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Zachary took caution walking through the city, watching to ensure he wasn't ambushed. He had his wind cannon strapped across his back and his kinetic shield under his shirt, both of which had saved his life on numerous occasions. It was not long before he had arrived at where the military delivered its aid. At first the aid they had given out was helpful, feeding and clothing many people. However, they quickly became very stingy to the point where they hand-outs were almost useless and it was little more than to maintain a presence in the people's lives. So Kaa'is suggested, very pointedly, that they would need to take what they needed. Zachary had caved, and they soon became good at this routine.
They were in an open area, and soldiers were on a strong watch to deal with any Conduits who decided to attack, or Guardians for that matter. In fact, at present the military were very antagonistic against anyone with a kage, hostile or not. Crates filled with hand-outs were stacked around the plaza and people lined up for the morsels which they would receive. Zachary nonchalantly surveyed the area and soon spotted a blind-spot in the guard formation. Working his way around via the buildings he slipped in through the blind spot and ducked behind a stack of crates. Let's get to work, Kaa'is said to him. Zachary was, of course, nervous. You know they'll probably kill us if they catch us. Kaa'is gave a mental shrug of indifference. You'll be fine. You're just too much of a coward to get even food.
Looking both ways, Zachary got to work. The crates, he had discovered when he first tried this, were made of wood but held together with metal nails. Placing a finger on the head of one nail, he drew his finger back, taking the nail with it. The extraction of a single nail at contact-range took very little effort, and several nails later he was able to quietly remove one of the planks from the face on his side. Quickly and swiftly he removed as much food and water as he could carry in his bag from the crate. There was a queasy lightness in his stomach from a combination of nervousness and adrenaline. Some people liked that feeling, but not him. He just wanted to get out of there as soon as he could. And so, as soon as he had grabbed what he wanted, he checked to see that his escape was clear and quiet sneaked off.
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- BBeast 12 yrs ago
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I'm now a professional physicist. Isn't that awesome?
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Exams are done! I'm free!
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"Life is complex - it has real and imaginary parts."
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Science doesn't rest
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Reason Reified, Lord Logiker, Sciencomancer Superbus
Bio
I am a Roleplayer with an interest in science fiction and fantasy, with a preference for Casual. I have been roleplaying for several years, and have even taken a stab at running a few RPs.
Outside the Guild, I am an Australian science student, gamer, musician and roleplayer (that's right, IRL too).
Outside the Guild, I am an Australian science student, gamer, musician and roleplayer (that's right, IRL too).
Most Recent Posts
That was a lot of reading I had to catch up on in the IC. I'll get something in before too late, hopefully.
Zachary woke up as a shaft of sunlight shone onto his face. He stirred, but he did not rise, as he was doing some thinking. He was remembering what had happened when the apocalypse had struck a whole year ago. It was that moment his life, and the life of everyone else in Sovereign, had changed. Everyone had been stuck inside an impenetrable wall with nothing but the ruins of the city and whatever the military would spare to survive on. But something else had happened to Zachary that day.
He had passed out from intense pain caused by the merger with the ball of light and metal, and found himself on safe ground when he regained consciousness, which defied his expectations since before he had been thirteen stories up in a burning building. As he had been pondering why, a voice spoke inside his head. Pretty miraculous, huh?
Taken by surprise, Zachary had responded aloud. "What? Where are you?"
I am inside your head. In reflection, the voice had been taunting him, flaunting what he did not know.
"What are you doing in there?"
I am that ball of light you saw earlier, Zachary. My name is Kaa'is, and I am an Onikage.
That the voice had knew his name surprised him at the time, but that was the least of his questions.
"An Onikage? They're just myths, aren't they? Old religious tales?"
Well, for a myth who manifested itself in physical form and then got you down from the skyscraper in one piece I'm doing pretty well. The voice, which named itself Kaa'is, paused before adding, Or you could be mad, if you prefer that option, and my voice is just a delusion, as is the rest of the apocalypse. That last bit was said to spite him, and Zachary knew it.
