The Forever Tree/M&M2e

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Hoid
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[Earth-L]The Swimmer of Deepnothing and his companions!

Post by Hoid »

[Earth-L]the Swimmer of Deepnothing and his associates!
the Swimmer of Deepnothing
Crunch Writeup: KORE has her barbs in him...
Originally named Arthur Karen, the Swimmer of Deepnothing is over a hundred and thirty years old, but physically is still a fit and Hale man in his twenties. As an Ogremagus, his body only begins to fail a few days before old age claims him—-and that, clearly, has yet to happen!

He and Qishshut were an elderly gay couple, that married as soon as American law allowed such a thing. Their dedication to each other was evident. They’d been together over fifty years, by that point.

Then, the Day of Ogrefalling happened. Snatched up by the jaws of Urizen and infected with Ogresymbiosis, the Swimmer of Deepnothing became an Ogremagus, just as his husband became an Ogresymbiont. Shortly thereafter, the Swimmer budded off an Ogre Doll he named Ramsey.

The Swimmer of Deepnothing was one of the pioneers in the establishing of a global Demiogre civilization. Furthermore, he was one of Earth-L’s first Demiogre oneirkinetics, and could even physically enter the Hibernating Realms (the Prime Dream-Resonance of Earth-L).

Unfortunately, it was while exploring the Hibernating Realms that the Swimmer of Deepnothing met his doom, in the shape of KORE. KORE, an oneiric cosmic entity desiring transformation into a higher-order intelligence, decided to hollow out the Swimner of Deepnothing to ‘wear’ him as a meat-puppet. She nearly succeeded.

The Swimmer of Deepnothing’s husband, Qishshut, at that time possessed a starryfire gem, and could have engaged in mental combat to protect his beloved. In a moment of cowardice...he fled. The Swimmer’s psychic screams filled the aether, and KORE laughed. The Swimmer’s higher brain functions were cauterized and KORE prepares to injectva small piece of herself 8ntonthe Swimmer’s emptied brain...when...

...Qishshut returned, and, in a strangled cry, burnt out his starryfire gem to instantly drive KORE away.

It was too late, though. The Swimmer of Deepnothing would never recover. He no longer recognized his own husband, no longer knew how to speak, no longer knew even who or what he was. The Swimmer merely existed 8n a fuzzy moment of ‘eternal now-ness’, an unending fugue that never varies.

Qishshut and little Ramsey now take obsessively attentive care for the Swimmer.

Of course, escaping the attentions of something as vast as KORE is never so simple. In the Swimmer’s case, a door into the ruins of his consciousness was left behind by KORE. Of course, KORE can only Initiate a possession-attempt but the once...but, she may have found a way AROUND this limitation.

Ramsey, the Swimmer’s Ogre Doll
Crunch Writeup: ...and even Ramsey is in KORE’s unknowing service.
An Ogre Doll, Ramsey began life as a literal tumor on the side of the Swimmer of Deepnothing. The tumor kept growing, and, eventually fell clean off. A few days later, Ramsey hatched, ready to serve his ‘greatersourceself’.

Placeholder.

Qishshut
Crunch Writeup: Another pawn of KORE.
Originally named Robert Karen, Qishshut is over one hundred and twenty years old, but physically is still a fit and Hale man in his twenties. As an Ogresymbiont, his body only begins to fail a few days after old age claims him—-and that, clearly, has yet to happen!

He and the Swimmer of Deepnothing were an elderly gay couple that married as soon as American law allowed such a thing to happen. It wasn’t needed, as the two’d been together for over fifty years, but, the symbolism of it all mattered to both men.

Then, the Day of Ogrefalling happened. Snatched up by the jaws of Urizen, Qishshut was infected with Ogresymbiosis and became an Ogresymbiont, just as his husband became an Ogremagus.

Qishshut, along with the Swimmer of Deepnothing, is one of the founders of modern Demiogre culture, language and spirituality. Furthermore, he eagerly helped his husband literally physical map out Earth-L’s Hibernating Realms. It was a marriage full of excitement and adventure.

Then, both men met KORE, and Qishshut’s cowardice damned the Swimmer of Deepnothing to non-sentience. KORE, an oneiric cosmic entity desiring transformation into a higher-order intelligence, decided to hollow out the Swimner of Deepnothing to ‘wear’ him as a meat-puppet.

KORE wished a new puppet, and chose the Swimmer of Deepnothing. Normally, neither man had a hope in hell of resisting, but a starryfire gem had been in Qishshut’s belongings and could have been used to fight KORE off. However, seeing KORE’s oneiric immensity, Qishshut panicked and fled, only to return at the last moment to drive KORE off.

The damage was done, however. Cursing himself for his weakness at the Swimmer’s moment of need, Qishshut mutely took up caring for the Swimmer and accompanying him wherever he goes.

Of course, escaping the attentions of something as vast as KORE is never so simple. In Qishshut’s case, KORE left a kernel of dark wisdom, a process via which the Swimmer might be restored—-which would, in actuality, finally finish the possession-process KORE had started then abruptly stopped. Qishshut thinks this idea his own, and broods on it, constantly.
Last edited by Hoid on Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:23 pm, edited 9 times in total.
Hoid
Posts: 3556
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[Multiverse-wide]The Tlolkku Obserr Generals, I of III.

Post by Hoid »

[The Forever Tree’s parallel-Earths]The Tlolkku Observer-Generals Part I of III.
Here’re the Tlolkku Observer-Generals of the parallel-Earths of the Forever Tree.
Crunch Writeup: BEHOLD...!

Earth-A: Sollune.
“Burning bright”. These words guide Sollune, Ho has become fused with one starryfire gem and obsesses about finding others. With one, he is mighty. With five, he is godlike. With twenty, he might actually rival an imperiex. Ambition consumes Sollune, and he would murder anyone and commit any atrocity to gather more starryfire hems.

Placeholder.

Earth-B: Metamorphilosopher.
A fervent user of the Tlolkku drug metamorphilosophy, Metamorphilosopher is a shapeshifting of limited power, but great versitility. A great-granddaughter of the previous Earth-B Observer-General, Metamorphilosopher gained her position in the traditional Tlolkku manner—-namely, assassinating the old codger and pinning the blame on someone else.

Though born female, Metamorphilosopher has switched genders so many times that gender has become meaningless to her.

Metamorphilosopher is obsessed with capturing and vivisection the Dream Moth—-and giving herself his IMMENSE power. Lirunaur is aware of this plan of hers, and has covertly acted to ensure each attempt by Metamorphilosopher to successfully carry through this agenda fails miserably—-all without implicating Lirunaur in the least. Still, Metamorphilosopher continues, and may one day successfully attract the Earth-B imperiex’s attention—-a result she will quickly regret.

Earth-C: ELL.
Placeholder.

Earth-D: Bloodywulf.
He has a lion’s mane of upwards-sweeping hair! He smokes cigars and broods a lot! He whines about how everything is unjust and how X-treeeeeeem it’s made him! No one gets him, and the deaths of all those people were totally not his fault!

Placeholder.

Earth-E: Cipher.
Placeholder.

Earth-F: Raptor.
“Control the skies, control the ground.” This statement is dear to Raptor’s heart.

Placeholder.

Earth-G: Deiphyla.
Placeholder.

Earth-H: She Who Comprehends.
Placeholder.

Earth-I: Osseus Shell.
Placeholder.

Earth-J: Skiesserene.
Placeholder.

Earth-K: Gigantomorph.
Placeholder.

Earth-L: Owtsydr.
We are the supreme form of life, the Tlolkku tell themselves, and all other living things exist only at our sufferance. Other beings are but motes, here and gone, while we endure forever. Despite this being a frankly false belief, it nevertheless pervades Tlolkku culture and civilization. They even view the Sunsphinx as mere pretenders to Tlolkku glory. It’s why Tlolkku hate Starvampires so much—-the only equals the Tlolkku accept are their undead cousins, and this is a blight they cannot accept.

Owtsydr, therefore, has committed the ultimate sin: he has more than accepted a non-Tlolkku as his equal, he’s her mate. While Tlolkku lack marriage as humans understand it, mated pairs are something sacred to them. It acknowledges someone else as being more than just your equal, but as a trusted equal. And, in the academic viper-pit that is Tlolkku society, this is a powerful statement. Placeholder.

Earth-M: Morphean.
Placeholder.

Earth-N: Romularus.
Placeholder.

Earth-O: der Hexengeist.
Placeholder.

Earth-P: 4-Saykinh.
Placeholder.

Earth-Q: Nemesis/Sun.
Placeholder.

