Now that we’ve been armed with a better understanding of Xaos-storms, Vigil, and the metaphysics of the world, I’ve got a few questions about what would be possible or not.
Can the telos of aether itself be disrupted in such a way that changes its properties? For example, so that instead of returning to its “natural place in the cosmos”, “in the outermost spheres, beyond even the Empyrean of Fire”, that it seeks a different natural place, such as the earth? Like, deep, deep, deep down into the Earth?
Can the “original nature” of an object be Changed permanently? It seems that Theurges can suspend the meta-telos of returning to original nature, but does the “deeper reshaping of telos, pressing Changes into permanence” constitute a change to the original nature, or does that still persist? The meta-telos disruption caused by Xaos-Storm does not seem to do so, since something in Veorn’s hand “remembers what it was to have bones, to be divided into digits”, but what about a Plektos?
There is a meta-telos built into the fabric of time and form
Can the concept of form itself be Changed in an object? Such as actively changing/removing the “original nature” that a meta-telos returns to, and then disrupting that meta-telos? If so, would it be hypothetically possible to do that to a living person - rendering them without form?
I like how these revelations build on a high-INT character’s conversation with Horion in Uprising: “Any law that runs counter to nature will fail eventually. That’s what ‘nature’ means.” or “Your philosopher meant that law can change, nature can’t. But everything changes. Even what we call nature.”
I wonder if the once-people of Vigil may have taken the second path to one of its conclusions.
So I might have missed it, but I’m not really getting why Cerlotta would join up with a failed rebellion. I’m talking about the rebellions that had dismal outcomes in Chapter 4 and ended with everybody getting outright killed, Harrowed, or running for their lives, and several lieutenants killed. Even if you are as frank as possible with Yed and Cerlotta, the latter will still join you.
I gather that she is a decent person, but she’s also intelligent enough to avoid betting on a lost cause.
Well even the most successful rebellion is fairly insignificant at the moment. At most you’ve destroyed the equivalent of a battalion. It only seems like a great “host” or “army” to the MC since they’re from a backwater. She may simply be looking for a safe place to lay low for the moment while she does research and may move on if it doesn’t seem like MC is going anywhere.
I think at the moment part of what she wants is just to not be completely alone. She’s in a fairly desperate situation herself. I think traveling with a native Shayardene who’s talented as a fighter, is charismatic or just a potential capable apprentice makes sense for her given where she is just on its own.
WOW — just finished the current demo. It’s great being back. Even the beginning part where we get to choose our major decisions from Part One made me realize I’ve got so much from the original game I haven’t encountered yet.
A few comments/questions on the new stuff in the demo.
I. I didn’t see a ton of axis changes aside from the questions from the previous game. Would things like our openness to the Abhumans/Halassarq impact those, especially homelander/cosmopolitan? I’m torn on what I think of this myself — because in theory a cosmopolitan MC could believe in the shared common culture of the Hegemonic nations without necessarily being open to those outside the Wards — but on the other hand it’s a bit closed minded. But I recall from previous chats on homeland Vs cosmopolitan, it was an almost bureaucratic imperial sort of cosmopolitanism in mind. (Edit: sorry, I’ve answered my own question — I think the answer is yes? Maybe I missed the stat changes.
II. The conversations with Cerlota and the Abhuman Guardian character about Theurgy were fascinating — mind-blowing even (no pun intended). I noticed that both characters offered examples of ways of using theurgy without making yourself sick. Talismans seem pretty rare and I have a feeling finding one would be a big deal — my character was too much an embarrassed noble to ask M’kyr more about the whole menstrual blood thing, but will that be something the MC could actually pursue? Especially if the MC also learns how to make aetherial blood from Cerlota? Or is it just a cultural flavoring thing?
III. Speaking of Cerlota, she’s a great character. Both to get an Erretziano POV and a character who is not fully hostile to the Hegemony — though her comments on the Thaumatarchy and dislike of that style of magocracy are interesting. I hope we get a lot more of her in the future. I think she’s a romance option too, right — I don’t think I found the romance dialogues for her? At least for female MCs? I know some others are new ROs as well, and we might be meeting some gender flipping ones soon? Will the player be able to choose the genders or will we be locked with Breden’s gender for them?
IV. And finally… looking to the summary text for the Grand Shayard chapters with much fascination… I see the political/noble factions we join are split into three groups. I was familiar with the Lacconiers (Shayard) and Leaguers (Koinon) from the old thread, but the Loyalists are new to me. Make sense that a pro-Hegemonic faction exists in the provincial capital… will we be able to work with/ally with the Loyalists instead of the other two? I imagine if so there would be great consequences among our followers but so would being friendly with Halassurq… I’m very fascinated by a Loyalist version of the rebellion, if that’s an option…
Ha, lots of questions sorry. But lots of interest too — what a holiday gift to be back in this story and world again. Thank you, Havenstone!
Quicksilver isn’t eaten in the gameworld, as in ours –
– thanks to some awareness of its toxicity by Theurges, but there’s a long enough pre-Theurgic history of its use in cosmetics and ointments that an INT 2 MC won’t immediately think of it as toxic to the touch.
Man, as vividly described and very disturbing the Xaos wasteland and its beasts are, I still get most unsettled when the characters mention the Unquiet Dead and their Dark Lord.
@Havenstone have you considered writing a XoR horror spin-off? Because I really don’t want my MC to cross paths with those undead, “eyes as black as coal, no light in them”, motherfuckers. I wonder how well the Thaumatarch monitors the northern Xaos wastelands for any news regarding the undead and their plans.
Oh, and I just know there is Cthulhu resting somewhere in the western seas.
Man, my MC still can’t catch a sleep because of his father tormenting him even in death, and I know he’s gonna cry himself to bed for months on end after catching up with Darth Ghaesh and the pals.
I just played through visiting Vigil with Wolfbait… And my Theurge MC almost got himself obliterated by whatever is dwelling there.
@Havenstone I saw the xaostheory variable, and will we have to wait until like Game 4 or 5 until the MC figures out what is true (world’s most powerful Goete (Sarcifer maybe?)/gateway to Taratur/Xaos itself), or is this variable for reference’s sake and you will keep whatever’s there a mystery?
I’m leaning towards the opinion that it’s not actually an imprisoned god (Xaos), but the more I read the text the more I’m unsure it could be a mortal being. Maybe the ancient archmages are simply that powerful.
Thank you, Havenstone!
