Really though, it was more 'the remaining countries of Asia as well as Brazil, Australia, Canada, and the U.S.' rather than Asia being a single country.
You haven't even confirmed if Louise has Quelaag's soul IC, let alone being able to steal an intangible mass of spiritual power from the girl.
We don't for sure if Louise has the sisters soul which is why I changed it to this "See if you can figure out if the girl has Quelana's sister's "soul"" so we can check for the sisters energy. Plus I don't know if we have any way of removing it.
[x] Check up on both your apprentices.
-[x] Louise:
--[x] Check to see if there's any other evidence of mind-control.
--[x] See if you can figure out if the girl has Quelana's sister's "soul"
-[x] Cattleya:
--[x] Give her a few tips on currying the Lord of the Hunt's favor, it never hurts to stack the deck in your favor.
--[x] Give her information on possible dangers, warning signs and the like to be aware of.
The other action can be whatever, though I am somewhat interested in the Etherial research.
...do we need to share mind control tech with the Council? Sounds like a waste. This is not the data you are looking for, shoo!
What type of reflect? Melee, magic, ranged, or something more specific? The more specific, the higher percentage it will be, but less versatile. And of course your 'Karin's longcoat of reflect melee won't fit over the massive suit of armor.
Can we make it reflect psionics? If so, that could be handy if we end up fighting any more Ethereals. Or we could give it to Louise to nip that mind control problem?
As for the armor, it'd be for Saito, rather than Cynric. We haven't done anything with him lately, might as well try to upgrade him while we have the chance.
Can we make it reflect psionics? If so, that could be handy if we end up fighting any more Ethereals. Or we could give it to Louise to nip that mind control problem?
As for the armor, it'd be for Saito, rather than Cynric. We haven't done anything with him lately, might as well try to upgrade him while we have the chance.
Reflect psionics would take a bit of trial and error or some serious research time since Cynric has no experience with it prior to meeting these aliens, it'd be easier to get a genemod or have a mindshield made by xcom.
Saito/Tsun the zombie is an rapid regenerating zombie with no sense of pain. You want to give him a suit of armor before your soft and fleshy self? Also, you can only modify him so much if you want him to continue using a specialized set of armor.
Boosting willpower? That's tricky to answer fully. Fortify effects can be applied to any attribute or skill, but willpower could apply to multiple things. Do we use the pre-skyrim game stat willpower that is a measure of magical strength? Do we use the familiar of zero willpower that is synonymous with magicka? Do we use the mundane willpower that is simply forcing yourself to cope with unpleasant things? Or perhaps another meaning of willpower from another setting?
Starting the day with sluggish lethargy, you make your way to the medical wing and spend a few hours making various potions. Though you spend much of the time simply resting your head on the cool metal table, you somehow manage to attract a crowd of observers. None of them bother you with questions and you don't go out of your way to explain anything to them as they take notes on the potions you're making. The first to be completed is a cure disease, crafted from hawk feathers and some of your now dwindling supply of Vampire Dust, which you immediately chug.
Magically cured of your unpleasant symptoms, you sort through the crates of supplies that had been ordered and gathered by the locals for this purpose. You select a several handfuls of wheat, monarch butterfly wings, and some boar meat. Considering the fact that Louise was still very much a novice at alchemy, the gathered doctors and scientists that had volunteered to learn the skill hadn't been able to gain much from their lessons under her other than the few combinations you'd taught her and what she had managed to piece together on her own. You don't really see her as willing to sample many of the ingredients available, so her progress could not have been very substantial.
No wonder your audience was so enamored by your work. Since having extra potions in stock might be helpful later, you decide to walk them through the brewing process, briefly explaining each step of the process. The impromptu class ends with you having created three rather potent healing potions and leaving the locals to attempt to produce their own. You doubt they realize the fact that you'd likely end up raiding their supply to add to your own. Still, with luck they would learn quickly and be able to produce acceptable quality potions.
Leaving them to their work, you head toward the genetics lab, carving daedric clusters into the golden ring you'd nicked from the blonde doctor Louise seems to enjoy bantering with. Pocketing the unfinished object, you enter the lab to see your apprentice floating in her tank.
The... outfit she'd been forced to wear is beginning to fuse with her skin and the muscles in her legs are much more defined than previously. A quick check reveals that the connection between her and the aliens seems to have frayed with the death of the one directly linked to her mind, but the immaterial tether is still there. Perhaps taking the girl from this world will prove necessary in the end, though returning to Quelana without her sister's soul might prove problematic. Obviously Louise doesn't have it with her, you doubt she could hide much of anything in her current state of dress... perhaps it's in her room?
Noticing the girl's eyes flicker open for a moment, you give her a reassuring smile and wait until she falls asleep again to recast the same protective spells as before and leave in search of Cattleya, almost not noticing the girl's undead familiar lurking in the shadows of the room. The corpse seems to have finally navigated through this kwama den of a base to find it's master. The unexpected level of stealth that zombies unknowingly perform always manages to surprise even you, their complete lack of movement until disturbed causing most to overlook them until it's too late. At least you know the girl is somewhat protected and your precautions on the room are likely unnecessary.
----------------------
Once again, you find the elder Valliere in the forest outside. Creeping up on her as she stalks an unsuspecting chaurus, she doesn't suspect a thing until you Levitate up above her and toss a rock to where you had been standing. She whirls around to find the source of the noise and is bowled over by her would-be quarry, the massive insect pinning her body to the ground with it's weight.
Unable to fight back, she can only watch as the beast's mandibles close in on her face and nuzzles against her cheek. You wave cheerfully at her when she finally spots you among the branches. "Having trouble?" You ask innocently.
"Did- Stop it!" She shoves the chaurus away, causing it to emit a pitiful warbling sound. Visibly struggling with herself, she tries to ignore the insect and asks, "Did you really need to ruin my practice? I thought you wanted me to do this, why sabotage me?"
Waving her off, you settle to the forest floor. "I thought you might appreciate a bit of advice for your upcoming task."
"Alright... I suppose more knowledge couldn't hurt." She naively admits, unaware of just how foolish her words were when a being such a Hermaus Mora exists.
Daedric librarians aside, you lean against a nearby tree and begin your lecture. "Though he is known by many titles, none do justice to the fact that he is perhaps the most fair in his dealings with mortals. No other daedric prince has quite the same level of respect for mortals as Hircine, not even the 'good' daedra... though that is not to say that he places much value in mortal life, he simply has respect for skilled hunters and combatants, which applies to far more than physical combat. The father of Man-beasts appreciates any skill that aids one's chances of survival, doubly so when done to the detriment of a rival. Your test will likely be a simple beast hunt, with a dangerous predator being your intended target."
Swallowing nervously, Cattleya asks, "What kind of predator? Louise mentioned your world's dragons... I don't think I can manage against something like that."
Chuckling at her honesty, you shake your head at the notion of being sent to hunt a dragon single-handedly. "Not to worry, my dear, that is extremely unlikely." You tell her. "Even ignoring the fact that the dragons of Nirn are not mindless predators, the Lord of the hunt is, as I said, a believer in fairness. Where is the sport in pitting a mouse against a lion? No... you will face a creature that, while powerful, you should be able to defeat with only moderate difficulty."
"I don't know..." She mutters, scuffing the grass with her foot. "I've never... what if he wants me to kill some adorable animal... I don't think I can do it."
Eyeing her skeptically as you attempt to think of a creature she wouldn't find adorable, what with her raising a swarm of monster insects, you shrug. "It is not unusual for other hunters to become involved in these events. He cares for bravery, skill, and cunning... Surely you can think of something."
Once again spending the majority of the day teaching Cattleya basic stealth and survival skills, you eventually head back inside, Soul Trapping and killing a chaurus with a lightning rune when you get far enough away from the pinkette. You search Louise's room for any sign of Quelaag's soul, but find nothing other than spare clothes and a few potions atop a scroll of Recall. Still unsure as to where the spider-woman's soul is, you ponder possible locations as you eat a late meal and head to bed.
It could potentially be back in the rubble and limbs left behind by the fight, but perhaps your apprentice does possess it and has merely hidden it for whatever reason. You do know that she didn't absorb it, as there would undoubtedly be some physical change to Louise's body if she did. If it isn't in her room, she doesn't have it with her, and she didn't use it... where would she have put it?
Almost having forgotten about it, you finish enchanting the ring before falling asleep.
