Very interesting as of so far 
although I feel that there should be more of how the appearance of Nex and Momo would look like as we already have a visual of Radjack
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Thank you kindly.
While Nex’s appearance will be further clarified in Chapter One, you may have a point with Momo. I’ll revisit the scene and see whether I can further elucidate. Sometimes I forget that the game is the thing that needs to provide these descriptions, as everyone who hangs out on the thread has such a strong idea of what these characters look like to them.
…a suggestion, perhaps?
One of the abilities for the fighter myrmidon is… well, bullet time, right? If this ability “slows” time far enough, you could probably involve Finn and his concealed firearm in this scene. Or if someone at the party has a not so concealed firearm, have them shoot at fighterdon… and the crowd can ooh and ahh at them going all Matrix-y.
Though that might also be a bit obvious…
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Hmm… There’s something there, isn’t there? Having Finn fire off a shot early on would also help explain why he’s so curiously reticent to get involved when Vitruvian crashes through the ceiling…
Although he could just be an incorrigible coward in close-quarters, I suppose…
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I honestly just thought that he either got swept up in the crowd of fleeing nobles or was simply waiting to see who came out on top because obviously they’re going to be the most fun to fight.
But… yeah, that makes sense. It also kind of fits the whole ‘big game hunter’ vibe - they’re brave enough to get close only when their quarry can’t fight back to put 'em out of their misery. Otherwise, NOPE. Makes me wonder, then, if a rebel MC who is being hunted by Finn (and knows it) might want to take the initiative…
However, only people who choose the ‘I wonder what’ll happen to me…’ option will even know that Finn has a firearm or that he thinks himself a vicious predator of a man; those who don’t only meet him as the guy who found the Forge, so to them, he could simply be an archaeologist (not the Indiana Jones type, obv) or anthropologist or something “soft” and academic (there is the offhand swimming joke made by Arinthas, but dude’s playing the crowd at that moment, so it could seem throw away) and any indications of cowardice in his character at that point may be lost on them. If that makes sense.
You don’t want to jam things into places where they won’t fit, so I’m not gonna say ‘make everyone see some form of the Lady talks to Finn scene before being Forged’ because a lot is going on with poor Flash at this time - it may be a bit of an overload for the reader- and doing so would clash with the whole ‘other scenes jumping POV being choice based’ thing you got going on. I don’t know.
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I could see both motivations panning out, but I don’t see Finn being a match for Radjack.
Although… They would probably have a surprisingly similar technique. Finn is an opportunist, a Serial Survivor in many ways. I can’t see him being too concerned about sportsmanship in a melee.
I sort of pictured him standing by watching the fight unfold, sizing up his opponents like you said, but it might not make perfect sense for him to stand by for so long.
I’ll have a think about that.
I think I’ll go over that scene with a fine-toothed comb later, see if I can add complexity in some scenes and sluice a little away from others.
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Ooh… A scene where Radjack and Finn get into it fisticuffs/nailbat style would be a neat way to point out that Mr. Finn isn’t precisely the ‘rough and tumble and rugged yet gentlemanly adventurer/poised, proud tiger ready to strike always’ type we may think he is… maybe some indication that, class differences aside, these two aren’t exactly all that different - it’s just that the danger Finn’s faced as an adventurer is danger he’s willingly placed himself in (not quite controlled, but he got to pick his poisons, also something about the ‘jungle’ that is growing up a noble/rich/so on). Radjack’s entire existence has been dangerous/survival-oriented. [assuming, of course, I’m not misreading the hell out of the characters…]
Also, it’d be really fun to read these two go at it. Not to mention… Shirts getting shredded… muscles gettin’ all sweaty…
Er…
If the dude’s taken by surprise by the appearance of Vitruvian (even he couldn’t have been expecting that; if it’d been the Burned Man solo, it probably wouldn’t faze him) or if he’s got a leg full of glass/roof debris, it makes a bit more sense, maybe?
On the other hand re: what I said - for all I know, you’ve already got grand plans to show folks this side of the hunter, assuming it’s even a necessity for everyone to know this about him.
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And the head-butting, and the eye-gouging, and the ‘low blows’, and the fish-hooking…
I think he’s capable of adapting, but might recognise his own limitations. Ser Farah has no such impulse, and therefore charges directly into the fray with a single command.
Besides, there will be plenty of time to size up Mr Finn as an opponent, especially in Chapter Three after he shoots one of you.
Dang… Said that out loud, didn’t I?
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…I suppose the more “fighty” stuff would be fun, too. Like a Guy Ritchie flick. Or Fight Club.
What’s his limitation on ‘giant gargoyle man with glowing eyes,’ exactly?
And her whole job is protecting people, yeah? Well… rich people who wield power not precisely of the physical type.
…I like Farah.
