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Stonetribe

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Everything posted by Stonetribe

  1. Just got a Wii U today! Fun...

    1. Davroth

      Davroth

      What games did you get? :D

  2. Where is Rosewind? I thought she would utterly adore Broodmother...
  3. Meh, still, close enough. Have a gold star sticker.
  4. I'm not too familiar with League of Legends, but I have heard of her as Broodmother's counterpart, so to speak. Also, did you come up with those 5 off the top of your head? Or did you cheat and use a search engine? Further more, listing Broodmother herself after me doing a whole post on her seems kinda shifty...
  5. I know I've been away for awhile, but Bugmaster Stonetribe is back, and he's brought that promised fictional bug highlight with him. Ladies and gentleman, allow me to introduce to you, Black Arachnia, the Broodmother, hailing from the popular online game, Defense of The Ancients 2 (Or Dota 2, as it's more oftenly called) Firstly, let me tell you all her official in game lore. And by tell, I mean copy pasta. For centuries, Black Arachnia the Broodmother lurked in the dark lava tubes beneath the smoldering caldera of Mount Pyrotheos, raising millions of spiderlings in safety before sending them to find prey in the wide world above. In a later age, the Vizier of Greed, Ptholopthales, erected his lodestone ziggurat on the slopes of the dead volcano, knowing that any looters who sought his magnetic wealth must survive the spider-haunted passages. After millennia of maternal peace, Black Arachnia found herself beset by a steady trickle of furfeet and cutpurses, bold knights and noble youths--all of them delicious, certainly, and yet tending to create a less than nurturing environment for her innocent offspring. Tiring of the intrusions, she paid a visit to Ptholopthales; and when he proved unwilling to discuss a compromise, she wrapped the Vizier in silk and set him aside to be the centerpiece of a special birthday feast. Unfortunately, the absence of the Magnetic Ziggurat's master merely emboldened a new generation of intruders. When one of her newborns was trodden underfoot by a clumsy adventurer, she reached the end of her silken rope. Broodmother headed for the surface, declaring her intent to rid the world of each and every possible invader, down to the last Hero if necessary, until she could ensure her nursery might once more be a safe and wholesome environment for her precious spiderspawn. So let's see... Where do I start? I suppose an optimal place would be that she is a giant, talking spider that I can play as in a video game. Being the bug lover and avid video gamer I am, this is like purchasing some chicken nuggets at the drive through, pulling out exact change from my pocket, and finding out as I enjoy them that there was an additional nugget then meant to be. If you try to think of as many video games that let you be any sort of arthropod, I bet you won't even make it up to five. Enough about me nerding on about bugs in video games though, and more of me, well, nerding on about a specific bug in a certain video game. As a character I find, Black Arachnia, or Broodmother as she is more often referred to, very interesting and even a bit sympathetic. Firstly, she's at least a thousand years old. So that puts her on a Princess Celestia tier of life expectancy and everything else that comes with it. I'd bet anyone with that kind of longevity would have seen plenty in their time and no doubt become moderately experienced in a number of things. The thing Broodmother must be experienced the most with though, must be, well, being a mother! A single mother at that. Granted, being a spider mother compared to being a human one probably has quite a few differences, but definitely difficult nonetheless. She's a strong, independent woman female spider who don't need no man male spider. Apparently though, some wizard (Dota 2 is placed in a fantasy setting, in case you didn't know) decided to build his "lodestone ziggurat" whatever the heck that is, specifically right next to Broodmother's home, thinking that he can use her many children as a means of scaring off whoever wants his "lodestone ziggurat". Broodmother however, isn't entirely happy with this, as I'm sure any good mother wouldn't want complete strangers brandishing large sharp pieces of metal and staffs that shoot fire balls near their children either. So she pays him a visit and tries to level with him, work something out, you know? Turns out he's a mean, stubborn old geezer though. He must of said some pretty nasty things to Brood for her outright turn him into the spider equivalent of a birthday cake. Problem solved, right? Apparently not, as his absence only encourages even more people to barge into her home. She must of been pretty fed up at this point, and when one of her young is actually stepped on by some moron who thinks he's a valiant knight, she