>>22289139
Reposting battle plan:

Devastator squad A will target the NC Terminators directly, while the tactical squad flanks them to cut them off from reinforcement. Can we ID their chapter?

Squad B will engage the Baatezu force, while the X-Com squad will hit the Cornugon first with BBs and Plasma, and then engage the Baatezu once it's down.

>>22289139
Devastator Squads A and B, target the New Chaos Terminators.

White Mages cast ReRaise, Haste, and Wall on Darius, Agrias, Alicia, Lavian, Sonia, Aeshma.

X-COM NOVA Veteran Squad target the Cornugon with all of their weapons.

Techno-Wizards, prepare to cast Blinding Light against the devils.
http://www.riftshighway.com/?p=127

Abjurers should set up a Magic Circle Against Evil and Chaos.

>>22289139
White Mages, can you get off a Cure and some Regen to Senior Crusader Melliarde or do you need to be closer? Some magical defenses wouldn't go amiss, either.

Egon, that's Akuma; a powerful warrior with immense spiritual energies at his disposal.. Do you have any ideas how to nullify or weaken that energy? If we can get him depowered he may calm down enough we *might* be able to reason with him.

On comms call out to the Crusaders. "Crusaders, Task Force 38 to your side. We're going to work on taking those bigger foes on with flanking maneuvers. Watch your lines of fire!"

>>22289214
We can let the Grand Crusade forces handle the Baatezu once the Cornugon is down.

We should be focusing on the New Chaos terminators.

Also, we need to either negotiate with Akuma, or disable him somehow.

The most likely to work is trying to have Aeshma, with a Bit of Luck, tell him that there are better warriors to fight among the New Chaos ranks than us. He wants warriors, not soldiers.

>>22289292
Be careful trying to depower him, he may take it as a threat or an attack and horribly pancake anyone trying to steal his power.

We need to be extremely careful of Akuma, attempt to reason with him and bring up his warrior's code and the fact that fighting these weak people who cannot reasonably fight back or put up a challenge can't be satisfying for him. Be on the look out for brain washing however.

We might even be able to convince him to come with us by promising him he can fight the strongest beings of creation. I mean, we do have to kill SUEs all the time, Akuma would probably LOVE to prove he's better then those gods who do not deserve their power.

>>22289343
Having Akuma on the task force would a constant balancing act that he doesn't just kill other members of the force. And with his fighting style, Raising them would be difficult.
As for bringing him to the final battle, New Chaos could try to give him a better offer, and have him fight us.

>>22289568
He wouldn't kill the other members of the force, as long as they don't challenge him to a fight as a warrior. He'll kill under the Code of the Warrior, but usually he seeks out a challenge, not just tossing about scraps unless he's forced to.

>>22289568
Akuma's one of the easiest to deal with 2D Fighter Bosses. Also, why would he want to fight us when he can test his might against the gods of New Chaos?

File: 1356832883258.jpg-(27 KB, 400x500, ReasonableMarine.jpg)

Rolled 28, 28, 51, 87 = 194

>>22289214
>>22289255
Your Devastator Squads start opening fire as your X-COM troops target the Cornugon and your mages begin casting.

>>22289292
"We've got to be closer, sir! Sorry!"

"I'd need more information to attempt something like that... I'll try scanning him," Egon says.

The Crusaders acknowledge.

>>22289594
Or unless he views them as a challenge or having the potential to become the best, at which point he will attack them rather than waiting for them to challenge him.

And it's not like he hasn't used lethal sneak attacks in the past against opponents who were unprepared.

>>22289617
He might get tempted in creating a world of constant conflict where he can do battle, fighting against the best of the Meta without restraint.

>>22289670
Have an Abjurer attempt to cast this spell?
http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=4577

>>22289700
Well, Akuma had abit of a reason to sneak attack Bison. He wanted to fight the finalist of the tournament, whoever it was, and he believed Bison was a slave to his power. Which probably caused Akuma to see him as someone not worth fighting as a warrior.

>>22289670
There is a spell called Firestorm that the Techno-Wizards can cast. It will last 10 minutes, has no saving throw, and creates a burning tornado that will suck up anything less than 1000 pounds. And it can be directed by the spellcaster to start in the center of the Baatezu formation. They might be immune to the fire, but they won't be immune to the physical force of being smashed around.

>>22289670
Your Knight Inductors manage to concentrate fire and bring down three of the enemy Terminators, but most of them keep doggedly firing. Shoulder missiles fire from them and rip into the Devastator Squad, wounded many and killing a few. Luckily your White Mages are right there to raise them.

The TechnoWizards manage to blind a swathe of devils, but just as the X-COM Veterans bring one Cornugon down, another swoops in to hammer them with a fireball, draining their shields and leaving them open as a directs a cone of cold their way, freezing some of them solid.
>Lose 4 X-COM Veterans.

The Crusaders begin to push back against the devils in melee now that your forces are taking the heat off of them. Holy swords and blessed bullets rip through the devils blinded by the TechnoWizard's magic while divine punishment in the form of clerical spells begin to hammer the rest, curtains of holy fire raining done on the enemy.

Senior Crusader Melliarde gasps as Akuma's fist caves in her breastplate, then screams and lashes out with her sword, a burning white energy rapier. The blade cuts into Akuma's side and the legendary fighter grunts, moving a fraction of a second too slow.

>>22290131
Huh, Melliarde actually seems to have what it takes.
Maybe have our Abjurers cast
Bear's Endurance
http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=3034
Bull's Strength
http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=3049
and
Cat's Grace
http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=3056
To give her an edge?

>>22290131
>Senior Crusader Melliarde gasps as Akuma's fist caves in her breastplate, then screams and lashes out with her sword, a burning white energy rapier. The blade cuts into Akuma's side and the legendary fighter grunts, moving a fraction of a second too slow.

Fuck, He's fighting her as a Warrior. This won't end until she's unconscious or dead. Most likely the second. We need a way to contain Akuma without him or Melliarde getting killed.

>>22290131
Aeshma, give yourself a Bit of Luck, and have a Techno-Wizard cast Voices Carry on you. We need to try to talk Akuma down.
"Akuma, these soldiers cannot best you melee combat! I offer you the chance to fight against a god of combat, the New Chaos Goddess of Battle. What say you to the offer?"

Other Techno-Wizards, cast Supernatural Prowess on Darius, Agrias, Alicia, Lavian, Sonia.

>>22290248
He doesn't exactly need our permission to fight New Chaos.
He'd probably run into them on his own, after killing everyone here.
I'd say he's too dangerous to ally with.

>>22290224
The only problem is that those spells all require touch.
How do we deliver them?
...

Cast ReRaise on the Abjurer's familiars, have them deliver the spells? By having a Knight Inductor throw them Melliarde like a weird animal Fastball Special?

>>22290280
Well, yes, but I'd rather he run into them and fight them without him killing us or the GC forces.

It's either we talk him down, or we take him down ourselves.

>>22290294
Oh right, that's a good point.
Maybe too risky?

>>22290312
He's already in the middle of fighting someone who's good enough to draw blood.
He seems unlikely to back down until she's dead.

>>22290280
Risk and Reward, Man. I admit Akuma is a risk, but at least he's nowhere near as bad as shit like the Orz.

Besides, what do we lose by trying?

Aeshma, Bit of Luck yourself and cast the Spell <Holy Ice> and make block out as many as the New Chaos and Devils as possible with it.

>>22290361
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/h/holy-ice

I forgot to add this to it.

>>22290343
What about trying to hold person him? Or vanishpoofing Melliarde? Something to get Akuma away from her.

>>22290248
Aeshma should totally try to talk Akuma down though, he may spare this opponent for a direct path to a more powerful one. Is there a way to see if he's being Mind controlled or SUE Influenced?

>>22290361
Aeshma can try that after talking down Akuma, though. But if it doesn't work, then I say we just kill him before he does more damage.

