Transcendent Darkness IC

[bc56]

Oreas is hardly much to look at. A barely-inhabited Sphere on the fringes of known space, it's most prevalent industry is mining carried out on the desolate and uninhabitable planets and asteroids of the system. But four people have made their way here, for one reason or another.

El'Ashel
Some time ago:
"The details of this mission are strictly classified. In the Sphere of Oreas, there is a secret research station. For the Greater Good, their research into Syrneth remnants must be appropriated, and their source located. You may use whatever methods are at your disposal. If necessary, secure trustworthy local aid. Any reasonable expenses will be covered." The Tau official is not El'Ashel's usual contact, but this communication was flagged as being highly urgent. Following the instructions, the Lancebreaker charted a course for Oreas and has recently arrived at the system's major space station. The location of the secret facility mentioned in the briefing is still unknown.

Zakira
The Brujah messenger had been clear. The Eldarin scholar Torela Ashima must die. Why, exactly, was unstated, but Zakira wouldn't want to disappoint her sire, would she?
The Eldarin had been tracked to the Sphere of Oreas, where she and several other worshippers of Acerath were seen departing from Oreas Station to an unknown location within the Sphere.

Karalan
He had been going somewhere else, from one rumored Syrneth site to another, but when the trader he was traveling with decided to skip out of Oreas Station early, Karalan was stranded there, in yet another of the many incidents that plague his journeys. However, shortly thereafter, he had a sudden sense that something had gone terribly wrong, and that it was somehow connected to his former life. Somewhere in the system was something relevant to his past. He just needs to find it.

Anemone
A series of fragmented memories and disjointed visions led Anemone to Oreas. She was here once, in her past life. The planets are familiar to her. If she could only remember, she might be able to find something here. Her memories seem to indicate that whatever it is, finding it might be very important. But where, and how?

[DeTess]

El'Ashel stepped into a little used corridor on the Oreas station. She wasn't wearing her uniform, opting for a nondescript coat, black shirt and jeans worn over a mostly skin-tight pressure suit instead. The corridor she'd just stepped into was part of a handful of little-used locations on the station that the Lancebreaker's teleportarium used to drop off and pick up crew for their mission.

The ship itself was being watched. You couldn't arrive in a ship like the Lancebreaker at an out-of-the-way port like this without attracting attention. This was all according to plan, of course. If she'd wanted to keep quiet she could have kept the ship running silent in some half-forgotten asteroid belt while she and her crew gathered information, but she wanted it to be seen. The ship got people talking and wondering about its goal, which in turn gave her and her crew a source of information. Anyone with something to hide would have to consider the possibility of the ship having arrived to cause trouble for them, and the scramble to hide all the dirty laundry should get them the information they needed.

That was the theory anyway. And if she'd been here to deal with a narcotics smuggling ring, or an enclave of paranoid survivalists, or any of half a dozen other less-than legal operations she'd be ready to move in and take them out. But the research operation she'd been hunting down had proven a lot more elusive. She sighed as she sent a signal, and a moment alter she found herself back aboard her ship. It was time to implement plan B.

***

Half an hour later she was walking down the ramp connecting her ship to the station. She was wearing her uniform now, a dark red jacket and similarly colored pants with a variety of white decorations and rank insignia. After leaving the ramp she headed deeper into the stations, heading for one of the more up-market cafés in the station, took a seat, and ordered what passed for tea in this place. Plan A had been to find out what she needed to know with no one the wiser. Plan B was to see who'd come sniffing for information once she made herself available, and turn the tables on them. Not as elegant as plan A, but it'd have to do.


https://cdn-us.anidb.net/images/main/218855.jpg

[ahyangyi]

"I arrived in Oreas! I must find the... the..."
"Ouch. I can't remember what it is."

It was like a dream. She arrived, yet she does not even remember why.
Anemone looks around, the surrounding scene simultaneously familiar and novel.
She looks at herself, dressed in robes she bought from one of the few outside contacts of Actaeon, taking moments to confirm that she is the dryad Anemone, not some Syrne who had visited Oreas once.

"I... Anemone, praise Vectron! Anemone exists!"

Anemone takes a deep breath, fetches the Kaleidoscope, her only trusted friend besides Actaeon, from her backpack. Then she carefully enters the station.

Barren places like this always make her nervous.

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira:
Well, technically she could go for some disappointment. Some anger. It is not the wisest thing in the world to go against her sire yet, but she will get around to it. Sooner or later. For now she gathers power, overthrow the tyrants of the world she can actually take down. Question is if the scholar is helping one, if killing her aligns with her own goals. Could go either way. Always think for yourself, do your own investigating. People in power never want the truth to come out, never want their secrets told. This scholar, if someone powerful wants her eliminated was probably important for something. Tzeentch knows that knowledge is always important. When its Acerath, god of secrets? Something is up.

She commands the crew to dock at the space station. Her ship was known as The Crimson Cutlass and her crew was all female. She had her preferences, Slaanesh understood. She needed to know where those cultists are going before she pursues. Zakira will walk out, her two katanas sheathed on her left hip, wearing black boots and pants, purple shirt, red vest, white cravat with a big black coat and gold lining. Complete with a little Chaos Undivided pendant dangling from her neck. The Lancebreaker docking in the same system? Can't be coincidence. Not in this backwater. She will go to the same cafe and sit down at the same table, across from El'Ashel, casually. She ain't afraid of some tau stooge.
"Hey, Tau. You seem important with your ship and uniform. Know anything about some Acerath worshippers? Came through here recently."

[DeTess]

The first one to approach her came as a small surprise to El'Ashel. She'd hoped for a local to make the first approach, but it wasn't too surprising that they'd wait a bit, while a stranger wouldn't have the same reserve. The Tiefling that approached her was bold, brash, and could be considered beautiful, if you where into dangerous women.

"Hmmm..." She considered for a moment, taking another sip of her tea. She could lie to this woman, and use her to hunt down her own quarry, though she doubted the tiefling would appreciate the ruse once discovered. But then again, she might not have to. After all, she had heard about a group matching the description the woman had given her, and the fact that she'd not been able to find out much more about them suggested a potential connection to her own elusive quarry.

"They've still got a lead on you." She replied, matter of factly. "A group matching your description passed through the station, but they've departed now, with no declared destination." She waited just a moment to let that sink in, then continued. "Though I might have some idea of where they could have gone. Tell me, why do you think these Acerath worshipers have come to this sphere?"

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira:
She thinks, how to word this?
"I think they're after something important. Something someone is willing to kill them for- or to kill to hide. Lets just say there might be people out for someone's head among those worshippers. I honestly don't know what over though, but Acerath is all about secrets and people in power like their secrets, so it must be important. While I want to investigate see if its a secret that should be known or not. Y'know. For the common people."
She smiles, showing her teeth and vampiric fangs. She was obviously trying to get as much information out of her as she was, so the name of the game was to act like the assassin part of the job was a different person, but if El'Ashel saw through that she'd come clean. If El'Ashel had a problem with her and what she intended, best to get it over with it sooner rather than later, but if the omission stood and it turned out the scholar was up to something no one wanted, then thats just another ally to help kill her.

[Volthawk]

Karalan wasn't terribly put out by the trader leaving him in the lurch - it was probably better for the man that he hadn't stuck around with Karalan for too long. Besides, it had worked out for the best with this opportunity...if he could find a lead. For now, he remained in the station, considering what he already knew of this place and thinking of a way forwards.

The captains of the two recently arrived vessels get his attention, but he doesn't get up to interrupt their conversation. He considers probing their minds, but his focus is better suited used on his own issue rather than satisfying curiosity. As he thinks, he looks over the station's sparse travellers, until someone catches his eye. Why does that dryad feel a little familiar? Regardless of that, they have a mithril weapon. Artefacts were rare in these parts, and in the past his memories had brought him to them, so it seemed as good a lead as any. Rising from his seat, he approaches Anemone. "Hello there. I am Karalan. Can we talk?"


Academic Lore on Oreas' past, trying to figure out if anything he knows hints at the Syrne or why his memories are relevant here (plus general info): 9k5, reroll 1s from spec [roll0] - 33
Forum doesn't do automatic rerolls, so here's just a bunch of dice to grab 1 rerolls from: [roll1]

[DeTess]

El'Ashel had hoped for something a bit more concrete than what the fanged Tiefling had given her. Still there was some information there, buried in what the other woman had said.

"Without certainty about their goal, I can't give you certainty about their destination." She paused a moment, considering her next words carefully. "However, there is a place out there that should be of particular interest to them. A clandestine research station, to be precise."

"The way I see it, our goals align. You need to find these worshipers, and this station is either where they are, where they have been, or where they will be. I need to find this station for my own reasons, but I don't particularly care one way or another about what happens to the people on the station." She kept a close eye on the other woman as she mentioned that last bit, trying to gauge her reaction and determine her intentions. She'd mentioned someone wanted these worshipers dead, and she didn't particularly look like a bodyguard, which meant she was most likely the one hunting these people, or someone hunting their would-be assassins.

