"Have at it. Looks like getting fuel might be easier than I thought. Wonder what sort of swarm beasty or disgruntled citizen might be lying in wait for ya."
Aysén will stay at the entrance to the warehouse, gauntlets ready, in case something tries to get past him.
Taking a moment to glance around the warehouse's interior , Tegrodera approaches the body to discern what happened .
Hylax watch over us and this departed soul
Tegrodera cautiously approaches the limp form of Reda Cooper, with the rest of the squad at the ready. Unfortunately, no one notices the ooze hiding among the crates next to the body, and as Tegrodera leans down to check on Reda, the ooze gets the jump on him, but misses!
Round 1 of Combat: Sevash is up
Party-wide buffs: N/A
Sevash
Ooze?
Tegrodera
Telsix
Aysén
Sevash will study the green blob and fire a shot
for
"You sure know how to draw them out, Tegrodera."
Sevash uses her experimental weapon to good effect, burning the green ooze atop the crate.
However, it seems undaunted, and swipes a pseudopod at Tegrodera again, landing a solid smack and wrapping his oozieness around our valiant medic!
plus free grapple if KAC +4
Round 1 of Combat: Everybody is up
Party-wide buffs: N/A
Sevash
Ooze
Tegrodera
Telsix
Aysén
Tegrodera, you can attempt an Acrobatics check to escape (DC = 10+ ooze KAC)
Aysén strides forward and throw a right hook at the ooze, hoping not to get too much on his armor (Photon attunement 1/3)
To hit
Damage
Better him than me
"I SWEAR IT'S NOT ON PURPOSE!!!"
Struggling as best he can Tegrodera attempts to shake off the creature and take a guarded step away away from it.
Telsix gestures and some debris from the warehouse floor flies toward the ooze.
for
Aysén misses with his fist, Tegrodera can't squirm free of the ooze, which is covering more and more of his body, but Telsix does manage to wing it with a stray pipe.
Sevash is up!
Sevash levels another shot at the ooze
for
"Nice hit Telsix! Get in there, Aysen. No one's gonna care if your covered in goo out here."
Telsix’s blow was indeed more powerful than initially realized, and that strike is followed by more burning from Sevash.
At the approach of Aysén, the releases Tegrodera, and it turns its attention, lashing out at the drow. The pseudopod strikes home, and now Aysén finds himself grappled.
plus free grapple if KAC +4
Round 2/3 of Combat: Everybody is up
Party-wide buffs: N/A
Sevash
Ooze
Tegrodera
Telsix
Aysén
Aysen, you can attempt an Acrobatics check to escape (DC = 10+ ooze KAC)
Aysén will just keep swinging at the slime while building up steller energy (Photon attunement 2/3)
First Attack
Second Attack
I would care!
Aysén attempts to free himself from the pseudopod
Aysén struggles to get free, but like quicksand, he only becomes more entwined with the ooze.
With Aysen bravely holding the ooze's attention, and pseudopods, Tegrodera will take a guarded-step away and see if he can recall anything about the creature.
Clueless, he then tries to fire an inhibitor-loaded needle into the creature
for and -2 AC for 6 rounds
Sevash continues to fire at the ooze
for
Telsix flings another pipe at the blob, striking it again.
Aysén feels the ooze trying to literally get under his skin.
Aysén's superior fitness and alignment with the cosmos allows him to resist the ooze's attempt to take over his nervous system.
The ooze releases a bit, and wings another pseudopod at Aysén, but misses in its haste.
plus free grapple if KAC +4
Round 3/4 of Combat: Everybody is up
Party-wide buffs: N/A
Sevash
Ooze
Tegrodera
Telsix
Aysén
Aysén would release the stellar energy in a burst of heat, attempting to melt all of the ooze off him.
Supernova DC 13 Reflex Save for half damage
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With a supernova explosion of heat, Aysén fries the ooze into a crispy film, like cheese that spills off a pizza onto the baking sheet!
Panting from his injuries, Tegrodera retrieves a healing serum and applies it to himself before looking around.
"Is anyone else injured? Do you think it's safe to examine her now or could there be something else lurking nearby? Also, what's the expiration date on those supplies we picked-up?"
"Lets secure the area before you go poking around anywhere else."
Sevash will start sweeping the room. She will stop at the door to see if she hears any activity on the other side.
+2 in dim light or darkness
+2 in dim light or darkness
"Sit for a moment, Tegrodera. We will help ease your wounds."
As long as we have time, Telsix will use mystic touch on Tegrodera.
Aysén would scowl and clean off his uniform.
"Is she dead? If so let's go grab some fuel."
What a stroke of luck
As you heal Tegrodera and start to look around the warehouse, Reda Cooper starts to cough and eventually returns to consciousness. There is still some slimy residue around her mouth and ears, from when the ooze exited her body. “It’s been horrible, trapped in my body without control as that thing treated me like a puppet and wouldn’t let the town evacuate! Thank you so much for saving me, and the town.”
Reda gives you two brown nanite hypopens to show appreciation for your efforts.
Reda offers a heartfelt apology to the townsfolk for lying to them. She then releases the stored fuel and, along with the rest of the town, makes quick preparations to immediately leave for Reos City. There are plenty of vehicles to transport the entire citizenry south. She is happy to make sure you have a supply of fuel sufficient for your trip.
One of the citizens, a gregarious fellow with a shock of white hair, is willing to trade with you.
Next stop, the Temple of Hylax. Back to the minivan!
After taking advantage of the charging, Telsix reflects on the situation. "Many lives would have been lost due to the interference of that ooze. I am surprised that the community accepted such orders."
Sevash will also charge her batteries
"I'm surprised one person had the ability to halt the evacuation to begin with"
"I'm rarely surprised by cowardice or stupidity. I'm definitely surprised by mind-controlling oozes though. I imagine we'll look pretty good when we eventually report all this."
Aysén would charge his batteries and armor
Along with Telsix's mystic touch, Tegrodera takes the time to rest and apply a healing serum to himself.
"True, and I'm glad that the people here are able to evacuate properly. Perhaps we may see them again wherever we all relocate to."
Ruminating on this thought, he subconsciously rubs the areas where the ooze had grappled him.
"Thank you all again for saving me from yet another ambush. Aysen, for risking your life in keeping us safe from the ooze and Telsix for your healing abilities afterwards. Sevash, your skill with that weapon has saved us time-and-time again so out of all of us I suppose I need to pull my weight a little better, eh?"
Having resolved the situation in Lynmari, you head in the opposite direction of the fleeing townsfolk. A winding mountain road leads from Lynmari into the Jurdos Mountains along an area known as Clutchstone Ridge. This road twists and turns as it gains altitude, and is coated in places with ice and snow, forcing Sevash to drive the van at less than full speed.
Leaving Lynmari, it takes an hour of driving to reach the highest point of Clutchstone Ridge, where the temple of Hylax stands. Gusts of strong wind kick up small whorls of snow from the ground, briefly obscuring vision. The heater on the van isn’t up to the challenge of the plummeting temperature, and you are forced to activate the environmental protections on your armor to avoid the negative effects of such cold.
Tegordera, every meter closer to your destination increases the ‘sound’ of the static you’ve been receiving the whole trip.
At the top of the ridge, small patches of white, barren trees surround crumbling stone pillars and partially intact walls outside of a large structure. The building is constructed of unusual black stone that gives an opalescent sheen as light refracts off its surface. The exterior resembles a large insect’s head, with front doors guarded by stone mandibles and circular windows for eyes. An ovoid, geodesic, crystalline rock about ten feet wide stands at the top of the temple’s central spire. The corpses of several Swarm creatures are scattered across the courtyard. A SDF Troop Hardtop, this one lightly dusted with snow, is parked at the end of the road.
