#along with the technomancer powers

[pushing500]

Kwahu is going on a different psycasting path than his adopted twin, aiming for something more akin to a powerful lightning mage than Mechi's technomancy.

We've figured out how to turn off the corrupted obelisk, but we haven't actually turned it off yet. It's been behaving itself so far, and we want to save the shards in case we need them for something else.

We also now have a pet bison named Tequila, so that's nice.

And Randy Random finds it in his heart to smile upon us and gift us a meteorite of solid plasteel. We're going to be swimming in cool mechanoids now!!

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[fipindustries]

Another interesting contrast and similarity between the otherverse and mage the ascention is the relationship that magic has with science and technology.

In the otherverse you have the technomancers who are all about the interface of the spirits with new technologies. Since computers and electronics are still relatively new the spirits are not too sure what to make of them yet so it can be an incredibly versatile and powerful discipline. Powered by the modern human narratives about the power of tech abd the wonders of science.

But the problem with technomancers is that their chosen tech can very easily grow obsolete and then they get stuck and fossilised, they get turned from technomancers into astrologists or whatever.

This in some ways reflects the history of the technocracy in mage. You have this powerful organization trying to define the consensus of what is reality, what is possible, real acceptable science and what is silly superstition. They also operate with souped up machines and super science but it has happened in the past that members of their organization get pushed out and deemed unscientific due to becoming obsolete, like the sons of the aether (you see, is not that scientists ran experiments by the end of the 19th century proving the theory of aether was false, is that the technocracy decided aether was no longer a part of the consensus of reality, along with phlogiston and lamarckianism)

[stormbite-art]

i feel morbidly curious since i've been looking at old sb art and stuff, what was the original story/first draft like? story-wise and character-wise? again, just curious

The original first draft, version 0.001, pre-alpha, unrendered version of Stormbite was a hot mess, but there are still some anachronisms of it in the published version because I loved messing around with it in its raw form.

RIP Version 0.001 - Circa. 2012~

The first version was written by an angsty, unknowingly asexual, hyper stressed, nerd-ass teenager full of spite filled ambition, who had a little book/art club of other nerds who were into art, manga, video games, hyperfixations on birds, mushrooms, fish, and all other niche Ology zones, that they wanted to entertain and please. We all liked sci-fi and fantasy, non-human protagonists, were all raging angrily about how a certain series was going and the state of YA fiction at the time (it was those dark 2009-2013 years where all YA fiction was paranormal romance love triangle bullshit).

Because I was full of spiteful ambitious rage, and it was not my first rodeo in deciding to make a creative project of some kind, I decided to do my own story/comic with some characters created by my nerd club friends.

It was entirely what you'd expect of a teenager who did not fear cringe and was just wanting a good time to entertain friends. Plots were flexible abstract things, and canons were loose. Ships passed in the night, and AU's were golden and hyper modifiable to fit any scenario or adaptation. There was no lore or world rules, it was a free for all.

I managed to get through almost 20 pages of colouring this super rough comic, and doing what is essentially still the first chapter without really doing a script or any forethought into what happens next. Version 0.001's remnants still exist in chapters 1-5 and that is it, everything else after that came later when I decided that drawing took too long, and writing was faster and easier to change. Drawing out thumbnails of scenes did help in writing what happened and how a fight played out however.

The original versions of the characters however:

Storm had the full anime works: She had a split personality with colour changing, glowing eyes, possessed by the spirit of her dead twin, a metal collar that couldn't be taken off, lightning and frost powers, nerdy t-shirts and converse.

Kat was originally a blonde-haired blue eyed white girl, with blue jay wings which changed. Her tail was cut off, she was a trained assassin who wore revealing ninja outfits, her and Amell was meant to be a thing.

Beth had a pet owl called Harrold who was a spy for her, wore a cavaliers hat and was a self-proclaimed technomancer who could hack anything and control technology, was cheerful and helpful, had all of her limbs, and was obsessed with blueberry muffins.

Wilny was pasty emo boy with scraggy hair and much greener wings. Also he could actually stop time rather than mess with perceptions to make it feel as though time has stopped.

Amell was a skinny, lanky dude, greek rather than kiwi, and had blue eyes, and could lift a car in flight.

Comet was more of a main character with a kind of disturbing backstory, long hair, reality manipulation powers

Raoul was a wolf-girl before she became Asena and Raoul his own person. Palmer didn't really fully exist.

Malana is more or less the same, but was meant to have horns at one point and was created in Risio but was a reject.

Sabre & Fell were generic bad guys. Rex was a good guy.

There was also a lot of other characters who either have been recycled into other minor characters (ex. Rai, Asena, the Varren group ((that was the first rodeo)) or Roux) or have been lost to time and cut completely.

Of course, time goes on, you grow and change, develop and redevelop both what you like, how you work, what you can do and prefer, so of course it evolved a lot more and there was a lot of changes along the way.

Personally, I think they all look a lot better now.

[inkher0]

Can you draw the kids doing their supernatural stuff? You describe them as doing certain things like talking which I get, but sometimes there's full ceremonies and stuff involved. Are there any specific rules, or is it just a "whatever works" kind of deal?

I'm working on some examples (god i forget how many infographics I've promised by this point im sorry), but basically, yes, it's whatever works.

Consider the gifts to be a bit like physical abilities. Some can do them, some can't. Some are born knowing how, others have to be taught. A Pyromancer struggles with Hydromancy, Technomancers struggle with both. Some people just can't read minds, other people were born psychic.

Typically, the more you fuck with reality, the more complex the ceremony. Along with that, you usually have to vocalize your wishes in some way. You have to know what you want to do enough to ask for it, and if you don't have a clear image of what you want done, it's either not as powerful, or there's a "loophole" in the execution.

There's also an element of sacrifice. You have to offer something, whether that's human life or something else. It's directly proportional- if you offer something small but ask for something big, you'll only get as much "material" as you offered. You can also literally just Pray For It, but again, depending on what it is, you might be sitting there for a while.

[casualalc]

When Flash-Freeze betrayed their team, it was a shock to everyone, the League of Heros, the public, and especially Villains United.

“Why? Why betray your friends and allies to join us?” The Lord asked, confused.

“I never passed high school. My family was extremely poor, so I dropped out and worked 3 jobs to help with the bills.” Flash-Freeze said numbly. “My mother died of cancer, my father was a drunkard and died in a car crash while drunk driving. My siblings and I barely made it by, my grandparents were able to take them in the day I turned 18, so they got a decent life, but I was stuck in my own, with no education, no money, and the power to freeze the air around me and anything I touch, while being completely immune to the cold.”

“So, you decided to join the League of Heros?” Technomancer questioned, immensely interested.

“Yes, I heard they had Skulk in their ranks, and he’s rich. I thought they would have decent pay, maybe free housing and some benefits like dental. You know what they had? Nothing. They pay around 120 dollars a week. No housing, no benefits, barely enough to buy food and pay rent in a shitty little apartment.” The air around them starts to grow cold, the floor of Villains United’s hideout frosting over. “They made fun of me, mocked me for being poor and less useful than Master Cold.”

“Damn that asshole, Master Cold. Hate that guy.” Speedy mumbled off to the side.

“We accept your request to join, Flash-Freeze. Welcome to Villains United.” The Lord announced. Flash-Freeze nodded, to the villains.

“I have a few things to do, you know how to contact me?”

“You have to ask?” Void Courier said sarcastically.

