Rites

Battle of the Mind IV

True battles unfold within...

You notice those seeking help, appearing virtuous, cannot face life's challenges. Those who harm them - the "wicked" - often wield power.

Is weakness virtue's essence?

Does virtue exist to attract assistance?

Must you embrace wickedness to gain power to help the virtuous?

Does virtue summon vice?

These thoughts occasionally surface, demanding consideration...

ID: 5004821

Type: Enemy

Tips: None

Duration: 1 days

Waits For: 3 days

Marked as New Only on First Occurrence: 0

Starts Automatically: No

Triggers Result Automatically: No

Tag Tips: None

Tag Tips Up: None

Tag Tips Text:

Random Text: None

Random Text Up: None

Actions When Wait Expires

Action:

Slots

Slot #3
Your Own Thoughts

Locks: No

Is Key: No

Is Empty: No

Is Enemy: No

Conditions:

Pops: None

Slot #4
Your rationality can help, if you possess it

Locks: No

Is Key: No

Is Empty: Yes

Is Enemy: No

Conditions:

Pops: None

Slot #6
Consider the people and events around you for inspiration

Locks: No

Is Key: No

Is Empty: Yes

Is Enemy: No

Conditions:

  • Any
    • All
      • Type = Character
      • Card = Alim
    • All
      • Type = Character
      • Card = Qais
    • All
      • Type = Character
      • Card = Jawad
  • Not Slot #5 = 1
  • Not Slot #4 = 1

Pops: None

Activation Conditions

This rite has no activation conditions.

Outcome

Prior

This rite has no prior outcome.

Regular

Discordant Chorus
No answer emerges.

Those begging assistance appear as grimacing demons. They talk endlessly, as if tearing flesh from you to feed their offspring.

You struggle not to rebuke them openly. Their noise overwhelms... Even the whispered schemes of those plotting evil reach your ears, though spoken softly, though miles distant!

These voices form a painful symphony in your mind, tormenting you day and night...

Friends notice your deterioration. They worry.

You dismiss their concerns vaguely.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

Lost Path
You foolishly seek to resolve your spiritual crisis through the absurd gods of the cultists.

You pray, plead, beg... only to be answered by cold laughter from the darkness.

Perhaps you still need to prove your worth to the chaotic gods.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

Impurity
You attempt to resolve your inner conflict through the god will of the Purist...

A white light surges into your mind, piercing your spine and triggering waves of agony - this is the Purist's response to your prayer -

"You are unworthy," says the pain. "Think again, consider what you could do for the Purist."

It "helps" you ponder for quite some time before gradually subsiding.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

Concerto
Evil disregards others' wishes; virtue considers them.

Virtue doesn't presage vice, nor does vice equal strength. Humanity requires both - without one, we lose warmth from others; without the other, we become prey in life's wilderness. They complement each other like opposite sides of a coin.

Contemplating this, you idly take a gold coin, turning it between your fingers...

You toss it high.

It falls leftward as if wind-blown, then sharply right before landing...

Despite careful searching, you cannot find where this glinting coin fell... nor which face landed upward.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

March
No... impossible! Virtue could never herald vice - virtue opposes vice absolutely. You understand this clearly.

When virtue's light shines, power naturally gathers; you entered this game alone but now have followers. This light may not burn as hot as corruption's fire initially, but never extinguishes, springing from humanity's deepest dreams...

Humans naturally desire to treat others well. Uncorrupted by society and hardship, we remain virtuous.

You and your companions firmly believe this. You correct twisted reality bit by bit, remembering the philosopher: "One may be lowly as dust, but never twisted as a maggot."

As clarity arrives, you unconsciously reach toward the night sky... feeling something within your grasp...

Opening your hand reveals golden dust motes that dramatically disperse... Your spirit strengthens, power filling your body.

Perhaps some virtue-loving god rewards you, though you never sought god favor.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

Nocturne
Indeed, virtue heralds vice - you understand now.

Virtue is a mirage created by the powerful to deceive the weak. Come here, free from cruelty, insult, plunder - this paradise is "goodness"! Then lambs follow the illusion, falling into the jaws of those who created the mirage. An effortless feast.

Even occasional virtuous acts by the wicked serve self-gratification. Charity brings worshipful looks; mercy demonstrates life-and-death authority. Vice forms virtue's foundation - without vice, would virtue be noticed?

Understanding brings perfect contentment. You draw from your water pipe...

Rich power flows through the mouthpiece... You cough briefly, then feel invigorated, energized, clear-minded - perhaps reward from some god favoring vice.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

Stained Hands
You consider Alim.

