Letting Go (Worm/Exalted)
- Thread starter DeviantD
- Start date
- Crossover
-
- Tags
- exalted (white wolf) worm
- Location
- Germany
Freedom Lets Go.
She can erase her former relationships easily. No matter if it was friendship, love, hate or fear, now Sophia means nothing to her.
Just like Danny, who's death she doesn't really care about.
- Location
- Austrlia
Blackhole1
(Verified Spatial Anomaly)
I'd read that. I'd read that so hard.Nightmare Moon Taylor?
More like tragic and unhealthy. Will she really be able to have any real relationship if she can just self-master them out of existence with a thought?
- Location
- Germany
That depends a lot on her character development.
She was suicidal at the beginning of the story because she lost everyone she cared about (Mom, Danny, Emma). So even in best case it will propably take some time and help o get in a mindset where she doesn't want to stop caring the moment things get difficult.
But Adorjans insanity is pretty tempting. She could enjoy that freedom and the short lived emotions his charms give for a long time if there is no really strong reason not to.
- Location
- Illinois
- Pronouns
- Ze/Zer/Zem
That is a very awkwardly worded sentence.
Well that's fucking ominous.
GiftOfLove
From the Heart
Fun fact, I'm pretty sure that Taylor can legally break that NDA considering it involves a crime. It's not a get out of jail free card for the PRT.
- Pronouns
- Yes
I'm pretty sure that while an NDA can't be used to prevent you from reporting a crime to the cops/testifying in court, etc... it can be used to keep you from telling the media the same things.
- Location
- Somewhere!
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Sure, so long as the relationship doesn't become negative for even one moment. So she just needs friends that are unwaveringly helpful to her, which is totally possible, right?
- Location
- Germany
That's taken a bit to far. She isn't forced to use the charm the moment a relationship hurts her.
It's entirely possible for her to realise that a friendship can be worth momentary trouble and not immediatly break it. Just takes a bit of character development after coming from her lowest point here.
She is after all not Adorjan, just her Scourge.
Last edited:
TikiTau
Commander Pangolinski
- Location
- Texas
*looks up Freedom Lets Go*
...Huh.
Yeah, I can see why that would freak out theExtras PRT workers. Watching someone self-edit their emotions to function would freak 'me out.
...could be worse, I suppose.
Could be Kimberry as one of her patrons instead of The Yozi-Formerly-Known-As-TED. -Double- the Yandere then!
...Huh.
Yeah, I can see why that would freak out the
...could be worse, I suppose.
Could be Kimberry as one of her patrons instead of The Yozi-Formerly-Known-As-TED. -Double- the Yandere then!
- Location
- Germany
Wait till they see her use Tragic Love Amusement. That's where the fun starts.
Nice usage of letting things go. Taylor is really embracing Adorjans teachings. Now she just needs to fall in love with someone (thats actually a lot worse than it sounds).
While I can't be utterly certain, I am pretty sure those were meant less to be used and more to be funny. The whole "Ignore me!" thing is basically the classic Malfean stealth meme turned into an actual charm for example.
They made me laugh when I first read them anyway.
Thats not really true though. Atleast not for GSPs, who have a lot of charms that are permanent and cost nothing once acquired.
Adorjan for example has these:
Wind-Born Stride. Costs nothing and can be bought (Essence) times. Significantly increased all movement speed and guarantees automatic success on bad terrain. If Taylor goes E3, and gets this three times, thats almost certainly a Mover rating thats always active and costs no motes to use (and works for swimming and climbing and so on too).
Running to Forever. No fatigue while dashing. At E3, running is actually considered rest for fatigue. At E4, it counts for meditation for Essence recovery. At E5, you lose the ability to sleep normally, but whenever you run, you sleep and dream on a separate level of consciousness. Second purchase extends all benefits to any fatiguing exertion (so If Taylor got this twice, she could basically engage in hand-to-hand combat and never get tired).
