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[Destructionator XV]

I want to take the chance to blab a little more about the magic system I use. You can probably skip this if you don't care.

It is something I have accepted as a convention that only organic beings can use magic. I'd also said that silver for some reason works well with magic, and mythril is a substance based on silver that works even better, and moving on is laconia as the finest material. I said this simply because the silver sword and armor in Final Fantasy I was one of the best things you could buy for the red mage character. Mythril was called a silver derivitave in the Sega CD game "Popful Mail", and Laconia is called 'high-grade' silver in Phantasy Star, and is the best material in the game, also having magical properties.


Anyhow, just now I was thinking about why silver would be so good to magic, and the explanation I am liking right now is it is a 'magic conductor'. How this works is unknown (it is magic!) at present, but the effects can be observed repeatidly.

Being a magic conductor would carry a few consequences: silver armour would act like a Faraday cage does to electricity, protecting the user from spells. Silver swords would expand the weilder's magical field around the sword, which would have a direct impact upon other mages, or could be used to extend his magical reach in the general sense.

Also, a wall meshed with silver would intercept any attempts to magically teleport through it, spreading the spell energy through the mesh, nullifying it. This is the most important thing for the game at present: if you wanted to imprison Lord Adam or anyone else who can use my short range teleportation spell, the wall should have a silver based mesh built into the wall. This wall would also have to be structurally sound as well, since some spells can operate on brute force (such as the kamehameha wave).

This is nice for a few ways: by calling it a conductor, we can make certain predictions about what would happen when spells impact it (this is spell energy, not spell effects; the difference is spell effects are just force or energy in the conventional sense). Silver is something anyone can get in decent amounts, and can easily act as a lay person's counter for the mages.


Most other materials seem to be inert to magical energy: they neither stop nor enhance it. One exception would be carbon. This is a nice choice, since it explains why organic life can cast spells but artificial life (primarily made of iron, copper and silicon) cannot.

Carbon does not act as a conductor, but rather usually as an absorber and sometimes a retransmitter, and can hold a charge in certain configurations, like an electric capacitor. The precise, dance like movements, of many of the spells being cast help change the layout, pushing stored magical energy to a particular configuration, and when it reaches a critical mass, the spell begins executing.

This raises an interesting question: what effect does steel have on magic? Well, the iron aspect would be inert, but the carbon component would absorb and retransmit it, like how light moves. I have decided that a spell will be refracted by steel (in a similar fashion to electromagnetic radiation when it goes through another substance), and refracted a different angle based on the carbon content of the steel.

I like the idea of refraction: the spell's target changes in a predictable manner. An experienced mage would account for this, but it could foil a newbie's attempt.

Following from this would make pure carbon a reflector or amplifier (depending on the shape) of the power. It fits nicely with the idea of diamond armor also being magically resistant. Perhaps graphite, also being a carbon compound but in a different configuration would be an amplifier? An interesting idea I should explore further.

To make life forms be magically viable, the explanation is simply that carbon compounds have a layout that makes them better capacitors instead of retractors / reflectors, etc.

Another question would be how these properties look on the periodic table. There should be some correlation there, unless this is a bizarre anamoly, which is inconsistent with the rest of chemistry, but it is magic, so maybe it is. I haven't thought about it enough yet, and don't want to descend too far into the realm of fake science and technobabble bullshit.

This is all a subject of ongoing study at the A'millian Royal Academy, a subject being looked into by graduate students of both magiology and chemistry.



Want to participate in the exciting scientific exploration of magic? Apply today for the spring semester at the Royal Academy on A'millian Prime. Citizens, if accepted, are paid to attend. BSc. in Chemistry or Magiology from a nationally accredited university is required for this program. Magical skill useful, but not required.

[DesertFly]

Woah, wait. Kresh, you just resigned, but you're still going to be here playing with what you have left, right? How the heck are you going to keep your command without your position?

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

he's going to turn it to the largest brothel in the Milky Way. Everyone is welcomed,

I'm afraid I'm married, and happily so too.

Funny fact, Lord Adam is a 1,922 (at the time of PW III) year old virgin.

