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Cromwell of Hyperborea edition
>What is this?
/TG/ DEVELOPS A GAME.
IT IS CURRENTLY PLAYABLE.
EXPEDITION - an ~1870s era, Jules Verne-inspired retro-futurist, underground blood storm hellscape.
It is a Skirmish wargame. Two players with their own expeditions, on a hexgrid map, fight each other for victory.
A campaign mode is planned, and currently in the works. (you) are encouraged to contribute.

3 versions of the rules exist, TWO of which have been playtested:
>1e - proof of concept, recently updated with unit stats
>2e - lead by 2e anon, playtests started, ~75% done. Campaign system is developed here.
>3e - Replaced 4e because it died. Spearheaded by 3e anon, needs more playtests, rules present in the doc

>What can I do?
Shitpost, meme, get comfy. Read over the docs to settle in.
Familiarize yourself with rules and plan some playtests.
Contribute if you have ideas. Give feedback on contributions if you don't.

Old
>>91338794

> TQ (cont, would like more feedback) : What is the physical appearance of Gorgs? Last thread we talked about size, anyone feels one way or another about settling for short goblin size with heavy dysmorphism?

> TQ 2 : As I get closer to a clean-up of France's Expedition book, this is an occasion to address this. One thing I missed from the initial rule pitch doc was that France was supposed to rely heavily on and benefit from formations. Should we seek to reintroduce this idea? They have movement shenanigans, but not really formation bonuses.

> TQ 3 : The British lore currently represent much of the Brits from the point of view of their enemies/allies or how they influenced others, apart from the recent Babbage lore, not so much from their own point of view. Would someone like to call the British lore and do the same as Anon did for the French lore last thread? Otherwise, post snipets of stories or stories from the point of view of Brits, ideally with names and dates, we'll see what we can weave up from it.
>>
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>>91416168
>TL;DR Doc
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LxdaGoBlJRTMuziMDupG5TeeFwNDnsIW2pfaRAcFDgA
>Main Lore Doc, including links to anon-written short stories and additional lore in "Recommended..." section
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bRrxdD1BMLmcMDFeszwqg2Rcjrt8DDo7tjAxoOB6KQ8
>2e Main Rule Book, Expedition & Tokens. Mu, Duosicilians & Lemuria ALL NEW RELEASED!
https://app.mediafire.com/us7vnek39dc6k
>3e Rules Doc (READY FOR MORE PLAYTESTS)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/14ZpHhEyUbjt-SCx2xuAd0lyh7Rs4J7rK5kHkljqykhk/
> Unit Spreadsheet - Currently outdated, requires an update
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rcleQtrT4Q0INiBW50-kq2ZXWJ-cjLOeVTLTJg_oX5E
>Unit Design Doc
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n0X89OdMPXJKQGm6kYcOABjhjE4NZER1fvmpDmDX1JA
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>>91416168
Also, didn't have space
> TQ 4 : I really want to do an Hyperborea book, however I understand it doesn't fully fit until the Deluge. An alternative would be to set up a subfaction, like other in Mercs, perhaps Hyperwarrior-themed, perhaps with the ability to recruit Mercs or other Faction models but at the cost of turning them into Skin-Slaves or something? It could also work as a way to explore the mechanics before getting into something too complex/layered.
>>
>>91416269
stat them, but put a disclaimer at the front of the book that they are NON CANON FOR THIS PERIOD and also NOT INTENDED FOR REGULAR PLAY
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>SPAWNING SEASON: TAKE ONE
Morlock player had already learned the rules, British player was new.

Getting AV setup (This one was in-person but we were still using a digital board) and explaining the rules and distributing the PDFs took about an hour. Next time I'll just man up and print cardboard tokens and physical rulebooks.

British player spent free turn preparing barricades and trying to figure out how line fire worked (They're to tabletop as a whole so this is not a rules issue)

Picrel is deployment at start of battle.
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>>91417420
>SPAWNING SEASON: TAKE ONE
>TURN TWO, WHERE IT ALL FALLS APART
Morlock player uses Tiderunner and Morlock Staves to great effect. Javelins are thrown in massive amounts, they manage to kill the cook but it takes a while. The British pick off individual Morlock grunts and spread out away from their structures to get more in range, losing the benefits of barricades and line fire. Morlock staves and javelins splat the nearest British privates in short order.
Turn one was essentially the same thing but without the Morlock staves factoring in as much.
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The Morlocks start piling in.
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After some friendly advice from the Morlock player, the British start focusing down special units. They bag a Morelock, but it's too little too late. At the end of turn 3 the British capitulate.

I don't think this was a rules issue so much as a generalship one. There was a little confusion about who could shoot who and through whom, but aside from that there weren't any major problems. When the British were stacking buffs from line fire and barricades they were putting Morlocks down one after another, but the player wanted to scatter their forces to get into combat quicker, and crippled themselves in the process. And by focusing down grunts first they let the shamans and apprentice advance with their oh so deadly staves.

The game took around two hours not counting setup, and we finished at 11:41 pm on New Year's eve, before retiring for Cider. Both sides did enjoy the game, and I had fun refereeing it.
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REJECT MODERNITY
EMBRACE GORG
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>>91417499
>>91417445
>>91417460
Thanks a lot for these, its awesome. Morlock Spam Meta is real.
Didn't realize the Staves were going to be this deadly desu.
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>>91419007
to be fair we did take four of them. They only ended up spawning one or two extra grunts in the end but those extra grunts did distract the UK player.
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>>91417499
Exceedingly comfy.
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>>91416168
>TQ 1
I always thought they were somewhat burlier and much stockier than normal humans and slightly taller on average.
>TQ 2
Gimmicks are fun, but I can't speak as to whether or not it would be beneficial to add them at this point.
>TQ 3
I think the British sort of feel like the Main Character faction and everyone here is more interested in the wackier groups like La Ombre and Napoleon, so they've kind of fallen by the wayside.
>>91416269
>TQ 4
There's really nothing stopping you from making a Deluge-era army book and
A: Openly stating that it necessarily takes place during the deluge
B: Handwave it by saying that some forces from Deluge-era Hyperborea got scattered through time and wound up earlier
C: Include rules for using the army book either as non-canon like >>91416405 said or alternate rules for mercenary Hyperboreans found in the deep before the Deluge takes place
>>
>>91416168
>TQ 1:
Gorgs looks like Frank Frazetta Barbarians, no two ways about it
>TQ 2:
I don't really think France needs formations. They have the mechanics of maintaining the experimental equipment that Eiffel grants and expanding on those seems like a good way to go in my reckoning.
>TQ 3:
I'll post what I have later but I think we can hew pretty close to reality when it comes to the British lore. The joke with them is that all the weird Agarthan stuff is happening and for the most part they're colonizing like they normally would. They'll sell guns to a Morlock tribe and Opium to Atlantis with no fucks and a stiff upper lip.
>TQ 4:
If you think doing a hyperborea book would be fun than go for it.
>>
>Atlantis captured some Lemurians. Their jewellery was taken. Seamstresses copied their clothes. This is what the players are wearing.
>Tonguesalts: An Atlantean alchemical that allows its user to speak all languages. Each Player is given 10 doses, effects last 1 hour.
>You're going under the guise of Lemurian merchants, with a haul of goods and gear from Atlantis. This is how the players get their own equipment past the Lemurian border.
>Your mission: To recover the corpse of an Atlantean hero, who was captured during a battle with the Lemurians some time ago.
>Find the grave, dig the body up, MAKE SURE ITS THE RIGHT BODY, and get it back to Atlantis for a proper Titanic funeral.

Sorry for not posting many updates about the RPG. I've been scratching at both the system itself and a few starter modules so its not just an empty ruleset.
This is the plan for the first module. It doesn't have to be Lemuria but I wanted to give a good breadth of the world in the initial module so I went with it.

System is still very barebones, closer to FATE than anything else. I'm working on it, if anyone has any ideas about shit to slot in then go for it.
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>>91416168
To update on the World Book and what I'm generally doing, I took some time off of it today to go back and continue the Eldest Guard+Kentuckian Rebel storyline, I've been meaning to get back to it for a while, it isn't dead.
If I summon the will to work more on this today I'll try to put it toward finishing the Anomaly section and the Morlock and Lemurs entry in the World book.
>>91416405
>>91420650
Ok, so what I'm reading is fine to go ahead with Hyperborean units and leave it at the player's discretion to figure out at what point of the timeline they are playing.
I think I will go ahead with a limited Merc subfaction that can't really be hired out to other powers to test the water.
Any feedback on if I should put time on that first or Sky-Clans?
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Sky-Clan Gimmick idea pitch

> Hyper-Lazy mode : Just give them lots of Flyers
> Lazy mode : Deployment gimmick. Say the Sky Clan player can deploy reserved units anywhere on the map with the token upside down (indicating its on the Ceiling or rope jumping or whatever). Next turn, token can be switched side to indicate its landing. Perhaps involve Scatter rolls. (while this is easy and imho elegant, this also means Sky-Clan's gimmick is just a worse USA gimmick).
> Effort Mode : Units can be deployed "normally" upside down, again indicating they are on the Ceiling. They can move in this state, perhaps with a malus to movement and bonus against shooting. They can drop on the ground as an action.
> Hyper Effort Mode : Same as above, but involve Ceiling Height and perhaps a High Altitude map layer to distinguish if a Flyer is high or low, if someone on the ground can shoot someone on the ceiling, etc etc. Very likely way too complex.
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>>91425971
>To update on the World Book and what I'm generally doing, I took some time off of it today to go back and continue the Eldest Guard+Kentuckian Rebel storyline, I've been meaning to get back to it for a while, it isn't dead.
Nobody expects professional deadline level workrates lmao, you're good.
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Jesus Christ...
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>>91423243
>If you think doing a hyperborea book would be fun than go for it.
I'm gonna do it.
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>>91428413
Its fun to know we have someone so dedicated to the thread lmfao.
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>>91423243
>Gorgs looks like Frank Frazetta Barbarians, no two ways about it
Something like this?
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>>91423243
>Gorgs looks like Frank Frazetta Barbarians, no two ways about it
You get it.
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bump
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>>91430930
But helmets green.
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>>91433590
Kek ok I'll try!
Ant specific reason? Is it stinkbeetle shell armour?
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>>91436677
>Ant
any*
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>>91433590
This?
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>>91437298
That's the shit. Are you using something with negative prompts?
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>>91440085
No, I'm not that well versed in Slopistics. Its just
> Frank Frazetta, oil painting, barbarian [in a location] with pointy teeth and glowing red eyes wearing a green spiked helmet.
For some reason if you don't put something like "in a desert" or "in the jungle" the dumb bot reads "green" and give you a classic fantasy orc.
Then its just a question of how long you wanna play the gacha game to get more than two horns. Also, "spikes" reads as "horns" but "horned helmet" gives you antlers...
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>>91440317
>For some reason if you don't put something like "in a desert" or "in the jungle" the dumb bot reads "green" and give you a classic fantasy orc.

