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Summoner Quest (Celestial Menagerie)

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My understanding is that sapient beings are perfectly valid, so long as they're neither human nor too closely human-like.
 
Does Trick Room apply to parahumans as well as pokemon? There could be some interesting synergy there. Protect might be a better first choice, however.
 
jonasquinn said:
By the way @zagan a random thought I had while playing my newest obsession Unicorn Overlord, would a Bestral be a viable summon? I'm not entirely clear on where the line is on intelligence/humanlike qualifications.
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It would be borderline but probably okay. The way I would do it however would be as a transformation power similar to One Pieces's Mink or Fire Emblem's Wolfskin.

Feather_Up said:
Does Trick Room apply to parahumans as well as pokemon? There could be some interesting synergy there. Protect might be a better first choice, however.
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It would apply to everyone in the affected region. That said I would be hesitant to include it for the simple reason that I have no idea how to describe the effects.
 
zagan said:
It would be borderline but probably okay. The way I would do it however would be as a transformation power similar to One Pieces's Mink or Fire Emblem's Wolfskin.


It would apply to everyone in the affected region. That said I would be hesitant to include it for the simple reason that I have no idea how to describe the effects.
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It's a psychic power, so what about a dream-like experience where everyone finds themselves crossing more or less distance with every step than they should? Somewhat like when you are running in a dream but can't seem to get anywhere.
 
Feather_Up said:
It's a psychic power, so what about a dream-like experience where everyone finds themselves crossing more or less distance with every step than they should? Somewhat like when you are running in a dream but can't seem to get anywhere.
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As described from the inside yes, that does work. But as described from the outside? Like someone observing Velocity moving inside the Trick Room does he suddenly appear as if threading water?
Furthermore, it's not just a question of movement speed but also of reaction time. While it could be funny, I won't make it a priority.
 
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Non-Canon: Parahuman Material Testing Logs: Refinery. by Feather_Up
  • Sidestory
    • Notice: The following file contains test logs from the PRT. All experiments run by Cauldron employees are to be kept separate from PRT documents, with all reserved timeslots listed as Special Class 13 redactions on PRT and Protectorate servers. Any employees who fail to maintain secrecy from the greater PRT are to be fired and imprisoned immediately.



    Parahuman Material Testing Logs: Refinery



    Preface: Following the Triggering of Refinery (individuals with Class 9 or higher security levels may access relevant information HERE), a series of tests were conducted to ascertain the limits and capabilities of Refinery's projection. For the sake of simplicity these tests were formatted according to the Test Logs Refinery was able to provide.

    All future tests are to be added onto this document for the sake of organization.



    Background: Protectorate Cape Refinery's power allows for the summoning of a stationary mechanical projection. This projection consists of a series of interconnected clockwork components of undeterminable function. At the front of the projection are two booths, labeled "Input" and "Output" respectively, and a control panel bearing a knob and winding key. The knob is used to select between five settings, those being labeled "Rough", "Course", "1:1", "Fine", and "Very Fine". When a(n) object(s) is placed in the Input booth and the key wound, a phenomenon known as an Exchange Event is initiated. During an Exchange Event, the doors to the booths seal shut and any object(s) contained within the Input booth are transfigured and moved into the Output booth by unknown means. The nature of the transfiguration is dependent on the setting chosen at the start of the Exchange while the duration of the Event is proportional to the size of the input.



    RULES AND REGULATIONS:

    • At no point should living organisms be subject to Refinery's power.
    • All potential tests are to be treated as Tinker projects, subject to the review committee prior to testing.
    • All Test Logs are to be submitted in the following format:
    • Test R- Number of Test
    • Name: Experiment Lead
    • Date: MM/DD/YY
    • Total Items: Object(s) to be Input

    • Input: Object(s) input
    • Setting: Setting used
    • Output: Exchange Event result


    Test R-1

    Name:     Dr. King

    Date: 05/28/11

    Total Items: Five (5) chemically pure iron weights, each one kilogram (1 kg)

    Dr. King's notes: The purpose of these first experiments is to establish a baseline for comparison to the documents Compendium provided.



    Input: One kilogram iron weight

    Setting: Rough

    Output: A pile of iron dust massing one kilogram (1kg).

    Input: One kilogram iron weight

    Setting: Course

    Output: Four (4) iron weights each massing a quarter of a kilogram (0.25kg).


    Input: One kilogram iron weight

    Setting: 1:1

    Output: An iron pyramid massing one kilogram (1kg).

    Input: One kilogram iron weight

    Setting: Fine

    Output: A small statue made of iron in the shape of the animated character the Noid from the Domino's Pizza commercials of the eighties. Apparently featured in many of Refinery's nightmares as a child.

    King's notes: I don't blame him. That thing creeped me out too, especially after they tried reimagining it as a Villain.


