Inside the Great Maker - IC Thread

[Sherwood]

With everyone in position, and several dozen mortal soldiers in attendance to keep both the crowds at bay and to provide an honor guard for the Estasian visitors, everything is in place. A large crowd of protesters are standing under the watchful eye of the first ring of guards, many of them holding up signs in the cold weather, calling the Estasians killers, as some of these people have lost loved ones to various 'incidents' on the border.

After a short wait, three airships come into view; one large skiff capable of carrying up to twenty people being escorted by two smaller gunships. The three ships briefly hover over the landing platform before slowly settling down in a crackle of electricity.

A puff of steam marks the main exit hatch of the large skiff and a group of six figures come walking down the ramp; five soldiers and one Orichalcum Caste Exalt. The five soldiers are armed with Essence weapons fitted with power capacitors, but the Exalt does not appear to be armed in any visible manner. The Exalt looks about at the crowds and sneers in disgust, then his eyes turn to the various members of the Circle and the Assemblymen standing with you. He looks over you one at a time, ignoring the mortals and just focusing his attention on the Champions. He does not act impressed.

With a casual step, the Shining One steps forward until he is a few paces away. Luminor March stands there with Celebrant Mera and Autocrat Garret, and the old man offers up a slight bow. "Welcome to Ein. I am-"

The Exalt slices his hand in a sharp motion. "I am fully aware of who you are. I am Ever Vigilant Warrior, and I am here to ensure the safety of the delegation from Estasia. Once I am satisfied with your security measures, I will have my people come out and not a second earlier."

Spoiler

You may try a Int + Lore roll to get some information on this Ever Vigilant Warrior if you want.

March, Mera and Garret all look like they have just swallowed a mouthful of industrial lubricant, but they don't raise any complaints. Of the three, Garret is the one that is most understanding of the need for security, but even he is not happy about the way it is brought up. As the Exalt begins to look about, the five men behind him split up with two flanking Warrior and the other three keep their position near the boarding ramp of the Skiff.

What do you do while this is going on?

 

[WlfSamurai]

Relentless Laborer of Sacred Unity stands her ground and nods. “Warrior,” she says to the Exalt. “We’re all here doing the same job. Let’s not escalate the situation with petty attitudes. We all want to go home having said we kept everyone here safe and sound. We,” she motions to the group, “are in charge of the security detail. Do you have any questions or concerns we can address?”

 

[Crocodile]

Justice Enforcement Engine watched with a stoic expression at the exchange. He does move to escort Warrior while gesturing to the others to stay there and watch the three essence weapon troopers and more so be ready to shield the leadership present. Several of his regulators detach from the auxiliary unit he had posted to follow behind him with another gesture.

"Forgive me, Warrior, but as you say, security precautions. My primary threat assessment of the moment renders you the most dangerous element currently active here. Please, proceed with your own assessment," Justice said in a polite and calm tone even as he pulled on his memory for what data he he on this one. He was concerned this was more than it appeared.

 

[Psychie]

From her position in the audience, Ma3a is doing her best to be aware of the feel and attitudes of the people around her. At the same time, she searches her memory for information on the Exalt that has come to the forefront of the Estasian delegation.

Spoiler

Holy crap. All those dice and I only got two successes. Ouch.

 

[Sherwood]

Thinking through your intelligence briefings you have gotten about the Exalts of Estasia, Justice is able to recall hearing the name of this fellow, but details elude him. Most Assurant is able to get some more information to come to the front of her mind, mostly in the form that this Orichalcum Caste is very much a military leader, and is a skilled general with a personal cadre of well-trained troops.

A glance at Thousand Gears doesn't show any sign of recognition, but Hammer of the Populat looks quite angry, and looks like he is ready to explode into action at any moment.

Warrior goes through the motions of looking about, continuing to ignore the shouting protestors. He makes the comment, supposedly to his troops but makes it loud enough to be heard by those Exalts around him, "Disrespect like this would never be allowed in our cities. Such rabble." Finally, he stands still and says to the Exalts near him, "This looks . . . tolerable." He then nods over at the guards standing next to the boarding ramp of the Skiff, and they turn and head inside.

Moments later, the troops come back down, but this time there is a second Exalt, this one a Jade Caste, guiding more soldiers that form a human shield around six civilians; three Assembly members and their secretarial staff. There are now a total of ten soldiers, two Exalts, and the six civilians on the landing grid besides the security forces and Exalts from EIn and the crowds of onlookers.

