Transcript
Garrett: Hello everybody and welcome to Another episode, episode 18. of into the malediction As always, I'm one of the co -hosts, Garrett, also known as Admiral Tater, joined by...
Garrett: ah Nick and Alan.
Nick: Hey everybody, this is Nick, known also known as... Fetty 315.
m3rcier: Hey, it's Alan Mercer on Discord.
Garrett: And today we've got a double conclave of the spheres article podcast. this one will be a little shorter uh as These aren't too heavily...
Garrett: Lore. filled. It's a lot of details and a lot of interesting things. I don't know how long we can... Uh, delve too far into this. It really builds on things we've talked about. in our prior Conclave episodes.
Garrett: Let's see here. Let's see. Sponsors, sponsors. I'm a sponsor. uh the sponsor of our into the maleaddiction it's arotator malediction malediction uh officially licensed products Um.
Garrett: I think releasing this episode on September 1st. So hopefully there's something new. uh teased or ready to go by then especially for people who really like specific seekers. And then news.
Garrett: uh we were like discussing and going back and forth on being late on news, but but at this point, if you don't know. There's a new. uh deck builder from the uh the play network on the maladdiction .gg website and there is New reinforcements available.
Garrett: And maybe if we're lucky... The new Seekers possibly are teased some more. ah But we'll see. I know they've been they've been dropping a lot of hints on Instagram and Facebook.
m3rcier: and
m3rcier: And the new the deck builder plus the new e event thing.
Garrett: Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So. Maybe we should do an episode later about the... the new structure, or like not a whole episode, but maybe a smaller episode about the new structure of the how to play.
Garrett: stuff is going to work. Anyways, let's get going here. ah Nick, will you lead us off?
Nick: Sure thing, Garrett. Yeah, so... Oh. Like you said. These articles are going to be getting into the titles. Um, of the Conclave of the Spheres, as well as Some of the kind of established...
Nick: Etiquette. between the masters and apprentices. Now, we have kind of speculated in the past about Um, The general... atmosphere surrounding like the mattress master apprentice relationships and what it's like to be an aspiring mage in the conclaves.
Nick: So now we get a little bit more detail into what that looks like. and kind of mostly, I think, confirm a lot of stuff we talked about. and You know. contradicts a couple of things maybe we speculated on.
Nick: But yeah, so just to recap on the Conclave, so we've talked now about the various... Sources of magic. across Silesia. we have with the order of the earthbound light and how The faithful will tithe their souls.
Nick: to this this energy that the priests and. uh some of the more prominent faithful are able to wheeled. And they do a lot of, you know, we we see in the game especially represented that.
Nick: The earthbound light does a lot of healing, a lot of protection. We know the Primal Blood tap into... the echo of the earth and a myriads, the shamans. you know they drink from like the the the fruit um and kind of use the more of a natural, naturalistic Emerian magic.
Nick: And the... Legion of the Fallen uses the Anish 'va. the soul breath to kind of force. a false life into the corpses and contact the dead and kind of manipulate.
Nick: the you know, the the bodies of the living. The Conclave focuses all on Leastrum, which is almost this... Liquid magic. this resource that they use to funnel their projects, that they use in trade. ah They talk about how the ashram is like the currency of Quinvala and the islands.
Nick: And so this is going to get a lot into the hierarchy of the conclave and how one becomes a master. And even... Maybe a Nexi. But we all have to start at the bottom.
Nick: So let's say you are are wanting... to be a powerful mage in the conclave one day, but you are just... Somebody. who's showing up.
Nick: on the island and you're right you're willing and ready to work. These are called aspirants. ah Now, there's no connection to a master. They don't have like a specific...
Nick: um, allegiance or loyalty. uh But they are your run of the mill workers. They're your laborers. These are going to be the people who are. Smithing the...
Nick: the tools and running the food and performing a lot of the menial tasks that aren't directly related to Leastrum. um Aspirants can be trained in certain ways, but they're not going to necessarily be.
Nick: on the same levels like the next level we're gonna talk about apprentices what we see with like more aspirants is that these are going to be people who can be trained to use lastron or use certain weapons but are in and in of themselves kind of experiments to various masters.
Nick: And so we talk about like the Thalmites. uh by sphere burton are soldiers that are trained to use Leastron -powered weapons. and maybe artifacts and sometimes this is kind of a proof of concept for Sphere of Vertan and not necessarily a um rolling out deployment. of their their creations.
Nick: And so. you know, if you can work your way up, prove that you're you're willing to put your life on the line for the conclave. and willing to to work harder.
Nick: maybe there's something in it for you.
m3rcier: Yeah, these are canon these guys are the cannon fodder.
Nick: Yeah, at least we know that, um well, as far as we know. They... aren't being liked. Turned into spellbound or anything like that. We don't really know exactly where those come from yet But who knows what Sphere Chimer gets up to.
m3rcier: On this. And these guys don't have any formal relationship with any master. That way, if something does happen to them and go wrong, there's no... There can be no tie to a master.
m3rcier: which is different than the apprentices.
m3rcier: Very yeah very low level but still a step above your normal citizen who actually has a title later on in the you know are you citizen wrong uh They're a step above.
m3rcier: the normal people in the Conclave who have a title that we'll go over later. But not much.
m3rcier: They're the ones that volunteered it to be to risk their lives for the chanting. greater glory.
Nick: Yeah, and maybe if you know you you prove yourself a little bit, you show a little knack. You get get the opportunity to become an apprentice. So.
m3rcier: We do have one of these in game, the Thalmite Mercenary. which uh is As of this recording should be released. uh it's a leak card that we went over last week so we do have an example of an aspirant in game.
Nick: Do I move on to the apprentices?
Garrett: Yes we can.
m3rcier: Yeah, so next.
Garrett: And I...
m3rcier: Next.
Garrett: I disappeared for a second there.
m3rcier: Are you going to do it?
Garrett: Sorry guys.
Nick: okay It's okay.
Garrett: We're gonna bring these movie magic to bring me back in Um, I miss i missed him talking about the aspirants. All right, it's okay. Apprentices, apprentices. So this is like the next step up, right?
Garrett: um you've formally been accepted by a master? and And so this is a pretty big deal for the master because the apprentices are kind of a resource sink. And there is a there's a give and take here.
Garrett: Uh... Like obviously, you know, it's your you've been an aspirant you didn't drug through the mud you You've survived. Probably like some weird experiments.
Garrett: And now you're, you're given, a you know, ah a healthy amount of attention from a master. And your own, like, this is. When I was reading this, and yeah maybe you guys thought about this too, but I was like, oh, this is like...
Garrett: You know, they're they're in the the graduate. Uh... uh graduate system now like they're working towards their phd
Nick: Mm hmm. yeah it it definitely starts to feel that way
m3rcier: i still I still think they're working towards their... the two -year or four -year degree
Garrett: oh you you think apprentices no no no it's too dangerous too dangerous man Um...
Nick: It's ah the way that they had the relationship.
m3rcier: No More dangerous, but they still they're still not even citizens.
Nick: Yeah.
m3rcier: They're tentative citizens.
Garrett: uh they have a little they have rights which we'll go through with the next article um it's it's definitely better than being just like um the the bottom rung here and ask for it.
Nick: Yeah, and I get the graduate school feel. um because of the way that they're kind of like tied to a master. um Which, again, this you know we're going to cover this in a minute. but the relationship between like the master has kind of a responsibility. to provide for the apprentice to like do their projects and and learn and provide study like that relationship's a lot more related to like graduate school because you know, most like. for your two -year degrees. Like you don't have that kind of like. really personal relationship.
Nick: necessarily. like you do when you go to like a graduate program.
Garrett: Right.
Nick: like I get that kind of, that was kind of what you're going for with that.
Garrett: And they're also, this is the beginning of their super debt. um They're starting to go in the hole here pretty hard. Uh, that's right because like they're not only probably in debt to some like outside conclave bank system. but now they're personally in debt.
Garrett: uh to this master was really... you know, makes it so. There's nothing you can do. like You're stuck with this guy. And I think if the other article talks about it, like if you want to switch.
m3rcier: No, you... Yeah, you can switch.
Garrett: Someone's got to pay. Someone's gotta pay to switch, though. Um, because it it's such a resource sink to get the an apprentice. leveled up essentially. uh in the in the layastrum training
Garrett: And.
m3rcier: Yeah, but they can... If you can convince another master and that other master wants you, you can't be denied the switch. your previous master has to release you.
Garrett: Yeah, yeah, as long as there's some sort of fair trade.
m3rcier: The new one. As long as the new one was willing to pay. Yep. so you're essentially once you become an apprentice you're essentially property
Nick: Yeah. it's
m3rcier: but property that has to be taken care of to a certain extent. Don't think that...
Nick: um
m3rcier: ah they won't get away with having you. killed in some fashion if they're a high enough level master.
Garrett: Right. And then also... Anything that you make or create as a master's apprentice belongs to that master.
m3rcier: In part. If you, they get partial credit unless you hide it and then. When you get found out, they get all of the credit.
Garrett: Yeah, but we know how partial credit works in a system like this.
Nick: it's just
Garrett: is.
Nick: It's just led like a graduate program.
Garrett: Yep.
Nick: It's... You're doing the work, you know, you do your lab work, but like Somebody, you know, there's got to be a doctor's name on the on the front of the paper, right?
Garrett: Yes.
m3rcier: Yep.
Garrett: Uh...
m3rcier: and They do have to give you we would assume room and board because if they care for you but they also have to give you an allotment of last room to help you in your studies You do have legal standing.
m3rcier: if you have to go before the Council of Nexai for any reason. So there's... uh you you are higher than the aspirins or the lowest uh rung which we haven't got to yet because I don't know the article put them at the end, but...
m3rcier: There are benefits.
Garrett: I don't know. i We'll get there.
m3rcier: But there is a lot more.
Garrett: I don't even know If I call them the lowest rung.
m3rcier: danger.
Nick: The aspirants?
m3rcier: I would. There is no aspirin.
Garrett: No, the I would put aspirin as the absolute lowest of the low.
m3rcier: Thanks.
m3rcier: No, because you choose to be an aspirant. The other guys, it's just the nature of the fact that you have no ability to utilize. Or you haven't been trained at all.
Garrett: Well, well, well well We can argue when we get there. All right, what's next? We got the Masters.
m3rcier: Yes. uh so the masters those are the full citizens they are the people that run the spheres. that run the Conclave. uh the only thing we know for certain that makes you a master because we don't know the entire process of becoming a master but the one thing that all masters share is that they have endured and survived the gaze of molek Uh... They're... Four citizens, they have four rights.
m3rcier: However, As they were previously an apprentice, and as Garrett mentioned, they are still indebted to their previous master until they pay that debt off. So until they paid that debt off, they typically...
m3rcier: will not be taking on their own apprentice or apprentices. just because of No. that has its own burden. uh assist it with it but That's why you find them going into the... malediction.
m3rcier: in search of Relics, legacies, anything that can make them. I would say riches but Riches funds whatever so they can pay off their debt
m3rcier: They are... Because once they have an apprentice they are required by the Yes, we didn't cover this earlier, but the apprentice master relationship is sacred to the conclave uh it is also imbalanced it very much favors that master but less so nowadays than it used to. the Apprentices seem to have more rights or more protections now than they used to.
m3rcier: but the masters do have to care for them so they're not you know
Garrett: typical Typical progressives trying to make all these new rights for these the lower citizens.
Nick: I will say, i was actually i was I was a little impressed reading all of the...
m3rcier: Leave it.
Nick: like protections that apprentices do actually have in the system.
m3rcier: Well, if you murder all of your apprentices, then you don't have any masters for the future and the entire thing falls apart.
Nick: Exactly.
m3rcier: So they do have to protect them. And the earth's wild are having shorter lives. So and apparently reproducing less so it makes sense that the changes are being enacted to preserve the Conclave because they can't be as willy -nilly with apprentices as they used to.
m3rcier: There's less of them. And some of them are human. which appear to be much frailer.
Nick: At least ah with when with regard to, at least with a regard to Leastrum.
m3rcier: But that's the Masters.
Nick: Yeah.
m3rcier: Yes.
m3rcier: Uh... I think, Nick, you're up for the the upper level.
Nick: I'm up for you. We're rotating. So, the Nexi. So, at the... at the at the heart of the conclave are the nexi so every sphere has one Nexi that is going to be the undisputed leader.
Nick: Of. the entire sphere. Um, And we don't really need to talk about the kind Council Nexie right now, but each sphere has a Nexie, no matter how small.
