[LP CYOA] Epic

[Stygian Lurker]

A

 

[treave]

The vote is now tied at 8 - 8 .

Baltika9, you counted Kipeci twice. Voting won't be closed for another 12 hours.

 

[aleam iacis]

Remember how at the beginning when there was a tied vote and Ean had a sense that he could move against the voices and make his own decision? It was cool how that totally didn't foreshadow anything.


Anyway, I'm just along for the ride, though I did really enjoy having an actually good, sympathetic, and smart/badass hero like Ean. I don't need some dark emo, use everyone fool or a lawful stupid guy, both are short sighted for long range sanity and rulership in an immortal. All I want is just a hero with good publicity (with the right people) and good tactical and strategic cunning. Preferably with a bit of a nice guy streak.

 

[Baltika9]

So I did, corrected now.

I don't get the appeal of A: so we bring down a smuggling ring and possibly return a stolen CF or two, and get some augments that we don't really need anymore, since we agreed on keeping our organic parts and since our tentacles can now form our missing arm for us (who knows, maybe studying the tome will allow us to regenerate it completely, wouldn't that be a kicker?). So what, big deal, we don't need more resource right now (we have enough on our plate to analyze), gents, but contacts in military and government.
Which leads me to B: it's obviously the "social" option, what with us being a bodyguard of some famous socialite and actress that we can use as a gateway to the movers and shakers of the world if we can keep her alive long enough and gain her favour (by saving her life, perhaps?). Yes, his Cyber Jack might be connected to the Masters, or he might not, but that doesn't change the fact that he is a dangerous man, we leave the motherfucker alone for a couple of hours and stages a mass suicide of ten-thousand people. Supernatural or no, this is one dangerous man and I really want to know why he is targeting an actress in the new propaganda film (trying to ride on Senya Hoshikawa's infamy, perhaps?)
As for Naim, we can use the man to our advantage if we really wish to (I do), the "un-bro" runs both ways. He will definitely either know that Kyrie is alive, and hence at least have a clue as to her whereabouts, or he will be royally pissed at the President for lying to him. Sure, he was scorned, but he still loved Kyrie and we can use that. The man definitely has friends in high places among the military branches, he seems the "political, socially savvy officer" type. If we can convince/twist him, that will be a tremendous help.

And I've yet to see where the assumption that these smugglers can know where to find Kyrie comes from. Really, the President probably hid her good and well and only lets her best scientists and medics near her. If we wanted to play "Criminal Mastermind," that was an entirely separate story choice. We're a spook now, not a mafioso, the best outcome I see is getting a few of them to work for us and smuggle us a "little sumpin' sumpin' " on the side.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

The appeal of A, Baltika, is that it:
1. Sounds like it will further our stated goal of gathering contacts and information steathly, so that we can eventually escape our task masters and all the other people who want us dead - and maybe find a certain princess in dire need of our tentacle...of love... (What?)

2. A doesn't sound like it will waste our time, get us exposed, involve wacky weeaboo hijinks with Theseus Jr. (Seriously, he let us go. Once. Probably out of guilt and wanting us out of the picture - still a major non-bro, dude. I can smell it. Stinks of Theseus.).

We just massacred a room full of people in a way that would make Dio blush (yes, yes, theories of how Dio is trying to re-enter the universe through Senya etc, moving on), all so that we could further our plans. Now you want to throw away that blood-bought momentum to hang around a bunch of celebrities and possibly get us exposed?

For what? What's the benefit? A powerful ally like weeaboo Briney Spears? Yeah, much better contact than a powerful smuggling organization. Turning Naim to our side? Cuz he's been soooo helpful by taking all the credit and doing whatever the Empress tells him to so far. How do you know he isn't the one who shot Kyrie on the Empress' orders? We know very little about his character - other than that he was jealous of our friendship with Kyrie. The only bro thing he's ever done is not kill us one time. Apart from that he's hated our guts ever since he heard the rumors about us and Kyrie and nothing's changed that no matter how many times we saved his ass.

We need to be smart this time. We've had our weeaboo fun racing around in our mech. Time to get some contacts, some perspective, and hopefully clean up some of the mess we've made.

