Eldritch's P.O.V
Realm of Paradox
...
I was sitting in a pub, or at least looked like one, the sign outside had enough description for me to enter. It was like picturing something in your mind if you focused to hard the details melted away. Sitting at the bar I saw the skeletal figure acting as the bar keep. I quickly found out that Undeath was one of the most popular paradox's to bond with.
"What can I get ya?" The smooth deep voice of the Barkeep interrupted my thoughts for a moment. Thinking for a moment I placed a small token imbued with the information behind some random part of human philosophy that I remembered. It had taken me a while to figure out the trick but once I did quality of life improved massively. Essentially Eldritch Entities could create tokens imbued with knowledge the more esoteric and rare the more valuable it was perceived, and all Entities could tell how 'produced' a knowledge token was. Besides that I had no idea how the economy of the place worked and I figured that was pretty on brand for a place called Paradox.
"One memory of water and room" I stated as the Barkeep fingered the token I placed down, it held the knowledge Pyrrhonism, the belief that by suspending judgement on anything you could find peace.
"Interesting token, I think I can find a buyer or two, you got a deal" the Barkeep said and the token disappeared and in its place a small card giving the location and a through description of the room along side a small glass of tepid water. Drinking the glass fully I felt a memory of something drinking water for the first time after a long drought the feeling receeded from me.
"If you don't mind me asking you need to the area?" The Barkeep asked as he polished a glass.
"You could say that, just comprehended my ego" I replied, this was the polite way of saying I'm a newborn who don't know jack shit. I picked it up rather quickly.
"Ah I remember that oh that was eh who am I kiddin' it was a long time ago, anyways The Drunk Skeleton at your service" he said introducing himself, all Eldritch Entities true names where the specific paradox they in bodied. Most though used a variation of their true name.
"Pleasure to meet you you can call me Eldritch, may I call you Drunk?" I asked as saying 'the drunk skeleton' everytime would be annoying.
"That works, Eldritch you lookin' for anything before you head up? Information, jobs, rumors of the sort" Drunk asked me splaying his bony hands out.
"Hmm, can you tell me more about Paradox? Nothing secret of course" I said and the skeleton nodded as he tapped his fingers one by one.
"Sure Eldritch, I can only speak to the general area, the entities that roam in and outta my bar ain't exactly the travelin' type, we right now are in the City of Sunlit Night under his Lordship the Honorable Tyrant who is under the Duke of Malicious Compassion. To west you've got the forest of silent whispers, north the Parched river, the south and da east there's the verdant dessert dats as much as I know with any certainty." Drunk rattled on as he served some of the regulars some memories.
"Alrighty then, anything you want to know, within bounds of course?" I asked as I knew receiving knowledge without giving any back with exception of certain relationships was taboo.
"Hmm, how do you have such an interesting token of knowledge if you are a new ego?" Drunk asked his face static but his tone was exaggerated to make up for it.
"System Quest reward, I'm the part that got slammed into this maddening place" I said careful to not give to much information.
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"Intriguing, I've meant a few of your ilk they always pick the most interesting paradox to bond with." Drunks told me, heh like didn't know.
...
[Paradox Menu]
These are the paradoxes that you have the greatest comprehension of...
[Towering Depths]
Unclaimed Paradox
Comprehension: [23%]
...
[Roving Tides]
Claimed Paradox*
-Origin: [Weird-Eyes]
Comprehension: [18%]
...
[Mournful Conquest]
Unclaimed Paradox
Comprehension: [15%]
...
[Night's Shadow]
Claimed* Paradox
-Origin: [Lady of Anboto]
Comprehension: [0%]
*claimed paradoxes will make you a servant of the origin of the Paradox
...
I couldn't pick any yet as my comprehension of them wasn't high enough. The names where inherently antithetical to itself. I also knew dam well not to ask, I had seen a egoling get ripped to pieces for asking. Friendly folk, these Eldritchlings.
"Nice to know I'm not the only one, but I think I am going up to the room, night Drunk" I said swiping the card. Since you couldn't enter a room or building without a base knowledge of what it looked like the card its self was the key. Heading up the stairs focusing on the description of the hallway given. Passing the threshold I saw the signs of the other doors which held numbers where blurry but the one three doors down emblazoned with 23 on it. Walking down the length of the hallway I reached my inn room. Focusing on the handle I turned the knob and entered.
One window, a small cupboard, a bed and dresser. All accounted for, I closed the door behind me I collapsed onto the bed as I had a headache due to the environment that I was stuck in. I fell sleep rather quickly, with the feeling of waves lapping at my body.
....
Kien's P.O.V
...
Before me was a disgruntled old Giantess looking down at me as she watched me fight around under her gaze.
"So, we are just taking week long comas now for fun now are we?" She said sarcastically but in her signature refined voice and sure cadence.
"Didn't really have a choice, system stuff" I responded, as I did I was flooded with the memories of well other me. Oh, boy was I glad I wasn't the me in Paradox.
"I assume you are marching off to make war?" Elderessa stated even though it was praised like a question.
"Yes" I responded wondering where she was going with this.
"Then I shall go with in order to uphold my peoples promise with any sort of propriety" she stated with an air of finality.
"Okay that works, I'll let you know when we're about to head out" I stated.
"Very well, I'll be awaiting your message" she responded and I moved to go down the hall when I felt finger on my shoulder stop me.
"What have you done you foolish boy? Why is your shadow tainted with Paradox?" The Elderessa asked me her voice help sharp edge.
"An achievement, part of me is stretched to the realm of Paradox" I responded turning my head one eye locking on to the massive pupils of the Giantess.
"Very well, then be careful and do not drag my children in with such matters" She responded before lifting her finger. Moving on, I sent a message, I was going to be taking almost every single puppet. They assembled themselves in neat rows of ten, arrayed in a nice flat area surrounded by giant architecture. Doing some quick math, I saw that Anastasia was busy, in total 4,156 outfitted puppets. A Thousand Elite footman, fifty Yeti Puppets, a hundred Ogres, three thousand regular puppets. There where six champions as Anastasia called them.
The Commander, imbued with a weaker version of my [Knights Bulwark].
The Immortal Tank, an ogre puppet made from the essence of the High Chieftain who held his vast regeneration and Durability.
The Eldritch Bulwark, a truly massive ogre made form the spoils of the Divine Leviathan and Song of Vengeance that had the ability to create a song to buff his allies.
The Disciple of Kaihao, a Yeti Puppet that held some of the residual energy for the statue of Kaihao and a totem with divine energy, and the Eldritch influence from the Song of Vengeance.
The Web Weaver, a spider puppet that had the ability to make even weaker puppets, more importantly it could repair puppets in the field while also being a relay for Anastasia to command the army.
Mage of Depths, a puppet Anastasia had made by using some of my hair that had the ability to use [Geomancy] with the help of my staff and with me imbuing magic into the puppet.
The Song-Gilded, a puppet made from the shaman, song of vengeance, and the Seer it had the ability with the Eldritch Bulwark to create spells from songs.
They where powerful enough to help lift off some of the weight from me in combat, and to hold off stronger does so we didn't have to weave new soldiers as much, and by we I mean Anastasia.
Their was another Champion that was not here. A pet project of Anastasia and she was being very secretive about though she assured me it wasn't dangerous and was not combat oriented.
