Liadan - Unbegotten Dreamer
Normal theme: https://youtu.be/8wYB59azxB8
Ascendant: https://youtu.be/p0NwyFbckEA
Synopsis
Rhucupre has a point, it is just her exact implementation of it that is likely to bring the worst kind of apocalypse. But breaking the barrier between dream and reality, isn't it basically what Elder Gods want? The dreams are part of divinity after all. I just need to purify those that leaked out into the world a bit.
So, after a childhood filled with conversations about the nature of reality (pairing up One and Rhucupre is the best) I am going for the source of corruption - that damn chair. Others may handle Charlie by themselves, I am shutting down the nightmare factory or at least repurposing it for my own ends. Get rid of Jdan, impersonate him so other Outsiders don't go after me and do a few rounds of aborted futures, then go back to the beginning and render it safe. No Vtorusha this time.
As soon as it becomes more trouble than it is worth, I just ditch the throne and venture into the Underground with my companions to find the Fifth grave, study nightmare and work on collapsing reality the proper way.
Using Charlie's power to calculate how exactly I need to break reality for it to drown in pure dream seems especially fitting. We will return wonder to its proper place, with interest.
Initial Choices
Patron God: 0^0 - having the Megabitch herself as my patron could lead to some issues, but I am not planning to meet her personally and it allows me to steal from her with impunity.
Reincarnation: Outer Tide, Halfbreed -2D/A, Adoption x2 -2D, Dice Fudge (-2A), Untimeskip(Dirk, Mlada) -4D, Extra Companion x3 -6D/-3A, Extra Mentor -1D/-2A, Malice (Jdan - Sha).
Parents
Mother: Phershepa-from-Erebus (Her'v') +1A; Father: Aat - Phershepa just throwing me somewhere into a ditch seem completely in character and she provides Warmachina Mounting, which is crucial for me. Her other genes are extremely inconvenient though
Adopted: Rhucuphre (Yat) -5D, One -1D/-1A - One immediately fishes me out of there and soon meets a completely inconspicous elf lady with a remarkably deep knowledge of the whole situation. Honestly, most of the build was spawned by the idea of getting these two into one household for a decade+-. Their discussions of everything and a contrast in their teachings bound to be extremely insightful and I hope both of them manage to find some common ground. Even if I am going to follow Rhucuphre's general idea of plunging the world into a dream, this doesn't mean the plan can't be improved upon or taken in a new direction. One is exactly the kind of guy to bring a new perspective to someone like her.
Origins
Race: Majin/Morganic (Shta - Allows to hide Meaning and forces others to misunderstand them) +2D/+3A - rolled for the letter, picked the spell. Seems appropriate and hides me from Charlie better. Combined with my mentors could actually allow to somewhat evade All-Glimpse, which is invaluable.
Languages: Everman +3D, Late Thulean, Benewhisper +4D, Duergar -2D/+5A, Drakonian/High Elven (Quitened) +5D, Tutored Everman x2 -2D
Location: City State of Dis - the best place to get a hands on experience with the Nightmare, quite liberal on the unconventional magic front and may allow me to meet Thaumiel without being fated to. Doubt that I could score an apprenticeship with her a normal way, but there is no harm in trying to get some pointers if mother is reluctant to teach me.
Gifts and Curses
Misalliance(Phershepa) +4A - losing the Look of Chaos is unfortunate, yet her other gifts are better used elsewhere.
Bitter Sickness +4A - normally it is an extremely debilitating and unpleasant drawback. With Eternal Curse preventing any actual feeling of my body rotting from the inside and visual changes it is just a lack of endurance coupled with perpetual foul mood. Way more bearable if still undortunate.
Wereplague (Butterfly) +2A - the first level is almost free points at the cost of a minor inconvenience. The second is a suicide with my gifts, so we are not going there.
Dream Passage x3 -3A, Autoantecendence -5A -an ability to physically enter even immaterial dreams and a growing control over the dream the longer I interact with it. Since it costs 6 points while All-Glimpse is 5 I find it fitting.