Nick: However, we do know now that a sphere requires the gathering of at least five masters. that come together. and basically come up with Aye.
Nick: common goal or common project. or or common ideology, right? ah within the conclave. And they... basically appeal to the Council of Naxi. to purchase a charter to create a new sphere.
Nick: um Once they do this, they select one of them one among them to be the Nexia of that sphere, and then this basically gives them... Another. and basically another platform from which they can kind of appeal for their own personal projects.
Nick: So we do know we talked about. many of the different spheres before. We have the sphere of Roton, the sphere of Atkinson. All right, Ikenza. Sir Keimer. um Assuming these were all kind of formed in a similar process.
Nick: you know You get together. you all come up with, Hey, we were all masters here. We all have. this idea of what Leastrom can do. Let's make our own sphere and work together. on larger projects that one mage just can't be responsible for.
Nick: Um, It does say though that many masters since it takes decades to pay off all that debt. from your apprenticeship and then um You know, very real world reminds me of like PhD programs, even like medical doctors where you just take on tons and tons of debt. And then like the first like 10 years of your career is just like.
Nick: You know, you're still living like college life, trying to pay off like this massive amount of of debt you've accrued. before you actually really start making headwinds. So...
Nick: it makes it difficult for new masters to really form a sphere because it takes so much like startup capital. However, the most common way they say is a wealthy master.
Nick: of an existing sphere wants to basically break away. and do his own thing. And all he needs are... at least four other mages, four other masters that... want to go in with that on that project and he front fronts the money They create the sphere.
Nick: and Oh. I'm guessing there's got to be some kind of, there is a. Um, process for like approval. from the Council.
Nick: Boop.
m3rcier: Yeah, they had to have a charger and all that so there's a way to get approved
Nick: Yeah, so you go to the council, you have your charter, you have your mages, you have the money. or the or the you know however and I know we they talk about we've talked about money before. They use like coins to represent like a directly Ashton trade.
Nick: Yeah. so you put all that up and say we're making a sphere We're here. And I'm going to be the next C. I'm in charge now. you get to Once you're a Nexi, you can... make a bid for a seat on the council. It's just...
Nick: You know. Oink.
m3rcier: Oh, you can't make a bid.
Nick: only the greater.
m3rcier: your your Your sphere has to be elevated to one of the greater spheres.
Nick: On the...
Nick: Right. Oh, and and that's i was kind of what I was trying to get to. Is it like your sphere has... It gives you an avenue. Is what I was trying to get to. Is it like you have an avenue now to. Get your sphere in there.
Nick: be one of the greater spheres and now you can be on the council. But I think it's it's interesting how... it's kind of common knowledge that it's like oh no like it's usually a wealthy master will start the process.
Nick: And kind of, you know, you you you basically say I'm the one with the money. So I'll be the next sea of this like new sphere. and it gives you kind of this avenue to buy your so buy your way up.
m3rcier: Yeah. uh all right and then this is The next one, or what I'm going to say is the lowest rung, it's the unenlightened. And this is a term that can be used for multiple meanings. within the conglave the most common use of this.
m3rcier: is for anyone. uh, vid. is not trained in linux for magic so no aspirants no apprentices no masters no nexes no one uh but also you could uh Call anyone that's outside of the conclave and unenlightened also because you know they're not training my eyes for magic uh these are going to be your farmers your fishermen your tradesmen basically all the laborers
m3rcier: Probably if they have lawyers. uh you know anybody that's not a mage within the conclave is unenlightened
m3rcier: They have notices in ship, which means they have No real rights, especially before the council. We did find out that... The Conclave itself does not necessarily own all of these towns.
m3rcier: individual masters or spheres. may own some of these towns that people work in. So it is a it seems like it's a mix between a feudal system with uh you know like modern day corporatocracy or majorocracy in this case. But.
m3rcier: This is what I would argue is the lowest rung because you have absolutely no rights. And I think just as well as the aspirins, these guys are probably experimented on without their knowledge. so It was the aspirin to at least you have a chance of becoming an apprentice
Garrett: Okay. Okay, I'm back. I'm back and ready to argue. ah I would say that these are not the lowest rung. It's a parallel. Uh... society to the conclave.
Garrett: Because obviously the Conclave doesn't exist without these people. And I'm sure that... The Nexie aren't so stupid, they... Don't understand it. that's Like not how it works. Um... So i they probably just have their own.
Garrett: uh, like legal system. that we don't know about, I'm going to theorycraft that this is our own system outside of all the conclave bullcrap. Cause like, obviously like tradesmen, merchants.
Garrett: All these people have to have some sort of rule system. to operate.
m3rcier: Yeah. but Whatever the Nixie or the master that owns the city they live in tells them.
Garrett: in. But.
Garrett: And they definitely have rights because like it wouldn't work without it. right so like they're not slaves So there's some sort of system here. And I'm. I think we're viewing citizenship. in the conclave like we've used citizenship kind of in like ancient greece
Nick: Yeah, I get what you're saying
Garrett: Yeah.
Nick: Yeah, because like...
m3rcier: I mean, they have a system, but I don't... I think if the conclave says you're dead, you're dead. they They don't have rights as so far as like what we think they have rights.
Garrett: I mean that. I mean, that might be the case. That might be the case, but... Just like the the the conclave. in the spheres. interacting with with each other. Like they can't go to full blown war to start murdering everybody because like the system would fall apart.
Garrett: so Like, there's...
m3rcier: Oh, no, but they can definitely experiment on an entire village if they choose to.
Garrett: there's
m3rcier: and have no repercussions because the village doesn't have rights.
Garrett: Well, well and now there's an entire sphere in charge of... Not letting that happen. I can't remember the name of them right now. Bye.
m3rcier: Yeah, well, Akinzi is one of them, but it...
Garrett: That is the sphere.
m3rcier: If it is in the interest of the conclave for that village to be experimented on, you don't think they're going to do it?
Garrett: Well, they so if that if it goes through that one sphere that's in charge of like controlling what's a safe experiment or not, then it's okay.
Nick: Right. But that's again, that's kind of like the people, the village aren't really. like their particular Um,
Garrett: Right.
Nick: Feelings of the matter are not considered by the conclave.
Garrett: Right.
m3rcier: Not considered at all.
Garrett: Right. But that is those are very special cases, though.
m3rcier: They're unrepresentable.
Nick: Yeah. Well, and i'm I'm curious, too, because, like, we don't know much about the Wistrel.
Garrett: Because... look
Nick: We don't really know if, like, once you get off the islands, how much direct ruled the Conclave. like the spheres and the council have. with You know, we have trans the Tower's transposition, but like how quickly...
Nick: is communication between like the council and
m3rcier: but they muster.
Nick: Thank you. the Yeah, the governors of these cities.
m3rcier: I think it's going to be more more up to the individual sphere or the
Garrett: Right.
m3rcier: master that owns those cities or that runs those cities.
Nick: Yeah.
m3rcier: and less so the conclave itself.
Garrett: Yeah, it's it's almost like the Conclave is a miniature. a Holy Roman Empire. of
Nick: Mm hmm.
Garrett: thousands of little states. with a figurehead. But they've all got their own thing going on.
Nick: Yeah, but at the end of the day, and this is we see this all through history, right? at the end of the day Who's making the food?
Garrett: Right. Right.
Nick: because yeah Because the Conclave can do all the magic. They have all the Leastrum. They can do whatever they want. But at the end of the day... People need to eat. And. that. Like, for the... the Careful practice of supply demand of moving food across.
Nick: you know because they have to feed the island of quinvala which means you have to either get food that's grown on the land um in the Wistrel. shipped to Quinvala, or they have to... relying entirely on like the seafood and whatever.
Nick: product production they can have on those little islands. you You know, you have to feed people.
m3rcier: And depending on the population, that that may or may not be feasible.
Nick: and
Nick: and Yeah, exactly. and so like if you And we don't know. We know Leastrom can't be teleported, but... That doesn't say food can't be teleported. So maybe they do just load up barrels and barrels of grain.
Nick: And... just teleport them straight to the island. that
Garrett: Yeah, because remember, they're trying to Leastrum GMO. Ah, the food
Nick: Yeah. Yeah. So, you know...
m3rcier: And now they are.
Nick: you you you have all of this so then it's like well the people who you know one master who governs an agricultural region. has a lot of of power. you know, maybe not necessarily directly, you know, to the council of the Nexi, but.
Nick: They control the food supply. They control a lot of, of they can control potentially. Uh, the jump the The Direction of Wealth
m3rcier: and that's And that's us assuming that they... self -sustain. they probably get the majority of their food from the order.
Nick: Yeah.
m3rcier: As we will talk about in, I think the next episode, because that's over the golden road.
Nick: in the next episode. yeah
Garrett: Yeah, especially since they talk about...
m3rcier: But our next.
Garrett: how they they they want to export food. So which means they have a surplus.
Nick: Get that Buyers, yeah.
Garrett: Yeah.
m3rcier: The next title.
Nick: so
m3rcier: i think is the most interesting and i think it's this one's on you uh garrett
Garrett: The mystery arcs. This is a title. um Give it to individuals with a... unanimous decree of the Council of Nexi. Uh, And so. This is...
Garrett: Hey. are. It's like a next level. It's citizenship plus. Um, Hey. you are important Something about you is significant that can't be replaced.
Garrett: which is... So like you've made it to a point in your career. where your skills are something the Conclave views as... can't be replaced easily.
m3rcier: Would you?
Garrett: which is great.
m3rcier: Or just what you are, not necessarily your skills either.
Garrett: Yeah, but you gotta have skills to be something too. in the conclave.
m3rcier: ah ah Yeah, but... one of these people was granted the title before she was even skilled purely because of what she is.
Garrett: Well... Yeah, but again, like that's a huge exception and she's also skilled. as well. I like.
m3rcier: it's It's not an exception.
Garrett: with a
m3rcier: It's just she's very rare.
Garrett: with a
m3rcier: That's why she was given the title
Garrett: with a with a built -in legacy. and old, right like an ancient being. Um,
Nick: and Well, and they also...
m3rcier: I don't think it was about her age.
Nick: Thank you.
m3rcier: I think it's about what she is. she's a
Nick: circumstances.
Garrett: well i didn't i didn't say it was about her age i just said she is important because she's pre
m3rcier: Cool. We'll get to it.
Garrett: fall. Right.
Nick: The title can be given.
m3rcier: Yeah.
Nick: The title can be taken away. so
Garrett: Yeah.
m3rcier: Yeah. But it does require unanimous decree both ways, which is...
Garrett: Which is surprising.
m3rcier: probably hard to come by.
Garrett: And what's interesting, it...
Nick: Yeah, you really gotta be special.
Garrett: It doesn't say they're... Titles have got removed unless I missed it because they kind of both got Not really excommunicated, but... you know shunned. and he lost his fear polliner lost his fear laundrill kind of bowed out
m3rcier: Hello again. But...
m3rcier: But I think that's why they weren't.
Garrett: So.
m3rcier: execute it during their trials because they were mystery arcs. So instead of killing them...
Garrett: Right.
m3rcier: They... you know did what they did.
Garrett: Right.
m3rcier: But there are.
Garrett: And it might be. in these in their cases.
m3rcier: Three that we know of if you want to go over those three
Garrett: There might be two.
m3rcier: Because we've been hinting around at it.
Garrett: They might be too difficult to kill. Right?
Nick: Meh.
Garrett: um, like
Nick: what do you do, right?
Garrett: Polinor and Londriel, you want to go to bat against them? like In Quinvala? I don't know. And then Morita is the third one that got that title. because of her links to the Legion of the Fallen.
m3rcier: That would. well and so this title uh it confers protections. No one in the conclave. is to harm you.
m3rcier: And if you do harm mr a Mysterio Arc, the Council of Nixay themselves who are all themselves Mr. Arks. will come down on you. So I think that's part of the reason Polinor and Londriel weren't executed or, you know, had too much happen to them.
m3rcier: in the trial because they were mystery arcs the conclave doesn't want to lose them no matter what they did
Nick: Yeah, there's still somebody you want to have on your side, even if...
m3rcier: Yep.
Nick: You know. and And we know that. Paul Nour in Montreal. the You know, maybe there's some shady stuff going on behind there. But, you know, that.
m3rcier: Yeah.
Nick: tells me that it likely wasn't unanimous, which is why they weren't. they didn't have their titles revoked.
m3rcier: Yeah, because the unanimous they were to revoke the titles and probably killed him So Polinor was named... Mysterio arc because of his spheres discovery regarding legacy and relics We don't know what those discoveries are. That's just what they said.
m3rcier: But when he was... i don't want to say it was banished he was still given another title he's the prime archivist after his trial, so... Kind of gets back to they were like, hey We want to screw this guy over but we're not gonna scream over that bad because we still need him
Garrett: Yeah, he's like the expert at cataloging. the things coming out of the malediction.
