Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

[SalmonMax]

"Robots, hmm? We'll see about that."

 

Shayuri stepped forward and flung her cloak back from her shoulders, freeing her arms. Her fingers twirled in a complex dance before her, locking, loosing, locking again in a rapid series of signs. In the air before her a circle appeared, drawn in midair by blue-white light.

 

She spoke then, in a loud, commanding voice that rolled over the field...carrying far longer than it had any right to. The language was rough sounding, maybe a little like German. As she incanted, runes appeared within the circle, one by one. Once the inner ring was filled with runes the entire array flashed brightly and erupted into a horizontal stroke of lightning that painted the entire battalion of robots in livid black and white for a camera-flash instant.

 

It struck one of the larger robots squarely, and immediately the target was enveloped by an oval of translucent blue light. The two energies writhed and snapped at each other, and finally the lightning lanced through and licked over the robot's armored hull, drawing a blackened line down it.

 

The dragon-sage swore under her breath. "All right then, the big ones have some kind of force field. Good to know!"

 

Spoiler

Rolled a 22 to hit, for 162 damage. Resulted per Justin in Discord.

Spent 8 ep to cast spell.

 

Edited July 7, 2020 by SalmonMax

[Exile_Jeane]

"Obviously," Ginka drawled flatly, back to her grumpy baseline, "I'll start thinning their numbers so we can collect a few stragglers after we're done. Try not to make me more work than you have to."

 

She shot forward through the air, a petite brunette of a saiyan in red-and-white with her palms pressed together as she concentrated her Ki into a purple sphere that bled one, two, five, seven streamers of energy in her wake. The streamers gained the faintest hint of scales, eyeslits, and nostrils as their creator came to a halt half-way between the (presumed) Red Ribbon Army and her... Well, allies if she forced herself to think well of them. Up and over the streamers curved and coiled, splitting at the tip to reveal pseudo fangs and an ominous pink glow at their core, leaking energy in the heartbeats before they were unleashed on the seven nearest grunts, writhing through the air with borrowed malice. "Hydra's. Flurry," she growled out between clenched teeth, eyes dancing as she fed more Ki into the shot. 

 

The universe rarely granted medics mercy, so Ginka's ancestors had long since stopped granting mercy to those who might make their work more difficult. 

 

Spoiler

Hydra's Flurry, weapon 10 with spreading 6 and homing 2.

 

# 29 (29 to hit on seven targets)
Details:[2d6+19 (6 4)]

 

69 damage per hit, IIRC

 

[Gabe OOC]

After Ginka finished her barrage of ki energy, Calvin flew in. Funny thing, for all his pursuit of mind and body, he'd never really fought before. Competitions were one thing, but truly aiming to hurt or even kill someone? This was new territory, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it, even if the Neo-Red Ribbon Army was just as dangerous as its predecessor. But practice and training took over as he landed and spun on his foot, delivering the other leg in a sweeping kick to the first soldier and using the momentum to jump and bring a two-handed axe strike on a second man's head.

 

Rinse, repeat.

 

Spoiler

Five actions, five unarmed attacks.

Details: [2d6+20 (2 2)]

Details: [2d6+20 (2 4)]

Details: [2d6+20 (5 5)]

Details:[2d6+20 (6 5)]

Details:[2d6+20 (1 6)]

 

170 damage per hit.

 

[Shameless]

Shayuri's attack had indeed caused abit of a stir from one of the mecha, as systems blinked as the powerful forcefield took most of the brunt of the attack but some of the powerful surge got through to melt plating.   The machine was shielded, but still a machine, and Such an attack would not go unanswered.
 

It raised it's right arm and unloaded with a powerful blast from the energy cannon that was underslung.  (need a 23 or better to defend, otherwise it's 130 damage)  Even as the second mecha disgorged dozens of Missiles at Daturra(Defense 25 100 damage each the attacks are homing)
 

Ginka and Calvin's combined assault on the troopers was impressive.  Ginka's attack hit a fair number, and it didn't actually put them down, it cracked armor with each blow, forcing them to ackknowledge her as a threat.   Calvin meanwhile, registered even higher.  His blows were stronger, and while not fatal to the soldiers outright, the five he struck were out of the fight.  Their armor saved their lives, but none of their injuries were minor.   The remaining twenty-eight troopers tried to bring their  weapons to bear, but only a few managed shots.  (each of you needs to dodge dc 20 vs 3 attacks each at 55 damage a hit)
 

Goren was among the last to move, and not wanting to take the opponents of his new allies, he busied himself with something abit lesser, but needed.  He launched a series of energy attacks which disabled two of the transports, making sure they wouldn't be flying out of here on them.

[Exile_Jeane]

Spoiler

Three dodges to attempt...

[2d6+20 (3 2)] [2d6+20 (1 3)] [2d6+20 (4 6)] 

So three successes with 25, 24, and 30.

Hitting back with a second Hydra's Flurry, same seven targets...

[2d6+19 (5 5)] So 29 to hit total, 69 damage a pop.

HP 450/450 EP 436/450 

 

"Tougher than they look," she begrudgingly acknowledged, dancing forward through the shots as if the rest of the world was moving in slow motion, "Pathetic aim though."

 

The Saiyan healer gathered more Ki between her hands, purple light birthing a brood of seven serpentine projectiles. The Red Ribbon soldiers she'd targeted before were treated to a second round of homing destruction, a writhing attack now from directly overhead. Ginka kept one ear out for the sound of her allies falling prey to the attacks of these ill-trained fighters. Between her and the refreshingly competent native male, they hopefully had the focus, but you never knew. Amateur fighters surprised you in the least pleasant way. 

[Gabe OOC]

"The originals weren't trained for fighting ki-wielders." Calvin mused, flowing between the diffuse volley with ease. "Then again, their leader wanted the Dragonballs just so he could wish to get taller. And no," Calvin interjected as he drew an incredulous look from the Saiyan medic, "I wish I were making that up." He grabbed one of the shooters, flipped him in the air, and then Calvin flung him into a packed knot of the enemy formation.

 

Spoiler

Dodge:

# 25, 26, 24
Details:[2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20 (1 4 - 3 3 - 1 3)]

 

Five unarmed attacks:

# 26, 25, 24, 29, 29
Details:[2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20 (3 3 - 3 2 - 3 1 - 4 5 - 6 3)]

Details:[2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20 (3 3 - 3 2 - 3 1 - 4 5 - 6 3)]

170 damage per hit.

 

HP: 470/470

EP: 470/470

I should ask, what does Judge Opponent say about these troopers and the robots?

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by Gabe OOC

[SalmonMax]

Shayuri ducked down and somersaulted forward in time to let the blast from the robot howl over her and impact on the ground beyond as she nimbly leapt back to her feet.

 

"This is going to take forever at this rate," she muttered as she put her hands together. "And I have better things to do with my time."

 

Her fingers interlocked, then quickly made a series of rapid-fire, complex gestures. Immediately those that could sense chi felt a pulse of power from within her; like the distant rumble of a torrent that follows the opening of floodgates.

 

She flung back her cloak, throwing it to the ground. Under it Shayuri wore a suit of armor crafted of overlapping scales that seemed like metal, but of an almost organic sheen, not metallic at all. The Dragon-Sage tugged at releases woven into the sleeves, and the ties that held the scale mail together loosened.

 

...and just in time. Shayuri was beginning to grow.

 

Within seconds she was towering over what she had been. Her armor swiftly discarded even as black and red plated scales formed all over her body. Her hair was replaced by scales and her horns grew significantly, arching back and out from her forehead. A long, powerful tail took shape swishing behind her...and she opened wings that rose high up over her shoulders, dark and batlike and colossal.

 

Her eyes gleamed with a hellish yellow-orange light...and a similar light burned in her chest, leaking out from between the armored plates that had taken shape there. The light throbbed with each beat of her heart.

 

Then Shayuri opened her mouth impossibly wide, like a snake's unhinged jaw, and the glow from within her could be seen down her gullet as well. She inhaled and the light of dragonfire grew brighter and brighter until it was nearly too much to look at...

 

She exhaled.

 

A wave of unnaturally intense flame roared out from Shayuri, washing over the ranks of robots to her right, cracking the concrete and heating the metal of their hulls to a livid yellow-white, like steel in a forge. She then turned to her left and inhaled again. The ranks of robots to her left then found themselves likewise bathing in dragonfire as the smell of sulfur, burning vegetation and melting rock filled the air!

 

Spoiler

 

Action 1 - Transform. (5ep/turn)

Action 2 - Fire breath (Area 2, 97 fire damage, penetrating 3) to the right of her. 10ep - 27 to hit

Action 3 - Fire breath (Area 2, 97 fire damage, penetrating 3) to the left of her. 10ep - 27 to hit

 

 

[Shameless]

Ginka furious flurry of attacks was able to put down the foes she'd been engaging, and five more went down under the fury of Calvin's blows.    He could see that the troopers were above the norm for regular humans, but still well below where he and his compatriots were.   Still with so many left, they began to fire almost indiscriminately, no longer caring if they hit each other.   (each of you needs to dodge vs 4 attacks at 23 each all of them do 55 damage)
 

What was most telling was The transformation of Shayuri, into some sort of demon dragon woman, and the the twin torrents of fire that she exhaled onto the fringes of the enemies.  while it didn't kill anything outright, it did serious damage to every enemy it touched.  It wasn't enough to put down any of them, but they didn't avoid it.   At least 4 smaller ones were caught, and  two larger ones were, their shields flickering, and then their armor heating to a white hot level and yet, it still held, though where the fire touched, the outer layers were melted away.   
 

This in turn drew the ire of both of the larger robots, firing beams at her. 
(need a 24 or better to defend on each, otherwise it's 130 damage for each attack)

Goren finished off the last two transports, and smiled.   they couldn't escape now.  "Leave a few alive if you can.  We'll need some answers.!"   he called to the others.
 

[Exile_Jeane]

Spoiler

Do a Barrel Roll! 4 dodge attempts.

Details:[2d6+20 (4 4)] 28 

Details:[2d6+20 (3 5)] 28

Details:[2d6+20 (6 2)] 28

Details:[2d6+20 (1 2)] 23

Success!

Attacking back with a Hydra's Flurry on seven scorched but vertical minions...

Details:[2d6+19 (6 4)] so, 29 to hit seven foes, 69 damage a pop.

HP 450/450 EP 429/450

 

"Not the worst use of a 'wish' I've heard, Calvin. Height is tricky to breed for without sacrificing too many other things," she commented over the roar of Shayuri's transformation and flames and the destruction of the remaining transports. Now they were in the clean up phase, and unless this Red Fudge Ripple army was hiding some kind of champion, this fight was over.

 

She smiled again, dancing through the barrage with an almost unheard chuckle, pausing to lock eyes on the soldier who had come within inches of hitting her even as the nightmare glow of another ki blast formed around her hands. "You! You I'm taking," the Saiyan Medic called out, marking her target by sending energy projectiles at everyone in a circle around him, "Drop your weapon or I'll be taking it away from you before you hurt yourself."

[SalmonMax]

Shayuri leaps into the air as the robots raise their gun-arms. Powerful wingbeats fan the flames of cooking minions into a pair of vortices as she rushes forward, turning sideways to slip between the energy beams! In another wingbeat she reached the two robots and flung herself onto the one on her right. With a roar the dragon-sage clenched her claws into its metallic hide, then reached back with her right arm and swung terrible talons up and over...catching in the armored steel and tearing it downward. Then she ripped downward with her clawed feet as well, even as Shayuri grabbed onto the robot's head and yanked upward, trying to rip the thing in two!

 

Spoiler

Three unarmed attacks hit for 152 damage each, per discord chat.

 

[Gabe OOC]

"Is that worth worldwide chaos, loss of life, and suffering?" Calvin sniffed, as he seemed to casually weave around the hails of gunfire. Sauntering through the barrage as he struck down one then another soldiers. "Guys, this is pointless. Save yourselves the hospital stay, drop your weapons and surrender already." Out of an idle moment's impulse, he snatched up one of the rifles and used it to whack a Red Ribboner in the head. Would probably hurt him less than one of Calvin's full punches.

 

Spoiler

4 Dodge Rolls
# 28, 27, 30, 24
Details:[2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20 (2 6 - 5 2 - 4 6 - 3 1)]

5 Unarmed Attack Rolls
# 26, 29, 28, 27, 26

Details:[2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20;2d6+20 (5 1 - 6 3 - 2 6 - 3 4 - 1 5)]

HP: 470/470

EP: 470/470

 

[Shameless]

With the barrage of attacks, the remainder of the troopers were taken down, and some indeed were left both alive and minimally conscious.   Shayuri was able to find that once you got close, the energy shields protecting the mechs were almost ineffective against physical attacks.   Seeing this in action,Goren moved in on the second mech, and managed a flurry of blows to take it down.   

Most of the troopers were dead, and still of the living had removed their armor.   Indeed, they couldn't see the faces, or anything that denoted them as living things. 

Goren shook his head.  "Alright, guess since they don't want to talk, I'll crack the shell one one of the dead ones."

He moved to pull armor from one of the dead troopers and got partway done with the torso, and stopped.   "Oh my God.."   "He looked at the others, and shook his head.   "They're alive and they aren't."   He pulled the chest armor off, and revealed the truth.   the soldier had cybernetics built into him, it was integrated, and the flesh was pale, and seemed dead.   

"Cyborgs."

[Exile_Jeane]

Systems had been burned and looted for less than a blank check 'wish', part of her discontent with Earth's Guardian. Still, Goren's news caught her attention and she was kneeling next to the dead soldier in almost less time than it took for the words to fade in the distance, pulling her go bag out from the small of her back and unrolling it on the ground.

 

Saiyans didn't do cyborgs. Flesh could grow stronger. Metal would not. Still, not an... unexpected trick from a leader trying to cheat his way into stronger warriors. She'd seen it done one or thrice, not that helped those leaders in the end.

 

"Give me five minutes to see if the people responsible for this know what they're doing," she muttered, already clicking her scouter into diagnostic mode, and picking out the first of her tools, thoughts whirring into the rare instances she'd seen of augmentation like this, the biological side of the machine-body-mind triangle, "...Not that I'll be able to do much more than a first look without better tools... Is this technology familiar to any of you natives?"

 

Her scalpel played along the edge of an implant as she spoke, gently tracing as yet unmelted wires feeding into pale flesh, golden eyes flicking up for a heartbeat to consider their living prisoners as potential... examples of less damaged subjects.   

 

Spoiler

Medical Training Roll should it apply.

Details:[2d6+15 (4 1)] So, 20. Doo Dah Doo!

 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Exile_Jeane
Knowledge is Half the Battle

[SalmonMax]

Shayuri hunkered down over one of the fallen cyborgs, her face squinched in distaste.

 

"No," she replied. "It's popular in fiction, and I've heard vague rumors of mind-machine links, but...honestly, my interests were in other directions entirely. I never paid this sort of thing much mind."

 

The dragon-sage grimaced as flesh was peeled away from something shiny and metal. "This looks like it would be incredibly painful, even after the surgery. How do they even move with all of these unmoving parts in them?"