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Chapter the Sixty Sixth: The City That Bore the Wrath of an Evil Most Ancient
Although I was given plenty of strange looks by my companions on our way out of Tulla, after only a day's travel they had all but forgotten my 'odd behavior' before we left. I was all too happy to let them forget about it, too. I didn't very much like the idea that I'd just dreamed up an encounter with an ancient, omniscient ghost that had been waiting for me since his death. I shuddered a bit as I thought of it.
The wastes seemed to grow abnormally flat as we neared the location I had fixed in my mind. Even from half a day's journey away I could see the massive heaps of metal on the horizon and I knew that Pelojian hadn't lead me wrong, dream or no. The scars of the land were unnerving to say the least, especially considering they'd been made over two thousand years prior. If Arronax can do THIS... how am I possibly supposed to stand up to him? I glanced at my shield hesitantly, inwardly cringing at the thought of trying to deflect such a far-reaching attack with my rudimentary device. No, if Vendigroth couldn't stop it... there's no way that I could. I just have to hope he's afraid of the device... I must get my hands on the device.
"Are you all right, Samantha?" Virgil placed his hand comfortingly on my shoulder. "Do you want to take a rest for awhile?"
I shook my head and patted his hand gently, "No, that's all right. I'm fine, really. I was just thinking about Arronax is all."
Vollinger aimed his rifle off into the distance and fired it, and I could even see it hit something just at the bare edge of my sight. "Let us worry about him when the time comes, Samantha. Our attention is needed in the present." I saw a herd of spiders stalking outward towards us and realized that he was quite right.
Franklin's and Sebastian's guns rang out shortly after Vollinger's, taking two more spiders along with them. I wasn't one to simply wait around for them to protect me, however. I dashed forward, axe in hand, meeting the spiders amidst a copse of dead trees. They skittered about menacingly, trying in vain to strike at my legs. Even in my clumsy old dress I was still too fast for them.
A volley of bullets went whizzing past me, tearing apart two more of the horrible spiders. I brought my axe down on the few that remained, chopping off several of their spindly little limbs with each strike. It only took a few strikes before the spiders surrounding me stopped moving completely. I glanced at Vollinger with a wink, "So I was saying about Arronax..."
He merely chuckled, shaking his head and wiping off the barrel of his rifle with his handkerchief. "I do believe that discussion can at least wait until we've recovered the Vendigroth device, can it not? We've got ruins to explore."
I glanced around more thoroughly, noticing the massive structure of metal not too far from where I was already standing. "Hm. I suppose you're right." He winked at me, then saw to carefully reloading his rifle. I wandered off towards the strange building, careful to avoid stepping in any of the half a dozen holes that littered the ground in front of it.
Just as I neared one, however, a small family of spiders burst out from it violently. I very nearly screamed, but luckily the scream caught in my throat and I avoided making a damned fool of myself. The glowing, green orbs that launched forth from Sebastian's gun took out two of the bastard spiders before I could even get my bearings.
Hmph. Scare ME, will you? I swatted several more spiders with my axe and kept doing so until, once again, no more spiders remained. Carefully, then, I crept towards the next nearest hole, axe in hand, waiting to see if each of the damned things was a den of horror. Once more, spiders burst forth, only this time I was ready for them. I wasn't the only one, either.
A burst of gunfire tore through the lot of them the very instant they even dared show their ugly little faces. The single spider that remained did so for only a fraction of a second before my axe split it quite literally in two. I'll teach you buggers to try and ambush me.
Carefully and systematically we continued to eliminate the spiders infesting the remainder of the holes in the ground. Such a heavily and disgustingly guarded entryway didn't bode well for the rest of Vendigroth, but at last I'd cleared the way in. With a heavy sigh I ducked inside of the massive, metal structure and slowly descended the staircase. Each of my footsteps made a hollow, metallic noise as I wound further and further down, the noise echoing off of the ridged, metal walls that ringed the mostly empty chamber. The six of us made quite the racket, and I was sure anything that still lived in this horrible place would now be aware of our presence.
As I set my foot on the dusty, stone floor at the bottom of the staircase I realized that I was standing on what could only be considered a street. Its name was lost to time, the people who walked it all victims of tragedy, yet still the street stood... unmaintained, dusty and dirty in its age, yet as solid as it ever was. Simply amazing... they truly built an underground city, here...