Murder is Meat. Killing human size animals (and humans) gives motes. It also is physically nourishing. At E4, one kill means you don't need to eat for a week (at E5, you just have to kill something once/year). Oh, and no need to worry about compassion anymore. Only other Essence users require compassion rolls if you have compassion 3+. The rest are food, just like cows and chickens (oh Adorjan you jokester)
Unimpeded Perfection of Exertion. Ability to run on anything regardless of weight. Examples mentioned are things like skipping on blades of grass or snow. Also gives significant stealth benefits since you are absolutely quiet.
Foam-Dancing Haste. Run on water surface without trouble. Also no harm from environmental conditions, so she could run on lava or acid too.
Gravity-Rebuking Grace. Ability to run up vertical surfaces or even on inverted surfaces. So long as you keep moving, gravity basically stops being an issue.
Hateful Wretched Noise. Superhearing. Also makes sound painfull, and gives a compulsion to kill anyone who speaks too loudly (yeah).
Beateous Carnage Incentive. 10 mote peripheral pool thats filled by Murder is Meat. Taylor could get a job at a butchery somewhere and basically always have 10 extra motes (and no longer need to waste money on food).
And those were all the Adorjan pemanent ones that cost absolutely nothing. There are also lot of extremely cheap ones that cost 1m or so, but the ones above are all permanent enhancements that are always active. And thats just the officially canon ones. Theres lots of balanced homebrew too.
Malfeas has similar permanent free enhancements that would turn Taylor into a powerfull brute. And so do the other Yozi (especially if the common homebrews from Revlid/Earthscorpion/etc are included as possibilities). Even without using any motes at all, Taylor would still have the potential to become exceptionally powerfull. And motes can be recovered via stunts, and its not impossible for Taylor to acquire some level of Cult either, which would also help. (though thats more Cecelynes thing, and I dunno if Taylor is going to pick and choose from random Yozi occasionally, or go Adorjan&Malfeas ONLY). I think Malfeas was the other favored Yozi right?
Also, lets not forget the mutations either. Looking into her eyes can cause terror, and then theres the hair mutation, which author confirmed to be Terrifying Mane. Thats actually a LOT more powerfull than Taylor realises.
She can literally reach out and start strangling others with her hair from a distance, use weapons with it, or basically turn herself into a hair spider or something.
As mentioned,
It is worth noting though that Taylor only removed the emotional intimacy, not the actual memories. There are still several potential reasons that might cause Taylor to go after Sophia. For example, while Taylor might not desire revenge with the intimacy of fear/hatred gone, she might still calmly and rationally decide that it would be best to make Sophia realise that bullying won't be tolerated anymore and do something serious to drive the point across.
Or if Taylor develops a positive Intimacy with someone like say Vista, she might again decide to do something to Sophia if Sophia ever acts cruel to Vista/Taylors other friends, because poor Vista is unable to Let Go, making it ok to act on her behalf.
Or she could try to take advantage of the situation somehow, by basically using the opportunity to demand concessions or bonuses or somesuch from PRT as recompense.
Well, nothing says she HAS to let things go. For example if she developes a happy friendships with the other wards, theres no reason to remove those intimacies. Likewise, it seems unlikely Taylor would instantly delete ALL intimacies whenever theres the slightest issue. The current uses have been rather extreme cases (she was about to commit suicide due to losing her father, and Sophia has been brutally tormenting her for two years). It seems a bit unlikely that she would instantly completely erase a friendship with someone, in the case of a normal teenage fights and such.
And for the rest? Theres always Tragic Love Amusement (Activate the charm. Bam, you now fully and honestly love the target of the charm either romantically or in a platonic sense. Adorjan isbizarre awesome).
Amusing, but not sure how much of that will get used. I mean there's quirky, and then there's plain crack-fic.
While I can't be utterly certain, I am pretty sure those were meant less to be used and more to be funny. The whole "Ignore me!" thing is basically the classic Malfean stealth meme turned into an actual charm for example.
