Police Station XVIII

[AmberVael]

Mmm hmm...
And different things like that can give it different shapes, I take it?
Can it be reduced or reshaped in that manner?
Aesa smirks to herself.

[Woland]

"Once it takes a shape like this it's permanent, at least as far as using these rune blocks to shape it."

Gray presses the block to the metal again, and an impressive amount of nothing happens.

"There's a very specific formula system for getting it into any shape at all. The amount of material on attaining the simplest box shape alone could fill libraries. It's...not the best material to use for building. Having read a bunch of the literature myself a while back, (when I was an power-hungry ambitious young lad) I can honestly say that I came away from that experience with nothing but the sinking feeling that my time had been completely wasted."

Gray turns back to his coffee.

"I have ten more minutes for my break, and I'd rather talk about pleasant things. Sit down if you want, join in the conversation, take a sandwich even, but I do believe I'm done with talking about vomit-metal.

However, as I am a resource manager, if you're really interested in it, after my break we can talk shop and I'll give you some estimates and offer you a price on some of this material, as well as the literature you'll need to do anything with it.

For now though, I'm going to chat with my friend Kain here about life and times."

Gray turns back to Kain, and they begin to exchange light conversation.

[AmberVael]

Aesa briefly wonders how he is going to get rid of the shed, but that's not her problem.

She sits for a moment and meditates, taking up about two minutes of Gray's time.

After a moment, Aesa appears next to herself, a small bag in her hand that reads "Shop OmniShop."
Here we are.
The first Aesa vanishes, leaving her double humming to herself as she goes to the middle of the former station and digs a small hole with her powers in about three minutes of Gray's time.
She then drops in something that looks very much like grudge stone, but is almost pearl in color.
In one minute it forms into a pillar.

She chuckles and hums, then pulls out the second item in her bag- an intricately adorned tablet very similar to Gray's, except that the runes all read "Shop OmniShop." She taps it on the pillar and it turns into an irrevocable, unchangable, twenty foot statue of her.
In the middle of the former police station.
And it seems to have fused with the ground.
It also looks very pretty, as opposed to the grudge stone. But it's just as- if not more- stubborn than the grudge stone.
This is also known as SEP stone.
I advise you check out the OmniShop while you're here. Good day.
Aesa tips an imaginary hat to him and vanishes.

[thehothead]

BAD who was unfortunate enough to deadtime while fused with an axe in the shape of a golem, unfuses with the axe.
I think I know what to do about that.

[Woland]

Gray looks up at the statue, and nods sagely.

A few minutes later, Gray and Kain are at it again, rebuilding the police station along with several NPC workmen.

The shed of putrid green still remains, as does the statue of Aesa.

The only difference, now, is that a sign hangs from the right arm of the statue of Aesa.

It reads,

"I shoplifted."

Hopefully it will inspire local kids to stay in school, rather than disobeying the law and risking ending up as giant stone statues

[gooddragon1]

OOC: ((You know, I could just expand my description of Rathe and have him take Aesa's statue to the "edge of conscious thought and into the region of dreams" and let it dissolve into unconsciousness and eventually nothing. Or I could bring you some dough nuts to go with that coffee... I can't cook, but I'd wager the guys where I'm staying can.

EDIT: On second thought, lets just go with the dough nuts, that is... if you want them.))

[thehothead]

BAD walks up to Gray.

Hello, I'd like to help you build this police station. You can call me Bald Axe Dude.

[Woland]

((Heh, no, that'd be ever so slightly godmodding, saying one works and the other one just doesn't because I say so.

That is, if it works the same way the grudge metal does, which I'm not sure of. It seems Vael just used an 'improved' version of it, which had the exact same process to use etc, but it could be completely different, I don't know.

Come to think of it, using 'immovable material' may be godmodding in itself, as it does the whole 'no effect, ever, no way, you're all automatically countered' thing.

I might remove my posts with the grudge metal thing if I get confirmation from others that it is in fact as such.

Doesn't seem fair to have something which doesn't budge no matter what.

I did state that there's just no known way so far, so characters could definitely go into research and whatnot, but still that's not much wiggle room.