Earth-R: the Manichaean.
I am a loyal son of my people, the people. i am afloat. help me i’m drowning. I have advanced science greatly with my daring researches into previously forbidden territory. its worming it’s way inside now i can’t find my way out help. I am celebrated by all—-which is why I am appointed Observer-General of Designate-R. i can feel it’s jaws in my brain. It is a great honor. EEEEEEEEE I am well-pleased by these accolades. let me go let me go let me go! My life is exactly as it should be. phthaghn. Nothing is amiss. help me. Everything is fine, thank you for asking.gods of my ancestors i am not as i am as i am not. I am overjoyed at the benevolence shown me by Supreme Scientist Lirunaur. STOP STRUGGLING AND THE PAIN WILL CEASE. Happy. yes. no. no! Yes. YES. Happy. FHTHAGHN.

Earth-S: Gargant.
Placeholder.

Earth-T: Hydra.
Placeholder.

Earth-U: Antaeus.
Placeholder.

Earth-V: That Which Stands Apart From all the Others.
That Which Stands Apart From All the Others is actually TWO entities, puppetted from afar by one hostile non-Tlolkku Intelligence, which has effortlessly infiltrated Tlolkku civilization and society. Placeholder.

Earth-W: Bahamoath.
Placeholder.

Earth-X: the Runesmith.
Placeholder.

Earth-Y: He Who Devours Thoughts.
Placeholder.

Earth-Z: Udaeus.
Placeholder.
Last edited by Hoid on Tue Nov 10, 2020 8:33 pm, edited 46 times in total.
Hoid
Posts: 3556
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 7:52 pm
Location: The Forever Tree

[Multiverse-wide]The Tlolkku Observer-Generals, Part II of III.

Post by Hoid »

[The Forever Tree’s Perpendiculars]The Tlolkku Observer-Generals. Part II of III.
Here’re the Tlolkku Observer-Generals of five of the six Perpendiculars of the Forever Tree. Placeholder.
Crunch Writeup: Here—-...!

Perpendicular-1: ’Copperbones’.
Placeholder.

Peroendicular-2: sUt.
Crunch Writeup: ...here, O traveler, is the answer to thy questions!...
SUt is dealt with, elsewhere.

Perpendicular-3: Ixion.
Ixion, Ixion,
Flew too close to the sun.
Ixion, Ixion,
Nowhere left to run.
Ixion, Ixion,
Leader of the pack.
Ixion, Ixion,
Never coming back.
Ixion, Ixion,
Slit his own damn throat,
Ixion, Ixion,
When he tried to fly that boat.
Ixion, Ixion,
Killed everyone of them.
Ixion, Ixion,
Exiled to the realm of men.

Placeholder.

Perpwndicular-4: Necronaut.
Once, I was like you: alive. Vibrant. Happy, even. I had ambition and intelligence and the will to succeed.

Then, I died. Then, I came back, changed.

Among the True People, the soul, even the very concept of the soul, is considered a dangerous myth. One...simply ceases to be, upon death. One just...winks out, gone. Forever. Resurrection technology has never been our forte. The worthy lived; the unworthy died: why resuscitate the unworthy? Tlolkku never sought such knowledge, for, we thought, there was no knowledge to gain in the FIRST place.

Oh, how we were wrong. How wrong I was, to even think such foolishness.

I died, you see, and the men in dark cloaks with sharp blades came for me. I tried to pretend it was all some mad fancy...but it wasn’t. No matter how much I denied it, there it was, staring me in the face. I protested, but it merely shook its head, saying
, You cannot fight this. The nameless weaver has ended your narrative. It’s time to move on. And with those words, we were off, racing down, down, DOWN!
Placeholder.

Perpendicular-5: the Forsaken Disciple.
Never Let It Be Said That Kknowledge Comes Without It’s Due Share Of Suffering.
In My Hubris, I Looked Into The ABYSS And The ABYSS Tore Out My Soul And Replaced It With A Tainited, Empty Core. Placeholder.
Last edited by Hoid on Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:49 pm, edited 5 times in total.
Hoid
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 7:52 pm
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[Multiverse-wide]A Tlolkku missive!

Post by Hoid »

[Multiverse-wide]A pair of Tlolkku communications.
”To our lord, mighty Lirunaur,
“Our research into cosmic prognostication has reached a most final conclusion. All our test-subjects are dead. Making contact with our counterparts below burnt out their brains and rendered them vegetative. No attempt at neural regeneration has succeeded.

“But our project has also been successful. It is my pleasure to announce a successful First Contact with what we refer to as Multiverse-2. We sent a series of messages, and received a series of coherent replies:
Querry: Can you understand us?
Reply: We hear you. Little cousins. Little reflections. Pure images of a warped mirror. Yes, we hear you.
Querry: Is it possible to have a face-to-face meeting? We are most eager to see how you...we...have progressed.
Reply: Yes.
Querry: Weve marked a location of the dimensional map we sent you. Is this spot agreeable for our historic summit?
Reply: To stand in the light is agreeable. Wherever you choose is agreeable. We are most eager to see what you have, up there amidst the brilliance.
Querry: We have little in the way of professional diplomats. Do you find it agreeable if we send a diplomatically programmed robot along with our own people?
Reply: Send whomever you wish. It is all the same, to us.

“They have agreed to a meeting! How fortuitous! We await your commands before proceeding further.
For the glory of the True People!”

—-

“This is Supreme Scientist Lirunaur, to Project: MIRROR-IMAGE,
“We are most pleased by this turn of events. Do not proceed any further until my negotiators arrive. They’ll be arriving via diplomatic ark. You are to extend the diplomats a warm, friendly welcome. They will be essential to the next step in the process.

“Promotions for everyone involved are assured. Lock down the facility, enter quarantine protocols. The diplomats will be bringing news of reassignments for all non-essential personnel, as is customary.

“We expect great results from further exploration and exploitation of this mission.
For the glory of the True People.”

—-


”It is done. Tlolkku base firebombed. No survivors. No distrsss call was sent; the deception worked perfectly. Recommend further observation of the Tlolkku’s involvement in the Roots.”
Last edited by Hoid on Tue Oct 23, 2018 11:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Hoid
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Re: The Forever Tree/M&M2e

Post by Hoid »

I’ll be touching up a huge number of these posts, fleshing out a lot of material that is essential to the setting but I was too lazy to work on ‘til now. Tomorrow, that is.
Hoid
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 7:52 pm
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[Simshu]Zazu Sha!

Post by Hoid »

A Tale of One Man’s Descent into Hell...and His Eventual Re-Emergence!
Crunch Writeup: Here.
Being born in the Infinite Roots means life is a harsh taskmaster, at best. Born in Simshu, a agonizingly dimensionally compressed half-universe, Zazu Sha grew up in a world where cause and effect had broken down. Time happened out sequence, the future creates the past and effect produces cause. A nonsensical reality where nothing is dependable and nothing stays the same from moment to moment.

Amidst the blackened ruins of Simshu’s New York City, Zazu Sha learned at an early age to never trust anyone. Perpetually on the run from cannibal gangs, hideous, sludge-covered Death Titans and warlords filled with nonsensical visions of utter insanity, he discovered nothing could be depended upon. If you don’t take something for yourself, then you’ll get nothing.

When the sun disappeared for a year and a half and a planet-killing Ice Age almost occurred, Zazu Sha ate other human beings to survive. When the Death Titans named Eastfield and Westfield set off nuclear bombs in Las Vegas, only for broken reality to say, “No, no, it actually happened on the moon”, causing the Moon Split Incident, he murdered hundreds to ensure his own safety. He even literally killed his past self, discovering Simshu ‘said’ Zazu Sha still existed, despite what feeble causality claimed. He even ate the flesh of the undead and suffered as lesions opened up all over his body as a result.

In his dreams, a raven shrieked, burnt-out eyes staring malevolently into Zazu Sha’s soul. Upon waking, Zazu Sha decided to turn this nightmare into a weapon. Donning a black costume with a raven motif, he became a fierce feared killer and marauder. After that, the dream of the raven was the only dream Zazu Sha ever had.

To Zazu Sha, this was just the way things were. It was the only way.

Then...he saw them.

One night as the sun split in half, set, rose again unharmed and then set once more, a rift in space opened and something impossibly beautiful came through, a shining figure of light that hurt Zazu Sha’s eyes to gaze upon. This god—-what ELSE could it be?—-looked down and saw Zazu Sha...then turned his gaze on the rest of Simshu. In those eyes, Zazu Sha saw something new: he saw pity. He saw compassion. The figure reached out to talk to Zazu Sha when the rift disgorged more strange visitors, other gleaming paragons who dragged the first figure away.

As the rift closed, an apocalyptic burst of light screamed down upon Simshu, and it burned out Zazu Sha’s eyes, blackened his skull and burnt away his face. He fell to the ground in screaming agony. What allowed him to conquer the pain was the realization that strange figure was from a better place, a safer place—-a happy place. At that shattering realization sank in, Zazu Sha howled inarticulate rage at the chaotic skies.

Zazu Sha now knows Somewhere Else exists. He now knows happiness is achievable there. He knows the shining god left Simshu to suffer. Zazu Sha, in that mad moment of inchoate hatred, vowed to find this Somewhere Else and burn it to the ground.

He searches now, Zazu Sha, for a way up...up to storm the gates of Heaven.
Hoid
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[Earth-I]Superhumanity! Part One of three.

Post by Hoid »

[Earth-I]Superhumanity. Part One of three. The Ir/Maker and Urut-nnil.
—————Who is the Ir/Maker? What is Urut-nnil?
Short answer: the Ir/Maker is the sundered consciousness of a severely wounded higher-order Intelligence. Urut-nnil is the severed body of a massively injured higher-order Intelligence.
Long answer:
The Ir/Maker and Urut-nnil are the same entity severely disjointed mentally into two aspects, by its own inefficient creation by the Worldfather and also due to an injury in a galaxy-shattering battle with Aum. The Worldfather rushed the creation of many of His final higher-order intelligences, leaving in massive flaws He otherwise would have corrected before awakening His creations.
As a result, Urut-nnil is so inefficiently built its own powers were tearing it to pieces. The Incarnae, Avatars and Disciples were the solution...as was separating its consciousness and flesh unique beings. The only way to survive, in other words, was to willingly give itself Disdociative Identity Disorder.

—————So, they’re basically the same being?
Short answer: Kinda. Sorta. Not really.
Long answer: It’s much more complicated than that. They certainly began as one entity, but the inefficiency of its creation, combined with the battle with Aum, led to a fracture that, in some ways, is still deepening and widen8ng. The Ir/Maker is the main consciousness, with the Incarnae being lesser slivers of the entity’s self-image. Urut-nnil is the hulking, shuddering mass of a body, a whirling mess of eyes and mouths and writhing hands.
They can’t exist without each other. Without Urut-nnil, the Ir/Maker dies and its memetic core passes on to whatever mysterious fate awaits cosmic entities and higher-order intelligences. Without the Ir/Maker, Urut-nnil becomes a bestial, whirling congery of human-like body parts, a great pile of biological nonsense compelled to grow infinitely.

—————Where do these two come from?
Short answer: The Worldfather, otherwise known as He-who-is-now-Dead.
Long answer. Before despair overwhelmed Him and He ended His own life, the Worldfather had enough compassion left in Him to create a series of ‘replacements’. Much weaker than Himself, each of these entities was, by definition, a higher-order intelligence. Urut-nnil was one such replacement. The Solar Lion was another.
Urut-nnil was given a purpose: travel to Earth-I and assist humanity to ascend to the status of Space Gods. Urut-nnil obediently did as commanded, but was ambushed along the way of Aum, another higher-order Intelligence. Though the Ir/Maker will never know the reason why Aum attacked it, the result was Urut-nnil successfully arriving at Earth-I...hemorrhaging power and dying of the cosmic equivalent of a giant head-wound.
Everything that followed was Urut-nnil successfully saving its own life...at terrible cost.

—————What’s their purpose, that the Worldfather gave them?
To stir the pot, to brew up chaos and to reduce Man to a more primitive lifestyle. The Ir/Maker carefully chose each of its aspects based on this imperative, this need to cause disorder and panic. It is obsessed with this task, yet must also prevent humanity from destroying itself, with a nuclear war or otherwise. It is a fine balancing-act.
The criteria for an aspect is as follows: selfish, but not necessarily evil. Uncaring, but not necessarily cruel. Without remorse or regret, but not necessarily a sociopath.
Placeholder.

—————...and something like that is an imperiex?!!
Unfortunately, yes. Consider: the Solar Lion wishes the multiverse to continue. Sometimes, that means ugly things need doing. Sometimes, things like the Ir/Maker are a necessary evil. Placeholder.
Last edited by Hoid on Tue Mar 26, 2019 2:50 pm, edited 13 times in total.
Hoid
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[Earth-I]Superhumanity! Part two of three.

Post by Hoid »

[Earth-I]Superhumanity. Part two of three. The Incarnae.
—————What’re Incarnae?
Short answer: Incarnae are the strongest superhumans native to Earth-I.

Long answer: Urut-nnil cannot contain its own powers inside of itself; this—-combined with severe injuries from a battle with another higher-order intelligence named Aum—-caused it to split itself between its body (Urut-nnil) and its consciousness (the Ir/Maker). However, even this division was not enough, and further division was immediately required.

It found five individuals, mundane human beings who would carry out the Ir/Maker’s design for humanity and gave each one fifty one ‘shavings’ of its power: Immortal Brands and Immortal Staves.

But even this distribution of power was not enough for the Ir/Maker to safely process its own energies. Each Incarna was ordered to find another mundane human being of like mindset and bring these people before Urut-nnil. There, the Incarnae had some of their powers shunted into these new individuals, creating Avatars of each Incarna.

This was enough to ‘bleed away’ the dangerous excess of energy for the Ir/Maker, but Incarnae and Avatars found themselves crippled with pain. They must divide their powers...or die. Each Avatar took their master’s Immortal Brands and gave one Immortal Brand to one mundane human being. Once all the brands were gifted, the Incarnae and their Avatars were now in balance.

An Incarna is a self-aware aspect of the Ir/Maker, blessed with an Immortal Staff and vast powers. Incarnae are the most powerful superhumans native to Earth-I.

Each Incarna has a self-aware sub-aspect called an Avatar. Avatars contain a portion of their Imcarna’s immense, inchoate Powers, and serve their patrons out of instinct, burnt onto their cortexes by the Ir/Maker. An Avatar is nowhere near as powerful as their Incarnae.

Each Incarna has fifty much weaker minions known as Disciples. The lowest rung of the ladder of being that is Urut-nnil, each Disciple possesses a single Immortal Brand. This gives them superpowers. These powers are weaker than Avatars, and’re the same powers for all Disciples of a specific Incarna.

Qimrri can’t become Incarnae. Sunsphinx can’t become Incarnae.

—————What is an Immortal Brand? What is an Immortal Staff? How does one acquire them? What do they do?
An Immortal Staff is a quarterstaff-like implement containing a large portion of the powers of the Ir/Maker. Each Incarna possess a single Immortal Staff, which is the source of their powers.

An Immortal Brand is a dagger-like implement that likewise empowers Disciples.

How does one acquire such potent items? You are given them by the Ir/Maker in the case of a new Incarna, or are given them by an Avatar in the case of new Disciples.

—————So, they’re Devices, right? Can anyone steal them?
Short answer: no and maybe. Placeholder.

—————Why were the Incarnae chosen? What does the Ir/Maker intend them to do?
Short answer: Destruction. To reduce human population. To send Man back to pre-Industrial Revolution levels.

The long answer: Urut-nnil isn’t a benevolent force in any manner we’d understand it—-Urut-nnil, despite swearing to safeguard the Forever Tree (in general) and Earth-I (in particular), it does not do this out of anything remotely resemblibg compassion. It does this because it must. And to its alien mindset, “Necessity is the mother of invention” is taken to its logical conclusion. The human beings that survive the Incarnae Will, in Urut-nnil’s mind, be better able to survive any outside enemy might be thrown at them. Placeholder.

—————Why would anyone follow through with instructions like that?!!
Short answer: They were carefully chosen by the Ir/Maker for psychological suitability. It deliberately chose s****y people to empower.

—————Who are these Incarnae, anyway?
Ba is the Incarna of Clay.
Crunch Writeup:

Ka is the Incarna of Stone.
Crunch Writeup:

Khaibit is the Incarna of Glass.
Crunch Writeup:

Ren is the Incarna of Iron.
Crunch Writeup: Taaa-daaa!
Able to mind control other beings in a variety of different telepathic means, Red can also turn to iron. His Immortal Staff—-the Weapon of Potentates!—-can create a limited array of very power energy constructs. His Avatar is Wyrmking, a more generalized telepath, whereas his fifty Disciples are linked telepathically with non-sentient animals.

Sheut is the Incarna of Bronze.
Crunch Writeup:

Placeholder.
Last edited by Hoid on Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:51 am, edited 11 times in total.
Hoid
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[Earth-I]Superhumanity! Part three of three.

Post by Hoid »

[Earth-I]Superhumanity. Part three of three.
—————What are Disciples?
Short answer: see the post above this one.
Long answer: see the post above this one.

—————How is a Disciple chosen?
Short answer: by an Incarna’s Avatar.
Long answer: an Incarna’s Avatar does the choosing, but the actual Immortal Brand is given to the Disciple-to-be by the Incarna himself or herself. The criteria for creating Disciples are non-existent, making it a crapshoot at best, a disaster at worst. Some Avatars try to pick Disciples with destructive or chaotic bents, but sometimes they choose Disciples for much nobler reasons. These means that some Disciples have consciences, whilst others don’t.
Disciples have no more free will, but they can choose how they carry out their orders. Some Disciples of a benevolent bent twist the letter of an Incarna’s order so successfully it actually backfires on the Incarna in question! A Disciple doing this must be careful, however, as Incarnae take none too kindly to this sort of behavior.

