Issue Idea- The Island of Mu

[Spectress]

the return of Hequat, the introduction of the Mu archetype, and the masterpiece- The Island of Mu-

throw in custom power sets (jk, kinda 😉

also new enh sets might be fun- such as aoe radius increase sets with other creative boosts- just a thought

 

(Additional thoughts after the basic ideas)

 

I would put Arachnos Mu at a 9 in range damage, with excellent sapping as part of their defensive- while going back and making sapping more valuable to all players by making only some enemy abilities available for 1 endurance and not any of them.

 

Once we discover Mu Island, the Rikti will be able to invade... so while Hequat likes to roam the island and obliterate Rikti during invasions(and you can follow her and help and get exp from what she destroys-she explains the only reason she doesn't annihilate the entire invasion force at once is both because they come by portals- and so she can conserve her power- if she's close to a ship, she'll completely blow it up out of the sky- and the rikti are constantly after her as she roams), she's otherwise found in her palace at the high point of the island- which is like a crystal remodel of an Arena- with towers instead of spires and grand doors instead of common doors. watercolor style is very popular on the island of Mu- as it was raised from the sea by the goddess Hequat.

 

An interesting ultimate move for Arachnos Mu may be to use the "Ultimate Power" emote lightning for a spell called "Bolt of Brightness" which is on-target aoe which does extreme damage, knocks down, reduces enemy endurance, and buffs all allies in the area with end regen based on the enemies struck.

 

Hequat could have very nice abilities that wipe out large groups... such as an enormous Fissure or Stomp, Chain Lightning that chains endlessly, several random lightning storm clouds in a huge radius, perhaps an AoE heal -

Edited Friday at 02:33 AM by Spectress
shorten other replies from me into 1 post for others to read

[Steampunkette]

The Rogue Isles are what's left of the Continent of Mu.

 

During the war with Oranbega, it was cast down by the demons the Oranbegans made their deals with, and largely ravaged and destroyed. What ruins remain in places like Nerva Archipelago are pretty much all that's left of Mu.

 

Vast chunks of the Isle were beaten down under the sea-level, and only the highlands remained as the Star Islands, the Etoille.

 

There is no Isle of Mu.

[Rudra]

Not to mention we already stomp Hequat for Scirocco. At the seat of her power. And her abilities are already well known.

 

(Edit: We fight multiple gods in City of. Stomping them all. We even get to play as gods in City of. And we got to play as gods before the Incarnate system was even added.)

 

(Edit again: Hells, as best I can remember, the Rikti ended the gods of their world as part of erasing magic as a force in their world. So why would they have difficulty in stomping Hequat?)

 

(Edit yet again: Hells, the only reason why Mot is so powerful is because he, like the rest of the Banished Pantheon, were eating their fellow gods to gain their power. And he added Incarnates, basically new gods, to his feast from all across the world, further growing his power. [As well as several million (billion?) others that you see imprisoned within him further feeding his power.])

 

Edited Friday at 05:34 PM by Rudra

[battlewraith]

Okay just looking up the lore on the wiki, Hequat at full power raised all of the nation of mu from the bottom of the ocean. So some additional island zone doesn't seem like a big deal.

Yes, she's defeated in a mission. So what? Ever read a comic book? Enemies are defeated and come back, often more powerful than the first time. It even says in the mission text that it is likely she will come back. 

 

There is no reason why Hequat couldn't have an expanded presence in the game, garbage speculation about which gods we can stomp and why notwithstanding. 

[Spectress]

Leviathan-creature was trapped under Sharkhead Isle but I still figure Mu Island would be somehow shrouded and unfindable... and judging by what I read on the wiki about the island and civilization-

" It was nearly destroyed during a war against Oranbega and today, though its descendants are numerous, many of them are still unaware of their legacy. A legacy that puts them in a mortal danger"

I read that Hequat sent the people off to war to try to conquer Oranbega again- and so they would have won had the Oranbegans not made a Netherworld pact... it may be that Hequat somehow hid the island after those events... exposing the Oranbegans as divergent rebels against her rule... perhaps the Oranbegans were defiant of their history with the gods because of Hequat's fellow student under Tielekku, Ermeeth- who taught the Oranbegans magic and caused them not to worship them... since Tielekku sided with Hequat.

