moralrelativity
Recovering pendant.
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- Dec 2, 2016
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change -> chance
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change -> chance
extend -> extent
Thank you, corrected.
Codex Imperial Guard, 5th Edition. The Cadian Veteran Sergeant is specifically noted as serving away frm Cadia. I think that the various historical notes have Cadians serving elsewhere, but I don't have it to hand. It's a bit weird that Games Workshop chose to do plastics for the two worlds that shouldn't be sending soldiers to other places, while Valhallans and Mordians only have 20+ year old metals.I think that most of the recruits probably don't leave Cadia. It's a heavily fortified world after all, it needs billions of soldiers. But maybe whatever source you got that number from specifically says they're leaving, in which case it's definitely just stupid.
Thank you, corrected.
Given Imperium humans run the gamut from cat people, to scalies, to space marines, to cyborgs with every attachment under the sun. This seems like a rather stupid argument to make.
And that's not even getting into the Psyker and Chaos options.
Because with those it's completely possible for some random schmuck human to go "I want to fuck a baby into that Tau." and actually do so.
While, yes, in theory it's possible to get a chaos mutation that does just about anything, the chance of a chaos worshipper getting tau-compatible gonads is very small. Parasite implantation is a little more likely, but that tau's very small warp presence makes that sort of gestation unlikely to come to full term.Why would the tau be breeding with a chaos tainted human? Why would this encourage them to do that if they weren't going to anyway?
Classic Vae, assuming a problem exists despite all evidence to the contrary
Yes, it seems clear that a significant number of Cadians do fight off-world. I didn't mean that they all stay on Cadia, just that most of them do. Having just read the Imperial Guard 5th Edition section on Cadians, the impression I get (though it isn't entirely clear) is that all Cadians are required to be competent soldiers, and it's considered normal to participate in at least one real battle, but after spending a few years in the Guard they usually become PDF on Cadia.Codex Imperial Guard, 5th Edition. The Cadian Veteran Sergeant is specifically noted as serving away frm Cadia. I think that the various historical notes have Cadians serving elsewhere, but I don't have it to hand. It's a bit weird that Games Workshop chose to do plastics for the two worlds that shouldn't be sending soldiers to other places, while Valhallans and Mordians only have 20+ year old metals.
No, it's just that I'm not a stock working class character. I'm a stock upper middle class character.So, just throwing this out there, not a single Paul has said "Wotcher" or "Guvna" since this started a decade ago. Has Zoat been faking being British this whole time?
You know Chaos isn't always obvious right?Why would the tau be breeding with a chaos tainted human? Why would this encourage them to do that if they weren't going to anyway?
Classic Vae, assuming a problem exists despite all evidence to the contrary
You know Chaos isn't always obvious right?
It can literally just be something like "Farmer who wants kids with his no tiddy Tau girlfriend, finds an odd ritual that guarantees kids in his grandmothers old journal".
The whole point of parrying is to STOP the opponent's weapon. Effortlessly cleaving through it doesn't do that. ^^()
Missing full stop.
"honesty"
Comma instead of semicolon. (The rest were right.)
Thank you, corrected.Missing full stop.
"honesty"
Comma instead of semicolon. (The rest were right.)
Ghia'ta is wearing the same light power armour I made for her, and her aura is noticeably dimmer than I remember it being.
"I thought it best not to tell him that I would send murderers to kill hundreds as a result of his report
Ah, the gathering begins. Love and Desire are present, I see. And Ghia'ta struggling to maintain her focus under the Anti-Life's smothering influence, no doubt. Probably harder for her given how attuned to the Spectrum she is as a part-Maltusian.17th February 2013
20:02 GMT
Carol's entire body is covered in crystal armour, and I can't immediately tell whether it's a construct or some sort of crystaline power armour. Ghia'ta is wearing the same light power armour I made for her, and her aura is noticeably dimmer than I remember it being.
"Hail, Citrine! I trust your judgement in recalling us, but we are sorely needed below."
Heh. Squeezing the darkness out for a few moments, at least."Not for much longer, hopefully." I glance at Ghia'ta again, and-. And I walk over to her and hug her, letting the warm feelings I have for the team rise to the forefront of my mind.
She hugs back. "Thank you. I… I need to hear that."
Well, you wouldn't go into something like this with only one gun, woudl you?"No trouble." I step back. "Dame Carol, you're here because I think I have a way to purge the Anti-Life network, and if Mannheim realises what we're doing he'll probably take extraordinary action to stop us. I'm assembling everyone I need for the plan now, and then we're going to carry it out. I need you."
"You asked for me and Ghia'ta."
...Says a lot about her world where that's a valid explanation.
Ah, Hope comes, and with it, Life. Though I imagine the Doctor will be working with just one of the lights rather than all."But that would still be bad because your control and focus are far better than hers, and this is going to be dicey any-"
"Recognised, Blue Lantern two four, Doctor Mist, two five."
"No handshake? How rude, Lantern.""-way. Alan, Doctor Balewa, thank you for coming."
I offer Alan my right hand and he shakes it with a tired smile. To Dr. Balewa I offer the Medusa Mask.
Given his magical skill, he might well be able to make sense of the mystical architecture of it, even."Can you use this?"
He considers it for a moment, his eyes unfocusing as he feels the front of its face.
Ah, bringing in the biggest gun."I believe so. What do you want me to do?"
"One moment. Orange Lantern Illustres to Lord Malvolio. Please respond urgently."
Which is damn impressive given it normally turns comm-signals its own colour.Alan frowns. "Isn't that the guy who-?"
Green flames waft around my ring and then burst, coalescing into a construct representation of Lord Malvolio.
As it is, if they're doing it on Earth, that much movement within the thaumosphere will be noticeable."Lord Illustres. What business has the birth-cradle of mankind with me?"
"It's time to deal with the Anti-Life, and you're my first choice for the green-ring user. I apologise for the lack of notice, but I didn't want to risk the target finding out what I'm planning. Can you come here immediately?"
I suppose he was busy back in his sector with something. If not, then Preist can keep things on an even keel until he gets back."Aye, I can. Priest can stand for me as my second. Await my arrival."
The image collapses into green energy which then reforms into a heavy wooden doorway.
Thankfully, most Green lanterns don't have much in the way of ego when it comes to work."Huh." Alan looks at it thoughtfully. "I see what you mean. He does look a little like me. And you really meant it when you said that he's more powerful than you?"
"Power isn't everything, but it's a lot. His control is also excellent. As far as I know, he's the most powerful Lantern to presently exist."
Honestly, I'm surprised Alan hasn't been poking about in his own mystical aspects. Too much focus on the material, maybe."And he's going to walk through that door? How does that work exactly?"
"He's so powerful that I haven't seen records on exactly how it works, but once I explained how I can access the Honden-."
And yes, he and Alan do look a little alike. It's probably down to the slicked back hair and the focused facial expression, I bet."Ooh." He nods slowly.
The door opens and Lord Malvolio strides through, armour construct glowing. He looks at Ghia'ta and Dame Carol with curiosity for a moment, then turns back to me.
Well, given how powerful Malvolio is, he does have something of an advantage with direct solutions."I hear the dark and dismal drone, a weight that would waylay mine will, that would hamstring and humble the human spirit. That is something that I will not allow: it's plans I will prevent and its designs I will destroy."
"Sometimes it requires more subtly than smashing." Ugh. "Doctor, please put the mask on. We need you to see this as we do."
It just means they shine brighter than most people.He nods, and cautiously places the mask on his face and then lowers his hands. The mask remains in place without any sort of strap.
"Curious. I believe thet I can see.. emotions. The light coming off of you. Eh, well, you are Lanterns so perhaps thet is not the best example."
Hah! As if. All things with a mind draw upon the Spectrum."And I am untroubled by human emotion."
Dr. Mist turns towards Mr. Atom's work area.
Ah. Sore spot, Atom?"No. It is different, but I see your need to learn how your creators died. And your fear-."
"That is sufficient."
Comparing their metaphysical structures, especially the Orange Light-filled thing that is OL's soul.Not sure what that's about, but it's his business. "Can you see compassion? It should be indigo."
He keeps looking at Mr. Atom for a moment, then turns to look at me instead. Then on to Malvolio and Alan.
...This would be a really bad time to learn he can't do it."Yes. I can. And I think I can… Touch it."
"You're already connected to the white light. We need you to create a structure out of compassion in the same way we do our colours. And if you can't then we're in quite a lot of trouble, so…"
I suspect having him involved will make it a little easier too, given the link is already there as a tiny trickle."We will combine our energies to summon forth the white light. Thet is what you want?"
"Yes."
It's not like Orion would wait for the word to be given, either. One sniff of Mannheim and they'll have to haul him back with a leash."I believe thet is possible, but I will need eh few minutes to confirm thet belief."
"It's okay. Batman's… Having trouble with the yellow ring. And I don't want to call our red ring user until the last minute. He'll be coming here by boom tube and there's no way that Mannheim could miss that. And he's… Virtually uncontrollable, so I intend to have him deploy at once."
Sadly, OL, the world does not run at the behest of your plans... I suspect you'd prefer it did anyway, though."Ah. Betman's recent overcoming of his trauma."
"I'm happy that he managed it, it would just have been a lot better if he'd done it a few weeks later. In the mean time, Mister Atom, could you bring up our most recent intelligence reports on everything?"
...'Killing', OL. Not 'Capturing'. And that is probably something the taskforce is good at."Certainly." A hologram of the globe appears in the middle of the room, and the rest of us spread out around it. "Mannheim's operations to gather up city leaders appears to have halted. The intelligence you gathered and the behavior of the sheeda indicates his new focus. Justice League assets are focused on striking critical infrastructure while he is distracted while Task Force X units are killing the sheeda where they appear."
"I thought you told Robin that you didn't have anyone spare?"
Heh. Good show of compassion, though, Atom. Trying not to disillusion the young is quite helpful."I thought it best not to tell him that I would send murderers to kill hundreds as a result of his report."
I.. nod.
"Ask what you want to know. The map will respond to voice commands. My full focus is now needed elsewhere."
I wonder how a fight with Mannheim would go.
Isn't Malvelio kind of ridiculously powerful by the standards of everyone else present? Like, he's so powerful he may as well be a maltusian?
Gonna be fun to see him kicking ass
Malvolio's skill is higher. Priest did actually teach him some practical stuff, and he's had plenty of time to practice.It seems like power wise its:
Malvolio>Paul=Orion>Alan>Dame Carol=Balewa>Batman
However skill wise is probably
Paul>Alan=Dame Carol>Malvolio>Balewa=Batman>Orion
its
subtlety
Usually "meantime"
Two subjects, so "indicate"The intelligence you gathered and the behavior of the sheeda indicates his new focus.
Thank you, corrected.
turn away and head for the exit, already fabricating the chemicals I need to force the issue, and feeling like a total heel for doing so
So, you might say, he's simply built different?Seriously, if a Corps could learn that trick, how to make their Lanterns as powerful as Malvolio... That Corps would be positively unstoppable. Which would be a problem if the wrong Corps got it right...17th February 2013
20:09 GMT
"…reaction before, Emerald Lord." Dame Carol studies Lord Malvolio in greater detail. "What explains your rare strength?"
"It is strange to me that mine strength is such that is seldom seen. My existence was not exceptional, my struggles not singular. Perhaps the practices and pedagogy of Priest prepared me properly for mine office." He shakes his head. "I had only him to whom I could compare myself; the surprise for me is that others are so much weaker."
Has he met Guy? I rather suspect Malvolio would notice his Enlightenment, if nothing else."I'll tell Lantern Gardner that you said that."
"I have never lectured a novice-" He smiles faintly. "-Lantern. Perhaps to would please us both."
Heh. He does have a habit of alliterative appeal, doesn't he? And why not? It's fun."And I've noticed that you have a slightly.. odd pattern of speech. Using words with the same first letter. Is there any particular reason why you do that?"
"It has been e'er long since someone observed the oddities of my oration. When my promotion to a position of paramount power required me to publically pontificate, I drew on my experience with the Salford Strollers."
Which some branches of many religions have ever had issues with. (The 16th and 17th century sections are probably what Malvolio considers relevant here.)"Who were..?"
"Amateur actors. I am no Papist, but I see little lamentable in telling tales as a means of moral motivation."
Ah, now you've got him going on his life story...Alan smiles. "That's an interesting hobby. How exactly did you go from being an actor to being ruler of a whole Sector?"
"My family's fortune began with wool trading and expanded with the industrialisation of looms. It was mine great great grandfather…"
Which he probably won't thank you for, even if it works perfectly.I back away from the conversation and edge towards the exit. Helpful as it would be to develop a closer relationship with people I don't actually know all that well, I need to find out how Batman is doing, because… Because while he might not want help…
I might have to force the issue.
...Boy, Atom can just read you like a book, can't he, OL?The door to the main area of the Watchtower closer behind me-.
"You are thinking of forcing the issue."
Any particular insights into getting Batman pointed in the right direction?Mr. Atom naturally doesn't need to be physically present in a place with this many cameras.
"I'd rather it not come to that. Do you have any advice for me?"
And really, that wasn't a fear reaction anyway, once the shock and sadness passed. In the end, it became more vengeance using fear."Shooting his parents again would be inefficient. Last time to took twelve years for him to become an effective crime fighter after they were shot, and the chance of Mannheim taking that long to enact his plans is negligible."
"I was hoping that you might have learned something about how he thinks in your time working with him."
I can just picture her going along with the hammy Silver Age style if he leans that way. But she'll be shaking her head and rolling her eyes behind his back."I coordinated with Batwoman to persuade him."
That's not a bad idea. "How does she feel about his change in attitude?"
Get a little support from his missus? Eh, not the best option, I think."She has spoken against his new beliefs on several occasions. She has stated that a degree of fear is necessary in a healthy society and that he fulfils that necessary function well."
Hm. If I… Have-.
Or what the Violet Light did to Zatanna, to a degree. Which is your fault.No. If I decide to resort to extreme measure, it might be better for me if I don't openly admit what I did to his wife. Regardless of whether she agrees with me in this particular instance, I've always gotten the impression that Talia is extremely loyal to Batman. She might hold off telling him until after the mission, but she will tell him.
Mind controlling a team mate. That's far too close to what the League let Nabu do to Giovanni.
Ah, that's the issue, then. He's so used to thinking, to planning and strategising, that he's unwilling to let himself feel.So, fine. I'm not going to hide it from him. IF I do it.
Batman's in the Watchtower's gymnasium, sitting on a mat. I can see yellow light but it's not really anchored in the way it used to be. Mastering a yellow ring isn't just about being able to feel fear on command. What he's doing… I don't think it can work.
Bloody inconsiderate of him. Even though it might net us the BatB Batman eventually...And in other circumstances that would be great! Getting over psychological problems to become a happier and more rational person is something I'm in favour of!
But not right now when I need him to stay fearsome for another day.
Not a good sign. He's either feeling too little to add more than a spice of colour, or he's controlling it too tightly.
Always polite to ask, especially with a goddamn ninja like the Bat."May I come in?"
There's a ping as the door unlocks. I press the 'open' button and walk inside.
Heh. Still better than makeup 'raccoon eyes' like the Pattinson Batman.He's.. actually got the cowl off, sitting on the floor in front of him and 'looking' at him. There's a simple domino mask covering his eyes, but his face is fairly distinctive. It doesn't really do much as a disguise. The yellow ring is in his right hand, while his left hand rests on his left leg.
"Any joy, sir?"
Once the fire is lit, maybe that could keep it burning, but you need kindling to light it in the first place."No. I've been running some of my worst memories through my mind, trying to trigger… Something."
"Sir, I don't think that's the right-."
Oh, he's got plenty of those. Too bad not all of those times are good things."Neither do I. What do you suggest?"
"Can you think of a time when people did what you wanted them do because you made them afraid?"
True, in his urban legend days, he was no doubt very terrifying.He shakes his head. "I tried that. Every time, I ruined it by remembering a time when they didn't. I've had people run off roofs to escape me, or shoot through a friend to try and kill me because they couldn't think of anything except their need to keep me away. And Jonathan Crane refuses any serious psychiatric treatment because he thinks he can be satisfied with the emotional reaction he gets from our fights."
I frown. "I thought I fixed that."
Argh. No doubt the expert thinks he's being helpful by 'removing a temptation' from crane's presence... That's not how you fix an addiction.He sighs in frustration. "The prison psychiatrist took the stone away. He felt that it was impeding his recovery."
Oh, for goodness-. No helping the terminally stupid.
Ah, the differences between Paragon and Renegade paths... The Renegade knows his shit with fear..."You said that you had used it. What examples did you use?"
"I said I used it badly. I've intimidated people into obeying me with my reputation and power before. But as far as wide-spread fear use goes, the Reach have me beaten by far. When I tried to recruit allies, people who knew that the Reach were coming for them and that we were their only hope to avoid extinction, a lot were reluctant to join because they thought that it would mark them out as targets. Did you notice your actions having that effect?"
And that was one hell of a night. I wonder if he ever realised he punched out Selina that night?"To an extent, but insane people don't have the same priorities as regular criminals. I'm giving it up because it isn't working any longer, if it ever worked at all."
"Have you tried context reinstatement? Run through the events of the night where decided to become 'Batman'?"
It's you or no-one, Bruce. Man up and think of what will happen if you can't."I was propositioned by an under-aged prostitute, stabbed, shot, and my mental state was altered by loss of blood when a bat flew in through my study window. Not all of us have our logo handed to us by the oldest species in the universe." He sighs. "I've been trying to think of someone who might be better than me at this. Have you tried asking Sinestro directly?"
"Too much risk of him doing something untoward afterwards. Ah. Look, I-."
Ah. Batman will not like that, I bet. Let's hope it proves unnecessary."I'd rather that you didn't tamper with my mind to make this work. I don't believe that there isn't anyone in the whole universe who can't do this instead of me. I.. doubt that you can understand, but I… I didn't like a lot about who I had become."
I nod, smiling. "No, but… I respect it. Keep… Trying, I'll… Try and find someone else."
I turn away and head for the exit, already fabricating the chemicals I need to force the issue, and feeling like a total heel for doing so.
'closes'?The door to the main area of the Watchtower closer behind me-.
The best part about lines like this is that I can't be sure whether he's joking or making a completely serious observation.
'them to'"Can you think of a time when people did what you wanted them do because you made them afraid?"
'who can do'I don't believe that there isn't anyone in the whole universe who can't do this instead of me.
So because you're still salty about Sinestro beating you you're going to drug Batman.I turn away and head for the exit, already fabricating the chemicals I need to force the issue, and feeling like a total heel for doing so.
To be fair, didn't his wife drug him first? Or hasn't that happened yet?
Thank you, corrected.
In the comics, she did. In this, Ra's got nobbled before things got that far.To be fair, didn't his wife drug him first? Or hasn't that happened yet?
I don't get why asking Sinestro would be a big risk? And saving the life entity should trump all else, right?