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FewtureMD
Dec 19, 2010

I am very powerful, of course.


Alexander Pact: 1

"Or maybe," he shouts at the cloaked mage, "next time you could impart a little more urgency in your dire warnings!" He faces towards the nearest scorpion, and points his staff in its direction. "Codeine! Attack! Pollen Blast!"

Command Codeine: 2d6+1 11

A dusty yellow orb gathers around Codeine's outstretched palm, and flies free, slamming into the scorpion's thorax.

Pollen Blast: 1d8 3

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Double Plus Undead
Dec 24, 2010
Tazaret
HP: 16/16, Armor: 1, XP: 2/8


Tazaret retrieves her weapon and starts gingerly picking viscera out of her hair. There were probably creatures in the desert that fed on this stuff, though she couldn't decide whether being able to see them burrow underneath the sand was a plus or a minus.

“Yes, well fought all. And I'm glad that Creel made it back to Nexus safely.” She looks around the canyon, then adds, “I take it we're making camp here?”

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
Walls of Text
#1 Builder
2014-2018

Pyotr - HP: 20/26

Pyotr roars to the sky, blood matting some of his feathers. His body shifts once more, shrinking and returning to its human state. He stretches, feeling over the burned areas where he was struck by the ghosts and the creature's beam. He laughs. "I can't think of a safer place, can you? We've just killed the most dangerous thing here."

Green Intern
Dec 29, 2008

Loon, Crazy and Laughable

Nameless Golem
HP: 23/23 | Armor 2 | XP: 2


.:.Comrade Pyotr is correct. It would be inadvisable to continue in this terrain. This unit will perform sentry duties.:.

The golem starts a slow patrol around the area, circling the rest of the group.

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
Svetlanka
HP 21/21, Armor 0/0+2, XP 2/8

In my distraction, I am caught off guard by the sudden appearance of these strange scorpions. Before I can gather myself the monk shows off with those stupid little guns of hers.

"Yes Alexander, I should perhaps make my bright glowing holy symbols of warning a bit more dire and obvious for you, yes?" I smile slightly at my joke, gathering what I can of the scattered campsite.

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
Bump?

PixelScum
Jan 21, 2009

I'M GOING BEARZERK
Armorade, it's whats for breakfast.
The standard Make Camp move applies (and its associated moves) but luckily nothing is really going to bother you. The golem's sentry-work revealed a lot of old corpses with their hearts torn out. It looks like most creatures knew to stay away from the canyons.

Ship-Shape with the Ship-Shade
Numerous scorpions die, exploding into caustic gore from the bullets flying everywhere and pollen blasts. The circle breaks properly as seven of them start to charge Avadin even as their kin behind them fall.

Lurks With Wolves
Jan 14, 2013

At least I don't dance with them, right?
Sagacious Leung
XP: 1

So the scorpions are finally going for the easy prey. Leung is not the sentimental type, but this doesn't seem like Avadin's time. Fortunately, she can change that. She raises her pistol with an eerie calm and pulls the trigger.

*click* *click click*

Well drat. Leung breaks out into a full-on sprint, spent magazines falling to the sands as she runs. Overtaking the scorpions is easy, even on a night such as this. Skipping across their backs like so many stepping stones in a river could be hard, for someone who wasn't born in a forest canopy. But forcing even a small piece of one's astral form into the physical realm for something as banal as reloading a gun while doing all that? Leung only makes it look easy.

"Better late than never, eh Timekeeper?"

Using Ability of Lightness to run over the scorpions and get on Avadin's side of the chase. Ability of Lightness: 2d6+2 12

Double Plus Undead
Dec 24, 2010
Tazaret
HP: 16/16, Armor: 1, XP: 2/8


Nightfall transformed the desert of glass. The dunes glowed faintly with reflected starlight, an effect that thankfully did not extend to the canyons. The lights of Nexus drowned out the stars, but here there was almost nothing else.

The Golem's footsteps on patrol were regular and soothing, but Tazaret couldn't let herself be lulled to sleep. Maybe she couldn't take a hit like Karash or Pyotr, but she could at least find out what they'd be up against.

Using When the Stars Align! I pick:
You get an idea of what action will trigger the event.
You get a vision of the event's aftermath.

Green Intern
Dec 29, 2008

Loon, Crazy and Laughable

Nameless Golem
HP: 23/23 | Armor 2 | XP: 2


One lap. Two laps. Three Laps. The golem trudges around the perimeter of the campsite, the odd bone occasionally crunching under its heavy step. Finally, the golem is satisfied, and it returns to the main camp for the moment.

The golem comes to a halt when it spots Tazaret sitting apart from the others, deep in thought. For a while, it just follows her gaze as she looks upward. The rocky canyon walls almost make it seem like there's a sparkling scar above the group. Finally, it breaks the silence.

.:.Comrade Tazaret. Why do you stare at the night sky?.:.

Editing in my dumb punctuation

Green Intern fucked around with this message at 22:06 on Aug 24, 2014

K Prime
Nov 4, 2009

Karash

Karash idly hammers the annoying ding out of his suit. "Well, we're all alive. I suppose that's as good a result as we're going to get."

Double Plus Undead
Dec 24, 2010
Tazaret

...the Lantern passes into the Seneschal's house, opposed by the King of Knives...

Tazaret doesn't respond for a long time. Finally, she blinks, realizing that the Golem has stopped patrolling and is speaking to her. Slowly and carefully she bends her neck from the sky to look at it. When she responds it is barely loud enough to hear.

“I stare at the sky for the same reason you patrol. Comrade.” After a bit she adds, “sorry about that Karash.”

Green Intern
Dec 29, 2008

Loon, Crazy and Laughable

Nameless Golem
HP: 23/23 | Armor 2 | XP: 2


The golem looks to the sky and tries to find what Tazeret means.

.:.This unit does not understand. The stars do not advance upon us, in orderly ranks or under cover of misdirection. The stars are just there. Are you expecting an attack? This unit will double its patrol during tonight's watch.:.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
Walls of Text
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2014-2018

Pyotr

"The stars come down to attack, huh? Let 'em come." Pyotr stretches, then makes himself comfortable on a rock, staring up at the night. "It'd be something new. Nothing I've seen yet could break me, and they probably can't either. But it'd be fun to see them try."

He grins for a moment.

"...I think it'd end the same way so many night sky do, though. They'd be swallowed up by the storms."

PixelScum
Jan 21, 2009

I'M GOING BEARZERK
My bad, had to get used to my med scheduling again

Not All Armored Men
Tazaret's night sifting through portents results in a startling revelation. She sees a mound of bodies heaped in front of a massive metal ship, a star ship in fact. The ship itself is heavily damaged with immense tears in it's hull, smoke belching from other tears. She gradually realises that some of the bodies in the mound are her companions.
Her vision darkens as something immense and crimson steps in front of her, a long claw spearing one of the bodies and pulling it upward with a sickening crunch sound and a rain of gore.
Everything fades and Tazaret hears a voice whispering, "The true storm has yet to begin."

Ship Shape
Leung gets across easily, the scorpions confused and disoriented by the sudden feeling of footsteps on their backs even as they shriek violently.

Double Plus Undead
Dec 24, 2010
Tazaret

Tazaret just kind of stares at the Golem for a while. Finally she says, “No, the stars will not attack us. And if they do, Pyotr will take care of them. So you needn't patrol any more than usual.”

The vision was troublesomely vague. A pile of corpses before a crashed spaceship told her almost nothing, other than that it was extremely dangerous, information that her comrades, wherever they were now, presumably knew already. Oh, and that there was a giant red thing that liked to chew the scenery as well as the corpses of its foes. Dire, but hardly concrete. Still...

“Pyotr, do you have any idea how far we are from the crashed ship? It might be important.”

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
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Pyotr

Pyotr shrugs. "Shouldn't be more than a few more hours after we break camp. We'd have been there in a day if we weren't walking." Not that he's about to offer to carry people.

Double Plus Undead
Dec 24, 2010
Tazaret

"Well, there might be an incredibly dangerous monster there, and I know how you love throwing yourself headlong at things that try to kill us. Not that I'm complaining." Tazaret shrugs. "But we could keep on to see the armored man. Up to you all."

We making another perilous journey?

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
Walls of Text
#1 Builder
2014-2018

Pyotr

"...oh, oh. The ship. That'd be a longer walk." Pyotr shakes his head. "Sorry, ears are still ringing a bit. We'll reach the man tomorrow. I could reach the ship easily by air. You'd have more trouble. If you think they'll need me over there..."

Well, he could just make his way to the ship.

Green Intern
Dec 29, 2008

Loon, Crazy and Laughable

Nameless Golem
HP: 23/23 | Armor 2 | XP: 2


The golem takes in Tazaret's words. .:.This unit understands. Its patrol will be unceasing.:. It slowly turns to scan the perimeter of the area before speaking again. .:.The original mission was to divide into two groups to efficiently complete both objectives. Comrade Tazaret, are you recommending abandoning the Armored Man? This could be unwise if the recent arrivals are related, based on synchronous time of arrival.:.