The structure that had been painstakingly carved out underground was a strange mix between an open city like Tarant and an underground, cavernous network of rooms like the Wheel Clan. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before and I walked among it near constantly in awe. Despite its age and abandonment, and near guarantee of infestation by horrible monsters, I felt somehow welcome in its halls. Instead of itching or burning my skin felt soothed and calm, and a feeling deep within my heart urged me to explore further.
I entered a room off to the side of the main road and rummaged around in a heavily stylized wooden chest, decorated lavishly with brass plating and intricately carved into a unique shape. I found several healing salves, obviously old and suffering from reduced potence due to age and neglect. I tried one of them out on a particularly nasty wound I'd received from the spiders, and surprisingly it seemed every bit as effective as one of my normal salves. To think it's decayed so much, and yet still it's every bit as good as what we can make today...
Not wanting to dwell in one place for too long, I shuffled out of the room and explored on the other side of the main road. It seemed to be much wider, almost like an underground park or cafeteria dining room. There were dusty and rotted wooden chairs and tables scattered about. I could almost see the ancient citizens of this grand, underground city, sharing the day's news with each other over a simple cup of tea. I longed to be with them, exchanging the local gossip and marveling in the latest scientific discoveries.
I was shaken from my reverie by the door on the far end of the chamber bursting open quite suddenly. I saw a thick, greenish stalk protrude from the doorway and soon it was followed by another. Then I saw it, a massive spider creature with the upper half of a woman being carried through the door on her spindly little legs. I'd seen creatures like her before, but none even nearly so large... so menacing.
Even as she drew forth a crude bow and began firing arrows at me, each one deflected by the field generated by my chapeau before it could do more than scratch me, a handful of tinier spider creatures skittered beneath her legs and hissed at me violently. Franklin gasped in both horror and delight at the same time, "Good God, you're smellier than a bog howler and twice as ugly!" He raised Old Mary up to eye level, carefully aiming and landing a solid shot into the creature's abdomen. It howled a nigh unearthly screech before shifting its aim and sinking an arrow into Franklin's chain armor.
I shouted at it angrily as I dashed forward with my axe, "Awfully bold for a spider bitch, aren't you? Don't you know you're firing arrows at the great FRANKLIN PAYNE?!" My axe cleaved one of its limbs off in a single strike and a mere two strokes later the creature was slumping to the ground in a sickly pool of greenish white goo. I could hear Terry snarling viciously at my feet as he tore the smaller spiderlings into disgusting little chunks. Ugh... good... good dog...?
Sebastian chuckled darkly, "Now that's my kinda dog! You get 'em, Terry!" He does have a point. I cautiously stepped around the nauseating muck that now coated the nearby floor and walls, exploring into the room beyond. The chamber was wide, for an underground room anyway, but ultimately it dead-ended in what appeared to be a bedroom. The mattress had long rotted off of the sturdy, metal frame of the bed, but it was still a particularly recognizable sight. There was even a tattered and decayed newspaper laying about on the nightstand. I glanced over it curiously, afraid to touch it lest it crumble before I could even read a word.
By god, such an amazing machine they're describing...! ...and there, on the right, they've got such detailed information about the tides! I didn't even know it was possible to foretell such things! Even as I stood above the paper, gawking at it like a slack-jawed simpleton, Vollinger wandered up to me and handed me a rather brittle piece of paper. "I found this sitting on top of a desk over there. It seems like something you might be interested in."
"Thank you, Vollinger," I said, stunned, glancing over the paper he handed to me in awe. It was a schematic of some kind, for a machine the Vendigrothians deemed a 'Vivifier'. ...regenerative capabilities beyond even the most... all physical and mental characteristics... subjects were faster, stronger, smarter and more... "Gods, Vollinger, do you know what this is?! This is a chemical of some kind... it's a wonder drug! The subjects that took this improved in every conceivable way... and the effect didn't wear off! THIS IS AMAZING!"
"Now, now," Franklin chided, "Let's not get carried away, shall we? There are bound to be plenty of unexplained scientific wonders the farther we delve into this spectacular hellhole!" Of course, he was correct. As wonderful as the vivifier was, I was bound to find even more schematics like it, or even better than it, if only I continued onward. I backtracked towards the main road and headed down it until coming to an intersection. It didn't look to lead terribly far down to the left, so instead I went right.