Nick: Yeah.
m3rcier: And then, Nick, you want to hit on why Laundrielle was given this title?
Nick: Yeah, of course. Yeah, L 'Entreal is, she's she was made a mystery arc even before she was a master. uh just because and this is kind of what gary was saying is her nature as a pre -fall air seer and kind of just her.
Nick: connections with the arc lamentation. um how then you know They tried to experiment. They tried to mess with it. and it seems to be kind of protecting her drawn to her. they made her a mystery arc to kind of...
Nick: make her untouchable within the Conclave. So that she can... still be a useful asset. to her. And maybe, you know, maybe there's even some something to say that like, hey, if we make her special within our organization.
Nick: then she's more likely to work with us. and we can continue to study her legacy, right? You know, there's the kind of, that goes both ways. Oh.
m3rcier: and What's the the legacy in her? Nature is a pre fall ears here
Nick: Yeah.
m3rcier: they They want her... They wonder know how... I think we went over this with Shago. They need her to reproduce because the current ears here do not have as long of lives.
m3rcier: And they're not as... ah fertile. as the other ones they're not reproducing as much so
Garrett: Yeah, they got to figure out what happened to the The genetic code, essentially. um
Nick: It's all the, all the last from exposure.
m3rcier: The last room.
Garrett: Right, like what's what's changing and can it be reversed?
Nick: Thank you.
m3rcier: Right.
Nick: Yep.
m3rcier: And then our third one. I mean, we know of eight total because we know of the five counts of the Nexie members in these three. but The last one is Morita. She is a Mysteriarch purely because she is the conduit between the Conclave and the Legion.
m3rcier: and with her coming into the conclave and having the soul stitcher she created another market for last room within the legion so uh being the shrewd businessman they they are, they don't want that market to go away. so My idea is not to be touched.
m3rcier: She's like a VIP customer.
Nick: Yeah, I really like how um you know, a lot of these lore articles have come out. and you know this summer this past year that we've been kind of doing this podcast And so when we first started out, the Lord Prime was kind of all we had to work with.
Nick: It was kind of... easy to put every faction in their corner and kind of say like this is what they do this is what they do um So much of this lore article well, all the lore articles we've covered have really shown the increased like globalization of the continent And there's so many like little ties and connections between them all.
Nick: Um, just this idea that Morita is a strategic contact. And so it's like they have a whole. New. market audience for liastrum and so they work with more as like basically almost like an ambassador to sell the Astrum to fallen You know, like the necromancers who now can use Liastrum.
Nick: ah Because, we you know, we know more to... Has basically almost created this blending of the of the magic. Now it's becoming more of a practice. you know, skill.
Nick: the Legion is actually blending Leastrum with their Anish Fah. We see some of that. i really like how The factions aren't. considered necessarily at like at war with each other.
Nick: They just kind of... are all vying for control of the malediction or control of like as many legacies and and relics they can get their hands on, but not necessarily to the detriment that they. don't work with each other.
Garrett: Right, yeah, there's there's no formal...
m3rcier: you know and That said, these are... Good.
Garrett: Now you go.
m3rcier: I was going to say that said the protection from this title does not go into malediction. So if you do want to kill one of these people... You can do it to malediction and suffer no consequences. But good luck.
Nick: Yeah, that's, you know, easier said than done.
Nick: Garrett, what were you going to say?
m3rcier: Let's make it.
Garrett: I have lost it. uh that's good maybe it'll come back to me now but okay so So the last part of our thing is the primes, which we already know. of of one prime. ah Polinor, Prime Archivist.
Garrett: Uh... So, I mean, this is basically like, you know. an elite title. that you know, That is bestowed. There's probably like one. We don't have a catalog of the title names yet.
Garrett: And maybe these will be names of future Mono Conclave. Seekers. uh, but you know, they just do something specific. for the conclave the specific service so i mean obviously pollinators is you know he's really good at cataloging All these.
Garrett: ah relics. and legacies and artifacts that come out of the malediction.
Garrett: It's not a legal protection. like the Mysteriarch is. It's just, you know, this is... It's like, what's a good academic? Um...
Garrett: Example.
Nick: um
Garrett: I'm trying to think I guess it doesn't really matter. but
Nick: yeah
Garrett: uh,
Nick: I was trying to think almost like ah almost like ah almost like a Dean.
Garrett: I said...
Nick: somebody who has more of an administrative role, not necessarily.
Garrett: Yeah, like a dean of a certain, like the dean of the College of Engineering. or the Dean of College of Medicine or something.
Nick: yeah
Garrett: But. ah Yeah. I'm curious what they do with that, that prime title, maybe the future.
m3rcier: And we we do have...
Nick: Yeah.
m3rcier: We do have one more title that we're... we are aware of. was not in this article which Kind of might be a...
Nick: Who?
m3rcier: I think an oversight, but in the Council of Nixie article, which we went over before. You have the spell warden title. which is specifically for certain members of Sphere Akinza.
Nick: Yeah.
m3rcier: Laundrielle's sphere, the sphere she's in. Hence the title Spellwarden. All right. This title grants them the ability to inspect any conclave laboratory. research facility whatnot.
m3rcier: stop any experiment they deem a threat to the conclave as a whole. as long as they're not revealing any trade secrets discovered while doing their duties so they are the Uh...
m3rcier: Internal affairs of... the conclave.
Garrett: And this is... like giving the laundry. of this title. as the conclave is probably a mistake because she
m3rcier: Yeah.
Garrett: She was not in on the the moral corruption. She was like, wait a second. Y 'all are breaking all the rules.
m3rcier: Probably how she turned on him.
Nick: Yeah.
Garrett: Yeah. Y 'all are breaking all the rules and doing nothing about it.
m3rcier: But so you gave me this job to do. and you literally won't let me do it.
Garrett: They were like we thought we were cool It turns out she's not cool.
Nick: And i I wanted to touch on one thing. Now that we have this in front of us. Right. ah The title of Prime. is an actual title you know and not just a cool you know moniker ah we have another prime
Garrett: Yeah.
Nick: That was just released.
Garrett: Oh, is that the cannon unit?
