Pagan Cult Quest

>>1058367
>>Elophas, the Formless One, God of change and the wild. Favored form: variable, usually some sort of impossible beast.

>>1058367
>>Malam, the Lord of Sin, God of excess and lust. Favored form: androgynous human with the head of a goat.

>Nythalogg

We can be a massivr scheming octopus monster and you fools aren't taking that chance?

>>1058367
>Nythalogg, the Abyssal Father, God of the deep sea and secrets. Favored form: a writhing mass of tentacles and eyes

>>1058406
>>1058434
As your identity returns, so does endless amounts of secret knowledge about the world. You feel your vast and alien body writhe in jubilation.

You look around your prison; you are currently its lone occupant. Using the vastness of your memory, you rembeber being trapped here by other entities like yourself. Unlike you however, they were little more than squabbling children ruled by emotion. The identity of your jailer still eludes you; but soon you willlearn the truth.

As you gaze into reality, you can feel the minds and thoughts of humans, a race that once worshiped and lavished you, feeding you precious secrets. If you want to regain any semblance of your former power, you must reposition yourself as an object of their adulation once again.

You spot four concentrations of humanity that are close to the sea; prime targets for your gifts.
>A large costal city that appears to be religiously inclined and based on trade. The number of scholars hungry for knowledge will be trivial to corrupt, but your presence will quickly draw the attention of more established religons
>An island based refugee camp built around a large temple. The humans despiration makes them easy to sway, but the temple may cause issues.
>A small fishing village based in a costal swamp is a bit inland for your tastes, but it's isolation allows for relatively safe growth.

>>1058529
>An island based refugee camp built around a large temple. The humans despiration makes them easy to sway, but the temple may cause issues.

>>1058529
>A small fishing village based in a costal swamp is a bit inland for your tastes, but it's isolation allows for relatively safe growth.

They might be inland but they fish and it will be easy prey and we can get the others later

>>1058529
>A small fishing village based in a coastal swamp is a bit inland for your tastes, but it's isolation allows for relatively safe growth.

>>1058529
>>An island based refugee camp built around a large temple. The humans despiration makes them easy to sway, but the temple may cause issues.

I am darkness the form is not important. The form requires light to be perceived while darkness, pure darkness is formless since form is not perceived,

>>1058529
>>An island based refugee camp built around a large temple. The humans despiration makes them easy to sway, but the temple may cause issues.

>>1058529
>An island based refugee camp built around a large temple. The humans despiration makes them easy to sway, but the temple may cause issues.

>>1058529
>An island-based refugee camp built around a large temple.
There's a story here and I want to see it.

>>1058529
Fishing village!

>Island

We take over that temple and turn the inhabitants into scholarly vikings

>>1058529

>A small fishing village based in a costal swamp is a bit inland for your tastes, but it's isolation allows for relatively safe growth.

Innsmouth 2.0 is a go...

>>1058529
>A small fishing village based in a costal swamp is a bit inland for your tastes, but it's isolation allows for relatively safe growth.

>>1058547
>>1058681
>>1058975
>>1059013
>>1059014
>>1060485
Fug, I didn't think anyone was actually interested in this. I think Island Refugee Camp won by one vote, I'll write somthing up in a sec, but after that I won't be able to write for awhile.

>>1060509
We love this shit man. Qst are huge suckers for God simulators. Myself included

>>1060509
You move to the island refugee camp. The island is relatively small and should only take an hour by ferry to reach the shore. On the center of the island is what you see is obviously some sort of temple, but you can feel knowledge and secrets calling out to you from deep beneath it. This church was likely built atop the rubble of one of your ancient temples, which were once known to hold vast libraries of forbidden knowledge. Soon you shall reclaim such knowledge.

But for now, you need to begin winning these people over. Extending unseen tendrils of your being throughout every nook and cranny of the island, you manage to find 3 sutible candidates for your secrets, all of them desperate and alone.
>A woman wearing holy robes walking to a small part of the island that is stranglunoccupied.
>A sick, dying child left alone in a tent, likely quarantined from the rest of the refugees.
>A man fishing in a small rowboat who seems to be constantly looking over his shoulder in fear

>>1060516
>A woman wearing holy robes walking to a small part of the island that is stranglunoccupied.

