The Broken Gates

[HistoryDude]

I liked the scene with Sebakhira and the cat. It was amusing...

Does Blake have catnip? Would catnip work on Levakians? That has the potential for a lot of hilarity...

Which cycle is this Whetu/Miranda from? Is she the one from the Second Cycle that worked with Paradox through the 116th Cycle? Is she the one native to the 116th Cycle? Those two are the ones that have been relevant characters in Macavity stories before...

Also, what do you mean "long-forgotten"? I remember that story!

Also, given that you refused to specify what cycle Akira was from... does that mean that she isn't from the 116th Cycle?

As for forum users referenced in this chapter, we have... 4, I think? Chac1 and Lord Durham are definitely there, and there are two other people at the bAAR, and I'm not certain who they are. British could be either DensleyBlair or TBC. The American is probably coz1.

Actually, can I speak from the bAAR? "I know you're there... Queen Miranda."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Um...

Given the villains trespassing in the bAAR, are you sure you want to get involved by calling them out?

 

[Macavity116]

Well, that got worse pretty sharpish.

Anvils are falling from the sky right now. The introduction and involvement of the bAAR is a harbinger of insanity to come.

So [Team Malum] are browsing the forums again. Do they have to use the forums to make edits to the stories? What happens if they hack your profile?

For the moment, it seems like Team Malum is interested in the Inkwell and the passages that lay beyond.

I liked the scene with Sebakhira and the cat. It was amusing...

Does Blake have catnip? Would catnip work on Levakians? That has the potential for a lot of hilarity...

We grow our own catnip here. I'm sure Sebakhira caught a whiff when she first entered the house.

Which cycle is this Whetu/Miranda from? Is she the one from the Second Cycle that worked with Paradox through the 116th Cycle? Is she the one native to the 116th Cycle?

Well, the narration referred to her as the main protagonist of The Legend of Whetu Kealoha, so this is definitely the 116th version* of Whetu, whose corpse also appears in The Last Heroes.

*For those of you who have not read the Stormbreaker Universe: time travel is a very important element of that old series. Multiple versions of almost every character exist across 116 distinct timelines.

what do you mean "long-forgotten"? I remember that story!

Legend of Whetu Kealoha has the fewest views of any mainline entry in the Stormbreaker Universe, owing entirely to its location in the Off-Topic Forums.

Also, given that you refused to specify what cycle Akira was from... does that mean that she isn't from the 116th Cycle?

Well, no. Only three versions of the character have ever been seen in the Stormbreaker Universe: the "big bad main villain Akira" plus the old woman who appeared in After Everything and the young girl who briefly appeared in The Stormbreakers.

It's a near certainty that the version of Akira appearing in this story is "big bad main villain Akira." We just don't know which book in the series she was pulled from yet.

As for forum users referenced in this chapter, we have... 4, I think? Chac1 and Lord Durham are definitely there, and there are two other people at the bAAR, and I'm not certain who they are. British could be either DensleyBlair or TBC. The American is probably coz1.

Actually, you are spot on correct! Chac1, DensleyBlair, coz1, and Lord Durham made cameos or were referenced in this chapter.

Actually, can I speak from the bAAR?

Is that really the safest idea? @Chac1 has probably caused Erin Bowie's death. Can you avoid causing more damage?

{Directed at @HistoryDude}

Um...

Given the villains trespassing in the bAAR, are you sure you want to get involved by calling them out?

What he said.

 

[jak7139]

So the villains have entered the baar and discovered the Inkwell. Perhaps they want to "awaken" other characters in other stories. Do they even know the others in the baar are also authors, or do they not care?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

They probably want to string up @Macavity116 and then come after the rest of us.

 

[Macavity116]

So the villains have entered the baar and discovered the Inkwell. Perhaps they want to "awaken" other characters in other stories. Do they even know the others in the baar are also authors, or do they not care?

If Team Malum did not know about other writAARs before, they do now.

 

[Macavity116]

They probably want to string up @Macavity116 and then come after the rest of us.

A prophecy worthy of @HistoryDude.

Also, loving your new custom title.

 

[HistoryDude]

Fair enough, although... why are the villains pissed at the authAAR and not at the readAARs? The readAARs have also enjoyed their suffering...

When I asked about Akira, I phrased the question badly. I meant... what cycle was Akira pulled out of when she entered the real world? That answer could be massively relevant, especially if she's from before she betrayed everyone at the conclusion of Faith in Chaos.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

A prophecy worthy of @HistoryDude.

Also, loving your new custom title.

Me too. After all the ideas I've worked through for Life2.0, its very appropriate.