Try adding Vampire and Pale Skin. I always imagined Gorgs as extremely pasty, almost cave axolotl-tier, given their underground nature.
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>>91440340
I tried Pale, didn't do much, but Vampire or Ghoulish I'm thinking might work I'll try that.
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>>91440340
Been trying for a while, can't do much better than picrel. In any case I'll stop for now and get back to more constructive stuff. if I can't tweak it further I might just end up trying to do the helmets manually, seems the "green" is the huge issue here.
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>>91443269
Albino?
Also adding more detail to the background might help. Dark cave, slate walls etc.
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>>91443269
To clarify, "Green" is only an issue because you aren't adding more color words.
Its not that Green is the problem, its that the only prompt color input is green. Throw in a random string of colors you want at the end, like "Grey, white, black, taupe, brown, navy blue." or whatever.
>>
bump before work.
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>>91446361
Bump after work.
Slow day, huh. Will try to post some stuff soon to make more lively.
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Morlock World book entry.

Whenever an Epigean insist that Subhumanity must be understood as a normal evolutionary process rather than the result of Agarthan Science, the usual counterargument offered is the mere existence of Morlocks. How could Humanity regress so far as to reach back beyond its mammalian origins, all the while keeping its humanoid shape and a portion of its intelligence? And why would this creature exhibit physical features from all kinds of underwater animals?
Essentially “fishmen”, Morlocks mostly have an upright human lower body covered in fish scales, while their faces are those of fishes. They are generally shorter than a human being, going as short as being barely above 3 feet, but the specie as a whole exhibit the same dysmorphism as many other Subhumans. They have an unusually weak constitution, sometimes dying to wounds that would not kill a human child. Most can breath both under and above water, and those who can’t are able to retain their breath long enough to be functional in each case. Individuals among a single social group (a ‘shoal’) tend to share the same features across.

[cont]
>>
[cont...]

Morlock society is almost always tribal, with power being disputed between a single warchief and one or many priests or shamans, regardless of the (often very large) size of their population. Their intelligence is not particularly low, nor are they very aggressive, apart during their spawning season. In fact, seeking and reinforcing acceptance in a social group seems to be the main particularity of the Morlock psyche, and they are not particularly picky about the specie. This natural subservience and their prowess as divers makes them welcome addition to fishing crews, and a number of them have emigrated to the Surface, most settling in New-England ports. There is otherwise little advantage in establishing trade routes to Morlock settlements, has they have very little industry or even crafting. Those who do are more often interested in their skills as guides and extensive knowledge of underwater and underground ruins.
Morlocks are native to every Layers between the 3rd and the 7th usually clustered in wetlands and around large bodies of water. A significant number have sworn fealty to Old Mu royalty, and will assemble in large swarms when called by their deep masters. This, their heightened aggression during the peak of their heat cycle as well as their habit of eating just about anything, including each other and Colonials, explains why many Epigeans default to see Morlocks as pests to be wiped. The rumors that a number of surface folks have taken these monsters as mate and had children with them does not seem to dissuade these, and will only result in shaming those that dare speak of such an impossibly obsence degeneracy.
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>>91456083
>>91456202
Man turned fish or fish turned man? You decide!
Good work, love me fishmen
Also, are there any factions you want me to spitball for? I've had fun writing up lore for engines and apologists and other stuff but I'm drawing a blank on what else I could do. I mostly like writing about 19th century technologies since I know a lot more about stuff like the development of bikes than I do about social movements of the era.
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>>91456767
>Also, are there any factions you want me to spitball for?
We could use general fluff for Sky-Clans, Satsuma, Tsardom, the Ethiopian Crusade...
For tech, although its not 19th century, we could use something about Gorg technology, they are said to have some which rely on Stink Juice, but right now Stink Juice production is the only thing they do... and it clashes somewhat with the "barbarian in fur" look they have so its hard to see what kind of industry they have.
>>91444302
I kinda like picrel, it evokes the dumpy handrawn .png arts for some reason. If this is ok I'll go with something like this for a 2-Horn picture reference.
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>>91457777
now THAT'S a Gorg
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>>91457777
blessed digits
Gorgs confirmed for huge.
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>>91458381
>>91458641
Thanks, will try to reproduce the same look for 3-Horns and higher. And something similar for Sky-Gorgs.
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bump before work
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>>91457777
>Sky-Clans
I do like airships...
Gimme a bit I'll do something. With Rozier balloons! And references to Giffard!
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>>91464539
>Rozier balloons!
>Giffard
Based. Really sucks the one area of the rl tech tree my compatriots decided to invest in earlier than everyone else ended up being the least impactful :(
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I'm not done with it but we are lacking on content for today so might as well. I'll fluff it up tomorrow. Pushing the angle that Lemurs are believed to be remnants of a previous Loop contrary to others. And being monstrous.