>>1060516
>woman in holy robes

>>1060516
>>A woman wearing holy robes walking to a small part of the island that is stranglunoccupied.

>>1060516

>A woman wearing holy robes walking to a small part of the island that is stranglunoccupied.

"Stanglunoccupied"?

...

Strangely Unoccupied?

>>1060516
>A sick, dying child left alone in a tent, likely quarantined from the rest of the refugees.

>>1058762
Me too...

>>1060516
>Holy woman
Because she will teach others

>>1060516
>>A man fishing in a small rowboat who seems to be constantly looking over his shoulder in fear

this is blatantly the coolest one, and noone is picking it. travesty

>>1060516

>>1060585
Agreed. Voting this.

>>1060585
I guess it would be "cool" to talk to a lone Fisher on a boat. But then he'll be like "guess what happened when I was by my self with no witness"

When we could convert a holy woman who will spread our word.

>>1060676
Or he could lead others out to the water and we could make that a sort of holy site. Our followers living on man made islands that we move by controlling currents.

>>1060516
>A woman wearing holy robes
Time for Evil!Holy waifu

>>1060518
>>1060529
>>1060530
>>1060540
Yes
>>1060571
By swaying those in positions of holy power first, it would be much easier to convince the rest of the flock. As the priestess turns out of view of the the camp, you watch her move aside a few stones. Hidden beneath them is a small shrine, unlike the large temple currently on the island. If this island was one of your many holy sites, it makes sense their would be separate places of worship for your lesser aspects.

You watch as she prays to it, making strange motions that are unlike any form of worship you've seen before. She likely has no idea how to actually pray to you. Nonetheless, you realize that her act of hidden and desperate worship may have been what gave you freedom in the first place; and the fact she performs her "ritual" in secret only adds to its potency.

From her whispers, you can tell she's praying for some way to end the pestilence, unrest, and famine causing chaos in the camp.

What do you do?
>Leave her be, go to someone else (who)
>Give her a sign, but do not reveal yourself
>Reveal yourself to her
>Try and posses her. Due to your current relative weakness, possession will likely erase her identity, if she survives at all.

>>1060857
>Reveal yourself to her

>>1060857
>Reveal yourself to her

>>1060873
>>1060877
Any preference in how you want to appear before her?

>>1060905
Appear in a vision, in all our eldritch glory. We'll impress her with our power while not appearing directly and scaring everyone.

>>1060857
>Give her a sign, but do not reveal yourself

>>1060857
>>Give her a sign, but do not reveal yourself
Come on guys, there is no mystery in revealing ourself right away.

>>1060873
>>1060877
>>1060938
>>1060943
You appear before her in a vison of terrible and glorious beauty. While you assault her mind with your visage, her body spasms and her eyes cloud over. Her mind panics to try and understand your presence.

You take the opportunity to probe her memory. The girls name is Merriam, a 23-year-old novice priestess in the Holy Church of Solis. She sacrificed her opportunity to be an alchemist's apprentice in order to help the refugees, who are the remains of a large colonist fleet. Curious and clever, Merriam is more committed to helping people than remaining faithful to the church.

First impressions are important. How do you want to appear before her?
>Strange and Inhuman, with motives beyond the comprehension of man
>Kind and Loving, like a father who wants to free his children from ignorance and strife
>Insulted and Vengful, like a god who is angered by the worship of false idols
>Cold and Calculating, as a being who prioritizes its own survival

>>1061054
By "appear before her" I meant in terms of personality, not appearance.

>>1060905

A pillar of dark water, with pinpricks of light lazily drifting across its surface, as if we have draped ourselves in the ocean's reflection of a particularly star-filled night...

If we speak, can we make our voice sound like the sighing ocean breeze set to the gentle rhythm of the morning tide?

I also vote for:

> Reveal yourself to her

>>1061054

Can we only choose from these presets?

If not, I would like to suggest:

> Strange and Callous, yet Familiar and Alluring: A personification of the ocean itself...

>>1061087
Ooh, that's good. Voting for this.

>>1061054
A mix of
>>Kind and Loving, like a father who wants to free his children from ignorance and strife
>>Insulted and Vengful, like a god who is angered by the worship of false idols
Kinda like: I really fucking hate the other religions but you aren't to blame cuz you were deceived by malicious forces. I shall show you truth...

>>1061087
>>1061112
Changing my vote to a mixture of these

>>1061054
>>Strange and Inhuman, with motives beyond the comprehension of man

>>1061087
>>1061097
I think it's a cool idea too, but you guys have to understand how hard it is to write that kind of personality. I'll try if you really want it though.

>>1061054
>Strange and Inhuman, with motives beyond the comprehension of man

Torn between strange and fathery

>>1061054
>Kind and Loving, like a father who wants to free his children from ignorance and strife

>>1061142

Up to you OP...

If you don't think you can handle something on that scale then maybe something like:

Capricious (Varying between Unnervingly Calm and Harrowingly Ferocity) and Unforgiving...

...

That, or:

> Strange and Inhuman

>>1061054
>Strange and Inhuman, with motives beyond the comprehension of man

>>1061054
>>Strange and Inhuman, with motives beyond the comprehension of man

>>1061054
Vengeful up in this bitch! Strange and Inhuman is too cliche

>>1061087
>>1061112
>>1061135
>>1061136
>>1061153
>>1061156
>>1061176
>>1061185
>>1061199

Heres what I'm gonna go with, so I can try to make everyone happy (because that always works out)
>Inhuman and strange, yet with hints of stern, fatherly kindness. In the same way a toddler does not understand the motives of their father, your followers do not comprehend you yet trust you know what's best for them.

>>1061210
If you think you can pull it off then go for it

>>1061210
>Another father figure deity

FUCK!

>>1061210

You can never make everyone happy OP...

Point in case:

>>1061222

Yeah what this fuck said >>1061232

Can't make everyone happy so don't stress, was just trying to avoid the same old same old.

>>1061210
You speak to Merriam by conveying your thoughts, transcending the barriers of language.

"Do not fear me, Merriam. I have dreamed your prayers from deep in the watery abyss. You need not worry how or why I have chosen to reveal my form to you, but know that your destiny is to enlighten your people from the ignorance that is their misfortune." Along with your message, you force raw willpower, quelling fear and disgust at your form while enhancing her emotions of awe and reverence.

"Who are you? WHAT are you?"

"To you, I am Nythalogg, Father Kraken. That is all you need know" she seems to accept this, but you can tell she's more interested in helping the refugees than worshiping you.

"If it means helping those people, I'll do whatever you want....Father." If you could smile, you would be right now. Instead, your tentacles shudder as you feel her loyalty.

What do you want to do now?
>Impart a small portion of your being to her. While it won't be as powerful, it will easy to hide resulting changes.
>Impart a medium portion of your being to her. She will grow more loyal and more powerful, but it is harder to hide mutations.
>Impart a large portion of your being to her. She will become fairly powerful and zealously loyal, but mutations are almost impossible to conceal.
>Leave her unmarked, but instead impart power to the shrine, making it capable of direct communication to you.
>Write in.

Title unlocked:
>Father Kraken

Give her a small marking, a patch of skin that changes colors much like an octopus.

Tell her this is to become a place of worship and to bring us a stone bowl. Anyone wishing to summon us must bring seawater and some other product of the sea for tribute.

>>1061272

> Impart a small portion of your being to her. While it won't be as powerful, it will easy to hide resulting changes

> Impart power to the shrine, making it capable of direct communication to you.

...

No need to go all in just yet, let's experiment...

OP, does empowering the shine only make it capable of communicating with us, or does it gain other properties?

>>1061291
It seems we can talk to anyone we want. Making a shrine will just make it clearer who actually is willing to serve or soeak to us and be somewhat loyal.

>>1061272
>>1061291
This

>>1061290
>>1061291
The shrine will make prayers go directly to you, and somewhat boost worship. Anyone you give power also becomes a "walking shrine" as well
>>1061301
Roll 2d20

Rolled 11, 6 = 17 (2d20)

>>1061333
Father kraken, bless these rolls!

Rolled 10, 1 = 11 (2d20)

>>1061333

Here we go...

To Father Kraken.

>>1061353
Fuck me how do you do this again?
I normally lurk.

>>1061339
11 - Merriam's Blessing: Purple hued blood

6 - Shrine area effect: Light shimmers as though underwater

>>1061359

In Options:

dice+2d20

>>1061359
"dice+2d20" in the options field

I appreciate it anons. Let's see if I can still screw it up.