Double Plus Undead
Dec 24, 2010
Tazaret

"I saw a pile of corpses, a monster, and a crashed spaceship. How these things got there I do not know, nor do I know whether our companions need help or not. Omens are like that I'm afraid, that's why I'm asking." Tazaret coughs. "And, I can't actually stop you."

Green Intern
Dec 29, 2008

Loon, Crazy and Laughable

Nameless Golem
HP: 23/23 | Armor 2 | XP: 2


The golem turns slowly in place while keeping an eye on the fringes of the campsite, thinking over what to do next. The Armored Man may need rescuing. Even if he did not, it was their Duty to find him, and guide him to Nexus for proper integration into the community. Tazaret claimed she saw a vision of blood and death falling upon their comrades. It was their Duty to Defend their comrades. But Tazaret was not sure of her vision from the sky. But Tazaret would not lie about what she saw or what they must do. What they must do. Must do. Must do.

Something makes a low grinding noise from inside the golem, and it comes to a halt.

.:.This unit will be on patrol.:.

Without a further word, the golem stomps off on its route.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
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Pyotr

Pyotr stares at Tazaret for a moment, then nods.

Seconds later, a stormcrow is winging its way towards the ship crash.

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
Svetlanka
HP 21/21, Armor 0/0, XP 2/8

As I watch Leung jump ahead of the scorpions, an idea forms. Since she's killed so many before, maybe if I can distract the bugs towards me she can take even more out.

With that, I start swinging my walking stick around, shouting, and channeling enough of Torthanc's divinity to light up my gauntlet, making a bright spectacle of myself.
Aiding Leung 7

FewtureMD
Dec 19, 2010

I am very powerful, of course.


Alexander Pact: 1

Alexander realizes he has to help his comrade. "Codeine, keep those scorpions away from Leung! Petal Barrier!"

Commanding Codeine: 2d6+1 9


Since I got below a 10, I have to take a consequence. I choose: Your spirit executes the command a little too vigorously, causing collateral damage or unintended side-effects.

Hashtag Yoloswag
Mar 24, 2013

...I'm sorry. I can't seem to remember any of the rest.
Arcturus

Arcturus waves goodbye as Pyotr ascends into the sky, then stands, picking his lantern up and hooking back onto his staff. "Yes, we should get going. The sooner we solve the mystery of this armored man, the sooner we can be reunited with our companions."

Roland Jones
Aug 18, 2011

by Nyc_Tattoo
Avadin Arteka Tick Tock

Ava's plan is working; the scorpions are coming for her, and Leung is even massacring quite a few of them in the meantime, opening a path for the others. And then... Leung jumps across the scorpions to get to her. To help her, apparently. She wasn't expecting that, though it was quite nice of the monk.

"So I hear," she says, in response to Leung's (presumably rhetorical) question. "Thank you for your assistance. Now, we just need to get ourselves and the others out of here, alive and otherwise intact ideally. Preferably before more acid geysers erupt; I would rather not push our allies' luck." She holds a hand out towards the scorpions, in a manner reminiscent of a "stop" gesture; while she takes no other visible actions, she is actually working her time magic. From her perspective, everything begins to move much slower.

(From everyone else's perspective, nothing's changed because she's not moving. Not terribly impressive just yet.)

Spending Tock to use Give Me A Moment, holding 2. Not doing anything with the hold yet, though; still trying to draw the scorpions further away from the others before fleeing myself.

Really, really sorry for the delay here.

PixelScum
Jan 21, 2009

I'M GOING BEARZERK
Yo realtalk I was hit with a case of the sadbrains but I'm good to go now. Also you make one perilous journey per destination, interruptions don't require more.

Armor-All
I'll be resolving the second team's conflict before I do Pyotr's arrival.

Shipping Crate
Svetlanka has attracted the attention of a trio of scorpions, one of which is huge and seems to be...pulsating with something inside it. Something moving.
Two of them charge her with the loud clicking of their claws.

Codeine then proceeds to force plants from deep underground to burst through the soil and sand, turning all the nearby terrain into a thick, visually impenetrable jungle. A poppy jungle I guess???

Lurks With Wolves
Jan 14, 2013

At least I don't dance with them, right?
Sagacious Leung
XP: 1

"There is no luck, only what waits on the path. It is how you react that matters." Leung glances back at the rest of the party. "And Svetlanka is reacting rather predictably. Excuse me." The gunslinger pivots on the spot as the last clicks into place, immediately firing three shots across the empty waste at the remain scorpions. Which then immediately embedded themselves into the head of a giant poppy that wasn't there a second ago. That's the problem with spirits. No sense of proportion. Leung dashes into the forest to get a clean shot...

Going to Volley at those scorpions attacking Svetlanka. Volley: 2d6+2+1 9 1d10+1 7 I'll go with "You have to move to get the shot placing you in danger as described by the GM", because it honestly just sounds more interesting than letting my shots clip plants or shooting enough times to blast a hole through the plants.

Lurks With Wolves fucked around with this message at 21:27 on Sep 2, 2014

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
Svetlanka
HP 21/21, Armor 0/0, XP 2/8

"Aw, gently caress." I mutter, as I realize just what a colossally bad idea this was. The scorpions turn towards me, and then BAM, a poppy field taller than me (in the desert!?) sprouts up out of nowhere, obscuring my sight, and the soft whispering of the plants in the breeze means I can't even track them by sound.

I begin walking backward, eyes darting to and fro for any sign of the monster bugs. I clench my right fist and bring it to my heart as I whisper a prayer. My gauntlet gives off a familiar glow.
"Torthanc, lord of justice, your iron grip stills my fear, would that your servants' aggressors feel it instead."
Divine Ward 9
An approaching enemy is driven back, but the prayer draws unwanted attention.

FewtureMD
Dec 19, 2010

I am very powerful, of course.


Alexander Pact: 1


"Codeine! What Did I say about helping too much?" He sighs heavily, trying to appreciate the beauty of the flowers.

PixelScum
Jan 21, 2009

I'M GOING BEARZERK
Behold My Shipping Wall
Leung gets into sight of the scorpions attacking Svetlanka and manages to put them down as Svetlanka's glowing burst drives two of them skittering back toward her. Unfortunately, the biggest not only doesn't seem cowed, but doesn't seem to mind a bullet or two as acidic gore sprays -- and so does a flood of tiny hissing, shrieking, and glowing scorpions -- in Leung and Svetlanka's direction.
Alexander hears the commotion and realises not all is quite safe.

Lurks With Wolves
Jan 14, 2013

At least I don't dance with them, right?
Sagacious Leung
XP: 1

Leung scowls and reholsters her pistols as the scorpion spews it's children at them. There is a time for fighting and a time for running, and the latter has arrived sooner than she would have liked. Still, Leung makes scurrying up the truck of a tree-sized poppy look easy as she tries to escape the swarm. It'd almost be enough to make her nostalgic for her home grove, if it wasn't for the constant risk of a messy death.

Since climbing a tree-equivilent to flee a swarm of baby scorpions seems like defying a danger by getting out of the way or acting fast to me, Defy Danger(Dex): 2d6+2 13 I was going to wait to see what Svetlanka does to see if I'd have to Aid her, but I figure that nobody would mind if I make another roll to help her if she flees in my general direction.

Roland Jones
Aug 18, 2011

by Nyc_Tattoo
Avadin Arteka Tick Tock

Ava watches as events (very slowly) pass in front of her. While she was hoping to lure the scorpions to her and use the slowed time to easily escape, her perspective still offers advantages. Watching as Svetlanka draws a ton of attention to herself and the other two go to help her, she takes note of the shifting environment, the actions of their foes, and other factors, trying to formulate a plan to actually get everyone out of here already.

Spending 1-hold to notice something I can use to my advantage here.

Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
Svetlanka
HP 21/21, Armor 0/0, XP 2/8

Out of brilliant ideas, I turn to the side and run from these monsters.

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
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#1 Builder
2014-2018

Pyotr - XP: 3/8 - HP: 20/26

A loud cry rings out over the geyser area - the cry of a hunting stormcrow. A black blur falls out of the sky mere instants later, slamming into the earth with enough force to crack the stone, and whatever scorpions are unlucky enough to be beneath him at the time.

Pyotr spreads his wings and roars again at the scorpions, his tail whipping back and forth, then lunges at one of them and bites for its head. The bite misses by mere inches, but right now he's just trying to gather all their attention. Then they can be swept up.

Hack and Slash: [09:50] <Krysmbot> MorsRattus, 3+1 = 4

BUT NOW A THING IS FINALLY HAPPENING

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Error 404
Jul 17, 2009


MAGE CURES PLOT
Svetlanka
HP 21/21, Armor 0/0, XP 2/8

As the Stormcrow swoops in, I recognize Pyotr and my heart soars. Torthance protects!

I stand by to see how best I can render aid to the shapeshifting man.

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