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It was inevitable

15 (42.9%)

Winners don't do drugs

6 (17.1%)

I'll be back

2 (5.7%)

Drink the Kool Aid

6 (17.1%)

Groovy

3 (8.6%)

Insane in the membrane

3 (8.6%)

Total Members Voted: 35

[Coolrune206]

((I'll probably try to become some large form of arachnid with the ability to fling webs. It would allow me to potentially immobilize him, and larger tarantulas have been known to eat birds.))

[Salsacookies]

((I'll probably try to become some large form of arachnid with the ability to fling webs. It would allow me to potentially immobilize him, and larger tarantulas have been known to eat birds.))

Sweet. So I'd just throw you at the bird, then, and you'd take care of the rest.

[Megggas]

((Hm, ya.  John could just provide every member of the team with armor and weapons.  Can John make fire extinguishers?  George could really use one of those))

[Coolrune206]

((Let's not plan any group attacks yet, Salsa ^.^ The problem with those is the fact that if one member in the group dies, everyone else gets messed up ^.^))

[Toaster]

((Hm, ya.  John could just provide every member of the team with armor and weapons.  Can John make fire extinguishers?  George could really use one of those))

((If it's a machine, I can make it.  First mission involved me making a Roomba at one point.  ...a slightly homicidal Roomba, but that's beside the point.

Anyway, the only factor is time; it's not really quick.  Giving everyone matching gear would be much quicker than individual requests, though.))

[Parisbre56]

"Oh sure, no rush.  Gives me more time to socialize and all that.  Do we get any hints?  Hilarious commentary by you?"

"Of course! You can never get rid of my commentary."
He leans closer to you, as if he is whispering some secret, even though he continues speaking normally.
"Apparently, you'll be fighting one of our avatars. Don't know who yet, it's still under debate. I'm hoping for me, personally, so I can show off and kick some ass. But, I dunno, taking any of the others and beating them to a pulp should be fun too. Assuming you can do well. Should take their overinflated egos down a notch."
*caw* "Irony!"
"Yes, it will be pretty ironic for their avatars to die, wouldn't it?"
"Not what I meant."

A wry smile appears on Adams face, "Well, this certainly wasn't something I would have ever expected, still, I assume worse things have happened.
Could you give me any information on this member I shall be fighting? And, if possible, my teammates?"

:Unfortunately, no. We have yet to decide who exactly you will be fighting. As for your teammates, I believe it would be more interesting to see what you can find out on your own. I can offer advice or information if that is necessary, but I'd prefer to see how you can handle this without my help.:

<So Bond-Former is a modifier applied to a base creature, structure, or concept so long as they have a soul. The modifier grants them a soul-to-soul bonding target and a special ability or talent, as well as enhancing the growth of both former and target, and makes the former protective of the target. Also it changes the way you make babies.>
<What I want to know is how we're related, because that seems very similar to how I am, but my bonding target isn't an individual. But what I need to know right now is... River, you... might want to not listen to this... Exactly who our assassination target is, the identifier they use for their voice, what their base form is, what their talent is, who their allies are or were, and what exactly they did that makes River, and oddly only River, want to kill them.>

<That's quite a clinical way of putting it. You sound like Zero. And it's not exactly like that. You describe it as a qualifier you can just attach to someone, but it's not. It is something you are. You are born a bond-former, you can feel it and the knowledge that comes with it, you can feel it when you meet other bond-formers or people touched by bond-formers. And bonding is a one-time event, it cannot happen again, even if you or the one you have bonded with dies. I mean, I assume it is possible for someone to become a bond-former or to stop being one, nothing is impossible with enough power, but it would be pretty damn hard. And yes, I suppose that if you look around in the universe there might be other creatures that behave like us. Some of those creatures are even related to us in some ways. But none of them are us, you know?>

<As for the second question, I'm not really sure. The severer is not an entity, so there wasn't much about him in the Library. This event happened on a world controlled by an independent entity (none that you know) and who knows what kind of secrets it's hiding. Most of what I know is from our voting session. Still, I'm pretty sure we'd be able to tell if we come upon one, they have a very specific... signature to us. Might be that even you could identify a bond-former.>
<This should be its identifier. If it has not altered itself or been altered by this world.>
<For the third question, I need to explain a bit more about bonding. Broadly speaking, there's three ways it can happen: At birth is the most common one. When one of our seeds connects with a suitable soul. The second is the... semi-voluntary kind. When you feel like bonding with someone is the right thing to do, so you have no choice but to do it. Except you also have a choice. It's a bit hard to explain, it's part compulsion but it's also something you want. This isn't how I bonded with her and those are not the kind of memories one usually shares, so I cannot be more specific than that. The third is the challenge. Should one without a bond be challenged in a bond-challenge and be defeated, then they are compelled to bond with the challenger.>

<The severer was of the third kind, one of those seeds that are born without bonding with someone. He (let's call him Lindworm, although I'm not really sure if it even identifies with any name or gender since he didn't grow up with humans) was bested in a challenge by a human magic user. But the problem is that, instead of dealing with it, he... devoured the one he bonded with.> he says with disgust. <One of the very few ways one can sever their bond with the one they have bonded with and the most disturbing.>
<Our bond is a gift. It should not be abused like that.>
<And that's what Mr Fluffy here has a problem with. He believes (although obsessed might be the better word) that bond-formers have a purpose or ultimate reason of being or whatever you want to call it and->
<I know we do. I can feel it. We must have.>
<-and that it's his own personal responsibility to ensure that there is justice and that all bond-formers behave as he believes they are supposed to. And that he must educate everyone to the error of their ways and the right way to behave. I just imagine him going door to door, spreading the 'good news'.>
<I am speaking from the heart of our species. Your soul is old, like mine. Despite your ways, you must feel it too. What is true. What is right. It is our obligation to guide others of our kind, so they can find their truth. So that we can realize our potential, be what we are meant to be, do what we are meant to do. And to kill the ones that taint us by becoming selfish severers.>
<And that's where we disagree. I mean, don't get me wrong, I too feel that that guy is a despicable selfish asshole who should die horribly and that what he is doing is hurting us and making us all look bad. And who knows, if I was nearby, I'd do something about it. But I won't go out of my way, beyond the fringes of entity controlled universe, to find him and kill him no matter what and who gets in my way. Certainly not dragging others into it against their will like he did.>
<It was an opportunity! I never meant to force them to fight! You are the->
<I mean, I dunno, maybe the severer had a good reason for doing what he did. Maybe he was blackmailed. Or maybe we should just give the guy a break since he went to the effort to hide so well.>

<I mean, this feels too religious for my tastes. Just cause this guy believes something, he feels he should impose his will on everyone else. Freedom should be above that. I mean, sure, there are those that agree with Mr Wolf here, those that believe this 'true purpose' and 'source' nonsense of his. But others of my kind might disagree about his approach or simply not care about the severer.>

<But I'm pretty sure most of my kind is against that sort of thing. Severers. It's certainly rare enough that across countless worlds and countless years, this occurrence is one of the few that I know of. But, then again, other bond-formers aren't as social as me and this is not the kind of thing one talks about, so there might be something one of my kind knows that I'm missing.>

<Anyway, that's more of our species' problems. Even if it's what led to this thing, it doesn't affect the fact that it's your mission to kill that guy. Can't really do anything about that now. Unless you manage to convince them that you succeeded the mission or that you cannot complete it. And I don't think he will let the severer get away with it like that, he's too much of an obsessed fanatic for that.>

((There might be things I didn't answer, mostly because I didn't want to do this even bigger. Feel free to ask again if there's something I missed.))

Campaign, Ike!

The thought of Alan being able to make boomshine is enough to bring a smile to Ike's face.

Fill bottle with suspicious boozelike liquid. The fact that it hasn't exploded yet should theoretically be a testament to its relative stability. Smell it, see what I can discern about it.

Then go looking for Irine. These freaking people just can't stay still, can they?

You fill your waterskin with the liquid. It's definitely alcoholic. Mostly composed of alcohol with a bit of water. Also has something... planty in it, but you can't tell what it is. It's sweet smelling though.

That done, you start following Irine's trail.

I have a bunch of empty bottles. Fill them!
Dip my finger in and taste a single drop of the stuff.

<Ireeeeeeene don't make us leave without you.>

You start filling your bottles with booze.
Damn thing is strong. It burn your mouth and throat.

[Lenglon]

<I'm clinical because we're talking mechanics, specifics. I need details and clarity, so I express myself the same. I doubt I can sense a bond-former in my current state, not with my connections stinging and numb as they are. We are probably similar, but not the same. And I think your single bond is stronger than any one of mine individually are.>

<Next, the Severer's body. What was its base form? If it's inorganic, does it have critical locations or sensory organs?>

<Okay, what about its gift? Is that the reality-bending River mentioned or is it something else? what exactly are we dealing with?>

<Is it able to do River's mind-attack tricks? How can we defend against that anyway?>

<Can it track River the same way River is tracking it? Does it know we're here?>

<What did you ask for Ike to do D?>

<D, River, would it be possible to move D from your head to mine, since you don't want to hear him and I could benefit from his help?>
If River starts talking about the Severer's crimes again, I'm going to be interrupting him with a flat, angry:
<Shut up River.>
and sending a memory from home. a simple mouse hunt. a mouse that I was bonded too. Including the end, where I ate my meal. a simple daily memory of eating one of my children / bondmates.
<If I hadn't agreed to this hunt, I'd be helping the Severer hide. It is right to resist being enslaved. However, this is outside my purview, and I have no responsibility to him, and I have one to you. Now be quiet and let me hunt our prey.>

[Toaster]

"Well, that'll be fun.  I learned a lot from fighting BETA; hopefully some of those lessons apply.  Plus, haven't gotten the chance to meet a lot of you folks yet; mostly spoken to you and Charlie, besides Zero of course.  Hey Zero!  What do you think of these entity fights?  Are you an option?"

