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Mayu_Zane · 08-06-2016, 01:11 AM

You immediately perceive a wholly different world. You are the first living saramis to ever witness a Cosmic Organ.

[Image: LHBR0hm.png]

GREETINGS, PARASITE

You: Holy shit. Wait, parasite?

Intruder: Don't take it as an insult. To the cosmos, you're like fermenting bacteria living inside its guts. Tiny, sometimes annoying, yet ultimately helpful.

PARASITE, YOU ARE IN NEED OF HELP. YOU STOPPED THE POISON'S FLOW. I WILL REPAY KINDNESS WITH GIFT. I OFFER YOU SAFE PASSAGE INTO THE ARMS OF YOUR COMPANION.

Intruder: Lagan, it means that it's going to send you to your wife.

You: It's going to teleport me?

Intruder: Not exactly. It's going to shove away all the space between you and your wife's starship, then patch it back up behind you.

You: WAIT WHAT?!

Before you even have a chance to do anything further, the entire universe rearranges itself and you are floating in space in front of the Enderfist. Fortunately, Intruder already created an environment suit around you made of corpses and debris.

[Image: aKmyl4X.png]

You: I'm here. I'm really here.

Intruder: Indeed.

You: Can the Cosmic Organ do that again? Rearrange space?

Intruder: Yes, but not anytime soon. It needs time to rest and clear out the... I suppose the best phrase is 'waste matter'.

You: So the universe we're living in is alive.

Intruder: Yes, and the Cosmic Organ you encountered is merely a piece of it, not the entire being. The best way I can describe what happened to you is that an artery has recognized a beneficial bacteria and sent signals to tell other organs to send you somewhere specific.

You: The universe is fucking weird.

Intruder: Surely you've known that long ago.

You hear a voice on your radio.

Ghulls: Unidentified foreign object, you are approaching the Enderfist, a Saramis Alliance vessel. We have detected signs of life. Identify yourself or we will shoot!

You: This is General Lagantis Primevex. Identity Seven-Seven-Nine-Three. Password is 'Unrecognized Command'.

Vora: Lagan? Is that really you?

You: Yeah. It's me. We just killed an Author who was about to erase Homeworld.

Vora: Wait, what do you mean, 'we'?

Intruder extends a piece of the spacesuit and does a gentle wave. This might be the friendliest gesture he's ever done.

WEEK 6 DAY 3

There was understandably a lot of mistrust when Intruder came on board the Enderfist. Despite everything he's done back on Homeworld, many remain skeptical of his friend-or-foe status. However, your influence is enough to make others back down.

Madnas actually called, and asked you about what the hell happened. From his point of view, you and Intruder just vanished instantly. You explained what's been going on, and leave him in charge of the newly-established Coalition between the Saramis Alliance and the Human Federation. While he is undeniably an eccentric, he is also a very dependable leader.

Right now, you're in bed with Vora. It feels like it's been forever since you've both been this close.

[Image: vCyRfls.png]

Vora: I forgive you.

You: I just wish... I'd been more honest with you. You trusted me, but...

Vora: I know you did what you did because you're scared of becoming a bad person. I've been with you for twenty years, and I know that there's a side of you that's terrified of being remembered as a villain.

You: A monster.

Vora: You pretend to brush it off when you're in public, but I know it really gets to you when people accuse you of doing horrible things. The fact that it bothers you, I like to think it's a good thing, because that means you DO care.

You: So you really don't hate me? About... the reason why I approached you in the first place?

Vora: I don't hate you for that, Lagan. You're a man who's scared of turning into a monster and you wanted someone brave who could stop you before you did something awful. I can understand that.

You: I did come close though, didn't I.

Vora sighs.

Vora: I'm not going to pretend that the things you did were all good ideas. I still remember the times we argued. We almost divorced twice.

You: Yeah. Our relationship, our family, it's not very stable, is it?

Vora: I wouldn't say that now. Back in the early days, I think that'd be accurate. I think it was mostly physical. Two horny soldiers with the hots for each other.

You nod slowly.

Vora: We went at it like crazy in the early years. But now? We've both changed. We both understand each other better. And I know we both love our kids. We'd never neglect them, never abuse them, never abandon them. That's definitely something we'd never argue about.

You: True. Speaking of which, I haven't talked to them yet.

Vora: I haven't talked much to them, either. Maybe we should share a meal together. After everything we've both been through these past few weeks, we deserve a break.

You: A family dinner sounds a lot more appealing than seeing another goddamn abomination. I've had enough monsters for ten lifetimes.

Vora: Agreed.

A call comes.

Vora: Could be important.

Dr. Ushah: Commander, I've- oh! I'm sorry if I, uh, interrupted something.

Vora: It's fine, Doctor. Go ahead.

Dr. Ushah: I've finished the report on what the corporal experienced as his mind was taken over by the enemy General.

You read the report along with Vora.

Quote:Subject was completely aware during the brief time spent under the enemy's control. He claims to have felt something probing around inside his skull, like fingers. He also saw quick flashes of his memories, ranging from the pleasant to the traumatic. Understandably, he experienced confusion and terror and wanted to run away.

His body would not obey any command, and despite his body breathing as normal, he felt the sensation of suffocating. Though he did not hear any of the General's thoughts, the probing feeling became more and more intense, as if there were a dozen or more hands touching his cranium's interior, and so he was certain that he was being controlled.

Unlike the Brainbeasts, which convinces their targets to perform actions using hallucinations, Generals seem to opt for a more aggressive method of control. They have the ability to cut off the nerves connecting the brain to the rest of the body, and completely dominate their actions. The victim is trapped inside their own body.

The sensation of fingers feeling around in his head may be representative of the General searching inside his mind and taking note of anything useful. He may have gained access to some top secret information, but it is difficult to be certain.

Is the General capable of outright killing their target? Considering the ease with which he shut off the corporal's nerves, I would say it is very likely. Had the General wanted to, he could have simply ordered the victim's heart to stop beating permanently.

I would wager that psionics will become a crucial element in our war against the Authors. We will have to pay more attention and devote more resources into both utilizing it and protecting ourselves against it.

R&D have managed to make use of the data we found, and we now have a solid date on when the Psi Helmet can be completed.

Vora: Is Corporal Morj fit for duty?

Dr. Ushah: Physically, yes, but we need to continue testing him to make sure the enemy didn't do something like plant a hidden instruction in his mind. We'll have to keep him under observation for the time being.

Vora: Understood.

Dr. Ushah: There's also something else. It's about psionics. I would like your permission to begin testing soldiers for psionic potential. However, there is a possible risk that some of your soldiers may lose their motor skills or worse during testing. Volunteers only, of course, but there is still an eight to ten percent chance that the subject will suffer some form of brain damage during the test.

Vora: Isn't there a better way to test? One that won't result in hurting people?

Dr. Ushah: Hmm. Let's ask Feathers and Francoise.

Feathers: Commander, there are actually alternatives, but they may yield less... impressive results. Allow me to explain: To test a person for psionic potential, we need to force their brains to perform a task that can only be done by someone with psionics. We artificially stimulate their neurons. Push them to their limits.

Francoise: The downside to this is that it risks neural damage if the task is beyond the subject's psychic capability, and the risk becomes greater the more intense the test is. The truth is, every organic person has the potential for psionic capability, but not at a powerful level. To test them at low intensity means we need to spend time, and also get a smaller chance of unlocking a powerful ability.

Feathers: Here are the options available to us.

Quote:Psionic Potential Testing
Every Level also unlocks abilities from the previous levels.

Level 1
Failure rate: 2%
Unlocks:
Mental Pause
(Stuns a target for 1 to 2 seconds)

This psionic attack delivers a telepathic message that overwhelms the target's thoughts. Though the duration is very short, a second's delay can make a huge difference in combat.

Level 2
Failure rate: 8-10%
Unlocks:
Nerve Shutdown
(Permanently paralyzes a limb until the user either dies or chooses to end the effect)

The target's nerves will be blocked as long as the user wishes it. Any command sent from the target's brain will never reach the affected limb.

Level 3
Failure rate: 12-20%
Unlocks:
Mental Decoy
(Creates an illusion in the target's mind that the user is in a different location)

Though the hallucinations this ability creates can sometimes be nonsensical, experiments demonstrate that the affected target will believe their foe has suddenly teleported to a nearby location, as it does not only affect sight but also other senses including hearing and smell. The illusion will perform the same actions as the user as long as it is active, just at a different location within the target's line of sight.

