All players of the BC and 13th receive +1 benny for the outstanding job, artwork, and role play.
No Fatigue check vs the cold is required
Spoon Fed Video Recap
How the first Round goes (Recap):
- THE SKY GROWS darker than dark as Duriel feasts on the psychic energy released by wanton death and destruction. Great white balls of fire descend onto the city blistering and blasting its sky scrapers and hovel homes alike. It truly seems like the apocalypse is upon this realm. But before he can move into the realm a great musical cacophony known as Drei Marbles Left plays a gig of their life at the nearby snow filled amphitheater. However they got there and were able to play in despite the torrid cold was a boon to all. There rock techno German blend fills the allies with hope and the enemies with terror. Gods, supernatural old ones, and beings of untold power rift in not wanting to miss out on another galactic concert. These beings fling themselves against the red drawn night sky sending Duriel back to what ever hell dimension he belong too. This bad bad demon lord will have to find a different opportunity to plague the Megaverse.
The tide turns for good or ill. Seconds turn to minutes, and minutes to hours. The cold of this icy realm has seeped into those armors normally able to withstand it. The allied troops ill prepared find themselves slowly freezing to death. For every order Caravello gives he realizes it is countered on the other side. He finds his adversary unlike none he has seen before and knows that if it were not through the individual efforts of his team mates a stalemate would be all but ensured. However, in what will be known as Vello's Gambit, Geist is dealt a crippling blow as the glitter boys lay waste to the Megaversal Legion, Ceals, and Martian death-walkers. Thousands of enemies perish in wave after wave of sonic booms!
The Tide TurnsGood Fortune!- Fortune and the luck gods have favored the heroes and their troops. A sky boat carrying the gods of luck skitters to and fro. It cannot help but bring a warm smile to those that need it most. Somehow, someway unknown to all, the CS renegade company led by Captain Lyboc found time during the battle to scrounge up tomatoes and warm fires to cook up enough batches to make some of his, or rather his wife's infamous tomato soup. The roughnecks swarm the field bringing a hot bowl or thermostat of soup that staves off the bitter cold for the time being.
- There are just too many civilians to save out in the frozen lake, and more are arriving from the old bones of Chicago by the second seeking a way out from the fiery harm that will surely descend on them. It is perhaps not the smartest move to try to cross an ice covered lake with a battle being waged, but its either that or face the white hot meteors of death. Sadly, the sheer numbers simply overwhelm the forces of good and many perish out in the frozen tundra.
Something good happens out in the lake, the thousands of innocent civilians that had been trapped and freezing to death are given a new lease on life. As Isis, the maternal goddess of the Egyptians rises high into the air to meet the demon wreathed in flame her shadow cast upon the ground grows wide encircling those that have been frozen to death. The dead stir and groan, becoming what they once were in life. While still not completely out of the blistering cold, the trapped civilians in harms way try to scramble out of the snow and into the arms of the Allied gloom forces.
- One of the downsides to bringing a dragon god to the fight could be that it might want to claim this blistering cold world for its own. Tiamat has some second thoughts during the fight vs the demon lord Duriel. He seizes an opportunity to cause confusion and chaos in the allied forces ranks by taking the leaders of each company out during a brief powwow.
One moment the heroes see them and then in the next, several all you hear are cries for help followed by Alex's hover bike's rail guns Blam Blam Blam... After a minute or 2 you hear over the radio Alex's voice,"Top Dog? Frak its dark down here. All the leaders are ok, I think... It looks like we are in some kind of pit, a deep well maybe... Kshhh... I think I see a way out. Common everyone move!"
- Without their commanders, the troops need to be reigned in with strong direction. For those of you in the 13th at the start of your turn make a spirit, persuasion, taunt, intimidation check at -4 to get the troops under your command. Fail this and your combat roll to help add to the kn battle roll is made at an extra -2 penalty.
Tales of the Annihilating battleYears later a book came out, published by an unknown hand, it has within it some rather interesting glimpses into how the members of the controversial Black Company were viewed. Turns out they were all heroes after all.
