Nightmare Fugue Vigilance is something to get ASAP after we get the Qiao of the Meng Focus of the Mind. The big reason we haven't gotten it already is the need to regain willpower, once we can do that without sleep there's no reason to continue sleeping. Having an additional eight hours a day to perform tasks in should help us get caught up on all the crafting ideas people keep having.
Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Crossover Fantasy
Thing is, that does nothing about the windows.
The windows that Molly sneaks out of whenver she is grounded.
The windows made of glass, and are thus not really an impediment to an active teenager.
The amount of effort necessary to make Molly's room a credible constraint is probably unreasonable.
So well need to make equipment for them instead.
Maybe fetishes.
Note these are my opinions.I'm not talking about sci fi robotics.
My rationale here was that Molly already has the mechanical knowledge to basically build a car or similar vehicle from scratch. So it follows that she could build model sized versions of the same. Something like a heavily armored for its size chassis with an integrated gun would be more mechanically complex than a tiny pick up truck, but less than a backhoe or something unless we were getting really fancy.
Considering we had a legitimate option to use mundane craft to play at classical alchemy by making gold it doesn't seem unreasonable to assume this would be in reach in specialty.
The tricky part of this sort of thing is the software, and to a lesser extent the electrical setup, which we can't do well. However, we don't actually need to be good at that. We just need to be able to plug things in. Arduino properly launched in something like 2005, so setting up the hardware for the electronic control system wouldn't be difficult or expensive.
A high quality drone husk is something we could do for decades, the problem is the software. Which we can skip because all we need is enough electronics to house a cyber devil, which can then animate the subject.
If DP wants to block that on the basis of golem crafting being a distinct skill set mechanically that's one thing, but this isn't sci fi nonsense we're talking about here. The only cheat involved is the cyber devil.
Edit:
Another less involved way to use this would be to craft contact fuses and set up our own explosives. Then mount them on RC helicopters.
Next time we fight someone who feels like being cute with the snipers picks a fight with us we have the cyber devil living in it make a suicide run.
They go to our anima after release, so other than some possible pain the cyber devil should be fine afterwards.
Depending on the payload and range we want keeping two or three in a light sling bag shouldn't be out of the realm of possibility.
If we're assaulting a safe house or something we could bring significantly more and open up by sending everyone involved a personal expression of our displeasure. Anyone who can't take a fragmentation grenade directly to the face isn't worth Molly's time.
I'll leave the thematic objections aside, and concentrate on the mostly mechanical and narrative ones:
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1) Building something like that is possible.
Maintaining it is a significantly more timeconsuming affair. Arming it is even worse, and introduces significant legal jeopardy for a resident of the United States. Then you have to figure out how you would get it to any of the various places where DF fights happen; cant slip a mini-truck under your jacket, or into your bra.
Then there's the worst bit: You are relying on the stat spread of a minor cyberdevil to operate and fight it. An immortal cyberdevil without human mortality or Excellency, and with the ability to botch.
That seems unwise.
2)We already have the sniper thing handled.
Thats part of why we took Hollow Mind Curse, so we could build a smartgun for hitting cheeky buggers with longrange weapons.
3) The same problems come into play with regards to explosive RC copters.
How do you build them, store them safely and get them from wherever you built them to the battlefield. Size, range and payload are inversely correlated. Something capable of carrying a 500g grenade is not small.
Plus, because you've decided to make them explosive, you've probably made it necessary to buy a couple dots of Science/Technology in order to figure out how to store chemical explosives safely after magically crafting them without blowing yourself up.
And then you have to rely on the stat block of a minor cyberdevil with no Excellency to hit the target and not collateral a bunch of civies. Or something that will sympathetically explode. And thats assuming its available when a fight breaks out and not halfway across the city. You can do the math on that.
You begin to run into the issue where if you want the ability to blow shit up, mechanically you're better off buying charms or stuff you cant just leave at home.
For example, Sandstrike Blast for 2 dots/8XP which allows you to blow the building up for 1 Essence.
Or Principle-Invoking Onslaught for 3 dots/12 XP, which will allow you to spawn and reload modern weapons for a scene. Just summon a Javelin missile launcher or a Carl Gustav or grenades. Or buy Brilliant Raptor for 10 XP.
Alternatively, wait till you have an inner Hell and have them provide you with First Teams.
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Sorry, but I am vehemently opposed to getting Nightmare Fugue Vigilance, full stop.
For both fluff and mechanical reasons.
Now, if it was the Solar equivalent of the charm, that would be great, but the whole 'never have a good night's sleep again' thing makes me want to avoid it like the plague.
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- Location
- washington
in fairness no matter what we're gonna lose some semblances of humanity in this quest and the goal is basically immortal overlord of a hell and helping the world.
You're not wrong about the legal jeopardy, but I figured we're past that point since we're likely as not going to be killing things in fights where we'd want this sort of support.
Stay spread is a problem, but I think it comes down to specifics in what we'd be allowed to build our squad of murder roombas. I mean, the smart gun plan assumes it can effectively add fire arms dots regardless of base user pool the same way a gun sight would.
Giving them amazing stat blocks would be silly, but attributes based on build quality and a few dots in the basic skill required for the device doesn't seem unreasonable.
Being able to botch seems like a weird argument to make here as well, since any minion we get is going to have that problem. Unless we'll only settle for people with world tier dots in whatever we want them for.
Getting minions, even ones that aren't as good as us, is helpful for the additional actions for our side and additional distinct hurdles for our opponents. Trying to fight Molly, Micheal, and two shotgun toting roombas out to literally shoot you in the ass is more complicated than just fighting the first two alone.
They're also to an extent disposable. It's suck to lose the effort out in, but we're just out the cost and not a person. We can even put the same devils back in the replacements.
Getting the weapons charm might be nice, but it doesn't have all of the same advantages in terms of action economy, tactical flexibility, and expendable assets as minion building would.
To go back to the flying drone example for a moment. If we're going out and think we find trouble, we can launch them with instructions to kill anyone who tries to shoot us on the spot.
At that meeting we could have left one sitting somewhere, active but not flying, with instructions to launch itself if the above conditions are met. After the first shots the machine gunner would be missing part of his face, assuming we couldn't fit anything bigger.
If we're worried about collateral then we can swap for flash bang grenades.
We would need a dot or two in tech/science to do some of this, but I view that as something we should get anyway because craft is more useful the better the IC ideas we have are. Things like that smart gun should either be gated behind or noticeably improved by technological ability.
Personally, I don't like the direct attack charms because they seem inefficient essence wise in most cases. They also can't be easily improved on or leveraged to other tasks. Feels like a better use of exp to get things that make Molly better to the greatest degree for the longest duration per mote invested that we can.
I'll acknowledge that's a fairly subjective perspective though.
I'd also like to note that I'm not suggesting this as an immediate item on the to do list. Just something to consider when we're a little more established and have our own spaces. I don't really want to leave armed death bots piloted by things born from the imprint 4chan made on hell in Micheal's workshop or something.
They'd either cause an incident with the Jawas, or get along with them way too well.
We don't need to come back after sneaking out somewhere to find Leech dealing in what appears to be the Wicked City's answer to those paintings of dogs playing poker.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Harry secures the loyalty and services of a crack team of infiltrators, spies, and assassins all for the low price of showing Toot Toot and his buddies a bit of respect/kindness and feeding them large amounts of pizza.
Before I invested resources (especially the most important resource of all, time) into building and arming drone weapons that could be inhabited and controlled by Cyber-Devils, I would try to befriend my own crew of Wyldfae. On top of paying them whatever they desire for their service, we could easily craft them awesome sets of armor and weapons perfectly sized for their tiny little bodies, and they would probably be prime recipients of the wish Charm's effects.
