THE INFINITE BROOD (Starcraft/Supreme Commander Crossover Quest!)

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THE SWARM SHEET
  • Informational
    • The Brood of Blades
    ​
    Cerebrate Prime: Samantha Clarke
    LEVEL: 5
    XP: 205/210
    TRAITS
    Strategic Genius: Once per structured encounter, Sam can create a piece of the environment that is in her favor as a sticky spark. Roll a d3 for its value.
    Empathetic: upon meeting an NPC, learn their motivation!
    Legendary Commander: Gain 4 Command sparks at the beginning of each mission/combat. Command sparks may be spent to give NPCs orders, which they may either obey or refuse to obey (doing nothing instead.) Command sparks may not be regained via skills or powers.
    Hunted: Something wants her - but for what? +1 Danger to all scenes​
    SKILLS
    CLOSE COMBAT (2): Brawling, Edged Weapons
    PERSONAL (2): Awareness, Resilience
    SOCIAL (4): Charm, Empathy, Leadership, Taunt​
    MASTERY
    ACU Pilot (2): Nanofabrication [Mass], ObSat Operations [Range]
    The Hilt (4): Biomorphic Spawning (People), Regeneration (Durability), Physical Perfection (Speed), Telepathic Dominion (Range)​

    POWERS
    The Living Swarm
    Vent: 4-0
    Effect: Gain 1 Living Swarm spark, +1 per vent reduction.​
    The Living Swarm: While this swarm exists, move in three dimensions and through anything smaller than a keyhole, reforming at will. You may expend these sparks to cause 3 Hit Sparks in a Area 2 radius.​
    Area Upgrade: +1 to Area Characteristic​

    Biomorphic Reinforcement
    Vent: 4-0
    Effect: Create 1 Biomorphic Reinforcement spark, +1 per vent reduction, which can be given out to anyone within Range 2, or to yourself
    Biomorphic Reinforcement: +1 to Damage or Mass characteristic for the purpose of raw physical strength/feats.

    Back to Back
    Vent: 4-0
    Effect: Choose 1 ally (+1 per vent reduction), within Range 1. Each can take one action using one of your skills, any of them that you wish. Once they have done so, you may make a free attack with your melee weapon, getting +1 to your skill per ally that acted.​

    Adaptation
    Vent: 4-0
    Effect: Create a number of sparks equal to the enemy's difficulty, narratively based on turning their abilities against them. Works on enemies of Diff 2>, +2 per vent reduction.​

    Just as Planned…
    Vent: 6-0
    Effect: Vent 6 heat and create 1 Planning Spark for her or an ally, +1 Spark per vent reduction.​
    Planning: The person holding this Spark can expend this to get +1 to a skill check as a free action. Using this Stack counts as you are helping for the purpose of relationships.​

    GEAR
    Zeratul's Psi-Blades
    Adds: +0 (Edged Weapons) | Characteristics: Damage [Speed] (4)[1]​
    Shadowstep (3): Can expend as a free action to move without crossing intervening space.
    Guarded Space (3): Can expend to use Damage as a secondary characteristic for Durability, reducing incoming Damage characteristics.​

    GALACTIC WAR
    Victory Points: 5    ​
    RESOURCES​
    TERRAN DOMINION [Background] (1)​
    The men and material of the Dominion - limited, but they're mustering as we speak. ​
    ALLIANCE EXPEDITIONARY FORCES [Mastery] (1)​
    While you have access to several ACUs of every faction, they lack economic and technological support to be fully effective. ​
    ZERG HIVE [Mastery] (1)​
    The scant few Zerg you control that are free of Amon's influence. Mostly Zerglings. ​
    AEON FLEET [Background] (1)​
    While half a dozen CZARs seem impressive, they're not actually well made for ship to ship combat. ​
    ALLIED COHESION [Motivation] (1)​
    The alliance is fragile and weak.​

    FRONTS​
    Trade Sector-34-51 [Pirate Activity]
    Pirates Raiding 6 (Supply Lines in Disarray 1)
    COMMAND: Jim Raynor | ARMY: Raynor's Raiders
    RESULTS: Pending