 

i really can't get enough of this story, most of my toons are magic origin... also I read of Tielekku that her powers may have diminished over the years from distribution.

I find it reasonable that Hequat could become extremely powerful again- considering she raised an island which is an extreme feat for anyone in COH imo.

and she could, perhaps, be more powerful on her own island- due to some kind of secret and/or treasure hoard.

I know that she was supposedly beaten in the Scirocco missions- but I don't think that indicates her true potential... she is awfully sure of herself 🙂 

 

thanks for all the replies!

[Spectress]

(MISSION SPOILER WARNING( This is Interesting, it seems somehow she would have to be restored, based on what I read of the Scirocco mission. It does confirm that Hequat was in a weakened state- and I read on the wiki that she is the type of being that thrives from worship... so after her people were defeated she was weak in her own realm.. perhaps the people misunderstood Hequat, because for all they know, Mu Island is a myth? Not to disregard other peoples' information rudely or anything... just to fish for answers/correction --- i can't seem to find confirmation that Mu island had ever been found ... and it seems my thoughts on the island would be a bit off anyway according to this description "Within a fortress-island forged of iron and fear they had been trained to hate us and to fight against us for generations. Their Goddess demanded it, and they obeyed her in all ways. They believed that their chosen place upon this world was to serve as the righteous implement of her will, and in their deeds and customs did they enshrine this so that to do otherwise would be unthinkable."

"

Briefing

I have studied the information you have recovered, and have come up with a plan. If the Mu rebels were right and their goddess Hequat still lives, then she will be able to interfere with the DESTINY Portal. And what's more, her continued existence may interfere with the Mu Mystics in the future, dividing their loyalties. But she is likely weak, and still confined to her realm. It might be possible to deal with her before she can truly become a threat. And that is where you come in. I think it goes without saying that you will need as many cronies as you can muster to take on a goddess, even a weakened one.

• Defeat the goddess Hequat

The DESTINY portal has been readied using the information you recovered from the Mu and Eukrisal's knowledge. Now, it should be able to send you not to another time or place, but to another world: the spirit world where Hequat resides. There, you are to break through any seals in your way, find Hequat, and defeat her. This should dissipate her power for the foreseeable future.

Edited Friday at 11:50 PM by Spectress

[Rudra]

Sharkhead Isle, which is the leviathan, is a goddess your character kills in game. (Which is how the leviathan is formed.)

 

Hequat is hostile to humanity in game. She is adamant that humanity's role is to serve the gods and obey them in all things. Tielekku does not share that philosophy.

 

Mu Island, like Oranbega itself, is never found in its entirety by the players. They are both in ruins. Oranbega sunk beneath the earth by the Circle and the island of the Mu sunk beneath the waves from being destroyed. The Oranbegans fled from the island of the Mu. That is where they originated. So it wasn't a matter of discovering it during the war, it was a matter of surviving the Mu onslaught and then retaliating.

[Spectress]

okay I actually read the full wiki and I see where it says they counter-attacked on Mu land

[MTeague]

All things are possible, if they catch the developer's fancy. 

 

But I would not hold my breath for any new AT's to be introduced.  Bring in a new AT, you have to cook up several powersets, along with their animations, and make them work for all body types, and balance them against all existing AT's/Sets and cook up new ATO's and balance them, and make it something that can plausibly be played by anyone of any origin. "Technololgy" or "Science" based Mu are practically a contradiction. 

 

I honestly put that at "winning big on powerball" kind of odds. 

