Wormverse ideas, recs, and fic discussion thread 1

[Jcogginsa]

Point 1: Is this conflict going anywhere?
Point 2: If you don't establish that the Young Justice League had therapists (and a therapy system which is in some way better than the PRT's), this is gonna come off as stupid hypocritical. Worm emphasizes the inadequacy of the heroes' therapy program, but it also explicitly depicts a therapy program, which puts the PRT above most superhero organizations.

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Just for the record, if this is supposed to be the Young Justice from the cartoon version, the Dinah/Black Canary is the Team's Counselor/therapist. In this universe, it's been confirmed by WoG that she has formal training in psychology

 

[brer rabbit]

Where did you get the idea that Earth Bet superheroes aren't allowed to fight normal crime?

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The prt isn't supposed to deal with normal non-parahuman related crimes, yes.
Like for example Piggot was irritated at the police for trying to foist non-parahuman related incidents onto the prt. So it's clear the PRT handle cape nonsense while the cops handle mundane crimes.
And there's actually a lot of pressure from the public to not allow PRT related capes to investigate crimes that they aren't assigned:

Wildbow WOG
One question I've always wondered about, connected to my earlier comment, is how much leeway a cape has in what kind of… I was going to say patrol but I suppose "case" might serve better.

Like, Velocity hearing about a particularly brutal handling by boardwalk or officers handling a mentally ill man (as in one of your examples) and say it reminds him of his time as a grunt with abusive leaders or environment etc.

So he wants to make that a focus. Does he have to speak out to Armsmaster, Piggot and Renick and say, "Hey, I feel like these guys are acting like dog without leashes, give me X amount of time to see what I can dig up"?

I know the general answer is, "it depends", but I'm curious as to whether that's a thing that is possible and flexible for a cape in the PRT/Protectorate.

Or if it's just, for the most part, "Stick to the role we expect of you, if it's worth getting into, it'll come across my desk".

I think the benefit of being in the guild is you get to have more leeway. Capes going off on their own to investigate non-cape cases and events could get really snarly.

You could work at the edges of those things, investigate, say, trigger points, and interview some people as a just-in-case, letting them know you know, for example.

But as much pressure as you applied that way, you may get more pressure put on you to not interfere in the municipal/state stuff. Starting with 'focus on other potential trigger points for a while' and then more unhappy conversations and meetings, and possibly sanctions/getting in trouble.

Crisis points. I was drawing a blank.

And as long as that's the case you're probably making momentary/case by case/one-note interventions (or multiple interventions in a brief span) vs. an ongoing and inflexible problem.

What do you think they do on patrol?

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That's a separate thing. If a patrol is nearby an active crime they jump in, but that's not the same thing as being called in for a murder that occurred six hours ago and also most patrols are PR patrols.

Point 1: Why did Artemis take one of Sophia's bows? Doesn't she have her own?

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Oh that was to get back at Sophia for events that happen in chapter 6.

You could probably get a similar beat by having Artemis ask Piggot to assist the police's investigation, though.

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She's not allow to unless there's Parahuman involvement.

Why did the authorities in canon not figure that out?

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Most likely because of the events of the bomb arc and leviathan and because the PRT are looking for signs of Parahuman involvement while the cops did not.

That's why Coil needed a distraction in the first place!

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Yes and what we know of the PRT structure it was largely pointless

Maybe Tattletale tries to exchange Coil secrets for leniency or something,

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Tattletale is too prideful to ever to do that, she wants to screw over Coil herself.

, Coil being a high-ranking employee of the PRT would probably let him throw a wrench into any plan to storm his secret base.

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Coil at this point is a PRT field commander and consultant he is not that high up in the chain.

And of course, you need to think of something for the Young Justice League members to do.

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It's only just Black Canary, Artemis, and Zatanna that have been isekai into Earth-Bet.

 

[GreatWyrmGold]

The prt isn't supposed to deal with normal non-parahuman related crimes, yes.
Like for example Piggot was irritated at the police for trying to foist non-parahuman related incidents onto the prt. So it's clear the PRT handle cape nonsense while the cops handle mundane crimes.

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There's a difference between "The normal police are supposed to handle normal crimes" and "The PRT is not allowed to handle normal crimes". In fact, the fact that police can try to foist non-parahuman incidents on the PRT kinda proves that the PRT is allowed to handle them.

That's a separate thing. If a patrol is nearby an active crime they jump in, but that's not the same thing as being called in for a murder that occurred six hours ago and also most patrols are PR patrols.

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Point 1: You're making a big assumption about PR patrols.

Point 2: You don't call in a SWAT team for a six-hour-cold murder, either. Does that mean SWAT teams aren't allowed to handle situations that involve murderers? Of course not. It just means that crime scene investigation is left to CSI.

Most likely because of the events of the bomb arc and leviathan and because the PRT are looking for signs of Parahuman involvement while the cops did not.

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So in your world, where the PRT handles parahuman crimes and the police handle non-parahuman crimes, the police investigation was impeded by a parahuman's bombing campaign?

That aside, the war against the ABB ends in late April and Leviathan attacks on May 15th. There are almost three weeks where neither of the factors you mention apply. And you think that Director Piggot and the PRT could find something significant in the (checks notes) less than a day before the ABB goes on the warpath?

Also, there isn't really parahuman involvement in Dinah's kidnapping. Coil probably used his power there, but that's not gonna show up on any forensic tests that the PRT can run. Especially since the PRT is never implied to have a crime scene investigation team.

Yes and what we know of the PRT structure it was largely pointless

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Bullshit. Not in the least because, again, Thomas Calvert works for the PRT! He's been working PRT desk jobs since 2001 and had an unknown period of field work before that. He's their first choice for Brockton Bay's PRT director when Piggot gets ousted, for chrissake!
Which is more likely: That Coil is completely ignorant about what the PRT do and how they do it, or that your assumptions are wrong?

Tattletale is too prideful to ever to do that, she wants to screw over Coil herself.

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Even if we assume you're right, how is "share information with the authorities" significantly less direct than helping Skitter the way she did in canon?

Also, you're wrong. Especially since she potentially faces imprisonment in the Birdcage. The Undersiders have gone way over the "three-strikes limit".

Coil at this point is a PRT field commander and consultant he is not that high up in the chain.

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Have you actually read Worm? He did field stuff in Ellisburg, yes. But he has a desk job during his interlude and is selected as Director two months and change after the story starts. The fact that Thomas Calvert is "high up in the chain" is, in fact, a critical plot point!

 

[brer rabbit]

fact, the fact that police can try to foist non-parahuman incidents on the PRT kinda proves that the PRT is allowed to handle them.

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No

Piggot Interlude is that it's actually a big issue with the police trying to give the PRT cases with any excuse:

Interlude 13 said:
She looked over the sheer volumes of paper around her office. The PRT handled cases where parahumans were involved, and these days, it seemed like everything and everyone was touched in some way by the heroes, villains and monsters of Brockton Bay. Every time the other precincts had the slightest excuse, they would claim that it was the PRT's responsibility. If they had no excuse at all, they would claim it a joint responsibility. Until she read over the cases in question and either signed off on them or refused them, the job was in her hands. As far as the ones passing the buck were concerned, it was out of their hands

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So it's clearly something that rarely happens.

Also, there isn't really parahuman involvement in Dinah's kidnapping.

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Kidnapping a parahuman is parahuman involvement.

Bullshit

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No Coil pulling off that robbery was pointless because the Undersiders didn't even make front page news. All the concern was about diana being kidnapped, had the bank job never had happened the plot would not have changed.

But he has a desk job during his interlude and is selected as Director two months and change after the story starts

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Yes but he still isn't that high up to know about certain operations.

 

[GreatWyrmGold]

Piggot Interlude is that it's actually a big issue with the police trying to give the PRT cases with any excuse:

So it's clearly something that rarely happens.

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This is a contradiction. Either the police try to get the PRT to do their work with any old excuse, or it's something that rarely happens. And Piggot indicates that it's something that happens often. She even notes that the police sometimes try to get the PRT involved in "joint operations" when there's no reason to think there's parahuman involvement, in the segment you quoted.

If they had no excuse at all, they would claim it a joint responsibility.

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If the police can claim that non-parahuman crimes are a joint responsibility between them and the PRT, then non-parahuman crimes potentially fall under the PRT's responsibility.

Kidnapping a parahuman is parahuman involvement.

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Hardly anyone knows Dinah is a parahuman before she's kidnapped. This is a critical plot point.

