Etsali attempts to break down the door with strength!
Etsali's grin faltered as she caught sight of Tevini's expression while she worked. Maybe that hadn't been the right way to set that one up for her. The thief resisted a wince at the sound of a snap, though she'd seen it coming, and immediately stepped back forward, nudging Tevini back a little again to stoop and peer at the doorknob. Yeah, that was pretty bad. Hmm.
"Good thing you unlocked it first," she announced, twisting it as hard as she could, hoping it would open and knowing it wouldn't. "That's weird. They can't even make sure the door fits properly? This thing is jammed. Hold on, I can-"
She backed up one step, then threw herself into the door.
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. ... Horrific... (-2 on all attacks) 2. ... Agile... (-1 on accuracy rolls) 3. ... Contorting... (-2 on all accuracy rolls) 4. ... Preserved ... (-1 on all attacks) Dice 2 1. ... Toxic... (Players take 2 extra damage per turn) 2. ... Relentless... (Players take 2x damage on the lowest accuracy roll) 3. ... Empowered... (using artifacts/ability/items deals 3 dmg to the entire party) 4. ... Burning... (take an extra 3 dmg each time you deal max damage (highest roll possible for weapon or damage-dealing skill)) Dice 3 1. ...Wailing Zombie Prisoner! 2. ... Mutated Elite Troops! 3. ... Undead Cyborg! 4. ... Pack of Shambling Lusii! MINIBOSS STARTING HP: 30/30 If you rolled a 1, take 5 dmg. If you rolled a 2, take 5 dmg. If you rolled a 3, take 4 dmg. If you rolled a 4, take 4 dmg. If you rolled a 5, take 3 dmg. If you rolled a 6, take 3 dmg. Your attack this turn does double damage. If all party members reach 0hp, look below:
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:
If this is your first or second mini-boss fight look below:
If a member of your team is a trained Discipline or Endurace specialist OR registered as in-training for either:
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:
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 third mini-boss fight, you've reached one of the propulsion systems! Roll 1d4 and look in the spoiler below:
1 - It's a mess of disturbingly fleshy wires down here, but they all seem to be connected to a single, monolithic console. Everything is where it should be according to ground control's instructions, so recalibrating the power output is simple enough. 2 - It smells like ash and rot in here. Some of the wires are torn, sparking ominously in the vicinity of a particularly charred corpse. The unit is just draining power like this. With ground control's assistance, you manage to shut down the system and quarantine it. 3 - The room is pitch black. You're only able to discern its purpose through narrow flashlight beams and stumbling over the snaking wires. The console at the center is nothing but a dead-end for the ship's power supply. With instructions from headquarters, you manage to grope around in the dark and quarantine the system. 4 - The room feels like an inferno with how strained the propulsion system is. With instructions from headquarters you're able to alleviate pressure from the unit and reroute power accordingly. The center console already begins to glow less menacingly. Congratulations! You have completed your mission and returned back to the docking area! Squad commanders, be sure to report in!
Sascha attacks the preserved, toxic pack of shambling lusii!
HP: 12/20 Military Weapon: +1 DMG Trinkets: 2/3 Defense Style A: 2 damage is detracted from last incoming attack. 1/1 Defense Style B: Nullify damage from the last attack. Telekinesis: 2/2 Offensive Style B: Attack does double damage, and detracts 1 health from opponent every remaining turn. Recurring damage effect stacks.
Sascha straightened up as Estali blasted through the door. He'd been curled over, nearly spitting with muffled laughter. The attempt at subtlety was less from sparing Tevini's feelings as it was allowing the bit to continue uninterrupted. He wasn't disappointed. Wiping a fake tear from his eye, Sascha sighed and walked over to assess the damage Etsali did to the door, and perhaps herself.
Etsali looked fine, but Sascha didn't look particularly hard. As soon as he was in the room his attention was captured by a multitude of footsteps and an awful smell. It wasn't the stink of decay he'd become used to. It was something far more chemical. Sascha's eyes adjusted to the dark.
They were in some kind of... morgue. The equipment was all huge and oddly shaped--fitted to the patients of the facility, Sascha realized. The white of the undead lusii shimmered under the low lighting and sheen of preservatives coating their remaining fur and skin. "What... What the..." Sascha took a step back, bumping a gurney in the process. It shook him from his disgust and he raised his fists. The lusii were so well-preserved. It made their jerky, mindless movement all the more unsettling.
