[Koval]

We appear to have stalled again, and I'm busy all of tomorrow, but I might move the story along again over the weekend.

[MarcoSkoll]

Actually, my problem is that I have a too complete post waiting.
I just kept writing and what I have basically plots out the whole chase/fight from beginning to end. I don't want to be all selfish and not leave anyone else their chance to cut in, but I really don't know where I'd want to break it into bits either.

[Koval]

In about five minutes I'll be completely unavailable until about 8 tomorrow.

While that looks unrelated, it does mean I wouldn't have much of a problem with you putting the post up seeing as I'll be too indisposed to comment

EDIT: Though if your post ends with Agares either still, or back, on his bike, then it'll go quite naturally into how I'd planned to A) end it and B) bring some more characters back into the picture.

[MarcoSkoll]

Actually, it ends with the bike in more than one piece and a lot more vehicular/scenery damage besides.

I couldn't imagine that they'd be shaking his pursuit by outrunning or outmanoeuvring  him (not on an unoccupied multi-lane orbital) and the major characters all need to survive so the only ways of evading the chase seemed to be destroying the bike, separating him from his bike or one of the voidsmen throwing themselves at him in an attempt to buy the others time to escape.

Also, the scene took a possessed World Eater, a biokinetic, several high calibre weapons and a fair few grenades. It would have been underwhelming if serious carnage weren't happening.

I'll look it over again and see what I can come up with. If not, I guess I can post it as it is - it's not like it's short-changing any characters (I can't imagine them fighting off Agares without a pretty combined effort).

[Koval]

Oh, it doesn't matter hugely if the bike ends up in multiple pieces, it just means I'll have to have a slight rethink at my end. Which probably isn't a bad thing. It's easily workable if our characters (or at least, the Salamander) and Agares are still on the orbital, but equally I can do something with whatever you go for.

[MarcoSkoll]

Right then. Well, unless Dolnikan jumps in with an objection, I'll check it over this evening and see if I can get it posted later tonight or tomorrow.

[Koval]

This would've been an edit, but it's not any more, so let's just say that having to rethink my initial ideas is one of the many reasons why we had a Hesh/Filipowski scene from what would have been the prologue, rather than three years ago.

It's also resulted in a few revised ideas for Zagan's future involvement (seeing as Khorne just pressed a reset button on the whole reason that he's there), and has caused me to reassess Andreas' long-term prognosis (again).

Rethinking ideas is fun.

[MarcoSkoll]

The post is still coming, but is marginally delayed.

I decided to re-draft a section, but my muse ran off while I was dealing with some trials and tribulations of dog ownership, and I haven't yet found where she's hiding.

[Koval]

In case it looks like this thing's died a horrible death, it hasn't -- it's apparently just taking a back seat to the December Clave planning and the search for Marco's muse*

We are, however, nearing the endgame, as I'm devising ways to wrap this up over the course of about another half-dozen bombshell events.


*I think I spotted her running off in the direction of Juno Reactor, though that may just be because I've got Shango playing at the moment.

[MarcoSkoll]

I have been writing as and when I get time.

Aside from realising I'm not very happy about my ability to write fight scenes - the mix between beige and purple prose, the balance between too short and too long, and generally avoiding reusing similar language over and over somewhat escaping me - I'm not sure how on the mark I am with some parts of Agares' personalty.

I won't say exactly why (such as to not give away too much), but I'm wondering exactly how Agares would think of Steren.

I know he's generally of a mind to turn most of the protagonists to pulp, but my question relates to how he would see the line regarding her "talents".
Although there's some telepathy in her skill-set, her approach in combat definitely tends towards the physical than the mental. She is, in crude terms, pretty Khornate as psykers go. But of course, she's still a psyker.

Basically, I'm questioning where the balance might be between respecting her as a warrior and disliking her for being a psyker (perhaps even for using it to cheat at being a warrior)?

(Part of the problem is it's never consistent exactly what it is that Khorne detests about psykers. A tricksy indirect approach, that it's "cheating", some warped version of "honour", descriptions that basically boil down to "racism", etc... they all exist in one source or another.)

[Koval]

I always thought it boiled down to jealousy -- Khorne was supposed to be really crap at spellcasting when he was younger, so now that he's older, that's sort of warped its way into "slinging sorcery around is for dishonourable tricksters" (which is why he's not exactly best mates with Tzeentch). He doesn't seem to have a problem with daemon engines and daemonweapons, though.

In terms of Agares' perceptions of Steren, he's still very likely to go "psyker = smash it"; however, Steren's still capable of putting up a good fight, and I personally prefer Blood Knight Khorne to Ax Crazy Khorne. So Agares is probably going to be:

-grateful for the challenge
-very unhappy that Steren's a psyker
-comparing Steren unfavourably with Sonneillon (because Sonneillon won, despite being blind)
-comparing Steren very favourably with Goruvich
-thoroughly enjoying himself

Possibly in that order, though being as Agares hasn't had a good fight since he got out of his sword (and probably hasn't had a fight at all), I suppose anything's possible.

If that doesn't quite answer your question, then I apologise -- I'm recovering from last night.

[MarcoSkoll]

In terms of Agares' perceptions of Steren, he's still very likely to go "psyker = smash it"

I'm rather assuming that "smash it" is going to be his response to all of the characters present.

-comparing Steren unfavourably with Sonneillon (because Sonneillon won, despite being blind)

Although not actually disabled, Steren is still combatant at a disadvantage here.

