Into that Vast and Unrelenting Darkness (40K Xeno Civilization Quest)

A bit of a non sequitur but when I first saw the Assembly's various parts, I kinda excepted that the various projects would lead to creating a Primus situation.

A mechanical planet that doubles as a god, with the Heart and Brain of the Assembly being their literal heart and brain.

Given that we have an action to make TeraArt which is the size of a small moon, planetoid sized megaprojects aren't beyond us.

And honestly, dedicating an entire planetoid sized array of computers for a Machine God that grows in power the more processing power it has for it to reach full apotheosis seems reasonable to me.

Plus, it'd probably double as a habitable planet to not waste the space, an ecumenopolis.

Like Corusant except hopefully able to sustain itself and without underhive like environments in the lower layers

If we're making a Primus I demand block-bot based cyber life forms to function as a real ecosystem.

EDIT: Also are we doing Pimus->aspects->primes->titans->everything else? Or structuring it's soul hierarchy like an exalted primordial? Something else? Maybe a system where it gets to help rig it's own hierarchy? That would be fun, but it's tricky to set up.

EDIT2: Ooooooh we can give it it's own elements!

w34v3r said:

If we're making a Primus I demand block-bot based cyber life forms to function as a real ecosystem.

EDIT: Also are we doing Pimus->aspects->primes->titans->everything else? Or structuring it's soul hierarchy like an exalted primordial? Something else? Maybe a system where it gets to help rig it's own hierarchy? That would be fun, but it's tricky to set up.

EDIT2: Ooooooh we can give it it's own elements!

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No? I didn't say we'd be making Primus themself. You seem to have latched onto the word "Primus" and decided that the Assembly is a Transformer.

I just used Primus' state as a planet sized mechanical divine being as a point of comparison to how I imagine the megaproject for the Assembly is. While yes, the Assembly's various parts will have Avatars and spirit servants, I didn't mean it to be a 1 to 1 exact copy.

They believe a god can be made with enough processing power, and well, it's hard to top planet sized computers all working together both in sheer processing power, and in the mystical significance of such a labor of devotion

... If we were making Primus proper all of those questions would have been answered.

Also the ecology is meant to be based on bloks, not transformers. Very different gimmick, albeit with some overlap.

I'm proposing we build a Primus or Autocthon type entity. I.e. yes they're a cyber-planet, but also a major divinity with sub-souls, and maybe their own local physics/metaphysics.

w34v3r said:

... If we were making Primus proper all of those questions would have been answered.

Also the ecology is meant to be based on bloks, not transformers. Very different gimmick, albeit with some overlap.

I'm proposing we build a Primus or Autocthon type entity. I.e. yes they're a cyber-planet, but also a major divinity with sub-souls, and maybe their own local physics/metaphysics.

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We're not. Unless you have information from Bird that the Assembly is meant to be a Primus imitator or a copy of Primus with a different name,

And yes, they're a god so each part of the Assembly, ie the Heart, the Brain, etc all have Avatars and spirits.

And presumably, as a fully realized god, it'd have a lot of power and influence in its territory.

The Dancer and its Muses had control over the environs of the GigaArt gallery for instance

If we're making a computer god planet anyway why not go whole hog?

Ok so we use the extant pantheon as the soul hierarchy, fair enough.

Well yes, but there's a difference between a god's domain, and being the local reality, which is my proposal here.

w34v3r said:

If we're making a computer god planet anyway why not go whole hog?

Ok so we use the extant pantheon as the soul hierarchy, fair enough.

Well yes, but there's a difference between a god's domain, and being the local reality, which is my proposal here.

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Maybe it's because I've never been too into Transformers lore, but I'd rather the Assembly remain its own thing? Rather than copy and past Primus's stuff but with a different name?

If Bird decides otherwise, sure I'll go along it.

Edit:

That said, I don't really wanna cause any offense, I'm hoping to turn cyberspace into something like the digi-world as a stable dimension and upgrade the net navis to full on digimon our sorcerers can summon for instance. I guess it's just my unfamiliarity with Transformers that makes me unable to share that same excitement at turning the Assembly into a Primus expy.

Primus isn't the only planet machine god I'm drawing on here.

It's an archetype, Primus is just the most famous one.

There's also Pandora, Autocthon, Midworld, Malfeas, Ego, probably a few others... Not sure if Mogo counts.

Look all I'm saying is that if we're looking at building a god-planet machine, why not get all the bells and whistles?

w34v3r said:

Primus isn't the only planet machine god I'm drawing on here.

It's an archetype, Primus is just the most famous one.

There's also Pandora, Autocthon, Midworld, Malfeas, Ego, probably a few others... Not sure if Mogo counts.

Look all I'm saying is that if we're looking at building a god-planet machine, why not get all the bells and whistles?

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Because from what it sounded like to me you wanted to make the Assembly a copy of Primus.

I'm actually fully on board on giving our gods all the bells and whistles.

As for an Ego-type of living planet, some of the chat had an idea of using Mt. Wander as a possible core, and they do what MCU Ego did and form a body around themself, likely connected via the life blood they create, but unless we can fully tame Mt. Wander that's currently a no go haha.

There's also using the Rites that allows us to bring things to life, and deliberately make a living core that'll gather materials to form a planet like shell.

As for the Mogo type of living planet, that reminds me, I had an idea of us advancing and then combining hardlight and holo tek to be able to create realistic, hard light constructs at whim.

Small scale, I envisioned it as being something like omnitool meets Lantern ring, or something like the duel disks they have from Yugioh Arc V with hardlight monsters, maybe used as mediums for familiars and spirits.

As for larger deployments, something like a projector core that can be programmed to create large constructs on the spot, like making camouflaged hardlight fortresses in enemy territory.

A Mogo-like planet, equipped with similar tek or abilities (plus equally sophisticated sound projection systems) sounds like a nightmarish fortress to assault, as the surroundings can shift on a dime, into a deadly trap filled labyrinth armed to the teeth and ever shifting.

Edit:

On the topic of the Assembly's parts like the Heart, I wonder how they compare to the Votann's AI cores, both as they are now and when they were freshly made during the Dark Age.

Now populate it with blok-tek based life forms that help maintain and refine the place. Give it the ability to not just reshape it's brute geology, but it's leylines, local reality, etc. Give it's component gods/devas both jotun and location bodies. Give it elemental poles/cores/engines unique to it's own local physics and meta-physics. Give it a catchy theme song!

Speaking of gods, the Huntmaster and the Roadguide will probably be our most used god projects these next few turns, given the fact that one provides the necessary military upgrades, while the other helps with ship navigation and protection. Lanternkeeper can also be of use with their abilities.

But then again, it's best to focus on our NukeTek plan and Ship building Plan… that way we can start doing more exploration, diplomacy, and combat missions with more confidence with our new military upgrades.

Wanted to crosspost an idea I had. Hoping it gets support and is possible down the line.

The sslyth are mercenaries that attach themselves often to drukhari forces, so there's a possibility that the Winterspite Kabal has some.

Given that they're willing mercenaries to the drukhari likely makes them pieces of work, even if we disregard the descriptions of them as essentially addicts to sensory experiences.

Now, since diplomacy is always possible. I had a major eureka moment as I was reading their wiki article and thought about our lego aesthetics which made me think of the Serpentine from Lego Ninjago and their various superpowers, some are mundane enough for pure biology, others more mystical.

The tekket don't really see much a desire for biological alterations to themselves, but are more than fine assisting their khimer allies in exploring it, and aren't bothered by the sheer amount of cybernetics our Nova Mechanica tech priests do to themselves.

So, I'm hoping that part of future actions with the sslyth if/when it becomes available is helping them get biological/genetic alterations such as that of the Serpentine, since the drukhari love biological alterations themselves, and these guys hang around them a lot, plus they're described as essentially acting like Slaaneshi cultists. So the new sensations and power are probably fun for them.

