This answers my questions on the physiology, I guess.

So, RP-related question, what if you're trying to write something that isn't a literal body-horror sockpuppet character but one who works with the aliens, whether through coercion/hypnsosis/whathaveyou or from voluntary sheer insanity? Are they all thralls now or what?

(05-16-2024, 05:58 PM)Kampanom Wrote: This answers my questions on the physiology, I guess.

So, RP-related question, what if you're trying to write something that isn't a literal body-horror sockpuppet character but one who works with the aliens, whether through coercion/hypnsosis/whathaveyou or from voluntary sheer insanity? Are they all thralls now or what?

They wouldn't have to be.

That question is of personal relevance to me since one of my longest-played and most developed characters is exactly such a case, a human who is not infected nor psychically manipulated by them (beyond their use of telepathy to "illustrate" their points to her), but still serves them willingly and enthusiastically.

Humans can be convinced of all manner of exotic ideological positions without the use of supernatural alien shenanigans. You can make a fairly convincing rational argument from a utilitarian perspective that Katherine Pennybrooke (and by extension the Nomads) are right.

I don't see any problems with playing a human character that sympathizes with/worships/carnally desires Nomads without any undue psychic influence, people believe and do weirder shit than that irl.

Edit: The OP is interesting stuff by the way. Nomads have been severely lacking in concrete lore statements, and although I think it's actually a good thing that a lot of it is left to the imagination, it's nice to have some more explanations out there.

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That will not stop willing Nomad sympathizers from being (mis)labeled as thralls by others, because who in their right mind would willingly serve the Nomads, am I right?

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I think it's pretty great to see a lot of this stuff put to writing in an official capacity for once, while it still leaves room for individuals and groups to carry on their roleplay, it provides a nice point of reference for everyone else!

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(05-16-2024, 06:09 PM)Karst Wrote: They wouldn't have to be.

That question is of personal relevance to me since one of my longest-played and most developed characters is exactly such a case, a human who is not infected nor psychically manipulated by them (beyond their use of telepathy to "illustrate" their points to her), but still serves them willingly and enthusiastically.

Humans can be convinced of all manner of exotic ideological positions without the use of supernatural alien shenanigans. You can make a fairly convincing rational argument from a utilitarian perspective that Katherine Pennybrooke (and by extension the Nomads) are right.

I don't see any problems with playing a human character that sympathizes with/worships/carnally desires Nomads without any undue psychic influence, people believe and do weirder shit than that irl.

Edit: The OP is interesting stuff by the way. Nomads have been severely lacking in concrete lore statements, and although I think it's actually a good thing that a lot of it is left to the imagination, it's nice to have some more explanations out there.[/color]

Yeah but, like... there were are a lot of specifically infected characters who are kind of based on some coexistence (willing or otherwise) with the worm, especially Vagrant ones. How do I reconcile this?

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(05-16-2024, 07:21 PM)Erremnart Wrote:

Lore-wise, Vagrants never wanted any symbiosis or coexistence with humans. Their approach is slightly different and indirect as they are far less numerous than the Omicron Nomads, but their goals are the same.

Good squiddies coexisting with humanity were always player RP, and it was never part of the canon lore.

It depends on how you do it, if the poor fellow's basically coerced into doing what the squid wants it's still extremely one-sided and I always assumed this was kind of the rule. There's no coexistence or symbiosis or good vibes with the individual there, it's still pure domination and brute force and I'm not opposed to that. But a lot of character development is being spoiled considering that many people wrote their characters in such a way as to still have some hint of the old person, just horribly warped on a personal and spiritual level. There's none of that if it's just a bodysuit.

Here's how I'd do so in a vacuum:

The physical results of infection are laid out for us. Perfectly fine. It doesn't have to change the volitional component in some player's roleplay of some Infiltrators willingly taking on the symbiote and thus maintaining their personality in cooperation with the creature, rather than overriding it entirely (though this is all at the whim of the Nom in question still). This definitely isn't the case for the vast majority of them, but could potentially be the case for the possibly loony willing sympathizers that cross that threshold. It's still one with you and you can't remove it (and thus, die), but the relationship remains the same.

This is an approach with some history preceding the Vagrants' existence if I've heard right, and has happened with some regular Nom-aligned Wild players as well in ancient days. Those specifics don't really seem to be validated / rejected either way by OP, just that the host is dependent on the little bugger, which I think most people assumed already. Plenty of room to work in.


When we get right down to it, aren't Nomads communicating psychically with humans at all a fanon construction of Discovery just lent legitimacy over time? They definitely don't do any such thing in Freelancer proper iirc.I don't mention this to express any distaste for the concept and I find it neat, but I'd wonder why their spacebound form is less capable of the long-term, gradual indoctrination process if they're capable of that with a much smaller, more concealable form. The main advantage of the latter obviously being that it's hiding in a person, and isn't a huge alien thing that you're not likely to tolerate being alive long enough for it to matter.

Just my 2 coppers.

If you look at it from my PoV, I've had "La'Row" as the Infiltrator since 2014. And I have always played her as GRN/MRG/Enclave/Royalist character to keep her around Gallia and to cause bad stuff around that would be beneficial for both Nomads and Gallia. She was present during Leeds offensive, New London offensive, Glassing of Leeds (where I tinker with idea one of her fleet ships was glassing Leeds itself), then Kusari-Gallia war.

What would be the point of making a high ranked infiltrator if that would be just another body without the soul. The Incubus connects to the CNS so it can tinker with brain and adjust to situation correctly.