 

[Baltika9]

1. Sounds like it will further our stated goal of gathering contacts and information steathly, so that we can eventually escape our task masters and all the other people who want us dead - and maybe find a certain princess in dire need of our tentacle...of love... (What?)
2. A doesn't sound like it will waste our time, get us exposed, involve wacky weeaboo hijinks with Theseus Jr. (Seriously, he let us go. Once. Probably out of guilt and wanting us out of the picture - still a major non-bro, dude. I can smell it. Stinks of Theseus.).

I seriously doubt we will get exposed, unless we go full retard and do something obviously and deliberately stupid, like declaring our identity on live TV. No, Senya is much smarter than that, as demosntrated by everything he's done so far. We're always given stealthy and smart options, and this will be no exception.

For what? What's the benefit? A powerful ally like weeaboo Briney Spears? Yeah, much better contact than a powerful smuggling organization.

We need to be smart this time. We've had our weeaboo fun racing around in our mech. Time to get some contacts, some perspective, and hopefully clean up some of the mess we've made.

Youa re seriosuly overestimating the potential of the smugglers and underestimating our dear little socialite: for starters, we are being sent in with the task of scouting these people out and taking them down and the Agency will expect results, there will be absolutely no skirting around that. We aren't getting into their trust and becoming "one of them" without sacrificing our position in the Agency and access to Azo's resources, which have much more potential than some tech smugglers (whose tech we don't even need, if I may repeat myself, because we can get the high-tech stuff from the guvment; being a spook has it's priviledges); if you wanted to rub shoulders with Don Vito, that was a different route.

The celebrity can be our access to the higher echelons of society and Cyber Jack is a rather interesting, and by that I mean dangerous, man/neckbeard. Sure, it's the more difficult of the two options, but if we paly it right, it will benefit us much more.

 

[Tigranes]

Except when you march into a situation that is most likely to expose you, then putting all your smart and stealth energies into not being exposed takes work, i.e. a needless waste of resources, given the benefits of B over A aren't so clear to me. I mean, sure, Cyber jack sounds worth looking into, but nothing concretely more relevant than A?

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Baltika9
I'm sorry, a schoolgirl/cultist recognized us on sight having never met us before, yet you think hanging around Naim, and a crap ton of video cameras, shooting a movie that's going to be seen by half the planet won't get us recognized?

There are some possible benefits to B. This 'idol' might turn out to be an unbelievable awesome ally who will introduce us to all the rich people she knows so we can use them. But the more possible consequences make it a bad choice, imho, and inconsistent with the path we just took.

 

[Baltika9]

Baltika9
I'm sorry, a schoolgirl/cultist recognized us on sight having never met us before, yet you think hanging around Naim, and a crap ton of video cameras, shooting a movie that's going to be seen by half the planet won't get us recognized?

Yeah, we walked through a whole city full with people, interacted with government agents, shopkeepers and civillians and no one seemed to notice. The little girl recognizing us is extremely suspicious, though, and by that I mean she might not exactly be ordinary herself. She was among Rei's handmaidens, after all. Probably heard everything about how wonderful and dreamy Senya is.

Except when you march into a situation that is most likely to expose you, then putting all your smart and stealth energies into not being exposed takes work, i.e. a needless waste of resources, given the benefits of B over A aren't so clear to me. I mean, sure, Cyber jack sounds worth looking into, but nothing concretely more relevant than A?

To be fair, A seems like an acquisition of resources, as in aguments and CFs (which can be issued by the government if we really need any, not like they'll let a junior agent keep a personal armory "Oh, sure, have some military hardware, no big deal!"). B would be an acquisition of political contacts and friendships, something we'll need when either Senya or Kyrie (both?) begin their ascent to Presidentship/"emperorship-in-name-only."

 

[treave]

That's pretty much correct, it's a mixture of hero-worship and keen interest on her part that caused her to pick you out quickly. You're hated, yes, but no commoner really bothers to remember your face after the first few weeks, and amongst those in the know (i.e. the government) signing up with Azo means that he spread the word that you had been killed in action, though their excuse for not announcing it to the world is that they still want to use you as a bogeyman. Also, in part no one will actually believe it's really you. There's a certain 'that's impossible, he can't be that guy, he's too notorious to be hanging around in a shopping mall' factor working for you even if they do notice. It's still a pretty tight-rope to be walking, though, if you're going to be hanging around the most popular songstress in the Federation. Sunglasses, spectacles, hats and various other disguises do help.

At any rate, most of the cultists will recognize you more easily because of the religious significance you have taken on in the latest iteration of their teachings Keiko is a blabbermouth.

