Dr Archeville

Do keep talking amongst yourselves, the more I hear the more I learn. Though even without knowing your spoken language, your body language and tone convey much. "Yes," he replied carefully, doing his best to keep one eye on his hostess and one eye on the man-ram, "I have observed that the humanoid form appears quite often in the dominant species on many worlds, or at least that ones which have visited Terra." He held his hands out before him, splayed his fingers wide and wiggled them, "enough manipulators to achieve most tasks, but not too many to be an inefficient drain on resources." He gestured towards his head, "two forward-facing eyes, just enough to provide adequate depth perception, and ears on opposing sides provide all-around audio perception. I get the sense, though," he placed his hands down in front of him, folded over his abdomen, "that you are also inquisitive and keenly perceptive, and so have already made similar observations." He looked towards the large blue figure -- and the large spikes hovering nearby -- then back to Starlok. "Countess, I do appreciate your caution, and admire your bodyguard's alertness and... animal magnetism. However, if we are to be working together on exploring the structure which drew us both here, I would request that you tell him I mean no harm or disrespect, and wish to be an ally." He looked back at Dirge and smiled, showing his omnivore's teeth.

I'd like to remind the thread GM that Dok has the following Comprehend 3 (languages 3 [read all, speak any one at a time, understand all]; Drawback: Power Loss [requires time -- GM’s discretion -- to process and assimilate entirely new languages]) [5PP] So I'll leave it to you as to how long it takes for Dok to learn GalStandard from Dirge & Starlok's bantering.

Of course, of course, it's an artificial coral reef now, Davyd thought to himself, we can't just go tearing that up. Duh. Stupid, stupid... "Y-yeah, of course," he replied demurely. "So, uh, when are we planning to go? In the morning, when it's light out? Or is it deep enough that light can't reach it, so we'd have to bring our own lights anyway? And do you have, like, special tasks for us, based on our strengths and weaknesses?" He looked around at his fellow Claremonters, settling first on the Forever Boy. "Pan, you're amazingly maneuverable in the sky, but how well do you move underwater? Lulu," he turned to her, though did not quite make eye contact, instead focusing on her forehead, "could you scout ahead with your brain powers, maybe warn us of any hungry sharks in the area? And Adam," he shifted to Lulu's boyfriend, again not quite making eye contact, focusing instead on his arms and torso, "you can... uh... you... hunh." He chewed his lower lip, "I just realized, I'm not quite sure what your deal is. I know you're really strong and tough, but..." he shrugged.

NUKED FROM ORBIT by Fox (it was the only way to be sure) Horrorshow 10 points to spend! Just spending 7 now, plus a bit of rearranging. SAVING THROWS [0pp] Remove “Evasion 2 w/ "Oozey form"“ from next to the Reflex Save line. POWERS [+7pp] Enhanced Feats: For the “Horrific Transformation” EF, please add Fearsome Presence 7. [+7pp] Enhanced Feats 8 ("horrific transformations"; Challenge 1 [Intimidate/Startle as a Move action], Fearsome Presence 7 [35 feet, DC 17]) [8PP] Metamorphic Body: Under the third slot (“Oozey Form”), remove Enhanced Feats 2 (Evasion 2) and increase Super-Movement to 3, adding wall-crawling. Metamorphic Body 10.5 (21 points; PFs: Alternate Power 2) [23PP] BE: Feature 1 (Mimicry) {1} + Morph 6 (any form, +30 Disguise; PFs: Covers Scent, Precise) {20} {1+20=21/21} (“Shapechanger”) AP: Enhanced Strength 6 (to 26/+8) {6} + Impervious Toughness 10 (Flaw: Limited [Only vs. Physical]) {5} + Leaping 2 (x5; running long jump 90 ft., standing long jump 45 ft, high/vertical jump 22 ft.) {2} + Speed 1 (10 mph/100 feet per round) {1} + Strike 2 ("claws & fangs & lashing tail"; PFs: Improved Critical 1 [19-20], Mighty, Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning/piercing/slashing]) {5} + Super-Movement 1 (Wall-Crawling) {2} {6+5 +2 +1+5+2=21/21} (“Chitinous Horror Form”) AP: Elongation 3 (25 feet) {3} + Insubstantial 1 (liquid) {5} + Strike 5 ("pseudopods"; PFs: Mighty, Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning/piercing/slashing]) {7} + Super-Movement 3 (slithering, slow fall, wall-crawling) {6} {3+5+7+6=21/21} (“Oozey Form”) Shapeshift: Under this, below the Quote box, please list this: Default Configuration Leaping 2 (total Leaping 4 in Chitinous Horror form) [2] Speed 3 (total Speed 4 in Chitinous Horror form) [3] Super-Movement 1 (wall-crawling 1; total Wall-Crawling 2 in Chitinous Horror or Oozey forms) [2] Super-Senses 3 (low-light vision, scent, ultra-hearing) [3] Abilities (26) + Combat (8) + Saving Throws (10) + Skills (18) + Feats (11) + Powers (107) - Drawbacks (3) = 177/180 Power Points [3 free] And at the top of the page Power Level: 10 (177/180PP) Unspent Power Points: 3 Trade-Offs: -2 Defense/+2 Toughness