Nick: Yeah. Yeah, Athen is the prime decimator.
Garrett: Oh yeah, there we go. What a title.
Nick: Yeah.
m3rcier: That'll fit.
Garrett: What a title.
m3rcier: He's the prime warrior.
Nick: So that means that means there's some kind of...
m3rcier: Nice.
Nick: implied like decimation is like an implied like skill set that the Conclave requires. At times.
m3rcier: You see that ship over there? we would like it not to exist.
Nick: Blow it blowed up.
m3rcier: Call at it out then.
Garrett: Yeah, all he had to do is sacrifice his arm and turn himself into a cannon.
Nick: which i I do always, I hate that we use decimation. so much now to mean like just obliterating. uh, because its historical roots are tight tied to a specific Roman practice.
Garrett: Yeah.
Nick: Um,
Garrett: For disciplinary reasons.
Nick: Flare. it was disciplined where you know one ten one of every ten men was either or. punished or or killed. as a way of showing Hey.
Nick: don't make us Don't make us punish you harder.
Garrett: So that means maybe... a Maybe ah our cannon boy is...
Nick: So maybe yeah.
Garrett: is out there doling out the punishment
Nick: so I wonder if it's used in a similar kind of vein where they use... um Yeah, the Conclave is... ah Hey, we need you to to this this this particular.
Nick: sphere has been. um
Garrett: Dude, dude.
Nick: andre unscrupulous in their work.
Garrett: They're infringing on patents
Nick: and's like
Garrett: and they're doing copyright infringement.
Nick: Yeah.
Garrett: Trademark infringement. Decimated.
Nick: Decimate him. What?
m3rcier: Well, I mean it would
Nick: What?
m3rcier: It would play into the issues they're having with population and, you know, refilling the ranks that they do it that way.
Nick: Yep.
m3rcier: and not just wipe out the entire sear.
Nick: Right. Especially if your your sphere is only like 20 to 30 people and it's like, yeah, we'll kill like two or three people. And like, that's a. 10 % is not nothing. Especially if you're hurting for hands.
Garrett: I... I missed this part because I had to step away for a second. but Did you guys? i i like that they broke down like to form an actual sphere you need to have five masters so it like mimics or mirrors the the council
Nick: Mm -hmm Yeah.
m3rcier: Yeah, except for they did make it clear that in most Most new spheres, it's going to be the the one wealthy master that actually can pay for everything. and probably four masters. that could very well possibly be masters that were his apprentices that are still indebted to him or people that are just in some, you know, other masters are in some way indebted to him, and he just gets to make his own house.
Garrett: Right.
m3rcier: just because it takes a lot of money.
Nick: yeah there's definitely a lot more Yeah, you have a lot more loyalty to people that you have like one you've already cultivated. um a relationship with and to. Um,
Nick: What are they going to do against you, right? what What options do they have?
Garrett: Yeah, there's not a lot of student loan forgiveness.
Nick: Yeah.
Garrett: And, uh, and, and Kudvala.
Nick: But we could, that's a good segue for us to start talking about the specific relationship between masters and apprentices.
Garrett: Indeed. indeed
Nick: I know we've talked a little bit about it already.
Garrett: Yeah.
Nick: but Um.
m3rcier: Oh yeah, a lot of that was mixed a lot of it was mixed in These two articles kind of blend together so well. a lot of
Nick: They really do.
m3rcier: Script had both of them in there.
Nick: Yeah, that went well.
Nick: But yeah, so... um We can just run through some quick... just summarize some of the the rights that we see with the apprentices. Again, like I said, i I was kind of impressed that. They have so many protections because it made it seem. very much that like apprentices were putting this kind of desperation to do whatever it takes.
Nick: um Because... like we get from the story of liana which to Note, Leanna was not listed as one of the mystery arcs.
Nick: So, you know, what does that say about the conclave's relationship with Leanna? Bye.
Nick: Um, Moving on to that. that's That's more just kind of, ooh.
Garrett: Not. Not good.
Nick: Yeah. Not good, right?
Garrett: i I'm gonna say that they're probably like well this i mean first off she's she like takes something and then runs
m3rcier: Also...
Nick: we see We see her again, yeah.
m3rcier: Yeah, she took a legacy. from a depository they didn't know about and it was also labeled do not take so
Garrett: Yeah, Polinor worked really hard on that.
m3rcier: They would probably prefer her to be dead to take it back.
Nick: Yeah. So, and well, I'm just curious to be like. Um, if the conclave finds any interest in studying karma mock or kind of what's been going on with her. um You know, it's one thing to say she did a crazy experiment. It's another thing to say, is this something we can learn from?
Nick: Now that it's already done. But. ah Yeah, so apprentices have... uh some rights in guinvala they are not full citizens but they are tentative citizens. They could be citizens.
Nick: Uh, And so they actually have some. Um, Some legal recourse for. uh Actions. that happened. in their time there during their apprenticeship.
Nick: Um, That even notes that like. This is important because... of the other rights that how often they are violated by their masters it's important that they actually have some kind of legal recourse.
Nick: Um, to hold their masters responsible.
Garrett: Yeah, I'm sure they love going to the council of Nexi and complaining. I'm sure it looks really good on their record
Nick: Oh, yeah. Well, and that's...
Garrett: i bet I bet they are run there all the time.
Nick: Yeah. Um, But exactly. That's why it's like, you know, hey. In an in event of an emergency, you can say, hey, this master is... really doing some bad things to us.
Nick: Somebody needs to intervene.
Garrett: that's it Don't worry, there will be no reprisals. This survey is anonymous.
m3rcier: if
Nick: This is already... Exactly.
m3rcier: but But you have to fill it out in person in front of your own master.
Garrett: yeah he's got it He has to turn it in for you.
m3rcier: But it's anonymous.
Nick: He has to sign it off, yeah. ah Yeah. Um, But yeah, so... The apprentices have that. ah The master is also responsible for providing the knowledge and training.
Nick: ah to the apprenticeship. So you can't just... make your apprentices do all of your chores and basically be your slaves. Like you have. to actually provide them the education with which they are preparing themselves to to face the gaze of Moloch.
Nick: Right. That seems pretty self -explanatory, but like. Again, you've got to have that kind of stuff in them in writing.
Garrett: Yeah, and I'm sure like the the the contract is basically, you know, the master can't do all the work himself So. You know, he's got to hook his apprentice up.
