems reasonable that Jade Casket and Apotheosis would be able to finish the job.

Continuing one of my previous trains of thought, it's somewhat amusing to think that despite having a potentially great source of Ghyran or Earthbound Magic to experiment with on hand the whole time for hundreds of years in the form of the Great Vitae River, (at least before Nagash polluted it, turning it into the Great Mortis River), that could have provided a HUGE boost in their researching physical immortality, the Liche Priests undoubtedly focused only on Shyish and Hysh, (in addition to the blessings granted by their gods), to provide healing magics and the workings which once bestowed incredible longevity on the Nehekharan people.

Perhaps they assumed the Jade Wind was only useful for matters concerning agriculture and water, rather than ALL of physical life in it's entirety?

 

[RoninSword]

My understanding is that he continues to have forgotten the details of the specific version of whatever reality he is in. So any information he ahs on vampires is either what he knows from other editions or personal inquiry.

 

[Tzeentch]

In regards to the Warhammer 40k questline, given how much information Paul has given the T'au regarding each faction, I wonder how unnerving it might for Imperials when a Water Caste is able to understand their mannerisms, idioms and sarcasm better than expected.

Hell, the T'au becoming just as genre savvy as Paul is due to his influence would pretty much unnerve anyone.

ETHEREAL: Asuryani Aeldari are attacking? Oh, for the love of- this isn't one of their precious "Maiden Worlds", and I fail to see how we threaten any of the Craftworlds just by being here! Is it Biel-Tan? This seems like something the Biel-Tan would do.

On a different, though related note, if The Leagues of Votann turn out to be a thing, I look forward to Paul finding out about their faction, given his preconceived notions regards to "Squats" thanks to previous editions.

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th February 2013
16:36 GMT

The clay man with the unusually large head and eyes nods slowly.

"Yes, they came here. They purchased a few drops of divine blood from me."

I nod. "What sort of things can that be used for?"

As far as I can tell the majority of his body is made of unfired clay, with fired plates positioned like armour on his larger surfaces. His body is blockier and squarer in proportions than a living human, as if he was some sort of prototype for humans when our shared creator didn't quite know what he was going for.

"It is a powerful way to invoke the power or presence of that god. It has uses in any one of a million magics."

He gestures to a table of alchemical equipment with a sweeping gesture of his right arm, small cracks visible at the joints. The cracks are emphasised in several places by the fact that they're bleeding.

Cernunnos frowns at it.

"These are just a few of the ones I know."

Kon nods. "Did they say which ones they wanted it for?"

The clay man looks at the panther for a moment before returning his attention to us. Yes, he's only talking to us because Bast has okayed it, but I doubt that he's more loyal to one customer than he is to himself.

"Travel. A god of travellers."

"Which god?"

The clay man shakes his head. "An old, forgotten god, nearly faded from existence, little more than a bundle of ideas. Active gods are not so easy to take things from."

"Ghoulish."

"It's an existence."

"Were there any other elves around? White skin, riding insects?"

"Not that I saw." The clay man brings his right hand to his chin in the classical thinker pose. "Though I do remember seeing some large beetles in the area. I didn't think anything of it at the time. Beetle-themes are common amongst Kahndaqi gods, so it may be nothing."

It may have been, if several other interviewees hadn't mentioned it as well, while other merchants who we spoke to didn't.

"Thank you. I believe that's everything we need. Is there anything that we can do to repay you for your help?"

"Oh." He sounds surprised. "I thought that I was answering you under threat of expulsion."

"You are, but I might want to come back here at some point and I'd rather have better relations with people."

"That is wise. There is one thing I would like from you."

"Yes?"

"I am pursuing a project of self-improvement. I believe that your patron's blood would add colour to my life. I ask only for a small amount, and it will be purely for personal use."

"I don't know how to get blood from the Ophidian. But if you'll draw a contract with a personal use limitation you can have a few drops of mine."

"You are not a font of primordial power."

I reach inside and feel the lines and flows. Shapes corresponding to the tattoos on my body and to the power they were designed to evoke appear on my outer surface. And some I don't remember getting or can't identify. That's… I suppose that's working as intended, but it might be worth getting a check-up once this is over anyway.

The clay man's eyes widen further "Oh."

"Acceptable?"

He nods. "I will write the contract and seal it with appropriate blood." He walks over to his counter and takes up a piece of parchment and… He squeezes his right forefinger into a point, the very tip extruding blood as a pen extrudes ink.

