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SoK Chapter 174
🕑 Added 2025-06-20 15:00:18 +0000 UTC***
You have discovered and set foot on the Path of Worship! You have gained the following boon: Nascent Deity (Copper (I)). Your first-ever worshippers have gained the following boon: Nascent Storm Serpent’s Blessing.
“What the—”
“Is this why you’re always making storms?” Sarah asked, her tone amazed. “You get a 5% boost to your Attributes and a 50% boost to your recovery? That shit’s crazy!”
“What do you mean?” one of the few who hadn’t sworn themselves to TJ demanded. When someone beside him quietly explained the Blessing, that first man strode up before TJ and nodded quickly.
“I should have done this before. I swear to follow you. You’ll be in charge of me. You’re a good god-to-be, and I’ll help you.”
The oath rang hollow to TJ, and he raised his eyebrows.
“What? I did what the others did. Now let me have the boon!”
“I don’t think I could accept that pledge, even if I wanted to. I’m happy to be your leader, but when you feel it as a true declaration of your heart, it’ll be different, and you won’t need to have me say anything back to have my blessing fall on you. Now, let’s keep moving. We’re going to continue circling around the lake until we’re under the freeway on the opposite side. From there, we’ll be able to make decisions regarding where we might be for a longer term.”
Changing the subject so suddenly allowed TJ to simply keep moving. The people in the group who knew the man stepped forward and quietly whispered things that TJ could overhear but didn’t care to listen to.
“But really, is that why you make storms? It does that for you?”
“No, that’s not what it does for me.” TJ leveled a gaze at Sarah. “I feel like I explained this in the Tutorial, you know, when I had us spend the last day in a sleeting miserable storm.”
“I didn’t pay attention.” Sarah said without shame. “Would you explain it again?”
“It does more for me. That’s what a Divine Authority does for you, though I know that Storm gives me comparatively more than other, less conditional Authorities provide. Don’t ask what they do because I know nothing.”
Sarah pouted a little at that last bit, but she quickly got over it. Instead of continuing to ask questions, she said, “So what did Lailani’s do?”
“Didn’t I just answer that, Sarah?”
“It was a rhetorical question! And anyways. What did you get from us following you? If we got this Blessing that gives us a reflection of your Divine Authority and a small Attribute boost while ‘crusading in your name’, then what do you get, oh mighty leader?”
“I don’t know.” TJ answered. “Someone was too busy airing out what happened when I got the notification.”
“Hm… sounds like a beautiful, intelligent person you should listen to and give lots of blessings to. If you can.”
“Sure.” TJ sighed, reaching out and taking Luz from Stella as she began to fuss. “Again, gimme a second.”
Nascent Deity (Copper (I)): You have stepped firmly onto the path of becoming a god among mortals. While the truly divine ranks of existence remain far beyond your reach, there is much that you can still do yet. As a Nascent Deity, you can draw on the strength of your devoted from afar, empowering one (1) attack, divine working, Skill usage, or other related display of your divine power per hour. At Copper (I) tier, this empowerment is .01% per devoted Dirt (0) tier follower that you currently have, .5% per devoted Copper (I) tier follower you currently have, and 8% per devoted Silver (II) tier follower you currently have.
Seven Dirt tiers, eighteen Copper tiers. 9.07% boost once per hour. TJ’s initial reaction was sheer disappointment. After all, he knew how amazing Divine Authority was. He just got a lousy boost. That was just his knee-jerk reaction, though.
“A free boosting Skill.” TJ said, not explaining much. “The more devoted or worshippers I have, the stronger the Skill.”
“So we need to… start knocking doors or something? I’m not cut out for that.” Sarah grunted.
“No.” TJ insisted. “If people decide to join up, then they can do so. No need to go around finding people to join up. I suspect that, even without us trying to get people to fall in line, they’ll find themselves following wherever they find safety. There’s no way to reliably get people in here without it feeling like a doomsday cult, so that’s just not going to fly.”
“This kinda already is doomsday, in case you haven’t noticed.” Sarah raised her eyebrows at him.
“It is not a bad point.” Farid smiled from the other side of TJ, where he walked.
“It won’t get the people here that I want to have here. It’s a no.” TJ shook his head. “So, instead, let’s talk about my Skill options. I want some advice.”
“Oooh!” Sarah giggled. “New gossip!”
“Are you entirely incapable of being serious or something?” TJ asked. “I remember you being at least as terrified as everyone else when all this started happening.”
“Yes.” Sarah answered. “I mean, yes, I’m incapable of that. Mostly because if I start being serious, I think I’ll actually break, so this is my preferred option.”