    Input: One kilogram iron weight

    Setting: Very Fine

    Output: The iron weight had been replaced with an ingot of bluish metal of the same mass. Testing showed that the metal ingot held a tensile strength of 280,000 psi and was an alloy comprised of iron, nickel, copper, and an unknown chemical compound. Further study to attempt to recreate the material is ongoing.

    Addendum: Upon examination by Protectorate Hero Armsmaster the ingot was positively identified as "blue steel" an alloy created using material generated by the Protectorate Cape Compendium. A copy of Armsmaster's report may be accessed HERE.



    Test R-14

    Name:     Dr. King

    Date: 05/29/11

    Total Items: One (1) Individual Lumbricus Terrestris (Common Earthworm)

    King's notes: Due to the redaction of results from the 'Foundation' test results, it was decided to perform an Exchange operation under heavy guard to determine the potential threat posed by Exchanging organisms. To better ensure a safe outcome, a simple worm was picked as the test subject.



    Input: Above Item

    Setting: Fine

    Output: Immediately upon opening the door, Trooper Jameson was attacked by a one-and-a-half meter (1.5m) long creature which attempted to burrow down his mouth. Fire from the remaining troopers drew away its attention before it could break through his faceplate. A full report of the following battle can be found HERE but noted points regarding the entity include:

    • A demonstrated resistance to small arms fire.
    • The capacity to burrow through containment foam.
    • A highly alkaline mucus secretion capable of eating through fabric.
    • Sufficient physical strength to break bone.
    The creature was rendered deceased via massed fire. All troopers are expected to recover from their injuries. An autopsy of the creature's remains is pending.

    Addendum: It was noted that despite its aggression the creature did not at any point target Refinery, Trooper Wu, or assistant researcher Mejia. An investigation found that each possessed AB-positive blood, possibly marking them as non-viable to the creature's senses.

    King's notes: Holy shit! We are NOT doing this again, damn thing nearly broke through the barricade.



    Test R-17

    Name:     Dr. King

    Date: 05/30/11

    Total Items: One (1) bottle of 'green potion' provided by Compendium.



    Input: Above Item

    Setting: Fine

    Output: A small sack full of what appeared to be a form of 'Pop-Rocks' candy. Chemical analysis showed the expected sugar and flavoring along with several unidentified substances. Testing from attached parahuman assets demonstrated the substance possessed a stronger form of the effects of the 'green potion', with a singular grain being equal to roughly a third of the reported effect.

    However, further investigation into this line of testing has been suspended due to the unpredictability of Refinery's output and the taste of the 'Pop-Rocks' which the attached asset described as "outside the realm of all common decency".

    King's notes: Why was Eidolon here? Isn't he busy in Texas?



    Test R-18

    Name:     Dr. King

    Date: 05/30/11

    Total Items: Two (2) Achilles Class forcefield projectors.

    King's notes: Only had enough give in the budget to buy two of these off Uppercrust. Hope we can get results.



    Input: One (1) forcefield projector

    Setting: Course

    Output: A device made primarily from steel and plastic. When activated, it produced a forcefield of half strength compared to Uppercrust's usual designs. Examinations of its innerworkings is ongoing.

    King's notes: Not quite what we're looking for. The design is simpler, but the engineers still can't work out how it functions.


    Input: One (1) forcefield projector

    Setting: Rough

    Output: A bulky machine that filled most of the space in the output booth. The device utilizes a mix of known and theoretical scientific principles to produce a solid field of charged particles. Close examinations have isolated all indecipherable components for further study.

    King's notes: Yes! We managed to dumb down one of Uppercrust's forcefields enough to try and reverse engineer the basic principles. Hopefully we'll be able to start producing city shields of our own once we nail down what does what and how. In fact, I think I just thought up a shortcut.



    Test R-19

    Name:     Dr. King

    Date: 05/30/11

    Total Items: The result of the previous experiment and a blank notebook with the word "manual" written on the cover.

    King's notes: Oh please, oh please, oh please.



    Input: Above Item

    Setting: Fine

    Output: The machine from the previous experiment and a hardcover book titled "Design and Function of Hector Class Forcefield Generator". No changes were found on or in the machine. The manual details the design of the machine, the various functions of its components in brief, and how to construct further instances.

    King's notes: YES! We've got it. Now it won't matter if Uppercrust croaks. The PRT will be able to supply city-shields ourselves without needing Tinkers to do it for us.

    King's notes 2: Bad news. I think we might have just proven the Supported Crafting theory. Most of the unidentified components come with the instruction, "Apply parahuman power here to imbue functionality". At least we made     some progress towards expanding mankind's scientific knowledge.



    Test R-23

    Name:     Dr. King

    Date: 05/30/11

    Total Items: One (1) standard set of PRT Trooper body armor tailored to fit Refinery's body.