Broodmother decided it was time to take things into her own pedipalps. (That's the spider equivalent of hands by the way) She also has another bit of lore, this time in the form of a cosmetic set of items for her to wear. (The items don't effect gameplay, their for apparel purpose only) Many are the knights and noble youths who have intruded on the hunting grounds of the Broodmother, disturbing her peace with the clatter of armor, their boots setting atwitch her silken web. The intruders are like succulent shelled insects upon whose innards she's gorged, all the while growing curious of the adornments that drape their bodies, until that day when a blacksmith found his way into her web. Armor he promised her, the finest in the land, if only she would set him free. And so a deal was struck, and the blacksmith measured, and toiled, taking as his materials the finest steel to be found among the husked corpses of silk-wrapped knights. When the new armor was finished, the spider kept her promise and set the blacksmith free. Then she watched her brood devour him. Hmmm. Well okay, maybe Broodmother's morals are a little darker then I might make them out to be. But in her defense, her experience with other humans isn't exactly one that she should be trusting of them. Also, imagine this. You take your children to the park, and their you find someone handing out 100% legit free ice cream and candy, and you tell your kids that they can't have any, without being able to give them any reason whatsoever. Yeah... Which brings her to the field of combat as we see her in Dota 2. She's hands down my favorite hero to play as. Compared to the rest of the cast, (A total of 101 playable characters, and growing) She's actually considered not as good or viable. But that just makes me want to use her even more. And it's not just because she's a spider and I love all bugs, really. Her play style literally makes me feel like I'm a giant spider! Now this might not entirely make sense, but I'm going to list her abilities and how they're used. I think you guys will get the picture. Her first skill is called "Spawn Spiderlings" and basically what is does is that she shoots this glob of green stuff at an enemy, and if it kills said enemy or they die shortly there after, they will leave little spider babies in their wake. These "Spiderlings" can be controlled to move and attack other units. Further more, when a enemy unit is killed by or dies shortly after being attacked by a spiderling, they will leave behind a "Spiderite" a slightly weaker version of the spiderling. With this skill, you can quickly amass an army of adorable little spiders to swarm anything that stands in your way! Her second skill is called "Spin Web" and it's the main thing that makes me feel like I'm literally a spider. If you think she goes all spiderman and binds the bad guys with silk that shoots out like silly string on steroids, your mistaken. No, rather she spins a web on the ground in a moderately large area. Whenever Broodmother, or her children for that matter, stand in this web, they get three bonuses. Firstly, they become invisible from enemy sight. Secondly, they receive a speed boost. And lastly, they are granted with bonus health regeneration. Again, it's mainly because of this skill that I feel like a spider. You wait in your web for enemies to pass by and then ambush them in an area that gives you an advantage! The third skill "Incapacitating Bite" isn't as flashy as the first two, but it still adds to the overall spider feel. It's passive, meaning it's always in effect. What it does is that whenever she strikes an enemy, their movement speed is slowed and their accuracy is reduced, making them miss their own attacks. This is like the venom spiders use on insects once they are stuck in their web before they start to wrap them up. Finally, her fourth and ultimate "A dota 2 heroes most powerful skill" is called "Insatiable Hunger". When she activates it, she gains bonus attack damage and lifesteal for a short duration. "Lifesteal" means that when she attacks someone, some of the damage dealt is returned to her as health. It's perfect for when you catch an enemy hero all alone, as any damage they deal to you is almost entirely negated as she chows down on them. And there we have it. This is a lot different then my usual highlights, if you even consider this as one. As always, I appreciate your thoughts and feedback as it's part of what drives me to run this thread!
  6. And then the Bugmaster arrived. Ahhh bees... The winged, yellow and black portion of the arthropod euro-social trio. (The other two being ants and termites) I must say, I prefer ants to bees because they don't have wings and have to be a bit more creative. But I digress. Bees are such amazing creatures, with immensely fascinating behavior. When I compare human society to bee society, bee's excel us in many ways. We wouldn't be able to live without bees, but they certainly could live without us.
