A widow and a mystic meet on a balcony.

"So it is done. The killers shall feel agony beyond that of any living. And perhaps, beyond that of any of the dead. I have seen to that," the mystic
says, gruff and to the point.

The widow nods, a single elegant gesture as she purses black lips in thought. "I could say I was grateful, but your punishment of them means little to me.
Only his safety, and that was assured by another."

"Indeed. His savior has great power. He'll go far within the organization. Perhaps he is the one that DESTINY calls for."

"You would wish it so, would you not?" the widow says, looking over at him. "Better he than the one who smashed your dreams."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Your Fortunatas already suspect that DESTINY applies to many instead of one, do they not?"

"Indeed," she says with an amused smile. "There are many that could be the sacrifice Lord Recluse seeks."

"Will you protect yours, even after they foiled your own plans?"

"...perhaps. They are useful."

"And because you've come to care for them. As you have for Wretch."

"You overstep yourself. I am long dead, and the dead cannot change. I cared for Wretch as I died, and I care for him now. Beyond that, everything is my
best efforts to serve Arachnos, as I am bound."

"Hmm. Perhaps if you cannot change, one day Arachnos will," he said, looking out over the lights of Grandville.

"A coup, my poor deluded peer? So soon after your failure? Recluse would put your head on a pike for future generations to look upon."

"No....no, not I. I may spite Recluse by proxy, but I no longer have the will for such a gamble. But one day, one may rise who does. When Arachnos changes
from within, will you still remain?"

"I am bound to it, Scirocco. I must. But your optimism is misplaced. One who could topple Lord Recluse would never be so noble."

"Perhaps...perhaps not. You say Arachnos cannot change, just as you cannot change, yet you do. You care for the Wretch, and you serve Arachnos best as you
are, yet you tried to convince him to leave you for his own good and you yearned for a mortal's life once more. And you say you care nothing for your
servants, yet you still protect them after they foiled your attempt to return to the mortal coil. You are changing, as impossible as that may seem. And I
believe if you can change, then so can this bastion of villainy."

She stands, looking at him with dead eyes, silent against his words as the mystic turns to the door.

"We all change, for better or worse. And despite my failure, I believe that there is still change for the better to be had. When it comes, what will you
do, oh Pale Light in the Darkness? Will you stay the same, as you claim? Or will your perspective be born anew?"

The mystic retreats inside the fortress from the storm coming in upon the Rogue Isles, but long into the rain-streaked night does the widow remain, silent,
upon the balcony.
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111798 ... id=14&cs=1

Quote:MTV is doing the time warp on a remake of 1975 cult classic "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

Lou Adler, exec producer of the original film, is partnering with BermanBraun and Fox Television Studios on the new rendition.

Two-hour remake will use the original screenplay by Jim Sharman and Richard O'Brien but may also include music not featured in the original.

Helmer and casting decisions have yet to be announced.

So a group of us did the Mender Silos TF tonight. Ankh, myself, Uni, MD, Wire, and Sweno.

Now, because of that number of players, we got the AV spawn of the Jade Spider at the end. Which has a nasty habit of coming back to life and spamming psi
damage(Sylia took 320, per second, at 300 yards) after you kill it the first time.

The thing is, Ankh didn't recall it being this hard the last time she'd played the TF, on an *eight* person team. She couldn't remember exactly why
it wasn't, though, so we didn't really have much to go on.

So I'm putting out a question here for anyone who may have recently(or memorably) defeated the Psi-Spam Spider, so we might find out if anyone knows how
it's actually possible.
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."

I couldn't find this one listed so how about Weird Al's "The Night Santa Went Crazy"?

Down in the workshop all the elves were makin' toys

For the good Gentile girls and the good Gentile boys

When the boss busted in, nearly scared 'em half to death

Had a rifle in his hands and cheap whiskey on his breath

From his beard to his boots he was covered with ammo

Like a big fat drunk disgruntled Yuletide Rambo

And he smiled and said, with a twinkle in his eye,

"Merry Christmas to all, now you're all gonna die!"