    Input: Above Item

    Setting: Very Fine

    Output: A mechanized suit of armor bearing PRT insignia. When worn, the user can lift objects of up to two tons with minimal strain and generate punches with roughly 20,000 newtons of force. Speed and endurance receive comparable boosts, with the user maintaining a twenty-five (25) mph footspeed for thirty (30) minutes. The armor is expected to be capable of protecting against chemical, biological, and radiation hazards thanks to its sealed design. Estimations place the armor as being impenetrable to all firearms short of antivehicular and Tinker weaponry.

    King's notes: Well, at least Refinery has a costume now. Gonna have to send a note to PR after this.


    Note: For the sake of clarity all Test dates are to be listed according to the Earth Bet calendar.

    Test C-1

    Name:     Dr. Weisshund

    Date: 05/30/11

    Total Items: One (1) Vial (Extracted from area X24, Y16, D8)



    Input: Above Item

    Setting: 1:1

    Output: A metal container of approximately the same dimensions as the input bearing the acronym "F.L.A.G." and the words "Property of the United States Army". Contained inside was a liquid substance comprised of multiple complex organic molecules, several of which remain unknown despite Tinker and Thinker analysis.

    Upon consumption by Test Subject A. Wright (Click HERE for subject's file) a series of biological changes were detected occurring at the cellular level. Test results from the subject showed a marked increase post-consumption with a 50% increase in both physical and mental ability. The subject continued to improve at a progressively slower rate over the course of a week before finally ending with capabilities comparable to a professional athlete in all physical aspects. Notably, the subject lacks any coronas or other detectable anomalous growths despite acquisition of Parahuman abilities.

    Notes: It is theorized among the research staff that we may have exchanged the input Vial for another Earth's power development program, likely a military sponsored one given the wording on the container. However, the results are lackluster compared to normal Vials. Possibly as a result of a lack of Agent; the F.L.A.G. formula appears designed to optimize the human body alone, limiting the overall power available to the subject. Low priority investigation.


    Test C-2

    Name:     Dr. Weisshund

    Date: 05/30/11

    Total Items: One (1) Vial (Extracted from area X3, Y5, D2)



    Input:     Above Item

    Setting: Fine

    Output: A tetragonal crystal of indecipherable composition. Analysis shows a multidimensional structure similar to samples taken from the Garden. When held in contact with a human's skin, the person touching the crystal gains access to Parahuman powers for the duration contact is maintained.

    Only one 'Host' can benefit from this effect as others who touch the crystal post-contact are unaffected. However, the crystal can be traded between individuals with no consequences beyond the anticipated power loss. No formation or loss of coronas was detected with it being theorized that the crystal substitutes for the organ.

    The powers granted by the crystal remains consistent among users. Users can generate structures made of "solidified shadow" that interact with matter as though they were physical despite any lack of discernable substance. Constructs can be manipulated and moved by the user's will up to a range of 21.4 meters from the user.

    Notes: This is big. We have essentially created a reusable and transferable Vial that functions identically regardless of the user. If we can create more of these, we could train combatants in advance of receiving their powers and recover useful abilities following the death of the previous user. We need to get on this.



    Test C-3

    Name:     Dr. Weisshund

    Date: 05/30/11

    Total Items: One (1) Vial (Extracted from area X3, Y5, D2)



    Input: Above Item

    Setting: Fine

    Output: A Vial that upon inspection looked identical to the input. No differences were found between input and output until ingestion of the Vial by Test Subject P. Rice. Immediately upon consumption the subject began to complain about feeling "different" and that "something's changing".

    Two (2) minutes post-consumption crystal formations were noted to have developed on the subject's skin and scans indicated the growth had begun spreading from and through the inner organs. Despite the physical changes, subject Rice remained in good health although initial signs of panic were noted to be present.

    Three (3) minutes post-consumption and the subject began to showcase signs of synesthesia and schizophrenia, describing hearing "radio transmissions" and "a voice detailing numbers for time and space". Crystal growth had covered 50% of the dermis by this point and further scans of internals failed to penetrate past the dermis layers.

    Five (5) minutes post-consumption and the subject was completely covered in crystalline formations vaguely mimicking his previous form. At this point rapid growth began in the subject, necessitating leaving the testing area before structural damage to the building could occur. Subject Rice was largely unresponsive, seeming to disassociate at random intervals. The subject could be heard conversing with an unseen entity, asking questions about their nature, origin, and "where does the boundary between us exist, is there one?".

    Ten (10) minutes post-consumption and the subject had achieved a height of fourteen and one half meters (14.5m). The subject had become wholly unresponsive to inquiries by staff. Further mutations in the subject's form had resulted in the development of additional non-human traits including:

    • Three limbs loosely analogous to human arms, each bearing a 'hand'.
    • An internal glow emitted from within the regions previously occupied by the subject's internal organs.
    • A secondary and tertiary digestive system located within the subject's feet and legs which consumed the ground underneath the subject at a visible rate.
    • Hair replaced by pitch-black cilia that waved in response to nearby radio transmissions.
    Behavior displayed by the subject was likened to a newborn or toddler who had yet to develop full motor control. Most of the subject's actions focused on examining and moving its body.