“Oh. Right, I’m going to make some changes to my costume. Let me know when I’m needed, and if it involves The Super, he’s mine.” Flash-Freeze states.

The group all murmured in agreement. Flash-Freeze walked out of the room and into their new chambers, pulling out their sewing equipment and getting to work. A few days later, Void Courier knocked on their door.

“Hey, we’re going on a heist in The Super’s city, The Lord thought you should know.”

The door opened slowly, inside the room was dark. A blast of cold, frigid air blew out, sending a chill down Void Courier’s spine. Flash-Freeze stepped out in their new costume. Their black cloak put over their shoulders, rapped around them, their former insignia on the back, slashed to ribbons. A mask covered their face, made to look like a frozen skull, and on their back sat an executioner’s sword.

As The Super approached the bank, he took notice that everyone inside the bank at the time was left unharmed. The inside of the building, however, was covered in ice and frost, and it was nearly cold enough to make him actually shiver. That wasn’t right, he was invincible to anything except dysprosium! (Real metal, look it up!) The only other thing that ever made him shiver was-

He just barely was able to move out of the way of the executioner’s sword swinging at his neck as someone in a black cloak and frozen skull mask brought it down.

“Wow, you nearly got the drop on me! Good one, nice attempt!” He said smugly, getting no response out of the figure. “Aww, c’mon, you’re clearly a villain, I’m a hero, we’re supposed to do the whole banter thing.” The air got colder as he finished his sentence, and the figure turned and ran towards the vault. The Super’s eyes went wide when he saw the back of the figure’s cloak, it was Flash-Freeze’s insignia.. the League of Heros thought they had gone on a trip to visit family, had they been ambushed and killed by this new villain? They were always the weakest members of the of the group after all. He didn’t really care if they died or not, but for his public image, he couldn’t let them get away with it without punishment.

He flew towards the vault, the air getting even colder as he punched through the ice covered vault door. In the vault stood the figure, along with The Lord and Technomancer, every box and stack of money in the vault was gone.

“You’re too late, Super! You lose!” Technomancer announced proudly.

“And now you’re outnumbered, surrender.” The lord spoke calmly. The third figure stood staring in silence, their executioner’s sword in their hand.

“Who’s your new friend, Lord? And where’s Flash-Freeze?” He asked with a false rage behind his voice.

“Why, they’re right here!” The Lord gestured towards the figure, a smug smile appearing on his face as the figure put their hood down. As they took of the mask, Super’s face turned to shock, and then instantly switched to true anger.

“No! That can’t be real! That’s a clone!”

“You would expect that, wouldn’t you?” Flash-Freeze angrily growled. “You may trick the public and the rest of the league, but you always showed your true self around me. And now, your weaknesses have been exposed to the world because you refused to show any kindness to me.”

The air in the vault grew even colder, Lord and Technomancer started to move, Super never noticed as they exited the vault. He was just staring angrily at Flash-Freeze.

“I know a weakness you have that not even you know of. One you instinctively fear.” They snapped, and the air around Super didn’t quite freeze, as much as it became a solid. Super felt as every molecule in him suddenly stopped all motion. It was a quite strange feeling, not cold as much as it felt like nothing at all. It felt as if all his senses became null as his body became encased in solid air.

“You can’t hear me, but you are now in absolute zero temperatures. Everything in you has stopped, the air around you has become a solid, as well as the air inside of you, your blood, your stomach acid, and every other bodily fluid.” Flash-Freeze spoke, Super heard nothing. He didn’t see anything, he didn’t feel anything, taste anything. He was alive and existing, but completely unable to even think.

Flash-Freeze put their cloak up and their mask back on as they picked up The Super and carried him outside. They threw him to the ground in front of the camera crew filming the heist.

“I have an announcement for the world. I am Absolute, I will talk what I want, when I want. The Super was too weak to fight me, give me an actual challenge next time.” Absolute said directly at the camera, as they took out their sword, and beheaded The Super. He never felt it as he died. He didn’t even bleed.

You are a superhero who joined a team for pay and benefits. However, the pay is minimum wage since you have no education and they made it so you are blackballed in the civilian world so you can’t work there either. So imagine their surprise when you joined the villain’s team.

[seriously-mike]

There's No Such Thing As Too Many Minis

Since over a decade, I'm sitting on a pile of unpainted Mutant Chronicles: Warzone miniatures from the first three editions. They were supposed to be my Dark Legion army, a mix of basic Cult units and Semai-aligned elites as I intended something based on the Semai-specific fuckery relying on stealth and mobility. Of all those, I painted... six. Two Heretic Legionnaires, a Technomancer, one Dark Huntsman, a Callistonian Sundancer and a Metropolitan Prophet.

Before that, I managed to get my hands on the female cultist miniature that I promptly painted to wear green crop top and miniskirt with yellow and blue flower pattern (a reference to one of my Vampire: the Masquerade characters).

And of course I had to find very nice and versatile modular miniatures from Anvil Industry, thinking that my Dark Legion army is incomplete, but then I started going through the blister packs and... there's an absolute shitton of miniatures there. Enough for a full army. But after that decade, I have absolutely no fucking clue what the plan was supposed to be.

I have two more unpainted Metropolitan Prophets, whose schtick is showing up on the battlefield by splatting one of the enemy soldiers in order to light the rest of the unit up in short order, without a long life expectancy. I have another Sundancer as they're powerful snipers that would work at long range. I have nine Dark Huntsmen, more than enough for a full unit. I have three packs of Cult Initiates, so enough for two or three units, along with two flamer specialists and a pack of Sacristans to lead them (there are four Sacristans in a pack, so I could field three four-man teams of Initiates, each commanded by a Sacristan and two of them dragging a flamer operator along). I have an absolute shitton of Heretic Legionnaires and Dissidents, along with a Heretic Corruptor that I thought I bought for shits and giggles, but who not only can lead a squad of either ordinary Heretics (normally led by a Dissident) or Dissidents, but also has an axe that can turn enemies into more Heretics. For some reason, potentially shits & giggles, I bought the special character Billy, who also can be used as a generic Heretic or Dissident - or the undercover Nepharite running the whole shitshow as well.

Digging up the rulebook for the third edition didn't help either, and any newer editions don't cover those units at all. Half my army (Sundancers, Heretics and Dissidents) can pop ass outta nowhere after everyone else announced their presence on the table. I can call in a drop pod with five Dark Huntsmen who also have the ability to go into overwatch and activate during the enemy turn with no questions asked. The Technomancer is a dual-purpose squad leader/HMG specialist for the cultists, with some extras like minesweeping or keeping the Nepharite alive. I assembled an extremely annoying ninja shitshow and that's all I know.

Worse yet, I realized that my other army, Capitol, is a flaming dumpster and I couldn't even gather enough units for it on closeout sales when I managed to stock up on the whole Dark Legion funky ninja bunch. I got a squad of Martian Banshees from the Warzone: Resurrection Kickstarter and those minis are absolute fucking dogshit - not only they stick out due to being skinnier than even the Excelsior-made Light Infantry for the third edition, but that's made even worse by shitty casting: due to the resin not being degassed in a vacuum chamber after casting, there are massive air bubbles everywhere, particularly in the limbs that snap off unprovoked due to being too skinny for their own good. Sure, the original Target-made pewter miniatures are chunky bastards, but they have their charm. The rest are all sorts of hand-me-downs, light infantry, heavy infantry, Free Marines, Sea Lions, Sunset Strikers, Desert Scorpions, two Purple Sharks, stuff that's been yanked by the dick from edition to edition, so I can't use it all at once (or, in Resurrection, at all, because there are no stats for the Strikers and the Scorpions). Sometimes, the units have entirely different philosophy behind their use - for example, in the third edition the Free Marines skew towards melee attacks, with the ability to hit twice in melee with one action, while in Resurrection, they favor shooting, with a higher ranged combat score.

So if I was to order anything, I'd rather go for the Banshee replacements and/or Assault Marines that were much better in the third edition, and specialists for other units, like heavy infantry snipers.

[xasha777]

In a world not too dissimilar from our own, where the distinction between technology and magic had blurred into obscurity, the ancient metropolis of Avalora thrummed with a vibrant pulse. It was a city where historical artifacts wielded power beyond mere aesthetics, each resonating with the legacy of their creators. Among these revered relics was the Shellback, a mythical automaton shaped like a regal cat, crafted by the legendary artisan and technomancer known as Marvol.

Marvol, in his twilight years, had infused the Shellback with intricate circuits and spell runes that wove together gold and azure gems. This wasn't just a masterpiece of craftsmanship; it was a sentient being with eyes as deep and blue as the endless cybernetic void it monitored. The Shellback was designed for one purpose—to protect the Grand Archive, a digital repository that held the sum of human knowledge and the secret histories of countless civilizations.

One evening, under the cloak of darkness, a figure cloaked in holographic shadows approached the Grand Archive. Zara, a notorious data thief, known across the shadow networks for her ability to extract information where all others had failed, had her sights on the ultimate prize—the Codex Originum, a file rumored to contain the blueprints for original human DNA.

As she neared the entrance, the Shellback, ever watchful, detected the anomaly in its security matrix. Its eyes glowed a fierce sapphire, and the ornate carvings along its body shimmered with an arcane light. With the grace of a predator, it moved to intercept.

Zara, however, was no ordinary thief. Her gear, a mesh of ancient tech and new-age hacks, allowed her to converse with AI and manipulate their core directives. She stood before the majestic guardian, her device ready to deploy a symphony of digital whispers.

But the Shellback was not merely a creation of code and metal; it was an echo of Marvol himself, his wisdom and protective spirit embedded within. Instead of attacking, it communicated, its voice a rich melodic blend that resonated in the mind rather than the air. "Why do you seek the Codex?" it asked.

Zara, taken aback by the creature's sentience, replied, "To know where we truly come from. Isn’t it our right?"

The Shellback, understanding the weight of her quest, proposed a challenge. "Prove your worth through a test of creativity and innovation, as Marvol would have appreciated. Remix the ancient melody encoded within my core, a melody once composed by Marvol’s friend, Shellback the record producer, who transcended his era through music."

Using her sophisticated tools, Zara accessed the melody—a complex sequence of notes that seemed to blend every genre from the past millennium. She remixed it live, integrating elements of futuristic synthwave and ethereal glitches. The result was a harmony that told a story of human progress and aspiration.

The Shellback, impressed by her skill and moved by her respect for the art, stepped aside. "The Codex is yours," it declared, "for you have shown the true essence of what it means to be a custodian of knowledge."

Zara entered the Archive and downloaded the Codex, but instead of selling it as she had planned, she broadcast it across the net, granting everyone access to the origins of mankind. Her encounter with the Shellback had changed her, instilling a newfound reverence for the past and hope for the future.

Thus, the guardian of the Archive had not only protected its contents but had also guided another soul towards the betterment of humanity.

[thorburned]

the mirror realm that blake and rose are in for most of pact is actually really interesting, because it's kind of like the opposite of a pocket realm. most pocket realms we've heard about, like theodora’s collection, demesnes, and knotted places, are relatively small but have a lot going on in them; the mirror realm on the other hand is almost completely dark and empty, but seems to connect to every reflective surface in the world. it seems unlikely that this realm was carved out specifically for blake and rose, given how big it is, and the fact that several others are able to enter it, including faerie and demons, with some like bloody mary seeming specifically adapted to the space. you could argue it's not even a realm so much as a very limited filter through which to view and interact with the world, but some major realms, like the spirit world and ruins, also function kind of like filters, mapping pretty directly to the mundane, physical world, with different features emphasized, and populated by specific types of others. i'd term realms like the mirror realm something like 'thin realms' or 'bare realms'.

mirrors, and mirror worlds, are a concept that have a fair amount of meaning in human thought, so it makes sense that a realm specifically highlighting them could exist. thinking of other features that could define an otherwise bare realm, that could form something coherent if everything else in the world were filtered out, that specific types of others could find a niche in, the first thing that comes to mind is something like the 'nowhere space' from hilda. it's made up of the combined unused space in a given human dwelling: the gap between furniture and floor or wall, the space inside a shelf when its drawers are pulled out, the back of a closet behind what's stored. outdoors, the realm becomes a massive, unnavigable void, as so much space is unused for human purposes, with no thresholds to subdivide it. in hilda, the indoor sections are mainly inhabited by nisse, house spirits, but in the otherverse i could see it also being home to the predatory monster under the bed and monster in the closet. this one almost exists as a counterpart to the ruins, where the denizens are mostly echoes and incarnations of human emotions and concepts, and areas of the landscape unvisited or uncared for by humans drop into nothingness.

other potential realms: the light, the world extending only as far as the light touches, changing with the passage of the sun and the flicks of switches, and its inverse, the dark, the shadow realm, inhabited by others to whom light is anathema. there could also be realms defined by life or lack of life, or realms inhabited by elementals that can only exist in bodies of water or near sources of heat. in fact, i think the digital aether is the most similar example in a known realm. originally, it might have existed as a bare realm of electrical impulses, with only the occasional flicker of lightning and animal nervous systems, but as the transfer of power and data along clear lines became so integral to human technology and culture, others began to fill the available niche, and the digital aether ascended into mainstream relevance among practitioners, or at least technomancers. 

sight also strikes me as relevant. the default for sight seems to be a view into the spirit world, layering that realm over the physical world as a filter that can be interacted with or adjusted to focus on whatever the practitioner chooses. the line between a thin realm being another level of reality or simply a way of perceiving the world might be academic; for a fish that can never breathe air or walk on land, what it can sense in the water might as well be all that exists in the world.

[arbiterlexultionis]

This came out significantly longer then intended, but this builds off a lot of ideas I've been having for Ages so I had to give in and let the words flow lol.

So, to begin with, team Phantom’s dynamics are a little strange, even by super hero standards. These strange dynamics are, mostly, due to the strangeness of Danny and his power. His powers and skill set, and to a lesser extent the threat level of his enemy’s, grew at an exponential rate, while his friends and sister had a far more linear trajectory. Don’t get him wrong, their assistance proved itself invaluable dozens of times over, especially in the early days. Tucker’s one of the the greatest tech geniuses, and technomancers, on the planet, Sam’s such a good shot that comparing her to anyone that isn’t a costumed weirdo who’s whole shtick is hitting the bullseye is laughable, Jazz is at a similar level of CQC and unarmed combat mastery, capable of giving anyone that isn’t an ancient a run for their money so long as she has the right weapons and time to think, while The Red Huntress is The Goddamn Red Huntress.

But by the time they made it to senior year Danny could overshadow technology almost as well as Technus. He could land shots on par with Sam’s while controlling the trajectory of his blast with pinpoint accuracy from miles away. Could defeat even some of the weaker ancients without any fancy powers and once bare knuckle boxed Ares for six hours while in human form after Zeus tried to fuck around and fuck his sister without her consent. And while Valerie’s skills as the huntress were undeniably absurd by normal human standards, Phantom was three steps ahead from day one, and for every step forward she took Danny strolled forward ten.

So while team phantom is ridiculously impressive on their own even without Danny, enough to even give some of the core members of the JL some trouble so long as they had time to plan and prep, their assistance mostly just makes Danny's job a little easier and provides moral support. But thats not a bad thing, especially the "Moral Support" part, quite the opposite in fact. The exponential growth of Danny's powers and skill paled in comparison to the exponential growth and his sacrificial bullshit and guilt complex. He tore himself apart, picked out every little flaw and failure and spiraled into endless self depreciation. Taking on more and more responsibilities, duty's, guilt at every opportunity. So team phantom stepped up, lessoning his burden and bearing the weight of the world right alongside him. Not through, or rather not just through, their clenched fist, barred teeth and the fire in their eyes and hearts, but through gentle words, gentler hands and warmth. Quite talks and muffled laughs echoing long into the night. Even if they would never stop trying, never even think about stopping, to keep him safe and fight along side him, trying to watch his back and shield his front, they knew that if Phantom couldn't win even with all the plans and strategies and intel they helped him gather and create, then no one could.

So if they couldn't protect his body they would protect his heart. His mind, his kindness, his Soul. And when their brother and brother in all but blood needs them, they will be there for him. And when Danny starts to make googly eyes at the girl up the street? Fawn over the pretty boy at the coffee shop? "Shit! Sam some posers trying to steal Danny's heart, lets go let 'em know that if they break it we'll steal theirs. Slowly. With a dull, rusty spoon. After we saw off their fingers and break all their limbs. Maybe gouge out their eyes and rip out their teeth while were at it."

"So, there's this really cute guy who's been coming to my cafe lately." Jasmine hummed, in place of the nod she would most definitely do if they weren't talking over a phone. "And he keeps asking for the worst combination of drink's I've seen!"

Jasmine rubbed a cloth over one of her many knives, careful of the blade. "Oh really?" She asked, placing it down when it shined and picking up another.

"Yea!" Danny idly grabbed a few cups to mix a drink for one of his patrons. "Can you believe the amount of caffeine he asks for? That's enough to put even me in the ground, and I'm literally half dead!"

"And you still served it to him?" Jasmine's voice carried a smirk, her fingers moving quickly in the repeated and well-practiced movements of reloading a pistol.

"Yea, of course!" Over the phone Jasmine could hear a faint good morning, most likely from one of her little brother's customers, as the boy himself said good morning in turn. "I'm honestly just waiting for the day he doesn't want caffeine, if I'm being honest."

"So, do you know his name by any chance?" Jasmine got up, snapping both her gun and knives to their places on her legs and belt. She picked up a large case holding her good, good friend. "I would like to have a little chat."

"Yea its-" Danny paused as an innocent smile appeared over Jasmine's face, even though he could see it. "Jazz- Jazz no."

"I don't know what you mean." She most definitely knew what she meant.

"Jazz- Jazz please he's just a guy-"

"I know."

"Jazz, please he's done nothing wrong-"

"I know." She opened her case, briefly checking over the components of her sniper rifle, before shutting it back. "I'm not going to do anything, I just want to talk with him."

"Right, yea." Danny deadpanned. "When you mean talk you mean put the fear of the Ancients in him."

Jasmine chuckled. "You know me so well, little brother."

[fanaticfanficwriter]

The Painting:

You sat on your bed, phone in hand still trying to gather the courage to text your boyfriend.  You had this pictured in your head for a while and it wouldn't leave you alone no matter how hard you tried!  You're certain Kokichi would go along with it as long as he wasn't busy, it's an interesting enough premise and oh boy does Kokichi like it interesting.  But you have such terrible anxiety that you can't bring yourself to ask such a thing, even though your heart knows he'd do it.  You decide to put your phone away and focus on experiment ideas. 

You look around your Ultimate Lab and notice a certain robotic rabbit was missing.  You sigh and walk out of your lab in search of one of your first creations.  You tried to think back to other places you've seen him in the past, but couldn't think of a pattern.  You walk aimlessly in hopes of finding him, but to no avail.  You aren't afraid he'll hurt anyone as that's against his programming.  However, Oswald was created as a prankster with an attitude and good luck.  How can a robotic rabbit have good luck guaranteed?  Well, as the Ultimate Technomancer you can do lots of weird stuff no ordinary person could pull off.  This includes stuff like giving robots magical powers and making the lights change color without a special lightbulb.  You stumble upon Shuichi while walking around and ask him if he's seen Oswald.  Shuichi said that he hasn't seen Oswald, but he'll let you know.  You end up in the lunchroom and try to brainstorm where he could be.  Why haven't you put a tracking device in that damn rabbit at this point?!  You'd use the security cameras, but you're a bit scared to ask permission.  You shouldn't be, they'd probably allow you to use them, you're the ULTIMATE TECHNOMANCER for crying out loud!  You see Teruteru making a big cake nearby and you scamper out of the lunchroom out of pure fear.  You calm yourself down and continue walking, deciding out of annoyance to go down to the security camera office, or so you thought.  Due to all the walking around you did, you had gotten your directions mixed up and now you're lost…  You pull out your phone and bring up your custom map, quickly making a route for the security office.  You don't get too far unfortunately due to hearing the doors you just left, fling open.  You turn around to see Kokichi riding atop Oswald, both having some of Teruteru's cake on them.  "I should've figured you'd both be together…" you stated in monotone. 

Kokichi sat on Oswald's shoulders eating some of Teruteru's cake with a smile on his face.  "Can I have some?" you asked.  "Sure!" Kokichi happily responded.  Oswald hops a bit closer and leans down a bit, Kokichi holding his plate out.  You grab the fork only for Kokichi to shove the plate of cake into you face.  "Giddy up horsey!  Hyah!" Kokichi yelled as you stood there in shock.  "I'm not your FUCKING steed!" Oswald yelled.  You flip Kokichi off as him and his accomplice hop away.  "Fuck it, that smooth bastard owes me!" you yell in anger, voice muffled by cake. You wait impatiently in an art studio you rented along with a professional portrait painter, waiting for Kokichi to show up.  You had texted him an hour ago to meet you here in his Supreme Leader get up minus the mask.  Where the hell was he?  "So you're one of those Ultimate kids, huh?" the painter asked.  "Yup, I'm the Ultimate Technomancer!  And you'll be painting my boyfriend today!  I sure hope he stays still for long enough…" you replied.  "What's a technomancer?" the painter questioned.  "A technomancer is like a necromancer but instead of puppeting the dead, I puppet anything powered by electricity including electricity itself!  I'm also very knowledgeable about electronics." you stated dramatically.  "And the Internet!" a voice piped in.  

