For Maker and Kamak! (IC)

[Ganurath]

The soulsteel metropolis of Uniba was one of the newer such settlements for the nation of Kamak, and ideal for its location near the Reaches. The Unconquerable Iron Bastion had been known for her work defending communities against gremlin and Voidbringer attacks from without and within, addressing them with ruthless efficiency. It was thus only natural that upon becoming a metropolis, she be a veritable fortress capable of enduring transitions into such dangerous territory. Those who knew of Eternally Vigilant Bell weren't surprised when she decided that the metropolis would be a launch point for her expeditions.

One such expedition was causing the irritated drumming of fingers for one of the city's Lectors. He looked at the Surgeon holding the drone in front of him, one of Bell's drones that she had left behind for emergency communications. "You're certain that there's no way that you can evacuate them?"

There was a brief delay before the Jade caste's voice crackled over the line, the clang of metal on metal and a shouting bass voice in the background. "If there were any exits, we would have taken them already. The only other door leads to a hall that ends with another chamber, but nothing in it works and it doesn't appear to have an exit."

"Understood, Champion. Keep the defenses secure, and we'll do what we can." The Lector pulled out a list of Champions in the area, tsking in thought. "Champions rescuing Champions... It wouldn't look good for the Populat. I'll get a group together, use the time for them to assemble to come up for a way to present this. If you don't have more important matters..."

"My job right now is keeping relevant parties updated on her expedition. That means you, and your selection of Champions." The Surgeon perked a brow, wondering at an opportunity to contibute. "Having trouble picking?"

The two then went over the list, and with the help of the Surgeon five Champions were selected. A scant hour had yet to pass from Jade's initial distress call before the local Autocrat and Celebrant approved the reallocation of Champions for the mission.

Quiet Guardian in DarknessThe Soulsteel Caste was just leaving the Core Refinery after a recharge when one of the Populat came running down the corridor, waving what looked like a Requisition Tube. The young man skids to a halt in front of the Guardian, holding out the tube as he strained to catch his breath. "Summons... Lector... Open..."

Archetypal ExecutorAs automated systems clean off the last of the vat material for future use, the door slides open to reveal Cervant with an... Angry expression? Concerned? As your eyes fall on the Requisition Tube in his hand, he explains the cause for his expression. "Whatever it is, you've been picked because it involves Kyria."

Artificier of Exquisite AutonsThe relocation to Uniba was an order that came from over Aquto's head, but in hindsight it wasn't an unpleasant one. The new apartment had a floor plan that actually had her interests in mind, and a location near the Reaches ensured plenty of opportunity to test her precious drones. One such opportunity came over the intercomm by her apartment's door. "Champion, a Requisition Tube has arrived. Lector Casepa is in need of your abilities."

Curious InvestigatorThe tram that dropped the newly arrived Starmetal off began speeding toward its next destination when a Populat runner got up from the bare metal bench she had been seated on and holding a Requisition Tube out to the Blessed of Mog. "I'm afraid you won't have the opportunity to change out of your combat loadout, ma'am. Summons from Lector Casepa."

Paradigmatic Cynosural CommissarA runner with a Requisition Tube intercepts the Commissar just outside Uniba's vats complex. "You won't be posing for morale iconography in the immediate future, Champion. Lector Casepa believes that the Blessed of Debok Moom that put this metropolis on the map would be better suited providing fresh material."

[Tengu_temp]

Guardian looks at the courier with indifference. This situation is not unusual to her - most of the time she's called to perform this or that job. Still, the young man did his best to deliver the message as quickly as possible, and she should let him know that his effort is appreciated.
"I understand. Thank you.", the Soulsteel says quietly, taking the tube from the courier's hands. She reads who exactly calls her and how to reach them, and any other information that might be written on it, then heads towards that location, each step accompanied by quiet mechanical noises coming from her black armor. It's not that Guardian can't move quietly when she wants to, she just doesn't see the need to do so at the moment.

[horngeek]

Curious Investigator

Investigator smiles at the runner. "Thank you for delivering this to me."

Her mind starts to go into high gear, trying to figure out what this is about. Stop it! You'll find out soon enough.

She opens the tube, reads it, and then heads towards the indicated location.

[Revlid]

Aquto snatches the message from its unfortunate courier and dismisses him with a wave of her hand. Her extra appendages twitch in their curled position on her back as she reads - how interesting. Well, of course they needed her.

She heads for the indicated location as quickly as possible.

[Drascin]

Archetype looks at the elder engineer, his expression impassive as always - but a perceptive person might have noticed the slight widening of worry in his eyes when he hears what he says. He picks up the tube with a nod, and then looks back at Cervant.

"What is the matter? And what does it have to do with her?" he asks, deadly serious, as he opens the tube and reads where he's supposed to be. Priorities are priorities. A Lector's summon is important, but some things are even more important than that...

[Whiskeyjack]

"Well met, citizen, and my thanks," Commissar says, accepting the tube.

Dressed in black, silver hair flowing about his shoulders, the Champion's handsome face remains impassive as he reads the missive. "Truly, for a Lector to require an Adjudicator in performance of a scheduled Morale Imposition Rally...it must be serious. That will be all, citizen. I am forthwith to he who dispatched you."

[Ganurath]

GuardianAs fortune had it, the Core Refinery's ramp system allowed one to get to the same level as the office of the Lector who summoned you, Lector Casepa, without waiting on the lift system. In addition to the usual navigation information, the Tube had the marker indicating that the cause for the summons was urgent, as well as a second that signified that the automated reception system wasn't installed in Uniba yet. In practical terms, that meant running and handing the Tube to the collection technician at the door. In this case, an older gentleman still in the lower ranks of the Theomachrocy requesting a tube from a Starmetal Caste who arrived seconds before you.

OOCSpecifically, horngeek's character Curious Investigator. Starmetals get less overt propaganda, so while Guardian may have heard the name before she wouldn't have a face to connect to it.
InvestigatorThe indicated location, the Lector's office, was on the same level of the tram station and was quickly reached with all the urgency indicated by the Tube's indicator marks. As the other mark hinted, a low-ranking Theomachrat was standing by to receive the Tube. "First of five, Champion. If I could take your Tube off your hands?"
AqutoWhile the urgency marker on the Tube was well-heeded, the location of Aquto's apartment relative to the office of the Lector was less than ideal due to the distance being primarily vertical. After boarding the lift, a monotone female voice is heard. "Please state destination or open Requisition Tube for ceiling optic system to observe."
Archetype"Kyria's on one of those volunteer expeditions for that Jade, Eternally Vigilant Bell. And that-" Cervant points out an indicator symbol at the head of the Tube, next to one indicating it would be received at the door. "Means they want you to run. You don't need a degree in Probablistics to guess she's in trouble. Now, go! Your gear's already on you."
CommissarThe runner nods and heads off to some other task, leaving the only immediate matter of reaching a lift to get to the same level as Lector Casepa's office. At the head of the Tube are the markers indicating a need for haste, and that the automatic system for receiving the Tubes is unavailable and would need to be presented manually.

[horngeek]

Investigator nods, and hands over the tube, then waiting for everyone else to arrive.

[Whiskeyjack]

Commissar notes the directions on the tube. "A personal acknowledgment of notice? Certainly important, then," he murmurs to himself.

He begins walking toward the Lector's office, his featureless moonsilver mask of office snapping into place over his face, proclaiming the officiality of his passage. And the Unbroken Angel takes its place on the mask's brow: absent when formal and anonymous deliberation must be rendered, present when Commissar acts as an agent of neutrality and justice on behalf of the State.

If it truly is important, I will not be acting alone, he muses. Ah, once again I must give that awkward explanation of the metaphysical concept of the Shadow Finger.

[Drascin]

Again, Archetype nods. Then he runs a quick gear check, and heads out, running.

Why did she have to go there? She's not a combatant! he thinks to himself, bothered. He can answer that, of course - because that is the exact kind of thing that selfless Kyria would indeed volunteer herself to. Damn it all.

He arrives very quickly, and hands the tube to a man outside the office, waiting impassively until he is guided to whatever office he needs to go to.

[Revlid]

Aquto hisses at the delay (however anticipated) but simply holds out the tube, flicking it open.

The moment the doors open at her destination, she strides out, all three eyes flicking about in search of the Lector.

[Tengu_temp]

Guardian arrives at the door a few seconds after Curious Investigator.
Another Champion? So this is not a solo mission? It must be something of great importance, then.
She takes a look at the other Alchemical. Does she look familiar? Not really, but then, Guardian does not really have that much close contact with her own kind. She waits for her own turn, gives the older technician the Requisition Tube, and enters.

[Ganurath]

Everybody!