[Spectress]

yeah I didn't read the full wiki on Mu first and for that I apologize- however to me it does seem like the plot is open, perhaps not for Mu island, but for another conflict between descendants of Mu and Oranbega if Hequat were to return... 

[Rudra]

1 minute ago, Spectress said:

yeah I didn't read the full wiki on Mu first and for that I apologize- however to me it does seem like the plot is open, perhaps not for Mu island, but for another conflict between descendants of Mu and Oranbega if Hequat were to return... 

There is an ongoing conflict between the Mu and Circle of Thorns. Their war never really ended. The demons the Oranbegans made their pacts with demanded the annihilation of the Mu. All of them. The Mu still serve Hequat. (At least a significant number of them.) Their war isn't raging across the world in sky ships and enigmatic towers of impossibility any more. They aren't raining down armageddon upon each other openly any more. However, they are still very much at war. And will continue to be so until the pacts with the demons is rendered no longer binding and the Mu give up their blind obedience to Hequat.

[Spectress]

26 minutes ago, Rudra said:

 

Hequat is hostile to humanity in game. She is adamant that humanity's role is to serve the gods and obey them in all things. Tielekku does not share that philosophy.

Hequat wiki says that Tielekku sided with Hequat over the other pupil tho - so i was thinking maybe the people owed the gods for something and just broke all restraint when they were taught by Ermeeth, the other pupil... and yet they did eventually show mercy to the Mu after the Netherworld Pact caused their counter to nearly finish the Mu off... (which is awesome) ... so they still fuss today but the Netherworld pact was, like, evil in nature, so Hequat should be able to win perhaps IF the Oranbegans were always just wrong in their doings (which it seems Tielekku did judge)

Edited yesterday at 12:26 AM by Spectress

[Rudra]

34 minutes ago, Spectress said:

Hequat wiki says that Tielekku sided with Hequat over the other pupil tho - so i was thinking maybe the people owed the gods for something and just broke all restraint when they were taught by Ermeeth, the other pupil... and yet they did eventually show mercy to the Mu after the Netherworld Pact caused their counter to nearly finish the Mu off... (which is awesome) ... so they still fuss today but the Netherworld pact was, like, evil in nature, so Hequat should be able to win perhaps IF the Oranbegans were always just wrong in their doings (which it seems Tielekku did judge)

Tielekku was more in favor of Hequat's stance than Ermeeth's at the time of the schism as portrayed, yes. There were some distinct differences though. Hequat held that humans only existed to serve the gods. They could do nothing more. Humans were basically born to be slaves in Hequat's eyes. Ermeeth held that humans had great potential and should be taught magic so they could find that potential. This would require humans to throw off the shackles of the gods though. Something Ermeeth seemed to not only accept, but encourage. Tielekku was basically the middle ground between them. She held that humans should be deferential to the gods, but also that they should have the freedom to grow. When faced with the question, there was no way to negotiate between Ermeeth and Hequat, Tielekku chose to side with Hequat.

 

The mercy from the Oranbegans to the Mu was not something brought about by Ermeeth, Tielekku, or Hequat. It was the Circle not having succumbed to the darkness yet despite their war. It was a result the demons not only expected, but were counting on.

[Spectress]

32 minutes ago, Rudra said:

The mercy from the Oranbegans to the Mu was not something brought about by Ermeeth, Tielekku, or Hequat. It was the Circle not having succumbed to the darkness yet despite their war. It was a result the demons not only expected, but were counting on.

is it so certain? The demons were willing to provide a complete force to both fend off and invade Mu- what if this was something that the forces of the Netherworld were envious about previously- concerning the deities.. it seems they made their move, and if they had won that day(in my theory)- they could've truly extinguished Hequat... but instead the eternal struggle ensues because the Oranbegans were fated so(possibly deserving of it)... their problem wasn't their access to magic, I think, and that is why Hequat didn't go after Ermeeth- she went after those who were trying to diverge from a proven system of recognizing these deities... then, not long after, the demons are able to ravage both peoples through the reckless Oranbegans Netherworld pact. Just my opinion, but the Oranbegans may have been foolish to think they were above faith to those deified beings who watched over them.. looking at them today, neither those who inhabit old Oranbega or the Mu have gotten out of the conflict very well-off - otherwise they would be aligned with good moreso from my view. I don't see Hequat as such an oppressive figure, though perhaps a goddess-snob. 

