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Landra "Or the scent of whatever power the enemy are using to confine such a thing." The eladrin, inhaling in a tone of deep thought, nods at Apis, having stayed, both to attempt to secure a cabin with a view and to offer what firsthand information she could to the others. "Their invasion demands so much raw power in so many places -- and by the way, Captain I will defer to her Majesty in matters of magic, but I would absolutely echo the advice to be far away from anything you value -- but to confine and siphon a deity would surely demand the most of all, and protection to match. We do not know for sure where our quarry is and we cannot know for sure what is even out there until we breach the veil on our worlds, but we are still fighting a war and war never changes. If we can divine or discover our enemy's movements or the works of their magic, then we can begin to make educated guesses as to where we must go."
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Oct 11, 2018 06:41
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Vihn "I suppose my more clairvoyant talents will be able to locate machines powered by the blood of gods easily enough," he sighs, crossing his arms and gazing in thought at the various instruments scattered around the room. "Though I am sure there will be a glut of false positives in the process... Hmph. Those descriptions will suffice. Have me summoned immediately after the transit to the astral sea is complete." Apparently satisfied, he departs for his quarters.
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Oct 11, 2018 13:24
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With the matter of your quarters settled (in no small part thanks to Marianna’s magical aid), it is time to prepare for the passage into the Astral Sea. Perhaps half an hour after your conversation with Captain Naïlo, a tremor runs through the Not Crewed by Gith as her subplanar engines are engaged; this vibration grows more intense as the engines are slowly nursed to a quarter power at first, then to half power…and at last, though this is apparent only to anyone standing abovedeck, the great vessel begins to claw its way skywards. Within its guts, dark and narrow and generally devoid of portholes through which to look outside, this process is conveyed almost solely through the low, incessant groan of metal as the airborne ship’s keel and internal framework come to bear the entirety of its immense weight. The experience is slightly unsettling at worst and somewhat discouraging at best, and the mental image of being trapped in a huge iron sarcophagus not easy to shake. Those of you who have chosen to remain abovedeck for the time being may also take into consideration the fact that the vessel quickly reaches an altitude of at least four or five miles, and continues to climb higher still – the plunge back to the surface were the engines to cut out would be nothing short of disastrous, no matter how breathtaking a view of the greater Feywild can be had from up here. Suddenly, Captain Naïlo’s voice booms throughout the ship, conveyed loud and clear across its decks by some techno-arcane means engineered by the githyanki. “Attention all hands,” she announces. “Translation to the astral plane will be effected in five minutes. At that time, the main deck must have been cleared and all exterior hatchways sealed. Designated security forces are to stand to until further notice. That is all.” And with that, the captain’s voice is replaced by silence, or something close to silence at any rate. There is still the almost inaudible thrum of the ship’s engines, the occasional hollow metallic groan, the carrying boom of a hatch slamming shut in the distance; but for the most part, there is just an uneasy quiet, as distressing as the raging din of battle and perhaps even more so. Five minutes later, something happens. It proves difficult to say, afterwards, exactly what that something was. A tiny incision in the continuity of your existence and time itself, perhaps; or an upending, a turning inside-out of reality so singularly thoroughly that there can be no other result but for it all to end up the way it was before. It’s quite unlike any other crossing of a planar boundary any of you have ever experienced, but whether this is simply due to the mechanism employed by the githyanki or whether there’s some more profound cause of it, you can hardly begin to tell. “Attention,” Captain Naïlo’s voice rings out again before you can dwell on the matter. “Planar translation has been completed, and we have arrived in the Astral Sea. Commence security sweeps on all decks as planned.” There is a brief pause. “I’d like for our…passengers to meet me on the main deck. Thank you.” Abovedeck, you find that nothing exists beyond the Not Crewed by Gith now but an endless, silvery expanse filled with vast greyish clouds, or something very much like clouds at any rate. It is above the vessel and below it and surrounds it on all sides like a sky stretched out to infinity, and tiny, star-like pinpricks of light glimmer in the hazy distance. The air, if it can be called that, is neither cold nor warm, and absolutely still – were it not for the obvious fact of your continuing breathing, one could easily conclude that there is no air here at all. It’s an alien place, beautiful in a mildly disconcerting way, but those of you who have visited the Astral Sea before immediately notice that there is something…off about it now. You find it impossible, for now at least, to put your finger on how exactly it feels different; it just does, as indisputably as the most deeply felt conviction you’ve ever held. “Here we are,” Naïlo greets you with a curt nod. She is standing at the reinforced railing along the ship’s port side beneath one of its two main guns, gazing out at the Astral Sea with a faint frown on her brow. Pale streamers of icy green smoke are rising from the vessel’s armour plating, but if the captain’s demeanour is anything to go by this is no cause for concern. “I am told the translation process went smoothly, and there have been no reports of anything unusual. That said, I dislike this place already,” the eladrin freely admits, and nods towards a flurry of discoloured astral stuff in the far distance, like dark ink dispersing in curdled milk. It looks tiny from here, but for all anyone can tell it might be expansive enough to engulf an entire divine dominion. “Be that as it may,” the captain continues, “this is where you do what it is you do, yes? Until I am told of a need to do otherwise, I will be keeping the vessel stationary and shipboard security on standby. Do you agree?” My apologies for taking so long to get this done! I am afraid that when it comes to creative efforts, my output in recent times (and not-so-recent times, sadly) has been firmly in the feast or famine department.  Klingon: it is the Astral Sea you’re headed for, not the Far Realm. That eldritch plane of Lovecraftian madness is not on your to-visit list…yet. 
