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It was inevitable

15 (42.9%)

Winners don't do drugs

6 (17.1%)

I'll be back

2 (5.7%)

Drink the Kool Aid

6 (17.1%)

Groovy

3 (8.6%)

Insane in the membrane

3 (8.6%)

Total Members Voted: 35

[Beirus]

((I'd like Galactic Adventure, but I want a few more upgrades first so I can be like the biological magitech version of R2-D2. Or I might need a new character after this mission. Wacky Death Rave sounds neat, though. Or maybe a Search and Destroy type mission.))

[Toaster]

((Wacky Death Rave))

((Nope, forget everything else, Wacky Death Rave it is))

[Hawk132]

I'd like to do the Large Dangerous Arena, but I won't mind World's Deadliest Roadtrip. Or the Galactic Adventure. I'm willing to sacrifice quick growth by doing shorter missions just to see the reactions of highly advanced people to a clearly magical sentient suit of armor.

[Lenglon]

"General Linus? Sir? I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't want anything like this to happen. I.. I don't know why Ike and Nik did that. Honestly, I'm hoping they know something I don't, and that there was a good reason for their actions, but... I really don't know. I'm sorry. Please don't hate me sir."
((@ Ike's call for help - Irine took her commwire off when Nik did that attack through it. She can't hear the call for help. Sorry. The only one of the basement-people that still had their commwire on after that was Alan, and he's already on his way. You might be able to get River to come though. I mean, he wanted to attack the soldiers anyway. Lenglon understands what happened out there and thinks your actions were reasonable. Irine is out of the loop, and acting as such.))
When given the map, I'm fine with using the tunnel.

[Parisbre56]

Campaign, Ike!

Am I just permanently surrounded or something?

To team: <Status report: my fine friend Nikolai tried to hide from a patrol in an open field right along their path, then started trying to fight them. I then tried to extract him - now he's been stabbed in the brain and I'm being encircled by assholes, including one wizard. Would anybody like to assist? Maybe burn some people to death and recover my datasphere? I'd certainly appreciate it.>

What's the point in locking blades, anyway? Retreat! A fighting retreat, but a retreat nevertheless.

Maybe a quick update on where I am, what's nearby, how many soldiers there are and in what positions.

Well, jumping in a squad of men tends to end with you getting surrounded. This isn't Assasin's Creed, they're not going to politely line up and attack you one at a time.

Also, the locking blades happens if there's a tie on melee strikes. I interpret it as both of you trying to attack at the same time and trying to either push the other back or overpower them and hit them despite their defence. Since you got a tie in the second turn with the same soldier, I chose to interpret this as the two of you maintaining the sword lock, you know, like people do in the movies (all that's missing is a verbal battle to accompany the locks). And then you got a tie in strength again, so again nothing would had happened. But the second soldier (who also got a tie with you) was enough to just barely push their strength over the limit and overpower you, pushing you down. I try to make battles sound interesting instead of just basically describing rolls, which is why I didn't just say "He strikes. You parry. He strikes again. You parry again. Another soldier strikes you. His strike throws you off balance."

Also, I am not psychic, so unless I'm given instructions (or I see an opportunity for a fun description that fits the rolls involved), I will not do anything extraordinary. So, for example, if you've ended the previous turn locking blades with someone and then decide to attack them again, I'll just have you use your sword to attack them again. However, you could always state something more complex or fun or in character for you to do, like pushing your locked blades up and kicking him back or using your other hand to try to stab them with your knife.

As for your position, it's something like this:

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide) Blue is the Tower Pink is Ike Green is Nikolai Yellow is the mage Red are soldiers Orange are scouts The sun is high in the sky. It's some time after midday. There is little wind. The terrain is relatively flat with few changes in elevation. It's mostly a not very thick layer of hard dirt with more gravely rocks or solid rock underneath. There is little vegetation beyond a few dry bushes. The three scouts clustered together were two scouts taking care of an injured one but they have been alerted to your presence along with the others.

"General Linus? Sir? I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't want anything like this to happen. I.. I don't know why Ike and Nik did that. Honestly, I'm hoping they know something I don't, and that there was a good reason for their actions, but... I really don't know. I'm sorry. Please don't hate me sir."
((@ Ike's call for help - Irine took her commwire off when Nik did that attack through it. She can't hear the call for help. Sorry. The only one of the basement-people that still had their commwire on after that was Alan, and he's already on his way. You might be able to get River to come though. I mean, he wanted to attack the soldiers anyway. Lenglon understands what happened out there and thinks your actions were reasonable. Irine is out of the loop, and acting as such.))
When given the map, I'm fine with using the tunnel.

He sighs and takes a moment to calm down.
"I don't hate you. I'm just... angry and disappointed. With them and myself."
With that, he turns around and starts going up the stairs.

Okay then. I'll give you a description about what happens later. It's not like we're in any hurry, since we have to wait for the above ground stuff to conclude anyway.

[Harry Baldman]

Campaign, Ike!

Try to keep my distance from these lads, and the rest as well. No use in killing them where they can just as easily be replaced, is there? Back off a bit, and try to avoid being outmaneuvered as I move away from them.

((I'm becoming increasingly convinced that obfuscating rolls is a poor idea. They're a very nice way to provide feedback and allow someone to parse the text better, which is something I tend to have trouble with.))

[Toaster]

((Getting way off subject here, but is this based on your experience changing Salvation?))

[Lenglon]

((I'm becoming increasingly convinced that obfuscating rolls is a poor idea. They're a very nice way to provide feedback and allow someone to parse the text better, which is something I tend to have trouble with.))

((to each their own. I prefer them hidden myself. Helps focus on what is happening instead of the mechanics behind it.))

[Harry Baldman]

((Getting way off subject here, but is this based on your experience changing Salvation?))

((Pretty much, yes. It's how you can tell you're doing something. A good spot to anchor the eye. And there is something deeply satisfying about seeing a good roll (or a catastrophically bad one) that all the descriptions in the world can't capture.))

((to each their own. I prefer them hidden myself. Helps focus on what is happening instead of the mechanics behind it.))

((I suppose that's another perspective, although what's happening is a direct result of the mechanics. Much easier to see the why of things when the rolls are visible.))

[Lenglon]

((I suppose that's another perspective, although what's happening is a direct result of the mechanics. Much easier to see the why of things when the rolls are visible.))

Depends on if you view it as in-universe why or OOC why. The OOC why can be distracting, especially when people talk about the numbers over the in-setting reasoning.

[chaotic skies]

<<In order of importance for the power: Versatile, Durable, Quick, Powerful. Also, sorry for the sudden disappearance; had to deal with some stuf IRL.>>

[Parisbre56]

((Well looks like a should have kept stalling with physical attacks.))
Wake up against all odds?

Nope. If you had rolled double 6s, then yes, I might have allowed one final action.

((Yeah, I can't think of anything that wouldn't rely on ridiculous amounts of luck. Unless I can buy myself 20 seconds through talking and redneckisms. Gimme a couple of minutes to put some chatter up to try to buy time.))

Team All out of options, WMD
"Damn, I wanted to kill him. That fucker dropped me in a pool of molten liquid last time I saw him. Felt like lying in a pool of fire ants. Was hoping I could make some lava on him, repay the favor. Can't really control what pops out, though. Damn aliens. Couldn't even give me the ability to summon whiskey on demand. Bunch of carpet baggers if you ask me. Huh, you look different. You do something with your hair? Oh wait, it's your eyes. Hold on a minute, is this one of them sitiations where you were originally in the knife and you can possess anybody who did that ritual thing? My Pa took me to see one o' them movin' pictures like that once. Since it seems like you want to go after me, you mind telling me how this whole thing started? Like, why some spirit in a knife would start up a gang of thieves instead of, say, a moonshine still or a cattle outfit? Doubt the info will matter much once you erase my conciousness or whatever yer specific brand o' possessin' does, but I'd like to know. Sort of a last request, as it were. And maybe tell my kin goodbye for me. Lemme give ya the list. Ma, Pa,  Little Clem, Big Todd, Average size Billy, Bobby Joe, Billy Ray, Ricky Bobby, Brandi Lynn, Billy Bob, Bobby Ray, Cousin Ted, Cousin Buck, Uncle Toothpick, Red, me and him ain't on speakin' terms, but it'd be wrong not to say bye. Now me and Uncle Truck are on speakin' terms, but he's duller then a cow patty. Oh, and my cousin Smaller than Big Todd but Bigger than Average Sized Billy John."

Try to buy time. There should be another RME before the explosion, right? Hope it helps. Otherwise, hope I buy enough time to go boom. If he isn't buying it, transform back. Hope that the excess of energy within me will hamper any possession attempts.Or that my form can't contain the energy and I go boom anyways.

Well, those are all good ideas. Let's start rolling and see if anything sticks.

You start speaking but about halfway through your second sentance the voice cuts you off.
"Give me some credit."
He runs towards you and jumps over the small wall of black substance that has formed around you. One of his legs touches the thing and it begins dissolving, but he doesn't seem to mind much. He seems to have bigger problems, what with his skin starting to become thinner and more pale. Then again, he doesn't seem to care about that either. Or anything, really. His face is mostly expressionless.

