City of IF

[Key]

The next chapter of the featured storygame "The Machine's Daughter" has been posted:

Chapter 9: The Desert

Discussion and voting are complete for chapter 9.

For more about the storygame, see the New Players Start Here topic in this forum.

[Kalanna Rai]

The discuss and decide link isn't working for me.

My idea is to grab your glasses, and shout stop. Tell them you use the glasses because they are a symbol you are linked to the Zigost just as traveling with the Scarpi are a symbol you are linked to the Scarpi. Tell them that you are here on a quest to learn more about the world because you have not been here before and feel that you are lacking compassion and knowledge toward and of its subjects.

[Chinaren]

Mmm. The writing seems to be getting better.

Well, I would be inclined to recover my glasses and move to one side if possible.

Then wait a bit, see how things go. If it looks like it could turn ugly(er) then shout and say something. Otherwise, keep schtum. The more mysterious you seem the better I think.

[Shady Stoat]

Difficult decision point there! Whew! :shock:

Somebody needs to do something or this is going to descend into war. I think it's down to Pilla. Even those who profess not to believe are going to find themselves listening to her as she talks, out of superstition if nothing else.

She needs to make herself accepted, if not as a god, then at least as a prophet, or someone with a purpose to be respected. A direct challenge is probably the only way to go.

Is there anyone friendly that she can attract the attention of? To my thinking, she will ask one of the Scarpi on 'her side', whether Masakati went through with the initiation into the Scarpi tribe (or failing that, she'll just shout out the question to the arguing masses). Presumably she was. It might be worth the risk to accept the very challenge that Telline has laid down. If Masakati survived it, there's at least a chance that Pilla will too.

Even if she doesn't, how far are they going to get with a tribe of enemy scarpi at their backs, presuming that her side can win the initial battle? Desperate times might well call for desperate measures.

Still not sure about this idea. I might come back on a different side later on. Indecisive, eh? ;)

[Ravenwing]

Wow. A long read...But all the action compensated for the length. *grins*

It's amazing how big the Scarpi memory is. A 2000 year old feud, and they still remember each other. Dang. Anyways, this seems to be an age-old argument that can't be resolved by the participants in this argument. Like everyone else, I agree the solution lies in Pilla interrupting this whole conflict.

She best put her glasses on, and get her vocal cords ready. Otherwise this conflict may get a tad bloody. :cool:

[Araex]

Nice read.

Now, I like Kalanna's suggestion about the glasses being a symbol of being connected, but will the Scarpi want to hear that? The child of their god has come to them, but she's also connected with the 'pathetic mechanical Zigots'?

Also, I don't really like the idea of asking someone about the trial. If your god, who should presumably know all about you, asks you a basic history question, what are you going to think? I see it as [no offense intended] Jesus asking if God rested on the seventh day. Not a particularly faith inspiring act.

However, we do have our scroll with us. Does it have any mention of Masakati in it? And would we have enough time to look at it without being noticed before someone draws a weapon? I'm not sure.

My conclusion would be to [if we can't rack our brains and recall it] take a guess that in order to be accepted by the Scarpi, Masakati would have had to be injected, and so to take the trial. Either that, or shout out something about how you do not want your people to fight, rather to work together. Perhaps if you could get an equal compliment of bodyguards from this new tribe, then those few could settle their differences, and later spread harmony?

Just my $0.02

EDIT: Also, we have the same map twice in a row! No new picture?

[UberDemon]

Obviously, the previous warrior queen from the tribe the zigots masacred had to be initiated somehow. Pilla, take the poison, writhe around on the ground, have some wierd hallucinations about where you really come from, and revive with new knowledge, maybe just a hint of where you come from, but something to focus you.

And Fug, she was a philosophy major, but hasn't been doing much with that, has she? For being all brilliant and $hit, she sure isn't speaking much, or really impressing anyone with anything more than the fact she's a human. :nono:

Or who knows, maybe her sky god father will reign down some lightning and put these scarpi beyotches in their places. :gun:

[LordoftheNight]

Quote: I see it as [no offense intended] Jesus asking if God rested on the seventh day. Not a particularly faith inspiring act.

but it could been seen as him asking a philosical question, "did or did, notgod rest on the seventh day, and should we therefore do the same? or, in doing so are we declaring ourselves to be so much like god that we ourselves become gods?

something along the lines of asking questions in a way to suggest you know the answer

Quote: Pilla, take the poison, writhe around on the ground, have some wierd hallucinations

and hopefully dont die from them

[Guest]

But the way you're saying it, Lord, makes it seem although the answer is accepted as common knowledge, but Pilla doesn't know the answer, which makes it dangerous to ask.

I think, why not yell "I am your prophet and Taremto has called me to unite the scarpi and defeat their oppressors. Anyone who resists the will of Taremto will pay for it, and his tribe will abandon him or her. It is of no revelance why I was born to the Zigoz. The ways of Taremto are not the ways of the scarpi, and his word is law."

