TerroirNoir's "Cable Channel of AE!" Reviews. Part 2.

[cranebump]

19 hours ago, Zhym said:

That's the problem with the contact being so fast.  "What, it took you guys an hour?  It woulda been five minutes for me, tops."

"Stop bragging about your sex life, Synapse."

Edited Friday at 11:13 PM by cranebump

[Ankylosaur]

Exciting to see Engineeria's run through brain puns unfold!  (Let Go of My Ego, Beware the Ids that March, and now Super Ego Maniac)

 

So much better with her telling of it! So many great and funny moments.

Tidbit Responses - will add more as she unveils her journey.

Spoiler

So this was the last trio of missions I put together in a Vigilante - Post-Praetoria vein.

 

All the psychic first ward stuff had not found a home in my stories yet, and the Mr G arc brought The Awakened and Penny Mayhem to Paragon. So what became of them? Basically a mashup of the Council always going for giant robots (now through psionics!) / the Marchand fall of striga stuff (they need to recruit new leaders) / along with the Clockwork King-esque idea of mind-controlled robots like Praetorian Penny originally did. It also let me use all those old clockwork models in AE and the psychic clockwork to good end.

Other tidbits 

• Back in "Beware the Ids that March," I meant to mention you went to the CMF because in every one of the All That arcs, you go to Praetoria/glimpse Neo Tokyo at least once. I also have a personal goal to use every one of the Praetorian outdoor maps somewhere in these.  🙂
• Mynx's comment about Bobcat - refers to the previous arc, where you unwittingly helped Mr G and gang (including Bobcat) return to Praetoria, now controlled by Neo Tokyo.
• Col Buddy Bolton - You're named PPD pal! You've seen him in cameos in a few places across All That, sometimes after your vigilante self. He is generally your buddy though and plays a big role in Glows. Since you have had your own Buddy PPD ally, in my head and reading of your story, your PPD Buddy and mine are somehow one and the same. 
• Major bug! Young Penelope Mayhem was not supposed to be in M3. I had a group called Mayhem Clockwork, which included some of the "Curium Clockwork" and "Silver Tesla Clockwork" along with the Psychic Clockwork. No idea why, but they are not in that group anymore, and only young Penelope (AV) is. So - um - kudos taking on a downgraded AV more often than intended - I fixed it and Marauder's double "has" 
  • Because the story has her mentally regressing to find a happier time in her life, she looks like a younger Praetorian her when manifesting herself in the Soothseer stone - but again - not in M3 in the Clockwork Warehouse - there she had possessed the Clockwork King and become "The Clockwork Queen," with her playtime friends. Suspect that was a little confusing.
• And then there is the whole Vanessa's daughter and Wu Yin memory transfer cut scene from the Mayhem origin story which had to get worked in. 
  • Its clear I am counting a bit on people having played the Penelope in Praetoria stuff - Rusty reference too...
  • @cranebump Time is fleeting... 🙂 
  • The M4 map has loads of things, like Arakhn that are references to how she saw her new Council allies winning. I just threw in a Doppelganger when doing the fix above, named Rusty, to further that too.
• Pretty tragic story in the end. She is too untethered to reality and too powerful to let roam free...
• The other tragedy is that I wrote this all before I knew there was a task force involving Penelope Mayhem - so that is not accounted for 😞 
• M5 is kind of an Epilogue mission - or at least a denouement. You fought her in reality in M3, you fought her in her twisted reality in M4, and you finally help her come to some sort of peace with a small win for her, and a potential of a better, if imprisoned future.
  • Oh and I think Wu Yin hands off his memories in his cutscene https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Wu_Yin's_Personal_Story
  • And as a reminder - in the Ankyverse, Desdemona/Vanessa got separated again in All That Glimmers, but the nature of that was that she could only "appear" in Astoria, though she can psychically project herself into the Soothseer stone. 

Edited Saturday at 12:59 PM by Ankylosaur

[TerroirNoir3]

11 hours ago, Ankylosaur said:

Exciting to see Engineeria's run through brain puns unfold!  (Let Go of My Ego, Beware the Ids that March, and now Super Ego Maniac)

 

So much better with her telling of it! So many great and funny moments.

Tidbit Responses - will add more as she unveils her journey.

  Reveal hidden contents

So this was the last trio of missions I put together in a Vigilante - Post-Praetoria vein.

 

All the psychic first ward stuff had not found a home in my stories yet, and the Mr G arc brought The Awakened and Penny Mayhem to Paragon. So what became of them? Basically a mashup of the Council always going for giant robots (now through psionics!) / the Marchand fall of striga stuff (they need to recruit new leaders) / along with the Clockwork King-esque idea of mind-controlled robots like Praetorian Penny originally did. It also let me use all those old clockwork models in AE and the psychic clockwork to good end.

