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00 - Her potential has been limited by her free will- 00

I don't care.
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I don't care.
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Voting closed: January 04, 2021, 02:28:47 am


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Author Topic: McCreary's Planet -- (FINISHED)  (Read 258719 times)

Naturegirl1999

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4890 on: August 14, 2020, 05:46:50 pm »

Train probability manipulation and will extension at low cohesion.  Train Emma in strengthening her will.  Train William in basic hydrogen manipulation.  Train Cephie in shapeshifting into more foreign forms, such as into a Barker or inanimate object.
why an inanimate object?
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ZBridges

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4891 on: August 14, 2020, 05:49:34 pm »

I'm curious as to what the limits of her powers are.  If she can assume the form of an inanimate object, she can be effectively invisible.  That would be great for spying and infiltration, which she was very good at as "Iyal."
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Eschar

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4892 on: August 14, 2020, 07:04:19 pm »

This is going to be hilarious
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VoidSlayer

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4893 on: August 14, 2020, 10:28:00 pm »

Control over structural elements like carbon and silicon can allow mono molecular edges.  While simple by most empyrean standards they are still very useful in weapons and are much less energy intensive then the more large scale work you have been doing.

Combining mono molecular shrapnel with something like Slayer's Blade to make a high powered shotgun effect could be interesting.  Learning precision and control of two elements at the same time would be a pretty good boon.

I would also suggest deciding what you want to train then push yourself to a physical and emotional limit of some kind to experiment with pulling your cohesion up and down at will, even if it is only on a smaller scale then a full training regime.

You will also need energy at least on the order of a true fusion reaction to create anti-matter.  Finding a good way to control the radiation would be useful.  I am assuming this is some kind of proton-proton chain reaction though so controlling high energy gamma radiation and neutrinos will be hard.  Maybe figure out a way to do it far away?

Otherwise I would concentrate on bringing out William's gifts, he seems to be relying on basic body modifications, which, while powerful once mastered, can be a limiting area.

King Zultan

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4894 on: August 15, 2020, 05:39:44 am »

So we gonna push it to the limit and hope we don't accidentally blow ourselves up with a nuclear explosion we caused by accident.
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The Lawyer opens a briefcase. It's full of lemons, the justice fruit only lawyers may touch.
Make sure not to step on any errant blood stains before we find our LIFE EXTINGUSHER.
but anyway, if you'll excuse me, I need to commit sebbaku.
Quote from: Leodanny
Can I have the sword when you’re done?

ZBridges

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4895 on: August 15, 2020, 05:51:12 am »

Practicing uncontrolled fusion reactions would be a great way to send the entire population of the fortress into the Empyrean, but as long as we don't practice that particular power it shouldn't be too dangerous.
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Naturegirl1999

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4896 on: August 15, 2020, 06:18:51 pm »

Right, don’t practice uncontrolled nuclear fusion
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VoidSlayer

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4897 on: August 15, 2020, 07:37:07 pm »

Okay I very clearly said they need a way to protect ourselves and allies before they start burning as hot as a star.

Although if you improved your range with a flesh-relic network you could do the uncontrolled fusion near a cut off finger or something miles away.

ZBridges

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4898 on: August 15, 2020, 07:56:16 pm »

We should look into that.  It sounds like it could be extremely useful.
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King Zultan

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4899 on: August 16, 2020, 01:57:03 am »

We probably don't want to make a habit of cutting off our own fingers to make nuclear bombs if we can even figure out how, also are we even sure we can regrow fingers?
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The Lawyer opens a briefcase. It's full of lemons, the justice fruit only lawyers may touch.
Make sure not to step on any errant blood stains before we find our LIFE EXTINGUSHER.
but anyway, if you'll excuse me, I need to commit sebbaku.
Quote from: Leodanny
Can I have the sword when you’re done?

ZBridges

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4900 on: August 16, 2020, 02:24:15 am »

Considering that when we fell to earth we looked like little more than "a pile of meat," I'm pretty sure that we can regenerate fingers.  Cutting off a small part of our body that we can then regrow seems like a small price to pay for infinite weapons of mass destruction.
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19_EgarAlnis

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4901 on: August 17, 2020, 07:22:16 pm »

Day 1

[9]
Spoiler: Old Lines (click to show/hide)




Sparring

"Three on one sounds like fair odds." You state, proudly. "You three against me."

Emma and Cephie exchange glances -- mutual distrust, while William is, as ever, eager to test himself. They comply. Emma and Cephie build their wings, while William pulls away from his shirt.

"Do you always have to do that?" Emma asks, with an exasperated sigh.

"Yes! Clothes are expensive these days." William explains sagely, "And a quarter of the Council's cloth rations go to Little-Miss-Everything-I-Touch-Burns over there."

"Point."

