Heroica: Glory Amongst the Stars - Mission #7: My Bleeding Hart

[karmajay]

Kirwin follows Merei.

[The Legonater]

15 hours ago, Zepher said:

“Very well. Let us proceed to Delta and prepare to destroy this ship.”

5 hours ago, karmajay said:

Kirwin follows Merei.

The party continues through the last airlock to Delta. They find the corridor there thoroughly ravaged by the Hydra specimen. Viscous webbing blots most of the floor and ceiling and covers the entrances to the two side rooms. The Heroes are sure they can feel the substance dripping on them, sticking to them as they move through the hallway. At the end of the hall, the doorway to Delta's main cargo hold sits unlocked. There is an air of finality as they approach the last room on their spelunking through Valencia. If there are any final words or concerns, now was the time.

 

[Kintobor]

"I have a bad feeling about this." Zaria comments as she uncomfortably moves through the corridor. She would relish a shower after all of this was done and over with.

[Zepher]

Merei goes over her list of crew members carefully - there are still more missing than she'd like. Her worst fear, at the moment, is blowing the ship with someone unknowingly still on it. "Where is the scientist?" she mutters as she follows Zaria, keeping her flames low.

[karmajay]

Kirwin whispers "I wonder if this hydra tastes good cooked?"

[Zepher]

"That is a good, inquisitive mind you have," Merei whispers back.

[The Legonater]

MM Note: I'm not sure where @KotZ has been, but I hope it's not unfair if I roll Varen as drinking a Plasma Potion (6) as well so that the party is at full health. 

The group continues, resolving themselves to continue into Delta's main chamber. An immediate chill crosses all of them - the room is filled from wall to wall with Hydra webbing, with Sprouts scuttling across in every direction. There's a dampness and humidity to the room that makes the air feel thick and cloying. To their left, the party spots the energy components gathered together, pulsating with power. A large mass of Hydra curls on top of it, with a giant beady-eyed head gazing down at the group. From the ceiling, tendrils hang down, latched into the necks of four humans - Linda Greenlaw, Ernest McSorley, Jamie Luce, and Simon Dunn. 

All four of the humans stare at the party in line with the Hydra eyes. There is a deep, unsettling gurgling from the depths of the giant head. Shortly after, words pour from the four as if being pulled out.

    
Wel-come, advent-ur-ers.

[Zepher]

“Hello.” Merei racks her gaze over the people, before returning it to the Hydra’s face. “It seems you can speak to us ably now. You’ve done a lot of damage to this ship and the people aboard. What was it for?”

[Kintobor]

Zaria grips her sword tightly. She wasn't sure if this was a better or worse discovery than she initially envisioned, but it unsettled her nonetheless. She thought back to the Hydra attacking the chimera and sneered. "At least we now know it's sapient." She growled. If there's was one thing about this that bothered her most, it was this creature's ability to think and reason. It meant it was not doing these deeds through primal instinct, but with purpose and reason.

[The Legonater]

7 hours ago, Zepher said:

“Hello.” Merei racks her gaze over the people, before returning it to the Hydra’s face. “It seems you can speak to us ably now. You’ve done a lot of damage to this ship and the people aboard. What was it for?”

The Hydra monstrosity fixes its many eyes upon Merei, studying her a moment before answering through its human thrall.

 
You have damage-d us and our brood. You have threatened our excor-cism from this birthing ground. We could ask you the same.

 
We seek what all life seeks - to live. To grow and repro-duce.

 
But life requires death. And death requires sacri-fice. What are you will-ing to sacri-fice? 

 
We have watched you e-nough to know you seek our des-truction. The Hydra eyes shift to focus on Zaria. But what will such blood-shed cost?

[karmajay]

Kirwin looks at the hydra and says "Unfortunately your choices have been violent and forced death upon the members of the ship. Violence may be ok and necessary or fun in certain situation but  since you directed it towards these other beings without their input is bad. Very bad! Bad hydra!"

Kirwin whispers to Merei after looking at Zaria "I don't think Zaria has any peaceful solutions in mind for this impasse"

[The Legonater]

5 hours ago, karmajay said:

Kirwin looks at the hydra and says "Unfortunately your choices have been violent and forced death upon the members of the ship. Violence may be ok and necessary or fun in certain situation but  since you directed it towards these other beings without their input is bad. Very bad! Bad hydra!"

The Hydra shifts on the power capsules to gaze at Kirwin, tendrils flaring out slightly.

 
And your choic-es have forced death upon the members of our brood. Did you ask our input be-fore put-ting the flame to our children?

[karmajay]

7 minutes ago, The Legonater said:

The Hydra shifts on the power capsules to gaze at Kirwin, tendrils flaring out slightly.

 
And your choic-es have forced death upon the members of our brood. Did you ask our input be-fore put-ting the flame to our children?

Kiriwn replies "We were defending ourselves. You decided to take over the ship and attempt to take over the lives on board"

[Zepher]

7 hours ago, karmajay said:

Kirwin whispers to Merei after looking at Zaria "I don't think Zaria has any peaceful solutions in mind for this impasse"

"I fear you're right, and that the Hydra is of a similar mind. It is because they both decided, before walking into the room, how this would end. The dangers of imagination."

17 hours ago, The Legonater said:

The Hydra monstrosity fixes its many eyes upon Merei, studying her a moment before answering through its human thrall.

 
You have damage-d us and our brood. You have threatened our excor-cism from this birthing ground. We could ask you the same.

 
We seek what all life seeks - to live. To grow and repro-duce.

 
But life requires death. And death requires sacri-fice. What are you will-ing to sacri-fice? 

 
We have watched you e-nough to know you seek our des-truction. The Hydra eyes shift to focus on Zaria. But what will such blood-shed cost?

"My life has required very little death," Merei says sadly.

2 hours ago, karmajay said:

Kiriwn replies "We were defending ourselves. You decided to take over the ship and attempt to take over the lives on board"

"We boarded the Hydra's ship, not the other way around. We boarded, and attacked." Merei turns to the Hydra. "We can't offer you complaint, you're right. But those people," she points to the four hostages, "most certainly can. So help me understand. Why does your life require death and sacrifice? What are you, and what do you need to live? Can you untether them now and still survive? Not flourish, mind you, but survive. Because you've stated two things life seeks: one is to live, which I can sympathize with. The other is to grow, which I can sympathize with, but only if it's not at undue cost of others."

[The Legonater]

4 hours ago, karmajay said:

Kiriwn replies "We were defending ourselves. You decided to take over the ship and attempt to take over the lives on board"

 
We were taken un-a-ware in our dormancy and caged, only wak-ing to gun-fire and prodding. We are defending our-selves as much as you.

2 hours ago, Zepher said:

"We boarded the Hydra's ship, not the other way around. We boarded, and attacked." Merei turns to the Hydra. "We can't offer you complaint, you're right. But those people," she points to the four hostages, "most certainly can. So help me understand. Why does your life require death and sacrifice? What are you, and what do you need to live? Can you untether them now and still survive? Not flourish, mind you, but survive. Because you've stated two things life seeks: one is to live, which I can sympathize with. The other is to grow, which I can sympathize with, but only if it's not at undue cost of others."

 
This one would seek to under-stand, to nego-tiate. Fascinating. 

 
A pred-ator feeds on the inno-cent. The inno-cent feed on the produce of the ground. The ground feeds on the bones of the pred-ator. We have watched and ob-served this for millennia.

 
The con-sequences of an act stretch into infinity. All we do is to survive. Who are we to say what cost is undue? 

[Kintobor]

Zaria looked to Viper suspiciously, giving him a wary look of understanding as the series of events that set her down this path were revealed to her. Turning back to the Hydra, she looked at what lay before her, not sure who to address, but still off put by its presence.

"Then if what you desire is survival, then your goal is doomed to fail." Zaria responds. "Not from the might of my blade or the strength of my faith, but rather the force of gravity around us. This vessel is between the gravitational pull of two stars. Eventually the pull will rip this... domain asunder and you along with it, along with everyone else on this vessel. I do not know if you can survive in the cold abyss of space, but there is nothing out there for you to feed upon once you are out there. Eventually you will be drawn into the orbit of one of the two suns, where you will burn into nothingness." Zaria still gripped her sword as she considered her next action carefully. This creature was evil. It's destructive path through the ship, ripping and tearing through people was enough reason to slay the beast, sapient or not. Would it have done the same in different circumstances? She was certain it would if this was what it was doing now. She believed it saw itself as the predator in its analogy and would tear them limb from limb if given the chance. What she didn't know if she could do was convince her comrades of this position and save the crew members.

[KotZ]

OOC: Sorry everyone. Honestly terribly sorry with my low activity in the game past while. It's shameful and not fair to everyone else. While I have excuses, none are really good ones.

Varen rolls his eyes at the hydra's reasonings. "Yeah, it's nature. Survival. Anyone with basic biology would get that. I even did it back in community college for bio. Doesn't mean we have to let you, actively and hostilely take the lives of these people."

[Zepher]

17 minutes ago, KotZ said:

OOC: Sorry everyone. Honestly terribly sorry with my low activity in the game past while. It's shameful and not fair to everyone else. While I have excuses, none are really good ones.

Hey, we've always said the same things here. Life is life. Would love to see more of you, but if you're busy, you're busy.

2 hours ago, The Legonater said:

 
We were taken un-a-ware in our dormancy and caged, only wak-ing to gun-fire and prodding. We are defending our-selves as much as you.

 
This one would seek to under-stand, to nego-tiate. Fascinating. 

 
A pred-ator feeds on the inno-cent. The inno-cent feed on the produce of the ground. The ground feeds on the bones of the pred-ator. We have watched and ob-served this for millennia.

 
The con-sequences of an act stretch into infinity. All we do is to survive. Who are we to say what cost is undue? 

Merei watches as Varen and Zaria bristle. Even her best ally Kirwin she can't imagine is comfortable in this moment. She isn't. Yet... "You must know how much relies on this. You can see a hand going for a sword and a gun. We can play this out as predator and prey, and we may all exchange roles in that. We all eat. I am not blind to that. And yes, energy comes from a star," Merei flares in demonstration, before quelling herself, "and is captured by the algae, which is captured by the fish, which is captured by the hunter. But you haven't answered my question. Do you strive to survive, or do you want to thrive at the expense of others? It is one thing to eat a fish because you are hungry and will die if you continue to be hungry. It is another to eat fish even if you can survive without one, but because crushing all the fish will mean you control the seas. Which nature are you?"

[The Legonater]

2 hours ago, Kintobor said:

"Then if what you desire is survival, then your goal is doomed to fail." Zaria responds. "Not from the might of my blade or the strength of my faith, but rather the force of gravity around us. This vessel is between the gravitational pull of two stars. Eventually the pull will rip this... domain asunder and you along with it, along with everyone else on this vessel. I do not know if you can survive in the cold abyss of space, but there is nothing out there for you to feed upon once you are out there. Eventually you will be drawn into the orbit of one of the two suns, where you will burn into nothingness."

 
We have and will survive worse. Our con-sciousness is vaster than you can con-ceive, and a graviton-ic end of which you speak would only serve to spread our seed amongst the stars.

37 minutes ago, KotZ said:

Varen rolls his eyes at the hydra's reasonings. "Yeah, it's nature. Survival. Anyone with basic biology would get that. I even did it back in community college for bio. Doesn't mean we have to let you, actively and hostilely take the lives of these people."

 
These lives you so defend would have us sub-ju-gated in a lab to research for-evor. Active or not, this world is life for life.

19 minutes ago, Zepher said:

"But you haven't answered my question. Do you strive to survive, or do you want to thrive at the expense of others? It is one thing to eat a fish because you are hungry and will die if you continue to be hungry. It is another to eat fish even if you can survive without one, but because crushing all the fish will mean you control the seas. Which nature are you?"

  
Nature is caus-ality. We will do what we must - your annihilation is preferable to the loss of our hive. Whether you ap-prove is of no concern to us. 

58 minutes ago, KotZ said:

OOC: Sorry everyone. Honestly terribly sorry with my low activity in the game past while. It's shameful and not fair to everyone else. While I have excuses, none are really good ones.

MM Note: All good! As Zeph said, real life is the priority! Just glad you're still with us!

[Kintobor]

Zaria looked to Merei sternly. She shook her head in anger, scowling: not at Merei, but in general disdain towards the Hydra. She was ready to fight and send this creature to its final journey, one she silently prayed Varuth would plague with troubles. As much as Varuth could show the way, he could equally hinder it.

"If this creature's goal is to spread it's tendrils across the stars, Merei, then you know which action I support taking."

[Zepher]

17 hours ago, Kintobor said:

Zaria looked to Merei sternly. She shook her head in anger, scowling: not at Merei, but in general disdain towards the Hydra. She was ready to fight and send this creature to its final journey, one she silently prayed Varuth would plague with troubles. As much as Varuth could show the way, he could equally hinder it.

"If this creature's goal is to spread it's tendrils across the stars, Merei, then you know which action I support taking."

"I do, and as always, I will not stay your hand. Try to spare those you can." Merei nods sympathetically to the Hydra. "Is there anything else you'd like to share from your vast consciousness, or should we move forward to the conclusion you and Zaria are determined to arrive at?"

[karmajay]

OOC: Kiriwn is ready for next actions

[The Legonater]

On 3/1/2022 at 9:56 PM, Kintobor said:

"If this creature's goal is to spread it's tendrils across the stars, Merei, then you know which action I support taking."

On 3/2/2022 at 3:47 PM, Zepher said:

"I do, and as always, I will not stay your hand. Try to spare those you can." Merei nods sympathetically to the Hydra. "Is there anything else you'd like to share from your vast consciousness, or should we move forward to the conclusion you and Zaria are determined to arrive at?"

The Hydra spreads its gaze amongst the party members. It speaks again, seeming to have gained confidence with the language over the course of the interaction.

    
This decision is futile. We will persist. You, inevitably, will fall to the ashes of time. Embrace the death you seek.

Sensing the growing danger, Dean backs into the airlock passage, hiding away from the inevitable bloodshed. The remaining five arrange themselves back-to-back as a group of Sprouts emerge from the webbing around them, hissing and spraying venom. Viper twirls his blaster before locking into a readied stance. Kirwin readies their drone whilst shouldering their flamethrower. Merei glows brightly as she prepares a spell. Varen casually expells a shell from his rifle and loads in a new energy charge. Zaria twirls her khopesh, whispering a prayer under her breath. The Hydra screams with a collective roar as the Sprouts and controlled humans rush into the fray. 

PREPARE FOR BATTLE!

Kirwin Initiative Check - (3) Zero successes
Merei Initiative Check - (2, 5) One success
Varen Initiative Check - (6, 1) One success
Viper Initiative Check - (3, 1) Zero successes
Zaria Initiative Check - (4, 5, 2) Two successes

Hydra Root Initiative Check - (3, 2) Zero successes
Linda Greenlaw Initiative Check - (1, 3) Zero successes
Ernest McSorley Initiative Check - (5) One success
Jamie Luce Initiative Check - (2, 2) Zero successes
Simon Dunn Initiative Check - (1, 6, 3) One success
Hydra Sprout A Initiative Check - (4) One success
Hydra Sprout B Initiative Check - (4) One success
Hydra Sprout C Initiative Check - (6) One success
Hydra Sprout D Initiative Check - (1) Zero successes

The Enemy:

Hydra Root 
Vitality: 25/25
Velocity: 0
Strength: 1
Skill: 2
Smarts: 4
Proficiencies: Insight 2, Intimidation 1, Nature 3, Perception 1, Survival 3
Equipment: ??
Passive Ability: Hive Mind - Any damage done to the Root will be instead distributed evenly among anyone under its thrall. The Root can Rally or Defend those under its thrall without being physically adjacent to them.
Special Actions: If the Root has no minds under its thrall, it may take one of the following actions on its turn:
Parasitic Reach - The Root makes a Smarts check against a member of the party. If the Root succeeds, that character is under its thrall for the next turn. 
Colony Defence - The Root summons more Hydra creatures into the battle, rolling a d4 - 1, Failure; 2, Two Hydra Sprouts, 3, a Hydra Meiosphere, 4, a Hydra Calyx.

Linda Greenlaw (Controlled)
Vitality: 3/3
Velocity: 2
Strength: 1
Skill: 2
Spirit: 4/4
Smarts: 3
Known Spells: Elemental Evocation, Entropic Mending, Healing Light
Proficiencies: Culture 2, Nature 2, Perception 1
Equipment: Aether Brew, Nanite Elixir

Ernest McSorley (Controlled)
Vitality: 5/5
Velocity: 2
Strength: 3
Skill: 1
Smarts: 1
Proficiencies: Athletics 2, Engineering 3, Melee Weapons 2
Equipment: Electronic Transmitter/Detonator (Quest Item), Metal Bracers (Calibrated Kinetic Melee Weapon), Utility Belt

Jamie Luce (Controlled)
Vitality: 4/4
Velocity: 2
Strength: 2
Skill: 2
Smarts: 3
Proficiencies: Insight 2, Medicine 4, Perception 1, Survival 2
Equipment: Recovered Hart Rifle (Calibrated Long Range Energy Weapon), Plasma Potion x2, Essence of Precaution

Simon Dunn (Controlled)
Vitality: 4/4
Velocity: 2
Strength: 1
Skill: 3
Smarts: 2
Proficiencies: Coding 1, Perception 2, Piloting 3, Short Range Weapons 2
Equipment: Pilot's Sidearm (Standard Short Range Energy Weapon), 20 Credits

Hydra Sprout A
Vitality: 5/5
Velocity: 3
Strength: 2
Skill: 1
Smarts: 1
Proficiencies: Melee Weapons 3, Nature 1, Survival 1
Equipment: None
Innate: Piercing Mandibles (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon)
Passive Ability: Self-Pollination - 1/3 chance to revive upon death, gaining 1d4 health.

Hydra Sprout B
Vitality: 5/5
Velocity: 3
Strength: 2
Skill: 1
Smarts: 1
Proficiencies: Melee Weapons 3, Nature 1, Survival 1
Equipment: 5 Credits
Innate: Piercing Mandibles (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon)
Passive Ability: Self-Pollination - 1/3 chance to revive upon death, gaining 1d4 health.

Hydra Sprout C
Vitality: 5/5
Velocity: 3
Strength: 2
Skill: 1
Smarts: 1
Proficiencies: Melee Weapons 3, Nature 1, Survival 1
Equipment: Bulking Stim
Innate: Piercing Mandibles (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon)
Passive Ability: Self-Pollination - 1/3 chance to revive upon death, gaining 1d4 health.

Hydra Sprout D
Vitality: 5/5
Velocity: 3
Strength: 2
Skill: 1
Smarts: 1
Proficiencies: Melee Weapons 3, Nature 1, Survival 1
Equipment: 10 Credits
Innate: Piercing Mandibles (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon)
Passive Ability: Self-Pollination - 1/3 chance to revive upon death, gaining 1d4 health.

The Party:

Kirwin (karmajay)
Character Points: 5/18
Vitality: 6/6
Velocity: 1
Strength: 2
Skill: 1
Smarts: 3
Proficiencies: Coding 2, Piloting 1, Engineering 2, Explosives 1, Technology 2 
Credits: 18
Equipment: Drone (Standard Long Range Elemental Weapon), Adventuring Leathers (Standard Kinetic Armour), Utility Belt
Inventory: 3 Hampering Minor Chemical Contained grenades, 4 Plasma Potions, Hacking Chip, Captain Ilbery's Security Card, Alien Mandible (Standard Kinetic Weapon), Makeshift Flamethrower (Standard Short-Range Elemental Weapon), Skeleton Key Card (Unlocks 1 lock per mission)

Merei Teo
Age 24 Female, Helioi-Touched Celestial (Born Menahi) 
Character Points: 4/18
Vitality: 6/6 
Velocity: 2
Strength: 2
Skill: 2
Smarts: 3
Spirit: 3/3
Proficiencies: Occult 1, Religion 1, Coding 1, Insight 1
Known Spells: Healing Light, Solar Flare, Gravity Sink
Credits: 161
Equipment: Teo Family Pocket-Watch (Kinetic Weapon), Utility Belt (Grants +1 Engineering or Medicine Check Success)
Inventory: Essence of Intellect, Plasma Potion, Aether Brew, Nanite Elixir, Holo-Tome (+1 to non-Spell Arcana, Nature, Religion, and Occult Checks)

Varen Nastayo (KotZ)
26, Male, Human
Character Points: 5/17
Vitality: 3/5
Velocity: 2
Strength: 2
Skill: 2
Smarts: 2
Spirit: 0
Proficiencies: Culture 2, Deception 1, Insight 1, Persuasion 2, Long Range Weapon 1, Coding 1*
Known Spells (if applicable): 
Credits: 124
Equipment: Lawyer's Rifle (Standard Long Range Energy weapon), Translator Cube
Inventory: 1x Essence of Glibness, 1x Essence of Intellect, Ion Repeater (Standard Energy Long Range Weapon), Adrenaline Decoction, 2x Bulking Stim, Aether Brew, 2x Plasma Potion, Ion Scope (This weapon ignores Obscurement)

Zaria Kanara (Kintobor) 
226 Year Old Female Elf
Character Points: 5/19
Vitality: 6/6
Velocity: 3
Strength: 2
Skill: 2
Smarts: 1
Spirit: 1/2
Proficiencies: Athletics 1, Religion 2, Melee Weapons 2
Known Spells: Warding Bond, Sonic Sweep
Credits: 139
Equipment: Power Khopesh (Standard Kintetic Melee Weapon), Dune Sea Armour (Standard Kinetic Armour w/ Repulsor, +1 Defend Rolls), Farsight Goggles
Inventory: Plasma Potion (4), Aether Brew x2, Essence of Toughness, Holoscroll (Enhanced Vision)

Viper Carpathia (Will take suggestions)
Vitality: 5/7
Velocity: 2
Strength: 4
Skill: 2
Smarts: 3
Spirit: 0
Proficiencies: Athletics 1, Persuasion 1, Short Range Weapons 2, Survival 1
Equipment: Starblazer Armour (Standard Kinetic Armour), Captain's Sidearm (Standard Short-Range Energy Weapon)

Edited March 4, 2022 by The Legonater

[Zepher]

Merei tries to see if there is anyway to free the people tethered to the Hydra.

[The Legonater]

42 minutes ago, Zepher said:

Merei tries to see if there is anyway to free the people tethered to the Hydra.

Merei Perception Check DC 1/3 - (4, 6, 6) Three successes

Merei eyes the humans under the Root's thrall, trying to plan a bloodless way to free them. She quickly settles on a number of options - she and Kirwin could again try to burn the parasite out of them. Alternatively, she looks at the tendrils attached to the humans at the neck; it may also be possible to sever the tethers. Either way, she won't know for certain until she tries.