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Oct 25, 2018 04:32
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Cipher "Confirming astral translation success. I will initiate scanning for sources of power similar to this vessel's own." Cipher closes her eyes. Her manipulators launch as one and soar high overhead as she casts her senses out into the Astral Sea. Mysteries of Zoltan Thule: 1d20+5 7 (or 18 if we include half our level, not that I think it'll help)
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Oct 25, 2018 21:00
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Marianna While the transition occurs, she mentally notes everything that happens for later analysis; from the sounds of the ship to the reactions of the crew, all of it could be important if this is going to become a regular occurrence. Already on the deck when the phase completes, the queen gazes with a mixture of awe and dread at the vast Sea around her. She is filled with the urge to put her finger on how exactly it feels different this time, but she manages to pull herself back from being lost in the reverie. Marianna addresses Captain Nilo. "That seems prudent. We wouldn't want to risk our means of travel by bringing it too close to... whatever awaits us." She pauses and thinks for a second, then speaks to the rest of the party. "Though that raises the question, what's the best method of travel for us from here? My cloud chariot - yes of course I have a cloud chariot - can carry up to five of us, but some of you may have other or better means. And of course, that's assuming we can find the exact spot. Is there anything I can do to assist with your scanning, Cipher?" Marianna helpfully offers to Aid Another with her Adrift on the Planes 3 background Aid another on Cipher: 1d20+16 27 Also, sorry for getting the plane wrong everyone! I am a fool. 
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Oct 25, 2018 22:50
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Vihn "Thank you, Captain." Gavri taps Vihn's shoulder. "Isn't that your job to find the ships?" "I can only determine a location by context clues extracted during remote observation," he states, bored from having to repeat this explanation countless times. "I cannot divine a bearing - doubly so with these unusual changes to the sea - and my methods take considerably longer. And to answer your question not asked, which you believe to be too dumb to be worthwhile, the Astral Sea has changed considerably since my last travels here." "Oh... Thanks." "My first task shall be to observe the control room of the closest Gith ship to determine if our arrival is to be investigated." He taps his staff against the deck in idle thought. "Queen Marianna, I might offer that I fit well within a pack while in my other form, saving space on this chariot of yours. Of course, I would be without my traveling companion." "He's not the best at fighting without me," she helpfully adds. One could imagine her winking beneath her skull helmet. "And you are well out of your league without my direct assistance, so I suppose that makes us both useless in that scenario. Something to consider. Is there a reason we might not simply drive this vessel as close as possible to our destination? Surely there are boarding craft on something this size." As soon as we're done here I'm going to use the View Object ritual (don't need components or focus) to view the helm in the control room of the closest Gith ship (not ours) powered by the blood of a god, which takes an hour.
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Oct 26, 2018 13:29
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Apis "The captain is right, we might get spotted by pirates or whatever beasties that might make their lodgings here if we wander around with not destination in sight. That being said, we might need to start planning our own boarding plans. Perhaps we have any catapults or cannons here that could launch us towards the enemy ship? If we get on close enough range, being launched to crash on them and fight would indeed be something they would never expect coming." Veteran Mercenary roll: 1d20+16 17 This was supposed to be an actual roll for tactics but it seems Apis had the a different kind of insight! Also Really Pants, it does add your attribute mod and half level on the roll.
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Oct 26, 2018 16:53
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Sariel "If I may interject with a suggestion..." Sariel muses, stepping forward before the plan of entering through cannons is seriously entertained, "if we can approach with whichever vessel we choose to command with some degree of cover, I should be able to create a passage to the ship we mean to board." A wisp of shadow curls around their hand as they explain. "It takes a few minutes, but I can create a bridge between two surfaces by solidifying and shaping the shadows to my whim." To demonstrate, the shadow on their hand transforms into a small sphere, then a cube, then a pyramid, before dissipating. "It should give us a less explosive way to board the ship, for those of us attached to our limbs." Speaking of rituals, how does the skill system affect rituals that depend on how high you roll? Obviously with the new system I can't roll 40+ on Shadow Bridge, so how would I go about reaching the highest length/width bridge?
