Heroica: Glory Amongst The Stars - Mission #1: Mercenaries On the Boreal Express

[Waterbrick Down]

The heroes reposition and take aim at the Blackguard leader. Agent Pierce nimbly dodges Yelana's first shot but is grazed by Soren's blaster as Zaria encourages the advancing pilot. The agent casts a warding spell as her companion Slice creates multiple duplicates of himself. An explosion rocks the train car as the Menahi lobs a grenade at the heroes as shrapnel pierces both Zaria and Soren.

Round 1
Yelana moves to H4
Yelana vs. Agent Piece - (2, +2, -1) 1 Successes vs. (4) 1 Success = 0 Damage
Zaria Rallies Soren - +1 dice to next Weapon Check
Zaria moves to G3
Soren moves to F3
Soren vs. Agent Pierce - (3, 1, +1) 1 Success vs. (1) 0 Successes = 1 Damage

Blackguard Agent Slice casts Diverting Duplicate - 3 Clones created, -1 Spirit
Blackguard Agent Slice moves to B2
Blackguard Agent Pierce casts Interposing Ward - +5 Armor Bonus, -1 Spirit
Blackguard Agent Crunch tosses Grenade on F3, F4, G3, G4 - Soren 3 Damage, Zaria 2 Damage

Enemy

Blackguard Agent Pierce *+5 Armor to next attack*
Vitality: 4/5
Velocity: 2
Strength: 1
Skill: 1
Smarts: 1
Spirit: 3/4
Proficiencies: Arcana 2, Insight 1, Technology 1
Spells Known: Charm, Elemental Evocation, Meditate, Photonic Modulation, Warding Bond 
Credits: 5
Equipment: Cryo Ray (Standard Elemental Long Range Weapon), Holo-scroll
Inventory: Æther Brew, Plasma Potion

Blackguard Agent Crunch
Vitality: 7/7
Velocity: 2
Strength: 2
Skill: 2
Smarts: 1
Proficiencies: Athletics 1, Long Range Weapons 2, Melee Weapons 2, Explosives 1
Credits: 5
Equipment: Standard Issue Security Rifle (Standard Energy Long Range Weapon), Tactical Chainmail (Standard Kinetic Armor), Exo-suit
Inventory: Titanium Knuckle Dusters (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon), Plasma Potion

Blackguard Agent Slice
Vitality: 5/5
Velocity: 2
Strength: 1
Skill: 2
Smarts: 1
Spirit: 1/2
Proficiencies: Acrobatics 1, Melee Weapons 2, Perception 1, Arcana 1, Stealth 1
Spells Known: Quantum Transposition, Illusory Clone
Credits: 5
Equipment: Beam Blade (Standard Energy Melee Weapon), Tactical Leathers (Standard Energy Armor), Farsight Goggles
Inventory: Standard Issue Security Blaster (Standard Energy Short Range Weapon), Plasma Potion

Party

Zaria Kanara (Kintobor)
226 Year Old Female Elf
Character Points: 1/11
Vitality: 4/6
Velocity: 2
Strength: 2
Skill: 2
Smarts: 1
Spirit: 2/2
Proficiencies: Athletics 1, Religion 1, Melee Weapons 2
Known Spells: Warding Bond, Solar Flare
Credits: 0
Equipment: Power Khopesh (Standard Kintetic Melee Weapon), Dune Sea Armour (Standard Kinetic Armour)
Inventory: Plasma Potion x2, Repeating Slug Thrower (Standard Kintetic Long Range Weapon)

Soren Aeolus (The Legonater)
31-year-old male Human
Character Points: 1/11
Vitality: 2/5
Velocity: 2
Strength: 1
Skill: 2
Smarts: 2
Spirit: 2/2
Proficiencies: Arcana 1, Insight 1, Piloting 2, Short-Range Weapons 1
Credits: 10
Known Spells: Elemental Evocation, Entropic Mending
Equipment: MK-12 personal handgun (short-ranged standard energy weapon)
Inventory: Farsight Goggles, Hacking Chip, Vibro-Knife (Melee Standard Energy Weapon), Plasma Potion,  Project File Folder (Mission Item)

Yelana Fennix (Classic_Spaceman) 
Unknown age Female Human. 
Character Points: 1/11 
Vitality: 6/6
Velocity: 2 
Strength: 2 
Skill: 3 
Smarts: 2 
Spirit: 1/1
Proficiencies: Artillery Weapons 1, Perception 1, Deception 1, Arcana 1 
Credits: 10
Known Spells: Obfuscate 
Equipment: Modular Sniper Rifle (Calibrated Energy Artillery Weapon), Farsight Goggles, Radiation Gauntlet (Standard Energy Armor)
Inventory: Plasma Potion x2, Cloaking Generator

[Kintobor]

Wow. So, that round sucked for us.

Couple things to ask. Since Crunch tossed their grenade, is it removed from their inventory? And Zaria should still be at 2 Spirit, correct?

 

[The Legonater]

What type of armour is Pierce covered by?

[Waterbrick Down]

7 hours ago, Kintobor said:

Wow. So, that round sucked for us.

Couple things to ask. Since Crunch tossed their grenade, is it removed from their inventory? And Zaria should still be at 2 Spirit, correct?

 

MM Note: Fixed

5 hours ago, The Legonater said:

What type of armour is Pierce covered by?

MM Note: It’s a straight bonus independent of damage type.

[Kintobor]

Zaria recoils from the explosion, turning her attention to an injured Soren.

"Soren, you need to heal yourself, now! Yelana, fire on Pierce, we need that ward down now!" She looks to Crunch, a righteous fury growing within her. "The Menahi is going to regret what he has done. Varuth, favour me in my time of need!" Zaria bull rushes to F2 and attempts to push Crunch off the train through the hole in the wall.

[The Legonater]

Damn, that hurt. At least we're out of everyone's range for the moment.

With his teeth, Soren pops open a Plasma Potion and then chugs it.

Really wishing I had gotten that damn drink now. 

[Kintobor]

Yelana fires at Pierce.

[Classic_Spaceman]

10 hours ago, Kintobor said:

Yelana fires at Pierce.

OoC: 

Spoiler

Just getting caught up! 😬
I am actually going to try a Persuasion check against Pierce, rather than attacking her. I will be on later today to catch Yelana up with the battle, when I have more time to write - I apologise for holding things up! 😕

 

[The Legonater]

1 hour ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

OoC: 

  Reveal hidden contents

Just getting caught up! 😬
I am actually going to try a Persuasion check against Pierce, rather than attacking her. I will be on later today to catch Yelana up with the battle, when I have more time to write - I apologise for holding things up! 😕

 

Is there a chance that you could not do that, because I’m pretty sure that would actually kill us at this point. 

EDIT:

I was pretty busy earlier, but I wanted to expand on this because I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer, I just legitimately don't see that as an option. Kintober kind of said what I was going to, but Yelana's previous attempts at diplomacy have all been unsuccessful. Her attempts to persuade the stowaways were met with a DC 3 and then a DC 5. Her attempt to talk to Pierce earlier didn't even seem to have a DC check - and I presume that trying to persuade an enemy in the middle of combat, after Yelana has already canonically fired upon her, is not going to go smoothly. 

Role-playing games are a lot about playing out your character and figuring out what they would do in any situation, but they're also about playing on a team. Soren and Zaria are both hurting bad, and Yelana is the biggest weapon we have. She's the only one on our team with a calibrated weapon, we're relying on her to get some good damage in. But when our hardest-hitting teammate refuses to engage in combat, it kind of screws the rest of us. If Zaria fails to push Crunch off this turn, and Pierce still has her ward up, it's going to be a very bad time for us. 

I definitely encourage you to play Yelana faithfully, but I also encourage you to find a version of that which still functions with the team when the chips are down. Sometimes RPGs are about finding that balance. If diplomacy against all odds and to the direct expense of herself and her team is genuinely the way Yelana would play, then okay, just know that it likely isn't going to go down very well.

Edited September 6, 2021 by The Legonater

[Kintobor]

The reason I have Yelana firing at Pierce is to force her to put up another Warding Bond as I'll be directly able to strike her next turn. We're setting up an offensive next turn, and having all three of us attacking Pierce puts a lot of pressure off of us, even if I don't succeed at getting Crunch off the train. Pierce has been pretty clear in dialogue that she doesn't want to negotiate. If you want to try, go ahead, but you're putting the mission in jeopardy doing so. Running won't be an option at that point. We need to apply pressure this turn or get wiped off the board next turn.

Edited September 6, 2021 by Kintobor

[Classic_Spaceman]

OoC: 

Spoiler

@Waterbrick Down, @Kintobor, @The Legonater: 
Would this work? 

This Round: 
1.) Zaria to F2, Heal Soren (Zaria has two Plasma Potions to Soren's one, so this would be a better use of resources and would still position Zaria to attack Pierce during the next round.). 
2.) Soren to E4, Rally Yelana (While both Crunch and Pierce have Long-Range weapons, Proficiencies make Pierce less of a (non-magical) threat. Additionally, Yelana needs her shot to hit.). 
3.) Yelana fires at the tank in H1 (Whatever is in the tank is either pressurised, explosive, or both, so it may injure/disorient Crunch (and also possibly Pierce), which is a better strategy than trying to push him off of the train.). 

Next Round. 
1.) Zaria attacks Pierce to bring her ward down. 
2.) Soren Rallies Yelana (again!). 
3.) Yelana fires at Pierce. 
 

 

[Kintobor]

The problem that I see with this proposed turn order is we do not know the range of the tank's explosion. It could hit Soren and I as much as it hits Crunch, and as you suggest, if it hits Pierce, it is likely hitting you as well. Moving back puts us in range of Crunch and Pierce's guns, which we don't want happening. Also, considering there was an explosion earlier, one would expect the tanks to blow up with that explosion, but they haven't. I wouldn't be surprised if the tanks are empty, or if they were designed to withstand such an explosion.

[Classic_Spaceman]

4 minutes ago, Kintobor said:

The problem that I see with this proposed turn order is we do not know the range of the tank's explosion. It could hit Soren and I as much as it hits Crunch, and as you suggest, if it hits Pierce, it is likely hitting you as well. . . Also, considering there was an explosion earlier, one would expect the tanks to blow up with that explosion, but they haven't. I wouldn't be surprised if the tanks are empty, or if they were designed to withstand such an explosion.

OoC: 

Spoiler

The tanks withstood a shockwave, not a single entry-point, so a shot could conceivably puncture one of them. Additionally, Yelana would target the farthest tank and aim for the left edge, so the blast would be directed primarily across the back row. 

8 minutes ago, Kintobor said:

Moving back puts us in range of Crunch and Pierce's guns, which we don't want happening. 

OoC: 

Spoiler

Zaria and Soren are already in-range of Pierce and Crunch, respectively (Long Range hits up to three squares away, and both are two squares from their respective assailants). 

 

[Waterbrick Down]

40 minutes ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

OoC: 

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The tanks withstood a shockwave, not a single entry-point, so a shot could conceivably puncture one of them. Additionally, Yelana would target the farthest tank and aim for the left edge, so the blast would be directed primarily across the back row. 

OoC: 

  Reveal hidden contents

Zaria and Soren are already in-range of Pierce and Crunch, respectively (Long Range hits up to three squares away, and both are two squares from their respective assailants). 

 

MM Note: Just so there are proper expectations. Shooting at the tank to detonate it in one direction as opposed to a detonation that hits potentially enemies and allies will be a more difficult challenge. (i.e. DC 1 vs. DC 3). Additionally while an explosion will do damage, it won't be an instant KO.

[Classic_Spaceman]

1 minute ago, Waterbrick Down said:

MM Note: Just so there are proper expectations. Shooting at the tank to detonate it in one direction as opposed to a detonation that hits potentially enemies and allies will be a more difficult challenge. (i.e. DC 1 vs. DC 3). Additionally while an explosion will do damage, it won't be an instant KO.

OoC: 

Spoiler

DC 3 should be doable with Soren Rallying Yelana (particularly since she is using a Calibrated weapon). As for damage, some is better than none (and since Yelana is basically guaranteed her hit, shooting the tank is a better strategy than trying to push Crunch off of the train). Additionally, Re: range, if the explosion manages to hit Pierce, that should drop her ward (since I assume that said explosion would be considered a kind of attack). 

 

[Waterbrick Down]

14 minutes ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

OoC: 

  Reveal hidden contents

DC 3 should be doable with Soren Rallying Yelana (particularly since she is using a Calibrated weapon). As for damage, some is better than none (and since Yelana is basically guaranteed her hit, shooting the tank is a better strategy than trying to push Crunch off of the train). Additionally, Re: range, if the explosion manages to hit Pierce, that should drop her ward (since I assume that said explosion would be considered a kind of attack). 

 

MM Note: To be clear, this wouldn't be an Attack action, this would be a "Try Something" action and thus unimpacted by the Rally action.

[Classic_Spaceman]

On 9/1/2021 at 9:41 AM, Waterbrick Down said:

"Such infighting, no wonder Heroica is having problems getting its feet under it. Pierce by the way. Slice any progress?"

"I know, right? And nice to meet you." 
 

On 9/1/2021 at 4:36 PM, The Legonater said:

He swaps hands on his gun to put it further from Yelana, and then fires again at the invaders.

Yelana lowered her voice. 
"Soren, goddammit! If we start a fight, we risk losing the documents - Have some sense!" 
 

On 9/3/2021 at 12:34 AM, Waterbrick Down said:

"You're going to regret getting on this train, heroes."

Yelana glares at Soren. 
"Nice work, asshoIe. You just always have to start some shit." 
Yelana turned back to Pierce and smirked. 
"Not really, since if we hadn't, we wouldn't have met. Want to grab tea sometime? Or coffee - Whichever you prefer." 

Yelana sets her rifle to stun and halfheartedly aims it towards Pierce. 

On 9/4/2021 at 6:39 PM, Kintobor said:

Yelana moves to H4 and fires at Pierce.

 

On 9/4/2021 at 11:04 PM, Waterbrick Down said:

 

The heroes reposition and take aim at the Blackguard leader. Agent Pierce nimbly dodges Yelana's first shot but is grazed by Soren's blaster as Zaria encourages the advancing pilot. The agent casts a warding spell as her companion Slice creates multiple duplicates of himself. An explosion rocks the train car as the Menahi lobs a grenade at the heroes as shrapnel pierces both Zaria and Soren.

"Agh. . . Here we go again." 
Yelana made eye-contact with Pierce. 
"Pierce, contact Agent Su'un Yex - She'll vouch for me. This doesn't need to escalate any further!" 
 

On 9/5/2021 at 9:52 PM, Kintobor said:

"The Menahi is going to regret what he has done. Varuth, favour me in my time of need!" Zaria bull rushes to F2 and attempts to push Crunch off the train through the hole in the wall.

"What, no! That is a terrible idea - He'll just turn and yeet you out of the train using your own momentum!" 

 

OoC: 

Spoiler

RP catchup. 

 

 

 

21 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

MM Note: To be clear, this wouldn't be an Attack action, this would be a "Try Something" action and thus unimpacted by the Rally action.

OoC: 

Spoiler

How so? I was under the impression that it would be considered an Attack/Weapon Check (I.E. attacking the tank). 🤔

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by Classic_Spaceman

[Waterbrick Down]

35 minutes ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

 

OoC: 

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How so? I was under the impression that it would be considered an Attack/Weapon Check (I.E. attacking the tank). 🤔

 

MM Note: I'll reply to your in character responses in a little bit, but the tank is not a target, it doesn't have stats. Similar to when you try to break a door down or break a lock, you're using skills not making an attack. In this particular instance it'll still use your weapon proficiency skill, but it won't be an attack.

[Classic_Spaceman]

3 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

MM Note:  the tank is not a target, it doesn't have stats. Similar to when you try to break a door down or break a lock, you're using skills not making an attack. In this particular instance it'll still use your weapon proficiency skill, but it won't be an attack.

OoC: 

Spoiler

Ah, OK. 👍 

How does this look? 
1.) Zaria to F2, Heal Soren. 
2.) Soren to E3, Attack Pierce (Possibly bringing her ward down, if the attack is successful). 
3.) Yelana fires at the left edge of the tank in H1. 
 

 

[Waterbrick Down]

54 minutes ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

Yelana glares at Soren. 
"Nice work, asshoIe. You just always have to start some shit." 
Yelana turned back to Pierce and smirked. 
"Not really, since if we hadn't, we wouldn't have met. Want to grab tea sometime? Or coffee - Whichever you prefer."

MM Note: No problem retroactively playing this.

"Vodka, but I doubt you and your companions will be up for much very soon."

58 minutes ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

"Agh. . . Here we go again." 
Yelana made eye-contact with Pierce. 
"Pierce, contact Agent Su'un Yex - She'll vouch for me. This doesn't need to escalate any further!"

"I'm not worried about your credentials Love. If you're trying to aid us, the best you can do is stay out of the way, or deal with your group. Either way, you'd best figure out where your loyalties lie."

[Classic_Spaceman]

2 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Vodka, but I doubt you and your companions will be up for much very soon."

"Well, I was thinking it'd be just us. . . " 

3 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"I'm not worried about your credentials Love. If you're trying to aid us, the best you can do is stay out of the way, or deal with your group. Either way, you'd best figure out where your loyalties lie."

"Hey - That's what I was trying to do, before Soren got all trigger-happy! Again. . . "
Yelana looked around the car, spotting a yellow tank in the corner. 
"We can still both just stand down, Pierce." 

[Waterbrick Down]

2 minutes ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

"Hey - That's what I was trying to do, before Soren got all trigger-happy! Again. . . "
Yelana looked around the car, spotting a yellow tank in the corner. 
"We can still both just stand down, Pierce." 

"Why? You don't have anything to bargain with that we can't simply take. We've got the upper hand, you've just got to decide if you want to stay on the sinking ship or transfer over."

[Kintobor]

Zaria growled as she grappled Crunch. "Yelana, we are not blowing up that tank! I will not put Soren in danger!" Zaria shouted. "I need your help!! Follow my lead and fire your rifle at Pierce!"

[The Legonater]

2 hours ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

Yelana glares at Soren. 
"Nice work, asshoIe. You just always have to start some shit." 

They had guns pointed at us!! I'm the one bleeding out because you couldn't hit anything!

3 hours ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

Yelana turned back to Pierce and smirked. 
"Not really, since if we hadn't, we wouldn't have met. Want to grab tea sometime? Or coffee - Whichever you prefer." 
 

"Agh. . . Here we go again." 
Yelana made eye-contact with Pierce. 
"Pierce, contact Agent Su'un Yex - She'll vouch for me. This doesn't need to escalate any further!" 

Was she selling them out!? To this woman who clearly couldn't give a shit about her? And she had the gall to call Soren an idiot...

Soren continued to drink his Plasma Potion, longing for the days when you could rely on someone.

[Classic_Spaceman]

OoC: 

Spoiler

@Kintobor, @The Legonater: 
I am currently discussing in-character choices with WBD, so I will post once I have my decision sorted out - I apologise for holding things up. 😬