Pact: A complete breakfast cereal brought to you by Wildbow [spoilers]

[Eldan]

The mentor could think of this too. It also occurs to me that a good power source might be a bunch of low tier practitioners. Blake has the books and knowledge for them. Even if they are relying on their minor scraps of power enough of them might be able to do a fairly decent job. And then cycle through so everyone gets a benefit.

Thinking about it, that's probably how a lot of the first covens, families, circles, etc. got started, millennia ago.

[Landis963]

Not sure what sort of parting gift he could leave.

"Ornias! Ornias! Ornias! I summon thee!"

I also note leaving town is a coup of sorts as well. Laird wants Blake to be the big scary threat right? Well, he up and left peacefully.

He hasn't left peacefully yet.

[Dragonus45]

"Ornias! Ornias! Ornias! I summon thee!"

I have A longer post in mind about this that i'll put together when i have more time, but to sum it up it just ISNT something he would do. Its not in his nature, I honestly believe that no matter how hard he is pushed he would never unleash hell like that.

[Landis963]

I have a longer post in mind about this that I'll put together when I have more time, but to sum it up it just ISN'T something he would do. It's not in his nature, I honestly believe that no matter how hard he is pushed he would never unleash hell like that.

Agreed. For better or for worse. I will admit I thought Blake or Rose could target the major circles in general or Laird in specific, and it is a tad wish-fulfillment because I want Laird to die a highly humiliating and potentially painful death proportionate to the pain he specifically has caused the Thorburns, but Blake would never do that with the amount of collateral such a summoning would entail. However, the story's still young, only 15% complete (assuming it takes exactly a year to finish) and Blake could easily be corrupted enough by some influence or other to make him seriously entertain the possibility.

Because the Behaims and Duchamps have had power, and have abused said power, for far too long.

[Lamech]

I have A longer post in mind about this that i'll put together when i have more time, but to sum it up it just ISNT something he would do. Its not in his nature, I honestly believe that no matter how hard he is pushed he would never unleash hell like that.

Right, I don't think he will ever just drop a demon on the town without control like that. Without some more training or someone like Ms. Lewis Ornias is just a "rocks fall everyone dies". Blake isn't the kind of person who murders a bunch of innocents AND himself for no reason.

However he WILL, as he showed at the end of this chapter, deal with AND pay team demon for assistance. Furthermore as he told Briar Girl he is perfectly willing to kill at this point. Whipping a demon's Laird's way IS something he would consider. Congrats Laird, in a few short days you turned Blake into someone who would never consider paying a demon to someone going to them for help!

However, the story's still young, only 15% complete (assuming it takes exactly a year to finish) and Blake could easily be corrupted enough by some influence or other to make him seriously entertain the possibility.

I still don't think he would drop a demon uncontrolled like that. He might do a "deadman's switch" where he swears he'll do that unless X. Its a nice form of a threat. However, its 15% through the story and he's already dealing with team demon. From the never use demon position before.

[Landis963]

I still don't think he would drop a demon uncontrolled like that. He might do a "deadman's switch" where he swears he'll do that unless X. Its a nice form of a threat. However, its 15% through the story and he's already dealing with team demon. From the never use demon position before.

I think he's already done that kind of threat, and it worked out pretty handsomely for him. Remember the duel with Letita? Where Blake stopped right on the precipice of calling down Ornias? Yeah.

[Lamech]

No that's a different kind of threat completely. That's doing everything up until the last bit. Blake could have stopped that at anytime. (And he did.) I'm talking about making so he MUST resort to a demon. Bind it with an Oath. Going to almost calling a demon can be a bluff. Once you swear an Oath its no longer just a threat. Use the format "I swear, unless you do X, I will do Y". That's not bluffing.

[Landis963]

No that's a different kind of threat completely. That's doing everything up until the last bit. Blake could have stopped that at anytime. (And he did.) I'm talking about making so he MUST resort to a demon. Bind it with an Oath. Going to almost calling a demon can be a bluff. Once you swear an Oath its no longer just a threat. Use the format "I swear, unless you do X, I will do Y". That's not bluffing.

I get what you're saying, but why would you ever let it escalate to the point where a conditional oath to summon a demon is ever preferable? If you were, as Blake is, trying to avoid such measures.

EDIT: What I'm trying to say is, such threats would be foolhardy and indicative of a severely degenerated situation (not to mention, of course, that Blake would die in the summoning). Bluffing with Ornias was the best Blake could do and still stay true to the principles he wants to maintain.

[Dragonus45]

I'm interested in seeing how things go now in Toronto. Still only Wildbow could make me have so many feels for someone that I would altogether prefer be tossed into a fiery pit and buried in it.

