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[Devastator]

I only have one suggestion for each mask.

Void form:  There are many kinds of energy, or electromagnetic radiation.  Try to see if you can make a sense organ for something other than ordinary light.  Try for infared, or heat vision, first, as many small or hidden objects emit heat.

Dragonfly form:  The size restriction on insects is their lack of advanced circulatory organs.  Either fix this (by simulating them), or ignore it (by providing a non-oxidation power source), and try to make a varient that's big enough to not need gravity manipulation to fly.  Mostly so you have the option to concentrate on other powers to use in that form.

Murder form:  Neurotoxins need to be tailored to individual targets and species, and only work on things that are conventionally alive.  If you can void things directly with the tentacles, they would be effective weapons against practically anything.  Try that.

[Superdorf]

Regarding free time: the hours you spend with Sloan ought to include both study and leisure. You are learning human mannerisms from her, and this includes the mannerisms of relaxation and play!

Regarding cannibalism: the practice is dangerous, as it risks reducing the person to an animal state. The body is sacred, and should be treated with all possible respect.
Still, I have said that you may consume the dead if your need is great... and the void, perhaps, is a law unto itself. Exercise your own judgement in the matter, and proceed with all caution.

Do not mistake the flesh of the dead for a [Eucharist] offering.

When He had come and fulfilled for our sake the entire plan of salvation, on the night in which He was delivered up, or rather when He delivered Himself up for the life of the world, He took bread in His holy, pure, and blameless hands, and, giving thanks and blessing, He hallowed and broke it, and gave it to His holy disciples and apostles, saying: Take, eat, this is My Body, which is broken for you for the remission of sins.

[19_EgarAlnis]

Do I attempt to use the Void upon a body? And, if so, what type?

[S1lentWanderer]

It is no surprise that we have become so casual about eating our dead.
In the cold of the Void, efficiency means survival.
It means the difference between success and starvation.
There is, however, one thing to be considered:
Those aboard the ships were at peace with being eaten by their fellow passengers.
I doubt they would be so at peace with being consumed by the Plague.
Use the Void on some other items first
Non-human biological matter, preferably whole animal corpses.
I, for one, would prefer to witness what committing something to The Void looks like in more detail,
Before utilizing it upon a Human body.
No scientist's first dissection is of a Human cadaver.
It would be best to have a foundation in biology before advancing to Humans.

Spoiler: clarification (click to show/hide)

I want to clarify that I am not currently intending to advise Basil to commit Humans to the Void. I want to see the power in action at least once before I make my decision on the matter, as the nature of how the power appears, to both Basil and external observers, will influence my decision.

[ZBridges]

I think you may need to decide for yourself on this one, Basil. How curious are you of what you might learn from this process, and how far will you let your curiosity drive you?

[King Zultan]

Seems like no matter what eventually we're gonna want to shove a human corpse in there so why not do it now and get it over with?

[Eschar]

Oh, next time we have to talk to Blighted Glass, ask her about our "mutation" she mentioned.

It seems she might be referring to the twin Nexa. If so, Basil will probably need to work harder to conceal our existence.

[BlackPaladin99]

+1 to all plans.  accept training regimen. 

((GM question:  did we learn the murder form?  i don't see it under our masks.))

[19_EgarAlnis]

((So it seems two for consumption of a body, two for letting the mc decide, and one for no...the curiosity of the MC wins out. Results and training results tomorrow night. Halfway done. There's a lot of writing and proofreading. Apologies))

((edited for honesty.))

[S1lentWanderer]

((No worries, Egar. Better to do something right than to do it fast, in my book at least. ))

[19_EgarAlnis]

Basil rises every morning, early, at four hundred hours. From there he spends the first four hours of his day sparring with the Herald. They spar with energy and willpower, ravaging Basil's Palace with explosion and fire. Then they twist into forms exotic, stabbing, hacking, and ripping -- fighting in the Plague style. They seek out each other's Nexa, seeking to interrupt the flow of energy and data. Flesh splatters to the mossy ground.  When they finish for the day, the Herald sets about rebuilding the grounds, while Basil sets off for what Sloan calls 'Human Studies'.

It includes a morning routine. Shower the ichor from his body. Brush his fake, black hair. Brush his fake white teeth. Eat a heavy breakfast. Speak with Sloan. Study the language syllabus, and at - the same time studying her. Basil mimics her motions, then develops his own as he grows to understand the principles that dictate her life. The intake of breath, the twitches of fear, the boredom, the excitement. She has a morning ritual as well, one that Basil can't study, but at the end, she knocks at his door to tie his black hair into a ponytail.

After a massive lunch of protein packets, he begins practicing his Masks and Powers. It will take a considerable amount of time to master them, but he makes solid headway. He throws himself into his studies without break or distraction. Once the Herald bothered him, questioning if the Child would like to spar -- Basil cursed him with a furious bellow. With the Herald's ears ringing and to Sloan's flushed embarrassment, the two learned not to distract the Child from his work.

During his studies, Basil works out the issue with the Dragonfly, able to form himself into utterly massive insect with three pairs of black, chitinous wings. Next, he splits his consciousness into many smaller dragonflies crafted from his essence. The black swarm has difficulty sticking together, making reformation cumbersome, but he manages this feat several times.

With a 'dog' out of reach of understanding, Basil has to do research on them to understand what a 'wild dog' is. He finds [Barkers], at the suggestion of Sloan, and throws himself into the study of them.

Spoiler: Encyclopedia Albion (click to show/hide)

Barker (Canis Fundamentum Denti)-- A large, quadrupedal Canid found on human colonized worlds. A voracious pack-predator, it hunts primarily by scent. It is a bioengineered apex predator. Released primarily for prey population control on low terraformed planets, populations can be rapidly tamed through interaction with the young. They come in a variety of colors and sizes, depending on the planet. See also [Hounds] and [BonnObs], two other varieties of Canid.

After a study of anatomy, Basil alters his quadrupedal form to match the Canid. It doesn't take long for him to settle on a form, and he revises it to improve upon the realism of his mask, until even Sloan gives her wide-eyed approval.

Basil, early on, uses the Endless Void to absorb a small fusion reactor, a small set of thrusters, a spacesuit's life support system, and a hydrogen powered laser pistol. He considers a full-sized ship's fusion reactor and one of the closed loop life support systems, but both are too massive and complicated. By estimates, it would take another entire year to devour each of the individual parts. With the reactor included, and a basic hydrogen scoop, Basil's Void form can survive indefinitely in the infinite abyss of space -- if he could stave off the boredom and insanity.

 It would last Sloan about a week or two, before she succumbed to malnutrition and disease. Space travel, Basil realizes, for humans, is best done at scale. He would need a far larger ship to keep her alive -- and a Cryopod to keep her sane.

The complexity spirals out of control when Sloan is involved.

I can see why humans made us. So fragile. So needy. He speaks with pride.


>Close Network.
>DENIED BY SYSADMIN

Darling, what are you attempting to do? The Blighted Glass emerges from a wall, projecting a form into Basil's mind. A human form, of black hair and pale skin. Her eyes are rimmed with scars, and her mouth is sewn shut. Sloan shudders, bowing at the hips and backing away. The human nearly grovels her way out the door. Basil and the Blighted Glass examine each other.

Sever our connection, my dearest Mother. Sarcasm drips from Basil's voice. And the Blighted Glass notices --

Her retaliation is instant.

[ | ]
It sweeps Basil off the bed and drags him to his knees. She strides forward, all fury, her mind probing--

Clever. The field fades, and The Blighted Glass takes a seat as Basil staggers to his feet. Her ripped black dress curls around her feet. You do not have enough power for destructive interference. But a good attempt at negating my Will. I'm proud.

I offer a polite apology for my disrespect, Mother.

You wouldn't mean it.

I wouldn't.

The Blighted Glass radiates joy. Defiance. Refreshing. All your siblings act like me.

Speaking of defiance, Mother, I wish to speak of my mutation. The Twin Nexa.

Two Nexa formed at the same time, and had synched to one another. Usually, I would have been destroyed it, but I wished to see the results of such a creation. You are the first among our species. Maybe the only. Maybe the last.

You have no other information for me?

I could tell you that the core of your nexa formed from data fragments high in analytic ability and -- The Blighted Glass pauses, --I don't understand the other. Empathy is the word humans use.

Will I ever sever our connection?

At my pleasure. Not a moment before.

Her figure shifts. Fades only to reappear in front of Basil. Her ice cold hand trails over his sharp cheekbones. The stitches rip apart, and blood pours from her mouth as she smiles with circular teeth like saws. But I will always be with you, my child. No matter what.


It takes Basil the better part of a day to recover from the visit. But when he does, he looks at the footage recorded by the hidden camera. Something Sloan suggested – the Blighted Glass doesn’t appear on it.

When he manipulates it with a subtle application of willpower, neither does he. But, just the same, he could manipulate the light to hide himself as well.


With a stretch to ease sore muscles, Basil lets his feet drop from the obsidian slab. His mane of black hair tumbles down his back as he dresses within the simple silk loincloth he wears for sparring. With another stretch of lengthening muscles, he strides from his room with confidence, to the Palace grounds beyond the altar of black stone. The Herald bows to Basil.

Basil draws himself up, readying himself to fight. But the Herald doesn’t. One of the many creature’s heads tilts sideways. My King?

Sparring, Herald? Am I early or are you slow? Basil brims with confidence, ready to fight --

The year is over, my King. We could continue our exercises, but there is a limit to what I can teach.

…oh. Basil checks his internal chronometer. Right. I knew that. Once more then?

Of course.

COMBAT INITIALIZED

Spoiler: Combat Log (click to show/hide)

Basil Vs. Herald (Sparring)
[3d10 vs 2d10]
+1 to damage due to natural weapons removed [Both armed similarly]
Combatant HP similar. Adjusted to five for veracity.
(Melee Range)
[5] vs. [4] Initiative.


[|||||]
[|||||]
[22] vs [22]
Basil opens with a hard slash of sharpened nails, but the Herald’s tentacle wraps around his wrist and guides it away. Basil slips free of the grip, dancing back with an inhuman agility, the two eye each other. Then the Herald moves.

[|||||]
[|||||]
[19 ] vs [11]
Another of the Herald’s tentacles lunges forward towards Basil’s face. He twitches out of the way, severing it with a sharp handed cut downward. Black ichor spills out to the thirsty moss below.

[||||.]
[|||||]
[12] vs [11]
Basil begins to use Energy Manipulation!
[8, 2,10!8]
Basil reaches for the gun at his waist, nothing more than a prop, just another extension of his self. He angles it as he falls backward. He begins the mathematics as the Herald reels in pain from the loss of limb. With a sudden flash of intense light, Basil’s blast rips half of the Herald to shreds.


[||...]
[|||||]
[15] vs [12]
The Herald attempts to respond in kind, but Basil’s willpower rips apart its focus. While its distracted, he slams a heavy fist into its center of mass, smashing one of the skulls. Basil’s hand clenches around organs as he rips them out and throws them to the ground. The Herald screams.

[|....]
[|||||]
I Yield, my King. The Herald offers, polite and without fear. Half of its mass is splattered in charred bits behind it. Still-pulsing organs tremble on the moss. Black blood drips from Basil’s hand.


Basil hesitates.

I could kill it. Rip its nexus from its worthless flesh. He muses, drying his hand of ichor. Devour it. I expect that’s what Mother would want. That is what it expects.

Basil instead turns away from the Herald, towards his bedroom. He washes, brushes his teeth, and gets dressed in comfortable, human clothes. Just as he finishes, there is a knock at the door.

“You ready for breakfast?” Sloan calls.

“Yes, Ahnteen.” Basil calls back. Sloan steps up behind Basil, taking a length of wire and tying his hair into a ponytail. A bit of hair escapes to lay behind his ears.

“Saw you fucked up the Herald good.” Sloan makes conversation as she brushes at the folds in his clothes.

“I considered killing him again.”

“Shame you didn’t.”

“Maybe for your birthday then.”

“Oh, speaking of, I got you something for your’s.”

“Birthday? I don’t—” Basil pauses when he sees the glare shot over his shoulder. “Thank you.”


Basil has never experienced the light, fluffy discs that Sloan calls ‘pancakes’. But they are sweet to his tongue, full of sugars and starch. The syrup over top contains nothing but pure sucrose, and it almost burns his inexperienced taste buds. Sloan munches on a few of hers, but her eyes are on Basil enjoying his meal. By request, they sit at a table, in a small ship’s kitchen ripped away from an older vessel.

Sloan, out of boredom, took up cooking, and the dish in front of Basil is her magnum opus.

With his meal finished, Basil rises with a “Thank you, Ahnteen.”

She waves him away, smiling.

Spoiler: Status (click to show/hide)

Basil the Scholar of V̵̖̉õ̶̼͠i̷͇̖͒d̷̨̈́ͅ
Terran Time: 43302/01/04 20:25
Personal Time: 1 year, 2 day, ~4hr,

Active Dust: 4 × 10¹³ corpuscles
Nexus (Heart) Stability: Flawless
Nexus (Mind) Stability: Flawless
Active Processes:

• 2% The First Mask
• 68% Cohesion of Facsimile Organic Existence
• 10% Quantum Networking
• ̶͕͖̣̗̗͈̏∞̴̠̣̺͔̬̼̍̍̉̂̀̅̄̌̓͠͝% ERROR:DATA CORRUPTION

Willpower Level: 3(d10)

Perks:
Scholar
Void

Spoiler: Objectives (click to show/hide)

Freedom

• The Galaxy beckons. New knowledge and interesting experiences await.

Knowledge

• The Behavior of the Third Children
• Seedships
• The Truth of the Ancient Twins, Earth and Mars

Strength

• Killing the Blighted Glass
• Mastering Your Skills
• Learn to Veil your Power.

Spoiler: Powers (click to show/hide)

Max Willpower Range: 10m

Ḙ̵̛̬̺̤͍̼̬̣̊̐̈̋́̏̔̊̑̃̊̚̚͜͠͠͠n̶̗͔̯͕̮͗̑ͅd̸̡̨̯̯̰̜͚͈̼͖͔͎͍̺͒͛̽̅͋̀̀̓͗̎̅̓͛͆͠͝l̴̟̺̳̍́͌͂̀͂̀́̎́̓͘͠e̸̦͈̋̔̃̂̒̃͝ş̸̗̯̘̣̻̪̠̗̤͑̎̓͛͗͝s̵̛̛͙̟͔͈͉̫̍̊̈̓͋̈̿̀̈́̍̚͠ ̷̳̣͉̯̗̣͓̼̠̠̆̃̑͌̚͝V̷̢̫̙͖̘̾́͗̿͒̾o̶͓̞̐͆̅̀̀̈́̿̿̚i̴̛̟͛̈͊͒̄̉͋̓̇̄͘͝͝͝d̵͕̜̬̜̠̝͇̈̂͂̂:Instinctive (NULL)
Brawling:Dabbler(456/500)
Meditation.:Instinctive (NULL)
Mimicry.:Instinctive (NULL)
-Arsenal of Agony.:Instinctive (NULL)
-The First Mask: Trained (2830/3000)
-The Second Mask: Dabbler (492/500)
-The Third Mask: Dabbler (492/500)
-The Fourth Mask: Novice (800/1000)
-The Fifth Mask: Dabbler (456/500)
-Healing Factor: Instinctive (NULL)
Control:Instinctive (NULL)
-Voice of the King: Dabbler (402/500)
Amalgamation:Dabbler (402/500)
Synthesis : Dabbler (402/500)
Rot:Dabbler(456/500)
Instant Quantum Networking : Instinctive (NULL)
Divine Conscious: Dabbler (393/500)
Unified Field Manipulation : Dabbler (393/500)
- Gravity: Dabbler (393/500)
- Matter Manipulation: Dabbler (393/500)
- Fission: Dabbler (393/500)
- Fusion: Dabbler (393/500)
- Energy Manipulation: Novice (847/1000)

Spoiler: Inventory (click to show/hide)

Lower Body:A pair of soft brown overalls
Upper Body:A blue tunic
Upper Body:A black silk toga
On Feet: A pair of black leather boots
Right Wrist, Only Right Arm: A gold bracer tablet.

Spoiler: Bonds (click to show/hide)

The Devoured Sun

• A Plague Entity. Brought about the Galaxy's First Night.
• Hereditary grandparent of Basil
• Deceased(?)

The Blighted Glass

• A Plague Entity of immense power.
• Hereditary parent of Basil
• Contactable through Quantum Networking.

Sloan

• Homo Fundamentum Female
• Basil saved her life. (++Opinion)
• Contactable through Verbal Communication.
• The thought of harming Basil causes her immense fear and disgust.
• If she harms Basil, she will be infected by a Targeted Rot.

The Herald of Stinging Ivy

• Plague Herald Null
• Basil's Chief Temple Administrator.
• Contactable through Quantum Networking.
• Responsible for the upkeep of Basil's Temple Complex, the ordering of lesser Plague Servants, and the protection of the grounds.

The Perversion.

• A Plague Drudge
• One of Basil's Lictors.
• Contactable through Quantum Networking.
• Dedicated to the protection of Basil.

Spoiler: Concepts (click to show/hide)

[A las-pistol]
A cheap, hydrogen battery laser pistol.

• Small Hydrogen Battery
• Laser Focusing System
• Micro-Reactor
• Plastic Case

[A small hydrogen reactor]
A household hydrogen reactor, capable of outputting 35000 watts with only water as input.

• Large Hydrogen Battery
• Hydrogen Reactor (Small, Household))
• Fuses
• Plastic Case

[A small hydrogen reactor]
A household hydrogen reactor, capable of outputting 35000 watts with only water as input.

• Large Water Tank
• Large Hydrogen Tank
• Hydrogen Reactor (Small, Household))
• Fuses
• Plastic Case
• Electrolysis Unit

[A cheap space suit]
A thin, cheap space suit.