Zachary had looked around at the desolation surrounding him. The disaster had passed and all that remained was the aftermath, which was not a pretty sight, and the giant tear in space, which was a slightly prettier sight. Kaa'is spoke again. Are we going to stand here moping all day or are we actually going to do something? Come on, let's go! And so they had gone, and found a way to pick a living in this wasteland.
Zachary returned to the present and surveyed his lair. He had set up base in the basement of some crumbled building, which gave him both space and secrecy as the basement was large and the entrance was covered. This secrecy had been essential as in order to help him survive and also to maintain his sanity he did engineering down here. Furnishing the dark rooms, aside from his mattress, were a few crates, a makeshift workshop, a clock and a hand-drawn calendar. Left behind by the disaster were many cores and it only needed someone who knew where to look to find them, so he had been able to build machines to suit his needs. For self-defence he carried around two devices- a wind cannon and a kinetic shield, both of which had been simple enough to make. Kaa'is, forever the voice of mischief and evil in his mind, had wanted him to use a more lethal weapon, but Zachary had refused. Kaa'is would pester him about it whenever he had a chance, but the realistically a weapon which launched your enemies over 10 meters away is pretty effective at making sure you don't get pestered.
The tools he had at hand were crude, but Kaa'is had granted him... powers. He could... read machines at a touch. The pictures he received had been sketchy at first, but over time they became more and more useful, allowing him to detect problems in machines before he even tested them. Kaa'is had told him that this ability relied on him knowing how the machine, or at least the components of the machine, worked, and as Zachary knew a lot about machines this made that ability very potent. Through Kaa'is he could also move metal objects, although this ability is much more difficult to use.
Time for your morning training, Zachary, Kaa'is said. He sighed, looked towards a metal wrench lying on the ground, and projected their energies towards it. After exerting a considerable amount of effort, the wrench slowly rose from the ground then flew towards him. Zachary caught it, and Kaa'is commended him. Our strength is growing. Soon none shall be able to stand in our path. You won't have to fear bandits, or scrounge for food. You shall be able to get all that you need. Who knows, you might even be able to break out of this cage. You want to get home, don't you? Zachary normally tried to ignore Kaa'is and his talk of power, for it made him uncomfortable, but at times the Onikage could be very persuasive in his way.
Zachary went over to a crate and grabbed some of his rations to eat for breakfast. They were the rations the military gave out to the survivors here, and he was running low. While slowly munching on the food and sipping at the bottled water, he inspected his calendar. He had got one in order to keep track of time. The thought of losing track of the weeks was maddening, so he had acquired a calendar to prevent this. When the year had ended, there were no new calendars available, so he had made his own. He checked the calendar's entry for today, and it was labelled 'food'. "Today the army's handing out supplies," Zachary said. They did so at regular intervals, which was why he had been able to mark it on the calendar. Good. You know what to do, Kaa'is replied. Zachary nodded, and after he had finished eating he grabbed his gear and left, making sure the entrance was left looking like a pile of debris.
He had passed out from intense pain caused by the merger with the ball of light and metal, and found himself on safe ground when he regained consciousness, which defied his expectations since before he had been thirteen stories up in a burning building. As he had been pondering why, a voice spoke inside his head. Pretty miraculous, huh?
Taken by surprise, Zachary had responded aloud. "What? Where are you?"
I am inside your head. In reflection, the voice had been taunting him, flaunting what he did not know.
"What are you doing in there?"
I am that ball of light you saw earlier, Zachary. My name is Kaa'is, and I am an Onikage.
That the voice had knew his name surprised him at the time, but that was the least of his questions.
"An Onikage? They're just myths, aren't they? Old religious tales?"
Well, for a myth who manifested itself in physical form and then got you down from the skyscraper in one piece I'm doing pretty well. The voice, which named itself Kaa'is, paused before adding, Or you could be mad, if you prefer that option, and my voice is just a delusion, as is the rest of the apocalypse. That last bit was said to spite him, and Zachary knew it.
Zachary had looked around at the desolation surrounding him. The disaster had passed and all that remained was the aftermath, which was not a pretty sight, and the giant tear in space, which was a slightly prettier sight. Kaa'is spoke again. Are we going to stand here moping all day or are we actually going to do something? Come on, let's go! And so they had gone, and found a way to pick a living in this wasteland.
Zachary returned to the present and surveyed his lair. He had set up base in the basement of some crumbled building, which gave him both space and secrecy as the basement was large and the entrance was covered. This secrecy had been essential as in order to help him survive and also to maintain his sanity he did engineering down here. Furnishing the dark rooms, aside from his mattress, were a few crates, a makeshift workshop, a clock and a hand-drawn calendar. Left behind by the disaster were many cores and it only needed someone who knew where to look to find them, so he had been able to build machines to suit his needs. For self-defence he carried around two devices- a wind cannon and a kinetic shield, both of which had been simple enough to make. Kaa'is, forever the voice of mischief and evil in his mind, had wanted him to use a more lethal weapon, but Zachary had refused. Kaa'is would pester him about it whenever he had a chance, but the realistically a weapon which launched your enemies over 10 meters away is pretty effective at making sure you don't get pestered.
The tools he had at hand were crude, but Kaa'is had granted him... powers. He could... read machines at a touch. The pictures he received had been sketchy at first, but over time they became more and more useful, allowing him to detect problems in machines before he even tested them. Kaa'is had told him that this ability relied on him knowing how the machine, or at least the components of the machine, worked, and as Zachary knew a lot about machines this made that ability very potent. Through Kaa'is he could also move metal objects, although this ability is much more difficult to use.
Time for your morning training, Zachary, Kaa'is said. He sighed, looked towards a metal wrench lying on the ground, and projected their energies towards it. After exerting a considerable amount of effort, the wrench slowly rose from the ground then flew towards him. Zachary caught it, and Kaa'is commended him. Our strength is growing. Soon none shall be able to stand in our path. You won't have to fear bandits, or scrounge for food. You shall be able to get all that you need. Who knows, you might even be able to break out of this cage. You want to get home, don't you? Zachary normally tried to ignore Kaa'is and his talk of power, for it made him uncomfortable, but at times the Onikage could be very persuasive in his way.
Zachary went over to a crate and grabbed some of his rations to eat for breakfast. They were the rations the military gave out to the survivors here, and he was running low. While slowly munching on the food and sipping at the bottled water, he inspected his calendar. He had got one in order to keep track of time. The thought of losing track of the weeks was maddening, so he had acquired a calendar to prevent this. When the year had ended, there were no new calendars available, so he had made his own. He checked the calendar's entry for today, and it was labelled 'food'. "Today the army's handing out supplies," Zachary said. They did so at regular intervals, which was why he had been able to mark it on the calendar. Good. You know what to do, Kaa'is replied. Zachary nodded, and after he had finished eating he grabbed his gear and left, making sure the entrance was left looking like a pile of debris.
How plentiful are Guardians and Conduits relative to normal people in Sovereign?
I have a more magic centred addition to this guide.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards
"A quirk some Video Game and Tabletop RPG game systems share is that melee classes are more powerful, versatile or useful at lower levels than casters or magic using classes. However, the trend reverses at higher levels, when the magic users gain a breadth of both versatility and pure power over simplistic hack and slash heroes."
In brief, magic users can easily get much more powerful than they should be. Their increase in power in relation to experience accelerates as they get more experience, as they get not only stronger but also have more powerful and diverse spells at their disposal. This is in contrast to other means of combat, such as melee combatants, where their strength progresses more or less evenly, especially since they don't have the versatility of magic users and face physical limitations. Magic, on the other hand, is there to overcome physical limitations.
