Turn 6
Note of the Day: The thwarted Avatar manifestation in Vladivostok was and remains used for great propaganda value by the Russian government. According to military and law enforcement officials, it is a clear reminder that the courage of ordinary men and women is one of the best weapons against the Return.
---
Calla"Well, this may be optimistic, but if my shroud worked, it may have fled from a foe it could not perceive. If it is not that, then it is planning something. Those men don't seem as far gone as I thought, gonna give them a mental checkup just to be sure, but we may be able to bring them home after all. I'm gonna have a headache once this is over, but if they check out, it'll be worth it/"[/i]
Scan the men, see if they are still people inside, inform Ribeiro accordingly
'We could've caught a lucky break,' Ribeiro says. There's actually a faint trace of hope. Calla doesn't reply, but reaches out.
[4+1=5] Their minds leap out to her, just waiting to be plucked out and sifted through. It staggers her, at times, how defenseless the minds of mortals are... but as always, she shakes off those thoughts and focuses. Even from a distance, the crew's minds are clear, their surface thoughts flowing outwards rapidly. They seem confused, panicked, but certainly human and sentient. She goes deeper, into their memories.
[6] The course of events seems clear and, as far as she can tell, untampered with. They were on their patrol - scouting out the coast, over and under the water, with all the equipment they had installed. An anomalous signal was spotted, rapidly overtaking them, attacking the sub, cradling it... but then everything ceases. There is only pain, sharp and cold, like a sort of psychic ice. And only a moment later, from their perspectives, the thing was gone and they were rising back to the surface.
[3+1=4] They seem... sane. Traumatized, shocked, perhaps, but no more than most of humanity is suffering in these times. They could use psychological evaluations and therapy - if they had the resources for that, anyway - but there doesn't seem to be anything worse than that.
Calla frowns. Even just the presence of a Deep One should have affected them in some way. This was a type they hadn't encountered before - perhaps more of a Deepspawn than an actual Abyssal, but it did have some kind of aura. If it was doing something to their mind - well, interrupting it might have broken that.
Calla says as much to Ribeiro. He considers this for a long while in silence as the submarine waits below in silence. It is a perfect target for a further dropped charge, if that became necessary.
'That's good enough for me,' he says at last. 'We can keep them monitored for a while back at base, but I have a feeling... well, I think we've won this time. Still, we need more intel on what this thing was - we may need to reconsider our sub operations, at the very least. My superiors are just gonna love this.'
He lets out a breath. 'For now... let's get them home.'
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
Gah! Fuck Deepspawn! Theo, head through the buildings and give me cover. I'll take care of these fuckers.
Grab pieces of debris and throw them at the deepspawn.
'Alright,' Theo says - more shouts - over the rapidly-growing din of battle. 'But we need to push on - there's no way they'll hold this place forever.'
Relieving the pressure, Alex figures, is sort of the plan. And with that he's running, trusting in his EUROPA-issued uniform to mark him as a friendly. And the fact that he's not a hulking mutated monstrosity. He moves into the midst of the advancing infantry, into a cacophony of noise and orders and warnings barked in German and accented English, sweeping the half-light of the streets for Deepspawn forms. The tank's main battle gun fires again behind him, joined by small arms, while Alex seeks out something sturdy to throw.
He goes for an oversized piece of concrete, bent metal still sticking out from the sides, [3+1=4] and hefts it - with some effort - over his shoulders. Feeling slightly ridiculous but trusting in his strength, he turns towards the direction of the Deepspawn mass and prepares to throw.
[4] Just for him,
something huge and horned, like a six-legged, bus-sized rhino, leaps into the street through several cars and an unfortunate soldier. It aims straight for the tank, and Alex doesn't waste time. [6+1=6] He throws and the vast block of concrete is launched through the air. [Dodge:3-2=1] Its not exactly a precision weapon, but the target is more than large enough. The makeshift boulder meets the charger-form straight on, impacting on [BP:3] armoured flesh just below the eyeless, carapaced skull. There's a sickening crunch [Damage:2+1+1-1=3] and the Deepspawn finds itself robbed of momentum, coming to an awkward halt and crashing into a building through a storefront.
The creature's not nearly done for yet and Alex starts looking for more things to throw - [4] but the tank fires, the shell impacting on the building wall above the charger and detonating. Brick and shrapnel explodes outwards and the rest of the building collapses on the form. The tank prepares to fire again while the mutation form is stunned, but Alex's attention is taken up by an explosion of movement from a side street directly in front of him.
[3] Leaping forward with ear-splitting screeches, smaller mutation forms swarm into the street, met by disciplined volleys from the military. Some go down, but the rest tear into the lines of infantry. Alex moves quickly.
[4] He's aware of soldiers around him following and providing him with covering fire and is oddly glad, but then the swarmers are there, [Dodge:1+1=2] trying in vain to escape his wrath. [Damage:1+1+2=4] His fists beat into dark, alien flesh, each impact travelling up his arm. [Dodge:2+1=3][Damage:3-1+1+2=5] Another blow and a swarmer goes flying - he catches sight of scything claws and flat, crushing teeth in a crouched, deformed shape. [Dodge:3] Some snap and slash at his feet and arms, [BP:6][Damage:3-1=2] to little effect.
[Dodge:6] Even as they weave and dart to avoid his blows - usually straight into the soldiers' gunfire where sheer numbers of rounds take them out, Alex finds himself enjoying the sheer brutality of it all tremendously. He revels in the destruction, feeling the urge to unleash his powers in full, even if it meant lowering his control - but focuses, for a moment. He takes a look at the wider fighting. [6] On both sides, EUROPA forces are pushing forward, the tanks simply rolling over the lesser forms. Attack helicopters above unleash their missiles into unseen enemies further ahead. Somewhere out of sight, the Olympians continue their advance, approaching the Deep One in the distance.
[3+2=5] Suddenly Theo is at his side, [Dodge:1-1=1][Damage:4-3+2+1=4], finishing off a swarmer with a precise shot between the eyes. As Alex watches, the others are swept up as the EUROPA forces advance. A squad leader stops briefly at him to mutter 'Danke,' and something Alex doesn't understand and hurries on.
'The way's clear,' Theo says, feeling the need to state the obvious. 'But we need to hurry.'
Alex can't tell which building is the Foundation one up ahead, but the main brunt of the Deepspawn horde is being held back for the moment.
[1] His wounds remain as stubbornly as ever - Alex supposes he's still too active for it to kick in.
---
Theo
*Somewhere in the buildings
*Unharmed
*Heavy Pistol [2/5 - 2] (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 Wounded, Left Leg: Minor Wound
Inventory: 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
Alexei pulls his coat closer to his body as his gaze drifts off towards the bridge. He should contact his team as soon as possible, but checking for any sign of remaining clues before they disappear completely seems to be the most sensible course of action. He begins walking the same way his eyes point at, hoping there will be no further complications during his investigation.
Move on to examine the bridge.
Alexei moves on to the western bridge. He keeps an eye on his surroundings as he walks to see if he's picked up a tail or worse, [3] but if someone is following him, they're too good for him to notice.
There's no-one else around as the island has been evacuated, leaving Alexei to walk in silence past empty, looted houses and industrial buildings. Some bear signs of strange damage - a vast swathe of the road and trees have been cut through by what he supposes was the Angel. The quiet is eerie, the only sounds coming from the military zone behind him and distant ships. He keeps his mind on the job and reaches the bridge soon enough.
[4] A lot of vehicles have passed through here - in fact, the military jeep he came in did - so it's impossible to say if the truck was one of them. There's a checkpoint, with a guard looking intently towards the other side of the bridge. Alexei notes cameras here and around the mid-point of the bridge, and presumably on the other side. The guard would probably have access to them, unless their records have gone mysteriously missing as well.
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
Quickly imbue Daniel's stick with life force as well and try to absorb the life of a small tree. Not one hat an ally is hiding in or that will give cover of course
[5] Wulfric retries on Daniel's makeshift spear and feels the energy set in properly, this time. Feeling a strange emptiness, Alfonz tells Daniel to stay put and moves over to a tree, aiming to draw its life energy in place of the imbued force. [1] Nothing happens at first - Alfonz finds himself just not getting a grip on the energy flowing in the tree. But a minute later, he feels something shift - and life energy begins flooding out of the tree, as if someone had punched a hole in its 'fabric'. Before his eyes the tree withers in a matter of seconds, losing all of its leaves first, then shrivelling up, the green and brown disappearing, replaced by a dry, dead grey. In a matter of seconds, what had been a healthy tree is now a cold, brittle remnant.
And yet, Wulfric doesn't feel as if he received any of that energy. It's effectively been wasted, going... wherever. He feels a stirring, deep with his mind and wonders if... no, he's fully in control. It couldn't be.
'Wow,' Daniel says, peering from the clearing. 'That is creepy as fuck.'
[1] Wulfric is about to reply, but a distant alarm whine fills the air for a moment, easily picked out by their superior hearing. The exercise has begun. There's no way the Walkers will get here immediately, but it's a matter of minutes, now.