While she's comparable with a Marine on strength*, and ahead on speed/reactions, she's certainly not as damage resistant and has a distinct size/weight disadvantage. It gets worse after you add in Agares' daemonic strength and toughness.
*She's perhaps actually stronger (seeing as she actually gets to break the laws of biology), but doesn't possess the required secondary powers to the same degree. A Marine's greater inertia and better footing** mean they can make better use of their strength.
** I'm not sure if she's actually still wearing her heeled boots. She may well be barefoot at the moment.

[Koval]

In terms of Agares' perceptions of Steren, he's still very likely to go "psyker = smash it"

I'm rather assuming that "smash it" is going to be his response to all of the characters present.

True, but Steren especially because she's psychic -- the next most interesting person after that is probably Iota*, with Nogal a close third.

-comparing Steren unfavourably with Sonneillon (because Sonneillon won, despite being blind)

Although not actually disabled, Steren is still combatant at a disadvantage here.

While she's comparable with a Marine on strength*, and ahead on speed/reactions, she's certainly not as damage resistant and has a distinct size/weight disadvantage. It gets worse after you add in Agares' daemonic strength and toughness.

Actually, it's probably because of Agares that Steren's at that disadvantage -- I still maintain that she'd probably have curb-stomped Goruvich with little difficulty.

*She's perhaps actually stronger (seeing as she actually gets to break the laws of biology), but doesn't possess the required secondary powers to the same degree. A Marine's greater inertia and better footing** mean they can make better use of their strength.
** I'm not sure if she's actually still wearing her heeled boots. She may well be barefoot at the moment.

Well, there goes the image of Steren kicking Agares to the curb while wearing a backless dress and Combat Stilettos.


*Agares always seems to have had this ability to "read" another person's biology, to some or other extent -- it's basically a predatory instinct. It wouldn't surprise me, for example, if he had Vein-O-Vision, or if he were able to detect pheromones without effort.

[MarcoSkoll]

Actually, it's probably because of Agares that Steren's at that disadvantage -- I still maintain that she'd probably have curb-stomped Goruvich with little difficulty.

I've never intended her to quite be that powerful. Obviously her limits vary a bit, dependent on how well she can maintain her focus, but she's still finitely fast (and Marines are a fair bit faster than they have right to be as well) and not clad in thick armour plate.

The odds somewhat depend on if a Marine know they're fighting a biokine. Wildly underestimating her probably would result in a very short combat, likely finishing with her snapping the Marine's neck.
I figure that's probably the easiest way for her to kill a Marine - she's strong enough to do it, and it focuses an attack on a weak-point in both the Marine's physiology (unlike most other internal organs, they don't have a redundant spare for their spine) that the armour can't protect very well (it's a flexible joint, so can't be reinforced as well as other areas).

If they were taking her as a serious threat though, a Marine would definitely have fair odds. From which perspective, Agares may have one of his biggest advantages - what with his daemonic perception of the warp (and apparently some sense for biology), he's not going to mistake her for benign.

Well, there goes the image of Steren kicking Agares to the curb while wearing a backless dress and Combat Stilettos.

The boots aren't quite stilettos. But frankly, if anyone can pull off fighting in high heels, a biokine with hyper-agility and invulnerability to such things as sprained ankles (at least while boosted*) probably has the best chance.

*And fairly resistant even while not, I suspect. Given the level of re-engineering she's done to herself, she's probably less prone to normal biological failings.

~~~~~

Two more things.
#1: It has occurred to me that Goruvich had a bolt pistol. a) Does Agares still have this, and b) would he be using it*?
*Obviously not at the same time as riding the bike and wielding a sword.

Unless you've got particular reason for him to shun it, I'd quite like to include it to help the flow of the fight.

#2: If his bike is mounting a weapon, does a grenade launcher (primarily for crowd control) sound alright for an Arbites bike? Although I suspect gas grenades might be the typical load-out, I'm thinking it's not that unlikely it was loaded with something a bit more lethal when cultists started showing up.

[Koval]

I figure that's probably the easiest way for her to kill a Marine

Actually, I think a plasma pistol would be the easiest way for her to kill a Marine. Or a krak missile.

If they were taking her as a serious threat though, a Marine would definitely have fair odds. From which perspective, Agares may have one of his biggest advantages - what with his daemonic perception of the warp (and apparently some sense for biology), he's not going to mistake her for benign.

I don't think Agares can't take threats seriously. He's a Bloodletter* so he takes fights seriously no matter whom he's up against.

[quoteTwo more things.
#1: It has occurred to me that Goruvich had a bolt pistol. a) Does Agares still have this, and b) would he be using it*?
*Obviously not at the same time as riding the bike and wielding a sword.

Unless you've got particular reason for him to shun it, I'd quite like to include it to help the flow of the fight.[/quote] I don't actually remember if Goruvich picked it back up. Let's assume he has, and let's assume Agares would use it -- bolt pistols do, after all, make a nice gory mess of people. Agares might well prefer the thrill of actually getting into combat and hacking people to bits, but Intelligent Khorne beats One Track Mind Khorne any day of the week so he'll know when the pistol's just better. (Don't assume he'll be a particularly good shot, though.)

#2: If his bike is mounting a weapon, does a grenade launcher (primarily for crowd control) sound alright for an Arbites bike? Although I suspect gas grenades might be the typical load-out, I'm thinking it's not that unlikely it was loaded with something a bit more lethal when cultists started showing up.

Yeah, I imagine tear gas or knockout-gas would be standard fare for an Arbites bike, with a few frags in a second drum. Let's roll with it and see what happens.