Level 4
Failure Rate: 25-30%
Unlocks:
Guardian Aura
(Gives non-psionic allies within line of sight protection from psi attacks by weaker enemies, grants allies the Mental Pause ability)

The Guardian Aura is a field of benign psionic energy that will boost the psychic potential of those within its sphere of influence, enough to resist any psionic attack weaker than the user's. It also gives the Mental Pause ability to any ally within the aura’s zone. Strangely enough, this ability only affects people who are normally incapable of using psychic powers.

Level 5
Failure Rate: 40-43%
Unlocks: Corpse Puppeting
(Can force a dead creature's body parts to move and perform actions.)

Just as how a psionic combatant can force nerves to shut down, they can also, with greater effort, force bodies to move. Dead creatures can be manipulated and the puppet has the advantage of being completely unfazed by any attack as long as it is capable of moving, and its controller remains conscious.

Level 6
Failure rate: 50-60%
Unlocks: Mental Domination
(Permanently mind-controls a target until the user decides to stop, chance of success depends on comparative psionic strength. Can also be used to calm allies.)

The user can completely shut down a target’s higher mental functions and control them, but can also be used at lower intensity to help panicking allies to regain focus.

Level 7
Failure rate: 75%
Unlocks: Organic Combustion
(Causes a group of cells inside a target to spontaneously combust, including brain cells. May instantly kill the target.)

This ability overloads individual cells with so much energy that they just explode. Targeting specific organs is the level of precision we can expect, and this ability can work on machines covered in bacteria or other organic material.

Level 8
Failure Rate: 90%
Unlocks: Soul-form
(Allows user to fly and phase through solid objects for a moment. Can only be used again after a session of sleep)

Primarily used as an emergency escape method, Soul-form allows the psionic user to temporarily phase through solid things and ignore gravity. However, it’s easily countered by having multiple layers of walls as the user needs to sleep to use this ability again. Still, there are other applications: Soul-form can be used to outflank enemy forces, reach high ground, or enter an enemy vehicle.

Level 9
Failure Rate: 95%
Unlocks: Mind Saber
(Allows user to create a weightless melee weapon that can harm both organic and inorganic enemies. When used on a robot, the saber will detonate any microbes near the enemy. Any organic enemy killed by the Mind Saber becomes a puppet for the user until the user falls asleep.)

The Mind Saber has never actually been observed in a controlled setting, but it has been witnessed by a few scientists in Robert North's employ. The user, with all their psionic potential unlocked, was capable of combining their other abilities to maximize the damage they could inflict using the Mind Saber. The only way the Mind Saber can be countered is if it was used in a completely sterile environment devoid of organic matter.

Level 10
Failure Rate: ???
Unlocks: Precious Gift
(The user permanently grants level-7 psychic abilities to an ally within line of sight, but only once)

Only theoretical, but possible, a Level 10 Psi User can boost another person’s brain to the point that they immediately become a Level 7 psychic. It involves the user directly altering the target’s brain. Like Guardian Aura, this ability only affects someone who has shown no sign of psionic talent. The level of effort and focus involved would exert so much stress on the user’s own brain that we believe it can only be done once in their lifetime.

Feathers: We currently have 600 ready volunteers, from various battalions in your army. Should we start at Level 1 of testing? Or should we risk the higher levels?

[[SWITCHING TO VORA]]

- Start at level 1.

- (A higher level)

- Withhold psionic testing until we find a safer way.

>_

Whimbrel · 08-06-2016, 01:55 AM

Let's start at level 1, and give soldiers who pass level 1 the option of continuing to try and unlock higher level abilities or to stay at level one. Hopefully, if we go one level at a time, it might limit the severity of injury to those who would fail at each level.

With our current, pretty darn risky technique, the highest level a soldier should be allowed to test up to should be level 6. But, I would say that those who pass level 4 should be gently encouraged to stop there, since it's an ability that passes useful benefits to squadmates.

If we discover a safer way to test, we can push for higher levels and higher participation rates.

Mayu_Zane · 08-07-2016, 11:49 AM

(08-06-2016, 07:58 AM)Wheat Wrote: »Can we concentrate the testing on a certain area (like a certain nerve area for something like level 2 or a certain area of the brain like one that doesn't control vital functions?) Or is the method of testing different from results?

If it's the former, I'd suggest starting on Level 2, but concentrating the test at something like "a small toe" so that if the test fails, the paralyzed appendage the volunteer is left is non-obtrusive and easily amputated (to prevent possible gangrenous infections from undetected injuries)

Unfortunately the process requires all areas of the brain to be tested.

Mayu_Zane · 08-17-2016, 04:48 AM

(08-06-2016, 01:55 AM)Whimbrel Wrote: »Let's start at level 1, and give soldiers who pass level 1 the option of continuing to try and unlock higher level abilities or to stay at level one. Hopefully, if we go one level at a time, it might limit the severity of injury to those who would fail at each level.

With our current, pretty darn risky technique, the highest level a soldier should be allowed to test up to should be level 6. But, I would say that those who pass level 4 should be gently encouraged to stop there, since it's an ability that passes useful benefits to squadmates.

If we discover a safer way to test, we can push for higher levels and higher participation rates.

Feathers: Understood. We will send you a report once the first round of testing is complete, which should be tomorrow.

After giving the order, you promptly get dressed and head to the bridge. Lagan decides to remain in the cabin, telling you that he probably needs to sleep for another entire day after all he’s been through.

At the bridge, you find a different map display setup than you’re used to.

[Image: uXeQcH4.png]

You: What’s all this?

Rainhar: I had a talk with the Cyberwarfare Specialists along with our hacker-boys. The Saramis Alliance Strategic Display (SASD) hasn’t been updated in years and we figured we should start.

You: Without talking to me first?

Rainhar: Well, you can switch to the old display if you want, but hey, check out the new one first before you make a decision! It’s got a lot more info. The green squares with numbers represent how many troops, in thousands, we have in each region and how many known enemy soldiers there are as well. Our troops are in yellow and the opponent’s are in red. The big percentage numbers represent Civilian Approval; the more of that we have, the easier it will be to take control of cities and gather intel.

You: Hm.

Ghulls: Uh, Vora, we also got word that we’ve found the Minister of Finance who was hiding out here in Region 4. He doesn’t respond to anything except his codename ‘Moneybags’, for some dumb reason.

Rainhar: Probably brainwashed, but might as well interrogate him all the same, eh? So, Vora, we got a choice here. We either hit the lighthouse lab, or Pioneer Base. Which one should we go for first?

[Image: QX2lAAA.png]

Ghulls: We have taken control of Falcobeak base, which was abandoned by the enemy. All cities in this region are now firmly under our control.

THE LIGHTHOUSE LAB

Troop strength: 3,000 soldiers (estimated)
Defenses unknown

A mysterious laboratory that is mostly underground, located next to a lighthouse. Intel from surrounding areas indicate that the Lighthouse is a site for weather-control experiments, as the lighthouse has been spotted to be in the middle of a blizzard at random times, localized to JUST the lighthouse. There are also signs of strange creatures seen at the top of the lighthouse at night, described as ‘neon gargoyles’ by the locals.

We can either transport troops by boat or by Skyshadow transport. We also have the option to bombard the lighthouse first.

Combat will mostly take place underground in tight corridors with no vehicular support.

Potential Reward: Weather Control Machine

PIONEER ARMY BASE

Troop strength: 16,000 soldiers // 50 Hovertanks with Anti-air & Anti-armor missile launchers
Defenses: Anti-Artillery Point Defense System, Anti-Air Hypersonic missile system, landmines.

An army base with a hidden research and development lab, Pioneer is fitted with an experimental anti-artillery system that can counter Enderfist strikes by firing solid ammunition at the Darangium shells.

Airstrikes are risky due to its unexpectedly advanced anti-air system. Bombs have a 50% chance of getting through, but even our supersonic aircraft have a 10% chance of not getting hit.

The base is well-defended; it’s surrounded by anti-personnel landmines and has very little cover. Best bet is to go with a vehicular assault, or with long-range sniper fire. You could also begin a siege and try to force them into a desperate attack.

Where do we strike first?

