Knowledge is Power [OOC]

[Cubismo]

OOC for this thread. https://www.freedomplaybypost.com/topic/10628-knowledge-is-power-ic/

 

This is going to be mostly talky technobabble, with the PCs and Dr. Westerman trying to figure out how the Annihilists were able re-enter Earth-Prime and how their breach can be sealed. So don’t expect the Omegadrone in the corner to spring to life! Probably…

 

The PCs have the tools and resources at the “War Room” to build a device to do just that, but it’s going to take a couple good rolls to figure out the missing piece to the puzzle.

Until then, I’d recommend you make various Knowledge rolls to learn more about the “clues” scattered across the lab.

 

There’s the ASTRO Lab mainframe which is a treasure trove of information about the last Terminus invasion. Perhaps Westerman and other scientists missed a critical piece of information lost in the archives? (Computer).

 

There’s a bunch of complex physics and paraphyics equations on several chalkboards. Maybe Westerman forgot to carry the one and that’s why he’s stumped? (Knowledge [Cosmology, Physical Sciences]).

 

There’s a stockpile of salvaged Terminus tech, from both this most recent invasion and the last one in 1993. Westerman’s gone over it several times but there’s always a chance that there’s some hidden feature or function that ASTRO Labs’ best missed. (Knowledge [Cosmology, Physical Sciences, Technology]). 

 

Lastly, there’s a partially dissected Omegadrone on a medical slab. Westerman’s been trying to see whether the Omegadrones are somehow connected to Annihilist’s portal system but hasn’t found anything yet. (Knowledge [Cosmology, Life Sciences, Technology]).

 

You can make two rolls for any one or two of the clues above but you're not limited to just them.  Make a roll for anything you think might be pertinent. 

Edited June 12, 2018 by Cubismo

[EternalPhoenix]

All right. Terrifica's prepared for this. She's gonna pull out her Physical Sciences Pamphlet, and her Technology Pamphlet (they're all Enhanced Skill 1 [+4 to skill]) from her Gadgets, and go to work. With Skill Mastery, that's a 30 for the first two. Phys Sci is for the equations, Tech for the Omegadrone. Knowing stuff is Terrifica's hat, man.

[Cubismo]

Indeed it is.

 

With an easy 30 on the equations Terrifica knows that Westerman and the scientists did miss a step when it came to the math. Turns out the Annihilists portal network doesn't abide by our understanding of physics. That's why the math wasn't checking out. You can't mathematical calculate a phenomenon that isn't playing by the rules. Terminus physics are weird sure, but they less more or less match Earth-Prime's. That's why it was relatively easy to create a device capable of shutting down their portal network during the last invasion. The corrected math is telling you that their must be some midway dimension between Terminus and Earth-Prime that has its own wonky physics that the Annihilists are exploiting for their invasion. Perhaps if you collapse that dimension you can collapse the whole network.

 

Another 30 on the Omegadrone tells you that while the bots have had their offensive and defensive tech upgraded, their overall design is the still the same for the most part. Except for their being an extraneous sheath over their armor. The sheath is so thin that you know that it wasn't created for combat. Instead, it seems to be some kind of radiation repellent membrane. What kind of radiation you can't be sure, but with what you learned from the equations it seems likely that the sheath was created to protect the Omegadrone from radiation from the midway dimension. 

 

To know more about the midway dimension and the mysterious radiation you're going to need a good Cosmology roll. For more info on Omegadrone's sheath you're going to need a Life Sciences roll.  

Edited June 12, 2018 by Cubismo

[Thunder King]

With an intelligence of 16 and no applicable knowledge skills that are useful at this time, Solar Sentinel will be providing protection and transportation, if needed.

[EternalPhoenix]

Well. Let's swap out Pamphlets then. Life Sciences and Cosmology. Let the rolling begin.

 

http://orokos.com/roll/631349 An astonishing 38 on Life Sci.

 

http://orokos.com/roll/631350 And 34 on Cosmology. I didn't need either boost.

[Cubismo]

Those are some good rolls! 

 

And with them Terrfica now knows that the Omegadrone's radiation-resistant sheath was partially organic. In fact, it was infused with a type of bacteria that is native to Earth-Prime and Terminus. Deinococcus radiodurans, a super-tough micro-organism capable of shrugging off extreme heat, cold, vacuum and of course radiation. The Annihilists must have learned about the bacteria's utility when they were first exploring the midway dimension. With that knowledge in hand you could probably start working on creating your own protective sheaths. You'd need some deinococcus radiodurans, though.

 

Perhaps Westerman knows if some is stored in ASTRO Labs and maybe Solar Sentinel is just the hero to grab for the team...

 

For the Cosmology roll Terrifica has made the brilliant deduction that the radiation in the midway dimension is absolutely lethal to organic life. Even omegadrones would expire in seconds if exposed to it. The radiation there is also quite hazardous to electronics and highly caustic towards most base metals. In other words, its a death zone where nothing can survive in it without the techno-organic sheath or a ridiculous almost of superhuman toughness. Terrifica also knows that the midway dimension is quite tiny compared to Terminus or Universe Prime and that the chance of their being native life in it is less than null. 

 

So if you  wanted to blow up said dimension with some kind of ultimate nullifier, you wouldn't have to worry about committing universal omnicide. How convenient.

 

Speaking of ultimate nullifiers, you'll need another Knowledge (Cosmology) to wrap your head around how you could even make a bomb in a dimension with vastly different physics than our own and a Knowledge (Technology) to actual lay out its design. After that you need a Craft (Electrical) to build a transdimensional transponder, a Craft (Mechanical) for the reinforced casing, and finally a Craft (Chemical) for the explosive payload. Terrifica's epic Knowledge (Life Sciences) roll ensured that applying the techo-organic sheath to the bomb would be child's play if she got the bacteria, so don't worry about it and consider it part of the Craft (Mechanical) roll. 

 

The bomb is totally a plot device so don't worry about invention costs. Since everyone is collaborating to make this thing everyone can try to make all five rolls. The highest rolls for each will determine your overall success. 

 

Of course, creating a super-bomb isn't your only option. Maybe looking at the pile of Terminus tech in the lab or looking at ASTRO Lab's computer archives on the last Terminus invasion will give you more options? 

[Zeitgeist Blue]

Silly me, I forgot about the OOC thread.

Salvo will try to work on the Astro Lab mainframe and the salvaged Terminus tech.

Astro Lab Mainframe: Computers: 1d20 + 17 = 19

 

Using a Hero Point (if we have one) to reroll: 1d20 + 17 = 35

 

Salvaged Terminus Tech: Knowledge (Technology): 1d20 + 15 = 28 

[Zeitgeist Blue]

Salvo could try Aiding Another for the ultimate nullifiers. Terrifica has a higher bonus in every check, so Salvo would be giving the bonus. However, I'm not sure if the Feat Jack-of-all-Trades allows Terrifica to use her Intelligence Bonus. If not, then Salvo has a higher bonus in Craft (Chemical).

 

Neither am I sure if Eidetic Memory allows Salvo to use her Intelligence Bonus for Knowledge (Cosmology).

[EternalPhoenix]

Well, I'm not the GM but the rules I know say both of those things are allowed. Terrifica has a chemistry set in that utility belt of hers, too.

[Zeitgeist Blue]

Okay then. Salvo is going to aid Terrifica on the five rolls.

 

Knowledge (Cosmology): 1d20 + 7 = 24 (+3)

Knowledge (Technology): 1d20 + 15 = 22 (+3)

Knowledge (Electronics): 1d20 + 15 = 30 (+4)

Craft (Mechanical): 1d20 + 12 = 18 (+2)

Craft (Chemical): 1d20 + 12 = 24 (+3)

 

[Cubismo]

Sorry about being gone for a bit guys!

 

First off, having Eidetic Memory does allow you to roll for Knowledge (Cosmology) even if you're untrained. Also, I believe Terrifica can still use her Int bonus when rolling for an untrained since she does have Jack-of-all-Trades. 

 

Second, with Salvo taking a look at ASTRO Lab's Mainframe she now knows that the scientists at ASTRO Labs have been working on creating a sonic weapon that temporarily neutralizes omegadrones. Apparently the drones find certain noise frequencies to be utterly intolerable and damaging to their auditory sensors. Unfortunately, they were never able to get the sonic disruptor to work and abandoned the project a few years back. This info doesn't really help with shutting down the portal network but having a weapon that could deactivate several omegadrones at once will surely be hopeful in the invasion. You'd need a pretty good Knowledge (Physical Sciences) and Knowledge (Art) to find out where the ASTRO Labs scientists went wrong. 

