Gmm1

Time flows… Not unlike a river. And the shines radiant and stalwart in the heavens, like the Grand Chapel does in the heart of Masharas.
A beautiful once-church, the Grand Chapel stands before you all, it's base structure already a work of art, designed to bring a certain sense of awe that makes you also not just wonder at it's beauty, but be proud of those who built it. And it has been expanded, sitting atop it like a great crown are it's expanded structures, using bonded-ragnite to fit as if it were part of the original project the taller towers and wider rooms house the governing structure of the country
Today you have been invited, though fire and brimstone (in a few cases a bit too literally) to meet up with none other than Pope Aldiva and the Divine Oracle Cor Caroli. And you first meet yourselves in the great courtyard, beautiful flowers line the planters, the building around you seems to want to embrace you with it's presence
Serenity‘ is the first person there. She’s already looking annoyed and agitated before anyone else shows up, having resumably been sitting on one of the benches for some time.
You still see some people milling about, but they seem to be doing a good job of not intefering with you and most seem mostly busy either way. The great doorway into the inner chambers awaits hopefully for your reunion
Amal is also on the early side, and gives Serenity a friendly wave. They're sort of leaning against one of the big planters and keep smelling the flowers every now and then to pass the time.
Serenity‘ stares at Amal for a second, then throws the invintation in her direction.
Amal catches it out of the air, reads it, and then tosses it back. "Nice to meet you!"
Serenity: "I disagree."
Serenity: "Is this your stupid game or someone elses?"
Amal: "Ain’t mine."
Serenity: "You sort of look the type."
Harriet rocks up with her force gear and a few other inventions strapped onto her person, goggles pushed up onto her singed short hair. In one hand, she holds her invitation.
Serenity: "Don't suppose you got a time when she was supposed to show up?"
Amal: "I've got one of those, too… somewhere. It sounds like we're going to be working together?"
Serenity: "…Not her, obviously."
Amal turns, and waves to Harriet, then rummages around for their invitation. Did it have a time on it?
JayM: Yes, actually. About fifteen minutes from now, roughly
Amal: "Something like fifteen minutes, at least according to mine." Shoulda looked while they were holding Serenity's invitation, dangit!
Harriet: "Hey, hey, I'm here to meet some religious guys." Harriet waves.
Harriet: "Don't ask me why it's been a long and crazy day."
Serenity: "Great."
Harriet: "So, like, did she call an entire party here…?"
Serenity: "Apparently."
Hughbert arrives, moments before he'd be considered merely "on-time" , with a book under his arm, expecting to do some reading- but is surprised to see some others are here. Seeing the invitations being passed around, he shows off his. "I take it you three are scheduled for the same audience?"
Amal: "Yup!"
Serenity: "Forgot the air qoutes."
Anton seems to be in a hurry as he quickly glides into the courtyard. He swerves into a fluid half circle before attempting to sit down on the bench in the coolest way possible so he could smile and nod to everyone as he proclaimed "I'm here, I'm here!" That's how it all went in his head at least. In practice he just tripped over the bench halfway through his sentence and is currently crumpled up on the grass. "Owwwwwwww."
Anton: "Owwwwwwww."
Amal: "!"
Harriet: "Ahaha damn. You okay?"
Amal: "A- are you okay?"
Serenity: "…"
JayM: The poor bench, it will be dented for days
Amal rushes over, offers a hand up, at the very least!
Anton takes the hand before giving a dorky looking smile. "Ah, thanks. Amal, right?"
Hughbert stares.
Hughbert: "If you had started your descent about a fifth of a second later, you would have made it, you know."
Amal: "Yup! You're Anton, right?"
Amal half-turns to Hughbert, ready to be all like 'aw cmon cut him a break' but kind of impressed despite themself that he had the timing down that pat. (Or that he's a tremendously good liar. One of those is true! Either way, rad.)
Anton blinks before scratching his head at Hughbert. "Ah. Is that right?" He nods to Amal. "Oh man. I didn't think I was THIS well known yet. In the flesh!"
[OOC] JayM: Feel free to head on ahead whensoever you feel like, btw)
Harriet: "Anton, Amal… well, I'm Harriet," Harriet introduces herself, waving a hand, since they're totally introducing themselves right now right?
Amal: "Nice to meet you! Anyways, it's… the time mentioned on the invitations, so I guess we should just head on in?" And they proceed to do just that, opening the door and holding it open for everyone else.
Anton starts to whistle as he follows after Amal. Hopefully she didn't fall asleep again.
Hughbert: "Are any others arriving…? If not, I see no reason to delay introductions further." He looks around for any other human projectiles, and seeing none, strikes the salute of the Maharasian army. He holds a closed hand over his chest, on top of his heart. "Lieutenant Hughbert Marcel, I and R corps 2nd platoon."
Hughbert: He hesitates to relax from the salute for a moment. "…none of you hold any rank?"
Anton: "Woah. Someone from the army joined this?" He seems genuinely surprised.
Serenity‘ slowly turns her head towards Amal and then door, then groans before mumbling something under her breath. "(Why didn’t you tell be it unlocked at some point after I got here?)" Before pushing off from the bench, grabbing the rifle that was by it, and stalking in through the door.
Anton: "I'm a man of the cloth, if you want to get technical." He grins again. "I do jobs for the townspeople that come in to the church."
The great doorways are surprisingly easy to open, as if they had no weight of their own. You enter a great hallway, beautiful statues of previous popes line the hall, though the last ten have elicited to not have their statues built and placed here. The hallway leads to many different places, there are signs at each side hallway displaying where they lead, mostly different sectors of the government (please don't go there)
Hughbert drops the salute to walk in, sighing a little. "Not what I'd expected…"
Amal: "What surprises me is that we weren't -all- chosen from the army, but I'm sure there was a reason we were all chosen for this." They lead the way down the hallway like they've been here before.
Harriet: "I'm a brilliant inventor," Harriet mentions, casually, and heads inside.
Serenity‘ glances from side to side as she makes her way down, before shouting. "You here, hag?"
Anton: "Hag… oh. You mean Cor! You probably want to shout louder she’s almost certainly sleeping again."
A priest who looks young despite his towering features beyond the second meter taps Serenity's shoulder as she yells, and simply points you to the final doors leading to the audience chamber… They're made of polished rock, but common rock either way. Those here too open with ease
Anton smiles at Serenity but given the looks of the staff at the first shout you probably shouldn't do that.
Hughbert: "I lead a few who could claim the same." He looks over to Anton, "You aren't talking about our host… are you?"
Anton: "The one and only!"
Serenity‘ glances backover her shoulder at one priest, then the other, before nodding and shoving the last sort of doors open. "Hag!"
Harriet rubs at her neck and follows Serenity in with a hapless shrug.
Amal frowns at Serenity but doesn’t really say anything. What kind of weird person actually addresses people they've hardly met as 'hag', anyways?
Anton: "I don't know what you deal with in the army but being the divine oracle isn't an easy job. She tends to fall asleep randomly."
And beyond those, you'd think something like a throne room would be, but it's a wide open room, despite the beautiful lights shining through the colorful windows it is devoid of decorations and seems to have no place to seat. Standing at it's center is a woman of most regal stance, a gentle smile of amusement on her lips and clear purple signs of work under her eyes. Her hair long to her waist and color of the common folk. The Pope, Aldiva
Anton scratches at his head. "There's only one of them after all. Don't really get 'time off'."
Serenity: "Don't… think you're the one I'm lookin' for."
Standing beside her is a woman wearing a most unusual outfit, mix of old priestly robes and recent-trend suit, with a long cloak in which star patterns are drawn and a silk scarf is coiled around her right arm. The Divine Oracle, Cor Caroli
Serenity: "You though."
Pope Aldiva: "Welcome, young heroes"
Hughbert opens his mouth to retort, but thinks better of it, almost reflexively saluting once at the appropriate regulation Audience Distance from the Pope. "Ma'am, it's an honor."
Serenity‘ shifts her focus over to Cor, readjusting the rifle slung her shoulder. "Where’s Exceter?"
Cor Caroli looks at Serenity, the stick dances from one side of the other of her mouth "As excitable as predicted" she chuckles at Serenity
Amal does a formal (but foreign - Rissani) bow, then looks between the Oracle and Anton really briefly before focusing on the Pope's words.
Harriet curtsies. She's not very good at it.
Serenity: "Hours later I'm still kind of pissed, yeah."
Cor Caroli: "Worry not about your friend, he is well. And will be for a good while yet."
Anton gave a simple nod to the pope and Cor but not much else.
Cor Caroli: "I want, however, first to formally congratulate you on the feats of the day… There is, after all, a reason I called you all here today. This country is in need of exceptional individuals, it faces threats beyond the ken of normal men, and you are those individuals"
Serenity‘ purses her lips together, before sighing.
Cor Caroli: "Those who hold the power to defy fate itself, my new Fatebreakers"
Harriet: "Fatebreakers, huh…?" Harriet rolls her shoulders. "I don’t know about that, but if you've got a problem, I'll find you a solution."
The Pope steps a little bit closer and whispers something in Cor Caroli's ear, who nods
Amal is quiet but looks the tiniest, tiniest bit impatient, mostly focusing on their new associates' reactions to the Oracle.
Cor Caroli: "Well, enough of this formal introduction, let us move from the chamber of rites into a meeting room, I am certain you have questions… But there are certain traditions that simply must be followed"
Serenity‘ looks a little more calm than she did before, at least. Well. More calm than a minute ago anyway.
Harriet: "Okay, like, I did not prepare for traditions. Do we have to do anything?"
Serenity: "Oh yeah, ’cause we live in a country so big on tradition we up and fucking forgot it all."
Hughbert glares at Serenity and mumbles something about respect for just a moment- then returns his full focus to the pope, still saluting.
Amal: "It's a ritual and must be observed! I get it." They follow the Oracle. "I think she just meant the formal introduction, really. You should be good now."
Cor Caroli points to a side door, and the Pope heads in first. It really is a short walk, it's just the next room over but the Pope excuses herself before you reach there. Once in the room there is a large table, and there seems to be some form of contraption built underneath it as the table has a central window of glass in it, but you cannot quite grasp what it is. For now, there is tea, a traditional herbal bland to calm yourselves. She offers for you to seat and takes herself a seat at the head of the table
There is also a small pot of lollipops at the center of the table
Cor Caroli: "Amal's right, the formal introduction. Clearly this was a very chaotic recruitment that happened, and this was quite sudden in fact"
Cor Caroli: "So before bigger discussions, why not field your worries and questions first?"
Anton helps himself to a lollipop before falling back into the chair.
Harriet strolls on in, takes a seat and lays her force gear over her lap because it's annoying hanging off the side there.
Serenity‘ stares at the table for a moment, before going and staring out the window. "Why didn’t you save Exceter?"
Serenity: "He needed help."
Amal sneaks a glance at Anton between pouring themself some tea and sort of… letting Serenity field this one, since it seems like she's really upset!
Cor Caroli: "Actions have outcomes that branch far into the future, Serenity. He didn't need saving, not yet anyway. In particular his failure to deliver the Boxer prototype force gear would have ended up very… Badly for his grandparents back in Orsis"
Anton glances back at Amal before waggling his eyebrows.