After handing over your Requisition Tubes to the middle-aged man at the door, you assemble in the office of Lector Casepa. There's another man with him, and the only reason you can determine which one is which is because the man who is seated has the blue square sapphire of the Theomachracy in his forehead, while the man standing adjacent with a drone in his hands spots the violet oval amethyst of the Sodalities.

"Champions, my apologies for the abrupt summon, but a situation has developed that will have a signifigant impact on morale. Whether that impact is positive or negative depends on the outcome." Lector Casepa inclines his head toward his associate. "The Meticulous Surgeons provide oversight to the expeditions into the Reaches, including those lead by Ever Vigilant Bell. The drone she left to maintain communication informs that her expedition has been pinned down by a Voidbringer cult. While it's possible for them to fight their way out, strength of numbers and arms favor the heretics, and victory is uncertain even before the key variable."

[Whiskeyjack]

Commissar speaks from behind his faceplate. "Voidbringers? Lector, it is good that you alerted me. It is only proper and right that a Champion-Adjudicator immediately render judgment as a matter of law against the heretics. Merely tell me Bell's location, and I shall enforce my judgment, in performance of my duties to God and State."

[Drascin]

Much less talkative, and after a quick look over the other Alchemicals in the room, Archetype simply nods. Terminating a Void cult is something he is certainly not going to resent doing. But the last bit does make him lock eyes with the Sodalt.

"Key variable?"

[horngeek]

Investigator speaks up. "Good point. Interesting choice of words, Lector. Are there significant other factors involved?"

[Tengu_temp]

Surrounded by Voidbringer cultists. The expedition members must be terrified - and time is working against them, sooner or later the cultists will decide to attack. Guardian feels the need to embark as soon as possible, but she lets it stay on the inside. Obtaining information is important here as well.
"Do we know anything specific about the enemy?", she asks. The other Champions are pursuing the other important topics already.

[Revlid]

Aquto remains silent, seeing that her fellows have already pounced on the key elements of the Lector's words. Admirable.

Her spiderlegs do twitch, however, at the mention of Bell's plight. Ever Vigilant indeed. That was where low Clarity got you.

[Ganurath]

"Mostly conventional weapons, but there were Essence discharges before a position could be secured, although the expedition is effectively trapped within the fortified chamber. The key variable comes from conflicting volunteer testimony, which is why its a variable." The Lector folded his hands in front of him, his gaze hardening at the signifigance of what he was about to say. "The reason so many of you are being called upon for this is due to the possibility that an Apostate is leading this attack. An Orichalcum, if the testimony is accurate."

[Whiskeyjack]

There is a single flicker of silver light across the impassive mask. If anything, the Unbroken Angel above the mirrored faceplate seems...more resolute.

"Indeed?" the voice says quietly. "Any idea of its name?"

[Tengu_temp]

An Apostate. Of course. Such a large force wouldn't be gathered if the enemy group consisted of only mortals and maybe a few Gremlins.
The reveal, despite its significance, does not cause Guardian's expression to change. Though it's not very hard to notice that the upcoming battle brings no joy to the armor-clad Soulsteel.
"What is the chamber's location?"

[Ganurath]

"It's existence still isn't certain, let alone a name. All of Kamak's Orichalcums have been accounted for, though, so if he's authentic then he's from one of the other nations. As for their location, details are sketchy." Casepa points down toward the floor, his attention redirected toward Guardian. "Ubina is a new staging ground, so Bell has favored cardinal directions. This expedition went down, toward the periphery between Metal and Smoke. Not so far that breathers will be neccesary, thankfully."

The Surgeon held up the drone in his hands for emphasis, seeing an opportunity to interject. "Bell herself will provide you with the details."

The drone remains unmoving when it speaks, although a small red light near the top of the bulbous mechanism does activate. "The situation remains stable on my end. Sounds like four of you?"

[Whiskeyjack]

"Five, actually." Commissar looks at Artificer, though the movement of his eyes is concealed behind the empty mirror of his galea. "Two that I do not recognize, though. How are things on your end, Bell?" he asks with no small amount of irony.

[Ganurath]

"We lost three before we were able to secure a position, and two more are wounded. Other than a tunnel that leads to a dead end chamber, we don't have exits. I'm currently keeping the barricade secure, while the volunteers are turning the chamber into a fallback position." There's a brief pause for a rather loud concussive sound, followed by a strain of metal. "I estimate about two hours before we need it. If you're fast, you can get here with about a quarter-hour to spare."

[horngeek]

Investigator frowns. "Could it be possible for us to flank them instead of joining you directly?"

[Tengu_temp]

Guardian stays quiet (true to her name), listening to the others' questions - it's not that she doesn't feel the need to hurry, but they will have to move as a group anyway. Getting there on time shouldn't be too hard - her armor lets her move at double speed should she need too (though do the others have similar items or charms? That would require observation), and if the directions they receive become unclear, she can always track down Bell's essence trail.

[Revlid]

Aquto's eyes widen in surprise at the mention of an apostate - this would be interesting. Despite her anticipation, the first question she asks is audibly acerbic. "Is there any reason we can't ask these questions while en route? Departure speeds travel."

[Ganurath]

"Flanking is a prerequisite for joining up, given the situation. They're camped-" Another percussive burst, followed by the sound of snapping steel and a brief whistle. A female scream is heard, followed by a muttered profanity from Bell. "Get to Foundation Gate 5 of Ubina, I'll resume contact there. Whoever has the kit, get it to-"

The drone ceases communications, and the Surgeon holds it out to the Champions offeringly. "The lifts can get you to that level. We'll have someone there to direct you the rest of the way."

[Whiskeyjack]

"I am prepared to engage. Unfortunate that we do not know the enemy's strength of numbers. But we should deploy before more citizens lose life and limb to those heretics."

[Tengu_temp]

"I agree. Let's go." The Soulsteel's voice, while soft, contains traces of both determination and sadness. Unless anyone else was already showing the desire to do so, she picks up the drone and heads towards the lifts, her black cloak billowing behind her. She's in a hurry.

[Drascin]

Archetype just nods. Gremlins, Apostates, and cultists. Another day, another fight for everyone's life. That is what he was built to do, and that's what he'll do. The level of opposition would be nice to know, but is not truly necessary. Simple, really.

He will let the others exit first, though, and then, when he's the last alone with the Lector before exiting, turn a moment and ask, in that inexpressive deadpan of his, "A question before going. I have heard Chief Engineer Kyria is involved in this matter. If it is not classified information, I would like to know in what capacity, and, if she was part of the original expedition, whether it is known if she is safe" (which has to be the longest sentence out of Archetype's mouth in a week at least).

After he is anwered either way, he will indeed follow the others. No more time to waste.

[Revlid]

Striding impatiently into the lift, the Artificier refrains from tapping her foot. She does hiss in irritated disbelief when some kind of delay is made apparent - what is that Moonsilver doing?

[Ganurath]

"She wasn't one of the casualties or wounded, assuming that that last scream wasn't her." Casepa's manner of speech was much more terse, as though he were trying to hurry the champion up. "As for her function, Bell's volunteer groups aren't so formal in assignment of roles. If her abilities are applicable, she's called upon."

The lift, meanwhile, speaks in a monotone voice as the first Champion arrives: "Please state destination or open Requisition Tube for ceiling optic system to observe."

[Drascin]

Archetype nods again. "Thanks"

And with that, he gets into the lift, seemingly unknowing of the pointed looks of the other Champion. He simply stands very still as he waits for whoever wants to take the lead to speak to the destination system.

[Tengu_temp]

Guardian, on the other hand, probably noticed (she's good at making sure tiny details don't escape her attention), but doesn't care. Nobody in the group really knows each other, so small tensions are bound to appear.
"Ubina, Foundation Gate 5.", she tells the lift when everyone's aboard.

[Whiskeyjack]

"Before we deploy, there is a particular technique I wish to apply to us, as a temporary Assembly if nothing else. It is called the 'Way of the Shadowed Finger,' and involves the metaphysical joining of our intent via the latent harmonics of battle-intent inherent in our bodies, separate from any traditional Charms. It will provide for...certain enhancements to your martial abilities. I can perform the required ritual now. It may prove valuable in the battle to come."

[horngeek]

"Good thing I haven't switched out of combat Charms. I'm ready."

[Revlid]

"I think I'll decline. My personal aptitudes are hardly suited toward being someone's catspaw. Still, you may harmonize to my combat drone, if you like."

[Tengu_temp]

"We need to hurry. But if it can be done before the elevator stops, I accept.", Guardian responds to the offer. She's not the kind to reject such a gift - it might make a difference in the upcoming battle, not just for her but for the trapped expedition.

[Ganurath]

Judging by the indicator panel adjacent to the door, the remaining lift trip wouldn't allow for the neccesary five minutes. Interestingly enough, the voice speaks up again. "Would decceleration be beneficial?"