UPGRADED by Fox Artificer 9 PP to spend COMBAT [+2pp] Increase Base Attack Bonus by +1. Attack: +4 Melee, +7 Ranged, +11 w/ Blast SAVING THROWS [0] Cost is listed incorrectly: should be [2 + 2 + 3 = 7PP] Cost is correct in the Totals row at the bottom of the sheet. SKILLS [+12r = +3pp] Concentration +1r Craft (Chemical) +2r Investigate +2r Medicine +2r Search +5r Concentration 5 (+8) Craft (Artistic) 7 (+10) Craft (Chemical) 2 (+5) Craft (Mechanical) 7 (+10) Craft (Structural) 7 (+10) Disable Device 7 (+10) Investigate 2 (+5) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 7 (+10) Knowledge (Technology) 7 (+10) Language 2 (Atlantean [native], English, Greek) Medicine 2 (+5) Notice 2 (+5) Search 7 (+10) FEATS [+1pp] Add 1 rank of Attack Focus (Ranged), bringing that to 3 ranks total. POWERS [0] Device: Slight adjustment to “Mechano-Mystical Components” (edits to Blast, formatting fixes): Device 1 (“Mechano-Mystical Components,” 5 points; Flaw: Hard to Lose) [4PP] Enhanced Feats 5 (Alternate Power x5 for Heroditus’ Magic [18 points]) {5} AP: Blast 5 (“bolt of arcane energy”; PFs: Accurate 2, Affects Insubstantial 2, Improved Critical, Precise, Variable Descriptor 2 [any magical]) {18/18} AP: Create Object 7 (”Alchemy/Transmuted Objects”; up to 7 5-ft. Cubes, Lifting STR 35; Extra: Duration [Continuous]; Flaw: Range [Touch]; PFs: Innate, Subtle, Variable Descriptor 2 [any matter]) {18/18} AP: Environmental Control 2 (Light 1, 10-ft. Radius) {2} and Illusion 7 (“holograms;” visual; PF: Progression [10-ft. radius]) {15} {2+15=17/18} AP: Move Object 5 (“mage hand”; Str 25; Extra: Damaging; PFs: Precise, Subtle, Variable Descriptor [arcane force or shaped matter]) {18/18} AP: Transform 3 (“Alchemy/Transmutation,” Any Inanimate Object Into Any Other Inanimate Object; Extras: Duration [Continuous, Lasting]; Flaw: Range [Touch]; PFs: Progression [Mass] 3 [50 lbs.]) {18/18} 3 left free. Abilities (24) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (7) + Skills (16) + Feats (11) + Powers (48) - Drawbacks (0) = 122/125 Power Points [3 under] Power Level: 8 (122/125PP) Unspent Power Points: 3 Trade-Offs: +3 Attack/-3 Effect

For a second, Heroditus was gripped in the worst fear he'd ever experienced. He had just seen Danica and the tortoise enclosure, and suddenly felt like he himself was in a great arid desert. A blazing sun loomed overhead, the air so dry it sucked the moisture from his skin, his lungs, his eyes. And the vast emptiness, coupled with the certain knowledge that there were things out there, things he would not see or hear, things with fangs and pincers and stingers and skin rougher than any shark's. He froze, then began to hyperventilate... ... and then it stopped, as his trembling caused Astrid's headphones to slip back down over his ears and blare her viking metal at him, providing some measure of interference. "An akoustik effect," he realized, "like what ancestor Teptavopos worked on!" He adjusted the headphones to fit more securely, cranked the volume, and checked on his squadmates. "OH! I THINK I CAN COUNTER THIS!" Reaching into his pouches, he withdrew several components and quickly set to work. Surfacers, always so volatile. But this should bring some much-needed calm. In moments, he had what looked like a rounded cone with four tuning forks emerging from the side, set evenly around it. He set it on the ground, on its wide end, then knelt before it. He raised his hands to either side of it, and channeled his arcane energies into the device, which set the four tuning forks rotating. Two of the forks began vibrating instantly, in sympathy with the subsonic fear effect that was blanketing the area, then the other two began vibrating at a counter frequency, generating feelings of serenity and tranquility. "HOW ARE YOU FEELING NOW?," he asked Micah and Veronica.

