Your name is Shu, and you’ve come a long way at the end of the world. The earth you once knew has been devoured, consumed from without by a ravenous being from beyond the stars. Humanity’s been reshaped into a vicious, feral thing by the Crucible, their bodies twisted into raging beasts of muscle and bone, voices and minds warped into tools of war. The Daughters—combatants elected by the Crucible to fight and devour their fellows to reach even the apex of hideous strength—are perhaps the lucky ones, granted the freedom of choice in a world where most humans, flora, and fauna have been melted down into a carpet of raw biomass that’s pulled taut across our world. Like every other Daughter in existence, you can feel the pull—gnawing at your bones, pulling every fiber of your being towards the tether between a mutilated earth and an alien sky. You call it the Cord, and it’s said that reaching its summit will grant the Crucible’s victor the power to reshape all that is into all that will be. A siren’s song, beckoning you to the end of all things… …but with the girls at your side and your family at your back, you’ll tear the Cord to the ground and build a world humanity can thrive in. Staring up at the abominable tower as it looms over the fleshscape, you can’t help but see it in a new light…though that may just be you adjusting to your newly-compound eyes. After reaching your Core power’s apex, you have to admit that a certain level of apprehension has left you, though whether it’s due to your newfound strengths or the simple fact of total mastery over your physical form, it’s hard to say.“Ah shit, sorry.” Rath mutters, feeling her fingers slip away from yours as your team’s resident brawler and one of your oldest friends in the Crucible meekly chuckles. “Kind of lost track of time, there." She steps forward, her second pair of burning, well-muscled arms flipping a white-hot middle finger up at the Cord while their owner cracks the knuckles she was born with. Glancing from her to your girlfriend, you find that Gina looks…disappointed, almost as much as you feel at the loss of the other girl’s unnaturally warm fingers.Huh.++++++ Previous Vein: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2022/5271145/ Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Body%20Horror%20Quest Character Abilities: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wnWr-832IHNGQSOVr2rbib7cAPxO1UtTkyFRCQ_KNbY/edit#gid=0 Trypophilic Hive, Ver. 3: https://pastebin.com/bUWG6TNF Relics, Ver. 7: https://pastebin.com/kHzW2hbd Dual Techs: https://pastebin.com/2jZ5Zhyx Character Profiles: https://pastebin.com/eL2zTZ4f Quest Fan Works: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1comL20X2jUrPO0p7QMdFinwAwdXHre2F9A5bdXif7_k/mobilebasic Twitter: https://twitter.com/bodyhorrorquest?lang=en
>>5328857“So!”You and Gina both startle when Rath whirls around, plating all four of her hands on her hips and fixing the two of you with an enthusiastic grin. “What’s next?”“Oh, was all this…” GG gestures down the sharply-angled cliffs to the still-burning aftermath of the massacre far below. “...not enough for one day?”Rath glances at her handiwork, the last traces of her eternal fire lapping tongues of yellow flame at the ravine’s winding shadows. She shrugs, a dismissive wave of one flesh-and-blood hand extinguishing the pyres instantly.“I didn’t say that, it’s just…probably best not to linger here, yeah?” Replies Rath, and the look she shares with your girlfriend tells you all you need to know about her haste.“I’m fine, you two. Besides, we did good work today, and the power we gained will just help us save more lives before we breach the Cord.” You assure them, your newly-expanded vision allowing you to level a warm look at the pair while also keeping a compound eye on the fruits of your labor. Less than a hundred meters away, the rest of your allies attend to those whose lives you’ve just saved from a man-made grindhouse.Almost a hundred innocent Daughters, saved at the cost of fifty (decidedly less-innocent) lives. A hundred for fifty. Two-to-one.Simple math, you tell yourself.“Well, with Aunt Heather getting the Sparagmos Engine back home and the lovebirds teaming up with the Doc to get the kids settled, that just leaves you, me, GG, and Amara.” Rath points out, her citrine eyes sparkling as they settle on your face. “Sounds like a team brutal enough to make some westward progress, to me.”You focus, relishing the rightness of your body as you place thumb and chitinous forefinger on your chin, the sensation of shell on glossy shell helping you formulate what’s next for you and yours. Unlike a few hours ago, you’re able to approach the task with a level of clarity that’s blessedly devoid of the panic that gripped you earlier. If the Daughters you rescued are being attended to, then that frees you up to address…what, exactly? The Cord’s inviolable pull only strengthens the close you get to the celestial-slash-umbilical structure, but there’s also the matter of keeping track of the friends and allies you’ve made in your journey thus far.Staring up at the Cord, though? You feel—for the first time since you started—that you stand a chance.Perhaps your boldness is inspired by your new powers, or maybe it’s the feeling of your own skin (shell?) fitting just right for the first time…or maybe, just maybe, it’s the lingering warmth between your fingers, a simmering heat that your bond with Gina tells you that neither of you can seem to shake.At least she tries (bless her); your girlfriend’s eyes flare with the neon amethyst—her own particular flavor of Neuromancy—as she casts an appraising gaze westward. (Continued)
>>5328858“The ravines continue until No-Man’s Land begins.” She clinically informs you, eyes narrowing at something only her enhanced vision can detect. “Well, *that’s* some bullshit.”“What is it, what’s wrong?” Demands Rath, and you’re not surprised that your resident brawler was able to beat your own concerns to the punch.“Some stupid, fog-of-war bullshit means I can’t see as far as I normally could.” GG mutters by way of reply, her calcite-greaved hands grinding into ivory fists. “Fucking insulting, honestly…but at least I could see where the next area starts. The valley takes a sharp dip, and then there are hills of…stuff, beyond it. The whole, y’know…”“Mountains of corpses?” You helpfully supply.“Yeah. That.” She confirms, grimly. “But hey! No other obvious negative effects aside from walking on semi-decayed bodies, so that’s nice.”“Technically, Shu wouldn’t even have to walk…you can fly now, right?” Rath asks, and you only now realize the shorter girl’s slipped around you to admire your quartet of wings, their gossamer sheen folded along your fully-armored back.“I can…and thanks to merging my Core with Spiritus ex Testa, you two would be able to fly, as well.”“No shit, really?!” Rath exclaims, in front of you faster than you can blink.“She shits you not…though I’ll happily give up my wings for our little angel over there.” GG regents, nodding to where Amara’s showing off her sword-fighting chops to a trio of enraptured Daughters…though whether they’re more focused on the lesson or just how adorable your ward is while trying to teach, it’s a toss-up.“I can make up to three people Queens, remember?” You counter, and Gina freezes you in place with a smile whose effect is nearly Pavlovian.“Aw, but I was thinking you could carry me. Y’know, like old times?” She winks.“I’d carry you.” Rath offers, the latent flirtation flying right over her head of orange hair. “Plus, I’m stronger than Shu, so I’d have more maneuverability with you on top…no offense.”“None taken.” GG replies on your behalf, folding her arms and arching one playful eyebrow at her friend; “Though I was offering in a purely sexy way, I’ll have you know.”“Oh, I know.”You stare at Rath, who’s fixed a thoroughly taken-aback Gina with her trademark shit-eating grin…an expression that lasts a good two or three seconds before both and and GG burst into laughter.“Gah, seriously though…what’s the plan?” Your girlfriend manages to ask once she’s caught her breath, and you wind up with both girls looking up at you expectantly.>>Continue across the valley with Gina, Rath, and Amara (on foot / by air).>>You’d like to check in on one or two allies, while you have some down-time.>>Wait for your family to reconvene at the Dragon’s Roost, then set out with a team of your choice. >>Write-In YOU ARE IN CONTROL
(Hello Everyone, it’s good to be back. I do hope the last two weeks have been kind to you all, and that you’ve been able to stay cool this summer season. Voting shall remain open for the next three hours, with posting to resume in four.)(Also, this week is likely going to be a busy one with me working by myself for most of it, so I'll likely keep to two updates per day unless I get a sudden burst of energy. That said, things should lighten up next week, so I'm aiming to go back to three per day at that point.)(Once again, thank you all for your continued participation, and I hope you've all had a pleasant time of things in the interim.)
>>5328863Welcome back bhop. The muse was festering in my head so much so to the point that I've written two interlude stories. Also here I thought we would get to the fashion vote, I had written a giant list of things make Shu's fashion choice appeal in a "scary but sexy" theme. But then again you did include the keyword "may" so that votes' likely in the flux. One thing that has agonized me in the interim quest-wise that I didn't realize until it was way too late: We could've made a stasis womb to store Vulture's Pride like we did with Chromatophoria.
>>5328865>>The muse was festering in my head so much so to the point that I've written two interlude stories.(Oh, nice! I'd love to read then when you're ready to share!)(And regarding the fashion vote, your family is still present, so if you'd like to make that your Write-In, then you're welcome to! Also, if you'd prefer to head back to the Roost to form your team, there'd be plenty of time for that.)
>>5328863Past two weeks were mostly good, except for the immediate 18 hours leading up to this. I got hit by some super-fast virus, spent all night vomiting. I only just woke up a little bit ago.Though hey, if I have to spend all day huddling in my blankets and shivering, at least I've got this quest to distract me. The latest in a book series I like came out today, too. In a way, this is really good timing to have a sick day.
>>5328861>>Continue across the valley with Gina, Rath, and Amara (on foot / by air).>>Write-In>By air, riding on Knights for endurance, but ready to convert everyone to Queen mode the moment anything goes wrong. Stay fairly low, as well, and have everyone outfitted with Subversive Platelings (and the Knights be Subversive, themselves). I don't want to touch the ground, but I also don't want to expose ourselves too much to any spotters. Fly in the grass, and stay stealthed.
>>5328888>>5328869Question: what/where is the Vagrant amalgam?
>>5328884(I hope you get to feeling better soon!)(Also, I recently finished Gideon the Ninth, and I'm about a third of the way through the sequel. It's a superb series, with the main character of the first one really reminding me of a grown-up Rath.)>>5328892(He's still observing you, and has not moved from the spot where he was apparently having tea.)
>>5328892Oh, yeah, that's a good question.>>5328893>(I hope you get to feeling better soon!)Thanks.>(Also, I recently finished Gideon the Ninth, and I'm about a third of the way through the sequel. It's a superb series, with the main character of the first one really reminding me of a grown-up Rath.)I keep meaning to get into that series, I hear it's got some good characters. And who doesn't like space necromancy?>(He's still observing you, and has not moved from the spot where he was apparently having tea.)Huh. Let's keep an eye on him, then, have some swarmlings...not follow him, because he might react negatively to that, but scouting around this area in general so that they'll still have him in their sights.
>>5328861Adding to >>5328888>Have some swarmlings and the Joyous Many patrol around the edges of the No Man's Land. Keep an eye on the Vagrant, and also anyone who might enter the No Man's Land after us.
>>5328924a thought: Something about the Vagrant seems off on its behavior. Normally people would be running along to challenge us earlier. But like every other power player we've encountered they're enacting a wait-and-see approach. So what if the Vagrant is instead waiting for us to approach them?>>5328869What time is it on the Crucible clock day-night cycle?And would you rather have me post the interludes in a gdoc or in-thread?And to pose a question from the previous vein regarding the Cord's encroachment rate: Will the Calcite canyon be completely subsumed in 3 "earth" (24-hour) days or three "Crucible" (48-hour)days?
>>5328927(It's roughly 'evening', or around 6PM.)(The canyons will be subsumed three 24-hour days from now.)
>>5328927>a thought: Something about the Vagrant seems off on its behavior. Normally people would be running along to challenge us earlier. But like every other power player we've encountered they're enacting a wait-and-see approach. So what if the Vagrant is instead waiting for us to approach them?It's possible. But do we want to approach the Vagrant? Maybe it wants to talk, but it might just prefer to formally introduce itself before fighting.
>>5328861regarding the fashion choice: I'm likely to be tossed into a Sparagmos engine by other anons for posting this veritable laundry list of traits. >write-in:>Re-examine your body and ask for some fashion advice as you morph your body into something more comfortable and stylish:>skintone are a near porcelain white for contrast while the "clothes" that Shu wears are a dark Emerald-onyx. closer inspection reveals that the "skintone" is made of "soft chitin".>waist high insect wings that fold-up behind her back and form a pseudo-coattail.>The dress that Julia has made for Shu has been modified into a pelvic curtain.>The Chitinous plating that originated from Shu's spine and grew to engulf Shu's arms has fashioned itself to cover Shu's arms, upper body, neck, and breasts into a form-fitting long-sleeved "Chitinous Shrug", leaving the rest of Shu's is left bare and with plenty of room for Shu's ravenous stomach maw to move about and orient itself however it pleases. >CHITINOUS THIGH-HIGH-STOCKINGS, so tight they leave a slight indentation where "skin" meets "clothing".>There is a Calcite Spiral spur on the bottom of Shu's heels that act as natural spiral high-heels.>The tongue Shu's Ravenous Maw can be occasionally seen licking its 'lips', or wrapped around Shu's waist as an impromptu sash. Expect it to reach out and give others a lick when entering Shu's personal space.>The teeth of the Ravenous maw can ocasionally be seen flashing pearly whites, the positioning of the maw disguising it to be a stylish zipper.>The Chitinous "Shrug", is Onyx-emerald green with gold highlights, adorned with downy white fur trimming around the collarbone area. >On Shu's back, there is a debossed gold image of a stylized Holographic Fuzzbuzz stamped across the Chitinous plates where the brood spawn.>Limbs have a tendency to leave colorful fractal afterimages whenever Shu moves about, most prominently her arms (Hundred Handed).>Shu's face uses Sam's face as a base template but alterations are made to distinguish Shu from Sam while retaining enough similar features to give the impression that Shu is something akin to a more easily distinguished twin sister to Sam.>Shu's mouth and lower jaw becomes pic related.>Shu's hair length should be opposite to Sam's original hair length. If Sam is long and shoulder-length, then Shu's would be short ear length and vise versa. Hair color would be black with yellow-gold streaks.>The Irises of Shu's eyes are rainbow-colored, the hue changes every time you look at her in the eyes, closer inspection reveals that the Irises are infact compound lenses. >Shiny Stickers adorn parts of Shu's face near the ears and temples. Closer inspection reveals them to actually be miniature compound eyes.>The Neurotic Halo's shining jewel, is nestled on Shu's cleavage.>Hair retains the same style and color as Sam's pre-crucible hair, but two of Shu's bangs have colored streaks.
>>5328939>>5328861As for the combat form, I'm fine with the "Shu in the Armor of Kings" picture you posted Bhop.
>>5328924We should send a single fuzzbuzz to join the Vagrant's tea time. That way, we can use our Rook ability to swap with the Fuzzbuzz should the Vagrant actually make a request to see us.
>>5328939Sounds pretty good. I think it could be fun to experiment with alternate color schemes, I kind of like the idea of Shu having iridescent skin like a beetle carapace. But that can be something we try later, pale to contrast with an iridescent clothing works just fine. I think it will look nice.I like the outfit. I'm not entirely sure about the FuzzBuzz hologram, but the rest sounds great. I really like the idea of using the Ravenous Maw as the "zipper" of Shu's top. And the fuzzy collar is classic bee-woman fashion. It's good.>>5328940Oh, good. I was hanging onto that for a while, I'm glad other people liked it too.>>5328949Wait, can we swap with non-Rooks now that we're part-Rook? Or do you mean a Rook FuzzBuzz?
>>5328958>>5328861I'm fuzzy on the details. as bhop for clarification as to which units a Queen/King class swarmling is capable of using the Rook Castling ability. At least that's what I think I remember how it works given hive lvl 9's ability detail.>Once per combat, you may choose an ally to become a QUEEN-Class swarmling at the cost of 3000% BIO and 3 ACTs. They retain their current skills and abilities, and gain the following benefits; They gain the offensive and defensive abilities of the Knight, Bishop, and Rook classes, combined—They benefit from any abilities or augmentations you possess that benefit constructs originating from you—They gain a flight speed equal to twice their base movement speed—They only count as ‘constructs’ or ‘Swarmlings’ when it is beneficial for them to do so; abilities that negatively affect constructs will have no effect on QUEEN-designated allies—They do not count against your Swarmling Maximum. (HEALTH +400%, BIO +400%)Bhop, and I ask for clarification?
>>5328966(As you are a Rook, you may swap with any allied unit, as can any Queen-crowned allies.)
>>5328857Also bhop. That link to the Gdoc for our character abilities isn't working. I got an access denied page. You might want to check those settings.
>>5328958yup. Looks like we can swap with any allied unit given what Bhop just said.
>>5328966>>5328970Oh, dang, that's really useful. We can do a lot with that. That's a really versatile ability to relocate our team mates.>>5328973Cool. Okay, how does this sound, then?>If the Vagrant shows any interest in our swarmlings, land a FuzzBuzz by it and start communicating. If necessary, move in three other swarmlings and use Rook-swapping in Queen mode to get our entire party over to him. Also be prepared to Rook-swap out of there if things go wrong.
>>5328974Let try a more passive approach. Yes I like the idea of reciprocating interest should the Vagrant show the same as well as the Fuzzbuzz Envoy as well as the Rook-swap in queen mode but we should also mind our manners in a sense. If the Vagrant lets us get close with our envoy, then that means we're a guest in his view, and by that logic, we should let him have the first word before responding. In addition, we technically are still scouting the Canyons, and teleporting immediately to the vagrant would make backtracking somewhat of a pain. Vagrant's definitely sticking around.
>>5328974but overall this is good.
>>5328861>If the Vagrant shows any interest in our swarmlings, land a FuzzBuzz by it and start engaging in diplomacy, keeping in mind your manners and etiquitee (remember if the Vagrant allows you to approach then you are technically its guest). If necessary, move in three other swarmlings and use Rook-swapping in Queen mode to get our entire party over to him. Also be prepared to Rook-swap out of there if things go wrong.
>>5328981Okay, then >>5328861Adding to >>5328888>If the Vagrant shows interest in our swarmlings, land a FuzzBuzz by it and give it a chance to communicate. Let it make the first move, for courtesy. Be prepared to use Rook-swapping and Queen mode to bring our party to it (bringing in other swarmlings to give everyone a point to swap to), and likewise to leave quickly should things go poorly. Also make sure to leave some of our swarm headed west, if we Rook-swap, so that we won't lose ground while we're interacting with the Vagrant.
>>5328995>>5328993gah. the last-minute hiveminding
SIDE STORY: BATTLE OF KAPPA ISLANDhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgSJBNkY3k8Captain Anne swore as she ducked under a bus-sized Fly's bombing run and retaliated with her Bone Blunderbuss, knocking the oversized insect into the acidic sea as she steered the 'Bonnet' amidst the roiling storm of flies that surrounded the Island-sized Amalgam. "Sheryl, how's the crew?""Just keep steering the boat!" replied her muscular first mate, tossing a 10-foot dead tadpole off the side of the deck by the tail."Just our bloody luck." cursed Anne as the crew of the Bonnet returned fire with the Calcite Cannons on their ship. Anne had planned for a normal fishing trip to hunt for Northern Shielded-Salmon-Sharks. But by some freak of coincidence and bad luck she got caught up in a scuffle with the 'Dead-Shimp Pirate fleet' who were chasing 'Spanish Lady' and the 'HF Majesty'. But just as things took a turn for the bad, it got worse when Kappa Island surfaced out of nowhere and swallowed many of the 'Dead-Shimps' pirate fleet in a single go before its bus-sized flies began picking off the rest. Which led their current situation: the 'Bonnet' pulling escort duty protecting both the 'Spanish lady' and the 'HF Majesty' as they attempted to out-run the island-sized amalgam.In Anne's words: caught in a bloody storm without a sail. Finally finding a brief break in the battle, Captain Anne reached for the Skintalker's Naval radio and called an S.O.S Message for what seemed to be the umpteenth time.<MAYDAY MAYDAY! This is the fishing vessel 'Bonnet' alongside Passenger ship 'Spanish lady' and merchant vessel 'HF Majesty'! We are under assault by Kappa Island! I repeat, we are under assault by Kappa Island. Is there anyone out there who can help?>Something large and sleek flew overhead in the midst of the storm, leaving a trail of burnt flesh and smoke before bursting with a thunderous explosion, the air-burst missile somehow blowing the storm of flies back as the Island Amalgam recoiled at the sudden daisy chain of pin-cushioning explosions in the air.<Nice one Bonnet!> radioed the 'HF Majesty.<That wasn't me.> replied Anne, her answer causing much to the confusion of the other two vessels.A soft-spoken voice crackled to life over the radio.<Fishing Vessel 'Bonnet', Passenger ship 'Spanish lady', Merchant vessel 'HF Majesty', this is the Yamato. We are enroute to your location.>Captain Anne scanned the horizon and saw nothing. <Yamato, We do not have visual of your vessel!><You will soon. 12 'o clock, 12 degrees off starboard. Yamato, surfacing.>cont.
>>5329007Hope swelled in Capt. Anne's breast as high as the upwelling seawater ahead as the Shipmaiden of the Seas broke through the surface tension of the oceans with a force of a depth charge, the silhouette of her citadel and highlighted by bioflorescent lights recognizable amidst the storm as it landed with a splash.'We're saved' thought Captain Anne as Yamato's demure foghorn voice rang clear, unimpeded by the storm."Yamato to all vessels, rally to me, transfer any and all cargo or passengers you have aboard. I will provide cover!"Thunderous roars of gunfire punctuated the warship's declaration of protection, an alpha barrage of Urchin and Swordfish battering the storm of flies and causing the island-sized beast to recoil with pain. --------- Yamato furrowed what active eyes she possessed aboard her vessel in concentration as she surveyed the results of her latest bombardment on the approaching Amalgam. It had been ten minutes had passed since her arrival and all she could do is engage in a fighting retreat as the Island Amalgam kept up in its pursuit."Captain, the crew and passengers of both the 'Spanish lady' and the 'HF Majesty' have been successfully transferred onboard." "And the 'Bonnet'?""They haven't transferred their crew or cargo, but they're also barely holding steady on their own." replied Yomi. "I'll admit, the captain of the 'Bonnet' is capable, as is her crew."The helmswoman turned her gaze towards one of Yamato's many eyes with concern noting the living vessel's silence. "What's wrong?""The Kappa's grown stronger since we last saw it, and has developed countermeasures against me. I'm not dealing enough damage fast enough to ward it off, much less kill it.""What about your star wave cannon?" asked Yomi.Yamato ran the numbers in her mind, taking into account the last time she fired her main gun and the 'gift' given to her by a wandering leviathan, the results of the mental math was painful for her to bear. "Yes. Yes! It could kill it, but-but then-!" she answered, doubt and guilt slowly flooding into the tone of her voice."No...I can't. I can't use it here! It's too dangerous!""Why?""I...I'd have to drop everything in order to ready the Star-wave cannon. If I drop what I'm doing in order to prepare the cannon then we'll be left vulnerable. The passengers...they'll-"A deep baritone voice suddenly made itself heard over Yamato's shipwide intercoms. <All hands and passengers, prepare for Star Wave Cannon firing sequence. Target: Kappa Island.>The eyes of the helmswoman as well as the shipmaiden swiveled to focus on the Bearded FuzzBuzz who had coyly pressed a leg down on the button of the ship's intercom. "Buzzo..."Immediately the comms went aflame with communication.cont.
>>5329009A response came from the crew of the 'HF Majesty': <That killer cannon needs prep aye? Can't have ye wasting a fine shot when your hands are already full.> This was followed by a response from the crew of the 'Spanish Lady': <If you're in need of extra hands, we'll provide. Can't win a fight against turtle island with just a skeleton crew of a dirty dozen.>Movement off the bow drew Yamato's attention as the fishing vessel Bonnet suddenly turned to engage the Island."Bonnet, what are you doing?"<Save your words Sheila. Someone's gotta do the hard work of screening for the flagship. Whaling big beasties is my trade, and there's one right in front of me. If I'm to go down swinging, I'd rather do it against the biggest catch ever!>Yamato's Eyes turned to look at Yomi. Only to see her helmswoman give her a knowing smile."You know what to do, Captain. We're doing on part to support you so you can do the same for all of us. As a crew. As a fleet. All that's left for you to do your part." said Yomi.Yamato's gaze looked into Yomi's pitch black eyes, staring at her conviction, the shipmaiden's vision quickly flitted to and fro as she looked at the gazes of her extra passengers and saw the same look. A dogged determination, solidarity among all. "You're right." Yamato breathed as her compass turned in alignment."All hands, prepare for Star-Wave cannon!"The Fog horn order reverberated throughout her halls, yet no one minded it as they scrambled to contribute to the rare effort of slaying a Leviathan of the seas."Redirecting primary power and biomass into Star-wave engine. Initiating Star-wave cannon firing sequence."Yamato's gun fell deathly silent. A suicidal move as biomass and power drained throughout the ship, allowing the Monstrous Island and its spawn to surge forward to greet the Vanguard that is Yamato's crewmates."Initiating emergency forge power generators. Redirecting and activating all secondary and auxillary armaments Opening weapon control access to all available passengers. Urchin AA, Swordfish Cannons, Barnacle Batteries, Dolphin Gunboats, Torpedo Sharks, Orca-Cruise missiles, Crab arms and walkers online." Guided by a set of 44 extra souls onboard, the weapons on Yamato's vessel sung once again with a chorus of firepower and fury. The armaments powered by hands not belonging to Yamato herself. cont.
>>5329010"Raising star-wave pressure. Closing emergency valves."It was strange, to have the full force of her firepower be unleashed while she focused on her main cannon and her crew to fend off the tadpoles."Opening Star-wave Cannon barrel."It was a funny feeling she had, as memories of the past came to her mind."Releasing Star-wave safety locks."A foolish dream. A childish aspiration. Twisted by Hell, into an ironic punishment."Pressure approaching firing threshold. Releasing final safety lock."And now, here she was. Embodying the very thing she once foolishly dreamed of."Star Wave engine pressure at 100% and rising."A living shipgirl. With all its glory, and all its horror."Aligning bow to target. 10 seconds to firing."If this was to be her punishment, then she will gladly shoulder it."Initiating anti-shock and anti-flash measures."As if sensing imminent danger, the Island amalgam surged forwards, smashing the Bonnet aside."10...9...8..."Dainsleif Harpoons the size of freight trains lanced out from the Bonnet, stunning the Kaiju and jerking it back as Captain Anne's crew began waging a desperate tug of war to prevent the Island-sized Kappa from smashing the battleship."7...6...5..."Dolphin Gunboats beached themselves and marked a point on the Island, guiding Yamato's guns to focus fire to devastating results. The binding fibrous ropes of the harpoons snap, and the Kappa breaks free."4...3...2..."The smoke clears and a terrible wound presents itself, revealing a glistening Mother of pearls pulsating as the island's heart within. The Kappa is now mere meters away from the Yamato."1..."Just as Yamato's Star wave cannon finished aligning itself to target the Heart of the Island."Star wave Cannon, Fire!"...........Across the ocean, on a continent far beyond the horizon. A living mountain watched with quiet admiration as a beam of power and radiance streaked across the flesh-covered sky, tracing the source of the phenomenon to its origin. For the second time in a this crucible's cycle the membrane sky was torn, this time the horizon wide tear revealing a beautiful gradiant of fading solar gold into a deep azure of the evening sky. To the delight of a titanic flyer before being sealed away by the Crucible yet again............cont.
>>5329012Back on the silently still seas, Yamato and company stared at the smoking corpse of the Island amalgam as it began to fall with the pace of a crumbling glacier against the acidic sea. Yamato only had one thing to say:"Target eliminated." she declared to the erupting cheers of both passenger and crew."And here I thought you would call upon that favor." came a sonorous baritone voice reverberating from from the still waters, drawing alarm from those aboard save for Yamato's crew. Yamato's gaze focused towards the source to see a well put together humanoid construct standing on the surface of the acidic sea."Levi? Is that you?""That I am." he replied."You look...smaller than when I last saw you." remarked Hilda."Oh this?" replied the humanoid 'Leviathan', flexing and examining their limbs in idle curiosity."This is but a puppet avatar built to size of the average scale of all active daughters in this crucible for their comfort. Though if you insist upon seeing me for my true size..."A wave of gasps and quite a few shrieks came from the gathered crowd as Leviathan's mountainous serpentine body soundlessly rose from the stilled waters of the acidic sea, rising up until its mountainous head was only visible, the grand scale of size differences made all the more palpable as the kilometer scaled aquatic titan continued to communicate through it's tiny 1.8 meter puppet. "BETTER?"The crowd wanted to say no, but were too intimidated by the size to speak out, opting to focus on Leviathan's humanoid puppet for comfort."So what brings you here?" asked Yamato."OH I WAS MERELY PASSING BY, AND COULDN'T HELP BUT WATCH WITH INTEREST AS YOU ENGAGED IN AQUATIC SURFACE BATTLE. AND DONE IN A MANNER AKIN TO YOUR CIVILIZATION'S NAVAL WARFARE!" replied the aquatic world snake in rapt excitement."MAKES ME WISH I WAS PRESENT DURING THE PERIOD ON YOUR PLANET WHERE YOUR CIVILIZATION BEHELD AQUATIC BATTLES ON THE GLOBAL SCALE. SUCH BATTLES LIKE THAT ARE SUCH A RARITY THESE TIMES. WHY THE LAST CRUCIBLE THAT HAD COMMONPLACE AQUATIC BATTLES LIKE THIS WAS AROUND 285 CYCLES AGO, AND WHAT A CYCLE THAT WAS!"The Aquatic titan and its humanoid puppet gave a wistful sigh basking in aeons old nostalgia before a quiet cough from the crowd brought him back to the present."AH, BUT AS I WAS SAYING. YOUR PERFORMANCE HAS IMPRESSED ME VERY MUCH SO. FOR GIVING ME A WONDERFUL SHOW, I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD SUFFICE AS A REWARD?"With a lazy flick of Leviathan's whisker tentacles or a wave of his arm depending on where you focused, the corpse of the fallen island monster stopped dissolving as the seas went perfectly still and grew alkaline until it reached a 7 on a ph scale. Titanic power enforcing a reality defying law as Leviathan bade the seas to preserve the island-sized corpse of the Kraken-Kappa.cont.
>>5329013"I'VE TAKEN THE LIBERTIES TO FREEZE THIS LITTLE SLICE OF THE SEA, SO YOU MAY FEAST UNIMPEDED. WORRY NOT, ITS CORPSE WILL REMAIN PERFECTLY PRESERVED UNTIL YOU ARE DONE WITH YOUR MEAL."Yamato tilted her bow downwards as much as she could get away with bowing without unbalancing the passengers on-deck, astonished as everyone else to the Titan's generosity."I...I cannot thank you enough." said Yamato."OH DON'T THANK ME, THANK YOURSELF." replied Leviathan. "NOT OFTEN DO I COME ACROSS AN INTERESTING DAUGHTER. EVEN RARER IS THE MOMENT WHEN I GET TO WITNESS THE BEAUTY OF WHAT THAT DAUGHTER DOES WITH MY GIFT. THOUGH IT SEEMS..." Levi trailed off, his gaze slyly focused on something far beyond Yamato's horizon. A continent away, a walking mountain quickly and unsubtly feigned disinterest."...THAT YOU MAY HAVE CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF MY YOUNGER BROTHER...""Y-Younger brother?" Yamato stammered out."OH YOU'LL RECOGNIZE HIM WHEN YOU SEE HIM." explained Leviathan in jest. "HE'S CERTAINLY HARD TO MISS BEING A WALKING MOUNTAIN AND ALL, ALTHOUGH LATELY HE'S TAKEN A PREFERENCE TO BECOMING A WALKING CITY AS WELL. HE'S QUITE THE GOOD NATURED SIMPLETON, DESPITE HIS LEGENDARY TEMPER."Yamato couldn't help but try (and subsequently fail) to imagine the kind of being befitting of the title of 'Leviathan's younger brother'.As if he could read the visible expression on her non-existent face Leviathan gave a good-natured sonorous chortle as he began to slip back beneath the still and silent sea. "DO REMAIN INTERESTING LITTLE YAMATO, SUCH POTENTIAL IN YOUR VESSEL SHOULD BE REWARDED JUSTLY. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT." "UNTIL OUR NEXT ENCOUNTER."With a silent wave of his humanoid puppet, Leviathan dived into the abyss, leaving behind a stunned Yamato along with the passengers and crew of the 'Spanish lady', the 'Bonnet', and the 'HF Majesty'............"Anne. Anne." The petrified wooden end of an oar prodded the face of Captain Anne lying prone on her back staring at the space where Leviathan once occupied."What is it Sheryl?""Yamato said she's letting us and the others have a share of the Island." explained the first-mate. "We best get to carving our share of the spoils quick before the seas turn back into acid."Capt. Anne spoke up. "Hey Sheryl?""Do you reckon I'd be able to catch that Fat lad of a fish?"Sheryl bonked her captain in the face with the oar."ARE YOU DAFT?""I meant for recreation! Catch and release!"For that, Captain Anne got another bonk."Take it up with the crew!"SIDESTORY: END.
There you have it. That's one of the two side-stories done during the break. Read and enjoy.
(Absolutely besieged, everyone. I'll likely be posting at 5PM, Eastern time one I take care of the chaos on my end. Thank you for bearing with me!)
>>5328971(Yeah, not sure why it's like that. Once I finish things at work, I'll figure that out.)
>>5329065No worries, BHOP! Hope everything goes well for you, feel free to post at a time that's convenient for you. :)
>>5329111(I really appreciate that, and I was just able to finish the next update just before the final push of the day, so once I'm off at five, I should be able to post with no problem!)
>>5329191Hope you get the time to enjoy the side story. I've got another one ready to publish after you're done pushing out yours.
>>5329192(Excellent! Once I get home and make myself some dinner, I'm looking forward to sitting down to read it!)
>>5328861“We’ll go on Knights for endurance’s sake. Cloaked, of course.” You announce, a troupe of scoutlings slipping silently from your hive and flitting off (just as silently ) to survey No-Man’s Land while another platoon emerges to gird the two girls before you, their newly-equipped carapaces shimmering in the Crucible’s wan light. “We’ll stay low, stay silent, and stay safe. This is just a scouting mission, for now.”“Hear you loud n’ clear, chief.” Rath smirks as she fires off a two-handed salute before jerking one of her left thumbs over her shoulder. “So just to be clear, what’s the deal with that guy?”Glancing over her head and in the direction of the smoldering digit, you find the Vagrant where you’d last seen him—the amalgam still cross-legged on a distant outcropping, still sipping his tea in a manner so measured and human as to be unnerving.“Honestly? No idea, but I figure extending an olive branch wouldn’t be a bad idea.” You say, a quartet of basic constructs buzzing from the holes along your spine to go greet, escorted by a traditional FuzzBuzz envoy. “If he’s interested in communicating, then our scouts will still have made some western headway so we won’t lose too much ground.”Your scouts and envoys headed in opposite directions, you shift your attention to Amara, who’s striding up to you and positively beaming with pride.“Hey, kiddo…you show those girls a thing or two about fencing?” Rath grins, and your little one fixes the other girl with a smile.“No, I taught ‘em about swords! I dunno nothin’ about fences.”“Well I’m sure they appreciated it, sweetie.” Gina says, kneeling down as Rath tries to keep her laughter under control. “Now that you’re here, we can tell you what we’re planning to do next…”The whole ‘stay silent’ aspect of the mission briefing is one you’ll have to keep reminding Amara about, since when GG pet slip that you’d be flying over No-Man’s Land she squealed with such joy that you were sure West Prime could’ve heard her. After briefly bidding what you hope to be a short-lived goodbye to Dorian, Julia, and the others, you quickly outfit Amara with a similarly cloaked exoshell just as your FuzzBuzz makes contact with the enigmatic Amalgam.Up-close, you find him hunched over a worn set-up, an array of mismatched plates and cups surrounding a dented tea kettle, held over an open flame atop a rickety grate. He’s shrouded in a heavy leather cloak, the flesh still bright scarlet and betraying little of the being’s actual appearance aside from an angular frame and an array of spines that prop up the cloak along his back, though whether they’re part of his body or the Relics he’s rumored to be collecting is left to your imagination.“Hello there.” You begin, watching as the Vagrant slips a gnarled hand from one ragged sleeve, beckoning your ambassador closer.(Continued)
>>5329197The surface of his hand is a mangled, manifold thing, with even your swarmling’s cursory glance revealing a limb composed of a dozen different skin tones and textures, looking as though their original owners were somehow glitching over and through one another.“Please, sit.” The figure grumbles with a voice as layered as his fingers, leaning back with the tell-tale clinking of metal on stone. “Can your construct drink?”“I…yes, he can. Much obliged.” You admit, taken aback with the amalgam’s gravel-textured eloquence as your FuzzBuzz examines the chipped teacup that the Vagrant delicately places before your swarmling. Trusting in your envoy’s own regenerative powers, you take a leap of faith by letting the little guy give the dark brown liquid a tentative sip and—finding it to his liking—allow him a tea break while you speak through one of the other swarmlings present.“Saw what you did. Was going to challenge you, before that.” He growls with a good-natured timbre, only a pair of the seven or eight distinct voices you can pick out having anything other than an easy-going, if guarded, feel. “Still might, if you’re up for it.”“To a fight?” You ask, and he gives you solemn nod as he brings his own cup to just under the flap of his face-obscuring hood. “One on one, or-?”“One on one, yes. And to the death, of course.” He confirms, placing the empty cup face-down on the faded saucer that rests in his lap. “You may define the terms. It’s the least I can do.”“For…what, exactly?” You ask, and gives a small tilt of his head down the valley.“You gave the Daughters down there a chance, so you’ve more honorable than most.” The Vagrant intones, reaching out one multi-layered hand to deftly pluck your Fuzzbuzz’s empty cup and refill it without pause. “I like using Relics. Blades, specifically, so I’d only ask that I be allowed to wield them…but that would be my only request.”“…I’ve met other Amalgams like you, before. Ones that can speak well, and have their own stories.” You begin, and something about what you said makes the figure chuckle, his shoulders disturbing the metallic objects on his back as they jingle together with a series of staccato tangs. “You’ve been kind enough to offer my swarmlings tea, and have a pleasant conversation, at that. So why would you want a fight to the death?”The Vagrant leans back with something almost like a disappointed sigh. “Where I go, and how I die. Those are the choices afforded me. If I’m being honest, I never expected to make it this far, so every step I make westward at this point is just gravy.”“So why journey west at all?” You ask, bewildered. “You’re capable of moving past your designated zone, and clearly strong enough to have a reputation, so why go to the Cord at all? Are you…are you trying to ascend and finish the Crucible yourself, or something?”(Continued)
>>5329198“A reputation, eh? Well, that’s a pleasant surprise.” He murmurs, giving another hearty chuckle. “But no, I know I can’t ascend because of what I am. Insofar as finishing the Crucible, though? I like to think I’m doing my part, in a roundabout way.”“How so?”“I’ve accumulated fifteen Relic weapons, and even more that augment their potential.” He explains, reaching back a powerful arm to tap at one of the Relics in question, still covered by his scarlet cloak. “I can’t stock power the same way you Daughters do, but the first one to finally take me down may have enough of an edge to finish this thing, once and for all.”Wait, is he-?“So this guy like, what?” Rath whispers beside you, her voice failing to carry over to the Vagrant unless you will it. “A self-appointed loot pinata?”“A *professional* loot pinata, from the sound of it.” Gina mutters, clearly intrigued.“Then you’re trying to help finish this, in your own way?” You say to him, aloud, and he gives you another solemn nod. “Then why fight at all? Why not give them to someone of your choosing, and continue living?”“Pardon my saying, but things like me won’t have a place in the next world. Your people, sure. Maybe even constructs like this little guy here, if they’re as lucky as him.” The Vagrant says, reaching out to lay a (surprisingly) affectionate hand on FuzzBuzz’s head. “But Amalgams? Ah, we’re just bits ‘n pieces of people that’re prolly going to come back, anyway. No harm, no foul, but it’d be weird for us to stick around.”“But there can be a place for you. I’m trying to make a world where every human can live, and Amalgams, too. They’re people, too.”“Could they remember?” He asks.“What?”“The Amalgams you know. Could they remember their past lives?” He clarifies, and when you hesitate, he raises a hand to jam one gnarled index finger against his hooded temple. “Got a couple people up here. Memories, snatches of lives that aren’t me, not really. When you bring their families back, and I see someone on the street that used to be my kid? My brother? My mom, or dad? And there’s people walking around with faces that used to belong to me? Or what I *think* is me? Creepy stuff. Don’t like it. Also, I got some dogs, a couple cats, maybe, like…three bears rolling around in here, too. Less of a concern, but still weird when I think I smell honey. Or I see little critters running around. Or both, that one time.”(Continued)
>>5329200The Vagrant just stares off into space for another half-second before turning back to face your FuzzBuzz. “Anyways. Yeah, I’ve thought about this for a while. And if someone’s strong enough to take me down, then at least I may be the boost they need to climb that thing.”He gestures up at the Cord, hooded gaze lingering on the tower for long enough for you to catch a pair of multifaceted eyes glinting beneath his shawl, and it’s then that you ask; “But surely you’ve got something worth living for?”“Like I said before, ‘Where I go, and how I die’.” He intones. “I’ve got control of those two things. That’s enough, for me.”“That’s it?” You ask, and he chuckles again.“More of a choice than most get, from where I’m sitting.”You heave a private sigh, your exhalation not transmitted to the swarmlings you’d been speaking through as you take a moment to consider your approach.“This…doesn’t feel great, man.” Rath groans, folding each pair of arms in front of her muscled chest as she shakes her head. “He seems like a decent sort. Although, maybe we could knock some sense into him? I mean, if he wants to go out like that, then I could take a crack at him, mano a mano.”“It’d likely be mano a sword-o, if we do things the honorable way.” Gina chimes in, staring at the Vagrant from half a mile away, her eyes shining orbs of neon amethyst. “Though taking him on in a swordfight probably won’t be easy, either, if our intel is to be believed.”Amara’s blade is halfway out of its scabbard before you place a gentle hand on her elbow, considering how to reply as your daughter reluctantly sheathes her edge.>>Ask the Vagrant something more about himself (Write-In).>>Give the Vagrant what he wants—a duel, with your own conditions (Write-In).>>See if you can’t offer to hire the Vagrant. You’ve no interest in killing him, but you don’t think he’d listen if you tried to get him to settle down, either.>>You meant what you said; you’re making a world for everyone. It may be difficult, but try to convince the Vagrant that there’s a place for him, here and now…and in what’s to come, too.>>Write-InYOU ARE IN CONTROL
(Voting shall remain open for the next eight hours, with posting to resume tomorrow at 12PM, Eastern time. Apologies for the chaos of today, though I’ll likely have someone to intermittently help me out tomorrow, so I should be able to adhere to the regular posting times if all goes well. I wish you a good and restful evening one and all, and take care!)