Those biological A'millians are a strange bunch. A real coversation they might have:

So after about a thousand years of happily married, Lord Adam is still a virgin? What the hell was he doing with his wife during the first night? Playing roshombo?

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

Woah, wait. Kresh, you just resigned, but you're still going to be here playing with what you have left, right? How the heck are you going to keep your command without your position?

I'm gonna' be quite busy the next following weeks, so it seems I won't be able to make sufficient quantity of post to keep up with the story. However, the Imperial Mandate is still there, so other players can still refer to it.

But Dartzap needs not to worry, since the Trollish-Imperial alliance is still valid. The question is: how the Trolls and the Empire are supposed to make a joint attack while me (the real world Kreshna, not Darth Kreshna) is not around to post while Dart is posting?

The solution is I guess we should allow Dartzap to play with my factions. Yes, I know there's rule that we should not play as other's faction, but in this case, I believe we can make exception.

So I guess Dartzap can write posts like these:

.........the Trollish ships, vastly outnumbered by the A'millan fleet, were barely holding their grounds. But soon, the tides of the battle were turned as five Acclamators jumped out of hyperspace and flanking the A'millans....

"....would you mind showing us the battle plan again, Your Highness?" Admiral Lecter asked. Detritus then punched a button to show the map, and pointed at several spots....

"...of course, Lord Detritus. We will send the logistic ships to the coordinate you have sent us", the Imperial officer replied and nodded.


note to Dart: in this game, Imperial ships outclass other nation's ships by significant margin, so use them sparingly to keep a balanced play. Remember, in PW 1, it took an A'millan fleet to seriously hurt a Star Destroyer (Avenger II, anyone remember that ship?)

[Destructionator XV]

And eventually, Darth Kreshna could come out of retirement, right?

Consider right now, he is really disillusioned and probably pretty pissed off. Lord Adam backstabbed him and twisted the knife, then the Imperial President ruined his plan.

Perhaps after a few weeks / months of taking it easy, he decides to get back into the action (when you have more time to post in the real world).

[Ra]

So after about a thousand years of happily married, Lord Adam is still a virgin? What the hell was he doing with his wife during the first night? Playing roshombo?

Heh, I bet the Lady is pretty on edge after all these millenia, having never got any from her hubby. Lord help us all if Madar ever visits A'millian Prime.

The scream from her orgasm would probably shatter the space-time continuum... HEY! Maybe that's how the apocalypse that starts PW IV happens! All the universe gets fucked up!

[Dartzap]

You know, I find the whole dumping of the Allied forces on my shoulders a bit far fetched I have an education to complete!!!!!!!

[Destructionator XV]

So after about a thousand years of happily married, Lord Adam is still a virgin?

Yes. Again, they are not human, and have different priorities. Indeed, I brought this up in my set-up post on page two:

"First off, allow me to list some characteristics common is all three major species in the genus that I feel are contrary to normal evolutionary patterns. One: extraordinarily low reproductive rates, caused both by behavioural patterns and chemical barriers."

How the fuck did a species with almost no sex drive ever evolve? Dr Peterson's theory was they didn't: instead it was intelligent design, and it is that theory that brought us the Milky Way with science ships once again: in search of our intelligent designers.

(The out of universe reason I keep both them virgins is because the guy is based on myself and that introduced some limitations. I have considered changing that, but I kinda like it this way)


At some point before the end of this story, I might answer the question of intelligent design, but I might not, because I haven't decided yet.

Playing roshombo?

What the fuck?! Who would ever do that....
You are still the one and only Sick Twisted Fuck. I salute you! :cheers

Anywho, more likely they sat down and watched some science fiction or played some video games. Or got back to work, since with the great power of ruling the nation comes great responsibility.

[Ra]

I know it's kinda already been done with the Asgard, but I always wondered if the Lord Adam & co. ever considered cloning to make new A'millians (and the Lady's species as well)? I know reproduction isn't a big priority to them (which is perfectly fine), but preservation of the species is still a sort of instinctive drive for everyone, am i rite?

[Destructionator XV]

Christ, I go nuts when writing all this irrelevant stuff. Anyway, here goes.