Before I invested resources (especially the most important resource of all, time) into building and arming drone weapons that could be inhabited and controlled by Cyber-Devils, I would try to befriend my own crew of Wyldfae. On top of paying them whatever they desire for their service, we could easily craft them awesome sets of armor and weapons perfectly sized for their tiny little bodies, and they would probably be prime recipients of the wish Charm's effects.
That does sound worth looking into. Though they are less loyal than cyber devils and have built in restrictions that make them less helpful in some regards.
Having said that, making pixies doll sized elephant rifles so that they can put out people's eyes or something could be an entertaining surprise to drop on someone.
True, but the idea is to keep as much as we can.
Now, if there was a version of the charm 'without' the nightmares (even if more expensive) I'd say go for it.
Remember, Molly is human, and will (likely) try to remain as 'human' as possible. Plus, as a teenager, she's likely not going to be fond of effectively giving up a good night's sleep forever. She's not an asectic.
I'd rather have magic ranged attack for various reasons, and MHM unfortunately uses the 'lesser' of Brawl or Occult for attacks, and since we have nothing in Brawl, we'd be rolling very low if we used that.
Also, Sandstrike Blast lasts for an entire scene, so not 'that' expensive for one Essence, as it will allow us to attack a 'lot' and can be combined with other attacks if we want to flurry.
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- Location
- washington
I've kind of always dreaded sleep for a variety of reasons from insomnia, to staring at the wall for hours before falling asleep, to nightmares, to not being able to enjoy myself before something happens. so I'd love not to have to sleep. Given I'm probably in some kind of minority.
It's a little weird to me you explained the fluff reason without explaining the mechanical one given you said you had both. Elaborate?
The only mechanical reason I can see to avoid it is removed by FotM, and while it is a little sketchy fluffwise, I can fully see justifying it IC by wanting to spend time with friends and family without giving up the opportunity to to do good.
I wouldn't consider sleeping as a fundamentally human activity, sure all humans do it, but so do all animals and many supernatural beings. I'd really consider it only as fundamental as, say, breathing, something else every one needs to do, but I wouldn't consider anyone who didn't as "inhuman" just interesting.
The way I see it, only charms that affect how intimacies or virtues are expressed, or have other major changes to fundamental mindset, have changed anything really worth keeping.
I'm pretty much with you, I hate sleeping, Not dread, but I always end up thinking about all the things I could be getting done if evolution didn't decide I needed to be mentally and physically paralyzed for a third of the day.
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The mechanical reason is just because of the problems with willpower restoration, and yes, I know it's removed by FotM, which is why I only explained by fluff reasons.
And while you may dislike sleep, I do not, though I wouldn't mind being able to chose to sleep when I want to, hence why I'm against getting the charm.
Demonic Primacy of Essence Should be an absolute priority. It is a massively good social charm.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
To be fair, I do see a way for us to get a really good ranged option that does aggravated damage by default and uses occult to aim instead of firearms or athletics, so it would be perfect for our build, but it requires us to first convince Brother Devisimar to teach us the Qiao of I Shen, and then convert it into a proper CMA instead of the somewhat pathetic by Exalted standards mortal version. So doable, but a big investment.
Actually, I went over all of the Qiao and did a private assessment of which of them are worth getting for their own sake, and which are worth converting into a full CMA. I should probably type that up and post it here.
Actually, I went over all of the Qiao and did a private assessment of which of them are worth getting for their own sake, and which are worth converting into a full CMA. I should probably type that up and post it here.
- Location
- washington
I mean long term we don't want to really keep any of the inferior non exalted martial arts right?
Agree it's something we should get, just not sure it's a 'get now' charm.
But with the fact it doesn't have the issues the original did, makes it much better.
... Just thought of something.
Do Infernals even 'have' Perfect Defenses beyond BME, Who Strikes the Wind, and Counter-Conceptual Interposition?
