Stern Algorithm

One Piece: The Scarlet Pirates (Reboot!) [Chapter 1 END]

Handel appeared on deck, clicking her teeth in irritation. She had caught Marine chatter on her intercepting den den mushi, but had hoped they would be able to avoid them. She wondered if she should have alerted the captain of Arafael's true identity, but now it was perhaps too late. This would be a defining moment for the lieutenant in Handel's eyes, as this was a good opportunity for the wolf to turn on the crew while they were distracted with the bomb-laden seagulls. If he did not, then perhasp he was ready t oleave the marines, or he was simply waiting for to build more trust and would betray them at a better opportunity. On the other hand, Handel could message the Marines, letting them know that sinking the ship would likely result in the death of one of their own. She decided to hold off on that option unless she absolutely had to, ebcause notifying the marines might buy them some time, but it would definitely cause the marines to maintain their focus on this crew because they might think the lieutenant was a hostage or something.

"Bombs, eh?" Handel said monotonously, then joked, "I wonder if they'd still be bombing us if they knew how many marines were on this ship?" Of course, this was meant for Arafael's ears, but to everyone else, they would probably just think that Handel was referring to herself and Bakuto. She dragged her bass to the edge of the railing, held the strings on the neck at a specific chord, and gave the strings a long, sustained draw with her bow, releasing an inaudible hum that could be felt through the ship. This sent forth a concussive blast of sonic energy that spread out in a hemisphere towards the seagulls, its lower edge visible as a ripple on the surface of the water. Such a force, though unlikely to do real harm to a human, was still harmful to birds, who had brittle bones by comparison due to needing to be lighter to sustain flight. There was also the possibility that such a concussive force might cause primed explosives to detonate prematurely. At minimum, the sudden, sharp, undulating changes in air pressure would make flying difficult for such small creatures.

Noble Arms: Restoring Hope - With Gratitude to TheHangedMan

@Bob the Grunt @Letter Bee @Nimbus

Ishaq was surprised to hear the sheer versatility of Callie's Noble Arm. "Well personally, I would like to stay out of trouble and focus on reviving, but I'm just saying that having two transporters may allow us to pull off this operation less like a strike and more like a heist, which is preferable when it comes to minimizing casualties," Ishaq said agreeably, then turned to Robert. "The targets will suffer no side-effects," he reassured, leaving out the detriment to himself, "And I have yet to find a range limit for the ability. But one limit I do know of is that I can only revive twice. Three times, if I really push myself." Ishaq glanced away momentarily. He was not telling the full truth.

He had long ago figured out that each revive cost ten percent of the total volume of blood in his body, so he knew his theoretical maximum was ten revives. But he had learned, through experience, that twenty percent blood loss was almost unbearable, and that the body began to stop functioning at around thirty percent blood loss. His superiors had forced him to go beyond this in the past, by strapping him to a seat with his face positioned above the urn, unable to break the cycle and end the ability. Still, it had been worth it. He had been instrumental in saving the Holy Land. But he was not prepared to go that far again, not for this vain dream.

Ishaq continued, "So I could have one target, and give him or her two-to-three revives; or two targets, but the number of charges remains the same, so they would be sharing. Once the charges are used up, there will be no protection from death. So while maximizing coverage might be preferred, we shouldn't waste charges. So at risk of sounding like an Arms supremacist, I will be reserving this ability for you two. It's not bias, it's pragmatism." Ishaq had learned long ago that despite having a power that could save people from death, the desire to save everyone was naive. As much as people preached the ideal that everyone was equal and that all lives had worth, the fact of the matter remained, human lives will continue to be sacrificed, and some lives will be prioritized over others. Shakily, Ishaq rose from his seat and followed the commanding officer above deck.

Blood Reigns Over Westeros: A Song of Ice & Fire Story (Accepting Player Proposals)

@Inkarnate

I apologize for flip-flopping and being wishy-washy, but I think that ultimately, I am going to drop this RP. The problem lies entirely with me and my lack of real dedication to ASOIAF lore. I've also made the classic mistake of over-committing to too many RP's at once. This is by no means a negative assessment of the players in this RP, who are objectively a fun bunch. Special shout out to @agentmanatee for reaching out to me to try to flesh out relationships. I hope my absence does not derail your plans at all (or anyone else's for that matter).

World of Light

Din

Level 3 - (25/30) EXP
Location - Mad Max
Word Count:

@Gentlemanvaultboy @Lugubrious

Casting the Spell of Spring on the ground in front of Gogoat caused Din to sense a momentary burst of resilience in the Pokemon that she remembered feeling when they were still in the forest, suggesting that Gogoat was somehow 'tougher' in grassy areas. As Linkle pulled up next to her, Din replied, "Yeah, it's a Pokemon. I was looking for a horse, but found this guy instead. I thought you'd be looking for a heroic steed as well, but somehow that...machine suits you." Din was enjoying herself quite a bit, since she'd never ridden an animal with this much skill at such an impressive speed, but she balked as the other carts leaped a canyon, and Linkle followed suit. Din didn't know if her Gogoat could handle such a distance. She doubted a flesh and blood and...er leaf, animal could generate the speed or power needed to clear such a gap. Yet she could sense the confidence and trust in Gogoat, who seemed intent on following the others as Din wished. She decided to reciprocate Gogoat's trust and spurred it on. Gogoat gathered speed as it approached the edge, Din could feel it's powerful muscles flex and heave, coiling up like powerful springs before launching itself over the chasm. But it soon became clear that they were nowhere near clearing the edge. Din's heart jumped into her throat, but she could still feel Gogoat's trust. That was when she realized that he trusted her to do her part. Time seemed to slow as they hovered in midair at the zenith of their arc. Din looked down and saw a withered tree growing tilted off the far cliff edge. She cast Spell of Spring on the tree, causing it to grow out into the cliff. The dry soil at the base of the tree began to loosen as the roots tore up the clay, unable to find purchase in the sandy terrain. The tree began to tilt further and further into the drop, but Gogoat successfully landed on the trunk. With the tree falling, Gogoat burst forth, climbing the tree up towards the cliff in a mad dash. Fighting against time and gravity, Gogoat and Din cleared the lip as the tree went crashing down into the canyon.

Din laughed in exhilaration, bonding with Gogoat, when she saw fighting coming from ahead. As she caught up, most of the smaller enemies had been dispersed, but then a titanic terror appeared, a massive machine of death flanked by two equally deadly, but smaller vehicles. Din tried to decide what to do, but saw Tora and Poppi's landship being dragged by the car with a clown face on top. Figuring that they needed help, Din spurred Gogoat after them. She considered casting the Spell of Winter, but figured that causing the ice cream truck to slip would only endanger Tora and Poppi. She suddenly felt Gogoat exuding trust again. Unsure what else to do, Din ordered Gogoat to, "Attack!". Gogoat tilted its head down and performed Horn Leech, ramming the side of the ice cream truck in an effort to disable it. Din expected Gogoat to take some damage from the attack, but instead felt the Pokemon to be revitalized somewhat.

A Guild Adventure: An RP with Monster Girls! (ENDED)

Vivian & Sylvia Altissima

@PaulHaynek @Lmpkio

Sylvia and Vivian were taken aback by Morgan's display of telekinetic power. Vivian recovered first and said, "Thanks, Morgan!" before both Vivian and Sylvia yelped as Morgan telekinetically stripped Neil completely. Sylvia was sure only his shirt had been contaminated, but maybe it was better to be safe than sorry. Still, the Vivian tore off one of her leaves and dropped it over Neil's crotch to cover his bits, while Sylvia leaned across her pot, down to Neil, putting her soft hands against his bare chest, and bringing her face close to his chest, sniffing for traces of her nectar.

World of Light

@Lugubrious

Can Din buff Gogoat with the Spell of Spring? What would such a buff entail? Also, do I play Gogoat like a separate character with its own XP bar and such? Do you have 4 pokemon attacks that you wish to assign, or should I pick?