On the flip side, early on magic users are typically weaker than warriors as their powers are not useful until they are well-trained. However, early on warriors have the upper hand as it doesn't take much training to bash up your enemies.
A way to counter the disproportionate increase in magical power is to put some kind of limitation on it, such as limited power (often 'mana') or some physical or mental cost of using magic. Care needs to be taken there to avoid nerfing wizards too much, otherwise the scales may tip the other way and they may become effectively useless.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards
"A quirk some Video Game and Tabletop RPG game systems share is that melee classes are more powerful, versatile or useful at lower levels than casters or magic using classes. However, the trend reverses at higher levels, when the magic users gain a breadth of both versatility and pure power over simplistic hack and slash heroes."
In brief, magic users can easily get much more powerful than they should be. Their increase in power in relation to experience accelerates as they get more experience, as they get not only stronger but also have more powerful and diverse spells at their disposal. This is in contrast to other means of combat, such as melee combatants, where their strength progresses more or less evenly, especially since they don't have the versatility of magic users and face physical limitations. Magic, on the other hand, is there to overcome physical limitations.
On the flip side, early on magic users are typically weaker than warriors as their powers are not useful until they are well-trained. However, early on warriors have the upper hand as it doesn't take much training to bash up your enemies.
A way to counter the disproportionate increase in magical power is to put some kind of limitation on it, such as limited power (often 'mana') or some physical or mental cost of using magic. Care needs to be taken there to avoid nerfing wizards too much, otherwise the scales may tip the other way and they may become effectively useless.
Arthur C. Clarke's Third Law: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke#On_Clarke.27s_Laws
This means that in science fiction, or even just RPs where technological innovation is allowed, you will face the same problems as you do in worlds with magic. Technology can easily reach a level where all else becomes inferior, and everything gets out of control. An obvious example is far-future sci-fi, where if you aren't careful you will come across devices which can do anything, from flawless cloaking devices to devastating hand-held super-weapons to literally impenetrable shields to limitless teleportation to time travel to manipulating the very nature of the Universe itself. And if multiple sides have access to such technologies it can easily spiral out into an arms race.
Even if you're not in the far-future, technology can still progress to a stage where it is magical. Say you have a medieval setting. Some clever guy discovers gunpowder. From there, firearms are a short step, and it doesn't take much extrapolation to create better and better firearms and it won't be long until you have weapons which are centuries ahead of their time and any players who get their hands on them become unstoppable.
The solution to preventing technology from spiralling out of your control is similar to that with magic. Obviously, intense physical strain beyond a point is not applicable in most cases, but there are other ways to limit technology. One is to have clear limits on the technology in your RP. Another is to have advanced technology expensive to operate, or the power/ammo/mineral to run it is rare. Another way is to have highly sophisticated and advanced technology difficult to acquire by PCs.
These methods can be applied directly back to magic. Magic can have clear limits in the RP. Magic can be costly to perform. Magic can require rare consumable items (magic crystals, complicated potions, etc.). Magic which a PC can use could be limited to simpler things.
In short, problems you see in magic can arise with technology too, and can be fixed in much the same ways.
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke#On_Clarke.27s_Laws
This means that in science fiction, or even just RPs where technological innovation is allowed, you will face the same problems as you do in worlds with magic. Technology can easily reach a level where all else becomes inferior, and everything gets out of control. An obvious example is far-future sci-fi, where if you aren't careful you will come across devices which can do anything, from flawless cloaking devices to devastating hand-held super-weapons to literally impenetrable shields to limitless teleportation to time travel to manipulating the very nature of the Universe itself. And if multiple sides have access to such technologies it can easily spiral out into an arms race.