I don't know, it seems again like I'll have to play this whole thing by ear once more. Give me some feedback and I'll change it.))

[Woland]

Gray shakes BAD's hand.

"Pleasure. Glad to have you on board. You'll receive an hourly wage and possibly a tax cut if I can get the council to allow it.

Now, let's just see if we can build over the shed there. Possibly cover it up with plaster. As for the rest of the station, I don't want to run into metric tons of gold debt, so I think we're just going to build the rest of the station in classic fashion. More architectural options that way.

All righty then, grab a set of tools and get to work! The blueprints are on that wall over there."

[gooddragon1]

((Heh, no, that'd be ever so slightly godmodding, saying one works and the other one just doesn't because I say so.

That is, if it works the same way the grudge metal does, which I'm not sure of. It seems Vael just used an 'improved' version of it, which had the exact same process to use etc, but it could be completely different, I don't know.

Come to think of it, using 'immovable material' may be godmodding in itself, as it does the whole 'no effect, ever, no way, you're all automatically countered' thing.

I might remove my posts with the grudge metal thing if I get confirmation from others that it is in fact as such.

Doesn't seem fair to have something which doesn't budge no matter what.

I did state that there's just no known way so far, so characters could definitely go into research and whatnot, but still that's not much wiggle room.

I don't know, it seems again like I'll have to play this whole thing by ear.))

OOC: ((Soo... would that be a yes or a no on the doughnuts?))

[thehothead]

Got every tool I need right here.
He holds up his axe, which promplty turns into a screwdriver.
wait a minute, did you say taxes? We have taxes?

[Woland]

OOC: ((Soo... would that be a yes or a no on the doughnuts?))

((If I answer 'yes' and 'no' do I get doughnut holes?))

Gray stops and ponders this for a second. Then he shrugs. "Well, I know at least I get them. Could be a mail scam, but I've learned not to risk those sorts of things. Well, everybody, let's see how much progress we can belt out today.

Alright, hands in. One, two, three, BEIGEHAWKS!!!!

...Okay, we're going to have to requisition someone to come up with a better team name."

He picks up a shovel and gets to work.

((Deadtime))

[gooddragon1]

((If I answer 'yes' and 'no' do I get doughnut holes?))

OOC: ((Actually, you get holy doughnuts, I'll just try and do an air drop next time you guys do a coffee break (If I'm on at the moment)

EDIT: BTW, I completely understand what you mean about game balance, me and Vael had a little fight a while back and she showcased the power of magic over psionics (damn wotc for not allowing psionics proper ability to fight magic *shakes fist*) anyway, a bit later I massively overpowered my character beyond vael's ability to destroy and was chastised accordingly, so yeah I actually have experience in the field your talking about. Also, if you really want to go into game balance issues, look at the swarm of crystals power: no save, no DR (its a power so even if it mentions damage subtypes it doesn't matter), no spell resistance, and no AC prevention, simply a 15 foot range. That there be god modding territory.))

[Kyrian]

The demons start throwing fireballs at walls and BAD. And the walls start coming down, because I'm getting really tired of your "everything I do happens" attitude.

Oh, and they remove the sign from Aesa's statue.

Oh, and hothead? You can't ignore attacks just because the only thing you know about your character is that he's a bald axe dude. That's called godmodding.

[LordVader]

Another gunship heads towards the area, this time carrying a pair of melta missiles. It fires them at the statue. They will explode in a white-hot burst of thermal energy capable of disintegrating any known substance.

Also, I'm not regarding either of these "1337 rocks" as totally unbreakable. That's just blatantly unfair.

[AmberVael]

(( 1. For the last time, gooddragon1, stop thinking this is DnD. There is no game balance except what we decide is balanced, because we use no rules.

2. Yeah, the rock is just a weee bit godmoddy, but I was too tired to argue last night. So I just used what I was provided.

3. Lord Vader: Go for it.))

The statue melts weirdly. Into like... a pile sticky goopy stuff with the consistency of really sticky and semo-goopy cheese.
Of course, since the statue is in the middle of the station, the missiles probably melt away the reconstruction done on it as well.

