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Ravana Quest [Exalted/Aberrant]

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[X] Yes, All Three (3 motes, +5LHL dealt to the first two hits, +3 to the last)
 
[X] Yes, All Three (3 motes, +5LHL dealt to the first two hits, +3 to the last)
 
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Duty and Ideals
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    • Duty and Ideals

    The two mechs slam forward like an industrial press, intent on pinning Ravana between them. All they need is to slow him, to bust up a joint or shear off a servo, and then they'll have a chance at pulling off the wind-up for a killing blow. They don't hesitate - with one of their trio out of action, the trap's not inescapable, but if they're fast and sure, they can still catch the enemy in a pincer.

    In this situation, it would be sensible to back off, get some distance so their charge interferes with itself. Use the close terrain to his advantage. Focus on avoiding the Exalt, and try to keep the mortal's attacks from falling on anything but armour plating.

    It would be sensible. That's what Surpanakha tells him.

    Ravana plants his feet, crouches - and then thrusts his arms, his whole torso, skyward. A coruscating aura of dishcloth-dirty light smashes out from him, rumbling like close thunder, knocking the superhumanly-coordinated attack completely off its timing. Janaka flinches, perhaps thinking it's a close defense rad-weapon. The Sarath outright stumbles, trips, rights itself, but the moment's lost. Ravana stands there. Like he just doesn't care.

    Then he lowers all but two arms into a boxing pose, slightly warped by how many of them there are, and lets the other two hang free, gesturing to each of the stalled mechs.

    "Come on, then." Every mouth speaks at once, a dozen different pitches, reverberating through the radioactive mantle of his soul. "If you think you've got it in you."

    "What-" the Dragon-blooded is unsure, now. His voice doesn't tremble, he's still an elite among elites, still sure of himself, just not sure of what he's facing. This is no psychoreactive cybrid or engineered numenman. This almost looks like- "what are you?"

    "Me? My name is Ravana," A single mouth barks it, splitting the mecha-monster's chest like a smoker's laugh. "I'm like those poor bastards you were about to trample over! I'm collateral damage. I'm acceptable losses. I'm literally straight-up Un-fucking-touchable. I'm a Dalit, you arrogant freak of birth."

    *​

    He's fighting a Dalit.

    That probably shouldn't bother him as much as it does.

    And yet.

    The claim rings true. The pilot's manner, his...looks, his speech, they all fit. Yet it goes against so much of how the world works. Dalit are not noble, they were reincarnated as Dalit as punishment for grievous sins in a previous life. Dalit were not Sura, and no Sura who was once a Dalit would admit to as much, they would have become a more noble caste. Any more noble caste. Dalit weren't brave, or honorable, or valiant. If they fought it was in defiance of their caste, as murderers and criminals and brigands Pirates on the space-lanes, slavers selling people to Rakshasa, demon-worshippers and worse.

    They didn't stand against fifty-to-one odds to try to protect civilians. Didn't try to avoid killing their enemies despite those odds. They-

    He suppresses the line of thought. He's serving his family, the gods, Lord Jutayu himself and therefore the Exalted Monitors. He acts on the authority of the divine and is by definition righteous.

    He can't shake the idea that he's on the wrong side.

    Sergeant Dayma charges into the VARG's nimbus of light. His Sarath is slowed, stopped by the energy field and then Ravana casually backhands him through a tree with one hand. Janaka dives forwards, Anima flaring brightly around him. Allied contacts light up his crippled sensors, the Vahana Naga and a full squadron of CRAVATs approaching on an attack vector. They probably saw the particle lance fire. He pings them quickly, coordinating the attack run in the face of comms jamming. He just has to hold up the VARG, a little longer, and Harmattan will finish this.

    He strikes, blades slowing as they pass through the VARG's aura. One simply stops, repulsed by no more than an act of will, the other is caught in one hand by the VARG. The air burns and boils around the blade, paint peels from the VARG's skin, the warstrider's servomotors strain and whine as they try to force the blow home. And, with a shove and burst of its engines, the VARG simply throws the blade back, sending the ARJUN stumbling.

    Ravana takes advantage of the opening. He dives at the ARJUN's legs, thrusters carrying him forwards too fast for Janaka to react. Fists shift into maws and tear into the ARJUN's legs. A damage report springs into view, telling Janaka about ruined actuators and torn fuel lines and shorn armor plating.

