[It is possible to advance to a new era.
Do you want to proceed
•Yes
• no]
Ok, what would be the best option, in traditional strategy games it would be the Yes without even thinking, but this is not a traditional game as I'm tired of pointing out.
Fortunately, because it's a landmark, there's also an option to find out more (I think this is the first time this appears in the game), let's see what changes from this era to this game.
[When advancing slse era you will be placed in the same domain location 2000 days in the future (game time)]
....
....Okay let's do a little math exercise. If at maximum game speed, 1 real world hour is equivalent to 3 in-game days, then 1 real-world day would be 72 in-game days, therefore 2,000 in-game days would be equivalent to... at least 27 real-world days ?!
Would I have to skip all the development that would happen in practically 1 month?!
Yes, that would help (a lot) with the more boring parts, but doesn't that also mean losing content?, and possibly important content?.
Like, it's saying that I can choose to advance the era, so I can assume that there would still be things to happen in this era, right? And if I move forward, it's very likely that I'll end up losing this content and who knows what could happen to my Believers, Devotees and Fanatics in that time?!
But it's still a long time to just stay there without doing (possibly) anything, who has ever seen someone stay in a game without doing anything for almost a month?
Uuuuughggghhh how difficult!!!!!
....
Hmm....
***********************
(A time after Evrolk was killed, but before the Oracle and Saint's choice.)
Somewhere inside a dense forest where sunlight couldn't reach, making the midday environment look like it was already at sunset, the lack of light also left the ground with just a few sparse bushes and almost Lifeless beyond the tallest trees, an indistinct figure walked towards the mouth of a cave.
The cave was even darker than the forest, if outside it seemed like a perpetual sunset, inside the cave it was like a dark night, without moon or stars. But this was not just an impression, those gifted with the gift of magic could feel that within the cave, in fact throughout the forest, there existed some kind of force that seemed to want to prevent any trace of light from entering.
The figure didn't care about the darkness and with confident steps, even lazy, he walked to the end of the cave, he had already done this journey so many times that he could do it even if he were blind, deaf and without touch, managing to avoid every stone and hole along the way. Soon he reached a staircase partially hidden in the deepest part of the cave.
The longer he stayed, the more the darkness seemed to grow and embrace him, if someone else had been here he might have been scared, but he wasn't, he just continued and as soon as he reached the last step the rocky and uneven floor of the cave turned into a uniform path with masterfully arranged cobblestones, just as it would be in large cities.
With just a few crystals along the corridor that cast a sparse luminosity, the figure continued to walk towards a luminous point further away, the further he advanced it was possible to hear some faint sounds seeming to come from everywhere, sometimes they seemed to be drips. , sometimes muffled voices and often screams, and in moments these sounds grew louder until they finally became impossible to ignore.
The main thing was screams of pain, anguish, hatred and fear, all together in a cacophony of men, women and children. The figure soon arrived at a large wooden door, this wood was unusual to say the least, white like marble but clearly wood and seemed to emit a false glow that, while illuminating, did not seem to illuminate anything.
Without ceremony the figure opened the door and all sounds of screams, drips and voices were silenced.
*Shish**Creak**Shish**Plot*
Even worse than hearing these sounds, it would be impossible to see who was responsible for them, in the huge room, partly natural and partly artificial, there was what seemed to be a mix of laboratory, bedroom, slaughterhouse and a room for profane rituals, in the center another figure hunched over a table busy with a new experiment or just having fun the figure in front of the door didn't know or want to know.
"Evrolk was killed."
Upon hearing his voice, the other stopped whatever he was doing and turned to look at him. He was an old man but still healthy, he could have even passed for a nice gentleman if it weren't for his look that mixed insanity, intelligence and a coldness that would make even a demon tremble.
"How?"
"He was on his way to attack a human settlement in the kingdom of Guierev, it was small but according to what several merchants and peddlers said, it was a region 'rich' in resources with good and kind people. The ideal targets were to get more... material study"
"And he was killed by mere villagers?"
