Tarran Smith"Do you have any explosives or heavy weapons?"
Taric shrugs.
"Nada, at least not any that I would break down a door with. The only heavy weapon I have is in my pa-" You raise a hand to cut him off before he completes the joke. Honestly, he's the only person you know that would make a sex joke in the current circumstances. The trouble is that you don't have many better options. There's the Ichneumon, though that would just a make a hole in the door, and your fists, which admittedly have done their fair share of demolition work.
[Observation 3] You hear a something unusual from above you, but you can't narrow it down further than unusual. It sounds like a woman swearing into a waterfall, but that's impossible.
---
Dominique WakemanDom took off her chewed-up body armor and put on the medium set instead. Then she took both guns, all the ammo for them, put the Abassy back in its place, and wielded/reloaded the Cerico shotgun. Finally, she took the security card and headed into the men's bathroom to see what she could find there.
These guys aren't going to need them, and you can never have too many guns. First you take off your own body armor and switch for the better body armor on the shotgun wielding corpse. It might not be clean, but it's going to be a lot more effective than your old suit. Then you take the lot of the weapons, holstering your Abassy and juggling guns until you've got the new assault rifle on your back and the Shotgun reloaded and in hand. After you've got everything together, you grab the security card and stick it where you won't lose it.
You exit the women's after you've finished looting the dead, taking an immediate turn so you can take a look into the men's. Finding that kind of trove again might not be likely, but it's worth a shot. [Observation 2] [Luck 1] The door to the men's room seems to be stuck, not locked, you can feel it moving slightly when you tug, but it's definitely resisting. [Strength 4+1] You plant your feet and haul, wrenching the door halfway open in one titanic effort.
A wall of water, packed to the ceiling, seems to hesitate for a second on the other side of the door. Then it comes crashing out of the bathroom in a wave of liquid that's probably been steadily building since the people in this restaurant bit it. [Soak 2+1] You stagger backwards as the torrent of liquid continues to gush out of the half open door. You barely manage to keep your feet, but the wave knocks you back to the door that Taric hacked open. Water continues to flow out of the bathroom, obscenity continues to flow out of you.
Tarran is probably going to notice the small waterfall that's about to go upside his head, and he'll probably have questions.
---
Aaron WhiteCharge
Aaron White 68+5-4= 69
Paula 35+3-1 = 37
Henry 10+6-4 = 12
Cale 32+6-4= 34
Corrupted Deadhead 4 73-5 = 68
You lunge forwards for another quick stab with your bone spike. [Melee 1] [Luck 5] You overextend, and for a moment it looks like the Deadhead is going to get a free shot at your ribs, but you manage to get a foot under your momentum and turn a bad miss into a potential backhand. [Melee 1] It doesn't work out quite that well. You throw yourself further off balance, except now your legs are too twisted beneath you to be of any real use as stabilizers. [Deadhead melee 2 Vs Dodge 5+1-1] Had the deadhead been anything but a mindless hulk with serious skin problems, you might have been in trouble, but as it is you're able to get out of the way via a thoroughly ungraceful method of hopping and sliding.
The deadhead, confused by your St. Vitus dance, attacks you again. [Melee 1] [Luck 3] Missing wildly and letting you slip in with an opportunistic stab. [Aaron Melee 3 Vs Deadhead Dodge 4] You're still off balance from your own attempted attack run, and you aren't quite fast enough to get that spike in before the deadhead withdraws.
Paula, her weapon too dangerous to attempt to use when both you and Cale are engaging in close combat, retrieves your lost knife instead of opening fire.
Cale attacks the deadhead from behind, eschewing the fancy strikes for a straight stab. [Melee 3+1 Vs Dodge 3] [Brawl 3] The crude blade only glances along the deadhead's side, cutting armor but drawing little blood. (Deadhead Armor -3, HP -12)
Henry, no longer burdened by having a deadhead within striking distance, takes his time to line up a shot. Aiming carefully in on the remaining deadhead while you and Cale tie it up in melee.
---
Ashley FeyExplore further
You lead Jordan and Harry down into the hub of the starfish shaped halls. Each of the arms extends for quite some distance, terminating sharply with a dead wall at the end of each arm. Each arm has thirteen rooms on each side, five arms and a bit of math gives it one-hundred and thirty rooms. Assuming you could clear each room in three minutes, and the three of you split up to bring your effective search speed to one minute per room, it would still take more than two hours to clear this place. An amount of time that you can't afford to just sink, and that's just for a sweep and clear.
---
James EvanWatching the sky morph, and figuring that the acolyte was the cause of it, James slapped the ORS on himself, and then shot at the mold-arm. At this point, it might be his only hope.