Lemur World Book entry.

Primordial nightmares. Unnatural horrors. Obscenity made manifest. There is no end to the list of such syntagms invoked as feeble attempts to describe Lemurs.
According to Gano-Ducksworth theorist, History is set in a specific form which results in pushing the inhabitants of the 2nd Layer deeper, devolving as they seek to escape Hyperborea’s predation. This has already happened and will happen again, and experts on Subhumanity often use this argument to underline deevolutionary relationship between Epigeans and the intelligent inhabitants of Agartha. Apemen, Amazons, Cyclops and even Gorgs are almost universally agreed to be descendants of current Surface folks, in a way or another. Only Lemurs differs in this.
In a way it would be comforting (but perhaps self-deluding) if Humanity did not contain the seed of such monstrosity. Most Lemurs share a similar shape and size to chimpanzees, albeit with long pointy horns and oversized claws and fangs. A certain number can grow seemingly indefinitely as they age, often sprouting a new set of limbs as they reach human size. Their most striking and aberrant feature however remains the small percentage of Lemurs which mouths splits their skull vertically. Their appearance, whatever it may be, always convey a deep malevolence, and this to a degree exceeding that of any other Subhuman.
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>>91471328
[cont.]

Regardless of their physical form, Lemurs are considered to be universally evil, and with one or two badly known exception, have never given any reason to either Epigeans or Deepfolks to believe otherwise. No one, not even Old Mu royalty, is safe from their predation, but they have been observed to hunt Colonial force they spot with particular zeal, often tracking them over days or weeks before attacking and leaving nothing but broken half devoured bodies. The general opinion is that they are mindless monsters, while experts rather believe that Lemur intelligence does vary greatly on the individual, quoting this specific hatred they have for Surface folks over Deepfolks as suggesting otherwise.
Lemurs have been found in every Layer including the 2nd, where they have been observed freely roaming on Doggerland. They do not seem to care for territorial gain in any other way than has hunting grounds, and do not build settlements. Low-ceiling badly lit tunnels and ruins are their preferred haunts.
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>>91457777
>Tsardom
I really don't feel like writing an essay on 19th century Russian serfdom at the moment, but I'd just like to remark that I don't think keeping the serfdom (let alone reimplementing it, as the original serf jak implied) really works. There were lots of reasons it was abolished, from the threat of the inevitable peasant uprisings to the fact that it was slowing down the agricultural and industrial development. Even Nick the Stick wanted it gone and laid the groundwork for the emancipation of the peasantry with some preliminary reforms. And the problems that became apparent during the Eastern War would still become apparent even if the Tsardom won. Besides, the half-assed way the reform of 1861 was implemented basically created of a bunch of land-starved and landless peasants, many of whom were willing to go and settle in Siberia and other frontier regions in hopes of getting a less shit deal, both on their own and with the government's initiative. So you don't even need to invent anything new here - just have the Tsardom resettle them not beyond the Urals, but under. No need to fix what ain't broken, and I'd rather we don't have to go down the rabbit hole of developing some esoteric alt his scenario just to justify calling the Russian worker units "serfs".
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>>91471923
>I really don't feel like writing an essay on 19th century Russian serfdom at the moment
No issue whatsoever! I really appreciate the rest of the input however.
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>>91471923
>I really don't feel like writing an essay on 19th century Russian serfdom at the moment
Now that's a vibe.
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bump before work
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>>91471923
Just use the narrative that it's a pre-existing game and say that while they're not called serfs in the lore the players call them that anyways because it's funny.
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>>91471923
>Besides, the half-assed way the reform of 1861 was implemented basically created of a bunch of land-starved and landless peasants, many of whom were willing to go and settle in Siberia and other frontier regions in hopes of getting a less shit deal, both on their own and with the government's initiative. So you don't even need to invent anything new here - just have the Tsardom resettle them not beyond the Urals, but under. No need to fix what ain't broken, and I'd rather we don't have to go down the rabbit hole of developing some esoteric alt his scenario just to justify calling the Russian worker units "serfs".
The term is just memetic when it comes down to "old timey russians", I personally don't have any attachment to it. If we eventually get to a Tsardom roster I feel no qualms about using a different term. And yeah if the object is to justify having masses of lowl quality worker units, it doesn't seem necessary to reintroduce serfdom at all.
I seem to recall reading somewhere French and Brit serfs in the early 1000s had generally more rights than Russian serfs in the 18th... Is that true? The compass obviously expressed the Tsardom as a spam army of low quality troops, so I get it if we want to put a focus on its living conditions being shitty, but at the same time I thought we were going for a slightly "brighter" (that may not be the right word) Russia...?
Maybe that's just wrong let me know.
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Tear (anomaly) World Book entry