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Judging by reports from Tyne, this specimen would at first appear to be a member of the invaders' leader caste. As we've noted from the incident in which it arrived, its physical form is not suited for combat by any means. Their bodies actually appear to be quite frail, with evidence of atrophy and muscular degeneration having occurred over an extended period of time. This is not surprising, as initial radiocarbon dating indicates this particular creature could be... several thousand years old. Unlike the other specimens we've examined, there is little to indicate that it was genetically enhanced, at least not with the same ambition as the others... Though there is troubling evidence that they too were created artificially, in direct opposition to their supposed position atop the alien ranks.
Strangely enough, the alien possesses enhanced synaptic connections, confirming our suspicion that the brain is the likely source of their power. These Ethereals appear to have an incredible pool of psionic energy at their disposal... more than anything we've previously encountered, which helps to explain why the other species are subordinate to them. That these creatures are so powerful and yet not at the top of their hierarchy is... worrisome. We can only hope that this genetic augmentation is some attempt to overcome their frailty and not evidence of some species of higher authority and power.
Vahlen's personal note: Due to the inherent frailty of the subject, I do not believe we should use this species in our genetic enhancement program. However, as we continue studying this psionic power, I believe we are on the verge of a major discovery.
Raymond looked up from his copy of the latest autopsy report to watch the members of Strike One get used to their new suits. It had taken a bit of time, but with a bit of tinkering, his team had managed to add a few last minute adjustments to the armor. Air filtration, coolant lines, and many other necessary components that were mostly mechanical were already part of the design, but he hadn't wanted to leave out useful features, so a small elerium battery was added between the shoulder vents to power a communications suite and 'heads-up' display. It would make mass producing these suits even more difficult, but he wasn't really expecting that to be an issue, seeing as how without Cynric's help, they had no way to acquire the still-beating hearts of demons.
Chuckling to himself at the absurd(though still unsettling) thought, he watched as Espinoza was tossed to the ground by Miss Reed's judo throw, the Hispanic man having earned her ire with his constant complaining about how the armor makes his arms itch. Making notes on potential improvements in flexibility for the next generation of armor, he hardly noticed the lights flicker, putting out a notice for someone to change the fluorescent rods.
Status: Healthy
Magicka: (650/650)
Choose:
[] Gene-mods.
[] Crafting write in.
[] Summon random creature for potential aid! 1/6 chance of a spider, a pig, a bird, a lizard, a cat, a snake.
[] Write in.
-----------------------------
A/N: Ring of Health Regen added, grants the wearer increased healing. Broken bones and other severe injuries heal within days when worn.
New Item available: Mind shield. Requires one intact etherial head to craft.
Things are going to heat up soon on the X-com world, finish your business here in the next few votes and leave or be prepared to face a more serious enemy.
If the soul isn't on Louise or in her room, and is not consumed, then it is stashed somewhere, or something is enchanted with it.
Since I can't think of any items she carries with her - and what she doesn't carry she'd likely keep in her room - I can only think of her familiar as a stash. Well, that and Espinoza if having another soul would increase his chances of survival.
The lights flickering is ominous, but I don't really know what it is about, not do I know about a more serious enemy. I would like for X-COM to be able to use Psionics by the time the new threat comes, but it seems unlikely.
[X] fill a couple more bottles with radcow milk
[X] Summon random creature for potential aid! 1/6 chance of a spider, a pig, a bird, a lizard, a cat, a snake.
[X] Check on Rayquaza
[X]Ask Raymond for a book of undead for this world, see if theirs anything we should avoid or intergrate into the guard.
-[x] Meld is interesting in that it can combine things, living and non, perhaps...
--[x] Have Vahlen prep another batch of meld, for 'your' gene-mods.
--[x] Knock her out, shove your rad-cow in there with her (you can use space-warping magic, right?),
--[x] summon Hermaus Mora into the chamber as it's filling up.
-[x] Meld is interesting in that it can combine things, living and non, perhaps...
--[x] Have Vahlen prep another batch of meld, for 'your' gene-mods.
--[x] Knock her out, shove your rad-cow in there with her (you can use space-warping magic, right?),
--[x] summon Hermaus Mora into the chamber as it's filling up.
Yeah, that's just mundane willpower, not really something that can be improved except through overcoming adversity.