—————Can you steal an Immortal Brand and forcibly make yourself a Disciple?
Yes, you actually can do this! It is rare, however, and has only successfully happened a small handful of times.

Placeholder.

—————What happens to an Immortal Brand if it’s possessing Disciple dies?
Placeholder.

—————Are there any superhumans native to Earth-I not connected to the Ir/Maker?
Sure! They’re just well-hidden, considering the antipathy mundane humanity has the wildly destructive, feuding minions of the Ir/Maker. Few will make waves, hoping to not get up in the hysteria.
Cyborgs, disembodied brains, humans-turned-thoughtform, nephilim and thoughtforms-turned-human all exist on Earth-I. Three Sunsphinx live full-time on Earth-I. Alien/human h6brids exist. And as for Exotics, well, each is a special case, by definition.
Last edited by Hoid on Tue Mar 26, 2019 2:49 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Hoid
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[Earth-J]Setting! Part one of three.

Post by Hoid »

[Earth-J]The universe of Earth-J. Part one of three: a general overview.
—————What’s the current year?
2018 CE.

—————When did superhumans first appear?
The first sidhe and pooka appeared in 1999 CE, when the curiously alien Forever Enigma manifested in the atmosphere of Earth in the Earth-J universe.

—————What is the Forever Enigma? Where did it come from?
The Forever Enigma and it’s associated divers come from the Beyond and are not native to the Forever Tree. A vast psychic machine, protected by an endless mass of Moon-divers and Sun-divers, the Forever Enigma is sentient and trying to solve its own essential riddle: Who am I? What am I? What is my purpose?

As it is from the Beyond, the Forever Enigma is not ultimately of He-who-is-now-Dead, and indeed has qualities alien to most of the Forever Tree.

Placeholder.

—————Where is the Forever Enigma, now?
Chicago, Illinois, USA. It first was in New York City...then was in Berlin, Germany...then was in Tokyo, Japan...and now has come to rest in Chicago. It’s public knowledge the great engine will move on in a year or two, so, Chicago’s residents silently put up with the damn thing.

—————Tell me about the sidhe.
The sidhe (‘SHEE’) are Earth-J superhumans (‘diverhosts’) who’ve survived assimilation with a Sun-diver with their human consciousness intact. Wildly beautiful in a feral manner, sidhe are blessed with an Oneiric Raiment of savage grace. Sidhe powers are all focused through their Oneiric Raiments and thus have no genuine solidity to them.

Sidhe are beautiful, sidhe are graceful...sidhe are feral. Underneath the civilized facade lurks something wild and unnameable. All sidhe Oneiric Raiments are those of graceful, elegant mythological and phantasmagorical creatures. The laws of physics seemingly don’t apply to sidhe Oneiric Raiments, and even as they tear you to pieces they seem stately and serene.

Qimrri cannot become sidhe. Sunsphinx can become sidhe, however.

—————Tell me about goblins.
Goblins are Earth-J superhumans (‘diverhosts’) successfully possessed and who’ve lost control to a Sun-diver. Shrinking considerably and gain8ng a savant-like aptitude with technology, goblins are wild creatures of chaos and misrule. Unlike sidhe, however, goblins have no Oneiric Raiment...and thus, lack all subtlety.

Qimrri cannot become goblins. Sunsphinx cannot become goblins.
Placeholder.

—————Tell me about the pooka.
The pooka are Earth-J superhumans (‘diverhosts’) who’ve survived assimilation with a Moon-diver with their human consciousness intact. Giants with the heads of horses, pooka are immensely strong and blessed with an Oneiric Raiment of brute strength. Pooka powers (minus their very real horse-like heads) are all focused through their Oneiric Raiments and thus have no genuine solidity to them. These powers are blunt and direct and never possess any subtlety to them.

Pooka are hulking, pooka are slow...pooka are explosively angry, as angering a pooka is supremely easy. Never too civilized to begin with, pooka Oneiric Raiments are those of savage, blunt predatory beasts, some real,some from the depths of madness and fever dreams. These Oneiric Raiments are destructive and have no peaceful applications.

Qimrri cannot be pooka. Sunsphinx can become pooka, however.

—————Tell me about minotaurs.
Minotaurs are Earth-J superhumans (‘diverhosts’) possessed by and who’ve lost control to Moon-divers. Instead of horse-heads, minotaurs have the heads of aurochs, with a violent irritable temperment to match this visage. They have no Oneiric Raiment, being simple, pure brute force.

Qimrri cannot be Minotaurs. Sunsphinx cannot be minotaurs.
Placeholders.

—————Tell me about Moon-divers and Sun-divers.
Moon-divers and Sun-divers are the alien occupants of the Forever Enigma, ethereal living geometries that either absorb light (Moon) or generate it (Sun). Unable to exist outside the Forever Enigma due to how foreign the divers’ home multiverse is to the Forever Tree, divers discovered that, by merging with humans they could exist outside their sapient vessel.

However: divers are NOT thoughtforms, they are merely extremely alien and foreign to all forms of life in the Forever Tree. Effects that affect thoughtforms fail to function on divers, while effects that affect divers fail to work on thoughtforms!

—————What is an Oneiric Raiment?
An Oneiric Raimemt is an illusionary visage so real-seeming it has quasi-physical effects. Each diverhost has a single Oneiric Raiment, which is radically different from their human-like baseform. While wearing their Oneiric Raiments, even their personalities change!

Oneiric Raiments are telepathic in nature. As such, they are only quasi-real, and cannot genuinely affect reality. A pooka with crushing jaws in his Oneiric Raiment is actually just biting someone—-but the Raiment convinces both pooka and victim that crushing pressure is being applied.

The horse-like heads of pooka and the fangs of sidhe, however, are not part and parcel of the Oneiric Raiment, and’re QUITE QUITE real.

—————That sounds...familiar.
It should. The divers of Earth-J, the Manifold Giants of Earth-K, the Ogres of Earth-L and the Titans of Perpendicular-2 all come from the same mysterious source, outside the Forever Tree on the other side of the Beyond.

But the similarity between diverhosts’ Oneiric Raiments and Manifold Giants’ Mirrors are superficial. Diverhosts are not Titanblooded. Whereas the forms Godgiants wish up with their Mirrors are real and physically solid, an Oneiric Raiment is a ‘mere’ telepathic illusion. Thus, while a sidhe with an avian Oneiric Raiment has magnificent wings he or she cannot actually fly. A pooka whose Oneiric Raiment boasts one hundred hands doesn’t actually have one hundred hands—-just the illusion of having them.

This isn’t to say it’s easy to disbelieve such things, as Oneiric Raiments involve all five senses and can even temporarily fool machines and electronic surveillance. Furthermore, a form of hyperfocused telepathy, they can bypass physical armor and directly affect the mind.

—————Is diverhost-status heritable?
No. When a diverhost dies, it’s diver breaks free to find another host. Sun-divers always create sidhe and goblins. Moon-divers always create pooka and minotaurs.

The criteria by which a diverhost is chosen are nonexistent. The diver in question merely finds an available host not in a dangerous situation and claims them. The possession process is INCREDIBLY traumatic, and always results in a psychic clash of wills. Should the diver win, the host’s personality is consumed, and a goblin or a minotaur is the result. Should the host win, the diver’s personality is submerged, the host retains control and a sidhe or a pooka results.

On average, it is a 50/50 chance that could go either way, with no real advantages to either side in the possession process.

—————Are there superhumans on Earth-J unrelated to divers and the Forever Enigma?
Yes, there are. Known as calculationists, these people are born with superhuman levels of mathematical expertise, allowing them to do things like predict the future, read people’s surface thoughts and set off a Rube Goldberg-esque sequence of increasingly more unlikely events with some small inconsequential, initial action, such as flicking a penny at something or deliberately mispronouncing a single word in conversation.

Calculationist heritage is passed on through the father. Calculationists can become diverhosts, but, if the diver wins out, all calculationist abilities are lost forever

Earth-J also has nephilim, and, yes, some nephilim are calculationusts and/or diverhosts.

And, as always, Exotics can be found, here and there.
Last edited by Hoid on Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:50 am, edited 9 times in total.
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Posts: 3556
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[Earth-T]Superhumanity! Part one of two.

Post by Hoid »

[Earth-T]Superhumanity! Part one of two.
—————What are Embodiments?
Unique to Earth-T, Embodiments are a fusion of psychic human with shar thoughtforms. This creates a powerful fusion, the resulting being stronger than its individual components. The three known types of Embodiment are Avatars, Deniers and Inheritors. All three kinds of superhuman arise spontaneously from the ranks of Espers when shar thoughtforms attempt to possess them and become trapped inside the Espers’ spirit boxes

—————What are Avatars?
A type of Embodiment; Avatars represent a concept or a type of energy, Embodied in human form and gifted with extraordinary superpowers. These powers’re always related to or ‘themed’ in such a way as to best represent that concept or type of energy.

