Session 254

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 35

=-= User mode for Angelo is now +ix

-->| YOU (Angelo) have joined #Nobilis

<Angelo> Hi guys!

<Verithe> Hi, Angelo!

<Angelo> Is everyone fine?

<Random_Nerd> Yeah, more or less.

<Random_Nerd> Nearly done moving.

<Angelo> Good!

<BethE> Hi Angelo! *HUG*

<Angelo> Btw the old and the new apartment are near each other?

<Angelo> Hug Beth!

<Random_Nerd> Hmm?

<BethE> They're about a mile apart from each other. Maybe more.

<Angelo> you are moving so you have old place and new place. Did them are one near the other or like in two different cities?

<Random_Nerd> They're pretty close together.

<Random_Nerd> It's just that this one doesn't have a feral landlord.

<BethE> Same city.

<BethE> .. landlord wasn't feral, dear. Just..predatory. especially toward college students and people who are on study abroad.

<Random_Nerd> Not just her. The whole CPM structure.

<Knockwood> Hm, let me look up feral landlords in the Monster Manual...

<Angelo> eh, I remember you talked of that landlord.

<BethE> Well, when you told her that some of their stuff was illegal and she only replied, "It's our policy.'...that's at least Lawful Evil.

<Verithe> "It's our policy" does not excuse illegal.

<Knockwood> Yes, because Policy can _never_ be wrong...

<BethE> They are used to dealing with college students and people who do not speak or read English very well.

<BethE> So they prey on them, who do not know their rights.

<BethE> I am sure that they will be happy to see Eric go away.  :)

<Angelo> eh, a people that stand to his right? a PITA!

<Random_Nerd> Yeah.

<Random_Nerd> I'm just glad that we live in the half of this city that actually has decent landlord-tenant laws.

<Random_Nerd> If we lived a mile and a half west of here, we'd have practically no rights.

<Random_Nerd> Cities are weird.

<Verithe> For serious

<BethE> Yeah, our landlords could come in any time they wanted..instead of having to give at least 24 hours notice.

<Random_Nerd> For serious. See, this city is technically two cities stuck together.

<Random_Nerd> Mostly, that doesn't matter.

<Random_Nerd> But for some stuff, it does.

<Knockwood> You could argue Reno and Sparks are the same way

<Random_Nerd> It's just weird when people talk like this stuff is universal across the whole country, and I have to say "Dude, there's places with different laws on this within jogging distance of me."

<Random_Nerd> So!

<Random_Nerd> Nobilis!

<Random_Nerd> We were doing... uh... things!

<Random_Nerd> With... stuff?

• Random_Nerd checks some stuff.
  
  

<Knockwood> For the guy?

<Angelo> yeah last session was so long ago that I cannot remember a thing

<BethE> For Ftisk! Who has his nimblespider. Spiderjack?

<Verithe> We had just.....convinced a bunch of people that the [not Google] devices caused hallucinations and brain damage.

<Knockwood> We had just "taken care of" the attack on Ftisk by our usual Precision Bumbling.

<Angelo> Nimblespider

<Random_Nerd> Oh, you haven't taken care of the attack yet.

<BethE> We had kind of stopped the attack but Ftisk was still hurting.

<Knockwood> ah.

<Angelo> a new mount for my loved Ftisk

<Random_Nerd> You've stopped it from getting worse, perhaps.

<Knockwood> We're becoming awesome at being less-than-awesome.

<Random_Nerd> But you haven't really resolved the contradiction.

<Knockwood> Maybe that's our thing.

<Random_Nerd> So! You have a nimblejack in spider form! You've put out damaging news reports about the AR technology!

<Angelo> we find the/one excru followed him a bit and get a nimblejack shaped like a spider

<Random_Nerd> (Speaking of... do any of you follow Questionable Content?)

<Knockwood> not lately

<Angelo> (nope just started homestuck)

<Verithe> (not for some time)

<Verithe> (I'm surprised you have time for us, Angelo!)

<Random_Nerd> However, Ftisk is still hurting, and you haven't grabbed the Excrucian.

<Random_Nerd> Nobody is, at the moment, trying to kill you.

<Angelo> (why Verithe? The timeslot from 03:30 am to 07 am seem like is usually free)

<Random_Nerd> WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?

<Random_Nerd> ____________________________START_________________________

<BethE> ( Today's current Questionable Content has a Google glasses thing that RN thought that right afterwards, the nimblejack and us would run by..)

=-= Verithe is now known as Human_Kite

<Angelo> "We can ride *point to the spider* to the factory and stuck our finger around a bit. I believe the excru will show up if we mess stuffs enough..."

<BethE> (I..Change my name!)

=-= BethE is now known as Theresa

=-= YOU are now known as Ftisk

=-= Knockwood is now known as DanteE

• Human_Kite collects disposed devices.
  
  

<DanteE> The authorities are there

<Theresa> "Will your new friend be able to live in Vulcan?)

<Random_Nerd> (So, since you guys have a moment of relative peace, now might be a good idea to come up with a plan more structured than "Mess with things until the problem resolves itself.")

<DanteE> (Why? It's worked so well so far.)

<Random_Nerd> (That's one opinion!)

<Human_Kite> (Well, Kite is planning to assemble a mecha with the disposed devices.)

<Theresa> (So, what about all of this messes with Ftisk? What is the contradiction that has to be fixed?)

<Ftisk> (I have a plan! With a greater Animation I can make Machinery *hurt* anyone that try to assemble machine and flesh all the messing around we still are doing is for flavor :-P )

=-= lazarus is now known as Brian

<Human_Kite> (I'm not quite sure how it will fix the problem, but that's Kite's current plan.)

<Random_Nerd> (What do you guys think is the problem?)

<DanteE> (We can use the gathered devices and the thing they were talking to check the hypothesis)

<Human_Kite> (I think the problem is that the devices are "thinking".)

<Brian> (sorry, had to go AFK for a bit without warning ... but I'm back now)

<Human_Kite> (Or that one attribute of machines that I am associating with thinking.)

<Ftisk> (I believe the issue is that a machine cannot be sentient and that a -device- that is made my human + tech toys will contraddict that machinery property)

<Random_Nerd> Kite amasses a pile of those devices that have been discarded in your vicinity.

<Random_Nerd> It's not a huge pile. Most people, even seeing the news, seem to want to keep theirs.

• Human_Kite wonders where the nearest jewelry store....I mean parts shop....is.
  
  

<DanteE> "We should decide if these things will still be here... maybe just a bit less capable so they don't hurt Ftisk."

<Theresa> (I..don't think you can make a good mecha out of diamonds..)

<Random_Nerd> Two blocks south, one block west, Kite.

<Random_Nerd> You saw it earlier when you were running around.

<Random_Nerd> And I assume you would remember it.

<Human_Kite> (Kite will make it happen!)

• Human_Kite runs off to the jewelry store with his devices.
  
  

<Theresa> "Is there a central computer or system that runs all of the devices?"

<DanteE> "Weren't they talking to something in the building we demolished?"

<Ftisk> "I believe most of the calculation is done outside of the device" (right RN?)

<Random_Nerd> Well, there isn't a central place that /runs/ the devices. There's a certain amount of cloud computing, but that's distributed.

<Random_Nerd> And most of the actual computation is, as Ftisk said, internal.

<Random_Nerd> However, there is a central database that keeps the information the devices report.

<DanteE> "Wait, can't you trace where the signals are going?"

<Ftisk> "we can make a virus to destroy the database"

<Random_Nerd> (It has backups, mind. !Google isn't /stupid/.)

<Ftisk> "yes I can find the place"

<Random_Nerd> (How do you expect destroying the database to help?)

• Human_Kite makes sure no one is watching after he arrives at the jewelry store.
  
  

<DanteE> "Wait. Once you find it, you should figure out what they're _doing_ with the data."

<Ftisk> (it will delay the excru effort, in the long run will simply be rebuilt but when done will cause some disruptions)

<DanteE> "That will tell us what’s happening."

<Theresa> (What do nimblejacks eat?)

<Random_Nerd> (Your tears.)

<Random_Nerd> (Well, not canonically. But maybe.)

<Theresa> (No, that's what they drink.)

<DanteE> (Too bad none of us ever cry.)

• Ftisk use persona to be the data and follow them to the central database
  
  

<Random_Nerd> (They put them in a bottle and wait for them to crystalize.)

<Random_Nerd> Ftisk, you are a bit of data about movements and eye tracking! You are, even now, being transmitted home to a big database!

<Theresa> (Do you let us know that's what you're doing, Ftisk, or do you just disappear?)

<Ftisk> (doh, forget to explain, you see Ftisk poof away! sorry!)

<Random_Nerd> You're stored and archived and indexed!

<DanteE> (Do we get a bad feeling about that?)

• Human_Kite Assembles a mecha from all the available jewelry in the store, the store's alarm system and the disposed devices....when no one is looking.
  
  

<Random_Nerd> (Using Domain?)

<DanteE> (Ah, considering those are Ex-touched, do you really want to do that?)

<Human_Kite> (Ja)

• Ftisk exit the server and look around to find where is the server place
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Dante has had a bad feeling about things for, I figure, about the last nine months of his life.

<Random_Nerd> That sound right?

<Theresa> (Hmm...Affliction: I have a Bad Feeling About This. ?)

<DanteE> yeah it does

<Ftisk> (lol hard at RN joke)

<Random_Nerd> Ftisk, you feel that you and all the data like you is being collected and prepared for some great purpose. You feel the program looking through you for relevant facts.

• Theresa looks around. "So, no Ftisk. Kite is making a mecha who knows where. And Ftisk left his nimblespider. There's a thought. Nimble, can you find Ftisk?"
  
  

<Theresa> (Relevant Fact: This is the Noble of Data.)

<Random_Nerd> Facts about where people walked, but even more than that, what they looked at.

<Brian> "Ftisk would never leave his nimblespider."

<Human_Kite> (Would that be a L. Motion or L. Animation?)

<Theresa> "He would if he was not moving in the physical world."

<Random_Nerd> And there's something in particular that they seem to be looking at in the eye tracking data.

<Random_Nerd> Nimblespider tries to sniff the air, and then realizes that as a spider he doesn't have a nose.

<Brian> "true, but."

<Human_Kite> (Or...er....Creation. Creation of Assembly)

<Random_Nerd> He sulks, dejected.

<Ftisk> what are they looking for in eyes?

<Random_Nerd> (Hmm. I could see an argument for creation.)

<Random_Nerd> They appear to be looking for... when people look at commercial products and advertisements.

<Random_Nerd> And then, the company's evil plan is clear.

<Brian> "He'd do his best to take it with him, wouldn't he?"

<Random_Nerd> They're collecting and studying all of this data... to sell it to advertisers!

<DanteE> (BTW... Whose Line returns Tuesday.)

<Random_Nerd> (Thundercrash sound!)

<Brian> (!)

<Random_Nerd> (With Aisha Tyler hosting, right?)

<DanteE> (KILL THEM.)

<DanteE> RN: yep

<Random_Nerd> (Good. She's hilarious.)

• Human_Kite rides his ShinyMecha back to the group.
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Ftisk, you see no attempts to use the data for anti-Noble purposes or anything like that.

<Random_Nerd> Nimblespider touches the front of his head where a nose would be if he had one.

<Random_Nerd> He vaguely suspects that he smells terrible.

<Theresa> ( ... Can I go live somewhere else, now?)

<Ftisk> Weird, I would have bet that these data would have been used for Nobles related stuff"

<Brian> (I thought you just made that happen? :p)

<DanteE> (Hm... could the Exs have just taken an existing thing for their own ends?)

<Theresa> (But I'm still living with _him_.)

<Random_Nerd> (Well, from the documentation you read, the company was working on this for years.)

<Theresa> (Yeah, sounds like the Excrucians found this and decided to poke it into more funding.)

• Ftisk pray to Theresa "Ftisk here, I'm in the central evil computer, but seem like it is not evil as I believed first, they process gathered data ... for advertisements .. what a letdown!"
  
  

<Theresa> (Work smarter, not harder.)

<Random_Nerd> Ftisk, you feel your info-belly tingle as you are assessed for indicators of customer interest in Mountain Dew Code Red.

<DanteE> (Which arguably means destroying it would be against the rules...)

<Theresa> ( Umm. I like Code Red.)

<Brian> (oh god, Baby Weeping Angels ... -_-; )

<Human_Kite> (:C)

<Theresa> Theresa, to the others: "Ftisk just prayed....apparently the glasses..are to determine data for advertisers."

<DanteE> "Ah, Kite, what are you doing with this?"

<Ftisk> (for not US peoples, is a kind of beverage?)

<Random_Nerd> (Yes.)

<Theresa> (Are you watching a Dr. Who, Laz?)

<Brian> "What else would they be for?"

<Brian> (I am. The Angels Take New York.)

<Theresa> (It is a cherry-ish flavor of Mountain Dew.)

<DanteE> "Something less mundane..."

<Brian> (Code Red Mt. Dew is delicious)

<Brian> (Wish I could still get it here)

<Theresa> (Ah. Know what happens in it, but haven't seen it.)

<Human_Kite> "I'm riding it.

• Ftisk give them all kind of fake data usage on mountain dew code red .. for fun!
  
  

<Random_Nerd> You feel the intense scrutiny of intricate search engines.

• Ftisk put on some solar screen with uva+b filters :-P
  
  

<Random_Nerd> And then... you are discarded from the database as an outlier that looks faked!

<Theresa> "Well, data scavenging isn't truly Evil, but it's not all that nice."

<Ftisk> Outrageous!

<Random_Nerd> And instead listed with a bunch of fake data.

<DanteE> "Can we check out the remains of the distribution center?"

<Theresa> (Ah, in with I.P. Freely's data. And Elvis.)

• Ftisk can find the physical server location?
  
  

<Random_Nerd> You only knocked down, like, half of its walls.

<Random_Nerd> You can.

<Theresa> "Sure. Let's head that way. " *holds out a hand to Nimble* "You can ride on me, if you like."

<Random_Nerd> It's in-state, but about fifty miles away.

• Ftisk get the physical address, look up it against fake places and then pray to Theresa the place location
  
  

<DanteE> (I forget, do we have the Dantemobile here?)

<Random_Nerd> Yes.

<Brian> (wanna go for a drive?)

<Ftisk> (isn't Dante mobile anchored? You can summon it if you need it)

<Random_Nerd> The location is at a notGoogle facility, that's outside of any big cities but right along a fiberoptic backbone cable.

<Brian> (actually, Brian will say that aloud) "Wanna go for a drive?"

<DanteE> (Yeah, let's just have a whip pan and say we're there.)

<Human_Kite> "May my mecha drive?"

<Random_Nerd> Which there?

<Random_Nerd> The distribution center, or the physical server location?

<DanteE> (Want to grind some mobs or skip straight to the boss fight)

<Human_Kite> (Boss fight!)

<Ftisk> (skip ahead Dante)

<Human_Kite> "I promise I'll stay off the sidewalks this time!

<Brian> (Pathfinder game I was playing in - Kingmaker path - we generally went in a beeline for the boss. Always accidentally or randomly.)

<Brian> (I believe once we didn't. When we were actually trying to get to the boss fast.)

<Random_Nerd> (But who's the boss here?)

<DanteE> "Does your mecha have driving ability?"

<Human_Kite> (No idea!)

<Theresa> (Tony Danza.)

<Random_Nerd> (NotGoogle, the Shard that ran away from you, or someone else?)

<Human_Kite> "I want to test it and see if it does!"

<Theresa> (Noble of Commerce or Advertising?)

<Ftisk> (the shard for me)

<Human_Kite> "I also want to see if it has a sitting-in-the-car ability."

<DanteE> (Let's go to the !Google place and try to stop the attack)

<Ftisk> (what is the mecha look kite?)

<Human_Kite> (It looks too big for a car, mostly made of jewelry.)

• Ftisk ?apparate? in the real world near the server that stored me (is apparate a word?)
  
  

<DanteE> (Ftisk: manifests)

<Random_Nerd> (I believe it is a word, but an archaic one.)

<DanteE> (means 'becomes real')

<Ftisk> (ty)

<DanteE> "I'm not sure your mecha can fit in the driver's seat.

<Human_Kite> (An archaic one? I should stop using it, then...)

<Random_Nerd> Okay! You're in a car, driving to the NotGoogle Server Farm.

<Theresa> (Let's go to the NotGoogle Place.)

<Random_Nerd> Is there anything you want to do while along the way?

<DanteE> (Didn't we get SUVs at one point?)

<Ftisk> (anyway what I see around? a datacenter or what? Peoples?)

• Human_Kite follows in the mecha
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Mostly, it's just a group of three large buildings and a couple smaller ones.

<DanteE> (ah, how would seeing that mecha affect mundanes?)

<Random_Nerd> (DA, yeah. It's an active Noble miracle, that can't be easily rationalized.)

<DanteE> (Maybe it should ride in the trunk)

<Random_Nerd> It mostly just looks like a somewhat artsy-looking industrial park, that happens to be in what looks like the middle of nowhere off a highway.

<Human_Kite> "I'm an engineering student."

<Random_Nerd> Oh, and the mecha can totally drive. Just not... well. Still, nobody died.

• Human_Kite flips his hair out of his face in a not-very-engineering-student sort of way.
  
  

<DanteE> (Hey, did I ever get that 'Jedi Mind Trick' thing, or was that in limbo?)

<Random_Nerd> (I don't recall you actually completing that project.)

<Random_Nerd> Okay, so. Big parking lot. Three major buildings, plus a few storage buildings and so on. NotGoogle logos on everything.

<Random_Nerd> High-status nerds walking between buildings, or talking on benches next to the lake. Of which there is one.

<DanteE> "OK, Ftisk, where is... whoops, not here.

<DanteE> "Kite, can you localize the attack on your brother?"

<Random_Nerd> Ftisk, you feel some twinges of the attack, but it's weaker here than at the place you were at last.

<Random_Nerd> Maybe 60% as strong here.

<Human_Kite> "I.....don't think that is a thing I can do, but I can ask Ftisk."

<Theresa> *to the nimblespider* "I'm sure that he can set you up with a nose or a sense of smell once this problem is dealt with."

<Human_Kite> prayer to Ftisk: "Ftisk! I have a mecha! It's shiny!"

<Random_Nerd> Nimblespider nods its body.

<Random_Nerd> Ftisk, you're in a server room.

<Ftisk> pray back "Kite! Is wonderfull! Came here! We have to throw a party!"

<Random_Nerd> Lots of computers. Lots of fans.

<Random_Nerd> Very few people.

<Theresa> *to Nimble* "Do you use other senses to find your prey?"

<Human_Kite> to Ftisk: "Also, Dante wants to know if you can localize the attack on you."

=-= YOU are now known as Conrad

<Random_Nerd> So far, nobody's noticed you, probably due to noise from the cooling systems.

<Conrad> (changed shape to Conrad shape)

<Random_Nerd> The computer with the main copy of the AR database is #37, out of more than three hundred.

• Conrad quietly exit the room and start looking around
  
  

<Conrad> (forget it)

<Conrad> (can I use a treasure miracle to guide spiderJack to me?)

<Random_Nerd> (Hmm. How's Conrad dressed?)

<Random_Nerd> (Yes, you can.)

<Random_Nerd> (Do you want him to start coming toward you, instantly appear there, or what?)

<Conrad> (as Conrad is usually dressed. yellow and blue color)

<Conrad> (I want to guide the other to me following the spiderJack)

<Random_Nerd> A few people whisper as ConradFtisk walks past them in the hall. "Who's that guy?" "Investor, I think. Yeah, we met the day before yesterday."

<Human_Kite> (!!!)

<Theresa> (Ftisk/Conrad just has that kind of face.)

<Random_Nerd> (You can guide him to you with Treasure 2.)

<Random_Nerd> (Or possess him and puppet him with Treasure 1.)

<Conrad> (ok I spend 2 mp then to guide the others to me)

<Conrad> (wait puppet him is more fun)

<Random_Nerd> Everyone else, the spiderjack suddenly stands still.

<Theresa> (What's that, Lassie? Ftisk feel down a data well?)

<Random_Nerd> Ftisk, do you just have the nimblespider run straight to you, or what?

• Conrad scramble forward a bit silly and point toward the building were Ftisk is
  
  

<Brian> "Spiderjack?"

<DanteE> (Are we going to adopt this guy? :) )

• Conrad run straight to were I'm
  
  

<Human_Kite> (I think Ftisk already did.)

<Brian> (already did, I believe :p)

<Conrad> (I anchored the spiderJack, is already adopted)

<Brian> (ninjas!)

<DanteE> (ah)

<Conrad> (Mine mine mine mine)

<DanteE> "Follow that spider, then..."

<Random_Nerd> The nimblespider runs with fast but mundane speed.

<Random_Nerd> You can keep up as long as you run.

• Theresa runs.
  
  

<Conrad> (actually anchoring a miraculous creature *DEPOWER* it!)

<DanteE> "Oh, Kite? Can you keep the thing you built under wraps so that people's brains don't explode?"

• Human_Kite follows in the mecha!
  
  

<Brian> *runs!*

• DanteE follows the spider
  
  

<Human_Kite> "What are you talking about? Just tell them it's my engineering project."

<Random_Nerd> (Well, it does when you don't spend MPs. When you do, it powers it up.)

<DanteE> "Of course, considering we're following a giant spider that's probably a moot point anyway."

<Random_Nerd> (Like, a nimblejack on its own is never ever gonna use an Imperial miracle. An anchored one might.)

<Random_Nerd> Well, not a /giant/ spider.

<Conrad> (yeah RN but anchor and treasure 0 don't mingle well together :-P )

<Random_Nerd> Tarantula-sized, say.

<Theresa> (It isn't that big. Ftisk shrank to ride it.)

<Random_Nerd> Spiderskitter.

<DanteE> (Then why are we running?)

<Random_Nerd> The spider comes to a locked door at the outside of one of the buildings!

<Random_Nerd> (Because the spider is running!)

<Theresa> (Because it's a very fast skitter.)

<Random_Nerd> (And it's still, mundanely speaking, fast.)

• Human_Kite unlocks the door with his mecha!
  
  

<Brian> (with your mecha's face? Fist?)

<Random_Nerd> Unlocked!

<Theresa> "Let's try not to break this building too much, right, guys?"

<Random_Nerd> Skitter!

<Human_Kite> And by "unlocks" I mean "smashes"!

<Random_Nerd> (No, no. "Performed a manual override.")

<Brian> ("Percussive Maintenance")

<Human_Kite> (Yessss.....)

<Theresa> *sigh*

<DanteE> "Remind me to acquaint you and Ftisk with the concept of 'subtlety'"

<Random_Nerd> When you do /that/, a guy in slacks and a polo shirt, but with rather more muscles and about four inches of height more than the rest of the guys here, starts walking toward you.

<Random_Nerd> Do you respond, or keep chasing the spider?

<Conrad> (why I'm totally fine with leaving a smoking mess of the building)

<Theresa> *calls out* "Sorry, research and development issue! We'll be on our way, soon!"

• Human_Kite makes sure the guy has more important things to do, like Assembling a bookcase.
  
  

<Random_Nerd> ...how?

<Brian> (keep chasing the spider)

<Human_Kite> (Which is a L. Animation/Creation of Assembly?)

<DanteE> (or, Assembling a comprehensive report on the current state of security)

<Human_Kite> (Involving the guy)

<Theresa> (Still chasing spider.)

<Random_Nerd> (A creation would make things assemble. An animation would create a self-perpetuating process of assembly that does what you want.)

<Random_Nerd> (Hmm... motion of assembly? To take a particular assembly, and put it in his mind?)

<Random_Nerd> The guy starts jogging after you. "You can't just smash down doors with your robot, we have rules here!"

<Human_Kite> (That works. I want Assembly to be happening and him to be involved in making it happen.)

<Theresa> "Do we have to use your robot?"

<Random_Nerd> (Okay. Level 6 miracle.)

<Human_Kite> "Oh! Well we didn't know. We'll obey that rule the next time!"

<DanteE> "Send us a rules summary!"

<Random_Nerd> Guy: "That's not... oh well, bookshelf isn't gonna make itself."

<Random_Nerd> He turns back.

<Human_Kite> "Mecha!"

<Brian> (awesome)

<Human_Kite> (1 DMP spent!)

<Theresa> (Ftisk has probably heard us coming.)

<Random_Nerd> Everyone else looks at you oddly. The shiny ambulatory robot suits weren't supposed to begin alpha testing for another seven and a half months.

<Brian> (!)

<Random_Nerd> Well, Ftisk's senses are currently in the spider.

<Brian> (surprisingly ambulatory robot suits)

<DanteE> (We should consider talking to these guys later...)

<Random_Nerd> The spider leads you to where Ftisk is standing.

<Conrad> (I'm busy running to myself!)

• Theresa keeps following the spider.
  
  
• Human_Kite follows!
  
  
• Conrad returns into myself
  
  

<DanteE> "Hey, Ftisk. What did you find?"

<Conrad> "NimbleSpider!" *hug*

<Random_Nerd> Two engineers are standing hear him, trying to figure out why the investor-guy suddenly stopped in the middle of the hallway, and if it would be rude to flick pieces of paper at him, and then about the scoring rules for a game of flicking paper at Ftisk they are in the process of inventing.

<Random_Nerd> Female Engineer: "No, no. Nose /has/ to be more points than ears. There's just one of it!"

<Theresa> (Instead...big spider out of nowhere!)

<Random_Nerd> Male Engineer: "But the ears aren't near each other, so either individual ear is a comparably hard target to the nose..."

<Theresa> (Sure, taunt the poor nimblespider with Conrad's nose!)

<Conrad> "yeah yeah, noes and nostrills, I'll look at them at onc-... oh, guys, I find the server, would you like to follow me?"

<Random_Nerd> Female Engineer: "They're testing the mobile robot suits already? I thought they weren't even done prototyping!"

• Conrad lead to the server #37
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Male Engineer, suspicious: "What's the power source on that?"

