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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

[Harry Baldman]

"I just figure you don't need to worry about the weapons because they've pretty much got those on lock. I literally asked the Headwater for some high explosives and he came up with a magical fuckin' dirty bomb just like that. He was all like 'sure, have one, I'm sure you'll use this responsibly and not like give it to a crimelord or whatever, just don't jostle it and you probably won't explode into an annihilating void cloud'. Making nukes and steel would be taking the hard way around these parts, my dude, since everyone and their mother's a wizard anyhow. Probably more of them around than nuclear physicists back where I came from, that's for damn sure."

[FallacyofUrist]

Kosak Durar:

"What the-where'd he go?"

A very confused Kosak stays alert.

[NAV]

"I just figure you don't need to worry about the weapons because they've pretty much got those on lock. I literally asked the Headwater for some high explosives and he came up with a magical fuckin' dirty bomb just like that. He was all like 'sure, have one, I'm sure you'll use this responsibly and not like give it to a crimelord or whatever, just don't jostle it and you probably won't explode into an annihilating void cloud'. Making nukes and steel would be taking the hard way around these parts, my dude, since everyone and their mother's a wizard anyhow. Probably more of them around than nuclear physicists back where I came from, that's for damn sure."

"It's exactly like that, magic gave them the easy way and let them skip the hard way! But the hard way has many advantages that they missed. You are right, they have very good bombs. But where are the intercontinental ballistic missiles to distribute those bombs? They have no good delivery method for real mutually assured destruction. Do not tell me that their swords and bows are equal to a machinegun, their wagons are equal to tank, or their gliders are equal to an attack helicopter. Their biggest problem is production. They might have a magic thing to equal everything I mentioned but they cannot mass produce because their production needs mages and the average grunt is no mage. Their medieval armies lead by powerful mages would lose to a mechanized modern army every time. It only seems like there are a lot of mages because we talk to a lot of powerful people and the powerful people here are mages."

[Parisbre56]

Alright, now comes the fun part!- Oh, when I feel more like it. Think I will be called Fe, though. And dark purple hair, because... purple is a good color.

((YouGottaHaveBlueHair

I'd written a short intro but I think I should rewrite it in light of your more recent post. Next turn.))

Haha, sorry. I may have procrastinated on that.
Now because I have to wait till next turn, I shall amuse myself with a pointless action! Ahaha!

Look at the pretty... frogs? I'm pretty sure there are frogs here. In this place. Where I am.

*puts on WORLDBUILDING cap*

Alright, so Fe is a twentysomething human-ish (looks human, internal organs are arranged slightly differently) from a "world" consisting of a bunch of barren rocks chained together, orbiting a stormy gas giant. Gravity on the rocks is present, but inconsistent, and there's no air. Fe's younger sister had worked up a large gambling debt to a weird psychic giant maggot thing, and Fe has agreed to help pay it off. Part of this deal involves the brain-slug thing, which keeps track of her location and thoughts, for security.

You wake up.

You squint and try to perceive the world through blurry eyes. The ant-like thing keeps banging on the bars of your cell. The noise is making your head hurt. Did they put something in your food?

It makes an aggressive noise and points back with its spear. Through the pain you realise that it wants you to go back or it's going to make you go back, forcefully, painfully. You flinch away, not wanting to be in pain. That's enough to satisfy the thing but it still wants to hurt you. You try to stay away but this cell is more like a hole in the rock. Fighting is futile, the thing easily overpowers you. It grabs you with its many appendages and shoves you out of the cell.

It and its partner are supposed to bring you somewhere. To something. You walk between cells, some empty, some filled. A show of force more likely. You don't see why else they would treat you like that, other than to show you what they can do, how little your life is compared to their power. You've already agreed to do anything they want.

They bring you before their leader. They wait a moment for the scantly-dresses dancer-slaves to finish their routine and exit the room, eager to get as far away from it as possible. (Why do maggots like human slaves so much?) The noise of all the slaves, the noise of the worst scum one can find congregating here, it's not helping your headache.

