Chapter 40: Shameless Acquisition

Pesky arcane secrets, always requiring research and mentors! Wish I could just pretend to fireblast some imaginary trees and learn how to do the real thing eventually. Wouldn’t that be more fun? YES. Though I feel like the dryads would still know, somehow, and judge me…

With the runebooks complete and no ‘wizardly direction’ temporarily, Sammy had to use her energy somehow, so she sat on her throne and spied. She spied in the most secret, spy-like way of spies, intent and determined not to bump into random queenly moms, old crusty codger-sages, and definitely not horny, young, hedonistic nobles.

She took another pass through Geirkos, a place quite a number of her Followers would be congregating at all too soon. Naturally, there wasn’t much happening late into the night. She checked the old shrine she had once viewed, the one to Redberry, back when she didn’t even know the name. And there was someone praying there.

It was obviously a noblewoman, despite being in nightclothes. Even these were high-quality, and she had the general aura. She was kneeling with her eyes closed, hands clasped together in prayer to her goddess. She was perhaps in her early 20s and had a significant pooch to her belly indicating she was pregnant.

Unsurprisingly, her whispered prayers to Redberry were about her unborn child, asking for the blessing of health and life for both of them and for her restfulness to be better.

I guess the Southlands probably aren't as medically advanced as the Dominion. Childbirth carries lots of extra risks.

Sadly, it wasn’t something she could bug Redberry about. The goddess absolutely wouldn’t care and would probably be annoyed to be bothered with something inane. But it occurred to Sammy that Redberry literally didn’t care about any of her Followers or anything they offered. Prayers, belief, she did not give a single shit, period.

Why not shunt some of it where it's useful, then? And… Ohhh. I’ve got an idea.

“Redberry,” Samantha prayed to her sister in divinity. “My Sister In Divinity, my absolute favorite! Do you care if I steal some more of your Followers? Deal with their bullshit?”

Redberry came into her mind languidly, like the yawn of a panther, like the bear sleepily opening its eyes, like the gleaming eyes of a bat in the distance, through the cold, dark, empty air between trees. That last was totes deliberate!

“Moth,” she resonated oh-so-patiently, “you ought to know nature has a night, and that it is a time of the fiercest, least tolerant predators.”

“Yeah, yeah, what are you gonna do, bite me? Don’t answer that! But I would like the other answers.”

“I do in fact bite, and with precision,” Redberry answered. “What sort of game are you playing, here? If this is another favor-”

“Nope! You don’t have to do a thing! I just didn’t want to anger the big, bad, grouchy, strong wolf by offending her territorial markers.”

“You can do whatever you want,” the nature goddess sent in peeved, dismissive tones. “So long as it isn’t bothering me. I’ll watch the rabbit hop around and play with my jaws on my paws. I don’t appreciate you making me change metaphors, by the way. Lead into the bat thing. I even intro’d with it.”

“I’ll… try. Later on, you should ask me about cute hopping animals, just saying…”

“And why is that-”

“Later, Red! Er, Bat? Redbat?”

“Just stick with Red.” Words of disappointment, with a heavy sigh.

“One last thing: I’ll be impersonating a fake entity of yours, a being you raised up to take over some duties, a Demigod that is like a super servitor that is under you and can deal with prayers.” Sammy sent it all in a rush so she could get it out before Red got angry.

“That’s absurd.” She didn’t seem angry at all, at least. “Demigods are a totally untenable cost, even if you sex up a mortal for it. The System overvalues them for some reason. Only a hypothetical bored, super-powerful, just doing whatever they want willy-nilly dominant deity can bother with it.”

“Huh. But technically anyone can if they have the juice for it? Maybe I’ll give it a go.” Baiting her.

“You?! You’re minimum level, you have to be at least-” She caught herself, paused, and soon there was a peel of genuine, dark laughter in Sammy’s head, like a crack of lightning. And absolutely, divinely, beautiful. “Oh, oh you almost got me, Moth. Leading me into the brush to know at least a level I’ve reached.”

“It was worth a shot.” Also worth making you laugh. “So, I figured a demigod was nonsense, but they don’t know that.”

“I don’t think you can gain benefits from such impersonation cons, which fall under alternative aspects. A higher level mechanism.”

“You can if you have the Illusion domain.”