<Human_Kite> "Yes! Server!"

<DanteE> "Magic."

<Human_Kite> "It's confidential.

<Random_Nerd> Male Engineer: "Fine, fine, not my department."

<Brian> "You want to know what's worth the most points? He's got a small bald spot right on the top of his hair, right where his hair spirals out. It's invisible to the naked eye, but if you hit it? Must be a win."

<Human_Kite> "But not magic, because you humans don't believe in it anymore."

<Random_Nerd> Server #37 is... a server. A big computer with a lot of hard drives, a lot of cables attaching to it, and no interface devices to speak of.

<Random_Nerd> The label "#37" is handwritten on a sticky note.

<Random_Nerd> (Okay, so... I'm really not sure what the plan is.)

<Random_Nerd> (Care to let me in?)

<Random_Nerd> Ftisk, you feel no twinges of pain from the server.

<DanteE> "Hm. You'd think there'd be a note saying this is the glasses project server."

<Brian> (I'm assuming unplug it)

<DanteE> (Hold on.)

<DanteE> "Now, is this the source of the attack?"

<Conrad> (I wanna Kite to unAssemble the server database so that is impossible to assemble it again)

<Random_Nerd> It is not.

<Random_Nerd> The pain seems connected with the devices themselves, not with the server.

<DanteE> "Hang on. The glasses may not have been from Outside.

<Conrad> "This server process data from the glasses. If we make it unusable the glasses will stop to work. Maybe"

<DanteE> "Let's zero in on the attack itself."

<DanteE> "and _then_ figure out what we can do."

<Brian> "But what is it about the glasses that's the problem?"

<Random_Nerd> The attack is weaker here than at the university town you came from, but it's still partially here.

<Brian> "Because if the server doesn't hurt, then it's not the data."

<DanteE> "Ftisk is the only one who can tell."

<Conrad> "See I wanna disrupt the glasses in more that one way. In that way no one would resume that idea again"

<DanteE> "Well, it is an advertising database...

<Human_Kite> "It is?

<Conrad> "The attack is partially from here, the other place is more directly involved Dante, but it send info here to be processed"

<DanteE> "...can you set it up so that it says none of the annoying ads around work worth a damn?"

<Theresa> (So..Ftisk is going to create a miraculous version of AdBlock?)

<Random_Nerd> A combination of Data and Assembly could do that.

<Brian> (:D with fairy dust, pixies, and unicorns? Nevermind the oxford commas.)

<Random_Nerd> Hmm. It'd take an animation of Assembly to make it /keep/ doing that as new data comes in.

<Human_Kite> (Lesser Animations are trivial for me!)

<DanteE> (Or, he can write-lock it so that it no longer accepts new data, which would screw with the attack)

<Conrad> "here there is the central database that process all the glasses data, it is also an ad database but that is secondary to being the central database for glasses anyway"

<Random_Nerd> (That'd be easier to do.)

<DanteE> (You sure the _glasses_ are the primary? :p )

<Random_Nerd> (Well, it processes the data that the glasses send /out/.)

<DanteE> (Business, remember. Ads first, everything else second.)

<Random_Nerd> (It isn't what sends data /to/ them. That's a bunch of other places, not really centralized.)

<Random_Nerd> (I mean, the incoming data is mostly ordinary searches.)

<DanteE> (OK, so where's the NSA tap? :p )

<Conrad> (well if investor see not returning data the project will be seen as a failure no matter how much users love it)

<Random_Nerd> (Not in place yet. This is new.)

<Conrad> "Se Kite, a combined miracle , I believe can take care of that database, right?"

<Conrad> (combined machinery + assembly Animation will work, rightRN?)

<Human_Kite> "Sure thing!"

<Random_Nerd> (Yes. So, what do you want to accomplish?)

-->| Knockwood (~Knockwood@41FBB6F9.1AE4DF44.D8F2CF9B.IP) has joined #Nobilis

<Theresa> (So, once this is taken care of, we head back to the place that was causing more pain to Ftisk than here?)

<Knockwood> (sorry about that)

<Conrad> (I want to use a Data animation to redirect the glasses data from this database to another one kite will make with assembly)

<Random_Nerd> (Ah. Do you just want to make a copy, or to prevent it from going here at all?)

<Conrad> (prevent to go in that central database, instead they go in our one)

<Conrad> like on the road they find a miraculous deviation sign)

<Random_Nerd> (Okay. Yeah, you can do that.)

|<-- DanteE has left irc.magicstar.net (Ping timeout)

<Conrad> (cool!)

=-= Knockwood is now known as DanteE

<Random_Nerd> Done.

<Conrad> "Ok guys, now that the miraculous side is done, who want to make this place a smoking mess?!?!"

<DanteE> "Well, wait. It might be better to have it available as a resource."

<Brian> "There's a fun thing to do with changing the speeds of hard drives. Releases the magic smoke really quickly."

<DanteE> "Plus, destroying it would hurt the people here."

<Conrad> "woot Brian!"

<Theresa> "Do you feel any better, Ftisk? Does this take care of the attack?"

<Random_Nerd> This doesn't affect how Ftisk feels.

<Human_Kite> "I'm fine with no smoking mess."

<Conrad> "Dante Dante, we have a _tradition_ did you think you can go against them? WE go in a place; that place go Boom!"

<DanteE> "In fact, if they think we're investors they'll be inclined to tell us all about this project."

<DanteE> "When we _intend_ to, sure.

<Random_Nerd> One of the people in the room starts walking quickly out of it.

<Conrad> (We were not alone in the server room?)

<DanteE> "I say we try a not-as-destructive strategy this time."

<Random_Nerd> (I mentioned that there were other people in there earlier. Not a lot of people, but it's a big room.)

<DanteE> to the guy walking out: "Stop!"

<Theresa> (There were at least the two engineers.)

<Conrad> "fine fine, ok. My Estate still hurt, can we go back to the other place and fix it there also?"

<Human_Kite> (We certainly have a better track record of not leaving a trail of smoke and corpses than the campaign I HGed....)

<Brian> "Ftisk, when they're looking at you, change form."

<Random_Nerd> The guy: *starts walking faster*

<Random_Nerd> He leaves the server room.

=-= YOU are now known as dragonTisk

• dragonTisk fly to the guy and eat him!
  
  

<Human_Kite> "Ah......"

<dragonTisk> (aspect 2)

<Brian> "I ... didn't suggest eating him ..."

<Random_Nerd> Does anyone wish to intervene?

<DanteE> "Damn it, we're not _supposed_ to be homicidal lunatics unless it's warranted..."

<Random_Nerd> And if so, what do you do?

<Theresa> (I expect the nimblejack to applaud.)

• Human_Kite tries to catch Conrad with the Mecha.
  
  
• DanteE tackles the guy first. (Aspect 3)
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Dragontackle.

<Random_Nerd> Oh, wait, the guy.

<Random_Nerd> Uh, you're trying to stop him, but not trying to stop Ftisk from eating him?

<dragonTisk> "roar! Well you want to stop him! roar!" *outrage for the tasty humansnack negated!*

<Random_Nerd> _____Pause________

<dragonTisk> flurry?

<Random_Nerd> Looks like!

<Random_Nerd> What are each of you doing?

<dragonTisk> ^_^

<DanteE> A3 first?

<Brian> nada.

<Random_Nerd> Dante is trying to tackle the guy.

<Theresa> I'm not doing anything.

<Random_Nerd> Ftisk is trying to eat the guy.

<Random_Nerd> Theresa and Brian are doing nothing.

<Random_Nerd> V?

<dragonTisk> me is going dragonTisk and aspect fly to the guy and eat him. Head first

<Human_Kite> Trying to catch Conrad with the intent of not letting him eat the guy.

<Theresa> (I'll just be over here with Nimble and a bucket of popcorn.)

<Random_Nerd> What miracle level?

<dragonTisk> my aspect is 2

<DanteE> Create-Popcorn is 4, right? :)

<Random_Nerd> And Kite?

<Human_Kite> Does Aspect apply to the Mecha?

<Random_Nerd> Well, it applies to you.

<Random_Nerd> I figure, if you have to, you can just overpower the mecha with your superior noble muscles, or hop out of it on your way, or what have you.

<Random_Nerd> So... what do you do?

<Theresa> Dante - and I have Domain 5.  :)

<Human_Kite> Hmmm....does my Mecha count as part of my collection of shiny things?

<Random_Nerd> It could.

<Random_Nerd> Doing something with Treasure?

<dragonTisk> (is the mecha made, also, of diamond, right?)

<Human_Kite> Treasure miracle of guidance?

<Random_Nerd> To do what?

<Random_Nerd> (Partially, yes.)

<Human_Kite> I mean "Getting Some Help" to grab Conrad and stop him from eating Guy.