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Oct 27, 2018 11:00
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Vihn Gavri raises her hand. "Orrrr because cannons are dangerous, I could simply throw Vihn across - " "I absolutely refuse to do - " " - the shot put special is a perfectly - " The two begin to argue. They seem quite adept at listening and speaking over one another. Gavri flexes, patting her bicep and speaking to the others while Vihn continues to protest. "No worries, I hold records where I'm from and little Vinny here doesn't weigh half as much as the rocks we use. Perfectly safe, effective, and proven. Just something to consider!" Vihn removes his glasses so that he can better pinch the bridge of his nose in silence. He calms himself with a singular well-practiced deep breath. "I am capable of warping space in such a manner that a large group can merely teleport across a very sizable gap with no need for me to see the destination. We do not require any outlandish solutions." The argument recommences.
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Oct 27, 2018 12:52
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Mother Errant Ode Amadi Wedraogo The Mother Errant is caught a little off-guard when the engines slowly power on. Forget her own quarters. She was terribly preoccupied seeing to the needs of the on-board demi-goddess. And to replacing the mess hall table with the antique, enchanted one she had purchased on her voyages. And setting up the shrine and reliquary for proper prayer, which was surely the most important factor to the mission. Needless to say, she is shaken off her feet when the subplanar engines kick in. And then given a terrible fright when the captain's announcement booms forth. So, she is well warned by the time the planar translation occurs. Even before the feeling of her stomach turning inside out slugs her in the chest like mallet. Summoned, and eager as ever to record the event, Ode rushes to the main deck as the captain requested. "This is so beautiful…" She says, craning her neck to gaze up at the silvery nothingness all around them. "In a terrible, soul destroying way." Her scribe work continues throughout, noting just how much it doesn't feel like the Astral Sea. All the planes, even a plane as loosely a plane as the Astral Sea, seemed to be suffering. Despite not being an expert, the Mother Errant ventures an option. "Not moving until we figure out a way to go seems prudent. Especially as Avandra is not with us to guide aimless wanderings." She gives her approval, and little as it was actually needed. But when talk drifts towards magical readings of bearings, viewings of enemy control rooms, and possibly boarding actions, she finds her ill-suited skill set even further waylaid. That is, until… "Sack rat tossing!" Ode exclaims excitedly while Vihn and Gavri argue. "……you see. It's a big competition on New Dawn. Halflings love it. …you try to get the sack rat all the way over the local river. Sometimes you use this big sling…" She slowly explains herself, voice growing smaller with each word. "Um. Point is, it'd work. And be quiet, and I think not being seen or noticed would be important?"
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Oct 30, 2018 13:58
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Marianna "As fun as it would be to be shot out of a cannon," she says, smirking, "I would prefer a method of boarding that gives some degree of stealth and possibility of a way back. A teleportation ritual sounds perfect. Do we have any effective scrying methods?"
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Nov 9, 2018 00:37
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Vihn Talk of sack rats causes the two to stop and stare at the Mother Errant. "I have many effective scrying methods. I would dare say that it is my specialty," he answers immediately, happy to move on to a more constructive subject. "The most expeditious methods measure an unfortunately long ten minutes, making them unsuitable to very rapid action. I would require an intermediate staging area immediately outside the hull but obscured to security in order to make the best use of them."
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Nov 9, 2018 09:43
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Landra She didn't fancy herself a diviner and, frankly, after the translation to the Astral Sea she had taken some time to fancy herself much of anything. Stepping across the veil into the Feywild had always felt like stepping into a dream - sometimes an unsettling and bizarre dream, but a dream, and in dreaming tied to the reality she walked awake. This was...none of that. If anything, it was almost reminiscent of the inside of the...head, for lack of a better term, of the Not Crewed By Gith's former commander - and that was something she never wanted to reminisce about again. It was almost calming when, answering the captain's call, she found her and her deck crew in similarly disconcerted states. We are creatures of the world, and do not belong here, she had to admit, at least to herself. But they do not belong outside here, and as long as they insist on coming to visit...someone has to come remind them. But how? She looked between the others, already strategizing, and she looked almost heartened. "I am so very glad to be able to leave magical detection to the experts now," she chuckles. "Now, if you need someone to distract that security during your ritual so they're too busy to even look for you, I'm your woman." A thoughtful pause. "Until we find a target, though, I doubt I'll be much help. I do wonder how these vessels sought each other out in this endless...everything. I'm sure the engineers would have told you, Captain, if they'd found anything like that, yes? Even gnomes have that much common sense. So either the gith have been sailing blind, or they used their crew for lookouts even on this plane...or there is some instrument left over aboard whose function we had not already determined."
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Nov 12, 2018 10:18
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Cipher reaches out with her augmented perception to probe the ship’s vicinity for signs of similar vessels nearby. Even with Marianna’s assistance, however, her efforts bear no fruit – there is just too much aetherical noise permeating these spherescapes. Perhaps once she’s had a chance to recalibrate her sensory apparatus to better cope with this new environment, her findings will be more insightful. “This vessel is equipped with two boarding craft,” Captain Naïlo says by way of confirming Vihn’s conjecture. “Though they can move…how did the fabricator-marshal put it…‘faster than a dire badger with its arse on fire’, they are also virtually unarmoured and unarmed, and cannot venture far from their mother ship.” She looks blankly at Apis for a moment. “As far as I’m aware, the githyanki do not launch themselves at enemy craft in that way; these guns are built to fire shells, not personnel. We could probably arrange for you to try it, though, if you insist.” “A small number of instruments on the bridge blew out and were damaged beyond repair, and indeed beyond recognition, during the assault,” the captain then notes with a glance at Landra. “They may have served such a function. It is also likely that the githyanki employ and perhaps even rely on the sorcerers and battlemages assigned to their ships to coordinate their movements and attacks – all but the lightest of their vessels have been observed to carry at least one spellcaster. This may not be their sole means of communications, but it is almost certainly one of them.” Having remained silent throughout these exchanges, the Lady steps away to lean on the railing and stare out across the unfathomable expanse of the Astral Sea. Wahad: It is not impossible to roll 40+ using the new system, actually! To use Sariel as an example, their “Arcane” check consists of 1d20 + 11 (half level) + 7 (their INT modifier) + 5 (their relevant background) for a total modifier of +23, which will yield a 40 or higher on a roll of at least 17. That said, Sariel’s inherent check modifier would usually be a bit higher if using the vanilla 4E rules, so I hereby decree that we will be treating all ritual DCs as if they were 5 points lower. This pretty much matches the epic-tier skill check DCs as given in the 13th Age rules, so we should be good to go in that respect. If it turns out we are not for whatever reason, the numbers can always be adjusted a little more at a later time. Speaking of skill checks, if everyone could add their characters’ chosen backgrounds (and point values) to the “Session and Campaign Notes” field on their Orokos sheet, it’d be appreciated! Atlatl: if I’m not entirely mistaken, I’m going to need an “Arcane” skill roll for that ritual! (I also noticed that View Object is missing from your Orokos sheet, though it was part of your list of purchased stuff.  )
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Dec 3, 2018 05:25
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Vihn "As much as I appreciate your offer to modify the cannons on board, I must respectfully decline." Vihn looks to the Lady, then to Landra. "Perhaps we shall simply take more care to avoid collateral damage in the bridge areas in the future. Surely some other vessel still has functioning instruments that we might requisition. And speaking of other functioning vessels, I shall be below decks, performing my ritual. I shall report back within an hour or so." And with that, he wanders towards the nearest ladderwell to search out a quiet place to scry from. My bad, updated the sheet. or not just kidding the chargen just overwrote my sheet with a blank one and i didnt realize it until i uploaded it  Arcana for View Object Ritual: 1d20+11+6+5 33
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Dec 3, 2018 10:06
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Mother Errant Ode Amadi Wedraogo While certainly an expert in her field, there was little call for a woman of the cloth while the ship was still struggling to find a direction to go. And the good Mother Errant was very aware of this. She tries not to further add or confuse the situation, and leave those more able to divine a heading to the job. "Well, I'm sure that with the essence of Avandra here with us She will guide us to her before long!" She assures the crew, as it was quite really the least she could do given her position. It was unlikely direct prayer would help much until the goddess was freed. "Good luck, Mister Vihn!" And so, Ode was left on the deck while more important people broke off to see to pointing the ship the right way. Soon, the Mother Errant will be able to ply her expertise. Just not right now. And odds are if they had to board another ship not exactly then either. But soon, doubtless! In the meanwhile, she spots the Lady removing herself from the rest of the crew. Ah! One as in-touch with the divine as she, arguably more so even. "Um." She gracelessly walks up besides the demigoddess. "So! Lady Moonbow!" She affects a broad smile. "Any… godly feelings, now that we're here?" Ode looks out across the astral sea, as if she may spot something off in the distance if only she looked hard enough. "I think any help giving us a heading will be accepted at the moment."
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Dec 9, 2018 21:43
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Apis "Hah, a modified catapult would work the same and be easier than a cannon. But in any case, whatever plan you have, just call me up whenever it's time to board the Yanki's ship." The minotaur says while giving a dismissive shrug. "Crushing bastards is what I'm being paid for after all, and I want to make sure the Queen gets her pay's worth."