I've read through the charms list, and those are the only three I've noticed that used the words 'perfectly'
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We are an exalted, how do you kill an exalted, you get then alone and hit them with a ton of mooks. All these fancy tricks combat tricks don't matter to real enemies, that can throw 100's of empowered mooks forcing us to spend all our essence to deal with them.
Demonic primacy of essences, Chirality prohibition index, and VED are the most important charms a infernal can get. A exalted fighting alone is just a dead exalt that doesn't know it yet.
There are a couple more if you count the ones that day you just don't take the damage.
Which would be:
They don't specifically say perfect, but then neither do the others. They do block or redirect all damage though, so I think it's fair to treat them roughly the same.
While it's not a perfect defense, there's a maggot charm worth mentioning in the discussion of good defenses.
Right now this would let us soak like we have 5 stamina as long as we're aware of the attack, and reflexively debuff our attacker pretty significantly for free.
Even when stamina catches up we still get one more die in the pool, and that retaliation effect is really unpleasant.
Had a random thought regarding QoIS, do you think it'd be possible to seal things besides Prayers into strips? Like sorcery spells for instance?
Read an Exalted fic once where a mortal had a Sapphire Circle counterspell sealed into a prayer strip that she tore in half the moment before her army would have been wiped out by sorcery, and I've always thought it was a cool idea. I haven't been able to find a specific mention of it in canon, though.
Sorry for being so late guys, my internet dropped last night around midnight leaving me in the middle of the update and I could not even continue it offline because I had no dice roller. Getting back to it now.
- Location
- washington
you missed having an update for one day so I think I speak for all of us when I say how dare you one UPDATE ONE UPDATE!
- Location
- United States
You could just roll actual dice in the future and note down the results.
But seriously, dont worry about it.
Winning vote
Arc 2 Post 8: Of Artifice and Flesh
Of Artifice and Flesh
17th of July 2006 A.D.
You brace yourself and with a sense that is not touch nor hearing, sight nor smell not taste you reach. You remember the first time you touched the legions of lesser cyber spirits and beckoned them forth. Recalling the chorus of litanies, each a supplication from a desperate spirit you offer to one what all of them grave, a way out of the maze, a path out of the rat race. There is no sign of it, no ripple in the air, no spark of green fire, no shadow moving on the wall. There is no need to touch it really, but it is familiar, a comforting weight for all you have only had it a few months, a vessel of plastic and copper and silicon chips, a vessel for messages and calendars and birthday notifications. An adjunct of the mind to keep time and keep in touch now given life and purpose, but not yet a name.
"Hello Clippy," you say tapping it in even as the background fills with static. The name a binding, a binding of your will, not for a day, a month or even a year, but forever, a promise that they should never again suffer the torments of anonymity and alienation of which they had been born.
Lost 1 Essence
Permanent Binding Achieved
The screen flickers to an image of a google-eyed paperclip though rather than the normal grey it ripples with an eye-searing melange of red green and blue before finally settling on black with fiery blue eyes that are somehow more disconcerting for being still cartoony.
"How may this one serve?" the words are a mixture of voices rising and falling in ways that as though from a failing connection, though you realize that he had picked them out from different parts of the phone's memory, mostly the songs.
"Are you settling in OK?" you ask, not really knowing what one was meant to say in the aftermath of a welcome possession, most of your life you had only been taught how to deal with the other kind,, mostly by running.
"I am acclimating well to the pleasing-enduring Silence of this Dominion," it or perhaps she says, as the voice settles on something vaguely feminine, though seemingly auto-tuned
It takes you a moment to realize she means the phone, a whole device all to herself would be outright palatial for one of the Nameless of the Wicked City. Of course normally she would not be able to control it with this kind of fidelity either lacking the finesse or the power to be little more than malicious static flying though wires or floating on the air, able to prod and poke an error here, a glitch there.