Edited yesterday at 01:44 AM by Spectress

[Rudra]

3 minutes ago, Spectress said:

is it so certain? The demons were willing to provide a complete force to both fend off and invade Mu- what if this was something that the forces of the Netherworld were envious about previously- concerning the deities.. it seems they made their move, and if they had won that day(in my theory)- they could've truly extinguished Hequat... but instead the eternal struggle ensues because the Oranbegans were fated so(possibly deserving of it)... their problem wasn't their access to magic, I think, and that is why Hequat didn't go after Ermeeth- she went after those who were trying to diverge from a proven system of recognizing these deities... then, not long after, the demons are able to ravage both peoples through the reckless Oranbegans Netherworld pact. Just my opinion, but the Oranbegans may have been foolish to think they were above faith to those deified beings who watched over them.. looking at them today, neither those who inhabit old Oranbega or the Mu have gotten out of the conflict very well-off - otherwise they would be aligned with good moreso from my view. I don't see Hequat as such an oppressive figure, though perhaps a goddess-snob. 

Hequat didn't go after Ermeeth because he was at least as powerful as she was and the offenders in her eyes were the humans no longer submitting themselves to the gods. There is no reference in the game about the demons being envious of or even caring about the gods. There isn't any real reason for them to be anyway. The demons were providing just as much power to the Oranbegans as Hequat was providing to the Mu to punish the traitorous (in her eyes) Oranbegans.

 

It should also be noted that the Oranbegans did not start making their pacts with the demons until well after the war started. Those contracts were acts of pure desperation, not pre-meditated actions in case the Mu should track the Oranbegans down or to gain additional power for its own sake. It was a "we're getting wiped out! Where can we find help to deal with this?" thing. It was the souls of the Oranbegans and Mu the demons were after. And the fact the Oranbegans entered into their pacts knowing what was at stake shows just how desperate they were at the time.

 

It should also be pointed out that as portrayed in the game, the gods weren't really watching over humanity. Oh sure, some were. Like Tielekku and Ermeeth. However, a lot weren't. Hequat for instance. Hequat only really empowered the Mu to punish the Oranbegans for turning their backs on the gods. Had the Oranbegans not done so under Ermeeth's tutelage? The Mu (including the Oranbegans, because let's face it, they are Mu too), would not have gained the power they had. They didn't need it to fulfill the tasks the gods were giving them. And further empowering/enlightening humans would only lead to humans questioning the gods and turning away from them. Like the Oranbegans did.

[Spectress]

7 minutes ago, Rudra said:

Hequat didn't go after Ermeeth because he was at least as powerful as she was and the offenders in her eyes were the humans no longer submitting themselves to the gods. There is no reference in the game about the demons being envious of or even caring about the gods. There isn't any real reason for them to be anyway. The demons were providing just as much power to the Oranbegans as Hequat was providing to the Mu to punish the traitorous (in her eyes) Oranbegans.

 

It should also be noted that the Oranbegans did not start making their pacts with the demons until well after the war started. Those contracts were acts of pure desperation, not pre-meditated actions in case the Mu should track the Oranbegans down or to gain additional power for its own sake. It was a "we're getting wiped out! Where can we find help to deal with this?" thing. It was the souls of the Oranbegans and Mu the demons were after. And the fact the Oranbegans entered into their pacts knowing what was at stake shows just how desperate they were at the time.