World of Light

Din

Level 3 - (25/30) EXP
Location - Peach's Castle: Garden --> Viridian Forest(?) --> Mad Max
Word Count: 436

Din listened to Steven Stone's explanation, before Poppi whisked her away to the surrounding forest which was full of adorable-looking pokemon. She delighted at the sight of the small leaf-covered goats, but remembered Steven's warning about them needing to be large enough to carry her if she wanted to ride. Otherwise, she would have caught one just based on how cute it was. But then what appeared to be a larger, adult version came majestically around a tree. Something about the Gogoat drew her. She made eye contact with it, and it didn't shy away. it felt like...fate. Almost instinctively, Din tossed her pokeball, and the goat morphed into a beam of light that got sucked into the ball. The ball barely seemed to struggle, returning to Din, who immediately threw the ball on the ground, summoning the Gogoat. It stood there with a majestic calm. As a Disney Princess an oracle, Din had an affinity for nature and her creatures, and maybe the Gogoat sensed that. She reached out a hand to stroke its forehead, and it seemed to welcome it. As her fingers brushed against one of Gogoat's horns, she sensed something, a connection. As if on cue, Gogoat sat down, as if beckoning Din to get on top, which she did. Once she was situated, Gogoat rose. Din gripped the horns pensively, feeling the connection again. By this time Poppi had flown off to her master, and she could hear the roar of cart engines moving away. Her desired to catch up with the party was immediately translated into the Gogoat running, yet it accelerated at just the right speed to still be predictable for Din to ride comfortably. She wondered if Gogoat could somehow sense her thoughts. Holding on tight, Din willed Gogoat to accelerate, and it complied beautifully. Rider and steed were one, and Din understood why, in the world that these pokemon came from, owning them as pets was so important.

Din was amazed that her Gogoat was able to catch up to the fleet of carts, though she saw that trouble was brewing up ahead. Her first thought was to lay down some Spells of Winter, to make it difficult for the enemy vehicles to maneuver, but it seemed as if Bowser Jr. already had that covered with the oil patches that he had created. Then Din felt like she heard a suggestion from Gogoat. Din wasn't sure if their connection was two-way, but she decided to try something unexpected. Gogoat seemed to be part plant, so what would happen if Din cast the Spell of Spring on Gogoat?

Intrigues of Venedig - High Fantasy Mature RP

Dr. Shen's House of Healing

((Post between @Letter Bee and @Stern Algorithm))

A mysterious visitor from Tian itself arrives at Dr. Shen's office, clad in rare blue silk that marked him as a 'Seeker of Immortality' - One of the special agents of Emperor Gao Ming. Escorted by four guards, he asks the receptionist for an immediate meeting with the Doctor in a 'discreet area of his convenience'. Despite the mildness of his words, it was clear that his orders held a genuine authority that must be obeyed. And so he'd wait for the good doctor to escort him to a study or someplace, then present his credentials - A letter imprinted with the Imperial Seal itself.

After that, he would finally reveal his identity as, "Greetings, Doctor Shen. My name is Tieh Zhu, Seeker of Immortality and once I arrive in the Tian Embassy, the new Ambassador to the autonomous City Government of Venedig. I am here to give you new orders."

"Love unites all under the Heavens," Shen LinMu greets the Seeker of Immortality, leading him deeper into the complex, which appears much smaller from the outside, to a small recreational room. This particular room, like many others, was made with wood furnishings, the walls being sliding paper screens framed in wood. But what set this room apart was that the paper was multi-layered, imperceptibly, and cottony, while the wood frames were made of hollow wood. This made the room surprisingly soundproof. Still, LinMu left it up to the Seeker's guards to be the real deterrents of eavesdroppers.

"Is the term already up for the current ambassador? It's hard to keep track of these things. Business keeps me quite...well, busy." This of course, was a lie, intended as a joke, rather than deception, since it was LinMu's business to know things. He leaned forward, eager to hear his orders direct from the Emperor. Since being assigned here, LinMu had merely laid the groundwork for future missions, and simply kept his ear to ground while making a comfortable profit. His orders thus far had simply been, 'trade, listen, wait'.

Tieh Zhu then said, "The Emperor of the West, the sole person who can portray himself as almost an equal to our own Imperial Highness, Gao Ming, has made a bad decision. His 'Iron Decree' will cause only chaos in Venedig, Chaos that you are tasked with exploiting to conduct certain... Experiments. A team of Imperial Alchemists, fellow Seekers of Immortality, will be sent to join you in order to explore the possibility of improving the condensation of Humans and Xul into raw magical energy. My own personal experiment involves the transference and containment of this magical energy into nigh-indestructible gems in order to ensure eternal life and eternal beauty. What is your opinion of this?"

