The Salvation War: Pantheocide Epilogue Up

[CaptainChewbacca]

Opening a portal requires a tremendous amount of power, and targeting it requires a lot of computing power. This isn't something 10 guys in a shed can pull off with twenty car batteries.

[Deebles]

Y'know, I've still got nicknames on my brain, long after the fact; in particular, a better base for them than the term Angel. One of the most common basis for nicknames for a group is a name that's common in the group, or a derivation thereof. Hence "Fritz" and "Tommy" for the Germans and Brits respectively in WWI, or "Mick"s, or "Paddies and Shamuses", as the Irish have been variously known in different places, or a familiar term believed to derive from the once-common dutch name Jan Kies.

Some sound angelic nicknames could therefore come from the common ingredient to all angelic names: Spoiler

Lan. The only question remaining: would "Alans" or "Lanks/Lankies" make a better nickname for angels, in your opinion? Alan is close to Alien, which fits, but Lanky means tall, which also fits; therefore I'm torn, but I do think both are better than the idea I had which stuck before.

[open_sketchbook]

I really like Lanky. It sounds like "Yankee" too, which is neat (Lankee?)

[Darth Yan]

this is all cool but how the hell could angels like mikey or jesus walk around unmolested and unnoticed given their size?

[CaptainChewbacca]

this is all cool but how the hell could angels like mikey or jesus walk around unmolested and unnoticed given their size?

Jesus posessed a human, and angels and demons both have the ability to control an unprotected human's perception of reality.

[Darth Yan]

wouldn't security cams have noticed? cause I thought that they couldn't fool security camera.

[InsaneTD]

Yes, but on camera they would look like tall men wearing costumes, and then when the blokes on the floor get told to grab them and escort them out, they wouldn't have know who they were talking about.

[wickeddyno]

Maybe a skillful angel that knows what cameras are and what they can do can also alter the image that the camera records? Baldricks wouldn't be able to because they just don't know anything about technology, but Michael is a bit of a technology enthusiast, so he'd have noticed them and figured out the threat they post to him on his trips to earth and then figured out a way to manipulate them as well.

I just realized something, though. How the hell could he have used an iPhone? I presume his fingers are thicker than ours in proportion to his body size. Did he resort to using a sausage stylus?

[Jamesfirecat]

Maybe a skillful angel that knows what cameras are and what they can do can also alter the image that the camera records? Baldricks wouldn't be able to because they just don't know anything about technology, but Michael is a bit of a technology enthusiast, so he'd have noticed them and figured out the threat they post to him on his trips to earth and then figured out a way to manipulate them as well.

I just realized something, though. How the hell could he have used an iPhone? I presume his fingers are thicker than ours in proportion to his body size. Did he resort to using a sausage stylus?

It's not even close to possible for a an Angel or Baldrick to alter an image in a camera, because the camera is too dumb to fool .

In theory they could alter the perceptions of those looking at the image through the camera of course...

[Tiwaz]

Maybe a skillful angel that knows what cameras are and what they can do can also alter the image that the camera records? Baldricks wouldn't be able to because they just don't know anything about technology, but Michael is a bit of a technology enthusiast, so he'd have noticed them and figured out the threat they post to him on his trips to earth and then figured out a way to manipulate them as well.

As said, camera is too "dumb".
It just records light coming in, while all this useful mindscrewing relies on tampering with brain of a human.

No brain, no tampering.

As for screwing around with mind of the person watching the camera... That gets iffy too. How would angel/baldrick know which mind to screw with? Thanks to electricity guy watching the camera can be quite a ways from actual camera. And shopping centers tend to have quite a few minds to interfere with.

[Bayonet]

I seem to remember a couple of scenes in Book 1 where it was explained that sensors, including cameras, were not fooled, and showing their use in detecting baldricks and angels.

[Stuart]

Indeed; possession of a mind can't work against surveillance cameras. There's nothing there to possess. Theoretically a daemon or angel could possess the mind of the person watching the output but that person could be a long way away in both time and space. So, really, cameras are a very good way of detecting angels and daemons and there is no way around that.

That is a really major, major problem. The truth is that there is not a single case anywhere of any of the untold millions of surveillance cameras that are around picking up an angel or daemon. It's bad enough in the USA; in countries that use remote camera surveillance for law enforcement it's deadly. There has never been film on those cameras of daemons or angels walking down a street. Of course, we know the real reason, there are no such things as angels or daemons but in the TSW-verse that doesn't apply. The only possible explanation is that angels and daemons are very rare visitors and they stay away from major population connurbations. (That, by the way, destroys the "daemons would have known" argument right there.)

So poor Mikey wouldn't have been able to keep visiting his much-loved Las Vegas much longer anyway. He could escape detection by possessing the minds around him as long as the possession mechanism remained undetected but he'd be blown by the first casino security camera he tripped.

By the way, the printed version of TSW:A is plugging through the preparation loop and will be available in the not-too-distant future. I've registered the copyright on the story.

[Stuart]

Me too. Stuart said something about it, but it didn't go anywhere.

It is going somewhere, it's just everything takes time. Especially with a project this size. I actually have the book proofs now and am going through them. Also, we're to the point of working on getting a good cover.

Another point. The copyright on these stories has been registered. That means severe legal penalties for anybody trying to distribute them without authorization from me (and that will be denied). Sorry to be a hard-ass on this but there's a lot of work gone into TSW

[Kodiak]

Me too. Stuart said something about it, but it didn't go anywhere.

It is going somewhere, it's just everything takes time. Especially with a project this size. I actually have the book proofs now and am going through them. Also, we're to the point of working on getting a good cover.

