Invisible Swarm III: over

[Alneyan]

I haven't read Lovecraft either; I simply know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who might have read Lovecraft.

Dear Jurri: While we perfectly understand your angst, your hatred, your ire and your one-mile-long mean streak, we must stick to our word: sorry, no can do. Furthermore, we should like to point out that the subject of which you talk in such depreciatory terms (myself, in other words) cannot receive the unflattery epithet "shank".

We hope you will have a better grasp of our position after this standard procedure of enlightenment and clarification. Now, where do you sign up to join the Celestial Bureaucracy?

[jeffr]

I can't connect either, so I'm assume the server is still down.

[Jurri]

Pasha, Alneyan, you really should! HPL kicks ***. His works are in fact floating around the internet, as they are probably in the public domain. (Arkham House claims copyright, but lacks the necessary evidence of it being renewed properly.) F. ex. Wikipedia holds most of the works, and googling yields the rest; since the issue is in dispute I probably shouldn't post the direct links.

I like the earlier works more, especially the Temple. The later Cthulhu-mythology stuff is more relevant to the reference, though

Furthermore, we should like to point out that the subject of which you talk in such depreciatory terms (myself, in other words) cannot receive the unflattery epithet "shank" [sic].

Why's that, now? Certainly anything is possible if you put your mind to it. With a little effort, I'm sure you'll be perfectly capable of receiving the nomen

I don't even want you anymore, after that rejection! Or do I, and try to hide my hurt feelings by denial? I'll name my Thing that Should not Be after you, though. (Alneyan, the Thing that Should not Be. How poetic!) ...Just jesting, mon ami, naturally.

Speaking of such Things, I notice they lose their life draining attacks if they get a weapon or a shield, and they have a head. Is this supposed to be so? I mean, aren't the tentacles the cause for the life-drain attacks, rather than the hands? And at least the graphic doesn't show a head.

[YellowCactus]

I remember reading Lovecraft in college. Something about rats in the walls. That guy was disturbed...erm, even more disturbed than us.
-Yc

[CUnknown]

Sorry guys!

Lightning fried my power supply to my cable modem, I need to get another one. I'm renting, so it isn't a big deal, I will just go down to the Charter office tomorrow. That was a serious storm, I'm glad I shut off my computer. I forgot about my modem, though.

Server will be up tomorrow around 7-8pm!

[PashaDawg]

Ok. Sorry to hear about the frying.

[Alneyan]

Pasha, I believe Jurri's calling me a skank, and assorted taunts, qualify as being libel, calumny, slander, defamation... and the like? I thought so.

I will sue Jurri in this case, and will sue him again and again until there's not much left of him to sue. I will sue him out of existence altogether! Of course, you will be working pro bona fide, won't you? Of course you will, what a stupid question.

Just pick an appropriate location for all those trials... I believe the prosecution gets to show where we will go. And work on adding charges to that tentacled weirdo: I believe first degree manslaughters (literally the slaughters of mankind), felony, high treason, and spitting on a public location would make for other fine charges... Get working!

The power of Law trumps the power of Cthulhu, that much is certain. That, and I won't have to do anything to fight you with the Law, while more... mundane means would require some work from me (like figuring out where I put that "A Primer to Repartee", or which end of a sword is used for business, or... You get the picture). So get cracking, Pasha!

[PashaDawg]

Dear Alneyan:

The Majesty of the Law is without peers, but the Law is a jealous mistress.

The proper venue for your case would be in the United States because of the location of this bulletin board. Therefore, you must deal with the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects Jurri's right to free speech. Given that your posts on the bulletin board exceed 2666 in number, I figure that there is a high chance that any court would rule that you are a “public figure,” and therefore, people can get away with saying things about you more easily because you have placed yourself in the spotlight of public scrutiny and your life is now a matter of common public inquiry and perhaps even newsworthy.

In addition, Jurri will probably assert the defense of "truth", because only false statements can be defamatory. Is it possible that Jurri will produce witnesses of your "shankness" whose veracity will be difficult to refute?

In terms of your other claims for manslaughter, felony, et al., you do not have standing to bring such claims to the Court, because they are criminal matters and must be prosecuted by the State. Nonetheless, I will review the law concerning any associated private remedies that you might hold at your disposal (e.g., assault, battery, false imprisonment, etc.)

In terms of my fee, I will need a retainer of 7000 euro before I can begin work, and I shall charge 150 euro per hour for my time. I have certainly taken many cases pro bono, but unfortunately your case is not of the type of cases I routinely take without sufficient remuneration.

Thank you, Alneyan, for considering my office for your legal needs. Once I receive the retainer, I will have my assistant schedule another interview.

Sincerely,

Pasha

[Alneyan]

On second thoughts, I think I will pursue more mundane means, seeing just how expensive your fees are. We do not give our dear President that much money, so why should you get a prince's ransom? Tsk, tsk.

Nonetheless, we thank you for your answer, and promise not to harm you bodily... not too much, at any rate. Public figures have been known to be annoyed by the masses, time and again, and have resolved to using devices including, but not limited to: mobile phones, golf clubs, and two-handed swords.

On another note of interest, we will try to make his slander a case of violating national security: not only is Jurri's libel is defamatory, but his words are a direct threat to the establishment, for calling someone a skank is an invitation to be dated, stalked, or otherwise assaulted. Seeing how I am part of the local entity made by those boards, any threat to my safety is most naturally a matter of concern for the greater body of government.

As stated above however, we will handle this case on our own, relying on our own associates. If we are thwarted in court, other means shall be used as deemed appropriate... or we will simply sue Jurri time and again, under every single jurisdiction in the whole world and beyond, until being involved in seventeen trials (all happening at the same moment, of course) brings his peaceful demise.

Attached to this document is a sample of our Blackmail directory, under the Pasha heading: one such attachment will come with every single letter we forward to your office, though we may forward such data to other parties at our own discretion.

[Jurri]

Oh! I do believe that the ecclesiastical court takes precedence in matters involving supernatural beings. And since I'm a creature of the R'lyeh Pantheon, it's only natural that the trial be held in the main Temple located in the Sunken City. So, prepare your scuba-gear and be welcome! Of course, since it's wartime you may have to wait a couple eons before I have the time to process you, er, your claims (being, naturally, the Judge Supreme in my own court), but once I ascend I'm sure omnipresence will allow for a swift execution. Execution of the trial, of course, I mean.

I do expect you to file the libel in a swift manner, though! I'm sure it will provide great entertainment for a war-torn nation.