Parahumans 2/Worm 2 has begun/Get Hype thread.

[Ostroeuropa]

3.4
I can't stop laughing.

“Nobody knows Ashley is on the side of the good guys for the time being. She’s really good at the villainous persona and atmosphere.”

“Thank you,” Ashley said.

“And then there’s Chris, who can be monstrous, appear, disappear, then show up again as someone or something else.”

I glanced at Chris. Chris had two sets of pliers in his mouth. He was readjusting his braces.

I just can't.

[New Naephak]

Man, that interlude.

Speculation: The Machine Army are things Kenzie made that got loose after GM.

And the We've Got Ward guys were just saying they'd have liked to see an interlude from the point of view of a Nilbog creation.

WoG says that the Machine Army was originally quarantined in 2001, preceding Nilbog's quarantine, which would be before Kenzie was born. Further WoG suggests that readers have been way too paranoid about what's with Kenzie, so whatever's the weirdness surrounding her is likely not on a huge scale.

[Ifreann]

Man, that interlude.

Speculation: The Machine Army are things Kenzie made that got loose after GM.

And the We've Got Ward guys were just saying they'd have liked to see an interlude from the point of view of a Nilbog creation.

WoG says that the Machine Army was originally quarantined in 2001, preceding Nilbog's quarantine, which would be before Kenzie was born. Further WoG suggests that readers have been way too paranoid about what's with Kenzie, so whatever's the weirdness surrounding her is likely not on a huge scale.

Aww, that would have been cool.

[Nazis in Space]

I know I've been ninja'd, but I can provide links.

Man, that interlude.

Speculation: The Machine Army are things Kenzie made that got loose after GM.

Unlikely, given that the Machine Army appears to predate the pretty bird going after Madison if we go by Quarantine Site designations here (second page) and assume - as is IMO likely - that they simply added more over time. And Madison happened in 2009. Kenzie would've been... six or younger then, nevermind the Machine Army incident itself.

On the bright side, you now have access to a whole document containing PRT shenanigans.

[Eahland]

Amy, Riley, and Nilbog all in the same room. I thought this was Worm 2, not Twig 2...

On a tangentially-related note, I watched Phenomena last night, and spent most of it waiting for Jennifer Connelly to go Full Skitter and generally being disappointed.

[Lunas Legion]

Oh hey a Worm thread. I shall be keeping an eye on this.

[Ostroeuropa]

Interlude 3

“You’ve got a thtowaway.”

Dot froze.

“A thtowaway?” was the response. There was a sound of an impact, light.

“Thomething thmall.”

What are these feels all doing together in the same moment?

"Oh hey RC."
"Oh no, RC."
"Good going RC."
"Fuck, goddamn you RC."

etc.

And Then RC Was Hans Landa and her name becomes way more ominous.

She needed purpose to drive her forward, and her purpose, the goal in her mind, was to go back to that store, to find a piece of machine, and then to put it on the train.

The machines would hatch in the heart of all the known worlds and the humans would lose their kingdom too.

Fuuuuuuuuuuucckk...

The Red Queen started down the stairs, one arm helping to keep Dot in position within her jacket.

“I’ll help you with your anger if you help me with mine.”

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.

[Ostroeuropa]

Spoilers interlude 3 for somebodies nickname.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Queen_hypothesis

The Red Queen hypothesis, also referred to as Red Queen's, Red Queen's race or the Red Queen effect, is an evolutionary hypothesis which proposes that organisms must constantly adapt, evolve, and proliferate not merely to gain reproductive advantage, but also simply to survive while pitted against ever-evolving opposing organisms in an ever-changing environment. The hypothesis intends to explain two different phenomena: the constant extinction rates as observed in the paleontological record caused by co-evolution between competing species,[1] and the advantage of sexual reproduction (as opposed to asexual reproduction) at the level of individuals.[2]

Leigh Van Valen proposed the hypothesis to explain the "Law of Extinction",[1] showing that, in many populations, the probability of extinction does not depend on the lifetime of the population, instead being constant over millions of years for a given population. This could be explained by the coevolution of species, where established species have evolved cooperatively by assuming adaptive coevolutionary dependencies. These complementary relationships develop through graduated symbiosis, directing punctuated advantages specialized enough to ensure a greater survivability and fitness rate for both species.

Indeed, an adaptation in a population of one species (e.g. predators, parasites) may change the natural selection pressure on a population of another species (e.g. prey, hosts), giving rise to common antagonistic coevolutions. If this positive feedback occurs reciprocally, a potential dynamic coevolution may result.

...

Application to human conflict
One can apply such arms races to human conflict and interpret them as a prominent cause of conflict. According to Azar Gat, the Red Queen effect arises when two competing groups find themselves in a security dilemma. The security dilemma results when a group takes defensive measures (which possess inherent offensive capabilities) to improve their security, triggering a military arms race. This arms race, much like the example previously referenced, causes each side to consume ever increasing amounts of resources in order to outpace the other and to gain an advantage. If an advantage is gained, the arms race is over and the group with more resources has won. However, typically both sides continue to match each other stride for stride, thus triggering the Red Queen effect, as no matter how many resources each side invests, neither is able to gain an advantage. The situation somewhat resembles the prisoner's dilemma. Neither side can stop the arms race, due to mutual suspicion and fears that the other group will gain a significant tactical advantage. Because of this, the Red Queen effect is a common outcome of inter-human competition and conflict.[15]

(credit to we've got ward.)

EDIT:

Prediction;
Ashley will be subjected to the Truth serum, and pass with flying colors by confirming she is a villain and all she wants to do is learn how to be the scariest fucker around.

Potential Subversion;
This is the plan. Instead, she reveals a bunch of insecurities and says she wants her team to like her, and the mission goes south really fucking quickly.

[Nazis in Space]

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.

I'm just waiting for Dot to go all fangirl, and start with 'You know... as a Queen, it is only proper that you should have a King, too...'

And then Amy was a Disney Princess.

With a Disney Kingdom.

Because Mr Rinke was so nice as to turn Gimel into Victorias.

All the Victorias.

Isn't that nice?

[Ifreann]

Dot: Emotional Support Abomination.

[Ostroeuropa]

We've got ward will be updating regularly now in part-arcs. I'll post em as it happens.

[Ifreann]

We've got ward will be updating regularly now in part-arcs. I'll post em as it happens.

The latest one should now be available on all good podcast places, covering Arc 4 so far except for yesterday's interlude.

[Ostroeuropa]

https://www.dalyplanetfilms.com/2018/02 ... de-part-1/

WE'VE GOT WARD!

Arc 4, part 1. (4.1-4.3)

And, in honor of the podcast noting this being a wink at the camera opening for Ward, i'm adding this to the OP as a philosophy for this thread.

Help each other, be patient, and contribute the best you can.

In so many ways, things will be frustrating, slow, and painful. Care, helpfulness, patience, and contribution will make literal worlds of difference. In so many ways.

But we’re back. Stay tuned for bigger, better things. Bear with us as we sort through it all.

[Ifreann]

Suddenly, 4.4!

[Ostroeuropa]

4.4

I’d first noticed the person watching me because her face had a lot of freckles, and out of the corner of my eye, I’d thought she was someone else.

Who else?
Who was it?
Who could it possibly be?

On closer look, though, I could see that her hair was jaw length and straighter, her facial structure was different, and she was wearing the clothes of a student athlete, with bare shoulders and arms, gym shorts, and a towel around her neck.

"She was nothing like her, but the freckles were enough."

[Nazis in Space]

Well, the last time someone with freckles touched Victoria, she started to resemble a curious amalgamation of Salvatore Dali and H.R. Giger.

And that freckled person began her downward spiral because another freckled person fucked with her head, sending her on a downward spiral towards modern art.

Basically, if you're Victoria and seeing a freckled female, it's best to either shoot or run.

Really, freckles should have their own threat rating. Tattletale is a Freckle 5, Amy a Freckle 7, Emma a Ginger 4...

[Ifreann]

No one knows what Tattletale's power really is.

No one knows that Tattletale has freckles.

[Ifreann]

Also, Rain interludes. Rain interludes everywhere.

[Lunas Legion]

Also, Rain interludes. Rain interludes everywhere.

Indeed, I would've missed this one if you hadn't pointed it out.

[Ifreann]

Also, Rain interludes. Rain interludes everywhere.

Indeed, I would've missed this one if you hadn't pointed it out.

Our boy the Precipitator is not having a fun time.

[Lunas Legion]

Indeed, I would've missed this one if you hadn't pointed it out.

Our boy the Precipitator is not having a fun time.

Rain seems to be the resident suffering magnet of Ward.

Why he hasn't just acquired loads of firearms to wield with his tinker arms I don't know.

[Ifreann]

Our boy the Precipitator is not having a fun time.

Rain seems to be the resident suffering magnet of Ward.

Why he hasn't just acquired loads of firearms to wield with his tinker arms I don't know.

[Ifreann]

Valentines We've Got Ward is up.

Tristan is red
Byron is blue
Let's trigger together
So I can be inside you

[The Grene Knyght]

Finally gonna catch up. Just read 3.6

[Ifreann]

Finally gonna catch up. Just read 3.6

Go, GK, go!
Read, read, read!