James Evan: 53+0-0= 53
Blight: 34+5-0= 39
Shadow James: 91+0-0 = 91
Deranged Psionic Torturer and Acolyte of the Technocracy/Topless Tropical Waitress: 80+3-0 = 83
Sample 18: 34
Your shadow, not content with partially incinerating the woman, throws a one armed punch. From twenty feet away. [Will 2 Vs Will 4] His hand stops in mid air, held to inaction by the woman's will.
"Get the box!" Your double yells, straining to move his fist an inch against the invisible binds.
The waitress, still covered in acid, smiles at your shadow contemptuously.
I brought you into this world," her fist clenches at her side, mimicking the shadow's fist that she holds still.
"And I can take you out of it." [Acolyte will 1 Vs James Will 2] Something slips strangely, a screen blip that encompasses the world. The woman freezes, her own fist stopped in mid-air. Had the battle not been deadly serious, the scene would have been comical. A topless waitress, covered in silver goo, and a one armed version of you with enough sand and grime on him that he strongly resembles a mite, both caught cold in the action of throwing a punch at a target that they couldn't possibly hit.
You take the frozen moment to place an ORS tablet on your flesh. None of the damage you've taken has lasted beyond a few seconds, [luck 3] but the ORS sinks in slowly anyway. It doesn't feel like it's taking its full effect, but at least it'll be something. (Dreamspace HP +5) That done, you turn your gun on the waitress, or rather her back. [Quickshot 5-2+1] The shotgun is hardly a precision tool, but you do a fine job of getting it aimed down on her frozen body. For a moment, there is something like fear in her eyes. (Hp -15, -10, -11, -7, -9, -15) The blast sends her to the ground, knocking her out of the Mexican standoff between her and your Shadow. She starts to get back up again, but the flying knife coming around for another pass prevents you from watching. [Knife Melee 2 Vs Dodge 4] You duck the blade again, rolling to the side before it perforates your liver.
[Blight Str 3, End 3+1, Int 3, Will 1, Luck 2. 13/50]
[Luck 3] The jet black tendrils touch down, spreading over the island and completely occluding whatever they touch. The nearest is a pillar of darkness spreading through the ocean, maybe fifteen from the shore. Another, many times farther away, pierces through the forest, and one a few hundred feet down the beach devours sand. This is only going to get worse.
---
Turn RecapTarran is Hearing things
Taric can nail a six inch spike through a board with his
Dominique is learning that karma is a bitch
Ashley is learning that there were an awful lot of people here at one point
Aaron is dancing the fail flail jig
James is gunning boss' down
Relevant ItemsMemory Stick (Dom)
Security Card November (Dom)
Broken Pad (Taric)
Ident Badge -Pyotr Ivanov- (Taric)
Ident Badge -Kira Masse- (Tarran)
Ident Badge -Naomi Weiss- (Tarran)
Unpowered Pad (Tarran)
L1RF Key (Tarran)
Technocrat Acolyte Shadow
Health: 59/200
Armor: None
Weapon: None
Secondary: None
Status: Covered in Acid (1)
Range: Short to all
Flying Knife
Health: 10/10
Armor: None
Weapon: Itself
Status: Coming around for another pass (2)
Range: short to all
Deadhead 4
Health: 62/100 (CPU 15/15)
Armor: 13/50
Weapon: Stun Baton (34/50)
Secondary: None
Status: Fine
Range: Melee to Cale, Short to Aaron, medium to Paula and Henry
Health: 70/85
Stamina: 85/85
Carried weight: 78/180
Attire:Red Maintenance Jumpsuit, Heavily Modified Red Maintenance Suit (46/115, 45 lbs).
Inv:
Phoenix pistol (2/3) (9 lbs)
CFG bars x2 (3)
Crowbar (8lbs)
Fifty feet of rope (10 lbs)
Homemade grappling hook (2 lbs)
D-Grade rations x4 (4 lbs)
Status: Floor Twenty
Paula Ria
Health: 39/55
Stamina: 31/55
Description: Short, brown haired. The years she spent as a researcher at Delphi added lines to her face, the year she spent as a prisoner here added a decade and stole what weight she had from her frail body.
Personality Complication: Soft. Despite her recent hellish ordeals, Ria was a born and raised Technocrat. She's gotten conditioned to hardship, but the pain and the cold decisions that need to be made in her new life still stun her.
