Alchemical Solutions [Worm/Exalted] Thread 24: Xenial Xenos Xerox Xanthous Xiphos

AlchemicalSolutions.exe has frozen. What do you wish to do?


  • Total voters
    169
  • Poll closed .
[X] Assembly Stays In Philadelphia, Lets PRT Handle Fallen Cleanup
[X] Wait For Taylor, Risk Leviathan Coming To Philadelphia
[X] Saki Lets PRT Take Most Credit For Fallen Defeat, Gains Minimal Fame

[X] EOA - 2 XP - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - 4 XP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - 4 XP - Medicine ●○○○○
 
[X] Assembly Helps PRT Clean Up Fallen, Is Away From Philadelphia
[X] Exalt Candidate Early, Bigger Fight At The Cradle
[X] Saki Lets PRT Take Most Credit For Fallen Defeat, Gains Minimal Fame
[X] EOA - 2 XP - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - 4 XP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - 4 XP - Medicine ●○○○○

[X] WMS - 14 XP - Resources ●●●●●

I do not want Philadelphia destroyed, if we go with the option to wait, I would suggest going with Aisha's option of resources to cover the cost of damages
 
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[X] EOA - 2 XP - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - 4 XP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - 4 XP - Medicine ●○○○○

I support Tinker Tailor, Teacher Sailor Autochthonia. Prayer getting better at war is good, since it seems to be an area she's focusing on. Saki might benefit from Medicine, I think it might help shift her perspective on some of the tools and chemicals she got with her Exaltation if she can put real concrete constructive uses to them.
 
[X] EOA - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - Medicine ●○○○○

[X] Assembly Stays In Philadelphia, Lets PRT Handle Fallen Cleanup
-[] Stunt goes here
[X] Wait For Taylor, Risk Leviathan Coming To Philadelphia
[X] Saki Lets PRT Take Most Credit For Fallen Defeat, Gains Minimal Fame
-[] Stunt goes here
 
[X] Assembly Helps PRT Clean Up Fallen, Is Away From Philadelphia
-[] Stunt goes here
[X] Wait For Taylor, Risk Leviathan Coming To Philadelphia
[X] Saki Lets PRT Take Most Credit For Fallen Defeat, Gains Minimal Fame
-[] Stunt goes here
[X] EOA - 2 XP - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - 4 XP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - 4 XP - Medicine ●○○○○
[X] WMS - 14 XP - Resources ●●●●●
 
... Well, no one else seems to care about stunts so why should I, after all the only thing that apparently matters is the xp vote particularly the resource 5. I mean the rest of the paragraph talking about what I think the actual point i.e. plot hook, is apparently less important than the word trap (that some people were concerned about) and that was the only part of the post that was worth reading. (fair point about me making the mistake about the performance teaching, I don't know why Taylor would have that as an option was, she doing some sort of teaching while skiing? And thank you for pointing out that medicine is actually useful for the martial art)


(vote removed because we are apparently not allowedto split the party) [] Assembly Helps PRT Clean Up Fallen, Is Away From Philadelphia
[X] Saki Lets PRT Take Most Credit For Fallen Defeat, Gains Minimal Fame
[X] Wait For Taylor, Risk Leviathan Coming To Philadelphia
[X] EOA - 2 XP - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - 4 XP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - 4 XP - Medicine ●○○○○

I imagine Taylor being good at teaching narratively means she is good at helping other exalts learn things quicker (even if that is just text).


Actually, I am now imagining Taylor somehow getting a ski instructor job during the holiday, probably by accident.
 
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Any video card made in the last ~4 years is either out of stock or scalped to high heaven for double or triple the price.
Yeah, thank the crypto miners.

No Write-Ins. The conflict is intentional - someone's going to be unhappy no matter what we choose!
*looks at options, sighs*
~Fine~
There's a lot of tweaks I need to do to Chapter 10.6 to address some grammar and plot holes, gonna get to them tomorrow evening hopefully.
Oh cool.
Noticed changes in 10.6 already.
You appear to have cut something off.
Oops. Will fix.

Im out of practice with stunts, so Im just gonna vote. Stunts later in the week, assuming I get inspired.
Dont hold your breath.

RATIONALE
1)Saki's Motivation is Fix Philadelphia.
Her last instructions from Autobot were Finish The Assembly. That bit goes to the entire Assembly, not just her. Which means vetting candidates takes priority for the Assembly, and staying close to home to keep those candidates alive. Its the sensible option, even though its not the interesting one.

