[FWM] OOC 3: Eccentric Cheerilee

[HalfTangible]

So...any suggestions on how to make a situation more scary?

Don't quote me: I'm trying to be a fantasy/scifi writer and I don't read horror - this is just stuff I've acquired from other's commentary on the subject.

One way is ambiguity... or more accurately, mystery laced with threat. Make it so the people involved only understand enough about what's happening to them to know that they're in serious peril - their own minds will supply horrors more readily than you ever could... No offense intended, people are just a lot better at scaring themselves than they are other people. This is the basis of a lot of great psychological horror thrillers, and one of the reasons the original Silent Hill was filled with fog (the other being to help minimize hardware strain on the machine).

Another is hopelessness. Don't quote me on this (I haven't played the game) but one of the reasons Amnesia is so terrifying is because there is absolutely nothing you can do in the face of the monsters but run. If you had a shotgun that disintegrated them in one shot, it would just be an action-horror game and lose a lot of it's psychological "punch." In addition, the monsters can kill you pretty quickly once they find you and drive you crazy the longer you actually look at them.

You can make something creepy (rather than just scary) by placing something horrible in juxtapostion with something innocent. The empty child from doctor who, for instance, constantly asks "Are you my mummy?" like a lost child before grabbing someone and basically turning them into a zombie with gas-mask.

As an extension to the above, you could pick something harmless as opposed to 'innocent'. From the same show, the Vashta Nerada are basically shadow-piranhas. What makes them scary is the fact that ANY shadow in the building they were in could hide them - not every shadow, but ANY shadow, and there was no way to tell which shadows were benign and which would eat you... well, that and this complicated suit-thing that left the suit of whoever they ate repeating their last few lines of dialogue over and over ("Hey! Who turned out the lights?!") while still moving with a friggen SKULL in the faceplate...

[Grif]

You can make something creepy (rather than just scary) by placing something horrible in juxtapostion with something innocent. The empty child from doctor who, for instance, constantly asks "Are you my mummy?" like a lost child before grabbing someone and basically turning them into a zombie with gas-mask.

God, that was one of the few Who episode I watched and that still gives me the creeps every time I remember it.

[TheAmishPirate]

@Kelvin: Waaaaitaminute. Are you thinking that you're talking to the civvie vamponies? Those guys are down one of the corridors, we're currently facing what is mostly Spectre's non-combat crew. Did Daniel go down to talk to said civvies?

[Kelvin360]

I assumed the second part of Benson's post assumed that we all went down there...Plus, they responded to Daniel's presence, so he must be within visual range anyway.

[TheAmishPirate]

I assumed the second part of Benson's post assumed that we all went down there...Plus, they responded to Daniel's presence, so he must be within visual range anyway.

The ones who responded via cowering were Spectre's crew. As to whether or not we all headed down there, I thought the second part of the post implied two separate areas, what with the header and all.

On the plus side, realizing that you intended that to be directed to the civvies certainly makes Daniel's actions seem a bit more sensible. I thought he was pulling the smooth agent act solely on the poor souls he traumatized.

[MCerberus]

Hey it's kind of weird, but Staccata is the one that hasn't come close to lying to the civilian/vamponies.

Anyway, for my characters:

Mach
Pro: Fast, experimental high-tech weaponry, smart, knows his way around magic
Con: Not much of a strength flyer, experimental high-tech weaponry, not very good on the ground, socially awkward

Staccata
Pro: Dirty street-fighting skills, skill-rogue skills, connections and access to somewhat fairly-gotten cash pile
Con: Low strength/endurance, bad at long melees, hardly any ranged capability, no magic, somewhat abrasive

Griffin
Pro: Tactical knowledge, strong and tough even for a griffin, extensive combat experience, adept at manipulating morale in battle
Con: No magic, trained to fight in a place that wasn't so high-magic, fish out of water, not at his peak

[Benson]

I assumed the second part of Benson's post assumed that we all went down there...Plus, they responded to Daniel's presence, so he must be within visual range anyway.

The ones who responded via cowering were Spectre's crew. As to whether or not we all headed down there, I thought the second part of the post implied two separate areas, what with the header and all.

On the plus side, realizing that you intended that to be directed to the civvies certainly makes Daniel's actions seem a bit more sensible. I thought he was pulling the smooth agent act solely on the poor souls he traumatized.

Amish is correct, there are two separate areas. And the civvies are not in visual range.

[Kelvin360]

I'm gonna need a new list of whats going on, I think. I thought the vampires we've been fighting this whole time were undead civilians. Or have they been merely mind-raped civilians? Or was that just the cops? And what's the deal with the mice? ...Wait...

EDIT: The above being clarified, can this

steps forward

Be construed as 'plods forward to the next area'?

[TheAmishPirate]

I'm gonna need a new list of whats going on, I think. I thought the vampires we've been fighting this whole time were undead civilians. Or have they been merely mind-raped civilians? Or was that just the cops? And what's the deal with the mice? ...Wait...

Some of the vamponies we've been fighting have been turned civvies. They've been the ones with dull eyes, they never talk, they didn't use their super-speed, etc. They were sorta still recovering from the turning process, and have just now started to come to their senses. They came in two groups; the first when we came to the entrance of this dungeon, then another when we first came into the temple.

The cops that appeared were glamoured civvies. Not undead, just mind-controlled.

All the other vamponies we've faced have been a part of Spectre's crew for some amount of time. They've talked, shown personality, used super speed and other vampony powers, etc. There was a few that were hiding right before the second civvie group showed up, then a messload showed up after the civvies were subdued, and then Spectre sent in all the non-combatants he had in desperation.

Sense makes?

[Kelvin360]

Okay, so the cops and one of Speck's seconds are still behind the cube (which, actually, should be a very safe place to be in a collapse)

The panicking people who have no idea what's going on and need the MIB treatment are up ahead

And the ones with us are a mixture of both the loyals and the panickers.

Which means the official speech should indeed apply to an around the corner forward step, and then an evac by Zips and Gear, leaving Silverpine, Rainbow, Sandy, Daniel, M and Staccata to deal with...wait, shouldn't they all be exclusively under Zippity's control now? I'm fuzzy on how lines of succession work here.

[Benson]

Okay, so the cops and one of Speck's seconds are still behind the cube (which, actually, should be a very safe place to be in a collapse)

Well technically in front of the gelatinous cube now some ways not too close, if they were behind the cube, that would make them in be in the temple trapped underneath the squashing rubble.

The panicking people who have no idea what's going on and need the MIB treatment are up ahead.

Yes, up ahead and around the corner.

And the ones with us are a mixture of both the loyals and the panickers.

yes

Which means the official speech should indeed apply to an around the corner forward step, and then an evac by Zips and Gear, leaving Silverpine, Rainbow, Sandy, Daniel, M and Staccata to deal with...wait, shouldn't they all be exclusively under Zippity's control now? I'm fuzzy on how lines of succession work here.

No they are not her prodigies, the other vamponies have no connection/binding bond to her whatsoever. It doesn't function like a Klingon Promotion. There is no succession.

[TheAmishPirate]

Also important to note is that the cops/second are in the same area as the panicking civvies. "Just around the corner" is the same as "near the cube", since we've gone in a big loop now.

[HalfTangible]

God, that was one of the few Who episode I watched and that still gives me the creeps every time I remember it.

I feel the same way about that Monsters-are-due-on-maple-street reenactment-on-a-train episode (whose name i can't remember right now). If you've read the short story in question, you already know why.

[Luka]

....Oh wow, now things are getting TRULY interesting
So, could make an analizys on the newcomers....

