The Outer Dimension Offensive Reloaded!

[Cmd. Frost]

The squeaking of a door opening sounds through the briefing room as the last soldier walks in. A table dominates the room, with a group of humans and elves on one end and the commander of the base on the other. The commander looks over at the newest arrival and motions to close the door and when it at last clicks shut he leans forward in his chair and looks between everyone else.

"And with the final member here we can begin the briefing. First off, I'd like to congratulate you all on your new assignment to Team FORGE. The choice to give you all this assignment wasn't made lightly, and whether you knew it or not, the selection process was grueling. We're only going to get one chance at this, so you had better prove we made the right call." The commander grabs a remote off the table and turns his chair to the side, a series of button presses dimming the lights and switching on a projector to show a forested area.

"This picture was taken two weeks ago on a world we've taken to calling Threshold. From what we've been able to discover so far, Threshold is a temperate world somewhere in the LDC. While its exact location can only be guessed at for now, based on these little shits we believe it to be somewhere deep in Unified Darkness territory." *The projected image switches to a different section of forest, with a small group of lesser demons clearly visible in the distance.*

"So far, Threshold has only been seen to have a small demon population, so it's been chosen as the site for a high risk operation that we hope will help turn the tide of the war. In short, your mission is to enter Threshhold, establish a beachhead, and lay the groundwork for a full scale invasion of Hell's backyard. To accomplish this mission you'll be deploying with two magical girls" *The image on the wall shifts again, this time to a pair of transformed magical girls.*

"The first is Rift Diver, she's proven in combat and will be responsible for getting you all to Threshold, as well as scouting and evacuating you should the enemy escalate beyond your ability to deal with. The second is War Forger, unfortunately she's still green, but her abilities make her the lynchpin of this entire operation. While she's not much in a fight, War Forgers powers give her the ability to create structures and combat golems to fight for her. If her powers grow the way we think they will, she'll be more than capable of building the base and army that you'll need to establish and maintain the beachhead on Threshold. If you have any questions or concerns, speak freely and raise them now."

 

[Cmd. Frost]

Gladys Graum- catDreaming

Akira Thompshon- FireOfDoom32

Solus Warwick- Naron

Achiles Tiro- Xenon Reav

Lorena Lux- LucidProp

Diane Strand- Kellogo

 

[Cmd. Frost]

(Unified Light) Magical Girl Rift Diver

Spoiler: Untransformed

???

Stats

Health: 6000
Base Damage: 1,500
Base Resilience: 1,500
Magic Modifier: 1,000
Affinity: Portal | Rift | Story

Weapon

A Tear in the Veil
Portals are not supposed to be used as weapons. Still, I suppose the edge of a hole in spacetime is quite lethal, as is the effect of suddenly having it open or close inside you.
Level: 20
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinity: Portal
Abilities: Protean | Double Hit | Undodgable

Rift Beam
Channel the power of the rift into a beam of eldritch fire to smite your enemies.
Level: 20
Attacks per Turn: 5
Affinity: Rift
Abilities: Laser | Stun | ???

Spells

???

???

Abilities

Riftborn
Level ???
-Controls Health and resilience.

A Hole In Time And Space
-Once per turn, Rift Diver may advance or delay her initiative by one, losing or gaining two ApT in the process.
Tear Open A Path
-Allows Void Diver to open portals into and out of the Rift. Once inside the Rift, Rift Diver may create an exit portal at any location that she had line of sight on before entering the Rift, any location she has already exited the Rift at, or ???. Trans-dimensional portals require two turns of channeling before entering the Rift and deduct 10% of Rift Diver's remaining transformation time per dimension crossed.

Rift Echo
Level ???
-Upon ???, ???, Killing an enemy, or ???, Rift Diver may create an after image known as a Rift Echo, these echo's cannot move but touching one will instantly deal 3x Rift Diver's base damage to the victim, ???. ???.

???

 

[Cmd. Frost]

Blank for now.

 

[Cmd. Frost]

The forces of Hell:

Hell's Foot Soldiers

​

Stats

Health: 750
Base Damage: 200
Base Resilience: 50
Magic Modifier: 10
Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Bladed Ax
Level 2
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Crush

Spells

Blood Lust
Level 1
Base Damage: 50
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Self-Boost

Abilities

Armored Skin
- Negative 10 on magic damage.

Infernals

​

Stats

Health: 250
Base Damage: 100
Base Resilience: 75
Magic Modifier: 15
Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Claws
Level 2
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Melt

Spells

Fireball
Level 4
Base Damage: 50
Magic Modifier: 200
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Burn

Abilities

Hellfire Blood
- Infernals may cast fireball on each other to regenerate health equal to the end damage of the spell. This ability cannot overheal.