They made me laugh when I first read them anyway.
Thats not really true though. Atleast not for GSPs, who have a lot of charms that are permanent and cost nothing once acquired.
Adorjan for example has these:
Wind-Born Stride. Costs nothing and can be bought (Essence) times. Significantly increased all movement speed and guarantees automatic success on bad terrain. If Taylor goes E3, and gets this three times, thats almost certainly a Mover rating thats always active and costs no motes to use (and works for swimming and climbing and so on too).
Running to Forever. No fatigue while dashing. At E3, running is actually considered rest for fatigue. At E4, it counts for meditation for Essence recovery. At E5, you lose the ability to sleep normally, but whenever you run, you sleep and dream on a separate level of consciousness. Second purchase extends all benefits to any fatiguing exertion (so If Taylor got this twice, she could basically engage in hand-to-hand combat and never get tired).
Murder is Meat. Killing human size animals (and humans) gives motes. It also is physically nourishing. At E4, one kill means you don't need to eat for a week (at E5, you just have to kill something once/year). Oh, and no need to worry about compassion anymore. Only other Essence users require compassion rolls if you have compassion 3+. The rest are food, just like cows and chickens (oh Adorjan you jokester)
Unimpeded Perfection of Exertion. Ability to run on anything regardless of weight. Examples mentioned are things like skipping on blades of grass or snow. Also gives significant stealth benefits since you are absolutely quiet.
Foam-Dancing Haste. Run on water surface without trouble. Also no harm from environmental conditions, so she could run on lava or acid too.
Gravity-Rebuking Grace. Ability to run up vertical surfaces or even on inverted surfaces. So long as you keep moving, gravity basically stops being an issue.
Hateful Wretched Noise. Superhearing. Also makes sound painfull, and gives a compulsion to kill anyone who speaks too loudly (yeah).
Beateous Carnage Incentive. 10 mote peripheral pool thats filled by Murder is Meat. Taylor could get a job at a butchery somewhere and basically always have 10 extra motes (and no longer need to waste money on food).
And those were all the Adorjan pemanent ones that cost absolutely nothing. There are also lot of extremely cheap ones that cost 1m or so, but the ones above are all permanent enhancements that are always active. And thats just the officially canon ones. Theres lots of balanced homebrew too.
Malfeas has similar permanent free enhancements that would turn Taylor into a powerfull brute. And so do the other Yozi (especially if the common homebrews from Revlid/Earthscorpion/etc are included as possibilities). Even without using any motes at all, Taylor would still have the potential to become exceptionally powerfull. And motes can be recovered via stunts, and its not impossible for Taylor to acquire some level of Cult either, which would also help. (though thats more Cecelynes thing, and I dunno if Taylor is going to pick and choose from random Yozi occasionally, or go Adorjan&Malfeas ONLY). I think Malfeas was the other favored Yozi right?
Also, lets not forget the mutations either. Looking into her eyes can cause terror, and then theres the hair mutation, which author confirmed to be Terrifying Mane. Thats actually a LOT more powerfull than Taylor realises.
The character has a long mane of hair that can move according to her will and can extend up to 10 yards (9.1 meters). The character can form multiple hair "tentacles" but is subject to the normal penalty for multiple actions no matter how many tentacles she fashions. These hair tentacles are strong enough to support the character's weight, easily allowing her to climb walls or brachiate through trees using only her hair to support her. The tentacles have the same Strength and Dexterity as the character herself. When the character does not actively control her hair, it tends to move about on its own, although it does not grow past its normal length unless the character wishes.
She can literally reach out and start strangling others with her hair from a distance, use weapons with it, or basically turn herself into a hair spider or something.