 

[Psychie]

Ma3a frowns to herself, but keeps a hopeful expression on her face. Why would the Estasians include Warrior as a member of these delicate negotiations? He is hardly a symbol of peace and co-existence. She has a bit of a good feeling when she sees that the examination of the landing platform meets their high expectations and they signal for the Assemblymen to come out of the Skiff. At this point, her attention is on the people of the crowd, looking to make sure that there are no attempts to rush the security line and attack the Estasians.

4 successes on a Perception + Awareness roll.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Seeing the new Jade Caste and the shield of soldiers, Unity leans in to Justice to whisper in his ear.

“It might be worth setting up a perimeter around this group,” she says. “If we try to keep it looking like an escort, it might look less offensive, but the entire group poses a threat at this point. I’m going to keep as close to their Champions as I can.”

 

[Crocodile]

"You watch them, but the crowd contines to need monitoring. I refuse to give them excuses for a war," Justice said quietly before turning to step to the pads edge for his officers to see him. He makes a few commanding gestures, ordering his men to begin expanding the corridor for the escort to get citizens out of the way. More so to reinforce that line to stop them doing somethign stupid or shameful on behalf of their nation. The actual escort force prepping as well to help guide them.

"Citizens! Make way for the Tripartite and the diplomatic delegation!" Justice commands, using an amplifier if on hand but also making clear and familiar gestures the regulators did for crowd control and direction.

(Spending 5 Personal Motes on 1st Cha Aug)

 

[Sherwood]

Before the Estasian delegation is able to join with their counterparts from Ein, Most Assurant spots one of the people nearby her pull something out from under their heavy robes and conceal it in his hands. A voice shouts out, loud enough to be heard across the platform, "DEATH TO ESTASIA!" When that shout goes out, eight people haul back their arms and throw some small objects at the delegates!

Most Assurant, Unity and Justice have a fraction of a second to respond, since you have been watching the crowd. What do you do?

 

[WlfSamurai]

Seeing the movement and objects is enough. Unity’s body and abilities react faster than she can think. Knowing it would have to be perfect, she lets instinct take over. Her mind naturally calculates a straight line with correct timing through all eight objects in midair.

The thrusters in Unity’s back open up and she explodes forward with Essence at 180 miles per hour. Her body slams onto each object on her path and she wraps her arms around all eight, attempting to carry them up away from the delegates and the crowd. Someplace where, if they explode, it can only effect her.

7 successes - 7m personal Essence spent

Spoiler: Mechanics

2m on Plasma Thruster Assembly to blast forward 90 yards.
5m on 5 extra dice for my dexterity+athletics to make sure I snag all the objects for a total of 13 dice.

 

[Sherwood]

Despite the rapid response from Unity, you are in just the wrong position to be able to intercept all eight of the flying objects. But you are able to run into four of the eight, knocking two aside and grabbing the other two in your hands. You have just enough time to look down at the pair of objects in your hands to know that they are Essence Pulse Grenades, and when they go off, this is going to hurt.

What does Psychie and Crocodile want to do?

 

[Crocodile]

Justice Engagement Engine watches in internal horror as the attack goes off, cursing his own failure to develop his physical prowess more. All he could do was calculate and then trust in his circle to do the rest. The attackers had to be seized even if Estasia declared war for this. The elements had to be found and rooted out within Kamak to find who dared to plan this. He looks upon the crowd, noting that to make this attack, they were in a close portion of the crowd.

"Citizens! Detain the traitors who dare to try to bring war to our nation! Seize the assassins among you! Interceptor team, move in and detain!" Justice orders sharply to those present. Setting in motion the regulators left detached for something like this. Thankfully he drilled his men well and more so they were used to tight tactical movement and civil operations due to Justice's preferred areas of expertise.

(Conceptual Entropy Module - Attacking hatred for Estasia, trying to refocus the mob on their patriotism against the assassins/traitors. Also triggering Tunnel Fighting Tactical Omnibus for my Regulators benefits from it to more easily act in Tight formation. Hopng if the crowd responds to the order it can help them too. Just let me know what to roll)

6 Successes - 7 Personal Motes, 6 Peripheral, 1 WP Spent

 

[Psychie]

Trusting that the civilians nearby will be able to grab the one grenade thrower, Most Assurant drops the effects of her Integrated Artifact Transmogrifier and then kicks in her Personal Gravity Manipulation Apparatus to try and leap far enough to strike down the one grenade that was thrown from next to her. Sadly, she lacks the same thruster array that Unity has to be able to intercept more of the deadly weapons than just this one.

In a flash of movement, she pulls out her Beamklave and engages the blade to hit the grenade and either destroy it or, at the very least, knock it from its course towards the delegates.