LinMu leaned back, a bored expression passing over his face. "Chaos is a wonderful opportunity for many things," LinMu explained, "Not least of which is destabilizing a rival government." His eyes instinctively darted to the door due to the sensitive nature of what he was saying. "If it's ingredients you need, they are in no short supply, chaos or no, and I have accrued sufficient capital and means to provide you with plenty for your needs. If this is all the Emperor wishes for, I lament that he is not taking full advantage of the decree's repercussions, but it is not my place to question the Emperor's wisdom." LinMu suddenly sat up straight again, and steepled his fingers. "Unless either the ingredients you seek have some sort of 'specific requirement', say something that can only be found in 'higher stock'," here he was referring to noble blood, or perhaps magical prowess, something the rich and noble tended to have better access to, "or you require such tremendous quantities of said ingredients that the usual channels of acquiring them are insufficient to provide." Now LinMu was intrigued. Did the Seeker's experiments require nobles, or more bodies than what was currently in circulation in Venedig's slave trade? Would entire neighborhoods and villages need to quietly disappear into the night?

The Ambassador-to-be frowned, and said, "It should have been the former, but we have acquired a new ally who has an interest in the Nobles, or at least some of them. So instead, we are using the latter - Entire neighborhoods and villages need to vanish."

A pause as he elaborated on his new ally, "Our new compatriots are worshipers of the Old Gods, whom the Reich's 'Church of Existence' says were merely mortals who drank from a mystic Grail or Grahl. These allies' plan is to bring back the Goddess Growthseed and the God Mansbane, which will cause more destabilization than anything we can do." A thin smile, "But at the last minute, we will betray them and save civilization, taking credit for their defeat and then using the prestige to claim ruler-ship over the shattered remnants of the Western Empire..."

"Ah, and that's why we don't question the Emperor's wisdom," LinMu smiled, "Ambition is most exquisite when it is subtle." Still, LinMu shared the Seeker's displeasure; using a few high-quality 'ingredients' was more efficient than extracting usable material from large quantities of low-quality 'ingredients'. However, LinMu didn't like this reliance on 'Old Gods'. There were uncomfortable philosophical implications of having verifiable evidence for another culture's religion. The Gods were best left to the realm of the unseen, at least, that was LinMu's opinion. But he wasn't about to share his theological misgivings with the Seeker, and instead asked a different question, "I hear and I obey, but my current manpower is sufficient only for managing the business and some security. To carry out an operation of the scale you mentioned would require, well, a contingent of military types. A trusted strike-force of unquestioning obedience who would choose death rather than divulge their mission. Without such a force, I would be put at extreme difficulties."

Tieh Zhu smiles, and says, "Arrangements have been made - I brought several hundred mercenaries to escort me through the desert wastes; many of them can be 'persuaded' to take a new contract with your establishment and a fund for hiring more can be transferred to your control. However, do not hire Xul - They are dead-set against anything that can potentially help the Old Gods."

"Wonderful!" LinMu clapped his hands, before putting a finger in the armrest of his chair. The finger turned into wood and melded with the chair, while the foot of the chair immediately below the armrest melded with the ground. Thus connected to the entire facility, somewhere in the pantry, he signaled for a serving girl to bring tea and cakes to the soundproof Hall of Tranquility. Disconnecting his finger from the chair, LinMu took Tieh Zhu's warning about Xul to heart. Though he would not hesitate to hire one if they proved useful, he would be sure to keep the details of the operation on a need-to-know basis. The serving girl soon arrived with refreshments. LinMu grabbed the porcelain teapot and served the tea into two cups with one hand, his other hand holding back his sleeve in traditional serving etiquette. He raised his cup to Tieh Zhu, "Welcome to Venedig, Ambassador."

Blood Reigns Over Westeros: A Song of Ice & Fire Story (Accepting Player Proposals)

@Inkarnate I think I'm done, except for relations with houses, and maybe some stuff that involves the actual lore of the world at this period in time.

World of Light

@Lugubrious

Hey, I'll get a post up soon, but I wanted to ask if I'm restricted to capturing the Pokemon shown in your post with Poppi and Din, or if I can have another one show up to eb capture (don't worry, not gonna bring in legendaries or some nonsense). I'm thinking Ponyta or Blitzle, since Din is looking for a steed and would really go for something that resembles a horse. If so, I have more questions, can a Ponyta be ridden safely (because of the fire on its back), and is a Blitzle big enough to support a human rider?