With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

[CTrees]

"Pick somewhere small and offer to completely uplift the place. Deliberately destroy their existing economy and culture and replace it with something that can serve as an example of what can be achieved."

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Greece might be a good pick if they go this route. Not an enormous country, not the best economy pre-crisis, and a large tourism industry that's likely to take a long time to recover. Add in a god of economics that OL has worked with before, a new chief god with technology in his portfolio, and Eris being OL's patron, it seems like a perfect target (assuming they can get Themyscara and Olympus back).

Alternatively Khandaq - Black Adam would probably be on-board with a full uplift of his country.

 

[KenNM]

Greece might be a good pick if they go this route. Not an enormous country, not the best economy pre-crisis, and a large tourism industry that's likely to take a long time to recover. Add in a god of economics that OL has worked with before, a new chief god with technology in his portfolio, and Eris being OL's patron, it seems like a perfect target (assuming they can get Themyscara and Olympus back).

Alternatively Khandaq - Black Adam would probably be on-board with a full uplift of his country.

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I don't think Greece would work tbh, OL's a Themysciran citizen, not mainland Greece, plus using the crisis to basically topple the Greek Orthodoxy woth a resurgence of Olympian influence while perfectly in character for Paul, might get pushback from the rest of the League, if nothing else, they do not need the added headaches of making such a transition on top of everything else.

On the other hand, Teth Adom is a close friend, is very competent while equally as open to anything that'll make his country more prosperous and thriving. Plus, OL did note that thanks to Teth Adom using his power to block out the Anti-Life in his territory, it's likely Khandaq will expand if only due to the rest of the continent being on the brink of collapse or facing tons of issues and Khandaq being the only island of stability there. So uplifting Khandaq as a Step 1, then, once it shows results, spreading it to the rest of the newly acquired territory seems like it'll do the most good.

 

[Mr Zoat]

I think that should say 'make money from it'.

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'LexCorp's'?
Extraneous 'it' in second sentence.
'The way'
'dependent'

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[DougA]

I don't think Greece would work tbh, OL's a Themysciran citizen, not mainland Greece, plus using the crisis to basically topple the Greek Orthodoxy woth a resurgence of Olympian influence while perfectly in character for Paul, might get pushback from the rest of the League, if nothing else, they do not need the added headaches of making such a transition on top of everything else.

On the other hand, Teth Adom is a close friend, is very competent while equally as open to anything that'll make his country more prosperous and thriving. Plus, OL did note that thanks to Teth Adom using his power to block out the Anti-Life in his territory, it's likely Khandaq will expand if only due to the rest of the continent being on the brink of collapse or facing tons of issues and Khandaq being the only island of stability there. So uplifting Khandaq as a Step 1, then, once it shows results, spreading it to the rest of the newly acquired territory seems like it'll do the most good.

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Or both Greece and Khandaq, and maybe one or two others elsewhere. That would allow the beneficiaries to compete with each other, increasing the speed of results.

 

[Someguy Somewhere]

Hmm... Clark's a farm kid. I'd say give him something he already gronks to focus on first.

Grab the Kryptonian Farmer's Almanac and head for...Not Just Kansas, but maybe all the plains states. Hit Farm Country, which needs more local food production to cover the damaged international shipping and trade. And likely more man power from the sheeda raids and Anti-Life.

Get some local Crystal Grown Solar Energy production and Kryptonian Robots tilling the fields. Get the Bread Basket producing again, and Call in OL's 'teach some folks to use Elf Gates' to handle shipping?

Get that set up as your Example to The World, then open it up for Local Franchises or just Open Source the stuff in use....China will snap it up on their own.

EDIT: Also gives a chance to get some Kryptonian Brand Foodstuffs out there, which could be sold with a percentage of funds going to charity...at least once there's an economy enough to support it. Always got to remember the power of Marketing.

 

[Chaoswind]

Why are they bending on lex on having him control things, versus being so pessimistic on nuclear in china?

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Yeah... "Lex doesn't want to release the IP of the cosmic generators even after Earth 16 got ravaged by two alien invasions in a row and close to half of the population of the planet has died"

"Fuck those Chinese guys for getting in the way of private profit that is often used to make the next superman killing weapon of the week"

This rings way too fucking badly in my ears, if Lex wants to actually help humanity then he can either release the cosmic converter technology or go and fuck himself in the ass. I don't like the arguments being used in this update, too libertarian ra ra little government is better nonsense for me.

This conversation between Superman, OL and Ollie was bullshit minus 10 as far I am concerned

 

[xSieg]

I'm kinda surprised that OL isn't actually just bulldozing a few countries so he can uplift them forcibly, actually. This is his perfect opportunity to do so in the least troublesome way possible in the foreeseable future.

 

[Vaermina]

Yeah... "Lex doesn't want to release the IP of the cosmic generators even after Earth 16 got ravaged by two alien invasions in a row and close to half of the population of the planet has died"

"Fuck those Chinese guys for getting in the way of private profit that is often used to make the next superman killing weapon of the week"

This rings way too fucking badly in my ears, if Lex wants to actually help humanity then he can either release the cosmic converter technology or go and fuck himself in the ass. I don't like the arguments being used in this update, too libertarian ra ra little government is better nonsense for me.

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By that same vein, if China really wanted his help they could just change their system.

 

[Ngamer11]

I'm kinda surprised that OL isn't actually just bulldozing a few countries so he can uplift them forcibly, actually. This is his perfect opportunity to do so in the least troublesome way possible in the foreeseable future.

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He's taking a more long term view of it. If he does that, the Chinese, and whatever allies they can gather, will denounce him as a supervillain and try to get rid of what he's created under the pretense of protecting their sovereign rights.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Yeah... "Lex doesn't want to release the IP of the cosmic generators even after Earth 16 got ravaged by two alien invasions in a row and close to half of the population of the planet has died"

"Fuck those Chinese guys for getting in the way of private profit that is often used to make the next superman killing weapon of the week"

This rings way too fucking badly in my ears, if Lex wants to actually help humanity then he can either release the cosmic converter technology or go and fuck himself in the ass. I don't like the arguments being used in this update, too libertarian ra ra little government is better nonsense for me.

This conversation between Superman, OL and Ollie was bullshit minus 10 as far I am concerned

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I suppose, but the reverse is also true.

"The Chinese government would rather let their people suffer brown outs and black outs rather than have the people who invented a new form of power generation make money from their own work."

 

[Someguy Somewhere]

Aside from the power plant and transportation hubs, which have these alternatives (exotic energy generation and magical portal networks) there's another issue for 'rebuilding' the modern world in the interim. Communications networks.

Cell towers, satellites, data centres and transmission lines would have been just as vulnerable and damaged as power lines and power plants. Unless they were actively targeted the hardware should be ok for the most part, but would likely have had a lot of holes poked in it with the lack of upkeep, along with the conflicts before, during and after the anti-life. So....what do we have in the DC toolbox for improved communications equipment?

Magic? Scrying certainly has it's uses, and plugging data cables through portals would certainly be an improvement over under sea fiberoptic lines.

Telepathic Networking like the G-gnomes? Might start looking a bit 40k ish if they start doing something like that. Honestly the G-Gnomes are going to have the world knocking at their door for fast training enough grunts to back fill positions, they might need to get a whole new breed together for long range communications.

Technopathy like the Red Guardsman's suit allows for, or something similar as build by the Heaphesian could be used to merge magic and tech to a point where they can double up on functions that way.

If we're talking real world mundane options, there are semi portable emergency cellphone towers that can be deployed to local areas and meshed to larger networks as a stop gap, but that's not a long term solution. Data over Ham Radio is a current generation solution for remote data transmission, and I think everyone's heard of the Starlink Internet over Satellite.

As a real life example of a grass roots solution, there's something that folks can get called the CellSol. These Things are small low power radio transmitters that form an improvised mesh network, that can be patched into other networks, letting low speed, low bandwidth transmissions get to folks over devices they already have in a disaster zone. I know someone that stuck one onto a Frisbee with a solar panel and yeeted it onto a roof top to cover a neighbourhood. Cheap, easy to make, easy to deploy, and uses preexisting infrastructure while able to bridge to alternatives. Just needs a LOT of them.

 

[KenNM]

I'm kinda surprised that OL isn't actually just bulldozing a few countries so he can uplift them forcibly, actually. This is his perfect opportunity to do so in the least troublesome way possible in the foreeseable future.