The night Santa went crazy

The night St. Nick went insane

Realized he'd been gettin' a raw deal

Something finally must have snapped in his brain

Well, the workshop is gone now, he decided to bomb it

Everywhere you'll find pieces of Cupid and Comet

And he tied up his helpers and he held the elves hostage

And he ground up poor Rudolph into reindeer sausage

He got Dancer and Prancer with an old German Luger

And he slashed up Dasher just like Freddie Krueger

And he picked up a flamethrower and barbecued Blitzen

And he took a big bite and said, "It tastes just like chicken!"

The night Santa went crazy

The night Kris Kringle went nuts

Now you can't hardly walk around the North Pole

Without steppin' in reindeer guts

There's the National Guard and the F. B. I.

There's a van from the Eyewitness News

And helicopters circlin' 'round in the sky

And the bullets are flyin', the body count's risin'

And everyone's dyin' to know, oh Santa, why?

My my my my my my

You used to be such a jolly guy

Yes, Virginia, now Santa's doing time

In a federal prison for his infamous crime

Hey, little friend, now don't you cry no more tears

He'll be out with good behavior in 700 more years

But now Vixen's in therapy and Donner's still nervous

And the elves all got jobs working for the postal service

And they say Mrs. Claus, she's on the phone every night

With her lawyer negotiating the movie rights

They're talkin 'bout the night Santa went crazy

The night St. Nicholas flipped

Broke his back for some milk and cookies

Sounds to me like he was tired of gettin' gypped

Wo, the night Santa went crazy

The night St. Nick went insane

Realized he'd been gettin' a raw deal

Something finally must have snapped in his brain

Wo, something finally must have snapped in his brain

Tell ya, something finally must have snapped... in his brain

I'm thinking Santa shows up "covered with ammo, like a big fat drunk disgruntled Yuletide Rambo" and starts taking out everything in sight. You
wouldn't want to use it near friends but, other than that, there'll be a jolly ol' time to be had by all! ^_^

Edit--Added link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTGlUMvbhSw

It was spelled "Robetech" but pronounced exactly the same.

So, yeah.

-----------------

Epsilon

Do they accept overweight 30 years old in the destroid pilot program?

http://www.kelestia.com/?q=node/285]Robin Crossby, creator of Harn, succumbed to cancer today.

--
Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

More data tomorrow...

... or if you really can't wait, go ahead and backtrack to my photobucket gallery, but my time on the l;ibrary 'chine I can actually post from is about up.
Story too! But for that, you'll have to wait, it's not on P.B.

- CD
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

Last night, I watched a Level 50 Widow take a Katana/Nin Stalker apart. Piece by bloody piece. Arena match. No buffs. No teaming. Just complete and total
ownage.

The Widow had to stand still and allow - I say again, ALLOW (because he told him to do it after the Stalker spent most of the match whiffing) the Stalker to
use every yellow he had and a build up, to hit the Widow with an Assassin Strike. He hit him ONCE. The ENTIRE match. Otherwise? Stalker couldn't hit him.
Period. Ever. And when they engaged, the Widow would take the guy apart in 10-15 seconds flat. Every time.

I watched this in utter disbelief. When the Stalker asked why he couldn't hit the Widow, the Widow responded that he had a Melee Defense of about 70. I
asked him later after the match what his other defenses were. He said his ranged was around 65. AOE about 61-ish.

70.

SEVENTY.

Widows don't get elude. So basically that's his defense ALL THE TIME.

Think about that for a minute. Let it sink slowly in. Feel it burn.

Now think about several Widows all BUFFING each other in a team. in Recluses Victory.

If you go to the entrance to RV in the Tech section of Atlas Park. On any given day, at any given time, chances are the map of RV is either mostly red, or well
on it's way to being so.

Now you know why.