Artificer's up! Starting Conditions: Undamaged, 1 HP. Move Action: Manipulate Item -- secure Astrid's walkman onto his ears and crank the volume. (Penalties to Notice/Listen checks, bonus to saves vs. sonic effects?) Free Action: Extra Effort to power stunt an Area Emotion Control (Calm) effect off of his Magic Emotion Control 8 ("Emotional Purgative"; Extra: Area [Targeted, Burst, 200 ft. radius]; Flaw: Limited [Calm only], Range 2 [Touch]; PFs: Progression [Area] 2 [25 ft. increments]) {6/18} Standard Action: Activate Emotion Control/Calm effect. Ending Conditions: Undamaged, 1 HP, will be fatigued at start of next round.

Davyd felt a twinge of pity for Dio. Who would've thought a dragon would have such difficulty up here?! Is it the artificial gravity? The recycled atmosphere? Or being too far from Earth? He's said something about being an 'acolyte of the earth dragon' -- is being away from Earth weakening him? Is it Earth specifically, or will he get better once back on any rocky planet? "That's a-," he began, did a double take at Abby, then resumed, "that's a good point, Leroy, Ms. Velocity." He grinned and shrugged, "I'm sure there are all kinda of weird similarities and coincidences like that." He wasn't actually sure, but he sensed this conversation could quickly reach levels of navel-gazing that would be counterproductive and inappropriate for this place and time, so it was best to end it there. And then he saw Seresk. It was far from the first alien he'd seen, not even the first he'd seen that spoke English. But it was still a fascinating sight. After Eira's introduction, he smiled and extended a hand to Seresk, "please, call me Dayv."

I'd imagine that some of the scans are MRI-like, so using radio waves and magnetic fields. The whole of the electromagnetic spectrum, really.

Vaguely raptor-shaped on the outside, but all Gothic castle inside. Wait, no, not raptor, chiropteran. Well, they certainly have an aesthetic, and dedication. Archeville looked over his ship's scanners, atmospheric composition and pressure well within human standard tolerable limits, gravity okay, temp on the low end of standard but far from dangerous. Can't find any refueling stations, so this isn't a hangar, more like a cargo hold. Not expecting visitors? A bit unusual composition of the hull, though nothing truly surprising -- a bit disappointing, really. Oh, hold on: that... carpet? Hunh. Impressive! He glanced at the camera feeds, which showed the two approaching figures. "So, a big blue demon crackling with power, and some sort of vampire queen with a sword. On a creepy castle floating in space. Near an abandoned Mesoamerican temple." He chuckled and shook his head, "sure, why not." He took a closer look at the sensor readouts, whoa, rammy's giving off some serious electrical and magnetic energies! And if he can generate them, he can probably perceive a wider swath of the electromagnetic spectrum, so I'll need to be careful with where I 'look'. And Starlok: definitely alive, but low body temp, dense muscular and bone structure, downright bizarre blood chemistry and neural activity. Wait, are those -- wow. I'll have to be careful when it comes to handshakes. Dirge could feel the pulses of electromagnetic energy radiating off the vessel. Not intense enough to be damaging, no, this was a simple scan. Of him, of Starlok, of the entire room. Whoever was aboard was looking at them, while remaining unseen himself. Archeville nodded once, then set off from the cockpit to the main exit at the back of the craft. Along the way he double-checked the sprayflesh disguise over his face, neck, hands, and forearms, making sure he looked like an Ordinary Terran, and not the technorganic hybrid of flesh, metal, and circuitry that he truly was. "Alright, here goes...." The cockpit of the Terran's craft remained still, but Dirge & Starlok could hear the rear of it open, the back folding down to form a cargo ramp. Sturdy leather boots could be heard coming down the metal ramp, but were quickly muffled once they hit the Pale Rider's carpeted interior. A figure came around front, arms spread wide, hands open, palms up. He was a pale, and a few inches taller than her, with thin, sharp features and luxurious golden hair cascading down over his shoulders. His clothing was simple, black boots, dark blue pants, a metallic gray & blue belt with numerous pouches -- and a holster containing some sort of wand or rod -- a deep red shirt, and a white, faintly luminous lab coat. He stopped several feet from Dirge and Starlok, and bowed slightly to her, "I thank you, Countess Ori-Bath of Lugo," he said in English with a slight German accent, "for inviting me onto you vessel. I enter freely and of my own will, and hope to leave something of the happiness I bring." As he spoke, the ramp of his ship closed and sealed itself. This Terran was not quite what Dirge expected. His entire body was suffused with some manner of electrical energy, but he could not sense any particular source. It was as if every cell in his body were emitting it, most especially those in his brain and nervous system. He'd had similar sensations around some cyborgs he'd had dealings with, yet he sensed no metal implants in this Terran. Wait, no, there is metal, minuscule amounts suffused throughout him. Perhaps this one wasn't as soft as Starlok indicated his species was.

