The boarding team assembles on the expedition deck of the battleship, awaiting the two fleets to move closer together in order to board the battle moon

Regulus nods to his teammates, "Our target is that giant moon ship/creature. Thankfully we're a rather mobile group as traversing such a large space will take time. Our most difficult task will be actually finding the most important and vulnerable parts to disable. Their defenses will be formidable but hopefully they won't be expecting resistance from within. Ms. Clements, yours and Mr. Sparker's job will be to hack into whatever mechanoflesh terminals we find to find our targets and assisting myself in their demolition. Misters Withers and Neverwinter will be our anti-infantry, though of course we will aid in that as well. Mobility will be key, we strike and retreat. We stand no chance if we allow them to use their numbers against us. As a fairly proficient biopsion I will stay in the back line to insure our mutual health. I assume Withers will take the front with Neverwinter and Clements in the middle. I fully expect everything I have said to become irrelevant once we begin as we have little to no idea as of what to expect. Any questions?"

"I have a ton... but you'll spend too long answering them with boring big words and it doesn't even matter. We'll keep our heads and weapons up and disappear if things get too hot. Good?"

(So we pretty much just chill till we have a couple rounds to get close enough yeah? Or can we board as soon as we're in the same quadrant?)

(Lets have the space battle kick off first and we will see what makes sense)

“My fur feels a little rustled, but Dax and I are no strangers to doing dumb shit. Titan armour should help me hold for as long as needed. I brought a few surprises too.” Cayne gestures to a bandolier of grenades strapped on his torso. “Not as impressive as Hailey, but I’m sure I can compensate in other ways.” Cayne takes a swig of a newly opened bottle of Rum.

“Pete and I will do what we can, but I swear if they hurt him, then their entire ship is going down with with or without us in it. As for the rest, I think we all know the stakes, well just do what we gotta do. Let’s chop socky this ice cream stand!” (edited)

“Chop socky? Hailey, leave the drugs behind please.” (edited)

(Okay so how are we getting over to it. Lots of ideas but no one actually committed to anything)

(Jump into a moon with a parachute it nearly worked one time.)

(Fly the ship up close-ish to it then we'll hop out and fly over. Reg can keep them safe from the void though I think only Dax needs it)

(Agreed, Titan armour should keep me sealed up)

(With telekinetic flight effort is just committed for while you fly, so we'll save Dax's effort for teleporting later. They just have to stay fairly close to me as we go)

(I have 5 Effort and nothing will be as useful for me as TP'ing us so that is essentially 5 group teleports)

(We'll save it for getting around inside the moon and for a quick getaway)

(So we're just waiting till we're in the same quadrant as the battle moon then we'll start)

(That’ll take a bit I assume? I’ll be at the gym for an hour and a half, DM me if it happens before I’m back, I’ll use my phone)

(Yeah, Robert and Billy have to move first so we'll have a bit)

Stealing aboard the stealth corvette the void wardens commissioned for such an occasion, you are locked into the boarding tube deck with a squad of Armsmen standing by each interior port door. The ship gently detaches from the vanguard with you all aboard and through the command feeds you’re all accessing your can see the opening steps of the battle shaping up. News likewise comes in that they’ve hit Sumati now, as well

“Gents. Lady. Pete. It’s an honour to hunt with you.”

(Yeah let’s wait for the shaper turn just so I have an idea of what’s where as the battle opens; depending on who goes where it’ll help or hurt your quiet approach)

Regulus rests his head in his hands at the news, "Sumati... I should have stayed. Nothing had showed up on the scans and we were in such a rush to get here on time but..." He shakes his head sadly, "The poor folk the have only recently joined us in the stars. I can only hope the force they face is not so fearsome as this." The mages won't allow the pool to fall into the shaper's hands... though I will regret its destruction if it comes to that. (edited)

The ship speeds on ahead, using the cover of the charging vox finalis to screen its movements. The entire shaper host including the moon itself seems to be focused on it and this looks to be like exactly the kind of opportunity you need to close the distance

"Looks like this is our chance, let's head out. The Vox Finalis cannot take many more blows like that. Neverwinter, Withers, grab ahold of Clements and myself, our mechs can move much more quickly in the void." A kinetic barrier forms around Dax, protecting his tiny fragile from the void. "Any last comments before we go?"

(Let's list now what gear we're bringing so it doesn't show up halfway through this mission when we remembered we need it.) "You know. You're pretty alright, Reg. If this is going to be it, I'm glad you're here."