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 [3/6] (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
"We drove. For the most part. We walked a bit, too. We're here to help. Those raiders... or whatever they are, they aren't quite normal. They're being... well, mind controlled. By a Hybrid. Wanna know how I know? Let me tell you. I'm an Abyssal Hybrid. I can tell from here that their minds are outta whack. And if there's Hybrids other than us three around here... Well, let's just say it won't be pretty. That's why we came. We're more than just civillians, and we want to make sure that the least amount of you... soldiers... dies."
Aaron stared calmly, keeping his gaze level with the soldier. Trying to not come off.. offensively, this time. He was taking a gamble. By telling the soldiers the information he had just found out, maybe they'd trust him... a little bit. Or maybe they'd just open fire on him. Who knows. To him, it was worth a shot, though, so he went ahead and said it.
"We can fight them. We can fight who has tampered with them. In other words... we can be useful. Does the Australian Army have any hybrids like us? Imprisoned ones? 'Cause I think you sure could use some help. Everyone could do with a bit of help these days..."
Deliver speech. Try not to get apprehended by the soldiers. Getting apprehended is a bad thing.
The soldier let's Aaron talk, to his credit. Gunfire rakes across the walls of the adjoining building as the hybrid talks, but he doesn't let it distract him.
'Look, I don't...' he starts, grimacing. 'I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but we've got it under control. If... if you're telling the truth, I think the major would like to hear it. He's in the building on the left there - just don't get in anyone's way.'
With that, and a glance across his shoulder, he hurries back inside, giving quick orders to other soldiers inside. The half-blood trio seems slightly surprised by how easily they got off the hook.
'Look,' Alex says, over the roar of battle. 'I don't wanna get bogged down with everyone here. We don't need to explain ourselves to a major, or anyone - let's just get the fuck moving and take the fight to them!'
She points between the APCs at the half-seen figures at the windows of the houses on the opposite side as she says it. The firefight seems to have stagnated, both sides comfortable sticking in their side of the square and wasting their ammo. The military probably doesn't want to take too many risks with their limited numbers and medical conditions on the road, anyway.
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
Smartbomb barrage! One more time! If unsuccessful. . .well, that'll have to wait until next turn.
If successful, head towards Katya's direction--try to spot for any other hostile fliers around and if any are spotted, take em down with the Nexus Cannon: shifting to defensive mode first.
If none are spotted, play a soothing tune of the best music I've downloaded and uploaded to the fighter and follow Katya home. Admire scenery. Pat self on back, figuratively.
Determined to take down the last heavy flier, Alessa takes her plane into a tight curve to get the mutation form in her sights again. [4] The lesser ones swarm her, predictably, but she avoids them with ease, though she has to alter her course not to clog up her engines with them - [1] and the moment she does, the heavy flier disappears into the clouds again. The lessers disperse almost immediately - were they actually working together? The last thing she needs is them learning the way she figh-
[Dodge:1] There's no time to dodge, this time. The heavy flier simply materializes straight in front of her, the clouds seeming to move with it to blanket her plane. She feels the sheer mass of the thing enter her Field and, a moment later, crash against the plane. [Damage:2+1+1-2=2] Acting on instinct, Alessa drops into a sheer dive, shaking off the mutation form before it can penetrate the armoured surface of the aircraft. Massive claws rake against the surface - but if there's any real damage, her sensors don't pick it up.
[3] The heavy flier follows as she continues her descent - but the SmartBombs aren't called that for nothing. They taught her enough in training for this - Alessa inverts the targeting and locks on. [Dodges:4-1-1=2/1-1-1=1/6-1-1=4] She thumbs the controls and a trio of missiles detach from her plane - and launch directly upwards. The heavy flier tries to move away, but two of the specks slam straight into it. The results [Damage:2+1+1-1=3][Damage:4+1+1-1=5] are not pretty, but are certainly effective. Bits of Deepspawn explode across the sky, some falling against her plane.
Slowly, Alessa begins to pull up again. The heavy fliers are dead - she feels like she should paint three marks on her wing - but the swarm of lesser ones remains. They won't be able to keep up with her, and even if they do, anti-air will take care of them, but she could still finish the job here if she wanted to, before returning homewards.
---
Lesser Fliers
*Unharmed (5)
*-3 to Damage
*Hunter Mind (+1 to Combat Rolls)
*Agile Flier (+1 to Dodge, +3 to taken Damage)
Status: Minor Damage
Location: Polish Airspace, near Danzig
Equipment:
*Nexus Cannon [-] (Fires once per turn. -1 to Damage.)
*RUS SmartBombs [6] (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
---
Author
Topic: Their Coming Is At Hand II - an Eldritch Invasion RTD (Turn 9!) (Read 23789 times)