Warmachina Mounting - is extremely important to activate the throne and to use Tempo-Acaena's Warmachine. I am already good at manipulating dreams by myself, what can be achieved with a proper tool for it and Brastat's upgrades?
Intelligence, Cognitive Speed, Wisdom, Memory Retention -2A, Spiritual Feel -2A, Caster Intuition -2A, Attentiveness -2A - a general intelligence package, must have for a reclusive researcher.
Multiocular O -3A, Starsight x1 -2A, Sight Beyond Sight x2 -6A, Overflowing Pupil -4A, Inner Vision x2 -2A - a ton of eyes for every occasion, the main star is a combination of Overflowing Pupil and Sight Beyond to tremendously expand my reach. With Upunth teachings to always sleep and always stay awake I will constantly expand my field of vision and can deploy an avatar anywhere in it. With Ielziaseh's teachings to customize this avatar the possibilities are literally endless. Impersonating people at perfect moments, accessing completely secure areas without resistance, arranging several meetings at the different ends of the continent at the same day, going about my business while safely hidden in a dream and so much more.
Starsight is good for rapid learning and accessing every single secret archive in combination with Sight Beyond, while Inner Vision is a must for contending with my ilnesses, managing Eternal Curse, experimental research and not dying to Azure Wreath. The second level can sometimes substitute for All-Glimpse when interacting with other people, even if it is obviously inferior. Though, come to think of it, Inner Vision x2 + Starsight allows to perfectly understand every single magical text a touched person have ever read, given enough time. Even All-Glimpse can't do that.
Daemonhost - remember how I can be anywhere at any time? Well, my demons can do it too! Creating agents right where I need them is invaluable, especially since I can also help them with cover identities (Ielziaseh is a gift that keeps on giving). Hard to overestimate how valuable it is for creating an information nerwork and projecting power. With enough time and preparation I could even replicate Maou's guerilla campaign at all continents simulataneously. I am not going to, but it is nice to have an option.
Azure Wreath -2A - going all in on self modification and conscious control of internal processes. Eternal Curse forces all dark elves in this direction, I see no reason not to take it further. More control over dreams and tools to fight my curses are always nice.
Ethereal Beauty -1A - it is cheap, makes sure the Bitter Sickness doesn't show and makes life way easier in a lot of small ways.
Mentors
Mlada -2D (Glagoli - Zemlya -1D) - getting her teachings with Untimeskip is crucial to properly ferreting out Rhucupre's secrets. Mlada teaches both mundane insight and copying of observed Meaning, letting me learn a little more than my mother would be willing to share. The talent to copy magical disciplines is simply amazing when paired with my panopticon from Sight Beyond Sight and an Inner Vision trick. Thanks to her several other people from Mentor list will also share their secrets with me without even knowing about it. Her letter is quite unfortunate, so I need to make sure she prepares a 'become force ghost' contingency by herself before fate saddles her with something Savmak-style.
Spako -1D - I really like an idea of a knowledgeable and witty spirit advisor to contrast a constantly grumpy from Bitter Sickness dark elf sorceress. And she is incredibly useful too. My main method of doing anything is covert operations with stealth magic, and Spako knows all about it. Moreover, she knows where I can obtain more of it to copy for my own use, while running circles around the competition. And she is already dead, so no more deathslots!
Dirk (Upunth,0^0)(Shta) - Untimeskip -5D - several birds with one stone. Stealing Charlie's secrets without her knowledge is always good and getting those crucial dreaming/planning skills as soon as possible will allow me to survive encounters without too much losses. What is even more important, it will hopefully give me enough insight to establish rapport with Rhucuphre. She is not fated to teach me anything so I'll need to make a good case for myself. Shta to make Dirk's teachings closer to proper standards.
Ielziaseh -4D (Iotated Lesser Yus - Yee -1D) - ultimate disguises, unconventional story manipulation and a completely insane self-made changeling friend in one package. I am going to change faces as regularly as she, so we will probably bond over the appreciation of the art. Her letters are my favorite part, because she is fated to reincarnate into two beings simultaneously while still retaining her memory and personality. Two times more roles and with two new perspectives! Any other person would punch me for this, but I suspect she'll love it.
