Once again I'm behind. Of course, I wouldn't be quite so behind if my session hadn't timed out at about the same time Friday night that I was going to post a version of this. Hopefully this re-write will be at least as useful. (For whatever *that's* worth.)
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First off, thanks for Johan and Kirilae's stats. Thinking back, I wasn't factoring in the whole "spent a large chunk of his years as a slave" when I was tossing out my ideas on Johan's classes and levels. (I still stand by my idea that he could end up earning a template that could extend his lifespan, so Kirilae won't have to worry about outliving Johan by several centuries. At least due to old age.)
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Second: Chapter 54 "Mask Dance".
The cultural tidbits you gave us about the Tzintchian mask dances was a nice treat. (I take it that any Eldar - especially a Harlequin - who saw one would probably start foaming at the mouth and screaming about heresy and blasphemy?) The over-all "lessons" in the two Tzintchian mask dances - that Chaos is (in the long-term) unsustainable, unless it keeps changing and evolving - was also a nice touch. Particuarly since her second dance was also being used as part of her plot to freak the Praxis out.
I'm guessing that the Galactica's new "sensor and communications experts" are sanctioned psychers/sorcerers. Ones that are particularly good in at least one (if not several) of the following: clariaudience, clairvoyance, precognition, and/or receptive telepathy.
I also liked how Rong played with the heads - and fears - of all thosew who end up watching the video she's going to have the Delhi transmit (until it's destroyed). First, there's going to be the fact that the video is going to get played at all. Second, there's the battle data that proves that the Shaa *don't* know everything and that the Praxis isn't the biggest, toughest, and/or meanest kid in this playground any more. Third will be deciding which possibility is worst; that Helsinki (a Peer!) was a hidden cultist all along, or that Neo-Chaos can brainwash you (at least if you're human) in such a short span of time. fourth, that the little demonstration of an "aferlife" will encourage the cults.
With a relatively small investment, Rong has ensured that the remaining Shaa - as well as the sentients currently making up the Praxis - are going to be "living in interesting times" for decades - if not centuries - to come. Personally I doubt that any of the Shaa - the Praxis that they brought it being - will survive to see the end of these "interesting times".
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Third: Chapter 55 "Homecoming".
While it's not what Rong-Arya intended when she had that comm. buoy, I can't say that I hold much sympathy for the Race's fleet that was on it's way to conquer Earth. As for another individual's comments on how the Stiletto should be nearly an Outside Context Problem for the Race, while do you think that they showed so much dedication in *ignoring* the Stiletto, once they moved away from it? To the point of sending a message to the emperor stating that they'd be later than expected "for no explainable reason".
The conversation between Rong-Arya and Tzintchi was intersting on several levels. First off, the planned "salvage" operation (which I'll go back to later). Second, the plan to get forces from the Star Wars universe to fight forces from various WH40K factions (including, but not necessarily limited to Chaos, the Eldar (all three groups?), and the Imperium of Mankind) in the Buff-verse. (Buffy-verse's Powers That Be are going to experience "pinapple surprise" from Little Nicky. But, IMO, they deserve it.) Third it gives a good summary of the differences between Neo-Chaos and "old school" Chaos; namely that Neo-Chaos needs a good reason to screw it's own over, won't do it lightly, and will reward you if you manage to survive the experience.
Finally, we have Vita and a heavily damaged Bolo. If Neo-Chaos can actually produce Bolos, and keep their loyalty, then I can't see them needing Titans. Not between having both Bolos and Evangelions.
Academia Nut wrote:Chapter Fifty-six: Strange Lessons
For the children of Nesmé, the warnings to not stray out into the woods or monsters would get them had been very real warnings for generations, but still, children would be children and thus one of the responsibilities of the Riders was to round up stray young ones who wandered off before they got eaten. They weren’t always successful, and life was hard and often tear-filled out on the moors.
It's nice of you to show that that Riders of Nesme, while being dicks, had at least some cause for their intolerance and "kill them all, let the gods sort them out" policy. In a way, Nesme's attitude reminded me of the IoM; just on a much smaller scale and with much less powerful/malevolent enemies at the gate.
“You’re welcome Mr. Green. Would anyone else like some?” Gunnhild asked the braver selection of children who had gathered around the flat rock the troll had dragged into the clearing for Gunnhild’s tea part. There was also a large, awed collection of children who watched at a safer distance.