Rolled 20, 19 = 39 (2d20)

LET THE SEA RAGE ON!

File: received_1219065581516944.jpg (15KB, 278x284px) Image search: [Google]

15KB, 278x284px

THE SEA BE A KIND MISTRESS TODAY.

>>1061363
Without warning, you send a small dose of your power into her being. She shudders as she experinces the alien feeling of somthing completely foreign becoming one with her. Merriam shudders, not sure how to feel. She does, however, seem to feel a bit more comfortable in your presence.

At the same time, you send some power into the shrine, causing the light around it to shimmer. Allowing Mariam to return to reality, you remain as a presence in her mind.

"My child, both you and this shrine are now blessed. Although your prayers will always be heard by me, those who accept my plan can also appeal to me here."

"I understand, Father. What will you have me do now?" She wordlessly asks. Unlike before, you sense a bit of excitement at the prospect of serving you.

What do you want her to do?
>Go back to business as usual and await for my commands
>Find the most desperate amoung you and bring them here
>Preform a miracle to the masses in my name, but keep it hidden from the church
>Find a way into the archives below the temple
>Write in

>>1061400
These rolls didn't really matter in terms of size, so don't think you missed out on anything.

>>1061415
>Find the most desperate amoung you and bring them here
This is the least risky and most useful option. We get more worshippers without attracting too much attention.

Find the most desperate and maybe any intellectuals who don't follow the church, our infinite knowledge could tempt them.

>>1061415
git the sick and dying child

>>1061415
can we agree that while you are representing what we are telling her in words, it's actually a strange sensation of knowing unlike anything she's ever experienced before, every of our sentences nudging her mind closer to the truth?

>Find the most desperate amoung you and bring them here

and write in:

>Take with you a goat. Blood must be spilled.

are we going to do any thing about the sick and dying child?

>>1061516
Take him as sacrifice. Or ya know. Heal him to get followerd

>>1061523
>Heal him to get followerd
go with that.

File: Flying_Spaghetti_Monster.jpg (42KB, 514x514px) Image search: [Google]

42KB, 514x514px

Accurate picture of us

>>1061534
no.

So I meant "desperate" as in bring a group of people, but we can go with having her bring the sick kid and curing him. Would you want this curing to be public or private?

>>1061547

> Private

Gather a group of desperate, impoverished people and show them something miraculous...

>>1061547
Public will attract too much undesired attention, so private.
Maybe keep it to a small number of people, like >>1061584 suggested

>>1061584
i vote for this.

>>1061584
>>1061602
>>1061604
"Bring one in need of my guidance before this shrine in secret, along with a small audience to witness my mercy."

"As you wish." She says. "I will need to wait till tonight, however. I cannot risk being seen."

"It does not matter." You reply. Merriam bows, and walks away. Although you find a more human concept of time difficult to grasp, you believe Merriam will be back in fairly soon. In the meantime, you must create some sort of ritual of healing. Repairing humans has never been your forte, but doing so now might go a long way in the future.

What will be your "Ritual of Healing"? A more complex ritual will be more potent, but harder and riskier to undertake.
>Cast the sick into the sea, they will either drown or return cured
>Spend a night in your shrine, where your power will replace whatever is ruined
>Drink saltwater mixed with fish blood
>Write in (encouraged)

If we have any control over sea creatures lets summon a large Jellyfish who will serve as a raft. The ill will be set adrift in the sea as our ocean spray heals his wounds.

I'd really like Jellyfish to be seen as holy entities

We need to take over the child's body and use it as a human suit after it grows up

>>1061681
i vote for this.

>>1061659
>>Spend a night in your shrine, where your power will replace whatever is ruined

>>1061681
Seconding. As jellied and betentacled while also being venomous, they're a perfect symbol.

>>1061681
>>1061691
>>1061705
After deciding on an appropriately awe-inspiring ritual, you begin to contemplate about what's happened so far. You know your captor's name: Solis. Soon, she will experience the torment of imprisonment.

A few hours later, as night falls, you sense a small group silently parading toward your shrine. Besides Merriam, their are five others. One of them appears to be a young, sickly child. When they arrive at the shrine, you speak to them through Merriam.

"What is the child's name?" You say, your voice distorting Merriam's.