  7. They're we are. Sorry if it's a tad sloppy, I'm out of practice.
  8. "I have a package for.... What in the wide world of Equestria happened here?!" Buzz turned his head towards the newcomer mail-colt. [colour=#cccc99]"I have become the universe's plaything, that's what happened. If you have a package addressed to me, you can just leave it by the door. I'm busy enough as it is"[/colour] Buzz redirected his attention to Pocket Change and Trekker. "How do I gain the trust and respect of your little buggy friends? And would it be possible for me to at least send a letter to my cousin? If I don't come back by night, she's going to freak and will probably send ponies out to look for me..I'll just not mention the fact that I'm currently being ponynapped by a legion of creepy-crawlers." [colour=#CCCC99]"We can worry about getting you two on good terms with the bugs [/colour][colour=#cccc99]tomorrow. Right now, I need to focus on calming them down"[/colour] [colour=#282828]"[/colour][colour=#336633]So... no leaving the woods, is that right? Do I have a limit to where in the woods I can go?[/colour][colour=#282828]" Trekker asked Buzz. "[/colour][colour=#336633]I like to forage for my own food you see. Perhaps I can even prepare something for you![/colour][colour=#282828]"[/colour] Buzz thought about this. [colour=#CCCC99]"Perhaps... I'd have to talk to them about it"[/colour] [colour=#282828]"[/colour][colour=#336633]I have angered the bugs, right? Not my pet fox? Because if neither of us can leave, I can perhaps send Chrome here with a letter to Pocket's cousin. She is a very smart fox. I'm sure she'd be up to the task. Normally I use magic to send letters but that usually only works if I know the recipient.[/colour][colour=#282828]"[/colour] Buzz though about this also. [colour=#CCCC99]"No, I shouldn't think your fox is detested by the bugs"[/colour] [colour=#282828]"[/colour][colour=#336633]As for your invitation to stay here, I'll gladly accept. I rarely turn down an invitation to stay at someone's place, especially someone as interesting as yourself Buzz. Just let me know when I can drop the barrier and I shall,[/colour][colour=#282828]"[/colour] Buzz breathed a sigh of slight relief. [colour=#282828]"[/colour][colour=#336633]Oh right, and if you need help fixing that new skylight of yours, I'll be happy to help so long as your bugs don't attack me for using unwarranted magic.[/colour][colour=#282828]"[/colour] [colour=#cccc99]"No, no, the bugs will have it fixed by tomorrow morning. Besides, I'm sure they think they would do a better job of fixing it then you would"[/colour] Buzz paused for a second thinking about what he just said. [colour=#cccc99]"I mean, they[/colour] [colour=#CCCC99]think that, not me. I don't doubt you magic abilities. They just, I, yeah you know. Anyways, if their are no more interruptions excluding ones that involve getting me some coffee, I'd like to finally start calming these bugs down"[/colour] Buzz laid down on the ground in front of the barrier, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.
  9. Right right, sorry. I've been neglecting Canterlot as of late...Again...
  10. Can't think of anything clever for now...

  11. I think I can also relate to having up and down role play moods.
  12. I think that crustaceans can be considered as "bugs" I also consider slugs, snails, leeches, and worms as worthy of the "bug" tittle as well!
  13. Yeah, the saying "arthropods" would be more accurate but "bugs" is just easier to type.
  14. Okay then, thanks. That being said, I'll just wait for Trekker and Pocket Change to respond to Buzz's "Instructions" before posting again.
  15. Alright then, I went and sent Silver Swirl a pm welcoming him to our role play and letting him know about the OOC thread! Also, if I may make a small request, I'd like it if we could keep from posting the actions of any bugs limited to me. It hasn't been a problem yet, but it will make it easier to keep the flow of the role play intact when only I decide if a bug trys to bite somepony on the nose or not. That's alright, right?