Replace "tea part." with "tea party."
And I can see Gunnhild is already gathering followers/worshippers.
“My dad helped set up that mill thing,” Tom said as something of a suggestion. “He helped set up the looms.”
Why are Tom's comments considers (a) suggestion(s)?
Wincing, Tom looked down at the little shard stuck in his hand and the tiny drop of red blood welling up from the wound. A slight shadow then fell over his hand and he looked up to find the troll leering hungrily over him, drool flooding out from between the gaps in its razor sharp teeth as it reached a gnarled, clawed hand bigger than Tom’s torso towards…
“Mr. Green!” Gunnhild barked, causing the troll to suddenly freeze up in absolute terror, its eyes loosing their hunger and instead gaining a spike of absolute terror. “That is not proper behaviour!”
"Some people *never* learn."
Some part of her was still childish enough to wish for her big sister to come swooping in and make everything all right. Another part, a growing part, was realizing that she was an adult now. The Underdark had changed her, had aged her in ways that mere time could not do alone.
Well, I'm supposed to be an adult and I certainly haven't outgrown the desire to see someone else make everything alright. But that might just be my tendencies to be lazy and procrastiate.
And spending time as a slave - even a very valuable and well-kept one - can explain premature aging. Particularly when the Underdark is involved.
Waving her hand, she conjured up new clothing, made from solid shadows, creating a tight, silky black dress that emphasized and accentuated her feminine traits while still leaving her plenty of mobility to get down and apply a wrench to a stubborn, oil covered bolt.
Urd: Big. Sister's. Fashion. Sense. Tingling!
<Several deep breaths, and glasses of milk, later.>
Urd: I have to find a way to make that potion without the hot peppers!
Maybe this change would help convince Lars to start fulfilling more of her fantasies. Like say working towards getting Gunnhild a sibling.
She was such a good little girl!
“This is so neat,” Tom said while probing the troll’s brain with his finger, watching as his poking caused the giant to spasm and twitch in strangely predictable patterns. He and the other members of the original tea party, plus several of the more curious audience members, were all covered in blood and other fluids from the troll.
I'd say that this is the sort of thing that makes those tea parties worthwhile, in Tom's opinion.
I hope he - and the rest of the "medical team" - has a spare set of clothes, and a place to wash up. I'm also hoping that - when Gunnhild decided to make "domesticating" this Troll a passtime of hers, that he was given a medical exam. Otherwise, who knows what the poor kids could infected with.
“Your daughter is impressively evil,” Autu noted with an impressed tone.
“A touch yes, but you’ll note she’s also selective about those she plays with. She won’t hurt the other children; it’s a compulsion she can’t overcome, but she does know who can take what level of roughness. For example, she knows that the troll she picked as her companion had a long history of ‘playing’ and she has a somewhat developed sense of fairness. I do believe our friend on the operating table will very nearly have learned his lesson by the end of this session. Plus she is teaching invaluable anatomy lessons, and she’s even using mostly correct terminology,” Lars said with some pride.
Gunnhild taken to heart the Neo-Chaos credo to advance many plans with every set of actions you take, then?
Lars let a strange look cross his face, something dark and predatory yet gleeful. He looked down at the gathering of children before he replied, “Your Blood War can be summed up with the two most evil phrases my people know. Your foes, the demons, have the phrase, ‘Because I can’ on their side. You devils however have ‘Because I had to’ on yours. These two phrases, when distilled down to their essence, account for all suffering, and in the end, the latter is more destructive. The truest evil is not achieved by the men who think themselves the villain. The truest evil is done by the good man who does what he feels he must, and thus he does it without hesitation.”
As with another individual posting in this thread, I have to admit to some curiousity as to what Lars thinks of the Neutral Evil 'Loths.
Lars' comments also remind me of a claim made in "The Island Worlds". That the scariest and most dangerous human beings are the ones - like, according to the character in question, Robespierre - who truly believe that they're acting for the "greater good".
In their half-crazed attempts to combine modern physics with the ancient teachings of Netherese wizardry, the Whispered might accidentally create the first Spark genius and only by seeking out Skuld’s divine presence in the Shadow Weave would they able to keep their rationality and common sense, much like Agatha's trilobyte pendant.