You awkwardly remove the Outlander silks and gently set them in the back of the Hovercraft, so chided by kindred both living and dead. Your shield follows.

With that business done, you unfurl your wings, feeling the ache of keeping them restrained fade as they bloom brightly into the night. You stretch and stiffen the math, feeling great comfort in the now-familiar problems.

You rise while the others huddle together to whisper to each other.

...

[11, 14][17, 11][19]
Spears twist themselves from the ground while a shield of carbon wraps itself around the three, hiding them from your sight. Willpowers twist within.

[11+1]
You bring forth a corona of fire, twisting it with your grasp. Your lips quirk --

[5 vs. 20+3]
The carbon shifts and a spear launches at you at high velocity. The blunt edge strikes your chest square in the center, winding you. You avoid another -- only to be struck by one that hurls into the exact spot you dodged into.

[17] You take a deep breath and try to see the probabilities of attack. The futures are blurry, clouded by a haze, but it does help you dodge one of the carbon spears.

[11 vs. 3+2]
You dodge out of the way of a flurry of spears, diving to striking at the dome. Your corona of fire burns away chunks, but more carbon reinforces it -- you've weakened it, however.

[||.]

[9 vs. 2+2][11, 15]
You manage to keep away from the suppressive fire of carbon by dint of observation and probability, and you dive once again. The carbon shifts to protect itself -- but you do not burn it. Instead, you Sunder the earth below it, ripping it apart. You hear yelps from within--

The structure shifts and weakens again.

[|..]

[15]
Having distracted those within, you pause. With another twist of your Willpower, you copy Eric and William. You reinforce muscle and feel your body stiffen. Your skin tightens around your bulging muscle--

[7+1 vs. 3+3]
You slam your fist hard into the structure. You feel the shockwave travel up your arm. You feel your bones vibrate and muscle strain -- but you succeed. The carbon shell breaks apart despite Cephie's attempt to reinforce it.

[4 vs. 6] [19, 10]
William and Emma get the drop on you -- a roaring fireball formed from both of their twisting wills strikes you in the face and sends you sprawling back. The shell rips apart --

[7 vs. 20][13]
The carbon flows into a tight net, slamming you into the ground. It tightens as it digs in and around, wrapping itself around your arm and legs. The cocoon tightens, and you hear bones creak. You gasp in pain --

William takes advantage of your incapacitated state. He launches himself out from the trio --

[1] Your fire harmlessly washes over him as his muscles bulge with reinforcement.

[3-5 vs. 8]
His fist slams hard into your face, enough to dislocate your jaw and send your consciousness fleeing.

Anger rises within, but you tamp it down -- they sense it, but William keeps you pinned.

"Clever. You baited me." You praise, after a sigh. "You built a trap for me -- Was it Emma's idea? Or Cephie's?"

"Mine, actually," William states, proudly, grinning as he keeps a booted foot on your chest. "I've fought by your side many times -- you're always too straightforward."

You nod, and the carbon falls away. William grins down at you, boot still planted on your chest.

[14] You twist a piece of silicon out of the ground, striking him in the chest and sending him sprawling. He laughs heartily, rubbing at his bruised chest while you shake your head. Emma extends a hand to help you up, looking awkwardly apologetic.



Cephie's Training

"Hey Cephie -- can you take the form of animals? Or an inanimate object?" You question, as the four of you rest from your former sparring. Cephie nods.

"The flaw with inanimate objects is that I still need to breathe—similar body-weight and size are my limits. Compacting myself down does awful things to my organs and metabolism. Conservation of Mass, and all that. "

"As for animals..."

[17][13][10]
Her bones shift and crack, and you watch with horrified curiosity as she falls to all fours. Her clothes change with her form -- and standing before you is a Barker of pure black, with gleaming red eyes. It is a little thin, but the shape is the same. It grins with wickedly sharp teeth.

[11][12][20]
Once again, horrifyingly, her forms shifts, as she straightens. She rises into a very tree-like form. Her skin is the color of bark and leaves sprout forward. She retains her eyes, her face, and the rough shape of her body. You reach out, touching her flesh -- and it even feels like bark.

"This is about the best I can do without -- well, killing myself."

"Well, practice that, I suppose? Could you alter your organ--"

"I am not doing that." Cephie interrupts. "One mistake, one distraction, and I'm bleeding to death."

"Fair point. Apologies."

[16, 11, 19]
Cephie returns to her standard form, slumping down into the dirt -- exhausted. She grins at you.



William's Training

William sighs, keeping a fire lit in the palm of his hand. You stand beside him, doing the same. He's having trouble keeping track of the math --

It flickers and dies.

"See -- I told you I'm no good at this, Phebe."

"That's exactly why you need to practice."

You leave him to it as he kindles another. Blood drips from his nose, and he wipes at it unconsciously.



