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

Discussion in 'Creative Writing' started by Mr Zoat, Jan 27, 2019.

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  1. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    Yes, but I was talking about Constantine now having such a connection to the Plane of Order that he now qualifies as a Lord of Order, not just being able to use some of its magic.
     
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  2. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    They can be obsessed with magic. If they get their magic, they're pretty rational. If they're denied it...
     
  3. rkyeun

    rkyeun Cabbitus Maximus

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    The twist: The demon appears in the circle formed by the radio and wires, turns to face her, realizes she has some equivalent to the Ace of Winchesters pointed at him, BANG, problem solved.
     
  4. Stsword

    Stsword Versed in the lewd.

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    Casting ritual magic to surgically alter the soul so that it connects to the realm of order doesn't seem like something someone does on accident, even if your last name is Constantine.

    And if he did become a lord of order, he'd be unable to show up on Earth as long as Nabu exists. If Nabu actually died, Quinn really ought to have worked that into a conversation.

    So either Richie is wrong about Constantine being a lord of order, or he's wrong in thinking that he needs a distraction to prevent Constantine from butting in.

    Either way Richie is wrong about something here.
     
  5. Chaoswind

    Chaoswind Lord of nonsense

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    Not accurate.

    My understanding of the situation is that only one lord of order and one lord of Chaos can be active on earth at a time to maintain the balance of peace between both sides. However several of them can exist on earth at the same time so long as they keep a low profile.

    Earth had Nabu, Shazam, Klarion, the Changing man and Oggar. The issue is that only one of them from each side can have their connection at full blast to the plane of order or chaos.

    Constantine is currently trying to learn to control the huge forcefields he ate and has the power tap as closed as he can have it, so there is nothing stopping Constantine from being under a bridge somewhere mumbling about how awful purple tastes.

    Mr Zoat can clarify, but I believe I am correct.


    Tldr

    One lord of each side at full power seems to be an agreement made to keep the peace, not a rule of the setting, thus more than one lord can be on earth at the same time, but only one is allowed to have access to all their power and if this agreement is broken it would likely cause war between Chaos and Order.
     
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  6. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    Unless, you know, Nabu being brain dead made sure he lost his status as a Lord and while the Helmet is still connected to Order, it's not on the same level as a Lord.
     
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  7. ABZB

    ABZB Making the rounds.

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    Up to converse part 14 in my reread/catchup

    The Septhian nerd party is just about the last thing I remember reading before I lost track of the fic.

    God, I loved the Sephtian nerd party :)
     
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  8. Ardy

    Ardy I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    That is when there stopped being an overarching goal
     
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  9. Threadmarks: Maladaptive (part 14)
    Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    22nd July 2012
    19:41 GMT


    "And I'm back."

    I can see Richard Simpson's aura. He's clearly got some arcane defences, but between rushing this summoning, being an innately arcane being and dealing with a young girl they're nothing like as powerful as he'd need to stop me snooping.

    "Huh. You don't look very demony."

    "I only put that on for the other demons. I'd much rather look human."

    "Why's that?"

    "How you look affects how people think about you. And how you think about yourself. If a demon looks big and scary not only do people get scared of it, but the demon thinks of itself as something that's scary to others. And that it's supposed to be scary. I'm not any weaker because I look like this than I am when I look like pink lightning that's on fire, but other demons assume that I don't have what it takes to win in Hell."

    "So it's a pose?"

    "Everything's a pose. What changes is how much it matters. Look."

    I hear a rustle.

    "Here. Everything we agreed. And, there, my demonic-magic-pretending-to-be-human-blood. Now if you just-."

    "I'm going to read it first."

    "Heh-hah. You've got a lot more sense than John, I'll give you that. More sense than me, to tell the truth."

    "What d'you mean by that?"

    "That's how I died, isn't it? John asked me to take a look at a fundamentalist Christian group called the Resurrection Crusade. I didn't spot the wards around their server and it burned my body to death while my mind was outside of it."

    "My dad used to be part of that. But then Uncle John happened."

    Okay, he's physically present. I'm not going to get a better chance than this.

