Wriggle Nightsparrow wrote: Thread's in place as a reminder to write this out. Being tugged in five directions right now but intend to get this done by the end of the day.
Query that got deleted earlier: Is speaking to the VR in its own dimension safe? He's really open minded, inclined to say the VR isn't as bad as the rep it gets, and thinks a change of pace (which it seems to be up for) would help it fit into the setting better, but there's a point where openness and trust becomes naivety. He doesn't want to be involuntarially cloned, mindslaved, to have his pattern sneakily modified without his permission, or (worst case) to hand the VR a backdoor connection to Selereth's essence. Before I write out his spiel for her, Darston'd like Selereth's opinion on this.
He also, as a point of expression that doesn't really need a reply here, thinks ol' Kriele here may be at risk of going a wee bit in the Mike direction. She's still solidly on the side of Good (that business with Corruption and the well being an excellent example), but the line between Hero and Crusader can be thin and hard to draw. Try and swing things too much in one direction provokes a knee-jerk reaction from the other, which tends to embroil existence as a whole in a firestorm of war. Even the near-complete success of one side in the cosmic contest invites future retaliation from the other over the longer term, with what is built up being torn down, over and over. That's part of why, he says, he gets along with Lili. Despite being pretty firmly aligned with the darker half of things, she knows how to play and maintain the middle.
Anywho. Review: Darston is trying to cover his bases regarding interaction with the VR and, at the least, prevent this from backlashing on Selereth.
Lord Gadigan wrote: Selereth and The Veil Render would both be more okay with this plan if Darston met the Veil Render's interface unit in her partially-out-of-phase-with-reality building that she used to meet Ganfo Donno.
Wriggle Nightsparrow wrote: That'll work. "Appeal" to be created soon.
Wriggle Nightsparrow wrote: Darston gives a general flowery spiel on the balance of the cosmos, the rise and fall of great powers, the true meaning of glory, the nature of heroism, and how he thinks the Veil Render can improve her lot in things.
Key points:
- People are afraid of "her", even other important powers. This will probably bite her eventually if she doesn't change her approach. Nearly everyone of note always fears the truly unknown and she pretty much embodies that. She could greatly abate this by being more publicly active with her avatar and not constantly sending agents to do everything in her name, and by actually addressing folks more.
- Creation, the setting, can be a scary place too. Having a working alternative where they don't have to worry about something like the Doctor Beak randomly eating their galaxy would be something a lot of folks would jump at the chance to live in, provided it didn't completely and irreparably cut them off from everything they knew. He really thinks she should consider opening up new realms she makes from this to the setting as a whole, conditionally.
- Darston doesn't know quite how her powers work and given that stunt by the Enigma Men to subsume her thinks it would be a horrible call to come out of her bubble or take too much more into it. That said, he thinks she might consider making some middle ground between creation and her own realm. She could stick realms there, make some of her own settings for people to go into (like the well, but with procedures to leave), and come up with a sort of immigration system for people entering them. If she did that, a lot of "refugees" from assorted things would be likely to turn to her for that and, in turn, augment her power without opening her up to outside interference.
- There is no active "Cosmic Neutral" right now on the lower stage of existance. Zaga is probably the closest thing, but she could present a pretty excellent claim to that position herself, particularly if she didn't mind sharing it conceptually with Zaga. As things happen, the two of them have something of a monopoly on Space between them as well so she sees pretty much nothing stopping the above plans if Zaga isn't opposing her (and her powers support a midway point).
- Cheating kind of pisses people off. Everyone expects the powers to cheat (and they pretty constantly do, or they aren't able to act on par with each other), but throwing you-specific exemptions to the systems most folks have to abide by in their faces tends to make enemies even if you aren't usually a jerk. People respect power and stability, but only if they see some possible way of it working in their favor which she isn't currently presenting.
Lord Gadigan wrote: The Veil Render doesn't dislike the suggestion of making semi-outside spaces for people to travel to and from.
Beyond that, you've made your PR suggestions, but right before the megaquest isn't the time for the Veil Render to suddenly put on a new public persona. The Render does appreciate your intent and desire to help out, though.
Anything else here?
Wriggle Nightsparrow wrote: Moving on to the megaquest topic, couple of questions.
Does she have any goals beyond what she's stated?
Does she have anything she particularly cares to accomplish here besides winning?
Would the resulting spaces created if her team won be connected to the normal BA/not exclusively based in her area? Darston says he is willing to join her side if she makes the majority of the new nexi/spaces she wants connected to the outside her secluded bubble-universe.
Another question, too. Darston is highly curious what her true form looks like and would like to see a projection of it if she's willing.
Lord Gadigan wrote:
Does she have any goals beyond what she's stated?
No notable ones, no.
Does she have anything she particularly cares to accomplish here besides winning?
She can collect members of defeated teams under some circumstances. She'd like to do that on useful Non-BA-Member, Non-Enigma-Man individuals.
Would the resulting spaces created if her team won be connected to the normal BA/not exclusively based in her area? Darston says he is willing to join her side if she makes the majority of the new nexi/spaces she wants connected to the outside her secluded bubble-universe.
She would be willing to do that.
Another question, too. Darston is highly curious what her true form looks like and would like to see a projection of it if she's willing.
The Veil Render understands your curiosity. It would be willing to project an image in other circumstances, but it is running some long-term oracular gambits that revolve around it maintaining particular elements of exterior identity and does not wish to potentially jeopardize them.
Wriggle Nightsparrow wrote: Darston takes everything in stride, nods, mentally consults with Selereth in this, and says he is ready to declare for the Veil Render. He's a little uncomfortable about the harvesting bit but understands it's part of her gig and says he will "see what he can do". He has no issue with her taking in, like, crazy monsters or something but would sort of rather she release worthy, defeated foes back into the world rather than mindslaving them. He's not making a big point of that though provided she leaves him the freedom to choose how he manages his fights and treats with defeated opponents.
He thanks her for her time, her considering what he says, says he is looking forward to the event, and excuses himself to finish his preparations.
He'll be asking for a general intel-briefing later on that was probably already in the works and asks her if there is anything she would like him to specifically prepare for in this.
Lord Gadigan wrote: Here's what's currently on your team:
* Darston (Shapeshifter, Level 79 BA Member)
- Ganfo Donno (Human, Level 80)
- The Lion of Unbreached Veils (Demon & Celestial & Outsider, Level 80)
- The Enigmatic Python (Reptile, Level 80)
- The Manifold Doctor Carlton Wilburforce (Human, Level 80)
Your team is currently double-short on members. It started out as one of the smaller teams, to account for its original not-accepting-BA-Members status and as compensation for the power of the Lion, and then it lost Masked Hero Z when BA Members caused Zeero to no longer be under the Render's control (and The Veil Render was not allowed to source a replacement).
That being said, it has The Lion of Unbreached Veils, which is massively dangerous.
Note that the team has no Faction Leader or BA Member other than Darston. The team's special power, 'Join the Club', works as follows:
+ Power: Join the Club- Individuals defeated by this faction's members have a chance of going to the Veil Render if not BA Members or Faction Leaders. Faction leaders defeated have a chance of their 'Faction Leader' status cloned onto a member of this faction (if defeated by this faction) for event purposes
The original plan for the team was to move it around Vanguard Style with the Lion in front until it took out a Faction Leader, got the Faction Leader status, and then rush the team towards the center (dealing with whatever threats the event throws in the group's way, with Ganfo and Wilburforce using utility magic and the Python granting the team stealth-mode).
With Darston around, the faction leader hunt is no longer required (much to the team and the Render's pleasure). Vanguard style is still suggested, with the Lion soaking most fights and Darston being strategically deployed to get treasure, though the Render is willing to switch that up if Darston has a better plan.
Wriggle Nightsparrow wrote: Darston has no complaint with that strategy and floats the notion of going into this with Gambler as his chosen loot method. He thinks they have a solid, if somewhat distant, shot at full-winning this (particularly if that direct alliance with Bekkler he heard mention of goes through), but is wary of a lack of treasure translating to him being unable to benefit from getting items mid-quest (which could impede our odds of winning).
He also judges that he is going to be bringing sufficient personal power to this to sub in for the Lion if it gets badly beat up but not killed, though he thinks having it as standard Vanguard makes the most sense given what he is aware of its powers and the lack of a faction head here. He is mildly disappointed by the lack of challenge to him personally with this approach, but thinks that mid-quest trials and the likelihood of fighting the final boss will make up for that.
Darston also says he has been specifically helping Anathema and Roy gear up for this and, while it's going to be close, he is certain they will both make it. While they aren't going to be at the high end of the power bracket, he thinks they won't be weak either and will give us more flexibility for BA members we can use for stuff. Using the Lion to cheese some mid-quest trials (if the format is similar to last time), with Ganfo and Darston running what limited divination on them they can on the applicability of this, seems like it could help gear them up reasonably quickly here.
Lord Gadigan wrote: Sounds good. No specific additional info from the Render's end. Posting here to free Darston for now.
Lord Gadigan wrote: Moving to public view.