(Yeah. We get into the trap of just Becuss we have the money to buy it we just give it to ourselves. Have to work with what’s on you)

(As a note, we can use the precog skill "sense the need" from Robert if we have to, just with the extra effort cost from me)

(I'll list off in a sec)

(Reg didn't really bring anything but we'll empty out the ship locker of explosive charges)

(However many you say would be in there)

(One for each of you. )

(One demo charge each)

(Lazerus patches and Lift would be something to bring along also)

(Psshh, just keep me alive and I have effortless healing)

(Didn't know that. That's better)

(Looked through the book and my equipment. Pretty sure I'm good with just My ammo and my guns. Gonna bring the sniper with, just in case ya know?)

(Dax has a demo charge, PABE, energy buckler, force pavis, and portable window for special equipment, the rest is typical and on my sheet) (edited)

(Oh yeah, got the demo charge for sure.)

(Reg has a rock with a softly glowing rune on it)

(Also I brought Grupp in my backpack)

(Grupp is my backpack)

(I mean, that's not an unrealistic thing to actually happen.)

(Play them both, together, interacting. Bitch)

(That'd just be too much, I mean we gotta at least give the shapers a fighting chance)

(Big fax)

There looks to be some openings on the upper side of the moon where some sort of ventral gas is being released in occasional puffs. The openings are too small for a ship to fit through but a person sized object would have no problem getting in

(Aside from weapons, the spike thrower being with Peter, and the general stuff, I've got the dragonfly mech, suit not light, and and a disk shaped charm. And Peter is here) (edited)

“Looks like we’ve got an in. Let’s get going. Peter, if you get scared, you can hold my hand.”

Cayne prepares for flight, grabbing onto Haileys mech.

"Stay close." Grabbing Dax, Regulus opens the airlock and floats out, quickly accelerating towards the battle moon.

(I'm along for the ride)

(Peter's gonna hang onto Reg's mech because he can't fly and Reg's has more surface area) Hailey, with Cayne hanging off the Dragonfly, flies towards the moon at high speed, somewhat awkwardly at first from the extra person, but she quickly adapts and stabilizes.

Despite the somber mood, she laughs, enjoying the extra flying speed granted by Reg.

You arrive on the surface of the battle moon, the vents benching another cloud of gas. It will be a tight fit for the mech , very tight.

There do not appear to be shapers on the surface of the massive object

(The moon itself is made out of flesh right?)

(There’s patches of metal and the flesh is grafted onto metal deeper down to give it structure, like bone, but it would be a few meters down from the surface

(Copy that)

Regulus elongates slightly, shifting his proportions to more easily fit through the vent, pushing Dax through before him.

There is a small drop as you make your way inside and you arrive in a squirming duct of cable and meat, it’s surface smooth between ribbing of fatty flesh. The moon shakes as something hits it, or it hits something, but the effect is minor, just enough to swing some of the loose hanging organic masses. The tunnel is nearly pitch black and a port like iris sphincter looks to be the only way out of this area 20m ahead

(Poetry, truly)

Cayne let’s go of Haileys mech, the gravity it gives off enough to attract him to its surface. Making his way towards the sphincter, he says: “Well that just looks like an asshole.”

"Unless you guys have a better idea, I'm just going to rip them a new one and let us in through the backdoor into the bowels of the beast." The mageblade appears in Dax's hands and illuminates the space with the glow of arcane flame.

"Judging from our previous experience with such doors your sword is hardly needed here." Regulus plunges his fists deep into the tight opening, wrenching it open with his brute strength.

There is a gush of some kind of milky green film as the fist rips out whatever keeps the door shut , and the iris pivots open without noise. Inside is a ramp leading into a deeper deck of the ship, heavy footfalls sound above as something large walks close by

(Fuck we are descriptive. Someone give us a scriptwriting offer)

“Alright Dax, after you buddy. Hey, don’t look at me like that, you’re the one with the glowing fucking sword.”

“Wow, that’s...that’s lovely Reg. Thank you for brute forcing it like that. And yeah have fun Dax”

(Gravity? Is that a thing now?)

(I just assumed Cos it’s practically a moon.)

(Inside Yea)

Dax sighs in exasperation. "Alright then. In we go. Stay on my six. No. Not like that." Dax makes his way inside the sphincter with his sword as his torch.

“Hah, I’m on your ass Dax, don’t you worry.” Cayne follows closely behind

The heavy footfalls continue above you, near the ramp leading up, and after that something even louder creaks by , though it is hard to tell if it is mechanical or something else

Carefully ascending the ramp, Cayne peaks above its lip to take a peak at what’s in store

There are two very large shapers at the top of the ramp pushing some kind of wheeled gun down the hallway. Behind them looks to be a chamber that leads to a room of open mawed boarding pod like devices

“Alright, so it looks like we’ve got an opportunity to eliminate a weapon and a fair few boarding pods. This a good enough target to use up a charge? Or do we wanna sneak past to something more valuable?”

"Leave a charge to blow later once stealth no longer becomes an option. We have four to leave around the ship then plenty of other destructive options once our presence is known."

"I'm thinking bigger... but it could takes weeks to get through this place with the size of it."

“My thoughts exactly. We’ve got time yeah, but not that much. I’ll follow your lead.”

"Let us explore then and see what we find. Withers can always teleport back and plant a charge quickly if we needed."

“Onwards then.” Cayne creeps to the top of the ramp, looking for an exit to the chamber they’ve found themselves in, doing his best to stick behind any and all cover

There is a small door to the left of the ramp, garage like in shape, and it must have been where the shapers and their gun had come from on their journey to the boarding pod area. You'll have to sneak by the assembling enemy soldiers in the distant end of the next chamber to make it, as ascending the ramp leaves you exposed for several seconds (sneak/dex)

(For just Cayne?)

(anyone whos going for the exit )

(7 yikes)

(they got a 10 to notice, so lets get initiative, save everyone some time)

(Fuck boys I done did it joe)

(Now*)

(8)

(Alert 2 so I go first I assume?)

As Cayne ascends the ramp, the shapers pick up on foreign biomass in the immediate area, and they begin to rouse themselves for war- forming a variety of long barreled weapons in place of arms. The two with the wheeled cannon begin setting it into position immediately. They are 30m from your group

(Lol I didn't see this before rolling sneak... I rolled double ones on sneak so )

(Remember you all have a flying speed of double your normal movement)

(8 initiative)

Pinned a message.

(Oh there's more than 2, but only two with the cannon) (edited)

(Heavy goes last boys)

(there were some in the boarding pods

(that were concealed, since they were inside)

Cayne says “Ah fuck, maybe the last two swigs lost me my twinkle toes. Let’s get fucking roudy.” He finishes as he quickdraws both pistols, sending shots into the shapers assembling the cannons. (26/10, 18/13)

(same target? different ones?)

(Same target)

One of the shapers is struck heavily by the two gunshots, and large chunks of tissue and core spatter the wall behind it. It remains standing, its arms extending into something root-like, as it keeps working to link with the gun, along with its fellow

(dax)

(Gonna do what Dax always does. Time to get close.) Dax nods his head in resignation for the battle ahead. Activating the energy buckler on his wrist, the golden force field projects in front of him as he teleports himself in between the two cannoneers and hacks at the wounded one with a swipe of his mageblade while kicking out at the other. (21/23, 13 Shock vs AC 19 for his friend)

THe stricken shaper falls, as hes cut in half by the descending blade, and the fury of the teleporting strike sends the other one back two steps, breaking his fledgling link with the cannon

(reg)

(How many shapers are there?)

(one by the gun, five in the boarding pod room)

The soft blue glow of the godwalker flashes and burns to a bright molten gold as he moves almost faster than sight between the cannon and the other shapers. Sensing what the shapers were doing with the cannon, he reaches out gesturing towards it. (Attempting to assert his own control over it with Remote Interface, up to you whether it's too alien to work. Would be a contested check if they had control of it but shouldn't need it since the link was broken) (edited)

(Also as a point, using Psychic Static any time they try to regenerate or anything)

(it would work for you, but not for any of the others here Id say)

(Committing Godwalker effort for an extra main action) Glowing runes surround Regulus, matching the bright gold emanating from his mech before exploding out towards the surrounding shapers (21 damage for failed evasion save. Hopefully can hit all with a 20m radius.) At the same time the cannon turns towards the five shapers near the boarding pods. (What should I roll for that? Single target or AoE?)

(It’s a 4d10 suppression gun)

(28 suppressing then)

(Shoot that's a good roll)

The single shaper who had manned the gun is knocked against the wall. Three at the end of the corridor come apart at the hail of arcane energy and the stream of gattling acidic pebble fire from the captured support gun. One shaper returns fire down the corridor trying to hit the godwalker with a barbed round from its limb gun. The other moves to the wall where some kind of flesh port (like a data pad or terminal) opens in the shape of a shaper arm

(23/10 on reg. @Mylonite (Hailey) and Peter up) (edited)

(Sorry, had a hectic morning. Taking turns now)

Hailey flies forward in the Dragonfly, dropping to the ground again with a thud near Reg, her back to his. "Oh no you don't..." She levels her launcher at the shaper seemingly trying to connect to a data port and fires a rocket towards them that trails with blue electricity. (26/27)

Still back by the entrance, trying to keep out of the way, Peter takes his best shot and spits a burst of spikes at the one that fired, trying to defend the others. (13/19)

The rocket manages to reach the distance where peters energy spark does not , the explosion blowing out the room into space and forcing the iris sphincter to close and prevent explosive decompression.

You hear the roar of open space and the grown of toppled boarding craft sucked out of the breach from the other side

(So did all the shapers in there get voided?)

(And that was our only exit too right?)