I'd rather split the assembly and send Prayer+Aisha to help the PRT, but no writeins are allowed.

2)We've been warned about trying to outmaneuver the Simurgh; it never worth the trouble
Before dispensing them to everyone, you had brought these plans to Legend and Alexandria, and shared your concerns about potential outsider interference. You were a bit surprised to hear Legend curse under his breath, but Alexandria was quick with the grim declaration: keep the theory to yourself, for now, as spreading such a belief would irreparably damage morale.

"Or us keeping this a secret could be part of her plan," the black-costumed heroine ground out past her grimace. "It's not like we ever really see what the Simurgh wants until it's too late."
Her and Leviathan being so obvious is an obvious stratagem.
Whether its a ploy to make us rush Exaltation and fumble it(OOC we know it wont fumble, but we dont know IC), or a head fake, or a head fake's head fake, recursively, will drive you into a spiral of doubt and paranoia.

The best option is not to play.
Wait for Taylor.

3) Saki doesnt want the spotlight so far, at least not for typical parahuman things.
And doesnt need the fame for her social work.
So pass.

4)Prayer needs War. Saki needs Medicine. Performance Teaching makes Taylor better at training mooks ad explaining Autochtonia.
Resources 5 looks like one route for getting Aisha to meet the requirements for Essence 4.
And I want to see what Aisha and Gromweld make of Resources 5.

========================================================
VOTE
[X] Assembly Stays In Philadelphia, Lets PRT Handle Fallen Cleanup
[X] Wait For Taylor, Risk Leviathan Coming To Philadelphia
[X] Saki Lets PRT Take Most Credit For Fallen Defeat, Gains Minimal Fame
[X] EOA - 2 XP - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - 4 XP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - 4 XP - Medicine ●○○○○
[X] WMS - 14 XP - Resources ●●●●●


[X] STUNT: "There is room for another killzone here," Prayer's clipped tones rang out as she pointed to a spot on the latest plans for Philadelphia's reconstruction. "Indeed," replied Accord, tapping his can on the meeting room's marble floor, "but that would reduce the area for the manufacturing centers." His mask formed an expression that hybridized a smile and grimace. "It seems that we've reached the point where true improvement is impossible, merely making tradeoff's between Philadelphia's functions as a deathtrap for Endbringers, and for being an actual city."
 
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No it isnt.
The last time we spent 5 dots on a background we got Lord Crushing Grasp.
Iris cost 17XP.
Everytime we've made a major expenditure of XP the juice has always been worth the squeeze.
So you say, but I'm not interested in exploring the possible personality changes that'll come from a formerly impoverished teen suddenly coming into what you calculated as a quarter billion dollars, not to mentions the other possible complications. *shrug*

Edit: As for Iris, yes, he's sometimes been a boon, but he also went full VoV, effectively destroyed us and placed the entire greater Philly area in danger.
 
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[X] Assembly Stays In Philadelphia, Lets PRT Handle Fallen Cleanup
[X] Wait For Taylor, Risk Leviathan Coming To Philadelphia
[X] Saki Lets PRT Take Most Credit For Fallen Defeat, Gains Minimal Fame
[X] EOA - 2 XP - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - 4 XP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - 4 XP - Medicine ●○○○○
[X] WMS - 14 XP - Resources ●●●●●
 
So you say, but I'm not interested in exploring the possible personality changes that'll come from a formerly impoverished teen suddenly coming into what you calculated as a quarter billion dollars, not to mentions the other possible complications. *shrug*

Edit: As for Iris, yes, he's sometimes been a boon, but he also went full VoV, effectively destroyed us and placed the entire greater Philly area in danger.
1)150 million dollars, according to the GM.
Your personal preferences are your own. Exalted's central theme is all about exploring the consequences of power, of which money is but one example.

2)Sometimes? Sometimes? What? Iris has been an unmitigated blessing.

Hes the reason we had our first power armor in time for the Behemoth fight. Hes the reason we're Essence 4. The reason we should be able to upgrade in Earth Bet. Hes also the reason we didnt lose our Moonsilver candidate to Ziz. The reason the Wild Hunt didnt all die on another planet along with Armsmaster. He remains the reason we can even use the Cradle in any safety without getting jumped or having an EB camping the spot.