Husks

​

Stats

Health: 100
Base Damage: 125
Base Resilience: 25
Magic Modifier: 20
Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Claws
Level 8
Attacks Per Turn: 4
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Armor Pierce

Spells

Dreadful Scream
Level N/A
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Terror | Stagger

Abilities

Sprint
Level 6
- Husks can run at 60 mph.

Hellhound

​

Stats

Health: 150
Base Damage: 110
Base Resilience: 50
Magic Modifier: 25
Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Fangs
Level 6
Attacks Per Turn: 2
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Bleed

Spells

Fireball
Level 3
Base Damage: 100
Magic Modifier: 50
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Burn

Abilities

Law of the Pack
-Hellhounds never travel in packs of less than 3, and are always led by an Alpha. If the Alpha is killed and more than two Hellhounds are still alive, the Hellhound with the highest initiative will mutate into an Alpha 1 turn after the original died. This ability cannot be sealed.

Strength of the Pack
-If two or more Hellhounds attack a single target, they may synchronize attacks. If the target attempts to dodge, each Hellhound must be resolved against separately.

Sprint
Level 4
-Hellhounds may run at up to 40 mph.

Hellhound Alpha

​

Stats

Health: 300
Base Damage: 220
Base Resilience: 100
Magic Modifier: 50
Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Fangs
Level 10
Attacks Per Turn: 4
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Bleed

Spells

Fireball
Level 6
Base Damage: 200
Magic Modifier: 100
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Burn

Abilities

Lord of the Pack
-Whenever a Hellhound Alpha deals damage, the target becomes marked. Marked targets are more likely to be attacked by Hellhounds on subsequent turns, and Marked targets have a 10% decrease to the end result of their defensive string when defending against Hellhounds. This ability does not stack.

Strength of the Wolf
-Whenever a Hellhound in their pack dies, the Alpha gains 25% of their stats until the end of the fight. This modifier is reset if the Alpha is killed.

Sprint
Level 6
-Hellhound Alphas may run at up to 60 mph.

 

[Cmd. Frost]

Blank for now.

 

[Cmd. Frost]

(Unified Light) Magical Girl War Forger

Spoiler: Untransformed

???

Stats

Health: 100
Base Damage: 25
Base Resilience: 25
Magic Modifier: 25

Affinity: Conquest | Construction | Story Maker

Weapon

Handgun
Level 1
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Base Damage: 100
Affinities: Gun
Ability: None

Officer's Flare Gun
Level: 1
Attacks per Turn: 1
Affinity: Conquest
Ability: Marker Light (Protean)

Spells

Abilities

Officer's Blood
Level 1
-Controls health, ???

Officer's Will
Level 1
-Controls resilience, ???

Command Center
-The keystone of her powers, the command center shields War Forger from harm, extends her transformation clock, enables limited production of constructs, and in doing so gives War Forger access to the vast majority of her powerset. Can also replace Warforger's statline and weapon.

Unit Roster
-Allows War Forger to build constructs if the resources and production facilities to do so are available.

Blueprint Library
-Allows War Forger to construct buildings if the resources and units to do so are available.


???

Spoiler: Unit Roster

Spoiler: Tier 1 Units

Militia: The first construct available to War Forger, weakest of all combat units, but cheap to build and fast to produce.
Health: 50 (+20 per level)
Base Damage: 10 (+10 per level)
Base Resilience: 10 (+5 per level)
Magic Modifier: 0
Level cap: 5
Squad size: 5
Abilities: Mob- Militia constructs may combine their stats with another nearby melee unit, and while combined they will sacrifice themselves to block attacks against who or whatever they're melded with.
Militia- Militia construct squads are always built in pairs.
Build Cost: 5 food per squad
Build time: 0 turns
Upkeep: .5 food, .5 housing per construct


Builder: Though all but useless in a fight, builders are vital to the war effort.
Health: ???
Base Damage: ???
Base Resilience: ???
Magic Modifier: ???
Level cap: ???
Squad size 2
Abilities: Build- Can construct basic fieldworks and buildings.
Build Cost: ???
Upkeep: ???
Build time: ???

Spoiler: Blueprint Library

Spoiler: Tier 1 Structures

Command Center(Level 1): A large wooden building with three rooms and a pair of Archer towers, not the strongest of fortifications, but it gets the job done.
Health: 1000
Base Damage: 100
Base Resilience: 200
Magic Modifier: 50
Abilities: Command Center- secures the hex it's placed on, and allows War Forger's power to expand up to one hex away.
Central Command- The Command Center is the linchpin of War Forger's power, if destroyed, all constructs and structures will go inert until it's rebuilt.
Limited- There can only be one Command Center at any time.
Rally point- Unless otherwise ordered or specified, any unit built by War Forger will spawn here.
Construction Cost: Free.
Construction Time: Instant the first time, 1 Phase afterward.

