OOC- Shadow's Dawn: Diving into the past Options

[Seth]

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, I thought you were nearly outside Angel's room when the excitement started, but I am just as happy with your interpretation.

If we slightly rewrite history that way, you are able to go into the first room on the left. This means that you are able to overhear the conversation with the masked man, and the screams of the machine gunners, but have managed to break contact with the enemy.

The room you are in is...disturbing. Background count is Dragonic: 2 / Aztech 4.
The door closed behind you as you came in. The lighting is low. There is a faint fog on the ground to the height of about 2 feet, so you cannot see the floor. In the room you see a number of robot arms, one per egg. You can see the top half of around 10 eggs...looking leathery and faceted.

Around the side of the room are benches with test facilities, chemistry sets and some old fashioned display screens.

There are a number of pillars in the room, with arcane runes on them. The one just in front of you has a Health and Safety sign on it "Extreme Danger. Wear C4 gear at all times"

[pbangarth]

Wow. Treasure rooms every which way you go!

[Seth]

Wow. Treasure rooms every which way you go!

Have you seen the scene from godzilla? or Aliens? just curious.

Don't worry Lean'drea the sign on the door was probably only advisory. If you make a suitable skill roll, I'll tell you what C4 means (clue: it's not an explosive)

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

I don't think Lean'drea has any skills that would be even remotely relevant. I know what it means though, so, not so happy about her being there, but she doesn't know much better (other than she likely doesn't have it).

[Sephiroth]

@Sephiroth
Bizarrely you are left alone in the dream, you can get up, walk around, do stuff... Elapsed time here is not the same as elapsed time in "the real world", so you have several minutes to explore.

• The box is held in his faintly transparent hands, and if you wanted to you could do some suitable lores...if only Marduk was here. Perhaps I should try and arrange that...
• The cells are locked, but he left the keys hanging on hooks, so if you wanted you could get Aren "Out". You could try talking to him, but he seems to be in a terrified fetal position.
• The door opens if you want to check it, into an endless torture chamber with various unpleasant engines of torment, and a number of people being "worked on" by snake headed beings

Well, I just realized a day ago that I got the conversion factor from Knowledge Skill points to Build Points wrong again (did it for Jovan, too), so I'm going to have to give him more language and knowledge skills. No wonder I felt tight on points for languages. It's cool though, I won't get any Theran Lore skills or whatever. That would be cheap. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Probably Metaplanar and Horror Lore, though.

• Logic + Intuition roll to try to intuit some sort of general meaning out of the runes, maybe? Or maybe a defaulted Intuition or Logic roll?
• Chantrel's Horror is the one with the form of a mutilated humanoid figure floating in a metal frame modded to the brim with sawblades and scalpels and whatnot, right? Because that's the first thing that came to mind when I read that.

I guess I'll do an Observe in Detail action around the room and in the torture chamber for now...
Room: Intuition 5 [9] + Perception 2 + Actively Looking 3 = 14d6 = 3 hits hmm...
Chamber: 14d6 = 4 hits4 hits

[Seth]

@Sephiroth
The room you are in:

• Feels like a police interrogation room
• Has a number of "prisoner" rooms off to one side behind bars. Aren is in one of those cells. From the look of him, he has been put through the next room
• There is a table in the center.
• There is a rack with keys on it: they look like the keys to the cells
• The hooded man is faded out, and the box he is holding is faded out. The box has pictures of snakes intertwined with dwarven runes. The runes are difficult to read with the bluring effect, but you have seen this sort of box before. It is often constructed by Nethermancers to hold powerful spirits. While he was in the room you had a massive desire to open the room (which you mastered as you are not a beginner in the ways of magic)
• Under the hood, the face of the man cannot be seen

The torture chamber:

• Does like a bit like the wood carvings you have seen of Chantrel's horror. But then again its a big torture chamber, and lots of horrors would dream about having one
• The people on it look like the souls of people who have traded for power with the horror, then finally died.
• Perhaps this is a part of a Hellish metaplane?
• It 'looks' to be endless, you haven't explored far

