POOHEAD189

Grim Galaxy: Shots and Chances

Neil lounged atop the Highlander, nearly forty feet above ground. Even laying lazily, it gave him a good vantage point of the local grasslands, and the village they had stopped at.

Most hamlets, villages, and towns on Fornax outside of the fabrication cities were mining settlements, and those that weren't were smaller farms where they grew crops and raised livestock. Most of the planet's food they got from offworld, but it seemed the Duke wasn't too keen on not being at least somewhat self sufficient in a time of crisis. Unfortunately, this was a crisis where food might not be plentiful for some time.

It took nearly an hour for the first villagers to start trickling out of the village, though they looked to be appraisers rather than actual refugees with their belongings.

"We really should have lit for orbit when we had the chance," Sayeeda spoke softly so as not to be overheard by the pair of Knights who had remained on board.

"This is likely to turn into a real shit show." Neil heard on the comm. The young man shrugged, though she couldn't see. "Look at the bright side." He said persuasively. "If we do make it out of here, we're getting paid far more than we could have dreamed! That, and we're helping people." He added the last as an afterthought and minor reminder. If he wasn't such a glutton for excitement, he'd be on board with Sayeeda's concerns.

In the distance, Neil heard faint booms, and he glanced behind him. The sky was blue, with nary a cloud in the sky. But passed the distant mountain range, he could see fiery streaks cutting into orbit from the ground. Those were the PDC guns. Massive cannons planted on the planet's surface to aid the defense of the orbital battle. They were powerful, but they boded ill for Fornax. If those guns were firing, it meant there was little left of the defenders, or the enemy was so numerous they couldn't hope to dodge such a stationary weapon.

Luckily it seemed the guns had been the kick in the ass the town needed. As soon as they had begun firing, the townsfolk began to gather in the street. While the Knights had frightened them earlier, they saw them as harbingers of doom now, and ran to obey their orders.

Astador stood at the brink of the townscape, overlooking the foodstuffs being taken first, driving them like they were his serfs. Still, the man had a grasp on what was important, and he even helped haul the larger items, the minor synthetics in his musculature, as well as his normally strong body was a boon to the town's movements. He wondered if this hamlet even had a name. It reminded him somewhat of his old origins, before his induction as an acolyte.

It seemed fate that the Knight was looking towards the where the Highlander was parked. For behind Neil, three grey objects began to materialize above the horizon, plummeting toward the hamlet at terrible speeds. Astador enhanced the vision in his helmet, and to his mounting trepidation, he could tell whatever was hurtling toward them was organic. A mass of muscle, with no real face or limbs save for writhing tentacles and frontal sucker.

"Captain." He called on the comm, but Sayeeda would already see them on the rader. Neil didn't notice the transport Organisms until they had struck the far field a scant few miles south of them with the impact of a planetary ballistic missile. It nearly rocked him off the Highlander. He caught himself dexterously, and then moved his thick hair out of his vision, slowly going for the comm again once he saw very distant movement from the now crushed bio-ship.

"Hey, that's not a good thing is it?"
@Penny

The Book Club

@Penny I think he died just before the last book. I'll be honest and say I know all of the spoilers on what happened, though. I have the series companion and everything. I've read the first 7 to 8 books three times but either life or the descriptions kept me from completing it. Rand is great, but Perrin and Matt are my favs. Thom, Lan, and Moraine too.

I should point out that I'm not badmouthing the series, the books are wonderful and I love the world even if Rand is sort of a woolheaded fool!

@Penny

I think he's played too many games of Maiden's Kiss. ;)

The Book Club

@POOHEAD189 Oh god the Wheel of Time. A series which reminds me that once I had copious free time. Now I shall raise my chin at you while wearing a dress that has three paragraphs of description.

@Penny

I think my laugh nearly woke my roommates up. I kind of bullshitted on my description as I never got passed book 8 because the descriptions were so long after that.

Book 1-6 are incredible though.

The Book Club

<Snipped quote by POOHEAD189>

I did. I have no doubt that there is probably something lost within the translations. Even still, the writing is top tier.

@Dark Wind

Noted, I might give them a go then. Love the games and the lore.

@Penny Well I'm sold. They sounds awesome and are right up my ally.

---

Here's a few Fantasy books I highly recommend.

The Crystal Shard by my favorite author R.A. Salvatore. It's set in the Forgotten Realms, and is the first book in an incredibly long but highly praised (deserving imo) series. If you've played D&D, you've no doubt heard of Drizzt Do'Urden the Dark Elf renegade. This is the first book about him and his Companions of the Hall. Granted, this was before Drizzt became the main character, but it was his start to becoming an ensemble darkhorse. The writing is rich yet simple, and the book begins in the icy tundra of Icewind Dale, where a coalition of 10 settlements collected around a lake survive and trade in the far north. The closest people apart from them are a small clan of Dwarves led by Bruenor Battlehammer. Orcs, Yetis, and Giants are a constant threat, as are the nomadic, war-like barbarian tribes. The Barbarians gather together and attack 'Ten-Towns', only to be halted by townsfolk and aid from the Dwaves. A young Barbarian is beaten on the battlefield by Bruenor and taken it as an indentured servant. On his last day of his 5 year service, he is taught to fight by the Dark Elf Drizzt. They, along with Regis the ex-thief Halfling and Cattie-Brie, Bruenor's adopted human daughter, thwart an evil, unaccomplished wizard called Akar Kessel who has gained incredible power from finding the sentient Crystal Shard, an item of intense power that bends the wills the Goblins, Orcs, Trolls, and Giants of the tundra in his dream of conquest. I recommend at least reading the first trilogy, with Streams of Silver and the Halfling's Gem, respectively. I've read all 30 books in the series thrice over, which should tell you something.

The Eye of the World, by Robert Jordan. A masterfully written series of 12 books called the 'Wheel of Time' series. Robert Jordan is an incredible writer, and he has created a world that rivals Tolkein's, with intricate plots and a vast array of characters. The world is run by what is known as the 'wheel' of time, and among the people there are magic users called 'Channelers.' Men wielding Saidan and women wielding Saidar. The history of the series is vast, but to put it in simple terms, long ago Shai'Tan corrupted the futuristic utopia that is essentially our future, caused a great schism in the world and ending the peace and prosperity of the world. Lewis Therin, labeled 'The Dragon' and the most powerful male channeler, became the authority of the uncorrupted faction, and in a last ditch effort he sealed Shai'Tan back out of the material universe, only for the backlash to effect all of Saidar, which means male magic users are cursed to become insane, and insane they became after Shai'Tan was sealed, which wrecked most of the world, a world that was licking its wounds from a war. Technology devolved, and it essentially became medieval again. But because time is a wheel, The Dragon Reborn was destined to return in the form of another young man as the prophecies say...
I couldn't even begin to describe the series, but I do recommend reading book one at least. In my opinion, it is one of the greatest stand alone fantasy novels out there, and the rest of the series does not disappoint either. It goes from unlikely heroes to politics and wonders on a global scale, in a divisive world of magic, trying not to shatter as it once did. Be warned though. There's a lot of "men are from mars, women are from venus" themes. The female channelers are essentially the diplomats and U.N. of the world. The characters are wonderfully written, and the cultures are interesting region to region.

Swordmage by Richard Baker. Another Forgotten Realms book. It's only a trilogy of the same name, and while the other two are good, they pale in comparison to book one. It's about a 30 year old Swordmage, nephew to the noble, coming home after disgracing himself in the land of the Elves and making himself into a mercenary, only to hear his oldest friend back home has died. He returns to the funeral, to find the city has become under siege by corrupt merchants and their interests, the restless dead prowl the forests, his old flame has a child and is being threatened out of her shop, and he cannot even trust his own family in the myriad of different plots. That, and add Orc tribes being led under one ruler that are now encroaching upon the city, and you have yourself a hell of a story.

The Book Club

@Dark Wind I assume you read them in English? I was always kind of hesitant to read them because they'd be translations and some of the storytelling flair would be lost when transferred to English.

Frokane's Mildly Politcal Hangout Thread

As I was driving home from work, I was thinking of this. And suddenly I find an article on the subject. Though this newest one claims it's neatly impossible that we're living in a computer simulation. I've been thinking that, but I was no expert in the subject.
pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/physics/physic…

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

Sol'id Fist

Name: Sol'id Fist

Species: Mandalorian

Age: 36

Appearance:

Sol'id Fist is an imposing figure of a man. Broad and tall, if he stood motionless in his armor he would seem reminiscent of a Mandalorian statue of old. Approximately, his height is a looming 1.93 meters. If it wasn't for the helmet that couldn't fit a snout, some might think him a Trandoshan from the scaled armor (though a bit on the short side). His cable-like muscles are covered in scarred and ruddy skin, and without his armor on, his bulk is a hefty 112 Kilograms. Even among his clan, he was always large, and it gained him an edge of his fellows when it came to close combat, and the amount of gear he could carry. Ever since he was young, he was larger and stronger than most of his other clanmates, so he moves with an inexorable confidence, further enhanced by his Mando'o fearlessness. He moves with a surety that every step of his big feet while take him closer to whatever goal he has in mind.

You'd be hard pressed to see him without his armor and durasteel helmet on, preferring to remain weighted with his combat gear. He learned as a child that taking comfort in being unprepared is the recipe for disaster. Of course, wearing it nonstop is impossible, but he tends to keep it on when performing business, and he is hardly not performing business. Though if it were to be taken off, one would hardly ever see his face in extreme emotion. It's his body that speaks more than his face. His stance is relaxed but strong, reminiscent of a hunting cat on the prowl. His large hands often flex when he's under stress, or is eager for a challenge. Though his hints are subtle, they'll often speak far more than the emotions seen on his visage. To see him laugh is an odd sight, for he'll go into an almost dramatic head toss. The rare times he lets loose with his emotions, he often doesn't hold back.

Underneath he's not an unhandsome figure, though far too severe and weathered to be considered easy on the eyes. With a strong jaw, piercing grey eyes, and cropped black hair, he'd look very much a soldier if he donned a different set of armor on. The lines on his face and the intelligence in his eyes are written in experience, not age.

Faction: Freelance (Paid by the Hutts atm)

Equipment:

• Adverse Environment Gear
• Rebreather Mask
• Holodisk
• Utility Belt
• 10 Stimpaks
• Jet Pack

Weapons -

• Vibro Axe - 8 pounds
• Custom Mandalorian Design Blaster - 4 pounds
• Wrist Mounted Rocket - 2 pounds.
• 14 inch Vibroblade - 1 pound
• Durasteel Combat Armor - 25 pounds.

Personal starship - The Hammer

Skills:

• Sol'id is a steady Shot.
• Excellent, efficient, and brutal hand to hand/melee combatant.
• Very strong and tough
• Can run for long periods of time without getting winded
• Strategic thinker
• Extremely determined and dependable.
• Not the best in the galaxy, but a fair pilot.
• Knows how to operate many types of basic and exotic weapons from all of his jobs.
• Can speak multiple languages.

Weaknesses:

• Tends not to suffer fools. If you're being a liability or incompetent around him, he might not kill you immediately, but your days are numbered. Makes him a bad teammate.
• Has an intense battle lust. Will become angered if someone deprives him of a fight/a good hunt.
• Isn't verbally tactful in the slightest.
• While a good shot, he has no true long ranged equipment.
• You have to earn his respect. He will not respect you, and doesn't take well to being disrespected in turn.
• A bit heavy for long flights in his jetpack.
• Tends to stand out in a crowd (not that he cares).

History:
Sol'id was born on the Twi'Lek homeworld Ryloth, being raised among the nomadic Fist clan who'd made their home in the equitorial jungle. The clan had just recently landed when he was born, fighting their way through harsh temperatures and wild beasts. They tried to make a foothold among the terrible conditions and built forts, beginning to train young Mandalorians through spartan conditions and intense sessions of survival, combat, and work outs. His elders broke him as they broke all of their young ones, to thrive through difficulty, and to see it as a challenge to overcome.

Clashes with the local Twi'leks were not particularly common, but they were by no means rare either. Sol'id and his fellow young clan mates were taught to kill by fighting Twi'lek raiders. It was their fighting patterns and weaponry he first become accustomed to. Much of it was illegal weaponry, as the Hutts had claimed the planet for trade long ago, buying slave girls and mercenaries from its people.

By age 13, Sol'id and his peers were sent into the wilderness, and were told to survive together and travel through 200 miles of wilderness. Out of 87 young Mandalorians, only 14 survived, Sol'id included. He had scars across his jawline, skin parched of moisture, and a shield made of a Gutkurr carapace. Indeed the boys had not killed the beast alone, but it was Sol'id who held it off and finished it. The other children had helped him carve the shield, and followed his lead from then on out.

