Vixeni's words pulled Mera out of a moment of pure dissociation. Who could blame her for it? Her lieutenant went and punched a fiery walking corpse, Sascha, too, leading to catching fire himself, and Vixeni...god. They effectively euthanized the daywalker, but they seemed too happy about it. She didn't trust that. She didn't like anything that seemed like someone thought this was really just a game. Making light of the situation was one thing, but that smile after the kill... Hm. She'd keep her distance.
"Yes. Well." Mera looked down towards the next hall. "This way, I suppose."
No one needed to take a breather, it seemed. Good. Good stamina. Despite the actual literal fire most of them got up close to.
At least now she could respond to her lieutenant, in hushed tones as needed. "We were speaking earlier briefly? Yes. I am aware of Vixeni." Probably the best way to put it; Eostre didn't need details of her vague dislike while on the field, and if she spoke too much, it'd be obvious she was talking about others. "And Sascha is...a friend. Sturdy, reliable. A pretty good time. When we first met, he didn't have eyebrows."
Speaking of. "Sascha." She returned her attention back to maybe the only real good thing about this run. "I hope that daywalker didn't leave you too crispy." She tried to be lighthearted about it. Yes, punching through a daywalker that was on fire was terrible move, but she trusted this troll. "And to ask your question about my accessory...yes. Well. There's not much one can do with these uniforms, so I've opted to work around them." And with the ring on a bracelet and not her finger, it would be more accessible when she had to wear gloves.
"There's a story to it, but it's probably a bore to hear about. It's just a relic I received from a retired veteran." To put it very, very lightly.
And, almost as if on cue, the ring attachment started to buzz again, especially as they got nearer to one side of the hallway. She looked over, and not too far down...ah. Yes. There it was. A door. "But it certainly has its uses."
She turned her attention back to Eostre. "Ma'am, we have another closed door, and likely more hostiles to follow."
Quote:
HP: 17/20 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)
zeflamigo rolled 1 4-sided dice:
1Total: 1 (1-4)
Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 5:03 pm
Quote:
HP: 14/20 Military Weapon: +1 DMG YTMA Pins: Novice in Endurance Novice in Tactics Novice in Covert Ops Novice in Leadership Training in Agility
Vulpin squatted down low, examining the tech surrounding the door. After a moment of inspection, they addressed their crew, though failing to bother looking at any of them in the eye.
"It appears to be locked and trapped, again." They said, matter-of-factly. "I'm sure Lieutenant Diazzi can help us on both accounts, again." They glanced up quickly at the blueblood, flashing a small smirk. He was certain the higher-up was most useful in these situations, and at the very least, the strength category.
No eyebrows? Interesting. She was glad to hear the other lieutenant was at least reliable. Eostre really didn't know what to make of the other trolls who were promoted from the Superstars event, but at least it seemed like he deserved it.
More traps and locks. The blueblood flashed a smile at Vixeni. "Of course, it'll be easy enough." At the door, Eostre opened the panel to disarm the trap like before. This part of the mission was always easy, but the other one...
Eostre attempted to open the door with a firm kick... and nothing happened. s**t. Not again.
HP: 37/40 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)
Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 6:33 pm
She took a second. "Hm. A bit stuck, but no worries," she said, glancing at Hemera and Vixeni. With a heave, Eostre slammed her shoulder into the door again, and the lock popped audibly. That one... was a bit more rough on her shoulder, but the door opened. So it didn't matter to her.
HP: 32/40 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)
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. ... Enraged... (-1 to all attacks) 2. ... Jawless... (+1 on accuracy rolls) 3. ... Putrid... (-1 on all accuracy rolls) 4. ... Decomposing ... (+1 on all attacks) Dice 2 1. ... Skeletal... (-5 miniboss HP) 2. ... Bellicose... (players take 2x the amount of damage on their first turn) 3. ... Armoured... (only 2 players per turn may use a special artifact/ability/item) 4. ... Burning... (take an extra 1 dmg each time you deal max damage (highest roll possible for weapon or damage-dealing skill)) Dice 3 1. ...Undead Ship Cook! 2. ... Mutated Daywalker! 3. ... Zombie Gerbil Pack! 4. ... Daywalker on Fire! MINIBOSS STARTING HP: 30/30 If you rolled a 1, take 4 dmg. If you rolled a 2, take 4 dmg. If you rolled a 3, take 3 dmg. If you rolled a 4, take 3 dmg. If you rolled a 5, take 2 dmg. If you rolled a 6, take 2 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 have reached the control room! Roll 1d4 and look in the spoiler below:
1 - Powering on the ship is easy enough, with the instructions from headquarters in your ear. The screens show that the ship is functioning perfectly, and headquarters patches in the control of a remote helmsman. They wait until you have returned to your boarding pod and leave, before steering the ship away.* 2 - Powering on the ship is easy enough, with the instructions from headquarters in your ear. As the screens boot up however, dozens of red warnings and errors flash across the screen. It seems like there has been critical damage to the ship in multiple places. Your team is instructed to leave the small black boxes containing deadly explosives in key positions on your return path to the exit. 3- The ship refuses to power on, even after you follow headquarters instructions to make sure they are plugged in, and hitting ctrl-alt-del. It looks like something core is not functioning. Your team is instructed to leave the small black boxes containing deadly explosives in key positions on your return path to the exit. 4- Powering on the ship is easy enough, with the instructions from headquarters in your ear. The screens show that the ship is functioning perfectly, and headquarters patches in the control of a remote helmsman. They wait until you have returned to your boarding pod and leave, before steering the boarding vessel away.* If any troll in the party has helmsman authority, they can steer the ship to given coordinates, then return to the boarding vessel with the rest of the team. Congratulations! You have completed your mission and returned back to the docking area! Squad commanders, be sure to report in!