The leader addresses you. It wants you to do something for it. It wants you to find out more about "the Newcomer". It wants you to spy on him. It wants you to find why he's here, what he wants, where he's going. It wants you to get there before him and steal whatever he wants and then bring it back. It tells you where he's staying, an old room-renting place. It shows you an image of a man. It tells you that if you betray it it will make your head explode. It tells you to go at once, giving your extra threats for motivation. You are handed a card with 300 glibdrags for your expenses and the image of the man before you are dumped out of the compound.

At least it's quiet around here. It should give you some time to recover (having that thing speak into your mind is never pleasant) and gather your thoughts. There's only a frog-thing staring at you but with no intention of doing anything about you. It just stares, covered in rags full of holes means he is in no position to do anything about you.

So, you're the expendable spy sent on a suicide mission. You have a bunch of cash, an image and a place. And you have to find this Newcomer guy, find out what he wants and steal his stuff or die trying. You expected to be forced to become one of that maggot's dancer slaves or be forced to sell Vlarfakian eye-injections in shady corners, not... this. You're not sure if this is somehow better or worse. Maybe just another flavor of bad.

Can haz intro? Didn't show up in that last turn, though I'm not sure I understand the schedule here.

I'm just doing personal mini-missions for you and Sir Elventide while waiting for enough players to start a mission to join or one of the other two missions to finish. So your turn will be with Sir Elventide's, usually along with the spaceship exploration mission.

You enter the staff only area and leave a few knee-high troublemakers to watch your back.

The fat doll is not as fast as you'd like, being more focused on being massive than on anything else (you weren't really planning that far ahead when you summoned it). You reach the hallway with the security door which now has a very alert security guard.
"Hey! You weirdos stay where you are!" he shouts as he sees you approach, reaching for his gun.
You and Jack immediately take cover. You direct the doll to charge while Jack gets a card ready. The guard is quicker than the doll, getting off several shots before it can reach him. He hits it center of mass with the first two, the head with the next. Professional aiming.
Jack throws the 9 of clubs at the guard. The card shines and disappears as it hits him but he doesn't even notice the strike.
When he sees how little the doll's been affected, he targets its leg next, tearing it to pieces with three more shots. Your ears are not pleased with such loud noises in such a confined space.
Jack throws the 10 of clubs at the guard. The card hits him straight in the head, knocking him back. While he tries to regain his bearings, Jack runs towards him.

♚The Doll Prince: Into the Fray!♚

His ears still ringing from the echoing gun shots, Napoleon realized that the other guards could be onto them right about now. Unless the fire alarms are particularly loud or the guards are hard of hearing, there is no way they didn't hear their comrade discharge his weapon. Needless to say, Napoleon and Jack were quickly running out of time.

As Jack rushed the stunned guard, Napoleon focused on what shape he had in mind for the fat doll. This form must be lithe enough to rush its targets, yet strong enough to overpower them. Fortunately and unfortunately for him, Napoleon knew just what to morph it into given that he doesn't have enough time to experiment though he was loathe to do so. After all, it is quite ironic that he would decide that the fat doll's more efficient form would be no other than that of the twisted doll itself. While he'd doubted that he can replicate its ability to teleport, he hoped that it would prove sufficient to the task. Even more, he hoped that Lady Amarante doesn't do anything to make it turn on him again.

Morph the fat doll's form into that of the twisted doll and use it to help Jack take down the guard. After the man has been subdued, quickly move through the security door and find a way to lock or barricade it. Afterwards, search for a map to determine the vault's location. If its combination can be found somewhere too then that's an added bonus.

The feeling of the twisted doll's presence is still fresh in your mind. You try to call upon it for some quick modifications to your doll. Unfortunately you can't concentrate enough to begin the transformation.

Jack reaches the guard before he can recover and kicks his gun away... straight into the guard's chest. The guard reaches for the gun again, Jack falls on him and they struggle, each trying to pull the gun away from the other.

You try to change the doll again. You manage to fix its legs somewhat but its transformation is far from over. You direct it to help Jack with the guard. It reaches the two and helps direct the gun towards the guard's head. Jack pulls the trigger, splattering the guard's brains all over the door.