>>22290431
Maybe have Aeshma try to cast Calm Emotions on both Akuma and Melliarde?
http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=3055

Rolled 4, 96, 19, 28, 96 = 243

>>22290294
Your Abjurers direct their familiars to carry some of the enchantments to Melliarde. They succeed in doing so, Akuma not willing to bother with small animals when in a duel.

>>22290248
Aeshma bellows her offer to Akuma just before casting her spell...

"We're doing no good here... Alicia! Lavian!" Agrias' voice rings out. "We're advancing. On my flanks!"

"Yes ma'am!" Lavian states, falling into position as Alicia does.

"I've got your back," Sonya says, moving ahead as the four form a diamond formation changing towards the devil line.

>>22290541

Can we find a way to affect that 4?

Tactical Genius, anything?

>>22290541
Should we have our Abjurers cast Dismissal http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=3147 to try to thin the Devil ranks?

>>22290591
That and have Aeshma use Holy word:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/h/holy-word
It should take out some of the smaller ones that dismissal misses.

>>22290575

Isn't that 4 part of a double reroll, since Aeshma is using Bit of Luck?

>>22290605
Would Banishment (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=3032) be worth casting, or are most of the devils probably too powerful for it to be worth it?

>>22290633
We have nobody who can cash Banishment.
>>22290605
Holy word only sends Evil Outsiders home if you're on your home plane, which Aeshma is not.
>>22290591
Dismissal has a very easy to pass will save and is a waste of a spell.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/spectral-salugi

More effective spell. Will absorb damage by being another target, and can help Agrias.

>>22290541
Darius, move up and support Agrias!
KI Tactical Squad, Devastator Squads, finish off the New Chaos forces.

Abjurers, two of you provide Darius with Bear's Endurance and Bull's Strength, another of you cast Protection from Evil on him.
The other three, one of you create a Wall of Force to provide cover for the X-COM NOVA Veterans.
1 of you, cast Mage Armor on the White Mages.
Last one, cast Spectral Salugi to protect Agrias.

>>22290658
Fair enough.
Are their any spells our Abjurers can cast that would be extra effective against devils?
Like elemental attacks seem ineffective, since most devils are immune to at least one element.

>>22290712
Devils are Immune to Fire and Poison.
They are resistant to Cold and Acid.

They are weak to Good aligned and Silver weapons.

>>22290756
Damn, I wish we had Domon and Rain with us. Love Love Tenkyoken would clear this place right out.

File: 1356837449026.jpg-(20 KB, 547x314, ThemanofTen.jpg)

>>22290541
"MESSATSU!"

Akuma leaves a series of blurry after-images as he moves around Senior Crusadar Melliarde, blows impacting against her armor again and again and again until the metal is torn off her, her flesh now taking the direct impact as bone breaks and bone spills. The Crusaders lets out a pained scream as she falls, a blood-red letter glowing from Akuma's back as he completes the move. Aeshma's words reach him and he turns.

"I see no gods here," he rumbles. "But you are right. What is left here cannot best me..." he pauses. "...though some have potential. But I am called. Someone dares to summon Akuma. Greater battles await me."

With that, Akuma turns and dashes towards the auditorium, covering the distance in an instance.

Aeshma's wall of Ice covers the building with the New Chaos Terminators in it as well as a large chunk of the devils.

Thrown into disarray by the death of their leader, the Grand Crusade forces begin to waver, but they are saved by the sudden advance of Agrias and her companions.
(Cont.)

>>22290811

I think that we should get a raise on Melliarde, if the White Mages are close enough. Nothing says gratitude like bringing back someone from the dead.

File: 1356837773972.jpg-(720 KB, 1200x800, Agrias - Stasis Sword -.jpg)

>>22290811
"Life is short! Bury! Steady Sword!" Agrias calls out, bringing Gurthang down in an arc as blue-white energy crushes a nearby Gelugon and its attendants.

"You're not going to get past us!" Alicia shouts, cutting a Barbazu in two with a single swipe of her Transpace Lance while Lavian impales a Kyon with hers. Lavian suddenly grunts in pain as a hellforged arrow bites into her shoulder, an Erinyes before her drawing another arrow and never having the chance to fit it. The Great Katana rips through the devil's neck, driven by all the strength and rage Sonya possesses. The Baatezu forces show signs of begining to break until a deep, reverberating voice says a single unimaginable word.

File: 1356838705173.jpg-(92 KB, 530x800, LordofthePit.jpg)

>>22290869
Your White Mages and X-COM Veterans suddenly let out a scream and fall to the ground, dead. A great horned devil suddenly appears above them, flapping its wings lazily as its form slowly returns to visibility.

"I've been waiting for that one to leave," it says in a rumbling voice, touching down. "I had no wish to fight one such as him. Now that he's gone, though..."

"PIT FIEND!" an Abjurer screams.

"Interesting magics you have... Contingency? No? No matter..." the Pit Fiend says, quickening a fireball and hurling it at his feet to send the White Mages back into death as their Re-raises trigger.
>White Mages and X-COM Vet Squad 7 slain.

File: 1356838913955.jpg-(67 KB, 520x853, catmonitor.jpg)

>>22291091

>>22291091
The fireball impacts the White Mage's Armor force fields, still up. The potency of the Pit Fiends' magic drains them considerably, however. The arch-devil growls at this unexpected snag in its plan.

>White Mages Reraised, low HP and AoI.

>>22291091

If Aeshma is quick, she could cast Raise Dead on one of the White Mages, who could then raise the others. Unless she has some gear that boost the amount of 5th level spells, though, she'll only have 3 casts max of raise dead.

There is a risk involved if the Pit Fiend fights intelligently, and is not tied up by our fighting units, however.

>>22291164


Darius, Aeshma, KI Dev B, fire on the PIt Fiend.

Everyone else, cover the mages.

Mages, get the X-Commers up after healing yourself.

Techno-mages, reinforce the WMs armor.

>>22291235

Should we have some heroes close in to melee combat with the Pit Fiend? The white mages are close into proximity to the monster.

>>22291164
>>22291091
Fuck! FUCK!
White Mages, get out of there and behind some cover. Cast ReRaises on yourselves.

Darius, Aeshma, you'll need to attack the Pit Fiend. Aeshma, use a Holy Aura as you attack.

KI Tactical Squad A, fire Holy bolters at the Pit Fiend. Silencers, see if you can counteract his magic.

Techno-Mages, start casting Armor of Ithan on yourselves, the Abjurers, and the White Mages again.

>>22291275
Aeshma should try to get Darius and the White Mages in the area of effect of that Holy Aura burst. The spell resistance 25 against evil and +4 resistance bonus should help protect them and Darius.

>>22291235
KI Devastator Squad B doesn't have Holy-enchanted weapons like KI Tactical Squad A.

Also, the White Mages are still right at the foot of the Pit Fiend; it's too dangerous for them there and they need to get back behind a Wall of Force. They can't stay there to raise the X-COM squad or they'll just get pulped.

Abjurers, now is a good time to cast dismissal.

It may be a waste of a perfectly good spell normally, but ONE of you are going to hit based on pure statistics.

Dismissal is a dc22 will save. Pit fiends have a +18 Will save, so if it rolls above a 6, it succeeds. that's a 25% chance, multiplied by six. . .

>>22291421
Sure, let's give it a try.

>>22291164
>>22291275
>>22291327
>>22291421
In addition, Egon, can you get a reading on the Pit Fiend, and try to modulate a phaser's proton modification to be able to affect demons. As I recall, you did it once before.
If you can, then we could modulate the phasers of the Devastator Squad A to take advantage of it.

Agrias, you need to finish routing the devils. Leave the Pit Fiend to Aeshma and Darius.

>>22291327
That and smite. Bitches love smite.

Rolled 8, 9, 6, 12, 13, 10 = 58

>>22291421

"Scurry around like ants, mortals," the Pit Fiend says as your Abjurers race to counter him. "I KNOW what's beyond that portal. The Blood War will end this very night!"

Rolled 54, 61, 72, 82 = 269

>>22291576
The Pit Fiend laughs as the Abjurers curse.

