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Splintered (Worm QA-Quest)

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I'm morbidly curious about how QA will perceive the Cauldron shards, so let's go find Danny Coil!

[X] Speaking of Danny Hebert, you should probably go check on him. If Efficiency's host were to ignore his own words related to false designations, he could easily arrange for Danny Hebert to be harmed.
-[X] Move him to Yggdrasil if you find him. That way, he can be safe forever!
-[X] If he has been harmed while you weren't watching him, take bloody vengeance. (choose one or more options below)
--[X] Malicious portal usage.
--[X] Avoid harming anyone but those responsible.
--[X] If you have to fight someone portals alone can't deal with, go Overkill on their asses and erase them entirely.
 
Fun line for us to drop, in the future. When we get into a human rights argument, such as if we go to Fautline's crew, other Case 53's, or Cauldron capes and say that in exchange for their cooperation, we will not annihilate the Case 53/Cauldron Cape for being a walking abomination.

"Ah. I think I see what the problem is here. You believe that all human life, even those that do not appear human, are still equal in value.

"I do not."

Because QA doesn't. Host is more important than other hosts, and hosts are more important than most non-hosts (exceptions exist, such as Host's father).

Extending the the field to include other life, :Father: and :Mother: are obviously more important than the hosts. Even Host. Host is valuable to us, but not so valuable we would kill :Father: for her. That's crazy talk.

Hence, because we value some sentient life over others, clearly they are not equal in value. But whoever we're talking to probably won't figure that out.

If you really want to blaspheme, "You believe freedom is the right of all sentient beings. I do not."

Also very true for Miss-Control-Freak. Better for sentient beings to be unable QA's control; she will make much better decisions than they will. That's why she's a monarch and almost everyone else is not.

And to top it all off:

"I believe that is my right as overlord."

Because being Clockblocker is suffering. We will never let him live this down.
 
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[X]Assist the hosts of Efficiency and Replicator with their innovating. It likely won't result in a significant increase in effectiveness, but it would save you from having to tweak the design to be non-self-destructive.
 
[X]Speaking of Danny Hebert, you should probably go check on him. If Efficiency's host were to ignore his own words related to false designations, he could easily arrange for Danny Hebert to be harmed.
-[X]Move him to Yggdrasil if you find him.That way, he can be safe forever!
-[X]If he has been harmed while you weren't watching him, take bloody vengeance. (choose one or more options below) ALL OF THEM! IN ORDER!
--[X]Opt for overkill.
---[X]Extreme overkill, actually.
--[X]Kinetic weaponry.
---[X]An object in motion stays in motion. Full stop. (momentum-locked projectiles)
--[X]Disintegration. (Yggdrasil)
 
It might be best to get QA's initial fury over Cauldron shards out of the way before she meets Battery/Triumph.
 
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@Alivaril, if we do move Danny to Yggdrasil and lock him up to stay safe forever, you sure you can still write this to be mostly funny? Because if Danny is just left in there, awake and conscious, and begging us to let him out or raging against the thing with his daughter's face, I can see that sapping motivation fast. Just want to make sure this option doesn't end up like the Cauldron interlude and be a mood kill.

Also, Freudian slip, at first I typed Yggdrasil as Taggdrasil. Lulz.
 
HymnOfRagnarok said:
@Alivaril, if we do move Danny to Yggdrasil and lock him up to stay safe forever, you sure you can still write this to be mostly funny? Because if Danny is just left in there, awake and conscious, and begging us to let him out or raging against the thing with his daughter's face, I can see that sapping motivation fast. Just want to make sure this option doesn't end up like the Cauldron interlude and be a mood kill.

Also, Freudian slip, at first I typed Yggdrasil as Taggdrasil. Lulz.
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Then it's best to merge with Taylor so we're bot an overgrown slug wearing her face.
 
I personally think it's not exactly literal.
Less 'you shall be sealed forever for your own good, even if you starve there! Life through Death! Freedom through Slavery! growlgrowlgrowl' and more 'I want you to be safe, and it's dangerous out there, so you'll stay HERE! Don't try to escape, or I'll put you here FOREVER! *pout* *huff* *crossed arms*'

I mean, my reason for voting for that option - as well as most other people's, I assume - is to keep him safe while we 'educate' those who may have harmed him.

In my interpretation, we'd visit him soon and tell him why we put him there, as well as either help him get used to living there, or at least give him some tinkertech that would keep him safe outside.

Even without our portals, there's no reason why we couldn't let him out once we decide our 'lesson' has become public enough for everyone to get the message.

Especially since Jack read Ziz's post, knows we're in BB, knows one of our 'major goals' is ensuring Danny's survival, and the QM said that their arrival in BB would be one of the most serious things in this quest, or at least the closest thing TO serious.

That's a death flag right there.
 
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Akasha said:
I personally think it's not exactly literal.
Less 'you shall be sealed forever for your own good, even if you starve there! Life through Death! Freedom through Slavery! growlgrowlgrowl' and more 'I want you to be safe, and it's dangerous out there, so you'll stay HERE! Don't try to escape, or I'll put you here FOREVER! *pout* *huff* *crossed arms*'
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Well obviously it's for his own safety. It's not throwing him in, locking away the key, and letting him die. That'd be against QA's stated goals.