Another point. The copyright on these stories has been registered. That means severe legal penalties for anybody trying to distribute them without authorization from me (and that will be denied). Sorry to be a hard-ass on this but there's a lot of work gone into TSW

So will it be removed from the "Completed Fictions" Section and otherwise purged from the board?

[Stuart]

So will it be removed from the "Completed Fictions" Section and otherwise purged from the board?

Probably, yes. On the other hand, the revised, cleaned up and immensely improved version will be available for a reasonable sum via Amazon. So will Pantheocide.

[Mayabird]

So will it be removed from the "Completed Fictions" Section and otherwise purged from the board?

Probably, yes. On the other hand, the revised, cleaned up and immensely improved version will be available for a reasonable sum via Amazon. So will Pantheocide.

Will do when the time comes.
[line 2]

[Korgeta]

Hmm reading it all, it was a bit disapointing, there were a few characters in the story whose personalites were one dimensional adding to dialogue with some dialouge such as These were black, jet black, as black as Yahweh’s heart. along with the dialouge and character of the angels and daemons were no better. The plus side is you know your stuff regarding military and politics but a lot of other elements are subsided as a result. The ending narration was surprisingly good and in some ways posed a philosophical statement to the reader. Though the story on a whole wasn't as creative as it could be, it dosen't match upto Mike Carey's Lucifer graphic novel series (with similar concepts of the rebellion against heaven, man to take the role of looking after creation (Elaine) and the desire to be in charge of your destiny) but it's still a good read nonetheless. Good luck in getting it published.

[Ascaloth]

Indeed; possession of a mind can't work against surveillance cameras. There's nothing there to possess. Theoretically a daemon or angel could possess the mind of the person watching the output but that person could be a long way away in both time and space. So, really, cameras are a very good way of detecting angels and daemons and there is no way around that.

That is a really major, major problem. The truth is that there is not a single case anywhere of any of the untold millions of surveillance cameras that are around picking up an angel or daemon. It's bad enough in the USA; in countries that use remote camera surveillance for law enforcement it's deadly. There has never been film on those cameras of daemons or angels walking down a street. Of course, we know the real reason, there are no such things as angels or daemons but in the TSW-verse that doesn't apply. The only possible explanation is that angels and daemons are very rare visitors and they stay away from major population connurbations. (That, by the way, destroys the "daemons would have known" argument right there.)

So poor Mikey wouldn't have been able to keep visiting his much-loved Las Vegas much longer anyway. He could escape detection by possessing the minds around him as long as the possession mechanism remained undetected but he'd be blown by the first casino security camera he tripped.

By the way, the printed version of TSW:A is plugging through the preparation loop and will be available in the not-too-distant future. I've registered the copyright on the story.

Ehlmas possessed some poor sod to create an entire religion. What's to stop Michael from possessing some half-drunk bloke for a night out on Vegas?

Problem solved, at least with regards to the whole camera detection issue.

[lord Martiya]

So will it be removed from the "Completed Fictions" Section and otherwise purged from the board?

Probably, yes. On the other hand, the revised, cleaned up and immensely improved version will be available for a reasonable sum via Amazon. So will Pantheocide.

Then I'll better hurry and read this: I've already lost The Big One this way...

Now, as an Italian with knowledge on Italian military of the past above the average of my people (a very sad average), I wish to thank you for saving the Italian troops in the war from their worst nemesis: their own generals. Thank you. By the way, a question: did they replaced the Ariete tanks with something a little less outdated?

[CaptainChewbacca]

Lord Martiya, you can buy a copy of TBO on amazon for $20, and that includes shipping.

Support your local authors

[AirMe]

Stuart, I have been lurking on this forum for a while reading your stories. Amazing is all I have to say. I will be purchasing the books when they are released. I have thoroughly enjoyed Armageddon and Pantheocide.

[spartasman]

Ok, I may have asked this question before during Armageddon but I don't think it got answered. What happens to transgender people (I.E. Kitten) when they die? Since peoples' bodies are returned to what they were either at death or mid-life, wouldn't she be turned back into a man?

[CaptainChewbacca]

Ok, I may have asked this question before during Armageddon but I don't think it got answered. What happens to transgender people (I.E. Kitten) when they die? Since peoples' bodies are returned to what they were either at death or mid-life, wouldn't she be turned back into a man?

There seems to be some sort of 'soul body' of a person which embodies their own self-image. I'd guess that amputees will find they've got limbs back, while transpersons will appear as they wished.

[Stuart]

Ok, I may have asked this question before during Armageddon but I don't think it got answered. What happens to transgender people (I.E. Kitten) when they die? Since peoples' bodies are returned to what they were either at death or mid-life, wouldn't she be turned back into a man?

This is a deliberate philosophical question that was left unanswered. The real question is, where does the determining factor in sexuality, the seat if you like, reside? Is it in the body or the mind? Does the physical configuration of a person's body determine their sex or is that determined by their mind? If the former is the case, then a post-operative transexual who dies will be reborn in their original physical sex. If the latter they will be reborn in the sex that suits their mental orientation.

[spartasman]

There seems to be some sort of 'soul body' of a person which embodies their own self-image. I'd guess that amputees will find they've got limbs back, while transpersons will appear as they wished.

So by that criteria, since Kitten enjoyed being led around on leash and never spoke, she would be born as a mute? Will Michael Jackson show up white?

This is a deliberate philosophical question that was left unanswered. The real question is, where does the determining factor in sexuality, the seat if you like, reside? Is it in the body or the mind? Does the physical configuration of a person's body determine their sex or is that determined by their mind? If the former is the case, then a post-operative transexual who dies will be reborn in their original physical sex. If the latter they will be reborn in the sex that suits their mental orientation.

Well, I understand and appreciate you're reasoning behind it now at least.