I know it's kinda already been done with the Asgard, but I always wondered if the Lord Adam & co. ever considered cloning to make new A'millians (and the Lady's species as well)?

Some problems there, aside from the fact that they really don't care:

A'millian cloning techniques require a living female of the species to clone. What they do is take the DNA of the organism they wish to clone, implant it into an egg, then implant that egg into the female, where it grows and develops, and is eventually born like any other fetus / baby. They would also, of course, require a full DNA sample of the subject they wish to clone, which is a problem in itself.

Of the three big species (all of the A'millian genus; speciation occurred twice from the A'millian base (geographic isolation both times), branching off into two more species, both slightly different than each other and the base species, but still having much in common), there are no pairs of male and female.

Of A'millians, there were three: Lord Adam (1,922 yahren old as of PW 3), President Michael (of Wivillia, 1,925 yahren old), and previously Sir Mathias until his death in AW 4008 which we saw in PW III (he was 2,011 yahren at his death). All three of them are male.

Of branch #1, there remain two: Lady Lucrecia (seen at Mathias' funeral) at 1,003 yahren old, and Princess Jessica (who retired to a back water planet in the Milky Way known as Earth, living out her last years as an oblivious human) at 1924 yahren old as of PW III time. Both female.

Of branch #2, there is only one remaining: Lady Leila (1,754 yahren old as of PW III). Female.


Shitty combination for children there, even taking into account artificial means. A cross species offspring is not necessarily impossible however; recall the definition that separates species is inability to produce reproductively viable offspring in a natural setting. Both very important distinctions; the child may be born, but be sterile (like mules for a real world example). The barriers to reproduction also need not be chemical in nature to make them a different species: it might be physical (the reproductive organs don't fit, etc.) or behavioral (different mating seasons that never line up, etc.)

One more generation is potentially possible even without bringing in technological means, but they have never tried. Note too that the average conception rate for biological A'millians is still horribly pathetic; less than 10% of couplings produce a zygote. (It is unsurprising that contraception was never developed in the A'millian kingdom.) It would potentially take a fuckton of cross-species fucking for conception to occur, and there is no way to even ensure that it would work for one generation, and second generation and beyond is out of the question, almost by definition.


They could probably just ask the Asgard for help too, but that doesn't look like it would work, since the Asgard have their own major cloning problems.


Now, before Narsil's commonwealth left, they gave us their cloning loom technology, which may be able to overcome the lack of womb problem and even the lack of genetic diversity problem. This could possibly be used. Also, those mirror universe folks are still there, adding 82 more genetic samples to the list. That could potentially be used (however, no one knows they are there yet) as well.

I know reproduction isn't a big priority to them (which is perfectly fine), but preservation of the species is still a sort of instinctive drive for everyone, am i rite?

Instinctive, yes, to some extent (a pathetic extent in the case of the A'millians, but a little bit), however, they don't really care on a higher emotional or logical level.

Recall a few facts: Adam and Leila are both not having the best lives. Constantly being surrounded by assholes who want them, or someone for whom they are responsible (namely, the 1.1 trillion A'millian citizens), dead. They saw the holocaust of their people, and from that, were elevated to a position neither one wanted: king of a ruined nation and had to deal with it, doing things they would never have thought of doing otherwise (such as bombing civilians and lying about it) as a consequence of this new position.

The only thing keeping them from just saying 'fuck it' and shutting down is they at least have each other.

Why would they ever submit more of their own people to this? An A'millian child would be heir to this hell, an innocent forced into something he couldn't possibly want (only the ignorant and the stupid covet power). Forcing this repsonsibility would be contrary to the Knight's directive to protect innocents no matter the personal cost.

(Side note: how is that directive compatible with bombing civilians? The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Short term innocents die to save many more later down the line. A cold equation that no one really likes.)

They don't just abandon the post for themselves or for any children that were to develop, since "the honour is to serve", more of that knight training that they can't just ignore. There is no greater service than leadership. Moreover, whom would take over when they are gone? Give a human the unlimited power they control, and he is sure to abuse it (absolute power corrupts absolutely certainly applies to humans). Give it to an android perhaps? At least an AI could be trusted, but that brings in its own problems: what AI would really be willing to take the job? Maybe surrender to the democratic republic of Wivillia, but that is just still passing the problem on to someone else.