The six of us battled our way furiously through an ever increasing amount of spider creatures, though as of yet there were none more horrifying than that first one. We picked our way through broken windows and rotted doorways, slowly making our way towards a thick, metal grate that loomed on the opposite wall. Eventually we did reach it and I slid it aside, stepping through into the area beyond. I found myself in a small room, not unlike the chambers I'd battled through to reach the grate in the first place, and from just outside the door I heard the solid 'clack clack' of even more spider creatures.
I burst out of the fragile doorway, my axe swinging even before I could see the bastards in front of me. With my ears as my guide I struck a solid blow clear through the spider creature's chest, and it collapsed to the ground with a horrific shriek. Franklin congratulated me quite jovially on my expertise. There was no time to dawdle, and I lurched around the corner with incredible speed to strike at the next creature. It, too, went down in a similar fashion. No matter how horrible the beasts were I could still manage to best them. It only aided my confidence that I had men like Franklin Payne backing me up should I stumble.
My eyes searched the walls and passages carefully as I wandered through several more rooms, each one more rough and cavernous than the last. It seemed like I was now traveling through a much more experimental area of the city. Perhaps it had been carved out as housing for the poor, or using substandard machines. There was still yet another possibility that it was never meant for inhabitance at all, but instead it served as an underground channel for water. Surely the Vendigrothians had the same needs as any other beings on Arcanum, whatever race they might've been. Naturally, I thought of them as human, but I supposed that was every bit as silly as assuming they'd been elves.
I picked up a rather ancient rifle as I continued forward, of a make I very clearly did not recognize. Of course I don't recognize it... I'm not exactly the world's foremost expert on Vendigrothian technology. Actually, perhaps I am now... and if I'm not, I'd bet I soon will be. I picked through various rotted chests and bits of scattered wreckage, scouring for any parts I could find. Even the junk in such an incredible place was now a priceless artifact, lost to time... and evil.
Lying in one chest I found a single, pristine bottle amidst a heap of useless junk, brittle and broken beyond repair. It looked as though it was brand new, and I was immediately impressed by whatever material could avoid the widespread destruction that had befallen Vendigroth and then withstand the rigors of age besides. I placed the bottle in my purse, intending on examining its contents closely at a later date. There are always more wonders to behold.
A shocked gasp escaped my mouth as I cracked open yet another rotted chest and gazed upon the strange part that sat inside. "What the hell is THAT doing here? By the Gods... no... what was it doing on the Isle of Despair...?"
Sebastian clapped me on the shoulder rudely, "What are you going on about, anyway? You look like you saw a ghost." I grabbed the chassis out from the chest and held it up next to his gun purposefully. He gave me an odd look before staring down at it, then looking back up at me with a wholly more shocked look on his face. "What the hell is going on here? Are you trying to tell me that the gun you gave me came from Vendigroth?!"
"I'm not sure," I said quite uncharacteristically honestly. "I made your gun using a rather old looking schematic and a strange part I found on the Isle of Despair... Gods, those were both found amidst strange technological wreckage... it must've been some kind of machinery from Vendigroth..."
As much as I wanted to dwell on that thought, my attention was diverted by yet another spider malevolently creeping around the corner. Almost as quickly as it had showed itself it had been splattered against the nearby wall by a hail of gunfire, but I was getting a better feeling for this place... and I knew it wouldn't be alone.
I could see its friend as soon as I rounded the corner, its limbs wreathed in magickal fire. Bloody hell... I hate fire. I charged forward with my axe, turning at just the last moment to deflect its flaming leg with my shield. The fire on that leg went out as it contacted the electrodes I'd wired to the front of the shield and I grinned at the creature wickedly.
Loosening the grip on my axe for just a moment I focused on pummeling the spider with my shield. It hissed at me violently between each strike, but I refused to be afraid of it. I batted it relentlessly, over and over again, snuffing out the magickal flames with ease. When the last of its limbs were put out I squeezed the handle of my axe firmly and struck out at the spider. It tried to run, but of all things it was actually dizzy from being slapped around by my shield. I put it out of its misery quickly.
Soon enough I came to what appeared to be another main road, although this one was different from the last. I followed it off to one end, although it seemed to cut off rather abruptly where I would've expected it to continue. Backtracking, I made my way to the opposite end of it and found a solid, metal door leading into another network of rooms. Sitting out on top of one of the tables in the first room was another paper.
Of course, the submersible... that's what that wreckage must have been. Gods, how long had it truly been there while still being in such amazing condition? ...and the spiders! It was guarded by spiders! It all makes so much SENSE now! These beasts must have infested Vendigroth even then. I remembered fondly how I first found that wreckage on Shades Beach on the Isle of Despair. I'd seen the name Vendigroth on a schematic at the time, but wrote it off as just some legend or superstition. Little did I know at the time that most legends were true, and superstition was far from paranoid. I'd come a long way since then.
I battled my way furiously through more and more horrible spider creatures, descending further into the ruins of ancient Vendigroth as I navigated another labyrinth of nonsensical rooms. I was sure they'd served some kind of purpose at one point in time, they'd had some reasoning behind their organization. Such knowledge was now lost to time, and defiled by the presence of the horrible, mutant spiders. Hmph. Where's Albert when I need him? I chuckled darkly at that thought.
It seemed like the spiders this deep into the ruins had begun using poisoned arrows against me, much to my dismay. Even though the arrows were entirely less lethal thanks to my chapeau, if they were poisoned than even the minor scratches I suffered could complicate things rather quickly. I made liberal use of the antidote powder I had left, praying that I wouldn't encounter too many more of those particular creatures.
After battling through what seemed like well over a dozen of the bastards I finally came across a second grate. I climbed through it in a similar manner as I had the last one and spied a third paper on the ground. I was fascinated to read the news from this ancient place, looking at it as a window into the heart of the lost people.
Bloody Arronax... what was he thinking...? Oh, how the world would be such a different place today... Vendigroth and Tulla existing side-by-side... no, I dare not even dream of such an idealistic world... if it wasn't Arronax it would've been something else. I sighed longingly, slowly growing more and more unsatisfied with the cruel world I lived in. That such wonders could be so carelessly destroyed... that dear husbands, all but forgotten, could be beaten to death by careless children. Anger rose up inside of me and I pressed forward with hatred in my heart.
Dozens more spider creatures stood in my way, but I refused to back down. Guilt and regret fueled my rage, and my rage fueled my axe. I deflected arrows with my shield and with my axe, storming forward to chop apart anything and everything in my way. It was good that I saw fit to become enraged over what I saw there, for if it weren't for that I may have eventually succumbed to the pain that overtook me.
My wounds grew severe as I chopped apart spider after spider, many of them horrifying mutatants. Despite how commonplace the bizarre mutations were in this city, many more spiders were normal, but just too damned aggressive for their own good. Sometimes my wounds burned with magick, other times with poison. The one certain thing was each time I would pause, even for just a second, a burning feeling followed shortly afterwards. My companions followed me as best they could, but I pressed onward quickly and stubbornly... at times they could barely keep up at all.
I chopped apart another mutant spider standing in the way of a third grate and climbed through the grate unhesitantly. What was once a grand, underground city was reduced to a nigh interminable network of infested hallways. As much as I delighted in the marvels I could find within, I also looked forward to retreiving what I'd came for and getting the hell out.
After chopping apart a few more spiders, the rage inside of me finally ceased, as I no longer had the energy to continue fighting on. "Gods... how much longer can this place really be? I'm sure it was incredible at one point, but now... this is a special hellhole that rivals the Bangellian Deeps!"
Franklin chuckled satisfactorily, "Isn't it fantastic?! I'm so glad I decided to accompany you on this fool's errand! It has been most enjoyable!"
I snorted at him, "So you think it a fool's errand, do you? You don't believe the Vendigroth Device actually exists, even after all the technology we've uncovered here?"
"Quite the opposite!" His confidence was somewhat unnerving, "I'm confident we will retreive the device. After all, you've got the great FRANKLIN PAYNE helping you out! What worries ME is that Arronax fellow. I may be a seasoned adventurer, but I'm not so sure if even I can give a mage like that a run for his money!"
I shook my head, picking up a schematic I noticed lying on a nearby table, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, I suppose. One step at a time, eh?"
"Surely! Say... what's that you have there in your hands?" He peered over my shoulder nosily, though it was hardly the first time.