@HistoryDude - I must confess I do like the little hope-spot of Akira betraying her new companions. Her vs Malum could be... Really something.

 

[Macavity116]

why are the villains pissed at the authAAR and not at the readAARs? The readAARs have also enjoyed their suffering...

Alternatively, why has Team Malum prioritized punishing the writAAR over the readAAR? And how quickly will the latter follow the former?

When I asked about Akira, I phrased the question badly. I meant... what cycle was Akira pulled out of when she entered the real world? That answer could be massively relevant, especially if she's from before she betrayed everyone at the conclusion of Faith in Chaos.

There's a 9 out of ten chance she got pulled out of the 116th Cycle, since that's where the majority of the Stormbreaker Universe takes place.

However, we can rule out The Last Heroes, War of the Paradox, and On the Crossroads of Past and Future. The depiction of Akira in previous chapters strongly implies we are dealing with either the teenage or young adult version of her. We are not up against the post-War in Heaven version of Akira.

After all the ideas I've worked through for Life2.0, its very appropriate.

Back when I was first starting out on the Stellaris AAR forums, I used to depict nuclear weapons and nuclear warfare in my stories with alarming regularity. Glad to see someone picked up the torch in my absence.

I must confess I do like the little hope-spot of Akira betraying her new companions. Her vs Malum could be... Really something.

If Faith in Chaos and All Our Sins Remembered are any indication, we should stay on alert for Akira suddenly changing sides. The promotional tagline for her character used to be "Ally to None, Enemy of All" for very good reason.

 

[The Kingmaker]

Did Sebakhira speak to the cat in the feline tongue? Would've been interesting to hear what the others thought of that.

Also, I can't wait for you to try out AoW4 someday. Sebakhira needs to encounter her soulmate, the Golden Herald Aric Rex.

 

[Macavity116]

Did Sebakhira speak to the cat in the feline tongue? Would've been interesting to hear what the others thought of that.

If any of my cats can understand the Levakian language, they'll have some serious explaining to do. XD

I can't wait for you to try out AoW4 someday. Sebakhira needs to encounter her soulmate, the Golden Herald Aric Rex.

Honestly might have to steal that costume design if I decide to have any members of the Levakian Imperial Family show up in this story. (Empress Jemima and Empress Tantomile are still fair game right now)

 

[Chac1]

Alright, late to the party and I suppose I must start with apologies. The penalty for indifferent service at the bAAR should not be death. My counter-authorial moves nicely used here. Now, I know why @Macavity116 has stayed clear of the bAAR, though lately.

Is that really the safest idea? @Chac1 has probably caused Erin Bowie's death. Can you avoid causing more damage?

Now, that is shattering the Fourth Wall. Two different authors use the same minor character and the one dabbling with her sets her up for a lethal event. Well, I can say this: I may have sloppily put her in danger but someone else is pulling the trigger.

However, I wil certainly take partial responsibility for her fate.

Actually, you are spot on correct! Chac1, DensleyBlair, coz1, and Lord Durham made cameos or were referenced in this chapter.

You can tell it is @DensleyBlair from their t-shirt. But I must raise my hand here to note this may be technically incorrect. You said PDX forum users in the chapter, not the bAAR. So @Macavity116 is the fifth author mentioned.

A female Maori warrior, dressed in nothing but a knee-length grass skirt and armed with a shark-tooth spear, began to cross the street, nimbly weaving her way between cars, trucks, and pedestrians.

So before I put on my ceremonial editing headdress you mean to say she is crossing the street and ends up in the bAAR with a spear and she's topless?

“Well, the last time Cali was here, she instead on using her nanobots to upgrade him. I don’t really know what she did to him. Azzie just kinda lives in his own world now and I don’t ask questions.”

Now, it is time to put on the ceremonial headdress and change into my role as Chac1-tay Delta-grade Meta Meta Critiquer, Voluntary Editor & Faux Elvis Impersonator.

I think you might want to say "Cali insisted" or "she insisted" in the above sentence.

“Hey Blake, is the Sidhe girl you were telling me about?”

I think you might want your dad (or his character) to say here: "... is this the Sidhe girl..." You missed a word there, I believe.

To finish, I liked your description of the bAAR and I like the surprises always in store in this AAR, although some of us had speculated what would happen if your characters came to the bAAR? Indeed, it is just as much fun as anticipated.

 

[The Kingmaker]

Honestly might have to steal that costume design if I decide to have any members of the Levakian Imperial Family show up in this story. (Empress Jemima and Empress Tantomile are still fair game right now)

In AoW4, you can go one step further and actually design them in the game.