By your power she had been invested as the spirit of the phone making it as the body of a living thing to her. "What happens if I break my phone?" you ask Usum mentally, suddenly worried about far more than losing your contacts and a bit o music. Would you be damning a soul back to Hell?
"No, merciful Lady of Eternal Star-fire, she and any others you might summon would slumber in the depths of your anima until they are summoned again," your mental companion answers.
"Good," you sigh in relief. It is a little weird to realize you would effectively be the afterlife for the demons you summoned, but way better than sending them back to hell. It's not like Clippy had ever done anything to deserve being in hell, she had just been born of its emanations.
"Query?" Clippy asks. "What is positive?"
"The fact that you will be safe even if this phone breaks and I can put you in another one," you reply.
"It is positive, I would not wish to risk your secrets in the Realm Below," she replies, the phone vibrating with a pleased hum.
Not exactly what you had been thinking of, but you guess a demon would have other standards. Speaking of those standards though...
Over the next half an hour you make your feelings clear on the matter of your family, never hurt them and help if you can, other mages and supernaturals, don't show yourself without confirming it with me and the world at large, don't be an asshole just because you can. As instructions for demonology these would normally be utterly terrible, but you did not draw a circle in salt and blood nor summon by morrtal magic, the pact between you runs deeper than words.
"Understood, I shall wake you at 7:00 AM tomorrow," Clippy proclaims. Then on the border between waking and sleeping you hear if you did not dream. "Thank you"
***
21st of July 2006 A.D.
Over the next three days you are quite glad to have a sentient alarm clock that you cannot just turn off because otherwise there is no way you would be able to wake up on time. 'Touching your limits that you may overcome them' turns out to mean grueling physical conditioning that pushes the limits of even your empowered muscles and wrenches pain from even from senses deadened to it. Not that he is cruel about it, but...
"I can do it," you say after one particularly grueling set of lifts that throws your back for fifteen whole minutes.
You really want those magic superpowers, maybe it is not the most enlightened reason you could want them for, but you want to prove to yourself that you can make use of this thing on your terms and not just on its own. When you explain your reasoning for pushing though a host of minor injuries your teacher just shakes his head the first few times, but when you ask him point blank if that is a good mindset to be going at this he says it is.
"Then why...?" you finally ask, trailing off not so much because you want to be vague as because breath is a precious thing.
"I have never trained any student in this manner because no purely mortal man or woman would have survived crossing the Qiao of the Mo Kung this way."
"Maybe... don't... tell... mom that... teacher," you offer as you get right back to taking on the punching bag with weighted arms. Your mom had already put paid to the notion of using the powers of Kakuri to help with your training as she had made Brother Divsimar that he would always make sure you could get home safe so he could not legitimately vow to lock you in if you did not do well enough.
Still you feel like you are making some real progress, maybe next session you could see if you might take Usum's suggestion and and use fire. He had reminded you that you can heal burns pretty quick if you could get a nice toxic bath before heading home. I would have to talk to Mr. LeCroix about using his bathroom, but that should not be too hard, his apartment connects directly to the basement you are using for training.
Steel Skin Progress: 9/15
For now though you have other matters to consider, tomorrow you plan to talk to Harry, see if he needs any help with the investigation into the Thule society or any of the other stuff you had tangled him into. He probably does and he will almost certainly be reluctant to take your help. So best to martial your arguments on advance.
How do you approach Harry Dresden?
[] Point out that you are going to be involved in this anyway, he just gets to decide if it's where he can see you or not
-[] Write in stunt
[] Emphasize all the skills you would bring to an investigation
-[] Write in stunt
[] Write in
OOC: For anyone wondering why Molly has a Motorola it's because I used to have one of those around the time this takes place and I really liked it so I figured by not draw on that.
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- Location
- New York
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I mean… we can just ask Harry if he has any uniquely difficult questions worth burning a question on.