[Whiskeyjack]

"I would not presume to use any fellow Champion as a catspaw, erm, whoever you are! No, the power of the Shadow Finger is in mutual enhancement and synergy between Assembly-mates. It increases one tutored in such power in the arts of resisting mental attack and improving natural fighting techniques." He frowns behind the mask. Not that anyone could see it. "Lift-custodian, what is the likelihood that greater danger would come to Bell and her team if descent was slowed such to allow me to enhance my fellows?"

Commissar looks to the other Alchemicals in the tube. "Hrm, as only one or two of you are familiar to me, I think introductions are in order. I am Paradigmatic Cynosural Commissar, a Mirrorblade of the Adjudicators division, Olgatory branch. In case the mask didn't make that obvious."

[Tengu_temp]

Does the lift's AI even know enough of the details of their situation to make a judgement here? Guardian has her doubts, but she prefers to hear from it firsthand before commenting. In the meantime, introductions are in order.
"My name is Quiet Guardian in Darkness. As a Sentinel, it is my duty to hunt down gremlins and cultists... But saving the expedition takes priority here."

[horngeek]

"I'm Curious Investigator, of the Plot-Weavers."

[Ganurath]

"Access to relevant data is incomplete." The voice's tone almost seems to take on a condescending air, as though her answer should have been obvious. "Without decceleration, the Foundation Gate level will be reached roughly twenty seconds after the completion of this sentence."

[Whiskeyjack]

He looks to his colleages. Not that they can see it.

"Fine, fine. Start the temporary deceleration, unless anyone strenuously objects. And tender to me your drone," he adds to Aquto. "No good rushing to save them if we just get overpowered ourselves. Best to be prepared by the time we arrive."

[Drascin]

"Archetypal Executor" the moonsilver pipes up, inexpressive. "And advantages are always welcome" he add simply, accepting the ritual without much of a problem.

[Revlid]

Aquto considers her fellow for a moment as he tries to explain the mechanics of his Charm, before introducing herself. "Artificier Of Exquisite Autons. My skill areas lie in construction and maintenance, as well as ranged combat. In the fight to come I will most likely rely on my Cloaking Device to launch ranged attacks from unanticipated angles."

Activating her Tactical Combat Drone, a compartment in the Artificier's abdomen hisses and slides open, allowing her scorpinoid drone to move out of Elsewhere and into the lift.

As her Essence crackles indigo across her form, Aquto reaches up to her starmetal helm and slides down the tri-lensed Essence-Visor linked to it, before reaching to the side and toggling on her rebreather mask. Her features completely concealed, she now seems even more inhuman.

Her voice reverberates through the mask, difficult to recognise. "Harmonize to your heart's content." She's unworried about the Essence-flareup. By the time they get there, it will have died down completely.

Using Tactical Combat Drone. Cost 5m.

Essence:
Permanent: ●●●
Personal: 8/19 (11 Committed)
Peripheral: 42/55 (8m Committed)

Anima banner is flaring at 4-7 level.

[Ganurath]

The lift seems to come to a dead stop, but Guardian and Aquto can tell that the lift is just moving slowly. Very slowly. "Current speed assumes empowerment can be provided to all parties simultaneously."

[Whiskeyjack]

In the confined space, Commissar demonstrates the arts of the Necessary Governor, that ever-present limitation on the power of a machine, that fuse box constraining the full elemental power of a lightning quad-lathe, the pressure regulator ensuring that the plasma creche does not dump its superheated heart into the world beyond, to the despair of all. One gets the feeling that Commissar is demonstrating the functions that might come naturally to some Plot Weavers, or that he is expressing the metaphysical ideal of the advisory commission to a National Tripartite, except martialized and abstracted to an unknown degree.

As his katas progress, each of the beneficiaries feel compelled to move into it as well, and they do, entering into what, at casual glance, appears to be a stylized dancing performance executed in round. As Commissar finally stops the kata, the first of his students stops twelve seconds later, and the next stops twelve after that, et cetera, until the drone ceases its strange movements.

"Well, all done," Commissar notes as the drone stops its dance. "Custodian, please proceed at normal pace."


Each affected party gains the following benefits:

+1 Martial Arts
+5 DMDV

[Ganurath]

"Unneccesary." The door slides open a scant second after the drone's rhythmic motions cease. A rather distressed looking member of the Populat, one that Investigator would recognize as having delivered her Requisition Tube, smiles as the doorway opens.

"Ah, there you all are. I'm supposed to direct you to Gate 5." He turns toward one of the halls, looking over his shoulder to make sure everyone was coming. "I was worried Ubina was having trouble for a moment."

[Drascin]

"We were merely finishing preparations. Sorry for the delay" Archetype says in his deadpan voice. Well, at least he's nice enough to assuage the man's worries. Then nods. "Guide us"

[Tengu_temp]

When the ritual's done. Guardian looks at her hand for a moment. That certainly felt different. Guardian's own Charms are much less metaphysical, more straightforward, in their working. The form of the actual movements is different too - the way she's usually fighting is very far away from a formalized martial arts style. Still, the ritual seems to do what it should, and that's good.
"Thank you." She gives the Commissar a barely-visible nod of appreciation. The door opens just in time - she leaves with the rest, following the guide silently.

[Ganurath]

Foundation Gate 5 isn't actually a gate in the traditional sense, but a rather large trap door. The solid iron panel is stained by smoke and grease, quartered diagonally before the segments slide apart, revealing a ladder that goes down a few yards before opening to a rusted chamber. The Populat guide glances down and whistles before looking toward the Champions. "This is as far as I know, Champions. One of you know the way from here?"

[Revlid]

Aquto's spider-legs uncurl from her back, bending under weight as she moves out of the lift. There's little time to spare, thanks to that little ritual in the lift. Her Drone follows behind her, scuttling with its scorpion-like claws held close in to its body.

[Tengu_temp]

"We should be fine." Guardian's response does not exactly answer the guide's question, but it's as good as he's going to get from her.
Bell said she will contact us on her own, so all that's left to do is proceed forward. And if she doesn't, there's always Essence tracking.
With the drone in one hand, Guardian slides down the ladder into the chamber below.

[Ganurath]

"-ble for now. They have help." The drone's light that indicated communication went on after Guardian finished speaking. Upon arriving in the chamber, Guardian would find Bell's description to be sufficiently accurate. "Once you're at the bottom of the ladder, you'll be in a square chamber with doors runnin diagonal at each corner, creating a cross pattern centered on the ladder. Turn so that your back is facing the ladder, and the door in front of you will lead to a downward ramp that goes about a hundred yards."

Alright, time for the retracing of steps to begin. Since Guardian has the drone, she'll provide the Perception+Survival roll to track the expedition. Since Bell is providing directions, add two dice for her drone functioning as a Perfect Tool. If you want someone else to roll, feel free to pass the drone on. I'll handle stunt dice.

[Whiskeyjack]

Commissar slides down the ladder, assessing the room beyond.

"I am not outfitted for full frontline combat," he notes to his fellows. "But I am outfitted for reasonable battlefield supervision, intelligence acquisition, and tactical assessment and forecasting. Just to make you aware of the situation."

[Tengu_temp]

"I understand." Guardian responds to both Commissar and Bell with this short phrase. A metal band with a pale blue visor raises from the collar of her armor, pushed up by pneumatic systems - its sides attach themselves to her mechanical "ears", and the whole band covers her eyes. The visor blinks and starts to glow dimly.
"Essence tracking activated." Looking through the visor, Guardian can notice the dim trail of Bell and her expedition. Combined with the Jade caste's own directions, following the proper route should be very easy. It's not the only thing Guardian pays attention to, though - as a Sentinel, she's ever-vigilant of any possible incoming danger. And she pays attention to the group as well - the Moonsilvers have power armor of their own and can keep up with her increased speed, but what about the Starmetals?

Spending 3 motes on Essence Tracking and 1 mote on First Perception Augmentation.

Perception + Survival: [roll0]

[horngeek]

"I don't think we'd be able to keep up with you unless we had help..."

[Tengu_temp]

Guardian briefly considers all the options. One of them seems to be the best idea.
"Get on my back.", she says, completely straight-faced. "I'll carry you."

[Drascin]

Archetype, on his end, had been waiting very still, to the side, silent - he's a good tracker as well, but the Soulsteel seemed outfitted for it, so he defers to the one with the actual kit.

However, when Guardian makes her suggestion, he considers it briefly, and nods. "That solution will be adequate. I should be capable of carrying one person as well" he says, approaching. The incongruity of the thing would be laugh-inducing in a TV-sketch - scanning Archetype's anvil-like features for any hint of shame, or doubt, or even emotion at all, brings a negative, which only seems to enhance the absurd. It does seem that he really doesn't see a problem here. He then kneels to allow the other Starmetal to get on his back, retracting the essence impulsors on the armor's back to prevent painful poking to the passenger.

[Revlid]

Aquto's third eye twitches at the suggestion. No-one can see it, thanks to her visor, but it's the thought that counts.

"I shall do no such thing. If you must carry someone to satisfy some bizarre urge, I suggest you carry my drone."

Having snapped her piece, she moves out past the rest of the group, her spiderlike metal legs carrying her at an impressive speed.

[horngeek]

Investigator nods, and hops on Guardian's back. "Let's go, then."

[Ganurath]

The guidance of Bells allows the trek to begin, and the minor signs of passage in the ramp hall rapidly accumulate for Guardian's Essence Tracking to clearly light the way. It isn't long before following the trail is less about receiving instructions from the Jade Caste and more about confirming what is already apparent. Thanks to the impressive speed granted by advanced armor or additional limbs, the percussive sound of the siege gains a reverb effect in half the original estimated time.

"The next door should lead to a large vertical cylinder, with dual walkways spiralling around it in a helix pattern. The Voidbringer camp will be at the bottom." A muffled explosion can be heard, both from the drone and from beyond the door, roughly one hundred yards below by the sound of it. "The walkway is wide enough for three at a time, but damaged at areas from the pursuit fire. Cutting communication to avoid exposing your position."

With that, the light on the drone went out.

[Drascin]

"Suit yourself. Do keep up" is all Archetype says, before doing a soft tap of his foot against the ground. "Movement mode engage" - and with that and a vwooosh sound, Archetype's feet blaze and glow, as the small wheels beneath the sole get charged with essence. Then he zooms forward, reaching the others in but a moment, and then slowing down to keep on the same level as Guardian, who is, after all, guiding. He, however, keeps an eye out around for ambushes. Gremlins are tricky.

((Activating the Kinetic Accelerator Drive - when we get to the fight I'll probably have to activate it anyway, so might as well have it ready already

EDIT: also, ninja'd by the ST))

[Revlid]

Looking around at her fellows as they skid to a halt, Aquto moves cautiously through the door ahead, looking around her for any sign of activity. Her eyes flicker about the area, viewing the world through her triangular visor bereft of darkness and tinged with the colours of Essence. Data scrolls down the corner of her vision in sharp-edged indigo, alerting her to movement within the area.

Rolling Perception+Awareness to look for any activity ahead.
I ignore penalties for darkness, thin obstacles and peripheral vision, and am able to pick out Essence-powered objects and immaterial beings.
How are we doing Stunt Dice, btw?
Perception5+Awareness2+Third Eye1+Essence-Scrying Visor2 = 10 dice
[roll0]

[Ganurath]

The door opens upward at Aquto's approach, opening quietly but getting jammed with a dull thunk half a yard short of the ceiling, forcing those passing through to duck. From the looks of things, the expedition came under fire twenty yards from the bottom, although the signifigance of would be lost if the panelling were thick enough to block the Starmetal's view of an Essence-powered doorway on the opposite walkway at the same elevation.

Further down, cultists could be seen camping out. It looked like there was some recreational fight going on, being observed by a large figure of golden metal. The cultists are more concentrated on a door at the bottom of the cylindrical chamber, and they were doing something with a large tube weapon.

Most signifigantly, however, is the sound of quiet breathing from the walkway immediately above the door that Aquto just came through.

I roll stunts. 1-die to each of you, no additional stunts. You do get the motes, though.

[Whiskeyjack]

If that means what it may very well mean... Commissar did not finish the thought. He knew exactly the implications, exactly how he had to act - as the Maker demanded him to act. He was Exalted to judge the action of allies and enemies, to return balance to the Makers unbalanced systems. He was, by right, judge, jury, and executioner. All the facts and circumstances had to be considered here before final judgment was rendered, before findings of fact and conclusions of law were recorded, before discretion for appeal would inevitably be denied and the sentencing carried out to the fullest extent allowed in the Tome and the statutes.

For the cultists, simple enough. For the possible Apostate, a whole different matter entirely.

Quicksilver pumped faster, spreading a cool, languid feeling throughout his limbs. He could feel his Shadow Fingers surrounding him. I am one and I am an army. The mantra repeated inside his head, until he could hear the rhythmic pumping of three Essence reservoirs and the reactor-servo of the drone as easily as he could hear the delicate noises accompanying every movement of his body.
Throne Shadow Form, 5m Personal.

[Revlid]

Aquto quickly raises a hand, in the universal sign for "don't come over here for serious". Lowering it, she considers the door, before folding one of her fingers in to the center of her palm, activating her Optical Shroud. Pausing for just a moment as the Charm took effect, fading her totally from vision, she moved slowly out of the doorspace, turning to observe the walkway above from her invisible position.

Activating Optical Shroud, and moving two yards out to look at the guy above the door.

Essence:
Personal: 10/19 (11 Committed)
Peripheral: 39/55 (8m Committed)

Spent three peripheral motes, but Aura-Dampening Component prevents them from contributing to anima, so I'm fine there.

[Ganurath]

The man was crouching above the doorway, watching the walkway below in anticipation. A prosthetic arm, an abominable mix of flesh and steel rather than the clean creations of proper prosthetics, helps him hold up a large tube weapon of similar design to the one at the ground level. At this distance, however, the machine's nature is apparent: The Voidbringers had Fuel Bolt Launchers.

[Tengu_temp]

There they are. The Voidbringers are just below the temporary Assembly. And so is their Apostate leader.
There is no point talking - the cultists won't even think about surrendering in the presence of their master. A battle is unavoidable.
Letting Aquto scout ahead, she puts Investigator down on the floor (if she hasn't already) and waits with the rest of the group. Small clouds of pressurized steam escape from the soles of her boots, and the charm installed in her feet starts hums quietly for a moment.
"On your signal.", Guardian whispers to the rest of the group.

Spending 4 motes on the primary function of Personal Gravity Manipulation Apparatus.

[Revlid]

Aquto's eyes focus on the cultist's revoltingly techno-organic arm, and she sneers in disgust. It would be nothing short of a kindness to Autochthon to kill such an abomination.

She flicks her wrist, soundlessly sliding a metal tube out of a hidden compartment in her arm. It unfolds in her hand, transforming into a metallic crossbow strung with steel cable. As she sets it to her shoulder, spider legs silently bracing against the walkway, a small set of bolts is locked into the weapon by a delicate mechanism that folds out of her shoulderblade.

Each of her eyes narrow as she takes careful aim, indigo irises flickering ever so slightly beneath her shroud, marking her target with exacting crosshairs. A shot to the throat would be best, to keep him from crying out.
Reflexively deploying Integrated Mechanized Crossbow at no cost. Aiming for three ticks. With Motion-Tracking Targeting Glance, these aim dice will be auto-converted to successes, and I ignore called shot penalties.
Assuming he doesn't notice me for these three ticks, events will proceed as follows.
1. I roll (Dex+Stealth) vs his (Wits+Awareness). He suffers a -4 external penalty thanks to my shroud. If I win, my attack will be unexpected.
2. I roll (Wits+Awareness) for Join Battle. If he detected my attack, he rolls the same.
3. I roll (Dex+Archery) to shoot him in the throat, with three bonus successes.
4. If he is still alive and has not already done so, he rolls Join Battle.

That sound about right?

Dex+Stealth
Dex5+Stealth3+Spec1 = 9 dice
[roll0]
Wits+Awareness
Wits3+Awareness2+ThirdEye1+Visor2 = 8 dice
[roll1]
Dex+Archery
Dex6+Archery3+Spec1+Xbow1 = 11 dice
[roll2]

[Drascin]

Archetype merely nods, waiting for the signal, as he takes out his saber (not activating it yet, though)and activates free range mode with a very soft vwoom and keeps his eyes fixed on the Apostate with an expressionless face. Target acquired.

Also activating Personal Gravity Manipulation Apparatus for 4 motes.. I wonder if I can Aim from here and then reflexively Dash around until I get a clear chance of hitting.

By the way, Gan, what's our distance to him? And how are the walls and ceilings around? I'm probably going to skate on the ceiling at top speed and all but drop on him, so a little description there would really help with making the descriptions cool :smallbiggrin:

[Ganurath]

The crossbolt flies through the air, slicing across the cultist's neck with ease. He gives out a weak cough as blood smears out of the wound, and he turns his weapon toward the source of the attack with alarm in his eyes. It wasn't happening the way he expected, but the battle had been joined.

1-die stunt on the hit, and you managed to catch him unexpected. You dealt three levels of damage, but unfortunately he was picked from tougher stock than simple extras.

[roll0]

[Drascin]

Showtime, then.

Without losing a second, like a red and green and silver streak of light, Archetype rushes forward, skating on the wall and entering the room in an incredibly fast movement. He knows his target. Take the monster down before he can even breath. The Maker's Executor.

And the world stops

A boom on the wall as he kicks off it to run and the spacetime compression on his armor launches him forward too fast for the eye to see.

