=>[META] Command Deck (H.E.L.P.)

[purplerosesbeauty]

Squad Leader: Lieutenant Eostre Diazzi
Team H.E.L.P.: Hemera Moachm, Leeroi Furore, Psygki Mentha

Quote:

The boarding vessel - the pod - is just large enough for four trolls to squeeze into. As the windshield slides up to block your view of the docking bay, you can hear the hum of machinery. The hum swells, then dips into the contented purr of technology and large lusii everywhere. The world is muffled behind your headset, and as the sound of the pod's engine fades, all you can hear is a voice in your sponge clots, counting down.
"Four, three, two, one."
With surprising smoothness, you're pressed back in your seat, and the world becomes a blur. Ahead of you, through the windscreen, you can see a hatch shoot open, and then you're rocketing through the void beyond.
"Target locked on. Engaging auto-pilot."
The voice in your ear is polite yet firm, and the pod swings around to fill your vision with the ring. Barely visible from the planet, it gains something different when you are closing fast. The huge circle of dark and silent ships drift past you, slowly circling the planet in an endless loop. As your pod rockets into the depth of the ring, a bright light flashes past your eyes and flares off to the side. The military has begun to shoot down confirmed derelicts, but your vessel's autopilot doesn't seem bothered. Instead, it guides your pod under hanging metal and over vast dead structures, eventually gliding closer to one ship that, from your eyes, is identical to the other hulks around. Slowing down, the boarding vessel turns to face giant closed doors on the side of the ship.
"Arrived at target. Attempting access."
Your vessel glides alarmingly close to the other ship before it's doors glide open a fraction, and your pod rockets through the small crack. The pod gives a small shudder as doors slide shut behind you, plunging your view into darkness. A moment later, a beam of sickly green light lights up on your helmet, and thin light strips along the floor of the boarding vessel give you back the vision you temporarily lost. At the same time, the pod comes to a halt with the same smoothness that it launched with. A heartbeat later, the windscreen slides back and your seat belts unlock with a click - the first sound apart from the voice in your ear that you've heard since you got into your vessel.
"Docking complete. Turning on local coms. Scanners show movement inside the ship. Good luck, and stay safe."
You have arrived in the command decks of the flagship.
Your pod sits waiting for you to return to it. To advance into the ship, follow the mechanics below. Good luck and watch out for undead trolls!

Quote:

Ship exploration instructions:
To progress through the ship, follow the instructions below, from top to bottom. You must then follow the bolded instructions relevant to your squad's current situation, and resolve everything related to it before you can roll again.
Ship battle rules:
Players can use healing items/artifacts/powers at any point during ship exploration. For the entire thread, all abilities uses per battle counts the entire ship thread as one battle. The rules for how many trinkets/artifacts can be used per battle also count the entire ship thread as one battle.
=>Refresh your memory on trinkets, artifacts and abilities.

If a member of your team is a trained Agility or Covert-ops specialist OR registered as in-training for either:

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You can scout ahead in the ship.
The user who owns the character must roll. If they like the result, the rest of the team can join them and continue rolling on door/advance tables. If they don't like the result, they can return back to the team and the team can roll again (in character, you are taking a different path through the ship).
You cannot roll on a closed door/advance table then take that back, only on the base movement table below. Your character must wait for X advances through the ship (start counting at 1 on the current advance) before scouting ahead again.
If you are a Journeytroll or higher in your skill: X = 4.
If you are a Novice in your skill: X = 6.
If you are training your skill: X = 10.
If multiple trolls can do this, they each have their own reset timer for the X rolls. Only one character can scout ahead per turn.

Roll 1d8 and advance through the ship:
If you have rolled on this and/or the alarms advance table 20 times, on the 21th time DO NOT ROLL, instead look at the spoiler below.
If an alarm is going off, you must use the table for it further down, NOT this table.
1 - You advance through the ship ...
2 - You find a closed door.
3 - You advance through the ship ...
4 - You advance through the ship ...
5 - You find a closed door.
6 - You advance through the ship ...
7 - You advance through the ship ...
8 - You find a closed door.
21th time advancing:

show spoilerhide spoiler

You reach one of the ship's steering systems, but it appears you weren't one of the first. The light and energy attracted hordes of zombies that have since been burned by the malfunctioning unit or tangled in the spider's web of wiring. It would be impossible to repair all of the damage before the ship's orbit decayed completely. Ground control gives your team instructions on how to remotely shut down the ruined system before it causes worse problems.
Congratulations! You have completed your mission and returned back to the docking area! Squad commanders, be sure to report in!