>>5329007Huh. Whalers and fisherwomen, trolling the seas for biomass. Makes sense that would happen, there are probably more and bigger Amalgams to be had there than anywhere on land. A cool idea.>>5329009Did Buzzo Okita just play to his role? Oh, you magnificent bee, I love you.>>5329010Now that's cool. Everyone working together for fire control while Yamato charges the Star-Wave Cannon. The power of friendship, right there.>>5329012Oh, that was magnificent. Nothing like living out your childhood dreams and being the Battleship Yamato. I'm proud of you, Yams. And it sounds like the Titans are, too. You got the attention of all three of them. I think Behemoth has a crush on you, now.>>5329013Oh, hey, Levi. Nice to see you here. Aww, you did a nice thing, too, neutralizing the acid for the girls so they could eat their catch. >>5329015Anne, do not try to fish for Leviathan. For one thing, that is allegorically an impossibility, see Job 41:4. For another, we'd be very disappointed in you for trying to mess with our friend. Leave them alone.All in all, I liked this. A nice little vignette, seeing a cool naval battle and getting some brief but nice characterization of Yamato and Anne.
>>5329203Hmm. Well, I'm not sure what to do with this guy. Not super stoked about fighting him to the death in a solo fight, he seems tough. Not sure we can convince him otherwise, though. He sounds tired. Like he doesn't want to be this existence anymore, but doesn't want to just kill himself. It's kind of sad.Also, it occurs to me that if we did kill him, he'd probably wind up like Hamadryad and end up in our Dreamscape. Even if we didn't eat him, he'd be in the Cord's stored archives, probably. I'm not sure the solution is for him.
>>5329205Thanks for running, BHOP. Sorry your day was so hectic.
>>5329220Hang on...Given his preference to bladed weapons, he's very much a Crucible Version of a Wandering swordsmaster. And he's very much concerned about his past. He's very much disturbed by it in a way so much so that he can't help but imagine that he can't move forward in the future because of the memories he's inherited.
>>5329230Sounds like it, yeah. He's got remnants of too many people in him, and doesn't know how to cope with that and what it would be like to interact with normal people. Which is an issue we've seen from Sir FuzzBuzz, or his buddy Rupert, but they're better at handling it. It's a shame that Shu doesn't know about Sir FuzzBuzz or Rupert in character, we could hook Vagrant up with a therapy circle and support network if we did.
Not an official vote yet. Just typing things down as part of a draft. will likely be interrupted by family soon.>To the Vagrant: >"Not quite. You've yet to realize what it means to have choices. You just simply need to be aware of those options. Not just simply choosing the time and place of your grave.">"Have you given yourself a name yet? It's a choice completely unbidden and yet in your position, being cognizant and aware of yourself, you can afford to make that choice if you so choose.">"And what about your legacy?">>5329237So he's something of a Vector-lite but has a mix of people and animals inside him where-as Vector's got 108 humies.
>>5329220The thing is whether it realizes or not, Vagrant's actually trying to find a way to justify its own death, and yet given its origins and nature as an amalgam, it can't quite grok why they can't bring themselves to literally hand all their gear to some random daughter and let themselves be killed. They're cognizant of that desire to a degree, but there's something to be said about making a legacy out of it. Besides, the problem with their strategy of dumping 15 mythic relic weapons and augments on a single daughter is that a single daughter can only do so much. Also, I think if we want to have the Vagrant seriously consider alternative options such as running a dojo or handing out their weapons piecemeal after finding a daughter who best fits one of the weapons it has in its arsenal, we should give it (likely him) a name to call itself and a name to cultivate a legacy that they can feel satisfied with when they finally decide to croak.
>>5329238That's a good possible avenue for this guy. Ask him if he's done anything other than seek out someone to die against. He thinks it would be weird to deal with a world of humans when his only experiences with them are from the inherited memories. But what if he got some other experiences, had something of his own to draw on. Also, the "it would be weird to interact with people the memories I inherited knew" thing could be solved by him just moving. What are the odds that the people in his head are equally distributed across the entire world? They're probably all from the region around wherever he woke up first. Just live somewhere else. Go to Spain or wherever, never have to risk encountering them again. I think this is him not realizing how big the world is.
>>5329241Yeah, that's also a good point. Dueling a Daughter to the death isn't the best way of ensuring she gets the best possible inheritance from him. Sure, she'll get to pick and choose from a bunch of awesome swords, but she could do that with him alive, too. No need for it to end in his death. If anything, him passing his swords off to multiple people would be better, give more of a fighting chance by widening the possibility space.
>>5329203>Ask the Vagrant something more about himself:>"Huh...so you're just like them...>"Vector. The living lightning daughter. They're actually an amalgamation of 108 humans of varying backgrounds. Those individual selves originally didn't make the cut, but given how erratic the Crucible is..I think you'll find common ground with a fellow like Vector. They might help you with your memory problem.">To the Vagrant: >"Not quite. You've yet to realize what it means to have choices. You just simply need to be aware of those options. Not just simply choosing the time and place of your grave. Why not make the most of it with the choices you haven't considered?>"For example, choosing how you wish to live before you die, or giving yourself a name to be remembered by for your deeds.">"Have you given yourself a name yet? It's a choice completely unbidden and yet in your position, being cognizant and aware of yourself, you can afford to make that choice if you so choose. It's a simple thing, giving yourself a name, and I tend to find comfort in it. Knowing the people will remember me for who and what I am before death inevitably embraces me.">"If you are willing to go that far to choose a daughter with the strength capable of striking you down, but then consider this:>If possible, swap with the Fuzzbuzz envoy and show him Karma as an example.>"For a daughter as powerful as I am, I tend to keep relic weapons that best fits me, even if it's only one.">"There's only so many relic weapons a daughter can wield before they become over-encumbered. And I'll have to admit, even if I were to inherit your arsenal, 15 relic weapons are a bit much even for me. I'm more likely to give them away to people I don't know.">"But you, you know the weapons on your back, how they work, and who among us would be best fit to wield them right?">"So why all your hopes on a single daughter in a duel to the death?" >"Why do that when instead you can build a legacy outlasting your lifespan in the time we have by finding multiple daughters whom you can entrust a small piece of your arsenal to? Wouldn't that be a more satisfying way to live?">"We can start here. With Amara, and Rath.">"Amara here studies the blade, while Rath is a veritable brawler with a major in Relic forging. I know they would be more than willing to accept your duel. But, I have a few conditions I'd like to add in. One: It will not be to the death. Two: You get to decide which part of your arsenal you feel they are worthy of regardless of the outcome. Three: Should you feel these challengers aren't worthy of wielding a relic within your arsenal, you can call off the duel. Should the challengers disrespect these conditions, you are free to cut them down. Of course, they may have their own conditions to add to the duel. Are you okay with this?"Possible Alternative names for Vagrant: Ronin, Hanzo, KenseiAlso, inb4 Amara's condition is that Vagrant spends an hour as her sword sensei.
Hello everyone! I'm still in the process of catching up, unfortunately I haven't made a ton of progress recently because of real life stuff, but I'm still trucking along! I've just hit the interlude vein after the 34th, so I'm hoping to burn through it along with the other veins between me and here!I didn't actually know that last vein had ended before I'd last posted, that's one of the problems with not reading any of the actual happenings in the thread I guess. I had some post-vein questions I had wanted to ask, but I'll just save them for the end of this one, which I can hopefully if not participate in, then at least catch up to in time for the end of!I've still been having a great time with the story, I really adore the character interactions that've happened recently (for me) with Fran, Lara, and especially Magpie. Of course, the cuteness with Dorian and Julia is always nice, and Amara is constantly adorable, but those three were nice to see again/get more attention on. Oh, also the ant queen is just pretty rad, I sure do hope nothing bad happens to her.Anyway, I'd best get back to it, I hope everyone currently participating, or even just reading the Vein is having a wonderful day, and thank you as always BHOP for authoring this very enjoyable story!
>>5329314Gah. there's so many typos and missing words.
>>5329244any thoughts on the current vote so far? Once again, I'm up to the usual wordy bs. It's likely that Vagrant might refuse the conditions offered for the duel in favor of just a all-in duel to the death.
>>5329317(Hello, and I'm glad you're still enjoying it! You're more than welcome to ask any questions you'd like, and if you do then I'll be happy to address them once I've had some time to sit down and read the other short story that was posted by one of the talented authors here.)(It's a pleasure to hear from you, and it's mine to continue writing for such an awesome group of players and readers.)
>>5329317Hi, Zealot. Yeah, the Laoc happenings were a good pair of Veins. Getting to meet up with Lara again was a nice treat. And the PyreAnt Queen is indeed rad.>>5329328Yeah, it's a bit wordy. Comes off almost as a lecture, I'm not sure that will get through to him. I'm about to eat dinner, my response here is delayed because I was cooking, but I'll give it a better look-over afterwards.
>>5329330Well, certainly!The main question I've been having is what the state of the world is. I understand that everything is a horrifying flesh scape, there's lots of descriptions of fields of skin, bone, so on and so forth, but I'm more curious about things like roads or cities. I know cities, and large structures still exist, such as Kosi's city, the factory where the... little girls who I've forgotten the names of were set up, those kinds of things, but are they the same as they were, metal and stone and wood, or have they been converted to flesh and bone? Or have they simply been covered over with a layer of meat?A related question is how has the fleshscape actually affected 'normal' items. I know early on there's a mention of a book that's pages are so old and weathered that it basically turns to dust, but Gina's phone and the clothes people have found seem to have not suffered much at all, in addition to the Crucible only having been going for two-ish years. Related to *that* last question, how thorough was Mother with getting rid of conventional weaponry? I know it's said that she swept away the nukes on the planet, but evidently missed some as the Disassociated are planning to space launch with them, but did something similar happen to conventional firearms as well? Aside from November's guns, and maybe Magpie's, it doesn't seem like there's any any infantry-scale ordnance still around, that I've seen as of yet anyway. It's something that's stuck out to me just because I'm a bit of a gun nut, and I live in America, so in the case of the Crucible my first thought would be looting one of the many gun stores or ranges that I know about nearby. Not to mention things like military bases and heavier weaponry like rocket or grenade launchers, and vehicles for that matter.So, it basically all comes down to 'what exactly happened to the old world with the advent of the Cucible?', and I do apologize if this question in general, or these specific ones, have already been answered, yet another downside to speed-reading through the veins is that I've not been able to take the time to really read all the discussion topics, or Q&A sections, and when I do the info doesn't tend to stick for me. So, sorry if this is retreading already covered ground, it's just some stuff I've been curious about regarding the worldbuilding for a while now.I think this might be the longest post I've actually made here... Well, questions are as questions do. I look forward to whatever answers you can provide! And, of course, if anything would be spoilers then do feel free to just say that and leave it there, I'd hate to reveal things prematurely with the story so near to the end.>>5329343Yes! All of this is entirely correct, I for one welcome our new fuzzy friend, and our new royal friend. The joy of FuzzBuzz is recognized by all true connoisseurs of cuddles, as we all know!
>>5329203voting to rescind my vote here >>5329314 until better alternatives can be discussed.
>>5329010>>5329012(This is just...this is the *hypest* shit. From Buzzo Okita (which gave me one hell of a laugh, mind you), to everyone helping, to Yamato's reflections on her current state, and everything with the countdown. That was so freaking cool I literally cheered. VERY well done, my friend.)(Levy showing up was absolutely excellent, and the ending of it all just got me good. I can't tell you how much I laughed at the end. Thank you so much for sharing, as that was a superb short.)
>>5329357In the beginning it would make sense to immediately go for the military grade gear, but as the Crucible wore on much of it has been recycled or discarded in favor of innate weaponry or relic-forged weapons given that daughters are capable of innate regeneration. With so many mutations given to any given daughter and weaponized to varying degrees, firearms have been somewhat relegated to a specific niche, albeit in specific configurations while the bulk of the medium in delivering violence has been diversified. Pre-crucible firearms would be useful but only up to a point before the pace of regeneration and survival-ability of eldritch flesh outstrips the physics bound weapons small arms fire unless said weapons were also augmented by the Crucible.The same could be said for transportation. Way point stations exist to connect places half-way around the world while the transportation infrastructure has diversified given that some daughters have innate forms of fast transportation outside of way-station warping. The rest of the daughters though? well. It's back to pre-industrial era foot-travel or the age of sail, but without having to worry much about food and rest save for the true hunger within their stomachs.
>>5329414I only hope is that we get to see the tear in the sky that Yamato made in the next update. Thanks for enjoying the shit out of the short. I hope the linked song music set the mood for the short rightly.
>>5329422Oh I realize they wouldn't be terribly *useful* at the point of the crucible this quest takes place, what with everything being kinda really strong, I'm just curious why there aren't more around in general, even as discarded tools. Although, even in the modern day November seems to do pretty well, I don't think her guns are special in any way, are they?I'm mostly thinking for early game, crucible monsters are pretty strong and tough from what I've read, but let's not undersell firearms here, a full size rifle round, or even intermediate cartridge, is still putting *significant* force at high velocity on a very small surface area at considerable range, that's not something to scoff at. Add in, as you've mentioned, relic upgrades or special ammo types, and I think you could make it decently into midgame with a firearm doing most of the heavy lifting, leaving you free to really pick and choose your combat path, or focus more on utility/defense in the early term.Of course, I could be understanding things wrong, but I can't think of many 'normal' monsters, or even daughters, in the past few veins (that I've read) that would be immune to bullet. And if immune to bullet, most things aren't immune to 40mm grenade. Regarding transport, the waystations are obviously quite useful for great distance travel, but they're stationary, meanwhile something like even a normal pickup truck, if you could manage to make it run in the fleshscape, gives you free range distance travel capabilities, combined with cargo transport. Cargo transport that can be used for, as an example, meat like was done during the hunting section. If you combine the two, it doesn't seem like an unreasonable idea to range out hunting amalgams to pool their meat together for more long term rations, rather than living meal to meal. But again, I could be wrong in the mechanics behind that. I'm mostly just curious for BHOP's reasons behind stuff, I don't have any problems with how things have been presented or been done so far, just in case this is coming off as too harsh.
>>5329314Right, okay, back. I like the idea of emphasizing the Vagrant leaving something behind that's specifically him. Not just inherited minds, but something that's just his. He can still die if he wants to, but he should leave behind more than just being a loot pinata. How does this look?>"If you don't mind my asking, *why* is that the choice you have? Are you incapable of meeting a Daughter in person without having to fight her? I met a sapient Amalgam like that recently, she didn't want to fight people but was incapable of resisting Amalgam instincts. Or is it just that you can't see yourself living any other life?">"Maybe you can't. But if this is all you've got, I think you should make the most of it. Don't just be a wandering treasure trove waiting for someone strong enough to seize it. Why not actively cultivate that strength, and take a student? Find some promising seed and raise them up, pass on your skill with the blade until they're worthy of defeating you.">"For that matter, you could take multiple students. Any one Daughter probably isn't going to want to wield fifteen swords. Which, really, is also a problem with passing your entire arsenal on to whoever defeats you. They'll probably just wind up passing the blades further on. It would be wasted on them. But if you had an entire dojo worth of swordswomen to inherit your legacy, you could be sure that all of them were put to good use.">"It's just an idea. But I think it could make your life a bit more satisfying, before it ends. Give you something to do other than wander. And when you do find someone worthy of taking your life, you might leave behind some memories that are unique to you. Not of the people who went into making you, but yourself.">"Speaking of...this is horribly rude of me, but I never asked your name. Do you have one? Would you like one?" I feel the ending's a bit weak, but what do you think?
>>5329460The sense I always got was that guns were mostly wiped out for the reasons you're saying. They're meant to be the equivalent of rare loot drops, something that if you can find and get working will carry you into the mid-game when you start getting access to Relic guns like Magpie wields (or just investing in other skills, I guess). But you want to restrict the supply of those, or else everyone will be cheesing the early game, so most guns were consumed by the Crucible. Same with motor vehicles, probably. A few people riding around in them is a neat bonus mechanic to expand the possibilities of the game, but if everyone gets them it's going to be unbalancing.
>>5329468First half is good. Second half is weak, but we can transition that tangent into getting him in on the idea with a test-run concept in the form of a duel between him and Amara using the three conditions that I mentioned in the previous vote: >One: It will not be to the death. >Two: You get to decide which part of your arsenal you feel they are worthy of regardless of the outcome. >Three: Should Vagrant feel these challengers aren't worthy of wielding a relic within your arsenal, Vagrant has the right to call off the duel. >Four: Should the challengers disrespect these conditions, Vagrant is free to cut them down.here's my suggestions in the dialogue transition: >"For that matter, you could take multiple students. Any one Daughter probably isn't going to want to wield fifteen swords. Which, really, is also a problem with passing your entire arsenal on to whoever defeats you. They'll probably just wind up passing the blades further on. It would be wasted on them. But if you had an entire dojo worth of swordswomen to inherit your legacy, you could be sure that all of them were put to good use.">"What do you think? Would that be a legacy worth dying for?">"We can help you build that legacy here and now.">"And we'll start with a name. For you to call yourself by, to distinguish yourself form the memories you've inherited. For you to build upon throughout your life as you search for worthy inheritors of the blades you wield. For you to be remembered by when you finally choose the time and place for your grave.">"What would you like to call yourself by?">"As for your first student...Hey Amara, would you like to see if you're worthy of a legendary sword?"
>>5329489>>5329468a typo on condition two: it should be>Regardless of the Duel outcome, Vagrant decides what weapon best fits the challenger.
>>5329489I"m a little wary of immediately volunteering Amara, since taking on students is something that would be a longer-term commitment. We want to keep her with us, not studying the blade with Vagrant. We could have him examine her form and see if there's anything he can correct her on, though, to test his ability to pass on his skills. Something less than a full duel with prospects of training on the line, maybe each of them get one strike, blocking allowed. So he gets to see how she attacks and how she defends, and what he'd be capable of educating someone on in those regards.But otherwise, looks good.
>>5329357>>but I'm more curious about things like roads or cities. I know cities, and large structures still exist, such as Kosi's city, (...) but are they the same as they were, metal and stone and wood, or have they been converted to flesh and bone? Or have they simply been covered over with a layer of meat?(I'd say the ratio of meat to masonry is roughly 100 to 1. You still have the vague outline of roads, and there's still metal, brick, and stonework to be found, but the vast majority has been either covered by biomass or converted into Crucible materials. That said, if you were familiar with an area, you'd be able to see traces of roads and old familiar structures, though whether they'd be shattered and broken or replaced with a biomass facsimile is a toss-up.)>I know early on there's a mention of a book that's pages are so old and weathered that it basically turns to dust, but Gina's phone and the clothes people have found seem to have not suffered much at all, in addition to the Crucible only having been going for two-ish years.(The way the Crucible is *supposed* to operate, everything would be either converted into biomass or dragged so far deep into the planet's crust as to be inaccessible. However, this current iteration is starting to glitch, meaning that clothing and even certain weapons and vehicles (like the Metall Geschoss) were left topside.)>>Related to *that* last question, how thorough was Mother with getting rid of conventional weaponry? (The Admin tries to be thorough, but there's been enough that's slipped through to make a couple of militias, though the efficacy of basic firearms and the like against biomass regen is iffy, the higher-level the Daughter is. That said, there are a few ways around this—the first is actively integrating biomass into the machinery, evolving the thing outright into a Relic or (as in Gina's case with her phone) allowing a thing to work with the 'rules' of the Crucible. There are also a few Daughters around whose favored firearms ended up being Relics, and they woke up with them in hand along with a Flesh Artisan Core attuned to them. Firearms are also a pretty common Calcite Armorer skillset, though they're pretty Bio-intensive.)(All that being said, I have to admit when I started this Quest I made an active choice to limit the gun and tech, even though I'm a huge fan of both—that'll be the main focus of one of the other stories I'm working on is basically Blame! meets Borderlands in a megastructure Dyson Sphere, and guns/machinery are going to be the order of the day in Phantom Flame. Each of my storylines basically focuses on a handful of things I'm crazy about, so trying to lend too much focus on that sort of hardware in this particular story was something I intentionally put to the side so as to not split my focus too much.)(...then again, November's a playable character, so I couldn't let it go entirely.)
>>5329460>>And if immune to bullet, most things aren't immune to 40mm grenade.
>>5329528>Say my name.M79 40mm Grenade Launcher!Can't go wrong with the classics. Anyway, I appreciate the answers! The stuff regarding guns is about what I'd figured, regarding the balancing decision and all that, but it's cool to see that bio-guns are a legit development path for some of the cores, and the idea of 'legacy guns' pushes all my buttons in the right way! If you've ever played or heard of the Warhammer 40k tabletop RPG Black Crusade, there's a Legacy Weapon system in one of the splatbooks to represent weapons that have effectively gained power by being part of your character's legend, and I've always thought that kind of thing is just super cool.I can't say I've ever read Blame!, though I have seen and heard about it, and I'm not the biggest fan of Borderlands, but please do maybe post either in the last vein of this quest, or on the twitter when that story goes live? I'm assuming it isn't already, anyway, since you say 'are going to be'. I've enjoyed your writing in this quest a ton, as I've said many times already, so I'm sure I'd love something I get to gun-nerd out in will be just as amazing and enjoyable to be part of.Also, November best android lady, prove me wrong.
>>5329520Fair points on the whole correction of getting Amara into a longer commitment of kendo as a side hobby, but volunteering Amara would be something of a test-bed for our idea of steering Vagrant into a walking a more productive life and legacy. Besides, you never know if Amara is actually good enough to earn a blade. Man. Amara will likely grow up to be quite the tomboy with a girly side if this continues.
>>5329542>>Warhammer 40k tabletop RPG Black Crusade(I had no idea, I'm going to have to check it out, because that style of a legacy system sounds amazing!)(Blame! and Nihei's other works are all very solid, though I have to say that Borderlands wasn't the best comparison. It's more like if Dark Souls was a Western (mainly in the 'immortal-but-at-what-cost' vibe of Souls), and set in an oppressive megastructure like is the main setting in Blame. Honestly, given that I'm hacking Lancer as the base system for Phantom Flame, I'll be checking out Black Crusade, since that Legacy Weapon system you mentioned would work *perfectly* given the main points of the setting.)(Once Body Horror Quest wraps I'll do something akin to an AMA/Debrief to address questions and the like, but I'll obviously keep everyone informed as to what's coming next as far as quests/writing goes. I have...five?...stories that I've been beating away with a stick as I work through BHQ, so I'll be writing for as long as I have great players and readers.)>>Also, November best android lady, prove me wrong.(That's the thing—no one ever could.)
>>5329525>That said, if you were familiar with an area, you'd be able to see traces of roads and old familiar structures, though whether they'd be shattered and broken or replaced with a biomass facsimile is a toss-up.I like to think that there are a lot of Amalgams with Calcite power sets that started life as public statues, Calcite replacing their stone and then being animated into a monster.>(...then again, November's a playable character, so I couldn't let it go entirely.)And November has the best guns. She's got a railgun, even. I love that railgun.
>>5329549Yeah, I'm fine with them doing a quick test, Vagrant testing Amara's skills and in turn her testing his ability to teach. I just don't think we should make her one of his students challenging her for a blade is something we should do right now.>Man. Amara will likely grow up to be quite the tomboy with a girly side if this continues.I think of older Amara being just on the "normie" side of Perky Goth. Like, not actually Goth, but her love of the macabre and unsettling makes her come off with a similar vibe. She's the sort of girl who would excitedly show her friends a cool skeleton she found.
Rolled 92 (1d100)
>>5329571(Not sure what you were rolling for, but a solid roll, regardless. I wish you well, and that you carry that luck to your next rolls, friend.)
>>5329568>I think of older Amara being just on the "normie" side of Perky Goth. Like, not actually Goth, but her love of the macabre and unsettling makes her come off with a similar vibe. She's the sort of girl who would excitedly show her friends a cool skeleton she found.It might even be the norm for people in the future to embrace a bit of the eldritch side. A thought: Should we give Churem a Spirit-shell to inhabit? Given the seriousness of this potential duel, having one of the previous cycle's primo swordsaints spectate would help Amara with her form. Who knows. Maybe the inclusion of Churem would get Vagrant even more interested in the idea of teaching others or even the thought of offering one of his blades to Amara or even Churem for that matter.>>5329557Also, Excalibur Prime or Excalibur Umbra for Churem?>>5329590>>5329571if it was the warhammer roll under system, that dice roll would be horrendously bad.
>>5329602(Oh, Excalibur Umbra, full-stop.)
>>5329602>It might even be the norm for people in the future to embrace a bit of the eldritch side. Probably. What with all the young people who lived through the Crucible, it's definitely going to become some sort of style trend.And yeah, we should definitely give Cheruem a Spirit Shell. If she's up for it, of course. But the Ascendants were some of the strongest contestants in their Crucible, even with all of the ones we have having died before they reached the Cord. Having them join the House of Tenno would be very effective. Plus, you know, it would be nice for them to get out and stretch their legs some.I'm not sure we can build Cheruem one fast enough to watch the session. But giving her the option of finding the Vagrant later and comparing skills sounds kind of adorable. Vagrant and Cheruem, roaming sword instructors.
>>5329640Well it takes quite a bit of time, but we can build it as we go along while Amara has her lesson with the Vagrant, besides, Churem will have a 1st row seat during Amara's duel, so when Amara's done with Vagrant, Churem's spirit shell should be done by then. I do have to wonder however, is there an augment out there that allows Hive Mistresses to speed-build their bigger constructs? I'm mean sure we could get faster at it with proficiency, and I'm certain having multiple hands sculpt the body at once with a squad of swarmlings helping out with getting the proportions right would speed things along. Also, we've got about 2.5 hours left in the voting window.
>>5329203right. votes. >"If you don't mind my asking, *why* is that the choice you have? Are you incapable of meeting a Daughter in person without having to fight her? I met a sapient Amalgam like that recently, she didn't want to fight people but was incapable of resisting Amalgam instincts. Or is it just that you can't see yourself living any other life?">"Maybe you can't. But if this is all you've got, I think you should make the most of it. Don't just be a wandering treasure trove waiting for someone strong enough to seize it. Why not actively cultivate that strength, and take a student? Find some promising seed and raise them up, pass on your skill with the blade until they're worthy of defeating you.">"For that matter, you could take multiple students. Any one Daughter probably isn't going to want to wield fifteen swords. Which, really, is also a problem with passing your entire arsenal on to whoever defeats you. They'll probably just wind up passing the blades further on. It would be wasted on them. But if you had an entire dojo worth of swordswomen to inherit your legacy, you could be sure that all of them were put to good use.">"What do you think? Would that be a legacy worth dying for?">"We can help you build that legacy here and now.">"And we'll start with a name. For you to call yourself by, to distinguish yourself form the memories you've inherited. For you to build upon throughout your life as you search for worthy inheritors of the blades you wield. For you to be remembered by when you finally choose the time and place for your grave.">"What would you like to call yourself by?">lay down some conditions for the duel if Vagrant is willing to accept them.>One: It will not be to the death. >Two: You get to decide which part of your arsenal you feel they are worthy of regardless of the outcome. >Three: Should Vagrant feel these challengers aren't worthy of wielding a relic within your arsenal, Vagrant has the right to call off the duel. >Four: Should the challengers disrespect or disagree to these conditions, Vagrant is free to cut them down or leave.>"As for your first 'student'...">Ask Amara and/or Churem if they're up for testing the Vagrant. >If Churem is up for testing the Vagrant for a chance to get a relic weapon, craft a spirit shell/Tenno-frame for the Hexane.>>5329640Given that we've discussed so far. looks like we're in tentative agreement on this current course of action.
>>5329643I suppose we could try it. Connect to her and ask her if she wants to get instantiated. If we can build it in time, it could be fun to see her interact with Vagrant.>I do have to wonder however, is there an augment out there that allows Hive Mistresses to speed-build their bigger constructs?Probably. Would be really useful for Queen-type Hive Mistresses who have really big things to spawn.>Also, we've got about 2.5 hours left in the voting window.Oh, yeah, I haven't formally submitted a vote, have I? Okay, here goes:>>5329203>"If you don't mind my asking, *why* is that the choice you have? Are you incapable of meeting a Daughter in person without having to fight her? I met a sapient Amalgam like that recently, she didn't want to fight people but was incapable of resisting Amalgam instincts. Or is it just that you can't see yourself living any other life?">"Maybe you can't. But if this is all you've got, I think you should make the most of it. Don't just be a wandering treasure trove waiting for someone strong enough to seize it. Why not actively cultivate that strength, and take a student? Find some promising seed and raise them up, pass on your skill with the blade until they're worthy of defeating you.">"For that matter, you could take multiple students. Any one Daughter probably isn't going to want to wield fifteen swords. Which, really, is also a problem with passing your entire arsenal on to whoever defeats you. They'll probably just wind up passing the blades further on. It would be wasted on them. But if you had an entire dojo worth of swordswomen to inherit your legacy, you could be sure that all of them were put to good use.">"What do you think? Would that be a legacy worth dying for?">"We could help you get started. How about with a name? Forgive me if I'm presuming, but you didn't mention one. Do you not have one? It might do you some good to get one. It would be something to distinguish yourself from the memories you've inherited. For your story to build upon, as you search for worthy inheritors. And for you to be remembered by when you do finally meet your match. What do you say?">If the Vagrant seems interested in the idea, propose a test of their ability to pass on their skills. Not a full duel, but an exchange of blows to see how they can assess an opponent's fighting style and inform them of what they need to work on. If they think they can do it without going too far and turning to battle, see if Amara or Cheruem want to try it. Also, build Cheruem a Spirit Shell if they want to give it a go.
>>5329640speaking of House of Tenno, we'd better dedicate a time slot solely to discuss with the incoming 52 new dream daughters and how they're feeling about everything. Otherwise, we won't be able to make the most out of the House, not to mention the time it takes to get the spirit shells sculpted.I'm still rather pissed at myself for not having the thought to put Vulture's pride into another stasis womb until well after the previous vein has withered away.
>>5329701Yeah. Next time we're back at the Lair, we've got a body crafting session to go through. Talk to our new head pals, ask around the old guard who wants to get embodied, and then go wild with Julia making Spirit Shells.
>>5329701(A last contribution before I head to bed; I'd be more than happy to retcon that particular point, if you and the others are so inclined.)(Let me know your thoughts, and I wish everyone here a restful evening.)
>>5329728I honestly don't remember what Vulture's Pride does, but if the other anon wants to store it for later, I say go for it.
>>5329743Vulture's Pride is an Unnatural Predator/Gluttonous duo hybrid ability that goes up to lvl 5. It's a utility ability that deals with being a vulture in playstyle. Primary effect is that when a daughter is on death's door and has failed a death save, you may mercy kill them to full restore your stats and gain a percentage based stat boost while saving the dream daughter data of the dying daughter, in exchange for sacrificing any level up points gained from consuming. An optional consume action that reduces consumption into a single action instead of a full round action.>>VULTURE’S PRIDE (Gluttonous / Phantasmal Conduit Hybrid, Lvl 1 of 5): You may CONSUME a Daughter that has failed her death saving throws in the middle of combat, absorbing her Dream Daughter and forgoing any associated Level-Up Points for the following benefits; Your HEALTH and BIO are fully restored, and your HEALTH & BIO MAXIMUMS are increased by 10% for the remainder of combat (Stackable), additionally, you are cleared of all status ailments and negative Artisan Stacks. (HEALTH +300%, BIO +200%)Essentially a useful pragmatic ability for picking up dying allied low-powered daughters to use for house of tenno during the final push towards the Cord when Francine's revive ability can't cut it. I would liken this to an option of performing a Triage action if we have lots of allied daughters on death's door. Francine or Shu would subsequently put this ability to good use.Plus, this would subsequently be a good option to augment/hybridize our Ravenous maw in the long run. Though given the pragmatic and morally suspect nature of Vulture's pride...
>>5329728Yes please. Although I will have to admit, I feel sorry for having pulled this sort of retcon request. It's poor etiquette.
>>5329203"If you don't mind my asking, *why* is that the choice you have?” You say, voice buzzing through your construct envoy. “Are you incapable of meeting a Daughter in person without having to fight her? I met a sapient Amalgam like that recently, she didn't want to fight people but was incapable of resisting Amalgam instincts. Or is it just that you can't see yourself living any other life?"“It’s not like I’m lacking in self-control, or anything. We’re talking right now, aren’t we?” The Vagrant replies, his gravelly voice tinged with amusement. “I feel for your ‘sapient’ friend, though—it’s hard, resisting the pull to violence. There’s this kick in the guts we amalgams get when we see a Daughter, a pang of…envy, maybe? Perhaps anger’s more on-the-nose. Not sure how best to describe it, but it’s a feeling that gets easier to suppress the longer you’re up and active. And me? I’m old as balls, as the kids like to say.”A beat and then; “They…they *do* still say that, yeah?”Rath gives you a withering look, while Amara just shoots you a thumbs-up before you focus back on the vagrant through second-hand eyes, and he concludes with; “I think you hit it right on the nose, really…when it comes right down to it, I can’t see myself living any other way.”"Maybe you can't. But if this is all you've got, I think you should make the most of it.” You counter as gently as you can manage.“That so? You got an alternative in mind?” He asks coolly, planting the palm of his only visible arm atop one covered knee.“Don't just be a wandering treasure trove waiting for someone strong enough to seize it. Why not actively cultivate that strength, and take a student? Find some promising seed and raise them up, pass on your skill with the blade until they're worthy of defeating you." You offer, a flicker of disbelief evident in the minute twitch of the Vagrant’s hood. "For that matter, you could take multiple students. Any one Daughter probably isn't going to want to wield fifteen swords. Which, really, is also a problem with passing your entire arsenal on to whoever defeats you. They'll probably just wind up passing the blades further on. It would be wasted on them.”“Whoever’s skilled enough to take me down won’t have any problem with that.” The swordsman smoothly parries, his armament shifting on his back as he crosses one tree-trunk leg over the other, the vague suggestion of his monstrous form still concealed. “You can hand ‘em out one by one, sure. But my powers let me use all of them at once. Doesn’t matter if you’ve got enough hands, ‘cause they can go on auto-pilot, if the user’s interested.”He shrugs his massive shoulders. “Besides, the strongest thing I’ve got doesn’t even have to be a sword, at all. It’s just taken that form because it’s what I favor. Ex-…my trump card alone would be more than enough to turn the tide of a match.”(Continued)
>>5330189“Maybe so, but if you had an entire dojo worth of swordswomen to inherit your legacy, you could be sure that all of them were put to good use. Besides, who better to teach someone how to wield those fifteen blades than the one who’s mastered them all?" You say, weaving around his guard with a hint of flattery. "What do you think? Would that be a legacy worth dying for?"He regards you for a moment, eyes glinting at you from the darkened recesses of his hood.“…I’m listening.” He finally growls, leaning back on one elbow."We can help you build that legacy here and now." You say, hopeful. "And we'll start with a name. For you to call yourself by, to distinguish yourself form the memories you've inherited. For you to build upon throughout your life as you search for worthy inheritors of-““Ha, hold on there, Miss. I never said I’d do it, just that you had my attention.” He stops you with one hand raised, the palm calloused and scabbed over with the weight of countless duels. “But as for a name, eh? Hm. I’ll…I’ll have to get back to you on that.”“Fair enough. Now, as for that duel? I’m willing to accept, on four conditions.” You say, changing tack to something that you’re betting will hold the Vagrant’s attention…and you hit the jackpot, it seems. His posture shifts forward intently, and you raise four fingers, counting down from pinky to index. “First, and most importantly, it will not be to the death.”“Ah, I expected as much.” He grumbles, but with no argument forthcoming, you continue.“Two, you get to decide which part of your arsenal you feel they are worthy of regardless of the outcome. Three, should you feel these challengers aren't worthy of wielding a relic within your arsenal, you reserve the right to call off the duel. And, fourth and finally, should the challengers disrespect or disagree to these conditions, you’re free to cut them down or leave.”“I accept.” He replies without hesitation or derision. He rises, his weaponry clanking noisily as he stands up to his full eight feet. “Who would you have me duel?”Meeting the eyes of your chosen warrior with a questioning look, you place your faith in not just her skills, but her kindness. And as for her answer, well……the shine in her two-tone gaze tells you all you need to know."As for your first 'student'..." You conclude, ignoring the warrior’s snort at your choice of noun; “…I elect my daughter, Amara.”The Vagrant obliges you by descending to where you, GG, Rath, and your chosen warrior await him at the mesa you’ve selected for the duel. It’s a flat slab of calcite, wide enough for you to stay at the fringes of the melee while flat enough to allow for as unobtrusive an arena as possible. The wandering Amalgam stands ten meters away, patiently awaiting his challenger as you kneel before her, staring straight into her eyes with your hand on her shoulder.(Continued)
>>5330190“You’re sure about this?” You ask, and Amara just plants her right hand on your shoulder in a mirror of you.“Super-sure!” She replies with a grin, her left arm sheathed in the gauntlet of barbed calcite, her blade’s hilt mere centimeters from her impatient fingers. “Besides, it’s not to the death, so I won’t hurt Mister Vagrant!”You hold your tongue, a dozen protests stamped down your throat as you choose instead to smile at the little girl before you, unwilling to taint her boundless confidence with your own shadows of doubt. With a wink and a spin on her heel, she strides off to the field of battle, and it’s only now that the Vagrant doffs his cloak, his full stature is revealed.Five arms are relaxed at his sides, his form lopsided with four over-muscled arms on his left while a single over-sized limb flexes its thick fingers on the right side of his gnarled body. He’s garbed in heavy leathers, a patchwork suit of overlapping plates that seem cobbled from various sets. His face is a squat, piggish thing, resembling a boxer who’s seen ten brawls too many. His eyes tell a similar tale, the dark, deep-set orbs narrowed at your adoptive daughter, filled with a warrior’s resolve and a fighter’s caution. They’re a stark contrast to the six ears that frame his bruised visage; two pairs of cat ears and a single set of canine-esque lobes perk up, their edges frayed and fettered…not that his appearance gives your little one any pause as she points straight at the wanderer’s head.“You got kitty ears, like me!” She exclaims, overjoyed as she gestures frantically between his weathered lobes and her own. “We’re matching!”“Ha, that we are…but you wear them better than I.” He chuckles, right arm reaching behind him and into the array of weapons at his back…but then, he pauses, eyes widening at Amara’s sword, still respectfully sheathed. “Child. Where did you get that blade?”“Oh, a really cool friend of mine called Cheruem helps me make it! She trains me a whole lot, too! She used to use it to guard a museum…sorry, ‘historical reposittery’, she says.” Amara replies, rolling her eyes with a giggle. “It’s cool, isn’t it?”“…Very.” He murmurs, hand frozen in place, fingers dancing along the handle of a forbidding bastard sword that you realize is simply hovering next to its fellows, inches from the warrior’s back. He taps the metal thoughtfully before his dry lips part in an amused sneer…or maybe he’s genuinely amused. It’s hard to tell with how scarred and misshapen his features are.“This ‘Cheruem’…they’re not human, are they?” He intones, grip shifting to seize the handle of a much smaller weapon, buried in the mess of blades and sheathes at his disposal.“Um…no? How’d you-“The Hexane Contender suddenly flares hot against your hip, its insistence nearly scalding, trapped as it is between layers of chitin.(Continued)
>>5330193Amara’s voice turns into a gasp as the Vagrant withdraws his weapon of choice for this particular duel; it’s a splendid thing even sheathed, the weapon held in a long, curved scabbard with sharp lines that're almost art-deco in their styling.“Found this beauty a while back, buried deep. I’d always suspected this one’s original owner was neither Daughter nor Amalgam…nice to have my little hunch vindicated.” He grins, sliding the blade forth with one meaty hand to reveal a katana-like length of polished calcite, honed to a peerless edge.>>HUNTER’S PRIDE—UNSHACKLED [Master Shu, I beg you to call of this duel at once] Karma’s voice cries out, lancing through the forefront of your mind as her pistol form’s heat reaches uncomfortable levels.“That thing…it’s Cheruem’s, isn’t it?” You venture aloud, earning a wide-eyes glance from Rath and Gina, both. “Amara can summon a copy, but that’s the real deal. The original.”[Indeed, and as such it could shatter its inferior copy in an instant] Karma urgently informs you. [I know Amara is skilled for her age, but even a mock battle such as this is woefully one-sided]Amara gathers herself enough to draw her own sword, the fully-formed scabbard locked against her elbow and forearm as she settles her grip—two hands firmly clasping a weapon that mirrors the Vagrant’s own.“Judging by the look on your face? I can step in. Just say the word.” Rath whisper harshly, keeping an eye on the two combatants even as the Vagrant clears his throat.“What’s your name, little one?”“Amara!” She shouts back, nodding her head back at you, unwilling to take her eyes off her foe as she adds; “And that’s Shu, the Defiant! She’s my mom!”“She must have a great deal of faith in your skill.”“She does!” Your little girl replies with an audible smile, her confidence sending a feeling as sharp as her blade through your hammering heart. “I work real hard to make her and everyone else proud!”“I respect that.” The Vagrant intones before glancing your way. “On your mark, Defiant.”[Master Shu…] Karma pleads, Rath’s burning eyes locked on your own until a soft hand at your side prompt you to meet Gina’s far calmer gaze.{She’s got this} GG says privately, unable to be heard even by Amara’s enhanced perceptions. {It’ll be okay}Amara steadies herself, her white-knuckled grip on her sword contrasted with the weapon’s inspiration, clutched in the Vagrant’s massive right fist.You take a breath.You make a choice.>>…Okay. Count down, and have faith.>>Pause the match, and swap out Amara for Rath.>>Let Amara know via Commling what Karma told you—she needs to know how outclassed she is.>>Your little one needs all the help she can get—crown her as a Queen-class swarmling, as insurance.>>Write-InYOU ARE IN CONTROL
(Voting shall remain open for the next three hours, with posting to resume in four.)>>5329758(No need to apologize, it's no trouble at all! I want everyone to have fun, and if it's something like a simple oversight, then I'm more than happy to rectify it.)
>>5329455(Also, I haven't forgotten this - it's coming, don't worry.)
>>5330195Oh...oh god. Is this what it feels like to be a parent? On one hand, oh FUCK. That relic weapon will be such a huge boost if our daughter manages to win it. On the other hand. OH FUCK. Amara's outclassed in terms of the weapon department if Karma's going full red alert on this matter.Also, I know it's not a duel to the death, but at the same time the possibility of a potential overkill if Amara gets hit...Yet at the same time. Amara's been under Churem's tutelage for about 25 veins. the plant-museum cop would definitely recognize her blade and would likely chime up as a dream daughter, as well as what it does. But do we crown her or even warn her? Vagrant might see this as interference if we crown her while Churem will likely have the information Amara needs when it comes to her relic weapon.>Amara steadies herself, her white-knuckled grip on her sword contrasted with the weapon’s inspiration, clutched in the Vagrant’s massive right fist.>white-knuckled. Oh looks like our daughter knows exactly what she's facing.
>>5330195>Found this beauty a while back, buried deep.Bhop. So you're implying that insanely powerful relic weapons await us in the underground as a reward for braving the data leakage of the Crucible's leaking code?
>>5330215(But of course.)(High risk, high reward.)
>>5330195>…Okay. Count down, and have faith.As a mom, we love her. And as much as it pains me to say this. We should reciprocate that faith and go ahead with the duel. To crown her would be to betray her faith in us and to disrespect the Vagrant with the conditions that we've bound ourselves into. Amara's trained precisely because she wants to help and show how much she's come. Win or lose, let us see how far our daughter's grown with the gifts that we've given her and the meals we've fed her.
>>5330195Huh. That's kind of weird. Cheruem got a Core that gave her a lesser version of a sword she already owned? She must have really loved that sword, for her Core to form around it. Okay, so if this is a greater version of Hunter's Honor, what can we infer about it? Hunter's Honor focuses around iai strikes, single blows of incredible power released directly from the sheath. If this is the greater version, it probably charges faster and has abilities to make it easier to hit the target with the strike. Maybe paralyzing the opponent, or a teleporting effect to bring the wielder directly into range. I doubt Vagrant is going to spend the whole time charging and not attacking, though, so I expect he'll do that thing where a swordsman strikes with a sheathed blade as a bludgeon.Do we know what Cheruem herself thinks of this? We know Karma's not confident, but is Cheruem advising Amara? If the original wielder of this blade thinks Amara can match it, I'd be a lot more sure in Amara's odds.
>>5330244(Cheruem is actively advising Amara, though the Hexane is never one to back down from a fight.)
>>5330249Hmm, okay. That's good. What about the Joyous? I can see Amara spawning clones ahead of time and bringing them into the fight breaking the rules of the duel, but what about ones she spawns during the fight? Is that cool? Because Amara can survive one major blow by sacrificing all her Joyous currently in the battle, and when she suffers a critical hit (which a strike from Hunter's Pride is very likely to be, if it works like Hunter's Honor) she can teleport behind the enemy and get a free hit. And it would be just so delightful if Amara won this fight and proved her worth by doing the classic ninja fakeout of "you thought you hit me, but it was just my clone, now I'm behind you and it's nothing personal, kid".
>>5330244One thing that I've noticed looking at Amara's char sheet from the previous vein (>>5330249 Bhop, that char sheet gdoc link you posted still is giving me an access denied page. You may have to import/download the gdoc linked from the previous vein and make a separate copy of it under your own name while giving access to anyone with the link in order for this to work. otherwise we may have to resort to trawling through the archive links for working gdoc links for the character sheets.) is that Amara's got quite a few defenses that protect her against getting insta-deathed. Queen Crimson max level and the Joyous many's marytr's many functionally give her at least 2 revives/retries while life's deathgrip gives Amara more breathing room to survive insta-death after effects with an increase in death save opportunities. So theoretically Amara should have a good chance.
>>5330256(Yes, Amara spawning clones is perfectly fine.)
>>5330267(Damn, try the link below, and let me know if it works.)https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wnWr-832IHNGQSOVr2rbib7cAPxO1UtTkyFRCQ_KNbY/edit#gid=1685687578
>>5330249Also, where did the Red Devil's Engine relic go?Who was the one who had it last? Last I checked we mainly gave it to Amara as a gift but I swear it's been moved about with November getting a possible use out of that relic in one or two fights...Now I'm not sure where or who has it now.
>>5330271this one works chief!
>>5330273(I believe it's with November, but you'd have had plenty of time to shift it to Amara, if you'd like.)>>5330276(Excellent, I'm glad!)
>>5330267Yeah, Amara's actually got a surprisingly good kit for fighting against someone who also does iai strikes. Between Queen Crimson and Many's Martyr, she can take two certain-death hits with no problem, and Hunter's Honor means she can respond to those hits with a free attack that doesn't deplete her charge and so gets full power both times. Combine that with her being able to cast a free spell before she starts, and she's actually got a pretty good chance here. Huh. She might have this.
>>5330278please do so. Combat hasn't started so we would have plenty of time to do so in retrospect given our defacto policy about relic loadouts being fluid until locked in when combat begins. Besides, I wanna see what Amara can make use of it when put in a 1v1.
>>5330256I think we may have underestimated the full extent of what Amara would be capable of. Remember that Amara at her core is a skintalker. And she's got a very extensive library of spells that she could cast to imbue her blade with a variety of effects from heat, to cold, to electricity, to radiant, and many more. It isn't simple ninja swordplay, it's now Kimetsu no Yaiba breathing/lexicon style swordplay:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQhqRgK7s44
>>5330311Yeah. And she gets a free spellcasting round at the start of combat that can't be interrupted, too. She probably has a good shot. I'm still just really hesitant to do this. I wanted Amara to show Vagrant her form, not or them to actually fight with stakes on the line. I'm tempted to pull her back, now, but it would crush her to show that lack of faith in her skill.It'll probably be alright, right? Like, we said the fight wouldn't be to the death, and if Vagrant does go too far by accident Amara has a lot of protections against instant-death hits. Worst case scenario she has to sacrifice Queen Crimson and we immediately crown her so we can Rook-swap her out. Right?
>>5330324If we queen her, it'll count as interfering with the duel, unless Vagrant intentionally goes too far. Still the point of the duel is to showcase our idea of him taking on an apprentice with Amara as a possible apprentice. And given that he's got Churem's relic weapon, the idea may have borne merit in his mind given his genuine amusement for his current opponent.
>>5330330I meant as a way of interrupting the duel if he goes too far and isn't listening to calls to stop it. We wouldn't do it otherwise. But yeah, he does seem amused by this idea. Fighting against someone who was trained by the previous owner of his current weapon may give him some further appreciation of the idea of training others. Alright, I'll throw my vote behind this.>>5330195>>…Okay. Count down, and have faith.>"You've got this, sweetie."
>>5330203If I know my Akira Kurosawa...that tear in the sky's gonna be like a signal that starts the duel or a sign that ends the duel. Man, an Akira Kurosawa scene in the Crucible? That's mad metal. >DUEL IN THE CALCITE CANYONS
Some tactics I can think of for Amara:>Use Oxygenic Artillery to interrupt the Vagrant's moves and attacks. If he starts prepping something, knock him prone with an air jet. >Never meet his blade edge on. Karma's probably right that Pride would shatter Honor in a clash, so don't clash. Divert with their flats, guide the blade away. Also shows skill, so will be good for impressing Vagrant.>Queen Crimson up at all times. It helps deflect melee attacks and can sacrifice itself to save Amara from a blow.>Keep at least a few clones out at all times. Use them for intercepting attacks, both with their own blades and the Oxygenic Artillery idea. If we can get enough, try to distract which one of us is the real body and which the clones.>Keep Neurotic Halo in lockdown mode in case Vagrant has some sort of paralytic ability. I can see it being possible. Likewise, keep Halo counter primed.>Use Blade's Bounty to deny mobility, if need be. Cut off avenues of attack with a sword-field that we can just hop over.>Listen to any advice Cheruem-sensei has to give. She knows this blade better than anyone. Also think to how she fought in the Dreamscape while training, likely Vagrant will have at least some similar moves when using this sword.That's all that immediately comes to mind, any other ideas?
>>5330373(In fact, a quick question—would you all (as the players) like to control Amara directly for this fight as you would in a normal combat scenario, or let the dice take their course and watch things play out over a single update? I'd intended on the latter, but I'm open to making it active gameplay, if you like.)
>>5330376oh...you tempt me so. It's been a while since we had a POV switch on the mainline quest that involved actual combat. the last time I could remember was during the Pseudo Crimson Cord limbo with Isabelle's POV switch while Rath's spar with Meg was an interlude.So tell me Bhop. which of the two options seems more narratively fun to write? An actual combat session where it's a 1v1 duel or a singular dice update?If you ask me, I'm inclined for having a combat session as Amara. Also, it brings up the opportunity for bhop to Cheruem more as a character as well as an opportunity for Amara to showcase more of her extensive library that we haven't experimented with in combat. Besides, I wonder how things look from Amara's POV and how her age and mispronunciation of big words alters how the update's read.
Rolled 1 (1d2)>>5330376Hmm, that's a tough one. I think I'd feel more secure if we controlled the fight. Less out of our hands, more something we can influence. But maybe it shouldn't be something we can influence. Let it fall on what Amara's learned and how her character has developed. On the third hand, like>>5330384 said, it could be really interesting to see from Amara's perspective. Get to se what it's like to be her, the many-bodied psychic ninja child. That does sound pretty cool. So I'm going to give a tentative "yes" to playing out the fight. With the caveat of "which would be better for you to run", of course. If you don't think it would be fun to write, then we can condense it.
>>5330384(Oh, that's a tough one. Both would be really fun to write, either with a POV switch or a frenetic duel from Shu's perspective in having to hold herself back. An active combat scenario would likely conclude tomorrow or early Friday, so it wouldn't take a ton of time since there'd only be two actors in play...which would also be pretty snappy and fun to write, not going to lie.)(I'm extending voting to allow for a bit of extra voting time and to allow me some time to wrestle work back under control, so voting shall end at 4:00PM, Eastern time, with a tentative update time of 5:00PM)(Hey, as I've said; you all are in control.)
>>5330373Spell blade enchantments. Creating a sword field via blade's bounty essentially multiplies the number of swords on the field and made available for Amara to pick up as a free action. We can have Joyous clones also pick up a blade and trade blades while imbuing them with spells on an individual level. Another thought: Amara could augment Oxygenic Artillery with elemental spells as well for different flavors. Or even create stealth clones. Terrain management/disruption. Subtle spells that mess with his footing or boost Amara's footing in the duel. Classic clone shuffle. Amara will likely put her face into a neutral passive expression to mimic that of her joyous clones. Wage information control as well as information warfare. Give the Vagrant false information. Pretend to act as a clone and willingly take a critical hit while a clone acts as the real 'you', or have a clone tank hits and keep fighting as if it's the real you as the primary combatant. Or pretend that each time you make a flanking attack, you bring along a stealthed clone to attack alongside to tank a hit before mixing up the positions and condition the Vagrant to ignore the stealthed clone in favor of a visible Amara when the one time Amara is actually in stealth.
>>5330278>>5330281speaking of relics, Relic loadouts for Amara during the duel. What should we equip her with? Shawl takes up her chest slot and Red Devil's Engine is an accessory relic that gets integrated into an ability as an accessory. But what else should we give her? keep in mind we can't really pile all the good relics onto her retroactively. iirc her headslot has VOCALIS NOCERE equipped. She also has a HEARTH ROD equipped and there's a Goregrowth box containing her Veruteilung that she has on her person. And last I remember we also gave her Margrave's blade during the merkabah fight. Then there's VOCEM VIRTUTIS which is an accessory relic. shalavev's Shawl (head/arm)Red Devil's engine (ability augment/accessory)Vocalis Nocere (head)Hearth rod (arm)Vocem Virtutis (acessory)margrave's blade (arm)Wait a minute...Something's funky with this loadout.
>>5330430Well, it doesn't leave her a hand free for Hunter's Honor. Huh. I guess she had the Hearth Rod tucked into her belt, yeah, that's what we'll say.
>>5330430She could use some armor. I don't think we ever got her a proper defensive Relic. Not sure there's a chance to do that now, but next time we're at the Lair we should Forge her something lightweight that won't interfere with her ninja-ing.
>>5330189>Besides, the strongest thing I’ve got doesn’t even have to be a sword, at all. It’s just taken that form because it’s what I favor. Ex-…my trump card alone would be more than enough to turn the tide of a match.Well that's interesting of him to divulge. Him being old means his trump is likely something that lets him go all out with those 15 blades of his.Last time I remember seeing an ability that starts with "Ex-" is something that starts in latin. and when it's in latin, then it's probably a very high level ability. probably at max level as well.
>>5330465The most egregious thing about the relic loadout that we haven't even designed relic shoes for her to wear. Baby girl's been going barefooted the entire time she was born. This goes on top of the fact that her statline is among the lowest in our family. And I have to leave for work soon.
>>5330469>Last time I remember seeing an ability that starts with "Ex-" is something that starts in latin. and when it's in latin, then it's probably a very high level ability. probably at max level as well.I'm guessing it's Excalibur. Vagrant is an expy of Gilgamesh from the Final Fantasy series, and that's the name of his strongest sword. Also, his weakest sword is named "Excalipoor". Though Excalipoor's stats are actually amazing and it just has a unique -100% Damage debuff, which makes skills that scale to weapon damage and which ignore the debuff incredibly strong with it. So maybe it's that, and he's using a Flesh Artisan power to cheese it.
>>5330480well given that FGO's been out in around 2016, I'm guessing that Excalibur might include the sword BEAMUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRVf_3dE6y0Off to work. see you in 7 hours.
>>5330486Have a nice day, anon.
>>5330486(Have a good day, and I hope your shift goes well!)
>>5330195“On the fencer’s marks!” You declare, stepping forward on faith and raising an armored hand skyward. “Ready!”The Vagrant gives you another slow, solemn tilt of his scarred head, while your daughter sharply nods her own. She’s shaking…but just as you hesitate, you see the look in her eyes, and the smile on her lips.She’s excited, in the face of your fear.Breathe in, breathe out.“You’ve got this sweetie.” You say across her Commling, and her smile can’t help but make you do the same.The duelists give each other one last nod of respect before they dispense with chivalry, the pair sheathing their blades as one, eyes locked and unblinking.It’s time.“BEGIN!”—Once upon a time, you had a name. Like some distant fantasy or willfully forgotten nightmare, it’s one you barely remember…one that’s tied to things you try very hard to forget. Things were bad, once…but you fell asleep, and woke up to a world of wonders, and change, and people nothing like those you’d ever known.You threw that old name away, and you did so gladly. The old you went to sleep, and woke up with a new life a new name, a new family, and—you still can’t believe it—the best Mom in the world.You gave her control, and she gave you a-“What’s your name, little one?” The Vagrant demands across the battlefield, and you can’t help but smile, just a little.Your name is-“Amara!” You proudly shout across the distance, and, realizing that introductions are sorely overdue, you nod Mom’s way while keeping your eyes locked on the big guy standing a little ways off. “And that’s Shu, the Defiant! She’s my Mom!”“She must have a great deal of faith in your skill.” He replies gruffly, trying to cover just how funny he thinks this whole thing is. Not ‘funny’ in a bad way, though! You can tell, if people don’t do a great job at hiding stuff.“She does!” You announce with a smile you hope does something—anything—to help Mom’s heart not beat so quick. “I work real hard to make her and everyone else proud!”“I respect that.” He says, and he means it, trying not to let his emotions show on his face as he glances behind you. “On your mark, Defiant.”/ Gun gunnnn iss hothoton her hip / Karma talks baaaasedoucan’tlisten / Privatetalksssa about theirfears / Ppprivatetalksabout YOU/Whispers surround you, their voices just as harsh as when you first heard them, so long ago./ Goinnnnng to switchyouout / sssssWitch you withRATH / Big guy tooooooostrong / you Ccccan’t do this / Caaaaan’t betrussssted /You close your eyes, shutting out the voices with an errant whisper before they can scramble over each other again, trying frantically—like they always do—to drown out all light and sound like a swarm of roaches.You sometimes think they’d get to you, if you didn’t have Mom there to keep them at bay.(Keep Smiling)
>>5330556You draw in a breath, trying to remember your training as your hands clamp down on the pommel of your-“Pommel? You’re thinking of the ‘grip’, Amara. Come now; focus.”Of all the voices that whisper in your mind, this is one you’re happy to hear. “Sorry, Sensei!”“Just…we’ve been over this. ‘Cheruem’ is fine.” Your alien bestie (and the *best* sword teacher, obviously) sighs, as if this wasn’t the fifty-second (or was it fifty-third?) time she’s corrected you.Eh, she’ll come around eventually.“Keep focus on your target, and don’t let him out of your sight.” Cheruem continues, her voice back in teacher-mode. “I know you said he seemed nice, but some of the nicest people I’ve ever met turned out to be the most dangerous.”“Oh, like Mom!”Sensei makes a sound of hesitation before she’s forced to admit- “…Not what I was going for, but that’s rather apt. Now, that Amalgam may be wielding my original blade, but you have your training, your innate skill, and—most importantly of all—me.”You almost laugh at that (at least, you *think* she was joking) before the Fleshscape’s whispers flare up once more./ Hearher heeeart how fast it’sbeaaating / worrrrrried you’llbotchit worrrrrrried you’ll fffffffuckitup / Watchwaaaatchshe’ll pull you backffffffor someone bettttter / sssssssSOmeone she trusts /They used to say she’d leave you. No matter how much you tried to shut them up, or get them to talk about something else…if they had a moment to themselves, they’d voice every fear and doubt that festered in your chest. That’s all they ever do. Some Skintalkers have the same problem, but others hear nice voices, or a mix of something in-between. You read on the net that sometimes its just once voice, often a loved one from the gross old world, while others hear a bunch, so many they can’t even keep track.They switched tactics, after the fortress-slash-furniture store. Mom sat you down, and talked to you, and—like they do whenever she talks to you—the voices went quiet. Completely still, as she cut all their words to pieces. You decided to trust her, and when you did? They started telling you how you’d disappoint her, how she’d love you just a little bit less if you didn’t keep on your best behavior.So you smile, just like she does, and in the face of Mom’s bravery on your face the voices recede, just enough to where you hear her take a step forward. Your teeth dig into your lower lip, blood beading across them as your sharp incisors bite down and you send up a silent plea before Mom renders her decision.Please. *Please*. You can do this, you know you can…you just hope she does, too.You take a breath, and so does Mom……and then, she makes her choice.“On the fencer’s marks!” Mom announces, her voice clear and resolute and exhilarating as your heart leaps in your chest.(Keep Smiling)
>>5330558You and the Vagrant nod, the last thing you do as people before—like a name—you toss all that away to become something more. Something fast, and deadly, and amazing. Something that doesn’t have to mess up words to break the tension, to tug a laugh out of fear and worry. Something that the voices can’t reach, something that can keep your family safe.Something to be proud of.“You’ve got this sweetie.”Mom’s words ring in your ears, and that’s all you need to hone every bit of your focus and skill to the task at hand as a smile breaks out on your face in time with the song in your heart. You find your center of gravity in the same smooth, practiced way you silence the world around you. The jeering voices fade, and it’s just you, now. Cheruem goes silent, awaiting the first move.It’s so wonderfully quiet.You’re only vaguely aware of the Vagrant’s nod of respect, and it takes a gentle nudge from Cheruem to prompt you to return the gesture. Meeting his eyes, you’re struck by the playful glint in them, swirling in his dark pupils alongside a sadness you can only guess at.You’re not in danger, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’ve got everything in the world to prove.Your Mom breathes in, and you’re ready.“BEGIN!”>>COMBAT INITIATEDAmara, the Slumbering ChildVS.VAGRANT, THE MASTER OF MANYHP: 3,740% (+530%, R.D. Engine)BIO: 2,860% (+560%)Joyous Many: 0, No AI SelectedBuffs: BONUS TURN ACTIVE, Lexcon may be used freely.Debuffs: None.Aggro: Sword sheathed, hand at the ready.ACT: 4/4 (+1 for extra Lexicon turn)>>Character Abilities: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wnWr-832IHNGQSOVr2rbib7cAPxO1UtTkyFRCQ_KNbY/edit#gid=75362991>>Relics: https://pastebin.com/kHzW2hbd>>ROUND ONE: COMMENCEMAKE HER PROUD
(Voting shall remain open for the next eight hours, with posting to resume tomorrow at 12PM, Eastern time. Feel free to make any other adjustments to Amara's Relic loadout, and Ill apply it accordingly. Thank you all for your patience, kindness, and enthusiasm, and I wish you a restful evening one and all!)
>>5330556>>5330558Jesus, the fleshscape is a jerk to Amara. I thought the Skintalking voices were supposed to be her friends! And they do this all the time? Oh, Amara, I had no idea. Just you wait, fleshscape. Your time is coming. We're going to eradicate you and repurpose your biomass into plants. Let's see you talk shit when you're the great American redwood forest, punk.Cheruem, however, is great. It's sweet, seeing how Amara has grown on her, even if she's still not onboard with this "sensei" thing. Sorry, Cheruem, you're a space ninja, just accept it.Okay, anyways, our moves. We've got a free turn to cast our spells. I'm tempted to load Vagrant down with debuffs, but I think a better use might be to cast a conditional RHO TER. Set it to trigger when he attacks, that way his footing gets interrupted and his swing goes wide. SEL GRA RHO TER CUNT.I think we should also take advantage of our first-attack teleport and strike decisively. It would be nice to charge up some more Iaido stacks first, but attacking first lets us keep the fight at our pace. Make him react to us, instead of the other way around. And at least the first strike doesn't use up Iaido stacks, so it won't cost us anything.So here's my tentative plan for our opening moves:>Cast SEL GRA RHO TER CUNT to set Vagrant up to slip on his first attack against us.>Activate Queen Crimson and spawn two Joyous.>Teleport behind and slightly to the left of Vagrant (since his sword is in his right hand) and slash, then Oxygenic Artillery to push him back.I think it's a good opening move. Sets him up for a failure, then hits him with an attack hard for him to counter (though not impossible, he's still a very good swordsman) and knocks him off balance. While he's recovering we can mix ourselves up with the Joyous, start playing mind games.
>>5330622Back from work.Hang on.. hold the phone. hold the fucking phone. I had a friend who I frequently ramble with in terms of telling him about this quest, and he pointed out that the Crucible powers act more like a "poison pill." Power at a price.And yet. Here we are playing as Amara and I can't help but notice OOC that the voices that Amara hears feels or rather behaves very much like auditory hallucinations of a schizophrenic. Even more telling is that the content of those whispers feel more in line with the hidden worries, observations, or even thoughts that a child would have in a troubled family, except those voices are always heard to the skintalker.We can't really blame the skintalking, anon. The whole whisper is part and parcel to how the Crucible is designed to isolate a singular daughter. Singing praises for the optimists, worries for the anxious, and nihilist statements for the cynics, the voices do help but the side-effect is that their ramblings tend to push the skintalker to isolate themselves in any given social circle be it confidence into arrogance, or cynicism into rampant paranoia. Anyways. let me take several minutes to think about our opening move while factoring in your proposal.
>>5330622Also, keep in mind that we have two new words added to Amara's lexicon back in vein #51.>>FIR (BIO-10% *2): A term for passion, rage, and raw emotion, this word carries the power of HEAT, imbuing the target’s attacks with the element and granting one level of resistance to it, as well.>>ZIO (BIO-10%, *2): A term for alacrity, wit, and decisive action, this word carries the power of ELEC, imbuing the target’s attacks with the element and granting one level of resistance to it, as well.
>>5330561Bhop, remind me about the Joyous summoning mechanic. We can't order them to do anything on the turn they're summoned due to the whole "summoning sickness" balancing issue right?
>>5330973Oh, true. It's no different in principle from the Crucible's attempts to mess with anyone. But I still don't like the Skintalking voices being mean to our daughter. I guess because Amara always suggested she had a sort of playful interaction with the voices, like she lived in a funny cartoon world of talking objects. Learning that when her surroundings weren't giving her actionable information they were wearing down her self-esteem, and she was just lying about them being her friends, makes me sad. We need to get her in touch with more human friends. She's got Keane, and Nerada, and Anna from the Hyenas, and some of those girls from the Lords of the Flies, but she can't really contact any of them. I don't think any of them have FuzzBuzz phones. We need to fix that.>>5330983Yeah. I'm not sure they're immediately useful, would be nice to see what he's got in terms of resistances first, but still handy.>>5330986I think they can move and attack, they just can't use powers. Something to keep us from exponentially spawning infinite Joyous in one turn.
>>5330559>>5330989For some goddamned reason, when I look at the incoming sword duel between Amara and Vagrant (we really need to give him a name he feels worthy to wear), My mind goes to Thunderbolt Fantasy, an anime puppet show that has an overarching theme that explores the philosophy behind Chinese and Japanese swordsmanship. Check it out. Never before have puppet shows become so entertaining. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ38hNC5zy4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HYXjcELQ3M
>>5331005I've seen it. It's pretty good. I haven't caught up on the rest of the Thunderbolt series, though. I keep meaning to but so far the only installment I've seen is Fantasy. Though personally, my own mind keeps going to Metal Gear Rising memes. The Only Thing I Know For Real is what I imagine playing during this fight.
>>5330989So. Here's what I'm thinking about the opening move. Instead of using that spell phrase at the first go, we hold it in reserve and instead use the opportunity to buff ourselves. My logic here is that in terms of swordsmanship, our first move would always to be testing our enemies as a baseline. "SEL GRA RHO TER CUNT" would work as a wonderful trap card and disrupt Vagrant mid-way into the duel's pacing to use alongside our Queen Crimson deflection and Oxygenic Artillery emergency maneuvers. Keep in mind that "SEL GRA RHO TER CUNT" pretty much gives away our action economy limit from the get go with that big of a spell chain.even if it's a free spell on round 1. Although...we could abuse this idea of our spell chain via VOCALIS NOCERE. Throw our voice to make it so that our joyous can individually say a single verb or word but chain it into a chorus chain to make it look like the more clones that Amara has, the bigger the spells she'll be capable of casting. As for our other actions on round 1, we should create 5..no 6 Joyous clones to create the chorus spell chain illusion. Have 5 of the joyous "mouth" the spell chain while the silent one (the real Amara) goes to attack the Vagrant to test his baseline skill.
>>5331032on second thought, we should increase the number of joyous to possibly 11 or 12. 5 clones to act as the false chorus when Amara casts the free first spell but are charged with the duty of duplication. 3 clones aid Amara in close combat spawning swords and attacking in coordination with Amara and Another three clones to act as bodyguards of the false Chorus. All of the clones obviously should spend their first action equipping a copy of Hunter's Honor. The first round will obviously boil down to the Vagrant and Amara testing each other's skills and defenses. Opening moves that probe for possible hidden trumps and traps.
>>5331005(Excellent, I'm glad you like that show, too! I follow pretty much anything Gen Urobuchi makes, which is how I found out about it in the first place.)>>5330986(>>5330989 is quite correct; they can move and attack, but they can't use their powers straight away to generate a million kids running around in the span of approximately 0.32 seconds.)
>>5331032Ooh, I like the idea of throwing Amara's voice to make it unclear who's casting each spell. I forgot we could do that. I don't think we can do it in the bonus round, though, that's just for spells and nothing else. But the next time we cast something, definitely a good trick to pull.Okay, so if we were to buff ourselves, what should we do? GRA SAN THA to give Amara a big speed boost? That's pretty important in a duel.>>5331039Sure, let's make a bunch of clones. Okay, how does this sound?>Bonus Spell Round: GRA SAN THA to boost Amara's speed>Activate Queen Crimson>Spawn eleven Joyous Many. Set five to disperse around the battlefield and mouth along with spells while self-replicating, three to guard them, and three to assist in attacking. All clones should make Hunter's Honor swords as soon as possible, to make them less distinguishable from Amara.>Teleport behind and to Vagrant's left, make free strike with Hunter's Honor, then Oxygenic Artillery in focused mode to knock him back and prone.
>>5331039>>5331032>>5330989Additionally, we can use the hearth Rod as something of a Red Herring to lure Vagrant into prioritizing as a secondary target and make him believe the one holding the Hearth Rod is the "real" Amara given the Hearth Rod's ACT economy baton pass properties as if holding the Baton allows the Real Amara to consistently fight with an action economy on par with the Vagrant as the baton changes hands during each round.
>>5331044So you're saying everything else is on the table except for a clone to spawn a copy of itself upon spawning?
>>5331050(Yes, that is correct.)
>>5331046it's missing something that lets us set up for the next round...Ah, I know, Misdirection! For something more complex, have one of the clones activate the shawl and go invisible, probably someone from the false spell chorus. under the invisibility cloak, that clone would have free reign to act as a secondary backup clone generator and as a voice dummy when utilizing Vocalis nocere to free Amara of her ACTs when she's using any spell chain that takes up less than 2 acts. To sell things further, have Amara call out attacks like any avid anime fan would do. get the Vagrant psychologically conditioned into reacting to Amara's voice call outs like >Hexane style: Geometry cut! (note: the word"Hexane" is butchered into "Hexagon" because it's Amara, and Geometry is will be a reference to any flanking attacks via first attack teleportation)>>5331065oh...well that expands the list of what cloning shenanigans we can get away with. >>5331046Anon! new plan!
>>5331069Sounds good. Okay, so>Bonus Spell Round: GRA SAN THA to boost Amara's speed.>Activate Queen Crimson.>Spawn twelve Joyous Many. >>Five to set up a self-replicating chain.>>Three to guard the replicators.>>Three to join Amara on the attack.>>One to turn invisible with its copy of the Shawl to do secret replication.>All Joyous should spawn Hunter's Honor as soon as possible, to make them less distinguishable from Amara.>Take advantage of the voice-throwing abilities of Vocalis Nocere to mislead as to where a spell comes from, even having the Joyous split up spells between them, each seeming to provide a single word.>Use Hunter's Honor's first-attack teleport to teleport behind and to the Vagrant's left, and attack.>After the strike, blast him back with Oxygenic Artillery in wide mode for max knockback.How's that?
>>5330559Amara: >Activate Queen Crimson>Spawn Twelve Joyous Many. >Call out your attack for each time you do your teleport attack in each round. Mess with Mister Vagrant, but throw your voice to make it look like one of your clones is the real you being the over eager one.>Attack in sync with the three assisting clones. >"Hexagon style:" (note: Amara meant to say "Hexane style" but being a child, she butchered "Hexane" into "Hexagon") as one of the clones appears to mouth and make the callout for the attack.>Amara finishes with "4 corners strike!" as she Teleports to the back left side of the Vagrant, striking in unison with the three other clones.>Disengage with an Oxygenic Artillery blast that knocks both you and the Vagrant away from each other, use the momentum to activate the shawl and prepare for the next round.Joyous Many: >Set five to disperse around the battlefield and mouth along with spells while self-replicating, three to guard them, and three to assist in attacking. One should go Invisible.>All clones should make Hunter's Honor swords as soon as possible, to make them less distinguishable from Amara.>Bonus Spell Round: GRA SAN THA to boost Amara's speed, this spell should theoretically be cast by the "false chorus".>>5331079thoughts on this?>>5331079Huh...looks like we're on the same page, but I added some psychological warfare in terms of our tactics with an attack callout, and having the real Amara disengage via oxygenic artillery and go invisible for the next part of the combat-long deception. It involves Amara making tandem attacks while invisible to keep up the illusion of the "hexagon style" attack callout but this time, Amara is invisible and attacking alongside the designated clone that mouths the "[insert number] corners strike".Gotta set up for the mind games.
>>5331090Amara:>Activate Queen Crimson>Spawn Twelve Joyous Many. >Call out your attack for each time you do your teleport attack in each round. Mess with Mister Vagrant, but throw your voice to make it look like one of your clones is the real you being the over eager one.>Attack in sync with the three assisting clones. >"Hexagon style:" (note: Amara meant to say "Hexane style" but being a child, she butchered "Hexane" into "Hexagon") as one of the clones appears to mouth and make the callout for the attack.>Amara finishes with "4 corners strike!" as she Teleports to the back left side of the Vagrant, striking in unison with the three other clones.>Disengage with an Oxygenic Artillery blast that knocks both you and the Vagrant away from each other, use the momentum to activate the shawl and prepare for the next round.Joyous Many:>Set five to disperse around the battlefield and mouth along with spells while self-replicating, three to guard them, and three to assist in attacking. One should go Invisible.>All clones should make Hunter's Honor swords as soon as possible, to make them less distinguishable from Amara.>Bonus Spell Round: GRA SAN THA to boost Amara's speed, this spell should theoretically be cast by the "false chorus".>>5330559Adding this amendment to the plan above:>When disengaging, the clones assisting Amara's strike should also disengage with Oxygenic artillery. Vagrant's retaliatory strike to Amara's "Hexagon style: 4 corners strike" would likely be aimed at cutting down the attacking clones before his next action would be to go for the "chorus" body guarded by the 3 other clones.
>>5331090Can the clones spawn Hunter's Honor this turn? If so, then sure, let's do it. Otherwise, I don't think it would work.
>>5331096Bhop quite literally said that the clones can do anything EXCEPT cloning themselves on the turn they're spawned. see>>5331050>>5331065So that means spawning a Hunter's honor, attacking, and then disengaging with Oxygenic artillery is valid.
>>5331097Alright, if that works, then let's make Amara into the anime of her dreams. For this round and the next, I think. Rule of threes, the third strike should be when she stops being super anime and becomes dead silent. That will break the pattern best.
>>5331098>>5331094>>5331090Hold the phone. What are we to do with the "false chorus"? ordinarily their job would be to stand around casting spells and waiting for the summoning sickness to cool off before they can get to the population boom phase of the battle. That's alot of natural actions left wasted for the battle, why not use the action economy we have to pass around the Hearth rod to the invisible clone and have the invisible clone mimic Vocalis nocere, throw the voice about and cast SEL GRA RHO TER CUNT with the false chorus still mouthing the spell chain?
>>5330559Final version of my vote:Amara:>Activate Queen Crimson>Spawn Twelve Joyous Many. >Call out your attack for each time you do your teleport attack in each round. Mess with Mister Vagrant, but throw your voice to make it look like one of your clones is the real you being the over eager one.>Attack in sync with the three assisting clones. >"Hexagon style:" (note: Amara meant to say "Hexane style" but being a child, she butchered "Hexane" into "Hexagon") as one of the clones appears to mouth and make the callout for the attack.>Amara finishes with "4 corners strike!" as she Teleports to the back left side of the Vagrant, striking in unison with the three assist clones.>Disengage with an Oxygenic Artillery blast that knocks both you and the Vagrant away from each other, use the momentum to activate the shawl and prepare for the next round.Joyous Many:>Set five to disperse around the battlefield and mouth along with spells while self-replicating, three to guard them, and three to assist in attacking. One should go Invisible.>All clones should make Hunter's Honor swords as soon as possible, to make them less distinguishable from Amara.>Bonus Spell Round: GRA SAN THA to boost Amara's speed, this spell should theoretically be cast by the "false chorus". >Bodyguard clones draw their copies of hunter's honor and guard the "false chorus">Assist clones should draw hunter's honor, attack, and then disengage with Oxygenic artillery. One of them should be mouthing the attack call-off: "Hexagon style">Invisible clone should play as the hidden spellcaster behind the scenes using the hearth rod to pass along the "false chorus" to gain enough Actions to cast SEL GRA RHO TER CUNT, using Vocalis Nocere to throw the voice amongst the "false chorus" while the false chorus mouths the spell being cast.>When disengaging, the clones assisting Amara's strike should also disengage with Oxygenic artillery. Vagrant's retaliatory strike to Amara's "Hexagon style: 4 corners strike" would likely be aimed at cutting down the attacking clones before his next action would be to go for the "chorus" body guarded by the 3 other clones.
>>5331101Works for me. Get our trip counter going as well. Though I think that will be enough Bio cost that one of the replicators wont be able to do much replicating. Should be fine, though.
I just hope Vagrant doesn't manage to outspeed Amara. She's fast, and will have a speed buff, but I'm sure he's fast too. We're planning this attack, but if he interrupts the stages it could go badly. Perils of having to write our moves ahead of time, I guess. Ah, well. Worst case scenario, Amara has to burn one of her 1-ups and gets a counter-attack.Oh, wait, shit. Neurotic Halo! It probably goes without saying at this point, but still. Gotta put that up.>>5330559>Add "prime Halo counter" to plan, in case it wasn't already up for whatever reason.
Y'know, for the soundtrack to this duel, we gotta respect Amara's choice in media... Which is why I think of this as the soundtrack for her duel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XynTyxleH1Q
Oh, actually, how about this instead if the one I posted before doesn't do it for you?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mi11pfUUrk
>>5331140Amara likes Nero, remember? Clearly she pulls her Devil Trigger.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WpnPSChVRQ
>>5330559“GRA SAN THA.” You whisper to yourself, feeling every muscle tighten with the speed you hope will be enough to outpace the giant across from you. While your tendons strain your skin crawls, the familiar itch of burgeoning Joyous’ impatience to escape your prison-body, but they’re calmed as an (admittedly very pretty) latticework of blood starts to quietly thread out from your back, Queen Crimson just as eager to protect you as your clones are to escape.And yet, despite your preparations, the Vagrant remains stock still. There’s almost a sort of…gentleness in the way he’s poised, for lack of a better word, Cheruem’s sword held at the ready with utmost care.“Damn. He’s good.” Cheruem mutters irritably, and you can’t help but cock a silent eyebrow at her compliment. “He’s waiting for you to make the first move. Classic duelist strategy. Wait until you strike, then use that information to gauge your overall strategy and style.”Then, sharply; “I would advise Form Seventeen.”“I was kinda thinking Form Sixteen, followed up by Twenty-Two, actually.” You offer, giving her pause.“…Well played. An excellent choice.” Cheruem remarks, voice tinged with pride. “With a few Joyous left behind to prepare-““Form Thirty-Six, of course.” You smirk, and your sensei makes a small noise of appreciation only you can hear.“Are you ready?”“When you are, Sensei.” You smile, and she doesn’t even correct you this time, as excited as she is to spar with a warrior of the Vagrant’s caliber. “Here…”“…we…”“GO!”When you kick off from where you stand, the calcite buckles beneath you, and from where you once stood you leave behind a trail of afterimages made manifest, a dozen Joyous congealing into existence in your wake with three kicking off to join your frontal assault while another eight stay behind to enact your plan. Your foe’s hands tense but his blade remains sheathed.“Hexagon Style, (‘Hexane!’ Cheruem archly corrects you) Form Sixteen—Wukong’s Fetters!” You announce, your own voice drowned out as your dozen clones echo your words, each one indistinguishable from their maker as you and your vanguard trio overwhelm the Vagrant with a flurry of feints. He’s fast, faster than you’d anticipated and with a fluid grace that ill-suits his imposing size.He weaves between your clone’s strikes, dancing just out of blades’ reach with a dexterity fueled by inhumane strength—but when he slips up, you’re ready. He leans back, briefly off-balance and with his back foot flat on the calcite ground, and that’s when you make your real opening move.“Hexagon Style, Form Twenty-Two—Four Corners Strike!” You yell from the mouth of one of your clones, your body and theirs dissolving as you come together behind the Vagrant’s left side, your trio of doppelgangers boxing him in with blades at the ready.(Keep Smiling)
>>5331416“It’s HEXANE!” Cheruem cries in frustration, but your teacher’s protests swept away by the flurry of movement that follows.If it wasn’t for the hours you’ve spent in relentless training, you wouldn’t have seen it coming. It’s the muscle memory that saves you when the Vagrant’s blade arcs from sits sheathe to cleave through your clones, streaking towards you with an executioner’s finality as you draw in a breath—it’s not a gasp. It’s salvation.Oxygenic Artillery activates as you loose a bone-shattering sneeze that flings you out of his reach with inches to spare.“He cut through your constructs like they were nothing…that wasn’t something my blade could do, so-““Another Relic, got it!” You pant, swiftly landing in a stance that’ll let you give chase when the Vagrant inevitably goes for your chorus of-“Amara, MOVE!”Your elbow and thigh open up with your Artillery’s power, blasting you away from the downward stoke that threatened to cut you in half. The second your feet find purchase out of his range, it’s another step and sweep that carries the swordman’s blade towards your ankles. A third burst carries you skyward, and he’s impossibly, quickly THERE, right in front of you with another cleave from sky to stone. He’s closed the gaps between seconds, forcing you to recover one too many times and slowing you by enough fractions-of-a-second to add up to a lethal blow.>>QUEEN CRIMSON—ACTIVATEDYour body’s flung backwards to solid ground as the Vagrant’s killing blow carves through a figure of bright scarlet, lithe and dignified even as it sacrifices itself on your behalf. Queen Crimson’s executioner lands, standing with a measured grace as the flings the remnants of your protector from his shining blade.“Ah, there we go.” The Vagrant sighs, “One down.”“Mister Vagrant?” You ask, measuring your breaths to ensure you’ll have enough air in your lungs to (hopefully) evade his next move.“Yes?” He replies as casually as Aunt Julia does over tea.“How’d you know which one was me?”He chuckles, the sound reminding you of Uncle Dorian’s kindly voice when Rath jabs him about something he really should’ve explained earlier. “Relics that allow one to tell Constructs from Daughters are hard to come by, but incredibly useful. That said, your strategy was sound. Had I not possessed it, then you’d likely have landed…Form Twenty-Two, was it?”You nod, even as the alien voice inside your head grits its proverbial teeth.“Sensei? You’re tense.”“Of course I’m tense!” She snaps angrily. “His form’s impeccable, and his speed is absurd! What more, he has *MY* blade. We need to come up with another plan if you’re going to make it through this unscathed, because that was much too close a call.”“Hehe, are you worried about me?”(Keep Smiling)
>>5331417Cheruem collects herself enough to at least attempt a cool reply. “Hardly…but I still don’t want anything to happen to my star pupil, or else I’d have to get Shu to make a Spiritus Shell so I could show this brute a thing or two.”“Aww, you’d really do that for me?” You grin.“Focus.” Growls the Hexane as the Vagrant relaxes a hair.“You’ve honed some impressive skills, Amara. You’ve got a good sensei.” The Vagrant hums appraisingly, earning an irritated ‘Oh, come ON’ from Cheruem that makes you crack a wider smile than you’d intended. “Does Cheruem have any hand in guiding your blade when you fight, or is that all you?”“S’all me!” Comes your answer, and your foe nods in approval.“Consider me doubly impressed, then.”“Thank you, Mister Vagrant! But that’s not all I can do!” You inform him, and he just raises a meaty eyebrow. “Check this out!”“SEL GRA RHO TER CUNT!” Your chorus bellows from the other side of the battlefield, your Lexicon’s power ripping through the air and spearing towards the Vagrant with a speed he couldn’t possibly match……but he’s just full of surprises.With a flick of his sword hand, your Lexicon’s parried—no, *captured*—along the length of his blade, your power shimmering along its length and crackling with the threat that’s been added to his next strike. For a fleeting moment, you think the expression he’s fixed you with is anger in response to your trick, but instead your Skintalker’s intuition tells you it’s……guilt?“Another Relic, I’m afraid…though I can only stock a single phrase per weapon.” He grumbles, turning slightly so he can keep both you and your chorus in easy view as you run the numbers. Okay, so…fifteen weapons, meaning you’ve gotta throw another fourteen spells his way before you can land one. And that’s only if he doesn’t manage to land a hit and turn your Lexicon back on you, so you’ll have to-“I’ll be sticking to just this one, for your information.” He intones, and if Cheruem were here you have the feeling that both of you would have the same alarmed expression, right about now.“Now…” He smiles warmly, his blade sliding back into its sheathe as he lowers into an offensive stance that gets Sensei’s hackles up.“…are you ready to begin in earnest?”HP: 3,740% (+530%)BIO: 2,860% (+560%)Joyous Many: x9 (5 in Chorus, 3 guarding Chorus, 1 invisible)Iaido Stacks: x3Queen Crimson: SPENTBuffs: SPD boosted by ‘GRA SAN THA’ in 1st Round.Debuffs: None.Aggro: Sword sheathed and at the ready, infused with ‘SEL GRA RHO TER CUNT’. Focused squarely on you.ACT: 4/4>>Character Abilities: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wnWr-832IHNGQSOVr2rbib7cAPxO1UtTkyFRCQ_KNbY/edit#gid=75362991>>Relics: https://pastebin.com/kHzW2hbd>>ROUND TWO: COMMENCEMAKE HER PROUD
(Voting shall remain open for the next three hours, with posting to resume in four. I do hope your day is going well, one and all!)