She should have learned enough of philosophy to make this statement.

- D-Lotus :D

[Mother Goose]

I don't quite get this talk of initiation. Masakati was born into the Scarpi, just as Pilla was into the Zigots. And the venom of the Scarpi, I think, would be just as deadly to another Scarpi as it would to Pilla or any other race. What are you suggesting?

I agree that Pilla should break into the argument before it comes to a fight. Maybe something like, " I am not a Zigot! Look at me! Do you see any wood or metal? I am not here to participate in a war! Stop it!"

[Ravenwing]

The only reason Pilla would take the poison would be to be accepted by the Queen. That is no reason for it be assumed as the process being an initiation.

Like I said before, just break the ensuing argument because it is not going anywhere. Think of the present moment is my choice. She may not have to take that poison to prove herself being a child of a god.

[D-Lotus]

Is she so confident that she really is a god that she'll risk being poisoned? I think not.

If she has half the confidence necessary to assume she is a god, and therefore immune, then she has plenty of confidence to stop the conflict by shouting out something like some people are mentioning.

[Mother Goose]

I thought the queen's action was more of a threat than a challenge.

[Suneila]

The Machine's Daughter wrote: She appears to be the youngest worshipper there, her skin smooth and the arms she raises with her every declaration strong.

I found this sentence to be really awkward. Otherwise, though, it was a great read.

I don't think Pilla should be declaring anything at this point. We already went through the decision to tell Nogola and the others the truth about her origins, I don't think she can just up and lie to everyone else now. I think she should call out above the noise and say simply that arguing won't solve anything. She needs to be sensible ("the voice of reason" and all that jazz) but not make any false or unproven claims.

~sunny

[Mother Goose]

I agree, Sunny. It's out of Pilla's character to claim to be a god anyway. But she can try to stop the argument - though jumping into a family feud can be dangerous!

I just thought of something - would scorpion venom have any effect on a robot anyway? Don't you have to have flesh and blood to be poisoned? So if Pilla were a real zigot, the queen's stinger wouldn't be any danger to her. Maybe the very fact that she fears being stung is an indication that she's something different, whether quasi-divine or not; maybe they should slow down and take a good look at her.

"It is possible that you can kill me, but do you want to risk being the one who kills the child of Taremto, if that is what I am?"

[Shady Stoat]

Given the errand that Pilla is on, it might be possible to use that to her advantage.

Do all the scorpions respect the serpent-witches? Whether they believe Pilla is a god or not, they might be willing to suspend their fighting in favour of letting the witches judge Pilla's fate. No doubt if she is a fake 'Child of Taremto', then she will be punished or destroyed. Would that be enough to satisfy her current aggressors?

If an argument like that got her out of this current territory, it would be a start.

Just a random thought to throw into the pot...

[ethereal_fauna]

Like Mother Goose, I had also toyed with the idea of showing weakness, although breaking down and crying I doubt would be impressive. She'd also use logic and reasoning, much as Mother Goose has suggested. She might not be able to stop the fighting, but she could be able to provide enough of a distraction for the ones with her to form some sort of plan.

[Key]

Poll's up.

[Suneila]

I voted for the serpent-witches. It's only logical that if the other Scarpi tribe also respects them, that they will help her reach them (even if only for her to be judged). It's always better to have more support (especially armed support)

~sunny

[Ravenwing]

I am not really sure what to vote for. For me at least two of them I think will work well with what Pilla would do based on her personality, and what we know so far. I think I will sit on the fence and hear what everyone has to say about their decision. :cool:

[Mother Goose]

To be taken where she wants to go anyway sounds brilliant! Let's hope this tribe reveres the witches too.

[D-Lotus]

lol, yeah! Why didn't we think of that before? But will the tribe queen fall for it?

[Ravenwing]

Still sitting on the fence here. Although I will comment that this Scarpi leader seems to fear nothing, or is faking her fear real well. Could we just perhaps just mention the serpent-witches and see her reaction?

[LordoftheNight]

went with the witches,

i'd just like to say, i wasn't rooting for claiming to be a god as a sound or in character pan of action, i was just attempting to quickly illustrate how it could be done by someone with no prior knowledge of their religion, which i'm assuming she not got

[Ravenwing]

Admitting being a god is only going to give Pilla trouble in the future. She doesn't even know who she is yet, and that is what she is trying to find out.

I have made my decision. I am going with the decision to got to the serpent-witches as a test. That was our original destination, we should keep our focus on that goal.

[Key]

Poll's closed. Thanks for voting, everyone. :D

New chapter up on Saturday.

[Ravenwing]

Now we must wait. *summons a stool from thin air, and places it in front of the door marked 'Chapter 10'* This stool marks my spot should I not be here. *wanders off to look for something to munch on*

[Kalanna Rai]

Dang missed the poll again. *looks at Ravenwings stool with contempt then curlz up behind it.* Chairs...pah...never'd hold my weight...

[Key]

Chapter 10 posted. Locking this thread.