>Last time on Freelance Ghost Quest: You heard the rough outlines of the templar’s plan from Siladus and got the probe AI a new body. After some contemplating they called themselves Ed. For now. You continued your training, made a psychic call to Lisa and had a romantic moment.

When you wake up, Ur’athan is standing next to you, which is highly unusual. So far he’s only sent messengers to you, and never showed up in your little room himself.

“Artemis, it’s time.” He turns around without saying another word, which leaves you hastily getting dressed while he leaves your room. You run after him, and at the elevator, you manage to catch him. He’s deceptively fast.

On the way down, you ask him what’s the matter, but he refuses reply, and leads you out of the nexus. The weather’s cleared up a lot. You don’t see much more dust floating around, at least, not more than there used to.

Despite your expectations, the High Templar doesn’t lead you to the templar archives, but out of the camp and into the rocky wilderness. You walk for over half an hour, and the rocky mountain area makes room for a more flat wasteland. There’s still plenty of stone outcrops around, but the terrain itself is’t as sloped and much more open.

There, he suddenly stops and turns around to you. “Do you know why I have brought you here Artemis?”

>1. Some kind of training?
>2. An initiation ritual of some kind?
>3. Not a clue, sorry.
>4. Write in.

>>34909127
>1. Some kind of training?

>>34909127

>4.
"To fully test my learnings in combat against you?"

>>34909371
>>34909192
Writing.

“Some kind of training?” you ask him. Then you realise. “Wait, it’s to test what I’ve learned so far in combat against you, isn’t it?”

Ur’athan nods. “Correct. I believe I have taught you all I can for now. There is much more, but it will have to wait. Time is of the essence now. We will fight until one of our shields goes down or the other gives up. Prepare yourself.”

You barely have time to react before he throws a small blue orb towards you. You dodge and roll away from him, the orb flying over you and impacting a rock behind you. There’s not much left of it.

>Official stat update time!

Abilities gained:
- Protoss training: All DC’s on psionics are lowered, and mind shock is safe to use on protoss and non-boss zerg.
- Possession: Leave your body and take control of any non-boss creature. This works on all races. Your body will be left vulnerable and unable to take any action, but you will gain enough insight of the possessed creature to mimic its behaviour. Detectors can reveal your possession, but psionics cannot without focussing their psionic senses on your own or new body.
- Protoss Psi Shield (replaces psi shield): Always active. All damage you take is heavily reduced, but stronger attacks will cost a psi point.
- Psi blade training: You are trained at using psionic blades and can use them without penalties.

New gear:
- Personalised Psi Blades: High damage CCQ weaponry, works well against both armoured and light targets.

>Boss fight!
>Psi points: 7/7

>Strategy?
>1. Try out your psionic shriek, you haven’t used it in combat yet.
>2. Close the gap with him and engage him with your psi blades.
>3. Matter Bomb him from afar.
>4. Get close and use a Kinetic Wave.
>5. Write in.

>>34909647
>3. Matter Bomb him from afar.

>>34909647
>- Personalised Psi Blades: High damage CCQ weaponry, works well against both armoured and light targets.
Can we ask to have one fitted to our foot too?

>Write in
POSSESSION

>>34909765
Meta version: It's a boss fight.
IC version: You're pretty sure that Ur'athan is still a bit too strong to properly manage possession on. Plus it'd leave him with a nice still target while you're still working on taking over his mind.

>>34909682
>>34909765
Right, roll me some d20's for matter bomb.

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>34909976

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>34909976

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>34909976

>>34910095

that'll do anon, that'll do...

>>34910068
>>34910095
>>34910107
Upper DC met, writing.

>Psi points: 5/7

You quickly gather a bunch of energy in your right hand. Ur’athan isn’t waiting for your response and you can see his hands glow blue again. Your attack hits first though. The High Templar’s shields glow bright blue as it resists the force of your attack pulling everything to a single point. In fact, it pulls hard enough to make Ur’athan stumble for a moment, and he loses whatever attack he was preparing.

While your matter bomb was doing its job, you positioned yourself behind a slightly larger outcrop, and you’ve got a decent bit of cover. Ur’athan meanwhile is in the open, though there’s enough rocks in the area for him to be able to find cover quickly.

>You have the initiative.
>1. Continue the Matter Bombing.
>2. Cloak, go for him with your psi blades.
>3. Psionic shriek to daze him and then follow up with another attack (specify)
>4. Write in.


>Note that cloak in this situation will increase the High Templar’s reaction time, making you more likely to hit.