(Exit to the west of the ramp. All shapers to the north are vented

(They saw Cayne coming up

(And technically dax but stealth had already been blown when he rolled)0

(Gotcha ) "Well at least they won't be using those boarding craft. I'm unsure if the alarm has been raised or not yet, but Ms. Clements is not known for her subtlety... Might as well continue on though."

(Can I sense any sort of telepathic alarm or anything going off?)

(Yes. I’d say so at the venting chamber but not before. The firefight was for their purposes effectively silent with how fast it was over)

(Dont suppose I could Psychic Static that as an instant action the moment I sensed it?)

(That’s fair. It costs an effort doesnt it?)

(Normally but I have flawless mastery in it currently which makes it effortless. The metapsi capstone skill)

The alarm, if there is such a tihng, is silenced with Regulus spending a moment to suppress the impulse from reaching the battle moon's brain

"The moon was almost alarmed but I was just able to catch it. With any larger commotion though I doubt I can stop it, so until we're ready for that you should probably refrain from rockets Ms. Clements."

(Never get between Hailey and her explosions)

"Well it got the job done, didn't it? Running around blasting gold psychic vibes everywhere isn't very subtle..."

"The fight itself didn't seem to alert anything, only the destruction and venting of the chamber but your point is noted." Regulus heads toward the western exit.

"Now I'm not one of those academic types, but if they communicate and sense all this MES stuff, wouldn't the moon be able to feel a burst of energy like that? If this ship really is alive, anyways..."

The western exit pivots open and a wide, domed like room stretches out before you. perfectly hewn cubes of flesh are stacked high against the walls, and around the floor, in large piles. Metal, bone, and ropy piles of spun-flax like sinew that likely came from unwilling hosts is also piled on the ground, in places where the cubes do not cover the floor If there were shapers in this room, there are not any here now, but this looks to be something like a manufacturing chamber for their twisted creations.

"They do not seem to have any affinity for metapsionics to sense in the way I do. And if they did I have recently discovered a way to be immune to the effects of metapsionic abilities including the sensing of psionics." Regulus looks around at the flesh cubes and other materials, giving a small shudder before looking for any other exits. "Nothing for us to destroy here... Best continue on."

“Oh that’s just fucking awful” (edited)

Cayne proceeds to take a few gulps of rum, fed to him through a tube in his Titan Armour

(Gonna use Psionic Succor, healed 10)

Caynes keen senses detect a shift in the stacked cubes at the edge of the room by the exit deeper into the moon. It moved ever so slightly. Almost imperceptible to everyone else

(He’s got alert 2 so I can’t surprise you)

“Stop moving. I saw something. There, behind the cubes.” Cayne indicates the spot. “Dax go left, I’ve got the right, Hailey watch our backs.” Cayne splits off to flank around the right side of the cubes, trying to get a sight line.

(Can I see enough to teleport over to the left side where he indicated? Dax isn't smart and is definitely teleporting right into the middle of trouble if he can.)

(Yeah you can see enough of where you’d teleport to)

Dax nods to Cayne before disappearing to get (hopefully behind) as close to the anomaly as he can with weapon still out at the ready.

(Sorry. Been a crazy day and I’m just catching up now.) “You can’t argue with results,” Hailey comments as the group continues forward, but slips the launcher onto her back in exchange for a small, awkward and janky looking gun. Later, in the new room as they spot something, though not one to take orders, Hailey sighs and watches their backs none the less, giving Peter a quick order to keep to her side and to alert her if he spots anything.

An avalanche of cubes tumbles to the ground, and a shaper brute , swollen with muscle and festooned with weapons rises from the debris. (Their version of a mech)

It’s arms are long claws, with a lashing tail ending in a forked point. Some type of shoulder armor is compartmentalized, no doubt concealing some sort of additional weaponry

Crackles of green energy race down its spine and between its ribs

"Gah! You're ugly!" Dax yells from behind the creature before disappearing back to the team. (Is it aware of the team yet? Or just me?)

(Aware of everyone. It was going to ambush the group but someone has alert 2)

(He didn't yell it in all caps so I'm surprised Alert still worked)

(Initiative?)

(We can keep the same )

(It’s close to how everyone’s positioned and has taken actions Anywya)

(Cayne up!)