Clan Fist were Neo crusaders, trying to rebuild their population to spew forth from Ryloth and conquer worlds as they had years ago. But it seemed the population of their small clan was too small to shatter worlds and cause the Galaxy to tremble. However, a few hundred Mandalorians were still enough to raid, and raid they did. Sol'id and his fellows attacked Imperial military facilities and bases, sacking outposts and ransacking outer rim cargo shipments.

Eventually they were approached by one called Virdan, a dark acolyte who offered them prime targets fighting Imperial troops. Sol'id had carried out a successful maneuver raiding a military Imperial vessel off of Antar 4, saving his brothers during the raid. They'd elected him leader after the previous leader Zolden Khan was killed, and Sol'id accepted the acolytes proposal.

He felt an intense pride and camraderie with them, having fought and led his fellows into battle, sometimes surviving off nothing but scraps, or salvaged materials, for sometimes no matter what money they had, being behind enemy lines meant they needed to remain hidden often enough. He would have it no other way. Their love of combat was second only to the honor they showed one another, and worthy foes.

The Acolyte paid well, and gave them good information. That is, until their last job. It seemed he was done with them, for he had guided them into a trap on Corellia, fighting an overwhelming force of Commandos and artillery. The Sith employer having used the failed attempt at raiding to garner attention away from smuggling various Nightsisters past the planet and into the mid-rim.

Sol'id was the only survivor, and he was imprisoned. Though two months later he would escape the facility, killing 3 guards with his bare hands.

His clan mates dead, with the law after him, he found himself without a purpose, and traveled back to Rhyloth to contact an old friend who helped him get in communication with the Hutts, giving him bounties to go after. If he was to continue living, he would do it the Mandalorian way. For 4 years, he hunted bounties for the Hutts.

So'lid found himself under the employ of one Jabba the Hutt, doing difficult bounties no one else would touch and gaining a reputation as a dependable and ruthless hunter. He gained his custom Zabrak Blaster Rifle after pursuing a martial master of combat on Iridonia. Said incident involved a Zabrak named Relar-mur, an accomplished combat instructor located in the Iridonian Capital City. He'd only been an instructor the past few years. Beforehand, he'd been a notable mercenary who had cheated Vishnu out of a lot of credits in order to set up a home life back on Iridonia and teach his trade. It took Sol'id a few months to find him, and a week on-world to capture him. The old Merc was wiley and knew the city well, and when they came to blows, it took all of Sol'ids skill to beat him and bag him.

His latest hunt was a hard one as well. He was meant to track down another dark acolyte warrior, a Twi'Lek force user called Kyto Tan on the toxic planet of Haruun Kal. It was a contract sent by an anonymous benefactor, relayed through Vishnu with a promise he would get a cut of the reward credits. The acolyte had traveled there to assassinate a Korunnai clan leader who had been organizing his force sensitive warriors to aid the republic. Sol'id arrived not a week after Kyto had landed, and nearly caught Kyto by surprise with his wrist mounted rocket, only for it to be deflected. He'd charged in via his jet back just after however, and fought the acolyte through the jungle. The acolyte escaped, but Sol'id had tracked his ship and destroyed it, marooning him upon the planet most likely. The next time he found Kyto, he chased him into the toxic lowlands, the acolyte using his powers of the force to survive while Sol'id relied on his rebreather. He lay in wait along the rocky crags of a valley that led back into habitable air, and eventually his patience proved the greater as he saw Kyto fleeing back up the valley. He took him by surprise with his rocket this time, effectively dispatching the acolyte and ending the hunt.

When he arrived back to Jabba, the Hutt had been killed and he found a new employer who sought to test him, having received word of a drunk dug with a gambling problem. He told Sol'id to collect him, and the Mandalorian did, knowing it was just something to keep him busy while he was waiting for another real job. The following year, the Empire collapsed, and he was given all the jobs he needed.

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

Just edited Jabba as dead. Thanks my friend. @Sep

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

@Sep *salutes* I made Kyto a pure dark acolyte, made the trek through Rhyloth just a trek and didnt mention dark or brightlands, and I added weapons.

World of Warcraft?

I was a huge fan of Warcraft 3 (Reign of Chaos and Frozen Throne) before WoW, and when WoW came out I got it 3 days after release back in 2004. Needless to say I was surprised it wasn't a strategy game, but I played it for years off and on. Last time I got on was this year for a small bit, but it was short lived. Biggest amount of time I played recent years was back in late 2014 for a few months. My fav character was my Dwarf Paladin named 'Splat' for his massive hammer back in grade school.