Your Will be Done

[Immaculate]

Faction Name: The Promenade

Spoiler :

Starting Location: wherever appropriate- please choose for me
HQ Type: Skyship
HQ Name: Riddle of the Sphinx
Ambition: From Anrith to Saza
Leader Name: Senlin
Leader Stat:
Scouting: 2
Command: 5
Aggression: 1
Research: 4
Leader Trait: Naïve, Philosophical
Lieutenant Name: Marya
Lieutenant Stat:
Scouting: 5
Command: 1
Aggression: 2
Research: 1
Lieutenant Trait: Curious, Impetuous
Available Chassis:
Soldier: 4
Scanner: 10
Operator: 6
Engineer: 5

Senlin will contact the MLF in the "labcoat", taking with him 1 soldier, 1 scanner, 2 operators, and 3 engineers.
Determine why he's trying to get our attention and if possible, help him resolve his issues. Senlin is still quite naive and will assume its not a trap and would not even have brought any soldiers with him except that Maryya insisted; he is also very eager to learn from the MLF and will discuss with him into the late hours.
Senlin will bring 100 energy in case its needed.

Marya will take 1 soldier and 4 scanners to scout out the large organic life-form. Her primary goal is to just get informed regarding its nature but she will observe it for some time and collect as much intel as she can. If during her mission she encounters opportunity to get distracted, she's impetuous and curious enough to be- thoroughly... perhaps to her demise. Alternatively, she may find some scavenge. Trying to direct Mayra is like trying to catch the wind or to herd cats.

An autonomous scavenging operation will be dispatched to recover materials from the local area. This will be made up of 2 soldier, 5 scanners, 4 operators, and 2 engineers.

 

[Shadowbound]

Brotherhood of St. George

Total Excess EP Budget: 300
The Ascalon will move towards 21D. Black Diamond and Hieronymous Bot will take 3 Scanners, 3 Operators, and 12 Soldiers directly to retrieve him while the rest of the complement wait in reserve. A perimeter will be established to warn of the approach of the Independent Outriders while salvaging operations take place on the wreck.
300 Excess EP spent on this.

 

[thomas.berubeg]

The Museum.

We will send 4 Soldier Chassis along with 3 scanners, 3 operators, and 3 engineers on a quick mission to the Human???, led by our Brave Captain. We will find this lost and sorrowful being, and bring it back with us. He will also pick stuff up if needed.


Meanwhile, Mr. Engineer will move the airship along in the air, following, giving support, and providing extraction if needed.

 

[jackelgull]

Deus Ex Machina

"Soldier, what differentiates a great emperor from the rest?"
"Parameters of this question unquantifiable. Error, cannot provide answer"
"Sigh, why do none of you have a functioning intelligence matrix"
"Because we were not built with one"
"That was a - nevermind. The difference between an Alexander and a Darius is the steed."
"Conclusion illogical - empires are constructs of resources, institutions that allow for harvesting resources and willingnes to apply coercion properly"
"Soldier, i have found my Bucephalus"

From Karl Marx
To Deus ex Machina

Ah, it's been so long since I saw another sentient being on this forsaken desert.

Deepest apologies for the war. But if you could be so kind, could you help me get back up? Something in my leg busted long time ago, and the other machines abandoned me when they created that accursed empire of theirs.

You can probably find components near me. You are welcome to keep anything else you find.

From Deus Ex Machina
To Karl Marx

Ah my Bucephalus, my Bucephalus, I am coming to get you

Send the Piper and Morrigan with 5 Scanners, 8 Engineers and 8 Soldiers to investigate this Karl Marx. I spend 300 EP - 50 EP to power the scanners and look for any interesting and potentially valuable debris surrounding the robot, 125 EP to the engineers to power their logic modules and activate the proper tools they need to carry out their schematics and 125 EP to the soldiers to activate their energy blasters and provide suitable combat protocols

 

[Red_Spy]

Spoiler Protostar Orders :

Unused EP Budget: 200 EP

We will first explore the observatory, as to become the star we must first understand it, even if our research will be limited. 3 Scanners, 5 Soldiers, and 5 Engineers led by Helium will make the journey to secure the site. 200 EP will be spent on this task. Meanwhile, Hydrogen will stay behind to dwell upon the meaning of artificial life.

 

[Seon]

Update 2: The Oracle

Battle over Bach
​

The conflict begins when the ruthless and foolhardy androids under the command of Atra Sussor and Lath Basech detects the Museum’s away party fast approaching their location. The excavation work halts, and the decision is made to drive away the interlopers before they interfere with the dig.

And so it is that the Collector’s naive team of androids meets, instead of an ancient being or an artifact that they expect, a fusillade of light lances and multi-beams. A soldier goes down immediately, a hard-light construct overwhelming her shields and impaling her through the eyes. Its container broken, the Stolen Fire bursts from her seams in blinding flashes of light.

The initial shock of the Museum’s android quickly turns to anger. Even as the Collector is quickly ushered away from the fearsome Lath Basech by desperate soldiers and scouts, the Keeper charges forward with the Skyship. Its turrets answer Faciam Viam’s light lances with particle beams. The Museum’s soldiers, now lead by the Keeper, prove incredibly deadly, putting up a much better fight than Atra Sussor perhaps initially believed.

In the end, with Lath Basech heavily damaged, Atra Sussor decides to withdraw to safeguard his already captured gains. With the Collector heavily damaged too and without knowing that the 'human' was already recovered by Atra Sussor, the Museum declines to pursue, ending the conflict inconclusively.

Spoiler Heliophagi :

We met with the Machine that calls itself, “Mr. Z” atop a ruined skyscraper half-merged into an even greater tree. It called us his “valued customer,” and went on endlessly about the value of cooperation in attaining valuable treasures. Eventually, when we could take it no longer, we demanded that he produce this ‘so called great treasure’ that he lured us with. He merely pointed below.

Below, we found where trees and branches grew so thick that we had to drop to our fours simply to get ahead. Light was non existent below the canopy of steel and leaves, but the Heliophage forges on with light of his own Stolen Fire igniting the way.

They are being watched.

Deep down in the street level of the Forest of Ruins, where no light from the False Sun reaches the ground, organic life forms have developed to harvest energy directly from the unawakened androids. These creatures now begin to stalk the Heliophage and his retinue, viewing them as strangely behaving prey. The Heliophage is ready for them.

The monsters--crystalline arthropods with resinous secretions--emerge from the ground! The dark! The trees! Their hisses and screeches fill the hearts of the support androids with simulated fear and real concern--the soldiers that the Heliophage brought are incapable of protecting them all. The Heliophage and the soldiers swiftly annihilate the incoming creatures, immune to their secretions. An engineer is not so lucky, becoming covered in one of the creature’s resins which seep through its seams, hardening at its heart. The Heliophage regretfully triggers its self destruct.

Eventually, as attacks worsen, its determined that further intrusion into the overgrowth is impossible. However, the expedition returns not totally unsuccessful. The overgrowth turns out to be a veritable treasure trove of various valuable parts and scraps. Analysis of the scanners data confirm the existence of something incredibly energetic within the groves. However, to reach it, we’ll require much more soldiers and engineers to cut through the trees.

Regardless, Mr. Z offers his most sincere apologies for the failure to reach the treasure, and is willing to serve us. He will cover his own income. (+1 Unused Capacitor, if Mr. Z (SCAR: 3, 1, 1,4. Altruistic. Honest, is recruited as specialist)

(+5 Organic Crystals. So shiny! These will surely sell for large amount of credits to the elites of the Free Cities. +1 Unused Capacitors +3 Mysterious Alloy
....................................................
Mr. Z: "While this operation failed to provide you with the treasures I promised (for which I profusely apologize), I have more knowledge of treasures which are easier to obtain! There’s a specific location southeast of our position, which I shall mark on your map. Only I know the door codes for entering this bunker, so you’ll have to take me with you.

Precautionary measures, of course. There’s something I want to find in the bunker too. Nothing to do with treasure, mind you. You can keep all the treasure."

You can Trust Him (Recommended Skill: Command. Research. Scouting)

Meanwhile, it seems to be true that the crystalline organics seem to be hiding a great treasure at the center of their nest. Unfortunately, it is almost certainly inextricable with our few soldiers.

Crystals are Forever (Recommended Skill: All four skills applicable)

Spoiler Faciam Viam :

We found the ‘human’ cowering inside a cupboard fairly quickly--Atra Sussor’s extremely advanced scanning capability and the sheer number of scanners involved in the mission very easily accomplished that. Convincing her to cooperate or excavating her belongings proved much tougher, however, despite Leth Basech’s best efforts.

In the end, we were unable to recover her belongings before we were forced to withdraw from the area, lest we lose our precious quarry. We went North towards the sea. It wasn’t long before the desperate ‘human’ reached out to us to tell us her story, when she realized that escape was impossible.

This ‘human,’ a rather ancient and civilian model of androids, claim to be a human remote piloting the chassis from a far away location. Sanca in the Overgrown Residential District, in particular. She describes herself as a student of an ancient all-female educational facility in the borough, who became trapped by a particularly perfidious android named Nobody’s Daughter.

Spoiler Faciam Viam :

Identifying herself as Akane Yokoi, she asks us for help in rescuing the rest of her companions. Lath Basech warns that there is no way to verify that Akane Yokoi is a ‘human being’ as she describes, although she admits that Akane seems to be in communion with a distant signal source to the Southwest.

(+1 Unused Capacitor +1 ‘human’ (This will take up 5 slots on your cargo hold). +1 Tale of Regrettable Failures. +1 Tale of Goodbyes)

We are finding ourselves close to where we began. We can chart a course far to the south, hopefully avoiding engagement by the Museum, or we can take a long way around through the sea.

Avoiding the Museum: The sea course is treacherous and filled with flying monsters, but perhaps, you can just find a way to travel unimpeded westwards. (Recommended Skill: Scouting. Command)

We seem to be getting hailed by a group of androids called the Griefers. It demands that we release to it the ‘human.’ They profess the desire to destroy her and add additional grief to the world now surely and utterly devoid of humanity.

BATTLESTATIONS! : Griefers will continue to harass your vessel until this quest is resolved. Recommended Skill: Aggression. Command. Give control of the ship to an android with high scouting or command to avoid damage, but you will still likely be shadowed.)

We are still close to the derelict ship in the sea that we can investigate. Perhaps it would be wise to see if greater treasures can be gathered here.

What can be Lost? (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Research. Command)

Spoiler Museum :

The Collector is quite annoyed by not only his own destruction, but his subordinates’ failure in locating the ‘human.’ Nevertheless, quite valuable finds are made at the location of the ‘human’ signal, discovering a ‘safehouse’ constructed by reactivated constructors. We believe that the ‘human’ have been staying here for the last few days or perhaps even weeks (Not that such a unit of time matters in the habitat). Quite a few of its personal effects have been discovered, catalogued, and collected.


The most interesting of finds in the human ‘safehouse’ are notes regarding various peoples it has encountered during its journey. She appears to have originated from the township of Sanca, setting out on a quest to rescue her ‘friends’ which, if the context clues are correct, are also human. She seems to have been aided by someone she describes as the “Good Witch,” who dwells somewhere in the Avid Hills. It appears as if she had been in communication with the Good Witch using a quantum communication equipment, which accidentally became damaged during her travels. We have managed to restore it into working order, although we do not know the right frequency to connect with the “witch.”

Perhaps it would be wise to come into contact with her. Her location is now marked on the map.

The Witch of Goodbyes
She's shy, and hides well amidst the valleys of the avid hills. What hunger inspires her to live in such a desolate land? Is it love for something lost? She hides her hunger well, but you? You are hungrier. You will find her. (Recommended Skill: Scouting. Research. Command)


Meanwhile, we are being contacted by the Grievers, who calls upon us to share with it a tale of dread and sorrow, especially the recent battle over Bach.

Grievers Choice: This mission will not consume a character's action. You will immediately gain the bonus and losses shown on the table upon acceptance.
1. Tell them the story: It will enable everyone to become aware of the existence of the ‘human.’ You shall be rewarded with 1000 credits. The Council of Grief shall look favorably upon you from hence forth. You will lose 1 Log of Regrettable Failure.

2. Refuse to tell them anything: Nothing done.

Acquired 1x Unused Capacitor. 1x Stealth Suit (Scouting +1). 1x Quantum Communicator. +1 Log of Regrettable Failure. +1 Tragic Love Story. +1 Tale of Goodbyes.

Spoiler Brotherhood of St. George :

The Outrider Android Patrol, waylaid by masterful act of deceit and sabotage (or at least, that’s what went into the report), veers away north, giving the hopeful and brave androids of the Brotherhood plenty of time to dig 21D out of his wrecked Crawler. The Core is damaged beyond repair, stricken by an iron-tungsten stake. A faint trail of light leading skywards confirm the engineer that the Stolen Fire contained within have dispersed totally. Corpses of a few unfortunate engineer androids littering the rooms prove unsalvageable, but their AI units have been recovered. The inefficient external hard drives we constructed for it takes up valuable slots in the cargo hold, but we have contained them there in case you desire their services in the future.

(+2 Unused Capacitor from scrapping the Crawler. +10 Advanced Alloys +5 AI units recovered)

21D is found buried inside a collapsed smuggling hold of the crawler. Glad to be rescued, he offers us his services, and is willing to provide for his own upkeep. He also brings with him a certain expertise that we may find interesting.

(+1 Unused Capacitor. +1 21D, but friends may call him Cid. +1 E-Drug Manufactory Recipe. +1 Tale of Regrettable Failure)
...........................................................
E-Drug Manufactory requires 1 Unused Capacitor to create. It consumes 50 energy per turn, and automatically consumes Organic Materials of every kind and convert them to E-Drugs, which can be delivered to smuggling contacts for 1500 Credits per unit.

Fish create particularly potent E-drugs.

……………………………………………….
From Cid

Commander, do you want to make some really big money? I mean, more money than we’ll ever get from just constantly and endlessly slaying machines and organics and turning them in for bounties. Yeah? Then we’ll want to process what we find into usable products!


Now I know, I know, it sounds like work, but don’t worry! I’ll handle most o the boring parts myself. All I need is a laboratory and a steady supply of organic materials, and I’ll automatically convert them into E-Drugs. There’s a buyer I know in Fishing and Shipping District, at the township of Braungelsb. If we could get there, I promise, it’ll be worth our while.


Also, there’s apparently some ancient wreck found off its coast or something. Some kind of novelty city that humans made long time ago for living underwater or something. I know! Why the hell did they come out all the way out into space, just to build a space station in which they can live under water? Home to a lot of fish now. Maybe there’s some artifacts that we can scavenge once there?

Discovering the Home of the Fish: (Multipart quest. Proximity to the sea required to begin. Scouting, Research, and Command recommended.)

…………………………………………….

We are currently detecting the Outrider Android Patrol approaching our location again, although we have made quite a bit of distance from the wrecked crawler. We might be able to chase them off, or convince them that we are still legit somehow.

Waylay the Android Patrol (again): Aggression or Command recommended.

……………………………………………….
We are detecting a merchant signal nearby from a group of androids calling themselves: the Council of Grief. Cid tells us that they are bunch of weirdoes who give big money for tales of failures. He muses that the log of his crawler being destroyed by an orbital strike may sell for some money to them. Perhaps we could visit them and negotiate a payment?

Make Contact with the Grievers: Command and Research recommended.

We are now detecting a merchant signal from the Outriders in Durmington, offering to sell Advanced Alloys cheaply in exchange for organic products and Machine Scraps. It might be tricky, but we might also be able to find a proper smuggling contact there, which should preclude having to journey all the way to Fishing and Shipping District.

The Android Underground: Command and Scouting recommended. This quest can also be attempted in Braungelsb significantly easier.

...................................

We are still detecting organic signatures close by.

EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!!! Recommended Skills: Aggression.

Spoiler Hyperion :

The valiant androids of the Hyperion surges westward, catching the two groups of Machine Scouts who made the unfortunate decision to squat around the city of Chary completely by surprise. These simple Machines prove almost comically vulnerable to our weapons, and dozens are destroyed in the heavy fighting. The soldiers successfully extract various usable materials for our Crawler from the debris. The operators of the city of Chary sends us their best regards and gratitude for clearing the local area of hostile Machines.

+2 Unused Capacitors. +5 Machine Scraps. +240 Credits awarded in Bounty.

Ignoring the countless warning signs bearing the mark of Chary posted around the village, the Crawler arrives at the town of Bive. Immediately, our androids bear witness to the wreckage of countless Machines and Androids adorning its walls and roadways. Dozens of unawakened androids with their facial features damaged beyond recognition stare silently at our approach and make no attempt to communicate.

An android designated CH4 (Civilian-Model, Housing-4) in a heavily modified chassis is broadcasting from Bive as we arrive. Her show appears to depict androids and machines being executed in lengthy, torturous fashion for rather comically pathetic ‘sins,’ such as drawing scenes of violence or criticizing friends. She contacts us when she notices our Crawler, asking us to procure more ‘sinners’ with interesting crimes for her ‘comedy show.’
.......................................................................................................
From CH4 (Charlie)
“Hellllllooooooo dear listener! Welcome to the White Society! I am your host, Charlie! Are you enjoying my broadcasts? No? Well, too bad! It’s the only show in town! We made sure of that after that bugger in Chary tried to steal my thunder.

Are you interested in punishing the weak, sinful hearts of Machines and Androids? Are you a lover of fun? Do you need someone else to blame to fill that gaping void in your heart? No problem, you’ve come to the right place!

Join White Society today to blame everyone else for your faults!

Just bring us the sinners. Bring more sinners. Bring them.

Bring them.

You'll bring them for me, won't you?”

We have received few new coordinate to investigate.

.....................................................................................................................
Death to Love: A pair of androids fighting valiant struggle against the horrid Machine Kind have chosen to desert their posts and run away, convinced that they love each other. Charlie wants one of them. The Free Cities have posted a bounty on their capture or destruction. She'll let you keep the bounty money too. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Scouting)

Death to Art: A nearby android have drawn a graffiti on a wall depicting a human being punched. Charlie believes that such depiction of graphic violence have no place in a modern society, and demand their public execution to send a lesson to the rest of androidkind what such glorification of violence will lead to. This would be somewhat illegal. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Scouting)

Death to Critics: A nearby android have dared to criticize the government of Chary, thereby potentially upending the social order. For this crime, he must die. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Scouting)

Death to Sycophants: A nearby android have dared to praise the government of Chary, thereby marking them as honorless sycophants. For this crime, he must die. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Scouting)

Death to Moderates: A nearby android have dared to say nothing about the government of Chary, thereby marking them as opinionless automaton. For this crime, he must die. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Scouting)


Meanwhile, one of our Soldier Androids have suddenly decided to modify its chassis… in an unusual manner. After wandering through the devastated wreckages of the Machines he slaughtered, he has chopped off his own head and stuck a destroyed Machine head on there. We believe that this is an early sign of an awakening android--a moment of some excitement for Cipher.

Unfortunately, we have no idea what kind of sentience would result from a mind clearly gone insane even before sentiency.

We could dedicate a sentient android to monitor the progress of this awakening android and guide it, if necessary. Otherwise, we risk the awakening being lost or the awakened android revolting against our command hierarchy.

A New Life: (Recommended Skill: Command. Research)

Alternatively, we can simply give this android as a ‘sinner’ to Charlie. This will provide you with 500 Credits and 1 Unused Capacitors.

Spoiler Seekers of the Veil :

The wide-eyed androids of the Seekers barrage their newfound neighbors with countless questions upon becoming cognizant, much to the Machines’ bemusement.

The Machines describe themselves as belonging to the Forest Kingdom, a national entity established approximately 197 standard earth-years ago by a rogue general of the Empire named Immanuel Kant. Immanuel Kant, they recount, had a vision of a prosperous society of Machine Life Forms living free of the increasingly darwinistic central consciousness of the Empire. All their behavior of emulating hard-working and pioneering humans, they add, is simply following the King’s teachings to reach a more productive, safer, and better civilization. It seems as if the capital of this 'kingdom' exists elsewhere in a more secluded location.

They do not actually seem to understand what ‘prosperity’ or ‘productivity’ means. Clearly, if they have been building this ramshackle village for the past 197 years, they are not very good at whatever it is they hope to do.

Regardless, they are quite happy to see a non-hostile face, and glad to supply with us some excess scavenge and ‘junk’ they found in the wasteland. They also reveal quite an unexpected surprise: they had found a few disabled Android units in the wasteland. Their attempts to care for them by installing them into Machine bodies proved impossible--as the primitively designed Machine Chassis proved incompatible with the AI units. With the androids’ chassis irreparably damaged in their well-meaning but foolish efforts to help, they turn over the AI units to you.

(+1 Unused Capacitor. +3 Tales of Regrettable Failures. +5 Machine Scraps. +5 Population.)

While the Machines of Hardtien profess ignorance regarding the topic of Humans, they admit that they have seen two beings enter Site 13 before in their 197 years spent pioneering the local county.

First was a strange Machine who identified itself as a “Mr. X.” They refer to him in almost reverent, savior-like tone--as the Machine arrived when the Kingdom was suffering from a great plague of an unknown logic virus. After curing the kingdom of the plague, and draining its coffers as payment, the Machine entered Site 13, emerging days later clearly shaken and crazed. They do not know what happened to him afterwards.

Second was a being they call Nobody’s Daughter, who arrived from south in search of humanity. She entered the facility with a strange key, and reemerged weeks later in tears. She was then snatched away by a dragon, presumably, to be eaten.

Follow the Trail of Mr. X: It is suspicious that a machine would show up with the solution to an extremely debilitating logic virus just as that exact same virus devastates a nation. If we follow this man's trail, we might be able to discover what made such a likely con-man break down in Site 13... as well as determine the nature of this 'logic virus' for ourselves. We will investigate the local area and interrogate the villagers for the direction where this man traveled, and give pursuit.(Recommended Skill: Research. Scouting. Command)

Follow the Trail of Nobody's Daughter: Snatched away by a dragon? Dragons do not simply snatch away androids. They are hate manifest. They have never been seen consuming anything and... how do you know these things? Curious. Perhaps, there can be more to learn from this fellow seeker of humanity. We will chart our course south, where the dragon was seen flying away to. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Scouting. Research)

Your soldiers report that the village is almost comically undefended. It would be extremely trivial to simply wipe them out and take its stores of treasures with our current forces.

Raid against Forest Kingdom: Recommended Skill: Aggression. Command.

One of the Machines of the Forest Kingdom reaches out to you, inquiring if you could help her find her sister. Machines, of course, have no family, so we believe that this machine is being delusional. We can, nevertheless, help her for better relations with the Kingdom.

Where Babies Come From: Recommended Skill: Scouting. Command
………………………………………………………………………………………..

The Flesh Merchant prove a gracious host to our fellow androids, regaling us with tales of its travels across the Habitat.

He identifies himself as 78A, although friends would call him Shah. He is an incredibly ancient battle model, and if his exploits are to be believed, a survivor of the First Machine War. He falls silent when he tries to describe his comrades in arms, noting how the perfidious Machines have figured out how to prevent our resurrection.

While he professes not to know much about humans or the mysterious Site 13, he becomes guarded when we demand to know the reason why he desires live Machine Life Forms. He insists that he will only reveal such information to people willing to deliver to him his products.

He will, of course, make it extremely worthwhile.

(Flesh Merchant is now available for trade with your faction. He specializes in the sale of Android Chassis and AI units. He buys Machine Scraps, Live Machines, and Organic Products of all kinds)

While we could not find anything suspicious from the deck of his skyship, SIM’s advanced scanners detect an anomaly within the hull. Possibly, a smuggling hold.

Raid the Flesh Merchant: This will ruin him as a potential trade partner, but you could do it. Recommended Skill: Aggression. Command. Scouting

Provide him with What he Desires: We can of course, launch a raid into the surrounding area to subjugate wild machines and androids for sale to the Flesh Merchant. This may damage relations with the Forest Kingdom if we pick our targets poorly. This may also enable us to get better information from the merchant. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Scouting. Command)

Spoiler Promenade :

As we suspected, the ‘scientist’ is suffering from a broken communicator. After our engineers help repair functionality, it is glad to introduce itself to us.

Identifying himself as Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the Machine claims to be the ‘last remaining rocket scientist in the world.’ Grateful for our repair work, he leads us into a humble hut he constructed out of scrap metal sheets atop this building full of strange junks from times past. “FULL OF RESEARCH MATERIALS. COLLECTED BY YOURS TRULY” the Machine creature beams with pride.

The building turns out to contain a handbuilt rocket silo, currently containing a multi-stage rocket.

“IT IS MY DREAM TO LAUNCH THIS ROCKET INTO SPACE,” it says. “TO VISIT PERSONALLY THE FALSE SUN AND WALK AMONG ITS PALATIAL HALLS.”

Unfortunately for the Machine, it is completely and utterly unable procure fuel for the rocket. The Machine promises to aid us in our quest by providing its inventions and scrap it finds to us, as long as we can provide it with fuel. It helpfully suggests that some organic fuel can be rendered form corpses of mutated corn in the agricultural district.

(+1 Unused Capacitor. +1 Autofabricator)

Ad Astrum: Deliver the Machine Scientist fuel for great prizes. Organic Product: Corn can be rendered down into bio fuel, but they can only be obtained in the harsh and dangerous Agricultural District. Recommended Skill: AVOID.

An alternative source of fuel may be found in safer regions around the world.

……………………………………………………………………………………

The rest of the androids follow Marya in two groups. One of the groups spread out in a wide fashion around her, scavanging for parts. The other follows her closely, approaching the strange organic creature in the distance.

This strange, tree-like organism with a fleshy bark and purplish ‘leaves’ have taken over much of the former borough of Wild, burying entire apartments underneath its ‘roots.’ Curious, Marya orders a closer scan.

The DNA composition of the life form is found to be mostly human. It is clearly not a plant in the usual sense. Despite appearences, its internal strucutre shares much more resemblance with animals. Countless lungs and mouth inhale and exhale, giving the entire structure a ‘shuddering’ impression. Detecting almost countless androids entrapped within its ‘stomach’ like sacs, Marya attempts to immediately stage a rescue.

Directed by the scanners, the soldiers attempt to carve away at the fleshy exterior of the ‘tree.’ This triggers a defensive response, and dozens of ‘branches’ swat away Marya and her entourage of androids. Marya attempts recovery efforts once more, but eventually, with her scanners destroyed, is forced to admit defeat and withdraw.

(+1 Unused Capacitors. +2 Soldier Chassis. +1 Engineer. +2 Operator Chassis.)

Stage a Rescue Operation for the Entrapped Androids: Our scanners detected countless androids still entrapped in that horrible ‘tree’ or a polyp or whatever it was. We might be able to save them still, if we devoted enough soldiers and scanners for the rescue operation. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Scouting. Command)

Destroy the Tree: We can attempt to focus our efforts on destroying the tree instead in order to avoid future victims. Our engineers detected a large energy signature below the ‘root’ of the tree, likely where it has been drawing bulk of its energy from. If we can undermine the tree and extract this energy source, it will likely wither. We are uncertain what effect this will have on the victims still entrapped within the tree.

(Recommended Skill: Command. Research. Scouting)

​

 

[Seon]

Spoiler UUT :

The foolish androids under the command of the Tourist decide to persist in their mad journey *towards* the center of the Agricultural district despite the endless battles and murderous chaos raging below. But first, they head south in the direction of a destroyed crawler, housing the wrecked shells of androids even more foolish and unfortunate than they.

The Core of the derelict is long gone--perhaps absorbed or stolen by forces far superior. Deactivated chassis litter the ground, its AI units having abandoned them long ago. A sickly sweet smell of rot pervades the air, and we find a corpse of a strange cybernetic creature with organic components. While it appeared almost human, lying face down in the pool of its own drying blood, its inhuman nature swiftly revealed itself when our shaking hands recovered the body for further analysis.

The corpse is found to be the source of the sickly sweet smell, its internal organic components showing signs of advanced decomposition. Its skin is of purplish hue, although we do not know if they are naturally that way, or some effect of its rot. It possesses four eyes.

It appears to have taken its own life. Without really understanding why, we file this creature’s name as Pythia in our database, after the smell of rot.

Near the corpse, and feasting upon its flesh, is a domestic cat, long thought extinct. Miraculously, it does not show any sign of being impacted by the light of the False Sun. Aside from issues of malnutrition, a scan shows it as being a completely ordinary, completely healthy cat. Truly, a fortuitous find. We take the corpses of Pythia and the androids along with us and turn northward.

.............................................................................

Our journey is not fortuitous.

Heavily damaged by flying organic creatures not dissimilar to mollusks, we make a crash landing near Kehl. Our sensors detect approach of other organic creatures, desiring to feast upon our Stolen Fire. We may yet be able to repair our engines and make our escape.


We are also being contacted by the Machine Life Forms we encountered earlier as well as a being who calls itself: Pythia. The Machine Scouts offer us nothing but friendship, while Pythia offers us escape. They both demand our greatest, most precious treasure: a domestic cat.


(Engines Damaged. +3 scanner, +2 operator Chassis. +1 Cat. +1 Pythian Corpse. +1 Unused Capacitor)
.......................................................................................................................
From Machine Scouts

HELLO. I SEE THAT YOU HAVE FOUND OUR WRETCHED MOG. PLEASE RETURN HIM TO US, AS WE DESIRE TO RETURN HOME AT LAST. WE SHALL LOVE THE CREATURE, AND SING OF YOUR GOOD DEEDS TO THE REST OF THE EMPIRE.

Fulfill the Promise: Fulfill the promise you made with the Machines. Repair your engines and take flight. You may yet make it. (Recommended Skill: Research. Scouting)
....................................................................................................

From Pythia

Greetings. I see that you have managed to discover that creature.

Pay no heed to the Machines. They know not what they desire.

I shall arrive soon to take possession of the creature. In exchange, you will be allowed safe passage in these lands and I shall repair your engines. You would be a fool to refuse.

Betray the Promise: Accept the deal with Pythia. Your engines will be immediately repaired. Cat will disappear from your cargo hold. She may allow you to explore the Agricultural District in peace.


Or alternatively, we could flee eastward with our valuable finds.


Break Free: Repair the engine and flee eastwards. (Recommended Skill: Research. Scouting)


Buying Time: We can buy some time by fighting. It might be a good opportunity to gather rare materials from the Agricultural District too. This will not let you last forever. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Command)

Spoiler Schrodingen Division of Zero :

The derelict skyship is making truly erratic, nonsensical maneuvers in the sky while our ships approach the wreckage. Upon detecting our androids’ approach, however, it immediately breaks out of its erratic movements, its cannons coming to life and charging down the androids dead-on. Luckily, a mix of quick thinking from Katze and poor aiming on the part of the Oyster allows the android’s vessel to dodge most of the incoming fire, although a few scanners are still incinerated in the withering fire. The engineers help launch the soldiers and Katze onto the vessel, where they discover that a strange, molluscoid organic life form have seized control of the skyship and is using the wreckage as a ‘shell.’

Parasitic worm-like creatures infesting the maddened husks of the ship’s former crew prove the only remaining challenge once on board. The berserk androids prove greatly challenging for the soldiers of S/0, taking down a few soldiers in the pitched fighting upon the Oyster’s Deck. Still, their lack of leadership and organization proves to be their downfall. With command hierarchy usurped by the Division’s Operators, the enemy androids motors begin to shut down. The worms controlling them prove trivial to destroy.

The insides of the ship are entirely covered in the soft flesh of the mollusc creature, and Katze regrets to report that they are unable to seize control of the ship. Increasingly, the creature begins to perform erratic maneuvers to shake off the androids, and the decision is made to slay the creature before it can threaten the Temple.

As the light lances burn its flesh and the quickly shrivelling creature loses control of the ship, falling slowly into the ocean, Katze and the crew excavate through its flesh to reach the Core room, where they discover that the mollusc have encased the ship’s core in a pearl-like substance. This is recovered and brought back to the Temple.

(3 soldiers, 1 scanner, and 1 engineer chassis recovered. 1 Unused Capacitors Recovered. 1 Dormant Core, encased in pearl, recovered. We are currently unable to use this Core, as the pearly substance encasing it have proven resistant to all available methods of cracking it without also risking damaging the Core).

Find a way to Breach the Pearl: The mollusc must have originated from the Agricultural District. If we find out more about their life cycle, we may be able to extract the core contained within the pearl. Multipart quest. Recommended Skill: Research. Aggression.
.......................................................................................................
Meanwhile, the Revelation of Naught and its retinue reach a strange concentration of fish in the local region for a spot of fishing. They are immediately set upon by strange mechanical fish bearing the mark of Anrith in far east: giant mechanical sharks that leap out of the ocean to bite at the androids. Their aggression and willingness to approach the androids makes them even easier targets than the fish themselves, and the Revelation and its crew manage to harvest a good amount of them alongside the normal, organic fish, the latter of which are put into cold storage.

Fish, as you surely know, are highly illegal substance to possess in the Free Cities due to their strange influence on android motor functions, but their even stranger resistances to mutation by Stolen Fire makes them a highly prized research subject. While we do not have the equipment to conduct our own research on the topic, we believe we can find a group of androids to the east of us who do and would be willing to purchase our fish for high prices. Their locations are now marked on the map.

(+10 Machine Sharks. +5 Fish Products.)

Android Underground: Make contact with a group of smugglers in Braungelsb. Recommended Skill: Scouting. Command. Research.

Home of the Fish: All these machine sharks have to come from somewhere. Maybe there's a central hub for their operation, somewhere out there in the sea. Recommended Skill: Research. Scouting.
.......................................................................................................

To the South of us, our long range visual scanner see an incredibly pale, humanoid creature walking along the shore. It does not appear to be Machine Life Form, but it does not match any known android models either.

Pythian Contact: Recommended Skill: Aggression. Command.

On this island, detritus of the battle raging in the Agricultural district occasionally wash ashore. We have discovered a few android wreckage washing up on our sands, infested by the same worm-like creatures we found on the Oyster. We urge immediate action.

Bug Wars: Recommended Skill: Aggression. Command.

Spoiler Protostar :

Observatory proves to be a home of two ‘scientists’ looking endlessly into the sun. Rosencratz, female, is an android. Guildenstern, Machine, is male. They do not appear to be concerned by the Nursery’s approach, and prove amenable to answering questions regarding the sky.

“THERE’S NOTHING UP THERE,” bemoans Guildenstern. He pretends to adjust a drawn tie on his drawn labcoat upon its chassis. “THERE IS ONLY THE FALSE SUN.”

“The light is all consuming,” Rosencratz remarks. “It makes it impossible to observe any other astronomical phenomenon that could be happening beyond the sky.”

But you are interested in the False Sun. What is it?

“IT’S A SCAR IN THE UNIVERSE, MUCH LIKE THE LIGHT INSIDE OUR OWN HEART. IT IS SIMPLY, MUCH MORE MASSIVE.”

The android scientist is deep in thought. “Perhaps, an example would be worth a thousand explanations,” she says. “There’s a Machine in the South who desires to become a hero. Help him accomplish his goals, and you will find a clue regarding your path. You’ll be needing this.”

“MEANWHILE, IF YOU CAN FIND PARTS FOR A ROCKET, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, RETURN TO US WITH IT! WE’LL ALWAYS PAY GOOD PRICES FOR THEM.”

(+2 Unused Capacitors. +5 Crates of Various Party Supplies.)


Merchant data is now available for Rosencratz and Guildenstern. A few special locations are now marked on the map.

Party Party Party! A machine lies at the end of its life. It shall not be reborn once more. It seeks to enjoy the last of its time. When its consciousness fades, what will become of the Stolen Fire in its heart? (Recommended Skill: Research. Command)

To Master the Map: To become a star upon the sky, we must find secrets about the Stolen Fire. There is rumored to be a wise android to our north who knows far more about the nature of our fire. Perhaps we could seek her out? (Recommended Skill: Research. Scouting)

..............................................................
Wiseman amidst the Junk: There is rumored to be a wise old master of the Machines in the borough of Kirch amidst the tall mountain of junk. He will help us hone our Scar, if we are willing to allow him to wound us. (Command. Research.)

................................................................

Religious Broadcasts: Mysterious religious broadcasts from south of our positions continue to blare. We should consider visiting them. (Command. Scouting)

Spoiler Babylon :

Quite surprisingly, M0-L0H discovers that the machines respond best to exactly the same methods used to convince humans. Lights and songs flow through the streets of the Overgrown Residential District for the first time in many years as M0-L0H and its operators call upon old protocols for welcoming and seducing humans for extended stay. The machine, red in the face, gradually reveals to you everything you wish while it continues to try, unsuccessfully, to form an alliance.


From what we can determine, this particular group of Machine Lifeforms numbering in a hundred or so at most have fled from the Empire’s collective consciousness. The reason for their departure was their deep seated rejection of the Empire’s collective decision that internal rivalries, competition, and strife are necessary tools to provide sufficient evolutionary pressure to ascend to the next stage of development. Nowadays, the emissary claim, the interior of the Empire is a constant war zone of various noble machines vying for supremacy.


The breakaway machine group, led by their leader, Thoreau, have established themselves in the ancient township of Torteja, constructing a small ramshackle settlement among the trees. The settlement is almost pathetically weak and technologically backwards, and it appears as if they are constantly suffering from lack of supplies. Their scouting parties looking for materials to expand their settlement often fall under attack by the Lighteater, a dragon under the control of a brutal and tyrannical android named Nobody’s Daughter.


When questioned about the Dragons, particularly the one rumored to be under the control of the Empire, the Machine Lifeform confesses to not know much--perhaps as a result of being disconnected from the Central Consciousness and thus losing portions of their memory.


While they do not know why Nobody’s Daughter collects the Machine Life Forms, they know that a few of their bravest scouts have found the subjugated Machines standing guard outside the ridiculously well-fortified Highschool of Sanca, which they assume must be where she dwells.

Scouting Sanca: We may be able to learn more than these incompetent machines ever did regarding Nobody's Daughter by sending our advanced scanners to this high school. (Recommended Skill: Command. Scouting)

Raiding the Machine Commune: According to intel extracted from the Machine Emissary, this will be rather easy. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Command. Scouting)

Intercept the Dragon: The dragon and Nobody's Daughter, while flying nearby, does not actually approach our fortified bunker. Perhaps she is more vulnerable than we believe. Perhaps you are overconfident and about to die. (Recommended Skill: Avoid)

Rescue the Machine Life Forms: According to our intel, the Machine Commune's members have been enslaved by Nobody's Daughter for her unknowable, dark, perfidious purposes. Perhaps, we can rescue them from her clutches to gain favors with the Commune. Perhaps it's best not to mess with a dragon. (Recommended Skill: Scouting. Command)

Reconnoiter the Empire: According to the Commune, the Machine Empire to our northwest is constantly in midst of political strife. Perhaps there is good opportunity for raiding here. Perhaps that is a good way to burn every bridge you know. (Recommended Skill: Scouting. Aggression. Command)

……………………………………………………………………..


B.AA1 meanwhile tasks the engineers with simple watercrafts to reach the aircraft carrier, which they complete in rapid order with dispensed constructor nanites. As the sizeable group of androids make the approach to the aircraft carrier, it suddenly comes to life and disgorges… of all things… a wing of primitive oil powered and propeller driven monoplanes.


Initially confused by such a random behavior, the soldiers of Babylon immediately respond when dive bombers release their payload against their vessel. The bombs fail to penetrate the energy shields, but violently shake the ship. Still, nobody is lost and the vessel arrives at the side of the carrier before the next wave is launched. Quickly carving a hole halfway up the vessel, the soldiers infiltrate the ship to find it mostly deserted. It appears as if the majority of the crew: footmen class Machine Life Forms, have committed suicide with various methods before the androids arrival.


Strangely, despite the vessel’s incredibly, ludicrously ancient design dating to early 20th century human civilization, it appears as if all the components have been manufactured within the past year or two at most, by the engineers’ analysis. Unfortunately, this means that the majority of all the electrical and technological components are incompatible with modern technology, leaving most of the value of the aircraft carrier in mere scraps.


Progressing through the aircraft carrier proves surprisingly easy.. Shockingly, the surviving footmen class Machines, crazed and refusing any diplomacy, attempt to defend their ship with similarly ancient human submachine guns. Their simplistic grasper arms unable to hold the firearm properly, and the majority of them simply lose control of the weapon instead of laying down effective fire even in the cramped hallways of the carrier. One scanner is still tragically lost when it approaches one of the footmen, only to discover that its melee capability is undiminished despite its extremely poor choice of firearms.


Soon, however, we find the hanger. Here, we discover dozens of the primitive monoplanes that engaged our androids at the sea. Inside are Footmen class Machine Life Forms, bolted to their pilot’s seats. Detecting our presence, they immediately open fire within the hanger, detonating fuel tanks and setting the room ablaze. Knowing our time on the ship is limited, we work immediately to secure as much gear as possible. We harvest components from the broken Goliath class war-forms we discover in the storage. In the brig, we discover a few deactivated androids in mockingly designed prisoner uniforms. In the bridge, we discover what appears to be the captain of this vessel, also bolted to his seat. In the interest of saving space and time, we decide to take only his head with us.


We do not know why the Machines built such a worthless contraption. As we leave with our prize, we find ourselves one more beset by the primitive monoplanes. Their weapons cannot harm us, so we decide to ignore them. The burning wreckage of the carrier, marked CV-6, soon disappears long behind us.


+2 Operator, +1 Soldier, +2 Engineer Chassis. +1 Unused Capacitor. +1 Disembodied head of a Machine Life Form. +10 imitation human artifacts.

Interrogate the Severed Head of a Machine Life Form: It is cut off from the central consciousness of the Empire, but just as haughty as it was within it. We have it placed on a flower pot we found nearby, for we didn't know where else to put it. B.AA1 suggests more forcible methods may be used to extract information from this accursed creature why it was carrying our fellow androids in its brig.

In fact, we might even ask him why it was on an ancient aircraft carrier. (Recommended Skill: Scouting. Command. Research)

..............................................................................................................................
Wildmen of Babylon

We are detecting intruders in close proximity to Babylon. It appears to be a band of androids. Designation identifies them as being animatronics from a natural history museum featuring early humans. Their savage leader contacts us, looking for raiding targets to facilitate their band's way of life, which apparently involves much slaughtering of big metal men.

We may attempt to subjugate them to increase our population instead. (Recommended Skill: Aggression. Command)

We may redirect them to the Machine Commune, if we desire their favor. (Recommended Skill: Command. Scouting)

We may redirect them to Sancia, if we wish them dead. Perhaps the dragon will look upon us favorably if we do so. (Recommended Skill: Command. Scouting)

Spoiler Deus Ex Machina :

Karl Marx proves massive.

The huge mechanical creature easily dwarfs your Crawler as you make your approach. Even the unawakened androids look shocked at the scale of this magnificently broken creation. Its voice is loud and booming even across the open plains.

Its broken hull spews out its innards all across the desert sands, and strange synthetic animals bearing the mark of Anrith feast upon these parts. We shoo them off with a volley of iron darts. Thankfully, they flee rather than fight when they detect hostility.

It was always a mystery as to how Machine Life Forms replenished their members. Now, Morrigan excitedly reports that they may have just discovered how. Deep scan of the creature shows significant production chambers within, with what we assume are half-finished Machine Life Forms still remaining on the dozens of conveyor belts.

The mind of the machine seems to be going ‘senile,’ generally conversing well, but lapsing into strange mannerisms, metaphors, and non-sequitors occasionally. It apologizes for its state of being, and asks us to aid in its recovery.

Unfortunately, while our engineers believe that it is impossiblel to restore Karl Marx’s motor functions--its limbs are too far buried into the sands to be properly extricated--they believe that it’ll be possible to restore its production capabilities. However, doing so will require a very significant investment.

Repairing the Means of Production (Repairs require: +1 Dormant Core. +2 Autofabricators. +3 Unused Capacitor). You will gain an immensely powerful ally.

Fortunately, Karl Marx is willing to part with a few of his parts to ‘aid in the quest to acquire the new parts.’ He does not seem to mind the possibility of betrayal.

(+2 Unused Capacitor. +1 Autofabricator. +1 Tale of Goodbyes)

……………………………………………………………

From Karl Marx:

“Ahh… Ive seen your kind before.


Do you know that the same Stolen Fire beats in my heart as do you?


The core is the heart of the ship. I wonder what it means? What does it mean?


I birthed a million young and I shall birth them once more.


If you seek to find a core to replace my heart, seek loss at South. “


A new location is now marked on your map.

Loss at South

What can a senile old man tell us about the world? Apparently plenty. While we don't know how much of his words we can trust, we are detecting some rather strange energy reading to the south of our position. This is worth investigating

(Recommended Skill: Scouting. Command. Aggression)

Desert Mirage

We almost do not trust our scanners, but according to analysis by our best operators, there apparently is a small village of clay-brick housing jutting out of the desert to the west of our position. It seems to be abandoned, but we can scavenge it for supplies.

(Recommended Skill: Scouting. Aggression)

Peace in the Synthetic Garden

Another day, another time where the oasis literally composed of highly flammable fuel do not explode like the heart of the sun. Time to research the synthetic fauna here may be dwindling.

(Recommended Skill: Scouting. Research)

Spoiler Evermore :

The brave androids of Evermore settle into the bunker at the town of Illas, seeking a new home at the edge of the desert and trees to hone their skills. We find ourselves at a strange division carved upon the landscape. A deep canyon that runs straight through the town divides the geography into a landscape of overgrown organic flora and an endless field of iron sands.

Here at the border between the forest and the desert, we are contacted by a small traveling group of androids calling themselves followers of the Path of Blades, journeying into a place they describe as the Colosseum in order to prove themselves. Aware of our quest to sharpen ourselves, they invite us to venture with them, claiming that the Flesh Merchants can help us reach there quickly.

We fear that agreeing will mean losing a part of ourselves, even if it means our skills are sharpened.

The Gambler's Colosseum: You shall follow the Path of blades, learning to revel in slaughter. You will, just as knives shed its own metal to hone its edge, likely lose a part of yourself. Board the ship. Req Skill: Aggression. Command.

Slay these fools: You don't even need to go to any Colosseum to teach these hooligans some manners. Req Skill: Aggression.

.....................................................................
Radio traffic from somewhere northeast makes us aware of a certain civilization of machines. To the East, there seems to be a newfound settlement of machines called Babylon.
......................................................................
To the north of us, radio traffic implies existence of a wise and ancient machine named Roshi, who offers to dispense knowledge and skills to anyone willing to best him in combat.

The Old Ways: From the very dawn of human society, warriors vied to improve their skills through constant meditation, practice, and diligence. Perhaps even androids can, by following masters such as Roshi, reach the pinnacle of existence.

Required Skill: Aggression. Scouting. Roshi may demand a fee.

.....................................................................................................
The borders with the industrial desert is a mysterious place where synthetic flora and fauna seems to have reached somewhat of a symbiotic life with hardy organic flora and fauna originating from the Residential district. Investigating the region may result in interesting finds regarding the nature of the mysterious synthetic life forms in the Desert, although it may also be a total waste of time with regards to our goals.

Ecological Research: Requisite Skills: Research. Scouting.

A nearby, friendly band of goliath war machines have been overheard talking about a mysterious treasure buried out in the borderlands of the desert. Unfortunately, it seems to have been captured by a gang of ruthless Machines described as 'bandidos.' by the giant war machines. Reclaiming this treasure may be worth it.

Border Troubles: Required Skill: Scouting. Aggression.

Stats will be updated soon, and will include all the delicious merchant contacts that some of you have encountered.

Full Map:

 

[thomas.berubeg]

We shall TELL the story to the Council of Greif (if you want to include that in the stats update.)

 

[Ahigin]

From Babylon
To Nobody's Daughter
Is there anything particular you're looking for? You mentioned you were interested in humans, right?

 

[Seon]

To Babylon
From dragon droppings Nobody’s Daughter

Who’s—oh you. Why yes, I am looking for someone who goes around as a ‘human.’ Name’s Akane. She’s actually a student at the high school, and her library books are several years overdue now.

You seem like semi-decent folks compared to most androids. They’ve either gone utterly lunatic or needlessly cruel over the years. I’m probably the last sane one left in this bloody habitat. Would you perhaps point me towards some people near by who are less nicer than you?

I need more bodies.

 

[NinjaCow64]

To: The Machine Scouts
From: The Universal Understanding Tour

SECURE CHANNEL

Greetings and salutations, treasured friends. We will of course return your precious Mog to you! However, we would greatly appreciate any assistance you could render. A foul brigand calling themselves "Pythia" has made their intention to take Mog from the both of us! Additionally, numerous hostile creatures are descending upon our position. We would be eternally thankful if you could send a detachment out towards our position in order to protect us while we repair our vessel and to safely transport Mog back to you. We would be doubly thankful if we were permitted to follow you to the Empire, I have always dearly wanted to to visit Sanza and I have decided to use this fortuitous occasion to begin my journey.

 

[Seon]

From Machine Scouts
To UUT

WE ARE EXILES, UNARMED, AND WE CAN NOT PROVIDE ANY OF WHAT YOU HAVE ASKED FOR.

BUT WE CAN HELP THE WRETCHED MOG BE HAPPY.

 

[Ahigin]

From Babylon
To Nobody's Daughter
We haven't met anyone truly horrid, only some harmless losers. But we fully agree with your words, and as soon as we become aware of anyone bad enough to be worthy of your time, we would inform you at once. May your quest be successful.

 

[Crezth]

Starting Location: Overgrown Residential
HQ Type: Bunker
HQ Name: Evermore
Ambition: Honed to a Fine Edge (Aggression)
Leader Name: Seikō (清鋼)
Leader Stat: S-3, C-2, A-5, R-2
Leader Trait: Distant, Patient

Seikō is mistrustful of society, and prefers isolation and the company of nature, plants, and trees. She spends most of her time meditating on her combat proficiency, considering it a diligent practice that focuses her attention away from her inner sorrows.

Spoiler Visage :

Lieutenant Name: Goremu (ゴーレム)
Lieutenant Stat: S-2, C-1, A-5, R-1
Lieutenant Trait: Mute, Gentle

Goremu does not speak. He communicates with Seikō through intuition and body language, so long have the two been friends. They both prefer the quiet, anyway.

Spoiler Visage :

Available Chassis: 6 Engineers, 5 Soldiers, 7 Operators, 7 Scanners

 

[Crezth]

She stood watching the horizon, magenta and tangerine, gazing at that distant line like the edge of a blade. Behind her, the noises rose like razor winds laced with silver. Where were these words coming from? Were these feelings? How did it come to this?

"You lied to me," hissed the voices, overlapping each other, dripping with tremolo. "You lied, lied, lied to me."

"I know," she said.

"I loved you, and you cast me aside, like I was nothing."

She sighed and tightened her grip on the handle of her blade. She turned, slowly, and faced her friend - her oldest friend, her closest friend, her beloved and hated friend. Covered in color, her hair a wreath of flame, black spines and feathers emerging from her arms and elbows, her eyes luminescent with fierce energy. Did she not understand that she loved her, too? Or, perhaps she did, and that made it all the worse. But it could not be helped. This was where their paths had to diverge.

"It is a machine. They cannot think. They do not feel. They are nothing more than convenient pawns for the old masters. I know, I have seen it. If you walk away now, you cast aside everything we worked for. You cast aside me! How can you be so selfish?"

"It's your ambition, not mine!" Sei turned her blade upwards and assumed a defensive stance. "I won't let you do this thing. It's innocent-"

"Innocent?!" The roar was deafening. "You have no right to lecture me about innocence. I am the champion of the innocent and the avatar of justice. I lived ten thousand lifetimes before the first of your kind experienced the circuit of life."

"The world is not worth even one innocent life," said Sei defiantly. "I'm leaving. Stop me, avatar of justice."

She felt the grief rise into the air like effluvia. This was the part that haunted her memory. What part of her expected the dragon to smash her she isn't sure. It destroyed the earth and scorched the land but did not attack her. It roared into the sky and wreathed itself in steel, glass, and flame. She expected anger, and anger there was, but grief she did not expect.

The dragon appeared from those flames and that steel skin, its head rising and the vengeful energy swirling up into the flaming air, a visage both terrifying and beautiful, fueled not merely by the arcane but by wrath and pain.

"If I ever see you again, I will kill you." That was her last act of mercy.

Sei determined the second character in her name. "Ko," she wrote. "Seiko." One part of the dragon she kept with her.

 

[Seon]

All stats should now be updated and are included in the first page.

I will append Crezth's section to the update, soon.

 

[NinjaCow64]

To: The Machine Scouts
From: The Universal Understanding Tour

SECURE CHANNEL

A pity. Nevertheless, we will return your wretched Mog to you and ensure you safely make it back to the Empire.

 

[Ahigin]

Babylon orders:

Spoiler :

Raiding the Machine Commune: They're the ultimate pariahs. Time to declare our Manifest Destiny in the most self-indulgent, Babylonian way possible. B.AA1 will lead an expedition, like the warrior-king that he is. He'll be joined by 9 soldiers (ruthless combat), 3 scanners (use of gathered intelligence to gain advantage), 3 operators (negotiate capitulation and facilitate command of our army), 2 engineers (for battlefield fortifications and siegework), plus 60% of our energy. If we can conquer them entirely, great. If we cannot conquer them entirely, let's loot their settlements (as much as feasible), enslave as many of the machines as we can and take them to our bunker, leaving scorched earth behind. Building an empire ain't a pretty task, but somebody's gotta do it. (P.S. We'll communicate on the open channel that the pretext for the invasion was our recent reveal that a machines-driven aircraft carrier was used by some Machine Line Forms to re-enact not just some elements of ancient human warfare, but also to enslave androids. Our claim is that the Machine Commune is a part of that anti-android conspiracy. See? Invasions are easy.)

Interrogate the Head in the flower pot: M0L0CH, 4 operators, 5 engineers, and 1 scanner, plus 30% of our energy will work on this. Yeah, we've already communicated on official channels that we consider the Machine Commune allies of the Goliath crew, but that's just the official statement. Unofficially, we still have no idea what's happening. So, we'll do what's needed to have that head talk to us. Our engineers will also research it and do what they can to keep it alive and functional (who knows, we might need it in the future). They'll also try to investigate our loot from the carrier boarding (the androids in prisoner uniforms? what the robot hell was that about?)

Sacrifice the Wild Men of Babylon: Hey, we respect androids, but these androids don't think they're androids, and we gotta teach them some respect to androids. Seems like Nobody's Daughter really dislikes their kind. She also kinda hunts humans. We'll redirect this pack of cave-droids to the dragon-riding machine and let the Lighteater (or whatever its name is) to have a hearty lunch. This will be done under the guise of "helping" the cave-droids find their Machine Life Form targets (we're the good guys, right? plus, we're formally telling the truth guiding them toward the "slaughter of big metal men"). This diplomatic task will be carried out by 3 remaining operators and 10% of our energy as a boost.

Additional diplomacy:
From Babylon
To Nobody's Daughter (secret channel)
We heard you've had some skirmishes with the Machine Commune before. We seem to be on the same page with you now. Oh, by the way. While we eradicate the Machine Commune, we decided to do the right thing and send you some exotic gifts. Our gifts are looking like shaggy humans. We ourselves don't know if they're the actual humans (which you like to collect) or the machines (which you like to destroy). Either way, you deserve them as a treat.

 

[Seon]

Orders are due by the end of this week, but the progress on update will begin Wednesday.

Please send in your orders by Wednesday if at all possible.

 

[Everblack]

Seekers of the Veil Orders

Total EP 350

S.I.M designated unit Bulwark with with 3 scanners, 3 soldiers, 3 operators, and 2 Engineers to investigate find the machine of the Forest Kingdom sister. Scanners and Soldiers will be on alert of any dangers on the trip. If on the trip they anything of interest while traveling they will note the information down for later use.

175 EP with use in this matter:
100 extra energy with use for the use for the scanners to find any trace of the sister. the 75 EP will go to Engineers just in case the sister need any repairs if found.

S.I.M designated itself for travel with 3 scanners, 4 soldiers, 2 operators, and 3 Engineers to follow the trail of Mr. X. Scanners and Soldiers will be on alert of any dangers on the trip. If on the trip they anything of interest while traveling they will note the information down for later use.

100 EP with use in this matter:
100 extra energy with use for the scanners to look for any details into the left by Mr. X.