Cinders of the Future 2: Phoenix Ashes OoC

[SiberDrac]

Organic chemistry is, surprisingly, an acceptable excuse. It is hard as hell, and even more so jammed into a summer course. Just wait 'til bioorganic (if you take it)! Bioorganic chemistry is all "And then this." "But that's impos-" "ENZYMES" "It defies all sens-" "ENZYMES" "Craig Venter Himself has difficulties explainin-" "ENZYYYYMES"

Good to have you back ^.^  

[Arthuritis592]

The delay in my post was due to 2 parts lack of opportunity and 2 parts blindfolding myself in vehicles, around my home/home I am house sitting, and recovering from the wounds that such ventures caused. Don't worry, I have a walking stick now, it's awesome.  

[lily564a]

.....
I'm sorry...  

[iD bracerS]

Note: There have been several edits to this since it went up. Please peruse if you saw it within the first hour of its posting.

Arthuritis, that sounds like one of the less intelligent of potential activities you might have tried. By "vehicle" I sincerely hope you mean something more along the lines of "go-kart" or "Playmobile" than "car." Get well soon.

To all: there will shortly be an "and then our famous heroes began their adventure" post. If there are any tremendous reasons for me to refrain from godmoding all of you onto the road (and no more than that, fear not), please put them forth post-haste.

In addition, Siber discussed this with Bayer last night and I've been mulling the idea over in the spiced wine of my cerebral fluid (see how lovely that over-extended metaphor is? one might almost call it conceited ~_^ ). We've decided to implement two "rules" in this game, one of which will be significantly more flexible due to the modern-ness of the setting than the other. You now have the opportunity to witness how I can talk for far too long about something that is likely quite simple.

Rule the Obvious and Flexible: In the world at large, it is considered somewhat of a social taboo to attack pokémon, and also somewhat of one to order your pokémon to attack a human being. There are obviously laws about deadly assaults and the like, but more importantly, it's simply social custom, much in the same way you don't kick or yell at someone else's dog. This "rule" is kind of obvious, and of course is broken in the name of terrorism and anti-terrorism and bullying and heroism and such pretty frequently. So when Tobias got pulled out of bed by a machop, in addition to the natural reaction of terror to being kidnapped, there would be the visceral "um... quoi?" reaction to being assaulted by what was clearly a trained pokémon. If two people are in a fight and both own pokémon, the humans will fight one another and the pokémon will fight one another, and it is very rare that those lines will be crossed even if guns are involved or the pokébattle is heavily one-sided. Once either the pokémon or person wins, it is again somewhat of a visceral reaction for the other side to concede defeat. For example, if Paul and Ramsden are fighting and their pokémon are out and Erin has Zoidberg in a deathgrip (slitting his throat the first time, if you read on, does not necessarily kill him at first) and the jolteon and charmander are still tussling and then Paul cracks a few of Ramsden's ribs and knocks him out, Erin will let go, and the other two will disentangle themselves. That is, unless Paul then goes in for the kill, in which case the pokémon are no longer held responsible for their actions - there is an obvious difference between how people and pokémon act in bar brawls and in actual mortal combat.

Rule the Less Obvious and Fluid but Also Immutable: Ether can interact with the rest of the world. Rock pokémon avoid water because it is actually painful to them in pure form. Grass pokémon are instinctually afraid of fire. Less obviously, normal pokémon have significantly less fear of, say, being kicked across a room than a dog does. Ether is a very physical defense, so really, if a pokémon gets hit by a regular, old, run-of-the-mill bullet (I don't feel up to doing the Wikipedia research for this), it isn't going to suffer the same wound that a person would. This is much of the reason that pokémon fight pokémon, and people fight people, and in general, if there is an opportunity for a fight to be settled via pokémon, it will be settled that way first, and the human way second. I will provide a few examples from Siber, you can look up relative defense values on Bulbapedia (as will we), and judgment calls will be made. Here are those examples:

• Any fleshy pokémon (of reasonable size, naturally) run through a wood chipper is going to become poképulp. Even a slowpoke. The end.