Emma's Training

Learning to extend your Willpower and utilize it entirely wasn't something you trained to do -- it came naturally to you as you fought. Emma doesn't have that luxury, so instead, she sits patiently, pushing at the edges of her capacity with her Willpower, stretching and straining it.

You do the same, but a considerable distance away. Her will extends roughly a [meter] or two from her body. Your's, especially while you feel so odd, reaches a good thirty to thirty-five. However, it is currently inconsistent -- barely under your control. It withdraws and returns without you commanding it to, and it's difficult for you to command it otherwise.

Can Willpower even be commanded? Or is it purely a natural impulse?

You muse on this while you stretch and strain.



The others do not have your endurance. They rest by a fire with the Pilot while you stand far away in the wastes. Dawn rises on the flat plains of the Outlands, and you push yourself further down the path of your 'divinity.'

[10][18][20][3]
You bring a controlled fusion reaction to life within your hands. A bright purple light flows over you as you feed the incredible fires of creation. Molten beryllium drops to the ground as slag, and helium drifts free -- you try to contain the gamma radiation --

Your skin begins to blister and burn, and you feel ill.

You cut the reaction, trying not to vomit.

[16][8]
Next, you unleash hell.

The explosion is almost instantaneous. Energy flies away, turning the ground around you into glass as it scorches with the heat of hyperactive fusing hydrogen. The force almost knocks you back.

[17][18]
You force the gamma radiation and thermal energy away from you for as long as you maintain the blast, but it is exhausting. Light blooms out across the wastes as you light a star for all to see--

--and you lose control. The runaway reaction grows in pressure and heat as you try desperately to force hydrogen away from it--

--in the end, you manage to break it down, and the fire fades, leaving you exhausted and burned.

The camp beckons, but you deny the siren call of sleep. Two more. Two more.

[13][10]
You draw a blade of silicon from the ground, and, concentrating on the atomic edges, you pull and push until it blurs. You drag it into the ground, and it cuts away quite efficiently.

[14][8]
You summon forth the Slayer's blade, feeling the fire within your hand. You feed it the silicon, and it devours it hungrily.

You aim -- and the molten metal shoots out, spraying burning hot slag across the wasteland as an Inferno Shotgun would.

With that, you can no longer resist temptation. You get back to camp and collapse into a hammock in the back of the Craft, ignoring your Kindred's questions.



[12] You do not dream.


Spoiler: Status (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Inventory (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Powers and Skills (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Wealth (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Contracts (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Ties (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Holdings (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: August 17, 2020, 08:27:59 pm by 19_EgarAlnis »
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19_EgarAlnis

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4902 on: August 17, 2020, 07:23:27 pm »

Day 2

Emma returns to the Fortress after you awaken, leaving you alone with Cephie and William. You feel lethargic and ill from yesterday, and so you slack off. You command the two to pelt you with rocks and 'spears' to train your skills in probability and kinetic energy manipulation.

They take to the task with perhaps a little bit too much enthusiasm.

[-][-]
Whatever you don't dodge by assessing the trajectories, you try to transfer or redirect the energy. One of these tasks at a time is simple -- both at once are straining.

The day passes uneventfully, and the two grow tired. On the other hand, you are one giant bruise, but considering the strength of your Kindred, you've done well to redirect or dodge most of the blows.

Energy Manipulation: Kinetic Shield rank : Beginner.



The hovercraft returns for you in the evening, and you board it without complaint. It takes you back to the Fortress, where you shower, dress, and find real food. One of the larger hovercrafts is being loaded with provisions for your trip into the Outlands, and you passively watch while you eat leftovers from the banquet. They have you wearing an ornate SEED military outfit, adorned with the selected Outlander's gifts of silk. Emma wears a well-crafted dress and coat combo, with high boots, while Cephie is wearing the face of a stout Crusader. Ethan and Finn mill nearby, chatting up a Scholar. William lounges in his Family's uniform, sipping from a dirty bottle.

Nicole adjusts her preacher's robes, looking annoyed, but sits next to you to wait patiently.

"I know Sammy well." She begins, "I helped him in his rise to power."

You blink, nearly choking on the pile of noodles you were busily devouring.

"Training. Guns. Mortars. Organization. The works. He's been a project of mine for the last thirty or so years. Without him, however, the Outlands are an unproductive mess of chaos and raiders. With him, they've begun to resemble a society. One that can help us."

"That's--"

"Oh, treason. I know. But SEED was blind, " She whispers softly. "Ostracizing an entire group of its people because they wouldn't lick bootheels."
« Last Edit: August 17, 2020, 08:46:26 pm by 19_EgarAlnis »
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19_EgarAlnis

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4903 on: August 17, 2020, 07:24:36 pm »

Reports and Outlands

The Council gives you reports on the various projects you've commissioned. The process is made simple by the entanglement array, and through such, they can communicate with you during your flight.