Three successes.

 

[Sherwood]

While boosting away after deflecting the course of the four grenades, the two in Unity's hands explode point blank on top of you. You need to apply two separate attacks of 12L against your defenses. If you have any Reflexive Charms that can be activated, you can apply them to help block the damage. Otherwise, what is your Soak?

Most Assurant's effort to knock the grenade aside is just barely successful. The device is not destroyed due to the fact that it is made mostly of Red Jade, so it is able to explode as designed, right in your face. The 12L damage of the grenade applies to you, also. What is your Soak?

Justice calls out for people to grasp the grenade throwers with a powerful voice. Many people on the outskirts of the onlooking crowd scatter in fear, while the security forces from Ein begin to respond. But they do not have the same reflexes that the Exalted do, and despite their excellent training, they are not able to stop the last three grenades.

But the two Exalts from Estasia do respond. The unnamed Jade Caste follows Unity's lead and jumps up into the air, powered forward by a pair of large metal wings that unfurl from his back. He whips his wings out wide and scoops up the last three explosives and pulls them in tight to his chest, which has the unfortunate side effect of focusing the blast of all three weapons directly against his chest. When the blast goes off, he is knocked flying back and slams motionless into the deck in a smoking heap. At this point you don't know if the Jade Exalt is still alive or not.

Warrior lets out a angry snarl. "We are betrayed! All of Kamak will suffer for your treachery!" He suddenly rises up, with his arms and legs splitting apart to now give him eight limbs, and heavy armor plates slide out from under his skin to provide extra protection. Finally, the handles of two Beamklaves can be seen protruding from his wrists, and the two weapons flash into light, showing the Orichalcum Caste Exalt is ready to fight.

Join Battle, everyone! Also, make sure you are keeping track of your Essence expenditures as we go along.

 

[WlfSamurai]

I have 4L soak, but 15L hardness.

2 successes on Join Battle

Spoiler: Combat & Essence

Essence - 4
Personal - 13/20
Peripheral - 50/50 (46, 4 committed)

Willpower - 8
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

Virtues
Compassion - 2
Conviction - 2
Temperance - 2
Valor - 3

Health Levels
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
I [ ]

Join Battle: 7
Dodge DV: 7 (8 vs multiple opponents)
Parry DV: 7

Dodge MDV: 8
Parry MDV: 4

Hardness: 2B/1L (20B/15L/10A from Essence Shield Projector)
Soak: 8B/4L/0A

Jade Grand Beamklave:
Spd 4, Acc +1, Dmg +17L/4, Def 7, Rate 1, Tags: 2/O/R

 

[Psychie]

Most Assurant raises up her hands to protect her face from the flaming blast, trusting in the strength of the Maker's blessings to protect her.

Spoiler

Soak is 15L
Personal Gravity Manipulation Device active for one Scene

Health Levels
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
I [ ]

Essence: 4
Personal: 22
Peripheral: 58 (48 - 10 Committed) - 41
Willpower: 10 - 9

Join Battle: 5
Dodge DV: 6
Parry DV:

Dodge MDV: 8

Weapons and Armor
Orichalcum Beamklave - Speed: 5, Accuracy +4, Damage +6L, Defense +3, Rate 4, Attune 3
Infinite Resplendence Amulet - +5L/+5B
Shielding Block Elemental Core - +8L/+8B, +8 Hardness
Total Soak: 15L/16B +8 Hardness

 

[Psychie]

Forgot my Join Battle roll:

 

[Crocodile]

Justice makes a mental note that Warrior is either idiot, zealot or conspirator. His reaction is unimpressive and denotes he's eagerness belying hte importance of protecting the Estasian representatives. He turns to face him now with a scowl of annoyance. He respested service to one's nation, for that was his drive, but frothing at the mouth foolishness like what he'd just heard was another thing. It was the domain of fools and demagogues. He had detained and tried many.

"Perhaps you should see to your charges instead of making arrogant declarations, Warrior. Your comrade certainly shows more loyalty to Estasia's Tripartite with his sacrifice than you do with your bluster."

He definitely should have had them attach the rest of his exoskeleton today. Alas, hindsight only suited the courts he reigned over in making rulings.

