{"id":1599,"date":"2022-12-25T11:42:16","date_gmt":"2022-12-25T18:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/?p=1599"},"modified":"2022-12-25T11:42:16","modified_gmt":"2022-12-25T18:42:16","slug":"whoo-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/?p=1599","title":{"rendered":"Whoo holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1GImqJ11_WHotv0BrmNigm79zftspT4Si\/view?usp=share_link\">Stories of Lore 42<\/a><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Aurora-Token-1.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1552\" src=\"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Aurora-Token-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" \/><\/a>For some reason the Merkas are confused as to who you are and believe the last time they saw anyone by your name it was a human woman. I&#8217;m not sure how they can tell the difference anyways actually.<\/p>\n<p>It turns out the issue is that their resistance is largely controlled and revolves around Asmodan. So they just want you to go meet with him to figure out what&#8217;s going on. They&#8217;re not totally aware of what any of the conspiracy talk we come up with is about and they don&#8217;t like us that much. Without Nihlav or Daesta not many of them were there for learning about the phantoms and as far as they&#8217;re concerned Renjala may have kind of gotten those two killed. In short, diplomatic relations are iffy with the merkas unless we can somehow make them like us more than Asmodan. However, they did tell us where he is. He&#8217;s near one of the merkas cities hidden in a mountain.<\/p>\n<p>Also as your advisor, do not take their offer to meet with Asmodan. I approximate it to be quite dangerous. Something something demon lord, something something politics.<\/p>\n<p>Also the VSS Winter&#8217;s scanners report several incoming ships from several directions outside of the system. Likely Asmodan&#8217;s pirates, who rely mostly on smaller ships. Though there is a larger signature approaching from the direction of Auwana. A very large signature. I have deduced from previous records that warning you of an approaching Phantom titan is a trope by now. So I&#8217;ll give you three guesses instead. We are really only detecting general energy signatures at this range and speed, a clearer scan will come through once it is too late. I mention this due to the misunderstanding the scanners produced during the Nelta invasion where we mistook Guardian for being a fleet. Because we are detecting a second titan coming from another direction of no particular landmark.<\/p>\n<p>I got a text from Captain Andel whose gravity is under examination. It just says &#8220;Asmodan&#8217;s fleet is made for ambushing.\u00a0 So if you detect fifty signatures, there&#8217;s five hundred lmao.&#8221; I do not know how serious or exact he is being. Though we do detect over two hundred signatures, I think he might be unaware of our upgraded scanning equipment. That or Asmodan has the same level of proportionate response that Arkaric is known for. Though I do not believe this is terribly significant, even if every pirate in Sol appeared they do not use ships intended to attack battleships let alone super battleships. The Nomads are still the only crew to do this successfully more than once in their careers. At worst, they will contest our smaller ships and carrier deployments. In a prolonged battle, Koda&#8217;s super battleships will eventually overpower them regardless of number. Unless its something crazy like every pirate in the galactic neighborhood and we are swarmed by hundreds of thousands.<\/p>\n<p>Khymin reports that the second iteration of the design is coming along, he&#8217;s trying to fix some mobility issues it has with the joints. While the previous design could fly quickly, it has become evident that close quarter situations which could be expected with the sword leave some room to be desired.<\/p>\n<p>Laenadra asked if she gets a custom design too with her promotion. She seemed to be, taking her shot as I have heard the expression used.<\/p>\n<p>The explorers you sent out to Jydoq made it there, they&#8217;re currently poking around. Satsujin&#8217;s work she left behind is still yielding results, with her former team still trying to relieve efforts. Ever since the collapse of their government and then a pamphlet about their new leader in Merlan they&#8217;ve been having a rough time. The jydoq are naturally inclined towards following leadership, it might be part of why they are all psionically talented. There are several stories of roaming bandits getting into fights with vigilantes.<\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Recurring things: \\n- Op Grassy Gnoll\\n- Op Gigastructures\\n- Project Gundam: Sorry Khymin\\n\\n- Send the 4.25B in Building Materials over to Eden to build the new City District there.\\n- Start Funding the Heroes Guild $200M a month. It's Kaylen's to do what she wants with it.\\n\\nVSEC:\\n- Move 6,606 soldiers out of Zenaka's Garrison to bring the 1st and 2nd Brigades up to full manning (5,000 soldiers each).\\n- If needed, send the Super Assault Carrier (VSS Sabu Kuu) to Enohas to carry the needed 3,514 Soldiers and reinforcing vehicles.