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we back in business

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>>2900594
Oh yes

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>>2900536
Welcome back to Death Among the Stars Quest!

Let's jump right in!

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Jor was grateful for the advanced tech and protective rituals woven into his armor as he stands on the shores of a lake of molten stone. Without it he knew he would not survive long in the heat and the toxic gases that seeped up from the stone in fissures and wafted off the lava. Still, he had to admit it was an impressive sight as he cranes his neck up, drawing his gaze up the craggy slopes and cliffs of the Lavafathers supervolcano. The caldera peak was lost from view in the storm clouds above but an orange glow marked where the lava flowed in a near perpetual cycle from it.

The lake he stood before was formed from one such flow, the human looking to where a lavafall cascaded down. If he didn't know better, he'd almost expect the impressive geological formation to be naturally formed and not created by the will of the ancient being imprisoned at the heart of it.

Turning on his heel he walks to join you where you stood with Muic. Agona knelt in the shallows of the lava already, her hands plunged beneath the surface as she concentrates.

A distance away were stone structures where Obsidianborn and the stonestar hero awaited. Further down the slopes, along the rivers of lava that flowed from the lake, were gathered hundreds, if not thousands of stonestar all eagerly waiting as they looked up toward the holy lake.

"I see no Cauldron, Muic," you comment, gazing around the rocky shore.

Muic bares obsidian teeth in a grin, "Do not fret, Lord Jadyk. Agona and I shall summon it for us."

Agona chuckles, the sound rough, "Then you better join me, sister."

You and Jor watch as Muic joins the other Punisher and kneels in the molten stone without fear and plunges her hands beneath as well. They were silent as they concentrated, the glow of the lava washing over them. There was a tremor beneath Jors feet, the bone of his boots charred black from the heat, but tremors were common on the volcano.

However the tremor grows in strength and you watch as a swell appears beneath the lava yards away from the Punishers. Bubbling and churning the glowing liquid stone is pushed back by something that rises up from beneath. A dome made from overlapping black obsidian plates that glows with the heat, its surface jagged and fierce but among the razor sharp edges you spot runes of the Wormtongue inscribed and when the realization strikes you, you can't help but feel proud.

>cont

>>2900636
The pair of Reforged Punishers concentrate as they summon their creation, the plates shifting and unfurling like a flower bud blooming. The construct comes to rest, partially submerged with a wide opening at the top, and even Jor recognizes it as an Obsidian Cauldron.

Requiems drift forward hauling large canisters of ritually prepared biomass and begin pouring it into the Cauldron. You could hear it hissing and boiling already as it comes in contact with the superheated stone, the lava serving to cook the brew in preparation for its next and prime ingredient.

Agona and Muic stand, lava dripping off their hands even as they turn and salute with dull thuds as their fists hit their armor. Punisher Agona grins her own obsidian smile, "We are nearly ready to begin, Lord Jadyk. With this Obsidian Cauldron that my sister and I crafted for this very purpose, the Lavafather himself will assist. With this, a Punisher can be Reconstructed and Reforged at the same time."

Muic looks to Jor, the human much shorter than the three undead, "Are you ready, First Necromancer? The Lavafather is intrigued to see what you are capable of."

"I am always prepared to fulfill my duties as First Necromancer, Punisher Muic. I too am eager to see what we will craft with the Lavafather," he says with a confidence he has learned to project when interacting with the undead Generals.

"Perfect!" Muic says with another grin of glass-bladed teeth.

"Then let us begin," you say and drift toward the Obsidian Cauldron. Agona and Muic each reach out their hands and snatch the portions of Kyn'tk you toss toward them, the living weapon forming into a spiked club and axe respectively. They each take their place on opposing sides of the Cauldron.

Floating out above the lava you could tell that it would be inconvenient even for you to fall in but the heat does not bother you as you take your place at the edge of the razorsharp rim of the Cauldron. The construct sinks further into the lava, submerging most of it as four pillars of obsidian rise up around it, almost like glowing spears that curve in. You could feel the power brewing around you, the presence of the Lavafathers influence felt in the obsidian focus's.

>cont

>>2900640
From the structures set further away from the shoreline emerges a procession of intricately crafted Obsidianborn and in their midst the hulking form of the stonestar hero. Most stonestar were larger and heavier than a human, especially when wearing the armor that gave them their name, but this one was even larger than an osjiic. Their armor was intricately decorated, precious metals and materials carved into it alongside the hybrid of Cauldron and Obsidianborn tech.

They approach proudly, stepping up to the shoreline where Jor was hovering to be closer to the stonestars shielded eyelevel. Dipping their body in a respectful greeting, their armor chimes with the voice of an Obsidianborn rather than the clacking of a stonestar, "I am ready. I have prepared and cast aside my name. All that I am, I give to the Lavafather and to Lord Jadyk."

Jor floats back, motioning for the stonestar to approach the Cauldron despite there not being a physical path, "Your sacrifice will be remembered for ages to come. Let us begin."

The stonestar hero strides forward, ready to plunge their armored limb into the lava but they find an invisible path as they step up toward and over the center of the Cauldron. Jor takes his place opposite of you and seats himself on a telekinetic cushion and nods in your direction.

Proudly the Stonestar stands there before the telekinetic platform beneath dissipates and they disappear beneath the boiling surface. So too you and Jor each plunge a staff into the liquid and the Punisher sisters plunge their hands proper.

With the ritual commencing you can hear something drifting on the wind and a moment later you understand. Thousands of stonestar began to "sing" the overlapping sound of countless bone, chitin and stone plates clacking and grinding and whispering against each other, joining in by the crystalline chimes of the Obsidianborn, become an eerie hymn.