Skills: Mechanical 3, Intuition 1, Dodging 1
Attributes,
Strength (Str): 1
Dexterity (Dex): 3
Endurance (End): 1
Charisma (Char): 4
Intelligence (Int): 9
Willpower: (Will): 3
Equipment: Light Body Armor 36/50, Stained Labcoat, Military grade night-vision goggles. Chimera Pistol 15/15, Diagnostic pad, energy cell x2, Light Plasma Torch (60/100), Basic Medical Kit (2/5), Fifty feet of rope, Homemade grappling hook, D-Grade rations x4.
Henry Myers
Health: 13/75
Stamina: 16/75 (Light Bleeding, -3 stamina per turn)
Description: An emaciated man of average height. He's mostly bald now, thanks both due to a receding hairline and to a chemical spill that permanently injured his scalp.
Personality Complication: Maudlin. Henry has a dark streak a mile wide, and he usually shares it at every available person. He's a good man, but the tendency to vent every depressing thought that runs through his head makes him a little irritating.
Skills: Soak 2, Marksman 2, Stamina 1
Attributes,
Strength (Str): 6
Dexterity (Dex): 6
Endurance (End): 3
Charisma (Char): 1
Intelligence (Int): 3
Willpower: (Will): 4
Equipment: Maintenance Jumpsuit, Heavily Modified Maintenance Suit (23/90). Kapre Light Rifle 9/15, .30 caliber clips (15) x2, Pack of Flares, Fifty feet of rope, Homemade grappling hook, D-Grade rations x4.
Cale Levi
Health: 99/105
Stamina: 105/105
Description: A tall young man, blond and brown eyed. He's in fairly decent shape, considering his recent lifestyle.
Personality Complication: Young, and kinda Stupid. Cale is a young man, and though time has aged him quickly, he still occasionally acts on wild impulse.
Skills: Mechanical 1, Melee 2, Dodge 1
Attributes,
Strength (Str): 3
Dexterity (Dex): 6
Endurance (End): 6
Charisma (Char): 4
Intelligence (Int): 3
Willpower: (Will): 1
Equipment: Maintenance Jumpsuit, Heavily Modified Maintenance Suit (78/90). Sleipnir SMG (5/30 | 35/60), .223 clips (30) x2, Energy cell x2, Crude Combat Blade, Neuroflash grenade x2, Fifty feet of rope, Homemade grappling hook, D-Grade rations x4.
Health: 57/70
Stamina: 70/70
Carried Weight: 138/140 (-25%)
Attire: Technocrat Commander Dress uniform [11lbs] Standard Body armor, 66/100. [35lbs]
Inv:
Energy Cell x6 (3 lbs)
Taric's Frankenstein Versatility Rifle (A30, E65, 31lbs, in hand,) (Can't use laser)
.220 gauss clip x3
Basilisk pulse rifle 4/5 (13 lbs)
Piru Gauss Rifle (4/5 4/5 16lbs)
.45 Gauss slugs x2 (5)
Disruptor Pistol (4/4 4lbs)
Saun's Helmet (Quarter full of ants, enclosed.) (3lbs)
Box of terrible scrap components (20lbs)
Short Range Radio, (Off)
Memory Foam centerfold
colonist rations x5 (5lbs)
Tripwire emitter
Status: Restaurant, middle tier.
Health: 75/75
Stamina: 75/75
Carried Weight: 146/150 (-25%)
Attire: High-prelate Uniform [8lbs] Standard Body Armor 48/100. [35lbs]
Inv:
Tarran's Ichneumon Anti-Armor Rifle -Scope- (1/1, 20lbs, 1 rounds in speed loader)
1' sabot packs x1 (2)
Combat Knife (1lb)
Sleipnir SMG (A0, E25 9lbs,)
Sleipnir SMG (A0, E25 9lbs,)
Energy cells x4
8 .220 gauss clips (35)
Basic First Aid Kit 3/5 (5lbs)
1 .220 gauss clip (25)
Jormungandr Assault Rifle (A4, E39), 16lbs. In hand,
Artemis Railgun (E 3/3, A 3/3, 18lbs)
.50 Rail Clip (3)
Credit Chit (Unknown)
Status: Unknown Restaurant, middle floor.