Serenity: "…Fine." She takes a deep breath, seems content to leave it at that for now.
Hughbert grabs a seat close to the Pope and sits down, taking in the aroma of the tea- he passes on the candy. "Great Oracle, I know details on why we were chosen are sparse and mean no disrespect by asking, but if you could divulge any insight as to why…" He gestures to the party, "it had to be us?"
Cor Caroli: "Hrm…"
Amal definitely doesn't blush, even a little bit! (this is a lie.) They were going to ask Cor Caroli or Serenity what exactly happened, but, it seems like a sore spot so maybe it's better not to ask right away.
Cor Caroli: "The details are the exact opposite of sparse, in fact they are many and abundant. But in simpler form, you have a very peculiar power. The power to defy fate, to act beyond the constraints of destiny. Plus, it may not look like it, but you all have a great amount of potential and for what I intend you to do great potential is more important the current capacity"
Cor Caroli: "As in chess one must think three moves ahead… For me, often I must think three generations ahead. And the farther in the distance your aim is, the greater effect the slightest change can have"
Cor Caroli crosses her arms and closes her eyes for a moment "In truth, I will not reveal everything to you just yet. It is quite imperative still that you do not learn it all until your first few… 'training' assingments are complete"
Cor Caroli: "But I cannot withold the truth from you either, as that would lead to nowhere"
Serenity‘ turns around, seemingly finally looking the entire party over, at Cor, then at Hughbert. "Two brains, a stooge, a suit and whatever shortstuff is."
Hughbert scribbles something rapidly in his notebook, shooting a glance between the oracle and the lollipops- "So, there must be more to you than first impressions give," he muses to the party. "I look forward to seeing what stuff you’re really made of."
Serenity: "Don't envy your job."
Hughbert is completely stonefaced in Serenity's direction. "I shall do my best to withhold judgment until then."
Anton: "I do hope I'm the stooge. If someone were to refer to me as a suit my delicate glass heart may shatter." He laughs.
Amal can't help chuckling a little bit. "She -is- an Oracle, remember! Anyways, I'm good at keeping people alive."
Serenity: "…No, the guy wearing the military uniform is obviously the - you know, nevermind."
Cor Caroli: "(If they were to refer to you as a suit i'd have to suggest they have their eyes checked…)"
Anton smirks at Serenity.
Harriet: "I don't know anything about fate. I just want to make cool things. So long as destiny wants me to do that, I'm totally cool wiht it."
Cor Caroli: "At any rate… Let me explain how this will work. You're a unit working independently from our armed forces. For what's worth the Major gave me her blessings and some instruction how to properly lead a special forces unit. You answer directly to me and nobody else."
Serenity: "Wait, wait."
Serenity: "Back up."
Cor Caroli: "Certainly"
Serenity: "Thought this was a country pretending to have some degree of, you know, freedom? I didn't realize we were under any obligation to be constribpted into being some kind of kill squad for the Oracle?"
Cor Caroli: "You're not a kill squad to be honest, with the Goddess' blessing that would be the thing you do the least, and you are in fact free to refuse"
Serenity: "'Kay."
Hughbert: "So my platoon is effectively removed from the chain of command, and we answer to no orders but yours. Is that right?"
Cor Caroli: "Roughly so, Hughbert. You will have quite a bit of freedom once the training assignments are done"
Serenity‘ slides the rifle off her shoulder, then moves to sit in the windowsil she’s standing next to while mumbling udner her breath. "(What're you so happy about anyway…?)"
Cor Caroli: "I will have three assignments for training before I share with you the truth of your function, and set you off on your path"
Amal raises their eyebrows briefly and sips at their tea. Siiiip. "What assignments are those?"
Cor Caroli: "To be honest you're going to be very aggravated at me with those assignments. But I urge you use both your minds and your faith in dealing with those"
Cor Caroli: "The first… I will need you to gather glowmoss for me. A type of moss that grows in dark and damp environments, I even have a good place to start searching"
Anton chuckles. "You didn't shove my work backlog on them did you, Cor?"
Cor Caroli: "On the other hand, that is all the information I will about the assignment for now"
Hughbert nods and mumbles something about having a certain captain off his back, downing his complaints with a hot drink. "Understood, Great Oracle."
Cor Caroli: "You're still on your own for that Anton"
Cor Caroli: "Don't pick anything new please you're not going to complete those in time at all"
Cor Caroli pulls out a drawing from a… Drawer. And puts it at the cente rof the table. It's actually a map of the area surrounding the Grand Chapel, there is a highlight on a… Manhole, into the older sewers. At least the old sewers have been decomissioned as sewers and just work as rainwater drains now
Amal nods like they Get It, whatever It is in this context.
Serenity: "That looks suspiciously like more information."
She shrugs, but says nothing else
Amal: "It's the 'good place to start searching'!"
Anton: "No worries, Serenity. You can have a longer sewer adventure another time, I promise."
Hughbert looks closer- "Not far. Are we to deploy immediately?"
Cor Caroli: "as soon as it strikes your fancy"
Harriet: "Oh, geez. The sewers…? Can't you get, like, a janitor to take care of this shit?"
She smiles at Harriet
Anton: "Oh, man? Really? I'm going to go finish this request then." He gets up to leave.
Serenity‘ leans backwards, staring up at the sky for a good minute before sitting back up and turning to Cor. "If I play along I get to use these idiots to save Exceter, right?"
Amal: "Aw, they’re not sewers any more- hey Anton wait! We should do this right now while we're all together, shouldn't we?"
Cor Caroli slowly puts a single finger in her forehead in annoyance in response to Anton, but nods at Serenity "I'll say yes"
Serenity: "'Kay."
Harriet: "Idiots?" Harriet laughs.
Harriet: "Oh, geez, you don't even know."
Serenity‘ hopes down, sweeping her rifle up and onto her shoulder as she moves after Anton.
Cor Caroli: "I’d wish you luck, but that doesn't exists. Sentiment still there, though." she says as you all leave
Harriet: "Yeah, yeah, I'll get you your moss I guess," Harriet shrugs as she picks herself up and leaves. "Rather be working though."
Amal actually cracks a smile and finishes the last of their tea, setting the teacup gently down on the table, and heading out the door.
Serenity: "This is work. Busy work. Surprised you're not used to it. They usually make the younger people do all the boring shit."
The way out of the Grand Chapel is just as it was on the way in. The air is a gentle breeze, making the flowers dance
Hughbert scribbles notes- "So three of these requests before things escalate further… And someone can't keep quiet about this Exceter fellow." He shuts his book to salute before leaving with the group.
Serenity: "You'll forgive me for being a bitch about one of my friends getting kidnapped by Orsis sepecial ops."
Following the map, which is incredibly well drawn, you head down a hardly used street, tiny, tiny little flowers of many colors growing in the spaces between stones in the pavement. The alley could be dark and foreboding, but there are no dark alleys in the city because that would be unsafe, it's still a bit badly cared for as it is just used as the service way for a few shops
Amal: "…oh, shit. That sounds serious. No wonder you were upset." They frown deeply, but don't seem to be bothered in particular by the state of the alley or anything like that.
Anton makes his way to the manhole cover before nodding. "No doubt this is the place. I'm quite looking forward to it!"
There is a single manhole at the end of it, there's just the slightest bit of glowmoss at the edges of the hole but what little traffic happens here has squashed it into nothing useful
JayM: Manhole's even open partway already
Hughbert: "I apologize if I sounded insensitive, it's just that I'm not fond of being entangled in others' personal missions without knowing what's at stake. When we're done here, would you tell us the story?"
Harriet: "Oh, geez, kidnapped? … yeah, okay, I'll help. Even though you incorrectly assessed me as an idiot."
Serenity‘ makes a shrugging motion towards Amal. "Sure, that’s fair."
Amal: "Well, that's a good sign." Pause. "Everyone, keep your eyes open, okay?" They'll scramble down the manhole first.
Anton hops down after Amal. "Last time I was down here I was by myself and man let me tell you, rummaging around down here in the dark for a few hours is boooooring. Everything is more fun with others!"
Serenity‘ then glances at Harriet. "Counted you as the other brain, for what it’s worth."
Down the manhole, every couple hundred meters there's a small ragnite light. Some of them have ran out of battery already
Serenity: "Also uh."
Harriet nods at Serenity. "Good enough." And down she goes.
Serenity: "Keep an eye out for…" She seems to look at something in the sky that isn't quite there, "Poison or something in the water. I think they had it sealed off, but."
Your feet hit the floor with a splash, despite lack of recent rain there's still a good deal of water flowing in the main waterway, even the raised walkway you're in gets quite wet. The air itself is damp. You don't find anything right here at the start, though, and the sewer goes ahead quite a while
Amal holds their staff up and it starts bubbling and glowing a little. Between that and the ragnite lights, they should be okay? They nod to Serenity without asking questions. "Got it!"
Serenity‘ then jumps down through the hole.
Harriet: "Poison in the water? Ugh, yeah, I guess it was a sewer. This is so gross, oh well."
Serenity: "No, I mean. Lethal stuff deliberately placed there."
Hughbert activates his force gear upon stepping off the ladder, just keeping it in standby. The only sign it’s on is that his shoes are oddly dry.
Serenity: "Not just shit."
Anton: "Was it for the monsters down here?"
Serenity: "No it was to cause chaos in the city."
Serenity: "But like I said, I think they sealed it off."
You notice a that, at apoint where one of the lights has gone out, there is more light than should be. It's a tiny bit of glowmoss but just a hint. Further ahead the tunnel spreads into a cross intersection
Serenity: "So we should -" She glances off in the distance at some specific point. "- be okay."
At the intersection, it's a bit of a mess as water rushes from three directions off into a larger collection way, it's noisy
Amal: "Huh, that sounds pretty serious. Nobody… unseal anything, okay?" They seem distracted for a second or two.
Harriet: "Uh… yeah, sure thing. So how do you know this place was poisoned, anyway?"
Amal then points in one of the directions and leads the way. "I have a good feeling about this."
Serenity: "Accidently unravelled some kind of plot to bring the city to its knees this morning."
JayM: That sure sounds like a direction
Hughbert: "Wait. Anton, do you have a clue? You're familiar with here."
The direction Amal pointed out, it seems like a few more lights have gone out
Serenity‘ scraps up the tiny bit of glowmoss as they pass by, puts it in a jar.
Serenity: "Y’know she didn't exactly say she needed a specific amount."
Anton: "Yup. Was down here to find a lost cat earlier this month. That bugger gave me more than enough scratches. When it comes to this city I know every nook and cranny!"
Harriet: "Oh, uh… yeah." Harriet scratches at the back of her head. That's… probably what her buddy was wrapped up in… yeah, maybe not bring that up.
Harriet: "I'll rely on you for directions, then. I know my workshop, not really interested in much outside of that."
Serenity: "So do we… really need more than this?"
Serenity: "The answer is probably 'yes', but." She shrugs.
Anton: "We may as well keep walking until the next exit at least."
Serenity: "Alright."
Hughbert picks up something barely visible against the lack of light on the floor. "Hm, how odd…"
Amal: "I know my way around down here, too! And, yeah, I think you need, like, at least a jarfull to actually do anything with…
Hughbert: "Could something lying here stay dry?" Exception for his shoes, of course, he muses while examining a scrap of cloth while trailing behind Anton.