As mentioned,
A pariah among her siblings, Adorjan no longer hates the Exalted who defeated and imprisoned her. She has found deeper freedom in her confinement by flaying away the burdens of her heart, scouring true love and vengeful bitterness alike. Even as Malfeas crushes himself with brooding layers of rage, Adorjan flies free and perversely innocent. It is for her unthinkable acceptance of her state that the other Yozis find her disturbing, not her tendency to impose casual genocide on their children. This Charm immediately terminates an Infernal's emotional attachment to an Intimacy, removing it. If the focus of attachment is present, the Infernal must physically turn her back on that object or individual and begin walking away as part of activating this Charm. Intimacies beyond the character's senses may be terminated the same way, save that the character silently mouths the name of the subject and reminisces a moment before putting the feelings out of mind. By emptying her heart of individual ties, the Exalt gives herself room to develop her empathy more abstractly, regaining one spent Compassion channel the first time she uses this Charm each scene.
Whenever the Exalt cuts away attachment toward a character, she also cancels any ongoing Emotion effects imposed on her by that character. She may also choose to delete all of her memories pertaining to that character. Deleted memories leave the Infernal with knowledge of past experiences involving the offending character, but she misattributes or misremembers events and deeds specific to that character.
Whenever the Exalt cuts away attachment toward a character, she also cancels any ongoing Emotion effects imposed on her by that character. She may also choose to delete all of her memories pertaining to that character. Deleted memories leave the Infernal with knowledge of past experiences involving the offending character, but she misattributes or misremembers events and deeds specific to that character.
It is worth noting though that Taylor only removed the emotional intimacy, not the actual memories. There are still several potential reasons that might cause Taylor to go after Sophia. For example, while Taylor might not desire revenge with the intimacy of fear/hatred gone, she might still calmly and rationally decide that it would be best to make Sophia realise that bullying won't be tolerated anymore and do something serious to drive the point across.
Or if Taylor develops a positive Intimacy with someone like say Vista, she might again decide to do something to Sophia if Sophia ever acts cruel to Vista/Taylors other friends, because poor Vista is unable to Let Go, making it ok to act on her behalf.
Or she could try to take advantage of the situation somehow, by basically using the opportunity to demand concessions or bonuses or somesuch from PRT as recompense.
Well, nothing says she HAS to let things go. For example if she developes a happy friendships with the other wards, theres no reason to remove those intimacies. Likewise, it seems unlikely Taylor would instantly delete ALL intimacies whenever theres the slightest issue. The current uses have been rather extreme cases (she was about to commit suicide due to losing her father, and Sophia has been brutally tormenting her for two years). It seems a bit unlikely that she would instantly completely erase a friendship with someone, in the case of a normal teenage fights and such.
And for the rest? Theres always Tragic Love Amusement (Activate the charm. Bam, you now fully and honestly love the target of the charm either romantically or in a platonic sense. Adorjan is
- Location
- Illinois
- Pronouns
- Ze/Zer/Zem
Of course, and I didn't not mean to imply otherwise. I apologize if that was the message you got; it was not my intention. Scar Writ Saga Shield comes to mind as a charm that costs nothing and is rather awesome (in Infernal Conundrum, it means that knives tickle us) and costs no motes. The really bullshit stuff, like dodging anything as long as you are running, shapeshifting, and magical lasers, cost motes. A mote tapped Exalt is reduced in effectieness, but when something starts out at 'god killing superweapon', 'reduced' in no way means 'weak'. That was what I was trying to get at, and I apologize if I seemed to imply otherwise.
Scify
It always starts with a lighthouse.
This has mostly been covered by other people, but I do find myself curious: how is Taylor respiring motes? Is she even respiring? Is Earth-Bet secretly made of Essence (with all that implies) for the purposes of this fic? Or is she going to try using a power that tells the Loom of Fate to go jump off a cliff, and then be surprised when it doesn't work?
Word order.
TikiTau
Commander Pangolinski
- Location
- Texas
I'm pretty sure that The-Dragon-Formerly-Known-As-TED is cheerily mucking things up. He is mentioned to be scooting about laughing at other people's misfortunes (and suspecting that Elloge is publishing her fanfiction in this reality somehow), so even if he isn't actively screwing things up, having a Yozi hanging around might provide the altered metaphysics needed for Mote respiration?
