|
 The Trespasser The Trespasser cawed with glee, for the harsh vistas of the Crash brought them much joy. First, there was the matter of their continued existence. The gamble has paid off. Second, there were no prying eyes to witness the indignity of a god struggling to get their bearings. Eyes used to the dizzying confusion of height, width and depth so intertwined and yet all so jagged and bent. The Trespasser might have been mere seconds in this place, but it took only a glance to understand it was a mess. As if one shattered the entire universe on a floor, pieces strewn all over. Then again, perhaps this would only make it more malleable to one's will. But none of that mattered. The plans were already put into motion and the eyes were set on the prize. And the message! A distress call with the exact coordinates of the Grand Orrery. Keys to this place handed on a platter. Upon arriving at the scene, the Trespasser saw others that have already arrived. Bad. Dangerous, perhaps. Some apparently having trodden this place before. Yet it was too late to back down. With breath held, they listened, hoping for an opening. A weakness. And they have found one. Grief. "Step aside, for I have already arrived too late," they said, soaring into the room. Confident and focused, as if too preoccupied to bother with the pleasantry of eye contact. "Unless you wish to confess to this crime and accept just punishment." Three beats of silence, circling the corpse and glancing at the machinery. Long enough to form questions, not enough to voice them. "I might have failed to protect her, but I shall persevere in continuing her... Contingency plan. Voth, the Educator," Trespasser said, turning slowly towards the gathering. A twitch. Oh, that's the loud brother. Figures. "Know that you are the sole pillar on which I can rest my faith. Faith, that you were not responsible for what happened to your beloved sister. Hence, I require two favours of you, if you want to see your sister avenged and her killer stopped. First, to ensure no trespassers enter this vital place, wishing to snatch whatever truth we can still extract from it. Then, we shall embark on a journey to retrieve the Microcosm of Genesis. You don't think whoever brought this ruin would just leave the single place that could undo it, do you?" Hopefully, his lack of inner monologue would prove useful to unravel the workings of that most useful place. - - - - - Action 1: I use the Key 2 to gaze beyond the knots of causality and follow the weave of time from beyond itself. Perhaps the only way to investigate the current Orrery settings. My line of thinking is, there are signs of tampering rather than regular failure and I'm assuming that with the controls left unusable, yet the machine working, there are some very particular settings someone wants to see enforced. I want to know what said settings are, if anything sticks out, or was noticeably changed recently. Also anything that will make me sound like I actually know what I'm doing in the Orrery. Action 2: Once sticking around the Orrery inevitably becomes more trouble than it's worth, I solemnly announce embarking on Very Important Mission and promptly gently caress off for a scavenger hunt. it's such a shame to see all these souls going to waste, decaying because this world doesn't have a working life-death cycle. Well, I'm not this world and I don't mind a bit of manual labor. Using Rebirth 2 (and force) I do the exact same thing mortals do to preserve their food from rotting - grind them down to the very essence, to recombine into a new, fresh being. Entropy be damned, there's plenty where it came from. Since I only wanted to lead the way to microcosm for others anyway (hey, Prowess 1) and have decided unravelling the mysteries of the Orrery is a more interesting use for the Key, I think I'm fine with being all talk about it. Lichtenstein fucked around with this message at 10:57 on Jul 23, 2018 |
#
¿
Jul 2, 2018 01:27
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 24, 2024 20:25 |
|
|
The Trespasser It was clear the clock has been ticking, with the Orrery being pressured from all sides, including from within. And yet there was so much to do in that very short slice of time. Learn. Take in. Grasp. Pick up. Digest. Comprehend. Study. Master. And so there was no other way but to hurry, one's priorites straight and focused. The Orrery seemed fine, if in need of diligent bugbombing before there's time to gaze into the threads of causality again. A task best left to those of more irate persuasion. The stellar reconstruction effort apparently turned out to be some petty personal drama.Then there was the soul business. The grim lady seemed to have this figured out - and more importantly, it seemed prudent not to overstay one's welcome. That meant it was time to establish another foothold for the Grand Design. One of powerful truths, the kind that could pierce through the troublesome bounds of this place. The kind of ideas that could trespass on the very notion of possibility. And one seemed to just have swirled into existence. - - - Action 1: I embark on a journey to the shattering cities of Omixil. En route, I swerve towards all the stars Siderous left behind, all these sure goners not worth the time of the impromptu triage whose resources have already been stretched thin. Unbound by personal ties to these dying relics of the past cycle, the god of Rebirth 2 (and forcing it) steals whatever light and warmth still clings to the dying rocks until they have enough for an abrupt implosion of a new protostar. A flash in the sky followed by another and another and another shall light the way to Trespasser's newfound nest and these fierce new burning signposts shall sing to the void about the glory of the new Omixil. (If it's of any difference map-wise, I imagine it to count as within the Omixil location. Think of this as stellar city suburbs.) Action 2: Once at Omixil, I utilize my Insight 2/Key 2 (I'd go with Insight, but feel free to go with whichever you feel is more appropriate) to study the assorted gestalt of regrets this universe has had up to this point. There is bound to be precious knowledge hidden there. Repentant secrets the tongue did not dare to share. The true nature of this place. Or at the very least, plenty of lingering emotions. I'm interested in major construction projects at Omixil in near future (in no particular order): - A domain temple, with my eyes set on Regret for reasons. - A thriving mortal city. Given I'm going for some creative Bird Solutions here, a second "competing" city at this place could work pretty well. Lichtenstein fucked around with this message at 09:58 on Jul 14, 2018 |