The old man asked, raising his eyebrow as he cleaned his hands, picked up a bucket near the table and headed towards the altar.
"That's what it looks like, although there are more...complicated details."
He just looked at the figure and "encouraged" him to continue.
"Hahahahah it looks like he got involved with some old warriors who were there."
A third voice, younger and much louder than the two figures combined, was upside down on top of a closet.
"Oh?, what warriors would those be?"
"Sofianna Lamunik and Liem Lamunik, one of the last candidates before the plan comes to fruition."
The figure near the door responded.
"Um, I can't remember those names."
He said while spreading what was inside the bucket in seemingly random locations on the floor just around the altar.
"Hahaha, it's no surprise they were a group with few major achievements, but they were constant, which is why they managed to survive longer than most. I think you remember your stupid apprentice who almost exposed the plan, right?"
The third figure said somersaulting to the ground.
"Hmmmm, ah I think I remember something like that. Were those two called the lovers?"
"Correct, it seems that the woman managed to save herself and find a way to survive without being detected until now. Not only that, but she also managed to bring back her lover from semi-death."
That really caught the old man's attention, he stopped spreading the contents of the bucket to look at the figure at the door.
"Hmm, very interesting... Ah!, she wasn't from that annoying family, was she?"
"Yes, she is his last descendant, she was rejected by the family for being a bastard even though she was one of the most powerful. Lol imbeciles, if she had been with them maybe they wouldn't have died so easily."
"Irrelevant, the biggest reason Evrolk lost was because that village had help from a greater power."
"Huh, what now? Some great spirit or one last benevolent noble?"
The old man asked dismissively, continuing his work.
"Do you think we would be here if it was something so mundane old man."
The third said now without any tone of humor in his voice, being completely serious.
"Then-"
"It was a new God."
The old man stopped and became completely static, he stayed like that for perhaps a few seconds or minutes, soon his body began to shake. The shaking increased, along with the strength with which he held the bucket, until the handle of the bucket began to crack and soon gave way.
As the bucket hit the ground, the shaking stopped and the next moment.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAVAV A NEW GOD, FINALLY AHAHAHAHAHAHAH."
The two other figures just stared while the old man laughed in a hysterical and insane way, the next moment he knelt down and took the contents of the bucket, viscera, blood, hearts and eyes, and began to scatter them haphazardly across the floor, without ever staining them. the altar or stop laughing.
As abruptly as he started, the old man stopped and looked at the revolting work he had made, if seen from above perhaps it could even be said that it was an abstract work with passion and fervor, if the material weren't pieces of human flesh that still seemed to pulsate.
"So what do you think?"
"That you have a mind more grotesque than a demon?"
The third figure said indifferently.
"That things might get more complicated for us now?"
The one near the door asked.
"No no no, my dears, you don't see things as a whole. A new God appeared after centuries, imagine how much suffering and resentment he can cause if we discover where to hit him where it hurts most?"
The old man said with a smile that was both insane and cold.
"And how do you intend to do that?"
"Take it easy, there's no need to rush with this."
He said looking at the altar and the jar on top, a black and red jar with gold details, which seemed to absorb and release something at regular intervals, almost like a breath.
"Anything else?"
The figure near the door seemed to think then responded.
"It seems that village was where Viscount Ilhago's son and some knights were killed, perhaps if we get this information to the viscount he can help us with the village?"
The old man turned to the figure at the door with a bored and slightly annoyed look.
"Which son? That worthless ball of meat breeds more than a rabbit"
"This one would be a little different, he would be one of the sons most... like his father lol"
The third responded.
At this the old man seemed to think a little, looked at the jug and smiled, a fierce and hungry smile.
"I think I have an idea of what to do. Not only will we be able to cause pain to this God and get a little more of the resentment needed for the jar at the same time, it will be its own revenge for Evrolk as well."
The other two nodded, the one near the door in silent agreement, while the third laughed several times as if it were all a joke, and he was the one most eager to see what would happen to the village that had made him lose one of his favorites toys.