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Dec 26, 2018 01:22
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The Lady offers Ode a small smile in response. “This place feels nothing like I expected it to,” she then says. “Not that I could say what I was expecting – only that it was not this.” She thoughtfully runs her ungloved fingers across the metal of the railing before her. “There is something wrong with the Astral Sea,” the Lady muses, “but I am not sure it is what one might suspect right away. The countless strange incidents across the planes, the talk of reality itself fraying and coming apart…one is tempted to think of these as the symptoms of something akin to a cosmic disease, no?” Her mithral armour rustles softly as she shrugs her shoulders. “My gut tells me it is not so, though it refuses to elaborate further,” she adds with a hint of a smile. After a minute, the former demigoddess points to the patch of noxious astral matter in the distance. “There. It feels as foul as it looks, and I am not even sure what exactly I am looking at, but it seems to me the closest thing to a point of interest right now. Not that anybody here needed me to tell them that.” She sighs. “Wherever the githyanki are keeping Avandra, it is unlikely to be easy to locate, and I will require some time to attune myself to this place – to the extent that ‘some time’ even has any meaning here. It would be wise to look to your other companions for guidance as much as to me, dear Ode.” ~ Secure and undisturbed in his quarters, Vihn begins to work his magic. It is a sensation like his mind gently dissolving in water, inky strands peeling off at the edges and floating away, borne on unseen currents, out into the fathomless void that is the Astral Sea…until finally, after an indeterminate length of time, they latch onto each other and coalesce again just as gently in some distant, different place. It is familiar, yet not. Uncannily bereft of all darkness thanks to the strange ways of scrying magic. Carrying with it that peculiar thought-taste of a faraway locale visited by a mind roaming abroad. But then, some comfort can be gleamed even from the eternally weird. As he intended to, Vihn finds himself looking at the helm of another githyanki battleship. The bridge of this craft is bustling with activity as numerous personnel go about their business; only the githyanki’s pilot-drones are unfazed by all the commotion, their eyes utterly dead as fingers stitched with silver psi-thread mechanically manipulate the controls. While the vessel isn’t currently engaged in combat, her crew are clearly at battle stations – preparing to launch another raid on the Feywild, perhaps? Vihn’s attention is immediately drawn to two figures standing at the front of the bridge. One of them is a robed and hooded female githyanki, a spellcaster of some description if Vihn isn’t totally mistaken. The other looks to be the ship’s captain, a burly male in a dark uniform with a heavy-duty iron mask concealing most of his head. “…a translation event,” the female is telling the masked githyanki. He does not so much as glance at her, instead gazing through the bridge window at the infinite cloudscape beyond. “It is not one of ours,” he finally says, “or you would not be telling me this.” “Indeed. I sensed no psionic presence of the proper hue emanating from this vessel; it is likely –” “– the one that was taken,” the male interrupts her. “Can it be located?” “If I link up with my peers aboard the flotilla, we should be able to roughly triangulate its position at least.” The captain nods. “Do so.” He turns to a nearby crew member, who flinches slightly. “Have the Darkling Grasp and the Vastness’ Scythe prepare to set out in pursuit,” he says, and falls silent for a moment. “The enemy must not be allowed to roam free. Whether they are here to reconnoitre or interfere with our efforts, we have not yet installed so many siphons that we can deem ourselves unassailable.” Happy 2019! …loving hell.  I know I said at the outset that this game does not move fast, but I genuinely didn’t think it (or, rather, I) would be this bad. Is everyone still sticking with this against all odds? I really quite devoutly hope the next update won’t take this long, but at this point I also know better than to make any promises in that respect.
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Jan 12, 2019 06:41
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Vihn Vihn jumps to his feet. Gavri awakes with a snort, nearly falling from her rack out of sheer surprise. "What is it?" "Hurry to control." he snaps, throwing on his jacket and retrieving his instruments from a nearby nook. Vihn doesn't bother to announce his presence in the control room, instead opting to save time by commencing his brief to the captain as soon as he steps through the hatch. "Captain, ma'am! Our presence has been detected by a Githyanki, our location will be determined soon, and two vessels have been dispatched to meet us." His tone of voice is as terse as his brief. "Recommend you request the others to the control room and sound general quarters. The enemy is already at battle stations." "Why didn't you tell me that?" Gavri asks. He stands there, very nearly about to say how he doesn't like to repeat himself, then realizes how many times he has repeated that very phrase to his assistant. Vihn grimaces and refuses to answer the question.
