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The Singers-Rachni Quest (Mass Effect with XCOM elements)

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RaptorusMaximus said:
longer period of exposure before it starts to take effect.
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Great! Even a minor defense against the Reapers is better than nothing, and we can always improve it once we have the necessary psionic expertise.

Could you include it in the options for next turn, then? "Write-in subject to approval" often leads to voters ignoring them in favour of the default options.
 
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Turn 6 Results
  • Threadmarks
    • []Plan SAFETY!
    --[]locked in action
    --[]locked in action (again)
    --[]help workers
    --[]Gather Food
    --[]Modify Omni-Tools


    -Modify Omni Tools
    Workers: 1, 6, 6, 1
    Queen: 1, 4, 1, 4, 5, 3, 3, 5, 6
    Successes: 10. Ten Omni-tools repurposed.

    After your work last week, and the addition of omni-tools to the process, you easily get ten more tools ready for use. So many, in fact, that you have more Tools made than you have Rachni to use them. You put the Excess tool into the Worker configuration for the future.

    All Rachni now have Omni Tools. 1 extra tool in Worker design now in storage.


    -Brood Warriors: Gather Food
    Warrior 1: 6, 2, 5, 2, 5
    Warrior 2: 1, 1, 1, 1, 2
    4 Successes. (oof. That second set of rolls tho)

    Your Warriors bring back a...less bountiful harvest than expected. It seems your larger son had a harder time than expected adapting to hunting the reptiles and insects in a more individual basis without his brother to help him.

    Still, the harvest is more than you have ever managed to bring back alone, so the returning warriors receive tunes of thanks and gratitude, while the larger also gets more private notes of reassurance to drown out the twangs of Blue you can hear whispered from him.

    8 food gained.



    -2 actions into Reanimate
    Base: 6, 5, 6, 3, 5, 6, 2, 3
    Unfamiliar Asari Body: 4
    Latent Psionics (Matriarch) 1, 2, 4
    10 Successes. Research Completed. 4 Overflow successes banked for future Psionics research.

    Once more, you reach out to the Song, in a way that is difficult to describe. You...push, deeper, singing more forcefully, shoving your will forth in the Notes in a way you never have, and never will, with your children. The air cools around you as your eyes burn with purple energy, frost forming on your shell as you loom over the Asari's body. Cold...

    You children chitter to each other, notes of concern wafting between them, and you spare a moment to send calming trills to them before you focus again, trying to visualize the energy you feel reaching out towards the body, and tendrils of purple respond, extending from your skull. It hurts, to twist the Song like this, and your mind pounds with exertion as you dig deep. You hit that Cracked Wall once more, feeling something beyond it, and with a scream that is both Physical and Mental, you punch through.

    And a Veil is lifted.

    You can see now, the place from whence the Song comes. A place of thoughts, memories, dreams. A neverending storm of Purple Clouds and endless mists.

    As you let out a high, curious keen, you feel immense pressure and feel intensely as if something is looking at you.

    And you feel more than hear...something in this place speak, the power of their words almost blowing you away.

    A̴͈̲̙͇̰͇̮̱ͤ͡Ḣ̜̲̣̱̄̓͘.̩̭̟͕̞̹̀̍̈ͪ̒ͬ͌̎͜ ̧̣̝͕̻̟̼̌͠T͖ͥ̂ͯ͆Ȟ̺̖͖̳̤ͯͪ̿̈́E̶̲̮̭̠̥̹͔͛ͮͨ̄̽̇ͨͅR̨̃ͩ̋͞҉̜͕͈͖̘ͅĚ͙̯͎̠̘͖̲͂͆ͨ̍̌ͅͅ ̷͍̭͔̣̫ͭ̅͊̕Y̨̬̲̱̟̜̬͇ͩ̚͝ͅȎ̪̙̼̓U̹͈ͦ̋ͪ̂̈̑ ͔̖͉̑̄̉̿̊̊ͅĄ̡̹̦̤̲̣͎͙̗́̋ͬ͘Ŗ̼͇̝̪̲͔͛̈͐̎Ê̻͈͖̑ͤ̒ͮ̾́͋͡,̷̢̛͍̟̟͓̋͊̋̓ͥ̚ ̸̢̪̤̪͍̲͒͑͋̅̐ͧ̀̔̀L̶̘̻͕̤͖͖̝̳̫̔͗̿ͣ̄͡I̴̴̲̜̜̠̳̹̬̍̄̐̀͝T͚̘̠̼̥͊ͦ͝Ť̢̟̥̣͙̭̞̦̅̌̓̚L̘̙͙̮͋͛̄͗ͧ̌ͯ͘Ę̫̣̦͎̌̐ͭ̽̀̓͋̋ ̞̞͕̙͉̭͍̱̈́ͪ̃ͪͤO̵̲̼̫̼͔̟ͬ̽ͯ̽̑̋͝͡N̠̘̼̏ͣ̓̅̄́͜Ẽ̮̰̦̭̹͖͈̘ͬ̊̑͘͘