    "Yeah, he does that. Are any of them left?"

    I burrow filaments into the floor, poised to shoot upwards to grab whatever's available.

    "I think they've still got a few people in America who are part of it."

    "I'll have to pay them a visit. You finished yet?"

    "Yeah. I think we're finished."

    I fly, bulldozing the intervening walls and office furniture as my filaments leap up and attach themselves to the poorly prepared magic circle and subvert it.

    "Mister Simpson."

    "Shit!"

    He drops-

    Subverted.

    -into the ground up to his knees before coming to an abrupt halt.

    "Shit!"

    "Mister Simpson, you have a simple choice."

    "Ah…" He gives up on pulling his legs out. "Shit."

    "You can explain to me what's happening of your own free will, or-"

    "Do you-?"

    "-you can explain to me what's happening of your own free will after I warp your mind to suit my desires."

    "Hey! What the hell is this? I haven't hurt anyone!"

    "Apart from the time when you attacked the Justice League's headquarters."

    "Yeah, but-. I thought we were square! I helped you fight the Host!"

    "And I'm grateful for that, but protecting the Earth from people who intend it harm is part of my job and I've heard enough to convince me that you're involved in the spontaneous machine animation that's been happening lately. And I would appreciate an explanation."

    I frown.

    "Also: language. You're not in Hell at the moment."

    "I know! I'm trying to leave!"

    "You're the ruler of a circle of Hell, and after Neron and Satanus vanished you don't have anyone over you. You've got all the resources you could want, legions of assistants and more arcane lore than most people could read in a lifetime. Why do you want to leave?"

    "Because it's Hell, you ffff-. Idiot! It's full of demons! I don't want to be there!"

    "You're not there now. I don't particularly mind you hanging around. We can just blame Satanus for-."

    "It's not that simple!" He waves his right fist for emphasis. "If there's a gap in the hierarchy someone will fill it. And the first thing they do will be to make sure that I won't ever come back. And then it's back down to the bottom of the hierarchy, surrounded by people who want to make sure I stay there. Did you see how they treat the weak-spirited in Hell?"

    "'Rendering'?"

    Gemma squints at me. "What's rendering?"

    "That's where they break down souls for parts, which are still slightly aware, suffering horribly with no hope of respite."

    "… Oh. That sounds…" She looks from me to him and back again. "Can we let him off?"

    "I'm not really clear what we'd arrest Mister Simpson for anyway. But I do need to hear a full explanation for why the God of Technology is waking up early."

    "That was my escape plan!"

    "You become its high priest or… Father? And the other demons don’t dare bother you?"

    "No!" He gurns. "No. I was trying to study it. Look, I used magic to transfer my consciousness into the internet before I even became a demon. I'm planning-."

    "To.. transfer yourself into the foetal god..?" I frown. "Is that possible?"

    "I think so. It's basically an unformatted data storage device, right? It's not near enough to the surface… To the world, to get specific experience. So if it's got any personality, it comes from its nature. The only things stopping someone from interfacing with it is its raw power and how it's not fully connected to the world yet."

    "And you fixed that."

    He nods.

    "Borrowed a few cultists from demons who owed me favours." He looks mildly puzzled. "Should be.. here…"

    He makes eye contact with me.

    "Oh, right."

    "John Quinn couldn't detect it."

    "They're passive and warded. Not easy to detect. I'm a bit surprised he couldn't work around it, but not everyone is as cunning as Constantine. I don't mind trying to work out how to dampen the side effects. If I get some help-."

    "Plan 'Richard Simpson Becomes a God' is firmly off the table. Ring, contact the Justice League."
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2021
  10. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    Demon dick waving contest, as he once put it.

    Everyone does.

    'group'

    There were a few during the Angel invasion.

    Can't say I'm too sorry for them.

    'been happening'

    I think Gemma has heard worst.

    There's Mammon.

    Who runs Hell.

    'be to make'

    'is as cunning'
     
  11. FeepingCreature

    FeepingCreature Not too sore, are you?

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    You know, I mean, infinite torture. The man has a point. Though child (god) abuse is of course not a valid solution ever.
     
