Ganesha had quite the

unusual

Miracle collection.

Wepwawet had been wondering how his fellow classmates would build their decks. Whereas he had been completing multiple quests and thus gained a balanced variety of Miracles, he noticed a very different trend in Ganesha's deck.

"You have a lot of Artifacts and Revelations," Wepwawet noted.

"I've been mostly focusing on economic quests," Ganesha replied with a sheepish grin. "I have accumulated a few neat Doctrines too."

"I can see that." One of them, Elephant's Luck, provided a fat +5 Luck bonus for one hour to any worshiper who stepped into the user's realm of Influence. Wepwawet assumed it was the source of the Wealthbringer's reputation. "You have a lot of random Miracles too, like always."

Ganesha's Providence, Lord of Fortune, gave him an extra try at any luck-based Miracle and let him pick the better result. For example, he could roll two dice and if one rolled a one and the other a five, he could pick the latter; his odds of winning in a coin flip increased from one out of two to three out of four; he could provide two answers at guessing games, and so on. Since most Miracles whose outcome relied on luck usually had a lower mana cost to compensate for their unreliability, Ganesha loved to stack his deck with cheap gambling-based cards whose outcome he could fix in his favor.

This trend had continued on Elphion. For example, Ganesha's Rank 2 Power Dice let him roll a six-sided die and boost all of his Champions' damage based on the result for one minute. On paper, this was a mass and slightly unreliable version of Boost Champion; but Lord of Fortune increased the odds enough to turn it into a powerful group buff.

"Sometimes, the more things change, the more they stay the same," Ganesha replied wisely. "I'm surprised our Miracles are so different, even after we've completed the same quests."

"Our civilization and the circumstances of the quest's completion probably influence the Miracles more than the quest itself," Wepwawet noted. "You have fewer beginner cards left in your deck than me too. Have you been collecting Artifacts to complete the Magic Collector quest faster?"

"You know me," Ganesha replied with a chuckle. "I like to play Prophecies now and then."

"What I don't understand is how you have as many Animisms as I do, since I've accumulated those by collecting Altars and you accumulated fewer of those."

Ganesha nodded with pride. "That's because I've claimed one of this world's Wonders!"

"A Wonder?" Wepwawet frowned. "What's that?"

"You didn't know? Now that I think of it, I only received the quest when I found the Wonder…" Ganesha pulled a Miracle card from his deck and showed it to Wepwawet. "Here, let me show you."

Colosseum Megafaunus

Rank 10 Animism.

Unique Mortal Wonder. Summons the Colosseum Megafaunus at a designated point. Physical attacks and Performance effects are boosted within its confines, while Beast and Humanoids all gain a +5 Damage bonus.

"A unique Animism?" Wepwawet stroked his chin. "Now that's new."

"It's an incredibly popular and famous arena in Megaloria," Ganesha explained. "When I approached it, I received a quest called Mortal Wonders. It allowed me to claim the whole place like Relic Hunter does with Artifacts."

This immediately caught Wepwawet's full interest. Not only did it confirm that there were hidden quests whose requirements he had yet to unlock, but that he could turn certain locations of cultural significance into Miracles.

"Do you want it?" Ganesha suggested. "This Miracle would mesh well with your werelings."

"I'm tempted…," Wepwawet hesitated and then shook his head. "However, my problem is that it's unique. If that Animism works like unique Artifacts, then casting it will teleport the entire arena to the designated location. I don't think your civilization will take it well."

"True… They love that place more than me, so they would likely destroy all my Altars if I just gave it away." Ganesha checked the rest of his deck and pulled out another Miracle. "How about this one then?"

Flying Elephant

Rank 3 Ritual

Conjures a Flying Elephant loyal to you.

"A flying elephant?" The idea brought a smile to Wepwawet's face. "Do they have wings?"

"They use their giant ears to fly like turkeys, over a short distance and not very far," Ganesha explained with a giggle. "They're very cute and very brave, you'll love them! You can trade me one of your Boosts or Protect Champions in return."

"You're sure?" Wepwawet asked. "It'll delay your completion of Magic Collector."

"You can always return my Miracle back after you repel Pel–" Ganesha stopped mid-sentence, as if he had been struck by lightning. "Wait, wait, wait, Magic Collector should complete once we completely replace all of our beginner deck's Miracles!"

"Yes, that's what I was–" Wepwawet blinked upon putting two and two together. "No way! One of us could trade away all of their beginner deck's Miracles to the other and then vice-versa, so we can both complete the quest super fast!"

"We should try it out!" Ganesha suggested, before caution tempered his enthusiasm. "But let's check and see if we can trade the same card multiple times first, just in case."

"Yes, that's wise." Wepwawet checked his deck. "How about I exchange your Flying Elephant for one of my two remaining copies of Protect Champion, since you like Prophecies?"

"That works for me," Ganesha confirmed the trade, their cards flying from their previous owner's deck to the next. "Alright, let's see if it works in reverse."

It didn't. All they received was an error message and then a System notification.

Good try, but a given Miracle card can only be traded once.

"Damn it!" Wepwawet cursed. "So close!"