<Random_Nerd> Okay. Ftisk is using Aspect 2 to eat the guy, Kite using Treasure 2 to stop him from eating the guy, Dante using Aspect 3 to tackle the guy.

<Human_Kite> (So Treasure 4)

<Random_Nerd> Oh, Getting Some Help.

<Random_Nerd> Sorry, thought you meant Guidance.

<Random_Nerd> Okay. Treasure 4, then.

<Human_Kite> (If it's more appropriate.)

<Random_Nerd> Does anyone wish to change their action?

<DanteE> I'll change 'tackle' to 'grab', I think.

<dragonTisk> nope mine are fine

<Human_Kite> I'm good with mine

<Random_Nerd> ____________UNPAUSE_________

<Random_Nerd> Dante tackles the guy.

<Random_Nerd> Ftisk is caught in mid-lunge by Kite And His Mecha.

<DanteE> "Ftisk, no! No eating people!"

<dragonTisk> "Ahh, Rules rules! Are you sure your imperator is a wild one?"

<Random_Nerd> The Guy doesn't actually shit himself yet.

<Human_Kite> "Our Imperator is not!"

<DanteE> "Yes. And he doesn't like unnecessary death, remember."

<Random_Nerd> But he looks like he's thinking about it.

<Random_Nerd> Since a dragon tried to eat him and was stopped by a shiny mecha.

<Random_Nerd> I mean, yeah.

<dragonTisk> "I was talking to Mr. Rules here *point to Dante* not to you Kite"

<Theresa> (He is going to have the best facebook post ever later...)

<DanteE> to the guy: "You. Whatever's in Server 37 is Really Important to people who can do _this_.

<Random_Nerd> Guy: "Uh... I have twenty bucks. You want it?"

<Brian> "What do you do here?" *loom*

<DanteE> "No, I want you to tell me all about the glasses project.

<dragonTisk> "are them tasty?" *pout*

<Human_Kite> "We don't need money in YouDidn'tSeeThisLand!"

<Random_Nerd> Guy: "I dunno! I'm not on that! I'm fine-tuning the thing that can tell if you have the flu by how you search for porn!"

<Brian> "ok, you've gotta tell me how that works."

<Random_Nerd> Guy: "...computers are involved."

<Theresa> (Search for porn? )

<Random_Nerd> Guy: "It's complicated."

• dragonTisk grab spiderJack
  
  

<DanteE> "That's easy, if you're doing it instead of working and really slowly, you're ill."

<Brian> "I don't think you can do that."

<Random_Nerd> Guy: "I can totally do that."

<Brian> "How."

• dragonTisk muzzle, cuddle and give popcorn stealed from Theresa and Dante to him
  
  

<Random_Nerd> (Google actually does have a thing that spots flu epidemics based on people's internet activity.)

<DanteE> "_Anyway_. Who's on the glasses thing?"

<Brian> (I know. It's insane :D)

<Random_Nerd> Guy: "That's the Gadish lab, I think. Wait, you want the physical device stuff, or the stuff on correlating the advertising data?"

<Theresa> (But I didn't think that it was from seeing if you're searching for porn. It's searching for flu symptoms and doctors...)

<Human_Kite> "Physical device stuff."

<Random_Nerd> (I'm not sure that it is.)

<Theresa> (I can be wrong.)

<DanteE> "Ftisk, which one? ... And can you un-dragon yourself before you knock over something important?"

<Random_Nerd> (I think it may also be stuff like searching from home when they think you'd be at work.)

<Theresa> (Ah.)

=-= YOU are now known as Conrad

<Random_Nerd> Guy: "Yeah, that's Gadish. Down the hall, take a right, third door on the left."

<DanteE> "Good to know.

<Theresa> "Thank you!" *heads that way*

• Conrad follow
  
  

<Human_Kite> "Thank you. Would you like to work for us? You might get your own mecha one day."

<DanteE> "Oh, and for your own sake... you've probably been playing too many video games. Figure that's what you saw here."

<Random_Nerd> Guy, as you leave: "So I can keep my lunch money, then?"

<Conrad> to spiderJack: "nose uhm.. did you have any preferences on the type?"

<Human_Kite> "You eat money?"

<Random_Nerd> Spiderjack: "...pointy!"

<Conrad> "to Kite: "if tasty sure!"

• Theresa knocks on Gadish's door.
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Spiderjack gestures with three limbs.

<DanteE> "Yeah, we don't need it."

• Conrad add an eagle nose to spiderJack
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Okay, there's two doors that seem relevant. The one he mentioned is to the Augmented Reality Development Lab. The next one down the hall is Alice Gadish's personal office.

<Human_Kite> (YES! EAGLE NOSE!)

• Theresa listens at each door before knocking, then.
  
  

<Conrad> to sJ: "is this one ok?"

<Theresa> (*facepalm* Eagle-eagle or aquiline eagle?)

<Theresa> (I listen for any people in each lab, Aspect 3.)

<Random_Nerd> The former door has at least nine people working in it.

<Random_Nerd> The latter has one person, sitting quietly.

<Conrad> (eagle eagle , a beak)

• DanteE checks out the place with The Sight
  
  
• Theresa will go and knock on the personal office door.
  
  
• Human_Kite mecha-knocks on Ms. Gadish's door.
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Spiderjack With A Beak: "That'll do."

• Conrad pat him happily
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Dante, nothing particularly related to Blades or Courage, other than the fact that all but one person in the lab have multitools with at least one blade.

• Human_Kite scratch my action 'cause Theresa totally knocked first.
  
  

<DanteE> (what size is the spider?)

<Random_Nerd> And someone nearby is scared.

<Random_Nerd> (Tarantula-sized.)

<DanteE> (Where we came from?)

<Random_Nerd> (No, Not counting that. In the office next to the lab.)

<DanteE> "...someone's scared in here."

<Random_Nerd> A voice from in the Gadish office: "Who is it?"

<Theresa> "Visitor!" *goes on in* "Hello! We were wanting to talk to you about one of your projects!"

<DanteE> to T: "They think we're investors..."

<Random_Nerd> As you come in, you see a frightened-looking woman in T-shirt and jeans. She's middle-eastern looking, could easily pass for Amyran.

<DanteE> to Ftisk: "Anything in here?"

• Human_Kite follows Theresa
  
  

<Conrad> (normal eyes?)

<Random_Nerd> She presses a button on a handmade-looking device on her desk, and stuff falls from the ceiling onto you.

<DanteE> stuff?

<Random_Nerd> A bunch of stuff. Silver jewelry pieces, holy symbols of seven different religions, rowan wood, and an iron horseshoe.

<Random_Nerd> Oh, and garlic.

<Theresa> (...well, darn, we've lost Kite.  :) )

<Human_Kite> "OH BOY!"

• Theresa blinks. "I prefer balloons."
  
  

<Conrad> "stop it!"

• Human_Kite starts collecting all of the shiny bits.
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "Well, it was worth a try. So, now it's time to shut us down, now that we did whatever you wanted?"

<Brian> "... I'm not a vampire, but I'm honored."

<Conrad> "you'll scare my pet spider!"

<DanteE> "OK, so, I'm guessing you've had dealings with interesting people?"

<Random_Nerd> She looks interestedly at Kite.

• Conrad look at her with the sight
  
  

<Theresa> "We are not..vampires or fae...although our colleague here likes shiny things."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "I'm not stupid. I know that the technology wouldn't be there for these for at least five more years, maybe ten. The miniaturization, see. Can't get that much sensory and computing hardware in a device that size."

<DanteE> "Huh.

• DanteE grabs a chair and sits.
  
  
• Conrad nod "spot on my timeline "
  
  

<Theresa> "And you expected vampires or fairies to do miniaturization of silicon chips?"

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "So, when we worked out how to do it, I checked. And as near as I can tell, someone actually made some slight but noticeable changes to the laws of physics, relating to electron flows in impure silicon."

<DanteE> "Would you kindly tell us about the people who started this project?"

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "Uh... that would be me. It's my project. Has been for years."

<DanteE> "Physics?"

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "The... system of physical laws that..."

<Random_Nerd> She gestures vaguely.

<DanteE> "I mean, whoever seems to have tweaked physics."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "PHYSICS."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "It wasn't you?"

<Theresa> (*shifty look*)

• Conrad look at Brian
  
  

<DanteE> "No, we know Physics. She's still finding her feet."

<Random_Nerd> Are you still a dragon, Ftisk?

<Theresa> "This will probably sound strange but..we know the person who is in charge of setting the laws of physics."

<Conrad> "We can pray and ask"

<DanteE> "... long story. Tell us about Mr. Supernatural you were expecting."

<DanteE> (Any miraculous influence here?)

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "I don't know. I knew that something impossible had been done. And there seemed to be other... signs of manipulation. Problems just disappeared. So I got paranoid. I put a camera in the server room, some in the lab... and whatever happened to the data collection server triggered one of my alerts."