The martians work to push back the Justicars with mighty blasts from their alien weaponry.- Tale from the Annihilating Battle: Highway man Peter Mislap, a good man by all accounts. Finds himself slightly separated from Sammy and the rest of the "fallen" knights. His jaw is set grimly, he sees a family in need out on the ice. He looks at his hands, still unable to summon his blade, he grips his vibro sword closely and races out faster than man should. He makes it to the car and slices off the passenger door freeing the 3 kids trapped inside. He glances at the driver, a woman... Head cracked open. The kids shout, and Peter looks behind him. What did that FBI guy call them? Martian Spindle Walkers. Peter has seen them take out a few glitter boys with a single shot, they had some kind of death ray. How quaint. Peter grimaces as the walker draws closer its rays melt the engine block, time is not on his side. " Don't worry kids, I'll get you out." Its doubtful that his words would ring true, say for the well timed noisy blast by the furry feline cat. Peter catches the cat out the corner of his eye, he tips his head a silent nod for a life saved as he grabs the kids out of the car.
- Tale from the Annihilating Battle: Vanguard Warrior, Brok Iclick, the smallest warrior in the company of frost giants, and yet a head taller than the tallest of cyborgs. While fighting next to Alecto he was tossed aside into a L-series Phaeton, its white wall tires trapped in the ice covered over. Brok smiles as the Ceals descend upon him trying to touch their annihilating swords to his skin. He had seen what they do to his fellow Giants. His clan mate Chargro had met a gruesome demise, nothing was left. Brok maybe was not strong but he was smart enough. He could hear the car's radio still transmitting the atrocities of the day. He tumbled over the curved lines of the car and put it between him and the charging Ceals... Sadly Brok does not see the pair of Ceals creeping up on his rear. Before they get half a meter closer a glistening blade slashes them in twain, they fall to the side dead. The jet black hair lady scurries onward leading the troops. Some call her Alecto, others just call her hero.
- Tale from the Annihlating battle: Only fools have never heard of Humble the avatar of war. Only the foolish try to immolate his deity. Inspired by Humble's penchant for war, a crazy known as Doc Hensel scurried across the frozen lake, to the icy west river. The Martians we all over despite the destruction wrote by the boom guns on the allies side. The crazy dodged ray after ray of their heavy artillery, Doc Hensel kept going laughing all the way. He wanted to be just like his idol, Humble! A car careened out of nowhere into the river and Doc knew he had a choice. Really it was no choice at all and he dashed to save the family but a misstep on a cylindrical martian grenade would surely spell his doom. Kaboom! Doc Hensel opens his closed shut eyes to only see himself lifted by one hand high above the grenade, while another meat claw smoldering covers the blast. The figure doing the work of hero Humbly smiles. Its a good day to have an Avatar of war on your side.
- From the tales of the Annihilating battle One of the towering mages, folks called him Stork. A lumbering man six no seven feet tall stood out in the front line battling power armored soldier one after another. A skilled shot from a so called Lieutenant of the Megaversal Legion gave the towering man enough pause to find himself cornered. Never before had the being known as Stork needed help in such a bad way. The surrounding snow drift fell apart as the Iron mage strode into sight. There it was Stork met one who outclassed even himself. The megaversal soldiers vaporized in a howling screams into the ice. Nothing was left except their silent horror. The Ironmage towered even above the mighty Stork.
- From the Tale's of the Annihilating battle: Among the juicers was a small quick flex boy, maybe 18 years of age, so old enough to be a man, but had the look and smile of a young lad. His fellow juicer peers called him Quick Tic, and he certainly lived up to the name. Some say he was the fastest even faster than the famous Iron Tic. It was not until he was chrono-accelerated by the wizard Hans the true meaning of his name was revealed. Quick Tic led the charge of 1000 screaming juicers all accelerated by the greatest dwarf who ever lived. Not only did they demolish Geist's manor, but they rebuilt it in memory of the one called Hans! "Hans Lives Here" the sign now reads.
- From the tales of the annihilating battle: I once told him he wasn't good enough and that he was a drunkard. I once slapped him and threatened to end him if he did not do the right thing. I once saw him match wits with Victoria Geist, the chief architect of The Sorcerers Revenge. A brilliant tactical mind, what I thought was a once in a generation mind. Turns out on a Wednesday, in a place colder than it has a right to be, she met her equal and perhaps more. I never told Caravello I was proud of him, that I was proud of who he became. Being the so called leader of the cyber knights comes with its fair share of regrets. Lost loves, battles never fought, and people never saved. I am sorry I never got a chance to call him friend.
Round Two! The Battle continues and a call for help!
- MEANWHILE, Geist, with what troops she has left, mounts an all out assault. Cry Havoc and Release the dogs of war! Indeed Geist unveils something truly horrific, as the remaining waves of undead cybernetically arcane enhanced lifeforms give way to beasts that can only haunt the dark recesses of your dreams. Even the few martian destroyers give pause as this new threat is unleashed.
The Megaversal Legion troops that have survived this far too look back and to the sky in time to exhort the new weapon Geist brings forth! From the chimney stacks of Geist's foul annihilating factories that spew of rock, ash, and fire belches forth giving birth to Living Fire Rocks that come hurtling down with unerring accuracy. The gates of the factories open and countless 20ft tall mutated dogs come growling forth to the front lines seeking to do nothing but deliver the hurt on the allies of gloom. The CEALs, mystic knights, mind-melters, martians, and megaversal legion redouble their efforts not wanting the all out attack to be for not.
13th Massive BattleAfter last song is played you realize your deficit allies have done their Job and stopped Duriel the lord of vengeance. In your minds as he vanishes you hear, This is not over mortals!! I know thee twice!!
The outside amphitheater is being over run despite the best efforts of the heroes in this realm. With so many ceals crawling over place annihilating your would be protectors you have no choice but to abandon the theater. Isis before she leaves waves a hand and your music instruments disappear before you abandon the snow covered venue.
Upon arriving at the command tent of the allied forces you are greeted by a man who flashes some kind of badge, "Elliot Ness, FBI. I just loaned some fancy snow mobiles made by the x division to those creepers called the black company. The got a call, and headed out into the city." The man dressed in a suite, tie, and fur parka shrugs drinking some warm tomato soup pulls out a chair and sits down. He points at a detailed battle plan that Caravello must have been working on. " That guy Vello, might be a creeper, but he knew what he was talking about. I have led a raid or two in my time, but jeeze he was on another level. Looks like the enemy just launched some kind of fire ball, and hounds from hell... We got the civilians holed up in these caves yonder. I have been listening to the radio chatter and it seems like your Gloom forces are leaderless, and running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I guess you guys are in charge now, good luck Creepers.". Elliot lights up a cigarette and takes a long drag looking at the members of the 13th.
There is a sophisticated radio station inside the command tent capable of handling a vast amount of comm traffic, and indeed without a strong central voice a constant frantic stream of Orders, sir what our our orders?, Or, where is Helena? Does anyone read me...etc, is coming unfiltered over the comm channel. It would seem the 13th has their work cut out. As the battle is renewed with extra vigor, the man known as Elliot Ness look at the 13th, Jude in particular, " So pretty boy, are you the new commander?"
13th SET has the Massive Battle!
Geist has 9 tokens and players have 9 tokens (each token lost is about 3 tokens or 3k worth of personnel)
- Players Action: The time is now, narrate what you are doing during the battle. Do you stand with the Gloomers and try to take out as many Martian walkers as possible? Do you charge into the main ranks of the undead Ceals going hand to hand leading a contingent of cyberknights? Maybe you hangout with Captain Lyboc of the CS and protect the rear flank from a surprise maneuver of mystic knights. Really go wild and go crazy!
- Leaderless Complication: As stated above the various units have lost their platoon commanders. The heroes of the 13th will have to rally them. Give the chaos the Tiamat has wrought by making them disappear gaining the troops confidence and focus is even harder than normal.
- Make a successful Persuasion, Taunt, Intimidation, Spirit roll at -4
- Fail: add a -2 to your contributing roll!
- Make a combat roll(fighting, shooting, arcane skill roll) at -0 if you failed the above complication make it a -2!
- Players add +1 per each rank above novice
- Result: Damage Bypasses all armor!! Players can still spend a Benny to soak! We are going to try it this way... Thoughts on Sci Fi Mass Battle
- Failure: suffers 4d6 MD damage
- Success: +1 to the kn battle roll, suffers 3d6 MD damage
- Raise: +2 to the kn battle roll, suffers 2d6 MD damage
- Two raises: +2 to kn battle roll and emerges unscathed!
- Make a Kn Battle Roll Jude will be making this roll: +4 for heavy artillery and light air support, -2 for the cold and icy terrain=+2 to kn battle roll off the bat. A creative battle plan using each unit to their strength can also add a bonus. You also get to add any bonuses garnered through the individual efforts of fellow heroes.
- Note if Jude wants to also participate that is fine, just keep track of any wounds and apply them prior to the kn battle roll.
- A Great host of Glitter Boys
- Magi and automatons from the City of Brass
- Mystics and Cyber knights of New Alamo
- Fallen Cyber Knights, Justicars, law men
- Gloom's own city defenders
- Dewomer's defense force
- Sky Pirates
- Juicer Liberation Army
- The remnants of the Arcane Company
- CS rouge squadron: the roughnecks
- Frost Giants of another dimension!!
Black Company has the Dramatic Scene
Dramatic Task Post for Black Company or Part Two of Mass Battle
A ill timed radio transmission, at the command tent, draws your attention to a tall old fashioned hotel in the middle of Chicago.
"Black Company, this is Lord Coake...Ksssshhhh..." Slight static and the sound of screaming. "Victoria and I... Blackwell we are at the Hotel.... Ksshhhh. Overrun by Ceals .... Civilians need help. Capone will not listen to....Ksshhh." More static and more screams... "Black Company there is bomb..."
FBI Agent Elliot Ness, in the command tent, looks at Caravello, "For years, I have suspected that hotel is somehow responsible for the eternal night you see above. A bomb going off... Sounds like it might spread the darkness even farther. Truth be told, if the eternal night hanging over Chicago were to spend farther we would be in a world of hurt. Lots of folks live and work in that area. I got a few snow mobiles from the X Division right behind the rocks over there. It sounds like you Creepers are needed else where."
Getting to the Hotel is surprisingly not a problem, the snow mobiles lent to you, while outdated, are sufficient. Even getting into the lobby is a piece of cake. Men dressed in slick suits holding onto archaic barrelled weapons give you nods as you enter. It seems they have been made aware of your arrival. Inside, at the lobby is a whole different matter. Bodies of wiseguys, mobsters, shim-sham men lie dead with various body parts vaporized. Lord Coake rushes towards you, his eyes are wild, and his hands are drenched with blood. His vaunted Psi-sword is not out, he instead has a laser pistol and vibro blade in hand.
"My friends, thank you for coming. Time is not on our side. The Ceals have taken Victoria Geist hostage. She is crucial to the survival of her world, and ours. The future brigade will perish without her, and the time wizards will run rampant undoing everything good we have built. She has been taken down below, I suspect the blood of that thug Al Capone..."
A man walks over, slickly suited, a red scar on his cheek. He straightens his tie: "Who you calling a thug Coakey? I am respectable heh."
He reaches across to shake your hands, "The name is Al, and damn right I ain't going to open no door, for no reason. Its bad enough you twos begged me to open it once, and look whadda happened. Undead coke-fiends running around with death sticks whacking my men."
Al Capone points down the hallway where gun fire and screaming can be heard, as well as a loud dragon roar. Al shudders, "Dragons, heh. You ask me and my men to hold the sunfire ballroom, all I's can say is I got no men left and it sounds like youz Blackeye friend is getting the business end of a shotgun in his gut. If the undead, Cealies get out into the streets, my people, the people of Chicago are going to pay Coakey and I cannot have that."
Lord Coake, grips his vibro blade tightly, looking down the hallway to the ballroom Al had pointed to. Coake seems exhausted and grimly says, "We are spread thin... Victoria and I were only looking for a Bomb, and after we checked the basement we checked the top floor... Its always either in the bottom or the top. It was in the top of the hotel, room 808, presidential suite... we were not able to disarm it, and in our haste we must have let evil gain a foothold when..."
