Aberration (Worm, D&D)

theonewhowas · Dec 26, 2015

Table of Contents:

1.1 (below) - introduction, hello Skidmark
1.2 - successful fight against Empire
1.3 - shopping on Boardwalk, hello Protectorate
1.4 - goodbye Protectorate
1.5 - Armsmaster
1.6 - Somer’s Rock
1.7 - preparing for raid on ABB storehouse
1.8 - raid begins, hello Lung
1.9 - goodbye Lung
1.10 - Tattletale
2.1 - welcome to gala, hello Travelers
2.2 - Krouse showboats, hello Zceryll
2.3 - goodbye Travelers
2.4 - some downtime with Claire and Buzz
2.5 - Victor
2.6 - keeping busy with the Merchants, hello Coil
2.7 - Coil and Skidmark negotiate
2.8 - chase scene! also, BEES
2.9 - confrontation at Protectorate
2.10 - Miss Militia
3.1 - Freakshow returns, Coil makes suggestions
3.2 - hello Empire
3.3 - goodbye Empire
3.4 - good times for the Merchants, hello Leviathan
3.5 - Panacea
3.6 - goodbye Squealer, hello Squealer, hello Alexandria
3.7 - Alexandria is persistent
3.8 - night of the living dead, Alexandria is a bro
3.9 - hello Jack
3.10 - Jack Slash
4.1 - goodbye Burnscar
4.2 - talking to Coil
4.3 - hello Crawler
4.4 - goodbye Crawler
4.5 - William
4.6 - post-Crawler discussion with Coil
4.7 - the truce meeting
4.8 - hello Bonesaw, hello Siberian
4.9 - in which Freakshow dies
4.10 - the Saga of Steve
5.1 - Freakshow flashbacks
5.2 - repercussions
5.3 - hello Cherish
5.4 - goodbye Cherish, preparing to ambush the Nine
5.5 - I don't remember
5.6 - it’s a trap! hello Crawler
5.7 - goodbye Crawler, hello Nine
5.8 - hello Shatterbird, goodbye Shatterbird
5.9 - aftermath
5.10 - Bonesaw
6.1 - offer, counteroffer, counter-counteroffer
6.2 - The Middle Way
6.3 - Coil
6.3½ - facing the music
6.4 - meet the Knights
6.5 - reincarnation talk
6.6 - hello Butcher, hello Accord, goodbye Butcher
6.7 - Butcher aftermath, hello Mush
6.8 - hello Lung
6.9 - goodbye Lung, hello Butcher
6.10 - Assorted Interludes
7.1 - the great white cockblock
7.2 - hello Simurgh
7.3 - hello Slaughterhouse Nine
7.4 - hello Artificer
7.5 - Eric
7.6 - giving a whole new meaning to Ziz bomb
7.7 - goodbye Crawler, goodbye Simurgh
7.8 - the truth revealed
7.9 - the aftermath
7.10 - PHO Interlude
8.1 - crafting, Noelle, Acolyte
8.2 - nothing exciting happens
8.3 - Henry
8.4 - Imp
8.5 - Acolyte
8.6 - Acolyte
8.7 - later, Lung
8.8 - the next level
8.9 - hello Cauldron
8.10 - goodbye Travelers
9.1 - hello Nilbog, goodbye Nilbog
9.2 - grinding
9.2½ - Manzaneres
9.3 - hello Saint, goodbye Saint
9.4 - the First Temple of the Star Spawn
9.5 - Ryan
9.6 - wtf Jack? also, level 20!
9.7 - hello Khonsu
9.8 - in which Star Spawn dies
9.9 - in which Star Spawn is an elf
9.10 - homecoming, and presents!
10.1 - talk show and wtf Jack?
10.2 - Assorted Interludes
10.3 - once upon a time in Russia
10.4 - Leviathan and Artificer
10.4½ - Case 53s and gear testing
10.5 - Taylor
10.6 - the beginning of the end
10.7 - apotheosis
10.8 - battle on the flying temple
10.9 - Contessa
10.10 - Bonesaw
10.11 - catching up
10.12 - hello Jack, goodbye Jack, hello Scion
11.1 - the end of the world
11.2 - goodbye Brockton Bay
11.3 - Lung
11.3½ - Hero
11.4 - the final battle begins
11.5 - Scion's rebuttal
11.6 - John
11.7 - Star Spawn takes five
11.8 - Assorted Interludes
11.9 - Assorted Interludes
11.10 - Entity

Omake:
Destined to be Together (courtesy of Ziel)
Reactions
You All Meet in a Tavern (courtesy of Ziel)
Skidmark's Evolution (courtesy of Kevin Vacit)
Panacea's Thoughts (courtesy of Quantumsheepery)
Coil's Kidnapping Attempts After-Action Reports
Saint
Like Tears in Rain
Cauldron Days
Another OC
Freakshow's Diary - Day 20 (courtesy of Ziel)
Heartwarming and Horrifying (courtesy of Ziel)
Reflections
The Six Hundred and Fifty-First Path
Kitty!
Panacea (courtesy of Gentle Jovian)
Broadcast
A Fresh Start [between 6.3 and 6.4]
Lung [during 6.9]
Terror Machine 03 [after 7.7]
Not the Full Quid [after 7.8.1] (courtesy of Certus)
Alexandria Makes a Speech [after 7.8.1] (courtesy of BrambleThorn)
Direct Answers [after 7.7]
Revealed Identity [after 7.7] (courtesy of Husr)
The Morning After [after 7.9]
The Creative Process [after Revealed Identity]
Valentine's Day [after 7.9]
Broken
Regrets [after 9.6]
Butcher XVI [after 9.9]
In Name Only
Title Drop
Reunion [after 11.3]
Tinkertalk [during 11.3]

Alternative Paths:

---Realities Diverge---

Chaotic Evil Path - Join the Nine
6.2 CE - Alexandria gives zero fucks
6.3 CE - diary with the Nine

Neutral Good Path - Kill the Nine
6.2 NG - The Road Not Taken
6.3 NG - Zceryll's Chosen

Yet Another Possibility
6.2 - A Fourth Path (courtesy of Husr)

A Later Divergence
7.8.1 - Goddamnit Taylor

Fanart:
Freakshow (drawn by Storn Cook and commissioned by Cheiromancer)

-----

Freakshow has a wide variety of summons, all at her beck and call. But some are called more often than others. Here are the most common. Pictures are scraped off the internet and unattributed with my apologies, and should only be used for general concept. Also note that these are effectively the before pictures, as everything she summons is run through the Pseudonatural template. See the next spoiler for clarification on that, and on Freakshow's appearance.

Archons: a variety of divine-ish creatures. The smallest is usually summoned to cast continual flame on something for a permanent, free light source. Good for dramatic lighting.

Arrow Demon: exactly what it says on the tin. 4 arms, 2 bows, a whole lot of arrows all at once.

Asura: a fire-winged, bird-legged angel-thing. Not terrible in combat, and can shapeshift, but mostly summoned for its useful spells, including true seeing and discern lies.

Avoral: a bird-like humanoid, 7 feet tall, weighs surprisingly little. Has great vision. Like, read a newspaper from ten miles away good. Usually summoned for gust of wind, lightning bolt, and magic missile.

Blue Abishai: a blue gargoyle-like creature, one of a multi-colored set, it's mostly used for its variety of useful abilities, including charm person, command, disguise self, scare, suggestion, and wrack.

Bralani: descriptions vary, but some sort of wind creature. Can charm, cure serious wounds (best healing Freakshow has access to at the moment), blur, gust of wind, mirror image, wind wall, and lightning bolt.

Centipede, Monstrous: exactly what it says on the tin. Comes in various sizes.

Cervidal: a goat-like creature with a variety of useful effects from its horn, including remove disease, neutralize poison, dispel illusion, hold person, magic missile, command, dismissal... very handy.

Clockwork Mender: a 6 inch long mechanical bee, more or less. Its only purpose for summoning is its once-per-summon repairing touch.

Coure: a small, fairy-like creature about 6 inches tall. Is capable of becoming intangible; good for scouting. It can also cast magic missile.

Dire Badger: like a badger, but dire. Which generally translates to "the size of a bear and with spikes".

Dire Tiger: exactly what it says on the tin.

Djinni: the archetypal genie, complete with smokey legs. Can turn into a whirlwind, but mostly employed for its long-lasting spells. It can grant wind walk for 20 hours, letting someone turn into a fast-moving cloud at will and back for the duration. It can also cast complex and large illusions, summon food and water, summon wine by the gallons, and - most importantly for the Merchants - can use major creation to create a large amount of material, which is normally temporary... except for vegetable matter, in this case. Handy for making furniture, drugs, and solving fashion emergencies.

Equinal: a horse-like creature with a terrible death whinny. No, really. Has a grab-bag of useful spells, but is mostly summoned for the once-per-summon ability to conjure a large, permanent, shape-able wall of stone.

Gadacro: the eyethief. About the size of a large chicken, but as scary as chickens in Legend of Zelda. Can blind people temporarily if it gets the drop on you, and once per summon can cast earthbind, which grounds flying creatures.

Giant Fire Beetle: not exactly all that giant. A hand-sized bug with built-in light source.

Giant Praying Mantis: exactly what it says on the tin.

Hammer Archon: the Thing with a huge hammer. Good for building walls faster than an Equinal, and can shape stone, too. A few other minor abilities as well.

Hollyphant: acquired at level 12. Either a tiny cute elephant fairy or a giant bat-winged elephant creature, but almost exclusively called for its [ability to raise dead].

Elementals: a variety of sizes and elemental flavors, but are generally vaguely human-shaped masses of a chosen element with a ton of strength and toughness, and maybe a trick or two.

Huge Viper: exactly what it says on the tin.

Inferno Spider: a ten foot long fire spider. Casts flaming webs, reacts to damage with even more fire.

Kyton: also known as a Chain Devil. Can attack with animated chains, also has an unnerving gaze that makes the target see a familiar face - loved, or hated - to distract them.

Leskylor (Three-Headed): a blue, winged tiger with three heads and frost breath. Can also cast cure moderate wounds, obscuring mist, cause fear, hold person, and other things. Also a bitchin' mount.

Maelephant: [a forbidden, Fiend Folio version of the Hollyphant. Called for a wide variety of unique and useful abilities, including amnesia gas and the ever-useful baleful polymorph.]

Mephit: 4 feet tall and imp-like, composed of their element, these summons come in a variety of elemental flavors and have a breath attack and some related spells. Includes the never-before-seen Mirror Mephit.

Movanic Deva: a banned creature from the Fiend Folio. [Maybe not as banned as Freakshow thought. Summoned one while mind-scrambled by Bonesaw. Has a huge list of incredibly useful spell-like abilities, including raise dead.]

Monadic Deva: the one on the right. A banned creature from the Fiend Folio. Everything the Movanic Deva does, plus a whole lot more.

Musteval: a vaguely ferret-like creature about 2 feet tall. Can disguise itself, see invisible, and is mostly used for casting invisibility on others for 3 minutes. Can only cast invisibility once per summoning.

Osyluth: a bone devil. Utterly terrifying to behold, and that's before the Pseudonatural template. Has a fear aura, can turn invisible, can cast dimensional anchor and major image, can conjure enormous walls of ice at will, and can grant flight for up to 12 minutes at a touch. Super convenient.