"It's... It's no good!" the casters cry.

>>22291235
>>22291275
>>22291327
>>22291483
The rest of your troops press the attack in a desperate bid to take the devil down...

>>22291613
Abjurers! Set your canteens of Holy Water to open on striking, cast True Strike, then throw them at the Pit Fiend.

Kick the shit out of him Aeshma. You're stronger, faster, and have more hit points.

And, after your first two attacks land, he'll be lying there stunned and wondering how he misjudged you so bad.

>>22291613
"These foul creatures will not take another step forward!" Agrias vows as she cuts through the remaining devils, aided by Alicia and Lavian. Emboldened by this support, the Crusaders press the attack, managing to drive the remaining devils to fleeing, though not without loss. More than a few Crusaders are frozen, burned, or torn apart by devils even as they flee. Agrias, Alicia, Lavian, and Sonya take some damage as well, Agrias weathering a Cornugon's lightning bolt, Alicia taking a gut shot from an unholy glaive, Sonya raked by a Kyton's spiked chains... but not a single strike manages to take them down.

The Knight Inductors' holy enchanted bolters manage to inflict several wounds on the Pit Fiend as Aeshma casts Holy Aura and flies down to confront it alongside Darius. As enchanted explosive rounds tear into its flesh, the devil snarls, slitting its eyes at the Space Marines.

Egon manages to come up with a phaser modulation that should better affect demons and devils.

The White Mages get up and flee to cover, the Pit Fiend moving to engage them while vulnerable, but stopped by Darius and his uncommon skill at shielding comrades.

"Noble. But stupid of you," the creature comments as it utters words in a foul language, another fireball exploding among the Devastators as the White Mages feel their muscles seizing up.
>Lose 2 Devastators
>White Mages paralyzed.

"It's power... It's not drawing from the Warp, we can't affect it!" a Silencer reports.

Then the wall of ice explodes outward, a weakened New Chaos Terminator squad pouring autocannon fire into your ranks. Several Knight Inductors go down under the assault.
>Lose 3 Tactical Marines.

>>22291991
Have the Abjurers cast True Strike on themselves, and throw canteens of Holy Water at the Pit Fiend.

Devastator Squad A and B, patch up your lines and take out those NC Terminators.
Use photon grenades to cover your movements.

KI Tactical Squad A, those without Holy bolters remodulate your phasers with Dr. Spengler's modifications and fire on the Pit Fiend.
Silencers, the enemy is not using the Warp, so instead work on the New Chaos Terminators who undoubtedly draw upon the Warp in some fashion.

Techno-Wizards, cast Supernatural Strength on yourselves to rush out and grab the White Mages to pull them into cover.

Agrias, finish reforming the Crusader's lines, then have them direct their efforts against the New Chaos forces. If they have any casters among them, have them cast magic against the Pit Fiend.

Alicia, Sonya, use your canteens of holy water to wash your wounds; they're probably affected by fiendish energies.

Rolled 68, 57, 86, 95 = 306

>>22292136
The Devastators return fire, a barrage of las-cannons, plasma-cannons, heavy bolters, and rockets raking the building the New Chaos Terminators are on as the Silencers attempt to shut down the power they siphon from the Warp.

File: 1356844459785.gif-(266 KB, 450x253, 1345308277861.gif)

>>22292239
It's so infrequent that I can use happy reaction images for our rolls.

File: 1356844661527.jpg-(427 KB, 1280x1024, DrapesofWRATH.jpg)

>>22292239
The Technowizards dash from cover to grab the White Mages, carting them off to safety.

"Hey in some cultures does this mean we're married?" one calls out. "Livin' the dream, man!"

"Shut it, Steve!"

The New Chaos Terminators roar in frustration as their Warp-derived enhancements are blocked off by the power of the Silencers, then are silenced again as the heavy weapons barrage combined with the Grand Crusade's own obliterates them. The few survivors scream as the building crumbles underneath them and they fall into a pile of rubble.

Several canteens of blessed water crash against the Pit Fiend, who roars in pain as the stuff bubbles over its scales. Distracted, Darius and Aeshma flank and press the attack. Aeshma's mace bludgeons the devil again and again, pulping a portion of the monster's flesh and stunning it.

Darius brings Ringil down in a wide arc, the First Age sword severing one of the Pit Fiend's wings with the first strike and driving deep into its breast with the second. Unable to fight back due to being stunned, the Space Marine and the Astral Deva slowly pound the mighty devil into the ground, Aeshma's mace preventing any counterattack with each swing.

>Cont.

>>22292362

...You lot know at least one of those white mages is a dude? Equal opportunities and all that.

>>22292362
As the last of the enemy forces in the area are dealt with, Darius feels slightly dizzy, the Pit Fiend's unholy aura having slightly sapped his strength.

The X-COM Veteran force is beyond RED or Raise, the Pit Fiend's second fireball toasting their bodies beyond recovery, save for their Cortical Stacks, which survived. RED activates on the other casualties, regenerating them handily.

>>22292362
>Steve
"Steve, they're just paralyzed, not unconscious. She can hear you, and so can her friends."

File: 1356845199345.png-(79 KB, 361x391, Agriasisnotamused.png)

>>22292413
"Mai husbando!" a female Tech-Wizard cries out, carrying off a young man in white robes.

Agrias puts a hand over her face and scowls.

"You should probably just ignore them," Alicia winces.

"It's the only way Elaine and Lyla didn't go insane," Lavian nods.

>>22292425
Right then, lets see if we can revive any Crusade forces.

File: 1356845355559.gif-(31 KB, 351x336, 1320511208739.gif)

>>22292440

Cant breath...

>>22292425
Let's try and raise Melliade. Shouldn't be too hard, Akuma was nice enough to leave her body. Hit her with a raise dead if we have to and let her suck the level loss.

>>22292425
Darius, coordinate setting up a perimeter.
White Mages, as soon as you're able to move again, please begin healing and Raising those you can.

Someone find the ranking Grand Crusade officer. Ask them for permission to cast Gentle Repose on Senior Crusader Melliarde for later revival.

File: 1356845483655.png-(30 KB, 176x137, CirnoJesusHowHorrifying.png)

>>22292440
"Sound advice. Also, they're giant nerds. This is probably the most physical contact they've had with the opposite sex in like... Ever."

But yeah. Get whomever we can get up up, and then we need to head for the portal. Full tactical caution. We still potentially have an Akuma to deal with; and who knows what else...

>>22292425

We should check for surviving hobbits.

>>22292490
>>22292502
Assuming that Aeshma has the diamonds (and she should have enough diamonds for a few casts of it), then a Raise Dead would be better than just a Gentle Repose.

>>22292490
>>22292502
Raise Dead does not work, you are not sure why. Permission is given for Gentle Repose and that spell goes off without a hitch.

You arrive at the auditorium shortly after leaving, a few bands of devils and New Chaos Raptors harass you, but they are easily dealt with, and soon you are in the large building, a glowing rift clearly visible on the stage.

>Travel to Next Stage?

>>22292578
Before we go through, let the White Mages recover a bit, and have them buff up first.
ReRaises on themselves, and make sure to heal up Agrias, Sonya, Alicia, and Lavian.

Also, prepare a macro on everyone's phasers to implement Egon's anti-devil modulation in case we go up against more of them.

>>22292578
First things first.
Have an Abjurer cast Analyze Portal.
http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=4338

>>22292619

Reraise on heros as well..

>>22292641
>http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/spells.php?ID=4338

This portal leads to the very center of this primal plane. It is unstable, and will probably fail after twenty minutes.

>>22292680
That's fair enough.
After the various buffs are properly applied, lets go through.

>>22292646
ReRaise is still active on Darius, Agrias, Sonya, Aeshma, Lavian, and Alicia.

The only other person to cast it on would be Egon, and then the White Mages themselves.

Then we need to go through the portal before it fails.

File: 1356847028968.gif-(38 KB, 320x240, Nod_Temple_Interiors.gif)

>>22292699
As your troops begin to shuffle through the portal, once again you feel yourself being pulled elsewhere...