[Woland]

As the demons' fireballs swarm towards the walls, and the missiles begin exploderating in classic mushroom fashion, Gray mutters some foreign words, (you know, because foreign words are always magical) and a wave of cold envelops the buildings, bringing them to drastically subzero temperatures. The energy hitting the buildings counteracts this, bringing their temperatures dangerously high and incinerating a few of the walls, but not enough to leave the block of land in a giant crater.

Gray sighs dejectedly at the demons and the gunship.

"Do you mind? We're building something here."

((Okay. I'll just say that the puke-green metal is just hard to destroy, not impossible. I implied that before, but I'll just state it now for the sake of fairnessitocity. Indestructible is silly, I admit, and not fun to play with.))

[Kyrian]

((Just because you stated such for the object does do anything against the rest of your passive godmodding.))

[Woland]

((Just because you stated such for the object does do anything against the rest of your passive godmodding.))

((Banana hammock.

You say something silly, I do too.


Deadtime))

[Kyrian]

((How is what I say silly? What fun is roleplaying with someone that plays a character that nothing can be done to. Everything we do, you assume your actions are greater. Nothing can scathe your character. Nothing can affect whatever your character is doing. Where's the fun in that?))

[Woland]

((How is what I say silly? What fun is roleplaying with someone that plays a character that nothing can be done to. Everything we do, you assume your actions are greater. Nothing can scathe your character. Nothing can affect whatever your character is doing. Where's the fun in that?))

((There once was a hippo named Crissy.

Okay, deadtime now))

[LordVader]

As the demons' fireballs swarm towards the walls, and the missiles begin exploderating in classic mushroom fashion, Gray mutters some foreign words, (you know, because foreign words are always magical) and a wave of cold envelops the buildings, bringing them to zero degrees Kelvin. The energy hitting the buildings counteracts this, bringing the buildings back to room temperature and a bit over, (a bit toasty to say the least) but leaving them largely intact.

Gray glares at the demons and the gunship.

"Do you mind? We're building something here."

((Okay. I'll just say that the puke-green metal is just hard to destroy, not impossible. I implied that before, but I'll just state it now for the sake of fairnessitocity. Indestructible is silly, I admit, and not fun to play with.))

Actually, 0 degrees kelvin is physically impossible to achieve. But whatever.
And the melta weapons should still disintegrate the statue, with some overspilling into the consruction, damaging that as well.

((And Kyrian, we have a small problem with overpowered PCs here, if you didnt't notice. It's not just Woland.))

[Woland]

The woman in the labcoat, in the meantime, has set up a stand on the street, which faces two long lines of people.

People in the first line are signing papers, grabbing work tools, and then heading to the construction site to build.

People in the second line are reaching into wooden crates around the stand, pulling out and putting on uniforms and grabbing badges, which read, "emergency people's militia - temp. officer."

The stenographers continue to record the goings on, utilizing the large stacks of paper at their feet that continue to be provided to them by a rotund man smoking a cigar.

Kain too is directing a major course of action - using the giant hole in the ground provided by the worm to place structural supports on, a team of workers assisting him.

Citizens who are not assisting with the construction or swearing themselves in are crowded around the site watching, some of them placing down picnic baskets and shade umbrellas. There must not be any major sports games going on today.

((Alright, editing the temperature thing.

And overpowered PC's in the town are a problem. It's part of the reason I decided to participate in this particular thread, actually, if you haven't caught on yet. ))

[The Geomancer]

((

((How is what I say silly? What fun is roleplaying with someone that plays a character that nothing can be done to. Everything we do, you assume your actions are greater. Nothing can scathe your character. Nothing can affect whatever your character is doing. Where's the fun in that?))

Actually Kyrian, what is happening here is that you and Vael are assuming your characters actions are greater. In my opinion, definitively saying 'there will be no police staton' and then backing it up with a character like Aesa who can pretty much not be defeated is godmodding. Gray is merely the balancing act. I also wouldn't be the one to throw around terms like godmodding if I had been the one to write this:

And the walls start coming down, because I'm getting really tired of your "everything I do happens" attitude.