Al puts up his hands in shock and interrupts Coake. "Woa, Coakey you diddna say anything about a bomb. The entire hotel is built out of a special martian rock... It blows, who knows what happens, you come from a different world, but I bet if this tower goes it takes your Earth too Coakey. This is the last building weda want to blow capeche. You bedda stop this, I'm thinking it might be time to vamoose."
Lord Coake nods, "I should not have stepped into this battle, my... I am of little use in such a bloody battle. The Black Company was formed to safeguard the ideals of the Tomorrow Legion, and the Future Brigade. If what Al says is true, those ideals are in jeopardy as we speak. Black Company, I need you to disarm the bomb in the top of the tower, and stop the Ceals from making it onto the streets, and if you can convince Mr. Copone to go down and unlock the basement door, that would be great... so we can save Victoria."
He looks at each of you, his fatigue threatening to get the better of him and whispers, "I know there is a war going on, and without you there to affect it, Geist might win. I don't know what will happen, but I do know what happens here, at this hotel, without your aid. I had to chance it, calling you here to stop this. If this plays out right, we will save the worlds, and be stronger in our fight against Giest.". It looks like the exaughsted knight has more to say but a loud dragon roar punctuates the need for a quick decision to be made.
Direction to Players
There are 3 scenes, and 3 success must be made at each scene for a successful outcome to be had. Scene modifiers are a -4.
Directions: it is advised the players discuss a little bit and allocate their resources to where it is best suited.- Step 1 choose your scene, only one scene can be chosen, see Blaze of Glory option.
- Step 2 make your roll at -4 using 1 of the listed traits.
- step 3 narate your results
- Critfail: increases the scene success total needed by 1.
- Fail: roll 3d6 and on a 6 something horrible happens.
- (4)Success: roll 2d6 and on a 6 something bad happens.
- (8)Raise: roll 2d6 and on a 6 something good happens.
- (12)Two raises: roll 3d6 and on a 6 something awesome happens.
- (16)Three raises: add +1 success to any scene of your choice as your efforts have carried the day
- Blaze of Glory: this is a special option that any chacter can take for this scene. In addition to the normal effects add 1 success to any scene. Your character does not survive.
1- Convince Copone to aid you, get him to take you down to the basement and open a black vault door with his blood. There you find Victoria Geist about to be sacrificed to some dark god by some ceals. Capone is adamantly resistant to going down. Something either has him spooked or he is in on the plan. In an important moment you must by smooth talking, sheer intimidation, a rude taunt, or brute force coerce his help.
SCENE TWO fighting, shooting, throwing, arcane backgrounds
2- Bar the exit to prevent Ceals from flooding the streets (possibly rampage through the hotel killing the Ceals).- The forces holding the Sunfire Ballroom have given way. 100s of ceals pour out into the central hall and main lobby. Only you and the doors behind you are the only things preventing them from pouring out onto the streets and going on a murderous rampage. During a crucial moment you must either make a fighting, shooting, Vigor, or arcane background roll to hold the line.
3-Disarm the bomb.- Welcome to room 808, the presidential suite. The device is well hidden and once found, a electronic contraption with enough tnt and copper wires to take out much of the hotel. If what capone said is true that the hotel is made out of some kimd of mystic rock, indeed a powerful blast could rip a hole in the space time continuum demolishing the fabric of reality itself. In a sweaty, intense moment you must make a notice check, repair roll, kn demo/electronics, or smarts roll to diffuse the bomb. The digital timer is counting down the seconds to your destruction.
This is the FINAL (Official) POST from the Black Company. Make it good. Have fun with it. Everyone, other than Alecto, is retiring there Characters, Alecto is going to end up separated from the rest and next Q be with the 1st SET. This is the Black Company going out with a bang, hopefully not from the bomb, but the 13th SET will not see you again in Character. The fate of the BC will be unknown, other than Lord Coake will tell the, well a, tail of the epic BC who stopped (we hope) the hotel and worlds from blowing up. As hinted (blatantly) at, Blackwell himself is in this Hotel and you are free to encounter the Black Dragon and work with him. He will offer you a job in the Megaversal Black Company Ranks as members of the Galactic version of the BC. Or you can return to Earth and rebuild the BC there. Maybe, both can be done? Thank you for your stories!