Brockton's Celestial Forge (Worm/Jumpchain)

I love this story but the pacing...that was a 26k update and the plot was advanced by one phone call :p we didn't even get weld's call!

Yeah seconded. Don't get me wrong the content was great to read but actual progression remains glacial as always.

On the bright side, Joe's exploration into his Projection hopefully finally hammered into his head that it's ok to settle for "good enough" rather than "perfect" when said "good enough" are hyper magitech art pieces.
 
...Despite the terrifying launch my duplicate caught Tetra with open arms and a wide smile on his face. There was a pulse of energy from the focus item and suddenly both he and Tetra were transformed. An eight-foot-tall dinosaur wolf with a molten red mink person clinging to his shoulders. He gave me one last smile that provided a full display of saber teeth, then energetically bounded away Tetra clinging to his back. The entire display was done with such enthusiasm that I cynically wondered if I should count it against his 20% time.

He have his own shoulder loli now.

Anyway, my point here is that he can now say that the transformation was just an ally that was with him (inside of him) in case of emergency (that everyone saw was nedded) with the power of taking over the body of someone else and not only heal him, but transforming him into that dino/dog?/thing.

Tetra can be a case 53 Master/changer/striker? that he know, that way he can say he is not wet thinkering (was that the term?).

Her name can even be "Proto Aima" something that he called mid fight against Lung.


Btw, great chapter as always, thanks for making my night more fun.
 
Ok im pretty sure that Joes passanger is a jumper so I looked up a worm jumpchain. It had an option to be a shard and this is what It said about the end of the jump:

If you've taken the Passenger drawback, then aside from effectively being, well, a passenger in your host's body, they count as you as far as power and perk use and consequences are concerned. Captured souls or the like would leave with you for example, and you'd count as having done what they have for perks that require that distinction. Yes, you can only grant portions of your abilities, or place limits on their use, and even activate them as long as your host isn't actively fighting to stop you from doing so. Your host has final say in their actions, but you have the final say on powers. Once the drawback is revoked the host may retain a copy of whatever parahuman power you gained this jump if any, and may be taken along as a companion should they be
willing.

So Joe wouldnt loose his powers but the part about the warehouse makes me sad:

Purchased items will be in the warehouse if you've taken the passenger drawback, although you may choose to have them in the possession of your host. Regardless you'll have them when you leave here. You paid for them after all.
 
I found Tetra and Survey effectively switching their postions of whether to go Bio or Tech a very cheeky and entertaining development.
 
You know, I find it kind of funny but Joe always seems to over-complicate things.

Use Eezo they implanted but doesn't want to install an Amp? Well look at that, he has a nanomachien colony literally living inside of him that can stimulate the nodes in perfect pre-programmed patterns.

Make a temporary totem to give himself an illusion of being his old self? Why the fuck can't he just write a program to filter the video in real time? Or have Survey do it?

Incidentally, I have to wonder. He has a power that gives him a chance to be able to substitute a single raw material in anything he builds. Can that raw material be souls? And if so, could he make some of the most busted crests possible?

Projection is also a major power for him provided he uses it right. In the canon it's literally used only to sub in for stuff in rituals but... like 90% of the hold up in getting himself cybertronium was that he literally had to build tools to build tools to get to the super material. If he'd had projection he could have just leapfrogged his way straight there... provided he could get the power to do so anyway.
 
You know, I find it kind of funny but Joe always seems to over-complicate things.

Use Eezo they implanted but doesn't want to install an Amp? Well look at that, he has a nanomachien colony literally living inside of him that can stimulate the nodes in perfect pre-programmed patterns.

Make a temporary totem to give himself an illusion of being his old self? Why the fuck can't he just write a program to filter the video in real time? Or have Survey do it?

Incidentally, I have to wonder. He has a power that gives him a chance to be able to substitute a single raw material in anything he builds. Can that raw material be souls? And if so, could he make some of the most busted crests possible?