>>5331420>>5331417>>5331416Damn, he's good. No wonder Karma says that Amara's outmatched. Question: Did the Vagrant burn through Amara's Queen Crimson Auto revive skill?If so...shit...he's just that scary.
>>5331433(He did, yes.)
>>5331434Oh, dang, he did? I kind of would have preferred him hitting Martyr's Many first, since Queen Crimson going down renews that. Wait, shit, we didn't actually prime it, did we? Ugh, our mistake. Oh well. At least he seems to be having fun. I think Vagrant's starting to see the appeal of this idea. Fighting someone not to kill them, but just to experience their style and comment on it.
>>5331420So...Lets review on what Vagrant's revealed about himself and his defenses. >A relic that acts as a spell storage and allows him to store one spell chain in a blade, even worse, it's the "terrain difficulty on enemy attack" spell.>“I’ll be sticking to just this one, for your information.” He intones, and if Cheruem were here you have the feeling that both of you would have the same alarmed expression, right about now.Oh. Goddammit. Vagrant's taking this easy, though it makes sense given the conditions of this duel.His auto attacks were damn lethal. >He chuckles, the sound reminding you of Uncle Dorian’s kindly voice when Rath jabs him about something he really should’ve explained earlier. “Relics that allow one to tell Constructs from Daughters are hard to come by, but incredibly useful. That said, your strategy was sound. Had I not possessed it, then you’d likely have landed…Form Twenty-Two, was it?”So he's fine with the clones staying where they are because not only he could tell the real Amara from the constructs, but he's got a relic that lets him one-shot them regardless of health or condition. This means Vagrant's aggro focus will be focused solely on the real Amara. And given that Amara doesn't have any defensive abilities that let her tank a single hit, we'll have to use our Joyous Many clones to act as a buffer defense.But that means, we have Joyous clones. That means the clones are capable of lots of cloning bullshit. Time for Hearth Rod baton pass shenanigans.In addition, given that he's got a slot that infuses a spell into his blade, that means we also have the means to counter that shit.God, just this one round has changed my impression of the Vagrant. He's no longer Gilgamesh, he's more of a Monk Maz Koshia from Zelda botw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fynGjkpO92I
>>5331448>>A relic that acts as a spell storage and allows him to store one spell chain in a blade, even worse, it's the "terrain difficulty on enemy attack" spell.That's actually pretty good for us. Amara's immune to hostile terrain. So it sucks that he absorbed the spell, but at least we don't have anything to fear from it. It's a much better outcome than if he had absorbed something like REV VITA. And Amara acting intimidated by it is a good thing, it means he'll think it's a bigger deal than it is.You know, I just had a weird idea: Vagrant is hitting insta-kill attacks without them even counting as critical hits, because Hunter's Honor didn't trigger to give Amara a free attack in response. What if we boosted his crit chance with a HIR spell? He's already maximally deadly, at least this way we can get a free counter in.
>>5331458That's ludicrous and completely out of the box thinking. You're just making Vagrant even more deadly. You son-uv-a-bitch. I'm in. But how are we gonna cast it on to him? He's marked as a combatant enemy. oh wait. hir doesn't differentiate friend from foe.
>>5331464Another ludicrous idea: SIHL RHO TER. Turn the ground invisible and moving thanks to Grinding Earth. Put Vagrant in an invisible carnival ride, while Amara's immunity to terrain effects means her footing remains completely sure. What's underfoot for her? Doesn't matter, she's not going to trip anyway.
>>5331464Also, wait, I just noticed that Martyr's Many has no limit to how many times it can be used per combat. And that's probably intentional, because it says that its effects stack with each use. So as long as we can keep some Joyous away from Vagrant, Amara won't go down.
Okay, so preliminary ideas:>Prime MARTYR'S MANY>Use the Joyous to cast OMA GRA SIHL TER and OMA GRA RHO TER, turn the fleshscape for a wide area around into an invisible tilt-a-whirl.>Cast SEL GRA HIR CUNT on the Vagrant, with the trigger being him attacking, so that the crit boost catches him unaware.And that's as far as I've got in this idea.
>>5331420BHOP, a question: Do the swords created by Blade's Bounty count as hostile terrain? Because adding those to the invisible tilt-a-whirl could help put some pressure on Vagrant, but if Amara wouldn't be able to safely enter the zone they're spawning from then it's a poor idea.
Plan: Unlimited blade works>"Just one magic sword?">"Well you're not the only one who can 15 different flavors of magic swords. I can make my own magic swords too!"Amara:>Blades Bounty in the middle of the arena to create a field full of replica Hunter's honor for the clones to imbue spells with. >Stay on the defensive.>Use Oxygenic Artillery to deflect incoming sword attacks. Joyous: >To All: Each spawn 4 clones. bring up the clone count to 36, 45 clones if possible.>Prime Martyr's Many.>Old 9 clones: support Amara by body blocking for her while simultaneously attacking the Vagrant. Keep him busy by giving him targets to cut down.Fresh clones:>Pass the Hearth Rod around for action economy shenanigans. >Each clone who receives the Hearth Rod and has their ACT limit hit 4, Use that Action economy to Cast stronger spells to imbue into an existing instance of Hunter's Honor, or use it to Rev the Red Devil's Engine up 1 or two Revs if the action economy allows it. >Have one of the Joyous whose gets their act limit up to 4 to cast Sihl Rho Ter before passing the baton.>Have one of the Joyous cast Gra Hir on the Vagrant to give him a higher chance to proc a crit from his attacks.>Put the imbued spellblades into the ground for Amara to pick up and use before using the final action to pass the Hearth Rod onto another clone.>Ensure that as many copies of Hunter's honor gets imbued with different spells before Martyr's Many gets triggered.Possible spells to imbue into the copies of Hunter's honor:>Gra Fir>Gra Zio>Gra Sulk>Gra Nuka>Gra Baum>Rho: (turns the sword into a broadsword or a heavy sword)>San (double attacks for a single act)>Shil (invisible blade)thoughts on my plan?>>5331458Good thing we've leveled up Joyous many to the point where only the Joyous involved in current combat are sacrificed when Martyr's many is primed. >>5331482That's gonna require having a joyous clone with a baton passed thrice around in order to get that spell cast we're gonna need even more clones.
>>5331420To follow up on >>5331491's question, can we change the properties of Blade's Bounty to spawn multiple copies of Hunter's honor? because the logic that I'm getting from Blade's bounty is that it's essentially spawning multiple copies of Hunter's honor that shoot out from the ground pointy end first. But what if we made it so that the Pommel end comes out first and creates a field of Hunter's honor ready to be picked up?
>>5331491(They can count as hostile terrain, yes.)>>5331496(This is absolutely possible, and was one of the intended uses of the power.)
>>5331420>Cheruem collects herself enough to at least attempt a cool reply. “Hardly…but I still don’t want anything to happen to my star pupil, or else I’d have to get Shu to make a Spiritus Shell so I could show this brute a thing or two.”Why is it that I can't help but imagine Cheruem being terribly tsundere for the Vagrant? She's getting very much hot and bothered at his swordsmanship to the point of wanting Shu to make a spirit shell just so she could confront him.
>>5331500(This is absolutely possible, and was one of the intended uses of the power.)oh oh my. this changes the calculus by a large margin.Time to change the plan
Amara:>"You're just gonna be using that one sword only?">"Well, if you're not gonna show of your collection of magic swords, then how about I show off mine!?">Stay on the defensive, draw out any unique abilities from the Vagrant.>Use Oxygenic Artillery to deflect incoming sword attacks or reposition.>Chain attack with the clones, attack in quick succession with you in the mid-rear line of the attack chain.Joyous:>All clones: Each spawn 4 clones. bring up the clone count to 36, 45 clones if possible.>Prime Martyr's Many.>Old 9 clones: support Amara by body blocking for her while simultaneously attacking the Vagrant. Keep him busy by giving him targets to cut down. Use an enchanted sword from the field of blades created by blade's bounty. Fresh clones:>Pass the Hearth Rod around for action economy shenanigans. >Have one of the Joyous whose gets their act limit up to 4 to cast Sihl Rho Ter before passing the baton.>Have one of the Joyous cast Gra Hir via hearth Rod Baton pass on the Vagrant to give him a higher chance to proc a crit from his attacks.>Each clone who receives the Hearth Rod and has their ACT limit hit 4, Use that Action economy to Cast stronger spells to imbue into an existing instance of Hunter's Honor, or use it to Rev the Red Devil's Engine up to max if the action economy allows it. >Ensure that as many copies of Hunter's honor gets imbued with different spells before Martyr's Many gets triggered.>All clones who wield an enchanted Hunter's Honor: Use Blade's Bounty to spawn a veritable field of swords to save up on the action economy for future Joyouses.Possible spells to imbue into the copies of Hunter's honor:>Gra Fir>Gra Zio>Gra Sulk>Gra Nuka>Gra Baum>Rho: (turns the sword into a broadsword or a heavy sword)>San (double attacks for a single act)>Gra Hir (keen with a higher crit chance)>Shil (invisible blade)>Shi Sel (anti-magic, triggering upon contact with a lexicon enchanted sword)
shit. forgot to link the second draft of my vote>>5331518 to >>5331420>>5331482Any other bright ideas?I'm not sure if we're gonna have enough bag of tricks to pull after round 2 to keep him on his toes. Another thing we should consider is whether or not the Vagrant will be pressured enough to the point where he draws out another sword from his collection.One thing we could keep in reserve for round 3 is to cast a spell that turns the field of enchanted swords invisible so that the Vagrant will have to keep guessing which blade Amara will pull out.
>>5331522Yeah, I think I'm out of tricks for now. Maybe he'll do something in round two that inspires a new idea for round three, but I'm having trouble of thinking of anything here and now. Maybe something with Armory of the Infinite? Let him think he's shattered our blade, only to respawn it instantly and catch him by surprise?
>>5331420Adding an amendment to >>5331518regarding the possible spells to imbue into the copies of Hunter's honor, it should be revised to the following:>Shil (invisible blade)>Shi Sel (anti-magic, triggering upon contact with a lexicon enchanted sword)>Shi cunt Gra Baum (regen drain on opponent using opponent's regen, triggers upon blade clash)>The normal and the Gra* variants of the following enchantments>Fir (fire imbued)>Zio (electricity)>Sulk (ice)>Nuka (Radiant)>Rho: (turns the sword into a broadsword or a heavy sword)>San (double attacks for a single act)>Hir (keen with a higher crit chance)>This puts the variety of spell enchanted blades to 18, not counting the Red Devil's Engine Rev'ed up Variants.If there are any spell combinations that can't be done, let me know.
>>5331545Actually. you just gave me an idea to add to our battle plan when you mentioned Armory of the Infinite. Given that all the swords are instances of Hunter's Honor, I wonder...Hey Bhop. >>5331500Is it possible to grab two different enchanted copies of Hunter's honor and fuse them together so that the resulting fusion would carry the enchantments of both component swords...?
>>5331550(Why, yes.)(Yes, it is.)
>>5331550>>5331553Ohoh, that will be a nifty surprise for him. Especially if we can keep gathering up swords into one big pointy katamari of doom.
>>5331420third draft of plan:Amara:>"You're just gonna be using that one sword only?">"Well, if you're not gonna show of your collection of magic swords, then how about I show off mine!?">Stay on the defensive, draw out any unique abilities from the Vagrant.>Use Oxygenic Artillery to deflect incoming sword attacks or reposition.>Chain attack with the clones, attack in quick succession with you in the mid-rear line of the attack chain.>As you move about the battlefield on the defensive or offensive, grab a second sword and keep it sheathed to the side. Hide it by putting Shavlev's Shawl over it. Begin the subtle collection of gathering different enchanted swords for Round 3 (if we somehow manage to survive Round 2).>If Martyr's many triggers, disengage and respawn 12 clones.Joyous:>All clones: Each spawn 4 clones. bring up the clone count up to 36 clones if possible with 54 as the maximum ideal target if we're really trying to get the maximum mileage out of it.>Prime Martyr's Many.>Old 9 clones: support Amara by body blocking for her while simultaneously attacking the Vagrant. Keep him busy by giving him targets to cut down. Use an enchanted sword from the field of blades created by blade's bounty. Fresh clones:>Pass the Hearth Rod around for action economy shenanigans. >Have one of the Joyous whose gets their act limit up to 4 to cast "Sihl Rho Ter' before passing the baton.>Use the Joyous to cast OMA GRA SIHL TER and OMA GRA RHO TER, turn the fleshscape for a wide area around into an invisible tilt-a-whirl.>Cast SEL GRA HIR CUNT on the Vagrant, with the trigger being him attacking, so that the crit boost catches him unaware.>Each clone who receives the Hearth Rod and has their ACT limit hit 4, Use that Action economy to Cast stronger spells to imbue into an existing instance of Hunter's Honor, or use it to Rev the Red Devil's Engine up to max if the action economy allows it. >Ensure that as many copies of Hunter's honor gets imbued with different spells before Martyr's Many gets triggered.>All clones who wield an enchanted Hunter's Honor: Use Blade's Bounty to spawn a veritable field of swords to save up on the action economy for future Joyouses.Possible spells to imbue into the copies of Hunter's honor:>Gra Fir>Gra Zio>Gra Sulk>Gra Nuka>Gra Baum>Rho: (turns the sword into a broadsword or a heavy sword)>San (double attacks for a single act)>Gra Hir (keen with a higher crit chance)>Shil (invisible blade)>Shi Sel (anti-magic, triggering upon contact with a lexicon enchanted sword)
>>5331558any final changes to this plan?We still have to keep some surprises reserve for round 3 or possibly round 4:>Turning the field of blades invisible so that Vagrant will have to keep guessing what blade we pull out and force him to react to our moves, possibly forcing him to draw from his other sword collection.>Neurotic halo to secure a sure-crit.>Gathering up ingredients for our infinity+1 enchanted sword to land a major blow.>Armory of the Infinite for blade-lock baiting or blade-break baiting.>Casting tha vie shil to render our swords and joyous clones invisible (or simply have the clones activate Shavlev's shawl to go invisible should the Vagrant use another sword to absorb the aforementioned spell. Though depending on whether or not relic weapons count as constructs, this may or may not be a good thing)Things to keep in mind:We'll be forced to reveal the fact that Amara has an infinite number of regenerating 1-ups via Martyr's many in round two, so protecting our joyous clones will be paramount in round 3. Vagrant may be forced to draw another sword to counter some of our enchanted sword effects.
>>5331558a thought: we should name our katamari enchanted infinity+1 katana "Excalipoor" (Amara meant to say Excalibur but being a child, she unfortunately butchered the name yet again) to bait the Vagrant to using his trump card (most likely Excalibur) for Amara to witness. And in doing so, we can bait a blade-lock into using our neurotic halo to force a critical counter and land an attack via armory of the infinite by baiting a sword clash and then remain at 1hp via Life's deathgrip if she does get hit by Vagrant's excalibur.It's both deathly serious yet so childish that it's likely the vagrant can't help but humor Amara.
>>5331577It looks pretty good. I think this is a good plan for this round.I think the next round Vagrant will probably deploy some sort of anti-invisibility countermeasure. It seems likely he has one, and just hasn't deployed it yet as part of playing fair. So we'll have to put more effort into hiding our invisible Joyous, as a backup for Martyr's Many. We could hide some underground. Sure, the ground's invisible, but so are they, so if he wants to pierce invisibility the ground will still block his sight. I'm not sure what spell would be needed for that, though, maybe REV FOL TER? >>5331582I don't want him bringing out his trump card. But calling the sword Excalipoor could be fun. Alternatively, lean into the weeb side of the swordfighting and name it Mastermune, because Amara meant Masamune and got that wrong.Oh, wait, weebery. We need to give this round's tactic a fancy name. We need to keep the name calling for at least one more round, then we can break the pattern and throw him off a bit. I'm blanking on a name other than "Unlimited Blade Works", though.
>>5331587>Oh, wait, weebery. We need to give this round's tactic a fancy name. We need to keep the name calling for at least one more round, then we can break the pattern and throw him off a bit. I'm blanking on a name other than "Unlimited Blade Works", though.You know, we could lean in a different direction and take notes from Bleach. "Bankai: Final spell release!"And we could technically keep the name calling for 2 more rounds if we play our cards smartly, invoke rule of 4 (4 means death in asian cultures)>>5331420>Call out the attack for the Infinite Armory>"Hexagon style: Unlimited blade works!"
>>5331420Bhop. ignore >>5331594's green text. follow this one due to the typo:>Call out the attack for the blade's bounty.>"Hexagon style: Unlimited blade works!"
>>5331571>>5331420One final edit: I totally forgot to add in: >have the clones use "Blade's Bounty" as the set-up.I'm not sure if you caught the greentext or the intent but this I definitely want to clarify as I have completely forgotten to add in.
>>5331600(I surmised as much given the nature of the vote, but thank you for clarifying! Though, to confirm; Blade's Bounty is to be used after Amara's spoken lines about showing off her collection, correct? The me tal image is just too good.)
>>5331609>>me tal image>>metal image(Well, that still works, despite being a typo.)
>>5331609I'm imagining it as being done as she says the line, blades rising from the earth accompanying each word.
>>5331609Timing is irrelevant, as long as the point is made and done in a way that impresses the Vagrant while looking cool.>"Bankai style: Unlimited Blade works!"
Off to work. Have a nice day you two. I'll see you in around 7 hours give or take.
>>5331630(Have a great shift!)
(Still writing, but will be posting shortly.)
>>5331420"You're just gonna be using that one sword only?" You ask, a wonderful idea springing into being and bringing a smile to your lips. "Well, if you're not gonna show off your collection of magic swords, then how about I show off mine!?"As one, you and your Joyous scream to the heavens; “Hexagon Style, Bankai Release!”“Wha-, that isn’t one of the fifty-two forms!” Cheruem protests as you and your clones raise your swords above your heads as a unit, their lethal tips aimed at the heart of the world. “We haven’t practiced it, we don’t know its-!“Sensei’s warning is drowned out by the thunderous crack of calcite as ten sets of identical blades plunge into the ground, and a thousand more blossom across the polished field in a violent eruption of bone and steel.“Unlimited!”More blades, more chaos as the Vagrant takes a step back.“Blade!”He’s surrounded, his confident offense shifting to a wary guard.“WORKS!”…You stand in a field of gleaming calcite, countless blades shining like a field of rubies as they reflect the red skies above. The Vagrant breathes in, you realize with a start that it’s a gasp of surprise. Of something almost like awe. He meets your challenging gaze with dark eyes are wide, shining like black suns above a grinning horizon.He’s smiling, and so are you…it hits you, then.The Vagrant is just as completely, utterly thrilled as you are.But you’ve only just begun.He lunges, and you jet back with another violent burst of Oxygenic Artillery, baiting a cat-and-mouse chase to give your Joyous enough time to multiply. You’re dancing on a razor’s edge—it’s taking everything you’ve got to just stay at the tip of the Vagrant’s blade for the four seconds it takes before your nine original Many spring to your aid, their successors already chanting from your shared Lexicon, a murmur of mismatched phrases and utterances inaudible against the jackhammering of your heart in your ears. Yet another three of your mirror-images are cut down by a single, decisive stroke of your foe’s blade, but the other six form a relentless vanguard as you hang back, darting around as you wait for your opening……but not to strike.(Keep Smiling)
>>5331688Another two clones are shredded by a left-right cleave so fast you can barely track it, but three of the remaining four are on him in an instant, the last Joyous flanking him to drive her blade home. They’re fast, but he’s faster, the trio cut down by another flash of bone like steel while your sneaky fourth has her blade seized along with her arms by one of the giant’s four free limbs, the weapon shattering alongside her wrists as she’s hurled bodily over Mom’s head and into the ravine.You can’t look. You can’t meet her eyes, not yet. You want to, so, so badly—but you have to focus, you have to make her proud. You know she’s worried, you feel like you can even hear the shout that would bring all this to a screeching halt held tight in her throat, but…she’s silent.She trusts you.That’s enough.The Vagrant is a whirlwind of unstoppable power and peerless speed, and unceasing display of raw, undiluted skill—but he looks away from you, for just a split second, and that’s all the time you need to yank a blade from the ground, Shalaev’s Shawl draped over it and shrouding it from sight. It’s enchanted, bolstered by the words of your chorus with an edge that cuts twice and a speed to sever steel. It’s not enough, but it will be.He’s on you in an instant, leaving you no room to breathe as he swings his blade in a perfect line to cut you down where you stand. It’d be perfect, if the ground didn’t suddenly and violently shift underfoot, the terrain separating you just enough to create an inch between his blade and your throat. It buys you the time to seize a few more blades, merging them with your cloaked dagger and stacking their enchantments into a single sliver of calcite. Terraforming, enchantment, and a little something extra—your chorus is ceaseless, your Skintalking enveloping the entire battlefield and your foe in a shimmering field of eldritch power, blades and warrior both rotating in winding loops around the mesa.“Cloaked terraforming. An effect you’re immune to, no less.” The Vagrant grins while on a lazy arc back to you, his skin rippling with a Skintalker’s unknown effect. He’s smiling, still, but you can see something new in his eyes. The doubt, the anticipation—he knows your words hit home, now living on his physical form, but as for what they do? He doesn’t know.Won’t know, until it’s time.(Keep Smiling)
>>5331691When he next moves, it’s with such speed and ferocity that you momentarily lose track of his position. His footfalls now only linger on the ground long enough to propel him to his next blindingly fast flash-step, and he’s suddenly in front of you. With a monstrous sweep of his blade, he misses you by inches—but he takes a mile as his blade annihilates two dozen of your duplicate swords in a single, brutal cleave. Shards glimmer like snow in the air, but with a tremendous swipe of his four titanic arms, they’re suddenly and savagely turned into a blizzard of calcite shards that take everything you’ve got to blast away with your Artillery. You’re thrown, back slamming against the hilts and pommels of countless blades as you struggle to find purchase on ground that’s moving too quickly underfoot.But it’s you who’s moving too fast, and by the time you finally skid to a halt, he’s given relentless chase, looming over you with an inevitability that makes your blood run cold. There’s no time, no move you can make but to bring your sword up to meet its inspiration—and when horizontal meets vertical, your blade shatters like graphite against diamond.He’s surprised. He’s strong, but you can tell by the shock in his eyes that his blade’s cutting with far more force than he’d intended to use. For his part, he tries to pull back but the deed is done, his sword coming down on your head with unerring finality.>>VAGRANT—CRITICAL HITYou think you hear Mom scream, and Rath roar, but GG holds them back. Out of them, she’d be the one to see what’s truly happened….…because what happens next, happens very quickly.>>MARTYR’S MANY—ACTIVATED>>AMARA—CRITICAL HIT(Keep Smiling)
>>5331692You’re behind him, now, your hands trembling on your blade as your three-dozen Joyous crumble to dust. Their sacrifice granted you the chance you needed…the chance you were banking on. Your second set of ears swivel, waiting for a kickoff, holding your breath as you await his riposte.But it doesn’t come.A pair of heavy objects thud behind you, and when you hear them fall you turn to find two of the Vagrant’s arms on his left side lying near his feet, their stumps half-obscured the ruined blades that shine all around the two of you. He turns to face you, and that’s all it takes for a line of scarlet to shine along a perfect seam in his third arm, just above the elbow. It lingers in that state for just a moment before it, too, lands on the ground with a resounding thump. You stare at it for a half-second before your eyes snap back to his face.He’s smiling, even now.“HELL YES!” Howls Rath from the sidelines, pumping her fists into the air. “*FUCK* YES! THAT’S MY GIRL!”“You’re doing AMAZING, sweetie!” Gina chimes in, eyes wide and shining violet with awe. And as for Mom, she-“You bolstered my power to trigger the conditions of your own counter.” He murmurs, forcing your focus back on the titan before you, his voice thick with an emotion you can’t place. “I’ve…I’ve never seen that done, before."And, more to himself, than to you; "Truly incredible."Finding your center once more, you reply; “If you keep this up, Mister Vagrant? I’ll show you plenty of things you’ve never seen.”He laughs, at that. It’s a deep, hearty, beautiful thing, only marred as you watch the three stumps on his left side rapidly start to generate new bone and fresh muscle to replace what you’d just robbed him of.But then, all of a sudden, they stop. The wounds are sealed, but not truly healed.“You took them, fair and square.” He chuckles deeply, and—for the first time since you started this thing—you watch as he holds Cheruem’s sword with his two remaining hands steady on the grip. Left and right, clasped tight to that peerless, ancient blade.All this time, all this power…and he’d been wielding it one-handed.Another dozen Joyous slither out from under your skin, but you feel something far deeper, a simple fact that runs straight down to your marrow.One way, or another.The next clash is what’ll end this.HP: 3,740% (+530%)BIO: 2,860% (+560%)Joyous Many: x12Iaido Stacks: x0Queen Crimson: SPENTBuffs: Wielding Hunter’s Honor with SAN x2, GRA HIR x4, SHI SEL x3.Debuffs: None.Aggro: Both hands clasping Hunter’s Pride, eyes unwavering on you.ACT: 4/4>>Character Abilities: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wnWr-832IHNGQSOVr2rbib7cAPxO1UtTkyFRCQ_KNbY/edit#gid=75362991>>Relics: https://pastebin.com/kHzW2hbd>>ROUND THREE: COMMENCEMAKE HER PROUD
(Voting shall remain open for the next ten hours, with posting to resume tomorrow at 12PM, Eastern time. I wish you all a good and restful evening, and take care!)
>>5331700(Also, I just have to say - your plan was an absolute stroke of genius. Very, very well played.)
>>5331695>“You bolstered my power to trigger the conditions of your own counter.” He murmurs, forcing your focus back on the titan before you, his voice thick with an emotion you can’t place. “I’ve…I’ve never seen that done, before."Well, I feel proud of myself for that idea, now. Though wow, we must have spooked Amara's moms something fierce. It's a bit hypocritical, since I suggested it, but once we get back to controlling Shu I want to tell Amara to never scare us like that again.Okay, so one last clash. I'm tempted to just go all-in, contest of pure speed and skill, but we're down to no Iaido stacks so that won't go well. Wait, why are we at zero Iaido? Don't the crit-counters not consume Iaido, same as the first-round strike? Did I miss something we did that consumed them?
>>5331727(You're absolutely correct, actually. You should still be at 3 Iaido.)
>>5331728Ah, excellent. Okay, so we've still got our starting charge. So I'm liking the "make sword invisible" idea from earlier. But Vagrant is smart, and can remember its length and judge the extent of Amara's reach. Can we lengthen or shorten the blade slightly, throw off his expectations?
>>5331738(Not currently while in hand, but its range can be modified in conjunction with your other powers, such as Blade's Bounty or through comboing with other abilities.)
>>5331695Okay, this is a plan that might not work, but the idea struck me and I kind of like it. >Use the Joyous chorus and Hearth Rod to cast SIHL VIE and REV FOL VIE on Hunter's Honor to turn it invisible and distort its shape. Make it a blade that's shorter and straighter.>Dash at Vagrant alongside our Joyous like we're going to go for one last clash of blades. But during the dash, pass our sword off to another one of the Joyous...>...and then dash past Vagrant, avoiding his strike as the Joyous we gave our invisible blade to attacks him...>...only for, when he "sees through" our ruse and moves to counter to Joyous with the invisible blade, we spawn a new copy with Armory of the Infinite and shoot it into him with Oxygenic Artillery.The con man doesn't win his shell game by tricking you into picking the wrong shell. He wins by tricking you into thinking that picking a shell mattered.
>>5331820>The con man doesn't win his shell game by tricking you into picking the wrong shell. He wins by tricking you into thinking that picking a shell mattered.(...Well, that's one of the coolest things I've ever heard.)
Back from work. Let me take a moment to rest before posting the idle thoughts that I had cooking in my head regarding this update.
>>5331727>It's a bit hypocritical, since I suggested it, but once we get back to controlling Shu I want to tell Amara to never scare us like that again.More like Shu would be more concerned with having that internal tug of war fighting against her maternal instincts and sheer panic combined, before either Rath or Gina point out that the condition of the duel was not to the death and the point of the entire thing was to demonstrate the Vagrant about the point of having fun when it comes to sparring, and potentially picking a promising student to teach on the 15 different sword styles the Vagrant has mastered. As for the post-combat dialogue, I feel like it would be more appropriate for Amara to hold the discussion with the Vagrant. It's clear that both Amara and the Vagrant are enjoying this fight to the fullest, but I think the deal in terms of negotiating with the Vagrant could be sweetened into convincing him to teach Amara the other 14 relic weapons by the fact that:A) Amara having a lack of a filter and being honest with her thoughtsB) Cheruem's is likely itching to spar with the Vagrant as well. C) Amara wants to duel the Vagrant again but the next time having the Vagrant use a different relic weapon as well as a different sword-style. D) Cheurem may or may not be getting enough practice in swording and asking him to not only teach Amara, but also Cheruem was well to have all three polish their swordsmanship skills by constantly sparring and testing each other.E) Amara secretly thinks Cheurem may or may not have a crush on the Vagrant due to his peerless skill with the blade.>>5331695Other thoughts on this update:As for the Vagrant's name...I think I've settled upon a name. Zatoichi. Named after the Zatoichi films. Zatoichi the character is a master swordsman who is coincidentally blind but also a wandering vagrant. Either that or Musashi of the Miyamoto Musashi fame. Questions to Bhop:What's the status of our hidden enchanted sword? How many spell enchantments and Red Devil's Engine Revs does it have?
>>5331820a simple con like that is elegant, but if you wanna sucker the Vagrant in on the Ruse, you need to put up a very convincing bait that forces him to guess which part of Amara's plan is her "final strike" in the duel. The fun part of the con is not only you trick the victim into picking a shell he thinks that matters, you also get to trick him into second guessing himself into trying to guess how many layers deep they've unearthed in the con. They know they're getting conned, they're just trying to find that "Ah-HA/Gotcha" moment where they think they've won against the conman. >>5331862hey bhop. A question regarding the field of swords: Are there any enchanted blades still left out on the field for Amara to fuse and pick up?Also, would Martyr's many still trigger if there's only one joyous clone left in combat?
>>5331907>>What's the status of our hidden enchanted sword? How many spell enchantments and Red Devil's Engine Revs does it have?(It's stacked with SAN x2, GRA HIR x4, SHI SEL x3, and one REV. I left out the REV, even though I had s sticky note reminder. Bah.)>>5331913>>A question regarding the field of swords: Are there any enchanted blades still left out on the field for Amara to fuse and pick up?(There are plenty, and they're obvious to Amara's sight. The Joyous did good work, so there's at least one of each enchantment that you could pick up.)>>Also, would Martyr's many still trigger if there's only one joyous clone left in combat?(Yes, it would.)
>>5331907>More like Shu would be more concerned with having that internal tug of war fighting against her maternal instincts and sheer panic combined, before either Rath or Gina point out that the condition of the duel was not to the death and the point of the entire thing was to demonstrate the Vagrant about the point of having fun when it comes to sparring, and potentially picking a promising student to teach on the 15 different sword styles the Vagrant has mastered.True, the duel wasn't supposed to be to the death, and Shu would have known that. But it would still have been scary to see a sword about to cut your daughter in half. Especially when said daughter isn't trying to dodge.>As for the post-combat dialogue, I feel like it would be more appropriate for Amara to hold the discussion with the Vagrant. Oh, absolutely, on all those points. Amara talking to Vagrant about how it was fun sparring with him, even if she knows he was only using part of his power, would absolutely do some good. For her, too. Amara felt pretty nervous about this fight, both proving herself to her mom and defending the honor of her teacher, and win or lose I think she'll feel better if she can share a nice moment with the Vagrant. And of course we're going to tell Vagrant that Cheruem is interested in him. We will "innocently" pass on that she wants Shu to make her a Spirit Shell so that she can fight Vagrant.>>5331913>a simple con like that is elegant, but if you wanna sucker the Vagrant in on the Ruse, you need to put up a very convincing bait that forces him to guess which part of Amara's plan is her "final strike" in the duel.>The fun part of the con is not only you trick the victim into picking a shell he thinks that matters, you also get to trick him into second guessing himself into trying to guess how many layers deep they've unearthed in the con. They know they're getting conned, they're just trying to find that "Ah-HA/Gotcha" moment where they think they've won against the conman. Sure, we can add some more layers to the grift. Got any ideas? Maybe some attacks with the invisible sword to start with, so he becomes more certain we have it and therefore more convinced when we hand it off that we don't?
>>5331921>Sure, we can add some more layers to the grift. Got any ideas? Maybe some attacks with the invisible sword to start with, so he becomes more certain we have it and therefore more convinced when we hand it off that we don't?As for the grift. I think we can take a few cues from Penn and Teller on the tricks to sleight of hand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4U-kHdXgz0I've got plenty. Remember, we have a sword wrapped in Shavlev's shawl. that's enchanted with 2 stacks of SAN, 4 stacks of GRA HIR, 3 stacks of SHI SEL, and a single rev charge from the Red Devil's engine. As for the layer's to the grift: we have a Neurotic halo counter, a Martyr's many trigger primed as long as there is a single joyous clone in combat, Life's deathgrip, Infinite Armory, two invisible swords, a field of enchanted swords, and Queens' Crimson projectile redirect field. We can use the field to create a storm of touhou bullet hell blades. give me several seconds as I try to re-arrange the sleight of hand steps to solidify the grift.
>>5331936We don't have Queen Crimson, unfortunately. It shut down after Vagrant's first hit against us. But we can certainly whip up a storm of blades with just Oxygenic Artillery blasting them around from multiple points.
>>5331939Anyways, with the seven basic principles of magic, lets set this grift up:First off: We're "Palming" the enchanted fused sword. the enchanted fusion will be key to striking the final blow on Vagrant, but it's not powerful enough. There's still some other enchanted swords in the field that we can use to fuse. Thus we need to:"Ditch the rest of the enchanted swords by simulating and misdirecting the Vagrant with the Oxygenic artillery attack, but during the attack we "steal" the enchanted swords and "load" it into our enchanted fused sword.Inevitably, this move will likely cue the Vagrant in on our plan of having an invisible sword as our plan and he will be wary of the invisible sword we're palming and keeping hidden with Shavlev's shawl, not knowing that another Joyous has loaded a "invisible sword" with a enchantment that alters its length. The that clone then misdirects Vagrant with a simulated switch with the real Amara in switching enchanted blades while Amara directs the clone that handed the invisible sword to go invisible. This will be the shell game that we prompt the Vagrant to choose: Invisible sword, or invisible clone? Two of our clones will be rendered invisible. One will go invisible right in front of the Vagrant that hands Amara the invisible sword to clue him in on both shells in the shell game, while the second clone will be done discreetly go invisible invisible during the Oxygenic sword storm misdirection scheme.We simulate an activation of Martyr's Many by priming Life's deathgrip to activate before Martyr's many and take a blow alongside a visible clone but remain active in combat. with Amara at 1hp and no clone in sight except for an invisible clone, this will give the impression to the Vagrant that a simulation of Martyr's Many has been triggered and that Amara opted to trade blows with the Vagrant. Only to realize Amara's still pushing forwards without a sword. Vagrant will obviously react to this and strike Amara down. This is where we reveal the con. With the Vagrant committed to striking a visible Amara with no blade in her possession, and caught off guard with the appearance of an invisible clone revealing itself with a sword bearing down on his back, he will be trapped in the mentality of the shell game of having to pick the shell: If he chooses to strike the clone, that means the clones are what mattered to him, but in turn he'll receive an enchanted sword to the back swung by Amara (likely using her mouth at this point) who uses Armory of the Infinite to spawn a copy of the fused enchanted sword.If he chooses to strike Amara, then the "invisible sword" is what matters to the Vagrant, but he'll receive a sword to the back by the clone using the invisible sword. The final two ruses should the Vagrant overcome the initial shell game: Neurotic halo part 1: and then the real trigger of Martyr's many. Least one of the two must last remain primed and unspent by the time the shell game culminates.
>>5331936>>5331939(Heading to bed, so if you have any questions feel free to link them to this post and I'll address them first thing in the morning, since I have an early day of it tomorrow.)(Rest well everyone, and I wish you a good night's sleep when you turn in.)
>>5331959>>5331939I know there's a few missing steps to complete the ruse. but we'll need to find a way to simulate the Martyr's Many activation by having all the visible clones attack the Vagrant as a follow-up to the oxygenic artillery storm. There's also the matter of keeping track of which enchanted sword Amara and the invisible clone will be using when the shell game culminates with the Vagrant committing to a choice of picking a shell.
>>5331939Any thoughts on my explanation to the more elaborate grift?
>>5331962Right, sorry, I was doing some laundry. Back now.I'm having a little trouble following it, to be honest. I think the idea is that we're doing an obvious swap-out of the supercharged sword with another invisible sword, to sell the idea that Amara's attack is not the one to focus on. But then there's a bit with faking a use of Martyr's Many that I'm not sure of the purpose of. To make it seem like Amara is going to do another teleport-attack, and make him have to choose between responding to that and responding to the Joyous with the super-sword?
>>5331963Faking the Martyr's many is to preserve our defensive counters as Amara tries to press for a final blow on the Vagrant. It's also to "sell" the idea to the Vagrant that the invisible sword attack is in fact the super-charged sword and to get him less suspicious of the fact that there's still an invisible clone lurking about. If all the "apparent clones" are gone, then there shouldn't be any need to worry about the clone and simply focus on the sword right? but if he's still wary of the invisible clone, then his guard will be directed towards the invisible clone and he'll likely prioritize responding to the clone when it shows itself in the final gambit. the ruse in the shell game is simple: You have an invisible clone lurking about, and Amara has an invisible sword whose properties you don't know. Which do you choose? Sword or clone? the reason behind faking Martyr's many and send the visible clones to their deaths is to give him the idea that he doesn't have to worry about the clone anymore if all the remaining visible clones are killed at the same time they and Amara are hit. If Amara still stands after the hit and all the clones are dead, then Martyr's many must have triggered.So when it comes time to spring the shell game, he'll realize that there's still a clone about and will need to choose between two choices. Choosing to strike Amara will trigger either Neurotic halo and/or Martyr's many and allow Amara to press forward with the final strike without worry. Choosing to strike the clone will leave the Vagrant open for a final strike from Amara unimpeded.does this make things clearer?
>>5331963but yeah the general idea is to give him two choices and have him choose which one is more important to block or counter. ideally, we have both defensive counters (joyous many and neurotic halo) primed and active so in the event the Vagrant tries to pull a third option and cut the gordian knot by attacking both at the same time, our attack will still go through via a counter.
>>5331970Oh, okay, I see. The point is to make him either fall for the trick of their being an invisible clone he doesn't know about, or to be so fixated on the trick of there being an invisible clone that he misses that Amara is still a threat. I get it now. Okay, so how do we put that in orders? Something like>Have one of the Joyous turn invisible.>Use SIHL VIE on Amara's sheathed Shawl-covered blade to make it invisible.>Send the Joyous rocketing around on Oxygenic blasts grabbing swords and tossing them to Amara to fuse into her blade.>While doing this, have another clone turn invisible during the chaos.>Swap out Amara's sword with the sword of an invisible Joyous during this, then charge Vagrant with several Joyous on the attack.>Let Vagrant attack Amara, absorb the blow with Life's Deathgrip rather than Martyr's Many. Self-destruct all remaining Joyous except the second invisible one to sell the ruse that we've used Martyr's Many again.>Immediately prime Martyr's Many. >Have the invisible clone attack with its copy of the fused blade while we use Armory of the Infinite to create a new one and attack as well. Either he doesn't see the ruse of a remaining Joyous and it hits him, or he's distracted with the ruse of a remaining Joyous and we hit him.Is that about right?
>>5331975Sound about right, but we could use our 12 existing clones to spawn at least 4 more clones of themselves for a total of 48 fresh clones. before charging to their deaths to cover for Amara while we have 48 fresh clones who can do the setup with a more elaborate and spectacle driven misdirection to complete the ruse. the more distracted the Vagrant becomes by the misdirection and spectacle, the easier it is for him to be caught off guard. the 12 that we spawned in round 2 won't have summoning sickness on round 3.
>>5331975One more thing that came to my mind: When we reveal the shell game and force the vagrant to pick a choice, we go dead silent. But after the Vagrant commits to a choice and leaves himself open? We make one final callout attack, but this time we don't butcher the callout. We call it properly: "Hexane style: Form 42: Shell game strike."This is to psych out and troll Cheruem who's gotten so used to Amara butchering the phrase "Hexane style" into "hexagon style" that she'll trip over herself when Amara calls the sword style by the proper name.
>>5331981You know, if we're going to have a bunch of clones that we're going to throw away anyway, we might as well have them cast some spells while we're at it. So let's add in a bunch of buffs on Amara, too.>>5331982I love the idea of trolling Cheruem, but let's do something a bit "classier" than Shell Game Strike. How does Hexane Style: Form 42: All War Is Deception sound? Get the Sun Tzu reference.
>>5331695Plan: Shell gameAmara:>Prime Neurotic Halo, but set it to trigger dead last in the defensive counter system.>Fight defensively, use the oxygenic sword storm to your advantage, grabbing blades out of the air to both defend and to fuse with the invisible supercharged sword>When a joyous hands you the invisible short sword, go on the offensive alongside the clones and get the Vagrant to be wary of the invisible blade's variable reach. Joyous:Old clones (12):>Spawn 4 clones to create an army of 60 clones. >Draw up a sword and engage the Vagrant. this will use up both their innate 2 acts and leave no surviving clones to complete the Martyr's many simulation. Fresh clones (48):>Hearth Rod Baton pass shenanigans:>Have a majority of the clones pick up a sword before using an oxygenic artillery attack to kick up a storm of flying blades at the Vagrant.>While doing this, have one clone turn invisible during the chaos.>While the oxygenic artillery storm is active, send the Joyous rocketing around on Oxygenic blasts grabbing swords and tossing them to Amara to fuse into her invisible enchanted blade.>one of the Joyous should cast SIHL VIE and REV FOL VIE on a instance of Hunter's Honor to turn it invisible and distort its shape and length using Hearth Rod action economy manipulation. Make it a blade that's shorter and straighter.>one of the clones should also charge Red Devil's engine on the invisible super-fused sword to sell threat of the invisible sword that Amara's building.>Any clones with spare actions should use them to buff Amara with all the buffs.The Ruse:>Swap out Amara's supercharged sword with the invisible sword.>The Joyous that receives the supercharged sword is then enchanted with Shil Vie to turn it invisible, to give the Vagrant the threat of an invisible clone lurking about. (there should be two invisible clones after this)>After the visible sword swap and the visible spell cast to turn a joyous invisible, charge Vagrant with several or a large majority of the Joyous on the attack. Vagrant should have 2 things to focus on: invisible sword or the Invisible clone.The Reveal:>Intentionally take a hit using Life's death grip instead of Martyr's many. Sell the illusion by having all the clones except the two invisible clones to self-destruct. >Immediately prime Martyr's Many. >Have the invisible clone attack with its copy of the fused blade while we use Armory of the Infinite to create a copy of the super-fused blade and attack as well. Either he doesn't see the ruse of a remaining Joyous and it hits him, or he's distracted with the ruse of a remaining Joyous and we hit him.>No attack callouts on this reveal. We're dead silent at this moment.>If he cuts through either choice and continues attacking, pop Neurotic halo and Martyr's Many. Neurotic Halo first for the critical, then Martyr's many. >After Vagrant commits to an attack and leaves himself open?: "Hexane style: Form 42: All war is deception"
>>5331993Ah, I was typing it up, too, but you got to it faster. Cool, that looks good. We might not win, Vagrant is a real badass and has used approximately 1% of his power, but I think we'll impress him. Tricking him into thinking that we're trying to trick him in a slightly different way than we're actually tricking him is, if nothing else, a ballsy move that he should respect, win or lose.