"Oh," Cheryl says with a sigh. "It's you guys again. Getting comfy here?"

"What?" Char asks, frowning.

"Command Crew's back," the Avatar says. "Sort of."

The final team is winding their way through what looks to be the halls of Temple Prime, dead Nod troops scattered around like broken dolls. Light streams in through crimson-stained windows, ethereal light shining on bloodstained stone floors.

>>22292826

Have everyone reset their EBOCs, etc, status updates, etc.

What forces have encountered so far?

>>22292826
Long story short, Kane's device warped space and time into what you see now when we rammed it.
There should be a portal some ways from here that will lead to the center of this warped realm, and allow us to claim it.
The problem is that pretty much everyone is here and wants it for themselves.
And judging by the disposition of this squad, you guys are probably going to encounter the heaviest opposition.

>>22292826
"Hi Cheryl. Guys, we're kinda in your heads, kinda semi-ghost state.. Weird shit. Just roll with it." Updates all around, and full paranoia mode activate.

EVERYTHING is suspect.

Be prepared for some hairy shit. We've been taking heavy losses so far.

>>22292826

Cheryl, Char, Avatar, Farseers...

Looks like we got most of our psychic firepower here... Somethings off.

>>22292826
"No way to get the drop on you, is there Cheryl.
"Anyway, first things first. Salarian Team, reset everyone's beam-out functions because they can't get back to the Storm.
"Char, you've still got the Ebon Lance, right?
"Tosh, can you get a look around with your exographic scanner?
"Avatar, can you give us a report of what you've encountered thus far?"

>>22292826
Yes, it's far nicer in your head Cheryl. There's a couch and fridge in here. . . and a big screen television with all my favorite shows.

Vitun's mind looks like a prayer book. It's boring in there.
Although Darius's is interesting. FOR THE EMPEROR!

>>22292826

/attempts to look up cheryl's dress

>>22292826
Have White Mage Squad B cast ReRaises on themselves, and have the one White Mage that has the Economizer cast ReRaise on Tosh, Cheryl, Avatar, Char, MI Squad A, and the Farseers.

>>22292857
>>22292873
>>22292888
>>22292890
"Nod troops, plenty of them," Cheryl says, gesturing.

"We'll get right on resetting the EBOC coordinates," the Salarians say.

>>22292933
You see armor.

"Nice try."

>>22292913
"It shrunk back down to fit my hand," Char says, hefting the Ebon Lance. "What a strange weapon."

>>22292958
A round of Reraises goes out.

>>22292977

Curses. Foiled...

Wait, how did you know?

>>22292977
>>22292959
Distribute Egon's latest phaser modulation settings in case we go up against more demons and devils.

>Ebon Lance of Longinus
"Ah yes, the Lance is kind of strange. The Elder Things believed that it might even be alive, in a sense."

Have the Salarian Team look through the NOD bodies for any power packs they can use to recharge the Mass Rifles.

"Anything on your scope, Tosh?"

>>22293002
She can still read our disembodied minds.

Dumbass.

Here's the team roster:
>-Team 1
Tosh, Cheryl, Farseers, Avatar, Char, SCP Squad, X-COM Squad, Prawn A, Sandmen Squad, KI Tactical Squad C, X-COM NOVA Veteran 4, 5, 6, MI Squad A, White Mage Squad B, Salarian Field Engineer Team

Avatar, do the subspace beacons of any of the other teams register on your ART specs?

Farseers, do you feel any odd Warp eddies around here?

File: 1356848023961.jpg-(7 KB, 189x267, Toshpointoh.jpg)

>>22293011
"Nuttin' yet, mon," Tosh says. "But dey probably be more deepuh in."

>>22293002
..You do realize she armored up before we left a while back, right? No skirt to look up. Now focus on the task at hand, please.

Yeah, Char. The Lance is fuckin' weird. But very useful.

Do any of you know where the portal is? The other teams have all encountered portals.... But since you're at the Temple you might be at the destination point. Maybe take a look at some of the skeins for the other teams?

Also, boss fights abound so far. All weapons need to be ready.

>>22293062
>>22293051
"No, nothing," the Avatar replies.

"The Warp eddies all around us, but if you seek a destination, we have sensed the Device at the center of this place," the Farseers state. "We have been moving towards it."

>>22293092
We'll move out as soon as preparations are done.

SCP Squad, one of you fire up your Mapper. Let's see if we can't find out where we are.

>>22293172
It doesn't take long for the SCP squad to discover that the exographic scanners do not function here.

>>22293231
Does the tricorder portion at least still function, so that we can get a map of the Temple, and life signs?

>>22293231
have the engineers cross-polarize the exographic modulators on one of the devices. With enough power output, we should be able to alter it's magnetic field and get it working, even here.

>roll for techno-babble?

>>22293260
The tricorder cannot pierce the walls either, though it can map areas it can 'see.'


>>22293276
If you do that, the tetragrammitcal inhibitors will overheat and cause a trans-boson dance function.

>>22293338
Oh, and...
>95.

Darius gains another skill.

>>22293338
But all we need to do to prevent the trans-boson dance function from causing any damage is by putting on some Japanese Techno-funk.

>>22293348
Darius Fortes
- "Valiant Savior": Gifted with the ability to keep nearby squads and Heroes safe and intact in crises.
- "Echoes of the First Age": Able to inspire nearby squads and heroes with the valor and wisdom of the ages, guiding them through impossible situations.


So maybe something to help him tank in battle?
"The Emperor's Will Be Done": long combat in the Meta against foes undreamt of back in his Home Canon have helped to fortify Darius, in mind, body, and spirit. Darius is a juggernaut on the field of battle as he fights in the name of the Emperor of Mankind and the Transpace Guard.

>>22293408
Unfortunately OP has to leave early, which prevents this for Reasons.

Pick this up tomorrow.

>>22293417
I can go for The Emperor's Will Be Done. +1

>>22293417
So this is a passive bonus to Darius' defense, physical, magical, and mental, right?

>>22298006
>>22293417

Voting for this. There is obviously going to be some big brawl before the final boss.

We will need all the enhancement we can get.

>>22299122
>>22296469
>>22293417
Sounds like we have a winner.

Just popping in for a bit. Do you guys have a specific plan/formation or just a general advance after your casters spam some buffs?

>>22299436
Have Tosh cloak and stay 50 feet in front of the others, followed by MI Squad A and the SCP Squad with X-COM NOVA Veteran Squad 6 taking the rear position.
Tosh has a Mapper unit turned on, with the tricorder set to silent, active scanning for traps and heat signatures.

Darius Fortes
- "Valiant Savior": Gifted with the ability to keep nearby squads and Heroes safe and intact in crises.
- "Echoes of the First Age": Able to inspire nearby squads and heroes with the valor and wisdom of the ages, guiding them through impossible situations.
- "The Emperor's Will Be Done": long combat in the Meta against foes undreamt of back in his Home Canon have helped to fortify Darius, in mind, body, and spirit. Darius is a juggernaut on the field of battle as he fights in the name of the Emperor of Mankind and the Transpace Guard.

Douglas and Okku
- "I already lost my son": When his friends are under threat, or in a state of fear and panic, the combat strength of Douglas and his Persona increase proportional to the level of threat and/or fear.
- "Grinding social links": Douglas is exceptionally good at making friends, by sympathising with people's plights and struggles.
- "You hurt our friends, prepare to die": Whenever an ally is injured or killed in combat alongside Douglas/Okku, the man and god-bear become intensely focused and driven to defeat all enemies in the area. Each allied loss increases the bonus towards both Douglas and Okku's fighting ability.
- "Shield BEARer": Okku's godlike nature and willingness to protect his allies will draw harmful spells upon him, protecting his friends from many harmful effects that he can easily bear, as well as intercepting enemy attackers assaulting his allies.

