Aberrant: Prometheans Unbound - The Test of Strength

[Blue Thunder]

Prometheans Unbound, Chapter 2 -

Branch 1 - The Test of Strength

Player Characters - Envy, Bob, Jack, King Cobra, Roach

Setting

- The Trinidad Compound at dusk. Envy has been declared a heretic by the Apostle, and is under constant guard by some of his fellow Prometheans. The Four Horsemen have already staged a preliminary attack to test the Prometheans in battle, and now they've come back for a larger assault. Envy and his allies must defend themselves against the Apostle's assassins.

Not all Terats are comfortable with the Apostle's naming of heretics. Epoch and several other Terats have come forward to assist Envy in his fight against the Apostle for fear that they will be named next. Epoch operates independantly of Geryon and the rest of Nova Vigilance in this case, who do not want to become affiliated with Envy and named heretics by association (plus they're also busy with their own activities, and have other reasons to distrust the Proms).

A trap is prepared. Envy and Count Orzaiz "leaked" information that the Prometheans were busy elsewhere (not that difficult, since half of them truly were) leaving Envy with minimum protection.

The Apostle's forces are lured into attacking. Now

the test of strength

comes. Can the Prometheans survive the Apostle?

Goal

- Envy is to be protected, or the Prometheans will fall apart and the Apostle will gain more dominance in the Teragen. Very few Terats are willing to assist the Prometheans, and those that are helping do so only for their future safety. Few of the Apostle's followers can be reasoned with...Orzaiz suggests that eliminating them will be easier than converting them.

After the Prometheans have defeated the Four Horsemen, or at least survived their assault, they will take the offensive. The Apostle's enclave in Lyon has been marked by Orzaiz as the most ideal target for a counter-attack. Both Envy and the Count have organized the attack, using superior intelligence and foresight to strike back at the Cult of Mal.

Start

- The Four Horsemen and several Cult of Mal novas have staged their attack on the Trinidad Compound, smashing through the front door. They set about destroying as much of the mansion as they can, while attacking anyone or anything in their way with full force. They do not hold back.

The Prometheans are protecting Envy. Envy sits in his main study on the second floor in fragile baseline form. Jack, disguised as a necklace, sits around Envy's neck waiting for the right moment to act. The Colony, as one of Envy's maids, innocently dusts a bookshelf only a dozen feet from both Envy and Jack. In shadowy form, King Cobra hides in part of the attic; he presses his face through the roof periodically to check on Envy. Roach, with no capability to disguise himself, latches onto the wall and reads a book, eating the pages after reading them (a convenient way to keep his place).

The Terats that have come to assist Envy have placed themselves throughout the mansion. Epoch, refusing to hide, sits alone in the lounge on the first floor. Mudfish waits in the kitchen near the lounge, gorging himself on raw seafood. Speck hides within a vase in a hallway on the first floor. The Housefly stays on the roof, ready to call Doorway for help if the Prometheans need it. Doorway waits in a hotel in the nearby city, preferring not to be directly involved in the violence.

**********

Several more crashing sounds. Roach could distinctly make out the noise of pots and pans clanging onto floor tile; hopefully Mudfish wasn't getting into more trouble than he could handle. Roach needed him for poker night back at the sewers, after all.

Roach could also make out the sounds of heavy furniture smashing into walls and delicate vases being shattered. But then, so could everyone else in the mansion. Epoch was likely contributing to that.

The front door to Envy's study splintered open and Icewolf charged through effortlessly, his footsteps sounding like mountains colliding with the floor as he went. His black robe and white mask were surrounded by a coat of ice. Behind him were Paolo Salvador, protected by a glowing force field, and Cord, standing a few inches off the ground on energy wires.

((According to earlier intelligence by Anansi, Icewolf has decent Mega-Strength and the Hardbody enhancement while Paolo Salvador has Disintegration eyebeams. They possess other abilities of course, but those have been confirmed by Anansi and the Prometheans are aware of these particular talents.))