The reason we have or can power the Vengeance suit.

The greater Philly region was already at risk when the Nine showed up with a bomb tinker and a bioTinker. If you are blaming Iris for Vision of Vengeance's actions? Then he's also getting the credit for the greater Philly area not currently being a smoking crater due to Jack Slash's final fuck you presents, because Vision brainjacked Slash and shut down his triggers.

The reason we didnt see Siberian instagib Chevalier and Armsmaster before us. The reason we stopped Jack Slash roaching away to start again somewhere else. AND he's the reason we recovered Missy at all after Jack used her as a getaway device.
 
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1)150 million dollars, according to the GM.
Your personal preferences are your own. Exalted's central theme is all about exploring the consequences of power, of which money is but one example.

2)Sometimes? Sometimes? What? Iris has been an unmitigated blessing.

Hes the reason we had our first power armor in time for the Behemoth fight. Hes the reason we're Essence 4. The reason we should be able to upgrade in Earth Bet. Hes also the reason we didnt lose our Moonsilver candidate to Ziz. The reason the Wild Hunt didnt all die on another planet along with Armsmaster. He remains the reason we can even use the Cradle in any safety without getting jumped or having an EB camping the spot.

The reason we have or can power the Vengeance suit.

The greater Philly region was already at risk when the Nine showed up with a bomb tinker and a bioTinker. If you are blaming Iris for Vision of Vengeance's actions? Then he's also getting the credit for the greater Philly area not currently being a smoking crater due to Jack Slash's final fuck you presents, because Vision brainjacked Slash and shut down his triggers.

The reason we didnt see Siberian instagib Chevalier and Armsmaster before us. The reason we stopped Jack Slash roaching away to start again somewhere else. AND he's the reason we recovered Missy at all after Jack used her as a getaway device.
Double post, but I absolutely agree!
 
Double post, but I absolutely agree!
Oops. Fixed.
You overstate the matter imo. He's been a blessing, I'll grant, but unmitigated? No. And here I begin to remember why I started to dread voting cycles for the quest. Endless arguments. *sigh*
I am not kidding.When I said unmitigated, I meant it.

Iris has literally never done anything but benefit us. Even when Vision tagged in, and mindcontrolled Philadelphia, she managed to shut down the contingencies that Jack had in play. Bakuda- and Bonesaw-designed contingencies. Given that Bakuda canonically almost EMPed a third of the United States with fewer resources, and that Bonesaw hit BB with an agnosia plague in cano? What would have happened to Philly does not bear thinking about.

Even the periodic flex, like his stopping time over a video feed, or literally swapping sections of different planets with nary a seismic effect, has had the salutary effect of providing hard evidence of the level of bullshitfuckery we have to deal with to the sceptical bureaucrats who run the PRT, and the politicians who control them.

Right now he's there, at the Cradle, preparing the whole conversion process.
Which is otherwise something that Taylor would have to be juggling, in between her other tasks.
Iris remains the best 17XP we ever spent.

EDIT
And that's a precedent for high-dot Backgrounds in this Quest.
Lord Grasp is a Familiar 5. Mister is a Familiar 4. Prayer used to be Resources 4 before she invested it all in Case 53s.
ALL our Alchemicals have Mentor 5 as a freebie.

Gromweld has never fucked us for picking a high-dot Background.
Have some faith.
 
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Gromweld has never fucked us for picking a high-dot Background.
Have some faith.
And when he directly says:
It will certainly change her approach to lots of things, and will definitely impact her overall mindset; she is a child of poverty, so there's no doubt that attaining ridiculous amounts of wealth so quickly will alter her behavior.
I'm supposed, according to you, to not be wary/cautious about that? Sorry, I'm not inclined to go along with you on that.
 
Also, even if it is worth 14 XP, is it worth more than what we could spend that 14 XP on in character generation for the Alchemical we'll be exalting in a chapter or two? If you want to blow more than half our available XP on that Background right now, I hope you're confident in the flow of art and omakes resuming quickly enough and at a high enough rate to make up for it.
 
[X] Assembly Stays In Philadelphia, Lets PRT Handle Fallen Cleanup
[X] Wait For Taylor, Risk Leviathan Coming To Philadelphia
[X] Saki Lets PRT Take Most Credit For Fallen Defeat, Gains Minimal Fame
[X] EOA - 2 XP - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - 4 XP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - 4 XP - Medicine ●○○○○
[X] WMS - 14 XP - Resources ●●●●●
 
Also, even if it is worth 14 XP, is it worth more than what we could spend that 14 XP on in character generation for the Alchemical we'll be exalting in a chapter or two?
Yes. It is.
See my commentary in my reply to @landcollector in a bit.

