Will there be any distinction between 0 and 1 INT in future games? Will we be able to be “non-theurgically” smart?
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This is a important idea I think. Since a 1 intel character can reject theurgy and still potentially improve that skill.
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Definitely. In general, 0 stats will have fail-states that 1 stats won’t.
However, I’m not going to give a path for INT above 1 that doesn’t involve Theurgy. If you’re not going to use advanced studies to master the gameworld’s primary tech – a pathway which, of course, there’s excellent moral reason to refuse – then your choice as a rebel leader will be to focus on either charisma or winning battles.
This is mostly to keep the coding halfway manageable for me, but also in part because I think intellectuals (a tribe of which I’m a self-confessed member) tend to think our skills are more world-changing than they actually are.
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Think medieval catholic Europe. She is a nationalist but she also follows a religion she interprets in a universalist way and that she thinks everyone has a duty to believe in.
She believes in creating a community of Xthonic nations at the moment. How will she react to non-Xthonic ones or to ones that reject her Eclect title if she gains power in Shayard? Remains to be seen, I’m not sure and my character isn’t either. At the moment she’s focused on learning Theurgy and figuring out what to do next since her plan was basically - rob the taxman so the Karagonds come after me, beat the force they send, hopefully the notoriety I get from that will get more prominent resisters to the Karagonds interested in me. Getting Cerlotta on side is something she’s over the moon about, but now she doesn’t have a clear idea of what she’ll do next. That will be part of the next chapter I think.
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Will attempting to pursue a balance between the two yield anything too? My mc is, as you know, fascinated by the premise to be able to use seracca theurgy to alter his own body to slowly become something better, though in my mc’s case that is perfecting his human form and healing some scars, not animal traits. On the other hand he also likes to understand his enemies, at least magically, so while he was pursued seracca training in book 2 I plan for him to take more conventional theurgy in book 3, followed by more seracca or other foreign theurgy in book 4 and then, depending on what is available either the most advanced Hegemony theurgy or whatever Vigil uses in the final book. 
All in all I hope my mc can end up with his own unique blend.
But that is also because I see the high int mc particularly in comparison with some other (potential) theurges, like Yebben, as the classical archmage, an ultimate generalist in magic as well as taking on significant administrative duties as the potential head of state and their own faction.
Which also means there are likely specialists in most fields of theurgy who would outclass the mc in their own specializations at the highest levels.
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And we will have good relations with everyone else! Because they will be following the true canon of the Angels, much like we do!
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This amazing work!!! The world feels so alive
This may have been asked before however, I haven’t found and answer in my search. Will it be possible to worship Xaos? I understand if it is not possible after all the MC and their followers have been conditioned against it and if it possible should come at a cost of unpopularity. I just feel that plenty of people would worship evil entities if they believed it will grant them power for real example satanist (not the edgy atheist modern version [although a quick internet search doesn’t make clear record if there actually were actual satanist or just accused of it even though it seem probable there were. there are occult book as early as the 1700 who do claim to be able to summon the devil and make pacts so even if there were no actual satanist there are certainly occultist who believed in the devil and were willing to make pacts and worship it.)] and for other fictional example the Norscan of war hammer fantasy worshiping Chaos or the cults of lovecraft universe
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I think the MC would have a big problem getting anyone to follow them if they did that openly.
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I wonder if the answer of divine beings will ever be given. Probably not and dragon age style is my bet but still could be interesting to see if it actually suggest anything.
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I’m not convinced that any significant number of people in Christendom ever sincerely worshiped Satan, for power or for any other reason. The scholarship has no doubt moved forward from Norman Cohn’s work in ways I’m not aware of, but as I recall he made a pretty persuasive case that the allegations that crop up against socio-religious outsiders (heretics, Jews, false converts from Islam or paganism) from the Cathars to the '80s Satanic Panic are better understood as a toxic oral tradition of imagined threat than as evidence of an actual underground community of devil-worship.