(I’m up! Gonna roll now)

Cayne stops on his tracks on his advancing move, immediately backpedaling to find some cover, saying “You’re an ugly fucker aren’t ya? Then again I guess the shapers probably aren’t all that concerned with their next top model are they?” Caynes pistols fly out of their holsters, snapping towards the behemoth. (34/6, 34/13)

The shots rock the creature back a step as he takes the hits to the flesh cuffs around his wrists, sparing his face

(Dax)

"Hey, I'm gonna be over there," he points with his sword. "Do your worst!" Dax teleports back into range two meters off the ground with the nasty mech to slice through it with an overhead strike as he falls back to the ground and braces himself for impact by raising his energy buckler to block an incoming blow. (30/16)

(22 AC against melee)

Blue sparks spray against the blade and mech plating as some of its protective bodywork shears off, running across the slick floor and into another pile of cubes. This one falls without any surprises inside. (The debris covered floor is going to halve movement unless you can fly or float

(Or otherwise try something cool)

(We all can fly currently)

(Going to cast a spell if you want to snap attack first)

(Go ahead and cast)

Regulus moves between Cayne and Hailey, mechanical fingers moving in intricate patterns before a slightly hazy bubble appears around him, extending around Cayne and Hailey as well though not to Dax or the fleshshaper. "Stay near me Clements, Neverwinter." (Cast Projectile Repulsion Field: ranged attacks from outside the bubble have their damage reduced by 10, bubble lasts as long as deep focus is maintained, extends 5m out from Reg)

The mech channels the green lighting from around its spine to the claws on its fingers, spreading them wide and pointing his left hand at dax and cayne, the right, at Reg and hailey. (22/5 on Cayne, 18/20 if that hits hailey. i just lined up the d20's on r20 with how i typed everyones name, but he shot at everyone)

(Hailey/peter up)

(Do ties on AC go through?)

(yeah like 5E, ties and above hit)

(Kk sweet couldn’t remember ty)

(Reg's shield blocks yours though Cayne since it's under 10 damage)

(Good point whoops)

Hailey darts upwards and to the side, narrowly avoiding the burst. “I dunno guys, I think he’s kinda cool looking.” She fires a couple shots off from her machine gun, each shot phasing through the debris in the brute’s direction. (34/22. Nat20 so 34/44) (edited)

The machine gun fire leaves almost nothing on the mech/beasts front surface undamaged in at least some minor way. Pitting, scarring, carbon burns, and cracked armor peel from the skeletal thing, and the flickering green energies become a bit less vibrant around its spine and claws, instead being shunted to muscles and locomotion to literally keep the creature together

(Am I good to go or should I wait on peter?)

"Peter, keep out of this and just, keep watch or something." Peter keeps back and doesn't intervene, instead observing the mech/beast and its workings as avidly as possible, analyzing it.

Cayne, saves from harm by Regulus’s shield, stays put where he is, taking a second to line up his shots. “Impressive Hailey, but ya know, sometimes a little bit of accuracy is all you need” (30/12, 24/18)

The two shots kick some kind of bone antenna on the shoulder from its perch, and it rears back another step toward the door, it’s near critical damage beginning to tell in its jerky movements

(Dax)

(Discord acting up again) Dax hacks at one of its legs to attempt to chop it off. (34/23)

Dax does as intended, sending the enemy mech sprawling to the ground on severed flesh wire connections. It pulses and finally shorts out

(Reg)

(It's still alive?)

(Barely

But yes)

Regulus steps over to the prone shaper mech, hand outstretched above it. Glowing blue runes appear in a circle, slowly spiraling in front of his palm before coalescing into a blinding beam of energy spearing straight through the mech's core. (Crit/42)

The execution is quick as the flesh mech falls silent, head not removed, but atomized , as the energy feedback channels up from the core through the weakest path

"Dang Reggie! Leave some for the rest of us!" Dax says as he stows his armaments. Looking around, he says, "So far, so good. Let's not waste any time here, though."

(Reg wouldn’t feel any psychic alarms in here. You guys ended the encounter quickly

Regulus nods and looks around the room for any exits.

(North)

"Yes, let us continue." Regulus heads out the northern exit, the hazy bubble following around him.

Cayne does a once over scan of the mech, looking to see if he finds anything interesting.

“This is one wolf you can’t sneak up on”

Hailey lingers a moment as well, crouching down near the mech and tries to get a look at its interesting power system.

The power system if it had one of its own I’d unrecognizable and likely slagged along with the creatures body.

The northern iris door is closed but you hear the crash and spark of some type of machinery beyond

“Nothing to see then, let’s fuck off shall we?” Cayne continues on

“Damn. The thing was cool. Oh well. Onwards then!” Hailey moves over to join the others by the north door.

"Everyone ready? I suspect we shall soon find something worth setting off the alarm for." Regulus once again attempts to force the door open.

“Big daddy Regulus keeping us safe, putting holes in the obstacles laid before us. I should just bring you everywhere.”

The doors open to a machinery and manufacturing space. Bins of flesh cubes are everywhere and shaper thralls are hard at work bending the materials into something that can be used to start repairing damage. Many have plates and fasteners ready fir deployment to outer decks

“Alright gang, we blasting our way in or no?

The thralls must be made intentionally simple. They do not react at your presence here and merely keep performing the same mechanical tasks

(How big are these flesh cubes?)

