Navi-Hank
An engine fuled by spite
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- Sep 20, 2017
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That sounds like quitter talk
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That sounds like quitter talk
As a single example, in paragon-verse the sacrifice-making, demon-worshipping cult that composes the majority of the U.K. government cares little for laws, be they privacy or more basic things like "don't murder people". If they think that such a system could be used to their advantage, they'll find whatever loophole or justification they want and make it work.All of which is completely meaningless since it would violate the US's 4th Amendment and numerous EU privacy laws for what's likely at most one or two people dying a month.
I imagine, that one day, pretty much everyone will have Vaermina on block. He'll still be sitting there, screaming into the void I imagine.
As a single example, in paragon-verse the sacrifice-making, demon-worshipping cult that composes the majority of the U.K. government cares little for laws, be they privacy or more basic things like "don't murder people". If they think that such a system could be used to their advantage, they'll find whatever loophole or justification they want and make it work.
As for the U.S., just as a single example, might I point out that OL is legally entitled to mind control/mind read anyone he suspects is doing 'supervillain' stuff? How much opposition do you think there will be to a system to detect big magic spikes like Roanoke? 'Clearly', says the average person, 'anyone using that much magic is up to no good, so it's more than justified to detect it.'.
The rule is not 'no politics'. The rule is 'no modern politics', 'modern' being defined as 'the last twenty years'. The Second Amendment to the US Constitution is 228 years old.
That's the difference between Passive systems and Active systems.Hopefully, this doesn't run afoul of Rule 8, but there is a valid parallel to an existing technology.
In the US, it's not inherently illegal to fire a gun; even in municipalities that prohibit firing guns within the city limits (they do have the legal right to do so, so long as they include exceptions for organized and safely-operated firing ranges, usually indoor ones), self-defense use of a firearm is exempted from such prohibitions. That said, it is legal for municipalities to deploy systems that automatically detect and locate the sound of gunshots, and forward said information to the police; from a legal point of view, it's seen as no different from having a cop at every streetcorner listening for it.
And yes, in the early days after installation, they tend to frequently report people doing target practice at legal gun ranges; the computers that are involved are then programmed to ignore signals from the address in question, to reduce the number of false positives that officers would otherwise have to go out and check. So this would be the same as a magical early-warning system; it might be entirely innocuous, but it's something you want to look into when you see it happening, just in case.
As of the time of the most recent move, I believe the next stop was at 'I give up' station.
The issue I'm having here is that I'm struggling to think of anything not reflected in modern politics this side of the Neanderthal assimilation/extinction.(Sorry, this is as nonsensical as claiming that discussions about Boris Johnson's actions don't fall into modern politics because prime ministers have existed for longer than 20 years. The rule isn't "Was this ever a political issue at some point more than 20 years ago?"; it's "Is this a political issue right now or in the recent past?" Just because it's a political issue from both the past and the present doesn't stop it from being modern politics.)
Japanese InternmentAs of the time of the most recent move, I believe the next stop was at 'I give up' station.
The issue I'm having here is that I'm struggling to think of anything not reflected in modern politics this side of the Neanderthal assimilation/extinction.
Yes, you can confidently say that, as of this moment, there is no: mass internment of people of Japanese origin in the United States.
With the right writers, interesting stories could be centred on an organization like that.In an effort to move the conversation along... Aside from just a magical early warning system what about setting up a full blown Bureau of Divination and Prophecy? So when, say, some big bad guy starts heading to Earth they get some forewarning?
Do we even have any concrete evidence that prophecies of the future are an existing, reliable, intentional thing in this universe?
Is she from Frieza Planet 419?I would presume that the Legion of Superheroes included Dream Girl, who comes from an entire planet of people who can see the future, but she never got mentioned that I'm aware of, so I might certainly be wrong there.
Funny. Someone trying to use FEED ME on OL. Even if he wasn't restrained, I bet OL had enough FEED ME to counter him"Oh." He just about manages to pull himself up into a sitting position and looks past myself and John, spotting Strega splayed out on the floor. "Ah. Well, in that case I'm going to have to kill you and use your life force to restore her. Nothing personal, but I've woken up early and I'm rather hungry."
He gestures at me with his right hand, and nothing happens.
The power of Progress. Even with magic, progress renders what was known before obsolete.He stares at his hand in bewilderment. "What-? You… How?"
"That chain is capable of containing a Lord of Chaos. You're not quite at that level. Though it is mildly reassuring to know that in other circumstances you might have been a threat. Some of the people I've been wasting him with this evening…"
I roll my eyes as he tries to get his hands working.
Now he realizes that he's completely beaten without even a fight.The portal is surrounded by the upper loop of a golden ankh and floats over to John, much to the ancient sorcerer's obvious distress. John raises it up to his face so that he can get a good look at it.
"From the feel of things, this is a pocket plane filled with magic artefacts."
"How..?"
Gotham PD: Opening for wizard cop. Experience preferred but not required."Probably. Put it somewhere safe without touching anything inside, and I'll try and get a forensic team and a court-appointed wizard sent to you before the end of the week."
"They have those now?"
"After Swamp Thing's attack, Gotham -and Connecticut generally, actually- made a point of getting the most up to date laws on magic they could. Some of the legislation is still passing through the state senate, but they expanded the court's ability to appoint experts to include wizards."
"Is it a salaried position?"
"I don't know. And.. I'm afraid that they'd probably ask for written qualifications, or membership of a known superhero team. Maybe if you upped your profile..?"
"I could give it a try." He waves his right hand, and the ankh and all of the weapons associated with it vanish.
Wonder what poor soul ended up with that moniker."Ah, no, see, we don't need your name to use magic on you. We've gotten far beyond that." I wheel him out of the sarcophagus chamber and generate another wheelchair for Strega, sticking her severed leg in the luggage compartment. "We just need something to put on the paperwork. You can make it up if you like, though I'll warn you that if you pick something like 'fuckingshitman'-" Sadly, an actual example. "-that everyone will call you that until you die, whereupon it will be written upon your grave."
No pretentious names for you."Then… Gotham. Doctor Gotham."
"Not without a doctorate from an appropriately notable educational establishment, Mister Gotham."
Taking in evil wizards is now a mundane act of superheroing."Now, I should warn you that any casualties inflicted by gods, demons or spells you may have bound here will be considered as having been inflicted by you and taken into account when determining your sentence. Is there anything which you would like to tell me?"
Well, he's certainly PART of the reason, to be sure.*Googles*
Wait, so this pissant is the reason Gotham's so fucked up?
And this is Doctor Gotham. 40,ooo years old, not a clue of what he's about to run into!"Uuuugh?"
A lithely muscled old man with a receded head of long white hair weakly tries to pull himself out of the sarcophagus. His eyes are unfocused as he takes a bleary look around the room.
Not a nice guy at all.Hm. There was probably some sort of ritual that was supposed to be used to wake him up. Ah well.
"John?"
"I don't know his face, but-" He raises his hands, a small ankh glowing between them. "-his aura's full of violent death, and… He's pledged himself to some sort of life-eater."
Ah, the moment of confusion... Priceless."Good enough for me."
I clamp magic suppression chains around him, an action which prompts a sudden increase in his wakefulness.
"Who are.. you? Where's Strega?"
Ah, overconfidence. This is going to be hilarious."On the floor trying not to bleed to death. Please tell me who you are."
"Oh." He just about manages to pull himself up into a sitting position and looks past myself and John, spotting Strega splayed out on the floor. "Ah. Well, in that case I'm going to have to kill you and use your life force to restore her. Nothing personal, but I've woken up early and I'm rather hungry."
Wait until you get a skilled aura-reader on him. He's going away for a very long time.He gestures at me with his right hand, and nothing happens.
"Thank you! For a moment I was worried about what I was going to arrest you for, but that was clearly attempted murder."
The joy of building relationship score with magic-users and Atlantis.He stares at his hand in bewilderment. "What-? You… How?"
"That chain is capable of containing a Lord of Chaos. You're not quite at that level. Though it is mildly reassuring to know that in other circumstances you might have been a threat. Some of the people I've been wasting him with this evening…"
Do try to keep up, dear boy.I roll my eyes as he tries to get his hands working.