>>5331997You know. this brief stint playing as Amara in this quest has been giving me serious Spy X Family vibes with Amara being similar to Anya being privy to so many secrets but also being a child, she's got secrets that she holds close to her chest and is also the occasional troll.
>>5332004That's the one where the kid is a telepath who manipulated a spy and an assassin who needed a cover identity into being her foster parents, right? I keep meaning to get around to reading that. I hear it's good. Though I hope we can get Amara to open up to us more, and we don't have a comedy of misunderstandings like I hear the series does.
>>5332017that's the one. It's also the source of the smuggest little girl faces to recently grace the internet. The girl's got a wide variety of memetic reaction faces.
Another thought: Amara must be a once in a generation combat prodigy. We're coming up with clever ideas, but that's with several hours of planning and also not being children. In-universe, Amara just does this with a few seconds thought. It's kind of unsettling. Not in her typical sense of being too comfortable with gore, but just in a "kids aren't supposed to be able to do that" sense. We may have gotten away with ourselves giving her cool ideas.Anyways, I just noticed the time. I should head to sleep. Good night, anon.
>>5331983Oh god yes, that is just... *chef's kiss*. All War Is Deception, that's just perfect! And calling it out correctly would only make it better, if only to mess with Cheruem.Also, we didn't use that cloaked sword in our acts right? Shouldn't the iaido in it therefore be higher than 3?Hmmm... For our final clash, if all else fails, we meet his blade head on with ours, break it on purpose on his BUT continue the strike and use Armory of the Infinite to remake the blade back in our grasp BEHIND his guard and land the blow while tanking his. Because I have no doubt that he's got a neat trick up his sleeve to let him take two choices at once in the shell game, only for us to reveal that the choice was the deception and we'll hit anyway.
>>5332032>Another thought: Amara must be a once in a generation combat prodigy. We're coming up with clever ideas, but that's with several hours of planning and also not being children. In-universe, Amara just does this with a few seconds thought. It's kind of unsettling.It would be wise to remember the snippets of her pre-crucible childhood and her daily activities of her post-Crucible childhood. Pre-Crucible childhood, she was into mature entertainment like Devil may Cry and SMT, which is very mature for a girl of her age group. Keep in mind that after her mother died (likely murdered), Amara was forced to wander the streets as a street urchin. She may have been forced to get into scuffles and the like which would easily set the mentality for a combat oriented upbringing, not to mention she would likely be stuck with the feeling of powerlessness after her mother's death.Post-Crucible childhood: She's slowly but gradually given the keys to power. Her relationship with Shu and the rest of her family keeps her combat impulses and her hidden depressive attitude in check, and while she's mainly useful in the sense of her core, she's still lacking in the sense of direct combat power. It's not until the fight with the Hexane ascendants that she is directly given the means to defend herself in the form of Cheruem's power and tutelege. This combined with Cheruem's origin and personality as well as her occupation and past, Amara would've likely spent a large majority of her spare time under Cheruem's tutelege to hone her sword skills in the hope that she can prove to her new foster/adoptive mother that she's not as powerless as she thinks Shu believes her to be. Even as she climbs in power, we're still giving her elements that help her social cohesion and the sense of a family. She's found a friend in Nerada, she's made friends with Ringo, she values Cheruem as a teacher, and now she's found a sparring partner in Vagrant. And in an environment as hostile yet supportive as the Crucible in terms of encouraging a warrior's mentality, combined with her young age, it's little wonder that Amara's soaking many things up. If this keeps up, Swordsmanship will be her life-long hobby, and it seems that she's very good at it.
>>5331993>>5331695Final addendum:>In the Reveal phase of the Ruse: Vagrant will likely parry our shell game attempt with the stored spell he took from round one as he focuses on one choice while negating the threat from the other. Pause for a moment to let him commit to the mistake of thinking he's won the shell game in his preparation for his final strike in cutting us down. That's when we pop Neurotic Halo and/or Martyr's Many.
Just got one request: If this works, Amara should totally slowly sheath her sword while citing the form name, only for the blood to spray when she clicks the sword back into place. It needs to happen BHOP! We must achieve maximum anime!
>>5331695Additional amendment to the plan for clarification:>Pop Armory of the infinite again when countering with Neurotic halo and martyr's many if our sword is shattered.
>>5331960Does the Vagrant still have the enchantment (SEL GRA HIR CUNT) on him or has that spell expired? I know he's got "SEL GRA RHO TER CUNT" stored on his blade.
>>5332032Keep in mind she learned from a girl who was born not a month or so ago who decided to adopt her as a foster? mother and is showing the same sort of child-like wonder and scary cleverness just as Amara. Like mother like daughter.
>>5332071(He does not, no.)>>5332059(I couldn't possibly write an anime-themed swordfight and *not* have one of the best tropes from the Kurosawa era. Rest assured, it'll happen.)>>5332027(Every time I see her, she reminds me of Amara. The mindset, her humor, and her faces are all just too good.)
>>5332079(Sorry, to clarify - he is still enchanted, but the words on his sword have been spent.)
(Finishing the update after a busy morning, so thanks for bearing with me.)
>>5331695It's so utterly, blissfully quiet as each of your twelve Joyous spawn four duplicates of their own, your now sixty-strong platoon standing at your back as you collectively stare down the Vagrant.As still as stone, he waits for you.You dont keep him waiting long.Your original dozen surge past you in a flurry of fluffy ears and shining blades. A foolishly straightforward assault, until the other forty-eight activate forty-eight instances of Oxygenic Artillery, all at once. What was only a second prior a calm, fragile silence is shattered by four dozen shotgun blasts of hyper-compressed air, sending a swathe of your sword field hurtling towards your foe, covering your vanguard in a sheet of spinning, fractured blades.And, with no fanfare, one of the legion slips to the side, air shimmering as they go unseen and silent as the grave.A hundred parries flicker with just as many sparks, a wall of stars busting to life as the Vanguard deflects your distraction in time to meet your first wave of doppelgangers head-on. The forty-seven at your back aren’t finished yet—as the Vagrant’s first sweep claves a third of your strike force in half, the majority scatter among the field of calcite swords, yanking them one after another from the ground and flinging them to you. One by one, you snatch them from the air and merge with the one at your hip, its power snowballing into the avalanche you hope can turn the tide.C’mon. C’mon, LOOK. You need him to look at what you’re-Another terrible sweep, a perfect arc that wipes the last of your dirty dozen off the map, and there it is. He locks eyes with you briefly—just long enough for him to not see when one of your frantic Joyous darts between the two of you, disguising your slight-of-hand—before his gaze snaps to the weapon at your side as it shimmers, then fades from sight. He sweeps his eyes across the battlefield with perceptions sharpened by years of conflict. He sees the discrepancy, the hint of a plan in what’s missing. Two unknowns now prey on his mind—the length of your blade and your deadly shadow, skulking just out of sight. His brow furrows, eyes narrowed as he weighs the threats at hand.And then-He lunges at the same time as you. Him, with his impossibly powerful build and an edge still sharp after countless eons. You, a legion, swarming with honed skills and unbreakable defiance.Both of which you learned from the best.With a roar like an army descending into hell, you and your Joyous loose a deafening battle cry bolstered by the might of your Lexicon, the arcane words spurring you forward with untold speed and strength. Face to face, blade to blade you meet him.He can’t see your sword. He can’t see the clone. The Vagrant’s attentions are split.And with a swing of his sword, so are you.>>LIFE’S DEATHGRIP—ACTIVATED(Keep Smiling)
>>5332345>>AMARA HEALTH: 1%>>MARTYR’S MANY—PRIMEDA cold sort of pair rips through you, your body barely holding itself together as a blend of bewilderment and horror forces the Vagrant’s eyes wide. Just behind him, the upper and lower halves of your invisible decoy shimmer back into view before dissolving alongside the rest of your Joyous. They’ve committed to the ruse, same as you. As you feel panic erupt from all present a high-pitched whine starts up where your left ear should be, and while you’re numbly aware that it’s probably gone, you can’t focus on that, right now. He’s stunned, blown away by you practically throwing yourself at his blade face-first in what must look like a desperate bid for victory.Trust yourself. Trust your regen. Mom’s done it a thousand times…and if you just try a little harder, maybe she won’t have to do it a thousand more.Your sword’s shattered for the second time in as many minutes, and between that and your wounds the Vagrant’s too shocked to realize that you had two Invisible Joyous running around.>>ARMORY OF THE INFINITE—ACTIVATEDThe second one shimmers to life behind him, weaving past the two halves of the first with her sword slipping from its sheathe just as your own broken blade rematerializes in your hands.You in front, your clone behind. A burst of the Artillery on either side of the Vagrant and your places are swapped in a flash of polished calcite. As one, you rise, your foe frozen in place as he realizes what’s just occurred."Hexane Style: Form Forty-Two—” You declare, sheathing your blade and leaving only a sliver of edge peeking out from you scabbard, your last Joyous mirroring the fluid motion.“All War…”A final, resounding ‘clack’ as guard meets sheathe.“…is Deception.”>>AMARA + JOYOUS MANY—CRITICAL HITA pair of clean, perfect lines through the Vagrant’s torso that promptly erupt in twin sprays of blood, the crimson fountain framed against a streak of bright azure that suddenly cuts across the sky like a blade of pure, radiant light. Your foe drops to his knees with a resonant thud, his sword laid across his lap in one hand while the other’s wrapped around his torso to stem the blood flow.“Well done, little warrior.” He intones, turning to rest those sad, dark eyes upon you. “I yield.”>>COMBAT—CEASED(Keep Smiling)
>>5332348You…you did it. You can’t belief that you actually-Something hits you squarely on the forehead, erupting into a cloud of dusty green garbage that swnds you into a coughing fit.“Bleh, ahck! What the-!?” You sputter, only realizing what happens when the icy grip of shock leaves your bones, replaced by the warmth of rapid regeneration and the uncomfortable sensation of your left ear popping back into existence. The Vagrant spares you a brief glance before turning his gaze to the streak of light that’s slashed across the horizon, sheathing Cheruem’s sword and flexing his regenerated arms before-“Eeep!”The sound that escapes you when Mom, Gina, and Rath scoop you up in their arms isn’t exactly a dignified one, but you can’t be bothered to care when you’re practically dog-piled by all three of them at once.“-SICKEST shit I’ve ever seen, kiddo! That was completely-!”“-Unacceptable! You nearly gave your mom a fucking heart attack with that stunt you-“Rath and GG’s words blend together, muffled as your Mom holds your head to the glossy shell that is her chest, hands cupping your ears. She doesn’t say anything, the other two’s exclamations quickly dying out until your held at arm’s length and staring up into Mom’s concerned and compound eyes.“Are you hurt? Are you okay?” She demands, and all you can do is nod as your hearing swiftly brings another frantic voice to the fore, welcome as always.“-lessly reckless thing I’ve EVER witnessed! Absolutely ZERO thought spared for your well-being!” Cheruem screeches/ “Your mother will have my HEAD for this, why can’t you show a single OUNCE, a single MOLECULE of restrai-!”“...You ARE worried about me!” You grin, and by way of reply Cheruem makes a high-pitched noise that reminds you of when Aunt Julia leaves the kettle on a bit too long…though it’s promptly taken off the heat, winding down to a miserable sigh.“Just…please promise me you’ll never pull anything like that again, alright?”You’re quiet.“Amara.” She presses, your one and only name uttered like a threat, locked and loaded.“But what if I really, really neeeeed to kick a whole lot of ass?” You point out, aloud and entirely justified. “What then?”Just when you think she’s about to put the kettle back on the burner again, she just heaves a weary groan. “You’ll be the death of me and your mother both, fledgling.”“Sweetie, you…I…” Your Mom mutters, cupping your cheeks and, for once, at a loss for words. “I’ll-““I’ll do it.”You, she, Rath and Gina turn at the Vagrant’s words, his imposing frame silhouetted against the two-tone sky.“Or I’ll try it, at least.” He shrugs, adding in the face of you and your family’s confusion; “The teaching thing. Could be fun…”(Keep Smiling)
>>5332354“…plus, if THAT isn’t a sign, then I don’t know what is.” He grunts, jerking a thumb over one massive shoulder and at the afterimage of the mysterious light that streaked across the sky.“Sign or no, we need to know exactly what the hell that thing is and what caused it.” Gina mutters, whipping out her phone. “I’ll get Orwell on the line. If anyone can tell us what happened, then it’s-““IF YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT THE LIGHT, DON’T BE.” Leviathan’s voice suddenly booms from somewhere deep in Mom’s helmet, making her curse loudly before turning down the volume on her integrated Commlings. “YAMATO JUST BECAME THE TOAST OF THE SEAS BY FINALLY USING A LITTLE SOMETHING I GAVE HER A LITTLE WHILE AGO. WITH A FEW FINE TWEAKS BY YOURS TRULY, IT SHOULD BE EVEN MORE POTENT THE NEXT TIME IT’S USED.”Then, more as an afterthought than anything; “SORRY IF WE GAVE YOU A FRIGHT, DEFIANT.”“Just a bit, yeah.” Mom groans, staring out as the radiant streak slowly dims, the sky healing from the wound of bleeding light that’s lanced across the horizon. “What the hell did she hit?”“A VERY INSISTENT ISLAND. NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, I ASSURE YOU.” Comes Leviathan’s vaguely un-assuring answer. “UNTIL NEXT TIME, DEFIANT.”With a final, startling ‘pop’ the line cuts out, leaving the five of you watch the last vestiges of the laser’s ghost fade into the familiar scarlet dusk. Wordlessly, the Vagrant turns to you once more, regarding you with a measure of respect and concern before he takes a knee. With the same care and grace that he dueled with, it’s with a similarly fluid motion that he presents you with-“Sensei’s sword.” You breathe, voice barely above a whisper as you reach out, fingertips overing over the impeccable Hexane sheathe. “Mister Vagrant, are you-?”“Sure? Of course I’m sure.” He chuckles, black eyes gleaming like polished onyx. “You gave me the fight and fright of my life back there. It’d be an honor to see this in the hands of its rightful master.”You bite your lower lip, valiantly resisting the urge to snatch it right here and now. Think……what would Mom do?>>Thank him for the duel, in earnest…and then take your prize in hand.>>Ask him when he’d be willing to train you, and if he’d be open to taking other students as well.>>Ask The Vagrant something about himself before you take the sword, since he seems to be in a good mood (Write-in).>>Write-InYOU ARE IN CONTROL
(Voting shall remain open for the next two hours, with posting to resume in three.)
>>5332348Oh, right, we should have considered that Amara wouldn't get the instant-heal from Martyr's Many. So the illusion wasn't completely sold. It was still shocking enough to convince, though.>>5332361>>Write-In>"Thank you, sensei. Er, I mean, Cheruem-sensei is my sensei, but I learned some stuff from this so...">"Anyway! Thank you. Cheruem-sensei is going to be really happy about this, once she stops screaming about how Mom is going to kill her for letting me be so reckless. I think she wants to meet you, too. Oh, Mom, you should give him a FuzzBuzz, that way if we get sensei a Spirit Shell she can call him up and they can train together."Eh, not my best dialogue, but Amara's voice is a bit hard to find.
>>5332361Dayum. What an update. Plan: Sensei x sword x Sensei>"Thank you, sensei. Er, I mean, Cheruem-sensei is my sensei, Cheruem-sensei is going to be really happy about this, once she stops screaming about how Mom is going to kill her for letting me be so reckless, but I learned some stuff from this so...">*cue shock expression*>"Oh! right! Cheruem-sensei!">To the Vagrant: "Do you wanna meet Cheruem sensei? I think she wants to meet you, too. Mom can make a spirit shell for dream friends like Cheruem sensei so we can do stuff together like sparring and teaching each other!">"We can even mix things up to make it fun! Like each of us using a different legendary sword and a different sword style in a free-for-all spar! or a 2v1 with me and Cheruem-sensei against you!">regardless of his response to our answer end the discussion with a gift of a battle-scarred one-eyed fuzzbuzz with a small calcite shiv as a makeshift sword with the following:>"I had so much fun. Thank you!">give an expression of pic related. A smile of pure joy.>>5332380Our moms and sensei can't be that mad at us with a smile as pure as pic related.
>>5332361>Ask The Vagrant something about himself before you take the sword, since he seems to be in a good mood (Write-in):>"Did you have fun?"
>>5332401>>5332361Updating my vote: >"Thank you, sensei...(this is to encourage the Vagrant to finally pick a name for himself) >"Er, I mean, Cheruem-sensei is my sensei, Cheruem-sensei is going to be really happy about this, once she stops screaming about how Mom is going to kill her for letting me be so reckless, but I learned some stuff from this so...">*cue shock expression*>"Oh! right! Cheruem-sensei!">To the Vagrant: "Do you wanna meet Cheruem-sensei? I think she wants to meet you, too. Mom can make a spirit shell for dream friends like Cheruem sensei so we can do stuff together like teaching each other as each other's senseis and sparring too!">"We can even mix things up to make it fun! Like each of us using a different legendary sword and a different sword style in a free-for-all spar! Or a 2v1 with me and Cheruem-sensei against you!">If Cheruem sensei protests, respond aloud that Cheruem was definitely interested as quoted: "I’d [...] get Shu to make a Spiritus Shell so I could show [Insert Vagrant's chosen name here if he hasn't] a thing or two about swordsmanship.">regardless of his response to our answer end the discussion with a gift of a battle-scarred one-eyed fuzzbuzz with a small calcite shiv as a makeshift sword with the following:>"I had so much fun. Thank you (insert Vagrant's chosen name)-sensei!">give an expression of pic related. A smile of pure joy.
>>5332361>>5332410Additional addendum to my vote:>Ask The Vagrant something about himself before you take the sword, since he seems to be in a good mood (Write-in):>Can we see your sword collection? Just a peek."Not sure if this question is appropriate for the mood to mix in with my other write-ins.
SIDE STORY: SOCIETAL TRIBULATION, POLITICAL CULTIVATION, A PERSONAL DISCUSSION, AND WUXIA----LAOC----Jeraha sipped on a cup of hot tea and stared at the guest with a steely gaze. "Peng Ching, The Scarlet Sage. Heard about you and your socratic attitude. A Real pain in the ass in my opinion." she began. The deceptively old woman in front of the mayor merely smiled at the bare verbal barb."You've got some nerve coming into town, asking to see me like you're the head bitch running the show. You looking to pick a fight like you did with those pilgrims?""Madam Jeraha. I mean no offense." replied Peng Ching, parrying the accusation aside. "I will be clear with my intentions coming here: I do not wish to seek a fight. Rather, I wish to seek cooperation.""And exactly what are you bringing to the table that'll convince me and the others that you aren't being some conniving bitch?" asked the mayor. "Last I heard, you were nosing in on some of our town hall meetings and raising a ruckus.""I wish to provide council to help this settlement survive. In exchange, you will make arrangements to grant me an audience with the Defiant." answered Peng."Then why go to me instead of seeking out the Defiant yourself?"Peng paused as she considered her next set of words. "There is a saying in pre-crucible China: 人算不如天算. It means-" "Ma'am. I'mma have to stop you here." Jeraha bluntly replied. "I'm sorry but I don't speak 'ching-chong'."There was a noticable ripple among the sage's empathic clothing. The sharpening of the fabric's edges that signaled violence when. Jeraha couldn't help but flinch at her own mistake as an aura of emotional turmoil roiled around the guest before her before dissipating as the Sage gave a small sigh. "Madam Jeraha," said Peng, putting an air of calm to mask the cultural insult. "I was merely making a relevant anecdote in Chinese. Mandarin Chinese. The literal translation of that proverb is 'Man proposes, but heaven disposes'. For a more metaphorical meaning, Heaven's plan supersedes the ambitions of mankind."Jeraha nodded having finally understood the translation. "And how is this relevant?""To understand what I'm getting at, we must first review the status quo of the world." explained Peng Ching "And please do take care to not commit another faus paux on Chinese culture. Sathriel would've taken your head from your body as recompense for the insult if she was here."Jeraha could only sigh in reluctant annoyance. She wished she could simply kick the socratic grandma out of town and be done with it, but she's seen the information on the skinternet of what the Scarlet Sage is capable of. The Sage was a big shot player no doubt. The information itself isn't worrying but the fact that it was posted by the Obsidian Arbiter, a close associate of the Sage of all women... The whole situation reeked of a setup, but with the options on the table the safest choice was to play along with the sage's game.cont.
>>5332423"So. What's the status quo you're talking about, miss Ching?""Call me Peng," corrected the Sage "As for your question, let me ask you this: What is the current condition of the world at large?""Well the Earth got vored whole by the Crucible, and the Crucible's trying to force a planet-wide battle royale to attain an ascendant who can climb to the top and turn into God." answered Jeraha as if it was the most obvious thing in the world."And what is the overall goal of the Defiant?""To stop the Crucible.""And what of humanity in general?""Survive.""And what of you and yours?""Establishing civilization, building out the settlements, doing things like what normal humans do.""And that's exactly the problem.""I don't get it."Peng took in a deep breath and exhaled as she calmly reminded herself of Jeraha's position and relative naivety before explaining her reasoning."To explain how this is relevant to you and yours, we'll have to explore a few concepts in wuxia stories, namely 'cultivation', 'Heavenly Tribulations', and 'doom breaking'.""In stories of Wuxia, the hero is often a practitioner of martial arts whose goal is to attain immortality, godhood, and enlightenment. To achieve such a goal, he or she trains their body and mind to gradually become more powerful through leaps and bounds via fighting or other methods. 'Cultivating power' so to speak. A method not unlike the system imposed by the Crucible. Killing, consuming, growing ever more powerful with each fight...""This of course in wuxia offended the heavens. Mortal men or women attaining immortality, godhood, and/or enlightenment went against the will of what heaven decreed. For their attempt to go against the status quo, the heavens would often bring down tribulations upon the aspiring cultivator.""It is said that heaven seeks to strike down all who oppose its will. These events as of late are a sign of heaven's displeasure. There's another proverb in Chinese that I'll simply say in english: 'biggest tree catches the most wind'. In wuxia, these come in the form of 'heavenly tribulations' that come in waves during critical moments in a cultivator's path to transcendance, tribulations of such power that the cultivator must break through and ascend another rank in power or be killed in the attempt. With each successive tribulation the cultivator would breakthrough the Heavens will send another and escalate, often starting by striking down the most prominent offender.""So you're saying that we daughters are cultivators, and that by pursuing the Cord, we're somehow violating the laws of God?""Quite the opposite." replied Peng to the astonishment of the mayor. "Remember the status quo of the world we talked about earlier? If we were to compare the Crucible to the Heavens, what would be utmost prioritized mandate to obey?""To kill, consume, and climb the cord." answered Jeraha."And what is it you're exactly doing in terms of your current station?"cont.
>>5332428Jeraha crossed her arms as she considered her day to day activities and her ever-present mental laundry list."Well, I'm busy running this town, currently making arrangements with the incoming Disassociated to help expand the place.""And with your current duties, wouldn't you agree that what you are doing is the exact opposite of that the Crucible intends for you to do?" asked Peng.Jeraha could only grimly nod upon the realization of having the Sage connect the dots in comparison."So you're saying the recent assassination attempt was some form of retribution from the great beyond because I refused to follow the Crucible's directions?" asked Jeraha trying to extrapolate and preempt the sage's next line of thought. "Not quite." answered Peng. "No, the assassination attempt was a tribulation for someone else other than you. You were merely collateral.""Then who?" demanded Jeraha. "Why me? Who would they be targeting?""The answer is obvious, mayor." replied the sage. "You and your settlement survived a previous tribulation in the form of a hunger riot no? Then ask yourself this, who was the pivotal person that allowed your settlement to survive such a normally devastating tribulation?"This time Jeraha managed to connect the dots by herself."The Defiant..." she breathed "But why would the whole thing be aimed at the Defiant?""Then let me ask you a question, relating to the recent attempt on your life. What would the assailant and their master stand to gain from your death in order to strike a blow on the Defiant? How do you think the Defiant would react if your head was presented to her on her doorstep as a message?" Jeraha considered the question as the scenario played out in her mind before paling upon reaching the answer. Perspiring beads of water condensed themselves on the mayor's face and body like gooseflesh as cold realization settled in. She had heard news from the local skintalkers about Shu's near mental breakdown. The scene captured and circulating amongst dedicated circles of 'Shu-watchers' and spreading throughout the skinternet like a memetic virus."If I had kicked the bucket...then the Defiant would no doubt panic. She wouldn't be able to climb the Cord with a clear conscience. The Cord would break her for that." concluded the mayor, the terrible revelation clear in her eyes for the Sage to see.cont.
>>5332431"You may not have realized it in spite the Defiant's earnest pleas and may object to this statement, but in practice not only do you all see the Defiant as your paragon, but also the would-be ruler in the world to come should she be successful in her ascension, be it in idolatry, zealotry, or simple admiration as her name and philosophy is spoken fervently and practiced at the forefront of the minds of everyone. Through your connections with others and her deeds spread through word of mouth, through deals made by settlements and merchants in-between, the Defiant has, be it wittingly or unwittingly, forged an empire of interconnected city-states and settlements, and you and the many major leading figures of those places who support her cause are her provincial governors.""And like any civilization, you will also inherit the flaws that come with such an influential empire. There will be those who seek its wealth to siphon off it like parasites, there are those see these places as ticking time bombs ripe for a hunger cascade of cathartic chaos or a banquet of sheep to feast upon with impunity. Then there are those who will worm their way into the upper echelons of the Defiant's empire to corrupt or carve fiefdoms of wealth for themselves. And last of all, those who will declare war and seek to tear it down for what it stands."War. A war between settlements, between factions. The terrible horseman that humanity has fought so hard to suppress. Jeraha couldn't help but extrapolate on the possibilities the sage was implying towards so much so that she nearly missed the next set of words Peng had to say."These next set of tribulations will test the Defiant in ways that I fear will break her before she becomes strong enough to even attempt the climb. Terrorism. Politics. Corruption. Famine. War. If the heavens cannot break the Defiant directly in the body, then they will aim to break her spirit by striking the wellspring of her philosophy, the proof of her righteous deeds. Through others if not the environment. You. Laoc. Arcadia, the places and people the Defiant has fought to protect. That assassination attempt is all but the tip of the iceberg." "And what is it you want me to do? Huh? Abandon my post or fear the wrath of God?" demanded Jeraha, leaning forwards on her desk half-angry half-panicking."Quite the opposite." replied Peng to Jeraha's surprise as the Sage slowly but purposefully infused her words with an emotional current of calm and thoughtfulness. "I am not advocating for your resignation nor threatening your removal. In fact, I am very much in deep admiration for your skills in governorship. Already you have done much to address the problems of the future, and I would like nothing more than for you to keep true to your own purpose and to help. "cont.
>>5332436The smothering blanket of panic slowly but quietly subsided in the silence that followed as Jeraha's heartrate stabilized to a resting state. Peng quietly sipped her tea. "I don't get you." Jeraha stated plainly breaking the silence. "When I first heard of you and what you did with those pilgrims, I thought you were some bitch who's got the idea of being another annoying obstacle, saying 'Shu's not fit to be a leader' and all that. That you're a woman with ambition to become some godempress of the world but with a Chinese flavor. What's with the change of heart and why are you helping? What's in it for you? The opportunity to groom her into the next world leader before taking over yourself?"Peng slowly inhaled, then exhaled, her aged eyes betraying her youthful masque of flesh as her mind turned back the clock for introspection. "It is not the Defiant's ascent into heaven that I strive to prevent despite my comparible strength, Mayor Jeraha." said Peng Ching, suddenly sounding older than how she appeared in the Mayor's eyes. "That ambition I had to climb the tower and enforce my foolish wish has been laid to rest since my battle with Mara." The sage slowly closed her eyes, drinking in the briefest of flashbacks to a battle held in the distant past before opening them. "I fear not the Defiant. What I do fear is the world she wishes to cultivate in the wake of her ascension, and the chaos that will follow from such a sudden change."Jeraha leaned forward yet again in her chair, not out of outburst this time, but out of curiosity. Her mind now paying full attention to what Peng had to say. Jeraha would recall later on that during that time, Peng spoke with the same enrapturing genial tone that her grandmother would have whenever during her talks about the past."Despite the Defiant's rise in power having 'crossed five gates and killed six generals' (note: A Chinese saying for describing a string of crushign victories), she is completely unprepared for what is to come nor of the world that came before the crucible's arrival. Upon her ascension, world will bestow upon her not only the burden of leadership, but that of stewardship and rulership, the latter in which she has just begun to grasp. The people will expect her to rule whether she likes it or not, be it in-name or in-practice." "The world she intends to bring back, of human civilization pre-crucible, and the civilization we live in now post-Crucible, are two completely different worlds where between them there is little commonality. There will be war. There will be chaos. Without the anchor of an insitution armed with policies prepared for such a change, her humble wish will be for naught."With that, Peng Ching got up from her seat. cont.
>>5332437"It is not all doom and gloom. All you need to do is to simply survive what the world brings down upon you in order to breakthrough the tribulations that come your way. The more tribulations you survive, the more likely you will be rewrite the status quo, and thus the will of the heavens. As with the Defiant, so will you.""How do you know all of this?" asked Jeraha. "It's hard to believe what's coming out of your mouth, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.""When you serve society as a civil servant for 4 decades and have read and watched "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", you tend to develop a good grasp of the big picture in where the world will be headed. Demographics, politics both foreign and domestic, economics and security. My home country of China afterall is no stranger to such periods of upheaval.""And while I do still believe that she is unfit to bear the weight of such a burden, I am not above lending council to one who wishes to learn how to shoulder and survive such responsibilities. ""Ms. Peng..." said Jeraha reaching out an open hand that the sage took for a handshake. "Thank you for your time. I'll see what I can do to move you up on the Defiant's appointment list. Got any last minute advice before I see you out?""If you are keen on rebuilding civilization and maintaining the Defiant's empire, then you will need to accept the flaws and fate that come with an Imperial state. Spread my message and gather council, Forge new networks, mobilize a milita if need be. But above all else reinforce the ties that bind civilization together for the coming storm. You are one of the many who guards and takes care of the fires of civilization. One who keeps the hearth warm for the Defiant to rest her weary head, and one who has built a port to shelter many in the storms to come. Guard it well, from threats within and without."Peng Ching stopped just before the door. "Farewell, Governor Jeraha. Until we meet again."As the Sage exited the office, she began singing in a foreign language that's strangely earthbound yet alien. "蜀道之難...難於上青天...[The trail to Shu is hard, steeper than climbing to Heaven]"cont.
>>5332439Jeraha didn't get to hear the rest of it before the door closed. The Mayor of Laoc ran a hand through her hair and sighed, taking what precious time she has to herself quietly sorting out the good and the bad she got from her meeting with the Scarlet Sage. When it was time for her to resume her duties as a mayor, she was greeted with a barrage of news: >BREAKING NEWS: The sky's been split! Streak of radiant light breaking Crucible membrane!>BREAKING: Duel at the Calcite Canyons! Amara, the Slumbering child vs the Wandering Vagrant Amalgam! A Stunning upset! >The Humanism Society has taken over two small villages and has attempted another raid on Grettatown.>Emily Barton's settlement of "New Springfield" is under attack!>Wishbone Village has been attacked, the surviving residents led by Millie and Lisa Loupe are looking to migrate to a new location.>Cradleton has issued a skinternet-wide alert detailing the appearance of a malicious Vitruvian "mythical male" whose MO and agenda is at-best defined as "world domination through serial sexual violence", advising all skintalkers to monitor the wandering threat and warning all travelers to repel, flee, or avoid said Vitruvian should he be spotted.>Luna Bonney has been sighted strangely acting sane and-NOT THE BEEG CARROTS! WAIFU THE ALFALFA!...never mind.>The Marching Vengence has been sighted near the southern borderlands near No-Man's Land.>The Pepperbox Gang have blown up the White House.>Local Flesh Artisan Tina is taken by a Fey mood! She demands that she must have a Fuzzbuzz.>A new wave of Migrants have arrived.Peng's words echoing in Jeraha's mind, the Mayor of Laoc grimly set to work.END.
>>5332443(Looking forward to reading this later, I just wanted to add that in updating the Vein the first thing I was was 'Luna Bonney has been sighted strangely acting sane and-NOT THE BEEG CARROTS! WAIFU THE ALFALFA!...never mind' and immediately cackled, so well played.)
And that's the second interlude story that I wrote in the period between this vein and the previous. It's politics heavy, and it's my sort of take in terms of Peng ching looking at Crucible-era civilization on a geopolitical scale. Some notes: The song that Peng Ching was singing is a poem called "The Difficulty of the Shu Road" by chinese poet Li Bai. https://eastasiastudent.net/china/classical/li-bai-shudao-nan/I chose this because A: it's a pun on how the Sage sees's Shu's journey as some of the lines in the poem could be seen as metaphors.B: I was on a 3 kingdoms binge and saw a total war: three kingdoms trailer featuring Liu Bei. The character portraying Liu bei is very much similar to Shu. And the music is actually a brief musical renedition of the poem. Youtube link to trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UhSsPhIpqMC. This is to give readers some clarity and context as to what Peng's doing and showing subtle characterization development for Peng as a character.
>>5332455I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this and hopefully seeing you catch some of the references to other fan-stories written for the quest.
>>5332361"Thank you, sensei.” You say, giving the Amalgam swordsman a respectful bow, which he then returns with a warm chuckle that only serves to highlight the twinkle in his eyes.“You know what? Call me…Zatoichi.” He intones, testing the syllables on the tip of his tongue. “Or maybe Yojimbo? Ha, I’ll stick to Zato for now, in any case. Who knows? Maybe I’ll start collecting names, too.”“Thank you, Zato-Sensei!” You grin, but your expression falters when you realize you’ve got one too many. "Er, I mean, Cheruem-sensei is my *Sensei-sensei*.”“The first and best, it seems.” He smirks, forcing a little noise of irritation (or is it admiration?) out of your teacher.“Cheruem-sensei is going to be really happy about this, once she stops screaming about how Mom is going to kill her for letting me be so reckless, but I learned some stuff from this so..." Your eyes go wide as you connect the dots. Sensei ‘x’ Sensei! "Oh! right! Do you wanna meet Cheruem-sensei? I think she wants to meet you, too. Mom can make a spirit shell for dream friends like Cheruem sensei so we can do stuff together like teaching each other as each other's sensei’s, and sparring too!"This is absolutely, positively the best idea, even if Cheruem’s trying to stop you very loudly for some reason. "We can even mix things up to make it fun! Like each of us using a different legendary sword and a different sword style in a free-for-all spar! Or a two-vee-one with me and Cheruem-sensei against you!"“Listen here you meddlesome grub, I’ll have you know that I’ve no intention of-!” Cheruem protests, but you give her a gentle reminder of something she said not but a few minutes ago.“But you said that, ahem; ‘I’d get Shu to make a Spiritus Shell so I could show Zato—only he wasn’t Zato then, but he’s Zato now, so it counts— a thing or two about swordsmanship!” You echo, your Sensei’s protests reaching a crescendo of violence you’re doing a very good job of tuning out. “Cheruem said so! Honest!"“Did she, now?” Mom hums, arching an eyebrow down at you.“Uh-huh, I swear it! Cross my heart and…” You trail off, choosing your next words with a bit more care. “…and I hope we can all train together!”…Nailed it!“I’d be honored. And speaking of honor, well…I believe this is yours.” Zatoichi insists, raising the blade up to your waiting hands. His smile is one that makes his black eyes gleam like polished onyx, and when you reach out and curl your fingers around Cheruem’s ancient blade, you can’t help but feel……proud.>>HEXANE RELIC ACQUIRED—CHERUEM’S PRIDE>>AMARA—HUNTER’S HONOR AUGMENT UNLOCKED(Keep Smiling)
>>5332496>>CHERUEM’S PRIDE (Hexane Relic): The blade of a stalwart and devout protector, this Hexane Relic thrums with power in the hands of those it finds worthy. This blade bonds to the user, replacing the normal effects of Hunter’s Honor when wielded by Amara, and is capable of dealing CATATROPHIC SLASHING + PIERCING damage with an innately high CRIT CHANCE + DAMAGE. If Amara would bring a target to 0% HEALTH with her sword, no additional effects may trigger to prevent this swift end. Finally, Cheruem’s Pride may not leave the owner’s possession unless they allow it to change hands.>>HUNTER’S PRIDE (Hunter’s Honor—Unique Augmentation): Damage inflicted by Hunter’s Honor may not be reduced or mitigated in any way, nor may Amara’s critical hit chance be reduced by any effect within the Crucible. Hunter’s Honor capstones (both singular and hybrid) have their capabilities vastly expanded. Finally, Hunter’s Honor now benefits from abilities that buff held Relics. (All stat bonuses granted by Hunter’s Honor are now doubled.)You hold your breath, clasping the weapon with both hands as you unsheathe it, just a hair…catching your own awestruck reflection in the immaculately honed edge.“It suits you.” Cheruem says with a warmth that you’ve never heard her voice take, before…and it’s gone as quickly as it came, swept away by an air of chilly resignation. “You’d better treat her with care when we spar with that Zatoichi fellow.”“Wait, so you’ll-!” You begin, feeling her press an abstract finger to your mental lips.“I will *consider* it, Amara.” She sternly corrects you. “A consideration firmly contingent on you NOT throwing yourself at any more swords. Or weapons. Or anything dangerous. Goodness knows I’ve got to cover my bases, where you’re concerned.”It’s your turn to make the teakettle noise of protest, prompting another laugh from the ex-Vagrant as he rises to his feet.“Ha, I understand you’re excited. I know you’ll treat her well, and use her wisely….and I’m looking forward to seeing just how far you’ll go with the real deal in hand. After all, you lasted three rounds with just a handful of-“He pauses, mulling something over as he stares just over your head.“Three rounds. Hm.” Vagrant muses, hesitating a moment before striding over to his discarded shawl and picking it up before returning to loom over you and your daughter. With a flourish, he drapes the garment in front of you, pausing for dramatic effect before yanking it back to reveal a small pile of assorted Relics where once was polished bone.“Three rounds, three Relics. Sounds fair to me.” He declares, firing two quick winks at you and your Mom, both. “Wouldn’t you agree, Amara?”You nod fervently, eyes locked on the array of intriguing pieces while you Mom meet the Amalgam’s deep set gaze.“Go on…take your pick.”(Continued)
>>5332501PLEASE CHOOSE *THREE* OF THE FOLLOWING RELICS;>>KLAUSER’S CAPE: A rarity of genuine textile in the Crucible, this finely-woven shawl of crimson fiber allows the user and any ally or allied construct in MEDIUM range of them to move before any hostile units at the beginning of their turn. (Torso Slot; HEALTH +1000%. This Relic’s effects now extend to LONG range.)>>STRIFE’S SERUM: This bioorganic auto-injector is filled with a bright teal liquid, and at the start of combat, the user may choose either HEALTH REGEN or BIO REGEN. The stat is reduced to 0% for the remainder of combat, and in return their physical damage proficiencies are increased by +5 Tiers, an effect that can break the natural damage cap. (Free Slot: HEALTH +500%. November benefits from this relic’s enhancement effects without sacrificing any regen.)>>HIGHWIND’S HELM: a sharply draconian helm, whose visor is inset with what a set of lenses crafted from the desiccated and polished corneas of some great wyvern. When equipped, the first melee attack the user makes each turn automatically hits. If it CRITS, the final damage output is doubled in addition to the user’s other critical hit multipliers. (Head Slot: HEALTH +200%. The accuracy bonus of this Relic now applies to the first melee AND ranged attack per turn, allowing for two perfect strikes and melee and range.)>>SCIENTIA’S SPECTACLES: a humble pair of angular glasses, their lenses worn and chipped, though certainly not lacking in sight. The wearer gains the ability to see through any and all forms of camouflage, and no other effect in the Crucible may override this. Additionally, the user may immediately detect Flesh Artisan falsehoods and modifications, as well as distinguish the nature of any construct on sight, should they attempt to play at being a Daughter. (Head Slot: HEALTH +100. Damage you deal to constructs is doubled.)>>LEONHEART’S LEATHERS: this Relic takes the form of a rather simple (if timelessly bitchin’) leather jacket which, when worn, nullifies the first CRITICAL HIT the user would suffer on each player’s turn and makes them completely miss, instead. However, any abilities that trigger off of the wearer sustaining a CRIT will still trigger as though the MISS was a HIT. (Torso Slot: +500% HEALTH. November takes ½ damage from CRITICAL HITS.)>>TRIBAL’S TASSEL: A curious lock of blonde hair, clearly cut from a Fibromancer given its penchant for weaving itself into another Relic to bolster its capabilities. The Relic this is attached to can steal and absorb Generator Elements, Skintalker Words, or any other effect that it comes in contact with, either infusing a weapon’s next strike with the pilfered effect, or, in the case of defensive Relics, granting immunity. This ability may only hold one effect at a time, though the ability may be discarded as a free action on any player’s turn.)YOU ARE IN CONTROL
(After this vote and one last bit with Amara, you’ll be switching back to Shu’s perspective to give Vagrant / Zatoichi a FuzzBuzz and see him on his way, then vote on your next course of action.)(Speaking of which, voting shall remain open for the next twelve hours with posting to resume on Tuesday, July 12th at 10AM, Eastern time. Thank you all for your continued patience, participation, and enthusiasm, and I wish you all a good and restful weekend, one and all.)(And, as always; I welcome any comments, questions, or concerns, so feel free to link them to this post so that I can address them promptly.)
>>5332423>"Ma'am. I'mma have to stop you here." Jeraha bluntly replied. "I'm sorry but I don't speak 'ching-chong'."Jeraha! I know you're annoyed with Peng but there's no call for that.>"If I had kicked the bucket...then the Defiant would no doubt panic. She wouldn't be able to climb the Cord with a clear conscience. The Cord would break her for that." concluded the mayor, the terrible revelation clear in her eyes for the Sage to see....no? Like, I'm sorry, Jeraha, we like you, but probably not. We'd be really annoyed with whoever did that to you, but I think we'd also recognize that whoever it was, we'd likely wind up facing them on our path to the Cord, so keeping on would be the best way to get justice.>>5332437I mean, she's not wrong about that. It's going to be chaos, rebuilding the world, and Shu won't be able to rest just because she's accomplished one major job. But hopefully, she'll have more allies on the next step. Not that she doesn't have plenty now, but she'll need an entire organization to get things done. Oh, god, we're going to have to hire accountants, aren't we?>>5332443Wow, that's a lot of settlements being attacked, in that news feed. I kind of hope that this omake is non-canon, if just for their sake. It's not bad writing, but still...ouch. And poor Carter, getting slandered like that. >Local Flesh Artisan Tina is taken by a Fey mood! She demands that she must have a Fuzzbuzz.Nuh uh. You cut that out right now, Tina. FuzzBuzzes are not crafting ingredients.
>>5332501Dang. That is one very nice sword and Augment. Thanks, Zato-sensei. You're nice.I'm a bit confused on Cheruem's Pride overriding regular Hunter's Honor when wielded, though. What gets lost? >“Go on…take your pick.”Wait, what? Zato-sensei, we've really impressed you, huh? It's Christmas time.>>5332504Okay, some really nice stuff. Let's see.>>KLAUSER’S CAPEThat's a really good mobility boost. And since it affects allied constructs, and Queens count as constructs when it would be beneficial, it could buff the whole party. Nice.>>STRIFE’S SERUM Could be handy for November or Rath, but otherwise I think it's a pass. Regen is important.>>HIGHWIND’S HELMVery potent. Automatic hit and boosts to crits, that would combo quite nicely with Hunter's Honor. Not entirely sure it's Amara's style, aesthetically, but mechanically it's very good.>>SCIENTIA’S SPECTACLESHuh. So Zato could see through invisibility. He was going a bit easy on us, then. Good thing we layered our deceptions. Anyways, it would be useful to Amara, with her scout build.>>LEONHEART’S LEATHERSOoh, that's great for Hunter's Honor tricks. Especially with the "boost the enemy's crit chance" tactic we used this fight.>>TRIBAL’S TASSELI'm tempted just for the sake of doing spellblade tricks, but Amara can already do that pretty well on her own, as this fight showed.Okay, I'm not quite committed to anything, since they're all good, but my tentative vote is>>KLAUSER’S CAPE>>SCIENTIA’S SPECTACLES>>LEONHEART’S LEATHERS
>>5332550>>I'm a bit confused on Cheruem's Pride overriding regular Hunter's Honor when wielded, though. What gets lost?(It's just that the baseline stats of the sword Amara wields is replaced with Cheruem's Pride. It's a straight upgrade.)>>5332550Huh. So Zato could see through invisibility. He was going a bit easy on us, then.(He was, though the sheer audacity of the plan impressed him regardless...and as I'm sure you're well aware, him being able to see what you're doing doesn't negate the fact that Amara was more than capable of putting a heap of hurt on him.)
>>5332668>(It's just that the baseline stats of the sword Amara wields is replaced with Cheruem's Pride. It's a straight upgrade.)Oh, excellent. That's really powerful, then. I remember you once told us that Cheruem tended to end most of her fights with a single strike, and I guess this is a big part of how.>(He was, though the sheer audacity of the plan impressed him regardless...and as I'm sure you're well aware, him being able to see what you're doing doesn't negate the fact that Amara was more than capable of putting a heap of hurt on him.)Yeah. And the point was to get him whether he saw through the invisibility trick or not, so ultimately it didn't matter too much. Still, good job, Zato-sensei. Both in seeing through us, and in being able to humor us and take the premise of the fight seriously. You're kind of a cool dude.
>>5332504done with work; having dinner.can i ask the relic tiers of the wares Zato-sensei is letting us pick from? it’s one thing to see them, it’s another to see them understand their blueprints and replicate them in the forge. the fact we now know of their existence and their properties means forging copies of them will make it easy for us to acquire the relics we don’t choose from Zato-sensei’s loot bag.
>>5332506In terms of breaking down the fight into the rounds, what was the round that left the biggest impression on Zato?>>5332535>Wow, that's a lot of settlements being attacked, in that news feed. I kind of hope that this omake is non-canon, if just for their sake. It's not bad writing, but still...ouch. And poor Carter, getting slandered like that. It can't be sunshine and rainbows all the time in the Crucible. There are good days and there are bad days. As for Carter, the muse has sung a short interlude detailing his reaction to finding out about the slanderous announcement, and what he'll intend to do about it. Expect it to be posted over the weekend if the muse is strong enough. >I mean, she's not wrong about that. It's going to be chaos, rebuilding the world, and Shu won't be able to rest just because she's accomplished one major job. But hopefully, she'll have more allies on the next step. Not that she doesn't have plenty now, but she'll need an entire organization to get things done.And yet again the muse is yelling straight into my ear about an intermission story that depending on bhop, may or may not develop into something that becomes a moderate to major obstacle in the final push, or have its development be rendered non-canon in its entirety given the narrative strength at this stage in the quest. I'm hesitant to push it forward because of how late these characters will be in their introduction. >>5332506>(After this vote and one last bit with Amara, you’ll be switching back to Shu’s perspective to give Vagrant / Zatoichi a FuzzBuzz and see him on his way, then vote on your next course of action.)You say this and yet the perspective between Amara and Shu is getting blurred in this part of the update:>>5332501>“Three rounds. Hm.” Vagrant muses, hesitating a moment before striding over to his discarded shawl and picking it up before returning to loom over you and your daughter. >loom over you and your daughterwhen the update POV is supposed to be in Amara's POV during this update.
>>5332504>All these neat relics, and yet...>No leg-based relics that lets Amara wear shoes.*sigh*, we'll have to do some shoe shopping or crafting some comfy sandals if Amara's the type to not like boots styled leg-wear.
>>5332504>>5332506General Questions on the relics:What tier are they individually? given the description of some of the relics such as (no other effect may override this) or (this effect breaks the natural damage cap), these are either tier 4 or 5 relics as they're a game breaking in certain aspects of the grand game of cosmic battle royale.Question regarding Leonheart's Leathers: is the crit nullification once per round or once per combat like the halos?
>>5332550>Could be handy for November or Rath, but otherwise I think it's a pass. Regen is important.Are you kidding? this is a relic that if equipped on November, lets her break the natural damage cap akin to Yamato's Wave motion gun barrel enhancement with absolutely zero downsides save for a relic module slot. Yamato already demonstrated what a generator class weapon can do with no damage cap. Now imagine November getting a tank/personal equivalent of leviathan's gift. That's what the Auto-injector is.
>>5332821>It can't be sunshine and rainbows all the time in the Crucible. There are good days and there are bad days.True, but so many being attacked so close together seems suspicious. Maybe it's just the increased chaos of the late Crucible, but it feels almost coordinated. I don't like what it portends.>As for Carter, the muse has sung a short interlude detailing his reaction to finding out about the slanderous announcement, and what he'll intend to do about it. Expect it to be posted over the weekend if the muse is strong enough. Oh, neat. I hope Carter is doing well and unmolested. >>5332823We do have a blueprint for some really good Tier 5 shoes. Not sure when we got it, in-character, but it became available after we unlocked Tier 5 crafting.>MH'ITHRHAN GREAVES: a pair of many-angled greaves that forcibly alter the user's legs to resemble those of a canine, these boots bear the name of the Tindalos' legendary hero, whose name and valiant struggle against the forces of chaos has passed from tongue to tongue through the twisted halls of time itself. The user's movement ignores all penalties that would impede or reduce their ability to travel in any way, shape, or form, and this ability to ignore hazardous terrain, traps, Relics, Neuromantic terraforming, and Skintalker alteration supersedes any effects that would counteract it. What's more is that the user's movement in combat now renders them both invisible and intangible during their turn, ensuring that any attempts your foes to counteract the user's actions are as feeble as trying to pin down the wind itself. Finally, the first time the user would fall to 0% HEALTH in combat, they instead find their own personal timeline rewound, reviving where they were three turns ago with their HEALTH, BIO, and any other buffs rewound to that point in the conflict. (Calcite Armorer: 2700%, Vitruvian: 3300%)They're expensive, but we're at the stage where we could afford them without anyone getting crippled if we split it up among multiple party members. And the theme, teleportation, and 1-up effect all combine to fit Amara very well.Also, looking at that Tier 5 document, I kind of want to make this too, for Sir FuzzBuzz.>LU-KTHU'S CHOSEN (Consumable): A pulsing umbilical cord that carries traces of the creator's favored swarm, this Relic allows the user to grant a single Hive Mistress construct of their own a tremendous boon. The Swarmling this Relic is used on will have their HEALTH, BIO, and REGEN permanently become 1/2 of their creator's maximum, and their Mistress's relevant stats now grant a boost to their own. Finally, instead of merely crumbling to inert biomass on death, the construct instead makes death saving throws as a Daughter would, benefiting from any bonuses their mistress has to said throws. (Hive Mistress: 4500%)Got to keep him up for being Amara's bodyguard at these high levels.Hey, come to think of it, what did FuzzBuzz think about the fight? How worried was he?
>>5332829You know, that is a good point, I had not considered it in those terms. I would enjoy November having a Star-Wave Cannon-grade attack.
>>5332830Well there's a problem. We only have one Tier 5 forge core kept within the family. and tier 5 forge cores have a hard limit of forging one tier 5 relic over its lifetime. If we're going to use the forge to create a tier 5 relic, then we will need to be absolutely strategic with using it.We will also have to be strategic without choices in terms of picking our top three from Zato's loot bag if it turns out all of the presented relics are tier 5.>True, but so many being attacked so close together seems suspicious. Maybe it's just the increased chaos of the late Crucible, but it feels almost coordinated. I don't like what it portends.And this is what my muse was screaming about in the other intermission story idea. An interlude/prelude to provide a possible explanation for some of context behind the news feed. >>5332506>Hey, come to think of it, what did FuzzBuzz think about the fight? How worried was he?Passing this question to Bhop. Also, given the discussion in terms of relic choices and how late this discussion might go, is it wrong to ask for a slight extension? Just in case people get too sleepy to get the clarified information to make a sound decision.
>>5332832>>5332830Also, I think we should take the time over this weekend to go over all the relic loot that we've acquired and forged throughout this quest and decide what to use and what to keep, sorting by tier and viability for our family members in deciding their baseline "in any scenario" loadout. Some of the relics we have are starting to gather dust and skin-flakes from dis-use like the Adrenal nails, like goddamn, I think we have a pile of those nails sitting unused at this point.
>>5332835>Well there's a problem. We only have one Tier 5 forge core kept within the family. and tier 5 forge cores have a hard limit of forging one tier 5 relic over its lifetime. If we're going to use the forge to create a tier 5 relic, then we will need to be absolutely strategic with using it.Nah, it's one copy of a given Tier 5 Relic per Core, not one Tier 5 Relic ever. From the same document:>NOTE: Each Tier 5 Relic may only be crafted ONCE using this Core.Each, not any. So Amara would have our only pair of super-boots, but we could still make other Tier 5 items.>And this is what my muse was screaming about in the other intermission story idea. An interlude/prelude to provide a possible explanation for some of context behind the news feed. That could be fun, see what's affecting all these places.
>>5332838Agreed. It's been a long time since we've used the Forge Gauntlets, for instance. Which is an especially bad case because there's a person in those thanks to crafting with a mind-crystal, so we can't just recycle them. Maybe Francine knows how to get them out, though. Honestly, we should check on the crystal-enhanced items' residents anyway, make sure they're not going crazy from isolation or anything. I can't remember if they have dreamscape access.
>>5332839Well this changes the nature of our choice then in this scenario. If the relics that Zato is presenting us are all Tier 5 relics, then the ones we pick from the litter will be relics that we got for free while the rest will be relics that we will have to pay an arm and a leg for in order to forge them or to create replicas of the ones we got for free. So. Which three relics from Zato's grab bag will we obtain as a reward for honoring his request for a sword-bound duel for the low low forge cost of absolutely free while everything else will have a hefty price tag?>>5332668>the entire time Zato was going easy on us. I shudder to imagine the sheer carnage of the Zato going all-out. He would and could easily obliterate us if he used all 15 legendary swords at the same time if we aren't careful.
>>5332850>So. Which three relics from Zato's grab bag will we obtain as a reward for honoring his request for a sword-bound duel for the low low forge cost of absolutely free while everything else will have a hefty price tag?Well, I'm fond of Leonheart's Leathers. It plays well with Hunter's Honor's crit-counter. Amara could do a lot with that. Imagine if she could do the tricks she did against Zato without having to burn 1-ups.Klauser's Cape also has major potential when considering Queens count as constructs whenever it would be to their benefit. And it would just be a big general mobility boost for the swarm and Joyous.Strife's Serum, as you stated, could be really good for November. Giver her guns (or at least, the part of them that is Piercing damage) a boost that can exceed caps.Alternatively, we could take Scientia's Spectacles, get our own penetration of stealth. That could be really important to get before we enter the Cord and it starts messing with heads.Highwind's Helm and Tribal's Tassel are lesser concerns for me. Neat, and they can probably enable some good tricks, but not a must-have.
>>5332850>I shudder to imagine the sheer carnage of the Zato going all-out. He would and could easily obliterate us if he used all 15 legendary swords at the same time if we aren't careful.Oh, yeah. Well, 14 legendary weapons, now. But that's still more than enough. He's got some incredible gear that he can wield all at once. Actually, we should have November take some notes from him, optimize her Relic use.Oh, actually, I just remembered November can make Tier 5 Relics. Only one at a time, but she could make her own copies of any of these Relics if she needed to. So that's something to consider.
>>5332854>Oh, actually, I just remembered November can make Tier 5 Relics. Only one at a time, but she could make her own copies of any of these Relics if she needed to. So that's something to consider.That's with the same Tier 5 forge core that we have. Unless you're talking about Flash-forging during combat, then that's a different story. But now that we know that Strife's serum exists, we can simply flash-forge it during combat. Again, we'll have to be strategic about flash-forging these powerful relics during combat. But that also gives me the idea and the sense that getting November to keep up with the family in terms of power level involves relic hunting. T-5 relic hunting at that. The more relics we analyze and encounter, the more powerful and versatile November's arsenal becomes.
>>5332872>That's with the same Tier 5 forge core that we have. Unless you're talking about Flash-forging during combat, then that's a different story. But now that we know that Strife's serum exists, we can simply flash-forge it during combat. Again, we'll have to be strategic about flash-forging these powerful relics during combat.Yes, that's what I mean. If November wants one of these Relics, she can have a single one as a temporary power-up. Which goes really well with the Serum.>But that also gives me the idea and the sense that getting November to keep up with the family in terms of power level involves relic hunting. T-5 relic hunting at that. The more relics we analyze and encounter, the more powerful and versatile November's arsenal becomes.Sounds good to me. We're likely to find some just encountering strong Daughters, too. Everyone we meet, November can copy their arsenal.
>>5332872>>5332877that does raise a question though in regards to the mechanical functionality/equipment slot for our relics, as well as point out a thing when it comes to November and Flash forging: We'll have to keep on relic slot open in order to make good use of flash-forging on November's person, or else we'd have to put it on the tank if possible. Actually now that I think about it, wouldn't forging a relic that lets something as big as a tank hold relic slots be gamebreaking as all hell?Because think about it. The tank is something that survived the Crucible scrubbing and is very potent as a weapon, it's also powered by forge cores, which means that it's possible to upgrade the tank via the forge. Therefore, like November, it should be possible for us to give the Tank to relics slots as an upgrade and make it so that the tank (and Marco) to use the installed relics in combat independently or on orders from November.>>5332506Bhop. in regards to relics, how many relic slots can the tank hold when November's hooked onto it?
>>5332506Question regarding Highwind's helm and leonheart's leathers, Tribal's tassel, and Klauser's cape, do their effects trigger once per turn or once per combat? It would make sense if they trigger once per turn which would also make their rarity fit into the tier 5 relic range instead of once per combat. if it was once per combat, then their rarity would've been bumped down to as low as tier 2 as their abilities are insane but just shy of game breaking if their abilities fire off only once per combat.
>>5332550>Not entirely sure it's Amara's style, aesthetically, but mechanically it's very good.With a bit of a cosmetic change done at will, Shu could definitely rock the bespectacled MILF/Dorky girl look, make it an even bigger distinguishing detail between her and Sam. There's also the side-benefit of catching Amara doing sneaky stuff and calling her out on sneaky teenage mom bit. We do have to be a responsible mom after all. On the topic of Sam. What sort of powers would she develop if she had chosen to inhabit a spirit shell instead?
>>5332550>HIGHWIND’S HELM:I see it as a potential combo relic that would allow Rath to throw some powerful haymakers/counter punches, while November's guns automatically hit and crit. If you combine highwind's helm with strife's serum on November, that would render the first shot of every attack that she fires with the biggest and slowest gun the most deadly and accurate given that strife's serum removes the damage cap. Imagine a never-miss Autumn Protocol that crits and exceeds normal damage cap, or even via tank gun. suddenly AoE artillery fire becomes a railgun-sniper accurate with the calibur of the biggest guns available.This can also be powerful on Dorian with his lightning strikes and would give him a "dragon knight aesthetic given his chevalier look. Not to mention that if he crits, he can guarantee apply 3 stacks of fear on his enemies, and the critical boost modifier would be terrifying. >Strife's serum:Like I mentioned before with November, lets try not to sleep on this relic. Sure it renders a regen to zero, but we need to keep in mind that this is in exchange for having zero damage cap. Rath and November are the main beneficiaries, but I can see Dorian benefiting from this too, and maybe a few other members of the family.>Klauser's capeFashion, style, genuine textile, this is a must-have for daughters who rely upon a large network of allies or constructs. Any one in our family can benefit, but those who use mass numbers of constructs like Amara or Shu will likely benefit the most. LEONHEART’S LEATHERS:Leonheart's leathers will definitely be a boost to Amara's counter critical hit play, but among our family members, the Leathers only benefit Amara as far as I can tell in the relics' second half of the description on abilities that trigger off of getting hit by critical hits. >TRIBAL’S TASSEL:Sure Amara can do spellblade tricks on her own, but we also need to consider the rest of our family members and how much they benefit from possessing this relic and whether or not we should pick this one. >Spectacles: Pure utility, everyone can rock the glasses look, but the real value lies in the person wearing the glasses. Main beneficiaries will be Shu and/or Amara for the simple fact of sheer reach/mobility, but I could see it being worn by Julia for that cute-nerdy bookish look that lets her deal with flesh-artisan bs on the side with Dorian. Rath would likely be an unexpected beneficiary in this case in the event she goes up against a daughter who relies on clones or flesh-artisan BS, which allows Rath to guide her insane strength to pinpoint accuracy against those archtype daughter fighters..
>>5332815(They're all Tier 5, for one reason or other.)>>5332821>>In terms of breaking down the fight into the rounds, what was the round that left the biggest impression on Zato?(The second round is when he went from 'haha this will be a fun exercise what could possibly go wrong' to 'this child is fucking terrifying'.)>>You say this and yet the perspective between Amara and Shu is getting blurred in this part of the update(My disappointment in myself is immeasurable, and my day is ruined.)>>5332825(The nullification works one per round.)>>5332830>>Hey, come to think of it, what did FuzzBuzz think about the fight? How worried was he?(Less than Shu and the others, purely because he briefly spoke to Zato before the fight began. They had a gentleman's agreement to take it easy on Amara, but Zatoichi didn't quite realize that he'd have to worry about her throwing herself at his sword with near-suicidal vigor.)>>5332835>>Also, given the discussion in terms of relic choices and how late this discussion might go, is it wrong to ask for a slight extension? Just in case people get too sleepy to get the clarified information to make a sound decision.(Of course. I passed out at 9PM last night due to not having much sleep over the past few days myself, so take your time.)>>5332838(Not a bad idea, as I'd love to streamline the Relic sheet as I update everything to a new version.)>>5332841(Separating Dream Daughters from Relics/Cores is trivial now that you've got Francine, her own Dream Daughters, Tinker Tailor, and a Sparagmos Engine.)>>5332887>>Bhop. in regards to relics, how many relic slots can the tank hold when November's hooked onto it?(I'd say, tentatively, that it gains as many slots as November does, effectively doubling her capacity.)>>5332895(Definitely one per turn, hence why they're Tier 5.)>>5332899>>Shu could definitely rock the bespectacled MILF/Dorky girl look(Gina and Rath would love nothing more, I assure you.)>>On the topic of Sam. What sort of powers would she develop if she had chosen to inhabit a spirit shell instead?(She'd have likely gained the Flesh Artisan cloaking power emulated by her current machine body, though I'd have left it up to a vote in that instance between the original power sets that weren't chosen at the start of the quest.)
>>5333038>(Less than Shu and the others, purely because he briefly spoke to Zato before the fight began. They had a gentleman's agreement to take it easy on Amara, but Zatoichi didn't quite realize that he'd have to worry about her throwing herself at his sword with near-suicidal vigor.)Welp. We only have ourselves to blame for designing her kit to be a terrifiying glass-cannon build. Like goddamn. Her offensive abilities are off the charts when you let her get the chance to properly set up Unlimited Blade Works as well as her clone reserve, yet her defensive kit relies upon having a large group of clones that act as a buffer defense while exploiting the fact that she's a cute squishy six-year old with little to zero physical and elemental resistances to bait you into thinking you can simply one-shot the child only to have Amara teleport behind you for a free attack that will likely crit.I think I know what abilities we'll upgrade next when the time comes for the family's next big meal.>(They're all Tier 5, for one reason or other.)>(The nullification works one per round.)I suspected as much. I kinda feel bad for claiming the relics. Zato will be weaker without the three relics that we'll pick, though I hope this means he'll use more of his innate abilities and sharpen his swordsmanship skills in future duels to compensate. Like for Zato, Losing relics would be like loosening his restraints and have him put more effort into future duels, which would mean future fights will be just as thrilling as he slowly transitions into the underdog position.>(I'd say, tentatively, that it gains as many slots as November does, effectively doubling her capacity.)I am become giddy at this prospect. This will give some of our less-used relics a new lease in life and utility.>(Separating Dream Daughters from Relics/Cores is trivial now that you've got Francine, her own Dream Daughters, Tinker Tailor, and a Sparagmos Engine.)This makes me giddy.Oh, we should definitely extract the dream daughters from those relics their soul-gems are integrated into and find them a new lease in life. But that gives me an idea regarding integrated relics...What if we had dream daughters inhabit different modules in the tank? If november's hook onto the tank and the tank gains 5-6 relic slots , we could install dream daughters alongside the relics to allow the tank to potentially self-automate the relics slotted in. turn the tank piloted by a lonely spider named Marco into a Tank piloted by a veritable tank crew consisting of marco and 5-6 dream daughters operating different relic modules while moving and shooting in a single turn. This idea is currently limited by the fact that the tank is housing a tier 3 core, but if we find two tier 1 forge core shards or a single tier 2 core, we could merge them and install a tier 5 core into the tank! Hang on...didn't Snowbird give us two of her four forge cores as part of a non-aggression pact?
>>5333038(Also, I'll be absent from the Vein for a few hours today, but I'll be back in about three and address any follow-up questions at that time.)(Also, I hope that you're having a very pleasant weekend, one and all.)
>>5333164>Hang on...didn't Snowbird give us two of her four forge cores as part of a non-aggression pact?Nevermind. found the answer. Snowbird gave us a twin-linked forge core that we used to research an upgrade for November and the Metal Geschoss. Is that how the flash-forging system works?
>>5333189(It is, yes.)
>>5332899If we could alter the aesthetics of Relics, that would be pretty cool. Coordinate everyone's outfits, make sure all their Relics match.>>5332905>HIGHWIND’S HELM:The Helm only boosts melee attacks, so November's guns wouldn't get any benefit. Likewise, no lightning from Dorian. Though Dorian taking advantage of it to guarantee his critical-based abilities triggering is an appealing idea. That would actually be really strong. Though we should also start leveling Dorian's copy of Verurteilung to raise his innate crit chances.>Strife's serum:Speaking of November's guns not getting benefits, the Serum doesn't boost elemental damage, only physical. So her rifle and railgun will get enhanced, and the grenades and beam gatling will get some boost from their secondary damage being Piercing, but her plasma shotgun and the Autumn Protocol won't be. Still good, but not quite the all-powerful upgrade that might be hoped.>Klauser's capeYeah, no arguments here. I think it's all-around great. >LEONHEART’S LEATHERS:True, it does only really benefit Amara. But she did so good, I kind of want to give her a reward. Then again, she did already get Cheruem's Pride.>TRIBAL’S TASSEL:I suppose I'm also neglecting the defensive aspects, using it on armor to let the user absorb and become immune to a hostile effect. It could be situationally very useful.>Spectacles: Yeah, they've got good utility. They let us lock down a potential threat type from getting too major. Could be really useful in the Cord, too.
>>5333038>(The second round is when he went from 'haha this will be a fun exercise what could possibly go wrong' to 'this child is fucking terrifying'.)And then Amara started geeking out about how cool he is and how it would be fun for him and Cheruem to meet, and now he's not sure what to think about this kid.>(Less than Shu and the others, purely because he briefly spoke to Zato before the fight began. They had a gentleman's agreement to take it easy on Amara, but Zatoichi didn't quite realize that he'd have to worry about her throwing herself at his sword with near-suicidal vigor.)They talked? Oh, neat. Did Sir FuzzBuzz invite Zatoichi to his and Rupert's support group? And yeah, okay, maybe we got a bit overboard on that last round, with the ridiculous determination to win. We're going to have to have a talk with Amara, which will really be a talk with ourselves, but you know what I mean.>(Separating Dream Daughters from Relics/Cores is trivial now that you've got Francine, her own Dream Daughters, Tinker Tailor, and a Sparagmos Engine.)Oh, excellent. We should get that girl (who we haven't interacted with in so long I've forgotten her name) out of the Forge Gauntlets, put her somewhere we'll want to hold onto. Or see if she's changed her mind on wanting isolation and would want to be in a Dreamscape now.>>5333164>Her offensive abilities are off the charts when you let her get the chance to properly set up Unlimited Blade Works as well as her clone reserve, yet her defensive kit relies upon having a large group of clones that act as a buffer defense while exploiting the fact that she's a cute squishy six-year old with little to zero physical and elemental resistances to bait you into thinking you can simply one-shot the child only to have Amara teleport behind you for a free attack that will likely crit.Well, she does normally have Queen Crimson for some defense. Zatoichi just knocked that out early. But yeah, we have been rather negligent in providing Amara with defensive abilities. We should at the least get her some armor, I don't know why we never did. We screwed up, there.>I think I know what abilities we'll upgrade next when the time comes for the family's next big meal.What are you thinking? Amara doesn't have any existing kit that really gives her anything in the way of defense. We could transfer a level of Calcite Halo to her, though, that would be a good start to giving her better defenses.>I suspected as much. I kinda feel bad for claiming the relics. Zato will be weaker without the three relics that we'll pick, though I hope this means he'll use more of his innate abilities and sharpen his swordsmanship skills in future duels to compensate. I think he'll be okay. And I think he must have multiple copies of the Tassel, at least, since he said he could do what it does for all his swords, not just the one.
>>5333234>The Helm only boosts melee attacks, so November's guns wouldn't get any benefit.Read the fine print. look at the headslot description for November. it says the first melee AND RANGED attack PER TURN. Slot that into the tank and we'd have an always accurate first strike on every turn, melee and ranged on november.>>HIGHWIND’S HELM: a sharply draconian helm, whose visor is inset with what a set of lenses crafted from the desiccated and polished corneas of some great wyvern. When equipped, the first melee attack the user makes each turn automatically hits. If it CRITS, the final damage output is doubled in addition to the user’s other critical hit multipliers. (Head Slot: HEALTH +200%. The accuracy bonus of this Relic now applies to the first melee AND ranged attack per turn, allowing for two perfect strikes and melee and range.)>Speaking of November's guns not getting benefits, the Serum doesn't boost elemental damage, only physical. So her rifle and railgun will get enhanced, and the grenades and beam gatling will get some boost from their secondary damage being Piercing, but her plasma shotgun and the Autumn Protocol won't be. Still good, but not quite the all-powerful upgrade that might be hoped.Huh. well shit. it's still a good way to up November's firepower. >True, it does only really benefit Amara. But she did so good, I kind of want to give her a reward. Then again, she did already get Cheruem's Pride.I know it only benefits Amara, but the fact remains that Amara's the most likely target to get assaulted with all manner of attacks that crit given her small stats, so in a sense, the Leonheart jacket would serve as a very effective tool for her in baiting out critical hit attacks and then retaliating with Iaido strikes. Amara's the only beneficiary among the family in taking this relic but this is a relic that will help boost her survivability as well as her offensive build simultaneously. As for Aesthetics-wise, we could tailor the jacket into a longcoat for Amara and dye it blue while Shavlev's shawl can be something of a permanent coat/jacket for Cheruem's Pride as a hidden sword that slowly gathers Iaido while Amara uses Margrave's blade to complete the Devil-may-Cry cosplay...we'll have to forge some good shoes for her. Those "Mhithrhan greaves" will definitely do the trick to complete Amara's scouting ninja-swordswoman build: DMC edition.
>>5333261>And then Amara started geeking out about how cool he is and how it would be fun for him and Cheruem to meet, and now he's not sure what to think about this kid.And then he'll learn that Amara was raised on a media diet of DMC and anime courtesy of her birth mother and that the reason why Amara's like this is because Amara is practically living the dream of living in Anime-land.Shoot. the post-crucible culture shock will be immense for Amara, likely downright terrible. Her childhood will have consisted of living in a pre-crucible dreary life, then a Crucible-era magical adventure fever dream where for about a month or so, she got to literally become an anime swordswoman, and then just as she reaches the height of her dream, the crucible will end and her life of adventure will likely be over.
>>5333261>What are you thinking? Amara doesn't have any existing kit that really gives her anything in the way of defense. We could transfer a level of Calcite Halo to her, though, that would be a good start to giving her better defenses.Joyous Many. Upgrading that would make the Martyr's many buffer more viable to use by cutting down the number of clones sacrificed to trigger the martyr effect. Additionally, we could opt for the relic route and give her the mithrhan greaves so that she only becomes targetable when she's attacking or standing still, which would leave her open to counter attacks, but in that same vein this would encourage opponents to focus attacks with a high crit-chance on Amara, which would work into Amara's favor if we give her Leonheart's leathers. This sort of build will render Amara vulnerable to mass-aoe, phantasmal effects or DoT flesh-artisan abilities that manage to be applied to her.
>>5333294>Read the fine print. look at the headslot description for November. it says the first melee AND RANGED attack PER TURN. Slot that into the tank and we'd have an always accurate first strike on every turn, melee and ranged on november.Oh, I missed that. Okay, that's pretty good for November, then. And with Dorian making good use of it, it could be a strong choice.>I know it only benefits Amara, but the fact remains that Amara's the most likely target to get assaulted with all manner of attacks that crit given her small stats, so in a sense, the Leonheart jacket would serve as a very effective tool for her in baiting out critical hit attacks and then retaliating with Iaido strikes. Amara's the only beneficiary among the family in taking this relic but this is a relic that will help boost her survivability as well as her offensive build simultaneously. Yep. We need to get her better defenses, clearly. Honestly, this fight was a bit of a wakeup call in that regard. >>5333304Shu will have to emphasize how not being on adventures constantly means that Amara gets more time to be with her friends. Swap from the action genre to the slice of life, Amara. Maybe it's not as exciting, but she'll still be in a weird world of aliens and mutants, and get to do plenty of cool stuff with them.>>5333318Yeah, raising Joyous and improving Martyr's Many would be a good option. But I still think a level of Calcite Halo could be worth it. Gives her some good physical resistances across the board, and immunity to a damage type of her choice. That would make Amara far more durable.Though I hadn't considered just how hard it would be to target her if she was constantly flickering out of reality with the Greaves. An Amara that can't be targeted is a pretty safe Amara. So yeah, one more reason to make her the Greaves.
>>5333332Problem is, given our current consensus, that's 4 potential candidates out of 6 that we're gravitating towards and we can only choose 3.Although I would argue that in the case of the Highwind's helm, November will be the bigger beneficiary given that she could flash-forge the thing into the helm-slot and have all her heavy hitting attacks never miss on first strike. For Dorian's case I think he'll benefit from a different type of relic as his build is more in-line with Julia's but as an anti-construct build. He would also likely benefit immensely from wearing the Scientia spectacles and mow down all constructs in a heartbeat. If we do slot in Mithrian greaves for Amara after we've forged it for her, the science spectacles will likely be a necessary if we're gonna keep track of Amara and her invisibility shenanigans as a direct counter during slice-of-life segments. No matter how sneaky our daughter may be, she can't out-wit mom. We'll find her even if we don't have glasses.which leads us back to the point of the relic choices that you voted that are the most-likely relics we'll pick from the litter, and the topic of relic loadouts and our large relic stockpile, now's a good time to sort them so we can accomodate our newly acquired relics into our loadout as well as clean house in deciding which relic we keep for situational sake and which to let go. I know for a fact that we have quite a few tier 5 relics now in our possession.
>>5333347>Although I would argue that in the case of the Highwind's helm, November will be the bigger beneficiary given that she could flash-forge the thing into the helm-slot and have all her heavy hitting attacks never miss on first strike.Sounds solid. So cut the Helm, take the Cape, Spectacles, and Leathers? And maybe forge the Helmet proper later, so that November could use her Tier 5 flash-forge slot for the Serum and get big railgun shots?>For Dorian's case I think he'll benefit from a different type of relic as his build is more in-line with Julia's but as an anti-construct build. He would also likely benefit immensely from wearing the Scientia spectacles and mow down all constructs in a heartbeat. Dorian's also got his critical-triggered Fear effects. He's got some enhancements to his crit rate, but not a ton. We should raise Verurteilung on him, it would give him more critical chance.>which leads us back to the point of the relic choices that you voted that are the most-likely relics we'll pick from the litter, and the topic of relic loadouts and our large relic stockpile, now's a good time to sort them so we can accomodate our newly acquired relics into our loadout as well as clean house in deciding which relic we keep for situational sake and which to let go. I know for a fact that we have quite a few tier 5 relics now in our possession.Yeah, we've got a lot to sort through. Though we also effectively gained like forty new party members with House of Tenno, so we can always pass off what we're not using to the Tenno. None of what we've got is useless, after all.
>>5333371That leaves us with some of the the big ticket tier 5 relics for us to somewhat sort and distribute. I've got work in 30, and won't be back for another 4-5 hours. We'll pick up the discussion later and get down to sorting our relic loadouts starting with the Relics that the family uses the most while I try to dive deep into the muse and pound words out.
I'll toss votes in for the cape and spectacles.
>>5333468(I'll be leaving voting open until tomorrow evening, so no worries. If anyone else would like to contribute like >>5333491 did, please do so! Also, if you have any questions, let me know and I'll be happy to address them.)
>>5333234>>If we could alter the aesthetics of Relics, that would be pretty cool. Coordinate everyone's outfits, make sure all their Relics match.(I'd say you absolutely could. Body Horror Fashion, and all that.)
>>5332504 am >>5333468I’ll put down my vote then given that after thinking over it during work, any further discussion on the relics we’re gonna pick will go full circle, I’ll select the following:>Klauser’s cape>scientia spectacles>Leonheart leathersAesthetic changes will be posted later as I have Ideas to change and rearrange the loadout for some body horror fashion
>>5333810(I appreciate the vote and link to your other trip code, friend.)
>>5333622Request for cosmetic changes on the following relics: >Scientia Spectacles are under-rimmed eyeglasses, to give Shu that dorky look.>Klauser's cape be modified into a long tailed red scarf to complete the Classic Kamen Rider look when Shu's got her Chitinous Stalwart active, When Chitinous Stalwart isn't active? Shus just looks like a dorky ninja bug-girl (Strider Hiryu style).>Leonheart's Leathers get lengthened into a blue-black and Red, long coat with Fuzzbuzz Iconography on the back of the jacket to complete the Devil May Cry cosplay for Amara, where the hood of the coat is Shavlev's shawl. Alternatively Shavlev's shawl remains draped over Cheruem's pride while Amara openly carries a copy of Hunter's Honor.
>>5334223The mental image of dorky nerd Shu being able to Henshin into a full on Kamen Rider alongside her daughter popping a Devil Trigger and one of her girlfriends going Super Saiyan is great. We have truly ascended to new heights of weebdom.
>>5334223Why the sudden desire to make Shu dorky looking? I thought she had a pretty nice chitinous fashionista look going, it feels weird to dork that up. I agree that Shu can totally be a huge dork, but I think a big part of the fun of that is that she looks graceful and stylish. It makes for a neat contrast when the person who seems larger than life and unapproachable is actually down to earth and kind of silly.
>>5334388I don't think the glasses will detract from the graceful and stylish impression. Dorkiness is a matter of behavior patterns, with the right non-verbal body language and posture, Shu can look stylish and graceful with the glasses on in her current outfit. She can remain silent and imposing to the average daughter as she looks at you with a peerless gaze through those glasses as if she's looking through you down to the very core...And then she opens her mouth and talks like a total goofball. All of a sudden that unflappable image changes from a stoic serious matron to a lovable soccer mom with a cosplay hobby.>>5334243>being able to Henshin into a full on Kamen Rider alongside her daughter popping a Devil Trigger and one of her girlfriends going Super Saiyan is great>her daughter popping a Devil TriggerLast I checked, Amara doesn't have an ability in her kit that could accurately reflect the visual change of pulling her devil trigger or a dragon install move. Julia and Dorian? Those two can absolutely pull off something visually reminiscent of a Devil Trigger/Dragon Install.
>>5334388>>5334243Alternatively, Gina and Francine could totally rock the look if she wore the scientia spectacles. Which admittedly brings up a question: If Scientia's spectacles are for sussing out the impostors and the invisible who's going to wear the Inspector's Spectacles which is used for getting an enemy scan and doing hard reads in fighting? Also another question: What tier are Inspector's spectacles, and is it possible to finangle/fuse these two separate relics into a single cohesive relic?
>>5334571>>Also another question: What tier are Inspector's spectacles, and is it possible to finangle/fuse these two separate relics into a single cohesive relic?(I'm not near my notes at the moment, but I would rule that proposal as entirely possible.)
>>5334561>I don't think the glasses will detract from the graceful and stylish impression. Dorkiness is a matter of behavior patterns, with the right non-verbal body language and posture, Shu can look stylish and graceful with the glasses on in her current outfit. She can remain silent and imposing to the average daughter as she looks at you with a peerless gaze through those glasses as if she's looking through you down to the very core...>And then she opens her mouth and talks like a total goofball. All of a sudden that unflappable image changes from a stoic serious matron to a lovable soccer mom with a cosplay hobby.Well, I agree with that. It's just that you were specifying dorky frames, it seemed like you wanted to clash with the rest of her style. But frames that could present multiple images depending on how Shu acts would be good. Maybe give Shu a sort of retro look with them? You know, those oversized circular lenses you got in the late 60s and 70s. Those are good for looking both silly and stylish. (Also, the lenses absolutely should change style depending on who wears them, like Amara getting something more anime while Dorian gets a frame that makes him look all fatherly and mature.)Though that raises the question, as you said >>5334571, if Shu is necessarily the best person to wear the Spectacles. On the one hand, we get Shu's perspective directly, so her wearing them means we could bypass any hidden foes directly. We'd just know someone was there, no need to go through relayed information. That would be better for planning. On the other hand, they might work better for an ally that has enhanced eyesight already, to spot the invisible from further away. Make it part of scouting, with Gina or Amara's enhanced vision.
>>5334689>if Shu is necessarily the best person to wear the Spectacles.I'd also like to bring up the point that given Shu's high profile and role as not only the leader, but also the face of the group, there will be a lot of people watching Shu intently for non-verbal and emotional cues in Shu's words that could tip them off on the fact that Shu is onto any any hidden ruse or secret. If we are going to give Shu the glasses, we're gonna have to become a better actor and be more strategic in when we call out the invisible ruse.If we give the glasses to others, then we'll be able to act more natural and honest with our words and actions when talking to others in exchange for placing trust within our family members to relay to us the critical information.This sort of thinking will be crucial when it comes time to talk with other power players in the Crucible.
>>5334755True. Giving it to Gina and letting her inform us with the Crimson Cord could be a really good option. At least some of the time. We should make some more glasses. Not Relic ones, necessarily (though if we managed to scrape together enough Bio to make another copy of these, that would be great), but just something to throw off people who are trying to figure out how we know what we know. Which pair of glasses is the Relic pair? Who's seeing through the illusion, Shu or Gina or Amara?
>>5334779to quote a copypasta from Hololive:Glasses are really versatile. First, you can have glasses-wearing girls take them off and suddenly become beautiful, or have girls wearing glasses flashing those cute grins, or have girls stealing the protagonist's glasses and putting them on like, "Haha, got your glasses!" That's just way too cute! Also, boys with glasses! I really like when their glasses have that suspicious looking gleam, and it's amazing how it can look really cool or just be a joke. I really like how it can fulfill all those abstract needs. Being able to switch up the styles and colors of glasses based on your mood is a lot of fun too! It's actually so much fun! You have those half rim glasses, or the thick frame glasses, everything! It's like you're enjoying all these kinds of glasses at a buffet.
>>5333038>(Not a bad idea, as I'd love to streamline the Relic sheet as I update everything to a new version.)Do you think it's possible to make another excel sheet on the Character docs that show the relic loadouts for each individual character? I think it's something that'll come in handy as a quick guide on who has what relic while the relic pastebin becomes something of a relic index that we can look up as a dictionary for further details.
>>5334824(An excellent idea, and one I'll work on soon.)
caught up on the quest recently and it’s been a great read.Has anyone pointed out that our crews names spell out the name of an eldritch god yet?
>>5335223(Hello! Glad you caught up and enjoyed it. And yes, the main four of Shu, B'ni, GG, and Rath were found out in one of the single-digit Vein, if memory serves. Honestly, the vast majority of my homages and references get picked up on, which is always fun.)(Do you have any favorite characters or moments thus far?)
>>5335223That was pointed out waaaay in the early veins when the characters whose names that consist of that eldritch god got together for the first time. any highlights that stuck out for you?
>>5335233(I'd also stated that there was a 'u' missing from that particular eldritch god's name, which I'd intended to stand for 'you', the players.)(...and then someone mentioned /u/, as in the Yuri board, and I was furious I hadn't thought of something that funny in the first place.)
>>5335231>>5335233Dorian going full lightning, and the Bni full reveal
>>5335223Hey, nice to have you onboard.>>5335244Oh, yeah, Dorian rules.