Pseudotroll: from the battle in the Nomadic Temple. Like a troll, but with the epic pseudonatural template. Fucking terrifying.

Shadow Mastiff: a large shadowy hound. Can blend in darkness, has a terrifying howl, and can trip creatures it bites.

Solar: one of the most powerful angelic beings in D&D. Like the picture, but with silver skin.

Tyrannosaurus: exactly what it says on the tin.

Weaver: chaos insanity spider from China Mieville's Perdido Street Station, as detailed in Dragon 352. And hey, look, it's called Weaver!

Xill: 4-5 feet tall, 4 arms, and mostly called for their ability to slip in and out of the ethereal plane, along with passengers. Can also grapple and inject paralytic venom.

Yugoloth: corruptor of fate. A malicious embodiment of bad luck. Hard to hit, has an intimidating gaze attack, but is almost exclusively used for its permanent bestow curse ability.

Binders of Zceryll, and their summons, all gain the Pseudonatural template. Along with some resistances, a nifty tentacular alternate form, telepathy, mindsight, (the last two just for Freakshow, although other creatures may have their own telepathy), and, most importantly, turns a normal griffon into THIS.

In Freakshow's case, it means a slightly less horrifying array of mutations, most commonly including a too-wide mouth full rows of jagged teeth and some sort of eyes, mouths, or tentacles somewhere on her body, which change each day as she renews her pact with Zceryll. As for the tentacles, let's just say there's a reason she keeps her head shaved.

Other pact signs include perfectly round mirrors for eyes from Zceryll and grey iron claws for nails from Ipos.

If you think she should be more horribly mutated, well, consider her high Charisma score. In this case, I'll say it means she's slightly less horrifying than she could be.

Human Binder 10/Bloodline 2

12 Str
16 Dex
14 Con
10 Int
8 _Wis
17 Cha

Feats:
1: (Human) Improved Binding
1: Skilled Pact Making (retrained at 4)
3: Expel Vestige
4: (Binder) Rapid Pact Making (retrained at 5)
6: Favored Vestige (retrained at 10)
9: Rapid Recovery (retrained at 10)

2 Vestiges: Zceryll and Ipos
EBL 12, 14 for Zceryll
Summon Monster VII

Human Binder 12/Bloodline 2

12 Str
16 Dex
14 Con
10 Int
8 _Wis
18 Cha

Feats:
1: _(Human) Improved Binding
1: _Skilled Pact Making (retrained at 4)
3: _Expel Vestige
4: _(Binder) Rapid Pact Making (retrained at 5)
6: _Favored Vestige (retrained at 10)
9: _Rapid Recovery (retrained at 10)
11: Weapon Focus (claws)
12: Improved Initiative

2 Vestiges: Zceryll and Ipos
EBL 14, 16 for Zceryll
Summon Monster VIII

Human Binder 11/Bloodline 2

12 Str
16 Dex
14 Con
10 Int
8 _Wis
17 Cha

Feats:
1: _(Human) Improved Binding
1: _Skilled Pact Making (retrained at 4)
3: _Expel Vestige
4: _(Binder) Rapid Pact Making (retrained at 5)
6: _Favored Vestige (retrained at 10)
9: _Rapid Recovery (retrained at 10)
11: Weapon Focus (claws)

2 Vestiges: Zceryll and Ipos
EBL 13, 15 for Zceryll
Summon Monster VII

Human Binder 11/Bloodline 2/Knight of the Sacred Seal 1

12 Str
16 Dex
14 Con
10 Int
8 _Wis
18 Cha

Feats:
1: _(Human) Improved Binding
1: _Skilled Pact Making (retrained at 4)
3: _Expel Vestige
4: _(Binder) Rapid Pact Making (retrained at 5)
6: _Favored Vestige (retrained at 10)
9: _Rapid Recovery (retrained at 10)
11: Weapon Focus (claws)
12: Improved Initiative

2 Vestiges: Zceryll and Ipos
EBL 16, 18 for Zceryll
Summon Monster IX

Human Binder 11/Bloodline 2/Knight of the Sacred Seal 3

12 Str
16 Dex
14 Con
10 Int
8 _Wis
18 Cha

Feats:
1: _(Human) Improved Binding
1: _Skilled Pact Making (retrained at 4)
3: _Expel Vestige
4: _(Binder) Rapid Pact Making (retrained at 5)
6: _Favored Vestige (retrained at 10)
9: _Rapid Recovery (retrained at 10)
11: Weapon Focus (claws)
12: Improved Initiative
15: Exceptional Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
16: Iron Will
X: _Item Crafting Feat (only while binding Astaroth)

3 Vestiges: Zceryll and Haures and [other]
EBL 18, 20 for Zceryll
Summon Monster IX

Knight of the Sacred Seal

Vestige's Protection Aura (Su): Swift action +4 insight bonus to AC/Reflex for user + all adjacent allies for 1 round (24s cooldown)

Butcher XV

40 Str
18 Dex
30 Con
10 Int
8 _Wis
18 Cha

Pain (Ex): Inflict pain at a distance
Regeneration (Ex): Regeneration 5
Bloodsight (Ex): See cardiovascular systems through walls
Dangersense (Ex): Never flatfooted, cannot be surprised, warned of attacks 1-3 seconds before they occur
Explosive Teleportation (Ex): 500ft range, no line of sight required, deal 3d6 fire damage in 5ft burst upon arrival, 1 second cooldown
Sculpt Matter (Ex): Touch range, reshape inanimate objects, normally into weapons, alters material to fit intended shape (stone can act as bowstring, etc.)
Durability (Ex): DR 20/-, immune to pain effects
Superb Accuracy (Ex): Constant true strike effect, stacks with true strike
Insanity (Ex): Unless suppressed, will be driven to homicidal rage, compelled to find and lead Teeth

Human Binder 11/Bloodline 2/Knight of the Sacred Seal 3 [+30k XP, enough to level twice]

At the moment, same as above. Will likely use XP for crafting purposes.

Star Spawn
Human Binder 11/Bloodline 2/Knight of the Sacred Seal 5

12 Str
16 Dex
14 Con
10 Int
9 _Wis
19 Cha

Feats:
1: _(Human) Improved Binding
1: _Skilled Pact Making (retrained at 4)
3: _Expel Vestige
4: _(Binder) Rapid Pact Making (retrained at 5)
6: _Favored Vestige (retrained at 10)
9: _Rapid Recovery (retrained at 10)
11: Weapon Focus (claws)
12: Improved Initiative
15: Exceptional Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
16: Iron Will
18: Magical Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
X: _Item Crafting Feat (only while binding Astaroth)

3 Vestiges: Zceryll and Haures and [other]
EBL 20, 22 for Zceryll
Summon Monster IX

Knight of the Sacred Seal

Vestige's Protection Aura (Su): Swift action +4 insight bonus to AC/Reflex for user + all adjacent allies for 1 round (24s cooldown)
Vestige's Power (Su): Swift Action +2 Strength/Con, +10ft land speed, +4 Will saves for 1 round (24s cooldown)
Apotheosis (Su): Type changes to Outside with Native subtype, damage reduction 10/magic (redundant with Zceryll)
Vestige's Surge (Su): Once per day, can ignore cooldown

Butcher XV

40 Str
18 Dex
30 Con
10 Int
9 _Wis
19 Cha

Pain (Ex): Inflict pain at a distance
Regeneration (Ex): Regeneration 5
Bloodsight (Ex): See cardiovascular systems through walls
Dangersense (Ex): Never flatfooted, cannot be surprised, warned of attacks 1-3 seconds before they occur
Explosive Teleportation (Ex): 500ft range, no line of sight required, deal 3d6 fire damage in 5ft burst upon arrival, 1 second cooldown
Sculpt Matter (Ex): Touch range, reshape inanimate objects, normally into weapons, alters material to fit intended shape (stone can act as bowstring, etc.)
Durability (Ex): DR 20/-, immune to pain effects
Superb Accuracy (Ex): Constant true strike effect, stacks with true strike
Insanity (Ex): Unless suppressed, will be driven to homicidal rage, compelled to find and lead Teeth

Magic Items

Anklet of Translocation: 10ft teleports, no line of sight required, twice per day
Handy Haversack: Extradimensional storage space, always has the item you want on top
Ring of Arming: Always have armor on hand
Talisman of the Disk: At-will tenser's floating disk with 300 pound limit
Hand of the Mage: At-will mage hand, combined with amulet of protection for Star Spawn
Amulet of Protection from Evil: Prevents mental control. One for each Knight and Alexandria.
Ring of Water Breathing: Gift for Alexandria
Autocure: Repeating trap of cure light wounds. 1 for Accord, 1 for Panacea, 1 unnacounted for.

Acolyte
Human Binder 8

Feats:
5: Improved Binding
2 Vestiges: Naberius and Dantalion, sometimes Malphus

Star Spawn
Human Binder 11/Bloodline 2/Knight of the Sacred Seal 5/Binder 1

12 Str
16 Dex
14 Con
10 Int
9 _Wis
19 Cha

Feats:
1: _(Human) Improved Binding
1: _Skilled Pact Making (retrained at 4)
3: _Expel Vestige
4: _(Binder) Rapid Pact Making (retrained at 5)
6: _Favored Vestige (retrained at 10)
9: _Rapid Recovery (retrained at 10)
11: Weapon Focus (claws)
12: Improved Initiative
15: Exceptional Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
16: Iron Will
18: Magical Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
X: _Item Crafting Feat (only while binding Astaroth)

3 Vestiges: Zceryll and Haures and [other]
EBL 21, 23 for Zceryll
Summon Monster IX

Knight of the Sacred Seal

Vestige's Protection Aura (Su): Swift action +4 insight bonus to AC/Reflex for user + all adjacent allies for 1 round (24s cooldown)
Vestige's Power (Su): Swift Action +2 Strength/Con, +10ft land speed, +4 Will saves for 1 round (24s cooldown)
Apotheosis (Su): Type changes to Outside with Native subtype, damage reduction 10/magic (redundant with Zceryll)
Vestige's Surge (Su): Once per day, can ignore cooldown

Butcher XV

40 Str
18 Dex
30 Con
10 Int
9 _Wis
19 Cha

Pain (Ex): Inflict pain at a distance
Regeneration (Ex): Regeneration 5
Bloodsight (Ex): See cardiovascular systems through walls
Dangersense (Ex): Never flatfooted, cannot be surprised, warned of attacks 1-3 seconds before they occur
Explosive Teleportation (Ex): 500ft range, no line of sight required, deal 3d6 fire damage in 5ft burst upon arrival, 1 second cooldown
Sculpt Matter (Ex): Touch range, reshape inanimate objects, normally into weapons, alters material to fit intended shape (stone can act as bowstring, etc.)
Durability (Ex): DR 20/-, immune to pain effects
Superb Accuracy (Ex): Constant true strike effect, stacks with true strike
Insanity (Ex): Unless suppressed, will be driven to homicidal rage, compelled to find and lead Teeth