- Attack the Lighthouse Lab

- Demolish the Lighthouse and pour cement on the entrance. Whatever’s in there can rot.

- Assault Pioneer

- Begin a siege on Pioneer (Soldiers will surround the base and hold until the enemy surrenders, strikes, or dies of starvation)

- Don’t attack yet; fortify defenses in already-held areas and wait for the enemy in Region 4 to make a move.

- Spend more time gathering intel. (1 Day)

- Something else.

>_

YOUR CURRENT FORCES

Show Content

ICan'tGiveCredit · 08-17-2016, 05:41 AM

oh man there are so many options

> demolish lighthouse

Dragon Fogel · 08-17-2016, 06:31 AM

At a glance it looks like the lighthouse has few conventional defenses, but there's definitely some creepy stuff there. We just don't know how creepy. Also, weather control means they can probably send a storm at us if we get close.

But Pioneer has a lab, and that means they probably have some kind of creepy stuff too. On top of the intense conventional defenses.

If we can get weather control from the lighthouse, that increases our options on Pioneer. I think it's the better initial target.

That said - I think we want better intel, specifically on what sort of abominations we might face. It'll be hard to get much info, probably, but anything we can learn is better than moving in blind.

Spend a day gathering intel on the lighthouse, specifically on any other strange occurrences in the area. If we can get any info about Pioneer Base at the same time, great, otherwise we worry about that afterwards.

smuchmuch · 08-17-2016, 01:15 PM

Oh hey this is still alive, this is great !

Quote:The Car of Destiny is a car that doesn't seem to actually exist. It drives through things and causes explosions? I may be misremembering, it's been a while since it was originally explained. From the most recent update, it seems to be a very powerful psionic projection

Also it can't touch water and some of our spec ops managed to destoy/delay one with presurized water extinguisher bombs
------------------------------------

Looking at the list of unit:

Whatever happened to our Sonic mechs ? Because I remember we bought a lot of the things, something like in the tens, heck maybe even twenty or thirty, yet they appear nowhere in the vehicle list (nor does the technology appear under tech researched )?
Were they all destroyed during Colbat/Region 1 assaults and/or deployed alongside patrols ?

Didn't we bought a couple of new sonic swatters then too ? (It sucks not to have the threads to check, sigh Meloncholy

)

Also I distinctly remember we built and used a skyshadow when we attacked region 1, was it downed during the operation ?
edit: I'm pretty sure it wasn't since this is what we used to haul the servers we took back to base.

Also, on the other hand, wasn't Lovebird destroyed ?
I thiiink it was over Cobalt ? Or maybe while taking care of the prototype skyhive, anyway, distinctly remember we lost a reaver gunship.
edit: Oh wait, I think it was during Addlebear, yeah. near the end, Mc Beth downed it by throwing a car at it at near supersonic speed.

Are the Alflong listed under PMCs mercenaries sent by Lagan or do they include the alflong rebels we liberated from Cobalt city ?

(For those who weren't following the thread before the mspa forums kicked the bucket:

Sonic bots. A thing that was reversed engineer from 'pain mechs' one of North most stupid first try at a terror weapon. Take the brain of someone you don't like, put them in a "chicken walker" like robotic chassis with a sonic amplifier and force them to shout when they see an enemy. (*cough* bio drone ? what bio drone *cough*)
Aanyways, a bunch of them we're used to atatck region 3 way back and we reverse enginnered plans for the creation of our own 'sonic mechs'. Same chassis, same weapon but 100% tortured brain free. i thnk they're part remte controlled and part use a rudimentary AI.
They're dirt cheap at 800 Rp a pop. their sonic weapon is not as poweful or focussed as a sonic swatter so they can't be used as anti air or anti building but make for good 'crowd controll'/"Anti infantry shock troop drones"

Sonic swatters are anti air and building vehicles who can produce a focussed long distance (one assumes, if they're anti air) sonic boom

Skyshadows are quick stealthy flying troop transport who can also bring heavier stuff with tow cables

Reaver gunships are prety much our bread and butter both anti air and ant ground flying unit. Very usefull.

Mac Beth was a failed experiment and trap by Smith forces. Basicaly sealed in the sewers of the region 4 city called 'Adlebear', there was thins thing who was a crazy brainwashing computer connected to giant bio mecanical arms.
When our troops, went into the city, it started talking and for some reason it hypnotized our troop who were defensless while it started crushing. Also it had one hell of a throwing arm as one of our flying unit sadly discovered. It ended when Rheynar got the idea to disrupt his controll wth sonic of our own and flooded the sewers with 'lava' from the Volcano tanks (those things shoot supersonic accelarated superheated metal)

And shyhive is some prorotype organic flying super weapon that Sith is trying to grow. (we know from documents leaked by the hacker Linesman). It' a big tumor like blob wth lotsa eyes and arms, childlike inteligence and natural powerfull acid canons. They plan to stick some trustesr under it when it's ready and make it bombard plague carying cadavers.
.. And that tells you pretty much in a few sentence all you need to know about "Smith"/North R&D departement. The AoD turn everyone with slight scientific knowlege into someone who would make the good Dr Mengelee drool with envy.

Anyway the prototype SkyHive was a tad different. It was a big blob (but blind, if memory serves) mounted on an airliner chassis and who litteraly sprouted some weird bees like drones weapons. I rememer it was taken down, although hell if I remember the detail)

-----------------------------------------------------

Hmm, before we move to yet another big target, there's a few small details in I'd like to adress:

1) What happened to the rockethearts ? y'know the heavy armed motorized gang who were raiding supply of food from UNA-G ? There was even a whole honnorless mission deal to get rid of a neighbourghood that sustained them. They were build like they'd be a big deal or t least a decent sized annoyance if left rampant and yet now, we barely hear of these guys at all.

2)Whatever happened to this whole sabotage operation by a terrorist cell in region 3 ? they were going to poison some hospital water if memory serves at the start of week 7. I think a shadow ops squad was set but there never was a repport. I'm gussing they were killed quick and quiet like ?

3)What's the evolution of the situation in region 5, are the locals rebels still shooting the lighning drones witht the rocket launchers we lend them ? Any word on the triple coes ? What about the chackpoint we installed between region 3 and 5 to process refugges from region 5 while avoiding braintree contamination ?

4) Anything new from Barbarossa or Cyrano. ... Mostly Cyrano.

5)Didn't we recuperate a badly weakned Alone during our assult on region 1. What have we done with it ?

6)About Pioneer anti artillery system, it's made to stop enderfist strikes, would it stop a needlefish tactical missile or a fly swater anti building sonic wave ?

7)What happened to the ennemy tunnel that were all under region 4, emember we had entrances to them. Did we map some of those, could we use them to reach Pioneer or Lighthouse ?

Retreating from Falcobeak to concentrate on Pioneer is an ... unusualy smart move from the ennemy actualy. By making pioneer much harder to take, it'll delay us more if we try to take it and fail rather than the two bases would have.

(For those who weren't familiar with the adventure before the mspa forums pushed the daisies:

Braintress are weird trees made of flesh with brains and eyeballs sprouting all over. Tou have to burn them to get rid of them, chemicals don't work so well. They appeared in region 5, who was already a toxic hellhole full of infighting factions, comming from the bit facing region 1 (surprise, surprise) and have pretty much grown everywhere. And they caused deadly lightning storms to happen almost non stop, they killed something like a wooping 60% of region 5 population, I think ?
A lot of the survivors tried to flee in Region 3. A checkpoint was established to make sure braintrees spores wouldn't propagate with refugees (they stick to clothes) and also because region 5 is a poisonous hellhole and was pretty much filled with terrorists, so y'know, the kind of people you want to check a little before letting in.

Eventualy it was discovered the braintrees act as 'spotters" (maybe a little more) for flying cloud genrating drones. S we armed a resistance group we have good conctact with some old anti aicraft gear and told them to start cleaning the skies.
All things considered it was pretty mch a blessing in diguise for us, region 5 would have been a nightmare to take, the braintrees cleared a lot of it for us. Off course what's left is going to be .. tough to take out, including those goddamned triple cores and Max 5

Triple Cores are Smith elite troops, they have shields (of sorts, their identity is perpretualy shirleded. They carry lasers and are heavily trained and equiped.
More scarrier, as was discovered in region 4 they carry 'author notes' powerfull author tech aritfact that allow to 'ave' thelelves in case of bombardement or sudden danger? basicaly they have a 70% chance of "respawn", pretty much. yup.)

Max 5 is some experimental teen assasin with crazy regenration per, enhanced speed and strength, enhanced senses and a nighmarish face with more teeth than the osmond family that you'd have a hard time guessing he was ever human (also one hell of a voracious apetite

Barbarossa was a Smith lab that was used to devellop a weapon called 'project anubis". You know the headbrabs from half lifeor Metrids from mtroids or any other kind of corpse pupeterring zombie making parasite ?
yeah, basicaly like that expect the 'drones' looked like hearts and were controlled by some giant brains controlers.
Oh and also they were made from modified Sarmis babies. I'll spare you the details of 'production'. They sort of decided to stop Smith all on their own and sort of turned agains their masters then got blown up. Looong storry.

Cyrano is .. a pretty weird place. Once a Smith military base. They dug too greedily, too dug too deep...
...So it turns out there's an Author,, called Nadir, "corpse" (or at least deeply wounded) at the center of planet 117. Ayup. Which possibly explain why such a small planet still s the gravity to be habitable bytw. And in their natural form, not some cutesy Saramis shaped disguise.
And it's affecting Cyrano big time. Oh and the dead author mind is an entire second moon which there is a portal too in cyrano control room. And uh corpse or even live people are turned into weird Autor like .. drones ? servants ? with red obsidian (don't ask me, how that work, a coat of free paint ?) bodies, no limbs and portal for heads.

... Man were the Authors way more alien before Intruder and Courage showed up

And Alone is some extra dimensional creature. It came from a black hole. It look like a smooth shapechanging white blob. It has 'limbs' which are vaguely cioffing shaped smaller blobs. It's only affected by electromagntism and commuicate through radio.
It hates authors with a passion and want to kill everyone having been even in contact with the art of domination. It's what 'killed' Nadir).
It was emprisoned by North forces for a while. It' sdeeply weakened.
But I think it must have escaped and we recuperated it or someting like that because there was a debate on how to 'feed' it and the only solution was send it back to it's won dimension by throwing it in a blackhole.)

Sorry if that's a lot of questions but with the threads gones, it's impossible to check weither they were already answered and I just missed it or not. Also sice it's the first 'break' in storry we had in a while, i figure we could resolve thos details.
Sorry if it's a bother.

------------------------------------------------

Anyway, I would recomend treating Pioneer as the priority target. It's basicaly been established as being a 'mini region 1' and a heavy equipement production and deployement facility for the ennemy. this is where that column of hovertanks got out, that could have been a nasty surprise later if it hadn't been for the whole Barbarossa thing (Olpho did us a huge favor here), That radar stealth dark snake/spoon thingy and the Red note.

the longer we wait, the more new "surprises" they can prepare for us. More vehicles, some more faceless (the lighthouse would be a perfect place for them, tho); hell maybe even flying bodyjackers next

(For those who weren't familiar with the game before the mspa forums went down the drain:

The red note is a "radio entity" that can kill people through any radio specialy build in region 4 but only obne per day. Also it thinks it's radio show host. And it's really a small piece of paper painted red. Don't ask.

The "dark 'spoon/snake thingy" (I don't think it got a name) is a huge thing made of obsidian (most authotech seems to be) that could move and hover slightly over the ground, it didn't do much on it's own but once destroyed with an enderfist strike, the signal of multiple units moving underground became visible.)

Faceles are shock troops monsters bred in lab that look right out of a resident evil game, they look vaguely human, except they have no head. they have either three clawed fingers or scythes things over their arm. they are of moderate inteligence (augmenting each generation) and detect their targets by sound and vibration. They're worthless canon folder in open spaces but are effecive ambushers in tigh spces. I think it was told once they were trying to tech new genration to use weapons but if they manged it, we ain't seen it so far

Bodyjackers are.. well you know the chrisalids from Xcom ? Yeah it's pretty much that except looking more like giant crustean things. They kill you, put a big glowing round egg on your boddy, a new bodyjacker sprouts.
It's been implied there's something even weirder than normal Smith horrortech going with them (the reasont they grow so fast might have to do time warping ? also there's definitively 'new models' being produced

As for hover tanks, well basicaly untill now, it was though Smith forces main vehicle has a crappy hovetank (in the hovercraft kind of hover) with mortar and machine gun, an okay thing but ancient.
But it turns out they aquired some brand new chassis from the human federation of a newer models they shouldn't have (as was dicovered lter, thefe is a big corproation in human space that is under control of a dominator and his giving stuff to North.)
(Dominator : a person who readed the Aod so much it warped them both physicaly and mentaly into an abomination with psychic power)

Anyway shiny new tanks and they put some kind of all purpose missile launchers on it that can take both other vehicles and serve as anti air. Would have been bad if they hadn't been forced to deploy them early, thus spoiling the surprise and allowing us to take enderfirst pot shot on them

(You know what, i think i'll try to put a bestiary and timeline of events from memory while I still remember some of it, that could come in handy)

Mayu_Zane · 08-19-2016, 12:49 AM

smuchmuch: Thank you very much for remembering all that!

With regards to the tunnels, they might serve as an alternative entry point to Pioneer Base, but we'll need a day to make sure they're not booby-trapped or blocked on the other side.

I'll address the other questions later. Again, thank you for sticking with this adventure for so long. I know I haven't been the most... prolific when it came to updating Art of Domination.

Mayu_Zane · 09-12-2016, 06:35 AM

(08-17-2016, 06:31 AM)Dragon Fogel Wrote: »Spend a day gathering intel on the lighthouse, specifically on any other strange occurrences in the area. If we can get any info about Pioneer Base at the same time, great, otherwise we worry about that afterwards.

WEEK 6 DAY 4

Your Spec Ops spent the previous day gathering intel on both the lighthouse and Pioneer Base. You read the one about the lighthouse first.

+++ REGION 4 LIGHTHOUSE +++

As the locals mentioned, the area surrounding the lighthouse exhibits strange, unpredictable weather. Sudden thunderstorms, heavy blizzard and blazing heat are common, all happening within a single day. Clouds appear and disappear, far too quickly for it to be natural. R&D is certain that there must be a weather-controlling device affecting this.

There are two entrances to the lab underground. One is accessed via an elevator at the lighthouse’s ground floor. The other entrance is a hatch covered by a pile of fake grass, which we were able to find after using a Seeker drone and detecting a very thick plate of metal.

The hatch is about 100 metres away from the lighthouse, to the west. Scans indicate that there are motion detectors past the hatch lid, sufficient to detect cloaked personnel.

With regards to the elevator, it is guarded by a pair of winged creatures, seen below:

[Image: zprL9o4.png]

They are armed with impact grenades, designed to explode when they slam into something solid. Their bodies are covered in some kind of titanium alloy.

Observations indicate that the guards periodically patrol the lighthouse, flying around at noon and just before sunset. They react quickly to any movement. However, they seem to have very poor hearing as they did not notice our footsteps even when we were very close.

It is unclear if the guards eat. R&D speculates that they may be sustained by the strange device attached to their backs. These guards have been designated as ’Gargoyles’ by our scientists.

We were able to use the elevator without trouble, but when we reached the lowest floor it was completely covered in explosive mines, with motion detectors installed. Past the mines is a heavy steel door, with the words ‘Laboratory R-4 6V’ written on it.

Stealth is still an option despite these security measures; we can use an EMP blast to knock out the motion detectors and continue onward. The motion detectors are battery powered, and are not connected to any networks, wireless or otherwise. However, we are uncertain if the enemy would be able to hear the noises emitted by our EMP grenades.

Regardless, assaulting the lighthouse lab will primarily require infantry. We were able to get a Seeker into the underground entrance after the Gargoyles left their post to patrol the skies, and scans showed that there were about 120 humanoids inside. We used the word ‘humanoids’ because it is unclear if they are all humans or if there are Gargoyles among them.

Scans were able to find high-powered shotguns, flashbangs, explosive grenades and electric stun batons.

A single battalion should be sufficient to take over the facility.

+++++++

You then read the report on Pioneer Base.

+++++++

PIONEER BASE REPORT

All tunnel entrances to Pioneer base connected to near Barbarossa Lab are still accessible, with some anti-personnel mines strewn throughout but easily disabled with EMP weapons.