"W-Webster. Please, do whatever you can." A man says, presumably his father.

"Very well." You say. Pointing to the shore, a large pale glow slowly surfaces. The bulbous top of the jellyfish gently pulsates. "Place the boy on the creature. By morning, his fate will be decided."

The father discusses the proposal with a woman, before nodding and quietly wading into the sea. Placing Webster on the jellyfish, the boy slowly drifts away.

Under the moonlight, you force the cold waters of the abyss to the surface, spraying the boys flesh and sanctifying it.

Roll 1d20

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>1061767

>>1061799
18 = Success!

After a number of hours, you call the jellyfish back. Close to the shore, Webster jumps off and wades to the water and embraces his parents, before releasing and embracing Merriam. Although no physical changes occurred, Webster is now innately connected to you. Hand in hand, Merriam and Webster turn to small group of people, in awe of your power.

What will you have them do?
>Renounce Solis and take up my name
>Spread word of what has happened here
>Mark your tents with this holy symbol, you and those that do the same will be blessed (suggestion: a semicircle eye with tenticles jutting from the flat side)
>Write in

Ritual unlocked:
>Rite of Luminescent Healing

Rolled 1 (1d20)

What we know about Solis?

>>1061767

>>1061849
>Spread word of what has happened here

>>1061856
Hahah, oooh boy, I am happy that I am always late.

>>1061849

>Spread word of what has happened here

Marking tents sounds interesting, but lets go with this first.

>>1061856
Other than her name and the fact she imprisoned you and the other gods, you don't know much. Her identity is clouded from your mind

Lets spread the word of our healing. Have our priestess bring us any books on Solis or other divine beings from the new temple.

>>1061856
>>1061864
>>1061913

Speaking through both Merriam and Webster now, you adress the four others.

"I am Nythalogg, Father Kraken, The Illuminous One. Tell others of what has happened here. If they so desire to accept my guidance, they may come here in secret." You say. Webster's mother looks up, tears streaming down her face.

"How can we repay you?" She says, blubbering.

"Bring me knowledge. Lay before me the texts and secrets of other gods, and in return I shall cast out ignorance." You respond. Merriam and Webster lead the four back to the camp.

With newfound followers, you now have built enough strength to preform some sort of larger miracle.

What do you want to do?
>Nothing, for now
>Send forth the bounty of the abyss.
>Send strange dreams to all the refugees
>Cause the sky to appear as though the island is deep underwater
>Write in

Lets stay mysterious

>Send a strange dream

Make them dream they are drowning and from the dark waters around them comes our..slightly more human looking hand. They begin to breath the water easily and we whisper "Pray to me, and find knowledge where there is only ignorance. I am Nythalogg, but you may all call me...father."

>>1062072
i vote for this

>>1062072
Seconding this, somehow working in the symbol of the semicircle eye

>>1062453
Have it tattooed on the back of the hand maybe? Or just have it glow in the dark water.

>>1061989
>Send strange dreams to all the refugees

>>1061989
>Send strange dreams to all the refugees

>>1062480
I like the hand idea

>>1062072
>>1062632
>>1062537
>>1062331
>>1062453

Mustering your strength, you extend your will throughout the island, touching the refugees in their sleep. You place them all in a dream reality, where they lie suspended in pure darkness. You can feel their mass panic as they try to struggle to the surface, to no avail. As their vision fades, you send a large, pale hand from deep below to pull them down to safety. Your mark glows brightly in the palm. As you do, they finally allow the cold saltwater into their lungs. To their surprise, they breathe it easily. They begin to feel the cold, dark comfort of the abyss as you pull them along to an unknown location. Then you speak to them.

"Pray to me, and find knowledge where there is only ignorance. I am Nythalogg, but you may all call me...father." You say. Although most likely won't remember everything that transpired in the dream, they will nonetheless be made aware to your presence and more susceptible to your truth.

Soon, a new day rises. You can hear the whispers of the refugees and priests arguing about what it means. Looking through Merriam's eyes, you can see the other nuns discussing what it meant.

"It had to have been from Solís; who else could send us such visions?"

"I do not know Sister Constance. Perhaps it was some evil spirit? I've heard that this temple is built on the rubble of an ancient pagan god. What do you think, Sister Merriam?"