No Coil pulling off that robbery was pointless because the Undersiders didn't even make front page news. All the concern was about diana being kidnapped, had the bank job never had happened the plot would not have changed.

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It wasn't meant to distract the fucking reporters. It was meant to distract the superheroes. Which it did, because it was scheduled at a time when most of the superheroes were doing other things.

Yes but he still isn't that high up to know about certain operations.

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So you acknowledge that Thomas Calvert/Coil is high enough in the PRT org chart to be appointed as Director (not even Acting Director or something, Actual Director)...but insist that he's too low in the hierarchy to hear about major operations? The kind of operations which presumably involve a significant fraction of the organization Calvert helps run?

 

[brer rabbit]

It wasn't meant to distract the fucking reporters. It was meant to distract the superheroes. Which it did, because it was scheduled at a time when most of the superheroes were doing other things.

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The adult Superheroes were out of town, how was the bank job going to distract them and the Wards wouldn't gotten involved with Dinah kidnapping anyway.

 

[Ultimate]

If you don't establish that the Young Justice League had therapists (and a therapy system which is in some way better than the PRT's), this is gonna come off as stupid hypocritical. Worm emphasizes the inadequacy of the heroes' therapy program, but it also explicitly depicts a therapy program, which puts the PRT above most superhero organizations.

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Keep in mind, that Young Justice had an entire episode centered around therapy and the character drama that comes from it. Hell, it's a fan favorite and one of the series most iconic episodes in terms of character development and plot set up. And the only way you couldn't know about it is-

I don't know much about Young Justice (I didn't even bother looking up whether Robin was on the team)

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There's it is. Just for the record, I like Young Justice better than Worm, so I highly recommend it. But on that note…

If you want this to be a mystery-adjacent story about superheroes from another world investigating a criminal mastermind, put your focus on that. Cut the "introducing these strangers to a strange land" segments down as much as you can, drop the Artemis-Sophia rivalry(?), and put some thought into a trail of clues that might lead them to Coil without any clue being a really obvious thing that Coil should have noticed and cleaned up.

If you want it to be about character drama, about strangers adapting to a strange land or forcing it to adapt to them, then...well, you need to leave space for that. Maybe drop the active investigation stuff and have their superheroic stuff be limited to reactive crime-fighting. And of course, you need to think of something for the Young Justice League members to do. Ideally, all of them who get thrown in. If there are some you don't have any ideas for, either leave them behind or give them a place where they can be comfortable.

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Now we see the problem with the fanfic in general. Young Justice often tries to have as many characters as possible and give them all development in a complex overarching plot, with plenty of poorly placed time skips.

Worm suffers from a similar problem.

So what we're seeing is a fan of both trying to implement what worked for both series with his own combination of the two. Not knowing the difference in circumstances. (Worm has been worked on for a decade and has several interludes from the side characters' perspectives, and Young Justice is a big animated show with over a dozen writers and has several strengths to make up for if the writing is no good.)

 

[Sachertorte]

So last week, I've stumbled upon Shard SI fic unlike anything I've ever seen before. One that, for the first time in my life, managed to capture my heart as much as it captured my attention.

Crystalized Munckinry by syndrac. To summarize this, it's basically a tale about a dude who goes to sleep only to get visited into the void by ROB who want him to save Earth Bet and its other counterparts from Goldilock on his emo phase. How can he help to save them? By being isekai'd as fucking QUEEN ADMINISTRATOR, WITH HER ENTIRE TRUE FUNCTIONS!! So after he begin his self-repair protocol, hilarity, drama and MUNCHKINRY commences!!

 

[Ultimate]

Here's a recommendation: Of Blackguards And Mercenaries. Basically Overwatch projections in Taylor's mind.

 

[Behemoth.]

I had a idea awhile back about a cultivator Taylor. So if anyone has read xianxia you'd know there are bloodlines and physiques which give you extra powers. Some of these bodies can be inherited. So my basis was what if Taylor's mom was the young mistress of some clan with a super strong bloodline and inherited abilities and physique. Her mom was on planet because she sealed her cultivation and memories to experience the vicissitudes of life to up her cultivation. Anyways she had Taylor on accident. Then she died only to reform and go live another mortal life to cultivate. But basically Taylor shows signs from a very young age that she's quite a bit more than human. She inherently knows how to cultivate and teaches people and this gets her tagged as a trump. Taylor doesn't really care. This is more of a Taylor stronk reaction story than anything lol

 

[King of Terror]

When Might and Magic Work As One has updated.

