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Author Topic: The Forgotten Art: Approaching the Nexus  (Read 272199 times)

Execute/Dumbo.exe

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3330 on: February 09, 2015, 05:17:45 am »

((Actually, quick question, where can I see all the character sheets?
Also dammit Xan when have you not tried to cause an apocalypse?))
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IronyOwl   But Kyuubey can more or less be summed up as "You didn't ask."
15:52   IronyOwl   Whereas Dungbeetle is closer to "Fuck you."

Xantalos

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3331 on: February 09, 2015, 05:51:50 am »

((Einsteinian Roulette funnily enough. I didn't even try there, it just happened.))
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lawastooshort

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3332 on: February 09, 2015, 07:18:51 am »

((Actually, quick question, where can I see all the character sheets?))

((Mine's here, thanks for reminding me to bring it further forward))

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Parisbre56

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3333 on: February 09, 2015, 08:29:58 am »

((Oh. Perhaps I should consider staying in hell then, since Xan started the Lardocalypse.))

((@Execute/Dumbo.exe: I write mine whenever I cast a spell or change my stats/skills/inventory. You can find it by searching for Thylacine Pillar.))

Spoiler: Eta (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: February 09, 2015, 08:32:26 am by Parisbre56 »
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Toaster

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3334 on: February 09, 2015, 04:31:17 pm »

Larry shrugged again.  "Right, let's go."

Grab hold of him and jump off to Saturn.  Didn't I have to jump through the lower levels first?  Do that if straight there doesn't work.
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HMR stands for Hazardous Materials Requisition, not Horrible Massive Ruination, though I can understand how one could get confused.
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Harry Baldman

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3335 on: February 14, 2015, 07:06:54 am »

THE DUNKER once again has an idea to fix this horrendous mess.

"Sorry, chap! I'll fix this!" he tells the universe, so as to not overstay his welcome so soon, and performs an arcane gesture with his hands.

[DUNKER's affinity roll: 4+1]

The tornado abruptly bowls over as its components stir even more than before - with a whine and a hiss, the lard starts to bubble, growing hot for a moment, then separating into many, many layers - the innermost one, the one THE DUNKER and his new friend Halesey seem to occupy, becomes crystalline and semi-solid. And if the slushing sound that is heard immediately afterward is any indication, something altogether more liquid has formed on the other side. The tornado stops moving, and its two occupants plummet to the ground, getting buried in an avalanche formed of the solid component of DUNKER's creation.

Halesey, supposing matters aren't quite fixed yet, tries a new accent.

"Hmm. Well."

It fails to impress the goopy mass he finds himself in. Time for a slightly different solution.

[Halesey's affinity roll: 6-->6+1]

Elegant. Powerful. Easy to use. Of absolutely no danger to him. These are but a few of the descriptors that may adequately describe the noble potato vortex that forms right above the scene of presumable carnage that Halesey can't quite see. The fractioned lard is removed from his body expediently, cleaning up the entire area of all undesirable elements.

[THE DUNKER's body roll: 4-1-1]

THE DUNKER, who is right next to him, is also rather nicely picked off the ground, steadily getting lifted into the vortex above. His flabby arms and legs wave around in the air, seeking support and finding none. Ah, to be inexorably accelerated by the suction of alien dimensions. Halesey remembers the feeling. How long has it been since he learned to be in tune with the vortex? He stands up and waves to the large man, completely unaffected by the pull of the vortex that currently appears to be taking up a large amount of the ceiling of the rather large room. Staring into it, Halesey feels a certain peace of mind coming back to him.

* * * * *

Eta, guided by her new shady associate, walks toward the arriving edge of the hallway until the shade stops her, pointing at one of the shafts. It has Toe Pine Seven as one of its destinations, right above Teal Red Nine and Sparrow Sparrow Seventeen, whatever those are. Without delay, the shade ushers her in and follows, getting sucked upward through the connecting tube. It's an oddly nondescript sensation - one would expect this sort of thing to be more uncomfortable, really, but this is almost ethereal in how it carries her on its stream.