“Oh. I see. Well done. Congratulations, by the way.”

“Thank you! Anyway, I better get this done before I lose my chance. Bye for now!” She disconnected.

“Sys!” Sammy called. “I want an aspect called Greenleaf that is a Demigod under Redberry! Nature-themed.”

It has been created and is tied to your central identity. Note that you do not actually have access to domains you pretend to have. Note that you must complete a separate Ritual of Conversion form to accept Followers.

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New Quest unlocked: “Shameless Acquisition” — Acquire 5 Followers under a false deific persona.
● Rewards: +10 FE, +5 FE (Illusion), 2 exp in [Goddess]

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“I don’t appreciate you judging me, Sys, but I’ll take it. Goddess exp! That must mean it opens up more flexibly than just FE-based quests at some point.”

Sammy quickly brought up the conversion form to submit it.

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Ritual of Conversion Form (Greenleaf)

(Note: Do not add superfluous text to this form.)

Requirements: Hands in prayer position, knelt, eyes closed, and recite, “I, NAME, hereby pledge to pray to, praise, and seek the demigod Greenleaf, daughter and ally of Redberry, may both reign beautifully forever.

So will I also speak her name only in private, holding her secrets in my heart unless otherwise directed.”

Religious Experience: Mild, feel-good high (30%), and serenity (40%).

Authorized Officials: N/A

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With that out of the way, Sammy quickly went back to the mirror, and thankfully the pregnant lady was burning incense and meditating in prayer a bit while doing deep breathing exercises.

Formulating a new voice that had a little bit of ‘hippy girl’ to it, but was still supernaturally resonating, she began to speak through the mirror, but doing it in such a way her voice would sound as if it were resonating and echoing from all around the chamber. “Supplicant. Your devout, pious prayers are heard.”

The woman jerked in shock, eyes flitting around. Awe, wonder, and a bit of fear painted her features as she called uncertainly, “R-Redberry!?” She was disbelieving.

“I am her demigod daughter, Greenleaf, sanctioned to provide minor aid in her stead, to grow and to relieve the tremendous weight on her shoulders.”

The woman’s eyes seemed to widen with each word as she looked around as if trying to locate the voice’s source. Finally, she swallowed visibly then said weakly, “I-I… you honor me…” Then she went into a prayer position again, bowing her head with her eyes closed. “Thank you… Greenleaf.”

1 FE gained due to user belief/acknowledgment. Note: not yet a Follower.

Sammy couldn’t suppress her inner gremlin glee. Imposter goddess, go! For your own damn good, Southlands.

“Honored, yes, due to your splendid approaches to us and this pleasing, radiant shrine. Everything here is perfect! Now. Hear me, supplicant! Would you pray to a new demigod and hypothetically serve our combined interests?”

“Of course, Your Majesty Greenleaf,” she whispered, appearing to quiver a bit.

“Your Loveliness will do.” And then Sammy touched her mind, providing the conversion information.

With a few tears shed, the woman — Teresa — recited the words and became a ‘Follower’ of ‘Greenleaf.’

Follower conversion successful. 1 FE gained. 1 Daily FE gained (total: 18).

Yes! Muhaha!

When the buff came over Teresa, the young woman sagged a bit in relief, like a great weight was lifted from her. Immediately, the woman was giving thanks in prayer.

Sammy formed a mental ‘package’ of impressions similar to Redberry, but in this case like a forest of new trees — in one, the biggest, the central, cloaked in shadows within the branches, was the silhouette of a dryad, vibrant green eyes all that was visible…

She sent this mentally, along with, “Welcome to the sprouting of a new future. I will bless your rest in one hour, and onward, to ensure your peace under your condition.”

Still in a state of shock, and shocked again by the communication, Teresa eventually managed, “Th-thank you. I am… truly at a loss, Your Loveliness. I did not think I would ever hear so concretely…”

“Perhaps you wouldn’t, from the Mother of Nature. But you have the ear of her daughter, such as it is. I cannot guarantee miracles, but I will do what I can for the blossoming of new flowers and fruit!”

There was genuine gratitude felt through the connection. “I am grateful… This is my second, and the first was extremely difficult. I had a miscarriage before that.”

“Nature is often cruel, but you persevered. So you will again.”