Spoiler: Combat Stats

Backgrounds
Artifact 2
Backing 3 (The Olgotoay)
Class 3
Command 2
Eidolon 5

Essence 3
Personal: 1/13
Peripheral: 30/36 (51)
Committed: 15

Willpower - 10
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

Virtues
Compassion - 2
Conviction - 3
Temperance - 2
Valor - 3

Health Levels
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
I [ ]

Join Battle: 7
Dodge DV: 4
Parry DV: 4

Dodge MDV: 8
Parry MDV: 4

 

[Sherwood]

Warrior glares at Justice. "You dare to question me and my loyalty to Estasia?!? You will be the first to suffer my wrath!" With that, he begins to race towards Justice with his Beamklaves up and at the ready to strike. He makes a double swing at you, trying to cut you down. What is your DV?

Crocodile

Initiative order
0 - [Warrior]
1 -
2 -
3 - Justice
4 - Ma3a, Unity
5 - Warrior
6 -

 

[Sherwood]

Forgot to add that both Unity and Most Assurant are a bit scorched by the Essence Pulse Grenades going off on top of them, but other than that, they are unharmed. It remains to be seen if you can stay that way for much longer in the face of Warrior's rage.

 

[Crocodile]

"Its a wonder they didn't send you to start a war, you cretin," Justice retorted, raised his soulsteel smashfists to try to deflect the blow if possible. "Get your fool under control!" He snaps at the Estasian delegates while he can.

(Parry DV: 4, Soak: 14L/19B, Hardness: 9L/11B)

 

[Sherwood]

The first of the two swings manages to connect with you despite your effort to parry it, and it does manage to do 2L to you past your armor.

While this is going on, the two groups of soldiers begin to square off with weapons drawn. At the same time, Hammer of the Populat and Thousand Gears of Industry interpose themselves between the Tripartite Assembly members from Ein and the attacking soldiers, getting the important counsel members to safety as the fighting begins to escalate.

Crocodile is now up. What does Justice do now?

Initiative order
0 - [Warrior]
1 -
2 -
3 - Justice <====
4 - Ma3a, Unity
5 - Warrior
6 -

 

[Crocodile]

Justice grimaced as he registered the pain of of a strike getting through, again chastising himself for failure to forsee this. Warrior was going to outclass him, clearly built fully for combat while he was a command and control unit. He only hoped his circle could get here in time. He would have to slow him down until then, for the sake of Kamak and the hope the Estasians would call him off. He was starting to doubt if the fool would listen to his own masters with this sort of automatic behavior though. He was too perfect for starting an incident with. Someone in Estasia either knew or hoped this would happen as he assessed the situation. His intellect working away at the real problem, the real crime of this moment even as he snapped a soulsteel boot our harshly at his foe, hoping to at least hamper him.

Spoiler: Combat Stats

Essence 3
Personal: 1/13
Peripheral: 30/36 (51)
Committed: 15

Willpower - 10
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

Virtues
Compassion - 2
Conviction - 3
Temperance - 2
Valor - 3

Health Levels
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
I [ ]

Join Battle: 7
Dodge DV: 4
Parry DV: 4

Dodge MDV: 8
Parry MDV: 4

Soak: 14L/19B
Hardness: 9L/11B

Soulsteel God Kicking Boots
Speed: 5, Acc: +3, Dmg: +8B, Def: -1, Rate: 2, Tags: M,P

 

[Sherwood]

Justice lashes out with a kick, but the other Exalt is able to evade your attack with a sneer. "If that is the best that the Champions of Ein have to offer, you will be easily crushed under the Estasian boot!"

Both Psychie and WlfSamurai are up

Initiative order
0 - [Warrior]
1 -
2 -
3 - [Justice]
4 - Ma3a, Unity <====
5 - Warrior
6 -
7 -
8 - Justice

 

[Psychie]

Most Assurant skids to a stop on the deck after the flame blast goes off in her face, spinning around and launching herself back towards Warrior. Crying out, she says, "Stop this madness! It is not too late to step back from the brink of total war! If you don't want to have us rip you apart, stand down!" Once she lands, Most Assurant slides up to stand near Justice, giving him some comfort to know that they are a united front in this fight.

Spoiler

Personal Gravity Manipulation Device active for one Scene

Going for a Defend Other action on Justice. Spd 5 action

Health Levels
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
I [ ]

Essence: 4
Personal: 22
Peripheral: 58 (48 - 10 Committed) - 41
Willpower: 10 - 9

Join Battle: 5
Dodge DV: 6
Parry DV:

Dodge MDV: 8

Weapons and Armor
Orichalcum Beamklave - Speed: 5, Accuracy +4, Damage +6L, Defense +3, Rate 4, Attune 3
Infinite Resplendence Amulet - +5L/+5B
Shielding Block Elemental Core - +8L/+8B, +8 Hardness
Total Soak: 15L/16B +8 Hardness