rolled 2, 6, 4 = 12

It is the seventh month, with four remaining before deadline. Your current location is Fleet Base One, which hosts the intelligence Charla and her companion Tac-Com, as well as the broken remains of the Battleship Akroneun, a long-dead airship that was the subject of an aborted self-destruct. Most of FB1's yards are in remarkably poor condition, though the one that is least damaged is already operating, with orders to produce combat drones. The battleship is set to be reclaimed, with everything beyond repair scrapped for resources. Restoring it to its original state is not possible for any of the Fleet Bases, but even at less than full efficiency it will make a fine ship.

FB1's logs are somewhat more complete than those kept by either of the other bases, but do not yield much more in the way of useful information. A great deal consists of combat reports kept in Tac-Com's secure databases, telling of fleet actions near the equator and the mid-band regions controlled by the Fire Giants. It is apparent that Kharok's four Fleet Bases, being fairly far North, were meant more to provide repair and re-armament services than to construct capital ships, instead supplying fighters, picket ships, and other lesser assets.

Various stored reports and communications shed some light on the events leading up to FB1's abandonment. A contaminant of some sort was released inside the structure via the environmental system, leading to the quarantine of the base. A short time later, those affected by the contaminant attempted to commandeer the vessels present in the yards for repair or refit, succeeding with more than 90% of them. A local fleet destroyed the departing ships and bombarded the yards, losing one battleship (Akroneun) to hostile fire as well as a number of lesser ships. The remaining crew of the battleship tried to scuttle it but failed to destroy it completely. More information is available under separate headings. You need only tell me what you wish to learn about.

rolled 6, 6, 3 = 15

The populations of two complete Frost Giant villages have been captured and placed in stasis or under sedation in K9, where all that can be healed will be subjected to the standard therapies and restored to health. The first batch will be cleared in several days, giving you time to make runs to nearby suspected installations in your stealth shuttle before your return to oversee the 'thaw' of the healed patients.

The high nobles have dispatched a mixed scout and research group to K16, securing passage through Matmerian airspace. Expected arrival is within three days.

Headlines: “The Frost Giants And You: How Recent Discoveries Change The Way You Live,” “Dreamwood's Expansion Unprecedented, Experts Concerned,” “Corporate Warfare: The Changing Face of Perin,” “Air Power is the Future, says Professor,” “Last Among Fools, First Among Men: New Comedy Rakes in Thrones.”

rolled 4, 6, 2 = 12

rolled 5, 1, 3 = 9

how's our non-magical tech progressing ?

We must make clear to our researchers that while FG Tech is pretty cool, it is not really useful as anti-magic fields quickly render it mostly useless.
Non-magical tech is the way to go.
Any progress on the Analytical Engine ?
Can we get AI help on that ?

I feel like a goddamned god of damnation now. A moment ago I wondered if the quest started and bam. First thing I see on front page is this. I truly command the greater powers.

>>11683408
Oh oh can we get a FB ai to help us with the anti-magic rockets ?
we need a:
way to power them up real nice
way to make them home on targets
way to increase the anti magic field radius and time

Jesus tapdancing christ is this quest STILL FUCKING GOING ON?

rolled 3, 3, 5 = 11

>>11683385
It is focused mainly on a spread of combat technologies, which are sub-focused into anti-air development. You have long-range partially-guided incendiary rockets, flak shells, partially-guided anti-magic rockets, and the Dora 160mm cannon, to name a few. Dreamwood is producing 160mm barrels and shells much faster than housings, leaving you with only two fully-mobile Dora mounts at current. The remaining gun assemblies can be mounted in ground turrets, completely stationary housings, or on any sufficiently massive vehicle, such as a living siege engine.

>>11683408
Many of the Frost Giants' more rugged devices are hardened against anti-magic fields or not as susceptible due to using exceedingly simple or solid-state equipment. Energy shields are also capable of blocking anti-magic fields, and it is much easier to generate a powerful shield than a powerful anti-magic field.

So far, the only computational engine Dreamwood has produced is a fairly simple adding machine. As the concepts are worked out, progress will come faster. None of the AIs you are in contact with can be of much help in that department. For one thing, the design of an analytical engine is completely alien to any Frost Giant system. For another, none of those AIs are R&D units. K19 was the AI development center, and may contain computational experiments similar to analytical engines, in addition to R&D units.

do the frost giants know we're actually human ?

>>11683549
what about the electrical and telecommunications fields ? Have our FG discoveries helped a bit there ?

are our Kerberos forces got their power armor functional ?

rolled 6, 4, 4 = 14

>>11683478
Power supplies, non-magical targeting devices, and somewhat more advanced anti-magic charms are available, but the Frost Giants seemed to desire increased power much more than field size or persistence, because their anti-magic weapons are designed specifically to penetrate heavy shielding for short periods, to allow other weapons to fire through the 'hole' in the shield, or to give boarding craft a chance to get through. It would be a simple matter to arm your craft with Frost Giant-designed anti-magic missiles. Portable missile launchers are also available, but are too heavy for a human not wearing powered armor or a lift suit.

>>11683551
No.

>>11683587
Much Frost Giant technology is incomprehensible to you or your scholars. It is simply too advanced to be analyzed reliably or copied, in most cases. Reverse-engineering will take time. Alchemic scans of electrical cables and non-magical batteries have lead to increased efficiency in power transmission and greatly increased charge capacity in Dreamwood's batteries, though.

>>11683663
I think you mean "Have our Kerberos troopers got fully functional Iralian power armor (but still looking badass like the originals?)"

rolled 3, 5, 6 = 14

>>11683663
Dreamwood-produced 'power' armor can manage only a slight boost to strength, speed, and reflexes due to magical charms weaved into the structure. The armor produced by the Fleet Bases is far superior, though quite a bit more bulky and very heavy.

>>11683716
All troops assigned to marine duty at any fleet base are issued human-pilotable powered armor. It is quite easy to use, typically, but the mass and strength take some getting used to. It is common for first-time users to spend most of their time flailing about on the ground or with their fist stuck in a wall. Those with more than two weeks of experience could match you in hand-to-hand (no magic or weapons permitted, of course) and survive, if not win.

LET'S MAKE A FEW RUNS TO THE "nearby suspected installations", STARTING WITH THE CLOSEST ONE.

>>11683798
well then let's create a
"Terrorizer Power Armor"
basically keep the same extremely terrifying looks of the kerberos armor, but put them in a big, armored, heavily armed suit. They will be our super-secret elite assault unit.

>>11683800
seconding this, enought talking, more action

rolled 3, 4, 2 = 9

>>11683800
>>11683894
Stand by.

>>11683860
The marine suits already share the look of the Kerberos armor. If you want something specifically designed for maximum psychological impact, that can be done.

>>11683940
yeah lets make terrorizer power suits for our true elite.

>>11683940
Let's go specifically to the last Fleet Base, FB2.
It's the last one remaining, and I think we have enough time to get there and then go back to K9 to interact with Sala's mother. Then we can plan a trip to K16; it'll take them some time to set up a preliminary base camp and prepare the entrance shaft.

rolled 1, 5, 6 = 12

Leaving FB1 to its own devices, you board the stealth shuttle and head on, dispatching only a token research and military crew to explore and defend the installation. Heading Southeast to the nearest uncharted installation, you fly over several Frost Giant tribes, observing that one happens to be based in an area of stone ruins, though the Fleet Base drone flights didn't note that as a sign of another installation.

The shuttle touches down just outside the perimeter of your next target's ruins, and you disembark as before, flanked by scientists, mages, engineers, and soldiers as the portable comm patches into the AI network. In a few short minutes, a shaft is opened to a viable entrance area and you drop in, finding yourself in a completely unlit room with a single console standing to one side. Everything looks worn and decayed, but there are no bones or blood smears, so you see no immediate cause for worry.

The few undamaged lights flicker on as you start the console, and it welcomes you to K14, which is presently under quarantine. The door leading to the main hallway scrapes open, revealing an inactive hover drone leaning against the wall. It is armed with a rather menacing machine-cannon.

Orders?

>>11684136
Disable the cannon
activate console

>>11684136
Can FC detect any active systems or a working wireless network that it can patch into? Otherwise, note the hover drone: is it inactive because of damage, its power cell is drained, or because the controlling Intelligence is gone?
Otherwise, make our way towards Central Command in order to reactivate the Command Intelligence.

>>11684136
A list of things to have prepared and done when the immediate security of this facility has been taken care of:

1. Name our second Zeppelin Task Force the "White Stars" (refer to previous quest and the construction of a second zeppelin force similar to the Red Wings).
2. Prepare "Order 66". A security protocol, hidden deep within all of our Iralan ships and fighters, classified so that only we have access to it. This is in case someone attempts to wrest control of the Fleet Bases or any of our warships away from us. It is authorization for the Fleet Intelligences to fight against all enemies, human or otherwise. While I trust the Prince and the High Lord as far as we can throw them (I know, being a Frost Giant, that it's pretty damn far), we should still have this ace up our sleeves, just in case.
3. Prepare to build a research base on the outskirts of where Kharok Main used to sit. There were databases there that we couldn't access last time, but with all of the FC's, we might be able to access now once we have a transmitter in place.

check if there are toxins or such
break the guns of the droids we encounter
proceed to activate ais

rolled 3, 4, 3 = 10

>>11684044
Queued.

>>11684167
Cannon disabled. The console is already active.

>>11684178
There are active networks within the installation, but they are fragmented, not interconnected as is normal. They are also circulating corrupted data. Most are not accepting outside input.

The hover drone still has a charge, and is inactive for unknown reasons. FC can send a restart code through the portable comm if you want to see if it will still run. Otherwise, you would probably need to scan or disassemble it to find the cause of the shutdown.

Moving.

>>11684281
Second Task Force named.

Order 66 has been encoded. It will be implemented in all Frost Giant combat units under your control.

All you need to do to construct a research base is transport the appropriate materials to the site and assemble them. You will need permission from the high nobles unless you intend it to remain secret.

rolled 6, 6, 2 = 14

>>11684287
No toxins detected.

Order received.

Moving in, stand by.

what do the AIs think of our gunpowder guns ?
also how's our progress for high-explosives such as c4? has the fuel+fertilizer clue been understood ?

>>11684373
>You will need permission from the high nobles unless you intend it to remain secret.
No, this will not be a secret base. We already knew that the High Nobles were planning on building a research base there; we're simply getting there first. Also, they will undoubtedly want to have their personnel present, regardless, so we won't be able to keep the databases secret.
Before someone complains about being too accommodating to the High Nobles, remember that they were going to build a research base there themselves, and would have found the database cache without our help. At least this way we can make sure that they don't damage them, and since we're the only ones that might be able to have computer interfaces fabricated, will be the ones to first access the databases (by using a hidden transmitter within the interface housing so that FC can go through the database, copy it, and then create a dummy copy to be given to the High Noble's researchers).

you're kinda slow today subproc :(

rolled 5, 5, 2 = 12

The second door opens, letting you into the main installation. The smell of rust and stagnant water fills the air as you enter the base, coming into the reception area. Drones and golems litter the floor, all inactive and some armed, most of them severely damaged. In the flickering yellow light from the ceiling fixtures, you disable all of their weapons as a precaution, while FC and the others probe the networks.