Occultists and magicians were accused of devil-worship, but I’m not familiar with texts that use Satan in a fashion that isn’t clearly symbolic or ironic (i.e. more like contemporary satanism). The Faustian bargain seems to me to be more of a fictional trope than something real people tried to do.
And that’s how it will continue to show up in XoR – as an in-world fictional trope, the “dark bargain” that people imagine is behind Goety. Since XoR is primarily about religion’s role as social glue and a source of social critique, I don’t think I’ll add Xaos-worship to the MC’s menu. There certainly won’t be “blood for the blood god”:
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I thought that was the Hegemony.
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(FYI now read the code/scene as instructed) Well, as usual, you certainly know how to play hardball! 
And on another note, where’s the code for reading G2 Ch 3’s “which two Grand Shayard factions do you spend the most time with?” various outcomes?
Okay then, back to the drawing board! (and back to using religion and marriage alliances as the go-to options for cross-borders soft power)
And what about making an exception for the prospective son/daughter-in-law MC who undertook (and will still undertake) enormous risks to protect Phaedra’s life (and right to rule)?
I am the very model of a modern rebel general,
I’ve information vegetable, Abhuman, and mineral,
I know the kings of Shayard, and I quote the fights historical
From Corlune to Westriding, in order categorical…
Fortunately, Halassur gets to play the role of the Muslims/Saracens! (that your Xthonic Holy League can unite against)
If it were up to Caroline, what would Sojourn’s place be in her imagined new world order?
Newly annexed Shayardene province,
Holy League member state,
Shayardene protectorate,
economic-only union partner,
or some other entirely different role?
@roodcross , have you seen my previously mentioned idea (on the other forum) about bridging together the mainstream Xthonic faith with the syncretist newcomers?
More specifically, I’m suggesting that you claim/retcon that the Nagyeh (Seraccan gods) were actually “previously undiscovered” dead/historical Eclects.
That way, devout Xthonists won’t risk “staining their hands with paganism,” and the Abhuman syncretists can still praise their Nagyeh saints (as celebrated, mortal miracle workers of the existing Xthonic framework)
What would Caroline’s thoughts be on the matter?
If the Laconniers end up as likable (as you originally envisioned), or turn out to be amenable enough to shift from hard nationalism to soft nationalism, then could you imagine the Holy League being (further) unified by its leadership marrying into the de Syrnon lineage?
Will also recommend “Xthonic sainthood retcons” for the Whendish Forgotten Gods, if Caroline’s interested.
hoisting your father’s Aveche goldwine
@Havenstone: Hopefully, your detailed explorations of XoR cuisine will cover alcohol, too!
What makes a “goldwine” a “goldwine”, by the way? Is it the possible fact that goldwine vineyards are grown near gold mines?
Also, which region specializes in clearer, sake-like rice wines?
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Still in the drafts on my machine that I’m not uploading to Moody because spoilers.
I don’t think even in that scenario Kleitos is going to play the role of helpful father-in-law.
LOVE IT.
It’s the gameworld name for a very tasty white wine with a yellowish tinge. No relation to the mineral. Rice isn’t grown in the Hegemony, so there’s no sake or “yellow wine” of the Chinese type.
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My own plan was for a sort of United States or USSR (pre-Stalin) style union of states. Every state has a great deal of autonomy but no secession accepted.
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Probably an ally or protectorate.
At the moment would not be a fan. She’d have to actually come to believe the Abhuman theoi were unrecognized Eclect to adopt such a path. Not a big syncretist at the moment. At this point in the story she’d dismiss them and the Whendish old gods as heathen blasphemy. Her main issue with the Karagond Canon is she’s absolutely convinced they lied about Hera’s place in the Angel’s dispensation, so she’s not likely to start knowingly feigning things herself at the moment.