He rushes down the walls of the cylinder in a descending spiral, too fast in this gray compressed spacetime, not thinking, not caring, heading for the other side and down as his skates protest under the stress of turning faster than anything should

But by the time the boom can actually emit its sound and everyone looks up there, Archetype is already on the other side of the room - the essence trail of his skates burning a blue line of essence fire a good distance behind him.

He lands with smashing and turning a foot, too fast to kick dust with it, and catapults himself through the group, rushing through the spaces between almost immobile cultists like a bullet

-and the world goes back to color and things move again as he goes next the Orichalcum figure like a bolt of lightning, spinning over himself to deal two crescent-moon slashes straight to its chest - the first of which all but explodes in silver and green lightning as the powered-up sword makes contact - before skidding into a crouch to turn around...

So, Essence Stride for 5 and activate beamsaber for 5, all Peripheral because I want to flare my anima. My mote pool is suffering... :smallfrown:

Flurry, 2 attacks. If I'm getting it right, it's -1 and -2 dice penalty thanks to Mangetic Joint Bearings reducing that by one. Z-Saber gets a pretty good damage modifier (my nonmodified Dash speed is 12 if the armor doesn't count for the Z-Saber's limit, 24 if yes, for when you calculate raw damage, Gan, in case it's necessary). Base damage 6L+3L for Strength, plus whatever successes. Speed 3 thanks to anima and Bracers.

Attack Rolls

[roll0]
[roll1]

Remaining Essence
Personal: 9/18
Peripheral: 19/62

[Tengu_temp]

"Here I go." Guardian jumps directly down the shaft, her gauntlets starting to glow with a pale blue light a moment before her cloak envelopes her whole body. The cloak lands among the cultists... and falls flatly on the floor, as Guardian is not inside! Instead, she's clinging to the wall above the door, crouching in a gravity-defying position!
"You won't use this anymore." Her visor flashes briefly again, and she leaps towards the large tube weapon, slamming her glowing fist into its form. The attack is accompanied by a loud whistle of the pressure hammer in her elbow, and a deafening bang!

Using 2 motes to activate Essence Gauntlets and 3 to use Piston-Driven Megaton Hammer on the weapon.

Attack roll: [roll0]
Base damage: 21B, halves the target's soak and ignores 2 die of soak on top of that. Each success on the attack roll counts 3 times for the purpose of determining damage.

[Ganurath]

3-die stunt for Drascin, 2-die for Tengu. Also, a Perception+Awareness for Archetype clues in to the first TWEEST.

Despite gravity being in favor of Guardian, Archetype's liberal violation of the sound barrier allows him to reach his target first. At this range, it's apparent that the leader of this group is clad in a massive suit of reinforced orichalcum armor, a complex adamant visor providing displays on what the wearer sees in front of him. The Omega Blade digs into the warrior's arm as he reaches for a sheathed weapon, but even as the blade pins the limb against the warrior's chest, the Executor takes note of something extremely interesting: Rather than the brilliant diamond soulgem of an Alchemical, the warrior had the onyx cabochan of the Populat.

The leader of the group is sent flying backward, crashing through his followers before falling inert with a disturbing squishing sound against the safety railing of a ramp behind him, the minimal frame nearly snapping from the impact.

While not so extravagent, Guardian's efforts are similarly productive. The magic material from which the fuel bolt launcher was crafted is unbroken by the force of the blow, but the sheer momentum of the hammer drives the weapon out of the hands of the Voidbringers reloading it, driving it into the metal with such force that the floor bends around it, effectively securing it against future use.

While both are major victories, both opening attacks fail to address the main reason that the expedition remained pinned down: Superior numbers.

Time to roll JB for all the minions. With 24 post-soak damage on that initial attack (stunt dice got 2 more sux) getting 9 sux, it's highly unlikely that the leader will be getting up anytime soon. Which is a pity, as he had a lovely rallying cry.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]

[roll8]
[roll9]
[roll10]
[roll11]

[roll12]
[roll13]
[roll14]
[roll15]

[roll16]
[roll17]
[roll18]
[roll19]

[roll20]
[roll21]
[roll22]
[roll23]

[Revlid]

Even before the first bolt impacted, Aquto was slotting in another, raising her crossbow once more to aim at the cultist-

When all at once a moonsilver blur shot past her down the walkway, sending the loose strands of her hair fluttering in the accompanying wind. Her eyes hardly had time to widen before another of her compatriots darted out of the door, slamming their piston-powered fist into her target with a sound like a steampipe rupturing.

"What-" Dammit. There went the element of surprise. Sometimes she wondered why she bothered.

Mentally, she signals her drone to support the overvalorous moonsilver swordsman, ordering it to attack the cultists surrounding him. An indigo light blinks in its eyes as it acknowledges its orders, but its reaction is sluggish compared to the Exalted.

Deeming the cultist a non-threat with the Commissar allocating time to him, Aquto dashes down the stairs at full pace, letting her Optical Shroud ripple and blur the air around her, rendered useless by her pace. She stops only once close enough to clearly make out the battle beginning below, ducking behind the meagre cover of the walkway to let her shroud resettle. Most likely any cultists would be too occupied by Executor (that was his name, wasn't it?) to notice her blurred movement.

Miscellaneous action to direct drone at Orichalcum Caste, followed by Dash (max 16 yards) down the walkway to a more advantageous position, within easy range of the crossbow, and in light cover if possible. Optical Shroud is currently inactive, but will reactivate next action provided I don't move.

[Ganurath]

"They got the boss!" One of the Voidbringers, who already had a knife on hand due to a 'friendly' duel with one of his peers, is quickest among his fellows to come to their senses, and lunges at Executor for a reckless stab. "For the Maker's Deathwish!"

Time for a little stabbity-stabbity. This guy is going to be pathetic, but it's the ones that work in groups of 5+ that'll be worrisome. Just an extra, though, so 10s are only a single success.

[roll0]

[Tengu_temp]

After dealing the blow Guardian jumps back into a defensive position, dim motes of Essence sparkling around her soulgem. Her visor raises, revealing that there's no aggression in her eyes.
"Give up. You can't win this fight. If you surrender peacefully, you will be judged fairly by the laws of Kamak."
She's not foolish enough to think any of the cultists will take up on the offer. But she can hope.

[Drascin]

Archetype's mind sets the thing about the soulgem to one side - an important consideration, it wasn't an Apostate, apparently, just a mortal leader, and that's to be taken into account, but first matters are first.

Dodging the sword rush of the man easily, he launches forward again, weaving around the multitude almost like a dancer. He crouches, dodges, and jumps, moving around and through the sea of bewildered cultists like a shark among a fish school. Slash, one, crouch. Slash, two, weave into the group. Slash, three, take one down in the middle, go out when the others turn to him. It's almost mesmerizing. And so he goes in and out of the group, never letting himself get surrounded, provoking them by targeting people in plain sight of others, keeping on the move and attracting their attention... acting as a lure.


Flurrying 3 attacks - let's put, say, 10 feet between each attack for a nice round number and avoiding math. I'll keep dashing reflexively each tick until my next action, to avoid getting swarmed. Total damage each: 19L+successes, Speed 3.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

Remaining Essence
Personal: 9/18
Peripheral: 25/62

[horngeek]

Curious Investigator deploys her Essence Pulse Cannon, the barrel deploying out of her arm. She looks around, and sights one of the Voidbringers, before the cannon's rings starts spinning, a silvery ball of Essence gathering before she lets a quick shot loose at the Voidbringer, sparks of Essence crackling around her soulgem and the cannon.

Right. One Essence Pulse Cannon shot, at -2 due to flurries. Lethal shots.

[roll0]

[roll1]

Essence:
Personal: 0/19
Peripheral: 31/47

[horngeek]

Forgot to take into account flurry penalties, rerolling accuracy.

[roll0]

[Whiskeyjack]

Essence blades snapping into place with a hiss like escaping steam, Commissar dropped into the midst of the cultists behind Guardian and Arbitrator. Silver Essence pours from his fingertips into the wicked blade and its shield-counterpart, sprays as mist into the growing cloud of his anima.

Eyes snap to the Apostate...noting it was little more than a man. Disappointing, but typical of these savages, to project strength where there was none.

"Ye judged guilty," he says simply, whirling into the cultists already stunned by the other Alchemicals.

Commissar's blade is merciful, in that it is both precise and very sharp. He lashes out as if dancing, keeping his back to the wall or to his fellows. An elegant hand extends, as if reaching to retrieve something, pushing an Essence-blade into a cultist's face; withdrawing; whirling to slice at another heretic's torso, his small shield poised to deflect counter-blows.

2-attack flurry, Speed 4. Raw damage is 9L + any extra successes.

