Kobold King

Not Cosmere, but Backtrack's basically the camera from Legion. Though I didn't notice this until after I created him.

Yeah, sometimes it can be painfully obvious when a story's trying too hard to be surprising and innovative. That sounds good. Does he have to touch a victim in order to start sapping? Perhaps he needs to make eye contact, in keeping with the vampire-hypnosis vibe?

Note to self: don't watch anime or read manga. Ever. I really love the name Soulflicker, and I think a vampire-type Epic could be really cool. Maybe he can sap various attributes from those around him, able to use them for brief periods of time? Strength, health, mental speed... even Epic powers, if you're looking for a particularly powerful Epic.

The sad part of Backtrack staying in The Dalles; it would likely deal some harm to the Backtrack/MV ship, since Steve was very awkward around women to the point of not being able to properly talk to them. He'd also start feeling embarrassed about the creeptastic way he was treating her, and would start avoiding her. Ironically the one time he'd make a decent boyfriend is when he's most likely to avoid MV altogether. Dark!Paladin would probably make him physically sick, like all the worst Epics. He'd feel more comfortable with Nice!Paladin's mind. As for the others... well, I'll have to re-read their segments to get a better idea of what their average thoughts are like, but he could probably handle them. He's only made physically sick by the most far-gone of Epics. Can we canonize the "I am a nice Epic" creed? Imagining a Glamour working under Koschei, I can't help but think he'd follow him around playing "I'm Too Sexy" at all times. I'm not sure how Koschei would react to this.

It's a pity Backtrack will be heading back to Portland as soon as possible--being under Vondra's thumb in The Dalles would do wonders for him. If he could just be prevented from using his powers for a few weeks, he'd go back to being the shy, compassionate, mild-mannered Steve Lawrence who'd be absolutely horrified at the thought of Lightwards killing people with the information he gave him. Right now I'm thinking that Backtrack will be held in the city long enough for him to help the City Guard find Quicksilver's lair, and then he'll be allowed to leave. He'll probably return to The Dalles as soon as the CorpseMaker War starts waging in earnest, though, especially if the twins decide to stay as part of the City Guard. Well duh. Have you ever seen a man in a circlet who wasn't a god?

Backtrack is legitimately having a bad day, to be sure. Of course, he's also an accessory to the murder of Pamela Tithers, so keep that in mind. Sam will have some choice words to say to him next time they're in the same room. Frequency's reasoning: Koschei the Deathless can heal himself and others (despite living in a world filled with far more spectacular Epics) He's very persuasive He says he's a god Have you seen his circlet? I mean, dude, that's some awesome stuff there. Conclusion: Koschei the Deathless is a divinity. Seems legit.

Reader was immensely unsympathetic. As Backtrack glared, Reader gave an undeniably insincere expression of pity, speaking in an exaggeratedly coddling manner. "Oh, you're having a bad day?" he crooned sarcastically. "That's too bad. Unfortunately for you Steven, you came to the Dalles, and the Dalles is my territory. Everything you know belongs to me." Backtrack opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by the broad smile spreading across Reader's face. "And everything I own belongs to Koschei the Deathless." Somewhere deep inside of him, Backtrack felt his righteous indignation die in a flash. And it didn't die quietly--it died with a echoing internal scream that seemed to escape from his lips in a high-pitched whine. All this thoughts and worries about The Dalles suddenly became real. Before they were shadowy and nebulous. Now it was all solid. Now he was completely, 100% justified in wanting to run out of town screaming. Koschei the Deathless was in fact undefeated, and more to the point, he ruled this city. Frantically Backtrack wondered what would happen next. Would he be sent to meet Koschei? Was that why Reader was so cavalier about shooting prisoners--he knew his boss would just kill and heal 'em anyway? What would he do if Koschei decided Backtrack was useful enough to keep in the city? What would happen if Lightwards came to The Dalles to retrieve him? Calamity, who would kill him less painfully--Lightwards or Koschei? The series of suddenly solidified doubts and concerns clouded his mind. He simply sat and stared at Reader, his mouth dry. "Look at me," he managed to say hoarsely, giving Reader a pleading look. "I'm useless. I'm completely sparking useless. I'm the most sparking useless Epic in the Fractured States. Koschei doesn't need me. You don't want to be the one to send him someone useless, right? Just point me and the girls at the town line and we'll run away and never come back. Please. I... I can't handle getting shot or threatened or mutilated any more today. Just let us go."

I predict Megan will get into a stressful situation in the novel, and she'll start repeating "And then Nighthound died" to herself as a sort of mantra.

That is one piece of Oregon-affecting canon I don't think anyone would object to. That's a good policy. I like to imagine the Minor Epic Empire trying to recruit Chicago Joe, only to accidentally set him off with an innocuous comment and lead to him joining Lightwards.