At the same time, Webster speaks with the other children.

"C'mon Webster, what happened? How did you get better?"

"Yeah! We all have the same dream, and when we wake up, your all better!"

How should they respond?
>Both feign ignorance
>Both confess their experience
>Webster feigns ignorance; Merriam confesses
>Merriam feigns ignorance; Webster confesses
>Write in

>>1062666
I agree Satan
And when they wake up their hand, or maybe easier to hide spot has a tattoo when you wake up. Maybe right on their heart chakra. Also ask the followers to not cut the hair on their head (pubes are OK cause no one wants to go down on a tumble weed) for it resembles your tentacles most.

>>1063081
>>1063053
So close

>>1063053
I say they both tell but the sister should be... Sly about it... She risks a lot. Have her say she doesn't think is the other faggod but something new... That she felt an odd feeling at the temple. Bring the sisters there

>>1063053
>>Both confess their experience

>>1063053
>Merriam feigns ignorance; Webster confesses

We still not have enough importance to reveal ourselves so blatantly to the major cult, however we can start building some more through the children and upwards.

>>1063142
That's why I'm saying bring the sisters straight to me then BOOM. When you control the head of religion the feet will walk blindly with out even knowing

>>1061989

> (Write-in) A drizzling of rain begins to fall in the dead of night, compelling all who inhabit the island to sleep.

> (Write-in) The refugee's dream of gently descending into the ocean's depths, drifting further and further away from the surface. They are isolated here, from the stresses and horrors of the world, but they are not alone. A tremendous bone shaking groan will sound, and the dreamer will feel as if something cyclopean lingers just out of sight.

> (Write-in) The refugees will awake at dawn's first light, and be amazed to see that droplets of rain suspended in the air, collecting in bloby sheets of water that catch and throw the morning light in strange patterns. All traces of them evaporate over the next ten minutes.

>>1063142

I support this course of action...

>>1063229
Except Solis is real and we are weak right now.
We don't want to attract so much attention that it'll make our ass grass again.

>>1063142
Seconded

>>1063526
seconding

>>1064183
>>1063526
>>1061989
You're a lil late

>>1064185

I know...

Forgot to refresh the page before posting...

Have Webster confess but our priestess continue faking her allegiance to Solis.

Male sure Webster talks aboutbhow safe he felt and how lovely we are as a diety.

>>1063053
>Merriam feigns ignorance; Webster confesses

>>1063053
>>1063533
>>1064165
How about having Webster give only a partial confession?
Don't tell them about the ritual, just tell them it was part of the dream and that he felt really peaceful. Then when he woke up he felt better.
Meanwhile Merriam just shrugs and says, "Maybe it was just a coincidence. But whatever it was, I'm glad you're feeling better."

It's safer to just subtly plant seeds in their heads that it's just harmless and nothing to be concerned about, instead of suddenly revealing the existence of a pagan cult.
If they learn of the ritual and start praying to Solis for guidance we are ded.

Where's op

>>1066186
He was sacrifice to our omniscience.

Cmon OP dont leave us hanging

>>1066729
I know I was pretty hype about this quest too

It's only been like two days. He might come back

Has anyone got a good idea of our end goal? Overthrowing Solis's control is a given, but are we planning to take over the island, spread to the mainland, or flat-out take over the world?

And how exactly are we going to prevent history repeating and Solis re-burying Not-Cthulhu's spongy ass? All a God needs to return from the dead is the words of a single worshipper.

>>1067084
We want to reach a state of self sufficiency at least. A cult that would keep us alive without our constant prodding. Everything after that can be decided when it comes up.

>>1067084
I would suggest co-existence; he has his worshipers we have ours and we do not mess with each other to much.

>>1067084
pretty much this>>1071950
We'll just gather worshipers and let nature take it's course.
Eventually our superior hedonistic religion will attract more followers than Solis, so we'll just keep on rolling and drawing more people until he eventually fades away.

Being the aggressor just makes us the bad guy in history. So we'll let the people decide.

Ded quest, fuck I was kinda excited for this one

Fuck you for getting our hopes up, OP

The least that OP could have done is announce that he'll be abandoning the quest for reasons instead of suddenly disappearing without any warning which is pretty rude.

But then again this is the norm of abandoned quest threads so... oh well.