Watchtower(Level 1): A simple tower with a ladder and platform. Not very sturdy, and doesn't provide any cover, but the height should help with ranged attacks.
Health: 200
Base Resilience: 50
Abilities: Vantage(Level 1)- One character may sacrifice an ApT turn to climb the Watchtower, and after doing so gains a 5% bonus to ranged attack damage.
Construction Cost: 5 wood.
Construction Time: Instant.

 

[Naron]

Solus listens intently to the briefing. This definitely explained why he was not offered any notice before suddenly being called into this meeting. A fresh Magical Girl that could grow an army would receive immediate attention by the UD once discovered. The living horrors brought forth by the red goddess alone would make no one forget the prowess of that type.

This is a double-edged sword; a chance for him to prove himself once more, but also an immense risk. He is not going to refuse even if he were given the option.

Once they are given the chance to ask questions, he makes use of it before anyone can even think to speak: "How is the chain of command structured? And how do the Magical Girls factor into it?"

It is a prudent question in his opinion; their group is an even mix of humans and elves, which may lead to issues if not addressed.

 

[LucidProp]

Lorena Lux
Briefing Room

---

The accommodations weren't bad, really. It was standard military fare, spartan and functional with lifeless gray walls, equally cold seats, and a table that could only be called grandiose by people who've spent so much time on the field that they would question the need for a tasteful, varnished mahogany with delicate carvings and instead use what seemed to be a block of metal carved crudely into the shape of a table.

Concerns about fire hazards? Bah! The only hazard here was the incredible lack of taste in decor!

Not that Lorena let it appear on her face of course. It would be uncouth for a Lux to express such opinions in public no matter how right that opinion was.

Besides, she wasn't sat aloft the shields of her minions because she refused to disgrace her noble self with furniture unworthy of her, but because this makeshift palanquin by her Wardens elevated her above the others so that she could see all of them clearly!

The girl crossed her legs, knee high boots and complimentary thigh highs matching perfectly with the short, pleated skirt she wore. Obvious pride brimmed from her eyes at the sight of the others, all dressed professionally be it a modern kevlar vest, enchanted plates of steel, or their respective military's dress uniforms. Truly, she was the most fashionable one in this room!

Briefly, her honey-colored gaze passed between the humans in the room, and she had to restrain herself from kicking her feet in the air out of excitement. Perhaps they would appreciate her choice of clothing when so many others at home could not. After all, this was an outfit she had sown herself following the advice of their tomes, all acquired at a truly exuberant expense!

Try as she might to resist it, the thought of praise and appreciation made her twirl a lock of her long, black hair with her fingers.

"If I may legatus," Lorena spoke, steepling her gloved hands together in a thinly veiled attempt to draw attention to herself and more importantly, her detached sleeves, furred tailcoat, and her sleeveless buttoned shirt all dyed in marvelous black with gold and white trim. "What do we know of our foe's forces? The reports say the enemy is small in number, but are they led by a cadre of devilish villains whose names and faces we ought to commit to memory?"

 

[Cmd. Frost]

Solus listens intently to the briefing. This definitely explained why he was not offered any notice before suddenly being called into this meeting. A fresh Magical Girl that could grow an army would receive immediate attention by the UD once discovered. The living horrors brought forth by the red goddess alone would make no one forget the prowess of that type.

This is a double-edged sword; a chance for him to prove himself once more, but also an immense risk. He is not going to refuse even if he were given the option.

Once they are given the chance to ask questions, he makes use of it before anyone can even think to speak: "How is the chain of command structured? And how do the Magical Girls factor into it?"

It is a prudent question in his opinion; their group is an even mix of humans and elves, which may lead to issues if not addressed.

Click to shrink...

"The Magical Girls are in charge. If you lot feel like organizing the unit more than that it's your business, but above all else you follow Diver and Forger's orders."

Lorena Lux
Briefing Room

---

The accommodations weren't bad, really. It was standard military fare, spartan and functional with lifeless gray walls, equally cold seats, and a table that could only be called grandiose by people who've spent so much time on the field that they would question the need for a tasteful, varnished mahogany with delicate carvings and instead use what seemed to be a block of metal carved crudely into the shape of a table.

Concerns about fire hazards? Bah! The only hazard here was the incredible lack of taste in decor!

Not that Lorena let it appear on her face of course. It would be uncouth for a Lux to express such opinions in public no matter how right that opinion was.

Besides, she wasn't sat aloft the shields of her minions because she refused to disgrace her noble self with furniture unworthy of her, but because this makeshift palanquin by her Wardens elevated her above the others so that she could see all of them clearly!

The girl crossed her legs, knee high boots and complimentary thigh highs matching perfectly with the short, pleated skirt she wore. Obvious pride brimmed from her eyes at the sight of the others, all dressed professionally be it a modern kevlar vest, enchanted plates of steel, or their respective military's dress uniforms. Truly, she was the most fashionable one in this room!

Briefly, her honey-colored gaze passed between the humans in the room, and she had to restrain herself from kicking her feet in the air out of excitement. Perhaps they would appreciate her choice of clothing when so many others at home could not. After all, this was an outfit she had sown herself following the advice of their tomes, all acquired at a truly exuberant expense!

Try as she might to resist it, the thought of praise and appreciation made her twirl a lock of her long, black hair with her fingers.

"If I may legatus," Lorena spoke, steepling her gloved hands together in a thinly veiled attempt to draw attention to herself and more importantly, her detached sleeves, furred tailcoat, and her sleeveless buttoned shirt all dyed in marvelous black with gold and white trim. "What do we know of our foe's forces? The reports say the enemy is small in number, but are they led by a cadre of devilish villains whose names and faces we ought to commit to memory?"

Click to shrink...

"Small in number for demons. They'll still outnumber you heavily, but as far as we can tell there aren't any commanders of note in the area. As for things you should be committing to memory, Rift Diver identified these five breeds as making up the bulk of enemy forces." The projector flicks to another slide, showing a series of demons and blurbs of information about their abilities, strengths, and weaknesses.

Hell's Foot Soldier

​

Stats

Health: 750
Base Damage: 200
Base Resilience: 50
Magic Modifier: 10
Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Bladed Ax
Level 2
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Crush

Spells

Blood Lust
Level 1
Base Damage: 50
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Self-Boost

Abilities

Armored Skin
- Negative 10 on magic damage.

Infernals

​

Stats

Health: 250
Base Damage: 100
Base Resilience: 75
Magic Modifier: 15
Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Claws
Level 2
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Melt

Spells

Fireball
Level 4
Base Damage: 50
Magic Modifier: 200
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Burn

Abilities

Hellfire Blood
- Infernals may cast fireball on each other to regenerate health equal to the end damage of the spell. This ability cannot overheal.

Husks

​

Stats

Health: 100
Base Damage: 125
Base Resilience: 25
Magic Modifier: 20
Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Claws
Level 8
Attacks Per Turn: 4
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Armor Pierce

Spells

Dreadful Scream
Level N/A
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Terror | Stagger

Abilities

Sprint
Level 6
- Husks can run at 60 mph.

Hellhound

​

Stats

Health: 150
Base Damage: 110
Base Resilience: 50
Magic Modifier: 25
Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Fangs
Level 6
Attacks Per Turn: 2
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Bleed

Spells

Fireball
Level 3
Base Damage: 100
Magic Modifier: 50
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Burn

Abilities

Law of the Pack
-Hellhounds never travel in packs of less than 3, and are always led by an Alpha. If the Alpha is killed and more than two Hellhounds are still alive, the Hellhound with the highest initiative will mutate into an Alpha 1 turn after the original died. This ability cannot be sealed.

Strength of the Pack
-If two or more Hellhounds attack a single target, they may synchronize attacks. If the target attempts to dodge, each Hellhound must be resolved against separately.

Sprint
Level 4
-Hellhounds may run at up to 40 mph.

Hellhound Alpha

​

Stats

Health: 300
Base Damage: 220
Base Resilience: 100
Magic Modifier: 50
Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Fangs
Level 10
Attacks Per Turn: 4
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Bleed

Spells

Fireball
Level 6
Base Damage: 200
Magic Modifier: 100
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Burn

Abilities

Lord of the Pack
-Whenever a Hellhound Alpha deals damage, the target becomes marked. Marked targets are more likely to be attacked by Hellhounds on subsequent turns, and Marked targets have a 10% decrease to the end result of their defensive string when defending against Hellhounds. This ability does not stack.

Strength of the Wolf
-Whenever a Hellhound in their pack dies, the Alpha gains 25% of their stats until the end of the fight. This modifier is reset if the Alpha is killed.

Sprint
Level 6
-Hellhound Alphas may run at up to 60 mph.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discovered complete Hell's Foot Soldier sheet! Gain 1 exp.
Discovered complete Husk sheet! Gain 1 exp.
Discovered complete Infernal sheet! Gain 1 exp.
Discovered complete Hellhound sheet! Gain 1 exp.
Discovered complete Hellhound Alpha sheet! Gain 1 exp.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[catDreaming]

Spoiler: Exp Tracking

Complete Lesser Demon sheet x5: +5 exp
No exp spent
5 exp total
I'll be tracking total exp gain and spending in the same post as Glady's sheet in the OOC thread as well. These spoiler boxes will only be for immediate gain, spending, and upgrades that might ensue.

Gladys' sat up at attention as the presentation began, focusing on the screen. The forested landing area, temperate climate, and lesser demons painted an initial picture suitable for an initial march and camp. The even split of their forces suggested that they would often be operating in mixed groups. The baseline abilities of War Forger and Rift Diver raised a very particular question, and so Gladys spoke up in turn. "Legionaire Graum, sir! You mentioned Rift Diver's scouting capability; Has there been any more comprehensive scouting to establish a map of the landing zone or surrounding areas?"
The capabilities of the common Foot Soldier were well known to any Legionaire with time on the front lines, and served as a point of comparison for the others. The Husks stood out as threats to a Phalanx, capable of disrupting one with a scream and closing to the broken line in moments. Infernals were no great threat apart from their apparent ability to heal one another and spit fire; Better left to those with ranged weaponry aside from blocking their fireballs and striking if they close to claw range. And then, the Hellhounds were elucidated. To be facing a foe who had such developed pack tactics could put a Phalanx of their meagre size to the test; A marked weakpoint would be a weakness to the entire group, requiring them to take down the Alpha before it could grow from the deaths of it's pack only to strike down the next Alpha as it arose. Perhaps War Forger's golems could join formation to help bolster their might?

 

[Cmd. Frost]

Gladys' sat up at attention as the presentation began, focusing on the screen. The forested landing area, temperate climate, and lesser demons painted an initial picture suitable for an initial march and camp. The even split of their forces suggested that they would often be operating in mixed groups. The baseline abilities of War Forger and Rift Diver raised a very particular question, and so Gladys spoke up in turn. "Legionaire Graum, sir! You mentioned Rift Diver's scouting capability; Has there been any more comprehensive scouting to establish a map of the landing zone or surrounding areas?"

Click to shrink...

"We wanted to limit the chances of Rift Diver being spotted, so she wasn't allowed to explore as much as we wanted. That being said however, she did explore a roughly Thirty-five mile radius from the drop zone. Your insertion zone is a grassland, that stretches for at least thirty miles to the east. There's hills and a mountain range to the north, with forests of varying thickness in all other directions. Two rivers run down from the mountains through the explored area. Rift Diver has confirmed five demon concentrations, four small ones in the south and the largest in the north. She also believes there are two more groups of demons wandering around the northern river, but while signs were found she wasn't able to get any concrete information about them."

Another slide is projected onto the wall as the commander speaks.



"Once you make landfall and get a base set up, Rift Diver's standing orders are to continue scouting the surrounding area. Until then though, this is what you get."

 

[LucidProp]

Lorena Lux
Briefing Room

---

"Small in number for demons. They'll still outnumber you heavily, but as far as we can tell there aren't any commanders of note in the area. As for things you should be committing to memory, Rift Diver identified these five breeds as making up the bulk of enemy forces." The projector flicks to another slide, showing a series of demons and blurbs of information about their abilities, strengths, and weaknesses.

Click to shrink...

Lorena's eyes scanned the dossiers of the demons she was expected to face and quickly dismissed them. Such feeble creatures while a threat when she was isolated, were unworthy of the brain power required to memorize every little detail about them. Indeed, she nodded wordlessly and to no one in particular, a thoughtful expression on her face as her wide-brimmed hat bobbed along with the movement. Her mind's precious resources were better used for other activities!

Activities such as scanning her human counterparts up and down in the least subtle manner possible, committing every piece of clothing to mind along with all the weird insignias their persons bore as she leaned forwards from her palanquin's seat. "What of any native flora and fauna? Are there any creatures of note that could pose a threat to us or the demons?" The girl spoke, pretending as if she hadn't almost fell from her seat and a small 'eep' hadn't escaped her lips seconds before.

Thankfully, that little slip-up had been mostly covered by someone else's question. "Additionally, I must inquire as to the location and name of the demon's stronghold and any notable details about it." Lorena coughed into a gloved hand, trying to regain her regal composure as she closed her eyes momentarily and settled her hands on her lap.

 

[Cmd. Frost]

Activities such as scanning her human counterparts up and down in the least subtle manner possible, committing every piece of clothing to mind along with all the weird insignias their persons bore as she leaned forwards from her palanquin's seat. "What of any native flora and fauna? Are there any creatures of note that could pose a threat to us or the demons?" The girl spoke, pretending as if she hadn't almost fell from her seat and a small 'eep' hadn't escaped her lips seconds before.

Thankfully, that little slip-up had been mostly covered by someone else's question. "Additionally, I must inquire as to the location and name of the demon's stronghold and any notable details about it." Lorena coughed into a gloved hand, trying to regain her regal composure as she closed her eyes momentarily and settled her hands on her lap.

Click to shrink...

If the Commander has any thoughts on Lorena's antics, he keeps them to himself for now.
"So far, the flora and fauna that Rift Diver has found are roughly analogous to those in temperate regions of Earth, though with a far higher prevalence of things like horns, tusks, antlers, and large claws among what we think are prey animals. Rift Diver's managed to get pictures of some six-legged wolf like creatures killing isolated demons, but if there's anything capable of putting up an actual fight, we don't have evidence of it. I do want to stress though, Rift Diver never stuck around overnight. We don't think it's likely that she missed a swarm of apex predators stalking the immediate area but keep an eye out anyway and try not to wander around at night if you can help it."

"The as for the stronghold, well we caught a bit of a break there. The largest concentration of demons is on a plateau on the north side of the mountain range. It's flanked on one side by peaks, one side by a steep incline, and the last by a sheer cliff face. If you can get to a good vantage point unnoticed you should be able to do a lot of damage before they can react."

 

[Xenon Reav]

If the Commander has any thoughts on Lorena's antics, he keeps them to himself for now.
"So far, the flora and fauna that Rift Diver has found are roughly analogous to those in temperate regions of Earth, though with a far higher prevalence of things like horns, tusks, antlers, and large claws among what we think are prey animals. Rift Diver's managed to get pictures of some six-legged wolf like creatures killing isolated demons, but if there's anything capable of putting up an actual fight, we don't have evidence of it. I do want to stress though, Rift Diver never stuck around overnight. We don't think it's likely that she missed a swarm of apex predators stalking the immediate area, but keep an eye out anyway and try not to wander around at night if you can help it."

Click to shrink...

Achilles leans forward, looking at the map. He ignores the elf's shenanigans for now, this is the time to be professional, and there is an important piece of information missing from the briefing. "What are the current capabilities of War Forger, sir?"

 

[Cmd. Frost]

Achilles leans forward, looking at the map. He ignores the elf's shenanigans for now, this is the time to be professional, and there is an important piece of information missing from the briefing. "What are the current capabilities of War Forger, sir?"

Click to shrink...

He looks toward Achilles and nods before flicking through several slides, ending on one showing a large single story log cabin. Two thick wooden poles are driven into the ground at the front corners of the cabin, supporting a pair of platforms with rope ladders to provide access to the ground. A figure stands atop each platform, wearing simple clothes and holding a bow.

"Minimal at the moment. Forger's been deliberately kept out of the fight for her own safety, so her powers haven't had a chance to grow. Compounding this, her ability to summon golems and build structures is dependent on acquiring construction materials. She has mechanisms for handling this, but initially she'll depend on you all to carry engagements."

 

[Xenon Reav]

He looks toward Achilles and nods before flicking through several slides, ending on one showing a large single story log cabin. Two thick wooden poles are driven into the ground at the front corners of the cabin, supporting a pair of platforms with rope ladders to provide access to the ground. A figure stands atop each platform, wearing simple clothes and holding a bow.

"Minimal at the moment. Forger's been deliberately kept out of the fight for her own safety, so her powers haven't had a chance to grow. Compounding this, her ability to summon golems and build structures is dependent on acquiring construction materials. She has mechanisms for handling this, but initially she'll depend on you all to carry engagements."

Click to shrink...

Achilles nods. "Understood sir."

 

[FireOfDoom32]

Akira

As for the musically inclined practitioner that was currently among her teammates, she listened attentively to the briefing as she absorbed all of the information that they were being debriefed about, from the mission to the enemies and area that they were being dropped into. All the while, trying not to pay attention to the antics that her teammates were currently undergoing.

At the very least, there didn't seem to be any commanders. Would certainly help mopping them up easier, though she expected some trouble when they get into combat with them at some point. Didn't hurt that they have a good chance to inflict a lot of damage against them with the terrain, especially against the largest group of demons.

Either way, she gave a simple nod of understanding....

 

[LucidProp]

Lorena Lux
Briefing Room

---

If the Commander has any thoughts on Lorena's antics, he keeps them to himself for now. "So far, the flora and fauna that Rift Diver has found are roughly analogous to those in temperate regions of Earth, though with a far higher prevalence of things like horns, tusks, antlers, and large claws among what we think are prey animals. Rift Diver's managed to get pictures of some six-legged wolf like creatures killing isolated demons, but if there's anything capable of putting up an actual fight, we don't have evidence of it. I do want to stress though, Rift Diver never stuck around overnight. We don't think it's likely that she missed a swarm of apex predators stalking the immediate area but keep an eye out anyway and try not to wander around at night if you can help it."

"The as for the stronghold, well we caught a bit of a break there. The largest concentration of demons is on a plateau on the north side of the mountain range. It's flanked on one side by peaks, one side by a steep incline, and the last by a sheer cliff face. If you can get to a good vantage point unnoticed you should be able to do a lot of damage before they can react."

Click to shrink...

A part of Lorena, the one that kept her alive, drunk this information in like a fish to water. Her mind recounted what little she knew of her allies and ultimately came to the conclusion that outside of the venerable Rift Diver, wiping out an entire stronghold with just a single squad was out of the question. Best to avoid an assault on the stronghold for now.

Another part of Lorena, the one that kept her sane, however, begged to differ. If the forest creatures were deadly enough to kill isolated demons, then perhaps there was a way to divert them to stampede over the infernal stronghold, or even better! Perhaps there was a genius loci, a certain lord of the forest, that could be convinced to turn their power against the demons!

The girl hummed approvingly at her own brilliance, smug smile on her face while her hand held her chin in an image of thoughtfulness, wild imagination practically sparkling off of her as her self-restraint finally broke and she kicked her feet in the air.

She could see it now, a giant chimera whose silhouette alone shadowed over the infernal stronghold. It stood upright like a man with the torso and hands of one, but whose face was concealed by a white mask as branching horns protruded from its skull like the many branches of an ancient tree. It's legs meanwhile, were that of a stag's and the creature possessed a tail that was actually a snake.

Oh, she couldn't wait to explore the forest for signs of such a creature! It would be exactly like one of her human story books!

"Pardon me once more legate," Lorena spoke atop her palanquin, finally taming herself into the very picture of noble dignity once again as the excitement faded and the others asked their questions. "But in the highly unlikely event that one of us falls or in the very likely occurrence of our successful establishment of a foothold, can we expect more reinforcements from the Unified Light?" It was a statement uttered from the lips of someone utterly convinced of her victory. Whether that was an ill-omen or a portent of the future, however, was up for the others to interpret.

 

[catDreaming]

The girl crossed her legs, knee high boots and complimentary thigh highs matching perfectly with the short, pleated skirt she wore. Obvious pride brimmed from her eyes at the sight of the others, all dressed professionally be it a modern kevlar vest, enchanted plates of steel, or their respective military's dress uniforms. Truly, she was the most fashionable one in this room!

Briefly, her honey-colored gaze passed between the humans in the room, and she had to restrain herself from kicking her feet in the air out of excitement. Perhaps they would appreciate her choice of clothing when so many others at home could not. After all, this was an outfit she had sown herself following the advice of their tomes, all acquired at a truly exuberant expense!

Try as she might to resist it, the thought of praise and appreciation made her twirl a lock of her long, black hair with her fingers.

"If I may legatus," Lorena spoke, steepling her gloved hands together in a thinly veiled attempt to draw attention to herself and more importantly, her detached sleeves, furred tailcoat, and her sleeveless buttoned shirt all dyed in marvelous black with gold and white trim. "What do we know of our foe's forces? The reports say the enemy is small in number, but are they led by a cadre of devilish villains whose names and faces we ought to commit to memory?"

Click to shrink...

Activities such as scanning her human counterparts up and down in the least subtle manner possible, committing every piece of clothing to mind along with all the weird insignias their persons bore as she leaned forwards from her palanquin's seat. "What of any native flora and fauna? Are there any creatures of note that could pose a threat to us or the demons?" The girl spoke, pretending as if she hadn't almost fell from her seat and a small 'eep' hadn't escaped her lips seconds before.

Click to shrink...

Lorena Lux
Briefing Room
The girl hummed approvingly at her own brilliance, smug smile on her face while her hand held her chin in an image of thoughtfulness, wild imagination practically sparkling off of her as her self-restraint finally broke and she kicked her feet in the air.

Click to shrink...

Gladys has been focused on the briefing for the most part, even following her own question, but even her focus did not prevent the antics of her new comrade in arms from making themselves known. Certainly, the Legion allowed for an amount of customization in uniform, and the Counter Force had displayed a remarkable degree so long as the uniform met their own human standards. The furred coat, skirt, thigh-high socks, and the droopy witches hat were the most similar to the Sorcerers of the Legion. She had not worked closely with the Sorcerers, being mostly a frontline combatant, but surely this was not their standard behaviour when off the field?

"Pardon me once more legate," Lorena spoke atop her palanquin, finally taming herself into the very picture of noble dignity once again as the excitement faded and the others asked their questions. "But in the highly unlikely event that one of us falls or in the very likely occurrence of our successful establishment of a foothold, can we expect more reinforcements from the Unified Light?" It was a statement uttered from the lips of someone utterly convinced of her victory. Whether that was an ill-omen or a portent of the future, however, was up for the others to interpret.

Click to shrink...

Gladys looks over at the presumed Sorcerer, an eyebrow rising at the statement. Incredulity leaks into her retort as an undercurrent, to those listening for it. "Have we not already been told the answer to this question? Rift Diver is our means of travel to or from Threshold deep within the United Darkness, though without an exact known location, and is apparently going to be scouting after our arrival. The success or failure of our mission is presumably reliant on ours and War Forger's growing capabilities."
She stops at that, glancing at the others in the room. Surely, she was not the only one to gather such from the briefing so far?

 

[Naron]

Solus soaked up the questions and answers, every bit of valuable intel that might be useful. Limited troops, effectively behind enemy lines. It did not feel too different to his past experiences, which was likely why he was selected.

He had some trouble not to twitch at the sorceress's ridiculous behaviour, but managed to keep it down.

"Have we not already been told the answer to this question? Rift Diver is our means of travel to or from Threshold deep within the United Darkness, though without an exact known location, and is apparently going to be scouting after our arrival. The success or failure of our mission is presumably reliant on ours and War Forger's growing capabilities."

Click to shrink...

When the other Legionnaire beside him spoke up, he could not help but voice his agreement: "That is indeed the case. Not to mention that having two Magical Girls on site should be more than sufficient, especially when one grows on industrial scales."

 

[Cmd. Frost]

"Pardon me once more legate," Lorena spoke atop her palanquin, finally taming herself into the very picture of noble dignity once again as the excitement faded and the others asked their questions. "But in the highly unlikely event that one of us falls or in the very likely occurrence of our successful establishment of a foothold, can we expect more reinforcements from the Unified Light?" It was a statement uttered from the lips of someone utterly convinced of her victory. Whether that was an ill-omen or a portent of the future, however, was up for the others to interpret.

Click to shrink...

Gladys looks over at the presumed Sorcerer, an eyebrow rising at the statement. Incredulity leaks into her retort as an undercurrent, to those listening for it. "Have we not already been told the answer to this question? Rift Diver is our means of travel to or from Threshold deep within the United Darkness, though without an exact known location, and is apparently going to be scouting after our arrival. The success or failure of our mission is presumably reliant on ours and War Forger's growing capabilities."
She stops at that, glancing at the others in the room. Surely, she was not the only one to gather such from the briefing so far?

Click to shrink...

"Correct, we don't know if the enemy has a means in place for tracking teleportation to and from Threshold so we don't want to push our luck. If you start taking losses Rift Diver is authorized to extract wounded and casualties, but if War Forger can't grow fast and far enough to carry the day, then any invasion plans are dead in the cradle. We can't justify the cost in lives and resources without a trump card."

 

[LucidProp]

Lorena Lux
Briefing Room

---

Gladys looks over at the presumed Sorcerer, an eyebrow rising at the statement. Incredulity leaks into her retort as an undercurrent, to those listening for it. "Have we not already been told the answer to this question? Rift Diver is our means of travel to or from Threshold deep within the United Darkness, though without an exact known location, and is apparently going to be scouting after our arrival. The success or failure of our mission is presumably reliant on ours and War Forger's growing capabilities."

Click to shrink...

When the other Legionnaire beside him spoke up, he could not help but voice his agreement: "That is indeed the case. Not to mention that having two Magical Girls on site should be more than sufficient, especially when one grows on industrial scales."

Click to shrink...

"Correct, we don't know if the enemy has a means in place for tracking teleportation to and from Threshold so we don't want to push our luck. If you start taking losses Rift Diver is authorized to extract wounded and casualties, but if War Forger can't grow fast and far enough to carry the day, then any invasion plans are dead in the cradle. We can't justify the cost in lives and resources without a trump card."

Click to shrink...

"Tut-tut-tut," the brunette wagged her finger at Gladys and Solus, exuberance seemingly intact despite the irritation in her comrades' voices and expressions. "Dear fellows, these things are best spoken out loud rather than left to assumptions! Such is the novelty of our situation that even the obvious must be confirmed!" Sat atop her palanquin of shields and held aloft by silent skeletal guardians, such a statement might have felt like a parent admonishing children if it didn't look so ludicrous.

"But worry not! Seeing as fate-" another word for high command in her mind, "- brought us together, you have my assurance that my wardens shall do their utmost in our shared interest!" In response, her minions banged their free fist against their mail hauberks, the rattling of bones and metal momentarily punctuating her announcement.

 

[Cmd. Frost]

As the silence begins to stretch on, the commander looks around the room.

"Despite the presence of magical girls in this operation, it's likely that you will be working without oversight for most of your time on Threshold. To that end, Decanus Warwick has command of the team if Forger or Rift Diver aren't present. If you have any more questions ask them now, otherwise head straight to the armory."

 

[Naron]

"Tut-tut-tut, [snip]"

Click to shrink...

Solus was very tempted to interrupt this nattering, but he kept himself in check. The silence that followed the sorceress's commentary was telling enough.

"Despite the presence of magical girls in this operation, it's likely that you will be working without oversight for most of your time on Threshold. To that end, Decanus Warwick has command of the team if Forger or Rift Diver aren't present. If you have any more questions ask them now, otherwise head straight to the armory."

Click to shrink...

And the fact their commanding officer changed their mind on determining chain of command only added to it. Solus immediately rapped a fist against his chest.

"Understood. Thank you, sir. No further questions from me."

Before he rose to head out however, he cast a glance around to see if anyone else had last-minute questions.