When I built my MA/SR scrapper Cyberman 8, I built him with a partial eye to being survivable in PVP. Able to spot stalkers. He's got one of the highest
base accuracy modifiers on his attacks possible. His perception is maxed. He can take a first hit of AS and get away. (He has about 33 melee defense and 36
Ranged and AOE defense with his toggles running. Sure I can get 107 with Elude. But I can only use that for about 3 minutes out of 10.) I took him into RV
shortly after VEATs made it there. There was an Empath and a /Kin there buffing people at the exit of the Hero base. Didn't matter. Engage and die 10-30
seconds later. Engage and die. Engage and die.

Nope. No more PVP for me, thanks. Those zones no longer exist for me, except to maybe to get Shivans (because at least there, I can outrun people and stay on
the move). And Warburg, to get nukes.

Maybe. When the VEATs aren't making life miserable for people trying to do that.

I'll make the same recommendation and with the same intensity about VEATs that Cypher made to Neo in regards to Agents in the Matrix.

"You see one of those? ...You run. You run your ASS off!"

Zone PVP? Over. Done with. And forget about arena matches. No hero with any sense should engage a VEAT one on one. And no VEAT should ever be engaged unless
they're outnumbered at least 5 to 1. With about 2 out of that 5 being radiation debuffers.

Yeah, this is a rant. And it's about something in the game that I never made a #1 priority. So maybe it's kinda pathetic. But for awhile there, it was
reasonably fun to engage in. It was hardly balanced, and there were asshats who made life difficult. But I won as much as I lost. And I felt like I had some
moderate amount of skill, and that my build was halfway decent.

But it's an aspect of the game that's gone now. And even if/when I make a VEAT myself, it won't effectively be there, for the reasons I mentioned
above. I hate parts of the game being taken away from me for any reason. Sure, I'll be able to go into the Zones with god-like impunity and just smack down
any hero that gets in my way. Where's the sport in that, though?

I have to wonder if any of the RMT farmers are going to start making VEATs now. Oh wouldn't THAT be funny! Guess what! Villain-side prices go through the
frickkin ROOF once the RMT farmers figure THAT one out!

So - PVP may have been bad before. Arguably it was a bad idea to make it part of a game that wasn't designed for it in the first place. But now it's
officially dead and buried. And VEATs killed it.

Seen on Akibanana, via the Daily Illuminator: http://www.akibanana.com/?q=node/959]Create Your Own Figure with the 3D Colour Printer @ Akiba

Is anyone else imagining Warriors World or Fenspace figures right now?

Hmmmmm... One wonders what their views on "derivative works" are. Maybe I could finally get a Princess Tutu / Princess Kraehe "duet" figure... (Now to learn how to use the CAD freeware I downloaded a while ago, just in case I ever get to UDX.)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

