The PPC Posting Board - Latest posts

The babble are your notes to guide your story. You should only show them if in the case of classes or researches. Even then, keep it to a minimum.

Magic is as what you want it to be. Contract-based, mana-based, spell-based, knock yourself out. Read how others make their magic systems. Tolkien have it as more of God's Will. Nasu have it dwindle, but can be investigated scientifically. Rowling simply make hers spell-based. One writer make the the magic require the same amount of energy as doing it mechanically, but allows the source to come from other places. The only rule you have to obey is to be consistent.

As for technology, just read on the articles in science magazines of Facebook pages. Be imaginative, no one knew how smartphones can do video calls twenty years ago, but the idea is as common back then as now. You do have to ground it to reality, as well as consider how it will affect and be affected by the magic in your world.

You are a writer, and thus you are to some extent a world-builder. Craft the magic and technology as you need. Use it to enliven your story.

I'm an aspiring writer with multiple ideas for stories - namely an urban fantasy story where humans and supernatural creatures exist together, and a sci-first setting.

Problem is, I'm nowhere near smart enough to understand how things like magic and science work. I want to avoid "Magibabble" and "Technobabble" as much as possible, but I'm not what you'd call good at understanding complex details.

So if anyone could give me some tips on how to write such things in a way I can comprehend, I would really appreciate it.

Tyranids are redirected because they find targets using Genestealer cults. When the Imperium redirected them, they captured a cult and dropped it in Ork space.

Is better than Rakghouls anyways. And Mara infiltrating Tau-Republic Alliance is definitely within her skill set. And there is a non-zero chance she becomes the mask.

Also glad Mara is being let in. She's probably my favorite pure legends character

"Where I'm from, both the costumes and the candy are to keep the spirit of Nightmare Moon--that's Princess Luna's superpowered evil side, by the way--from eating us. The costumes fool her into thinking there aren't any ponies around, and the candy is insurance."

Chris was even more dazed at the explanation. "What...? What the heck kind of place is the Kids Next Door-verse, anyway?"

I'm kind of tempted to dual-host the Webplex for a while, once I've revamped it - see which version works better. Thanks for the heads-up.

hS

Darth Mara is an amazing concept, but I think virtually everything in this is Legends. Plus, of course, Dromund Kaas is in Imperium space these days, so it would be a sucky capital.

I think 'Sheev Palpatine Presents: The Apprentice' is a good concept. Going on his previous form, he'd probably send a few candidates out together (to compete with each other); he pulled this on Vader in the recent comics, and Vader was... peeved.

I think Mara (I'm gonna let her exist, because she's kind of wonderful) would make a good showing, so we can keep that part. And I like (... wrong word?) the use of Project Blackwing. Haha, zombies are Star Wars canon...

So. The candidates are ordered to acquire both Blackwing and a viable deployment mechanism. No rules other than that. Dandoran is in Hutt Space, so it's currently being attacked by Tyranids - which brings the Sith wannabes into conflict with our Sith Tyranids, whatever form they take.

Mara gets Blackwing, along with some Sith goodies to make her stronger. She takes the cloaked ship approach to deployment (she's a spy, after all), which... doesn't seem likely to succeed. I'm guessing Imperium psykers would sense it coming.

Which gets Mara in disgrace. She has to do something to prove herself worthy - though probably not 'playing KoToR'! The obvious choice would be killing Vader, but she's gonna need a plan for that one. If only she knew something he didn't... something like... the identity of his children?

... I think I've just gotten Mara Jade to infiltrate the Alliance.

hS

I'm happy to crib background stuff from Legends (see my comments on Palpatine's power levels), but major plot points is pushing it.

Also, the Tyranids shouldn't be anywhere near Korriban, come to think of it. If the Imperium has redirected them (how does that work, anyway?), they wouldn't send them right into their own supply lines! The Hive Fleet ought to hit somewhere to Galactic south-east - between Kessel and Kamino, say. Any good Sith worlds down there that we can use to corrupt them?

hS

Dax laughed. "Never would have guessed that. Still, at least your protagonist is cool—when people think of D&D, they tend to think of that Drizzt." She spat out the name like it was a curse.