Sascha attacks the jawless, skeletal, daywalker on fire!
HP: 13/20 Military Weapon: +1 DMG Trinkets: 3/3 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 perked up at the mention of his name. By this point his sleeve was only smoldering slightly. The standard-issue uniforms were made of tough stuff, though Sascha imagined it would look a lot worse were he not already wearing black. He waved to Hemera, patting out the last of the embers in the process. "No more than usual," he answered simply.
He turned and followed the group in time to meet up at the next point of interest. "Hot dog," Sascha whistled as Eostre tore down yet another door. He knew that wasn't an easy feat. This door in particular made a pretty awful sound as it crumpled in from the strain. Sascha scrutinized the scene carefully. "You'll have to share your technique when we're through with this, ma'am." He was certain he would have wrecked himself if he tried a stunt like that. Which he did. Regularly.
His note-taking would have to wait. Something flickering caught Sascha's attention. "Whu-oh. We've got an encore performance." Sascha jumped onto the scene. This flaming daywalker was already much further gone than the first. It was mostly bones, and even then it was missing a few. Sascha wondered what made zombies combust like this. Were they agitated by all the company?
Sascha kicked one of the legs out from under the skeleton and hurriedly stamped out the pieces before the fire could spread.
"I guess dying makes you somewhat fireproof," she commented. It would be upsetting if there appeared to be a source, but so far these walking corpses were fiery in isolation. Very strange. And, being icy herself, she wasn't too worried about burning.
She still wanted to keep her distance during such times, though. Hemera started to strafe. "Ah! Good job, Sascha. This thing is barely holding together, it should go down quick. Head's up!"
Mera tossed her still-bloodied boomerang. It lodged itself in one of the daywalker's ribs.
Well.
She should have expected that.
Hemera ran over, and, careful around the fire, pushed the end jutting out to tear through the bone, splintering it and leaving a gaping hole in the back of the daywalker.
She quickly retreated afterwards.
DMG: 5 +1 = 6 Boss HP: 14/25
Quote:
HP: 15/20 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)
"Stop by my office later, Lieutenant. I'd be glad to show you," Eostre said to Sascha, keeping her tone light and conversational. As she entered the new room, the enemy in front of her caught her eye. The flesh melted away, burning... it was quite a sight, but she had a job to do.
"I'm heading in, watch my head," she said with a nod to the ranged wielders. When her teammates were done attacking, she stepped in, arms raised. She jabbed at the flaming creature, quick so as not to get caught on fire, heavy handed and knocking into its body.
Damage: 4 + 1 + 1 = 6 Boss HP: 8/25
HP: 29/40 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)
HP: 12/20 Military Weapon: +1 DMG YTMA Pins: Novice in Endurance Novice in Tactics Novice in Covert Ops Novice in Leadership Training in Agility
Vulpin took the crew's warning, and kept the burning flesh monster at a decent length. After gathering their knives from before, they would have plenty to dole out from a distance before having to sacrifice getting close. Of course, they would eventually have to put out the fire to retrieve them.
Twirling on their heel, Vulpin tossed two knives at the daywalker. One landed in the daywalker's gut, and the other in its neck. Both resulted in an impressive gush of mysterious blood-esque liquid. Vulpin sneered at the mess. "Just lovely," they muttered.
Sascha attacks the jawless, skeletal, daywalker on fire!
HP: 11/20 Military Weapon: +1 DMG Trinkets: 3/3 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 recoiled at the sight of the creature's... blood? Was that blood? If it was, Sascha couldn't even tell what caste the daywalker used to be, much less the color. He supposed on one hand that made the monster even more alien and easier to kill. On the other it was super icky. And apparently flammable. That was the last thing anyone there needed.
