- Location
- Canadia
Shiplord Delenda Est
The Practice War [Complete]
- Thread starter Snowfire
- Start date
- Original Sci-Fi
- Location
- Seattle, Washington
[X] A Path of Words: This power that seeks to choke away the link between you and your Unison Platform cannot be laid against the other Potentials among humanity's fleets. Do as a healer sometimes must. Become a soldier, and end those craft.
- Location
- [REDACTED]
Hmm. Are there any non 223 Speakers that might be able to serve as an interrupt? There's no one who can even come close to Amanda's affinity with speaking, but if we have speakers on board the ships of the 1st and 2nd fleet they might be able to take the pressure off of us for the crucial instant we need to Speak.
However, failing that:
[X] A Path of Words: This power that seeks to choke away the link between you and your Unison Platform cannot be laid against the other Potentials among humanity's fleets. Do as a healer sometimes must. Become a soldier, and end those craft.
However, failing that:
[X] A Path of Words: This power that seeks to choke away the link between you and your Unison Platform cannot be laid against the other Potentials among humanity's fleets. Do as a healer sometimes must. Become a soldier, and end those craft.
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[X] A Path of Words: This power that seeks to choke away the link between you and your Unison Platform cannot be laid against the other Potentials among humanity's fleets. Do as a healer sometimes must. Become a soldier, and end those craft.
[X] Lantern's Charge
There was an ancient war between the Stars and the Void. This is probably also related to why first secret drives don't work close to a sun, but can jump right in top of a gas giant. During the war the Shiplord built warfleet which took the first secret to its most extreme and popped stars like pimples. These things here are apparently another method of attacking the Starlords' metaphysical power directly.
- Location
- Poland
- Pronouns
- He/Him
So wait, the options are, in descending order of risk and reward:
-Make a spell and hope you won't miscast.
-Kamehema the bad guys and hope it's enough.
-Just stand there and hope you can tank this.
-Abandon hope and run away.
Swayed by blessed die the QM is rolling, as well as curiosity about the failure state.
Instead of a Word, it might be a Blooper.
And I find potential mistakes hilarious, if morbid:
"PUR-R-" was all you could utter before succumbing to all encompassing agony. Shortly after, the front of Medicament grew enormous whiskers, and a low chorus of sounds could be heard from within, similar to that cat caffee Iris dragged you to that one time.
[X] A Path of Words: This power that seeks to choke away the link between you and your Unison Platform cannot be laid against the other Potentials among humanity's fleets. Do as a healer sometimes must. Become a soldier, and end those craft.
-Make a spell and hope you won't miscast.
-Kamehema the bad guys and hope it's enough.
-Just stand there and hope you can tank this.
-Abandon hope and run away.
Swayed by blessed die the QM is rolling, as well as curiosity about the failure state.
Instead of a Word, it might be a Blooper.
And I find potential mistakes hilarious, if morbid:
"PUR-R-" was all you could utter before succumbing to all encompassing agony. Shortly after, the front of Medicament grew enormous whiskers, and a low chorus of sounds could be heard from within, similar to that cat caffee Iris dragged you to that one time.
[X] A Path of Words: This power that seeks to choke away the link between you and your Unison Platform cannot be laid against the other Potentials among humanity's fleets. Do as a healer sometimes must. Become a soldier, and end those craft.
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
Small point. A Blooper, as you put it, would potentially have levels of backlash on the scale of Purify.
- Location
- Poland
- Pronouns
- He/Him
... So we would be facing a force of hyper-advanced, tyrannical catgirls?!
Galaxy will be doomed.
Edit: Also, taking into account the source of purring in that scientific equivalent of a demon ship, the catgirls would be... rather horrifiyng.
In all due seriousness though- now I am half-tempted to switch to Lantern. Harder to mess that up, outside of tiring yourself out too soon.
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Oh hell, she's going to accidentally Canary an entire solar system...
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
You need a soul for Practice.
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
I can confirm that Shiplords do, indeed, have souls.
...They probably have entire warehouses full of them.
*flees*
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
[X] A Path of Words
On the other hand, we do know that Vega (perhaps with help from the others) can keep the anti-Practice weapon's effect mostly off of us for a while, or vice versa, and both Vega and Amanda can Speak. And once the Speaking starts, the weight of anti-Practice firepower on us is probably going to start lessening very quickly.
We don't know what the limits of the anti-Practice weapon's range are, or whether the presence of our allied warships can do anything to block it. It's entirely possible that now that they've deployed the weapon, they can keep it firing on us no matter where we go on the battlefield, so that we'll never be able to start Speaking without interference. At least, not until the ships projecting the weapon are destroyed. Which isn't really an acceptable condition now that we're weapons-free on Speaking.
