expiationlogs | STEM Shenanigans

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get out of here. You ask the questions, okay?

[with that, kakashi turns again toward their captive and, with a few quick handsigns, spews water over the man's head, causing him to sputter awake.]

[Wait, he's going to interrogate feral man here?! He thought for sure that Kakashi was going to take point with that! But there's hardly any time to protest as the man rouses from his slumber, prompting Scott to stand up straight with his arms crossed. Yeah, this is definitely imposing.]

Hey. We're going to ask questions now.

[......Nice one, Summers.] Maybe if you answer them, we'll let you go.

[Is that better?? He resists the urge to toss Kakashi a thumbs up because that would definitely kill the mood. They're-- he's going to question a weird dude that just tried to kill them with blood covering his body, so this is definitely a serious matter still.]

[the trapped man glances around slowly, a strange almost soulless look in his eyes. finally, he looks at scott, and speaks.]

I've never been so scared into submission.

[his affect is flat. is he being sarcastic??? kakashi gestures at scott to go on.]

[He almost feels bad looking at this guy, like he doesn't really have a fully understanding of what's going on. A part of him wonders what sort of events transpired to even lead him to his current state, but Scott doesn't want this dude's full backstory.

...Especially since he's sassing him. Maybe??? It takes a lot of effort on his end not to huff in response.]

What do you know about this area? Have you seen anything unusual lately?

[the man shakes his head sadly, as though recounting a terrible tale.]

I got confused, I couldn't see what the fuck was going on, you know with certain robots . . . I couldn't decipher what was happening.

[he trails off expectantly. as though he expects scott to know exactly where he's going with it.]

[What he's saying is baffling to say the least. It hardly makes sense, but guess that's why they're questioning him in the first place. Scott's little frown only increases, his mood becoming more serious by the second.]

Robots? What are you talking about?

I bought a car. Turned out to be an alien robot.

[well, if kakashi wasn't lost before, he is now. what's a car?]

Look, I am slowly losing my mind, okay? I had a little crab bot plug in to my brain and start projecting little alien symbols like a freaking home movie! And on top of that, I am a wanted fugitive! So you think you got it rough?

[Okay, Scott is officially lost now. He looks back at Kakashi for a second, as if gauging how his companion feels about all this and yeah, he looks just about as dumbfounded as him. Guess it makes him feel a little better.]

You're just saying shit, aren't you?

[Is this just the babbling of a man that's lost his mind? He wouldn't be surprised.] Look, if you don't start telling the truth, we'll... extract it out of you.

You know what this is? This is the awkward moment. Yeah, see, you're trying to see if I'm a normal guy. I'm trying to see if you're a normal guy. Balanced, unmedicated, nothing under the crawl space.

[kakashi turns his back to the man in the ground, speaking in an undertone to scott.]

I don't think this is going anywhere.

[He follows alongside Kakashi, turning away from the buried man and lowering his voice so that he can discuss... whatever this is without being heard. Although at this point, Scott isn't sure if feral man is all that aware of anything happening around him. It could still be a ploy, but it's just as likely that he'll just continue talking like this.

Maybe it's best to leave him alone.]

Should we just leave him?

[Let him run free in the wild once more??]

STEM Shenanigans - August Player Plot

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject