Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2016
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Thank you, corrected.
I have noticed that the copy + paste function likes to add spaces where none existed before.
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Thank you, corrected.
That's very clever, but also very dangerous, you're potentially changing their faith into something more constructive, but by incorporating this new truth you're also, potentially, massively expanding it's scope and reach in a world desperately seeking answers to what they've experienced. As such you risk elevating thuggee, and specifically Kobra's interpretation of that faith world wide."You are a creature of the former, corrupted age. But for eh moment, you saw what it was like to be something else. Would you like to feel thet again?"
I kinda wish he could've talked to his counterpart on Earth 10. That version also thought he could just stay separate from the rest of the world and that life would work out on its own. He sadly realizes far too late how wrong he was, and there's not much he can do to change things without doing something so drastic that he couldn't do it without changing who he is forever.Dr. Balewa is aware. He's also aware that the Life Entity nearly got Anti-Lifed. He's grudgingly reaching the conclusion that his preferred approach is no longer viable.
How much does Dr Mist actually know about the Life Entity? His enlightenment came from catching a glimpse of it and it must have liked him to link to him like it is now. But does he actually know anything about it beyond broad strokes?
This is reminding me of the discussion with Hecate where the Cats came up, that was somewhat interesting."No, of course not. Reality inversions take far more effort than just destroying a load of stuff. Plus, the people involved have to be able to picture clearly what they're trying to achieve, which wouldn't be the case here. Definitionally couldn't be the case, if you think about it."
Her eyes go wide as they lock onto me, her wing posture-. She's not getting ready to lunge, she's getting ready to fly away.
"What do you mean by 'reality inversion'?"
"It's a bit like changing history through time travel, except you do it at one point in time and it changes everything into anything."
I wonder if any of that will come up.Mm. Pity. The gods of India found a fascinating way to deal with their titans, though I doubt that you'd appreciate it."
"Why not?"
"Since they could not take the titans' power into themselves, they broke them down gradually to create a system. At one end, it is tethered by the titans. At the other, by the souls of mortal creatures, undergoing a constant cycle of life, death and rebirth. The gods would then draw power from the system, something far easier than taking power from the Dream. And less likely to render the one doing it malleable."
It seems like that's the case.I forget, are we going with original origin Dr. Mist? Because that one comes with plenty of experience as a King and life avatar.
Because I'm interested to see if anyone else can use the sort of magic that Doctor Mist does."
Honestly that might actually help them develop their power, since they'd be causing fear."-this chap. Now, I realise that I don't know exactly what sort of discipline you've got your people working under, but I'd be surprised to learn that they were supposed to be stalking popular musicians
Should be J, not O, I believe."Tamaran is an option. So is O. I could drop you off on Maltus, though you'd have trouble getting back on your own."
"O?"
"It's a plant world. Nice enough place. Bit weird. Sort of like Alstair without the political awkwardness. I.. should probably check up on them at some point."
22nd July
23:28 GMT
I'VE WANTED TO COME HERE FOR SO LONG!
I'm descending towards ground level past literal tree-skyscrapers! Not trees as big as skyscrapers or trees with habitats bolted on, no. These are literal trees that are literal skyscrapers. And from the glows I'm seeing from them, also sentient creatures! They have windows made from cellulose and a bio-engineered wax, interior spaces and exits, their leaves not only gather sunlight but generate electricity and act as satellite dishes!
J is the first world I've visited which feels completely alien. Like someone took the developmental path of a normal world and just span a load of dials to see what would happen.
Hard to say, it seems. Worst case scenario, Sinestro's figured out fear honden porting and he's essentially impossible to track down and defeat with any permanence - which wouldn't even be too odd, given that I could see him getting a bunch of readings of Paul's abilities from working with the reach and the deputy rings.
This is why I enjoyed Renegade!Paul's infiltration into the Light. Especially the scene with The Brain. I wish we got some stories about that shadowy hero in his justice league, tales of working with villains in ways that make his squad cringe or laugh. Ah well, Grayven serves well enough, like when he talks to Wonder Woman.You know, there are times where I really do love that Paul is just willing to call up archvillans and have a quick chat with them. This is one of those moments.
To be fair, it's not surprising the government was lagging behind. It's only been two hours in-universe since the detonation (back in 'Trivialities 23'.) Their military command probably had overflights within ten minutes, but aerial reconnaissance over a recent nuclear detonation is not easy.11th April 2013
20:47 GMT +5:30
She would. Quite a lot, as it happens.
The soldiers of the Indian S.A.S. don't hesitate, shooting members of the Kobra breakaway group dead rather than bothering to take them into custody. The Indian government was perfectly aware of the nuclear detonation and had been scrambling for a response when I dropped by to explain things to them.
Mass executions? Yeah, about what I'd expect of a totalitarian government like Thanagar's. At least here, the executed are the people involved.Bleez watches the scene calmly. "This is more like what I was expecting."
"Oh?"
Yeah, probably a good thing she's focused on that. Bet she still has an ear out on you guys, though."The Empire's government has been making a big deal of hunting down all of the Seven Devil cultists. I didn't even know we had gibbets."
Kara's back with Dr. Balewa and Lady Eve, guarding him while he keeps trying to talk them around to his way of seeing things. I don't personally believe in the Hindu epoch cycle… In fact, I don't think that it can be true, based on what I know about how magic works. But they do, and he can sort of connect what they believe to reality.
Yeah, you pull an atrocity like that, you don't get your post-mortem religious wishes respected."They're not that hard to make."
I generate a construct digger and scoop up enough earth for a burial pit. I think Kobra-devotees prefer cremation, but if they wanted me to care then they shouldn't have helped their brethren acquire, prime and transport a nuclear bomb. The soldiers who had been going to fetch shovels wave their thanks and start throwing the bodies in the hole.
But according to her, not the ones these idiots caused. And with all his effective built-in lie detectors, it'd be very hard to fool them all."I don't understand why you're treating Lady Eve differently. She's their leader, right?"
"One of them. And yes, I'm sure that she's been directly and indirectly responsible for a lot of deaths."
And this way, it's a legal, government-approved penalty for big crimes. Even Kara would probably be hesitant to comment on that, dead people or notShe keeps watching the disposal of the bodies, wingtips blurring to vent stress. "So why aren't you killing them?"
"Because Doctor Mist has command. Because we don't know where everyone in their organisation is and persuading her to tell us is easier that doing a neural trawl. Because if she spends the rest of her life doing productive work then she might work off a tiny part of her debt to civilisation. Because we could really do with the manpower. Because I'm interested to see if anyone else can use the sort of magic that Doctor Mist does."
Well, he is an Orange Lantern. He doesn't throw something - or someone - away until he's wrung every bit of use out of them."On Thanagar… We'd just kill them. On Havania, too."
"And I'm not completely sure that you'd be wrong to." I shrug as I pour the earth back over the impromptu grave. "I hope you would be… But I don't know."
Which is probably fortunate. If some Hindu deity involved themselves, that would blow the whole power-scaling out of whack. Seriously, their sagas escalate harder than Taylor Herbert. It'd be like 'Asura's Wrath' out there. Which is unsurprising, as the latter was inspired by the former."That's not a Thanagarian way of handling things." She raises her right arm to point at the soldiers who are marching back to their transport vehicles. "That is. Aren't theses guys, like, basically your Seven Devil cultists?"
"No. The Seven Devils are very real and actively involve themselves in their worshippers affairs as much as they can. Kobra members are just violent criminals, with no more supernatural backing than anyone can get." Speaking of… "How is Vulcan getting on?"
Turns out being able to make the most valuable thing in their entire civilisation buys a lot of good will."My mother wasn't sure about having him as a guest. And I was like, 'Mother, he's a god' and she just went on about him being a magical alien… It was a whole thing. And then he proved that he can make Nth Metal and suddenly she's a whole lot more polite."
"Can he teach people?"
After all, the government would want a monopoly on the production. If it's reproducible scientifically, good, they can make sure they control the only methods. If he teaches others, they'd be hard pressed to keep them all under their thumb."I don't think the government wants him to have acolytes? They're just taking a bunch of readings to see if they can copy what he does with technology. I don't really know how it's going."
"I'm glad to hear that he's getting on well." Hm. "You should probably have told your mother where you were going."
You're that afraid of this Yellow Lantern guy?Her head jerks around, eyes narrowing. "No, I shouldn't."
"Oh?"
Leverage, dear. He could conquer Havania, out the word out that he'll release them if you come to him, and wait. Whether he'd follow through with his promise, that's debatable."If I told anyone, they'd be a record of what I said. I don't want to be-. I don't want him to make me his concubine, ugh, but if he knows someone else knows where I am then they're a target too."
"Is the fact that you're from Havania a secret?"
"No? But what's the point in going there if I'm not there and no one knows where I am?"
Obsessives who enjoy being feared. In whatever sense that means to them. If nothing else, all the different flavours of fear are providing useful data to optimise selection."Your mother's not an idiot, Bleez. She's already had her security people go over the footage of your concert, and she knows that you've been communicating with me." She pulls her wings in slightly. "The constructs of Sinestro Corpsmen are catalysed by fear. And if your homeworld was ravaged, occupied, your mother and other friends taken prisoner, tortured… That would mean more fear, and stronger constructs for him. And given the sort of person that I suspect Sinestro is recruiting-."
...Oh, yeah. Completely forgot that's an option.The tips of her wings are vibrating fast enough to hum.
"Do you want me to comm Sinestro and ask him what's going on directly?"
Best case, he revokes the guy's membership... While he's in deep space."B… And… And he can just order the guy to get lost?"
"He can. Though I suspect that if he does it's more because he doesn't like his minions slacking off rather than out of any actual moral considerations."
We still don't know what this Sinestro's full capabilities are, any kinds of Enlightenment he's gained, that sort of thing. Honestly, I suspect we won't until we meet him in person, and I also suspect Mr Zoat is dreading the day he has to start writing that many additional Enlightened quotes."And what else might he do? I don't want to make things worse."
"He might attack Havania immediately. I don't know how big his Corps is yet or if he's planning on doing anything with the Thanagarian Empire. I am completely confident of my ability to kill a regular Sinestro Corpsman. I'm not confident of my ability to kill him, and most of my support is on the other side of the galaxy. Normally, I could put together a team on Earth, but we're all a bit busy at the moment."
And that's just the easy options."Then what-. Where should I go?"
"Tamaran is an option. So is J. I could drop you off on Maltus, though you'd have trouble getting back on your own."
...YEs, that's something of a problem you have, OL. Too many irons in the fire, not enough checking they haven't melted away yet."J?"
"It's a plant world. Nice enough place. Bit weird. Sort of like Alstair without the political awkwardness. I.. should probably check up on them at some point."
...Well, that's... Accurate, especially if their GL is off-world.
Wait, physical Gods? Did X'Hal show up or something? I'm drawing a blank..."How about Tamaran?"
"Maybe, if the stars aligned. Two Orange Lanterns over there, as well as a high-tier human psychic and some fairly sophisticated space fleets. And a couple of physical gods, but I've got no idea how to get them to do anything."
Of course, their faces when this works..."I don't-. What do you think I should-?"
I frown for a moment, then look at my left hand. "Ring, call Sinestro."
Yeah, turns out Sinestro's Ring Call Address isn't hidden. His physical location, sure, but he could call Green Lanterns or the Guardians any time he wanted to talk at them.
No that he needs to present his appearance as he actually is. For all we know, he's sitting in a bathtub with a couple of pliable ladies... Washing his back, of course. I doubt he'd be unfaithful to his wife even after this long."The Sinestro Corps gets stronger the more afraid of them you are. So don't be afraid."
Sinestro's full body image appears in front of us.
Which sadly informs him that yes, the White Light can be called up, albeit only in direst need and through difficult circumstances."Illustres. I trust that you have things in hand."
"Yes, your ring worked perfectly, thank you. No more Anti-Life on Earth."
It's not like their ultimate goals are that different. A safer, saner universe. It's just the processes they use and the final state of that sanity that's the biggest points of contention.His expression doesn't really change. "Interesting. It may be worth considering long-term cooperation where Apokolips is concerned."
"Honestly, I'd be happy to cooperate generally. But perhaps that's a bit much. The other reason why I'm calling is-"
Ooh, busted, loser.Send image.
"-this chap. Now, I realise that I don't know exactly what sort of discipline you've got your people working under, but I'd be surprised to learn that they were supposed to be stalking popular musicians."
Now, whether that'll put him off chasing Bleez, or make him laser-focused on causing her suffering... That remains to be seen.His eyes narrow. "They are not. I will… Have a rather sharp word."
I smile at him. "Thank you, I appreciate it. Illustres out."
Aren't these guys, like, basically your Seven Devil cultists?Aren't theses guys, like, basically your Seven Devil cultists?
Thank you, corrected.
X'Hal and Auron. They're in the area, but they're not doing anything very much. The fact of their existence isn't a secret locally, only the specifics.Wait, physical Gods? Did X'Hal show up or something? I'm drawing a blank...
He was possessed by Parallax, if that's what you mean. He didn't like it much and has no intention of doing it again, even if he regards the experience as beneficial overall.Sinestro is also allied with Joseph Harrolds, the Earth -16 Ex-Power Ring. Isn't that guy the Avatar of Parallax or something like that? And the Old Citadellian also got Fear Enlightenment, if memory serves. So the Illustres can't be certain that he could take on the possible leadership of the Sinestro Corps, he would probably need support and a team, and his allies are pretty occupied right now.
As far as he knows, no.I have two questions in regards to this story. Sorry if they were already answered in advance, but I didn't see anything about them in the-page-that-shall-not-be-talked-about, so I decided to ask here.
One: Does Paul come from the same Earth/Universe as Superboy-Prime? I doubt it, considering that DC Comics can't seem to make up their minds on which Earth is "our real life", not to mention that DC multiverse lore logic dictates that there can be more than one version of that specific Earth in the multiverse, but I am a bit curious about what you have to say about it. Plus, "Orange Lantern-Prime" sounds like less of a mouthful than "Orange Lantern 2814", if you ask me.
No. Bloodwynd was Martian Manhunter faking being someone else. The gem is a distraction from his shapeshifting and telekinesis.Two: Could Bloodwynd's gem be connected to the red light in some way? If so, could a red lantern use it to recharge their ring or boost it's power? I'm asking because it was apparently created by magic out of the sheer rage and hatred of a group of impoverished, brutalized slaves. Not to mention that the red light does have a magical element to it thanks to Atrocitus's blood magic, so there might be a connection between the gem and the red light of rage. Plus, the gem also has a pocket dimension in it that seems really similar to a power ring's subspace pocket dimension too. And lastly, the gem itself is obviously blood red.
Next episode. Probably. I mean, it's about what happened to him but I haven't finished writing it yet.@Mr Zoat, will we see what happened to Swamp Thing in this episode? Or in a future episode?
No.If gods are at least partly powered by having acolytes in a symbiotic relationship, does that mean eventually Vulcan will lose the ability to generate nth metal?
Given you barely know anything about magic outside of the one branch that you're trying to science that's not really saying much.Kara's back with Dr. Balewa and Lady Eve, guarding him while he keeps trying to talk them around to his way of seeing things. I don't personally believe in the Hindu epoch cycle… In fact, I don't think that it can be true, based on what I know about how magic works. But they do, and he can sort of connect what they believe to reality.
If gods are at least partly powered by having acolytes in a symbiotic relationship, does that mean eventually Vulcan will lose the ability to generate nth metal?
Yeah, I'm guessing that's because he's connected to a Titan of some kind, so he's not dependent on worship in order to have power or continue existing.
Given all we have see Paul do and given the sort of people Sinestro loses to in the various canons I have no clue why Paul is concerned about that this. Even without Ophidian backing him up his odds are very good.I am completely confident of my ability to kill a regular Sinestro Corpsman. I'm not confident of my ability to kill him, and most of my support is on the other side of the galaxy.
You may assume for the purpose of this story that Sinestro is as skilled as a veteran Lantern in his position should be.Given all we have see Paul do and given the sort of people Sinestro loses to in the various canons I have no clue why Paul is concerned about that this. Even without Ophidian backing him up his odds are very good.
Sinestro: I have never felt so humiliated in my life, you little cretin. When I get called by one of my peers about one of my men misbehaving, I expect a ruined planet, friendly fire, alliance with the wrong sort of galactic threat. Not because they were stalking a singer like some two bit thug. Even worse, she noticed you! Are you really that incompetent that a civilian with no training could tell you apart in the middle of a crowd?!
As skilled as Paul thinks a veteran Lantern in his position should be, or as skilled as, say, Kilowog thinks a veteran Lantern in his position should be?You may assume for the purpose of this story that Sinestro is as skilled as a veteran Lantern in his position should be.