[Lamech]

So next favour from the lawyers? Whatever could Blake pick?
1) Help getting a Demesnes or a good implement. Or both! Nothing like a little Hell Power to back yourself up.
2) A doughnut. With sprinkles.
3) To show up in court when Laird needs to testify and conveniently ask him incriminating questions. Would probably count as win three.
4) To have the Dumbchumps have their family tree published in a newspaper article on the prevalence of artificial sex-selection. This could count as win three too, since they were talking about "we".
5) Turn Lardo's family and the Dumbchumps into so much delicious meat sauce. Also just for kicks sever their connection to the higher realms. And take the karmic debt for this hilarious spate of murders. Except the child Blake promised stuff too. The lawyers can fulfill that promise instead of murdering her. (Okay he would probably woudn't gank the whole family.)
6) Give Blake control of the temporal barrier around his house.

Personally I think, five is going to start looking really tempting when they don't leave him alone in Toronto. Six is just plain funny. Three is probably a good way to win it too. Four might even be something he could pull without the lawyers.

[Forum Explorer]

So next favour from the lawyers? Whatever could Blake pick?
1) Help getting a Demesnes or a good implement. Or both! Nothing like a little Hell Power to back yourself up.
2) A doughnut. With sprinkles.
3) To show up in court when Laird needs to testify and conveniently ask him incriminating questions. Would probably count as win three.
4) To have the Dumbchumps have their family tree published in a newspaper article on the prevalence of artificial sex-selection. This could count as win three too, since they were talking about "we".
5) Turn Lardo's family and the Dumbchumps into so much delicious meat sauce. Also just for kicks sever their connection to the higher realms. And take the karmic debt for this hilarious spate of murders. Except the child Blake promised stuff too. The lawyers can fulfill that promise instead of murdering her. (Okay he would probably woudn't gank the whole family.)
6) Give Blake control of the temporal barrier around his house.

Personally I think, five is going to start looking really tempting when they don't leave him alone in Toronto. Six is just plain funny. Three is probably a good way to win it too. Four might even be something he could pull without the lawyers.

1) Not worth the cost. They could do it sure, but using up the 'easy' task on such a minor thing could be devastating in the long run.

2)

3) That'd be cool and I think it would be worth it. Unlikely to happen though if Laird actually doesn't act against him though. I think Blake is willing to take the deal of being left alone at the moment.

4) The effects of that would be...interesting. The only thing Blake could prove is that it happens (and really it's the only thing he knows). Calling it to public attention likely wouldn't result in much other then curiosity. But when you consider that they are enchanters? I doubt it'd do anything at all.

5) I doubt he would take that option even if it occurred to him. If he was that sort of person he would have called down the star demon earlier.

6) Now that would be worth it. Though giving him control might be beyond their abilities. They might just be able to tear it away.


On a different note I think the demon lawyers are exploiting the fact that Blake is a good person by basically using time with him as a reward for their less adamant workers. Has the added bonus of helping win Blake over.

[Socratov]

snip


On a different note I think the demon lawyers are exploiting the fact that Blake is a good person by basically using time with him as a reward for their less adamant workers. Has the added bonus of helping win Blake over.

well, I think the favour reflects on Blake as well: He is a good person and he makes people feel better. It might not be much, but it's gotta erode an infinitesimally bit of the karmic debt away. Maybe even more... This means he might short term get some people to like him. Which we all know goes a long way.

Spoiler: Ch. 4.1

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I also think a piece of art is a great gift for someone concerned with the whole indulgence theme... Great move Blake!

[Socratov]

snip


On a different note I think the demon lawyers are exploiting the fact that Blake is a good person by basically using time with him as a reward for their less adamant workers. Has the added bonus of helping win Blake over.

well, I think the favour reflects on Blake as well: He is a good person and he makes people feel better. It might not be much, but it's gotta erode an infinitesimally bit of the karmic debt away. Maybe even more... This means he might short term get some people to like him. Which we all know goes a long way.

Spoiler: Ch. 4.1

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I also think a piece of art is a great gift for someone concerned with the whole indulgence theme... Great move Blake!

On another note, anyone wanna bet a cookie that inviting his friends over gives him power, even unbeknownst to him and that having the ménage-à-trois will give him the motherlode, as well as earning some favour with the Lord of Toronto (you know, sex, indulgence, passion, etc.)

[Reverent-One]

Spoiler: Ch. 4.1

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I also think a piece of art is a great gift for someone concerned with the whole indulgence theme... Great move Blake!

On another note, anyone wanna bet a cookie that inviting his friends over gives him power, even unbeknownst to him and that having the ménage-à-trois will give him the motherlode, as well as earning some favour with the Lord of Toronto (you know, sex, indulgence, passion, etc.)

Spoiler

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Indulgence theme? Sex and passion? We're talking about Conquest, right? His thing is forced change and takeovers.

[Socratov]

Spoiler

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Indulgence theme? Sex and passion? We're talking about Conquest, right? His thing is forced change and takeovers.