Jack looks at the gun for a second.
"Thanks for the assist."
He tosses it aside, wipes the blood from his glasses on the doll and then searches the body for a security card.
"Those guys are professionals. We can't underestimate them."
He finds the card and gets ready to move.

Your dolls at the intersection just ambushed a security guard coming to help and they're keeping her occupied, but you don't want to take any chances. You take your gun and use it to slam the security panel, breaking it. You reason the safest lock is the one without a keyhole. You go through the door and shut it from the other side.

The area beyond is an intersection with conveniently labeled signs. "Vault Elevator" is right in front of you, an elevator with large heavy-duty armored doors and two key-card readers. "Armory", "Security Control" and "IT" are on your right. "Safe Deposit Boxes", "Management" and "Engineering" are on your left.

Kosak Durar:

"What the-where'd he go?"

A very confused Kosak stays alert.

You keep your fists up while you wait for the world to stop spinning.

John, Inside the Maximus

Can my sensors pick up anything?  If so, pot shot and call targets.  Otherwise, careful retreat to medbay.

<<Icarus, did you see that guy?  Any data or insight?  What about you, Interface?>>

: Sorry. I can't see anything on my passive sensors. I can try active scanning if you want and direct you to his location. Otherwise I'll come join you. :
: Enemy unit summary.
First unit: Mining exoskeleton. Class C mining laser with weapon-grade modifications. Expanded external capacitor bank, estimating triple of normal operational capacity. High strength, medium endurance, low mobility, low fuel.
Second unit: Antiphoton Stealth Suit. Class A stealth capabilities, capable of evading most shipboard sensors outside security checkpoints. High mobility, low fuel. Can only carry limited equipment while in Stealth mode. Stealth Mode operation is Heat and Energy intensive, the user will suffer fatal heat damage after extended operation. Additional modifications present, purpose unknown.
End of summary. Do you require additional data? :

<Svajoklis,Maximus>

"Well, it seems that our reasons for visiting the medbay have tripled."

Go to the medbay. Help anyone too in pain or too concussed to walk properly.

Brian Hoss, Maximus: Central Fore Way Station
If we're done here, start heading for medbay.

The team hobbles and drags itself the rest of the way to the corridor leading to the Medical Station. Immediately you start seeing signs of heavy combat. Crushed drones, dismembered corpses, burnt blobs of flesh, floating clouds of dried blood flecks. Their Black Boxes show a confused, semi-ordered fighting retreat. They play over each other, giving you an unsynchronized mess of sound and screaming.
: Command HQ we have a situation on junction D3! : a holographic ghost shouts, using his pistol to keep a monster with 6 scythe arms away as it tries to rip a drone apart, his shots only slowing it down.
: Everyone out of the vehicle! Now, now now! : another shouts, directing the wounded away from a vehicle currently being consumed by what would best be described as a giant octopus.
: Command HQ, we need- : he continues but before he can something wraps around him and drags him away, his screams and blind machine gun fire not enough to save him.
: Pull back now, we have to get out of here! : one tries to warn someone while spraying bullets in front of her with her assault rifle but she is too late, cut in half by an unseen attack.
: Lay down suppressing fire! : a group of running ghosts shout to the drones following them as they round a corner, sacrificing the drones to buy themselves some time.
Things get worse the further down the corridor you go. In one room a squad makes its doomed last stand, trying to cling to life as long as they can.
: What the fuck is this? :
: Sarge! They're all around us! What do we do? :
: Just keep firing! :
There are no heroic words, just strained grunts and shouts of warning and the constant sound of gunfire.
: They're breaking through the walls! : one ghost uses its last words to state the obvious as holes begin to melt in one of the walls, accompanied by the rising shriek of whatever is attacking.
There are very few drones on the final part of the corridor. Only worker drones that self-destructed sealing and barricading the door to the medbay. Now it's humans left here to die. Running away and screaming in pain.
: No! I'm still here! Command! I- I don't know where to go! Please! Heelp! Help meee! : the final ghost pleads as he desperately bangs on the door to the medbay before being dragged away by the creatures.

And suddenly the stream of images ends. The ghosts return to their rest and you return to darkness and silence. No more Black Boxes around. And no monsters attacking you.

Something has broken through the barricade (from the side of the medbay), leaving a hole you could squeeze through with some effort. There's some scrap on the other side, you can't really see much through the hole.

[Egan_BW]

"Argh, the things I do for family...
...what is "the Newcomer" even supposed to mean? They can't mean he's from... whatever isn't these rocks, right?

Guess it doesn't matter much. At least I'll see it coming when he kills me, ha.
Why aren't I laughing."

Best not to head out on a mission without a good stabby boi. Buying a dedicated murder knife, preferably concealable and with a guard to parrying.
If I can afford it and know where to go, I'll also get a cheap pistol. I don't care if it explodes three shots in, bullets are bullets.

Additions to my wishlist: Air mask (With a tank, not a filter. so that I can be slightly less very dead if I end up in space somehow.) and handcuffs. Provided I can reasonably conceal those and afford them.
Backup plan if sneaky espionage fails is to hold the guy up with my gun, cuff him, make him tell me where the whatever thing is, and stick him in a closet so that I have a head start on getting it.

Then head to the place and just walk down the hall, "listening" for interesting intents. Do I know the specific room?

[DarkArtemisFowl]

"Modern guns, explosives, and warheads wouldn't become equalizers to the magic arsenal this world has. Sure, they would do so for about a year, but then people would start to realize what powers they have, and then coups and rebellions would ensue - half of them to liberate the populaces, and half of them to install dictators and tyrants. The situation would only worsen from there. A gun in the hand is a lot easier to commit to violence with than years of training with magic, bows, swords, and cannons."

"I just figure you don't need to worry about the weapons because they've pretty much got those on lock. I literally asked the Headwater for some high explosives and he came up with a magical fuckin' dirty bomb just like that. He was all like 'sure, have one, I'm sure you'll use this responsibly and not like give it to a crimelord or whatever, just don't jostle it and you probably won't explode into an annihilating void cloud'. Making nukes and steel would be taking the hard way around these parts, my dude, since everyone and their mother's a wizard anyhow. Probably more of them around than nuclear physicists back where I came from, that's for damn sure."

"I know you show little regard for the life here, Ike, but modern weapons are different. They are fast. They are easier to mass-produce. Most importantly, though, they can be delivered to anywhere in the world with convenience. Any conflict could become a flashpoint."

"Look, I'm not saying that things will be just peachy without those weapons. I know that the situation is already dire here. I also know that, inevitably, modernization of weaponry will come. But these people need to learn on their own what that means. It needs to not come from some otherworldly beings who these residents can blame for what is to come. They need to be responsible for their own future. We can guide them. We can warn them of the dangers to come. But we can neither force the inevitable cataclysm nor stop it."

"I think Nikolai is right. We can introduce them to essential technologies. The rest," Zechariah sighs, "is up to them."

[Lenglon]

"Um, technology is just another tool. I think you're making to big of a deal about this. Yeah, like any tool it can be misused, so what? Its only a difference of scale. How is this any different from teaching someone how to use a knife? Do you insist on them first making their own knife? That doesn't seem reasonable to me.

[Toaster]

"A little more, interface."  ...a bit later...  "Interface, do you have any information on these attackers?  What could they have in common with the guy in the suit we saw?"

[Harry Baldman]

"I know you show little regard for the life here, Ike, but modern weapons are different. They are fast. They are easier to mass-produce. Most importantly, though, they can be delivered to anywhere in the world with convenience. Any conflict could become a flashpoint."

"Look, I'm not saying that things will be just peachy without those weapons. I know that the situation is already dire here. I also know that, inevitably, modernization of weaponry will come. But these people need to learn on their own what that means. It needs to not come from some otherworldly beings who these residents can blame for what is to come. They need to be responsible for their own future. We can guide them. We can warn them of the dangers to come. But we can neither force the inevitable cataclysm nor stop it."

"I think Nikolai is right. We can introduce them to essential technologies. The rest," Zechariah sighs, "is up to them."