Even if you're not in the far-future, technology can still progress to a stage where it is magical. Say you have a medieval setting. Some clever guy discovers gunpowder. From there, firearms are a short step, and it doesn't take much extrapolation to create better and better firearms and it won't be long until you have weapons which are centuries ahead of their time and any players who get their hands on them become unstoppable.
The solution to preventing technology from spiralling out of your control is similar to that with magic. Obviously, intense physical strain beyond a point is not applicable in most cases, but there are other ways to limit technology. One is to have clear limits on the technology in your RP. Another is to have advanced technology expensive to operate, or the power/ammo/mineral to run it is rare. Another way is to have highly sophisticated and advanced technology difficult to acquire by PCs.
These methods can be applied directly back to magic. Magic can have clear limits in the RP. Magic can be costly to perform. Magic can require rare consumable items (magic crystals, complicated potions, etc.). Magic which a PC can use could be limited to simpler things.
In short, problems you see in magic can arise with technology too, and can be fixed in much the same ways.
Has everyone posted? If so, then yes.
I had found a theme for Zachary, although with the event of this apocalypse it's mostly irrelevant now.
Whatever, I'll post it anyway. Just imagine him tinkering away and doing science-y stuff.
Whatever, I'll post it anyway. Just imagine him tinkering away and doing science-y stuff.
Zachary smiled as he saw Thanar's resonance detector and received his offer to fund him should he design a successful engine. Zachary was over the moon with joy. Everything was going so well.
"Thank you very, very much, Mr Zey. Your input will be very valuable and I will remember your offer," Zachary replied, barely able to contain his elation. He had something else to ask. His curiosity would not allow him to have a meeting with someone like Thanar Zey and not probe a bit about him. "Now, I just have one small question, out of personal interest. What -"
He was cut off by a small tremor. This was actually the second tremor, as the grand towers of Sovereign are designed with earthquakes in mind so the initial tremor was not felt where Zachary was. He paused in thought, and remembered what he knew about earthquakes. They come in waves. There is rarely just one earthquake. With a touch of fear in his face, he said, "I must go now, Mr Zey. Thank you again."
Zachary had barely had time to close his holopad when the next tremor struck, throwing him to the floor. He scooped up his engine and bag and thought of the best place to shelter as plaster rained down around him. Through the fear which thickly shrouded his mind he managed to consider the safest place to be would be next to a major structural pylon. But as he staggered in that direction a flash of light and an explosion knocked him backwards. An unearthly bolt of lightning had struck the university, shattering its windows and setting it ablaze. He could hear the cries of those suffering, but the sound did not connect with his mind, which was overloaded and confused at this sudden disaster. If he had ever contemplated being in such a scenario, he would have thought he would have been clever and inventive, perhaps using his engine to get himself safely to firmer ground. But he would have been wrong. As the fires of hell rained down on Sovereign, he had no cleverness, no thought. All he had left was fear and instinct, and he was not equipped to use them.
As he crawled away from the centre of the building where the fires were burning, light washed out his vision and his senses went dull. When sight returned, he was able to see out into Sovereign, or what was left of it. Buildings were burning everywhere, the skyways had failed, the streets were flooded, and a giant tear in space itself dominated the centre of the city. If he had been in the slightest religious and not deeply sceptical of all things supernatural, the word 'apocalypse' would have come to mind. Caught between the fires of the building and a lethal drop into the flooded streets below, he found his life racing before his eyes. The happy childhood, the factories of Wintra, the tinkering, the trip to Argos, the time at university, the development of a new skyway, the PhD work on the shuttle engine, the supremely successful interview with Thanar Zey. It had all been going so well! How could it end like this?
As the fear of death dominated Zachary's mind, he saw a glowing orb skirt around the ruined, smoke-filled rooms of the university. It then reversed, turned sharply and slowly approached Zachary. He was sure that the thing was going to kill him. Later, he would not be able to justify why, other than the fact that everything else had been trying to kill him in that moment too. Staring at the glowing being, he saw that it was not just an orb of light but an orb of twisting, floating, silvery cables. It seemed to be staring at him too, and after what felt to be an age it spoke in a voice like a thunder-stick. "Yes, you will do."