    Twelve (12) minutes post-consumption the subject proceeded to attempt to leave the facility with no warning. Security was called to detain the subject, at which point it responded by generating gouts of superheated silica from its 'arms' that vaporized the majority of the security team. Estimations place its Blaster power at a nine on the standard threat scale due to the strength and area covered by the blasts. As of current writing the subject remains at large among the wilderness of this Earth. Drones have been deployed to track its motion and behavior.

    Notes: It's a fucking walking volcano! Thank Christ we tried this on an uninhabited Earth, because there is no way we could keep this a secret. What the hell even happened, this isn't a normal Deviant.



    Test C-4

    Name:     Dr. Weisshund

    Date: 05/30/11

    Total Items: One (1) Vial (Extracted from area X64, Y94, D8)



    Input: Above Item

    Setting: Very Fine

    Output: A twenty-five-centimeter (25cm) diameter mass of crystalline flesh that flashed with a variety of lights in an undeciphered pattern. Scans detected emissions from across the electromagnetic spectrum alongside gravitational, spatial, and dimensional emanations.

    Upon attempting invasive examinations, the mass demonstrated self-defense capabilities by generating a projection comprised of an unidentified form of matter. This projection proceeded to release lethal levels of gamma radiation in focused beams that burned through all nearby personnel and equipment. The projection then receded back into the main mass after no further threats remained.

    Descriptions of the projection are lacking due to death of observers and damage to recording equipment. However, what data could be recovered from the security footage suggests a serpentine shape covered in spikes that flew out of the mass and around the room prior to returning. As of writing the mass has been placed within a Class-H containment cell with standing orders to avoid any form of active testing.

    Notes: I'm calling for all experiments using samples from the Garden to be halted indefinitely. The last two experiments caused mass loss of valuable staff and significant damage to the facilities. This test was just the final straw and I fear has created a new, albeit tiny, Entity.
     
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  • Sidestory
    • @Feather_Up Okay, I'm back.
    First, how did you even know about this bounty? I only briefly mentioned the possibility of it in the thread and only added it to the board three days ago without saying anything. I intend to mention it at the end of the next chapter.

    Anyway, great work as usual.

    Feather_Up said:
    King's notes: Why was Eidolon here? Isn't he busy in Texas?
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    LoL.
    If it involves his drug green potion he'll make the effort to be there.

    Feather_Up said:
    Notes: This is big. We have essentially created a reusable and transferable Vial that functions identically regardless of the user. If we can create more of these, we could train combatants in advance of receiving their powers and recover useful abilities following the death of the previous user. We need to get on this.
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    Is that inspired by Bravely Default's asterisks?

    That was a really enjoyable read. It really captures the feel of 914 with a positive bias toward its summoner.

    As usual, you can pick your reward, an SCP creature worth 200 points or less. (but not 914 itself)
    Edit: I'll even be willing to consider a 300-point entry if it's reasonable considering your 2700 words.
     
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    @zagan
    I do not have much time right now. Thank you for your kind words, the reason I knew about the bounty is because I opted to check the Omake Bounty Board after your response to Doccer's suggestion. I will talk more later but please be warned that with my upcoming classes and personal responsibilities I likely will not be able to pick a creature any time soon.
     
    Feather_Up said:
    @zagan
    I do not have much time right now. Thank you for your kind words, the reason I knew about the bounty is because I opted to check the Omake Bounty Board after your response to Doccer's suggestion. I will talk more later but please be warned that with my upcoming classes and personal responsibilities I likely will not be able to pick a creature any time soon.
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    Don't worry about it, we're in no hurry. Focus on your work and classes it's much more important.
    And in the meantime, the others may give you ideas.
     
    I wanted to help @Feather_Up a bit and went through the first few 200 and under SCP's, SCP-011 up to SCP-417. While I may be biased in what I chose to present from my search, I made sure to discount any that would bring about moral or ethical concerns Alex would have with using them, such as 011 being too human for his own comfort, to those that were exceedingly dangerous or abhorrent like 378. I also made sure to check if he already has better options among his other partners for what the SCP creature can do and narrowed it down to a few that would be helpful or could make for a good cape power with Grant Summoning.

    I believe it's been brought up before; SCP-038 can clone anything and has a note on organic material eventually rotting after 2 weeks but could go great as a cape power to clone objects like tinker tech, as the partial testing log shows its only real limit is weight and that it was able to create a clone of SCP-173, albeit only partially.

    A cool one would be SCP-236, sending them into a gang hideout to replace the furniture discretely could make for some funny times during a raid. The painting on the wall suddenly explodes to create an entry point for the PRT while the couch just breaks apart to swarm over a group of gangers chilling in the next room to pin them down for capture.

