War!
Having observed other stellar powers' previous encounters with the Same, it's clear that when outmaneuvered they tend to retreat into previously unaffected regions rather than fighting until the end, an unacceptable outcome given that this results in incomplete victories that spread the containment breach and require pursuit to eliminate the threat. As a possible countermeasure, the Auroran Ideals Corporation draws on previous Celenian research and speculative weaponry with Haethalian Rubies as focusing lenses for lasers, combining this innovation with their flagship energy conversion weapon products to create extremely long-ranged variations ideal for picking off retreating foes. (M10 used; GLR introduces EC Lances technology! Slot: Ranged, Effect: +1 to battle rolls, +1 to enemy combat losses on victory, Requirement: "Energy Conversion Weaponry" (and associated Resource), and Gemstones)
(M10 used! NUT introduces Sublight Thrusters! Slot: Engines, Effect: +2 Tactical Maneuvering rolls, Requirement: Fuel)
Connectivity was a major part of the Kombuch experience and the mind linking psionic fungi had found their connectivity was an unusual edge among those who did not practice psionics or possess highly developed cybernetic technology. The Kombuch had found linking minds to serve many valuable purposes not least of which was the addition of high level military commanders on the battlefield. The more minds the merrier when a consensus could be rapidly reached between the keen battle worn minds of formidable tacticians and warriors. While the particulars of the Kombuch linking of mind unnerves some outside the Bureaucratic Collective many believe the successes of the fungus could be accomplished through a battle meditative discipline precipitated on opening the minds of general’s to psionic or similar instant level interaction states of connectivity. (M10 used! KBC introduces Gestalt Warmind! Slot: Logistics, Effect: Additional generals can be assigned to a battle and grant a +2 bonus to maneuvering rolls for each. These generals do not suffer loss rolls unless the force is wiped out., Requirement: Refreshments)
In what could possibly lead to confusing with the Nyxians nearby an Admiral Nix is named to represent Kronin mettle upon the battlefield. (M5 used; KRO creates a Military 7 General, “Admiral Nix”)
Tra Gutri was something of a well known name when it came to the Lyraen Dominion and his appointment to a formal leadership position within the armed forces was hardly surprising to those with an eye towards Lyraen politics. (M5 used; LYR creates a Military 7 General, “Tra Grutri”)
Departing his life as a posh and glamorous celebrity Proxos is accepted into the Lyraen hierarchy to take up a life as a daring and glamorous military officer and suitor to the Luminary herself. Of concern to “Generalisimo” Proxos is the ancient rather quiet red luminary of V28 but more pressingly is the matter of the young Luminary being held captive by Same v0.08 in sector L18. The dashing general wishes to see this tortured stellar soul released from the prison of the thrice damned Same and given the opportunity to recover amongst her own. (LYR gains a Military 7 General, “Proxos”)
While Markath Frostfur had sided against his former ally Virtash Splitskull in his struggle with Aneb earning a position of privilege as King of Thurtal Urthuun Two-Gun had only barely won his struggle against Virtash and there were many who called into question Aneb’s qualification as the strongest of the minotaurs. Markath’s heroic legacy built up in spite of his traitorous ambition made him a prominent name in circles challenging Aneb’s claim to the throne. When Markath receives an official appointment to the role of general his ambitions of Urthuun grow ever closer and the (un)timely capture of Aneb by the Commandant opens to door to Markath. Swiftly Markath decries Aneb as a lost cause not worth negotiation for and demands the Rothuun leadership recognize him as the most viable candidate to be the next Urthuun. (M5 used; RGH creates a Military 10 General, “Markath Frostfur”; {CHOICE} General Frostfur wishes to be Urthuun Frostfur! To accept Urthuun Frostfur wins RGH will lose their Military 10 General, but gain a Leader that has a Military 10 score and 1s in all other stats. No inheritance bonuses or stat gains will transfer over from Round 11 {OR} Another Rothuun can be chosen to be Urthuun and Markath forced to remain a General. New ruler rolls stats like normal gaining stat boosts from Round 11’s actions. Markath will remain a General but spreads Unrest in the capital!)
Reliant on the Wardens for repairs caused by the ill fortuned look into Same tech the Umbral Augury is at last restored to full functionality earning the Core Patrols’ favor and helping to provide for the defense and repellent of Same from Warden space.
(The Umbral Augury has been restored! WWE gains 1 Favor with CPC!)
(LYR successfully invades T28! T28 is in Unrest!)
(MFM successfully invades H16! H16 is in Unrest!)
(NDA successfully invades F24! F24 is in Unrest!)