<Random_Nerd> You don't see any signs of miraculous influence.

<DanteE> "Just now?"

<Theresa> "Ah, that would be our friend over there. He traced your servers. What is so special about your data glasses?"

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "A couple minutes ago. So I looked at my camera feed. And then you" *turns to Conrad* "turned into a dragon while you" *turns to Kite* "chased him in a robot suit. And those won't be ready for... ah! You're switching your patronage to a different project?"

<Brian> "I haven't altered the laws of physics since that one time. How long has your project been going on?"

<DanteE> "We're different people."

=-= YOU are now known as Ftisk

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "I don't know! I mean, it's a really cool project, but I didn't expect it to attract the attention of, like, supernatural forces."

<Ftisk> "really different"

<Theresa> "Well, see, there's sometimes no line between natural and supernatural."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "This happened... months ago? It's tough to tell when the actual changes happened."

<DanteE> "Let's try this:

<Brian> "Well, do you have your source commits?"

<DanteE> "Where did the physics-tweaking stuff come from?"

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "And, yes. We went from a prototype the size of a laptop, to all those devices made, in three and a half months. That does not /happen/ if something hinky isn't up."

<Brian> (how long has New Physics been Physics?)

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "I don't know how I'd be able to tell how changes in the laws of physics happened, or from where."

<Random_Nerd> (A little longer than that.)

<Ftisk> "There is a ... faction .. that is taking advantage of these devices to attach me"

<DanteE> "Are they made next door?"

<Brian> (can I pray to New Physics?)

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "No, there are factories or something. That's just where we're working on developing them."

<Random_Nerd> (You can.)

<DanteE> "Ftisk, where's the attack?"

<Brian> *prays to New Physics* "Did you make any changes to the miniaturization abilities of silicon and such about three and a half months back?"

<Theresa> "Did you ever meet any of the investors or patrons as you call them?"

<Ftisk> "The place where it is stronger is the other one, the one from where we came"

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "I guess? They were, y'know, suits."

<DanteE> to Ftisk: "Here, or next door?"

<Ftisk> "The place where we find the excru"

<Random_Nerd> New Physics: "Oh! Hey! You're... Mathematics, right? Yeah, I totally did. Near as I can figure, Moore's Law should now have transistor density doubling every /nine/ months. You're welcome."

<Theresa> ( O.O )

<Human_Kite> (Well, that settles that....)

<DanteE> (That may be coming from RL, actually)

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "And there was weird stuff going on with the interface, too."

<Theresa> (So...can that affect Data as an attack?)

<Theresa> "How so?"

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "It shouldn't work this well. Not this fast. And it doesn't... in /some/ places."

<Brian> *to NP* "Numbers, actually. Math is sort of a side effect. Anyway. Good to know. We think some Excrucians piggybacked on that to attack our fellow, Ftisk - Data, that is. We've got a woman here who probably wants to thank you for her success, too. Unrelated, mostly, to the attack, anyway."

<Ftisk> (I believe it will just change the time factor of the attack ie now instead that in some years but not that the attach is unfeasible)

<Theresa> "What kind of places?"

<Brian> *to NP* "and to see if you can help her work out how to fix bits."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "As near as I can tell, some of the places we're beta-testing, it takes weeks to get even a decent interface. But in others, it's always perfect by the time the first recalibration is done."

<DanteE> "Do you have a map?"

<Brian> "Well, yeah. Physics went and rewrote the laws of silicon miniaturization, about three and a half months back."

<Random_Nerd> She pulls out a tablet computer, and looks around on it for a moment.

<Random_Nerd> AG: "Here. There, there, and there."

<Brian> "So, that explains that."

<Random_Nerd> She points out three towns, one of them the one you just came from.

<DanteE> "These are where it works better or doesn't work?"

<Theresa> (Hmm. Could it be that Excrucians are 'helping' in those sites?)

<Ftisk> "we have targets, let's nuclear strike them!"

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "Those are where they mysterious work perfectly."

<DanteE> "Ftisk. Collateral damage _bad_."

<Random_Nerd> Mysteriously, rather.

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "So he's, what, Ftisk the Nuke-Happy Dragon?"

<Ftisk> "le sigh!"

<Human_Kite> "No, Ftisk."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "Dammit, I should write a children's book about that. Kids would love that."

<Ftisk> "also was figurative, I have no nuke atm"

<Theresa> "When we saw an Excrucian, he was messing with the recalibrations on someone. Those three places may each have their own Excrucian or a well-travelled one. Heck, the one we were tracking could be at the other ones."

<DanteE> "OK, where _don't_ they work?"

<Random_Nerd> Gadish, speculating: "Would have to change the name, though."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "Everywhere else. And, I mean, they /work/. But they don't, y'know, instantly automatically figure out what you want before you do."

<Ftisk> "I would love to be in a book!"

<Brian> "I could make a nuke."

<Theresa> "We are not nuking the United States. Please."

<Ftisk> "nah, anyone can make a nuke, what's the point?"

<Random_Nerd> The places are close enough together that a single Excrucian could be commuting between them.

<Ftisk> Exp with world breaking hand

<Brian> "I could cause a cascading fission explosion from Hydrogen. I won't, but I could."

<DanteE> "Could be one industrious Excrucian."

<Random_Nerd> (Lesser destruction of traffic problems! Lesser destruction of that guy who didn't use his turn signal! Lesser destruction of my car's need for gasoline!)

• Ftisk pat Brian, "way to go man!"
  
  

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "So, you guys. What are you?"

<Brian> "I was going to say Oxygen, but exploding the subatomic particles in Hydrogen is more impressive. For the very short amount of time you get to experience it."

<Brian> "Oh. I'm Numbers."

<Brian> "She's plants, he's Data, Assembly there, and Blades. Err, Courage, I mean."

<Ftisk> "I'm machinery and data but you can call me Ftisk, this is my ride, my spiderJack!"

<Random_Nerd> Gadish, to Brian: "Do it with iron, and I'll be impressed."

<DanteE> "Guys. When we're at DefCon 1, then you can screw with megadamage. _Not until then_."

<Brian> "To be fair, Physics would be quite mad at me. And she's crazier than I am, right now."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "So you're, what, magic gods of random shit?"

<DanteE> (oops, that was a USism...)

<DanteE> "... close enough."

<Ftisk> "/me nod and wink

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "Okay. Where do I sign up?"

<Ftisk> "uhm.. you have to ask our boss"

<DanteE> "Not that simple."

<Theresa> "We're the physical manifestations of..stuff. Depends. What do you want to do?"

<Brian> "Could be that simple."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "I'm really smart, smoking hot, and I smell rather nice. What more do I need in the way of qualifications?"

<Brian> "Probably not, though."

<Brian> "um. A Domain?"

<Random_Nerd> She's actually only a bit above average-looking. But she /does/ smell rather nice.

<Brian> "and all the good ones are taken."

<Theresa> "Hmm. She could be an Aide."

<Ftisk> "an anchor?"

<Theresa> (She's got _confidence!_)

<DanteE> (or the Power of Ego)

<Human_Kite> "Well, that depends on who's hiring. Some would prefer to hire a tree."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "Racists."

<Theresa> "Hey, Red is a guard!:

• Human_Kite shrugs.
  
  

<Ftisk> "or a magma stream"

<Ftisk> '"perhaps are you a magma stream?2

<Human_Kite> "Maybe she should talk to the Aides. Some of them become Nobles, yes?""

<Brian> "Sometimes."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "I'm 1/32 magma stream. On my mother's side."

<Brian> "The Cleave is also sometimes hiring. How are you with plants?"

<Theresa> "Okay, so we don't give out megapowers. We can anchor someone, that connects them to us in a magical way, and if we kick the bucket, if you know the job well, you might get it. Or we can set you up in contact with a group that does consulting work with lots of people like us."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "Consulting work as in highly paid and trusted, or as in sent out on beer runs?"

<DanteE> "Both."

<Theresa> "yes."

<Theresa> "But this would be beer of the gods."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "The system by which you're organized and trained... it's rather a mess, isn't it?"

<Brian> "Yep."

<Theresa> "Yes. Because the people who do it aren't human."

<DanteE> (She seems to both know and not know about us...)

<Brian> "But hey, immortality is often part of the pay."

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I could do better. Put me in touch with whoever's in charge. God, or whoever. Don't worry, I'll put in a good word for you."

<DanteE> "Hold on. How did you hear about all that?""

<Random_Nerd> G: "Hmm?"

<DanteE> "Most people can't wrap their minds around us at all."

<Theresa> (..yeah, let's give her to Luc.)

<Random_Nerd> G: "I mentioned that I'm really smart, right?"

<Brian> (:D)

<DanteE> "You're not panicking. Why not?"

<Human_Kite> "There's not....really....one entity in charge...."