Other tidbits 

• Back in "Beware the Ids that March," I meant to mention you went to the CMF because in every one of the All That arcs, you go to Praetoria/glimpse Neo Tokyo at least once. I also have a personal goal to use every one of the Praetorian outdoor maps somewhere in these.  🙂
• Mynx's comment about Bobcat - refers to the previous arc, where you unwittingly helped Mr G and gang (including Bobcat) return to Praetoria, now controlled by Neo Tokyo.
• Col Buddy Bolton - You're named PPD pal! You've seen him in cameos in a few places across All That, sometimes after your vigilante self. He is generally your buddy though and plays a big role in Glows. Since you have had your own Buddy PPD ally, in my head and reading of your story, your PPD Buddy and mine are somehow one and the same. 
• Major bug! Young Penelope Mayhem was not supposed to be in M3. I had a group called Mayhem Clockwork, which included some of the "Curium Clockwork" and "Silver Tesla Clockwork" along with the Psychic Clockwork. No idea why, but they are not in that group anymore, and only young Penelope (AV) is. So - um - kudos taking on a downgraded AV more often than intended - I fixed it and Marauder's double "has" 
  • Because the story has her mentally regressing to find a happier time in her life, she looks like a younger Praetorian her when manifesting herself in the Soothseer stone - but again - not in M3 in the Clockwork Warehouse - there she had possessed the Clockwork King and become "The Clockwork Queen," with her playtime friends. Suspect that was a little confusing.
• And then there is the whole Vanessa's daughter and Wu Yin memory transfer cut scene from the Mayhem origin story which had to get worked in. 
  • Its clear I am counting a bit on people having played the Penelope in Praetoria stuff - Rusty reference too...
• @cranebump Time is fleeting... 🙂
• Pretty tragic story in the end. She is too untethered to reality and too powerful to let roam free...
• The other tragedy is that I wrote this all before I knew there was a task force involving Penelope Mayhem - so that is not accounted for 😞 

Yeah, well I reference this as part of the "Ankyverse" and any divergence is fine 🙂

And the M3 thing?  I dunno!  I think it ADDED to the severity of the mission.  It really made it tough but it wasn't "smash keyboard in frustration tough", which frankly is a mistake that some writers make in an attempt to outdo in game high end stories.

 

[TerroirNoir3]

Arc 24 from our second author on "TerroirNoir's Cable Channel of AE" Reviews is @cranebump's Fallout 1: The Unlock.

 

Mission 1: Blink. So I'm resting up from the madness that surrounded the whole "P. Mayhem Goes to Cimerora" thingy, you know, feet up and my coffee laced, and I receive a call from one of my favorite people to work with.  That's Lt. Briggs-Hughes.  Remember her?  Yeah.  Scrappy gal who gets things done.  One of the good ones.

Right.  I'm already slipping on my armor as she talks because if she needs help I'm gonna go help.

 

She's keeping it on the downlow though. Doesn't "know" me (wink). But that's government politics for you I suppose. Anyway, she has a spot of trouble at an S&L. It caters to vets mainly ---wait, veterans or veterinarians? I'm gonna assume the former but in Paragon you never know.  Lot of Master Minds around with Beasts and so on.  

Sorry, go on?

Briggs-Hughes's trainees are already in the S&L.  Things are squirrely though.  Closed sign down when it shouldn't be, doors locked.  No answer.  

Yeah, I'll head in and take a look.

 

 

Okie dokie, let's have a little looksee.

Sheesh.  First thing I find is a body. Beaten to a pulp.  Nasty.

No sign of Briggs-Hughes's team though.

 

Next up is a safe.  Still with loot in it.  Weird.  Body pieces nearby.  Like they stole it and had a fight over it then they left. Leaving it behind like it didn't matter. Definitely weird.

Let's see what's on this.

Hmm.  An AC crew was supposed to fix some ventilation.  Didn't happen.

Regular Ghost Town in here.  Ok, it ain't Dark Astoria but what is?

 

 

Ok, further along I find some gas tanks.  Empty.  But set on wide dispersal.  Made by FinnCo.

Interesting.

 

Another body.  It's the AC repairman.  Beaten to a pulp, just like the earlier body I found. There's a baseball bat beside him, like he was using it defend himself.  Why does an AC repairman need one of those?

 

 

And wouldn't you know it, there's a massive hole in the floor leading to...well, I dunno.  We will have to see.  And there's some folks down there.  They LOOK like civilians, angry civilians but still just civilians.  Stealth on then and slip by them.  No need to go all Justice Vigilante on them until I know what's going on.