• A rattata run over by a Volkswagon Bug will be injured and maybe bruised, but probably not dead unless the Bug was thrown by a machoke. A second hit might kill it. A rattata run over by a semi will splatter. A raticate may or may not. An onyx will curiously inspect the wreckage that gently "bruised" one of its rocks.

• A kadabra hit by a sniper round to the breast plate will bleed and possibly die. Kadabras have phenomenally low physical defense. Entertainingly, a dratini actually has the same chance of surviving a shot from a sniper rifle as an alakazam. Normal pokémon for the win.

• A wartortle hit by a flamethrower will feel uncomfortably warm and may steam slightly. Squirtle soup is remarkably rare specifically because they are so hard to hurt with fire. Also because they are "starter pokémon" and thus usually pets, and usually uncommon. However, it is also delicious. A venusaur hit by a flamethrower will be moderately damaged (and very angry).

• Finally, a golem sprayed with a water gun will be irritated, a golem sprayed with a garden hose will be significantly irritated and slightly weakened and a golem sprayed with a fire hose or three will be weakened and upon prolonged exposure may collapse and eventually die.

Hopefully these give you some concept of how this works. I will put up a cleaner version in the SCIENCE section of the introductory posts. It is important to note that modern SCIENCE has created a few (rare) weapons that are ether-infused to get past these supernatural defenses for hunting and maritime purposes. Please ask questions, and as always, it is always better to ask forgiveness than permission, unless you do something just plain stupid ^_^  

[Arthuritis592]

Oh my, my original post failed to grasp the hilarity (and non-horrific) extent of my injuries. I was riding with my friend who has top-less mustang so no actual driving while blind, that would be exceedingly ridiculous. I did acquire a few bumps and bruises but nothing too painful that outweighed the benefits of the venture so no worries there. My walking stick is awesome though! It's my new best friend. =]

I would also like to say ID that I was slightly shocked to see Mortal Kombat spelled without the K. Every fan boy bone in my body was quivering.  

[lily564a]

Given the extensive discussions we've had as to the physicality of dittos, and their extremely unique existence

ditto+wood chipper=_____?  

[Arthuritis592]

A bunch of baby dittos? =D  

[Windfiar]

Arthuritis, I love you.

iD, I have a question.
So, let's look at a dragonair really quick. Let's say I have an M82 (aka .50 cal sniper) with a 12.7x99mm NATO (aka "holy crap that's a big bullet") round in it. This is anti-tank. Would the dragonair die if I shot it?
Furthermore, what in the case of automatic weapons? If I have an M4A1 with a standard 5.56 round, and I shot say... a graveller like, 30 times, would it die?
Also I like how you used the two most violent people in the RP for the fighting example, but I must sadly say, no that is not what would happen. Once Ramsden got knocked out, unless Erin was told beforehand the fight would go until one was knocked out, she'd fly into a rage, kill Zoidberg, and then go for Paul. Just sayin' =P  

[Arthuritis592]

*blushes* =D

I agree, I think the rules between our older trainers and their pokémon should be different than the younger ones. Since their pokémon are more like companions and transitively more attached than a young-un's pokémon, I think a degree of bending certain customs would be in order, especially if their trainer were to be knocked out (obviously, if they die, this is a moot point). That's just my opinion.

Another question, since our RP is more realistic than the anime or the games, do any pokémon behave like their mundane counterparts? For example, starmies and staryus which are obviously based on starfish would have the ability to completely regenerate 2 bodies if they were cut in half (you can cut all of a starfish's arms off and it will regenerate 6 bodies as long as it's in the water). Another example, zubat and golbat which are based upon real bats being completely nocturnal would be weaker if used to fight in daylight hours.

