Re: [GRIMDARK] Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons Discussion

[O. Hinds]

...uh, Hinds, little help?
I'll be honest, I never really read the quotes before I became an editor, and continued to not after, so I have no idea.

Oh, I answered this in a previous comment reply and didn't think I needed to again; sorry.  It's from Yes Man if one delays going to the dam at the end of the Independent path.  Well, it's a modified version of that, that is; the original referred to the Legion attacking.

Hehe. Point of order: Quite apart from targeting, does C1 require sunlight at the launch site, the target, or both? They cleared the sky at both sites in FoE.

Both, as I understand it.

Also, yeah, the area over the target needs to be clear. That's what Gawd and the Talons were doing during the final battle in the original.

Uhhh, My memory is so terrible, I thought they were clearing the skies over the tower.

You're both partially right.  Gawd and her talons were handling Manehattan; Ditzy radboomed to clear the clouds over Fillydelphia.

[Vexd]

Come to think of it, not only did that memory orb

cause spoilers:

it also

gave more spoilers:

Did I read that right, or am I missing some detail on how those things work?

[decumos]

it also

gave more spoilers:

Did I read that right, or am I missing some detail on how those things work?

I thought BJ has already seen the talisman transplantation process in some memory orb, hasn't she?

[Guest]

it also

gave more spoilers:

Did I read that right, or am I missing some detail on how those things work?

I thought BJ has already seen the talisman transplantation process in some memory orb, hasn't she?

Yes, she saw Shujaa give it to Twist, and presumably it only works if you shove it into a new host. And even then only the body dies, your soul is sucked into the Phoenix Talisman and passed onto the next host with it. I wouldn't really call that death.

[Guest]

I wonder if you could remove the phoenix talisman from Rampage, shove it into BJ's old body and piece by piece remove the augments impedeing her fetus' growth.

[Technowolf]

I wonder if you could remove the phoenix talisman from Rampage, shove it into BJ's old body and piece by piece remove the augments impedeing her fetus' growth.

Well, it would give Rampage the death she wants and allow her to atone for her sins via Heroic Sacrifice (tm), but I don't know if Blackjack would let her do it.

[Vexd]

I wonder if you could remove the phoenix talisman from Rampage, shove it into BJ's old body and piece by piece remove the augments impedeing her fetus' growth.

Well, it would give Rampage the death she wants and allow her to atone for her sins via Heroic Sacrifice (tm), but I don't know if Blackjack would let her do it.

On top of that, Blackjack's stuck holding the talisman at that point, mean she's now stuck as the undying (assuming Cognitum doesn't get anchored in there somehow)

[decumos]

I wonder if you could remove the phoenix talisman from Rampage, shove it into BJ's old body and piece by piece remove the augments impedeing her fetus' growth.

I don't think that will work. I think talisman recreates body to the condition it was at the moment when the Talisman was inserted (e.g. Rampage resurrects as a filly). It do not believe the Talisman can restore Blackjack's limbs or internal organs, and I doubt it can replicate removed mechanic parts. Thus, removing synthetic components from immortal Blackjack body would probably result in an eternal agony.

[Silver136]

I wonder if you could remove the phoenix talisman from Rampage, shove it into BJ's old body and piece by piece remove the augments impedeing her fetus' growth.

Well, it would give Rampage the death she wants and allow her to atone for her sins via Heroic Sacrifice (tm), but I don't know if Blackjack would let her do it.

On top of that, Blackjack's stuck holding the talisman at that point, mean she's now stuck as the undying (assuming Cognitum doesn't get anchored in there somehow)

I thought the whole talisman immortality thing was that it was too weak to give immortality until it ate up all those people's souls? Wouldn't it just rebuild Rampage around itself after it got cut out? It built a while new Rampage after she was completely disintegrated, I think her condition is permanent unless the talisman is destroyed.

[Guest]

I think they way the phoenix talisman works is that it regenerates the body of the most recent soul placed in it. I don't think if you placed the phoenix talisman inside of BJ or anyone else for that matter Rampage would burst out of their chest like she was trying out for an Alien sequel.

[decumos]

I also wonder if the Phoenix Talisman will cause a body to reject all mechanical augmentations during a regeneration process.

[Vinylshadow]

Just what we need...an immortal Blackjack

[Technowolf]

Just what we need...an immortal Blackjack

Well, she's already defeated death at least twice now...

[Scienza]

Just what we need...an immortal Blackjack

Well, she's already defeated death at least twice now...

And she has had someone's soul bound to something on her person...

[Icy Shake]

@Swicked For tageting purposes or because the deathbeam can't penetrate cloud?

Because it's magic and the sun needs to already be directly hitting something for the megaspell to amp those rays into columns of firey death.
Similarly, the tower needs direct access to the sun to channel magic to those rays.
This is not an orbital cannon... or even some kinda giant mirror. It has its own laws to follow.