  12. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    Taking out your frustrations on children is never right.
     
  13. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
     
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  14. Handlewithcare

    Handlewithcare Versed in the lewd.

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    I get why Paul isn't trying to undo Hell yet, but you can't blame the inmates for trying to get out.

    Making them gods would be idiotic though, of course
     
  15. BlueMangoAdea

    BlueMangoAdea Alive. For now.

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    Putting a demon inside the God of Technology would probably have severe metaphysical consequences.
     
  16. DrThoth

    DrThoth I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    I'm still confused by the metaphysics of why there would be a singular global God of Technology emerging; it doesn't seem like that's the case for any of the usual domains/concepts that gods preside over (wish we'd seen that conclave of forge/volcano gods that Paragon suggested to have a while back). It doesn't seem like Simpson is responsible for that part, just accelerating what would happen 'naturally'. Different cultures on Earth would view technology in different ways, so I'd have thought that would create multiple deities with the same domain.

    I forget if Blue Devil tried some of the Fruit, but that could be a potential path to assist Simpson; the resultant hierarchy issue could be a potential opportunity to employ a proxy of Mammon's to be in charge of the industrial/innovation sector of Hell and increase the latter's influence (though I understand being cautious of that idea too).
    Why did Simpson become damned to begin with? It may have been mentioned in story but I forgot. Was that a side-effect of the Resurrection Crusade's wards or a consequence of his own morality? I forget how much influence or power he had before Satanus allied with/recruited him.

    I'm assuming Gemma's dad being part of that fundamentalist group is from canon, which is certainly an interesting backstory and family dynamic that I'd like to see explored more (or just do a wiki search of if that information's available). Has his belief system changed in any fundamental way (pun semi-intended) since those days?

    I don't know how active the Crusade is after the Silver City Invasion, but I'd hope Paragon or some League affiliate was able to get their knowledge of angelology or disable their capacity to use it somehow; it seems like a useful resource, though not entirely necessary with Angelica, Zauriel and pseudo-Noriel around, I guess. I wonder if there've been any interactions between them and the Congregation. If I were Paragon, I'd try to direct their ire to the Satanus/Colin Thornton trial and give it more publicity, which might go badly but from a reader's perspective would be fun to see.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2021
  17. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    His body was destroyed so he inhabited the avatar of Nergal before some demons abducted him to make him into a proper demon.

    He may have become less fundamentalist.
     
  18. Chojin Patriarch

    Chojin Patriarch Veteran Lurker

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    Overconfidence. Such a useful thing to have in your foes. Makes it so much easier to lay them low when they indulge in stupidity.

    That makes a subtle kind of sense. He was born human, he still thinks like a human, of course he wants to look human.

    It's the same thing with Mammon. He looks like a bloated Lothario because that's the image he wants others to think of him. Or Etrigan, who's as close as you can get to a superheroic demon in terms of appearance.

    Image is everything. And to demons, it matters a lot.

    Boy, he's rushing through this. John is that scary, then.

    Honestly, if she can keep that good sense in mind, she'd go far as a Constantine. Too bad she doesn't have enough to just leave well enough alone outright, even if she weren't being encouraged to help.

    A neat summation of his mortal fate. And one that puts all the blame on John...

    Ambush time. Simpson isn't going to know what hit him, is he?

    Honestly, Simpson really must be in a rush, if he didn't lay any arcane warning signs about...

    That's your cue, OL. Have at him.

    Heh, this'd be a brown trousers moment... If he still had any flesh.

    Yoink!

    Yes, you should be afraid. Sticking your fingers in places they don't belong...

    Just accept it, man. You're nicked.

    I would probably keep that option open after this, just in case.

    Under Satannus' purview, that first Christmas, wasn't it?

    Do be quick about it, we haven't got all day.

    And in the background Gemma just rolls her eyes. She's probably heard worse at school.

    Well, by those standards, he's in paradise...

    The problem is, he needs to be in Hell, or...

    ...That. Better a fool like Simpson, rather than someone smart, or worse, ambitious enough to be eyeing up the seats of his betters...