Magic Items

Anklet of Translocation: 10ft teleports, no line of sight required, twice per day
Handy Haversack: Extradimensional storage space, always has the item you want on top
Ring of Arming: Always have armor on hand
Talisman of the Disk: At-will tenser's floating disk with 300 pound limit
Hand of the Mage: At-will mage hand, combined with amulet of protection for Star Spawn
Amulet of Protection from Evil: Prevents mental control. One for each Knight and Alexandria.
Ring of Water Breathing: Gift for Alexandria
Autocure: Repeating trap of cure light wounds. 1 for Accord, 1 for Panacea, 4 for temple and neighboring hospitals, 1 unnacounted for.
Bracer of Infinite Disks: Can create Shalantha's Delicate Disks indefinitely, letting her store and apply spells on herself and others for later use

Acolyte
Human Binder 9

Feats:
5: Improved Binding
2 Vestiges: Naberius and Dantalion, sometimes Malphus

Star Spawn
Elf Binder 11/Bloodline 2/Knight of the Sacred Seal 5/Binder 4

12 Str
18 Dex
12 Con
10 Int
9 _Wis
20 Cha

With Belt of Magnificence +4

16 Str
22 Dex
16 Con
14 Int
13 Wis
24 Cha

Feats:
1: _(Human) Improved Binding
1: _Skilled Pact Making (retrained at 4)
3: _Expel Vestige
4: _(Binder) Rapid Pact Making (retrained at 5)
6: _Favored Vestige (retrained at 10)
9: _Rapid Recovery (retrained at 10)
11: Weapon Focus (claws)
12: Improved Initiative
15: Exceptional Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
16: Iron Will
18: Magical Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
20: Deepspawn (tentacles!)
X: _Item Crafting Feat (only while binding Astaroth)

4 Vestiges: Zceryll and Haures and Astaroth and Orthos
EBL 24, 26 for Zceryll
Summon Monster IX

Binder

Pact Augmentation (4 abilities)
Soul guardian (immune to fear)(slippery mind)(immune to energy drain and negative levels)

Knight of the Sacred Seal

Vestige's Protection Aura (Su): Swift action +4 insight bonus to AC/Reflex for user + all adjacent allies for 1 round (24s cooldown)
Vestige's Power (Su): Swift Action +2 Strength/Con, +10ft land speed, +4 Will saves for 1 round (24s cooldown)
Apotheosis (Su): Type changes to Outside with Native subtype, damage reduction 10/magic (redundant with Zceryll)
Vestige's Surge (Su): Once per day, can ignore cooldown

Divine Rank 0

Creatures that have a mortal and a deity as parents also fall into this category. These entities cannot grant spells, but are immortal and usually have one or more ability scores that are far above the norm for their species. They may have some worshipers.
60ft land speed
+divine rank to AC as divine armor class bonus
A deity is immune to polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters its form. Any shape-altering powers the deity might have work normally on itself.
A deity is not subject to energy drain, ability drain, or ability damage.
A deity is immune to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
A deity has fire resistance of 5 + its divine rank.
A deity has spell resistance of 32 + its divine rank.
All deities (even those of rank 0) are naturally immortal and cannot die from natural causes. Deities do not age, and they do not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. The only way for a deity to die is through special circumstances, usually by being slain in magical or physical combat.

Acolyte, Squealer, Dinah:
Headband of Guidance of the Avatar (+20 to skill checks!)
Noelle:
Bracelet of Dimension Step (everyone teleport speed, battlefield shuffle!)
Trickster:
Eye Lenses of Eyes of the Avoral (+8 to spot, like permanent binoculars)
Grue:
Spiked Gauntlets of Manyjaws (10 pairs)
Regent:
Headband of Sculpted Web (it's white, it's sticky, it's everywhere!)
Imp:
Headband of Invisibility
Gloves of Shivering Touch (3d6 dex damage, no save, for 30 seconds)
Eidolon:
Headband of Ray of Hope (+2 morale bonus to saves, attacks, ability checks, and skills - on himself, he looks like he could use some cheering up)
Contessa:
Headband of Disguise Self
Panacea:
Anklets of Swift Fly (flight, finally!)
Legend:
Gloves of Ray of Stupidity (1d4+1 int damage, no save)
Alexandria:
Riverine Intelligent (using Nybor's Psychic Imprint) Bracer of Status, Adaptation, and Freedom of Movement with Telepathy and Knowledge Binding, Spellcraft, and The Planes (and other effects, perhaps)

Knight of the Star Spawn Item Set:
Anklets of Translocation (Magic Item Compendium pg71) and Expeditious Retreat
Amulet of Protection from Evil and Endure Elements and Detect Poison
Belt of Cure Minor Wounds (1 hp/round) and Mage Armor and Shield
Bracer of Magic Missile and Prestidigitation
Ring of Feather Fall and Communication (Magic Item Compendium pg122)

Star Spawn's Gear:
Bracer of Infinite Disks
Bindi Gem of Eyes of the Avoral
Anklets of Translocation (Magic Item Compendium pg71) and Expeditious Retreat
Gauntlets of Invisible Magic Missile (5 missiles) and Quickdraw
Ring of Arming (Magic Item Compendium pg122)
Ring of Feather Fall and Communication (Magic Item Compendium pg122)
Amulet of Protection from Evil and Endure Elements and Hand of the Mage
Shirt of Mage Armor (Greater) and Shield and Panacea (screw you, Bonesaw)
Belt of Magnificence +4 (finally!) (Miniatures Handbook pg42)
Talisman of the Disk (Magic Item Compendium pg188)
Handy Haversack
Pillar of Gemjump
Several Immovable Rods
400,000 Shalantha's Delicate Disks of varying descriptions

Acolyte
Human Binder 11
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
11: Favored Vestige
2 Vestiges: Naberius and Dantalion, sometimes Malphus

Noelle
Human Binder 4
Feats:
4: Improved Binding

Dinah
Human Binder 4
Feats:
4: Improved Binding

Contessa
Human Binder 8
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
2 Vestiges

Alexandria
Human Binder 10
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
2 Vestiges

Star Spawn
Elf Binder 11/Bloodline 2/Knight of the Sacred Seal 5/Binder 5

12 Str
18 Dex
12 Con
10 Int
9 _Wis
20 Cha

With Draconic Polymorph into Kelvezu (Monster Manual II pg60)
(form overridden by Alter Self into elf, but physical stats remain, as well as 60ft flight and +8d6 sneak attack)

29 Str
31 Dex
18 Con
10 Int
9 _Wis
20 Cha

With Belt of Magnificence +4

34 Str
35 Dex
22 Con
14 Int
13 Wis
24 Cha

Feats:
1: _(Human) Improved Binding
1: _Skilled Pact Making (retrained at 4)
3: _Expel Vestige
4: _(Binder) Rapid Pact Making (retrained at 5)
6: _Favored Vestige (retrained at 10)
9: _Rapid Recovery (retrained at 10)
11: Weapon Focus (claws)
12: Improved Initiative
15: Exceptional Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
16: Iron Will
18: Magical Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
20: Deepspawn (tentacles!)
X: _Item Crafting Feat (only while binding Astaroth)
21: Efficient Item Creation [Epic] (only while binding Astaroth)

4 Vestiges: Zceryll and Haures and Astaroth and Orthos
EBL 25, 27 for Zceryll
Summon Monster IX

Binder

Pact Augmentation (4 abilities)
Soul guardian (immune to fear)(slippery mind)(immune to energy drain and negative levels)

Knight of the Sacred Seal

Vestige's Protection Aura (Su): Swift action +4 insight bonus to AC/Reflex for user + all adjacent allies for 1 round (24s cooldown)
Vestige's Power (Su): Swift Action +2 Strength/Con, +10ft land speed, +4 Will saves for 1 round (24s cooldown)
Apotheosis (Su): Type changes to Outside with Native subtype, damage reduction 10/magic (redundant with Zceryll)
Vestige's Surge (Su): Once per day, can ignore cooldown

Divine Rank 0

Creatures that have a mortal and a deity as parents also fall into this category. These entities cannot grant spells, but are immortal and usually have one or more ability scores that are far above the norm for their species. They may have some worshipers.
60ft land speed
+divine rank to AC as divine armor class bonus
A deity is immune to polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters its form. Any shape-altering powers the deity might have work normally on itself.
A deity is not subject to energy drain, ability drain, or ability damage.
A deity is immune to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
A deity has fire resistance of 5 + its divine rank.
A deity has spell resistance of 32 + its divine rank.
All deities (even those of rank 0) are naturally immortal and cannot die from natural causes. Deities do not age, and they do not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. The only way for a deity to die is through special circumstances, usually by being slain in magical or physical combat.

Acolyte, Squealer, Dinah:
Headband of Guidance of the Avatar (+20 to skill checks!)
Noelle:
Bracelet of Dimension Step (everyone teleport speed, battlefield shuffle!)
Trickster:
Eye Lenses of Eyes of the Avoral (+8 to spot, like permanent binoculars)
Grue:
Spiked Gauntlets of Manyjaws (10 pairs)
Regent:
Headband of Sculpted Web (it's white, it's sticky, it's everywhere!)
Imp:
Headband of Invisibility
Gloves of Shivering Touch (3d6 dex damage, no save, for 30 seconds)
Eidolon:
Headband of Ray of Hope (+2 morale bonus to saves, attacks, ability checks, and skills - on himself, he looks like he could use some cheering up)
Contessa:
Headband of Disguise Self
Panacea:
Anklets of Swift Fly (flight, finally!)
Legend:
Gloves of Ray of Stupidity (1d4+1 int damage, no save)
Alexandria:
Riverine Intelligent (using Nybor's Psychic Imprint) Bracer of Status, Adaptation, and Freedom of Movement with Telepathy and Knowledge Binding, Spellcraft, and The Planes (and other effects, perhaps)

Knight of the Star Spawn Item Set:
Anklets of Translocation (Magic Item Compendium pg71) and Expeditious Retreat
Amulet of Protection from Evil and Endure Elements and Detect Poison
Belt of Cure Minor Wounds (1 hp/round) and Mage Armor and Shield
Bracer of Magic Missile and Prestidigitation
Ring of Feather Fall and Communication (Magic Item Compendium pg122)

Star Spawn's Epic Gear:
Note: all armor/visible components composed of riverine (Stormwrack pg128) for indestructibility

[Arms]
Bracer of Infinite Disks

[Face]
Bindi Gem of Eyes of the Avoral and Celerity

[Feet]
Anklets of Translocation (Magic Item Compendium pg71) and Dimension Leap

[Hands]
Gauntlets of Invisible Magic Missile (5 missiles) and Quickdraw with spikes of Warning (Magic Item Compendium pg46) and Rapid Wrath (Ghostwalk pg66)

[Rings]
Ring of Arming (Magic Item Compendium pg122) and Anticipation (Drow of the Underdark pg100) and Nerveskitter
Ring of Feather Fall and Communication (Magic Item Compendium pg122)

[Shoulders]
Mantle of Delay Death

[Throat]
Amulet of Protection from Evil and Endure Elements and Friendly Fire

[Torso]
Shirt of Mage Armor (Greater) and Shield and Panacea (screw you, Bonesaw) and Heroics (for Martial Study of Steel Wind) and Iron Heart Vest (IRON HEART SURGE)

[Waist]
Belt of Magnificence +4 (Miniatures Handbook pg42) and Battle (Magic Item Compendium pg73)

