Turn 5
Note of the Day:
---
Calla"Well I am currently doing my best to shield you from the aura, but you already know that, I cannot challenge it mentally, it will crush me one on one, but I can try to mask us I suppose, also whatever it is doing to those men, it is worse than the normal breaking we have seen to this point, it is twisting rather than breaking, at least from what I can tell; what comes out of that process will be far more intelligent than we are used to."
Attempt to mask the crew from the abyssal, we stand no chance on our own if it senses us
'Right, because things weren't bad enough already,' Ribeiro says. [5] 'They'll... be better off dead.'
She lets him process it and begins creating a shroud over them. It's not something she's done before, but the Abyssal is unfocused on the world around it. She doesn't know if it would sense them without it, but it's better not to take any chances. [6+1-1=6] The psychic cloak is taxing on top of the aura protection, but Calla makes it happen. She has no guarantee it will help, but it's better than just hoping for the best.
[5] The Abyssal's presence is now right below them. Just being this near is difficult, even with her powers - it washes over her in waves, making clear thinking difficult - [4+1=5][3+1=4] but her protection holds, even over the two mortals. She knows she can't keep it up forever, not while suppressing its aura - and her own - and Ribeiro seems to realize this. He returns to the controls and begins prepping the depth charges on the underside of the chopper. Calla feels the sub and the Deep One below.
The charges drop. [Dodge:2-2=1/5-2=3/2-2=1/2-2=1] Four spheres of steel and high explosives, they dive beneath the waves and find the strange Abyssal's carapace. [BPs:5/4/4/3] All detonate in turn around the being's tentacles, so neatly wrapped around the submarine, [Damages:2-1+1=2/4-1-1=2/2-1+1=2/4-1+1=4] and explode. Calla sees the dull explosions lighting up beneath the surface and senses them cutting into the silvery tendrils - but not much. The damage is superficial in most cases. Even with the small size of the thing and the oversized explosives, they're hardly damaged.
[2] At first, Calla thinks it isn't even reacting. The body remains inert, the damaged tentacles still gripping the submarine's hull - protected from the explosion by them in most places - but then many things happen at once. The creature's mind
shifts, lashing out at the physical world around it. An invisible sight fixes on the chopper [1+1=2] but if it can see them, she can't tell. For a moment she feels the presence is there, in her mind – but the moment passes, and the being's mind returns to its shell.
A moment later, she feels more than sees it uncoil from the submarine and descend rapidly, too fast to follow, into the depths, before disappearing completely from her senses.
Just like that, it's gone.
'What just... did it flee? What happened?' Ribeiro asks, rubbing his eyes. 'What about the sub? Is it...?'
He trails off. [5] Calla looks – and sees the submarine rise to the surface, with only superficial damage, as if it had never been attacked. The crew feel to be still alive, still... sentient. But she'd need a closer look to be sure.
Calla - Abyssal Hybrid
Health: Unharmed
Inventory: Empty
Traits and Powers:
*Beyond Human (As an Abyssal half-breed, you possess incredible physical and mental capability. You are capable of mental 'psychic' warfare and considerable thought suggestion, and of easy genetic manipulation by touch on-the-fly, even to fatal extremes. +1 to mental power, +2 to mutation and genetic alteration)
*Aura of Terror - INACTIVE (You share the Deep Ones' incapacitating presence, which causes deep fear and anxiety in the mortal psyche. You are currently suppressing your aura.)
Current Effects: None
Location: Coast of Brazil
Alex moves to help Theo up.
Quick! We have to get to the city now!"
Help Theo and move our asses to the city.
Theo seems dumbfounded for a moment - but gathers himself. 'Right... right, we have to go. Sorry, my ears hurt like...' he says, a bit too loud. 'Well, lead the way, Alex.'
[4] The jeep doesn't seem worth the trouble, so Alex just grabs Theo's arm and begins to leg it towards the city. He lets Theo say where they need to go, never having paid that much attention to the map. Soon enough they fall to a steady pace up the outskirts, Alex doing his best to ignore the pain in his leg, [2] which is stubbornly refusing to heal yet. There's no way they'll get ahead the military on foot like this, but it's too late to turn back now. He just has to hope the deepspawn don't make it into the Foundation building before them.