As requested by Wirekgeek, here's a peek at my build for my Kat/SR scrapper. She's currently lvl 47 and climbing, so she's somewhat playable. Note that this is not the most playable of builds, nor is it the most perfect. It started before IOs and ED (yes she's and -old- toon) but she's yet to be respected, and she's fits her concept. However by the time she's lvl 50 she hits the soft cap. The soft cap is the key for /SR scrappers. That and endurance. This build is a bit of end hog. I cope by playing smart.
Different Primaries call for slightly different slotting and this isn't quite your typical slotting of /SR. Most would suggest you get your autos as you come to them... but I sorta delayed them. And before you ask - Hasten isn't quite Perma, not that I need it, Practised Brawler is, but I have my first attack on auto instead so I have to watch that I click it as it charges, and Elude does charge quick.
If you want, I'll post the SO/lvl 30 IO build behind the following set build...
Any questions? Hope it helps. What primary was it for anyway?
Shader.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.40
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Cutting Blades: Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Katana
Secondary Power Set: Super Reflexes
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Concealment
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Medicine
Ancillary Pool: Body Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Sting of the Wasp -- T'Death-Dam%:25(A), T'Death-Acc/Dmg:28(3), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx:28(5), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg:28(9), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:28(11), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:28(15)
Level 1: Focused Fighting -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:33(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:33(7), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:33(17), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:33(29), RedFtn-Def:33(43), RedFtn-EndRdx:33(45)
Level 2: Flashing Steel -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg:28(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx:28(3), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg:28(5), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg:28(9), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:28(11), Sciroc-Dam%:25(15)
Level 4: Focused Senses -- RedFtn-Def:33(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:33(7), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:33(17), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:33(29), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:32(43), RedFtn-EndRdx:33(45)
Level 6: Swift -- Run-I:35(A)
Level 8: Stealth -- GftotA-Def/EndRdx:28(A), GftotA-Def:28(37)
Level 10: Practiced Brawler -- RechRdx-I:40(A)
Level 12: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:40(13), RechRdx-I:30(13)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Clrty-Stlth:50(A)
Level 16: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:50(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+:40(46), Mrcl-Heal:40(46)
Level 18: The Lotus Drops -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg:28(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx:28(19), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg:28(19), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg:28(23), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:28(23), Sciroc-Dam%:25(25)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I:50(A), EndMod-I:50(21), EndMod-I:50(21)
Level 22: Quickness -- Run-I:50(A)
Level 24: Build Up -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(25), RechRdx-I:50(27)
Level 26: Soaring Dragon -- T'Death-Dam%:25(A), T'Death-Acc/Dmg:28(27), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx:28(31), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg:28(31), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:28(31), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:28(40)
Level 28: Aid Other -- Dct'dW-Heal:30(A), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:30(37)
Level 30: Aid Self -- Heal-I:50(A), IntRdx-I:50(34), IntRdx-I:50(37)
Level 32: Golden Dragonfly -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg:33(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx:33(33), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg:33(33), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg:33(33), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:33(34), Sciroc-Dam%:33(34)
Level 35: Evasion -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:38(A), RedFtn-Def:38(36), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:38(36), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:38(36), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:38(45)
Level 38: Elude -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:39(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:39(39), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:39(39), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:39(39), RedFtn-Def:39(40), RedFtn-EndRdx:39(40)
Level 41: Focused Accuracy -- GSFC-Build%:41(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx:44(42), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx:44(42), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg:44(42), GSFC-ToHit:44(43), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx:44(46)
Level 44: Agile -- DefBuff-I:50(A), DefBuff-I:50(48)
Level 47: Dodge -- DefBuff-I:50(A), DefBuff-I:50(48)
Level 49: Lucky -- DefBuff-I:50(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(48), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(50), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:50(50), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(50)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
------------
Set Bonus Totals:

• +15.5% DamageBuff(Smashing) for 10.8 seconds (Non-resistible)
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +15.5% DamageBuff(Lethal) for 10.8 seconds (Non-resistible)
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +15.5% DamageBuff(Fire) for 10.8 seconds (Non-resistible)
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +15.5% DamageBuff(Cold) for 10.8 seconds (Non-resistible)
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +15.5% DamageBuff(Energy) for 10.8 seconds (Non-resistible)
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +15.5% DamageBuff(Negative) for 10.8 seconds (Non-resistible)
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +15.5% DamageBuff(Toxic) for 10.8 seconds (Non-resistible)
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +15.5% DamageBuff(Psionic) for 10.8 seconds (Non-resistible)
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +9.38% Defense(Psionic) to Self for 10.8 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +8.75% Defense(Melee) to Self for 10.8 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +10% Defense(Ranged) to Self for 10.8 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +11.9% Defense(AoE) to Self for 10.8 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +34% Enhancement(Accuracy) to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +5% Enhancement(JumpSpeed) to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +5% Enhancement(RunSpeed) to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +25% Enhancement(RechargeTime) to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +5% Enhancement(JumpHeight) to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +5% Enhancement(FlySpeed) to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +80.3 HP (6%) HitPoints to Self for 10.8 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +MezResist(Held) 5.5% to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +MezResist(Immobilize) 16.5% to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +MezResist(Terrorized) 2.2% to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +7% (0.12 End/sec) Recovery to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +30% (1.68 HP/sec) Regeneration to Self for 10.3 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +5.04% Resistance(Fire) to Self for 10.8 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +5.04% Resistance(Cold) to Self for 10.8 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster
  
• +9.38% Resistance(Negative) to Self for 10.8 seconds [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs]
    Effect does not stack from same caster