\\n- Do a buy of 900 Tanks and split them between the Moncayo Guard and the Zenaka Defense Forces so that both forces end up with 500 Tanks total.\\n- Do a further buy of 200 APCs, 20 WTC1s, 20 C3, 10 C4, 200 Fighter\/Bombers, and 10 Gunships for the Moncayo Guard.\\n- Total cost should be $1,822,000,000, and the two forces should be identical (except for soldier numbers) afterward.\\n- Buy 404 C1 Mechs, divide them between 1st and 2nd Brigade to bring both to a full 500 C1 Mechs each. ($909,000,000)\\n- Order 20 Destroyers, 10 Battlecruisers, 1 Supercarrier, and 1 Super Assault Carrier.\\n\\nMADHAMMER:\\n- So...I know I said to get rid of MADHAMMER last week, but hear me out...\\n- Outfit a new unit of Mechs with Laenadra as its leader.\\n- Promote Laenadra to O-5 (Lt. Colonel) to take command. I know you don't really track that, but hey, she's getting promoted so...worth a mention?\\n- Buy 1,000 C1 Mechs and 500 WTC1 Mechs for the new MADHAMMER unit.\\n\\nOperation Counter Strike:\\n- I'll personally try to meet with the Merkas resistance to help them organize against Valadeus and Asmodan, as well as see if they'll be willing to give us intel on where the two are. I'm figuring that the last time they saw me I was pretty diplomatic with them and was trying to work with them, and now I'm back trying to save them. If anyone has a chance of getting some of their help, it's probably me.\\n- I want Vanjin and Dunchek to come along with the 2nd Brigade (below) and track down Asmodan and Valadeus (Valadeus primarily). I'd have Sam do it in his actions, but he hasn't said much this week.\\n- Dispatch the 2nd Brigade to Enohas on the VSS Saba Kuu as well. (Maximum Warp)\\n- Once both Brigades have arrived set the 1st Brigade to the following tasks:\\n-- CSAR for Rennyn\\n-- Rescuing Merkas prisoners and getting them safely to Jamalia\\n-- Capturing Asmodan.\\n-- Keeping Jamalia secure while the Knights rebuild.\\n-- If needed, have about half the 1st Brigade support the 2nd Brigade in the below task.\\n- Set the 2nd Brigade, which is fresh and hasn't seen battle yet, to eliminating Valadeus' forces and capturing Valadeus, Ki'Ralcht, and any other Demons if possible. If not possible, so be it.\\n- Use the VSS Winter for supporting attacks on Valadeus' troops and Asmodan's Strike Teams, but keep collateral damage to an absolute minimum.\\n- Use the Battlecruisers and Destroyers to grab whatever ships Valadeus was using to shuttle Merkas away and recover the Merkas we can.\\n- Dispatch the VSS Koukou-A to start tracking down the destinations of the enslaved Merkas that Valadeus' system used.\\n\\nExploration: \\n- VSS Pegasus heading through Silnian Space\\n- VSS Raven heading to Zero North\\n- VSS Deimos heading toward the Mystery Empire\\n- VSS Raptor heading to Jydoc\\n- VSS Phalanx heading to investigate where the stolen shipment went.\\n- VSS Sparrow heading to Western Reach.\\n\\nOther Things:\\n- Extend an offer to Exme Faythe to come work for MPR as the Executive Producer.&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:1059715,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;4&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:2101837},&quot;10&quot;:0,&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;14&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:16711935},&quot;16&quot;:9,&quot;23&quot;:1}\">In trying to determine where Valadeus was taking the enslaved merkas, as well as the arcurans, we have reason to believe they were being sent to the demon kingdom. They left in the direction of Sol but no one on Thenica reports seeing mass shipments of aliens.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Wolum-Token.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1554\" src=\"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Wolum-Token.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" \/><\/a>Steampowered mechs might be reaching a bit for what they can do. A door without ethi tech is fine, a functional mech might be another thing entirely. I&#8217;ve told them to look into it but they just stared at me for an uncomfortable while.<\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ve invested into construction of defenses around Enohas&#8217; moon. Well we mounted a lot of them to the existing refinery we left there, it still floats around orbit so that works. Though we can only build so fast.<\/p>\n<p>Actually it turns out Zenakans are weirdly enthusiastic about pandem. Aside from the completely understandable interest in planar travel, learning the universe expands along a whole other axis they didn&#8217;t know about that they can go exploring, something about their culture seems predisposed to shaking hands with strange entities for power. Though they are also notably interested to learn that incarnum is a thing, might just be the alien &#8216;wow&#8217; factor we have going on.<\/p>\n<p>Also Garden City has seen its first major construction efforts going well. We&#8217;ve been building some big residential towers on the platform. So far it is holding stable, Robert actually just hid more rifts in the buildings so they would weigh down on the platform less as well. So&#8230;it&#8217;s just a city full of rifts.