|
#
¿
Jul 7, 2018 15:41
|
|
|
The Trespasser The wind. The wind. The Trespasser cawed with glee, despite the tears. It was all so obvious once you got it. The wind. It was the wind that still sang of shame, of sorrow, of longing, guilt and repentance aeons after the riddles of flesh that spawned them ceased to be. Free from the trappings of an inferior mind. Ripped from strands of context that ruthlessly anchors within space and time. Merciless and unceasing. Just pure, unadulterated regret. And so the nidification effort began. Right now, this was but a chaotic dump of interwoven steel, marble, neutrons and assorted bits of machinery stolen from the dead husk of Microcosm. Yet the Trespasser could see the complete design as clear as day. A grandiose egg hovering in the very middle of Omixil's dizyying vortex, protruding five flowing garlands, adorned with glistening, soundless instruments. Rows of small bells, pipes and tubes that catch the song sang by the gusts, rather than joining their choir. A simple, elegant structure of a single, elegant promise to all in the Creation: come bathe in the maelstrom and let us take your regret as but another tear in the stream. The one thing left to do was to choose an appropriate name for the nest. Thankfully, this was the easiest decision the Trespasser had to make since their arrival. Նվերներ չկան, they whispered to the void. Admittedly, this was supposed to be an entirely new Creation, but a single hint of nostalgia surely wouldn't matter in the big picture. --- Both actions: are put into Construction of a Regret domain temple on Omixil. As for future plans, I intend to - visit the time pyramids as soon as irl possible, - sooner or later, attempt to add Keeling Mountain's Ruin aspect as part of Rebirth, along wordy musings on the rise and fall of civilizations. An early warning on requisite resource quest would be appreciated, if might wait until I - take a dive at the Keeling Mountain to meet the Blastoise god. Lichtenstein fucked around with this message at 09:58 on Jul 14, 2018 |
|
#
¿
Jul 10, 2018 22:07
|
|
|
The Trespasser Ah! A first visitor to my new nest! The Trespasser quickly shook its creeping anxiety, as the occasion called for a regal welcome. "Greetings, good doctor," they began. "Welcome to my humble abode. It might be but a pile of wind and dust, yet it offers the most precious of gifts. The promise to reach deep inside you and tear all your regrets away. And you do seem like a man who could use some forgetfulness before he truly enters the new age of creation." "But I'm getting ahead of myself. I've been really admiring your work on these... Stellar constructs. The skill, the precision, the touch of love that makes everything so much better, doesn't it? I've wondered what an artiste such as you could achieve if unburdened from the menial economics of it. Say... If you've met a kind patron, who'd understand the beauty and importance of your designs, willing to shower you in ambrosia with not a single string attached. Oh, just think of the marvels that would lie at your fingertips! Say, for example... A triangular star? Tetrahedron is the proper word, I believe." ''Surely that wouldn't be a problem for someone of your calibre, would it?'
|
|
#
¿
Jul 14, 2018 10:38
|
|
|
The Trespaser The Trespasser has reached the Temple of Prism in somewhat low spirits. They knew the task before them would take more time and effort than they usually have the patience to spare, yet the rewards - oh, the possible rewards! - were more than enough to grit one's beak and persevere. Expertly navigating the temple's maze, Trespasser arrived in the inner chamber and patiently waited for the host to appear. Well, it might've taken making a bit of noise to draw her out, but surely nothing that could be considered faux pas. Once her attention was drawn, it was time for the true work to commence. Lure her curiosity, fiddling with some shiny pebbles borrowed off Omixil and Keeling. Get close, but not too close - regrettably, the whole anti-divinity thing seemed to be a matter that will be fairly late to discuss. Then, carefully arrange the piles between them. Speak slowly and make broad gestures. "One. Two. Three. Four. Հինգը. Six." A pause. "One. Two. Three. Four. Հինգը. Six. One plus one, two. One plus two, three. Two plus two, four." Your turn, lady. --- Action 1: I try establishing the basic language of mathematics - some common names for numbers and operation. Then mathematical functions like logarithms, sines and tangents. All this boring poo poo that will nevertheless form a frame of reference for subjects of mathematics and physics. Consider it Insight if you want to roll something. Action 2: Now for the intermediate lessons. With somewhat fluent pidgin established for maths, I step it up to interchanging increasingly complex physical theorems, through familiar calculations and proofs. Basically attempt at having a friendly discourse on theoretical physics. While mostly a pleasant exchange of already-held knowledge, it is not without an agenda. First, it allows to weasel in a number of - oftentime advanced - concepts through the language of mathematics. Space and time, energy and masss, and all the poo poo in-between. And mind you, I don't only look foward to dropping some names for them. If it all goes well, I'm willing to enter the territory of weird time-bending fuckery, thanks to the fabric-of-the-universe-piercing gaze of the Key granting necessary perspective. Perhaps the mystery of the prism will turn to be one of the easier topics, all things considered. PS. I'd find it rather funny for Trespasser to teach the being through their own լուսնի լեզուն speech, out of selfishness, secrecy and mostly sheer laziness/habit, but I'm not looking for it to really have further consequences than maybe "someone in the future rolls a 1 so I guess this one crucial word of alien's warning has only been remembered in the unspeakable interdimensional language" or an equivalent comedy scene.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 17, 2018 12:18
|
|
|
The Trespaser The Trespasser sighed. The time for ruminations on the encounter was over, at least for now. It was high time to return to the immediate priority. Namely, the one place that has evaded their unsatiable curiosity so far. The Keeling Mountain. Its untiring abyss, unceasing streams and the single majestic summit that just happened to raise itself. This world has died, and the Trespasser had to know what has been born in its place. The answers clearly lied within, far from the prying eyes of lesser godlings. Truth be told, he couldn't blame them for being oblivious to this mystery - the crushing depths of the endless oceans and grimy, rocky undersides of mountains were no places for gods to just stroll casually. But that had just made them so more exciting. --- During their journey, the Trespasser fell prey to a distraction - that of the mourners, as the beings soon became known. Clearly the result of curdling souls left out of the metaphorical fridge. Yet, far more interesting than the useless, dissipating goop the god expected them to become. Not quite what one would consider monsters, nor even life, really... But some crude form of existence nevertheless, dangling right on the thin border of animate and inanimate. Perhaps, in these most unusual circumstances they have not as much decayed as fermented? Well, there was only one way to find out. --- Action 1: Using Rebirth 2, I harvest the Keeling Mountain mourners like escaped livestock they are, perhaps even less concerned with waste than with the first batch of souls. Just like with fermented alcohol or mouldy cheese, the results could be either really interesting or really toxic, but they sure will be interesting. Mistakes can always be discarded, after all. Action 2: I invoke the Key 2 to embark on a journey to the center of the Also please at last tell me at last what would it take to temple up the Ruins out here. Lichtenstein fucked around with this message at 10:53 on Jul 23, 2018 |
|
#
¿
Jul 20, 2018 14:38
|
|
|
The Trespasser Գրողը տանի. The Tresspasser snorted, struggling to convey the extent of their indignation that the crude shell of their body could simply not hold. The gravest of all sins had been committed yet again: loving with us. And this time, someone was having a victory lap, what with this mockery of our fine avian fo- Wait. Calm down. Don't show weakness. Be still. Think. Win. Win. This was the opening. The flaunting, which inevitably breeds carelessness, as taught by Omixil. Yeah, it's good. It's manageable. Fairly transparent, really. Our opponent was either admirably overprepared, a troublesome meddler from տուն or, worst of all, ourselves. Doesn't matter, as the course of action had already been set. There was a lesson to be taught. Enjoy your first move advantage. But don't forget we all play with the same pawns. ---- Trespasser perched on twisted piece of lamplight civilized enough to remain on the debris-infested orbit of Heart's Ease. There's no need to bother with the storms when a little bit of patience will do. The bird calmly waited, until they saw Fa emerging from the shattered planet. "Ah, here you are, fair lady," they said, casually gliding closer. "I've given a lot of thought to our exciting little encounter down at Omixil and came to some very important conclusions. Namely, that you happen to be a particularly kind soul. And a real people's person at that. Therefore I regret to burden you with this, but... Well, I believe you might be the only person I might entrust with a delicate predicament." "See, there's... A friend I was tending to when I was gone. She's... Hurt and in great pain, slowly regenerating from great burns - it's really ugly. Just, just try not to touch her, okay? Anyway, there is this sick friend I have been keeping company and helping around, you know, so she could truly stand on her feet and help our reconstruction efforts, perhaps. Regrettably, I have some very pressing matters to attend to and so I thought you could fill in for me just once? I really don't want her to have to be alone, but... Well, I thought you could maybe find a way to make her happier while she reconvalesces - she's really passionate about... Certain... Liberal arts. It could be fun for you too, you know? Have a girls' night out, talk about your feelings or what- oh, that's another thing, she doesn't exactly speak. I- I can explain on the way, okay?" "Ah, but I'm forgetting myself. After all, I've only come here to ensure your well-being. That you haven't run into any of these... Demons, or another one of their puppets. You wouldn't find anything troubling down there, yes?" --- Time is such a fickle thing. Measurable, yet . So often it's so hard to truly judge it - just how much of it is enough. Well, this time it was easy. Long enough for Voth to go away to do whatever pillar men tend to do. The Trespasser needed Siderous and they needed him alone. "And so we meet again, good doctor," bird said, nearly ambushing the sun god. "I must admit I'm pleasantly surprised to see you're a maestro of numerous arts, not just the celestial kind. Truly the right man for our little triangular venture - which I hope you've duly considered. If so, I'm afraid there has been a slight wrinkle in the... Well, the offer still stands, but I might require a minor gesture of goodwill to truly kick off our fruitful partnership." "Well, there's no need to beat around the bush - when I was gone, I have been following the trail of our... Antagonist is the word, I believe. The forces behind the attack on the Orrery. Back then we've found out not only had we been spied upon, but also... Ridiculed, for daring to notice that - it's all true, man, just ask the pillar man. Then- well, long story short, I've been following some loose threads and I finally stumbled onto that very unmistakable brand of overconfident mockery." "Suffice to say, I do believe I can keep poking our shared enemy until they either run out of tricks or slip that one crucial careless brag. And this is where you could come in. See, I sniffed the perps down in the darkest depths of the Keeling Mountain. Regrettably, the near-endless oceans proved a bit more of a crushing deathtrap I could handle myself. So then I thought that with your mastery of gravity, it would be fairly easy to ease the pressure, yes? Just have the water hover and chill, rather than cumulate in a downward force. It would be a minor endeavor on your part, compared to saving the known galaxies, but a great effort to serve and protect. We could make great partners, you know? Like Starsky and Hutch. Randall and Հոպկիրկ. Sinclair and Wilde." "Oh, and please don't talk too much about it, yes? These are delicate matters and best brought to some semblance of completion before divulging." --- Well, thankfully the star dudes did not know exactly what was needed of them, so it would be a terrible waste not to have them help haul some bricks. For it might be a menial task, yet one in service of eternal beauty. The overnight ruins of Keeling's Mountain were so... Perfect. Pristine. Their form in perfect harmony with their idea. Just imagine the loss of having them glazed over by those of lesser understanding. No. That could not stand. Imagine: this, forever. The very second reconstruction is about to begin. One last look at the empire that was and the stories it sang on its deathbed. Shop-windows hiding excess under thick layers of dust. Serpentine line of footprints, ending where kneeprints begin. A thick, pristine wall, that could not protect anyone. A trolley left behind. Or picture this; one last look at the empire that was and the stories it sang on its deathbed. Broken windowsills, bereft of pride. Twisting fractals of cracked pavements. A ray of sunshine piercing the skewered carcass of the clocktower. Not a fingerprint in sight. Every time you come, different. Every time you blink, subtly shifting. Ever changing. Ever teaching. Eternally glorious. It wasn't easy though. Things had to be carefully arranged. The streets and stones and rubble had to be caressed and taught to remember, to hope, to regret, to soldier on and learn, to sorrow, to burn with the need to express. The collected spirits had to be cautiously inserted into the system so they never break away from the clockwork. Alas, wasn't feasible to preserve all of Keeling, so a selection had to be made. Perhaps this small square by the pillar? Should make for a good contrast. Still, there was so long the Trespasser could push the star kind for frivolities. There were priorities, after all. ------ Action 1: I begin construction of the Ruins temple, happily burning away a brick of bloodied salt and one snuffbox of souls. I'll worry about the third ingredient once I reach the last third of the clock. Action 2: I invoke the Key to brave the depths again - the Starkin may handle the pressure, but the way has to be shown and the skyscraper won't wallhack itself.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 25, 2018 00:19
|
|
|
The Trespasser My, my. What a find. Good thing the Starkin came along, for if Trespasser ever needed this to be believed... Truth be told, they would laugh this very notion off themselves, if this ancient proof wasn't so... Indisputable. Perhaps even the Original Sin of this place, if one would entertain the silly notion of them having some sort of generations. But, like many unwelcome truths, it all seemed so obvious when finally unveiled. It sure made the maths easier. Just think for a moment - there were three Pillars, we were clearly the fifth, Mhaith probably the sixth. And now, the single piece that makes it whole. The three pillars of creation. Here since time immemorial. Countless masks after masks shaping, keeping, protecting this entire creation. Yet, all this time no one bothered to ask... Why does one of them reign over the fourth dimension? There were four lights in the chaos and four pillars that held the house. And, more importantly, there aren't anymore. Alas, this was only a pitiful scrap of truth torn from the grandest, most intricate lie in all of creation. Second best Trespasser ever believed. And so it was truly impossible to even guess what really had brought the downfall of the fourth pillar. Was it a rebellion? A lovers' quarrel or a power struggle? A crime or a tragedy? Which ancient masks were they - were they even really what we'd call masks, so long ago? Does that even matter? One thing was certain, though: whichever sanctity they trespassed on, their sin was so grave the pillar had not only been torn down, but banished into eternal obscurity. Every single trace of them even existing meticulously purged from ever being remembered or found. Apart, of course, from this one. There was a lot to process here. A lot schemes to be hatched and a lot of safeguards to be set. Moves to consider and pieces to castle. Good. It's make the remaining construction work so less boring. But first, there was one friendly visit the Trespasser had to make. --- "Hello there, Մհաիտհ," they said with a voice resembling real fondness. The pyramid being had seemed to make real progress during Trespasser's little excursion. "Hope you weren't too inconvenienced by this onrush of guests, I might have quite underestimated their curiosity. Still, it's probably for the better. For quite some time I've felt some... Contact with differing perspectives might do good here." "See... Deep down, they're good people. They're just not used... To otherness. But that's no reason to feel angry or hurt. They just... Need to be taught. Outgrow their familiar comfort zones and..." "Aaaaaanyway, I've been wondering what was the deal with that robosnake hacking thing?" The god was greeted by the familiar stern look. They sighed. Guess it's back to the simple words. ----- In spite of pretty much the entirety of this post I've had a lot of fun writing, my actual, boring actions are: Action 1: Continue the construction of the temple at Keeling, using ambrosia to substitute for the last ingredient. Action 2: If the temple is still unfinished, I persevere with the construction effort. If not, I
|
|
#
¿
Jul 31, 2018 19:28
|
|
|
