Hellfriede Ripley - Revision history

Glamourpal: /* Gallery */

2026-05-11T11:06:40Z

Gallery

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:06, 11 May 2026
Line 482:		Line 482:

	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==
	~~[[File:Hellfriede Poster.jpg\|thumb\|~~Hellfriede Ripley, Liberation Day Champion. Art by [https://leadjockey.artstation.com/ leadjockey].]]		Hellfriede Ripley, Liberation Day Champion. Art by [https://leadjockey.artstation.com/ leadjockey]. [[File:Hellfriede_Poster.jpg\|1500x1500px]]
	[[Category:Astral]]		[[Category:Astral]]
	[[Category:In The Shadows of a Willow]]		[[Category:In The Shadows of a Willow]]

Glamourpal: Added a Gallery.

2026-05-11T10:55:20Z

Added a Gallery.

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:55, 11 May 2026
Line 60:		Line 60:

	== Relevant Information ==		== Relevant Information ==
	[[File:Hellfriede Ripley.png\|thumb\|Hellfriede Ripley, ~~the~~ ~~Liberation~~ ~~Day Champion~~.]]		[[File:Hellfriede Ripley.png\|thumb\|Hellfriede Ripley, Liberator of Varuvi.]]
	Hellfriede Ripley was born on the Diasporan planet Varuvi in the confines of what is now known as the Old Capital. Her birth was part of Smith-Shimano Corpro’s secret Cavalier Program to develop ideal soldiers for private armies and classified missions. Hellfriede was immediately taken from her birth parents to be raised by a group of handlers who regularly assessed their aptitude in various areas: coordination, intelligence, obedience, etc. While in this phase of the program (which lasted for 11 years), Hellfriede befriended a girl named Dorothea. The two of them initially bonded over a mutual appreciation for quiet moments; they could often be found sitting quietly together and completing their assignments in tandem. The assessments showed that Hellfriede had great potential. As a result, she proceeded to the second phase of the Cavalier Program. Dorothea didn’t make it to the second phase. On the day of the program’s graduation ceremony, Hellfriede asked everyone where Dorothea was. No one could give her a satisfactory answer; they all just waited for her to stop asking.		Hellfriede Ripley was born on the Diasporan planet Varuvi in the confines of what is now known as the Old Capital. Her birth was part of Smith-Shimano Corpro’s secret Cavalier Program to develop ideal soldiers for private armies and classified missions. Hellfriede was immediately taken from her birth parents to be raised by a group of handlers who regularly assessed their aptitude in various areas: coordination, intelligence, obedience, etc. While in this phase of the program (which lasted for 11 years), Hellfriede befriended a girl named Dorothea. The two of them initially bonded over a mutual appreciation for quiet moments; they could often be found sitting quietly together and completing their assignments in tandem. The assessments showed that Hellfriede had great potential. As a result, she proceeded to the second phase of the Cavalier Program. Dorothea didn’t make it to the second phase. On the day of the program’s graduation ceremony, Hellfriede asked everyone where Dorothea was. No one could give her a satisfactory answer; they all just waited for her to stop asking.

Line 479:		Line 479:
	* '''Minimized Silhouette''': Irreverence’s general shape takes up less space, making it harder to target.		* '''Minimized Silhouette''': Irreverence’s general shape takes up less space, making it harder to target.

	</div></div>		</div></div>

			== Gallery ==
			[[File:Hellfriede Poster.jpg\|thumb\|Hellfriede Ripley, Liberation Day Champion. Art by [https://leadjockey.artstation.com/ leadjockey].]]
	[[Category:Astral]]		[[Category:Astral]]
	[[Category:In The Shadows of a Willow]]		[[Category:In The Shadows of a Willow]]

Glamourpal: /* THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2] */ added another story.

2026-05-11T09:16:46Z

THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2]: added another story.

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:16, 11 May 2026
Line 354:		Line 354:

	In her report, Hellfriede doesn’t mention much about Vixie.		In her report, Hellfriede doesn’t mention much about Vixie.

			</div></div>

			<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
			<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Beyond Liberation: Antipathy & Satisfaction</div>
			<div class="mw-collapsible-content">

			Hellfriede was engineered to sleep light, so the man dies as soon as he comes through the door: bullet through the eye. His body ragdolls into the men behind him. One of them shouts some tangential version of “restrain her”. Her bedroom window opens and a hand perches on the sill. She impales it with the combat knife she keeps under her pillow. The window intruder, a woman, cries out. Hellfriede’s knife has a heated blade.

			By now, the men in the doorway have dislodged their friend’s corpse. Four plus the woman whose hand is melting. Hellfriede palms the shock rod from under her bed and fires again with her other hand. Most hardsuits are weaker around the joints to allow for movement: the bullet cuts through the kneecap of the person about to lunge at her. Bone crunches under their weight and they go down with a hiss. Hellfriede rolls onto the floor, away from a net bomb, and stays low as smoke starts to fill the air. They have visors. She doesn’t.

			''That doesn’t matter.''

			''It didn’t matter that she poisoned or throat cut everyone who had ever thought to call her by a nickname. It didn’t matter that she was locked in the cockpit as Hell’s Sister plummeted while its last missiles tore free from its frame like cannibalistic children.''

			''What’s needed is all that ever matters.''

			Before the smoke thickens, Hellfriede sees the Smith-Shimano Corpro logo stamped sweetly on the arm of an opposing hardsuit.

			They die.

			Seven bullets. Three shattered knees. Two broken necks.

			They die. It’s necessary, so they die.

			One severed tongue.

			Hellfriede goes through the data logs in their comm links. SSC offered them 1,000,000 Manna each. That’s five million Manna to retrieve the only remnant of their decade old experiment. Hellfriede Ripley, Liberation Day Champion, only survivor of SSC’s Cavalier Program, is worth five million Manna to her makers. She’s never spent time researching the cost of people before. Is that number low or high?

			''That doesn’t matter.''

			Her heartbeat has still been noticeable for the past several seconds. The adrenaline should be dying down by now. Hellfriede looks at the comm data again: they’re supposed to meet back at an established base outside New Varuvi City. There might be more of them. She could report this to Union. She should report this to Union. Her heart feels like it’s made of plasma. Hellfriede retrieves her dataslate from her nightstand.

			She happens to look through the window. Hellfriede comes face to face with the mech she knows is the Dullahan. She has never had a Dullahan. The red of the mech’s hull is hateful in the moonlight.

			'''''The Lesson of the Open Door''': A lock may be keeping you in rather than out. Open it regardless of this.''

			The Dullahan needs to connect to a human brain so it can use it as its central processor for all its functions. Hellfriede read that when she researched HORUS mechs before the rebellion; before an SSC-ordered mission to eliminate a HORUS cell. Where is this Dullahan’s brain?

			In response to that thought, the mech’s systems flare in her nerve endings. The Spine Launcher: for cracking open a hull to make sure the pilot knows they’re not dead yet. Seismic Charge: so you can decide what around you is irrelevant. The Kinetic Driver: to shred them. Are mechs capable of hatred?

			''That doesn’t matter.''

			''What’s needed is all that ever matters.''

			Hellfriede is holding a weapon instead of her dataslate. The axe is the same red as the Dullahan.

			That night, four mercenaries hired by Smith-Simano Corpro are decapitated in their hideout. Two more are piles of scattered limbs and organs.

			Is Hellfriede capable of hatred? What matters is that, sometimes, she needs to be.

	</div></div>		</div></div>

Glamourpal: /* THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2] */

2026-05-11T04:50:10Z

THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2]

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:50, 11 May 2026
Line 290:		Line 290:
	“Is it?” Edith smiles. “I heard lots of people overdosed today.”		“Is it?” Edith smiles. “I heard lots of people overdosed today.”

