Whoa. It's like an interplanar flame war.
That is so fragging 1337.

*watches in fascination*

Okay, some idiots out there found my little hidey hole and firebombed it, but made a big mistake. This so called "bug lovin' bastard's" team traced his Mr. Johnson. an followed the trail t' the man wantin' the work done. Let it be known that Renee Strong, head of Dark Horse Security, has been rightly tried an' convicted an' has paid the price in full for hiring those not up to the job as a strike team. I "convinced" him t' give a recall order to the Johnson in his employ to any other teams dispatched to deal with any "bug sympathyzers" in here, but I dunno if it took. Ya all been warned.

Now, my team's decker is currently unavailable, so there's a temporary position available specifically to deal with potential future fallout. If yer interested an' yer good you'll find me. Bring references. Time t'see who owns Dark Horse Security.

You've got a nice apartment. Do you sleep there or is it for show?

~J

Here's the thing
Either
A) Metahumanity is evil, and willing to wipe out any percieved threat, the Mantids being just a long in a line of innocents we wiped out
or
B) Mantids do pose a threat metahumanity's dominance and metahumanity is responding in force

Either way you slice it, Mantids and the rest of the bugs aren't going to be long for this world. We took out the UB, dropped the ball at Chi-Town, but now we're coming back strong to finish the job.

And, no offense to all you creepy crawlies out there, but I'm metahuman so I'm a bit biased as to which side I root for.

Worry not, we "root" for metahumanity too.
Someday you will know Love and Understanding.

@,@

I root.

~J

This is such drek as apologists team up to fawn over the inhuman monsters. Do you want equal rights for Vampires? What about Wendigo? Ghouls?
There is a bounty on these monsters for a reason. They might once have been human, they might once have been a loved one, but once they are changed, Genetically, Astrally, Mentally, they are no longer metahuman. I have no problem whatsoever with Metahumans, my Sister is a Orc and i tell ya, the proudest moment of my life was to walk her down the Aisle to her Husband, I still babysit for her occasionally so she can go out for time with her hubby. I've run with Metavariants, i've even played poker with Sasquatch once, and lost my shirt. It was worth it for the experience. Hell, I even want drinking with Free Spirit once. I like to think i'm open minded. However, when it comes to things like Bugs and Life Stealers (and yes, I put them in the same category) then I have no mercy. Bugs of any kind, Mantis, Firefly, Beetle, Termite, whatever, all are the same. They are body snatchers, snuffing out the metahuman soul or twisting and corrupting it into something unrecognizeable. I notice that none of the Bug shamans here of any stripe have offered to let independant Hermetic and Shamanic witnesses who can assense and provide statements signed by the poor soul who is about to be spiritually raped and destroyed, that this is their choice. We just have the Bug shamans themselves saying how wonderful their totem is and that really, they are just poor little innocents, snuffing out metahuman souls to provide hosts for these astral parasites.
Spider is an Insect totem but Spider does not produce flesh forms and true forms. This can be considered a direct sign that it isnt simply a matter of Insects do this, rather that specificaly the Astral Parasites do it.
Oh, Bitten, do we take your words as a comment that you have indeed eaten metahuman flesh, If you know that it doesnt taste like chicken?
I dont know what it tastes like and the only things that I know do know what it tastes like are Ghouls and Devilrats. So thats Bugs, Ghouls and Devilrats. What a great little grouping that is.

To any bugs out there who want to prove how wonderful they are.
1) I wish to see documented, notarised proof from independant witnesses that the victims to be converted are going of their free will, under no magical compulsion or more importantly, havet not been fed a line of BS.
2)Assensing reports from independant Shamanic and Hermetic witness both before and after the Merge is Begun as well as during the Merge (hourly if it goes on more than 3 hours). Each of these submitted for verification and analysis.
3) Personally I want proof of what happens to the metahuman Soul that is either corrupted or booted out (pending the Astral Assensing proof). This will demonstrate how you are different to Shedim who just take over a dead body, while you boot the soul out and take over the body.
4) If all Mantis Shamans and Possesed Mantis Spirit Hosts are all so Vigillante in their attitude towards Criminals, why dont you report them to LoneStar or the relevant Authority, rather than take judgement int your own hands? This ability to delegate shows a willingness to adapt to Metahuman Society, remembering, you are the invader here, not us.

If you cant meet the first 3 of these, how do you expect to be seen as anything more than pro-active Shedim who hunt for bodies rather than find one laying around?

Finbar, when you open your mouth you display not only your toncils but also your ignorance. Vampires and Ghouls and other races afflicted with the various forms of the HMHVV are paracites, which can only exist through canibalizing other metahumans. They cannot exists without bringing suffering on population. Mantids can exist and thrive without bringing such harm.

I've dined with Mantids, no not that we had Italian, and found them perfectly charming. I'm not perfect and will admit to a degree of concern when we met. They are different, but such a fear is natural for animals. As thinking metahumans we can over come this reaction and learn to accept them.