Action shot taken while writing this post. The Trespasser A blip in the cold, vast void. A battleship launched. Bad, so very bad. This was no longer a mishap, no longer some passing border tensions. This was a mistake waiting to spiral out of control. Perhaps we ourselves were at fault. We have grown complacent, lost in our thoughts and pursuits of beauty, leaving the immediate troubles for the uninitiated to deal with. Guess we haven't earned our rest yet. Trespasser turned around and swooped down towards the planet they had left just moments ago. They turned the Key and ripped through through space unceremonially, tearing through the Temple of Prism with nearly ostentatious disregard for its network of walls, corridors and staircases, stopping only in Mhaith's quarters they always kept away from. "Hello, Մհաիտհ," they said with a cold stare. "We're not done today, after all. We have little time and you have important lessons to learn, quick." "Have they taught you the word insanity? It's doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Another word, tragedy. Was in the books Fa gave you, yes? It's when you try something so hard you crush your own dreams. When you strive only to defeat yourself, leaving but misery and death." "This is what your kind is doing right now. You came to this place to seek joy, yes? But do you think you can act like in home and it will just appear? It exists here, because this place works differently, yes? You learn the new rules, you adapt, you reap the fruit. Your kind, they try to take it by force. Right now. Survivors are scared, think they might be fighting for their lives. They may kill each other. Destroy all. Return to the very misery you ran from." "You've read all these stories. Heard all the songs. A prince stole his love, bethroted to another man. Ignited the greatest war that the world had seen, and was consumed by its flames soon after. Another prince, ouldn't wait for the crown to pass and took it by his own hand. He hid in a forest of murder and lies, until the forest came for his head. Another prince, forced the truth to mold to his whims. Now he reigns over but a dead city, forgotten voices his onfly serfs. You know how it ends in this place." "You know how it always ended back home. Just different kinds of misery." "But we can speak now. Means we can talk. Find a solution, one with both joy and hard time for all. But we must find it together, not turn this place into another home. Another joyless home." "Մհաիտհ, we must stop this insanity. You must go and get your kind to stop, so I may get my kind" - well, some fine details might wait for a more opportune time - "to stop. Show them it's possible. Or this becomes another tragedy. Or we become yet another cautionary tale." ---- Action 1: I give the language lessons with Mhaith one last push. Key/Insight, doesn't really matter. Action 2: I invoke Regret to guilt trip her into getting the rest of her kind to chill and work out some peaceful resolution to the tensions. I turbocharge the actions with a hubris-free push by burning one bundle of Omixil's real-life parables about war and destruction. No fleeting dream though. This is an angry bird going for an honest-to-god serious talk, drawing upon the domain only to ensure their rhetorical punches hit hard.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 4, 2018 15:02
|
|
|
The Trespasser At last, something went right for a change. With one side of the conflict dealt with, it was time to ensure the other gods and their warmachines respect the truce. All Trespasser needed of them was not to do something rash before all the pieces are set in place. Yet it wasn't that easy to find the others - not near the ravaged battlefield, nor elsewhere. Eventually, they managed to find the battered group trudging back through the expanse of dead space. "Ah, here you are, my good doctor," they cheerfully greeted Siderous, the coolest head in the group. "I'd love to go back to negotiating the fine details of our little triangular venture, but so much has changed, my friend!" "And believe it or not, it is a good thing this time! Once again, I have humbly taken it upon myself to save this sorry universe from meddling of hotter heads. And seeing the unnecessary animosity springing up in our little paradise, I've excused myself to parley with a very special lady who might have an idea how to fix this. So rest assured, for she's already quite busy dealing with the Outsider business-" Uh. It's not the kind of look Trespasser expected to see. Lichtenstein fucked around with this message at 23:03 on Aug 6, 2018 |
|
#
¿
Aug 6, 2018 15:01
|
|
|
The Trespasser The encounter with the good doctor had somewhat ruffled Trespasser's feathers. This could be expected from Voth, or... Well, Voth, but the good doctor? The troubling events must have surely had unfolded even quicker than expected, with the god a step behind yet again. This called for some rather rapid catching up. It wasn't hard to figure out where Siderous emerged from, as even in its sorry state, the Pillar of Structure shined with pride. The bird slinked through the building, steering clear of the reconstruction work at hand. It seemed the palace has turned into a battlefield, scarred by swords and bites and... Explosions? Fire? Given Siderous recent state, this was knowledge better left alone. Far too pressured to slowly reconstruct the events - the victors were clear and this sufficed - the bird closed its eyes and peered. There, on a single cracked column. A blue-black feather, glistening with gold on its other side. Well, well, well. Trespasser hadn't seen this place before, and so it became increasingly clear that they weren't the only one to cheat by coming here. Were they to remain in the game, decisive action was necessary. Trespasser turned the Key with all their might, piercing the reality far beyond the confines of their protective corporeal shell. Bird's body cracked and the god silently coughed blood as their gaze relentlessly soared far away, past the tattered veil of perception. So Ոտհերպասսեր was here. That churlish philistine. Apparently, the vulgar mocking of our splendid Design proved insufficient to satiate their primal cravings. Of course it was them that had to come here and try prove their prowess, no matter how deeply unsatisfying their vision would be, if brougt to life. Ah well. Their downfall shall make our triumph so much more indisputable, and for the time being... Perhaps even that is for the best. To have at least one rival who can understand. Still, one thing was certain. Matters could no longer be left to resolve on their own. The plans put in motion had to be brought to their fruitful ends. And so the god blinked through the void towards the far reaches of known space. Towards that other major breach in time, space, structure and continuity - the main colony of the six-fingered beings. They have entered their deeply distorted space and stopped just short of anxious glances. "I come in peace to seek my dear friend," Trespasser began their well-rehearsed speech, perfected down to the slender, needle-like fingers they've grown just for the occasion. "Mhaith's Ascent. I had warned her of great danger before, yet I fear even greater risks that were left unspoken. Please lead me to her, for I only wish to ensure her safety." - - - - - Peering into the well: does Otherpasser have an analogous skillset to mine? I've already gotten my answer, but it's only fair to pay the blood debt now - the Lung 2 injury Action 1: I invoke the Key 2 and push to reach the Outsider colony and look for hidden truths in there. As I consort with the distrustful Outsiders, I strain to break free from the shackles of three dimensions and linear time to act within the hard time to the best of my ability. Fluency isn't necessary: rather the base capability to act and a visible good faith effort to play by their rules. Action 2: once there, my sharp Insight 2 helps me take some detours for a few courteous conversations, masking sharp investigations. The above actions are kind of difficult to strictly define due to "let's see what's happening around" nature, while also not worth playing out in detail. In general, this is meant to be ambassadorial visit of sorts: walking around and talking, making a good impression and relentlessly spying around for things both obvious and unspoken. There's a whole bunch of threads to follow, based on opportunities that arise: - keeping tabs on Mhaith's talks with Meidhbhín, participating if possible and/or necessary; - warning about Leftie and her minions, as both a goodwill gesture and making sure we're not taking the blame for her actions; - figuring out how Leftie is affecting the Outsiders. Is it some form of open aggression, or a more insidious scheme? - figuring out what's going on in their society, internally. Social structure, prevailing attitudes, notable values and habits, stuff like that; - figuring out what's the deal with - shameless, self-appointed setting myself as a Trustworthy Dude and a Friendly Ambassador of this universe; - making drat sure nobody mistakes me for that uncouth Otherpasser brute. The key would likely be responsible for the hard time + legit mysteries at play, while Insight would go for your mundane legwork and consorting. But really, whatever makes most sense for you. PS: I probably gotta recalculate the healing clock. I think it will go off now, but somehow I keep forgetting to make sure I've been counting it right. PPS: If it's not clear, I'm going with the "birds as managers of competing projects" we've mused about on discord before.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 13, 2018 00:30
|
|
|
The Trespasser "I'm afraid I cannot do that, my friends," Trespasser said as it prepared to depart. "Just watch you dwindle further on a futile quest. I shall... Inquire whether some help can be secured." They hesitated for a moment. "In the meantime... Perhaps you already have your weapon, in all six of the filaments. If you wish to survive this war, resist the urge to hurt her, directly. Steal her time and stall her down to stillness. For each birth is a change and when no change can occur you have stolen the swing of her sword." ----- "Wake up princess. Your subjects have need of you," Trespasser squawked from the top of throne's backrest, startling Fa out of her sleep. "I am Eignach, The Golden Ambassador; they whose feathers shine like the stars," they proclaimed solemnly, leaving a pause for the outrageous statement to sink in. "I have come to speak for the mortals you profess to love so much. I'm sure redecorating this place is necessary, yet I presume nearly a third of all mortals out there dying on your watch could be considered a priority." "These poor pilgrims from a desolate wasteland bereft of color, joy and love, for whom this scarred frontier might be the only chance to ever experience happiness, are being slaughtered as we speak by who I presume again might be considered our common enemy. I dare you to find a single more desperate being in this universe than these poor souls who have to further risk lives to secure a weapon capable of striking a giant - not for conquest, but their very survival." "Perhaps it was inevitable in these troubled times that their cry for help has been read as an aggression. Yet we saw that even in the midst of a battlefield that they have worked only in their self-defense, that they could have been reasoned with and bore no ill will towards us. A mistake had been made, but there is no need for it to be continued. We musn't be held slaves to preconceived notions of how this universe or we won't be any better than those we consider our opponents, yes?" "What I ask... Implore of you is to offer a single gesture of good will towards the mortal life. Use your newfound authority over this Pillar's creation to do away with Eternium's guardians. Close the second front of their war. Prevent needless deaths. Give them the shield they need to protect themselves and all that we have achieved so far, for I have no doubt it is our shared enemy's next target." "I have known you to be a wise and compassionate god, able to rise above the narrow horizons of self-proclaimed rules and laws. But just in case I overprize you, bear in mind if we share gifts of a foundry under our control, we can ensure said shield won't be forged into a sword later on. If they scrounge and steal and hack whatever they need, there is no telling what their blood might buy." Trespasser hopped off the throne to the ground, ready to depart and hope their plea will sink in before long. Yet, as it was about to fly off, it turned towards Fa again. "Truth be told, I do not believe such weapons can win this war. But perhaps they can buy time, until a real solution can be arranged, yes? I wish we could tell them to back off, to persevere while we search for a solution. But then again, how can a