@Alyena
Your spirit: Gets all of them! Cadarvermen are not famous for their intellectual prowess. I suspect timing wise that this probably happens at the start of next round, as there is a horror in sight until the end of this round.
Your mana bolt. The major shrugs it off (just take the first roll)

@General
The rough state is:

• The Major has used spirit powers and stuff to get to the security room near the entrance. He has pressed a panic room button. The door will take a couple of seconds to open, and a couple more to close, so at the end of next round he will be in there. You can guarantee that there will be no wifi in there, so any hacking needs to be complete before he gets there.
• At the end of IP 2 the cadarvermen are ripping apart the machine gunners. By the time the horror finishes talking to Spirit Bane it will be the start of next round.
• Fearghas is currently unconcious and in a dream
• Lean'drea has broken contact with Spirit Bane by escaping into a research and development room, with lots of dragon eggs in it

I think the only outstanding actions are the hacking attempts / matrix events with Aria and Edana. I don't think I am holding anyone back: so if you are waiting for a response from me please hassle me again!

[pbangarth]

I've time-stamped my posts such that Mandala is one round ahead of everybody else, or at least 2 seconds ahead. I guess I am off in my time estimate, so I will post as if Mandala is in synch with the rest.

[sabs]

I edited my post so I didn't actually stab spirit bane.. but listend instead.

Should I roll Init for the next round, and go surprise strike on Mr Spiritbane?

Basically, I'm going for a Coup de Grace stab.. given the surprise nature. Thruogh the Neck/Shoulder opening into the Heart.. or under the chin and up into the brain.. which ever you think is more appropriate?

Do I have actual surprise, and he gets no defense dice? or? and should I reroll the 'attack'? Can I take Aim with a dagger?

[Seth]

@General
It occurs to me that the combat in the Matrix is totally decoupled from the other combats now.

Consequently I am happy to move on to the next round for all the out of matrix stuff

@Sabs
Go Do! Get that initiative. I think you have already rolled for Mr Pointy.

• You cannot aim with a dagger as far as I know, but can do a called shot.
• You can add up to +4DV in exchange for -4 die on attacking. (this is the coup de grace thing: +4DV and no dodge with little armour is going to be very unpleasant).
• I think you can easily have a +2 for superior position.

If you want to change the number of die you are rolling, just roll again. While you are at it...just make me a willpower roll when you do the attack.

[Aria]

@Aria
You get two free observes with Multitasking, so you can still do something on IP 2 if you want.
Matrix perception reveals that the man doing the whipping is a Black IC of the same scale as the guard's outside, so you probably have his number. The soldiers lining up and watching are all links to his BotNet: Perhaps 2000 slaves processors that can do his bidding. The System and Firewall is lower in here...a mere 6, instead of the outside 8.

The System+Firewall roll: nothing to worry about, no need to get nervous...oh could you make a System+Analyse roll for no apparent reason on IP 3?


Yes you can see them. They don't seem to be connected to the matrix: they are using Victorian engineering it seems. However if you were to get a drone in... Perhaps the evo orderly in Angels room: that has two robot arms.

I will delay action on IP2 so that I can go in with Angel on 3 and act on 5 instead (in case of unpleasant surprises and because I don't want to leave Angel behind <honest!> )

System+Analyse = 12D well I would roll but Invis Castle seems knackered at the moment...can we assume 3hits?

[sabs]

@General
It occurs to me that the combat in the Matrix is totally decoupled from the other combats now.

Consequently I am happy to move on to the next round for all the out of matrix stuff

@Sabs
Go Do! Get that initiative. I think you have already rolled for Mr Pointy.

• You cannot aim with a dagger as far as I know, but can do a called shot.
• You can add up to +4DV in exchange for -4 die on attacking. (this is the coup de grace thing: +4DV and no dodge with little armour is going to be very unpleasant).
• I think you can easily have a +2 for superior position.

If you want to change the number of die you are rolling, just roll again. While you are at it...just make me a willpower roll when you do the attack.

Iniatiative: 8d6: 6 4 6 5 2 5 6 5 (wow) 14
Willpower test: 7d6 (unless I get to add something) 1 5 5 4 1 2 5 (3) hits
Attack with the variants:
logic (8) + closecombat (2) + superior position (2) - called shot (-4) = 8d6 2 5 6 1 6 5 5 4 (5) hits


here goes nothing?

[Sephiroth]

@Sephiroth
The room you are in:

• Feels like a police interrogation room
• Has a number of "prisoner" rooms off to one side behind bars. Aren is in one of those cells. From the look of him, he has been put through the next room
• There is a table in the center.
• There is a rack with keys on it: they look like the keys to the cells
• The hooded man is faded out, and the box he is holding is faded out. The box has pictures of snakes intertwined with dwarven runes. The runes are difficult to read with the bluring effect, but you have seen this sort of box before. It is often constructed by Nethermancers to hold powerful spirits. While he was in the room you had a massive desire to open the room (which you mastered as you are not a beginner in the ways of magic)
• Under the hood, the face of the man cannot be seen

The torture chamber:

• Does like a bit like the wood carvings you have seen of Chantrel's horror. But then again its a big torture chamber, and lots of horrors would dream about having one
• The people on it look like the souls of people who have traded for power with the horror, then finally died.
• Perhaps this is a part of a Hellish metaplane?
• It 'looks' to be endless, you haven't explored far

Interesting. So is there only one entrance or exit in the room, the one to the torture chamber? Do the other prisoner rooms contain any prisoners? Does Fearghas recognize anything about them if there are any others?

[Seth]

Interesting. So is there only one entrance or exit in the room, the one to the torture chamber? Do the other prisoner rooms contain any prisoners? Does Fearghas recognize anything about them if there are any others?

The only way in is through the torture chamber, which you now suspect to be a metaplane. The other rooms do not contain prisoners, although the torture area does. Most of the prisoners in the nearby torture chamber you don't recognise. One you do: a very pretentious Paladin of Lugh Surehand called Alladril ... you forget his sirname, who you have had run ins with in the past (his sense of overwhelming superiority, and his liking for the ability to abuse his position in small ways was very annoying). He is currently not very conscious, and being bent on the rack, being worked on with two snake headed things who are mostly ignoring you.

[Seth]

We haven't had a post in a few days, so I suspect you are all waiting for me. I of course am waiting for you! This of course is where play by forum is different to a pen and paper tabletop game.

I understand the situation as follows:

• Ryl and Angel are heading into the next node. I think I have told you lots of stuff about the next node, but to summarise: its a system/firewall 6 place, much easier than the current 8 (still tough!) in it are the controls for a bot net, and a piece of IC "the sergeant" who has a large whip. When you go in, you can make stealth rolls, as the Major is actually busy right now, and cannot spare the time to sic the IC on you.
• Alyena has astrally chased the Major to his panic room, and is still bolting him
• Fearghas is dreaming, if you could post an IC thing about what you have found while exploring, then I will post him returning
• Bjeorn is chasing the Major
• Marduk: If you let me know how your stabbing goes (you asked about coup de grace options, so I had ignored your earlier die roll)
• Mandala: I think you are up to date, and will probably do something after Spirit Bane gets knifed/
• Ghost: Can you post about you running into the room with the dragon eggs, and let me know what you want to do

Please correct the above list if it's wrong.

I still have to do the Matrix actions for Jonathan and SPIKE: I'll do those after Ryl and Angel.

[Sephiroth]

We haven't had a post in a few days, so I suspect you are all waiting for me. I of course am waiting for you! This of course is where play by forum is different to a pen and paper tabletop game.