Companions
Baf -1D (Iotated Greater Yus - Zhivete) - a pleasant companion who is fated (by me) to absorb Xian's remnant and still remain herself. Even her base ability synergises with my eyes wonderfully, since I can borrow her perspective and she can borrow mine, but having a rough equivalent of the first Demon Lord in my corner is no joke. Either I'll convince her to align with my interpretation of Pandaemonium or she will propose some new solution, but as long as we work together even Ecumene doesn't look so threatening.
Future
A Bridge, A Toll, A Troll +2D/A - I have the ultimate technique for this encounter, it is called running away. Thaumiel can deal with the consequences.
A Score of Orcs +2A/+1D - now this is extremely difficult to live through without consequences. I am counting on timeskipped Charlie/Upunth teachings to pull me through.
A Band of Ogres +2D/+1A - following and attacking even a platoon of ogres is way easier when you can do it from a distance again and again. As long as I don't exhaust myself too fast I can at least distract them long enough for several purpose-built Majin to save the captives.
Hobgoblin +1D/+1A -somehow the most dangerous encounter, especially with orcs included. I'll try to trigger it by only travelling at winter through the Overflowing Eye, but if fate forces me to do it properly it can get very tough.
A Pack of Goblins +1A - on the contrary, the easiest encounter to sidestep. Enter a dungeon with Overflowing Eye, see the goblins, 'log out'.
Let The Purgation Begin - Ielziaseh - seems fitting to meet her amidst a total chaos and it seems like an intense enough bonding experience to get through even to her. A chance for a cure is also nice, though I am unlikely to utilize it properly.
Things That Shouldn't Be - Spako - I am trapped in the eldritch dungeon, there are orcs somewhere nearby and my savior is an immaterial ghost, who physically can't open the door. Yes, I like to live dangerously, why do you ask? Still a good opportunity to get some interesting things out of it and meet my spirit advisor early on. Didn't have enough points left for Never Alone, so would have to take a risk for it.
Upward Spiral - Baf - again, saving someone's life is a good foundation for a long and enduring relationship, even if she is likely to realize it was not completely genuine after getting Aat's memory. Also, all other encounters were even less fitting to her.
Remember About Death - Mlada - a thoughtful conversation interrupted by murdering some orcs (yes, those bastards are present in ALL homeland encounters) is a good start of a research partnership between two badass mages.
Breaking and Entering - Dirk - he needs to get to Dis somehow, might as well use a portal.
Remember the Demon - Mlada - a good position within Daemonhunt and an opportunity to get rid of troublesome leaders? Yes, please!
Crown Into the Gutter (Jdan) - Ielziaseh - I really need Jdan out of the way to get full access to Vtorusha's legacy, so I am stacjing the deck as much as possible. A mission, a letter making him fated to be killed by me from Malice, exploiting the fact that his visions of the future are dreams and I happen to be an expert on the matter - I need every advantage and then some to take out a person with foreknowledge. Still sounds doable, the main problem is to do it cleanly enough and deal with his contingencies.
Letter:Kako - it is the worse Yat, that is very painful and can be triggered by others. Sadly, I've spent Yat on Rhucupre, because giving her a latter she already knows how to avoid seems like the best way to not tank the relationship from the start. Hope she can share the method to avoid it.
Youth:
Magical Training - absolutely mandatory.
Pandaemonium, Daemonhunt - playing both sides from the start is way easier when fate ordains your success, gives me time to learn doing this on my own. Will also help with getting closer to Darina Tempo-Achaena to find out where her Warmachina was lost.
Theology - my parents are two premier experts on everything divine and adjacent, seems foolish not to learn from them.
Quest: Fundamentum - the country is just a tool to reach the real objective, yet it is still the most fitting quest.