 

 

Ah, of course we're down in the sewers.  Like I don't spend enough of my time here already.  You know, in all the time I've been investigating things I've NEVER seen a sanitation worker down here.  I mean I'm pretty sure the city has taxes for that but I've never seen one.  Something to mention to Brighid Moreira when I see her in City Hall.

Meanwhile.

Trailing along the dank tunnels, avoiding "patrols".  I say patrols but these people are a bit blank, like something is controlling them.

And they have a captive.  Might get some answers if I free them.  Looks like I AM hitting some civilians after all, even if I don't want to.

 

 

Rescue mode engaged!  I dive in and drive them away from their prisoner.

Sheesh, these people are tough and I'm a super!  I'm always saying I'm a mid level supe in a city of more powerful supes, but even so I'm supposed to be stronger than a roided up bank teller!

 

 

And that's all of them...wait, what the hell is hitting me?  I'm still getting shot!

Some of them can fly now!

Crap.

Well, I'm NOT putting up with that!  Down you come, lady!

 

 

Ok, Mister.  Spill it.  What the hell is going on here?  Come on!  

Well, that's about as useful as a bicycle is to a fish.

Wait.  You're here to monitor that machine in the corner?

Why?

 

 

Let's have a look at that machine then ---hey!  He just ran off!  Grr!

Ok, machine.

 

 

This has been altogether odd.  I need to talk to Briggs-Hughes about this. The ESWAT team have the remaining bank staff in shackles.  They're looking a bit rabid though.  Not at all normal.

 

Talking to Briggs-Hughes, yeah, looks like the gas turned these folks into pseudo supes or something.  Not gonna lie, it's odd.  And maybe we should investigate this FinnCo.  That name seems familiar though.

 

[Mission 1 = Great moody start to a mystery with one of my favorite NPCs as the contact.  Liking the build up so far.  Let's see what's next!]

 

Mission 2: Drive.  Some of those Skulls got through the teleporter, apparently along with some of the bewitched (that's what I am calling it) bank staff. And something similar happened in Steel Canyon.  Skulls show up, bank staff attack them and chase them though a TP device.

Briggs-Hughes is almost stunned when she says "we have to stop people hurting the Skulls".  Yeah, you and me both.

So, with the aid of a captured techspert I'm gonna scoot through one of the devices myself and see where that lands me.  Glorious.  Going in blind as usual.

And AWAAAY we go!

 

 

Great, another dingy place.  Why don't gangs want to live in NICE places?  What's with that?

 

 

I run into a few Skulls and have to take them down before encountering some of the crazed bank staff harassing a captive Skull.  I "rescue" him, but he just hightails it out the door.  Can't say I blame him to be honest.

 

 

On we go.  Jeez, the city needs to do some eminent domain on these places and clear them out or patch them up or something.  Of course, since the Rikti War, and the the Praetorian War, and all the other whatevers, and lord knows what the cost of running a War Wall is, I suppose there's not a lot of money in the war chest to do anything much.

Further ahead I find another FinnCo container.  BA332 written on it.  Make a note of that.

Well, she came out of almost nowhere!  And how much steroid type gas does it take to make a Perky Secretary take on a super?  I mean actually be able to as opposed to just thinking they can, because the latter is easy.

 

 

I run into a Bone Daddy Skull boss and his companions.  They're not happy with the bank staff but they're also not pleased to see me.  Well, I leave them nursing sore heads on the floor and move further in.

 

And success!  Or at least I think it is.  Who is this person?

 

 

Ok, let's get to is, Site Boss!  And on we go!

Wait, they summoned zombies?!  Ok, they're with the Skulls, and the Skulls can sometimes use Dark powers, but I've not seen anyone use zombies since I ran into Veles a while ago, and I think he's in the Zig these days.  I think.  Still, precedent I suppose.

But what did you mean by "this world"?

 

 

Wait, she has implants?  A cyborg Skull?  That's...peculiar. And she's dead dead.  Some sort of neurotoxin released from the implants.  No questioning her it seems.

 

Around the corner I find another of those TP machines.

It's set for long range but is completely dead power-wise.

Right, I'll head back out, figure out where in the city I am and call Briggs-Hughes.

 

 

[Mission 2 = Oh, @cranebump loves a mystery and this one is not giving up its secrets yet.  Enjoying the investigation as I go.  Let's see what Briggs-Hughes has planned for Engineria next!]

 

Mission 3: Start with Why.  Briggs-Hughes is on the case!  Skulls are mostly low rent.  Leave aside Veles and the Chernobog thing for now.  And normally we'd be less worried. But this gas thing? That amps up the bank staff into Stepfordian Murderdroids?  Not a good look.  So we need to figure out where they are getting it from.  Well, there's FinnCo ALL over the labels, lady! 