besieged nation that only saw hostility and murder be expected to listen, yes?" Okay. Now we're really ready to depar- "I know you all still yearn for the past. That which was, that which lived. Understandable, if incorrect. But these are but memories and memories cool down and fade away. You can - and will - find yourselves distractions until one day you're too busy to remember. Yet what you don't know - what you will never know - is how to suffocate in the three shackles of dimensions. In the labyrinth of time as straight as a flying arrow. I know what sacrifice they make with each breath, Custodian." ----- OOC: What I actually think would work best to handle leftie is to freeze her to stillness, Majakazumi-style, so she can stick her change-powers up straight up her rear end.Though any work on that could probably start in a turn, as we use froggie's info to defreeze our temporal hibernatus, so I'm not sure yet what I'll actually do this turn. The second step of that plan would be to gently caress up/incapacitate Bugvak, but one thing at a time.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 16, 2018 13:43
|
|
|
The Trespasser Trespasser made their case and flown off to search for the answer on their own - the matter was far too urgent to leave for others to deliberate. Leaving it to others was how they got in this position in the first place, after all. Any help would have to be considered a pleasant surprise. Yet, it occurred to them this place could hold the solution to the problem at hand. After all, this place was essentially Gogoth's oversized control panel. It could very well mean the palace contains the exact lever to shut them down, or the secret to do so. And so the bird soared through the shifting corridors of the palace. Cutting from the scarred, cracked halls being infused with new life and a new soul - so to speak, molded by a Pillar's voice, a mystifying song and hives of insect drones skittering around. It's heart beating with new vitality, it's very body reforged, remolded, reborn into something recognizable, yet new. A descendant, as befitting a new universe to govern. This... Gave Trespasser an idea. The palace was undergoing severe transformation, with several agents at work. No longer a structure beholden to a set of blueprints. That meant if they were inconspicuous enough... Nobody should take note of a few of its minor veins being rerouted, right? ---- Action 1: I pierce through Pillar's maze to find the Key 2 to stopping the guardians of Eternium. Action 2: With Rebirth 3, I subtly tweak the bug-infested, (now) semi-living, scarred and regenerating Pillar to fit my purposes. I don't really have anything substantial in mind here; it's reconstruction help with coupled with baiting a BIRD moment. After doing a recount, the previous turn was indeed the point of autoheal kicking in (fourth action after the turn in which Chrysie hit me), so I've adjusted the damage accordingly.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 19, 2018 19:30
|
|
|
The Trespasser That was a close one. Were it not for Majakazumi blurting out her inadvertent warning... Trespasser shuddered at the very thought of perishing, especially in this place. It was a calculated risk of course, but never before has it been so - how to put it? - Corporeal. Tangible. Real. The bird waited for the two gods to leave before it dared to blow the golden flecks back into their broken body. Discretion appeared necessary, if only not to show how utterly drained of power they have been left by the encounter. A short... Lunch break was in order. --- Trespasser traced a shining trail of gold up to the very doorstep of the bar. Tiny specks fell of their feathers with each step inside the building, as if the avian body could not contain the color within it. "And another success for the power of friendship and the reason of diplomacy, Mhaith. The metal beasts placated and the nemesis contained. You should count yourself lucky I'm so good at this..." Oh dear. That was not at all what the Trespasser hoped to hear in return. "I... See. That is hardly fortunate, yet there is little need to panic. For certain... Contingencies are well in place. And right now, I need you lucid and brilliant." "Come, Mhaith. We can't just leave a weapon of mass destruction lying around, yes?" --- "I'd rather have you touch the controls, just in case. It's... It''s a long story." "Anyway, while there's some... Details I would like to confirm in practice, there's something you need to remember as precisely as possible. See, back at the home I found you in, when you went about repurposing a certain computer..." ----- Action 1: The mysterious machine deep within the Eternium station might be crucial to untangling this mess - and more importantly, getting back on the track of the Grand Design. It is Key 2 to understand exactly what it's capable of. Add a push to that. Action 2: As the knots of mystery untangle into mere points, I connect them through my Insight 2, to whatever was going on with Gogoth's machine at the Temple of Prism. It would be silly to focus on a single strand of an intricate web, just because it can dazzle fools with its blue.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 27, 2018 18:35
|
|
|
The Trespasser While the Trespasser remained convinced the very notion of linking time to gravity and velocity must have been a result of some drunken bet during the Age of Creation, they grew to enjoy some... Tricks that could be used. Say, for example, lifting your anchor with disregard to the center of this universe and it's ever-expanding void. Let the slow outward drift be just that - movement. Be ever so slightly static than all around you, speed ever so slightly up, have your plans ever so slightly more complete. Sure, it's not even close to տուն, but we all gotta start somewhere. And if that mechanized blue could be harnessed, what else was possible? Could negative velocity be possible? Could all the gods get this place stable enough for it to be able to sustain time being ripped away in its entirety? That certainly would be - no, probably just greedy. Were all of this to fail, could a deft hand hide an island of subjugated physics within the smooth tapestry two-headed snake is weaving? We'll find it out sooner than we'd like to if a decisive