…I’m going to pretend that you mean he’s going to shoot one of us a flirtatious wink, leaving the gang extremely confused.
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How magnanimous of you to concede that movies where Brad Pitt sweats profusely while laying hands on people isn’t the worst fate you can imagine.
Well having to nip off and change his underpants before getting into the fight would put him at something of a disadvantage.
She’s a doll, ain’t she?
“As soon as we drain the blood out of your lung, you should totally ask him out…”
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This spawned a weird AU idea (we can add it to the vault):
The entire thing except in a Fight Club scenario, Flash didn’t actually die and is the one imagining the whole MC personality and even sometimes interacts with the others (who perhaps think Flash escaped somehow and is now on the run which is why they can’t stick around 24/7) but the MC (or Flash?) is becoming more and more twisted and trying to get rid of the other, convincing the others that Flash/MC is a fake and/or double-agent, but all the time they’re just trying to get rid of themself.
…
Another one for the vault I guess?
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I wonder if on the noble path we might get some sort of scene where the Chevalier and Finn face off as well, as I imagine mister Finn might be just the target for a nice juicy scandal or two. 
We certainly have, but then again you’re spoiling me by having one or more male RO’s I really fancy on all paths.
Besides Lord Flash, in particular, will be irresistibly sexy and awesome with all those gorgeous outfits the nobles in the game-world seem to wear, although I suspect that he, like rebel, mage and original Flash will still possess the original’s talent for finding himself less than fully dressed quite often as well as I suspect that might be one of those trait’s of original Flash that shines through even on all incarnations of Flash droid.
As for the Rebel path I do wonder, was the original Flash (fully) literate and numerate?
In any case one of the personality traits of the original Flash that might shine through in Rebel Flash droid is his penchant for working with children, though Rebel thinker droid might prefer edutainment over pure entertainment. For example offering lessons in literacy, numeracy and the basics of the sciences with maybe a dash of pre-fall history in addition to what Damascus Jim teaches.
I guess something like that would be both familiar and very much a shock to the former compatriots of original Flash, especially if the original was less than skilled in some, or all, or these things.
I do hope we’ll (be able to) retain our Flash droid form, even if we do. It’ll be a shame to have to give up something that pretty.
It’s a good way to explain some of the precipitous decline of the population after the fall in any case, natural selection having applied a rough filter over them.
Oh wow, one of those rare moments where I agree with @P_Tigras , for the noble path at least. I must have fainted there for a bit. Of course I’ll be able to give in to my revolutionary tendencies fully on the Rebel path. But the noble path at least does seem made for seeing the good in the matrix of human society as it exists at the moment as well as the possibilities for (dramatic) improvement, but it does lend itself best to “evolution” and incrementalism.
Radjack’s little sister for example might be helped greatly if the new King were to declare that those surviving pre-fall medical machines were to be made available to a few lucky commoners for even one day of the week.
Then again original Flash’s penchant for running around less than fully dressed might have made him a more tempting target than most…
Well be the time humanity rediscovers genetics I’m sure what exist now will simply be referred to as “baseline”, or if their knowledge of history advances in tandem “new baseline” again.
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We have top people on it, Rena.
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/mp/x9uyAUCvsEZl.gif
Top. People.
A Sniper and a Chevalier engaged in a frantic rooftop battle, shifting between isolated spots at cover as the man in black tensely closes the distance, musket-balls whizzing inches from his head?
Who could possibly be interested in that?
Yes, he/she/zhe was an official graduate of the Pickinny Street Schoolhouse, meaning that he/she/zhe was a student of Madam Roux, a crochety old firebrand who taught sums and reading while simultaneously handing out good ol’ fashioned yardstick-beatings for any ‘sass’, both real or perceived.
A Magician would have a certain patter that would make them pretty engaging to listen to. I imagine children would probably be pretty stoked to spend an afternoon with you.
I never said you’d be merging with/supplanting/succeeding the Nomad. That’s pure speculation.
Exactly. Limited space plus dangerous predators plus inability to emigrate to warmer pastures equals a small population with a lack of curiosity and a slow-changing culture that actively impedes scientific and philosophical development.
Navi and Nira are two different characters. Navi is Radjack’s little sister, who despite only being a couple of years younger than him is generally treated as the ‘Baby’ of the group, while Nira is a childhood friend who ended up marrying Nex because… well, I’ll let her tell you in due course.
That ellipsis couldn’t be more suggestive if it had Groucho Marx’s eyebrows.
I should imagine that Homo Sapiens Sapiens will have to be officially declared extinct in favour of a new hominid category.
Homo Aedifex?
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Okay this li’l tidbit made me curious about how “child raising” is handled 'round here. Is beating your child looked down upon or is it common to have the yardstick approach? Are large families common (like in old farming towns, where the children would essentially start work when they can walk) or are smaller nuclear families more common?