In no time at all, the two of them find themselves at an exit that opens immediately - walking out, Eta sees a concourse of sorts, a four-way intersection. The hallways leading in each direction are entirely bare and tubelike, with a very industrial, metallic look. The walls are brushed, unornamented brass with deep vertical grooves of unknown purpose running down them. The place looks a little grim, bathed in red light and seemingly never meant for more than simple conveyance, with only illuminated signs explaining that each hallway leads to a certain block serve to break up the bareness. Eta is about to look around, but one of the hallways shuts abruptly, and the sign pointing to it, which says Sparrow Sparrow Seventeen, suddenly flips away, leaving a blank. A soft groan of machinery is heard for a few seconds, and the sign flips again, now saying Sprint Gold One.

"Should move quickly," the shade accompanying her urges her on, and the two of them walk down the hallway to Toe Pine Seven, which stays open for a few more moments before an iris closes behind them and the hallway, slightly resembling a millipede's body on closer inspection, shifts, its rear section bending down considerably as it forms an impromptu staircase, making Eta's climb slightly more difficult and disorienting. The shade appears unbothered, and the iris they've left behind opens in due time, presumably leading to a different concourse now. Right now, though, they seem to have come to the end of the hallway - a door, or perhaps more of a hatch. It has no handle or anything similar, just a single hole. By the side of the door there is a card-based display with the number 0, complete with a slash to avoid confusion, and a button beneath said display with the word "RING" written upon it.

"Here we are. Toe Pine Seven," the lawman shade says. "Nobody home, should be here in ten to fifteen minutes, depending on route taken," it then adds in a bored voice, tapping its elongated finger against the small hole in the hatch before plunging it in. The hatch squeals as it sinks into the wall, then rolls aside, revealing a hallway beyond. "Would you like to surprise them?"

* * * * *

John, in complete agreement with Pilton's plan, gives his pet pademelon Fluffles a name and a good petting. Fluffles abruptly vanishes in response. Damn it all. Anyway, together he and Pilton reunite with Tracey and Stan, who seem to be conversing outside.

"... but you know how it is with dance majors, they're never really the sharpest tools in the shed. I thought choosing acting would put me in a more sophisticated crowd, you know what I mean?"

Stan doesn't seem to have a very good idea of what she means, and seems to be nodding along passively.

"But do I even need a college degree, is what I'm wondering? I think the whole thing's a scam, personally, especially the humanities, which-" Tracey continues, but then notices the two men return. "Hey! You're back! Was it nice? Tell me it was nice. I couldn't bear the idea of missing out on something lame."

"It was the sweetest thing ever. Now, Stan, you can go now. We don't have much need of you now," Pilton says levelly.

Stan's lips say "Very well, sir," with slight resignation, but his eyes are deeply thankful.

"But we were just getting to know one another!" Tracey pouts.

Stan bows obsequiously and quickly vacates the area, not eager for more conversation. The three remaining wizards watch as he half-jogs away

"Uh, so, what do we do now?"

"We split up and look for magical creatures that may or may not increase our power. They shouldn't be difficult to find when one's alone and vulnerable," Pilton explains.

"But that sounds dangerous! Can't I tag along with one of you?"

"Think of it as a learning experience. In danger," Pilton says, and Tracey gives you a doe-eyed look of concern.

* * * * *

Larry, having wasted quite enough time, grabs Tom and jumps once! The scenery changes to a vast gray desert, with distant ruined marble buildings giving evidence of the recent demonic rampage taking place here. The Moon. Beautiful in its destroyed state, but ever-dull.

He jumps again, Tom still in hand. The sun-blasted gray wastes of Mercury surround him now, with half-finished monuments and entrances to subterranean abysses dotting the landscape. A testament to enduring ambition.

Another jump. The air grows thick and laden with carbon dioxide, though the choking, sterilizing effect of the environment is lost on Larry and, seemingly by extension or perhaps by an alternative effect, on Tom as well. Coupled souls leave great flaming streaks in the sky as they pass.

Then there's the Sun. Even more beautiful. The entire star is one luminous network of advancing thought, exceptional minds joining in communal creative endeavor under the guidance of fun-loving angels. Alien thoughts start to seep into Larry's mind. Whatever they're thinking about up here, it's clearly slightly beyond his current concerns. He jumps again.

Jupiter. Many moons, asteroids and even artificial platforms orbiting a great stormy gas giant, each under the dominion of a great administrator and their cadre of helpers. A political structure simultaneously looser and far more complex than that of Earth's, and webs of policy that Larry can only begin to contemplate. He jumps for the last time.

And here he is on Saturn. The home of the contemplatives, with retreats placed in virtually every corner of the sphere of influence of the immense gas giant, providing solitude matched only by the deep space among the Fixed Stars. The Oldthinker's home proves simple to find, like a beacon in a vast emptiness, and in not too long at all he and Tom stand out by the door of the floating house. He doesn't even need to knock, as the door is opened immediately by the Oldthinker himself.

"Right on time. I knew I felt thomething in the air. Come. Let uth partake of thome good thtuff before we begin, my athothiates," he lisps toothlessly, backing away into his living room with a smooth gait, his arms open in welcome.

"Is this the guy?" asks Tom. "Scratch that, is the stuff any good?"
« Last Edit: February 14, 2015, 08:18:17 am by Harry Baldman »
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Parisbre56

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3336 on: February 14, 2015, 08:06:55 am »

"Sure. Surprise is nice. Unless the one I seek is already in there."

"So these are your friends? Do you know them well?"

Harry Baldman

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3337 on: February 14, 2015, 08:09:25 am »

"Sure. Surprise is nice. Unless the one I seek is already in there."

"So these are your friends? Do you know them well?"


"No. They are probably miscreants. Why else would you be looking for them?"

The shade gestures toward the opening.

"After you."
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Xantalos

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3338 on: February 14, 2015, 09:49:29 am »

Hmm. This seems to be rather unfortunate. I'd rather not go in there, I think.

Repeatedly summon platoons of Foreign Pork Queens to such a massive extent that they clog up the portal with their bodies. If they happen to accidentally crush this other grey guy by sheer weight of numbers I'm not complaining.
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Parisbre56

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3339 on: February 14, 2015, 10:10:00 am »

"Thanks."

Take a look around to ensure there are no security devices, magical runes, trapdoors or other dangerous things in there. These are criminals we're talking about, after all. If all is fine, enter.

"I suppose, although I haven't seen any miscreants in hell yet. Everything here looks so ordered I'm surprised they could find a way to break the law."

"Anyway, I was more interested in knowing if you could identify them."

lawastooshort

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3340 on: February 14, 2015, 03:55:39 pm »

If I am forced to defend myself with near-endless castings of Potato Vortex SO BE IT.

"So uh, hey there. What you doing up there dude? I could totally get you down. Perhaps."

If the Dunker so desires, attempt to reverse the flow of the vortex with my mind.
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Xantalos

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3341 on: February 14, 2015, 04:03:08 pm »

Yeah, I'd rather not venture into the potato realm, so please get me down if you wouldn't mind. They're a bit too crunchy raw. If you have a donut portal I'm all for it though.
...
Have you met the people upstairs? We might like to recruit you.
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Pancaek

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3342 on: February 14, 2015, 09:37:01 pm »

"Wouldn't you say that, yes, an accomplished wiazrd walking by himself would seem vulnerable. But two newbies like ourselves, seemingly desperately staying together for together, would look even weaker, yes? And attract more strange creatures? I think me and Tracey should stick together, to give the semblance of extra weakness." John says, giving a subtle wink in Tracey's direction
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lawastooshort

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3343 on: February 15, 2015, 01:42:28 am »

Reverse or unsummon the vortex, whichever is likeliest...

"Er, the people upstairs? I don't know."

Halesey wondered if the people upstairs were still upstairs, or were being initiated into the realm of the potato right now. That was a pretty large vortex. It made him quite happy to behold such a thing.
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Xantalos

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Re: The Forgotten Art: Disgust and Confusion On The Wizardly Way
« Reply #3344 on: February 15, 2015, 01:57:16 am »

It's a wizard group I'm part of. We're rearranging stuff to get more power. They wanted me to make a guardian, but instead this happened. I told them.
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