Recent posts

#11

The Lost Lake Inn / Re: 2026-04-01 - DMFA 2168 - ...

Last post by Cassi-kun - April 15, 2026, 07:10:32 PM

I think it may be a bit dramatic to send someone apparently high-ranking as the second assassin, but we don't know anything about the first assassin at all. And also Hizell is pretty dramatic, so sending a high-ranking follower for the second round doesn't seem all that unlikely.

I have to wonder if this is Hizell's way of retiring her.

She certainly doesn't feel like someone who's perfectly in line with what Hizell wants from his followers.

Well, the first assassin seemed to think that as Hizell's son, Pyroduck would be able to figure out a way to evade the assassins, and even wished him luck with it before going in to strike him.

 

I think it may be a bit dramatic to send someone apparently high-ranking as the second assassin, but we don't know anything about the first assassin at all. And also Hizell is pretty dramatic, so sending a high-ranking follower for the second round doesn't seem all that unlikely.

I have to wonder if this is Hizell's way of retiring her.

Could be. She said she was on a holy mission, and the first assassin brought the message "kill the assassins or be killed," so she's probably expecting to die - either fighting Pyro, or even getting squashed by Hizell for killing his son, even though he was the one who told her to.

#12

The Villa / Re: Feeling a lil nostalgic, t...

Last post by Tapewolf - April 15, 2026, 05:17:37 PM

Yes, there's a fair few old faces lurking around, but things mostly get more active when DMFA does something dramatic.

#13

The Villa / Feeling a lil nostalgic, thoug...

Last post by Boog - April 15, 2026, 02:46:49 PM

Heya! I still go by Boog, I used to be all over these forums RP boards back in the day. Was on kind of a nostalgia kick and was leafing through old webcomics I used to read, and I tripped over this one.

It's kinda nice that DMFA's site hasnt changed much since I was a kid, the internet doesnt really have that same fun vibe these days. I'll have to find where I left off and catch up. Anyone still here from the old days?

#14

The Lost Lake Inn / Re: 2026-04-01 - DMFA 2168 - ...

Last post by Anders71 - April 15, 2026, 10:16:44 AM

I think it may be a bit dramatic to send someone apparently high-ranking as the second assassin, but we don't know anything about the first assassin at all. And also Hizell is pretty dramatic, so sending a high-ranking follower for the second round doesn't seem all that unlikely.

I have to wonder if this is Hizell's way of retiring her.

She certainly doesn't feel like someone who's perfectly in line with what Hizell wants from his followers.

#15

The Lost Lake Inn / Re: 2026-04-01 - DMFA 2168 - ...

Last post by Tapewolf - April 15, 2026, 09:16:40 AM

I think it may be a bit dramatic to send someone apparently high-ranking as the second assassin, but we don't know anything about the first assassin at all. And also Hizell is pretty dramatic, so sending a high-ranking follower for the second round doesn't seem all that unlikely.

I have to wonder if this is Hizell's way of retiring her.

#16

The Lost Lake Inn / Re: 2026-04-01 - DMFA 2168 - ...

Last post by Anders71 - April 15, 2026, 09:10:37 AM

It really feels like a general trend is to treat Beings as a resource. Treating them as a valuable resource is... being pragmatic, better than treating them as physical or spiritual food. At least they're more valuable alive than dead in the latter case.

I'm not convinced that Hizell's realm is somehow free of Being exploitation either.

The panel definitely read as ironic to me, like she was unaware of just how well her criticism applied to her own home.

"So full of hostility" - Considering Hizell's territory has a 'death decree' for Cubi, has an open bounty on Abel for simply being Cubi, and is sending monthly assassins at his son because said son rejects that genocidal attitude...

"Realize how exploited they are" - from the girl in the 'death cult' devoted to Hizell who know damn well that he is throwing one of their lives away every month just to send his son an ineffectual message about how displeased he is that Pyroduck doesn't share his genocidal whims.

Sincere in delivery? Probably, but very lacking in self-awareness.

This sort of thing is generally known as psychological projection

[Chapter 25 - Outlaws]

#17

Tower of Art / Pax Draconica 2 - Chapter 24 (...

Last post by Tapewolf - April 15, 2026, 05:45:30 AM

Chapter 25 - Outlaws

Fardon jerked his head back, half expecting Lord Terror to go completely feral.  The white dragon trembled slightly, as if struggling to control himself.

"You stole another dragon's eggs...?" he asked slowly in a thin, quiet voice as if talking to a small child.

"Not me!" the plane-dragon squeaked.  "But I know that happens!  We're trying to give them a better life!"

Terry went silent for a few moments.

"I executed a dragon earlier today," he said.  "For eating my loyal subjects.  You, it seems, have been kidnapping defenceless hatchlings and eggs, and doing who-knows-what to them.  It would grieve me sore to have to execute two dragons in a single day, but that remains distinctly possible."

Jake leapt back and his engines started to spool up.