Thoth took the next one just as easily as the first two: the glasses weren't really that big, all things considered. "Three, I believe."

He turned to Gall. "I am," he said, "One of the Adeptus Astartes, the Angels of Death. Sometimes known as Space Marines. When I was a boy, I was selected as a candidate, tried, and eventually inducted into the ranks of the Thousand Sons. I was upgraded, artificial organs inserted into my body, its chemistry altered, my mind conditioned. All to transform me into one of the most fierce warriors mankind has ever known."

He sighed. "One of the side effects of the process is that this rotgut, as you call it, is one of the few things capable of actually getting me drunk, or getting any sort of toxin into my blood: On missions, I carry an alcohol-substitute version with Bleeprin inside it. It is the only way that the Bleep works on me."

((Sorry... I can be a bit longwinded. Thankfully, I think it fits the character here...))

"My partner is constently going through sourcebooks of different roleplaying games he can found, you wouldn't believe how many systems he knows. And there is one on my world too, and he has a character for it! Bad enough when I discovered it was a fiction centered on that guy Dresden. The way the Council sees him... is very different from the books."

Everything you just described about them is Legends, not canon. Pulling only from Canon sources, the Muur Talisman was last seen in deep space, in a research station belonging to the Sith empire. It most likely wouldn't be anywhere near Korriban.

...thank you so much for asking some of the stuff I'd forgotten that I was wondering!

-Twistey

Gall shook her head impatiently. "I didn't ask for your life story, man, I asked what you're made of that you can drink that rotgut. I've never felt a burn like that, and I ate some of Fellrazer's Nightmare Gel on a dare once. Does being a Fifteenth Ass-whatsit do that for you?"

Derik, who knew that his partner's hearing comprehension was excellent, cuffed the back of her head. "That's not what he said and you know it."

(( The Laundry Files looks interesting; I'll have to check that out sometime. And I'm running out the door, so short response here; sorry! ))

Now that Palpatine has returned to his Galaxy, he sees his Empire is in some degree of disarray. And now the Empire must Strike Back...

Palpatine has now seen the power of the Warp. He is convinced that the Dark Side is stronger, but he needs more power. He has now also seen the "reborn" Vader. Palpatine would almost certainly see Vader's hybridization as a betrayal. So he will need to deal with his former apprentice, and he will need a new one. After all there must always be two. One to hold power, and one to seek it.

He could seek out a Force Sensitive child and train it, but this is in the middle of a war. No, it is more likely he needs someone with training. But first...He needs to see to his Empire.

With the Republic on Couruscant he needs a new seat. Given that he sees a need for stronger access to the Dark Side, he decides that the training ground for his acolytes will work. He arrives on Dromund Kaas, and takes up residence there, and operates out of the Dark Temple.

The war has not been going as expected. A change is needed. Palpatine calls the Seventh Fleet, now under the Command of Admiral Karyn Faro (as we are assuming Thrawn does not survive Rebels) While she is no Thrawn, she still served under him and was his second in command. The Empire could use that insight now. She is promoted to Grand Admiral to help create a more unified offense. Let us assume she takes her fleet and flanks the Imperium Forces fighting the Chiss.

Palpatine still needs a new apprentice. He does not have the time, at the moment, to train one from Birth. And unfortunately most of the strong Jedi are too far from his influence and too close to Yoda's to be turned. But there are other choices. He could attempt to train one of his Royal Guards. But that would be bad form. His Inquisitors have proven far to weak to be worth the effort. But one of his assassins, his hand Mara Jade, she has the limited training he provided for her, and she is strong. But first she needs to be tested to see if she is strong enough. He assigns her a series of tasks.

First the Empire needs a new weapon, and there have been some promising results from a secret installation. He dispatches her to the Maw Installation. Her task is to acquire a new weapon without the defenses finding out. After a time she returns with the designs for the TIE Phantom. A shielded, hyperdrive enabled, cloaked TIE Fighter. Palpatine contacts Admiral Daala in the Maw, berates her for failing to protect the plans, but then orders the Phantom put into production.

