A Knocking Afar (IC Thread)

[Trokair]

Somewhat rested you continue on your way. This branch of the webway remains small and tunnel like but after a while it feels like it is slopping downwards. Gently at first, then a little steeper, however before it could become an issue it levelled out again a little and you arrive in a larger space, a bubble of space maybe 50m wide. The air here is stale, and has been for some time in the tunnel as well, no breeze or pressure shift has blown though here in a long time.  

 

Almost perfectly on the other side from where the tunnel brought you is the gate. Wraithbone substrate housing and supporting the delicate machinery that allowed the connection to the anchored twin in the real. Perhaps the most unusual aspect is the sign of age, subtle erosions, patches of collapse, as if it had been rock or wood left exposed to the elements.

 

 

The below is relevant for Mazer/Soairse, the others  can explore the surroundings more thoroughly, or rest, or stand guard, as you all see fit, sorry for it being a bit non interactive for a moment.   
 

Spoiler

To interface and open the portal will take Focus and time. The Farseer had provided Soairse with an imprint of how to psyicaly connect with the dormant machinery, how to unlock the wards and present the key for it to accept the instructions.  

 

This will be an extended test.  To start with you need to attain a state of Focus by passing a Routine (+20) Willpower Test. A Pass generate d10 x5 minutes of Focused concentration, with each DoS adding a further 5 minutes.  Failure has no consequences.  If you need to retain Focus after it was broken (see below) there is a -5 penalty for each time Focus was broken, this represents the build up of mental fatigue. You can reset this penalty to 0 by resting/meditating for 30 minutes.  

 

Once Focused you need to get 4DoS (cumulative) in each of the following in sequence:

• Interface with Machine.  A Ordinary (+10) Intelligence check, each attempt costs 10 minutes, failure on the test has no consequences (other than having taken time).  
• Unlock the Seal. A Challenging (+0) Psyniscience test (because the lock on the portal uses principles form reading the Skein). Each attempts take 5 minutes. Failures of 3DoF or more will break your Focus (so you have to regain it before you can continue)
• Channel the Portal. A Easy (+30) Fellowship Test (as you are basically letting the Fraser's imprint do the work this is basically a test of how much you trust the psychic imprint to work you/surprising your own instinct to take control of the flow of psychic energy while keeping enough control on it to not let it go array). This test takes no time, but failure breaks Focus and makes subsequent attempts 1 step more difficult (ie Easy (+30) becomes Routine (+20) becomes Ordinary (+10) etc. all the way down to Very Hard (-30))

 

DoS progress is not lost if Focus is Broken as it in part represents Soairse getting more familiar with it all and finding her way back to where she had been at.

 

In addition to the above three while Focused Soairse may instead try to comprehend the Farseers imprint instead of letting it guide her / run its own course through her.

This is a Hard (-20) Intelligence Test and takes 10 minutes of time. Each Pass and every 2 DoS grant a Comprehension Point. These can be spent to permanently  (for the duration of this extended test) increase either further Compression test, Unlock the Seal or Channel the Portal test by +10. Failures of 3 DoF or more will break your Focus.

 

Narrate as you see fit using the tests to guide you. You can do all the test in one go or do it over multiple.

 

Please pause when you have either accrued 4DoS on Channel the Portal (ie the Portal is opening) or if the total time from tests/rest is 2 hours (120 minutes). At this point there be will be some narration relevant to circumstance.

 

 

I hope that is not to convoluted and makes sense, and I know it is not a lot to do for the others while this happens. 

 

In theory it could be a fairly straight forward extended test with only a few rolls need if the dice are average, but it can spiral if the dice are bad. 

 

Given that this is supposed to be a more simple game I do offer an alternative to all of the above in the form a of a little railroading to the 2 hours elapsed time mark and some suitable narration from you as to Soairse attempt to work the portal mechanism and the Farseers imprint. 

 

Questions as always in the other thread.  

 

Edited 20 hours ago by Trokair

[Akylas]

Kelman takes some time to inspect his gear for damage from the fight. He glances at Soairse.

"I apologize for saying this as I know you have much work to do. Still, I am forced to admit it nice to have a moment to collect my thoughts."

[Mazer Rackham]

Soairse:

 

Examining the Portal, her lips formed a tight line, jaw setting. This was quite the task. The imprint was complicated, a masterwork of communion and security - a seal for something which appeared to have temporal corrosion on this side.

 

Not a beneficent indicator. If the complexity of manipulation wasn't a subtle enough hint.

 

She sensed Kelman's intentions before he moved, the tiniest stutter in the aether mirrored by a shift in the communal dialogue of poise. His words came next. For it was true, the Eldar speak thricely, with all postulation true and each resulting in as astounding a result as the other.

 

Intention, formation, execution. All in the same heartbeat.

 

Her helm tilted to the side in the right degree to indicate he was correct - she was busy, but the subtle twist of her neck showed she was in the mood to listen, the small amulets of her previous Aspect Profession hanging from the crest of her helm a perfect invitation for him to continue. She volunteered the bridge.

 

Intention, formation, execution.

 

'What disturbs you, Kelman?' Her tone was modulated for the use of inflection in the presence of a friend.

 

Soairse used the familiar to add balance, to take his comment as instruction.  Her eyes roved across the runes and etchings behind the crystal lenses of the drake-snarl helm. One by one she stilled psychic vibration, the ebb and low of the webway, the obvious shout of warning from decaying wraithbone! His comment became less distraction and more focus. A singular thread to latch onto.

 

Spoiler

WP test for Focus: WP 45 + 20 (DC) = 65

D100: 25, Pass, Plus 4 DoS

1D10 x 5 Min: 1 (lol)

Total Time: 25 mins.

 

Attempt 1: Intelligence +10 (49)

10 Mins: 95, Fail

20 Mins: 61, Fail

 

Re-Focus: WP 45 + 20 = 65

D100: 009, Pass, Plus 5 DoS

D10 x 5 = 10 - 50

Total Time: 75 Mins

 

Attempt 2: Intelligence + 10 (49)

10 Mins: 91, Fail

20 Mins: 77, Fail

30 Mins: 68, Fail

40 Mins: 39 PASS, Plus 1 DoS

50 Mins: 62, Fail

60 Mins: 72, Fail

70 Mins: 65, Fail

 

Re-Focus: 

WP 45 + 20 = 65

D100: 010, Pass, Plus 6 DoS

D10 x 5 = 3 - 45 Mins (Capped at 20 as now 120 Mins)

Total Time: 120 Mins

 

Attempt 3: Intelligence + 10 (49)

10 Mins: 94, Fail

20 Mins: 20, PASS, Plus 2 DoS

 

Total Time: 120 Mins

Attempts: 3

Rolls: 11

DoS Accrued: 3

 

OUT OF TIME.

 

I'll write up something after interacting with Kelman.

 

Edited 18 hours ago by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

OOGM: Have you borrowed my dice again? I did not think it would go like this.

Also the time cap is for time spent, not time available from/in Focus, as such you have 25min Focus left if you want it.

 

 

At first you dismiss it as your imagination, or the sound of your body, perhaps one of the others. A low moaning drone, a faint rumble, the shift of pressure.

 

Then the floor, nay, the entire webway shakes, vibrates. You can feel a deep resonance in your stomach, your bones.

Small bits of wraithbone crumble from the gate structure, nothing of import, just age weathered fragments, littering the floor, then gently dancing as the vibrations subside.

 

 

 

Soairse may continue as before, and may now gain points of Fatigue to add +20 to your tests while Focused per point of fatigue gained, the negative effects of fatigue will not affect you while focuses on the tests to open the portal, but will affect you for other tests as normal (including refocusing if needed).  Doing this represents desperation on her part, pushing her mind and body to its limit, your choice, also don’t knock yourself unconscious with too many points of Fatigue.

New time pause point is 60 Minutes.

 

Everybody else, if any of you wish to scout back along the tunnel feel free, silent move and concealment tests as you see fit (Venkarryn also still has his Cameleoline Cloak). State how far back you are willing to go, up to 60 minutes worth of walking.

 

               

Edited 16 hours ago by Trokair

[Mazer Rackham]

Soairse:

 

+++++

OOC: Interaction with Kelman - I will update this when Akylas posts..?

+++++

 

Spoiler

Like any good villain, I have given the dice one last chance to redeem themselves, but as you will see it is not to be....

WP test for Focus: WP 45 + 20 (DC) = 65

D100: 002, Pass, Plus 6 DoS

1D10 x 9 Min: 75 min, Max 60 (as described above)

 

Attempt 1: Intelligence +20 (59)

10 Mins: 19, PASS, 4 DoS

 

The mechanisms do stuff...

 

Now the Portal:

WP test for Focus: WP 45 + 20 (DC) = 65

D100: 77 Fail

D100: 009, PASS, Plus 5 DoS

 

Attempt 1: Psyniscience (45)

15 Mins: 52, Fail

20 Mins: 81, Fail, Plus 3 DoF, Break Focus

 

Re-Focus Test: WP 45 + 20 = 65

D100: 68, Fail

D100: 51, PASS, no DoS

 

Attempt 2: Psyniscience (45)

25 Mins: 13, PASS, 3 DoS

30 Mins: 84, Fail, 3 DoF, Focus Break.

 

At this point, I'm going to say she's exhausted.

 

Soairse collapsed.

 

Barely retaining enough strength, she dropped onto all fours, sinking down further, a weight between her shoulders pushing down with a heavy boot. Gasping, she managed to draw herself back upright to a kneeling position to study this implacable foe.

 

The Psychegrammic Imprint was literally a Farseer-level key to an even greater lock - imposed by wills and aged by the strange flow of time. She rested in this position, armour provinding security of a more lady-like poise, indignity flaring enough for her to consider hurling her melta bomb at the problem...

 

'A Seer Council must have closed this,' she dissembled, wryly, 'my Kin, I will need your aid.'

 

Pride was useful for courting and posturing, but pragmatism kept the Eldar alive. She knew when to split the difference.