Spec Ops were able to reach a hatch that leads to the interior of the base. However, there is a large container full of petrol on top of it, which may have been intentionally done as an improvised barricade. If we are to assault the base from below, there is no way to do it without making a lot of noise.

The base is confirmed to have formidable anti-air defenses, with each missile launcher having its own power supply unconnected to the base’s main generator. Long-distance observation indicates that the base has 20 hypersonic missile launchers, capable of taking down our aircraft and stopping any orbital artillery strikes. The antennas located all over the base are some kind of radar system, detecting anything moving faster than 50km/h within a 500 metre radius.

Pioneer Base is well-stocked with food and water, enough to last three months. Besieging it will take a significant commitment.

Attacking the base from both above and below simultaneously may be the best solution if we intend to take over this base without resorting to a long siege.

+++++++++

You: Hmmm…

Rainhar: We should hit the lighthouse first. If there really is a weather machine down there, we could use it to make Pioneer Base easier to fight.

Lagan: I’m with Rainhar on this one. If we can recover the weather machine intact, we’ll have a huge advantage.

What will you do?

- Assault the Lighthouse elevator, with amphibious craft sending in infantry.

- Assault the Lighthouse Hidden Entrance, with Spec Ops and regular infantry.

- Simultaneous assault on both the Lighthouse elevator and the hidden entrance.

- Bomb the lighthouse from orbit, then assault.

- Attempt to capture at least one Gargoyle.

- Something else?

>_

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Dragon Fogel · 09-12-2016, 07:05 AM

Hmm. If our main assault is at one entrance, it would be good to send a small team (maybe Spec Ops?) to the other. Not to engage, but to trip alarms and leave the enemy thinking we're attacking from both sides.

So, either they divide their forces and we fight fewer at once; or, they figure it out, but lose valuable time regrouping. The only risk I can see is that we might lose the diversion team.

Of course, if we opt for full-on attacks at both entrances, that's even better because there's less risk of losing the diversion team. The main disadvantage I can see to this approach is that it involves committing more troops; I don't know if we need the troops for anything in particular right now other than this, but it does mean more casualties if something goes horribly wrong on one side. That said, if we don't send a full group in, but leave them parked just outside and try to lure the enemy out, that might be effective.

I think the hidden entrance offers better distraction opportunities. Mainly because it's on land, so it should be easier to fall back in case of a disaster. The diversion team is looking to cause trouble first and foremost, which means that they're likely to invite reprisals.

So here's my rough tentative plan: main assault is on the elevator, with a secondary force at the hidden entrance to draw attention. The secondary force attacks first, hopefully to soften up the enemy or at least force them to reveal their big guns before the main assault gets there.

Anyone else have thoughts on that?

Whimbrel · 09-14-2016, 03:56 AM

I want to go for the hidden entrance.

Mayu_Zane · 09-18-2016, 01:14 PM

(09-14-2016, 03:56 AM)Whimbrel Wrote: »I want to go for the hidden entrance.

Battalions 1 and 2 are breaching into the hidden entrance. As expected, the motion sensors are triggered and a blaring alarm sounds. However, there is no sign of any enemy forces coming up to meet your soldiers.

You: Proceed with caution.

Lt. Malino: Understood, ma’am.

You: Ghulls, are the two Gargoyles at the elevator doing anything?

Ghulls: They seem to be behaving as usual.

After a minute, your troops come across a locked metal door. It seems it can only be opened from the other side.

Your soldiers blow it open, and are greeted with shotgun blasts. Lt. Malino’s battalion responds by throwing frag grenades, which decimates the defenders.

Lt. Malino: Surrender and you will not be harmed! Surrender and you will not be harmed!

Through the radio, you can hear various panicked screams. Some of the people inside have decided to surrender, most of them scientists.

However, the Gargoyles guarding the laboratory don’t understand speech, and attack. Your troops open fire without hesitation, and though your forces suffered a few deaths, they win. Some of the captured scientists tell you that they indeed have a weather-controlling device, which they have been testing for months.

Just as you are about to declare a successful operation, one of the scientists activates a machine. A portal opens. And then you see a Bodyjacker.

Bodyjackers. Armored, faster than most sprinters, and capable of making more of themselves by shoving their eggs into their targets.

In a flash of quick-thinking, Lt. Malino himself tosses a grenade into the portal, while shouting “OH NO YOU AIN’T!!!”

A muffled boom is heard, and dismembered organs pour out of the portal. Unfortunately, it does not deter the enemy’s reinforcements. You can hear a hint of panic as your forces tell you that more Bodyjackers are coming through!

Four of them have come through the portal, and it seems more are coming. They ignore your soldiers and immediately start attacking the scientists nearby, implanting their eggs.

It is very clear that if your troops stay here any longer, they will be overrun. Fighting Bodyjackers in close-quarters is suicidal. Some of the scientists you’ve captured have already started running for the exit.

Small arms fire cannot penetrate the Bodyjacker’s armor. Your troops are armed with rocket launchers and grenades, but in this cramped laboratory they will almost certainly cause friendly casualties.

Some of your troops are armed with laser rifles though, which should be able to penetrate the enemy’s armor easily. Unfortunately, the lasers are also powerful enough to cut the walls, designed to withstand temperatures lower than what your laser weapons can dish out. Using lasers could cause a cave-in.

Lagan: Vora, get the weather-controller and go!

Rainhar: Wait! Maybe we can get that portal-maker too!

You only have mere seconds to decide. What do you tell the lieutenant down below?

- Grab the weather-controller and run. Barricade the lab and burn the interior.
(Weather device gained, minimal losses, but wormhole tech will be lost)

- Destroy the portal-creating machine with rocket launchers.
(Weather device gained, effects of destroying portal device during operation is unknown)

- Tell someone to jump into the portal!
(Reckless, guaranteed death, but massive intel gain)

- Get someone to run to the portal-creator and flip the switch off!
(Risky, many losses inevitable, but leaves the portal machine intact and will grant immediate access to wormhole tech)

- STAND YOUR GROUND AND FINISH OFF THE BODYJACKERS!
(Extreme risk of infestation)

- Same as previous, but with full use of lasers.
(Risk of collapse)

- Something else?

>_

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Teddypimm · 09-18-2016, 02:32 PM

Does that wire leading out of the portal machine look thick enough to provide power or just control, or for that matter is there anything that looks like a power cable leading into the portal machine? If so, start to retreat and cut through it with the laser rifles, and hope a sudden depower of the machines isn't dangerous. That should limit the amount of bodyjackers in the lab.

Once that's done, barricade the bodyjacker in the lab, and use the laser's to make gun ports in the wall, a few holes in the wall hopefully won't cause a cave in. If we're lucky they can't dig or smash through the walls and give our laser troops breathing room to use the rifles precisely and limit the risk of collapse.

Baring all that, grab the machine and run, I don't want the bodyjackers to gain a foothold here via infesting our soldiers.

Mayu_Zane · 09-19-2016, 01:24 AM

(09-18-2016, 02:32 PM)Teddypimm Wrote: »Does that wire leading out of the portal machine look thick enough to provide power or just control, or for that matter is there anything that looks like a power cable leading into the portal machine?

The wire provides power and control.

smuchmuch · 09-19-2016, 02:12 AM

Ruuun to the hiiiilllllls, run for your liiiiiives

I see they are the 'new versions' of bodyjackers, the same one that they atempted to throw at us in retaliation for Addlebear. smaller, differet color (I remember Mayu statd it was significant, but I don't know if the autopsy (I think there was one) told us much)*

I propose: A Fighting retreat:

Grab the weather machine, don't try to get the portal machine yet. If you have some remote explosive charge though, do throw them near (i know, i know, it's not a video game bu they are spec ops, so who know...)

Fall back. Throw concusion grenades and light explosives to delay the flow of bodyjacker as troops move back top open grounds , if you have them. Try to evacuate as many scientists and personal as you can as well but dont a huge priority. (Activate NBC protocol in case of pretenders spores, every combatant and prisoners should be checked after operation. in fact, that should be integrated in standart procedures by now)

Prepare multiple (three should do) Enderfist strikes as contengecies, don't fire them yet.