When Might and Magic Work As One... (Worm/Yin Yang Yo! Crossover)

Alone and cornered by Coil's mercenaries, Dinah Alcott was certain her fate was sealed down to the nearest decimal point, until, defying all odds, she was rescued by a strange and mysterious woman who whisked her off to a strange and mysterious land. Now a stranger in a place she does not...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

 

[GreatWyrmGold]

I had a idea awhile back about a cultivator Taylor...

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For me, the thing that's interesting about cultivation as a power system is the way it's embedded into social systems. Noble families and cultivation sects can control access to cultivation techniques and alchemical supplies and spirit stones and stuff; no matter how much talent someone has or how hard they work, if they don't have support from the Powers That Be (or some way of getting around them), they're not going to get far. That's obviously not good for the people living in that world, but it's different than most power systems, in a way that has a lot of potential.

(Potential that most xianxia I've come across hasn't really cared to explore, but some has. And if anyone reading this has recommendations, I'm all ears!)

Anyways, my point is that I don't see what adding cultivation to Earth Bet or Taylor Hebert to a xianxia setting could accomplish. Maybe Taylor getting isekai'd to such a place after developing her militant anti-authoritarianism streak would set her up for coming into conflict with the Powers That Be? Maybe her parahuman abilities would let her bypass the normal limitations that someone without connections would face?

But just giving Taylor a different kind of superpower, complete with a special bloodline that makes her super strong with it, is...

This is more of a Taylor stronk reaction story than anything lol

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Well, you're aware of what you're outlining here.

 

[Egleris]

Taylor Hebert to a xianxia setting could accomplish.

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Ryuugi has a fanfiction about that, called "Sect", which handles things in a relatively interesting way, I think. I'll confess I stopped reading it due to my inability to follow the fight scenes as they moved into the transcendent power levels that Xianxia fiction promises but rarely you see actual stories written about, but I still think it makes for an interesting exploration of what "Taylor Hebert in a Xianxia world" might look like.

[Worm/Xianxia] Sect

The path to Heaven is long beyond measure, barred to all but the greatest of men. Countless Cultivators struggle through the eons, hoping to close just one inch of that gap, and countless more die in the struggles of the Immortals. Yet it's said that once, to save someone, Shakyamuni let down a...

forums.spacebattles.com

 

[illhousen]

I had a idea awhile back about a cultivator Taylor. So if anyone has read xianxia you'd know there are bloodlines and physiques which give you extra powers. Some of these bodies can be inherited. So my basis was what if Taylor's mom was the young mistress of some clan with a super strong bloodline and inherited abilities and physique. Her mom was on planet because she sealed her cultivation and memories to experience the vicissitudes of life to up her cultivation. Anyways she had Taylor on accident. Then she died only to reform and go live another mortal life to cultivate. But basically Taylor shows signs from a very young age that she's quite a bit more than human. She inherently knows how to cultivate and teaches people and this gets her tagged as a trump. Taylor doesn't really care. This is more of a Taylor stronk reaction story than anything lol

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Well, the core issue is that such a setup would drastically alter Taylor's life to the point of making her almost a different person and altering her relationships with other people. It can be done well, Impurity is right there, but a lot of thought and care must be put into it to not alienate the readers.

As just one example, she either wouldn't meet Emma to begin with or would remain friends with her as the excuse Sophia used to encourage the betrayal would sound pretty weak here (Sophia herself might have heard about Taylor if she's open with her powers, so possibly she wouldn't be antagonistic either).

If you just want to fuck around with strong!independent!grey!Taylor, I'd suggest switching the premise to her finding some divine treasure or whatever left behind by her mother before departing for good, which enables her cultivation.

(Potential that most xianxia I've come across hasn't really cared to explore, but some has. And if anyone reading this has recommendations, I'm all ears!)

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I've heard good things about Reforged from Ruin, which purports to explore the political realities of a xianxia world and seems to be focused on ways the imperial family controls the world and culls deviant cultivators with the potential to threaten the status quo. I've not read far, though, so can't vouch for it unconditionally.