Attack 1: [roll0]
Attack 2: [roll1]

Personal: 6/19 (13 committed)
Peripheral: 26/55 (29 committed)

Anima Banner: 13m

[Ganurath]

Archetype proves to be frighteningly efficient at killing, not one strike being swung that didn't bring a fatal blow and screams of agon- No, ecstacy? The Voidbringers were truly depraved to take pleasure from being burned and cut simultaneously. Investigator's quarry is eliminated with less screaming thanks to a headshot, however, and Comissar's efficient striking keeps the noise to a minimum.

"Take Patient Zero to the master!" The cultist to speak was the last cut down by Archetype, but his dying decree does not go unheaded as the men discard their weapons to scramble over to the massive suit of orichalcum, working quickly to open it and remove the corpse within.

Others swarm toward the ramp as well, albeit with different motives. Aiming to minimize the advantage of high ground from the sniper who had killed their comrade, a pair of cultists with crossbows turn their sights on the Starmetal above. Fortunately for the Investigator, however, one of them misfired and struck his comrade in the back of the head.

1-die stunts all around. For future reference, I'll take care of rolling damage, and any rerolls should be handled either by subtracting extra dice from the right or rolling additional dice in the OOC thread. Also, since successes impact damage rolls I'll handle those.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Tengu_temp]

So be it... Having received no response to her offer, Guardian leaps into the fray, her gauntlets blazing with essence. Her first attack is a lunging strike at one of the Voidbringers, then a bone-shattering upercut at another one's chin. Yet another cultist tries to sneak up on her from behind, but she backhands him even without looking - what occupies her attention are the Voidbringers who pick up the dead man from inside the golden armor.
Leave them in peace and they will bring us right to the Apostate...

A three-attack flurry. Base damage: 21B, halves the target's soak and ignores 2 die of soak on top of that.

Attack 1: [roll0]
Attack 2: [roll1]
Attack 3: [roll2] (-1 accuracy from offhand penalty)

[Ganurath]

Guardian throws herself into one of the thicker clusters of cultists, fists literally sending their targets flying, with streamers of blood, teeth, and the occasional prosthetic following in their wake. However, there are those that remain who try to lash out, and the Soulsteel's swiftness did not rob her final mark of the opportunity to strike.

Archetype, meanwhile, must contend with the flailing of those trying to lad a blow, varying in emotional state from fearful to eager. In both cases, there is much screaming and citing the name of the Great Maker in manners not only heretical, but generally tasteless as well.

To answer the question in the OOC: I have no problem with a limited degree of control during stunts. However, expect explicit controlling of what actions a character takes, PC or NPC, to have consequences. For example, my citing the rule that attacks from behind are to be treated as unexpected attacks, and that attacks occuring in the same tick are resolved simultaneously.

For Guardian:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

For Archetype:
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

[Revlid]

+Objectives Ratified+
+Course Of Action Confirmed+
+Motion Committed+
The drone skitters forward a few paces before dropping down to the greater battle, servos whining as they absorb the shock of the fall. It lands on the other side of the battle from the golden-armoured corpse, eyes clicking between the clashing figures before it.
+Target Verified+
It then launches itself onto the nearest cultist, locking its segmented legs about his arms and torso with the implacable strength of an automaton. It then squeezes, albeit refraining from inflicting fatal wounds - the creator had indicated she wanted at least one alive for interrogation.
Clinch Attempt on nearest cultist, quite distant from "Patient Zero".
Strength5+Martial Arts6+ClinchAcc5 = 16d10
[roll0]

Crush damage = excess successes +5B, piercing.

[Drascin]

Archetype dodges easily, one, two, three, the pitiful flailing of the people around him, not stopping his dance of death at any moment, utterly unshucked by the blasphemies and the screams. He, however, redirects himself subtly to circle the mass of "people" (for a very generous definition of "people", mind, he thinks to himself) so that he has a clear line to follow the men taking away the mortal he downed.

This, however, doesn't at all impede him from twirling over himself as he goes past and taking down several of the people on the outer rim of the mob with precise cross strikes through the chest - he's trying to look like he's distracted by the fighting, after all. And let's be honest - his job right now is to take down every single one of these things... and he is not the type to be shoddy about such work, the thought goes through his mind as he unleashes an ascending slash at a screaming cultist



Repeating same routine from last time - three attack flurry, Speed 3, moving between attacks for 19L+successes damage. I'm following the Orichalcum armor slghtly, mostly trying to keep in sight where they're going, while continuing to kill cultists both for duty and looking like Archetype's lost in the fighting.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

Remaining Essence
Personal: 9/18
Peripheral: 27/62

[Ganurath]

The automaton's prey, the Launcher handler that had yet to be slain by Guardian, is brought down by the weight of the drone with surprising ease. Although for a moment it seems the subdual hold would pop the eyestalk prosthetic out of the man's socket, he manages to endure well enough to demand that the drone finish the job.

Archetype, meanwhile, finds that the targets of his violence to the the sort that try to hit back, albeit ineffectively. Much more effective is the bleeding sentinel, who despite his injuries slowly makes his way up the ramp, unseen by all save Aquto and her omnidirectional observation that can see through the ramps.

Time for more ineffective violence! 1-die stunts all around, although I'm not sure how that'd work with the drone.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Whiskeyjack]

"Impersonating a Champion is a capital offense. Aiding and abetting such impersonation is a capital offense. Fleeing the scene of a legal and justified detainment is a capital offense."

Commissar says these words, monotone, as he closes the distance between his position and the cultists trying to drag their fellow out of the armor. A silvery blur trailing a cloud of Essence, Commissar dashes over bodies, jumping and kicking off the wall for more momentum. His first strike attempts to bisect the first cultist's face; Commissar lands beyond in a roll, springing back up and driving a blade into an exposed back before withdrawing it in a messy cutting arc designed to take a third cultist in the shoulder or chest depending on his position, and allowing Commissar to follow the path of the blade into a defensive crouch.. Spattered with blood and having left a silvery trail marking his passage, Commissar attempts to prevent the remaining cultists from finding a clear path through which they can abscond with their fellow's body.


3-attack flurry, Speed 4. Raw damage is 9L + any extra successes.

Attack 1: [roll0]
Attack 2: [roll1]
Attack 3: [roll2]

Personal: 6/19 (13 committed)
Peripheral: 26/55 (29 committed)

[Revlid]

Aquto watches her drone's handywork with satisfaction, her other eyes turning to observe the entirety of the fray. Even as she does so, her third eye twists and rotates, working its way out of her socket. Once it has fully emerged, the mobile sensory drone moves out of her goggles through a special side-flap, spindly legs carrying it outward as it drops down to the floor. There, following her whispered command, it makes its way as stealthily as possible to the golden-armoured man, using its small size to stay hidden once it leaves the camoflage of its creator.

She watches it make its way to their lead with no small satisfaction - which is dashed as her ally rushes toward them and begins laying in. Gah.

Spending 5 Personal motes to use Mobile Sensory Drone, flurried with a misc action to direct it, totally Speed of 6. It's headed for Patient Zero at a rate of 10 yards per tick, as stealthily as possible.
Dex+Stealth for drone (attempts to notice it suffer a -3 external penalty)
[roll0]
Essence
Personal: 7/19 (11 Committed)
Peripheral: 39/55 (8m Committed)

[Ganurath]

As the drone observes, the Commissar makes short work of a majority of the cultists that had managed to remove a nude mortal from the suit. The lone survivor ignores the gleeful screams of his comrades, however, to focus on the true subject of his attention: A skinmount amulet in the man's sternum, mounted with a cylinder of oily moonsilver. He quickly removes the tube, tossing it up the ramp to the crossbowman, who immediately drops his weapon to catch them.

Aquto, thanks to her omnidirectional vision, takes note of the original watchmen's fuel rod launcher being aimed toward the very same door, after struggling toward an appropriate position. That, and that the Commissar's attentions have become a more important distraction that Archetype as indicated by two more cultists running up the ramp to protect the former crossbowman.

2-die stunt to the Commissar.

[Drascin]

Well, there goes the "follow them" plan. Might as well try to salvage that core to track down its origin later.

Without missing a beat, Archetype twists his leg to change direction, leaving the guys who were ready to attack him dumbfounded - and suddenly he's doing a half-circle skidding on the wall, while one of the people going up the ramp explodes from the cut Archetype just did en passant, and jumps, turning in the air upside down and slashing at the crossbowman with a precise crescent moon slash calculated to kill him quickly and without fuss before landing on his feet like a dancer in front of the man, ready to catch the cylinder.

It's kind of obvious these guys aren't taking this "Patient Zero away anymore, so Archetype decided to get the core so the group's experts can use it as an arcane link to track its origin patropolis. This means killing the crossbowman that has the core on hand - and one of the guys because, hey, he was near the way, would be silly to miss such an opportunity.