Since I realize that those sentences are difficult to read and I am much too lazy to put them to rights, here is what they say in a logical argument format:

Staryu are based on starfish
Starfish can regenerate their bodies when they are cut up
Staryu can regenerate their bodies when they are cut up

Zubats are based on bats
Bats and zubats are naturally nocturnal
Nocturnal animals are more comfortable at night
Zubats are not as effective in a fight when fighting during the day  

[lily564a]

This is basically the one thing I can't justify in my head. In a civilized age certainly, but this here is hardly a civilized age and a number of our characters are the sorts of people who don't mind doing what ain't liked to get the job done. Paul, and Ramsden in particular lead the class in that. They are hardened, trained, military style teams that cannot afford casualties. I'd say your example is flawed in that one side is unilaterally winning, neither side has the ability or the necessity to break with tradition. If for instance Joe was winning, he would have to decide between finishing the fight with Ramsden, but possibly allowing great harm to come to Zoidberg, or leaving Ramsden to save Zoidberg, and Erin has the same choice.

It's also a bad example precisely for that reason. Joe Paul and Erin will both realize that they cannot allow their partner to be killed, so it is more important to save them than to defeat their respective opponent, even if it means a longer fight. Same as Alyssa has no moral trouble fighting pokemon, I can't see any of those four having any obligation to killing any thing that threatens them. Opposite that you have unintelligent pokemon like Trouble, who probably don't understand the difference between a human and a pokemon, and should ether attack those they're loyal to, there's nothing to prevent them from defending.

As I started with, these are hardly civilized times, and with raiders being fairly common place, anyone who keeps a fighting pokemon is not going to handicap it so by teaching it not to fight people, just as raider pokemon won't have any quarrel with bloodying up some townsfolk. Old pokemon would have experienced the same last six years as their owners, unless they were stuck in a pokeball for all of it (now that's a half interesting concept, but it'd require a zoidberg smart pokemon), so they'd've by now learned the insacrecy of human life.

Like any act of murder, killing any person or pokemon, regardless of who does it, will always be something that normal people desire to avoid, but it just doesn't make sense to me that it would be taboo for a trainer to turn his pokemon on another trainer directly, now that there's no legal body to punish the action, and now that there is a commonplace situation wherein it is necessary to one's survival.  

[StrykerZero7]

Is slowpoke tail still a delicacy? Sorry, I just feel like contributing to this in some oblique way, and you DID mention slowpoke there xp  

[iD bracerS]

There was an intent for updates over the weekend, but Friday evening, the internet died, Saturday, the internet provider was unavailable, and Sunday, we were in Bruges again so Siber could stumble his way through some of the most delicious beers we have experienced on this adventure. Ah, for next Sunday, when the US will welcome us with the sweet embrace of the English language. And hellishly warm temperatures.

I suppose I will answer these concerns in chronological order.

Art: mortal combat is a term that strikes a primal cord in me, in no small part because Mortal Kombat got me into what we considered mortal combat with my older brother as children.

Wind: you could have answered this question yourself by looking up a dragonair's stats. Dratini has 45 defense (base stat). Dragonair has 65. If a dratini stands a small chance of surviving a standard sniper round and you're shooting an anti-tank round at a dragonair, then yes, the dragonair will die if you strike a vital organ. A graveler has a defense of 115, but also 2x vulnerability to steel (which I'm going to interpret as "most industrial metal"), so 58. A single round may chip it. Thirty would do serious damage and possibly kill it. Also, assuming the cultural barriers I mentioned, no, Erin would not, especially because if you read, I was describing more of a bar fight than actual attempts to kill one another, but since those barriers appear to be unpopular, they will be modified. Read on.

Art: I don't want to impose a series of "rules" that would be like laws; I wanted to implement a culturally ingrained mentality. Younger pokémon would be less likely to attend to this, in the same way a small child might bite someone he's mad at. Pokémon behavior and physiology will be primarily as described in Bulbapedia and the various pokédex entries. Bulbapedia says that yes, staryus can regrow appendages, and also that zubats dislike the sunlight, are nocturnal, and are easily sunburned.

lily: you bring up a number of interesting points, not least of which is that Bayer's character, who owns Zoidberg, is named Paul, not Joe. It's true that we're now living and have been for six years living in an era without real civilization. It is more likely for these cultural "laws" to be broken now, but the tendency to follow them is still going to be there; it's a tradition that has existed for thousands of years, because it is a simple fact that excepting the case of firearms, the majority of pokémon can kill the majority of people without trying too terribly hard. Regardless, from the conversations I've had and the comments I've received here, it will be easier if this rule is left in the back of the players' minds than becoming something that will significantly change how they were going to play this game, anyway.