Behind them, the Olympians continue marching. Another shot from the huge warmachine's rifle raises a cloud of dirt and mud somewhere in the distance. Alex notes the incoming Ancient's bulk is becoming uncomfortably large in the horizon. The sky is clouded with swarms of flier forms, and Alex is thankful they don't seem to be interested in attacking the two of them. He sees many swoop down behind them in the city, met by scattered fire and missiles from the advancing military. Some launch feeble attacks on the Olympians, but the effect is much the same as a fly has on a human.
'This is the street,' Theo says at last. 'The site is just a few blocks down. We need to hurry.'
[3] As to underscore his words, an EUROPA tank rolls into the street up ahead, immediately met by inhuman screeches. A flier form similar to the ones they fought appears from between the buildings, leaping at the armoured vehicle - and is stopped at the last moment by a HE shell at close range. It flies back with a gaping hole in its chest, sinuous guts and flesh exploding up the street. MG fire erupts immediately afterwards and Alex spots the shapes of men in bulky armor rush out to the street, firing at things he can't see.
Theo grimaces and sets out into the beginning firefight. Alex follows, quickly scanning the streets. Going through the buildings might offer some modicum of safety - the street itself, not so much. They need to get up the street and quickly - though the military might end up needing his help sooner or later. If they fall back, the deepspawn will overrun the Foundation site for sure. Helping them push on might give them time to retrieve whatever assets they came here for.
---
Theo
*Unharmed
*Heavy Pistol [3/5 - 3] (Fires one shot per turn, -3 to Damage)
*Frag Grenades (2)
*Veteran Agent (+2 to all Combat Rolls, +1 to Dodge, +1 to Hit)
*Squishy Mortal (+3 to all taken Damage, -3 to physical Damage)
Alex Vondgas - Imprisoned TitanHealth: Right Leg:
Heavily WoundedInventory: Empty
Traits and Powers: *
Immortal Prisoner (In the back of your mind, ever-raging, ever-moving, lays 'the Fae', a Titan from before the dawn of history. By tapping into its power, you can take on incredible physical and mental capability. The more of yourself you give in, the more powerful you become, but the higher the risk of losing control is. Your current control level is High. +1 to physical damage, -1 to all taken damage)
*
Slow Regeneration (Your control over the Titan grants you slow wound regeneration. Heal all wounds by 1 on a 3-6 when out of combat.)
Current Effects: None
Location: East Poznan, two blocks away from the Foundation building
"Your lack of hurry in getting me out of here." he answers calmly, his tone close to being friendly. His short investigation around the base has been useful, but he can't afford to stay for much longer. "The general seems like he would be a fairly pleasant person while asleep or drunk." The soldier allows himself a sly smile as he keeps calmly walking.
Leave the base through the gates, but use the moment to snoop around a bit near the area beforehand.
[3] 'That seems to be a matter of opinion, sir,' the officer says. 'I find the general is not very interested in the truth coming to light in this situation. That is all.'
With that, he walks with Alexei to the gates. [4] Alexei keeps his eyes open as they move, but nothing particularly relevant jumps out at him in the base. Soon enough he's outside and the gates whirr closed behind him. He can still feel the gazes of the guards on his back as he leaves.
He considers his next move. Checking the western bridge and whatever security checkpoints or cameras are there seems like a logical next step - if they did indeed leave that way. Hopefully that would give him a clue as to their destination after that - even just if they went towards the city or stayed away. He has his wits and gun, and vague authorization provided by the Society - but no team. Even the scientists are not here yet, certainly no efficient team of Zelenko, Kaminski and the others. He wonders if it would be possible to contact them, via the Society or on his own.
In any case - there's little time to waste. The trucks will have left a trail of some kind, and it seems it's solely up to him to find it.
Alexei Zielkov - Experimental Superman
Health: Unharmed
Inventory: Automatic Pistol [12/12 - 4] (Fires 3 times per turn. -3 to Damage.)
Traits and Powers:
*Genesculpted Superhuman (Your extensive genetic modification and training have made you superior both physically and mentally to any other human being alive. The Shackled, on the other hand, are another matter entirely. +1 to all Damage taken, -2 to physical Damage, +1 to Dodge.)
Current Effects: None
Location: 'Angelfall' Military Zone, Kronstadt Island
"Seeing as only me and Daniel are the only ones really capable of taking those matchboxes head on its fairly simple, running will do us no good, and attacking them head on will either get us put in a hospital for weeks or dead. So with that in mind the plan is fairly simple, we need to set up shop in a decent enough clearing and trap it as best we can in the time we got.
