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"It was her, wasn't it?" Gina asks, rubbing small circles into your back as you sit cross-legged next to Julia's living room table. The taste of salt still lingers on your tongue, your lungs still scream from the after-burn of acrid water. Ghosts of sensations from someone you still share a bond with, though even ghosts can take their toll, it seems.

"I think...I think she crossed the River of Tears." You choke out, dragging in harsh, rattling breaths with strained lungs.

"What the hell is she trying to pull?" Rath asks angrily, her voice steadily rising tas her grim tightens fearfully on your arm. "I swear to god, if that fucking bitch pulls this kind of shit again after what she put us through I'll..."

"THA-SUTH."

The windows tremble in their panes, threatening to shatter as a high-pitched voice tears though the small space, carrying words of an alien tongue. You find the pain in your chest receding, your mind clearing as you look up at the source of the unexpectedly calming utterance.

Amara's two-tone eyes glitter at you, her pleasure at her own exclamation evident in her wide, self-satisfied grin. Whatever those words were that she intoned, they carried the power to ease your heart and calm your senses, and you find yourself in awe as you mirror her smile.

"That's one of a bunch of stuff I figured out how to do while you were away!" She chirps happily, hands behind her back. "Feel better?"

"Much." You say, rising to your feet at ruffling her hair affectionately. "Thank you, Amara."

You turn to Gina and Rath, who are already on their feet and ready to follow you as you begin to address them.

"Alright, I have an idea of where to go next thanks to Karma." You begin, feeling the Contender thrumming at your hip. "So let's get ready to..."

Julia steps forwards and fixes you with dark eyes, a gentle hand on your arm as she gives you pause with her hard, determined gaze.

(Continued)

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>>3342379

"Shu, I...I'm not one for fighting, but I'll d-do whatever I can to help." Julia says, straightening her back as Dorian watches her intently. "I'll fight, if it means k-keeping others out of harm's w-way."

"I second that motion." Dorians follows, stepping forward gallantly with a flourish of his bright white suit-tails. You can't help but flinch slightly when his amorphous hard hardens into a taloned claw. "I may not be as experienced as the rest of you, but it would be my honor to stand by you and help make this world a better place."

"Me too!" Amara chimes in, jumping up and down at your side. "I wanna make cool stories like the one you told me about Maroon Dracula!"

While that's not exactly the take-away you wanted her to get from your story, you find yourself appreciating her enthusiasm as Rath chuckles to your left.

"Heh, I dunno if you've noticed, Shu..." She begins, gesturing wide at Julia, Dorian, and Amara. "...but we ain't exactly hurting for ass-kickers around here."

{She has a point, Shu} Gina speaks into your mind. {Do you want to switch things up a bit?}

It hadn't really occurred to you, until now. While you, Gina, and Rath are a capable unit on your own, getting to know your other allies' strengths and weaknesses would certainly be beneficial in the long run. You're pretty sure all three of them are pretty intent on joining you, but you would like to leave at least two people behind to keep an eye on your home base, as it were.

In any case, you have five sets of eyes on you and a pair of destinations in mind, so it's time to make the call.

>>Go back to Dorian's house and down to the shore of the River of Tears. You're intent on reaching the Forge that Karma spoke about, and creating gear strong enough to give you an edge against the Blasphemous Engine and its guardian.

>>There's an untouched Sparagmos Engine deep within the Amalgam Sororitas' old home, and while you're not sure of its full capabilities you know that it contains immense potential...so much so that Mother used it to win the Crucible, and hid one away when she couldn't destroy it.

>>Write-In

AND

CHOOSE THREE FROM THE FOLLOWING TO COMPOSE YOUR PARTY

>>Gina

>>Rath

>>Amara (Abilities: https://pastebin.com/8SKWGqWu)

>>Dorian (Abilities: https://pastebin.com/4du0MhzA)

>>Julia (Abilities: https://pastebin.com/U1nR7LcP)

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3342384
>>There's an untouched Sparagmos Engine deep within the Amalgam Sororitas' old home, and while you're not sure of its full capabilities you know that it contains immense potential...so much so that Mother used it to win the Crucible, and hid one away when she couldn't destroy it.

For party members:

Gina and Amara seem to have similar roles as our 'spellcasters'. Rath and Julia work as damage dealers (and Julia doubles as a debuffer), and Dorian is flexible enough to help out in any role. Here's what I'm thinking for party composition:

Shu
Amara
Rath
Dorian

If Gina stays behind, we can use our telepathy to communicate with each other. That way, if anything goes wrong at home base, we can run back ASAP and help out.

(Voting shall close in two hours, Gentlemen.)

(Additionally, this Vein will have a more relaxed posting schedule than previous ones on account of a busy ahead and several packed evenings. However, unlike usual I shall continue paying over the weekend. Thank you so much for your participation, and take care.)

>>3342384
>There's an untouched Sparagmos Engine deep within the Amalgam Sororitas' old home, and while you're not sure of its full capabilities you know that it contains immense potential...so much so that Mother used it to win the Crucible, and hid one away when she couldn't destroy it.

Shu
Amara
Rath
Dorian

Would be good to have Gina along to DEEP SCAN down there, but we have Rath's phosphorus for light and DAMAGE, Amara's skintalking to get info from Fleshscape and get experience, Dorian to look pretty and get experience

>>3342384
>>There's an untouched Sparagmos Engine deep within the Amalgam Sororitas' old home, and while you're not sure of its full capabilities you know that it contains immense potential...so much so that Mother used it to win the Crucible, and hid one away when she couldn't destroy it.

Amara
Dorian
Julia

Best bet to get to know them is in a potentially safer place we have been before, and i want to try them all out too. Plus, with Ginas link to Shu, if things do go too south, she can both know and be there quicker due to the waystation and red cord bond.


Meanwhile, Rath and Gina can either guard the house, go tinker in the forge, or split up on said tasks as they wish.

>>3342384
Changing my vote from >>3342465 to
Amara
Dorian
Julia
Just have all the new people with us and start to git gud.

>>3342447
BHOP
>>3342384
Question: is the Engine a one-use item? or can it be used multiple times?

>>3342506
>>3342384
I'm going to pose that question to Karma.

(Writing now, Gentlemen.)

>>3342384

“Okay.” You breathe, turning to Gina and Rath. “Are you both alright with holding down the fort while the rest of us…?”

“YAY!” Amara screams, the floor shuddering from the power of her voice as she throws herself at your legs, while Dorian directs a gracious bow in your direction.

“Come on, how can I say no to that?” Rath grins, shooting you a thumb’s up. “It’s cool, Gina and I got this.”

{We’ll keep the place warm for you, Shu} Gina says with a wink and a smile, and you turn away before your spreading blush becomes more apparent.

“Alright everyone.” You say, putting on your best leader-face. “Let’s go.”

You and your new team exchange a series of hug and well-wishes with Gina and Rath, and then you descend as one into Charon’s waystation.

You note with some concern that Charon is still absent, though thanks to your bond with Gina, she’s able to channel through you and allow you passage to the first station you ever discovered, deep in the heart of Kosi’s home. You’re having to drag Amara from the ruins of the Envious City when a question occurs to you, and you focus your mind on the Hexane weapon at your side.

[Contend…Karma, are you there?]

|Always, Master. How may I help?| She replies, her luxurious voice caressing your mind.

[The Engine, the uncorrupted one we’re going after...what are it’s parameters? Can it be used more than once?]

You can practically feel Karma adjust her posture, preparing to deliver information with relish while you make strides towards the towering factory.

(Continued)

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>>3342562

|It can alter the parameters of a single Daughter at a time, so rest assured that everyone present with you will have the chance to utilize the Sparagmos Engine once. I do know that it is supposed to have something of a cool-down per Daughter, though I am uncertain as to how long that may be since I have only encountered the one Mother tampered with, and she had removed any such restrictions.|

[Okay, next thing] You continue, watching Amara dash ahead of you with Julia hot on her heels. [What exactly can the Engine do? I’m still trying to understand how the thing we saw beneath Dorian’s…]

You stop mid-question when both Amara and Julia skid to a halt, only a short distance from the towering factory that the Amalgam Sororitias called home. When you and Dorian catch up with them, you notice Amara’s head is tilted intently at the ground, while your resident sculptress has a look of concern on her taught features.

“Treasure!” Amara chirps happily, twirling in place. “Monster and a treasure!”

“There’s something d-down there.” Julia says, kneeling down with her hand to the fleshscape. “Large, left as a g-guard by Mother.”

She looks up at you and the shifting artist by your side.

“I t-think we can put it t-to rest, though.” She says, glancing between the two of you, only a tinge of uncertainty in her knitted brow. “Between the four of us, we stand a good chance of victory.”

Dorian gives you an assured nod, his hands sharpening into gleaming talons of crystallized liquid. You brought them here, and it’s up to you to get them out in one piece.

>>None of them have worked in a team like this before, so they’ll be leaning on you for guidance (Establish marching orders, then begin your descent).

>>Confer with Julia and Amara to see if they can tell anything else about the area, the guardian, or other items of note (Write-In).

>>Touch base with Dorian. He’s been exposed to relatively close proximity to an Engine before. Maybe that connection holds true here, as well?

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3342563
>Confer with Julia and Amara to see if they can tell anything else about the area, the guardian, or other items of note (Write-In).
>Details about the guardian. How big is it? What are its likely capabilities? Does it have any blind spots?
>Send in a swarmling to scout ahead.

I'll wait until we actually get to the Engine before asking Dorian about a possible connection.

>>3342563
>"What does the route down there look like? Is there any traps or amalgams besides the guardian?
>Spawn a Knight Class swarmling for Amara. (make it look like FuzzBuzz in a chitonous suit of armor).
>"Amara, is there any other treasure besides the big one? Sometimes Dungeons like these have side rooms that carry little loot besides the big one to encourage exploration~"

(Gentlemen, voting shall remain open for two hours. Thank you for your participation.)

>>3342566
this also hello bhop

>>3342563
>>None of them have worked in a team like this before, so they’ll be leaning on you for guidance
>Send forth a 4 scoutlings as you have amara and julia feed you info.
>Dorian in defense mode and julia out front, Julia as second in command.
>Amara behind Shu in second row.
>Give both Dorian and Julia minor armor, hand the gauntlets to Julia too unless they interfere with her abilites.
>Get our knightling and two medium banelings ready aswell.
>We go in quietly, but ready to act on a instant.

>>3342583
(Hello, Gen! I'm glad you made it.)

>>3342563
Seconding this one: >>3342566
With the addition of the swarmling being subversive.

>>3342563
supporting >>3342576 and >>3342585

>>3342576
>>3342585
Supporting.

>>3342563

You enter the factory as a team as a single Subversive swarmling wriggles free of your back, flying down into the dark as you kneel before the shutter doors.

“Hey, can you two gather any details about the thing down there?” You ask to the ladies flanking you. “Size, capabilities, and the like? Any blind spots?”

“It’s n-not moving around much, but aside from t-that I c-can’t say. I’m s-sorry.” Julia replies sadly, and you put a reassuring hand on her shoulder before you turn to Amara.

“Itsa’ doggo.” She declares with a sage nod. “It’s a big ‘ol doggo, so sleepy, much tired. Yep!”

Well, that’s better than nothing. You switch your vision to your swarmling as it passes the Sororitas’ still-tidy room, slipping through the elevator doors at the end of the hall and descending the lightless shaft.

“Amara, are there any other treasure besides the big one? Sometimes dungeons have side rooms that carry little loot besides the big one.” You select your phrasing carefully, and it has the intended effect when her eyes light up. “Can you tell anything else about what’s down in the dungeon, or the layout?”

She drops to the factory floor before you can stop her and starts to mutter to the cracks in the concrete foundation. She tilts her ear, listening intently before a wide grin spreads across her face.

“Nothing’s changed since the last time I was here! And it looks like there’s something really cool just past the main treasure room, like a second little hidden treasure!”

“Wait a second, are you saying you know this place?” You ask, and you’re met with a series of nods so rapid they make your neck hurt.

“Of course! Mom used to take me back and forth between here and our house!” Amara answers cheerfully. “She was always super-super busy running everything around here, so she let me play in the basement while she worked!”

Switching your vision to your scout’s, you stop when something stirs in the darkness, a lanky and angular form rising lazily from the cold stone floor, growing in height until…your swarmling’s eyes seem to distort, as you realize that your creation has abruptly been reduced to inert biomass.

“I can take point going forwards.” Dorian offers from behind you, his arms lengthening into a pair of multi-hued tendrils.

If you’re going to do this, you know you need to consider your approach carefully.

>>You’re here, and at least half your team has combat experience. You like those odds. Begin your descent into the Factory basement, armoring yourself and your allies as you go (Select buffs for Shu and Amara to grant self and allies).

>>Descend into the basement, and have Amara attempt to communicate with the creature before you engage. If it’s Daughter-based, you may be able to reason with it despite Mother having placed it here.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3342756
>Dog Guardian.
A Hound of Tindalos? Nevertheless it's a big doge. Like Sif the Great-Grey-Wolf-Sized Big.
I wonder if it has an owner? or waiting for an owner? Dogs usually stay with their owner, some of them are so loyal they'll stay and wait at a certain spot til death or their owner's return.
>"Amara do you remember seeing a doggo in the factory your mom worked in? Maybe the doggie misses its owner."

>>3342756
>>Armor up while you descend into the basement, then see if you can talk to the creature.

BHOP, can Amara not specifically target herself yet, just her allies?

(Gentlemen, voting shall close in one and a half hours, and due to obligations this evening I shall be pausing for the night after the next post. However, I shall resume posting tomorrow morning the same time I opened the Vein today. Additionally, tomorrow evening is primed for a night of rapid posting starting at a yet undetermined time. Would everyone be alright with tomorrow evening being a series of rapid updates?)

>>3342772
(She cannot target herself yet, you are correct.)

>>3342756
>open up that empathy connection to the dog guardian try to read its body language.

>>3342756
>Julia and Dorian get light armor, Julia the gauntlets if they do not interfere with her ability.
>Give Amara the shawl if we have it.
>Speed boost Julia and Dorian via Amara.
> Make sure we spawn the knightling to stay back and guard Amara.

>>3342775
that should work fro me yeah.

>>3342809
whoops, forgot to say;
>while we should prepare for combat, we can try and have Amara talk to it, though with Shus tongue at the ready to pull her to safety.

(Writing now, Gentlemen.)

>>3342756

You run the plan past your allies as a series of platelings spawn from your back, beginning to gird Dorian against whatever you’re about to face down there.

“The armor I’m about to give you reacts with disruptive chaff when you get hit, so don’t panic when you ink the opposition.” You say, leveling an instructor’s glance at each of your older allies. “Prepare for it, and use it to your advantage if this thing tries to get up close. Amara? Did your Mom have any dogs, or did anyone she work with have one?”

The little girl shakes her head, her bangs going wild about her face.

“Nope! They weren’t allowed on factory grounds, she was really serious about that.” She informs you, and you scratch one possibility off your list. Rising, you slide the Ignition Gantlets off your wrists and onto the slender arms of Julia. You’re impressed with Rath’s forethought when they slim down and tighten around her forearms, shifting to a snug fit.

“Those gauntlets Rath made have a kick, so be careful. Hey, you need physical contact to use your abilities, right?” You ask, and you run a hand over the tops of both pieces of armor as your platelings gird the rest of the slight girl. She smiles as the tips of the armor recede, leaving her fingers exposed and her abilities viable.

“T-thank you, Shu.” Julia says gratefully, as a chuckle from behind her makes you look up. Dorian’s armor seems to shift in hue, somehow becoming a stark white to match his coat.

“It’s like a paladin’s armor! I love it, Miss Shu!” He exclaims, and you look down when Amara tugs on your shirt, having already spoken a pair of simple phrases that don’t seem to have any immediate effect on your allies.

“Do I get a cool costume, too?” She asks, hopeful. You smile at her and usher FuzzBuzz to your side. The moment the swarmling alights on your shoulder a series of armored plates emerge on its downy shell, gleaming and distinguished as you promote him to a Knight. As she’s marveling at her favorite swarmling’s fancy new getup, you pull Shalaev’s Shawl from your pocket and press it into her hands.

“It’s an invisibility cloak.” You say, and you think she may just faint then and there from delight. “Keep it on, and FuzzBuzz will keep you safe, alright?”

She nods and vanishes before your eyes, and with that, you begin your journey into the dark. You’re not sure if the jittery nature Julia and Dorian seem to share at current is due to nervous energy or Amara’s speed boost, but something tells you it’s a blend of both.

(Continued)

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>>3342981

The elevator shaft takes a bit of work, but between Amara’s piggy-backing on you, Dorian’s motile arms, and Julia’s clever use of her skin as a makeshift parachute (much to Dorian’s amusement), the four of you reach the bottom without incident. A dull glow from down the hallway before you is paired with a low hum, and you know you’re close.

Something speaks a warning, in a language of harsh angles and sharp syllables. You feel Amara wince beside you as you open the empathic channel to the beast, you and your team emerging from the hall and into a large underground cistern, at the center of which hums seven pillars, surrounding an altar of onyx stone. Far less malevolent than its kin that hums beneath Dorian’s home, it still emanates an aura of something otherworldly, something from beyond understanding.

A Sparagmos Engine, intact and unviolated.

“Hello?” Amara says, still cloaked at your side. “We don’t mean you any harm doggo, we’re just here to see your Engine thingy and…”

From within the multitudinous angles of the pillars something emerges, undulating flesh binding an impossible form. It paws silently around and between the jet-black spires, your eyes struggling to focus on the utterly alien form that stalks towards you. A gaze composed of a dozen luminous sockets meets yours, staring you down with a predator’s focus. It speaks again, its words cutting gashes across your mind, the intent behind its harsh speech as clear to you as the tension that you feel in your allies.

You should not have come here.

“Shu...um…” Amara begins, and for the first time since you met there’s a hint of fear and hesitation in her small voice.

“…I don’t think that doggo’s friendly.”


Shu the Defiant

VS.

THE FLESHBOUND TINDALOS

HP: 100%
BIO: 97% (8 Platelings, 1 Knighted FuzzBuzz, 9/18 Active)
CONTENDER: Empty, Basic Form
RAVENOUS MAW: Primed and Ready.
ACT: 2/2
THREAT: Medium, approaching, ancient.

AMARA HP: 50% (Cloaked)
DORIAN HP: 120% (Armored, Hastened)
JULIA HP: 160% (Ignition Gauntlets Equipped, Armored, Hastened)

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, as mentioned previously I shall have to pause here for the evening due to a prior commitment. Thus, voting shall remain open for the next twelve hours, and I shall resume writing shortly thereafter. I shall be available some of this evening to address your questions, comments, and criticisms as always. Thank you so very much for your understanding and participation, and take care.)

>>3342983
We should try to cripple and/or distract it (in order to facilitate the use of Julia's abilities)
Tell Amara to distract it, summon about 2 swarmlings targeting the eyes, and Julia and Dorian should go on the offensive as the most able to deal damage. Next round the Contender's probably up.

>>3343001
Seconded. Dorian should go into a defensive mode and tank attacks, while Julia should attack it and layer on debuffs. Amara should slow it down as well with Rho Vul.

Let's see what kind of combat capabilities it has before we use a specific plan of attack.

>>3343025
Do we want just "Rho Vul" or to make it "Ter Rho Vul"?
And I suggest buffing allies next round with "San Tha".

>>3342983
A Hound of Tindalos variant.
>lanky
>paws silently around.
This one looks like a hit-run type.
>A gaze composed of a dozen luminous sockets meets yours
It can't be flanked or blindsided. It can see through camouflage, which is why it destroyed the swarmling scout.
>slim and lanky.
It's built for speed.

>>3343036
We need to hinder its movement options. It's dangerous enough as is. and our allies are buffed enough as is.

In terms of vulnerability, Amara is the most vulnerable, the shawl isn't a good defense for her because the hound has true sight.
Next on the list would be Shu, second to lowest health pool of the group, intergal to the command structure. She spent much of her bio making swarmlings and armoring up her partners.

>>3342983
>(8 Platelings, 1 Knighted FuzzBuzz, 9/18 Active)
We really should be keeping a few swarmlings on us at all times. There's no reason Shu should need to waste actions constructing nearly all of her offence on the spot.
BHOP, did we have a subversive swarmling that was scouting ahead of us, or did it get pounced/converted?

In any case, we should keep spawning more. Let's say 4 acidic swarmlings and 4 recursive drill swarmlings (the latter of which then combine into two).
The first thing to do is blind it, so we'll see if we can use acid for that, and if that doesn't work, we can have drill swarminglings go in so they can ferry the baby swarmlings as far inside the dog's skull as we can manage.

Dorian should go into paint blob mode encumber and blind (once the acid has runs its course).

>>3342983
right, here we go.

>SHU; spawn two banelings, and have them fly over and rest on Dorians shoulders.

>DORIAN; step forwards and attempt to garner the Fleshhounds attention. make it look like the swarmlings came from you, 'tossing' them out and in a low fly arch towards the thing. be prepared to use your enhanced movement to spring away at a moments notice, but only once it gets extremely close.

>AMARA; once the Fleshhound has charged Dorian and gets close, use VUL TER RHO on the enemy, to of course hinder their movement.

>JULIA; once Dorian is out of the way and the Fleshhound hindered, rush in and go as nuts as you can upon the Fleshhounds legs, then back off.

>SHU; After Julia is done, attempt to wrap its head into your Tongue, and either hold it steady or if you can, drag it towards yours Executionors Maw.

How many swarmlings can we make In a round? If we can do so I'd say make a full 9 more and have four of them play Interception and send five In to attack.

We can afford to make more If we lose swarmlings, as they're rather cheap to make (basic ones) now aren't they?

>>3343401
>Basic Swarmling Cost: 1%, Enhanced Swarmling Cost: 5% (for combinations, the cost is merely additive at your swarmling’s current level. Chitinous Stalwart: 65% for Full Armor.)

yeah, we really under utilize just how cheap basic Swarmlings are, considering they aint nothing to snuff at, can take a free hit, and worse case scenario we can combine them to make them bigger.

i mean, i actually do not know the answer, but which is better, a Baneling or a x5 size Swarmling? they would both cost the same, so...

>>3343401
(You have no creation limit, and basic swarmlings cost a mere 1% BIO to craft and can survive lethal damage with one health remaining, making them considerably stronger than they used to be.)

>>3343418
They can take TWO hits anon. With what we have,We' best better its attack options. With the build it has, it can easily blitz around the room and deal 50% damage to Amara in a single swipe or tackle. And I'd rather not leave it up to dice when the Hound does get in a hit.

>>3343418
oh, and i dont think we have a limit, or at least, one has never been given to us, though background info wise there may be a limit per ACT.

it was implied actually, that using an Ability counts as an ACT, but no limit therein for said Ability. movement and Attacking also both used up an ACT, with both being limited to 1 unless otherwise affected.

our Swarmlings however, seem to each themselves be able to do an ACT, or something akin to it, though they might still only together be able to follow one 'order/plan' from us a turn.

again, BHOP seemed to intentionally leave it vague but this is about what i garnered from our conversation when i asked, so do take it with a grain of salt.

>>3343433
>free hit
ill admit this is poorly worded but i meant this as in, a hit without taking a damage, aka a free hit, which yes would mean they can take at least two.

>>3343424
>>3342983
Yeah, how about In addition to the banelings people are suggesting, why don't we

>make 7 swarmlings for 7% BIO
>put four on defense and send 3 In with the banelings on offense

The worst thing can happen Is we lose swarmlings to taking the brunt of the offense for a small handful of Bio, which we can just rinse and repeat. I'd rather not lose Dorian or Amara when we could be playing safe right now.

>>3343441
id only like to point out we have tried playing it safe multiple times in the past only for an enemy to simply find a work around or just smash right through.

at least with my plan we attempt to lure it into actions we ourselves wish it to take, rather than hoping it takes actions that we want, and can actually inhibit or stop.

>>3343449
I'd like to point out our plans aren't Incompatible.

We can very easily follow your plan and have Swarmlings around as a safety net. They deal damage, and soak up aggro and damage and only cost a mere 7% more BIO.

The only problem Is I don't know how many we can spawn that the action would count as one ACT and fit In with the first part. If we can make a full 9 (2 bane 7 basic) then lets do It, If not then add as many basic swarmlings as we can.

They're almost free shields anon, free shields on a pretty squishy team. Just do both.

>>3343469
(You are able to make a full nine, yes. Using a single ACT, you are able to craft as many Swarmlings of as many types as you have available slots and BIO. This is the most potent ability of a Hive Mistress, as no other class has as much sheer overwhelming numbers as they do. Even high-level Generators do not have such high caps or cheap creations.)

>>3343469
>>3343424
no creation limit, so id think at worst a single Act.
>>3343480
and so it is.

and true, not reason a screening shield cannot be added to my plan.
ignore my idiocy i simply saw your ID color and thought you one of the previous Anons,that is my fault.

Situation:
We have a Hound of Tindalos variant.
>Ancient
That big of an age implies that it's very wise and experienced. It probably has more actions per turn.
Room layout is thus: We have a circular room with a circle of spires.
>lanky and sleek build.
Speedster. Hit and run tactic. The fact that it's ANCIENT means that
>That tongue.
That's probably it's main method of attack. We've seen the roach hounds use the tongues as prehensile tools to throw skulls and fangs at terrifying speeds.
>claws and quad-pedal build.
It's a fast doggo. if we're going to limit its options, we need to do 3 things:
1. Cripple it's mobility, break its legs, or make it so that it any sort of movement option get limited.
2. muzzle the hound. The tongue is probably what smashed the swarmling scout.
3. blind it's eyes. That thing's entire head and neck is glowing eye central. It can't be flanked nor surprised.

>>3343483
(Ha, no worries, Anon.)

>>3343485
(I'd like to point out that this Anon is correct about the tongue, the picture is accurate.)

>>3343483
all of our IDs change every vein anon.

>>3343483
Huh. Would you humor me, who exactly did you think I was? Did you get In an argument with anon about something and you thought I was them?

>>3343496
>>3343517
yes i am very aware of that. but when you only glance once and do not pay attention and there is already 5 IDs with purple/Magenta coloring you tend to mistake people for one another. it probably matters that i was mildly distracted at the moment so was simply trying to get the response out.

it was no argument only i found earlier posted Actions for this update not really fully compatible with mine and some playing it pretty safe compared to what i thought necessary.

Did someone just delete a post, or have I finally been driven to the point of paranoid Insanity?

>>3343533
i did as i made a mistake i refuse to leave due to my personal convictions about /qst/ etiquette.

(There was that one hilarious thread in which I and three other participants had olive-drab codes, and considering I'm colorblind that was a ridiculous time.)

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>>3343550
>colorblind
>the main way of telling Anons apart is via color coding
oh my lord some of these conversations already get inter-tangled like hell, i cant even imagine what they must look like to you.

>>3343538
>>3343538
Oh good, I thought I had lost It when I saw '56 replies' and clicked back Into the thread only for nothing to have changed and the catalog to tell me there had been no posts In minutes. It was an odd few moments. And good on you for being concerned with a post being written correctly on a Mongolian storytelling board.

>>3343550
Oy vey. While I think the ID tags help generally with sorting out communication between anons and discouraging shitposting to an extent, they bring these odd problems to the table too.

>>3343568
>>3343550
Actually this reminds me, there Is a /qst/ trick that might help with that some In the future If you don't know It already.

Click on someone's ID, and you highlight *all* of their posts. This only works for one anon at a time, but could be useful If you ever run Into the Olive-drab problem again.

>>3342983
Shu:
>Act 1: spawn 2 cicadalings and 7 basic swarmlings (each swarmling a different vibrant color of the rainbow). Cicadalings will make their high frequency noises that run on the same wavelength as Amara's Lexicon screaming, and also flank the hound. The swarmlings however will attach themselves and sting out the eyes on one side of the hound, Hopefully on the same side that Dorian is attacking. Render it blind on one side.
>Act 2: Load up a B.33 special.Don't fire until you have a clear shot. Aim for the Hound's mouth. The B.33 special will gum up the mouth and render the tongue useless.
>Free action: Switch to Lion Heart Saber after you've fired the B.33 special.
Amara:
>VUL TER RHO. If possible, harmonize with the Cicadalings so that the hound will not hear the spell being cast.
>Stay close to Miss Shu.
Julia:
>Act 1: Ready an action to counter
>Act 2: Strafe around the hound, your job is to limit the movement options the hound can have. If you see an opening, aim to break its forelegs.
Dorian:
>Free action: Morph into Canvass Form
>Act 1: to close the distance with the hound. Force it to react you.
>Free action: Morph into Critic Form
>Act 2: Spawn 4 limbs in critic mode. Aim for the eyes on one side. If you do hit the eyes, then that's a bonus. The purpose for this move is to limit the Hound's movement options.

>>3343538
>>3343533
>>3343036
>>3343001
Gentlemen, I would like a peer review of my battle tactic proposal. The overall goal in my battleplan for this round is to achieve the following objectives:
>Blind the Hound on one side, establish a flank of vulnerability.
>establish arena control and try to limit is movement options. A combination of Amara's spell cast, harrying swarmlings, and two 3 daughters flanking its options
>Disabling its attack options. Objectives 1 & 2 will help, but it boils down to whether or not Shu can shoot the pupper right in the kisser. If she lands the shot with the B.33 special, then that will swing the tide of battle in our favor.
>>3343550
>BHOP's blind to olive drab.
Well shoot. Can you still see Green text fine?

A thought as cropped up in my mind. What if the Tindalos hound is here because of Mother's actions in the previous Crucible? What if the Hound was stationed at this engine after the Cord saw what Mother did to an engine in the previous crucible?
If Sparagmos engines were created by Charon and Mother's race to combat the Cord and the Crucible, then where did it get the power source?
To my knowledge, after the Crucible begins, all other power sources (electrical, nuclear, things that are made by civilization) are rendered null and inoperable except for the bio-energy of the planet.

If my theory is correct, then the Sparagmos engines sap the bio-energy directly from the planet itself, which may be considered a sin in the circles of the higher eldritch deities. It's probably why we have a True Hound of Tindalos here guarding the untainted engine.

So what if we told this hound that There exists a Sparagmos engine that has been corrupted by Mother? To guard the engine may be its true purpose, but we don't really NEED the Engine's power. All we need is the guardian that guards it. And lets ask the hound, how many visitors have been to this place aside from our group?

>>3343603
(I adjusted my monitor, so I can see things just fine. I appreciate your concern, Anon.)

>>3343650
im not sure that is true, the energy thing i mean. issue is im not sure we have run across a powerplant or even a battery, as we woke up two years in where things have already been looted to all hell and back.

>>3343603
im still of the opinion trying to lure it into a hard hitting trap, rather than hoping our actions keep it reoccupied, is the better option.

mine also leaves everyone but Dorian(after his doubly enhanced movement dodge) close together to defend eachother and keep attention off Amara/ not leaving her open to get too as much.

ths issue is, if its fast/strong enough, spreading ourselves out too thin will leave it too many gaps to push through, and while im all for trying to blind it and perhaps go for its mouth next turn, if we wrap up its head we would also temporarily keep its own tongue in check. i suppose im trying to say you hope to distract it and keep it too busy to move, im worried with us so far apart, regardless of trying to harass it, it will jsut rush out an opening in our thin lines and either rush down a single target or fully escape our encirclement to take up a better position outside of it, an issue we will not have if it has already gone for us and we simply turn where it wishes to be against it.
(in game turns, we make it waste an ACT rushing us and springing a trap in mine, in yours it has not yet use an ACT movement and thus still has an escape method.)

>>3342983
Let me try something first peeps. A thought has occurred to me. And I want to try out this idea. I know it's probably an idea that shoots us in the foot in the long run (for those who really want to use this well hidden Sparagmos engine), but I think the long-term rewards are worth it.
>Have our allies at the ready, if negotiations fail, the proceed with the battle plan.
>channel waves of shame and guilt.
>"I know that. Ancient Hound of Tindalos. We should not be here. We should not have been looking for this engine in the first place. The engine you guard is for good reason. I know what Mother did in the previous Crucible."
>"Something has happened. There is a Sparagmos Engine to the west. Underneath a mansion in the middle of the forest. It's been corrupted. Twisted. A thing has been using it to malevolent use, Tossing daughters into it to form Gemstones of some kind. For its own selfish use."
>Channel Anger and rage, show it to the hound in order to gain tactical empathy.
>"I wish I could show you what I saw. How I felt. I hated it, Karma wants it destroyed. I want it destroyed. If you saw what I saw down there you would be sure to go into a frothing rage."
>"But I'm not strong enough. My friends aren't strong enough."
>"We need your help."
>"Help us take down the corrupted guardian that's using that engine, help us destroy that infernal corrupted engine. And we will leave you and this engine alone to be forgotten."

>>3343692
Didn't Karma say Mother put the hound here though? I just cant see a minion of mother caring.

>>3343719
It's worth a shot, on the off chance that this was from another entity other than Mother. But that could be me. I'm not entirely sure what I was thinking.

on a random note. i kinda wanna give Amara the contender at some point, because im very curious what the hell it would fire in a skintalkers hands. or...would it just become like, a microphone or something?

and no, im not against giving a kid a gun, at least in this world.

>>3343790
On that train of thought, I think now's the perfect time for Shu to hand Amara the Karma gun. unfortunately, it's a bit too late for proper acclimation.

>>3343818
yeah, shame it gets locked in per session, so its gonna be awhile before we could hand it off anyways. just an idea for the future is all

>>3343818
>>3343790
I'm of the opinion to never hand over Karma to anyone, ever. Karma evolves the more she's used In our grip, or actually It would be more accurate to say that *we* attune to *her* as time goes on, and are able to use more of their power as we become accustomed to each other. I'd rather maintain that growth at all times In order to Increase the contenders base effectiveness as well as forms and specialty ammunition at our disposal.

>>3343829
eh, i get that, but to be fair, if we ever were gonna hand it off, handing the powerful ranged weapon over to the girl who should never take any hit at all, thus never be even close to melee range, is probably the one to hand it to.

im willing to let Amara use it once or twice personally, just for the sheer curiosity aspect of it. plus, Shu honestly will not be hindered by not having it, obviously its a major asset but she wont notice it gone anywhere near as much as others will notice the boon of having it i think.

>>3342983
Oh fuck, make sure to remind ourselves not to go near any acute angles or corners, if this thing is like a normal Tindalos Hound.
>>3343603
Backing this, probably the best bet.

Whew, finally caught up. Thanks for the great quest BHOP, I'm loving it. You even got me playing DDS.

>>3343001
>>3343025
Supporting these. Let's get a better feel for this thing before we do anything risky.

>>3344229
(Welcome, I'm so glad you've enjoyed it so far and I'm happy you spoke up! I hope you like what's coming up, and thank you for reading.)

(Voting closed Gentlemen, and I shall resume writing shortly.)

(Gentlemen, I appear to be in error. Due to Amara's passive, Shu has a Swarmling limit of 22 for this fight. My apologies, and I shall correct this on the next post.)

>>3344852
BHOP, with this update of information, I would like to raise the amount of swarmlings spawned from 9 to 12 to reach Swarm cap. Is this acceptable for you?

>>3344858
(By all means, I wanted to give you the opportunity to do so.)

>>3342983

You’ve just sent the plan across the empathic channel when the Tindalos surges forwards with an incredible burst of speed. A veritable fleet of swarmlings explode from your hive, their screaming wings echoing within the confines of the cistern. They move as one, gleaming claws tearing forwards with greater haste than ever before, and you send up a silent thank-you to the knightly children’s toy you had the forethought to summon beforehand.

The crescendo of a cicada’s deafening symphony drown out Amara’s words at your side, and you watch as the ground underneath the hound transforms from dense black shell to a sticky, bubblegum flesh. The hound’s blitzkrieg charge is slowed to a loping gait, every step a fight to free itself from the field of cloying flesh as Amara giggles at its antics.

A pair of knights, clad in glossy black and blindingly white suits of chitinous armor, race past you to either side of the angular hound. Dorian flings out one aqueous arm, snagging one of the Engine’s spires and yanking himself past the beast. You’re loading a B.33 Special into the Contender when he lets go, transforming his two limbs into a quartet of shifting talons and raking them across one side of the creature’s face. It opens its mouth, a long, metallic tongue reaching out to lash at its aggressor as Dorian sails past, and that’s when you take your shot.

The demure little pop that sounds belies Karma’s insidious payload, the little black-and-yellow round darting forwards and into the Tindalos’ maw. It spears into its snaking tongue just as your brood finds purchase in the multitude of eye sockets of one side of the hound’s face. The agonized howl it emanates tears forth, slicing across your heart and mind as it rears up, pawing at its face as Julia strikes while the iron is hot. With a powerful, singular sweep of her leg just above the bright tar, she tears one leg out from underneath it and then twists mid-air, giving it a second vicious kick in the hip, sending it tumbling helplessly into the hot-pink mire.

It levels a glare of pure, unbridled fury at you from the one side of its face that isn’t gored by your brood before it goes perfectly still. Wordlessly, you feel it reach into your very being, your existence touched something ancient and clever.

And then it disappears completely.

(Continued)

>>3344947

You barely have time to process what just happened when it leaps from behind the Engine, claws extended at Dorian. Talon meets talon with a resounding clang, the beast’s longer nails slicing along Dorian’s plated armor. Confusion bursts across the channel from your allies as you turn towards Amara’s trap, the indentations of the hound’s paw prints still in the muck. Something about you feels…restored. You search your connection to realize your stinging swarm is nowhere to be found, though your allies’ armor still holds and your Knight-class creation still hovers protectively by your youngest teammate.

The now-bladed Contender is heavy in your hand, an unfired round still wriggling in the chamber.

You watch Dorian fend off a series of relentless attacks with impressive skill, and even as her works to protect himself he’s still trying to bait it closer to Amara’s altered ground. Its canine face is intent upon its foe, two sets of eyes focused upon…

…two?

You see its face clearly, now. Both sets of eyes are wholly intact, though a trio of deep crimson lines are still etched across its face from Dorian’s skillful maneuver. In any case, the alabaster knight is holding his own in close combat with something several times his size, but you’re not sure for how long he’ll be able to maintain a stalemate.

HP: 100%
BIO: 87% (8 Platelings, 1 Knighted FuzzBuzz, 9/22 Active)
CONTENDER: B.33 Loaded, Lion Heart Form.
RAVENOUS MAW: Primed and Ready.
ACT: 2/2
THREAT: Long, in melee with Dorian. 2 Stacks of Malleable Skin.

AMARA HP: 50% (Cloaked)
DORIAN HP: 102% (Armored)
JULIA HP: 160% (Ignition Gauntlets Equipped, Armored)

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3344948
(Please also note that Dorian and Julia are still hastened by Amara, and that shifted them up in the turn order.)

>>3344948
So what insight did Julia get from striking the hound? Also, doggo is very clever. He teleported to get rid of the Swarmlings.

Also. hmm.... It appears that the turn order for this combat goes like this from first to last:
>Hound Act 1
>Shu Act 1
>Amara Act 1-3
>Dorian Act 1-2
>Hound Act 2
>Shu Act 2
>Julia Act 1-2
>Hound Act 3

(Voting to close in two hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3344965 #
(Julia will tell you next round, as it is more difficult to interpret the feelings of something that is not a Daughter.)

>>3344970
Did the B.33 Special round get purged by the Hound teleporting or is it still wiggling in the dog's mouth?

>>3344970
Room layout please. Location of the Hound in the room, and where is everyone in relation to the distance from the Hound?

>>3344970
>>3344965
Is the current turn order like this correct?

>>3344973
(It has been returned to the Contenders barrel and your newly-made swarmlings have been refunded by the Tindalos' ability.)

>>3344976
(Long distance to the Engine, and the Hound and Dorian are fighting there. You, Amara, and Julia are still close to the rooms entrance, a long distance from the fight. Room is a massive, perfect circle with the Engine at the center. Amara's bubblegum trap is still occupying a medium space between you and the room's center, but it is easy to navigate around it.)

>>3344977
(This is correct.)

>>3344983
Huh. So the Bullets and Bees were returned but the Malleable Skin stacks stay...
Interesting.

>>3344983
Do the limbs that Dorian makes in critic form stay when he changes forms?

>>3344983
Is there a way to De-spawn a bullet? or reconfigure it to a different ammo type?

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>>3344983
>(It has been returned to the Contenders barrel and your newly-made swarmlings have been refunded by the Tindalos' ability.)
>Both sets of eyes are wholly intact
This fucking dog just pulled a Bites the Dust. If it can rewind anything we do to it but Malleable Skin stacks stay, then our best bet is to have Gina be our win condition. He can't rewind his injuries if he's fucking dead. It might also have a cooldown on using it, so we might be able to play around that too. I got no game plan here, but I think we should close the distance but recall Dorian to regroup - we need to all in the dog.

>>3344989
(If he shifts into a different form then he loses the claws, but if you shift back into his Critic form then he will regain them if they were intact when he switched forms.)

>>3345000
(You may convert it back into 10% BIO to generate another round, but it cannot otherwise be switched out.)

>>3344948
Did it just rewind time??? Or was it just King Crimson Erasing the event of us shooting it? Doesn't really matter, I guess, since we're gonna kill it.

I vote to try and stack Malleable Skin as many times as we can. If it refunds the Contender shot, might as well just use it again to annoy the Dog.
Everyone else should just keep attacking it.

>>3345011
Ah, good.

>>3344983
Battle plan in this turn-order:
Hound Act 1: Will most likely attack Dorian.
Dorian:
>Free action: Canvas Form. The hound's faster than you, but reflexively go into Canvas form and try to evade or soak up any attacks it tries to throw at you.
Shu:
>Act 1: Spawn 2 Cicadalings, 4 Subversive Banelings, and 4 basic swarmlings. Banelings will attach themselves onto the Hound's legs and inject their acid into the Calf and thigh muscles. Cicadalings will generally screen Amara's wordcasting and just Harass the hound by flying in front of its face, don't have the Cicadalings and banelings land on the hound, otherwise the hound will simply teleport to purge and reposition. Basic Swarmlings will disperse and hover menacingly.
Amara:
>Act 1-2: VUL RHO. Doggie going to cheat by playing hide and sneak. Your magic spells will make it harder for doggie to cheat.
>Act 3: Move up. FuzzBuzz will accompany you.
Dorian:
>Act 1: Give the dog a bone to chew with. or choke with. After the Hound's first attack, Transform into Creator Mode and make a paint familiar with an eye-sore neon color. Have it literally crawl into its mouth and gum it up so that it can't use the tongue or bite with it. Dogs will be more inclined to eat bright colors.
>Act 2: Keep on baiting it. Stay in Canvas Form.
Hound Act 2: Probably a reposition via teleporting or spending a turn to rid its mouth of the paint familiar. Or keep attacking Dorian.
Shu
>Act 2: Reposition and get to Dorian. Stay with Amara. Convert the B.33 Special into the Herculean Fullbore. If it's going to Teleport and refund the Bio we throw at it, we're going to make it PAY.
Julia:
>Act 1: Move up with Amara and Shu
>Act 2: Ready an action for a counterattack.
Hound Act 3: He's probably going to Reposition via teleporting again and purge itself of the paint in its mouth. Or go for another member in the party.

>>3345045
>>3344948
Whoops. I didn't link my plans to the right post.

>>3345045
(The total cost for the swarmlings and the Fullbore will be 75% BIO, leaving you at 12% BIO remaining. Do you wish to proceed?)

>>3345072
On second thought, no thank you

>>3345075
(Making your Banelings regular ones would drop that cost to 55%, if that helps you plan.)

>>3345076
that would be fine.

>>3345076
Make the banelings regular ones please.

>>3345045
backing this

(Writing now, Gentlemen. Would everyone be alright with starting an evening of rapid posting starting in approximately four hours' time?)

>>3344948

Dorian continues to weather the Hound’s relentless assault, shifting his four talons into a singular shield that helps deflect that majority of the blows, even as his armor is being sliced away, sliver by sliver. Your second (or first) battalion of the fight tears their way free, surging forth on bladed wings to assist Dorian’s valiant efforts against the furiously focused Tindalos.

Its tongue slashes around its face to rid itself of your harassing brood, but even as the razor-sharp leash should be tearing them from the air, they continue unabated, heedless of the damage the Hound attempts to inflict. Between its furious howl and the constant din of your swarm, Amara’s incantation is almost lost in the noisy haze. It proves effective regardless, as you watch the Hound’s skin balloon out, its movement markedly sluggish as its barrage slows.

The Knight-class follows your ally as she inches forwards, and Dorian sees his chance through your swarm. His shield dissipates as he dodges backwards, flinging a blob of paint directly into the creature’s open maw. It aggressively clings to its mark, keeping the Hound’s mouth shut and the dreaded tongue unusable. Dorian’s shield comes back up as you run to join his side around the blindingly pink section of flesh. The Hound rears up as you approach, looming over Dorian…and when you blink, it’s gone.

You sense movement just behind you, and you turn in time to see it towering over you, feet planted in the neon mire as it brings its talons down on your unarmored frame. You think Julia screams your name when the air shimmers before you, Amara having looped back and thrust herself between you and the looming beast, her shawl falling to the side in her haste.

Incredibly, unexpectedly…

…the Hound pulls back.

All four paws are now firmly in the mire as you and Julia seize the moment. You yank Amara behind you and swing the Contender up to the beast’s face. It’s caught flat-footed in its aborted attempt to ambush you, and when you squeeze the trigger Karma’s roar drowns out all else. The round tears a bloody hole in its shoulder as Julia leaps, landing a one-two punch into its other forelimb before kicking off, landing clear of the muck. A sudden realization flares across the empathic channel.

“I g-get it, now! It doesn’t want to hurt the p-pup!” Julia says, shaking her head before she corrects herself. “Child, I m-mean child!”

You don’t have time to process this as the Tindalos blinks out of existence once more, reappearing back near the Engine. It licks the wound in its shoulder as it hunkers low, ready to strike.

HP: 100%
BIO: 46% (8 Platelings, 1 Knighted FuzzBuzz, 1 Herculean Fullbore, 2 Cicadas, 10 Swarmlings, 22/22 Active)
CONTENDER: Empty, Lion Heart.

RAVENOUS MAW: Primed.
ACT: 2/2
THREAT: Medium, waiting. 4 Stacks of Malleable Skin.

AMARA HP: 50%
DORIAN HP: 86% (Armored)
JULIA HP: 160% (Ignition Gauntlets Equipped, Armored)

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3345195
Well then. This is unexpected. Why am I reminded of SCP-682 and SCP-083?

the hound didn't know Amara was cloaked in the skin shroud. And it has a soft spot for children.
I'm now befuddled on what to do. If it's intent on guarding the Engine, We could simply have everyone walk around the engine and go for the secondary loot.

(Voting to close in one and a half hours, Gentlemen.)

Now that I think about it, it really is a guard dog in every sense.
The hound ranks its objectives by the following:
>Who is the closest to the engine.
>Who attacked it last.
>It cannot attack Non-hostiles.
>Those who enter the room are marked as potential hostiles.
In the First round, it teleports to Dorian (who was the closest to the engine)
Then in this round, it tried to attack Shu (She sent swarmlings to attack it this round, and shot it with the gun.)
Julia and Amara weren't attacked because A) they both weren't openly hostile, and B) They didn't get close to the Engine in that round.

>>3345239
Yikes. Looks like no-one's home except for me and BHOP

>>3345294
(It looks like it. Since things are a little slow at current, I'll leave voting open from now for another two hours, and see where things stand at that time.)

>>3345294
Hey, Im here two! I just fell asleep, a little.
>>3345303
I think we should keep up with the debuffs, and make sure whoever attacks last is ready to dodge.

I have something of a plan, but it depends on how a mechanic works.
BHOP, if Dorian switches to Canvass Form, will his Creator Form blob dissolve or can he just not make more?

>>3345303
what happened to our banelings?

Maybe we should start trying out Hundred-Handed to have our swarmlings grapple the hound to restrain it until it teleports again or to grab our allies and pull them out of the way of attacks as support.

>>3345483
The hound "purges" itself of status conditions when it teleports. We had 7 swarmlings biting and stinging its face along with a B.33 special bullet in its mouth. Then it teleported and we found out that all the swarmlings and the bullet we spawned and shot at it, had refunded all of the bio back to us.
The exceptions to the rule is the Herculean Fullbore thats somehow still inside the hound and the malleable skin stacks that Julia has placed on it.

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>>3345008
>>3345043
I'd like to offer another hypothesis.

>>3345483
Reminder that, at our current level, that requires that our swarmlings are in contact with us. Speaking of which, if the dog dies at the end, I'd like to level Hundred-Handed to see if we can get remote hand spawns.

You know, I bet if we had Amara with us when we were consuming Hecaton, we could have eventually just had the Hana Hana no Mi using biomass after combining skill trees.

>>3345479
(My apologies, I assumed you had wished to spawn a host of two Cicadalings and the remaider to be simple swarmlings per >>3345087.)

>>3345462
(Dorian's creation will stay active.)

>>3345509
it's still fine.

>>3345509
Thanks!

Alright, here's the plan:
>>3345195
>Amara should hasten her allies again, first of all.
>Next, since Dorian can switch forms and keep the blob active (it's important that the tongue doesn't get free), he should switch to Canvass Form.
>I don't know exactly how his and Shu's speeds and positions stack up, but he should use his enhanced movement and Shu should use her tongue to get out of the chamber. If one of them is able to help the other, they should do so, and if either can, Dorian should on account of his defense.

>Julia should rush to Amara and keep Amara between her and the Tindalos and apply Malleable Skin to herself as many times as she is permitted so she can use it for armor.

>Insofar as it can be done without expending more actions, Amara and Shu should both be trying to use their respective abilities to calm the Tindalos.

[This is all to set up for next turn, where Julia sticks around to protect Amara while she and Shu try to calm the Tindalos and Dorian returns to Creator Form to make more blobs for defensive purposes.]

>>3345535
I think the Hound is more content to wait things out anon. I've already listed its main objectives >>3345271, and it's a clever boi.
I don't think Amara should use any spells to buff the party.

Also. I do have to ask. Why are we here fighting this hound? It seems a bit of a moot point that we're trying to use a machine that Mother once used to win the crucible, corrupted machine or not. We'd be no different than Mother if we kill the hound and use the machine for our selfish gain.

(Voting is closed, Gentlemen. Writing now.)

>>3345559
I think you missed that the goal of what I wrote was to nonviolently get to a state where doggo wasn't a threat so we could try to talk things out.

I totally agree that doggo is probably a good boi and just needs some help realizing we don't need to be enemies.

>>3345195

"I want to try talking to it one more time, Miss Shu!" Amara says from behind you as your team stares at the waiting beast. You round on her, and you're met with a pair of determined two-tone eyes.

"Please? If you and Mister Dorian get away a little, I think it'll calm down."

"Amara, this isn't a game, we don't have time to talk things out with something that..." You begin, but you're cut off.

"Please!" She insists. "Look at it, it's just sitting there! This thing isn't a monster...and I feel like I can talk to it, Miss Shu."

You turn back to the Hound, lurking behind the engine, its focus trained not on the warrior who kept it at bay with claws of crystal, not at you, who has dealt it the most wounds, but a little girl pleading for peace.

You hope you don't regret this.

You send out the new plan to everyone present, and the creature seems purplexed when Dorian backs up and away from the creature, his guard up. You and he return to the edge of the cistern, leaving Julia and Amara alone at the far edge of her hot-pink creation. You're too far away to be of any immediate help if things go south, even as your hive vibrates with nervous tension, as you watch Dorian begin to spawn a number of paint familiars to...

"Why are you trying to hur^^<>/<\^^</>\>\>\..." Amara begins, the rest of her voice unintelligible as it slashes across your mind.

The Tindalos perks up at her sudden change of voice, padding forwards two steps around the side of the engine, its mass of eyes trained on the little girl. Julia keeps a hand on Amara's shoulders, ready to pull her back at the slightest shift in posture, the mere hint of aggression...but the hound seems more curious than anything, intoning an angular, almost melodically baying sound. Amara starts hopping up and down in place, turning to you excitedly. She opens her mouth and your mind explodes with an impossible message. Too much, too quickly in a language you cannot hope to understand.

"Amara, just...slow down, okay? I can't...you're not making any sense." You plead, and she seems wholly unaware of the shift in her speech as she cocks her head at you, and opens her mouth once more.

"^<\<^>/^<>^\<>/<<e thinks we were here to use the Engine!" Amara calls back to you, her voice suddenly coherent. "I told her we don't wanna use it if it means we have to fight!"

You stare across the space in bewilderment as the Tindalos takes another step forwards and then, with utmost care, lies down. You can feel the tension emanating from its taught form, ready to strike at a moment's notice with peerless talons and unknowable powers, but now, for just a moment...

...it's listening.

HP: 100%
BIO: 46% (8 Platelings, 1 Knighted FuzzBuzz, 1 Herculean Fullbore, 2 Cicadas, 10 Swarmlings, 22/22 Active)
CONTENDER: Empty, Lion Heart.
RAVENOUS MAW: Primed.
ACT: 2/2
THREAT: Medium, waiting. 4 Stacks

AMARA HP: 50%
DORIAN HP: 86%
JULIA HP: 160% (Ignition Gauntlets Equipped, Armored)

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting is now in one-hour intervals from the time of posting until the close of the evening.)

>>3345714
But we wanted to use it no..?

>>3345714
Let's have Amara ask why the dog doesn't want use to use the Engine. Additionally, if there's anything the dog wants (to have, to be, to accomplish) other than preventing people from using the Engine.

Also, I don't think we'll get a great answer, but it would be neat if he could try to explain his powers to us, since they're a bit different in kind from most of what we've run into.

Also, since Shu is useless right now, she can ask Karma what she thinks of the situation, or of any information that might be helpful in Tindalos diplomacy.

Dorian can keep making blobs and Julia can try using biomass to fashion a present for the Tindalos if anything in the conversations strikes her (of course, Dorian can also help with this).

>>3345778
I think that that was Amara going rogue because she's more concerned with people getting along than she is with quest objectives.

>>3345714
Backing >>3345779
We need information most of all.

I get the feeling that the Tindalos might be sympathetic to us if we tell it that we're trying to stop someone else from using a corrupted Engine, but we should wait until we know more about its motivations before mentioning that.

>>3345714
Oh boy. a golden moment of diplomacy.

Okay. Amara's our translator. We're putting our trust in a child.

So Here I think are the main points that we have to tell the hound.

>"I'm very sorry about hurting you. We didn't want to use the engine in the first place but something happened that made us consider having to find one."
>"There is an Engine to the west. It's in the middle of a forest hidden underneath a mansion. Someone's been abusing the engine. The engine itself has been corrupted. The Guardian there has been using it for its own selfish use."
>"We're not strong enough to both take down the corrupted guardian and destroy the engine."
>"We also don't know how to destroy an engine."
Then give the doggo a proposal.
>"If you can help us, that would be wonderful. In exchange, we'll destroy this engine too, or leave you and this engine alone. Should it satisfy you."

>>3345778
If we use the engine, we wouldn't be any different than MOTHER. Besides, there's more than one way to destroy an engine. We could always go to the forge. We're currently trying to find a way to get stronger without using the engine which is what the Hound doesn't want us to do. So my reasoning is that if we can't use the engine to be strong enough to kill the guardian AND destroy the engine, why not recruit the Hound to kill the guardian and then use the forge to destroy the engine? or if the Hound does know how to destroy the engine, we can both use its power and our powers combined to destroy the engine.

>>3345819
Wasn't there also a hidden treasure room? Considering it's so near the Engine, it might be relevant to our plans.

It might also just be a random Relic, but it's worth making sure.

>>3345714
>Have Julia make a skin canvas and Dorian paint it to make a powerpoint presentation aid on our situation.
>Slide 1: Spooky mansion, surrounded by a forest. Down below, a cross section showing the basement where the engine and the corrupted guardian sits
>Slide 2: Show Engine being tainted and the Guardian throwing a helpless Amara into the engine.
>Slide 3: No more amara, Gemstone remaining. Guardian grabs gemstone with a face that shows COMPLETELY EVIL.
>Slide 4: A picture of Shu, Dorian, Julia, and Amara looking weak against the corrupted guardian.
>Slide 5: A picture of shu, Dorian, Julia, Amara, and the Hound in fighting poses against Corrupted Guardian. The Corrupted Guardian looks frightened.
>Slide 6: A Happy group of Shu, Dorian, Julia, Amara, and Hound dancing on top of a Dead Corrupted guardian and a broken/destroyed engine.

>>3345847
Well, I'm not sure how to add that in to our diplomacy with doggo. We need more information from the doggo.

>>3345714
>>3345819
I like the idea of trying to recruit the Tindalos, at least for the short term.

>>3345787
We might want to tell warn Amara that diplomacy won't always work out, if only so she doesn't put herself in harms way. It sets a dangerous precedent if the first enemy she encounters is just willing to stop fighting so easily.

>>3345867
>We might want to tell warn Amara that diplomacy won't always work out, if only so she doesn't put herself in harms way. It sets a dangerous precedent if the first enemy she encounters is just willing to stop fighting so easily.
Well, remember that part of why she stopped is from understanding that the dog didn't really want to fight. I think she's perfect for our Fool's Choice route.

>>3345865
We could just mention that we know there's another item nearby and ask if it could be helpful (or if we can examine it to see if it would be helpful)

>>3345885
I was thinking more about amalgams, things that can't normally be reasoned with. Although, with her in the party that might change.

>>3345714
>>3345885
>Have Amara tell the hound, that aside from the engine, we're also here for a hidden item that's just beyond the engine room. But we don't know what it is or if it's helpful.

>>3345714

Amara listens intently as you feed her questions, turning around and lending her voice to them as she informs the Tindalos of your intent.It sits patiently, its tail glitching back and forth as it listens to Amara's explanation, and it perks up considerably when you tell it about the Corrupted Engine. It seems perplexed when Julia and Dorian use their power in tandem to create a pictograph of your goals, and while you're not entirely certain if it gets the point across, you can tell you have its attention.

You, Julia, and Dorian plug your ears when it replies, for all the good it does. Amara just listens intently, nodding on occasion with her hands held primly behind her back. After a few moment, she turns to you, her voice returning to normal after a few sharp syllables.

"The doggo says she was to protect the Engine from Daughters that wanted to use it. If she did, then Mother would let her sisters live free in the Cord, but if she breaks her promise then her sisters will be thrown out of the cycle." Amara says, her face breaking out into a wide grin. "She also says Mother was kinda vague on which Engine to protect, so that's the lope-hoe she's been looking for!"

"L-loop-hole?" Julia corrects, and Amara nods enthusiastically. You tense up a moment when the creature rises, padding away from you and into the darkness behind the black spires. Noting your collective concern, Amara speaks up.

"Don't worry! She says she'll be right back, she's going to get the treasure I saw!"

(Continued)

>>3346001
Well then. It seems that Daughters aren't the only ones that are at the mercy of MOTHER.

>>3346001

You'd by lying if you didn't almost scream when the Hound reappears a few yards away from you, emerging from nothing with something balanced on the tip of what you assume to be it's snout. It drops the treasure before you, revealing it to be a disembodied arm of a Daughter. You think what you see is at first a trick of the light, but as you examine the limb closer you find it is rapidly decaying and regenerating, vacillating back and forth between a pristine, Calcite-armored forearm and a threadbare ulna, and back again.

"She says it's a token from Goodwill!" Amara says as you stare at the shifting limb at your feet.

"Why...why would she keep something like this?" Dorian breathes as he stands beside you.

"It's chewy!" Amara exclaims in understanding, as you lean down and examine the disembodied limb.

>>TEMPORAL REMAINS (Forge Item): The arm of a Calcite Armorer that has spent too long in the presence of a Tindalos, this surprisingly dense limb boasts a compact amount of Calcite and self-regenerating properties. When used at a Forge of Tier 2 or higher, adding the limb to a crafting recipe grants 70% Calcite Bio towards the cost of the item, as well as imbuing it with a Passive Regen modifier appropriate to the creation in question. Considering a dog gave you it's bone...you're kind of honored.

You stare up at the bizarre beast as it looks down at you

"While she's sad she doesn't know how to destroy the Engine, she says she'll be happy to help you defeat the Guardian if she can say she's protecting the bad machine after you destroy it! That way she keeps up her end of the bargain!" Amara explains, and you find yourself chuckling. "Mother always though her and her sisters were kinda silly and dumb, but she thinks Mother was super-dumb for making the wording too simple!"

Clever doggo.

>>Have the Tindalos join you on your way back to the Sparagmos Engine with your current team.

>>Regroup with Rath and Gina to swap out team-members before you return to finish what you started at Dorian's mansion, alongside the Hound.

>>Ask further questions of your curious ally.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall close in one hour, Gentlemen.)

>>3346028
(I was about to delete the last post to correct a missing word, but I'll refrain to avoid bamboozling that one Anon that I always mess with.)

>>3346028
>Pet the doggo.
Non-negotiable.
Question:
Considering the constant temporal paradox nature of the Doggie bone (I'm calling it that because having a Calcite arm as a forge item makes it weird), Is it reusable? I'd hate to have the Doggie bone disappear after being used as a forging catalyst.

>>3346039
What's the missing word in the sentence?

>>3346045
(The Tindalos has willingly parted with it's bone, understanding that it may not see it again. If used in a Forge, then the item will be consumed.)

(The first sentence of the post was supposed to be, "You'd be lying if you said you didn't almost scream..." and so forth, but ah well.)

>>3346028
>>Regroup with Rath and Gina to swap out team-members before you return to finish what you started at Dorian's mansion, alongside the Hound.

>>3346028
Pats for pups >>3346045
>>Have the Tindalos join you on your way back to the Sparagmos Engine with your current team.
And while we're hiking, ask if it knows anything about where its sisters are or how they're being held.

>>3346045
We could always use the crafting process to immortalize it. For instance, we could make a big bone club that I'm sure Rath would love to use with her strength buff.

She could also use it to propel her C4 boils like it's a baseball bat.

>>3345499
Oh yeah, I sometimes forget about Part 7 stuff.

>>3346028
>"Clever girl."
>Ask the Doggo a question: "Do you have a name?"
>"Asides from your tongue and teleporting, do you know any other neat tricks?"
>Regroup, check up with Rath and Gina, Give Gina a hug.
Rath's going to flip when she sees Amara riding on the back of a Hound of Tindalos.

Also BHOP, are we going to take the time to do a bit of R&R for Dorian, Julia, Shu and the Hound? It won't make much sense to go straight to the mansion covered in wounds. Even if we're all eldritch people and heal passively in HP and BIO, we still need a mental breather.

>>3346140
(You're more than welcome to go back and rest a while before heading out with your chosen party.)

>>3346140
>>Ask the Doggo a question: "Do you have a name?"
This is important.
If the doggo doesn't remember, then I vote that we name her Ringo (>>3345499 pick related)

>>3346117
>Dual Tech: Explosive Slugger:
Taking full advantage of her swarmling's sturdy shells, Shu has an acid swarmling line itself up for Rath, who strikes it with her Bone Club and Herculean Strength to sending it flying a great distance, exploding on impact wherever it lands. Though not the most precise strike, it has the most horizontal reach of anything the party has access to.

>>3346167
As much as this is nice, wouldn't it be great if Rath and Julia had a Dual Tech together?

Also, it's a girl. (as usual given the nature of the seeing), we need to give the Hound a girl name.

>>3346188
I think everyone should, I just picked those two for that because it makes the most sense with Shu's swarmlings and Rath's power.
Do you have any ideas for Julia and Rath? The only thing that immediately comes to mind for me is warping Phantom Limbs using Malleable Flesh.

Duly noted on the name part. I always get confused on if they are actually female or just qualified for some other reason for the Crucible, but Amara would probably (?) use the correct pronouns since she can commune with the dog. My mistake.

>>3346028
Awwww, It IS a good doggy!
>>3346045
Backing this, also, we should go kill the fucked up Guardian with Tindalos, maybe we can come up with another loophole for using a machine?

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>>3346188
>>3346207
I think Ringo is a fine name for a girl.

>>3346207
I'm thinking something similar to a tag team barrage, invoking Jojo and Fist of the North Star. Julia attacks her target, using Malleable flesh to Mark key weak points on the enemy. Then Rath comes in and goes ORAORAORAORA using a combination of her Tensile Strands and her Phantom Limbs hitting those marked points for massive damage.

Now the problem that I'm having now is coming up with a name for the technique.

>>3346235
This makes me wonder if Malleable Flesh could ever be used to root an opponent to the ground (by warping their feet, etc. so that they act like roots).
If that could happen, then Julia could turn them into a punching bag for Rath's ORAORA.

>>3346252
Thought of a technique name for it. The name's going to be a homage to the Fist of the North Star technique naming: Hyaku nomi to Ken (translation: "Hundred chisels and fists")

>>3346028

"Clever girl." You say with a smile, holding your ground when the Tindalos leans down to inspect you. "Could you ask her name? And does she mind if I, uh..."

You reach out tentatively, and to your surprise the hound practically thrusts its nose into your hand, allowing you to pet its rough, shark-like skin.

"She and her sisters don't use names..." Amara replies dejectedly, and you decide to rectify that.

"How does she like Ringo?" You ask, and after a short dialogue between the small child and the gangly beast, she gives you a thumbs' up and a wide grin. "So, does Ringo know any other cool tricks?"

"She says she can connect with someone to reverse wounds they've caused on her in a past few seconds, along with all the stuff they used to hurt her!"

"That's fascinating!" Dorian says, marveling at the Tindalos' eyes, his own bright blue one sparkling with curiosity. "How does she do it?"

"I dunno, it just works!" Amara replies with a shrug, turning to look at the engine with a curious expression.

"Rev." She says absent-mindedly, and she seems just as surprised as you are when the bubblegum floor returns to a sleek, glossy black almost instantly.

"Amara sweetie, w-what did you j-just do?" Julia asks, kneeling down next to the excited girl.

"I don't know, but I like it!" She says, biting her lower lip in anticipation, like she just got a brand new toy. "I got the idea from looking at the Engine!"

>>LEXICON UPDATED - REV

>>REV (Bio-5%): A word indicating a reversal of fortune, it causes the word following it to have its effects reversed.

"Alright, let's head back to Julia's house." You say, gingerly picking up the severed arm on the floor and rising to face your allies. "We'll rest up, gear up, and destroy that god-awful Engine for good."

(Continued)

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>>3346303

You might be underselling Rath's reaction to Amara strolling back home on the back of a lumbering Tindalos, but you're pretty sure the red-head soiled herself with a mixture of joy and pride. Despite having only been apart for a short time, you find yourself relieved when you set eyes on Gina, running towards you, her brown hair flying behind her as she runs up and practically leaps into your arms.

The seven of you, Ringo included, quickly debrief with some choice interpretation from Julia, who sits atop the massive Hound as you all talk outside. Julia brings out tea for everyone, and Rath almost loses it when Ringo takes a tentative sip from Amara's cup. It's a pleasant feeling, when you're all together like this...even if it is in prelude to a battle against someone or something that has been slowly accumulating strength for who knows how long.

The thing that guards the Sparagmos Engine, the thing that's seen fit to sacrifice countless Daughters to its inner workings in pursuit of power...you've resolved to put an end to it.

The only question is who you intend to drag with you into the mansion's hellish depths.

HP: 100%
BIO: 190% (8 Platelings, 1 Knighted FuzzBuzz, 2 Cicadas, 10 Swarmlings, 21/22 Active)
CONTENDER: Empty, Lion Heart Form
RAVENOUS MAW: Primed, Ready.
ACT: 2/2
TEAM: Fully Healed.

>>Compose your team

>>Locked Members: Shu, Ringo. Choose three others to join you.

>>Write-In anything you wish to do before departing for Dorian's mansion.

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, voting shall remain open for one and a half hours, and the next post shall close out the evening.)

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>>3346303
>"I dunno, it just works!"

>>3346351
>>Write-In anything you wish to do before departing for Dorian's mansion.

I don't even particularly care about the composition, but we absolutely need to take full advantage of Shu being able to prepare her swarm ahead of time. If no one else votes, then let's say Shu converts five normal ones into banelings, 4 into recursive drill swarmlings (which then combine), and spawns two more platelings. May as well leave one slot open in case we want a scout.
If anyone disagrees about the specific changes, I'll just defer to them, I just want us to be sure and be prepared somehow.

Beyond that, do we need Gina and/or Amara to effectively communicate with out Tindalos?
Because the Engine is underground, Gina's terrain warping is really powerful. Because it's an enclosed space, Rath's explosives and tensile wire are also much more powerful.

I say we leave Amara with Julia. Julia is melee-only, so the giant might have an advantage on her. Plus, since she has much more raw power than Dorian, who is clearly a team player, she is more able to protect Amara back at base.

So the three I vote we take are
>>Rath, Gina, and Dorian

>>3346351
>Rath, Dorian, Amara.
The team comp will be mostly focused on mobility for defense and mobile damage.
Shu Rath, and Ringo will be dealing the damage.
Amara's spellcasting will help hinder the enemy or mitigate the damage.
Dorian's fluidity will enable the team to have an active defense as well as a fluid attack mode.
Rath's a primary damage dealer. A flashy loud mouth who can dish out damage
Ringo, the teleporting doggo. a good boi.

Question: If Amara casts REV THA on an ally who got hit by a devastating attack, does it reverse the damage?

>>3346413
(It would not, I'm afraid. REV is used specifically to modify ability-based words or those of other Skintalkers. The current words that are reversible are RHO, SAN, and SUTH.)

>>3346435
And those reversed are basically: Unwarp, Slow, and Agitate, right?

>>3346438
(Precisely.)

>>3346435
Still a useful ability.
>REV SAN VUL: Casts Slow on the Giant amalgam, make it lose one ACT for a few rounds
>REV RHO THA: I'm not sure how to interpret this, REV imposing on RHO would mean aiding instead of imposing hardship, so would it give allies a Strength buff instead of an armor buff? Or is it a reversal on a status debuff on an ally turning it from a debuff into a buff? BHOP what's your opinion on this? I know the interpretation is flexible, but it somewhat perplexes me.

>>3346451
Depending on how liberal the application is, it might be able to un-transform a daughter who had, for example, Calcite growths.

>>3346435
So wait, would REV SUTH be a direct-damage spell, or would it just be a debuff of some kind?

>>3346413
>>3346413
Don't you think It's a bit risky to take Amara? She's only got 50 HP, I'd hate for a stray hit In what Is going to be an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FIGHT to kill her off.

My vote for party comp Is Gina, Rath, and Julia.

Gina has good sensory abilities and strong Neuromancy powers

Rath Is an obvious powerhouse for damage at any range

Julia Is strong and could utterly devastate the thing If we set up her Artisan's peak critical hit.

The only downside Is that Dorian and Amara are somewhat weak by themselves, and an alternative to that would be swapping Dorian for Rath In the party, She'd be able to protect Amara and He'd be able to at least tank to some degree with some armor on.

>>3346451
(As far as REV RHO THA, it would reverse the status ailments of allies to some degree. For example, if Rath were to be imposed with Malleable Flesh stacks, instead of her stats being debuffed for each stack, she would receive an increase to her attack power and regeneration, instead.)

(Additionally, >>3346462's interpretation of its effects would work as well, since the a specific growth or buff on a foe could be reversed.)

>>3346465
(It would essentially work as an aggro spell, disrupting concentration and promoting anger and discord in an individual. It would also work well against Daughters that specifically have to maintain focus to use their powers, such as Necromancers and some subclasses of Generators.)

>>3346474
>Necromancers
>In a body horror setting.
Oh dear. Do they manipulate Skeletons or do they actually specialize in Dead flesh? Nevermind the twisted girls who are into necrophilia.
Also, I get the feeling that "traditional fantasy" Necromancers (instead of BodyHorror Necromancers) in this setting would have a fucking field day on a planet like this. Endless flesh and bone to manipulate and study.

>>3346473
We had similar answers [ >>3346405 ], the one thing that I'd want to reiterate is that it seems like there's a very good chance that this is a bad matchup for Julia. We're against a giant foe who might be able to pick her up and then just toss her into the Engine. Dorian at least can harass with his blobs at a distance while also being able to tank a bit better than Amara.
Amara's best use would be causing a speed disparity, but in this case Dorian is just as able to achieve that as she is.

>>3346480
(My apologies, I meant Neuromancers. You'd think my computer would have caught on by now what I'm trying to spell.)

Though you're on the right track.

>>3346405
(I missed the question about Ringo earlier. Shu will be able to communicate her plans without any trouble, as intent can be sent along the empathic channel. They would have a difficult time having a conversation, though.)

>>3346491
So you're saying Tindalos speak can't be translated even with Gina's neuromancy cord translation? Or is Tindalos speak the antithesis of neuromancy talk?

>>3346500
(The Tindalos, as per your original interaction with some corrupted members of their species, do not play well with neural connections. Gina would suffer no feedback due to the effect of her skill tree, but they are by and far resistant to Neuromancy effects.)

>>3346481
I was concerned with breaking either of the two 'newbies' Into a fight that could very well end up with someone dead. No one's even leveled since we last ran away from this encounter, the only difference Is we've got our fourth party member now (whomever It ends up being) and our bonus party member Ringo (Who may very well end up being the MVP).

>>3346405
I can get behind your team-composition. I'm not sure the giant will be able to Instant-kill like you think, but It wouldn't hurt to play things safe either. Really as long as we aren't taking Amara I'm fine with It. Girl needs levels to not be squish ASAP.

>>3346405
Backing.

>>3346507
>I was concerned with breaking either of the two 'newbies' Into a fight that could very well end up with someone dead.
I do totally agree with you. That's why I said Dorian would hang back and use blobs. There is almost no foreseeable circumstance where him going into Critic Form is a good idea.

>I'm not sure the giant will be able to Instant-kill like you think, but It wouldn't hurt to play things safe either.
I mostly mentioned it as a worst case scenario since the giant did toss another girl in there. I think it's more likely that the giant can just brute force her since she's more about speed, which gets deflated against reach + strength.

>>3346507
One of these days, we are going to take Amara out on a field trip and have her powerlevel. Or give her scaleable bio-ability. But then again, with her current stats, she's so fragile.
The issue I think we're having is that Skintalkers level up by exploring places and learning new words through their journeying experiences with their partners. And aside from the rare opportunity to consume a daughter and get a combat ability that scales, it's a hard knock life for them.
And in Amara's personality and situation, I think having to stain her innocence by consuming a daughter would...I dunno, I can't finish the thought.

One last thing
>>3346351
If it goes through that Julia and Amara are staying back, we can invite them to use the Forge to make something out of the arm for part of the time that we're gone. Julia has some good BIO reserves, so she could use it both to craft and to barter with other Daughters for different classes of BIO. Also, she's one of our artisans, and probably the single best crafter we currently have.
Maybe drop a hint that Rath may enjoy a bone club.

>>3346405
(A few questions about this write-in, if I may; the four simple swarmlings that you are re-working into recursive drill swarmlings, will you be combining them into one large swarmling?)

(Additionally, if Dorian is keeping the armor he currently has equipped, do you wish to re-fit Julia's armor to either Rath or Gina?)

>>3346540
(If you wish for Amara and Julia to venture to the Monastery to use the Forge, they certainly can.)

>>3346545
I meant that they would form from 4 into 2 swarmlings, sorry for the ambiguity.

Yes, I would say that Julia's armor should go to our other brawler, Rath.

Thanks for catching my oversights.

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>>3346545
Refit armor to Rath, Gina gets the Shawl.
>>3346550
I'm thinking a combination of a bat or a hunting horn (Monster hunter Hunter horn). Using Calcite class, Flesh Artisan, and Skintalker BIO to make a club that can double as a musical horn that doots out skintalker buffs depending on the note played.

>>3346578
I would amend note to melody, but I think that that's a delightful way to combine classes.
>>3346351
I'm backing club horn as the item that we suggest to Julia and Amara.

>>3346578
>>3346550
>>3346540
Can we save using the bone use in the Tier 3 forge? As much as I would like to have it made now, it feels kind of a waste to craft it at the Tier 1 Forge. Especially when you look at the Regenerative effects it has.

>>3346560
(It's not trouble at all, I appreciate it when you all catch things I've missed. So if I understand you correctly, your final number of swarmlings would close to as follows; 10 Platelings, 5 Banelings, 2 Large Recursive Drillings, 1 Knighted FuzzBuzz, 18/18 Active - Please also note that your Swarmling maximum is back down to its baseline of 18 when Amara leaves the party. Feel free to edit this as you wish.)

(And lastly, who shall wear the Ignition Gauntlets?)

>>3346405
This

>>3346602
(Ah, I almost forgot; you can also pre-load a round into the Contender, should you wish. My apologies for the bevy of questions, I just wanted you all to be prepared to your satisfaction before you engage the enemy.)

>>3346602
Can we do one to Dorian one to Shu?

>>3346607
B.33 Special

>>3346611
(You may absolutely split them between party members, if you wish.)

>>3346602
Ah, yes, I forgot about Amara's buff. Yes, I'm fine with those numbers.

And Rath can take the Ignition Gauntlets.

I have a question, >>3346595 raises a valid point. If we forge something now, can we improve it at a higher-level Forge later?

>>3346602
Dorian. Gauntlets might not be his style, but this will up his DPS and aid greatly in surprising the enemy. Shu already has lots of things in her kit. an underused Maw, a gun, and her hive.
>>3346607
Load up a Parabellum. Which reminds me. How many shots left until Karma (the gun) levels up?

>>3346607
Load up a Hercullean Fullbore, the strongest of our rounds. This Is a thing that NEEDS overkill.

>>3346626
We're already at max Swarmling cap. anon. Please SPAWN MORE OVERLORDS.

>>3346618
(You certainly may reinforce at higher tier forges. I'd hate for you to be locked out of improving something over time.)

>>3346619
(It will actually be after this fight that she is due for a level up. She's just shy of the cap.)

>>3346619
I'm not against giving Dorian more protection, but remember that he's first level and we're facing a powerful enemy. He doesn't really have the luxury to be a DPS, we just brought him to harass with his blobs from the back (and, worst case, use Canvass Form to rescue people).
Of course, that sounds like he's just there as an afterthought, but even just one of his blobs was able to shut Ringo's mouth. Several of them could be very potent.

>>3346633
Fuckin' argh. Getting pretty sick of our cap getting In the way. Next time we get nine or ten levels thrown at the party lets throw at LEAST 2 Into swarmlings.

>>3346646
We can also combine them quite a lot. We could always have the Banelings combine so we have one Large and one Extra Large so we have three more spots.

I do definitely agree about increasing her cap, though.

(Writing now, Gentlemen.)

The thing Amara does (Skin Talking? Phone posting, so too lazy to check the pastebin), is that what Mara uses to tame her dragon mounts? Are they the ones who specialize in taming Amalgams?

>>3346673
Well the closest D&D class comparison BHOP likened SkinTalkers to is a hybrid of Druid and Bard, so yeah. The ones who do survive probably tame Amalgams.

>>3346673
(You are correct. Mara does have a Skintalker ability.)

File: The Void.jpg (132 KB, 1024x725)

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>>3346351
>>3346405

You have time, so you hole yourself up in the side bedroom of Julia's home and set to work crafting an arsenal of specialized swarmlings, a fleet the likes of which you've never birthed before. They are a gleaming brood of chittering death, and you hope they'll be enough to get through today without loss. A hand on your shoulder makes you start, and you realize you were so deep in your own thoughts that you didn't even properly sense Gina when she stepped into the room.

"They're beautiful, Shu." She says, looking to each of their glossy shells in turn before her amber gaze settles on your face. "It'll be okay, you know? We've fought worse."

You smile, and pray she's right.

Julia's armor seals around Rath with a touch of your hand to each plateling, fitting itself to the girl's smaller frame. You tousle Amara's hair as you walk by her, and return the hug she wraps around your waist. You tell her you'll be back soon, with another story to share, and you're fairly certain you have to cut some parts. Julia's the next to wrap her arms around you, and you gently wipe the fretful tears from the corners of her eyes before you give her your best smile. You say your goodbyes, and then you, Gina, Rath, Dorian, and Ringo set out for the Corrupted Engine

Sparagmos Assault Team Abilities: https://pastebin.com/Mb92WSr1

The forest surrounding Dorian's ancestral home welcomes you with a trellis of silver-grey branches, the crimson sky shadowed with treetop and cloud alike. The walk through the gloom to the front gates of the mansion, and it's when you place your hand on metal bars that the wave of understanding, of calm acknowledgement hits you across the empathic channel at the same moment as your allies, and you all share glances of concern.

The field that connects you all now is cold, focused, and resolute...and it is most assuredly not yours. The source of it lies deep within the abyssal bowels of Dorian's estate, gently reaching out from those antiquated depths and up to the light of day to touch your hearts and minds with simple curiosity, and a pang of hunger.

It knows you're here.

It does not fear, it does not plan, it does not fret.

It merely beckons.

>>Go in through the gate entrance, and emerge into the Engine chamber with the widest entrance.

>>Go in through the kitchen doors that lead down to the cellar, and emerge in an elevated position.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, I am pausing here for the evening, and I shall resume posting in roughly ten hours from now. You all have been fantastic as always and a joy to write with, and I hope you all rest well. I wish you the best of luck in this upcoming encounter, and take care.)

>>3346711
OI BHOP. WHERE IS DOGGO'S CHAR SHEET?

>>3346718
>>3346711
Er. WHERE'S RINGO'S STATS?

>>3346718
this is extremely upsetting. BHOP is basically abusing the dog now.

>>3346718
>>3346721
(Haha, no worries. I'll upload them tomorrow morning as I'm rather exhausted at current and translating an unusual boss' stat sheet into a playable one is something I'd like a fresh mind to undertake.)

(However, if it helps you plan a bit, it has the following basic stats; HEALTH: 400%, BIO: 300%, ACT: 3/3)

(It has a claw and tongue attack, and it may expend 5% HEALTH + BIO to make up to four additional attacks per turn, much like Julia's perk. It is resistant to Neuromany and elemental damage, and weak againt slashing. It's teleportation requires 25% BIO+1 ACT, allowing it to return to its original position it's previous turn. It may also spend an act at 75% BIO to recover from any damage and status effects applied to it from a single target over the course of the last turn.)

File: __cthulhu_cthulhu_mythos_(...).png (300 KB, 666x681)

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>>3346763
This will do BHOP, a cliffsnotes version will do nicely. Have a Cutethulu.

>>3346782
(Adorable. You have my thanks.)

>>3346699
>Low entrance

This has nothing to do with voting, but since I'll probably be away when this fight starts, I'd just like to offer a general sketch of something that might be a good approach. This is assuming that we're just fighting a giant and there's nothing that unusual besides the Death Engine:
Because Ringo can just bail instantly and has such high health, I think she should lunge immediately for the giant's face, clawing any sense organs she can but saving one ACT to be able to teleport out if she gets wrestled into submission (she should be close enough on the giant's body that it can't get leverage for a solid punch).
While Ringo does this, Shu's swarmlings (other than FuzzBuzz, who stays to protect her) all approach the grappling scene. When they get within striking range, if Ringo hasn't TP'd, she does so, and then the banelings aim for the Giant's sensory organs and brain, followed by the recursive drill-lings.

During this time, the entire rest of the team have things to do to immobolize the giant. Gina terraforms to pin the giant's legs and Dorian focuses on making blobs to bind the giant to the terraformed structures. Rath uses her throwing ability to chuck the blobs so Dorian can focus on spawning more of them.

During this time, Ringo is lashing the giant while keeping the furthest distance her tongue length allows. If the giant is able to get rid of all the swarmlings, Rath switches to throwing her flash grenade boils at his face and Shu continues to spawn more.
Lastly, Rath should be approaching the giant as she's throwing projectiles, because she's the next best brawler after Ringo and her Tensile might be specifically useful if the giant wants to throw her around.

I don't expect this to work because I have no idea what the giant has other than brute strength, I just wanted to mention a general idea of some tactics that could be useful.

Note that most of the convolution comes from making sure Rath doesn't cause friendly fire on either Dorian's blobs or Shu's swarmlings.

>>3346839
You might be forgetting that Rath has Herculean Force as a passive. with 170% Bio she can deal 1.7 times the damage by simply punching. if we spread it across six limbs, that'll be 1.5 x 6 limbs for a total cumulative x9 multiplier of PUNCH damage if all six arms connect.
Either way, we've done the best we can do to prepare. No plan survives contact with the enemy, We've played our hand in the preparation stage, now we have to make the best use of our cards.

>>3346877
I agree that the plan won't survive, I just hoped there might be individual points that could still apply.

I feel obligated to mention about Rath though that the x9 damage multiplier is "9 x the damage of one of Rath's punches as a normal human."
Which, granted, is not nothing, but against a giant who clearly has high brute strength, I think she's better off using her Herculean Force to throw projectiles.

By the way, I think you're lowballing the Herculean Force multiplier. Here's the text, for onlookers:

>the strength to turn the tide, the power to move mountains. Hecaton's earth-shattering strength is now in Rath's hands, granting her the ability to tear into her foes bare-handed, breaking bones and tearing flesh with ease. The incredible attack power granted by this power is diminished should Rath fall below 100% BIO, but for each 10% increment above that level her attack power is boosted considerably . . .

This is suggesting that there is a base bonus at 100% BIO and then a further bonus for every additional 10%. However, unless that base bonus is +100% or greater, I stand by what I said before. I don't think it's enough to brute force a dedicated brute even if it lets her steamroll an average person.

>>3346921

Alright, the previous post was really pessimistic, but I should add this:

Rath has the ability to slingshot herself with her Tensile. She can also use it to garrote and it gives her a grappling boost on top of that. All of these factors plus Herculean Force and her extra arms mean she could absolutely stand a chance if she could reach the giant's head, garrote him with her super strength and counter-grapple him with her extra arms.

She could also bait him into trying to tear some of those extra arms off and then have them explode in his hands.

>>3346763
backing >>3346839
also don't underestimate the power of a redheaded fiery loli who can recreate Asura's Wrath fight scenes

>>3346699

You turn to Rath, seeing her spawn a fourth pair of luminescent arms, cracking the knuckles on each. The gem at the center of Gina’s forehead glows a fierce amethyst, and beside her Dorian’s arms spasm with harsh colors, his single visible brow knit with focus. You glance up at Ringo, her tense body all angles and brimming with that nervous, predatory energy. You’re as ready as you’ll ever be.

The five of you descend into the depths in silence, dim light slowly giving way to pitch darkness as your feel your way along by the light of Rath’s cysts. You turn a corner, and the passage opens up into a wide hall, emptying out into the Corrupted Engine’s lair that hums with cruel purpose.

The steady thrum of the infernal engine dies down, the pillars having just consumed another victim in the guardian’s pursuit of abominable strength. It stands before the eldritch machine, a shining ruby held between massive fingers, slowly disappearing as it’s dragged into the flesh of its palm. The cloak of many faces shifts as its wearer half-turns to you, their own face still shrouded from your view.

“You’ve returned.” A deep, throaty voice says from beneath a hood that’s little more than a collection of frozen screams. “I’d hoped you would.”

The figure turns slightly, inspecting each of your allies, in turn.

“A magnificent collection you’ve accrued, Defiant.” A chill runs through you when the voice growls your title with something akin to appreciation. “The Vitruvian and the Tindalos in particular. I’m impressed.”

The Contender burns in your right hand, its bladed length shuddering with rage.

“They’re my friends, my allies. I imagine you’ve consumed anyone you might refer to that way.” You reply coolly, stepping forwards as your allies fan out behind you. “Why are you doing this? Why all the sacrifice, the accumulation? What’s it all for?”

“Why? It’s simple, really.”

She pulls back her cloak, devouring the shroud whole in whole in one of her many…

…oh.

“Because I am a merciful God.”

(Continued)

>>3347537
Well, looks like she's a Gluttonous type at least.

>>3347537
WELL THEN. She's a Gluttonous class as her core class.
>>3347541
BHOP, room layout and the location of each character.
>>3347547
BHOP Bamboozled ya.

(Gentlemen, voting to close in two hours.)

>>3347547
>>3347550
(I had to add Ringo's Health before I got accused of animal cruelty again.)

(This room is a much smaller version of the cistern you fought the Tindalos in. You all are at the entrance, close to each other. High ceilings, engine at center. Ringo's stats will be updated on my lunch break soon.)

>>3347545
BHOP. Room layout please. Size, dimensions, location of each character, and where the engine is located.
You've bamboozled an anon, and I see a typo discontinuity:
>Rath’s own teeth grinding with rage as eight hands ball into savage fists.
>RATH HP: 160% (Six-Handed Form, Armored, 1 Ignition Gauntlet)

>>3347556
And you forgot to put in the Spartan's picture. As much as we adore you making the commitment, when you're writing, please take your time.

>>3347560
(Circular room, 100 feet in diameter. Engine at center, Spartan between you and the engine, approaching. Your entire team is at the edge of the room, your back to the corridor that narrows down into the cramped passage back to the surface.)

Analysis:
> Her entire amalgam-esque body is covered in grating jaws, teeth shifting between molars, canines, and other ripping, tearing things.
SPARTAN's core class seems to be a gluttonous type.
>The abominable Daughter’s skin is a shifting patchwork of gnashing teeth, moaning mouths, and horrified eyes darting about the room
>horrified eyes
It looks like Spartan's victims did not consent. They're helpless. They're scared. With the proper neurological motivation, we could theoretically induce a prisoner's rebellion inside Spartan's body and soul.
>Engine Reset – 3 Turns
Well shit. We've got a timer. My guess is when the Engine goes on Cooldown, Spartan will use all of her actions to grapple and throw the nearest daughter or amalgam into the engine center. If we want to delay that timer, we either will have to damage it to force another reset cycle, or attempt to block the engine from working properly by jamming a giant wrench into its gears.

File: The Grinning Spartan.jpg (500 KB, 1280x1477)

500 KB JPG

>>3347535

The abominable Daughter’s skin is a shifting patchwork of gnashing teeth, moaning mouths, and horrified eyes darting about the room. Her entire amalgam-esque body is covered in grating jaws, teeth shifting between molars, canines, and other ripping, tearing things. She’s topless, though her upper body holds no allure as it, too, is little more than a mass of bulging muscle and grinding, chainsaw teeth. Between her weaponized flesh and grotesque musculature, faces shift in and out of existence, dull-eyed stares blinking at you once, twice before being subsumed back into the shifting flesh.

“They are all eternal in me, as you shall soon be.” The Daughter says, low. “They are freed from pain, freed from the agony of existence in this vicious cycle.”

A pang of horror reaches across your bond with Gina as you both share a glance, Rath’s own teeth grinding with rage as eight hands ball into savage fists.

“I bring peace, and safety, and you call it barbarism. I do not understand it.” She says calmly, caressing the side of the pillar she stands next to. “It will be ready again for its next meal. Won’t you come? Join me, in tranquility. You need not suffer, for I am here to free you from it all.”

“Hard pass. That thing needs to be wiped from existence.” You growl, and the figure studies you for a moment, mere curiosity on her ragged features.

Silence follows, save for your own hammering heartbeat and the harried breathing of your allies until the guardian breaks it with her rough-hewn voice.

"Come, then." She intones, arms wide in welcome as she paces towards you, countless mouths slavering with profane hunger.

"Bring me closer to God."

Shu the Defiant & Gina the Heartbound

VS.

THE GRINNING SPARTAN

HP: 100%
BIO: 190% (10 Platelings, 5 Banelings, 2 Large Recursive Drillings, 1 Knighted FuzzBuzz, 18/18 Active)
CONTENDER: B.33 Special, Lion Heart Form
RAVENOUS MAW: Primed.
ACT: 2/2
Threat: Close, confident, closing the gap with slow deliberation. Engine Reset – 3 Turns
GG HP: 140% (Cloaked)
RATH HP: 160% (Eight-Handed Form, Armored, 1 Ignition Gauntlet)
DORIAN HP: 120% (Armored, 1 Ignition Gauntlet)
RINGO HP: 400%

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting period refreshed to one and a half houra from now to account for post revision, thank you for your understanding.)

>>3347564
>>3347592
(I realized the paste I'd sent myself was an old draft at midnight last night, hence the inconsistencies. My apologies for the deletion, but I could not let that stand as far as quality is concerned. I also added in the preloaded Contender round you all decided upon.)

>>3347602
I'm thinking the standard Shu-brand distraction with swarmlings, maybe with acid, while Ringo and Rath bring the pain. Gina could probably change the terrain around to maximize Rath's effectiveness, while Dorian's constructs could afford us some protection if needed.
We should test the waters first, and if Ringo proves effective, we can always spend some of his BIO to increase his acts.

>>3347596
I wish we also had a Swarmling list to keep track of what each one does and what they're called.

Shu
>Act 1: Harass her with corrosive swarmlings. If she bites down on any of them, she'll soon find she'll have less teeth to chew with.
>Act 2: Use Bungee Tongue to move away around the edge of the chamber.

Gina
>Act 1: Jack into the Spartan and lock one of her abilities from use.
>Act 2: Flare the fear aura to prevent a counterattack.

Additional idea: Remove the ground underneath the Engine to sink and bury it.

Rath
>Act 1: Stick some boils down the Spartan's gullets to start burning her from the inside-out.
>Act 2: Punch her many sets of teeth in with Phantom Limbs.

Dorian
>Free Action: Shift into Creator form.
>Act 1: Create paint familiars to further harass the Spartan.

>>3347596
Turn 1 plan
Shu:
>Act 1: Send a suicide baneling to deal acid damage, Have the other swarmlings become a defensive screen. If my hunch is correct, then Spartan will have a Cat-o-Ninetails in its many tongues as an automatic counter mechanism. the banelings will proc that counter.
>Act 2: Load up the Herculean Fullbore. If my hunch is correct, We can have the fullbore tunnel in and escape with a gemstone from Spartan's body.
Gina:
>Act 1-2: Head towards the pillar and interface with it with your Neuromancy. Spartan doesn't know you're here. if you can figure out any structural weaknesses to this damned machine, and what might happen if you jam a giant Terraformed column between them. We'll keep Spartan busy. Don't let your neurocords be seen. Take your time. let me know through the crimson cord if you figured something out.
Dorian:
>Act 1-2: Creator form, Paint Familiars, same tactic we used on Ringo. Gum up those mouths, have them attach themselves to the teeth, but don't let your familiars be swallowed. Immobilize Spartan's options.
Ringo:
>Act 1: Wolf pack tactics (image of many Ringos circling Spartan), Teleport behind Spartan. put yourself between Spartan and the Machine.
>Act 2: Tongue whip Spartan's eyes, when you see an opportunity Fury claw attack (spend 5% Bio +HP to attack 4 additional times). Go for the spots painted by Dorian
>Act 3: Fury Claw attack when you have the opportunity.
Rath:
>Act 1: You see those teeth? That's a lot of teeth. I wonder if the Tooth Fairy still exists.
>Act 2: Spartan maybe Ripped as fuck like the tits, but what about leg day?

Long term plans to think ahead:
Gina is cloaked. Spartan doesn't know Gina is with us. She's our secret weapon. We should not reveal her as our secret card early on. She'll be crucial in catching Spartan flat-footed. My plan with her is that when the engine Resets, Gina will use her first Terraforming action to make a giant pillar that basically jams the engine pillars from properly channeling its energies.

>>3347674
>>3347596
Also, when it comes to the Reloading with the Herculean Fullbore, Fire the B.33 special first. Aim for the legs, gum up her footing.

>>3347666
(Good idea. I'll work on a swarmling cheat-sheet this weekend.)

>>3347596
Supporting >>3347674
Though I think throwing some radiant boils on her and down her throats will have more effect than attacking the legs, which are probably just as buff as the rest of her going by the pic.

>>3347623
>>3347666
The thing is that We've got an engine resetting to worry about. Taking Spartan down will take more than 3 turns I can guarantee that. So the moment the Engine goes back online Spartan will inevitably try to toss one of our allies into the engine.
Furthermore, we don't know how the engine works and Gina is cloaked. I would rather have Gina take the time to interface with the engine and figure out how to destroy it or jam its functions. Once the engine is non-functional (as in it can't really work without a massive error occurring, then we can fully put the focus on giving Spartan pain.

(Sparagmos Pastebin Updated with Ringo's stats, abilities, and flavor text: https://pastebin.com/Mb92WSr1)

(Gentlemen, work has seen fit to punch me in the face repeatedly since the moment I set foot in the door today, so there will be a roughly two hour delay before I update again as I put out some fires on my end. My sincerest apologies for the interruption, but duty calls.)

(On a brighter note, tonight looks to be open for rapid and frequent updates, if everyone is game for it.)

>>3347674
ill support this

dang, missed a hell of a lot while out sick, but awesome we got the big doggo on our side. good job guys!.

>>3347596
Oh Boy, this is gonna be a lot of weird abilites on her I bet. Time for the Boss music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6cSbof7Pik
>>3347674
Backing This

MIDTERMS ARE DONE

should be active again ^_^
also DOGGO

>>3347596

One of your Banelings tears ahead of your group, flying in a suicide arc to bait out any countermeasures the Spartan may be packing. You’re swinging the pre-loaded Contender up, taking aim at the Spartan’s legs when a tongue lashes out from a gaping maw on her shoulder, wrapping around your Baneling and yanking it into a ravenous maw just before it disappears within your foe. She’s caught mid-step when your Contender fires with a silenced pop, catching her in the ribcage with the B.33 Special as her attention is focused on the Tindalos that now looms behind her thanks to a well-timed teleport.

They come to blows just as the Spartan finds a number of her mouths occupied with a host of sticky rainbow paintlings, though she has no time to focus on that as she engages Ringo in a furious melee that…

You’re keeping track of Gina’s progress towards the engine, skirting around the battle when she sends a realization your way; the Spartan isn’t even fighting back against Ringo’s furious assault, as with each swipe of her claw a barrier of bladed teeth deflect each vicious swipe with an armored grin. The Tindalos’ last two swipes come down on the Daughter’s neck, only to be caught in a pair of open mouths that clamp down hard on the hound’s paws. Ringo’s core is wide open, and the Spartan holds nothing back in her furious boxer’s counter.

Three savage punches follow in quick succession, Ringo’s high-pitched whine following each one before the Spartan’s mouths release her. Ringo drops to the floor just as the Daughter’s foot catches her in her muzzle, sending her flying back with a sickening crunch against one of the pillars of the Corrupted Engine. Ringo struggles to draw a painful breath as you realize the paint blocking the Spartan’s mouths has disappeared, and you know exactly what happened to them along with your swallowed Baneling.

On the Spartan’s knuckles, a hundred little mouths vomit up a rainbow-hued, sizzling ooze, patches of it eating through Ringo’s flesh as she rises back up from the floor. The hulking Daughter just smiles, her mouth splitting from ear to ear in a hideous Glasgow grin.

“Down, girl.”

“Here comes the tooth fairy, you mouthy bitch!” Roars rath as she storms over to the Spartan, who merely turns to you, completely ignoring the red-head in favor of meeting your gaze with a pair of placid, yet resolute dark eyes.

“I assume you have not dueled many of my kind, Defiant.” She says over your companion’s rage-filled shouts, striding forwards to meet her in combat. “Allow me to show you why in a game of consumption, I shall be ascendant.”

(Continued)

>>3348015

Rath lets fly with a barrage of radiant punches, each one packing enough force to begin buckling the armored teeth that absorb every blow she lands. A spark of acknowledgement flits across the Spartan’s dark eyes, and she dives into melee with purpose.

“You’re good.” She says simply, parrying what few blows she can of Rath’s relentless attack.

“No man, I’m fucking FANTASTIC!” Rath howls with glee, three arms on her right side swinging as one and smashing her foe’s knee to one side, bringing the Spartan to her knees before her.

“Indeed you are. I mustn’t hold back, then.” She intones, blocking Rath’s follow-up swing with one massive forearm.

[Gina talk to me, what’s your status] You ask, glancing behind the two brawlers as you watch the skin melt from Ringo’s underbelly.

{I got some options here, but you’re not gonna like any of them} She replies, and you sense she’s behind the Corrupted Engine, the furthest from the conflict as she works to understand the complex device.

[Hit me, I’m open to anything right now after seeing what it did to a Tindalos]

{I can set the engine to automatically implode when it boots back up, and that’ll take this place and the mansion down with it, and maybe some of the forest…} She replies hastily. {But I have no idea how much it’ll suck down with it if we do that, so…}

[Any other options?]

{I can reverse the engine’s next action, but this thing is so fucking weird, I have no idea what’ll happen to whoever gets caught in it, Shu}

“Jesus fuck, you’re built like a brick shithouse!” Rath roars, getting in one or two quick jabs by virtue of her overwhelming offense.

“Thank you. You’re a spicy little snack yourself, if you’ll pardon the pun.” The Spartan growls back, countering Rath’s last punch with one of her own as the elbow of Rath’s conjured arm explodes out the back. A long, twisted canine dagger is stabbed through the length of the orange limb, and Rath tears it free before the Spartan brings an acid-coated, tank-wrecking fist down on the ground where she once stood, buckling the black stone flooring at her feet. Your red-headed ally staggers back, reduced to seven arms as she catches her breath.

The Spartan rolls her shoulders as she takes a step towards Rath, her myriad mouths curving every which way as she continues her advance on you and Dorian, with Rath between you and the Spartan...

...and her mouths are smiling.

HP: 100%
BIO: 165% (10 Platelings, 3 Banelings, 2 Large Recursive Drillings, 1 Knighted FuzzBuzz, 1 Herculean, 18/18 Active)
CONTENDER: Herculean Fullbore Loaded, Lion Heart Form
RAVENOUS MAW: Primed.
ACT: 2/2
Threat: Close, approaching Rath. Unaware of B.33 Special in her leg, detonation in 2 turns. Engine Reset – 2 Turns
GG HP: 140% (Cloaked)
RATH HP: 143% (SevenHanded Form, Armored, 1 Ignition Gauntlet)
DORIAN HP: 120% (Armored, 1 Ignition Gauntlet)
RINGO HP: 286%

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3347798
(Welcome back, I hope you feel much better now, Anon!)

>>3347886
(Welcome back, Gen! I hope midterms went well for you.)

>>3348028
hrm...both those options sound super damn risky. we either have to make it out next turn basically, or we risk someone becoming a cancer bomb when thrown in, rather then getting torn into atoms, or so im guessing.

and i doubt we could force our giant friend into the machine, just does not seem likely, though not impossible. either way, we have to have Gina decide now i think, and work off that decision.

im thinking imploding it will be better. it will also permanently get rid of it, rather than have it potentially be unburied.

>>3348040
thanks.

(Voting to close in two hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3348067
Is it possible for Ringo to teleport people safely when she teleports?

>>3348085
(I am afraid Ringo does not have that capability.)

>>3348028
>GINA; set the timer, then pull back and wait next to the engine for a moment.

>SHU;send the timer across the empathetic channel, but tell everyone to not rush the exit just yet, so our enemy cant catch on. aim the Herculean for one of the girls shoulders, see what we cant bring down, even temporarily.

>RATH; start overloading two arms with boils.

>DORIAN; Canvass Form, dash for Rath, and try and swoop her out of the way.

>RATH; once Dorian grabs hold, try and toss the bomb arms into the Spartans face, while you then toss two arms downward as shes distracted, so your strands will cuts into her legs as Dorian pulls you away.

>RINGO; once the others have done their work, either tear further into the legs to further throw the Spartan off balance, or ram and jump off her torso to push her off balance and towards the engine.

>SHU; have the Drillings go for the spartans main eyes once Raths bomb goes off, and the Banelings do an fly by over her hips, or knees if legs still need more work. load up another herculean fullbore.


My plan is to basically keep the Spartan pinned and as close to the engine as possible, so once its set to blow, Gina can quickly stun her for a bit, then Terrform some shit on her, that way she cant get as far from the implosion when it starts,hopefully getting sucked into it by basically being on top of it. also leave ours escape route hopefully much more open. just my thoughts on the situation.

>>3348100
to be fair, thinking about it, my plan kinda works with either of Ginas options, but i also think her being near the engine for either option is a good thing for us, so might be a moot point to point out?

>>3348028
Shu
>Act 1: Fire a Herculean Fullbore, with the goal of taking out one of the crystals inside her.
>Act 2: Spawn a Scarlet Drone using Gina's BIO and have it sting the Spartan.
Gina:
>Act 1: Set the Engine to reverse its last action.
>Act 2: Lock one of the Spartan's powers through the Scarlet Drone.
Rath
>Act 1: Melt the Spartan's teeth with Radiant Boils.
>Act 2: Hold some of the Spartan's mouths open so the Scarlet Drone and Ringo's attacks can find purchase. If she manages to bite down and sever some limbs despite the melted teeth, than so be it. The limbs will detonate and give her mouth burns anyway.
Dorian
>Act 1: Spawn more paintlings, this time to intercept any tongues that lash out.
>Free Action: change to Critic form.
>Act 2: Move up to start slicing and dicing.
Ringo
>Act 1: Use Angle of time to heal some of the damage inflicted.
>Act 2: Use Angle of Space to appear right on top of the Spartan for a surprise attack.
>Act 3: Hunter's Persistence for an extra attack.

>>3348158
my only worry is that with 2 turns left before detonation, revealing Gina and her paralyzing powers might still give the Spartan too much time to react to that, hence me trying to wait to both paralyze and run til next turn, so she has absolutely no time to react.

>>3348028
Amending deleted my vote to redo my actions:
>>3348187
This is why I deleted my vote. I'm currently rethinking my plans.

>>3348028
Shu:
>Act 1: Enter Melee Range, Tackle slide with a Bungee Tongue power, nom the leg that isn't shot by the B.33 Special with the Maw and fire the Fullbore up the Crotch, have the Fullbore nab a Crystal out of Spartan when it exits out of the other side.
>Free Action: Transform Lion Heart into Contender gun before shooting the Fullbore.
>Act 2: Have FuzzBuzz come in and tank some hits that may or maynot be meant for Shu. Drill-lings will aim for the eyes. Spawn a Scarlet Drone (with Gina's BIO) and sting the Spartan
>Free action: When Spartan asks questions about the neuromancy: "Since when were you under the impression that I was simply a hive mistress?" (show Aizen's smug smile)
Dorian:
>Act 1: Canvas form! Don't feed Spartan anymore paint ammunition! Block any attacks Spartan tries to land on Shu or Wrath!
>Act 2: Critic Form. 6 limbs. Start slicing the eyes and the bits that aren't mouths.
Rath
>Act 1: You got seven fists, You're gonna need about 3 arms to stop each of her fists, Spawn one more phantom limb and have all 6 set to grapple Spartan's arms with the Garrotte wires of your tensile strands!
>Act 2: 3 arms to wrestle with her fists, that means you've got 2 hands free.
Gina:
>Act 1:[You know what happens when you reverse polarity on a machine right? Think of this as Sci-fi. If Spartan had the machine set to tear apart Daughters to make essence Gems, What happens when you reverse the polarity? It puts a daughter back together! Reverse the Polarity! Don't question it, it just works!] Set Engine to reverse the last action it made.
>Act 2:Gina I'm sending out a Scarlet Drone! Lock out one of her abilities!
Ringo:
>Angle of time.
>Return to the fray.
BHOP, I have a question for Ringo's Angle of time ability: Does it also reset her target's HP? or is it both the target's HP and BIO?