>Rituals of Reconstruction and Reforging have begun

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>>2900643
Now, while Jadyk and Jor are busy with that, I'll let y'all have a choice on what to focus on while they're busy with that.

Possible options:
>Check-in on the Barqalan operations with the Solar Arbiters
>Wayward Disciple needing to speak with Cipher concerning the tech now revealed to be an injured member of their "race"
>Necrolyte Officer Dretst and the operation with the Blackscale is almost ready to commence
>Other, write-in what you would like to see or do or check up on

I realize there are a lot of plot threads going on so I'd like to know what you folks would like to see while the rituals are in progress

>>2900647
also, is the auto-update thing not working anymore for other folks?
Seems that ever since Chrome updated the other day it hasn't been working. Having to refresh the page manually

>>2900647
>>Check-in on the Barqalan operations with the Solar Arbiters


>>2900652
Hiroshimoot is using the adds to mine bitcoin too.

>>2900647
>Necrolyte Officer Dretst and the operation with the Blackscale is almost ready to commence
>>2900652
Same, annoying as fuck

>>2900652
It seems to be working for me now, but it was busted garbage yesterday.

>Necrolyte Officer Dretst and the operation with the Blackscale is almost ready to commence
we havn't seen them in what feels like a year while the others have been visited fairly recently.

>>2900647
>>Necrolyte Officer Dretst and the operation with the Blackscale is almost ready to commence
>Other, write-in what you would like to see or do or check up on
Can we get a quick update on the Reconstructed Personality Observation project?

>>2900647
>Necrolyte Officer Dretst and the operation with the Blackscale is almost ready to commence

>>2900647
Ok so having some trouble for a while now with captcha.

Sorry for the delay folks, the Curse hates me

>>2900821
Its all good.

>>2900647
The red giant Turaglus causes the nebula around it to nearly glow with its reflected light. A pair of planets spin around it with an asteroid belt slowing being peeled apart and drawn into the star itself. Radiation winds were dense within the system, the star perhaps only a few thousand years from going nova or collapsing in on itself. Clouds of ionized gas drift on the winds, a phenomena that caused the system to be frequently avoided, all Confederate traffic routing through the Gateway system instead. However, there was a small pirate installation on the outer-most planets moon, looking to be little more than a minor base.

Dretst looks away from the displays and toward the Blackscale, "So Turaglus is our target? Makes sense to hide a secret lab there. Radiation winds, ionized gases, hardly any resource rich planets. I'm assuming it's where the pirate base is?"

One of the Blackscale hisses and shakes their head, instead highlighting the small planet just out of the asteroid belts range, "It is hidden here. Beneath the surface," the image flickers again, showing a view of a large canyon system visible from orbit, "The seas dried up with the stars expansion. They built their lab in one of the rifts revealed. Burrowed into the cliff-face."

A video plays, showing a timelapse of several shuttles traveling to and from ships in orbit to a single location, "It is rare they resupply but we observed carefully," another begins to speak, "The Confederates claim no stakes in this system and the ships that have visited did not fly their colors. The pirates avoid going too far into the inner system where the hazards are strongest. The base is hardly worth paying attention to."

Dretst clicks her mandibles together with a sound of thought before saying, "We have contacts in the Clans. They may be able to provide assistance if we need to, but a base that small isn't likely to be of much help."

A netu Legionnaire wearing a suit of the specter armor, the one Dretst had selected to lead the operation on the ground, speaks up, "I'm assuming you all have a plan already? We can phase in and get to our targets with ease, but transporting a clutch of eggs will be more difficult."

Raakah hisses and nods, "We have a plan yess. You Phantoms will enter the facility, gather intel on the layout, find a discreet location within, and then deploy one of our teleportation circles. Then we will send our undead in to go plunder the clutch while providing a distraction for your Phantoms to access the data and security mainframes."

"Teleportation circle? Like the kind the Sunscale Divers utilize?" Officer Dretst asks as her symbiot shows memories of Nekris conflict with them on Rukor and the stone platform that allowed them to teleport to their ship in orbit.

>cont

>>2900862
One of the stranger Blackscale narrows their eyes suspiciously as the others hiss in displeasure at the name, "You are well-informed, for a vorh. But yes, we will give you Phantoms the components needed to create a temporary one, allowing our forces in and out of the base."

The netu looks to Dretst, "The thinkers would be interested in getting their claws on that tech," he whispers to her and she nods in agreement.

"That technique is a guarded secret, Phantom. We will not share its secrets but will allow you to utilize it during this operation," Beqor says, drawing a look from Dretst who doesn't challenge it. She knew Jadyk would likely press them for the technology now that she had learned of it.

Raakah hisses again, waving a hand at Beqor, "Yes yess. Now, we are prepared, our undead armed and waiting. When you are ready, we will depart for Turaglus. Will your stealth craft need to hitch a ride on ours?"

Which should Dretst choose?
>Send the Stealth Corvette they arrived in
>Send the Stealth Coffins with the Blackscale's Destroyer Pestilence

Was there anything else Dretst should discuss with them before the mission commences?
>Write-in

>>2900863
>Send the Stealth Corvette they arrived in
We need to show what we can do
Cant think of anything to discuss.

>>2900863
>Send the Stealth Corvette they arrived in
I think it's better to have two viable major craft involved as a contingency if something goes very badly in the engagement. There's similar risk-mitigation reasons we might want to keep the corvette farther back, but I think putting all our forces into the mix quickly and getting out quickly will be better than holding something in reserve.

