Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Tethys Carrack]

"Luth? Luth, no!"

Well, this is so much worse even than Tethys had expected. Is that... his voice? Is Luth still in there?

--

D5 Nathema--Initiative. Vigilance because what just happened???: 4eA 2 successes, 2 advantage


Wounds: 0/14
Strain: 0/18 (one less than usual b/c of Durasay's Obligation, I believe?)
Soak 5 (Jedi Armor, Superior)
Melee/Ranged Defense: both 1 (armor, no weapons out)

Stimpacks carried: 8 (Military Pouch: draw as incidental)

Tethys has her lightsaber and energy buckler, but neither is out right now. They'll each take a maneuver to activate.
Center of Being (as a maneuver for free, or an incidental for 1 strain) increases the crit rating of attacks against her for 1 round; she'll use it each round if at all possible.
Once her saber is out she has parry and reflect, both block 5 damage at a cost of 4 strain.
She doesn't want to kill Luth! Will want to look for a way to call her back to herself.
Okay, I gotta run to work, hopefully that's enough if you need to scoot this along in the next few hours.

[Galen Panteer]

The conversation drew Galen's conversation back to Luth and the Emperor. They had all expected to face danger here, but not like this.


- - -
[Day 5 - EA to LA] Nathema, Vigilance, Uncanny Reactions: 2eP+1eB 4 successes


Wounds 0/16
Strain 0/13
Soak 3
Defense 1

I'm also headed to work. I'll be online in a couple of hours.

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr could see what was about to happen. She wasn't a fighter, she never had been. She was weaker than the rest in that term. Her strength was where she was now, directing. She looked to Vaylin and Senya next to her, keeping her voice down while Galen and Tethys focused on the Emperor. Hoping to convince them to act while he was distracted.

"You have seen this now, both of you. He has been dragging you along, using you, turning you against everything you believe. Vaylin, everything you have suffered is because of him, not your mother. Together you can stop him. These are your visions, you control this."

[Dapper Dog]

OOC: Give me a Charm check at hard, flip a destiny for upgrade so 1eC+2ed but gain two boost die for the circumstances and words spoken.

[Aphr Ahaya]

This is the moment, I cannot let them down.

Aphr was as convincing as she could be. Which seemed to be very. Zhorrid would be proud to know her ritual had lead to this. Or horrified, one of the two.

D5 Nathema event. Charm at hard. Dapper flip, I flip. 2 boost. Dark sermon reduction to reduce difficult by 2: 3eP+2eB+1eC 4 successes, 3 advantage


(using advantages to keep Emperors attention off Aphr? Or to cause some kinda disrpution to the Emperor)

[Dapper Dog]

This is the moment, I cannot let them down.

Aphr was as convincing as she could be. Which seemed to be very. Zhorrid would be proud to know her ritual had lead to this. Or horrified, one of the two.

D5 Nathema event. Charm at hard. Dapper flip, I flip. 2 boost. Dark sermon reduction to reduce difficult by 2: 3eP+2eB+1eC 4 successes, 3 advantage

Elsewhere back at the base...


Zhorrid felt a slight tingle of pride as she had tea with the goats. All according to plan.

[Luth Khalan]

Luth tapped into the deep voids of the Dark Side opening her senses, though stunted as they were on Nathema. Still, she was still adjusting to this body… her or his senses were not fully adapted.

She then screamed, with all the myriad voices the Emperor had used over the ages filling the room with dark side energies.

OOC: Galen and Tethys have to make a Daunting Resilience or Discipline check to endure the scream or suffer 10 strain, every threat increases this strain by one and advantage if the roll is failed can reduce it and a Despair grants a critical injury.

Flipping Destiny so the difficulty is 1eC+3eD

Free maneuver from Triumph, to commit Sense for 2 Force dice, upgrade 2 attacks twice against Luth and also Luth’s attacks made by two.

Luth Cool: 2eP+3eA+1eB 5 successes, 4 advantage, 1 Triumph


Initiative

NPC 5 successes, 4 advantage, 1 Triumph
PC 4 successes
PC 2 successes, 2 advantage

[Tethys Carrack]

The unnatural shrieking is horrible, but Tethys grits her teeth and shuts it out, away from the center of her consciousness.

---
D5 Nathema--Daunting Discipline vs. evil screaming. GM Destiny, player destiny: 3eP+1eA+1eC+3eD 1 success, 1 advantage


Passed, no Strain taken.

Advantage: "[ADV] from a Discipline check may be spent to give the character an additional insight into the situation at hand. He might notice a particular vulnerability on a seemingly indomitable foe or an unusual pattern to the suppressing fire that gives the character a moment to leap from cover." So... gain an insight? Or if there's nothing Dapper feels like revealing, boost Galen for 1b.

[Galen Panteer]

The scream was piercing and almost unbearable. But again, he had endured a lot in his life.

- - -
[Day 5 - EA to LA] Nathema, Endure the Scream, Daunting Resilience, GM Destiny/Player Destiny: 2eP+1eA+1eC+3eD 1 success, 1 threat

[Tethys Carrack]

Round 1 turn:

Still wincing from the horrible sound, Tethys draws her lightsaber. It snaps to life in a guard position, a calming blue-green light source amid the grim stone architecture of the vision.

"Luth! I know you're still here! Your children need you!" Again, there's more hope than confidence behind Tethys's words. Is Luth really still there? If she is, can Tethys and Galen (and Aphr, wherever she is) call her back in time to save her--and them?

"Galen, I don't think he's fully in control yet!"

---

Maneuver: Ready lightsaber
Incidental (1 strain): Center of Being
Action: Examine Luth
D5 Nathema--Combat round 1. Luth, are you in there? Hard Lore.: 1eP+3eA+3eD 5 successes

Pass! Also had 1 Advantage from that previous Discipline check spent on 'an additional insight' into the situation.

Wounds: 0/14
Strain: 1/18
Soak 5 (Jedi Armor, Superior)
Melee/Ranged Defense: both 2 (armor, lightsaber)

Stimpacks carried: 8 (Military Pouch: draw as incidental)

Passive/reaction effects:
Center of Being increases the crit rating of attacks against Tethys until next turn.
Calming Aura inflicts -1 force pip generated on any Force Power check targeting Tethys.
T. has parry and reflect, both block 5 damage at a cost of 4 strain.

[Luth Khalan]

She was drowning in the ocean. He was all around her - that monster that she had allowed into her body. The darkness felt all-consuming for a moment, wrapping around her and pulling her deeper and deeper. It wasn't anything as subtle as a call to rest. It was like tentacles dragging her toward a maw instead.

However... It wasn't all dark. She could see into his mind now. His memories, his fears, what made him tick. Maybe everything wasn't lost. Not yet.

She'd accept whatever punishment came from her idiocy if they all made it through this. She would at least do her part, too.

Luth thrashed around in his mind, screaming, making a ruckus. Distracting. Just enough to get her hand to move a few muscles in her face. Just that little bit of control. She had to hope all three of their eyes were on her, because she had no idea what the current conditions were. She could get her eyes or perceptions outside of her mind under control yet.

Methodical. One thing at a time.

She didn't move enough to alert him for now. She angled her hand upward and opened it slowly, forcing her lips to form the word "Holocron" slowly and methodically. Then she pointed to herself. She shook the hand as though in fear and mouthed "Afraid". Then pointed away. "Find."

And then it slipped away as he reasserted himself fully. Hopefully not having noticed too much of her activities as she desperately treaded the waters of his mind.

D5 Nathema - Deception: 1eP+2eA+2eD 1 success, 1 advantage


Spending that advantage to notice an important point I can potentially make use of in the ongoing conflict.

[Galen Panteer]

Once again, he'd brought the wrong weapons for this. He still drew his lightsaber, however, igniting both yellow blades. He took up a defensive stance, as he searched for a way to disrupt the Emperor's hold or incapacitate Luth without killing her.


- - -
Incidental: Quickdraw
Incidental: Ignite
Maneuver: Commit two Force Dice to Sense for 1 Upgrade to 1 attack against Galen
Action: Look for a nonlethal solution

[Day 5 - EA to LA] Nathema, Hard Perception, Uncanny Senses: 1eA+2eP+1eB+3eD 1 success, 3 advantage

1 Advantage to notice something of importance
2 Advantages to add a Setback to Luth/Emperor's next skill check

Wounds 0/16
Strain 0/13
Soak 3
Defense 1
Dodge when targeted

[Dapper Dog]

OOC: It's an action normally to use a Force power without a talent.

[Galen Panteer]

OOC: No Sense, then.

[Luth Khalan]

This was a mental world, though, wasn't it? Even where Galen and Tethys and Aphr were. Like a dream. Things could change in dreams... Or, if one was a lucid dreamer, be changed.

Luth was lucid enough right now to recognize that.

She concentrated on the image of the holocron. Making it real, solid, feeling the weight in her hand, how the ridged metal felt. Solidified his memory until she could really believe it was there.

And then it was. She took one foot and slid the holocron across the floor to Tethys, pointing down and doing her damndest to keep Valkorion's eyes - her eyes - up.

[Tethys Carrack]

((OOC: Are we at the top of Round 2 with the Emperor/Luth's turn next? Or was that what Luth just did?))

[Dapper Dog]

OOC: Top of the round now.

[Luth Khalan]

Luth held out her hands and said in Valkorian’s voice, “Now young Jedi, Paladin, you die.” Through sheer telekinetic force he begins to choke the life out of them both.

Galen noticed the holocron sitting at their feet... if only he could reach it.

OOC: Bind used on Galen and Tethys, activating the power for 3 Force pips (Including the Nathema penalty), 2 more pips to lift both of them. Both suffer 1 wound, cannot be soaked, and both suffer a critical with a +20 modifier. Both are immobilized. Calming Aura negates one pip.

Triumph to cause Tethys to drop her weapon.

Luth Bind Discipline vs. Tethys: 3eP+3eA+2eC+2eD+6eF 3 successes, 1 advantage, 1 Triumph, 6 Light Side, 2 Dark Side

[Tethys Carrack]

Round 2 turn:

The mysterious object by their feet wobbles a little as Tethys tries to call it to her hand to see what it is, but the darkness is choking her and the Force is too far away from this cursed place. Still, she's not entirely out of options.

"I don't..." Tethys rasps, gagging a little as the dark power wraps around her throat, "think... so." She coughs, and then in a louder voice that tears out of her injured throat, says with harsh clarity, "Kneel before the Dragon of Zakuul, Valkorion. And get out of there!"

---

D5 Nathema--Combat round 2. Bind crit +20: 1d100+20 37
Action:
D5 Nathema--Combat round 2. My turn. Try to Move that macguffin!: 3eF 1 Light Side, 3 Dark Side

Fail! Not enough pips with the Nathema penalty.
Incidental (1 strain): Center of Being
Incidental: Sit, boy?

Wounds: 1/14
Strain: 2/18
Soak 5 (Jedi Armor, Superior)
Melee/Ranged Defense: both 1 (armor)

Stimpacks carried: 8 (2 in Military Pouch: draw as incidental)

Passive/reaction effects:
Center of Being increases the crit rating of attacks against Tethys until next turn.
Calming Aura inflicts -1 force pip generated on any Force Power check targeting Tethys.
[/quote]

[Luth Khalan]

Her eyes go wide and she falls to her knees and shouted in his voice… “What! No this isn’t possible!”

[Vaylin]

“No father, it is very possible,” Vaylin manifested once more picking up the holocron. “You made me suffer, and now you shall suffer.”

She held it out and repeated, “Kneel before the Dragon of Zakuul!”

OOC: Luth needs to make a Resilience or Discipline check at Daunting or suffer a critical with +60 and 6 wounds not soakable. Aphr and team reached her.

[Luth Khalan]

GET OUT OF MY HEAD! Luth screamed internally.


D5 Nathema - Discipline v Daunting: 2eP+3eD 1 success, 1 threat

D5 Nathema - Discipline v Daunting (extra D): 1eD 0 successes, 2 threat

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr had stayed slightly behind Vaylin and Senya. Totally to let them get their revenge, and nothing to do with putting strong bodies between her and the Emperor.

She looked to Tethys and Galen to see how they were faring.

[Vaylin]

Vaylin watched as the spirit of her father was pulled from Luth’s body, the specter faking many shapes… in rapid succession as it writhed in agony. She began to crush the holocron and said, “Goodbye, Dragon and good riddance.”

The specter howled but soon it wasted away to nothing.

Vaylin then ignited her lightsaber, “One parent down, one more to go.”

OOC: The Dragon is no more.

[Lord Draahg]

Back in the cavern, rubble surrounded the meditating heroes as Draahg stumbled through the morass of rocks and ice. He raised his weapon to strike down Aphr when he felt the presence of Vaylin and turned…

Draahg felt a shift in the Force, a subtle thing and frowned… all of his plans… ruined and opted for what he did best, to survive.

He kicked Aphr hard in her shoulder and shouted at the others to come to.

OOC: Players wake up amidst rubble with Vaylin approaching. Aphr suffers three strain from the kick. Oh Luth suffers 3 strain from her check to expel the Dragon.