Especially when you said this in the same post:

Oh, and hothead? You can't ignore attacks just because the only thing you know about your character is that he's a bald axe dude. That's called godmodding.

Hypocrisy at it's best my friend.))

[gooddragon1]

(( 1. For the last time, gooddragon1, stop thinking this is DnD. There is no game balance except what we decide is balanced, because we use no rules.))

OOC: ((You can take my life, but you can never take my CHEESE! We'll be making our own fun later, don't you worry your pretty little head off about it.

EDIT: BTW, guys if they have the power of plot behind them, none may challenge it.))

[LordVader]

OOC: ((You can take my life, but you can never take my CHEESE! We'll be making our own fun later, don't you worry your pretty little head off about it.

EDIT: BTW, guys if they have the power of plot behind them, none may challenge it, but since it looks like that isn't the case, I may just bring my character into this: of course I'm going to do that anyway (but not for destructive ends as you'll see in a minute)))

((Heck no, they don't have the power of plot!
Also, Geomancer pretty much hit the nail on the head. You knock out the station, and there's really no way to get it back except with vastly disproportionate effort to what you had to do to take it out. Now, she can probably be defeated, but we have to take down all five copies and keep them restrained somehow, which is nigh-impossible. especially since antimagic has no effect. There is almost no chance of a counter-attack succeeding.))

Jarus appears with a clap of thunder next to Gray. He looks at him.
"I am a officer of the Town Police, and an accomplished psion. Do you need my assistance?"

[AmberVael]

((She's really good, I admit, but she probably won't commit any more than one of herself here. It just leads to complications if she uses more than one.
As such, that will make the task somewhat easier.
Furthermore, I fully expect (and am planning on, honestly) that you guys will take the station back. All I'm looking for is about 3 significant PCs (maybe two, but I don't want them to be some wimps), maybe some backup, and a plan that isn't horrible. I just don't want Aesa to be fighting annoying little red shirt npcs (entirely) that just plain mob her.))

[NecroPaladin]

Actually Kyrian, what is happening here is that you and Vael are assuming your characters actions are greater. In my opinion, definitively saying 'there will be no police staton' and then backing it up with a character like Aesa who can pretty much not be defeated is godmodding. Gray is merely the balancing act. I also wouldn't be the one to throw around terms like godmodding if I had been the one to write this:

((Agreed on too many levels for me to really be comfortable with.

Coming back to the Old Town for a moment because I was asked for my opinion...

Spoiler

Show

Well, let me first state that YES, Woland is a real-life friend, but NO, that does NOT mean that I'm arguing his apparent side because I'm his bishy. I'm going to argue it because he's right.

She chuckles and hums, then pulls out the second item in her bag- an intricately adorned tablet very similar to Gray's, except that the runes all read "Shop OmniShop." She taps it on the pillar and it turns into an irrevocable, unchangable, twenty foot statue of her.
In the middle of the former police station.
And it seems to have fused with the ground.
It also looks very pretty, as opposed to the grudge stone. But it's just as- if not more- stubborn than the grudge stone.
This is also known as SEP stone.
I advise you check out the OmniShop while you're here. Good day.
Aesa tips an imaginary hat to him and vanishes.

First off, Vael. You cannot accuse someone of godmodding for having an indestructible material and then say that you make a material like it, but better. I mean, that came off as about the most petty post I've seen in a long, long time. You didn't even bother to explain the material so much as to say 'what Gray has, but better' (effectively). It doesn't just come off as a worse offense than his godmodding, but also as being completely unoriginal. Aesa can't always be the most powerful person in Town, and I'm not going to spew hate-speech at Aesa because there's nothing I can say that I haven't said before. But, honestly, you have to lose the admin complex:

((Bah, I don't feel like arguing this, especially since my knowledge of physics is singularly lacking.
Though I'm pretty sure the best way to state my argument is:
GRAAAAR! FORCE DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT.