If there exists an A'millian who can do the job, he would be honourbound to do the job. This option sucks. When no such heir exists, this is not a problem.



But yeah, aside from the technological problems (which could potentially be solved), they still have quite a few things on their mind as to why bringing their people back to such a world would not be a kind act.

Are these things valid reasons? Maybe, maybe not, but they think they are, and that is what really matters.

[Destructionator XV]

I have decided to have those mirror universe A'millians pick up Khardem and are now heading to the Milky Way, sneaking behind their agent Ericson, who is going for dubious business himself.

By act of plot they are going to go through without any more explanation, at least not right now. This way, they can enter the fray.

So before proceeding, I am waiting on two things: Dartzap to do whatever he is going to do about the Genator II and DesertFly to post anything Kerrigan is up to at the meeting.


EDIT: Jon, is the meeting entirely over or just in temporary recess? I don't see what else can come from it at this time.

[Ra]

Yeah, at this time it looks pretty much like everything that needs to be said already has. I'd say we should consider it over.

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

I know reproduction isn't a big priority to them (which is perfectly fine), but preservation of the species is still a sort of instinctive drive for everyone, am i rite?

Sheesh, Jon. Reproduction is not the sole goal of sex; you complete ignored the recreational aspect.

Oh, by the way, Adam just called me The Sick, Twisted Fuck again, making me remember about a particular discussion about phobia.

Yes, what's your greatest phobia? Just click here and scroll down to find a comment made by Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman.

[Ra]

The recreational aspect is overrated.

[Destructionator XV]

Yes, what's your greatest phobia? Just click here and scroll down to find a comment made by Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman.

.... you're such a bastard. I'll never think of a pencil the same way again.

[Ra]

So, if I may ask, is it time for Phoenix War IV? We ran KAN out of the game with our warmongering, and DesertFly has vanished off the radar, so it may be time to just blow the galaxy and start our little postapocalyptic game. Kill the Goa'uld nation, kill the Swarm, and wreck KAN's fiefdom; the original plan.

Of course, the only idea is how this could be accomplished, but I present this:

The Zerg use that Guardian's power to return to their own universe, more powerful than ever, and then Meryetre starts a coup while Ra is away, causing his entire realm to be thrown into chaos as the Free Jaffa and Baal take advantage.

And in the ensuing bloodshed, the A'millian warp gate nexus in this galaxy is destroyed. In her desperation, Meryetre then sends one of Ra's Mk. IX's aboard an ex-Heliopolis Corporation Lambda-class shuttle, her minions docking with the Death Star and destroying it. The remaining Imps, with their leader abandoning them, leave for their own galaxy and reintegrate with the greater Imperial Starfleet.

As Meryetre is herself a Jaffa, and has lost all loyalty to Ra, she basically becomes the new Free Jaffa leader, for what is left of their realm after Baal's fleet and Ra's Loyalist forces basically bitchslap them.

Madar has come into control of several planets after leaving Ra's company, and is a tiny power of her own.

Ra's remaining forces have abandoned him, leaving the Goa'uld much like Baal was in SG-1; going into hiding.

Galadriel still has the Vulcans as allies.

In essence, just about the entire rest of the galaxy will become splintered and divided. Jump ahead two years, the game begins.

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

So, if I may ask, is it time for Phoenix War IV? We ran KAN out of the game with our warmongering, and DesertFly has vanished off the radar, so it may be time to just blow the galaxy and start our little postapocalyptic game. Kill the Goa'uld nation, kill the Swarm, and wreck KAN's fiefdom; the original plan.

I know I'm not entitled to say much, since myself is too busy to commit a full-time participation to the game , but.....

Well I think this one STGOD has a lot of story potential (in contrary to non-canon PW2 which already has pre-defined story). For example, the Imperial President already has differences with Darth Kreshna; I believe it would make the story much more interesting (instead of the President and Darth Kreshna always agree with each other in an "amen chorus"). In fact, I'm now writing my objections to the President. How the story will further evolve, of course, will depend on Allen's reaction.