2-attack Flurry, probably about +10L to the first and I don't know how tall the ramp and wall is, but let's say between +15 and +20L at its most likely, with the pirouette and everything.

[roll0]
[roll1]

Remaining Essence
Personal: 9/18
Peripheral: 29/62

[horngeek]

Investigator nods in satisfaction as the Voidbringer cultist is vaporised by her shot. She fires three more shots, the crackling light of her anima playing across her weapon as she targets separate cultists with each of her shots, drawing upon the skills of her past lives in marksmanship.

Each shot here is going to a seperate cultist, taking flurry penalties. Investigator is preferencing cultists who are armed with ranged weapons here, then unwounded cultists with close-combat weapons.

Rolls to hit:
1st: [roll0]
2nd: [roll1]
3rd: [roll2]

And damage:
1st: [roll3]
2nd: [roll4]
3rd: [roll5]

[Ganurath]

With suppressing fire from Investigator clearing out all the enemies that were trying to hit him, Archetype is able to reach his quarry with ease, dropping one of the corebearer's guards without difficulty. The followup crescent slash, unfortunately, is intercepted by the surviving protector as he pushes his comrade up the ramp.

He wastes no time, punching a panel by the first door up as he runs in. As he clears the area, the Starmetals in the upper levels are able to glimpse a column of orange light before the doorway is blocked off by flames. The crackling blaze seems to linger, although its sound is drowned out by the hysteric laughter from the ramp above.

One of the minions that was going to act was the corebearer, but the other was someone Investigator shot at. Thanks to simultaneous action, he still gets an attack off on Archetype. The remaining cultists are Mook, Knocked Out Guy, Guy Who Dug Out Core, and Corebearer.

Archetype: 2-die stunt
Investigator: 1-die stunt, which was a 10 amazingly enough

[roll0]

[Tengu_temp]

We need to take more of them alive...
Guardian runs towards the Guy Who Dug Out The Core, one of the two remaining cultists still in combat. Mid-charge, she leaps towards the closest wall and slides the remaining distance kneeling on it, as if it it was the floor. When she reaches the cultist, Guardian kicks off the wall and launches towards him, hitting him square in the chest with her knee. She does not wait to see the result of the attack and immediately jumps back on the wall, running up it towards the flames behind which the escaping cultist hides.

Ordinary kick. Base damage 9B, ignores 2 points of enemy soak.

Attack: [roll0]

[Ganurath]

Guardian is able to deliver a clean knockout blow to the cultist, pushing off the man's chest as she clears the safety railing of the ramp. The flames are starting to wane, but still have more than enough heat to them to do harm.

If Guardian goes through the flames, it'll be like a single action in a bonfire: 4L, 4B with success on a diff 3 Stamina+Resistance roll, and the damage is soakable with natural soak down to a minimum of 1 die.

[Tengu_temp]

Guardian does not even slow down when she approaches the flames. As she enters the fire, something on her chest flashes and her whole body's texture briefly turns into dull, uniform Soulsteel - long enough to pass completely unharmed.

Spending 5 motes to activate Transitory Invulnerability Engine.

[Ganurath]

The soulsteel figure of the Guardian passes through the flames unharmed, and she can see the cultist's desperate flight down the hall to what looks like a similar cylinder, with the door jammed open by a beam and an unclothed arm dangling from above the doorframe.

[Whiskeyjack]

Commissar looks up from his handiwork, scans the surrounding area. "Is that all of them?" He asks aloud. "Or is there...ah, yes."

He moves quickly back toward the ramp. Yes, this one, he will capture.

I'm not sure if I can get there in a single action...let me know Gan, and if so, I'll edit in attacking him. :smallwink:

[Revlid]

Grabulon#1 considered its quarry carefully, lenses twitching to-and-fro in their sockets. The wriggling meat-thing had been subdued, certainly, as per the orders of its glorious mistress and creator, all hail The Lady Artificier, wondrous in her metallic wisdom. But had it been subdued enough?

It gave the captured creature an experimental squeeze, and decided that yes, it had. In her benificience, the creator had ordered that the disgusting hybrid water-bag be kept operational, and who was lowly Grabulon#1 to countermand her?

The drone reluctantly loosened its grip, but kept the cultist captive, wary of any who would attempt to silence the gibbering flesh-sack before the creator had her words with him.

Meanwhile, the crablike eyeball that was the Mobile Sensory Drone skittered about in confusion, the target of its orders lost, before deciding to simply return to its mistress.

[Whiskeyjack]

Commissar darts up the entrance ramp, sensors tracking minute changes in air pressure and radiant temperature; heat sources, at least one of them rather extreme.

Rounding the turn, Commissar leaps up toward the heretic with its Voidtech cannon. With a mid-air spin, the Mirrorblade sheds droplets of moonsilver as a battle-rat shakes off water after a routine cleansing. Commissar kicks off the wall toward his foe, leaving twin silver footprints to shimmer there, before bringing the flat of one of his silver energy khatars against the Voidbringer's temple, hopefully knocking him to the deck.

Flurried dash, followed by a flat-of-the-blade strike, adding 4 dice from an Excellency: [roll0], -1e to the roll for pulling a blow. Damage will be 9B + successes. I intentionally want to exert only enough force to render unconscious, not kill.

[Ganurath]

At first the projection of raw kinetic energy seems an insufficient cudgel, but the blood loss from the earlier crossbow bolt had done its toll, and the pair of injuries prove to culminate in the loss of conciousness for the warrior.

Going to keep things going in combat time long enough for people to choose whether they'll help chase through the fire or whether they'll check on Bell and her charges. Or maybe something else I didn't think of.

[Tengu_temp]

He can't get away. It would be catastrophic if this core reached the Apostate.
Is it reason that causes Guardian to pursue the cultist - knowledge that her allies probably have already won the battle on their own, and don't currently need help rescuing the expedition? Or her instinct as a Soulsteel caste to go after heretics no matter what? Or perhaps both? No matter the case, Guardian keeps following the Voidbringer cultist.
I need extra speed. Gravitic module, weight reduction mode - activate! Mid-run, another pneumatic hiss comes from Guardian's soles, and she becomes as light as one fifth of her normal weight. Her already formidable speed doubles! This speed does not prevent her from noticing the hanging arm (and feeling a bit more sad and guilty because of it), but whom does it belong too? She'll see when she reaches the door.

Spending 4 motes to activate Personal Gravity Manipulation Apparatus's second function. Currently I've spent all personal motes and 2 peripheral.

[Drascin]

As Guardian runs after the man that escapes, Archetype takes a second to look around and see how the situation is. And it certainly seems to be under control. There are no targets left.

Group terminated, Archetype thinks, looking around. Next priority is retrieving that core. The soulsteel was already on that, but being that there could be a lurking apostate or another kind of ambush, reinforcements seems a good idea. Prudence and excessive force never hurt anyone, especially when dealing with gremlins.

So he stomps strongly to kick off the ground and launches forward, the world again going grey and slow as he zooms forward too fast for even his trail to follow hi. He goes through the fire in the blink of an eye, not paying attention to the pain, half-piping up the wall so as to have enough space to overtake Guardian first and the man next - and then jumping to the ground and landing with a crash and an essence skid as he turns on himsef to face the coming, as he returns to real-space, crouched and with the Omega saber crossed in front of him as he blocks the corridor.

He says nothing, but his presence, the green silver light of his sword, and his purple anima going crazy in the dim light of the fires all say something very obvious.

You're not getting past. Get near, and die.

So, rushing in (activating the armor's Essence Stride again for 5 motes) and blocking the way with a Blockade Movement. It'll probably make the cultist doubt for a couple seconds - long enough for Guardian to catch up and go Falcon Kick on him.

Rolling my Resistance to see how much going through the fire hurts
[roll0]

Gan, you roll the damage, right?

Remaining Essence
Personal: 9/18
Peripheral: 28/62

[Revlid]

Standing, Aquto places her hands on lower back and stretches, the metallic joints in her spine crackling as she scans the area with her omnidirectional vision. Everyone seems dead or unconscious, and if the two who ran on can't deal with one carrier-cultist, they're not worthy of being called Champions.

As her drones chitter around her, she strides to the golden-armoured cultist they'd mistaken for the Apostate, letting her shroud wobble and blur around her. Was there even an Apostate directly involved in the assault? The cultists had spoken of a master, but who was to say he was nearby?

No need to check on those behind the barricade just yet. They could keep.

Ignoring the echoing clatter of her fellows corraling the last cultist, Aquto crouches by the golden corpse and examines it, paying particularly close attention to the place its "core" used to sit, hoping to find some evidence of why this particular hunk of meat was seen as being important. Essence floods to her three eyes, and the delicate processors within the iris pulse with a dull purple glow, as a single bead of starmetal sweat dribbles down one temple.

