In Progress [LP CYOA] Tower

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Indeed. This is Maniac Training lite.

"Death, reversed. While upright it symbolizes transformation, the end of one phase of your life and the beginning of the next, reversed it tells of stagnation, inability to change, and a lack of self-esteem in love... and ne'er will love come, should that stay the same. In this position, the appearance of this card advises you to make a change in how you see yourself should you desire a romantic relationship."

This suggests that we should make a change in how we act. No more being a shut-in, let's go socialize.

A XII XIII XIV

Yeah we got a lot of hints in the past two updates that we shouldn’t do things alone anymore and now we get this choice.
Btw I’m going to go ahead and vote for Sophie simply because I’m pretty sure we crossed some wires in her brain with that ritual and I think it’s wiser to spend time with her than Liz, especially since Liz wants to join us on our adventures already.

XV

 

[Nevill]

"Next, we will divine the matters of your partner," Papus continues, flipping over the subsequent card. "The ten of cups. While there is uncertainty, there is also contentment in family life and peace of heart. The future is unclear, but should you commit to a relationship, your partner is someone you can ultimately have a happy family with... though you may indeed be too young to think of settling down!"

I wonder how that fits with Uridimmu's prophecy. I suppose "can have a happy family" is actually different from "will".

With a chortle, Papus strokes his beard and moves on to the following card. "The ace of wands tells of the commencement of an enterprise, or in this case, a relationship. It seems that the time and situation is right for one to begin... should you desire it."

So the time is now, huh.

Well, alright. There aren't many candidates out there. I suppose we should decide on what "being equal" means. Liz expresses a desire to become a hunter and not lose to us - does that make her our equal?

A. You decide to spend more time socializing with the villagers and improving your relationship with them. (Allowed to pick three activities in the next choice)

We are going to be a hunter, people. And not the book-headed kind either. So we should polish at least some of our relevant skills.
Rain is non-negotiable. We are going to raise that kid right!
I've been seeing Sophie like family, and I want to treat her as one... but the context of the choice implies otherwise. I'll be sad if we leave her behind, but... choices and consequences.

II. Practicing your hunting skills (ranged weapons, stealth, traps)
XIII. Spending time playing with and taking care of Rain
XIV. Spending time with Elizabeth while she helps her father

Edit: throwing it out there.
XV. Spending time with Sophie while doing your daily duties

 

[baud]

B

I don't care too much about the villagers, but I prefer that we spend some time with the people we know

II. Practicing your hunting skills (ranged weapons, stealth, traps)
V. Learning more about alchemy
XIII. Spending time playing with and taking care of Rain
XIV. Spending time with Elizabeth while she helps her father
XV. Spending time with Sophie while doing your daily duties

Edit: replaced combat with alchemy

 

[Azira]

I don't care much about Scotsfield, one way or the other.

B. You decide to focus more on your own pursuits. (Allowed to pick five activities in the next choice)

You begin pursuing the following activities in your own free time:

I. Increasing your proficiency with the Astras that you own
X. Taking up drinking
XII. Practicing speech
XIII. Spending time playing with and taking care of Rain
XV. Spending time with Sophie while doing your daily duties

Let's be the weird recluse that drinks, but does right by his ward and step-sis, and shore up our astra usage. Odd one out is speech. I tag that one as a slight recompense for not choosing A in the first choice.

 

[Absinthe]

Do we still get to train skills with A, treave?

 

[baud]

Do we still get to train skills with A, treave?

A. You decide to spend more time socializing with the villagers and improving your relationship with them. (Allowed to pick three activities in the next choice)

 

[ChumBucket]

B. Scotsfield was a haven, it was never meant to be our home.

I. Astras are to Tower that Neigong is to Legend. We should not ignore them.
II. > III. Reinforce our strengths.
V. I just like alchemy... Let's become a bit of a mad scientist ourselves.
XIII. I feel guilty about leaving Rain behind.
XV. Sophie has not expressed a desire to join the hunters, while I don't think it will be the end of our encounters, this might be the last we see of her for a while. Meanwhile, Elizabeth will be joining us giving us more opportunities in the future.

 

[Kz3r0]

B.

I.
II.
III.
XIII.
XIV.

 

[asxetos]

B.

I. Increasing your proficiency with the Astras that you own
II. Practicing your hunting skills (ranged weapons, stealth, traps)
XII. Practicing speech
XIII. Spending time playing with and taking care of Rain
XIV. Spending time with Elizabeth while she helps her father

Don't know about you guys but I've had enough of Sophie. I'd like to focus on best girl.

 

[Absinthe]

baud, thought it was 3 socializing activities. Woops.

 

[treave]

By the way I used a random card generator to draw all the tarot card readings so far and checked out tarot sites to write something up from there, just thought you guys might have wanted to know that it wasn't rigged.

 

[Baltika9]

Don't know about you guys but I've had enough of Sophie. I'd like to focus on best girl.

I agree with the sentiment, but I think we should be spending time with the person we are destined to lead a happy life with: Andrew.

Thus, I am changing my vote to:

B
XVI - spending time with Andrew
XIII - spending time with and taking care of Rain
III - practicing your combat skills
II - practicing your hunting skills
I - increasing your proficiency with the Astras you own.