When that is done you, Bannon, and Clay will set up shop up in the trees with around a half a dozen of these branches sharpened to as fine a point as we can manage. Meanwhile me and Daniel will be down on the ground with only one of these each, I'll use my powers to reinforce the sticks me and him will be using for weapon, and we'll act as bait to draw them into the clearing.
When the enter the clearing me and Daniel will get out of the way and you guys are to throw those damn things and try to score a decent hit, use your powers if you have to but aim for the legs. If we disable the matchbox's movement we win, a stationary target doesn't stand a chance against me or Daniel if we decide to smash it to little fucking pieces.
And then when that is done I'm gonna sit down on top of the broken matchbox and have a nice victory smoke."
Give the details of the plan and wait for the others comments. If they accept find a decent length vine or cord somewhere and any sharp rocks that an be found.
The other three listen to Wulfric's plan in silence. Daniel looks strangely uncomfortable, glancing at Liz. She's the first to speak.
''Only me and Daniel'? Are you kidding me? You wanna see how you'll like one of my right hooks?' she says.
Daniel coughs quickly. 'It's a fair enough plan, I guess. Mostly I just wanna say I took down a Walker with nothing but sticks and stones. Any objections?'
'I'll show you an objection, you du-'
'And thaaaat's a no. Clay?'
The fourth member of the group shakes his head, looking out at the presumed direction of the Walkers. Alfonz thinks he might be actually listening for their approach.
'All agreed!' Daniel says, grinning. 'Lead the way, Wulfric.'
[4] The four of them get to work on the branches. More small tree trunks than branches, they should pack a nice punch. Sharpening them is a bit tricky without proper equipment, but they use sharp rocks and their bare hands - perks of superhuman strength, certainly. Liz and Clay take most of them, while Alfonz and Daniel take one each. It reminds Alfonz of his makeshift spear back in New Orleans.
[3][2] When they're ready, Wulfric draws on the Reaper within him. The world seems very distant for a moment, his consciousness filled with the raging power of the being. He directs a tiny sliver of it into the spears, struggling with the strange energy after not properly using it for a long time. His own spear is reinforced, but he doesn't know if it actually worked with Bannon. Regardless, Wulfric doesn't have to worry about the weakness of the wood and it might give him a nice bit of extra piercing power now.
Liz and Clay climb up into the trees with their spears, while Daniel and Alfonz step out into clear view in the clearing. Then it's just a matter of waiting for them to find them. The clock's ticking down, but there's still time to imbue Daniel's weapon properly, or the others'.
Alfonz Wulfric - Imprisoned ReaperHealth: Unharmed
Inventory: Imbued Spear (+1 to Damage)
Traits and Powers: *
Immortal Prisoner (Drawing from the Reaper in your head, you are physically and mentally superior to any normal human on the planet. You have innate power over the life forces of living beings, and can draw, give and imbue it at will. Your current level of control is high.)
*
Life Force [4/6] (You can imbue objects and living beings with life force to create more potent weapons and combat constructs. You will regain spent life force automatically over time, and by devouring others - though this bears the risk of harmful energy damaging you. You can also draw the life force of others and imbue it as long as you also include some of your own.)
Current Effects: None
Location: USMW Field Exercises, West Virginia
"Let's head straight into it. I wanna see what they're up against."
Advance forward, try to get into a position to see what the soldiers are firing at.
'I like the way you think,' Alex mutters.
The trio heads up, striding confidently to the APCs - or atleast hiding their nervousness fairly well. Aaron can tell through Alex's bluster that she's obviously not all that keen of walking into a firefight. Thomas just seems to have accepted the situation - Aaron thinks he's not worrying because he thinks the other two are not worrying.
They get to the APCs' side, crouching a bit involuntarily as gunfire erupts on both sides of them. Aaron steps up and looks, both with his eyes and his mind.
The soldiers' fire is focused on the opposite side of the square. Aaron sees shapes - human, armed - dart to and fro around windows and peer out from storefronts, firing hunting rifles and the occasional assault rifle. Bodies litter the street before the buildings, suggesting they got caught in the open at first. As Aaron watches, a molotov cocktail sails out from a building and lands short, exploding on the road. It seems like they might be raiders, just here for the gas and supplies.
[4] But with his mental powers... the hostiles are not quite normal. The signs are there, startingly familiar - Abyssal tampering. But not quite as powerful. Aaron blinks. The raiders each have what amounts to a psychic icepick stuck in their brains, ensuring mindless loyalty and obedience, created by an Abyssal hybrid. Created by someone like him.
'Hey, what the hell?' a voice asks, and the trio turns to see a soldier turned towards them. 'Don't move! How the hell did you get here?'¨
Aaron Gray - Abyssal Hybrid
Health: Unharmed
Inventory: Empty
Traits and Powers:
* Beyond Human (As an Abyssal half-breed, you possess incredible physical and mental capacity. You are capable of mental 'psychic' warfare and thought suggestion, as well as easy genetic manipulation, especially for war. You have also been blessed with extraordinary toughness and mental fortitude. +1 to physical Damage, -1 to taken Damage, +1 to mental defense.)
* Aura of Terror - INACTIVE (You share the Deep Ones' incapacitating presence, which causes deep fear and anxiety in the mortal psyche. You are currently suppressing your aura. -3 to Combat Rolls around you, fear checks every turn.)
Current Effects: None
Location: In the raided town, Western Australia
One, two, three.
Katya is alright, and I'm just starting.
Alessa checked the position of the sun as she adjusted her own grip on the throttle, playing the scene of topographical locations in her map. The two fliers were directly following, perhaps unfazed by her movements--she wondered if they had any adaptive learning capabilities.
Only one way to find out.
Manuever into a scissors pattern and drop some more smartbombs on the one nearest me!
Check if Katya is doing alright.
[6] It's damned beautiful flying, Alessa thinks. She manouevers herself right on top of the third flier and fires. [Dodges:5-1-1=3/3-1-1=1/6-1-1=4] The Smartbombs sweep down after the flier, [Damages:3+1+1-1=4/4+1+1+1=6] the first ripping off a wing, the second blowing the rest of the thing sky-high (or ground-low, eventually, she supposes).
[6] The swarm comes after her again, but it's almost too predictable. Alessa flies away into the clouds. The last heavy flier is still out there... [1] but suddenly she realizes she's lost track of it. She looks down at her scanners, [Dodge:4] and the form of the flier lunges from the white clouds - only to miss narrowly.
Katya's distant enough not to show on her systems anymore. Atleast she'd see if the plane had crashed - it's not, so she should be fine.
---
Large Flier Forms
*Second: Moderately Wounded
*Crushing Jaws (-2 to Damage)
*Large and Heavy (-1 to Dodge, +1 to taken Damage)
Lesser Fliers
*Unharmed (5)
*-3 to Damage
*Hunter Mind (+1 to Combat Rolls)
*Agile Flier (+1 to Dodge, +3 to taken Damage)
Status: Unharmed
Location: Polish Airspace, near Danzig
Equipment:
*Nexus Cannon [-] (Fires once per turn. -1 to Damage.)
*RUS SmartBombs [9] (Fires three per turn. -1 to Damage. +1 to Hit.)
*Firefly Air-to-Air Missiles [5] (Fires one per turn. -2 to Damage.)
Special Traits:
* Field Booster (Capable of co-opting and considerably enlarging a pilot's Nexus Field.)
* Heavy Fighter (+1 to taken Damage)
Alessa Tairon - Star God HybridHealth: Unharmed
Inventory: Empty
Traits and Powers: *
Beyond Human (As a Star God half-breed, you carry within your veins incredible physical and mental capability, but more importantly, innate knowledge of Star God technology and powers, including rudimentary control of your Nexus Field.)
*
Nexus Field - OFFENSIVE MODE (You have the power to control a personal force field that can be used to redirect and turn away attacks, supercharge fired projectiles, energy weapons and physical attacks, or knit together wounds or mechanical damage. Only one mode can be active at once. Defensive: +1 to dodge. Offensive: +1 to damage. Regenerative: Heals all wounds/damage by 2 on a 3-6.)
Current Effects: None
Location: Inside the cockpit of the KOSCHEI Modified Jet Fighter, above Danzig
---
Here it is. Sorry for the crappily-short turn, Tiruin, I was running out of time.
Also taking suggestions for Note of the Day as I completely forgot about that.
Author
Topic: Their Coming Is At Hand II - an Eldritch Invasion RTD (Turn 9!) (Read 23793 times)