>>34910339

>3. Psionic shriek to daze him and then follow up with another attack (specify)
>2. Cloak, go for him with your psi blades.

>>34910379
Writing

>>34910732
I mean, roll me d20's.

>Damn it, I keep doing this...

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>34910764
ROLLEN

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>34910764

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>34910764

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>34910764
no, by all means keep doing so.... we don't mind... really....

>>34910859
>>34910862
>>34910889
Upper dc met, writing.

>>34910889
Noice

>Regenerated 1 psi point.
>Used 2 psi points for psi shriek
>Used 1 psi point for cloak
>Total psi points: 3/7

You unleash your newest power, a shriek not unlike the one the hybrid used, you realise. Your energy rips into Ur’athan’s mind, and you see him grab hold of his head. You use the opportunity to cloak and dash towards him. You activate your psi blades and rip at the protoss’ shields.

For a few precious seconds, you simply wail on his shield. It’s weakening, but slowly. When you notice Ur’athan recovering from your shriek, you back off.

You were right to, as he lets out a burst of psionic energy around him. Your shield is pelted with pebbles and stones the size of your fist as every loose object next to him is catapulted away. You see his eyes glowing now, and he spreads his arms to the side. Whatever he’s preparing, you can sense that it’s big.

>1. Try to interrupt it with a Mind Shock.
>2. Another psi shriek should do the trick.
>3. Doesn’t matter, matter bomb him while backing off.
>4. You’re still pretty close, a Kinetic wave from this distance would hurt.
>5. Head back into the fray with your blades.
>6. Write in.

>Keep cloak active? Y/N

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>34911161
>4. You’re still pretty close, a Kinetic wave from this distance would hurt.
>5. Head back into the fray with your blades.
>2. Another psi shriek should do the trick.

>>34911161
>4. You’re still pretty close, a Kinetic wave from this distance would hurt.

N
Its probably not going to matter where he aims this

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>34911161
>1. Try to interrupt it with a Mind Shock.
followed by;
>5. Head back into the fray with your blades.

N

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>34911246
Seconding that

>>34911246
>>34911253
>>34911291
>>34911314
Very well, roll me some d20's.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>34911366
ROLL

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>34911366

doom becomes this attack...

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>34911366

>>34911381
>>34911465
>>34911521
Lower dc met. Writing.

>You regenerated 1 psi point
>You used 2 psi points for kinetic wave
>psi points: 2/7

You quickly move closer and unleash a kinetic wave into the High Templar. It rips at his shield, but his concentration is unwavering. As you reach him, he pushes his hands forward right after your blade first meets his shield.

Suddenly, the very fabric of reality seems to unravel. What follows, you feel more than you actually see. A wave of immense raw psionic energy bursts out from your opponent, and it hits you like a truck. Your shield catches most of the damage, but you feel a burning pain all over your body.

The raw energy morphs into the nearest equivalent in the material plane. Destructive lightning floods the area around the high templar. His shields seem to take a hit too, and they’re noticeably weaker now, but they hold for now. You’ve seen this before. It’s a Psionic storm, one of the most powerful weapons in the arsenal of a High Templar. It seems to be centred mostly around where you are, with Ur’athan at the edge and already moving out. You don’t think you can stay in here for long.

>You lost 1 psi point to prevent damage from the Psi storm.
>Psi points: 1/7

>1. Get out now, head after the High Templar.
>2. Head out the way opposite of the High Templar.
>3. You can tank it for now. Unleash a matter bomb to finish him off.
>4. Write in.

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>34911712
>2. Head out the way opposite of the High Templar.

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>34911712
>4
Psy-blade Dash him.
Keep him close and on his hooves...

>>34911794
>>34911811
Tie. Rolling tiebreaker in 3 minutes if there's no additional votes.

>>34911712
>>3. You can tank it for now. Unleash a matter bomb to finish him off.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

1: >>34911794
>2: >>34911811

>>34912072
Writing

>You regenerate 1 psi point:
>Psi points: 2

You dash after the High Templar, trying to go straight forward as to minimise the time spent in the Psi storm. A few tendrils of lightning rake at you, but you’re out before they can do any real damage.

You manage to catch the high templar with a blow before he turns around. His shields flicker, and he lets himself be thrown backwards by the momentum to gain some more distance between the two of you. He’s getting exhausted, you realise. He’s been pumping most of his power into his shields, and they’re almost done for.

So are yours however. You don’t have much psionic power left. You’ll have to finish this now, or he’ll probably get the better of you.

>1. Rush him with your psi blades.
>2. Cloak, then rush him with your psi blades.
>3. Do a weak kinetic blast so you’ll have some energy left.
>4. Do a Matter bomb. This will deplete your own psionic energy reserves and most likely end it in a draw though.
>5. Write in.

>>34912310
>1. Rush him with your psi blades
>3. Do a weak kinetic blast so you’ll have some energy left.

>>34912310
>>4. Do a Matter bomb. This will deplete your own psionic energy reserves and most likely end it in a draw though.


go big or stay home

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>34912310
>1. Rush him with your psi blades.
can we make it look like we are going to do a psionic attack as we close distance to force him into a defensive for an attack which will never come?

>>34912383
That would probably work.

>>34912331
>>34912360
>>34912383
Writing.

>>34912532
God dammit, I mean roll me dice.
I swear, I'm not tired at all or something.

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>34912678
ROLLLLLLLL

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>34912678

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>34912678

>>34912747
>>34912702
>>34912696
>1
Welp, crit fail, I have missed you.

>>34912747
Well shit

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>34912747
Fuck you anon.

>>34912764
>The feinting psychic attack is saving you from straight up losing though.

You dash towards the high templar, and you cup your hands together as if you would be gathering energy. The feint works, and the High Templar leans forward and lashes at you with tendrils of blue energy, trying to disrupt your psionic attack. There is no attack to disrupt though he gives your shield quite a beating in the process.

You’re in range now, and you lunge towards him, activating your psi blades again. At the same time, the High Templar unleashes another attack. Instinctively, you block it with your blades mid-jump, and the blue sphere Ur’athan launched at you explodes in both your faces.

>Your psi energy has been depleted.

You feel your shield evaporating, but it still takes the brunt of the blast. You’re dazed for a moment, but you manage to look in the direction of Ur’athan, and it seems he’s taken a beating too. You see the last of his shield dissolve as well. You suppose it’s a draw then.

After a few moments, you stand up, and you already see Ur’athan slowly hovering towards you. “So, how do you think that went?”

>1. Poorly. I could have done a lot better.
>2. It went well. A draw is already a lot better than what I’d have gotten before the training.
>3. I did the best I could. I honestly think I just got lucky a few times. You should have beaten me.
>4. Write in.

>>34912975
>2. It went well. A draw is already a lot better than what I’d have gotten before the training.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>34912975
>4
Attack him, who the fuck said this shit is over?

>>34913020
Your nat 1 did. It's over.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>34913125
Why does a single nat 1, on a 3d20 make us auto-fail a battle, after he used his strongest attack, while he's on the backfoot, not to mention depleted for most of his energy?
Do you even know the amount of chance there is to get a 1 on a 3d20? I'm surprised we aren't fucking dead.

>>34913020
Dude what the fuck are you doing?

>>34913172
Considering we were on low psi points and it was going to be the last attack I see no problem with this outcome. Stop being ass blasted

>>34913010
Writing.

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>34913268
Sorry, suddenly getting completely beaten after taking not so much of a scratch the entire fight seems a little bullshit, simply from a roll of a 1.
Especially considering how fucking easy it is to get a 1 on a 3d20 system.

>>34913339
I know the odds and set the outcomes and DC's accordingly. And really, the only way you could have not won at that point was a nat 1.

You might not have taken that much damage yourself, but you spent a lot of psi points at the start, which is what fuels your shield.

>>34913432
Was supposed to link to >>34913374

>>34913020
It's over cause the batlle only lasted untill someone's shields were depleted, you want to lose an arm in a training exercise?

>>34913374
We took a psi storm and it was about conserving our own power not raw damage dealt

>>34913527
>We took a psi storm
>A few tendrils of lightning rake at you, but you’re out before they can do any real damage.

“It went well. A draw is already a lot better than what I’d have gotten before the training.”

“True enough. This concludes my training of you. We need to go on the offensive now. There is little time, and sadly it is my own doing…”

He pauses for a moment, and you see an emotion flash over his face. Worry? Guilt? Something like that, you think. When he continues talking, there is an obvious pain in his voice.

“I have mentioned a distraction me and my brethren set upon Executor Elthai. It has gotten vastly out of hand. We set a small host of zerg chasing her flank, but we did not expect what would happen next. She ignored most of it, as they did little harm, but suddenly a massive fleet appeared in pursuit of her, following the scouts we had put on her tail. They trapped the executor on a volcanic planet and are now laying siege to her hastily prepared defences.”

As the High Templar talks, the two of you start to move back to the camp. “It’s even worse than I had anticipated. There is an actual cerebrate leading the attack. I have told you about these beasts, and their strange resurrection powers before. However, I have a… