STEM Shenanigans - August Player Plot

[finalfrontiersman]

Who: STEM Adventurers
Where: Pesseria Forest, Lorentia Cave, Ruins of Forlinet
What: KICKING NAMES AND TAKING ASS
Content Warnings: Probably profanity, natural disasters, combat violence including killer animals, snakes, spiders, potential for cannibalism/discussion of cannibalism; any further warnings please include in the subject line of your thread.

Following the events of the Dark Web project and the subsequent AI released on Aldrip’s main network, the STEM club has taken it upon themselves to try and discover the source of the AI. With the glitches worsening this month, finding the source has become of paramount importance. Their working theory is that there may be a physical port they can tap into, though the debate as to what to do with it once they find it rages on. Ultimately, they’ve agreed the best course of action is to see if they can even find the port first…and worry about what to do with it later.

Whether your characters have been assigned a teammate or happened upon the STEM scouting parties, the Chosen of Aldrip are agreed - something needs to be done.

STEM Player Plot

MECHANICS

Characters will choose one of three areas to traverse: Pesseria Forest, Lorentia Cave, or the Ruins of Forlinet. Use the encounter pools below to determine what obstacles and combat situations your characters encounter, or feel free to make up some of your own! Combat encounters have been assigned a hit number for those using the optional dice roll mechanic, but feel free to adjust as needed.

For extra zest, consider using dice rolls to determine what you encounter/your success rate.

[OPTIONAL] Click here for dice roll details!

Obstacle rolls use a d20; combat rolls use a d10. You can roll dice in the game Discord via #bot-spam, or simply use an online dice roller if you are not in the Discord. Please include the result of your roll in the subject line of your tag!

PROBLEMS: When rolling to discover a problem, roll a d20. Based on your roll, you will be given a problem from a predetermined list. If you roll the same problem twice, feel free to roll again - or face the challenge once more!

OBSTACLES: Use a d20 to determine your success; 1-6 is poor success, 7-12 is mild success, and 13-20 is great success.

For example, Character A and Character B encounter an obstacle; they roll a 16 and find a chasm they must cross via a rope bridge. Character A rolls a 10; they make it to the midway point of the bridge, which wobbles but stays up. Character B rolls a 3, and the boards fall out from under them. Character A rolls an 18, and catches Character B’s arm before they can fall to their doom. Character B rolls a 12, and they make it to the other side of the bridge. After rolling a 10, an 18, and a 12, the obstacle has been cleared.

Three failed rolls constitutes an impassable obstacle; have characters regroup and try again, or take a new path for a new obstacle! The dungeon-style play will unfold as you create it.

COMBAT: Use a d10 to determine your success; 1-5 is a failed hit, 6-10 is a successful hit. If you fail a hit, you must also roll for whether or not the monster hits you. If you roll a successful hit, the monster does not get the opportunity to hit you.

If you decide to fight one another (we’re a team guys! And yet…) Player v Player, you only roll for your own hits.

Monsters will have a predetermined number of hits you must land in order to defeat the monster. Player characters can each take three hits before they must retreat; decide to regroup and try again, or take a new path!

THE 411:

Characters must clear a minimum of three problems before they can move forward, deeper into the location they are exploring. You must clear a minimum of six problems total to reach the source.

If you would like to divide your six problems between two threads and have your characters separate from their partner as they move deeper into the location, have at it!

When you have cleared six obstacles, please fill out the OOC comment below to find out what your characters discovered.

Additionally, feel free to use the Dark Web prompt for net-style communication between separated partners/teams/what have you!

ENCOUNTER POOL

PESSERIA FOREST:

You're walking through the woods...
1 | OBSTACLE: Goobbues asleep in your path.
2 | OBSTACLE: Plant attack! Wildcard the effect (Poison, hallucinations, fuck or die, etc)
3 | OBSTACLE: Troll on the bridge; answer a riddle to pass.
4 | COMBAT: R.O.U.S (Rodent Of Unusual Size) - 2 hits to defeat.
5 | COMBAT: The trees attack! - 4 hits to defeat
6 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - suddenly, everyone’s singing.
7 | COMBAT: Spore walker attack! - 4 hits to defeat
8 | COMBAT: Evil bird attack - 2 hits to defeat.
9 | COMBAT: Wild Chocobo attack - 3 hits to defeat.
10 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - forest fire!
11 | COMBAT: Forest is Haunted - 3 hits to defeat
12 | COMBAT: Killer bunny - 5 hits to defeat
13 | OBSTACLE: Ominous fog. Wildcard the effect (Poison, hallucinations, etc)
14 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - a fissure opens beneath your feet!
15 | OBSTACLE: Rope bridge in your path.
16 | OBSTACLE: Blast cone minefield.
17 | COMBAT: Morbul attack! - 3 hits to defeat
18 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - language filter turns off.
19 | OBSTACLE: An eerie bush maze appears in your path.
20 | COMBAT: Shia Surprise! Shia LaBeouf the cannibal appears - 3 hits to defeat.

LORENTIA CAVE:

There's no one around and your phone is dead...
1 | COMBAT: Stone Talus - 4 hits to defeat
2 | COMBAT: Cave siren - 2 hits to defeat
3 | OBSTACLE: Quicksand!
4 | COMBAT: Spider lair - 3 hits to defeat
5 | OBSTACLE: Suddenly, a boulder…
6 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - sudden darkness.
7 | COMBAT: Cave dragon - 3 hits to defeat
8 | COMBAT: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - A mysterious cave creature glitches into existence and attacks - 3 hits to defeat
9 | OBSTACLE: Crystal cavern mention; crystals replay memories.
10 | COMBAT: Sam the Salamancer - 3 hits to defeat
11 | OBSTACLE: Sleepy grotto; safe haven tries to lull you to sleep.
12 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - Cave begins filling with water.
13 | OBSTACLE: Tunnel collapse!
14 | COMBAT: Core Hound Attack! - 5 hits to defeat
15 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - earthquake!
16 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - gravity turns off.
17 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - suddenly, everyone’s singing.
18 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - language filter turns off.
19 | COMBAT: Shia Surprise! Shia LaBeouf the cannibal appears - 3 hits to defeat.
20 | COMBAT: Raptor attack! - 2 raptors, 4 total hits to defeat

RUINS OF FORLINET:

Out of the corner of your eye you spot him...
1 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - sandstorm! Not by Darude.
2 | COMBAT: Nearby rocks come to life, with a taste for blood - 3 hits to defeat.
3 | COMBAT: Razorfin frenzy! - 3 hits to defeat
4 | COMBAT: Mummy attack! - 3 hits to defeat
5 | OBSTACLE: A sucker vine grabs you/your companion.
6 | OBSTACLE: Snake pit!
7 | COMBAT: Threshadon attack! - 5 hits to defeat
8 | OBSTACLE: Catacombs - find the key to escape.
9 | OBSTACLE: Ruins collapse!
10 | COMBAT: Sand guardian - 4 hits to defeat.
11 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - language filter turns off.
12 | COMBAT: Shia Surprise! Shia LaBeouf the cannibal appears - 3 hits to defeat.
13 | OBSTACLE: Ominous fog. Wildcard the effect (Poison, hallucinations, etc)
14 | OBSTACLE: G̴l̶i̷t̸c̷h̸ - suddenly, everyone’s singing.
15 | OBSTACLE: Booby-trap!
16 | COMBAT: Shitty Sphinx - solve a riddle to pass, but then you get attacked anyway - 2 hits to defeat
17 | COMBAT: A bird? A plane? A SEHLAT?! - 4 hits to defeat
18 | COMBAT: Haunted suit of armor - 2 hits to defeat
19 | OBSTACLE: Hallucinogenic fungi
20 | OBSTACLE: Floor collapses beneath your feet.

code

Comments

[laserguy]

[At least he doesn't have to tell Kakashi to get behind him. Not that he's really had a problem with people doing that once they know his powers, but still nice. Since he was already primed and ready to fire, it's only a couple of passing seconds before Scott pulls off his sunglasses once more, letting those concussive beams shoot from his eyes to pierce through the first hedge... then the one after that... and after--

Well, there's a clear path right through the maze now.

After a few more seconds of letting his powers out, Scott closes his eyes to immediately stop his attack before sliding his shades back on. And... look, okay, he can't help the somewhat confident grin from taking hold as he sees the aftermath, one arm extending as if beckoning Kakashi to move forward.]

After you, man.

obstacle roll 4

[battlefieldbrat]

Definitely can't say you're not efficient.

[after traversing the scott's special path, they once again find themselves in the woods. but it's not long before a rat....a very large rat...a rat of unusual size, one could say, appears before them. kakashi stops a generous distance away, considering it thoughtfully.]

That's one big rat. [he glances over at scott.] Think it'll just let us past?

[laserguy]

It's my one thing.

[Scott snorts, able to poke at himself just a little because of how well things are going so far. If he was feeling more frustrated or useless with himself, he wouldn't make that sort of comment, but it's been two for two. So, it's easy to let that remark slide from him as he follows Kakashi through the newly created path.

And now there's a giant rat because why not. Scott barely blinks behind his shades at the sight, only straightening himself as he looks at their new obstacle.]

Probably not. [He comments, hand already by his glasses once more.] If it ain't broke...

[It's also easy to ignore any moral problems when his opponent is a big ol' rat monster.]

success roll 15

[battlefieldbrat]

[kakashi respectfully takes a step back, clearing the way for scott to do his one thing.]

Roger that.

[...is this thing gonna explode into bits? because that would be kinda cool.]

[laserguy]

[As soon as Kakashi steps behind him, Scott once again lets his glasses slide off to release his powers on the poor unsuspecting rat monster. There's a glance from the creature as the hum of his blasts flow through the air, but there's no time for it to dodge as Scott's destructive beams hit their mark... and maybe a little too much. See, he was just expecting for it to get struck and kneel over or something.

He was not expecting for the creature to just explode upon impact, with chunks of its flesh and guts spraying everywhere-- even on Scott. And perhaps Kakashi.]

Fucking gross dude!

[Scott shouts as he shuts his eyes, taking a step back while trying to wipe off some of its remains off his hair. Bro.]

[battlefieldbrat]

[thankfully, kakashi was spared most of the gore by virtue of being behind scott. thanks for the literal meat shield, bro.

kakashi does not laugh, because that would not be cool. he does let out a little "heh" though.]

On the other hand, maybe your skills are a little bit overkill.

[laserguy]

[HE HEARD THAT STILL....

Scott grumpily wipes his face, although it doesn't do much but spread more of the rat's remains across him and causing the mutant to look like something out of a horror movie. He can almost feel something surge from back of his throat, because this is seriously gross, but he manages to shove it down. He's fine. Right.

...

Dude this was one of his favorite jackets too--]

Shut up, man. Do you have a cloth or anything?

[battlefieldbrat]

[kakashi rummages in one of his pouches and comes out with a small handkerchief-sized cloth.]

Feel free to hold on to it. No, I insist.

[laserguy]

Great, thanks. Coming in with the save.

[There's some continual grumbling as Scott takes the cloth from Kakashi before he starts wiping some of that excess gore from his face. His jacket and shirt is beyond saving at this point, but he'd like to continue to this dumb mission without smelling rat guts with every breath he takes. Having the blood cleaned off his face helps with that. Most importantly, he starts cleaning his glasses, because it would be really awful if his shades are stained forever from this.

Peter really owes him now.

But after a couple of minutes, Scott slides his glasses back on and his face is mostly clean, along with said shades, but his hair and clothes are still bloody. It's fine.]

Alright, let's go. Faster we do this, faster we can get back.

obstacle roll 10, success roll 10

[battlefieldbrat]

Right. Moving out.

[they continue along through the woods. after just a few moments, though, kakashi stops and sniffs the air suspiciously.]

Hey, do you smell...

[there's a strong gust of wind, reality seems to shift sideways for a split second - and then suddenly the trees around them are all burning in a massive inferno.]

Shit! Okay - [his eye darts back and forth as he makes a split second decision.] - straight ahead!

[he quickly flashes through a series of hand signs, then takes a deep breath and blows out - this time, a gout of clear water pours from his mouth with force, making a small path ahead of them through the flames.]

Come on!

[laserguy]

[Scott's disoriented as everything around them suddenly turns on its axis, almost like the world's tilting, and in that brief moment, he's nearly afraid. Anxious that he's glitching once more, especially as heat suddenly surrounds him. It's easy to forget how there's gore on his person when it feels like he's suffocating, especially as smoke begins to enter his lungs.

But Kakashi's voice breaks through whatever shock he's in, Scott snapping back to reality just as his friend executes some fancy hand motions. There's water clearing the path now, the flames disappearing and right, things are fine. He's not changed, he's still himself.]

I-I'm right behind you. [He shoves down that urge to gag before quickly running with Kakashi through the path he just made. Just keep running and don't look back. Focus.]

[battlefieldbrat]

[they run for a minute or two, kakashi spewing more water into their path periodically. kakashi could run much faster but he's afraid of losing scott in the inferno.

after a few minutes, they burst out into a perfectly normal clearing. behind them, the fire rages, but it doesn't move any closer. almost like a movie of a fire, if they couldn't feel the heat.

kakashi leans over, hands on his knees, and coughs a few times to clear out his lungs. that was unpleasant to say the least.]

I think...we're clear. You okay, Scott?

[laserguy]

[Scott barely notices that the fire behind them isn't expanding. He's still trying to catch his breath and stop the subtle shaking of his hands as he leans over, staring down at the ground and swallowing back any sickly feelings that threaten to surge right now. Everything's okay. He just needs to repeat that to himself. No glitching (of him at least), no fire, no thoughts being taken over.

...Nothing like that.

It just takes him a couple of moments for him to actually respond to Kakashi.]

Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Just surprised, that's all.

[He doesn't want to worry Kakashi too much, especially not right now. They're in the middle of a mission, on something that will help stop the glitching in the first place. That's why he's out here. Just pull through, Summers. After a couple of deep breaths, holding them in, he straightens himself up and nods to his friend.]

Sorry if I worried you.

[battlefieldbrat]

[kakashi watches scott with, yeah, some amount of worry. he's not sure how to judge how much of the struggle is him not being used to sprinting in poor conditions, or how much might be something else.

ultimately he decides to pull out his canteen and offer it to scott.]

Here, it's water. Let's take a break.

[it won't hurt them to stop for a few minutes, they've been going pretty much nonstop so far.]

[laserguy]

[A part of him wants to decline Kakashi's generous offer so that they can continue to just push ahead, but the draw of taking just a couple of minutes to themselves is far too alluring right now. So, with a thankful nod, Scott takes the canteen and pushes it to his mouth, letting the water slide down his throat in a soothing manner. Just another reminder that he's still normal and everything.

Yeah, wandering around with optic blasts is now normal for him.

Nonetheless, he can feel his heartrate slowly return to normal, a sort of calm clawing back as he exhales loudly. He... he didn't know that he needed this so much, but his world doesn't feel like it's going to tilt sideways any longer.]

Thanks man.

[He says while holding the canteen back for Kakashi to take.] Guess I was just surprised.

[Kind of a lame excuse there.]

[battlefieldbrat]

You haven't been on a lot of missions, right? It can be overwhelming. And it's not like this one has been uneventful.

[he says, no judgement in his voice. it is what it is.]

[laserguy]

[A part of him wants to deny Kakashi's claim, especially since something defensive rises in his throat. But no, he's better than acting out like that, not to mention he's still recovering from the fire and everything. Don't be a brat, Summers. It helps that Kakashi isn't saying anything with judgment, only making factual observations.]

Not really, just dealt with the shit that happens here. [But he was pretty much a regular high school student before arriving in this world. He led a pretty normal life, not like a lot of his friends here. Even though he's like five years older than the other, it's pretty obvious that Kakashi has way more experience with this sort of thing. That's why he's standing here and watching Scott with complete calm.

...

Okay, no more holding Kakashi back.]

I'm fine though. ['He's fine,' Scott repeats inwardly to himself once more before nodding at the ninja.] Let's continue. We probably shouldn't keep around too long, right?

obstacle roll 1

[battlefieldbrat]

Yeah, better to keep moving.

[he gives scott a companionable thump on the arm, as though to say "steady on", then turns to continue their search.

they continue on for a while unmolested, but after a while kakashi stops and holds up one hand, gesturing scott forward.]

Come take a look.

[he says it lowly, and he's obviously on high alert. through a gap in the trees can be seen several large stone golems, all seated and apparently...asleep? their eyes are closed and they're not moving, anyway. at least, not moving much...if one watches closely, there is a slight rise and fall of the chest area on each golem.]

[laserguy]

[Following Kakashi's demeanor, Scott keeps quiet as he steps forward to look where his friend is motioning at. Peering through the gap, it doesn't take long to notice their next obstacle: large golems that are sitting around, almost peacefully. None of them are moving, nearly as still as a statue, and Scott almost holds his breath to make sure that he doesn't say anything to wake them.

Yeah, sure, maybe he can just blast these guys too, but there's more than one and they're not fully in the way. If they can sneak around... that might be the better option.]

Thinking of just avoiding these guys. [Scott speaks very quietly once he pulls back from the gap, nerves just a little frayed but he's managing still. It's all about finding that part of him that's calm and focused while shoving that anxiety down.] Provoking 5 of them at once seems like a bad plan.

[battlefieldbrat]

Yeah, [kakashi agrees quietly.] Let me scout ahead a little.

[up to this point they had been following a semblance of a path. kakashi carefully veers off to the right of it and creeps forward into the brush. a few minutes later he returns, looking no worse for wear.]

I found a path. Stay right behind me, okay?

[laserguy]

[It's nice how their skill sets match up with one another. Kakashi with being quick and agile, fast on his feet and adaptable to different elements and situations. Meanwhile, Scott providing the 'big blast' whenever needed. They've gotten this far without much problem, although he instantly shoves that thought down so that he doesn't jinx them.]

Should I hold my breath as we cross?

[He's joking... except not really. However, Scott nods, showing that he's ready to follow his friend across the path that he's mapped out for the both of them. This is his expertise after all.]

[battlefieldbrat]

No, breathe normally.

[yes, he took that as a serious question. he's just a serious little guy, ok?

at any rate kakashi heads back down the small path he made previously, moving slowly for scott's sake and occasionally holding back a bush or branch so scott can pass more easily. after a few tense minutes, the scrubby path meets back up with the main path - on the other side of the golems.]

[laserguy]

.....

[Scott figures it's best if he doesn't respond to Kakashi's comment. Sometimes it's just not worth it. Besides, between the fact that he's taking this seriously otherwise and they're trying very hard to cross this path without waking up those golems, that concentration just needs to be appropriately placed. There will be plenty of time to rib the younger later on anyway.

Once they're on the other side, the mutant lets out a breath still. Huh, guess a part of him was holding it in anyway. Oh well.]

Hopefully we're almost there...

[It feels like they've been through a lot already without any real clues. Somewhat frustrating, but no point getting frustrated now. He's doing this because Peter really believed in him. Well, he's one of the reasons anyway.]

obstacle roll 20

[battlefieldbrat]

Can't be that much further, right?

[he says, trying to be optimistic. they travel on for a while longer, thankfully running into nothing but seemingly endless trees and brush, before kakashi comes to a sudden stop.]

Something's coming. And I smell...blood.

[just a few seconds later, the sound of something running through the brush becomes clear enough even scott should be able to hear it. it sounds like something running on all fours...a wolf? kakashi draws his sword suddenly, holding it in front of him in a ready position, when from the brush ahead of them leaps out...

...a shirtless man covered in blood. he lunges at scott, brandishing a knife, but kakashi leaps between them and parries with his sword. the two begin to fight, the mysterious man somehow keeping up with kakashi as they trade blows, sword to knife. the man is great at dodging, slipping just to the side as kakashi swings at him and then swinging back viciously with the knife. only a few seconds have passed and it looks like they're locked in a bizarre yet fluid dance, neither able to land a blow.

suddenly, kakashi sees an opening - he slashes a deep trench across the man's chest and the man falls to the ground, somehow only grunting in pain despite the size of the wound. kakashi advances, obviously about to deliver a finishing blow -- ]

[laserguy]

[Scott's already tense when Kakashi remarks about the smell of blood and now that he's brought it up, the scent hits his nose as well. It nearly makes him flinch, his nose scrunching, but unfortunately, there's no real time to talk as the sound of something rushes closer to them with their footsteps pounding across the forest floor. He just has enough time to reach for his sunglasses while taking a stance close to the ninja.

He's not sure what he was expecting to come out at them, but a shirtless man covered in blood was not anywhere close to the top of his list. Even worse, he's fast, and it's likely that he wouldn't have been able to pull his shades off in time to strike the charging man. Luckily, Kakashi's already between them to counter the man and Scott backs up just a little, trying to find an opening to... shoot him? The thought brings a sour taste to his mouth, fingers suddenly shaking even as he tries to concentrate on the fight in front of him.

This strange person, even if he's acting like a feral animal, is still human and everything. He doesn't want to kill him. He doesn't want to blast him into bits. He doesn't--

Scott snaps out of his mantra when Kakashi suddenly gets the upper hand, the wound visible across their opponent as he falls over. Maybe a cause for celebration, but he sees that the ninja isn't falling back, and he can't stop himself from stepping forward as a protest slips out without thought.]

Kakashi, stop!

[He can see that his friend was about to deliver the finishing blow.]