I'll confess I stopped reading it due to my inability to follow the fight scenes as they moved into the transcendent power levels that Xianxia fiction promises but rarely you see actual stories written about

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Honestly, I think even what is present in a lot of xianxia stories is a bit too much. Like, superpowers gained by a combination of enlightenment, eating an equivalent of a generational wealth of several dynasties and tripping balls on strange plants is cool, but I tend to check out once the heroes reach "my every attack destroys a house" stage. Everything becomes too... abstract there. Environment ceases to matter, stakes become vague...

Wuxia with fireballs works better, I think.

 

[Egleris]

I can understand that, but I'm sure there's plenty of people who go into Xianxia looking for fights among the beings of godlike power that high-level cultivators are supposed to be, and are disappointed; "Sect" actually has those things, with kilometer-spanning fights that reshape the landscape as a side effect and victory achieved through mastery of conceptual bullshit. It's not really my thing, which is why I dropped it, but from a purely stylistic point of view, Ryuugi delivers here. And without losing anything in character dept or making the political interaction portions of the story any less interesting. So, as far as examples of what a Worm/Xianxia crossover actually should look like, I can't really think of anything better.

 

[Happi_Galaxy]

Fanfic Idea - Worm / Edge of Tomorrow (movie)

It will basically be a case 53 of an Edge of Tomorrow Mimic Drone. It can be anywhere on Earth bet. It could be a pure case 53 mind or reincarnated mind. The main inspiration for this was the unique design and abilities of the Mimics. This idea just came to me while I was watching something about the movie on YouTube and then I saw the mimics and I thought what if.
It makes sense too as it would be moderately balanced and not overpowered considering the other powers in worm. Though it would be a drone variant as it lacks the chronokinetic bullshit of the Alpha drones and the Omega drone.
If I had to rate the mimics with PRT threat rating for the drones I would have them as a minor thinker, high mover (they are fast), high changer (as they are able to shift their form a lot easily and fast), low stranger as they can sort of mimic the terrain and hide (I think), mid brute, and mid or low blaster as they can shoot spikes of sorts.

Some thoughts about this idea I had thought of. It can also probably talk if it shifts its form correctly to mimic vocal cords. Also I haven't though of this but if it is a case 53 where would the Cauldron Mark go? And what would its affliction be. It probably won't be liked by the average person considering how alien and horrifying it looks compared to almost everything else.

Though another idea using this concept would be an Altpower!Taylor thing where she is sort of the creator or hive queen of these Mimic Drones and creates them from minor matter manipulation of sorts or absorbing materials and creating them by discharging the absorbed material giving her a master/thinker/something? rating. She would be limited on the amount she could create though based on mental strength (maybe) and at the start would be limited to 2-4 Mimic Drones (considering how powerful they already are) but could maybe combine them to increase one's size and strength. For example she takes two Mimic Drones and combines them it would turn two into ones and the result would have a 1.5 size increase, be smarter, and the combined strength of both drones. No chronokinesis stuff though as it is a bit overpowered.


Description/abilities of Mimic Drone - Credit: Mimic (Edge of Tomorrow)

They can be identified by their small size standing only around 4 feet tall and their bright bioluminescence. As their name implies, Mimics' primary tactic is to charge the enemy in massive swarms and utilize their ability to move at rapid speeds, being able to alter their very physiology to from massive tendrils and the ability to fire missile like projectiles known as Mimic javelins add to their danger in combat.

Inspiration -
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSLv7_SPnJs

 

[Ultimate]

Is anyone willing to create Injustice intros for my thread?

 

[SinisterPorpoise]

It's not really my thing, which is why I dropped it, but from a purely stylistic point of view, Ryuugi delivers here.

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Ryuugi has a thing with setting up interesting plot points, and then ignoring them in favor of constantly-escalating battles.

 

[GreatWyrmGold]

Honestly, I think even what is present in a lot of xianxia stories is a bit too much. Like, superpowers gained by a combination of enlightenment, eating an equivalent of a generational wealth of several dynasties and tripping balls on strange plants is cool, but I tend to check out once the heroes reach "my every attack destroys a house" stage. Everything becomes too... abstract there. Environment ceases to matter, stakes become vague...

Wuxia with fireballs works better, I think.

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I haven't read any xianxia stories long enough to reach that point, but it sounds like they're trying to adapt the kind of spectacular fight scenes that work well in anime and comics and high-budget films and such to literature.