Sascha's eyes flickered red and he telekinetically yanked the daywalker back away from the crew and away from the awful pool that was forming. Sascha's next step was simple, but effective. He banged the thing on the ground repeatedly. At some point the mess was too finely ground for Sascha to hold onto and it just sat in a smoldering lump on the ground. Bits of glowing bone shrapnel bounced along the metal floors. It smelled as awful as it looked.
"...Fire's out. I guess one of us probably could have looked for an extinguisher or something... What's next, boss?"
Mera couldn't help but stare at Sascha's display. A new level of violence, sickening in its own way, how much the body was destroyed in the process. But...perhaps necessary. All corpses were likely to be cleaned up and disposed of somehow if the ship was successfully recovered. If not that, everything on it would be blown to space dust. No option was really better than any other, in the end.
"Well. While often it seems we are turning to unconventional methods, admittedly out of necessity, the quick thinking is pretty admirable. Vixeni, your knifework continues to be very impressive. Keeping the daywalker distracted was also a clever tactic, and very likely kept the rest of us from getting burned."
Mera turned to the yellowblood of the group. "And Sascha."
She couldn't help but stare at the pile again, hands on her hips. Very clearly lost for words for a moment. "You certainly killed it. Perhaps five times over. But that fire is out, and your finesse shows that you truly earn the title of helmsman. I now have every incentive to never criticize your fashion choices ever again."
Hemera took a second to realize that she was back in some leader-like mode, despite not being in charge. Though, still casual, since she did mean to just compliment her team for their good work.
But Eostre, the actual person in charge, was also there. "Speaking of the fire, it never seems to touch you, ma'am. That's amazing." Even though she kept nearly having heart attacks seeing Eostre get so close. "I also, um, have no idea what to say that does not sound like borderline sucking up. But that is not my intention. I am glad, though, to get to see you in action and I understand fully the purpose of this exercise."
Mera paused.
"I think that's enough of me talking now, since we do have a mission to complete, don't we?"
Quote:
HP: 15/20 +2 = 17/20 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)
Eostre smiled at Hemera. She had a way with words, certainly, and would make a good commander someday. Not today, obviously, because she was still in charge of this squad and this group. Still, the effort was commendable.
"Good job, Hemera. You're certainly a quick learner, so I'm glad to be showing you what I'm capable of, as well as seeing you in action." She paused, and pat Hemera on the shoulder. "I don't worry about the flames, because after all I have you to rely on, don't I?" she said. Glancing back at the ruins of the last daywalker, and then back to her crew, Eostre stood up a little straighter.
"We'll move on, now. Everyone's doing excellent, and we're making good time, thanks to everyone's abilities."
HP: 29/40 + 2 = 31/40 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)
purplerosesbeauty
Springtime Spirit
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zeflamigo rolled 1 4-sided dice:
3Total: 3 (1-4)
zeflamigo
Interstellar Astronaut
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Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:49 pm
Quote:
HP: 16/20 Military Weapon: +1 DMG YTMA Pins: Novice in Endurance Novice in Tactics Novice in Covert Ops Novice in Leadership Training in Agility
Vulpin made a flourish at Hemera's compliment. "I like the attention," they replied, speaking of course about baiting their enemy into following them. After sufficiently preening themself and cleaning off their suit, they turned their attention to the unfamiliar member of the team.
Sidling up next to the large yellowblood, Vulpin spoke in a quiet, low tone. "Soooooo, you're a helmsman, aren't you?" They pursed their lips in a strange, pouty smile, bringing a hand up to their own cheek. "Are you going to fly this ship in yourself, boy?"
HP: 16/20 Military Weapon: +1 DMG Trinkets: 3/3 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 was practically jogging in place, ready to forge deeper into the ship. He stopped fidgeting upon hearing his name, however, and turned to Hemera. She looked... Confused wasn't the right word, but it was the best Sascha could come up with. He grinned at her words, though, and flashed her two thumbs-ups. "You know it!" He laughed.
His laughter trailed off as Vulpin sidled up to him. He wasn't entirely sure what they were getting at, but smirked all the same. "Damn right I am," he replied to both questions. "As long as there's something worth salvaging, I'll be the one to take it in."
With that squared away, Eostre advanced through the ship with her crew behind her. A few empty hallways, flickering lights and nothing of interest. But there, tucked away! Eostre found a door.
"Got another door here," she said. Excellent. They were that much closer to finding the control panels and hopefully taking this ship back to HQ.
HP: 31/40 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)