Plus, it reminds me of how the Directorate turned Stizlak orange after being allowed to disconnect him from Gork and Mork.

And there's something very rewarding about taking the scum of the galaxy, or the minor bit players that are disregarded as just evil enemies to fight like gretchin and hopefully sslyth (who are seen and act as a drukhari lackey and druggy) and turn them into morally and ethically acceptable and productive and useful citizens of the Directorate.

Edit:

That said, it'd probably only become available after we raise Winterspite rep more.

KNM said:

And there's something very rewarding about taking the scum of the galaxy, or the minor bit players that are disregarded as just evil enemies to fight like gretchin and hopefully sslyth (who are seen and act as a drukhari lackey and druggy) and turn them into morally and ethically acceptable and productive and useful citizens of the Directorate.

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The Tekket have a better understanding of the medical industry. We haven't really touched a lot on it and with already have the H'k to deal with… poor things are all kinds of screwed up. Goes to show how terrifying Dark Eldar are when it comes to genetics and torture.

KNM said:

So, I'm hoping that part of future actions with the sslyth if/when it becomes available is helping them get biological/genetic alterations such as that of the Serpentine, since the drukhari love biological alterations themselves, and these guys hang around them a lot.

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Why would the Tekket do that, though? The genetic modifications we do are to help the races with their problems.

The Sslyth don't have any genetic problems. They are just a race that's full of short sighted hedonists, that's not a genetic problem that's a societal problem.

nintendoplayer96 said:

The Tekket have a better understanding of the medical industry. We haven't really touched a lot on it and with already have the H'k to deal with… poor things are all kinds of screwed up. Goes to show how terrifying Dark Eldar are when it comes to genetics and torture.

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Yep, though we do beat them in luck regarding Tyranids though.

A drukhari kabal wanted some tyranid samples and accidentally got eaten by a dormant hive fleet they woke up. We're much luckier since ours come from a dead bioship and cloned bioforms XD.

And yeah, it's gonna take a long time, and a lot of investment in the medical industry to fully help the H'k. On the plus side, better medical tech is gonna pay dividends long term anyways.

Amilia said:

Why would the Tekket do that, though? The genetic modifications we do are to help the races with their problems.

The Sslyth don't have any genetic problems. They are just a race that's full of short sighted hedonists, that's not a genetic problem that's a societal problem.

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Fair enough, I do think it'd be neat.

Well, ork kultur ain't much better, but they still got Stizlak out of it, and in turn the hogrots and hoblings who's one of the biggest achievements of the Directorate imo, and we got them a more healthy environment and led them to developing a more healthy culture.

Like you said, the sslyth's problems are a societal one.

Though while it's mostly to help the Khimer and the H'k's medical problems, some of its about furthering the combat potential of the Khimer, mostly in playing around with tyranid DNA.

And we're fine with our tech priests modifying themselves to incredible degrees.

The tekket don't find biological augments for themselves appealing, doesn't mean they'll reject or judge other races who do.

And at the end of the day, it's just an idea that popped into my head because I thought it'd be cool, and useful while having the side benefit of helping physically distinguish the future Directorate sslyth to the rest of the sslyth that're content with their lot due to being too shortsighted

Edit:

We give them a better lot in life, societally and physically, and in return we get another race to join our state that's very useful in fights. Hence why I'm hoping it's an option in the future. It's got both practicality and rule of cool.

I have some… questions about this part of the section.

Maintenance Bay: A machine shop of sorts, most likely used to meet manufacturing and repair needs. The entrance was crawling with robospider, and more movement had been detected inside. The Eye showed a hand clenched into a fist, its middlemost finger rising.

I don't know why, but I think this is a timer of sorts… specially given the fact that this hand is slowly giving the middle finger towards us.