Health: 103/135
Stamina: 115/115
Carried Weight: 135/210 (-25%)
Attire: Arbiter dress Uniform, pristine [10lbs] Standard Body Armor, 20/100. [35lbs]
Inv:
Dominique's Abassy Heavy pistol -laser sight- [6, 8lbs]
Stun club (50/50 11lbs)
Fuath Riot suppression carbine [6, 13lbs, Caustic load]
.50 caliber pistol clips x7 (7, 2lbs)
Full Bottle of Wine x1 (1lb, sealed)
Jormungandr Assault Rifle (A35, E70, 16lbs. In hand)
LR Jormungandr Battle Rifle (13/35 A, 8/15 E, Damaged, 17lbs)
Artemis Railgun (E 3/3, A 3/3, 18lbs)
.220 gauss slugs x1 (35)
.220 gauss slugs x1 (30)
Smoke Grenades x1 (neg)
Energy cells x3
Energy cell (90%) x1
.50 Rail Clip (3) x1
Field rations x1
Phoenix Pistol [2, 9lbs]
Basic medical kit (1/5) (5lbs)
Data storage drive [Romance novels]
Unknown Chemical Hypo x3 (Neg)
Partially sorted (1/3) stack of Technocrat stamped papers (Bad novel)
Status: Unknown Restaurant, middle tier.
Health: 98/100
Charge: 98/150
Carried Weight: 101/200
Attire: Plain gray under-armor padding. [10lbs] Heavy Combat Armor, 74/150. [45lbs]
Inv:
Ashley's Leanashe Assault Rifle [10/30 18lbs]
4.73 mm Caseless box mags x1
Cirri Light pistol [20/20 4lbs]
Energy cell x2
basic medical supplies [1/5] (5lbs)
Manticore Pistol [9/10 6lbs]
Mechanical Bypass kit 1/5 [3lbs]
Arc implants, Planerian Implants
Stormcrow implants
Javelin Implants, Duelist Implants
Status: Second floor intersection.
Harry Nakamuno
Health: Slightly Damaged
Charge: Slightly more than half Charged.
Description: 6'3", weighing three-hundred and fifty pounds Harry is the frontline muscle. Generally calm but a man who dislikes doing nothing, slow to anger he's been friends with Jordan since the Conclave gained their freedom.
Personality Complication: Just cause. Harry Believes in the work he does, and he believes hard. He won't hesitate to put a hole through anything in the way of his duty.
Skills: Melee 2, Soak 2, Brawling 2, Marksman 1
Attributes,
Strength (Str): 6
Dexterity (Dex): 3
Endurance (End): 6
Charisma (Char): 3
Intelligence (Int): 3
Willpower: (Will): 3
Staggershock implants,
Aegis implants, Lazarus implants
Samson Implants, Duelist Implants
Equipment: Heavy Combat Armor 52/150, Wolfkin SMG 9/18, Disruptor Pistol (4/4 4lbs), .50 cal drum clips x3,Advanced medical kit [1/5], Thermal Paste (1), energy cell x2
Jordan Grey
Health: Slightly Damaged
Charge: Almost Full
Description: 5'9'' Jordan is a slender blond man with the red scraggle of beard perpetually encroaching on his chin. Part of his memories were lost during translation, and all hope of recovering them lost in the second battle. His name is a combination of earth history and the book Grey's anatomy. His medical expertise remains intact along with his sarcasm and combat skills, but most of the rest of his life is hazy.
Personality complication: Hatred, he might not show it much of the time but Jordan holds a grudge against the... thing that robbed of the chance to ever recover his memories. He is determined to kill it, if it's the last thing he ever does.
Skills: Mechanics 2, Marksman 2, Dodging 3,
Attributes,
Strength (Str): 1
Dexterity (Dex): 6
Endurance (End): 1
Charisma (Char): 3
Intelligence (Int): 6
Willpower: (Will): 6
Javelin implants,
Spider implants, MD. Ande Suite
Toxicology and hazard recog, Arc implants
Equipment: Combat Armor 76/100, Laelaps Laser rifle 3/12 (15lbs), Disruptor Pistol (4/4 4lbs), energy cell x3, ORS pack 3/3, HE grenade (1).
Health: 28/75 (Dreamspace HP 69/200)
Stamina: 75/75
Carried weight: 105/240 (-25%)
Attire: Exarch Dress uniform [8lbs] James' Light Body armor 47/50 (50/50) [25lbs]
Inv:
(Dreamspace: Satyr Light pistol 9/18)
(Dreamspace: Eldjötnar shotgun (A 4/4 | E 12/12))
(Dreamspace: ORS 3/3)
Renfield SMG (10, 10lbs, in hand)
Riot shield (10lbs 30/30)
Piru Gauss Rifle (E5/5 A5/5 16lbs)
.45 Gauss slug clip (5)
Simone's Song (6lbs 4/7 -Frangible Rounds-)
.50 caliber Frangible pistol clips (7) x1
Dybbuk Flechette Canister Rifle (1/2 35 lbs)
20 mm flechette canisters (x2, 1 lb)
Status: Unknown Restaurant. Incredibly Smelly. Regenerating 3 DHp per turn. (3)