Turn 82 - The Ponzi CultPhiali realizes that now is his chance. He tries to convert this fellow, but not like usually. This time, he will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
"Well, you see, I dare say that God is the only god worth following on the market right now. Definitely no other good candidates, in my opinion.""How so?""Ah, like I said, She is rather powerful. Why, He even grants miracles occasionally. I was once stabbed by people outside a temple, and wouldn't you know it, I was saved by God. Definitely an eye-opening experience.""Really?""And She's got liberal standards and demands nothing other than obedience when He wants you to burn things She dislikes or go on some other divine quest.""What are the benefits?""Few thus far, but I'm sure they'll increase. You just have to be quick to jump on these things, which ensures you'll be important when we expand. You'd only have to convert some other people, then they'd convert other people, and so on and so on. You may even achieve special favor in the eyes of God, being possibly my first convert who really means it, too.""Ah, I think I am starting to see the idea here. Well played, good sir.""Naturally, there'd be plenty of treasure and women in it for you if this works - God abhors monogamy, don't you know.""I have to say, this God interests me quite a bit. It seems like you have a plan, even. But I believe we should speak in some other place about this. These people, while usually perfectly harmless and fun, don't really like it when people not of the faith try to openly convert others during religious festivals."Phiali tries to remember if he knows somebody named Kezilam throughout the whole conversation. He supposes he doesn't - he sounds like a reasonable sort, he supposes. Got musical festivals and everything. Somebody who knows how to have this much fun can't be evil, right?
* * * * *
Lars figures he'll do these things in sequence - all at once would be poor showmanship, yes?
"And so, we shall rid ourselves of the last of these relics. First, the head of a false prophet. May he be forgotten."He brandishes the head of Amaliz Teze, chucking it into the fire. As it burns, he feels a holy shiver come over him, a sense of utmost divine accomplishment.
"Second, his false statements. May his words never be spoken again," he says, taking out the holy manuscript of the Kezilamite prophet and sentencing that to ritual burning as well - that stuff burns very nicely, too. And as it does, the words of Amaliz Teze disappear, granting Lars immense pleasure - it's all he can do not to writhe on the ground right now.
Quite ecstatic, yet determined to see this through with a serious look, he then addresses the crowd once more.
"Finally, the head of this blasphemous temple. May the fire cleans all who oppose the One True God."[Lars strength roll: 5]
He lifts up the head priest, who doesn't really resist, having accepted his fate a short while ago as well as mildly happy that they chose to burn him rather than, say, drown him, which may have put him beyond Kezilam's reach, and throws him into the fire. The priest does not scream - he just breathes in the smoke, writhing in the flames as they consume his body, then shortly becoming motionless when the fire and smoke do their work on his abused, elderly body.
By the end of it, Lars feels like there's only one thing left to do - destroy the temple as was God's command - none can resist the power anymore.
Two important heretic relics burned! 2 MP gained!
Heretic burned! 1 MP gained!* * * * *
Gronok guesses there's no point talking to this woman anymore, and heads over to Blessed Tritizima's house, or at least what one might assume to be Blessed Tritizima's house. The door of the humble residence appears to be unlocked, so he heads right in.
The decor, as one might expect, is fairly lacking aside from a few murals clearly done by children - they depict flames, light, that sort of thing. It's kind of difficult to tell with some of it.
Anyhow, he wanders through the house until he notices a middle-aged, rather homely and mildly hunched woman sitting in a chair in one of the rooms, reading a scroll of some kind. Closer inspection reveals that she does not seem to reading at all - instead, she appears to be reciting it quietly to herself, eyes closed. After a moment of this, she opens them back up, noticing Gronok. She says nothing, merely looking at him silently.
* * * * *
Shashari groans, being in quite the terrible position right now. She decides to...
sorta give up. For the time being. Cut her losses, you know.
"Alright, you win! I have been caught in your snare!" she shouts into the surrounding darkness, hoping that the crazy bastard out there has good enough hearing to differentiate between panicked defiance and dignified surrender. However, if there is indeed something going on, she certainly can't hear it from here.
Hm. Maybe whoever it is is hoping to starve her out. This would be a desirable scenario, as that would probably mean that it does not mean to wear her pelt after she's dead - everyone knows that human skin suffers noticeably from malnutrition, right?
* * * * *
Elizas, seeing no harm in it, decides to guide the fair ladies over to his patron - the guards wonder if they should intervene, but the bald woman gives him a stern look and he backs off.
"Now, you stay right here and don't move," the leader-woman tells him, entering the room of the patron and shutting the door behind her, the three others following her.
For the next several minutes, Elizas can hear voices from within - mostly the women speaking in an amicable fashion, the owner occasionally chipping in. Elizas can't really make anything out about the conversation. Then, all of a sudden, all four of them come right out.
"Right, it's done. You are freed from your contract, good sir. Will you now join us at the temple?"Well, that didn't take long at all.
Phiali: 1 MP
Lars: 7 MP
Gronok: 3 MP
Shashari: 5 MP
Elizas: 3 MP
Right, so it's been a while, quite a bit longer than I would like. Was unusually busy. Sorry for the delays, at any rate.
Schedule is expected to resume, albeit a bit slower - updates once per four days at the quickest, sadly.
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Topic: Prophets of the New God: most unfortunately dropped. (Read 72996 times)