If that's what's going on, it's an understandable but critical error. Not everything that works in one medium can work in others. A spectacular written fight scene looks less like Goku vs. Majin Buu and more like Weaver vs. Scion—not lacking in scale, but focused on the kinds of factors that can be most easily communicated in text more than choreography or special effects.

 

[Behemoth.]

For me, the thing that's interesting about cultivation as a power system is the way it's embedded into social systems. Noble families and cultivation sects can control access to cultivation techniques and alchemical supplies and spirit stones and stuff; no matter how much talent someone has or how hard they work, if they don't have support from the Powers That Be (or some way of getting around them), they're not going to get far. That's obviously not good for the people living in that world, but it's different than most power systems, in a way that has a lot of potential.

(Potential that most xianxia I've come across hasn't really cared to explore, but some has. And if anyone reading this has recommendations, I'm all ears!)

Anyways, my point is that I don't see what adding cultivation to Earth Bet or Taylor Hebert to a xianxia setting could accomplish. Maybe Taylor getting isekai'd to such a place after developing her militant anti-authoritarianism streak would set her up for coming into conflict with the Powers That Be? Maybe her parahuman abilities would let her bypass the normal limitations that someone without connections would face?

But just giving Taylor a different kind of superpower, complete with a special bloodline that makes her super strong with it, is...

Well, you're aware of what you're outlining here.

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Yeah pretty much. But about xianxia well there are 3 th8ngs that are important. Talent is one. Talent gets people to take you in Talent let's you create new cultivation systems. Talent let's you improvise and fight above your level. Talent is what makes a cultivator because contrary no matter how many resources you have you will never be able to reach the apex without it. Secondly is inheritances, like you said without a good inheritance you are working with a shitty manual that fucks up your foundation so regardless of how talented you are you may never reach the apex. Of course this is solved by bloodlines usually having these in built. Thirdly luck or the golden finger. This is the end all be all. No Talent doesn't matter, initially shitty technique also doesn't matter. A lucky character will come across something to reforge their talent or have a tool from a legendary god etc etc. It doesn't matter where their starting point is because as long as they survive their golden finger will get them there anyways. So it's not as if you can't reach the peak without a sect or the Powers That Be. Literally all xianxia characters manage often establishing their own sects. You just need one of these 3 things. Honestly most go for the 3rd trash talent who comes across some miraculous item. I'm tired of these stories I want another story like perfect world. Main character had no special tool or inheritance he was just built different from birth. He slaughtered the children of God's and created his own system of cultivation. He was just a talented guy going through it paving his own way

 

[Behemoth.]

Well, the core issue is that such a setup would drastically alter Taylor's life to the point of making her almost a different person and altering her relationships with other people. It can be done well, Impurity is right there, but a lot of thought and care must be put into it to not alienate the readers.

As just one example, she either wouldn't meet Emma to begin with or would remain friends with her as the excuse Sophia used to encourage the betrayal would sound pretty weak here (Sophia herself might have heard about Taylor if she's open with her powers, so possibly she wouldn't be antagonistic either).

If you just want to fuck around with strong!independent!grey!Taylor, I'd suggest switching the premise to her finding some divine treasure or whatever left behind by her mother before departing for good, which enables her cultivation.



I've heard good things about Reforged from Ruin, which purports to explore the political realities of a xianxia world and seems to be focused on ways the imperial family controls the world and culls deviant cultivators with the potential to threaten the status quo. I've not read far, though, so can't vouch for it unconditionally.



Honestly, I think even what is present in a lot of xianxia stories is a bit too much. Like, superpowers gained by a combination of enlightenment, eating an equivalent of a generational wealth of several dynasties and tripping balls on strange plants is cool, but I tend to check out once the heroes reach "my every attack destroys a house" stage. Everything becomes too... abstract there. Environment ceases to matter, stakes become vague...

Wuxia with fireballs works better, I think.

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Well yeah that was my thing. Pretty much Taylor teaches people cultivation as she starts to grow older. Mostly because she wants her father to live as long as possible her dad is the leader of the dockworkers so he without thinking spreads the news and he brings her to tech them cultivation so they can stand up against the gangs. This comes to prt attention and they do background checks and stalk them finding Taylor is the reason for all this. Cauldron wishes to kidnap her and have her spread her knowledge, they fail and now Taylor is angry. Emma is a non entity really. But Sophia sees that Taylor is strong and can make others so and follows Taylor around like a dog to be her disciple. Really yes it's an essentially different character and story but some elements would be similar. That being said your idea is much better for a serious fic.