(About as tall and wide as a human head)

"I say we give up the notion of stealth. We don't want them to repair the ship. Besides this is somewhat of a living creature, we cause enough damage as we go we could at least distract it from the battle outside. We hit hard and fast, as long as we don't linger in one spot they shouldn't be able to rally enough forces to pin us down."

“I’m following your lead Regulus, let’s get it started.”

“Let’s cause some chaos. Might as well destroy as much of this stuff as we can and put out, whatever this all is going to.”

"So... just start slashing everything in sight?"

“Explosives?” Hailey asks with a twist of optimism.

Cayne immediately draws his pistols and shoots at the nearest walking shaper

(19/5, 19/14)

“Whoops”

"Yes, Ms. Clements you may explode with abandon." Regulus reaches out to the machinery with telekinesis, twisting and crushing it so that it becomes unusable.

Hailey grins at Reg and aims a rocket at the bins of cubes. "I wasn't asking for permission, I was offering my services." She looses a rocket into her target with a pull of the heavy trigger. (34/26)

As Regulus crumples machinery, Cayne executes thrall workers where they stand and Hailey loosens rockets into the further ends of the room. Dax stands there looking heroic and cool. This time regulus does sense a psionic alarm about to be broadcast (edited)

(Alright so I couldn't post for a few hours but I definitely would be doing more than looking cool if everyone else is blowing stuff up lol)

(I know I was mostly breaking the 4th wall and being a goof)

(I figured lol. Not that it would make a tangible difference if I was involved)

(Dax doesn’t need magic to fly cause he’s hella fly already)

(Aww ❤️ )

"The alarm is about to signal, let's move on quickly." Regulus looks about for another exit, switching on his Energy Sensitivity to detect either incoming enemies or large energy signatures for potential targets.

(Isn't that only like a 10m range?)

(No range specified, I assume similar to metasenses which is roughly visual/auditory range)

There are two exits to this room, western, and eastern. The moon shakes as a large impact strikes the surface, audible even inside through several layers of dermal armor

"Hopefully that's a good sign! Which way, guys? Can you sense anything?" (Can I? lol)

(Nothing that reg doesnt aleady, so the alarm being suppressed, but thats all right now)

"Withers, check west I'll check east, let's see our options before we commit." Regulus heads over to the eastern exit, forces it open and looks through.

Dax does as he's told and cuts through the fleshy threshold (a fleshold, if you will) with his fiery mageblade.

Heading west, there is a large embarkment hangar, where shapers, their heavy scrap-flesh vehicles and walkers, and other more esoteric implements of war are being readied for planetary assault. There are dozens in the hangar, and those are just the ones visible. to the east, a spiral stairwell heads upwards to another deck

(Aware of me?)

(No since the alarm was suppressed, but they might become aware depending on what you guys do)

(The moon is taking a beating so a few extra close bangs or explosions probably wouldnt concern them with no alarm going off with it)

(Got it.) Dax teleports over to Regulus. "Hey. There's a pretty stinkin' huge hanger down there. It's not a control center or anything for this place, if that's what we're after."

"Also there is a ton of them in there." (edited)

Regulus reports back to the group, "I say we go east. I'm interested in their vehicles for research purposes, but the plan is to not allow them to land so destroying them wouldn't help us."

“That adds up. I’m with you shiny boy.”

Regulus nods and leads the way up the eastern stairs.

The stairwell winds up to a heavy door reinforced with metal that has been shut. There’s only enough space for one of you to stand in front of it at a time. You hear something sparking behind it

"Ah, give me a moment." Regulus places his palms together, slowly building up kinetic energy. Dax senses the pressure swell as Reg thrusts his hands forward, releasing the energy into the door. (Telekinetic Ram)

(Blows a 5m hole in just about anything so may take out more than just the door lol)

The door and the secondary blast shutter behind it are pulverized in a Spray of blood and fire and the chamber ahead of you is a large domed structure. Twenty shaper warriors stand in this room and look to have been just completing some kind of communication with one another. Around you, electrically conductive nodules hang from the ceiling and in upper shelf like cavities, sparks occasionally traveling from one to the other. The room is very dim, lit harshly for a few seconds at a time by the haphazard crackles

(If we're jumping back into initiative I'd like to do a snap attack so I can go before Dax dives in)

(Yeah go for it

Regulus pulls out a rock, an intricate rune carved into it glows like an ember. "I've picked up a few new tricks recently." He tosses the rock into the center of the fleshshapers which explodes in a burst of flame, sending a wave of fire and splinters of obsidian into the surrounding shapers. (30 damage in a 10ft radius)

(3m radius?)