"Of course, if I knew the exact location of this station, I wouldn't be sitting here, so as our goals align, so do our problems." She paused a moment to let all that sink in, then presented her proposal. "I'll be hunting for clues on this station's whereabouts for a while yet, but while I do so, I learn other things as well. I don't doubt the same will be true for your search. If I learn something of relevance to your hunt, whether it's a clue to the station's location, or a more direct trace of these worshipers, I could share it with you. Likewise, if you find a trace of this station, there should be no harm in informing me. That way, we should both find what we're after quicker than if we continue searching on our own."

[bc56]

The entire station is in a state of disrepair and decay. This is not somewhere many people want to go, but it is definitely a good place to hide. The café is probably the best establishment in this backwater, but that isn't saying much. It has real tea and coffee if produced from sputtering, rusty machines tended by a haggard woman in the robes of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
The two ships' officers are treated with favor by the meager staff, especially El'Ashel. It is rare for such a large and powerful ship to visit here. And the waiter knows that wealthy and powerful offworlders sometimes tip generously.

Karalan can recall that Oreas has occasionally been the focus of rumors regarding Syrneth ruins. Every few years, a miner or prospector will find an unusual artifact, which is usually bought off them for a tiny fraction of its true value and sold to a collector in another Sphere. There's a small, struggling museum on the station that managed to keep a few of the finds for itself, and might be worth a visit. However no Syrneth sites have been discovered in the system, or at least none which are publicly known. Scholarly consensus is that the Syrne were active here, but they may not have built any permanent structures.

Both Atlanteans, upon encountering each other, no doubt feel a sense of familiarity and maybe deja vu. Almost like they should know each other, but have forgotten. If either of them have encountered another Atlantean before, the sensation is not unfamiliar.

[ahyangyi]

Looking around in the station, glancing over the meager offerings available -- a café, a museum, a few staffs here and there, Anemone looked at the visitors instead. The Tau and the Tiefling were talking, and the Eldarin approached Anemone.

Anemone recognized Karalan -- or rather, she thought she recognized Karalan, and wanted to greet him until she realizes that she doesn't really know his name. Fortunately, the embarrassing pause was short enough before Karalan greeted her first.

"Hi! I am Anemone!" The young dryad greets Karalan.

This is the first time Anemone meets another Atlantean. The weird feeling of déjà vu calms Anemone down. This Eladrin must also has a Syrne pastlife. She doesn't understand why she believes so, but subconsciously she simply knows that.

"Are you also visiting here for something? Like... Syrneth remnants?"

Anemone is still holding Kaleidoscope. Something that was probably also a Syrneth legacy.


Roll Academic Lore as well, to see how much Anemone can recall about this place. She is untrained, but as an Atlantean she can use it as a basic skill nevertheless.
[roll0]

[Volthawk]

Unlike Anemone, Kalaran had met another Atlantean before (albeit not for long...not that he liked to think about it), and nods when he confirms his earlier suspicion. "Indeed. I have memories of this place, although I'm still looking for a good starting point. They didn't have any fixed installations here - at least any people have found - but there have been relics found here. There is potential here." Reaching into a robe pocket, he pulls out a cloudy white hemisphere, holding it out. "I propose that we work together, given our...what we have in common. If you place that within the socket out of your weapon, my matching pair will allow us to communicate." He pulls back one of the robe's sleeves, revealing a wraithbone bracer with an identical stone embedded in it. "Are you interested?"

[Lord Raziere]

She considers the Taus offer, stroking her chin.
"Look, I wasn't given much info in my tip off okay? But research station makes sense with what I've been given. and ah, you figured it out. Your smart. Your right, I am hunting someone. Know of a scholar named Torela Ashima? Thats the one I'm specifically after. Don't really know why. Anyone else is optional. But yes, I agree, we work together, and we'll both get what we want. So split up and search separately then meet up later? I search one part of the station, you search another?"

[bc56]

The cafe and museum aren't the only establishments on the station. There's also a bar, a canteen, a general store, a repair shop, and a small drydock. All might be worthwhile to investigate.

Unfortunately, Anemone doesn't know much about this place. It's really far off the beaten path, and she doesn't have the experience and research necessary to have heard of it.

[DeTess]

"I've got members of my crew all over the station already, but there are limits to where they can go. Certain doors are closed to them, unfortunately. I hope that'll be different for you." She responded. "I'll likely spend a decent amount of time here, but if I'm not here, just ask your ship to hail mine. If I'm not there my watch officer will be able to point you in the right direction."

She looked around the establishment again after finishing her conversation with the Tiefling. There where two others here that stood out to her. One was a willowy dryad, the other an Eldarin. They didn't seem like locals. She considered going over to them, but there was no guarantee they'd have any information of use to here. Then again...

"Oh, one more thing." She said to the Tiefling, a bit louder this time to give the other two an opportunity to overhear. "If you hear anything about a new discovery of Syrne artifacts, it might be worth chasing that lead down. It might be relevant to our interests."

[ahyangyi]

Anemone is no stranger to artifacts -- her own Mithril gun is such an example, and she vaguely remembers interacting with a few more in distant memories. Besides that, Anemone might be careful sometimes but she knows no fear.

She nods, then gladly receives the cloudy white hemisphere-shaped thing from Kalaran, examines it curiously, then puts it in her gun and immediately gives it a try, "Hello? Hello? Hey it works!"

Anemone then asks, "Where shall we start our search from? The museum? The cafe? Or... " She looks around as she speaks, enumerating the facilities in the station, only abruptly stopped when she overhears the Tau loudly talking to the Tiefling about finding Syrne artifacts.

"Uh, perhaps we could ask them to join us."

[Volthawk]

Karalan nods. "I think that's her intent by raising her voice, yes. I suppose she noticed our artefacts."

Walking over to the pair of ship captains, Karalan doesn't take a seat yet. "I presume that was for our benefit. I am a scholar well-versed in the Syrne. I don't have a precise lead yet, but I may be able to find one. What is your interest in them, exactly?"

[DeTess]

El'Ashel nodded at the Eladrin, introduced herself and invited him and his companion to take a seat. "My interest in the Syrne is tangential to my interest in the findings of the particular groups studying them here." She considered for a moment, then added a little based on her own suspicions. "Word got to my people that something dangerous has been uncovered here. My job is to find out what and secure the research before it can cause harm."

She was taking a bit of a chance on these two. Though they didn't look local, that didn't mean they weren't associated with the group she was looking for. If they where with them though sh might very well be able to track them down by keeping an eye on these two. And if they weren't, they could provide a vital clue for where to look.

[Lord Raziere]

"Syrneth artifacts. That might actually explain a few things."
If Torela was after some Syrne artifact that her sire didn't want her to get that might explain why we she was sent to kill her. But why would a vampire in the astral sea care about that? As far as she knew, Torela, the Syrne have no real connection to her sire. She didn't get any instruction about taking any, just killing a scholar. Why not instruct her to take whatever Syrneth artifact back to her? It made no sense. Syrneth artifacts are valuable, so if Torela was studying one worth killing over, she was studying one worth taking. But if her sire didn't want to take it, why kill Torela? Could it be a Syrneth artifact that is detrimental, perhaps even harmful to vampires? But then why not let her know about the danger? No wait, Vampires came into existence long after the Syrneth died, that made no sense. So what was her sire after by making her kill Torela?

She gets up and says
"By the way I haven't introduced myself, I am Zakira of Chaos Undivided. You are Anemone, yes? and who are...you? Both Atlanteans? Museum might be a good place to look regardless. Though the library might also be a good place to check if any Acerath worshippers came through, they tend to like their books, particularly scholars."

[Volthawk]

Karalan nods at Zakira's words. "I am Karalan and yes, those two places were where I was planning on going next." He sits down, looking at El'Ashel thoughtfully. He didn't know them, but they had resources he didn't and apparently weren't interested in the exact same thing he was, seemingly more concerned with who was doing the research, so he could make something work. "Do you have anything else on the artefact or what this group is involved in? 'Dangerous' covers so many of the Syrneth's creations, after all, and what makes them dangerous can vary quite dramatically."

[DeTess]

"Its dangerous enough to have my own people worried." El'Ashel responds to the Eldarin's question. "If they merely worried about theses researchers blowing themselves up, they'd have send a polite missive. Whatever they're working on has the potential for fallout well beyond this sphere." She shrugs. "I'm afraid we don't know the exact nature of this Syrne find quite yet, but what we do know is enough to make a lot of people worried."

[ahyangyi]

"I am Anemone, of Vectron", Anemone introduces herself, then continues, sounding a bit defensive, "Syrne artifacts are not dangerous by themselves, what's dangerous are the ones abusing them."

She closes her eyes in thought for a few seconds, looking as if she is trying to recall something, then she speaks again, reverting to a calmer mood, "I have no idea what is happening here, but I vaguely understand that I have my duty to stop whatever people messing with our creations."


Do we know that Karalan is also an Acerath worshipper? :P

[Volthawk]

"One could argue that a null ray is inherently dangerous regardless of who uses it, but I digress. I suggest we move onto the museum. Perhaps something there will jog either mine or Anemone's memories, or provide something for me to work out more information from."



Do we know that Karalan is also an Acerath worshipper? :P
He hasn't volunteered any information about his alignment, no.