>>5332501>>RELICS ACQUIRED—KLAUSER'S CAPE, SCIENTIA'S SPECTACLES, & LEONHEART'S LEATHERSGathering your selected relics in hand, you stare up at the massive amalgam as he reaches out a hand over your head, a offer of a handshake that your Mom obliges.“Amara said you went by the ‘Shu, the Defiant’.” Mister Zato intones, his voice resonating with the depths of respect. “It’s been a true honor to duel your daughter, Shu the Defiant.”“Please, just ‘Shu’ is fine.” You say, and your ears twitch as the tell-tale hum comes from deep within her hive.Ahhh, this is always your favorite part!“I’d like you to have this, to stay in touch.” She explains, and you could almost say what comes next for her, you’ve heard it and its variations so much. Not that you mind, though, not at all! Mom just reminds you of Aunt Julia’s flesh weaving, when she gives out another little guy to someone she’s just met.Knitting the world back together, one fuzzy olive branch at a time.The FuzzBuzz she’s specially-crafted for Zatoichi is far more rugged in appearance than her usual fare; his fur is relegated to little more than a downy collar and a streak of scarlet fur down his carapace, no doubt to emulate the swordsman’s own cape. A small noise of delight escapes you as you realize the little Buzz is clutching a slightly curved nail in the shape of Cheruem’s Pride, and Mister Zato does little to hide his amusement at the gift.“Ha, and does this little one have a name?”“We call his kind FuzzBuzzes, but you’re welcome to name him anything you like.” Mom replies with a smile, one that only deepens when Zatoichi places his diminutive doppelganger on one massive shoulder.“Hm…Zato One, then. I think it suits him.” He declares soberly before cracking a smile. “So, will you and yours be continuing west?”“Possibly…will you?” She counters, hesitating for reasons that you can only guess at. Zatoichi shrugs, casting his gaze westward as the little construct on his shoulder does the same, somewhat curbing the dramatic effect.“In time…I think I’d like to have some time alone, at least for a while. I’ve got quite it a bit more to learn, it seems.” He replies after a moment or two of quiet contemplation, glancing back down at you appraisingly. “It’s painfully apparent to me that I’ve allowed myself to slip by merely honing my skills on those that’ve held back.”“But…but I wasn’t holding back, Mister Zato!” You say, honestly. “I gave that everything I had!”“Oh, I’m well aware, Amara. And that’s just what makes you so worthy a foe.” He smiles, though this time the expression doesn’t quite reach his eyes. They’re somewhere else, carried somewhere by realization and just out of joy’s reach. “The closer to the Cord we march, the more desperate the foes. You’ve opened my eyes, Amara…it was the truest of honors to meet you in battle.”(Keep Smiling)
>>5336326“Me too! We’ll have to train with you, me, and Sensei sometime soon!” You say, managing to get the three relics in one strained arm while you extend the other for a handshake. He takes it with a low, respectful bow, and once you mirror his posture you find the light’s back in his eyes, twinkling and jovial.“I look forward to crossing blades with your teacher…I may have met my match in her, if you’re her student.” He says, and Cheruem makes a weird little noise in your head that you’re gonna have to ask her about, later. Then, to Mom, Gina, and Rath he gives another small bow before adding; “Farewell, and may we meet again soon.”With that, the enigmatic amalgam takes his leave, and no sooner is he ten paces away than Mom kneels down, cupping your face in her hands. She doesn’t even say anything—her multitude of eyes are just roving over your face, shining with a whole mess of emotions…but to your relief and joy, the one that’s most apparent is-—Pride.Your little girl may just be crazier than you by half, but you can’t deny how proud you are of her, at this moment. You’re terrified too, of course, with an added dash of furious and sprinkling of flabbergasted, though all three of these slowly ebb away to the edges of your mind as you will your heart back under a number that’d give Francine a scare. Staring into those two-tone eyes you force a smile, even as your armored fingers graze the regrown ear, the original having been subsumed by the fleshscape a few meters to your left. The dress Julia made for her knitted itself together almost instantly—a testament to the skills of the Artisans that crafted it—with only a few flecks of drying blood to hint at its owner’s near-bifurcation.Your stomach knots at the recollection, but a hard swallow and a resolute smile do what they can to untangle it. No. No, you’re not spoiling this for her. There will be time enough for talks and warnings, well after you’ve had time to digest and plan just how to address your little girl’s reckless violence. After all, you’re at the doorstep of hell.You have the sinking feeling that you’ll need all the violence you can get, if you’re going to make it through.>>Continue west, staying airborne but just above the fleshscape so you don’t miss anything…but stop just short of the edge of No-Man’s Land.>>Forge westward, past the border and into No-Man’s Land. You need to know what’s in store, no matter the dangers.>>You will…but not yet. Reconvene with the rest of the family at the Dragon’s Roost, and form a new team to venture west with.>>Take a moment to check in with Daughters of note (Write-In).>>Write-inYOU ARE IN CONTROL
(Hello, Everyone. I do hope you had a pleasant weekend and a good start to your week.)(Voting shall remain open for the next three hours, with posting to resume in four.)
>>5336326That picture a damn accurate representation of Amara.
>>5336336(I though so, too! I actually ended up on a spree of new pictures that suit Amara perfectly, and this was one of them.)
>>5336331Weekend's somewhat nice. Hard to fight the lethargy urging me into an afternoon nap. the Two side-stories are nearing the barest standards of "completion". So I'll give a small hint in terms of theming for each of the side stories: "Law & Order" and "Total War: Three Kingdoms"Also, Bhop, have you taken the time to read the other side-story that I posted?
>>5336339(I actually had a pretty busy weekend and start of the week, but it's at the top of my list when things settle down a bit on my end!)
>>5336329Plan: Complete the expedition and begin the preparations for the final Crusade while tending to things at home for any new developments.>Continue west, staying airborne but just above the fleshscape so you don’t miss anything…but stop just short of the edge of No-Man’s Land.>Monitor the encroachment rate so you can get a sense of how fast the No Man's land is growing (In-character)>If able, send in a stealthed Scoutling to pierce the "Fog of War" field that the No Man's Land has erected at its borders to get a sense of the chaos and the landscape, don't linger for long once you get a good look or if the scoutling gets attacked, detonate the scoutling to prevent any bit of our own biomass from getting incorporated into the zombie-terrain.>Unless there are any points of interest that catch our attention for hunting, relic gathering, or staking out the competition of other power players, after reaching the edge, return to the roost to reconvene with the rest of the family. We'll need to take stock of what we've acquired, and our chances for a successful push to the Cord...as well as develop our post-Crucible policy further. >Get an update from our friends and family to see how they're doing. >Finally: Make formal contact with the new Dream Daughters that we've acquired from the...well...You hate to say it, but you kinda did kill them in the Canyons. Hope for the best, no hard feelings.
>>5336331https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOGQv0hJNJ8I have found the crystallization of any Gluttonous daughter's dream...until they get sick of eating sweets that is.
>>5336329>Your stomach knots at the recollection, but a hard swallow and a resolute smile do what they can to untangle it. No. No, you’re not spoiling this for her. There will be time enough for talks and warnings, well after you’ve had time to digest and plan just how to address your little girl’s reckless violence. After all, you’re at the doorstep of hell.Yeah, but we've definitely got to address it at some point. Even if it's kind of hypocritical, given that we're the ones who voted for her to act that way.Supporting >>5336403 with the addition of>Look for stable points in the No Man's Land, spots sticking above the encroachment due to being large and durable enough to not have been consumed. We'll need such places to plant Escher's Gear spokes at.There are probably some spots that aren't made of world-cancer on account of being too inedible to absorb. They'll probably be occupied, they'd be the only places to rest in the No Man's Land, but we might be able to stake out some of our own.
>>5336417If that's the case, then we should get our family crowned and prepare Rooks or scoutlings to teleport swap for No-Man's Land exfiltration if we can't secure a foothold into the No-Man's Land. And if we do find a place, we'll have to keep scoutlings posted to make sure we don't get ambushed or challenged by opposing, opportunisitc, or competitive Cord-seekers.
Hang on..>>5336331Bhop. Does the Dragon's Roost still have that Ball pit full of Fuzzbuzzes? And is the range for a teleport swap with any one of our scoutlings as unlimited as our swarmling range? >>5336417We might be able to substitute the Gear-spoke teleportation with Queen Crowning for the scouting party. Of course we're still gonna need to install the Escher's gear spoke to.
>>5336439(The ball pit is a Roost staple, by now. It's not going anywhere.)
>>5336329Hey, I'm finally able to participate again! Would've done so sooner in the quest, but I was too busy with work to properly think about tactics and mechanics, so I decided to leave it to other anons with more experience with the system - who did a great job, I'd say.Loved the duel BHOP! Incredibly tense and well written. Even though I knew that Amara was probably not in any real danger even if she lost, I still felt like my heart was in my throat the entire fight (is that the correct phrase in english?), kinda like Shu must have felt, I imagine. Good job and thanks for writing!As for a vote, I support >>5336403.
>>5336445(Hello, and welcome back! I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and the 'heart-in-throat' feeling is 100% what I was going for. Glad you're able to participate, and I hope your week is going well!)
>>5336403>>5336329Adding to the vote:>If the family is fully willing to scout the No-Man's land, crown everyone prior to passing through the fog of war barrier.>Look for stable points to put an Escher's gear down on for a forward operating base. if you caqnt find any or are approached by combatants, teleport swap with the fuzzbuzzes in the fuzzbuzz ball pit. Everyone should be crowned as a Queen class at that point and can use the rook teleport ability to exfiltrate out of no-man's land.
>>5336434We shouldn't need to teleport-swap out, we could just grab everyone with Hundred-Hands and Gear away, but I suppose the Rook-swap method is a good emergency plan. If we get separated and can't grab everyone in time, it would help a lot.>>5336439>We might be able to substitute the Gear-spoke teleportation with Queen Crowning for the scouting party. Of course we're still gonna need to install the Escher's gear spoke to.Possibly. But that still requires we find a place to stash some swarmlings, so in practice the result is the same. Either way, we need to find a safe perching spot.>>5336445Hi! Welcome back, anon. Happy to have you here. And the duel was indeed pretty cool. These solo fights are stressful, without an entire party worth of tactical options to fall back on, but in exchange we wind up doing a lot more innovative stuff. They push us to the limit.
>>5336457>>5336451Still. I can't wait to cultivate Amara's skill with Cheruem's pride to the point where she can fire out sword beams. If you aren't firing sword beams, then you haven't reached full anime yet.Though...Amara could do a pseudo variation with the current index of lexicon words she has at her current disposal. It just won't be a proper sword beam. that would mean adding a generator ability into the mix....hand on...Amara does have a Generator ability in her kit. Oxygenic artillery. Well then. We'll just need to merge a few ability trees together to complete the effect then. Skintalker Generator Calcite tri-hybrid as a possible route?
>>5336469It's a definite possibility. I want to get Amara's Cores to max, so we'll have to hold out on it for a while, but it does make sense as a hybrid and would cement her position as Most Anime. Could be really strong, too. If she could apply Iaido stacks to ranged attacks she'd be devastating.
(Still writing through a busy work day, so thank you all for bearing with me!)
>>5336509If you're still besieged, take your time.
>>5336329“We’re going to scout No-Man’s Land, but we’re going to be prepared.” You announce, the twinkle in Amara’s widening eyes almost beating Gina to the punch in terms of realization. “Who wants to be crowned as a Queen, first?”As enthuses as Rath is at the prospect, she gallantly concedes the honor to the youngest among you. Reaching out, you feel your hive beat in time with your heart, resonating with the biomass of the young girl before you as something shifts in both of you, then tightens. Your little one’s eyes go as wider than you’ve ever seen them as her dress is swiftly covered by a sleek set of armor, the glossy carapace that armors her arms, legs, and torso shimmering a vibrant blue at one angle, then a stunning earthen tone in the next. Her wings snap into existence wide and shimmering with a dazzling rainbow of colors—four wings, almost fairy-like in appearance, or so you think. It’s when a cat-like tail of chitin whips out behind Amara that you realize she’s adopted a form closer to that of a dragonfly than anything close to your typical swarmling. Your young ward’s too thrilled for words…and so, too, is the brawler you turn your attentions to next.You were expecting a bulkier frame, to be sure, but the powerful blast-plating that’s suddenly layered over Rath’s muscle-bound form reminds you starkly of the Metall Geschoss, at least until your liquid-chitin biomass hardens around her temples into a kabuto-like helm reminiscent of stag beetle samurai. She’s flexing the fingers of all four limbs, testing the limits of the armor when another pair of arms erupt from her back, and no sooner are the appendages of muscle and magma formed than they’re covered by a fresh set of reactive gauntlets, the suit’s swiftness earning an appreciative (and almost villainous) staccato laugh from the redhaired brawler.{Saving the best for last, I see} Gina winks, her private words bringing a smile to your face as you turn your newfound power on her. The skin-tight armor is without a doubt the thinnest of the lot, but its frail appearance belies a peerless defense that’s only augmented by the tightly-knit gossamer cloth that highlights the violet shell. A single pair of dress-like wings unfurl down your girlfriend’s back, a luna-moth’s rare elegance the finishing touch on a breathtaking piece of light armor.“We look like magical girls!” Amara squeals with delight, darting around Rath and Gina to inspect them from every angle.“This feels like some kind of…insect-themed Symphogear shit, right here.” Gina hums, appraisingly, doing a little twirl that you and Rath can’t help but admire. The brawler to your left mutters something under a smiling breath that you could’ve sworn was ‘SymphoGay’, but you shake off the though with a few more pre-flight preparations…not the least of which is ensuring all four Halos present are active and shining.(Continued)
>>5336579Ensuring GG, Rath, and Amara are fully-armored in the best chitinous plating you can summon, you take flight beside them by kicking off from the calcite mesa and surging to the skies. The four of you stay relatively low, scanning the canyons’ winding valleys and darkened trenches for any sign of settlements or life, but the further west you fly, the more apparent it becomes that even the opportunists must’ve kept their actual living quarters far from this blasted wasteland.This would normally be the point in which you’d make small talk, or touch base with your allies to ensure they felt seen, felt like you were taking the time to really look at them before throwing yourself head-first into the unknown. But even without the empathic powers that had been thrust upon you, you can feel the pall of dread that’s slowly crept into everyone’s veins. Gina’s lips are a tight, humorless line, with Rath’s knuckles white-hot and tense against her Knightlings’ carapace. Even Amara’s unusually quiet, her anticipation of flight dulled by the destination that’s rapidly coming into view—a front of large, blackened storm clouds that loom before you, almost blotting out the Cord entirely.It's the smell that hits you, first.Your little one gags, her enhanced senses making her the vanguard to the nauseating stench that you slam into like a brick wall. You’d think it was Neuromantic or maybe even a Phantasmal effect with how violent your reaction is, but your Halo’s thrumming away in time with the three others in close proximity. The acrid smell of disease and decay prickles your nose like poisoned nettles, the bone-deep revulsion only the tip of the iceberg…one that reveals itself when you cross the threshold.The majestic valleys and canyons of jagged calcite suddenly stop, the terrain plummeting into nothingness, the blackened, roiling storm cloud somehow sloping down and stopping just where No-Man’s Land begins……and it’s with a terrible jolt of realization that you conclude that what’s towering above you is not a storm front, at all.The billowing, bulbous things that you took to be a stygian wall of condensation is a solid wall of motile flesh, a cancerous mass of blackened, tumor-ridden bodies with arms grasping, mouths gasping to the dark scarlet skies above. The entire abominable landscape is slowly, ponderously shifting with the glacial movements of the hundreds of thousands-“Millions...” You hear Rath breathe beside you before another choking gag cuts her off.(Continued)
>>5336581She’s right. Millions of dead bodies form the rolling, nigh-endless landscape that’s creeping ever-outward from the base of the world’s noose, a sea of mindless forms frozen mid-scream and shuffled about by the random whims of the corruption that’s subsumed them into its rotting mass. Even if you could place a spoke of Escher’s Gear, it’d be pulled beneath the ponderous tides of decaying biomass that makes up this fetid wasteland.So just how the *hell* did Mara manage it?You’re not sure when you stopped flying, but it’s with a sudden start that you realize all four of you have come to a mid-air halt—with four varying shades of disgust playing on your disparate features. From the countless mouths of the corpse-mountain a rancid mist billows forth, and it’s with a glace to your right that Gina confirms with a quick nod that this is the ‘fog of war’ she’d mentioned earlier.Wordlessly, you send a stealthed Scoutling out to pierce the noxious haze to gather intel at a safe distance, and it’s with a wordless request that Gina directs her horrified gaze below to start estimates on how fast this cancer is spreading.“We…I’m good to go when you are.” Rath says, teeth grinding as she finds her resolve. “I’ll burn the whole goddamn mountain if I gotta, but there’s no reason we should stop he-“You flinch when your scout comes under fire from below, suddenly overcome with barbs that infect its shell with rotting biomass, its own tremendous regeneration turning on itself. It spread swiftly, so swiftly that you almost miss your chance to remote-detonate the swarmling in a hasty act of mercy and prudence, both.“Scout’s down. No idea what did it, but it came from below.” You say, letting out a bitter sigh before turning to Gina, an answer to your unspoken question immediately on her lips.“Planting a spoke from the Gear exactly four hundred yards from the edge should be safe, if we’re planning to come back here with a fresh team in a few hours.” She briskly informs you. “Otherwise, we should probably place one between here and where we came out of the tunnels earlier. I’d say that by even my most conservative of estimates, the rate of decay is…’prodigious’, to borrow from Fran’s vocab.”“Jesus fucking Christ.” Rath mutters, staring down at the roiling fields of rot far below for a long moment before turning to you. “Your call, Shu.”“…We plant a spoke. We regroup. We…come back.” You find yourself saying, unable to tear your eyes away from the mountain range of senseless death until Amara hovers close, hugging your leg in as much a bid to comfort you as it is herself.“C’mon, everyone.” You breathe, trying to clear both nose and lungs of the terrible stench. “Let’s go home.”(Continued)
>>5336582By your best estimates, it’s the seventh inhalation of the steam billowing off your teacup that finally breaks the bulwarks of the cloying, rancid smell. Figuring an eighth and ninth wouldn’t hurt, you find yourself practically huffing Julia’s fragrant brew at the head of your meeting table, the rest of your family seated along its length as Gina finishes giving her report on the fringes of No-Man’s Land. She takes her seat, drawing in a long, luxurious sip of the tea in front of her as Dorian rises from his seat, brow furrowed in concern despite the suit of scarlet armor he hasn’t taken off since he first donned it.“Well, that’s…not an insurmountable obstacle.” He says, forcing a smile before turning to you, all business. “Two quick items of note for whenever you’re ready, Miss Shu.”“Let’s hear them, Mister Dorian.” You reply with a smirk, halfway through your first sip.“There’s no need to panic, but there was an attempt on Mayor Jeraha’s life not but a few hours ago.”The sound you make is by no means an elegant one; a thing that a cross between a splutter and a drowning cough escapes your mouth and nostrils at this oh-so-casually dropped bombshell.“Jeraha is fine, and the assailant was dealt with swiftly by some recent visitors to Laoc.” He informs you, looking only slightly guilty at making you choke on Julia’s tea. “She personally sends her wishes to, and I quote ‘mind your own business, Defiant. I’m fine.’ End quote.”“Please tell me the second ‘item of note’ isn’t another nuke, friend?” You ask, only to cringe when the furrow in Dorian’s handsome brow worries even deeper.“It appears that Paloma’s conspirator made herself known in an attempt to hijack the fortress’ movement protocols.” Dorian continues, waiting until you’ve put your cup firmly back on the table (and well away from your mouth) before doing so. “She had a team, but thanks to Paloma. Em, Magnus, and…Sam, as I’m told…the coup was brought to a swift resolution, with the leader of the attempt firmly on lockdown.”“Who did the deed?” Amara asks, leaning across the table with the swarthy tones of a hardened gumshoe, prompting a smile out of you and Dorian, both.“It was apparently an old associate of Magnus’ who parted ways with him on a sour note. She wanted to use Arcadia to make a move on the Cord, he wanted to keep it a sanctuary. They had words, and she left Arcadia several months ago…and apparently set her eyes on the Ikean Fortress as a substitute siege unit. But here’s where things get interesting…”The young man leans forward, placing his hands flat on the table as he says; “Em’s interrogating her as we speak, but the first thing she spilled was that she’s been getting support from someone who communicates by proxy.”“Let me guess; kids who just woke up?” Gina offers, and the young man down the table nods.(Continued)
>>5336583“The one and the same, though Paloma’s assured me that Em will get more concrete answers out of the saboteur as her interrogation makes progress…and when she does, she’ll pass her findings along to us posthaste. Now, it doesn’t take a leap of conjecture to surmise that the Fortress takeover, the attempt on Jeraha’s life, AND the attempted burglary of the Dragon’s Roost are all connected…but to what end, I couldn’t say.”Francine’s mouth is half-open with something to add before it’s shut by the door to the Dream team’s room nearly flying off its hinges. Johanna emerges from the doorway in a huff, pausing in her frustrations to gently close the door behind her before stomping over to the table. She takes a breath, folds her hands behind her back, and addresses you with a long-suffering sigh before she tells you what this is all about.“We’re…close. To some kind of resolution.” She informs you irritably, though her words mean little to clarify just what the hell’s going on here. Your confusion must be evident even on your recently-changed features, because it’s with a few deliberate intakes of breath that the powerfully-built young woman finally elaborates. “We sensed that you had an influx of Dream Daughters. Holly and Uzu wanted to help. So we’re on hour…ten? Twelve? Twelve, yeah. Dream-hour twelve of parsing through the newcomers. You look great by the way. Love the new look. Very sleek.”“Oh, uh…thank you.” You reply, taking a moment to admire the other woman’s new chitin pauldrons before focusing on the matter at hand. “But I was planning on addressing them all when I had a spare moment.”“…With all due respect? Fifty Dream Daughters take more than a moment to settle in.” Johanna replies. “We’ve been working in shifts, with Holly and I on one side of the conflict with B’ni and Uzu tackling the other.”“Wait, conflict?” You echo, and the taller girl nods firmly.“Turns out there are a couple factions at play, with both fighting over hunting grounds. It’s…been a lot. Not going to lie. But I think we’ve finally got it under control. Oh, and one other thing.” She says, addressing the table at large. “Turns out a few of the head honchos in Shu’s recent additions had been contacted by our mystery-woman. Sounds like they were trying to set up the same deal as the girls that Sam iced. None of them took the bait, though.”Burglary. Assassination. Sabotage. Human trafficking. A litany of crimes against you and yours on the one hand, and the Cord weighing heavy on the other.It’s a hard call, to decide which way the balance shifts.>>You need to focus on the Cord—make a new team, and forge a path westward.>>Go to the Ikean Fortress to help interrogate the saboteur.>>Help out the Dream Team with their herculean task.>>Visit Laoc, and check in on Jeraha.>>Write-inYOU ARE IN CONTROL
(Hello everyone, and thank you for your patience and participation. It’s no secret that today’s been kicking my ass, so I’ll be pausing here for the evening, with voting to remain open for the next twelve hours and posting to resume tomorrow at 12PM, Eastern time. I do hope you’re having a good week, and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, then please feel free to link them to this post and I’ll address them as soon as I can.)(Thank you all for being the best group of players and readers I could imagine, and I hope you have a good rest of your day.)
>>5336588I hoped you enjoyed the side story as you relax for the night, though I hope some side-story is written up to par standard in your eyes. I'm uncertain about my portrayal of Jeraha in certain segments. Hope I did it right. let me know if there are parts of the side story you'd like to deem non-canon. >>5336584>Turns out there are a couple factions at play, with both fighting over hunting groundsYeeowch. The feud between must be that bad if they're still bickering about it while technically dead as dream daughters.
>>5336608>>let me know if there are parts of the side story you'd like to deem non-canon.(I'm really looking forward to it, and I'll type up my thoughts as soon as I'm through. I'll probably sit down with it after dinner, so it won't be more than a few hours from now. I'm also really looking forward to the other stories you've got on the docket!)>>The feud between must be that bad if they're still bickering about it while technically dead as dream daughters.(Indeed, and the whole Dream Team has a newfound respect for the sheer level of bullshit Shu has to deal with, daily.)
>>5336579Oh, I love the Queen forms. They are delightful. I want to give everyone we meet this, now, see all the various designs. Party members first, but even our allies should get some bug armor. What would Orwell turn into, for example? Her body's a construct and her real form is a giant mass of crystals, what's that going to do for her Queen mode?>>5336581Oh. Well, that's a lot of corpses. Millions? God, how many people have tried for the Cord already? It's kind of impressive. And kind of awful, to know they all died and joined the cancer blob.>>5336582...and it has ranged attacks. Of course. We're not flying over it except at high altitudes, then.>>5336583Man, did having Behemoth show up to help move the Fortress not spook this gal off the idea of stealing it? She's got chutzpah, I guess. Or her backer does, at least.>>5336584Oh, thanks Johanna. Glad to have you gals' help sorting the influx of new mindstates. Sorry for dumping it all on you, we expected it to be less of a rush.And of course, the mysterious power player is involved in this, too. Damn, who is this person? Maybe Orwell knows more? How's she doing, anyway? She said she's doing fine, but we haven't talked to her since her proxy body started breaking down.>>5336588Thanks for running, BHOP. Sorry to hear your day's been rough.
>>5336636>>5336614Why is it that I get the mental image of Shu turning her family members into more detailed versions of all the little bug knights from Hollow Knight? whenever she crowns them?
>>5336584>>Write-in>Go around the table and ask everyone which of their Dream Daughters they think would be willing to be embodied to help out in the physical world, now that we've got Tenno slots for all of them. We'll make a sort of general posting in our shared dreamscape, so everyone who wants a Spirit Shell can get a chance to request one, but let's deal with the most-likelies first. Get connected to the dreamscape and talk it out with them all.>Then, start making Spirit Shells with Julia's help. Once everyone's got a body who needs one, start assigning roles. An info gathering team to assist Orwell with any investigations, a trouble-shooter team to assist with problems like at the Fortress, a team to figure out if we can move 'A''s house because the No Man's Land is getting dangerously close to her, and a hunter team to go search less-populated areas for Amalgams so we can get some levels even while we're dealing with this No Man's Land business.>Then, make a team to tackle the No Man's Land and see how we can get across it.I figure specifics can wait until we have our Tenno established and we know who's available. >>5336658Because it's an adorable image.
>>5336658(...probably because that's exactly what I was thinking of when I was typing up every character's queen forms.)(I'm completely serious, by the way.)
>>5336614>(Indeed, and the whole Dream Team has a newfound respect for the sheer level of bullshit Shu has to deal with, daily.)remind me, Spirit Shelled Tenno count as Queen Class swarmlings and as "named" swarmlings right? If so, then that one capstone ability where Shu can revive them at no cost as a free action would be hella cool albeit funny/awkward at the same time. Like I'm imagining Shu would be conducting some business of our choice and then all of a sudden Shu hunches over in sudden convulsions as a SpiritShell version of the Sororitas or even Penny climbs out of Shu's back in a sudden horror show scene before sheepishly apologizing to Shu for the sudden respawn due to something having gone horribly wrong...or simply using Shu as a walking fast-teleport system.>>5336659A thought does occur to me though given the talk about Tenno and warframes...What if we built multiple-copies of the Dream daughter's spirit shells? I'm not sure if it's viable or if it's an ability that can only be unlocked by further upgrading house of Tenno, but if a dream daughter has multiple instances of their physical shell, then they could simply upon death jump to a new shell or a completely different shell al la Warframe as seen in this video:Actually. Now that I think about it, A further augmentation of House of Tenno would be having the Spirit shells be modular in function by being spawned as a blank template, and when a dream daughter inhabits the shell, the shell takes on the characteristics and abilities of the daughter piloting the shell. pic related is related to the image of this post >>5336519
>>5336679Yeah, we've got some potential for weird tricks with reviving Tenno and moving them between Shells. Some of them are redundant with using their Rook-swap abilities to swap places with another member of the swarm, but they're still potentially useful for being unexpected.Modular Shells that we can just download any Tenno into would make a lot of things way more convenient. No need to make tons of bodies for each one that wanted to swap around, we could just make generics. Or, if they were generic and modular, could we load multiple Tenno into one Shell to let them combine powers? That could be cool.Oh, speaking of upgrades for the Tenno, what swarmling specialization did we get from House of Tenno? Anything useful for applying to them, or should we stick with Psy-ling for the bonus defense?
Another thing we should do before we head out: Want to forge those Greaves for Amara? It's 2700% Calcite, 3300% Vitruvian, but with seven people I think we can split that up decently. We've got plenty of Bio of the right types.>Shu: 5330% Bio, Calcite and Vitruvian Augment (I can't remember if those count)>Gina: 5170% Bio, Calcite and Vitruvian>Rath: 2680% Bio, Calcite and Vitruvian>Dorian: 3130%Bio, Calcite Augment>Amara: 2860% Bio, Calcite>Julia: 3870% Bio, Calcite>Francine: 4400% Bio, Calcite and VitrucianSo, say, take 2000% Calcite Bio from Shu, 2000% Vitruvian Bio from Gina, 700% Calcite Bio from Julia, and 1300% Vitruvian Bio from Francine?
>>5336700Don't forget the cost discounts that Rath, Julia, and/or TinkerTailor could apply to the pair of shoes given their forge Mistress professions.>>5336579>“This feels like some kind of…insect-themed Symphogear shit, right here.” Gina hums, appraisingly, doing a little twirl that you and Rath can’t help but admire. The brawler to your left mutters something under a smiling breath that you could’ve sworn was ‘SymphoGay’, but you shake off the though with a few more pre-flight preparations…not the least of which is ensuring all four Halos present are active and shining.>SymphoGayThere is a friend I have who I frequently tell about this quest. He would have a hearty chuckle if he hears of this quote.
>>5336614Here's one of the side-stories that I wrote. I hope it's not intrusive enough to derail your current plan.SIDE STORY - THREE KINGDOMS CRUCIBLE--FORBIDDEN CITY: CHINA--"-And that concludes my report, your highness.""Thank you. You are dismissed. Next.""Empress Shun, I bring news from Xie'He. The Mongol Worm riders have arrived with their latest shipment of relics from the Europeans."A scroll of bamboo and human skin is rolled out for the ruler to see. A pair of young violet eyes narrowed as she read the script written in blood. Neon veins pulsing rhythmically throughout 6 feet of hair in deep thought before the sovereign spoke with the voice of a 12-year old. "...Buy their stock, send the shipments to arm the Bei Army. Pay the traders three Cocoons and twenty sacks of spices as payment. If they refuse, make it work. But pay them no more than four cocoons." The spinster bowed deeply, the back of her neck adorned with a Jade wasp as woman the backed away and another court spinster took her place in line. "Empress Shun. News from the Garrison at Jinan, a demon of the Colossal class has been sighted arising in the Calcite Karsts near the Yellow river." Shun closed her eyes and concentrated. Generator boosted Neuromancy pulsed from the child empress's skull and into the ground, traveling at light-speed to issue orders afar before speaking to the court spinster."I have ordered a group of 12 daughters to hunt it down." Shun replied with a wave of her hand. "You are dismissed. Next.""Your highness, Zhuo's Forces have begun their assault on the Southwestern Garrison in Chongqing near the Yangzhe.""Tell the Garrison to leave a third of their constructs to detonate the Virus bomb and another third to blunt the enemy and buy time. Evacuate everyone else and blow up the bone bridge." The empress gave a tired sigh, as she began nursing a growing headache with one hand. "Is there anything else?"Another court spinster stepped up and bowed deeply. "Your highness, the last of Cao Ci's faction has been defeated.""And the woman herself?""Captured, your highness.""Bring her here."With a clap of the spinster's hands and an order that rang out throughout the hall, a retinue of guards marched in with a woman in tow, stripped bare of clothing and shackled in wrought iron, the restraining relics preventing the prisoner's mutations from fully manifesting. There was a brief moment of silence as Cao Ci was unceremoniously shoved forward to be presented before Empress Shun.cont.
>>5336765"So, we finally meet face to face, little Shun." said Cao Ci with a wry smile. "You're quite smaller than I expected. I wonder what happened to that old hag-"Cao Ci was sent to her knees by the weighted pommel of a Halberd slamming into her stomach courtesy of a avian headed daughter bearing two impressively large feather plumes on her crown. At the same time, a heavy crescent blade came swinging down on Cao Ci's bare neck only to stop short mere milimeters from the skin. The momentum arrested by the herculean strength of an impressively muscular long-haired red-faced woman."KNEEL." commanded the Avian."You will speak when spoken to." admonished the muscular warrior. "Such impiety will not be tolerated-""Elder Sister Lu. Elder Sister Guan. Enough."The Jade wasps adorned on the two warrior's glow briefly enough for them to remove their blades and stand back as Shun peered into Cao Ci's face."I will say this once." intoned Shun. "You have two choices before you, Cao Ci. Either you submit to my dominion, or you perish."There was silence in the hall as the court waited for the prisoner's answer. And then the prisoner began laughing."Death to the Empress!" Cao Ci declared. "May her reign rot in hell, her corpse ravaged by insects, and her soul raped by demons for eternityyyAAAAAAAHHHHHH-"Neuromancy of the Mind-Control path combined with the explosive strength of a Generator's elemental fury forced every millimeter of Cao Ci's nerves alight with energy as Shun exerted her power to Cao Ci's pain threshold, and then past it. Her body unable to contain the influx of energy, Cao Ci's body first imploded, then exploded, leaving behind a soul gem in the shape of a pearl. Cao Ci's explosive death wasn't the only death that occurred in the palace. At the same time, outside the main gate of the palace were the distant sounds of three dozen meaty explosions of what remained of Cao Ci's supporters.Shun quietly willed the palace floor to roll Cao Ci's soul gem into her waiting hands, in which the empress then gazed at the pearl before swallowing it whole.In the wake of Cao Ci's explosive death and consumption by the empress came the growing applause from Shun's court as the spinsters of the court as well as Shun's generals began heaping praise upon the child sovereign."Congradulations your highness, that is one less enemy to deal with.""Your rule is now ever more secure.""Congradulations your highness, May your dynasty last for thousands of-"cont.Author's note: Image has been spoilered just in case.
>>5336579>SymphoGayAh, I see Rath is also familiar with literally everything about Symphogear
>>5336771A wave of neuromantic feedback interrupted the praise, affecting all daughters present as Empress Shun suddenly clutched her head in pain, her mouth bitten shut as she stiffled a head-splitting scream from the backlash as a geyser of blood erupted out of her skull, her body spitting out the aneurysm inducing blood clot. As the Empress of China collapsed on her throne, the orderly atmosphere immediately dissolved into chaos. "Your highness!""Step away from the Empress!""But I have news to give!""As if your tiny province needs attention!""Listen you...""Enough with the financial worries, what we need to focus on is conquering the other kingdoms!""Screw the war, why haven't we marched for the Cord yet!?""Listen here you wombless woman. I don't care about the state of your settlement near that giant river of piss. I've got an army at my doorstep, and-""Bath..."Just as quickly as the chaos arrived, all went silent as Empress Shun regained consciousness, the diminutive 12-year old struggling to pull herself upright."I need...a bath...and some time...alone.""MAIDS! PREPARE A BATH!"And as if the entire event was routine, a dozen daughters dressed as maids calmly walked in to attend to the illness stricken empress while the rest of the court filed their way out. Clothing was taken off, blood was washed and wiped off the throne, a polish calcite bathtub was placed, precious hot water mixed with aromatic bath salts was poured, and a living yellow duck adorned with a Jade parasitoid crown was gently placed into the water before the maids lowered Shun into the bath and began gently washing, scrubbing, and shampooing, her head and body as the light-headed empress slowly recovered from the sudden blood loss. The whole affair was quiet and monotonous, the maids gently yet dispassionately tending to Shun before silently departing once their duties were complete, leaving the ruler of Crucible-era China to soak in the quiet comfort of a warm bath and in the great hall of her palace alone.Minutes pass by as Shun floated in the tub, the the lukewarm temperature of the bathwater doing little to soothe the void that ached in her heart.Ever since that day, things hadn't been going rightly for Shun. Governing her Queendom had long lost its appeal in the year she had declared herself empress and secured her initial borders. There were so many things she had to do and personally take care of even with her country spanning power of Neuromantic Authority just to keep it barely stable. Between the on-going civil war with the other two kingdoms and the court spinsters keep making things hard...It was all just so tiresome...If only..."Peng Ching...Shufen Yi..." Shun called out to no one in particular. "Where did you go...why did you leave me??"cont.
>>5336779"Your highness...I bring good news-"Shun's eyes glowed a dangerous violet, uncaring of the backlash-induced nosebleed that ran down Shun's lip as the empress stood up in the bath tub to level a glare at the currently-writhing-in-pain court spinster who dared to interrupt her edict of privacy."What did I say about interrupting my bath time!?" "Wait...your highness...I b-beg of you..." the spinster pleaded through the pain. "It's...about...them...the missing...two...P-p-peng chi-...peng chi-...Peng...Ching..."At the mention of the word "Peng Ching", the spinster's nerves stopped setting themselves on fire, giving the court noble a reprieve as Shun withdrew her power as a mercy."Speak." commanded the Empress. Meanwhile, a maid entered the scene through the background to hand the empress a Silken hankerchief to address the bloody nose."Yes your highness." replied the Spinster, wasting no time to deliver the content of her message and kept her body kowtowed. "Through the skinternet...I have discovered the whereabouts of Madam Peng and Lady Shufen Yi.""The Sage and the Judge!?" Shun exclaimed in surprise and excitement. "Did you confirm their sightings?""Yes I did, your highness!" replied the spinster."Where are they!? How are they?!""Across the Pacific. On the western continent where the Cord stands."Shun's excitement immediately turned into dread. "Have they entered the No-Man's Land?" she asked, her meek demeanour both fitting and unbefitting of a girl like her."No your Highness."Shun gave a quiet sigh of relief the news before the follow up question came into the forefront of her mind."Then what are they doing over there?""I do not know your highness. But it appears that Madam Peng is seeking an audience in the Defiant's court. The Defiant has yet to answer Madam Peng's offers.""Auntie..." Shun quietly despaired at the news. Had she been cast aside?"And what about Shufen Yi?""Lady Shufen...doesn't go by that name any more." replied the spinster. "She goes by the name of Sathriel now. She currently resides in one of the settlements aligned with the Defiant working as a freelance judge but roams around the Defiant's domain.""No..." Shun gripped the sides of the tub for support as she felt her legs give way to her weight. cont.
>>5336781Wasn't she the successor to Aunt Peng? Wasn't she supposed to be Heaven's chosen? Why would they abandon her? Why did they leave her for someone else? Shun quietly despaired at the possibilities in silence, the spinster's concern placed beneath her notice as Shun resolved to commit to an action she knew would be controversial. There was only one way to answer the questions that burned at the core of her heartache."Head for the west." Shun muttered."Your highness?""We march for the western continent." Shun repeated, her voice growing more resolute. "Send the announcement to all of my generals, they have 24 hours to prepare themselves and their armies. Have the court begin securing a route to the Western Continent. We march for the Cord.""B-but your highness. What about your empire? Your dynasty is yet young!""One year, a thousand years, or one day, it is still a dynasty that can be subjected to the cycle of the heavens. As long as the Cord stands my domain will fall one way or another." replied Shun, the queenly mask fully fixed on her face."Empress Shun, do you surely mean to head directly to the Cord?""No. There are obstacles in my path, namely the Defiant.""First, we shall secure a route to the west. Then we retrieve the Sage and the Arbiter, then deal with the Defiant. And finally after the Defiant is dealt with, we head for the Cord."Shun paused as she took note of her personal appearance before she added one addendum to her order: "AND GET ME SOME CLOTHES!"...............Half-way across the world, a woman dressed in black stood still she stared at a set of glowing runes etched on her sleeve. -END-
>>5336765(Excellent, I can't wait to get to this once I'm through with the second story! I'm reading through it now, in fact.)>>5336772(It's one of the anime that her Aunt Heather had been able to sneak episodes of for them to watch together.)
>>5332423(You absolutely nailed Jeraha's 'take no shit' attitude, especially as of late, so well done there. The only thing I'd say would be out of character would be her interruption of Peng's use of Chinese given Jeraha's own issues, but that's not something that anyone but myself would know, so its completely understandable.)>>Terrorism. Politics. Corruption. Famine. War.(Heh, oh, this is good. This is real good.)>>5332436>>5332437(I *love* this entire exchange. Extremely well done, and very in-character for Jeraha. I'm also really appreciating the Wuxia theming and proverbs you've sprinkled in here—very solid.)>>"蜀道之難...難於上青天...[The trail to Shu is hard, steeper than climbing to Heaven]"(Absolute chef's kiss for this turn of phrase, and the explanation that followed a bit later.)>>5332443(Also, a marvelous bit of foreshadowing, with plenty of threads to tug on later.)(All in all, an excellent omake, and extremely well-written, at that. I'm about to move on to your most recent story, and I'll be posting shortly in response to that.)
>>5336765>>"Empress Shun, I bring news from Xie'He. The Mongol Worm riders have arrived with their latest shipment of relics from the Europeans.">>Mongol Worm riders(Simply marvelous.)>>5336771(*Loving* the text you added to the picture, by the way.)>>even with her country spanning power of Neuromantic Authority just to keep it barely stable.(Excellent. I'dbeen looking forward to when someone wrote about terrifyingly powerful Neuromancers, and she's perfect.)>>5336784(I am deeply intrigued by the personal drama at play, here. Was this inspired the the Romance of the Three Kingdoms? I must confess only the most fleeting of knowledge about that epic tale.)(Very solid overall, and I can't tell you how pleased I am to see your showcase of other parts of the Crucible. It's an absolute treat, and I really enjoy you sharing these stories.)
>>5336869>I am deeply intrigued by the personal drama at play, here. Was this inspired by the Romance of the Three Kingdoms? I must confess only the most fleeting of knowledge about that epic tale.Very much so. It's also to highlight who Shun is as a character when she isn't wearing the queenly mask. She's meant to be something of a foil and a sneak peek of a possible distorted possibility of what's in store for Shu's future. And at the time of writing "Three Kingdom's Crucible, I wanted to establish something that would give Peng Ching's foreshadowing some more credibility without having to play footsies with you in terms of the quest's current subplot manipulations you've already established.As for the setting of Crucible-era China...In my view, Crucible-era China would be just one giant Charnel house almost comparable to the No-Man's land.Consider that geographically, China is on the complete opposite side of the United States where the Crucible's encroachment would likely be the thinnest and least controlled, and the natural barriers that make China what it is in the pre-crucible era has turned that very same place into an isolated arena that makes journeying to the Cord nearly impossible. In addition, given it's location, I would like to imagine that to make things fair for the daughters that spawned on the literal opposite side of the world, they would be the very first ones to awaken early on in the Crucible like; Day One early. Add in the fact that the Crucible strain has started to glitch out in places and renders some locations with very odd quirks. For China's odd glitchy quirk, they would have a higher than average spawning rate for daughters. Now add in China's cultural history and that of it's civilization which would turn the place into something akin to the chaos of the Three Kingdoms period and compress all of that drama and carnage of that 80-year period into only 2-years period. As a result very few daughters ever make it out of the country alive and and even fewer are strong enough to successfully make the journey to the North American Continent.Any other questions before I try and work on the other side-story?
>>5336999>>She's meant to be something of a foil and a sneak peek of a possible distorted possibility of what's in store for Shu's future.(Ah, I thought she might. Her styling and just the overall 'feel' of her character really reminded me of some of my initial drafts for Shu and the main cast, so this is eerily close to one of the original possible paths, back when the quest veered closer to Shin Megami Tensei than it does now.)(Also, your entire explanation for China's current state is just absolutely fantastic. It's just so utterly rife for great storytelling.)>>Any other questions before I try and work on the other side-story?(Hm, nothing springs to mind at the moment, but I'm three glasses of scotch in to a very tiresome workday, so don't stop writing on my account. If anything comes to mind, I'll be sure to ask, though!)
>>5336788>(It's one of the anime that her Aunt Heather had been able to sneak episodes of for them to watch together.)>Rath muttering 'Sympho'Gay'Rath, you do realize that you're Gay for both Shu and Gina, not to mention the setting you currently live in. Glass houses Rath.
>>5336765Well, someone's been successful. I always like the idea of people carving out actual civilizations instead of the loose alliance of settlements we get within the play space. It's a neat idea, seeing an actual society instead of this weird anarchic world Shu lives within. It works to reinforce the idea that most of the people in the Crucible are just trying to live their lives, instead of being wandering adventurers like us. Even if "living their lives" involves a return to the Three Kingdoms era of warfare. A Neuromancer god-queen is certainly a fun thing to have, too. I think we're a bit jaded to Neuromancy, we've got some pretty strong protections against it so we don't really see how terrifying it can be to people who lack those protections. Shun is a really scary concept, and while she appears to be mostly a good person who's in over her head and feeling like she has to do harsh things in the name of stability, it must be awful to be an obstacle in her path. >>5336999Neat idea. I wonder what the rest of Asia is like, though. You mentioned "Monghol worm riders", that suggests that in addition to the Mongolian Death Worm becoming real, there's something equivalent to the Great Steppe having formed in the fleshscape's ecosystem. Maybe there's even something like the Amalgam reproduction we saw from the Pyre Ants. Mongolians aren't particularly scary if they don't have herds to live off of, so maybe they've got some regenerating source of biomass they can eat. Should have headed to Mongolia, Mara.>>5337106I think that's why she's chuckling at it. Her life has turned into the weirdest yuri anime. She never expected Symphogear to be so applicable to her daily life.
>>5337117>>5337106(Rath "Everything I Learned About Relationships I Learned from Watching Symphogear" Neeson.)
>>5337117>>5336869ironically, I never even heard of the Mongolian Death Worm. All I wanted was to establish the Crucible equivalent of the Silk Road, but couldn't place a name and a system to justify it's existence. So I instead tapped into "Dune" with the Arakis worms and merged it with the people faction related to China which would be the Mongolians and had them ride Worms instead of Horses.
>>5337152Well, that's a funny coincidence. Though now that I know your inspiration, that sounds terrifying. Crossing the Fremen and the Mongolians is a recipe for a lot of civilizations destroyed. Let's just be glad that these are modern Mongolians, who have never had the opportunity to learn the kiting tactics that made the Khaganate so effective.
>>5337117>Shun is a really scary concept, and while she appears to be mostly a good person who's in over her head and feeling like she has to do harsh things in the name of stability, it must be awful to be an obstacle in her path.She generally is a young girl who's trying her best, who misses Aunt Peng and Miss Sathriel dearly and doesn't know why they left. The crushing weight of the crown is equally matched by the absence of the two people she misses dearly, and without the guidance of Aunt Peng and Sathriel, she's left relatively rudderless and at a loss of what to do except double down, maintain the queenly mask, and keep the kingdom intact.>>5337158It also helps that the Worm to Mongolian Daughter ratio is at a 100:1. The lack of men contributes greatly to the peaceful setting in addition to the Traders, so the Mongols are more content to herd/raise the worms and trade biomass rather than go to war. The world is harsh enough as is. Flesh Artisan daughters who are transmen would quite the rare commodity, the dowries for marriage would be hideously expensive.
>>5337117>it must be awful to be an obstacle in her path.She's immensely jealous of Shu for many, many, reasons. She's yet to find out that Shu isn't all that different from her, given the fact that Shu's got a weight of responsibility that's bigger than simply "managing a kingdom"
>>5336584Reaching up to rub the bridge of your nose with both thumb and forefinger, you find that none of those three things are as you once knew them; your fingers clank against a ridge of armored chitin, a soft plastic sound of shell-on-shell clattering through the dead silence of a room waiting with bated breath.“We need warm bodies to deal with what we’re looking at.” You say aloud, more to yourself than anyone present until you sweep your gaze across the table. “I need to know which of your Dream Daughters you think would be willing to help out in the real. With the way my powers have evolved, I think I can make enough Spiritus Shells for them to help us deal with these issues en masse.”“It might be a little strange to go to them one by one, Darling.” Francine chimes in, leaning back in her chair as you watch the numbers crunch behind her sharpened eyes. “Perhaps a communal offer would be more efficient. Something like a-”“Message board! We could make a post!” Amara says, suddenly. “A Dreamscape post for everybody, all at once!”“GG, you think you could hook us all together and slap together a Scandinavian Icefucking forum post to get everybody on board?” Rath asks, feet on the table as she swivels on her bony rear to fix your girlfriend with an arched eyebrow, to which she replies with a mirrored expression and a quirked smile.“Oh, I’ve cut my teeth on many a Peruvian Seal-clubbing board, in my time.” Gina replies, which prompts a laugh from both Neesons and a thoroughly bewildered back-and-forth glance from your resident physician. Ignoring…whatever it is that they’re referencing, you fix your eyes solidly on the kind-hearted artisan down the table from you.“Julia, when I have a better idea of who’s willing and able to help us out, could you-?”“I’d b-be happy to help m-make them feel at home.” She replies with as warm a smile as you’ve come to expect, but it’s one that could never get old—a sentiment Dorian seems to share, his own warm smile fixed on his fellow Artisan’s cheek from the seat adjacent.Response to your…forum post, you guess?...is swift enough that you and Julia find yourselves at one end of the massive living room in short order, hunched over a freshly-spawned table that’s littered with enough raw chitin to outfit a small army.Which, it turns out, is precisely what you’re doing.“Okay, so just making sure I made enough, lemme take it from the top.” You sigh, eyes wandering to the ceiling as you count down on your fingers. “Carmen, Zuè, Sval, Zahira, Madame Yurei, Penny, Hera, the six Sororitas kids, Cheruem, and…shit, who am I forgetting? I’m missing at least one, aren’t I?”“SIlvis.” Julia patiently reminds you, the steel-hard chitin going soft and pliable under the sculptress’s skin-bare fingertips. “And I th-think this should be plenty.”(Continued)
>>5337723The two of you set to your pleasant work, though the load is larger than when you and she first crafted shells. It’s not a typical thing to have your Dream Daughters increase by a factor of ten overnight (Over-day? What time is it, even?) but at least you’re working together.“I d-don’t know if I’ve said anything yet, b-but you look amazing.” Julia says, breaking the silence by looking up from the biomass she’s wrist-deep in, the vague outline of a child-sized figure being slowly teased into existence. “You look like you feel d-different, too.”“Yeah. Yeah, I feel…more like myself, if that makes sense?” You begin, chuckling to yourself when Julia glances Dorian’s way with a soft smile. “Ha, yeah. Of course it does. But there’s also…”“Yes?” The girl across from you gently prompts when you trail off, eyes locked on you while her hands finish articulating the shell’s fingers and wrists.“It’s a weird juxtaposition. This power, this feeling of everything coming together on the one hand, and on the other, it’s…death. I was literally just on Sam’s ass about a body count that’s, what? Less than a quarter of what I just did?”Julia stares thoughtfully at her work as she moves to the shell’s feet, a few quick pokes and prods forming two fully-fledged sets of toes, almost as an afterthought when she speaks again.“You g-gave them a choice, Shu. We saw a l-lot of them flee, b-but as for the ones that stayed? They were hurting p-people, and they’d have continued if we hadn’t d-done something…” She pauses, looking up to study your face before continuing. “…or is it that you d-don’t feel as bad as you th-think you should?”“Perceptive as always.” You reply with a dark chuckle, staring down at the inert body lying before you. “It’s just…I don’t want to get used to this. I don’t ever want calls like that to come easy.”“I don’t think Gina or R-Rath would let you.” Jules winks back, smiling up at you from across the table. “None of us would. S-so if you’re worried about becoming someone you d-don’t want to be, th-then you can rest easy—that’s not something we’d let happen without a f-fight.”“…Thank you, Julia.”“Besides, it’s not like you’ll have to d-deal with all this for much longer.”You glance up. “How’s that?”“The Crucible…” She replies, slowly. “…it’s almost o-over, isn’t it?”You can’t miss the undercurrent of hope that tinges her question.>>”…I hope so, Julia.”>>”Not by a long shot, but we’re getting there.”>>”The Crucible’s just the beginning…I intend to see this through to the end, and everything that comes after.”AND>>Ask Julia something else while it's just the two of you (Write-In).>>Wrap up here, then establish marching orders for the newly-corporeal Dream Daughters and the rest of your family.>>Write-InYOU ARE IN CONTROL
(Voting shall remain open for the next three hours, with posting to resume in four.)
>>5337723>“Okay, so just making sure I made enough, lemme take it from the top.” You sigh, eyes wandering to the ceiling as you count down on your fingers. “Carmen, Zuè, Sval, Zahira, Madame Yurei, Penny, Hera, the six Sororitas kids, Cheruem, and…shit, who am I forgetting? I’m missing at least one, aren’t I?”>“SIlvis.” Julia patiently reminds you, the steel-hard chitin going soft and pliable under the sculptress’s skin-bare fingertips. “And I th-think this should be plenty.”Thank goodness Shu's got enough hands to have the fingers necessary to count fingers off with.
>>5337732(Subtle nod to the more mundane utility of Hundred Handed.)
>>5337739(Also, Shu has nigh-total mastery over her physical form, so extra fingers and whatnot are no problem.)(Gina's thrilled, of course.)
>>5337729Oof. A question that dictates the tonal nature of Shu's character from this point on wards.Even I'm on the fence about this. Let me go and try to channel my inner Shu and write out my response thoughtfully.
>>5337729Right, I remember most of these people. Who were Zue and Sval, though? Were those the girls in Carmen's team?Also, is Meg not coming? I remember in Rath's interlude way back when, she expressed frustration at being unable to help in the physical world. I would have expected her to jump at this.>>”…I hope so, Julia.”>>Ask Julia something else while it's just the two of you (Write-In).>Ask her what she wants to do, once we fix things. There must be things she misses from the old world or plans she has for the new one. Not entirely happy with that write-in. I just thought it's the sort of thing we should start asking our party. What is it about the world that they want brought back? I think it's a good lead-in to the "what should we do with the world" question. It can probably be phrased better, though.
>>5337772(Meg really does, but now that everyone's back in one place she's using the communal dreamscape to help relieve B'ni, Uzu, Holly, and Johanna, alongside some of the other Dream Daughters that aren't joining you in the real.)
>>5337772(Yes, they were part of Carmen's family.)
>>5337784Ah. Well thanks then, Meg. We'll have to get you a Shell later.
>>5337729>*sigh*>”...I hope so, Julia. My gut tells me it's not over by a long shot, but we’re getting there. Just one step at a time.">"I'm kinda of nervous actually when I think about it. Scared even, when the Crucible ends. Of what comes after.">"What's it like when you're creating an art piece? Is the work done all at once or do you work on things one step at a time?">Ask Julia something else while it's just the two of you (Write-In):>"Have any plans for the future when this is over? Like getting married? Settling down and having kids? Any profession you want to take up?">"Me? I uh...I dunno. I'm certainly not Sam, so I don't share her interests. What sort of person/job do you think best fits me?">*if Julia recommends being a mayor or a president, adopt a somewhat begrudging tone* "Well...can't say I don't like it. The whole leadership thing came to me quite naturally. Much of the decision making kinda boiled down to me making the shots in the end..." >"Hey Julia. Is there anything about the Crucible world as is you'd wanna keep intact when it's over? What about the world back before the Crucible?" >"Was there anything about the world back then you liked?" >"I can't help but start to wonder about how I'm supposed to go about saving the world, now that Vector point it out. There's bound to be a lot of devils in the details.>"I never actually lived that era myself aside from having bits of Sam's memories...or rather what little of her good memories about the world back then. And this era of the Crucible is all I've personally known and experienced. That's why I'm asking. So everyone can start figuring out how to make things work before finally ending the Crucible. Hopefully...there will be a place for me to spend time with those I love.">"Hey, do you think we should make a Spirit Shell for Sam? Just in-case her cyborg frame got wrecked from getting into a scrap of sorts. Can't help but feel worried for my...Mom? Sister? Twin? Yeah, lets go with 'twin sister'. She may be something of a twin sister to me who's a bit a jerk and rough around the edges but she's got her good side. Like being honest in calling people out on their bullshit."
>>5337793I think asking her about her getting married is a bit premature. She and Dorian aren't that far along. I'd keep the questioning to her professional life and what she plans to do with her art. But other than that, looks good.
>>5337799fair enough. The marriage part was something to tease Julia given how they already act like a married couple at time. >>5337729Amending my vote >>5337793 with the following edit:Removing this line: Like getting married? Settling down and having kids?Or at least editing the tone to make it clear Shu's just teasing Julia.
>>5336869CRUCIBLE SIDE STORY: LAW AND ORDER - CASE FILE NO. 68 - SEX, SLANDER, AND A CERTAIN RED LIGHT DISTRICT.PART 1>In the Crucible Justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: The Claws who investigate and persecute the offenders, and the Arbiter who hands down the verdict. These are their stories.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP3MuUTmXNk"And here we are." explained Carter as he walked out of the Obsidian hallway to his latest traveling companion. "Closest way station to Laoc. We should be there soon over this hill. It's a quaint town, with a robust market and run by a really good mayor. It's even got a..."Carter's voice trailed off as he, his spider companions, and Liz stared at the drastic change in Laoc's urban landscape."You sure know how to pick a place Carter." said Liz, moving to hook a hand around Carter's arm, the unexpected intimate contact making the male hot under the collar. "Know any good spots?""I...uh...""Try the tavern, Try the tavern!" said Majima in a stage whisper, a new addition to Carter's retinue of Mindful sentient Jumping Spiders."Sierra's Oasis is a good one. Though, with all of this urban development, I'm not sure if we'll be able to find it."Carter turned towards his troupe of arachnid companions. "Would you mind mind helping us out?" His mind was immediately assaulted by a chorus of excitement."Oh boy! Exploration!""Adventure!""Tally ho!""Mission: start.""Bet you can't find the Oasis first!""You're on!"It wasn't long before Carter, Liz, and Carter's friends located Sierra's tavern. The place had been renovated and expanded in floorspace to accomodate for the increased patron traffic, and after a little finangling with Liz's Bone-plated meat-bicycle and parking, the pair and Carter's associated friends/pets entered Sierra's Oasis."Damn." muttered Carter, observing the scene before him. "This is nearly a full house. Kinda liked it better back when there were less daughters around. Hey Sierra?"Upon hearing her name called, the Amorphous one eyed Bartender looked up. "Oh, Carter! Nearly missed you! What's going on, and who's the calcite cutie?""Oh, her? She's just someone I met." said Carter, deflecting the probing question with a question of his own. "You got any empty seats? or a table for two in a corner somewhere?"Sierra shook her head. "Sorry. Most of the 2-seaters have been taken. We've got a couple of 4-seater tables. Are you two willing to share a table?""As long as the company aren't the type to be get rowdy at my appearance." grumbled Carter.To Carter's small fortune, the bartender nodded in sympathy. "I get ya, given that you're a trans. And a dashing one to boot, though a bit more on the cute side than the handsome.""Just point me to a table please, Sierra.""Right.""Hey Solomon! Yan! Do you mind sharing a table?"cont.
>>5337827"Hey, if they don't mind, then we're the same!" replied a deep yet smooth male voice to Carter's genuine surprise, His eyes turned to examine the being owning the voice, half expecting to see a more-masculine-than-usual woman, only to see two well dressed men about 5-years his senior giving him a friendly wave............."Well well, it's not every day you see a cute straight couple out here in the Crucible." joked Yan."Well we're not exactly together..." Carter clarified. "You sure? She seems to have a pretty good impression of you." replied Solomon with a wry smile."We've only just met a couple hours ago though." said Carter, waving off the compliment."But you're cute." Liz admitted, the shy confession making Carter's heart skip a beat."Names?""Carter.""Liz.""Solomon.""Yan.""Are you Cord seekers?""Nope." replied Liz."Hell no." said Carter, his response coming out more harshly than he'd have liked. Fortunately for him Solomon and Yan made no comment."Figured as much." said Yan. "With the way things are going in the Crucible rat race, there's a lot of strong contenders for the throne popping up left and right, so much so that many of the ordinary daughters are starting to opt out.""You travel much?" asked Solomon."I do." admitted Liz "It's why I built and modified that meat-bicycle out front. Though..." The Calcite rider gave Carter a glance. "I'm not as well traveled as Carter. He's got a relic that lets him travel to all the waystations in the world.""A Man of the world I see." Yan gave a whistle of appreciation. "Any places you've been to recently?""Golgotha stadium's one of them, then I went to explore a Hexane ruin for a while. After that fiasco at Cradleton, I was planning on heading to Wishbone village before I got ambushed and met Liz-""Wait, you've been to Cradleton?""Uhh...yes?"Solomon and Yan stared at Carter slackjawed. (cont.)
>>5337829"You lucky son-of-a-bitch." breathed Yan."Did you get laid?" asked Solomon. "What's it like? How many girls did you sleep with? Were there any cute girls there?""Woah woah woah! what's with the sudden interrogation?" asked Carter, caught completely off guard by the sudden change in behavior.Yan pulled Solomon by the latter's ponytail as admonishment with a look."Sorry." Solomon apologized sheepishly. "It's just that because of what we are, we can't help but wonder about the good things of pre-Crucible life.""Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll, Alcohol, fight clubs, gambling...there's a laundry list of things we haven't tried." explained Yan, counting the items off his oversized claw before sighing. "Or would have tried. Partly because someone has to keep an eye on mom and keep her from going off the deep end, and partly because our mom wants to keep us on the straight and narrow.""Are the two of you constructs?" asked Liz.Solomon and Yan nodded in sync. "Yup. We're constructs of a Vitruvian make.""Yup. We're constructs of a Vitruvian make."There was a beat before the two glanced at each other."Jinx.""Jinx.""Dammit.""Dammit.""Double Dammit.""Double Dammit.""Ah, there you are." interrupted a woman's voice. Carter and Liz turned to look at the newcomer. "Mom? What are you doing here?" Yan asked, half-alarmed half-concerned at the sudden appearance."The Prescript assassin case went cold." the woman replied flippantly lowering the black bone slate and peered at the two male constructs, her gaze somehow focused directly on Carter through her half-rimmed glasses. "No new leads for now unless something happens to give us a stroke of good fortune or unless someone approaches with new information.""Don't tell me you're bored already." groused Solomon. The mother of the two brothers gave a paradoxically warm look yet ice cold smile. "Bored? Why would I be bored when I see the two of you chatting up with a dangerous fugitive?"Carter didn't like where the conversation was going, on instinct he willed his core to activate. To blend into the background within the perceptions of others as his arachnid companions, as he slowly scooched over-Only to find that comforting feeling of social invisibility ripped away as Carter suddenly felt his phantasmal aura INVERT upon itself and his Hive-like connection to his spider friends cut-out, Rupert, Tim, Samantha, and all the rest curling up and enter torpor. Stress and panic began rapidly building up inside Carter as if he was stripped naked, be drenched in cold water, and brought out into the public under the world's most intense spotlight; his skin rippling and breaking into a cold sweat from an effect he realized as eldritch scripts revealed themselves on woman in front of him.Skintalking. The woman in front of him was a skintalker.(cont.)
>>5337837To add to that, Solomon and his brother Yan leapt out from their seats to tackle him to the floor, Yan wrestling his arms behind his back and locking them together with restraints that locked away his core ability while Solomon held an over-sized Runic claw to his neck."Going somewhere?" asked the woman smugly. "I can see why they say you're hard man to find, and even harder to pin down. With a silent aura that induces ignorance in others. It's easy to see why other daughters could easily see you as a malicious rapist. Having your way with other women with them none the wiser.""What the hell is going on?" demanded Liz rising out of her chair. "Who the hell are you?""Sathriel." replied the woman, her demeanor now turned frigid. "The Obsidian Arbiter. I work as a wandering Judge. Yes, I have the authority to do this. And if you wish to challenge that authority...we can always take it outside and measure the power gulf between us."Solomon's hand gently went out to stop Liz from continuing. The construct giving the poor girl a grave look. "Miss. I may be a construct, but trust me when I say this: You do NOT want to get into a fight with our mom.""Carter Franklin, please come with us." said Yan dispassionately "We're taking you in under suspicion as a foremost person of interest in a new case. We're really sorry about this.""What the hell are you talking about?" asked Carter. "I've never done anything wrong! You can't just arrest me for something I have zero knowledge about." "Is that so?" mused the woman "Apparently the Skinternet thinks otherwise."With a snap of her fingers, a black slab of calcite erected itself in front of Carter and began to carve words into its blank face. Carter's eyes grew wide, then narrowed as he read the text:>The Settlement of Cradleton has issued a Danger warning to all other settlements regarding the following: Daughter, male in appearance. Tanned skin and brown hair. Possible Vitruvian. Possesses a possible Phantasmal ability that lets Daughter to slip under perceptions of others. Crimes: Multiple charges of sexual assault, several accounts of rape, and mass murder. Redistribute this message to all skintalkers in the network and notify local authorities immediately should he be spotted."Lies...Lies and Slander." Carter breathed with a growl. "That is not what happened in Cradleton. Who posted this!?"cont.
>>5337838"Well that's an interesting statement." mused Sathriel as she rubbed her chin. "So you do have a connection to the Hunger riot case of Cradleton.""All I've ever wanted to do since waking up in this hellhole of a world is to travel world and be left in peace!""So you claim you're innocent against this accusation?" asked Sathriel."Of course I claim innocence!" answered Carter "Now unhand me!""Look Carter, as much as I like you as a person, my brother and I can't. Not just because Sathriel said so." sighed Solomon. "There's something called a 'Police Procedural Process' that we have to conduct. My brother and I don't exactly know what it all means, but mom said that all of this is necessary. And I'm sure as the Cord you know at least an inkling of what it means in your pre-crucible days.""If you really want to claim your innocence, cooperate with us and help us get to the bottom of this case." explained Yan. "Besides, even if we do let you go. Word's probably already spread to the other settlements, which would likely restrict your travel options a great deal. And a good majority of people would rather trust the word of a skintalker than trust the word of someone on the wanted list.""Do you understand the situation you're in now?" said Sathriel, her smile growing slightly wider. "I will ask you one final time. Cooperate with us and we'll do all in our power to ensure the case you're involved in will be concluded asap.""If you're worried about your construct friends, we've got you covered." reassured Yan. "Don't worry, they're still alive but are in something of a fugue given the nature of your core. We're gonna have to ask you to present your back to us so we can store your friends into your hive nexus for safe keeping."Carter stared at Sathriel, then glanced at Liz's conflict-ridden face, then at the crowd of gathering daughters as he weighed his options."Fine. I'll cooperate. But I want my name cleared of all these charges.""You're gonna have to work for those exonerations, Carter." admitted Solomon "And the only way to get your name cleared is to go through the one thing you'll absolutely hate.""A Public Trial~" singsonged Sathriel, the phrase sending absolute dread down Carter's entire being. "Boys, you know what to do. This is the start of the investigation phase. In the meantime, I'll keep the 'criminal' under close watch."- TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzJm9vTCff8
>>5337827Oh, Carter! I do so enjoy him and his little spider buddies. And he's meeting Solomon and Yan? Nice. I like those guys, too. Though uh oh on Sathriel investigating claims against Carter. On the plus side, she's likely to punish those who made false accusations against Carter, once she gets this sorted out. On the minus, say goodbye to a low profile, Carter.
>>5336582>>5336636>You flinch when your scout comes under fire from below, suddenly overcome with barbs that infect its shell with rotting biomass, its own tremendous regeneration turning on itself. It spread swiftly, so swiftly that you almost miss your chance to remote-detonate the swarmling in a hasty act of mercy and prudence, both.Um...Anon. I think I now know there's a reason why Strive's Serum could be useful. Having your regen be put at zero gives the rot zero footing in draining you dry of biomass with the cancer attacks. if any of those zombie cancer barbs hit dorian, he would go down in an instant with his insane regen. No-Man's Land is merely the first obstacle and its gimmick is to punish regen abusers.
(Hello all, a bit of bad luck on my end. Today has ended up being a colossal dumpster fire at work, and while I've been trying to put it out our internet also just went down, so what little progress I've been able to make on the next update is trapped on my work computer.)(Thus, I'll be moving the next update to tomorrow morning at 10AM, Eastern time since I'm working from home tomorrow and the tech won't be out here until Friday morning ti get us back on our feet. Good times.)(In any case, thank you for bearing with this unexpected development, and I'll be online via data for the rest of the work day to address any questions you all may have.)
>>5337946oof. Take care bhop. hang in there!
>>5337940Could be. Though it might still feed on targets' Bio. And we'd only have one Serum, two at most if we had taken it from Zato. Avoiding the darts is still going to have to be the priority. We should see what our flight ceiling is, and if we can outrange the darts.>>5337946Well, I'm sorry to hear that, BHOP. I hope your day gets better. Thanks for running, and I guess I'll see you tomorrow.
>>5337946enjoy the side story.
>>5337951>>5337952(I appreciate it, and I'll try to decompress enough to type up the next update this evening.)>>5337954(I shall! I'm looking forward to it, truly.)
I’ve been inspired to brainstorm up some stuff for a sort of home brew or very similar quest to this ones themes lately and I feel that I might be able to use some Engine fuckery to explain the differences between the quests if it comes to that.Keep up the good work BHOP! I’m looking forward to reading more!
>>5337837>"You lucky son-of-a-bitch." breathed Yan.(Absolutely obliterated me this morning, to the point where my sides hurt. I needed that, after yesterday.)>>5337837>>"Double Dammit.">>"Double Dammit."(Ah I could read these two all day, they're just so freaking fun.)>>5337841(Good Lord, using the OG Law and Order intro? Absolute classic.)(I'm looking forward to the next entry, and for some reason your dialogue and character interactions felt even snappier than usual. Do you find certain characters and dynamics easier to write, or that they just seem to flow in a certain way? I get that a lot with certain characters on the page when I'm writing, which is why I ask.)
>>5338486(Ah, I'm so glad to hear that! Pretty much every setting I've come up with has had versatility baked-in to both the world and the systems, so I'm thrilled whenever the players and readers have fun with it, either through OCs, their own stories, or even entirely new takes on the Crucible. I welcome it all, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with!)>>Keep up the good work BHOP! I’m looking forward to reading more!(I appreciate it, and here's hoping that today is less chaotic than yesterday proved to be.)
>>5338674>Do you find certain characters and dynamics easier to write, or that they just seem to flow in a certain way? I get that a lot with certain characters on the page when I'm writing, which is why I ask.I tend to have a dry sense of humor irl, and Law and Order's humor tends to match up with my style when it comes to their dialogue. That show is absolutely full of one-line zingers. I sort of find it easier when writing the interactions for the sons of Sathriel (or the Yi brothers depending on which character you ask in-quest). Also, I'm trying to switch up the writing style to match Law & Order's snappy scenes and dialogue conversations to save up on mental information processing...because in the midnight hours after I posted part 1, I realized I had gotten myself into writing another mystery story and will have to somehow both speed-run the sidestory to keep it in line with the main questline current events and keep the mystery intact with enough hints. The exploration of sexual harassment and slander in Crucible-era society is an interesting topic to explore though.Darn muse.
>>5337729You release a breath you didn’t even realize you were holding, the exhalation coming out as a weary sigh. ”...I hope so, Julia. My gut tells me it's not over by a long shot, but we’re getting there. Just one step at a time. To tell you the truth, I get kind of nervous when I think about it. Scared even, of when the Crucible ends...of what comes after."“There’s a weird sort of...c-comfort we’ve s-settled into.” Julia remarks, finishing one Sororitas’ cherubic features before gently placing the still body to one side, her fingertips alighting on the next featureless chitin doll. “A lot of us—Rath, D-Dorian, me, and Francine, j-just to name a few—we have agency. We have a power here we n-never could have had in the world b-before. Even with Jackie and her g-girls, I can tell they’re scared of what c-comes after, so you’re not alone. There’s…it’s g-going to be a lot, but at least none of us will have t-to face it alone.”"What's it like when you're creating an art piece?” You ask, suddenly. “Is the work done all at once or do you work on things one step at a time?"“Ha, well…” She trails off, her tongue briefly held between her teeth as she carefully stretches the blob, the tell-tale vertebrae of a spine poking down along the back of a body whose formless flesh starts to take on a more human skin tone. “…It d-depends, actually. Sometimes, rarely, a few pieces come to me fully-formed, like a b-bolt of lightning. I can’t help making it, j-just throwing myself into it until it’s d-done. But most of the t-time? It starts with just a little k-kernel of an idea, and I’ll keep coming back to it over and over and over again until…one, d-day, it’s done.”With a wry laugh, she adds; “Or it’s as done as I c-can make it.” Then, to you; “You know, I don’t think I c-could’ve made these shells on my own.”“Oh, I don’t believe that for a second.” You grin.“Well, I could’ve d-done my best, and they’d have t-turned out…okay, I suppose.” She shrugs, repeating the motion once or twice as she tests the rotation of the shoulders she’s putting the finishing touches on. “B-but to really make something amazing? That’s rarely d-done in a vacuum. Even if you look at the g-great artists, the real masters of their c-craft, they still had people in their corners helping them out. Did you know Van Gough had a b-brother he loved more than anything, and they were incredibly close? And that it was when he was in a b-better place and was getting the help he needed that he made some of his g-greatest works? I didn’t, until Dorian t-told me. He really admires him…but that’s j-just one example of these amazing creators that c-couldn’t have made what they did without a whole network of p-people at their back…people that loved them.”She looks at you, and she smiles that inimitable ‘Julia’ smile that just melts you, every time.(Continued)
>>5338702“I think m-most things are like that. The things that r-really matter.” She declares firmly. “They take work. They take time. They d-don’t end up looking like you imagined. They t-take having faith in the people around you to c-catch you when you fall, and to b-be patient when you stumble. But the best things in the world c-come out of that love and patience.”She blinks, then furrows her brow before voicing something you don’t see coming; “I d-don’t think I’ve ever told anyone this, but I’ve grown to hate when p-people ask you what sort of world you’re going to make, as if you haven’t answered that a hundred t-times over.”“I…have?” You stammer, a little taken aback.“You k-keep saying that you’re giving everyone agency b-back. You’re making a world where people can d-decide what sort of lives they’ll lead. That’s n-not something you’re going to have all the answers for.” She replies, a few quick stabs of her index and middle fingers prompting the latest creation’s arm to behave like one, joints and all. “No-one’s had the answers to all the questions that are g-going to be asked, and no-one possibly could. People want a clear answer. They want a b-bullet point list of what the new world’s going to look like, but that’s not what you’re planning. They want a f-finished product, but you’re giving them the b-blessing of a blank canvass.”“But they deserve something more…finished.” You counter, softly. “They ask me what I’m going to make, and I draw a…blank.”“Maybe it’s n-not up to you?” Julia offers. “You’re g-giving them the brushes, the tools to make something that’s theirs. You’re planning to set them up to succeed, not g-guide them like a god. You’ve s-said that from day one. P-people want an easy answer, but there isn’t one. Not f-for something like this. Even after we finish with the Cord, there’s going to be a lot more work to be done…but it *can* be done. Together, with p-patience and kindness.”“I…yeah.” You concede, pushing your worries to the side as you fix the girl opposite you with a playful smile. “So, what about you?”“What about me?” She grins up from the fully-formed torso—which is coming together quite nicely, you might add."Do you have any plans for the future when this is over?” You ask, before adding with an exaggerated wink.”Could the sound of wedding bells be heard somewhere down the line?”To your pleasant surprise, she doesn’t laugh off your teasing immediately. She just looks up with that same disarming smile, looking past your shoulder to where Dorian’s chatting animatedly with Rath and Francine over at the bar on the other side of the room.(Continued)
>>5338703“We’ve…we’ve t-talked about it.” She admits, though when she sees your eyes go wide she’s quick to append; “N-not *that*, exactly! B-but we have t-talked about…about m-moving in together. Spending t-time, and seeing where things take us. It’s…I never imagined anything like that f-for myself, after I understood how I was.”“And he’s-?” You trail off, your question unvoiced yet quickly answered by Julia’s nod.“He’s accepted every p-part of me. He’s working through his anger about his f-father. I’m working through, well…b-being a workaholic, as he puts it.” She giggles, the echoes of a fondly-remembered conversation visibly flitting before her eyes. “We have a l-lot of exploring and understanding left to d-do, but…we’re both willing to p-put in the work and time it’ll take to see what we c-can be. I’m not sure what that will look like, b-but…it’ll be ours. And I think…I think that’ll be enough.”“Love, and patience.” You echo, with a wink. “A great woman once told me that those two help make the best things in life.”“And to q-quote an even greater one, ‘So, what about you?” She winks right back.“Me?”“Yes, you. You and Gina seem to be in a really good place.”“We are, yeah.” You say with a half-cocked smile, sensing Gina’s open lips quirking up at the corners at the quick ping of affection you’ve just sent along the Crimson Cord. “Being bonded like we are was tough at first, but it’s really nice having someone who just gets you on that level. Plus, we know enough about it now so we can give each other privacy when we need it, and honesty when it’s called for.”“Honesty is the best of all p-possible policies, in m-my humble opinion. So…any, ah…any other d-developments? As of l-late?” She asks, glancing back over your shoulder for reasons that escape you. “Not really, n-...well, there was-” You pause, reflecting back on when you were staring up at the Cord only a little while ago, hand in hand with-“No. We’re good.” You say, firmly and ardently ignoring the warmth in your *and* Gina’s chests at the memory. “Back to earlier; is there any particular profession you want to take up?”“Oh, I’m not sure.” She breezily replies, acquiescing to your change of subject with only the slightest of knowing smirks. “I’d prefer to leave sculpting as my hobby for now, but I could see it becoming something m-more after everyone’s settled—I’d actually been talking to Francine about healing and s-such, but she’s r-really interested in the whole psychology of the Crucible and the effect it’ll have on those both d-directly involved as well as those who were in the Cord and watching the whole thing. When she and I t-talked about it, she really seemed focused on the m-mental health aspect of what’s c-coming next.”“One hell of a task.” You say with an appreciative whistle.(Continued)
>>5338704“Th-that’s what I said…but if anyone’s got the single-mindedness to pull it off, it’d b-be Francine.” Julia laughs. “That said, she r-really does want to lean m-more into her creative side, so we’ve agreed to work as a unit for a while. Trading s-skills back and forth until things stabilize, if all g-goes well…and have you given any th-thought to the same?”"Me? I uh...I dunno.” You answer, lamely. “I'm certainly not Sam, so I don't share her interests. What sort of job do you think best fits me?"“Anything you like, r-really. The w-world is your sh-shellfish of choice!…as long as it’s n-not leadership.” Then, once she sees the look on your face; “I d-didn’t mean to say you’re b-bad at it, or a-anything! It’s j-just that, you know…you’ve made enough hard calls f-for a lifetime. I c-couldn’t see you doing that for however long it takes to g-get things stabilized again. Well, I *could*, but…I just couldn’t see you b-being happy with that, long term.”You’re quiet for a little while after that, letting your friend’s words sink in for a minute or two before you speak again."Hey Julia? Is there anything about the Crucible world as-is that you'd wanna keep intact when it's over? Or anything about the world back before the Crucible, for that matter?”“My powers.” Julia answers, so reflexively that when she meets your eyes, she looks almost embarrassed. “W-well, it’s not so much the p-power as it is the freedom that comes with them. That level of control over a b-body I was never really fond of, until now. Now, as for before…”She trails off, chewing on her bottom lip for a second before her eyes meet yours. “Where’s this coming from?”"It’s…silly.” You say with a dismissive chuckle, reaching forward to make a tweak on the body’s left arm that had been bothering you for a past minute…or at least that was your intention before Julia gently places her hand on yours. She doesn’t say anything; she doesn’t have to, with her question evident in the soft, quiet concern in her eyes.“...I can't help but wonder about how I'm supposed to go about saving the world, now that Vector pointed it out.” You say, close enough to the truth. “There's bound to be a lot of devils in the details.”“Is that r-really it?” She asks, cutting you to the core with five simple syllables."...I…I don’t have anything from before. Not really.” You finally confess, the words threatening to get caught in the dryness of your throat. “I never actually lived a life myself aside from having bits of Sam's memories...or rather what little of her good memories about the world back then. And this era of the Crucible is all I've personally known and experienced. That's why I'm asking. So everyone can start figuring out how to make things work before finally ending the Crucible. Hopefully...there will be a place for me to spend time with those I love."(Continued)
>>5338705“There will b-be…and that’s kind of why I said what I d-did. About leadership.” She clarifies, a little sheepish. “You deserve to make memories of your own, on your own t-terms. I really want you to have that chance.”You’re only vaguely aware that you’re nodding along to her kind words, another thought preying on your mind ever since you uttered your other self’s name. "Hey, do you think we should make a Spirit Shell for Sam? Just in-case her cyborg frame got wrecked from getting into a scrap, or something.”“...You’re worried about her.” Julia murmurs softly, her voice devoid of judgment.“Can't help but feel worried for my...Mom? Sister?” You say, taking another valiant stab at wrestling your weird dynamic into a convenient box. “Twin? Yeah, let's go with 'twin sister'. Anyway, she may be something of a twin sister to me who's a bit a jerk and rough around the edges, but she's got her good side. Like being honest in calling people out on their bullshit."“I thought you had p-plenty of that in GG and Rath?” Julia fires back with a wink.“Hey, I can never have too many anti-bullshit specialists, with as much as I deal with.”Julia laughs, almost fudging the delicate fingers she was working on before she gets her giggles in check. “Well, f-for what it’s worth? I’m glad you and she are talking. I know you d-dont’ like leaving loose ends, and it seemed like whatever you t-two talked about did her heart a g-great deal of good. Yours, t-too."Then, with a tinkle in her eye; “Do you think she’d b-be open to helping us out with the next missions? You alluded that you wanted to cover p-plenty of ground, so maybe this would b-be a good chance to show her that we’re open to having her on b-board?”>>Dismiss the idea, for now—you’ve got enough on your plate, so wrap up the Spiritus Shells and see who’s up for what tasks.>>Reach out to Sam and request her assistance in one of the teams you’re forming…though you’d probably have to offer her a specific assignment upfront, knowing her.>>Ask Julia something else before you buckle down and get these shells in working order.>>Write-In YOU ARE IN CONTROL
>>5338709>>Write-In >"Well, I do want to send one of the teams to the Ikean Fortress to find out anything they can about this mysterious power-player. Sam's at the Fortress right now, I think to visit her friend, so we could send her a message ahead of time. See if she wants to help with the investigation."
>>5338722A good idea, but keep in mind that the Ikean Fortress has already taken down the conspirators and Sam is already involved in the case, so contacting her would probably make her involvement official in that sense. >“It appears that Paloma’s conspirator made herself known in an attempt to hijack the fortress’ movement protocols.” Dorian continues, waiting until you’ve put your cup firmly back on the table (and well away from your mouth) before doing so. “She had a team, but thanks to Paloma. Em, Magnus, and…Sam, as I’m told…the coup was brought to a swift resolution, with the leader of the attempt firmly on lockdown.”Also, something comes to mind about Sam's behavior given her involvement into the whole Ikean Infiltration case. It seems that Sam's got an issue when it comes to seeing deeds relating to her old shame of having manipulated Isabelle, which could explain her involvement. That or her secondary core of being a Infiltration-type Impressionist Flesh Artisan has her blending into the background and stepping in like something akin to a mysterious foul-mouthed but well-meaning guardian angel.
>>5338735True. But her being involved makes contacting her more useful. Though we should also contact Paloma before we send anyone over, tell her that our Spirit Shell reserves just expanded hugely and we've got more agents than just our core team.
>>5338748>>5338709Oh shit. I nearly forgot. We should get that Spirit Shell done for Orwell! We did promise before to work on that so Orwell wouldn't have to spend time and energy bringing in her own avatar for maintenance. >Write in: Ask Julia for one last minute commission, A Spirit Shell for Orwell. >Reach out to Sam and request her assistance in one of the teams you’re forming…though you’d probably have to offer her a specific assignment upfront, knowing her.>Have her aid us in the investigation of the mystery power player who operates through naive messenger daughters.
>>5338748That does beg the question: Do we want Sam to wait before meeting with the team that we'll be sending to the Fortress and have her work with the team or have go ahead of the team and work relatively solo? Knowing her, she'd prefer to do the lone wolf type of work, but it wouldn't hurt to have her be part of a team and have them keep in touch. Hey, Sam might even make some friends among the expanded Dream team if we play our cards right in terms of compatible personalities.
>>5338755Oh yeah, we need to contact Orwell. How's she doing? Gina talked with her, briefly, but we haven't since she skulked away after her avatar started cracking. I hope she isn't hiding from us out of shame/worry we'll be mad at her. The ghost-echoes we talked to through 'A' managed to choke out "Or-" as the last on their list of potentially dangerous Daughters to us, though didn't get it all out due to degrading. I'm thinking that might have been "Orwell", and while I don't think Orwell is a threat to us (she's had far too many opportunities to betray us, if she was), I do think she might have done some nasty shit at some point and is now worried we'll find out about it.
>>5338757Well, she's already done some work on her own. So let's ask her to cooperate with our team once they're on-site and share what she's learned, but if she's already pursuing a lead then I say leave her to it.
>>5338758>I don't think Orwell is a threat to us (she's had far too many opportunities to betray us, if she was), I do think she might have done some nasty shit at some point and is now worried we'll find out about it.Now that I think about it, I'm afraid that we kinda did take her skinternet moderator job as a thing for granted ever since our deal with her in regards to her employment, and thinking back to how she's been behaving, It's sort of clear that she's gradually getting overwhelmed with the information traffic. I hope that we'll be able to reach her in time by providing additional manpower to help moderate the skinternet information flow before she burns out and goes crazy with the information control. Burnout is very much a real danger in terms of vtubing, which Ironically describes Orwell's Job to a "T"But who do we send to help out Orwell? Amara's an obvious choice, but I think some additional personnel would work, but it would have to be someone who can get along with Orwell.