Spoiler

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and he derives his power from Dionysos/Bacchus, housing satyrs and nymphs enough to to create a neighbourhood wide orgy. As well as being really hard to get drunk. Besides, if my experiences are any clue, there is no conquest like dating...

[Reverent-One]

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and he derives his power from Dionysos/Bacchus, housing satyrs and nymphs enough to to create a neighbourhood wide orgy. As well as being really hard to get drunk. Besides, if my experiences are any clue, there is no conquest like dating...

Spoiler

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Ah, no, that's Sandra's ex, Jeremy. Conquest was the Lord back in the interlude that Jeremy was hoping to replace, this chapter shows that that still hasn't happened yet.

[Landis963]

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Ah, no, that's Sandra's ex, Jeremy. Conquest was the Lord back in the interlude that Jeremy was hoping to replace, this chapter shows that that still hasn't happened yet.

Heck, that chapter showed that it hadn't happened yet.

Just a year and nine months into the new millenium, our Lord of Conquest gets his second wind.

Assuming the new millennium started 12:00 AM January 1 2000, one year and nine months after that takes us to September of 2001. Which indeed would be a huge win for any incarnation of Conquest.

[Lamech]

Spoiler: thursday update

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The lawyers are damn good. Also while this might tempt Blake to try and escape via getting in deeper with the demons, they got Conquest hook line and sinker.

[SlyGuyMcFly]

ohcrapohcrapohcrap.

Wildbow hasn't lost his (her? Is Wildbow's gender known?) masterful touch for putting the protagonist in situations where they are totally screwed. And just whem we think they maybe just got something that might sorta count as a win... BAM! Even more screwed. Kudos!

[Landis963]

Wildbow hasn't lost his (her? Is Wildbow's gender known?) masterful touch for putting the protagonist in situations where they are totally screwed. And just whem we think they maybe just got something that might sorta count as a win... BAM! Even more screwed. Kudos!

Wildbow's a he. He hid his gender during Worm because he was afraid of it overshadowing the work (a not-unreasonable fear, given the stuff that Taylor goes through), but once he started receiving accusations of being, among other things, a group of women he thought "oh hey, better clear that matter up."

And that's what he does. Any advantage comes with a massive sting in the tail.

[Lamech]

But he's still a pig like in his avatar right?

And why would anyone accuse a writer of being a group of women? How is that even an accusation?

[Eldan]

Probably along the lines of "A man couldn't write this" and "one single person couldn't write this".

[Forum Explorer]

Probably along the lines of "A man couldn't write this" and "one single person couldn't write this".

I could see the latter. Wildbow's output rate is amazing

[Landis963]

But he's still a pig like in his avatar right?

And why would anyone accuse a writer of being a group of women? How is that even an accusation?

"Accusation" was perhaps the wrong word; it was a hold-over from the previous version of the post. Besides...

Probably along the lines of "A man couldn't write this" and "one single person couldn't write this".

Yeah, that. Worm's first 10 chapters would be a door-stopping tome on its own, and there were 30 of them.

[Lamech]

Probably along the lines of "A man couldn't write this" and "one single person couldn't write this".

Unless that person was a pig.

[pita]

Yeah, that. Worm's first 10 chapters would be a door-stopping tome on its own, and there were 30 of them.

I once compared the word count of Worm to that of other books and found that Worm equals four average length Wheel Of Time books. Massive and impressive, but not exactly as terrifying as it seems... Brandon Sanderson does the same amount once you account for editing, as did Terry Pratchett for a while...
Nevermind, those two are also terrifying...

[Socratov]

Spoiler

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wow! the newest chapter is really amazing and interesting. Blake is seven kinds of screwed, but the 8th kind goes to Jeremy while the 9th is reserved for the other pets of Conquest. It would do Blake well to keep the Sphinx friendly, regarding karma and all that...

[Dragonus45]

I once compared the word count of Worm to that of other books and found that Worm equals four average length Wheel Of Time books. Massive and impressive, but not exactly as terrifying as it seems... Brandon Sanderson does the same amount once you account for editing, as did Terry Pratchett for a while...
Nevermind, those two are also terrifying...

Well Brandon Sanderson is really a writing machine. no really he is an actual robot, who is also a wizard.

[Eldan]

Well Brandon Sanderson is really a writing machine. no really he is an actual robot, who is also a wizard.

Actually, he's a word vampire who drains the power of Patrick Rothfuss and G.R.R Martin

[pita]

Well Brandon Sanderson is really a writing machine. no really he is an actual robot, who is also a wizard.

While Terry Pratchett is the writing equivalent of Chuck Norris. Terry Pratchett writes two books a year while being unable to type.
EDIT-

But he's still a pig like in his avatar right?

And why would anyone accuse a writer of being a group of women? How is that even an accusation?

I just realized there's room here for a "I've always suspected you're a pack of gerbils and a chimp" joke here but alas, I was too late, and I can't figure out the perfect funny configuration.