<Random_Nerd> G: "Should I be?"

<Random_Nerd> G: "Ah, that's why it's such a mess."

<Human_Kite> "Yeah, pretty much."

<Human_Kite> "Also, there's a War."

<Brian> "C'neph apparently buggered off."

<Theresa> "We're part of a giant war with beings from elsewhere that could mean that existence itself will end."

<Human_Kite> "That screws with the order a bit."

<Random_Nerd> G: "Yeah, so maybe you should bother doing it properly?"

<Brian> "Also: Heaven and Hell are things."

• Theresa will call William.
  
  

<Brian> "Also dicks. But things."

<Random_Nerd> G: "The universe... tell it to me straight, we're in trouble, right?"

<Random_Nerd> G: "Figurative dicks?"

<Brian> "Not really."

<Brian> "And yes, figurative. Some literal, but those guys are weird."

<Random_Nerd> William picks up: "Yes, Theresa?"

<Human_Kite> "Earth may or may not be. But right now we're dealing with a minor skirmish."

<Random_Nerd> G: "Okay. What's the problem, and what's your plan?"

<Human_Kite> "I hope it's a minor skirmish anyway."

<DanteE> "OK, here's the short version:

<Theresa> "We have a potential Aide candidate. Where do we send her and I have a bet on how soon she will be rising in the ranks."

<Random_Nerd> William: "Human?"

<Theresa> (Oh, crap, we don't tell her our plan. I don't have Snark armor right now.)

<DanteE> "Whatever you're doing with the glasses and the adjustments in those towns is hurting dragon-boy here.

<Theresa> "Think so."

<DanteE> "We want to stop that, of course.

<Random_Nerd> G: "Recalibrating augmented reality devices hurts dragons."

<Random_Nerd> G: "...please don't tell me the thing about God killing kittens is true."

<DanteE> "I just want to do it with less violence than he does."

<Ftisk> "Violence is fine"

<Theresa> (No, but using the word Love around a god could get you killed...if you're lucky.)

<Random_Nerd> William: "Okay. Normally we recruit out of universities and graduate programs. Does she have at least a bachelor's degree?"

<Human_Kite> "I know of at least two who kill kittens."

<Random_Nerd> G: "No, I mean... never mind. Internet thing."

<DanteE> (Do we know the Power of Cats?)

<Random_Nerd> (No.)

<Random_Nerd> (I... think? The Power of Cats was a major NPC in my /last/ Nobilis game.)

<DanteE> (We've met Hounds.)

<Theresa> "She's a major research developer in a search engine facility that created augmented reality glasses that hurt Ftisk and was savvy enough to be prepared if someone came after her."

<Human_Kite> (Laugh at William. I demand it)

<Ftisk> (and the power of lolcat? exist here?)

<Random_Nerd> William: "Okay. And she's not an Excrucian anchor?"

<Brian> (We've met the Prince of Cats, in another life)

<Human_Kite> (Kite's got enough former lives without adding Hisui to it. D: )

<Theresa> "Uh, didn't check. She hasn't mentioned anything about them. One moment.." *to G: "Have you ever seen people with stars falling in their eyes? They'd be really hot."

<DanteE> "Ftisk, you See anything weird here?"

<Random_Nerd> (For the record, William was recruited during his pre-doctoral studies in medieval literature.)

<Human_Kite> "Like Ftisk but not Ftisk."

<Ftisk> (I asked when we entered if there was anything with the sight)

<Random_Nerd> G: "Stars? Eyes?"

• Human_Kite points to Ftisk's eyes.
  
  

<Random_Nerd> G: "What would it look like? Would it be obvious, or would they just have unusually shiny eyes?"

<Random_Nerd> She looks.

<Random_Nerd> G: "No. Not like that."

<Ftisk> "like mine but 2"

<Ftisk> (uhm..."

• Ftisk add 4 other eyes on my head
  
  

<Random_Nerd> G: "Hmm. I did meet a guy with full-eye contact lenses."

<Ftisk> (did them have falling stars in them?)

<Theresa> "What did his eyes look like?"

<Random_Nerd> G: "Two weeks ago. Just before the rollout of closed beta testing."

<Random_Nerd> G: "I don't know. He was WEARING FULL-EYE CONTACT LENSES."

<Human_Kite> "Is that a normal thing or not a normal thing?"

<Theresa> "..what did the contact lenses look like?"

<DanteE> "Hm... Ftisk, how about a picture of the guy we were chasing earlier?"

<Random_Nerd> G: "Pretty realistic. But the veins didn't quite look right, and the pupil width never changed. Brown eyes."

<Ftisk> "sure"

<Random_Nerd> Just going to put a copy on her tablet, Ftisk?

<Theresa> *to William* "Don't think so, but she may have met one. She's got confidence and snark like Mt. Everest."

• Ftisk lCreate a picture of the excru on her pc
  
  

<Random_Nerd> William: "Oh. That may not be good. Like... how many tenths of a Samuel?"

<Random_Nerd> She looks at it. "Yes. Him."

<Theresa> "Hmm..ah, I know. Hey Brian, as Numbers and Sam's boss, you should know: how many Samuel's is this lady in confidence and snark?"

<DanteE> "There's the link. Who was he with?"

<Brian> "I should know. Let me see." (*pinging LDiv!*)

<Random_Nerd> Gadish: "He was just... I don't know, some executive vice president in charge of bullshit and things I don't care about."

<Random_Nerd> How many significant digits you want, Brian?

<Brian> (scientific notation :p)

<Brian> (4 will be plenty :))

<Random_Nerd> Well, then let's say 1.579 * 10^0.

<Brian> "Over one and a half Samuels."

<Brian> "Impressive."

<Human_Kite> To G: "Did he give you a business card?"

<Brian> *anchorspeak to Sam* "Hey Sam, I know you won't believe it, but we've just met a woman who's over one and a half times as snarky as you are."

<Theresa> *to William* "Uh-oh. Brian says she's at about 1.5 full Samuels."

<Random_Nerd> William: "And she's human? That's not good. I don't think Sam would have made it through recruitment at the Earth Branch."

<Theresa> "Because snark gets you killed?"

<Random_Nerd> Sam: "A... dionyl woman?"

<Brian> "Human. Sorry to disappoint."

<Random_Nerd> William: "Or turned into something nasty. Or you get in an argument with your Noble and neither of you notices the Warmain with the big axe."

<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Tease."

<DanteE> (Business card?)

<Theresa> "Hmm. Good point. Where would you recommend that we send her? As she wishes to join the cause...but is more than likely going to take our place over our corpses."

<Random_Nerd> William: "...hmm. Call Luc?"

<Brian> (Always my favorite response. Hey, Luc, remember us? Too crazy to be anchored by? We've got a new recruit for you!)

<Theresa> "Could you transfer me, please?"

<Random_Nerd> Sam: "By the way, boss, it's not a /big/ deal if a human breaks his leg, right? Those heal?"

<Random_Nerd> William: "Just a moment..."

<Brian> "Eventually, if set right. If set wrong, they heal in a very interesting manner. I recommend setting it correctly if you like them."

<Human_Kite> (I was about to say that I'm glad things seem to have calmed down with our Anchors....but then Sam had to go and ask that.)

<Theresa> (As long as Sam knows what a leg is...)

<Random_Nerd> Sam: "And if a human doctor has already set it, it's pretty much okay and not something for someone to be really upset about or anything?"

<Brian> "Depends on the story of how it got broke."

<Theresa> (This is why we can't have nice people...)

<Brian> "If it's a good story, there's nothing to be upset about."

<Random_Nerd> Sam: "Uh... okay. Then it's fine. Thanks!"

<Brian> "... ok, then."

<Brian> *worried look to the rest of the group*

<Ftisk> "What happen Brian?"

<Random_Nerd> Theresa, a groggy Luc picks up the phone. "Luc Ginneis, butler to the gods and best anchor ever. Is Lord Entropy on fire?"

<Brian> (Laugh Point to the GM)

<Brian> "Nothing that I care to know about."

<DanteE> (and if not, WHY NOT?)

<Theresa> "Not that we have done so, Luc. This is Theresa, Plant's Regal, and we have a person here with a snark of at least 1.5 Samuels who wants in on the cause."

<Random_Nerd> Luc: "One moment, please."

<Random_Nerd> Theresa, your high-Aspect hearing catches the sound of him putting the phone down, opening a window, sticking his head out that window, and yelling "AAAAAAARGH!" very loudly. Then he returns, and sounds more awake.

<DanteE> (and Luc mutes the phone to laugh and/or scream...)

<Random_Nerd> Luc: "Talented?"

<Ftisk> (lol to RN!)

<DanteE> (called it_)

<Theresa> "She notices things and she is the head researcher on a search engine aug realty device that attacked Data."