The Empire still needs more. So Mara Jade is tasked with recovering and deploying Project Blackwing from Dandoran. Project Blackwing is a weaponized Zombie Plague made canon as of Star Wars: Commander. After the plague has been recovered, Palpatine orders one of the new Phantoms to ensure it is delivered to the so-called Terra. Hoping the Imperium is forced to further split its forces.

With Palpatine now believing the Imperium threat will be resolved he turns to the threat of Vader and Chaos. While he gathers his strength on Dromand Kaas, he tasks Mara Jade with seeking out sources of Dark Side Power. Her task first brings her to Korriban, now currently at war with itself with the Rak-anids and Tyranids killing each other. She encounters the Spirit of the Long-Dead Naga Sadow which attempts to possess her. Her connection with Palpatine, and her own strengths prevent him from taking over her, and she recovers an ancient Star Map. She informs the Emperor and he tasks her with following it. She has quickly established herself as a viable candidate for training. Palpatine makes up his mind. Once she finishes this task, he will train her fully in the Dark Side.

She follows the Star Maps finding maps on Dantooine, Manaan, and Kashyyyk. After recovering them all it points to a planet in the Unknown Regions. She arrives at the Observatory on Jakuu to gain navigational assistance through the Unknown Regions, where she finds the Observatory destroyed. She is about to seek out the Ascendancy Fleet, when deep in the back of her mind she hears a call.

Use the Force

Sufficiently strong Sith can indeed put their Spirit and Power into completely inanimate objects. That's how the Rakghouls were created. And that allowed him to survive in some form for Eons well into Darth Krayat's Empire (Over 7000 years in some form.)

In-fact...maybe what happens is on Korriban someone discovers Remulus Dreypa's Oubliette, and the Possessed Celeste Morne (host for Sith Lord Karness Muur) Let's say for argument the Tyranids are the ones that break into the Oubliette. Morne is overwhelmed and slain, being in Stasis for 4000 years will probably dull one's combat abilities, then something odd starts to happen. The Tyranids start changing, into vicious mutants. The first Tyranids begin being cut off from the Hive Mind. The Rakghouls have returned to the galaxy. Until the now Rakghoul-Tyranids are able to turn one of the Warp/Force infused Tyranids they remain locked on Korriban.

"Thank you." he said, and he meant it too.

"So, hmmm, wildly diverging accounts" Peregrin said to himself, pointing at various locations in empty space as he thought "common elements. Naming collisions? Well, possibly, but we cannot simply ... So where, where, how would, cultural segmentation? .. No, one of the accounts carries distinct histories. So, inheritance by filtering? That could be it. Yes. Yes."

He looked at the two kids he'd been talking to again. "Were your home universes partly defined in the same place, say, World One?" he asked. "No wait, that is rather technical wording. Is there, ah, a universe I could go to where I could find stories about both the canons you came from? And is Halloween a holiday there?"

"Halloween began in the days of the second alliance between children and adults. It seemed a successful partnership at first, with chore duties shared, and children once again had access to Earth's many environments they hadn't been able to enjoy during their exile on the moon.

"The peace, of course, couldn't last. When adults built the brainwashing institutions called 'schools,' children began to rebel against the tedium of the school day and the time wasted on homework. On cool, dark nights in autumn, small groups of children would put on disguises and cause mischief for adults. Most kids didn't want to terrorize the parents assigned to their family units they had come to know and love, but would sneak around to the houses of neighboring adults.

"At first, the children only wore frightening disguises, terrorizing the adults into giving them food and other treats to make the kids go away. Soon, though, the adults learned what was happening, and were no longer frightened. Then, the kids changed tactics, using one to ring the front doorbell and distract the adults through talking while the rest of the group infiltrated the home and took what they want. Eventually, the adults learned it was easier to keep a bowl of candy near the door, always ready to bribe any children at the door to go away so they could stay inside and guard from intrusion—they had come recognize that their choice was a treat, or be tricked.

"After many decades, "trick-or-treating" had become a tradition among kid culture, with a special day set aside for its observance. Adults eventually forgot its true origins, and began to celebrate it in their own, curious way, with terribly uninteresting parties without enough candy. But we children still remember the truth behind the so-called 'holiday:' a period of rebellion and empowerment against the rigid structuralism that adults impose upon us all year long."