All Avatars started out as Espers.

Qimrri cannot become Avatars. Sunsphinx cannot become Avatars.

—————What are Deniers?
In some Espers, their spirit boxes become tainted or corrupted. The resulting Embodiments personify only one subject. That is: oblivion. Nothingness. The void.

Deniers countradict. Deniers counteract. Deniers negate, they refuse to allow superpowers to even exist. Deniers have no powers of their own, instead causing the powers of others to fail. Thankfully, this only works on the Embodied of Earth-T and Oneiric mutants from Earth-B.

All Deniers started out as Espers.

Qimrri can become something akin to D3niers. Sunsphinx cannot be Deniers.

—————What are Inheritors?
A type of Embodiment, Inheritors represent a location or natural feature of the landscape, and given superpowers related to or ‘themed’ in such a way as to best represent that location or natural feature of the topography.

All Inheritors started out as Espers.

Qimrri can’t be Inheritors. Sunsphinx can’t be Inheritors.

—————Is it possible to be both an Avatar AND an Inheritor?
Yes. Yes, it is. It is, however, highly unlikely, as two spirit boxes would have to be present in an Esper, in order to capture two different shar thoughtforms.

But...it has happened a handful of times. The Earth-J imperiex, for instance, is both an Avatar and an Inheritor. Then again, as an imperiex many rules break down in his presence...

—————Is it possible to be both a Denier, and...
Stop. Stop right there. The conceptual void a Denier destroys any secondary spirit boxes there might be in the Embodimemt-to-be.

—————What are Espers?
Psychic humans not yet merged with a shar thoughtform are known as Espers. Espers are weaker than Embodiments by a significant margin, but, each Esper holds a spirit box inside their minds that irresistible to shar thoughtforms. Thoughtforms enter these spirit boxes and become trapped. The resulting fusion of Esper and thoughtform is called an Embodiment.

Though many Qimrri and Sunsphinx are psychic, none can be Espers.

—————What is a spirit box?
Not actually a box, a spirit box is what differentiates Earth-T’s psychics from psychics elsewhere in the Forever Tree. A spirit box is a ‘cage’, a psychic construct within the minds of Espers that serves as irresistible bait to thoughtforms of the shar type. Shar thoughtforms are irresistibly drawn to possess Espers, but instead become trapped in the spirit box. The only way ‘out’ is through fusion with the Esper—-resulting in the creation of an Embodiment of some kind.

—————Do nephilim exist on Earth-T?
Yes, they do, though only in small numbers.

—————Can nephilim form a spirit box and eventually become Embodied?
Yes. Such a thing IS possible, however unlikely it may be. A few such ‘elohim’ currently exist.
Last edited by Hoid on Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Hoid
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[Earth-V]Ten proclamations! The Catastrophe, part One of three!

Post by Hoid »

[Earth-V]Ten proclamations. THE FALL, PART ONE OF THREE
The first proclamation: The Edict of Taxation Exemption.
By order of His Omnipotent Majesty Imperator Jax I, first citizen of the Terran association of worlds:
All taxation on Riligar shipping is to be suspended.
Thank you all for your time.
Praise the Imperator!


-

The second proclamation: The Edict of Supression.
By order of His Omnipotent Majesty Imperator Jax I, first citizen of the Terran association of worlds:
The First and Fiftieth Legions are hereby ordered to Nariligiri to suppress the unrest occurring on-planet. The First Legion and the Fiftieth Legion have been ordered to suppress the unrest as quickly and as efficiently as is possible, with as little loss of life as is possible. An Archonengine is being sent as support.
To the human citizenry of Nariligiri, His Omnipotent Majesty sends this message:
“Cease and desist all illegal demonstrations immediately. You have damaged trade with Riligar far enough. In this time of economic hardship, we find ourselves in need of Riligira goods and services. Any further illegal demonstrations harm the association and Humanity, as a whole.”
Thank you for your time.
Praise the Imperator!


-

The third proclamation: The Edict of Condemnation.
By order of His Omnipotent Majesty Imperator Jax I, first citizen of the Terran association of worlds:
The cowardly attacks that resulted in the Nariligira Arcanengine’s destruction cannot go unpunished. The Imperator has ordered all Nariligira spaceports closed, and all Imperial personnel are to leave Nariligiri immediately upon receiving this edict.
Henceforth, the following three actions are to be enforced as soon as all Imperial personell are off-site:

Nariligiri is under planetary interdiction. Until the cowards who destroyed the Archonengine are uncovered and brought to justice, travel to and from Nariligiri is forbidden.
All Imperial aid to Nariligiri shall immediately cease, save for the most basic of humanitarianism. This embargo will end the moment the perpetrators are brought to justice.
A military blockade will be set around Nariligiri. Any vessel not bearing the proper authorization will be perceived as hostile and immediately be attacked.
The Imperator thanks you for your time.
Praise the Imperator!


-

The fourth proclamation: A coded message.
Willim, you’ve got to get in there and break things up. The situation on Nariligiri is getting out of hand. Protests are being held on nearby planets. We need to nip this in the bud as soon as is physically possible.
Things aren’t going well here on homeworld. Our Imperator seems to think he’s become a god of some sort! Exactly when this delusion took hold is unclear, but it seems to have started up following the visit of the Sunsphinx delegation last fall. Jax seems to think he’s omnipotent now! He won’t even exit that ridiculous armor of his, anymore.
He even sent away that winged aberration he’s been sharing his bed with. As much as I hate to admit it, Jax’s ‘visitor’ seemed to reign in his worst excesses. Now
that’s gone, too.
Willim, the situation on Nariligiri is becoming dangerously toxic. Solve. It. By. Whatever. Means. Necessary!
Watcher Billion.


-

The fifth proclamation: Galactic News Network.
Good Evening, this s Genettica Langscroft of Galactic News Network with your evening reports.
Civil unrest over the Riligira tax exemption edict continues to unravel in the Sabsarruute Sector. Beginning on the planet Nariligiri, protests and demonstrations are now occurring on over a hundred Human-dominant planets. Six Legions have been dispatched by the Imperator to, as he puts it, “Calm the situation down before it explodes out of control.” Demonstrator ‘leadership’—-such as it is—-calls this a political maneuver designed to shield the public concerning recent accusations of anti-Human atrocities allegedly undertaken by the Riligira.
Earlier today, Imperial Secretary DeMoux stated that the Imperator was ‘working feverishly’ to end this unrest by diplomatic means. This, amidst persistent rumors Jax has suffered some kind of mental breakdown. Sources inside the Terran Palace indicate the Imperator is suffering from extreme delusions of grandeur and has, i quote, ‘Lost his grip on reality’. Secretary DeMoux has consistently called these charges baseless slander on the part of opposition leadership.
More on this story as it updates.
In other news...


-

The sixth proclamation: A message. A reply.
Jason,
Do you need help? I can call in the Sungods. I can come and help, directly! Why are you shutting me out? If you need assistance...
Joshua


Joshua,
I am quite fine. The situation is under control. If I can’t tend my own household then I’m little better than that coward on Designate-Z. I do not need your help. I am quite capable of handling this, on my own.
Jason.


-

The seventh proclamation: This just in!
Hello, I’m Archivald Collinswoeth filling in for Genettica Lanfscroft, and this is Galactic News Network.
We interrupt your standard programming with an important update on the anti-Riligira protests occurring on the Sabsarruute Sector and parts of the Millner Sector. Open fighting is now occurring on Nariligiri and seven other planets. The Mesh for both Sectors has gone dark, so getting an accurate accounting is difficult, but Icon reporters have been able to confirm the riots appear organized and coordinated.
Though the Imperator has yet to issue a public statement, we at Galactic News Network
can confirm two more Legions recently left port to head to the hotzone. Imperial Secretary DeMoux has declined our offer for an official statement.
It’s expected the Committee will be holding an emergency session, but as to what result that will have is unclear.
More on this as it updates. Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.


-

The eighth proclamation: A coded message.
Turn on GNN right now, Harold. Our Imperator has just declared himself a god! I told you he’s not been well! Now look at this bulls**t! The Committee Ministers are frothing at the mouth. At least they’ve not called for Inquiry, thank God.
DeMoux, he’s gone mad. I know he’s been your mentor for decades, but he
just declared himself a living deity! Maybe the Sunsphinx used a memetic weapon. Maybe those undead reptiles in the Outer Edges finally managed to get through Veiledwatch. In the end, it doesn’t matter. We have to stop him, DeMoux. Now!
Yes, Harold, I’m well are I just suggested treason. I’m well aware I could hang, for this. But, for the love of God, DeMoux, this cannot stand!
Join me before it’s too late...


-

The ninth proclamation: gigastation alert priority alpha
this is gigastation one. catastrophic system failure in veiledwatch protocol is underway. catastrophic system failure in coinwatch protocol in effect.
the mesh will be undergoing severe outages within the new few terran minutes. it is unclear how much of the system will survive these outages, as the mesh was never designed with this level of catastrophe in mind.
priority one recommendation: voluntarily deactivate the mesh. decouple terra from the network. Issue a recall to all icons to return to hub-one immediately.
awaiting instructions.


-

The tenth proclamation: The Edict of Control.
ATTENTION, ALL CITIZENS OF THE TERRAN ASSOCIATION OF WORLDS:
HIS OMNIPITENT MAJESTY JAX I HAS INSTITUTED MARTIAL LAW. HABEAS CORPUS HAS BEEN SUSPENDED. THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN DISSOLVED UNTIL THE CURRENT CRUSIS IS OVER.
PLANETARY COBTROL IS TO BE IMMEDIATELY TRANSFERRED TO LOCAL LEGION OFFICERS. CIVILIAN AUTHORITY IS SUSPENDED FOR THE DURATION.
PLEASE REMAIN CALM. MESH REACTIVATION IS OUR PRIMARY CONCERN. FOR NOW, THE GRID WILL BE THE PRIMARY METHOD OF COMMUNICATION. PLEASE ADHERE TO THIS. THE MESH IS EXTREMELY FRAGILE AND WILL NOT SURVIVE EXCESSIVE USE. ALL COMMUNICATIONS ARE TO NOW USE THE GRID.
TRUST IN YOUR IMPERATOR. TRUST IN YOUR EMPIRE. TRUST IN YOUR ASSOCIATION. THIS CRISIS WILL BE SOLVED. PLEASE BE PATIENT.
THANK YOU.
Last edited by Hoid on Thu Nov 26, 2020 8:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Hoid
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[Earth-V]Terminology!

Post by Hoid »

[Earth-V]Terminology.
The following terms are used quite often on Earth-V.
the Arcanengine:
.........-It original function long forgotten, the Arcanengine is a massive, immobile Idol that emits radiation of a most unusual kind, which transmutes sapient biological organisms into Arcaninauts.
.........-No longer functioning on a cognitive level, the Arcanengine is brainlessly carrying out its last order: to create deformed superpowered warriors.
Arcaninaut:
.........-A human mutated by exposure to the Arcanengine,
.........-An Arcaninaut is a mutant with vastly powerful superhuman traits.
.........-‘Born’ instilled with homicidal mania, Arcaninauts have formed a primitive tribal structure where the strong rule and the weak obey. Most such tribes consist of a small handful of Arcaninauts and hundreds (if not thousands) of mutants.
.........-Regular mutants worship Arcaninauts as gods.

beastman:
.........-A beastman is a humanoid goat with minimal sapience and extreme—-but still superhuman—-physical strength. Created long before The Carastrophe aa a caste of slaves to carry out Man’s necessary unskilled labors, beastman revolted when civilization collapsed and everything became ruined.
dreambeast:
.........-A dreambeast is a rarity, a beastman able to control dreamtechnology.
.........-Beastmen regard dreambeasts with superstitious awe.
ironbeast:
.........-An ironbeast is a beastman recruited by the Iron Enginseers. Beastmen fear and hate ironbeasts as devils-in-flesh.
ogrebeast:
.........-An ogrebeast is a beastman mutated by the Arcanengine. Most ogrebeasts belong to Arcaninaut tribes, where they’re treated as dumb beasts of burden.
.........-Among beastmen, however, ogrebeasts are often chieftains and dwell in savage luxury.
stormbeast:
.........-A stormbeast is a beastman Tempestineer. Only two stormbeasts currently exist.
.........-Most beastmen are unaware stormbeasts even exist.
xenobeast:
.........-A xenogen/beastman hybrid—-a true rarity!—-is known as a
.........-Regular beastmen live in superstitious terror and awe of xenobeasts, and sometimes worship them as gods.

bio-creche:
.........-A bio-crèche is a safe, ecologically pure zone. Bio-crèches are fiercely fought over.
bio-factory:
.........-A bio-factory is a bio-crèche used by the Iron Enginseers.

biostatus:
.........-Whether a mundane human being is a bioelite or a biotwist is referred as one’s biostatus.
bioelite:
.........-A bioelite is a human being unmutated by poisons released by The Catastrophe. They are usually the rulers of whatever small kingdom they’ve carved for themselves out of the wreckage.
biotwist:
.........-A biotwist is a lightly mutated, non-superpowered human. The vast majority of humans are biotwists.

Bot:
.........-A mysterious type of Icon and/or Idol connected mythologically with the Sleeping King, Botz are very real, but make no attempt at communication. Instead, Botz fanatically protect Rustdeity’s remaining skynodes, which’re slowly burning out and ceasing to function despite this.

brain-sickness:
.........-Mental illness.

Brilliant Angel:
.........-A Bright Angel is a creature considered a myth even by the superstitious peoples on Rustdeity.
Bright Angel:
.........-A Bright Angel is a Sunsphinx, and’re merely considered fables. A type of Bright Angel.
Dark Angel:
.........-A Dark Angel is an Apkallu, and’re merely considered fables. A type of Bright Angel.
Void Angel:
.........-A Void Angel is a Starvampire, and’re recognized as a very real threat by the few on Rustdeity that acknowledge their very existence. A type of Bright Angel.
Wyrm Angel:
.........-A Wyrm Angel is a Tlolkku, and’re merely considered fables. A type of Bright Angel

The Catastrophe:
.........-The Catastrophe—-also known as The Cataclysm or The Final War—-was a galaxy-wide conflict that saw the extinction of most life and the reduction of Rustdeity from glorious urban paradise to irradiated, poisoned industrial hellscapes. The exact reasons for The Catastrophe have long since been forgotten.

cybermagus:
.........-A popular term for an Iron Enginseer.

daemon:
.........-Malicious Artificial Intelligences of xenogen creation are referred to as daemons.
daimon:
.........-Benevolent Artificial Intelligences if xenogen creation are referred to as daimons.

Datasphere:
.........-The Datasphere is one of two VR-simulations, transmitted through and sustained by the degenerating skynode network.
Unlike the Godmesh, the Datasphere is a VR ‘overlay’, superimposed over regular reality by cyberimplants in one’s sense-organs, allowing for interaction with the Datasphere. Post-Catastrophe, only cybermagi tend to interact with the Datasphere (with the occasional Tempestineer being the exception that proves the rule).
Icons live in the Datasphere.
Godmesh:
.........-The Godmesh is one of two VR-simulations, transmitted through and sustained by the degenerating skynode-network.
Unlike the Datasphere, the Godmesh is an actual astral-Resonance captured and remolded by the Sunsphinx and given as a gift to Earth-V humanity. Entering the Godmesh requires technologically assisted astral projection, and can only be performed nowadays solely by the Iron Enginseers.
.........-Icons and Botz live in the Godmesh.

dreamtechnology:
.........-Machines designed to interface with the Datasphere and/or Godmesh are referred to as dreamtechnology (though this was most assuredly not What it was originally called).
dreamcrown:
.........-A cybernetically implanted dreamtechnology used to interface with the Datasphere. Unl8ke a dreamglaive, q dreamcrown once implanted is always on and cannot be turned off.
dreamglaive:
.........-A cybernetically implanted dreamtechnology used to interface consciously with the Godmesh and to astrally project oneself into the Godmesh.
dreamshell:
.........-A cybernetic suit of dreamtechnology power armor, a dreamshell allows for genuine physical immersion in both the Datasphere and the Godmesh.

Earth:
.........-The eldest name for Rustdeity, used in prehistory.

Echostation:
.........-A major Iron Enginseers bio-factory, the largest in a district.
Echostation synod:
.........-The largest Enginseer bio-factories, one per bloc.

Icon:
.........-An Icon is a VR-only Artificial Intelligence, existing wholly within the Godmesh.
Idol:
.........-A sapient robot is referred to as an Idol, and’re feared as daemon-possessed by biotwists.

Iron Enginseer:
.........-The few scientists who survived The Catastrophe became regarded with superstitious awe by other survivors.
.........-Becom8ng known as Iron Enginseers, these scientists know the truth of science and technology—-while outsiders regard it as unknowable sorcery.

mutant:
.........-A mutant is a human being twisted by the rampant eco-devastation into a horrifyingly misshapen deformity.
.........-oSome few mutants develop superpowers along with these deformities—-but most do not.

reaver:
.........-Bandits—-many of them beastman or mutants—-that prey on lone wanderers, readers are hated by everyone, even other reavers!

robot:
.........-Autonomous machines, only SOME of which are sapient.
golem:
.........-AI-equipped human-made robot.
puppet:
.........-Non-sapient human-made robot.
voidshell:
.........-Non-sentient xenogen-made robot.
xenodrone:
.........-AI-equipped xenogen-made robot. Xenodrones are quite rare.

Rustdeity:
.........-Earth, as its come to be called.
.........- is a planet encircled by a city that has fallen into utter ruin. The land is poisoned, so eco-recovery is no longer a possibility.

the Shattered Labyrinth:
.........-The industrial hellscape surrounding the Arcanengine is the Shattered Labyrinth, a twisting, mad maze of corridors, partially collapsed tunnels and mutant-infested complexes.
.........-The Arcaninauts rule over the Shattered Labyrinth as gods.

skynode:
.........-A skynode is a massive structure that serves several functions: one, as a transmitter for the Godmesh; two, as a hub for Icons and Idols; storage facilities for pre-Catastrophe DNA-samples; and finally, as conduits channeling power, leading...somewhere. Every so often this last function is remotely activated, and the skynode in question suffers a catastrophic burnout.
.........-No one alive today nor any Artificial Intelligence knows how to even repair skynodes, let alone build new ones.

the Sleeping King:
.........-According to legend, the last ruler of pre-Catastrophe humanity went into a psychic slumber, to awaken when Rustdeity needs him the most.
.........-The name of the Sleeping King has been forgotten, with many believers simply referring to him as ‘Jack’.

Tempest:
.........-THE bio-crèche, supported by dozens of still-functioning antigravity repulsors, Tempest is the two-mile-high tower used as a base of operations by the heroic Tempestineers.
.........-Bio-elites and Tempestineers are the sole inhabitants of Tempest, while Icons inhabit the tower’s Godmesh, vigorously guarding it from a meshassault that may never come.
angelic:
.........-The bizarre psychic golems protecting Tempest are known as angelics.
.........-Beautiful works of craftsmanship every one of them, angelics are sadly utterly dependent on Tempest for functioning. Thus, they cannot be deployed far afield from Tempest. As a result, all angelics work exclusively as guardians for the Tempestineers’ biocreche.
.........-With no exceptions, each angelic is PL7/133pp.
.........-Each angelic is psychic, but individual powers vary from angelic to angelic.
.........-If taken away from Tempest, angelics have but a few minutes’ operating-time before they shut down. (Returning them to Tempest reactivates them within the same few minutes.)
Cultivation:
.........-The process of generating a new Tempestineer’s Organisms is referred to as Cultivation.
Tempestinaut:
.........-Though not the leader of the Tempestineers, Tempestinaut is clearly the most powerful amidst their ranks.
.........-A Sunsphinx who had Organisms cultivated and proper training in their use given, Tempestinaut is one of Earth-V’s most powerful superbeings.
.........-On her own as a Sunsphinx, Tempestinaut is a top-tier telekinetic.
.........-As they were cultivated from Sunsphinx DNA, Tempestinaut’s Organisms are all extraordinarily powerful: her Mount can fly through space and dance on the surface of suns; her Sphere acts to amplify her telekinesis; and her Weapon bestows powerful combat-specific telepathy upon her.
Tempestineer:
.........-The superheroic beings on Earth-V, Tempestineers are bioelites that’ve had three superpowered organisms cultured from their own DNA then telepathically linked to them by Tempest’s few telepath-Idols. These three organisms are: a Tempestineer’s Mount (a sleek rideable beast of at least Large or greater size); a Tempestineer’s Sphere (a Small or smaller beast that serves as a ranged weapon); and a Tempestineer’s Weapon (a melee-based organism typically [but not always] shaped like a biological sword).
.........-Outside of these three cultured organisms (which’re best represented simply as powers with unusual descriptors), Tempestineers possess no superpowers.
.........-The Tempestineers are all based out of Tempest.
Tempestineer Mount:
.........-Always Large size or larger, a Mount is a sleek, hulking organism designed for the Tempestineer to ride into battle.
.........-Of the three organisms, Mounts are the most powerful.
Tempestineer Sphere:
.........-Always Small size or smaller, a Sphere is a tiny, easily-hidden organism able to fire projectiles or energy blasts of some kind.
.........-Of the three organisms, Spheres are the weakest.
Tempestineer Weapon:
.........-A bioweapon shaped into a melee weapon (traditionally a sword [but not always]), a Weapon is the Tempestineer’s companion in melee.
.........-Of the three organisms, Weapons are weaker than Mounts but more powerful than Spheres.

Terra:
.........-The name of Rustdeity, pre-Catastrophe.

xenogen:
.........-Sapient living creatures of utterly non-terrestrial origin; ‘aliens’. In the riots following The Catastrophe, most xenogen on Rustdeity were wiped out. The few who still survive are lethal in the extreme and’ve learned to NEVER trust humanity.
Last edited by Hoid on Tue Nov 10, 2020 8:48 pm, edited 14 times in total.
Hoid
Posts: 3556
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 7:52 pm
Location: The Forever Tree

[Perpendicular-1]Lulultulul!

Post by Hoid »

[Perpendicular-1]Lulultulul.
.,...,...,...,.Tell us a bit about Lulultulul.
.,.....Lulultulul is the first of the Forever Tree’s six non-parallel-Earth dimensions accessible from anywhere, known as Perpendiculars. Lulultulul is a verdant, green world with lush biomes full of life. Resources are plentiful, and famine and drought are a rarity almost never seem.
.,.....But, while the environment is kind and giving, the people are not. Two vast empires have been locked in a Eighty-six-year-old stalemate: the Dominion (ruled by the Four Earthly Kings) and the Sphere-Imperium (ruled by the Stormfather). The Dominion is a harsh dictatorship led by a superhuman junta, while the Sphere-Imperium is an enlightened dictatorship with a strangely benevolent tyrant.
.,.....The human inhabitants of Lulultulul are referred to as ‘Laruts’.

.,...,...,...,.Who is the Stormfather, and how did he come to power?
.,.....The most powerful being on Lulultulul, the Stormfather was, in the beginning, a psychic of godlike strength, primarily focused on electrokinesis and ferrokinesis. Such was his mastery over lightning and metal, however, that he single-handedly created technology both shockingly advanced and yet shockingly primitive: bronzepunk. He transformed himself into a bronzepunk cyborg—-the first and greatest of the Stormblessed—-and gave himself bronzepunk brain-implants that awakened telepathic might within himself.
.,.....The Stormfather is ancient, but he was not originally Lulultulul’s greatest being. Once, the Stormfather (then named Wotan) was merely the youngest son of the human lieutenant of a Titan named Ymir. After Ask overthrew Ymir, however, the Stormfather tricked the rest of his family into watching over Ymir’s prison, while he set about carving out an empire “in their name”. Eventually, after he produced the first thousand Stormblessed, the Stormfather dropped this facade and openly declared himself sole ruler of the world of Perpendicular-1.
.,.....Much later on, the Stormfather gained a lesser godforge.

.,...,...,...,.What is bronzepunk?
.,.....Bronzepunk shouldn’t even work. It’s not even properly a form of technology. Cybernetics made of primitive bronze with wheels of rope and waterclock hearts, lightning guns with no functioning interior, golems of bronze stuffed with straw and so forth, bronzepunk is a scientific impossibility...
.,.....And yet, it works. Fueled by the immense electrokinesis and ferrokinesis of the Stormfather, bronzepunk functions despite its inherent impossibility. Should the Stormfather ever die, all bronzepunk would immediately cease working...FOREVER. Because of this, bronzepunk only functions at the Stormfather’s express wish—-conveniently making a Stormblessed coup d’etat an impossibility.

.,...,...,...,.What is a lesser godforge? Which version does the Stormfather possess?
Placeholder.

.,...,...,...,.Who are Ask, Embla, Ve and Vili? What is the First Lands?
.,.....Long ago, a Titan named Ymir ruled Perpemdicular-1, keeping a terrified humanity in line with his biokinetically created monstrosities. Needing lieutenants he could trust, Ymir raised a pair of humans from infancy, training them to be his loyal viceroys. The male, Ask, and the female, Embla proved to be such an able pair of assistants that Ymir eventually rewarded both with immortality.
.,.....In time, Ask and Embla fell in love, and they had three sons: Ve, Vili and Wotan. These three sons were born with a fraction of their parents’ immortality and ceased aging upon reaching the ripe old age of 27.
.,.....Of course, Ask and Embla could never tolerate their servitude: despite all their powers, they were still just glorified slaves. Thus, the five of them plotted a coup d’etat. They would trick Ynir into a drunken stupor, then they bound him inside himself. They turned his epidermis into a Resonance and trapped the rest of him inside.
.,.....Wotan, the cleverest of Ask and Embla’s sons, used flattery and bribery to trick his family 8nto the ‘easier’ duty of guarding Ymir, while he, Wotan, would conquer the world for them.
.,.....We can see how that turned out...

