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Together you arrive at and enter the port cargo airlock. The Singularity's systems are without power, so you must either use your own batteries to power the doorlocks or cut your way through. As you breach the ship, you find eerie silence.
Breaking in to the cargo bay reveals a scene of utter carnage. The shadows dance away from your lights, and half a dozen lashunta heads lie in a heap amidst blood-splattered starship parts. Judging by the nearby discarded spiked armor, and piercings and tattoos on the heads, they appear to have belonged to the crew!
The captain, who you know as the "Jangly Man", does not appear to be amongst the dead.
A kind of incorporeal undead, an oblivion shade comes into existence when an evil being dies in the throes of utter nihilism. With that negativity burning in its heart, the miserable soul rises again as an oblivion shade.
Oblivion shades are animate expressions of entropy, able to disintegrate matter with a touch. Though their bodies melt away to nearly nothing, victims killed by oblivion shades often find their souls twisted, becoming oblivion shade spawn under the thrall of the original undead.
Most oblivion shades embrace devotion to the Devourer. Some function as soldiers of the Star-Eater’s cults, while others act as revered mystics and sages of the most faithful choirs. A few create their own sects by slaughtering innocents to create spawn. These “invisible choirs” are looked upon with fear and awe even by other cultists of the Devourer.
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Thrym shudders.
"This place is cursed..."
Nevertheless, it doesn't stop him from searching the area, turning up a battered suit of power armour.
He then looks thoughtful.
"Those shadows were actually creatures - Spirits doomed to utter nihilism, bodiless essences that seek to spread their curse to others by disintegrating their flesh... We should keep an eye out for them."
Perception, ID Creature: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (14) + 20 = 34.
Kush looks around the place, and at the heads.
"Very interesting!"
Showing to all how each of the heads has taught skin, eyes rolled back in their heads, and screams frozen on their faces, he adds:
"The captain, who we know as the "Jangly Man", does not appear to be amongst the dead..."
Kush points out the Oblivion Shades lurking about:
"THAT is why they did not use the escape pods. They do not need to flee..."
Kush tries to think as to whether his positive energy spells would harm these shadows, and what else might--
An incorporeal creature doesn’t have a physical body. It is immune to all nonmagical kinetic attacks. All energy attacks and magical kinetic attacks deal half damage (50%) to it. An incorporeal creature takes full damage from other incorporeal creatures and effects, as well as from all force effects. Corporeal spells and effects that do not cause damage have only a 50% chance of affecting an incorporeal creature. An incorporeal creature is immune to critical hits.
Incorporeal creatures’ attacks always target their enemies’ Energy Armor Class. Incorporeal creatures cannot take any physical actions that would move or manipulate an opponent or its equipment, including combat maneuvers, nor are they subject to any such actions.
An incorporeal creature can enter or pass through solid objects but must remain adjacent to such an object’s exterior, and so it cannot pass through the center of an object whose space is larger than its own. It can sense the presence of creatures or objects within squares adjacent to its current location (see page 260), but enemies have total concealment (50% miss chance; see Concealment on page 253) from an incorporeal creature that is inside an object. An incorporeal creature inside an object has total cover, but when it attacks a creature outside the object it has only cover (see Cover starting on page 253). An incorporeal creature cannot pass through a force effect. Incorporeal creatures pass through and operate in vacuum, water, and zero gravity as easily as they do in air. Incorporeal creatures cannot fall or take falling damage. They have no weight and do not set off traps that are triggered only by weight.
Incorporeal creatures move silently and cannot be heard with Perception checks unless they wish to be. Any sense (including blindsense or blindsight) based on scent, sound, or touch is ineffective at perceiving incorporeal creatures. These creatures have an innate sense of direction and can move at full speed even when they cannot see.
They no longer appear to be in the room. They must have used their Void Leap ability to regroup elsewhere.
- The Midnight Lord is the only rightful lord for any shadow! We are angry. We need to say...
“keep your intervals wide, your eyes peeled, and your asses covered. We are boarding a ship of hostile lunatics and I estimate thirty percent of the crew will be to stubborn to die from the starship combat.”
Exploring the rest of this level reveals no further threats or equipment. A circular hover lift can be powered to lift you up to the next level. The lower bridge contains another three Lashunta heads, frozen in the same horrific manner.
Kush stops in his tracks when RDS2 gives conflicting orders.
Kush wonders how to spread his cheeks to “keep your intervals wide" and at the same time conserve "your asses covered"?
Kush helps explain about the shades...
"This is interesting, to see how people beyond the clouds chop off their own heads."
Botamo doesn't seem to notice anything other than the heads and the shadows that seemed to flee....
"By golly those are Ancestors! Well probably not ours, but someones furshoor! Musta' fell to the shade of oblivion by the looks of them. We should be on our guard and ready for them. I wonder if those blasted cultists are in league with them?" he says as he activates his solar weapon and makes his way to the lift.
Captain Botamo leads the crew up the hover lift. It's crowded, but nothing ambushes you. The moment the doors open, Botamo jumps out into the hallway, ready for combat...
...and there are indeed threats!
RD-S2 and Thrym point out the tell-tale moving shadows all throughout the corridor. At first, you think there are only 4...
...But then Kush points out that there is a bigger Shade hiding down the hall in the Power Core, near the lifeless body of the Jangly Man!
ROUND 1
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Thrym
Blue Shade
Green Shade
Orange Shade
Purple Shade
Yellow Shade
Shandi
???
Kush
Botamo
There is no power in this corridor. The doors are only open a few inches - enough to not cause a shade any problems .
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RD-S2 grabs a wire from their side and jams it into their energy shield while drawing their rifle
The larger shade ominously emerges from the bulkhead, moves in clear view of Botamo, cracks a wry, purple-tinged smile, and then floats silently towards the Jangly Man's body. It then holds a single incorporeal claw up to the human's exposed neck.
"Для пожирателя."
Two of the other shades emerge from behind their doors and float towards Botamo, staying inside the floors for protection, and extend their claws!
ROUND 1
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Purple Shade
Thrym
Shandi
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
???
Kush
Botamo
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Thrym sends vibrations right into the floorplates, disrupting the shadow's very essence!
ROUND 1
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Purple Shade
Thrym
Shandi
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
???
Kush
Botamo
ROUND 1-2
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Purple Shade
Thrym
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
???
Shandi
Kush
Botamo
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Moving slowly at half-speed, while pulling out his hand axe, Kush tries to tumble past Botamo, to avoid blows from both Shadows--
--and then a bit more, trying to avoid a blow from the pale blue Shadow.
Kush then swings his handaxe at the pale blue shadow--
--but does not think he but enough power into the blow...
Overcomes DR/adamantine & ignore hardness under 30 when sundering or attacking objects
"Ты ничего не знаешь о моем языке и моей культуре, тварь. Ты просто пародия на настоящую тень, ты жалка, как и твой недобог. Ты будешь служить или умрешь!" - shouting curses at the wall, Shandi literally disappears.
Botamo begins glowing a brightly as he slashes twice at the light blue shadow!
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RD-S2 turns the battery on their elite infantry rifle then jams a wire from their arm into the battery causing the rifle to shake with power and fires at the orange ghost.
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Kush focuses too much on tip-toeing over the shades and not enough on using his trusty axe.
RD-S2 begins a full-scale mining operation on the deck's floors.
Botamo expertly forces the blue-tinged shade to rethink its unlife choices. Both it, and the orange-tinged shade, emerge from the floor to flank Botamo!
The larger, purple-tinged shade makes direct eye contact with Shandi, despite the cloaking field. It lifts its claw away from the Jangly Man's lifeless body and speaks in an ominous tone, "Вы развлекаете меня! Пожалуйста, позвольте мне развлечь вас!"
And with a flick of its wrist, the Jangly Man leaps to his feet! His eyes are white. His motions are jerky. He twists and weaves down the corridor like a marionette pulled by ethereal strings, while the shadow retreats back within the bulkhead.
ROUND 2
THRYM MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Purple Shade
The... Jangly Man???
