>Last time on Freelance Ghost Quest: you said goodbye to everyone and departed to the planet the protoss high templar told you to. There, you found a gigantic ancient ship orbiting the planet. You met up with Ur’athan and showed off what you could do, and after that you met some zealots and exchanged war stories.

You’ve been under instruction of High Templar Ur’athan for a week now. He’s been pushing you to the limits of your power, but also teaching you to fight smart. Your training ground has been moved to the Templar Archives, where it seems High Templar are trained, and you’ve made good use of the devices there. In your down time, you’ve been talking to Siladus a few more times. It seems he’s captain of the High Templar’s personal guard.

Today is different though. The High Templar has told you to meet him at the small spaceport they’ve made, where the shuttles fly to and fro. When you arrive, you find him standing near a landed shuttle, along with Siladus and a few other zealots.

“Ah, you’re here. What will we do?” It’s an annoying habit he’s developed. He puts a thought at the tip of his mind, and you have to break through his first line of mental defences to find out what he’s got planned. After the first time in your initial session, you had thought it would have been easier, but his defences kept changing and adapting to your previous assaults. You’ve only managed twice so far.

>1. Go along with it, try to penetrate his mental defences.
>2. Just make a deduction. Starport, shuttle, personal guard. You’re going somewhere in space.
>3. Make a further deduction (specify what).
>4. Refuse, try to make him tell you.
>5. Write in.

>>34253919
>2. Just make a deduction. Starport, shuttle, personal guard. You’re going somewhere in space.
>3. We're going somewhere hostile enough to require the full personal guard, or meeting with someone important enough to require it.

>>34253919

>Using a shuttle instead of a portal
We're going to that fuckhueg ship up above, aren't we

>>34254239
>>34254289
Writing

>>34253919

Give a mental assault a shot, but go with >>34254289 should we fail...

“We’re going in space. With a personal escort. And a shuttle, not a portal. We’re going to the Worldship?”

“While I had hoped you’d continue to push yourself on your psionics, yes, your logic is sound. We’ve finally stabilised the ship enough to explore it. It is something I have to do myself, and since you are my apprentice you are to come along.”

He gestures for you to enter the shuttle. The interior is spartan. There’s some seats, some storage compartments and the cargo hold. You’re not even sure how it’s controlled, there doesn’t seem to be any cockpit. There’s not even any windows, so you have no indication of where you are or if you’ve landed already or not.

The protoss all stand or sit down in the cargo hold, simply looking at the door. The High Templar seems to be fiddling with a handheld device of some kind.

>1. Just wait until you arrive at the worldship.
>2. Ask Ur’athan something (specify).
>3. Talk to one of the other protoss about something (specify).
>4. Write in.

>>34254475

So, how old is that thing? Have you guys been on any such vessel before? Do you expect hostile critters, or perhaps automated intruder countermeasures?

>>34254518
Writing

“So, how old is that thing?” You approach the High Templar.

“That is one of the things I wish to find out. My kind last encountered the Xel’naga countless millennia ago. We know they were destroyed some time after that, but we do not know when. And it might be older than that still.”

“So you’ve got your personal guard with you. Expecting trouble?”

He pauses from the device he’s fiddling with for a moment. “I do not know what we will encounter. The Xel’naga were a peaceful race, but we do not know what their ships were like inside. Even so, while it is heavily damaged and most likely does not have functioning systems any more, I do not want to take needless risks.”

You nod. The High Templar goes back to fiddling with his device. You can see protoss runes being projected in front of it, but you haven’t got a clue what it actually says.

Finally, you feel a slight thump, and the zealots get up and stand in formation. You suppose you’ve landed, and glance towards Ur’athan. He nods at you.
.

The cargo doors open up, and you see the planet looming in the sky above you. The shuttle landed on a black piece of hull, and there seems to be some kind of door in front of you. There’s a faint green glow from crystals embedded in it, and Ur’athan approaches it with the device.

“Hmmm… Yes, this should work.”

He dials something into the device and reads the new markings that show up. Then he touches the crystal in the middle of the door, focusses, and the door suddenly opens. You feel he used some psionic power for that. Your guess is the whole ship will need a psionic approach.

Once inside, you go through a long thin corridor until you arrive in a gigantic open hall. You guess it could have fit in a battlecruiser. In the centre is a large floating green crystal, not unlike the protoss’ own pylons, but while its width is similar, it’s much much taller, barely hovering off the floor while almost touching the ceiling.

There are several other remarkable things in the room, but most of them can’t entirely be distinguished from where you are. There seems to be some kind of large dome to the left, another array of crystals to the right, and your view on a third object is largely blocked by the middle crystal.

The High Templar orders everyone to explore the hall while he goes and checks on the middle crystal.

>1. Accompany him to the crystal.
>2. Investigate the dome.
>3. Check out the array of crystals.
>4. Go look at the last thing you can’t see,
>5. Write in

>>34254900

> Accompany him

>last thing you can't see...
what's that? sounds intriguing as well... survey the area with our psionics.

>>34254986
You don't really sense anything other than the protoss you arrived with.

>>34254900
>Check out the array of crystals.

sounds like some kind of data or energy stores...

>>34253910
this is back? fuck yeah!

>>34254986
>>34255010
Right, it's been tied long enough, calling tie breaker in 3 minutes if there's no third vote.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>34255183
>1: >>34254986
>2:>>34255010

>>34255231
Accompanying him it is. Writing.

>>34254900
>4. Go look at the last thing you can’t see,
Are we in psychic contact with everyone else here (psychic radio, basically)?

You think of checking out the crystal array to the right, but in the end, the giant pylon wins the bid for your attention. You follow your teacher, and after a few minutes of walking, you arrive at the base of the crystal. Around it is a small construction, though the small is in terms relative to the thing itself. It’s roughly the size of a house. The bottom of the crystal is almost completely covered up, but you quickly find an entrance to the building.

Inside, you find several long poles pointed at the bottom of the crystal, with a spark of green lightning shooting towards it every few seconds. It looks as though these are fairly small sparks though. You instinctively know that they should constantly be transmitting beams as broad as they are themselves. At least, it’s a hunch you have.

Ur’athan moves towards what seems to be some kind of control dais. He tries getting it to work, both by simply tapping on it and by sending psionic power into it, but it doesn’t seem to work. Disappointed by this, he moves on to a next interesting tidbit in the building. You stare at the controls.

>1. Try if you can’t activate them.
>2. Leave them be. See if there’s anything else interesting in here.
>3. Leave the High Templar be and go some place else

>>34255256
You can contact anyone of the protoss in an instant through your psionics, yes.

>>34255374

>Tell the templar we want to try something
>Then try something, or at least tell him that hunch if he doesn't like the idea (maybe a memory imprint from our time in the xel'naga machine?)

>>34255374
Ask Ur'athan if he would like us to attempt to active the Dias. If Ur'athan does:
>1. Try if you can’t activate them.

>>34255423
On that vein of thought, is everyone reporting their status every few minutes? For safety.

>>34255551
Status being location, what they're attempting to do, that sort of thing.

>>34255551
Pretty much. You all stay in contact.

>>34255433
>>34255532
Writing.

>>34255564

[shadowrun intensifies]

“Templar?” You approach the control dais.

“Hmm?” He looks up from whatever he’s doing.

“I got a bit of a hunch. Those sparks should be a lot stronger normally.”

He looks at you, then to the machines surrounding the pylon. You continue. “You mind if I try my hand at these?”

“Feel free. Though I doubt you’ll be able to do much more than-“

You barely touch the dais and suddenly it starts glowing. A few dozens of symbols start lighting up, similar to a keyboard, and a large projection of the crystal is shown in front of you. Several parts are blinking red, and the devices at both the top and the bottom of the crystal are highlighted in a bright blue.

Next to the “keyboard” are a few other symbols, and you notice they correspond with some of the symbols on the hologram. There’s a few of them spread over the crystal, and a few on the top and bottom devices, though several others seem to be lacking from the hologram.

Ur’athan looks at you in amazement. You didn’t think you’d see it in your lifetime, but he looks positively astonished at what you just did. Whatever it was you did. It just seemed to react to you when you wanted to try it out.

>1. Touch some of the symbols at random.
>2. Touch some of the symbols corresponding with something on the hologram (specify crystal or device)
>3. Ask Ur’athan if he wants to have a go at it now.
>4> Ask Ur’athan for help.
>5. Write in.

>>34255719
>Exploring an ancient McGuffin
>Not remaining in constant contact and reacting logically to threats or changes.

>>34255891

>Ask Ur'athan if he recognizes any symbols
He knows we've been in the xel'naga device, doesn't he? Might be time to point it out.
>"Maybe it recognizes whatever that temple has done to me."

>>34255891
>3. Ask Ur’athan if he wants to have a go at it now, and ask if he understands the pictographics/language used.

>>34255891
>4. Ask Ur’athan for help.
Maybe it has something to do with the temple device I was in...

>>34255978
>>34255993
>>34256036
Writing

>>34255978
>>34255993
>>34256036
Remember kids, if you want access to an ancient race's random detritus strewn around the galaxy, all you need to be is be aggressively experimented upon.

File: arilou.png (195 KB, 485x575)

195 KB PNG

>>34256091

>You're welcome, child!

“Do you recognise any symbols?” You ask Ur’athan. He comes closer and looks over your shoulder.

“I do. I do not know their exact meanings, but I can deduct what they’re about. It seems this crystal is the equivalent of an engine. I’m not sure if it generates energy, or if energy is stored in it for use of the ship, but it’s supposed to be what powers it. At least this section.”

He points to some of the schematics you couldn’t understand. “This shows that it is connected to the lower half, where we are now. There are two other large sections, sadly broken off from this one, but they don’t show up here. They must have their own power source.”

It’s strange how it reacted to you like this, but it’s not the first time you’ve been in contact with Xel’naga technology. “Templar, you think this is happening because of the device I was in? It seems to be the only thing I have over you.”

“Yes, I came to that conclusion myself too. It must have left a psionic imprint on you that makes the ship recognise you. As a scholar, I admit I am jealous.”

You look back at the dais. One of the buttons specifically catches your eye.

>Roll me some d20s.

>>34256091
Man, I feel ready for edutainment TV now.

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>34256204

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>34256204

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>34256204

>>34256309
>>34256392
>>34256409
Success, writing.

You feel a pressure on your mind, and before you know it, your finger is hovering over the symbol. You manage to pull it away before you press it. It felt exactly the same as in the temple, when the first device coerced you to touch it.

Ur’athan is looking at you. “Are you all right, Artemis?”

“I’m not sure. It wants me to press this symbol.” You point towards the focus of your attention. You’re still having difficulties taking your eyes off it.

The protoss gently pushes you aside in order to examine it himself, but the moment you go out of arms reach of the dais, it dies down. “Hmmm… Interesting. Come over here again please.”

You oblige him, and the dais flares up again. He checks his handheld object a few times, looks back at the symbol and then the hologram of the pylon and turns to you.

“I think it might be best to not touch any buttons for now, though from what I can gather it would probably restart the crystal. The symbol isn’t on the hologram, but if I’m correct, it is a hybridisation of the two main symbols of the upper and lower devices around the pylon.”

>1. Push the button anyway.
>2. Continue looking around here.
>3. Go to a different location (dome, crystal array or third location)
>4. Write in.

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>34256539

Rolling to seduce the ship.

On a more serious note, the panel apparently has some sort of psionic influence over us. Let's try perhaps discern if we can comprehend it?

>>34256539
OH GOD ZERG/PROTOSS HYBRID IN THE SHIP GET THE FUCK OUT NOW

>>34256606
I... what?

>>34256577
The DC is too high anon. She's much more interested in sexy protoss carriers.

File: cabin in the woods.gif (2.63 MB, 440x183)

2.63 MB GIF

>>34256606

You're expecting something like pic related, aren't you?

>>34256627
>The symbol isn’t on the hologram, but if I’m correct, it is a hybridisation of the two main symbols of the upper and lower devices
And then there's the random psionic force. I CAN SEE WHERE THIS LEADS

>>34256786
It's a mixing of two symbols.

Plus, Artemis doesn't know about hybrids IC.

>>34256577
I'm just gonna go with this one.

>>34256539
>Go to the third location.

The panel seems to have some influence over you, even if you can’t fully comprehend it, but it’s there. You carefully start feeling around with your psionic senses.

Next to you, the flaring brilliance of the High Templar nearly blinds you. He’s not really that much more powerful than you when it comes to raw strength, but he’s simply a lot more… present. His species has a much deeper connection to psionics than terrans, and they can simply do a lot more with it. You refocus. The panel did something. It tried to make you do something. You carefully probe it, but other than the residual energy from simply being active, you can’t really feel anything.

>roll me some more d20’s.

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>34256994

common sense... tingling...

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>34256994

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>34256994

maybe something fun will happen

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>34256994

>>34257027
>>34257039
>>34257044
Success, writing.

Wait, there’s something tugging at you. It’s not the panel. It takes a moment to reorient yourself, and you find yourself staring straight at the crystal itself.

You blink. The crystal. There’s something there. You approach it very carefully, your mental barriers fully at the ready. The presence tugs at your mind, but it feels like it completely ignores your barriers, and you have to use pure willpower to resist it. Either the modifications left a back door open for its own kind of technology, or all of their technology is like that.

It wants you to press the button. It wants… to be repaired? To be whole again. To obey its creators. You can tell there’s not much actual sapience there, but it seems it’s still more or less a psionic being.

>1. Oblige it, press the symbol.
>2. Tell Ur’athan about your discovery.
>3. Try to find out what else has to happen to fix it before doing anything.
>4. Write in.

>>34257179

Tell the templar. Looks like the ship wants to be helpful so much that it beckons us to restart her.

>>34257179
>>2. Tell Ur’athan about your discovery.

It may want to serve it's creators, but HOW it will serve them is of concern to us.

>>34257300
>>34257308
Writing.

You tell the protoss of your discovery. He focusses, and a moment later, he starts talking. “This is highly unusual. Now I know where to look, I feel it too, but I cannot come into contact with it. So you say it wants to be repaired, and ‘Serve its creators’?”

You nod. “I’m not too keen about that last one, all things considered. Serving its creators might not be very beneficial to us.”

“I agree.” Ur’athan glances back at the crystal. ”I think we will leave its pleas unanswered for now. Let us leave this place. I’ve had word from my guard. They cannot discern what the crystal array is for, the third structure contains lots of malfunctioning preservation cells with animal and plant remains, and Siladus reported of something that looks like a bridge in the dome. I would like to have you with me when we investigate the bridge.”

>1. Join him to the bridge.
>2. Check out the crystals first.
>3. Check out the preservation cells.
>4. Write in.

>>34257445

>1. Join him to the bridge.
Preservation cells? Perhaps this is some kind of Colony ship? or perhaps a research vessel?

>>34257445

I wonder if there are mittens' relatives in here. Tell the templar about the gene-modded cats as we move towards the bridge, and perhaps make sure the Zealots are aware that inhabitants of those cells could be dangerous.

>>34257504
>>34257538
Writing, last post of the day.

You join Ur’athan to the bridge. On the way there, you ask him about the containment cells.

“It seems they were all out of power. All the specimens were dead in their cells, though a single type of plant has managed to survive somehow. It’ll be interesting to study, but it is not a priority right now.”

You let out a relieved sigh, and tell him about your run ins with Mittens and the other Stalkers. It seems nothing of the sort was found there, though even the bones were almost ground to dust, so it was hard to make out. In any case, there wouldn’t be enough food to even support a single stalker or something similar.

You arrive at what Siladus thinks is the bridge. Once inside the dome, you see a large main screen, currently devoid of anything, and several consoles. At the center, there is something strange. It looks like a chair, but it has many rings that would secure or trap someone sitting in it, and several crystals are embedded in it at key points. Another set of crystals is stuck in the ceiling directly above it, and the floor has several too. Perhaps some kind of master control terminal, or a pilot interface? You can only guess.

>1. Discuss Siladus’ thoughts an findings.
>2. Try and activate one of the consoles
>3. Sit in the strange chair.
>4. Write in.

>And I’m gonna stop here. Votes will be counted for next time.
>Next thread will be somewhere between thursday and saturday. There might be two threads but I’m not too sure yet. Check the twitter to be sure.

>>34257778

Cheers for the thread, OP! I'm thrilled where this adventure will take us next.
although I may not be around since it's my turn to go on out-of-internet vacation somewhere this month, so don't take absence of a player as decaying interest in your quest!

>Make a psionic scan for presence like the one in crystal.

>>34257778
>3. Sit in the strange chair.

>>34257778
>1. Discuss Siladus’ thoughts an findings.

Sitting in the Chair is probably a bad idea, though we must be vigilant of the chance that it tries to get us into it...

>>34257778
Lets talk to Siladus, then investigate the crystals (and if it is asking us to activate something, try to see how it goes right through our defenses).

>>34257778
Thanks for the thread OP!

Quick question, do we have some way to talk to Lisa via tech, or is psychic powers the only way?

>>34257984
Hmm, I actually forgot to address that before we left, but I have a solution once you get off the world-ship.