If there is an alarm going off, roll 1d6 and advance through the ship, use this table to determine what you find:
If you have rolled on this and/or the regular advance table 20 times, on the 21th time DO NOT ROLL, instead look at the spoiler under the regular advance table.

show spoilerhide spoiler

1 - You come across some shuffling bodies...!
2 - You come across some shuffling bodies...!
3 - You find a panel with a flashing alert on it. Tapping the panel will turn the ship alarm off.
4 - You find a panel with a flashing alert on it. Tapping the panel will turn the ship alarm off.
5 - You come across some shuffling bodies...!
6 - You come across some shuffling bodies...!

If you find a door, roll 1d4 and use this table to determine what kind of door it is:

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1 - The door seems to be ... trapped and locked!
2 - Hmm, the door might be ... trapped!
3 - Uh oh, the door might be ... trapped and locked!
4 - The door seems to be ... locked!
If the door is locked:

show spoilerhide spoiler

If a member of your team is a trained Academic or Strength specialist OR registered as in-training for either:

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You think you can get this door open!
Academic: You've read up on how the old ships used to function, and think you know where to damage the door for the lock to deactivate.
Strength: RAAAAHHHH SMAAAASSSHHHHHHH!!!
If you are a Journeytroll or higher in your skill: You can get the door open with your eyes shut!
If you are a Novice in your skill: Roll 1d4 to try and unlock it. Succeed on a two three or four.
If you are training in your skill: Roll 1d8 to try and unlock it. Succeed on a five six seven or eight.

Otherwise, a troll can choose to break it down in exchange for a loss of 5hp, or you can continue to advance in the ship.

AND OR If the door is trapped, roll 1d4 and look below:

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1 - The ceiling beyond this door will drop down on the first troll who enters, dealing 1d8 damage!
2 - The room beyond is filled with a laser sensitive grid, dealing 2 damage per post to all trolls who enter, until they exit the room (roll again on the first table)!
3 - The door is lined with miniscule nozzles that will shoot a corrosive, poisonous mist as the door opens, dealing 1d6(rolled individually) damage to all party members!
4- A loud alarm will start to sound through the ship as the door is opened!
If a member of your team is a trained Academic or Covert Ops specialist OR registered as in-training for either:

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Your trained eyes spot something suspicious with this door!
Academic: You've read up on how these old ships used to function, and can remember how to set and disable the traps they set for boarding invaders.
Covert Ops: Your eye for the suspicious is tingling, the door doesn't look quite like others. If you pry off a wall panel you should be able to disable anything suspicious looking.
If you are a Journeytroll or higher in your skill: You can disarm the trap without looking!
If you are a Novice in your skill: Roll 1d4 to try and disarm it. Succeed on a two three or four.
If you are training in your skill: Roll 1d8 to try and disarm it. Succeed on a five six seven or eight.

Otherwise, the trap will only be discovered when it is triggered by entering the room.

If you have successfully unlocked and entered the door, and/or survived any/all traps attached:

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Roll 3d4 and post the following code into the resulting post.