I think I've worked with it basically on these conditions:
1. The target needs to be in direct sunlight. Also, the megaspell chamber, but that one always seemed completely natural to me anyway.
2. It can't target anything that isn't more substantial than clouds, so no going through them directly.
3. For reasons relating to the amount of time it can fire continuously and how quickly the aim can be moved, or concerns about collateral damage, it's generally not practicable to target the nearest unclouded area, letting the intense sunlight (directly affecting the column of air it passes through) and heat coming off the target location disperse the clouds, opening a path towards where you wanted to aim. This third requirement pretty unambiguously applied in the finale scene of FoE, but might not apply in post-S&R Hoofington.

[SilentCarto]

Do they need clear weather over the target? I was always under the impression they only needed clear weather over Tenpony. Still if Pip knows what's going on she still controls the weather everywhere but the Hoof if it fires I'd question why Pip would just allow it. Knowing she has the power to stop it.

Well, Ditzy rainboomed Fillydelphia, but that was also a WMD against Pegasus cloud-tech that took out multiple Raptors and a Thunderhead seige platform, so it's unclear. I would think C1 would burn off any clouds in the target zone, but... just wondering if there's an official version.

I think you mean the inverse. The weather over the Core is natural (it's because of the shape of the valley), so Pip would probably have more trouble controlling it than the weather she creates. She should still be able to work it though.

The Hoofington section of the SPP system is jammed, according to Chapter 63. Presumably at Cog's command.

Oh, I answered this in a previous comment reply and didn't think I needed to again; sorry.  It's from Yes Man if one delays going to the dam at the end of the Independent path.  Well, it's a modified version of that, that is; the original referred to the Legion attacking.

Ahhhh. Thanks.

[Icy Shake]

Do they need clear weather over the target? I was always under the impression they only needed clear weather over Tenpony. Still if Pip knows what's going on she still controls the weather everywhere but the Hoof if it fires I'd question why Pip would just allow it. Knowing she has the power to stop it.

Well, Ditzy rainboomed Fillydelphia, but that was also a WMD against Pegasus cloud-tech that took out multiple Raptors and a Thunderhead seige platform, so it's unclear. I would think C1 would burn off any clouds in the target zone, but... just wondering if there's an official version.

Forcing myself forward, I told her, “I need you to perform another sonic radboom.  This time, right in the middle of the conflict.”  I quickly added, “But I want you to do so with as little risk as possible.  If you can take out some of the Enclave’s ships, that’s wonderful.  But the goal is to clear the clouds over the battle zone.  So if you can pull it off at a higher altitude, keep yourself out of the firefight, that would be best.”  

[SilentCarto]

Come to think of it, not only did that memory orb

cause spoilers:

it also

gave more spoilers:

Did I read that right, or am I missing some detail on how those things work?

Well... define "kill". Implanting the Phoenix Talisman in a new host just passes on the curse, and Peppermint/Rampage would become another resident of the new host. They would still be subject to Nurse Candy's... influence. As far as we know, starmetal weapons are the only way to destroy a soul jar.

I thought the whole talisman immortality thing was that it was too weak to give immortality until it ate up all those people's souls? Wouldn't it just rebuild Rampage around itself after it got cut out? It built a while new Rampage after she was completely disintegrated, I think her condition is permanent unless the talisman is destroyed.

It's unclear what about implanting the talisman in Peppermint supercharged it. Maybe it just needed one more soul, yeah, but maybe the addition of Peppermint's soul struck some delicate balance that another host would disrupt. Maybe it's the genetic or emotional bond between Twist and Peppermint that enables her to regenerate the way Rarity had imagined. Still, you bring up a good point -- it might be difficult to implant it in a new host now, with Rampage regenerating from total destruction around it.

[SilentCarto]

Well, Ditzy rainboomed Fillydelphia, but that was also a WMD against Pegasus cloud-tech that took out multiple Raptors and a Thunderhead seige platform, so it's unclear. I would think C1 would burn off any clouds in the target zone, but... just wondering if there's an official version.

Forcing myself forward, I told her, “I need you to perform another sonic radboom.  This time, right in the middle of the conflict.”  I quickly added, “But I want you to do so with as little risk as possible.  If you can take out some of the Enclave’s ships, that’s wonderful.  But the goal is to clear the clouds over the battle zone.  So if you can pull it off at a higher altitude, keep yourself out of the firefight, that would be best.”  

[Batman] So that's what that feels like. [/Batman]

Regarding your last point, though, did we ever see them use any continuous blasts in the original fic? I thought each "shot" was just a single moment of intense sunlight.

It's not specified. I certainly picture it as a continuous beam slewing from target to target.

[SilentCarto]

- GloryBra.