    What you might call a fate worse than death. Except, you know, you're already dead. And it's unfortunately too many who weren't good enough.

    Ah, finally, back on topic. Chop, chop, Simpson, get talking.

    Eh, he's already declared his dislike of his neighbours.

    To put it simply, Magic is freaky. Gods are freaky. This is a whole other level of freaky.

    Ugh, idiots poking the things they don't fully understand...

    Wait for it...

    There it is, the moment he realises: He. Dun. Goofed.

    Zatarra, Blaze or Mist? Who would be best to take custody of this git?

    Well, the instigator's caught. Now to round up his goons, shut down whatever he's done to pull the Machine closer to waking, and maybe do some fiddling with his desires to prevent a repeat. All nicely wrapped up, then. What to do for the rest of the episode, I wonder?
     
  19. Sockmonkey

    Sockmonkey I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Couldn't he do something like what he did for that fear entity guy, Blaze, or Chantinelle? Alternate body, alternate power source to not be a demon anymore.
     
  20. Alasnuyo

    Alasnuyo I am always here

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    Paul can always offer to convert him into an elemental aspected to one of the emotional spectrum. It worked with with Chantinelle after all.

    Edit: Ninja'd.
     
  21. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    This is less indulging in stupidity and more just not knowing the dangers.

    Well, the demon magic and the decades he spent in Hell may have changed that.

    There are also Blue and Red Devil.

    It was either during the Oceanus episode, or before the Mandate episode.

    Giovanni may be familiar with some of his magic, seeing as he used to be a friend of Constantine.

    Blaze is an Angel and has millenia worth of experience with demon magic.

    Mist is an ancient and powerful magician and may have experience with demons, if his comment about Mammon was true.

    Or they can just throw him in the Tower of Fate.

    Either Simpson fights him or the tech god awakens.
     
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  22. Cuchulin

    Cuchulin Versed in the lewd.

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    Mostly Paul has been working on helping them become better organize and more orderly, more Crowley and less Hastur/Ligur. At least that's been my impression.
     
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  23. Senevri

    Senevri Not too sore, are you?

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    Spoilsport.
    I mean, better not to, but we know from New Gods and the Old Gods too, that being a god isn't that big a deal.

    Still, helping Richie leave hell goes along with OL:s core values, as does empowering oneself, and while Richie may be a bit selfish, he's not very malicious, so let's see what OL does.

    It could be an opportunity for Paragon to finally educate himself about the apotheosis process that Renegade keeps sharing with everyone he likes and those descriptors are seriously outdated at this point, aren't they.
     
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  24. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    This thing could also be a Titan, and Oceanus could have potentially drowned the planet.

    Also the blessing Helios gave Kon could do serious damage to a planet.

    Not power you want to be in the hands of a demon, even one as relatively sane and non malicious as Simpson.
     
  25. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    Paul realized a God of technology would be able to assfuck his technological power rings.
     
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  26. Mquz

    Mquz Versed in the lewd.

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    I think there’s a single god of technology because people believe in technology as a singular process. When they think of progress over the past 20 years, they don’t usually think of one field in particular. There’s a reason why the concept of “Big Tech” exists, and has encompassed everything from cars to electronics over the last 100 years. Though Big Pharma’s a little separate.
     
  27. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    He did.
    He possessed a demon's body.
     
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  28. DAT_NOOB

    DAT_NOOB Accused of writing in a far away land

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    Umm... dumb question. Why?

    Wouldn't putting it in a relatively non-malicious demons hands be less dangerous than having another titan walking about?
     
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  29. BlueMangoAdea

    BlueMangoAdea Alive. For now.

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    The mere awakening of this God is causing magical effects all over the world. Plugging a demon, aka a soul full of hell magic, into the equation is very risky.
     
  30. Stsword

    Stsword Versed in the lewd.

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    Reminds me of a Dr Fate plot.

    Wotan, you see, is an immortal of the serial reincarnator variety.

    Wotan was looking for God's corpse to reincarnate into and therefore achieve apotheosis.
     
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