Note: she would not attack the Abhumans since they aren’t waging war on “Xthondom” and haven’t in the past to her knowledge. She doesn’t believe in “convert or die”. She’ll be much more willing to use coercion on “heretical” Xthonists (read Karagond canon followers or inner voice adherents if someone else were to develop that path) than on people following a completely different religion. Halassur will be different given they’ve been waging war on Xthonic nations for nearly half a millennium now.
Definitely
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I wonder if there will be a benefit to letting Linos proclaim you the Eclect of the Angels (instead of doing it yoruself that is). Greater legitmacy with the Priesthood perhaps?
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On another note, how early can MC (especially @Bryce_Kaldwin’s and @Ramidel’s MC) clarify, self-realize, and then announce their intentions to wield their rebellion with the hopes of reforming (rather than wholesale destroying/replacing) the Hegemony, Cao Cao-style?
Do we have to wait until G3 (when MCs first meet Phaedra), or can the MC start getting the idea/dialogue option as early as G2? (with the in-universe justification being that Cerlota has given MC new inspiration)
Will Catholic-inspired ‘indulgences’ (“buy your way to penance/salvation”) be an available fundraising option for Eclect MCs?
Or would it be a safer bet to merely stick with weekly “asking for tithes?”
FYI, I was trying to think of ways an Eclect MC (especially my Ruthless/Devout/Homelander Helot CHA 2/INT 1 MC, Deacon Valerie Blackfyre, "the Godmother”) could go down the “crime lord/syndicate route” while still wearing the trappings of the Xthonic religion.
And what sort of extra ingredients/incentives would one need to jump from “not interested in proselytising” Nagyeh believers into “time to become a rising movement” Abhuman syncretists?
Will it be possible to eventually start promoting the idea of “Shayardene identity as found family”?
E.g. might an “Honorary Shayardene” system (to make a Homelander coalition more inclusive of foreigners) be implemented?
Two sources of inspiration come to mind:
1- Star Wars’ Mandalorians often adopt battlefield orphans as foundlings,
2- Any [French Foreign Legion] soldier who is wounded during a battle for France can immediately apply to be a French citizen under a provision known as “Français par le sang versé”.
Did your G1 backstory involve meeting/rescuing Olynna? How much hope does Caroline have that Olynna will become her new mouthpiece for promoting “the true Shayardene Codex” amongst Karagon’s surviving residents? (is there enough compassion in Caroline’s Codex for gentle Olynna’s tastes?)
What will be Caroline’s biggest argument for getting the Laconniers to break off their alliance with Halassur?
1- “It would be far more beneficial for Shayard to be Erezza’s partner, rather than Halassur’s vassal!”
2- “How dare you sacrifice your fellow Xthonic brothers and sisters (Erezzans) on the altar of appeasing your barbaric, child-killing benefactors?”
I’m also hoping that Linos’ stellar review of MC’s Eclect credentials will also translate into a boosted relationship status with the Leaguers. (assuming that the news about “MC being incorrectly blamed for Horion and Linos’ deaths” doesn’t disadvantage MC too much)
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Carles, actually.
This one for sure.
I also feel like Erjan will be unhappy if Caroline gets involved with the Laconniers given how openly triggered she was by everything he said or did and how she spent a huge amount of effort trying to counter his influence, especially religiously.
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Alright cause I was messing around and testing it all out, a 2 in each stat run of the first game is apparently doable. Hell apparently with the way its written I cant see any issues. Bar two
One, for some reason you never get a sword?? Raided the garrisons, temples, etc. None of it got me a sword for some reason. Don’t know why but its a thing
Two, cousin’s hunt ambush. Tried it over and over and for some reason it failed every path I went. Very strange, but from what I remember on my non cheated path that shit was hard from the get go. So it could very well just be me failing so hard even being a OP MC cant help XD
Hope its the same for 2 but honestly with the labyrinth of stuff getting denser and denser I would not be surprised that list grows.
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I had so much trouble with the escape run I finally resorted to save editor. I had one dude too many and no way was I about to redo the whole game.
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