 

[Macavity116]

Now, that is shattering the Fourth Wall. Two different authors use the same minor character and the one dabbling with her sets her up for a lethal event. Well, I can say this: I may have sloppily put her in danger but someone else is pulling the trigger.

However, I will certainly take partial responsibility for her fate.

Erin's not dead yet, but she is now in imminent danger. By returning to work, she's made it much easier for Team Malum to reach PDX Interactive HQ in Sweden. They can now take a shortcut through the Inkwell/SolAARium passageway. (I'm not there to invoke their names in narration, so they had to cheat their way into the establishment by piggy-backing off Erin)

you mean to say [Whetu] is crossing the street and ends up in the bAAR with a spear and she's topless?

It's a blink-and-you'll-miss it line of narration, but from Chapter 1 through 7 of The Legend of Whetu Kealoha, all of the female characters are topless. Queen Whetu and her company stole outfits with "greater coverage" from the Snowskins after she defeated Tokugawa and his retainers in the Battle by the River.

This means we are dealing with a very early version of Whetu who does not know the full extent of her Psionic powers.

I liked your description of the bAAR and I like the surprises always in store in this AAR, although some of us had speculated what would happen if your characters came to the bAAR? Indeed, it is just as much fun as anticipated.

Thanks! This was a lot of fun to write. The SolAARium is next.

 

[Macavity116]

I've been reminded that Legend of Whetu Kealoha is in the Off-Topic Forums and may not be visible to everyone. Here is the offending line of narration mentioned in my post above:

EXCERPT FROM "THE LEGEND OF WHETU KEALOHA"

“All of your weapons are made from either wood or bone. I guess you’re supposed to club or bludgeon the enemy to death with these, but Nihonjin weapons are different. Our weapons are made from metal and sharpened to be like shark teeth. Our swords are meant to cut and slice and hack flesh from bone. What do you have in the way of armor?”

“Armor?” Enoka repeated.

“You know, that padding Nihonjin soldiers wear over their clothes in battle, to protect from the enemy’s swords? You do wear something to cover your chests in a fight, don’t you?”

Tashiro looked around at the group. The half-Snowskin turned from one Partogan to the next, looking and pointing at their bare torsos. His eyes widened.

“Wait a minute, do you always go into battle uncovered?”

“People of high rank get to wear cloaks.” Taki replied with a shrug. “But otherwise… yes. We fight like this.”

Taki waved nonchalantly at her own outfit. Her skirt was clearly made for show instead of protection, as it was made from handspun flax and bird feathers. Like most Partogans her age, Taki didn’t want to hide her tattoos, therefore she wasn’t wearing anything over her torso. Tashiro looked at Taki with an alarmed expression before saying to Akamu:

“I fear you might not be able to stand against my people in a fair fight.”

“We’re Toa, Snowskin.” Akamu replied. “We don’t fight fair.”

 

[Chac1]

Thanks! This was a lot of fun to write. The SolAARium is next.

Well, I'm tempted to head into one of those spots and alert folks to the chaos at hand. However, as someone who wants to be a good ally and colleague, I will stay on the sidelines for now and see what you have planned.

I have already unknowingly caused some problems for my least favorite bartender, so enough damage done.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Back when I was first starting out on the Stellaris AAR forums, I used to depict nuclear weapons and nuclear warfare in my stories with alarming regularity. Glad to see someone picked up the torch in my absence.

To be fair, there's been plenty of peaceful applications of nuclear power in Life2.0; almost anything that uses hydrocarbons on Earth is fair game for a nuclear reactor conversion, it's just we only see the weapons because conflict drives narrative, and well, I figure plugging your house into your nuclear-powered car is a thing that only I'd be interested in.

In AoW4, you can go one step further and actually design them in the game.

Really? How does that work? Letting you pick each item for each slot?

 

[Macavity116]

Well, I'm tempted to head into one of those spots and alert folks to the chaos at hand. However, as someone who wants to be a good ally and colleague, I will stay on the sidelines for now and see what you have planned.

*Muttering out the corner of my mouth* Some lives might be saved if the passageway connecting the bAAR to the SolAARium was sealed up... or at least rigged with some kind of after-hours burglar alarm.

 

[Chac1]

*Muttering out the corner of my mouth* Some lives might be saved if the passageway connecting the bAAR to the SolAARium was sealed up... or at least rigged with some kind of after-hours burglar alarm.

Well, I think @Lord Durham or @coz1 would be the folks to install electronic devices in the bAAR if you were hoping for such intervention. They certainly have the seniority to do so, I would think. I'm still a relative newbie to the place.

But there's always @HistoryDude too. He's a brave soul. He's already wanting to take on Team Malum from the comments.