The Celenian navy arrives in Q23 proclaiming themselves liberators of the unlawfully annexed natives here to confront Syndrome deception. The Protectorates choose to withdraw rather than trigger a full scale war allowing the Consul to seize the region in dispute.
(CEL successfully invades Q23 from SYN! Q23 is in Unrest!)
Sweeping down from Etherite space the Vilari swiftly conquer an undefended sector in a proclaimed “peacekeeping mission” authorized by themselves. The locals seem to be under the mistaken belief they were peaceful enough before the arrival of Vilari warships. The benevolent Star League must correct their error.
(VSL successfully invades J30! J30 is in Unrest!)
Spoiler
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VSL loses 1 Unit!
Skipping through some hostile territory the Harmony sweeps into an undefended galactic sector and sets to work Harmonizing the locals. The sudden arrival of “space ghosts” seems to have disturbed the local populace but Harmony is undisputed as the strongest faction in the region.
(HMY successfully invades M3! M3 is in Unrest!)
Spoiler
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HMY loses 0 Units!
Sufficient application of FLEX at last sees the escaped Same v0.05 squished on its scuttling path outside the Core. The Same version which had been kicked around by multiple Stellar Powers is ended by a coalition force of Duenem and Space Knight forces striking a notable blow against the Same as one more version is completely wiped out!
(KNV, DNM successfully invades Q15 and destroys Same v0.05! Q15 is in Unrest!)
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KNV/DNM Coalition Overwhelms Same v0.05 in Q15!
KNV loses 0 Units!
DNM loses 0 Units!
Same v0.05 loses all 1 Unit!
The Kronin were warriors and warriors conquered. H12 has no real hope of holding off the Kronin Empire and resistance is swiftly crushed. Kronin fighters move to secure the abandoned Sisterhood monastery in the name of Core Patrol, or perhaps An’null. That was for the King-General to decide.
(KRO successfully invades H12! H12 is in Unrest! Former SoS base can be declared a CPC or ANE base as a Non-Action by KRO in Round 12! Alternatively KRO may spend one action to transform the base into a non-org aligned monitoring station against the Same!)
Spoiler
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KRO Overwhelms the native defenders!
KRO loses 0 Units
Local resistance is wiped out!
The Ninurtine armada was nothing to sneeze at and the locals of sector W23 swiftly learn this lesson as their mediocre defense forces are shredded by the technologically and tactically superior Empire.
(NUT successfully invades W23! W23 is in Unrest!)
Spoiler
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NUT Overwhelms the native defenders!
NUT loses 0 Units!
Local resistance is wiped out!
When Same v0.15 drones appear within sensor range outside the Source itself, that great and awful black hole at the center of Warden-space, it is as the many stories told by the Wardens told it to be. Wardens, Masters of Shadow and Flame, and the allied forces of Axiom opposed to the Core’s deadly fleet of destruction bots. Antich Heaventreader, only recently fully recognized as a Master of Shadow, was prepared to defend his home with his last breath, and unfortunately for the Wardens and Hearth it seemed this was what was required. The fighting was intense but the Same came like a metal tide that ebbed and flowed without an end. The Source was a powerful supernatural aid but the Same appeared like a supernatural force all their own drones moving about the battlefield in such tightly coordinated patterns capable of rapid splitting, reshaping, and growing as to be like a vicious ocean that washed over dead and disabled ships to repair their own damage. Locusts in steel, the Same came with an unbridled intensity and though the Wardens and their Svaatyr allies fought bravely the Same pressed them back to the Umbral Augury, lynchpin of the defense only recently repaired, just inside the gravity of the Source. Unwilling to see the Augury suffer catastrophic damage again Antich concocts a plan to lure the Same closer to the Source and force the drones into the gaping black maw. While the new Master of Shadow assures his comrades he can manage this trick and escape Anitch is ultimately forced to sacrifice himself to achieve his plan. The wound inflicted on the Same by Antich’s sacrifice causes the Same to begin to draw back though the decimated state of the defense force hamstrings any ability to pursue but the Umbral Auguary’s maintenance does discourage the Same from sticking around indefinitely. The Same withdraw slowly stripping any planetary body or satellite of value on their way back into Core-space. The decimation of the region and loss of their leader sees many Wardens grow disillusioned with the idea of destroying the Same threat. Antich was one of their best and now he was dead on the path of this crusade against an enemy that seemed nearly endless.
(Same v0.15 successfully invades Hearth (N18)! Hearth (N18) is Unstable! Hearth (N18) TP1 owned by CEL is Sacked! TP3 is destroyed reducing Antimatter quantity from [Great] to [Good]! )
Spoiler
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Same v0.15
WWE loses 1 Unit!
SVA loses 2 Units!
Same v0.15 loses 1 Unit! Tac Man activates: Gains 1 Unit!
Antich Heaventreader falls in battle against the Same!
The WWE, RGH and CPC band together as the vile Same try to gain a foothold outside of the Core. The combined might proves too much for the Same to overcome as minotaurs rush the AI swarm head on and humans provide cover fire to make sure the charge succeeds. The merciless assaults of an offensive-defense coordinated by the technologically equipped Rothuun wear down the Same drone fleets. Seeing that the disadvantage in further combat the Same retreat back into the Core.
(Same v0.06 fails to invade Cricalores (O19)! )
Spoiler
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WWE/RGH/CPC Coalition defeats the Same!
WWE loses 0 Units!
CPC loses 0 Units!
RGH loses 0 Units!
V0.06 loses 1 Unit!
While the Commandant loses this latest battle in his ongoing war with the Rothuun he refuses to give up the fight! Having managed to arrange his Miracle Men in the vault-like bowels of the space station he called home in such a way as to make a trap for the incoming Rothuun forces. His trap catching the Urthuun himself was a welcome surprise and when the Commandant at last fled his bastion via a jury-rigged-GLD capable escape vehicle he took the Urthuun with him. Naturally the first place to go was a Celeanian naval port. Celes was a stellar power known for its respect for legitimate legal military procedure and they would most certainly be willing to aid the Commandant in coming to terms with the Rothuun. The remaining Rothuun forces secure the sector of space formerly claimed by the Commandant while politics turn back on Taurina I to determine the next Urthuun.
(RGH successfully invades P22! P22 is in Unrest! The Commandant and his Miracle Men reach out to CEL with their high value prisoner the Urthuun Aneb Two-Gun!)
Spoiler
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RGH loses 2 Units!
Urthuun Aneb Two-Gun is captured by the Commandant!
The Commandant offers CEL his service as a Military 8 General and prisoner possession of Urthuun Aneb Two-Gun including use in negotiations in exchange for CEL acquiring P22 from RGH by the end of Round 12. Whether accomplished through diplomatic or military means is of no consequence to the Commandant who merely wishes to have his home restored and the Rothuun put in their place as war mongering cowards.
Discovery!
Lyrae’s assassination rocked the galaxy. To kill off a political opponent is nothing new, but to slay the vessel of a soul of a starborn Luminary? Unheard of! Even if Lyrae did find a new host, Rii Lyrae was only the first to be attacked during a rebel strike, and many more died after her; the question, though, is was it just “rebels” or something more? The Syndrome and the Federated Church of Origin’s End ask it - discreetly - and determine answers: Several anti-Lyrae factions have coalesced in their displeasure at autocratic rule by a god-queen to form a Rebel Force based in and around the Glory Star system. Within this Rebel Force, there are militants who want the Lyraen Stellar Domain to focus on outward expansion and conquest without regard to the privileged imperial allies aligned with by Lyrae, anti-theists who want ‘the self proclaimed sun goddess’ to be seen as the blight on the universe they feel she truly is, and other more moderate groups who have their own reasons for hating what Lyrae has come to represent. Calling themselves the Anti-Luminary League, the rebellion is trying to expand into more region of LSD sectors, and is even looking to make connections with other Stellar Powers for aid, including the Ninurtine Empire, the Republic of Celes, and even the Rothuun Galactic Holdings! (SYN and FCO investigates Rii Lyrae assassination! The Anti-Luminary League is responsible! Exposed the ALL has reached out for aid against their enemy, Mish Lyrae, seeking military support from stellar powers willing and able to support a coup against Lyrae! Sending Units to ALL can be done as a Military action! Finding the ALL base will require additional Investigation, before it can be attacked!)