"This doesn't surprise me," Ganesha replied with a sigh. "None of us could settle into a stable godly identity if we exchanged our divine portfolios all the time."

"Now I feel guilty," Wepwawet replied. He had received a much better Miracle from his friend than the one he gave away. "Are there any of my cards you would exchange back for Protect Champion?"

"It's fine, Wepy," Ganesha reassured him. "I was ready to make that trade no matter what happened, and it's better that we learn about this restriction now than later after we accumulated better cards."

"You're too kind for your own good, Ganesha," Wepwawet replied with a sigh. His friend's generosity knew no bounds. "No regrets?"

"Nope!" Ganesha replied. "Any other Miracles that strike your fancy?"

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Yes and no?" Wepwawet scratched the back of his head. "While some of your Miracles like your Wealthbringer are super powerful, most of them are Revelations and Artifacts. It makes sense for you to accumulate them since you're not in immediate danger and focusing on buffing your Champions, but they clog a deck during a Godly Battle and I already have too many of those coming up."

"And most of my Rituals are luck-based, so you can't rely on them with your Providence." Ganesha stroked his trunk. "I do think my Power Dice would still be an improvement over your Boost Champion, even without my Lord of Fortune improving the odds. You have four chances out of six to get the same damage buff or a better one, and it would apply to all your Champions rather than a single unit."

"True, it would benefit me most in a large battle..."

"You could also trade me your Skill: Translation for another Revelation, which will let you complete Magic Collector quicker," Ganesha suggested. "Here's the one I suggest."

Skill: Elephant Wisdom

Rank 4 Revelation

Teaches a Champion the Elephant Wisdom Passive Perk: You can speak and understand all forms of communication, from languages to animal noises or telepathic contacts.

"It's a straight upgrade to Translation," Wepwawet conceded. "Are you sure you want to trade those cards? We still don't know when the Titan Incursion is set to begin, and Power Dice would help a lot."

"It's fine," Ganesha insisted. "A good thing about having a civilization of giants is that they hit really hard by default, so a small damage boost won't change much. As for Elephant Wisdom, Translation will still do the work in ninety percent of cases."

Wepwawet couldn't let his friend's generosity go unanswered. "Once I've built Terraformers on all my Altars across Verglane and run out of spots to create more of them, I'll exchange the Miracle for one of your beginner cards," he suggested. "Since they're physical constructs, Terraformers won't disappear once I trade away the card, and building more of them in your territory will help your civilization a lot. I can also trade you Skill: Treasure Hunter later on. Considering their inclinations, I'm sure your worshipers will love it."

"I appreciate the gesture, but no pressure. You're the one with an army at your doorstep." Ganesha waved his hand. "Let's complete the trade."

Wepwawet thus received Skill: Elephant Wisdom and Power Dice in exchange for his last copies of Boost Champion and Skill: Translation. This both bolstered his deck and reduced the number of beginner cards in it to eight. He was growing closer and closer to completing the Magic Collector quest.

"Alright, that's done," Ganesha said as he focused back on the rest of the universe. Their entire interaction had taken place within two ticks of a clock for their worshipers. "We'll be able to trade anytime once you claim the nearest mana locus, since our Influences will then overlap. I'll give you a call as soon as I find an interesting Miracle you might like."

"What about Jarlack?" Wepwawet asked. "He has a Commander's heart, so I'm surprised you didn't claim him yourself."

"That's because you haven't spent enough time around giants." Ganesha shuddered. "I can only manage so many of them at a time."

Wepwawet winced. "They're that bad?"

Ganesha stared at him dead in the eyes. "I would happily trade one of my Commanders to you for your dragon."

Wepwawet waited for the punchline for a while, until he realized Ganesha was dead serious. "Whoa…" he muttered to himself as the gravity of that statement dawned upon him. "Whoa, that… that's heavy, man."

"Y-you'll do it?" Ganesha asked, hope suddenly breaking through his despair. "I-I'm fine trading a higher-ranked Champion if that's what it takes–"

"I would, but that lizard will never leave his den-dump. Plus you know we can't trade Champions without their approval." Wepwawet couldn't even begin to imagine a civilization where trading one of its model citizens for a dragon would be considered an improvement. For a god of fortune, Ganesha hadn't lucked out on his civilization. "I'm… I'm sorry, Ganesha. I swear we'll set up an immigration policy as soon as we can open up the pass and build a decent road. This should let you recruit non-giant Champions."

"Oh thank you, Wepy…" Ganesha almost looked ready to tear up. "You can't understand how much I'm looking forward to that…"

"Hey, come on, come here." Wepwawet took his friend in his arms again and gave him a shoulder to cry on. "You can call me to talk anytime, you know that, right?"

"Thanks… I really miss our and Arty's group chats." Ganesha released him and calmed down. "Okay, let's address our worshipers now."

"We've got this," Wepwawet reassured him. They slowed time back down for the two of them so that they would align with their followers' perception of it and address them directly. "Heed us, mortals!"

Seeing not one, but two divine spirits floating above the camp caused quite a stir among the giants, who swiftly gathered around the Wealthbringer. Goreville wisely continued to press his palm against the statue to maintain the connection, which allowed Wepwawet to clear his throat and address the crowd.