I sighed, reading the schematic as quickly as I could. It was far from my area of expertise, but I was accustomed to dealing with schematics well above my level of understanding. "It looks to be a design for some rather superior quality war gauntlets... brass knuckles taken to a rather gruesome technological extreme. These parts don't exist, though... if we want to try making these, we'll have to scavenge around for parts. Keep your eyes peeled, would you?"
"Absolutely!" Franklin cheered as happily as ever. "If those parts are to be found, then FRANKLIN PAYNE will find them! We'll be making those gauntlets in no time flat!"
For all of its bluster, Franklin's confidence did inspire more of the same. I was happy for that, at least. Vollinger tapped me gently on the elbow and I looked down at him. "I'll keep my eyes peeled, too. Not much gets past me."
Now that I can believe. "Thanks, Vollinger." In the time it took me to hear and then answer Vollinger, Franklin had already run ahead. Judging by his boisterous shouting from not far down the hall, he'd found something horrifying. I readied my axe and wandered forward to find out exactly what.
There were no less than four of the most horrifying spider creatures in the massive room that the hall let out into. I was still quite wounded from my previous encounters with the bastards and didn't really feel up to fighting against four of them simultaneously. What I did and didn't feel like doing mattered little, however, for they most certainly wanted to pick a fight with me. Their bows fired almost in unison, four arrows poking the skin on my neck like needles before dropping to the ground with a quiet ting.
Old Mary fired issued forth a startlingly loud bang and the first of the spider creatures shrieked in pain, a sickly goo spilling out onto the stony floor beneath. I charged the other nearby creature, content to let the group of skilled gunners I had backing me up take care of the one Franklin had started on.
As I neared, the creature swung a thick, chitinous leg at me, but I chopped the bloody thing off almost as soon as it was in the air. I raised up my shield to protect me from the nauseating goo that spilled forth and chopped off the creature's arm next, not liking one bit the idea of it firing its bow at such a close range. Its shrieks were almost unbearable.
It tried to strike me with another of its legs, but I parried it and quickly countered, slicing deeply into the creature's abdomen. My shield was no longer of any use in protecting me from the snot-like substance that leaked out of the spider creature in copious amounts. I gagged even as I continued fighting. With one final strike, I neatly severed the creature's head, putting an end to the horrible shrieks it let forth, and allowing me the break I needed to quietly spit up the morning's breakfast against the nearby wall. I desperately hoped for a good rain on the journey back to Tulla.
After only a moment to catch my breath, I charged even further into the expansive room in front of me. It was dark, but I didn't need to see when guided by the sound of the spider creatures' hateful cries. Terry darted forward, the only one of my companions that could actually outrun me if he tried, and the strangled shrieks that followed his disappearance suggested he'd found the third spider creature and was taking care of it most brutally. Now I surely pray for rain... Gods, I hope that horrible substance doesn't stain. I like Terry's color the way it is.
Another arrow sailed forth, scratching the very edge of my cheek before being deflected harmlessly. I was getting quite tired of the bastard spider creatures endlessly firing arrows at me. The last remaining creature was in front of me faster than even I expected, staring at me with the same horror that I stared at it. In a fit of desperation it threw its bow at me, but I chopped it into two pieces with my axe.
Unnerved, it turned and tried to skitter away from me. Never turn your back to me... never. My axe had split apart its spidery abdomen almost before it took its first step in the opposite direction. Less than three steps later its rearmost two legs were lying on the ground to either side of it and the pain was too much for it to continue. I leapt on top of its back, no longer caring just how much of the horrid goo I got all over myself, and my last strike cut quite cleanly through the creature's head and all the way down to its front legs.
I paused for only a moment to catch my breath when Terry came running up, covered in what I only wished were a disgusting amount of snot, carrying a sheet of paper gently in his mouth. He set it down in front of me and backed away before shaking a good amount of the substance all over the nearby floor and walls. Reaching down carefully, I brushed bits of the substance off of the piece of paper before picking it up. It looked to be another schematic.
Gods, I even have the parts to make this... ! "Vollinger, I think we're going to need to spend a bit of time in Tarant when we're done here. I could use your expertise in gunsmithy."
He looked up at me with his eyebrow raised curiously. If anything he looked rather pleased, "Is that a fact? I look forward to seeing what we shall create together."