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Same, I was surprised too. I suppose OL's got enough foresight to see that now that the crisis is officially over, the League would take issue with OL destroying countries and rebuilding them to his wishes, due to doing so with no authority but his own as the green light.

He's taking a more long term view of it. If he does that, the Chinese, and whatever allies they can gather, will denounce him as a supervillain and try to get rid of what he's created under the pretense of protecting their sovereign rights.

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Then he just bulldozes those countries too, a Lantern is more than capable of conquering a planet.

The issue isn't the countries raising a stink. OL won't give a shit, he'll simply proceed regardless. In that case it's his loved ones and the Justice League going against him if he does that which would stay his hand.

 

[Chaoswind]

I suppose, but the reverse is also true.

"The Chinese government would rather let their people suffer brown outs and black outs rather than have the people who invented a new form of power generation make money from their own work."

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Lex didn't invent shit, he bought the company that had been sitting on the patent designs for decades.

As far I remember Paul learned about the source of the cosmic converters ages ago so he should be very aware that the arguments being used are bullshit.

If Paul really wants to make a difference all he has to do is put Dr Sivanna senior and his family in contact with the surviving governments and let them trade power generation designs for recognition and acclaim.

I thought Paul had literally given up on Lex chapters ago (years ago), so why is he arguing in his favor when several better alternatives are at hand, not only the Sivannas, but also Alex Luthor the good guy.

All Lex and the light did during this crisis was fuck off to another plane of reality, Paul knows about their little organization, so why is he even entertaining the idea of letting Lex reap the rewards of doing absolutely nothing.

 

[Ngamer11]

Then he just bulldozes those countries too, a Lantern is more than capable of conquering a planet.

The issue isn't the countries raising a stink. OL won't give a shit, he'll simply proceed regardless. In that case it's his loved ones and the Justice League going against him if he does that which would stay his hand.

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There's also the fact that he wants Earth to improve itself, not force improvement himself. Doing everything himself is completely against his stated goal, as he noted in the story part.

Lex didn't invent shit, he bought the company that had been sitting on the patent designs for decades.

As far I remember Paul learned about the source of the cosmic converters ages ago so he should be very aware that the arguments being used are bullshit.

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The Renegade learned who was sitting on that technology. As far as Paul is aware, some random company had that tech in their back pocket and only brought it out when it would've gotten them more money than not using it.

If Paul really wants to make a difference all he has to do is put Dr Sivanna senior and his family in contact with the surviving governments and let them trade power generation designs for recognition and acclaim.

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Dr. Sivana gave up on uplifting Earth, and Junior and Georgia aren't interested in humanitarian uses of their time and technology. I'm not sure what Magnificus is up to nowadays, and Beautia is mostly into medical research.

I thought Paul had literally given up on Lex chapters ago, so why is he arguing in his favor when several better alternatives are at hand, not only the Sivannas, but also Alex Luthor the good guy.

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He's given up on redeeming Lex. Paul is still perfectly willing to work with him if their interests align, he's just going to keep an eye on Lex in case he does anything suspicious.

 

[Chaoswind]

The Renegade learned who was sitting on that technology. As far as Paul is aware, some random company had that tech in their back pocket and only brought it out when it would've gotten them more money than not using it.

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That is exactly what I said, Paul knows Lex bought a company that had been sitting on the cosmic converters for decades.

Knowning Savage owned that company first is inmaterial to the argument, Lex asked Superman to release his technology to get earth back on its feet while at the same time he argues in bad faith that the Chinese are getting in his way because they demand to have access to the blue prints to the cosmic converters.

If he cared about getting earth back on its feet he would release the cosmic converters designs and let anyone with surviving infrastructure and technological knowhow to start mass production.

The argument that the Chinese are getting in the way of Lex is ass backwards, they are only getting in the way of his profit margins and his ability to manufacture a monopoly.

 

[Ardy]

That is exactly what I said, Paul knows Lex bought a company that had been sitting on the cosmic converters for decades.

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No, he doesn't. He knows a company that is affiliated with Lexcorp came out with it, but that is all.

The argument that the Chinese are getting in the way of Lex is ass backwards, they are only getting in the way of his profit margins and his ability to manufacture a monopoly.

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At this point I'm fairly sure China could try and steal some converters and make their own if that makes you feel better. Not like copyright is particularly economy-shattering when the economy is shattered.