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[size=9]This is a mini-boss battle, the full rules and mechanics of which can be [url=http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=22211261#335508395]reviewed here[/url].[/size]
The room beyond the door seems empty from the hallway, but stepping inside you are swiftly aware that you are not alone! For lurking in the corner is a dark groaning shape. As it turns towards you, you realize you are entering strife!
[size=18][b]You have encountered a ... [/b]
[/size]
[b]Dice 1[/b]
1. ... Insatiable ... (-2 to all attacks)
2. ... Gushing ... (-1 on accuracy rolls)
3. ... Volatile ... (-2 on all accuracy rolls)
4. ... Nightmarish ... (-1 to all attacks)
[b]Dice 2[/b]
1. ... Regenerating ... (regains 2 HP per player attack, excluding bonus attacks)
2. ... Bladed ... (3 extra dmg taken for each round in battle)
3. ... Psionic ... (using artifacts/ability/items deals 6 dmg to the entire party)
4. ... Mutating... (each member of the party takes 4 damage each time a party member deals max damage(highest roll possible))
[b]Dice 3[/b]
1. ... Reanimated Subjugglator!
2. ... Wailing Abomination!
3. ... Hulking Commander!
4. ... Distorted Masses!
[size=18][b]MINIBOSS STARTING HP: 40/40[/b][/size]
[b]If you rolled a 1, take 6 dmg.[/b]
[b]If you rolled a 2, take 5 dmg.[/b]
[b]If you rolled a 3, take 5 dmg.[/b]
[b]If you rolled a 4, take 4 dmg.[/b]
[b]If you rolled a 5, take 4 dmg.[/b]
[b]If you rolled a 6, take 3 dmg.[/b]
[b]If all party members reach 0hp, look below:[/b]
[spoiler]You must make a tactical retreat! Scrambling back out of the room,
you barely make it to the pod with all your limbs attached.
[b]Better luck next time! You have retreated from your mission and returned back to the docking area! Squad commanders, be sure to report in![/b][/spoiler]
[b]If the mini-boss reaches 0hp, look below:[/b][spoiler]
[b]If this is your first, second or third mini-boss fight look below:[/b]
[spoiler]
[b]If a member of your team is a trained Discipline or Endurace specialist OR registered as in-training for either:[/b]
[spoiler]
You can close your eyes and draw on inner reserves to keep going. This can only be done once per ship exploration per troll trained.
If you are a Journeytroll or higher in your skill: Restore 1d10+3 OR 1/3rd (rounded down) of your hp.
If you are a Novice in your skill: Restore 1d8+2 OR 1/4th (rounded down) of your hp.
If you are training your skill: Restore 1d6+1 hp.
You cannot roll the dice then choose the flat restoration, one must be picked beforehand.
[/spoiler]
[b]If a member of your team is a trained Troll Relations or Leadership specialist OR registered as in-training for either:[/b]
[spoiler]
You can manage to cheer, rally, or cajole your teammates into finding more energy. This can only be done once per ship exploration per troll trained.
If you are a Journeytroll or higher in your skill: Each team member restores 1d6+3 (rolled separately) hp.
If you are a Novice in your skill: Each team member restores 1d6+2 (rolled separately) hp.
If you are training your skill: Each team member restores 1d4+1 (rolled separately) hp.
[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
[b]If this is your fourth mini-boss fight, you have reached one of the steering systems! Roll 1d4 in the spoiler below:[/b]
[spoiler]
1 - The other teams appear to have been successful in their endeavors. There's enough power available for you to reengage the system. The entire room illuminates and roars with life. It's perhaps dangerous to hang around in here too long, but in the meantime the amount of energy in the air makes you feel powerful.
2 - The tendrils of the ship's wiring look like a crime scene, or perhaps a particularly gory nest. Headquarters gives you harried instructions to shut down and isolate the area before the whole ship goes up in flames.
3 - An undead helmsman is still tethered to the center console. They don't have the ability to provide power, but their presence is preventing the back-up systems from triggering. You remove the zombie and the system reengages successfully.
4 - The room is dark and cold, but with instructions from headquarters and the efforts of the teams on the other decks, the system has enough power to reboot itself. The ship begins to thrum with life. It makes your horns tingle and your hair stand on end.
[b]Congratulations! You have completed your mission and returned back to the docking area! Squad commanders, be sure to report in![/b][/spoiler]

If you do not find a door, roll 1d8 and advance through the ship, use this table to determine what you find:

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1 - You come across some shuffling bodies...!
2 - You find an open door.
3 - You come across some shuffling bodies...!
4 - You find an open door.
5 - You keep walking down the corridor. Nothing here.
6 - You come across some shuffling bodies...!

If you encounter shuffling bodies, roll 2d8 and look below:

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You have encountered some well preserved remains of the crew of this ship! The total amount of zombies you encounter is equal your generated number * 5. Use your weapons (standard combat 2d6 roll) to clear your way through the horde, with 1 point of damage equalling one zombie destroyed! For each turn you are fighting the undead, with one turn equalling each member of the party attacking, each member of your party loses 1hp. If all zombies are destroyed in under one turn, the party still takes the 1 damage. Offensive and support artifacts can be used, but artifacts that negate damage or make you harder to hit can not be used.
If a member of your team is a trained Tactics or Leadership specialist OR registered as in-training for either:

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You spring into action, fully equipped to deal with the surprise mob!
Tactics: It's easy to keep track of your allies and maneuver between the shambling horde.
Leadership: You can keep your team focused and working together to dispatch the undead.
If you are a Journeytroll or higher in your skill: You automatically kill five daywalkers a turn!
If you are a Novice in your skill: You automatically kill three daywalkers a turn!
If you are training in your skill: You automatically kill one daywalker a turn!
The automatically killed undead go on top of however many you killed with your regular attack. If multiple members in the team are trained/in training, pick the troll with the highest training, or if a tie, decide on one troll. That troll uses their bonus and adds +1 daywalkers killed for each other troll trained/in training. None of the other trained/in training trolls should use this bonus.