 

[Azira]

Why no love for the drinking skill? 10 or 11 is the perfect age for taking up that one..

 

[Nevill]

Because drinking is something our character associates with abuse? Besides, we live in a church, and our foster parent is a priest.

It has certain implications for the character. Like how picking a pretentious reading list wouldn't make us a sophisticated scholar, so I would assume picking drinking wouldn't make us happier or more sociable.

 

[Orbit]

B.

In order of importance:

II. Practicing your hunting skills (ranged weapons, stealth, traps)
I. Increasing your proficiency with the Astras that you own
XIII. Spending time playing with and taking care of Rain
XIV. Spending time with Elizabeth while she helps her father
V. Learning more about alchemy

 

[Azira]

Because drinking is something our character associates with abuse? Besides, we live in a church, and our foster parent is a priest.

It has certain implications for the character. Like how picking a pretentious reading list wouldn't make us a sophisticated scholar, so I would assume picking drinking wouldn't make us happier or more sociable.

I think of the drinking skill as more of learning about the effects of alcohol, of how to deal with them, and how to not fall into the trap of alcoholism. As an appreciation of the liquids and how NOT to overdo it?

Might be wishful thinking on my part, but there you have it.
"Know your devils"

 

[Orbit]

You speak from a position of experience?

 

[Baltika9]

Because drinking is something our character associates with abuse? Besides, we live in a church, and our foster parent is a priest.

It has certain implications for the character. Like how picking a pretentious reading list wouldn't make us a sophisticated scholar, so I would assume picking drinking wouldn't make us happier or more sociable.

I think of the drinking skill as more of learning about the effects of alcohol, of how to deal with them, and how to not fall into the trap of alcoholism. As an appreciation of the liquids and how NOT to overdo it?

Might be wishful thinking on my part, but there you have it.
"Know your devils"

 

[Azira]

My mother likes to tell of how she dipped my pacifier in Schnapps if I were being particularly noisy. It would calm me right down.

Never have I done the same to my children, but I fully intend to let them experience alcohol in the safety of our own home first, should they want to (eldest is just 10, she has no interest in alcohol yet).

I'm 41. I drink beer on occasion, at parties or sometimes with dinner, if we're eating out and I'm not driving.

But only extremely rarely do I drink otherwise.

So yes. I'd say I speak from a position of experience.

 

[Orbit]

treave: Can we combine drinking with taking care of Rain as Azira's anecdote suggests?

 

[ChumBucket]

While I see your perspective Azira, I highly doubt we will have a responsible adult in the room to teach us responsible drinking habits. Now if Tlalli offers to teach us, I'll be on board in a heartbeat.

 

[baud]

While I see your perspective Azira, I highly doubt we will have a responsible adult in the room to teach us responsible drinking habits. Now if Tlalli offers to teach us, I'll be on board in a heartbeat.

How about Father McClellan? He doesn't look like a drunk.

Though I think it's not very interesting and that we're still too young

 

[ChumBucket]

How about Father McClellan?

As I came from a small Midwestern town that had a reasonably large Irish Catholic/protestant contingent, my money is on him being a teetotaler. I am not saying that drinking wasn't common among the parishioners, but the clergy was a bit different. Baring treave saying otherwise, that is what I will assume is the case. Also, Scotsfield also strikes me as a type of town that would have been a spawning ground for the prohibitionist movement. Which means that extremists on both sides of the equation would be found living within its homes. That means this is the last place I want to learn on how to drink responsibly.

 

[Kalarion]

B. ChumBucket already said it.

I. Increasing your proficiency with the Astras that you own
II. Practicing your hunting skills (ranged weapons, stealth, traps)
V. Learning more about alchemy
XIII. Spending time playing with and taking care of Rain
XV. Spending time with Sophie while doing your daily duties

(BTW treave you forgot to put in a IV.)

We wanted to be a hunter, it's time we started making a habit of practicing hunting skills. Astra proficiency is a given- we already have two, one of which is of particular importance to us. It behooves us to git gud. Rain is another no-brainer. Alchemy is just a personal preference, I like the idea of coming up with potions and throwing them at people/quaffing them while laughing like a maniac. I decided on Sophie for purely personal reasons- I'm inclined towards conservatism and quiet living myself so I just like her character more. Elizabeth is a fine gal tho. Just not for me :D

 

[baud]

How about Father McClellan?

As I came from a small Midwestern town that had a reasonably large Irish Catholic/protestant contingent, my money is on him being a teetotaler. I am not saying that drinking wasn't common among the parishioners, but the clergy was a bit different. Baring treave saying otherwise, that is what I will assume is the case. Also, Scotsfield also strikes me as a type of town that would have been a spawning ground for the prohibitionist movement. Which means that extremists on both sides of the equation would be found living within its homes. That means this is the last place I want to learn on how to drink responsibly.

I don't think I know any teetotaler, it looks like it's not common in France, or at least in my social circles, so I hadn't though it would be the case here. And most clergymen I've shared meals with don't have any issue with a glass or two of wine

Also for a clergymen, how does it work to never drink alcohol? I mean for the mass, since there's usually wine?