Harry stared at her with an open mouth for a moment. Then, he turned to Peregrin and said, "Really, it's just an excuse to knock things over and crast stuff with your droogs."

((Actually, as far as I can tell through memory and research, the Kids Next Door don't seem to attach much importance to Halloween. Call this a fringe theory, call 3721 an AU character, whatever works.))

What kind of things would an agent have to do to get suspended? Fired? How bad would it have to be, on what kind of scale?

And if the Flowers believe in suicide missions, what would an agent have to do to get that?

Dax grinned widely. "Eberron, specifically. I'm a changeling—I'd show you what I can do, but I think without all the scaly bits people would get a little upset at me."

He handed one to Thoth - who once again downed it - and a considerably less horrific one to Derik.

Thoth nodded to Gall. "I am Thoth, of the XVth legion Astartes, otherwise known as the Thousand Sons. I am - or was - the unwilling servant of the Architect of Fate, and have my origins in the Warhammer 40k continuum. My partner is Tom Andrews."

Tom bowed. "Tom Andrews, computational demonologist, at your service. I'd tell you where I'm from, but then my brain would fry. It seems there was only so much DoSAT could do about that."

((If you're curious, Tom's from the Laundry continuum. So he's not exaggerating: if he tells you where he's from or where he worked or anything of that sort, he'll probably start smoking. DoSAT loosened it a bit, but they could only do so much.))

((I can appreciate the Wolves for similar reasons - Vikings are cool, and I do have that same soft spot. And they're a good legion. But the Sons... ah, there's just a bit too much of the Sons in me for me to prefer anyone else. Because I want to know the universe, to understand it. And if I am to be guilty of any crime, I want it to be the pursuit of knowledge. I also share some of their flaws... :-(

As for it not being their fault... I kind of disagree. But I'm not going to get into the reasons why, because it would take ages and I'm typing this on my phone. But I also have a soft spot for villains who are doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. And many of the Sons fit that to a T, especially Ahriman.))

"Yes, that's the important part." She looked a bit more closely the other woman's 'disguise'. "So, shapeshifting. Well, you know where I come from, but what about you?"

She took off her hawk helm, revealing a head of dark, wiry red hair plaited against her scalp, and mopped off her face. To Thoth's comment, she replied hoarsely between heavy breaths: "I'm Gall Knutson, Fellrazer's rider, of the Hairy Hooligan tribe. 'Interesting' is what we do. If by 'interesting' you mean brave, stubborn, and just a little bit insane." She grinned—no hard feelings. As far as she was concerned, anyone who could outdrink or outfight the likes of herself was to be admired. "The hell are you made of, jötunn?"

Derik, meanwhile, sank his ale in a few steady gulps and slammed the glass down on a nearby table. "One. And, in good news, I think I just spied Nurse Robinson as the spitting image of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Maria Hill. I think she keeps Purple Stuff handy for occasions like this."

(( I didn't know about the Rubric, but I looked it up, so now I sorta do. Yikes!

(( Can't speak for everyone else, but I like the Wolves because a: I like Vikings and Viking analogues in general, and b: I have a soft spot for big, hairy, unpretentious warrior-types. The Wolves are bloody awesome at what they do, but they know their place, and their limits, and there's a lot of heart under all the gruff, too. All the Legions Astartes have that warrior-brother thing going on, it seems, but I suspect the Wolves take that to a relatively high level what with the wolf traits making them a pack, too. I 'unno, but they're not what I expected from Space Marines going in, and I like it.

(( The Thousand Sons, on the other hand, are nice enough guys, and pretty cool, but make me want to pull my hair out with frustration at their basic lack of common sense. That said, I don't think what happened to them was really their fault. I blame the Emperor for trying to make a bunch of addicts quit cold-turkey and getting mad when, shockingly, it didn't work. {= P ))

Dax's cheeks somehow managed to go an even darker shade of blue. "I'm terrible at sewing anything larger than tears in a cloak, so I kind of cheated and went naked." She nodded at Marina. "That, though—that's impressive. I was able to recognize it immediately, after all, and that's the important thing, yeah?"

Did we really need this?! I swear, movie executives have no imagination these days...