Arts and CraftsThe place to talk about stick figure avatars, graphic design, fan art, or any application of the visual arts and creative writing--or just to show off your latest masterwork!
Gah, sorry about that. I would have gotten more stuff up, but my main computer went down for a bit, so I've not been on much recently, or really had access to the stuff I've written recently.
__________________
Plague Rat in the Playground
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grim ranger
I support the godly magazine idea, and hope that Eld can serve as mix of town crier and incredibly deadpan game show host in some sections. Also, for some odd reason, he will also make appearance when it comes to godly fashion tips, for even if he is grim reaper he will be the most bishounen god there is. Just you wait
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonwolf
Damn you and your comprehensive understanding of synergistic tactics. :|
How to join challenge? nevermind I saw the FAQ which I never noticed before
I want in :0
Hooray, the FAQ was useful! Welcome to the Challenge
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadlessMermaid
Yeap, I failed this round.
However, I have a little something today. I think Glass Mouse deserves a prize for 100 freaking weeks of passing the Challenge and not balking once, not to mention the work she's been putting for everybody else. So here goes.
Spoiler
It's lackluster, I know, my apologies. But it was the best I could do considering that:
1) it's been many years since I drew anything at all
2) I'm photoshop-illiterate
3) I can't do coloring to save my life, and inking isn't my strong suit either
4) apparently, I have misplaced the scanner's cable , so I had to snap a photo of it
Here's to hoping it's the thought that counts , and congratulations to Glass Mouse!
P.S. Welcome aboard, flyingchicken! :)
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! You are the sweetest person! I can't even come close to describing the grin on my face right now
And don't put yourself down, that badge looks great! Very well-designed, and definitely the best badge I've ever received, haha.
Can I sig it? Would that be okay?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercenary Pen
In other news, challenge accepted on the stylistic piece- I can even think of a couple of things I want to draw inspiration from. Do the city and/or corporation already have names, or do I have a completely blank slate to work with?
Thanks for explaining about NaNoWriMo
The company's name is "Norwell", which is also the name of the city. I'm open to better suggestions, though.
And thanks a lot! It's so sweet of both you and Headless to offer these things
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neoriceisgood
For the whole "4 weeks of following the themes thing"; what counts as following the theme?
Is it one piece out of the things you've done fitting the theme? One big/core piece following the theme? Or at least 6 pieces following the theme?
Just curious.
Oops, should've clarified. One piece (quality-wise on par with the others) is enough.
The company's name is "Norwell", which is also the name of the city. I'm open to better suggestions, though.
And thanks a lot! It's so sweet of both you and Headless to offer these things
Well, I figure if I'm getting prizes for taking part, then I might as well turn my efforts to making sure nobody else misses out (though a good piece of work is to some extent its own reward)...
And restrictions on the tech level for Norwell (for example if present-day or historic tech level, pin it down to a decade and that way there won't be too many glaring anachronisms- for example I don't want to refer to surveillance cameras in a piece where the general tech level is supposed to be that of the 1920s- or the 1890s for that matter)
Ooh! I like the new theme challenge idea. It'll probably actually get me working on the themes too sometimes...we'll see! Oh, and I'll just abuse my power as theme-picker this week, and go with Poison or Disease.
Now I'm going to go write the case file for the insane once-medical researcher plague crafting twins, Tix and Tox Malady.
I intend to keep this run going for quite a long time! We shall see what happens.
Edit: BAM! Week is off to a good start. 1200 words of novel this morning, and the first 600 words of case file on the Malady twins, including some unexpected and awesome developments in the setting, and the first introduction to their scholar and old professor, the sentient undead Doctor Hansen Marcescent.
__________________ Quote of the [insert timeframe here]: (Week? Perhaps! Year? Also maybe.)
"Those who have learned to walk on the threshold of the unknown worlds...may then with the fair white wings of Imagination hope to soar further into the unexplored amidst which we live."
-Augusta Ada Lovelace
(Kairos avatar by Elrond)
Last edited by Icewalker : 09-25-2012 at 01:04 AM.
And restrictions on the tech level for Norwell (for example if present-day or historic tech level, pin it down to a decade and that way there won't be too many glaring anachronisms- for example I don't want to refer to surveillance cameras in a piece where the general tech level is supposed to be that of the 1920s- or the 1890s for that matter)
I'm sending you a PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Icewalker
Ooh! I like the new theme challenge idea. It'll probably actually get me working on the themes too sometimes...we'll see! Oh, and I'll just abuse my power as theme-picker this week, and go with Poison or Disease.
That's good to know! As for the theme, is it "Poison or disease", or is it '"poison" or "disease"'?
Hm, I think I'm a bit behind, I've only made one thing since I joined (3 things if you count everything I made after Sunday); whatever, I'll see how this pans out.
Just a heads up, I'll be posting all my works in my dA, and things that I consider complete works tend to go to this gallery.
Hm, I think I'm a bit behind, I've only made one thing since I joined (3 things if you count everything I made after Sunday); whatever, I'll see how this pans out.
Just a heads up, I'll be posting all my works in my dA, and things that I consider complete works tend to go to this gallery.
Oh hey, that's you. I noticed the Haley and Elan sketches, but didn't get around to commenting. Lovely colours and brush texture, in any case
Everything since Sunday counts, since Sunday is the official cut-off time - except for daredevils and procrastinators, haha. Thanks for the link, and good luck on making it!
Intended to be either one! I figured they were specific enough it could be both available.
__________________ Quote of the [insert timeframe here]: (Week? Perhaps! Year? Also maybe.)
"Those who have learned to walk on the threshold of the unknown worlds...may then with the fair white wings of Imagination hope to soar further into the unexplored amidst which we live."
-Augusta Ada Lovelace
(Kairos avatar by Elrond)
Last edited by Icewalker : 09-28-2012 at 11:12 AM.
Okay guys, here's my work for the week... I haven't followed the theme this time, but I didn't feel it was going to help me towards NaNo, and that's my main goal here...
First, starting towards a background biography on one of the movers and shakers for my novel- not finished yet, but 653 words is 653 words
Spoiler
To be honest, I'm not entirely convinced that Miranda Gates-Llewelyn took her position as corporate leader of Gates-Llewelyn Heavy Industries holdings in the Okami colony terribly seriously during her early time in office. She was picked during the process that selected potential colonists for the mission to Okami, with her family's business investing significantly in the colony mission along with any number of other major companies, each injecting capital into the project in exchange for the promise of access to natural resources once Okami had been terraformed, allowing them to start up a new branch of the now interstellar corporations that they were part of, serving what was in many ways a captive customer base whilst providing a degree of infrastructure for the mission. Gates-Llewelyn had been one of the biggest investors in the mission, covering in total just over seven per cent of the mission's overall budgeted costs, placing them in the top ten corporations that would be emigrating to the new colony.
Being a family owned business, they did not want to trust the new holdings to somebody outside the family considering the massive communication gap between the Okami system and the Shylock system, which was the starting point for the expedition. With that as their focus, and no desire to take family members already working in the business out of their roles to make the several year journey to Okami in cryosleep, they turned to the younger generation, putting a few of the older teenagers within the extended family through an intensive crash course in business theory and practice so that the brightest of them could be sent along to manage their holdings on Okami and make sure that they achieved the expected return on their investment in this colony programme.
Finally, from the seven candidates that had been selected from their extended family, Miranda Gates-Llewelyn was selected to take the position of Chief Executive Officer once they were able to start work on Okami, with three more of the candidates being sent along to make sure that the family had a proper presence on the Okami system if something unexpected were to befall Miranda, though it was spelled out in no uncertain terms that their positions were to be subordinated to that of Miranda and that any business decisions that she took were to be as gospel to them.
However, it was at this point that an insurance policy was put into place, with the elderly Adam Gates-Llewelyn, due to retire three months before the Okami colony mission was launched, being convinced by the senior members of the family that a nice gentle retirement on the young colony world of Okami was exactly what he needed, and that if he could quietly and unobtrusively keep an eye on the new generation and how they were doing business whilst he was there, they would be very grateful indeed. On top of this a large sum of money and resources were transferred to him as an incentive to go along with all of this, and with that, a fifth member of the Gates-Llewelyn family embarked with the colony mission when it set off for the Okami system.
Several years of cryosleep later, they arrived on the Okami system, being awoken for an advance briefing aboard ship as to the resources and facilities on the planet's surface that were in the final stages of being set up for their usage once colonists started being debarked from the expedition. It was at this stage that Miranda dropped her façade, allowing herself to appear bored and uncaring in meetings now that she was no longer under the oversight of her entire extended family and passing off much of the responsibilities of her position to other members of the family whilst she- now at the age of seventeen- spent much of her time flirting with any attractive male that she could get close enough to.
Next is a continuation of my work on the Audacious-class star frigate- having written 316 words of this before, my math makes this next chunk about 1260 words...
Spoiler
In terms of weapons, the Mk13 EK comes with a formidable arsenal of missiles and electrically pump lasers, sporting three forward and two aft missile tubes, as well as six in each broadside, four dorsal missile tubes and three ventral tubes for a theoretical maximum missile throw of twenty four missiles per salvo- though under most circumstances it won't be practical to use all missile tubes at once, due to the restricted ability of most missiles to fire more than ninety five degrees off bore due to the current state of technology.
The missile capability of the Mk13 EK is augmented by batteries of state of the art electrically pumped lasers, with six beams in the forward chase, four in the stern chase, twelve in each broadside, ten mounted on dorsal turrets and six mounted on ventral turrets. Regrettably the geometry of the Mk13 EK, though as optimised as our engineers can make it for super-firing laser positions does not permit quite the same concentration of throw weight as can be achieved with missiles- but this is still sufficiently deadly to hold its own against other escort weight warships and to outmatch most raiding ships in the same size category- though it may not stand against some of the larger designs of commerce raiding cruisers.
In terms of defences, the Mk13 EK is equipped with state of the art multiple layered beam refractive armour with electric reactive capabilities, forming a forty centimetre thickness around the ship in all directions with the exceptions of where components or hatches need to break the skin of the vessel to fulfil their function- augmenting this are the rapid-fire defensive railgun turrets that cover every possible avenue of attack against the frigate and launchers that can deploy canisters of anti-laser aerosol gasses into the firing arc of expected enemy laser broadsides to blunt their effect.
The standard crew complement aboard a Mk13 EK is rated at four hundred and sixty two, though the automation aboard the frigate allows for effective operation in the hands of crews as small as ninety six, though this does require longer shifts per crew member and potentially excessive reliance upon automated attack and defence patterns when fighting the ship.
The most telling thing about the Audacious-class star frigate is its design history, for ever since the first Audacious-class ship and name bearer for the class HMSS Audacious cleared the building slip in which she was constructed, the first example of what became the Mk1 AR variant design, our research and development people have, in concert with top military theorists and line operators aboard the Audacious-class, been refining the design to keep it relevant to the day to day demands of the modern space warfare environment, and with no less than 25,600,750 man hours of research having been undertaken between the launch of HMSS Audacious and the writing of this very publication, we think it fair to say that the Audacious-class has continually pushed the boundaries of modern space warfare.
As an example of the toughness of the class, and with the permission of fleet space marshal Connaught of the Osiris colony space defence forces, we reprint the following excerpts from the ship's log of the OSS Nile, a ship of the Mk7 EW variant.
Mission log, 28th April 2239.
We were proceeding with all speed from a routine escort mission protecting ore haulers on their journey to the orbital furnace at Atem when my sensor operator of the watch detected three unidentified vessels on our tracking system. Due to electronic warfare capabilities, we were unable to determine a precise match with regards to the design of the unidentified ships, but they were approaching the Atem manufacturing station with deceleration that could only be achieved by purpose-built warships, masked from our sensor array until this point by debris and their own active stealth systems. This put us in something of a quandary since the combined force of our drives and those of the unidentified warships meant that we were accelerating in almost opposite directions at a rate of a combined two hundred and fourteen gravities, and whilst we had them only one point seven gigametres behind us, that distance was growing with every second.
The recorder on the bridge will show that I ordered the Nile immediately to battle condition Beta, having all personnel stand by and all weapons and critical systems made ready, then ordered my helmsman and navigator to determine and execute a least time intercept course to bring the unidentified ships to action. I decided to hold off on hailing the unidentified ships for now, preferring to wait until I was in a better position to bring the Nile's weapons to bear against the enemy rather than spur them into rash and desperate action whilst they still had the time to take actions that might jeopardise the lives of the ore hauler crews and the residents aboard the Atem orbital manufacturing station.
Even with our acceleration and deceleration rates being higher than those of the unidentified vessels, the distances involved were such that it took us two and a half hours to close to combat distance after we made the most brutal turnover in my career to change direction, a manoeuvre that strained the capabilities of our inertial compensator system, even though it had been given a clean bill of health while we were in dock only two months before.
As we closed to combat range, I took a careful look at the feed from one of our forward facing observation cameras, hoping to achieve a visual identification of our targets even if an electronic identification was not going to be forthcoming. I couldn't be sure of the class of ship we were facing myself, for their owners had taken the time to give it an irregular paint scheme in assorted dark hues to throw off visual recognition, but the tactical officer's mate- also looking over this feed, as well as a few others- gave us the bad news, each of the three unidentified warships was another Audacious-class star frigate, and whilst none of them were likely to be of the same generation as the OMS Nile, they would prove a difficult foe to overcome simply because of their numbers and the fact that each was of similar tonnage to us.
Without much time remaining, I sent a hail to the three unidentified warships, instructing them to change their heading and stand by for inspection. I received no response, forcing me to commit to action against a numerically superior force. Reluctantly, I gave the order to open fire, instructing a missile salvo against the third designated target, whose course was currently taking it wide of the manufacturing station- hoping that a precision strike against her engines would neutralise the threat she presented to the station. With the missiles away, my tactical section prepared a selection of plans for our laser fire to be implemented when we reached effective laser range of the raiders, and as they computed vectors and patterns against the likely enemy countermeasures, the third bandits defensive railguns burst into life, their solid tungsten projectiles slashing wildly at the incoming missiles as the targeting computer aboard the elderly frigate struggled to keep up with the electronic warfare packages coming in behind the warheads of our missiles, shooting down three of the eight missiles that streaked towards her and beginning to vector her thrust to change course as the other five slammed into her, four striking her main thrusters as the fifth slammed into her hull armour.
Finally, there were 594 words on behalf of Glass Mouse which I'm not going to share here, but have previously PMed in her direction.
Case File for Cell 5 and Cell 6: Tix and Tox Malady
Spoiler
History:
Tix and Tox Malady were born in the 4rd month in the year 314, in a small village by the name of Murrain, located in one the denser portions of ungoverned region known as the Wild Wastes. The exact date of their birth is unknown, as record keeping and history within many villages in the Wild Wastes are minimal or nonexistent. For the same reason, very little is known about the early life of the Malady twins. The first significant occurrence on record was in the year 324. As occurs fairly commonly in the Wild Wastes, a plague struck the small village, and seems to have killed the entirety of its populace. For reasons unknown, the Malady twins, at the time ten years old, were the sole survivors.
The two, very young, traveled between villages for the next several years. Many of the villages the Malady twins passed through suffered symptoms of a similar plague, suspected to be the same one that eradicated the small town of Murrain where the twins originated. This disease, later named after the town in which it is first known to have struck, is suspected to have been carried by the Malady twins, though they did not show symptoms. The siblings eventually arrived at the Utopia Academy, where they were taken in as students. The Malady siblings excelled at their studies, mastering everything put in front of them, and took an extreme liking to chemistry, anatomy, and magic. They were patroned by a particularly notable researcher: Doctor Hansen Marcescent, an expert on the human body and its reactions to disease, as well as a talented cleric. Dr. Marcescent is also notable as one of extremely few sentient undead on record, after an accident during an expedition seemed to result in his body’s death, but not his mind’s. The accident did nothing to slow down his academic career, and he continued as a researcher and a professor, finding an assortment of ways to slow and halt the natural decay of his body.
However, within a year of the Malady twins’ arrival, the Murrain struck the Academy. A large number of students and researchers alike were killed in the now infamous Black Year of the Utopia Academy. During the Black Year, all capable hands were put to use attempting to research and develop a cure to the Murrain, including capable students such as the Malady twins. As with many diseases in the Wastes, the Murrain was incredibly lethal and transmitted very easily. However, where most of the Wastes’ diseases were fairly straightforward in their development, and as such, straightforward to cure, the Murrain was malleable to an unusual degree, and as a result proved to be incredibly difficult to fix. After nine months of research, and an enormous number of deaths, a stopgap solution was developed by Dr. Marcescent at the academy, with vital assistance from the Malady twins, who received significant renown for their contributions at such a young age. The solution was not a cure, but a chemical compound capable of halting the symptoms and progression of the disease, as well as suppressing its presence in the body to a sufficient degree that it would not spread as a contagion. The compound filtered out of the body over the course of a day, but with regular doses, it was possible for those who contracted the illness to carry on with their regular lives, risking neither themselves nor those around them.
The Malady twins’ continued their careers as students and research assistants, primarily working under the tutelage of Dr. Marcescent, but with increasing independence, working on a number of projects on their own with only a small amount of oversight. By the age of 16, the two were full Academy researchers in everything but official title. Dr. Marcescent observed that it was around this time that the two were on the trail of a significant discovery. They had been following research and carrying out experiments regarding natural decomposition, on living and undead beings. The Malady twins noted to Dr. Marcescent more than once that they were on the edge of a significant discovery, though would not go into details regarding their research. Though it was not realized at the time, based on analyses of future experiments carried out by the Malady twins, and certain records and observations kept by Dr. Marcescent at the time, it is now suspected that during this period, the Malady twins began using themselves as test subjects, albeit in carefully protected and controlled experiments.
Then, in 331, for unknown reasons, the Malady twins dropped this secretive project. When inquiries were made, they avoided the questions, stating simply that the research produced no results, was unfinished, or was impossible to test, often giving conflicting answers, primarily avoiding giving any and all information regarding their research. The two immediately dropped all studies in their field of expertise, disease research, and instead turned to the practice of magic, and a variety of fields they had never shown particular interest or expertise in, including history and social support for the Wild Wastes. Though they continued to show little particular interest in the fields they had begun practicing, the Malady twins absolutely refused to return to any project or studies within the fields of disease or anatomy. Dr. Marcescent noted that the pair seemed to be avoiding him, not out of any dislike, but as if they felt it would be dangerous for them to interact with him. Almost a year after this unknown event, the two, against their protests, were brought to contribute their expertise and chemical knowledge on a social mission to a small town which seemed to have been struck by a disease, possibly the Murrain. It was concluded to be a different illness, and a simpler one, however much of the Academy team fell ill, those still capable beginning standard rush-research procedures to find a cure. Approximately half the team died from the disease, however Tix and Tox seemed to be unaffected, much as they had been unaffected by the Murrain. The twins spearheaded the effort to find a cure, which succeeded after only a period of several weeks. Upon return from the mission, the Malady twins filed to graduate from the Academy, stating the intent of continuing research in a private setting. Tix and Tox Malady left the Utopia Academy in the year 332.
The two traveled back to the now abandoned site of their old village, upon which they constructed a private laboratory. Beyond this fact, no details of their lab, their work, or their experiments were known at the time. Investigation of the lab after their capture in the year 339 has shed a small amount of light on these experiments, however a very small amount of information has been gathered, because even under all standard quarantine procedures, those who attempt to investigate their research tend to fall ill from a variety of diseases, often several in unison, and die within a period of days, if not sooner.
It is believed that the Malady twins resumed the research that they had so abruptly ended. However, investigations and comparisons of the two labs suggest that where their initial research was in attempts to discover information and theorize, their new private lab was initially built with disease cure rush-research procedures in mind. It is unknown what affliction the twins were attempting to combat with their lab, but records suggest that within a period of about two years after setting up their laboratory, their research shifted away from disease curing, and back to disease theory. It is unknown whether this changed because the twins discovered a cure to whatever affliction they were attempting to fix, or for other reasons. It is shortly after this point in time that the first unique plague is suspected to have been put out from the Malady twins’ private research facility. Over the course of the next five years, a series of plagues were tracked back to the facility, each of which was concluded to have not developed naturally, but been magically enhanced, or entirely magically designed. These plagues struck in a variety of unique and incredibly dangerous and effective ways. The first, and one of the most effective afflictions now simply known as the Arcane Plagues gained its name from victims first, becoming known as Magiceater, the first cases of which were recorded in 334. The disease spread exclusively between those capable of wielding arcane energy, something never seen before in a disease. Even more exceptional, and even more dangerous, the disease appeared to be capable of spreading as a contagion via spell, and any exposed to the magic of one suffering from Magiceater would often succumb to the disease, even if the two practitioners had no physical proximity to one another. The disease would consume and destroy the magic of the infected, without having any apparent effect on their physical body. It is the result of Magiceater that such a very small quantity of the population of the Wild Wastes today are capable practitioners of magic, even though the Utopia Academy developed a cure for Magiceater within a matter of months. A series of other deadly plagues of assorted unique features, each more difficult to understand and cure, spread through the Wild Wastes over these few years. Other than Magiceater, most had similar effects to the normal array of diseases in the jungles, and were simply more widespread, more deadly, and more difficult to treat, but the Utopia Academy was prepared to deal with them. In 337, the last of the Arcane Plagues struck, a disease known as the Rising Death. Rising Death was a unique plague, sufficiently infused with magic that as a subject slowly died, their body would rot around them in such a way that their own life force further infused their affliction. As a result, in 40% of cases, individuals who died from the Rising Death had a sufficient density of rot-suffused magic filling their body that their corpse would return as a crazed ghoul, still carrying the infection, with an obsession to spread it to as many people as they were capable of. While several of the earlier Arcane Plagues struck civilizations outside of the Wild Wastes, they did so only to small degrees. However, supported by the attacks of intelligent rot ghouls, the Rising Death struck incredibly severely within the cities of the Spire, the Empire of the Sands, and the Kingdom of Dawnstar, covering the entirety of the world. In 338, the Utopia Academy was laid to waste by assaults from these rot ghouls, it’s head disease researcher Dr. Marcescent escaping the facility with a very small team of other researchers, who continued to do all they could to combat the spreading plague.
The Arcane Plagues having been tracked to the Malady twins’ facility, all three civilizations declared the twins as suspected guilty of Genocide, adding a fourth count for the numerous deaths caused within the Wild Wastes. All three poured their full support behind Dr. Marcescent’s research, which successfully produced a cure for the Rising Death after a period of about a year. Several small attempts were made by assorted groups to attack the research facility of the Malady twins, but none were heard back from. Eventually, the three civilizations created a joint assault force to destroy the research laboratory of Tix and Tox Malady, and capture the twins for trial. The force consisted of a team of Spark Myrmidons, the arcane swordsmen of the Empire of the Sands, led by Court Mages Saho Ramanis and Amantun Sankhas, a wing of knights from the Kingdom of Dawnstar, and a set of Spire Authority Strike Teams from the Spire cities. The facility proved incredibly heavily defended, with small contingents of rot ghouls leading defenses. Despite all attempts to protect against them, severe diseases struck the entirety of the assault force, and deaths in the ranks resulted in rot ghouls rising from the dead of the assault force’s own soldiers. After a twenty-day conflict, the assault force penetrated the inner laboratory, and were able to capture Tix and Tox Malady.
After some analysis by Dr. Marcescent, the twins were concluded to be infected with not only every disease of their own designing, but nearly every affliction the doctor had observed in his over fifty years in the field, as well as a spread of previously unrecorded illnesses. Though they seemed not to show much in the way of symptoms, the enormous presence of disease and illness in their bodies had had some effects on their physiology.
Though half of the assault force were killed during the siege on the facility itself, a further 40% of them died in the following months from illness, including Court Mage Amantun Sankhas, leaving a very small number of survivors.
A pair of quarantine cells were developed to contain the twins, built by Dr. Marcescent and his team in the Lock prison facility. Tix and Tox Malady were tried from inside of their cell, and were found guilty of four counts of genocide for the Arcane Plagues, as well as Practice of Priority I Illegal Magic, and Production of Priority II Illegal Substances, and were convicted to life in prison in the Lock prison facility.
There have been two instances in the first year of the Malady twins’ imprisonment in which the quarantine of their cell failed. In each instance, emergency further quarantine procedures were enacted, and deaths were minimized, however between the two incidents a further 38 people were killed by the twins. Dr. Marcescent produced a further layer of protection, a serum derived from the Murrain treatment, capable of suppressing the natural contagion of the diseases within the bodies of the twins, stopping them entirely from spreading their diseases as long as the chemical was in effect. Though it required daily injections, the disease ensured that even if the quarantine cell failed, or an unaccounted for disease was capable of escaping it, all diseases would be bound within the twins and would not spread to the rest of the facility. Due to the potential risks however, especially in the periods of re-dosing, only Dr. Marcescent himself as an already undead being is safely able to enter the Malady twins’ cells and give them their daily injections.
Known Capabilities:
The full extent of the Malady twins’ abilities is unknown. Their capacity as researchers and developers of longer form magic and ritual magic has been seen to surpass that of most others in the world today in their field of expertise, that of diseases, poisons, and decay. Their capacity as traditional mages, in spellcasting in the immediate sense, is known to be fairly standard, although they stand out as being reasonably capable in both the arcane and clerical arts. It is unknown to what extent their disease and infected state might influence their magical capabilities. It is known that the twins have some measure of control over disease and decay, especially when allowed close physical proximity or contact with what they wish to affect.
Physiologically, Tix and Tox Malady are so severely infected and afflicted by such an enormous range of diseases that their anatomy and physiology show distinct variance away from the healthy norm. Most notably, the extreme presence of such powerful diseases, most notably that of the Rising Death, results in standard systems of detection registering the Malady twins as both alive and undead beings.
The extent of the notes taken by the Malady twins would reveal more about their capability and the methods by which they accomplished many of the damages they caused, potentially even serving to benefit efforts to cure or otherwise reduce the influences of their afflictions on the world. However, on Dr. Marcescent’s insistence, the journals of the Malady twins have been locked away under quarantine under special protections, alongside other classified possessions of the Lock prisoners, as he considers them to be unsafe to handle, and potentially trapped to a more severe degree than simple contamination.
Each one I write gets longer.
__________________ Quote of the [insert timeframe here]: (Week? Perhaps! Year? Also maybe.)
"Those who have learned to walk on the threshold of the unknown worlds...may then with the fair white wings of Imagination hope to soar further into the unexplored amidst which we live."
-Augusta Ada Lovelace
flyingchicken
Current run: -
Longest run: -
Themes: -
It's Mercenary Pen's turn to choose a theme
I've had such a great weekend! Comic-wise, I wrote a bunch of scripts and made seven drawings I can't show yet. I also spent 5+ hours Sunday editing a short story (I must've rewritten 50% of the story, while only adding some 400 words in total length). I think that's the most editing I've ever done, so I hope it pays off.
Now onwards to more craft shenanigans!
Whoops. Sorry, I was reading something I need to write about, and I lost track of time! Here's my stuff for last week, whether or not I can wheedle you into counting it (though if I can't, I'm definitely using that 912 word post that could fit either week this time. )...
4,508 words of RPing as Savorla and Alynaia, otherwise known as the Ghost Lover and Lady Pain, plus Alynaia's form:
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by C'nor
[Alchazzar]
Savorla stretched languidly as she watched the peace talks, clearly at ease, though after a moment, she planted a quick kiss on the cheek of the Changeling in her lap, then gently pushed her away, standing as she did.
"Hm... I feel in a mood to indulge her wish for more people, I think."
With that, unless someone stops her somehow, Savorla vanishes, slipping out of time, and dragging Anarya with her, as she does.
[Beyond the Hourglass]
"It's been a long time, Savorla... I thought you'd forgotten me," her Chosen said, frowning fiercely, and showing little sign of pleasure at her goddess's appearance. "Especially when you stopped talking to me. But it seems you simply decided to ignore me?"
Savorla blinked in surprise, and, after a moment, drew her lover into an embrace, which, though it wasn't returned, at least wasn't rebuffed, either.
"I thought much the same... But what do you mean about not talking to you? So far as I've heard, you haven't said anything to me since I said goodbye to you in Freeport."
"I've been trying to get you to talk to me since the day after that," Anarya answered after a moment, returning her goddess's hug as she did. "You haven't heard, me then?"
The deity shook her head, the ice she seemed to have over her eyes apparently thickening, and a cold anger settling in her expression.
"No, I haven't... Something is interfering, it seems. But we have even more pressing matters to deal with than that, I think. Such as the corrupted spark in you."
"That wasn't a gift from you, then?", the human asked, sounding surprised, and scared, clinging to Savorla a bit more tightly as she spoke. "Or did I do something to it to make it corrupt?"
"It was nothing you did, Anarya," Savor reassured the woman, stroking her hair, and kissing her forehead. "And no, it wasn't a gift from me. But I think I can purify it, and make it a true gift, instead of one with a sting in the tail..."
Spoiler
Starting AP: 9
Anarya
Starting AP: 4
Join Pantheon - The Circle of Darkness (-1 AP): Anarya, as a former follower of Savorla, and a deity who, essentially, owes her fealty, is trying to "get in on her coattails", so to speak.
4 + 2 = 6
Bless (-1 AP): Anarya is now a true deity, and will no longer explode when she has more than four AP, instead being limited only by the upper limit of her divine rank, though she never gains more AP than a mortal with a false spark at each rollover. She also shares an AP pool with Savorla; though they can each have, individually, up to the maximum amount for their Divine Rank, they can also freely use the other's AP.
Transfer AP (-2 AP): Transfer two AP to Anarya.
Join Pantheon - The Circle of Darkness (-1 AP): Savorla, assuming Morgash's invitation still stands, is now a member of The Circle of Darkness.
9 - 4 = 5
[The Land That is Empty]
After no time at all, for they had been outside of it, Savorla and Anarya appeared in The Land That is Empty, Savorla taking a seat in her grey and amethyst throne as they did, Anarya in her lap.
"You seem to have spoken a bit hastily. He had permission to begin, yes, but no-one said others wouldn't attend...
And before you complain about bodyguards again, Anarya is my lover, and a goddess in her own right, as well as a member of The Circle, so she has every right to be here."
Quote:
Originally Posted by C'nor
[The Land That was Empty]
"You seem to be under the impression that you have the authority to make decrees without the agreement of all parties, mortal. But at this point in time, neither side has sovereignty over the other. If you wish to not have weapons, and bring none save yourself, very well, that is your right. But unless a majority of parties on both sides agree to that, it is not binding for anyone else; if you don't understand that, I suggest that you convey to Belsheroth a request for a representative who actually understands the concept of a negotiation, or, if it is your master who refuses to accept this, explain it to him.
Also, Anarya is a deity, whelp, and I would prefer you treat her as such."
On Jewel's arrival, the goddess smiles at her, nodding, and conjuring a large flask of ice-water in the air next to her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jewel. And if you're here for the peace talks, then yes, this would be the place, and I believe that Kipt's seat is just to the right of the pompous fool up the table from me, judging by the banners."
As she spoke, Savorla gently probed the edges of Jewel's mind, attuning herself to the woman so that she could send a message to her without saying it aloud, or resorting to the simple, but inelegant, expedient of creating a sealed note.
"My apologies for my ignorance, but Lady Gwyn didn't see to my education very well after she birthed me, so if you could please explain who Kipt is, when next there's time?"
Quote:
Originally Posted by C'nor
[Conferring Peacefully]
"My apologies, then, Anzhela. My impression differed, but in that case, it seems reasonable enough... Of course, that changes little for me, but I would like to offer an apology for the misunderstanding, and the insults.
As for testing Anarya's divinity, you may be allowed to later, depending on what we choose when we've had time to discuss the matter. It is not something I would choose for her, nor an easy choice for her to make... Regardless, I ask for no accommodations due to her once-mortal nature, nor does she, so the current state of affairs is acceptable, at least for the moment.
In any case, on to my terms:
Firstly, while much of what has been said regarding afterlives is acceptable to me, all of my faithful will go to Netheli, not only the Fae; I have followers among the humans of Freeport, as well as the Changelings, Peafowlkin, and Elthiens, and I see no reason that they should not be allowed to go to Netheli.
Should it matter, you have my word they will be safe there, and the minds of those who need such care healed as best I and those who serve me, as well as any other who wishes to aid, can manage.
Secondly, the Void is to be unsealed. It is, traditionally, common property of all deities, and Belsheroth has no greater claim on it, as a whole, than any other.
Thirdly, as the souls of our followers are ours to do with as we choose, by your own admission, while Belsheroth is free to take whatever measures he sees fit, within reason, to protect the souls of his followers, and prevent them from becoming liches or similar beings, we are likewise free to grant our own such gifts if we choose.
Fourthly, Vampires will be treated as any other mortal race, both with regards to protections and restrictions.
Fifthly, those who wish to remain in the Celestial Horde who joined prior to its creators death will be allowed to do so.
Sixthly, mortals are to be allowed to give up a portion of their life to return any dead being they wish to life for the same period of time they gave up, at which point the returned reverts to their former afterlife, unless their actions have rendered a change in destination necessary, such as in the case of someone converting from following Aquaeris to following Vargull, or one of those condemned to Hell atoning for their past actions.
Seventhly, all those following our agreement are to unite against any who break its conditions, nor is attacking them a violation of these terms. And I do intend to enforce that particular one regardless of the side of the offender, or their relation to me.
Finally, I am also in agreement that we should unite against Wigbach, though so long as they do not attempt to hinder us, I have no objection to those on either side preferring to remain neutral in such a case."
Quote:
Originally Posted by C'nor
[Probably Not, Yes.]
"Firstly, Belsheroth may make whatever decisions regarding those dead in his control he wishes. However, as I do not feel that second chances are foolish, nor was that even the primary intent of allowing mortals to return their loved ones for a time, any of my followers may sacrifice an amount of their life commensurate with a period of time they wish someone to return from Netheli, and the followers of any other deity who chooses to allow such actions may also return people from all afterlives of those who wish to allow the dead under their control to return.
Secondly, Belsheroth relinquishes sole claim to death. While he is certainly important in regards to it, he is no longer the only one who can claim it as part of their sphere, and thus must allow others to influence it as well.
Finally, Hell is abolished, at least in its current form. To torture people for all time with no chance at redemption - and, indeed, the rejection of any chance at redemption, as "Second chances are not acceptable" - is a ridiculous punishment; if they are never to have a chance to learn from it, or continue to be tormented even after they have repented and truly wish to make amends, what is the point of punishing them in the first place? The whole place is dedicated to vengeance and sadism, not justice, and it is laughable that any deity who supports such an institution can claim to be good."
Turning her gaze from Anzhela to the other representative of the Council, Savorla once again sent a message to Jewel, though this time, there was little other than where she was looking to indicate that she had done so.
"I fear that Belsheroth will refuse my third condition, but... You can see the logic in what I say, yes? Were you, as Kipt's representative, to offer your support for it, we could likely convince him, or at least Anzhela, to go along with it.
And if you wonder why I do this, what other purpose it serves, even though the words themselves are true... I am not wholly evil. Or wholly good, I admit, for mine is the middle path, walking between both, that I may do what your master and his kin may not, but I truly do find that plane, and the concepts behind it, vile. To protect mortals is part of my nature, for it is what Gwyn made me to do, and Hell is both a twisting of that aspect of myself and a thorn in my soul for the pointless nature of the suffering inflicted there."
Savorla's message to the human, oddly enough, sounds quite sincere; should Jewel and/or Kipt have any way to tell, they'll be able to determine that this is because she is, in fact, telling the truth.
Quote:
Originally Posted by C'nor
[Nettal Seems Unwilling to Allow That]
"Despite what you may think, you are not the only one who cares for mortals, Nettal. There must be a cost for returning from death, but to allow mortals to complete unfinished business, and be reunited with those they love, at least for a time, is exactly what I am trying to do by allowing mortals to give up some of their own time. It ensures that returning someone from death is not done lightly, but, at the same time, makes it possible without being a thing that can only be done to save nations, or similar situations," Savorla points out softly, showing a surprising degree of tact, considering how brash she had been for the rest of the meeting. "Now, onto my terms for this round...
Firstly, denied. My intent was to make this available to all mortals, not just mages. And if Belsheroth does not have sole claim to death, then he cannot claim his vision for it is the only one which can be imprinted upon it, so I fail to see why my terms are unacceptable, at least in their revised format, where they apply only to followers of myself, and any other deity willing to allow such.
Secondly, that is no longer correct, as Morgash stated.
Thirdly, why must those souls condemned to Hell remain there for two thousand years even if the punishment is effective before then? And why must the reincarnation be with no memory of their previous life? If they are to be brought back with no memory of anything they did before, or what happened to them for it, again, there is no point in punishing them, for their actions later will not be affected by it, and, once again, it is merely an instrument of vengeance. As Jewel said, the time of punishment, if necessary at all, should be dependent on the severity of the sins. And for that matter, a list of what constitutes sins should be agreed on as well, whether by this conference or another meeting between interested parties at a later date, said date to be set by the end of this meeting.
Fourthly, Belsheroth ceases attempting to control death for those not going to the Forest, save in ways to be further defined, again, either by this conference or another meeting between interested parties at a later date, said date once again to be set by the end of this meeting."
And then Nettal spoke up again, to be met by a fierce glare from the goddess.
"Enough, you insolent fool! Your earlier points were reasonable, if a bit rude, but it is not your place to set yourself up as sole protector of mortality!
You claim that it is the place of the divine to embody their domains? Then cease attempting to usurp mine. I have the protection of mortals as a domain, and it is not your place to declare that you can do my job better, or that I do not do it at all."
Turning towards Jewel, the goddess nodded, and gave her a brief smile of thanks, clearly glad for the support.
"Thank you, Lady Jewel. It is good to see that even if we are on opposite sides in some ways, that does not mean that we must conflict in all. And you raise an excellent point, as well; Kipt is not the only one to have loved a mortal, as evidenced by Anarya, and, if I understand her words, Anzhela."
For the first time since their arrival, Anarya spoke as well, tone cold, much like Savorla's had been earlier, when the deity's anger was chill, instead of the hot rage, turning the goddess's eyes to molten pools, and burning through the layer of ice that seemed to lay over them, that she felt now.
"Savorla healed my wounds, gave me money, and provided the means to protect myself, as I was begging on the streets for a few scraps of bread. And then, once I was healed, she became my lover, and had me aid others, who, in turn, began to help more. So do not claim she does not care for mortals, for those actions will continue to spread, unless others stop them."
Spoiler
Anarya's AP: 6
Bless (-1 AP): A small, but growing, group of Savorla's followers have been healing the injured or sick, and tending to those with mental or emotional wounds, as best they can, which, as it turns out, is rather effectively. If left unchecked, they will continue to slowly spread, before eventually, for the most part, stabilizing as a small, but not insignificant, fraction of the population.
6 - 1 = 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by C'nor
[Conference - Exodus of a Goddess]
"I saved one, actually. Directly, that is, which seems to be what you're inquiring about. But I charged Anarya with aiding others, and she laid the same charge on them, as well as asking them to continue to spread it to those they aided. By doing this, my saving one person has led to Freeport having places throughout the city where the sick, injured, distraught, or endangered can go to be healed, comforted, or protected, which has helped hundreds, and continues to help more, and grow, each day.
I have also dedicated my entire plane to protecting those who are not safe in the mortal realm, as well as providing a place for those who need it to seek healing, whether of mind or body.
As for if I will take all those I save as consorts or save only those I deem suitable for such... That is a false dichotomy, for those are not the only options available to me.
But, for the first choice, of course I don't, you maundering imbecile; I have only one consort, and that is Anarya, but even assuming that you were using the term synonymously with lover, why would I? Not all who come to me for aid wish such a relationship, nor are all of them ready for it even if they would be willing and otherwise suitable, due to the nature of the harm that most of those who come to Netheli have sustained. And, of course, there are those who are willing and ready, but I do not find suitable.
However, those who come to me for aid and are not going to become my lovers are not turned away; they are seen to just as anyone else, though in some cases the techniques do differ between the two groups, as, obviously, there are options available with those who are suitable paramours that there aren't with those who are not.
And now, as I am tired of being insulted, I bid you all farewell. I will return when Belsheroth has learned to keep vermin out of his halls."
With that, Savorla vanished, and Anarya with her, both returning to Alchazzar.
[Alchazzar]
When she arrived, Savorla nodded in acknowledgement of her grandson, though other than that brief recognition of his existence and presence, she ignored him for now, simply bringing a black velvet couch, of sorts, in from Netheli, placed in such a way that she had a clear view of the Viewport from it, and then sprawling comfortably on it to continue watching the conference, Anarya nestled against her side.
[Netheli]
Nine months ago, as time was measured in Arcadia, one of the Sidhe had lain with a vampire, on the orders of Savorla, using all of her magic to ensure that a pregnancy would result, for Savorla wished to see what the offspring of such a pairing would be...
Now, the birth had finally begun, though there was time still before its completion, and yet more before the child would have grown enough to see what results the experiment had had.
Quote:
Originally Posted by C'nor
[Pain]
On the edges of existence, there was a ringing scream, piercing the depths of the Void. And in its wake, one of the Ideas formed, taking the shape of a maiden, barely adult, her pale skin covered by thorn vines, just enough to clothe her, though she might as well have had nothing on for all the protection they gave from the elements.
After that single scream, however, she was silent as she turned back to the place that had spawned her, what she had just clawed her way free of, even as blood welled up around the thorns she wore, which had dug deep into her flesh at the movement, for, despite the pain, she was determined to ease her sister's birth, that the other goddess would not have to suffer as she did.
Quote:
Originally Posted by C'nor
The Weeping Girl took her sister's hand, a smile on her face as she did, though the action drove the thorns twined between her fingers deep into her flesh, for that would make it easier to do what she must next...
With her free hand, she plucked a long, hollow, thorn from one of the many vines encircling her, and drove it deep into her heart, and her spark, letting blood and power flow freely, and then, when there was finally enough, pulled it free, casting it into the center of the pool before them.
"From our shared blood, spilt that they might be free, and wreak vengeance on those who would seek to chain them, let the Steelthorns share a common heart as well, though their forms are as different as our own!"
With that proclamation, the first, those made by Xia, grew thin, needle-pointed spines, protecting them from the attacks of beasts, and strong enough to pierce the armor of any of the more civilized races who might try to harm them.
But that, of course, was not all; to make such a minor change, she would have barely needed the blood shed from her hand when her sister took it, nor was there yet the second form she had spoken of, which began to coalesce from the formless pool even as the original Steelthorns shifted, growing into humanoid beings of thornwood, sapient and powered by the sparks that Alynaia and Xia had planted in their hearts.
And, finally, the last change took effect; as the last of them were completed, Alynaia reached within both kinds, granting them the power to sense emotional pain in others, and spark or remove it.
That done, she turned her attention to the Halycon, forming strange things upon the hull, melded into the Divine Energy Reactors at its heart, and the hull itself, for the ship as it was was, save for what was needed to maintain it by the crew, and parts that must be separate for it to function, all one piece, and she would not mar its structure if she could avoid it.
Next came a pair of intricately entwined spirals, with two more weaving through them from the sides, all covered in thorns, so that they seemed to be great vines, like those The Evertormented wore, but on a massive scale, and made of bright metal, deep in the heart of the ship; this too was melded with the Halcyon, for it would need power at least as great as that used by the Starlances.
Then, she moved to another section of the Halcyon, filling a complex of rooms far within it with a maddeningly complex tangle of metal, much like the Briarheart in some ways, though not necessarily symmetrical, or simply formed from spirals, though those were certainly present.
Finally, or so she thought, she created intricate clockwork craft, armed with railguns and lasers, large enough to hold a single Steelthorn, and made to ride on the solar wind.
But, as it turned out, that was not quite all. The fabric of reality was still weak, and Ideas formed readily; near Xia and The Maiden of Suffering, the latent spark of one had been brought to life, by both their goals and the massive expenditure of power on both their parts, and now struggled to come into the world, so she reached out and slit the barrier, letting their daughter through to balance the world.
"Greetings to you, our daughter... And does all I have done please you, deirfiúr ionúin?"
Spoiler
15 + 4 = 19
Starting AP: 19
Create Legendary Life - Steelthorns (-2): My side of Xia and Alynaia's joint race.
Create Artifact - The Starlances (-3): Various laser weaponry, hooked into the Divine Energy Reactors. Right now they only provide bonuses to combat with mortal/demigod foes, but should the Halcyon enter combat with a deity after they've been infused, they'll be capable of providing an extra D6 to Attack.
Create Artifact - The Briarheart (-3): Shields for the ship, also hooked into the DERs. At the moment, again, they only provide bonuses to combat with mortals, but once infused, they'll provide an extra D6 to defense.
The exact nature of the shields is not currently known to the Steelthorns, or anyone but Alynaia and Xia, for that matter, but they absorb or deflect most things that attempt to damage the Halcyon, and may cause pain and/or harm to the person/creature/machine responsible for the attack.
Create Artifact - The Planar Jump Drive (-3): Exactly what it sounds like, the PJD lets the Halcyon hop between planes without divine intervention. It adds only to mortal combat at the moment, in the form of letting them get away from pretty much anything, but once it's infused, it adds an extra D6 to defense, to reflect their increased mobility.
Create Advanced Concept - Clockcraft (-2): Clockwork vehicles for traversing the Void, capable of riding the solar wind.
Create Advanced Concept - Railguns (-2): While not really practical on a personal or vehicular scale with current power sources, electromagnetic mass accelerators are most definitely modern tech except for that, making them advanced.
Create Advanced Concept - Lasers (-2): More powerful than anything it would be feasible for modern humans to make, due to the way they're powered, but, as above, still modern tech with the exception of using Divine Energy Reactors, and thus advanced.
19 - 17 = 2
2 AP
Quote:
Originally Posted by C'nor
Name: Alynaia, The Weeping Girl, Lady Pain, The Maiden of Suffering, She of the Thorns, The Evertormented, Mistress of Retributions
Played By: C'nor
Domains (Portfolios): Pain (Emotional), Suffering (Physical)
Themes: Tortured Goddess of Pain, Retribution and Healing.
Alignment: True Neutral
Attack: 4d6
Defense: 3d6
Hp: 30
Description: Pain is the lot of Alynaia, a thing she is... Resigned to, at least, and perhaps, or so the darker rumors say, that she has come to enjoy.
Whatever the case, though, her best known aspect remains that of Lady Pain, Maiden of Suffering, ruler over tortures, the one responsible for the spark of inspiration in the mind of a man given the duty to whip another for some transgression that lets him apply the lash in such a way that it cuts straight through cloth and skin, though she generally does not hold with pain for its own sake.
Her second facet is well known enough, if less commonly so than Lady Pain; She of the Thorns, Mistress of Retributions, the one who causes a woman who lost her lover to hunt down their killer and bleed them slowly.
