FalloutJack

Metroid: Final Protocol

Additional: I'm also handling this off-camera. Too much latency is going to have consequences. I didn't want to have to handle that this early on, but there we are.

Metroid: Final Protocol

For the delay, I apologize, guys. EnterTheHero said he had problems to deal with and I guess they were big ones indeed. I hope whatever it is, he comes out of 'em alright.

Begin Again: A Fallout Story

I received offers rather quickly. I must close this up for now. Many apologies who see this and go "Dangit!". It may open again.

Begin Again: A Fallout Story

It isn't what you think. This has nothing to do with the Sierra Madre or New Vegas. Not exactly. I will explain.

When I first heard this song, I was overcome with a profound sense of loss, of something terrible done or yet to come, of tragedy. It had invoked this as it issued forth from my Pipboy, because it was the first new song that came from it, now that I had activated the New Vegas DLC adventures. All of them unlocked at once, because I'd purchased the Ultimate Edition of the game, not gotten the extras piecemail. It's how I do things. As a reselt, I received the new transmissions and, at first, didn't know which new adventure this somber song played for. The station that plays it is the Old World Blues station, but the reason for its existence stems from Dead Money, and for some reason it invoked in me feelings of the Lonesome Road.

It is for this reason that this plot exists. You see, for a time, I thought that it wasn't just something terrible the Courier did that was involved in the Lonesome Road, but something he left behind. Or rather...someone. I thought it was a lament, or a cry for help. In a way, when you consider the plot of Dead Money, it IS just that thing. Because that voice - the voice of Vera Keyes, the singer of that song - is certainly that of a ghost reaching out to anyone who will hear. You don't go through all that without it having an effect on you. Ultimately, the DLCs to New Vegas might've been better than some of the main plot. I was at that point, at the time, where I had to finish off the story, begin the endgame. You all know what that's like. You want the game to go on forever if it's really good. You don't want it to end, so that's why I was so powerful when the DLCs came out, and maybe why I had so much fun.

None of that is important. They're just to help you understand where I'm coming from.

The idea is that while the story I thought was going to happen didn't happen, I've come to feel like it would make a great story, a stand-alone tale in the wasteland. It doesn't look like such a story will be written anytime soon, so why not explore the idea? It goes...as I've said, in a way, only it doesn't involve the Courier or any regular character in the Fallout universe. Two characters, created for this. Their backgrounds would be made to fit into the scenario in some way, but creativity is encouraged. As you can see, I am a Fallout fan and I prefer that the wasteland have the option for it to be wild, so strangeness will probably happen.

Here is the scenario: We have a couple, or at least two close individuals. (Preferrably male and female, though I could have both female, if pushed for it.) This is an area somewhere in the Fallout world. Now, the reason the song hit me so hard is because I thought it was someone the main character left somewhere far and isolated or something. This would basically BE that case. We have these two individuals, and something breaks them apart. Not as in a break-up, as in a catastrophe. It could be that this started pre-war and only the male (or other female) got to the Vault and was frozen like in Fallout 4, or that something destroyed the land like the Divide was in Lonesome Road, or that science threw a wobbler like in Old World Blues, or that a place just up and sealed off, shoving people out with its toxins and security like in Dead Money. Or all of these, or something else. Something BIG separates them, and the two are unable to communicate, and they think the other is lost...forever.

Time slips forwards to...the one outside, doing what he (or she) can to survive. They've become strong and skilled in some way, if they weren't before. But then, one day, as they're trying to get through another day, this song appears in transmissions. (For sake of convenience, we'll give the character a working Pipboy even if they didn't come from a Vault or somewhere which has one.) The song is beautiful, sorrowful, and...and...that voice is...familiar. It can't be. It is, though, and it comes directly from where he (or she) left her. Has she been there all this time, still alive? She must have been trapped there, isolated from the world. Have to find out... Have to try and make it there...

I'm not going to be a shit and play the 'dead all along' card. This is a story about tragedy, hope, forgiveness, and striving against the impossible to reunite with the one you love. This is the story I thought New Vegas was planning to tell, but it didn't. The stories it DID tell were good, but this would've been great, as well. Obviously, a working knowledge of Fallout is preferred, but if you understand the KIND of world this is even without having played any of the games, that's fine too. It's important, though, because we're going to setup the nigh-insurmountable chaos between these two to be overcome, and the one playing the isolated and trapped character is both technically GM to the land and its obstables and whatever help from afar the character might bring. Because, like Ulysses, there might be something that can be done remotely or advice given to help out (apart from character development). The exploring character, of course, has to get through all of this while wondering with certain mounting dread if the other has changed, if they're still sane, if they're secretly angry and homicidal with the character, etc.

This is kind of an isolated story taking place in the Fallout universe, but it's big in its own way. PM if interested.

✧ Adventure Must Continue ✧

Guardians and minions of the Cathredral were not inhibited by the natural defenses of this place. There was no true barrier for those that worked and dwelt here. They could pass from one place to the next freely. That said, if you were not a teleporting creature, you could not instantly flit about the entirety of the place with little effort. You had to do the footwork, or the wingwork. Whatever. So, the fact that the Cathedral's security was thoroughly against invaders only worked to their benefit. For instance, if a prospective 'hero' were to follow - say - a boss as it was moving at full speed for the exit and the hero character did not have the right to enter that door, it could slam down, iron-clad, in his face. That would never happen in YGGDRASIL, but here and now...Morningstar could take her Key Item to the next floor down without having to complete the means to get downstairs herself, thus forcing any invader into a non-standard Game Over.