That's nice. With any luck they'll get snatched up by a nice despot and preserved for a while. I live in fear of a casual Firefight reference along the lines of "yeah, it was Obliteration who destroyed Oregon." Something off-handed that will completely de-canonize this RP. Of course, if we are eradicated without a doubt from the canon, there will be nothing stopping us from genuinely killing off Calamity. Or having Funtimes take Newcago back from Steelheart. You're probably safest keeping your mouth closed around Chicago Joe. It doesn't take much to set him off.

Power-wise, he's capable of transforming his body into stone, becoming stiff and immobile like a statue. He generally uses this power to take long naps outside without being disturbed. As for his modus operandi... well, he's spent the last few years hiking around Portland, stealing food and liquor from vanillas too terrified to realize he isn't actually a threat. He hasn't really been a major player on the Portland political scene. I've never been to the Northwest, but it's steadily sounding nicer and nicer. I almost feel bad about assisting in its destruction. Yes, provided you didn't use the words "Newcago," "Steelheart," "steel," or "hygiene."

It's got a really neat aquarium and museum of natural history. Not to mention Chicago-style pizza. I'd watch what you say about Chicago. A certain statue Epic might take umbrage at your remarks.

Destroying Oregon. Awesomeness in all it's variants. I believe you summed up the RP better than anyone else ever has. I'm going to guess so, since it's an evil supernova and all, but I don't think Steelheart could take it. Steelheart doesn't have the primal manliness it takes to survive a brush with Deathwish Coffee.

I really love that coffee shop scene. Lightwards turns his scenes into a hardcore Mafia program. Gordon's scenes are often a particularly gruesome crime drama. Electro scenes are about as family-friendly as a trip to the Colosseum, and Nighthound's POV is like watching an interview with a convicted serial killer. But the latest CM scene feels like the sweetest scene in a romantic comedy. I officially have no idea what this RP is about any more. Agreed. It's a pity we can't kill off Calamity because of that pesky "canon."

The mental images you're summoning are disturbing me. If Altermind doesn't use his powers to inflict that song as an auditory hallucination to anyone in Lightwards' presence, I will lose all respect for the man. Though at the very least, we finally have a song Glamour can play if he ever meets Funtimes.

I think we just found a ship name that rivals "Shadow Revolution" in sheer awesomeness. And yes. Also while I wrote the bakery scene with Lightwards, simply because it's an astonishingly cheery song that makes it easier to write about Lightwards being a meanieface.

Perfect! ...Though if CM ever visited The Dalles, a marvelous new ship would become possible. Fun fact: I have genuinely listened to this song multiple times whenever I'm writing a scene involving characters reacting to Funtimes. A different kind of "Nyan Nyan," I know, but it is STILL RELEVANT.

Nyan Nyan Cat, obviously.

I could probably figure something out. I don't know if I'm up to a Vondra introduction this evening--I'm pretty tired after a hard day. But I should be able to work out a scene tomorrow. That's Glamour's main strength as a character. Providing music to every imaginable scene. Before Calamity Wilbert Abners did a lot of music remixes for his YouTube channel, and he still spends a great deal of his time shuffling and re-shuffling his music collection. If Lightwards is Philosoraptor, then I fully embrace CorpseMaker as Overly Manly Man.

Ooh, that could be interesting. Are you going to start moving Edgerunner to the HQ? I liked that last post, by the way. Glamour's sense of musical timing is impeccable. She could definitely be a major line of defense. Though his most trusted bodyguards will always be humans. How were you thinking she knew him?

She's thinking now, but that doesn't mean she'll necessarily come up with good ideas. She'll be scared, but inclined to simply follow most instructions she's given. If Remington were to suggest "would you like to come with me, so you'll be safe," then she'd probably follow. Honestly, the exchange would only take a few lines. She's not very talkative and easily swayed at the moment.

I believe this has come up before. The ranks aren't related to physical or political power, but are simply tied to obscurity and an arbitrary ranking of general awesomeness. Spearmen might be placed higher in Alethi society, but we the readers are far more emotionally invested in the bridgemen.

Sounds good to me. Doesn't Voidus have a doc for public use? We could use that, assuming neither of us can set up a brand new doc. For just a few sentences it might seem a touch superfluous, though.

She's not very talkative at the moment. A Google Doc sounds like a good idea--that or a PM thread, I suppose. She speaks only in very short responses at the moment. I'll try to get another Portland post done tonight. I've just been a little hazy about what precisely Lightwards will be doing, but I think I've gotten it all worked out now.

With his luck, he'd stumble into whichever city Redleaf ruled.