Projection is also a major power for him provided he uses it right. In the canon it's literally used only to sub in for stuff in rituals but... like 90% of the hold up in getting himself cybertronium was that he literally had to build tools to build tools to get to the super material. If he'd had projection he could have just leapfrogged his way straight there... provided he could get the power to do so anyway.
Wog is that souls have to be used, they won't work with the substitution perk
 
With the Imperium databases in his brain, all of the efficiency upgrades, and now projection - could Apeiron Project, say, an Imperator Titan next time he has to fight something with the dials set all the way to 'big'?

And should he be redesigning his Gundams with improvements from all his other tech, including Imperium armaments, in case of Simmy showing up?

His database is from Necromunda specifically, which does not have a branch of the Legio Titanica/Collegia Titanica, so titans are out, he doesn't want big mechs anyway despite his power begging him for it

he could however build DAOT shit like an STC fabricator, which is essentially a 3D printer with instructions to build anything that humanity ever has in 25 millennia, however it may be slow, require ridiculously rare ingredients, just a ridiculous amount of energy beyond what even he can provide or all 3 at the same time

@LordRoustabout, he should also be able to make zero gravity with 40k tech incredibly easily since they can create artificial gravity and therefore antigravity, at least as much as a mass effect field would

heck, he could probably prototype the vortex grenade with projection, or at least consider so, which is rare and difficult to make because of its small size, not the fact it creates a hole in the immaterial since every ship does that its just that you can't make a city block size machine a practical weapon of war (sad Gustav gun noises)

he also has a lot of interesting stuff, like volkite guns, conversion beamers and neutron lasers (touches fingers evilly)

Edit: so the sword had a power field. by bad

That seems like a particularly silly fear. Why would the wall off the city against an extremely fast flying super-Tinker suspected of having teleportation tech? That seems like a measure to inconvenience everyone but him. And this is aside from the fact that he has amply demonstrated how easily he could breach any walls they put up.

I'm just imagining if every projection it creates in the workshop were to suddenly reappear every 48 hours, but he doesn't figure that out until it is too late. All over the workshop, swords and other objects tend to occasionally manifest (with accompanying explosion)

whilst not very present in the story of Worm its probably safe to assume that the machine army is considered just as lethal, dangerous and most importantly scary as Nilbog and his kingdom, so imagine that he creates an army of say... giant ants to fix the city, that will probably have the same official PRT response.
 
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Ok im pretty sure that Joes passanger is a jumper so I looked up a worm jumpchain. It had an option to be a shard and this is what It said about the end of the jump:

If you've taken the Passenger drawback, then aside from effectively being, well, a passenger in your host's body, they count as you as far as power and perk use and consequences are concerned. Captured souls or the like would leave with you for example, and you'd count as having done what they have for perks that require that distinction. Yes, you can only grant portions of your abilities, or place limits on their use, and even activate them as long as your host isn't actively fighting to stop you from doing so. Your host has final say in their actions, but you have the final say on powers. Once the drawback is revoked the host may retain a copy of whatever parahuman power you gained this jump if any, and may be taken along as a companion should they be
willing.
A few holes in that theory: The jumper would have to be acting very odd to be giving out powers in a specific manner and not properly communicating despite their chain depending on it. It also doesn't allow for the shard to control warehouse installments, so the growing warehouse should be impossible. Finally, I think the shard would give Joe whatever power they rolled, unless they didn't choose one for free for some reason. None of the Tinker or Master powers match the description of Joe's original power.
 
If the phone call to Weld isn't interrupted by Leviathan, then I'll be incredibly disappointed. It's the perfect time for him:

- Uppercust is in the city, and the defences are down.
- Massive chaos, which is canonically what attracts some Endbringer attacks.
- Incredibly dangerous Tinker who's only just woken up and is as defenceless as he can be.
- Armsmaster is probably still working on the detection system and th enanothorn.
- Dragon is there!

Also, love how Apeiron's completely ignoring that his actions directly resulted in the deaths of hundreds-to-thousands of people, between the Dust explosion and the electricity-killing field. Nope, he's a hero! Totally. Ignore the pile of bodies.
 