You head further ahead, slowly not to slip. The further down you head the more the lights have ran out, maybe maitenance has been slacking here after all, what a pity. Here and there there are scraps of glowmoss, they've been getting more dense the more the lights have gone out
The water's been getting less noisy down this way, and you can hear the echo of your own footsteps
Harriet: "It's theoretically possible," Harriet muses to Hughbert, "but you'd need to put some effort into it. I could make something to keep it dry…"
Amal: "I… doubt it. Everything's a little damp." They help collect the glowmoss as they go along, but, mostly lighting and leading the way.
JayM: Something's off
JayM: There's more echoes than footsteps
Serenity‘ scraps off the small bits of glowmoss as they go, sighing.
Hughbert: "Just found something that’d seem to indicate the effort has been made. Wonder if we might run into another patron of these sewers."
Serenity: "Well."
Serenity: "I was in the mood to blow someone up anyway."
Amal looks really stern and their staff glows a little bit brighter.
Farther ahead… You hear some murmurious noise… Voices?
Serenity: "'Tee hee, go pick moss', she said with a grin. 'You may wind up hatting me though! Giggle'!" Serenity's voice does its best ot mimick Cor's.
Serenity: "Any of you do CQC?"
Voice 1: "She must think those guys are idiots have you seen the things in here?"
Harriet: "What on earth is a CQC?"
Anton: "I seem to have fallen out of touch with my peers… I was under the impression young girls didn't want to become old but here we are following in the footsteps of our beloved hag~."
Voice 2: "They reallu must be look at this, gathering glowmoss? What do you even do with that shit?"
Serenity: "An abbreviation for close -" She stares at Anton, "quarter's combat."
Voice 3: "Doesn't it grows anywhere?"
Amal only manages to not giggle because they don't want to make noises that'd give away their position.
Voice 1: "Just about everywhere dark I mean look there is some… right…"
Voice 2: "What?"
Voice 1: "Right here… There is some right here, shit!"
Voice 3: "What're you freaking out about?"
Harriet: "Oh, no way. I'm a genius, not a soldier."
Voice 1: "She can see the future! Crap, fuck, this isn't gathering- Everyone get get moving, moving now, we need to get out of here"
Anton gives a playful wink to Serenity. He isn't focusing on the voices at all.
Amal: "(Up here! Quick!)" They scramble forward, dimming their staff completely.
Harriet shrugs and follows Amal.
Serenity: "Was… mostly a question for the suit and this idiot, yeah." She gestures with a thumb towards Anton, while powering on her force gear.
Amal goes "!" and tugs Harriet to one side and holds their staff out in front of them defensively!
A powerful sound of a gun- Amal is thrown into the ground and skids on the floor, somehow the bullet his directly against his staff, it's unbroken but it sparks
Hughbert kicks their force gear up a bit- some of the water, moving alongside Hughbert, seems a bit… Dense. He moves up front, quietly muttering "Part of the standard training" as he passes Serenity.
Amal: "(Crap!)"
Above you, what Harriet can recognize and an anti-personnel sniper rifle has been rigged to fire on proximity
Serenity: "Alright. Well."
Voice 1: "THEY'RE HERE! Move!"
Serenity: "You see a weird ass looking mote of light and/or nothing?"
Harriet: "Ghk-" Harriet gets tugged, and yelps in alarm: "Oi! Proximity trap!"
Serenity: "Don't be there in the next ten seconds."
Out of the darkness ahead, five people emerge wearing deep black outfits and combat boots. One of them has a sniper rifle in his hands, one a staff and threeo f them are wielding rifles. The sniper points at your direction "There!"
Sniper: "Silence them and let's get the hell out of here"
Anton: "We were actually sent down here to take care of these guys by the way. Cor never actually tells us what we're doing."
Serenity: "Oh,"
JayM: Battle order: Harriet [B]:0 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:0 Serenity [B]:1 Amal [B]:2 Staff Infiltrator [B]:2 Anton [B]:3 Hughbert [F]:4 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:5 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:7 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:9
JayM: Status for Staff Infiltrator [B]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator C [F]: : [==========]
JayM: HArriet, you're quick
Serenity: "Well gee,"
Serenity: "I don't think we'd worked that out yet but thanks for the update."
Amal growls! "You guys should just give up now. We caught you at whatever you were planning and if you come with us without a fight we'll be lenient!"
Serenity: "You shit heads from Orsis?"
Harriet: "All right," Harriet grabs her gigantic gun of a force gear, the chambers spinning up. Lightning starts to catch inside it… [Jolt, CT5]
Hughbert: "Those guns are Akaviri models. Interpret that how you will," he informs Serenity.
Harriet: "I've been meaning to test this in live fire!"
JayM: Charging spells!!
Serenity: "Not going to be nearly as satisfying then but I'll take what I can get."
The Sniper pulls a lever on his sniper rifle and the ragnite tubes in it start flowing faster and faster [Drive Charge]
JayM: Sniper Infiltrator gains Bullet Drive(U), +100% ranged damage, dissipates on hit
Amal: "Relevant point: the Akaviri were seekritly planning a failed op on the city as some kind of dumb internal power struggle."
Serenity: "Oh, I guess I probably hate them as much then, chased are low two entirely unrelated ones were going down at once."
Serenity: "Thanks shortstack."
Amal gives Serenity a thumbs up.
Serenity‘ sounded genuine for perhaps the first time, there.
JayM: Serenity!
[OOC] Serenity: updated init for my own curiosity
JayM: Battle order: Serenity [B]:0 Amal [B]:1 Staff Infiltrator [B]:1 Anton [B]:2 Hughbert [F]:3 Harriet [B]:4 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:4 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:6 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:8 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:59
Serenity: "Tch."
Serenity` hoists her rifle up, seems to kinda sorta take aim, then pulls the trigger. Nothing obvious happens. [50D]
[OOC] Serenity: Sniper Beam in 40D
JayM: Amal!
Amal takes a deep breath, and their staff glows a bit brighter. [CT 10 Chorus]
The Staff Infiltrator slams his staff on the ground to start it up and points at Serenity with it [Force Disruption, CT10]
JayM: Anton!
Anton pulls a crossbow out of his holster before his boots begin to rev up. He takes three steps back and each step taken a duplicate of himself is left behind. The three Antons take up the front row. [Shadow Army - 70D | 20/30/40]
Serenity: "Ugh gross you train under her don’t you?"
JayM: Battle order: Hughbert [F]:0 Harriet [B]:1 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:1 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:3 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:5 Amal [B]:8 Staff Infiltrator [B]:8 S-Anton A [F]:19 S-Anton B [F]:29 Sniper Beam:37 S-Anton C [F]:39 Serenity [B]:47 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:56 Anton [B]:69
JayM: Status for Staff Infiltrator [B]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [==========] Bullet Drive(U)
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator C [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Hughbert!
Amal grins!
The infiltrators look at eachother in confusion for a moment, then look back at the party
Hughbert pulls his sleeve back to let the force gear bracer on his right arm ventilate a little better- Its blue glow starts to intensify as the flow of water in the nearby canal becomes stagnant… [Pressure Stream, CT15]
JayM: Harriet!
[OOC] Hughbert: nobody's hit anybody so I can't set up a pulse! I mean I could, but it'd be silly
[OOC] Harriet: rifle c acts right after her right
Anton smiles at Serenity.
JayM: Yes
Serenity‘ shakes her head.
Harriet aims her gigantic gun firmly aaat… "You look like you’re about to do something fun," she says to Rifle Infiltrator C. "Have a little extra pep!" And then the spinning chambers discharge, and lightning arcs towards him, as if flung by the force of the motion. [Jolt, 25D 60MP]
Harriet rolled 1d12+180 and got 6 ( Total: 186.0 ) for delay reduced to 0
JayM: Hilarious note is that he has 0 delay already
Harriet: THAT'S THE JOKE
[OOC] Hughbert: or was it ~increased to zero~
The Rifle Infiltrator weathers the blow like someone who took many of those in the past "Target acquired" he points his rifle at Harriet and fires his rifle! The bullet lands but a glancing blow but there's a wave of force behind it that pins her against the wall [Pinning Shot]
JayM rolled 1d100 and got 72 ( Total: 72 ) for 80
JayM rolled 1d12+126 and got 6 ( Total: 132 )

JayM: Dealing [132] and Pinned(3), CoS rolls against you are reduced by 20
JayM: (so everything has +20 CoS against you, you're easier to hit)
Rifle Infiltrator B pulls out a golden capsule instead of a bullet- It's a dart. He fires at Harriet and loads the second dart [Dualdart Stance]
JayM rolled 1d100 and got 9 ( Total: 9 ) for 100 CoS
Also rolled 1d12+126 and got 9 [Total: 135]

[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 144
JayM: Brutal, deals 135 damage
[OOC] Anton: Does bullet drive cancel when we hit them or when they hit us 'on hit' is ambigious.
JayM: When you hit them
[OOC] Anton: OK that's what I thought.
Rifle A finally simply fires at Harriet- Except before he can fire the other guy fires the dart at his back! And Rifle A moves with some unnatural speed for a moment and delivers a much more accurate shot [Assault Rifle]
JayM: Oh right
Math: (132*0.8) = 105.6
Math: (144*0.8) = 115.2
JayM: Those damages were supposed to be 105 and 115 because despite rifles still melee damage
JayM: I'm sorry
JayM: They're not very accurate in close combat
JayM rolled 1d100 and got 2 ( Total: 2 ) for 100 CoS
Also rolled 1d12+105,110 and got 4 [Total: 119.9]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 121.9
Harriet: "Ow ow ow oh my god I'm gonna kill that woman why would she want me to be in pain this is the worst???"
Rifle A also gets healed for 96
JayM: Battle order: Amal [B]:0 Staff Infiltrator [B]:0 Hughbert [F]:7 S-Anton A [F]:11 Harriet [B]:18 S-Anton B [F]:21 Sniper Beam:29 S-Anton C [F]:31 Serenity [B]:39 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:48 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:53 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:57 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:60 Anton [B]:61
JayM: Status for Staff Infiltrator [B]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [==========] Bullet Drive(U)
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator C [F]: : [======== ]
JayM: Amal!
Serenity: "'She who draws first blood shall suffer the most', as the saying goes."
Amal draws their hand away from their staff like they're doing a weird magic trick, pulling a rainbowy shimmer of light away from it, haloing their hand; they turn towards Sniper Infiltrator and release the light towards them, and it curves, strikes, and some light remains, clinging to the body! [Chorus D25 d12+99]
Amal rolled d12+99 and got 1 ( Total: 100 )
[OOC] Amal: Shining (4): next time they're struck by someone other than me it does +20% and condition ends, if I keep Chorusing it I can stack that bonus
JayM: And the sniper's hit- He loses control over his rifle's building power and deactivates it
Sniper: "IF you wanna play like that"
Amal: "Hang in there, okay?"
Hughbert: "A fine strategy, Amal."
The Staff Infiltrator fires from his staff a wave of static electricity- It washes over Serenity leaving her with Force Disruption(4), deals -30% Magical damage and -30% power on recovery and life effects
Serenity: "Too slow."
The Staff Infiltrator then flicks a switch on his staff [EX Charge]
JayM: Hughbert
Hughbert points to the blob of stagnant water to his side and traces a line in the air. A high-pressure stream of water shoots from the stagnation and mimics his line, passing directly through the space that Rifle Infiltrator C exists in. [Pressure Stream, 35D]
Hughbert rolled d10+150 and got 2 ( Total: 152 )
[OOC] Anton: What does EX Charge do or do we not know that?
JayM: Right, it's taking +50% damage and next Condition's numbers powers are doubled!
Amal: "-anyways, thanks! And now that I'm done concentrating on that… that's a really neat trick, Anton!"
JayM: Anton's Shadow A acts!
S-Anton A fires a bolt off at Rifle Infiltrator C.
Anton rolled 1d100 and got 95 ( Total: 95 ) for 80
JayM: Your shadows cannot aim
JayM: Harriet!
Anton awkwardly smiles at Amal after his first shadow fires a bolt so far away from the enemies it plinks on a nearby wall.
[OOC] Harriet: inits??
Serenity: "You know this is bugging me now but -"
Harriet: "There's always room to adjust the prototypes," Harriet shrugs.
JayM: Battle order: Harriet [B]:0 S-Anton B [F]:3 Amal [B]:7 Sniper Beam:11 S-Anton C [F]:13 Staff Infiltrator [B]:17 Serenity [B]:21 Hughbert [F]:24 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:30 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:35 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:39 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:42 Anton [B]:43 S-Anton A [F]:53
Serenity: "Why did her dopplegangers look like younger, half naked strippers, anyway? I notice yours look like you."
Anton: "Well, uh… basically when you're doing this you're calling images of you from the past. I just do myself since summoning someone even younger than me is bound to not be as effective."
Anton: "Rather summoning a younger version of myself."
Serenity: "I see."
[OOC] Amal: Harriet what's your HP?
Anton: "This differs from summoning an image that ISN'T you. Those are known as familiars."
Serenity: "What a live our Oracle had lead."
Harriet lets her gun hang down on her strap so she can pick up her calotype, aiming it at the Staff Infiltrator. "Hey! Smile!" She flicks a lever, and their image is etched onto ragnite-treated paper. [Scan, 30D]
[OOC] Harriet: HP:[380[[/span]/600, MP: 640/700, LP: 8/8, SoS: 150
[OOC] Hughbert: I got a pulse coming up soonish, but that's just 40ish up front + 64 a turn
JayM: A beautiful photo, from which much information can be surmised
JayM: Sniper Infiltrator [Sniper] - L4 Mook - HP: 2100/2200, MP: 9/9, LP: 7/7 - Armed with a powerful sniper rifle with an additional accelerator drive for anti-armor function, Snipers are as deadly as they are simple. [Target Painting - Sniper Rifle causes Locked On(U)]
[OOC] Amal: I know ~all about~ healing pulses. :D
[OOC] Harriet: ok, but i scanned the staff
JayM: Oh
JayM:
JayM: Have a freebie!
[OOC] Amal: bank error in our favour B)
JayM: Lemme fix
JayM: Staff Infiltrator [Geocorruptor] - L3 Mook - HP:1250/1250, MP: 5/6, LP: 4/4 - Akaviri soldier armed with a staff, they only fight when caught unaware, their function is preparing the battlefield with traps designed to make fights more akavir-style: Long and bloody. [Twinfire - Spells are T: Double]
JayM: Did I mention I forgot the passive ability on my own monster?
JayM: Thanks to you I remembered, though
JayM: Anton's Shadow B!
Anton has S-Anton B fire a bolt at Rifle Infiltrator C. The real Anton gives a thumbs up. "Good thinking. We can give the authorities their picture if they run away! Boy have camera's really advanced since I last looked at them, though…"
Anton rolled 1d100 and got 81 ( Total: 81 ) for 80
JayM: Your shadows are really bad at this job
[OOC] Anton: On the bright side they just have to go off for me to get the buff.
JayM: Amal!
Harriet: "So their spells are supposed to hit two people and they're all about traps, by the way. They're not very tough, though."
Amal: "…hang in there just a little longer, Harriet!" They start focusing again. [CT 10]
Serenity: "I…"
Serenity: "Did you put an aura reader in a camera?"
Harriet: "Well, yeah."
Serenity: Long pause.
Amal: "She kinda did say she was a genius."
JayM: Sniper… Beam!
Serenity: "…Okay that's kind of cool."
Amal: "Did you think she was kidding!?"
Serenity‘ exhales as her eyes drift between the targets, and then a blast of light ruptures through their ranks, centered on the Staff user.
Serenity` rolled d100 and got 67 ( Total: 67 )
Harriet grins. "It’s pretty fuckin' cool."
d12+180,150%: 2 [Total: 273.0]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 340.0
Hughbert: "I should show you the labs at my base some time, Harriet."
JayM: That was cool too
Harriet: "And hey, that was pretty cool, too."
Harriet: "Oh man yeah absolutely, I definitely wanna see that!"
JayM: Anton's Shadow C!
A third bolt at the sniper!
Anton rolled 1d100 and got 2 ( Total: 2 ) for 80
JayM: Now that is what I call ahit
Anton rolled 1d10*2+80*2 and got 7 ( Total: 174.0 ) for -1 LP
Anton shimmers as the last image fades. [+210 THP]
[OOC] Anton: [THP: 210] HP:[600[[/span]/600, MP: 500/550, LP: 6/7, SoS: 150
JayM: Also
Math: (87*2.2) = 191.4
JayM: It's 191 since it was the Chorus target too
[OOC] Anton: Err I meant rifle.
[OOC] Anton: The one I tried to hit twice.
JayM: Oh, right
JayM: Battle order: Amal [B]:0 Staff Infiltrator [B]:0 Serenity [B]:4 Hughbert [F]:7 Harriet [B]:13 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:13 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:18 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:22 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:25 Anton [B]:26
JayM: Status for Staff Infiltrator [B]: : [======== ]
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [==========] Chorus [+20%](U)
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator C [F]: : [==== ]
JayM: Amal!
Amal pulls another chunk of rainbow light out of the staff and hucks it at the Sniper! [Chorus D25]
JayM: More building damage!
Amal rolled d12+99 and got 8 ( Total: 107 ) for and another Shining stack
The Staff Infiltrator pulls out two flat, circular devices and attaches one of them to the tip of the staff, like it's charging in [Delayed Ragnaid Field, CT15]
JayM: Serenity!
Serenity‘ glances at Amal for a second, before shaking her head and taking another shot of nothing at nothing. [50D]
[OOC] Serenity: Sniper Beam 40D
JayM: Battle order: Hughbert [F]:0 Harriet [B]:6 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:6 Staff Infiltrator [B]:8 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:11 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:15 Amal [B]:18 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:18 Anton [B]:19 Sniper Beam:37 Serenity [B]:47
JayM: Hughbert!
Harriet feels her panic subside a little as Hughbert casts a Pulse on her with a wave of his hand- the rhythm of the battle comes naturally with an unusually clear mental image of ripples across a still pool of (clean) water. "Stay in formation and stay calm, I will make sure you get the grand tour of the lab soon enough." [Pulse, 50D]
Hughbert rolled 1d6+40 and got 5 ( Total: 45 )
JayM: Harriet now!
[OOC] Hughbert: heal that much now, then 64 after each action (4)
[OOC] Harriet: inits?
JayM: Battle order: Harriet [B]:0 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:0 Staff Infiltrator [B]:2 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:5 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:9 Amal [B]:12 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:12 Anton [B]:13 Sniper Beam:31 Serenity [B]:41 Hughbert [F]:44
Serenity` does a double take at Amal a second later, narrowing her eyes at him. "You, me, conversation after this shortstack."
Harriet: "Alright! I’ll show you calm!" Harriet barks, not sounding calm in the slightest as she picks up her gun again and the chambers spin up. [Jolt, CT5]
Amal: "I wasn't gonna say anything but now that you mentioned it." They grin a little.
Harriet: (Somewhere along the line, she's put her goggles down. Along with the grin, she truly fits the image of the mad scientist.)
The Sniper loads a different bullet, silver. He aims at Serenity "Forget that mage, this girl. Full focus" [Red Paint, CT10]
Serenity: "It's hard not to - wait what?"
The Sniper Infiltrator finishes charging both devices, and throws one at Serenity and one at Anton! They stick to their chests as they're both stuck with a DRF(3)
Anton pokes at the thing curiously.
JayM rolled 1d12+320 and got 7 ( Total: 327 )
JayM: When it ticks to zero heals all enemies for 327
Serenity: "Uh…"
JayM: HArriet?
[OOC] Anton: [THP: 210] HP:[600[[/span]/600, MP: 500/550, LP: 6/7, SoS: 150 - DRF[327] (3)
Serenity: 'WHAT? "
Harriet finishes spinning up her gun, and aims at her good friend Rifle Infiltrator C. "Let's go!" [Jolt, 25D 60MP]
Serenity: "How the fuck do you not know?!"
Harriet rolled d12+180 and got 10 ( Total: 190.0 )
Amal: "You okay…?"
Serenity‘ seems pretty distracted and doesn’t really seem to notice Amal said anything.
Rifle C pulls out the only grenade it had on it's belt and tosses it in the middle of everyone [Dual Purpose Bomb, CT50]
Serenity‘ then starts mumbling to herself.
Rifle Infiltrator A fires a [Pinning Shot] at Serenity
JayM rolled 1d100 and got 52 ( Total: 52 ) for 80
JayM rolled 1d12+126,80 and got 3 ( Total: 103.2 )
[OOC] Hughbert: hm
JayM: For [103] and Pinned(3)
Serenity: "and I mean - grah!"
Serenity: "DO YOU MIND!?"
[OOC] Hughbert: I should maybe
[OOC] Hughbert: guard assist that?
Serenity: "I’M BUSY!" Serenity flips the gunslinger a middle finger.
[OOC] Hughbert: if they've declared intent to focus fire her and I still have T.HP…
[OOC] Serenity: no real opinion at this point, not knowing what they can do so your call
JayM: Either way
[OOC] Hughbert: I'll save it for now
Sniper Infiltrator then fires a single bullet- It leaves a red trail behind it as it glances past Serenity. A direct hit would have been fatal from a rifle this caliber [Red Paint]
JayM rolled 1d100 and got 19 ( Total: 19 ) for 80
JayM rolled 1d12+195 and got 4 ( Total: 199 )
Serenity‘ shakes her head violently, and something weird happens as the air around her seems to skip and cackle, and then the bullet that was aimed at her slams into a wall, despite having just hit a second ago? [-3LP to dodge pinned]
JayM: Dealing [199] and Painted Red(1), take +50% damage
Serenity: "Shit -"
JayM: Battle order: Amal [B]:0 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:0 Anton [B]:1 Harriet [B]:18 Sniper Beam:19 Staff Infiltrator [B]:25 Serenity [B]:29 Hughbert [F]:32 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:43 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:53 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:57
JayM: Status for Staff Infiltrator [B]: : [======== ]
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [========= ] Chorus [+40%](U)
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator C [F]: : [== ]
JayM: Amal!