  16. [colour=#282828][colour=#ED458B]"You want me to take her home? Sure, I don't see why not! I'll pick up some coffee in town and we can forget that I punched a hole in your roof with my flank. It looks like a nice little skylight! You can gaze up at the stars at night, and it will make a really fun conversation piece...until it rains or snows! Ha! Hahahaha!"[/colour][/colour] Buzz squinted his eyes a bit [colour=#cccc99]'Oh gee, thanks Pinkie. I was this close to taking my mind off of the huge hole in my house and concentrating on other things for the moment. What would I do without you?' [/colour]Buzz thought in a sarcastic tone. "So would we be actually be able to leave this place, and not get mauled or carried away by a horde of insects? I would like to return to town. My cousin is probably worried about me and I would like to check out town before it gets dark. I've heard so many good things about Ponyville, and when the town isn't being invaded by horrible monsters, it can be a nice place to stay. This bugs won't follow us, will they?" Buzz flinched as Pocket Change said this. With all the things happening right now, he was hoping he could wait until he calmed the bugs down before dropping the bomb on him and Trekker. Now that he mentioned it though, if would be rude not to tell them. Buzz turned his attention to the two ponies in the barrier and cleared his voice. [colour=#cccc99]"Actually, I'm afraid that's not entirely the case. You see, I can calm these bugs down enough to the point where they won't seize you the moment the barrier is gone. However, They're still going to be very, [/colour][colour=#cccc99]very[/colour], [colour=#cccc99]spiteful towards you both. I very much doubt that they will allow you to leave these woods.[/colour] Buzz began to pace as he talked. [colour=#cccc99]"Even worse, these bugs are going to share today's events with their peers, and information in the vast bug grapevine is is spread very fast. So in the incredible stroke of luck that you can manage to sneak out, bugs everywhere will be certain to give you a hard time for who knows how long. Fortunately, I have a solution to both of these problems. I can help you earn their trust and even a little respect. If you do that, then they won't see you as a threat and let you leave as well clear up your bad reputation among themselves. I'm afraid it will take a day or two, but you are both welcome to stay in my abode until then"[/colour] Buzz stopped pacing and turned to face the two. [colour=#CCCC99]"I understand this is a lot to take in. Do you have any questions?"[/colour]
  17. Okay, just throwing this out there, but how would you all feel if I did a highlight not on a real bug, but a fictional one?
  18. [colour=#ED458B]"M-more coffee? Sure, I'd be happy to go outside...is it safe outside? There's some really crazy magic going on out there! Usually when I see something sparking away, that means Twilight is testing a new spell or something, and it's a good idea to go the other way! I wouldn't want to get turned into a giant cupcake, cactus, or end up with an extra nose or something! Then again, I bet it would be fun to be a giant cupcake!"[/colour] [colour=#cccc99]"Don't worry Pinkie the bugs aren't upset with you. It's like I said before, It was, Um... I don't think I caught that one ponies name yet actually. Well the bugs are already acquainted with you so they're only worried for your safety after he did his little net stunt.[/colour] [colour=#ed458b]"Buzz...if I were a cupcake, what flavour would I be? Be honest!"[/colour] Buzz squinted his eyes a little. [colour=#CCCC99]"Pinkie, now is not the time to be thinking about what kind of cupcake you'd, you'd be..."[/colour] Buzz paused momentarily. [colour=#cccc99]"Oh geeze, now you've got me actually curious" [/colour]Buzz exhaled his breath. [colour=#cccc99]"Alright well the first thing that comes to mind is cotton candy but that might be a bit obvious because of your poofy mane. So when I think of an energetic and colourful flavour, I think of... strawberry cherry?"[/colour] Buzz shook his head and motioned for Pinkie to follow him outside. [colour=#cccc99]"We can pick this conversation up later but for now I really need to start tending to those upset bugs outside. Oh that reminds me! Do you know that little filly out there? As long as your going to Ponyville, perhaps you can take her with you and bring her back home?"[/colour] As he stepped back outside, he saw that Twist had ventured out of Trekker's barrier and approached her. [colour=#CCCC99]"Oh I was just talking about you. What are you doing out here anyway? Are you lost?"[/colour]