[DeTess]

El'Ashel gives Anemone an odd look when she expresses her ownership of Syrne artifacts in general, but she doesn't press the issue. She'd heard of people like the Dryad and the Eldarin, people that had memories of past lives among the Syrne. That could indeed be useful for tracking down the presearch station. She considered for a moment, the nodded her assent with Karalan's suggestion. "If you think something like that could trigger your memories, I won't argue. I've taken a look in there before, but I'm afraid I'm not an expert on Syrne artifacts, so I could easily miss a vital clue."

[bc56]

If there are no objections, the party moves on to the museum. It's not much, two rooms with a few simple items in it. Most are scraps and junk, if very old junk. A metal bowl with the nonsense word "Hesami" written on it in Syrneth runes. The head and left hand of a statue of a woman. Some of the fragments of an ancient data slate. But there are some more significant items as well. Closest the curator's desk is a scythe locked within a reinforced glass case. It looks very battered and probably nonfunctional. To one side of the museum is a tangle of parts that may have belonged to some sort of automaton. And in the other room is a fragment of a metal tablet, scarred and pitted by time. Syrneth runes are written across it, part of some sort of warning, but it's mostly illegible.
However, for the Atlanteans, looking at it will cause a headache.

The curator of the museum, an elderly Squat sitting on a very tall stool in order to see over his human sized desk, seems quite interested that such a strange crowd has entered his museum, and is keeping a close eye on the group.

[ahyangyi]

Anemone glances over the exhibited items in the museum. She frowns uncomfortably as she eyes over the runed metal tablet.

She asks the Squat, "is this museum seldom visited?"


Arcana+Intelligence (7k4) check to see if tablet is an artifact.

[roll0]

[Volthawk]

Karalan walks around the museum with interest, the sparse offerings not dampening his enjoyment of the experience as he looks over the bits and bobs.

The bowl gets a little more attention - he wondered why someone would inscribe a meaningless word into it. Perhaps it was a name? The scythe gets a moment's pause to admire it. Although he favoured firearms when he had to fight, there was always something quite elegant to how the Syrne made melee weapons. The scraps are a mild point of interest - not much to immediately draw conclusions from, but whatever the Syrne were doing here, they used automatons.

The tablet, however...that was something. To cause such a reaction...whatever they were looking for, it was definitely significant. And dangerous. Turning to the curator, he doesn't ask a question yet, instead employing more magical means, drawing on his magical abilities and his artefacts to learn more about the Squat and what he was thinking as he talks to Anemone.


Academic Lore to potentially connect Hesami with any names or places associated with the Syrne: [roll0] roll here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24913333&postcount=23) (keep 5) potential spec rerolls [roll1], total 36 (9 8 7 6 6)

Arcana to figure out if any of the Syrne items are magical (includes +3k0 from Dragon Tear Tiara) [roll2] (keep 5), potential spec rerolls [roll3], total 45 (10 10 9 9 7)

Using the Gemstone of Aura Detection to get a read on the curator - TN 10, potentially opposed by his Willpower+Arcana if they suspect what's happening, plain success to give a vague impression of his strongest emotion, raises give more detail (2+ also reveals if he's Exalted): [roll4]

Casting Detect Thoughts - using it gives a general impression, focus power test beating Mental Defence gives more specific thoughts, (his Willpower) raises gives the answer to a specific question - what he knows about the tablet. Focus Power test (keep 5): [roll5], phenomena if needed [roll6], perils if very unlucky [roll7] - total 34 (10 8 7 5 4, no phenomena)

[DeTess]

El'Ashel made a quick tour of the modest museum. She left the scholarship to the scholars. Her own education had touched upon the Syrne, but she'd been more interested in more recent history and politics, than in the lost civilizations of old. She'd been slowly working her way to the museum's curator when she heard the dryad ask her question. She approved, it was a good opening shot for getting him to reveal whether any of their persons of interest had visited here recently. She made certain to remain nearby while looking over the artifacts, in case she needed to step in to aid with the interrogation.

[bc56]

"Not as much as I'd like, miss. Haven't had so many tourists since... Two weeks ago. Now, thaewere a strange group. All robes and not talking to anyone. Came in here a few times, took lots o' notes. the Squat seems happy to gossip about past visitors. "Seemed like the type to move on soon as they can. Wonder why they stayed on the station so long. But I digress. You have an interest in Syrneth artifacts?"

Anemone recognizes that the tablet is not an artifact, but it seems important somehow...
Something comes back to her.
A voice: "It's done, let's blow it and get out of here."
The mouth of a cave, the tablet whole and placed over the entrance, a warning to all who might visit later.
Then a flash of light, a rumbling. The cavern mouth collapses, leaving the tablet hanging over a pile of rubble.

In his probing of the museum and the Squat's mind, Karalan discovers the following information. The name Hesami isn't connected to anything important, but it's definitely a name. The curator is currently examining the visitors and wondering why they're here, interspersed with recollections of a previous group which he is describing aloud. The broken tablet was found by a prospector on a planet known as Howl, who didn't know what he had. The curator was able to purchase it at a very good price.

[ahyangyi]

Anemone nods. "Yes, for Vectron's sake, Oreas has a lot of history to uncover."

As she speaks, she feels as if she experienced the cave-in of the tablet. "This tablet might not be an artifact, but it definitely has its fragment of history."

"Speaking of the last group of visitors -- were they looking for something?"

[Volthawk]

A small smile appears on Karalan's face as he gets the information he needs and, letting Anemone take up the curator's attention, wanders over to join El'Ashel in looking at some of the artefacts, quietly explaining what he's learnt. "I have a lead on where to go next. That tablet is some kind of warning, and the curator bought it from a prospector. I know which planet he got it from. Whatever it's warning against is probably related to why your researchers took interest in this Sphere."

[DeTess]

"That sounds about right, yes." The T'au responded quietly. "We'll see if the curator shares up with anything else interesting, but otherwise we'll chase this lead of yours down. If you and your friend don't have transport of your own, you're welcome to join me on the Lancebreaker."

[bc56]

"Let's see now. They didn't ask many questions. More interested in the artifacts than an ol' codger like me. One o' them tried to pinch the scythe. Their boss set her straight, and she didn't come back again. Wonder why she wanted it? Old thing doesn't work anyway." The Squat has to think for a moment. "They took a load o' picts too. Not just the artifacts, the whole museum. Huh. That's odd, looking back."

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira
She walks around the museum listening to the others question the Squat, she didn't have much to say, unfortunately. She wasn't very knowledgeable on old artifacts. she is kind of sad that the scythe doesn't seem functional. A scythe would make an awesome weapon to kill somebody with someday. Oh well.
"I'll follow on my ship, whenever that happens. Its probably best you go on the Lancebreaker, honestly. I doubt you want to be on the same ship as a vampire."

[DeTess]

El'Ashel stepped up to the curator's desk as she heard his comment about the images. "It's not that odd." She said, then lowered her voice a bit, as if sharing a secret. "These people that came here before? They're fugitives, with a known interest in Syrneth artifacts. They where likely gathering information so they could plan a theft of any artifacts they considered valuable later. Any things other than the scythe they seemed to have a particular interest in?"

Before he could answer she turned to the two scholars. "Anemone, Karalan, would you take another look at that scythe? Just because it doesn't work doesn't mean it can't be made to work, and if our quarry acquires it before we catch them I want to know what could be turned against us."

She then turned back to the Squat. "So, what other artifacts do you think they will be coming back for?"

[ahyangyi]

"Anemone's no scholar," Anemone says, slightly embarrassed. Besides the fragments of memories that haunt her and the arcane knowledge she learned from her mentor, Actaeon, she really doesn't know much. "but... maybe I should take a close look."

"...And, El'Ashel, thank you, I think I need to travel in Lancebreaker."


Arcana to see the scythe. It's locked in a glass case for a reason, right?
[roll0]

... and does it look like repairable or something? (I assume Tech-use)
[roll1]

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira:
"Indeed, if its a Syrneth scythe, then it has a power field. I'm not specifically trained in using such a
rare weapon but I could give it a try, see if I could get used to it if it works."
She grins, showing her fangs.
"and if they come back for it I can always be here to defend the place, make sure they don't mess anything up." she jokes
After all if her target is among them and if they came back, she could question or kill her target. Not that she expected anything like that to happen. Zakira thought about trying do some form of persuading the squat but what would be the point? The Squat probably doesn't know anything useful aside from what was already gotten. She wasn't the best at investigating so its not as if she could find out anything here anyone better at it couldn't.
"But honestly, I wonder if we haven't already gotten all the useful information we could get here. Would they really come back for just for a syrneth melee weapon? Sure power field and all, sure it probably has some interesting archaeological information one can discern, but if the Syrneth were so powerful you'd think a little thing like that scythe would be a toy to them and that the real jackpot is in greater things they made, but what do I know?"

[Volthawk]

Walking over to inspect the scythe, Karalan looks over to Anemone. "Have you remembered anything about these artefacts? Past the effect the tablet had on me, nothing yet for me. There's something relevant to past life in this Sphere, but apparently these aren't enough to trigger anything."


Arcana (includes +3k0 from Dragon Tear Tiara) [roll0] (keep 5), potential spec rerolls [roll1], total 41 (10 9 8 7 7)

[bc56]

The Squat looks thoughtful. "If they were intendin' to steal it, they had plenty o' time already. I'm sure they're long gone by now." He shows genuine alarm at the sight of Zakira's fangs, and suddenly seems much more wary. "Yer not just here to look around. What do you want?"