If you encounter an open room, check the spoiler below:

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This room seems to be free of hostiles. If you take the time to scavenge around, you might find something!
Go to the google doc here and see how many items remain to be found. Generate a number via the instructions on the doc, and follow the instructions in the doc.
Your team has found an item! To see more details on it, including how many people can use it, read the full description.

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

They were here, the flagship. On one of the command decks, which were definitely going to be harder than anything else. Harder than the other ships she'd taken down. But her team was good - all military. Her sergeant, and two corporals. They could do it.

"Alright, squad," she addressed them firmly. "This place is dangerous, and this is a dangerous mission. I'm keeping an eye out for anything but I want you all to stay close to me. We're stronger as a team and a unit. If s**t happens, I expect you to follow my commands exactly. Now, stay safe and try not to die. You're all good soldiers and it'd be such a shame if you got killed," she said, her voice light and peppy. She'd need their obedience, and having them run off, or worse, might put her own leadership abilities in doubt.

HP: 40/40
Military Grade Brass Knuckles
Artifact: Novice Support Style A (0/1)
Trinkets: Adept Offense Style B (0/2), V2 Beamtube (Adept Agility Style B) (0/2), Novice Defense Style B (0/3)

Eostre's using her scout ability, cooldown in 4 advancements

Advancements: 0/21
Mini-bosses: 0/4

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

With that out of the way, Eostre waved them to follow her through the halls of the ship. Even just the ambiance of the halls was different than those smaller ships. It was strange to think this was really the Battleship Condescension. It was... unsettling feeling.

After a moment, she came to a door. She nodded to Hemera. "Sergeant, come take a look at this for me, will you?"
HP: 40/40
Military Grade Brass Knuckles
Artifact: Novice Support Style A (0/1)
Trinkets: Adept Offense Style B (0/2), V2 Beamtube (Adept Agility Style B) (0/2), Novice Defense Style B (0/3)

Eostre's scout ability cooldown in 4 advancements

Advancements: 1/21
Mini-bosses: 0/4

Gl!tch~

 

[Gl!tch~]

Hemera couldn't help but be astounded at the fact that she was on board the Condescension's flagship...for real. With masses of daywalkers who knew where, and considering the sorts of monstrous corpses she had seen on other ships... Well. It didn't bode well for the previous empress's best and brightest. Or, really, bode well for the ones sent in to get past them to stop the ship from falling into Alternian orbit.

So much pressure. So, so much pressure. Alleviated somewhat by having a competent commander that she could trust to keep calm well beyond perhaps all of them otherwise. Mera knew she herself was barely keeping it together.

And then there was Leeroi. Another presence that she was half-tempted to try to flat out ignore. For now, he was just a fellow squad member, fellow soldier (though still of lower rank. Hm), unless he had to act out. Which he was good at. She had little commentary on Psykgi, meanwhile. Someone she barely knew, only recalled as being a little too mouthy with highbloods back in the day.

A military crew, though. Reassuring, in a way. She was doing her job. She had worked with her Lightseekers a few times on previous ships, but now it was time to really find that balancing act.

And to start, following orders under immense duress.

Mera nodded to Eostre. "Yes, ma'am." She went over to the door, paused briefly to check her bracelet and its ring 'charm'. It started to buzz. "There will be a hostile beyond this door, ma'am." Next, she searched for panels that Eostre handily disarmed. "I don't think it's trapped, but you are the expert for that."

Now, to open it... "It likely will be locked."

She made an attempt. It refused to budge.

"As I expected. How shall we proceed, Lieutenant?"

Quote:

HP: 20/20
Military-grade Weapon: +1 dmg
YTMA Pins:
Leadership Training
Artifacts:
Adept Support Style B
Trinkets:
Novice Support Style A
Power:
Novice Defensive Style B (1/1)

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

Eostre appraised the door, and nodded. Not trapped, but definitely locked. Alright. She had to get this open, and she knew just slamming against them wildly wouldn't work for her, not reliably. With a sigh, she pulled the trench knife out of the waistband of her uniform and put the blade into the door, pushing against it sharply. A soft pop, and she knew the locking mechanism had broken.