"Now, I'm guessing that you've been life-leeching to sustain yourself? Your physical age is about seventy, and given how magic deageing effects tend to decay, I estimate that you'll drop dead before the ten years you'll probably serve for attempted murder elapse. As such I see no need for extraordinary measures."
"WHERE DID YOU GET THIS INFERNAL CHAIN!?"
Probably something from before modern human civilisation?"Why on Earth would I tell you anything? Now, I don't know how long you've been down here for, but I'll try and bring you up to speed." I frown for a moment. "John, what language is he speaking?"
"He's switching between at least two language at random, modern English and… A language I don't recognise it. Sounds a little like Spanish."
...So how does the Joker keep avoiding the death sentence?"Have you heard of a country called 'The United States of America'?"
"What? Where?"
"I wouldn't recommend that approach. The Gotham City police are very strict on insanity pleas."
Ah, politeness in the face of an ineffectual villian. Pure OL."No. Yes." He lifts his hands up to his head, but stops when the chains clack against each other. "I heard things as I slept and dreamt-."
"Good! That will save your court-appointed lawyer a lot of time. Now: can you get out of there yourself, or do you require assistance and a wheelchair?"
I can already imagine the drooling over it once he gets a good look inside.He points his hands to his left, and a hole appears in the air next to him. Through it I can see a white void filled with tiny-.
The portal is surrounded by the upper loop of a golden ankh and floats over to John, much to the ancient sorcerer's obvious distress. John raises it up to his face so that he can get a good look at it.
"From the feel of things, this is a pocket plane filled with magic artefacts."
"Or can I 'secure' a few things first?""How..?"
"You learn a thing or two, living in a dimensionally exotic tower. And… That should cut off your access." He looks my way. "Do you need these as evidence?"
Ha! Go, Gotham City."Probably. Put it somewhere safe without touching anything inside, and I'll try and get a forensic team and a court-appointed wizard sent to you before the end of the week."
"They have those now?"
Guessing he'd like a paycheck to go with the phenomenal cosmic power. At least he skipped the itty-bitty living space."After Swamp Thing's attack, Gotham -and Connecticut generally, actually- made a point of getting the most up to date laws on magic they could. Some of the legislation is still passing through the state senate, but they expanded the court's ability to appoint experts to include wizards."
"Is it a salaried position?"
"I don't know. And.. I'm afraid that they'd probably ask for written qualifications, or membership of a known superhero team. Maybe if you upped your profile..?"
"I could give it a try." He waves his right hand, and the ankh and all of the weapons associated with it vanish.
Good plan. Who know how trapped this place is?The ancient sorcerer -who can just about managed to crawl his way out of the sarcophagus- collapses to the ground, his eyes fixed in despair on the point where his arsenal was moments before.
"John, would you mind poking around and shutting off any other spells there are on this place? I'm going to have to call the police in, and they're not magic-proof."
Pfft. The image..."Not a problem, mate." He looks around, the eyes of his helmet glowing gold. "Yeah, this is going to take a while. You couldn't get me a coffee, could you?"
I take the mug of kopi luwak coffee I made for a joke out of subspace and-. And add a heat resistant straw to the mug, then pass it to him.
"Cheers."
He takes hold of the cup in his left hand -straw poking under his helmet- and generates an ankh over his right hand as I create a construct wheelchair and load the ancient-.
Now that would be humiliating as all get out."What's your name?"
He looks at me like a man who has just had the pillars of his world kicked over. "I'm not-. Telling you my name."
"Ah, no, see, we don't need your name to use magic on you. We've gotten far beyond that." I wheel him out of the sarcophagus chamber and generate another wheelchair for Strega, sticking her severed leg in the luggage compartment. "We just need something to put on the paperwork. You can make it up if you like, though I'll warn you that if you pick something like 'fuckingshitman'-" Sadly, an actual example. "-that everyone will call you that until you die, whereupon it will be written upon your grave."
Hah, not even the dignity of a good Supervillian name. Well done!"Uh. The city above us. What is it called?"
"Gotham."
"Then… Gotham. Doctor Gotham."