[Other]
Talisman of the Disk (Magic Item Compendium pg188)
Handy Haversack
Pillar of Gemjump
Several Immovable Rods
Mirror of Scrying
400,000 Shalantha's Delicate Disks of varying descriptions
Spelltrap Harness (a thin riverine backpack case worn beneath armor, full of Armsmaster-reduced auto-resetting clockwork magic traps) with Eyes of the Oracle and Footsteps of the Divine (Pun-Pun) and Shuffle and Alter Self and Fly and Haste and Telekinesis and Draconic Polymorph (into Kelvezu, then overridden by Alter Self)

Acolyte
Human Binder 11/Scion of Dantalion 1
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
11: Favored Vestige
2 Vestiges: Naberius and Dantalion, sometimes Malphus
Summon Monster VI

Scion of Dantalion
Scholarship of Dantalion: once per day, reroll knowledge check

Noelle
Human Binder 7
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
1 Vestige: Naberius

Dinah
Human Binder 7
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
1 Vestige: Naberius

Contessa
Human Binder 10
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
2 Vestiges: Naberius and Zceryll
Summon Monster V

Alexandria
Human Binder 11
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
11: Favored Vestige
2 Vestiges: Zceryll and Ipos
Summon Monster VI

Star Spawn
Elf Binder 11/Bloodline 2/Knight of the Sacred Seal 5/Binder 6

17 Str
23 Dex
17 Con
15 Int
14 Wis
25 Cha

With Draconic Polymorph into Kelvezu (Monster Manual II pg60)
(form overridden by Alter Self into elf, but physical stats remain, as well as 60ft flight and +8d6 sneak attack)

29 Str
31 Dex
18 Con
15 Int
14 Wis
25 Cha

With Belt of Magnificence +4

34 Str
35 Dex
22 Con
19 Int
18 Wis
29 Cha

Feats:
1: _(Human) Improved Binding
1: _Skilled Pact Making (retrained at 4)
3: _Expel Vestige
4: _(Binder) Rapid Pact Making (retrained at 5)
6: _Favored Vestige (retrained at 10)
9: _Rapid Recovery (retrained at 10)
11: Weapon Focus (claws)
12: Improved Initiative
15: Exceptional Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
16: Iron Will
18: Magical Artisan (only while binding Astaroth)
20: Deepspawn (tentacles!)
X: _Item Crafting Feat (only while binding Astaroth)
21: Efficient Item Creation [Epic] (only while binding Astaroth)

5 Vestiges: Zceryll and Haures and Astaroth and Orthos and Dantalion
EBL 26, 28 for Zceryll
Summon Monster IX

Binder

Pact Augmentation (4 abilities)
Soul guardian (immune to fear)(slippery mind)(immune to energy drain and negative levels)

Knight of the Sacred Seal

Vestige's Protection Aura (Su): Swift action +4 insight bonus to AC/Reflex for user + all adjacent allies for 1 round (24s cooldown)
Vestige's Power (Su): Swift Action +2 Strength/Con, +10ft land speed, +4 Will saves for 1 round (24s cooldown)
Apotheosis (Su): Type changes to Outside with Native subtype, damage reduction 10/magic (redundant with Zceryll)
Vestige's Surge (Su): Once per day, can ignore cooldown

Divine Rank 0

Creatures that have a mortal and a deity as parents also fall into this category. These entities cannot grant spells, but are immortal and usually have one or more ability scores that are far above the norm for their species. They may have some worshipers.
60ft land speed
+divine rank to AC as divine armor class bonus
A deity is immune to polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters its form. Any shape-altering powers the deity might have work normally on itself.
A deity is not subject to energy drain, ability drain, or ability damage.
A deity is immune to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
A deity has fire resistance of 5 + its divine rank.
A deity has spell resistance of 32 + its divine rank.
All deities (even those of rank 0) are naturally immortal and cannot die from natural causes. Deities do not age, and they do not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. The only way for a deity to die is through special circumstances, usually by being slain in magical or physical combat.

Divine Rank 1+

Greater teleport at-will, but only herself
Can use any domain spell it grants at-will as a spell-like ability (woo!)
Domains

Knowledge: Detect Secret Doors, Detect Thoughts, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Divination, True Seeing, Find the Path, Legend Lore, Discern Location, Foresight
Pact: Command, Shield Other, Speak with Dead, Divination, Stalwart Pact, Zealot Pact, Renewal Pact, Death Pact, Gate
Spell: Mage Armor, Anyspell, Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer, Break Enchantment, Anyspell (Greater), Limited Wish, Antimagic Field, Mordenkainen's Disjunction
Summoner: Summon Monster I-VII, Planar Ally (Lesser), Planar Ally, Planar Ally (Greater), Gate
Creation: Create Water, Minor Image, Create Food and Water, Minor Creation, Major Creation, Heroes' Feast, Permanent Image, True Creation, Pavilion of Grandeur

Bonuses to attack, saves, skills, ability checks, caster level checks, and turning checks
Immune to electricity, cold, acid, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, and disintegrate
Senses extend to 1 mile per divine rank (all senses, including darkvision, mindsight, blindsight, and true seeing
Can perceive 1 mile per divine rank of worshipers, holy sites, or other objects or locales sacred to the deity, 1 hour after someone says her name, or an event related to her portfolio occurs (involving at least 500 people)
Permanent tongues spell, and can communicate with anyone within 1 mile/rank of her
Can send message to worshiper or anyone within 1 mile/rank of any of her stuff/sites
Aura can Daze, Fright, Resolve within 10ft/rank
Grant all cleric spells and domain spells to followers (can withhold spells as free action)
(For all the tedious details, look here)

Salient Divine Abilities

Gift of Life: true resurrection without limit, at will (probationary, may change)
See Magic: exactly what it says on the tin

Acolyte, Squealer, Dinah:
Headband of Guidance of the Avatar (+20 to skill checks!)
Noelle:
Bracelet of Dimension Step (everyone teleport speed, battlefield shuffle!)
Trickster:
Eye Lenses of Eyes of the Avoral (+8 to spot, like permanent binoculars)
Grue:
Spiked Gauntlets of Manyjaws (10 pairs)
Regent:
Headband of Sculpted Web (it's white, it's sticky, it's everywhere!)
Imp:
Headband of Invisibility
Gloves of Shivering Touch (3d6 dex damage, no save, for 30 seconds)
Eidolon:
Headband of Ray of Hope (+2 morale bonus to saves, attacks, ability checks, and skills - on himself, he looks like he could use some cheering up)
Contessa:
Headband of Disguise Self
Panacea:
Anklets of Swift Fly (flight, finally!)
Legend:
Gloves of Ray of Stupidity (1d4+1 int damage, no save)
Alexandria:
Riverine Intelligent (using Nybor's Psychic Imprint) Bracer of Status, Adaptation, and Freedom of Movement with Telepathy and Knowledge Binding, Spellcraft, and The Planes (and other effects, perhaps)

Knight of the Star Spawn Item Set:
Anklets of Translocation (Magic Item Compendium pg71) and Expeditious Retreat
Amulet of Protection from Evil and Endure Elements and Detect Poison
Belt of Cure Minor Wounds (1 hp/round) and Mage Armor and Shield
Bracer of Magic Missile and Prestidigitation
Ring of Feather Fall and Communication (Magic Item Compendium pg122)

Star Spawn's Epic Gear:
Note: all armor/visible components composed of riverine (Stormwrack pg128) for indestructibility

[Arms]
Bracer of Infinite Disks

[Face]
Bindi Gem of Eyes of the Avoral and Celerity

[Feet]
Anklets of Translocation (Magic Item Compendium pg71) and Dimension Leap

[Hands]
Gauntlets of Invisible Magic Missile (5 missiles) and Quickdraw with spikes of Warning (Magic Item Compendium pg46) and Rapid Wrath (Ghostwalk pg66)

[Rings]
Ring of Arming (Magic Item Compendium pg122) and Anticipation (Drow of the Underdark pg100) and Nerveskitter
Ring of Feather Fall and Communication (Magic Item Compendium pg122)

[Shoulders]
Mantle of Delay Death

[Throat]
Amulet of Protection from Evil and Endure Elements and Friendly Fire

[Torso]
Shirt of Mage Armor (Greater) and Shield and Panacea (screw you, Bonesaw) and Heroics (for Martial Study of Steel Wind) and Iron Heart Vest (IRON HEART SURGE)

[Waist]
Belt of Magnificence +4 (Miniatures Handbook pg42) and Battle (Magic Item Compendium pg73)

[Other]
Talisman of the Disk (Magic Item Compendium pg188)
Handy Haversack
Pillar of Gemjump
Several Immovable Rods
Mirror of Scrying
400,000 Shalantha's Delicate Disks of varying descriptions
Spelltrap Harness (a thin riverine backpack case worn beneath armor, full of Armsmaster-reduced auto-resetting clockwork magic traps) with Eyes of the Oracle and Footsteps of the Divine (Pun-Pun) and Shuffle and Alter Self and Fly and Haste and Telekinesis and Draconic Polymorph (into Kelvezu, then overridden by Alter Self)

Acolyte
Human Binder 11/Scion of Dantalion 2
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
11: Favored Vestige
2 Vestiges: Naberius and Dantalion, sometimes Malphus
Summon Monster VI

Scion of Dantalion
Scholarship of Dantalion: once per day, reroll knowledge check
Improved Read Thoughts: can immediately sense surface thoughts instead of concentrating three rounds

Noelle
Human Binder 9
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
2 Vestiges: Naberius and Focalor

Dinah
Human Binder 8
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
2 Vestiges: Naberius and Cabiri

Alexandria
Human Binder 12
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
11: Favored Vestige
2 Vestiges: Zceryll and Ipos
Summon Monster VII

Dragon
Construct Binder 12
Feats:
4: Improved Binding
11: Favored Vestige
2 Vestiges: Zceryll and Ipos
Summon Monster VII

Chosen of the Star Spawn Intermediate Bloodline
2: _+2 on Knowledge (the Planes) checks
4: _Resistance to Acid 5
6: _Charisma +1
8: _Alternate Form 1/day (Sp) [As Pseudonatural template's at will, for 1 min/level]
10: Pseudonatural Affinity +2 [bonus on Bluff/Diplomacy/Gather Information/Intimidate/Perform vs. this type]
12: Resistance to Electricity 5
14: +2 on Knowledge (Dungeoneering) checks
16: Iron Will feat
18: Charisma +1
20: Deepspawn feat

Thanks to Valint for the Bloodline loadout.

What the heck's a Zceryll?
Zceryll the Star Spawn is a vestige available to the Binder class. You can see it here in the web-only class chronicles article. Scroll down a bit, you'll see it.

Why aren't you using X creature?
My DM banned Fiend Folio and the Fiendish Codexes. I have done the same for Freakshow.

Hey, Improved Binding doesn't work that way!
~~A houserule I didn't realize was a houserule. In her case, Improved Binding raises Effective Binder Level for all circumstances, not just which vestiges she can bind.~~
Added homebrew Chosen of the Star Spawn Intermediate Bloodline to explain difference between level and Effective Binder Level.

Hey, Xill can't use Planewalk, they're summons!
See Improved Binding. My DM didn't see it as gamebreaking, but mostly because we already had a bunch of wizarding things going on that made the Xill underwhelming. Comes in surprisingly handy in Wormverse, though.

Spell-like Abilities do/don't have a casting time of one standard action!
Argued to death, and ultimately up to DM decision. In this case, it's a standard action.

Summons' spells expire when the summons do!
There are differing interpretations, hence it's up to DM decision. In this case, spell duration expire independently of summons.