Besides, I think it ain't really fun to disband a game and write a new one everytime some players couldn't keep up with the current pace, but that's just my opinion.

[Destructionator XV]

I have to agree with KAN. Odds are the others are just too busy to post much right now.

As to PW IV: I have been thinking what the A'millian reaction to the loss of the conduit would be: sit back and wait to be rescued. I have much, much more to say about the potential, but I need to get to work right now, so it will have to wait until I get back.

But yeah, PW III is not over yet anyway.

[Dartzap]

Yeah, I've got that damn horrible disease know as 'College' to contend with at the moment, I'll try and post some more though! Since I got back to college my brains been getting far more active, I could get out lots of stuff now I hate holidays, my brain turns to soup when it has nothing intellectual to do.

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

I have to agree with KAN. Odds are the others are just too busy to post much right now.

Maybe we can slow down the pace. IIRC other STGODs also work like I proposed; when many players are too busy, they just slow down the pace instead of closing the game; am I correct?

[Dartzap]

Slowing down the pace would seem to be a good idea.

[Dartzap]

Changed my post, since KAN thought a tactical retreat was a wussie thing to do

[Ra]

Well obviously everyone's got real lives, and slowing the pace down is the wisest course of action, but it had been my observation that the game had reached a virtual impasse after the meeting.

Whatever the case may be, I can't really see that much more plot potential for Ra's folks now; that's why I was so eager to destroy his faction and start anew. Ra's betrayal has mostly run its course, it's old news now. Everyone knows he's just a damned snake that can't get over the fact that he was once worshipped as a god. Ra's corporation has likely been taken down by the Imperials, now that his breaking of alliance is a well-known fact, and all his Guardian are belong to Kerrigan.

My point; we need something else to keep this game going besides politics. It worked for nBSG, but not so much here. Even nBSG had the Cylons as a fallback for the drama. "We're being chased to extinction by the Cylons, and are trying our damnedest to hold the Fleet and all its factions together; oh, and we just don't know what the hell the Toasters are planning next".

In other words, what if we reintroduced the Guardians; KAN, don't freak, hear me out.

This time, the Guardians would not be some universe-shattering threat, but something much, much more insidious. They know outright conquering the universe failed, they know we all grouped together and fended them off.

This time, the Guardians want to play everyone against each other. They already see the chaos that came out of Galadriel's meeting, and want to use it to their advantage.

It would not be a central theme, there would not be "holy grail quests", as Kresh put it, there would most certainly be no Alliance, just some agents that want to pull the strings on intergalactic politics.

Thoughts?

[DesertFly]

Whoa, hey, don't write me out just yet! I haven't posted in a couple of days, but I'm still here. I too think that there is still plenty of story potential left in this game. The A'millians and the Empire are just about at each others' throats, they just don't know it yet, the Zerg and the Goa'uld are about to make some major trouble, and even the Trolls could potentially cook something up. I'm sorry that I've not been here for a few days, but I still check in.

[Destructionator XV]

The A'millians and the Empire are just about at each others' throats, they just don't know it yet

Those Trolls attempted to randomly board a ship and are now attacking us too. They will pay dearly for this outrage!

Speaking of which, Dartzap, how big is your (attacking) fleet, and how powerful are they?

Also, does the Galactic Empire have freedom of the press, or is it just FOX errr... Xizor News Network for everything?

As to returning the Guardians, I'd be for it. Some random Guardian attack just to show they are back, or guys like Khardem being spread about to cause trouble. In fact, what if FOX Xizor News (or a competetor if they exist) were to hire a new pundit, Bill O'Guardianly? That would be a way for the Guardians to return in a background insidious role. Eventually, though, they would have to be exposed as a real threat (even if they bluff their real strength), otherwise they are no different than all the other political stuff.

And internal splits in the Goa'uld are good too. I am going to have the Genator be rouge again (if they survive) and am also going to be playing those mirror universe guys to some extent, so splits inside our own factions are decent choices too.