Posts from Taiji

Will you go to the river or to the tower?

These cultists aren't very interesting. They live here and don't know what's happening in the neighboring cells.

Anyway, let's take a break. This is the perfect time and place.
Alex will come, and maybe he'll want to explore the surroundings or the church in search of something hidden. But I don't know, after Koschei, I'm afraid of everything. Let him decide.


I'm collecting dew. In the morning, I'll brew some more potions while you're drying the chicken. And then I suggest we go east again. It wouldn't hurt to explore the cells around here.

Added 4 minutes later

Will you go to the river or to the tower?

We'll perform a couple of rituals at the altar and stay here.

These cultists aren't very curious. They live here and don't know what's happening in the neighboring squares.

The curious new recruits of the order have already lost half their squad. It's not surprising that only a few cultists are inclined to take risks.

Added after 48 seconds

Let's perform a couple of rituals at the altar and stay here.

A good option. We can bring slaves for sacrifice.

In short, we check how many chickens we have, rest if needed, and replenish our food supply with the provisions that Revan mentioned. We take the chickens with us and head east or south.

I'm surprised that Aretz didn't suggest becoming a mobile chicken farm that would sell eggs and chicken meat.

There's no one here to sell them to...

You forgot about Haven and the recruits undergoing trials! Imagine how much easier the game would be if there was a location where you could trade provisions for various items that recruits acquire by completing trials.

About Leon.

Let's just stay and live in the church, forget about the order, raise chickens, hunt boars, and then we'll find some Arcadians and start farming. We'll become cool farmers, become self-sufficient, and live like people.
Let's take a break then.

let's leave a few units here to breed, maybe they won't die
maybe we'll come back sometime, maybe other recruits will gather to go through the trials here, so let's leave a few, let them roam free

I checked what I can brew with the ingredients I have now. Not much. Healing potion, greater healing potion, cleansing potion. What do you need?

Well, it’s an open-ended game, so I can give you that kind of ending too.

Maybe I should just create a farmer right from the start? The advantage is that I'll finally have a chance to "win," since the game will only last about five minutes.

Well, it's an open game, so I can give you this kind of ending too.

But what kind of new cultists are we for new recruits? :( We have less willpower than the previous ones, and that's just the beginning.

Almost certainly non-canon, but who cares. Let it be my headcanon.

Kafira had never been interested in what awaited her in the afterlife. She rightly assumed that sooner or later she would see (or not see) everything for herself, and pressing problems concerned her more than philosophy. Therefore, she wasn't particularly surprised to find herself in the middle of a desolate plain shrouded in fog. Low clouds drifted across a gray sky, and vague shadows were visible somewhere in the distance... A bleak, unsettling atmosphere. What troubled the teyosika even more was that fire immunity had not saved her from the priest's curse, but what difference did it make now?
- Be an optimist, Kafira, - she told herself. - You're already dead. Nothing worse can happen to you.
Her thoughts returned to the world of the living, to the only close being she had left behind. Rish had long since ceased to be a helpless kitten and was quite capable of standing up for himself, but how would he react to the fact that his mistress was no longer with him? Would her new acquaintances care for the cat as she had? Would the next batch of recruits be given a quest to "kill a manticore"? Kafira could only hope that her pet would manage all the difficulties. The teyosika sat on the cracked earth and took the bag off her shoulder. She highly doubted that she would need its contents here, but... one had to start somewhere.
While the girl was rummaging through her belongings, a crack, like a lightning strike, sounded almost right beside her, followed by a growl, almost a scream. This sound surely belonged to a wild and dangerous predator, but Kafira didn't even try to run. Firstly, you cannot die more than once. And secondly, to her horror, the teyosika recognized that voice. It could mean only one thing — she would no longer have to worry about her pet.
Kafira turned toward the sound. Zaorish apparently didn't yet understand what had happened to him — he sat awkwardly, all four paws splayed, shaking his head. For him, the concept of an afterlife was something completely beyond comprehension.
- Rish, come to me, - the teyosika called affectionately.
Hearing the familiar voice, the manticore livened up, trotted over to his mistress, and knocked her off her feet.
- Ow, Rish, alright, alright, I'm glad to see you too, - Kafira laughed, trying in vain to dodge the rough tongue that sought to lick her now on the nose, now on the cheek. The teyosika's fingers slid into the manticore's thick mane; she hugged her pet and pressed him close.
Rish didn't object. He didn't object to anything as long as his mistress was nearby. Even when she buried her face in his mane and began to sob, he showed commendable composure.
The rational part of Kafira told her that she could cry as much as she wanted, but it wouldn't change anything. However, the teyosika sobbed for a long time, unable to pull herself together. She didn't value her own life, but she valued the life of her best friend, who had followed her and found his end just a few minutes after she left the world of the living. The teyosika felt terribly guilty toward the manticore.
- Forgive me, I'm a complete fool, - Kafira whispered into the furry ear. - I should have left you behind. Everything would be fine for you now...
Zaorish grumbled, almost offended. He was a very clever fellow, and it often seemed to Kafira that her pet perfectly understood every word she spoke. Now, for her, this became an obvious fact.
- You wouldn't have let yourself be left behind, right? - she smiled through tears.
The manticore shook his head — almost a nod.
- Oh... Getting involved with that order was the stupidest idea I've ever had, wasn't it?
Rish snorted. Kafira was ready to swear that he was laughing at her.
- No, that case with the sponge, the turkey, and the paladin doesn't count.
The manticore snorted again, looking at her mischievously. Kafira held out for a long time, but that story surfaced in her memory so vividly that the teyosika couldn't help it and burst out laughing too.
- Yeah, that was quite the riot, - the girl finally squeezed out, wiping away tears. - I think that paladin remembered us for a long time.
Having laughed her fill, Kafira reached into the bag again and pulled out the mission envelope, now useless to anyone. She crumpled it and tossed it into the air. Rish leaped and caught it on the fly, as if he had been waiting for exactly that. Shreds of purple paper flew in all directions.
- Who needs this order, this peak, this flower... Certainly not us, right? - the teyosika watched as her pet enthusiastically chased the scraps of paper.
After a while, the destructive activity bored Zaorish (and there were almost no pieces of paper larger than a speck of dust left). The manticore approached his mistress and stared at her questioningly.
- You're right, there's no point in staying put, - Kafira threw the bag over her shoulder again, now out of habit. - So we'll go... Well, let's say, that way, - she waved her hand in the direction she was looking. - We have eternity ahead of us. We should look around and see where we'll spend it.
Rish flapped his wings. He didn't care where, as long as he wasn't alone.
The teyosika and the manticore set off through the fog as far as the eye could see. A long walk awaited them.

...

- What do you think, Rish? If we are in the afterlife, what are our chances of meeting Benan?
An inquisitive purr.
- She's my best friend. Was, before she was killed in battle, - Kafira hesitated and added, - you'll probably like her.
A loud bark.
- I also think they're non-zero. We haven't been very lucky lately; luck must smile upon us at least here.

Brewing three potions (for Alexu, Artzu, and Shuniy). If I fail, the last one on the list will be left without a gift. Potion of Purification Success chance: (intelligence * 2.5) Removes negative effects from the character. Ingredients: - Fruit of Arcadia (0.2) - Any poison - Pure water