[Illgeo]

Team B.
To H4zardZ1:
"Hey, Magnetic, can you use machinery as throwing weapon?"
Tinker with machinery, try to do stuff beneficiary to us.

[Xantalos]

Threaten to start singing country music if my demands are not met. Don't specify any demands.

[NAV]

"Yep, that's the good stuff. It will make damn good molotovs. Now lets find the fox and get moving already.

Stick with Ike and look for Irene.
How many bottles of booze do I have?

[Parisbre56]

"Well, that'll be fun.  I learned a lot from fighting BETA; hopefully some of those lessons apply.  Plus, haven't gotten the chance to meet a lot of you folks yet; mostly spoken to you and Charlie, besides Zero of course.  Hey Zero!  What do you think of these entity fights?  Are you an option?"

<Affirmative.>
"Yep. We actually considered him for a while. Asked a few questions. He kept proposing arenas where he was the trigger for inescapable death-traps."
<It was the most efficient option.>
"Yeah, but it's not very fun, is it?"
<Your enjoyment is not this unit's objective. If an S0 unit was forced to participate, its primary objective would be victory.>

Threaten to start singing country music if my demands are not met. Don't specify any demands.

You do your best impression of an SS13 miscreant.

<I'm clinical because we're talking mechanics, specifics. I need details and clarity, so I express myself the same. I doubt I can sense a bond-former in my current state, not with my connections stinging and numb as they are. We are probably similar, but not the same. And I think your single bond is stronger than any one of mine individually are.>

<Yeah, sure girl. I'm not criticizing, I'm just sayin'.>

<Next, the Severer's body. What was its base form? If it's inorganic, does it have critical locations or sensory organs?>

<From what I know it's organic, although it can slowly change forms. Don't know if it can put inorganic pieces in it or if it has some sort of inorganic core that->
River starts sending a memory. Or more like pieces of a memory, a dozen or so point of focus, looping endlessly. A piece of a chitinous body with strong-looking limbs protruding randomly from it, limbs ending in bone-like needle-sharp spikes at the end. The limbs quickly and violently move towards the viewer, as if they are on springs, no doubt looking to impale them.
<Yeah, that looks organic to me. Don't know much else though.>

<Okay, what about its gift? Is that the reality-bending River mentioned or is it something else? what exactly are we dealing with?>

<Not exactly reality bending. Just changing its environment. Living or inanimate, he can change it, given enough time, to make it work as he wants.>
River sends another fragmented memory. This time it's something that looks like a dark green-and-blue plant above you. Its vine-like limbs extend quickly, tracking the viewer. The viewer moves towards the side, barely avoiding the grab, which instead catches a rock, pulls it up towards the plant and starts crushing it. The viewer does not see what happens next, for they start falling and their focus changes to a hole that has just opened on the ground below one of their legs. But it is not really a simple hole. It's a black thing with walls filled with white, downward-curving teeth. The hole quickly closes, attempting to trap the viewer's leg.

<Is it able to do River's mind-attack tricks? How can we defend against that anyway?>

<I assume that he can. All bond-formers are capable of telepathy and some are capable of general magic. So if he is strong enough, he could use his offensively. Don't know how much strength or practice he has with that though or how it might have been modified by this world. He could maybe work some more defences in you or your comm-wires, but if the attack is strong enough, they'd only slow him down. If he's nearby, I assume he could also use his Silence to stop any telepathic attack, but I don't know if he could use it on all of you at once or how comfortable that would be for you. In the end, it might come down to your willpower. But it's more likely that he'll target the biggest threat to him, which would probably be our little Knight Templar Avenger friend here, depending on how things go. And if he's not too stubborn to decline, I could help in that case. Two minds are better than one.>

<Can it track River the same way River is tracking it? Does it know we're here?>

<I doubt it. From what I've gathered, River is just tracking it from its last known position. Hoping to pick up a trail once we get there. Don't know how he got that or if the information can be trusted but->
<A bond-former who understands the need for punishment alerted me to the crime. She knew I had the power to bring him to justice. So I investigated any records I could find and saw that the severer used a teleporter to flee here. My brother helped me with the numbers, helped me find the exact place he went. I could not allow him to escape after what he did, after he->