"I am Wepwawet, god of Verglane, the Opener of the Ways." Wepwawet then introduced Ganesha to his followers, with his friend waving at them. "This is my dear friend and comrade Ganesha, god of the land beyond the mountains and Lord of Fortune. From this day forward, this place will become a holy place and a symbol of friendship between our people!"

Murmurs spread across the camp. "Friendship?" "How much is that worth?" "Does that mean we'll be out of mercenary work?"

"Do not fear," Wepwawet reassured them. "Soon, we shall widen the previous Jailroad pass into a prosperous—and better named—pathway between our civilizations, so that we may all coexist in peaceful prosperity–"

"I object!" Jarlack shouted with a thundering voice.

Wepwawet wasn't used to being interrupted by mortals, so it took him a second to recover. "You're objecting?" he repeated. "To what, peaceful coexistence?"

"Yes! I've brought this camp with my own funds to start a grassroots mercenary business!" Jarlack protested. "Considering the significant expenses involved, peaceful coexistence will put us out of work!"

"Jarlack's right!" another giant shouted, his grumbling anger echoed by a few of his colleagues. "They want to take our jobs!"

"That's not what I meant," Wepwawet replied in an attempt to calm the giants down. "Of course, you'll be duly compen–"

Ganesha pat Wepwawet on the back, then cleared his throat and took the lead. "You'll extract a five percent toll for all merchandise passing through the pass in exchange for keeping it secure from bandits and criminals for ten years."

Jarlack's eyes gleamed with greed. "Thirty-five percent, in perpetuity."

"Five percent," Ganesha argued back. "Perpetuity, and extra tariffs will be negotiable in future addendums."

Jarlack stroked his beard, only for Cynisca to stomp the ground with her sword. "I interject," she said sternly. "I have invoked the Finder's Fee and the right of love bidding. I ask that we solve our matrimonial status before proceeding with any future negotiations."

"True…" Jarlack looked up at Ganesha and Wepwawet. "Mind if I hear her out before we discuss our own business? This might influence ours."

"I suppose…" Wepwawet replied, while Ganesha clearly suppressed a sigh of pure annoyance. "But make it quick, mortal. A god's patience is limited."

"Five minutes tops," Jarlack promised before turning to Cynisca. "What's your offer?"

"Shared asset matrimony arrangement with five matings a week, in return for a three thousand pounds of wealth dowry," Cynisca replied.

"Seven matings a week," Jarlack countered. "With negotiable additional sessions on weekends."

Cynisca pondered the counteroffer a moment before speaking up again. "Agreed, but the tools and bed repairs will come out of your paycheck."

"Deal. How many children?"

"One."

"Four," Jarlack fired back.

"Two," Cynisca insisted.

"Two, but both must be male."

"Two, but the first male child is a freebie."

Jarlack hesitated an instant. "Agreed," he finally decided. "What is the duration for the matrimony arrangement?"

"Ten years exclusive, renewable in five years installment upon expiration."

Jarlack squinted at Cynisca. "The matrimony must be non-exclusive."

"Exclusive, no concubines," Cynisca insisted. "I don't share husbands."

"Non-exclusive," Jarlack repeated, firmly standing his ground. "That's a dealbreaker."

"Is that so?" Cynisca scoffed. "Then I increase my dowry bid to seven thousand pounds of wealth."

Wepwawet barely understood what was happening, but from the giant crowd's gasps this sounded like a princely sum. Jarlack in particular looked fit to gag.

"Seven thousand pounds?" Jarlack asked in disbelief. "Where did… how did you…"

"Seven thousand pounds, exclusive matrimony for fifteen years, and it's renewable." Cynisca smirked sharply. "You have ten seconds to decide, or I will permanently remove my offer. Ten… Nine…"

"Ten seconds?!" Jarlack's eyes burned with anger. "You cutthroat snake, how dare you use a Fomo Reverse-Grip on me!"

"Six…" Cynisca continued to count. "Five…"

"Argh!" Jarlack grit his teeth, hard. "Fine! But the exclusivity must be mutual!"

"Deal!" Cynisca said immediately.

"Deal!" Jarlack stomped the ground with his warhammer, with his subordinates erupting in shouts of joy and applause in response. "May the invisible hand bind us in shared matrimony!"

Goreville said out loud what Wepwawet was thinking. "What did I just watch?"

"I don't know, but that was awesome!" Mistouffe said. She had very much enjoyed the back and forth bidding. "I'm going to ask out my future boyfriend the same way!"

I hope this doesn't catch on, Wepwawet thought as he shared a glance with Ganesha, who discreetly rolled his eyes. Are they always like this?

"Ten percent toll base, perpetuity, with additional tariffs to be negotiated in the future," Jarlack told Ganesha. The giant leader then proceeded to put his hand around Cynisca's waist and draw her closer. "I have to increase my prices for my new wife and future children, you understand?"

"Yes, whatever," Ganesha replied dismissively. He wasn't even trying to sound godly anymore. "I declare you two bound by the laws of the market."

All in all, Verglane wasn't so bad of a starting civilization after all…

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