Sascha supposed the only way to make them stop was to keep doing what they'd been doing the entire time. He charged in with his knives up. Almost immediately he was forced to duck when an elephantine lusus swung its trunk over one of the counters at Sascha's head. Flasks and vials crashed around him as the lusus swept the table. The liquids within made an audible hissing noise upon hitting the floor.
At the first opportunity, Sascha vaulted onto the counter top. He sliced at the lusus as it tried to swat him again. "Don't touch anything in this room if you can help it!" He called back.
Sascha attacks the preserved, toxic pack of shambling lusii with telekinesis!
HP: 12/20 Military Weapon: +1 DMG Trinkets: 2/3 Defense Style A: 2 damage is detracted from last incoming attack. 1/1 Defense Style B: Nullify damage from the last attack. Telekinesis: 1/2 Offensive Style B: Attack does double damage, and detracts 1 health from opponent every remaining turn. Recurring damage effect stacks.
Sascha jumped from one counter to another as the lusus before him stomped down on where he'd been standing. He was in a bad place. He couldn't get too close to the lusii without putting himself in range of a monster with several hundred pounds on him.
Some sort of carnivorous ungulate jumped at Sascha and he fell back off the counter. He psychically hurled a random assortment of tools and jars at the creature as he righted himself. A couple shattered against a completely unresponsive lusus. The rest hit the opposing walls, further coating the room in glass shards.
HP: 16/20 Military Grade Weapon Novice Tactics Training Leadership
Cerpin is punching the boss using adept defensive b trinket to negate damage damage: 2 boss hp: 26/30
found industrial strength bandaid 1 use novice support b trinket
6/16 advances 0/3 minibosses defeated
"Bravo. Well done, ladies." Cerpin clapped appreciatively at Etsali and Tevini's show. He could tell the redblood's 'oh s**t' face when he saw it but was feeling generous enough not to tease her over it right now. The door burst open and they peered inside at some kind of fascinating horror-scape. The purpleblood felt chills go down his spine and then his arms. He'd seen plenty of undead creatures on these ships before but somehow, a morgue was much more unnerving. It was an unnatural resting place sure to be filled with autopsies and-
"s**t!" The lusii began to move with more speed than expected, snapping out of their still states and breaking through equipment to reach the trolls. He lashed at the trunk of the largest lusus with his sword as it thrashed around dangerously. He would've commented on the red lightning sparking through the room but there wasn't time. Cerpin swore and slid under a table to avoid taking a direct hit from a large primate with its abdomen cut open. He quickly wished he hadn't, however, as he came face to face with a pile of half decayed bones from an unfortunate scientist that the lusii had gotten to sweeps ago.
Retching at the imagery of what had happened, he took a few seconds to get back to his feet while the others continued the fight.
Etsali HP: 10/20 Military Weapon +1 YTMA Pins: Journeytroll Covert Ops + Endurance, Novice Strength, Training Tactics Trinkets: Adept Artifact - Agi B (2/2), Novice Trinket - Def B Advances: 7/16 Bosses: 0/3
Etsali does 6 damage! Boss HP: 20
Etsali should have called out a warning as soon as she was through the door, she really should have. It was just that she'd been so overwhelmed by the sight, unable to comprehend for that long moment exactly why this was happening until Sascha stepped through the opened doorway after her and everything sped up from there.
Immediately reaching for two kunai, she dodged the slashing of claws and stepped into get in a counterattack before the lumbering creature could recover from the movement. Sascha's warning was a whole lot of another level of stress (how did one fight without touching anything?), but she was going to manage.
Ugh, though, this smell made even her want to throw up.
Etsali HP: 10/20 Military Weapon +1 YTMA Pins: Journeytroll Covert Ops + Endurance, Novice Strength, Training Tactics Trinkets: Adept Artifact - Agi B (1/2), Novice Trinket - Def B Advances: 7/16 Bosses: 0/3
using artifact (2 2d6 hits with +1 to accuracy to each on this attack) Etsali does 6 damage! Boss HP: 14
Unfortunately, one of her kunai had lodged into the tough hide of the creature so well that she couldn't quite manage to pull it out. Or maybe she would have been able to, given time that she didn't have. Even in death, the lusii seemed to respond to the excitement of battle, picking up speed that seemed even more unnatural somehow than the too-slow movements had. Abandoning the kunai as lost, Etsali had to make a break for it, thinking fast as she went.