Finally, she is also The Weeping Girl, and The Evertormented, a healer of wounds and pain, using her intimate knowledge of suffering to ease that of others, if she can, whether directly or through mortal agents; the healer who had a sudden flash of intuition about how a plant might combine with another to ease their patient's pain could credit her for that... If they knew this aspect of her existed, at least, which very few do.
Alynaia's appearance varies depending on what she's doing, her mood, and the impression she wants to give, so her physical description is highly variable.
__________________
Plague Rat in the Playground
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grim ranger
I support the godly magazine idea, and hope that Eld can serve as mix of town crier and incredibly deadpan game show host in some sections. Also, for some odd reason, he will also make appearance when it comes to godly fashion tips, for even if he is grim reaper he will be the most bishounen god there is. Just you wait
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonwolf
Damn you and your comprehensive understanding of synergistic tactics. :|
Oh my, this is harder to keep up with than I thought, especially with the stipulation of works being finished. Anyway, to help fill my quota, have a thematic poem in iambic tetrameter that took 45 minutes to write:
what's up my peeps of challenge thread?
my spurts and bursts so sparsely spread:
a drawring here, a drawring there
of ponies, meese, and timber bears
—a poem too, we can't forget—
but games and shows and porn beget
delays, belays, all arts waylaid!
the damnedest shame; I should be flayed
Hmmm, well, I need to write the case file for Maximilian Castor Greed tomorrow. I have some fun ideas. I think he's ex-Spire Authority...which is a good writing point to work with for me, a huge crime boss who is an ex-cop.
Edit: The first half of Greed aka Hades, possibly also Maximilian Castor, possibly also Enki Zal, possibly also Ostanes. (1648 words)
Spoiler
Prisoner File for Cell 7
Occupant:
"Greed" also known as “Hades”
also theorized to be Maximilian Castor, Enki Zal, Ostanes
Crimes:
Production of Priority I Illegal Substances
Trafficking of Priority I Illegal Substances
Practice of Priority II Illegal Magic
Murder of the 1st Gauge (166 Counts)
Destruction of the 3rd Gauge
Date Imprisoned:
Imprisoned the 11th day of the 4th month, in the year 340
1 year, 4 months, 20 days to the date.
Classification:
Human
History:
The definitive identity of the occupant of Cell 7 is not fully known. The only absolutely recorded event regarding the man occupying the cell is the Hades Incident, and his subsequent capture and trial, and as such this case file will begin there, followed by addressing the range of theories as to the origins and history of the cells occupant.
The Hades Incident occurred on the 30th day of the 3rd month, in the year 340, within the Spire cities of Hawkhaven and Old Chasm. An initially unknown being, officially coded Hades by Spire Authority communication, cut a direct line through both cities. The event began somewhere near the center of Old Chasm, in locales known to be the central hub of the organized crime empire run by the then unknown figure referred to as “Greed”. Due to the enormous control Greed holds over Old Chasm through organized crime, there is minimal Spire Authority presence within the city, and as a result the being referred to as Hades traveled a significant distance before Spire Authority teams first began attempting to intercept it.
The trail of destruction left by Hades was extremely broad, and extremely severe. Early witnesses report a man attempting to stand in the being’s way. Hades was seen to have casually struck the victim, seemingly with minimal effort, however the resulting blast immediately killed the victim, and the wave of force accompanying the blow leveled a city block. Encounters with Spire Authority give further examples of similar displays of force. Several officers’ remains were not found, between the force and the magic seen during the incident. After Hades had progressed through approximately four miles of city in a straight line, killing 44 Spire Authority officers on the path, a full Maximum Emergency Response Assault team arrived to confront the being. This team consisted of a standard full deployment of three Spire Authority Archmages, four Heavy Weapons Mind-Link (HW-ML) Strike Teams, two Magic Nullifier Mind-Link (MN-ML) Strike Teams, two Search & Capture Mind-Link (SC-ML) Strike Teams, and fifteen standard three-officer units, totaling 72 Spire Authority officers. Initial attempts by the Archmages to restrain the being proved useless. After an aggressive response, all Heavy Weapons teams began assault on the being. Though supported by all three Archmages, all attempts to harm Hades seemed to be utterly ineffectual.
After a short encounter, 75% of the officers present at the scene had been killed. The remainder retreated from the scene, as the being continued onward. It is noted that during the entirety of the encounter, Hades did not slow his movements to fight.
Approxmiately ten minutes following this encounter, Covert Operations ML Strike Teams pursuing the being observed him to fall, as if unconscious. Observation and approach showed no signs of the visible power displayed by the being earlier, now appearing for all intents and purposes to be a regular, healthy man of approximately 35 years. Immediately upon his collapse, a number of individuals on record as notable members of Greed’s criminal empire operating within Old Chasm arrived on the scene, having pursued the being Hades the full distance from the incident’s starting point in Old Chasm. CO-ML Strike teams and SC-ML Strike Teams pursued these individuals. Communications overheard from these individuals confirmed that the downed man who had previously been the Hades entity was the criminal figure Greed himself. Despite extreme attempts to the point of self-sacrifice on the part of these criminal individuals to protect Greed, Spire Authority teams were able to recover the unconscious body before it could be returned deep into the crime-controlled and poorly mapped districts of Old Chasm.
The man presumed at the time to be Greed was immediately placed in a maximum of security within the Lock prison facility. When he awoke, he was tried from the inside of his cell, and was found guilty of Practice of Priority II Illegal Magic, 166 counts of Murder of the 1st Gauge, and Destruction of the 3rd Gauge. In addition, the court concluded that the man captured was the criminal known as Greed, and as such was additionally found guilty of the Production and Trafficking of Priority I Illegal Substances, and was convicted to life in prison in the Lock prison facility.
Significant additional information has come to light since this time. The details regarding four different individuals each theorized to be, or to have a connection to, the occupant of Cell 7 are elaborated on below.
First and most relevant is the minimal known history regarding the criminal known only by the name Greed. No details regarding the appearance, history, of personality of the individual himself was ever discovered prior to the Hades Incident. However, actions and decisions are known as represented through the organized crime syndicate he operated.
Though successful in the whole range of criminal activities expected from a crime syndicate, including racketeering, blackmail, smuggling, and defense of criminal activities from the Spire Authority, Greed’s criminal empire is also particularly notable for it’s trade in illegal substances. Two chemical formulas have been produced from within this syndicate, drugs unlike any other substances developed. Certain sources suggest that Greed exclusively is capable of mixing these substances, however other information implies a small number of others within the organization may also have the needed knowledge to do so. The two substances, known colloquially as Hellfire and Howling Dark, are hyperaddictive, with extreme immediate effects and highly harmful long term general effects. No treatments have been able to completely or consistently help remove the addiction of these substances, and 90% of addicts do not survive withdrawal. Extensive investigations of the chemical structure of Hellfire and Howling Dark at the Utopia Academy produced minimal results aside from the recent discovery and recovery of certain destroyed records. See the section below regarding the academy student Enki Zal, below, regarding these records.
Few other details regarding Greed are known. He interacted minimally with other individuals, instead operating through remote communication and a minuscule assortment of similarly unknown trusted lieutenants. His actions often benefitted his syndicate in ways seemingly unpredictable in their complexity, and he acquired a reputation as never having made a mistake. He is also said to be an alchemist, credited as solely responsible for the concoction of Hellfire and Howling Dark both.
Theories that the occupant of Cell 7 is the criminal known as Greed, while initially fairly certain, are now being more regularly spoken against. In the year following the man’s imprisonment, the criminal syndicate within Old Chasm has not been reduced in efficacy, and the minimums of information that have been found suggest that Greed remains in complete unhindered control of the syndicate. Though it has been questioned whether the man occupying Cell 7 is the criminal known as Greed, the Lock has yet to raise the doubt in an official context, nor would a change in that decision modify the sentence of Cell 7, as the occupant is definitively confirmed as responsible for the Hades Incident.