I understand the situation as follows:

• Ryl and Angel are heading into the next node. I think I have told you lots of stuff about the next node, but to summarise: its a system/firewall 6 place, much easier than the current 8 (still tough!) in it are the controls for a bot net, and a piece of IC "the sergeant" who has a large whip. When you go in, you can make stealth rolls, as the Major is actually busy right now, and cannot spare the time to sic the IC on you.
• Alyena has astrally chased the Major to his panic room, and is still bolting him
• Fearghas is dreaming, if you could post an IC thing about what you have found while exploring, then I will post him returning
• Bjeorn is chasing the Major
• Marduk: If you let me know how your stabbing goes (you asked about coup de grace options, so I had ignored your earlier die roll)
• Mandala: I think you are up to date, and will probably do something after Spirit Bane gets knifed/
• Ghost: Can you post about you running into the room with the dragon eggs, and let me know what you want to do

Please correct the above list if it's wrong.

I still have to do the Matrix actions for Jonathan and SPIKE: I'll do those after Ryl and Angel.

No problemo. Tomorrow's my day off, and I would like to write up something nice for such a scene with a Horror and a torture chamber, so it will be all done tomorrow when it isn't nearly 1am. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dead.gif)

[pbangarth]

OK, good. I felt as if I were taking too many actions. Glad the timing is aligning. Yay for stabby-stabby!

[sabs]

http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?s=&a...t&p=1080645

I did a new roll? couple of days ago (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Seth]

Thanks for that. Its easy to get out of sync, then things stop happening.

@Sabs: You are the spirit of Speedy Gonzalez. Well Spirit Bane doesn't make his surprise roll: for some reason he doesn't seem to get one when you hit him with that. You discover some more of the properties of the knife. As you strike with the knife something strange happens:

You strike and hear the sound of 1000 souls screaming in joyful anticipation, as you blade descends. As it strikes Spirit Bane, the dagger seems to explode in your hand and you drop it, shocked back to your normal material form in room 27a. can you roll dumpshock? Base damage 5P. Resist as through resisting drain. The dagger on the floor is pulsating. You loose the rest of the rouSee the @Mandala thing for what happened.

For your benefit you felt the knife strike deep, slicing through his mystic armor as though it wasn't there.

The Magical TacNet just shows a purple blur where you were.

@Mandala
Suddenly the room you are in is full (and I mean full) of low ranking Aztech rage spirits (thank goodness for golden aura...otherwise they would be force 5 and 6s in an Aztech background). They begin to wreck the joint. This has a tiny problem that they are striking at Angel's life support machinery, as well as the chairs, the notes, wires...everything. Think poltergeist.

@Ghost
You can hear this, but its on the other side of the door, and they are not coming in to where you are.

@Alyena
Your spirit vanishes: it doesn't get to mod mind. You feel its disruption through your summoners link.

[sabs]

Ooops.. that's what I get for using an Artifact I picked up literally 3 minutes ago (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Resist Drain: 15D6 4 1 5 1 2 5 3 2 5 3 4 5 2 3 6 (5)

holy Hell

sorrry guys? I think I just disrupted all of the little aztech spirits SpiritBane has been collecting over the years.

[Aria]

Will try and get some rolls up tonight...time to blast some IC!

EDIT:

Matrix Stealth 22D = 9 hits (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Matrix Attack 18D = 5 hits (-3 armour)

Agent's Attack 14D = 9 hits typical (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) (-3 armour)

Attack progs both rt 6

This post has been edited by Aria: Jun 24 2011, 02:27 PM

[Edana]

My understanding of turn order, let me know if I'm wrong and I'll alter this to fit:

IP 1-2: Finishing off the first set of IC
IP 3: Complex Action to switch nodes, if the new IC notices us, it could potentially attack before we can do anything.
IP 4-5: We can attack or do whatever other actions we want

With that understanding, I'm going to thread my stealth on IP 3 before switching nodes. I'll probably drop it on IP 4 when I attack. (It's still going to be bad with everything I'm sustaining at the moment, but at least I'll have a prayer (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) .)

Thread Stealth: 5 Hits
Fading 5P: 7 Hits = No damage
Stealth Roll: 4 Hits (haha, yeah, that's bad)

Going to wait on attacking to see if I have to defend myself. Though, maybe my paladin sprite's lack of stealth altogether will be the lucky target (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) .

Notes

[ Spoiler ]

Current Initiative: 24 (Matrix VR)

Condition monitors:
2/11 S (No Penalty)
0/10 P (No Penalty)

1/4 Edge Remaining

R7 Paladin Sprite (Optional CF's: Expert Defense, Attack): 4 Tasks, Currently guarding Angel, Current Initiative 9
Sustaining R13 Exploit (Mute)
Sustaining R11 Attack (Area 4, Targeting)
Sustaining R8 Shield
Sustaining R10 Stealth

[pbangarth]

@Mandala
Suddenly the room you are in is full (and I mean full) of low ranking Aztech rage spirits (thank goodness for golden aura...otherwise they would be force 5 and 6s in an Aztech background). They begin to wreck the joint. This has a tiny problem that they are striking at Angel's life support machinery, as well as the chairs, the notes, wires...everything. Think poltergeist.

Hmm. The control for the buttons is unplugged, but damaging the life support just won't do. Mandala will have to deal with the spirits, even though some may very well be innocent victims of whatever it is Spirit Bane was able to do.

EDIT: I assume these guys light up in Mandala's DangerNet™ as a whole swarm of enemies?

[Seth]

EDIT: I assume these guys light up in Mandala's DangerNet™ as a whole swarm of enemies?

His DangerNet™ is just seeing a blur of purple, swamping all data in the area. Its much worse outside Angel's room.

@Sabs

Ooops.. that's what I get for using an Artifact I picked up literally 3 minutes ago

Gotta love giving the players atomic hand grenades. This to you looks like a horror slaying kit (book, dagger, skull), you just don't know yet how to use it. You don't know if the knife is "used up".

@Edana
Your IP summary looked correct to me. The 'out of matrix' group are one round in front of you, as there is no real need to keep them absolutely in sync.

This node is not nearly as hard as the outside, although still respectable. The IC is of the Obediah series. Noted for persistence, and indestructability. It sees you, it's left eye starts to twitch and with a cry of "Get him men", and a snarled "I'll have you" it leaps forwards swinging it's whip.

Something a little wierd happens:
Computer + Analyse to work out what... but everything goes really slow, and you (and Ryl) are at around -4 on all die.
Attack from Obediah: 4 successes I suspect you will have little trouble with this, even with the minus's.

From this node:

• You can move into the command and control node (complex action)
• Move into his record's area (complex action)
• Deal with the IC (several complex actions)
• Work out what is slowing you down (simple action to matrix perception)
• Try and take control of the bot net (free action for each, although probably there is a program somewhere that will allow you to take control of the lot)
• Do something else I haven't thought of

[pbangarth]

Hmm....

Sooner or later this mindless swarm will get damage through to both Mandala and Angel if Mandala does nothing. He could dematerialize and try to draw them away from her, but if he is going to do that, he might as well reduce the odds a bit. Who knows, they are in a weakened state, he actually could clear the room... for a moment. Anything that can see him can be seen by him. (Good thing he can't actually see Angel from over on the table through the viewport in her life support unit.) Yet again, this could be something really stupid, but ... surprise the swarm with with a stunball.

Force 8 Stunball: Magic 9 + Spellcasting 3 = 12 dice ==> 6 HITS

Woohoo! OK, 8S DV plus 6 hits.

Drain is (8+3)/2 + 1 = 6P DV

Drain Resistance: WIL 7 + INT 8 + Centering 4 = 19 dice ==> 5 HITS

Yeah, the luck has to balance. Mandala takes 1P of damage from the spell.

[Sephiroth]

I never seem to have the time i want for dumpshock these days... : ( My post is almost done but im at work now. It will be up tonight after i get home. Sorry about that.