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Dietrich
Sep 11, 2001

Four Words chat: "Who is your daddy?"

Or, even better: "I am your father."

"There is no God"

"Yo quiero Taco Bell"

Dietrich fucked around with this message at 13:30 on Aug 27, 2013

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Skippy McPants
Mar 19, 2009

"You're not the protagonist."

thespaceinvader
Mar 30, 2011

The slightest touch from a Gol-Shogeg will result in Instant Death!
What's bugging me about this one: didn't Eidolon specifically say that he was a hole in Contessa's powers, and therefore, she had to specifically create scenarios including an analogue of him in order to work on him? Has Scion actually shown that kind of insight into people like, EVER? I'm not convinced Eidolon's done for here.

However, hooboy what a chapter.

Hawkperson
Jun 20, 2003

thespaceinvader posted:

What's bugging me about this one: didn't Eidolon specifically say that he was a hole in Contessa's powers, and therefore, she had to specifically create scenarios including an analogue of him in order to work on him? Has Scion actually shown that kind of insight into people like, EVER? I'm not convinced Eidolon's done for here.

However, hooboy what a chapter.

I figured that Contessa's hole is just one of the nerfs that Scion put in her shard so that it couldn't be too good. Or Scion's counterpart, maybe. Anyhow if that's the case, then he would be able to use her power without the nerf.

It sucks if Eidolon is dead though. He just figured out all of his power!

Algid
Oct 10, 2007


Hawkgirl posted:

I figured that Contessa's hole is just one of the nerfs that Scion put in her shard so that it couldn't be too good. Or Scion's counterpart, maybe. Anyhow if that's the case, then he would be able to use her power without the nerf.

It sucks if Eidolon is dead though. He just figured out all of his power!

Countessa didn't get her shard from Scion or his partner.

SerSpook
Feb 13, 2012




Algid posted:

Countessa didn't get her shard from Scion or his partner.

Yup. It's one of those things that makes you really wonder what the gently caress is going on, more so than everything else at least.

Still. Eidolon is pretty badass and I have to wonder if he could kill an Endbringer now. They seem to be able to turn powers off, but Scion is also supposed to be completely immune to powers.

Shame he's probably dead.

Grundulum
Feb 28, 2006
I would point out that the current chapter closes with a character merely firing a lethal blast. We have been given no indication that it hit its intended target. Although Wildbow has subverted several tropes over the course of Worm, long history with authors suggests that we shouldn't read too deeply into the phrasing.

Edit: The latest chapter seemed to share some semi-important elements with Brandon Sanderson's upcoming book, Steelheart. Quote from the usual plot blurb (spoilered because of its relevance to Worm) He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience. / He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

Grundulum fucked around with this message at 21:19 on Aug 27, 2013

thespaceinvader
Mar 30, 2011

The slightest touch from a Gol-Shogeg will result in Instant Death!
On that note, gently caress drat hurry up and release Steelheart, Brandon Sanderson writing capes is gonna be GOOD.

hollylolly
Jun 5, 2009

Do you like superheroes? Check out my CYOA Mutants: Uprising

How about weird historical fiction? Try Vampires of the Caribbean

Eidolon's origin makes him pretty similar to Captain America. I'm not complaining!

veekie
Dec 25, 2007

Dice of Chaos

thespaceinvader posted:

What's bugging me about this one: didn't Eidolon specifically say that he was a hole in Contessa's powers, and therefore, she had to specifically create scenarios including an analogue of him in order to work on him? Has Scion actually shown that kind of insight into people like, EVER? I'm not convinced Eidolon's done for here.

However, hooboy what a chapter.

The problem was losing Glaistig's support. Eidolon couldn't hammer Scion anywhere NEAR as hard if not for her covering for defense or mobility. He couldn't be accurately predicted due to his power being a leap of faith, entirely non deterministic. Glaistig has no such protection.

Grundulum
Feb 28, 2006
For those people wanting to read Worm in a continuous form, my friend has found the Chrome app Readability. Took all however-many sections of the story and conjoined them into a single document.

Edit: looks like it's more than just an app for Chrome. http://www.readability.com/apps

The current length is more than 5000 pages of small text when previewed for printing, with an estimated 1.5-2.0 million words. Holy crap.

Grundulum fucked around with this message at 18:50 on Aug 28, 2013

Virigoth
Apr 28, 2009

Corona rules everything around me
C.R.E.A.M. get the virus
In the ICU y'all......



Grundulum posted:

For those people wanting to read Worm in a continuous form, my friend has found the Chrome app Readability. Took all however-many sections of the story and conjoined them into a single document.

Edit: looks like it's more than just an app for Chrome. http://www.readability.com/apps

The current length is more than 5000 pages of small text when previewed for printing, with an estimated 1.5-2.0 million words. Holy crap.