Apart from Star Ancestor’s Trails and perhaps Entrances, Tears are the rarest form of anomaly found in the underground. Taking the form of a shimmering silvery or black surface floating a few feet above ground, Tears can easily be mistaken for a mirage at a distance. This illusion dissipates as one approaches it, as one will notice how consistent and localized it is. Upon touch, the material it is made up of will extend to cover whatever it came in contact with, a highly distressing experience.
Unless contact is interrupted, this will continue until the ‘liquid silver’ of the Tear swallows the object or person entirely, at which point it is pulled into the anomaly proper. In each case another Tear will then spit out whatever was swallowed by the first, allowing for instantaneous travel over seemingly unrestricted distances.
There is a number of reason why Tears are not sought after more than Entrances or even Folds by either Epigeans or Deepfolks. First, their stability tend to erode over time and use, leading to them eventually collapsing a few years after their birth. Second, there is no way to test a Tear without actually sending someone through it and hoping they will come back. Third, the experience is incredibly disturbing, often described as akin to being waterboarded while standing.
There is no theoretical limit to the distance linking two tears together, and although no one has ever claimed to visit Hyperborea through one, this might simply be the result of its inhabitants preventing the return trip. Perhaps this is why rumors of rare Tears being able to lead to the mystical Hidden Layer are so common.
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>>91471923
Interesting contribution! I like how much genuine historical knowledge gets brought out in these threads.
>>
So, what is Julius Vernes up to these (1878) days?
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>>91483216
>So, what is Julius Vernes up to these (1878) days?
Currently a prisoner of Lemuria.
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>>91478829
>I seem to recall reading somewhere French and Brit serfs in the early 1000s had generally more rights than Russian serfs in the 18th... Is that true?
Well, the enserfment in Russia started really taking off later than in Western Europe, under a combination of local factors and global economic trends, like the growth of the Baltic grain trade. So by the time serfdom was as good as abolished in, say, England, it was at its height in Russia and the serfs were essentially glorified slaves. Even after the emancipation the ex-serfs were cheated out of a large portion of their land, had to buy out their plots at inflated prices and even temporarily kept fulfilling some serf-like obligations to the landowners. The abolition was more about gradually dismantling the old feudal-like economy that outlived it's usefulness without upsetting the landowners too much, rather than benefiting the peasants themselves. There's a reason Alexander II survived like 6 assassination attempts before getting blown up, despite going down in history as "the Liberator".
>I get it if we want to put a focus on its living conditions being shitty, but at the same time I thought we were going for a slightly "brighter" (that may not be the right word) Russia...?
I never got the impression it was meant to be "brighter". It's certainly shaping up to be more succesful/powerful, but that does not necessarily mean "brighter", especially in Russian history. Hell, after Alexander II survived an assassination attempt that cost him a fucking eye I could totally see him growing more paranoid and dictatorial.
But I could also see the Tsardom growing more prosperous, given all those Asian markets ripe for the taking after the British defeat in India. I also like to imagine some kind of anachronistically robust industrial heartland emerging around the Ural-Fourth Layer axis. The Black Sea trade would fucking COLLAPSE after the Necropolis Incident though.
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Time Trap World Book Entry

Time Trap

The term Time Trap refers both to a large variety of localized temporal anomalies, of which the Time Veil is the most well known. The distinction between a Time Trap and a Fold sometimes remain purely academic, as the least dangerous Time Traps end up having the same effect, lost time, as a negative Fold.
The effect and visual manifestation of a Time Trap varies a lot, but is always associated with its size, as smaller Time Traps necessarily have more dire effects than the bigger ones. In some cases they will appear as “bubbles” in which whatever gets caught will either move or age at a different rate. Larger ones, like the Time Veil, are not visible and cover entire geographical regions. In these, the alteration to normal temporal conditions can be very “slight”, to the point of being unnoticed by those in or out in most circumstances. Some of these Time Traps can even be commodified by the least scrupulous Epigeans or Deepfolks, such as the Atlan mines of Neonikomedeia, located in the Pillar south of Maximiliana, where days can randomly add an hour or two, which the slaves have to keep working.
The aforementioned Time Veil, located in the 4th Layer, deserves a special mention. Thought to cover the entire Layer, it acts akin as a spider web for time travelers. As these are notoriously unwilling to share any information regarding its scientific principles, Epigeans who know about the Time Veil regardless know very little about how it interact with such miraculous technology. Does the Time Veil trap any and every time traveler, regardless of their starting or ending point, or simply those that “pass” over the current date? Does spatial travel account in this? Are the travelers able to return to their time if they somehow escaped the 4th Layer with their time machine and left from, say, the 3rd ? These questions have cost respectable scientists and eclectic nutjobs alike many nights.
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also
> (Thanks 2e for the time travel plots.)
You are welcome :P
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>>91485093
we don't feel welcome
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>>91485736
For context that was a note left in the design doc from the early days when editions where shitposted to ape a pseudo release. 2e was supposed to be the bad edition that brought in all the worse plot points.
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bump
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2e anon reporting in.
I have a few days off so I'm going to push the World Book ahead as much as possible, would like to upload it sooner than later. If anyone want to shitpost entries for
> Wapaq & Ayahuasca
> Eloi
> Imaterii
> Shadows
> Volcano Spirits
Please go ahead, that would be helpful. It doesn't need to be long, 2~3 paragrahs so that people can summon a basic idea.
The only other thing would be a generic introduction to individual Layer's geography and most often encountered biomes. There's already bits in the general doc (Locations) if you want to pull from there.
I'm going to be focusing on rewriting/rewording the faction sections which needs it so we shouldn't be stepping on each other's toes.
If I get bored of doing fluff stuff I might try and do a sweep over the main rule book to see what I can improve. Said multiple times I had to redo Mount Charges and I still haven't done it.
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>>91486035
>2e was supposed to be the bad edition that brought in all the worse plot points.
We'll get there.
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>>91490445
>Volcano Spirits

Sometimes, the lava screams. On occasion, it screams at you, in languages you don't know but can understand. Though, hidden in the magma, they have never been seen, their desires and influences are clear. They want sacrifice, and grant power. And, rarely, if you fulfil those desires, and bring them joy by abusing that power, the Lava Spirits scream with you.

Those blessed by these strange beings suffer no pain from heat, and it harms them little. They burn like steel, rather than men. Greater servants can call upon these spirits to move and manipulate the lava around them, or even call promissory eruptions or greater events, at equally great cost.
No scholar has yet to make a strong claim as to the origin of these creatures. Some say they are projections of the will of those who want to believe in them. Others claim they're ancient forces, just like much from Agartha. The theory of the Italians, who most often commune with them, is that these are the spirits of their ancestors returned to grant them power.
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>>91490445
>>91490750
Sorry its not the longest entry, but I'll certainly expand it if needed / anyone has ideas.
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>>91490779
Nah, that's perfectly fine for the moment! Thank you! Its added.
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>>91490445
I proposed something along these lines for Wapaq and Ayahuasca a while ago

The Wapaq and Ayahuasca are representatives of a single fungal species operating in a manner reminiscent of hive insects. The Wapaq themselves, named by the Russians after the creatures from the Native Siberian mythology, look like mushrooms the size of a horse, sprouting a mass of tentacle-like appendages they use to move, grab objects and defend themselves. While they may look rather comical they should not be underestimated, as they move much faster than one might expect and their tentacles can crush bones with frigthening ease. Their role is that of drones and soldiers, scouting for new colony sites, foraging and dealing with threats. Their intelligence is comparable to that of animals, and increases or diminishes based on the proximity to their Queen.
The Wapaq Queen, also named Ayahuasca by the American explorers, is fully sapient and capable of psychic communication. It usually presents itself by projecting an illusion of an attractive and non-threatening member of the species it is in contact with. Ayahuasca alleviates Deep Drunkenness by its very presence and can even offer helpful advice, but those in close contact with it risk succumbing to its siren song. When they do they are compelled to join the Wapaq colony, where they remain in a state of bliss until their bodies and minds are absorbed into its mycellium. It has been speculated that they might be the origin of the Siberian legends about mushroom people seducing humans and taking them away, also seen in the shamanic visions induced by the consumption of fly agaric.
The Wapaq flesh is known to alleviate the effects of Deep Drunkenness. While they can't be tamed, they can be captured and kept around long enough to butcher them when needed. The Tsardom pioneered hunting and capturing them in a somewhat stable and sustainable manner by stalking their foraging grounds.
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>>91491773
Sorry I missed it, thanks for doing it again!
Btw to the anon who did the Babbage story the other thread that will be added to the lore section of the Brit expedition book I think.
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Oh btw, since I'm working on the Lemuria entry, which Chakra system are we using for Inner Chi Cultivation? There's like 9 different traditions.
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Also, how would Lemuria view Atlan? There's a blurb about how they see institutionalized slavery as a crutch, since it means you'll rely on it instead of just naturally asserting your will over weaker people... so I assume they must think Atlans weaklings?
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SURVEY OF SKY-PEOPLE AIRCRAFT:
Co-Authored by H. Giffard and Prof. T. S. C. Lowe
Published by the Agarthan Society

Smoke Balloon:
The most easily-understandable of Sky-People craft, smoke balloons closely mirror our own hot-air balloons. Their envelopes are gaudily colored with intricate designs, but lack the airtightness of our balloons. It is speculated that the fuel burnt to power these craft, typically dried ceiling fungus, produces a smoke which seals any microscopic pores in the envelope. Varieties which rely on naturally buoyant Agarthan flora have also been observed, sometimes as a supplementary source of lift to more typical craft in a manner similar to the experiments of Rozière. These craft are not steered, so they are generally only used to descend to the surface or ride reliable wind currents.