  19. Do not praise the Bugmaster, praise the bugs who love him!
  20. Alright... Time to get off of my lazy abdomen and do another spotlight. And seeing as how I've been neglecting me thread, I think I'll treat you all by doing a double whammy special. First up, the Death's Head Hawkmoth, because Elderflower asked so nicely for something fluttery. There are three species of Death’s Head Hawkmoth, or DHH as I will abbreviate it, but the most well known of them is Acherontia atropos. Two of the species can be found in various regions of the far east while the better studied one can be found in Africa and parts of Europe. It’s a rather big moth with a wing span of 3 to 5 inches. In case you haven’t caught on, the DHH get’s it’s name from a pattern that more often then not, resembles a human skull. And with such an eerie birth mark, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that the DHH has a significant amount of superstitions tied under it’s belt such as bad luck to the house it flies in. There’s also one more thing that may contribute to it’s ill reputation… Yeah, it squeaks. But to someone who is less educated and more superstitious, it may come off as more of a shriek. It does this as a response to being irritated or disturbed. It’s rather rare when an insect such as moths or butterflies produce sound, but the world of arthropods is nothing short of spectacular. But despite all this and being a possible minor agriculture pest, the DHH is harmless. One more thing I’d like to touch before moving on is the DHH’s diet. Most insects in the order of Lepidoptera are content with dining on the nectar of flowers. The DHH on the other hand, has more of a sweet tooth. Believe it or not, they make a habit of raiding honey bee hives for honey. Surely this is madness, right? How can something as frail as a moth infiltrate and steal from a heavily guarded fortress housing an army thousands strong? There are actually a number of things that allow the DHH to make such a venture and live to tell the tale. Firstly, the DHH’s body is thick and covered in a dense pile of short scales that protect against the stinging attacks of the workers. In addition to that, the DHH itself has been recorded to have some sort of resistance to honey bee venom. The DHH also imitates the scent of bees, making it even more elusive once in. It’s also speculated that the moth’s squeaking can double as mediocre form of mimicking the piping sound of the queen, which is a signal to freeze when heard by the workers. Next, I’d like to introduce you all to an insect that I myself see regularly during the warmer seasons here in Iowa. The Froghopper. Froghoppers can are tiny insects found worldwide that are usually a little less then 1.5 centimeters long. The Froghopper’s first noteworthy trait is it’s jumping prowess. They like to jump from plant to plant and in doing so, can reach a height of up to 70 cm vertically. Relative to body weight, this surpasses the jumping capacity of the flee. The more interesting thing about Froghoppers, I believe though are the habits of their nymph stage, which are affectionately referred to as Spittlebugs. Bugmaster, that’s not a bug. That’s a pile of, what is that? Bubblebath? Let me move that out of the way for you. The spittle bug has a very unique method of housing. First it will pierce the stem of a plant in order to suck at the sap. It then regurgitates it through the anus as the frothy substance you see in the pictures above. It then lives the rest of it’s days inside this bubbly pile known as cuckoo spit, frog spit or snake spit. Why would anything want to live in a pile of spit? Quiet a few reasons actually. Firstly the froth hides the spittlebug from view of potential predators. The froth itself has bitter taste, further deterring hungry mouths. The spit also does a good job of regulating temperature keeping it’s from getting to cold or too hot. Lastly, the spit den provides much needed moisture. Without it, the young Froghopper would quickly dry up and perish.
  21. I'm planing on posting a highlight real soon, alright? I'm not dead, and my thread is not dead. Do I make myself clear?
  22. Soon, Spring will be in full swing here in Iowa, and my beloved bugs will once again roam the land and that we may shower one another with much deserved praise.

  23. Before Twist could respond to Buzz's offer, Pinkie called out from his cabin again. [colour=#ED458B]"Uh oh! Um...Buzz? What happens when buggies have a little...okay, a lot...of coffee grounds? Do they get a little more buzzed[/colour] [colour=#ED458B]than usual? Ha!"[/colour] [colour=#CCCC99]"What? What did? Oh can't I catch a break for just a moment today?"[/colour] He let out what must of been the tenth sigh of the day. Buzz stood up and excused himself from his "guests" [colour=#cccc99]"Sorry, I'll be back momentarily" [/colour]Buzz turned to leave before stopping to add, [colour=#CCCC99]"again..."[/colour] Buzz returned inside to find out just what exactly happened. He didn't need to deduce this himself, though, as the bugs were already filling him in on Pinkie's little accident. He exchanged a few unspoken words with the arthropod hoard understood only by them. After that was finished, they all hastily dispersed from the room. He turned to Pinkie Pie who still seemed a little worried. [colour=#cccc99]"Alright Pinkie, good news bad news time. Good news is that there's no harm done to the bugs. They just need to go burn all that caffeine energy with some vigorous flying or digging or whatever. Bad news, is that I'm still going to need that coffee. Seeing as how you spilled all of mine, I'm going to have to ask you to run back to town to pick some up. Can you do that for me?"[/colour]
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