Anemone and Karalan take a look at the scythe. It seems a standard example of its kind, but one which age has not been kind to. It's not magical beyond what is necessary to maintain a power field, and it is also currently broken. However, with access to parts, especially Syrneth ones, it could be restored to some level of functionality.

[DeTess]

"As I said, the ones that visited here before are fugitives." El'Ashel responded to the dwarf's question, her tone indicating that it should explain their presence as well. "If no other items caught their interest, then I suppose we'll have learned all we came for."

She gave Karalan and Anemone an expectant look. "Anything of note to the scythe?"

[ahyangyi]

Anemone shakes her head at El'Ashel, "The scythe is salvageable, but... it was a standard product, probably just a regular scythe while it worked."

She then turns to the Squat, "And yes, we are looking for clues about fugitives. And that's not saying that I'm not here to look around -- I came here because I felt the urge to protect things here. And here I learn about what to protect... Anyway, I think we have learned a lot of information from you. Thank you a lot, and I wish we'll meet again soon."

"Let's set off to Howl."

[bc56]

Bidding their farewells to the curator, the party goes on their way. Returning to their ships, they set off towards the inner system.

Howl is a desolate, barren world with a dense, barely-breatheable atmosphere, covered in swirling storms. The occasional blue-white flash of lightning penetrates the thick clouds. The two ships' approach takes them past its misshapen moon and into the outer levels of the planer's gravity well.

There are two objects in orbit. The first is a small space station. But something is wrong. Not only is the station in an irregular, gradually decaying orbit, but it's surrounded by a large debris cloud, the source of which quickly becomes obvious. Something has torn a large, ragged hole in the station's hull.
The other object in orbit is a destroyer-sized ship moving in a slow patrol. It looks like it's outfitted as a mining vessel, having a hangar bay for smaller mining drones and a large reinforced scoop bolted to its front.

[DeTess]

"...does not appear to be a significant threat, unless a significant portion of its total mass is actually torpedoes." The Lancebreaker's tactical officer finished his report.

The Lancebreaker's bridge was a roomy affair. The various stations needed to keep the vessel operational where arranged in horse-shoe shape around a central dias on which El'Ashel sat in a suitabley impressive chair. Like the rest of the ship the decks where bright in color, just a tinge off from pure white. The view in all directions except to the rear showed space. Actual space, in fact. Though the bridge would retract and be covered in armor as soon as operations began, right now it provided a beautiful view of the void

The Lancebreaker was still some distance away from Howl, and as of yet she hadn't ordered a change in course to put the Heavy cruiser on an interception course with the station. She suspected that was her target, but she wanted a bit more time to consider before giving the vessel holding position near the station a clue as to her intentions.

The station's state was worrying. Best case scenario: the scientists had blown themselves up, and all their research was left up for grabs. Worst case, they'd finished their work, and had scuttled the station to prevent anyone from learning what they'd come to learn. Either way, there wasn't that much time left to dig through what remained of the station. Ideally she'd go herself, buts he recognized that, at least for now, her skills would eb better used securing the station's direct surroundings. She'd have to rely on her new allies to take the lead in securing the station itself. She didn't exactly trust them yet, but they where her best option.

She sighed, than signaled to her communications officer. "Hail the Crimson Cutlass and request that the captain contact me to discuss our plan, then send a message to our passengers with a request to join me on the bridge as soon as possible."

***

As soon as they'd all gathered she presented her plan. "That station isn't on any of our maps, so I consider it likely that that's where the researchers where working from. As you can see it has been damaged heavily, and won't last in orbit for much longer. There's also a vessel holding position nearby with unknown intentions." She gestured at the enhanced images of both the station and the vessel holding position nearby for her guests benefit.

"Ideally that vessel is just a local miner that came looking at the big ball of debris, in which case it'll be easy enough to convince them to leave. If they're not, I want to be read to move in to secure the station before they can break it or gather enough reinforcements to challenge the Lancebreaker. Karalan, Anemone, I can put you right inside the station with my ship's teleportarium, and retrieve you the same way, but until local space is secure I can't provide you much more aid than that. Captain Zakira, I'd prefer it if you could aid in securing the station itself, while I take the Lancebreaker to ensure the area around it is clear."

[ahyangyi]

Impressed by the grandeur of the Lancebreaker, Anemone keeps praising it and wowing. "Anemone has boarded on many ships... as I don't personally own one. But Lancebreaker is the most spacious among them. And comfortable. And..." before she was summoned by El'Ashel for briefing.

"The station looks worrying, but you can count on me! ... as long as I am allowed to use that void-suit. Anemone signals her willingness to adventure into the space station.

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira:
"Yes securing the station myself is probably for the best, I can go into a void without a void suit. One of the unexpected benefits of vampires is that they don't need to breathe in space, after all. I won't be able to communicate through sound though if I go without one, but if I do go in one, I won't die if it gets pierced."
She say smiling
"Meaning If there is anyone on the station who are hostile, its better that I take the hit yes?"

[Volthawk]

Karalan had his suspicions about the way they were encouraged to stay in their cabins and have food brought to them, but didn't complain or nose around where he shouldn't. The captain wasn't his priority - she could keep her secrets.

Listening to the plan, Karalan considers it for a moment before nodding. "The plan appears to be sound. I will also require a void suit." He looks over to the vampire. "I have no complaints with you getting shot instead of me, no."

[DeTess]

"It seems we're all in agreement then." El'Ashel nodded. Then gestured to a lower ranking officer standing by behind her command chair. "Ensign, lead our two guests to the armory, and then to the teleportarium. Inform the bridge as soon as they're ready to go."

She then turned to address the ship's command staff. "Order all crew to ready stations. Helmsman, bring us on an interception course with that station. Sensors, scan the target, and then the vessel loitering nearby. Comms hail that vessel once they're almost at the outer edge of our weapons range."

[bc56]

The station is very thoroughly scanned. It's running on emergency power. One life sign aboard, but also several strange arcane signatures unlike anything seen before. The damage to the station is fairly recent and appears to have been caused by a direct impact from another vessel. By the debris nearby the station, it's clear that vessel was undamaged by the collision, as the wreckage only matches the station's composition. There's no response from the other ship as the station is scanned, but then the Lancebreaker attempts to hail it, and it acts. It raises its shields and powers up thrusters, and sends back a message.
"Warning. Danger. This is a restricted area. Trespassers will be destroyed. Turn back. Warning. Danger...
The message repeats. Passive sensors pick up a targeting lock being established on the Lancebreaker as a swarm of mining drones begins to pour forth from the destroyer's hangar.

Meanwhile, the other members of the party are beamed onto the station. The interior of the structure is illuminated by red emergency lights, giving the austere walls a ruddy tone and casting looming shadows in every direction. They appear to be in a common room. The circular chamber has a large food dispenser pushed against one wall and a round table in the center. An airlock leads out of the station, and two passageways lead to a storeroom full of toppled shelves and a bunkroom that was shredded by the destruction of the station and is filled with a dangerous mess of jagged debris.
But as the heroes are just getting their bearings, the shadows in the room begin to bubble and shift. Creatures arise from them, like gaunt, skeletal humanoids made entirely of roiling darkness. They begin to lunge at the intruders with thin, clawlike hands outstretched.

Battle has Begun!
For the sake of time, I will roll initiative for you. If I mess up, reroll and let me know. As with most PBP games, just go in between the relevant groups of enemies, I don't care too much about order.
Lancebreaker: [roll0]
Rogue Mining Ship: [roll1]

3 groups of 3 Shadow Minions: [roll2]
Anemone: [roll3]
Karalan: [roll4]
Zakira: [roll5]

[DeTess]

"This ship has made the mistaken of coming between us and our mission. They'll not get a chance to regret it." The Lancebreaker's bridge retracted from it's forward position as the large slabs of armor sank into place. The outside view was replaced by a projection of the battlespace, numbers and lines showing all the countless pieces information needed to fight a battle in the void.

"Helm, engagement pattern Alpha. Sensors, full scan on that vessel." El'Ashel calmly worked down the list of orders needed to begin the engagement, finally ending with the order that marked the point of no return in any fight. "Forward lance batteries, fire when ready."


crew complement: 22 (these are crew 'units' not individual members)
command action: Picard speech (TN20 command action for +1 effective crew quality) [roll0] : total 35 for a success (6 keep 4 from skills, +1k1 from advanced bridge, should trigger my 'inspiring' specialization charisma). Spare dice for specialization [roll1]
Manoeuver Action: standard move, 1 crew assigned (no dice roll required) The lance breaker closes with the enemy vessel at half speed to a distance of 15 VU, then turns 90 degrees.
Arcana: active augury, 7 crew assigned: [roll2]+10 : total 38 as I keep 5 dice from the effective crew quality of 5, which is a success and 5 raises (TN10, 1 piece of information for success and per raise, trying to determine in order: shield strength crew complement, all weapon systems, hull strength, any remaining consoles)
tactical: Firing forward cannons (7 crew per cannon):
cannon 1: to-hit: [roll3] : total 30, damage [roll4], shield disruption 4
cannon 2: to-hit: [roll5]: total 35, damage [roll6], shield disruption 4

[ahyangyi]

"For Vectron!" Anemone shouts, as she points her gun Kaleidoscope at one of the shadowy beings.

Facing groups of minions, she lets her Kaleidoscope into full auto burst mode at the shadowy creatures.


Ballistics +2k1 = 6k5
[roll0]
(backup rolls for exploded die)
[roll1]

I don't need to roll damage against minions, I think...?

EDIT: final result of Ballistics is 25.

[ahyangyi]

What does Anemone know about these shadow minions?


4k3
[roll0]
extra dice: [roll1]

EDIT: result: 8+6+10+10+1 = 35

[Volthawk]

Above the sound of gunfire, Karalan speaks calmly as he lines up a shot with his odd little rifle. "Minor Warp entities. Created from strong emotion. Something particularly intense must have happened here to bring them here."


Half action aim into half action standard attack, 5k3 attack (3k3 Ballistics, 1k0 Red-Dot Sight, 1k0 Proficiency), applicable speciality.
Main Roll: [roll0]
Speciality: [roll1]
Explode: [roll2]
Final: 18 (5 6 7)
Hit Location: [roll3] - hits Left Arm

Damage (3k2, Pen 0): [roll4]
Explode: [roll5]
Final: 13 damage, Pen 0
If any damage dice explode, the target has to roll Psychic Phenemona.

Didn't notice they were minions and so damage wasn't important, but ah well it let me run through an attack.

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira:
She draws her darksteel katana, and dashes forward at the group of shadow minions they weren't firing at to cut them with a series of slashes at them in a whirlwind of a steel, the dark blade becoming like the wind.


Melee Roll: 3k2
[roll0]
Hit Location: [roll1]
Damage: 5k2 +4 pen
[roll2]

[bc56]

In space, battle is joined between the Lancebreaker and the unknown mining ship. The flicker of shields illuminates the void.
A scan from the Lancebreaker easily penetrates the enemy's defences, revealing the details of its configuration.
The vessel is a heavily modified mining ship, a destroyer in size, that has been converted into a small warship.
Shield Strength: 60 (reduced to 18 by attacks)
Crew: 10
Known Weapons: Torpedo tube, Mass Driver Turret
Hull Strength: 60
Known Consoles: Ramming Prow
The blasts from the antimeson cannons slam into the mining ship's shields, burning out much of them and severely weakening them.

The mining vessel's thrusters flare, and it rockets towards the Lancebreaker. Its hangars open up, disgorging a cloud of mining drones which surround and prepare to intercept. Then it fires a microtorpedo towards the Lancebreaker and continues moving closer as quickly as it can.
Deploy 2 Fightercraft worth of Mining Drones in Support Configuration
4 crew fire the Torpedo Tube [roll0] + 5 (keep 2), total 19 to hit, 13 damage, disruption 2
3 crew Divert Power to Engines [roll1] (keep 3) TN 15. 21 is a success and 1 raise.
1 crew moves the ship 10 VU, to within 5 VU of the Lancebreaker
Extra dice for explosions [roll2]



In the station, the fight breaks out. Anemone opens fire on a group of the shadow demons, and brilliant beams of light shred through them, eliminating them all. Karalan too lines up a shot and manages to cut through a second group with it. Zakira slashes and manages to cut through one of hers, but the other two dodge back, then lunge at her, their ghostly claws less than corporeal, but no less deadly.
Two Shadow Minions attack Zakira: [roll3] (keep 2) to hit, 10 E damage +5 per raise.
Extra dice for explosions [roll4]

Roiling forth from the nooks and crevices of the darkened station, more shadows appear.
2 new groups of 4 shadow minions appear.

[bc56]

Oops, rerolling that damage I goofed up.
[roll0] (keep 4)
Extra for explosions [roll1]

[DeTess]

El'Ashel allowed herself a slight smile. So far the enemy had cooperated perfectly with her strategy. It's torpedo armament had so far proven to be insufficient to stress the Lancebreaker's shields, so the only way it could truly threaten her vessel would be if it managed to ram her. And that clunker would have to prove more nimble than that if it was going to catch her vessel. "They're playing right into our hands. Helm, stick to pattern Alpha. Rear batteries, fire as the target enters our rear quadrant"


crew complement: 22 (these are crew 'units' not individual members)
command action: Picard speech (TN20 command action for +1 effective crew quality) [roll0] : total 45 for a success (6 keep 4 from skills, +1k1 from advanced bridge, should trigger my 'inspiring' specialization charisma). Spare dice for specialization [roll1] and explosions [roll2]
maneuver action: standard move, 1 crew assigned (no dice roll required), the Lancebreaker moves at a 90 degrees angle from the enemy vessel at full speed (10 VU). This should put it about 11 VU away, and out from directly in front of the enemies current heading.
tactical: Firing rear heavy cannons (10 crew for heavy cannon 1, 11 for 2):
heavy cannon 1: to-hit: [roll3]-5 : total 38, damage [roll4] (keep 4) total 25, shield disruption 5, crit roll in case it penetrate the shield: [roll5], spare dice for explosions: [roll6]
heavy cannon 2: to-hit: [roll7]-5: total 49, damage [roll8] (keep 4) total 20, shield disruption 5, crit roll: [roll9], spare dice for explosions: [roll10]

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira's static Defense is 28. Those attacks don't hit.

Melee Roll: 3k2
[roll0]
Hit Location: [roll1]
Damage: 5k2 +4 pen
[roll2]


Zakira will nimbly roll backwards away from their claw strikes then take advantage of their lunges by plunging her katana into their backs once, twice when they smack into the ground face-first.

[Volthawk]

Karalan, while lacking Zakira's agility or Anenome's rate of fire, keeps up the attack, firing another carefully-aimed shot.

Half action aim into half action standard attack, 5k3 attack (3k3 Ballistics, 1k0 Red-Dot Sight, 1k0 Proficiency), applicable speciality.
Main Roll: [roll0]
Speciality: [roll1]
Explode: [roll2]
Final: 15 (6 5 4)

[ahyangyi]

"Demons!" Anemone recognizes the shadow beings, "they are attracted by violent emotions... I wonder what does that mean?"

Kaleidoscope's burst fire was useful. However, it cannot sustain the rate of fire very long. Anemone has to carefully position herself and aim at a newly emerged group of shadow demons.


Half action: Aim.
Half action: Standard Attack, spending 1 mote (resource point) to raise 1k0 to the Ballistics check.

Ballistics 6k3
[roll0]

Exploding dies: [roll1]

Result = 17+3+4 = 24

[bc56]

The mining ship turns to follow the retreating Lancebreaker. The blasts from the heavy cannons would tear into it, but its swarming drones move to intercept the attacks, leaving their wreckage behind as globs of superheated slag. The engines of the mining ship continue blazing to accelerate it as close as possible. More drones swarm out of its hangars and position themselves between the two ships. A scanning beam of the type used to identify mineral deposits sweeps across the Tau ship.

The mining ship intercepts the attacks with its fighters, losing 2 crew!
Divert power to engines using 4 crew. [roll0] (keep 3): 13 is a failure.
Move towards the Lancebreaker, using 1 crew and the bonus from diverted power. Now 5 VU away
If within 1 VU, Ram with 3 crew. [roll1] (keep 2) to hit, [roll2] (keep 2) damage. Lancebreaker crit roll if successful: [roll3]
Otherwise, deploy 1 crew worth of Fightercraft in Support Formation and perform an Active Augury with 2 crew [roll4] (keep 2). Success: the Mining ship has scanned the Lancebreaker and discovered something.

Extras for explosions [roll5]

On the station, shadowy claws meet bullets and blades in battle. Zakira's blade cuts down another one of the shadows, and it melts into nothing. Karalan blasts through two of them with a single shot, and Anemone mows through three more. But then a change comes over the shadows. For a moment they pause and move aside, as if opening the way for something. Then from the darkness of the derelict station, three more shadows emerge. These are larger and more threatening, their forms more defined, their claws longer and pulsing with a dark aura. Then together, the weaker shadows rush the heroes to resume their assault, the stronger ones hanging back as if watching. One shadow slashes again at Zakira, another at Anemone. The two from the group Karalan fired at that survived charge him, clawing at him as well.
Remaining monsters:
2 groups of 1 shadow minion
1 group of 2 shadow minions
3 Shadows

Shadow minion attacks Zakira: [roll6] (keep 1) to hit, 5 damage +5 per raise.
Shadow minion attacks Anemone: [roll7] (keep 1) to hit, 5 damage +5 per raise.
2 Shadow minions attack Karalan: [roll8] (keep 2) to hit, 10 damage +5 per raise.

Extras for explosions [roll9]

[DeTess]

"They're using their fighters as ablative armor." El'Ashel could hear a slight note of distaste in the voice of her tactical officer.