My intuition is that we have a better chance of Speaking up to break the power of this weapon while temporarily bunkering behind the 223's collective defense, than we do if we try to weather the effects of the weapon indefinitely before Speaking.
True.
On the other hand, we do know that Vega (perhaps with help from the others) can keep the anti-Practice weapon's effect mostly off of us for a while, or vice versa, and both Vega and Amanda can Speak. And once the Speaking starts, the weight of anti-Practice firepower on us is probably going to start lessening very quickly.
We don't know what the limits of the anti-Practice weapon's range are, or whether the presence of our allied warships can do anything to block it. It's entirely possible that now that they've deployed the weapon, they can keep it firing on us no matter where we go on the battlefield, so that we'll never be able to start Speaking without interference. At least, not until the ships projecting the weapon are destroyed. Which isn't really an acceptable condition now that we're weapons-free on Speaking.
My intuition is that we have a better chance of Speaking up to break the power of this weapon while temporarily bunkering behind the 223's collective defense, than we do if we try to weather the effects of the weapon indefinitely before Speaking.
So, the Medicament-class sprouts giant whiskers, then turns into a planet-sized kitty and eats us?
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
The SL not having souls would have been a nice explanation of why they get their ensouled bio-slurry from tributees ......They probably have entire warehouses full of them.
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
One of the things in the void wakes up and takes notice.
[X] A Path of Words: This power that seeks to choke away the link between you and your Unison Platform cannot be laid against the other Potentials among humanity's fleets. Do as a healer sometimes must. Become a soldier, and end those craft.
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
The desire not to kill and render down for soup stock trillions of their own species would also explain it, though. And frankly a more parsimonious one.
Few if any known sapient species lack souls, and we have reason to think that sapience is impossible without souls (and that part of the Second Secret involves the ability to create ensouled life).
Whereas many species are averse to killing their own members by the billions or trillions for a tactical advantage.
Snowfire
Polyglot of Chimera
- Location
- Wordcats
I feel I have to reply to this, though I'm trying not to do too much of that so that this decision is a free one. Vega was able to open that space because she rolled 195 from a d100. The assertion that this is something she can do reliably feels a little flawed if you take that into account.
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
[] A Path of Words: This power that seeks to choke away the link between you and your Unison Platform cannot be laid against the other Potentials among humanity's fleets. Do as a healer sometimes must. Become a soldier, and end those craft.
We've been warned: Speaking might backfire, and if it backfires it'll hurt us bad. This is high risk, high reward. A choice made from desperation, not a choice you'd make if you were already winning... but we aren't, are we? Every single FTL-capable fleet is on their heels, and the best that can be said is we're losing slowly.
If Soultear is laid against the Potentials in the fleet then that will become 'quickly'.
[] Lantern's Charge: If it can be hard to see the sun when darkness surrounds you, then be the sun itself. Make of yourself a lighthouse, and use the strength of the web shone through it to drown the night.
...okay, it might be the cultist in me, but "Lantern" is a scary word. What this actually is, is an attempt to defeat the Shiplords using brute force instead of finesse -- speaking being the 'finesse' option. It depends on Vega to maintain the web under even greater strain than it's already under, but her rolls there were by far our best. She has a good chance to do so; hence the question becomes whether or not it would be enough.
[] Withstand: This is not the moment that hope dies. None of you will allow it. The Shiplords have flung their most lethal weapons yet against you, and you yet live. Perhaps it cannot last forever, but you can endure this. The other Potentials among First and Second Fleet? You think not.
@Snowfire, can I assume this choice would attempt to extend our shielding to the other Potentials? If so... well, we were already losing slowly. This option abdicates responsibility for changing that; it's buying time for Lina to do so instead.
I don't like it. I don't think she has many cards left to play.
[] Through Death and Fury: You cannot move fast enough to escape the Shiplord craft bombarding you with the jagged pain of a soul broke in two. You can, however, hold the range. Use that, and withdraw to the relative safety of First Fleet as quickly as you can. It will take you through the heart of the Shiplord Fleet, but it will bring you safe harbour soon enough for it to matter.
I don't believe this would be safe harbour at all. I think it would speed up the timeline for getting Soultear also applied to the fleet.
= = =
We can't succeed by taking no chances. There was a time for that, and it's in the past, but I don't want to risk accidentally'ing our own fleet.
[X] Lantern's Charge: If it can be hard to see the sun when darkness surrounds you, then be the sun itself. Make of yourself a lighthouse, and use the strength of the web shone through it to drown the night.
Let our light bleach them to the bone.
We've been warned: Speaking might backfire, and if it backfires it'll hurt us bad. This is high risk, high reward. A choice made from desperation, not a choice you'd make if you were already winning... but we aren't, are we? Every single FTL-capable fleet is on their heels, and the best that can be said is we're losing slowly.