Garrett: so that the apprentice does a good job, so that the master does a good job. It's like any professional relationship where you have like a trainee or apprentice. Because they're like the apprentice is a direct reflection of. whatever the master is doing.
Nick: Right. Yeah. if you If all of your apprentices keep failing, what does it say about you?
Garrett: Says you're not getting that sweet title.
m3rcier: Nothing. They were just horrible.
Nick: They're just hit there're all bad. All the time. Every apprentice I've had has just been terrible. It's like, hmm.
Garrett: Okay.
Nick: Yeah. Rate your professor.
m3rcier: They're not very they don't know how to use the live stream correctly. It's their own fault.
Garrett: What?
m3rcier: Ignore the fact I may not have taught them how. That's irrelevant.
Garrett: Amen. but in it but in turn the the apprentice has like uh
Garrett: as a strict set of responsibilities too, right? Obviously, like... They got to obey. and do what the master says, except for, like we said, if it might end up in their death.
Garrett: which is very... Um... you could do a lot of luring around that because like oh i didn't know it happened Um, And then, like, they gotta keep they're signing NDAs. All right, they got to keep their secrets.
Garrett: because you're definitely going to die. uh if you share these secrets and somebody finds out but like as we all know these guys are definitely black marketing these secrets around. Cause that's just what.
Garrett: people do.
Nick: yeah whenever you create this kind of environment It's similar to what we talked about with the Legion, like with the court.
Garrett: Mhm.
Nick: Where there's there is a social game that's being played. And even if the... the laws of the land. say that you shouldn't have secrets and you cannot trade secrets around it doesn't mean that's not a primary method of of extortion and you know ah and Basically just espionage.
Garrett: And then what Alan and I were...
m3rcier: I mean I'm looking at this. this
Garrett: Oh, sorry.
m3rcier: I was gonna say I'm looking at this last line uh but of the responsibilities and then a thought just popped into my head when I read it. So before we get to that, say what you were going to say.
Garrett: Oh, um then I was going to say. uh like you and i were talking about earlier uh if they try to hide like some sweet creation they did And the master finds out. of the apprentice and loses all credit and rights.
Garrett: to this thing they made.
m3rcier: So definitely definitely give your boss some credit. but ah Okay, so the last line, I just thought about this. it's an apprentice owes compensation for the time effort and action spent on their training This compensation is not due until they themselves become a master.
m3rcier: so If you're good enough. and you can tolerate it Stay an apprentice. Until your master dies. and then go do your trials, and then you're not indebted to the bastard.
Garrett: oh listen i'm sure they've got that figured out um that loophole is definitely closed
Nick: There's got to be something. Okay.
Garrett: But this is actually another reason why your master wants to do a good job. Because the master wants to get their money back.
m3rcier: Yeah.
Garrett: ah So.
m3rcier: I want to get paid back.
Garrett: if If their students never become masters, they're just always losing money. because like if you have graduated apprentices into masters you've got a You've got a sweet subscription model there.
Garrett: where they're going to be paying you monthly. for for a really long time.
Nick: Yeah. And um it's it's interesting, too, because. ah you know this article this Even though it was a short article, it really helps you kind of frame the process. that all this kind of debt and Leastrum.
Nick: is handled. uh because we And we kind of we kind of assumed this before, but like... you know it's It's written that all masters have a... right to draw.
Nick: a quota of last term directly from the Moloch Oracle. And it even says like in practice it's assistance. of the keeper that actually do it master doesn't actually have to go to the oracle and pull it himself he just goes hey i need X amount of Leastrum.
Nick: But then he's responsible for like giving that out to his apprentices so that they can do their own projects, work on their own things, learn how to use it. And then. that creates the debt right because then they owe it back to their master so that when they become masters and they can start pulling their only astrum they can give a portion of all the last one they pull ends up going back to their former master etc.
Nick: But you also have... Like. this, yeah, this full economy of Leastrum. Dealing. that creates. Aye. Like, almost a hamster wheel.
Nick: Of.
m3rcier: Ponzi scheme. That's exactly what it is.
Nick: Yeah, like, exactly. like
m3rcier: pyramid scheme.
Nick: Because you are indebted to your master. And then you also take on apprentices that you have to then supply Leastrum. Uh, and then
m3rcier: Yep.
Nick: you know so you go out so you yeah exactly it's a pyramid scheme where um The higher up you can get to the the point, the fewer people above you and below you you have to keep paying out.
Garrett: yeah it's amazing i like this a lot in fact another good another good you should
Nick: Yeah.
m3rcier: Yeah, and then...
Garrett: This is it. Yeah. If I was going to create a sphere, It would be ah a same day. Leastrum Advanced Sphere.
Nick: Oh my God.
Garrett: where For only a hundred and eighty percent interest and in last room I'll give you same day Leastrum Balls. Um, What a deal. i You could get so many apprentices on that.
Garrett: It'd be amazing.
Nick: Oh, my God.
m3rcier: But uh Masters can.
Nick: We're already.
m3rcier: uh and this is another way that it makes it into a pyramid is because the masters Only the masters have the right to apply. I petitioned a council for more funds, so Morley -Eyestrom.
m3rcier: for their projects It only takes one member of the council to approve your project for you to get the funding. But in doing so... the one two three four or five however many of the council members that approve it become your benefactor And you owe part of whatever profits you make to those guys.
m3rcier: So the Nexi of the Council, so the Council of Nexi themselves, They enriched themselves by being on the council. uh, also forgetting.
Nick: all right so so garrett Garrett, Alan and I are are members of the council, and you are a master.
m3rcier: Yeah.
Nick: Approach approach the shark tank with your your same -day Leastrum. sphere project.
Garrett: I'm just trying to create an environment where students feel comfortable. getting Morley Astrum to further their education.
m3rcier: How much money can I make on this?
Garrett: A lot. a ton. actually. so much.
Nick: i'll give I'll give you $100 ,000 for 20 % stake.
m3rcier: Where's the data?
Garrett: ah Deal. It's sold, man. It's like, it is i can't believe I can't believe there's enough legastrum in the sphere.
Nick: I'm fine.
Garrett: The moloch. ah to fund all this stuff.
Nick: Yeah.
Garrett: cause like I know, we keep talking about everybody gets their cut of Leastrum. But like. we've we're like 10 levels deep at this point because we've got like The main masters.