"That's their prerogative, Ui'Endel. Don't begrudge them the conviction that allows them to give their lives for their cause." She responded calmly. "A quick end to the fight would have been preferable, but if they wish to draw this out, we'll be happy to oblige them. Helmsman, go evasive. Tactical, keep up the barrage."


crew complement: 22 (these are crew 'units' not individual members)
command action: Picard speech (TN20 command action for +1 effective crew quality) [roll0]: total 44 for a success (6 keep 4 from skills, +1k1 from advanced bridge, should trigger my 'inspiring' specialization charisma). Spare dice for specialization [roll1] and explosions [roll2]
Maneuver action: Evasive maneuvers, 8 crew assigned. [roll3]: total 39. Spare dice for explosions [roll4]. TN to hit the ship becomes the result until the beginning of my next turn. The Lancebreaker makes a half move forward (5 VU, distance is opened to about 10 VU in total)
tactical: Firing rear heavy cannons (7 crew assigned to each):
heavy cannon 1: to-hit:[roll5]-5 : total 22, damage [roll6] (keep 4) total 32, shield disruption 5, crit roll in case it penetrate the shield: [roll7], spare dice for explosions: [roll8]
heavy cannon 2: to-hit: [roll9]-5: total 31, damage [roll10] (keep 4) total 37, shield disruption 5, crit roll: [roll11], spare dice for explosions: [roll12]

[ahyangyi]

The shadow's attack missed Anemone.

Anemone takes a step back (provoking an OA), and shoots the shadow in point blank range!


Yep, I have been doing it wrong: the gun was an artifact and had an additional 1k0 for being of best quality. Anyway, I'm not requesting to roll back the old rolls. It's part of my learning process.

Anyway, for this shot, it's 5k3+2k1 (for being point blank range)=6k4.

To hit: [roll0]
Exploding dice: [roll1]

EDIT: so the result is 6+5+4+8=23

[Volthawk]

Evading the claws of the shadows, Karalan's eyes narrow as he spots the larger ones approaching. This might be a bigger problem. Teleporting out of the clutches of the mobto give himself some breathing room, Karalan fires a round at one of the stronger shadows.


Using Warp Step to teleport out of melee range (unsure whether or not that provokes like a normal move) to get as far from the little shadows as his 8m teleport and the confines of the station/general positioning allows, before taking a standard action attack.

5k3 attack (3k3 Ballistics, 1k0 Red-Dot Sight, 1k0 Proficiency), applicable speciality.
Main Roll: [roll0]
Speciality: [roll1]
Explode: [roll2]
Final: 22
Hit Location: [roll3] - Left Leg

Damage (3k2, Pen 0): [roll4]
Explode: [roll5]
Final: 11 damage, Pen 0
If any damage dice explode, the target has to roll Psychic Phenemona.

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira
She dodges out of the way of the claws and, ducking under the swipe and slicing at the shadow minion in response, her blade quick as lightning.


Melee Roll: 3k2
[roll0]
Hit Location: [roll1]
Damage: 5k2 +4 pen
[roll2]

[bc56]

Yet another shot is deflected by the orbiting fighters, but the second antimeson blast burns through the mining ship's shield and cuts into its hull. The crew of the Lancebreaker is treated to flashes of light as white-hot plasma pours out of rifts in the ship's drive system.

The enemy ship takes 18 damage to shields and 19 damage to hull and loses 1 crew. It is now venting warp plasma, unable to divert power, and taking 1 damage to hull at the end of its turns.

The ship must have had enough, because it reverses thrusters and begins backing off, flying back towards the derelict station. Crew are visible on the outside of the hull now, deploying to repair the damage dealt by the Lancebreaker's weapons. Then something unexpected happens. Its sensors fire up again, targeting not the Lancebreaker, but the station, sweeping across it in a slow, methodical pattern.
Maneuvers: 1 crew moves the ship 6 VU away from the Lancebreaker (current distance 16)
Engineering: 3 crew perform emergency repairs [roll0] (keep 3) = 12
Arcana: 3 crew perform Active Augury on the station [roll1] (keep 2) = 23

Extra for explosions: [roll2]


On the station, Anemone is slashed at by one of the shadows as she retreats. She fires back, vaporizing it into wisps of darkness. Karalan warps free of the knot of shadows surrounding him and fires at one of the larger shadows. The bullet tears through it and it collapses, the darkness that composes its form melting into nothing. At the same time, Zakira executes the other small shadow targeting her with a swift, precise slash.
The two remaining large shadows and the pair of their minions seem galvanized into action by the death of the one. One large shadow leaps across the room at Zakira, its claws cutting through the air. The other rushes Karalan with a flurry of slashes. Meanwhile, the two weaker ones gang up on Anemone.

Remaining Enemies:
2 Shadows
1 Group of 2 Shadow Minions
Opportunity attack on Anemone [roll3] (keep 1) = 11. 5 damage +5 per raise.

Shadow attacks Zakira: [roll4] (keep 2) to hit = 13, [roll5] hit location, [roll6] (keep 2) damage, Pen 2.
Shadow attacks Karalan: [roll7] (keep 2) to hit = 9, [roll8] hit location, [roll9] (keep 2) damage, Pen 2.
Shadow minions attack Anemone: [roll10] (keep 2) to hit = 15, 10 damage +5 per raise.

Extra dice for explosions [roll11]

[DeTess]

El'Ashel frowned as the hostile ship revealed an array of reversing thrusters, allowing it to reverse direction far more quickly than other ships like it. Such an array was completely impractical of course, as the power invested in them could have been used to give it an actual speed advantage instead. Still, it put the ship out of reach for her marines. She considered swinging the Lancebreaker around to get in close enough to take it intact, but decided against it. The ship was a secondary prize, and as long as it remained active, it posed a threat to her primary objective.

"Tactical, fire our rear lances. Stagger the shots by 8 seconds, to give them a chance to broadcast a surrender." She gave the order. She doubted the enemy would take the chance, but they'd be given it at least.


crew complement: 22 (these are crew 'units' not individual members)
command action: Picard speech (TN20 command action for +1 effective crew quality) [roll0]: total 38 for a success (6 keep 4 from skills, +1k1 from advanced bridge, should trigger my 'inspiring' specialization charisma). Spare dice for specialization [roll1] and explosions [roll2]
Maneuver action: standard move, 1 crew assigned. The lancebreaker moves 5 VU forward and maintains it's current heading (total distance is now 21 VU)
tactical: Firing rear heavy cannons (11 crew assigned to first shot, 10 to the second, if the enemy ship doesn't surrender in the short interval):
heavy cannon 1: to-hit:[roll3]-5 : total 40, damage [[roll4] (keep 4) total 23, shield disruption 5, crit roll: [roll5], spare dice for explosions: [roll6]
heavy cannon 2: to-hit: [roll7]-5: total 45 (including a 28 from a double explosion), damage [roll8] (keep 4) total 33, shield disruption 5, crit roll: [roll9], spare dice for explosions: [roll10]

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira sees the next shadow creature leaping out at her and while she appreciates this one being more skilled, it will never been enough to hit her as she evades the claws again by rolling under the strike, her reflexes were finely honed. She then gets back on her feet from the creatures creature and slashes at them as she comes out of it, using her vertical momentum to bring the black blade down upon it in a chop.


Static Defense is 28, more than 13, thats a miss.

Melee Roll: 3k2
[roll0]
Hit Location: [roll1]
Damage: 5k2 +4 pen
[roll2]

[ahyangyi]

Neither the shadow nor the minions managed to hit the nimble Anemone.

Anemone, however, needs to deal with the unfortunate fact that her entrusted gun is out of ammunition! ... perhaps she shouldn't have used full auto burst in the first place!

She bull-rushes the shadow in front of her, in an attempt to disengage them from melee. Regardless whether she manages so, she fetches her backup gun (a Las Pistol) from her backpack.


(Wow, the 10+10+5 explosion dice chain was scary... Fortunately the attack against Karalan was so low that we didn't need the third explosion die...)

Strength check for bull-rush (2k2 since it uses a character but not a skill... right? My strength is 2)
[roll0]

Exploding dice: [roll1]

[Volthawk]

Dodging the shadow's assault, Karalan decides that a little more breathing room would be preferable here and draws on his magical powers, looking at the shadow and giving a simple order. "Flee." While he waits to see if the magic has taken hold, he raises his rifle and lines up a third shot.


Casting Command (unfettered) on the shadow attacking Karalan, and then taking a half action aim at it.

Casting Check (keep 5): [roll0] - 22
Explode Dice: [roll1]
TN 15, Shadow resists with an Arcana+Willpower check.
Psychic Phenomena (triggered on kept exploded dice, roll twice, pick either or both): [roll2]

[bc56]

In space, the first shot tears into the mining ship's hull again. Its hull buckles under the strain and tears open, atmosphere and debris pouring into the void. As the second cannon is charging up, a short broadcast comes across from it to the Lancebreaker. He is coming. We will return. Moments later, the second shot strikes home, and all that is left of the mining vessel is an expanding cloud of debris.
Perhaps the wreckage might hold some clue to the reason they threw their lives away? Or perhaps such things are better left untouched.

As Zakira's blade comes down on the shadow, it drifts backwards, the point of the weapon swishing past the edges of its substance. It follows up by reversing its movement and jabbing with its claws towards her gut.
Anemone charges one of the shadows, and it gets thrown backwards, not having enough mass to resist even the small Atlantean. It falls back 4 meters, almost to the wall of the station. The pair of small shadows retaliate by regrouping around her and slashing at her from both sides.
As Karalan's magic washes over the shadow that was attacking him turns and runs, ending up a short distance down one of the corridors leading off of this chamber. He easily has a clear shot now.