Yes, Glorybra.  :)

THIS IS YOUR FAULT.

[SilentCarto]

“Wait!  You forgot Mr. Ripper Killer Death Machine!”

Ahahahahahahaha!  I should have known it would be like that.  Hope Mr.Rip is found, unless I'm forgetting a moment where he shows up with his forceful personality.

I assume that was the teddy bear on the bed.

I've never been a big Charity fan, but between the two of them, well, Christ, what an asshole Velvet's being.

Well... do keep in mind, Velvet comes from a semi-communistic society in which she was something of a queen bee. She grew up accustomed to thinking of basic necessities as a right, not something you had to earn. Pip demonstrates the same thinking at Bucklyn Cross. I'm not saying those who have water talismans and the like shouldn't share their bounty, but on the other hand, if a community had nothing to offer but clean water, I absolutely wouldn't blame them for charging.

[O. Hinds]

@SilentCarto:
I...
...
What?
I mean, I get the visual pun, but... where did that picture come from?

[WavemasterRyx]

*hugs Somber very gently* It's not a horrible chapter at all. I really do hope things get better for you, sir, and I hope 71 doesn't cause as much trouble.

Chapter 70 Commentary:

[SilentCarto]

@SilentCarto:
I...
...
What?
I mean, I get the visual pun, but... where did that picture come from?

Just over in the Fanart thread.
Source

[Scienza]

- GloryBra.

Yes, Glorybra.  :)

*snip*

THIS IS YOUR FAULT.

GLORIOUS

[SilentCarto]

"Diamond Tiara...  That filly had serious flank issues." - This combined with the alicorn following Velvet around so much makes me wonder who she is, especially since Velvet tends to sing a lot of Sweetie Belle songs.

It sounds like you're suggesting a CMC, but their corpses are all accounted for. Given that alicornication turns the subject female, we really have no idea whatsoever who this might be, except that they're from Ponyville and a contemporary of the CMCs. Could be any of the fillies and colts we saw during Luna Eclipsed and Twilight Time, really...

[Technowolf]

I thought the whole talisman immortality thing was that it was too weak to give immortality until it ate up all those people's souls? Wouldn't it just rebuild Rampage around itself after it got cut out? It built a while new Rampage after she was completely disintegrated, I think her condition is permanent unless the talisman is destroyed.

It's unclear what about implanting the talisman in Peppermint supercharged it. Maybe it just needed one more soul, yeah, but maybe the addition of Peppermint's soul struck some delicate balance that another host would disrupt. Maybe it's the genetic or emotional bond between Twist and Peppermint that enables her to regenerate the way Rarity had imagined. Still, you bring up a good point -- it might be difficult to implant it in a new host now, with Rampage regenerating from total destruction around it.

My headcanon is that, for the Phoenix Talisman to be separated from its host, it must be given willingly.

It sounds like you're suggesting a CMC, but their corpses are all accounted for. Given that alicornication turns the subject female, we really have no idea whatsoever who this might be, except that they're from Ponyville and a contemporary of the CMCs. Could be any of the fillies and colts we saw during Luna Eclipsed and Twilight Time, really...

It could be Babs.

[Vexd]

I thought the whole talisman immortality thing was that it was too weak to give immortality until it ate up all those people's souls? Wouldn't it just rebuild Rampage around itself after it got cut out? It built a while new Rampage after she was completely disintegrated, I think her condition is permanent unless the talisman is destroyed.

It's unclear what about implanting the talisman in Peppermint supercharged it. Maybe it just needed one more soul, yeah, but maybe the addition of Peppermint's soul struck some delicate balance that another host would disrupt. Maybe it's the genetic or emotional bond between Twist and Peppermint that enables her to regenerate the way Rarity had imagined. Still, you bring up a good point -- it might be difficult to implant it in a new host now, with Rampage regenerating from total destruction around it.

My headcanon is that, for the Phoenix Talisman to be separated from its host, it must be given willingly.

It sounds like you're suggesting a CMC, but their corpses are all accounted for. Given that alicornication turns the subject female, we really have no idea whatsoever who this might be, except that they're from Ponyville and a contemporary of the CMCs. Could be any of the fillies and colts we saw during Luna Eclipsed and Twilight Time, really...

It could be Babs.

But The Goddess only took in unicorns for conversion

[JadedPony]

But The Goddess only took in unicorns for conversion

I thought she could convert anypony but they would always come out the same because there was no earth/pegasi in the original template? 

Side question: how many pages long is Horizons now?

[Technowolf]

But The Goddess only took in unicorns for conversion

I thought she could convert anypony but they would always come out the same because there was no earth/pegasi in the original template?

No, they were all female because there were no males in the original template.  IIRC, the whole "no earth/pegasus ponies thing" was one of Red Eye's theories on why the Goddess couldn't create true Harmony.

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