I fixed the schematic to my journal, stuffing it back into my purse to keep it safely out of harm's way. A gun like that would be quite immensely useful when it came time to fight Arronax, and I needed all the help I could get.
Nearby there was yet another strange grate, leading to another section or floor of the endless city. I couldn't even tell anymore if I was going up, down, or sideways, such was the bizarre construction of the grated passages. When I finally reached the other side my mouth dropped open in shock. HERE?! Of all the bloody places to find it, it's HERE?! I nervously read the plaque in front of me.
"I've finally found it," I said aloud, to nobody in particular, "After my long pilgrimmage, I'm finally at the end... I've found Velorien." My voice was slow and stunned as I slowly crept up the staircase onto the altar.
"Well, it's about damned time!" Sebastian grinned. "You've been going on to various altars as long as I've known you, and that's not a short time!" Terry started barking in my direction furiously and growling a low, hateful growl. Sebastian looked at him oddly, "What the hell's gotten into you now? Ease up, killer." He tossed Terry a piece of jerky, but for the first time possibly ever, Terry ignored it.
Franklin looked on at the altar in his usual, fascinated method. "Such fantastic construction! Only the ancients of Vendigroth could have built a splendid altar like this one!" Of course they built it. We're in Vendigroth, after all. "Velorien, I recognize that name... is he not the father of all the pagan gods? It is only fitting his altar would be in such a magnificent place! What a fantastic story this will make!" Franklin always did think of his stories.
I heard Vollinger's ever-quiet voice cautioning me even as I took the final steps towards the top of the staircase, "Do be sure you know what you're doing, Samantha. I'm not sure I like the way this plaque reads."
Virgil's stuttering voice followed suit, as unsure as he ever was, "Y-yes, I think Vollinger might have a point. W-why don't we back off for awhile and t-think about this? I'd hate to be too hasty when dealing with ancient and vengeful gods. I mean... what if you did something wrong? W-we should be sure... is all I'm saying."
"Nonsense, Virgil." I chided him, "I've done everything correctly. I haven't missed a single of the altars in Professor Buxington's book, and I don't see how Mazzerin's Mystery could lead to any other solution." I paused for just a moment, taking in the splendor of the altar from the top of the staircase.
Of course, Virgil wasn't hearing any of it. "B-but what if the professor missed one? Even he can't know everything about such an ancient religion. I just... just be careful, okay?"
I scoffed, taking a step onto the altar as I answered, "I AM being careful, Virgil."
That's when I died.
Bonus Content
Requested by Vallhallan
But if you must know, yes, that is a perfectly real death. I don't have the original, uncropped screenshot anymore (it got overwrote when I did the last bonus involving character sheets) but here's one of the same thing. This is a completely unedited screenshot except that it's resized to 640x480.
Also, have another screenshot. I found this the other day in my bonuses folder and I have no idea what the fuck it was doing there. 
Seriously, it wasn't even labeled... I don't know what I thought was so 'bonus' about this. I'm really, really confused... but have the screenshot anyway!
Since you guys like the books so much, have another one. It's a pretty short book but I want to save a few for the next few days so I can drag the books out to the end 
The Poems of Eiloch
So, er, I mentioned it was short....
As my wife has seen fit to remind me, I have neglectfully forgotten each and every one of the posts that occurred prior to this morning's update. Dreadfully sorry about that... no wonder you all don't post as much in the evenings.
Requested by seaborgium
As for your requests... well, I can do those. Blessings? You hate me, don't you? 
I'm just kidding. This information is split up between two different files, the first containing nothing but a description and a cross-reference to the other file. 