Thrym
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
Shandi
Kush
Botamo
Thrym sends off a vibrating barrage at the closest shade, and shadowy pieces of its form get blasted into nothingness.
But just as Shandi moves to accost the twitchy human, two more shades leap out of the walls to flank her!
ROUND 2-3
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Purple Shade
The... Jangly Man???
Thrym
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
Shandi
Kush
Botamo
RD-S2 takes aim at orange
Now that the shades have emerged from the floor, RD-S2 no longer feels compelled to continue mining the decks, and lands a solid shot into [orange]!
ROUND 2-3
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Purple Shade
The... Jangly Man???
Thrym
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
Shandi
Kush
Botamo
Botamo continues to slice at the blue shade,
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Kush slashes twice at the shade with the light blue aura--
--"Hello! Can you talk? I am Kush the Kish.
Do you wish for Talavet to redeem your soul?
Did you not try to use the lifeboats?"
Unphased by the shadows surrounding him, Shandi focuses on the human captain...
...and attempts to see if he still bleeds...
...and... HE DOES!
The Jangly Man's eyes roll back from white to normal, and his twitching and writhing gives way to curses and sputters. "Damn it! You Primites learn too fast! Fine then! !"
He then draws his Tactical Spear, just in time for the purpose-tinged shadow to emerge again from the bulkhead!
And the two shadows flanking Botamo full attack!
ROUND 3
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Jangly Man
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Purple Shade
Thrym
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
Shandi
Kush
Botamo
The orange-tinged shade takes rip after tear from Thrym's dedicated assault, but it hangs on by an incorporeal thread.
Meanwhile, the two shades that were previously flanking Shandi break off to find new targets.
ROUND 3-4
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Jangly Man
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Purple Shade
Thrym
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
Shandi
Kush
Botamo
Botamo grimaces at his wounds, "I'm actually feeling a bit of effort outa these hosers!" he says as he takes a guarded step diagonally towards the orange shade, and begins to glow almost blindingly before exploding a burst of solar rays that strike the orange and blue shade with solar fire!
Kush squints when he sees Botamo explode: "CAPTAIN?! What did... oh?! A trick! Nice!"
He then aims at the shade close to him that is still standing, Blue in priority, and Orange otherwise, also switching targets if he takes Blue down himself.
Kush swings his axe left--
--and right.
"Back to wherever you should be going!"
Botamo blasts [orange] into a hell only a shade could appreciate, and weakens [blue] enough for Kush to finish them off with a single strike before swinging around into [green]!
ROUND 3-4
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Jangly Man
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Purple Shade
Thrym
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
Shandi
Kush
Botamo
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RD-S2 advances just into the corridor and takes in the scene. ” That does not look like and advantageous position.” they aim their rifle at the purple shade and fire.
Shandi fades into the shadows, perhaps due to some kinship or understanding with the shades, and seems to have disappeared.
The Jangly Man hops and skips forward and ushers forth another command to "Get them!"
The largest shade complies, flying silently towards Kush and attempting to caress his cheek...
ROUND 4
THRYM MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Jangly Man
Purple Shade
Thrym
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
Kush
Botamo
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As the shade caresses Kush's cheek, the Kish mutters: "As soft as my first girlfriend's touch..."
His skin bubbles.
[Green] and [Yellow] sprint forward to join in the caressing...
...leaving everyone to wonder why Kush ever pursued his girlfriend with such enthusiasm.
ROUND 4-5
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
RD-S2
Blue Shade
Orange Shade
Jangly Man
Purple Shade
Thrym
Green Shade
Yellow Shade
Kush
Botamo
Botamo takes a few deep breaths before starting to glow brightly again when he notices Thrym and Arden in his way, ”Oh shoor, a guy puts on a nice fireworks show and the everyone’ wants a front row seat!” he says as he squeezes his way through the two of them, lights his solar weapon in flames, and steps to threaten the green shade.
“Kush, yer way to far up there, take a few steps back and we’ll keep em away from Ardee and Kush while they shoot these Hosers!”