Elephas Volatilis (A.K.A Cloudelleafint)
Unlike the Tartaradon, the “Cloudelleafint” bears remarkable similarities to the Asian elephants of the surface. Observations of surface elephants entering cave systems for salt have led naturalists to speculate that Cloudelleafints are descended from a similar population of such creatures, perhaps trapped by a cave in or driven underground by hostile hunters. There are notable differences from their surface cousins however, Cloudelleafints fly, and they eat meat. Typically, they subsist on the blubber of sky whales and ceiling plants, but they have been known to attack humans in times of famine or when musth strikes the males. As for their flight, it has been established that they rely on hydrogen. Current theories believe that the creatures eat rocks which contain both salt and calcium, digesting the rock into hydrogen. Cloudelleafints are not especially flammable, but if caught they’ll explode into chunks. As such they are deathly afraid of fire. Sky-People use them similarly to the inhabitants of India, as beasts of burden or war, caught wild and then trained by mahouts. Wild herds exist as well.
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Physeter macrocephalus petagma [Debated] (A.K.A Sky Whale)
One of the more contentious academic subjects of the day, the Sky Whale is a Sperm Whale which flies. It does not rely on lifting gas, aerodynamics, or any observable phenomena. Explanations range from electrical fields to psychic energy or phase fields. Dissected Sky Whales are identical to Sperm Whales of the surface, some have even been found with surface harpoons in their backs or pipes and peg legs in their stomachs. Mu states are forbidden to hunt them, leading some to consider the Sky Whales part of their hierarchy, somehow. Some insist that there are underwater entrances to Agartha, and that Sperm Whales migrate regularly between layers, though this fails to explain the flight. The Sky-People are unconcerned with why the whales fly, instead riding or hunting them as they please. Sky Whales cannot be driven, only ridden. They have been known to attack aircraft, just as surface Sperm Whales may attack ships. Due to predation by the Sky-People, Cloudelleafints, and Surfacers the whales are appearing less and less frequently, perhaps soon to vanish forever.

Glider:
There are as many types of glider as there are Sky-People clans. Some resemble bird wings worn over the arms, or vast parachute-sails harnessed to the rider, or simple kites. Generally they rely on hand-driven elevators or stairways to gain altitude before diving to the next stalactite, though some use updrafts found around entrances and volcanos to sustain longer flight. There are a few reliable routes that allow for truly staggering distance if flown by an experienced glider, the longest taking several days of constant gliding to traverse. The advantage with these craft is not always their engineering, but more the extremely lightweight materials used in construction. Nonetheless, the Sky-People treat suggestions of alterations as a great insult, since their aeronautical progress has been bought with many lives. Rocket gliders may exist.
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Erigone pessimus (A.K.A Skyspider)
Mankind is not the only creature to have mastered gliding. The term Skyspider refers to several types of giant arachnid, ranging from dog to mule sized. Not all ceiling spiders glide, but those who do can fly with instinctual ease. Domesticated Sky-Spiders are used by the most prosperous Sky-People clans, who sell them to the others at exorbitant rates. They carefully guard the secrets of breeding them from all others. Undomesticated Sky-Spiders are more common, but lack the strength and the discipline to be used safely. This does not stop the Sky-People from treating them like we treat a horse. Skyspiders can glide even in a dead calm, but only in certain directions, causing many theories about ley-lines and invisible fields.

Vimāna (A.K.A: Sky-Palace):
The most dramatic, and unfortunately most rare of the Sky-People’s aircraft are the Sky-Palaces. Palace is somewhat of a misnomer, as most are only the size of watchtowers. Architecturally, they resemble the Hindu temples of Southeast Asia, but with a greater focus on golden gilding and layered towers. They are too heavy to be lifted by any known technique, even theoretically. Sky Palaces can move in any direction, albeit slowly, and are used to bombard enemies of the Sky-People with bombs and angry Gorgs. Only one instance of Surface conflict with a Sky-Palace has been recorded, the expedition in question left helpless until a lucky cannon shot pierced the stone walls of the palace. The entire structure exploded in a flash of blue light seen for miles, leaving only a punishing rain of giant stone blocks to the victors. Legends of a golden flying city are present in many expeditions, but it’s likely that any such structure has long since been destroyed and looted.

Others:
Reports of Gigantic Flying Squirrels, Snakes, “Wing-Fish,” the Gargantuan Sky-Saur and a mythologically attested “Jump Man” are unconfirmed and will not be dealt with herein.
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I'm aware I missed one or two options like sky-saurs and the bomber brigade I'll either do those tomorrow or never.
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>>91483562
>The Black Sea trade would fucking COLLAPSE after the Necropolis Incident though.
Since the Anglo-Turkish relationship is presumably toast, I think the Russians would probably see a great opportunity to finally grab Rumelia and Constantinople.
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>>91494637
Although, honestly, I can see the Brits either supporting the Ottomans anyway or trying to take the straits for themselves.
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>>91494637
But Constantinople IS the Necropolis.
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>>91494637
>>91494858
>Grabbing Constantinople
The Great Game is now about which nation gets the privilege to fight off never-ending hordes of skeletons
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>>91494983
>Agarthan entrance under the water
>Massive caches of Agarthan artifacts
>It's still fucking Constantinople
>Everyone likes the Turks even LESS than in OTL, somehow
Really, it's not surprising that this would happen.
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>>91494412
>>91494430
>>91494456
Thank you!
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>>91495972
I'm iffy about what I did for the whales so feel free to change that one. I thought Sperm Whales looked closest to the Jak art in the chart (And also I read Moby Dick last year and it rooted in my brain folds)
But they do dive really deep so it kind of fits.
And Mu including not just morlocks and psysaurs and people but whales too is pretty metal I think
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>>91496009
The idea of sperm whales diving into Agartha and then just flying is incredibly comfy, so for me that's cool. The Mu thing is pretty cool too, it can be left as an hypothetical and if other anons don't like it we can also say another hypothesis is that Old Mu really doesn't want Ur-Ca being fed.
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>>91497131
>According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a whale should be able to fly. It's fins are too small to get its big fat body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway, because whales don't care what humans think is impossible.
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>>91497279
ah fuck I missed one of the bees.
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>>91497279
Kek.
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bump
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Imaterii World Book Entry