Perception+Medicine to find something.
Perception5+Medicine2= 7 dice
[roll0]
Spending 2m on Second Perception Excellency for an extra success.

Perception+Craft (Magitech) to see why it's important.
Perception5+Craft3+Specialty2=10 dice
[roll1]
Spending 4m on Second Perception Excellency for two extra successes.

Essence:
Permanent: ●●●
Personal: 6/19 (11 Committed)
Peripheral: 33/55 (8m Committed)

[Ganurath]

While the particular subsystems elude Aquto, it's apparent that the golden suit is Celestial Battle Armor, powered by a three unit cycle of Essence Capacitors. The armor itself lacks voidtech, suggesting it was scavenged from a fallen Alchemical, but the Capacitors have bits of gray matter suggesting organic cores.

Upon examining the body itself, the means by which the mortal was able to attune to such a device become apparent in a voidtech skinmount amulet over his solar plexis. While that's a matter of interest about his body, it isn't the only matter of distinction: Hypodermic needle marks are to be found on the inside of the elbow joints, and there are signs of surgical scarring around his soulgem.

[Ganurath]

Archetype manages to get past the fleeing cultist just within the doorway to the next cylinder. While he can't tell what's causing him to dangle over the doorway, the limb looks to be attached to a man hanging with his back to the wall, his other arm apparently hidden by the doorframe. Despite being an apparent victim of the Voidbringers, what of him that's visible shows no sign of violent trauma. This is likely an explanation for why he appears to be breathing.

The man bearing the Core hesitates for a moment, glancing between the core in his hand and the crackling blade in the Moonsilver's grip. He jukes toward the blade side with a diagonal step forward, then shifts his diagonal motion to favor Archetype's off hand, hoping beyond hope to get past him.

Buddy is going to Dash, making the contested roll to get past Archetype. Dexterity+Athletics, Drascin.

[roll0]

[Whiskeyjack]

Commissar watches some of the others take off after the fleeing Core-bearer.

He heaves the unconscious fuel bolt-carrying heretic over one shoulder and calmly walks to Bell's position.

[horngeek]

Investigator moves out from the corridor she was sniping from, scanning for any targets they may have missed...

[Tengu_temp]

Between her further increased speed and Archetype blocking off to the cultist, it doesn't take long for Guardian to catch up to the Voidbringer.
"I'm sorry." She extends her hand, but instead of punching, she grabs the back of the cultist's head and then slams his face brutally into the closest wall.
He's alive! We need to take him off there soon. Guardian looks up at the hanging man. How much must he have suffered at the hands of Voidbringers?

Punch, using a Fierce Blow. Base damage 9B, ignores 2 points of soak.

Attack: [roll0] -1 external penalty

[Ganurath]

The cultist goes limp in Guardian's hand, his face slightly bloodied and signifigantly assymetrical due to the impact against the wall. The core clatters to the ground with a submissive sigh from the cultist, and the sound is followed almost immediately by an angry groan from the hanging man, his loose arm lifting to brace against the top of the door.

Once Investigator has been out of the doorway for a few seconds, Bell's drone lifts up and starts scanning the immediate area. As all looking over the area can see, the flames by the hall door are starting to fade out, most likely from the want of fuel. "Is it safe enough to start dismantling the barricade?"

[horngeek]

Investigator frowns. "I believe so, but it would be a good idea to be cautious in any case."

[Tengu_temp]

"You are safe now. Can you talk?", Guardian asks the hanging man while picking up the core. As much as she wants to help him, his reaction might mean different things, so she observes him carefully.

[Drascin]

As for Archetype, he nods as Guardian takes the cultist down and moves to pick the core, and then starts approaching the hanging man - carefully, though, and keeping an eye on the part of the man that's out from view. Gremlin cultists are the type of people that would put a self-destruct mechanism inside a prisoner just because it'd seem funny to their psychosis-addled minds.

He says nothing, however. Guardian already did the necessary question, and Archetype is not one to repeat things.

[Ganurath]

The man's hands are pressed to his face as he stirs, the heels of his palms covering his eyes as his fingers splice together over his forehead. The manner by which he dangles is a fortunate surprise: A sleeveless leather vest secures a crawlspace creeping unit that appears to have been damage by some sort of explosion. "Ergh... S'posed to fool 'em... Play dead... Get core back ta patropolis... Gah, eyes hurt..."

The drone bobs in an odd nodding gesture, then moves along the ramp in an inward-facing orbit down toward the ground. Should any of Aquto's drones come into view, Bell's less versatile counterpart will be quick to recoil from it. "Who's drone?"

Archetype almost immediately notices that, unless he has particularly interesting features under his hands, the man's face is identical to that of the man who was in the armor.

[Whiskeyjack]

Commissar unceremoniously dumps his captive on the ground inside the barricade. "Bell, I couldn't help but feel like you might need a souvenir from this experience." he says cordially. "Now, are there any other issues we should deal with out here before we pack it all up and go home?"

[Tengu_temp]

"What happened to your eyes?" Guardian hands the core over to Archetype and proceeds to free the man from the damaged crawler, then grab him and put him on the ground rather than letting him fall on his own. Being able to walk on walls helps.

Perception + Investigation/Alertness to see if there's anything unusual about him: [roll0]

[Drascin]

Archetype takes the core without a gesture. He then locks those drilling, impassive eyes of his on the wounded man's, not letting go of his sword. Not much mercy here, yet. "And why are you identical to this "Patient Zero"?" the inexpressive voice of archetype is hard to read - is he suspicious, worried, what?

[Ganurath]

"Bright light, some blast... Head feels off too..." The man clenches his teeth and exhales sharply as he works to regain his balance. He uses his elbow to ward off Guardian's attempt to remove his vest, which the legs of the crawler were jutting out from. The gesture moves a hand away from one of his eyes, allowing a glimpse of blood welling around the man's tear duct. "...Patient Zero? Who?"

"Our drone, then..." The drone hovers around the unconcious cultist appraisingly. "Some of my volunteers need better medical attention than the emergency aid they've been given. If that cultist is going to talk, he'll need the cut through his neck treated... If he hasn't bled out already. Doesn't look like he's lost much, though. You got both fuel rod launchers? I only saw one below."

[Drascin]

"Patient Zero. The previous leader of the cultist cell our assembly just terminated. You are either his clone, his twin brother, or he used an artifact to appear like you" Archetype answers simply, still staring straight into the man's eyes. Blood in the eyes? Curious. Normal wounds usually cause you to cough blood. Crying blood is less usual. And he doesn't look beaten in the face.

Can't be felt in his demeanour, but Archetype is starting to get a bit impatient. He wants to go check on Kyria, but he can't do that until this man is either safe or taken in, depending.

[Tengu_temp]

If it's a concussion or something similar, he might done soon! Unless I do something...
"I will help you. It might be scary, don't be afraid.", Guardian reassures the man quietly, touches his arm and closes her eyes. Suddenly a pale flash emerges from her body, and thick clouds of smoke start to fume from it, lightened up by charges of black and blue lightning zapping constantly! To make it more unnerving, the billowing clouds sometimes form the vague shapes of tormented, inhuman faces, screaming soundlessly and crying - their tears fall to the ground, leaving small droplets of Soulsteel.
That's not the only effect, however. Hundreds of tiny, metallic spider-like automata emerge from previously invisible holes in Guardian's body, and crawl up her arm towards the man, to slowly heal whatever injuries he might have. No matter what is his reaction, she doesn't let go - that would break the bond with the healing mechanisms. She also makes sure he doesn't hurt himself further.
They won't be able to bring him back to health for now, there is not enough time, but they'll keep him from dying...
Guardian opens her eyes and looks over her shoulder at Archetype.
"I'm afraid you will have to carry the prisoner. I'm sorry."

Spending 12 motes and 1 willpower on Body-Reweaving Matrix with Beneficence Programming. I'm currently at 14 spent motes of peripheral essence spent, so the anima banner special ability activates.

[Revlid]

Aquto stands from her examination of "Patient Zero" (why does she feel like she's going to be saying that name a lot in the coming days?), and drops her tiny Sensory Drone onto his shoulder, where it scrabbles for purchase on the stripped-down armour before crouching in wait. She then moves over to where Bell's (laughably inelegant) drone and her compatriot are discussing matters.

"As far as I'm aware, both fuel rod launchers have been accounted for. Certainly, the other wielder suffered a crossbow bolt through his throat."

She sniffs slightly, fully deactivating her cloak. It had been wavering too much with her movement to hide her anyway, and the bulk of the fighting seems to be over.

"I'm curious as to how they managed to pin you down so badly. Aside from the two heavy weapons, these cultists hardly represented much of a threat to a Champion. Or was it the hypothetical threat represented by the "orichalcum apostate" that led to the barricade?"

Never let it be said that Aquto had missed an opportunity to needle an aquantaince.