It hadn't been too hard to pick up on what exactly didn't need to be touched once she'd had time to really look, so now she scanned the tables for an abundance of those vials and flasks. She reached for the grappling gun at her side as she went, waiting for the opportune moment to- There!
Throwing herself around the corner of a table, she whirled and pulled the trigger. It pierced into the metal cabinets on the other side, leaving the length of metal cord to cross the opening. Gritting her teeth, she held fast as the lusii that had been chasing her ran full speed into it. The jerk of the impact was painful, but the crack of bone and the crash into the table full of vials was worth it.
Boss HP: 12/30 Tevini is using her telekinesis! 2d6 Deal double damage on this attack, 2x per battle. 1 ongoing damage for all turns after. The ongoing damage from these stack.
This was the stuff of daymares. It seemed no matter how hard she tried, everything about these missions kept pointing her back at the tealblood. Tevini grit her teeth at the sight of the lab and tried to not throw up. She had to keep it together and show Cerpin and Sascha that she was strong and capable too.
"Dammit!" Tevini cursed as the lusii slipped around behind various pieces of equipment, obscuring themselves. She fired anyway, hitting the few that she could while she circled around to try for a better vantage point. Ducking into the shadows of the lab, she hoped she wouldn't find anything worse in there!
Boss HP: 8/30 Tevini is using her telekinesis! 2d6 Deal double damage on this attack, 2x per battle. 1 ongoing damage for all turns after. The ongoing damage from these stack.
Searching the room for any useful ammunition, Tevini thought back to Sascha's words. His warning indicated the room was coated and filled with dangerous items, potentially poisonous or acidic. If she could find some and load it up, maybe they could use it against the lusii. Quickly she looked for any equipment that might aid her and snatched up a few syringes. Tevini shuddered at what she was about to do, hating that she would borrow from Flydra's techniques once more.
But she'd crossed that line already, it'd be stupid to get caught up on it now.
Loading the syringes with some chemicals from random jars, Tevini turned back to scan the others fighting and called forth on her psionic energy. She wouldn't lie, she was scared. But she needed to press on and do this.
"Watch out!" The girl cried out before hurling the syringes at the lusii and pressing the handles in to inject them. They'd find out soon if it'd be effective or not!
Sascha attacks the preserved, toxic pack of shambling lusii!
HP: 9/20 Military Weapon: +1 DMG Trinkets: 1/3 Defense Style A: 2 damage is detracted from last incoming attack. 1/1 Defense Style B: Nullify damage from the last attack. Telekinesis: 1/2 Offensive Style B: Attack does double damage, and detracts 1 health from opponent every remaining turn. Recurring damage effect stacks.
They'd been in plenty of situations of classic horror. Halls crammed with undead in various states of decay and immolation. It was gross and tense and dangerous, but something about this situation was uniquely chilling.
Sascha did his best so slide under the counters without tearing himself to pieces on broken glass. The lusii were just so close to lifelike, but still so pointedly dead. Sascha had no idea how aware they were of his presence, or anything really, if he wasn't actively being attacked. A pillar of a leg dropped down beside his hiding place and he froze until it shifted away. Sascha shifted into a kneel, ready to run.
Gunfire spattered overhead, followed by Tevini's shouted warning. Sascha made his move. He rolled out into position behind the herd. The back of his jacket glittered with glass like a cruel parody of his Superstar Interview wardrobe. He gripped his knives and went in for the kill.
He didn't know what was in those syringes. Sascha doubted Tevini knew either. The contents had already begun to leave blackish stains where they'd struck their targets. The corrupted flesh sunk inwards as it dissolved, crippling a number of the monsters.
Even with the bought time, Sascha needed to act quickly. Rather than go for heavy punches, Sascha moved with brutal efficiency. He slashed at the limbs and joints of as many creatures as he could reach. Killing blows were a waste of precious seconds Sascha didn't have while caught within a throng of animals much larger than himself.