"It's war, ya big goober. Weapons are what they need to not die, or at least die a bit less. If that's not essential, I dunno what is. Besides, not like they're gonna be able to build ICBMs or some shit overnight, or know how to launch 'em even if Nikky here had any idea how to build one himself. The military-industrial complex ain't even been invented yet, for Pete's sake!"

[Sir Elventide]

The feeling of the twisted doll's presence is still fresh in your mind. You try to call upon it for some quick modifications to your doll. Unfortunately you can't concentrate enough to begin the transformation.

Jack reaches the guard before he can recover and kicks his gun away... straight into the guard's chest. The guard reaches for the gun again, Jack falls on him and they struggle, each trying to pull the gun away from the other.

You try to change the doll again. You manage to fix its legs somewhat but its transformation is far from over. You direct it to help Jack with the guard. It reaches the two and helps direct the gun towards the guard's head. Jack pulls the trigger, splattering the guard's brains all over the door.

Jack looks at the gun for a second.
"Thanks for the assist."
He tosses it aside, wipes the blood from his glasses on the doll and then searches the body for a security card.
"Those guys are professionals. We can't underestimate them."
He finds the card and gets ready to move.

Your dolls at the intersection just ambushed a security guard coming to help and they're keeping her occupied, but you don't want to take any chances. You take your gun and use it to slam the security panel, breaking it. You reason the safest lock is the one without a keyhole. You go through the door and shut it from the other side.

The area beyond is an intersection with conveniently labeled signs. "Vault Elevator" is right in front of you, an elevator with large heavy-duty armored doors and two key-card readers. "Armory", "Security Control" and "IT" are on your right. "Safe Deposit Boxes", "Management" and "Engineering" are on your left.

♚The Doll Prince: The First Time's the Hardest♚

Looking behind them at the security door, Napoleon thought about the guard he'd helped Jack killed. Sure the man was dangerous and sure they were running out of time and Napoleon knew what he had to do but the feeling still bothered him even if he'd only helped did the deed. Despite possessing the means to do so, Napoleon had never killed someone before. Sure he always used his dolls to take down scum but it never crossed his mind to end their existence. Not that he would make a case for complete non-violence of course but even bloodshed was out of the question... until now. Though he'd considered himself more of a pragmatist than a pacifist, Napoleon was everything but a killer and now there was no way to wipe away that stain. To make matters worse, once the other guards discover their dead comrade in front of the door, they will be more intent on sending them out of the casino in a pair of body bags. Even if they proved merciful to take them alive, both Napoleon and Jack could spend years behind bars, no doubt at the mercy of predatory malefaiteurs. Either way, Napoleon will have to once again soak his hands in the blood of people who are just doing their jobs.

"Excusez moi while I recompose myself, Monseigneur Jack," Napoleon said as he collected his thoughts. This is about survival and a clear head is very much needed here. "The first time is the hardest but better them than us. Anyway, by the layout of the entrance to the vault elevator, two security cards must be swiped, perhaps at the same time and we only have one. However, there got to be emergency stairs nearby or some similar access points that the guards can use just in case the elevator stops working or if there's a fire. Let's look for those first."

Search for the aforementioned stairs or exits to circumvent the elevator. If none can be found, go to Security Control since that's where more security cards can possibly be held. Finish modifying the doll now that he can concentrate a bit better. To take his mind off his recent deed, ask Jack how'd he came to be in the same situation as him with the Queen. In other words, ask him what's his story prior to him meeting with Napoleon.

[NAV]

"Who is Pete?"

"There is a lot of improvements to do to our little army's equipment and training even before getting into guns and other modern weapons. Its not like we could get working firearms any time soon, it's all theory for years in the future. We can decide how much to teach them after they're all equipped okay at their current level of tech. I wouldn't teach them how to make nukes even if I knew how."

"Actually, hmm, might not be that hard to make a crude musket soon, just need a pipe and some explosive.... can't make a good gun better than this crossbow any time soon though."

[Xantalos]

((Sorry this is later than my posts usually are, I’ve been occupied.))

Alan, Empathetic Individual

Aww, Alan thinks. He’s shy! ”Don’t worry, silly,” he chirps. ”My friends are my friends! Therefore they’ll be friendly because they’re friendly friends.”

Give him a big spider hug to comfort him. If my spidergirl instincts and extra legs tell me to do some other magical spidergirl thing to him (that doesn’t involve eating him) then why not, do that too.

[DarkArtemisFowl]

"Um, technology is just another tool. I think you're making to big of a deal about this. Yeah, like any tool it can be misused, so what? Its only a difference of scale. How is this any different from teaching someone how to use a knife? Do you insist on them first making their own knife? That doesn't seem reasonable to me.

"That's a disconnected way of looking at things. We all know that they will inevitably develop guns, then tanks, and then missiles and weaponized aircraft. It might start tomorrow, it might start a decade from now, or it might start centuries from now. But it will happen. I am not suggesting that we somehow prevent that. I'm talking about responsibility. If we come out of the blue and, like deities, just bestow the plans to create these weapons upon them, who do you think they'll blame for the violence and turmoil that happens? Not themselves. They will blame us. The onus of wielding weapons carefully, responsibly and decisively is no longer as meaningful for them when it's not their fault in the first place that it happened so soon. We might liberate them for a couple of weeks, yes, but then they will turn on each other for power.

This world is like a structure. Too much stress at once on the frame of the building and it collapses. That same amount of stress over time, however, becomes manageable. We are in a world of strife right now, and we are outsiders. Foreigners. If we are to act to help this world, we must be decisive and surgical about it. We can't be careless and throw chaotic elements into the mix. In the future, yes, that can happen. Everything belongs in its own time.

Of everyone here, I would've expected you to understand the most about what too much fire in a closed environment can do."

"It's war, ya big goober. Weapons are what they need to not die, or at least die a bit less. If that's not essential, I dunno what is. Besides, not like they're gonna be able to build ICBMs or some shit overnight, or know how to launch 'em even if Nikky here had any idea how to build one himself. The military-industrial complex ain't even been invented yet, for Pete's sake!"

"You think that they are going to stop pointing their weapons at people once the current tyrants and despots are gone? Those armies and arsenals won't disappear, and the removal of corrupt leaders will leave power vacuums. Who do you think is going to fill those vacuums? Those who want power, and those who have the means to take it. Of course they're not going to build those arsenals immediately, but the point is that it'll be our fault that such technology reaches them at such an accelerated pace. We can't just wave and shove off of the world once we're done with our objective. We need to think about the reverberations of what we do. Once we set something in motion, it is nigh impossible to stop.

Are you willing to bet all of those lives for a cheap comfort?"

[Harry Baldman]

"Who is Pete?"

"Friend of mine, you wouldn't know him."

"You think that they are going to stop pointing their weapons at people once the current tyrants and despots are gone? Those armies and arsenals won't disappear, and the removal of corrupt leaders will leave power vacuums. Who do you think is going to fill those vacuums? Those who want power, and those who have the means to take it. Of course they're not going to build those arsenals immediately, but the point is that it'll be our fault that such technology reaches them at such an accelerated pace. We can't just wave and shove off of the world once we're done with our objective. We need to think about the reverberations of what we do. Once we set something in motion, it is nigh impossible to stop.

Are you willing to bet all of those lives for a cheap comfort?"

"That's all just abstract bullshit and cyclical sociopolitics, which is a more specific kind of abstract bullshit. None of it's helpful to all the good dudes and ladydudes who are fighting the good fight and trying not to get murked by the Sovereignty who, might I add, have airships and armies and tyrants galore. And I dunno about you, but I kinda like these people a little too much to pat 'em on the back from my interdimensional tourist high horse and go 'nah, bruh, you're gonna be good, I don't need to tell you shit', because we might be leaving in not too long if Pete wills it and we haven't completely fucked things for ourselves somehow already, but this mess we left - and this whole state of affairs is at least 33% our fault by my estimates, might I add - is gonna be theirs to inherit."

[Lenglon]

"Zech, you're over-extrapolating. Especially since the vast majority of dangerous stuff requires a support structure that doesn't exist here, one that takes at least decades to build. And then you're borrowing responsibility. Free will is a thing Zech. Stop trying to take the blame for other people's actions. that's stupid."