Obviously feeling encouraged, Teresa could be seen taking a deep breath as she opened her eyes and looked at the statue of Redberry in front of her. She gave a faint smile. “Yes. I will, Goddess.”

“Go and rest easy in warmth and comfort, Teresa. You may suggest my name to the trusted, to pray, all in secrecy and private, as the pious are supposed to for the Mother.”

“I will consider this carefully, Your Loveliness… and thank you again. Bless you, Greenleaf!”

“Yes, bless me! And don’t forget: this shrine is fantastic, all should copy it! Statue, incense, decor, the cute mirror there, yes, yes, yes! Now then… farewell, Teresa.”

Operation: Trickster Goddess complete! Illusion is already fun, hee hee…

Remembering her conversation with Carlisle, Sammy did check over at his manor, wondering if there might be some nighttime shenanigans with a spy about. But she found nothing. Everyone was asleep. It was good to get in the habit of flashing through all the mirrors, though. She could train her mind to note peculiarities of interest. Improve her sensitivity.

She was aware that the majordomo and helpers dealt with the pigeon roost, though she had no eyes on the actual construct, separate from the house and without mirrors. It seemed reasonable that someone with access and knowledge there might be a spy. Ultimately, if she could absolve the majordomo it would be helpful to have him in on the investigation, but she was unsure how to do that offhand.

She cast her mirror senses back in the direction of Orswyth’s former territory. His own actual fortress was barren and abandoned by all appearances. Other mirrors were scattered at distance in larger houses and manors, though there was nothing quite like even Carlisle’s home in fanciness anywhere close.

She primarily began looking for activity, movement, voices, anything of interest that might be transpiring in the dead of night. So she ranged further and further, to what she thought was west and south along the Endless Crescent, though she really didn’t know exactly.

She began finding very sparsely perceptible mirrors, frequently damaged. The zone was unusual so she sifted through until she thought she found a city. Many mirrors showed damaged homes or other buildings like shops, sometimes through broken shards. Not all, exactly.

Then she found the castle, and in it were the demonkin-looking types, ‘Naugites,’ warriors in armor of both sexes, along with a few she spotted wearing the same but with crimson red draping fabric from their belts and large cloaks, emblazoned with a bronze symbol: a gauntleted fist enclosed by a fat diamond, with some sort of fire from under it, making it look like it was lifting off.

This dude’s symbol is a rocket fist, are you serious!? Holy forking shirtballs, bro…

They carried maces on their belts, the bronze heads made into malformed fists similar to the holy symbol.

Sammy flitted to another mirror and found an audience chamber, a mirror looking down upon a sturdy cushioned chair that seemed to serve as a lesser kind of throne. The mirror seemed angled and designed for anyone in front of the throne to see themselves.

The one seated in it was almost too massive for it. She could only see down on the top of his head, but there were two huge horns rising up from a crop of long, black hair. Red skin. He was clad in gleaming bronze armor with silver accents and a crimson cloak.

A huge maul that was wreathed in baleful, resonant shadows was gripped in one hand by the middle, the lower end on the floor. It and he both had an aura of sheer menace.

Something about him… she just knew. It had to be Zadkiel. His Avatar. She was staring down at a god-in-the-flesh.

This guy is hanging out in Dominion territory?! Is he fucking insane?!

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« Chapter 39 | Table of Contents | Chapter 41: The Birth of a Relic »

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Samantha, Virgin Goddess of Mirrors & Illusion
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Goddess Level 1; Fledgling Deity

Domains (2/2): Mirrors, Illusion
Faith Energy: 903/1000
FE (Illusion): 10
Followers: 13 (Daily FE Gain: 18 [19])

Devout: 3
Priests: 2

Brute: 0
Rogue: 0
Wizard: 1 [0/20]
Bard: 0

Special Skills: First Aid, Tarot Reading, Priestly Ordination, Holy Relic Investiture, Read Runes, Spell Construction, Detect Magic

Special Traits: Token User, Immortal, Demiplane Domain, Conceptual Body, Fueled By Faith

Powers: Faith Energy Utilization, Grant Prayer (Illusion), Mirror Sense (at will), Mirror Communication (at will), Create Illusion

Status: Token User Promotional Bonus (4/30), New Deity Grace Period (4/7), Free Holy Relic Investiture (1-use)