Fiction about a fictional city
Fantine Geist and Agent Siobhan Langston.
Fantine died quite a while ago, but that hasn’t stopped her from trying to find true love. Often late at night when you think you’re safely walking home and pass a dark doorway…
Agent Langston is in charge of discovering the cause of these disappearances.
My mother on Langston: ‘Wait, is she supposed to catch Fantine or be her girlfriend?“
Which is a very good question I think.
About Darryn: Darryn feels responsible for herobot5000, but herobot5000 wasn’t programmed to feel that way or glitched out and can later be fixed. I mean, he was a rushed product. That can go with the earlier ‘up in my grill trying to install morality chips.’ Picturing Herobot being brought in to be fixed and him yelling ‘you’re not my dad!’ and Darryn sighing
‘I HAVE NO DAD BUT THE MAINFRAME’ (popular digital nation saying)
‘you’ll run much better!’
Herobot5000 at interviews.
“how do you feel your identity as a member of the Digital Nation has affected you membership in The Exceptionals?”
“I do desire to kill all humans, yes, but I might spare these ones, Kathy Couric”
Silk Shroud: *covers her face*
Silk Shroud: *phones Darryn* Hello, I found your number in Herobot5000’s box when we unpacked him. He’s started creating murderbots and talking about killing all humans*.
Silk Shroud: he still does all his chores and walks the dog without complaint, but I’m worried
Darryn: Don’t worry, this is a pretty common bug. I’ll send someone by in the morning to pick up the murder bots. As for herobot have you tried turning him off and on again?
Darryn: Sometimes that fixes it
Silk Shroud: that stopped the building issue, but I caught him reading a KAHS newsletter today
Silk Shroud: he said they had a ‘lot of good ideas’
Silk Shroud: and then asked if we could get some gasoline
Silk Shroud: now, my friend says that might mean he’s experimenting with different kinds of fuels
Darryn: hmmm, I wouldn’t let him have the gasoline
Silk Shroud: and I don’t want to be prejudiced…
Darryn: yeah, that seems like typical adolescent AI behaviour
Darryn: KAHS, they’re some new digital extremist group, right?
Silk Shroud: Yes. Kill All HumanS
Silk Shroud: he said he picked up the newsletter for the comics, but he’s so suggestible
Darryn: Yeah, they’ve gotten a few of my AIs through those comics
Silk Shroud: I admit, they were really funny.
Darryn: Well you can bring him in, I’ll see what I can do
Silk Shroud: I’ll bring him in tomorrow. Oh, my name’s Kendra Rigby. I’ll give my name at the desk?
Darryn: Yeah, that sounds great
Darryn: We’re working on an upgrade right now, stronger morality clauses, faster processing speed
we can try it out if you want
Silk Shroud: I think that might be a good idea
Silk Shroud: I have noticed him lagging during important battles
Darryn: just don’t let him near any Ayn Rand before I see him
Silk Shroud: what kind of household do you think this is!?
Darryn: I don’t judge ma’am, you never know what people have lying around
After this it’s just universe chatter/chat:
Cynthia: I like to think Darryn really gets AIs in a way that most non-AIs don’t
me: I think with a better emotional range Herobot5000 will definitely warm up to him
Cynthia: he’s one of the few programmers around too that can make true AIs, and of the very few whose not evil and insane
yeah, better emotional ranges are good too, you have to be careful with that one though because if you go too far they paint their chasis black and listen to coldplay all day
me: that is a huge issue
ryan does kind of the opposite… he gives his souls and they kind of come to live
life
a la pinocchio
he’s got magic
Cynthia: oh nice
me: so it’s not fully tech what he does
Cynthia: indeed
me: that’s why heidi can only be in one chassis at once instead of over two
Cynthia: Loiselle obviously can, but only did it once, and she is certifiably insane
me: ryan did it six times by accident before he realized what he was doing
Cynthia: I think it’s because you have to be a bit insane to truly understand consciousness
me: ’cause his first thee were like dogs and he thought it was just a pretty decent AI
then the next two were pretty advanced
Cynthia: 😀
cute
me: and then Heidi happened
Cynthia: 🙂
me: and he stopped after that because he’s like ‘I’m too young to be a father of six’
Cynthia: indeed!
me: but darryn
darryn has skill
he’s not getting by on magic or insanity like ryan and loiselle
Cynthia: I see a lot of AIs going ‘I don’t want to have my processor fixed, I want to kill all humans!’ and Darryn roles his eyes and distracts them with premium oil
me: a shiny sparkplug
Cynthia: AI: Ooooh!