 

While much of the salvaged Terminus tech was barely intact Salvo was still able to find out what its original purpose was. Turns out it was some kind of code module used to register newly converted omegadrones with unique passcodes. Apparently, Terminus has been upgrading its security systems since any object/person not registered with a passcode that uses a Terminus portal going to the midway dimension gets immediately flagged as an intruder and swarmed by omegadrones on the other side. This might actually be good news! If Salvo or Terrifca were to repair the code module they could register the bomb as an omegadrone and have it sneak past the defensive systems that the Annihilists have set up in the midway dimension. 

 

Thanks for making those rolls ZB. Now we just have to wait for EP to see whether you folks were able to make the universe's biggest explosive!

Edited June 15, 2018 by Cubismo

[EternalPhoenix]

Hmm. Terrifica wouldn't build a bomb. It's just not her style. Anybody can think of a bomb solution, see. Can she instead find a way to 1. disable the sheath on a large scale and/or 2. make said dimension's radiation backflow a smide into the Terminus itself (destroying the machinery keeping it open and the operators of said machinery)?

[Cubismo]

Alright, EP. If ZB and TK are cool with abandoning the bomb plot (which I was admittedly kind of railroading) than we can go with the disable the omegadrone's sheaths plan. Doing so would not only eliminate the drones but also the machinery keeping the portal network connecting Terminus, the midway dimension and Earth-Prime. 

Edited June 15, 2018 by Cubismo

[Zeitgeist Blue]

I am cool with that. Bonus if we take samples of the machinery ourselves.

[Cubismo]

Right than. To make the sheath destabilizer I need a Knowledge (Cosmology),  Knowledge (Physical Sciences), Knowledge (Technology), Knowledge (Art), Craft (Mechanics) and a Craft (Electronics).

 

I know that's a lot of rolls but I'm sure you brainaics can handle it! 

[Zeitgeist Blue]

Okay, so assuming we can roll all we want, I'll start with the Omegadrone neutralizer.

 

Knowledge (Physical Sciences): 1d20 + 12 = 30

Knowledge (Arts): 1d20 + 7 = 20

 

As for the sheath destabilizer, can I just use my previous aid rolls if I have them?

 

Knowledge (Cosmology): 24 (+3)

Knowledge (Physical Sciences): 1d20 + 12 = 14 (+2)

Knowledge (Technology): 22 (+3)

Knowledge (Art): 1d20 + 7 = 27 (+3)

Craft (Mechanics): 18 (+2)

Craft (Electronics): 24 (+3)

[EternalPhoenix]

Welp. Shuffling the utility belt stuff around again. The +4s are to Craft Elec and Mech and KN Phys Sci, Tech, and...yeah, let's stick with Cosmology. Adding Skill Mastery means all of those except Cosmology get that sweet auto 30. But alas, Cosmology and Art must be rolled for.

 

http://orokos.com/roll/634304 28 for Cosmology.

 

http://orokos.com/roll/634305 29 for Art.

[Cubismo]

And with the assistance of EP's excellent aid another rolls, Terrfica was able to successfully figure out how to create a sheath destabilizer. Turns out the info Salvo found about the experimental sonic disruptor in Astro Labs computer files was actually applicable to the sheath destabilizer Terrifica was building! What a coincidence. Apparently both the sonic disruptor and sheath destabilizer use the omegadrone vulnerability to certain noise frequencies to disrupt their function, the sheath destabilizer just being a more advanced version and powerful version of the sonic disruptor. 

 

Alright, with the plot device created I could conclude this story if you guys want. Salvo and Terrifca can make their posts about their awesome discoveries and Westerman can give them a thumbs up. Or I could continue the thread for a bit longer than that. The choice is yours. 

[Zeitgeist Blue]

Would you guys want to go out on the field to go punch some Omegadrones/Annihilists/ the portal nexuses? @Thunder King has done little right now. Terrifica is asking Salvo what's missing and I could say we need a sample or a record of something that isn't in the Terminus stockpile.

 

It'll have to be something new, that it wasn't seen in the past Terminus invasion, but also rare enough that it isn't yet found in the recent Terminus stockpile we have on hand. Probably like the energy or wavelength signature of the sensors, third dimension, and/or portal nexuses.

 

[EternalPhoenix]

I was actually talking about the post above you, where Salvo has some information Terrifica currently does not due to them working on different subjects. But I was going to suggest something like that to get TK more involved.

[Zeitgeist Blue]

Right. Sorry about the late reply. I was waiting on word whether we were continuing this or not.