I let my tattoos fade as his finger scratches out the terms and conditions. Kon walks over to me with a frown on his face.

"Giving someone your blood?"

"Not a good idea generally, but the contract will be bound with both our blood. The penalties for using it outside the agreed terms will be nasty."

The clay man nods. "My reserves boiling and baking my core from within?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of your reserves denaturing."

"How merciful." He scratches some more, then jabs his finger. "There." He walks over with the contract, and… Yes, plain language, and a quick ring analysis suggests that there isn't anything I'm missing other than the lack of an obvious explanation as to what the personal use is.

But that's his business. I open my snake-mouth and extend my fangs, then raise my right hand and prick the end of my middle finger. One spot of blood goes in the indicated spot on the contract, and-

"Here." He points to his forehead, the hard brow plate merging with the rest of his soft head clay.

I nod and reach out, resting my finger in a shallow divot on his forehead for a moment before pulling it away. The red-orange of my blood marks the centre point for a moment before the clay oozes up to envelop it.

"Aah. Thank you." His eyes shine a weak orange. "You are welcome to return to my shop again. I wish you the best of fortune with your elf-hunt."

"Thank you." I nod, and then lead the way out of the shop.

We convene in a huddle outside.

"Beetles. Cluracan said his sister was taken by insects, and insects were following them."

Kon and I nod.

"Who around here keeps track of insects?"

"They're probably Khepri's thing, and…" Some parts of Ancient Kahndaqi mythology are a little… Confused. "He and Atum are… Related, somehow, and so he'll probably speak to me."

"What about the god-blood? The blood of a god of travellers could be used to access places and bypass guards, but I don't think there's anything particularly terrible it could be used for."

"I'm sure that Mannheim's come up with something. There are all sorts of places we don't want him to get."

Kon nods. "Like the Tower of Fate?"

"Among other places. Ms. Panther, where is Atum's court?"

 

[Bud-E]

So are we gonna see an avarice golem in the future what would that even look like?

 

[Duke Long]

Cernunnos frowns at it.

"These are just a few of the ones I know."

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I think the speech should be bolded.
What does Cernunnos mean by this? He's looking at a table of alchemy stuff, is he saying that the alchemy stuff only represents a few of the possible uses he knows for divine blood?

Beetle-themes are common amongst Khandaqi gods, so it may be nothing."

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'Kahndaqi'?

I liked the clay man. Cool dude. I wonder if the bleeding is aesthetic or if he needs to replenish his reserves.

 

[Assblaster5000]

I think the speech should be bolded.
What does Cernunnos mean by this? He's looking at a table of alchemy stuff, is he saying that the alchemy stuff only represents a few of the possible uses he knows for divine blood?

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I think that's the golem talking and Cernunnos is just frowning for some reason?

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

17th February 2013
16:36 GMT

The clay man with the unusually large head and eyes nods slowly.

"Yes, they came here. They purchased a few drops of divine blood from me."

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Ah, a golem of some kind. Or something much like one, since humans aren't always forged perfectly first time in many creation myths. And I can't help but picture them as some sort of mudman lookalike. Or someone wearing a simple prosopon.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

I nod. "What sort of things can that be used for?"

As far as I can tell the majority of his body is made of unfired clay, with fired plates positioned like armour on his larger surfaces. His body is blockier and squarer in proportions than a living human, as if he was some sort of prototype for humans when our shared creator didn't quite know what he was going for.

Click to shrink...

Or perhaps they waked out of a dream of fiction. Getting definite Discworld vibes from that description now.

"It is a powerful way to invoke the power or presence of that god. It has uses in any one of a million magics."

He gestures to a table of alchemical equipment with a sweeping gesture of his right arm, small cracks visible at the joints. The cracks are emphasised in several places by the fact that they're bleeding.

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That seems annoying. I assume the ooze is reabsorbed via contact or proximity.

Cernunnos frowns at it.

"These are just a few of the ones I know."

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What, oh horned one? Feeling a little uncomfortable? Not every hunt is a wild ride through the woods with your friends, your hounds and a keg of ale.

Kon nods. "Did they say which ones they wanted it for?"

The clay man looks at the panther for a moment before returning his attention to us. Yes, he's only talking to us because Bast has okayed it, but I doubt that he's more loyal to one customer than he is to himself.