If Soultear is laid against the Potentials in the fleet then that will become 'quickly'.
[] Lantern's Charge: If it can be hard to see the sun when darkness surrounds you, then be the sun itself. Make of yourself a lighthouse, and use the strength of the web shone through it to drown the night.
...okay, it might be the cultist in me, but "Lantern" is a scary word. What this actually is, is an attempt to defeat the Shiplords using brute force instead of finesse -- speaking being the 'finesse' option. It depends on Vega to maintain the web under even greater strain than it's already under, but her rolls there were by far our best. She has a good chance to do so; hence the question becomes whether or not it would be enough.
[] Withstand: This is not the moment that hope dies. None of you will allow it. The Shiplords have flung their most lethal weapons yet against you, and you yet live. Perhaps it cannot last forever, but you can endure this. The other Potentials among First and Second Fleet? You think not.
@Snowfire, can I assume this choice would attempt to extend our shielding to the other Potentials? If so... well, we were already losing slowly. This option abdicates responsibility for changing that; it's buying time for Lina to do so instead.
I don't like it. I don't think she has many cards left to play.
[] Through Death and Fury: You cannot move fast enough to escape the Shiplord craft bombarding you with the jagged pain of a soul broke in two. You can, however, hold the range. Use that, and withdraw to the relative safety of First Fleet as quickly as you can. It will take you through the heart of the Shiplord Fleet, but it will bring you safe harbour soon enough for it to matter.
I don't believe this would be safe harbour at all. I think it would speed up the timeline for getting Soultear also applied to the fleet.
= = =
We can't succeed by taking no chances. There was a time for that, and it's in the past, but I don't want to risk accidentally'ing our own fleet.
[X] Lantern's Charge: If it can be hard to see the sun when darkness surrounds you, then be the sun itself. Make of yourself a lighthouse, and use the strength of the web shone through it to drown the night.
Let our light bleach them to the bone.
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Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Ahhh.
That's why.
That's why they lost their shit when Speaking was used way back when.
The assumption is that it's a corrosive thing, that it's a horrible and terrible sacrifice that's needed to make the impossible possible.
It's because the Shiplords are a race of born martyrs from what's been seen (A great honor to be assigned to the murder fleets that exist to get destroyed eventually by the lesser races for reasons), it's natural for them to tap into the power of sacrifice somehow.
But.
They're not doing it for the sake of anybody. Not for themselves, not for someone else, they're sacrificing because you sacrifice, because the good is in the act of sacrifice in itself--and this is rewarded with power in the act--because this is apparently a setting where big ceremonies like this have meaning. They're incapable of altruism if you will, and sacrifice without purpose save the act of sacrifice itself is... Well, it's just butchery, isn't it? It's an abomination, it's cargo cultism where they go through the motions of something glorious and tragic without understanding the purpose behind it-and it warps into monstrosity.
It's natural for the power not to go anywhere, for it to lash out hungrily only to find there is no recipent of that grand gift, and it dies with a whimper, knowing that such a great loss of life existed merely for its own sake.
And that's why once they realized yes, it was sacrifice for a purpose, for a noble purpose beyond the sacrifice itself, they understood, at that moment what they were missing--and accepted their deaths. Because they still understood the power in sacrifice--and wouldn't allow this to be destroyed by those who didn't.
That's why.
That's why they lost their shit when Speaking was used way back when.
The assumption is that it's a corrosive thing, that it's a horrible and terrible sacrifice that's needed to make the impossible possible.
It's because the Shiplords are a race of born martyrs from what's been seen (A great honor to be assigned to the murder fleets that exist to get destroyed eventually by the lesser races for reasons), it's natural for them to tap into the power of sacrifice somehow.
But.
They're not doing it for the sake of anybody. Not for themselves, not for someone else, they're sacrificing because you sacrifice, because the good is in the act of sacrifice in itself--and this is rewarded with power in the act--because this is apparently a setting where big ceremonies like this have meaning. They're incapable of altruism if you will, and sacrifice without purpose save the act of sacrifice itself is... Well, it's just butchery, isn't it? It's an abomination, it's cargo cultism where they go through the motions of something glorious and tragic without understanding the purpose behind it-and it warps into monstrosity.
It's natural for the power not to go anywhere, for it to lash out hungrily only to find there is no recipent of that grand gift, and it dies with a whimper, knowing that such a great loss of life existed merely for its own sake.
And that's why once they realized yes, it was sacrifice for a purpose, for a noble purpose beyond the sacrifice itself, they understood, at that moment what they were missing--and accepted their deaths. Because they still understood the power in sacrifice--and wouldn't allow this to be destroyed by those who didn't.
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