 

It should also be pointed out that as portrayed in the game, the gods weren't really watching over humanity. Oh sure, some were. Like Tielekku and Ermeeth. However, a lot weren't. Hequat for instance. Hequat only really empowered the Mu to punish the Oranbegans for turning their backs on the gods. Had the Oranbegans not done so under Ermeeth's tutelage? The Mu (including the Oranbegans, because let's face it, they are Mu too), would not have gained the power they had. They didn't need it to fulfill the tasks the gods were giving them. And further empowering/enlightening humans would only lead to humans questioning the gods and turning away from them. Like the Oranbegans did.

Hequat and Ermeeth were also lovers though. Hequat caused the Mu to become far more powerful with magic, everyone did magic-- while the Oranbegans let people suffer who weren't good at magic(these were the types who turned to Mu'Rakhmet's cause according to Wiki) "Mu'Rhakmet demanded the Oranbegans' return to a total subservience to the gods of the past. He gained followers among those who felt disaffected by the Oranbegan civilization, and among those who were, disenfranchised by a lack of skill with magic. "

perhaps the Oranbegans were a mess and wouldn't have surrendered to the Mu anyway- but would rather dwell with the demons from the Netherworld ... yikes !

[Rudra]

1 hour ago, Spectress said:

Hequat and Ermeeth were also lovers though. Hequat caused the Mu to become far more powerful with magic, everyone did magic-- while the Oranbegans let people suffer who weren't good at magic(these were the types who turned to Mu'Rakhmet's cause according to Wiki) "Mu'Rhakmet demanded the Oranbegans' return to a total subservience to the gods of the past. He gained followers among those who felt disaffected by the Oranbegan civilization, and among those who were, disenfranchised by a lack of skill with magic. "

perhaps the Oranbegans were a mess and wouldn't have surrendered to the Mu anyway- but would rather dwell with the demons from the Netherworld ... yikes !

I'm not saying the Oranbegans were benevolent, just, or anything else. The Mu culture had its issues. The Oranbegan culture had its issues. Hells, the Cimeroran culture we fight to save from Romulus has its issues. (It is basically Roman culture after all, and they weren't exactly benchmarks of equality or benevolence. Look at some of the repeatable missions we do for them. Even heroes are asked to wipe out groups. Not capture, wipe out.) Again though, the Oranbegans did not enter into their pacts with the demons until after the war started. They studied demons before the war started, yes. Just like they studied everything else they found out about as they looked beyond the world into other dimensions. (And they were looking into other dimensions and studying what they found there.) They did not make their pacts with demons until after the Mu attacked their cities and the Oranbegans found themselves outmatched though.

 

And yes, again, Hequat did empower the Mu and their magic. She did make them frighteningly powerful. However, she only did so because the Oranbegans had left and turned their backs on the gods. She needed the Mu to be stronger to fight the Oranbegans who had the benefit of Ermeeth's teachings and a focus on making their magic powerful enough to rival even the gods. Not from demonic pacts, from their own understanding of magic. (Which was why they were studying the other dimensions.)

 

Edit: Maybe this will help show the contrast. In both Oranbegan and Mu society, everyone had magic. In Mu society, all were effectively equal because all served the gods. Everyone had their assigned roles and given tasks they could accomplish. This made everyone equal. Equally slaves to the gods. So as long as you accomplished what the gods had set to you, you were accepted. In Oranbegan society, everyone was free and an individual's capacity for and mastery over magic determined their status. Instead of everyone being the same status serving the gods that were their society's defined superiors, the Oranbegans created their own hierarchy based on power where the superiors were those with superior magic and mastery and everyone else fell progressively lower in status. Those that lacked even enough magic and mastery of to meet what the Oranbegans considered basic levels were deemed inferior and undesirable. (Those with at least what the Oranbegans considered rudimentary/minimum magic were tolerated and treated better, but you needed to excel at magic to get any real respect.) They were still free, of the gods and their dictates, but they lacked power, influence, and resources in Oranbegan society.