Worm kinda goes above the every attack can blow up a house level? Most fiction does nowadays

 

[Ultimate]

So remember that one-shot I made about my character in Worm? Well, that was back when he was a narcissist. Now, he more of just a shitty teenager. Does anyone think I should rewrite it with that in mind?

 

[Nyx -Nyx-Nyx]

A World Turned Upside Down

(Ward/Worm Powerswap AU)

///​

"So here's what I got after sifting through hours and hours of nothing," Kenzie huffed as she shifted her laptop to face the team, "Is just a few minutes of Tattletale talking to Snag before they both went inside and I'm really really sorry I couldn't get anything else and this stinks."

I floated closer, just a little higher so I could get a better look at the computer and Kenzie, who was smiling even as I could hear-

It was Sveta who answered, "Kenzie, it's more than okay. We all know you have other obligations to your team, and the fact that you're helping us at all is massive."

"Most of the time I spend doing Tinker stuff which means I can just transfer it over to helping you guys! Besides, my team leader wants me to hang out with my friends and stuff, 'what a girl my age should be doing,' even if I'm pretty sure she wasn't thinking of me also doing hero stuff with my friends."

In the background, I could hear Ashley's signature spike at the mention of Kenzie's unknown friends, and the subsequent angry buzzing was reminiscent of a Geiger counter in the aftermath of a Behemoth attack. I know she cared about Kenzie, but wasn't it a good thing she knew folks outside of therapy and was willing to respect boundaries?

Dammit, I wish I could do more than just sense basic distress; it might have made me a little less shitty with people, but… Dean's an empath, and even from my shattered memories, I knew he certainly could put his foot in his mouth. Dork.

Blessedly oblivious to his pressure cooker of a teammate and allof that, Rain piped up.

"Well, tell her thanks; all this stuff could be a lifesaver." As he said that, he looked over all of us with a smile and… I still didn't know exactly what to think after that reveal, but… if Sveta was willing to go out on a limb, I could, too. After all, Victoria hadn't left even after she'd found ou-

I felt a squeeze on my hand, the now familiar feeling of her prosthetic hand gently clasping over a fist I hadn't even realized was clenched. I looked at her, her eyes brimming with worry, and I responded with a slight pulse of happiness, following it up with a soft smile.

"Can we start already? We don't want to inflate Kenzie's ego too much; otherwise, she might float away." Chris less than helpfully added from his little corner of the room.

"Don't be a butt, Chris!" Kenzie grumbled, even as she hit a key, and we all began to watch as the video began playing.

Most of it was stuff we already knew, surface-level bullshit, but God! Even just the sight of that stupid, life-ruining, know it all bitch was still enough to get my blood boiling. At some point, Sveta put her arm around my shoulder, tugging me into a hug even as I remained watching because I was the one who knew how that evil harpy ticked when-!

I noticed it; Tattletale shifted, her attention momentarily broken, before she interrupted Snag, "It appears we've got some unwanted little birdies keeping an eye on us. Care to continue this conversation inside, hash out the details with Flechette's people there?"

And with that, Tattletale looked straight up the camera, gave the most infuriating god-awful smile she could as just dropped that bomb on us before walking away and-

I-no, I needed to use my words, not my aura like my therapists and Carol and-

"Holy fuckity fuck," was the eloquent choice of words that spilled out of my mouth, and now all eyes were on me, which was fan-fuckingtastic. Especially given there were kids here.

"Amy?" Sveta's voice came out, a whisper, and I realized I was now easily about half a foot off the ground. I'dve likely floated to the ceiling if she hadn't been holding me. Just like she would have

"I'm good," I lied, and I took stock of everyone else. All except Tristan were taking stock of me with a mix of concern and curiosity. Tristan was making the sign of a cross, unspoken curses on his lips while his emotions crackled. I guess he also knew.

"You two seem awfully spooked for someone I haven't heard a thing about, and I know of every villain worth knowing about," Ashley said, arms crossed and giving me a look that suggested she wasn't impressed. Bitch.

I frowned, "You do. She's just known a bit better by her current name because she's been the current Butcher for three years now. Tattletale was just saying that because she knows I know and probably knows I'm watching."