Before leaving his ship, Dok's going to use his ship's sensors Super-Senses 43 (Accurate, Analytical, and Extended 3 [10,000 ft. {1.89 miles} increment] on all Radio senses [12], Analytical, Extended 3 and Radius for all Visual senses [10]; communication link [with Doktor Archeville; radio] [1]; danger sense [radio] [1], detect geological data [radio] [2], detect life forms [radio] [3], detect weather [radio] [2], distance sense [1], infravision [1], low-light vision [1], radio (with accurate, this is also radar) [1], time sense [1], trace teleport [radio] [1], ultravision [1], uncanny dodge [radio] [1], x-ray vision [4]) to run a quick scan on the hangar and on Starlok and Dirge. Using his Mental Quickness 4 (x25), he can Take 20 in [1 minute = 60 seconds / 25 = ] 2.4 seconds, or 1 [standard] action, getting 23. That should get him some good info. Since the scans are radio-based, Dirge's Electromagnetic Awareness will pick them up, so he'll know they're being scanned. Dok's got his Nanotech-Enhanced Brain set to "Enhanced Presence," so his Charisma is 24/+7 right now.

She can still incant, Heroditus thought, but at least she can no longer gesture, so that should impede her magic somewhat. As he swam towards her, he swapped out the brass knuckles and hand wraps for another set of components, several flat strips of metal and a glass vial filled with a tiny amount of liquid, his attempt to recreate something he'd seen months earlier. He tucked the vial into the crook of his right arm as he wove the strips into a circle, then a dome. Holding the cap in his right hand, he withdrew a tool with his left and made quick marks where the strips crossed, sigils of order and reason, logic and rationality, and healthful restoration. Now for the real challenge. Theodora strained against her bonds even more as her brother approached, but the Hugging Hands held true, and he was able to place his device on her head. "<Remember who you are, sister!>" he pleaded, shaking the vial in front of her face. "<Remember you lessons, your family!>" The agitation caused the tiny amount of liquid in the vial to vaporize into a sparkling blue gas, and when he opened the vial, it emerged as a palm-sized bubble. "<Remember, and be restored!>" He placed his free hand on the cap and channeled his arcane energies into it while pushing her slightly forward, face-first into the bubble, which clung to her nose and mouth, lungs and bloodstream. The combination -- he hoped -- would undo whatever foul transformation had befallen her.

Starting Conditions: Undamaged, 1 HP, will be fatigued at start of next round. Reaction: Spend HP to nix fatigue. Free Action: Extra Effort to power stunt a Nullify Mental Transform effect off of his Magic Nullify 13 ("Purge Mental Corruption", Nullifies Mental Transforms [2pp/rank]; Flaw: Range [Touch]) {13/18pp} Move Action: Move adjacent to Theodora Standard Action: "Attack" Theodora with Nullify. Since she is bound & helpless, melee attacks against her get a +4 bonus, she loses any Dodge bonus, and takes an additional -9 penalty to Defense against attacks from adjacent opponents. 1d20+7: 14 [1d20=7] Pretty sure that hits. Now to make opposed rolls: my Nullify vs. the rank of the Mental Transform effect (since she's the subject of the effect, not the effect's user) 1d20+13: 33 [1d20=20] Natural 20! And, yes, while he is intending for an undoing of the full Transform effect, I think it could be more interesting if it only undoes the Mental part, but does not touch her body. He's still got a lot to learn! Ending Conditions: Undamaged, 0 HP, will be fatigued at start of next round.