I have a question, if all the bug spirits left or were exterminated, EXCEPT for Mantids, wouldnt they leave as they wouldnt have any food?

You ate Italians? Tsk tsk tsk.

~J

I am root.

Potato or Carrot?

...

Yes, I do indeed hate metahumanity. I'm going to go talk to the Matrix again.

Hehehe aww...
Tut tut, little fox; don't let the heathens get to you.
Remember, they grow the coffee.

~J

So they do... Hm... Do you think anyone'd notice if I bought a hydroponics lab? I mean...

I've already addressed what Mantids do and don't need to get by. Mantids don't need to dine or bugs and have the intelligence not to disrupt the habitat with excessive breeding, unlike ghouls and vampires who die with out cannibalism.

Both 'standard' bugs and Mantids have been said to have a complete alien minds that can't be understood by normal persons. Even the best of the best have trouble scratching the sourface of their motivations yet we continue hearing:

"we preserve out environment"
"we only want to rise our families"
"we only intend to help the women who feel depressed"
"we have feelings too"
big etc

I say every mage should go on an astral quest right this instant to answer the question "Are Mantids bad for humanity" and post the answers we get. Barring that, lets all go to the Plane of the Dead and ask them, some of them might have a clue... whatcha say?

While you are there, ask, "Is Metahumanity or Invae more Righteous?" "Is Metahumanity doomed to destroy Mother Earth?" "Are All Invae equal?"

Mantis is bad, she will enslave you once she finshez with us; her only competition. But iz that bad for Meathumanity? Maybe four thousand yearz of slavery would teach you to be humane.

>>Thats already happened, mankind is born into slavery, and a select few are chosen to rule over them. Never have the masses rules themselves, on the illusion has ever been present. Those of us who are truely free know the difference, and those of us who arent think we do.

>>When the horrors truely come we will have more than enough challange, and they will not stop at Metahumanity, they will take the bugs and the shedim and all the remaining spirits of our world. There is a greater evil for those who have the vision to see it. The bugs care not of this greater evil that lurks, they would gladly let if have us to spare itself. They will leave this world when the horrors come, and then the darkness will truely begin.

--street prophet

Why do you bugs wanna come here? And of all place, Chicago? I mean I ain't never been to Hell (but according to PreacherMan that is where I am going) but I figures it's a lot like Chicago. Heck, I live in Puyallup (well under it) and I know i'm better off then those poor suckers in Chi-town.

I mean, if I wuz all powerful Mantid, I wouldn't waste my time with Chicago, I'd go live in some nice posh place, like tokoyo proper or the ZOB or the Tir. I wouldn't be wasting my time in the sprawls. The only people who stay in the sprawls when they don't have to are the ones who are hiding something.

There is a reason why cops _hate_domestics.

You are the outsider and you are _never_ right. The couple fighting to kill each other with knives seconds ago rally against you, all other disputes forgotten. Of course, after you leave...they'll be back at each other's throat.

Keep that in mind.

-Siege

If you focus on what doesn't work in our world, you'll always be unhappy. There's never been a "golden age." It's always been something in the past. Focus on what you do right today and tomorrow. and build on that, you'll be surprised that the world looks better. Don't think of the children who taunt the elderly ork lady, think of the one little girl who helps her.

Don't think of the go gangers who spend their short violent lives on BTL's, think of the kids in the barrens who want to make something of themselves and make the worlds just a little brighter.

hmmm i dont know much bout bugs and shiznit but i do know that any spirt trying ta take over my body is dead. thats it nuthin to it it dies
any thing tries to hrm me in any way i kill it or die trying
if it respawns it dies again if not then the basterd is dead i may not be the most sober person ta talk junk but me and my boom stic will take kare of any critters that try and hurt me as for the mantids if they no attack they might not die but in the end who knows
i may feel like fragging the first person i see ne?

great. here's a num num. go sit in the corner before you hurt yourself.

I think we got one for the loony bin, boys...

~J

People are less unique than they like to think they are.

~J

Mantids live outside the law because metahuman law marks them as suitable for summery execution on sight. Would you offer yourself up to such a system.

Mantis Lady, do you devour other good merge flesh form insects? If so, and what you say about good merges only occuring in voluntary metas is true, than aren't you killing that individual simply because they chose to merge with a different insect spirit?

Also, as for not being prosecuted. I live in the Barrens with no SIN, stolen water and electricity, and rely on two hispanic orcs to protect my home. I have no rights, and I was at least born on this planet. Why should we grant you, the foreigner, rights that even natives lack?

A) I've never said I was a Mantid. I'm merely advocating rights for Mantids. Does that make me one of them. Just because I'm in an Ork rights march does that mean I'm an Ork? or just a citizen concenred about metahumanity in all it's forms?

B) Good merges for other insects are still bug spirits who are under the control of the hive queen and seeking to support their hive. These "good merges" happily mix in with the aboninations called flesh forms and think nothing of it.

Interesting perspective. I tend to lump traitors with the enemy regardless.

-Siege

Traitors? Mantids destroying bugs is natural, not traitorous!