((Well, the problem comes from the fact that force isn't really an object, it's just what it is called- force.
At least in my perspective. That's how Aesa does it.
It's kinda like trying to skootch something that doesn't exist.
Think of it, rather than an object or substance, a big area that exerts exactly the force required to negate your motion- an equal and opposite force, so to speak.

I'm not trying to be irritating here, really, this is just how I've always perceived it. If you want to change something because of this, I'll let you.))

No matter how rational you come off here, you would do well to remind yourself that you don't define the rules. You criticize gooddragon1 for thinking of everything from a D and D perspective, and yet you assume that another player should abide by the same defenition of an abstract concept (force) that you do. In the same way, the "I'll let you" is a term that, to me, makes you look like you think your opinions are more relevant that Woland's, and that you're allowing him to have his views as the benevolent authority figure.

Note, I probably am completely wrong in my interpretation, but the point is that you're starting to come off as a really big jackass, which is only going to get more people to encourage Woland, who is graciously going back and editing posts (until now) that you consider as godmodding. This will just cycle and turn him into more of the protagonist and you the antagonist until the entire town hates you or we have some variety. In a way, Woland's backed you into a corner.

And overpowered PC's in the town are a problem. It's part of the reason I decided to participate in this particular thread, actually, if you haven't caught on yet. ))

Kyrian, I'm a bit more iffy on. See, you're just coming off as a hot-headed idiot (again, I'm not accusing you of being one, but it looks that way from an outside perspective), because you get angry at Woland's passive godmodding (by the way, he is doing it to get a message across, which obviously hasn't been recieved, but it would do you well to look at the above quote), and yet you break the fundamental rules about not stating your attacks as automatically hitting. Observe:

One demon gets chopped. Because that's all BAD gets before another tackles him from behind.

The demons start throwing fireballs at walls and BAD. And the walls start coming down, because I'm getting really tired of your "everything I do happens" attitude..

You come off as a giant hypocrite, aside from various other negative traits such as looking like Vael's b***h, and being *gasp* a GODMODDER!

Honestly, if you two think that someone's godmodding, and he even fixes posts when accused of it, no one is going to think you're the cool kids in town for lowering yourself to just about the guy you accused of godmodding's level (Vael), or much, much, much, lower (Kyrian).

I'm gonna put it bluntly, you're both making complete fools of yourselves. Woland, I'll admit, could well be manipulating you around his little pinky to look like fools, but it doesn't change the fact that no one, and especially not three people, as you hope, are going to want to take the station back, because no one wants to bother playing with two RPers who have spent a page or two coming off as huge jerks.

Honestly? I'm dissappointed. That's my only judgement. Kyrian, Vael, you're better than this. I've seen you better than this.

))

[Woland]

Gray greets Jarus with a tip of his hat.

"Could always use more help, friend.

What we really need right now is more volunteers for the columns over there. Once we have the basic framework set up we can make a temporary headquarters until we can reconstruct the entire thing. I've decided to make some structural improvements to the building; I think you coppers will be pleased with the results.

At any rate, everything here is under control now - feel free to use one of the tents over there for your office. The emergency people's militia is taking care of basic police duties for now, but they'll disband themselves when the rest of your force returns.

Until then, have a look at the city rounds chart I've assigned for the temp police. As an actual officer, you should have a say in the EPM's duty charts."

Gray hands Jarus a silver badge, which reads, 'EMP Coordinator.'

"Welcome to the 'force,' sir," he says with a grin, "glad you could join us."

A workman signals him over, and with a pleasant nod to Jarus he departs, moving towards the fray of workmen.

A few steps towards the site though, he turns around to regard Jarus once more.

"Oh...and I might have promised all these men a tax cut. See what you can do about that, could you?"

[AmberVael]

((1) I only said the material was rather godmoddy after we both used it, and I think we both agreed to get rid of it. I didn't mean it as an attack, but rather as an admission to Lord Vader that yes, we probably should get rid of it.
Note that the statue was destroyed right after I admitted it.

2) Yes, I did state and argue what I believed my force did. And then I let him do what he wanted, because it would have probably been unfair, and unfun if I had kept forcing the issue.

3) I probably should just shut up when it comes to the DnD thing. You're right. I'm being unreasonable.))