action isn't taken right now, yes? --- Trespasser sighed at the macabre site of Siderous' valiant stand. It perched on Vision of Meidhbhín's arm, trembling in their death throes. "It appears at this rate my days of trying to stick to one body are numbered, yes? You keep talking, I don't have the time nor inclination to explain. Not that there ever was a point in assuming someone of this world could...", they muttered, as the beak carefully inspected the links between the divine heart and the dying body. It was hard to tell which part was meant for Mhaith, which for Siderous and which for the bird itself. "This, this is exactly why nobody else can handle this place. All so anxiously tethered to their memories and expectations, desperately jury-rigging all they know together. Unable to accept a new body is needed to breathe in a new world. To let life grow anew." "But a life always has to be bought... In life." With a swift move of the beak and a terrible crack, the bird pierced through the being's head. "There. That should do it." ------ Yes, this terrible misunderstanding of time relativity is quite useless. It's the bird version of a speedrunner proudly inventing an intricate glitch to shave a milisecond. Action 1: I help fix Vision of Meidhbhín with Rebirth and pushing it Action 2: I Lichtenstein fucked around with this message at 20:46 on Sep 4, 2018 |
|
#
¿
Sep 3, 2018 20:02
|
|
|
The Trespasser The swift, piercing motion cut the thread of Vision's life in an instant. Good thing someone had their beak ready to catch the last sparks of life as they were about to depart the deceased body. But an end is nothing else than a beginning observed in reverse. A thread needs an end to tie a knot. And so it was time to weave a life anew. Wrap thin filaments of gold tightly around the black strands and stringy blueness that was known as an Outsider. A nearly imperceptible sinew to link body and mind to the soul again. Then, all that was left was to breathe the spark back to the system and hope it ignites the still heart to beat again. "Vision of Meidhbhín, you and your people have been tried by much misfortune and grief. One could not, in honesty, blame you or your people for the many mistakes you’ve made. For, with all due respect, majesty, many of the choices that had been made shall be remembered as wrong. Enough so that it had brought us here - where I had to make a right one for you.” “Consider it equal parts a gift and a lesson, your majesty. A gift of life and a lesson on death. Just as you had to change to survive this ordeal, so must your kind. Change to survive in this place and reap all of its fruits. You can see it clearly now, that the time you have known is tearing apart the reality whose scars have not yet mended. That is but an indisputable fact - it is one part of your past you simply have to discard, lest all of creation shall perish. I understand some would scoff, saying your kind would die anyway with life no longer being born. And this brings us to the lesson of death.” “For while your wombs- actually, could I kill you again? I think I’d like to change one thi- okay, nevermind then.” “For while your wombs shall indeed become barren, you will be able to see through the superficial finality of death. Soon, you shall discover that in the universe where passions can bend reality itself to its will, so your passions will transcend the empty husks of your deceased bodies. As you mourn over your loved ones seeping back into the earth, you shall find three eggs coalesce from the deathly goo: one of black pure as the void, one blue like the time itself and one gold, shining like your newfound hope. Each ready to spring a new being into this world, each holding a third of your passions, memories, joys and regrets.” “Know that from now on, when you close your eyes to eternally dream, the work of your life shall carry on to expand and improve beyond what you ever could hope to achieve alone. Forever.” “Oh, and uh...”, Trespasser added meekly. “As a personal favor... Could you perhaps omit the part where I messed your face up? Just… Just tell Mhaith and everyone it’s a battle scar or something? I’m rather sorry about that, see, we didn’t exactly have surgical tools around and...” “Yeah, I’ll be going. Your majesty.” ----- The god stopped by Divina Hospitium looking for the recuperating Siderous, who really should have been left alone with his family. "Hi. Just wanted to make sure I don't have to put one between your earlobes too", they - hopefully - joked. "But you seem to be getting better on your own. Have that healthy colors again and, uh-" "I suppose I wanted to say I'm really glad you went so far to help my little pet project with no goading necessary. Especially given how... Out of control the whole endeavor proved to be. I suppose I'm not very good at taking care of others," they chuckled. "Honestly, I'm rather close to admitting that caring is indeed not quite worth the effort."
|
|
#
¿
Sep 7, 2018 13:39
|
|
|
The Trespasser [After livescene] And so it was done. Better than expected, given Trespasser was still in one piece. Roped the very Titaness into doing the vulgar part of the job for them, leaving merely the artistry. The bird cackled to the void, exhilarated. This will be so worth it. --- Action 1 & 2: I start seeding the patterns for mortal life of the unique BIRD design. Willing to pay all necessary costs in ambrosia and whatnot. Moreover, I'd like to suggest that for this particular kind of being my few remaining histories of Omixil and bricks of soulsnuff would make some drat useful materials. Maintenance Actions 1&2: Templing up that sea of mechanized blue at Eternium station. After all, Science is the original Key to knowledge.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 9, 2018 22:40
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 24, 2024 20:25 |
|
|
The Trespasser Sorry for dropping this without fluff - it's a humble little clock-finishing turn and I'm just too worn today to go on a proper BIRD ramble about pretty much plotting behind a console. --- Action 1: Finishing the matrix for mortal life. It's okay if their actual seeding gets delayed. Action 2: Finishing the temple of Science, to incorporate into the Key.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 16, 2018 21:04
|
|