Sometimes you had to use some shadier tips for unlocking doors. "Not a problem," she said, folding the knife back and putting it away.

HP: 40/40
Military Grade Brass Knuckles
Artifact: Novice Support Style A (0/1)
Trinkets: Adept Offense Style B (0/2), V2 Beamtube (Adept Agility Style B) (0/2), Novice Defense Style B (0/3)

Eostre's scout ability cooldown in 4 advancements
Eostre's attempts to use her Strength training to unlock the door
Advancements: 1/21
Mini-bosses: 0/4

 

[zeflamigo]

This is a mini-boss battle, the full rules and mechanics of which can be reviewed here.
The room beyond the door seems empty from the hallway, but stepping inside you are swiftly aware that you are not alone! For lurking in the corner is a dark groaning shape. As it turns towards you, you realize you are entering strife!
You have encountered a ...

Dice 1
1. ... Insatiable ... (-2 to all attacks)
2. ... Gushing ... (-1 on accuracy rolls)
3. ... Volatile ... (-2 on all accuracy rolls)
4. ... Nightmarish ... (-1 to all attacks)
Dice 2
1. ... Regenerating ... (regains 2 HP per player attack, excluding bonus attacks)
2. ... Bladed ... (3 extra dmg taken for each round in battle)
3. ... Psionic ... (using artifacts/ability/items deals 6 dmg to the entire party)
4. ... Mutating... (each member of the party takes 4 damage each time a party member deals max damage(highest roll possible))
Dice 3
1. ... Reanimated Subjugglator!
2. ... Wailing Abomination!
3. ... Hulking Commander!
4. ... Distorted Masses!
MINIBOSS STARTING HP: 40/40
If you rolled a 1, take 6 dmg.
If you rolled a 2, take 5 dmg.
If you rolled a 3, take 5 dmg.
If you rolled a 4, take 4 dmg.
If you rolled a 5, take 4 dmg.
If you rolled a 6, take 3 dmg.
If all party members reach 0hp, look below:

show spoilerhide spoiler

You must make a tactical retreat! Scrambling back out of the room,
you barely make it to the pod with all your limbs attached.
Better luck next time! You have retreated from your mission and returned back to the docking area! Squad commanders, be sure to report in!

If the mini-boss reaches 0hp, look below:

show spoilerhide spoiler

If this is your first, second or third mini-boss fight look below:

show spoilerhide spoiler

If a member of your team is a trained Discipline or Endurace specialist OR registered as in-training for either:

show spoilerhide spoiler

You can close your eyes and draw on inner reserves to keep going. This can only be done once per ship exploration per troll trained.
If you are a Journeytroll or higher in your skill: Restore 1d10+3 OR 1/3rd (rounded down) of your hp.
If you are a Novice in your skill: Restore 1d8+2 OR 1/4th (rounded down) of your hp.
If you are training your skill: Restore 1d6+1 hp.
You cannot roll the dice then choose the flat restoration, one must be picked beforehand.

If a member of your team is a trained Troll Relations or Leadership specialist OR registered as in-training for either:

show spoilerhide spoiler

You can manage to cheer, rally, or cajole your teammates into finding more energy. This can only be done once per ship exploration per troll trained.
If you are a Journeytroll or higher in your skill: Each team member restores 1d6+3 (rolled separately) hp.
If you are a Novice in your skill: Each team member restores 1d6+2 (rolled separately) hp.
If you are training your skill: Each team member restores 1d4+1 (rolled separately) hp.

If this is your fourth mini-boss fight, you have reached one of the steering systems! Roll 1d4 in the spoiler below:

show spoilerhide spoiler

1 - The other teams appear to have been successful in their endeavors. There's enough power available for you to reengage the system. The entire room illuminates and roars with life. It's perhaps dangerous to hang around in here too long, but in the meantime the amount of energy in the air makes you feel powerful.
2 - The tendrils of the ship's wiring look like a crime scene, or perhaps a particularly gory nest. Headquarters gives you harried instructions to shut down and isolate the area before the whole ship goes up in flames.
3 - An undead helmsman is still tethered to the center console. They don't have the ability to provide power, but their presence is preventing the back-up systems from triggering. You remove the zombie and the system reengages successfully.
4 - The room is dark and cold, but with instructions from headquarters and the efforts of the teams on the other decks, the system has enough power to reboot itself. The ship begins to thrum with life. It makes your horns tingle and your hair stand on end.
Congratulations! You have completed your mission and returned back to the docking area! Squad commanders, be sure to report in!