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And they're unwilling to incriminate themself in something illegal, of course.

"Travel. A god of travellers."

"Which god?"

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Okay. No doubt looking for some manner of guarantee of safe journeys or passage, then. That tends to be a common theme amongst the worship of such deities.

The clay man shakes his head. "An old, forgotten god, nearly faded from existence, little more than a bundle of ideas. Active gods are not so easy to take things from."

"Ghoulish."

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But ultimately efficient. The circle of life, and all that. For deities, anyway.

"It's an existence."

"Were there any other elves around? White skin, riding insects?"

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Hmm... I expect the Sheeda would have stood out, if they'd been allowing themselves to be seen. Stealth might not have been an option, though.

"Not that I saw." The clay man brings his right hand to his chin in the classical thinker pose. "Though I do remember seeing some large beetles in the area. I didn't think anything of it at the time. Beetle-themes are common amongst Khandaqi gods, so it may be nothing."

It may have been, if several other interviewees hadn't mentioned it as well, while other merchants who we spoke to didn't.

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Scarabs in particular. Though many insects can play parts in myths.

"Thank you. I believe that's everything we need. Is there anything that we can do to repay you for your help?"

"Oh." He sounds surprised. "I thought that I was answering you under threat of expulsion."

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...I mean, that could still be out there as a threat. It's not like they have a say in whether Bast lets you stay. Beyond 'they did help.'

"You are, but I might want to come back here at some point and I'd rather have better relations with people."

"That is wise. There is one thing I would like from you."

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...There's always a catch, isn't there? Maybe OL should have added 'within limits' to his offer.

"Yes?"

"I am pursuing a project of self-improvement. I believe that your patron's blood would add colour to my life. I ask only for a small amount, and it will be purely for personal use."

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Honestly not unexpected. I doubt their soul is as complex as a fully-developed human's, and the colours probably shine much less brighter in it.

"I don't know how to get blood from the Ophidian. But if you'll draw a contract with a personal use limitation you can have a few drops of mine."

"You are not a font of primordial power."

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Not yet. But he's been exposed to some interesting metaphysical essences.

I reach inside and feel the lines and flows. Shapes corresponding to the tattoos on my body and to the power they were designed to evoke appear on my outer surface. And some I don't remember getting or can't identify. That's… I suppose that's working as intended, but it might be worth getting a check-up once this is over anyway.

The clay man's eyes widen further "Oh."

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...Okay, new patterns definitely sounds like a cause for concern, OL. Especially if any of them are Anti-Life-related.

"Acceptable?"

He nods. "I will write the contract and seal it with appropriate blood." He walks over to his counter and takes up a piece of parchment and… He squeezes his right forefinger into a point, the very tip extruding blood as a pen extrudes ink.

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Useful trick. Saves on feather nibs, at least.

I let my tattoos fade as his finger scratches out the terms and conditions. Kon walks over to me with a frown on his face.

"Giving someone your blood?"

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Yes, it does seem a bit foolhardy, OL. No matter how much they claim it's for 'personal use', there's bound to be someone willing to commit atrocities to get a bit of someone like you.

"Not a good idea generally, but the contract will be bound with both our blood. The penalties for using it outside the agreed terms will be nasty."

The clay man nods. "My reserves boiling and baking my core from within?"

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Doesn't really sound that permanent for you, really. Work a bit of water back in and you might revive comfortably.

"I was thinking more along the lines of your reserves denaturing."

"How merciful." He scratches some more, then jabs his finger. "There." He walks over with the contract, and… Yes, plain language, and a quick ring analysis suggests that there isn't anything I'm missing other than the lack of an obvious explanation as to what the personal use is.

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Gee, how convenient. You really sure about this, OL?

But that's his business. I open my snake-mouth and extend my fangs, then raise my right hand and prick the end of my middle finger. One spot of blood goes in the indicated spot on the contract, and-

"Here." He points to his forehead, the hard brow plate merging with the rest of his soft head clay.

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A significant location in golem mythology. For instance, in Abrahamic golems, that's usually where the animating magic is centred, typically on a tablet, scroll or other written object within the skull or mouth. Or the location of the Brow chakra point is such systems, the 'third eye'.

I nod and reach out, resting my finger in a shallow divot on his forehead for a moment before pulling it away. The red-orange of my blood marks the centre point for a moment before the clay oozes up to envelop it.