    And suddenly, you are back in the cave, your children gathered around your prone body in obvious distress...and the Asari standing, her head lolling to one side limply, slumped over, her arms hanging loose at her sides...and her eyes glowing with purple fire, tendrils of energy darting back and forth between you.

    You've done it.

    So why do you feel so uneasy?

    Oh...what happened? Who is there? Why can't I move!?

    And what was that?!?

    Reanimate Researched. Additional Psionics Research Unlocked.

    Asari Zombie Gained. Additional Actions unlocked.

    You can now attempt to escape Noveria

    S͟omethin̴g h̶as noti̴ce͡d you...


    And so it begins...

    Also, new job is ok. Hard work, but not the worst thing. Hope this update is worth the wait :)

    Also, after thinking on it for a week, I think I will allow both SV and SB to vote. No need to unnecessarily limit involvement to only one site.

    Last thing...you missed an Invisitext in the last update :p[/I][/I][/I]
     
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    • RaptorusMaximus said:
    And you feel more than hear...something in this place speak, the power of their words almost blowing you away.

    A̴͈̲̙͇̰͇̮̱ͤ͡Ḣ̜̲̣̱̄̓͘.̩̭̟͕̞̹̀̍̈ͪ̒ͬ͌̎͜ ̧̣̝͕̻̟̼̌͠T͖ͥ̂ͯ͆Ȟ̺̖͖̳̤ͯͪ̿̈́E̶̲̮̭̠̥̹͔͛ͮͨ̄̽̇ͨͅR̨̃ͩ̋͞҉̜͕͈͖̘ͅĚ͙̯͎̠̘͖̲͂͆ͨ̍̌ͅͅ ̷͍̭͔̣̫ͭ̅͊̕Y̨̬̲̱̟̜̬͇ͩ̚͝ͅȎ̪̙̼̓U̹͈ͦ̋ͪ̂̈̑ ͔̖͉̑̄̉̿̊̊ͅĄ̡̹̦̤̲̣͎͙̗́̋ͬ͘Ŗ̼͇̝̪̲͔͛̈͐̎Ê̻͈͖̑ͤ̒ͮ̾́͋͡,̷̢̛͍̟̟͓̋͊̋̓ͥ̚ ̸̢̪̤̪͍̲͒͑͋̅̐ͧ̀̔̀L̶̘̻͕̤͖͖̝̳̫̔͗̿ͣ̄͡I̴̴̲̜̜̠̳̹̬̍̄̐̀͝T͚̘̠̼̥͊ͦ͝Ť̢̟̥̣͙̭̞̦̅̌̓̚L̘̙͙̮͋͛̄͗ͧ̌ͯ͘Ę̫̣̦͎̌̐ͭ̽̀̓͋̋ ̞̞͕̙͉̭͍̱̈́ͪ̃ͪͤO̵̲̼̫̼͔̟ͬ̽ͯ̽̑̋͝͡N̠̘̼̏ͣ̓̅̄́͜Ẽ̮̰̦̭̹͖͈̘ͬ̊̑͘͘

    And suddenly, you are back in the cave, your children gathered around your prone body in obvious distress...and the Asari standing, her head lolling to one side limply, slumped over, her arms hanging loose at her sides...and her eyes glowing with purple fire, tendrils of energy darting back and forth between you.
    Oh...what happened? Who is there? Why can't I move!?

    Reanimate Researched. Additional Psionics Research Unlocked.

    S͟omethin̴g h̶as noti̴ce͡d you...
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    Oh F**K all kinds of duck. That purple reminds be far too much of the color of the XCOM ethereals when they start using psionic powers.

    We need to leave NOW.
     
    time to run then! The Bringer of the end or whatever the hell it is will just make the cycle of the reapers WORSE then anything, but hey we get a GE of Ranchi kind out of the deal...only the galaxy will hate us more...
     
    Mmm, this complicates matters. Reaper threat and now also whatever this is. If it is ethereals they're likely to be not wanting the cycle to repeat but not care about our well being. If it's more some psionic entity caution but it could possibly be positive or at least not something to constantly run all over from.

    Anyway, it seems we can sort of communicate with Benezia, hopefully that will lead to more info and thus more options for us.
     
    Perhaps instead of the Etherials it is instead the Leviathan that have noticed. Or perhaps the Leviathan are the Etherials and thus the source of the Reapers in this.
     
    So there's another reason besides the obvious to uh, leave.

    You see, they had all those bodies bagged up, and that means someone's gonna start checking around once Benezia's body has vanished. She's high profile, it's not like the janitor's body, so when it goes missing? We got trouble.
     
    I considered that to be part of the obvious personally but it is probably good to note, yes. Though likely it will have gotten them to suspect among their group rather than 'Obviously the Rachni Queen herself came into the facility and took Benezia's body.'
     
    Asmodemus said:
    I considered that to be part of the obvious personally but it is probably good to note, yes. Though likely it will have gotten them to suspect among their group rather than 'Obviously the Rachni Queen herself came into the facility and took Benezia's body.'
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    True, but who would bother stealing a dead body?

    It's gonna be suspicious enough they'll start checking around. And then someone notices all our other loot that's gone missing.

    Shit, did Mira catch us on camera at all?
     
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    Turn 7 Planning
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    • It is done.

    If only you knew what 'it' is.

    You watch the Asari body stumble around, puppeted by your thoughts as you practice moving her around, the now-familiar purple lights linking you together.

    Whatever it is you did when you broke through the barrier of the Song to unlock this ability, it has gained...something's attention. And you are quite certain you don't want their/its attention on you.

    All the more reason to leave, and find some distant, uncared for rock to hide on. As if the potential of discovery by Bipeads not as understanding as The Shepard wasn't enough.

    How fortunate you now have everything you need to get off of this ball of ice.

    Hello?

    In other news, ever since you Raised the Asari, you have been hearing...echoes, almost, across the link you share with the corpse. Flashes of Memory, words you do not understand. It...almost seems like someone-or something-is still in there.

    Something to investigate, you suppose. If you want to.

    Time to get to work.


    Queen (Select 3 from Actions and Research in any combination)

    Actions
    [] Leave Noveria: It is time. You have stayed here long enough, and to remain risks too much. Make the preparations to move what we need, and let the Rachni leave this world at last (Triggers the Act-1 Endgame. Once this is selected, there is no going back)
    [] Gather food in the inner cave: More food will be needed for the time spent in the Long Dark searching for a Home. Retrieve it.
    [] You aren't quite so stressed for food, so it may be smart to lay more Broods. Though anything larger than Workers might have trouble squeezing onto the Shuttle once full-grown.
    -[] Workers (2 Food)
    -[] Warriors (3 Food)
    -[] Brood Warriors (3.5 Food, 1 Element Zero)
    [] Assist one of your Broods in their action this turn
    -[] Which Brood?
    [] Write-In (Subject to approval)

    Research:
    [] Experiment with your Song. You will no doubt need to communicate with the Bipeds in the future, and it would be useful to be able to do so without needing an almost-dead Asari to do so. Maybe you can connect the Song to their minds as you do with your children? (Psionics. Attempt to develop broadcast-only Telepathy. Difficulty: Very Hard. Progress: 2/???)
    [] Experiment with your Song. Traces of the sour yellow note yet linger in what little remains of the dead asari's mind. Too little to be a threat, but it reminds you that you might need a way to protect both yourself and your children. Experiment with the Note, and try to find a way to counter it. (Attempt to develop Indoctrination Resistance. Difficulty: Hard.)
    [] Since you restored the Asari, you have been getting...feedback, from her mind. Weak, like lost echoes, barely discernable. But they are there. Investigate. (???)
    [] The Place you discovered is frightening...but also Powerful. Explore the Clouds and Storms, and see what you can find. (Random 'Shroud' event. Chance to unlock new Psionic abilities before normal. Chance to Discover things. May draw Attention to yourself. Difficulty: ???)
    [] Recent events have jogged some of your murkier memories, of the Time Before, about some of the more complex forms of Rachni. Spend some time ruminating on one of them and fiddling with the genetics of the forms you currently know, see if you can work out how to make one of these forms. (Biology)
    -[] Rachni Soldier (Primary Ranged Unit. Difficulty: Low)
    -[] Rachni Shaper (Dedicated Biotic Unit. Difficulty: High)

    Brood Warrior Actions (Brood Warriors can act independently of their Broodmates, unlike most other Rachni. Both may be assigned to one action, or they may each be sent on a different mission)
    [] Gather food in the inner cave: More food will be needed for the time spent in the Long Dark searching for a Home. Retrieve it.
    [] Scout out the lab: The Songless returned last time Mother was there. We should scout ahead to make sure there is nothing to impede our escape.
    [] Explore the area: maybe we'll find something useful. The Time for this has passed.
    [] Write-In (subject to approval)

    Worker Actions (Choose 1)
    [] Modify Mass Accelerators: Firearms will make your warriors much more dangerous than just claws and teeth. But the ones you have won't work for Rachni hands. Have some workers modify them for Rachni use. (Requires at least one brood of Workers. Grants a number of usable Mass Accelerators based on the number of Successes)
    [] Break down Broken Weapons: Many of the weapons recovered from the base were destroyed by weapon's fire, tech attacks, or Biotics. However, their components can still be salvaged and recycled. (Requires at least 1 brood of Workers. Grants 5 units of Parts, 1 unit of Element Zero)
    [] Harvest Iridium: You found a small vein of useful material relatively close by, and now that some of your workers The time for this has passed.


    New Update! Woo!

    Work is going OK, just to let yall know that. I think I'm starting to get used to it! Also, got a new phone finally! Things are really starting to look up IRL for me.

    Also, I've been thinking about the mechanics of this quest. The system I came up with works OK for this early game, but even with a few Broods things are already starting to get out of hand for me to keep track of. I'm thinking about what I might replace the D6 system with, but I'd welcome suggestions.

    Please keep in mind, I'd like to keep it relatively simple, as overly complex mechanics I've had in the past seemed to be the downfall of my other Quests.

    Have a good night everyone!
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • [x] Leave Noveria: It is time. You have stayed here long enough, and to remain risks too much. Make the preparations to move what we need, and let the Rachni leave this world at last (Triggers the Act-1 Endgame. Once this is selected, there is no going back)

    [X] Since you restored the Asari, you have been getting...feedback, from her mind. Weak, like lost echoes, barely discernable. But they are there. Investigate. (???)
     
    [X] Plan roadtrip
    -Queen
    --[X] Leave Noveria: It is time. You have stayed here long enough, and to remain risks too much. Make the preparations to move what we need, and let the Rachni leave this world at last (Triggers the Act-1 Endgame. Once this is selected, there is no going back)
    --[X] Gather food in the inner cave: More food will be needed for the time spent in the Long Dark searching for a Home. Retrieve it.
    --[X] Since you restored the Asari, you have been getting...feedback, from her mind. Weak, like lost echoes, barely discernable. But they are there. Investigate. (???)
    -Brood Warriors
    --[X] Scout out the lab: The Songless returned last time Mother was there. We should scout ahead to make sure there is nothing to impede our escape.
    --[X] Gather food in the inner cave: More food will be needed for the time spent in the Long Dark searching for a Home. Retrieve it.
    -Workers
    --[X] Modify Mass Accelerators: Firearms will make your warriors much more dangerous than just claws and teeth. But the ones you have won't work for Rachni hands. Have some workers modify them for Rachni use. (Requires at least one brood of Workers. Grants a number of usable Mass Accelerators based on the number of Successes)

    We have three personal actions, two brood warriors and a set of workers, let's use them.

    Lots of food for the trip, make sure we have a clear path for our escape, get some guns and poke at the feedback.
     
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    RaptorusMaximus said:
    Also, I've been thinking about the mechanics of this quest. The system I came up with works OK for this early game, but even with a few Broods things are already starting to get out of hand for me to keep track of. I'm thinking about what I might replace the D6 system with, but I'd welcome suggestions.
    Click to expand...
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    Scale up, brood become squads, squads become hives, hives become planets, etc. This would transition towards a CKII type of system.
     
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