"Oh!," a light sparked in Heroditus' eyes, "I remember that last one! Captain Kraken, and Dakuwanga!" A childlike sense of awe and wonder, tinged with fear, crept into his voice, "I was only ten at the time, a few months shy of my eleventh birthday. During the initial attack, my parents hid my sister & me, then they went out to see what they could do to defend the city and its people. Theodora & I comforted each other, as panic gripped the streets." He paused, perhaps remembering some particularly loud explosion from Kraken's ship's guns, but only for a moment. "In the aftermath, our parents were quite busy -- mother tended to the wounded, and father saw to repairs to the city. I believe he may have even worked on rebuilding and reinforcing Dakuwanga's holding pen!" He wasn't entirely sure that last bit was actually true, but it sounded like something the Stylianos family would be called in to do. "Do the three of you still work together? Do you have your own base of operations?"

And we're already one month in! In case you didn't post your threads in the month's Active Threads post, you can still put them in late thread counting. And if it looks like something's off with your sheet or tracker updates, send the Ref Team a message (either in a PM here, or in our Discord channel) and we'll look into it. Angrydurf Ace Danger: 0 posts, 1pp (Ref point) = 1pp Infinity (and Eternity): 5 posts = 1pp Kanunu: 2 posts = 1pp Red Lynx: 1 post = 1pp Unbreakable Kronk, The: 3 posts = 1pp Ari Mag-Might: 0+1 post (rollover) = 1pp Salmon: 0+1 post (rollover) = 1pp, +1 [Guide] = 2pp Squire B’Ka: 5 posts = 1pp Sun Dragon: 13 posts = 2pp GM: 3 posts = +6, 1 to Mag-Might, 1 to Salmon, 4 to The Void Avenger Assembled Angelic: 43+7 = 50 posts = 4pp, +1 [Admin] = 5pp Sea Devil: 6+19 = 25 posts = 3pp Watchdog (and Daystar): 12 posts = 1pp Woodsman: 8+2 = 10 posts = 2pp GM: 15 posts = +30 posts; 7 to Angelic, 19 to Sea Devil, 2 to Woodsman, 2 to The Void Azuth65 Gauss: 1 post = 1pp Cubismo Ms. Thursday: 8 posts = 1pp Dariusprime Vox: 2 posts = 1pp Darksider42 Spectre: 2 posts = 1pp Dr Archeville Artificer: 13 posts = 2pp, +1pp for Extracurricular [Guidebook Page] = 3pp Horrorshow: 10 posts = 2pp, +1pp [Ref Point] = 3pp EternalPhoenix Terrifica: 2 posts = 1pp, +1 [Mod point] = 2pp Exaccus Facsimile: 4 posts = 1pp Techneaux: 1 post = 1pp Fox Eclipse: 0+1 post (rollover) = 1pp Gremlin: 0+1 post (rollover) = 1pp Grim: 0+1 post (rollover) = 1pp Masque: 14 posts = 2pp, +1pp [Ref point] = 3pp Wraith [Titanium]: 5 posts; 1 each to Eclipse, Gremlin, and Grim, 2 to The Void Gizmo Lou Lubrano: 3 posts (rollover) = 1pp, +1pp [Ref point] = 2pp Reagent/Alkahest [Titanium]: 3 posts, rolled over to Lou Grumblefloof Dirge: 5 posts = 1pp Mister Strix: 0 Octoman: 6 posts = 1pp, +1pp [Guide] = 2pp Persephone: 5 posts = 1pp Heritage Crystal Gazer: 16 posts = 2pp Torque: 1 post = 1pp Grimalkin [Titanium]: 5 posts, not enough to help anyone KnightDisciple Judex: 1 post = 1pp Raven III: 0, +1pp [Guide point] = 1pp Thunderbird: 7 posts = 1pp Nick Arcana: 4 posts = 1pp, +1pp [Admin point] = 2pp Olopi Lady Liberty: 12 posts = 2pp RocketLord Archer II: 7 posts + 3 GM posts = 10 posts = 2pp Cheval: 8 posts + 2 GM posts = 10 posts = 2pp Forever Boy: 7 posts + 3 GM posts = 10 posts = 2pp Justice: 6 posts + 44 GM posts = 50 posts = 4pp + 3pp Extracurriculars [1 for NPC, 2 for Guidebook] + 1pp [Guide point] = 8pp Rebellion: 1 post = 1pp GM: 28 posts = +56; 3 to Archer, 2 to Cheval, 3 to Forever Boy, 44 to Justice, 4 to The Void Secondling Legatus: 2 posts = 1pp Semi-Autogyro Gnomon: 3 posts = 1pp Shofet Corona: 5 posts = 1pp Meta-Naut: 3 posts = 1pp Soliton: 15 posts = 2pp Starlok: 2 posts = 1pp, +1 (Extracurricular/Rep Table) = 2pp GM: 1 = +2 posts, not enough to help anyone Tarrakhash Black Mamba: 1 post = 1pp Chromium: 4 posts = 1pp Delta: 1 post = 1pp TheAbsurdist Bliss: 3 posts = 1pp Rebound: 1 post = 1pp, +1 [Mod] = 2pp Thevshi [Mod point to ???] Squire Kath’lana: 4+6 = 10 posts = 2pp Veronica Danger: 6+7 = 13 posts = 2pp GM: 3 = +6 posts, to Squire Tsunami [Titanium]: 7, rolled over to Veronica Thunder King Specimen: 4 posts = 1pp Tiffany Korta Dr. Thorne: 0+1 post (rollover) = 1pp Emerald Spider: 2 posts = 1pp Immutable Betsy Brooks, The: 0+1 post (rollover) = 1pp Merge Trois: 1 post = 1pp Ms. Bright: 1 post = 1pp Scarab III: 0+1 post (rollover) = 1pp Traveller: 4 posts + 6 posts (GM & rollover) = 10 posts = 2pp, +1pp (Ref point) = 3pp Valkyrja: 2 posts = 1pp White Lioness: 1 post = 1pp GM: 2 posts = +4 Miss Grue [Titanium]: 4 posts (rolled over) Triakosia [Titanium]: 2 posts (rolled over) Torpedo Lass Torpedo Lass: 4 posts = 1pp