Armored Earthie: could be said to be the one with the most advantage.... Or rather the least disadvantage, he's armored, maybe a challenge for the Red earthie, those hammers are most likely not going to do much against the tentacles though, the green alicorn (let's call him "Verdant Blast") would be the one dangerous for him, more so if he makes the nanites form into a spike and send him into the air like a Mass Effect's Dragon teeth, otherwise, he seems like a tank

Saber Filly: I'm kinda worried about the saber being too weak, is it enchanted or tougher than the usual ones? if it's normal there's some trouble for her, sabers are pretty thin and weak, and the attacker's plate armor is not exactly of the realistic version... Rather plates as thick as a 100-sheet notebook that could get stuff lodged into them; I mean, if it's a completely normal one, in these conditions it would be pretty bad for her, sabres are pretty thin and it could break as much as pressing it too hard into their armor trying to stab or getting it sword-blocked.

Hawk Shot: It's nice to have a ranged combatant... For the attackers; I kinda established Luka being capable of sword-spinning projectiles and sending them back in a previous event, just saying, she could actually end up giving free projectiles to the attackers to send at other enemies, though they may be vulnerable and unnacurate while trying to do that, besides not spamming it. Otherwise she may even be an advantage for the attackers =S

Of course, chances are they're a lot stronger than what I'm mentioning here, or are they using usual stuff?

[TheAmishPirate]

Some responses to analysis:

Earthie: Hammers and other bludgeoning weapons are designed to be effective against armor. Sure, the sharp point might not pierce your skin, but there's still a heck of a lot of force that'll still break your leg if it hits hard enough.

Saber Filly: Yes, it's a more fragile sword, but that's if you treat it like a normal sword. Sabers, and fencing in general, is more about parries, piercing strikes, and dodging than it is blocking, swinging, and slashing. It's about playing the opponent as much as it is playing the sword. She's smart enough to not leave herself open for an easy sunder.

Hawk Shot: This is a longbow, with significantly faster and bigger arrows than a crossbow. Even with Rule of Cool, I don't see this happening with any sort of accuracy. Arrow parries/slashing arrows in mid-air would be fine, and even picking up fallen arrows to stab with, but deflecting an arrow into somebody else is beyond impossible in this situation.

Mind you, that's my opinion, and if others say it's alright, I'm willing to be more lenient there. But the point stands that longbows are powerful weapons, and there is a line to be drawn on combat shenanigans.

[Luka]

Yup, Earthy's strength may be against the attackers themselves, I was just pointing out he would have trouble with the tentacles. Saber Filly's strategy may actually be more about that, yeah, finding weaknesses around the joints and striking around there, besides overall moving around, just hoping she doesn't end up being open for attack in a moment and risking the saber to break.
Hawk Shot using a longbow may kinda fix it too, higher velocities and stuff, and when the deflection thing was done it was done with knives, though those arrows could be deflected too, bigger maybe could mean more surface to spin-juggle around the blade and throwing away but would have more weight, but yeah I was planning on not spamming the ability and making it not that accurate and maybe somewhat hard with those because of the higher speed, so that kinda seems about right, I think

[Grif]

Some responses to analysis:

Earthie: Hammers and other bludgeoning weapons are designed to be effective against armor. Sure, the sharp point might not pierce your skin, but there's still a heck of a lot of force that'll still break your leg if it hits hard enough.

Saber Filly: Yes, it's a more fragile sword, but that's if you treat it like a normal sword. Sabers, and fencing in general, is more about parries, piercing strikes, and dodging than it is blocking, swinging, and slashing. It's about playing the opponent as much as it is playing the sword. She's smart enough to not leave herself open for an easy sunder.

Hawk Shot: This is a longbow, with significantly faster and bigger arrows than a crossbow. Even with Rule of Cool, I don't see this happening with any sort of accuracy. Arrow parries/slashing arrows in mid-air would be fine, and even picking up fallen arrows to stab with, but deflecting an arrow into somebody else is beyond impossible in this situation.

Mind you, that's my opinion, and if others say it's alright, I'm willing to be more lenient there. But the point stands that longbows are powerful weapons, and there is a line to be drawn on combat shenanigans.

I do have trouble imagining hammers being strapped to his legs that does not impede his movement in any way though/

EDIT: At some point, I need to make a complete list of named guards.

[TheAmishPirate]

I do have trouble imagining hammers being strapped to his legs that does not impede his movement in any way though/

To be fair, I used a simile there. It's more accurate to say that there are heavy, blunt chunks of metal on the legpieces of the armor.

But you do have a point; he's not the best at maneuvering.

[Benson]

so i takes it ya ain't gonna post with silverpine, eh grif?

[Grif]

so i takes it ya ain't gonna post with silverpine, eh grif?

Not sure what else is there to post about.

Sorry, brain is a little bit on the fritz at the moment with all these real-life shenanigans.

[Kelvin360]

I'd just like to point out that at no point will Hawk Shot be more awesome than Daniel. >_> <_<

[PurityIcekiller]

In the event that there is an archery competition, I will not be participating. I will leave the duo to excel on their own without adding complications for them.

Ya're borin', ya know that?

Better that than the difficulties you have had with competitors. How goes being humiliated by Luka, by the way?

...That's beside the point!

[Mindfreak]

Thanks for the advice!
And, um, sorry everypony who's waiting on me...
I'm having some RL problems right now. ><

[TheAmishPirate]

I, for one, am going to wait and see if Daniel can finagle/bard his way out of this one. *grabs popcorn*


@Grif/Mindfreak: *hugs for both* Hope your lives will soon be filled with the fun kind of shenanigans.

I'd just like to point out that at no point will Hawk Shot be more awesome than Daniel. >_> <_<

Believe me, she won't be stepping on his toes anytime soon. Her skillset and his overlap in a few minor areas, but overall he's far more useful than her.

[Luka]

As of the moment, the hippogriff's the biggest danger for the attackers, what with lightning blasts against armor that just won't get countered

Also, lovely serial escalation, the whole fight in the alley was just an attempt to catch the griffon quietly, get him somewhere outside and interrogate on where are the others, now it's turned into an almost an all-out battle with reinforcements, almost make the attackers seem like the good guys because of being outnumbered and everyone forgot about the hostage the attackers had, also I wonder how the griffon would react if he gets almost everyone there killed for calling them

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also that the one he was trying to save got stabbed and everyone forgot about it

[TheAmishPirate]

almost make the attackers seem like the good guys because of being outnumbered and everyone forgot about the hostage the attackers had...

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also that the one he was trying to save got stabbed and everyone forgot about it

How does being outnumbered make them seem like good guys? They attempted an abduction, it went south, and now they're deep in their foe's territory with alarm bells a-ringing. Of course they're going to be outnumbered.

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It's a bit hard to pay attention to things like that when you're busy fighting for your own life.

[Luka]

How does being outnumbered make them seem like good guys? They attempted an abduction, it went south, and now they're deep in their foe's territory with alarm bells a-ringing. Of course they're going to be outnumbered.

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It's a bit hard to pay attention to things like that when you're busy fighting for your own life.

Because outnumbered, it's almost like being attacked by the zerg , and their collateral damage was pretty much minimal (some holes) compared to causing storms, lightnings hit the ground and tornadoes around place.

[TheAmishPirate]

Because outnumbered, it's almost like being attacked by the zerg , and their collateral damage was pretty much minimal (some holes) compared to causing storms, lightnings hit the ground and tornadoes around place.

A life >>> property damage caused in a fight

Just something to keep in mind.

[Luka]

Seems more like "self-defence", they were going to attack them

[Kelvin360]

If anything, right now it probably looks like

Thunderbolt -> Dark Army -> Guards in order from most evilish to least. I mean, here's this huge walking apocalypse just destroying everything, only the Griffon might have a clue why she's actually there, and no one's noticed the bag like you said. Given that Luka's dire warning's haven't encircled the entire town (yet), the guards probably barely know who these people are.