"Aah. Thank you." His eyes shine a weak orange. "You are welcome to return to my shop again. I wish you the best of fortune with your elf-hunt."

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So now their desires burn brightly. Wonder if that'll include seeking out the blood of other Spectrum-empowered beings to even out the influences.

"Thank you." I nod, and then lead the way out of the shop.

We convene in a huddle outside.

"Beetles. Cluracan said his sister was taken by insects, and insects were following them."

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Still not conclusive evidence pointing to any particular culprit, but the Sheeda are still front-runners.

Kon and I nod.

"Who around here keeps track of insects?"

"They're probably Khepri's thing, and…" Some parts of Ancient Kahndaqi mythology are a little… Confused. "He and Atum are… Related, somehow, and so he'll probably speak to me."

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The joy of myths evolving over some five thousand-odd years. (Five at the minimum, as some myths may predate even Kahndaq.)

"What about the god-blood? The blood of a god of travellers could be used to access places and bypass guards, but I don't think there's anything particularly terrible it could be used for."

"I'm sure that Mannheim's come up with something. There are all sorts of places we don't want him to get."

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Like just about anywhere that's a sanctuary for his opponents. Presumably the Narrative has rules about how he can break into such places, and when he can't.

Kon nods. "Like the Tower of Fate?"

"Among other places. Ms. Panther, where is Atum's court?"

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...The panther's female? Well, I suppose without close examination of their undercarriage, it'd be hard to be sure...

So, off to one of the older dieties of the great river's nations. Things are about to get especially esoteric, given the sheer primordial nature of such a being. I suppose he's most likely to have an in with Khepri, then. ...Things really are confusing about mythology that old. Wonder how the other teams are doing on their ends, though? Even if their jobs are probably much less exotic than OL's team.

 

[PepeTheFrog]

Is the foul fate for the one eating the unicorn or the unicorn itself?

 

[Handlewithcare]

Golem man now has desires. And lacks the other colours for balance.

Also, I am confused: are they in a section of the Dream still?

 

[Old Knife]

Gonna try to corrupt the Source?
Or gonna try to corrupt the orange light?

 

[Lord Ernest]

Also, I am confused: are they in a section of the Dream still?

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They're in a section of the divine realm of the Ennead, the Egyptian/Kahndaqi Gods. Can't recall the name that Cernunnos mentioned this place is called, but it's essentially the city of Bast/Sekhmet.

 

[Mr Zoat]

I think the speech should be bolded.
What does Cernunnos mean by this? He's looking at a table of alchemy stuff, is he saying that the alchemy stuff only represents a few of the possible uses he knows for divine blood?

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Ah, no. That's not Cernunnos speaking. That's the proto-man. Cernunnos just isn't comfortable with people using a god's blood as a reagent.

'Kahndaqi'?

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Thank you, corrected.

Is the foul fate for the one eating the unicorn or the unicorn itself?

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Autumn Willow was describing the act of eating a unicorn as foul.

No one's managed to work out who the shopkeeper is. Perhaps I should have included a link.

 

[Darko]

Hmm... I expect the Sheeda would have stood out, if they'd been allowing themselves to be seen. Stealth might not have been an option, though

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Not necessarily.

This place has all sorts of weird looking individuals, so the Sheeda may not have been that special.

The joy of myths evolving over some five thousand-odd years. (Five at the minimum, as some myths may predate even Kahndaq.)

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And they may predate them by like tens of thousands of years.

Overly Sarcastic Productions had a video where they explain how two stars drifted close together and can't be distinguished as two separate ones with the naked eye, but were once able to be seen as separate.

That was a 100.000 years ago.

The myths surrounding the constellation in which these stars belong states that one of the stars went missing or is dead.

A piece of knowledge from a 100.000 years ago was able to make it into relatively recent myths.

Like just about anywhere that's a sanctuary for his opponents

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Themyscira and potentially Olympus.

The Olympians are a very powerful pantheon and have access to Titans.

Also the Khandaqi gods since Adom is opposing him and he may not be able to enter their realm.

 

[Ciber]

You really gotta wonder some times wtf humans got up to in the ten million years since physically modern humans appeared...

 

[Oglymogly]

No one's managed to work out who the shopkeeper is. Perhaps I should have included a link.

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Huh, I didn't realize he was a established character. My guess would be Golem from Primal Force, but I don't think it really fits.