Every inch of your body becomes surrounded by a green light and you start glowing slightly and floating towards the ceiling.
The man grabs one of your anchors and launches himself towards your core. He shatters the green light covering it with his fist as if it was glass and penetrates you. By now he's starting to look more like a skeleton with a thin covering of skin and organs than a human.
You will have the honour of being my new vessel.
The words hit your mind the same moment as the influence does, burning through your mind. Your body starts twitching involuntarily as it slowly starts returning to its human form.
<Parasitic influence critical. Quarantine failure imminent.>
Your soul will serve me.
You find enough mental strength to regain control for a small instant.
"I'd rather die, asshole."
You use that instant to force your body to force your body to keep changing back to its human form as quickly as possible. It starts spewing smoke and distortions as bones retract and flesh shifts. There is resistance. You force it to go faster. Your body complains, wants to do this more slowly, but you force it anyway. You push with your will against what your body is telling you, against the pain, against the presence in your mind, against your survival instinct.

You are made of light. You are made of smoke. You are made of fire. That's the last thing you remember before the influence in your mind and body comes back with a vengeance, hitting you like a runaway train and forcing you into the darkness.
<Emergency desynchronization in progress...>
The void envelopes you as everything becomes a dark nothing, the familiar void that comes between missions.
Looks like either way, it is over now. You are as good as dead.
But death won't save you.

All players desynchronized.
Scanning...
Primary objective completion impossible.
Mission failed. Terminating session...

Detailed objective account follows:
Primary Objective: Capture or Eliminate the leader of the criminal organization known as 'The 11 of Diamonds': FAILED
Secondary Objective: Rescue Hostages: FAILED
Secondary Objective: Escape: FAILED
Secondary Objective: Capture or Eliminate all members of the criminal organization known as 'The 11 of Diamonds': PARTIAL, details follow:
-Capture or Eliminate the King: COMPLETED by William and Bryan
-Capture or Eliminate the Queen: FAILED
-Capture or Eliminate the Knave: FAILED
-Capture or Eliminate the Joker: FAILED
-Capture or Eliminate the Seer: FAILED
-Capture or Eliminate the Ghost: COMPLETED by William
-Capture or Eliminate the Brain: COMPLETED by Kosak
-Capture or Eliminate the Brawn: COMPLETED by William and Kosak
-Capture or Eliminate the Puppetmaster: COMPLETED by William
-Capture or Eliminate the Rotbird: COMPLETED by Svajoklis
-Capture or Eliminate the Ace: COMPLETED by Svajoklis
-Capture or Eliminate the Traitor: COMPLETED by William

A good job, overall. As I said when I started it, it was a hard mission and some people dropped out halfway through, so failing it is not unexpected.
Alarith gets 2 points. I really wish I could give him more, since he did very well and I enjoyed his efforts very much. Screw that, he did good, he should get rewarded. 3 points for Alarith.
FallacyOrUrist and DreamerGhost get 3 points. Good job.
And our reality-destroying-warp-fart-releasing friend killed a lot of people with his big booms, as expected. That's why Beirus gets 5 points. He also gets some demonic infection for his soul. That should teach him to let strange men stab him with their knives.
Everyone else gets 1 point.

Have I given you all your upgrade trees? I think I have. Too tired to check now.

Campaign

Campaign, Ike!

Try to keep my distance from these lads, and the rest as well. No use in killing them where they can just as easily be replaced, is there? Back off a bit, and try to avoid being outmaneuvered as I move away from them.

((I'm becoming increasingly convinced that obfuscating rolls is a poor idea. They're a very nice way to provide feedback and allow someone to parse the text better, which is something I tend to have trouble with.))

Spoiler: So you want something like this? (click to show/hide)

ike rflx -> 3+3-1 -> 5
soldier 1 rflx -> 6-1
soldier 2 rflx -> 2-1
soldier 3 rflx -> 3-1
soldier 4 rflx -> 6-1
mage rflx  -> 2

1 dex -> 2
ike rflx -> 6+3 -> 9
4 dex -> 3
ike rflx -> 4+3-1 -> 6

ike speed -> 5+2 -> 7
1 speed -> 4-1
4 speed -> 6-1
5 speed -> 6-1
6 speed -> 6-1

You easily jump away from the soldier's follow-up strikes before you start running away like the wind. You manage to get some distance between you and the soldiers, but they are still hot on your trail, despite their armour and their apparent tiredness. One slip up and they could be all over you once more.

The remaining mage gives an unnecessary order to some of the soldiers to pursue you before he starts preparing a spell. At least you infer he's preparing a spell from the fact that you can't understand a word he's saying.

Now, are you running towards any particular direction? Based on the map I gave you, I think the "as far away from them" directions are ESE, NW and SW.

[FallacyofUrist]

((I haven't gotten my upgrade tree yet.))
((Wait, is Wacky Death Rave actually going to be a thing?))
((Or is it more like "travel through space, race to the Center of the Galaxy, don't die to space pirates"?))

[Beirus]

((Do I get a supplementary upgrade tree path to harness the infection? Pretty please?))

[Harry Baldman]

((That's quite helpful, thank you.))

Campaign, Ike!

Throw my knife at the wizard while retreating. If he does fire off a spell, try to use the pursuing soldiers as cover.