The orb suddenly lurched forwards into Zachary, merging with him. His eyes were blinded by the light and an incomprehensible pain filled him. He could not describe it properly. It might be comparable to every cell in his body catching on fire and then stuffing his mind full of the torment and anguish that filled the entire apocalypse-ridden city, but he was in no state to make comparisons. The only thing in his world at this time was pain. Then, there was nothing.
"Thank you very, very much, Mr Zey. Your input will be very valuable and I will remember your offer," Zachary replied, barely able to contain his elation. He had something else to ask. His curiosity would not allow him to have a meeting with someone like Thanar Zey and not probe a bit about him. "Now, I just have one small question, out of personal interest. What -"
He was cut off by a small tremor. This was actually the second tremor, as the grand towers of Sovereign are designed with earthquakes in mind so the initial tremor was not felt where Zachary was. He paused in thought, and remembered what he knew about earthquakes. They come in waves. There is rarely just one earthquake. With a touch of fear in his face, he said, "I must go now, Mr Zey. Thank you again."
Zachary had barely had time to close his holopad when the next tremor struck, throwing him to the floor. He scooped up his engine and bag and thought of the best place to shelter as plaster rained down around him. Through the fear which thickly shrouded his mind he managed to consider the safest place to be would be next to a major structural pylon. But as he staggered in that direction a flash of light and an explosion knocked him backwards. An unearthly bolt of lightning had struck the university, shattering its windows and setting it ablaze. He could hear the cries of those suffering, but the sound did not connect with his mind, which was overloaded and confused at this sudden disaster. If he had ever contemplated being in such a scenario, he would have thought he would have been clever and inventive, perhaps using his engine to get himself safely to firmer ground. But he would have been wrong. As the fires of hell rained down on Sovereign, he had no cleverness, no thought. All he had left was fear and instinct, and he was not equipped to use them.
As he crawled away from the centre of the building where the fires were burning, light washed out his vision and his senses went dull. When sight returned, he was able to see out into Sovereign, or what was left of it. Buildings were burning everywhere, the skyways had failed, the streets were flooded, and a giant tear in space itself dominated the centre of the city. If he had been in the slightest religious and not deeply sceptical of all things supernatural, the word 'apocalypse' would have come to mind. Caught between the fires of the building and a lethal drop into the flooded streets below, he found his life racing before his eyes. The happy childhood, the factories of Wintra, the tinkering, the trip to Argos, the time at university, the development of a new skyway, the PhD work on the shuttle engine, the supremely successful interview with Thanar Zey. It had all been going so well! How could it end like this?
As the fear of death dominated Zachary's mind, he saw a glowing orb skirt around the ruined, smoke-filled rooms of the university. It then reversed, turned sharply and slowly approached Zachary. He was sure that the thing was going to kill him. Later, he would not be able to justify why, other than the fact that everything else had been trying to kill him in that moment too. Staring at the glowing being, he saw that it was not just an orb of light but an orb of twisting, floating, silvery cables. It seemed to be staring at him too, and after what felt to be an age it spoke in a voice like a thunder-stick. "Yes, you will do."
The orb suddenly lurched forwards into Zachary, merging with him. His eyes were blinded by the light and an incomprehensible pain filled him. He could not describe it properly. It might be comparable to every cell in his body catching on fire and then stuffing his mind full of the torment and anguish that filled the entire apocalypse-ridden city, but he was in no state to make comparisons. The only thing in his world at this time was pain. Then, there was nothing.
What is titan pad? Is it an online tool where both users write in the same document simultaneously?
Also, you mentioned that we won't have control over our powers. What about our kages, though? Do they have control over their powers?
Also, you mentioned that we won't have control over our powers. What about our kages, though? Do they have control over their powers?
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