 

Edited yesterday at 03:36 AM by Rudra

[Spectress]

 

2 hours ago, Rudra said:

I'm not saying the Oranbegans were benevolent, just, or anything else. The Mu culture had its issues. The Oranbegan culture had its issues. Hells, the Cimeroran culture we fight to save from Romulus has its issues. (It is basically Roman culture after all, and they weren't exactly benchmarks of equality or benevolence. Look at some of the repeatable missions we do for them. Even heroes are asked to wipe out groups. Not capture, wipe out.) Again though, the Oranbegans did not enter into their pacts with the demons until after the war started. They studied demons before the war started, yes. Just like they studied everything else they found out about as they looked beyond the world into other dimensions. (And they were looking into other dimensions and studying what they found there.) They did not make their pacts with demons until after the Mu attacked their cities and the Oranbegans found themselves outmatched though.

 

And yes, again, Hequat did empower the Mu and their magic. She did make them frighteningly powerful. However, she only did so because the Oranbegans had left and turned their backs on the gods. She needed the Mu to be stronger to fight the Oranbegans who had the benefit of Ermeeth's teachings and a focus on making their magic powerful enough to rival even the gods. Not from demonic pacts, from their own understanding of magic. (Which was why they were studying the other dimensions.)

 

Edit: Maybe this will help show the contrast. In both Oranbegan and Mu society, everyone had magic. In Mu society, all were effectively equal because all served the gods. Everyone had their assigned roles and given tasks they could accomplish. This made everyone equal. Equally slaves to the gods. So as long as you accomplished what the gods had set to you, you were accepted. In Oranbegan society, everyone was free and an individual's capacity for and mastery over magic determined their status. Instead of everyone being the same status serving the gods that were their society's defined superiors, the Oranbegans created their own hierarchy based on power where the superiors were those with superior magic and mastery and everyone else fell progressively lower in status. Those that lacked even enough magic and mastery of to meet what the Oranbegans considered basic levels were deemed inferior and undesirable. (Those with at least what the Oranbegans considered rudimentary/minimum magic were tolerated and treated better, but you needed to excel at magic to get any real respect.) They were still free, of the gods and their dictates, but they lacked power, influence, and resources in Oranbegan society.

 

I appreciate getting to chat about this! Like I said magic origin is my favorite by far and getting into the situation in CoH/CoV is very fun for me- maybe also cuz I've played for so long and hadn't really read into it much so there was a nice chunk of story/lore there. 

[Sakura Tenshi]

You know, one alternative could be a Hazard zone you enter through Ouroboros that takes you back to the Mu-Oranbegan War and see both civilizations in their prime/early decline.

[mechahamham]

31 minutes ago, Sakura Tenshi said:

You know, one alternative could be a Hazard zone you enter through Ouroboros that takes you back to the Mu-Oranbegan War and see both civilizations in their prime/early decline.

 

Oh, I *like* that.

 

Especially if you are tasked with relaying information to the Oranbegans prior to their deal... and they consider what's going to happen and still choose to make the deal.

 

"Millenia of corruption for us, or complete and utter genocide for our pursuers? We've opted for corruption. There's no choice, really, at least as we see it. The council's vote was unanimous. Millions will die either way, but *we* have to at least be present in spirit to oppose not just Hequat, but Mot as well in your time. The children of the Mu will survive. We will be well deserving of every damnation they heap upon us. It is a small price to pay if that's what's necessary for humanity to survive into your future."

 

There's one huge problem with this. Ouroborous can't send us back that far. They're bound by the 'Carbon Law'. Any further forward or back than about 5700 years, and you start dissolving into the time stream. Mender Lazarus, supposedly a survivor or defector of a fascist regime from the far future, is right on the edge of his 5700, and hallucinates because of it. Mender Silos mentions that the Crystal of Ice and Fire is only one time travel method among several known and others possibly unknown, so we'd need outside help to get as far back as the Fall of the Mu.