Interactions

1)Iconic Prince (https://archive.4plebs.org/tg/thread/96473313/#96477816): I am glad that he is here and horrified with his expected lifespan. Most likely, I would find out about his existence quite late, since he is hiding from the Regency and takes the place of a character implied to exist canonically. Still, Massacre at Midnight and especially On The Edge would be a warning enough to investigate him thoroughly, even try to befriend in a cover identity. I want the Empire to fight Ecumene as long as possible after all, so helping him with information and procuring hard to get items serves my goals quite well. Would be fun to play a slightly too well informed mysterious character, occasionaly helping the hero on his journey.
If I ever find out about him taking Nilmatrix before the event happens, my priorities rapidly shift. Direct contacts would be reduced to minimum, he and his every contact get placed under constant survelliance, background checks for every person who spoke to him at least twice. I can't prevent Shadow of God from happening, but I can find Nilmatrix myself and be prepared. Projects are paused, favors are burned - this is all hands on deck situation. As soon as she reveals herself, I teleport a rapid response group of purpose-built majin right on her head and enter the fight myself. No one gets to enact their schemes on my backyard. Thanks to Charlie for sharing all the information required to turn the tables of her own volition.

2)Led (https://archive.4plebs.org/tg/thread/96454608/#96458991): This one is difficult. While my character in the CYOA would tear hair out of her head upon founding out about Led, I find it immensely funny that our Pandaemoniummax and Daemonhuntmax builds happened to meet on the same world. What a glorious story about rivalry!
She would probably be the first Outsider I find, just because I also wanted to enlist in the Daemonhunt. Not hearing about our own Demon Lord, tutored personally from birth by Leimeie would be practically impossible. Sadly, we would rarely interact directly (I like living and my Letter is very dangerous in this situation), but I would try to hinder the empowerment of the organisation as a whole at every opportunity. Eroding their independence and trying to make the Empire forcibly redirect focus of hunter's attention to Ecumene also sounds like a good play.
After years of this we are fated to finally meet when going for the Demon Lord Tun, where I planned to use this chance to leave the organisation headless. We are also both fated to survive it with our mentors and this encounter is the last for each of us, no more protection from Letters. Only her Letter is Vedi, she is still immortal for a century. My Letter is Kako.
chuckles
I am in danger.

3)Liriel, The Veilbreaker (https://archive.4plebs.org/tg/thread/96447166/#96451577): Chill elven hermit, who is going to leave for Orthrung at the first opportunity. We will definitely meet sooner or later, because I am not going to give up in my search for Eirina and bound to hear something about Liriel's plans in the process. I actually quite like her idea. Sure, if everything works out with my plan it becomes redundant, but it can take a long time. And I may die in the process, without ever reaching that goal. It would be nice to have restored Orthrung as a half-lving half-dreaming world after that to retire to.
I would like to establish a research partnership with her, since our subjects of interest are quite close in nature. Orthrung is quite far away, but as soon as I manage to establish a manifestation spot there for Overflowing Eye we will have an opportunity to meet regularly. If we join our forces, either Orthrung reclamation or Underground reclamation is bound to work out, right?

4)Paxtinger, The Dragon God (https://archive.4plebs.org/tg/thread/96497495/#96503070): He is extremely noticeable, so, ironically, is the most manageable precisely due to his ambitions. As soon as I learn of Paxxia having a brother and their similar worldview, I am going to 'help' him. Encourahing Ecumene officials on Tsoshu to fully engage him instead of ignoring the border skirmishes should be quite doable, even more so after he actually initiates the full scale invasion. The goal is to never allow the Dragon Realm to get distracted and start being my trouble on Doria.
Our intersecting plans on Erginter's corpse are concerning, but a conquering dragon army is hardly subtle. Even if I don't get Baf there before the war starts, I'll have enough warning to rush there as soon as possible and use the opening to complete the transfer. Baf's death letter should help me in this tremendously, this is still the path of least resistance for it to get fulfilled.
As long as the situation doesn't deteriorate into a war between the Realm and the Empire, his presence is a huge benefit. I just need to use several disposable majin to test the effect of his eyes through dreams and Overflowing Eye. If the damage doesn't get transferred, it means business as usual. If it does - just need to use more intermediaries, no great loss.