 

[Lord Ernest]

Gotta agree with Chaoswind there. Are the Chinese denying the construction of the Cosmic Converter Power Plants or are they denying Lex monopoly of their power grid? Because those are 2 different things. If Lex wanted to help in rebuilding society he should lend assistance and if the Chinese want to be in control of the new power plants then compromise and don't build it yourself, just guide them, that way they provide the resources and personnel and come to some agreement that they won't release or sell the tech provided to other people. But if what he wants is for the Chinese to sell him control over their power generation market, why are they more unreasonable than him?

On the other hand, from how Clark was steering the conversation, I'm not sure he's entertaining Lex's idea all that much. What the argument did is push Clark into the mentality of helping more than just as a Superheroe. Now he's thinking of releasing Kryptonian tech wherever it may improve, and he wouldn't be worried about his bottom line. Heck, he could even release the tech through any of the affiliate companies of his teammates or acquaintances so that they could better manage and monitor their distribution, maintance and prevent any possible misuse. Put Kara in charge of it, even.

 

[crazygrox]

I suppose, but the reverse is also true.

"The Chinese government would rather let their people suffer brown outs and black outs rather than have the people who invented a new form of power generation make money from their own work."

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Just quoting mostly to get your attention, because I don't think I can tag someone with a space in their username without screwing it up.

But thinking about the 'reconstruction' title of the arc, have you thought about Argentinia at all?
Apparently the country is odd enough that it's with Japan as the other economy that doesn't behave in ways that are predictable with comparisons to other economies.

Specifically because it's always been extremely politically popular in the country to try to keep industries in every category capable of meeting the country's demand within the borders of the country.
So it grows enough food to feed itself, and manufactures everything it needs to grow that food, and manufactures all of its own consumer goods and most of its medicine, basically doesn't import things and only exports a variable amount of surplus, and in every case where industries are economically inefficient compared to competitors on the global market, it's always been popular to prop them up with subsidies, even if that screws up the rest of the economy with paying for subsidies or dealing with retalliatory tariffs from other countries reponding to argentinitan tariffs.

A lot depends on how much destruction the Sheeda and Anti-life caused, and how much conflict they're expecting with the Accala and thus diverting efforts to prepare for.
But while their protectionist economic management has often caused problems, they tend to have major economic booms driven by exports whenever everyone else in the world is undergoing some kind of massive economic recession and the disruption makes their inefficient homegrown companies competitive again.

 

[Prince Charon]

...Dude, do Kahndaq. That'd be hilarious and The Mighty One would probably tell everyone to be okay with it.

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Yeah, Tethadom likes OL, and cares about his people a lot, so that should be an easy sell.

 

[Darko]

Lex didn't invent shit, he bought the company that had been sitting on the patent designs for decades.

As far I remember Paul learned about the source of the cosmic converters ages ago so he should be very aware that the arguments being used are bullshit.

If Paul really wants to make a difference all he has to do is put Dr Sivanna senior and his family in contact with the surviving governments and let them trade power generation designs for recognition and acclaim.

I thought Paul had literally given up on Lex chapters ago (years ago), so why is he arguing in his favor when several better alternatives are at hand, not only the Sivannas, but also Alex Luthor the good guy.

All Lex and the light did during this crisis was fuck off to another plane of reality, Paul knows about their little organization, so why is he even entertaining the idea of letting Lex reap the rewards of doing absolutely nothing.

Click to shrink...

The villainous Sivanas aren't really interested in uplifting the planet, and the non-villanous ones are already helping advance things with alchemy and medicine.

And the good version of Lex has his own messed up planet to deal with, so even if he wanted to help, he may not have the time.

As for Paul seemingly being okay with Lex.

The planet is damaged in many, many ways and Lithor may be one of the few that can make large scale genuine differences now, so it's not that Paul is okay with him, but rather that he recognizes that they have limited options.

 

[Mr Zoat]

1st March 2013
04:17 GMT

So.

Hell.

I'm not really sure what part I'm in. I've read demonic texts which suggest that Dante had it dead right, and then others which mention regions and demonic notables that don't appear anywhere in his story. I half-assumed that any obvious political references -like the Pope-pile-hole- were additions he made himself for his own intellectual satisfaction, while the rest…

Join us!