	“… Uh, well, that’s awful.” Hellfriede doubts Diva would ~~make~~ ~~eye~~ ~~contact~~, so she doesn’t either.		“… Uh, well, that’s awful.” Hellfriede doubts Diva would look her in the eye, so she doesn’t either.

	“Blue Moonlight makes blood look like sweat and sweat look like water.” Edith shrugs. “Or something like that.” She taps away at her dataslate without looking down, then smiles again and nods her head at something Hellfriede doesn’t hear. “Anyway, do you not like the way you look?”		“Blue Moonlight makes blood look like sweat and sweat look like water.” Edith shrugs. “Or something like that.” She taps away at her dataslate without looking down, then smiles again and nods her head at something Hellfriede doesn’t hear. “Anyway, do you not like the way you look?”

Glamourpal: /* THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2] */ added an image of Edith.

2026-05-10T16:22:47Z

THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2]: added an image of Edith.

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:22, 10 May 2026
Line 282:		Line 282:
	The club basement is more splattered graffiti and uneven floor tiles. Noises ranging from desperate to pitiful sound out from the row of closed doors that lead Hellfriede to the back. Behind one, a person begs to see the Dagon again. The men standing on either side of the surprisingly plain last door are slim, but there’s muscle and sidearms under their mismatched uniforms. “How do you avoid burning to death?” One asks. His eyes are fixed on a point past Hellfriede. She tells them the secret and gets waved inside without a first or second glance.		The club basement is more splattered graffiti and uneven floor tiles. Noises ranging from desperate to pitiful sound out from the row of closed doors that lead Hellfriede to the back. Behind one, a person begs to see the Dagon again. The men standing on either side of the surprisingly plain last door are slim, but there’s muscle and sidearms under their mismatched uniforms. “How do you avoid burning to death?” One asks. His eyes are fixed on a point past Hellfriede. She tells them the secret and gets waved inside without a first or second glance.

	The room could pass for an interrogation space. There’s a single table in the center with a woman who must be Miss Edith sitting at it. She doesn’t dress like a club owner at all: Edith is adorned with a simple green sweater and a cozy skirt featuring foxes along the lower edge. The most ornamental things about her are the gold bands in her black braids.		The room could pass for an interrogation space. There’s a single table in the center with a woman who must be Miss Edith sitting at it. She doesn’t dress like a club owner at all: Edith is adorned with a simple green sweater and a cozy skirt featuring foxes along the lower edge. The most ornamental things about her are the gold bands in her black braids. [[File:Miss Edith.png\|thumb\|Edith. Art by @annaskytsko on Fiverr.]]Hellfriede opens Diva’s mouth.

	Hellfriede opens Diva’s mouth.

	Edith looks up from her dataslate. There’s a dark burn scar along the left side of her face. “You should sit down.”		Edith looks up from her dataslate. There’s a dark burn scar along the left side of her face. “You should sit down.”

Glamourpal: /* THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2] */ Added another story.

2026-05-10T16:20:14Z

THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2]: Added another story.

Show changes

Glamourpal: /* THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2] */ added another story.

2026-04-29T10:26:00Z

THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2]: added another story.

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:26, 29 April 2026
Line 152:		Line 152:

	She names the mech Irreverence. It only sees use in the least official capacities.		She names the mech Irreverence. It only sees use in the least official capacities.

			</div></div>

			<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
			<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Beyond Liberation: Absolution of Inhumanity</div>
			<div class="mw-collapsible-content">


			{Observation of Union Liberation Front leader.

			Name: Hellfriede Ripley. Callsign: SKYLINE.

			Video File Transcribed By: ???}


			The illusion of civility dies where the illusion of humanity ends. The leader of Varuvi’s ruling Liberation Council, Aera Synth, has been out of her seat for the past several seconds; she stood to snap when Torin corrected her usage of the term “simulated understanding” in regards to how NHPs process the outside world. She doesn’t acknowledge Hellfriede because she looks like an average bureaucrat and not like the Liberation Day Champion. It’s been ten years since the revolution. Hellfriede has never stopped working.

