http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/20268058/We have proven ourselves worthy against the Xel'Naga's physical tests, and have just regained control of the last of our cerebrates for the first psionic test. The Xel'Naga we speak to seems pleased."You have succeeded in the first psionic test, maintaining control of your minions. When you are prepared, we shall begin the second test."
Also, Sam Adams Octoberfest is back! Yay!
Where my players at?
Haven't had this much trouble getting people to post since the third thread.
>>20378749Uh. I'm around I guess. Not that I've been a regular.
>>20379048Regularity's important. Have you tried eating more fiber?
>>20379123Fiber is for peasants. I imagine you'd want to wait for more so ask our cerebrates if they have any ideas on how we might deal with the Xel'Naga psionic abilities better in the near future.
>>20378919I got caught up doing some family stuff, stupid birthdays. Anyway since the last test was of controlling our stuff, the next on will be something else... maybe juggling, or controlling other stuff.
>>20379137Nargil tells us that we are as psionically powerful as Father could make us. Gorn seems to think that if we're not strong enough to ward off attacks, we're weak.Labbrate isn't sure what more can be done from the outside; the Psi Emitters are in place, and they were fairly efficient at keeping us in control.
>>20379199I know, we stick big Xel'Naga crystals into ourselves. Now all we need is to find all the big crazy Xel'Naga crystals, make a big pile, and grow on them. And since I con't thin of any way to prepare for more psionic tests, grab some No. 2 pencils and lets do this.
>>20379199Could the Psi Emitters be adjusted in any way to possibly amplify our own abilities? Would it be possible to go through the Protoss memories again for something that might help now that we're not in a dire situation?
>>20379233The emitters just broadcast us at 11, and rechecking out Protoss memories without the "under stress" penalty might work. If we spend an uninterrupted day on it, can we take 20?
>>20379233What would we be raiding their memories for?Note: the Protoss didn't invent the Psi Emitters. They may not actually know that they even exist.And, you'll have to fight >>20379224 over whether we do that or launch into the next test.
>>20379279That is assuming it's a Knowledge(Protoss) check.
>>20379288Raid the Protoss memories for techniques on how they use their psionic abilities is what I meant. They obviously have some so maybe we can mix them together with ours in some way.
>>20379288I assumed it was to check for general Protoss psionic voodoo magic control stuff. Granted the actually useful things probably revolve around using the Khaydarin Crystal.
>>20379316>>203793031d100 go!
rolled 32 = 32>>20379421I got this.
rolled 80 = 80>>20379421
>>20379500>>20379433After sifting through memories for about an hour, we discover a tribal marriage ceremony that involves a psionic grappling for control of the potential spouse. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the victor releases their spouse, in what has got to be the most bizarre mating ritual we've ever seen. And we've absorbed a lot of species.Either way, we manage to adapt part of the ritual struggle into our thoughts. It will help us to keep control of ourselves and our minions in the face of psionic intrusion.Shall we tell the Xel'Naga to continue with their test?
>>20379627If you want to do it with only TUCAMP and I... Bring it.
>>20379638Quite.
>>20379703>>20379638If you're the only ones here, you're the ones I'll work with."You have kept control of your minions, but can you keep control of yourself? We shall see, Cerebrate."The worldships hovering over our other colonies disappear, and two more arrive over Xenta.Immediately, we feel a wave of psionic energy crash over us like a tsunami.ROLL 3d100, slaves!
>>20379627Fuckin' go for it. I haven't read all the archives yet, so I usually don't post, but you seem like you could use players. I might have no idea about some stuff though.
rolled 39, 26, 39 = 104>>20379755New guy here.
rolled 98, 70, 73 = 241>>20379755>>20379762That's fine.
>>20379775>>20379783It is as if reality itself is bearing down on us from the inside, the outside, and everything in between. The pressure is unbearable. Our vision from every Zerg under our command blurs with streaks of black. We struggle, both as a Cerebrate and using the tricks we learned from the Protoss, but it hurts.It hurts a lot.(You can either hit me with plans you've got or just roll 2d100 to just keep fighting it)
>>20380016I AM CEREBATE. Zergs, OBEY!KEKKEKekekekek
>>20380016Too much psionics, turn off the emitters.
>>20380051Dddddddddddddddddddddddddaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
>>20380016Think of father and sis! Thoughts of them will give us strength!Uhhh... I can't really think of any ideas. It seems like there are multiple sources of this attack on us so we can't really try to attack back.
rolled 85, 50 = 135>>20380016Welp. I can't think of anything. Rolling!
>>20380101>>20380068I think the "attack" is really just us being sensitive to psionics, it's too loud. Those damn kids and their rap psionics, and their pants down around their ankles.
>>20380052...Are you sure about that?
>>20380166I definitely don't think we should be turning them off.
>>20380166No. But it fits the pattern I'm making I'm my head. First was us being too quiet to be heard, next is us being too loud, and if there are more I'll make them up ad as go. Regardless, is everything affected equally, or are some places worse off than others?
rolled 3, 30 = 33>>20380166No, of course not.Now, keep fighting it!
rolled 87, 55 = 142>>20380166No, of course not.Now, keep fighting.
>>20380250It's like a fire coursing through our minds, sqeezing our very thoughts.>>20380101>>20380257We start to push back, and the pain blooms anew, with greater intensity than before. It's almost unbearable. We start to feel odd thoughts enter us: feelings of loyalty to the Xel'Naga, subservience to their will, like red-hot brands burning into our very self.
>>20380347Sneaky Xel'Naga, they went with door number three. Quickly absorb the Khala.
>>20380347>feelings of loyalty to the Xel'Naga, subservience to their willOh fuck no. We serve the Xel'Naga because we choose to, not because we are forced to. We submit to them out of a personal sense of honor and debt, not because we are psionically controlled.Roar back in our mind "An Overmind chooses, a slave obeys!"
>>20380347Screw that shit. Ignore those thoughts and think of Kingston. In fact, think of the Xel'Naga as Kingston and use that rage to break out of this.
>>20380347I really can't think of anything. Psionic high-five the Xel'Naga back? Don't think that would work. I assume we don't have any memories from the Overmind so that won't help... Seems like we're screwed.
>>20380420>>20380418>Lay back on think of KingstonClearly I'm miss reading everything tonight.
>>20380347>sneaky trickeryTHIS BUTTONPRESS IT NOW
>>20380489It's alright. That's what I was going to type, as well.>>20380497>>20380475>>20380420>>20380418>>20380406(I'm giving you all a +5 for that intensity)So, is there a wacky plan, or are you just going to roll again?
>>20380543I think>Lay back on think of Kingstonis the wacky plan. Maybe toss in Fenschal, Zeratul, Tassadar, VoidGate, and Dyles.
>>20380543I believe the general consensus is GET MAD AT THEM REALLY HARD.If you want something more specific, maybe concentrate all of our psionic power into a single point (FOCUSSED BY HATRED) and punch the Xel'Naga right in the metaphysical face.
rolled 14 + 5 = 19>>20380543Lets do this shit also ridge scratching human to maximum pleasure
>>20380543I literally cannot think of any plan that could work. Would that psy cannon thing we did back in the last test maybe work to help us out?
rolled 25 + 5 = 30>>20380543I think our wacky plan is to get really fucking mad.
rolled 67 = 67>>20380617>>20380638Welp. Game over guys.
>>20380617>>20380638>>20380651(roll 2d100, guys. I got the bonus covered)
rolled 62, 33 = 95>>20380701My mistake.
rolled 69, 1 = 70>>20380701Rolling to psionically headbutt the Xel'Naga in the face.
rolled 19, 18 = 37>>20380701
rolled 75, 15 = 90>>20380725>>20380718>>20380717Wow, half of those are worse than normal, mostly mine.
>>20380725Tucamp.This is why we don't noko our dice.
rolled 74, 85 = 159Back.
>>20380717>>20380718(Wow...just...it's like the Xel'Naga are controlling the dice. Upping their difficulty, because this roll should have ended it for you)The pain erupts further, and we feel the Makers' voices in our mind, urging compliance, obedience, acceptance. Their tone is honey, but their words are like fire, scalding us to the core. We're not sure just how much more of this we can take.Toaster begs us to fire its missiles. Gorn roars for the balm of combat.
