ABR Discussion Thread XXXII - Imperfectly Rebooted

[The Gremlin]

I don't mean to be whiny, but I just thought I'd point out that when people ignore my ideas, I'll probably assume they're okay with it.
A 'yes' or 'no' generally suffices.

[Mina Kobold]

I think somebody already has a werewolf in ABR (he's a crazy ALF guy, right?).
At any rate, my idea:

Spoiler

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I think lycanthrope should be the result of the first attempted merging of magic vs. science (the first real merging, that is, a lot of more 'minor' attempts, like enchanting ships and stuff, don't count). A potion of beast shape was combined with a chemical designed to [doesn't really matter], by a curious Lockutian mage. He first tested it out on his familiar. Seeing no adverse effects, he tried it himself.

Nothing happened.
Unfortunately, angry people with pitchforks assumed that the man was creating a 'werewolf' (which already existed in folklore), and killed him. The familiar, however, escaped, and complained to the Moon Elf Empire and asked for justice. Intrigued, a moon elf alchemist in the court suggested that the familiar's request be granted.

When a troop arrived in the village, they found the workshop had been burnt to the ground. But the mage had kept some of his work underground, so they investigated further. They found the man's notes.

The moon elf alchemist worked them out, and realized what the foolish mage had not: The man had come very close, completely by accident, to creating a new species, a merging of animal and humanoid. The elf worked further, and using his own magic, managed to complete the unfinished work. Using melted iron from a meteorite as the focus for the spell, he took blood from a rat and a human prisoner, and injected the formula into a third man (Basically, the first two for the man form and the rat form, and the last for the hybrid is how I see it). He succeeded in creating his goal--a wererat.

There were two problems, though. The first one: The iron was corrupted and impure. Therefore, the success was only partial, and the merging was imperfect. The second was, of course, that the experiment, in a rather cliche manner, killed him.

However, this wererat was actually very intelligent. He had killed his creator carefully, and calmly. Calculatingly. [Another synonym for carefully here]. He waited until his creator's notes were complete.

With his master dead, he endeavored to make more of his kind (the iron was expensive, but his master had a large supply). He made a great deal of wererats, and then decided to branch out. Werewolves, werevultures, even wereserpents (although reptiles didn't 'take' as well).

Eventually, the Empire wondered why the alchemist had gone missing, and investigated. Discovering what had happened, they attacked, and killed many of the abominations. They locked the details were nobody would find them. But a few escaped, and bred, and some remain to this day.

Dunno about werewolves but I had/have a werebadger character.

I think it kinda removes the mystical feel from lycantrophy but I guess it could technically work in the Avbaroy universe *shrug(ery)s*

[T-O-E]

Why would anyone give very expensive gold to a beggar child? The beggars' strategy seems to be a bit far-fetched, as the odds of a random passerby carrying gold in their pockets at night (or even at day) seem to be very low.

Better than begging for silver.

[Threeshades]

Why would anyone give very expensive gold to a beggar child? The beggars' strategy seems to be a bit far-fetched, as the odds of a random passerby carrying gold in their pockets at night (or even at day) seem to be very low.

Why do you go through all that trouble and don't just say that currency has changed from noble metal coins to money in the token value sense as it is known in the modern world?

[Mina Kobold]

Why do you go through all that trouble and don't just say that currency has changed from noble metal coins to money in the token value sense as it is known in the modern world?

Because he already did that, when he made that Igon Minoblendy wanted poster.

[The Gremlin]

Why do you go through all that trouble and don't just say that currency has changed from noble metal coins to money in the token value sense as it is known in the modern world?

Not a bad idea.
How about this: UNA coins are square-shaped for practicality. There are three major coins:
Hearts: Copper coins, worth two Crowns.
Crowns: Aluminum-based alloy, nicknamed 'gold' because of the color. Worth five Stars.
Stars: Slips of paper with a serial number on them. These are not true coins, but are very prominent, as the UNA uses them for most transactions. Their value remains low because a lot of people are hesitant to use such delicate--and flammable--money.

/\Ah, right. Dang. Guess I'll have to save this system for my homebrew...

[Mina Kobold]

Not a bad idea.
How about this: UNA coins are square-shaped for practicality. There are three major coins:
Hearts: Copper coins, worth two Crowns.
Crowns: Aluminum-based alloy, nicknamed 'gold' because of the color. Worth five Stars.
Stars: Slips of paper with a serial number on them. These are not true coins, but are very prominent, as the UNA uses them for most transactions. Their value remains low because a lot of people are hesitant to use such delicate--and flammable--money.

/\Ah, right. Dang. Guess I'll have to save this system for my homebrew...

Quite humorously Crowns (the Danish word for those anyway) are actually the name of Danish currency.

They're wortha hundred ears*

*Danish currency is silly.

[The Gremlin]

Quite humorously Crowns (the Danish word for those anyway) are actually the name of Danish currency.

They're wortha hundred ears*

*Danish currency is silly.

'Crown' is a fairly common name in both RL and fictional currencies. Being rather fond of the trend, I thought I'd use it as well.