 

[zeflamigo]

Leeroi HP: 14/20

Leeroi was thinking a lot of things, getting onto this ship. Having a strong and capable adult Lieutenant was a blessing even Leeroi could recognize. Going with Psykgi was fine, preferable even. Especially when he wasn't excited to see one familiar Hemera Moachm.

He still didn't know what to do about Hemera. He knew it wasn't really fair to be treating her with such a cold indifference when they both knew what their feelings were. He just... didn't know how to bridge the gap of their last spat. At the very least, he wanted to say something, for the sake of teamwork on this mission. "Hemera," he called out, but at an inopportune time and uncharacteristically quiet. She was focused on Eostre. She was avoiding him.

He flinched back, casting a concerned look over to his moirail. "Psygki, will you..." he was lost trying to come up with a solution on his own. She would know what was wrong, he had told her what happened. Psygki was just better at this emotion stuff, and Hemera wouldn't actively be trying to ignore her.

Sappy emotion stuff was cut short by a loud ringing in Leeroi's head. Immediately, he felt an old, upsetting pain in his robot arm, and he clutched at it, scratching the surface wildly. Painful memories resurfaced of a greenblood. Leeroi tried desperately to swallow them down, but he cried out, tears welling in his eyes.

Through hazy vision, Leeroi spotted the source behind the door. With labored breathing, he raised his gun and charged forward to get into range. He fired recklessly, wanting to end this pain as quickly as possible.

Leeroi DMG: 4
Miniboss HP: 36/40  

[DraconicFeline]

Cpl. Psykgi Mentha


"Yes ma'am!" Psykgi said, saluting, her trademark smile plastered onto her face as usual - and fully real this time. After all, psy was psyched to be going on a massive adventure with her moirail! And the other two trolls, too, who she didn't really know yet. Considering their ranks, though, she was confident in their capabilities... and more than happy to fall back to her support role.

While she was apparently a good leader and she knew she should probably start learning some leaderly things to supplement her troll psychology, it felt really strange to actually... command that kind of respect. She wasn't sure if she liked the wild little temptation she had to, when given power, abuse it. It felt very dangerous. It could get her culled. And, maybe most importantly, it didn't feel like her. This - surrounded by highbloods, carrying a nice-sized pack of medical gear, felt more natural to her. Support was a role she felt super qualified to fill. And, as she came face to face with the stark walls of the flagship itself, she felt that it was best for everyone to fill roles that they were currently qualified to fill - and roles that were most needed - in this place.

Like leadership. By a highblooded military adult.

She wanted to chat with Leeroi before the door was opened, but apparently these two really knew how to expedite things. And actually had a scanner that checked for hostiles - gog that was a useful invention. Psykgi got her axe ready to start smashing things - it couldn't be too bad, right? They'd only just gotten into this thing, after all!

As the door opened, though, she had a very bad feeling. Namely, an odd buzzing... that wasn't quite a sound. "Do you hear that?!" she exclaimed, feeling, suddenly... odd. Like she was swimming in very thick water, or trying to study for a test without having had a good nights sleep in her sopor slime. Her head thrummed with pressure, and she felt her nose become wet.

It was the loud sound of Leeroi's attack that snapped her out of it, and thats when she realized: She had a headache, one that hurt so much that it went around to just being numb, a throbbing dullness that lingered at the back of her throat. The wetness on her nose - a wipe of her hand across her face told her that it was, indeed, some blood.

What did that mean?

That she needed to hit the large amorphous pulsating odd-feeling mass, of course.

Quote:

15/20 hp

Damage Dealt: 4+1= 5
Damage Taken: 5

Miniboss: 31/40

Military Weapon: +1 to damage

Military Standard Medical Kit (Adept Artifact Support A) (2/2 Uses, heal one troll 1/2 hp)

A Collection of Painkiller Drugs (Novice Trinket Support A) (Uses: 1/1, Charges: 3/3, Heals another troll by half their maximum hp)

In training: Troll Relations

 

[Gl!tch~]

As the door opened, like everyone else, Hemera was hit with a serious headache. The world shook in her vision. Pain, fear, pain. Suddenly it was hard to focus, and as she saw what was beyond the door, her thinkpan hurt even worse. She didn't even know what she was looking at, and couldn't even compare it to anything else as a half-hearted reassurance that it was at least like something.