This was stupid of Freakshow, she should have done X instead!
Her Int is 10, her Wis is 8, and she's the underachieving youngest child of a large family of powerful adventurers. She's not all that bright, but she's getting better.

Freakshow is literally Hitler.
She was raised by sociopaths. While technically True Neutral, maybe even Neutral Good, her family's worldview (and subsequently hers) is one that considers NPCs to not actually be people. They're furniture, background noise, window dressing. It's hard for her to see them as anything else.

Crawler shouldn't be able to adapt to Outside Context Problems!
Magic Space Whale bullshit. Anything that doesn't kill/permanently incapacitate him instantly, he becomes resistant to. Or he just regens so fast he doesn't care.

You can't force summons to cast spells requiring XP, regardless of Suggestion or Dominate!
DM decision, and also not even appearing in the story. Probably.

Shouldn't Dimensional Anchor cut the ties between shards and their hosts?
According to the spell, it does not block "extradimensional perception or attack forms", which I think the shards count as. So it would prevent Doors from being opened, and Oni Lee from teleporting, but it wouldn't hard counter shard powers in general.

How do Bloodlines work?
It's complicated, but in short, in the beginning it gaves her redundant stuff she didn't need and slowed down her development. In exchange, later on in 5.9 when she [takes a level in Knight of the Sacred Seal, it also adds her Bloodline levels to that, which gives her +3 effective binder level all at once and grants her early access to the highest level of Summon Monster].

Shouldn't she be able to summon multiple monsters if she has Summon Monster?
According to the wording on the Zceryll vestige feature: [Summon Alien: You can summon any creature from the summon monster list that a sorcerer of your level could summon.]

There's no set duration on Summon Alien! She can have as many monsters as she wants!
There's no mention of being able to control the creatures she summons, either. The reasonable assumption is that it is like Summon Monster except where specified. That's how my DM treated it, and how I am treating it in the story.

Any other Summon Alien rules we should know about?
Like Summon Monster, her creatures cannot use teleportation or planar travel (except where otherwise noted, like the Xill), summon other creatures, or use any ability that requires XP cost.

Any other Summon Alien houserules?
Summoned creatures do not keep other templates, to reduce resistance stacking. So it's not a Pseudonatural Infernal Raven, it's just a Pseudonatural Raven.

Do shard powers work when baleful polymorphed?
All special abilities of creatures are lost, including the Extraordinary abilities I consider shard powers to be.

[Anything related to alignment]
The two-axis alignment system a gross simplification of a kaleidoscope of moral and ethical decision-making, and it also doesn't apply to the Wormverse. So no smite, no evil-affecting poisons, nothing that works solely on alignment.

[Any rules issue that suffers from poor wording or unclear rule interactions]
DM decision. Ask if you are curious, please don't get salty about it (or take it to PMs if you insist).

You can't take feats that rely on temporary prerequisites!
I've seen it ruled that you can, but if you ever don't meet those prerequisites, you cannot use those feats. So neither of her artisan feats will work if she's not binding Astaroth.

Your calculations are wrong for item crafting!
Oh thank god, I have no idea what I'm doing. Please send me a PM.

You can't become a god just by having a certain number of worshipers!
Short answer: I'm aware, and there'll be more to it than that, if it happens.

WARNING: Do not take this as holy writ that this is what's going to happen. Merely one way it could happen.

If only there was a sufficiently powerful and whimsical deity who would grant her a bit of divine spark to start her off...

In D&D, even self-starters have to have a bit of Divine Spark from somewhere. Where the first one got it, who knows - ask aboleths. For those who try to gain divine power legitimately (as opposed to stealing it from an existing god, or attempting to forge a divine spark through dark sacrifices), they have to come up with a different way of gaining said spark. Normally this is done by divine sponsorship - Ao says you're cool, here's your spark, welcome to the club. Of course, you have to achieve great things to earn such a spark, usually undertaking a quest by said god to prove your worthiness. Perhaps you could even be aided by a sufficiently powerful non-god petitioning your case. A million followers is just proof that you're worthy of the spark, even if said quest isn't technically complete - icing on the cake, so to speak.

So considering the particular circumstances:

Sent by on an epic quest by Pun-Pun, an infinitely powerful god with a sense of humor who likes self-starters
Selected by the nearly-godlike entity Zceryll as her chosen favorite on new plane, including first-ever bloodline
Achieved several sidequests earning great renown and reputation, including slaying a mighty and terrible beast feared the world over
Started a church to gather worshipers, and doing so on a scale inconceivable on her home plane

It could be excused why Star Spawn seems to be getting off easy on the 'becoming a god' department, when really it's an incredibly unlikely and completely unprecedented set of conditions that have led her to this point.

If Star Spawn did become a god, what would be her portfolio?
Probably the Knowledge, Pact, Spell, and Summoner domains.

Also, possibly Healing as well, considering her temples are literally built on fountains of healing. Props to thepsyborg for the idea.

-----

Aberration 1.1

I sat in my new study, reclining in an overstuffed armchair and sipping a rather nice port.

The floors and walls were made of rich marble, and the wainscoting and bookshelves were a rich, dark mahogany. The shelves were still somewhat sparse, but already contained such treasures as the Brockton Bay Metro Guide, half a dozen PRT and Protectorate flyers, ten assorted volumes of an outdated encyclopedia set scavenged from a dumpster, and several notebooks of densely scrawled notes and drawings I'd taken since I'd arrived.

Through the high windows, a sickly sweet, floral smoke wafted in. The stone walls muted the sounds of the city, disguised further by a repetitive bass beat reverberating through the floor.

I was halfway through a thick, dusty tome - eagerly reading the origins and types of Cars in this world - when a forceful banging sound interrupted my reverie. It was immediately followed by the heavy oak door opening, revealing a dirty, uncoordinated, and somewhat disoriented man with matted hair and glazed-over eyes. He was followed by a slow cloud of thick smoke and a sudden increase in volume of what I was told was 'music', blasting in from the lab next door.

"Yo, Freakshow," he slurred, trying to focus his eyes on me and only somewhat succeeding. "The boss, ah, wants to..." His eyes closed, and he leaned against the doorway, lost in the moment.

I cleared my throat, and his eyes slowly opened again, a grin sliding across his face. "Hey, Freakshow," he began again. "Big man wants you."

I paused, waiting to see if there was more to the message; when none was forthcoming, I nodded, and the messenger retreated with uncoordinated lethargy.

Placing a bookmark carefully to mark my place, I set aside the encyclopedia and rise. A quick glance at the mirror showed my latest attempt at fashion - a high-collared black dress with a cowl, elbow-length gloves and tall dark boots - designed to conceal the aberrations that accompanied my pact. Two perfectly circular mirrors stared back out at me from beneath the hood, the most visible sign of my favored patron. Confirming everything was in order, I left the peaceful sanctum of my study and stepped into a hazy, disorganized mess that was my compatriot's laboratory.

It took a few minutes to navigate past the tables lined with indecipherable alchemical apparatuses, where men and women in various states of intoxication and disarray worked with surprising coordination, moving quickly and purposefully despite their condition. I had questioned the safety of working with dangerous chemicals while not in a clear state of mind, but apparently my comrades were long practiced with the process, my gifts only serving to increase the scale and effectiveness of their labors. I followed the boss's presence in my mindsight, unerringly homing through the haze.

Soon I found myself in the leader's lounge, a repurposed office that hosted several new chaise lounges and a rather large screen I'd learned was called a 'television', currently displaying a mish-mash of lewd, gyrating bodies and flashing lights. Sitting before it were my hosts and - I dare say, friends - reclining luxuriously together in repose. When he saw me, the man smiled, revealing pearly white teeth and a canny expression. "Yo, Freakshow! Want anything? We've got all sorts of bomb-ass shit up in dis bitch."

His companion, her head resting on his chest, stirred as he spoke, grinding up against his body with slow motions. He grinned further, his hands wandering over her form.

I smiled politely and shook my head.

"Suit yourself," he replied, and reached for a smoking apparatus on the table near him, eyes turning once more to the television.

"You wanted to see me?" I said, still adjusting to his short attention span.

"Right!" he said, fumbling around for a lighter. "Two things. One, need another batch of your sweet-ass poppy for the labs. Go call up one of those fucked up genies or whatever and do your, you know, do your thing."

I nodded, and made a mental note. "And the other?" I asked as he lit the pipe and deeply inhaled the sickly-sweet vapors.

Smoke curled out through his grinning teeth as he exhaled, his body relaxing even further. "I'm glad you're settling in, making your ass at home, but I'm sure you wanted to do more than just sit and read books 'n shit." His grease-streaked partner's hands wandered and began to grab at him, eliciting a pleased noise from him. He continued, "Got word that those racist fucks are trying to get in on our turf again. Wanna come along and fuck up some ass-licking Nazi bastards?"

I hesitated for only a moment. I didn't have much experience actually fighting - that was mostly what my older brothers and sister were good at - but I had a mission, after all. The deity that sent me here asked me to find His agent for Him, and I had no doubt it would be one of those 'parahumans' that were so common in this world. I was still adjusting to this new plane and all its strangeness, but my hosts were kind enough to take me in and make me welcome; the least I could do was help pitch in, and if I got to meet more parahumans in the process, all the better.

I smiled, revealing a too-wide mouth full of mismatched teeth and fangs. "I'd be delighted."

Skidmark grinned in return. "Kickass."

-----

Author's Notes:

One of my favorite characters to play in D&D 3.5 was a Binder of Zceryll. In short, a summoner of eldritch abominations, who is something of an eldritch abomination herself, and whose summons (along with being terrifyingly weird and distorted monsters) have their own rather useful spells (like walls of stone/ice/wind, fly, wind walk, true seeing, obscuring mist, major creation, etc), all day, forever. Up to four summons at a time, each lasting 84 seconds, summoned every 24 seconds. A constantly rotating menagerie of Trump-rated aberrations.

As a huge fan of Worm, I wondered what it would be like to cross the streams, so to speak.

It's a rough story, and will likely be presented out of order. But if I didn't start putting words down, it would never leave the idea phase, so I'm posting this first chapter here for motivation.

C&C welcome. Some limitations apply.

Thanks to /u/Husr for generously serving as beta.

EDIT: Now with a TVTropes page!

ZFighter18 · Dec 26, 2015

I like it. I also like your Skidmark. He seems smarter than usual. Most people have him as a raving, cursing idiot all the time. Good job

theonewhowas · Dec 26, 2015

ZFighter18 said:
I like it. I also like your Skidmark. He seems smarter than usual. Most people have him as a raving, cursing idiot all the time. Good job

Thanks! There's hints that beneath the vulgarity and deliberate offensiveness, there is a canny mind inside Skidmark's drug-addled head. He's a charismatic leader, a uniter of people, and despite his occasional poor decision-making skills he manages to head a large and relatively powerful (if not necessarily at the level of the other BB gangs) criminal organization. I wanted to see people treat him as more than just a speedbump for a new OC or SI to steamroll in their first few chapters. Having not found much of that, however, I figured I'd write it myself.

ZFighter18 · Dec 26, 2015

themanwhowas said:
Snip .