    While Solar does much the same, SCP-334 is an example of a living creature made of plasma and would definitely have its attention to learn from and could make for an interesting fusion creature with his other partners or for Nimue's monsters as a boss.

    SCP-359 itself doesn't offer much as a big metal bird, however the material it's believed to be made from is Hephaesium, a metal known for its anomalous abilities to animate objects it's made into, such as what the wings of SCP-070 and the statues of SCP-1451 are believed to be made from as well. It was of such interest for the Foundation in what it could do, it would be another thing Tinkers would love to get their hands on from Compendium or given as a partner to create a new Tinker instead.

    A rather mischievous but reclusive one, SCP-372 is only dangerous when it's forced to be seen and its sensory ability to detect electrical impulses and then use them to avoid notice would be a good Thinker power to have.

    This one just struck me as a great partner for any Keeper to have, SCP-408 is a group of butterflies of high intelligence that can change their color, pattern, and texture for camouflage on the level of being functionally invisible and along with this changing their formations to appear as larger creatures when threatened such as a pride of lions, a T-rex, and even SCP-682. Whenever Compendiums Grant Summoning becomes known, this would honestly be one of the contenders for a partner to give Elytra, they would synergize so well with her power.
     
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    First of all, I would like to thank @JumpFail200 for his review of part of the SCP category. That section is very long, labeled solely in case numbers, and for some reason my browser treats half the links on that category as security risks when I try to use them. His help is very much appreciated.

    Secondly, I wanted to ask, did anyone got the references I placed in the experiment logs? The crystal from Cauldron test 2 was vaguely inspired by the green lantern ring but there is at least one other reference to another comic series. Also, for anyone asking why I didn't include more "mundane" testing of 914 or why I didn't include attempts at fusing multiple inputs the answer is that I wanted to focus on 914's interaction with Worm and so I avoided things that didn't involve parahumans/Shards as much as made sense. The logs are really supposed to showcase how the PRT and Cauldron interact with it more than what 914 can do.

    Also, in case anyone was wondering, Refinery has very little interaction with 914. He's a trooper picked primarily for his willingness to follow orders and not ask questions, for instance, why am I leaving my Summon here in this strange room I've never seen before (Cauldron needs to get 914 into one of their labs somehow). He gets given items from 914 and can file to get objects Exchanged for his own benefit, but the Summon is mostly in the control of the scientists running experiments (a situation it likely finds nostalgic). Similarly Compendium was advised to pick Independent Agent for the accompanying Power.
     
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    Chapter 211: Talking about Power
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Power
    Power Roll: (610 points)
    Entry Roll D21=14
    "Variable" True Customization, "Variable" Dimensional Adaptation, 300 Choose one (200)
    Sub-vote results: 300 Choose one (200): TM
    Banked: 310

    A lot of dialogue in this chapter. I think I'm improving (?). Originally I also wanted to include a summary of the date but the chapter was getting kinda long. So it will be a t the start of the next one.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Wednesday, 05/18/2011 (08:00 AM)

    I got up on Wednesday, in a fairly good mood. I had some good dreams, some featuring my prospective girlfriend and some simply spent having fun with my partners. I woke up around two but remained in bed and dived into the Mental Realm for the remainder of the night.

    When I opened my eyes I felt refreshed and ready to face the world. I had a date to look forward to at noon, and before that I would talk to Velocity to see if he was interested in becoming a Brute. While I was at it I would also talk to Colin about getting his own partner.

    The errors I made yesterday still exist, but I wouldn't let them weigh me down.

    During breakfast, while I talked to Mom I did mention my fight with Bakuda and my frustration that she got away. She hummed in understanding and commiserate with me, saying that I would catch her next time.

    I carefully didn't mention the fact that I almost ended up frozen in time. There was no need to worry her.

    A little later on the Rig, my first act was to go to Armsmaster's lab.

    I found Colin working not on his armor this time but on the grenade-drone. From my awareness of my partners, I knew that the Tinker worked on it during a good part of the night already. Seeing that he was engrossed in his work I didn't interrupt him and looked around waiting for him to reach a good stopping point.

    On a shelf sitting inside an advanced-looking cradle, I spotted Colin's drone that he deployed during the team exercise. Interestingly it didn't qualify for Creature Acquisition, not independent enough I guess. I turned back toward Colin when I heard him put away his tools.

    I greet him with a smile. "Hello, Colin."

    "Alex." He gave me a gruff nod. "How are you doing after yesterday?"

    "I'm doing okay. There's no use dwelling too much on it."

    My answer seems to satisfy him. I glanced at the grenade. "Learned anything interesting?"

    He huffs in irritation. "A few things. She's good at condensing her work in little packages." He paused. "It's very efficient."

    I decided that a little teasing was warranted. "A little like you."