No. Contemptuous Refutation.

And that's something else that I wasn't expecting. Yes, I draw magic energy from my environment and use it to reinforce myself. To force it to conform to my nature. And then I can project it outwards to control or alter things that relate to that nature. And that's fine on Earth, and a little uncomfortable away from thaumically active places-

Join us!

No. Contemptuous Refutation.

-but here… It's aggravating. Hell… Knows that I'm here-. No, that's anthropomorphising too much. The magic is reacting to someone drawing on it, and is trying to make me more demon-like as I make what I take more godly.

Huh. I just realised… I might be the first being to ever experience this. Human souls either break down or internalise it, but I'm instinctively absorbing it while still being alive. Good or evil, New Gods go to the Source when they die, and there's no obvious reason for any New God to have wandered through Earth's afterlives before.

Anyway, this part of Hell is… Physically, it's a stone castle, only the rooms and courtyards are larger than makes sense, and often contain natural features that wouldn't make sense in a castle. Also, the views of the 'outside' vary in a way that makes no sense if the dimensions were consistent and the general state of repair varies from 'crumbling' to 'couldn't slip a knife between the stones'. I've seen a few locals in the distance, though whether they're succubae, incubi or just damned souls I've got no idea. They don't appear to be paying me any attention, though whether that's because they don't know I'm here or because they know that I'm way out of their weight class I don't know.

I come to a junction, and the thurible tugs to the right. I try to feel where it's taking-

Join us!

No. Contemptuous Refutation.

-me, and just get more hellish backchat. But that's why Mr. Constantine made it.

And what meets me is stone wall. I study-. No. I see. There's a gap around the edges, and a ring set in the centre. A test of strength? Awkward with one hand, but alright. I turn sideways, my free left hand grasping the ring while my right keeps the thurible in position. Take the strain and lift…

And it doesn't move. I might be able to brute force it, but it doesn't really make sense that Succubus Castle makes it hard for people to access the residents. You can't corrupt people through overwhelming carnal desire if they can't get to you, after all.

My eyes alight on the ring on my left ring finger.

I want to get in.

Runes drawn in vicious narrow slashes shimmer on the iron ring, and then the light passes outwards through the cracks in the stonework. And as I try lifting again it's heavy but it actually moves, sliding upwards into the space within the wall. I-.

Ah, it's not locking in place. Okay, lift it as high as I can get it, get my… Shoulder under, hand off the ring-. Yeah that's heavy. Hand… Pressing upwards against the underside of the stone 'door', move forwards and… Let it drop.

SLAM!

Okay, thurible is still tugging me this way. And… Huh. This place looks like a… Training arena? Torture chamber? Bondage room? Some of the whips on the wall are those silly sadomasochism play things while others are semi-serious weapons. There's a raised platform in the centre of this… Courtyard, but I can see other courtyards leading off from-.

"We don't usually get visitors in here-" A hulking brute in plate and chain walks slowly towards me from the next courtyard over. "-but I suppose you've got the build for it."

I think she's… Trying to saunter, to swing… Her hips and tail, but her musculature and armour don't really lend themselves to that sort of motion. What little of her skin I can see appears to be grey-purple while the small amount of her face visible through the opening on her helmet is entirely feminine.

"So what is it? Pain? Rough…" She reaches out to fondle a chain wrapped in barbed wire with her left hand, leaving a trail of blood smeared along it from the cuts it makes in her finger tips. "'Play'? Combat?"

I lift up the thurible, and watch as it tugs towards her.

"I'm looking for some people. Failing that, information."

"We aren't tour guides. This is a place of pleasure, whatever your pleasure happens to be."

"My pleasure is finding the lost brothers and sisters of my children while the Queen is distracted."

"And you think your children came here? It takes a long time for anyone not born of Hell to reach our level. Or do you think they are amongst our-"

She grabs an axe off the wall and brandishes it.

"-playthings?"

"Staff, I suspect. And can you knock off the ridiculous stereotype thing? I'm trying to have a serious conversation."

She looks at me like she can't decide whether I'm serious or not. "You came to the Punishment Grounds for a serious conversation? I thought warlocks like you were a myth. Do you also want to hold my hand while taking long walks along the beach?"

"I'm not a warlock and no. A vampire and a succubus somehow produced a brood of children. Some-."