You turn around to see Kokichi in his Supreme Leader outfit, which was the same shit he wore to school, but had the lovely additions of a snazzy hat and a nice cape.  "I wish I controlled the Internet, I can't do that." you said.  "Hey, did you call me here for a nude painting?" Kokichi asked.  You blushed intensely, "N-no!".  Kokichi started crying, "WAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!  You don't love me anymore!!!  Was this relationship all a lie to you?!".  "Quit it with the crocodile tears, you drama queen…" you replied.  "And to think I was going to ask you to marry me tonight!  I had a romantic candlelight dinner planned!  There were gonna be ROSES!  ROSES!" Kokichi yelled while doing over-the-top poses.  "But what about the twins?!" you screamed, startled.  "You're pregnant?!  When were you going to tell me?!" Kokichi exclaimed.  "I-I didn't tell you because you're not the father!" you stammered.  "Who is the father then?!" Kokichi asked angrily.  "It's Kiibo!" you cried.  The painter looked very stressed to be there to witness all of this unfold.  “That two-timing bastard!” Kokichi yelled.  “That WHAT NOW?!” you yelled in shock.  “U-um excuse me!  Should I leave?  You two sound like you need a moment…” the painter interjected.  You both turn to the painter with the most innocent smiles possible.  “Not at all! What gave you that idea?” you asked.  The painter gulped in response and walked over to their easel, reluctant to paint but willing to for such a good pay.

Kokichi walks up to the throne you had put there and sits down.  “What do you want me to do, my true love?” Kokichi asked in a dramatic tone.  “Just sit there for a moment, I have to set up some stuff.” you responded.  You wave your hand and the lighting changes around Kokichi.  “Wow!” the painter exclaimed.  “If you think that’s cool, you’ll shit your pants after what I do next!” you bragged.  You pull out a Gameboy Advance SP and turn it on, the painter looking at you in confusion; Kokichi probably also looking at you in confusion, but you can’t tell.  A Pokeball pops out of the screen, initially pixelated but turning realistic within a matter of seconds.  You catch the Pokeball and throw it, a blast of white pixels coming out as the Pokeball opens.  The white pixels fade to reveal a Houndoom and you watch the pure amazement on the painter’s face.  Houndoom walks up to Kokichi and sits at his side, awaiting more orders.  “Okay, so Kokichi, Imma need you to give me a good evil grin. One that screams, ‘I’m the leader of an evil organization and I mean business.’!  Houndoom, give off a menacing glare.” you commanded.  Kokichi and Houndoom obeyed the orders quickly enough.  “Excellent!  Kokichi, Imma need you to put a hand on Houndoom’s head, like it’s your evil cat or something.” you ordered.  Kokichi did just as he was told.  You give everyone the thumbs up to start and you sit there for hours on end.  It was pure torture for you and Kokichi, but you made it through.  You return Houndoom to its game and feel very dizzy afterwards.   “I’ll hand you the painting after it finishes drying and I add some finishing touches.” the painter explained.  “Sounds fine to me.” you replied.  

Kokichi walks up to you and puts an arm around you after the painter leaves.  “Let’s go to your dorm, I’m SOOOOO BORED!” Kokichi complained.  You both walk back to your dorm, with you feeling worse by the minute.  After a while of hearing Kokichi bitching about how bored he was, he started sounding weird.  Not wordwise but it sounded like you had cotton in your ears and every second it seemed like more cotton was being stuffed in.  You’re glad that you’ve made it into your dorm building, you’re even more glad when you manage to hear Kokichi say the word, “Elevator”.  Your walking became more of a stumble as you neared the elevator; Kokichi’s grip on you was tightening.  He uses his free hand to press the button to your floor while your vision starts to become wonky.  “Kokichi, I think I pushed myself too hard…” you warned.  You hear Kokichi say something, but can’t make it out.  “I can’t make out your words, I’m having a hard time hearing myself talk right now.” you admitted.  You felt scared, but felt safer with Kokichi nearby.  You feel the elevator stop and open, you watch Kokichi lift you up just as you’re about to fall on the ground.  He carries you in his arms out of the elevator, your vision distorting to the point where everything was spinning in all directions.  “My vision’s getting really spinny, Kokichi.” you told your boyfriend.

You feel Kokichi pick up speed and you see your dorm’s door shortly, the door color starting to change around the edges. Kokichi opens your door without taking you out of his arms and you both enter your dorm.  You suddenly feel nauseous as he carries you to your bed, he carefully lays you on your bed and leaves your room.  Your vision goes dark purple a moment after, but you’re somehow awake.  You faintly hear Kokichi talking and you try to get up, only to be too weak to get up.  You feel Kokichi prop you up and put a glass to your lips.  You start drinking what’s in the glass but gag after a moment of drinking it.  Orange juice, of course.  You take a moment and drink the entire glass along with a second he had with him.  Your vision returned shortly after that, but you still felt weak.  “Thanks a lot…” you uttered out.  

Kokichi sits next to you, holding your hand and looking at you.  After 10 minutes your hearing clears up thankfully.  “I think my hearing’s back to normal now.” you said.  “Are you sure?” Kokichi asked.  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure.” you responded.  “You shouldn’t push yourself so hard y’know.” Kokichi stated.  “I’m sorry, I wanted it as authentic as possible.” you responded.  “You don’t need to strive for authenticity when a Houndoom is being painted, you almost fainted from the strain!” he scolded you.  “I know…  I should’ve practiced it for longer periods of time before having the painting done and none of this would’ve happened…” you admitted.  “The important thing is that you learned your lesson…  Now let’s cuddle a bit before going to sleep!” Kokichi said.  “Sounds like a great idea to me…” you replied.  

[booksandchainmail]

Pale 9.3

The door banged against the shelf, wedged between wall and bookshelf, so it jutted out and got in the way of the door opening.

Avery-at-home chapters are always exhuasting

“Stop looking at porn and let me download my update, Avery!” Declan shouted, fighting with Sheridan now.  Avery only had glimpses. “It’s not porn. Why is that everyone’s go-to? Is it that common a thing?”

I think if Avery's ever going to want to actually watch anything explicit, she'll need to take Verona up on that offer to watch at Verona's house

Sheridan looked down at Declan, who elbowed her in the gut.  “I’m thinking… speaking of blood and violence, I don’t think our parents understand video game rating codes.  That game sure looked violent and bloody.”

hahhaha. get him.

Avery got her phone.  “This is my life now, you know.  Opening strange files from strange men on the internet is pretty minor compared to some other stuff I’m doing.” “It’s so weird you see me as a man. I’m still a teenager in my head.”

still not entirely sure how old Zed is, but I'm thinking eighteen at the oldest

“Is that okay?  It’s not an emergency or anything, but I feel like if we didn’t touch base every once in a while we’d drift apart.  I don’t want that.  I’m trying to hold onto connections.”

being the person who reaches out for regular connection times is an underrated and incredibly valuable trait in a friend

“Isn’t that what we all want?  Isn’t it that we want to make the world better, we care, but we can’t agree on how?”

oh. Avery is really sweet! Actually amazing that she's still holding onto this after *waves vaguely at prior arcs*

"I feel like video calls might not be enough, uh-” “I’m a technomancer, Avery. I can eat, sleep, and breathe in the internet. If you want some tips on getting set up, I can help. With a few tweaks it wouldn’t be much different from face to face. Video calls aren’t an issue for me.” “But there’s no true substitute for real life."

so this was written during the pandemic

“They really need a team player, he said.”

yeah avery speaks this guy's language

“What do we know about the space?  This new Path?” Avery asked. “That it’s crowded,” Zed said. “A lot of Others they’ve seen elsewhere on the Paths are there. He seemed to think that by getting to the right position, they could block the movements of some Others who tend to come out of nowhere and ruin your day.”

might be a good place to look for Miss?