Sevash will pull up next to the Hardtop.
"Lets see what we've got here"
She will grab her gun and get out of the van to check out the hardtop
+2 in dim light or darkness
Aysén exits the vehicle and frowns at the temple
"I really expected something less nostalgic. This temple would fit in just fine on my home world. You know, where they worship demons!"
Aysén would glance at the dead swarm creatures in the courtyard
"Anyone know what killed these bugs? I'm not seeing corpses of SDF troops, and I'm not looking to fall into any traps."
"Did we expect another troop to be here? We should be wary of ambush...again!" Telsix picks their way toward the temple.
Sevash parks the van next to the hardtop, and no you can see more. Two human bodies lie in the rear of the truck, while a third is sprawled near the cabin; each is wearing the insignia of the Second Battalion.
sustaining mortal wounds.
Their IDENTs identify the two soldiers in the bed of the truck as recruits Ell Rodmetch and Keitland Pinney. The woman dead on the ground is Sergeant Tani Cebrace.
In addition to the bodies, you can now see a pair of Swarm vorphomas stand in the courtyard, staring raptly at the giant insectile face of the temple facade. They are chittering faintly, which can be heard when the winds briefly die down. The vorphomas don’t seem to notice your arrival.
Aysén waits for his squad members affirmation to charge in.
"Let's send these bugs to hell and go find this priest, dead or alive.
Probably dead if these soldiers are an indicator
"They are acting rather strangely. We've never seen members of the Swarm in such a trance."
"Well, never waste an advantage."
Sevash says turning her rifle toward the swarm creatures
Wincing from the perceived telepathic 'static', Tegrodera looks from the fallen SDF soldiers to the enraptured Swarm.
"I'm not comfortable fighting outside a temple devoted to peace but it didn't seem to bother them. Maybe their trance is a sign from Hylax to engage in diplomacy, or a divine boon to assist our aim. I'd like to try and communicate with them but wouldn't dream of doing so without weapons drawn, and understand if you all say no. It's a mercy they're undeserving of to be sure..."
On the dead soldiers, you find quite a bit of gear that they won’t be using anymore and you might find useful:
Weapons: Tactical Formian Venomcaster, Tactical Switchblade, Explorer Handcoil and a Tactical Infinity Rifle (lots of tactics, this squad)
Armor: two sets of freebooter armor I and suit of thinplate with infrared sensors.
Other: An industrial backpack in the cabin contains two mk 1 frag grenades. Finally, Sergeant Cebrace wears a holy symbol of Iomedae on a chain around her neck, clutching it in one hand.
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Aysén will glare at Tegrodera before hissing
"Have you lost it medic? Those are swarm beasts, and they killed the soldiers here before us. What are you trying to communicate to 'em?
Aysén will power up his swarm communication device (polarity gauntlets)
His gaze returning to the slain soldiers, Tegrodera shudders before responding
"You're right Aysen, I guess I was hoping that in the presence of Hylax there might be another way. Unfortunately, the Swarm has continued to show that there isn't."
As Aysen's communication gauntlets come online, Tegrodera readies his Needler to administer a boost to the Drow when he moves to strike the Vorphomas.
Aysén will spring forward to get into position before the swarm can react (Photon attunement 1/3).
Round 1 of Combat: Sevash and Telsix are up in surprise round.
Party-wide buffs: N/A
Vorphomas
Sevash
Tegrodera
Telsix
Aysén
Sevash will move between the wall and tree to get in a good position behind cover
Telsix will draw closer, ready to turn their gaze on the enemy.
The pounding drum of Aysén’s footsteps pulls the Swarm creatures from their reverie.
The red vorphoma flies into the air and casts a spell on Aysén. .
The vorphoma adjacent to Aysén will spin around and slash at him with a massive claw, striking true.
Round 1 of Combat: Midnight Squad is up.
Party-wide buffs: N/A
Vorphomas
Sevash
Tegrodera
Telsix
Aysén