Oh, you thought of that.  Go on.

Ah, that's another part of the investigation. Skullia and me will be checking out the "gas ring" gang in the Skulls.  Got it.  Ok, where to?

 

 

And from the get go we're...no, we're not on the back foot, we're taking the boot to the Skulls!

Yep!

 

 

We have to wade through several patrols of Skulls before we find Deathmoth (Deathmoth?) and "ask" him some sharp questions.  Very sharp.  Pointed even.

Again, Deathmoth?  Are you guys running out of scary names?  I can think of loads!  Like Lord Vengeance!  Or The Persecutor!  Or...oh, we don't have time for this!

 

 

Skullia's suggestion is very ...Troll-like.  Or Freakshow.  Beat the tar out of them and ask questions later.  Leave enough breath in them to ask questions later.  You know, Skullia, I reckon you're a Vig. Mind you, in Kings Row that's fine.

 

 

Now we drag ol' Deathmoth out and do some serious questioning.  Nuff said.

 

 

Back with Briggs-Hughes.  We relay what we got from the perp.  It's the location of the canisters.  I reckon I know where we're heading next!

 

[Mission 3 = Short and sweet.  Good simple mission, in and out and no fuss or running all over the place.  Like it!]

 

Mission 4: Stealing Fire.  More ASAP]So we're convened in the ESWAT offices.  Me, Briggs-Hughes, Pep Becktrees (Hiya Pep!).  What's the skinny?  Me and Skullia pay a visit to the canister site. But I'm to keep a watch on Skullia because Briggs-Hughes thinks she's not telling us everything.

Sure.  No worries.

Briggs-Hughes and the rest will be the decoy.  Rounding up the "usual suspects" and taking names in Kings Row, making a big enough noise that attention iss away from the real team.

So, we rest up and prep then we go in.

 

 

Not frenzy but...hmm.  Anyway.

 

There's a lot of clocks getting cleaned here!  With Skullia leading the way!

None of these schmoes are getting away from her.

 

 

Wait, FUTURE TECH?  I do not like the sound of that!  And that earlier woman mentioned "This World".  What the hell is actually going on here, Skullia?

We can chat later but in the meantime hit them! Jeez Louise but that Gun Drone of hers is dangerous!

 

 

We hammer them down and when a closer look is taken at the equipment the familiar name of FinnCo can be seen.  Tsk.  Have to look into that.

And then it gets, well not weird but very...niche?  Yeah, niche.

We find Dentine (As in teeth?  Like in teeth? Or was that a gum back in the day? What do I know?)

And the niche bit?  Well, his musical tastes are era specific.  I'd have pegged the Skulls to be listeners of Norwegian Death Metal. 

 

 

So after promising NOT to smash his face in he spills his intel.  I think Skullia broke several of his ribs though.  In her defense he only said not in the face.

Shortly after we come across ---I swear, these people need a thesaurus --Philogrief.

And she's all "I didn't do nuttin" and "I was only following orders" and "Not in the face".  Which has me grinning at Skullia after the Dentine thing.

 

 

So yeah.  Elmo (Elmo?) met some new people who promised weapons and a gas that would pacify people, and they would make more money than with the Petrovics. 

Ok, how stupid are you?  Morana will skin you if she finds out about this.

No, I'm not gonna tell her.  No, don't thank me.  Enough of you bozos have loose lips that she probably already knows.

And just behind Phil here is a forklift with a box of beam pistols!  No name, it's been removed but dollars to donuts they're from FinnCo.

 

Skullia and Engineria move further in.  She's still smiling to herself.  Odd woman.

Oh Hi Mark...I mean New Site Boss.

 

 

And Skullia's Gun Drone minces him. 

I don't have much to do here.

Go though his shredded pockets I suppose.

 

Spoiler

@cranebump typo on his speech. "Some" instead of "Someone."

 

And up around the corner we meet Waldo.  Who goes by a different name.  I'm sticking with Waldo.

(You know what I saw referenced the other day?  A Where's Waldo? audiobook!)

 

 

We take Waldo down like the rest.  

Seems there's an attempt at some new Skull leadership going on.  We've got all the kit so time to get back to ESWAT.

 

 

Briggs-Hughes is pleased.  We're to swing by the PPD and confab there. There's stuff to discuss.

 

[Mission 4 = That was very funny.  All the odd names and weirdoes.  Really getting across the "while the cat's away the mice will play vibe" from the Skulls after the Petrovics went to the Zig, apart from Morana who can't be everywhere at once.  Liked it!]

 

Mission 5: Future Presence.  [More ASAP]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by TerroirNoir3