Charm Learning Shard (Worm/Exalted) (COMPLETED)

[Daniel Snuts]

By the way, because you spoilered the chapter the site doesn't count the words. And from that the chapter falls below 500 words meaning no one gets pinged said chapter.

Click to shrink...

I suspected as much. But I have a set schedule and an unambiguous chapter naming system, people will figure it out.

 

[Zxzx24]

I suspected as much. But I have a set schedule and an unambiguous chapter naming system, people will figure it out.

Click to shrink...

I only saw it because I check the thread semi regularly

HEY PEOPLE! THERE WAS AN UPDATE! CHECK THE THREEEADMAAAARKS!!!

 

[Edifier]

You know, since Taylor implicitly trusts the notes. In a manner of speaking Taylor is now mastered by Aisha, since she obeys the notes without question whenever Aisha's power is active, to the point of not even thinking about the notes when the notes order her to.

And Aisha could do this to anyone, really. Now that Taylor taught how to do it. It's a bit like how Mama Mathers works, isn't it?

 

[Daniel Snuts]

You really should treat your little trip to China as a wake-up call. What are you even doing with your life? Running yourself ragged, playing at being a queen/administrator? Aside from Banshee, have you studied a single power to completion since Behemoth fell? No, you have not. What's wrong with you? Are you content with what you have?

You better not be. Yes, you beat Behemoth. But it was not a clean victory. You were lucky, insanely lucky, to even survive. It was a skin-of-your-teeth kind of victory, entirely reliant on the aid of people who clearly cannot be trusted. You need to get your head back in the game, so that the next time an Endbringer comes gunning for you, you will not be a slave to luck.

But you wasted so much time. And while the CUI opened you eyes to the problem, they did so by wasting even more of your time. In order to catch up, in order to be ready... you're going to have to tap into the strategic power reserve, aren't you? Yeah. You really wish you didn't have to tap into the strategic power reserve, but you do.

It's going to suck, but it's entirely your own fault.

---

Sweeping reforms are implemented, ousting your various identities from the government. Innocents are subjected to crippling doses of emptiness endowment to take up the slack. Your secretary gazes worshipfully at you as you burn her future to ashes, for the crime of leal and faithful service. The more you trust and rely on someone, the more you hurt them.

Parahuman minions old and new are given instructions, patrol schedules are hammered out.

"You're in charge while I'm away," you tell Aisha.

She nods. "Order 66?" she asks.

"You have authority to execute order 66, should it become necessary," you confirm. Order 66 being 'cash in Shatterbird's kill order'. "Ensure that it does not become necessary."

---

It's not quite your usual Quicksilver costume. You had a new mask made, same shape as the old but with a smooth mirror finish. You liked the the old irregular cracked mirror mask, but it really wouldn't have gone well with Accord's psychotic OCD. If you were to accidentally set him off... Well, having to murder your way out through an entire team of villains and two dozen lovingly crafted death traps wouldn't really fit with Quicksilver's non-combatant persona.

Accord wouldn't have agreed to meet you without researching you first, of course. He knows what your regular costume looks like, and understands that you changed it specifically to appease him. That's fine. Accord likes being catered to respected. The meeting will go a lot smoother if he thinks you fear him that much.

Since you were updating your costume anyway, you decided to get new shoes as well: The highest high heels you could find, with the same mirror finish. To think that there was a time when you couldn't sprint along a tightrope wearing those. They make you look helpless though, to people who think that way. More Accord-bait.

You do indeed catch a tiny, microscopic hint of a smile as he looks you over. Accord is a Thinker of systems and solutions, which happens to include mechanical systems and solutions as well. Unlike Tinkers, he makes physics his bitch in an entirely consensual fashion. Which only serves to make his full-face mask even more impressive.

Entirely mechanical yet capable of detecting and conveying the entire range of human expressions. No electronics, no tinkertech glow, just precision engineering and genius design. It's more impressive than any of the death traps, even the one in the lobby with the self-adjusting flensing wires (keeping industry and forge wisdom active as you made your way through the building was educational, to say the least).

You smile back. Look at him, so pleased with your apparent submission that it doesn't even occur to him that you're playing him. "Thank you for agreeing to this meeting." You give him a curtsey that you spent several hours practicing.

"I always make time for fascinating people such as yourself. I assume one of my Ambassadors has caught your interest, and you wish to study their power? Or perhaps I myself?" He does a 'humble' little half-bow as he gestures towards his own chest with a flourish.

"Lizardtail. He does regenerate on his own, does he not? In addition to granting the effect to others?"

"He does."

"Excellent. Regeneration is a type of power that I have been trying to track down for quite some time. My last prospect, a nearly indestructible Brute, ironically went and got himself killed before we could come to an arrangement."

"Overconfidence," Accord commiserates. "A slow and insidious killer. Be assured that no such sloppiness will be allowed on my watch."

"Will fifteen thousand dollars be sufficient?" If he has done his homework, he'll know that you once offered ten thousand to a Ward. It would not do to offer the same for one of his capes.

"Let me offer you an alternative. As you probably know, Lizardtail is fairly new to my organization, along with several others. If you could take a look at all of them, and share any insight you gain on their powers..."

"I'm afraid I cannot take on such a commission at this time. My schedule will become quite full in the near future."

"Very well. Fifteen thousand will do, then. My receptionist will set things up. Do be careful with him until you get a handle on his abilities. Permanent damage will result in extreme penalties." Accord naturally understands that properly studying a regenerator will include a certain amount of wear and tear.

"Of course."

"I must say, I'm somewhat tempted to hire you to study me as well. Do keep that in mind, once your schedule clears up."

"Are you having problems?"

"None... beyond the obvious. I'm sure you're well aware." The way he flies into a murderous rage if he spots a painting that isn't hanging perfectly level? Yes, everyone is aware. "No, it's vanity, of a sort. I do so love a properly put together piece of machinery. I imagine a power must be the most intricate mechanism of all, and I would know more of mine."

"Ah. The technical details. I'm afraid that's impossible."

"I could pay very well."

"It's not that. When I gained my power, I also became fluent in a language unlike any on earth. So far I've been unable to translate the finer points of power mechanics into English."

The eyebrows of his mask shoot up. "Truly? Interesting." He presses a button on his desk and speaks into an intercom. "Have Codex prepared and sent to my office." He turns back to you. "I would test this, if you don't mind?"

You do sort of mind - you want to get on with things - but everything is going so well and it would be a shame to ruin it now. It did not escape you how he made arrangements first, and asked your permission second. You suppose this is how you get, if no one ever stands up to you (because you killed everyone who did). Whatever. You can spare a couple of minutes to make sure Accord doesn't do something you'll both regret.

Codex arrives soon enough. Her costume is almost identical to yours, also featuring a white evening dress. Her mask is a featureless white thing that covers her entire face. Her blonde hair is obviously dyed, as opposed to your natural (shapeshifted) color. She's also considerably shorter than you even after subtracting your unreasonable footwear, and more heavy-set as well. You give her the friendly smile of someone meeting a less attractive woman wearing the same outfit.

Accord is looking at you expectantly, not performing introductions. So that's how it's going to be? "Thinker," you declare after studying her glow for a bit. "A temporary enhancement, already fading."

"Well done. Please tell her something about a power."

You comply, explaining the finer details of how the organic/inorganic sensing component of Faultline's power is woven into the machinery that generates the destructive force.

"It's a language," is Codex's verdict. "She's not just making nonsense sounds. There's- I don't think I understand the grammar. Is partxe a noun or a verb?"

"Yes." You give her the friendly smile of someone meeting an inferior Thinker. Accord chuckles in what he no doubt imagines is an avuncular manner.

---

Spoiler: PH-O-vision

♦Topic: Geography and factions
In: Boards ► Places ► America ► Brockton Bay
Posted by: Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
Posted on August 8, 2011

Note: This post is updated frequently. A version with full revision history may be found here.

More tourist information may be found here, up-to-date radiation advisory here.

Landmarks
=========

The Silver Desert:
An irregular patch of silver sand covering roughly 23,000 square feet on the edge of downtown. It's believed to have been created by a parahuman attack on the mercenary team known as Faultline's Crew, as their headquarters was located in the area now covered by the desert. No fatalities occurred as a result of the attack, as it took all day for the building to fully sink into the sand. Seismic scans indicate that the sand extends down to the bedrock, and reveal no trace of the sunken building - or, for that matter, the aquifer that really should be present.

There were initially rumors of people wandering into the desert and never returning (which is odd considering that it's less than 70 yards across at its widest point) and the authorities warned people to stay away. This probably scared off slighly more people than it attracted. In any case, there was no statistically significant change in the number of missing person reports filed after its appearance, and the desert remained a minor curiosity.

Things changed after the Slaughterhouse 9 attack, when the desert and the area surrounding it was the only part of the city spared from Shatterbird's glass tornado. The area now houses a small cult that worships the desert as their protector. The cult declined as the desert seemingly did nothing to protect them from attacks by the Teeth, but recently had a resurgence when they were joined by/merged with villain group New Dawn.


Bakuda's Folly:
A perfectly circular area 615 yards in diameter, located in the industrial district. Every living thing that enters its boundaries is turned into amethyst. It was created when the villain Bakuda accidentally set off an exotic tinkertech bomb she was working on. Attempts to send drones into the area to find and disable the source of the effect has failed, as it also interferes with electronic devices.

The area is fenced off and marked as dangerous, which has done nothing to deter a cottage industry of 'sculptors': People with cages on long poles who make a living by turning small animals into amethyst and selling them.


Crater Lake:
A flooded sinkhole in the middle of downtown, created by Leviathan during his attack on the city. A single half-submerged building forms a sort of island near the center of the lake. Fairly unremarkable as Brocktonite landmarks go.


The Dog Park:
The territory of the villain Hellhound, located on the south-eastern edge of the city and extending into the forest beyond. Hellhound is the last surviving member of the Undersiders, a villain group that tried to establish themselves as warlords after Leviathan's attack. She has the ability to empower dogs, turning them into monsters the size of trucks, but they gradually return to their original size if they leave her presence. She keeps people out of her territory by empowering every stray dog she comes across and letting them range as they will.

The borders of her territory are thus both gradual and ever-shifting, centered on wherever she happens to be at the moment: The closer you get to her the bigger and more populous the dogs become. While most dogs simply wander as they will and regularly return to her to be re-empowered, she also has several more well-trained dogs that she sends out to collect tribute (in the form of food) from neighboring areas. Do not approach the Dog Park.


The Grove of Flesh:
Formerly Captain's Park, the area was transformed into its current state by the biokinetic Panacea during an altercation with the Slaughterhouse 9. It was originally believed that Panacea died in the encounter, but she emerged from the grove and helped heal the injured when Behemoth attacked. She then returned to the grove and hasn't been seen since. No one knows what she's doing in there, as no person or unmanned vehicle to enter the grove has ever returned. As the grove does not appear to be spreading, it has been left alone for the time being.

The area is fenced off, but the fence adds little deterrent that is not already provided by the black-leafed carrion trees, the venomous tentacle-vines and the razor-tooth grass. Despite all this, every so often a terminally ill person will force their way into the grove hoping to encounter Panacea within.


Behemoth's Rest:
A giant concrete slab, laid down to contain the radioactive remains of Behemoth. The main tourist attraction of Brockton Bay, every day thousands of people make a pilgrimage to the site to leave offerings for fallen kin or pray for future victories against the Endbringers.

The villain group New Dawn almost triggered an international incident when they tried to claim the site for themselves. There was a tense standoff for several hours as the Protectorate tried to gather enough forces to evict them without civilian casualties, but they ended up leaving on their own before the order to attack was given. A spokesperson from New Dawn later claimed that they left because they received a revelation from Esper herself, and that she told them to 'lead her children to the desert'.


Parahumans
==========

Heroes
------

Esper:
The woman who killed an Endbringer. For more in-depth discussion about Esper, her powers, motivations, activities, appearance, etc, see here, here, here, here, here and here.


Protectorate ENE:
The local branch of the Protectorate was almost completely wiped out by the successive attacks of Leviathan, the S9 and Behemoth. They were bolstered by the surviving members of independent hero group New Wave, but the Protectorate is still working to transfer more members there as Brockton Bay becomes one of the largest tourist destinations in the United States. Currently led by the most senior surviving member, Assault (Striker, kinetic energy manipulation).


Villains
--------

The Merchants:
Led by an elusive parahuman known as Trousers (yes, really) (powers unknown), the Merchants are the largest gang in Brockton Bay, . As their name suggests, they mostly deal in the sale of drugs.


The Teeth:
Originally from Brockton Bay, but were driven out and almost destroyed the last time the Slaughterhouse 9 visited, more than ten years ago. They've since recovered, and returned to take advantage of the recent power vacuum. Led by the Butcher (all the powers).


The Bitten:
Despite the name, no relation to the Teeth. Led by Poltergeist (Shaker, telekinesis). Originally thought to be just a small gang of thieves, this perception changed when the Slaughterhouse 9 attacked. Once the dust settled the group had not only claimed five(!) bounties for slain S9 members, but also convinced Shatterbird to defect(!!) and join them(!!!). Between their revealed power and their ambiguous kill order status (not just Shatterbird - Poltergeist was also recruited into the S9, but later turned on them), everyone is extremely wary of these guys.


New Dawn:
A 'heretical' offshoot of the Endbringer-worshipping sect the Fallen. When Behemoth died they 'lost faith' and instead began worshipping Esper as the savior of humanity. Came to Brockton Bay for obvious reasons. Claim to be in communication with Esper. Led by Eligos (Shaker, aerokinesis) or possibly Esper (Blaster, omgwtfbbq).


Fenrir's Children:
The remnants of the formerly most powerful gang in the city, Empire 88. The Empire lost all but one of their capes when the Slaughterhouse 9 attacked, and the sole survivor was killed shortly before Behemoth attacked. Leadership status unclear, but their only cape is the recently triggered Rend (Shaker, Manton-unlimited matter annihilation(!)).


Hellhound:
(Master, minion-empowering) See the Dog Park.


The Sisterhood of Steel:
The cybernetically enhanced minions of deceased villain Mr Steel Yo Girl, who have sworn to stand vigil over their master's grave until they succumb to lack of maintenance. Not hostile unless provoked (note: suggesting that their love is the result of a Master effect and/or that Mr Steel Yo Girl is not worth dying for will provoke them).


Rogues
------

Cryolord:
(Shaker, cryokinesis) See the Cryolord tracker.


Quicksilver:
(Thinker/Trump, power vision) Works as a consultant - if there's something about your power you don't understand, you can pay Quicksilver to take a look at it. Or, if she thinks it's interesting enough, she'll pay you. Has not been seen since the Behemoth attack, unknown whether she's still alive and in the city. (UPDATE: HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS HANG ON REWRITING EVERYTHING)

(Showing Page 112 of 610)

► Thus Spaketh
Replied on August 16, 2011:
I checked the wiki, it lists Poltergeist as Shaker 4, Ghost as Breaker 3 and Imp as ???. These are the guys who took down a majority of the S9? Either Imp is Everything 12 or someone messed up big time assigning ratings.

► will_eat_anything
Replied on August 16, 2011:
I heard they were going to put Master 6 on the lot of them until they can figure out how they got freaking Shatterbird to turn coat.

► yourstruly
Replied on August 16, 2011:
Is ghost still part of Bitten? She hasn't been seen lately.

► Answer42
Replied on August 16, 2011:
@yourstruly
Same question, but for Animos and the Teeth.

► electrolytesaber
Replied on August 16, 2011:
What do you mean, ambiguous kill order status? How is that a thing?

► Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
Replied on August 16, 2011:
Joining the S9 comes with an automatic kill order, so Shatterbird and Poltergeist both have them. But while the Bitten executed 5 kill orders, they only cashed in the bounties for 3 of them. Poltergeist claims they're 'running net positive on kill orders', and that she 'traded in' the last two in exchange for clearing theirs.

Now, legally that's nonsense. Kill orders don't work like that. But in practice... 'Geist says that she was forced to join the S9 under duress and betrayed them at the earliest opportunity. If true (and I personally believe it) that should be enough to get her kill order lifted on its own, but the PRT has not made an official statement on the matter yet. As for Shatterbird, well, as long as she's willing to play at being a regular gang member and not nuke any more cities no one really wants to rock that boat, kill order or not.

► Poltergeist (Verified cape)
Replied on August 17, 2011:
5.5, if you please. Dragon agreed to give me half credit for Siberian.

► long_distance_chef
Replied on August 17, 2011:
Yeah, sure, Shaker 4 just casually hanging out with Dragon and killing Siberian. I'm on to you, Poltergeist!

► Poltergeist (Verified cape)
Replied on August 17, 2011:
Ok, I admit it. The unconfirmed reports of my Mover 2 rating are in fact true!
There, mystery solved.

► A Mooning of Werewolves
Replied on August 17, 2011:
I don't know what she just said there, because I've put Poltergeist on my blocklist until the PRT confirms whether she is really a Master 6. And you should too!
​

End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 110, 111, 112, 113, 114 ... 608, 609, 610

(Showing Page 553 of 610)

► shpwrckd
Replied on September 23, 2011:
I might join New Dawn, if they accept non-cape worshippers. I mean, Esper *is* the savior of humanity.

► Syzygy
Replied on September 23, 2011:
@shpwrckd
You should read their made-up bible, it's hilarious.

► liteninbolt
Replied on September 23, 2011:
@Bagrat
Don't you mean (Blaster, omgwtfbblgum)?

► cowple
Replied on September 23, 2011:
SOMEONE GET THAT GIRL SOME GUM!

► lolcust
Replied on September 23, 2011:
DID ANYONE GET THAT GIRL SOME GUM?

► janitor of farts
Replied on September 23, 2011:
I THINK WE SHOULD GET HER MORE ENDBRANGERS INSTED

► Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
Replied on September 23, 2011:
@lolcust
Yes. Esper has received sponsorship offers from at least five different gum manufacturers, and that's just the ones that announced their overtures publicly. Despite the meme never being funny.

► lolcust
Replied on September 23, 2011:
YOURE FACE ISNT FUNNY

► A Manslaughter of Crows
Replied on September 23, 2011:
Brockton Bay: Voted most dangerous city in America

S9: What's the worst that could happen?

Brockton Bay:

S9: Oh

► Seven Chickens In A Trenchcoat
Replied on September 23, 2011:
Brockton Bay: Voted most dangerous city in America

Behemoth: It'll be fine

Narrator: It was not fine
​

End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 551, 552, 553, 554, 555 ... 608, 609, 610

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

Finally acting like a proper exalted.

 

[Whitesnake Pelinal]

Eyyyy, a whole chapter of good-humored fun and not a single precious life ruined or lost. Mortals excepted, of course.

Sweeping reforms are implemented, ousting your various identities from the government. Innocents are subjected to crippling doses of emptiness endowment to take up the slack. Your secretary gazes worshipfully at you as you burn her future to ashes, for the crime of leal and faithful service. The more you trust and rely on someone, the more you hurt them.

Click to shrink...

Kind of like how Lisa lost the eye and Taylor got the knowledge. Well... at least she admits it?

"You have authority to execute order 66, should it become necessary," you confirm. Order 66 being 'cash in Shatterbird's kill order'. "Ensure that it does not become necessary."

Click to shrink...

"So if I need her to not be a big fat liability, I need her busy busy busy. Operation Get Birdy A Beau is a go!"

Since you were updating your costume anyway, you decided to get new shoes as well: The highest high heels you could find, with the same mirror finish. To think that there was a time when you couldn't sprint along a tightrope wearing those. They make you look helpless though, to people who think that way. More Accord-bait.