List of people to find and pirate skills from (just for fun)
Vital priority:
- Sigard - phoenixation is incredibly rare and he is a master of it. I'll be stalking him like the most devoted yandere if it teaches me to cheat Death Slots.
- Opoia - she is relatively easy to find, with her charity works combined with political entanglements, and even easier to copy from, since I just need to copy an information about her one encounter with Antitexts. And just like that I open up new and exclusive types of magic for myself.
- Eirina of the Orthrung - Numerology is vital to proper operations within Ecumene and is somehow connected with dreams, if Esu is any indication. She is hard to find and a companion of another Outsider, but needs must.
- Caeda of the Doria - uniquely potent teleportation in a world with very primitive modes of travel. Even more important for various skulduggery and getting to other people on my list faster, without sacrificing too much time.
- Jarnigit, Everyone's Doch - searching for her in the Underground would be a massive headache that is still going to be worth it. Miracles to live amidst nightmares and cleanse them, knowledge about the current state of the underworld, the coordinates of the tomb of the Fifth - I am not in a hurry to get any of these things, yet I'll still need them eventually. As soon as I am proficient enough with the Demonhost custom built search parties will start looking for her in the tunnels. Hopefully, they'll find success faster than The Longest March. She is bound to maintain contact with someone, right?
High Priority:
- Thaumiel - very useful specialisation, very high risk. We live in the same city though, so I most likely will get an opportunity to glean something.
- Evdokia/Esu - both have an extremely potent form of innate dream control that would be invaluable for my plans. Both are created artificially. Time for mad science!
- Taexx - master of medicinal magic, extremely useful for a dark elf with several curses, even more useful with Azure Wreath and Inner Vision. Would be way higher on the list if he didn't live so far away.
- Feodwra - no one is prepared for chronomancy and it very much includes me. Need to fix it as soon as practical. Sadly, she is even harder to find than Eirina.
- Natalja - antimagic and manipulation of probabilities. I'd rather play to may strengthes in classical magic and dreams, yet Tsifra is too useful to ignore. Should work well with my stolen Word of God. One of the people I really would like to try and befriend.
- Du'um - exchanging experiences with a fellow researcher is always nice and Du'um is very distinctive, tracking them should be easier than most.
- The Keter - she has survived a direct clash with 0^0 without fate protection, this alone is worth studying. The fact that she managed it with 0^0 as her patron is even more impressive, so I would try to gleam some insights. Also, another Outsider who I can just talk with, would be good for both of us. The problem is to find her.
Would be nice to:
- Ota -her gift has some similarities with my own, so there could be some useful insights.
- Shael of the Orthrung - some people in Pandaemonium should know where to find her and she may have some useful insights into dreams.
- Ruzhana - she lives relatively nearby and knows a lot about Old Throne magic. Not unique enough to seek out specifically, but could be useful.
- Thallan of the Orthrung - useful scouting spells, survival magic and a lot of knowledge about the current state of the Underground.
- Afanasiy Sauromat - don't know what exactly I can find in his head, but sounds promising.
- Zlata - good for not dying in direct combat, still should try to make it the last possible resort.
- Leimeie - oh this sweet smell of forbidden demonic knowledge... Too bad it is heavily guarded, including by another Outsider.
- Herleva - if I have a chance - great, otherwise no big loss.
- Izbor - I'll copy his notes eventually.
- Tamura - knowing how to safeguard my friends from her methods would be nice.
I REALLY shouldn't, but:
- Darina Tempo-Achaena - she knows where to search for dreamshaping Warmachina and was killing nightmares longer than my birth city has been standing. Problem is, her entire existance is dedicated to killing people like me. She also can easily pursue me into dreams, it may even be preferable to her. I am still going to risk it while protected by fate, the potential payoff is too great.
- Inga Yesod - she did what I am planning to do before me and better, her magical knowledge is almost unmatched and learning from her the normal way is not an option. Still, several liches can confirm that trying to use Inga Yesod is a terrible idea.