The next individual of note is a man named Maximilian Castor. Castor was born and raised within the Spire city of Hawkhaven. Details of Castor’s childhood and early life are now unknown, due to the destruction of his records. At some point in his life, approximately 18-22 years of age, Castor joined the Spire Authority as an officer. He took focused training in the Covert Operations department, and was later approved to be trained as a Mind-Link specialist. Upon completion of his Mind-Link training, Castor began operations as part of a three man CO-ML Strike Team. On Castor’s first field mission, a magically enhanced flare rendered him permanently blinded. However, due to the nature of the sensory link he shared with his team, the handicap did not stop him from continuing his duties as a ML specialist. The particulars of his training, the details of this mission, and the details of other missions that Castor participated in are now lost, again due to the destruction of his records. It is known that Castor was involved in the assault on Malady Compound in 339.
At some point later in the year 339, Castor returned from a mission alone, his two teammates killed in action. Later investigations quickly discovered evidence that Castor had killed both of his partners, despite sharing a permanent sensory mind-link with them both. When attempts were made to confront Castor for the killings, he could not be located. Attempts to search his home, place of work, and city, all proved unsuccessful. Shortly thereafter, the entirety of Castor’s records were discovered to have been destroyed, and attempts to reconstitute them were generally unsuccessful. Castor has not been seen in the two years since.
When the occupant of Cell 7 was placed under maximum security within the Lock prison facility, the CO-ML Strike Team on staff, present primarily as guards of Cell 3, stated that the occupant of Cell 7 was Castor, having both trained with him, and fought alongside him and his team during the assault on Malady Compound. While additional witnesses have since agreed that the man occupying Cell 7 appears identical to ex-officer Maximilian Castor, the occupant of Cell 7 has complete and functional vision, whereas Castor was blinded several years prior to his disappearance.
A magical analysis to detect mental links showed the residue of two Mind-Link connections, both severed in a way consistent with what is observed when the opposite member of the link is killed.
Oh and I don't meet the theme, unfortunately. My general plan for future weeks though is to do my 1500ish words of writing, and also to do a page of drawing on the theme.
__________________ Quote of the [insert timeframe here]: (Week? Perhaps! Year? Also maybe.)
"Those who have learned to walk on the threshold of the unknown worlds...may then with the fair white wings of Imagination hope to soar further into the unexplored amidst which we live."
-Augusta Ada Lovelace
(Kairos avatar by Elrond)
Last edited by Icewalker : 10-08-2012 at 12:55 AM.
flyingchicken
Current run: 1 week
Longest run: -
Themes: -
It's flyingchicken's turn to choose a theme
Grimmace, you won another prize! I never heard back from you about the last one, but... If you want the 16 week one, shoot me a PM!
C'nor: I was about to fix the latest update when the forums went down, but it's moot now since your streak is broken anyway. Just thought I'd let you know
flyingchicken: Good job on meeting the goal anyway! I counted the fire drawing as 1˝ and the comic as the same; if that's completely far off, let me know.
Sorry for missing this again. Unfortunately, most of my writing has been on here recently, so the three days of no site threw me. I suppose I'll get back on track next week...
Also, I've been working on a piece for a friend, which, as it references private RL stuff, I'm not really comfortable posting or sending in. Am I correct in guessing that there's no way to get it counted?
__________________
Plague Rat in the Playground
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grim ranger
I support the godly magazine idea, and hope that Eld can serve as mix of town crier and incredibly deadpan game show host in some sections. Also, for some odd reason, he will also make appearance when it comes to godly fashion tips, for even if he is grim reaper he will be the most bishounen god there is. Just you wait
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonwolf
Damn you and your comprehensive understanding of synergistic tactics. :|
Also, I've been working on a piece for a friend, which, as it references private RL stuff, I'm not really comfortable posting or sending in. Am I correct in guessing that there's no way to get it counted?
There isn't, sorry. I have the same problem whenever I draw/write something I won't share.
I can promise to delete the PM immediately after counting the piece, though. I don't know if that is an acceptable compromise?
Nope, I just had a very busy couple of weeks, going back and forth to the hospital for my mom (she's out now and absolutely fine) and dealing with an insane amount of preparations regarding my best friend's wedding.
Sorry I didn't let you know. We're getting back to normal as of today. :)
__________________ "We need the excuse of fiction to stage what we truly are." ~ Slavoj Žižek
Since I already made something that fits for today, I'd like the theme to be "fire" or (fiery) "intensity."
Now, there's a weird fit considering I've been doodling mermaids all day
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercenary Pen
Forum downtime threw me this time around- and I suppose I used the theme the wrong way as well
You and me both, Pen. I hate barely passing, but I've been doing that a lot lately.
Btw: Your propaganda piece really threw me for a loop. I'm sorry I haven't answered yet, but I'm still figuring out all the thoughts it started. So either way, a huge win! I'll get an answer through one of these days.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadlessMermaid
Nope, I just had a very busy couple of weeks, going back and forth to the hospital for my mom (she's out now and absolutely fine) and dealing with an insane amount of preparations regarding my best friend's wedding.
Sorry I didn't let you know. We're getting back to normal as of today. :)
Ouch. Glad she's okay
And don't worry about not letting me know. I'm just asking because we've had a lot of people leaving without a word, so I've gotten in the habit of making sure everyone on the list is still active.
Btw: Your propaganda piece really threw me for a loop. I'm sorry I haven't answered yet, but I'm still figuring out all the thoughts it started. So either way, a huge win! I'll get an answer through one of these days.
That's okay from my perspective- it was a nice change of pace to write it- and it seemed to flow quite well as an idea.
Grimmace, you won another prize! I never heard back from you about the last one, but... If you want the 16 week one, shoot me a PM!
Oh sorry! I thought I had replied. I really like it, thanks. I love all the other fish bowls in the background. Um...I can't think of another image that I've been wanting...I'll let you know though.
Oh, actually, would you be willing to make some trophies for iron poet? I think just a first, second, and runner up would probably be good, if you're interested. (or if anyone else is for that matter)
__________________
Awesome Lion Avatar by the wonderful Mr. Saturn. Thanks
Oh sorry! I thought I had replied. I really like it, thanks. I love all the other fish bowls in the background. Um...I can't think of another image that I've been wanting...I'll let you know though.
Oh, actually, would you be willing to make some trophies for iron poet? I think just a first, second, and runner up would probably be good, if you're interested. (or if anyone else is for that matter)
I'm glad you like it
Sure, I can do the trophies! I'll shoot you a PM for details.
There isn't, sorry. I have the same problem whenever I draw/write something I won't share.
I can promise to delete the PM immediately after counting the piece, though. I don't know if that is an acceptable compromise?
Hm...
Tempting, but I'm afraid she'd probably prefer it not be seen at all, so I'll just do other things this week.
__________________
Plague Rat in the Playground
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grim ranger
I support the godly magazine idea, and hope that Eld can serve as mix of town crier and incredibly deadpan game show host in some sections. Also, for some odd reason, he will also make appearance when it comes to godly fashion tips, for even if he is grim reaper he will be the most bishounen god there is. Just you wait
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonwolf
Damn you and your comprehensive understanding of synergistic tactics. :|
I think I'll toss my hat into this ring. I've been thinking of writing a few pieces of fan fiction and this gives me the perfect excuse to stop procrastinating and just do it.
I've read the FAQ, but I'd like confirmation that anything I produce will not be due until next Sunday?
__________________
1782. I will remember we're playing 4th edition and stop using my imagination.
- From 1975 things MR. Welch is no longer allowed to do in an RPG.
That is correct, yes. Welcome to the Challenge! (And thanks for reminding me that I need to get back to work on some of my stuff...)
__________________
Plague Rat in the Playground
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grim ranger
I support the godly magazine idea, and hope that Eld can serve as mix of town crier and incredibly deadpan game show host in some sections. Also, for some odd reason, he will also make appearance when it comes to godly fashion tips, for even if he is grim reaper he will be the most bishounen god there is. Just you wait
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonwolf
Damn you and your comprehensive understanding of synergistic tactics. :|
RSS Feeds: 
Re: The CHALLENGE continues!
, so I had to snap a photo of it
, and congratulations to Glass Mouse! 
