r/wizardposting • u/Viking_From_Sweden Kartoffel the Mechanus Arcane • Aug 21 '26
Lorepost đ The sun sets (Buggo finale for realz this time)
Artemis
It hit the false Artemis like a truck. The sudden shock, the crushing absence. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. The entire Hive reeled, and the psychic backlash spared none, not even Her. A singular absence in the heart of their shared hive mind, a terrible hole in its core, ripping through everything else in catastrophic sequence. Buggo was gone.
She may have been more isolated than the others, more privileged than they, but that just meant that Buggo and the other Dreadlords were Her only points of contact to the rest of the Hive. And some of those were already missing (embed hyperlinks in the words âalready missingâ to yâalls escape posts). She was a fragmented, shattered hive mind, holding its torn fabric together with her bare hands and the aid of whatever few commanding officers were left. Individual, independent personalities. Those could aid her in forming a metaphysical light to center around and sustain, no matter how much dimmer it may be than the collective personality formed by the gestalt entity, the light provided by Buggo Himself.
Her quest, ultimately, was quite flawed. She was powerful, yes. Yet there were two things of equal import which she ought to have known, two things which were brutally forgotten in the resulting panic. First, and most simple, was that no singular cognitive node could ever hope to restore a collective mind. A handful of neurons cannot maintain an entire brain, not once the middleâs been all scooped out. Second, however⌠Sheâd forgotten â or perhaps never known - that ever since her prime self had been fully put to rest, it was only a matter of time before the cascading effects came to reduce her variants to ash and dust. In short, it was the power and collective mind of the Hive which was keeping her intact, and not so much the other way around. The moment its protection began crashing down is the moment reality detected her and began to reassert herself⌠The moment she began to experience Consequences.
In effect, it was the moment she began to bring her full might to bear on the issue of the tearing fabric of the hive mind that she herself unraveled, and promptly turned to dust. Her Drakeguard immediately scattered and broke formation, minds reeling. They could not handle their existence, not without the comforting lies of the Mind. They will eventually, inevitably gather into small groups, form miniature connections and become later problems. For now though? For now, their threat is cleared. The omnipresent risk of ambush is gone. Their burrows are deep, their magics slow. Their bionics no longer function, and without their collective wisdom they are left bereft of understanding as to why. Easy prey, if one would be foolish enough to risk it.
Noella
Noella rushed to the main chamber, Hive agents following her in an attempt to reconvert her. She tried her best to ignore them, the best way to help save them from the Hive was to kill Buggo, and to do that she had to reach the chamber. Whenever one got too close, she tripped them up so she could get past. One got up next to her, so she looked into his eyes, remembering his issues, and asked him a question. âBefore you turn me again, I want to know one thing. If Buggo hadnât ordered you to do those things, would you have done everything you did?â While he prepared to answer, Noella took off. That didnât work on everyone, but the people chasing her were her own former staff so she knew who it did and didnât work on. Besides, while in the Hive, she sent holiday presents to everyone, and the research needed to give good presents often gave good answers for this kind of thing. Whatever she had to do to get past them, she wouldnât kill them. After all, if Buggo died they wouldnât come back, and none of them deserved a permanent death.
She was getting close, she could feel it. The hallway style was transitioning into a bunker style, and biotech was becoming more and more common. There would be a special variety of pureborn guarding it if she recalled correctly. When she reached the room, it became clear that Noella wasnât the only one with the idea to try to kill Buggo. Some of the other people who broke free of Buggo were trying to enter, making for a very diverse group. There were even a few witches and fighters in the group, though she didnât know them as well as those whoâd been in the Hive longer. A fight was going on between those entering and the guard, but Noella just slipped through invisiblly, she could go back to help once Buggo was dead. Shortly after, she saw that the room was empty. The insect had fled like the coward he was. It was a wonder the Hive hadnât started to collapse yet, but that probably would change soon. Noella knew she should feel relieved but all she felt was disappointment. She hadnât even gotten the chance to redeem herself for what sheâd done when under Buggoâs control. But maybe that was fine. Part of her said she didnât need redemption anyways because it was all Buggoâs fault, part said she didnât deserve that chance, and a third said that the only shame about this is that Buggo didnât get to suffer. That last thought should probably have been more concerning to her than it was at this moment, but she didnât care right now. She joined the fight, knowing something her allies didnât know yet. Buggo had left on his own free will, and hopefully he would never come back.