The spiral staircase to the next floor opened and shut after her automatically, allowing the gargoyle to run on down unhindered and without delay. The Akashic Records - a MASSIVE library of floating bookshelves and directories - sprawled out before her...and she needed not pay any of it any heed. As per her induction into this place, she was given the immediate secret of the whole entire puzzle floor, pulled the ONE BOOK that would activate the floorpad teleporter, and immediately moved on. The process continued with the Forge. No locked doors were a hinderance to monsters, nothing stopped her from moving on. It was all an arduous process, but only in the sense of the place having quite the sprawl from top floor to bottom. She dropped down into the Arena, then, and saw that Garlock was already gone and moved onto the next floor. Fallen Kingdom: Same deal. They'd see this flying streak in motion that was Morningstar head directly from entrance to exit.

AT LAST - though very little time had actually progressed, on the whole - she was on the right floor. The Profane Tower, in all its Escher-esque glory - Daryl's words, not hers - was a testament to all things weird, including the creatures which dwelt within it and even the Supreme One who created it. And yet, it was all part of the grand scheme which the Alchemist loved. Morningstar heaved a sigh of relief that she had not taken too long, after all, and proceeded towards the Scrying Sanctum.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Garlock did not bow, as others did. It was not some question of loyalty, but rather that he was along the same lines like some sort of on-site consultant who benefitted, but did not necessarily follow all the company rules because he did not have to. He was a cat, and when did cats ever bow? Others bowed and Garlock just sort of stared blinking. It was a matter of fact - though he did not know this, of course - that when Daryl made him, his 'bow' animation was to tuurn into a cat and ignore you, licking his paws. In short, he was made realistic from the get-go. If anyone asked, it was 'Because it's more funny that way', and it was. Still, though, the black magus just sort of glared while everyone else went all 'My Lord...!' on him. Meh. He was here. That's all that mattered. And on the other end of things, he had to snort his amusement at the spectacle that was Elizabeth. This was not a decidant aristocracy. Why act like it was one?

Then, there was the abrupt arrival of Teacher's Pet. You know...the dutiful hellspawn warrior who pledged herself to the Cathedral because - unsurprisingly - damnation was damnation for ALL. He couldn't blame her, but it seemed like the girl was insane, maybe more-so than he was. Picture this for a moment: You live your existence - an eternal existence - in a box filled with pain. The pain is always different, every day, and you don't know when or how to expect it. It always delivers you into a world of hurt, because your world IS hurt. Garlock went on the rampage because of ONE bad day. Morningstar had had ALOT. He wasn't afraid of her, per se, but her attachment to the Supreme Ones as her 'saviors' seemed a little unhealthy, at times, especially where the Alchemist was concerned. This was further-exampled by te following...

Star had entered the room in a hurry, essentially slamming the doors to the Scrying Sanctum open and then shutting them again with the spoken apology of "Sorry I'm late, IF I'm late! It's a bit of a rush to get down here from the top floor.", which was understandable, but she could've come in quieter. On the surface, she had a friendly-enough demeanor. However, as Volaris began to speak what he knew...you could see it having an effect on her. First, to learn that the world was suppose to be winked out of existence was a surprise, that she was shocked that Daryl did not tell her. She then sneered because Garlock's reaction to hearing that the world was to be destroyed was "Good.". That cat... Why did they take him in?

The news continued, though. The Supreme Ones knew that the world was to be destroyed, but that for some reason...it was not. Or at least, not in the same sense that one would think. Volaris was clearly saying 'That isn't the world we know out there.', that their world WAS gone and that only perhaps those who were here within the Cathredal remained of it all. But...wait... Where was everybody else? Were all the Guardians accounted for? What of the Supreme Lords of the place? This... Garlock didn't seem to care that much. Or rather, it DID affect him, but in a different way. And as he spoke up, others would see Morningstar pull out the Alchemist Key, staring at it for a long moment...

"So, the world as we know it is gone. Good riddance. I hated it. The only thing that bothers me is that this world won't be any better, and that no one will even KNOW that my old master existed, to know his passing and regret."

This must have triggered something in Morningstar just then, because the chamber suddenly shook as she punched the floor, teeth clenched and with tears that were...well...rapidly evaporating. Her eyes glowed with anger, one hand clenching the indestructible key that was to all the alchemic work that Daryl owned. She wasn't going into a berserker's rage, as was her power to, but she was pissed!

"Volaris, what happened?"

When she looked at him, her eyes were glowing fiercely, but it wasn't just anger there on her expression. She cared about the Supreme Ones as much as others were loyal. This was tearing her apart inside.

"You MUST know! Where are the others?! What happened to the world?! You said you knew it was coming ahead of time! If the others aren't here, are they just as dead?! TELL ME!!"

The last part was not in her own normal female voice. It was not something Volaris would expect before. He would've heard demons speak in shows and such, but this was different. He could feel it. Demon vocals were felt to the core, and Star had a voice on her, at times. Even still, he'd feel the shock of it, but also the sad imploring of it. She desperately wanted to know what happened to those she'd pledged eternal gratitude towards, those she served willingly for delivering her from the deepest, darkest pits of Hell. She wanted to know, somehow, that they weren't now writhing in torment instead, as she had been once. And that outburst was why Garlock, of all people, thought she was insane, barely keeping herself together.

The Incredibles: United

@sassy1085 Quantum portal to museum from shooting gallery.

Metroid: Final Protocol

@UltimoScorp Nicely done.

Metroid: Final Protocol

@UltimoScorp Yeah, okay, I can allow it. Put your character in, and then when you post, be a late-comer that they 'thought wasn't coming'. Walk in on the argument.

Metroid: Final Protocol

@UltimoScorp Sorry for the delay. Tonight was the night of a live session I'm involved in. To clarify, her suit is basically survival first, weapons second, with an emphasis on using bursts of physical enhancement?

Metroid: Final Protocol

Aye, I'm a little worried about @EnterTheHero, myself.