 

[aleam iacis]

You're wearing sunglasses on a night operation?
JC Denton/Hoshikawa Senya: My vision is augmented.

 

[Baltika9]

At any rate, most of the cultists will recognize you more easily because of the religious significance you have taken on in the latest iteration of their teachings.

I wonder how they will react to Senya and Rei meeting and working together. Jesus and Lucifer, cooperating, this will be hilarious.

Also, in part no one will actually believe it's really you. There's a certain 'that's impossible, he can't be that guy, he's too notorious to be hanging around in a shopping mall' factor working for you even if they do notice. It's still a pretty tight-rope to be walking, though. Sunglasses, spectacles, hats and various other disguises do help.

"Die Another Day," huh?

 

[treave]

I seriously doubt we will get exposed, unless we go full retard and do something obviously and deliberately stupid, like declaring our identity confessing our love to Kyrie on live TV a worldwide live telecast.

 

[Baltika9]

Oh, so she's there? Tat would be too easy.

Spoiler

You bet your ass I'd vote for that. I'd also turn the "Flight of the Kaguya Hime" into a romantic comedy, "to better reflect reality." Such decisions are, sadly, not up to me. Ah well, let's hope "Dude, here's my planet!?" will make the screens some day.

True Love will be victorious!
Anyways, B will have us build political contacts, cosplay James Bond, have something to do with Kyrie, uncover North korean consipracies and fuck around with Naim.hat's pretty much all we need, no?

What does A have, CFs that we can get from the government (more up-to-date, too), augments that we can get from the government and don't need at all and criminal contacts that we, again, won't need at all if we play our cards right in B.

 

[Bloodshifter]

And I am back Jet-Lagged and Drunk off my rocker but hey what ever *Oh and Sunburned meh*
I sorta kept in touch with the Updates I was paying by the Minute over there so I didn't really have time to Check and Tally.

A-Criminal Underground
or
B-Actress Bodyguard

I have read the double talk for both and I want
A Our skill set leads itself to doing Criminal things easier. Also with the Emerging Senya Alter Sphere Ego coming in I expect this to go off without a hitch!

 

[Kipeci]

Against my better judgement, I've flopped to B.

 

[treave]

No, she's not there.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

I seriously doubt we will get exposed, unless we go full retard and do something obviously and deliberately stupid, like declaring our identity confessing our love to Kyrie on live TV a worldwide live telecast.

Assuming he's somewhat serious... Please, guys. Don't let treave goad you into b with this.

Much like with "mega-glory" he didn't really mention how this would actually play out consequence-wise...

I'm watching you treave... >_>

 

[Baltika9]

Of course not, that would be too easy. And we do have a achoice in the matter wether or not to do it. Unles we really want and since it isn't the real Kyrie, why would we?
I can't believe techno smugglers are winning over James Bond, but I guess we can always transport these CFs and augments to Rei all the way across the world, somehow. Once we figure out how to sneak them under the Agency's nose. Or something. James Bond is still better.

 

[Baltika9]

Aw, why did you go and delete that little post, treave? "It would be so romantic if you were told she was watching the direct broadcast and would let her know that you're alright."
Well, if she's watching, someone knows where she is and Yua can probably get some more clues. That's all the hope I need.

 

[treave]

 

[Baltika9]

Ahh, small victories: they don't accomplish anything at all, but they sure do make me feel good.

...so, Zeus' avatar: did it reflect his full strength, or no?

 

[treave]

You'd have to define strength. In truth, a full manifestation is dangerous not because it is inherently quicker or stronger or smarter, but because it has the power to freely modify reality within the bounds of certain parameters. The most common of these would be space and time - their ability does not have infinite range or duration, and there might be other limits that are imposed on the type of modification they perform, usually increasing based on the difficulty. This means they should be able to make themselves easily stronger than any immortal, but something drastic like permanently changing the physical constants of this universe or violating the law of mass conservation on a large scale would be impossible for them. They are god-like, but not actual, no-limits gods.

 

[aleam iacis]

I vote B. I don't know whether it will let us gain romance points or bromance points, but we should at least try and keep Senya on the light side of things, I think. And that would be bodyguarding some girl idol rather than infiltrating an organized crime organization.

 

[Baltika9]

Aw, hell, how many of them are there?
"Space-Time?" Does that mean time-travel is possible?