Kobold King

Maybe they could help take on Frequency's gang? Otherwise the City Guard is about to get its collective behind thoroughly kicked.

Hydron may have been high-ranking, but he probably didn't outrank Arsenal. Dewhickey was an acquaintance of Vondra's before he became an Epic, so he would have been instituted in a high rank pretty early on. The rest seem good, though it's sad you're withdrawing from Portland. By the way, you're not annoyed with Deathwish dragging Florist around town like a ragdoll without letting him get a word in edgewise, are you?

It's a pity more of us haven't read Stormlight. It'd be fun to imagine Oregon characters as Rosharans. (Hint: Backtrack is best Ghostblood. )

That, or what their favorite flavors of jam are. I would find that information far more relevant to their characters than attractiveness, anyway.

That makes sense with how I've been picturing her. (I keep using the phrase "conventional attractiveness," since I think that beauty is first and foremost subjective, and secondly I think modern media has a far too rigid definition of attractiveness. Just making sure my phrasing is clear.) Sam fits in that general appearance category--she's short, slim, with short hair and a boyish figure. Revolution might fit closer to the media's definition of "gorgeous," but honestly I haven't thought about it much. (That would probably do it, but Arsenal would put an end to it posthaste. ) If the injury's internal, it doesn't heal and it isn't redirected. (Still way better than he is nowadays. ) I think the City Guard has a new theme song.

A blonde with super-supermodel physique... yeah, I don't see her walking away from the meeting without Deathwish making a slontze out of himself. That's OK. Arsenal would have added them mentally when he received the report anyway. (And because I'm mildly curious: how "cute" is Funtimes? In fanon past she had a whole league of exes, but it's unclear whether most of those were just dating her for her powers and how many also appreciated her looks. Nathan's also been silent on the subject, possibly due to a lifetime of training not to look too closely at female Epics. ) Shiny Sparkle should be careful about blowing stuff up around him--if her explosions produce any kind of shrapnel, the chances of him getting his skin cut are pretty high. (Whoah. Michael Jager was basically a male, human Fluttershy. CALAMITY IS A SLONTZE. ) Since you both like the weakness, I guess it's canon now. (Also, making siren sounds with your mouth is enough to slightly slow his healing and cancel his damage redirection. Keep that in mind. )

I doubt I'll go for a redemptive arc for him. Comeuppance will be far more satisfying. Depends on how conventionally attractive you'd describe Autumn as--he's a very shallow human being. He'd probably flirt with her at least a little, a lot when he was in her custody. If I could ask the thread's collective opinion: what would you guys say to the possibility of making police sirens Deathwish's weakness? I was considering establishing that the City Guard doesn't use sirens for that very reason, and making most of the higher-ups aware of their weakening effect on his powers.

Those ones would make more sense, actually, as presumably the City Guard Epics have already turned him down enough times to make him (almost) stop trying. What are the chances of Shiny Sparkle trying to blow him up when he gets touchy-feely, though? (What did Nighthound do for a living before Calamity? I'm going to assume he didn't run a charity for little orphans.)

I'll tone down his more, er, sleazy qualities in the average post then. Though I'm afraid I'm obligated at this point to have him hit on Edgerunner and Scribbler when he sees them. (He pedaled drugs for a biker gang before Calamity, by the way. Just in case you needed another reason to hate him. )

Have I fully established Deathwish as a slimy slontze by this point, then? (Poke received. )

Backtrack, Deathwish, and Arsenal posts up. Does anyone want to meet Glamour? He'll have nothing to do, now that the pandas are pulling out.

The Doctor knew about the silverfish. THE DOCTOR KNEW ABOUT THE SILVERFISH. Backtrack stared at him in horror for a moment, his sense of ease dying like it had been suddenly stabbed and swarmed with a mob of tiny shiny insects. How could he know to mention silverfish at the exact moment he was thinking about them? What if he was a secret agent of the Lord of the Silverfish, sent here to scout out Oregon for conquest? What if he wasn't actually a person at all, and was actually thousands of tiny silverfish living in a person skin-suit? What if he was just looking at the wound so he could suck out all his bodily fluids and use them to grease their rattling, clanking chitins? ... Or, the voice of reason said quietly from deep inside him. Maybe he just went to California and saw a lot of silverfish. There were a lot down there. Recovering from his initial scare, Backtrack realized the doctor was staring at him with a bemused expression. "Uh, work," Backtrack replied awkwardly. "What kind of work? Mainly just checking up on a few of his friends, mostly. Just... making sure they're all safe and comfy here in town. I'm a, past-event-see-er. A rettroclog." "I am willing to follow," the slontze said flatly. Deathwish nodded. "Of course you are," he grinned, swatting a bee as it flew past him. "I mean, it's not like you can say no, right?" He took a few steps forward, gripping the Florist tightly with one arm and pressing him close against his chest. "Buck up, buttercup. We're going for a ride." Pity all the hot Epic chicks in town could get around quickly on their own. It got boring having to transport ugly dudes like Florist all the time. Still though, the sooner he got this done, the sooner he could get back to massacring pandas or groping serving girls at the Springfield. With those thoughts in mind, Deathwish and the Florist took off into the sky, leaving the peaceful little garden far behind them. "Sir, I simply cannot recommend your landing at this time." Arsenal glared into nothingness as he talked into the radio, worrying a few officers who stood around him inside the command center. He paid them no mind. "My understanding is that the invaders are pulling out of the city," Stephen Vondra said over the crackling radio. "I intend to be in town to organize the reconstruction efforts." "As I said," Arsenal repeated, his nostrils flaring. "I can't recommend that. We have reports of unidentified Epics all over town. We need to assess the situation before we bring our mayor into harm's way." "Or maybe you just want your mayor out of your hair while you stamp all over our citizen's rights," Vondra replied promptly. "Storm it, Vondra!" Arsenal snapped. "For the love of God, just stay in the air for a few more hours. You won't use the safe room we built for you--" "'Cuz you built it just out of radio range," Vondra pointed out dryly. "I only built it so far so you'd be safe!" Arsenal stressed. "Set aside your paranoia long enough to listen to reason. Do you have any idea what it'd do to town morale if you got yourself killed by an Epic? The town's organization is delicate enough as it is." "I've got no intention of getting myself killed," the mayor declared firmly. "But I'm coming in whether you think it's recommendable or not." "Sir--" Arsenal began again-- "Oh, and Dewhickey," Vondra added, "If you've passed any more ordinances while I was out of base, I'm gonna show up with a pumpkin donut in hand." And with that, the mayor of The Dalles ended his transmission. Arsenal's eye twitched in frustration before he turned to glare at the surrounding officers. "Well, any other news?" he snapped. "Not much," an officer reported. "We received a request for back-up from the town fringes, but Captain Arnolds cancelled it. They're bringing a hostage into town." "Captain Arnolds is a skittish man with no sense of scale," Arsenal said skeptically. "I'm surprised he'd call off back-up after requesting it." "Maybe the lectures you kept giving him finally got through," the officer responded with an expressionless face. Arsenal nodded. "That must be it. Send him to talk to me when he gets here." He was silent for a moment, eyes scanning the map of The Dalles spread out over the table. "Have we heard from Reader?" "No, sir," the guard replied hesitantly. "We think he lost his radio." "Sparks," Arsenal growled quietly. "He knows far too much to be in enemy hands. We can just hope his guards managed to take care of him before the pandas got to him." He shook his head, again checking the most turbulent places on the map. "Any news on these Epics that keep attacking our checkpoints?" The officer scratched his scalp, clearly concerned. "We... don't have much intell, sir. We know the gate points have been hit, and we know there's been casualties. We're still in the dark about most of the attackers." "That needs to change," Arsenal said harshly. "I want combat teams deployed wherever there's been an attack. Give them orders to take prisoners if possible, but to use lethal force at the first sign of resistance." "Yes, sir," the officer saluted, heading for the door. He hesitated before opening it, turning to Arsenal with another concerned look. "Sir, we did receive a description of one Epic. With his appearance and powers... we've tentatively linked him to Frequency." Frequency. Arsenal stared at the man for a minute, his mind centered on the Epic with that name. "Understood," he said solemnly. "This situation may be worse than we thought, God help us. Do we know where he is now?" "South of here, downtown," the man replied. "That's what we suspect, at least. We also have reason to suspect he brought other Epics with him. It's possible all the new arrivals are working with him. Should I send any teams down there?" "Scouts," Arsenal ordered. "Send them in with instructions not to be seen. We need more info on the situation." The officer gave another "Yes, sir" before heading out of the command center. Arsenal gave another look at the map, trying to make sense of all the places marked with known attackers and fatalities. The Dalles was probably in the bleakest position it'd been in since Koschei the Deathless came into town. Epics everywhere. Crazed flesh manipulators sending armies into the streets. Why the Calamity would Vondra want to come back down now? He turned his head to the door upon hearing a loud thump from outside. The voices of city guardsmen could be heard identifying the new arrival, and the door to the command center swung open to admit a pair of Epics. "Fetched the hippie you wanted," Deathwish declared, roughly shoving the Florist ahead of him. "The slontze was watering his daffodils this whole time. You should give him one of your civic duty lectures." "I don't take orders from you," Arsenal replied in his gravelly voice. He directed a glare at the Florist nonetheless, for a number of reasons. As usual the man was perfectly calm and still, though obviously less comfortable than he was in his garden. He was a very different man from the average Epic, and Arsenal didn't like that one bit. "There are Epics arriving all over town," Arsenal stated, trying to ignore the Florist's passive rebellion against conformity. "Most of them are hostile. You, Hawk, are to report downtown south of here. Look for signs of shattered vehicles or weapons, or any damage that could have been caused by Epics. If you spot new Epics and they don't comply with our rules, you are to kill them at once. Do you understand?" "Heard you loud and clear," Deathwish said with a yawn. South, downtown, look for broken things, kill slontzes. Seems easy to remember." "Take Florist with you," Arsenal instructed. "If I remember right, Frequency can't affect organic matter. His plants might give you an edge." "Take the hippie," Deathwish repeated, rolling his eyes. "Got it." He seized Florist by the arm and began dragging him back outside roughly. "Come along flower child. It's time to get your hands dirty for a change." The two Epics disappeared promptly from view as they went outside, and Arsenal heard the characteristic whoosh of Deathwish taking off. Arsenal sighed in exhaustion, finally picking up the radio to clarify the situation of one of the city's key areas. "This is Arsenal to Glass," he transmitted. "What is the situation at Game's clinic?"

It'd be in character for him to contact her now to get a report on the situation at Game's clinic. Objections?

I'm bamboozled again. Does Arsenal know about Shiny Sparkle yet? Did Autumn send the Shinyglass recording yet?

I wouldn't have it any other way.

She is either an ally or archnemesis of Rick O'Shea.

I'm thinking of actually namedropping an Epic named Hibernia who rules an unspecified region of Europe. Any objections?

You have his hug.... AND MY AXE! ...A friendship axe, of course.

That is true. And on that note.

I had the feeling Florist wouldn't appreciate the wanton rose destruction. It feels good being the one infuriating an RP character, being the player of Lightwards around Funtimes.

He's a tall, muscular man who looks vaguely like Nathan Fillion. He wears rugged cargo pants and a black leather jacket, with rifle slung across his back and a pair of ridiculously large handguns attached to his belt.

I actually hadn't put much thought into damage he inflicts on himself. I think he'd heal from wounds he inflicts on himself, though obviously the damage wouldn't be reflected anywhere. That ought to protect him from botched landings and the like. So I guess Operation Skinwalker could progress at any time. (Love the Taylor pony by the way, Comatose. )

He heals from damage and feels no pain from any wound that draws blood. That's actually a really clever idea. The problem would be that I'm not sure how you'd remove enough skin to make the armor worthwhile without killing the surgeon assigned with extracting it. If the Panda were on their side though, they could probably clone vast sheets of his skin for use.

Not really. It's still pretty easy to kill him via suffocation, blunt force trauma, or poison. Heck, the City Guards contingency plan for taking him out merely involves a bunch of rubber bullets. If he went to Astoria he'd die within a page. Right. I guess the rule goes "Skin-penetrating damage is always reflected and is unblockable except in the case of higher-scale physical invulnerability." So you're good if your power is being altogether unassailable like Steelheart, or if your power allows you to instantly negate the wounds you receive like Nighthound or the Panda.