Zakira's attack misses the shadow.
Shadow minion resists Anemone's Bull Rush [roll0] = 2
Shadow resists Karalan's Command spell [roll1] = 6

Shadow attacks Zakira: [roll2] (k2) = 12 to hit, [roll3] hit location, [roll4] (k2) = 8 damage, Pen 2.
Shadow minions attack Anemone: [roll5] (k2) = 6 to hit, 10 damage +5 per raise.
Shadow attacks Karalan (if it succeeds its save) [roll6] (k2) = 13 to hit, [roll7] hit location, [roll8] (k2) = ? damage, Pen 2.

Explosion dice [roll9]

[DeTess]

"Such a waste." El'Ashel sighed. "Helm, bring us around. Sensors, scan that cloud of debris for anything of interest. Engineering, I want specialists joining the marines standing by in the teleportarium to help gather anything of use in the wreckage." The simulated starscape visible from the bridge whirled as the Lancebreaker began it's turn, and El'Ashel's thoughts turned inwards, as they often did once the battle was won. They had beaten the opposition, but their obstinacy ion their defense worried her. These where not the actions of raiders, but of zealots, which in turn meant that her opponents hand't just stumbled on that station by chance. lots of questions, but not enough answers... yet.


I could technically throw 21 dice for the roll, but i'm assuming some crew are occupied on other things while we're coming around, so I'm sticking to a more conservative 15.

Active augury: [roll0]+10, keep 4, total: 53

Extra for explosions [roll1].

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira:
She will evade the claw jab by quickly stepping to the side and attacking the shadow minion from the side, slashing at its body diagonally to try and get rid of it, her dark blade sweeping down upon it. She just had to keep dodging, keep up the tempo, the rhythm and she will win, she knows. Keep dodging and attacking in turn- battle has a pattern, a rhythm, a flow and she was keeping up with it.


12 less than 28, miss.

Melee Roll: 3k2
[roll0]
Hit Location: [roll1]
Damage: 5k2+4 pen
[roll2]

[ahyangyi]

Anemone nimbly evades the dual slashes.
The successful bull rush leads to Anemone repeating the action, but this time with a loaded gun in her hand, she would be able to actually shoot at the shadow.


Strength check for bull-rush: 2k2 [roll0] -> 4
Ballistics (Las Pistol): 4k3 [roll1] -> 10
Exploding dice: [roll2] -> unused

[Volthawk]

So his magic did work on these things. That was good to keep in mind. Sure, shooting things had a certain finality about it, and was still going to be necessary here, but knowing that his spells were an effect alternative was reassuring (although he assumed he didn't want to ever try to read one of these things' mind - getting that close to a Warp entity never went well). Taking the shot at the shadow while it's still under his influence, Karalan then backs away again. The downside of the current extent of his powers were that they didn't last long - that thing would come rushing back any second now, and he didn't want to be where he was when it does.


Ah bugger, this was waiting on me again. Not usually this forgetful.

Half action standard attack on the shadow I was aiming at, half action to move backwards (so it can't just do the opposite of what it did last turn to end up in melee with me again).

5k3 attack (3k3 Ballistics, 1k0 Red-Dot Sight, 1k0 Proficiency, 1k0 Half Aim, 1k0 short range), applicable speciality.
Main Roll: [roll0]
Speciality: [roll1]
Explode: [roll2]
Final: 24
Hit Location: [roll3] - Body

Damage (3k2, Pen 0): [roll4]
Explode: [roll5]
Final: 14 damage, Pen 0
If any damage dice explode, the target has to roll Psychic Phenemona.

[bc56]

The Lancebreaker scans through the wreckage of the mining ship. It doesn't take long to pick up a faint signal, coming from the vessel's black box, which survived the explosion. Then another signal is detected, and another. There are apparently multiple black boxes amongst the wreckage. These data storage devices can be easily transported aboard the Lancebreaker for examination and to recover the information within, if desired.

One shadow's rhythm breaks, and Zakira's blade flashes through it. Its substance collapses and fades away, leaving her free to engage how she chooses.
Anemone charges forth, again knocking one of the smaller shadows back and firing into it, tearing it asunder.
Karalan backs off from the shadow he'd commanded, and the blast from his gun tears through it, reducing it to nothing as well.
Now only one small shadow remains. It stops for a moment, and then disappears in a pop of warp energy.

In the absence of hostile combatants, the interior of the station is deathly still. Two corridors lead out of the common room the explorers are currently in, one leading into the barracks of the station which was shredded and opened to the void, and the other heading to what appears to be a storage room, but which has been thrown into disarray. There's also an airlock leading to the exterior of the station.

[DeTess]

El'Ashel listened to the report of her Arcana officer, then nodded towards her chief of tactical operations. "Bring those boxes in, enhanced quarantine protocol. Communications, try to raise the station-side team to get an update on their status."


Objects retrieved under enhanced quarantine protocol are captured in heavily shielded boxes (faraday cages with extra radiation shielding and the like). They'll be placed in a a secure room, and initial examination will be done through drones/robotic arms. As these are data-drives they will at no point be hooked up to the ship-wide network, instead only being read out with basic computers with no networking capability to check for viruses and other dangerous payloads.

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira:
She sheathes her blade, looks at her two......acquaintances? Allies at the very least. It was still space and she couldn't speak in a vacuum though, so she has to explore, but which way. She looks at karalan and Anemone,, points at herself then points at the corridor leading into the storage room, figuring she might as search there first. She goes in and begins looking around at the store room in disarray, trying to figure out what happened here.


Rolling Wisdom + Perception to figure out what happened in this store room.
4d10

[ahyangyi]

There is conventional wisdom that an adventure party -- even a haphazard one such as Anemone and her newly-acquired allies -- shall not split. Even if Anemone is still young and lacking experience, her past lives should have definitely informed her somewhat.

...but, knowing is different from agreeing.

After reloading her guns, Anemone rushes to the barracks to see what's in it. Or just rushes there regardless.


No Perception whatsoever, because 1 wisdom and 0 levels of perception.

Sometimes the hinderance "Big Britches" should make a difference, right?

[Volthawk]

As Karalan considers the best route to take next, his companions head of in opposite directions. That was inconvenient. After a moment's thought, he sends Anenome a quick Keep in contact. through the link to the half of his hearthstone she had before joining Zakira in examining the storeroom.


As a reminder, Karalan gave Anenome the other half of his Gem of Sending so they can keep in touch if things go south.

Int+Arcana to see if anything magical happened here (includes +3k0 from Dragon Tear Tiara) [roll0] (keep 5), spec (Magic/Syrne) [roll1], explode [roll2], total 62 (10 10 10 9 9, explode 6 7 1 - or does the 1 explode result get speciality rerolled into 4?)
Wisdom+Perception: [roll3] (keep 2), explode [roll4], total 16 (8 8)
Int+Forbidden Lore to see if Karalan knows anything about how the shadows normally act - would they have done what we're seeing: [roll5] (keep 5), spec (Warp) [roll6], explode [roll7], total 36 (8 8 7 7 6)

[bc56]

The Lancebreaker can easily beam the black boxes into quarantine.
One has sustained heavy damage and will need to be repaired before it can be read.
One is heavily encrypted. Without spending time and effort on codebreaking, it will be impossible to get the information out.
And the last is readable.

Emergency Log: Grasshopper 6
Survey ship operating under Captain Horst Erdmann
Detected distress signal in outer system. Moving to investigate.
Encountered destroyed space station, mining vessel.
RED ALERT: UNDER FIRE.
CRITICAL DAMAGE: LIFE POD LAUNCHED.
The record ends. Perhaps the life pod has more clues.

Anemone rushes into the destroyed barracks. Jagged metal shrapnel tugs at her voidsuit and risks tearing it. To proceed will be dangerous.
In order to go further, make a check with an appropriate skill for avoiding getting stabbed and your suit torn. It's TN 15. If you fail, take 1k1 R damage and things will get worse.

Zakira searches through the storeroom. It's full of various supplies and tools, things explorers and scientists might use, and nutrient cartridges for the food processing machine that was in the other room. It's a mess, but the following items can easily be found in the wreckage.
2 Combitools
1 Auspex
3 Backpacks
2 blank Dataslates
4 Torches
1 Chrono

Karalan doesn't detect anything specifically magical in the station, but there is a passive magical aura that feels familiar. He's felt similar things in Syrneth sites he's visited before. The field seems more powerful in the direction Anemone went.
The warp shadows seemed far more organized than they should be. They had the presence of mind to escape when outnumbered and to assess the explorers' capabilities before attacking. And those more powerful shadows were unusual.

[DeTess]

"Leave the other two black boxes in storage for now. We can begin code-breaking efforts once we're done here." El'Ashel ordered after receiving a report on the recovered black boxes. "Communications, start checking common emergency channels for emergency beacons, finding the grasshoppers life pods might gain us some more information. Sensors, start making wider sweeps of the area. Check for these lifepods, as well as anything else that could be of interest, whether it's other incoming ships, debris fields or other anomalies."


Still sticking to 15 dice as the rest of the crew works on station-keeping and the like.

active augury: [roll0]+10, keep 4, total: 45. dice for explosions: [roll1]

[ahyangyi]

The barracks is in a worse shape than Anemone had thought, if she had thought about it at all.