(Same thing, Godbound uses feet lol)

(10 fail , 10 pass)

The shapers remain standing though some look in far worse shape than the others. The explosion was powerful and this time a very powerful alarm begins to sound. (The Brain is going to take an action here for a lighting attack on everyone, evasion saves)

(Then Cayne and dax and regular initiative goodness)

(38 for a fail, half for pass, Hailey takes half or a quarter since her elemental warrior element is electricity)

(5v5 save)

(We got lair actions up in here yall)

(I assume my bubble doesn't reduce that damage right?)

(It does not for the brain no, but it will for the regular warriors)

(11v3 success)

(12v4 success. Sorry guys I’ve wanted to be more involved in this and making decisions and all but it’s just that busy time of year) (edited)

(Aaaaaaaaaand I’m awake hello fellow humans. 7v5 success)

Cayne feels a mild jolt run through his body. “Whew, little bit of electro therapy. Doc never tried that again, let’s see if you’ll learn the same lesson.” His guns are out and firing immediately: (assuming I’m not stuck behind regulus/can see past him, targeting two weakened shapers: 19/16, 33/9)

(Alright. Well nobody failed so it’s 19 for everyone and Hailey takes 9)

)heading into the room now that the door is open you all have enough room to maneuver

Two of the most seriously wounded shapers in the middle of the pack fall, cut down by the expert pistol work

(Dax up)

(Are they melee looking or ranged?)

(Generally all shapers can be either)

"Time to get stupid! Cover me!" Dax activates Neural Overload Wiring and teleports himself in to the densest grouping of shapers in a whirl of vicious arcane-fueled sword slashes. (One strike at one, the 2nd strike against a different target) (33/18 first turn) (25/19 second turn at end of initiative order) (13 AoE shock vs AC 19 on both hits) (Physical save 11v5 for Wiring, 1 strain)

The most wounded of the shapers fall, and the remaining 10 lay in on dax, the easiest since he’s in their midst

(22/2 22/8 the rest miss)

(Hailey up)

Getting hit by the lightning only seems to energize Hailey. "You're not the only one who can play with sparks!" Taking a second to charge up Sparky, she unleashes a flurry of multicolored lightning. (35/16, 31/16, 28/13, 21/11) (edited)

(Physical effect save for everyone

(15v5 success)

(8v5 success)

(It’ll be 22 on a fail and half on a pass) As more shapers fall, the room begins to fill with a green gas, the color of emerald. It pools around ankles but the stench coming off of it is the cloying stale cinnamon musk of rot. The vapor burns as you inhale it before getting filtration on, stinging eyes and leaving windpipes raw for want of fluid

(Save 18v5)

(Cayne up)

(Thanks for the reminder whoops) “Well that’s just fucking brilliant isn’t it? Hey shiny boy, any idea what the fucks going on?” Cayne speaks casually as he places two shots into the nearest shapers head.

(27/9, 35/7)

(Physical Save 16v5 success)

It falls, leaving just 6 of them remaining

(Reg)

(Dax)

(Wasn’t sure if he was snap casting ahain

Dax teleports straight to the next group of shapers, letting his Neural Overload cool down for the moment. Upon arrival he shoulder checks the nearest shaper and uses the momentum to spin his blade through more of them. (32/25, 13 AoE Shock vs AC 19)

The rest of the group collapses as the swinging blade tears through the formation, rending apart what’s left

(Dang I'm good)

"Oi, fuckhead, let some of us do some work every now and then"

"Ah, well done... We had best hurry, it seems the ship itself is attacking us. Anyone need some healing before we continue?" (edited)

(It gets another lair action. You’re in the brain this is still an encounter)

(Reg is up)

(whoops)

(Ah, didn't realize we were inside inside, thought we were just close)

(Told ya so)

(My statement still stands tho)

"I've got a big boom left in me!... But it's risky...."

“I wonder if I could...” Hailey pauses for a moment, examining the electricity running through the area. “I wonder if I could short out this thing.”

Regulus burns gold once more as the godwalker amplifies his processing power (Godwalker effort for extra main action, first psionic succor to heal 10 hp, second is starting a TK ram). Metal and fibers knit together as the healing energies flood his system. Regulus once more places his palms together to gather kinetic energy for a blast.

The ram pulps flesh and one of the organs in its tidy bone nacelle, and the moon shakes with a different sort of pain quake as the object is crushed with the force. There is an immense pressure wave that rushes out as the muscles in the floor, ceiling and walls quickly contract to try to crush you all between them. The contraction is lighting fast but imperfect, a few of you finding air pockets and avoiding the worst of it before the muscles relax. (Think of like a grinding stomach) (Going in initiative order to hit is 10 /14. 14/23 24/19 25/8 24/34)

Regulus strains as he's almost crushed, just managing to hold back the ceiling with brute kinetic force (impact sump to negate the damage, use once per day)

(I'm safe)

(Also, there's only 4 of us) (RIP Peter) (edited)

(Peter?)

(Got em)

(Yeah he’s in the room and even staying out of the way , when the whole room contracted it gets everything. Would have killed friendlies too if the brain had any left at the moment)

(The brain doesn't have any friends guys ️ )

(Same)

(Hailey's up)

(OH NO PETER NO)

(Imma go off) (edited)

(I forgot about him!)

”PETER!” Hailey cries as he’s hit by the worst of the crushing force. She takes another look at the conductive nodules hanging from the ceiling, and thinking of them like a machine that can be overload or short out. Having never tried this before and struggling to control it alone, but fueled by fury, her arm ripples in electricity, and she throws it up towards the nodules. (17/13) (edited)

One of them blows out in a shower of steaming blood and you feel the floor shake this time not with spasm or attack, but pain, as the moon howls in all of your minds

(Cayne)

(Should be off work in 20

(No rush)

Cayne feels the pain emitted by the Brain, and follows Haileys lead. “Leave it to you to know how to fuck something up!” (31/12, 23/13)

(Cayne, not to be that guy wanting to apply real physics, but you got some icy stuff right? Quick changes from hot to cold can mess up the body, soooo...)

(Cayne wouldn’t think like that tho, he’s more of a “I’m gonna shoot this thing till it’s dead or I am” kinda guy. But if Neko wants to apply that just Cos my weapons are imbued with frost that’s cool too, not sure if it’s a big enough source of cold to effect anything tho.)

(That wasn’t necessarily a “it should be effected right now” thing, just a “hey, here’s an idea for something cool we could maybe try at some point”) (edited)

(Fair enough! Appreciate the suggestion )

(Your weapons do have that. You took elemental warrior. Remember that drone swarm you froze?)

(Dax up now I believe)

(Sure do! Just wasn’t sure about the power level of it in terms of flavour. Like it just adds my shoot bonus, so in terms of how much it passively does in flavour, like freezing the brain, that’s your call.)

(Gotcha). Capitalizing on the electrical charge the cold raced through the brain and a patch of it begins to necrotizize. It’s reactions become slower and off balance

(Dax)

(We'll resolve this round and then catch up to outside)

(Gonna do something stupid.) "I hope this works... Stay away!" Dax begins concentrating and several mageblades start appearing in space, poised to fly into the brain. (Starting to cast a spell.)

(Not sure if the lair actions can snap attack to interrupt or not)

(I haven't paid attention to when those have been happening in initiative)

(If it does work, 62 AoE damage) (edited)

(Dax is good)

The spell sends a column of gore blowing out the top and bottom of the chamber, and peppers the walls with fist and larger sized holes. Dozens of the nodes seem to break apart under the explosive touch and outside you hear the battle continue. Billy’s calls to evacuate sound in your ears, as it sounds like the boarding action on the vox has favored the defenders

You notice far fewer UNW faction ship runes on your electronic maps

(Are we still in initiative or is the brain disabled? Since we're teleporting out we'd be around till Dax's next turn)

(If you wanna hit us again lol)

(Dax killed it)

(Cool, just wanted to make sure before we got ahead of you)

Regulus steps up to Dax, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Well done, Withers. Now, get us out of here before we're killed by our own Mr. Rigers."

"All aboard!" Dax gathers the team and in a moment's time teleports them back into the stealthed ship. (1 Effort) Back in the hold, Dax perks up. "Shoot! You know what I forgot?" He pulls put the unused demo charge. "We were supposed to drop these off somewhere..."

Looking out the porthole viewer back at the moon, you see the vox furiously emerge from the floating debris clouds of its attendant ships. The slimline nose of the something sleek tumbles by, rammed by the vox’s bow, and the battleship unleashes an intense salvo from it its guns, dozens of rapid fire shots from high intensity cannons

The moon is broken into hundreds of small pieces

"I guess it doesnt matter now..."

“Well if Billy could do that this whole time what the fucks the point of anyone else? He should just build us a fleet of those. That’s a good call.”

"Ah, but if only we could build a fleet's worth of Billy Rigers to captain them. And a Robert to pilot each one. And Ms. Clements managing their guns. It is not the ships that make the fleet Mr. Neverwinter, it is the exceptional people who use them."

“Listen shiny boy, I’m gonna pretend like i was on that list of exceptional people and agree with you. I’m gonna pay Billy a hell of a lot to make me something like that.”

Hailey walks over from fixing up Peter. “Ladies, ladies. We were all helpful in our unique and special ways...except Cayne– anyways do either of you by chance have a ring spanner? I can’t get one of Pete’s eyes on right.”

Cayne mumbles something that barely comes through your comm devices. It sounds like it rhymes with Mitch. Immediately followed by “Charming as always Hailey.”

(And we can split from here though you don’t necessarily need to leave the battlefield if you don’t want to)