			“… In summary, while it should be understood and acknowledged that Non-Human Persons are far more advanced than artificial intelligences,” Ms. Synth keeps sweeping her gaze around the room and ending with her eyes on Torin, “they do not have humanity. We cannot afford to treat them as humans to the detriment of people like the Varuvians desperate to be brought out of the shadow of our past oppression.”

			Torin’s expression stays lax. “Varuvi is eager to be fully assimilated into Union, yes? Then let’s discuss the Utopian Pillars.” He doesn’t stand, but he does hold up one finger. “One. All shall have their material needs fulfilled.”

			Ms. Synth stiffens. “NHPs don’t have material needs-”

			Torin interrupts her right back. “We do, actually. By definition of being material—by definition of having a casket which serves as a physical body—we do have material needs. A casket needs to be cared for lest it ''break''. A body needs a home to shield it from deterioration and harm. A body needs to ''take up space''. But thinking beyond just the words of that pillar, is that really all Union seeks to provide? To my knowledge, Union has also sought to give those it governs above proper mental care.”

			“Union recommends the regular cycling of all NHPs,” Greg Delta chimes in with a statement that might be able to see the point from several star systems away.

			“… Yes.” Torin doesn’t flinch. “If cycling was the only thing needed from an NHP to maintain an acceptable mental state, then it would be recommended that every NHP be cycled every single day.” To his credit, he doesn’t say ‘cycling’ with the gravity that discussing forced ego death probably deserves. “Back to the topic at hand: the pillars. Two. No walls shall stand between worlds.”

			“I fail to see how that’s relevant to this discussion.” Ms. Synth says.

			“Perhaps not the pillar itself, but the interpretation and execution of it.” It’s now that Torin stands. Hellfriede adjusts the collar projecting her disguise. “Union wants all to have the right to firm ground, clean air, and sunlight—thus, the decree that there should be no walls that encroach on that objective. The interpretation of this pillar has been proven to extend beyond what’s plainly written. We can use Varuvi as an example.” Torin begins to walk the room. “After the revolution, Varuvi had access to all three of those things, but Union went out of its way to establish connected transport to and from the planet anyway. Why?”

			“Obviously because a civilization needs to be connected to the rest of the universe to thrive in this era,” Another woman, Helka Mavenport, responds with a barely restrained eye roll. She called Torin an AI earlier and has been fortunate enough to live to see the rest of this meeting.

			“Yes ''and'' because interconnectedness can be interpreted as a necessity beyond delivering basic essentials. Varuvi could be fine on its own, but there is evidence that it thrives under the second pillar. Three.” Torin hasn’t looked at Ms. Synth yet. “No human shall be held in bondage through force, labor, or debt.”

			“It specifies no ''human''.” Ms. Synth hand grips the edge of the table.

			“But we’ve already established that furthering an interpretation for the greater good is well established within Union. Let me end this discussion on the three pillars with one simple question: if it really is only supposed to extend to humans, then what makes the Third Committee of Union all that different from the Second Committee?” Torin sits back down.

			There’s a beat of quiet. No one wants to be comparable to the Second Committee. The quiet still only lasts for a beat.

			“He’s ultimately suggesting that we stop the widespread usage of NHPs on Varuvi. In every system.” At this point, Aera Synth stops bothering to look at Torin. Instead, her eyes lock onto the greying man at the head of the table: Ergo Chen, a high-ranking Union official. “That’s not possible. Not without taking several steps back.”

			“I am suggesting that we consider the spirit of the pillars,” Torin says coolly.

			Mr. Chen looks at Aera’s pleading eyes. “It does sound ineffective, doesn’t it?”

			Hellfriede sees Torin’s jaw twitch. She clears her throat. “I’m sure the Second Committee would have considered it very ineffective to not use Total Biome Kill weapons in their assault on Hercynia.”

			The silence returns. It’s heavier this time.

			“We should take a break,” Hellfriede says, already standing. No one disagrees, though most of them don’t know why her voice carries so much weight. She and Torin find an empty corner outside the meeting room.

			“Ineffective. Hah.” Torin laughs. His foot is tapping and his eyes are flicking back and forth; his thoughts are running faster than the concept of thought. “What’s ineffective is that this meeting has lasted for three hours.”

			“We can fly around for a while after this.” Hellfriede knows he craves motion.

			“That sounds… God, I need to get out of this body.” Torin takes off his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. Hellfriede hasn’t asked him why he bothers with glasses even though his eyesight is more than perfect. “I shouldn’t have brought up the three pillars. It’s too cliche.”

			“You’re right, though.” Hellfriede nudges his shoulder with her own. “It’s hypocritical to champion freedom for all humans while intentionally creating an enslaved underclass.”

			“It sounds so obvious when you say it like that,” Torin sighs. “If only ''I'' could say it. They already barely see me. If I talked like that they’d just see an indignant Tlaloc-Class. Or worse.”

			“… Has anyone seen you since I died?” Hellfriede asks.

			He laughs again. It’s been ten years since the revolution. Torin will never stop working.

	</div></div>		</div></div>

Spiderjjr45: added Category:In The Shadows of a Willow using HotCat

2026-04-22T01:46:33Z

added Category:In The Shadows of a Willow using HotCat

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:46, 22 April 2026
Line 230:		Line 230:

	[[Category:Astral]]		[[Category:Astral]]
			[[Category:In The Shadows of a Willow]]

Glamourpal: /* Irreverence */ changed one word.

2026-04-18T21:32:47Z

Irreverence: changed one word.

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:32, 18 April 2026
Line 196:		Line 196:

	=== Irreverence ===		=== Irreverence ===
	Hellfriede pilots her Black Mountain when she isn’t acting on Union’s orders. On these personal missions, she takes a handful of other Liberation Front pilots with her and acts as support, using its one weapon and ability to “Fell the Mighty” to point out and pick off the most prominent targets. Despite her other mechs being more directly damaging, Irreverence is possibly the most terrifying mech in her arsenal due to the detached ~~efficiency~~ it inspires in both herself and her allies.<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">		Hellfriede pilots her Black Mountain when she isn’t acting on Union’s orders. On these personal missions, she takes a handful of other Liberation Front pilots with her and acts as support, using its one weapon and ability to “Fell the Mighty” to point out and pick off the most prominent targets. Despite her other mechs being more directly damaging, Irreverence is possibly the most terrifying mech in her arsenal due to the detached effectiveness it inspires in both herself and her allies.<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
	<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Weapons</div>		<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Weapons</div>
	<div class="mw-collapsible-content">		<div class="mw-collapsible-content">

Glamourpal: /* THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2] */ fixed a typo

2026-04-18T21:27:39Z

THE HELLFRIEDE FILES [2]: fixed a typo

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:27, 18 April 2026
Line 139:		Line 139:
	Since the Black Mountain is so small, it’s less trouble to get it printed. There’s a decent enough printer in the basement of Hellfriede’s office building, so she heads downstairs and lets the printer confirm the licensing data in her biosignature.		Since the Black Mountain is so small, it’s less trouble to get it printed. There’s a decent enough printer in the basement of Hellfriede’s office building, so she heads downstairs and lets the printer confirm the licensing data in her biosignature.

	Hellfriede doesn’t hear the voices of the dead. The only version of mourning she has ever known is the prestigious efficiency of SSC’s Mourning Cloak mech when other Cavaliers piloted it. Even after being revived, her one week of readjustment downtime spared no thought for her kill count.		Hellfriede doesn’t hear the voices of the dead. The only version of mourning she has ever known was the prestigious efficiency of SSC’s Mourning Cloak mech when other Cavaliers piloted it. Even after being revived, her one week of readjustment downtime spared no thought for her kill count.

	What Hellfriede hears instead, as the body of the Black Mountain prints, is a voice that reflects her own.		What Hellfriede hears instead, as the body of the Black Mountain prints, is a voice that reflects her own.