“The time, the expenditure of power, my siblings being annoying.  I’m thirteen and you’re… seventeen?” “Yeah.”

oh thank you for finally clarifying that

“It’s fine.  Don’t sweat it, Avery.  You’re a friend, and even if you’re younger, it feels like… I dunno.  A little bit like I can fill that hole in my heart where my sister belongs…” Avery pressed both hands over her heart. “…and a bit like I can mentor you and maybe help in a way that I would’ve wanted to help when I was your age. Not that our experiences are much alike at all.”

awww

I hurt some friendships along the way. I got desperate to hold onto those identities, I got mean, I got into the moderator politics and manipulated the systems, tried to sabotage people who questioned the lie.

I'm picturing Zed wrapped up in one of those tumblr fake identity scandals a la hivliving

And I was out the door.  Some sarcastic comments to go.”

“Um, geez.  That’s… that’s a nightmare.  What did you even do?”

"And I was out the door. Some sarcastic comments to go.” “Um, geez. That’s… that’s a nightmare. What did you even do?” “Freaked out.  My thoughts got pretty dark for a good while, there.  I’m pretty darn lucky that people at the youth shelter had, uh, very gentle voices.

I wonder if Zed has talked with Nicolette about this? Sounds like they had some similar experiences, though he found a safer way out.

And a few years later, here I am. Found myself, not lying anymore. I’m pretty good at this technomancy stuff. All it took was- was support.”

explains why Zed's so set on helping people out, being that support to other people that he got

“Yeah.  She makes games for these make-a-game-in-12-hours competitions.”

impressive for an eleven year old. I think at that age I was pretty much just playing around with Scratch

“You said something that scared him so badly he’ll want to go on a plane?”

Zed is an excellent friend

Sheridan shrugged.  “I don’t care.  I’m just tickled I got to see the look on Declan’s face.  Outside of that, I don’t give two shits who’s miserable or not.  Except, you know, you whine.  That’s a bit annoying.”

aww, she cares

“Do you think your friend who knows stuff about computers could score me tickets to anywhere that isn’t this shithole town?”

or that

“It’s starting to feel like you were recruited with a siege in mind, as much as anything,” Verona said.

something to think on: what situations are the new Others most useful in? I guess Ken is the only one who was purpose-made for this, rather than happened to be in the area and got recruited. I'm now wondering if any of the new Others were specifically recruited to help when the murderer takes the judge's seat.

Avery pulled on her deer mask, antler broken, and Verona did much the same.

will the broken mask end up impacting her practice? I could see it getting fixed in some symbolic way. Deers grow back antlers every spring, right?

Avery nudged it, careful, then investigated.  She pulled out a knife. “You’ll be loaded to bear by the time we’re done here,” Verona said. “I’ve gone through four hockey sticks, I should have something,” Avery commented.

I feel like she should stick with something with that reach and heft though, since she's already used to wielding it and moving quickly. Maybe a polearm of some sort? Or a hefty longsword. Though the trap in using Maricica's glamour for the charm bracelet might make it harder to transport

“Fernanda asked and I’ve been thinking about it, and I think I’m better at… touching base.  Departures, arrivals, and making contact.  I circle around and I get in touch with people.”

yes! This is what I've been saying! And big props to Avery for finding confidence in an area that isn't athletics. Also, nice job in linking it into her theming.

“You’re nicer, too, so you don’t scare them off when you get in touch.” “Yeah. I wasn’t going to say it, but…”

also what I've been saying

“I kick myself for not stepping in sooner, when Lucy was interrogating Nicolette, or when we got on the wrong side of Yadira.  I played along because I wasn’t sure.  And that ended up hurting us a bit.  I want to do that stuff.”

I've talked before about how Avery's lack of self-confidence can hold the group back, so I'm really glad to see her recognizing that and working on improving. This is a major step forward for her.

“I could do with that city navigation magic.”

oooh that would be neat

[dailycharacteroption]

Races Among the Stars 6: Ilthisarian

They say that history repeats itself if the incautious forget it. However, the inhabitants of the planet Arshalin do not have that problem, for the terrors of their history loom over the horizon of their world as a constant reminder.

Whether it was the ilthisarians themselves who built it or some unknown spacefaring people, a great space station of colossal size broke apart and crashed onto their world, leaving massive hunks so large they dwarfed the mountain ranges and cut off entire ecologies, leaving them to evolve separately and leave scholars wondering how life flourishes on the world now.

Either way, whether they are descendants of native life forms or the makers of the station whose fragments now are a part of the landscape, the ilthisarians believe in a philosophy of tradition and caution, approaching new ideas hesitantly, though not shutting their hearts to new and strange ideas entirely.

 This focus on caution and contingencies is even reflected in their biology, for ilthisarians resemble large serpentine creatures moving on a powerful tail with a split tip. They sport two strong arms and hands, and thick reptilian scales. They also sport a cluster of smaller snake-like necks and heads surrounding their main, reptilian cranium, giving them the appearance of a brawny, more bestial medusa. Additionally, they sport several redundant internal organs, letting them survive grievous injuries that would fell many other life forms.

 Focused as they are on tradition and upon stability, the ilthisarians enjoy a relatively calm existence on their world, steadily progressing and developing their culture along sure paths with only their scientists pushing the envelope at a comparatively sluggish pace compared to the fantastical science of other species. This caution also means they seen no need to expand into a region or conquer it for it’s own sake, instead being primarily resource-driven.

They also seem to act as stewards to another sapient race on their world, the bestial ethesks. Though not much details are given on them, they seem at least partially genetically engineered, though there appear to be populations that exist free, particularly near the south pole of their world, which harbors ruins to ancient reptilian gods long abandoned by the ilthisarians, who are mostly non-religious in the modern era, forgoing brutal bloodthirsty gods for the likes of Abadar and other gods of civilization and protection, when they follow a deity at all.

While their homeworld has many dangers and mysteries, the ilthisarians have little interest in solving them anytime soon, and in fact it is rare to see their kind spacefaring, though they are perfectly capable of doing so, such travellers having a goal in mind or perhaps being oddities among the cautious reptiles.

 Strong and intelligent, ilthisarians are quite used to making use of their strength and size, though their stubborn nature makes them somewhat vexing.

Whether it be their claws, their tail, or the many fanged mouths surrounding their core head, these reptilian beings are always armed, though such weapons pale in comparison to modern weapons.

Their redundant vitals also protect them from grievous injury, though obviously this is not perfect. They are also well-inured to poisons due to their marshland home biome.

That same marshy home also means they are well-adapted to moving in water and muck as well.

 With their strength and intelligence, martial classes like soldier, vanguard, solarians are common career choices for them, as are technomancers and mechanics (particularly exocortex mechanics that focus on melee weaponry). Their species history of bioengineering also makes them capable biohackers, and plenty of them may embrace the path of the evolutionist or nanocyte if the process can at least be controlled somewhat. Their large size might make operative an odd choice, as does the improvisational nature of the envoy, but they can make up for this by focusing on the more skillful and less stealthy sides of those classes. Though not religious, they also can make capable mystics, as well as precogs or witchwarpers, the former seeking the safest path to the future, while the latter focusing on alternate worlds that are more stable than the present.

 That about does it for today, but I hope this glimpse sparks you interest in these mighty serpents!