Matthäus Hetzenauer
- "I spy, with my eagle eye...": Matthäus is able to observe targets and identify weak points or on the defensive fields surrounding the target. He can then call attention to these spots, and all allies attacking the target receive a bonus when attacking it.
- "Black Sheep Wall": Matthäus is able to use his prior military experience to reconnoiter extraordinarily well, and can direct others to do the same. A squad being directed by Matthäus can overcome most obfuscating effects and can generally chart an area better.

>>22301590
Wait, what if we simply disintegrate the walls between us and the Device? Why should we go through the maze and the possible traps and ambushes, if we can bypass them?

Or could MetaOP have already accounted for that, and he's set up ambushes and traps accordingly?

>>22305185
If they can block Exographic scanners, I doubt they even really "exist" or if they do, they're made of something we really don't want to disturb.

Rolled 63, 14, 15 = 92

>>22301590
Your squads take formation and get to work.

>>22306704

sighhh

File: 1356918419518.png-(268 KB, 640x480, 1282919806368.png)

>>22306704
Goddammit, this shit again?

>>22306704

Next time we put the xcom squad forward.

Thats what they're there for.

As Redshirts.

File: 1356919856952.jpg-(972 KB, 2500x1064, Templeint.jpg)

>>22306704
Tosh manages to detect more than a few boobytraps and automated defense measures with the tricorder, which the Salarian Engineering Team skillfully disarm.

Moving deeper into the temple, the team encounters several squads of elite Nod troops, armed with experimental weaponry and armor. Infantry-scale cloaking devices and Tiberium-based weapons combined with exceptional skill and some bad luck on the team's part result in scattered casualties despite the raw power available to your troops. The Nod troops single out and target your most lightly armored and defended troops, and your White Mages's mana reserves begin to strain as they are forced to Raise and Raise and Raise again, but the real trouble doesn't start until the group breaches into a large cargo area.

The air sizzles as two blazing columns of energy erupt from the shadows, annihilating half your White Mages, half your Prawn team, some X-COM Vets, and all of your Elite Mobile Infantry. Reraise triggers, and another two columns fire out from the other two corners of the room. This time, nothing is left of them as the energy fades, leaving long tunnels melted behind the group.

Four Tiberium Tekkamen colored black with red crystals emerge from hiding.

>Lose 3 White Mages, 2 Prawns, 4 X-COM Veterans, and MI Squad A.

File: 1356920130172.jpg-(38 KB, 580x350, mg-580-tableflip.jpg)

>>22307397

>>22307397

Wait, why were the white mages at the front?

The front formation has no white mages in it, MetaOP.

As noncombatants, they'd be directly in front of the rearguard.

U dun goofed.

>>22307614
I didn't say there were in the front. Two beams came at the front, and two from the back, one Tekkaman for each corner as you entered the room. They stayed hidden until you had entered completely.

>>22307397
Sandmen, Mass Rifle volley on the Tekkamen.
KI Tactical Squad, defend the remaining White Mages.
Tosh, SCP Squad, X-COM NOVA Squads, fire full weapons on the Tekkamen.

Prawns, use TK fields to cage the Tekkamen in.

Avatar, use a Freeze spell to stop a Tekkaman solid.

Farseers, two use Battle Fate on Cheryl and the Avatar.
The others use Guide to provide better aim for the Sandmen.

Char, throw the Lance at one of the Tekkamen.

Cheryl, try to create a brain aneurysm in the Tekkamen.

File: 1356921607524.jpg-(25 KB, 400x300, 21352_ori.jpg)

>>22307614
KAAAAANNNNNNNEEEEEEE!!!!!

>>22307841
Instead of Freeze, the Paralyze spell, AN POR, would be better.

File: 1356922347037.jpg-(32 KB, 400x354, VOLTEKKA.jpg)

Rolled 76, 22, 4, 99, 82 = 283

>>22307841
Your forces scramble to confront the newest threat...

File: 1356922636420.jpg-(41 KB, 139x140, 1298604614447.jpg)

>>22308166
>4, 99
>diceroller's fw
I really, really, wish the diceroller was a physical thing, just so I could throttle it.

Rolled 82

>>22308166
One of the Tekkaman's heads explodes as Cheryl concentrates, while the Avatar paralyzes another. Char then impales the frozen Tekkaman with an expertly thrown Lance.
>99
>Char gains the skill Lancer! Increased fighting ability with lances and polearms be they mecha or infantry scale.

A third Tekkaman is swiftly overwhelmed by Mass Rifle fire as the Prawns hinder his movements.

>4
A bone curdling shriek echoes from one of the Farseers as its body crumples inward, then explodes in a shower of gore.

"The Warp's touch is strengthening here," one of the Farseer states. "There is something... incredibly strong nearby. Brethren, on your guard!"
>Lose 1 Farseer.

The last remaining Tekkaman fires another Voltekka blast, then blasts towards the exit, attempting to flee.

>>22308500
Cheryl manages to bring up her TK-field in time to shield the majority of your troops, though a luckless X-COM Veteran gets vaped by the blast.
>Lose 1 X-COM Veteran.

>>22308500
Oh no, not letting that one get away and warn others.

Avatar, cast AN POR!
Sandmen, SCP Squad, Knights, kill that fucker.

>>22308500

Oh boy, that means either the original or the knockoff Chaos gods are coming.

Keep moving, we need to get through that portal ASAP.

>>22308500

Did anyone order the white mages to revive their fellows are they doing that already?

Rolled 98

>>22308578
"An Por!"

>>22308626
There's nothing left to raise.

>>22308626
Impossible to Raise. They've been turned to ash, which is the equivalent of being crystallized in FFT magic terms. Also, no RED, because again, turned to ash.
Even if we got their cortical stacks, the stacks interfere with magic.
Only way is True Resurrection or getting to the Retcon Device.

>>22308598
There is no portal. There's only the Device.
We're already at where all the portals lead to.

>>22308668

Fuck. oh well and oh yes.

>>22308668
The Tekkaman halts in mid flight, crashing to the ground as he loses all control over his body. A moment later he convulses and falls dead as the Avatar invokes a Death spell on him.

>>22308690
>>22308668
>98
So Avatar gets an ability?

Also, have the White Mage with the Economizer heal up the Avatar and anyone else that sustained injuries.

Avatar, can you have the POR ORT WIS Wizard Eye spell look ahead of us? I didn't want to use it because it's a constant mana drain spell.
Could the White Mage's Economizer cut down on the drain?

Before we go forward, we need to make sure that we collect that Farseer's soulstone.
We should be able to make them a new body back on the Storm, and the other Farseers can transfer the unfortunate's soul from the stone into the new body.

>>22308816
I don't really think I can justify giving the Avatar another ability even with a high roll given how powerful he already is.

"I've got mana enough to spare," the Avatar says as he casts the spell. The invisible eye moves ahead, scouting out a few more rooms before ending at a large set of blast doors.

>>22308931

Then a allied buff ability?

>>22308931
Farseers, it appears that using your Warp powers here is too dangerous. Instead, could you aid Cheryl in focusing and directing her powers?

Make sure to recover cortical stacks and soulstones.

>>22309082
"As you wish."

>>22308992
I'm open to suggestions.

>>22309185
"Ethereal Anchor": The Avatar, as the Titan of Ether, is a towering magical presence. Allied spellcasters and psionicists in his presence find themselves more centered and in tune with their powers, even during the chaos of battle.
Allied mages and users of psionic powers receive a passive enhancement to their spellcasting that provides a small bonus to their effectiveness and reduces the cost to use their powers.

>>22309290
Sounds good. I'll allow it.

>>22308992
>>22309185

Here's an ability suggestion, given how frequently the Avatar has been boosting our troops' spells and other efforts:

Guiding Light: The Avatar of The Virtues has traveled the breadth of the metaverse for thousands of years, and has forgotten more than most people will see in their entire lives. If he so chooses, he can lend some of his power and/or experience to an ally, significantly increasing his or her aptitude.

Or maybe something involving stolen corn and sworn knights or something.

>>22309290
I just hope the bonus isn't too small, otherwise there's no reason for it.
A +15 on a d100?

>>22308931

Any marks or signs of damage on the blast doors? Are there anything interesting in the rooms that the eye scouted out?

1 vote for Ethereal Anchor
1 vote for Guiding Light

Any other votes?

>>22309885
mine's for anchor.

>>22309885
Throwing my vote in for ethereal anchor.

>>22308931
Can he see what's on the other side of the blast doors?

>>22309885

We could combine the two. Make it more of a general boost to rolls for allies in his proximity, and re-fluff it to include weaving the flow of mana to make people work better or such.

>>22309649
>>22309962
There is no sign of damage on the blast doors, and aside from large amounts of crates, there doesn't seem to be anything of note in the rooms passed.

>>22310051
Break open the crates! They probably contain loot.

>>22310150

Don't break the crates willy-nilly, first, check them via tricorder and manifest to see what's in them.

THEN break the ones that have useful stuff.

>>22310051
Search for life signs. If there's anything MetaOp likes, it's monsters jumping out of places we didn't expect.

>>22310051
>there doesn't seem to be anything of note in the rooms passed.
Haha! Last time we thought that, 4 Tekkamen killed one of our most experienced and long-lasting teams.

Fuck that.

Have the White Mage with the Economizer give ReRaises and Protect2's to X-COM NOVA Veteran 5, and hand them a tricorder, while the X-COM Squad sets up waypoints with their Blaster Launchers.

Squad 5 first sets their phaser rifles to wide-beam spread, Setting 3.5. Fire into the rooms and sweep them for anyone cloaked.

>>22310150
>>22310162
None of it is particularly useful, it's various supplies and ammunition for Nod troops, weapons, and equipment, including more than a few shipments of laboratory equipment and recovered artifacts.

There are no life signs.

>>22310223
You vaporize the hell out of those crates. No ambush troops.

>>22310280
Check the crates, especially the one with the recovered artifacts, and see if any of it survived the phaser attack.

>>22310263
>None of it is particularly useful
That's not true. Have the Field Engineers search for grenades and energy packs. Jury-rig the energy packs to recharge the Mass Rifles.

>>22310280
Setting 3.5 is a strong stun setting; it won't destroy the crates but it'll fuck up anyone who's cloaked.

>>22310317
You win THIS time, Trek-tech. THIS time.

The Field Engineers manage to find grenades aplenty, and a few energy packs they can use to charge your Mass Rifles.

>>22310399
>THIS time
I will include links to relevant articles on Memory Alpha when more Trek-tech is used.

Now, any of those artifacts magical?

>>22310435
Nope.

>>22310399
Among the artifacts, or even anywhere around here, is there any dirt? Loose soil?

>>22310399
Let's have a look at those artifacts then. Standard containment procedures. Scan everything, detection spells first, then we can figure out what they do.

>>22293338
>tetragrammitcal inhibitors
>>tetragrammaton

It means that Cybuster and Rahxephon's reality hax is messing up sensors and stuff.

>>22310458
So what, they're nothing more than historical knick-knacks and useless antiques?

And I ask again, is there any dirt or loose soil?

>>22310469
I can't think of any reason why there'd be loose soil samples there, so no.

>>22310477
Most of them seem to be various Radam samples, unknown machinery, and Tiberium samples in containment tubes. How long are you going to stay and study them?

>>22310595
Not long then. Let's set up an ambush for the room with the blast doors. I know there's an ambush inside there, but if we ambush them first...

>>22310595
Avatar, can you cast a Create Reagents spell to produce some dirt? You'll likely need it as a reagent for an upcoming spell.

>study time
We don't have the expertise or the time to study them. Have the Field Engineers pocket some samples, and then let's be on our way.

Can a tricorder or exographic scanner penetrate the blast doors?

>>22310626
You're setting up an ambush for any forces coming out of the blast doors? OK. Any specific orders?

>>22310738
"I no longer need reagents."

Your scanners cannot penetrate the blast doors far enough to get any reading past the fact that the room beyond is huge.

>>22310753

I would be of the opinion that we should try to open the Blast Doors in such a way so that nobody is standing directly in front of the doorway. Have everyone spread out on the walls on either side of the door, and use one of those magical eyeball thingies to see what's inside.

There may be more Tekkamen inside, waiting to fire on whatever's going past those blast doors.

>>22310776
Well, then.
Avatar, please cast Create Golem, as we may need it to soak up damage and be the first to pass through the doors.

Can we distribute our team so that no one is in front of the blast doors?
Perhaps, say, by staying on the wall that the blast doors are set into, and on either side of the doors?

>>22310753
KI squad in front.
SCP, X-com, Prawn, Sandmen next.
Everyone else in rear.

>>22310913
How about NO.
That's just asking to be shot with a Voltekka as soon as the doors open.

>>22310898
>>22310904
Let's just have the golem open the doors.

Rolled 86

>>22310904
"A good idea. One moment..." the Avatar says, laying a hand on the ground.

>>22310935
Not enough, though.

We should either look through the Avatar's list of spells to see if he can create a mirror image of the team to stand in front of the blast doors to get the enemy to open fire.

Also, put a pair of ART Specs on the Earth Golem so that when the doors open and the golem can see inside, the X-COM Squad can use the ART Spec's video feed to enter waypoints into their blaster launchers.

>>22311004
The Avatar raises his hand and a ten foot tall humanoid sculpts itself from the black metal making up the ground. Its eyes flare to life, twin pinpricks of red.

"This should serve," the Avatar nods, satisfied.

>>22311036
Let's have it open the door. It's better than any f our guys opening the obvious trap. Give it a pair of ART specs too, so it can survey the room for us.

>>22311072
Wait, wait. We still need to see if the Avatar can create that illusionary team to walk into the trap and trigger it for us, allowing the X-COM Squad to put in waypoints and for Cheryl to pop some heads.

Rolled 86

>>22311094
"Not my strong suit, but I can manage," the Avatar says, weaving wisps of magic together.

>>22311004
>>22311158

Whoaaaa.

File: 1356931459659.jpg-(88 KB, 492x599, 1323388896849.jpg)

>>22311158
The Avatar might be losing touch with Honesty in favor of Humility, because apparently it IS one of his strong suits. A perfect replica of the team is created to stand in front of the door.

File: 1356931527054.jpg-(16 KB, 299x328, 1329555085407.jpg)

>>22311179
DOUBLE SUCCESS! DOUBLE SUCCESS ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE SKY!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!

>>22311221
It means the dice are going to fuck us with a rake the second we enter combat again.

File: 1356931721704.gif-(43 B, 1x1, Nat ones.gif)

>>22311221
>>22311244

File: 1356931849378.jpg-(84 KB, 400x400, Nat ones.jpg)

>>22311277

>>22311200
Well now.
Anyone want to have their illusionary clone be the one wearing the video camera that provides targeting coordinates for 12 Blaster Bombs?

Let's see:
1. Golem opens blast doors
2. Golem and Illusion-Team step through
3. Golem and Illusion-Team are attacked
4. X-COM Squad sets up waypoints for Blaster Bombs using the video feed from Illusion-Team, while Cheryl makes enemy hearts stop with her brain, the Golem does a rendition of HULK SMASH!, while the Sandmen take potshots from the doorway with their Mass Rifles and the X-COM NOVA Veterans sweep the room with their phaser rifles set to wide-area KILL.

>>22311366
Can one of the Avatar's Energy Field spells be used to create cover?

Also, should the Avatar be ready to use Telekinesis to catch and throw back an grenades that get sent our way?

>>22311366
This is a pretty good ambush-ambush. Let's get to it.

But let's up the "make enemy hearts stop" to a focused blowout. But only if there is crazy stuff in there. Some of the things we're up against might warrant it.

>>22311366
Wait, if we're going for a wide-area phaser spam, then the Golem actually shouldn't step through first.

Attacking your own creation is a big no-no with the Avatar's magic.

So have them be a little more discrete with their weapons fire.
Besides, we don't know if there's anything that might blow up in there we don't want blown up.

>>22311366
>>22311454
>>22311503
>>22311420
Wait, how about this:
http://wiki.ultimacodex.com/wiki/Aerial_Servant

Call up an Aerial Servant, have it pass a pair of ART specs through the wall, and let us see what's on the other side first.

>>22311577
Creating one might not be a bad idea. Even if it can't pass through the material of the walls or the blast doors, it could still be useful in intercepting grenades and explosives launched at us.

File: 1356933250421.jpg-(25 KB, 376x329, STOB.jpg)

>>22311420
It could.

>>22311366
The Golem and the Illusion Team force open and then step through the blast doors. They enter a gigantic chamber with many corridors and a few huge halls connecting to it. The ceiling is at least one hundred feet off the ground, the room itself twice as wide. At the center of this massive space is what looks like a giant metal cylinder, partially open to the air. Within, held in place by a cradle-framework of catwalks, masses of cable, and metal latticework, is the Cybuster. It sits on what looks like a machined throne, the unmistakeable form of a Space-Time-Oscillation Bomb at its feet. A partially-intact RahXephon unit's upper torso serves as the 'throne's back.

This is the Device.

A metal stair runs from the ground around the cylinder, all the way up to what looks like a chamber hanging down above the Device, the cylinder's top.

>>22311794
Well huh.
Did this team skip directly to the center or is this an illusion?
Like I'd think this would look a lot more destroyed, seeing as we rammed it with a Star Destroyer.

>>22311794
Cheryl, can you sense Masaki's mind inside the Cybuster?

No traps? No ambush?
Suspicious.

Have the Illusion-Team and the Golem proceed further into the chamber.
Have the ART Spec-equipped illusion look up towards the chamber hanging above the Device and zoom in.

Now that the door is open can we the tricorder get sensor scans of the chamber, and try to identify any life-signs.

>>22311794

Break open the Cybuster.

Get Masaki and the cats out of therem

>>22311947
And walk right into what is most likely a trap? No, I think not.

This is too easy.

Something's going to attack us. Kane isn't going to just give us full access to the thing.

File: 1356933928825.jpg-(153 KB, 760x596, trapmaster.jpg)

>>22311999
Maybe the trap is that OP's fucking with us?

>>22311999
That's why the golem is doing it.

>>22312045
...Or is that what he wants us to think?

>>22312068
Good point.
Well then I see no reason for it not to proceed, while everyone else gets cover.

File: 1356934220241.jpg-(59 KB, 1280x800, Smugasfug.jpg)

>>22311943
"...yes. Yes, I can sense him, he's inside the Cybuster still, sleeping," Cheryl says, closing her eyes. "There's also... wait!!!"

A bright red laser beam scythes through the illusions to no effect as a massive Nod Avatar emerges from cloak just before the Device. An all too familiar voice booms from its loudspeaker.

"Illusions? They're extremely good to defeat my machine's sensors," Kane states. "Have you come to bear witness to my ascension? I hate to be so cliche as to boom and cackle, saying you are too late, but... well I DID manage to get my wonderful little World Altering Device prepared for round two. Just have a seat. Relax. It'll be over before you know it."

>>22312116
no ones actually in the room. Just illusions of us being in the room. That's the trap. For their trap. We're trapping their trap.

>>22312153
Cheryl, Blowout! Fuck up all their shit.

>>22312182
Or just use telekinesis to move some important bits and pieces out of alignment?

>>22312153

Cheryl? Do be a dear and psychically explode Kane's brain?

>>22312153
Get the Golem to start doing a rendition of HULK SMASH on the Nod Avatar.

While the Nod Avatar is kept busy, can the X-COM Squad get waypoints to that room above the Device?
Cheryl, is that where Kane is?

>>22312216
Or blowout, and move all of the bits and pieces out of both alignment and existence.

>>22312273
I'm just worried about doing anything flashy in the same room as some very volatile devices.

Rolled 84, 46 = 130

>>22312216
>>22312182
>>22312256
"All right! All right!" Cheryl shouts as she attempts to do some combination of the requested.

The Golem starts charging towards the Nod Avatar, the loud CLANG CLANG of its footsteps echoing throughout the hall.

>>22312258
"No, he's not up there," Cheryl says.

"We can get bombs up there, no problem," the X-COM team leader says.

>>22312302
And I'm worried about redundant subsytems. But let's bid of luck it just to be safe.

>>22312362
If he's not up there, then why are we still down here?
Unless we want to disarm the device before Kane can use it again?

>>22312385
>Bit of Luck
No one in this team can use a Bit of Luck, or has any reroll powers.
Were you basing your entire plan on things we don't have access to?

File: 1356934949675.jpg-(334 KB, 462x566, AvatarWarmech_CC3_Game2.jpg)

>>22312362
The Avatar fires a beam of concentrated light at the charging Golem, the laser striking the magical being and causing it to glow red before turning to dust. Cheryl grimaces and glares, the air around her surging with power as one of the Avatar's arms wrenches a bit out of place. Kane laughs.

"Come on, my dear! You'll have to do better than that!"

>>22312402
Forgot about this, but no. I was basing this plan on "nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure."

>>22312408

Blaster bombs on it gentlemen.

>>22312408

X-Commers, blaster bomb that Avatar. It should be killed rather easily, considering how few railgun rounds you need to take one down from a Mammoth.

>>22312408
...Everyone make their way to Kane's device so that the robot can't hit us without hitting it as well?

>>22312408
X-COM Squad, send Blaster Bombs at the Nod Avatar, target where the arms got wrenched out of place.

Avatar, cast Invisibility on Char, then on the Sandmen.

Char, launch the Lance at the Nod Avatar.

Sandmen, two of you that are turned invisible lean past the doors and shoot that warmech with mass rifle rounds.

>>22312408
Salarian Field engineers, can you identify the power source of the device? any idea on how to shut it down?

>>22312491
It's between us and the Device. It can, and will, kill a large number of the team before they can even reach the stairs. And what makes you think Kane wouldn't have stationed a cloaked Tekkaman or two on the stairs?

>>22312408

All teams, spread out. Don't bunch up or that beam will catch you guys.

KIs, Xcommers get to work, target joints and exposed weapons and sensors.

Salarians. Take cover, UNLEASH THE DRONES OF WAR.

Sandmen, get hacking that blasted thing.I don't care what. Fuck its sensors or Fire controls or shut it down completely.

>>22312545
Good point, I forgot that our team wasn't even properly in the room yet.

>>22312546
Those orders don't make sense. The team isn't in the room yet because we knew that Kane had an ambush set up, and we had him tip his hand.
Our team is still outside the chamber, hidden to either side of the blast doors.

>>22312609

I would have thought those orders made 'move in to engage' pretty obvious

>>22312673
Move in to engage, when we're in a perfectly fine position where we are, and can fire on the mech from cover?

>>22312504
Make sure that those Sandmen are given a ReRaise before doing that. I think that the targeting system on the Avatar is good enough that it might penetrate the invisibility, or he'll just shoot at the doorway.

>>22312695

Because I'd not like to test whether that Avatar's laser can carve through the blast shielding when half of our team is behind each side.

>>22312794
And I don't want to send our team through a doorway and into the field of fire of a warmech.

Avatar, can you reinforce the walls with an IN SANCT GRAV energy field spell?

Cheryl, can you take a grenade and shove it right into the barrel of the Nod Avatar's laser cannon?

>>22312936
"I can," the Avatar says.

"I can try, but something was really fighting me hard when I tried to pull that thing's arm off," Cheryl says.

>>22313065
Farseers, Tosh. Help boost Cheryl's power, she's going to need it.

>>22313065

Most likely either interference from the device or the Avatar has a psychic pilot.

I'd say ignore the Avatar itself, kill the pilot and the machine can be taken out easier.

>>22313065
Avatar, please set up those defense fields.

Farseers and Tosh, boost Cheryl's power and try to attack the pilot of the Nod Avatar. Even if you can't kill him, the psychic attack should be distracting enough for the blaster bombs and mass rifle black holes to do considerable damage.

X-COM Squad, have your blaster bombs target the chink in the warmech's armor created when Cheryl tore its arm out of alignment.

White Mages, set up ReRaises for the Sandmen, then the X-COM Squad.

>>22313231
In addition, once the psychic assault and the blaster bombs land, have two Sandmen lean around the doorway and fire Mass Rifles at the legs of the NOD Avatar; they're noted as a weak point in the wikia entry.

>>22313231

Seconding this. Why risk getting hit when we have a pair of near godlike beings on our side? We can take at least one more chance before we start getting desperate.

>>22313231

Also have the Salarian Engineers keep deloying drones.

Little zapping drones to draw fire is always good.

GO FOR THE SENSORS.

Rolled 61, 66, 13 = 140

>>22312504
>>22313231
Your troops attack from cover as the Avatar shores up the walls with Energy Fields.

Cheryl gathers the power of Tosh and the Farseers to her, the group arranged in a circle as she attempts to force her way into the pilot's mind.


>>22312537
"It's... Whatever's powering it is unlike anything we've ever encountered," the Salarians admit. "It has an immense power field..."

>>22313328
An array of fin-like projections unfold from the back of the Nod Avatar and begin to blaze with red light as the Blaster Bombs and mass rifles explode onto an invisible force-field that surrounds it. Char throws the Ebon Lance, and the potent artifact is the only thing able to pierce the field. It slams through the force field, which appears as a semi-translucent red bubble around the machine for an instant before boring into the mech's side and staying there. Sparks shoot out from the breach in the armor as the lance hangs there like a toothpick embedded in a giant.

Cheryl attempts to force her way into the pilot's mind, and for a moment it looks like she might succeed... Then her eyes fly open.

"THE PILOT IS KANE!!!" she shouts before the Avatar lifts a robotic hand and snaps its fingers. A tremendous explosion shakes the area as the blast doors explode outward, robbing your troops of their cover. Only the Avatar's Energy Fields manage to save the majority of your troops from being torn to shreds by the shrapnel. Even then, the Re-raises on the Sandmen are used up as debris chaotically flies around, most of your team getting injured to one degree or another. A few Salarians get crushed by falling rocks.
>Reraises on Sandmen used. 5 Salarians go down.

>>22313548
Focus, Cheryl! See the Lance in the thing's side? Focus all your power, and TK that thing right through Kane's skull; up through the Avatar.

It's already inside the defensive fields, you just gotta move it. Everyone else, spread out and focus fire on the mech. Aim for the same spot all at once to try and overpower it!

>>22313548
A Lambda Driver. Should have prepared for that possibility.

Without another Lambda Driver, not sure if it'll be possible to win this fight.

>>22313548
>fin-like projections
fuck, he has a lambda driver. It basically gives him a massive amount of psychic power. The only way to take him out is to hit him with an even more powerful psychic.

Everybody, keep up fire on the nod avatar.

Cheryl try to rip that thing apart. Now might be the time for that blowout. It's the most powerful attack at your disposal.

Avatar try to put a paralysis or death spell on Kane.

>>22313548

>lamda driver.

Shoot the floor around or underneath the Avatar.

Drop him a floor down or something.

Otherwise shoot the roof. Drop shit on him

>>22313548
Even a toothpick can be fatal, if it hits the right place.

Cheryl, can you TK the Ebon Lance further into the mech and right through Kane's pilot pod? Tosh and the Farseers will provide help.

>>22313548

Lambda drivers can be overloaded, though I doubt Kane's will be. We don't have a fairy eye, either.

Avatar, use what you can to protect our troops, if you have spare time or mana try to affect Kane's Lambda Driver Cooling System.

Cheryl, TK the Lance to either the cockpit or the Driver's cooling system, once it's down you should be able to easily rip the Mech and Kane apart.

>>22313834

Actually, shouldn't we ask Cheryl to TK the lance back to Char and let him throw again?

>>22313548
Avatar, cast Quickness, REL TYM on the party. That will effectively double our actions.

File: 1356939534928.jpg-(44 KB, 613x798, driftofftothelandofNOD.jpg)

Rolled 60, 63, 18 = 141

>>22313651
>>22313834
>>22313698
"Right!" Cheryl shouts.

"That field is blocking magic as well... but I might be able to overpower it," the Avatar states, blue flames beginning to erupt around him.

>>22313768
Your X-COM teams, experts at destroying terrain for tactical purposes, try this.

Compartments in the Device begin to open up, parts around it beginning to move as the Cybuster begins to glow a soft green.

"Struggle until the last, but you only make the inevitable harder on yourself!" Kane declares. "Time is running out for you all! The land of Nod awaits!"

>>22313942

Hmm...

Can the Salarians summon their Drones INSIDE the lambda driver shield?

File: 1356940057783.png-(42 KB, 305x312, 1306644294645.png)

>>22313942
>60, 63, 18
Again with the same pattern.
I shouldn't be surprised by this kind of fuckery by now.

>>22314078

And the xcommers are vets.

I expect this level of fail from rookies. Not vets.

File: 1356940167772.jpg-(29 KB, 448x260, Whyhellothere.jpg)

>>22313909
The Avatar begins pushing on Kane's shield, but relents and casts Quickness instead, causing all of your troops to speed up.

Your X-COM troops fire at the Avatar's feet, but don't get past disintegrating a half-circle before Kane pilots the machine away from the trap and gestures at the troopers. A full squad simply vanishes as if they never had been there.
>Lose X-COM Veteran Squad 6.

Cheryl narrows her eyes at the Nod Avatar and focuses as best she can. The Ebon Lance quivers in the machine's side and seems to give out a long, pained groan.

"Come on..."Cheryl whispers, digging her nails into her palms. "Come on..."

The Lance shakes for a moment and sinks a foot deeper into the mecha. Then another foot.

"Come ooooon!!!" Cheryl hisses, blood dripping from her palms from where her nails had pierced her skin.

The Lance quivered one more time, then vanishes into the giant robot before ripping out the other side. A shower of sparks spews from the hole created as Kane screams. The crimson light from the fins begins to dim before surging back to full blaze before dimming again, now in constant flux.

"What is this? The cooling system... How could... How could a thing like that pierce... No! My ascension is nigh, and I will not be denied again!" Kane shouts. The Avatar lifts a hand and shining red light gathers there.

Barely visible in the distance, a single humanoid drops from a ventilation shaft onto the latticework of the Device and begins to expertly crawl towards the upper chamber.

Rolled 73

>>22314102
"PEACE! THROUGH! POWER!" Kane roars as the light explodes outward.

>>22314102

ID on that person, NOW!

Everyone else, POUND THAT AVATAR! CHERYL, TK THE UNKNOWN, AVATAR, RIP KANE APART!

>>22314126

By the gods, please tell me that is not an enemy roll and is infact our survival roll.

>>22314102
>>22314126
Cheryl, Avatar! Defensive fields!
Prawns, put up your TK fields!

Someone, zoom in on that figure, upper chamber above the Device!

>>22314154
And Tosh can also put up a psionic shield, and the Farseers can help Cheryl expand her AT Field.

KI Tactical Squad C, you've got the heaviest armor, protect the White Mages!

File: 1356940745075.jpg-(9 KB, 400x400, full-98619main_0204flare_(...).jpg)

>>22314126
A nova of blood red power expodes outward from Kane as the Avatar brings up an Energy Field and Cheryl erects her TK-Field just in time thanks to the previously cast Quickness spell. In addition, thanks to that spell, nearly all the troops are able to reach the protective zone in time. Only a few Knight Inductors at your flanks are unable to reach safety in time and get vaporized.

>Lose 3 Knight Inductor Tactical Marines.

Rolled 83

>>22314127
Some of your troops attempt to get a visual...

File: 1356940878317.jpg-(107 KB, 755x1057, corporal_adrian_shepard_b(...).jpg)

>>22314257
"It's a soldier! Gas mask, helmet, glowing green lenses... I think it's Shephard!"