Event | Satellite | Spectres!

[ironwood]

Characters: Any and all!
Date: May 23 - 26, 2013
Location: Keeliai, turtleside, ARSHEPHELIOS cluster remains
Situation: Repairs and salvage operations operating innocently have triggered an invasion of spectres that possess and wreak havoc upon all they see.
Warnings/Rating: Please put CW in your subject lines

Satellite Crash Event

Crash Landing | Salvage Party | Shocking Spectres


Questions | Keeliai | ARSHEPHELIOS


Salvage is sweet, but not all is well on board the ARSHEPHELIOS cluster. The seamless cylinders salvaged from debris and the cluster, now being frequently traded, turn out to be pods the first time one is penetrated or cracked open. Each breached pod releases a flood of energy-based apparitions hellbent on world domination -- or, more accurately, person domination (and it's not the fun kind).

These apparitions -- spectres, if you will -- are driven by a need to protect the technology of the satellite cluster that their pods are associated with. They will stop at nothing to see this through. Each is immune to physical attacks, but seem to be injured or dissipated entirely by things like electrical shock or other energy-based projections. If people touch them, there is also a brief window of vulnerability, but it acts also like a door that swings both way. Through contact, these spectres can and will invade one's psyche, take over their body and cause them to attack friend or foe alike! Should the possessed body be subjected to sufficient electrical shock, the possession should fade. Strong natural will can also drive the spectres out, but it is no walk in the park to do so. Possession is not the only tool in the arsenal, for these spectres use electricity as their main offensive weapon. They'll leave deep-tissue burns on anyone they fight, and show no degree of fatigue after constant use of it.

Ten thousand of these creatures will be freed from pods, resulting in a veritable flood of Keeliai, the turtleside, and the satellite cluster. With such a driven enemy, it comes down to killing or being killed.

Meanwhile, those taking shelter indoors may notice that the spectres will get into the biomechanical functions of Keeliai. Consoles will be malfunctioning during this time, with lines of mysterious code and strange, ghostly images. One might hear people screaming for help or hours of patchy radio static.

Comments

[xenocide]

[ Well what Ender doesn't know won't hurt him! Still he regards her with a little disbelief because this is probably one of those lies adults tell just because they don't want the kids to worry. Little do they know, the exact opposite is what usually happens. But Ender's willing to play along. ]

I can get you something for the burns if we can get to the metal district.

[ His eyes narrow a bit on the insanity going on around them. ]

No place is necessarily safe. I think these things can hijack someone's body and control them. But the larger our numbers, the greater our chances.

[fearlessherosheart]

[Tazendra frowned. She had faced a (weak) specter and had come within a hairsbreadth of full possession. And, if she was being truthful, she was unlikely to repeat the feat wihtout sorcery unless she was sufficiently enraged that she could ignore the pain of her wounds. And being possessed would be much less satisfactory than getting killed in battle.]

I do believe you are right. They have some ability to manipulate the kedan and the Foreigners alike.

[Wanting to avoid a fight due to an unsatisfactory outcome was a strange feeling to Tazendra and not one she really knew what to do with. On the other hand, protecting a child was at least something she was clear as something she needed to so.]

Come, let us find others in such a situation.

[xenocide]

[ Ender nods, not one to dawdle. There are many here with different abilities. And unfortunately for them, theirs seem to not be quite so useful here. But from what Ender has seen, the magic users have some degree of success against the enemies. ]

We either need to find someone who has some sort of otherworldly ability. Magic or superpowers. Or maybe someway to recreate those abilities. Are you adept with a bow and arrow? Maybe if we find a way to light the arrow on fire, you could shoot at them with success?

[ He hasn't really had time to study just what works and what doesn't. It's all trial and error here. ]

[fearlessherosheart]

I am not. It is a weapon of war, and I only served in His Majesty's Guard, not on the battlefield itself. And, as a sorceress I would have not been trained using such a weapon.

It is inconvenient that the source of my power is only available on my home planet. Or certainly not here.

[Because at this point Tazendra would love to light some specters on fire.]

Is there some way to create an explosion without sorcery, I wonder.

[xenocide]

Very inconvenient. What is the source of your power? There may be something similar. I've spoken to a few people where this is the case.

[ Ender carries the conversation without looking at her, eyes are darting around -- scoping out the danger. ]

There are plenty of ways to create explosions. We would just need the right tools. A source of fire and gasoline works wonders. Or any kind of oil, really.

[fearlessherosheart]

{Tazendra, thankfully, has plenty of military experience on her own; she is also keeping a lookout for trouble.]

It is amorphia. It is not normally found on worlds, as it normally consumes all normal materials it comes into contact with, but it contains great reserves of energy and is responsive to the human will. The Great Sea of Amorphia was created long ago, when the first Lords of Judgement drove the Jenoine from our world. The Lesser Sea was created recently, when Prince Adron attempted a coup against His Majesty Emperor Tortaalik using the power of the Great Sea.

[xenocide]

[ Both times seem to deal with the sea. And something else she said -- consumes all normal materials it comes into contact with rings some bell of possibility in his mind. ]

Would that include living creatures? Would this Amorphia consume the health of....say a giant turtle, causing all the resources on its back diminish?

[fearlessherosheart]

[Tazendra sees where Ender is going and shakes her head]

It would be far too quick an effect than is taking place here. When the Lesser Sea was created, it consumed the entire capital in a scant matter of minutes. If amorphia were brought to this city without a means to contain it, there would no longer be a city, or a turtle to bear it on its back.

[xenocide]

Well....at least we can eliminate that as a cause, then. Unless you suddenly find yourself able to use powers. Then it might be possible there's a diluted form of amorphia? Or maybe a contained form? I'm not sure what it would take to contain it.

[ As a few of the spectres engage in battle nearby, Ender pauses -- sparing a glance toward Tazendra before gesturing toward the nearest building. Even if it was locked, they should be able to force their way inside and take cover. ]

[fearlessherosheart]

Sorcery. I recall Prince Adron had the skill, though it is specialized even among those who can work with amorphia without the Orb as intermediary.

[Tazendra noticed the specters. Her first instinct is to go fight. Even knowing that she was almost certain to be possessed and was injured enough that she could be seriously hurt or risk death. Neither of these were deterrents.

[But seeing Ender make his way in the opposite direction triggered her sense of duty: she felt obligated to protect others, even when she'd rather be fighting. So she merely made sure to keep herself between the boy and the specters, rather than engage them.]

[xenocide]

[ Ender nods. The basic gist is that without this Prince Adron guy -- they better hope no form of Amorphia shows up in this world. And in the meantime, he tests the door and finds that it's open. He peers inside and when he sees the place is pretty much abandoned -- and therefore a safe hiding spot -- he gestures for her to follow him in.

Ender is immediately moving to whatever he can find that will barricade the door and offer them some menial protection. Just long enough that maybe the spectres will concentrate on another part of the city because Ender has to find Bean. ]

Can you help me move some of this furniture in front of the door?

[ Truth is, Tazendra can probably move it by herself, but Ender figures he'll at least pretend he can do something useful in this situation. ]

[fearlessherosheart]

[Okay, picking up whatever is heavy enough to block the door.]

I can. That is sound, a barrier.

[It's a measure of Tazendra's restraint that she doesn't start a story about previous fight's she's been in. Or that she is willing to accept defensive fortifications, being usually of the 'best defense is to attack and terrify whoever is coming'. Sadly that doesn't work on specters.]

If these are creatures of lightning, some materials should be avoided.

[xenocide]

Lightning. Electricity -- is that their ability?

[ Ender hasn't really had the chance to study them beyond knowing they're causing chaos, and well -- it is impossible to attack them. ]

You're right. Anything metal should be moved away from their reach. I'm not sure how far their abilities extend, but we don't want to risk anything conducting and reaching inside of here.

[fearlessherosheart]

It is handy that there is so little metal in this place for once.

[Tazendra is already moving anything that even looks metallic away from the door, placing it in the center of the room]

[xenocide]

[ Ender laughs a little. ]

I'm inclined to agree.

[ He helps with what he can, cursing his child frame and height. And once he's satisfied with the state of things, he begins rummaging around until he finds what he's looking for -- a bit of gauze to dress her wounds. ]

I might not be an expert, but I know a little bit of first aid. Can I help with your burns?

[fearlessherosheart]

Yes, that would be... if we are resting for a moment, yes.

[Given Tazendra had tried to fight specters in melee, the burns are not isolated on her body, though they're not severe enough to keep her down. Really, she should see a doctor as soon as feasible though, and moving around is doing her no favors. They also probably hurt a lot.]

[xenocide]

Rest while you can, right? Because there's rarely any time to rest in the middle of battle.

[ For a kid so young, his words seem awful experienced with the throes of combat. He walks over to her and begins to patch what he can find, carefully covering the worst of the wounds just so that they weren't exposed to infection. ]

Thank you for staying beside me. I don't want to become a burden to you, but I appreciate you keeping me safe.

[fearlessherosheart]

Bah, it is nothing. I would be the rankest of scoundrels to leave you here to face these specters alone.

[Tazendra isn't the best at figuring out what is normal, given she's been fascinated by fighting since she was small. That and she isn't very good at cross-cultural anything.]