The brand was for some unfathomable reason called Natural Puppy.
I presume this was picked by roll, but natural puppy doesnt suit Apeiron's established style. Honestly that probably means he can mesh it perfectly and come out a little less Jojo on the far side.

I'd still love to have seen him with Dragon Couture or Lapin Angelique. And not just because I love Lapin Angelique personally...

Not just that...
 
"Ignore the implications! i will deal later! omg what terrifying power!"
yeah, this kind of thing become too repetitive..
Ignoring what implications? And what do you meaning deal with it later, he's dealing with stuff now. I'll give you him expositing about his power but that's just a part of
If the phone call to Weld isn't interrupted by Leviathan, then I'll be incredibly disappointed. It's the perfect time for him:

- Uppercust is in the city, and the defences are down.
- Massive chaos, which is canonically what attracts some Endbringer attacks.
- Incredibly dangerous Tinker who's only just woken up and is as defenceless as he can be.
- Armsmaster is probably still working on the detection system and th enanothorn.
- Dragon is there!

Also, love how Apeiron's completely ignoring that his actions directly resulted in the deaths of hundreds-to-thousands of people, between the Dust explosion and the electricity-killing field. Nope, he's a hero! Totally. Ignore the pile of bodies.
Those can be attributed to the ABB. Yes, it's from his tech, but it never would have happened if he wasn't surrounded in an effect that would hurt Scion or fighting a Lung larger than Behemoth. The closest thing coming to negligence is not making time to upgrade his giant robot to his standards.
 
If the phone call to Weld isn't interrupted by Leviathan, then I'll be incredibly disappointed. It's the perfect time for him:

- Uppercust is in the city, and the defences are down.
- Massive chaos, which is canonically what attracts some Endbringer attacks.
- Incredibly dangerous Tinker who's only just woken up and is as defenceless as he can be.
- Armsmaster is probably still working on the detection system and th enanothorn.
- Dragon is there!

Also, love how Apeiron's completely ignoring that his actions directly resulted in the deaths of hundreds-to-thousands of people, between the Dust explosion and the electricity-killing field. Nope, he's a hero! Totally. Ignore the pile of bodies.

To be fair, he did limit casualties as much as physically possible. And reading back through it, his actions didn't directly cause any casualties. And if you're considering the dust explosion/ftl strike, them is point out that it's very much a fallacy in the same vein as "we shot your nuclear sub, and the explosion from hitting the reactor poisoned the ocean nearby!" Neglecting that someone deliberately shot the reactor in the first place. Joe tried his best to save lives, and he did, even with the logic that his continued fight made lung powerful enough to do that damage, what was the other option? Just leave? He was impaired at the time, which I think can be excused. And in the end he prevented the consequences from getting too far out of hand. That's really the best you can hope for.
 
whilst not very present in the story of Worm its probably safe to assume that the machine army is considered just as lethal, dangerous and most importantly scary as Nilbog and his kingdom, so imagine that he creates an army of say... giant ants to fix the city, that will probably have the same official PRT response.
I'm aware of Ellisburg and Eagleton. They didn't wall them in because they housed S-Class threats. They walled them in because they thought that walling them in would effectively contain said threats. There is no point in walling in a powerful mover.

They might decide to wall in some of creations… if he leaves them somewhere where they can be walled in. Assuming he creates a robot army, then leaves them alone somewhere in the open… sure they might try to create a perimeter around them. If he just fixes the city himself – using, just as an example, a giant alchemical transformation cycle based on Full Metal Alchemist – then there is absolutely zero point in walling the city in. The opposite, really, since any wall would just become more material form him to transform.

He already did this once to fight the large-scale fires.
 
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I'm aware of Ellisburg and Eagleton. They didn't wall them in because they housed S-Class threats. They walled them in, because they thought that walling them in would effectively contain said threats. There is no point in walling in a powerful mover.

They might decide to wall in some of creations… if he leaves them somewhere where they can be walled in. Assuming he creates a robot army, then leaves them alone somewhere in the open… sure they might try to create a perimeter around them. If he just fixes the city himself – using, just as an example, a giant alchemical transformation cycle based on Full Metal Alchemist – then there is absolutely zero point in walling the city in. The opposite, really, since any wall would just become more material form him to transform.