    Reluctantly he nodded. "Somewhat. However, she has no consideration for durability. Understandable, considering the purpose of her tools but maybe a usable weak point if it applies to her more long-term creations, like the armor you described."

    That was worth considering, though next time I wouldn't give her any quarter and I doubt this factor would come into play.

    Changing the subject he addressed me. "Did you wish to ask me something?"

    I nodded. "Yes. I've been holding back on another avenue of empowerment for a while now. Mainly because I need to create a decent stockpile before it can be of any real use. I used it on myself first but now I have enough to share." I gave the details about the seeds and hummed in understanding as he listened.

    When I finished speaking he pondered my words for a few seconds before responding with one word. "Robin?"

    "Of course, and afterward the others, including you. Though it may force you to alter your armor again."

    He waved his hand dismissively. "I appreciate it. I could certainly use more strength to better handle heavier gears but I can do without for now."

    I could respect that. "Do I have your permission to give the seeds to Robin? Assuming he agreed."

    Colin appeared to consider his words carefully. "Normally I should say no, that you need to wait. Those sorts of effects should be thoroughly tested before being approved. It's one thing for a Parahuman to use their powers on themselves, it's another to use them on others. And Despite what you've done for her, Director Piggot would say the same things. However, if we go above her head and ask Director Costa-Brown or any members of the Triumvirate you'll have instant approval."

    That was more than probable. Despite our win against Leviathan, and maybe because of it, the Protectorate was still desperate for more capes and more powerful capes in particular.

    Colin continued. "So as a compromise, if you give me let's say five of those seeds. I can send them for immediate chemical analysis. And if Robin agrees, tell him only to start eating them tomorrow."

    That was more than reasonable. I would have been willing to wait more days, it wasn't that urgent. "Thank you. That's fine."

    There was a lull in our conversation before I received a shrewd look from Colin. "Do you have any other such surprises in reserve?"

    I licked my lips, trying to find the right words. "I…I do have something else in the work, something more significant than a simple strength boost, but it's not yet ready and won't be for a while. And even once it's ready it will require some significant logistics." I still want to wait for Nimue to have at least ten floors before opening her up to other people. Before he could reply I decided to add something else. "There's another thing that I'm keeping in reserve. Something different but it would be time-consuming with uncertain results. So that will have to wait for a period of calm if there's ever one." I want to make use of Dimensional Travel but not with so many threats on the horizon that may pop up while I'm not there.

    Colin appeared to consider my answer carefully before finally nodding. "Very well. I can understand some caution even within those walls. And I do not need to know the details at this time."

    "Thank you." I was grateful for his understanding. While I wasn't opposed to going into the details about Nimue and Dimensional Travel, it would be a lengthy explanation.

    "Was there anything else?" Colin looked ready to go back to analyzing the grenade drone. In part, I suspect to distract himself from my latest revelation.

    But there was indeed something else that I wished to talk about so I nodded firmly. "Yes. I wish to discuss the possibility of giving you a partner of your own."

    Instantly his attention was fully on me. His eyes fully focused on my face. Not saying anything he allowed me to continue.

    "For a while now, I had a partner that I basically never used that could work well with you. Not a specifically impressive one but useful nonetheless. I would have preferred to give you something stronger and with better synergy. So far none had presented themselves. I could continue waiting but yesterday's events made me remember the adage that perfection is the enemy of good enough."

    Colin appears amused by my pronouncement, smirking in my direction. "And what would you consider to be good enough?"

    Seeing that the room was big enough I summoned the drone in the middle of it hovering at waist height. "This is a repair Surveyor. It can fly, generate a shield around itself, and emit a rayon that repairs machinery. For the last thing, you'll need to test if it works on Tinkertech. If so, it may be a lot of help with maintenance." Colin was circling the surveyor with visible interest. "Oh, and if you put the correct attachment port on the back of your armor it can serve as a jetpack. However, you'll need to be careful with that"

    With an incredulous tone and a confused expression, Colin asked me a question. "You consider this subpar?"

    I shrugged. "Well by itself no. It's a fine robot, if a little fragile. It's just that compared to some of my other partners I hope to give you something better. If you want I got a giant hexapod robot as big as Rex, instead. But I don't think it fits your needs."

    That got a chuckle out of him.

    "Very well. Let me think about it."

    "Great, I'll let Surveyor here in the meantime. Please also consider what secondary power you want. There's no obvious synergy so you have plenty of options. My files are up to date if you want to check."

    He nodded absently and waved me away. I left with a bounce in my step. Now for Robin.

    As I walked the short distance toward Robin's office the Menagerie triggered.

    This power is very specific. Once per week, we can permanently summon an object called a TM./It looks like a CD-ROM and it can upload the knowledge of one specific move to a Pokemon. And only to a Pokemon./There are a lot of options available, we're still looking through the possibilities./It will certainly expand the versatility of our Pokemon.