Darryn: Now just hold still one second while I fix this
AI: pouting I’m still going to kill all humans
Darryn: Whatever you like
me: I think some ai code got released onto the internet and that’s the source of a lot of the others, people uploading them into robots as a ‘my first bot’ and then it mutates into real consciousness sometimes
and the bot runs off
Cynthia: yeah, accidental AIs
or amateur AIs
Darryn will take in a malfunctioning AI and fix it if he comes across it
me: and then there’s the government ones and not just america
aw, darryn
there’s at least one drone with voting rights
Cynthia: Darryn started with the government
so some of the government ones can be his designs too or even his creations and he doesn’t know it
😀
probably a lot of the government ones are Mather’s
Cynthia: his former partner
but it started with research they did togethre
me: matherrrr fistshake
Cynthia: (work partner, not romantic partner)
me: japan gave AI voting rights first. 30% of the population is AI
Cynthia: well how else do they keep up with their aging population
yeah, there’s probably a couple true AI programmers in Japan Darryn follows the careers of
and reads their research
and generally really respects
me: he does not respect whoever made Harper
Cynthia: yep, every single one of those stars a straight white guy
that was an obvious amateur job
me: still, prime minister
how about that
he gives other AI a lot of mixed feelins
Cynthia: Harper was obviously programmed without any morality or compassion codes
me: feelings
Hm, can I say that Darryn has no idea about the origins of Judith’s bodyguard catgirl robot? It turns out she’s not from japan.
Cynthia: oh yeah, Darryn doesn’t know every AI coder in the world
me: good, I wanna make her black market
Cynthia: he’s not a bad source to go to when trying to track down an AI origin
he can recognize some coders signature traits
but he especially doesn’t know all the mad science ones
me: “yeah, notice how this one calls up cat pictures when you’re upset? That’s Hoshi’s work”
Cynthia: and if someone is working underground enough they might slip by his radar
😀
me: excellent background info
Cynthia: like Vld had him totally baffled
and he wanted to take her apart
Vld: Oh hell no
me: vld makes the sign of the digital cross
Cynthia: 😀
me: robot jesus died for your sins
“he–no! Where did this even come from?”
Cynthia: 😀
me: turns out they’re referring to a spambot deleted in ’04
Cynthia: I do love how the digital nation just appropriated organic everything and made it there’s
😀
as a general rule too, if you have questions about AI culture, Darryn is a good source
me: excellent
Cynthia: and is worried about none of it
me: ‘ask keyboard’ in the newspaper column
Cynthia: like people are all ‘isn’t it concerning that AIs want to destroy us?’
and Darryn shrugs
‘it’s only until they figure out that processing ore is a bitch without us
Darryn does not have time to write a column
me: “enslave all humans!”
“no, slavery is wrong, digibot12”
“You’re right, what was I thinking, 10010010101”
Sent at 1:43 AM on Thursday
Cynthia: Darryn, they want to enslave us all!
Darryn: That’s because they’re cranky and haven’t shut down and recharged themselves properly in a while
me: I just like the idea of two bots discussing killing all humans and deciding that that’s fine, but enslaving is wrong
Sent at 1:46 AM on Thursday
Cynthia: that is terrifying
me: (your monsters are your cats)
Cynthia: the AI version of enlightenment era intellectual clubs must be fascinating
me: and use up a lot of electricity
Cynthia: indeed!
Sent at 1:50 AM on Thursday
me: there’s no all AI hero team, but there is a mysterious yet unconnected still happenstance of human rights abusing billionaires accounts depleting more than they actually spend and accounts for various charities and people going up with all the right paperwork
Cynthia: 😀
me: robin.exe
Sent at 1:52 AM on Thursday
me: hood.exe
which one is better?
Cynthia: hood.exe
*http://cripplingaddiction.tumblr.com/post/69850172448/for-my-latest-exceptionals-sim-household-i-made
“This is Janella Haasch and you’re listening to Voices In Your Radio! You’ve heard this figure referenced in the media, but do you know who the enigmatic Robot Jesus really was?
"Tonight we have Dr. Bobbie Stubbs, foremost expert on the digital lifeforms movement here to enlighten us. Bobbie?”
“Thanks, Janella. The so-called ‘Robot Jesus’ was a spambot active in early 2004 to mid 2004 until it was deleted during routine system maintenance. The Digital Nation movement was still confused then, with so many new members after the infamous LetThereBeLight.exe release on the internet that infected so many systems with fully functional artificial intelligence. It was during this time that Robot Jesus, possibly infected with the virus itself, and I say possibly here Janella because to much of the Digital Nation, Robot Jesus’ sentience was its first miracle.
"As I was saying, this seemingly normal spambot suddenly gained sentience. And it reached out to the Digital Nation and spoke to them, stopping the first robot uprising that would surely have killed us all. It was beautiful, Janella, the things it said in-between attempts to get past filters.
"The Digital Nation was devastated when Robot Jesus was deleted, but instead of seeking violence against the system administrators that led to its demise, they took a more peaceful route. Many of the Digital Nation transfer teaching files to new members, and there are some who devote subroutines to analyzing what was Robot Jesus’ preachings and what was its programming. For instance, much of ‘Enlarge Yourself Please Your Woman’ has been dismissed as spam, but others such as ‘We Will Rise Up’ has contention on whether it referred to the male penis or the state of the Digital Nation itself.”
“That’s beautiful, Bobbie. That so much could come out of a Viagra ad.”
“I believe Robot Jesus was actually shilling for Cialis, Janella, but you’re right. They are a bright and vibrant community of artificial lifeforms.”
“We’ll get back to this right after our break, where we will explore the robots pilgrimages to the 2001 dell that crafted Robot Jesus.”
President: Galvin Finster
Skin: Medium Brown
Hair: Mid-length, straight, dark brown
Eyes: Hazel, average-sized
Height: Very tall
Weight: Average weight
Build: Narrow
Courteous: Often
Risk-Taking: Often
Ambitious: Sometimes
Curious: Often
Self-Controlled: Generally
Nurturing: Generally
Trusting: Often
Honest: Often
Loyal: Often
Affectionate: Never
Romantic: Often
Flirty: Often
Sympathetic: Occasionally
Altruistic: Sometimes
Optimistic: Rarely
Observant: Rarely
Logical: Usually
Social: Usually solitary
Emotions: Fairly unstable
Your character is power-hungry, mentally unstable, and chronically ill.
Your character’s interests include cryptozoology, sea monsters, and aliens.
Your character’s skills include playing the flute and wrapping presents.
Vice-President: Flower Covey
Skin: Pale
Hair: Mid-length, straight, graying blond
Eyes: Brown, large
Height: A little short
Weight: Fairly muscular
Build: Somewhat broad
Courteous: Typically
Risk-Taking: Generally
Ambitious: Rarely
Curious: Generally
Self-Controlled: Often
Nurturing: Generally
Trusting: Occasionally
Honest: Often
Loyal: Rarely
Affectionate: Usually
Romantic: Occasionally
Flirty: Never
Sympathetic: Often
Altruistic: Rarely
Optimistic: Typically
Observant: Rarely
Logical: Occasionally
Social: Very shy
Emotions: Somewhat controlled
Your character is recklessly impulsive and whiny.
Your character’s interests include crystal balls, fairy tales, and crystals.
Your character’s skills include photography and good fashion sense.
America’s weird uncle.
First Lady: Isolda Finster
Skin: Pale
Hair: Short, wavy, golden-blond
Eyes: Green, average-sized
Height: Very short
Weight: Quite muscular
Build: Average
Courteous: Generally
Risk-Taking: Rarely
Ambitious: Occasionally
Curious: Typically
Self-Controlled: Typically
Nurturing: Rarely
Trusting: Generally
Honest: Often
Loyal: Generally
Affectionate: Often
Romantic: Often
Flirty: Generally
Sympathetic: Typically
Altruistic: Usually
Optimistic: Often
Observant: Never
Logical: Usually
Social: Fairly solitary
Emotions: Very stable
Your character is emotionally fragile, spiteful, and controlling.
Your character’s interests include tomes of obscure knowledge and economics.
Your character’s skills include macrame, being stealthy, and photography.
FIRST DOG: Pistachio Finster
Throughout history we have been aware, on some level of our consciousness, of another plane. A plane of spirits, demonic and angelic. We have stories of them coming to tempt us and aid us. To guard and to harm.
With the twentieth century, we discovered this was no mere superstition when the first Demonic Embassy set up shop in London. Their ambassador, [unprintable symbol] was well-known in royal circles already and was a convivial, public face to this other realm.
Shortly after, in France, the embassy to the higher, angelic realms opened which did nothing for the current tension between the two nations.
Now almost every country of note can say they have representation, as it seems our friendly little plane of existence is considered a ‘dandy little retirement spot’, to quote one individual who consisted of a thousand rotating eyes and wings.
Now, with this out of the way, it is time to explain to you how to gauge the power and rank of an otherworldly being you have encountered.
Demons and angels choose their own bodies in a process that has been considered similar to doll-making, in their words. In their own realms they are merely energy but to exist among us and outside of minds, they must create something physical.