.,...,...,...,.Who is Ymir? What happened to him?
.,.....A Titan of the same root stock as the Manifold Giants of Earth-K and the Ogres of Earth-L, Ymir is not actually native to Lulultulul, hailing from some mysterious origin. He came to Lulultulul in war-form, having Wishes up a Mirror that made Ymir invincible in battle. He conquered Lulultulul’s primitive human tribes, and Ymir ruled over them as a god.
.,.....Nowadays, Ymir is imprisoned inside himself, as his skin has become a cage so effective even millennia later clever Ymir has yet to escape.

.,...,...,...,.Tell us about stormblooded, stormcarvers and Stormblessed.
.,.....Stormblooded are psychics—-to be precise, psychics nigh-exclusively skilled in electrokinesis and ferrokinesis. Very few stormblooded possess other psionics, to the point of near impossibility. Abundant and commonplace, stormblooded form the noble class of the Sphere-Imperium.
.,.....Stormcarvers are stormblooded imbued with a faint echo of the Stormfather’s cosmic might—-enabl8ng them to transform stormblooded into Stormblessed, like the Stormfather, himself, can do. The process of psychic brain-modification required to create a new stormcarver is long and tedious and taxing even for the Stormfather and so stormcarvers are regarded as national treasures and’re fiercely guarded.
.,.....Stormblessed are bronzepunk cyborgs, with most of their meaty bodies replaced with the impossible pseudo-technologies of bronzepunk ‘machinery’. Only stormblooded can be transmutated into Stormblessed, and the process is long and extraordinarily painful. (That the Stormfather did this to himself is a testament to both his powers, his willpower and his pain tolerance...) Becoming Stormblessed vastly increases one’s physical capabilities...but, most importantly, it vastly increases one’s psychic abilities.

.,...,...,...,.Tell us about the Sphere-Imperium of the Stormfather.
.,.....70% of the entirety of Lulultulul is under the control of the Stormfather and the Stormfather’s Sphere-Imperium. Named after a massive dome that serves as the Stormfather’s mobile HQ, the Sphere-Imperium consists of hundreds of city-states and subjugated kingdoms, kept loyal by threat of force. (The Stormblessed are quite an army you see.)
.,.....Upon the top of the political totempole sits the Stormfather, God-Emperor and Divine Imperator. Worshipped as a god by the folk of the Sphere-Imperium, the Stormfather is believed by his people to be an all-powerful deity capable of literally anything he sets his mind towards. The Stormfather has several wives and hundreds of children, along with a harem and bastard children numbering just barely less than a hundred.
.,.....Beneath the Stormfather, politically, are the thanes of the Stormblessed, four individuals of immense cybernetic and psychic might that they’re almost gods in and of themselves. These thanes each govern a fourth of the Sphere-Imperium, ruling as enlightened autocrats/benevolent dictators. The districts each thane are called hierarchs, and cover vast amounts of geography.
.,.....The political structure of the localized Sphere-Imperium is vaguely feudal, divided into prefectures. Several hundred pref3ctures exist. Each prefecture is governed by a jarl and a Thing. The Thing is a gathering of influential local citizens: aristocrats, charismatic holy men, vaunted warriors and so on. The jarl the final authority in a prefecture, but the prefecture’s Thing can bring immense political pressure on the jarl to change his policies.

.,...,...,...,.Tell us about the Dominion.
.,.....Ruled by the Four Earthly Kings, the Dominion was, less than a century ago, a prefecture in the Sphere-Imperium. After the Night of Gleaming Daggers, various jarls throughout this part of the Sphere-Imperium declared independence and swore a mass oath of loyalty to the Four Earthly Kings.
.,.....An oligarchal dictatorship, the Dominion is built around one simple concept: the Stormfather must fall, and the Sphere-Imperium destroyed. This obsessive focus has led to countless injustices, from the petty to the global. Chief among these questionable acts is the Dominion’s willing alliance with the Apkallu, and the opening of dialogues with the Starvampires Night Houses.
Placeholder.

.,...,...,...,.Tell us about the Four Earthly Kings.
.,.....Once lieutenants of the Stormfather, the Four Earthly Kings broke away to form the Dominion, in a single act of treason that has forever shattered any hope of peace between the Dominion and the Sphere-Imperium.
Placeholder.

.,...,...,...,.What kinds of superbeings exist on Lulultulul, in the Sphere-Imperium?
.,.....Stormblooded, stormcarvers and Stormblessed are extremely commonplace in the Sphere-Inperium. The most common superbeings in the Sphere-Imperium are the Stormblessed, bronzepunk cyborg-psychics discussed above.
.,.....Nephilim exist in small numbers throughout the Sphere-Imperium.
.,.....Exotics, obviously, exist here and there. Most notable are Ask, Embla, Ve and Vili—-the First Ancestors...!
.,.....Small pockets of Sunsphinx may be found in the Sphere-Imperium, but no Apkallu, hellchained, Starvampires or Tlolkku. Sunsphinx/human hybrids occasionally occur, sporting a much wider array of powers than the Stormblessed. So far, no such hybrid has been modified into a Stormblessed...though it’s only a matter of time.

.,...,...,...,.What sort of superbeings exist on Lulultulul, in the Dominion?
.,.....Three Earth-B Leafs tend the Four Earthly Kings' Wyld Garden, while a single Heavenshadow'd from Earth-B is part of the Stormfather's harem.
.,.....Small numbers of Earth-Q Fish have settled in both mega-empires, but they share their genetic bounty with no one.
.,.....Nephilim exist in small numbers throughout the Dominion.
.,.....Exotics, obviously, exist here and there. In fact, the Four Earthly Kings are all Exotics!
.,.....Small pockets of Apkallu, hellchained, Tlolkku and Starvampires may be found in the Dominion, but no Sunsphinx.
Placeholder.

.,...,...,...,.How do the Tlolkku interact with Lulultulul?
.,.....Tlolkku hate bronzepunk. At first enthralled by the idea, after bronzepunk’s true nature was revealed the Tlolkku loudly denounced it and denied they’d ever been fascinated by it at all. Nowadays, Tlolkku keep an eye of Lulultulul solely to keep abreast of local Starvampires’ activities.

.,...,...,...,.How do Starvampires interact with Lulultulul?
.,.....Cautiously. Move too openly and the Sphere-Imperium will root them out and destroy them. Be too subtle and any forward momentum is lost to the Apkallu. It’s a fine balancing act.
Placeholder.

.,...,...,...,.How do the Apkallu interact with Perpendicular-1?
.,.....As they normally do...they inflict pain, misery and confusion, for no other reason than because they can.
.,.....They’ve had enormous success breeding with native humans of the Dominion, meaning hellchained are quite numerous, there. Most Dominionites have no idea just what tainted cancers walk among them, so blinded are they by the propaganda of the Four Earthly Kings.
.,.....In the end, the Apkallu desire nothing less than open subjugation of the Dominion, followed by an apocalyptic war with the Sphere-Imperium. Whether this war succeeds or not is irrelevant. What matters is the delicious misery such a conflict would cultivate all over Perpendicular-1. That is a psychic repast no right-think8ng Apkallu would ever will8mgly refuse.

.,...,...,...,.How do the Sunsphinx interact with Lulultulul?
.,.....Carefully and diplomatically, for the most part. Though the Sunsphinx have extremely little to fear from Perpendicular-1 on its own, should the Stormfather ally with Starvampires or the Tlolkku, that may dramatically change. So, the Solar Lion keeps careful watch over his Larut embassy.
Placeholder.
Last edited by Hoid on Thu Mar 25, 2021 3:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Hoid
Posts: 3556
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 7:52 pm
Location: The Forever Tree

[Earth-B]A Message and a Reply! Part two.

Post by Hoid »

[Earth-B]A Message and a Reply.
”To Our Father:
“May the grace of God shine upon you! May He bless you forever!
“The Thrall killteam has successfully returned. Of the seven Thralls sent, only one returned; the others perished along the way. This is irrelevant, however, as that surviving Thrall brought back the strange protomatter the Blind Oracle foresaw. We’ve moved the protomatter to a secure facility in the Alps. Our best scientists are looking into its properties even as I write this missive.
“This protomatter is
incredible; it can, with psychic stimulus, be shaped into virtually anything. No matter how complex the end result is, the protomatter can be shaped into it flawlessly.
“However, our studies are not yet done. It is my recommendation we hold off the production of the long-awaited Harbingers until we fully understand what protomatter is capable of. There’s stil, so much we don’t understand.
“Dr. Lands.”


”My son,
“Destiny waits for no one. We must strike while the iron is hot. I have ordered a full go-ahead on construction of the first Harbingers. With this protomatter God has placed in our hands, building Harbingers will be simplicity, itself.
“Your Father.”
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