Are there a lot of childless parents? Or do most couples have kids?
Do the kids work? Or are there child labor laws?
In families, do the extended families usually stay with the rest of the parents and kids (aunts, uncles, grandparents if they live to be grandparents), or is it all spaced out?
Is it common to visit family if they are spaced out? Or is it more of a “yeah my cousin lives across the town but we don’t talk” situation usually?
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Hmm… Lemme break it down one question at a time.
Child beatings? Not seriously, but those at the bottom end of the poverty scale have very little time to kneel down and explain to their children why they shouldn’t do a thing, so a corrective slap or spank is a real time saver. Seeing a child with common bruises would be pretty socially damaging though.
The schooling I mentioned only goes on for three hours a day, so for the rest of the day the kids are -either left alone or given back to their (no doubt busy) parents, so ‘hands-on’ parenting is not a luxury anyone can afford.
The societal and monetary pressures of their sealed environment means that families aren’t usually that big, averaging two children per household, with those numbers obviously being reduced in Same-sex relationship households. There simply isn’t enough space for the Humans to really cut loose and do what Humans do best, so culturally notions of avoiding pregnancy are deeply ingrained.
There are several (gene-modded) plants that are used as birth control by both genders, similar to Cirus Tree technology.
Children do work, but as this culture hasn’t really gotten into the swing of their Industrial Revolution yet, this work is mostly agricultural in nature, as a child will be little use as a rock-breaker. Many Strom children can earn a few coins working in the mines on a freelance basis. Foremen keep the costs down by saying ‘we have 13 jobs available today’ and the lowest bidders get the jobs. Children seldom charge as much as adults, so they are a useful tool for the morally indifferent.
Families tend to stay close together, but true Matriarchs and Patriarchs are rare in the industrial cities, as working the mines tends to lead to an early death.
The population pressures I mentioned earlier mean that often young family members will move elsewhere for a few years once they come of age, although once again this is less common in mining communities because that environment doesn’t really prepare you for any other kind of life.
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Ouch, poor Flash, considering his later occupation I guess he was on the receiving end of that yardstick a bit more than most.
Wouldn’t that be ironic, the most profound influence Rebel Flash turned out to have had on society, in hindsight of course, was teaching dozens of children not only the basics but the scientific method. 
I like it.
Exactly, poor Flash, eh? 
Well it doesn’t have be that exactly, but I’d kill to see the Chevalier humiliate mr. Finn a bit.
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So if most families don’t form for children, is it usually out of monetary or societal benefits? Or are they mostly out of love or romantic affection? If time is such a pressure with most people, do they even have the time to go out and fall in love and form long-lasting relationships?
For that matter, is divorce common? Is divorce even legal?
EDIT: Also on the education tidbit: Is schooling free? Is it paid for in taxes? Or is it more expensive? Was Flash lucky in that he/she/zhe even ever got to go to school or was that just the common education?
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sniffs haughtily
What am I, though, if not the very model of infall’ble magnanimity?
The vault? Heck no, I’m gonna try to work it into my kitten Flash AU!
I… just really like this. Really like it a lot.
Are you sure it’s Finn’s musket balls that the Chevalier’s-
…
Moving on.
Well, it came from me, so it’d probably be more accurate to say that it’s impure speculation.
And is the mage MC not a nomad in their own right? Or does Arinthas have a lair somewhere?
The most dangerous thing in the world is a disgruntled, educated peasant, innit?
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The MC still flinches every time something needs to be measured.
I need to devise new metrics to measure angst, because my brain is hissing in distress now.
Plenty of people have children, but the institution of marriage is less important to the average Ringworlder than it is to us. Some people just decide early on that they’d rather not bother with children or permanent ties and just sort of float along the tides of life, forming attachments when they want to and detaching when they feel the relationship has run it’s course.
The Church doesn’t take any stance on marriage, it’s more of an informal ceremony, often presided over by friends and family rather than clergymen or state-officials. There are practically no tax or legal benefits to the arrangements, so most don’t even register as married on official documents. Thus divorce is more of a casual affair, often preceded by a familial intervention where those close to you sit down with you both (or all) and try to talk through and understand the process.
So the only pressure is societal, rather than legal or religious.
Madam Roux took a penny a day for each child she taught, which was enough to buy a paltry, meagre existence. She was often given food, clothing or other supplies when parents couldn’t provide the monetary reward. While most students feared the crack of her yardstick, to adults she was something approaching a living saint, and nearly two hundred people turned up at her funeral, where she was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave as her finances would allow.
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So… if this is true - and most don’t register as married officially- how has the concept of marriage (as understood by us) survived? Or… rather… is there any reason it’s still called ‘marriage,’ I guess? I can see why nobles would marry, of course, but the rabble…?
…nope, lost the actual question.
Honestly, I think this is the saddest thing I’ve read in this thread.
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