He already did this once to fight the large-scale fires.
I thought he was implying everyone would assume Simurgh would be on her way if it looked like he was actually trying to do good and get started on walling them in for that.
 
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I presume this was picked by roll, but natural puppy doesnt suit Apeiron's established style. Honestly that probably means he can mesh it perfectly and come out a little less Jojo on the far side.

I'd still love to have seen him with Dragon Couture or Lapin Angelique. And not just because I love Lapin Angelique personally...

Not just that...
Well natural Puppy is best with those that have the doormat flaw so .....what was he for the majority of his life? He's getting better but let's face it unless it's a direct fight he still gets walked over a bit.
 
Secondly, a few notes in relation to this chapter. I ended up needing to cut an addendum, which was intended to allow this day of the story to be closed out. It will be moved to the next chapter, possibly as a preamble, or possibly as another interlude. If it is an interlude Joe will be earning points through at least a portion of the chapter. In its truncated form this feels like something of a housekeeping chapter, but I felt it was necessary to review the current state of Joe's abilities, options, workshop, and allies.
@LordRoustabout If you thin about it in terms on aura and Joe's personal expression on himself, this chapter aligns with that and he should have some improvement in using his aura now.

In the Chen aura awakening part of the story the duplicate came to the realisation about aura through reflection. So this chapter (while it might not be the initial intention) does help greatly when it comes to aura. A lot more than it would have for anyone else doing the same thing, as reflection seems to be an important thing for him in regards to aura.

Reflection is action a nice thing when combined with spiral energy, since it would allow you to reflect on your mistakes and improve, which is a good mentality when it comes to spiral. That is if you don't start doubting your self.

I think I was able to understand it because… reflection. It's through reflection that we achieve clarity. Through that we can become a paragon of progress and determination, to rise above challenges. Infinite in perseverance and unbound by doubt."
 
Still loving the story. I do wonder though if we are approaching the point where getting a new power will generate sufficient verbiage in the description of the power and the new interactions with Joe's existing powers and situation that we get another power. Thus causing a sort of word count singularity causing the story to become nothing but one new power after another with no actual story progression until Joe has every power in the forge. At which point he will go curb stomp everything in two chapters and end the story.
 
I thought he was implying everyone would assume Simurgh would be on her way if it looked like he was actually trying to do good and get started on walling them in for that.
That would make even less sense.
They aren't even walling in every city the Simurgh hits. Why would they ever wall in a city before the Simurgh shows up? Cutting off all escape routes so that everyone inside is trapped with the Endbringer?

And again, walling someone in after that person showed casual large-scale deconstruction and construction capabilities seems pointless.
 
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I presume this was picked by roll, but natural puppy doesnt suit Apeiron's established style. Honestly that probably means he can mesh it perfectly and come out a little less Jojo on the far side.

I'd still love to have seen him with Dragon Couture or Lapin Angelique. And not just because I love Lapin Angelique personally...

Not just that...

While Natural Puppy doesn't particularly fit Apeiron's established style, it's the best fit for Joe's style. Dragon Couture fits Chen, Aisha would be D+B, and Garment is literally the personification of Pegaso.

Apeiron's "normal" style doesn't really seem to match any of the existing TWEWY brands (might change with new brands in NEO: TWEWY?), but his more "savage" quick-changes (caveman-chic or Zoanthrope transformation) are somewhat Tigre Punk. His "dark and edgy" phase from getting Trauma is somewhere between Lapin Angelique and Gatito, but he's now dressed in clean lines, whites and blues. (So, I guess, Natural Puppy is still the closest, even if it's not actually close.)

Also: while Joe took a moment to consider that the Player Pin renders him immune to Mind Reading (and, per the aftermath of the first fight with the final boss, possibly Mind Control / Master Effects too), he seems to skip over, or not notice, the fact that it also gives him a limited form of Mind Reading.
 
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