You do indeed catch a tiny, microscopic hint of a smile as he looks you over. Accord is a Thinker of systems and solutions, which happens to include mechanical systems and solutions as well. Unlike Tinkers, he makes physics his bitch in an entirely consensual fashion.

Click to shrink...

Do it, Taylor! Seduce Accord and become a gang moll until he runs out of powered subordinates to show off.

Landmarks
=========

Click to shrink...

This entire thing was pretty good.

the recently triggered Rend (Shaker, Manton-unlimited matter annihilation(!)).

Click to shrink...

Beats the heck out of Scrub.

Now, legally that's nonsense. Kill orders don't work like that. But in practice... 'Geist says that she was forced to join the S9 under duress and betrayed them at the earliest opportunity. If true (and I personally believe it) that should be enough to get her kill order lifted on its own, but the PRT has not made an official statement on the matter yet. As for Shatterbird, well, as long as she's willing to play at being a regular gang member and not nuke any more cities no one really wants to rock that boat, kill order or not.

Click to shrink...

There must be some serious rage among the vigilante crowd.

 

[Edifier]

Daddy accord, I like that.

 

[John Doey]

"(UPDATE: HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS HANG ON REWRITING EVERYTHING)"

Face reveal time? Neat. I wonder if she got a ridiculous defensive power and said fuck it.

 

[Whitesnake Pelinal]

Daddy accord, I like that.

Click to shrink...

If Accord's death traps are so safe and reliable that he can fill his headquarters with them, imagine his sex dungeon.

 

[Amberion]

"So if I need her to not be a big fat liability, I need her busy busy busy. Operation Get Birdy A Beau is a go!"

Click to shrink...

Birdy had a beau. Birdy's beau did a boo-boo. Birdy's beau booked it.

 

[Dakkah]

Do it, Taylor! Seduce Accord and become a gang moll until he runs out of powered subordinates to show off.

Click to shrink...

Nah, considering how well this interview went*? And the 'having to rewrite everything' bit?

This is likely going to go downhill fast.







*And IIRC Accord only has vial capes, and so far she has avoided studying those like the plague.

 

[Malexander]

*And IIRC Accord only has vial capes, and so far she has avoided studying those like the plague.

Click to shrink...

She has studied vial capes before, it's case 53s she avoids like the plage.

 

[Edifier]

They are identical. She was playing identity hopscotch before. But now she's only down to 2, so, she might be past that stage.
She may give them a go who have a chance of giving physical mutations.

 

[Dakkah]

She has studied vial capes before, it's case 53s she avoids like the plage.

Click to shrink...

Damn completely forgot about Ballistic.

 

[Malexander]

Damn completely forgot about Ballistic.

Click to shrink...

And Siberian and Shatterbird, yes she's a vial cape.

 

[zapking5]

Quicksilver:
(Thinker/Trump, power vision) Works as a consultant - if there's something about your power you don't understand, you can pay Quicksilver to take a look at it. Or, if she thinks it's interesting enough, she'll pay you. Has not been seen since the Behemoth attack, unknown whether she's still alive and in the city. (UPDATE: HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS HANG ON REWRITING EVERYTHING)

Click to shrink...

Looks like Quicksilver has been somehow outed as a power copier. Maybe the regen power she got from Lizardtail automatically resets her to Taylor's original body and she got outed?

 

[ses]

Glad to see Rachel is still alive! Honestly shocked she didn't bite it to Behemoth. RIP Miss Militia confirmed Hope Clocky is still around calling things bullshit.

The only complaint is that Taylor's internal monologue didn't impress even more how much of a fucking axe crazy psycho Accord is. I have no idea how the fuck Accord has survived this long without the consequences of his own actions returning to bite him.

Kinda sad we didn't get to see Taylor arranging for Scrub to join Fenrir's Children on-screen. Also cool to note that Alabaster is thought to be dead. (He's only dead on the inside guys)

All in all that PH-O-vision was really good! I enjoyed it a lot, really happy it had more meat to it than a lot of the pho excerpts that tended to be kinda too short and only give the plot relevant stuff without any of the fun filler around it. And yeah looking forward to finding out just what happened to Quicksilver's identity. Really enjoying the filling in of the gaps caused by author's wanton spending of canon characters lives so the city doesn't start feeling empty by adding in guys like Cryolord and the sisterhood of steel. Also I smiled and giggled at the sisterhood's section.

 

[JustCurious]

Why am I feeling nervous for Taylor and her overinflated ego? After all, it's not as if Codex, who inflicts permanent brain damage to people in order to get temporary boosts, just used her power on front of Taylor. And it's not as if she's in front of one of the most dangerous Thinkers in America, who could outsmart and outplay her any day of the week. And they're both sniggering at how pathetic the other Thinkers in the room are. Makes for delectable dramatic irony.

On the other hand, Accord does seem like someone who keeps his word. So, chances are he won't betray her. Yet.

 

[ses]

Why am I feeling nervous for Taylor and her overinflated ego? After all, it's not as if Codex, who inflicts permanent brain damage to people in order to get temporary boosts, just used her power on front of Taylor. And it's not as if she's in front of one of the most dangerous Thinkers in America, who could outsmart and outplay her any day of the week. And they're both sniggering at how pathetic the other Thinkers in the room are. Makes for delectable dramatic irony.

On the other hand, Accord does seem like someone who keeps his word. So, chances are he won't betray her. Yet.

Click to shrink...

She mindraped a presumably mortal victim before coming into the room. She already had a boost that was fading, she didn't use her Blaster power in front of Taylor. (Also her power would probably be healable by Exalted Healing anyway). And Accord is not a mastermind, he's an unstable child. He allowed Sundancer and Trickster in the same room as him with nothing but an Intimidate check to keep him safe despite threatening their lives over nothing. That wasn't a keikaku born of him knowing exactly how hard he could push and being ensured of his safety protected by layers of safeguards, it was him simply not suffering the logical consequences for his actions. And that check bounces eventually.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Sweeping reforms are implemented, ousting your various identities from the government.

Click to shrink...

Unless she was a government employee, she's not being ousted from the government. That should probably say 'outing your various identities to the government'.

 

[zapking5]

Unless she was a government employee, she's not being ousted from the government. That should probably say 'outing your various identities to the government'.

Click to shrink...

Taylor was running a territory in Brockton Bay as Esper. She had fake identities doing various roles because she doesn't trust people. Those identities were indeed government employees.

 

[pepperjack]

Unless she was a government employee, she's not being ousted from the government. That should probably say 'outing your various identities to the government'.

Click to shrink...

Taylor has pretensions of governing her territory. She means they were ousted from her government.

 

[ses]

Sweeping reforms are implemented, ousting your various identities from the government. Innocents are subjected to crippling doses of emptiness endowment to take up the slack. Your secretary gazes worshipfully at you as you burn her future to ashes, for the crime of leal and faithful service. The more you trust and rely on someone, the more you hurt them.

Click to shrink...

It's nice to see her showing some humanity towards those loyal to her, but she didn't not do them a favor lol. Better that their XP be spent on Bureaucracy dots skipping the years of college and debt in giving major marketable skills rather than get that xp eaten up by dots of Specialty: League of Legends.

queen/administrator

Click to shrink...

"Overconfidence," Accord commiserates. "A slow and insidious killer.

Click to shrink...

Yes ha ha very funny

"Be assured that no such sloppiness will be allowed on my watch."

Click to shrink...

Ok now there's the real joke! Accord of all people claiming that. Possibly the only Thinker more brain damaged yet assured of their own brilliance than Alexandria and Contessa are. Hey idiot, if you're such a great Thinker why didn't you just Thinker a brilliant plan to make your boss listen to you instead of getting caught embezzling?

 

[Earth-Destroyer]

Guessing Accord is order confirming pattern.

 

[R.A.G.]

Is Accord rapidly learning the language? Can he pick up sorcery?

 

[ses]

Guessing Accord is order confirming pattern.

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There's no way that Accord isn't the Lunar First Intelligence Excellency, which of course means that he's not going to get studied. We've already established that it's okay for parahumans to have dice adders on their tickets as long as they get rocks falling on them before Taylor gets their charm.

 

[Daniel Snuts]

This entire thing was pretty good.

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I've been calling this chapter "butterflies.txt".

Thinking about it, Worm may the single most butterfly-resistant setting in all of fiction. There's the Endbringers, of course, specifically designed to stomp all over the best-laid plans of mice and men. And there's Coil, the machiavellian supervillain whose power is that his plans don't fail, they just get delayed a bit. Without CYOA SI levels of power you're not going to casually budge that. But above all else, Worm has reverse butterflies: A single point of intervention on the timeline sends ripples backwards, as precogs alter their past actions to keep the future in the desired state.

There must be some serious rage among the vigilante crowd.

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Some, but not enough to make 'let's go poke Shatterbird' seem like a good idea.

All in all that PH-O-vision was really good! I enjoyed it a lot, really happy it had more meat to it than a lot of the pho excerpts that tended to be kinda too short and only give the plot relevant stuff without any of the fun filler around it.

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Heh, people usually complain about too much PHO filler, not too little. But your comment made me consider what it would look like if I had scrupulously padded every one- or two-post PH-O-vision to the full ten-post page. Let's say that I understand where you're coming from, but sometimes leaving people hungry is the better option.

Unless she was a government employee, she's not being ousted from the government.

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you do the behind-the-scenes work of governing in the guise of 'Esper's most trusted minion', an unassuming older lady who, unlike Esper herself, won't be instantly recognized and mobbed wherever she goes. And, as the situation demands, in the guise of her third, fourth, seventh and ninth most trusted minions.

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No one has ever been as ousted from a government as Taylor just was.

It's nice to see her showing some humanity towards those loyal to her, but she didn't not do them a favor lol. Better that their XP be spent on Bureaucracy dots skipping the years of college and debt in giving major marketable skills rather than get that xp eaten up by dots of Specialty: League of Legends.

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People are going to attempt college anyway, because that's just how things work. But, uh, I'm not going to say that being completely unable to learn anything and dropping out before you can rack up too much debt is necessarily the worst outcome.

Is Accord rapidly learning the language? Can he pick up sorcery?

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No and no.

 

[JustCurious]

Ok now there's the real joke! Accord of all people claiming that. Possibly the only Thinker more brain damaged yet assured of their own brilliance than Alexandria and Contessa are. Hey idiot, if you're such a great Thinker why didn't you just Thinker a brilliant plan to make your boss listen to you instead of getting caught embezzling?

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You don't seem to like Accord very much! There are explanations for his issues, though. The mania from his power, the fact that some humans just aren't rational and can't be convinced to listen and think (with that plus his mania, it's really no wonder how selective he is with his minions), the fact that his plans may be like his machines, insanely complex Rube Goldberg devices that are easier to discard as the product of a brain damaged maniac and yet work when properly implemented. As for being caught, unfortunately, the PRT and stock market have their own Thinkers, who likely also have better powers as far as detecting fraud is concerned.

In short: whether Accord is a true mastermind or a brain damaged idiot is entirely up to the author. From what we've seen, I'd say he's intelligent. We'll see.

 

[space turtle]

The list of Brockton Bay capes reads like a who's who of the power ranking leader boards.

Stranger: who said that?!
Master/Striker: fuck you
Shaker: fuck you again, also fuck your neighbouhood
blaster: fuck you and the endbringer you rode in on.

That's not even counting if Lily is still around to round out the striker / blasters.

Hell. Vista and labyrinth barely even register anymore as threats. If 9s and 10s are going under the radar in your hometown.
Fucking Move!!

 

[PeriodicPedant]

playing at being a queen/administrator

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Oh you.

This chapter was very entertaining.
I cringe at what's going to come from the meeting with Accord.
The PHO segment did a great job of updating our knowledge of the worldstate simply and succinctly.
And it was quite funny.

Thanks/well done.