She could hear Leeroi cry out, and when she looked to Psykgi, the redblood was bleeding. Nothing had even attacked them.

Mera's memories flashed through Sascha's and Trusci's handiwork.

The one thing she hadn't accounted for: psionics.

Mera bit back a scream of fear, and could taste blood on her tongue. Her own nose was bleeding heavily, and she could barely move.

Leeroi was rushing forward, thoughtless in a moment of crisis. A flare of anger was just enough to get her arm to lash hard enough to toss her boomerang at the mass and actually hit it.

The moment afterwards, she finally cried out and fell to her knees.

DMG: 6 +1 = 7
Boss HP: 24/40

Quote:

HP: 14/20
Military-grade Weapon: +1 dmg
YTMA Pins:
Leadership Training
Artifacts:
Adept Support Style B
Trinkets:
Novice Support Style A
Power:
Novice Defensive Style B (1/1)

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

There was an uncomfortable aching in her head, and the sensation reminded her of the fight she had with the Queen, her whispering horrors in her head. This wasn't nearly as bad, but she got the sense that something psionic was here, almost whispering at her. ********. They'd have to be careful. If it wasn't conscious, who knew what might trigger it to psychically attack them? And they had no protection from that sort of attack.

Which, speaking of, Leeroi just ran on ahead, without any care or command. "Furore!" she yelled, annoyed. Didn't she just tell them to stick close to her? She followed behind her crew, bringing up the rear and gritting her teeth against the mass. This thing was... horrific. Impossible to hit too. She looked at Leeroi. "You need to focus, Furore. Don't run off like that again, because you'll get hurt. Got it?"

After Psygki and Hemera went, Eostre got closer to the thrashing, volatile masses. This was... very dangerous, and way worse than those daywalkers she fought before. She punched and felt her hands sink into the mass, so she pulled back, and hopped back. She'd need to try harder. With a series of kicks, she beat at the enemy.

"Hemera, are you alright? You need to stand up! Corporals, are you holding up?" she said when she put some distance between her and the writhing masses. Have to check in. Make sure no one's hurt too badly in the wake of a psionic enemy.

Damage: 4 +2 = 6
Boss HP: 18/40

HP: 34/40
Military Grade Brass Knuckles
Artifact: Novice Support Style A (0/1)
Trinkets: Adept Offense Style B (0/2), V2 Beamtube (Adept Agility Style B) (0/2), Novice Defense Style B (0/3)

Eostre's scout ability cooldown in 4 advancements
Advancements: 1/21
Mini-bosses: 0/4

 

[zeflamigo]

Quote:

HP: 09/20
Military Weapon: +1 DMG
YTMA Pins:
Training in Troll Relations
Artifacts:
2/2 Adept Artifact, Defense Style B
(nullify the damage from the last hit)
1/2 Adept Artifact, Offense Style B
(2d6 Deal double damage on this attack. 1 ongoing damage for all turns after. The ongoing damage from these stack.)

Leeroi couldn't shake off the itch, but Eostre calling out to him was a blessing he would thank her for later. It gave him some kind of clarity, something to hold onto and help him remember the space he was in. Sure, he didn't like being told what to do, but he liked that she cared. That was enough to tether him.

He stayed close to the smaller lieutenant, taking what little cover he could. When he had the opportunity, he took a shot at the monster. For a short moment, he glanced at Eostre and smiled.

Leeroi DMG: 4
Miniboss HP: 14/40  

[DraconicFeline]

Cpl. Psykgi Mentha
Of course she had noticed that there was... tension... between the tealblood and her moirail. And Leeroi had told her about the, ah, moment he'd shared with her.


"FiiIIine...!" It was hard enough to get that word out through gritted teeth. Normally, she would have said more, but good glob the pressure... Psykgi had never faced a psionic foe before, certainly not without her lusus by her side (though what Ma'am could do against a psionic, Psykgi didn't know, and certainly wasn't thinking about in that moment.)

Either way, she was fine - she would be fine. Would be, once that thing was gone - that much could get through the buzzing pressure. That, and the feel of her axe connecting with the thing. The vibration in her arm, the satisfying spray of... various fluids... relieved the the pressure on her thinkpan, leaving a beautiful, strangely euphoric, painful lucidity in its wake. It was brief, brilliant, clear...

So she hit it again, and again, and again.