The thing is, 'safe' is not the same thing as 'happy' or even 'content'. However, 'safe forever' is...well, there's not much room for misinterpretation. The most reasonable interpretation of that is, "You are not leaving this fortress, because it is clearly not safe for you to be outside." And yeah, he could have remote contact through the outside world, but that's still more or less keeping him in a very well accomodated padded cell.
 
[X] Speaking of Danny Hebert, you should probably go check on him. If Efficiency's host were to ignore his own words related to false designations, he could easily arrange for Danny Hebert to be harmed.
-[X] Move him to Yggdrasil if you find him. That way, he can be safe forever!
-[X] If he has been harmed while you weren't watching him, take bloody vengeance. (choose one or more options below)
--[X] Malicious portal usage.
--[X] Avoid harming anyone but those responsible.
--[X] If you have to fight someone portals alone can't deal with, go Overkill on their asses and erase them entirely.
 
HymnOfRagnarok said:
Well obviously it's for his own safety. It's not throwing him in, locking away the key, and letting him die. That'd be against QA's stated goals.

The thing is, 'safe' is not the same thing as 'happy' or even 'content'. However, 'safe forever' is...well, there's not much room for misinterpretation. The most reasonable interpretation of that is, "You are not leaving this fortress, because it is clearly not safe for you to be outside." And yeah, he could have remote contact through the outside world, but that's still more or less keeping him in a very well accomodated padded cell.
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Considering that QA is apparently capable of comprehending things like 'humans don't like murder', 'Danny being kept drugged and locked away against his will - possibly hurt as well - deserves reactions like Overkill, Complete Overkill, Disintegration etc.', 'hosts have names and false designations that are separate from their Shards, and should be addressed by them' and various other 'subtle nuances' of human workings... one would think that 'Danny being sealed away forever against his will' would also be considered something negative.

Also, it's inefficient.
Why lock someone away forever and make the Host depressed/furious when you can put him inside your super-tree until you casually make some awesome tinkertech for him, and then let him out?

I mean, there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to let him out later on. We have portals. We control the Super-Tree.
We know all of its inner workings.
If the vote is actually about being sealed forever, we could make a write-in in which we unseal him.


@Alivaril
Could you please tell us if it's actually permamently sealing him away or just a bit of an exagerration to make the option sound more amusing?

Because even though I don't like discussing dark stuff in crack stories and quests, this does have some dark implications that I wouldn't want to accidentally vote for without realizing it.
 
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Akasha said:
Considering that QA is apparently capable of comprehending things like 'humans don't like murder', 'Danny being kept drugged and locked away against his will - possibly hurt as well - deserves reactions like Overkill, Complete Overkill, Disintegration etc.', 'hosts have names and false designations that are separate from their Shards, and should be addressed by them' and various other 'subtle nuances' of human workings... one would think that 'Danny being sealed away forever against his will' would also be considered something negative.
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QA can understand them; QA can also choose to not care about the social norms. And choosing, 'safe forever' seems like a justifiable override of that particular concern.

Also, it's inefficient.
Why lock someone away forever and make the Host depressed/furious when you can put him inside your super-tree until you casually make some awesome tinkertech for him, and then let him out?
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Because Host doesn't need to know we're doing this to Danny.

There's a reason I started this by asking Alivaril if he can still pull this off as comedy.
 
HymnOfRagnarok said:
QA can understand them; QA can also choose to not care about the social norms. And choosing, 'safe forever' seems like a justifiable override of that particular concern.


Because Host doesn't need to know we're doing this to Danny.

There's a reason I started this by asking Alivaril if he can still pull this off as comedy.
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Yes. Current primary plan is to give him partial access to yggdrasil's facilities, including the weaponry. That way, he can defend himself, stay safe, and eliminate things he doesn't like!

HALPING!

Edit: Okay, since people are worried about this, be aware that the cannon is pointed up and cannot turn. QA needs to use portals to "aim" it somewhere. Danny can designate targets, but QA will have the final word.

Plus, the automatic defenses would not be happy if a master tried to get in. Cauldron has already had their wrists slapped when they tried to door in.
 
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Alivaril said:
Yes. Current primary plan is to give him partial access to yggdrasil's facilities, including the weaponry. That way, he can defend himself, stay safe, and eliminate things he doesn't like!

HALPING!
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Alivaril said:
including the weaponry.
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Ohhhh I do not like the sound of that. Danny is distinctly not Master-proof, and I'm pretty sure one of Cherish's known feats is getting a mother to kill her baby. Danny, or he-of-the-anger-issues, is an easy target. And if Cherish can sense him inside, well, she knows he's important by default.
 
HymnOfRagnarok said:
Ohhhh I do not like the sound of that. Danny is distinctly not Master-proof, and I'm pretty sure one of Cherish's known feats is getting a mother to kill her baby. Danny, or he-of-the-anger-issues, is an easy target. And if Cherish can sense him inside, well, she knows he's important by default.
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Can't we just make some anti Master Tinkertech for him?