    When I reached Robin's door. My Minds were focusing their research on moves that could be learned by all, or at least by the majority of my Pokemon.

    The man was currently doing some paperwork, I doubt he would mind being distracted. Knocking on the door, I heard an enter and opened the door.

    Robin was sitting at his desk in simple civilian clothes, a dark brown jacket, and a white t-shirt in a cut almost like an army uniform. I was reminded of the fact that he was a former military. His office was well decorated, the walls were adorned with photographs of scenery and famous monuments. A well-stocked bookcase stood in a corner, containing mainly dictionaries in multiple languages.

    I knew that Robin was learning Chinese and Russian, and was already fairly proficient in both. Previously I offered for him to learn either language from Miss J, but he preferred to learn the old-fashioned way. He stated that in the future he may change his mind to learn some more obscure language.

    "Hey, Alex. Come in." He gave me a welcoming smile, putting down the booklet he was looking at.

    "Hello, Robin." I pulled a chair and sat down. "You have a minute?"

    "Sure. Anything to get away from the horror of paperwork."

    I decided to not beat around the bush. "How would you like to become a Brute and a Striker? With maybe a side order of an enhanced costume."

    From anyone else, it would have been a joke and he would have laughed. From me, he paused and seemed to consider the ideas very seriously.

    Licking his lips he answered nervously. "I would like more details before answering that question. Is this the same deal as Hannah?"

    I shook my head. "Sadly no, I still haven't gained a partner that would be a good fit for you. This is something else."

    "I'm listening."

    And so I explained. How among the materials I could generate from my partners there were two called Seeds of Strength and Resilience. Basically
    Tinker steroid without the side effects that increase the eater's strength and durability. The only caveat was that one needed to eat a lot of them to even reach the status of a middling Brute, so it took time for me to accumulate enough to make it worthwhile.

    "And I think that the stronger you are in your base state the stronger you should be in your Breaker state. You're the one that could benefit the most from it. A Parahuman that is both a Speedster and a Brute is something nearly unheard of."

    Robin remained pensive for a while once I finished my explanation. Then he gave me a sharp look. "How many have you eaten?"

    I smiled. "Good catch. Yes, I've used them myself. I've eaten fifty of each. But of course, I have other means to increase my abilities so the results are disproportionate."

    "Hm, and how many are you willing to give me?"

    "I think we need to proceed gradually, so you can get accustomed to your new parameters. I'll say ten of each sort per day for a full week, so a total of seventy each. That should give you a rating of three or four in Brute and Striker. Once we get there we can reevaluate if needed."

    I saw him gulp at the idea. A subtle blurring of his body proved that he slipped into his power to have more time to consider the idea.

    "And the costume?"

    Even my limited social skills allowed me to recognize a delaying tactic when seeing one, but it was understandable. "That's easier to explain, and that's something that I will offer to everyone. I already talked with Colin about it, we're just waiting for him to finish the latest version of his armor. It's an effect similar to Dauntless powers. The basic package for everyone would enhance the protectiveness of the costume grant and its durability. And for those that are interested a few more effects can be added. I have one that makes walking in water easier, another that reduces the damage taken from falls, one that allows you to hold your breath longer, and lastly, one that makes sneaking around easier. There's also an effect that hurts anyone who attacks you but Colin isn't convinced that it's wise to include that one, because it would apply even if someone simply slapped you on the back. It could be a hazard."

    My speech left Robin gaping before he once again used his power to recompose himself. It was an aspect of his power that I never really considered before, the ability to think faster. I debated mentioning the Seed of Wisdom before deciding against it. I didn't want to put more things on his plate and I would prefer to reserve those that would gain greater benefits from them.

    Robin didn't take long to reach a decision, though it was certainly much longer for him. Looking serious he answered me. "I'll happily accept the enhanced costume, with the effect that reduces fall damage. That's probably the most useful for me." After taking a breath he continues. "As for those Seeds. Yes, that would be wonderful. Being able to act at super speed has been a dream of mine for a long time."

    "Great." With a mental order, Olky delivered the Seeds packaged in two Tupperware boxes. "There you go. Seventy seeds of each. You are to take ten per day starting tomorrow. They must be eaten raw, but they work well in salads with some lemon and olive oils."

    The speedster was amused by the notion of taking magical steroids by eating a well-seasoned salad. I left soon after giving him a few more pieces of advice and asking him to measure his strength both before and after each portion of seeds.

    Before going on patrol I took a detour by Dauntless's office. Briefly, we talked about his improved Totem. He confirmed that he had no problem with it so far. During the six days since the empowerment he only put two more charges into it, with minimal effects, only a few seconds reduction in the recharge time of the ablative shield. While I would have liked to chat more I had a patrol to go to so I said goodbye.