Several monsters crumpled awkwardly to the floor, writhing, but ultimately immobile. Sascha moved to jump over one, only for a broad arm to catch him across the back. He was sent careening over one of the counters, landing in a heap on the other side.
HP: 9/20 Military Grade Weapon Novice Tactics Training Leadership
Cerpin is punching the boss damage: 2 boss hp: 0/30
found industrial strength bandaid 1 use novice support b trinket
6/16 advances 0/3 minibosses defeated
Etsali was on fire. The purpleblood wondered if she had gone easy on him during their fight. He made a mental note not to cross her ever again as Tevini's warning sounded and caught his attention.
"Good shot, Vee!" Cerpin watched the needles go flying through the air. He wasn't thrilled about Tevini using her powers but had to admit they were in a tough spot at the moment. Darting in to the mass of lusii, he slashed at them with his sword in an attempt to cut off their legs. If the animals weren't able to move, it would give them an easier time trying to kill them. He grimaced as he watched Sascha go flying out of sight. They needed to end this quickly before Tevini ran out of whatever that acid was. Charging straight at the largest of the lusii, Cerpin raised his blade high to get some downward momentum to hack at its trunk.
But before he could complete the movement, he was wrapped in a painful squeeze and all breath was expelled out of him. It felt like his internal organs were going to be completely crushed if he didn't escape soon. Gasping for air, he weakly slashed at the trunk to no avail. There wasn't much time left- he lined up his final shot and threw the sword at the creature's head to pierce through its thinkpan.
"Haugh- gck-" He fell to the floor as the trunk loosened and stayed on all fours for a minute. His lungs were still struggling.
Yamashii rolled 1 4-sided dice:
4Total: 4 (1-4)
Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 12:40 am
Quote:
HP: 14/20 Military Grade Weapon Novice Tactics Training Leadership
Cerpin is healing up through leadership roll 1d4 + 1 for heals guys found industrial strength bandaid 1 use novice support b trinket
6/16 advances 1/3 minibosses defeated
"I'm impressed we survived that." Cerpin said with a shake in his voice. Previous ship encounters had not been as terrifying. Wobbling to his feet, he reached out for a hand to help him up.
"If we can do that, the rest of this is easy-mode, huh?" It was not but he needed to boost his own morale or this was going to go terribly. "At this rate, we'll reach the propulsion systems in no time!" What did the ship propulsion systems even look like? Cerpin had no clue. Hopefully the other space nerds would be able to point it out once they found it. His feet felt steady enough to walk again and he looked to see if the others were ready to continue.
"Easy mode," Etsali repeated as she made her way back towards the others. She wobbled slightly, hand catching the edge of a table to steady herself, and shook her head before grinning at the other three. "I hear ya. Can't wait to see those things in action." She wouldn't have a clue where to start on them, really, but she only needed to get someone who could there.
Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 12:44 am
There was no need for coffee stands now. Shrewcleo watched as trolls raced around, preparing to board the flagship. He wondered how his master was faring.
How his brothers would too.
Quietly, with no one to pay attention to him, he packed up the coffee stand and headed to the infirmary. Perhaps he couldn't do anything for the trolls leaving but he could see what there was to be done for the ones returning.
HP: 11/20 Military Weapon: +1 DMG Trinkets: 1/3 Defense Style A: 2 damage is detracted from last incoming attack. 1/1 Defense Style B: Nullify damage from the last attack. Telekinesis: 1/2 Offensive Style B: Attack does double damage, and detracts 1 health from opponent every remaining turn. Recurring damage effect stacks.
Sascha pulled himself up on the counter in time to see Cerpin hit the ground. He looked around warily only to realize all of the lusii were incapacitated. His attempt to congratulate the team left his lungs in an exhausted moan. Everyone else regained their bearings and Sascha peeled himself off the surface of the counter. He rejoined the group in time to hear the end of Cerpin's optimistic praise. Sascha weakly offered a thumbs-up while attempting to pick out the shards of glass embedded in his shoulders. For once he was glad he couldn't feel much of anything back there.
"I shouldn't have to tell anyone here not to let their guard down regardless. We sure as hell weren't expecting that. Who's to say what else is on this roller coaster."
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