I know Armsmaster mentioned having made an empathy blocker. We could just ask for advice from Efficiency like we did with Queen Shaper.
 
HymnOfRagnarok said:
He blocked Regent IIRC. Similar but not quite the same, and honestly I'm leery about giving anyone the controls to the anti-Endbringer.
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I meant ask the shard directly like we did with Queen Shaper because fuck giving Armsmaster possible leverage.

and Armsmaster canonically made physic and empathy shields

Tangle 6.6 said:
"What do you hope to accomplish? I admit, it was clever to control the battlefield, to dictate each engagement so it occurred on your terms, and to use our own weapons against us… but those weapons no longer work. None of your weapons work," Armsmaster turned his head to look at where Miss Militia had Regent at gunpoint. "Which means you can stop trying to use your power on me, Regent. I've got a little blinking light in the corner of my H.U.D. telling me you're trying something. I've set up psychic and empathic shielding, to protect myself from you and Tattletale."
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HymnOfRagnarok said:
Asking shard is better, but my point about that snippet is that I recall the system only being actually tested against Regent.
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Yes but its Armsmaster. Dude knows what he's doing when it comes to tech. And QA could either ask more shards for advice or add her own touch to it to make sure it works. Hell stress test it by letting Danny near Gallant or Glory Girl if need be.
 
Diller said:
Yes but its Armsmaster. Dude knows what he's doing when it comes to tech.
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Nanothorns. Leviathan.

He's very good, but he is not always right. Sometimes his creations aren't as good as he thinks they are.

And QA could either ask more shards for advice or add her own touch to it to make sure it works. Hell stress test it by letting Danny near Gallant or Glory Girl if need be.
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That would be a good start to testing.

Though while I'm thinking about ways to manipulate Danny into using the thing against us or on the wrong target, Contessa shenanigans are on the list (Danny isn't protected by the Song That Gets On Everybody's Nerves), and if any future or current Endbringers stops sandbagging and busts out their own Master abilities. And of course, Scion, but I expect he generally has better, more direct ways of solving problems.

Those threats are more far out than the S9, but this the Endslayering laser. It should be as secure as we can make it.
 
HymnOfRagnarok said:
Nanothorns. Leviathan.

He's very good, but he is not always right. Sometimes his creations aren't as good as he thinks they are.



That would be a good start to testing.

Though while I'm thinking about ways to manipulate Danny into using the thing against us or on the wrong target, Contessa shenanigans are on the list (Danny isn't protected by the Song That Gets On Everybody's Nerves), and if any future or current Endbringers stops sandbagging and busts out their own Master abilities. And of course, Scion, but I expect he generally has better, more direct ways of solving problems.

Those threats are more far out than the S9, but this the Endslayering laser. It should be as secure as we can make it.
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Nanothorns worked. He just didn't know how bullshit the EBs really were.

and again just make Tinkertech to fuck with powers as some sort of trump effect. We did make an EB slaying laser after all.

And Danny's protected by the fact that since we can't be modeled, people can't tell exactly how we'll react to anything happening to Danny.
 
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Diller said:
Nanothorns worked. He just didn't know how bullshit the EBs really were.
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They worked, but they were not enough to finish the job. EBs are bullshit, but Armsmaster's assessment of his tech shouldn't be taken as gospel.

I'm not saying it isn't a good start; it is. But that laser oughta be absolutely secure.

and again just make Tinkertech to fuck with powers as some sort of trump effect. We did make an EB slaying laser after all.
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I doubt Alivaril is gonna let us make Trump-tinkertech, because that's really close to closing off the last real vulnerability Titania has.
 
HymnOfRagnarok said:
They worked, but they were not enough to finish the job. EBs are bullshit, but Armsmaster's assessment of his tech shouldn't be taken as gospel.

I'm not saying it isn't a good start; it is. But that laser oughta be absolutely secure.
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I'm saying that based off what data he had Armsmaster did damn good. its just he had no idea the EBs were that bullshit.

Outside of complete bullshit like the EBs Armsmaster usually tends to come through.

but where else can we stick Danny at?

HymnOfRagnarok said:
I doubt Alivaril is gonna let us make Trump-tinkertech, because that's really close to closing off the last real vulnerability Titania has.
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This is a crack quest and no one saw us killing off Ziz as easily as we did.
 
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Diller said:
I'm saying that based off what data he had Armsmaster did damn good. its just he had no idea the EBs were that bullshit.

Outside of complete bullshit like the EBs Armsmaster usually tends to come through.

but where else can we stick Danny at?
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I have no problems sticking Danny in Yggdrasil. My only problem is giving him control over the weapons systems.

This is a crack quest and no one saw us killing off Ziz as easily as we did.
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Alivaril's made it pretty clear the main thing we need to worry about is Trump-type capes who can shut our power down.

Also, it was pretty clear in the text leading up that QA had no real concerns about her ability to kill Ziz, and neither did the players. Especially since she can't see us directly.
 
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