<\/p>\n<p>The local astronomers have been noting that since Eden is actually on the other half of the galaxy from Sol that there have been some interesting things to find. With what we now know about galactic culture we&#8217;ve learned for what markers to look for when searching for extraterrestrial intelligence. Somehow Eden is in a very quiet patch between two very chaotic regions of space apparently. Though also having an observatory so far from our own system has allowed much better galactic charting. Since we&#8217;ve always relied on an orbiting planet to give us the same view from two positions and create a binocular measurement of distance, having a much further away location pretty much lets us pinpoint where everything in the galaxy is much easier. Honestly I don&#8217;t get all of it, but the space nerds are having nerdgasms all over Garden City.<\/p>\n<p>Sarnai also said to tell you that Ankathi has an assignment for the Fate Chapter once we&#8217;re done on Enohas, specifically for Selah. We&#8217;ve been asked to provide her with a ship for her to use in such scenarios. Sarnai then stumbled through pointing out that Ankathi demands it to be fancy. Because Ankathi is an empress with expensive tastes.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Larazja-Token2.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1555\" src=\"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Larazja-Token2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" \/><\/a>As an advisor I read a lot of history whenever you have a random question about how anything works. Vasia makes me.<\/p>\n<p>Rhazin&#8217;s powers allow him to fly short distances but he has freakish aerial agility in these bursts. He can also fire telekinetic shockwaves rivaling a 105mm tank shell. Cassir&#8217;s were bigger but she had the cult boosting her. Also spawn psiblades. He can also just enhance his speed as well as that of his drones. After some work we learned<\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Larazja\/Synapse:\\n--I mean, originally we thought it would be easiest to do the experiment to the drones, but that didn't pan out. Kinda researching multiple options. \\n-...Where did you learn so much about the wilds? Are you secretly a druid?\\n\\nRhazin:\\n-What kind of psionic powers does he have?\\n\\nCraylin:\\n-...I better check out what she is doing when stalking people. Stealthily. \\n-We should get her some clay and paint. Kinda curious where this goes. \\n-I am kinda curious if she presents them to Larazja. Do we need to get a fridge to hang things up on?\\n-Still want to study the difference between her harvestors and regular drones that can't hold essentia. \\n\\nVasia:\\n-I appreciate the offer to make them suicidal, but finding that is currently the easy part. Though I don't doubt your proficiency. \\n-If I can get the process working, I would like to accompany you on your journey. It gives you a cell phone.\\n--...As possibly someone who can make others more amicable, as the process is refined. \\n-Start preparing the logistical needs of a big ass trip for Vasia. Including a research drop colony in case she finds something neat on the way, and a regular drop colony in case she needs to stay a while. \\n\\nSetal:\\n-Did we ever get some other demons we could set up as puppets in the future? Or some other Demon Lords we may be able to get on our side? We will need to be able to stack the deck, given we are enemies of the Phantoms and Vloz. \\n\\nColonies\/Corporate Public:\\n-Aethernet Servers are going up in Roha, so those shows we have been working on can now go live to Moncayo and Roha. Corporate Public is now live. \\n-Advertise the ability of various theatre groups to make their own shows to fill in the space. \\n-Was I ever able to get media samples from the public? Things people had downloaded onto their APTs, whatever the Ethitech equivalent of a box set is? Can we reconstruct any shows?\\n-Were the public theatres ever built so people can watch shows every so often with their families? These basically just need warehouses with bleachers. \\n-Animators! Where is my Fenaltaro? \\n-Make sure there are signs around the ichor that warn people not to approach the drones and to report it to your local VSEC officer. \\n-Hey, based on how old Daestra told us she was, the male merkas should be hitting puberty. So, there you go. A win. The ladies can get laid. \\n-What would be involved in warding the Arcane Moon above Enohas?\\n\\nProject P\/Lucidity: \\n-I do want to keep up the long term experiments, as it will be core to efficacy in the future, but no point in wasting good resources. \\n-(Going to make the Cult more cult like)\\n-Give visions to the most devout amongst the followers; a holy age of enlightenment shall come to those who obey the visions fervently. The most devout have an option to become the holy vessel. Two will be needed; to sacrifice their existence in a powerful ritual to become the vessels. This does not involve sacrificing one's life, but embracing Enlightenment to become something greater for all. First must come the herald, who will announce the arrival of the Enlightened One. \\n--In mechanical turns, picking the second best candidate first so I can work the kinks out before using the best body. Using the Lucidity Ritual to alter their psyche, then download every memory into their body, replace of the previous ones until the soul matches as well. The Cat must be preserved. It's not immortality if I just jump between mortal bodies. \\n---Don't know how many times I can try this, but once we have a success, create the titular Leader. (Goal is to have 2 hero unit versions, because I want to send the first with Vasia so she has a phone. Also to learn shit.) \\n----I'll use a reroll for this to succeed. Using a reroll on the hero units. \\n-...Merkas morale is at an all time low, you say?