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Forgive me but I do recall that Quinn was an under utilized DC magician. An off brand Constantine.
You're assuming that it's over, rather than a setup for a much more climactic plot later on.So... Anyone else feel really let down by how anticlimactic this was?
I recall seeing an SI fic once. The SI was pondering in a dark alley, and Constantine came out of the fog, starting a spooky/warning thing that he does.....and the SI instantly atomized him.Let's face it, if John is your friend, you are better off (trying) to kill him than letting him get you killed. He'll off you pretty quickly, the fates of people that help John? Those are just F@$%ing terrible.
Do you have a link to that fic, or remember its name? That sounds interesting.I recall seeing an SI fic once. The SI was pondering in a dark alley, and Constantine came out of the fog, starting a spooky/warning thing that he does.....and the SI instantly atomized him.
Hmm, what synthetic humanoid aesthetic to go for, then? Personally, I'd go for the Sorayama pin-up-style chrome. That's a fun kind of cool.
Would attacks from a White Power Ring do anything special against demons?
Forgive me but I do recall that Quinn was an under utilized DC magician. An off brand Constantine.
But as for Golden Boy. What happened to him in the comics?
Considering that Golden Boy's name is John Constantine, Zoat made up John Quinn up either way.
This phrase could be read two ways, and both are correct. They are the most recent model of suppression chain, and they are chains that suppress the generation of current -- which is a useful thing to have around when you're dealing with an electricity-aligned individual.
Mr Zoat, random question. Is Sandy a member of the Team, or not?
You're such a troll. Ngamer11, you should really be more careful about asking questions that are subject to that trick.
What's Angelica's day job?Angelica on the other hand is wearing a business suit, but that's probably because she was doing a normal working day before getting called in.
Sorry, I didn't notice the 'or not'. Sandy is a member of the team.You're such a troll. Ngamer11, you should really be more careful about asking questions that are subject to that trick.
She managed to get control of a number of her brother's businesses after his arrest.
Seconded. Link please?I recall seeing an SI fic once. The SI was pondering in a dark alley, and Constantine came out of the fog, starting a spooky/warning thing that he does.....and the SI instantly atomized him.
Found an old error. That should be Rocket Red.
I do not.Do you have a link to that fic, or remember its name? That sounds interesting.
So....basically John Constantine?Golden Boy was a bastard coated bastard with a creamy bastard filling villain with good publicity.
Thank you, corrected.
"I-. I don't think that's a good idea."
Hephaestus chuckles quietly. "When has that ever stopped us?
Zeus said 'no' to the divorce petition, then?"
"I think there was a 'no' somewhere in between all the guffaws. It was hard to tell."
Don't think you're off the hook, there. Zeus can bear a grudge like an immortal god with no day job to distract him."
It's a little disturbing how he's awake, aware, and watching with what appears to be genuine interest.
"I do mechanical engineering and magic. If you want a penis, talk to Paul
me?"It would be like putting a single drop of ink in an ocean. What was left of we would be too broken apart to function as any kind of directing mind. And that's even assuming that I was compatible."
Presumably he floated the idea of Hephaestus subsuming himself into the emergent Machine to become its driving personality. And evidently that was not as clever as OL or we here thought...24th July 2012
14:31 GMT
"I appreciate the thought, Paul, but it just wouldn't work."
Hephaestus peers through his magnifying glasses at the contraption on his work bench, a thing that will eventually form the magic containment for Richard Simpson's android body. It's based on the design Thomas Morrow used for Danni and Red Tornado, but it needs to be able to handle demonic magic. The model the Morrow construct put together most decidedly wasn't.
Well, OL hasn't. I'm sure Larfleeze probably tried multiple times with the Okaaran local equivalents. And probably managed it better due to Orange Light shenanigans."Why not?"
He leans back in his seat, his brow furrowing.
"Have you ever tried eating an entire roasted ox yourself in one sitting?"
Yeah, there's a hell of an image for you. And I suspect no-one could pull that one off. Except maybe Plastic Man..."No?"
"Now, imagine that rather than eating it, you were trying to just slide it into your skull next to your brain. And then closed your skull right up again."
"Then don't ask stupid questions.""You know, I do understand enough about thaumaturgy that you don't have to resort to nonsensical metaphors to explain these things to me."
He swivels the chair around to face me.
Consider the difference in scales of belief. Most people who interact with technology have some measure of faith that it'll do what it advertises. The Greek and Roman gods? Besides some stuffy academics, the Amazons and maybe some Atlanteans, how many people are actively worshipping? I doubt our evangelising Amazon priestess of Hades has had that many converts..."Okay. A better metaphor would be to say that I'd dissolve. The God of Technology is colossal. If Doctor Fate says that it's a god and not a titan then I'll believe him, but it's going to be far more powerful than any god in our pantheon."
"'Our'?"
Though it would go some way to explaining his issues in the 'Gate' snippets... Not that i figure he actually would accept, being a God would likely tie you down to Earth's thaumosphere in some uncomfortable way..."The Greek pantheon doesn't exactly have a God of Avarice. When you finally do die, Hades might decide to kick you upstairs."
"I-. I don't think that's a good idea."
...Well, I guess people seeing that would explain where the myth actually comes from. I bet Hephaestus was quite happy to explain the procession and harp on certain deities' shortcomings.Hephaestus chuckles quietly. "When has that ever stopped us? You're looking at the man who dragged Aphrodite and Ares to Olympus in a net. I'm lame. Have you got any idea how far I had to drag them? Ares spent the first day cursing me, then just went to sleep until we got to the throne room."
He turns back to his work.
But it sure made you feel better... Until you got to Olympus, at least."'Rage is a hell of an anaesthetic'?"
"Stubbornness makes you ignore how stupid you're being."
Probably lucky Zeus was presumably sitting on his throne. It probably would have reduced the gravitas of the moment if he was rolling on the floor laughing his ass off."Zeus said 'no' to the divorce petition, then?"
"I think there was a 'no' somewhere in between all the guffaws. It was hard to tell."
No, OL. Don't go putting that super-conducting lightning rod away just yet..."Sorry about that."
"I'm used to it."
"But at least Zeus is over his divorce, right?"
Maybe you could bribe him off with.. ladies of negotiable virtue? Lots of ladies? Or set up an internet connection and a paid subscription to every good adult video site on the internet?"Don't think you're off the hook, there. Zeus can bear a grudge like an immortal god with no day job to distract him."
"Ugh. Is there a way to pay him off? Or… I don't know, twelve things he urgently needs a demigod to take care of?"
Ah, these wonderful conversational sidetracks. The things we learn about his associates..."Not these days. Sorry."
"I'll just have to keep watching the skies, then. But going back to why you can't absorb the God of Technology..?"
Well, for a start... Hephaestus is a god of old-fashioned stuff more than modern. Artisanal, hand-made works, not the automata-produced, mass-replicated products of modern manufacturing..."It would be like putting a single drop of ink in an ocean. What was left of we would be too broken apart to function as any kind of directing mind. And that's even assuming that I was compatible."
"Why wouldn't you be?"
Sums it up nicely. Probably linked to the mystical signature of the maker, to some degree. Machines making machines would have a much weaker footprint than something poured by hand, even on industrial scales."I'm the God of the Forge. Making things. I'm not the god of made things. Remember what happened when you showed me that ingot that got made by nanotech rather than a foundry?"
I nod. He could work it, but it was obviously taking a lot more concentration than a foundry-made ingot.
No rules-lawyering your way into a friend getting the Machine position, eh? Guess you'll have to befriend the Machine when it awakens, the old-fashioned way."Vulcan made the switch from volcanoes."
"This isn't something you can argue away, Paul. It's just how it works, mechanically. And honestly, I'm not sure I'd want it even if I could get it."
I hear responsometer, I immediately think Doc Magnus and the Metal Men... Honestly, I am kind of looking forwards to seeing them in the story someday. Always had a soft spot for them for some reason...He picks up the diabolic responsometer and moves it around, searching for imperfections. He doesn't appear to find any.
"Okay, this is done. You okay making the rest?"
I don't foresee Simpson earning any upgrades anytime soon...I nod. "I can make a non-combat model. If Richard wants something a bit heavier then he can negotiate with John."
He nods, passing it to me. I take it and stow it in my carry case.
And I am picturing a technological version of the Vitruvian Man... Floating in mid-air, with Vulcan plucking single pieces out to etch them then putting them back into place..."Vulcan? You about done?"
A fully exploded Earl Dukeston the Second is strapped to a series of custom gurneys as Vulcan inscribes the runes required to enable him to develop a metaphysique onto every component. It's a little disturbing how he's awake, aware, and watching with what appears to be genuine interest. It's hard to tell exactly how he feels, as he faux skin was an early casualty of the process.
Oh, hush that funnin', hoss. This is serious business...
And I am loving that they are discussing it with complete seriousness, at that. Perhaps sir would like some adjustments to the traditional design? Ribbed for her pleasure (or his, no judging here!) Vibration features, perhaps?"I do mechanical engineering and magic. If you want a penis, talk to Paul."
"I can build you a penis, but I don't understand your programming well enough to integrate it into your mind."
After all, you might find once you have a soul, you starting feeling unfamiliar urges, like this little thing called Love."Ah don't have those kinda drives. Docs said it'd take a whole mess of hormones and suchlike they couldn't just program into my noggin. Sides, what would ah do with that kinda thing?"
"Whatever you want. That's the point. But your body, your peripheral choices. Vulcan, is Richard's fetish making it any easier?"
At least Simpson's stupidity had some benefit. Pity such talent is wasted on a shit like him.Not pausing in his work, Vulcan nods.
"I don't know what he was hoping to achieve with this, but he did good work. It almost seamlessly draws the God of Technology's magic from the Dream and integrates it into the world. Let him know I'm genuinely impressed."
To be honest, I really don't see the League doing that. Might need to poke Orin and Quinn to touch base, maybe?"I will."
"With that, binding magic to Earl's frame and making it act like a normal soul is much easier. Have you shared it with the Atlanteans?"
"I haven't, but I'm sure that the League will."
Well, I suppose now he's going to have an immortal soul, he'll have to see about taking care of it..."This could make integrating machinery and magic much easier."
"Ah'm going to have to talk to mah pastor about this magic stuff."
One more for the Lord, eh? How would you list that on whatever they use for conversion documentation? "Ensouled and baptised one android.""Shouldn't you have done that before..?"
"Way ah saw it, whatever he thought of magic, he wasn't going to complain about me getting a soul."
Hmm... I wonder if the Reds have that sort of feedback? Then again, their souls are more Elemental than Human..."Do you feel any different?"
"Ah ain't exactly at mah best right this second. Maybe kinda… Twinkley? Ah don't really know what having a soul's supposed to feel like."
Indeed. OL can give you a few tips about that. Mostly warnings about proximity to exotic energies and the like..."Okay." Vulcan puts his soldering iron down and pulls a lever, unlocking the clamps holding Mr. Dukeston down. "That should do it."
Mr. Dukeston pulls himself together, concertining back into a single seat and looking himself over.
"No, still feel the same ole me. Guess a soul's something you grow into."
Consider the difference in scales of belief. Most people who interact with technology have some measure of faith that it'll do what it advertises. The Greek and Roman gods? Besides some stuffy academics, the Amazons and maybe some Atlanteans, how many people are actively worshipping? I doubt our evangelising Amazon priestess of Hades has had that many converts...
Maybe you could bribe him off with.. ladies of negotiable virtue? Lots of ladies? Or set up an internet connection and a paid subscription to every good adult video site on the internet?
Wonder what the Silver City will make of him if he reaches the Pearly gates...
Thank you, corrected.
"No, still feel the same ole me. Guess a soul's something you grow into."