Emma reports that they are finishing the construction of radio towers in each major city across the Holyland. They hope these can be used to reinforce rapidly in problematic areas. She blandly reads the estimate that it will take another week before they are entirely online.

She further reports that your demonic armor and Silas have holed themselves up in one of the lower levels -- they've kicked out many scientists and are working furiously on a project. While she was initially concerned, she hands you the datapad --

Spoiler: Silas' Message (click to show/hide)

You quietly curse yourself for not keeping the thing on a better chain but resign yourself to inaction.

Next, Isela reports on the expedition to the Ark. They've successfully breached the facility and are currently in the process of exploration. They reported in yesterday, so all seems fine so far. Eric is still in the hospital wing but is conscious. The process on refitting the ship is going as scheduled --  the Pirates have donated the time of several ship engineers. And guns. Many guns. Large guns.

Hoganson glumly reports on his work with the democratic idea you put forward earlier. He and Emma have hashed out a three power system -- the Families will have their own political body, the common folk of SEED another, and an overarching executive-legislative body, which is the merging of the offices of the Pontifex and Commander-In-Chief of the military. Of course, such work is going to take time, so its nothing more than a draft.

William, from where he sits beside you, calmly informs you that they're starting to rebuild the necessary Warmachine facilities -- but they will not be ready for production for at least a year.

Armssmith reports that they've found metal deposits that could be useful for trade and industry and have already set up mining camps. The trading post has also been finished and has increased the fuel economy of the Holylands immensely.

Zero sends a memo in silence.




After hours of travel, the hovercraft begins its descent towards a landing platform that juts out of the Outlander City.  It stretches out for miles from the reddish-gray wasteland -- a collection of ragged tents and adobe houses. Markets fill every plaza -- grand stretching bazaars of hide and linen.  Aquaducts reach out into the distance, bringing clean water from the hills to supply the bustling metropolis below you. Cattle graze in carefully appointed pastures on the outskirts, and golden grain lays broken and harvested nearby them.

A palace sits in the center of it all, surrounded by a very modern, at least by this planet's standards, military compound. Hovercraft lay waiting in bays, appointed with clan markings and anti-air autocannons. AA guns lay angled towards the sky, and you see the patrolling of mounted cavalry units through the city.

The palace itself is of red and white granite, and it reaches high into the sky with a great [prang] of glass and steel. Gold and jade decorations score the structure -- clan totems, you would guess. The structure dwarfs two other buildings, but those gleam with warmth, all well-appointed wooden beams, and billowing silk.

You stretch, straightening yourself up. Emma falls in behind you, and Cephie-turned-Crusader does the same. William slips his hands into his pockets and pulls his wide-brimmed hat down to cover his eyes in shade. Nicole steps in front of you-- but to the right, so as not to be directly in front.

The twins take up positions to guard your rear. Their great suits of armor forcing the deck plates of the hovercraft to groan beneath the weight.

The door opens on to a warm equatorial day. The humidity of the city providing a welcome relief from what you can only guess is the dry heat of the day. A tall, broad man in heavy robes smiles at you cheerfully as you disembark. Guards stand at attention, no two wearing the same armor or weapon. The man's eyes gleam with mischief and joy, especially when they alight on Nicole.

The Khaganate grins, and the two exchange a brief, friendly hug. "Ah, Nicole! When will you come and finally stay with me? You could be a queen!"

"A queen among savages is no queen at all, Sammy." Nicole retorts. "And please -- we're here for business."

"Ah, busy busy busy -- all you Seedlings are the same! Time for introductions, then." He approaches you, his dark eyes looking you over as he brushes pure black hair from his face. He dips himself in a bow -- you match him.

"I am Khaganate Samkrend, of the Samkrend Clan." The Khaganate states, serenely, extending a hand for a handshake. You shake his hand and give a brief nod.

"I am Pheonix of Sol -- Pheobe Gainer. God of the Holylands." You introduce yourself politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine, Pheonix!" Samkrend exclaims, "Now, come,"

He guides you to the edge of the hover-dock, pointing out across his city.

"Tell me, what do you think? It's [496 square miles]. The only city that was bigger, as far as I know, was the Holy one. Not bad for fifty years!"
« Last Edit: August 17, 2020, 09:47:14 pm by 19_EgarAlnis »
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Eschar

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Re: McCreary's Planet -- Act III: Sol's Reign
« Reply #4904 on: August 17, 2020, 09:16:27 pm »

Considering that when we fell to earth we looked like little more than "a pile of meat," I'm pretty sure that we can regenerate fingers.  Cutting off a small part of our body that we can then regrow seems like a small price to pay for infinite weapons of mass destruction.

What about regrowing our arm?

Who knows, Phoenix may wish to retain that wound as a symbol of what we went through to enable the Holy Citizens to escape Armageddon by the skin of their teeth.
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