[META] Command Deck (PANIC! At the Flagship)

[Green Minuet]

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:

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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.

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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:

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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 1d6 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.

 

[Green Minuet]

[+] Captain Kursha Vidari

Health: 40
Military Weapon +1
Eagle Eyes: 3/3
Grandmaster Leadership, Novice Covert Ops, Training Academics

Even Kursha seemed ill at ease on the massive ship.

Regarding the door ahead with a wary expression in silence, he loaded six rounds into the chamber of his rifle. He had a dozen more in his pockets for easy access, and another hundred in the pouches belted to his waist. Alongside them, he had a half dozen grenades. It might have been overkill, but for a ship of this size, he expected nothing but the worst. A part of him wondered if even that would be enough.

Making sure he had the safety on his rifle, Kursha stowed the weapon over his back and turned to face the group. He regarded him with his usual shark-toothed, s**t-eating grin, thought there might have been something a bit tense in his expression. “So, everyone ready to win this thing or die trying?” he asked. His eyes flickered to Sarcel, glittering with delight. “Hey, Lieutenant, why don't you brief the team, while I take a quick look around? Morale is more of your schtick anyway, right? Thanks, you're the beesssst~!”

Blowing the blueblood a kiss, Kursha ducked through the doors out of the docking bay, and into the hall beyond.

[ Kursha scouts ahead. ]

 

[Melancholies]

Quote:

1 - You come across some shuffling bodies...!
Advances: 1/20
Bosses: 0/4s

If Kursha felt ill and ease, Sarcel felt absolutely dreadful. Even looking at the flagship from the safety of their travel pod felt utterly oppressive, and the cramped quarters and the trolls she was sharing it with was not helping. She was worried about Elidae and Lorata. Kursha would be fine, because Kursha was undeniably one of those trolls that couldn't die even if you were trying to kill him; he'd just keep coming back.

Still, between memories of the swamp and the royal gala, this entire trip was shaping up to be an awkward amalgamation of reminders that Sarce didn't really feel like revisiting right now.

That being said, she wasn't really in a morale rousing mood, but at least she didn't show it. Kursha's display did earn a slight eyebrow twitch though, but any real irritation was mostly smoothed over when Lorata spoke to her, even if it was about the stupid speech. "He probably wont." She agreed dryly as she looked down the hallway that Kursha had disappeared into. She turned to the two teens instead.

"Well, we're all already briefed on the entire situation. This flagship is likely harder than any ship we've taken back on this expedition by far." She cleared her throat, "That being said, this isn't a death or glory mission, contrary to popular belief." Kursha. "Reclaiming the flagship is obviously the best case scenario, but I want to remind you both that our mission is stopping its fall back onto Alternia, whether we salvage it or not."

It was strange to think that, as they stood on it now, it was still slowly descending into planetary orbit.

"Still, I know we're all more than capable. We'll have each others backs, we'll be cautious. We're both duty and honor bound to see our mission through," Talking made her feel more confidant, and it showed as she flashed Lorata and Elidae with the smallest of smiles, "But, I don't need to remind either of you, right? Alright, have your weapons ready, stay alert."

She loaded two bullets into her shotgun chamber before cocking it with a satisfying click.

"Let's get going." Maybe it was a trick brought on by the size of the ship, but everything felt like it was moving, and it made Sarcel's hair stand on absolute edge. At least she was nothing if not ready.


Quote:
HP: 40/40
Adult: +1 to damage rolls
Military Grade Weapon: +1 to damage rolls
Invisibility (Adept Agi B): 2/2
Adept Artifact Defense Style A (Swhings): 4/4
Novice Discipline
Leadership training...

 

[Melancholies]

Quote:

rolling 2d8 44 ZOMBIES OH BOY
Advances: 1/20
Bosses: 0/4s

Turns out, the movement wasn't just a trick of the eyes. The entire hallway looked like it was moving because, well, it was. How many bodies were there? A whole hell of a lot more than Sarcel had ever seen in one sitting before, that was for sure. Rather then let her anxiety consume her, she was invigorated with resolve.

"Lorata, Elidae! Get ready now!" Where the ******** was Vidari? "Vidari, get your a** back here!" To say they were having a situation was a bit of an understatement.



Quote:
HP: 40/40
Adult: +1 to damage rolls
Military Grade Weapon: +1 to damage rolls
Invisibility (Adept Agi B): 2/2
Adept Artifact Defense Style A (Swhings): 4/4
Novice Discipline
Leadership training...

 

[blackbird cake]

Elidae Bonbon
hp: 19
attack: 1d6 (+1 bedazzled superstar military weapon✧・ﾟ*✧・)
ytma: training in agility (cooldown: n/a)

Buckling her scissor's sheath around her hips, the yellowblood watched on as Captain Vidari made his way down one of the many corridors to check ahead. Turning to the other two with a bright smile, she put her hands on her hips and awaited for the 'morale speech' with a giggle.

Upon seeing she would be doing a mission with Sarcel and Lorata, Elidae became elated. Two strong, very capable trolls whom held a special place in her biscuit. It filled her with pride to see both of them holding rank and coming with their own multiple successes. It had been a hot moment since she spoke to either of them, and it reminded her that perhaps that needed to change.

Truthfully, the flagship did bright an onslaught to Elidae's anxiety. It was massive, and the alarming pressure she felt to be successful felt overwhelming. From what she could tell, it would be different than any other ship she had been on. Different and deadly.

As Sarcel spoke, the yellowblood idly moved her toe around, nodding along with a big smile. Despite her fears, she held her chin high and felt the radiating confidence from the blueblood. She basked in it, finding it relieving.