But it wasn't that hard to put together, I just wish the game stored it in a more easily human read format. What can I say, I'm lazy 
First, some misc blessings:
For helping Madame Toussaude, you received a gypsy blessing. ch +1
Priestess Brigitte has blessed you for returning the idol of Geshtianna. be +1
Those who wear the Jewel of Hebe are blessed with many admirers. be +2, ch +1 (this is an amulet)
For returning Arbalah's sacred artifact to him, you have been given his blessing. beautyreaction +5
Now the first circle of gods:
Because you have made an offering to the god Ter'el, you receive his blessing. pe +1, bow +4
Because you have made an offering to the god Makaal, you receive his blessing. dx +1
Because you have made an offering to the god Alberich, you receive his blessing. st +1
Because you have made an offering to the goddess Geshtianna, you receive her blessing. be +1
You have completed the First Circle, that of Goodness. Therefore you receive the blessing of Halcyon, God of Truth. wp +2, pe +2, heal +4, spottrap +4
Second circle of gods:
Because you have made an offering to the god Torg, you receive his blessing. cn +1
Because you have made an offering to the god Bolo, you receive his blessing. pickpocket +4, picklock +4
Because you have made an offering to the god Kerlin, you receive his blessing. haggle +4, persuasion +4
Because you have made an offering to the god Shakar, you receive his blessing. melee +4, dodge +4
You have completed the Second Circle, that of Evil. Therefore you receive the blessing of Moorindal, God of Shadow. backstab +8, melee +4, crithitchance +10, prowling +4
The third circle of gods just leaves you with a bunch of repeats, ending with a new last god. Also, this is copy and pasted... that's not a typo (well, it is, but it's not MY typo). Here's Kai'tan: You have completed the Third Circle, that of Nuetrality. Therefore you receive the blessing of Kai'tan, Goddess of Balance. persuasion +8, haggle +4, bow +4, ch +1, be +1
Finally, Velorien: You have joined the Three Circles, and offered your life to Velorien, the All-Father. Therefore, you receive his blessing of Ultimate Power! resistmagic +30, dx +4, resistdamage +30, maxhps +100, maxfatigue +100, melee +12, pickpocket +12, persuasion +12, firearms +12, dodge +12
As you can see, the best part about Velorien's blessing is the absurd amount of hit points and fatigue. For Samantha, the rest is useless. Magick resist? Don't need it. Damage resist? I don't wear armor, I don't see why I should start caring about damage now. Melee, pick pocket, persuasion, and dodge are all already maxed and mastered, and she's not taking firearms. I totally wouldn't have gotten that blessing if I weren't doing it for the story.
In case it wasn't obvious, the blessings are not additive. When you complete the first circle, your first four blessings are wiped out and you're left only with Halcyon. When you're done with the second you've just got Halcyon and Moorindal. From there you can either stop just before Kai'tan (probably the wisest idea), or take Kai'tan and be left with three fairly decent blessings. If you get Velorien's blessing you lose it all and you're left with just that one.
Requested by seaborgium
Now, on to the perversion. My closest save before getting the amulet was with Magnus still in my party. That fucker totally can't watch, so I booted his ass out. Virgil's 
though, he can watch. First we give Lil the amulet. She asks if we'd rather have coin or girls.
I think I would enjoy the girls more.
I sense a vote coming up in the near future....
We've got 4 girls, and we get to pick two of them... and by we, I mean you. First up we have a "Half Orc Female Dominatrix".
Hello
Hi. What's your name?
I'm Alice. Have you been a bad girl?
Maybe I have been bad, Alice...
If that's what you want, then you need to talk to Cassie. I am here to give punishment... Shall we proceed to my chamber?
I think she's the only one that utterly refuses to act opposite, the rest of them are pretty cool with it. Next we have a "Coquettish Half Elf Female"!
Why hello lover... [licking her lips in anticipation]
Hi. What's your name?
I'm Bunny. Would you like to play with me? ...I'm an awful lot of fun...
How do you like to play, Bunny?
Well... I will if that's what you really want me to be... But Willow is much more skilled in that area. Maybe you should talk to her...
We will, Bunny. We will. Next up is a "Volputuous Human Female".
Why hello there honey...
Hi. What's your name?
I'm Cassie. Would you like to teach me the proper way for a lady to behave?
What do you want me to teach you, Cassie?
Well... I will if that's what you really want me to do... But Alice is much more skilled in that area. Maybe you should talk to her...
We already did. 
Last is a "Young, Inexperienced Woman". I guess women are their own race now.
[looking shy] Hi.
Hi. What's your name?
I'm Willow. Would you like me to do anything for you, miss?
What can you do for me, Willow?
Well... [looking very uncomfortable] I can try... If that's what you really want, you should go talk to Bunny...
We did that, too
So now you get to choose! The choices are and Everybody gets two votes (because we get two girls) and you should also vote for how the woman should act (for example: if you pick Bunny, should she be wild or innocent?).
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