Acrobatics 7k4 -> 14+5+5+9=33
[roll0]

Explosive dice:
[roll1]


Fortunately, the randomly stabbing shrapnel in the room proves to be less threatening to the nimble dryad, as she instinctively tumbles away from danger. She proceeds with barely more caution than when she dashed headlong into the room.

[Volthawk]

Thoughtfully poking through the items Zakira found, considering the wider situation, Karalan sends another message to Anenome. You're getting closer to Syrneth magical aura. Usually means something significant's there. That done, he speaks aloud to Zakira. "We should expect more resistance. Something was organising those Warp shadows - like I said, they're normally simple entities, that just get drawn to strong emotion and then act as their nature demands. Tactical thinking isn't normally their style, nor are those larger entities a common occurence. Between this and that ship outside, I expect we'll be coming across someone or something rather more dangerous further in."

[bc56]

The scans turn up a likely location for the life pod, on the planet below, a small, weak signal on the otherwise desolate planet. That's definitely worth checking. Howl's atmosphere is thin and barely breathable, so anyone who might have survived the landing probably didn't go far. Otherwise, no new anomalies appear to be presenting themselves.

Anemone makes her way across the debris-strewn barracks to the final room of the station. It's a laboratory of some sort. A large computer terminal takes up one wall, but it's been slashed apart by some monstrous force, in what looks like very deliberate, if aggressive, sabotage. The rest of the room is a mess, not like the barracks, which were destroyed, but like someone ransacked it looking for something. Broken sample containers litter the floor, along with strange artifacts of unknown purpose, twisted, dirt-encrusted hunks of unusual metal, and other odd things. Given the mess, a more thorough search might be warranted to see if there's anything of value lying around, but Anemone will feel also a pull from a specific object, a round metal plate about a foot in diameter, with prongs like uneven corkscrews extending from one side, attached to the plate in a pattern of a half circle with a triangle at its center. There's a thin, barely perceptible seam that runs up the center of the object. Its purpose is unknown.

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira sees nothing valuable in here, certainly not the person she is supposed to assassinate. She looks at Karalan speaking and nods (Wait isn't this a vaccuum?). Then turns and goes towards the barracks. Perhaps she will answers there, keep her guard and one hand on her blade.

[DeTess]

"Dispatch one of our shuttles to check on the landing side for that lifepod." El'Ashel ordered. "Send a squad of marines and a medic along, just in case." She slowly allowed herself to relax. It seemed that the one hickup of this mission had passed with the destruction of the hostile ship. Now all she had to do was wait for word from the station-side team. She exchanged a glance with her communications officer, but he shook his head, indicating that so far they hadn't heard anything from their allies.

[ahyangyi]

"They must be looking for something... was it this?" Anemone grabs the round plate by its sides, and examines it.


Arcana+Intelligence (7k4) check, to see if it's an artifact or if it has anything magical to the plate.
Roll [roll0]
Extra rolls [roll1]

EDIT: I messed up, so I rolled in OOC thread. The result was 7+4+7+13 = 31

[Volthawk]

Karalan grabs the auspex before following Zakira to get the group back together. Perhaps Anenome had found something more interesting over there, if the aura's strength was suggesting anything.

[bc56]

Anemone picks up the plate and examines it with her mystical senses and Atlantean nature. It's completely nonmagical, although made from an exotic alloy nearly impossible to destroy. Her instincts should tell her that it's important, although not exactly why.

Karalan and Zakira start on their way towards the lab. But before they can get there, they'll have to contend with the shredded, shrapnel-filled barracks.

As with Anemone, give me a 15 check with any skill that could realistically used to avoid the shrapnel.
On a fail, take 1K1 R damage and things might get worse.

It doesn't take long for the landing detachment to report back. The life pod had a rough landing, embedding itself into a cliffside. Upon opening it, the fates of its occupants are revealed. There were three of them. Two are dead, one human male, one gnome female, of what appears to be significant blunt-force trauma consistent with the crash. The third is an eldarin female, heavily injured and not quite conscious. She seems unwell, moaning and muttering incoherently in her sleep. Unlike her fellows, who appear to be ship's officers, she is dressed in wizardly robes.

[DeTess]

"Stabilize the survivor, then bring her back. Use the shuttle if she's stable enough for that, we all know what can happen when you teleport an unconscious mage." El'Ashel saw her tactical officer wince at the mention of that incident. It'd taken months before the ship was declared completely gremlin-free. "Bring the corpses too, as well as anything in the escape pod that looks to be of interest, including its black box or other recording device if it has one."

[ahyangyi]

Anemone runs back with the plate. Perhaps there are more stuff to find, but sometimes delivering the news is more important and worth dying for.

( OOC: mostly just waiting for Karalan and Zakira to join her, but if they have trouble arriving here they'll see Anemone rushing to them with the plate )

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira looks at the shards and, being trained in some measure of parkour and getting through obstacles with nimbleness, decides to leap over the shrapnel while flipping in the air and land on the other side of it.


Acrobatic skill test Dexterity + Strength to leap over the shrapnel:
[roll0] (Keep 3)

[Volthawk]

Karalan might not have been the strongest or toughest person around, but the tumultuous times recent years have been for him have led him to be pretty good at not getting hit. Hopefully he was as good at dodging shrapnel as he was bullets.


Dexterity+Acrobatics (4k3): [roll0], total: 25 (forgot to do explode dice, but it doesn't really matter here)

[bc56]

Karalan and Zakira join Anemone in the trashed laboratory. They see much the same sights she did, the wreckage and mess, the clear signs of tampering. But also they see the little dryad rushing towards them, a strange object clutched in her hands.

Carefully, the remains and the survivor are loaded onto the shuttle and the remainder of the pod searched. There's the usual survival gear: a set of 5 voidsuits, bottles of water, nutrient bars. The pod's data recorder, however, has been fried. More than just fried, it was melted to slag. Odd, considering that there should not have been a significant heat source within the pod during reentry, and nothing else shows signs of similar damage.

[DeTess]

"...I've taken the liberty of ordering the squad to check the area surrounding the pod one more time for signs of other survivors." The tactical officer finished his report.

El'Ashel nodded her approval. "There must have been someone that dealt with the data recorder. If we can find them, they might have further answers. However, if the ground team doesn't find any signs of another survivor in the next five minutes, order them to return. If someone's down there that has the skills to remain hidden I'd rather leave them be than risk what we've recovered so far."

[Volthawk]

Karalan nods to Anenome as she rushes over, the object quickly getting his attention. "Oh, you've found something? Have you any idea what it does?"

[ahyangyi]

"This plate!" Anemone answers hastily, she has so many things to say that her words are out of order, "It's not magical but, you see, the alloy, the pattern, the triangle at the center, by Vectron, there must be something important in this plate!"

It takes her a minute to calm down, and clarify things if she confused anyone.

[Lord Raziere]

Zakira
She isn't sure if she can say anything given that she isn't wearing a void suit, and and this space station has no atmosphere, so she lets Anemone speak it over with Karalan and walk around alert searching for other clues of her target perhaps or watching out for more shadows in case she needs to kill more.

[bc56]

Five minutes later, no sign of another survivor is found, and the ground team is ready to return to the Lancebreaker. Whoever or whatever destroyed the flight recorder seems to be capable of evading detection.

Nothing unexpected pops out to threaten the explorers on the wrecked station. While Karalan and Anemone are conversing, Zakira is silently searching the remnants of the laboratory.
Raziere, give me a perception check for Zakira.

[DeTess]

"The ground team is on the way back up, Kor'El." The Lancebreaker's tactical officer reported. El'Ahsel nodded to indicate she'd received the report then scanned the various screens reporting information on the ship and its surroundings again. Everything was still quiet, and until they heard back from the station team there wouldn't be much else they could do.

"Sensors, please do another sweep of the station. Check for active signal transmissions in particular." It would probably not turn up anything, but her associates might have stirred something awake. And if so, she wanted to know.


Only rolling 15 out of the 21 available dice to represent the fact that other activities are also taking place on the ship in the background, such as securing salvage and the like.

[roll0]+10 keep 4: 56 (see OOC thread for explosion roll)

[ahyangyi]

Anemone asks Karalan and gestures Zakira, "Do any of you guys recognize this pattern?" and points at the plate.

[Lord Raziere]

Five minutes later, no sign of another survivor is found, and the ground team is ready to return to the Lancebreaker. Whoever or whatever destroyed the flight recorder seems to be capable of evading detection.

Nothing unexpected pops out to threaten the explorers on the wrecked station. While Karalan and Anemone are conversing, Zakira is silently searching the remnants of the laboratory.
Raziere, give me a perception check for Zakira.

She needed to after all, find her target and any clue might help.


[roll0] keep 2

[bc56]

Zakira's search doesn't turn up much, at first.
This place is a mess, and other than the unusual artifacts sitting out, there aren't many other things of interest. However, she eventually, after a few minutes of looking, finds a small crystal vial with a stopper made from the same alien metal as many of the other artifacts. The container is half full of an unknown blue liquid.

It does not seem likely there is anything else hidden here. Maybe there might be information on the computer terminal, if it could be repaired and supplied with power.

[ahyangyi]

Anemone attempts to figure out what's in the vial. She first examines it without opening it, but if that fails, she then opens the vial and examine the liquid more thoroughly.


Arcana? 7k4 [roll0] (7+5+6+9=27.)

Backup rolls: [roll1]