It didn't take long for the three of them to find a problem. A huge problem. "O-Oh wow..." Her eyes widened at the mass of moving, carnivorous bodies, her hand immediately tightened around the hilt of her blades.

Following Sarcel's command, the yellowblood followed up with her own message. "Captain, we need you urgently in the rightmost corridor! Daywalkers- more than we've ever seen!" Elidae radioed in to reach the missing greenblood. Immediately after, she held her position with her shears, ready to engage.

Quote:

{ elidae does 0 damage! }

DAYWALKERS: 44/44
advances: 0/
minibosses: 0/4  

[Green Minuet]

[+] Captain Kursha Vidari

Health: 39
Military Weapon +1
Eagle Eyes: 3/3
Grandmaster Leadership, Novice Covert Ops, Training Academics

He had been gone for no more than a minute when Sarcel's voice crackled through the radio, followed a second later by Elidae's. Kursha let out an exasperated sigh, unclipping the device from his belt. How hard was it to stall for a little bit of time while he scouted ahead? Even so, he began to sprint back down the hall in the direction he had come.

“I'm sure that's an exaggeration, over,” he said into the radio, careful to space his words out evenly. He jammed the radio back onto his belt and drew his rifle. Up ahead he could see the fork. Kursha braced himself, toes digging into the soles of his sandals. He took a hard right, shifting his body weight opposite his feet. He skidded around the corner, to see his crew further down the hall, engaged with a horde.

“Thinkpans down!” he barked.

[ Kursha does 11 damage. 26 zombies remain. ]

 

[Melancholies]

Quote:

18 ZOMBOS REMAIN
Advances: 1/20
Bosses: 0/4s

Sarcel balked at Kursha when he finally showed up, "the only exaggeration here is your personality." Okay, maybe it wasn't the best time for sass, but she was stressed out and it happened to slip. Whatever. She could deal with it if the greenblood had a problem. To dish it out, you had to be able to take it too.

As it was, she let her fury fuel the fire. The hoard was large, but she shredded through the staggering bodies like a knife through butter. One would fall, and then another, and then another, her hits trained and precise and practiced.


Quote:
HP: 39/40
Adult: +1 to damage rolls
Military Grade Weapon: +1 to damage rolls
Invisibility (Adept Agi B): 2/2
Adept Artifact Defense Style A (Swhings): 4/4
Novice Discipline
Leadership training...

 

[blackbird cake]

Elidae Bonbon
hp: 18
attack: 1d6 (+1 bedazzled superstar military weapon✧・ﾟ*✧・)
ytma: training in agility (cooldown: n/a)

Elidae slashed down oncoming zombies, her blades slicing through them with ease. By now, she got entirely used to, though the numbers definitely felt particularly daunting. She had never seen this many in one place before, and saying they were outnumbered would have been a grave understatement. Now wasn't the time, but she knew with Sarcel fiercely in the lead, Lorata's performance, and Kursha'rs return, they would succeed in anything they put their body and minds to. Well... Elidae glanced at the two older trolls going back and forth and could only muster up what appeared to be a combination of a smile and grimace.

Quote:

{ elidae does 6 damage! }

DAYWALKERS: 12/44
advances: 0/
minibosses: 0/4  

[Green Minuet]

[+] Captain Kursha Vidari

Health: 38
Military Weapon +1
Eagle Eyes: 3/3
Grandmaster Leadership, Novice Covert Ops, Training Academics

“You know you like it!” Kursha called back at the blueblood, between the rounds of gunfire. He grinned, as she blasted through a wave of undead with her shotgun, alternating between shooting and bludgeoning them to death. Meanwhile, Elidae and Lorata had risen to the occasion. The yellowblood only continued to improve, employing new tactics and fighting with relentless determination. The seadweller was as fierce as he might have expected, and it was odd to think that he had first met her as a child. Still, there was always room for improvement...

When the seadweller let out a yelp, scrambling backwards over her own feet, Kursha fired a shot into the offending daywalker. It toppled over, dead before it hit the ground. “Stay focused! I've got your back!”

[ Kursha does 7 damage. 5 zombies remain. ]

 

[Melancholies]

Quote:

5 ZOMBOS REMAIN
Advances: 1/20
Bosses: 0/4s

God dammit, this wasn't good. The numbers of the hoard was dwindling, but unfortunately for Sarcel, their team composition had snagged a little. They weren't coordinated. Or at least, she wasn't. She had to take a step back to regain her bearings. "So distracting..." She made a tch sound under her breath as she regained her focus.

Come on, a little longer now Cincil...


Quote:
HP: 38/40
Adult: +1 to damage rolls
Military Grade Weapon: +1 to damage rolls
Invisibility (Adept Agi B): 2/2
Adept Artifact Defense Style A (Swhings): 4/4
Novice Discipline
Leadership training...

 

[blackbird cake]

Elidae Bonbon
hp: 17
attack: 1d6 (+1 bedazzled superstar military weapon✧・ﾟ*✧・)
ytma: training in agility (cooldown: n/a)

"Craaa-aaaaaaahhhhhh-p!" Elidae cried, realizing she was being overcome by some particularly hungry daywalkers. The yellowblood took the handles of her scissors and used them to shove the daywalkers away from her with as much strength as she could muster, sending a few back with a kick or two. There were so many of them!

Quote:

{ elidae does 0 damage and has an epic fail! }

DAYWALKERS: 5/44
advances: 0/
minibosses: 0/4