This is exactly how I plan to characterize Skidmark. His profanity is simply his go to reaction for when he's really angry.

theonewhowas · Dec 27, 2015

Aberration 1.2

The Coure reported what I already knew - the parahumans known as Rune, Stormtiger, Cricket and Crusader were advancing down an alleyway, heading to another one of Skidmark's drug dens after having raided one already. Most of them rode on a floating platform of asphalt; all but Crusader, who hovered nearby, held up by his ghostly conjurations. Apparently their strategy consisted of breaking into the building, beating up everyone inside within an inch of their life, and stealing everything they felt like taking as spoils. A bit crude, but not ineffective. A few of the Merchants who had faced off with them before had given me a good idea of what they were capable of, and I had no intention of giving them a fair fight.

As the tiny, insubstantial, fairy-like summon disappeared, its duration expired, I summoned another Musteval to grant the next creature invisibility. A two-foot tall, vaguely ferret-like aberration, with pitch-black fur and a bare skull for a head, appeared at my side. Mush, to his credit, barely blinked as it appeared from thin air. Then again, he was the closest thing to a goblin I'd seen on this whole plane so far, so in a way I felt he should have been more used to magic, despite its different nature here. Skidmark watched me intently, but did not react to my summon except to give it a curious glance as it waited patiently for my silent, telepathic instructions.

Four rounds later, still concealed behind a nearby building, I summoned a Huge Earth Elemental. The 32 foot tall, 48000 pound black stone monstrosity appeared just as suddenly as its smaller comrade, disappearing a few seconds later, as if it were a trick of the light, at a single touch by the Musteval, now forgotten and disregarded, its purpose achieved.

The enormous stone behemoth glided with eerie silence at my mental command, half-submerged in the ground, towards the unsuspecting enemies. This was it: my first real combat in this plane, and - if I were to be honest with myself - my first real combat at all.

I had been trained, of course. One doesn't grow up in a family of adventurers, including one that was co-regent of an entire kingdom, without being taught a thing or two. But aside from some well-monitored sorties and escorted training missions, I'd never really fought real battles before. I was, generously speaking, a bookworm. A shut-in. As some less charitable people would put it, a disappointment to the family name. I didn't even have the intelligence to back up my studies; I was no wizard, with a library of arcane knowledge at my beck and call. As two of my brothers and my sister were at least partially wizards, I felt the shadow of their accomplishments loom over my limited experience every day in the other world. Here, though, I had a fresh start - and as I looked at a grinning Skidmark and a pensive Mush at my side, I could say I had a whole new adventuring party to call my own.

I was shaken from my contemplation by a sudden sound; the harsh, mechanical buzz of a voice crying out in alarm. As the elemental glided within its fifteen foot reach, the one called Cricket somehow noticed its approach and attempted to alert her comrades, but it was too late. Even as she nimbly leapt from the floating chunk of asphalt commanded by the one called Rune, the elemental swatted the terromancer's platform out of the air with one enormous, invisible hand, sending it and its riders tumbling to the ground with resounding, thunderous crash.

It also broke its invisibility, revealing its intimidating, monolithic presence.

This one was, as all my summons were, slightly different than the others. While usually a dark granite with two pinpricks of light in its sloped head to indicate its eyes, this one also bore the aberrations of my patron's gifts in its warped, lopsided, almost crystalline shape, and the dimly glowing purple veins running through its body.

The Nazis reacted with impressive speed. Rune quickly reclaimed a hunk of asphalt beneath her feet, attempting to gain some altitude and distance between her and the summon; the floating Crusader conjured a trio of ghostly projections that lanced out with spears, passing harmlessly through the inorganic bulk of the elemental; Stormtiger leaped with a flurry of insults and deprecation at the summon, splintering off chunks of false stone with swipes of his air claws; and Cricket seemed to be trying to cast some sort of spell, with no visible effect. They were battered but not broken by the sudden impact and fall, and rallied admirably to the surprise attack.

From our hiding place a hundred feet away, Skidmark gave a muted hiss and fist-pump of approval. Mush bore his usual stoic expression, but I had the feeling he was pleased as well. I accepted their praise with a faint blush, and counted down the seconds until I could summon again.

Not for the first time, I wished that I had more abilities to use in the heat of combat. Aside from my summons and a few other patron gifts, I was damn near useless, and as squishy as any mage - squishier, in fact, without even Mage Armor to aid in my defense. I had to rely on my summons almost exclusively. Thankfully, they were remarkably effective, if managed well. Plus, that was half of what having companions was all about - keeping me safely away from enemies as I conjured and coordinated my creatures.

Stormtiger battered at the elemental with a fury, leaping from its face down behind its back, attacking its half-submerged knees, attempting to find its weak points. The summon bore it with indifference, swiping next at Crusader, who rode his ghost's shoulders up and away from its grasp. Cricket was scratching uselessly at its stony skin, drawing lines of sparks, but was far too nimble for the elemental to hit in return. That only left Rune, who split her asphalt boulder into two parts, riding one and sending the other careening towards my creature. It finally staggered, reeling at the impact, though only slightly damaged. They shouted at each other, attempting to find its weak points, assuming there was a human inside its bulk for Crusader's ghosts to find and attack. A vicious series of explosive air claws blasted the back of the reeling elemental's knees, sending it crashing with a resounding boom into the ground, a triumphant Stormtiger only barely getting out of the way in time.

"Time?" Skidmark hissed in my ear, nearly causing me to jump in alarm. Stammering for a moment, I replied "T-twelve more seconds."

He nodded, grinning in satisfaction.

Mush began to gather detritus around himself, taking advantage of the nearby refuse and rubble from the ill-tended alleyway to build a sort of mockery of my elemental around himself. He quickly gained mass, growing taller with each passing second.

Through my mindsight, I could feel observers alternatively approach or flee the conflict, drawn in curiosity or exercising the better part of valor. Of the ones I could see through windows, several bore more of what I had come to learn were cell phones, although I couldn't tell why, as they weren't held to their heads as I had been shown was done for calls. I'd have to ask Skidmark about that later.

So many unanswered questions in this world. Had to stay focused.

Rune used one hand to send chunks of her rapidly-shrinking mount flying towards the elemental, peppering it with tiny projectiles at great speed, plinking away at its health. Her other hand pulled out a cell phone of her own - likely calling for reinforcements. She danced out of reach of the downed elemental, which was swiping at a darting Stormtiger and floating Crusader as it slowly pulled itself back to its feet, taking opportunity attacks all the while. Cricket, using whatever sense allowed her to notice the invisible summon, had withdrawn from the fight, and was turning her head from side to side as if scanning for something. Perhaps she suspected the elemental was merely a minion?

Then her scanning stopped, looking at our alley. My heart skipped a beat.

I must have made a noise. Skidmark saw where I was looking, and rested a hand on my shoulder in reassurance, gracing me with a confident smile. "We got this bitch, Freaky. Don't you worry." Cricket took the opportunity to break into a run towards us, only to have to dodge to the side as - with a whoosh of wind over my head - Mush hurled a trash can towards her with tremendous force. A stripe of color laid before us, purple to blue, and with every second Skidmark deepened it and increased its strength. Despite her swiftness and uncanny ability to dodge Mush's projectiles, she was unable to get closer to us, and I felt a surge of gratitude at my allies for keeping me safe.

As the last few seconds of the interval wore down, I focused on my patron's gifts, choosing my next summon. While my allies were able to keep Cricket at bay, and the elemental still had a good chunk of its prodigious health remaining, its effectiveness was running short, and reinforcements were likely on their way soon. I needed to ground the flying parahumans, get them within the summon's reach.

With one final moment of contemplation, I made my decision. A Gadacro, a bat-winged, bird-sized demon with sickly purple skin, appeared on the roof of the building next to us. It pointed one taloned finger at the parahuman known as Crusader, and yellow strings of magical energy looped about his ghosts as it cast Earthbind, dragging them, and him, to the ground. I mimicked Skidmark's celebratory fist-pump at the success of the spell as the confused and alarmed man descended to the street, his mobility effectively neutered. The demon then took to the air, bat-wings flapping with its haste, attempting to hide itself against the dark night sky.

Crusader yelped and desperately tried to scramble away from the elemental as it reached out its massive stone hands towards him, but it wasn't enough. With a sickening crunch and agonized howl of pain, the summon smashed his legs into the ground, crushing bones and shattering his limbs.

Stormtiger cried out in alarm and anger, exploding into a flurry of wind claws that shattered layer after layer of stone; the elemental bore it stoically, turning his attention back on his attacker now that one of the foes was disabled. Cricket hesitated, trying to decide where to attack, and was nearly pulped by a dumpster for it.

Rune shouted hurriedly into her phone, only to be cut short as the Gadacro - also known as an eyethief - swooped out of the sky and slashed into her back, nearly knocking her off of her hovering asphalt platform. Its celebratory screeching was cut short as a chunk of platform broke off and smashed it to a pulp - I felt its presence in my mindsight vanish as it was destroyed - but its purpose was achieved. Rune cried out in horror as she found herself temporarily blinded.

At my orders, the elemental picked up a chunk of discarded asphalt and hurled it at the terromancer. It exploded, sending Rune plummeting from the sky. In a dramatic leap and burst of aeromancy, Stormtiger intercepted her before she dashed her head on the ground below, cradling the panicking cape in his chain-bound arms.

By the time I could summon again, the battle was over. Stormtiger, Cricket, and Rune fled, harried by my companions; the broken Crusader was left behind, unconscious and bleeding in the street. Skidmark's message was sent, loud and clear, "Stay out of our territory."

Instead of finishing off and looting our foe, as I expected, Skidmark asked me to tend to Crusader and dump him off near Empire territory. Apparently there was a whole social construct of non-fatal combat between parahumans, something he and Squealer had spent several confusing and frequently waylaid conversations attempting to explain to me. Something about a bird cage, and strikes, and a truce. I couldn't make heads or tails of it, but chalked it up to 'new plane, new rules'.

With Mush standing guard should our fallen foe regain consciousness, I summoned a Leskylor to cast cure moderate wounds on Crusader. His legs were too far gone to save, and I had no access to regenerate, but the stumps were sealed and he was no longer at risk of bleeding out. While unhappy at the thought of maiming a foe instead of a clean kill, I was told the 'Nazi fucks' had access to some sort of healer, so his handicap was likely only temporary. Mush took care of the rest, dosing the cape with something to keep him docile and carting him off to the edge of our territory, presumably to be found and tended to by his comrades.

The aftermath resolved, we withdrew back to the lair with much whooping and celebrating. A djinni conjured up a couple dozen gallons of wine and some commonly used medicinal herb, and some of the stock of processed poppy and coca was handed out liberally to the grateful and increasingly disabled party-goers. I was displayed front and center, something I was still getting used to - not treated as a freak, or a disappointment, or an outsider, but hailed and welcomed as one of the family. I found it... refreshing.

Not bad for my first real taste of combat.

-----

Author's Notes:

Not too pleased with how the battle turned out, but it was fun thinking of how to use her staggering variety of summons in combat. I could use a beta, if anyone is interested. As before, C&C welcome.

EDIT: Updated the battle sequence along with some other feedback thanks to /u/Husr. Praise be to the beta!