On your way to Central Command, you see many more drones, but not a single indication that anything living was ever here, aside from the scattered places where groundwater has seeped through broken walls an ceilings and pooled along cratered floors. Many of the consoles have been wired together, and display nothing but error codes or nonsensical text. The AIs can't make heads or tails of the networks, which are no longer operating in anything close to a normal mode.

Central is an absolute mess. Most of the wall panels have been removed, exposing wires and circuitry that have been cross-connected in a maze-like spiderweb of decaying cables. You have a bit of trouble getting through the hall, but you make it into the intelligence chamber.

rolled 2, 1, 2 = 5

>>11684611
The pillar of machinery and circuits is leaning slightly to the side, supported by a few dozen high-tension cables that tether it to the wall. Its entire surface is covered with tacked-on devices and machines wired to others and to the room's systems. The exposed circuits glow faintly red, quite unlike the cool blue you're used to.

There is a skeleton in the interface chair, attached to it by the same cables that bind everything else. The eye sockets are capped with metal, and the skull has several sockets in it, surrounded by cracks.

FC advises you to tread carefully. He suggests that you leave immediately but doesn't expect you to listen.

>>11684620
ask why should we leave

>>11684620
Crap. Sounds like someone else thought of using the same bright idea as Omuz to upload themselves into an Intelligence Core.

Is there any way to hook our personal comms unit into the computer systems here directly?
If so, have FC load up a full suite of cyberwarfare utilities and hook the personal comms unit in before attempting to reactivate the Intelligence.
That may give us a chance to take control.

Ask the AIs about the glow

Oh boy, I can only imagine what is going to happen next. Inactive yet heavily armed drones everywhere and our own AI telling us to get the fuck out. It's not like this place is an advanced AI research facility or anything.

Gee... I only can wonder.

rolled 5, 6, 6 = 17

>>11684455
They operate in much the same way as machine-cannons, though your propellant technology is behind (R&D is working on this). The Frost Giants preferred to save projectile weapons for vehicular use, partially because of ammunition limitations.

High explosives technology has advanced considerably. A composition with chemical fertilizer as a component has seen successful use, but you do not yet have real plastic explosives. There is a compound bound to an adhesive, which allows it to stick to nearly anything, but it is quite brittle.

>>11684459
The high nobles are fine with your constructing a joint research base, accepting that, with your numerically superior Zeppelin fleet, you can get it done faster.

>>11684632
"It looks like this entire installation's computer have been connected into one big, incoherent mass. I have no idea what it's meant to do, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to understand it. I'm sorry, but I just have a real bad feeling about this one, Commander. The structure of the core you're looking at resembles a magical array, and I have no idea why. Also someone died in the interface chair. None of this is good."

>>11684620
Is there any way to activate only the basic computer systems, and leave the Intelligence offline for now? If we do that, have FC or Charla take control of the self-repair systems, they could rebuild the network around the Intelligence Core so that if it turns out to be hostile, it won't have access to the facility's network.

>>11684764
can we do a remote activation somehow ?

rolled 3, 3, 5 = 11

>>11684671
The portable comm is already connected; it's what the AIs use as a communications relay. Cyberwarfare utilities are always loaded as a precaution. However, there is no telling what effect they'll have on such a thoroughly corrupted system. They are designed to act on AIs comparable to Main or its subsidiaries.

>>11684679
Red is the color preferred by Fire Giants. Frost Giants used blue. Red is also the color for damage, errors, breaches, and the like, as well as weapons. Many evil beings also seem to like red.

To change the color emitted by the circuitry would mean substantially altering their structure, since the light is magically generated.

>>11684764
Does the array bear any similarities to the one that Ormuz built in K8? Also, did we disable or remove any of the weapons held by the drones and security golems? Are our soldiers with us only Kerberos, or are there also some in modified power loader suits?

fuck it we're like super frost giant wizards lets activate the ai and get done with it

>>11684843
When it turns out to be hostile and kills half of our escort and chases us out of this facility, I'm blaming it on you.

>>11684832
Real quick: is the skeleton in the interface chair a Frost Giant, or Fire Giant skeleton?

>>11684843
>we're like super frost giant wizards
This has been bothering me for a while, and it got even worse when it turned out that the native Frost Giant shamans outclassed us in terms of raw power: are we really as strong as some people believe we are, or are we operating under an illusion of strength reinforced by only having fought those much weaker than ourselves?

When we next get the chance, I want Tac-Com to evaluate our magical strength, skill, and overall ability and compare it against any and all other Iralan mages it has in its databases, especially combat mages. I want to know if we're really that good or not.

rolled 3, 3, 3 = 9

>>11684772
The basic computer systems are already active. In fact, all of the computers in the installation are active. The self-repair systems are as corrupted as everything else, so the AIs would have to 'hollow out' a sector or two of a database in order to run repairs locally. Since the computers have been physically modified, there is no way to know what will happen if anyone attempts to rewrite any installation software. That may trigger a defense mechanism.

Repair golems can be brought from another installation if necessary. If they were, that specific problem would no longer be an issue.

>>11684830
Activation would require you or another normal Frost Giant to sit in the interface chair. This is a security measure. Guardian, on the other hand, can be activated remotely.

>>11684836
No. It resembles no known array in structure.

You disabled the weapons of every unit you came across.

Your soldiers are Kerberos in non-powered hazard suits. They carry standard-issue rifles and sidearms. One has a flamethrower.

>>11684843
Consensus required.

>>11684882
There is no way to tell without a detailed medical scan (which the portable comm cannot handle). At the most basic level, Frost Giants and Fire Giants are nearly physically identical.

>>11684956
dude we pwned the best fire giant forus had to offer for like four times

>>11684969
activate guardian, query him on what happened

Huh. Well this doesn't look good. Maybe just put this facility on the backburner for now and head to another installation like FC 2? I mean, we're on a deadline, I for one would like to get all the FCs activated as soon as we can, before delving into a heavily corrupted system.

>>11684983
During the Guardian startup sequence, make sure that we register ourselves as Administrator One.
It won't do to have the Guardian AI turn against us because we forgot to register ourselves as a valid user.

>>11684882
This.

Also find out if the fabricators were damaged. If they're intact we could scrap the base interior later and rebuild it.

>More information is available under separate headings. You need only tell me what you wish to learn about.
Wouldnt mind finding out more info about the contaminant later.

>the Dora 160mm cannon
Dang. I thought it was a 16 inch gun (406.4mm).

>Name our second Zeppelin Task Force the "White Stars"
Seconded

>Prepare "Order 66".
I am very nervous about this potentially killing us later.

>tenth-grade shlock
Dammit captcha I am not an underage B&

>>11684972
lol i no rite? and its not liek we had any backup their or n-e-thing. nd its not liek sitting n a chare that cud electrocute us would kill us moar than fighting, rite?

>>11684972
See, this is what I'm talking about.
We beat the best that Forus could field; a modern-day Fire Giant.
This is a facility from a time when Fire Giants fought directly against Frost Giants that were fielding sub-nuclear weaponry on massive super-carrier-sized airships. If the Fire Giants didn't conquer the world after the Fall of the Iralan civilization, then they most likely had a similar catastrophe and weakening.

Being able to beat up a relatively frail plague victim is no feat of supreme strength.

>>11685068
we still slaughtered giant lava-spewing beasts by the dozens
and fire demons too

"AI WHAT IS OUR POWER LEVEL?!"

rolled 6, 3, 3 = 12

>>11684956
In terms of skill, you outclass 90%+ of the mages in Perin. In terms of power, you have a natural advantage due to the greater stamina provided by your Frost Giant heritage, giving you a pool of strength that exceeds those commanded by human mages who have studied for many years. However, stamina increases with practice, so the Frost Giant shamans, who have been using magic practically their whole lives, can easily best you in that respect.

Your main advantage is being able to learn nearly any school of magic (save fire) exceedingly quickly. Where most mages choose a few types and stick with those, or amass a great number of weaker spells in many schools, you can do both.

Tac-Com is a strategic and tactically-minded AI meant to direct fleet actions. It is doubtful that it would be of much use in evaluating your magical ability.

Can we make functional personal power-armor like from, lets say, Fallout Tactics? Midwest BoS (not cannon) Paladin armor?

They are flexible and offer substantial defence.
I don't mean the looks. I like our looks. I mean the size of it.

>>11684969
Can we spend a couple hours (2-3) clearing the hallways of drones and security golems? Or better yet, have the shuttle go to FB4 to pick up a squad of soldiers in power armor and a mix of repair and security golems. It should take less than a day, and it increases our chances of survival if something goes wrong substantially.

>>11685117
There are many power armor designs available in the databases of the Fleet Command Intelligences.
We already ordered a close-assault anti-demon suit. Is there any capability that you want specifically?

Can we know what this installation is for?

>>11685088
We did not kill the Fire Demon; the Frost Demon did that. We barely scratched the Fire Demon, even when supported by a group of 12th level adventurers.

>>11685117
We already have power armor. It's strong, durable, has magic and demon protection and I think it boosts our strength and agility.

get heavily armored bots with shotguns for close quarters fighting
then activate ai

>>11685120
>and it increases our chances of survival if something goes wrong substantially.
Not if the chair electocutes us and EATS OUR SOUL!! Just tossing that out there.

No, I'm voting we put the place under quarantine and disconnect the computers from their power supply.

>>11685102
>It is doubtful that it would be of much use in evaluating your magical ability.
One of the other FC's, then. Unless we can get to a KF that specialized in magic and spell development.

>>11685168
Disconnecting power could result in complete and irreversible system loss.
I'm voting for spending an additional couple hours checking the safety of the interface chair (no obvious interface spikes going into our heads, electrocution nodes, that sort of thing) while we get some reinforcements and have them secure a clear line of retreat. Then sit in the chair and activate the system.

rolled 2, 1, 1 = 4

>>11685027
The fabricators and their control systems have been altered in the same manner as every other system. Restoring them to standard would mean replacing every part affected. Using them in their present state would have unforeseeable consequences.

The contaminant was airborne, a byproduct of the synthesis of several industrial chemicals. When inhaled, it deadens the pain center and removes certain inhibitions, which can result in impulsive and dangerous behavior, among other things. It was once briefly studied as a possible component for combat stims, but never used in that fashion.

160mm is the current limit of your weapons technology, at least as far as long-range mobile guns mounted on trains.

>>11685117
The Fleet Bases can make those and much larger suits. Dreamwood cannot, at least not properly.

>>fleet bases
>fabricators
...didn't this quest start in a typical fantasy setting?

>>11685252
>typical fantasy setting
You mean ones that have ancient super-civilizations that left behind their ruins and powerful artifacts?
What's your point?

>>11685139
Nah, I just want to know if we can produce power-armor...
You know, traditional power-armor.. hmm, like Starcraft PW, not big suits.

I just want ALL of our military to be refitted. I do not understand why we must choose "elite" for that. Our military is not that huge so the task would not be very resource/time heavy.
I rather have small but extremely outfitted army rather than small and moderately outfitted army.

rolled 1, 4, 1 = 6

>>11685120
Yes to both. However, FC is against you personally remaining in the installation for any longer than necessary. Canderous is confident that you could take anything the system could throw at you. Charla agrees with FC. Tac-Com has no opinion.

>>11685154
Much of its project data is corrupted, but the entrance console (the least affected) identified it as a sort of companion installation to K2 and K19, researching autonomous systems and the binding of spirits to machines, as well as using computers to access the realm of the gods.

>>11685166
Shotgun drones can be built at FB1, but would not arrive for several hours.

>>11685177
As you wish.

>>11685285
Resources, amongst which one of is time.
We have to be ready to fight a Frost Demon that has a flying city-battlestation under its control, and has had 2 years in which to build automated shipyards, and has the schematics for battleship and dreadnought-class aerial warships.
Right now combat drones, torpedo bombers, and a flood of missiles are more important.

>>11685165
Is it the one we developed or adapted with Iralan tech?

I would like to adapt Iralan tech and make PAs even more awesome!

don't use shotgun robots, get human piloted power suits armed with shotguns
wait for them and then enable AI

>>11685325
Okay, but considering our tiny army I thought it would not take too long

>>11685323
Get a human security team in power armor here, along with security and repair golems. Use a second shuttle if we have to; the shuttle should be able to fly high enough that it won't be seen from the ground.
Once they arrive, have the teams and golems secure a clear escape path. Once done, set remote-detonation demolition charges on the primary power conduits coming out of Geothermal and the Power Cores; make sure that they won't damage the power plants themselves, just sever the power connection.
Then, once preparations are complete, sit in the chair with two human security men ready to get us out of it in case something goes wrong.

>>11685285
Resources, the entire Kharok bases being a Perin military/noble secret. Having all our troops starting to wear some kind of almost alien technology armor would raise quite a few flags among civilians.

>>11685327
FG tech.

>>11685378
It's not only the rapidly approaching threat; it's also the considerations that we have to make concerning the High Nobles and Perin.

Equipping our militia with advanced Iralan power armor is going to result in the High Nobles wanting their own private armies equipped with them, and with our agreement, we will have to comply. Not to mention, they will ask about where the suits came from, possibly leading to them investigating around the FB's.
We could always secede, but I for one don't want to have to deal with the social and political backlash that would result, not to mention the myriad of eminently foreseeable consequences that we would inevitably not look at, much like that time with the Forusian army's surrender and the resulting executions of 10,000 soldiers that we had implicitly meant to protect.

rolled 5, 4, 4 = 13

>>11685214
The interface chair itself does not appear to have been substantially altered. There are no visible restraints or spikes connected to it, and it lacks anything noticeable that would conduct high volumes of electricity, besides the contact point (responsible for the jolt you feel upon sitting) that 'tests' your spinal cord. It appears that the person who occupied the chair was bound manually.

>>11685285
Dreamwood can only produce the Kerberos suits, as described above. The Fleet Bases can make many other kinds of powered armor, though they tend to be bulky and massive, like many Frost Giant items or vehicles. Loader suits and marine armor remains in its normal, giant scale, with redesigned cockpits suitable for human use. Scaling those down to actual human size would not be exceedingly difficult, but they would still be rather large (with a thick structure) compared to Dreamwood armor.

>>11685327
Dreamwood power armor hardly counts as 'powered' but can be constructed without fabricators or anything approaching AI control. Frost Giant technology is being analyzed, but, as said above, reverse engineering is difficult and time-consuming.

>>11685497
Okay, okay
we'll have a super army after we deal with nobles ... *sigh*

>>11685524
>The interface chair itself does not appear to have been substantially altered
Then I vote for sitting in it once the preparations from >>11685423 are complete.

>person who occupied the chair was bound manually
Might have been a Fire Giant prisoner (but would be weird if Frost Giants were still in control; why give your racial enemy complete and total access to your computer system).

rolled 1, 6, 4 = 11

>>11685360
That will take longer, since they will have to travel from FB4. FB1 does not yet have a marine contingent or powered armor stocked.

>>11685423
Queued, unless there are objections.

Stand by.

>>11685497
indeed
only make power armor for our ultra elites, the very best.
Idea, make a tournament about it.
"TO ALL THE DREAMWOOD MILITIA
Partecipate to the Spec.Ops. tournament!
It's divided in 4 sections:
Close-range fighting, Firearms, Stealth and Tactics.
Close-range is full-touch combat with simple rules (think fight-club rules)
Firearms is a firing range
Stealth is a capture-the-flag game set during the night
Tactics is theory and problems of tactics
Every partecipant will have to do 6 matches in each category. The best will battle between each other in the various categories.
The winners will join the unique Spec. Ops. team."

>>11685588
Take the quicker option. The sooner we're out of this place the better.

>>11685596
I like the idea of laying the foundations of our own SpecOps unit. Though having the selection process be this open would invite the High Nobles and Perin Intelligence to insert a couple of their own agents into the tournament. And given that they would already be well-trained and naturally talented, they would be amongst the winners.

I think we can have this tournament, but it wouldn't be for the selection of candidates into our REAL SpecOps unit. This tournament would be for the selection of highly skilled men whose loyalties are suspect: we'll give them hard and dangerous assignments, but none that make use of our advanced Iralan technology. Only our more mundane "secrets".
This would go a long way towards convincing the High Nobles and Perin Intelligence that they have a good handle on us.

rolled 5, 5, 4 = 14

For the next few days you and your men work on exploring the installation and disabling the weapons of any drones you find, staying in contact at all times and charting numerous possible escape routes. There are no incidents, beyond the normal 'mistaking a broken rack for a demon and filling it with holes', though you and the others opt to sleep in the shuttle rather than inside the facility. You can't explore anywhere close to the entire thing with your limited manpower, but you do find that the drones are mostly piled up in important areas, absent from everywhere else.

With the arrival of the armored soldiers and golems from the other Fleet Bases, you clear several escape routes and set charges on all of the main power conduits. Though many systems would still be able to use their emergency power supplies even after losing every other generator, you're hoping that wouldn't be enough to do any real damage. Once the last occupant of the interface chair is removed and your two guards are stationed in the chamber, you ready yourself.

Machinery hums beneath you. The familiar jolt travels up your spine, along with an unexpected feeling of nausea. The consoles around you light up, and the core's projectors snap to life, displaying a band of error codes. The hologram slowly wraps around itself, morphing into a sculpture of an eye. A terrible grinding noise issues from the core as a voice is broadcast over the few remaining speakers.

“Self-Destr... Self-destruct has been... activated. Please... evacuate the complex... all main... power systems will... initiate full overdrive... in two seconds.”

Nothing happens. The grinding noise continues.

>>11685738
"Emegency Command Override. Deactivate Self-Destruct Sequence!"
"Initiate Emergency Command Protocols and register me as Administrator One."

>>11685738
"I am administrator one. Abort self-destruction."

"Fleet bases do you notice anything special strange or changing?"

>>11685738
>grinding noise
Oh shit does it sound at all like the death magic towers we fought in the fortress sectors?
See if we can deactivate the self destruct and tell everybody else to start running.
Either way, do not wait long to GET. THE. FUCK. OUT!

"FC, did the self-destruct code get transmitted to Geothermal? Are any of the power plants showing signs of going into overdrive?
"Do you notice anything in the system moving that wasn't before?"

rolled 4, 3, 4 = 11

>>11685775
"Ne... Negative. No override avai... available. Self-destruct terminated pending... repair of self-destruct system."

"Emergency... No protocols... please stand clear..."

The grinding halts for a brief moment. Several cables detach from the core and swing across the opposite wall. The grinding resumes.

FC reports, "All the wireless networks just shut off. I can't get in through regular channels."

>>11685783
"Process... terminated. Admin... Administrator One not recognized."

>>11685793
"Aside from the networks, not really," says FC. "Wait. I think one of the drones just lit up. Two. Three. Five. They're powering on."

>>11685813
I think you're overreacting. We don't even know if the self-destruct is working; K5 was in the same position when we reactivated it.

>>11685836
"How do we fix this thing ?"

"How many drones and what kind of drones are active or in the process of activation?"

>>11685836
"All security teams, prepare for drone reactivation. The drones may be hostile.
"System, identify yourself. I am Administrator One of Kharok Five, requesting command authorization."

>Admin... Administrator One not recognized
>"Aside from the networks, not really," says FC. "Wait. I think one of the drones just lit up. Two. Three. Five. They're powering on."

Oh golly jee wilikers, I oh so wonder what could be happening?

>>11684695

rolled 4, 4, 2 = 10

>>11685813
No. It sounds more like a gearbox with a jagged piece of metal stuck in it. The self-destruct is offline, according to the system.

>>11685821
"No and no. I don't see any sign of self-destruct processes anywhere. I think the core thing tried to send the code, but I guess it wasn't received."

"Just those drones. They're all pretty close to you. If the portable's reading the signals right, there's one actually inside the core."

>>11685871
"I don't know if we CAN fix it. Short of replacing the entire system, I mean. If it was just the software, clearing it out would probably do it. I don't think there's a single piece of original hardware left in the core."

>>11685879
"There are twenty-three now. All kinds, from security to repair to medical. Twenty-eight."

>>11685836
Can the personal comms unit be hooked into the Intelligence Core directly so that FC has a hard line direct into the computer network? If so, do it and have FC attempt to get us command authority access.

>>11685941
>there's one actually inside the core."

Shoot the core?

rolled 2, 5, 4 = 11

>>11685880
"Copy, Lady Maya. Security standing by."

"Auth... Authority not recognized. No... identification. Inter... Interlocks disabled. All prevention... security... constraints removed... possible deletion cannot find. Degradation. Detected. All. Locations. Core. Compromised."

The grinding ceases. An enormous metal spike bursts out of the core and embeds itself in the wall to your left. It is followed by a second, to the right. The core's circuitry is flickering.

>>11685984
"What the fuck was that, FB?!"
get out of the chair, stand alert for anything

>>11685984
>Core. Compromised.
Does anyone have a clear shot on the golem inside the core? Can FC suborn it?
I think we need to secure the Core before it destroys itself, or is destroyed by the drone.

point our gun to the core

>I think you're overreacting.
>>11685984
>Giant spikes. Pic related.
GET THE FUCK OUT!

>>11685984
If the spikes came out of the core, and a drone is supposedly inside the core, can we look through the hole created by the spike to look at the drone? Can we then use and ice lazer or ice wall to disable the drone without further damaging the core?

rolled 3, 1, 5 = 9

>>11685998
"I don't know! What's happening? What do you see? I'm losing the comm signal! Electromagnetic fields detected in Central!"

You practically leap out of the chair as two more spikes shoot out of the core, also heading to the left and right. The outer layers of machinery and circuitry begin to detach, clattering to the floor as cables snap and fall, swinging outward uselessly. Finally, the core's circuits lose their glow as a fragmented power junction falls through the crumbling ceiling. Something strikes the inside of the core, nearly breaching it.

>>11686063
what's inside the core?! Use our powers to open it!

>>11686055
I'm not trying to be contrary, but the last time you suggested something similar, we were one step away from destroying K5 and collapsing in the entire swampland that it was located under.
Please pardon me, but I am still somewhat skeptical of your suggestions in these situations.

>>11686063
Look to see if there's anything inside the core. Try not to break anything.

rolled 1, 1, 4 = 6

>>11686032
You only have a shot at the core, but if the golem is roughly in the center of it, you should be able to hit it. FC cannot suborn anything without wireless capability, which this unit and others seem to lack.

>>11686049
Artillery rifle ready.

>>11686055
Consensus required.

>>11686060
You would need to circle around to do that. You can freeze the interior of the core from here.

>>11686109
FREEZE IT SOLID

>>11686117
Seconded.

>>11686109
Let's freeze the center of the core where the drone would be, then. I'm hoping that since Frost Giants created all of this machinery, that it's hardened against cold.
As soon as we freeze the center, rush around to get a look into the center to see if we can see the drone.

rolled 4, 2, 5 = 11

>>11686076
>>11686090
The core wall facing you begins to collapse. With a horrible screeching sound, a mechanical hullcutter erupts from the wall, followed by a second, as the thing inside tries to cut itself out. You get a brief glimpse of three red lights, arranged in a triangle. No Frost Giant golem or drone uses this pattern.

>>11686141
ALL BATTERIES OPEN FIRE
radio "Any drone with three red lights in a triangle pattern is HOSTILE, I repeat, drones with three red lights are HOSTILE!"

>>11686141
>three red lights, arranged in a triangle. No Frost Giant golem or drone uses this pattern.
Shit! Fire Giant drone, is my guess!
"Take it down!"
Order security personnel with us to open fire on it as we shoot it as well, interspersed with an ice laser assault.

Okay, now am I justified in saying everybody fire?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sj89hMVYhI#t=0m25s

rolled 6, 5, 5 = 16

>>11686117
>>11686119
>>11686131
A rush of cold air fills the room as you reach out with your mind, freezing the inside of the core and covering the golem with solid ice, halting it. For a brief moment, you hear the sound of rotating gears, and then the hullcutters restart, slicing their way out of the ice.

It's like no design you've ever seen. It has four metallic spider legs, two hullcutter arms connected to a bulky torso, and four extremely long spikes jutting out of its back, connecting it to the wall. Its head supports a trio of glowing red eyes.

RELEASE THE HOUNDS!

>>11686204
>justified in saying everybody fire
Open fire? Yes.
Run away? No. What are you, a pansy Frog of a waif?!

>>11686243
Like like to be far enough away not to be caught in the overpressure of large blastwaves.

rolled 4, 4, 2 = 10

>>11686169
>>11686183
>>11686204
Any drone with three red lights in a triangle pattern is HOSTILE, I repeat, drones with three red lights are HOSTILE! Fire at will!"

A deafening boom echoes off the walls as you hit the drone with an artillery shell, blasting an enormous chunk of ice off of its chest but doing no visible damage. You fire again as your escorts unload with their own rifles, bouncing a hail of lead off of its armored body. It moves forward, straining as it breaks through the ice, twisting against the spikes as it reaches toward you, shuddering as another shell hits it in the head, destroying all three of its fragile eyes. The chatter of gunfire filters through your radio as you fire once more, blowing the drone's head open and exposing the rusting machinery within. It continues to move forward as you back up, shooting it.

>>11686076
Seriously?

>there's a reactor breach
>Oh, let's stick our head inside!

Jesus, we don't even know if there's radiation or anything, and maybe going close to something that is SHOOTING FUCKING METAL SPIKES AT US IS A BAD IDEA!

Jesus fucking christ, I've rarely seen such stupidity before.

>>11686310
>exposing the rusting machinery within
Detonate an ice grenade inside of it.

>>11686310
We need to hit him with more mass. Alchemy cannon balls using metal from the facility?

People, don't forget our trusty ice grenades and ice lance. We don't even need to use our arm to cast them. We can cast them while we shoot.
We can dakka while we dakka

>>11686341
It's not a reactor core; it's the AI core.
Besides, we knew that there was a drone inside of the core, and that judging from what the computer systems were saying, that we would need to shut it down.

May I inquire what's the progress on the internal combustion engines?

>>11686368
And now that same fucking drone is trying to kill us. So if we'd gone with your plan, we would have been right next to it when it cut its way out with giant sawblades. So yeah.

>>11686353
I think that attacking the drone more precisely rather than using brute force is better.
>blowing the drone's head open and exposing the rusting machinery within. It continues to move forward as you back up, shooting it.
We've exposed its weak point! Hit it with Ice Grenades for MASSIVE DAMAGE!

rolled 4, 4, 6 = 14

>>11686345
Your last round plinks off the thing's chest, exploding against the wall. Ejecting the empty magazine, you visualize the spinning diamonds you're so familiar with, calling one forward. The drone's torso explodes outward, scattering parts and pieces everywhere as it grinds to a halt. The hullcutters shut down again as you replace the magazine, leveling your rifle at the immobile machine.

Within its chest is nothing but an endless series of pistons, gears, springs, and belts, like someone tried to jam an engine into a grandfather clock. A soft whir emits from the damaged torso.

Continuing that:
A clone without a cloned memory is not you. Your information is you; the body is just a vessel. Even if it's duplicated.

(We duplicate all the time, it's called procreation, we've been self cloning since the start of time)

Replication down to the memory is merely a split persona hence you experience different things when duplicated + this comic.

>>11686405
Actually, we were already right next to the core, seeing as we were in the interface chair.
Also, this drone has not demonstrated any notable levels of agility or dexterity; it may be part of its design, or it may be due to age and damage. Regardless, it's not showing signs of being fast or nimble.

Night, SubProcDM.
Thank you for your quest.

rolled 6, 5, 1 = 12

>>11686383
Not quite ready. The prototypes tend to fail fairly quickly, but they do work. It won't be long before you have a viable design.

>>11686461
Goodnight. Thanks for being here.

>>11686422
>Within its chest is nothing but an endless series of pistons, gears, springs, and belts, like someone tried to jam an engine into a grandfather clock
A clockwork system? This definitely doesn't fit with ancient Iralan design philosophy.
See if the ECM field is down and if communications with FC have been restored.
Get a status update from the rest of our security teams to see if any other hostile drones have reactivated.
As for this one, have our security men put a demo charge within the torso to detonate it if it reactivates.

>>11686456
A) What are you on; the command chair is several meters away from the core which is on the other side of the room, is it not? That's how I always imagined the command sections anyway.

B) Again, we would have been right fucking next to it and been surprised when it showed a sawblade through the metal and at our face.

But enough of the pointless arguing; what's past is past, and we didn't end up going with your ridiculous idea.

rolled 4, 5, 1 = 10

>>11686499
You get no response from any of the AIs. The portable comm isn't getting a signal through. It's reporting quite a bit of interference issuing from directly below, in Guardian's chamber.

Drones continue to activate. The vast majority of them are already disarmed or simply have no weapons, but you did miss some. They are encroaching on your position. Two soldiers are already down with serious injuries.

Charge set. The whir has stopped.

>>11686535
Actually, since I'm the one who suggested going to one of the already opened holes to look in ( >>11686060 ), and SubDM said that we would have to move around the core to do that, AND my plan wasn't used, FURTHER, since we didn't move and the drone busted through the Core wall currently facing us, if we had moved like I had suggested, then the drone would be on the opposite side of the Core from us.

>>11686554
So, fighting reatreat to the surface so that we can evac our wounded? After that we can either begin a more concentrated effort to destroy the remaining drones or seal it with the intention or reopening it later with power suited troops ready.

>>11686554
Jump in the interface chair quickly to see if it still responds. If not then get down to Guardian to find the source of the ECM field.
Have the golems take the brunt of enemy fire, with the human troops firing from cover. Are our security teams having trouble containing the drones, or will we need to give them magical fire support?

rolled 4, 6, 6 = 16

>>11686621
Consensus required. You could go back to the entrance you opened, which would require use of the transit system, or take the closest escape route, to one of the emergency accessways. You will need to clear the shaft before ascending.

rolled 1, 3, 5 = 9

>>11686634
There is no jolt. Some of the consoles and displays are still active, but show only error codes or static. The core has been completely eviscerated and is inactive. There is no hope of contacting whatever was left of Command any longer.

Consensus required. Against security drones, which are armored, human-scale projectile weapons are fairly ineffective. Against the others, they are much better. The security golems you brought can easily take down their counterparts. By all accounts, the attackers are shambling, uncoordinated, and very slow. It is only through luck and numbers that they've managed to do any real damage so far.

>>11686659
I'm still for attempting to secure the facility now, while we have power armor troops and security golems in place.
How is the fight against the hostile drones going? If our security teams have them contained, I want to get Guardian online to try to help us, or at least deactivate the ECM field to get the personal comms back up and try to have FC take over the facility network.
If our security teams are hard-pressed, then we should go to help them. Shoot drones in the head then drop an Ice Grenade into their inner workings.

>>11686737
So I take it that the two injured men were caught unawares by a sudden reactivation?
Are all facility drones attacking us, or are they all showing the triangle-eye pattern?

rolled 3, 2, 5 = 10

>>11686739
The fight is going well enough, but more drones continue to activate. It is entirely possible that your men will run out of ammunition before the installation runs out of drones. Of course, you can always use the security golems to hold the line while you and the others escape. They are disposable, unlike humans, and without AI control, they are very limited in utility.

>>11686831
A security drone came out of a lift shaft behind them and managed to hit them both before one of your own golems destroyed it.

All active facility drones are attacking. None show the triangle pattern or any sign of physical modification, only decay.

>>11686908
Does FB1 have a working medical bay? What about FB4? If FB4 is too far, FB2 is close, and might be in working order. Have a security golem and 2 marines medevac the two wounded to a shuttle.
Are our security golems fighting well enough that they could be used to secure the facility, or would they eventually be overwhelmed?

At least it wasn't a GREEN triangle. Freaking Air/Earth elemental monsters made the counterattack against Forus a pain in the arse.

Not to mention the not so subtle message left behind Baron OBVIOUS' attempts at sabotaging our early rail. He and his conspirators were found dead, having killed themselves while lying in a triangular formation.

So there's still machinations of the Fire Giants murmuring below the surface. Be it ruins, Forusian battleplans or Perinese politics.

iure cougglon, speak truly captcha

>>11686908
Even if we were going to retreat, we'd have to go through the area that Guardian is located, right? As I recall, the general Central Command layout has Command and the interface chair in a chamber above Guardian and the subsidiary computer systems.
Can we go down there to try to find the source of the EM field and try to have FC commandeer the system or get Guardian to stop the drones from attacking, or do we need a consensus for that?

>>11686982
We could probably heal them (We learned healing magic again right?) just it would be easier to do it without getting shot at.

>Are our security golems fighting well enough that they could be used to secure the facility, or would they eventually be overwhelmed?
Yes. this is need to know.

rolled 5, 3, 2 = 10

>>11686982
Yes and yes. The shuttle is now moving to center itself over the nearest emergency shaft. An earth mage will accompany the evac team to open it.

They would eventually be overwhelmed.

>>11687024
No. There are separate accessways that do not run through the security station.

I'd like a consensus, but in the interest of time, perhaps I should move this along.

>>11687065
I think that if we have our other security teams perform a fighting withdrawal back to the shuttles, with the security golems soaking up fire, they can keep the drones occupied long enough for us to attempt to deactivate the EM field coming from Guardian. We'll have to deal with it anyway when we get here, and since we're so close, I think we should try to shut it down now.

Evac since we're going to run out of ammo, then we rearm and go back in. y/n ?

rolled 2, 3, 1 = 6

>>11687029
You have minor healing magic, and alchemy can also be used. The two have already been administered potions and had their wounds dressed, but they are weak and will need time to recover. They should also be examined under less hectic circumstances to make sure there are no further injuries or complications.

Stand by.

>>11687125
>when we get here
I meant "come back here".

rolled 2, 1, 4 = 7

>>11687128
You have only used one magazine for your rifle. Your two escorts used three between them. The others are running low, but, if these reactivated golems are the only threat, you could deal with them alone.

>>11687065
Send in the golems to hold the lines while everyone evacs. Seal all the shafts, then send a large force of power armored soldiers and golems from wherever we can get them to destroy any remaining drones. While that's going on, we should really go to FC 2.

>>11687128
Oh, you know what? Now might be a good chance to try out our cyberwarfare transceiver/computer interface drones being built at FB1.
I originally meant them to be used to create multiple contact points into Kharok Main's computer network, and it would be useful to test how well they perform against EM interference, in case the Frost Demon is smart enough to have fabricated ECM systems throughout Kharok Main for just this kind of attack.

>>11687192
Good idea. But there's still the problem of the comuters here being so screwed up.

>>11687170
Since we're running low on ammo, have the security teams evac with the security golems holding the lines. Send the injured back in one of the shuttles to FB4 to have them examined and healed in a medical bay.
Have all marines and security personnel suit up and get into shuttles with full complements of security golems to assault this facility. Have FB1 send over one of the heavy shielded transceiver interface drones so that we can test how well it works against interference.
Meanwhile, we'll go in the other shuttle to FB2 to reactivate it.

rolled 5, 6, 2 = 13

>>11687177
Your men are withdrawing. The golems will hold the line.

>>11687192
At the moment, only two are complete. They will take a while to arrive if you call them. Fortunately, the shuttle can easily remove itself from the field blocking the comm.

Given transit time, I'm guessing you'd like to head to the surface now, since the only reason you'd want to stay is to try to disable the ECM.

>>11687260
The purpose isn't so much to secure the computer network (though that would make securing the facility much easier), it's to make sure that the Fleet Intelligences can use the connection in spite of heavy interference to access a hardline into a computer network, and to be able to control our security golems.
With a Fleet AI controlling a security golem, it is much more effective than a security golem operating without a controlling Intelligence. That would effectively increase force effectiveness by at least a third, if not more.

>>11687287
Yes, get going now, because we want that ECM still active for testing purposes.

rolled 1, 2, 6 = 9

>>11687277
Confirmed. Do you wish to have troops sent from FB4 only or FB3 as well? If you wanted them to go in at the same time, using FB3's forces would lengthen transit time.

>>11687327
Use both forces. This will be like a live-fire training exercise for when we have to fight against the Frost Demon in Kharok Main.
Let them take their time to prepare, as we need to go to FB2 first.
I want all of the Fleet Bases under our control before the night is over.

>>11687327
Will we be able to get them here without the Nobles noticing what's going on?

>>11687327
How about bringing them from both bases, and once FC4's forces arrive, they stay on guard until the forces from FC3 get there.

rolled 4, 5, 2 = 11

You already feel like you've spent way too long in this place. With Command's core down, the only remaining AI is Guardian, with its own chamber thoroughly encased in ECM that blocks communications through Frost Giant equipment, but not your own short-range radios. While your men pull out behind the cover of the security golems, you head up to the emergency shaft, staying alert and felling two medical golems with your sidearm. By the time you get to the access point and clear the shaft, the shuttle has already come back after relaying your orders to the AIs. A substantial force of soldiers and two shielded cyberwarfare drones are on their way.

The shuttle departs as soon as you're aboard, just after you seal the shaft back up. A brief moment later, you're on your way to FB2, tending to the wounded and assuring them that they'll live. Less than an hour later, you receive a transmission from FC, who had his eyes on the site.

“It just... imploded. There was a pretty big boom, but I don't know if anyone heard it. All signs consistent with self-destruct, Commander. I guess you could search it if you want, but it's really just a big pit now. Oh, by the way, I got plenty of data on that ECM field. No pattern I've used before, but we could certainly use our own hardware to generate the same type of field. I know you wanted to test the relay drones, so just give me the word.”

>>11687472
Dammit. Now I'm really regretting simply pulling out. The drones must have been able to repair the self-destruct system.

"FC, is the damage consistent with a successful facility self-destruct?
"Oh, and yes, test the cyberwarfare drones to see if they'll stand up to that ECM.
"Also, can you build me a personal comms unit that can generate that kind of ECM field, or at least, one that's hardened against it? I'm making my way to FB2 now."

We can probably let the High Nobles know about this facility, that we were unsuccessful in securing it, and that this is the result of its self-destruct succeeding.
We've been too successful with KF's so far; they need to be shown how badly things can go wrong.

rolled 2, 2, 3 = 7

>>11687550
"Yeah, pretty completely. Big power spike, then the momentary shield, then the detonation. I'd be surprised if anything was left as low as Geothermal."

"Will do. Charla's got the specs, so the drones'll be put through their paces once they're back."

"Well, I could, if you didn't mind wearing a backpack. It can already broadcast ECM wavelengths, but the density's only good out to a couple of feet. You'd need dedicated hardware for any kind of range. Hardening won't do a whole lot, since it's the signal strength that really matters. Again, you're looking at an increase in size. I could build one into that hazard suit, I guess. A separate antenna and battery system comes standard with some deep-cover ground warfare packages. You want one?"

The high nobles will be informed, if there are no objections. It would also serve your purposes to tell them only that you found a facility that had previously self-destructed, or just let them discover it for themselves.

Continuing on the assumption that you're going on to FB2 before the night is out.

>>11687472
Check in with Tac-Com, and have it search through it's historical records for information on Fire Giant military technology, specifically their automated drones, heavy assault and base assault types. See if the drone that we fought matches anything from Iralan military history.

>>11687659
>tell them only that you found a facility that had previously self-destructed, or just let them discover it for themselves.
I thought that we had told them about this facility.
Also, I don't think that attempting to deceive them about the timing of the self-destruct would work, given their access to magical means of forensic analysis.
Hell, it wouldn't even require that much to know that it self-destructed recently, with the churned earth and soil.

>>11687702
>>11687659
>It would also serve your purposes to tell them only that you found a facility that had previously self-destructed, or just let them discover it for themselves.

They're already going to know that we've been away from the K sites closer to Main. Better for them to think we'd spent a bunch of time investigating a site that was giving us a hard time. (And ultimately blew up in our face.)

>>11687725
>And ultimately blew up in our face.
I'm sure that the High Nobles would love that part. It would help to keep them believing that we're not as good as we think we are.
It would have been even better if it hadn't actually blown up in our face because of a premature withdrawal, but nothing can be done about that now.

>>11687659
I'd say better to not lie outright. Certainly don't spin it like it was directly our fault that we weren't able to save it, but let them know what happened. And yes, FC 2 is next stop unless anyone objects.

rolled 2, 2, 6 = 10

>>11687673
"Searching."

There isn't very much information, but it appears that the Fire Giants used technology comparable to that you've seen in Frost Giant installations. There is no record of them using anything resembling clockwork. Incidentally, the hullcutter drone looks very much like the torso and arms of a certain shipyard golem tacked onto a rough-terrain walker's leg assembly. The head is a match for an auxiliary camera array on an amphibious vessel, save for the fact that it has three eyes instead of five. No clockwork is normally present in any of these systems.

>>11687702
>>11687725
The high nobles have been informed. They are unhappy that you were unable to prevent the self-destruct and are disappointed that none of their personnel were with you. They don't make much of an issue out of it, instead suggesting that you spend your three days in K16 and be more careful. You are told that a team will be dispatched to the site anyway, just in case something survived.

Well you win some you lose some. Lets get to that last fleet base.

>I'm sure that the High Nobles would love that part.
That's why it was in brackets.

>because of a premature withdrawal
As if it wouldn't have blown up with us still in it. The DM gave us plenty of warning that something like that might happen.

>>11687788
When we attempt to secure K19, we bring a full security complement of Kerberos and Marines, transport zeppelins full of ammunition, mix of energy weapons and regular machine guns, and security golems. Lots of security golems. Oh, and lots of ECM, too. The AI's there are probably going to be as bad as the ones here at K14.

>>11687856
>I don't see any sign of self-destruct processes anywhere. I think the core thing tried to send the code, but I guess it wasn't received.
>Self-destruct terminated pending... repair of self-destruct system
No.

rolled 3, 4, 2 = 9

By the time you reach the ruins above FB2, the two injured men have rested enough to walk, and, fortunately, show no sign of any infection or additional damage, even though their hazard suits were penetrated. After setting down, you find the closest entranceway, now a trivial task, and open it up, dropping in like you belong there.

All of the consoles here are active, displaying various system messages. The closest one detects your presence as you walk up, and shows a welcome, giving the name of the installation, which you had already surmised, and a report on recent events. Apparently seismic instability has caused part of Yard C to sustain damage, but it's nothing that can't be repaired. FC patches the AIs into the network and looks around a bit.

“There's an intelligence active, but in a low-power state. I think its subsystems have been directing repairs for a good long while. It seems to be waiting for reclamation by an administrator. There's a radiation warning logged and then a message about two centuries old saying all contamination has fallen below tolerable levels. I can wake it up now if you'd like. A good deal of its internal sensors don't have power, so I can't get a good look inside or activate them remotely.”

>>11687900
"Alright, wake them up and send over a briefing packet with all of our latest security protocols and details on what we're expecting in four months.
"Also, see if you can help along the self-repair systems, and give me a status update on Geothermal and power output."
Close up our environmental suit.
"Alright, close up everyone. There's reports that there's still residual radiation, so make sure that you keep your suits sealed!"

Leave the two injured guys back on the ship with the usual guard detail.

Last thing we need is Grand Theft Airship courtesy of a local barbarian Frost Giant.

moracti Vdga-Volga,
Captcha's naming npcs now?

We require more sexy frost giant pictures.

>>11688012
Yeah, but the shuttle can be controlled remotely by a Fleet Intelligence. Any Frost Giant that attempts to hijack it is in for a very unpleasant surprise.

>>11687900
>There's a radiation warning logged and then a message about two centuries old saying all contamination has fallen below tolerable levels.

'Below tolerable levels' does not mean it's gone completely. We should have drones do a thorough sweep once this place is back online just to be sure.

rolled 4, 6, 1 = 11

>>11687963
"Okay, I'm sending the defrost order and the data. Should be a moment... done. You're recognized as Commander, just like always. Biological profile's on file. It's loading the communication subroutines. It'll be up and talking in no time."

"Looks like self-repair's running pretty well already. The only notable damage is to Yard C, and that should be polished off in no time. As soon as internal sensors come back- Whoa. Yeah, Geothermal and all the power systems are peachy. No problems, output's good. But there's some really cool stuff in here. Hold on a moment, I'm accessing records and scanning."

"Yards A and B both have really big ramps leading up to the hangar doors. It looks like there's a whole city's worth of vehicles down there. Yard C's empty, but according to the logs it had a bunch of missile launchers in it. Someone triggered a dirty warhead in there, that's where the radiation's concentrated. Everything else is pretty empty, aside from the bones."

You and your men already have your suits sealed, as it's standard procedure. You warn them about the radiation, but it's so low-level it won't be a problem unless they spend a lot of time in Yard C.

>>11688012
You always leave the shuttle crewed just in case, since you can't guarantee remote piloting will be available at all times. The two men are aboard.

rolled 1, 4, 3 = 8

>>11688124
As soon as you enter the complex, you're greeted by the AI in control.

“Hello. Welcome to Fleet Base Two, Commander. I've already been appraised of the situation, and I'm sorry to hear of it. I'll have communications completely back within three minutes.”

The place is clean and in perfect operation. Your suits' radiation detectors don't see anything worse than what you'd get aboveground. Still, you are far from the yards.

>>11688124
"Give me a quick overview of the vehicles in Yards A and B. And can you give me an estimate as to how long it'll be before Yard C is back up and operational?"

>>11688124

alright. Let's head in and formally introduce ourself to FC2.

>>11688180
"So, do you have a preferred identification moniker?
"Are you specialized in any specific weapon or vehicle types? From the way that Yards A and B are constructed, I'm guessing that you're a ground-vehicles specialist."

rolled 5, 4, 1 = 10

>>11688181
"It's a full convoy of military and non-military vehicles. A group from one of the transport divisions based out of here, if the logs are correct. Mostly designed for a ground assault. You have your tanks, APCs, mobile command centers, artillery, ambulances, supply vehicles, engineering vehicles, and some shuttles and gunships, just for a start. I'm afraid there are... remains down there. I chose not to disturb them during repairs. Radiation, of course. It's a shame, but I just wouldn't feel right about taking them to the fabricators without authorization, since I'm not, well, alive. Anyway, Yards A and B were turned into vehicle hangars after the ones in Ground Base 12 were wiped out, according to this section of the logs. Couldn't tell you where that base used to be, or what happened to it, but I do know it was supposed to be above-ground."

"Yard C's already operational. Unless you're going to fill it completely, that little corner of rubble won't affect anything."

>>11688207
"Oh, no, not really. You can call me whatever you like."

"I'm fairly unspecialized, actually. I didn't have any say in modifying those yards. Just a temporary measure. Or it was supposed to be, and then 1800 years passed. I can handle ground vehicles, but, as I am a Fleet Command unit, airships are more to my liking. Anything the other three can build, I can build."

I'm getting a pretty neutral personality vibe from this guy. We should give him some common earth name like John, Bob, Bill or somesuch.

>>11688330
"Alright, then, how about Two for now. I'll come up with a better name once I get to know you better.
"As for shipyard production, could you get Yard C started up creating about a dozen picket escort ships, mix the armaments up between energy, missile, and ballistic. Then another dozen torpedo bombers, and then some shield-breacher drones until I can think of anything else.
"It's good to have you on the team, Two."

inb4 BOLOs and OGREs

Then again the Frost Giants liked things up close and personal so Warthog equivalents for 14 foot humanoids?

Picture related for
>>11688062

>>11688466
>>11688450
John? Or Bob?
If we want to be funny, we could call him Swissy, after Switzerland, noted for it's neutrality.

>>11688330
A literal amy's worth of ground vehicles. Could deffinitely be of use but it'd be manpower intensive to crew them all.
Can we get some stats on the Tanks?

>but I just wouldn't feel right about taking them to the fabricators without authorization, since I'm not, well, alive.
What have we been doing with the remains at the various K sites so far?

>>11688472
That's an elf, not a frost giant.

>>11688510
>taking them to the fabricators
It is every citizen's final duty to go into the fabricators and become one with all the people.
- Countess Maya Terrasdottir, "Ethics and Principles for the Future"

rolled 6, 4, 1 = 11

>>11688466
"Okay, Commander. I'll respond to Two for now."

"Sure. If, by 'picket escorts' you mean Corvettes - I assume you do, given the deadline which makes building Frigates in time impossible - I'll get started on that right away. Shield-breachers on tap, and do you want the automated drone bombers or the crewed ones? I noticed you've had my compatriots building both."

"It's good to be on the team. I'm not sure how I feel about fighting Main, but if there are demons involved, I suppose whatever happened really wouldn't be his fault, anyway."

>>11688472
The Frost Giants did indeed enjoy close combat. APCs and equivalent vehicles make up a large part of the convoy, and most of them are equipped to handle powered armor, which they have stocked. The convoy appears to be based around supporting an infantry assault, and is light on tanks but has plenty of IFV-type vehicles and artillery.

>>11688510
The tanks are analogous to Earth's designs, but built with Frost Giant aesthetics and technology. There are fast-moving hover types, which are armed primarily with short-barreled ballistic weapons and machine-cannons, urban assault units mounting a lance gun, a grenade launcher, and more machine-cannons, long-range engagement models with a primary ballistic turret and a missile launcher for backup, etc. Would you like me to be more specific? There are quite a lot of vehicles, so statting them all completely would be time-consuming.

rolled 1, 3, 5 = 9

>>11688510
Some remains are kept for study. Most are reclaimed by the fabricators. Standing orders are to maintain genetic samples and scans of whatever 'pieces' are available. Dreamwood's main museum has several Frost Giant skeletons on display, in addition to replicas of suits of armor and bladed weapons. The high nobles care absolutely nothing for corpses, unless they're particularly interesting for some reason, so you have free reign in this department.

>>11688596
It is more like becoming a radio or a shuttle, but yes, that's essentially it.

>>11688631
>do you want the automated drone bombers or the crewed ones
"Give me the automated drone versions.
"Oh, and I nearly forgot. Give me a dozen Intitia-class assault dropships. 10 of them to be automated and act as decoys and fire support if they get through, so fill'em up with ECM and ECCM as well. The other 2 of them to actually be crewed. Also a squadron of 15 fighters, modified for human use.
"Let me know if anything won't make the 4 month deadline."

rolled 3, 5, 5 = 13

>>11688717
"Automated it is. No problem, except they'll need some fine control if you want maximum effectiveness."

"Okay, a dozen of those, ten of them decoys, with electronic warfare modules everywhere they can fit. Fifteen fighters, human-crewed. I'll use the designs for the ones already in production."

"The Corvettes might be a bit tight on time, but since you gave me some leeway with the prints, I can just trim a little of the fat off if they drop off the calendar. No sense building something you can't use, I guess."

>>11688631
>Would you like me to be more specific?
No that's good.
>>11688695
>Standing orders are to maintain genetic samples and scans of whatever 'pieces' are available.
Sounds like we should keep on keepin' on.
Were there any equivilants to dogtags? It'd be good if we could compile an ID list of everyone we've found.

>>11688808
Okay, I think we're done here. We can communicate with Two via personal comms if we need anything else.
Let's get back to K9, interact a little with Sala's mom, then enqueue going to K16 as the High Nobles have asked.

rolled 5, 1, 2 = 8

>>11688828
It seems that, for regular staff, identification mainly relied on biological profiles, of which DNA is a part. Unfortunately, since so many databases are incomplete, those records are not always accessible. New staff and visitors used physical markers which have been recovered in some cases, and, where DNA can be matched to a set of quarters, sometimes personal information remains on items or within consoles inside. It's a long process, but does provide forensic experience.

>>11688856
Alright. I'll end this session at K9. Stand by.

rolled 5, 2, 2 = 9

The trip back to K9 leaves you feeling bittersweet about this whole thing. You did discover another Fleet Base, with all that entails, but you also lost an entire installation that could have held promising research. Of course, all of its databases might have been as corrupted as everything else, but there still could have been prototypes intact. Considering how much has been lost over the centuries, especially in the downfall of Frost Giant civilization, you suppose you should be ecstatic that you have as much as you do. These four Fleet Bases alone represent world-conquering potential, and you're going to need everything you can get when the frost demon returns.

By the time the shuttle arrives, Sala's mother is out of therapy and sitting in a private room in one of the medical stations, with her daughter. The guards nod to you as you step in, and you proceed to introduce yourself.

“Thank you for saving her,” she says, smiling, “It was... kind of you. You did not have to do it. It speaks well of you. I assume my esteemed husband is not awake? (He is not) Good. Unlike him, I am young, which I am told gives me a better chance of adjusting to... well, to health. To lack of pain. So. What do you want from us?”

>>11689031
Direct and to the point. Always refreshing.

We want a return of a once great people and a lasting peace once their civilization is reclaimed.

>>11689031
>What do you want from us?
"Right now? Only that you learn, and think; about the past, the present, and the future.
"I cured you all because I believe that freedom is a right that all sentient beings should have a chance to exercise. I wanted to alleviate pain and suffering where I could, and bring about an age of reason and compassion.
"But most of all, because I wanted to help people."
If anyone else would rather say something else, please speak up.

>>11689161
I know that we've pegged Maya as Lawful Good in the past, but I think this poster is better for us, right now.

rolled 5, 4, 3 = 12

>>11689156
>>11689161
“We were once a great civilization, as I see. But we have fallen far. It will take the might of a demon and the patience of a god to bring us back. It will take time for us to abandon our old natures... or should that be our new ones? I suppose, by healing us, you are setting us on the path back to our old glory. This bears thinking on.”

“Are you truly ready to help us? From what I know, there are many more of us than you can heal at a time, only from two villages. All of us will need shelter, food, the necessities, along with whatever watchers and teachers you see fit to assign to us. We are barbarians still, you know. We will not become cultured and amiable, like your 'humans', overnight. You strike me as... overeager. Not impulsive, but very much the optimist. I hope you learn from your mistakes quickly.”

"Long ago, our people looked down on others, not just physically, but on how we perceived them to be.

I believe our fall was a lesson in hubris. There's nothing wrong with a good fight, but when you start to judge other people based on superficial things like height and physical strength, you've set yourself up for failure.

I know humans aren't all that... palatable, right now, but there are hardly any whom are exactly alike. I suppose what I'm saying is, in order for all of us, Human and Iralan, to become more than we are or ever have been, old grudges and stereotypes must be buried."

>>11689258
>You strike me as... overeager. Not impulsive, but very much the optimist. I hope you learn from your mistakes quickly.

"The recklessness of youth. I am still young the reckoning of our people but I intend to do much."

>>11689258
>You strike me as... overeager. Not impulsive, but very much the optimist. I hope you learn from your mistakes quickly.
"You're right that it will take time. And there will undoubtedly be many who will not be able to let go of the pain of their past. It is a great sacrifice, to give up your past, your self.
"The logistics, of course, are also a concern. As you said, food and shelter, necessities and infrastructure, all must be provided, built out of whole cloth. Every interdependent piece materialized simultaneously and in perfect working order, otherwise it will all come crashing down before it even starts.
"But, we have experts who can plan for it, factories and farms that can produce the goods needed, all the space of the Northern Lands to use, and Time."

rolled 3, 2, 4 = 9

>>11689287
“It is the nature of beings such as we to form groups, to despise and hate that which is different in one way and revere and worship that which is different in another. We are, all races, divided, are we not? I have seen no exceptions, but I have not lived as you. I know very few that are not of my own kind, but we do still keep our stories, whatever you may think of the culture that remains.”

“All with eyes may judge. It is what we do. To forget this, to suppress it or discard it, is a hard thing. For a child, perhaps it is not so difficult. For a grown one, it is like climbing a greased cliff. I am not saying that it cannot be done, but the way in which it can be done best, that should be searched for. I will do all that I can to help you. I am no shaman, but I have the trust of my people. I will serve you so long as it suits me. Surely you expect nothing more.”

>>11689350
"I see. I would hope that, in the years to come, you find wisdom in great supply. If you are to be our guide, you will need it."

>>11689258
ask her about the shaman. personality age etc.

>>11689418
>>11689408
Yes, ask about the shaman, any useful information about personality or receptiveness to new ideas. Keep in mind that when she wakes up, she is going to be pissed off as all hell, and won't have any pain to interfere with her aim. Likely she has even more raw power than us, so we should really consider developing mage-inhibitors of some kind before bringing her out of stasis.
Also ask her if she knows of any of her tribe that would be better suited for thawing out of stasis; those that would be receptive to new ideas, new perspectives, and who might be able to overcome their past.
And get her name. We should at least know what to call her.

>>11689418
Yes. We should also do a full scan of them both to see how their condition has progressed. With their capacity for magic it could have slowed their condition enough to be worth the risk of healing them.

rolled 6, 1, 3 = 10

>>11689392
"Time is an interesting thing to you, so young and full of ideas. To a human, with a life so short, it is a very different thing. To us, with so many years left to spend, change does not come easy. If you are inclined to rush us, you will find the results not to your liking."

"Eventually, we must regain our minds. Our structure must become self-sustaining. To need to rely on you and your humans, holding all the great powers of the old age, would be... unpleasant. I will assist in ensuring this is not a problem we cannot solve."

>>11689418
"Some five decades old, still growing and learning but losing more each day. Her successor had so little time to see, to copy, and she hated it. Hated herself for failing her people, like all before her. She spent all her life healing, trying in vain to save us. She became powerful, and cynical, and consumed by rage. I do not know if she will feel the same way when she awakes. You, to her, might be a savior. You might be a usurper. Keep her chained, is my advice."

>serve you so long as it suits me. Surely you expect nothing more.
Remember people, just because we saved someone's life, doesn't mean they won't betray us for personal gain in the future.
This is not a kiddie CRPG; saving someone doesn't automatically net us a bro-for-life.
I'm not saying to immediately be distrustful of Sala's mother; just that, as a leader of people, a harbinger of the future, a Science-Prophet, we can not afford to trust people unconditionally.

Which reminds me; we should really promote Hretmar-worship amongst the Frost Giants we cure and who decide to stay with us. It should be a good boost for him.

>>11689517
>To need to rely on you and your humans, holding all the great powers of the old age, would be... unpleasant.
Good. She seems like she will make a very good leader, and will probably become a rival in the future, leading the Free Iralan Nation.
She has already identified the threat that we and the humans pose, the chains of technological oppression even if they have been cushioned, and means to make sure that she will be able to stand on her own.

We must start thinking about the future, and Frost Giant-Human relations, and how Dreamwood will factor into all of this.

rolled 2, 5, 2 = 9

>>11689484
Anti-magic fields will be of great use here. With enough power, they can be breached, but if you lay them thick enough, that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

"I see you are healing the children first, which is very wise. They are the most impressionable, the most susceptible to the indoctrination of culture. My fellow wives, despite themselves, are much like myself, a moderating influence on the chief, so bold, so brave, and so stupid. You should focus also on these: (She gives you about thirty names), but with care. Exalting them will have consequences."

"My name is Kyva. You may call me as you like."

>>11689501
Both shamans retain enough capacity for therapy to be worthwhile. Apparently, when a shaman is no longer able to control their powers, the successor assumes the rank, and, depending on the situation, will usually either lead them out to be slain, or do the job themselves.

>>11689517
>You, to her, might be a savior. You might be a usurper. Keep her chained, is my advice.

Awesome. Let's be sure not to have any humans in the room when we wake her up.

>oppecily humans.
I think captcha agrees

rolled 2, 6, 5 = 13

>>11689558
I'm assuming you'd like to do this when the gods re-appear, since he can't respond to anything at the moment.

>>11689652
Would you like security golems present instead, other Frost Giants, or only yourself?

>>11689648
i suggest getting the shaman out of the way. im curious to see what she is like.

>>11689699
>>11689701
>>11689699
>>11689652
if sala's mother thins her presence would help i think it would be good for a familiar face to be there.

>Exalting them will have consequences
A very good piece of advice.
We should probably thaw out the adults in batches, making sure that a few of the ones Kyva listed are in each batch. They should be a moderating influence on the others. We need to make sure that we aren't appearing to favor them, or to show any signs of favoritism; that could be disastrous to our work.
Given the long lifespans of Frost Giants, and the fact that they're in stasis pods to prevent (beyond miniscule amounts) of aging, I think we do something like one batch of 5 every 8-10 months, maybe once a year.
Also we should get a list of the absolute worst ones, too. Make sure they aren't released until we have a good number on our side.
>>11689648
>Anti-magic fields will be of great use here
Can K9 fabricate anti-magic field generators? I know that it's very difficult for Perin mages to create ones that can be sustained for any period.

rolled 2, 3, 3 = 8

>>11689701
She hasn't been placed in therapy yet, and the next batch is already in. To talk to her before she's been healed probably wouldn't accomplish what you want.

>>11689724
"I would rather not. It is not anything against you and yours, but I am still, at heart, self-serving. If, for any reason, the shaman manages to... act, in an unpleasant manner, I will not be there. Unless, of course, you insist, for I am at your mercy."

>>11689699
>Would you like security golems present instead, other Frost Giants, or only yourself?
This >>11689724
Kyva should be there and security golems. Not really sure if we should have anyone else.

>>11689699
>Would you like security golems present instead, other Frost Giants, or only yourself?
We should have her cured then brought out of sedation in one of the testing labs, so that things important things don't break (both from the anti-magic fields and from any shooting that might erupt).
Have Kyva with us, security golems around the edge of the room, and with two security personnel in power suits. I'm assuming that with the face shields down, no one can tell that it's humans in the suits, and not Frost Giants.
Have all of them armed with stunners in case we need to knock the shaman out again.

>>11689778
So Kyva is saying that she would rather not be there when the shaman is woken up, right?
I can see her reasoning though; the likelyhood of a firefight breaking out is pretty good, and she doesn't want to get caught in the crossfire.

>>11689778
Yes, we need to do all of this after the shaman has gone through treatment.

rolled 6, 4, 1 = 11

>>11689756
List received. The chief is at the top of the list.

"He is our leader, the most mighty and the most brutal. If he is released, even after receiving your treatment, he will be automatically a threat. Were you to then best him in single combat, or simply kill him out of hand, perhaps my people would venerate you properly. It would be better to keep him stowed, and say nothing of him."

K9 cannot. The Fleet Bases, on the other hand, can, though, as said above, the common models are designed to penetrate energy shields, and are fitted to warheads. A bit of design work will need to be done if you want something better suited to restraining a mage.

>>11689782
>>11689807
As ordered, unless someone objects. It is suggested that you keep several stun grenades near the shaman, since if she wakes in a rage, she might not notice what's right next to her, and it's just one more precaution. Of course, there's a chance she could use them against you, so that's a potential problem.

rolled 6, 1, 6 = 13

>>11689849
Correct. She's willing to watch remotely, though. She noticed your troops' distance communications, and Sala told her about some of the technologies in the installation. As long as she's reasonably far away and relatively safe, that's fine.

>>11689868
>A bit of design work will need to be done if you want something better suited to restraining a mage.
I think that we should get some anti-magic field generators first before talking with the shaman.
I'm also considering that we should have increased K9's internal security systems first, especially around Geothermal and Central Command. Implement security measures like wide-area stunners built into the ceilings and hallways in case of an insurrection by the Frost Giants.
Can we just timeskip a little for the anti-magic field generators to be designed and fabricated, and for the new security measures to be implemented?

>>11689908
well, it wouldn't be as effective as face-to-face communication, but I suppose it would be safer this way.
Also if it does become a firefight, we won't have to worry about protecting her or anything.

>>11689923
If we're going to timeskip we might as well spend our three days at K16 like the Nobles wanted.

>>11689962
I'm alright with this.

Also, can we get a current list of K-facilities under our control, along with their purposes, not counting FB's1-4?

I'm reminded of what Kyva said:
>If you are inclined to rush us, you will find the results not to your liking.
We should take our time with Project Pheonix. Humans might be able to adapt to all of the changes that we rushed, but the change is even more drastic for the Frost Giants, and they might not be able to take it. More than likely they would rebel against us.
I think that we should go for careful and slow with the Frost Giants, as opposed to the breakneck pace we've been using with the humans.
And also be very careful and plan things out to the smallest detail; a Frost Giant can do far more damage than a human can.

rolled 6, 6, 5 = 17

>>11689923
Implementing. K9's fabricators are sufficient to produce automatic stun defenses slaved to the AIs.

I do not see why. The vast majority of the Frost Giants are still in stasis or sedated, and the few that have been healed are under heavy guard, not to mention that, with the internal sensors, Command or Guardian can dispatch security drones in case of escape or something else. Until the shaman has been healed, which will take nearly two weeks, counting the time for the current batch, there will be no need for the generators, either.

>>11689949
Indeed. That option will be available when the shaman is ready for awakening.

>>11689962
I did say I would end at K9.

Hey, SDM, I was reading through the older threads on easymodo, and came across that time we met the mountain giant. it was mentioned, the guy's elders had visited Kharok in the past (which I'm assuming will be retconned to his ancestors/elder's predecessors) and I was wondering if we could have a look at the help files again on other races. You said the computers didn't mention them by name at the time, but I'd like to see if any of the unknowns match their physical description and temperament.

>>11690028
>I do not see why
I'm thinking of the future.
Once the shaman has been treated, and IF she presents herself as willing to work for us, there is no guarantee that she won't rebel in the future, and her magical power is something that I am worried about. We could have her fitted with a remote-activation anti-magic field generator, like a collar or bracelet, but I don't think that she would accept such a blatant object of submission to our will.
Also, such security measures would assist in the execution of Order 66.

>>11690028
Well we can save it for first thing next weekend how about?

And maybe spend a day in Dreemwood while we're at it. We've been heavily neglecting it.

>>11690141
>We've been heavily neglecting it.
I think we can be forgiven that, what with the looming threat of a Frost Demon-controlled Deathstar appearing and laying waste to all in its path.
But you have a point. We can't neglect it too much, or people will become suspicious.

rolled 5, 4, 5 = 14

>>11689977
K5 was researching cloaking, levitation, teleportation, and the immaterial.

K9 is responsible for medical research and gene therapy.

K1 is a control installation of some sort, with data backups and stasis pods.

K8 was working on shielding and various countermeasures.

These can be considered under your personal control, since you've set up security measures in those locations, and have active links to the AIs. Others are primarily under the control of the high nobles. I'll need to look back through the archives over the week for a full and complete record. I've been meaning to do it, but things keep getting in the way.

>>11690071
Mountain Giants have a much greater maximum lifespan than Frost Giants and have been removed to have discovered a method for functional immortality, so it isn't impossible. You are also leaving out the possibility that he was lying, or mistaken.

>>11690071
Pasted:

The Frost Giants had dealings with Ulls and Bira at certain points, and were allied with some of their factions at times. They viewed humans as unintelligent, barbaric vermin that were to be left alone. There is mention of Fire Giants as a racial enemy, concentrated in equatorial regions, but not much beyond that. A race called the Jial, looking remarkably similar to the DoDs, was known to work with the Fire Giants from time to time. The Vael, High Ones, and Giekon, all humanoid, are mentioned but not known to exist in this area, at least at the moment. The Aquen are listed as composing the majority of a powerful, neutral nation of traders based off the coast of this continent.

There is a brief mention of a race of long-lived philosophers, but there are no physical descriptors in the entry. It only says that contact was made a great while ago and those contacted declined to trade.

>>11690084
These measures are already queued and will be developed or implemented during the next timeskip, but that will not be tonight.

rolled 3, 5, 1 = 9

>>11690141
That can very well be done.

>>11690212
>removed

Rumored.

>>11690212
>The Frost Giants had dealings with Ulls and Bira at certain points
You know, we should really try to get ahold of Ull and Bira scholars at some point, and ask them about this. Do the Ulls and Biras have their own nations? Can we send diplomats to open negotiations and initiate information exchange, and ask them about any past dealings they may have had with the Iralan civilization, or of their own ancient super-civilizations?

>>11690071
Seconded. Hey, maybe with all this new technology we can help the Mountain Giants with their madness! Come to think of it, slowly developing schizophrenia as they age sounds a bit like how the Frost Giants get filled with pain and suffer brain damage as they age; maybe the mountain giants have been afflicted by a virus too?

>>11690296
It was only the half-breed frost/mountain (called hill giants) that invariably developed mental disorders after age 50.

rolled 6, 5, 5 = 16

>>11690286
The Ulls and Bira do not form the majority of any nation you have knowledge of. Humans are much more numerous, at least in this area, and most populations support either multiple races or humans only.

You can send diplomats to practically anyone.

>>11690296
That's the Hill Giants, offspring of Mountain and Frost Giants.

Sorry to nitpick SubProc but earlier you mentioned that the railway cannon was 160 mm. That's only a 6 inch gun and that seems to be far too small for a railway cannon. If you meant 160 cm instead of 160 mm that would be twice the size of the Schwerer Gustav.

Although after reading up on a few 6-inch guns the shell they fired weighed 100 pounds and that sounds more appropriate to the tech-level than the seven-ton shells Gustav fired so maybe I'm wrong to even bring it up.

>>11690357
Well, next time we're in Dreamwood, call up New Aarmour and Perin's Foreign Affairs Ministry and ask them if they have any Ull or Bira professors in their faculty and if they know of any Ull or Bira nations, respectively.
We can then ask them about any rumors of ancient super-civilizations and if they have legends or stories about dealings with Frost Giants in the past.

rolled 3, 5, 4 = 12

>>11690385
The Dreamwood Dora 160mm gun was developed as the largest gun that can (currently) be reliably moved, stabilized, and fired while supported by a rail platform, at your current tech level. A 320mm gun was originally planned, but didn't pan out. 800mm is beyond Dreamwood's capabilities, not to mention that it was impractical even for the Germans.

>>11690398
As ordered.

>>11690474
timeskip to next month
new headlines requested

K1 is a control installation of some sort, with data backups and what may be stasis pods. (mostly destroyed)
K2 was researching robotics and cybernetics.
K3 was working on space travel.
K4 studied fission, fusion, and radioactive materials.
K5 studied the immaterial and had a hand in hover research. [Cloaking, teleportation, and incorporeal beings were within its project sphere.]
K6 studied advanced building materials and sensor systems.
K7 is a bioweapons research installation.
K8 was working on shielding and various countermeasures.
K9 was a medical research installation.

K10 Underwater naval research base
K14 (Destroyed)
K19 R&D AI systems

>>11690540
If K2 and K19 are relatively intact, in time we might be able to recreate the projects that were going on at K14; especially if their research data survived in the archives in K1 or in the ruins of Kharok Main.

The next time we go to secure a facility, we should go in with a full assault force and support logistics so that we won't have to abandon it like we did with K14.

>>11690357
Whoops, sorry about that. But my point still stands.

rolled 3, 4, 6 = 13

>>11690516
That will happen next session. I'll give you headlines, though: "Attack and Defend: Politics is the New War," "Newest Flavor a Hit, Tavern Serves 10,000th Iceball," "The BLS: Safety Net or Bad Parenting?" "Rail Here to Stay, Say Engineers," "In Hot Water: Home Boilers a Welcome Reality."

>>11690610
Hell, come to think of it, maybe the fact that they're half Frost Giant means that the same virus that effected the FGs got them too, though to a lesser degree!

We should work on writing down the story to both knights of the old republic games when we get some time to ourselves. I know we had been meaning to, once we got the typewriter figured out.

The jedi exile will be female in our version of kotor2, just so we can use this Darth Scion line as a teaser in the back of the first book:
"I hate you because you crawl within my head as she does, but your presence holds no thoughts, no teachings, you are just… there, unspoken. I hate you because you are beautiful to me. And in that weakness lies death."

>>11690629
Well, if the Hill Giants were being born with half of their genome coming from the corrupted Frost Giant genome, I wouldn't be surprised if there were problems down the line.
Now, what we need to know is if any Hill Giants were born before the Collapse, and if they also suffered the same problems.

>>11690620
ah well thats all well and good, I was only really pushing for headlines so I guess its goodnight subproc!

As I recall, Lokar has a relatively significant Mountain Giant population.
Let's send a diplomatic envoy there to establish communications, an embassy, and knowledge exchange.
While the Mountain Giants may not be interested much in our industry or technology, I think we can offer them something of value to them: Earth philosophy and frames of thought, questions of self and morality in the light of neurochemistry and genetic psychology. If they are philosophers, then this should be something that they might be willing to trade in.
In return, we could get some of our questions regarding Iralan civilization and Hill Giants answered.

rolled 2, 6, 1 = 9

>>11690681
Goodnight. Thanks for participating.

>>11690620
Hey SDM this thread hasnt been archived yet. You'd bettter get it before someone else does.

>>11690758
GODDAMNIT

>>11690758
Really? You're late, and considering how long you've been posting that same damn image, I'm disappointed that you haven't changed the skin color to blue, at least.
Hell, the guy that created the pic to the left at least got that right.

>>11690796

eh, the hair is wrong, though.

You're welcome incompetent troll dude

>>11690836
Ergh...That's more of a teal, than a blue. I admit, the hair is a little off in >>11690796
I like the tones on this one, though.

>>11690740
Anyway, a few things I'd like to have queued up for next session, then I'm done for the night.

1. Last thread, an oil deposit was found within our holdings in Simplessis. We should move to secure it and possibly begin extracting it, with a druid or other ecologically-minded mage supervising. We should post the opening up at Dreamwood Academy to see if anyone wants to volunteer. Look specifically for druids acquanted with marine ecosystems.
2. We can also open up a naval and aquatics research branch of our Academy in our coastal holdings.
3. See if we can get fishing and mineral exploitation rights on the area where K10 used to be. If the island is still there, look into purchasing it. Our cover story will be that it's for branching out into naval technology development.
When the High Nobles question it, admit that it's the location of a Kharok Facility, and would they rather buy the area for us, or let us get our damn fishing at least.
4. Give an update to the High Lord and the Prince about our progress with the 4 FB's. We'll need more personnel to crew all of the new ships.
5. Get an update about how our bolt-action "prototypes" are performing in the Forus Occupation, and if they need more shipments. Incorporate any noted requested improvements into our next generation of guns.

>>11690740
Thanks for the session SubDM. I noticed that you were able to start on time, so your Internet connection must have been hooked up on time. Congrats.
Hope that your move finishes smoothly. See you next session.

>>11692560
Do you have the non-photoshopped version of this?

>>11692596
Gimme a minute to dig through my folders.

I'm sorry, for the life of me, I can't find it. Got it of Gelbooru back in April, if that helps.
Have a crying Maya instead.

>>11682951
>rolled 1, 3, 3 = 7

You people and your useless armor.

I just want to thank you guys for the epic Maya pics.

This reminded my always of Maya.

>>11693999
chain is a silly thing to string a bow with.

Honestly now...

>>11694031
Makes perfect sense if the bow is metal and you have incredible strength. It's really hard to find gut/sinew strong enough to string a bow with when it has a 1500 pound pull.

>>11694065
But that raises even more questions! How does she remain stationary if she's firing off 1500lbs pull arrows?

She couldn't weigh more than 100 pounds, and that's including her armor! She'd go flying backwards like a tin can! No, no...none of this makes sense at all...

>>11694090
/tg/ specifically, and fantasy in general have a hard time understanding newton's third law.

We've had arguments about how people think rail-guns are inertness. Yeah...

>>11694090
Assuming she has incredible strengh to pull the string/chain back, shouln't she be able to brace herself against a tree or something without getting crushed?

>>11694116
how does that stop her arms from having sudden compression fractures?

>>11694090
Note the skin color and the thread you are posting in. I sincerely doubt she weighs 100 pounds. I suspet she's about 20' tall and weighs a LOT more than 100 pounds.

>>11694125
Hmm, good point. Well, of to the enchanter to solve this problem.

>>11694125
an elaborate exoskeleton that runs beneath her clothing, reinforcing joints and other key locations. Ultra-fine adamantium weave with an orihalcum generator for power located at the small of her back. telescopic anchor spikes built into the heel of her boot trigger when she's going to fire.

Of course, she's basically trapped in a skin-tight tomb if she ever runs out of gas, but barring that she's a walking siege engine up to that point.

>>11694136
But Maya's siege crossbow from early in the quest had a lot more pull than 1500lbs, I'd wager.

>>11694157
Does she say "it's morphin' time!" whenever she wants to shoot?

Also she needs to be pink.

>>11694110
>>11694090
>>11694157
Actually, the research being done for our 160mm and bigger artillery weapons does involve researching magical inertia dampeners, as well as mass reducers and other 'soft' SF devices.