If you want to blow more than half our available XP on that Background right now, I hope you're confident in the flow of art and omakes resuming quickly enough and at a high enough rate to make up for it.
I've been here for every chargen, including Taylor's first chargen when I barely understood what was going on.
I've participated in generating that XP.
XP for critical stuff shows up when its necessary.

Besides which, of our four remaining Orichalcum and Jade Exalt candidates?

The very youngest, Vista, has been a cape since 2009, patrolled in Brockton Bay, and has participated in and survived at least 2x S-class events.
Accord has been a cape for over five years(he showed up in Boston in 2007 during the Boston Games), and before that he was a PRT Thinker for an unknown period of time. And clawed his way to effective overlordship of much of Boston in that time, as a Thinker.

Glaistig Uaine has been a cape for at least two decades now; she killed Gray Boy, and he was active back when King still led the Nine, and before Number Man left to join Cauldron. She then spent over a decade in the Birdcage. Miss Militia has been a cape for 26 years now as of 2011, and joined the Wards back when Hero was alive, and is currently a senior PRT cape. She triggered in 1985 in the Turkish-Kurdish civil war.

She and GU are members of the very first generation of natural triggers.

None of them are lacking in the life experience or conflict data that translates to XP.
Its not like having to put the Twins through chargen, when they'd only been capes for a couple weeks, and most of their teenage lives had been spent in as protected an arena as their parents could manage.
 
And when he directly says:
It will certainly change her approach to lots of things, and will definitely impact her overall mindset; she is a child of poverty, so there's no doubt that attaining ridiculous amounts of wealth so quickly will alter her behavior.
I'm supposed, according to you, to not be wary/cautious about that? Sorry, I'm not inclined to go along with you on that.
That's you entirely misunderstanding what its about. To quote an earlier update:
Something to ask her about later, for sure. You'll try to remember during your vacation.

Is it going to change Aisha? ...Yes. It's uncomfortable to admit it, but you've talked more in these last few days than you did in the last month before the Nine came. What you're wearing now is more what you'd normally like to wear, but instead you're practically always covered in world-class gowns and dresses (you blame Lord Grasp, but it's true). But… you're having to deal with a lot of… bad stuff and you can't just run away or let Sakura do the talking for you.

There's a quote you've been thinking of from one of Sakura's Alexandria/Rime fics: "If you want to change someone, give them power."
Hannah is very carefully blank at that statement, but Brian looks thoughtful for a while before nodding in apparent understanding.
Just like power and beauty has changed Saki, money will change Aisha.
But in approach, not in who they actually are.
Money is a tool to be used. Like Appearance. Like Connections. Like Influence.

I mean, we made this woman a Moonsilver Exalt. Gave her a spirit-cat-car familiar.
Divine Minister Noi approved of her. Autobot found her worthy right as she is without any caveats.
We're well past the wary/cautious bit.

==========================================================================================================================
I mean, lets look at canon.
Aisha/Imp was a member of the Undersiders. 7 primary members in the leadership: Grue, Tats,Bitch, Regent, Skitter, Imp, Parian.
Flechette was Parian's lieutenant, so not a member of the Top 7.

As of when Taylor left the Undersiders after Echidna and before New Delhi, her personal net worth from her own mouth, was fifteen to twenty million dollars. Citation is in Drone 23.4. Equal shares among seven people brings you to around 105-140 million dollars in total, split between seven 'Siders.
Making the Undersiders, combined, a Resources 5 organization as of 2011. Minimum.

This was before the portal ballooned the worth of their assets.

Aisha, personally, as a member of the ruling group, and entitled to about the same share Skitter got, would have been Resources 4 in 2011, even before Brockton Bay underwent economic recovery because of the portal and their net worth ballooned further. Barely 3 months previously she was getting mugged on the streets by E88 and living with her druggie mom.

You'd think she'd go on spending sprees. Floss a bit. Maybe do a little nose candy.

You remember what she actually did after becoming a member of the 1%? She went to a Behemoth fight as a Stranger. She mourned Regent after he died. She reached out to Citrine, made arrangements, went up to Canada and killed Heartbreaker, and took over raising his kids and instilling a sense of ethics in them. She protected her section of the city. And during all this, she never let her skills or role in the Undersiders slip.

When Taylor met her in Scarab 25.6, she was still wearing the costume Taylor made for her two years ago, only resized, not some new money shit.
She was more responsible than your average lotto winner, and she was a kid raised by a dysfunctional father and a junkie mom.

I am comfortable with the range of reactions possible with Aisha because we have canonically seen her in similar situations with no role model, and she was a better role model for New Money than 99% of the people you'd meet.
Thats (part of) why we made her an Exalt in the first place.
 
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[X] Assembly Stays In Philadelphia, Lets PRT Handle Fallen Cleanup
[X] Wait For Taylor, Risk Leviathan Coming To Philadelphia
[X] Saki Lets PRT Take Most Credit For Fallen Defeat, Gains Minimal Fame
[X] EOA - 2 XP - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - 4 XP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - 4 XP - Medicine ●○○○○
[X] WMS - 14 XP - Resources ●●●●●

Let's see what kind of heist we get tangled into.
 
That's you entirely misunderstanding what its about. To quote an earlier update:

Just like power and beauty has changed Saki, money will change Aisha.
But in approach, not in who they actually are.
Money is a tool to be used. Like Appearance. Like Connections. Like Influence.

I mean, we made this woman a Moonsilver Exalt. Gave her a spirit-cat-car familiar.
Divine Minister Noi approved of her. Autobot found her worthy right as she is without any caveats.
We're well past the wary/cautious bit.

==========================================================================================================================
I mean, lets look at canon.
Aisha/Imp was a member of the Undersiders. 7 primary members in the leadership: Grue, Tats,Bitch, Regent, Skitter, Imp, Parian.
Flechette was Parian's lieutenant, so not a member of the Top 7.

As of when Taylor left the Undersiders after Echidna and before New Delhi, her personal net worth from her own mouth, was fifteen to twenty million dollars. Citation is in Drone 23.4. Equal shares among seven people brings you to around 105-140 million dollars in total, split between seven 'Siders.
Making the Undersiders, combined, a Resources 5 organization as of 2011. Minimum.

Aisha, personally, as a member of the ruling group, and entitled to about the same share Skitter got, would have been Resources 4 in 2011, even before Brockton Bay underwent economic recovery because of the portal and their net worth ballooned further. Barely 3 months previously she was getting mugged on the streets by E88 and living with her druggie mom.

You'd think she'd go on spending sprees. Floss a bit. Maybe do a little nose candy.

You remember what she actually did after becoming a member of the 1%? She went to a Behemoth fight as a Stranger. She mourned Regent after he died. She reached out to Citrine, made arrangements, went up to Canada and killed Heartbreaker, and took over raising his kids and instilling a sense of ethics in them. She protected her section of the city. And during all this, she never let her skills or role in the Undersiders slip.

When Taylor met her in Scarab 25.6, she was still wearing the costume Taylor made for her two years ago, only resized, not some new money shit.
She was more responsible than your average lotto winner, and she was a kid raised by a dysfunctional father and a junkie mom.

I am comfortable with the range of reactions possible with Aisha because we have canonically seen her in similar situations with no role model, and she was a better role model for New Money than 99% of the people you'd meet.
Thats (part of) why we made her an Exalt in the first place.
Fine then. Since the votes are solidly swinging in favor of your desired 14 XP outlay, let's hope the complications are tolerable, eh?
 
Goddammit Aisha what did you do :V

On the one hand Dosh 5 yes, on the other we need to save that XP to get more swag for our Ori. War 3 sounds like a great investment for FPoP. Perf (Teaching) for EOA is, well...yeah. It'll be fine.

Just to give everyone a heads-up RE: stunt writing. I am finishing up a grant and have, like, negative mental capacity for that sort of thing right now.
 
[X] Assembly Stays In Philadelphia, Lets PRT Handle Fallen Cleanup
[X] Wait For Taylor, Risk Leviathan Coming To Philadelphia
[X] Saki Lets PRT Take Most Credit For Fallen Defeat, Gains Minimal Fame

[X] EOA - 2 XP - Performance ●●○○○ (Specialty: Teaching ●●○)
[X] FPoP - 4 XP - War ●●●○○
[X] WoRI - 4 XP - Medicine ●○○○○
 
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