Everyone's emotions were going off with that, likely fear and concern if I could sense more than just the intensity.

Blessedly, Ashley interjected, keeping the focus on the conversation rather than letting it devolve into directionless worrying or panic now that everyone knew the type of psychos they'd set after Rain: "Sounds like there's a story there, then. Care to explain?"

"I know the basics, but I don't understand how a mastermind like Tattletale would have ties with a bunch of lunatics like the Teeth," Tristan added.

"Being a manipulative monster who probably gets her kicks from tormenting orphans or something is how that situation happened in the first place. A lot of this is second hand given I was…"

Being poked at for being a sudden miracle of Parahuman sciences, the girl with three coronas? Relearning how to walk and talk and wondering where-?

A pulse of loneliness escaped me, and I felt it wash over everyone else. Stupid, stupid Amy, focus!

"Sorry," My voice was far too weak for my liking, but I saw everyone nod and I exhaled in relief before continuing, "You know the basics, Tristan. Ward tragically becoming the Butcher… but well, there was a lot more going on there than just that. Tattletale managed to get some Jezebel ex-rogue, Parian, on her side." I spat out the term. Rogue. An implied middle ground, even as the very name suggested their villainous, moral cowardice. Being a hero was hard; it was a sacrifice, and both rogues and villains took the easy way out. Not hard to see why

I cleared my throat, "Anyways, Tattletale had her seduce Flechette, probably some sob story engineered to get her on her side. Flechette was… she was lonely." The like me left unsaid before I continued, "Butcher tries to move into Brockton, Tattletale maneuvers Parian into a spot where Flechette has to take the shot to save the poor damsel in distress from the monster… Butcher immediately picked up and left town right afterward. A threat disposed of and turned into an asset she probably used to sick on rivals outside the city."

"That's awful…" Sveta's voice was soft, and I gently bumped against her. I wish I could return her hugs once my own, but… I didn't trust myself. My strength I could never turn off now after all, so instead, I simply gave her a small pulse of emotions, the closest approximation of the feeling that came with a hug, and she smiled.

Unfortunately, with the explanation out of the way, the gravity of the situation was now fully on the table, and everyone was looking at me even as I could see them begin to move closer to Rain to offer comfort, and fuck, I…

"Give me a second; I'm thinking about some stuff I…"

I couldn't think of anything! No ideas beyond the ever-trite 'let's ask the Wardens!' to help diffuse the situation. I was never the smart one; that was Victoria.

She was the one who knew about powers, whose mind would race for a solution to the superpowered lunatic gunning to chop Rain to bits in the twisted, sick sense of justice his Cluster was seeking out. It was why she got her power, which was only limited by her imagination and living biomass at hand, and I… I could fly and hit stuff…

But I-I… I couldn't give up. She wouldn't want me to; she always believed in me more than I did! It's why she'd brought me back after the Siberian had-. I felt my insides twist at that line of thinking. Focus! If I gave up here, if I failed this team of people who were genuinely trying to be good, if I failed Sveta... I'd be giving up on Victoria's belief in me, giving up on seeing her again, becoming the hero who was capable enough to be at her side. She'd saved the world the last time around, and Crystal mentioned after Victoria had messaged her that my sister was 'doing the same thing as last time! I'd do it, find her, and finally, finally, be a good sister to her like she always was for me.

///
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Cross posted from SB. I've been rereading Ward recently and wanted to play around with writing some stuff for it as I really really adore the story (Justice for Goddess, though) and Breakthrough's entire dynamic. I wrote this short blurb/snippet to destress and primarily to try and nail Amy's voice for a larger story idea, so SPAG is questionable. Specifically, it's a Worm/Ward AU idea I've been sort of bouncing in my brain for a while as I've slowly begun to coalesce it. In a full fic, I'd bounce between Amy in the present and Victoria in the past, playing around with the memory bleed from others we've seen in canon for folks like Ashley. Not a ton here, but thoughts, critiques, and feedback are welcome.

 

[Ultimate]

You know something I'd love? A crossover between Worm/Mutants & Masterminds, or Worm and City of Heroes.

Considering they're both Superhero RPGs, it makes they'd crossover with Worm, which takes inspiration from RPGs.

 

[Dalek Ix]

After a year and three months, I have updated.

(New readers beware that I desperately wish to redo the first few chapters, but I'd rather focus on finishing first.)