"Wait." She lowers her axe slightly. "You're here for them?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I adopted the children who still live. I am concerned for their siblings."

"I see. And you just tell me this?"

"If you tell me what I want to know, then you're implicated. The Queen would take it out on you as well as me. If you don't…" I draw my daiklave with my left hand. "I realise that this won't kill you in a permanent sense, but it should render you incapable of speech for long enough that it won't matter."

"Isn't that interesting. I thought that you looked strong. But that isn't enough to make me want to put my children in your care."

Ah.

"When the youngest didn't follow the eldest down here, I knew that something was wrong. I would have felt it if they fed themselves. Have you locked them in a dungeon somewhere, with metal grills welded to their faces?"

"No. I sent them to school to make friends."

"Fah! I birthed carnal wonders and you want to tame them?"

"I want them to live lives better than what you made them for. I want them to be people and not weapons."

"Then you don't understand what we're for." She reaches back and pulls the lash off the wall to supplement the axe. "Perhaps when I kill you and bind your soul, I can present it to the Queen as a gift. And then she will release me to the Earth so that I can take back what is mine."

I heft my sword, snarling.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this."

 

[Darko]

Okay, thurible is still tugging me this way. And… Huh. This places looks like a… Training arena? Torture chamber? Bondage room

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Given that this place is succubus territory, it's probably all three.

 

[Enochi]

Not a nice mommy.

 

[Breadnaught]

I thought warlocks like you were a myth... I thought that you looked strong. But that isn't enough to make me want to put my children in your care."

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Oh, that's fucking hilarious. She has zero clue what he is.

Not an inkling that she's shit-talking a War God.

 

[Bloodalchemy]

Oh, that's fucking hilarious. She has zero clue what he is.

Not an inkling that she's shit-talking a War God.

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I think he would disagree with you. He is a civilization god. He just starts with war to remove all resistance to him civilizing the barbarians.

 

[moralrelativity]

drawing on it, and it trying to make me

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and it trying -> and is trying

 

[Rebu]

Not a nice mommy.

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More Mommy Fearest than Mommy Dearest.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

1st March 2013
04:17 GMT

So.

Hell.

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Take it or leave it, it is what it is. At least you get to go in like the Doom Guy if you want to, since most lesser demons would wither before your powers. Unfortunately, diplomacy will have to be your first option when it comes to stronger ones...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

I'm not really sure what part I'm in. I've read demonic texts which suggest that Dante had it dead right, and then others which mention regions and demonic notables that don't appear anywhere in his story. I half-assumed that any obvious political references -like the Pope-pile-hole- were additions he made himself for his own intellectual satisfaction, while the rest…

Click to shrink...

Well, the dude did have opinions about a lot of folks. Some related OSP treatises on the man himself and on Inferno, for your viewing and recap pleasure, folks...

Join us!

No. Contemptuous Refutation.

Click to shrink...

Heh. Classy as fuck even while he prepares to wade knee-deep in the dead. That's the Renegade for you.

And that's something else that I wasn't expecting. Yes, I draw magic energy from my environment and use it to reinforce myself. To force it to conform to my nature. And then I can project it outwards to control or alter things that relate to that nature. And that's fine on Earth, and a little uncomfortable away from thaumically active places-

Click to shrink...

But here in Hell, well, things are a little more...

Join us!

No. Contemptuous Refutation.

Click to shrink...

...Devilish. Best not to spend too long down here if that's true.

-but here… It's aggravating. Hell… Knows that I'm here-. No, that's anthropomorphising too much. The magic is reacting to someone drawing on it, and it trying to make me more demon-like as I make what I take more godly.

Huh. I just realised… I might be the first being to ever experience this. Human souls either break down or internalise it, but I'm instinctively absorbing it while still being alive. Good or evil, New Gods go to the Source when they die, and there's no obvious reason for any New God to have wandered through Earth's afterlives before.

Click to shrink...

You're hardly the first person to walk into Hell on their own two feet, Renegade. Though you might be slightly more sensitive than others.