Now this does sound comedic, but I do wonder what would happen if we wait and see the finger fully raised… probably something bad would happen like the machines inside are being repaired or upgraded to repel us.

Could be wrong, but I'd rather remove any possible threats along the way.

nintendoplayer96 said:

I don't know why, but I think this is a timer of sorts… specially given the fact that this hand is slowly giving the middle finger towards us.

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I took it as a classic last stand of defiance, someone going down while flipping off the enemy.

Amilia said:

I took it as a classic last stand of defiance, someone going down while flipping off the enemy.

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Maybe, but we don't know for sure… it could be someone flipping off the enemy, or someone is flipping us off and wish harm towards us.

Anything could happen during these events and trying to imagine every possible scenario is a good idea. Either way, I think we should explore there anyways… we either save someone important or stop a potential threat towards us. We don't lose anything either way.

nintendoplayer96 said:

I have some… questions about this part of the section.

Maintenance Bay: A machine shop of sorts, most likely used to meet manufacturing and repair needs. The entrance was crawling with robospider, and more movement had been detected inside. The Eye showed a hand clenched into a fist, its middlemost finger rising.

I don't know why, but I think this is a timer of sorts… specially given the fact that this hand is slowly giving the middle finger towards us.

Now this does sound comedic, but I do wonder what would happen if we wait and see the finger fully raised… probably something bad would happen like the machines inside are being repaired or upgraded to repel us.

Could be wrong, but I'd rather remove any possible threats along the way.

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I know we massively extended the CPUMoon assault, but I'm hoping their development wasn't fast enough that they could develop countermeasures essentially on the spot like that

KNM said:

I know we massively extended the CPUMoon assault, but I'm hoping their development wasn't fast enough that they could develop countermeasures essentially on the spot like that

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Well their machines to began with and we were already spotted by multiple individuals, including Maxis and an autobrain. So we don't know for sure, there's also Warp corruption as well… again, anything could happen during this event.

[X] Plan: Into the Depths

So earlier we dealt with the Phasmid but it'll come back eventually, so in the Ship turn, this project will allow us to deal with these creatures permanently.

The Road-Docks: The Priests of the Roadguide wished to expand their temple, provide it the means to construct the Great Conclave and affiliated orders their own ships with which to explore the cosmos and do the work of their gods. These Temple-Ships would be manned by complements of Priests and Theurgists, specializing in dealing with problems of a more supernatural nature such as, they claimed, the Scourer-Phasmid. 0/15, gain Road-Docks, allowing for the construction of FTH Ships.

Plus, we can deal with Chaos temples or events easier now if we have temple ships

As I was browsing the Mass Effect wiki due to wondering how effective a Thanix Cannon armed with liquid biometal would be, I came across this beauty.

It's a Reaper gun that fires a micro singularity that causes atoms to undergo simultaneous fission and fusion reactions when it hits matter.

TLDR, it's a gun that shoots blackholes to turn the targer into a nuke. Which is awesome as hell, and reminded me of our affinity for nukes.

And this little project below.

OOG-87's MicroSingularity: A proposal by OOG-87, this specialist high energy array will be located well into dark space, where it will be used to study the properties of black holes by creating a miniature one that's only planet sized. 8/25, increases ACD.

Now, before anyone gets too excited, it's still "only" at planet sized black holes. We're way off from even battleship scale blackhole guns, never mind infantry scale.

But, the good news is, unlike the various other projects attached to a named character, OOG is a bond automata. So they're not gonna be dying from old age anytime soon

Edit:

Though apparently they'll lose interest eventually, I suppose it needed a balance

Chell's plan involves nukes with finishing the blackhole project, so maybe by the synergy we may be able to at least unlock new projects to make our own Reaper Blackstar.

Lord4StarCommand said:

Chell's plan involves nukes with finishing the blackhole project, so maybe by the synergy we may be able to at least unlock new projects to make our own Reaper Blackstar.

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Good to know. Fingers crossed.