So, as with everything, it's the Ebon Dragon's Fault.
NemiTheNen
Perpetual Phone Poster
Look at the prereq. Dead useful during a Levi attack
- Location
- South of North
I know, right?
I mean, taken a certain way, Taylor's basically saying, "Hey, you've been covering up all the shit Sophia's done, right? Well, just put forth the same amount of 'effort' for me and I won't throw a shit fit about it." With her powers, too, that's an implied 'or else.'
I...suppose that's one way to demand 'equal treatment.'
In this kind of situation...I could see Taylor's attitude going a few different ways. Given her advisor, she'll probably become aware of exactly how much blackmail material she has on the PRT/Protectorate at this point... but I have no idea what Taylor would want.
In some ways, this Taylor is honestly scarier than canon!Taylor, because no one's going to have any idea where they stand with her and that's legitimately frightening in terms of trying to work out what Taylor's aims/goals are.
You know, I just realised. Piggot could use some good old radiation therapy.
I would assume its somehow linked to Creation/Wyld and as such has essence in it. This Taylor would likely find it hard to cheat his way around with cult (though I could see her starting a small one eventually, if she gets any charms to give enhancements to others), so we can assume she can respire. Maybe essence was always here and no one just noticed? Maybe when newTED arrived, he punched a hole and now essence is flowing from Creation to Earth. Or maybe the "weight" of the GSP exaltation and the mythos of the Yozi it runs on is sufficient to have started terraforming the reality (all GSPs have 1 default cult automatically due to being "avatars of Yozi power" for example). Ultimately, unless its going to be a major point of plot, its probably unimportant.
Yeah, I prettymuch got what you meant, and its true that the most crazy powers like perfect defenses and powerfull shintais and so on do require motes. However with time to grow, and willingness to dip into pools of other Yozi, Taylor could basically become one of the most powerfull people alive without ever using a single mote. Though yeah, to be super good motes are needed. I wonder when Taylor will figure out excellencies, and realise that so long as she acts in a specific way, she can always be awesome no matter what. And I wonder if she has more than Adorjans.
Yeah. Though taking some Kimbery charms would probably also help. Ofcourse we don't really know if Levi will even attack, what with all the precog disruptions and newTED running around and so on.
Yeah. Though once she trains a bit, she could probably go behind the backs of PRT without too much trouble anyway. Scourges are basically built to be thieves/assassins/spies, and even ignoring the somewhat alien nature of GSPs, theres still Taylor no longer having anyone who would care what she does with Danny dead, and proof that the world truly is corrupt and that the heroes of PRT are basically corrupt (not all admittedly, but thats probably not the impression Taylor got from Sophia). Throw in some encouragement from the Coadjutor and I could easily see Taylor deciding to go rob ABB blind in order to buy herself some cool new stuff for example (maybe later expanding to non-criminals).
Its a pity she can't get arguably the most usefull charm for this kind of situation (LSD), but maybe newTED has something vaguely similar? Splintered Gale Shintai will still be a way to give herself a pretty good alibi though (so long as she keeps the ability a secret). I can't recall if the other Yozi have any disguise charms?
Scify
It always starts with a lighthouse.
Would the prayers of a non-Essence human even help with Cult respiration? ... Or are GSPs assumed to have at least a small cult somewhere in Creation if they start off with that background? I feel like I read something like that somewhere.
Well, Taylor was able to exalt, so presumably she has the hun-po soul structure (basic requirement for exaltation to have Creation style human soul). Which would presumably mean other humans on Earth also have souls like that. Which should mean that their prayer/reverence would supply power. Would also presumably mean they could attain awakened essence.
And yeah, GSP have 1 cult by default due to their connection to the Yozi.
However that just gives 1 extra willpower each morning so not exactly incredible. Mote generation starts at cult 2, at 2m/hour, and that Taylor would have to acquire on her own. The Coadjutor could presumably explain the benefits of it, but would have no idea how to go about it. I figure getting people to actually "worship (or equivalent)" Taylor enough to qualify for cult 2 would require considerable effort. Especially since the "look into my eyes and go catatonic in terror" and "my hair moves on its own" are both not exactly super PR-friendly things.
Cecelynes wish charms could obviously do it, but they are all behind the Excellency, which I could see the author not going for. Still, there are other ways to boost people and other benefits that Taylor could offer in exchange for prayers. At E2 for example, its possible to give 8 points of mutations to anyone with Malfeas charms By Rage Recast and Fealty-Acknowledging Audience. And Earthscorpion has rather extreme (but still effective) Malfeas healing homebrew charms. I think Metagaos by Revlid also has healing type charms. Obviously both are pretty inhuman in nature, but if you were dying from cancer, I doubt you would care.
As I mentioned previously, because Taylor is a minor and an NDA is a contract she can void it unilaterally and with no repercussions.
Well, they might fire her from the Wards, but that's expected.
DeviantD
A topologically complex tube
- Location
- OZ
Good catch, wow, yeah. Let me go reword that.
I had considered doing a Kimbery Taylor (So appropriate to her betrayal, living by the sea, etc,etc. Also Tentacles)
Decided it was too depressing to write.
Would love if someone else did it though.
Janet: Could she just mean she wants you to be a devoted Guardian to her?
Sarah: *Stares at Janet*
Janet: No, you're probably right.
apeljohn
Non-Player Character
- Location
- Earth Aleph
This was pretty much the Crowning Moment of Awesome for me. I can totally imagine it going down like that, and the look I'm imagining on Janet's face is amazing.
I suspect this is going to become a major source of hilarity in future.
Antici..........pation
PRT goon #1: Wait, so the new Ward was being bullied by one of the existing Wards out-of-costume?
PRT goon #2: I know, right? She's probably going to go psycho and try to kill Shadow Stalker or something.
PRT goon #1: Hell, why would she bother? She's got us over a barrel, she can just have us incarcerate the bully indefinitely.
PRT goon #2: And if we don't play ball, she can tear our PR down around our shoulders! Oh great Scion, what a mess. What are we going to do?
PRT goon #1: Here's what we're going to do: we're going to make a pre-emptive strike. Send Stalker to juvie, get the school to pay oodles of compensation, give Dervish's costume design to someone other than Glenn fucking Chambers, the works.
PRT goon #2: Damn, that could work! She'll be so busy enjoying the high life, she won't want the ride to stop.
PRT goon #1: Precisely. Now let's get cracking: you go intimidate the principal, I'll blackmail the judge. See you in four hours. Allons-y!
Taylor: Hmm, I wonder what's for lunch today?
Last edited:
TikiTau
Commander Pangolinski
- Location
- Texas
...oh god, I can see it too.
Everyone's busy worrying about what the hell Dervish is going to do about her situation.
But most of them (Well, maybe not Sergeant Subtle, he seems pretty on the ball -and- has The-Dragon-Formally-Known-As-TED's approval!) ((...which is actually worrying in its own right, come to think it...)) haven't realized that whatever the -hell- is up with her, she doesn't hold grudges about it.
Mind, it will be interesting watching a -true- clash of titans eventually occur...
Namely, the powers of the Fallen Creators of the Universe's Champion versus Jessica Yamada, Memetic Super Therapist!
Everyone's busy worrying about what the hell Dervish is going to do about her situation.
But most of them (Well, maybe not Sergeant Subtle, he seems pretty on the ball -and- has The-Dragon-Formally-Known-As-TED's approval!) ((...which is actually worrying in its own right, come to think it...)) haven't realized that whatever the -hell- is up with her, she doesn't hold grudges about it.
Mind, it will be interesting watching a -true- clash of titans eventually occur...
Namely, the powers of the Fallen Creators of the Universe's Champion versus Jessica Yamada, Memetic Super Therapist!