Lamora11 · Dec 27, 2015

This is what I like to see from a Worm fic! Give me villainy and criminals! I do enjoy seeing fics that actually explore the different gangs and how they function. I also like to see different powers placed within those gangs. Hopefully she stays with the Merchants and helps them continue to grow. It is so much fun watching a criminal empire grow after all. Keep up the good work.

tri2 · Dec 27, 2015

good stuff, will be watching this closely.

theonewhowas · Dec 27, 2015

Lamora11 said:
This is what I like to see from a Worm fic! Give me villainy and criminals! I do enjoy seeing fics that actually explore the different gangs and how they function. I also like to see different powers placed within those gangs. Hopefully she stays with the Merchants and helps them continue to grow. It is so much fun watching a criminal empire grow after all. Keep up the good work.

tri2 said:
good stuff, will be watching this closely.

Thank you! I appreciate the kind words. This is my first real fic, so it's really encouraging.

As for the criminal empire (not to be confused with the criminal Empire), a bit of spoilers on how their taking advantage of her unique abilities:

Djinn can cast Major Creation, with the unique clarification being that anything it creates with the spell - normally temporary - is permanent, as long as its vegetable matter. That means furniture made of wood and cloth, clothing, and so on. An Equinal (or ten) can do the same with Wall of Stone, for the fancy walls and flooring.

Permanent vegetable matter, however, also includes things like marijuana and poppy - created in bulk. Which quickly adds up to a considerable, renewable, free source of drugs for the drug-dealing organization.

So yeah, the Merchants are banking.

BlackRose · Dec 27, 2015

themanwhowas said:
Permanent vegetable matter, however, also includes things like marijuana and poppy - created in bulk. Which quickly adds up to a considerable, renewable, free source of drugs for the drug-dealing organization.

So yeah, the Merchants are banking.

Provided they're willing to do the processing, they could also be getting piles of coca leaves, which can easily become cocaine.

Then again, Freakshow might well have access to vegetable-based narcotics from his home plane.

theonewhowas · Dec 27, 2015

Aberration 1.3

The morning air was cool and refreshing, and despite my trepidation, I found I was enjoying myself.

Instead of holing up in my study after the frankly exhausting party had wound down, some of my companions had encouraged - one could even say insisted - that I go out and explore the city. Remembering my ultimate goal would require going out and meeting new people, I reluctantly agreed.

Two fellow Merchants - a teenager named Buzz and a woman in her mid-twenties named Claire - came along to help me avoid becoming overwhelmed at the strangeness of the world I found myself in. Among other things, it was an effort to remember that these unpowered, otherwise unremarkable characters were actually people. After a couple weeks here I found myself horrified to realize how little I had been taught to regard 'normal' people. Where I was from, anyone who wasn't what my family would consider 'important' were treated as nameless, faceless, irrelevant window dressing. Unless you were a noble involved in a plot, a mysterious old man offering a quest, or a shopkeeper with hidden stock they needed to be convinced to reveal, 99% of the living beings that filled the world were, frankly, furniture. And that wasn't even including monsters, who were nothing more than obstacles to be defeated and looted for experience and treasure.

Buzz had long hair tied into a ponytail, and wore shirts emblazoned with logos of what he described as 'video games' and 'pop culture references'. Apparently explaining any of those led to even more explanations, and in the interests of actually leaving the base, he promised to show me some videos on the 'internet' later to answer my questions. He played sports, went to school, had a family, even told me entirely plot-irrelevant stories of his younger sister and her friends.

Claire was stocky, bubbly, and obsessed with cute things. Her clothes and what I wanted to call equipment were all covered in drawings of a strangely deformed white cat. She oohed and ahhed over random curios and merchandise as we walked through the street market, dragging me from stall to stall to show me an 'adorable hairpin' or 'oh em gee this top', thankfully filling any awkward silences I might have had with incessant, yet pleasant, chatter. I mentally filed away any fashionable items I might want to reproduce later with some carefully worded instructions to a Djinni for Major Creation, but a part of me was simply constantly surprised at how much depth and color these two otherwise insignificant side characters represented. It was almost as if they were the leads in their own stories, in which I merely played a minor role. It was, in a way, reminiscent of how my family treated me... but in a way that made me feel more important, not less.

I was, at their instruction (and with several rounds of feedback from Claire), dressed in a less conspicuous fashion than my normal attire. A set of coarse blue cotton fabric pants covered my legs, with a long-sleeved sweater, scarf, and hat covering the rest, strategically placed to cover the aberrations of the day. It felt odd, feeling the eye on my shoulder blinking against the concealing fabric, but not much stranger than the dresses I'd made before. I resolved to keep my mouth mostly closed, which muffled my voice but also concealed the unsettling variety of teeth and fangs from strangers' sight. My grey iron nails, almost claws, that tipped my fingers as signs of my secondary pact with Ipos were considered fashionable enough to pass as normal. Finally, my mirrored eyes were concealed with nothing more elaborate than simple sunglasses.

Wandering from booth to booth in the Market district, I could almost relax. This was what the locals considered recreation, and I felt myself going with the flow.

Still, I was not entirely surprised when my mindsight picked up a particularly high intelligence entering my range, as well as another higher than average one, and the crowd rising a bit in volume and attention in that direction. From the overheard conversation and a hasty explanation from Buzz, I gathered that some of the local adventurer's guild was making an appearance in the market. Apparently they sent members out for public relations, keeping top of mind among the locals and making a show of 'patrolling' the completely safe and monitored area. I vaguely recalled my older sister's co-regents doing something similar in her kingdom, although in her case it was the bard's duty, as befitted a public relations specialist. She was more enforcement, as she called it. Single-handedly putting up entire defensive walls for several well-protected cities would count for that, I suppose.

Finding my curiosity piqued, I insisted Claire lead me towards the 'heroes'. She seemed nervous at first, but after some hasty conference with Buzz decided that we were all incognito enough to not draw attention to ourselves. I led the way unerringly through the crowd towards the shining presences in my mindsight, and caught glances of two members of the local adventurer's guild, the Protectorate.

One was a grim-faced and bearded man in an elaborate and quite impressive set of metal plate armor, a v-shaped visor concealing most of his face. The other was a tan-skinned woman in mottled green clothes, wearing a red, white and blue-colored scarf across her face and on her hip. Arsemaster and Militant C*nt, according to Skidmark's impromptu and invective-filled rant about the 'oppressive assholes who kept the little man down'. Despite his warnings, I found myself drawn to them. I had to know if one of them was the agent of my deity... well, not my deity. I worshiped Zceryll the Starspawn, as did all of my family. Still, any of them could be the agent of the omnipotent being that sent me here on His divine mission.

The crowd was pressed tightly around them, holding up their phones for that strange secondary purpose I had yet to discern, asking them questions, requesting autographs. Arsemaster had some artifice that produced pre-signed slips of paper with his logo on them, while Militant C*nt smiled and engaged warmly with those she spoke with. I was mostly just pleased to see an actual halberd in this strange world - it was a pang of the familiar in an unfamiliar land.

A part of me noticed that Claire was growing concerned, noting my attempt to get close enough to speak with the so-called heroes, but I'm ashamed to say old habits kicked in, and I ignored her as part of the background noise. Unable to press through the crowd to get in close to speak with them directly, I defaulted to another one of my favored patron's gifts - telepathy.

In Arsemaster's head, I asked him "Are you the munchkin?"

Which was, apparently, the wrong thing to do. He immediately drew his halberd and snapped his head around, trying to find the source of the voice and causing several of the nearby onlookers to back away in surprise. Militant C*nt manifested a heavy weapon of some sort, inquiring to the cause of his sudden alarm, and Claire tried to drag me away, but I wasn't going to let this opportunity pass me by. I repeated in his head, "I said, are you the munchkin?" and took advantage of the receding crowd to step towards the pair.

He immediately swung his halberd to point menacingly in my direction and demanded, "What are you doing?"

I stopped involuntarily at his commanding tone, but my charisma was at least as high as his, and wasn't about to back down at his implied challenge. I ignored the insistent pulling from Claire on my arm and shook her off, squaring up against the man, arms held non-threateningly at my sides - not that any of my abilities required somatic components, but I doubted anybody here knew that - and replied in his head, "I just want to talk."

I could have just said as much out loud, of course, but at this point I was back into old habits. It was hard to speak clearly with a distorted mouth full of awkward teeth.

"Miss Militia," he spoke clearly and precisely, "I am reporting a possible Master/Stranger violation. I'm hearing a voice that my microphones aren't reporting. Full containment procedures. Call in support immediately."

Oh, hey, I think I just rolled initiative.

That could have gone better.

-----

Author's Notes:

Even less pleased about this chapter than the last two, but that's what I get for trying to get words down instead of stewing over them forever in my head.

I've been offered the services of a beta, so this chapter will likely be updated later. But I wanted to post it, because why not.

With regards to the rather stupid antics of the main character at the end... well, her Int is 10, and her Wis is 8. And she has multiple escape routes if need arises.

Plus, it drives the plot forward.

theonewhowas · Dec 27, 2015

BlackRose said:
Provided they're willing to do the processing, they could also be getting piles of coca leaves, which can easily become cocaine.

Good call! Merchants gon' be all sorts of fucked up.

BlackRose said:
Then again, Freakshow might well have access to vegetable-based narcotics from his home plane.

Not really her area of expertise (plus I have no idea what those might entail). If you have some suggestions, though, I'll take a look!

filipinosberman · Dec 27, 2015

Is Int 10 and Wis 8 a high enough stat? :confused:

I don't know much about the lore.

theonewhowas · Dec 27, 2015

filipinosberman said:
Is Int 10 and Wis 8 a high enough stat?

I don't know much about the lore.

10 is average, with a modifier of 0.

8 is a modifier of -1.

For comparison, her Charisma is 16, with a modifier of +3, since that is her main stat for her class.

So no, she's not all that bright, and is somewhat lacking in common sense. But damn if she doesn't have a forceful personality when she wants to!

filipinosberman · Dec 27, 2015

Oh God that is....

I don't even..... :eek:

Ouch.

Rooster · Dec 27, 2015

*snicker* Arsemaster *snicker*

Good one. A new one, too since most people use Beardmaster, or Halbeard.

SolipsistSerpen · Dec 27, 2015

Yeesh, "any creature a sorcerer of your level can summon" is a remarkably strong for a Vestige power.

Oh sorry, "any corporeal creature" since the pseudonatural template is ridiculously broad in application.

Beyogi · Dec 27, 2015

hm... not sure what to think about this yet. Your protagonist is a bit stupid, which is interesting on its own.

Hangwind · Dec 27, 2015

Okay, time to put my geek hat on. While what the author is doing here is a reasonable limitation to the power, by RAW the Binder's summon time is unlimited. That means that any Binder with access to Zyrcell can take 20 minutes to go full Nilbolg if they really wanted to.

theonewhowas · Dec 27, 2015

Rooster said:
*snicker* Arsemaster *snicker*

Good one. A new one, too since most people use Beardmaster, or Halbeard.

It made sense to me, since it was Skidmark coming up with the nickname

Now I'm wondering if I should go back and update the Empire members' names, too. Or maybe just leave them and say Skidmark has more respect for Nazis than the Protectorate... but that seems unlikely.

SolipsistSerpen said:
Yeesh, "any creature a sorcerer of your level can summon" is a remarkably strong for a Vestige power.

Oh sorry, "any corporeal creature" since the pseudonatural template is ridiculously broad in application.

Isn't it great? It's even better when combined with Wizard, since Anima Mage advances both classes and can be joined as early as level 5 (if I recall correctly). Plus there are a couple of summons that aren't inherently incorporeal, but that can become so, like the Coure. And there's the Xill, which is not only capable of jumping into the ethereal realm, but can take willing passengers!

More importantly, it gave you FREE METAMAGIC, and greatly increased the effective number of spells once had at their disposal a day. Since I was playing along with a Psion who had power point recharge shenanigans, it irritated me that I had a limited number of spells. Free Persistent Spell plus Shalantha's Delicate Disk plus Zceryll meant I could cast all day if I had to.

Oh, right, and as far as the "sorcerer of your level"? Improved Binding, Favored Vestige, and Ipos give her a +4 Effective Binder Level, giving her access to Summon Monster VII at level 10. Technically she couldn't have all of her feats by the time she hit level 10, since they rely on a vestige she only gains at level 10 and you can only retrain one feat per level... but eh. It was that or raise her level, and I didn't care that much about making it perfectly valid.

Beyogi said:
hm... not sure what to think about this yet. Your protagonist is a bit stupid, which is interesting on its own.

I'm hoping their actions at least make sense to them in context, instead of the "she's stupid so she'll do completely illogical things out of left field for the lulz" way of treating stupid characters, which I despise. In this case, she's socially inexperienced, new to the world, used to being treated as the most important person in the room (besides her family members), and hasn't really understood exactly why Skidmark and Squealer warned her not to use her telepathy, nor fully grasped how terrifying the Simurgh is and why she's ruined telepaths forever.

I'll probably be re-writing the end of that chapter. If you have suggestions for better ways to fulfill her mission of meeting heroes while not being a complete idiot in a way that makes sense in character, I'd be happy to hear ideas.

Hangwind said:
Okay, time to put my geek hat on. While what the author is doing here is a reasonable limitation to the power, by RAW the Binder's summon time is unlimited. That means that any Binder with access to Zyrcell can take 20 minutes to go full Nilbolg if they really wanted to.

Yay, a fellow munchkin!

I brought that up with my DM when I saw that argument offered. He countered with the fact that it also does not specify that the summoned creatures are under your control, either. So you may be able to summon millions of creatures, but there'd be no reason for them to listen to you at all. As you did, I thought his limitation was reasonable.

As far as other clarifications to her power: summon spells expire independently of summons, hence her persistent major creation; the pseudonatural template replaces other templates, so no pseudonatural infernal centipedes/stacking of resistances; and nothing from Fiend Folio, since my DM took one look at the Movanic Deva's all-day Raise Dead ability and vetoed the whole book outright.

I'm personally restricting this character to only binding Ipos and Zceryll, since binders have a ridiculous array of grab-bag powers that she could change on a whim, and if I wanted that sort of complexity I would have made her an Anima Mage.

Hangwind · Dec 27, 2015

themanwhowas said:
I brought that up with my DM when I saw that argument offered. He countered with the fact that it also does not specify that the summoned creatures are under your control, either. So you may be able to summon millions of creatures, but there'd be no reason for them to listen to you at all.

Ahhh. That kind of DM. Got it. Well, first, that's because the control aspect is a critical component of summoning itself-technically the original spell doesn't say much about controlling the monster either.

Of course, I had one DM play it that way, that creatures summoned by Zcyrell were permanent until de-summoned, but not necessarily under my control. But, well, Binder is a CHA class.

We ended up with a campaign where I summoned creatures that the others in the group played, working it like they were just horrific abominations that would adopt the form and powers of any given creature I called, while I had to use Telepathy and my seriously min-maxed CHA score to try to keep them under control and heading in more or less the same direction.

Ah, memories...

SolipsistSerpen · Dec 27, 2015

Hangwind said:
Ahhh. That kind of DM. Got it. Well, first, that's because the control aspect is a critical component of summoning itself-technically the original spell doesn't say much about controlling the monster either.

That's wrong. The original Summon Monster I spell quite clearly specifies control and duration. Later Summon Monster Spells say they work as I, so they don't need to repeat the line about control. And it's important that it says so, because some other spells that bring monsters to this plane don't grant control.

Zyrcell's spell specifies neither but it's not unreasonable to treat it as a cast of Summon Monster given the way it's phrased.

theonewhowas · Dec 27, 2015

Aberration 1.4

"Everyone, clear the area! You," he pointed at me with a gauntleted finger, his other hand tight on the shaft of his halberd, "stay where you are, and make no sudden movements." He was tense, in a ready stance, as if expecting me to fight.

Miss Militia (do some parahumans have more than one cape name? This world was so confusing) was speaking hurriedly into a small phone, her eyes fixed on me while her magic conjuration pointed towards the ground, currently in the form of some large-barreled weapon.

I hesitated. I could simply wind walk away, but my desire to talk to these two parahumans was why I started this whole mess in the first place. "I just want to talk," I repeated, aloud this time. Skidmark and Squealer had warned me not to use my telepathy, explaining some stigma associated with its use and making oblique references to something they called the 'great white bitch', but it was so convenient, and had slipped my mind. It couldn't be that bad, could it?

Miss Militia seemed finished with whatever she was doing on her phone, and glanced rapidly between Arsemaster and myself. "Then let's talk," she said reasonably, making subtle motions to try to calm down her armored companion. "What's your name?"

"It's, ah... Freakshow." The Merchants had told me the importance of using one's cape name at all times, especially around other capes. Miss Militia nodded, and her eyes crinkled at the corners, indicating she was smiling. "My name is Miss Militia, and this is Armsmaster."

She had hardly finished the introductions when Armsmaster (again with the double name!) cut in with his commanding voice. "Are you responsible for the voice I heard? Is it a Master effect? State your intentions!"

The crowd had receded at this point, apparently not wanting to stay too close to what might become a cape fight. "It's just telepathy," I replied, quietly, so that it wouldn't carry. If there was a stigma, no sense in making the ability too well known.

Armsmaster's hands gripped the halberd tightly, shifting it as if ready to attack. "What do you mean by telepathy? Is it just audio communication? Are there other effects? Explain."

I just blinked in response. Explain telepathy? Hell if I knew how it worked, it just did. Miss Militia cut in, saying "I think it would be best if you came with us to Protectorate Headquarters. We can talk then, alright?" When I hesitated, she continued, "If you're a cape, we haven't heard of you before. Are you new? Do you need any help?"

How the hell do I answer that? I was new, yes, to this world. But I'd made my first pact before I learned to ride a horse. I settled on partial honesty. "Yes, I'm new here. But I just wanted to ask you a few questions." I licked my lips nervously. Armsmaster's intensity put me on edge. "I'm looking for someone, probably a parahuman."

Miss Militia smiled again, and said "I'm sure we can help. The Protectorate has many resources for the recently triggered, and can offer you training, equipment and teammates to help you understand your powers and use them safely."

Armsmaster shifted slightly, and I felt half a dozen minds enter my mindsight, moving purposefully towards us. Great. Their backup had arrived.

"That's very nice of you to offer, but... are either of you the munchkin?"

Miss Militia looked a bit surprised at my sudden change of topic, but tilted her head slightly and said "I'm afraid I don't..."

"A munchkin is someone who purposefully exploits loopholes and unintended mechanics in game rules to optimize for specific results," Armsmaster answered promptly. His companion glanced at him, and he added quietly, with an emotion I couldn't recognize, "It's a... gaming thing." To me, he continued "What do you mean by that?"

Could it be I found the agent of Pun-Pun already? It couldn't be this easy, could it? I smiled excitedly and said "Do you optimize? Exploit rules? Are you blessed by the god of munchkinry?" They flinched at my smile- oh, right. Teeth.

Miss Militia quietly said something I could barely make out, something something 53. Time was running short - those new minds were making good time through the market, heading right towards us. Armsmaster nodded grimly. "I... do, optimize. But as for the rest..." He cleared his throat, and began speaking in a different tone, as if reading from a script. "For everyone's safety, including your own, it would be best if you followed us to Protectorate Headquarters. We can continue talking there."

"I... no, I really rather wouldn't." Skidmark had warned me about these heroes. They were all smiling Lawful Good in public, but 'total gobshites' when faced in private.

"I'm afraid I must insist," Armsmaster stepped closer, Miss Militia raising a hand to interrupt.

"Miss... Freakshow, it really would be for the best if you came with us. We can help you."

"I will find you again, ok?" I had to get out of here before those reinforcements arrived and their kind words turned to obedience by force. I summoned a three-headed Leskylor at my feet to make my exit... which, in retrospect, may have been the wrong choice.

Armsmaster, acting with surprising quickness considering his surprise, leaped forward and struck at the construct with his halberd. It cried in pain from its three heads with a screech like the scraping of metal, but rather than have its decidedly dangerous frost breath, I instead used a bolt of madness, a gift from Zceryll. The sickly purple bolt leapt from my hand and struck him square in the chest, dazing him. I took the opportunity to jump on the Leskylor and command it leap into the air, its crystalline wings flapping with haste. At the same time I ordered it to cast obscuring mist to cover our escape, filling the area with a sudden thick fog.

Miss Militia had her gun trained on me, but for reasons I couldn't understand, hadn't fired. Perhaps she was still counting on my goodwill? Maybe she recognized I was only seeking to stun Armsmaster, and not injure? Could it be she didn't want to punish me for defending myself from his unprovoked attack?

I didn't know. Perhaps I'd ask her later.

As I took to the skies, using more obscuring mists to cover my path, I felt that actually could have gone a lot worse.

-----

Author's Notes:

Damnit, I'm trying to make characters act reasonably here, but if people actually stopped and talked peacefully about their problems, Worm wouldn't be such a crapsack world.

Feedback encouraged. This is my first fic and I know things could be done a lot better.

Salbazier · Dec 27, 2015

themanwhowas said:
"Telepathy is impossible. The brainpower you'd need to interpret and decode someone's unique neural patterns would need a head five times the usual size to contain it all. True telepathy can't exist."

This is kind of silly reasoning, considering all of the impossible powers in Worm. Glory girl may don't know better to just parrot what not improbably was just a line to sooth the populace, but Armsmaster should know better than flat out saying some power is impossible.

Not to mention, he got that lie detector.

theonewhowas · Dec 27, 2015

Salbazier said:
This is kind of silly reasoning, considering all of the impossible powers in Worm. Glory girl may don't know better to just parrot what not improbably was just a line to sooth the populace, but Armsmaster should know better than flat out saying some power is impossible.

Not to mention, he got that lie detector.

His lie detector will tell him she believes what she's saying, not necessarily that it's the truth.

Plus I had the general idea that it was accepted in the world that this was the case. Certainly there are no known telepaths in canon except for the Simurgh, and she was apparently just using really fine telekinesis and precognition to mimic the ability.

As far as silly reasoning goes, though, you're totally right. Not to mention that we as readers know the true source of powers, which could easily handle that sort of processing power, especially compared to the crazy stuff that powers can get up to - if you can handle trillions of bugs simultaneously and without effort, no way in hell you can't read a person's mind with ease. The only reason telepathy wasn't actually common in Worm is probably because Wildbow hated it.

In any case, I had to figure out how to treat her casual telepathy in a world where the Simurgh tainted anything even remotely psychic as horrifying mind rape. Suggestions welcome.

Ta'al · Dec 27, 2015

Would his lie detection even trigger for telepathic communication? I thought it read subharmonics in verbal speech?

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