"Don't even think about it," Lord Terror hissed menacingly, clawed hand outstretched as if to grab at Jake.  "You have seen Mermul heal someone who had died of a bullet wound to the head," he pointed out.  "What, I wonder, would happen to all your fancy augmentations if that healing breath were applied to you...?"

"No!"  Mermul wailed.  "It's a gift from the Great One!  It's not supposed to be used as a weapon!"

Jake's engines shut down.  "I haven't done that!" he repeated, terrified.  "I haven't stolen eggs or anything!  I couldn't do it if I wanted to!  When it's done, we need someone much smaller than me!  With a padded trolley!"

"Hence the tracks," Fardon put in.

"Please..." Jake begged.  "I didn't do it!  Please don't take my wings!"

"You are still a member of the organisation which did," Terry snarled.  "If you are my subject, you are a member of a criminal gang!  If you are a Narduran, you have caused an international incident!  And if you claim your own territory between ours, you are an outlaw!"

"Calm down, your lordship," Fardon said, putting one hand on the angry dragon's shoulder.  "Jake hasn't committed that crime, and you can't retroactively declare his group to have been outlaws."

"I can if I want," Terry sulked.  "I am overlord!  But you are right - that is not the kind of ruler I aspire to be."

"I am glad to hear it.  Anyway, at least we know that this Brotherhood is taking good care of their... victims."

"We do not know that!"  Terry snapped.  "For all we know, they were taken as child slaves to work an illegal mine in their disputed territory base!  They might have been eaten!"

"They were not!"  Jake protested hotly.  "I told you - we're trying to better our lot!  Protect our kind from Hunters!"

"You certainly seem to believe so," Terry said, in a softer tone.  "But are you sure?  How do you know they're not lying to you about the fate of the kidnapped dragonlets?"

"Well," Jake said awkwardly, "I was one of them."

*  *  *

"Well that settles it," Fardon said testily.  "If you execute Jake, you'll be killing one of the kidnapped eggs or dragonlets.  That's the opposite of what we're trying to do!"

"Even so, we are not done with this," Terry said.  "I have many, many questions to put to Jake or his superiors.  However, I really do not have time right now.
"I am the overlord, and at this moment, I can't be contacted if something goes awry.  I have been away long enough - I should really be heading back to Hadrovar and my captains.  I need to report the existence of the Hunters' base so that they can inform my staff at the capital.  Then we can worry about this new factor.

"Jake, please follow us to Hadrovar, so that we can get to the bottom of exactly what your group has been doing."

"But I need to report back too!" the plane-dragon protested.  Terry shot a dark look at him.

"I am asking you nicely," Lord Terror said.  "Remember, I am the ruler here.  If you defy me, I shall come down hard on your organisation.  I can easily bring anti-aircraft missiles to bear if I have to."

"I can report to Hadrovar in the morning," Jake said reluctantly.

"See that you do," Terry growled.  "Otherwise you are opening the door to a messy territorial dispute, one that will not end well for your friends.  I do not think the lords of Narduran will be very happy, should they learn who has been stealing dragon eggs."

"I will be there," Jake said quickly.  "Or another one of us.  Running away from this will only make it worse in the end, won't it...?"

*  *  *

Mermul had retrieved Lady Silver's jeep in a hail of gunfire, and was clutching it in his paws as gently as he could.  Terry had carried it most of the way, before resuming his furre disguise and climbing Fardon's neck.
The Huntress knew, intellectually, that Mermul was not going to drop the jeep - and her with it - but a lifetime of anti-dragon propaganda still made the experience rather unsettling.  Mermul had warned her that setting the jeep down might be a little rough, and she was not looking forward to that.

"Well, that's a couple of items off our to-do list," Fardon said he descended into the city square of Hadrovar.  "We know who's taking the eggs, and we've solved the mystery of the UFOs."

"That's... Uh!"  Terry hesitated, climbing down from Fardon's back in mortal guise.  In front of him, an orange draconic figure stood waiting, hands tucked into the pockets of black leather jeans.

"Sir Zarnak...?"  Terry asked, looked at him strangely.

"Humanoid guise," the orange dragon shrugged.  Terry shot him a warning look.

"It made things much easier collaborating with the mayor," Zarnak explained.

"True, but it would have been nice if I'd known you could do that," Terry sighed.  "How goes things?"

"The first few tankers have distributed their water," the orange dragon-man said.  "I'll be happier when the underlying situation is resolved, but things are under control for the moment."

"Good.  And the bigger picture...?"

"The mayor is showing me the ropes.  I think I'm getting there, but I've not really run a whole city before.  I don't know how you cope with the capital, let alone the whole realm!"

"Get good advisors," Terry said.  "Trying to micromanage everything won't work - it's better if you act as executive and steer others in the direction you want.  And besides, the fact that I'm struggling a little with the North is why I requested your help.  If it's still too much, we can look at dividing things further and getting others to run those parts, but I want to see how things go first.  You've been at this for less than a day, so don't panic that you haven't instantly solved everything.
"Mind you, ruling Arstrom isn't my first rodeo," he added.  "Though it's definitely a step up.  A century and a bit ago, I was a sheriff in Taxaria.  Cattle-raising land, used horses a lot, and very hot in summer.  I liked the attire - leather pants and gloves, a wide hat to keep the sun off," he sighed contentedly.  "I got quite good at riding horses and shooting revolvers, though the horses never quite trusted me.
"Anyway, I kept the peace.  Had to string up various cattle thieves and other ne'er-do-wells and outlaws - for some reason they didn't like the idea of me beheading them - but I learned a lot about running a large town and I never had a lack of beef.

"Sounds cushy.  Why did you leave...?"

"Times were changing.  Once, the town was an important location - served by a river and later a railroad, and it was an important stop for travellers.  But as motor vehicles started to appear, it became easier to develop less accessible areas, and fewer people needed to stop there.  More ranches sprang up elsewhere and we were facing a lot more competition.
"But closer to home, people were starting to get suspicious about my remaining young, and they didn't trust the big dragon who lived in a nearby mountain range with similar fur patterning to me, and the fact that I was mysteriously absent each time this dragon was sighted.  Some of the ranchers had been trying to get me to drive them away, the fact that I had 'negotiated' with the dragon to pay for any heads of cattle taken didn't seem to be enough.
"Eventually the dragon left town, and the sheriff went with them.  Pity, in a way... it was a good life, you could ride off into the wilderness and be as a free as anyone can get without being a dragon.
"I kept the clothes," Terry smiled to himself.  "Sometimes I still wear them, I like the feel of them.  But rarely in public, people get offended if I go around dressed like that for some reason... though since I started wearing the bodysuits they quickly shut up about the cowboy outfit."

"Who's the..." Zarnak started, and then clammed up, staring at Lady Silver with a look of concern.

"Lady Silver, an envoy from Atlantia," Lord Terror said.  "She is here on a trade mission," he added.  "Wanted to be reassured that my opening Arstrom up to dragonkind wouldn't stop them using the Narduran pass for peaceful purposes.
"However," he added darkly, "It seems that a splinter group of Hunters has been building a secret lab near the Northwest border.  Be on the alert for that."

Zarnak looked mortified.  "I can't stay like this forever!" he said.  "I can remain humanoid for a day or two, at best!  I'll have to revert soon!  They'll notice the big dragon openly hanging around Hadrovar!"

"You'll be wanting an official residence here anyway," Terry said.  "But you can probably sleep in the City Hall's garage for now as a temporary measure.  Given how quickly that was repaired, I think we could easily get you a similar structure to live in, at least until a proper villa can be built.
"But don't worry too much about the Hunters.  I have made it abundantly clear to Lady Silver that they will be considered outlaws if they ply their trade here - but more to the point, we think the splinter group are trying to remain hidden while they do whatever they're trying to do, and that they don't want to draw attention to themselves.  Murdering dragon officials in public is the opposite of that.  Nonetheless, I need to inform the capital at once, and if you can warn other dragons to avoid that area for now, it would be wise."

Lord Terror turned to the snow leopard.  "Lady Silver," he began, "I am not sure what your plans are right now.  We can repair your jeep if you wish to drive back to the capital, or I can arrange for you to fly back in the troop carrier.  On the other hand, since your mission seems to involve finding out what the hell they're up to, you might prefer to remain here for now.  But if so, I will expect a report on whatever you find as it concerns us all."

"We still have the problem of Maarvyn," Fardon reminded them.  "Perhaps less so, if he is not involved with the egg thefts, and Zarnak's presence should deter him from attacking Hadrovar now his thug is slain."

"Your military engineers were working to establish a satellite uplink to the capital, my lord," Sir Zarnak said.  "You may be able to use that to contact your people there."

#18

The Lost Lake Inn / Re: 2026-04-01 - DMFA 2168 - ...

Last post by Cassi-kun - April 14, 2026, 05:33:56 PM

There's also the little bit that Tasha seems to be treating the entirety of this little outing as a vacation while knowing quite a bit more that is going on around here then she lets on. So, her going there seems a bit more suspicious. Like the inn might not be a mission for her. So, I do kind of wonder if she even knows about Ducky or maybe she's just curious about what her other sisters are up to who are sent to the inn.

I think it may be a bit dramatic to send someone apparently high-ranking as the second assassin, but we don't know anything about the first assassin at all. And also Hizell is pretty dramatic, so sending a high-ranking follower for the second round doesn't seem all that unlikely.

#19

The Lost Lake Inn / Re: 2026-04-01 - DMFA 2168 - ...

Last post by e_voyager - April 14, 2026, 05:39:59 AM

Did we ever find out how they set the lake on fire?

#20

Jayhawk HQ / Re: [Xer 2 Chapter 4]

Last post by Tapewolf - April 14, 2026, 05:26:56 AM

Now I'm curious if the Progenitor hardliners get together to plot atrocities against Protogen neighbourhoods or the suchlike...

In this setting the protogens have long since spread beyond the systems of their creation so that's less of an issue.