(5.24 PBP) Vault of the Dracolich (IC) Redux
- Thread starter FitzTheRuke
- Start date
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
TEAM FUSION - SUBJECT:SHADE-9 - Operation Hydra...
The light from the cavern roof above the obelisk was thin and fragile and without the glow of Loklafd’s sword the shadows pooled and settled, which suited Shade-9 fine. Once the kayaks were stacked against the north wall the warforged infiltrator stalked back into the gloom, watching as armor clasps were checked, bandages tied, and prayers whispered.
When Svetlana returned from the hydra pool he cross-checked her intelligence with his own assessments: water depths, ledge locations, probable dry approach corridors and egress points. He had not been designed for aquatic operations, but he was equipped to handle submersion, respiration was irrelevant and low visibility underwater would work as well as the cover of shadow for his stealth routines.
Team Fusion presented as a specialist strike force: strong in infiltration, reconnaissance and mobility, suited to the proposed stealthy ingress. Their weakness lay in sustained frontline offence and the hydra posed a compounded risk; rumour and legend suggested the heads were only vulnerable to fire, a factor that would reduce effectiveness should they be forced to engage. Stealth offered the best probability of mission success: ~80% if team cohesion held.
When he was ready Shade-9 moved to the water’s edge and calculated a silent insertion that would not disturb the creature. He scanned the assembled team, indexing capability and role.
“I am ready for insertion and pool infiltration,” he reported in a steady unmodulated tone “Recommendation: Aywin and Bjorn-frog act as aquatic sentinels to monitor hydra activity and provide tactical support. Preserve stealth but prepare failsafes.”
OPERATION: HYDRA — Aquatic Infiltration & Retrieval Team
[[SUBJECT:SHADE-9] Stealth optimization; null respiration. Operation lead / underwater recon.
[SUBJECT:AYWIN] Air genasi; null respiration. Tactical support / mark extraction path.
[SUBJECT:BJORN] Druid (giant frog). Full aquatic mobility / distraction if stealth fails].
Shade-9 pivoted to Darius. “Please confirm: You have short-range teleportation that may permit targetted extraction of the idol from the water. Can you also maintain a communications link between submerged operatives and surface assets? That function would significantly increase tactical utility.”
LAND-BASED EXTRACTION TEAM
[[SUBJECT: DARIUS] — Teleport contingencies / recon link.
[SUBJECT:COPPER] — Surface retrieval and overwatch.
[SUBJECT:STRYKE] — Logistical support / distraction trigger if stealth fails.]
“Terrin, Lorent, Loklafd,” Shade-9 continued, “your skills lend themselves to Rear Guard post-retrieval containment, party healing, and arcane countermeasures. Continue monitoring the obelisk and secure egress.”
REAR GUARD - Arcane Containment, Party Recovery and Egress
[[SUBJECT:TERRIN] — Cleric / field heal.
[SUBJECT:LORENT] — Arcane scholar / containment counsel.
[SUBJECT:LOKLAFD] — Guide / logistical support.]
“Stealth protocols initiated. Objective: pass without trace. Status: ready.”
The light from the cavern roof above the obelisk was thin and fragile and without the glow of Loklafd’s sword the shadows pooled and settled, which suited Shade-9 fine. Once the kayaks were stacked against the north wall the warforged infiltrator stalked back into the gloom, watching as armor clasps were checked, bandages tied, and prayers whispered.
When Svetlana returned from the hydra pool he cross-checked her intelligence with his own assessments: water depths, ledge locations, probable dry approach corridors and egress points. He had not been designed for aquatic operations, but he was equipped to handle submersion, respiration was irrelevant and low visibility underwater would work as well as the cover of shadow for his stealth routines.
Team Fusion presented as a specialist strike force: strong in infiltration, reconnaissance and mobility, suited to the proposed stealthy ingress. Their weakness lay in sustained frontline offence and the hydra posed a compounded risk; rumour and legend suggested the heads were only vulnerable to fire, a factor that would reduce effectiveness should they be forced to engage. Stealth offered the best probability of mission success: ~80% if team cohesion held.
When he was ready Shade-9 moved to the water’s edge and calculated a silent insertion that would not disturb the creature. He scanned the assembled team, indexing capability and role.
“I am ready for insertion and pool infiltration,” he reported in a steady unmodulated tone “Recommendation: Aywin and Bjorn-frog act as aquatic sentinels to monitor hydra activity and provide tactical support. Preserve stealth but prepare failsafes.”
OPERATION: HYDRA — Aquatic Infiltration & Retrieval Team
[[SUBJECT:SHADE-9] Stealth optimization; null respiration. Operation lead / underwater recon.
[SUBJECT:AYWIN] Air genasi; null respiration. Tactical support / mark extraction path.
[SUBJECT:BJORN] Druid (giant frog). Full aquatic mobility / distraction if stealth fails].
Shade-9 pivoted to Darius. “Please confirm: You have short-range teleportation that may permit targetted extraction of the idol from the water. Can you also maintain a communications link between submerged operatives and surface assets? That function would significantly increase tactical utility.”
LAND-BASED EXTRACTION TEAM
[[SUBJECT: DARIUS] — Teleport contingencies / recon link.
[SUBJECT:COPPER] — Surface retrieval and overwatch.
[SUBJECT:STRYKE] — Logistical support / distraction trigger if stealth fails.]
“Terrin, Lorent, Loklafd,” Shade-9 continued, “your skills lend themselves to Rear Guard post-retrieval containment, party healing, and arcane countermeasures. Continue monitoring the obelisk and secure egress.”
REAR GUARD - Arcane Containment, Party Recovery and Egress
[[SUBJECT:TERRIN] — Cleric / field heal.
[SUBJECT:LORENT] — Arcane scholar / containment counsel.
[SUBJECT:LOKLAFD] — Guide / logistical support.]
“Stealth protocols initiated. Objective: pass without trace. Status: ready.”
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hope noone is offended by Shade-9's mission logic allocating tasks, feel free to tell him otherwise.
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FitzTheRuke
Legend
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Lidgar
Gongfarmer
Team Fusion - Bjorn
Bjorn felt the familiar warmth of divine encouragement settle through his porous frog skin as Terrin placed his hand on him. A smile came to the frog's eyes as Terrin whispered his prayer.
He then listened intently to Shade-9's plan. Deciding it was a good one, he slipped back into the water after Shade-9 entered the lake, praying silently to the spirits of earth and water for their protection. He then reassured Bill back on the shore using their telepathic link, instructing him to be alert and to watch the shore.
Bjorn felt the familiar warmth of divine encouragement settle through his porous frog skin as Terrin placed his hand on him. A smile came to the frog's eyes as Terrin whispered his prayer.
He then listened intently to Shade-9's plan. Deciding it was a good one, he slipped back into the water after Shade-9 entered the lake, praying silently to the spirits of earth and water for their protection. He then reassured Bill back on the shore using their telepathic link, instructing him to be alert and to watch the shore.
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Leatherhead
Possibly a Idiot.
Copper AC:15 HP:34/31+5 HD:4/4 PP:14 CloudJ:1/2
Once Shade-9 moves along in the plan, the goliath turns to whisper aside Darius "What did he say we were doing up here exactly?"
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VLAD the Destroyer
Hero
Darius looks at Shade-9. He listens and then makes a non commital shrug.
"I'll have problems if I can't see the idol. But I can get it if I can see it. I can either teleport it to myself or I can grab it with telekinesis. They each have a limited range but I'll do what I can.'
Darius then puts his hand near his temple and concentrates for a second. The mans voice then appears in Shade-9's mind without him speaking.
I have made a connection to your mind. It has a range of about 50 feet. I can only speak to one person at a time but I can shift the link to others if needed.
When Copper asks for clarity with confusion he chuckles.
"Yeah he takes getting used to. If things go to hell we grab the idol if we can and get the others out post haste. He also wants me to keep a connection to their minds so they can relay info to us while they be all sneaky like."
"I'll have problems if I can't see the idol. But I can get it if I can see it. I can either teleport it to myself or I can grab it with telekinesis. They each have a limited range but I'll do what I can.'
Darius then puts his hand near his temple and concentrates for a second. The mans voice then appears in Shade-9's mind without him speaking.
I have made a connection to your mind. It has a range of about 50 feet. I can only speak to one person at a time but I can shift the link to others if needed.
When Copper asks for clarity with confusion he chuckles.
"Yeah he takes getting used to. If things go to hell we grab the idol if we can and get the others out post haste. He also wants me to keep a connection to their minds so they can relay info to us while they be all sneaky like."
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FitzTheRuke
Legend
Team Fusion
When all was ready, Shade-9 registered the safest insertion point, and calmly walked off the ledge. He fell fifteen feet into the lake with his body so rigidly straight that he made barely a splash, and even the ripples disappeared as quickly as they'd come. From the ledge above, those gathered could see nothing in the dark water of what was occurring below, but Darius reassured them with a nod that the start was going as planned.
Stryke and Copper leaped across the narrow gap between the two ridges and hugged the rocky cliff, keeping out of sight but both guarding the path they had taken from the store-room grate, and being ready in case of trouble in the deep pool.
Shade-9 found himself trudging along in a silty bottom. He registered poor but adequate visibility. Bjorn swam along behind him, keeping a short distance, but ready to dart forward, if needed. As they moved toward the deeper pool, there was something of an underwater ridge that ran from the south-west to the north-east, and Shade-9 used it for cover, climbing slowly to its top before peering into the gloom at the murky shape of the enormous body of the Hydra, sleeping in the deepest part of a somewhat rounded basin.
When all was ready, Shade-9 registered the safest insertion point, and calmly walked off the ledge. He fell fifteen feet into the lake with his body so rigidly straight that he made barely a splash, and even the ripples disappeared as quickly as they'd come. From the ledge above, those gathered could see nothing in the dark water of what was occurring below, but Darius reassured them with a nod that the start was going as planned.
Stryke and Copper leaped across the narrow gap between the two ridges and hugged the rocky cliff, keeping out of sight but both guarding the path they had taken from the store-room grate, and being ready in case of trouble in the deep pool.
Shade-9 found himself trudging along in a silty bottom. He registered poor but adequate visibility. Bjorn swam along behind him, keeping a short distance, but ready to dart forward, if needed. As they moved toward the deeper pool, there was something of an underwater ridge that ran from the south-west to the north-east, and Shade-9 used it for cover, climbing slowly to its top before peering into the gloom at the murky shape of the enormous body of the Hydra, sleeping in the deepest part of a somewhat rounded basin.
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Note: The peak of the "ridge" runs from W33 to AA28. This map shows Shade-9 past it, and Bjorn & Aywin using it for cover.
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