If River starts talking about the Severer's crimes again, I'm going to be interrupting him with a flat, angry:
<Shut up River.>
and sending a memory from home. a simple mouse hunt. a mouse that I was bonded too. Including the end, where I ate my meal. a simple daily memory of eating one of my children / bondmates.
<If I hadn't agreed to this hunt, I'd be helping the Severer hide. It is right to resist being enslaved. However, this is outside my purview, and I have no responsibility to him, and I have one to you. Now be quiet and let me hunt our prey.>

He looks at you with shock as you speak, eyes wide, mouth half-open.
<Woo! You tell him girl!>
River closes his eyes and looks down.
<It is not like that. You do not understand. I can explain when you are calmer and willing to hear me.> he says with some sadness and then stops talking.

<What did you ask for Ike to do D?>

<I asked him to convince my 'kind' jailer here to let me speak to Mr Fumanchu so that I didn't go crazy. But the guy didn't even try! Didn't even say a word to him about it!>
<If the one that you chose did not want to let you speak, then he must have had his reasons.> River says with a smug smile.
<Yeah, ha ha, funny.> he says with a mock laugh before abruptly changing his tone for a <Fuck you.>

<D, River, would it be possible to move D from your head to mine, since you don't want to hear him and I could benefit from his help?>

<Hihihi. She wants the D.>
<If he and you promise on your honour that you shall not do anything that will put any of us in danger. That you will respect the boundaries I have set. And that I am allowed to get him back when our mission is over so->
<Wait, you actually trust me? Oh boy, you're a bigger idiot than->
River gives you a murderous look (although you're certain it's not intended for you) and starts removing his hand from yours.
<I mean, yes, certainly, thank you, I won't do anything like that. Scout's honour!> he says with mock cheer.
River grunts and leans closer to you, puts his other hand on the back of your neck and closes his eyes.
<I will bind his soul to yours. Do not resist.>
He opens his eyes to look at you again.
<You know the danger now. I am trusting you. Both of you. Do not betray my trust.>
He closes his eyes and you start feeling a tingling sensation accompanied by the feeling of cold, spreading from where he is touching you.

"Yep, that's the good stuff. It will make damn good molotovs. Now lets find the fox and get moving already.

Stick with Ike and look for Irene.
How many bottles of booze do I have?

Don't remember. Need to check my notes. I think it was three small bottles?

You follow Ike until you find Irine and River sitting side by side with their backs on the wall. Irine is wearing new clothes and River has been bandaged with torn and burnt rags. River has one arm behind Irine in a sort of hug and the other hand holding Irine's hand.

[Execute/Dumbo.exe]

He nods, then starts to get up, "It has been such a blast speaking to you, I must say, but I feel I don't have any more questions for the time being, I shall be off, to meet my team."
Before leaving, he tugs on his clothes, as if to see that they still exist, and intently stares at his hand for a moment, before shaking himself off and going through the left door.
Time to meet the team.

[Xantalos]

((I've never played SS13 but I feel I'd be at home there.))

Alan decides that enough is enough and he has to break out the big guns.

"I apologize in advance for the damage I'm about to cause to everyone in the vicinity.

Ahem.

TRAILER FOR SALE OR RENT, ROOMS TO LET, FIFTY CENTS
NO PHONE, NO POOL, NO PETS, I AIN'T GOT NO CIGARETTES
AH BUT, TWO HOURS OF PUSHIN' BROOM
BUYS A MAN AN EIGHT BY TWELVE FOUR-BIT ROOM
I'M A MAN OF MEANS BY NO MEANS, KING OF THE ROAD!

THIRD BOXCAR, MIDNIGHT TRAIN, DESTINATION BANGOR, MAINE
OLD WORN-OUT CLOTHES AND SHOES
I AIN'T PAY NO UNION DUES
I SMOKE OLD STOGIES I HAVE FOUND SHORT, BUT NOT TOO BIG AROUND
I'M A MAN OF MEANS BY NO MEANS, KING OF THE ROAD!

I KNOW EVERY ENGINEER ON EVERY TRAIN
ALL OF THEIR CHILDREN, AND ALL OF THEIR NAMES
AND EVERY HANDOUT IN EVERY TOWN
AND EVERY LOCK THAT AINT' LOCKED, WHEN NO ONE'S AROUND!"

Repeat until someone shuts me up.

[Toaster]

Summon a megaphone for Alan

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me, though it'd be interesting to see in action, undoubtedly.  How often do these entity fights occur, compared to the other missions done around here?  Who usually wins?"