>>20380906No! We will overcome this trial, using our fury as our shield and hate as our sword.A Cerebrate chooses, a slave obeys!
rolled 3, 27 = 30>>20380906This is annoying. We got so far and now to fail here when we can't do anything wacky to assist?
>>20380906We still got Bernie in our mind somewhere, right?Let's sic him on their mind-parts and see how well they can control us with the most depraved being in the universe attempting to mind-rape them.
>>20380988No, we went kaput.Could we fire a psicannon at ourselves? Might as well.
>>20380988Bernie is long gone, and the universe is a better place because of it.
>>20381017Firing a Psi Cannon at ourself wouldn't do anything, no...
>>20381042Not even if we reversed the polarity?
>>20381042What about firing the psi cannon at the Xel'Naga...
>>20381058That only works with phasers and tachyon beams... maybe. Yes, reverse the polarity on the psicannon, and bounce it off a defector dish.
>>20381080We don't know if that would work. We've never tried anything like that. Labbrate isn't sure what would happen, but the pain is too great for it to do any sort of projections.
rolled 34 = 34>>20381105were going at this all wrong lets not fight back but try and command them
Plans?
>>20381165NAY BEINGS FROM THE PAST, YOUR TIME HAS PASSED, AND YOU WILL SERVE THE MASTER OF THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE! MY WILL IS LAW!Something like that?
>>20381175Cut ourselves off from all outside influence? Can we do that?
>>20381165Fire a psiocannon at the Xel'NagaReverse the polarity of a psicannon, and fire it at useTry to control themIt's just a matter of which.
>>20381175Just try concentrating out psionic powers into a psionic headbutt, like our psionic high-five but stronger, and aim it at the Xel'Naga ships testing us.
Give them the universe's biggest psionic HIGH FIVE.Accept their presence in our mind, trying to fight it is going to burn us out, but as an equal psionic bro, not as a master. Replace domination with communion.
>>20381452>>20381222>>20381345>>20381219So, is that two for fighting back, one for giving up, and one for shooting them with the Psi Cannon?
>>20381470Looks like it.
>>20381517>>20381470Well, then, 2d100, and hope the dice gods change their minds.
Fightback AND shoot them with the psi cannon.
rolled 11, 35 = 46>>20381600
rolled 84, 60 = 144>>20381600
rolled 34, 16 = 50>>20381175Sorry I didn't arrive earlier, my alarm clock didn't wake me up. D:I suggest we try to overload the Psi Emitters for a short burst of power/stability (assuming that can actually be done) and focus on all we've done over a barely a year that the Overmind itself literally couldn't do in a million.THIS IS NOT HOW WE FALL!
rolled 51, 18 = 69>>20381600This seed we're using is not good at all.
>>20381617>>20381619(...You guys may want to consider doing something else)They walk in our memories, now. VoidGate seems like disobedience, Kingston like resistance. We hate those things, but their realities are precious to us. It sears us within to see them twisted and pulled around like a bit in a work animal's mouth. It is getting harder to resist.
>>20381728Reverse the polarity of the psi-cannon and fire it at ourselves.
>>20381760Seconded.
rolled 58 = 58>>20381728lets grow some of those organs that hide us from psy senses like them manta ray things
>>20381728First, we should try to reach out for the other cerebrates and attempt to brace ourselves against their consciousnesses, then we apply the Protoss mating ritual directly to the source of pain with a focus on striking hard at the individuals themselves (as opposed to pushing against all of them equally at the same time), diverting our consciousness to taking THEM over instead.No battle can be won while fought entirely on the defensive.(If that don't work, I say we fire the Psi-cannon withour signature at the Xel'Naga)
>>20381728Yeah just PsiCannon everything.
>>20381728>>20381828There was that one species of creature that had those glands that completely nullified all psionic influence when we found the Mantalisk base species. I forgot what it was called. But we still did experiments on it and infested it; it might be possible that we could grow those glands to counter the Xel'naga intrusion, then kill them off after the test is complete. Our brood would be completely cut off from us as long as the glands are there, however.
>>20381887Yes, that.It's risky, but seem far less risky than trusting /tg dice.
>>20381916But we have to trust the dice anyway.
The only problem with the glands is we can't control anything with them.
>>20381887>>20381916>>20381828Not only could we never get those working properly, surrounding our physical form with glands that block psionic energy will effectively keep us from our Broods and our cerebrates. It would be the death of the Swarm.>>20381840>>20381824>>20381760There is no polarity to reverse. Shooting at ourself with the Cannon will do nothing. We don't know what shooting the Xel'Naga will do.
>>20382009Shoot the Xel'Naga. It will probably do SOMETHING, and it's not like we have any other plans, let alone BETTER ones.
>>20382044Agreed. And if that doesn't work, nuke it all.
>>20382044>>203820793d100, and fingers crossed.
>>20382009How about>>20381831, then?(I do think he meant we would remove the glands again after a small while, though.And if I remember correctly, didn't those things also work by doing something to their chitin to make it 'reflective' to psionic waves, preventing their own psionic signature from 'leaking' out?)Are you sure we can't simply breed leg and armless versions of them and tell the drones to cover us with them (assuming they're cat-sized or something like a mound of rocks) and leave instructions to remove them a few minutes later in both our Terminator, backrubbers and other organisms near our form?Also, can we release control of our swarm to our cerebrates to allow us to focus on resisting?(ONLY psi-blast or nuke the Xel'Naga if the above isn't feasible, not sure how many (if any) of them are)
rolled 90, 37, 9 = 136>>20382122H-here I go...
rolled 15, 80, 47 = 142>>20382122Let's see if this signals the end of the Zerg.
>>20382127Well, like I said, we never got them to work in the first place, so this entire discussion is moot, but even so, we can't just "leave instructions" to our Brood. They don't have consciousnesses of their own. They're us. And if we're covered in stuff that keeps our mind from controlling those bodies, those bodies go into gran mal seizures or fucking Hulk rage and kill everything they see. And we can't let the cerebrates off, because without being connected to us, they wither and die. That's what I was rolling for with the d20s last time: the longer you guys took to save them, the closer they got to just dying.>>20382146>>20382155http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9uuPza41UwThe pain continues, its intensity building immensely, but we press forward against it, and as the Psi Cannon fires on one of the worldships, we feel their presence recede from our mind. It's still there, and still excruciating, but less so, now. For the first time since this trial began, the pain has lessened.It is far from over, but for the first time, there is hope.
>>20382219Marshal our psionic energy and punch back at the Xel'Naga.Also, don't the Protoss use Khaydarin crystals in their equipment to amplify their psionic energy?Do we have any khyadarin crystal equipment that we can focus our thoughts through?
>>20382219Psicannons, they solve everything. Fire again, and again, and again.
>>20382219Uhm, I left pretty many suggestions, not just those two.What of the bracing against other cerebrates or passing on some of the pressure to them?What about applying the mating ritual to take the battle to the Xel'Naga instead of merely trying to endure?And what about handing off the parts of the swarm under our direct control to our cerebrates to free up our minds?And can we use overlords clustered around us to boost our might?I'm just throwing ideas at the wall to see what sticks, you might've guessed. :P(And that they can't live for long without us doesn't mean they can't control our brood, dos it? The cerebrates under the Overmind took months before they started dying off, surely ours can manage a few minutes?And that we don't know how they work/how to create their glands/chitins doesn't mean we can't simply clone a bunch up of the whole creatures to use as bricks in a built 'psionic wall', but I should probably drop it. :P)Also, psionic high-fives on the Xel'Naga! YES! DO IT!
>>20382341>What of the bracing against other cerebrates or passing on some of the pressure to them?That's why the pain is shooting through their minds, and the minds of all of our units.>What about applying the mating ritual to take the battle to the Xel'Naga instead of merely trying to endure?We are already doing this (I said it in the first post).>And what about handing off the parts of the swarm under our direct control to our cerebrates to free up our minds?That's how cerebrates work. This is the basic nature of having cerebrates. That's why they exist.>And can we use overlords clustered around us to boost our might?No more than rubbing your thighs on your biceps would boost their might.>>20382341>>20382253>>20382251If you want to fire again and keep fighting, 3d100.
rolled 78, 4, 69 = 151>>20382417
rolled 55, 2, 100 = 157>>20382417I got this.
rolled 94, 33, 58 = 185>>20382417So additional Overlords DO help!Let's have a swarm-wide spawning of quick-bred Overlords (they don't have to last more than a few minutes)!And yes, do with the firing and the fighting.And can we send a Psionic High-five to the Xel'Naga, just to hope it catches them off-guard?
>>20382473>No more than rubbing your thighs on your biceps would boost their might.>ie not at all
>>20382503Yes, but it implies that Overlords are our thighs or bicpeps.So: MAKE MORE BICEPS/THIGH-MUSCLES!
>>20382445>>20382449Fatigue washes over us, and we barely manage to stay in the fight, but the Psi Cannon's blast pushes the pain away, as if it fights in place of us. It seems like weeks, months even, since the pain was this remote, this mild, though it still threatens to overcome what is left of our resolve.(I'm so glad you guys worked out the cannon thing. You were 27 points away from losing forever, even after I gave you an extra 60 points to work with)
rolled 69, 49, 48 = 166>>20382549How kind of you, MORE SHOOTING!
>>20382549Try for time-on-target with the psi-cannons to have them hit the Xel'Naga at once.
>>20382549Start cycling the blasts, but keep them at an irregular interval to keep the Xel'Naga from bracing themselves when they know it's about to fire (they'll have to brace themselves all the time or not at all. >:3 Well, theoretically anyway)>>20382535Biceps* damnit.>>20382549>You were 27 points away from losing foreverCouldn't we have continued playing under the Xel'Naga, same way we did under the Overmind? (Yes, I realise they'd keep a closer eye on us.. Unless they decide to just off us for being weak as opposed to using our galactic empire.)
>>20382549I didn't want to go with it since it seems like cheating.
>>20382618Not really.If we were pure Zerg, then yes, it would be.But under our leadership, the Zerg have become a melding of flesh and machine, not wholly dependent on one or the other, but using the best of both worlds.To deny us the psi-cannons is to deny a part of ourselves.
>>20382618Welcome to Zerg Quest! :D
>>20382618Welcome to Zerg Quest! :DThis is what we do.We once BROKE reality(by accident) just to eliminate an enemy swarm.
>>20382675>onceYeah, you guys have done that twice, now.
>>20382659>uses emoticons
>>20382700Yes, yes, we know he's an annoying faggot. But we have to endure his presence, all the same.
>>20382675Yeah but I mean the test here. The Xel'Naga are testing our psionic ability, right? This'd be a bit like going into an arm wrestle and hitting your opponent with a squirt bottle to distract them.>>20382712I don't! I just filtered him!
>>20382695Ohyeah.>>20382700Only rarely!And I'm not a faggot, you're a faggot. :<... What's a faggot?Anyway!Can we continue shooting the Xel'Naga and fighting back, or should we call it a night?It's late, but it seems a somewhat awkward spot to stop.>>20382712Mwuahahaha!>>20382716Actually, it's more like an arm wrestle and you use your bionic arm. Not to speak of that 'cheating' is a very valid approach when it comes to galactic conquest and perfection.>I don't! I just filtered him!Cheater!
>>20382716...And now I have a new strategy for arm wrestling.Anyway, I'm thinking it's bed time. My folks are driving up here, and who knows what ungodly hour of the morning they intend to arrive. Does Friday the 24th tickle your fancy for next thread?http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/20378749/
>>20382773Whoo! Cheating!And yes, Friday sounds fine.
>>20382760>it seems a somewhat awkward spot to stopIt'll give me time to decide whether something/body butts into this contest and makes things even more dangerous, or continues to bide his/her/its time.Ambiguity: when the DM has something planned, but you're not allowed to know what, yet.
>>20382773Friday should be fine.
>>20382788You remember when I called you evil?Just in case you're wondering, I'm neither taking that back or nor ceasing to admire how easily you appear to do it.