As long as we prevented or limited casualties in our ranks, the bodyjackers flow will tarish. After that, either the lab will be free for us to take back with small teams oooor the enemy start throwing more and /worse/ through the portal at which point we can Enderstrike the place and/or send drones or/and a small group on a suicide mission to take out the portal machine (with most of our troops and the weather machine on their way far awaaay)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

*That said, this talk of bodyjackers, that do remind me on one other point to add to all the questions I had above:

Did we ever get an autopsy on the "Author drones"
By author drones I mean:
-The creature that was piloting the 'plane' from region 1 that was bringing in bodyjackers after addlebaer. it looked author like with a hoop head, tentacly limb and red 'skinn'
-The creature that were linked to Nadir, made from a Saramis corpse and Dr castor that were in Cyrano with the tentacle portal hoop heads, the red obsidian like 'skins' and the little green balls insides. (oh and the limbles floating for one)

I'm mostly curious to compare if the author like abominations from Region 1 and Cyranno are anything alike beyond appearance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

And really .... the weather machine is just three boxes with an off/on switch and four settings ? I mean are we sure we're not just grabbing a small control box and the real device is build inside the lighthouse ?

I mean okay y'kno what I'll give a free pass on the size, after all it's probably author inspired tech, which I suspect, trully work on the powers of narrative causality (aka "because the plot say so otherwise it wouldn't make a good storry". And I mean that in universe, the author are well.. just that so it make sense their powers are storry based) rather than ay silly 'science' but, please tell me there are additional controls I can't see.

(... At the very least a power slider somewhere so you can sort of vary between a sunny pleasant weather or a deadly drought or betweenn a small rain and terrible storm)

Dragon Fogel · 09-19-2016, 02:54 AM

I kind of want to fire a rocket into the portal, but I suspect it would take too much time to ready the shot. That or a bodyjacker in the lab will get in the way.

It's probably best not to take too much of a risk for the portal machine. Shooting out the power cable will probably give us the same effects as blowing up the machine itself...which might be horrifying, but if we're taking that chance it at least gives us a hope of retrieving the machine later.

Grab the weather machine, shoot the power cable for the portal device, and run. If the portal shuts down, we'll only have a few bodyjackers to deal with and can better prepare ourselves to fight them before coming back later.

Of course, there's the risk that something horrible will happen, or that nothing happens because the machine in the lab is just a control panel and something else is holding the portal open, but hey, it's worth a try. One laser-blast probably won't cause a cave-in.

Mayu_Zane · 09-19-2016, 04:35 AM

(09-19-2016, 02:12 AM)smuchmuch Wrote: »Did we ever get an autopsy on the "Author drones"
By author drones I mean:
-The creature that was piloting the 'plane' from region 1 that was bringing in bodyjackers after addlebaer. it looked author like with a hoop head, tentacly limb and red 'skinn'
-The creature that were linked to Nadir, made from a Saramis corpse and Dr castor that were in Cyrano with the tentacle portal hoop heads, the red obsidian like 'skins' and the little green balls insides. (oh and the limbles floating for one)

Autopsy is forthcoming.

Show Content

Mayu_Zane · 10-03-2016, 10:32 AM

(09-19-2016, 02:54 AM)Dragon Fogel Wrote: »Grab the weather machine, shoot the power cable for the portal device, and run. If the portal shuts down, we'll only have a few bodyjackers to deal with and can better prepare ourselves to fight them before coming back later.

You: Laser fire on the portal’s cable!

One of your troops complies and shoots the wire. The portal immediately fizzles out of existence, and the last Bodyjacker to pass through is cut in half. There are now fifteen Bodyjackers in the room.

All of the enemy’s personnel who surrendered earlier have willingly (and sensibly) let themselves be carried out of the lab. A sergeant grabs the Weather Device and evacuates. Your troops continue attacking as they run backwards, throwing grenades and flashbangs. 9 Bodyjackers remain.

You come to the realization that your soldiers cannot possibly outrun the Bodyjackers. Not only do they move faster than anyone can run, anyone who gets caught soon becomes one of them.

Your laser-rifle bearing troops take the initiative to risk a cave-in to destroy their pursuers. They form a line, and open fire. The monsters quickly go down, and within seconds the threat is gone.

You: Confirm, are we clear?

Lt. Malino: Confirmed, all hostiles neutralized. Prisoners are secure and co-operative.

WEEK 6 DAY 5

== After-Action Report ==

Battalion 1 has taken casualties: 30 dead, 10 critically wounded. 960 soldiers remain.

Weather Device secured. Currently being examined by R&D.

Gargoyle and Bodyjacker remains have been retrieved. We have placed the Bodyjacker eggs in a vault with an incinerator installed. Guards will activate kill-switch if the eggs somehow hatch on their own.

Gained New Intel: Pioneer Base hidden trap

Pioneer Base has incendiary bombs hidden in the officers’ barracks, set to destroy all documents and digital information if the entrance has been compromised.

== End of Report ==

The R&D team have sent you some autopsy reports.

== BODYJACKER ==

Analysis of the creature’s DNA reveals that they are an artificial hybrid of human, lobster and salmon. They also carry Pretender worms, acting as ‘pilots’ that control the Bodyjacker’s behavior. However, this strain of the Pretender parasite is completely immobile, sacrificing muscle mass for the ability to endure extreme kinetic impact.

The Bodyjackers have no digestive system. No mouth, no stomach, nothing. They have a store of fat, and that’s all the fuel they will have, which would last for two weeks at the most. Defectors tell us that Bodyjackers are fed intravenously through the small gaps in their armor.

Their egg chambers serve no purpose other than to store eggs. They do not have any real reproductive capability on their own; Bodyjackers cannot breed without prey. The eggs themselves contain both Bodyjacker DNA and Pretender eggs, and they react immediately upon contact with animal flesh. Fortunately, if the egg touches meat that has insufficient mass to form a Bodyjacker, the result will be malformed and far weaker than a ‘proper’ Bodyjacker.

The eyes are specialized to spot movement, with excellent peripheral vision. The glowing irises are an unintended side-effect of the genetic engineering involved in their creation.

Bodyjacker muscles are very dense, and clearly designed for short bursts of speed. The armor is made of an altered form of chitin, which can deflect kinetic weapons far better than any natural shell. It can also regrow and reform if it has access to glucose.

We believe that we can use the Bodyjacker shells to provide regenerative armor. Imagine: body armor that can withstand small arms fire and can repair itself, and far easier to mass-produce.

Research Project: Regenerative Armor added to list

====

== GARGOYLE ==

Another artificial creature, made from a modified human base with genes taken from bats and the scaly-foot snail. Their primary purpose is to serve as guards, but their design seems to hint that they were created before the development of the Bodyjacker due to their weaker armor.

Though capable of flight and possess fast reflexes, Gargoyles are still vulnerable to small arms fire and are incapable of reproducing in any way. Their other advantage is their massive field of view, with numerous eyes looking in every direction. However, these creatures have no ears and are almost completely deaf.

Like the Bodyjacker, they have no digestive organs. They are completely reliant on a food pack attached to their spines, which also stores their waste. Defectors tell us that there are cases where the food pack gets damaged, and the nutrients end up being contaminated with fecal matter.

After the dissection and analysis was complete, we in R&D believe that its only usable advantage is flight. We might be able to create a pair of wings based on the Gargoyle’s design, which has proven to be quite agile and sufficiently sturdy while at the same time not too heavy for a person to carry.

Research Project: Personal Wing-packs added to list

===

You then notice there’s another autopsy report. It’s about the Author-like creatures your forces encountered at Barbarossa as well as the pilot found in the black chevron thing.

== THE POLLUTED ==

Thanks to Intruder, the Author allied with us, we are finally able to understand The Polluted, creatures that were killed and then altered by Author-built technology.

As it turns out, The Polluted are not an intentional effect. Rather, it is the result of a form of energy radiated by Author-created machines that then reacts with carbon-based life. As we know, Authors are natives of a different universe that obeys a different set of physical laws. They cannot physically exist here without creating a tiny version of their home dimension along with them, and the same goes for their inventions.

Without generating this extra-dimensional field, their machines would simply disintegrate the moment it arrived here.

Their starships and computers generate a pocket universe by creating extremely tiny portals that switch out the space in this universe with theirs. These portals are so small that they cannot be immediately detected with our current technology.