Quote:

9/20 hp

Damage Taken: 6
Damage Dealt: 6+1=7

Miniboss: 7/40

Military Weapon: +1 to damage

Military Standard Medical Kit (Adept Artifact Support A) (2/2 Uses, heal one troll 1/2 hp)

A Collection of Painkiller Drugs (Novice Trinket Support A) (Uses: 1/1, Charges: 3/3, Heals another troll by half their maximum hp)

In training: Troll Relations

 

[Gl!tch~]

The boomerang had sliced through the mass, then arced around. It slid on the floor next to Hemera's knees. She was still struggling to get back up. Eostre's words cut through the ringing in her spongeclots. Exterior motivation, a push. She used it to grab her boomerang, shove herself to the wall, and use said wall to slowly push herself back up. Leaning on it, hard, on one shoulder, she grit her teeth and threw her boomerang again. The psionic forces seemed to center on her, as if targeting her specifically. Every time her body threatened to ice up, it grew worse.

Tears tinged her eyes, and her blood was starting to drip off her chin and onto her uniform.

DMG: 5 +1 = 6
Boss HP: 1/40

Quote:

HP: 8/20
Military-grade Weapon: +1 dmg
YTMA Pins:
Leadership Training
Artifacts:
Adept Support Style B
Trinkets:
Novice Support Style A
Power:
Novice Defensive Style B (1/1)

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

They were struggling. She was, too. Not for a lack of trying, either. Between the struggle to hit the masses, and the psychic tingling at the base of her spine, as though it threatened at any turn to sink into her mind - it was hard to focus and hard to hit.

But Eostre wasn't giving up. Her team needed her, and seeing them - Leeroi flashing her a smile, Psygki croaking out a response, Hemera and the blood that kept dripping onto her clothes - still fighting. It gave her strength. Her life, her reputation was on the line. If she couldn't command them and she couldn't fight.

She could fight. The masses writhed slower, weaker. Eostre felt it was weak now, while she was strong. She advanced, arms raised, and slammed her fists into it, the metal nubs of her brass knuckles making direct contact with something, spraying various fluids. She punched again, until the masses ceased to move, dead for certain.

The air cleared of the oppressiveness, that horrible feeling of whispering horrors beneath the surface.

Damage: 8
Boss HP: 0/40

HP: 28/40
Military Grade Brass Knuckles
Artifact: Novice Support Style A (0/1)
Trinkets: Adept Offense Style B (0/2), V2 Beamtube (Adept Agility Style B) (0/2), Novice Defense Style B (0/3)

Eostre's scout ability cooldown in 4 advancements
Advancements: 1/21
Mini-bosses: 0/4

 

[Gl!tch~]

She gasped for air. Suddenly, that force pushing on her thinkpan had disappeared into nothingness. Mera was left, shaking, leaning into the wall still. But she could move, and whatever pain remained was nowhere near as bad as it had been moments prior. She had to pant, slowly stand up. Collect herself. She wiped the blood from under her nose and looked at it. Not gushing levels, but more than a couple of drops. Hopefully whatever that thing had done to her wouldn't leave lasting damage.

Already, she felt utterly exhausted. And she knew there was more. Much, much more. Mera looked her team over from her vantage point. It was all she could do, really. No one appeared unconscious, or in desperate need of medical attention. But no one got out unscathed, either.

With her other hand, Mera wiped the tears out of her eyes. After a shaky breath, she stood up straighter, and pushed herself off the wall. On her own two feet, she felt better. Looked better. She had her s**t together.

"Well," she started, "that was perhaps the worst encounter I've experienced to date. By a large margin. And I'm guessing that it wasn't much better for anyone else. It's just a taste of what there is on this ship. The previous empress's best forces. Undead, just as strong, if not stronger, than how they were alive. We already beat one of them. It was a struggle, but we did it. Three of us mere teenagers, to boot. That's something to be proud of. If we regroup, and play it smart, we can succeed on this mission. It will be tough, tougher than anything we've faced before, but we can do it."

God willing, they wouldn't die up here.

As she passed by Eostre, she paused. "I...thank you. I won't disappoint you again."

And then there were the other squad members. She went over to them. "Corporals. Are you faring well enough?" Despite the plurality, Mera kept stealing awkward, hesitant glances towards Leeroi. "I noticed you were having...a rough time."

Quote:

HP: 8/20 + 2 +1 = 11
Military-grade Weapon: +1 dmg
YTMA Pins:
Leadership Training
Artifacts:
Adept Support Style B
Trinkets:
Novice Support Style A
Power:
Novice Defensive Style B (1/1)