\\n\\nSi-Yeon:\\n-I mean, here are the lists of enchantments used on my tube. Might be helpful for making her a bed. Unfortunately, I destroyed the actual tube back on Que. \\n\\nWollum:\\n-\\&quot;Is it eavesdropping if its her body that they\u2019re using as the telephone?\\&quot;\\n--Apparent-fucking-ly, because conversations happen through me without me even being told about it. &quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:2947,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;4&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:472931},&quot;10&quot;:0,&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;14&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:10797812}}\">So if provided with clay and paint she&#8230;makes things like a five year old I guess? Somehow that makes her creepier, the soul stealing alien with the creepy girl ghost stare has the faculties of&#8230;a creepy girl. She&#8217;s getting better though. Also I don&#8217;t have a fridge to hang anything on, she does keep them on the lakeshore though over there.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The main difference between her drones and the regular model is that&#8230;hers store essentia. They also have less teeth and claws, they have what I would call navigational mutations like Grinhys. So they can get around an area and find essentia to harvest.<\/p>\n<p>We started readying a deployable colony as requested.<\/p>\n<p>Setal points out that the outreach program was cancelled due to the knights being stalked around, so while we were making progress we&#8217;re sort of in the dark as to how amicable to the idea they remain. Though the knights just took some back home with them as new recruits anyways, that doesn&#8217;t give us much of a foothold in the demon kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>With the aethernet servers up they&#8217;ve begun some basic broadcasting. More accurately its just a Moncayo based video hosting service because ain&#8217;t nobody got time for scheduling otherwise. Though no luck on the pre-invasion media samples. Blame the cloud. Also no public theaters yet, we&#8217;re still solving housing and other basic construction problems. We&#8217;re a bit of a way from dedicating a large space to &#8216;watch some shows&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p>Also I&#8217;m not sure we really need signs around the lake. While I am here the drones are docile enough to give people rides down town if they don&#8217;t have a car. Long as they don&#8217;t go too far to the town outskirts at least.<\/p>\n<p>As for the male merkas, correct. Too bad the merkas are at war for their freedom, survival, and being pulled between multiple factions for various reasons. Given their disposition towards stealth and guerilla warfare against the arcurans&#8230;I can see why the Phantoms are so interested in uplifting them at least.<\/p>\n<p>As for warding the moon, that&#8217;s basically what a planetary shield is.Given that it is an arcane moon it would be pretty strong due to practically limitless mana available there. Which is probably why the Phantoms decided to take this specific moon instead of just any other one.<\/p>\n<p>Well finding a lunatic prophet among the lucid cult wasn&#8217;t that hard so&#8230;we have some you can run experiments on. Though candidacy wise they&#8217;re pretty much just cultist with questionable cybernetics. Actually one of the most devout is the woman who found &#8220;Cassir&#8217;s cat&#8221;. Though none of them are on par with Cassir, and if they were you wouldn&#8217;t want to use them for the overmind since you&#8217;ll be erasing them with yourself. Though also with all the reports going on about jydoq, maybe we should go recruiting over there since they like having a leader. Granted that&#8217;d make us about the same as the bandits.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Stories of Lore 42 &nbsp; For some reason the Merkas are confused as to who you are and believe the last time they saw anyone by your name it was a human woman. I&#8217;m not sure how they can &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/?p=1599\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1599"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1599"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1599\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1601,"href":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1599\/revisions\/1601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1599"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1599"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manticoreproductions.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}