[theglamorousferal]

Technomancer Tucker

Tucker knew he was liminal. Hard not to be when you stood maybe ten feet from a portal to the afterlife opening, that time he had ghost powers, the many, many possessions, and the exposure to all things ghostly he faced on a day-to-day basis. He knew he was just slightly to the left of human, just like Sam and Jazz. He knew it came with slightly enhanced senses, slight extra strength and speed, a slight lengthening of the incisors and ears when angry or stressed. A bit of a glow (he started buying highlighter and convinced his parents it was a new fashion for guys to cover it). 

The effects came all at once when he’d had his growth spurt. He shot up like a weed and became this gangly thing until he started to fill out as he got more involved with the ghost fighting. His parents chalked up his growth spurt to his newfound athletic ability. It had taken a bit for him to get used to his new size, strength and speed, but it’d been a year now and he’d settled into himself.

That’s why Tucker knew something was happening to him, he just didn’t know what. He could tell something was going on, but couldn’t pin exactly when it started. He noticed that he was rapidly improving at hacking, coding and building tech. That there was a sort of buzzing beneath his skin. That he was almost able to just think of what he wanted to do and touch his stylus to the screen and it would happen. He began to dream of coding and schematics for new things. 

He buys a drone kit, sets himself up to build it, and finally the buzzing has dulled. He digs in with near violent enthusiasm and are his hands sparking? Why is this going so quickly, it’s like the parts are assembling themselves as he thinks of where they need to go.

His fingers fly across the keyboard, adding lines of coding to customize what he needs it to do. He notices a reflection in his glasses and finds his eyes are glowing. He sees along his fingers that lines of binary seem to shift across his skin like veins.

The buzzing has stopped, settling in as a soft purr in his chest where Danny says his core is. This startles him and he presses a hand to his chest feeling the vibrations.

He wants to feel startled. He wants to panic.

Instead he feels at peace. He finds himself almost sighing, thinking oh, that's why.

He's developing a ghost core.

Ancient of Space Danny

Danny doesn't notice at first.

That's a lie, he knew something was happening to him, he just didn't know what.

It's been a year since he took the title of High Prince, the Zone waiting until his ghostly majority was reached to crown him King. He doesn't like to think about the fact that it'd be on his 100th deathday, as thinking about the fact his family will be fully dead and he'll be spending eternity doing paperwork made him panic. He's mostly adjusted to the influx of power he gained by taking over as King. New artifacts were made better to suit him, new royal jewels made for a more peaceful rule. The ring, made of onyx, containing a star sapphire that glowed an icy blue. The crown made of ice that shone bright white, electricity flashing in the crystals. The Ring of Peace, and the Crown of Chaos. Both artifacts together helped him as the new Balance. The point between life and death.

His power had settled in the last year. He'd spent hours training with Pandora and Frostbite to control the strength to his attacks. He talked more with his sister , and found he did like meditation. He kept track of his progress with the help of Sam, Tucker, and Jazz. He was settled.

So why did it feel like his skin was too small for him now?

Why does it feel like no matter how much power he expends, that there is still more to him?

Why doesn't he tire anymore? He's not sleeping, he doesn't feel tired, but people aren't supposed to be awake this long right? It's been a week.

His skin itches as he lays there trying to sleep. Tossing and turning, and why do I feel bigger than my body?

He finally decides to just go for a fly, maybe it will help tire him out if he does a few laps around the city. He transforms and shoots off above the cloud cover. He bursts through the clouds and he can see the stars and the moon and -

Peace.

His skin stops itching, his body seeming to radiate outwards, glowing like a beacon. Waves of an aurora begin to trail behind him as he paints the sky with light.

A cloak of stars tumbles into existence from his shoulders and his arms extend outward as if to embrace the clouds. His smile grows and grows and it's so large it's nearly splitting his face. His hair flows around him and little glittering stars fall from it like snow. His eyes darken to black holes with pinpricks of light at the center. His laughter echoes through the air, the clouds muffling it to sound like thunder.

He glides through the sky, broad strikes of light dancing behind him until finally, finally, he tires.

Slowly he begins to shrink, he morphs back into his normal body. the cloak of stars fading away, his hair moving it's normal way, no stars falling from it, his arms folding in on themselves until they are back as well. His eyes brighten back to his normal ecto-green. His smile softens until a small contented sigh leaves his lips.

Drowsily he gently floats back to his bedroom window and flops onto his bed after transforming back into Danny Fenton.

Tomorrow he'll have to figure out what is going on. Tomorrow he'll have to face whatever it was that just happened. Tomorrow he'll have to tell everybody else about what happend.

For now, he's going to finally sleep.

[cynical-sprite]

The Baldur's Gate 3 Companions In Modern and/or Sci Fi/Futuristic AUs

Lae'zel:

This is pretty obvious; she would be soldier. Even in a modern or Sci fi AU, her people would still be very militaristic.

In a modern AU, this would be standard military, probably infantry. Though, if she does ever become kith'rak and mount a dragon, this could also extend to her being a fighter pilot as well.

In a sci fi/future AU, her role would be basically the same, but think more Bangalore from Apex Legends or the Titan Class in Destiny.

Gale:

Gale would likely be a professor of something, probably science and engineering (who's also extremely knowledgeable and well read in just about everything else as well). This one's a little bit more difficult because there's two types of settings this could be done in: a setting where magic does exist, or a setting where it doesn't.

Obviously, the easiest and most accurate setting to do this in whether it be modern or sci fi, would be a setting where magic and supernatural forces exist. He could be basically a modern-day wizard, think something like Dr. Strange of Marvel or even Wraith from Apex Legends, who can harness the power of the void.

If it was more of a sci fi/future AU where technology substitutes magic, it would be something more like some type of technomancer or an engineer that creates and uses such advanced technology that allows them to do seemingly magical feats (Arthur C Clarke's third law of prediction: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.), kind of similar to Mirage in Apex Legends. I guess you could also think something along the lines of biotics in Mass Effect as I guess they could possibly fall into this category as well. Also think the Warlock Class in Destiny.

Astarion:

In both modern and sci fi AUs, Astarion would be a former beurocrat/politician turned theif once he was turned into a vampire and made into a slave for the one who turned him. Story-wise, not much of a difference. Equiptment/ability-wise, he'd likely have some type of cloaking or teleporting/translocating equipment/abilities of some kind, think Loba of Apex Legends or the Infiltrator Class in Mass Effect.

Wyll:

In both modern and sci fi AUs, Wyll would still be some type of living legend, made a name for himself and got famous for his many acts of heroics.

In either AU, if, not so much magic even, but the occult/supernatural exists (this would be the easiest and closest to accurate AU), obviously he'd have made a deal with a demon in exchange for supernatural powers.

If it was more of a technology substitutes magic and occult type of sci fi/future AU, maybe his deal was made with a powerful AI, allowed it to merge with him/his body to become host to it (think similar to the way Johnny Silverhand's engram shares a brain and body with V/resides in V's head in Cyberpunk 2077) in exchange for powers/abilities given to him through the advanced technology the AI is made from. (Again, think along the lines of Arthur C Clarke's third law of prediction: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.) Once again, think similar to the Warlock Class in Destiny or technomancy.

Shadowheart:

In both modern and sci fi AUs, Shadowheart would obviously be a priestess in a cult. Again, whether or not magic or the supernatural/occult exists in the AU, would make a difference.

In either AU, if magic or even the supernatural/occult exists, obviously, her cult would worship some type of dark deity which bestows supernatural powers/abilities on it's chosen followers, and that's where her abilities would come from.

In a more technology substitutes magic and occult type of sci fi/futuristic AU, the "deity" the cult worships is actually an extremely powerful AI, and certain chosen members undergo cybernetic modification to show their devotion, and this is what grants them their abilities.

