The Tower of Voices Voting Thread

They key thing tying the Hive together is that all three of the groups are egg layers who need living incubators. In the scorpions' vision, they've enslaved the wasps with magic and allow the tarantulas to have some leftover incubators as a treat. In the wasps' vision, they use force to use the scorpions and tarantulas both as incubators. The tarantulas want to have their living incubators, but feel guilt over enslaving the wasps. Neither the scorpions nor the wasps seem willing to accept an alliance of equals, and I don't think the tarantulas would be comfortable using their magic to maintain one through force. Unfortunately, I'm not seeing a path to compromise.

As for us, the wasps have no interest in interfering with us because they apparently prefer scorpions and tarantulas as eggholes. If we broke the spell through force, they would immediately rise up against the scorpions and tarantulas, and in the ensuing chaos we could make our leave. But that screws over the tarantulas. The tarantulas aren't happy with this status quo, moreso due to the guilt over enslaving the wasps than the mistreatment by the scorpions, but will still try to stop us from advancing or trying to change things.

I'm sympathetic to the tarantulas and want to help them, but they've gotta give us something to work with. The best compromise I can think of is along the lines of what Boodalian said: the tarantulas free the wasps, abandon the scorpions to them, and leave the Hive. Maybe they can work out some kind of deal with the Temple of the Desert Mother and/or the Tomb? While they're unfamiliar with demonic magic, they are still very curious about spells; it might take them years or even decades, but they could potentially find some way to break the curse on the Sand Mother. Meanwhile, at the Tomb, they'd probably be willing to lend themselves out as eggholes in exchange for sex. There's a lot of ifs there, but it seems like the best outcome for everyone besides the scorpions (who we don't care about).

I want to resolve this peacefully if possible, whether through the means I suggested or some kind of alternative Ella or the other tarantulas can bring up. But if we can't come to agreement, we do always have the "break glass, let the wasps go brrr" option.

 

Booooooring!

Excuse muah but you are just bunch of damn buzzkills! Like okay, I get it. You want to save everyone and get a shiny "good girl" golden star.

Gaaahhh!! I don't even know. I am just pissed I guess. This feels like pointless waste of time. I am shocked E23 over here even wants to hear incubators out. What about the rest of the spiders?

You know what? Let wasps loose. Did you even consider who you are sympathizing with? Your little spider friend would stuff Yulia full of so many eggs she wouldn't be able to walk, if she could. I feel like a bit more ego boosting and tarantulas will stop feeling bad about using wasps and then you are fucked.

 

Whelp, that removes any doubt that the Wasps are reasonable folks but at the very least they are smart enough not to mess with us.

I don't see a way out of this that doesn't end in slaughter. We should free the wasps and be done with it.

 

Oh good, Remin is back, and as violent as ever. We should at least try to help the spiders. They may have done this to themselves, but that doesn't mean they aren't deserving of help. If helping them is just too hard we can hit the wasp button, but let's at least try first.

(To be clear, I only dislike Remin when in character, as a reader of the story I think they are great.)

 

If we want completely bloodless and permanent solution, we should go with Gambio's idea and convince that Tarantulas that they have to put a control spell on Scorpions to keep them from falling from their haughty place as well as Wasp for their own good.

Though I do like the idea of exodus of Tarantulas and getting them to help Desert Mother. If being an incubator is not actually harmful, Tarantulas could well be able to find their place elsewhere.

 

Newest Chapter: Last Chance

 

To the tarantulas: Yulia is a kind person who has been thrust into a difficult situation. If she were to fight you all, and thus leave you behind for the wasps to have their way, she would feel guilty over it. But this is a matter of survival for Yulia, her party, and her entire world, so she would do it. I'm sure all of you can understand what those kinds of conditions can force a person to do. Take this chance. Leave and start anew. Fighting here is not worth it for you. Why sacrifice yourselves when you could instead find a place where your interest in and talent for magic is appreciated?

 

Ultimately it is their decision. For better or worse we have to think about Yulia first, but that doesn't stop us trying to help those we come across. In fact the tower will direct us to places where we can help. Everyone in this group can atest to some people we have helped or indeed are still trying to help in some way.
I know with those skills you will have no issues finding a new life outside the hive, where you won't be threatened and can learn and help other. But first you need to help yourself and allow others to help you.

 

Don't pin this on us Ella. You could simply cooperate with us and put the Tarantulas on top. This slaughter is entirely your fault. Now take your fellow spider cowards and get the hell out.

 

Almost forgot to post a new chapter today!

Newest Chapter: Breaker of Chains

 

Unless we're planning to stop by one of the other factions one last time, whether checking in on the Temple or the Tomb or making a commitment to attacking the Hungry Sands, I think we should just head for the next floor. I think we got as much as we can from the Temple and Tomb and there isn't much point in heading back. As for the Hungry Sands, I think opinions were two in favor of attacking (myself included) and four or five against. We can do one last check-in, but I think opinion is against going after the Sands. Even I've been on the fence about it, and I don't like our odds. So mark me down as a vote against this time.

 

Unless we are attacking the hungry sands, we don't need to go anywhere. Realistically we won't get any help from the hive, the wasps are already doing us a favour by letting the spiders leave. We could go with the spiders and check they find a good home, the tomb seems a good bet, some blood in exchange for incubating eggs seems like a likely trade (assuming it's possible). I also kinda want to talk to the first spider we met, that one was a lot less subservient than the others.

 

I'm for leaving. The Wasps don't strike me as the sort of people who are grateful for a particularly long time. If we stay, they might as well turn on us before long.

 

With the barrier gone we can leave overland, so if they want to attack us we can use both blizzard and firestorm easily. Considering how easy the fight before was I don't think it will be an issue unless they attack us in the hundreds, and the we have to try a bit harder. Come to think of it, do they know how farming works? Well, that's their problem.

 

Do we need to have anything crafted before going to the next level? If not we can move on as it seems we are not willing to take on the Hungry Sands.

 

Newest Chapter: The results

 

Might as well I suppose, traps might be a risk but I don't see it. The wasps seem happy enough for now. If they really prefer the scorpions to us there shouldn't be much risk. I guess the risk is that there is likely to be something disturbing or unnecessary exciting.

 

With Isalia checking for traps and Lri watching for ambushes, I think the risks are small and the potential rewards are great. We should look for this treasure room. We'll probably find some handy gear there if the Temple's haul was anything to go by. If anything, the Hive probably has better stuff. After all, the Temple only took down Chosen in self-defense, while the Hive would've been more proactive in hunting them down. As for the egg chamber, there might be something to be gained there if we find it. We might see a few other residents of this floor from beyond the areas we can access, as well as a few captives who haven't been mindbroken yet.

 

Taking advantage of all the rape and murder we created to loot treasures?

Oh boy! How could I refuse?

 

Taking a look seems to be in order now, but if situation appears to be too risky retreat should be considered.