Stryker: excellent use of the word "oblique," and slowpoke tail is yes, still a delicacy. Omnomnom.
 

[Mr. Blackbird Lore]

AFTER A GREAT WEEKEND OF GREATNESS, I SAY UNTO THEE:

I Love you people.

/me reads voraciously.  

[lily564a]

iD bracerS

There was an intent for updates over the weekend, but Friday evening, the internet died, Saturday, the internet provider was unavailable, and Sunday, we were in Bruges again so Siber could stumble his way through some of the most delicious beers we have experienced on this adventure. Ah, for next Sunday, when the US will welcome us with the sweet embrace of the English language. And hellishly warm temperatures.

I suppose I will answer these concerns in chronological order.

Art: mortal combat is a term that strikes a primal cord in me, in no small part because Mortal Kombat got me into what we considered mortal combat with my older brother as children.

Wind: you could have answered this question yourself by looking up a dragonair's stats. Dratini has 45 defense (base stat). Dragonair has 65. If a dratini stands a small chance of surviving a standard sniper round and you're shooting an anti-tank round at a dragonair, then yes, the dragonair will die if you strike a vital organ. A graveler has a defense of 115, but also 2x vulnerability to steel (which I'm going to interpret as "most industrial metal"), so 58. A single round may chip it. Thirty would do serious damage and possibly kill it. Also, assuming the cultural barriers I mentioned, no, Erin would not, especially because if you read, I was describing more of a bar fight than actual attempts to kill one another, but since those barriers appear to be unpopular, they will be modified. Read on.

Art: I don't want to impose a series of "rules" that would be like laws; I wanted to implement a culturally ingrained mentality. Younger pokémon would be less likely to attend to this, in the same way a small child might bite someone he's mad at. Pokémon behavior and physiology will be primarily as described in Bulbapedia and the various pokédex entries. Bulbapedia says that yes, staryus can regrow appendages, and also that zubats dislike the sunlight, are nocturnal, and are easily sunburned.

lily: you bring up a number of interesting points, not least of which is that Bayer's character, who owns Zoidberg, is named Paul, not Joe. It's true that we're now living and have been for six years living in an era without real civilization. It is more likely for these cultural "laws" to be broken now, but the tendency to follow them is still going to be there; it's a tradition that has existed for thousands of years, because it is a simple fact that excepting the case of firearms, the majority of pokémon can kill the majority of people without trying too terribly hard. Regardless, from the conversations I've had and the comments I've received here, it will be easier if this rule is left in the back of the players' minds than becoming something that will significantly change how they were going to play this game, anyway.

Stryker: excellent use of the word "oblique," and slowpoke tail is yes, still a delicacy. Omnomnom.

Whosoever decided it was intelligent to place the Quote button next to the Edit button aught' be sterilized, for the good of humanity! It's like putting the lever to flush your space station toilet next to the airlock override switch!


I would say that this is exactly as it should be. The younger characters will be uncalloused to harming other people and pokemon, beyond what's been made acceptable by social constructs. The older characters will still have some degree of old customs engrained in them, except for Paul, Ramsden, and Alyssa, who are each a unique recipe of psychotic, and trained otherwise.  

[iD bracerS]

Finally a post! As I mentioned there, please hurry up if you're not yet on the roads, and everyone, please welcome Jay *applause* Soon, I will be putting together a post that will include critiques of people's writing thus far, because whether or not I made it clear in the beginning, this is not only an RP of epic proportions, but also a learning experience for everyone involved.

Also! Our very first AP award has been given to the combined efforts of Shaula and Ω. Sadly for them, it was immediately spent, but they at least have that first honor. Check the awards post on the front page.

Blackbird: my love for you is at least as great as your own for me.