"Not without a doctorate from an appropriately notable educational establishment, Mister Gotham."
I don't think he's in any shape to talk right now. Just wait until he sees the surface...I scoop Snotman up in another construct and add him to the villain train. They're never going to fit in the elevator. I'll have to take them up the tunnel I made for the prisoners.
"Now, I should warn you that any casualties inflicted by gods, demons or spells you may have bound here will be considered as having been inflicted by you and taken into account when determining your sentence. Is there anything which you would like to tell me?"
Ah yes, The Sun King, nasty little eldritch/cosmic entity, that.
Well, if he's going to die of old age in prison, might as well fess up anyway. He's got very little to lose."Now, I should warn you that any casualties inflicted by gods, demons or spells you may have bound here will be considered as having been inflicted by you and taken into account when determining your sentence. Is there anything which you would like to tell me?"
No, it was making a threat and waving his hand."Oh." He just about manages to pull himself up into a sitting position and looks past myself and John, spotting Strega splayed out on the floor. "Ah. Well, in that case I'm going to have to kill you and use your life force to restore her. Nothing personal, but I've woken up early and I'm rather hungry."
He gestures at me with his right hand, and nothing happens.
"Thank you! For a moment I was worried about what I was going to arrest you for, but that was clearly attempted murder."
So you're admitting that the magic suppressing chains are negatively effecting his health."Now, I'm guessing that you've been life-leeching to sustain yourself? Your physical age is about seventy, and given how magic deageing effects tend to decay, I estimate that you'll drop dead before the ten years you'll probably serve for attempted murder elapse. As such I see no need for extraordinary measures."
And the Magicians of the slowly burgeoning Department of Magic, (Thaumaturgy, Sorcery, Supernatural Affairs, call it what you will), of The U.S.A. punches the air with glee because they got a treasure trove of powerful magical artifacts to plunder and study!From the feel of things, this is a pocket plane filled with magic artefacts."
"How..?"
"You learn a thing or two, living in a dimensionally exotic tower. And… That should cut off your access." He looks my way. "Do you need these as evidence?"
"Probably. Put it somewhere safe without touching anything inside, and I'll try and get a forensic team and a court-appointed wizard sent to you before the end of the week."
No, it was making a threat and waving his hand.
Which is at most criminal menacing a criminal act with at maximum a 2 year sentence in the states said laws actually exist in. Which he wouldn't serve anyways because he has a self defense claim due to you breaking into his place of residence and violently waking him up.
Now, if you actually wanted to get him for attempted murder you should have at least let him cast the spell only for it to splash harmlessly on your spell eater. Mind you, he would still have gotten off due to you attacking him first. But at least there would have been an argument to be made about him actually attempting to kill you.
Unlikely, I'd say. Long term, maybe, but for short term, precedent is that no one gives a second glance to harm/injury/negative health effects caused by restraining techniques used during arrest. Long term, it would probably come down to a argument of risk of flight/attack, and he hasn't been particularly cooperative so far.So you're admitting that the magic suppressing chains are negatively effecting his health.
Which is all the argument any half way decent lawyer will need to have them removed so long as Doctor Gotham can assure them there isn't any permanent side effects of the short term minor life draining he would need to stay alive. Which in story has already been established as being true.
Just because the gun isn't loaded doesn't mean that pointing it at you and pulling the trigger isn't attempted murder. So long as the method is credible, intent rules.No, it was making a threat and waving his hand.
Which is at most criminal menacing a criminal act with at maximum a 2 year sentence in the states said laws actually exist in. Which he wouldn't serve anyways because he has a self defense claim due to you breaking into his place of residence and violently waking him up.
Now, if you actually wanted to get him for attempted murder you should have at least let him cast the spell only for it to splash harmlessly on your spell eater. Mind you, he would still have gotten off due to you attacking him first. But at least there would have been an argument to be made about him actually attempting to kill you.
So you're admitting that the magic suppressing chains are negatively effecting his health.
Which is all the argument any half way decent lawyer will need to have them removed so long as Doctor Gotham can assure them there isn't any permanent side effects of the short term minor life draining he would need to stay alive. Which in story has already been established as being true.