"Okaaay," Davyd replied to Velocity, scratching his head with his free hand, "but Daedalus models himself after the Greek inventor, right? So why go with the Latin name?" He swiveled his head back to Eira, "Citizen? Yeah, I've heard of-" and then his eyes went wide as teacup saucers, "wait, he's your brother?!" He shook his head, which flopped about much more than it should have, and his eyes went back to normal, "gosh, Eira, are you related to anyone else that's a world-famous superhero?," he added, half-chuckling (and a bit concerned of what her answer might be). He saw the ship, but gave little reaction to it. It was an impressive bit of engineering, certainly, and far beyond what most Earthlings Terrans could make, but it looked so... plain. Maybe I have watched too much sci fi...

Oh thank goodness. "Ah, delightful!" the voice replied, in English. "I am still learning GalStandard, so I am quite relieved to hear a language with which I am already familiar!" Static filled one of the communication screens, soon replaced by the image of a Terran, with pale skin and long golden hair, seated in a plush chair. His craft obviously had some sort of artificial gravity, as his long hair was loose, yet not floating about him, but Terrans didn't have that technology yet... did they? "I do appreciate your concern, Countess Starlok, but I am quite a bit more capable than most of my people back home. As for your... wholly reasonable request," he toggled several switches -- actual, physical switches! -- and a pod at the nose of the ship and several along the front edge of the wings opened up, "I freely approach with arms open and empty, and await a signal to guide me into your hangar." And so, the strange Terran craft boarded the Pale Rider, and waited to see who would come to greet it. Whoever arrived first would see it was still sealed up, and the cockpit window was pitch black.

Since Dr. Ea'Po is Lor, and Dok's ship is based on a Pegasus spaceplane -- like the kind Daedalus used when going around space -- there's a chance she could recognize it as being Terran.

A blip suddenly appeared on the Pale Rider's scanners, indicating a ship was approaching. Which was definitely not expected by Dr. Ea'Po, or anyone else. It was much smaller than Starlok's vessel, barely 20 meters long, and of a fairly aerodynamic triangular shape, as if intended primarily for atmospheric flight. Its coloration was also decidedly odd: matte black with metallic gold trim, and numerous red lights all across the surface. And now it was hailing them! Audio only, but in multiple languages! "<Hello! I detected some strange readings from the massive... thing that you are parked in front of. I am an explorer and scientist, from, well, quite far away, and was hoping to get a look. Of course, if you don't want outsiders here, I would be understanding, and leave you to it. But I dearly hope that we might work together on exploring this fascinating structure!>" Too bad none of them understood German, or English, or Russian, or Arabic. But Viktor Archeville was just getting started.

The Doktor is in!

Artificer's Will save 1d20+6: 7 [1d20=1] Yikes! No, using that HP we just got to re-roll that. 1d20+6: 13 [1d20=7] +10 b/c the die rolled less than 10, so that's actually 23. Much better! And initiative -- 1d20+1: 8 [1d20=7] Current status: uninjured, 1 HP.

The Skill Mastery feat lets you Take 10 on four (4) selected skills, regardless of the circumstances (including being in combat), though it does not allow you to Take 10 with skills that do not normally allow you to do so. This cuts down on the amount of dice rolling, which speeds up play (and avoids any potential “cursed dice” issues). It also gives you a reliable benchmark to gauge your level of proficiency: someone with Skill Mastery for a skill that has a +10 modifier on can reliably hit a DC 20, while someone with a +10 modifier but not Skill Mastery will only hit it about half the time. So it’s good for characters who have moved beyond the “fails a lot but learns a lot from those failures” level with a certain set of skills. For some skills, this is a very useful feat! For others, it’s largely useless. Let’s take a closer look. Acrobatics Being able to reliably Take 10 on Acrobatics checks while in combat is incredibly useful, so Skill Mastery is a fine choice for this skill. Also, if you’ve got a +10 or better modifier to Acrobatics, you can Take 10 to stand from prone as a free action (DC 20), so it’s the same as having the Instant Up feat. Bluff Being able to Take 10 on Bluff while in combat means being able to Take 10 on attempts to feint or trick a foe in combat (or demoralize them if you have Taunt). And if you take a -5 on the check (or take the appropriate Challenge feat), you can do so as a Move action, leaving your Standard action for making an actual attack. Climb Failing a Climb check by 5+ means falling (which will probably hurt!), so Skill Mastery can help avoid that. Also, any time you take damage while climbing, you need to make a Climb check to avoid falling. You’ll need Skill Mastery to Take 10 while in combat, so if you foresee your character doing a lot of fighting while climbing -- and you don’t take any Super-Movement (wall-crawling), which removes the need for Climb checks -- then this could be a good investment. Computers You probably won’t be hacking mainframes while in combat, but failing these checks can have consequences (like alerting a sysadmin), so being able to reliably achieve a certain DC is worth it. In addition, if you have both the Online Research and Well-Informed feats, you’d be making a Computers check in combat, and being able to Take 10 would cut down on time and randomness. Concentration You cannot Take 10 with this skill, so it is ineligible for Skill Mastery anyway. Craft You probably won’t be building or repairing things while in combat, so Skill Mastery is of little use for Craft skills. (And you cannot Take 10 for the jury-rigging aspect of the Artificer or Inventor feats, so it’s useless for that.) However, there is one case where Skill Mastery will be very useful: when using Craft (Mechanical) to set a detonator into an explosive, because failing that by 10+ means it goes off in your face! Diplomacy If you want to insure you don’t make some grave faux pas that turns potential allies into determined enemies, Skill Mastery is just what you need! Disable Device You probably won’t be opening locks or disabling security systems while in combat, but there are penalties for failing a check, so being able to reliably hit a certain DC is worth it. Disguise You should have put on your disguise before combat, in a calm environment where you can Take 10 (or better yet, Take 20) anyway. If you’re trying to put one on during a fight, something has gone very wrong. Drive The only times you’ll make a Drive check are hectic times when you wouldn’t be able to Take 10, so Skill Mastery is very applicable to this skill. Escape Artist You can Take 20 if not actively opposed (like trying to break a grapple or pin), and in those cases you wouldn’t be able to Take 10. So Skill Mastery would be useful, allowing you to Take 10 in those cases. Gather Information The only time Skill Mastery might be useful for this skill is if you have the Well-Informed feat, and you use it on someone who you’ve spotted while in the middle of combat (say, if they’ve just entered the fight, against you). Handle Animal No penalty for failures, so no need for Skill Mastery. Intimidate Being able to Take 10 on Intimidate while in combat means being able to Take 10 on attempts to demoralize a foe in combat (or feint them if you have Startle). And if you take a -5 on the check (or take the appropriate Challenge feat), you can do so as a Move action, leaving your Standard action for making an actual attack. Investigate You won’t be analyzing clues or collecting evidence while in combat. But failing the check can ruin any evidence you collect, so Skill Mastery can prevent that (if your bonus is +5 or better). Better yet, if you have a +15 or better modifier, Skill Mastery means you’ll hit the DC 25 check needed to do such a good job collecting evidence that attempts to analyze it gain a +2 bonus. Knowledge You’ll almost never need to make a Knowledge check while distracted or under pressure (or in combat), and there’s no real penalty for failing a Knowledge check, so there’s no need to take Skill Mastery for these skills. Language You cannot Take 10 with this skill -- you don’t even make checks with this skill -- so it is ineligible for Skill Mastery. Medicine You won’t be using this skill in combat. You may be using this skill while others around you are in combat -- like the middle of an active war zone -- so a GM might rule that such an environment is too distracting to Take 10. Notice Do you want to miss out on things? Of course not! Skill Mastery will help make sure that doesn’t happen. Perform Knowing you can reliably make a [routine/great/memorable] performance, even while everything around you is in chaos, might be worth it for you. Also, Skill Mastery here means stage fright/performance anxiety won't be a thing for you! Pilot The only times you’ll make a Piot check are hectic times when you wouldn’t be able to Take 10, so Skill Mastery is very applicable to this skill. Profession Never having a bad day at work? Always having excellent days? I’m sorry, but that requires too much suspension of disbelief. Ride The only times you’ll make a Ride check are hectic times when you wouldn’t be able to Take 10, so Skill Mastery is very applicable to this skill. Search Knowing you can reliably hit a certain DC may be worth it, but nine times out of ten, you'll be able to Take 10 (if not Take 20) anyway. Sense Motive Want to reliably see through the deceptions and posturing of lesser beings? Mastery with this skill has got your covered! Sleight of Hand Being able to nick or plant something requires a DC 20 check, and your result is checked against the target’s Notice check to see if they notice you. Skill Mastery can help you reliably achieve the former, and avoid the consequences of the latter. Stealth Do you want to be seen? Do you want to feel the eyes of everyone upon you, looking, glaring, judging? Then grab Skill Mastery, at insure that (most) folks won’t be able to spot you! Survival You’ll almost always be able to Take 10 on this skill anyway, so there’s little need for Skill Mastery with it. Swim Failing a Swim check means drowning, and that’s not good. Skill Mastery helps prevent that. Also: having any ranks in the Swimming power lets you Take 10 on swim checks regardless of the situation, so if you have any of that, you don’t need Skill Mastery.