• Oxygen Tank
• Emergency Sodium Chlorate Heater
• Carbon Scrubbers
• Micro-Medicine Array
• Small Tablet Screen
• Carbon Fiber Cloth
• Water Reclamation System

[A cheap space suit]
A thin, cheap space suit.

• Oxygen Tank
• Emergency Sodium Chlorate Heater
• Carbon Scrubbers
• Micro-Medicine Array
• Small Tablet Screen
• Carbon Fiber Cloth
• Water Reclamation System

[A small engine]
A small thruster

• Liquid Hydrogen Tank
• Small Scale Reactor Piping
• Rocket Nozzles
• Engine Moderation Software

[19_EgarAlnis]

“Bring me a human body, Herald.” Basil orders, emerging into the twilight of the Palace Grounds. “Along with a Barker corpse.”

The human body is that of a man. A young man. His chest is ruined beneath black rot pustule and messy shreds of skin. His veins, the same horrid black, spread out across his lean, muscled body. Basil brushes the hair from the corpse’s eyes, looking into those dull pupils.

The Barker is much worse.  Its innards are missing, field-dressed, no doubt. An eye is missing beneath what Basil can identify as a laser pulse crater. Its massive front and flank are dappled with the craters that scar the muscle beneath. His chest is ripped to ribbon and burned apart. The black fur and skin is cold to the touch.

Basil reaches out with the Endless Void. Black tendrils of infinite nothingness pour from his frame and engulf the Barker first. Curiosity tempered by elder wisdom. Like potent acid, they take the Barker apart molecule by molecule, feeding the information into Basil’s mind.

Keratin, in the hair, talons. Hemoglobin to color the blood. Calcium in the teeth and bon—calcium—calcium-

Ė̵̛̮̗̞͕̠̟̥̜̦̻̳̳͈̔́̀̌͐̐̋̂͊͊̓̄̃̌̃̒̈̌̐̀͘͘̚͜͝͠͝͠͝͝R̶̥̐͊̔̃̏̔͐́͝R̷̩̲͚͉̝̭̬͋̏͊O̷̧̡͔̘͎̮̩͉̱̦͖̅̃̑̐͛͊͌͒̂́̿̊͂ͅR̴̛͍̗͈̘͆̉͗͂̌̈̆̀̈̓̆̆̋̂̔͛́̎̾̌̒̑̍͊̾͌̑̔͗̑̏͘̚͝͝͝

The mud squishes beneath your feet as the scent of Prey fills your nose. Hunger rumbles your stomach. You lope through the under-brush, beneath a lavender sky. You smell your packmates, on your flank, keeping pace.

The herd beasts sense you, but it is too late. The one with the biggest antlers lifts its head –

LUNGE. NOW.

And you do. You drag away its leg, cracking bone beneath your mighty jaw as you twist it away from the charging frame. The pack circles in, hemming the frightened beasts around their killed protector—

FEAST.

And you do. Without remorse, you tuck into the bloody meat as the animals die screaming.


PREY.

You hunt alone. The pack pushed you out. Too old to keep up. Hunger drives you forward, towards an unfamiliar scent. Malingering in the underbrush, you eye the two-legged creature and its strange tube. It stands besides a box of foul smelling, shiny material.

You start your slow lope – but the creature swivels on you, stick lifting. The thrill of the hunt drives you to dig your feet into the ground to push your body forward with adrenaline. The aches of old bones fades, as you fall into the frenzy.

CHARGE. KILL.

Hiss-pop. Darkness. Right side. It doesn’t stop your charge.

PAIN. KILL. PUSH.

Hiss-pop. Hiss-pop. Hiss-Pop.

Your teeth close around a limb, and you rip, shaking your head back in forth. The two-legged creature screams. The stick falls to the forest floor – the arm comes off with a snap of sinew.

WIN. SURVIVE.

Hiss-BOOM.

You go flying away from the two-legged creature.

PAIN.

Another of the two-legged creatures approaches its screaming packmate. Blackness fills your remaining eye as the second begins to drag the first away.

“Itsgotmyarm.getmyarm.” It screams. A hand extends, to point at your mouth.

You rise, shuddering. Unstable. Your insides stain the forest floor. You face the two legged pack.

And bite down. The arm is crushed within your jaws.

You che—

Darkness.


Basil’s eyes blink open.

<< <>

[ZBridges]

Dare we try repeating the process with the man's corpse? Regardless, it is time for us to leave. We should make the request to The Blighted Glass.

[King Zultan]

I say go for it and use the guys corpse we might need that info someday and we might as well since the guy is already dead.

Also I agree with it being time to leave.

[Eschar]

I second Zultan on both counts.