Sound about right. It was a bitch catching up on this series. Each "installment" is about 5-7k words if I remember right with Wildbow mentioning it was getting longer each update.

veekie
Dec 25, 2007

Dice of Chaos

Virigoth posted:

Sound about right. It was a bitch catching up on this series. Each "installment" is about 5-7k words if I remember right with Wildbow mentioning it was getting longer each update.

A thoroughly enjoyable bitch though.

why oh WHY
Apr 25, 2012

So like I said, not my fault. Nobody can judge me for it.
But, yeah...
Okay.
I admit it.
Human teenager Rainbow Dash was hot!
The fact that I had something to read all of the time when I first started was pretty much the best thing ever and even now WildBow releases new chapters with such frequency that I'm never really jonesing for more for too long. WildBow is like the best drug dealer ever.

SerSpook
Feb 13, 2012




why oh WHY posted:

The fact that I had something to read all of the time when I first started was pretty much the best thing ever and even now WildBow releases new chapters with such frequency that I'm never really jonesing for more for too long. WildBow is like the best drug dealer ever.

Yeah. I combine this with Gunnerkrigg Court and, with the frequency of donation chapters, I find myself having something new to read pretty much daily. Only Sunday lacks something.

It's pretty awesome.

Skippy McPants
Mar 19, 2009

Well, that was brief.

I feel so trolled.

Skippy McPants fucked around with this message at 05:13 on Aug 29, 2013

veekie
Dec 25, 2007

Dice of Chaos
It was what everyone was asking for!

OmniBeer
Jun 5, 2011

This is no time to
remain stagnant!
Well, I guess we can't complain that they were going to draw it out too long, heh.

berenzen
Jan 23, 2012

Honestly, it doesn't bother me too much- Wildbow said that it wasn't counting towards the donation chapter count, and it's not a full chapter. I don't think it works as well at it would in a written book, but I think the impact would be pretty impressive in an ebook style or in a paper print.

Either way, I like it, and now I'm wondering why they're so impactful. The theory running around the forums there is that Eidolon is unwittingly creating the Endbringers with his power

Skippy McPants
Mar 19, 2009

berenzen posted:

Either way, I like it, and now I'm wondering why they're so impactful. The theory running around the forums there is that Eidolon is unwittingly creating the Endbringers with his power

I could see that, but I sorta hope it's not the case. Would be a tad anticlimactic. Also wouldn't be a great reason for Eidolon to just give up, since even the Endbringers have been peanuts next to Scion, doing less damage in thirty years than he's managed in thirty hours.

Cytokinesis
Aug 18, 2008

He sees the power of a god behind it. A power that has bested him!

Skippy McPants posted:

I could see that, but I sorta hope it's not the case. Would be a tad anticlimactic. Also wouldn't be a great reason for Eidolon to just give up, since even the Endbringers have been peanuts next to Scion, doing less damage in thirty years than he's managed in thirty hours.

It's not so much that it made him give up as it is that it shocked him so badly that it left him completely open for Scion to kill. Though we don't know yet whether that kill shot was intended for him or for Glaistig Ulaine though.

berenzen
Jan 23, 2012

Cytokinesis posted:

It's not so much that it made him give up as it is that it shocked him so badly that it left him completely open for Scion to kill. Though we don't know yet whether that kill shot was intended for him or for Glaistig Ulaine though.

I'm guessing we're not going to know for another chapter or two anyway. As it's going to jump back to Skitter/Weaver's PoV and her whole issue of near death/getting her shard repaired thing that is probably going to happen.

RosaParksOfDip
May 11, 2009
In regards to the four words, It's like a shittier version of what happens in the end of Red Son Superman. Not in that the events are lovely, but in that the words themselves have no real impact. Even if Eidolon didn't already suspect as much, you'd think this would be something to drive him to greater strength, finding the solution for his waning power, rather than make him give up. I'm somewhat hoping he pulls something out of his random hat to escape the blast merely for the fact that it'll make it potentially interesting and a proper way to defeat Scion i.e. A Glaistig/Eidolon partnership where they both understand their powers, rather than some kind of random Deus Ex Machina. That being said, I'd rather him die just so I know Wildbow isn't getting cute with the wording to fabricate surprise.

Lord_Pigeonbane
Nov 24, 2002

Just the ladies, now!
Interlude 27: So, Eidolon sucked the power out of dying folks. Did this include Taylor?

thespaceinvader
Mar 30, 2011

The slightest touch from a Gol-Shogeg will result in Instant Death!
No, I'm pretty sure Taylor was already gone at that point.

I'm a little bugged by this development - whether it's Scion or Eidolon creating the endbringers, it's kind of an overdone plotline I think - it's Sentry from Marvel, it's Red Son, it's kind of... not what I'd expected from Worm.

I hope it's actually a double bluff, and Eidolon's fine.

sirtommygunn
Mar 7, 2013



It may have demoralized him in the sense that, since his powers only scale to his opponents level, he would never be able to reach the level he's currently at ever again. Considering he only "felt like himself" at full strength, it may be the realization that no matter what happens during the fight he will never get that feeling ever again.