Garrett: and then the like And I'm sure...
m3rcier: On support.
Garrett: the more master you are.
m3rcier: Hi, Wadi. the uh the golden silver
Garrett: the more Oh, that's going to be good.
m3rcier: Things where you can like hey, I want that silver coin. It's worth two gallons of last room but i don't need the last room right now that's probably why they had to have a hybrid system now because they probably
Garrett: Oh you know what? You know what?
m3rcier: Nothing.
Garrett: It's... It's 19. 29. in Quidvala. and everyone's ready to exchange their paper certificates for gold bars, and there's no gold to bank.
Garrett: the
m3rcier: Yep.
Nick: It could happen.
m3rcier: oh I mean, I...
Garrett: There's gonna be there's gonna be a run on the sphere
Nick: Let's run in the sphere.
m3rcier: ah we we We know the sphere, or we know the oracle is not fully functional, and a certain Polonor is looking into that. so That could be what they're trying to prevent.
Garrett: Yeah, he should like share that information, right?
m3rcier: He was told not to.
Garrett: Does anybody else think?
Nick: no No, because if he starts if he starts telling people...
Garrett: He should share that.
m3rcier: He's communicating directly with Malik.
Nick: That's how you create the run.
Garrett: Ha ha!
Nick: That's how you start the run is you tell everybody, hey, guys. Hey guys, you need to sell. It's company it's about to be banned. You need to sell.
Garrett: That's even better. Oh my gosh. The conclave is on the edge of absolute collapse.
Nick: Ugh. At all times. But simultaneously.
m3rcier: you
Nick: It won't. As long as people... Don't think it will.
Garrett: As long as they don't. Oh no.
m3rcier: don't look at it too hard and it'll stay standing guys just don't look
Nick: Exactly. Exactly. Oh, it's fun.
m3rcier: All right. Are you ready for our next segment?
Garrett: uh do it hit it hit it
m3rcier: Alright, alright.
Garrett: That is wonderful. It's almost like it was happening live.
m3rcier: all right all right so this this week's uh community spotlight is going to be our friend
Garrett: ah
m3rcier: Bruno. and his maledicted YouTube channel. ah He is a playtester, one. but he's also a competitive player within the community.
m3rcier: On his YouTube, he does battle reports. He goes over competitive play strategies, tactics, and deck building. very much like our friends at Critical Graze, except for in YouTube format with video.
m3rcier: and also like the Seekers of Malediction. As of the day we're recording this, on August 23rd, he just released his reinforcement pack review. So go go check that out if you haven't. But again, you This one's going to air in seven days, so the product will actually be out.
m3rcier: by then. So but that is our spotlight Bruno he is ah I've had a couple games with him, and he has kicked my butt every time.
Garrett: Yeah, he is very skilled Yeah, again, huge shout out to Maledicted on YouTube. yeah These are just great things that these guys put these ah so much like love and effort into these.
Garrett: this stuff just to make you better at the game. ah So that's awesome of him. Thank you. Thank you, Bruno. Alright.
Nick: Yeah, i'm I'm always happy to see anybody who wants to talk competitive deck building and strategy because... um you know I like the game and everything, but I don't want a people coming to me.
Nick: For advice.
Garrett: of it the ah The focus is like the grind and focus to stay on one game. and you know, constantly be beyond the cutting edge of meta. and and focusing on, you know, the next combo.
Nick: mm -hmm
Garrett: that's It's a lot of effort.
Nick: So we salute you.
Garrett: All right, we got a Vince Allen.
m3rcier: Like, um... Just to meet us. Yeah, we got events. We need a little jingle for events too, but we'll we'll get that in time.
Garrett: That's Nick's department now.
m3rcier: of
Nick: I'll come up with something for next time.
m3rcier: I do have, I'm going to put together the jingle for the the Coasters of Gold when we you know start raiding some cards. uh i'm gonna put together that jingle since i have all the info now i reached out to some of our Armada cohorts who still knew what that jingle was and they gave me all the details So events our first one is going to be the trials of the everlasting for September
m3rcier: It will start on September 6th and go to September 26th. Three rounds clash. Same as we typically have every month. But after September, we start to get into...
m3rcier: travel season, holiday season. Uh, So I'm going to shift gears and do something that... a number of people in the community have expressed interest in. And from October 4th. to November 7th.
m3rcier: That should be five weeks. We're going to do the online. annual championship it'll be five swiss rounds uh the winner we'll get fifty dollars worth of online store credits to the malediction shop And then the other...
m3rcier: You know, maybe the top four get something. Haven't worked all that out yet, but the winner will get $50 in store credit.
Garrett: Perhaps.
m3rcier: for that and i'm going to call
Garrett: Perhaps we could we could do credit. To another. Another store perhaps we'll talk about it
m3rcier: Another shot.
Nick: Another store, another online store.
Garrett: Maybe.
m3rcier: Yeah, mean we need to talk to that proprietor, but I'm sure we can work something out
Nick: I don't know I've heard he's a jerk.
Garrett: A real stickler.
m3rcier: Right? I'm going to call that the Veloma Grand Championship. pulling some of the lore in there uh from our first seeker in the town named after her And then we have on September 5th, so coming up soon.
m3rcier: The first Conclave tournament. Harold toxic spunk is running that it's a clash. This is gonna be in the New Jersey area I believe our very own community manager Jason will be at this one too.
m3rcier: So go give him a shout out. and meet him and then play some malediction. on September 13th in Temple, Texas.
m3rcier: Our Austin Herald, Sikath, will be doing learn -to -plays at MillenniumCon.
m3rcier: And then September 19th, Harold Kavadra. will be running Tournament at the Forge in Chaska, Minnesota. It's a clash event. And then September 26th, I will be running.
m3rcier: Warzone Houston, it is a Clash event. So those are the ones I'm aware of. did do Not as much digging this week as I normally do trying to. trying to find stuff, but we're also kind of in that interim period between one.
m3rcier: Play network event system in the new one. So I know myself, I've slacked off. I'm putting stuff on it. and focus more on the long shanks or social media waiting for the new system. but Those are our events.
Garrett: Fantastic. Thank you. Well, I think that wraps up our episode, guys. ah Unless you have something different to say. Speak once twice. Okay, you're done. All right. I think Garrett
m3rcier: A bit out.
Nick: And I have been Nick.
Garrett: Amazing. Goodbye.
m3rcier: Bye.