This pickpocket feeds orphans with stolen money. Without his "transfers," these children would starve.

Are Alim's actions virtuous or wicked?

All moral systems denounce theft - but how do they address poverty and hunger? They merely urge the wealthy to donate scraps... They praise generosity but wouldn't seize purses from the unwilling as they would sever a thief's hand!

What else could Alim do?

He commits wrong to achieve right. His hands, blackened by sin, are brushed with gold...

These hands play fate's melody, harmonizing virtue and vice.

This insight brings relief; morality isn't black and white - mostly gray areas exist, like Alim, like yourself.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

Sonata
You reflect on Qais.

When confronting the Sultan, didn't he anticipate imprisonment? Didn't he know his family would suffer?

Yet he acted anyway, revealing virtue as sacrifice. Those worshiping virtue love sacrifice, yearning to offer themselves so others might flourish. Being remembered and honored provides life's greatest satisfaction.

Frighteningly, self-sacrifice appears among humanity's deepest desires. Throughout history, haven't countless people died for religion, rulers, love, even to prove existence? Often our brightest, strongest, most remarkable specimens!

Revelation strikes. The path to virtue requires self-harm, meaning vice precedes virtue, not vice versa!

Jasmine fragrance inexplicably appears, invigorating you. Some unseen god apparently appreciates your conclusion.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

Minuet
You contemplate Jawad.

He never questions his actions' righteousness. He simply wants wealth, finding loopholes in rules to acquire it.

Who deserves blame? Jawad who exploits the loophole, or the rule containing it?

If rules are designed this way, doesn't it suggest rule-makers encourage such behavior? The Sultan enables nobles' corruption, securing their support. The Purist allows priests to extort offerings, ensuring children enter the church. The Cult permit followers' revelry, gaining sacrifices!

You suddenly understand.

Good and evil don't exist. Abandon moral judgment, instead carefully discerning the rules beneath your feet; then dance with them - one, two, three steps - then twirl.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

Rhapsody
Moral contemplation exhausts you. You collapse onto your carpet. A mouse scurries past - a cat pounces, stunning it with one paw, then scratching it awake to play with it.

Watching this predatory game, you find your answer.

Which is virtuous or wicked - cat or mouse? Such distinctions don't exist. The cat derives pleasure, developing sharper claws and hunting skills. The mouse is merely sacrifice, summoning this game through its existence. Who would call a rodent virtuous? It simply lacks choice.

Yes, morality is meaningless because we lack true choice. Pleasure matters - enjoying the game matters!

You laugh aloud. The cat regards you with emerald eyes and golden pupils, seemingly sharing your amusement...

Then cat and prey vanish as if never existing. Whose cat was this? You don't recall owning... Ah, an omen - god message from some chaos-loving god revealed through this elegant predator's game.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

Chant
You invoke the Immaculate Purity's mercy, seeking clarity amid confusion.

They respond.

Vice's consequences unfold within you. Not just deception, theft and lies bring punishment - so do feasts, passion, even joyful singing. All pleasures eventually end; greater pleasure brings greater pain at its conclusion. Yet suffering isn't evil - it's virtuous, existing to reveal pleasure as vice. Pleasure makes us cling to life, seek reproduction, desire possession; these are impurity's fountains... Did humanity ask the world's permission before spreading everywhere?

Cold hands direct your thoughts, guiding you here and there... You increasingly realize all things end in suffering, therefore all reach virtuous conclusions.

This insight brings profound comfort.

Conditions:

Result:

Action:

Extra

Rebuking Darkness
You dare invoke the most unholy name before the Immaculate Purity!

They thunder through your mind, Their light a spear piercing heaven and earth, a ruler lashing the world...

Until the next day's sunset, whenever your focus wavers, everything before you shatters into light and flames... This divine punishment They foretell... fortunately, They cannot execute it immediately.

Conditions:

Result:

Ancient Enmity
Darkness boils as you mention Their enemy's name before a god.

Their anger transforms into a dark forest, intending to make you lost forever... Fortunately, you still pray for light in your heart. This beam, like a faint lamp, illuminates your path back to the mortal realm... it also reveals the monstrosities the evil god created from your fears. Masterpieces crafted from your inner terrors... about death, betrayal, failure, love... After waking, these images linger.

Conditions:

Result:

Spiral of Destruction
Two gods, two enemies both craving world destruction, meet unexpectedly in the depths of your mind.

Here is an excellent battlefield where They can destroy each other... destroy your mind... again and again.

Conditions:

Result: