"I agree with Matthew, Ben, and Jason's reservations," Sita adds. Sapphire had said the area would be "cleansed of people that do not support the things her God treasures and holds dear." Memories of Sita's earlier actions flashed through her mind: striking from hiding, intentionally inflicting fear, the hot taste of blood as she literally bit an opponent's head off.

She wasn't very eager to get "examined" by these "Gods of Honour", whoever they were . . . she very much doubted she'd like their decision.

As everyone went back and forth debating one plan or another, it started to get hard to keep track of it all. Do this, do that. Oh, or what about all these different things over here instead? Then Ben mentioned "bold move", "strike quickly", and "pretend to be Nile troops". She quickly looked at the two guards in the distance, turned to pertly assess Ben and Jason to see if she thought they could pull off the "shirtless look", and then said to Ben, "Good idea! Wait here. I'll be back in a minute." As she darted into the brush, she added over her shoulder, "Unless you hear gunshots, of course!"

And then she was gone.

(OOC: Ordinarily, I'd let us chew over a plan for awhile, even though that takes even longer in PbP than it does at a table. In this case, though, since we're still under pure Living Land axioms at the moment, I'm just gonna wing it. Gonna try to quietly konk two guards' heads together, and see if I can get us a couple of uniforms to use to infiltrate the machine.)

Whistler floats away from the dig site and back into the mist. It asks Lanala for the grace of the wind so that it may venerate her with these new Experiences.

(OOC: Heightened Dexterity on itself. The idea is to move away so the Shocktroopers can't tell hear it. If that's not possible, then maybe its whistling noises from the mists can spook the Shocktroopers enough that they don't notice Sita. I prefer the former though.

"I've scanned the area" Sapphire offered "I only sense the 'life' in things, and whether they are 'people' or 'animals'  and so on, so I can't tell the difference between these stormtroopers and the Eidenos."

"There's around a dozen Folk at the machine. There's another two near us. And another two over there" she gestured off to our right 'nearer the machine but off at an angle from it' "just slightly further away than then machine. They are at the limit of the range I have at the moment. If I was to get a little closer I could see if I sense a few more."

"How do you want to 'get more information'? It seems we have a couple of non exclusive choices. We can just wait and watch a bit. Or we could capture the two nearest us: they are hundreds of yards from the others... a little distraction should allow us to do that without too much hassle... but they are just guards..."

"I can try and sneak around and have a look if we want" she was an Elf after all, and 'as stealthy as an Elf' was a common expression for a reason

"It sounds to me that your miracle is what we would consider a nuke, a large weapon to be deployed on rare occasions. I'd save it for the moment we will assault the location of what ever slows down the rotation. That way, our enemies won't have a chance to find a way to counter it." Ben adds before Sita went werewolf "...no wait..." he tried to whisper shout before the doctor went out.

Ben lowered his head shaking it "We are trying not to alert the guards here, if two of them are missing... well it would put the others at alert...."

He glanced at Sapphire "We need to know their patrol pattern, their routing to pin point the best time to strike. If they have an outside camp we need to know where it is and strike at it... we also need to figure out whom to take captive. The best option it take a commander... and..." he said this with a dire voice "we better have a plan what to do with said captive, we can't release him and if we just tie him and leave him in the jungle unarmed and without provision... well it is just another sort of death, a crueler one if you ask me but."

Whistler slinks back to the group, the mist and trees seemingly fully visible through its translucent skin. Its arms slide preternaturally around the vegetation, looking more like an idle breeze than a floating starfish. The prayers to Lanala clearly worked, as Whistler moves with an undeterred confidence. If it did not purposefully alert the Storm Knights to its presence, it's possible nobody could have seen its return.

It looks at Sita's departing form and then turns toward Sapphire. It lowers both its front side arms and says to her, "Whistler not human. Whistler watch. Strike if need."

It rises to blend with the treetops, clinging to the trunks as it glides closer to the camp. Its 10-meter long tentacles snake alongside the vines, ready to strike should any of the oblivious guards get wise. Though the blessing of Lanala should ensure it will not be seen, it prepares to draw attention from the bipeds who clearly do not belong in this jungle.

(OOC: With the miracle, base Stealth is 20, but Whistler is just positioning for backup should Sita or Sapphire need it.)

Shortly after Sita leaves, the group saw her, in werewolf form, springing at the guards from cover. She smashed their heads together, then, before they even had a chance to fall, the beast grasped one under each arm, and silently disappeared again.

A few seconds later, a rustling in the brush nearby indicated that Sita had returned. Parting the foliage the group saw her, in human form again, ministering first aid to one of the two unconscious guards.

She looked up at them without stopping her efforts to staunch the bleeding. "I, ah, I did not mean to hit them so hard. It's . . . difficult, sometimes, controlling the strength of the wolf. I think they'll both be alright, though." She sounded relieved.

She indicated the headdress she'd removed from the tended guard, and their other accoutrements. "I have the uniforms that you'll need to sneak in. I think they'll fit the two of you, maybe, Ben, Jason? Maybe you two could then take Jalia, Matthew, Pierre, and Saito 'prisoner', and march them closer to the drill? I could then sneak in behind you." She looks around and doesn't see Sapphire or Whistler anymore. "And apparently, I would not be the only one doing that.

"So, quickly, get dressed! Or, um . . . undressed," she adds, glancing down at the shirtless guards, then blushing a bit.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:25, Fri 14 Aug 2020.

Contradiction check.
I need everyone who was/is trying to plan this attack to roll a d20 and post the roll, please. Sapphire and Whistler can post the roll they used for their Spell or Miracle. If Pierre is going to recast 1 of the squad spells he can use the roll to do so. Sita's Stealth roll covers her check.

"Umm..." Sapphire looked really puzzled at Ben "No. It's not a nuke. It's more like assking an ally to shooting people with a gun. And it can be countered the same way that a bullet can. So do you think we shouldn't use your guns until we get to the last battle in case the enemies learn how to counter them?" she really didn't understand a lot of what Ben was saying, but it sounded a really odd idea to her.

"Nice Sita" she said seemly not particularly worried about the wolf, although she was still worried about Sita's reactions to them "I wonder what they can tell us. But ... I think we'll have to be careful if we want these kilts to help us sneak. You know that there are only a dozen or so of them right? And these goons have been together for a while, so they all know each other. These kilts don't let us hide ... well anything." she blushed a little at the though of wearing one "If we're going to try and use the uniforms we need to have a story. Like 'I'm from a long way away and have a message for the boss'. That would work a lot better if we knew the name of the boss. Maybe these guys know it?"

Ben shook his head as he started to take his shirt off, if you can't beat them join them. He had served some time in the lands of Nile and knew crazy plans like that could work. "It could work..." he told Sapphire "if those are Nile stormtroopers... and they look the part we could pull it off... the whole universe is wired that way... crazy I know."

"Oh, I know it is not a nuke..." he said as he took off one of his boots "but the way you described it, to me it sounds like it is a big major weapon able to take out multiple enemies in a large area with a long prep...  with collateral damage int he form of lightning and winds... I assumed it is not something you toss around causally otherwise you'd already used it... "

He paused his shirt already off blushing slightly "I think I'll finish changing in the truck... " pointing a finger at Sita he add "no peeking, yes?"

OOC
21:19, Today: Ben Altman rolled 17 using 1d20.  planning.

Sita shook her head. "They're not waking up for quite awhile, I think. They were hit very hard."

Sapphire was planning about all sorts of different things again, things that were so far away, and imaginary, and not at all immediate to the real world around them. "No, this will work. The headdresses cover their heads. At least four people will be marching directly in front of them, all with hands raised. It will be hard for anyone to see either of their faces. Then we strike, with surprise. It's a good ambush."

No more talking about things that weren't right in front of them. The costumes were right here, the friends were right here, and the wolf inside strained at its leash to continue the hunt. "Let's go."

In reply to Ben Altman (msg # 190):

the truck is a long walk away. There is plenty of foliage to hide behind, plus about 10 seconds walk has you completely obscured by the mist.

Sapphire wasn't less puzzled at the end of Ben's explaination. She'd explained tin too much detail that there was no collateral damage: certainly far less than when in a normal fight, and had also explained in far too much detail why she hadn't used it earlier. Perhaps she should learn how to be clearer. Certainly the current way of communication wasn't working, any better than her trying to help him understand about the Lizard Men

Maybe he was right about the headdresses... She found it hard to understand, but then many things about the other worlds were strange. That was something she was quite keen to see: learning opportunities like that were to be seized. She couldn't, of course, do such a dishonourable thing herself, but she wouldn't try and stop the others.

The earlier discussion of 'we shouldn't attack without information' seemed to have vanished as well. The discussion now seemed to be 'how do we ambush them'. She wasn't quite sure why they needed to get close to ambush them: guns spells and magic seemed to work just fine at range, but perhaps that was a cultural thing. It was certainly one she didn't share.

"I'll give them a distraction then as you walk up" She moved into the mists blessed herself and the moment that the others started walking towards the stormtroopers she began to invoke
This message was last edited by the player at 05:36, Mon 17 Aug 2020.

09:16, Today: Pierre De Gaulle rolled 5 using 1d20.  Prep round.

Ben was finishing changing cloths in the mists and for once was happy this cursed universe had so much fog in it.

"I think we should sneak in with the disguises and try to do achieve two major goals, first identify where they keep any prisoners, second we need to obtain any information about the still Earth project. Secondary goals should be capturing high ranking member officer for interrogation."

"Please wait with the distraction until we obtain this information, we have a narrow window of opportunity until the missing guards will be noticed."

(OOC: I have a Close Call card. With that, short of flubbing multiple rolls, our ruse shouldn't get detected before we reach the drill.)

Jason raised a hand and opened his mouth but Sita was gone. "She's SUPER-impulsive." He shook his head. They waited a bit for her to 'enact her plan' and return.

He let out a small sigh. Being used to changing in front of other people and even in mixed company in a couple of his jobs, Jason had no self-consciousness as he began to strip a bit and then put on the guard's uniform.

11:34, Today: Jason Keller rolled 17 using 1d20.  Contradiction check if needed.

Noting that Jason doesn't seem to mind, Koharu doesn't pretend she's not watching, with a small smile of appreciation.

"I don't quite fit the requirements of a Shocktrooper, so I think I should be one of the 'prisoners,'" Matthew added, "This plan should work nicely."

21:47, Today: Matthew Matherson rolled 12 using 1d20

Pierre paused as they headed forward, alerted by a 'beep' from his arm 'puter. "Interesting" he said. "It seems we are entering an area of different reality. No storm, but ahead of us is Nile reality. Four color superhero for those not familiar with it. Always take surrenders, that sort of thing. Oh, and don't be afraid to try the wildest stunts, they usually work."

Cards are now updated. Jalia has been quiet during the planning so we can move on without a contradiction check from her.

Starting rounds:
They Regroup
D:. V- H-
Act: Test/Trick

Note: this doesn't mean Combat, just a more measured time with stress.

OOC: 17:16, Today: Dr. Sita Chandrasakar rolled 18 using 1d20.  Trick on guards.
Trick 14 + 5 from roll = 19

Sita raises her hands in the air, looking quite harmless, and quite scared of the "menacing" guards behind her. She steps forward, glancing "anxiously" behind her from time to time, as the "prisoners" are marched toward the device up ahead.

In reply to Dr. Sita Chandrasakar (msg # 202):
OOC: Anyone who wants to try for a card may roll their own Trick attempt...noting Fails could damage the image you are trying to project. Alternatively, anyone who wants to "Help" Sita may declare that, and Sita will get a bonus for that, potentially making the Trick more effective.

The group makes the costume changes and starts down the trail. A few moments later and you have cleared the mist. The Machine is a marvel to behold, the screw portion sticking sticking up is smaller than you anticipated...until you realize the little figure on top is actually a shock trooper, and the machine is huge in comparison.

Jason didn't consider himself an actor, per se, though he had been in a couple of local plays back in the day. So he tried to get in to the mindset of a guard, a soldier, leading some prisoners. That was seemingly an easy motivation.

"Alright, game faces, people."

If I have misinterpreted anyone's actions, please inform me.
Jason and Ben are masquerading as guards (do you need me to post Stats for the Machine Pistols and Swords?) bringing Sita and Matthew as Prisoners. Passive Assistance from the other 3 Actors gives Sita a +3 on her Trick for 22, This is 15 rp, for an UP/Setback result...Sita's action next round gets an UP Result, and the guard is completely distracted so the others don't have to roll stealth to move in among the trees this round.

Ben was a soldier not an actor, if he had to plan an ambush he could do it but as a goon guard henchman? he tried to recall some of the G.I. Joe Cobra troopers he saw and imitate them as he pushed the "prisoners".

OOC
23:22, Today: Ben Altman rolled 8 using 1d20.  Trick.

Trick 12 -2 (result) =10