I assume the coffins were being carried by the corvette, and the question is whether to launch the coffins and send them with the Pestilence, or to send the corvette itself in as well and launch the coffins closer to the target.

>>2900863
>Send the Stealth Corvette they arrived in

>>2900863
>Send the Stealth Corvette they arrived in
>>2900874
This anon has the right of it

>>2900863
>Send the Stealth Corvette they arrived in

>>2900863
"We have our own cloaked vessels we will take to arrive there. As you said the last time we spoke, stealth cloaks are not unknown technology," Officer Dretst says and one of the Blackscale stranger sneers but says nothing in response.

Beqor nods, "Very well. If all is ready, we can depart for the Turaglus system shortly."

"And these components for the teleportation circle?" the netu inquires.

Raakah scratches under her chin with a claw, "We will give you the components just before the operation begins. You understand of course," she says more to you than to Dretst or the Phantom.

"Naturally. Technology and secrets are best when the least amount of people know about it," Dretst lies. She nods to the netu, "Let's go."

Departing from the chamber they are escorted from the chamber on the Pestilience to the airlock upon which their Coffin, disguised as a Confederate shuttle, was latched.

Once on board and the Coffin moving to dock in the hangar of the corvette hidden nearby the netu clacks their beak and makes a noise of distaste, "I could taste the rot in the air in there."

"It is the taste of unrestrained Necrotic energy," Dretst says, "Make sure to have your symbiot produce more anti-Necrotic drugs than usual. They don't have Glutton crystal to clean it up like the Armada." She was paying more attention to the details of the lab sent by the mole in the Confederacy that her symbiot was projecting in her minds-eye.

The phantom necrolyte is silent for a time before he speaks, "Do you think we can trust them?"

This draws Dretst's attention and she looks to him, "Beqor and Raakah? Barely. They are "loyal" to Lord Jadyk. The other two?" she scoffs with a sharp scrape of mandibles, "Not at all. We just have to assume that their desire for this operation to succeed outweighs their desire to fuck us over."

>The joint Blackscale and Legion operation is nearly ready to commence

>>2900965
ok this is really frustrating me. These issues are really interfering when for once I've actually been writing these at a decent speed.

Gonna work on getting the Reconstruction/Reforging finished as well as touch up on the Reconstructed Intelligence Research like >>2900771 suggested but don't know if I can continue like this tonight lol.

Hoping that tomorrow the issues will be more or less resolved and we can continue proper.

Really sorry about this folks ):

>>2900987
Aw, sorry to hear that Graves. Good luck and godspeed.

>>2900987
fingers crossed. totally with ya, these issues are butts.

>>2900987
Thanks, and take care.

>>2900821
Captcha has been fucking ass for a long time now, not surprised.

>>2900965
The halls of the Necromancers Spire echoed with the sounds of heavy footfalls as an osogo makes her way into the depths of it. Red-Leaf-Strains pauses just long enough for a door of interwoven bone slats to slither apart and seal behind her. She ignores the ethereal forms of the Specters standing guard, instead looking toward the two Ur-Wyrms that coiled around and loomed over a single medpod that stood alone in the chamber. Stationed around the circular chamber were several Requiems, motionless statues of immense telekinetic power assisted by the Specters keeping watch over their prisoner.

With a wave of her hand the serpentine undead unravel, their bone plates scraping across the stone floor as the biogel inside the pod starts to drain away. Red-Leaf-Strains reaches out as her personally crafted serpent slithers past, letting her hand graze across the armor as it slowly coils itself in a loop around the large Necromancer. The other Ur-Wyrm, a creation of Klikli, coils itself behind the pod, eyelessly staring at it.

The pod slides open and a human staggers forward on shaky legs, pulling the intubation tube from their throat. After several moments hocking up globs of biogel onto the ground in an inglorious display the human slowly lifts their head to look up at the osogo and Reconstructed looming over them. He looks around in confusion, noting the undead in the chamber then back to Red-Leaf-Strains, the only other living entity in the chamber, "W-who...?" he croaks out.

"I don't feel like sharing my name with a monster like you," Red-Leaf-Strains says while folding her hands together in front of her, all four eyes locked onto the Necromancer sealed within the Penance Array, "You however, I know much about."

Martin scoffs and looks down at himself, frowning heavily when he sees the points of the Domination Spikes that were skewered through him and the Cauldron-forged armor that was sealed and bolted to his body. He touches the spikes then hisses through tightly clenched teeth as the slightest touch sends a surge of agony through his body that nearly brings him to his knees. Gasping at the pain he looks to her, "Wh-where is Lord Jadyk?"

Ears flitting back in distaste she ignores his question, "Martin Graim, a Necromancer who thought to consume an entire system out of madness. I would almost pity your state right now," she says, the matronly osogo grimacing at the vile taste that rose up in the back her throat at the thoughts of all he'd caused in Refuge, "Why did you do it?"

He blinks in surprise at the blunt question before shaking his head and grabbing his temple, "I wanted to... make Jadyk... proud," he hisses again at the throbbing migraine behind his eyes.

Red-Leaf-Strains bristles at the comment, "You are even more a deluded fool than I thought. What you have done sickens Lord Jadyk. It is only through His mercy you still draw breath."

>cont

>>2905290
He glares at the osogo then looks around and back toward the medpod. Suddenly he flings out a hand and the glass creaks but before he could telekinetically shatter it he lets out a scream and collapses to his knees as his body seizes in pain.

Clicking her tongue in disappointment Red-Leaf-Strains steps closer to the human, "You are powerless here," she says while reaching out her own hand toward the medpod and a section of bone peels away from it and flies toward her grasp. The tablet had a sheet of chromatic flesh stretched across it and the osogo cradles the device in her much larger hand as she looks over the data scrolling across it.

Panting from the pain Martin lifts his head to glare at her, the pain seeming to encourage him to be more cognizant than when You had interrogated him recently. Pushing himself up to his feet his eyes dart to the Necromancers staff folded and secured to her side then to the Ur-Wyrm silently staring back. Spitting out some blood, having bit his tongue during the seizure, he says, "Where is Jadyk?"

Clicking her tongue again she ignore him, instead asking, "I was curious how a single Necromancer could control and guide so many undead, even with the help of an Immortal. Then, when you were brought here and examined, we discovered that you were thoroughly infected with the Blight Hunger," she turns her eyes down to him once again as the already pale human grows paler with realization, "That corruption has been scrubbed from your veins. No longer can you infect the innocent."

Still on his knees he looks down at his palms for several long moments muttering incomprehensibly to himself before he lifts his head toward her, "Why are you here? Do you pity me?"

For nearly the first time since it's implanting Red-Leaf-Strains symbiot senses rage swell up in the towering Necromancer, but she quickly gains control of the sudden flare of hatred and calms herself. With a snort her ears flit back as she lifts her head to stare down at him, "I came to see what a true monster looks like. Just because I find you pitiful does not mean I pity you. You are alive for one reason only, so that we may learn whatever secrets of the Blight Hunger you have.

"I have no taste for this part," she says and turns, lumbering on her four legs and stepping over the coils of her Ur-Wyrm toward the door that begins unraveling at her approach. She looks over her shoulder with one of her eyes back toward the human who still knelt there staring after her, "They have no such reservations."

>cont

>>2905296
Exiting from the chamber she nods to the pair of Necromancers who bow at her passing then enter the chamber with a Think Tank trailing between them. They wore their armors and masked helms to hide their faces, staves gripped as they approached the kneeling human as fear wells up inside him.

The Think Tank drifts forward, its voice penetrating Martin's mind making him shake his head in alarm, <Let us begin shall we. Tell us everything about the Blight Hunger. Everything.>

Red-Leaf-Strains thoughts were interrupted as the muffled screams reach her through the walls, pausing her stride only momentarily before she shakes it off and begins walking again. She had heard the denizens of the Armada call her Jadyk's Mercy, but she felt none for the rogue Necromancer as she walked away.

I forget, did we, or did we not vote to have him broken on the penance array?

Because I also remember waiting a long time for this.

>>2905305
We did

>>2905298
sadly no thread continuation proper today, might get another individual scene done but looking like I'll be able to run Friday afternoon

>>2905305
Yeah in a recent thread it was voted to put him in a Penance Array in order to take whatever knowledge he has of the Blight Hunger

>>2905305
Looks like the breaking is happening right now.

>>2905298
You could tell Jor could not maintain this effort for much longer, the human sweating profusely despite the advanced systems in the exosuit. Several hours had passed as the four... no, the five of you worked to complete the rituals. The Lavafather himself was assisting, having created the curving pillars and the Obsidian Cauldron itself to join in the rituals to both Reforge and Reconstruct at once. It was a learning process, you, him, and Jor working out how to combine and amalgamate the processes. However, with the Pyroclastic Punishers serving as the link and hybrid between the techniques the stonestar was slowly but surely remade.

The Obsidianborn and Stonestar attendees continued their strange hymns to fill the air alongside the calls and shrieks of flying Reconstructed that had flocked to the volcano, drawn by your presence and the growing font of Necrotic and geokinetic might. Sprays of magma lit up the sky in alternating flashes with the lightning above, the volcano becoming more active with the effort the Lavafather was exerting.

You could feel the entity submerged within the Cauldrons superheated contents solidifying in its new form and mind. The surface of the Cauldron ignites suddenly, emerald green flames rippling across the surface. Jor does not recoil as the flames crawl up the length of his staff and spread across his form just as it does your own and the Punishers. The flames in the Cauldron and those upon the Punishers change hue, shifting between a nearly blinding blue and the familiar rich orange as the figure stirs beneath the surface.

Finally you each pull free of the Cauldron, the Punishers standing thigh deep in the lava while you and Jor both float several feet above the surface. Kyn'tk, now glowing orange with the heat that distorts the air around it, reforms fully in your grasp and begins to cool. Jor retreats back to the shoreline where he was no longer roasting above the pool of melted stone but keeps his sight on the Cauldron.

The ground trembles and you hear a voice enter your skull, vibrating the bone with a powerful bass, <I thank you for allowing this to proceed. They are among the greatest of my champions to have ever lived and will do whatever they can to ensure the Armada thrives.>

You turn your gaze up toward the glow marking the hidden peak, <It must be providence. To have three powerful champions who volunteered for their ascension join us so soon together.>

A sudden thrashing within the Cauldron draws your attention as you drift back to the shore. As the pillars of obsidian resubmerge into the lava the Cauldron lifts up, the Punishers each stepping back as well to watch in silence. Several minutes pass as the entity continues to churn the Cauldron broth before suddenly it grows still. There are several moments of silence as the crowds fall quiet and even the volcano ceases its rumbling temporarily.

>cont

>>2907371
Then, breaking the stilled surface of the Cauldron, an object lifts directly up out of it. Resembling a pillar of jagged stone, chitin and obsidian it looked almost nothing like a proper Reconstructed as liquid biomass drips off or hisses as it evaporates off its heated form. Slowly it rotates in the air before cracks appear between the segments and start to glow orange with internal heat. Almost like a strange flower it seems to bloom as it peels back into five limbs radiating from the core. Its segmented armor seems to shift and flow around each other as its limbs stretch out and flex.

Slowly it rotates in the air then drifts toward you, the large creation of stone, bone, chitin, and obsidian coming to rest before you. Standing on five limbs it twists its core, curling it's limbs around itself in the stonestar gesture of the Wormstar in supplication before you.

Your hand reaches out, once again wreathed in emerald flames, to touch their armored form. The mere contact sears the chitin of your armored palm but you pay no mind to it. Instead you project your voice loud enough for the masses that had fallen silent on the slopes below to hear as they stare up in awestruck reverence, "Arise my new champion of Stone and Flame! Arise and join the Pyroclastic Punishers, continue your fight in the name of the Armada and the Lavafather, continue to punish those who would subjugate worlds!

"Arise, Tekalaket!"

Its voice chimes out, similar to the Obsidianborn, but booming and deep as it rises, lifting telekinetically into the air as it slowly spirals like a burning star of its own, "I am Tekalaket, I am the anger and the judgment of the Lavafather. I am Tekalaket, Pyroclastic Punisher of the Necrotic Armada!

"To Death and Through it to Eternity!"

The cry is repeated then, picked up by the thousands of stonestar and Obsidianborn who witnessed the ascension of a living hero into Legend.

>Pyroclastic Punisher Tekalaket has ascended!

>>2907389

Sweet.


On a very side note, and I feel like this might have come up... Have we offered a path to Lichdom to Jor? He kind of deserves it by now.

>>2907389
Nice, what are we getting next? The raid, the necromancer or maybe back to the station?

>>2907389
With Tekalaket crafted, Jor will be returning to his "vacation" while the rest of the Armada readies for the invasion.

What should Jadyk speak to or tend to next?
>Check-in on the Barqalan operations with the Solar Arbiters
>Wayward Disciple needing to speak with Cipher concerning the tech now revealed to be an injured member of their "race"
>Contact Blackscale Guir about the development of the Bonescale and progress on their cloning project
>Personally visit the protoplanet prisons where the Ahkam are being kept
>Check-in on the Arc Disciple exploring the toxic planet
>Other, write-in

>>2907422
>Check-in on the Barqalan operations with the Solar Arbiters

>>2907422
>Check-in on the Barqalan operations with the Solar Arbiters

>>2907422
>>Check-in on the Barqalan operations with the Solar Arbiters

>>2907422
>Proto-planets

>>2907422
>Wayward Disciple needing to speak with Cipher concerning the tech now revealed to be an injured member of their "race"

The vote's probably not going to go this way, but I want to keep it high up on the awareness list. Whether we end up in an alliance or a war with the Transcendent Protectorate might hinge on this issue.

>>2907534
>Wayward Disciple needing to speak with Cipher concerning the tech now revealed to be an injured member of their "race"

I actually support this one too. But I think we're doing Solar Arbiters

>>2907422
Check-in on the Barqalan operations with the Solar Arbiters

Don't want a hung vote

>>2907422
Smoke choked the air as flames crackled across burning grass and plantlife, bushes and trees of ancient lineage catching alight in the blaze. Despite the own fire that burned within his soul Arbiter Vurnu recalls his hatred of flames. Even as radiant energy cast forth from his hand ignite into roiling flames to set alight charging undead, he remembers vividly the sight of fire rolling like liquid in zero-gravity and how it clung to old shipmates like a consuming beast.

Casting the memories of his old life aside he snarls and punches out, caving in the face of a human ghoul that had lunged for him. The physical contact was enough to ignite the ghoul, Solar flames growing across the now panicking undead as it uses necrotically infused flesh as its fuel. His spitefire spins in his other hand, the symbiot undead latching onto his spine helping guide his aim as bolts of streaking flame seek out their targets. He aims for one ghoul that had tackled a nearby pirate, the bolt catching it on fire and distracting it long enough for a Legionnaire to slam their shoulder into it and free them.

The epikor takes a moment to step back, a netu security guard stepping forward with improvised shield and a shotgun to fill his spot. Vurnu catches his breath as he looks across to the other defenders to see if he was needed elsewhere now that this breach had been reinforced.

Following the distress call to the hospital they had found it besieged by a mass of undead while fires encroached ever closer. Fighting through their masses had been simple enough with Arbiter and Warden burning a path. Once there they discovered the survivors had hastily built defenses around the main entrances but were nearly overwhelmed.

Security forces and strong-willed survivors had cheered as their arrival broke the swell of undead long enough for them to join the fortifications. At Vurnu's orders the Legionnaires and Pirates began sharing what weapons and ammo they could spare to the undersupplied survivors, many of whom had been reduced to just using improvised melee weapons. He and the Necromancer Ryzz spoke with the security officer who had taken charge of the situation and discovered that while they had sealed most entrances, the large main entryways were made of simple glass or transparasteel and would not be able to hold back the crush of undead. After checking in with Sur-Quro more Reconstructed forces were being diverted to reinforce and secure Ward Three but they would still have to hold out.

"Porsa, how's it looking down there? Got those fire suppression systems working yet? It's getting kinda warm up here!" he calls over the radio as he steps back into the fray firing off more bolts of his spitefire.

>cont

>>2907677
Beneath them the Voidsinger Porsa lets out a shout as a swing of her hammer splatters a zombies skull across the ground before she replies, "We just got to the room now! It's a bit slower without you burning the way and they're pack in dense down here!"

Nearby the cactacae Voidsinger charges with surprising speed for its bulk, swinging an armored limb that ripples with voidlight. When it strikes a zombie shambling toward it with outstretched arms there is a flash of Voidlight that scatters the undead pieces and sends those crowded behind it toppling backwards at the wave of pressure. Methodically it strides forward, its heavy steps crushing limbs or torsos as it punches down to flatten skulls of the undead scrambling to rise against the floor.

The chamber the Barqalan AI had directed them toward was intended to control the fire suppression systems and armospherics for the entire Ward. But they found it densely packed with undead, ghouls and zombies shambling between rows of consoles in the flashing strobe of emergency lighting and discharges of weaponry and energy. Already a tech and demi-Think Tank were hard at work at a computer bank as pirates and Necrolytes stood guard against any undead that tried to lunge for them. Stationed out in the hall they came were a pair of Solar Wardens to keep reinforcement undead from crowding in and to avoid the draining effects of the Voidsingers abilities.

>Roll me 1d100 best of first 3 pls to get the fire suppression and atmospheric controls back online and running

Rolled 31 (1d100)

>>2907682

Rolled 26 (1d100)

>>2907682

Rolled 80 (1d100)

>>2907682
>>2907700
>>2907707
I'll save us guys don't worry

>>2907735
Our hero!

>>2907735

Good fuckin work

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>>2907735

>>2907682
"I think the cyborgs that the other squad encountered at the Reactors left these undead here to stop us, but we've nearly got it cleared!" Porsa calls out over the comms to Vurnu even as the tech shouts out in excitement. Walking quickly over to them she leans over them with a hand on their shoulder, "Did you get it?"

The tech nods rapidly, the human murmuring to themself as their fingers flew across a keyboard before they finally answer, "I think so yeah, at least that's what the programs indicate. Had to reroute and go into some damn old archives to bypass the corrupted sections... Activating now!" they jamb their finger down on a button dramatically but nothing seems to change at first.

However, Vurnu and the others above them nearly instantly notice result. The sound of a siren fills the air suddenly and as they look up toward the screens that had made up the artificial sky they see panels begin sliding back. Dropping down from the high ceiling were what looked like bulky hovercraft of various make, either trailing cables or hoses back toward the ceiling or freefloating.

The fighters pause as even the undead turn to look up at the hovercraft descending with sirens wailing and emergency lights flashing on them. Turrets swivel on their undersides as they drift toward the fiercest flames and a cry of excitement erupts from the survivors and defenders as jets of fire-suppressing foam or streams of water are fired down into the blazes.

"You did it! Fire fighting drones are active! Aha you did it!" Vurnu shouts over the comms in his excitement as already the glow of flames were diminishing around them. Their celebration was cut short however as the groans and shrieks of the undead rose over the sirens as the ghouls redirected the attentions of the zombies back toward the survivors rather than following the hovercraft flying out of reach.

Flatbody Gargoyles and other units throughout the ward report that local fire suppression systems were booting back up. Everything from mounted jets spraying suffocating CO2 to droids transporting canisters or trailing hoses. The zombies attack the moving droids but the hardy machines manage to do some good in restraining the fires before they are overwhelmed by the mindless undead and the other, more discreet, systems pick up in their place.

The tech sighs in relief, slouching in the seat as Porsa pats their shoulder, "Good job, I'll let Rethak himself know you did good. But now we need to get those atmospherics back. Can you do that?"

The tech takes a deep breath then nods, reaching out to pat the bone shell of their demi-Think Tank partner, "Yeah, yeah, I think we got that," they say while cracking their knuckles before returning to tapping away at the console.

>Ward Three fire suppression systems reactivated
>Fires have been contained and prevented from spreading
>Large number of survivors in process of being defended with Reconstructed reinforcements incoming

>>2907940
Jor lets out a long exhale of relief as he sinks into a hardlight chair that conforms to his body. After the exhausting ordeal of Reconstructing and Reforging Tekalaket, Jor had stayed for a bit to meet with several stonestar and obsidianborn as well as converse with the three Punishers. Now free of his armor he was seated in a Bloat Carrier en route to Rukor.

He was not the only passenger, the Carrier modified to be both cargo and passenger transport, between the populated moon and planet. Most of the others were stonestar as well as a few of the smaller Obsidianborn. A handful of Legionnaires were also present along with ructu who were returning to Rukor after visiting their neighbors.

A domestic Talon steps past him, pausing long enough to hand him a tall chitin mug before continuing on to distribute other drinks and meals from the cart it pushed. Jor relaxes as he looks out the diamond pane glass toward the asteroid belt they were passing while sipping carefully at the mug of narcotikelp tea.

Tired from the exhausting ordeal of visiting Bastion in addition to Reconstructing three Hero undead in so short a time, he drains the mug and places it by his feet. Closing his eyes he says he'll just rest for a moment before he is gently snoring, falling asleep for the first time away from Iti'a'Ropku in weeks.

>>2907972
Also I realize we haven't done this yet but Commander Rethak has the current orders to find potential agents among the Legion and Armada population to infiltrate both Veraga Prime and the Esat system to establish covert bases and undertake operations.

Roll me 2d100 best of first 3 please to search among those loyal to you

Rolled 70, 62 = 132 (2d100)

>>2907984

Rolled 15, 98 = 113 (2d100)

>>2907984

>>2907984

>>2907984
>>2908008
I'm an idiot

Rolled 54, 12 = 66 (2d100)

>>2907984
Here goes!

>>2907984
Commander Rethak, from the headquarters of the Necrolyte Legion on Legion's Home, had been spending recent days having Legionnaires and citizens of the Armada interviewed both there and in Iti'a'Ropku by other officers and Think Tanks. They were to be sent to Veraga Prime, to establish a covert foothold on the Confederate world, allowing them to keep a better eye on their neighbors.

To his satisfaction there were plenty of volunteers. Mostly they came from the Legions numbers, each eager to prove useful like their friends and comrades already standing guard over the smugglers. However, there were those from the citizens of Iti'a'Ropku that volunteered as well. They were a mix of those freed from Kanda's slave factories, immigrants from the Dagger Clan, and even several Horizon's Drop colonists like Buddy. They had a wide range of skills that could prove useful and after each was implanted with a control worm they were more than ready to depart.

Then with Jadyk's recent orders to find those capable of locating and contacting the resistance cells in the Esat system his search became even more intense. There were some loyal Legionnaires formerly of the Dynasty who volunteered, with some of the esat even saying they knew how to get in contact with resistance members.

It was when Think Tanks began broadcasting a simple message within the prisons were captives from the failed Arc Surge invasion were kept, that Rethak hit a break through. The message was short, merely asking for those with knowledge about the esat resistance movement to speak up. Within an hour after broadcasting it a number of esat throughout the prisons were already coming forward with info. Some knew about as much as the Legionnaires had, but it was a small handful that proved the most useful.

Gathered from different captured ships, these esat revealed they were active agents in the resistance, embedded as spies throughout the Ahkam military and navy. They reveal that should they be able to get planetside they could help link up various resistance cells into just the information network that Rethak was praying to the Wormstar and Black Flame to provide.

With their new Control Worms implanted their stories were verified then quickly gathered with the other volunteers and divided into infiltration teams. Stealth Corvettes and Coffins were provided and as you and Jor toiled alongside the Punishers and the Lavafather, they began to deploy on their new missions.

Commander Rethak offers up another prayer to the Wormstar and Black Flame, the osjiic Voidsinger turned Immortal finding he turned to prayer more and more in the days since his Reconstruction. He knew at one point in his life he'd find the practice scornful, but now it fills him with purpose and a fierce determination.

>Veraga Prime covert team assembled and awaiting deployment
>Esat revolutionary agents discovered and recruited
>Esat system infiltration teams assembled and deployed via stealth craft

>>2908159
Sorry to say gotta stop here for the night. Sorry for the lack of content folks, trying to jump around the different scenes and keeping them more compact.

Hope folks had some fun tonight. There were some good rolls and one really close call for success.

Not sure yet when I'll be able to continue this weekend but keep an eye on here or on twitter.

>>2908217

I appreciate the short scenes dealing with a bunch of stuff!

It's good to feel like nothing is being left behind.

>>2908217
I enjoy your massive updates. I love it when qm's go into detail in regards to what is going on.

>>2908217
Thank you for running. A blast as always!

>>2908159
Thanks grave and thank you spies

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>>2908217
Still following, still loving it

>>2909387
Yeah. Been here from thread 1. I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved, and thankful for graves for running this :)

>>2908217
Still loving it, even if the session are shorter I love the detail of the content.

>>2908217
When are we Reconstructing an Ahkam into a hero?

>>2913648
I mean, if folks finally want to vote on it. You do have something of an...excess of snakes in prison

>>2913732
Throw them in a Cauldron together. The Predators can have their own Gral

>>2913732

Surely we're waiting for the ancient dude who is our bomb ally (Sorry Graves, love your names, but they're hard) to accept our offer of becoming a hero?

>>2913768
Jadyk calling up Vle'karak for that was going to be in the next time the thread resumes actually

>>2913748
>Throw them in a Cauldron together. The Predators can have their own Gral
>Throw them in a Cauldron together.

So basically make a Ahkam hydra?
oh boy

>>2913772
That's going to be about making him an Immortal, right? It's a little different from Reconstruction, if I remember the details. They keep their memories, for one. Are there others?

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>>2913783
Yup, Immortality is different than Reconstruction. I mean, it's the same end result, but a slightly different process and allows the subject to retain their memories intact.

Current Immortals include Commander Rethak and ten other Legionnaires. As well as the original nine remaining members that...disappeared from their medpods.

So far, Omrhul and Qavun are the only Reconstructed to regain their memories. Current theory states that they regained their memories due to them either being loyal in life or volunteering to be willing sacrifices for Reconstruction.

>>2913774
>Ahkam hydra

>>2913774
The ark hydra

>>2913648
With our current modus operandi when one of the loyal ones is mortally wounded or we capture one who refuses to turn on their race. At the very least we should not do the former until we figure out the whole reconstructed mind stuff.

>>2913806
I guess the question is how many heads would it have and would each head be a different "Individual" or would they all be a single being?

>>2913806
>>2913783

Well we already have some reconstructed Akham right?? Wyrms iirc.

>>2913838
For my own sake, I'll say that any Reconstructed like that would be similar to Gral. Lot's of plural pronouns when talking about themself.

>>2913849
Wyrms and Ur-Wyrms (those personally made by Necromancers) are based off the genetics and bodyplan of an Ahkam.

Think about how Valresko is made from a Sunscale, while the Solar Wardens and newly created Bonescale are made after the Sunscale.

So far, until Vle'Karak gets Reconstructed with Immortality or until some other Ahkam gets tossed in the pot, it's looking like the Matriarch will become the first Reconstructed Ahkam. Though that will be more along the lines of the Fury of the Wormstar than a regular Reconstructed General

>>2913849
He was specifying a hero unit which would need a live sacrifice.

>>2913857
>>2913854
Of course. My mistake.

Then what say we let Vle'karak talk to our prisoners and designate any that he believes are beyond turning to our cause.
We reconstruct one into a hero, then we work with that one to create our Hydra?

>>2913854
Put the Matriarch and all our captured snakes into the Cauldron, it would be fun!

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>>2913648
It's only been about two and a half years in real time since we first suggested the idea but votes never supported it out of fear

I feel it's time we drop a snek in the pot and see what happens

>>2913876
I'm pretty sure fear was never an issue. Plus we are preparing for a minor campaign through ahkam space, there will be plenty of the space snakes to toss in the pot without killing armada loyalists.

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>>2913748
>>2913774
>Ahkam hydra
You just sold me on that.

>>2913868
The problem is that since the current stated goal of the New Necrotic Armada is to bring peace and unity to all species living and undead, it will be kind of counter-productive to that goal to just toss people to the cauldrons just to get new units.

Considering that two Ahkam Serpents (Cve'jok and Dne'tec) were put in prison for so long that they eventually chose to join the Armada if just out of boredom - and the danger of being killed by their mother, killing people that don't immeadiately join the Armada makes it seem a little weird, especially considering that Jadyk and the majority of the New Armadas leadership are immortal undead and thus have infinite time to wait for people to change their minds.

cont

>>2915668
Plus reconstructing unwilling people costs them their memories and it feels that the Ahkam Serpents as the leaders and most powerful beings of their faction will have valuable experiences for the wars that the Armada will probably take part in the future.

Personally i want to see a millitary unit comprised mainly of Ahkam Serpents loyal to the Armada.That would be terrifying for someone like the Osjiic Empire as the Serpents don't seem to normally take part in front line battles in that numbers.

>>2915671
I think it was the three Ahkam joining in to defend against the Osjiic attack is what helped tip the battles in our favor.

They weren't expecting three Ahkam to attack them like that there of all places. The Emperor must be a little upset at this development

>>2916563
Yes they didn't expect them which is part of my point. In the previous thread, the Armada finally finished researching the Matriarch's armor and so it's possible to equip with similar armor and weapons any Ahkam Serpent that joins the Armadas war effort.

Since the Serpents from the Dynasties except the Matriarch didn't seem to have any equipment (if you discount their implanded psionic communication device), having an entire force of Ahkam Serpents fully equipped will make for an effective counter for any non-Necrotic force - after all the Ahkam were altered in the past to become living weapons. Void users like the Osjiic will have an even harder time fighting them, especially if Vle'Karak takes part in it (since he is a legendary general of the Ahkam).

cont

>>2916724
Of course, Jadyk (preferably with the assistance of Vle'Karak) will have to first convince the imprisoned Serpents to join the Armada. Not so hard it might seem since most of them surrendered willingly and there might be some (like Cve'jok used to) that feel overshadowed by the Matriarchs power and want to have their own accomplishments recognised - and if they join the Armada they will have ample opportunities to gain glory against the other factions.

>>2916732
>Ahkam Necrolyte Legionnaires
Yes pls.

Cve'jok is probably the ideal candidate to join them huh? Daughter of a Matriarch joining the holy army of their enemy

>>2916766
Well there is room for everyone who wants to join the Legion, however i wonder if because of the special circumstances regarding the Serpents (they were the former masters of a large number of current Necrolytes), they should be placed in a special unit on their own - with proper Reconstructed support of course.

>>2916841
I just remembered, we have 2 Deathshead who surrendered also

>>2917359
>>2916841
Yeah, even just on the basis of their abilities alone they can't just be treated as regular infantry. They're walking tanks at the very least. They could possibly work as heavy fire support for some infantry units, but not as part of one. Even the Tyrre have to be treated significantly differently.

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>>2917447
>>2916841
Not suggesting we put their skills of bureaucracy to their ultimate test

Arkham receptionists
"Lord Jaydk will see you in a moment please take a seat"

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>>2917501
What a lovely snek you have there

>>2917359
They are an exception however as they seem to have surrendered due to their honor code. They believed the battle was lost after the defeat of the lead guardian and coupled with the fact that the emperor broke their own cease fire, they probably felt that the honorable thing to do was to surrender. That same honor unfortunately will prevent them from willingly joining the Armada.

As Ascendant Blade said, despite his frustration with the breaking of the cease fire, the Deathshead Guardians exist to serve the Osjiic emperor. The Guardian prisoners will possibly be good for a chat but it is unlikely for them to join the Armada. Now if Jadyk or Lorgul became the next Emperor of the Osjiic that would change things.

I want to hold out until we've got three Matriarch corpses myself, so we can build a sweet giant Reconstructed Ghidorah.

>In before the Head Akham Matriarch is so big that she bites her tail in order to orbit a gas giant(or even a star

>>2922554
Then the Armada has a chance to create an Ahkam Ringworld.

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>>2922554
>Space Opera Jormungandar
Hmm

>>2922554
Populated by space Vikings living on a literal world serpent

>>2924918
Sounds like the next quest idea has been named

>>2924933
lol the next quest was already named.

It was Meldric Adventurer Quest

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>>2924936
>it was
>was

>>2925041
I mean, I'm me so it's pretty much not dead.

I still have plans and want to continue it