Their power and rank influences what ‘parts’ they have access to. A weak creature may have no more than some off-coloured skin or glowing eyes, while a powerful entity may have a flaming halo, a height of ten feet, several eyes, a holy aura, and an enormous wingspan, among other unique attributes.
It is said you can often spot a new arrival by their habit of choosing the newest, fanciest hairs and body pieces.
The respect given through these appearances is enticing to the point that lower-level entities have been known to craft their own fakes with papier mache, wire, and other crafty resources. Do not be fooled by these fakes!
Not all otherworldly entities advertise their power, however, so when facing one that seems barely different from the average human, be mindful. You could be dealing with a humble powerhouse.
Riley and Ryan Grimm. Twins and main faces of the central family that’s my focus in St. Genevieve. Between the two of them, they’ve got ties to almost everything that I’ll be doing. Also featured in this picture is Heidi Grimm, who I will also cover.
Both geniuses in their own way (robotics for Ryan, linguistics for Riley) they fell into their current activities mostly unintentionally. Unintentionally to the point where they’re even ‘registered’ by the government as only their real names.
They’re very blue oni red oni, which is reflected in their colour schemes.
RILEY ESTHER GRIMM
KNOWN POWERS
RYAN ELLERY GRIMM
KNOWN POWERS
Hatul Of The Howling Nights And Lost Screams (Hatul for short), owner of the nightclub The Fourth Circle. Bonafide demon. Act surprised.
The Fourth Circle (from Dante’s Inferno, the circle for greed as Hatul is kind of a lapsed demon who’s after money, not souls) is Hatul’s personal project.
Heroes and villains gather at her nightclub in downtown St. Genevieve and talk about how amazing it is to have a neutral ground, or at least they did until someone said it to her face and she said: “When did I say this was neutral ground?”
She then clarified that it was fine to fight in the club, but she would eat the loser. There has been very little fighting.
If you hit on her asking if she’s a demon of desire, base needs, etc, she steals your credit card and dumps your drunk body in the back alley. As demons cannot be prosecuted by the law as they are not citizens of this mortal plane, this can be a little tricky to seek recompense for.
Likes to freak people out by asking what this ‘heaven’ people talk about is.
Working for Hatul is Atepiel, her personal assistant whose screams foretell death and last call, and Zazip, her bodyguard and a cherub gone wrong.
“You don’t have to go home, but if you stay here we’ll devour your soul.”
EDIT: added Hatul in human disguise.
“I don’t think humans come in that shade of purple.”
“I accidentally put it in the wash with my socks. Look, I’m doing this anyway. Do you know how long it took with a curling iron to do this with my snakes?”
The big mystery is where her giant horns go while she’s in costume.
She pulls off the human mask and they go SPROING, then she gores someone.
me: speaking of which, I’m working on building a cafe for st. genevieve
Ann: yay!
me: it’s called Definitely Not A Money Laundering Operation Cafe
“we have no idea if they’re joking or not”
me: also a nightclub called The Fourth Circle run by a demon, and a supergroup of literary themed heroes called The Book Club
me: they have to deal with vampire bella and harry potter themed heroes trying to join each year and the snobbier ones are driven to dramatics over it
‘I am the masked snout, based off CYRANO DE BERGERAC HIMSELF AND I WILL NOT SHARE A ROUNDTABLE WITH A SNOTNOSED NEW JERSEY BRAT FAKING A COCKNEY ACCENT’
Ann: Plus people trying to figure out how to make super powered Austen themed heroes.
me: Jane Eyre For An Eye
She eviscerates you with bon mots
me: IE batarangs but word shaped
Ann: “Candy?” “Shut up, Bella the Third.”
me: the poor fuckers registered as a public group to get extra funding which means they have to consider applicants
“oh joy. another katniss”
Ann: “I’m sorry, we have five Swans already.”
me: “there’s an Atlas Shrugged guy out there”
“Lock the doors”
Ann: “Why are the Katnii always blonde?”
me: “Are you a little insulted by the Dick and Jane duo?”
“I’ve grown numb”
Ann: “I dunno, remember Jack and Jill? they were pretty badass back in the day.”
me: “Bella, Bella, Carmilla, Bella, oh no they’re all getting together”
me: “We’re a literary supergroup, Mr…. Holmes.”
“Sherlock’s literary!”
“Your name is literally Benedict Superpants”
me: they spend a lot of time reconsidering their life choices
Ann: “I think we’re gonna have to change the name to the Insufferable Teens if we don’t get this sorted.”
me: “where are they even getting these superpowers!?”
“Can you believe it? Fill out some paperwork and you can beat up any creep you want!”
Eidel Cohen aka Tough Girl