    During this uneventful patrol, I and my Minds decided on our first TM, it would be the move Protect. Everyone except Beta could use it and having the ability to project an unbreakable forcefield would always be useful. I would make use of it after my date with Crystal. Trying to focus on my patrol with my head filled with the image of a beautiful blonde girl wasn't easy, even with multiple Minds.

    Wordcount: 2589
    Excess words: 708
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I want to include a story vote but I couldn't think of one and I didn't want to force it. Sorry. You'll have to content yourself with one more Menagerie vote.

    For the roll, 310 (Banked) + 240 (Chapter) + 0 (Excess words) = 550 points.

    [] Creature

    [] Power

    Voting will be closed Monday at 3 PM GMT

    Note: I still haven't decided on which secondary power to give to Armsmaster and I'm open to suggestions. Material Extraction is obvious for Tinker but the materials of the Surveyor aren't anything special. Rider to make using the jetpack function easier. Summoning 3/day in case it's destroyed. Miniaturization for easier transportation and discretion. Independent Agent so the drone can move further away (the default 500m may be a little restrictive). Strategist for general utility. Armor Summoning for a cool-looking transformation sequence. There's a lot of possibilities.
     
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    • i would say adaptive immunity. If there is something that is an actual danger to armsmaster, in most cases this should take care of it. If there was a way to negate master effects it would be better. But being able to ignore,say, shatterbirds glass cuts, or fire, or crushing, or poison, would definitely help.

    Basically Armsmaster builds a counter to dangers.
    This lets him hopefully survive the first confrontation, and ignore at least one avenue of attack.
    Not useful against bakuda, but against 95% of dangers very useful longterm.

    and longterm is what he goes for.


    edit: also,regardless of what choice he made,he would not take skills. He has very high abilities in any directly useful skill( in his eyes at least) ,and miss j is right here for anything atop that.

    he is very minmax,so using a (presumably) once in a lifetime chance to get another power, he wont "waste" it on something easily aquired by spending some time learning.
     
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    Animal Senses is another interesting option for a Tinker, given that the Surveyor provides 'damaged machine vision'. Assuming it works in parts, Armsmaster could determine which areas in any given machine are weakened or malfunctioning. A potentially useful avenue of attack when dealing with enemy Tinkertech.

    There is also the issue of other Tinker's copying the technology behind the Surveyor as unless given the Copyright power, Armsmaster's drone could be subverted or duplicated by a sufficiently clever Tinker.

    There is also Sustained Immortality but honestly I doubt that is of particular use for Armsmaster ironically. He doesn't have much ability to heal himself and while it might let him survive a calamity, it only let's him survive. He won't be able to walk to safety without legs and he will only have the one summon to anchor him to life. Still it could increase his chances to live, I suppose.

    Ultimately I think it is best to wait until after this vote before work shopping an accompanying power since a new power is liable to be rolled anyway. Possibly one that can be passed on, like Pocket Biosphere.
     
    Narasan said:
    i would say adaptive immunity. If there is something that is an actual danger to armsmaster, in most cases this should take care of it. If there was a way to negate master effects it would be better. But being able to ignore,say, shatterbirds glass cuts, or fire, or crushing, or poison, would definitely help.

    Basically Armsmaster builds a counter to dangers.
    This lets him hopefully survive the first confrontation, and ignore at least one avenue of attack.
    Not useful against bakuda, but against 95% of dangers very useful longterm.

    and longterm is what he goes for.
    Click to expand...
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    I hadn't considered that one. It's not the most optimal choice I think. Because he would only have one creature, the Surveyor, to sacrifice so he could gain immunity against one thing, for 24h. So it's not bad but I'm not sure it's worth the trade-off of losing everything that the creature bring to the table.

    Narasan said:
    edit: also,regardless of what choice he made,he would not take skills. He has very high abilities in any directly useful skill( in his eyes at least) ,and miss j is right here for anything atop that.

    he is very minmax,so using a (presumably) once in a lifetime chance to get another power, he wont "waste" it on something easily aquired by spending some time learning.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    That's a very good point.

    Feather_Up said:
    Animal Senses is another interesting option for a Tinker, given that the Surveyor provides 'damaged machine vision'. Assuming it works in parts, Armsmaster could determine which areas in any given machine are weakened or malfunctioning. A potentially useful avenue of attack when dealing with enemy Tinkertech.
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    Click to shrink...
    I hadn't considered this one at all. You're rigth it could be invaluable for a Tinker.

    Feather_Up said:
    Ultimately I think it is best to wait until after this vote before work shopping an accompanying power since a new power is liable to be rolled anyway. Possibly one that can be passed on, like Pocket Biosphere.
    Click to expand...
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    Sadly Pocket Biosphere is not on the table at this time (unless it wins the current vote) because Alex doesn't even know it exists so he can't know to wait for it. But you're right that it would be fantastic for a Tinker. A portable and perfectly secure workshop that is always at your disposal.
     
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