The Kombuch were deeply curious as to the cause of this mysterious mist transforming gourds and other plantlife into carnivorous ambulatory terrors. Research acquired from UPT relating to Lycantropes guides the fungal colonies to investigate a number of avenues of explanation eventually managing to uncover a vast root network on the affected planet which seemed to have evolved into its own sort of lifeform beyond and yet of the component plants contributing to its existence. This plant gestalt had apparently been developing adaptations that would allow it access to further nutrients, the result of which had been the mist and its effects upon flowering portions of the gestalt’s component pieces. When contacted by the Kombuch the Mist Source, as the gestalt is informally referred to lacking a name for itself, expresses a desire to seize full control of the region and belief the Kombuch would aid it in doing so. The Mist Source seeks to achieve a deal with the Bureaucratic Collective, cooperate with the gestalt and allow it to spread beyond its planet more fully to the entire sector of space it occupied absorbing all plant life and consuming animal life for sustenance. Doing so would endear the botanical mind to the Kombuch enough to entertain integration and to make available its mists to the Kombuch while focusing on Blister Leaf harvesting more domestically. Alternatively with access to the Mist Source itself the Kombuch could put an end to the mist’s spread with one fell swoop allowing the Kombuch easy seizure of the Blister Leaf farms left untended and leaving the region vulnerable to military annexation with the elimination of its pumpkin protectors. (KBC completes Discover Mist Source in H4 5/5! {CHOICE} KBC may take an Economy and Diplomacy action to accept the Mist Source’s request changing H4’s resource from Blister Leaves [Great] to Verdant Mist [Minor] and gaining a claim on the region OR KBC may take a Military action to destroy this viral gestalt consciousness destroying all 4 local units and gaining TP 1 of Blister Leaves!)
CORRECTING GM ERROR from Round 8
Near Axiom’s edge lies a terrestrial planet coated in a thick purple mist. Evangelists of OwO quickly find that this purple mist is no ordinary gas but a hive mind community of spores, protists and fungi that for a unified conscious across the planets atmosphere. Closer examination of the surface reveals that much of the planets water has been polluted by waste from the mist, creating a strange Aerobic sludge. Of course the first Grymlans who tried devouring it died horribly, but surely enterprising minds will find a use for it. (OwO discovers M31 which contains a [Good] resource of [Aerobic Sludge] & an OwO LC)
CORRECTING GM ERROR from Round 10
Organized under a military order of devout followers of the “honorable and ancient traditions of the warrior” sector O9 is like a military fortress blown up to the size of five star systems. Each planet in each star system has a tactical purpose and denizens have designated roles. This militant readiness paid off twice when Lightshielder Beatrix meets the Alysians first as unknown alien invaders and then again as known alien invaders...
(EAA discovers O9 which contains a [Good] resource of [Space Paladins], a Chivalric Codes LC, & 2 Units of Paladins)
Syndrome bioships slip into unexplored space touched by the borders of their Rothuun allies and the mechanical Duenem roaming the numerous star systems in the sector scanning for points of interest. In one particular dull blue star system the Syndrome fleet detects an emergency broadcast that leads them to a massive space station facility which is revealed to be a cryogenics lab stocked with the frozen forms of over five hundred thousand “residents” who all appear to be of the same unknown alien lineage. Curiously the station itself appears to be automated and still functioning at eighty five percent efficiency. The station informs its Syndrome discoverers that it has been operational for over sixteen thousand galactic cycles and urges the Syndrome to thaw its occupants for reintegration into modern society after ascertaining the Syndrome had absolutely zero knowledge of an organization known as “the Purestrain.” In addition to communication with the Syndrome the station also makes available its dispensary of “Crisper Pills” curious capsules capable of cold-based preservation of living tissue. (SYN Inquests R18 which contains a [Good] resource of [Crisper Pills] & an Open LC!)
Dawnstar explorers find themselves surveying a verdant sector filled with life supporting star systems, though none of them of notable for producing any greatly intelligent species. On a system of three moons winged space predators preyed on small space whale adjacent prey animals. On another planet Shriekers, as the Dawnstar called them, horse-sized bipedal raptor-kin with an ear-splitting battle-call roamed the planet like ancient tales of horses on the Great Plains. Elsewhere Haragors, appearing to be selectively bred bear-elephants, were found to have hide so tough as to be largely immune to energy weapons. At last one one system near the center of the sector has a great ancient monument broadcasting the great and terrible wonders of “Ibx” who created the species now inhabiting this sector of space. While the Dawnstar Dominion had no idea who or what Ibx was the species left behind were certainly of interest given the growing propensity for war beast use in stellar combat. (DSD Expeditions X8 which contains a [Good] resource of [Terrors of Ibx] & an Open LC!)
Dawnstar scanners pick up signs of a megastar that once was, but is no more. It's heat and light long since dead, in some ancient supernova. What is left in the sector is dust and free floating asteroids, and not much else. Except for the minor amount to power to ship engines, no local pull of gravity keeps the place tethered; the only lights are the distant stars that mourn their once sibling's long ago passing. (DSD Expeditions X10 and discovers an Empty Region!)
New to the game of galactic exploration, scions of the first tree journey far into the unknown. What they find is an incredibly advanced society that spends most of it time within a virtual paradise. Explorers in depth reports indicate that near 80% of the society is within this virtual world at any given point, while the remaining 20% tend to their fellows bodies held in stasis while “plugged in” using comfy liquid crystal blankets. (TFT Inquests L30 which contains a [Minor] resource of [Liquid Crystal Blankets] & an Open LC!)