((Battle will be a tad differently than it was in Chapter 1, Branch 1. In that battle, since there were just two PCs, I decided to just have everyone announce their actions before their turn. But now we should revert to the normal system: everyone announces their actions at the beginning of the round. Then they are carried out in order of Intiative. If you wish to change your action when your turn rolls around for whatever reason, you have to abort/change your action as per the rules in the book. Multiple actions must be declared when the round starts, etc.))

((So...you must state your intentions at round start, and if you wish to cancel your action(s), state as much when your turn comes around, or before.))

((Since the enemy Terats decided to smash through the front door downstairs, the Prometheans are prepared for them. You can have any powers or enhancements active already that you wish, since you have time to activate them before the door to the study is knocked inward. Also, if you wish, you can reposition yourself into a different location. It should be noted that only Envy, Roach, and Bob are visible to the enemies starting with the first round, so are likely to be initial targets.))

Initiative

Envy - 23

Roach - 22

Cord - 21

Paolo - 19

King Cobra - 18

Jack - 17

Colony - 16

Icewolf - 14

[Alex Green]

{MUCH, Much Before}

In front of the others, Bob shifted into one of his ‘monster’ forms.

The Colony’s combat form was a legless, armless horror. Maybe, maybe, it could have evolved on some undersea environment, but more likely it sprang from the twisted imagination of a Lovecraft fan. A first glance reveals dozens of tendrils springing from a central globe. The eyeless central mass was obviously the most vulnerable spot on the creature and armored because of it. The tendrils supported the central mass and served as both arms and legs. The tendrils were unnatural in the extreme. Every one was covered with eyes, hooks, spines, and suckers. A closer inspection of the eyes would show they were differently colored, and the majority of them human. Mrs. Horton might have recognized two of them. Food would be taken in, perhaps alive, via a squid like beak that sat sideways in the middle of the mass.

Envy and the others looked at the new form of their ally and made comments.

King Cobra: “You can’t talk in this form, can you?”

Bob shook it’s head.

Envy said: “Bob… this is pretty good for many situations, but for the one we’re going to be likely facing… I’ve studied your powers, shift back and let me outline a plan.

{Before}

Bob sat in a lotus position and ‘meditated’ the night away, or maybe a better word was 'integrated'. New minds, smells, and memories had to be reviewed and sampled. Their significance evaluated. It didn’t need to be done right now, but it did need to be done and Bob incorrectly thought he had the time. When the commotion started Bob thought *show time* and shifted into this starting form for the night and got up.

{{Shapeshift roll. In order of importance; Succ used for: Regeneration, Hidden-Tendril (togue), Flexibility (togue only), EVO (that smell organ). No succ for ‘form’ should be needed.}}

(Now)

When Icewolf and the others burst into the room, they should immediately notice Envy (i.e. Bob) wearing a pair of sunglasses and standing in the room. His expression is recognizable as a combination of shock, fear, and *Oh No! The Righteous Terats are about to justly pound me into a much deserved oblivion.*

Bob will attempt to close with the closest cultist, Paolo if there is a choice, and consume them. (Spend a willpower point on the 'to-hit' roll)

[Bahamut810]

This was going to be his time to shine!!

His new form was mostly a hinderance when it came to many things in life, except for physical things like this. Not only this, but now it was time to allow the monster in him to come forth...to direct his rage and anger where it mattered...people who would seek to hurt his own.

Icewolf was going to have something to think about when he did arrive.

Jack waited near the door as a vase when the door shattered, and the Icy horseman charged in...close enough for Jack to respond. He quickly grew and started to engulf the strong-nova...invading his body...

(He is in liquid form, and trying to grappel the poor giant. Once he is inside the guy...he grows to engulf him completely as well as being inside him, then shifts his shaeshift to minor ones and grows a DI untill he has M-str 5 (between Growth and DI). and he grows some spines, and starts to push out and in at hte same time attempting to crush and suffocate the guy. If he is struck at any time he Mithradisms it. Tell me the rest of my successes and I'll allocate them.)

[Blue Thunder]

***Jack***

(He is in liquid form, and trying to grappel the poor giant. Once he is inside the guy...he grows to engulf him completely as well as being inside him, then shifts his shaeshift to minor ones and grows a DI untill he has M-str 5 (between Growth and DI). and he grows some spines, and starts to push out and in at hte same time attempting to crush and suffocate the guy. If he is struck at any time he Mithradisms it. Tell me the rest of my successes and I'll allocate them.)

((So, two actions this round? Shapeshift followed by a grapple/clinch?))

Bodymorph: 8 successes

((This...will be a bit complex. The best way to perform the grapple is probably to use a Shapeshift success to mimic the Warp Body technique of Spatial Manipulation. It not only fits in with your liquid metal theme, but it gives a massive bonus to grappling, as well as automatic Flexibility. If you agree to spend a success on this, the roll comes out to 7 successes. These translate to 7 extra dice on any dodge and grapple rolls. However, Icewolf has a Force Field of ice up, so slithering into his body will be very difficult.))

((To make additional changes after the initial Shapeshift and a successful grapple, like with Growth and Spines after you've surrounded Icewolf, it would require a new Shapeshift roll, since it's a new action. This would require you to make three actions this round though, which would affect multiple action penalities, meaning I would have to reroll for the initial Shapeshift. Anything else to put these first successes into? Armor sounds smart, since you have an abundance of successes. DI and Claws maybe?))

Bob will attempt to close with the closest cultist, Paolo if there is a choice, and consume them. (Spend a willpower point on the 'to-hit' roll)

((Icewolf is charging directly for Bob, unless Envy isn't dormed. Paolo is keeping range, but Cord is fast behind Icewolf. So basically, Icewolf is headed towards whoever he thinks is Envy, and behind him, flying, is Cord, and then Paolo is standing at the doorway. Note that Paolo and Icewolf have what appear to be Force Fields up.))

((SkyLion, did you want to be undormed? Phoenix, Shade, want to be placed elsewhere before the fight? Roach could hide above the doorway on the wall, or could stand by the real Envy to take damage for him, or stand by the fake Envy to make him a more believable target. King Cobra could be anywhere, really, since he has uber-DD; physical barriers mean little to him.))

[SkyLion]

((My understanding was that Bob was playing Envy in the room, Roach was attached to a wall eating a book and Envy was dormed and attunened with King Cobra, their heads poking through the cieling to observe the happenings and with deffered actions waiting to pounce...btw...does it take a full round to undorm or just an 'action'?))

[Alex Green]

((Icewolf is charging directly for Bob. Paolo is keeping range, but Cord is fast behind Icewolf. So basically, Icewolf is headed towards whoever he thinks is Envy, and behind him, flying, is Cord, and then Paolo is standing at the doorway. Note that Paolo and Icewolf have what appear to be Force Fields up.))

Bob Envy gives a frightened squeak,

”Please! No!”

Bob thinks, *Well shoot. I was hoping Paolo would be closer. Looks like Cord it is.*

(Since two of them are closing with him Bob doesn't bother closing with them).

[Shade Sentinel]

The trap sprung Roach pauses briefly to stick his book ( coated with residual goo) to the wall before leaping into motion.

His moves are jerky and awkward, though somehow perfection.

With a single move he leaps from his wall perch, in a long sideways arc through the air, easily clearing the distance to fall in a crouched stance on Envy's desk.

With Icewolf baring down quickly on his position, He bares his teeth and expels a horrid substance from his gnarled mouth, at the Icewolf's face.

Within an instant of releasing the corrosive spit, he leaps again right at the oncoming Terat, claws out and ready for a brawl.

"ye not fer touching Mr. Envy!"

Actions:

Leap to desk

Corrosive spit at Icewolf's head

Two (2) Claw attacks at Icewolf

[phoenix]

King Cobra, armored in shadows, emerges from the wall behind Paolo. He solidifies his right hand, which appears black-gloved and with a black stilletto claw extended, and slices at Paolo's neck.

[solidify his hand only as per the DD5 option, and one targeted strike at Paolo's neck. I apologize for the delay in my post.]

Edit: and behind King Cobra, holding his other hand, is a shadowy humanoid form that the other Prometheans know to be the dormant Envy.