    Negligible damage, not worth worrying about. He's won, after all. Harmattan is making his attack run, the CRAVATs right behind him. Janaka has brought the time they needed, no matter his feelings on the matter, and in a few moments they'll be marching back into Mewat, unopposed..

    Four of the CRAVATs explode.

    Harmattan pulls up, weaving between unguided rockets and some sort of gravity cannon, his attack run ruined. A Sipahi pulls up from just above the trees, burning energy as it turns onto the tail of a CRAVAT flight.

    On the screen, Ravana grins.

    Janaka realizes that he planned this. Somehow he knew they were coming, set up...some sort of signal. Lured them in and crushed them. A team of House Chola, House Videha's best and he's playing them like a fucking fiddle.

    You didn't plan shit. Call that Sipahi who just helped you out?
    [ ] Yes
    [ ] No

    Social Combat Continues!
    [ ] Keep pressing him on the civilians (1.1x Write-in)
    [ ] Attack his loyalty to his superiors (.9x Write-In)
    [ ] Mock his piloting (1.2x)
    [ ] Incest jokes? Incest jokes! Keep hammering away at them, just like he does his mother. (1.1x)
    [ ] Write-In

    Physical Combat continues!
    [ ] ORAORAORAORA! (Three hit flurry of 18d10X7 on target of your choice.)
    ->[ ] Hit the ARJUN (1.3x, pick a section to target.)
    ->[ ] This is a duel between exalts, clear the field! (1.1x.)
    -→[ ] Lethally! (-.3x)
    [ ] Sword someone (Two hit flurry of 15d10X7 on target of your choice.)
    ->[ ] Hit the ARJUN (1.1x, pick a section to target.)
    ->[ ] This is a duel between exalts, clear the field!
    -→[ ] Lethally! (-.3x)
    [ ] Melee range? Janaka can't dodge now! Fire the Heavy Particle Lance! 1.2x, 16d10X7 to hit. Can add up to six dice with First Theion Excellency. Speed 6, Particle Lance will be recharged on Tick 14. Select a Section of the ARJUN to target)
    ->[ ] Soften him up first then shoot him! (Three attack flurry. Two punches at 18d10X7 and 18d10X7, particle lance at 14d10X7)
    [ ] The incoming platoon cannot be allowed to interfere! (1.2x Dash away from combat and hit the platoon on its way over before they link up. Janaka will regain motes while pursuing you. 16d10X7 to clear them out, Difficulty 7, can add up to seven dice from charms. Each degree of failure means that another Sarath links up with the ARJUN on Tick Twenty Six.)

    Tick One: Janaka Videha uses Swallows Defend the Nest and Red-Hot Demolition Round to shoot you twice with a Heavy Particle Lance. Misses on both.
    Tick Two: Ravana punches a Heavy Particle Lance
    Tick Three: Entourage dashes to melee range
    Tick Six: Ravana double-attacks a Sarath, dealing 27 HLs. Sarath survives but is at -4 Health Level, pilot fails resulting Valor check and ejects. Remaining Sarath Aims
    Tick Seven: Janaka Videha uses custom charm Dragon's Scales Muster to start a co-ordinated attack against Ravana.
    Tick Ten: Ravana attacks the ARJUN's legs
    Tick Eleven: Janaka begins manually preparing another coordinated attack, the Sarath dashes out of melee range.
    Tick Thirteen: Mysterious Sipahi missiles a bunch of the incoming CRAVATs, drawing off Harmattan and ruining the coordinated attack
    Tick Fourteen: Sarath Aims, Ravana acts
    Tick Sixteen: Janaka is incredibly pissed off.
    Tick Twenty: Pulsar finishes cooldown sequence and is usable again.
    Tick Twenty Four: Final Platoon joins the fight

    11 Personal Motes Spent, 6 Personal Motes Committed, 8 Peripheral Motes spent. 1 WP Spent, 1 Compassion Channel Spent, Shield Damaged, Rotary Venting Heat (Useless until Tick 20), Heat Compensation Systems Overburdened (All energy weapons require an additional three ticks to vent heat after firing, botches will have unpleasant consequences. Lasts until Tick 25). Anima flaring at 11-15.


    +3 Physique Dots from IMS, Multiple Action Penalties reduced by 3, 3 arm-pairs manifested, 4 action flurries benefit from IMS.

    Mech Corps
    7 Vijayanta Class Mechs Destroyed
    37 Sarath Class Mechs Destroyed
    41 Pilots ejected Safely
    3 Pilots KIA

    KIA:
    Sergeant Nitasha Patel. Age: 21. Cause of Death: Bite Wounds.
    Sergeant Ram Srivastava. Age: 18. Cause of Death: Disruptor Field Exposure.
    Lieutenant Daxa Das. Age: 29. Cause of Death: Particle Lance discharge.

    Janaka Videha is flaring Totemic.

    Air Wing
    5 Drone CRAVATs Destroyed

    Mechanized Infantry Regiment
    Three APCs Destroyed.
    42 Infantry KIA.

    Hostile Unidentified.

    Engaged Hostiles:
    1 Sarath (Damaged, Lost Light Particle Lance and Twin-Linked Vehicular Blasters)
    1 ARJUN class Warstrider (Legs Damaged, lost Heavy Particle Lance)
     
  • Threadmarks
    • ]You didn't plan shit. Call that Sipahi who just helped you out?
    [x] Yes
    Lets coordinate our efforts here, the better we work together, the faster this son of a bitch will fall.

    Social Combat Continues!
    [x] Keep pressing him on the civilians (1.1x Write-in)

    [x] Melee range? Janaka can't dodge now! Fire the Heavy Particle Lance! 1.2x, 16d10X7 to hit. Can add up to six dice with First Theion Excellency. Speed 6, Particle Lance will be recharged on Tick 14. Select a Section of the ARJUN to target)
    ->[x] Soften him up first then shoot him! (Three attack flurry. Two punches at 18d10X7 and 18d10X7, particle lance at 14d10X7)
    -->[x] Hit his sword arm! If we take out most of his weapons we may be able to force him from the field.
     
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    Social Combat Continues!
    [X] Keep pressing him on the civilians (1.1x Write-in)

    "Do you feel like a hero, big man?" Ravana taunts. "Is that what your bosses told you? Is that what you're trying to tell yourself? You're Dragonblooded, right? A giant among men. So who cares about the people you're stepping on like ants? You can have 'em cleaned off your boot while you sit back and sip a drink after you're done here, can't you?"

    He glares at the screen as another of the Saraths tries to grapple him. The light trips it without Ravana even turning around, and it receives an enormous boot to the face that sends it flipping backwards at nearly the same speed it came in at. "Except you can't. Because I'm in the way. Funny, isn't it? I guess all those slum-dwellers, those women and children, those starving poor..." He chuckles, and it's like a knife twisting in a wound that Janaka can't put pressure on. "They must be pretty horrible if a mighty Sura like you is out to burn them all alive, huh? If they've got a filthy Dalit like me defending them. What'd they do? Not bow and scrape enough? Too little money to be worth keeping? Some patrician wanna build a holiday home and they're all guilty of building their homes where he wants his second swimming pool? I know people like you think that last one's probably worth an instant death sentence."

    His face lights up with a triumphant grin, and Janaka feels a sick sense of dread for whatever's coming next. "Oh, wait, no! I've got it! They committed the worst crime of all, didn't they?"

    And then suddenly all the humour, all the mockery, all the deliberately antagonistic crudeness is gone from Ravana's face. All that's left is the glare of a regal king who's found the subject of his attention lacking. No, not just lacking. Detestable.

    "It's that they spoke up at all, isn't it?" he spits coldly. "That they saw how you and your lot stamp down on them, and said "this is wrong". That they dared challenge their fucking place in the world, that they had the gall to want something better for themselves and their children. That's what this is about. You're not here because you're the hero, or because they've done something wrong. You're here to keep yourself in power, by decimating anyone who so much as thinks it's not your fucking right to be there."

    Three sets of fists slam together and a bestial snarl echoes through the jungle from a dozen different mouths.

    "Well not today, fucker. Today they've got someone standing up for them."
     
    By the way.. if one of his attacks was blocked entirely by Invincible Crown Halo, doesn't that mean it stars wailing and shivering in terror?

    Also, absolutely loving @Aleph's write-in for the conversational.

    Personally, I'm thinking we want to do the punchy thing until we buff all the way out, but that may be just because I like having lots of arms.
     
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    You didn't plan shit. Call that Sipahi who just helped you out?
    [X] Yes

    Social Combat Continues!
    [X] Keep pressing him on the civilians (1.1x Write-in)

    "So noble, Dragonblood! So righteous and divine as you drive a fucking Warstrider and entire platoon of mecha into a fucking housing tract! How many innocents were you going to step on today, O noble son, on your way to a mission so important they'd never understand? The Monitors must be so proud of the way you use widows and children as cover! With heroes like you, who needs the fucking Rakasha?"

    Physical Combat continues!
    [X] Melee range? Janaka can't dodge now! Fire the Heavy Particle Lance! 1.2x, 16d10X7 to hit. Can add up to six dice with First Theion Excellency. Speed 6, Particle Lance will be recharged on Tick 14. Select a Section of the ARJUN to target)
    ->[X] Soften him up first then shoot him! (Three attack flurry. Two punches at 18d10X7 and 18d10X7, particle lance at 14d10X7)

    TWO FISTS OF FURY and a PARTICLE LANCE TO THE NUTS!
     
    You didn't plan shit. Call that Sipahi who just helped you out?
    [X] Yes

    Social Combat Continues!
    [X] Keep pressing him on the civilians (1.1x Write-in)

    Physical Combat continues!
    [X] ORAORAORAORA! (Three hit flurry of 18d10X7 on target of your choice.)
    ->[X] Hit the ARJUN (1.3x, pick a section to target.) -- Two Punches to the legs
    ->[X] This is a duel between exalts, clear the field! (1.1x.) -- One Punch

    Keep wiping the chaff, then break his legs and leave him sitting there impotently.
     
    [X] Yes

    Are we Best Joestar?

    Social Combat Continues!
    [X] Keep pressing him on the civilians (1.1x Write-in)
    -[X] Aleph's Write-in.

    Physical Combat continues!
    [X] ORAORAORAORA! (Three hit flurry of 18d10X7 on target of your choice.)
    ->[X] Hit the ARJUN (1.3x, pick a section to target.)
     
    [X] Yes

    [X] Keep pressing him on the civilians (1.1x Write-in)
    -[X] Aleph's Write-in.

    [X] Melee range? Janaka can't dodge now! Fire the Heavy Particle Lance! 1.2x, 16d10X7 to hit. Can add up to six dice with First Theion Excellency. Speed 6, Particle Lance will be recharged on Tick 14. Select a Section of the ARJUN to target)
    ->[X] Soften him up first then shoot him! (Three attack flurry. Two punches at 18d10X7 and 18d10X7, particle lance at 14d10X7)
    -->[X] Hit his sword arm! If we take out most of his weapons we may be able to force him from the field.
     
    [X] Yes

    [X] Keep pressing him on the civilians (1.1x Write-in)
    -[X] Aleph's Write-in.

    [X] Melee range? Janaka can't dodge now! Fire the Heavy Particle Lance! 1.2x, 16d10X7 to hit. Can add up to six dice with First Theion Excellency. Speed 6, Particle Lance will be recharged on Tick 14. Select a Section of the ARJUN to target)
    ->[X] Soften him up first then shoot him! (Three attack flurry. Two punches at 18d10X7 and 18d10X7, particle lance at 14d10X7)
    -->[X] Hit his sword arm! If we take out most of his weapons we may be able to force him from the field.
     
    So, you're calling Ilana, pressing Janaka on the civilians, and going with the light punch->Particle Lance mixup.

    Alright, so, Overall Budget:

    Pick One:
    [ ] 3 Motes, you want to recoup lost motes here. (Ranged Only)
    [ ] 4 Motes, you want to recoup lost motes here. (Social Only)
    [ ] 6 Motes, you want to stay mote-neutral after your stunt (Social with some reserved for damage adds)
    [ ] 7 Motes (split between social and ranged)
    [ ] 8 Motes (Split between social and melee)
    [ ] 8 Motes (Max Social)
    ->[ ] +1 Exp (Even Maxer Social. Can be added to any social vote)
    [ ] 15 Motes (Fuckit, you'll do it live!)

    Also Stunt Rewards!

    Pick One:
    [ ] 6 Motes
    [ ] 1 WP

    Need a stunt for the Punch->Shoot mixup (Base dicepools are 18d10X7 18d10X7 14d10X7, Dice Caps after IMS are 7, 7, 5)

    Already have a stunt for Talking up Janaka, but I'm waiting for your budget before handling that. (Dicepool is 11d10X7, Dice Cap is 8)
     
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