Mu influence is often compared to a spreading plague by the Deepfolks who haven’t sworn loyalty to it. If Mu is a sickness, Imaterii are the infectious agents. Four to six splindly legs juts out of a central sphere, which is itself linked to a prismatic head by a coiled tube, usually standing up to about 10 feet tall. While their appearance alone is highly disturbing, the manner in which they appear is much worse, as they seem to be able to phase through any object of person at will.
This ability makes them highly useful in their role as envoys and ambassadors of Old Mu to its distant vassals of New Mu, and it is in this capacity that most Epigeans will meet them. Those who decide to attack instead of parleying will learn very quickly however that they are not defenseless. Imaterii seems to have an intrinsic understanding of Agarthan Science and, when threatened, will use this knowledge to display fearsome powers, often shooting disintegrating rays from their “head”, or “grabbing” someone and phasing them halfway through the floor before leaving them there.
Surface academic are at a complete loss in classifying these entities, so much so that the prevailing opinions are divided between them having an entirely artificial origin, perhaps having been created specifically for their purpose, and them originating initially from the Hidden Layer or beyond the Void.
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Lemuria World Book entry (wip)

More than any other Deepfolk nation, Lemuria stands as a testament to the possibility of conquering the underground. Descended from proto-aryan migration following their displacement in [xxxx] by [xyz], the ancestors of modern day Lemurians roamed through the 3rd and 4th Layers for centuries, guided by the immortal First Prophet Ozymandias. This would eventually lead them to the ruins of Old Lemuria, long dead already, but still replete with ancient secrets and lost Agarthan Science.
Over time, Lemurian society would find itself redefined by this corpus of esoteric knowledge and practices, known as Inner Chi Cultivation. To scholars, prophets and priests, Inner Chi Cultivation is the manipulation of a flow of energy carried by the Inner Sun’s light and absorbed into the body through breathing, which then feeds our Vrill-Chakras. Doing so can either close or open these focal points and, with care, enable near supernatural intellectual or physical feats. To most uneducated, it stands as a rigorous regimen of physical, social and spiritual practices and restrictions which aim at strengthening its adherent as well as protecting them from the effects of degeneracy. While many aspects centers around physical exercises or meditation, a large part of it remains dedicated at reinforcing a specific mindset in its practitioners, one which Outlanders have found very difficult to understand.
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>>91505971
For example, slavery is considered to be highly perverse, and yet, it would seem to the outside observer that the majority of Lemurians are completely subservient to warriors or priests. This is because Lemurians are brought up to see titles and class not as as an institution to be relied on, but as assertion of the actual, current power relation between them and the servants. A slave could be a stronger, more intelligent man than its master, a servant however could not, otherwise he would not accept to serve. This very fine distinction has caused a few awkward moments between Lemurians and Abolitionists.
Another example, and one which is highly distressing to Epigeans, is the ease with which seemingly friendly Lemurians will turn on each other. Their culture is replete with tales of two brotherly heroes who accomplish great deeds together until one stabs the other in the back, quite often literally and seemingly without any qualms. What is missed in the hermeneutic of these stories by Epigeans is that to Lemurians, the betrayal always follows a specific logic, and is always justified.
Contact between Epigeans and Lemurians has always been notoriously hazardous, if sometimes very rewarding. The tenets of Inner Chi Cultivation makes most of its higher social class difficult to tempt with monetary or material gains. Technology is mostly seen as a crutch for the weak, and industrialization would endanger too many through constant and depressing menial work. Warriors have similarly shown no desire to acquire firearms.
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>>91505971
>Descended from proto-aryan migration
not this shit again
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>>91506194
???
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>>91506194
Yes, but better.
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>>91506683
>>91506194
Seriously tho did we change Lemurian origins?
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>>91508258
We didn't?
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>>91509240
it might just be someone pearl clutching about the term "Aryan"
Our choices are either to ignore them or just change it to "An Ancient Nomadic Culture"
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>>91509245
>Our choices are either to ignore them or just change it to "An Ancient Nomadic Culture"
Sounds about right, ignoring them it is!
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>>91509240
>>91509245
ok, then if its just getting stuck on the "proto-aryan" thing we might as well leave it as is. I think everyone else here must have some good idea by now about what we collectively think on inserting /pol/-like content into the game.
Also, baking time. Anyone else up for it? Drawing blanks with the TQ.
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>>91509286
>/pol/-like content into the game.
lmao ok bud
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>local man confused what Aryan means in the context of ancient history.
Anyways, he has a good point.
Who bake?
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>>91509297
I'm not accusing you of inserting /pol/-like content, to be clear, I resent (just a tiny bit, lets not make a mountain out of an anthill) the implication that I would have left it there for so long if it was in any way egregious.
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>>91509337
>I resent (just a tiny bit, lets not make a mountain out of an anthill) the implication that I would have left it there for so long if it was in any way egregious.
Oh for sure. Its about as innocuous as it gets.
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>>91509317
>Who bake?
Will do.
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New
>>91510472



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