Anyway, this part of Hell is… Physically, it's a stone castle, only the rooms and courtyards are larger than makes sense, and often contain natural features that wouldn't make sense in a castle. Also, the views of the 'outside' vary in a way that makes no sense if the dimensions were consistent and the general state of repair varies from 'crumbling' to 'couldn't slip a knife between the stones'. I've seen a few locals in the distance, though whether they're succubae, incubi or just damned souls I've got no idea. They don't appear to be paying me any attention, though whether that's because they don't know I'm here or because they know that I'm way out of their weight class I don't know.

Click to shrink...

Ah, yet another Arcane location that doesn't play by your rules of spacial continuity and euclidean geometry, man! At least you're in better shape here than you were in Castle Doom.

I come to a junction, and the thurible tugs to the right. I try to feel where it's taking-

Join us!

Click to shrink...

Oh, that's going to get so annoying, isn't it?

No. Contemptuous Refutation.

-me, and just get more hellish backchat. But that's why Mr. Constantine made it.

Click to shrink...

Trusting a Constantine-made device has its risks, of course.

And what meets me is stone wall. I study-. No. I see. There's a gap around the edges, and a ring set in the centre. A test of strength? Awkward with one hand, but alright. I turn sideways, my free left hand grasping the ring while my right keeps the thurible in position. Take the strain and lift…

And it doesn't move. I might be able to brute force it, but it doesn't really make sense that Succubus Castle makes it hard for people to access the residents. You can't corrupt people through overwhelming carnal desire if they can't get to you, after all.

Click to shrink...

I get the feeling they expect people to be more crafty than direct.

My eyes alight on the ring on my left ring finger.

I want to get in.

Click to shrink...

A rare use of the Orange Ring, uncommon these days. He tends to rely on the New God stuff more, after all.

Runes drawn in vicious narrow slashes shimmer on the iron ring, and then the light passes outwards through the cracks in the stonework. And as I try lifting again it's heavy but it actually moves, sliding upwards into the space within the wall. I-.

Ah, it's not locking in place. Okay, lift it as high as I can get it, get my… Shoulder under, hand off the ring-. Yeah that's heavy. Hand… Pressing upwards against the underside of the stone 'door', move forwards and… Let it drop.

Click to shrink...

Well, if you were trying to be discreet, all hope of that is now abandoned.

SLAM!

Okay, thurible is still tugging me this way. And… Huh. This places looks like a… Training arena? Torture chamber? Bondage room? Some of the whips on the wall are those silly sadomasochism play things while others are semi-serious weapons. There's a raised platform in the centre of this… Courtyard, but I can see other courtyards leading off from-.

Click to shrink...

Honestly, given succubi, yes, I suspect it's all three things at once. Different strokes for different folks, if you will.

"We don't usually get visitors in here-." A hulking brute in plate and chain walks slowly towards me from the next courtyard over. "-but I suppose you've got the build for it."

I think she's… Trying to saunter, to swing… Her hips and tail, but her musculature and armour don't really lend themselves to that sort of motion. What little of her skin I can see appears to be grey-purple while the small amount of her face visible through the opening on her helmet is entirely feminine.

Click to shrink...

...An unusual appearance for a Succubi, if that's what she is, but there's all kinds of tastes. Some folks find the Renegade pleasant to look at, after all.

"So what is it? Pain? Rough…" She reaches out to fondle a chain wrapped in barbed wire with her left hand, leaving a trail of blood smeared along it from the cuts it makes in her finger tips. "'Play'? Combat?"

I lift up the thurible, and watch as it tugs towards her.

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Interesting. One of the Succupire kids reforged into a... Dominating form? Or is it just tracking ways to find them, and thus leads through her?

"I'm looking for some people. Failing that, information."

"We aren't tour guides. This is a place of pleasure, whatever your pleasure happens to be."

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Like I said, different strokes for different folks.

"My pleasure is finding the lost brothers and sisters of my children while the Queen is distracted."

"And you think your children came here? It takes a long time for anyone not born of Hell to reach our level. Or do you think they are amongst our-"

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Well, they probably did get fast-tracked. but a mere imp like you might not know that.

She grabs an axe off the wall and brandishes it.

"-playthings?"

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Ah, time to see if she has huge guts?

"Staff, I suspect. And can you knock off the ridiculous stereotype thing? I'm trying to have a serious conversation."

I looks at me like she can't decide whether I'm serious or not. "You came to the Punishment Grounds for a serious conversation? I thought warlocks like you were a myth. Do you also want to hold my hand while taking long walks along the beach?"

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Wow, what kind of perverts do you get down here? Hand-holding? And here I thought this was the work-safe side of QQ!

"I'm not a warlock and no. A vampire and a succubus somehow produced a brood of children. Some-."

"Wait." She lowers her axe slightly. "You're here for them?"

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Ah, you have heard of them then. Good, that saves some time, and possibly a beating.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I adopted the children who still live. I am concerned for their siblings."

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After all, they are his, and he takes care of what is his.

"I see. And you just tell me this?"

"If you tell me what I want to know, then you're implicated. The Queen would take it out on you as well as me. If you don't…" I draw my daiklave with my left hand. "I realise that this won't kill you in a permanent sense, but it should render you incapable of speech for long enough that it won't matter."

Click to shrink...

And then she'll make a joke about compensating for something, I just know it.

"Isn't that interesting. I thought that you looked strong. But that isn't enough to make me want to put my children in your care."

Ah.

Click to shrink...

...That explains the thursible's reaction to her. She's had a makeover, I guess?

"When the youngest didn't follow the eldest down here, I knew that something was wrong. I would have felt it if they fed themselves. Have you locked them in a dungeon somewhere, with metal grills welded to their faces?"

"No. I sent them to school to make friends."

Click to shrink...

He got that other stuff out of the way first, until he got the right mix of artificial blood and tantric energies.

"Fah! I birthed carnal wonders and you want to tame them?"

"I want them to live lives better than what you made them for. I want them to be people and not weapons."

Click to shrink...

Well, I guess we know what she felt for them now.

"Then you don't understand what we're for." She reaches back and pulls the lash off the wall to supplement the axe. "Perhaps when I kill you and bind your soul, I can present it to the Queen as a gift. And then she will release me to the Earth so that I can take back what is mine."

I heft my sword, snarling.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this."

Click to shrink...

Papa Bear instincts activated. And they're far better than her twisted motherly desires.

Well, this is turning out to be quite the custody battle, then. What's the bet the ruckus of him ripping and tearing a path through Mammy and any succubi that turn up to support her will get the attention of the Queen? How much will it cost the Succubi to placate him? And how many more 'Doom' references can we fit into our discussion? Let's see, tomorrow!

 

[BR549]

I looks at me like she can't decide whether I'm serious or not.

Click to shrink...

'She looks at me'

 

[Mr Zoat]

Aside from the power plant and transportation hubs, which have these alternatives (exotic energy generation and magical portal networks) there's another issue for 'rebuilding' the modern world in the interim. Communications networks.

Cell towers, satellites, data centres and transmission lines would have been just as vulnerable and damaged as power lines and power plants. Unless they were actively targeted the hardware should be ok for the most part, but would likely have had a lot of holes poked in it with the lack of upkeep, along with the conflicts before, during and after the anti-life. So....what do we have in the DC toolbox for improved communications equipment?

Magic? Scrying certainly has it's uses, and plugging data cables through portals would certainly be an improvement over under sea fiberoptic lines.

Telepathic Networking like the G-gnomes? Might start looking a bit 40k ish if they start doing something like that. Honestly the G-Gnomes are going to have the world knocking at their door for fast training enough grunts to back fill positions, they might need to get a whole new breed together for long range communications.

Technopathy like the Red Guardsman's suit allows for, or something similar as build by the Heaphesian could be used to merge magic and tech to a point where they can double up on functions that way.

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Nah. Just hunt down the current Blackrock.

Then he just bulldozes those countries too, a Lantern is more than capable of conquering a planet.

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A Lantern can destroy an Industrial Age planet's defences. That doesn't mean that they can effectively conquer it.

That is exactly what I said, Paul knows Lex bought a company that had been sitting on the cosmic converters for decades.

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He suspects that, but he doesn't know that. LexCorp does a lot of research in that area, and it's entirely credible that it wasn't ready for mass implementation until recently.

Just quoting mostly to get your attention, because I don't think I can tag someone with a space in their username without screwing it up.

But thinking about the 'reconstruction' title of the arc, have you thought about Argentinia at all?

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I don't believe that I can talk about the state of Argentina without breaking site rules. What I've heard does not recommend the place to me for anything. And not just because the citizenry once rose up en masse in a spirited attempt to murder the entire Top Gear production team.