Heroditus had been completely entranced by Astrid's music, and so had not so much as glimpsed what anyone else had seen. He'd winced at first, but quickly recovered once he found the volume control and cranked it way down. Choruses reminiscent of call-and-response antiphons. Brief, relaxed phrases repeated over changing melodies. Nice variety of vocalizations and instruments. Many references to Norse and Viking figures. He grinned, does she know I know about them? About Atlantis' many encounters with Vikings, and our gods interactions with theirs? Well, I can ask about that later. He glanced up at her, smiled and gave her a thumbs up, then cast his eyes down again, focusing on the music. From a technical standpoint, this is quite good. A few jarring transitions, though I think some of those are intentional. Strings sound a bit off, too, that instrument might need some tuning. I should offer to- OctoBen's tap on his shoulder barely registered, but the sudden whiff of ozone did. He lifted the headphones up and looked about, "what has happened?"

Heroditus smiled and nodded at Giang, "thank you," then sat silently for a few moments. He did not seem to be focused on any one thing, instead looking about, at her, at the trees and flowers around them. At one point he closed his eyes and leaned back a bit, feeling the gentle breeze play over his face and arms. Alright, this is going well so far. First impressions have gone well, vows of mutual assistance. But I should find out what she's been up to, what I can learn from her. After a few moments, he spoke, though he kept his eyes closed and back relaxed. "So, what did you and Princess Thaelia get up to? I have heard some tales of you & her -- and one other, I believe -- acting as protectors of the oceans? What was it? 'Seafaring Heroes,' I believe." He opened his eyes now and leaned forward a bit, turning slightly to face her, "how did that get started? And what have you experienced while doing so?"

"Your brother?," Davyd asked, turning away from staring out at the lounge's large window. He wore an outfit similar to Eira's, simple and form-fitting, though with no visible pockets, white with blue highlights, looking something like an iPod. "Anyone we know?" This was Davyd's second time off Earth, but he was just as awestruck as the first time. The view of Earth from above was so serene, peaceful, one unified planet with no artificial borders, no signs of conflict. And the thought of meeting more aliens had him a bit giddy. He was especially looking forward to checking out some of the areas of CoVic Station with environments set for various alien species, where humans wouldn't be able to go without survival gear. "Also: the Praetorians call Earth 'Terra'? How'd that get decided?" He walked towards the group, stopping by Mia and placing a hand gently on her shoulder. "I mean, someone from Earth told them that was the name, yes? And that's the Latin name for it, which sci fi writers love. But how did that get decided as our planet's official name? Why not Gaia, or... Sol-3?"