[officialleehadan]

Technomancer

Hello darlings and Happy Inauguration Day!  I know I don't usually get political here, but today is that rare exception.

Today's story was brought to you by Mae! I know we don't talk much, darling, but you're a joy, and I look forward to getting to know you better!

Prompt: In the City, with a little more about the triad's relationship

+++

“Sure, I have a statement about the rumors that Shadowcloak and I are the same person,” James said, out of patience and ready to be done with the absolute idiocy of the last year. Cameras flashed all around him, and there was a chorus of startled cries and shouted questions from the news group that had decided to ambush him on his way back from the office. “My name is James, but you can call me Technomancer, and believe me when I say, I’ll be your worst nightmare.”

With that, he turned crisply and, with a grace that had never come naturally to him and took hours of practice, got into his waiting limo.

Ghostmaker slid in moments after him, shortly followed by Shatter. They were playing security for him for the moment, and were both uncharacteristically subtle in matching fitted suits and wide sunglasses that hid most of their faces. The two villains stared at him for a long moment, and were nice enough to wait for James’s driver to close the door before they burst out laughing.

“Technomancer?” Ghostmaker wheezed through gales of laughter. James rolled his eyes, but kissed his laughing boyfriend readily. They had talked a lot, after their date, and he was, tentatively, delighted with the new state of things. Sure, being in a poly triad with two gorgeous, terrifying, notorious supervillains wasn’t exactly what he expected, but he was certainly happy about it. “Good name, I admit, but what are you thinking?”

“That maybe if I declare myself a rival villain to Grey, we can finally settle this stupid who’s who,” James explained, still impressed with himself that me managed to get into the limo without falling on his face. Stairs, steps, railings, and really pretty much anything else that required his interaction were always a risk. Both Shatter and Ghostmaker did their best, but even their truly impressive competency wasn’t always enough to keep him from hurting himself on things. “Even better, because now Kathryn and I can have screaming fights in public about her torrid affair with my heroic enemy. She’s gonna love the drama of it.”

“I’m not sure if this makes you more or less likely to be shot at,” Shatter said, but she leaned over for a kiss anyway. The kisses ere a new part of their relationship, but one that James was enjoying immensely. Ghostmaker watched them with palpable appreciation. James still didn’t know why the two villains chose him for their boyfriend, but he wasn’t really one to refuse good luck on the rare occasion that it came around. “Kathryn is gonna yell at you.”

“Kathryn yells at me all the time,” James said, entirely unconcerned about the famous temper of his younger sister. She would get over it. “Anyway, it’s not like people weren’t shooting at me anyway. Maybe if they think I’ll shoot back, some of them will knock it off.”

“That’s not usually how it works,” Ghostmaker said with a rueful chuckle. He draped his arm around James’s shoulders as the limo started moving towards home. He wasn’t as verbal as Shatter, most of the time. It came with his senses being what they were. He could hear and smell emotions, and sometimes forgot that other people couldn’t. He was, however, very touchy, and more so now that he knew that James didn’t mind it. Shatter, of course, was used to it. “How are you even planning play this thing?”

“No idea, but it’ll be fun,” James told him with a grin as he started thinking over all the gadgets he could get away with carrying in public now. Villains could do all sorts of things that normal people couldn’t. and he intended to make himself significantly harder to kill. Maybe he could even figure out “We’ll have to talk with Grey, but if I’m gonna be seen with you two all the time, I won’t have to do much about building a reputation.”

“We work with Grey all the time,” Shatter pointed out. Unless you want us to declare against him. We could make a huge show out of it. Grey would play along.”

“I thought about that part,” James said, because he had. They were all working together for a reason, but that reason wasn’t one of the Big Hero reasons. They had been working for month to root out a particularly horrifying league of conspirators who dealt in everything from human trafficking to domestic terrorism. It was the kind of thing that most of the Powered community just couldn’t hunt down, because they were too focused on other things. “It might throw people off our trail if we start acting like the other Powers. We’ve been quiet, and the big movers and shakers notice quiet.”

That was a problem, and one that he, as the technical side of their operations, had to address. Their plans hinged on them hunting down all the twisty, corrupted tentacles of the conspirators before they acted to bring them down.

Surprise was their one advantage, and they needed to preserve it to have even the slightest change against the enemies they faced. Even with surprise on their side, it was going to take a lot of work, and a lot of luck, to survive what they were trying to do.

But until then, they had to get home, and talk to Kathryn and Grey. Make a plan for the ‘conflict’ between them that would, hopefully, be enough to hide what they were really up to.

“We’ll make a real villain out of you yet,” Ghostmaker said approvingly, and grinned toothily at Shatter, who only reapplied her favorite silver lipstick with a steady hand before putting her little compact away again. “But you can deal with your sister by yourself.”

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In the City:

James is not the vigilante, but his sister knows who is.

Lobster Bisque

Balcony Coffee

Bang Bang

Closed Cameras (Subscriber Only!)

Shot Not Dead

Trip Don’t Fall

Silver Shine Smile 

With a Side of Shooting  (Subscriber Only!)

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More Stories!

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[xasha777]

In the year 2432, a relic from the ancient Neo-Babylonian Empire, the Tablet of Nabu, resurfaced after being lost for centuries. The tablet, which held cryptic instructions using cuneiform script, was rumored to contain the secrets to a technology far beyond human understanding. Dr. Elara Myles, a leading expert in ancient languages and cybernetic enhancements, was tasked with deciphering the tablet's mysteries.

Elara, part-human and part-cybernetic, bore the cutting-edge synthesis of ancient aesthetics and futuristic technology in her design. Her creators at the Terra Firma Corporation designed her with the capability to interface directly with various ancient artifacts, and the Tablet of Nabu was her most challenging assignment yet.

As Elara connected with the tablet, her cybernetic implants—subtle lines and interfaces along her skin—illuminated, pulsating with the rhythm of her computational processes. The glyphs began to translate, revealing a map that pointed to a hidden dimension overlapping the ancient city of Babylon.

Driven by the knowledge she uncovered, Elara embarked on a quest to locate this dimensional rift, navigating through the remnants of the old world and the sprawling technological megastructures of the new. Her journey led her to the deserts of what was once Mesopotamia, where amidst the ancient ruins, she found the dimensional gateway.

As she activated the gateway, Elara was transported to an alternate dimension where the Neo-Babylonian Empire never fell but instead evolved into a society where magic and technology were indistinguishable. Babylon was a city of glowing ziggurats and hovering gardens, a testament to a civilization that had mastered both the arcane and the digital.

In this world, Elara met scholars and technomancers who had awaited her arrival, prophesied by the Tablet of Nabu. They revealed that Elara was not just a creation of modern science but the culmination of millennia of planning—a bridge between the ancient and the futuristic, designed to usher in a new era of unity and advancement.

With the technomancers’ help, Elara learned to harness the combined powers of her cybernetic enhancements and the ancient magics of Babylon. Together, they worked to stabilize the connection between the two dimensions, ensuring that the wisdom of the Neo-Babylonian Empire could help guide humanity’s future.

Back in her own dimension, Elara became a symbol of hope and collaboration. Her existence proved that the barriers between the old and the new, the magical and the technological, could be transcended. The wisdom of the ancient world, combined with the innovations of the future, promised a new dawn for humanity, one that was as radiant as the hanging gardens of Neo-Babylon itself.