Amal focuses, but in a slightly different way this time; rainbow-coloured light starts shimmering around their staff. [Double Cure CT20]
Amal glances over at Serenity quickly in the middle of all of that and nods.
Harriet: "Holy Goddess shit what are we involved in?!"
Anton: "… just an average day at the church, really."
Serenity: "Are you telling me she’s -" very rapidly lowers her voice after catching herself.
Rifle Infiltrator B simply fires at Serenity [Assault Rifle]
JayM rolled 1d100 and got 33 ( Total: 33 ) for 80
JayM rolled 1d12+105,130 and got 5 ( Total: 143.0 )
JayM: For [143]
JayM: Anton!
Anton glances at Serenity before shaking his head. He doesn't seem to be doing anything. [Dopplegang - 60D]
[OOC] Amal: I have to AFK briefly someone please target my double cure for me, delay 35, d10+150 HP to two people
JayM: Status for Staff Infiltrator [B]: : [======== ]
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [========= ] Chorus [+40%](U)
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator C [F]: : [== ]
JayM: Battle order: Anton [B]:0 Harriet [B]:17 Sniper Beam:18 Amal [B]:19 Staff Infiltrator [B]:24 Serenity [B]:28 Hughbert [F]:31 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:42 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:52 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:56 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:59
JayM: This was weird
[OOC] Serenity: HP:[158[[/span]/500, MP: 540/600, LP: 6/9, SoS: 125 - -30% mag/recovery (3),DRF[327] (3),+50 Incoming (1)
Serenity: "Nngh."
Serenity: "That's REALLY FUCKING WEIRD though isn't it?"
Hughbert slides between Serenity and the infiltrator, as the unit attached to his force gear kicks in! It hums loudly as Hughbert intercepts the shot, his uniform catching part of the force. "Gh- Still working, though, good." [Physical Interference, blocking Rifle Infiltrator B's attack]
[OOC] Serenity: HP:[301[[/span]/500, MP: 540/600, LP: 6/9, SoS: 125 - -30% mag/recovery (3),DRF[327] (3),+50 Incoming (1)
JayM: She ate that hit
JayM: He did rather
JayM: Anyway
JayM: Battle order: Harriet [B]:0 Sniper Beam:1 Amal [B]:2 S-Anton A [F]:3 Staff Infiltrator [B]:7 Serenity [B]:11 S-Anton B [F]:13 Hughbert [F]:14 S-Anton C [F]:23 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:25 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:35 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:39 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:42 Anton [B]:43
JayM: Harriet! With inits
[OOC] Hughbert: HP: 650/650, T.HP: 9, Stored: 72, MP: 590/650, LP: 6/6, SoS: 162
[OOC] Anton: Also I don't actually have S-Antons out
JayM: ?? Oh my bad I misread something
JayM: Battle order: Harriet [B]:0 Sniper Beam:1 Amal [B]:2 Staff Infiltrator [B]:7 Serenity [B]:11 Hughbert [F]:14 Rifle Infiltrator C [F]:25 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:35 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:39 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:42 Anton [B]:43
JayM: Corrected
Serenity: "Huh."
Serenity: "Uh thanks I guess Mr. Uniform, remind me to be less rude to you if you're gunna eat bullets for me."
Harriet spins up her force gear again. [Jolt, CT5]
JayM: Sniper Beam! Serenity!
Another explosion of light rips through the Staff carrying soldier, this time a bit more violently.
Serenity‘ rolled d100 and got 58 ( Total: 58 )
d12+270,70%: 8 [Total: 194.6]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 252.6
JayM: That’s some damage
JayM: Amal!
Hughbert: "Don't overthink it. I merely acted on the most efficient tactic. The shot didn't even break my armor." Yet.
[OOC] Hughbert: -armor +uniform
Amal does whatever Amal's animation for Double Cure is and restores HP to Serenity and Harriet!
[OOC] Serenity: 35D
Serenity‘ rolled d10+150 and got 1 ( Total: 151 ) for recovery
JayM: Then Harriet!
Serenity: "I mean if you don’t remind me that's cool too."
Harriet: "Alright, time to roll the dice… let's see how deadly this weapon is!" Harriet aims her bigass gun at Rifle C, again, and shoots. [25D, 60MP]
JayM: One more shot, is that enough?!
Harriet rolled 1d12+180 and got 5 ( Total: 185.0 ) for delay reduced to 0, i really hope this kills him
JayM: So, so close
[OOC] JayM: 185
[OOC] Harriet: maybe someone should attack assist
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator C [F]: : [ ]
JayM: Look at that
JayM: But it's up
Anton scratches at his head before firing a bolt at Rifle Infiltrator C.
Anton rolled 1d100 and got 9 ( Total: 9 ) for 80
JayM: And it hits him! And he's down!
Anton rolled d12+140 and got 4 ( Total: 144.0 )
Harriet: "Not quite up to spec yet, huh? That's okay, there's always room for another iteration. Thanks, fella!"
JayM: Battle order: Staff Infiltrator [B]:0 Serenity [B]:4 Hughbert [F]:7 Harriet [B]:23 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:28 Amal [B]:30 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:32 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:35 Anton [B]:36
The Staff Infiltrator now pulls out a pair of cylindric devices, lading them as well [Ragnaid Dispersion Field, CT10]
JayM: Serenity!
Serenity‘ looks around the sewer a bit… shrugs, then quickly lifts her rifle up and pulls the trigger. [50D]
[OOC] Serenity: Sniper Beam 20D
JayM: Battle order: Hughbert [F]:0 Staff Infiltrator [B]:3 Harriet [B]:16 Sniper Beam:17 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:21 Amal [B]:23 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:25 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:28 Anton [B]:29 Serenity [B]:47
JayM: Hughbert!
JayM: Btw the grenade on the ground fizzled
JayM: How bad
Hughbert revs his force gear up once again… [CT15, Pressure Stream]
Amal holds the staff in one hand, drawing off a shimmering chatoyant sphere of many-coloured light, then makes a weird hand gesture, splitting the sphere of light in two, holding them both in one hand and focusing heavily on their hand, twirling the spheres of light once, twice, thrice - then sending them up into the air with a flick of their wrist, and they both drift towards their targets! …is what happened on their turn a little while ago, that is.
The Staff Infiltrator tosses the two cylindrical devices! One at Serenity and one at Hughbert! [Ragnaid Dispersion Field] They explode in a cloud of brilliant blue dust that is sticky and kinda gelatinous-like.
You’re inflicted with Dispersion Field(4), whenever you're hit the attack heals 48 HP
JayM: Hughbert!
Hughbert gives the Staff Infiltrator a mouthful of pressurized sewer water. [Pressure Stream, 35D]
Dicebot:// Multiple Dice Error: Unable to parse -2LP in -2LP
[OOC] Hughbert: I forgot how comments work
JayM: //Use a ; after the dieroll

Hughbert rolled 1d10+150,150% and got 9 ( Total: 238.5 ) for -2LP
JayM: Powerful damage!
JayM: Battle order: Harriet [B]:0 Sniper Beam:1 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:5 Amal [B]:7 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:9 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:12 Anton [B]:13 Staff Infiltrator [B]:17 Serenity [B]:31 Hughbert [F]:34
JayM: HArriet!
[OOC] Amal: out of mild curiosity is anyone fucked on HP
[OOC] Hughbert: oh right
[OOC] Anton: Not I
[OOC] Hughbert: does anyone want some damage?
[OOC] Harriet: HP:[576[[/span]/600, MP: 520/700, LP: 8/8, SoS: 150
Harriet spins up her force gear! [Jolt, CT5]
[OOC] Hughbert: I gotta distribute / eat the other half of my damage
[OOC] Serenity: HP:[452[[/span]/500, MP: 480/600, LP: 6/9, SoS: 125 - -30% mag/recovery (2),DRF[327] (2),Dispersion Field [48] (4)
[OOC] Hughbert: Anton has tons of temp HP, wanna take some?
[OOC] Anton: [THP: 210] HP:[600[[/span]/600, MP: 450/550, LP: 6/7, SoS: 150 - DRF[327] (2)
[OOC] Amal: probably wise yes
[OOC] Hughbert: have… 50 I guess
[OOC] Amal: jules post monster aitch pees plz
[OOC] Hughbert: HP: 637/650, Stored: 0, MP: 462/650, LP: 4/6, SoS: 162, gave Anton 50
[OOC] Anton: [THP: 160] HP:[600[[/span]/600, MP: 450/550, LP: 6/7, SoS: 150 - DRF[327] (2)
JayM: Status for Staff Infiltrator [B]: : [==== ]
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [========= ] Chorus [+40%](U)
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
Serenity: "Ugh okay I… guess the guys with assault rifles have way shittier armor and or barriers?" Serenity scrunches up her face, before light errupts just to the side of Rifle A.
Serenity‘ rolled d100 and got 24 ( Total: 24 )
d12+216,70%: 6 [Total: 155.39999999999998]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 179.39999999999998
JayM: Battle order: Harriet [B]:0 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:5 Amal [B]:7 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:9 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:12 Anton [B]:13 Staff Infiltrator [B]:17 Serenity [B]:31 Hughbert [F]:34
JayM: Harriet!
One of the rifle wielders looks back at the sniper "We don’t have the support to keep this up" "We're not getting home alive if we don't do this either way"
Serenity: "Not… not really a fan of all these non stationary targets that fight back and or aren't wild animals though, gotta say."
Harriet: Harriet spins up her force gear, lightning arcing towards the sniper! [TOTALLY EATING YOUR CHORUS BUDDY SORRY, 25D 60MP]
JayM: Kapow, +40% from Chorus
Harriet rolled 1d12*1.4+180*1.4 and got 3 ( Total: 256.2 ) for delay reduced to 0
Amal: "You'll get home alive. You'll spend a good long while telling our friends back in Masharas all about the Lion's plot, first, though!"
Hughbert: "It does get a little easier with the proper training. I've written a manual that could help, you know."
The Sniper Infiltrator loads a dark grey bullet and points at Amal "In your dreams" [AP Shell]
Serenity: "It's."
JayM rolled 1d100 and got 43 ( Total: 43 ) for 90
Serenity: "Mostly the getting shot, really."
Serenity: "Magic is self correcting."
JayM rolled 1d12+253 and got 3 ( Total: 256 ) for Physical Ranged
JayM: Dealing [256] as the bullet impacts your side
A shadow of Anton appears in the front row. [30D timer]
Serenity: "Though this motherfucking is somehow dampening the output form my gear."
Serenity: "Which is also not pleasent."
Amal: "I'll make sure you all make it through th- hnrrrgh!" They curl up on themselves, shuddering…
The bullet pierces right through the wall leaving a large hole and keeps going
Serenity: "Holy fuck."
Anton: "Ah geeze, you okay Amal?"
JayM: Amal!
Harriet: "Hey, don't die, okay?!"
Amal stands, using their staff to physically drag themself to their feet, bleeding all over their robe, their face set with determination. "…like… I said… I'll make sure… we all survive!" [CT 20]
Rifle Infiltrator A looks at the shadow appearing "Not more of those damned things" [Assault Rifle]
JayM rolled 1d100 and got 74 ( Total: 74 ) for 80
JayM: I believe that's a hit and enough to destroy it
JayM: Wait no
[OOC] Anton: How much damage?
JayM rolled 1d12+105 and got 3 ( Total: 108 )
JayM: That;s 108
JayM: Meaning not enough to take it down
Anton shakes his head as another image appears. [30D] The current one stays. "You uh… might want to adjust your strategy?"
Serenity‘ bizzarely and not especially subtly, pulls out a jar and quickly catches a couple globs of Amal’s blood in it before returning her attention to where it sould be. YOu know, the guys with the guns.
Rifle Infiltrator B aims at Anton instead then fires fires as he picks up another dart [Dualdart Stance]
JayM rolled 1d100 and got 36 ( Total: 36 ) for 80
Anton: "Someone mind blocking that?"
Anton: "You'll understand why in a sec."
JayM rolled 1d12+105,80 and got 4 ( Total: 87.2 )
Amal seems basically okay with this.
Serenity: "Uh. Okay?" Serenity pulls Anton behind her as the dart hits her instead.
JayM: Some damage
Anton smiles as a third Anton pops into existance in the front row. [30D]
Serenity: "Okay then."
JayM: Battle order: Anton [B]:0 Staff Infiltrator [B]:4 Harriet [B]:12 Amal [B]:14 Serenity [B]:18 Hughbert [F]:21 S-Anton A [F]:22 S-Anton B [F]:26 S-Anton C [F]:29 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:52 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:56 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:59
JayM: Status for Staff Infiltrator [B]: : [==== ]
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [======== ]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [======== ]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Anton!
[OOC] Amal: who besides me needs healplz
[OOC] Serenity: HP:[365[[/span]/500, MP: 420/600, LP: 6/9, SoS: 125 - -30% mag/recovery (1),DRF[327] (1),Dispersion Field [48] (3)
Harriet: "So, uh, about those rifles…"
Anton continues to just… stand there. He smiles at the Infiltrators. "I really don't think you understand how this works…" [Dopplegang - 60D]
Serenity: "…Yeah?"
Harriet: "Models like that have anti-tank rounds, right?"
Amal: "Tell me you're about to say that you have one weird trick for jamming them…"
The Staff Infiltrator powers his staff again for a [Force Disruption, CT10]
JayM: Harriet!
[OOC] Harriet: inits???
Serenity: "I mean… an AP round definitely went through shortstack a second ago, at least."
JayM: Battle order: Harriet [B]:0 Amal [B]:2 Staff Infiltrator [B]:2 Serenity [B]:6 Hughbert [F]:9 S-Anton A [F]:10 S-Anton B [F]:14 S-Anton C [F]:17 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:40 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:44 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:47 Anton [B]:48
Hughbert: "That they do. Inferior to one of the rounds in development at the lab, of course."
Harriet: "I've just seen blueprints, sooo." Harriet spins up her gun, and flicks a lever, making it grind and chug in such a way that it almost feels like it's going to fall apart in her hands. But her prototypes are tough, and lightning arcs out towards the staff-wielder - [Jolt, spending 1 luck to go to CT 0, targetting Staff Infiltrator, 25D 60MP]
Harriet rolled 1d12+180 and got 3 ( Total: 183.0 ) for initiative reduced to 0
JayM: An instant burst!
The Staff Infiltrator blocks with his staff, the electricity courses through him "Thanks" he points his charged up staff forward and waves it, a wave of static force washes over Harriet and Amal inflicting Force Disrupt(4) on both!
Harriet: "Huh?! Hey! You're not supposed to do that!"
The Staff Infiltrator looks to the sniper "Hey" the sniper looks back at him "Code two, cut your losses"
The sniper bites his lower lip and aims at Antonn, but it's not his turn yet
JayM: Amal!
[OOC] Amal: WTF does Force Disrupt do again
JayM: -30% magic damage and recovery/life effects
JayM: So - magic/healing
Amal holds the staff in one hand, drawing off a shimmering chatoyant sphere of many-coloured light, then makes a weird hand gesture, splitting the sphere of light in two, holding them both in one hand and focusing heavily on their hand, twirling the spheres of light once, twice, thrice - then sending them up into the air with a flick of their wrist, and they drift towards themself and
Amal Serenity! [Double Cure D35]
JayM: Many heals!
Amal rolled d10+150,70% and got 10 ( Total: 112.0 ) for I hate you
[OOC] Amal: HP:[406[[/span]/550, MP: 420/550, LP: 9/9, SoS: 137 - Force Disrupt (3)
JayM: Battle order: Serenity [B]:0 Hughbert [F]:3 S-Anton A [F]:4 S-Anton B [F]:8 S-Anton C [F]:11 Harriet [B]:19 Staff Infiltrator [B]:26 Amal [B]:31 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:34 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:38 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:41 Anton [B]:42
JayM: Serenity!
JayM: But I love you Amal
[OOC] Serenity: HP too plox
JayM: Status for Staff Infiltrator [B]: : [=== ]
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [======== ]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [======== ]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
Serenity‘ rifles off another shot of nothing into the air. [50D]
[OOC] Serenity: Sniper Beam 20D
[OOC] Serenity: HP:[477[[/span]/500, MP: 420/600, LP: 6/9, SoS: 125 - -30% mag/recovery (0),DRF[327] (0),Dispersion Field [48] (2)
JayM: Hughbert!
The device on Serenity’s chest opens up! And spreads a wave of mist towards the enemy formation!
[OOC] Hughbert: does Harriet still have a Pulse?
[OOC] Harriet: i think i have one more round of it???)
[OOC] Harriet: but i'm at full health
Serenity: "What a weird ragnite trick."
Hughbert gathers up energy for another water art… [Pressure Stream, CT15]
Without power, the device dops to the floor
JayM: All three of Anton's shadows!
[OOC] Harriet: oh wait no i don't
Anton puts some fingers to his lips and whistles. "Listen up. I want everyone to follow up these attacks we're taking them out!" His three clones adjust their positions forming a triangle. They all kneel down as Anton calls out. "Ready… Aim… Fire!" A trio of bolts impale Staff Infiltrator B.
Anton rolled 1d100 and got 74 ( Total: 74 ) for Shadow 1
Anton rolled d12+140 and got 9 ( Total: 149.0 ) for Someone attack assist this
Anton rolled 2d100 and got 67, 16 ( Total: 83 ) for Other two
Amal assists!
JayM: All hits!
Serenity‘ snaps her finger as the shadow errupts into a burst of light. [Attack Assist]
Anton rolled 2#d12+140(1) and got 5 ( Total: 145.0 ) for Someone attack assist these
Also rolled 2#d12+140(2) and got 7 [Total: 147.0 (High), Avg: 7.00]
Total: 292.0, Avg: 6.00
[OOC] Anton: Swap target to sniper when it dies
Serenity` rolled d12+180 and got 10 ( Total: 190 ) for full power
Amal rolled 1d100 and got 67 ( Total: 67 )
Harriet spins up her force gear, flicking a few levers to make it spin up quickly! [Attack Assist, 60MP]
Harriet rolled 1d12+180 and got 12 ( Total: 192.0 )
Amal rolled d10+72,60% and got 4 ( Total: 45.6 )
Hughbert slaps them with the wave the shadow kicks up behind it! [High-Pressure Chaser / Attack Assist, 60 MP]
Hughbert does that later I guess
[OOC] Anton: Overflow damage goes to Sniper Infiltrator
A perfect execution of a burst attack! In a single fell swoop the Staff Infiltrator is ousted and the Sniper Infiltrator even winds up taking two hits
JayM: Battle order: Hughbert [F]:0 Harriet [B]:1 Sniper Beam:2 Amal [B]:13 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:16 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:20 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:23 Anton [B]:24 Serenity [B]:32
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [========= ]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Hughbert!
[OOC] Hughbert: uhh if I was charging a pressure stream and that’s CT15, can I swap to a different CT15 spell orrrr
[OOC] Serenity: naw that's a specific trickster thing
[OOC] Hughbert: nuts
[OOC] Anton: Another group heal is going off in 24D anyways.
Amal stares down the Sniper Infiltrator and there's something a little bit scary in their expression. "So, about my dreams."
Hughbert blasts another pressurized water beam between the two riflemen, aimed at the sniper! [Pressure Stream, 35D]
Hughbert rolled 1d10+150,130% and got 5 ( Total: 201.5 )
JayM: Battle order: Harriet [B]:0 Sniper Beam:1 Amal [B]:12 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:15 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:19 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:22 Anton [B]:23 Serenity [B]:31 Hughbert [F]:34
JayM: Harriet!
The three remaining ones look between eachother "The hell was that" "Dammit, this isn't good"
Serenity‘ stare at Amal out of the corner of one eye.
Harriet: "Okay, I guess that’s enough data on the quick spin-up. Let's see how the slow burn works." The chambers whine as they spin up, again, but it's slower this time. [Thunder, CT15]
JayM: Sniper… Beeeeam!
JayM: For Serenity
Light errupts near Rifle A's head.
Serenity‘ rolled d100 and got 50 ( Total: 50 )
d12+180,70%: 9 [Total: 132.29999999999998]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 182.29999999999998
Hughbert draws the ambient moisture in the air into the bullet’s slipstream, a copy of the Red Paint from earlier but instead, a Blue Beam! [High Pressure Chaser, 60MP]
Hughbert rolled 1d12+180 and got 6 ( Total: 186 )
JayM: Battle order: Amal [B]:0 Harriet [B]:3 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:3 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:7 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:10 Anton [B]:11 Serenity [B]:19 Hughbert [F]:22
JayM: Status for Sniper Infiltrator [B]: : [======== ]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [====== ]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
JayM: Amal!
Rifle A: "The hell did they just got competent out of a sudden?"
Sniper: "Stay focused! This battle just took too long"
Amal: "I warned you, you should have let us march you in. There's rules about that sort of thing, even if Masharas is the only city that cares!" There's something a little bit unsettlingly sing-song to the cadence of their voice. [CT 10]
Hughbert: "That you couldn't notice before speaks volumes about yourselves."
JayM: Battle order: Harriet [B]:0 Sniper Infiltrator [B]:0 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:4 Amal [B]:7 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:7 Anton [B]:8 Serenity [B]:16 Hughbert [F]:19
JayM: Harriet!
Amal laughs a little! "Whatever happened to the Akaviri reputation for winning long, bloody battles of attrition? You look a little tired, maybe it's time to rest for a while~?"
Harriet picks up her gun, now properly spun-up, and aims it straight at Rifle A. "I'm super competent thank you very much, I'm just not the sort of grunt who has to use these things after I build them!" [Thunder, 60MP 35D]
Amal gets a little bit mean when they've lost a frankly horrifying amount of blood, apparently.
[OOC] JayM: What happened to the dicebot
[OOC] Hughbert: uh oh I had the last roll to go through
JayM: (JayM - 1d12+180) 183
[OOC] Hughbert: did I break it
[OOC] JayM: In a pinch you can use !jdice because i'm a dicebot
[OOC] JayM: But I can only do very basic stuff and not any math nor comments
[OOC] JayM: Gomen
Harriet rolled 1d12+180 and got 11 ( Total: 191.0 )
JayM rolled 1d12+180 and got 4 ( Total: 184 )
The Sniper puts one final bullet with a blue line in his rifle and fires towards Amal!