    Braxis [Zerg Invasion]
    Borealis Siege 6 (Zerg Rampage1)
    COMMAND: General Samantha Clarke | ARMY: Brood Clarke
    RESULTS: Pending

    Typhan II [Active Xel'Naga ACU]
    Typhan II Occupied 6 (Xel'Naga ACU Spotted 1)
    COMMAND: Lt. Colonel Mathew Horner | ARMY: UEF Armored Command Unit
    RESULTS: Pending

    Deep Space Sector 981 [Hive Fleet Identified]
    Zerg Hive Fleet Spotted 6 (Kerrigan? 1)
    COMMAND: Citizen-Commander Dostya | ARMY: CN Armored Command Unit
    RESULTS: Pending
    ​
    ENEMY ASSETS (Currently Known)
    ​
    THE GOLDEN ARMADA
    ACTIVITY: Unknown | Threat Level: 6​
     
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  • Informational
    • ACT TWO, MISSION FIVE: True Colors (0.7)
  • Threadmarks
    • You were clinging to Fenix like a...well, like some kind of parasite, with his reactor a smoldering, bubbling pile of slag at your feet. You tensed as the crowd burst into racious mental shouts - but Fenix was closest of all. You felt his thoughts, thrumming against yours. It was like a coarse grain. Sandpaper, against smooth flesh. Your song and his...they were so close together that it felt like they should harmonize - but something kept them apart, turning them into atonal screeching.

    You could still hear the amusement in his voice. Zeratul has taught you well, Zergling.

    He swung one of his mechanical limbs around farther and more twistier than you thought possible. There was a gripper at the end which opened up with a clink. You slashed with your psi-blades and it jerked backwards with a flare of crackling shields. You grinned, then flung yourself up, landing on the chasies.

    "Think it's that easy, old man?" you asked, cheerfully, moving to keep the photon cannon's back aimed towards you as it swiveled left, then right, then-

    Yes.

    The whole body under you bucked hard, like some kind of badly tuned transmission on an off road vehicle...but with malicious intention. You were sent shooting straight upwards and then, twisting in the air, you saw the same limb you had batted away. You readied to kick off it, moving with inhuman grace in the-

    Another limb slammed into your back and the clawed limb collapsed around your midsection. You had a second to look at Fenix, reared back on two of his legs, balanced like he was some kind of absurd crab.

    You hadn't know Dragoons could-

    Whistling noises.

    -do that.

    You arced across the arena and smashed into the far wall, right beneath where Aldaris, Sarah, Jim and Matt were watching the show. The impact was loud enough to stun your hearing and exploded a spray of dust, stone and crumpled metal around you. The whole arena rocked and gasps of mental shock filled the air.

    Tell me that is not enough to put down the famed Armiger of the Swarm! Fenix shouted across as you groaned in the impact site. While you felt dizzy and stunned, you were pretty sure you could get back into the fight...you started to get up and-

    Pain.

    Your hand went to your chest for a second as you gasped quietly. Your vision went blurry and out of focus while a shooting agony blazed along your left arm, then tingled down your right. Your fingers felt numb and your chin ached. Your shoulderblades tightened and you wobbled slightly in your stance.

    Come now... Fenix said, swinging his photon cannon around.

    You...

    Your vision went even blurrier for a second. You breathed in a short gasp and the pain receded - then came back, crashing into you like a wave. You were having a heart attack.

    You were having a heart attack.

    It wasn't implausible for a woman of your age, nor your stress levels. Back on Earth, or even in the field, a quick emergency injection of medichines would have fixed it and you could have laughed about cutting fat out of your diet - while doing no such thing. No one died of heart attacks, not unless they were stupendously old or monstrously unlucky. But the only problem was the...fact that...

    The pain left.

    Crashed back.

    You weren't human anymore.

    Sam, what's wrong? Sarah's voice came to you - but it was muffled, like through a thick pillow. Something was...blocking you. Your hand went to your chest and you shook your head, trying to stand up a bit more. Breathing was hard. Speaking was impossible. The pain receded. Then it came crashing back. Harder now.

    Then, like everything coming into focus, you saw.

    You could see the shimmering psionic energies of the arena - confused murmuring of Protoss, the roiling power of Fenix. Even above and behind you, the shimmering, dark majesty of your Queen.

    And somewhere in that...confused mess was a thin line of golden light reaching into your chest.

    And a fist, squeezing your heart.

    ---
    HEAT [Minimum 1]: 4/6
    HIT SPARKS: Crush (8)
    SPARKS: Thrown 5(6)(4)

    [ ] Trace the psychic domination back to it's source and yank it into the light.
    [ ] Grow a new damn heart and begin making a clever plan...
    [ ] Sprint straight for Fenix and win the fight, fighting him and him alone - and worry about your heart later.
    Pick Two​
    [ ] You are left on death's door by the attack, leaving what happens next entirely up to Jim, Sarah, Matt and Fenix.​
    [ ] Zeratul's psi-blades are destroyed​
    [ ] A permanent psychic wound is left on your mind​
    [ ] This triggers a Protoss civil war as Aldaris' trechery is revealed to all.​

    DANGER: 0
    ENEMY:
    Fenix' Chassis: Diff 10, Durability[Reliability] 6[2]​
    Fenix's Photon Cannon: Diff 4, Damage[Range] 5[1], Range[Range] 3[1], Internal (3)
    Fenix's Mobility: Diff 4, Speed 2, Internal (3)
    Fenix's Raw Strength: Diff 4, Mass 2, Internal (3)​
    Aldaris' Trechery: Diff 9

    Ruh roh! So, Fenix's raw strength chucked you, giving the Thrown sparks, augmented by his mass. You'll need to clear those before you can attack him in melee. But worse, the perfidious GM has spent 9 danger to Spawn Aldaris into this fight, and he made 9 Hit Sparks of CRUSH - due to the psychic nature of this attack, it's not blocked by your durability.

    His turn ended and the hit spark decayed by 1, bumping your heat up to 4/6! Fenix's spark also decayed by 1!

    Plans!

    One: Use telepathic domination 4 to nix Aldaris' Trechery for 5 heat. This will overheat you to 9, which will add 60 danger to the encounter. That's bad...buuuut you don't know what Fenix's response would be. What do you think he will think upon this revelation?
    Two: Use your regeneration to bap the Crush away (this is a 0 heat check.) This means no more heart attack! Then vent to create just as planned sparks for future use.
    Three: Take one action to bap the Thrown sparks away using physical perfection (0 heat), then attack Fenix's chassis with the excess sparks to represent sprinting at him! Since your physical perfection makes 6,6,6,6,4 sparks versus 5,6,4 sparks, that means you have 1,6,6,6 sparks left! Physical perfection 4 and damage 4 lets you get through 3 range and 5 durability, and you have enough sparks left over from your "build up" to blast through the last durability. Thus, you can hit Fenix's diff 10 for 8 heat, putting you at 12, which is heavily wounded!
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Grow a new damn heart and begin making a clever plan...

    Heart attacks are pretty mean. We should be a cunning hunter prepared for any occasion!
     
    [X] Trace the psychic domination back to it's source and yank it into the light.

    Aldaris' VA does an amazing job so I kinda like him despite all the bullshit he pulls. Not so much this time. This is likely to result in a civil war, but going for the win and not revealing his treachery just means he gets to stay in power and continue plotting, which would certainly come back to hurt at the worst moment in the future.
    Better to deal with him now.
     
    [X] Trace the psychic domination back to it's source and yank it into the light.
    The point of this fight has always been a political one, so this is exactly what we want imo. If spawning in just Aldaris is worth 9 danger then I'd imagine that 60 danger is probably enough to add in a whole-ass strike force making its move on Aldaris' behest, but there's absolutely no way that Fenix takes that without switching sides to us. He's going to be pissed as hell just at Aldaris interfering in the first place.

    Edit: also, I'd imagine that we'll be able to do a sicknasty Back to Back vent at some point as the situation escalates and everyone else gets involved, with getting like Fenix, Zeratul, Sarah, Artanis and Jim to act all in one go.
     
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    And to be clear on the round breakdown: Enemies that are spawned act once before your turn begins!

    At the beginning of combat, this "acting" is them arriving in a cut-scene to set the stage for the fight (but at the GM's discretion, they can start by opening fire if it's an ambush or something!) Post round one, though, they come in swingin'!

    So, you acted, took a hit, one enemy acted (Fenix's legs), then the round ended, then in comes Aldaris with a steel heart attack! What game are the ref's watching!?

    Now it's your turn again! And since there's no danger, no more enemies can be spawned, unless you overheat and give me more danger.
     
    sheep-dodger said:
    [X] Trace the psychic domination back to it's source and yank it into the light.
    The point of this fight has always been a political one, so this is exactly what we want imo. If spawning in just Aldaris is worth 9 danger then I'd imagine that 60 danger is probably enough to add in a whole-ass strike force making its move on Aldaris' behest, but there's absolutely no way that Fenix takes that without switching sides to us. He's going to be pissed as hell just at Aldaris interfering in the first place.

    Edit: also, I'd imagine that we'll be able to do a sicknasty Back to Back vent at some point as the situation escalates and everyone else gets involved, with getting like Fenix, Zeratul, Sarah, Artanis and Jim to act all in one go.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Bonus danger means bonus exp (and if we can, there's never really not a reason to raise the stakes), this is exactly what we assumed Aldaris would do (I just assumed he'd be more subtle about it, holy shit is he a moron), and more to the point, we're mainly here to stop genocide and convince a friend we're not mind-controlled, so acting and speaking from that not only strengthens our credibility but weakens Aldaris'. And we should probably make Aldaris look like an ineffective fool to weaken his base.
     
    Adhoc vote count started by DragonCobolt on Mar 8, 2024 at 11:53 PM, finished with 17 posts and 11 votes.
    Click to expand...


    Today, Sam decided to cause problems on purpose.

    And Aldaris continues to be a dick.

    ...like, he was a huge dick in the entirety of TWO campaigns, back to back...
     
    ACT TWO, MISSION FIVE: True Colors (0.8)
  • Threadmarks
    • You shook your head from side to side, head throbbing, chest aching. You could do this. You focused - and felt the connection between your heart and the hand clenching it. It was...slippery. Shifting aside. Left. Right. You growled mentally as time seemed to slow down, the focus of the universe narrowing into this one point. In slow motion, you could see Fenix's photon cannon leveling on you as you felt the connection sing for a moment...and a familiar voice spoke in your head.

    Did you think I would allow you to dishonor Fenix in this field of battle with your Zerg trickery? To flaunt Nerazim foulness in this holy arena? Did you think that we High Templar were without weapons? Did you think me a fool? Aldaris' voice growled in your mind as his hand clenched harder. You felt a blazing rush of pure, ferocious, Zerg rage exploding inside of your body. You lashed back-

    And he smacked your telepathic assault aside. Turned it into nothingness. It was like smoke, whistling through your fingers.

    Pathetic. All power. No talent.

    He squeezed again.

    Fenix fired.

    You flung yourself aside with an ungainly stumble. The photon cannon shot moved in slow motion thanks to your enhanced perceptions - and it slammed into the wall with a roar of blue flames. The heat blazed and sent you stumbling. You crashed and fell onto your belly, skidding to a stop as Aldaris' hand clenched even harder. All your body's biology was working on repairing the damage to your most vital organs: Your skin was bubbling and cracked with wounds, blackened char along one left arm. If you could focus, you could have fixed it in a few seconds...you clenched your teeth.

    I will tear your essence apart... He paused. And...and...no...NO!

    You closed your eyes, not sure what he had seen - but whatever it was...

    His hand clenched harder. You will DIE! Aldaris' fury bloomed inside of you.

    You mustered what you could. Another attack. Weaker this time. Your anger was too wrapped up in fear and pain. Aldaris' slapped it aside, without even trying. His mind was so supple and quick, and he had this endless reserve - it was like his mind was an ACU in the web of its base, full of resources and...and...and that was it. Your teeth clenched. You were a Commander. Commanders secured resources. Built logistics. They had help.

    Your mind reached - not towards Aldaris, but towards Fenix. The connection was instant and shockingly intimate and intensely painful - you could feel his sorrow and his nerves and his worries, but you also felt that sandpapery difference between your minds. It hurt. But you pushed through it. His thoughts and yours touched.

    What is this!? Fenix asked.

    But before he could be squeezed out, you threw out another tendril. It reached into the crowd, hooking onto the nearest Protoss. Aldaris was realizing what you were doing - his powers relaxed on your chest momentarily. But you reached out again, and again, and again, throwing the connections out like you were securing mineral deposits. Sarah and your minds touched together. You even felt the muffled steel of Matt Horner's mind - and even through the psychic version of six inch armored walls, you were momentarily stunned at the depths of his courage and his tenacity, untapped and waiting for the end of days.

    The connection wavered for moments - then it shattered apart.

    Aldaris' hand released your chest, but it was too late. You collapsed onto your hands and knees, gasping heavily.

    What is the meaning of this treachery!? Fenix's roar shook the room and your mind. Aldaris made a swift gesture and his body vanished into blue smoke seconds before Sarah took his head off with a claw swipe that smashed the platform he had been standing on in half. Aldaris appeared again in the center of the arena, stumbling slightly - and you could feel some psychic presence around him. He had been yanked back, hard.

    You could see Jim, Sarah and Matt surrounded by Zealots - but your attention was momentarily focused on Aldaris and Fenix.

    You know not of the depths of her corruption, Aldaris said, furiously. Even before the Zerg - I saw within her mind...the Terrans slaughtered the Xel'naga! They butchered them with plagues and sickness - her people raised their hands against the Gods themselves!

    The entire auditorium bloomed with the feelings of shock and rage.

    "...oh right. That," you said, a bit dazedly as your skin regenerated.

    I care not for the dictates of long missing gods - I care for the honor of the Templar! Honor you have besmirched, honor you have cast aside in your madness, Aldaris! Fenix stomped forward. I declare your position null and void by my rights as a Praetor.

    No Praetor has ever disbanded a Justiciar!     Aldaris shot back.

    Executor, stand with me on this field of honor! Fenix lifted one arm to Artanis, who had rushed forward to grab onto the side of the railing. This cannot stand!

    Artanis nodded. Fenix is right. You have overstepped your bounds, Aldaris.

    I knew you were too youthful to be allowed the power you have been given!     Aldaris said, thrusting his finger up to Artanis. High Templar! To me!

    Zealots, to me!     Fenix shouted.

    Protoss leaped over the railing - armored in gold and glittering with shields. They landed, their blades flashing to life, while Aldaris pressed his palms together and several Protoss appeared around him - each of them floating off the ground, their bodies wreathed in energies, crackling and sparking. Artanis was about to spring down, but then you saw him reach out, stopping Sarah, who had a look of pure murder on her face.

    No! He whispered. Don't! We may be able to end this here, now! With you in the ring - all of Aiur will see this as just a machination of the Queen of Blades.

    "The one fucking time, I don't plan this bullshit-"

    You managed to get to your feet. Your heart still hurt, but...

    "Fenix, what is that?" you asked as you saw two of the floating protoss were holding their hands - and then glowing. A blue flame roared to life between them and their bodies collapsed together with a cracking explosion of raw force that sent half a dozen Zealots stumbling backwards to stand in a ragged line around Fenix.

    Oh dear, he said.

    The blue orb...had a faintly humanoid shape within it. Two eyes, shimmering like blazing stars, opened within.

    Power...Overwhelming...

    "Shit," you whispered.

    The blue god of a Protoss lifted his hands.

    Samantha!

    He thrust them out.

    A lightning bolt of actinic white light, like looking at an atomic blast without slit goggles, leaped from the mass of swirling energy and shot towards you. You tensed - and Fenix lurched between you and it. His shields exploded apart and his chassis flared. Molten metal splashed against your cheek and blue fluids exploded in every direction, boiling and hissing as the Zealots charged forwards into a howling gale of lightning as Aldaris lifted his palms and unleashed everything that a High Templar could do. A bolt of lightning slammed down next to you as you dropped to your knee next to Fenix's ruined chassis. His arm hung from the wreckage, blue slime dripping around the withered ruin that was his flesh.

    You lifted your gaze to see that for all that the orb was powerful on the attack, it had some serious weaknesses to being outnumbered and outflanked. The surviving Zealots rushed forward and, shouting Fenix's name, leaped onto the orb, slashing and cutting into the energy field with their psi-blades. The whole mass of crackling shields rolled away.

    Leaving the route clear straight to Aldaris.

    ---
    HEAT: 2/6
    HIT SPARKS: Crush (7)
    SPARKS: Templar Allies (5), Distracted Archon (6)(5)

    [ ] Show Aldaris what you can do - telepathically rip apart his defenses, regenerate a new heart, and then swarm and get ready to tear him limb from limb.
    [ ] Show Aldaris what you can do - sprint straight for him as fast as you can, shadow-step around his defenses, and take his head with your psi blades.
    [ ] ...that's a telepathic force field, focused primarily on stopping you. And you don't fight alone. Raise your voice: "Major! Shoot that man."
    [ ] Write In

    ...huh, the three options are Zerg, Protoss and Terran...

    DANGER:
    ENEMY(?):
    Zealot Squad: Diff 5, Damage 2, Durability 2, People 1​
    ​
    Aldaris: Diff 10, Complexity [Reliability] 6(2), Reliability 2, Psionic Powers (5)​
    Psionic Powers: So long as this spark exists, Complexity is a secondary characteristic for Damage, Mass, Durability, Speed, Range and Reliability.​
    ​
    Archon: Diff 10, Damage [Reliability] 7 (2)​

    So! You revealed Artanis - which granted you some GM fiat sparks of Templar Allies. So, when Fenix's turn came up, he didn't kill you, since he's pissed at Aldaris. Sadly, 60 Danger means I spawned Aldaris - who is a bit of a beast - and an Archon - who is even more of a beast. They both acted: Aldaris targeted one Zealot squad and wiped it out. Then the Zealot squad acts! Since the Archon was Diff 10, they can't KILL it, but they can use their numbers to distract it!

    That leaves just you!

    Now, Aldaris has effectively the same durability as Fenix thanks to his dumb psychic bullshit. So, how to get him?

    Plan one: Use telepathic domination to bap away his 5 psionic sparks for 1 heat (Skill 4 vs diff 0, but you need to make 5 sparks), then use your Biomorphic Spawning to make distracting sparks for 0 heat (Diff 1+1 will still make you 6(6)(6)(6)(2) sparks), and then use Regeneration to get rid of Crush for 0 heat (Diff 1+2 still makes you enough sparks thanks to your durability characteristic, much like biomorphic spawning.) Once you've done that, vent 3 heat to get Swarm sparks and get ready to use them next round to rip him apart limb from limb.

    Plan Two: Use your regeneration to bap away Crush like with plan one, then use Physical Perfection to make a bunch of momentum sparks to give you a bonus to hit, then expend them to get enough of a buff to hit Aldaris without needing to take any heat! Then vent 3 heat with Just as Planned and get ready to take out the Archon next round!

    Plan Three: Vent 3 heat to use Back to Back and let Matt use your Telepathic domination. It makes sense narratively.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Show Aldaris what you can do - telepathically rip apart his defenses, regenerate a new heart, and then swarm and get ready to tear him limb from limb.

    Going back to this. We needs a heart.
     
    [x] Write-in: (telepathically)Kerrigan, A dark Swarm her would be nice.(vocally) Artanis, Stasis field, NOW!
    Drop a dark Swarm over your position, and lock Aldaris rear in stasis, take a few heat off, and request some EMP from any Science Vessel to knock his shield out.
     
    [X] Show Aldaris what you can do - sprint straight for him as fast as you can, shadow-step around his defenses, and take his head with your psi blades.
     
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