[CrimsonAngel]

I keep forgetting FI isn't a game setting.

Why do you go through all that trouble and don't just say that currency has changed from noble metal coins to money in the token value sense as it is known in the modern world?

Sh'yeah.

[Mad Mask]

Basic foodstuff and shelter are freely given to registered citizens by the UNA (the Individual Nourishment Shipments and the Intermutual Normal Shelters, respectively), so money is used mostly for buying luxuries and black market products.

I keep forgetting FI isn't a game setting.

What does this have to do with the fact that you don't give gold to beggars?

[CrimsonAngel]

Fine, how about I kill people on the side of the road and loot the bodies?

[Kumo]

What does this have to do with the fact that you don't give gold to beggars?

You do know what currency is in a crapload of games, right?

[Mad Mask]

You do know what currency is in a crapload of games, right?

Yes... but in D&D for example, the average peasant uses copper pieces, not gold. That's reserved for adventurers and nobles, and they certainly don't give them to children on the streets.

[CrimsonAngel]

Then I could
A. rob rich looking peoples, probably having to kill them anyway or
B. kill enough nameless peasants and accumulate massive monies.

[Kumo]

Yes... but in D&D for example, the average peasant uses copper pieces, not gold. That's reserved for adventurers and nobles.

True. But gold refers to all currency (when currency is gold, silver, copper) for some inadequately explored reason.

[CrimsonAngel]

Alright, if I kill the little girl and have the kid try to join the UNA in spite, would they accpet him?

[Mad Mask]

Alright, if I kill the little girl and have the kid try to join the UNA in spite, would they accpet him?

What do you mean by "joining the UNA"? Do you mean becoming a registered citizen, having a job, living in the house they give you? Do you mean joining the Peacekeepers? Do you mean joining the Navy? Do you mean trying to become a politician?

The UNA is an international organisation designed to ensure co-operation between nations, create world peace, promote sapient rights and eventually form a world government, with several diverse branches, not a club you can just "join".

[CrimsonAngel]

Oh, i'm going for the big job, I want my toddler to be president. How about you make an inference for once- the peacekeepers.

[Mad Mask]

Oh, i'm going for the big job, I want my toddler to be president. How about you make an inference for once- the peacekeepers.

If he's a toddler, they won't accept him. Child soldiers (and policemen for that matter) are illegal in UNA countries (for the same reason they are in the real world). He'll be put in an orphanage, where he belongs.

[CrimsonAngel]

Agh. Maybe I should by a nice pair of stilts...

EDIT: Wait, toddler is too young. He's 7.

[Darklord Bright]

Crim, does every one of your female characters die in the introductory comics?

[CrimsonAngel]

Not Ami! Or...

[The Gremlin]

By the way, Nameless, I just noticed that in one of your old comics you say you're the head of Magic & Science. That sounds an awful lot like head of Supernatural Studies, the minor title that Nilmerg Eht holds. I also pointed this out numerous times.

[Mina Kobold]

By the way, Nameless, I just noticed that in one of your old comics you say you're the head of Magic & Science. That sounds an awful lot like head of Supernatural Studies, the minor title that Nilmerg Eht holds. I also pointed this out numerous times.

It also sounds like the Magical Inventions Department that Keveak works in but I assumed the MID was a sort of sub-branch where they placed the crazy ones to see if they could come up with something

Supernatural Studies sounds more like research for already existing but unknown knowledge in the field of magic (such as the spells of deceased wizards or the secrets of dragons blood), at least to me.

[Threeshades]

Alright, if I kill the little girl and have the kid try to join the UNA in spite, would they accpet him?

Why would the death of his sister make him want to join the peacekeepers? And even if he wasn't too young, you implied he's a wanted criminal, I don't see how he would get that past the registration.

[CrimsonAngel]

They aren't related, vengeance (although I could probably just make him hunt Kris down), and I would use a clever mask. Maybe a mustache and giant purple hat.

[Mad Mask]

They aren't related, vengeance (although I could probably just make him hunt Kris down), and I would use a clever mask. Maybe a mustache and giant purple hat.

"Someone killed my friend while we were robbing him, so I'm gonna join the police to hunt down... criminals like her and me?"

Given his powers, if he was 18+ he could have became a mercenary, but never a Peacekeeper. However, UNA laws on child abuse and inalienable rights prevents both things from happening, so it doesn't matter.

[Lyinginbedmon]

Yes, because the real-world laws on theft, murder, rape, arson and such are doing so well to prevent crime ever happening...

[Kumo]

Yes, because the real-world laws on theft, murder, rape, arson and such are doing so well to prevent crime ever happening...

He's asking to join the police about 8 years too early after robbery and attempted murder. And it's already been mentioned he's on wanted posters.

[Mad Mask]

Yes, because the real-world laws on theft, murder, rape, arson and such are doing so well to prevent crime ever happening...

What? I meant that UNA laws prevented minors from joining their quasi-military forces, the same way you don't see children in the MPS.