JayM rolled 1d100 and got 11 ( Total: 11 )
JayM: It misses badly, hitting the ground? [Blast Bullet]
JayM: You're now inflicted with Blast Bullet(2), when it hits 0 it deals 195 damage that cannot be reduced and ignore THP
Amal takes a ragged breath. "Really, the offer's still open. Cooperate and return to Masharas. Save yourselves the pain and save your country from making a horrible choice."
Rifle Infiltrator A looks at the Sniper, looks at Amal "Sorry boss" he pulls out his only grenade and pulls the pin with his mouth- In the same swift movement of swinging the grenade out of his mouth his spins and delivers a punch to the Sniper's head knocking him right into the water current. Then he tosses the grenade in the middle the battlefield and his rifle into the floor, a smug grin in his face [Dual Purpose Bomb, CT50]
The other rifleman tosses his own grenade in the midsts and his own rifle down as well [Dual Purpose Bomb, CT50]
JayM: Battle order: Amal [B]:0 Anton [B]:1 Serenity [B]:9 Hughbert [F]:12 Harriet [B]:28 Rifle Infiltrator A [F]:47 Rifle Infiltrator B [F]:50
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator A [F]: : [==== ]
JayM: Status for Rifle Infiltrator B [F]: : [==========]
JayM: The Sniper has been washed away by the water! The two Rifle Infiltrators don't seem like they want to fight anymore, ticking grenades aside
JayM: Amal?
Serenity: "Uh…"
Harriet: "So, like…. did they just give up?"
Harriet: "I dunno, help me out here, I'm not really a fighting kind of guy."
Serenity: "I… think… so?" She sound uncertain, looks to Hughbert for confirmation.
Amal shakes their head. "This is stupid and your grenade discipline is terrible." They walk forward a bit and punt one grenade into the water, fizzling it, then they do the other one, with a really confused expression on their face.
Amal: "Does anybody have any rope?" They look around, first to their party members and, barring that, towards the infiltrators. Maybe -they- have some rope?
The second grenade does not fizzles, the explosion is really powerful and causes some nasty wince-worthy echo and splashes water all over but otherwise
Hughbert: "Anton. That canal either drains to the lake on the Plains, or a river that crosses the Aegis. We'll restrain these two, perhaps you would like to go on a fishing trip?"
Serenity‘ frowns, then wipes the water form her face with the back of an arm. "No."
They don’t seem to try to stop you from anything. There is no rope nearby, sadly
Amal: "Seriously, let's get these guys hauled back in. For all we know there's another simultaneous assault on the city happening, we don't have the time to be messing around down here any longer."
Hughbert pulls out a pair of cuffs. "Well, I had a run-in with a traitor recently that convinced me I need to bring a pair of these around, but I didn't think to pack for two."
Serenity‘ turns her head toward Amal, locking eye contact with her for a couple of very perplexed seconds, and then Serenity’s expression is unreadable.
Harriet: "Uhhh here, you can try this," Harriet digs out a loop of something sticky on one side and tosses it over to Amal. "I usually use it to keep my inventions together when they're being fussy."
Anton scratches at his head. "I should probably go after that other guy and take him in, actually. Plus I still have this." He pats his chest and the still ticking DRF. He starts to sprint off as his boots make grinding noises. A few seconds later he's going down the canal at a pretty dangerous speed. "Gotta goooooooooo!" His DRF likely explodes in the distance. [Ars Aero]
Amal gives Serenity this little adorable shrug and duct-tapes the other guy's hands together with a little bit more expertise than you'd expect, giving Anton a thumbs up, smiling at something.
Amal picks up their staff and frowns a little bit; there's stuff leaking out. Between catching the bullet earlier, and the fight itself… tch.
Hughbert: "I'm sure Anton can find his way back to the surface, since he guided us down here. I don't see any nearby exits, so I'll start leading us back to the entrance… That way, we won't lose any time. Is that plan agreeable, Amal?"
Amal nods!
Amal: "Okay, let's head back."
JayM: Anton's off in the distance
Harriet: "I'll follow your lead," Harriet shrugs. "I got some good data from this fight, so I'm happy."
Hughbert: "Alright. Keep your wits about you, and stay in formation. So long as we're vigilant, any other ambush will go just as poorly for them. Move out!" He leads the way, shouting hopefully loud enough for the echo to reach Anton, assuming he doesn't outrace it.
Serenity: "There's nothing else down here."
Hughbert: "You know that for certain?"
Serenity‘ hand wobbles. "Mostly certain."
Serenity` takes a deep breath to recenter herself, then slings the rifle over her shoulder. "I guess keeping your eyes open isn’t a bad plan in either case."
Amal probably can't carry one of the downed soldiers out themself, so one of the others will have to do that. "She's probably right. It sounded like they were the only ones down here." The soldiers probably aren't talking, though, so. Anyway.
Hughbert sighs. "I want to ask. I really do. But I have so many other questions too. Let's just get out of here for now."
Serenity‘ falls back to hold up the rear. Keeps giving the back of Amal’s head strange looks.
Serenity: "Agreed."
Amal gives Hugbert a thumbs up.
Hughbert: "By the way, if Anton can't point us towards a nice hot bath at the Chapel, I'd be glad to let you use the one at my base." He leads the march back to report to the Great Oracle.
[OOC] Hughbert: *implying the Officer's Special Nice Bath obvs
Harriet: "Absolutely yes."
You head on back… Marching out of the sewers with two people in tow like that sure draws a fair bit of attention
And they seems suspiciously cooperative…
JayM: Also they've apparently been chewing tobacco during the fight because they're doing that now?
JayM:
JayM: Wait a minute they weren't, what are they chewing on?
Harriet doesn't even think to question it, people are so weird and she's given up trying to understand them.
Serenity: "Anyway."
JayM: Maybe you should have questioned it
JayM: Because the first one of them falls over
JayM: Just unconscious but
JayM: The second one soon does the same
Serenity‘ runs up to the soldiers, grabs both of them by the -
Serenity: "Shit."
Serenity: "Dead?"
JayM: Hrm… Does any of you have medical knowledge?
JayM: No they’re breathing at least
Serenity‘ kneels down, checking for a pulse. "Nope, alive."
Hughbert kneels beside the other soldier and pulls open his jaw. "Hmm…"
Hughbert looks closely… [-1LP, Investigation]
Harriet: "Wait, what?" Harriet turns, looks over at the unconscious men.
Amal looks like they’re deliberating doing something /extremely/ stupid for a moment or two but then they decide against it. "…unconscious prisoners of not-quite-a-war-yet still count, I guess. Damnit."
Serenity: "Thought it was a kill contingency, but I guess not? Not really sure what the hell it is."
Serenity: "Huh?"
Harriet: "Why would they knock themselves out though that makes, like, no sense."
Serenity‘ glances up at Amal.
Amal: "Well, if I had to guess… there’s some kind of antitoxin that only the Akaviri have access to."
Hughbert: "Unless we've got a countermeasure I haven't heard of… They're going to be out for… Well, MONTHS." He sighs, a bit defeated.
Serenity: "Some kind of plot relying on our nations history of kindness to get themselves sent home?"
Amal: "So, this way, these two know we won't be able to question them. The other three probably didn't get a chance to use that countermeasure, though."
[OOC] Serenity: ploy^
Serenity: "…Oh."
Serenity: "Goddess."
Amal: "Even if they somehow did, the fact of their existence is itself valuable information for us. We have proof of an Akaviri plot that extends past the word of a vaguely trustworthy diplomat from Rissan."
Serenity: "I can't even imagine being that committed to someone elses' stupid idea."
Harriet: "That's so weird," Harriet agrees.
JayM: Putting your backs to work and dragging them in, then?
Amal: "They trust us -that- much! In any other circumstances, it'd really make me smile!"
Serenity‘ isn’t happy about it, but probably will.
Serenity: 'I knew I should have just knocked them out myself. " More grumbling under her breath.
Hughbert: "No sense leaving them out in the street." He reaches into the soldier's mouth and scrapes off part of the herbs with his finger and drops it into an evidence container. "I want to bring this one back to the base… The other, I have no problems letting the church take him."
Harriet gets to dragging, grumbling about it.
Serenity: "Whatever rev's your engine."
Amal: "Also, before I forget, Harriet, do you think you can help me with something once we've got this all sorted out?" They smile, and it's not the creepy-face smile this time, it's a good honest attempt at an actual smile this time. And, ugh, okay, there's only four of them so it's probably time to carry one of them back themself, too now.
Harriet: "Oh, sure, no problem." Harriet pushes up her goggles and nods back to them.
Hughbert hauls the other around- wait, since we're back in town and we're attracting a scene, he can just [Command] someone to bring him in for him!
And you make your way back towards the Grand Chapel… Actually Hughbert will figure out that the military's taking both anyway (if anything because the only prision's under their care) but yáll work together anyway. There are a few procedures to get them turned in before you finally head back t the Grand Chapel. Anton's there, too, he had time to get there. But his feet might be complaining a little bit
Serenity: "Catch anything?"
Anton doesn't seem very happy honestly. He has a pouty look on his face as he silently sulks on the bench.
Anton: "So, I chased him all the way to the Divine Aegis, right? It was totally my chance to do one of those swoop down motions and catch him right as he hits the edge of the waterfall. But nope. I didn't make it in time. He fell over a kilometer."
Serenity‘ quieter, mumbled under her breath, "(Seriously though, what are you so happy about…?)"
Once at the Grand Chapel you’re ushered back into the meeting room, this time without going through all the grand hallways. There's a hallway off to the right that goes through the minitry of agrarian planning that leads to that meeting room in half the time and half the fuss.
Hughbert catches Anton up on the condition of the other two on the way in. "…So basically, the troops knew exactly what they were doing."
Serenity: "That… seems perfectly survivable with a pool of water at the bottom?"
Anton shakes his head. "Not in the slightest. The impact on the water would kill you on the spot."
Serenity: "I thought he had some kind of crazy high impact barrier force gear?"
Hughbert: "Trust me as the expert on the matter, the chance of survival was quite minimal."
Anton: "You ever submerged your force gear in water before?"
Amal: "Not… not the divine aegis. Damn it…" They sigh, and pinch the bridge of their nose. "…it can't be helped. We brought four of them in."
Amal: "Not that I expect the other two to be willing to talk, but."
You will find Cor Caroli is in the room, apparently she didn't move a single muscle since you've left… The light boot mark in the glass of the table may incriminate otherwise. As would the reduction on the number of lollipops.
Serenity: "Mine? Yes. But, point. Desert rats probably don't water proof their shit."
Serenity‘ puts a hand in her trench coat, then throws a small jar at Cor. It’s full of glowmoss. "Anyway, that's one."
Harriet: "So, like, lady, would you mind just going 'yeah we're sending you into a fight for your lives' next time?"
The toss misses, just perfectly so that it lands perfectly in front of her
Cor Caroli: "This was a lesson, after all."
Hughbert: "On the contrary." Hughbert holds out a scrap of cloth he picked up and shows Serenity. "I did find something. On that floor, completely dry."
Serenity‘ pauses, tilts her head towards Hughbert.
Cor Caroli: "I admit it might have been a fabricated serendipity, but it has shown you how I work, and how I expect you to work"
The tea avaiable is still fresh
Anton: "Basically when we see a vision… we have to give as little details as possible or it won’t actually come true."
