Core Event: Day 259 [open]

[bastionpc]

Who: NPCs and you!
Open: Open
When: Day 259
Where: Starting in the Bastion, and continuing on the Skyway
What: A Core has been spotted! And....another Core? What is this?!
Format: action
Warnings: none

Starters are in the individual threads within the post. Important threads will be linked here.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

Start of the event

Continuing on

important metaplot things

Boss fight!

Comments

Start of event

[bastionpc]

[As usual, Nathaniel calls for a meeting around the Monument. This time, though, he seems a bit troubled.]

Okay, so things are a bit different this time. Usually we find just one Core at a time, so we can go gunning for it pretty easily. But this time, it's not just one. It's two.

Now I don't think I have to explain how big this is. Finding just one is rare, so getting two at once would be amazing. The problem is, they're really far apart from each other. Pretty much on opposite sides of the Skyway from each other, actually.

I'd recommend going for them one at a time, but there's no guarantee that the second one will still be there by the time we get the first one back here. And with how monsters swarm once a Core is picked up, it won't be easy to go back out there for the second one. Our other open is to split into two groups and go for both at the same time, but I can't really recommend that. We're so few in number already- and even fewer, if you just count the people who can go out on the Skyway safely- and dividing our forces means one or both groups could get overwhelmed by monsters.

So, it's risk going for both, or try going for one at a time and hope the second one is still there later. Ultimately it's your choice, since I gotta stay here in the Bastion anyway, but please consider the options before making a decision.

((OOC: this thread will be open until 1 AM EST (about six hours from now). The choice will be left to an IC vote, whichever option gets the most votes is what we'll be going with.))

[freedom_engineer]

[Yep, there's Colin, as usual for these sorts of things...]

"The fox that chases two rabbits will catch neither."

Or perhaps more importantly...

"Divide and conquer."

That latter one is advice for soldiers and strike teams, NOT advice for us. A force that's been split has much less chance of success than a united group.

What are the areas we're looking at for these cores?

[windgod]

But...is there really no way we can divide ourselves in a way that getting both is doable?

[Ippo had heard Nathaniel explain the situation and had thought on it...it sounded difficult, yeah, but it couldn't be impossible.]

We might not have a lot of people who can go...but most of who we do have are pretty powerful. If we can find the right balance, it might be possible I think!

[twinked_witch]

Ippo's right, I think.

[Megaera thought for a second.]

We've got wizards, technologists, martial artists... Lots of different techniques. Two balanced parties mixing the different capabilities should be capable of confronting this.

An alternative strategy would be to send almost everyone to one core. I know that I can head out towards the other, and as long as I'm only accounting for myself, I can use one of my spells to get back to the Bastion quickly if the second is beyond my personal ability to attain - or move over to rejoin the group who has successfully retrieved the first, at which point we'd have an advantage pursuing the second full-force.

Those two strategies just crop up off the top of my head.

[notduchess]

On the other hand, the creatures around the cores have been a pain in the previous runs.
While magic is generally very helpful, the limitations the Bastion places on us tends to make a higher chance of not having any when you need it. I rather have strength of numbers - even if it means going slower. [ It would also mean that they have a higher chance or protecting anyone who gets hurt.

Duke slowly shakes their head. ]

I'm sorry, but I really don't like your second plan. Its far too easy for people to die out on the Skyway, even when they head out in pairs. And that didn't have a core involved.

The most I'd be willing to split is when we are closer to the bastion with the core - either a smaller, faster group moving toward the second when the first is so close, and the slower larger group can make it, or the smaller group rushing it into the Bastion.

[windgod]

Hmm...that's true, but wouldn't a larger group have it's own problems? I mean...the skyway isn't very...spacious. And it's a lot easier for a big group to be spotted, so that might just cause even more problems than splitting up.

[Not that he had a problem with everyone going for one core...but any chance to minimize the risks was worth looking into.]

[freedom_engineer]

They're going to spot us whether we're a big group or a small group. The cores are like homing beacons. Their energy is so evident you can practically taste it. I wouldn't be surprised if, say, Tobias actually COULD taste it.

I won't try to stop a group from going out on their own... but if we send out two groups, and one gets the core first, the other group is going to have a much harder time of things.

[He glances at Ippo, then around at everyone else.]

Cores on the move seem to drive the wildlife berserk. It's not safe to be out there when we're bringing one back...

[windgod]

Well...that only seems to be when the cores are moving. I mean...if we can find a way to keep both groups in contact, we could technically coordinate when we pick up the cores and start heading back at the same time! It might not be the safest route, but I think we should at least try to come up with a few ideas before we scrap it completely. It would be a real waste to just let two cores go that easy.

[He trusted Colin and his judgement, of course, but if there was some way that they could make this work...well, it was worth at least trying to think of a plan.]

[twinked_witch]

[Megaera paused, glancing towards Colin's specific observation about it being not safe to be out there when one's being brought back.]