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Jan 17, 2019 14:56
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Mother Errant Ode Amadi Wedraogo The Mother Errant, as per her station, gives all due reverence to the walking embodiment of Sehanine before her. "The words 'Astral Sea' conjures up such majesty." She agrees with the expectations. "It connects the worlds of the gods! Surely it's beautiful. Surely it's something. I'm not sure any of this is a something." Ode joins the Lady, leaning on the railing next to her. But at the appropriate distance from a demigoddess. "The Astral Sea does look anything but healthy. If the universe can get sick, I am loath to think at what we might have to do to find a cure. And without the Gods to ask?" Ode shakes her head. "Your gut may be the best we have to go on! Even if it vexes you with more questions than answers, you have my ear." Ode, in an effort to see the spot the Lady points to, squint hard and leans out over the railing just a little bit. Indeed, even to her less than godly eyes, the spot did seem unlike the rest around it. Whatever that meant. "When you have a choice between wandering blindly or hiking to a landmark, well!" Ode doesn't even finish the Avandrite saying, as it was obvious to walk towards the thing of note. Even if it was bad, it was something! "Lady Moonbow, you are too hard on yourself! Without you, we are counting on a magic badger or capturing a githyanki crew with boarding catapults." Ode cranes her neck back to Apis, the manbull still enthused about the merits of such a thing. "My faith in the divine remains."
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Jan 25, 2019 03:55
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The captain looks a little like she wants to swear when Vihn has delivered his warning, but her iron discipline easily wins out. “Is there anything else you can tell me about these vessels?” Naïlo instead demands of the psion after swiftly issuing the appropriate orders and dispatching a couple of aides. “Class? Distance? Location?” No sooner have the rest of you arrived on the bridge than the eladrin addresses you. “The githyanki are aware of our presence here, it seems,” she says, “and are moving to intercept us. What do we do? Should we remain stationary and prepare to engage our pursuers? Or do we engage our drives, possibly find somewhere to conceal ourselves?” Captain Naïlo looks out dubiously at the apparently open expanse of the Astral Sea as she says this – but then again, it is a weird place. “And are any of you capable of impeding the enemy somehow or throw them off the trail?” she asks, almost as an afterthought.
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Jan 25, 2019 05:07
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Sariel Sariel shakes their head. "I'm afraid my powers only conceal persons, not entire ships," they muse, "but if they know we are here already, and therefore presumably have means to track us, I do not think there is anywhere for us to go, unless we disembark from the Astral Sea entirely." With a pensive stare, they gaze out over the Astral Sea. "That said, if they don't open fire immediately, I can give us some advantage in our engagement of the pursuers by means of misdirection. Our enemy knows we are here, but they do not know how many of us there are." Though their expression is as stoic as ever, their eyes flicker about the horizon with vague worry, looking for any sign of the enemy. They didn't like the fact that their presence was already blown at all.
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Jan 25, 2019 09:41
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Vihn "I have no information on distance or location. The names of the vessels are the Darkling Grasp and the Vastness’ Scythe," Vihn explains, "and I believe that they have already identified that our vessel is manned by someone other than their own." He very notably fails to inform the others that his off-color psionic presence had likely tipped them off. Gavri raises a helpful hand. "Well, we did name it the We're The Only Ship Not Crewed By Githyanki Out Here So - " "As I was saying, they can detect the jumps in short order but it will take time for them to triangulate a position. I recommend we move away from our starting point as quickly as possible." He looks to Landra and Marianna. "How difficult was it to deal with the original crew of this ship? I ask because we may need to take this opportunity to requisition more ships. Worst case scenario, of course."
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Jan 25, 2019 10:19
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Mother Errant Ode Amadi Wedraogo Ode, being a spiritual consultant, lets the more navally minded speak first. While she had suggestions of course, she was not the appointed expert for such things. "As the power of the divine is somewhat lacking at the moment, there is little I can offer. Unless morale is counted as a tangible benefit of prayer, of course. But that's rather a side issue right now." She shrugs, not able to give anything up that may help them run, fight, or hide the battleship. "If the githyanki know we're here already," She asks more towards Vihn and his helpful offsider. "Then they would know how we got here too, no? That we stole their boat and renamed it and used that?" She looks at the captain and her fellow special forces operatives. "I just ask because, if they do know that, they know what we can throw at them in a fight. So they wouldn't move to engage with anything less than something that can deal with that threat." She waits to see if her reasoning is flawed or not. "They would also know powerful the engines are? And from point of entry they seem to know already, how far we could possibly get? Running seems like we'd be three steps behind from the start." She ventures further. "But I don't know if we can hide something as big as Not Crewed by Gith. If we have to fight, we have to use anything they can't possibly know we got." She agrees with Sariel on the surprise angle.
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Jan 26, 2019 07:46
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Vihn Vihn nods to the Mother Errant. "You would assume correctly. They know how we arrived here, what ship we are in possession of, and surely have the ship's handling capabilities. However, locating a ship over vast distances based on an old rough position and time is not as easy as most would assume it to be, especially in three dimensions. If we move at maximum speed and adjust course at irregular intervals then we may be able to delay engagement or even evade them. If they can achieve some sort of continuous fix on us then we will have no way to avoid them." "The only thing that they can't possibly know we got," he edges very close to mocking the Mother Errant's manner of speaking, "is the crew. Us. We could take a boarding vessel, avoid detection, and counter-board directly into their control room once the first vessel locates us. I highly doubt the Gith will have the patience to delay engagement for reinforcements."