I don't really like the theory that Eidolon or Scion created the Endbringers because there's really no evidence to suggest they did, mixed with the fact that they're on a very deliberate and planned schedule suggests that there's no way that either of those two are just accidentally/unwittingly in control of them.

Lord_Pigeonbane
Nov 24, 2002

Just the ladies, now!
If he isn't fine, Glaistig will have a fun new toy.

OneTwentySix
Nov 5, 2007

fun
FUN
FUN


Does she get anything from Cauldron capes, though? I don't know if it's been mentioned or not, but they don't have shards, or at least, not Scion/Partner's shards, so they might not work for her.

Grundulum
Feb 28, 2006
What is Eidolon's power again? It seems like recent developments are casting doubt on what I thought it was (i.e. whatever he felt he needed, limited to three or so different abilities at a time).

27.x spoilers: this new ability to draw powers from those around him seems pretty different from what he showed before. Could it be that he has the Cauldron powers and then something of his own? Or do the two powers tie together in a way I just can't see?

why oh WHY
Apr 25, 2012

So like I said, not my fault. Nobody can judge me for it.
But, yeah...
Okay.
I admit it.
Human teenager Rainbow Dash was hot!

OneTwentySix posted:

Does she get anything from Cauldron capes, though? I don't know if it's been mentioned or not, but they don't have shards, or at least, not Scion/Partner's shards, so they might not work for her.

She has Grey Boy and I'm pretty sure he is a Cauldron cape.

sirtommygunn
Mar 7, 2013



Grundulum posted:

What is Eidolon's power again? It seems like recent developments are casting doubt on what I thought it was (i.e. whatever he felt he needed, limited to three or so different abilities at a time).

27.x spoilers: this new ability to draw powers from those around him seems pretty different from what he showed before. Could it be that he has the Cauldron powers and then something of his own? Or do the two powers tie together in a way I just can't see?

He gets somewhat randomly generated powers, usually adapted to whatever he needs, and can drop any of them to pick up a different power. They take time to charge up, and if he uses a power too much, it disappears forever. It's very comparable to a deck of cards, where he can choose to put a card back into the deck when he is done or discard if he uses it more than he should. the new ability he picked up basically let him put his discard pile back onto the top of the deck

Lyon
Apr 17, 2003
Did they explicitly state that people naturally got Scion's partner's shards? I kind of thought those shards 'died' and maybe that's where the cauldron capes were coming from by 'resurrecting' the partner's shards.

I kind of also thought when Glaistag referred to the courts it was the shards from Scion as one court and the partner's shards were the second court/cauldron capes.

OneTwentySix
Nov 5, 2007

fun
FUN
FUN


why oh WHY posted:

She has Grey Boy and I'm pretty sure he is a Cauldron cape.

You're right, he is.

Faldoncow
Jun 29, 2007
Munchin' on some steak

Lyon posted:

Did they explicitly state that people naturally got Scion's partner's shards? I kind of thought those shards 'died' and maybe that's where the cauldron capes were coming from by 'resurrecting' the partner's shards.

I kind of also thought when Glaistag referred to the courts it was the shards from Scion as one court and the partner's shards were the second court/cauldron capes.

During Scion's interlude chapter, he recognizes each shard that people have, both those from him and his partner. When Contessa and the Number Man show up, he notes that he doesn't recognize either of the shards they have.

SerSpook
Feb 13, 2012




Faldoncow posted:

During Scion's interlude chapter, he recognizes each shard that people have, both those from him and his partner. When Contessa and the Number Man show up, he notes that he doesn't recognize either of the shards they have.

Was it Number Man too? Because I thought it was just Contessa.

veekie
Dec 25, 2007

Dice of Chaos
Just Contessa I think.

Faldoncow
Jun 29, 2007
Munchin' on some steak
Oh I could have it wrong, was just going off memory.

Cytokinesis
Aug 18, 2008

He sees the power of a god behind it. A power that has bested him!
It just occurred to me that we could be a bit off base with what Contessa's shard being from the third entity means in the long run. There's a very simple explanation for why Scion doesn't recognize the shard: it's one of the ones that the third entity traded to the second entity, so Scion doesn't recognize it but it's not because of active interference. It doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

It probably is more complicated than that, but Wildbow has pitched enough curveballs for this to be plausible and for it to have been a red herring.

qntm
Jun 17, 2009

Skippy McPants posted:

"You're not the protagonist."

Wait, where's this from?

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withak
Jan 15, 2003


Fun Shoe

Grundulum posted:

For those people wanting to read Worm in a continuous form, my friend has found the Chrome app Readability. Took all however-many sections of the story and conjoined them into a single document.

Edit: looks like it's more than just an app for Chrome. http://www.readability.com/apps

The current length is more than 5000 pages of small text when previewed for printing, with an estimated 1.5-2.0 million words. Holy crap.

How did he get it to combine everything? I can only get Readability and Instapaper to grab one chapter at a time. Though with the prev/next links working fine and the app keeping track of my progress, this is pretty much good enough for me.

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