“Ok.” TJ sighed. “Now, here are my options. Wind Scythe, basically makes my wind better at cutting, makes it so I can go longer while using Wind Manipulation too. Lightning Manipulation is just like Wind Manipulation, but I can summon electricity, so that’s pretty cool I guess. Shredding Bite is mean, given that it’ll give me 150 Strength right away, which increases quite a bit in Divine Transformation. Then there’s the other two, which I think I should just read out to you. And yes, Molly, Tessie, and Seth, you can listen in too. No need to act sneaky. Yes, you too Seth and Mimi. I really don’t mind.
“Divinity Mastery, (Copper (I)): Your Race is well-suited to, and, in fact, is designed to allow those of this Race to be better suited to acquiring Divine Authorities and to do so with greater ease and speed than other Races are capable of. This Skill grants you a static 100% increase to the rate of Divine Authority acquisition up to the Copper tier. After the Copper tier, the increase to Divine Authority acquisition rate is cut by two thirds every tier.
“Storm Sublimation, (Silver (II)): Your body is inhabited by a Storm’s soul and holds dominion over the Storm. You have proven that those who challenge your sovereignty have to fight you in hopes of surviving to hold onto what they have clawed to gain access to. You will kill them for their hubris. This Skill gives a bonus to you while within the presence of a Storm. This bonus will be provided to you while in opposition to other creatures that are in possession of a Divine Authority. While in combat against an individual with possession of a Divine Authority of a lower tier, yours will suppress theirs by an additional 50%. While in combat against an individual with possession of a Divine Authority of the same tier, yours will suppress theirs by 15%. While in combat against an individual with possession of a Divine Authority of a higher tier, the suppression you feel will be reduced by 30%.
“So what do you think?”
“I don’t know why you’re thinking of Shredding Bite.” Sarah said right away. When TJ looked at her, she just shrugged. “Look, you’re not a physical fighter. Not even as a snake. You were right in the beginning because you had to, but it’s becoming more and more obvious that you don’t need to. You’re better off using your magic or whatever. You have the lighting embodiment or whatever that you use sometimes, and I think you’re better off empowering that somehow instead of getting more Strength. I get 40 Strength if I get one level of each my Class, Occupation, and Race. My Skills and weapons give me almost 300 more. Then I’ve got Skills to make me move faster and hit harder. That’s not what you do. You’re a magic flying snake.
“Maybe that Skill will upgrade itself with an evolution or whatever, but even if it doesn't, who cares? It was a Skill that helped you when you needed it. You don’t need or want Shredding Bite.”
TJ thought about it, and he realized that he was really better off not focusing on Strength. The Skill, as he’d thought before, was attractive, but it was better that his body just be able to take massive hits and keep him in the battle for as long as possible. Endurance and magic, nothing more.
“Divinity Mastery is interesting.” Farid said. “I do not understand just how powerful these Authorities are, but if you were able to gather dozens of them, then I think you would become unstoppable, if they can combine and complement each other.”
“My limited understanding is that they can’t.” TJ answered, ignoring Sarah’s comments about how everything seemed to have a “divine” moniker. “Another Skill that works in tandem with it, Divine Manifestation, says ‘This Skill’s tier of Divinity is dependent upon the highest tier of Divinity your Divine Authorities have reached.’ I’d imagine that… System?”
As soon as TJ thought as much, the System answered.
An individual can benefit from multiple Divine Authorities at the same time. Any benefits given will simply be given at the highest level of boon available, such as boosts to regeneration, Attributes, or resources. Any boons that do not overlap will all be provided.
“Then it’s not additive or multiplicative. Spreads my net wider, though.”
“But that is not what you need right now.” Farid answered. “Is it?”
“Nope.” TJ answered, putting the Skill to the side. Down to Storm Sublimation, Wind Scythe, and Lightning Manipulation.
“Um…” Mimi interrupted, unsure if she should speak, but TJ gestured for her to say whatever it was she wanted to. With his permission, she continued, “Aren’t you already able to use lightning?”
“A little.” TJ hedged. “It’s hard though.”
“And… you can’t learn more?” She shrugged. “It looks like you probably can, right?”
“... I can.” TJ answered, knowing where this was going.
“Then, why not leave this Skill aside as an option?”
“This one is a little more complicated.” TJ said. “This is at the same level and with the same benefits that my Wind Manipulation has right now. It’d be immensely powerful, and I’d get a lot stronger. On the other hand, the System tells me that a Skill you teach yourself can’t reach the same tier as you are on currently. So, if I teach myself Lightning Manipulation, I’ll never be able to just teach myself the Skill until it catches up with my other Skills.”
“Ok.” Mimi bowed her head, but TJ heard the next line of argument.
“You’re probably right that if I teach myself the Skill then later upgrade it it’ll be better. Thanks, Mimi. And, honestly, I know what Skill I’m going to take. Thanks, guys.”
Then TJ made the selection.