Anton: "It frustrated me too at first but… it's what we've got."
Cor Caroli: "Fate is quite harsh, and complex. A single misspoken word can send you spiralling off the wrong path"
Serenity: "Point of order,"
Amal folds their arms. All of this was almost certainly according to Cor Caroli's plan. They can respect that. "There's an old story about a Rissan military incident. We knew that an encampment was going to be targeted, but acting on that knowledge openly would have proven that we had information we were trying to keep hidden."
Serenity: "You said doing that was our job anyway."
Hughbert: "About that. You can differentiate between a vision that must come to pass and one that must not, correct?"
She nods "I prefer to share the truth. In case I cannot, omit. At least, I will refuse to lie if necessary" she sighs "That said you did go beyond my expectations"
[OOC] JayM: *Will not
Amal helps themself to some tea.
Cor Caroli: "Case in point here, you realize they knew you were coming, correct?"
Amal: "They even baked us a cake."
Hughbert take a cup of tea, but opts not to sit down- wouldn't want to mess up the furniture. "So not much use trying to guess whether you're sending us to fulfill something or prevent it."
Cor Caroli: "Were anyone to have word of what the mission truly was, even were I to share it in this room, the information would have reached them, and they would have escaped. In underestimating my capacity to manipulate, they believed truly your mission was as stated"
Cor Caroli: "I will try to be honest about it, Hugh. But there is one thing"
Serenity: "…"
Cor Caroli: "When dealing with me always follow your heart. That's what i'm counting on"
Serenity‘ mumbles under her breath.
Harriet: "Follow my heart, huh… sure, if that’s what you want."
Amal: "We should get in touch with the Akaviri loyalists. Sooner, rather than later. Hopefully the Silvarant Knights will be loyal to the King, and we can use them as an in."
Anton: "You're funny Amal. We still have more training sessions to do." He grins.
Amal: "Well, right, I didn't mean 'we' as in 'us', I mean 'we' as in 'Masharas'."
Cor Caroli: "Easy, child. Everything in it's due time."
Cor Caroli: "But it would be some degree of incompetency to wait forever, yes"
Anton: "So when's the next get together anyways? I still have some requests to wrap up tonight."
Hughbert wears a face like the tea is a little bitter - it's not, but… "I'd much prefer to fall back to logic and proven strategies than leave it to pure instinct."
Amal: "We can use being caught in the middle of dumb Akaviri politics to our advantage somehow, I know we can!"
Cor Caroli chuckles, and it moves slowly into a silent giggle
Amal grins impiously.
Amal: "Just need to thread fifteen needles at once, while doing somersaults. No big deal."
Serenity‘ tilts her head to the side, staring off into space with a very confused look on her face.
Cor Caroli: "Now, whereas I cannot promise you lavish accomodations in the Grand Chapel, because there are none, feel free to use it’s facilities. Or the Goddess' Wings inn down the street, much better accomodations, that is only if you want"
Cor Caroli: "You know not the truth of your words, Amal" and she looks at Hughbert "You were called in for a reason. But r emember instinct, too, is logical. It's just dumb sometimes"
Anton gets up before smiling. "No way? The Goddess' Wing on the house? Cor you shouldn't have~." He brushes his bangs to the side before starting to walk off. Yes he already has a room at the chapel.
Hughbert looks a little confused, then surprised. "Oh, forgive me, Great Oracle. I didn't mean to doubt you. It's- I-" He pauses to compose himself. "I… will keep that in mind."
Harriet: "Uh, sure I guess. I'm gonna have to go back to my workshop anyway though, I want to work out some kinks on my ECC."
Amal scoots over to Anton before he can escape and pats him on the back gently. "(Hey. You did great back there, and I know you did your best to fish that guy out. Don't beat yourself up, okay?)" [Care]
She chuckles "It is good you doubt, Hugh. If you accept everything in blind faith… That's honestly just dumb"
Serenity: "Very dumb."
Serenity: "Considering no one even knows what our faith is about."
Harriet: "Yeah, I honestly don't know much about what's going on with all this religious - stuff."
Anton ruffles Amals hair before nodding. "You did alright yourself, little guy. You too, rifle girl." [Get fucked someone complimented me get 1 LP Ice]
Serenity‘ blinks at Anton.
Serenity: "Or… not? You don’t have to, it was just an idea."
Anton: "I uh… wouldn't say no one but…" He waves everyone off. "Cheers~" Off he goes.
Cor Caroli chuckles, and before Anton can walk off she tosses him a lollipop. She stands up solemly "In two days, then, at noon"
Anton catches the lollipop on the way out with his mouth.
She leaves- Although she definitely shoulder-checks the door frame on the way out, but seems unfazed
Serenity‘ stares at Anton for a couple more seconds, then follows out behind Cor, grabbing her by the robes.
Serenity: "Hold up."
Hughbert puts the emptied teacup down and salutes one more time before leaving. "By the way, Harriet, I
She is already staring at you before you grab her
Hughbert: ’ll send someone tomorrow to pick you up for the lab tour, if that is fine. "
Serenity‘ motions forward Hughbert and Harriet with her head, then towards the door.
Harriet: "Oh, yeah, sure thing! Totally want to explore that lab." Harriet goes off through the door, she doesn’t have a quarrel there.
JayM: I wonder if they're picking up what you're throwing down
Hughbert headtilts as Serenity and follows.
Serenity: "Oh. Uh. I just want her."
Serenity: "We can talk later though."
[OOC] Amal: wof???
Anton seems to be heading towards the plaza. One of the construction workers left some tools high up while doing maintenence on the clocktower and needed him to retrieve them. He seems to be jotting down some notes on his way there. Unless someone is following him he's out of sight at this point.
Cor Caroli waits until everyone else has left, since the girl must have a crush on her. She definitely has a crush, yep. She just closes the door with a foot once everyone else left
Hughbert: "Of course. I have a lot of questions for you." He waves and heads back to base for a washdown and a change of clothes.
Serenity‘ waves him off, then exhales.
Serenity: "So know about my thing, right? It’s not exactly a secret."
Amal headed out as soon as it was socially acceptable to do so, time to go collapse somewhere vaguely horizontal and not entirely composed of hornets and recover from all that.
Cor Caroli: "Rare but not unheard of in descendants of old priesthood"
Serenity: "You know anyone else that can do it?"
Cor Caroli: "I have a record of everyone else that can do it in Masharas"
Cor Caroli: "I think you number twenty one in total, including you"
Serenity: "Right, but do you like, personally know them?"
Cor Caroli: "I know only one of them personally"
Serenity: "Have they ever mentioned how weird this location is…?"
Cor Caroli: "Quite a gifted man, as lazy as lazy can be…" she crosses her arms "They have"
Serenity: "Okay well… they… she, rather," and there's a weird, very forceful emphasis on 'she', "has been super talkative today, in addition to the singing."
Serenity: "And… I think I scared her? Which Has never happened even once in my entire life."
Serenity‘ pulls out a second jar, sets it on the desk in front of Cor.
Cor Caroli: "Talkative? That’s new… Scared? Hrm…"
Serenity: "Especially about this crap."
Serenity: "Which kind of brings me to the main point -"
Cor Caroli: "It's the strong one, right? I've a couple of records of her being scared off- Generally the more helpful she is the more likely that is to happen. But continue"
Serenity: "Do you know what that… thing, is? Not her. The shortstack."
Cor Caroli crosses her arms
Cor Caroli: "He's a mystery"
Serenity: "Do you trust him?"
Serenity: "He's honestly kind of horrifying."
Cor Caroli: "I mean it, i'm not being mystical here, I know very little of what's important about them"
Cor Caroli: "Do I trust him? Slightly more than I trust most people, he came with good reccomendations"
Serenity‘ frowns.
Serenity: "Well, he’s not the source of your information leak."
Cor Caroli: "I'm aware"
Serenity: "At least." Mostly to herself.
Cor Caroli: "… Tell me Serenity, do you want to make a little bet?"
Serenity: "He's really, really fucking weird though - about what?"
Cor Caroli: "If you toss me a coin and return tails, i'll tell you the source of the leak, and you see how dire the situation is. But you can't tell the others until after the third assignment"
Serenity: "Alright."
JayM: Roll me a d2
Serenity: "Doesn't seem like much of a bet when you can see the future, but I mean."
Serenity‘ shrugs, pulls out a coin and flicks it towards Cor.
Serenity` rolled d2 and got 2 ( Total: 2 )
Cor Caroli looks as it lands, tails
Cor Caroli: "You saw Anton, i’m not the only one with my skills. You went to college, you know how important it is to share information to get better at what you do"
Cor Caroli: "Quite a few of my skills weren't even developed here in Masharas"
Serenity: "…Oh, that's what she ment."
Serenity: "Another Oracle. Okay."
Serenity: "(She's not very good at conversing directly.)"
Cor Caroli: "So I hear"
Serenity‘ lets out a sigh. "Exceter, you seriously are not worth all this effort. What a pain."
Cor Caroli chuckles "Don’t I know it. Just wait until you finally get to know what is going on. The temptation to tell is great" she opens the door "Don't want to make you all rush headlong too soon, though, and I already saw today you're (in general you guys) very likely to do that" and she leaves
Serenity: "…You seriously trust him, though?"
Cor Caroli: "Hrm…"
Cor Caroli: "I know he is loyal to this country"
Cor Caroli: "And I know he's a healer at heart"
Serenity‘ runs a hand through her hair. "I notice you keep not saying yes, though."
Cor Caroli: "Hrm… Bad habit"
Serenity` smiles. "I’m sure."
Cor Caroli: "I mean look at me, what I do and my power, giving a clear yes or no tends to have huge consequences"
Cor Caroli: "But I guess yes, I do"
Serenity: "Answering yes to a question of your opinions can't be any more scandelous than what your dopplegangers wear."
Cor Caroli: "I trust he will help keep my people safe. The leader in me trusts him as much as she trusts you. The more normal person in me thinks he's shady. But i'm shady too so."
Serenity: "No arguement there."
Cor Caroli: "And I will have you know that for how absurd that outfit is it was worn by the Divine Oracle of six hundred yeard ago and no don't ask me why she wore that I wouldn't be caught dead in it"
Serenity: "All I'm saying is,"
Serenity: "I could make a lot of money if I had a camera."
Cor Caroli: "Good thing it's Harriet with one"
Serenity‘ laughs.
Serenity: ’Okay okay just… "
Serenity: "One more thing."
Serenity: "Mostly for myself, because it's been bugging me for years."
Serenity: "…Do you know what's up with the history books? Don't even gotta say what it is. Just. Someone's gotta know."
Cor Caroli: "Hrm…"
Cor Caroli: "I don't think it's wise to tell you. But I can tell you this"
Cor Caroli: "It's on purpose"
Cor Caroli: "… Fuck awful execution. But on purpose"
Serenity: "I'll let that lay for now then."
Serenity: "Anyway. One down, two to go."
[OOC] Julian: +13 XP] to my most grandious players
Julian: Wednesday now the day of regrets
Serenity` picks the jar of blood back up from the table, stows it away, then finally leaves the building. "(…Seriously though, why are you so happy?)"

gmm
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