Unfortunately, while invisible to the naked eye, these portals can harm a living person by converting pieces of their body into ones that are more Author-compatible. The process is irreversible, and after enough parts have been converted, the person dies and their remains are resurrected as a creature that would be more at home in the Authors’ home universe.

The resulting creature, which we have dubbed ‘The Polluted’, is a completely different individual but retains some memories of the previous host. The Polluted, confused and panicked by its own memories about a place it has no real connection to, becomes hostile towards anything that it considers alien, which is why they immediately attack anyone they can find.

Despite this aggressive behavior, The Polluted can be tamed by someone who has read the Art of Domination. The Polluted can sense an Author’s presence, and will obey. According to Intruder and human defectors, The Polluted are intelligent enough to serve as pilots.

Now, with regards to its anatomy: Its body structure would not work if it were to follow our laws of nature, but it works fine in the Authors’ homeworld.

Here is a diagram of their anatomy, with organs labeled.

The Heart is a power generator that constantly supplies the body with energy, and also provides cells that regenerate missing limbs. It is the only organ that cannot be repaired.

The Stomachs (green orbs) convert matter into energy for the Heart. Destroying the Stomach may severely impair the creature, but the Heart will easily regenerate it in seconds.

The Portal exists to summon other creatures to serve as weapons. Their primary means of self-defense, the Portal can bring in creatures from their home dimension that then hunt down any threat. These may be referred to as ‘Author-Pets’.

So, where is the central nervous system? According to Intruder, the brain is in a separate location, just like an Author’s. In fact, much of their anatomy behaves like the Authors’.

An Author’s actual brain is separated, floating in outer space because one brain is the size of the average galaxy in our world.

Their brains are huge out of necessity; they are storing the memories of billions of lives, to be used as fodder for their own stories. However, to prevent confusion they need to consciously activate a precise location in their brain to access memories belonging to another individual.

The portals also work like antennae; they connect the body to the brain, as well as transporting energy into the brain. This is why if the Heart dies, the brain dies along with it. Traditionally, when an Author dies the brain will be dissected and then given to the nearest brains as an attempt to preserve history.

With The Polluted, their brains are not that large, but the same principle applies. However, unlike Authors, The Polluted can actually tear out pieces of their brain and throw it at their targets through the portal as a form of self defense. The sheer amount of energy contained in a ‘neuron’ can easily destroy a person’s body through explosive force.

The Polluted are capable of repelling metallic elements, but their bodies are still vulnerable to heat. Organic matter can also harm them. Ironically, fighting one with your bare hands is more effective than with a gun.

PLEASE NOTE: Do not fight an Author with your bare hands! The Polluted lack the ability to manipulate organic life. The Authors can do it very easily, and can just turn your hands into a flesh-eating bacterial colony.

====

You: Ghulls, do we have a report on the Weather Device we recovered?

Ghulls: Sorry Vora, they haven’t finished writing it but we do know that the lighthouse itself is the actual machine. The box is just a control device.

You: I see. Any idea when we can use it ourselves?

Ghulls: R&D says we should be able to activate it tomorrow.

HQ: Commander, this is planet-side HQ.

You: What is it, HQ?

HQ: Region 5 refugees are setting up some kind of relief hub at the border with Region 4. It’s the Freedom Group, they’re sending out a call to anyone with expertise or resources to come to the border. There’s a problem, though. Most of them arrive okay, but a few have been followed.

You: Followed by what?

HQ: Monsters, ma’am. Bodyjackers have started appearing in Region 5, as well as Fedora Stalkers and Sprinting Brainbeasts.

Fedora Stalkers. Shapeshifters that can hide, move and kill in total silence, their only weakness being that they need to transform into a coat and fedora-wearing figure to pursue prey, negating their camouflage abilities. Bullets are no issue to them; fire and glue are the only things that can reliably harm them.

Then, the Sprinting Brainbeasts. They can mind-control people and make them commit suicide. The older versions were big, lumbering creatures. The new ones can run. Good thing they don’t have much in the way of armor.

HQ: Commander, we’re getting requests to send a battalion or two to the border to protect civilians. There are over 60,000 people there now living in tents and huts made of zinc. There’s a trickle being sent through after background checks and inspections, but the enemy’s monsters are coming in bigger and bigger waves.

Lagan: Vora, maybe it’s time we just let the refugees through into our territory, and then set up a proper defensive line.

Rainhar: Wait. Where exactly are these monsters coming from? Are they coming in by sea, from Region 1?

HQ: Negative, sir. Eyewitness reports indicate that there’s some kind of walking factory travelling-

Rainhar: Wait, a WALKING FACTORY?

HQ: Yes, sir. Here is its ‘patrol’ route. It’s the loop in Region 5.

Link to Map

HQ: The walking factory is protected by Braintrees, delivering lightning bolts onto anyone who comes near. The factory is currently moving in a circle, but it’s creating more and more units every day.

How should we respond to this new threat?

- Get all the refugees into Region 4, and set up a defensive perimeter along the border. Two battalions need to be committed to guarding the area while construction of walls, turrets, mines and radar facilities are begun.

- Send in an invasion force to travel into Region 5, set up a supply line and begin a sustained campaign against the Walking Factory.

- Send in Spec Ops to investigate the Walking Factory first. Get as much information as possible.

- Send a Seeker drone to observe the Walking Factory.

- Order an airstrike on the Walking Factory.

- Attempt communicating with the Walking Factory.

- Something else.

>_

YOUR CURRENT FORCES

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Dragon Fogel · 10-03-2016, 04:48 PM

(10-03-2016, 10:32 AM)Mayu_Zane Wrote: »HQ: The walking factory is protected by Braintrees, delivering lightning bolts onto anyone who comes near.

Gee, that sure sounds like something a weather machine could help out with.

Ask R&D about the details of what they expect to be able to do tomorrow. It could be that the machine only has the range to affect the weather in Region 4, which wouldn't help much here, but it's pretty much exactly what we would want to counter lightning-summoning trees. So we should know what our options are.

Also, from a while back...

(06-22-2016, 06:46 AM)Mayu_Zane Wrote: »Yes. Poisonbane can recognize Pretender eggs and neutralize them.

So this, combined with what we know from the autopsy, gives us some interesting facts to consider.

Bodyjackers are driven by Pretenders, and their eggs are based on Pretender eggs.

We also know that Bodyjackers have chinks in their armor for intravenous feeding.

Poisonbane is nanotech-based. It should be able to fit into those gaps.

In short, if we research Poisonbane, I bet we could use information from the autopsy to create an anti-Bodyjacker weapon based on it. Neutralize the driver and render the Bodyjacker immobile, and it should be able to destroy the eggs too. This would probably take additional research on top of the Poisonbane itself, but it's worth floating the idea to R&D before we commit to it.

Actually, double-checking the description... it seems Poisonbane works by forcing the poison out through the gut, which Bodyjackers don't have. Still, a nanotech-based system that can recognize Pretenders, or at least their eggs, sure seems like a good place to start. With the autopsy data, we could probably find a way to make it work.

As to the refugees, the main reason the process is so slow is that we're checking them for things like Pretender worms and spores and other stuff that could be hidden on a person. Moving the whole camp across the border would still let us do that, it's not like the spores care about political divisions, but we could defend it better.

The main issue is that individual refugees might slip away in the process of moving, and the ones most likely to slip away are the ones who are infected with something-or-other. However, as we'd be moving them into Region 4, they'd have to cross bridges to do anything significant.

Or swim, or fly. Guess we can't entirely rule those out. Still, we have only a few points to defend in Region 4 due to the geography, so it's better protected from that sort of infiltration than Region 3 would be.

I think that's all my thoughts for the moment. Not sure how it would be best to handle the factory itself yet.

kamikamyu · 10-03-2016, 10:43 PM

How well informed is the general public/the refugees on threats like Brainbeasts and Fedora Stalkers? It'd be a wise investment having flyers or something made to keep them in the know, and perhaps even temporarily banning the fedora/longcoat combo as a counter measure (surely people may complain at the seemingly ridiculous ban, but when we provide the reason why, I'm sure it won't be taken too badly. Wouldn't want to freak out and kill your perfectly innocent suspiciously dressed man.). Plus, wary citizens can be a good counter to their weakness to glue and fire (though perhaps we don't want people going too crazy with fire).
It would probably be worth informing them of the polluted as well, seeing as their weakness to unarmed combat would do well to minimize losses in the event that we have infiltrations of any sort.