I'm new to this, so define 'not safe' in terms of how it is worse than normal out there, and by how much. If it's as bad as I'm thinking, then we may be stuck dealing with only one, then hoping we get a chance for the second.

[findsrisks]

Mmn, I don't know if going for one right after the other would even work. Just going out and back once is exhausting, we might have to rest for an entire day before going for the other, especially if they're really on opposite sides of the Skyway from each other.

Plus, we really could use both cores. Remember the power problems we had? A second core would definitely help prevent that from happening again.

[She wants to get both, but at the same time she's not sure if it's possible.]

[notachickenhawk]

<I don't think we can take the chance of not getting both. Send as big of a group as you can for both. If we can figure out a way to get both in contact with each other, all the better - otherwise I can probably do messages back and forth if we have to. It's risky to send two smaller groups rather than one big one, but... if we don't get enough power everyone's at risk, not just the people on the Skyway.>

[kyotoprincess]

I don't like the idea of splitting up, even with messengers. It's just too risky. I'd rather have all of us alive and have one core, than to get two but have casualties.

If nothing else, we can bring the first core here and see if whatever upgrade to the Bastion we get will help us get to the second core.

[daughterofursa]

I think splitting up is a risk we need to consider taking. We have enough skilled warriors that it could work.

Megaera, what about taking the cores with you back to the Bastion, once we have them? That would make the trip back only as dangerous as any other time on the Skyway.

[freedom_engineer]

[Colin glances to Megaera, and he shakes his head.]

Everything that can reach you will try to reach you. If I had to estimate a range, I'd put it anywhere between half a kilometer to two kilometers.

If you've ever seen an entire swamp empty out and pursue one person with single-minded obsession? You know just how many creatures that is. The only thing they want is the core. They will pursue until they can't run, or until we get the core to the Bastion.

Everything between the core and the Bastion will sense you're there if you've got a core. They will all try to kill you. I have not observed any creatures on the skyway that won't try everything in their power to get their hands on a core.

[He looks at Nathan then.]

That about cover it?

[twinked_witch]

... Yes, that's definitely a very large scale of hazard. How much do the cores weigh, though? If it's less than... Fourty pounds, my teleport can carry it right to the Bastion.

If not... Then I'm taken to agree, we have no sane choice but to stick together and deal with just one.

[Chill voice aside, Megaera's very serious right now.]

[kyotoprincess]

I don't know the exact weight, but I think they're lighter than that? They look huge but proportionally don't weigh that much.

[bastionpc]

[Nathaniel nods to Colin.]

Pretty much. Lots of monsters out their have their own reasons for wanting shards and cores, though. Some of them eat them, others use them to build homes out of. I think there's a bird somewhere in the Bastion that's made a nest out of shards, even.

But that's why it's so dangerous. Anyone who knows what these cores can do will want them, and with the mine machinery offline the only way to get them is to be extremely lucky and find one that got dislodged from the ground during the Calamity.

[Then he looks around at everyone else.]

So, final vote? Have everyone go for one core now and try for the other later, or split into two groups and go for both at the same time?

[freedom_engineer]

I prefer the odds a focused force can bring to getting one core.

[notduchess]

Seconding Colin. I think if conditions are favorable enough, we can make a run for the second on the heels of the first. But that's something we can plan and be ready for, not expect.

[ If there aren't enough monsters to see Erek cloak the core, for example, they could get started on a second run much faster and with less stress. But that's not something they can control. ]

[four_quarts]

I agree with the others. A concentrated effort on a single core seems our best option.

[canismetallusfamiliaris]

[Erek hesitates only briefly before volunteering. He not only can't commit violence, he can't help strategize violence. He shouldn't put himself into any situation where he's increasing the likelihood of harm being inflicted. Even so.

With a glance at Tobias, who does know the limits of Erek's programming, he speaks up.]

I can't fight, but I don't tend to need protection. I'll go wherever I'd be most useful. I'm strong, fast, and good with technology and camouflage, for others as well as myself. I can stage distractions, but only if they aren't used to enable violence.

Having already agreed to abide by the plans chosen by consensus, I'm not sure the additional power is worth loss of life. We have so few here as it is. I'd tend to lean toward the more cautious plan unless the need for power is truly dire.

[notduchess]

[ That's actually a good thought. ]

What sort of camouflage? If we can stop something else from sensing the core, would that stop the monsters from rushing a group?

[canismetallusfamiliaris]

Visual camouflage; Colin can see through it, but most people and creatures can't. I can generate corresponding force fields, but they've never been tested at blocking or containing this sort of energy.

[notduchess]

It would help a lot, if it did.

If it didn't, you could provide cover for anyone too injured to fight. Make a monster think that its heading toward a wall, or something?

[twinked_witch]

In other words, it's extremely risky, to say the least. It might be a good route to go if it can be pulled and if the camoflauge works.

I wonder if you could generate a decoy field that would make them think the core was elsewhere, though?