Disciples of the first tree have reached a series of habitable planetoids surrounding a red dwarf. Each of these planets are coated with a variety of violet plants. One in particular plant, venerated by the grey alien natives, is a variety of violet mustard with reported prophetic properties. For centuries greys from across the sector have made pilgrimages to this system in a vain attempt to divine the futures of their secular affairs. (TFT Inquests K31 which contains a [Good] resource of [Violet Mustard], an Open LC, and 2 Units of Grey Pilgrims!)
After a trying voyage probes sent by the first tree find a desert world home to a once thriving sublight civilization. After months of investigating the desert sand, braving giant beasts and glass rain, the survey probes find a vault filled with records. While most are fairly benign, others describe what can only be described as dark rituals describing the sacrifice of hundreds of millions. The datakeeping and recording software are as incredibly advanced as the details stored within are horrifying. (TFT Probes J28 which contains a [Minor] resource of [Sublight Tablets] & an Open LC!)
The original home system of the Melfynians is gone. Just… gone. The new “main” solar system is the next closest one, and what remains of the Melfynians have been working hard to move themselves and what chunks of Melfynians Alloys debris remain to their new home. TP#3 is gone.] Unified public trust vessels come across what appears to be the system containing the former Melfyian capital. Unfortunately its seems all that remains of the Melfyian solar system is a debris field surrounding a brown dwarf, drifting lazily through the cosmos. The few Melfyians remaining have scattered to nearby systems, periodically returning to scavenge alloy’s in the hope that their home will one day reappear. (UPT Probes H30 which contains a [Minor] resource of [Melfynian Alloys] & an Open LC!)
After months of effort Union diplomats find a strange spheroid orbiting a red giant. Further inspection reveals, the sphere to be a massive space station built to be the greatest paperwork processing center in all Axiom. Rumour has it that this station has more than 5 bureaucrats per square meter. Of course not all is fair in paradise, the local spell checker society has been under siege from a splinter group derisively called the grammar nazis. Tensions regarding the Oxford Comma threaten to boil into an all out war between the influential copy editors. (UNN Inquests U3 which contains a [Good] resource of [Spell Checkers], an Open LC, and 3 Units of Grammarists!)
Alyssian explorers tepidly explore the former capital of the Kamasati pantheon. As they get closer to their former rivals, Alyssian scout ships occasionally come across the corpses of these so called gods. Autospies of all of them reveal a myriad of red tumors pulsating with a sickly green arcs. Any telepaths aboard develop the very same red tumors within days and claim to speak for the Awoken. Hours after the tumours manifest, the affected psychic suffers bouts prolonged agony, seizures, blinding rage and psionic power incontinence until they their consciousness fades becoming merely enraged shells of psionic power. Named psionic rabies by the Alyssians, an inspection of the former capital reveals this disease has critically endangered the gods. Unfortunately scholars have yet to confirm how the malady spreads. (EAA Inquests N6 which contains a [Good] resource of [Ascendant Seeds], a Spiral Dancer LC, and 4 Units of Awoken Mad Gods!)
Members of the Alyssian Assembly journey into the unknown and find the unexpected. What sensors had indicated at first to be a planet populated by an apparently peaceful sublight civilization was in fact a planet inhabited by a warrior race known as the Thraxians. Half machine half catfish creatures who lived in the underground rivers and lakes of their homeworld the Thraxians were one of two races inhabiting this notable nearby world. The Thraxians spit acid to destroy and reshape matter to their whims, to the point of melting the cities of their enemies with Thraxian digestive fluid, in order to contort it into a monument or their dark gods. The Thraxians appear to have spread throughout this sector of space quite widely in spite of their lack of GLD and the planet they were originally detected on was but one of their more recent conquests whose native species were still treated as vassals and had not been melted down in service to the dark gods. (EAA Inquests N8 which contains a [Great] resource of [Thraxian Digestive Fluid], an Open LC, and 5 Units of Thraxian Warriors!)
Information leaks about the following regions…
(SVA Surveys K19 which contains a [Good] resource of [Drug Category], an Open LC, and 3 Units of Same Drones led by Same v0.23 (Mil 8)! SVA previously gained 1 Reputation with CPC!)
Spoiler: Failed Explorations
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NDA Recons E23 with 4 units
TFT Inquests J28
TFT Surveys J28
Spoiler: Updated Maps
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Round Twelve: Begin!
Galactic Dates 2175022.0.0.81 - 217524.0.0.80
Re: [Empire 5] IC Thread
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