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Jan 26, 2019 08:27
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Marianna The Queen of Mandala reflects for a moment, recalling their previous battle with a battleship - the very battleship upon which she now stood. Many allies lost, but many gained as well... "The battle to capture this ship was harrowing," she says as she turns to look at Vihn. But she then puts on a self-assured smile for him and the others. "That being said, our numbers were fewer, our power wasn't quite as great - no offense intended, Landra; I'm mainly speaking of myself - and we didn't have the advantage of initiative. We may have lost the complete element of surprise, but as you noted, we still have plenty of options available to us. As for what option to take..." She regards each of the assembled heroes in turn. Marianna may not know most of them well, but she chooses to trust in their abilities, showing that with a confident nod. "I believe we should do everything in our power to ensure the Lady, and possibly Cipher, have enough time to attune themselves. I'm in favor of the idea to keep the Not Crewed by Gith out of harm's way with stealth and maneuvering, while take boarding crafts to try to neutralize the ships they're sending against us. I believe we can do it." She gives a light, friendly laugh to Mother Ode. "Morale is absolutely a tangible benefit of prayer, Reverend Mother! My soldiers and I learned that first-hand many years ago. I would be honored to do so with you."
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Jan 26, 2019 19:25
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Landra "No offense taken, Marianna. We have all been strengthened by what we've learned from this new-and-old enemy." She even meant it. "I do agree about the battle to seize this ship in the first place - it was a struggle, we were outnumbered and outgunned but, crucially, not outmanned. My favourite kind." She offered a brief smile of shared pride to Marianna at that, and took a deep breath before continuing. "We can attempt to evade pursuers to an extent and perhaps minimize what we face, but in the end you and Vihn are right: they know our ship, they know this sea, and so it is the very fact that we are Not Crewed By Gith that will need to win us the day: if we cannot evade battle, it will need to come to boarding, where we can best use our unique abilities and unexpected behaviour. That we are here in the first place means that it has worked before, and the assistance of those of you who weren't here the first time can only be a benefit. If we can buy time for our scryers, or seize some information from whichever foes we can overcome, this can bring us closer to our goal to boot."
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Feb 4, 2019 15:38
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Apis "Can't we just find a way to trap or ambush them once they come for the ship? I support the idea of entering battle against the Githyanki armada, but against enemies that have the home turf and number advantage one's better stacking whatever trump card they have to deal with them. Not to mention that THEY might have set an ambush of their own to encircle us if we try to flee." The mercenary stops for a while and starts contemplating his options. "Perhaps a frontal assault at whatever flagship they have... They won't see that coming, that's for sure."
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Feb 5, 2019 01:47
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Mother Errant Ode Amadi Wedraogo "What sort of traps can we leave? The astral sea isn't exactly the right place to dig pitfalls…"
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Feb 5, 2019 03:52
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Vihn "Perhaps we may do our best to pretend that the ship is a derelict and trap the inside. That may work better once we are in possession of a second, more disposable vessel at a later time."
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Feb 6, 2019 14:11
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Landra She lifts a slim hand to her mouth to cover a chuckle. "And I thought I was getting ahead of myself. But yes, that would be easier when we have a spare. We have been holding station, I believe? It may not be too late to play dead, but I cannot pretend to know what they can detect. Unless somebody can make more sense of the instruments aboard this ship than I can?"
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Feb 18, 2019 00:23
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Mother Errant Ode Amadi Wedraogo "Playing possum…" The human suggests in her colloquial tongue. And then looks across at Vihn. "Oh! Sorry. I didn't mean…" The Mother Errant trails off and tries to ignore any offence given. "Lady Landra, would they not simply attack even an empty hulk? It is war time. Even if we are a derelict ship, we are a derelict ship that performed a jump across the planes. Which the gith know they sealed off to everybody else…"
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Feb 21, 2019 01:41
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Zhariel Naïlo looks thoughtful as Vihn relays what information he was able to gather. “It stands to reason that if these vessels are to intercept ours,” she says, “they have to be appreciably faster – which admittedly also suggests they are less heavily armed and armoured than we are. That said, while we may be able to buy some time by moving away from our current position, outrunning the enemy ships ultimately does not seem viable to me. Destroying them is, perhaps, though that carries risks of its own.” She falls silent while you discuss your options. “It may be possible to make the ship appear to have been severely damaged or disabled during the transition; if that is the approach you wish to take, I recommend you head down to Engineering and speak to the man in charge.” The captain scratches a thin scar on the left side of her chin. “Of course, the enemy might decide to simply destroy the vessel altogether, rather than attempt to recover it. Not that this seems too likely, considering how rare and valuable battleships such as this one appear to be.” Naïlo turns to the mother errant. “From what I know, the Astral Sea is not so dissimilar to a mundane sea. Parts of it are calm and generally safe to pass through, and other parts are rather perilous, be it due to the ‘terrain’ itself or the lifeforms that inhabit it.” She nods at the blot of discoloured astral stuff in the distance. “That might be just such a part. We may be able to hide in it, perhaps lay a trap for the enemy ships…though doing so carries risks of its own.” She shrugs ever so slightly. “But then again, virtually anything we do here carries some risk or another. In my opinion, any decisions should be made based on how much the proposed course of action benefits our mission here, with the potential dangers as a secondary criterion.” So, to summarise! Based on what everyone has said, the two general approaches you can pick from here are: a) hide from the enemy ships somehow, or b) board/destroy them. (If you decide to try something completely different I will of course accommodate it too.) The first approach probably is less dangerous on the whole, but won’t do much for you beyond losing those pursuers. (Probably!) Boarding them or blowing them up, needless to say, is rather more risky, but seizing a ship or two has benefits of its own, including but not limited to navigation data and having another vessel at your command. On the whole, I feel I should point out that there’s no “wrong” thing to do here – outside of something blatantly suicidal, whatever you decide to do will very likely work. Not that it’ll be a walk in the park, necessarily!
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Feb 23, 2019 05:17
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Vihn Vihn gives the Mother Errant an indignant snort, but thankfully Zhariel begins speaking before he has a chance to respond. "Seeing as how we have no current whereabouts for our wayward deity, I would concur with playing possum and counter-boarding our pursuers so that we might gain access to their systems." Gavri raises a hand. "Maybe they would stop being confused about what you are if you wore your tail out?" "Stay on topic, please. And I have no intention of wearing my tail out." He rolls his eyes. "As long as we can maintain enough restraint in the boarding action to avoid setting fire to the control room, I should be able to make some sense of their systems. Some variety of psion is typically in charge, after all."
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Feb 23, 2019 12:16
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Marianna Despite being unable to help smirking a little at the Mother Ode's 'faux pas', Marianna interjects. "That is of course your choice, Sir Vihn, but personally I think you would look very fetching with your tail out." She forces her smile into a more serious, thoughtful expression. "Anyway, I like the plan to lay a trap and try to capture another vessel from our pursuers. We need more information, and they may very well have it. And I doubt the enemy will try to destroy us immediately, considering how valuable these ships are to them. Both luckily and a little regretfully, the fact that dear Taali was not able to join us means that there is unlikely to be too much damage from fire." She sighs slightly. If only it were possible for comrades to always stay with you... "So, I say we head down to Engineering and see what can be done there." Marianna does not speak it as a command though, instead looking around at each of the assembled heroes to see if anyone objects.
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Feb 28, 2019 19:32
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Mother Errant Ode Amadi Wedraogo Mother Errant was quite content to let her poor choice of words die right there. The less she had to dwell on it, the better. As such, she pretends Gavri and Marianna weren't keeping it well alive and carries on. "So we play dead, then." Ode surmises from the support the plan had garnered already, happy to defer to Vihn and the queen. "There's much to do and little time. We should prepare the crew for a battle, then. Secure vital sections of the ship ahead of time. Ensure crew who aren't in this to fight are safe." She lists jobs mostly she herself was ready to carry out. "We will need two counter-boarding teams to land one on each ship, yes? Along with people to pry information from the bridge?" She asks of the more martially minded among her comrades.
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Mar 5, 2019 23:36
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Vihn Vihn taps his chin, considering Marianna's suggestion. He had a soft spot for flattery, but it would be terribly unlike him to succumb to peer pressure and immediately renege his refusal to adopt a partial transformation for the others. "Right, let us head to engineering and rig the ship for boarding. I shall volunteer to head to the first vessel, as I can warp us into the control room and begin my work as soon as it is cleared." He stops halfway out of the hatch. "I have concerns regarding the partitioning of the boarding groups, but... I will defer to previous experience in dealing with this modern Gith navy."
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Mar 6, 2019 11:24
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Landra "A fine plan, I agree. But," and she quirks an eyebrow, sharing a wry glance with Marianna. "You give us so much credit, Sir Vihn. I have to agree, better to be surer of one prize than risk losing two, especially since it is so important that we learn what transpires out here. We will be outnumbered enough as it stands: we should prepare a counterboarding team, yes, but I would prepare one, for whichever looks the best target. But first things first, to engineering."
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Mar 19, 2019 06:17
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Mother Errant Ode Amadi Wedraogo "One counter-boarding team and one… fireship?"
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Mar 19, 2019 12:31
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Vihn He looks to the Mother Errant. "I presume your next suggestion will be something along the lines of combining the two concepts?"
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Mar 22, 2019 10:29
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