<Brian> (Our game is weird, btw.)

<Random_Nerd> Luc: "Hmm. Notices things?"

• Theresa will Move a bag of Amyra's best coffee beans to Luc's nearest table?
  
  

<Random_Nerd> You don't know where he is.

<Theresa> "I can send you some coffee beans from Amyra, if you don't mind."

<Brian> (does she know where his night table is?)

<Random_Nerd> Oh, and Alice looks /really/ bored and annoyed by now.

<Random_Nerd> (Nor that.)

<Human_Kite> "So no business cards?"

<DanteE> "What was the name he gave?"

<Theresa> "She noticed that one of her visitors wore all eye contact lenses and was savvy enough to be ready when a server check by weird things pinged."

<Random_Nerd> Alice: "Don't remember. Didn't think it was a big deal at the time, so I wasn't paying attention to that. Just those weird contacts."

<Brian> *whispers* "Don't forget the realization that physics itself had changed."

<Theresa> "And she noticed that Physics changed a few things about transistors and silicon stuff."

<Random_Nerd> Luc: "Ah. I was /afraid/ you'd say something that would actually merit my attention. Have your Aide send me what you have on her, and I'll look it over."

<Random_Nerd> Luc: "Not that I actually run the Aides or anything. But I can put a word in if she's good."

<Ftisk> "T. say to luc that I don't forget and that a year pass quickly, please"

<Human_Kite> "Did you tell him about her organization?

<DanteE> "And if you could let us have your card, we can pass that on to him (points to phone) and talk about _maybe_ getting you onto our side."

<Human_Kite> *organization plans/skills

<Random_Nerd> Luc: "Now, if at least one of the Council of Four is not on fire, I need to go back to sleep. I am sorry, Domina, but my new mistress keeps me very busy."

<Theresa> "Okay. I'll let her know that you think that she's not that hot of stuff. She also claims to be hot and smells nice. Good sleep to you, Luc."

<Random_Nerd> Luc: "Thank you, Domina. Good night."

<Ftisk> "tell him T."

• Theresa will hang up. "Ftisk, don't set any of the Council on fire."
  
  

<Ftisk> "Why?"

<Theresa> (I seem to have misinterpreted.)

<Brian> "Luc will never love you if you do."

<Human_Kite> "You'll lose everything you love."

<Human_Kite> "Both of those things. At once."

<Theresa> (Take out the 'hot of stuff' bit. I thought he was being sarcastic about being afraid. I thought that he was being snarky.)

<Ftisk> (I asked Theresa to remind Luc of our agreement that if I'm alive after a year I meet Luc, he will agree to become my anchor (once he is free))

<Random_Nerd> (Usually he's not that blunt, but he's running on very little sleep, and does not currently have a Preservation of Wakefulness on, since he finds they make him get a bit weird after more than a week.)

<Theresa> "Because Luc needs his sleep. His current boss is keeping him busy and you don't want to get Luc hurt by him being low on sleep at a crucial moment."

<Theresa> "Alice, good news!"

<Random_Nerd> Alice: "So... what do we do now?"

<Ftisk> "bah, ok ok"

<Theresa> "I need all data that you would present for an interview with a man who could hire you to work for your President while having the personal power to order every person in your state to do the lambada on pain of death."

<Random_Nerd> Alice fiddles with her tablet for a moment. "What format do you need it in?"

<DanteE> "That, and everything you know about your mystery backer."

<Ftisk> (can we stop soon? like when finished with her?)

<Random_Nerd> She reaches into her desk: "That, I keep in hard copy. Longhand. Don't want people seeing it and thinking I'm crazy. I checked. I'm not."

<Random_Nerd> (Yeah, I figure at the end of this scene.)

<Theresa> "Scannable .pdf right now is fine for your data. Please send it to *writes down William's public email address*. Please add to it 'per Theresa's request.'"

• DanteE grabs one of her business cards and her notes
  
  

<Random_Nerd> She taps on her screen for a bit. "Sent."

• DanteE skims the notes...
  
  

<Random_Nerd> She then opens the notebook, where she has notes on changes in physics, improbable removals of delays, and the weird recalibration thing going on in the three towns.

<Random_Nerd> Looking for anything particular, Dante?

<DanteE> on first glance, interactions with the Ex.

<Random_Nerd> There's very little about that.

<Random_Nerd> She hadn't linked the guy with the contacts with the one making the changes.

<Random_Nerd> She also made the false assumption that the same force was behind the physics stuff and the calibration stuff.

<Random_Nerd> So, should we stop here?

<Ftisk> (is ok)

<Theresa> "Thank you, and you will be hearing from them, hopefully shortly."

<Human_Kite> (Sounds good)

<Theresa> (Sounds good.)

<Brian> (please :))

<DanteE> Any specific guidance she got re: building the glasses?

<Random_Nerd> Alice: "Don't blow up the world by mistake until I'm able to help you fix it."

<DanteE> (And I'm OK with stopping after the answer. :)

<Random_Nerd> On the glasses, it's mostly that the way it's working in the three towns is exactly how she'd hypothesized a fourth-generation version of this technology might work, a decade and a half from now.

<Human_Kite> "We look forward to having someone help keep it from blowing up."

<Brian> (have we had a session where we don't recruit an NPC?)

<DanteE> (A few...)

<Ftisk> (single session of course yes, single adventures, maybe yes)

<Human_Kite> (Maybe. Then again, we recruited an acorn.)

<Random_Nerd> ______________STOP_______________

<Random_Nerd> So... thoughts?

<Ftisk> guys, I'm deep fried!

=-= Human_Kite is now known as Verithe

=-= YOU are now known as Angelo

<Random_Nerd> That one didn't really go the way I planned.

=-= DanteE is now known as Knockwood

<Angelo> how did you planned it?

=-= Theresa is now known as BethE

<BethE> A Scottish acorn.

<Verithe> Dr. Alice is fun.

<Random_Nerd> Like, at the beginning of the night, I wasn't even sure Alice would /appear/, and I hadn't bothered to come up with a personality for her yet.

<Knockwood> should I be suspicious about how well she's handling things?

<Random_Nerd> Dunno. It is weird.

<Random_Nerd> But on the other hand, she was already pretty sure supernatural stuff was up when you walked into her office.

<Verithe> Kite likes Dr. Alice. She gave him gifts.

<Random_Nerd> So she was more prepared than most civilians.

<Brian> gnight. (I'm already on 3.5h of overtime this week, looking at more tomorrow. And then more next week!)

<Angelo> I don't like her

<Angelo> night Beth

<Verithe> G'night, Brian!

<Angelo> !

<Angelo> ops Brian

<Knockwood> g'night Beth

<Knockwood> oh, Brian. Sheesh

<Random_Nerd> I'm going to bed too.

<Random_Nerd> G'night, all.

<Random_Nerd> Good session.

<Verithe> G'night!

<Brian> Failed to nick change it seems

|<-- Brian has left irc.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: Brian)

<BethE> Does Kite need another anchor? On the other hand, I don't think she'd be okay with being just an anchor for long.

<Angelo> she is aiming to be next C'Neph

<Verithe> Kite doesn't need another Anchor. He could easily take one, but I'd rather work on boosting his Treasure first.

<Knockwood> Dante may consider getting an anchor...

<Verithe> He'll probably like her less once he finds out that the gifts were a one-time thing.

<Angelo> I already have too much

<Knockwood> Though I might get that Jedi Mind Trick thing. Speaking of which, Destiny?

<Angelo> ah, Destiny!

<Angelo> I keep thinking that this attack will bootstrap my new estate Cybernetics but...

-->| RN (Random_Ner@MagicStar-AC01BDE6.hsd1.il.comcast.net) has joined #Nobilis

<Angelo> wb RN!

<RN> Ah. Irony.

<Angelo> ah, Destiny!

<Angelo> I keep thinking that this attack will bootstrap my new estate Cybernetics but...

<Knockwood> oops

<BethE> I am going to bed. Night, guys!

<BethE> *HUGS*

<Knockwood> g'night Beth

<Verithe> g'night, Beth!

<RN> Anyway, I am going to bed. Goodnight, all.

|<-- BethE has left irc.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: All shall love me and despair?)

<Angelo> night B.!

<Verithe> G'night, RN!

<Knockwood> g'night RN

<Angelo> night RN!

|<-- RN has left irc.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: )

<Verithe> I'm out too. Take care!

<Angelo> night V!

<Knockwood> g'night V

|<-- Verithe has left irc.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: ChatZilla 0.9.90 [Firefox 22.0/20130618035212])

<Knockwood> cya Angelo

|<-- Random_Nerd has left irc.magicstar.net (Ping timeout)

<Angelo> night KnockWood

|<-- Knockwood has left irc.magicstar.net (Disintegrated: Knockwood)

<--| YOU (Angelo) have left #Nobilis



Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 35