I get that these counter-measures won't really help when they target military personnel, but given the situation it seems likely that civilians will get involved if shit hits the fan.

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smuchmuch · 10-04-2016, 06:06 PM

1) Not too worried about white stalkers. If memory serves even if they are shapehifters, their form are always very rough and they can't change color so they are pretty highly conspicuous.

2) The upgraded brainbeasts and bodyjackers, those are a much more bigger threat

-2)a) With all the advance we've made lately (also did we recuperate some data from the region 1 robotic lab ?), could we realistically have R&D whip up some automated turrets against bodyjackers and brainbeast by now?

(Automated defenses were once mentioned into his adventure, waaay back when Talab was sent against his old pal of the circle, at the point Vora did notice mentally that the Saramis alliance abandoned they idea of automated turrets because they couldn't get facial recognition to work right.
But against beasts who have a completely different form of body, that shouldn't be a problem. While we're a it, might as well also put recognition for faceless, boiling pigs and mash mares.)

Two barrels, a light machine gun for most threat, a secondary one with armor piercing ammo for the bodyjackers.

Assuming it doesn't cost too much RP a piece and if we keep our auto factory producing for a day or two we should be able to have enough to strengthen the perimeter with things that won't be affected by either branbeast, pretenders or bodyjackers.

-2)b) In the meantime: that's for this exact kind of shit that we bough a truckload of sonic mechs

(... er we do still have them, do we ? Because they keep disappearing from the unit list... Okay if we don't have them anymore, buy some more, at 800 Rp a pop, they're a steal)

Robotic and highly efficient against biological things, they are the best counter we have here (and their sonic wave should go through the bodyjackers carapace)

Pull a few from region 3 and 4 patrols if necessary or buy about a ten more with the RP we have in reserve. Get them to patrol in perimeter along region 5 border and while we're at it, also on the coast of region 3 that faces region 1

Add a few of hidden sniper spots to take care of fedora stalkers or human agents an finally a couple of seeker drones to patrol above at high altitude to warn if there's a major assault or a breach and we should have a pretty secure almost entirely automated (or at least remote controlled) perimeter before we deal with Pioneer and can turn out attention to region 5 in fullest.

3) As for the factory itself. ...I'm all for trying to talk to it but.. if push come to shove... is there any good apparent reason we couldn't just enderstrike it ?

(yes, I know, I know it's not the solution to everything but it's still damn handy and so still a good way to deal with stuff we don't want to approach too close)

If we send an aircraft to try to airstrike it or even just get a visual, I insist it should be from very high above, we don't want to loose a plane jsut because a brainbeast got a good enough glance at the pilot.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Good to know the bodyjaker ar 'piloted' by pretenders, that's a weakness we could use.

Quote:The Polluted are capable of repelling metallic elements, but their bodies are still vulnerable to heat. Organic matter can also harm them. Ironically, fighting one with your bare hands is more effective than with a gun.

Funny considering of the two Poluted that were destroyed by , one was shot open with bullets (the other by a firework expoding in it's "face" if memory serves). To be fair, it was recently 'formed' and seemed to hobble more than anything else.

-Hey BTW, the' stomachs' convert energy for the 'heart'. Does that mean we could use the rmain of the poluuted we alrady have to use advaced batteries or generators ?

Quote:PLEASE NOTE: Do not fight an Author with your bare hands! The Polluted lack the ability to manipulate organic life. The Authors can do it very easily, and can just turn your hands into a flesh-eating bacterial colony.

And yet, ironicaly that's how Lagan (and intruder) litteraly killed the only aauthor to ve diretly killed on screen so far (in disguise, sure and with a good dose of verbal mindfuck in it too but still it was a bare haded ball grab nonetheless)

Quote:An Author’s actual brain is separated, floating in outer space because one brain is the size of the average galaxy in our world.

Hey that reminds me, we should probably as Intruder about:
1)Alone
2)How to feed/send back to his universe the dying Alone we found during our assault on region 1
(BTW what happned to it ?)
3)The corpse of Nadir that is apparently the core of planet 117 and it's 'mind moon'

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PS: Also, looking at the list, didn't we already unlock the tumorhide armor technology as well ?
I could have swore we did but I can't remember for sure and it's impossible to check what with the MSPA archives lost forever and all...

~~LoverIan~~ · 10-05-2016, 11:05 AM

>ghulls can you pull up our personel dossier
>are we able to run things by Feathers and their colleague for what they feel is the most optimal plan?
>how likely is the weather machine to be reproducible and used to redirect acid rain flows in region 5

Mayu_Zane · 10-06-2016, 05:00 AM

(10-03-2016, 04:48 PM)Dragon Fogel Wrote: »Ask R&D about the details of what they expect to be able to do tomorrow. It could be that the machine only has the range to affect the weather in Region 4, which wouldn't help much here, but it's pretty much exactly what we would want to counter lightning-summoning trees. So we should know what our options are.

In short, if we research Poisonbane, I bet we could use information from the autopsy to create an anti-Bodyjacker weapon based on it. Neutralize the driver and render the Bodyjacker immobile, and it should be able to destroy the eggs too. This would probably take additional research on top of the Poisonbane itself, but it's worth floating the idea to R&D before we commit to it.

Ghulls: Theoretically there should be no limit to the weather machine’s range as long as we provide the power necessary. We shouldn’t have trouble generating enough power to affect Region 5, though to go further than that would demand a lot more power plants. As for Poisonbane VS. Pretenders, I’ve already submitted it to R&D and they’ll get right on it.

You: Thanks Ghulls.

(10-03-2016, 10:43 PM)kamikamyu Wrote: »How well informed is the general public/the refugees on threats like Brainbeasts and Fedora Stalkers?

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SpoilerCan't remember if I actually posted before or just lurked on MSPFA but I'm glad to see this series is still continuing! Absolutely love it.

The public knows a lot about these creatures; HQ has made sure that the locals are well-informed about the monsters our enemy has created, as it improves overall security. There is a little paranoid with regards to Pretenders, but knowing that the infested cannot speak makes it a lot easier to narrow down suspects.

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(10-04-2016, 06:06 PM)smuchmuch’' Wrote: »Hey that reminds me, we should probably as Intruder about:
1)Alone
2)How to feed/send back to his universe the dying Alone we found during our assault on region 1
(BTW what happned to it ?)
3)The corpse of Nadir that is apparently the core of planet 117 and it's 'mind moon'

----------------------------------------

PS: Also, looking at the list, didn't we already unlock the tumorhide armor technology as well ?
I could have swore we did but I can't remember for sure and it's impossible to check what with the MSPA archives lost forever and all...

Will update Unit List; Sonic Mechs are available and Tumorhide project is actually complete. I keep copying from old notes. Sorry about that!

Battery technology based on The Polluted organs could be done. R&D will add a new project on Week 7.

Intruder will answer more questions about Alone and Nadir soon.

(10-05-2016, 11:05 AM)LoverIan Wrote: »>ghulls can you pull up our personel dossier
>are we able to run things by Feathers and their colleague for what they feel is the most optimal plan?
>how likely is the weather machine to be reproducible and used to redirect acid rain flows in region 5

> please clarify: personal dossier (Vorador Mortanius) or personnel dossier (everyone)?

> Yes

> Redirecting the acid rains is relatively easy for the weather machine, and it could be used as an area denial weapon.

Dragon Fogel · 10-06-2016, 05:25 AM

Okay.

So, when we get the weather machine operational, we can redirect the acid rain to the Bodyjackers and see what we can do with the Braintree storms around the factory itself. Since it'll be ready tomorrow, the question is what we can do today.

Moving the refugee camp shouldn't be necessary if we only need to hold out for one day. And as smuchmuch said, our Sonic Mechs should be good here.

Moving refugees through the camp sooner would be good if we can find a faster screening procedure. Maybe the AIs have some ideas there.

Granted, there's a risk of Smith-loyal humans sneaking in for more conventional terror attacks, but if they're not actual monstrosities or carrying weird infectious agents, they're a manageable problem.

~~LoverIan~~ · 10-11-2016, 04:15 AM

>I'm agreeing with Pac on this
>Dossier on agents such as Gulls
>check how easy it is to create a synthetic body to mirror a real one, as we could have our humans spies safely do operations using nonhuman bodies