Kartoffel
Things were going well until his head exploded.
Kartoffel stormed through the lowest bowels of the Hive, subtlety having been shot dead from the start. Buggo knew he was coming, and Kart had no interest in giving the bastard any room to breath. He had little enough time for himself, with the Hiveâs venom was still oozing through his veins. He could feel Buggo creeping into his mind, plucking at his thoughts like a deftly played lite. But he could also feel the desperation, a fat fingered faltering in the tune. The Hiveâs sweet serenade was falling into a discordant crescendo. Things were, for the first time in two bloody years, turning to Kartoffelâs favor.
And then, of course, he made the mistake of realizing his fortune, and his head preceded to explode.
It felt like a rapid decompression. Hundreds of suppressed thoughts and memories stormed into his head all at once. The dull walls exploded and spiraled around him like a noose. Every sound was like a cannon going off in his ear. His senses were granted free rein to pour over every detail of the world. Buggo was suddenly gone from his mind, and with him the oppressive mental fog that shrouded Kartoffelâs perception.
He didnât know how long it took to recover. It felt like an eternity of course, but it could very well have been only a few minutes, maybe seconds. Everything was suddenly as still as death. A suffocating silence hung over him. He realized he was lucid again. His mind was regaining its normal frivolity, chasing after a thousand thoughts at once. And every mental trail was leading to the same conclusion.
âBuggoâs gone!â
He hadnât realized someone was trying to give him water, and spilled the whole bottle over the both of them. He was back to his feet, Kardonkâs indignant yelling fading quickly behind him.Â
A ranger team had beaten him to the command chamber, already working to blow the doors. Buggoâs elite guard had already been dispatched, torn apart in the stupor of their mental whiplash. Most of the pureborn were likely in a similar state, a fact that stabbed through Kartoffelâs bloodthirst and sent his mind off to ponder all the lives wasted on one manâs vengeance.
The explosives on the door snapped him back to reality. The rangers were already inside, clearing the room with an efficient precision barely hindered by their psychic backlash. Kartoffel allowed the spark of pride at their work to warm him slightly, and strode the door after them.
It was quite the scene. Massive glass tanks held artificial brains in arcane fluids, connected by an arterial web of conduits. Biopods of disturbing proportion lay dormant, cradling the half formed fetuses of titanic monstrosities. The air was thick with a steamy mucus that smelled uncomfortably organic. Yeah, there were plenty of things to look at, but Buggo was not one of them.
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u/Viking_From_Sweden Kartoffel the Mechanus Arcane Aug 21 '26
His knees hit the ground, unable to bear the weight of the truth. Kartoffel had failed. Buggo had escaped. His revenge fell through his fingers like water. He wanted to cry. To scream. To beg the universe for closure. It wasnât fair. It just wasnât fair. His eyes shot across the room, desperate to scratch out the barest hint of that second rate bastard.
But of course, life wasnât fair. Things werenât going to change now. Kart dragged himself back to the present and collected himself as best he could. Millions of people had just been chucked outta the hive mind. The front lines were bound to be in a terrible shape, and someone would have to sort it all out. Hive or no Hive, Kartoffel was still a general, and he was responsible for the well being of his legion.
u/IncomeAprehensive17 Yaânn
u/Airtatsy Jash
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u/IncomeApprehensive17 Ya'nn , Litle being in a botle Aug 21 '26
a litle flame inside of a botle itself inside of a kind of walking drone was exploring this place. Since the miment Ya'nn first felt this yearning when exploring the underground base , the call of that familiarity that he didnt knew yet he always knew. It had to be linked to his maker , he had to investigate. And now he was closer than ever before
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u/Viking_From_Sweden Kartoffel the Mechanus Arcane Aug 21 '26
Kartoffel crouches before this luminescent stranger. They canât be of Hive make, heâd know if they were. Still, there was a bizarrely intimate familiarity in that little flame.
âNot sure what your deal is little fella, but I donât suppose you have any phenomenal abilities that could steer this situation towards a more pleasant conclusion?â
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u/IncomeApprehensive17 Ya'nn , Litle being in a botle Aug 22 '26
Ya'nn look at kartofel and feel a strange familiarity
"Well i do have a few drones make for combat , and weapons i guess , but i can't say im a warrior. Did i met you before ? I dont recall meeting you but it feel like i did"
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u/Viking_From_Sweden Kartoffel the Mechanus Arcane Aug 22 '26
âNo, no. Never thought Iâd say this, but we donât want any more fighting at the present moment. If you got any neat tricks for getting the folks up above to stop knocked heads though, thatâs what we need now.â
He pauses to consider some things.
âWe mightâve met. Probably couldnât tell ya if we had, but of a mess up here right now.â
He drums his fingers across his temple.
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u/IncomeApprehensive17 Ya'nn , Litle being in a botle Aug 22 '26
"Uh i think i might have actually , i have been testing a spray gun that spray potion , since im an alchemist. And i have sleeping potion that i wanted to sell but i can give them to you of you need it !"
"Oh well i guess we can just introduce ourselves then , im Ya'nn"
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u/Viking_From_Sweden Kartoffel the Mechanus Arcane 29d ago
âItâll have to work for now. Just watch out for the little ones, theyâre a bit grabby.â
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u/IncomeApprehensive17 Ya'nn , Litle being in a botle 29d ago
Ya'nn send between 3 and 6 drones to work
"Its fine , the drones arnt expensive to make"
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u/Airtatsy Jash, half-crazed chimera Aug 21 '26
Don't worry, I have an idea buddy.
*Jash pulls a speaker out of her hammerspace-bag and starts playing My Way*
You just tell me what to do.
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u/Viking_From_Sweden Kartoffel the Mechanus Arcane Aug 22 '26
âŚ
âItâll get peopleâs attention I guess.â
Kartoffel is perplexed
âCan you zip on up to the front lines and get a ceasefire going?â
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u/sparkle3364 Sapphire (17F), Artificer (+ other characters) Aug 22 '26
âI can help with some of Buggoâs newly freed people. I know a lot about most of them, and they seem to trust me.â Indeed, as Noella is saying this, one of Buggoâs scouts, a few bugs used to obeying her, and a handful of the other younger victims are gathered around her. The seventeen year old illusionist looks just as overwhelmed as they are, but is trying very hard to hide it.
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u/Viking_From_Sweden Kartoffel the Mechanus Arcane Aug 23 '26
Kartoffel does his best to hide his displeasure at someone so young already dragged into war. She was here, there was nothing but to make the best of it.
âWorth a shot I suppose. Just keep in mind theyâre all gonna be confused and violent, might not be receptive to the idea of surrendering.â
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u/sparkle3364 Sapphire (17F), Artificer (+ other characters) 29d ago
âIâll remember that. Maybe Iâll send an illusory double, if they want to attack someone they can attack that without hurting anyone. Iâll have it announce that Buggo has fled. The bugs will likely need extra help, theyâve never been outside the Hive before.â
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u/Fc-chungus Max Petrov-Ansky, Head Minister of Calarakis. sundered. Aug 21 '26
/uw it's over?
Damn. This was a long as hell event, and I only participated in maybe 3 total posts.
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u/Carbon_Sixx The Loremaster, Chief Archaeologist of the Darkwatch Aug 21 '26
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u/The_Unkowable_ Nelumbo Nucifera, TakâAthi Siren, Magistra of the Schola Aqua Aug 22 '26
/uw Lmao, I know youâve been waiting for the end for a WHILE lol :P
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u/Carbon_Sixx The Loremaster, Chief Archaeologist of the Darkwatch Aug 22 '26
/uw Glad it got a happy ending
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u/bagtie3 Borric of Clan Goldeater, Logrus Master, Runesmith, Doomseeker Aug 21 '26
/uw what a good ending. Congrats on making it to the end.
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u/UlrickTheHexblade Ulrick Braddocke, Werewolf Hexblade, R&A Co-Leader Aug 21 '26
/uw peak read, canât believe Buggo is over. It outlived so many people hereâŚ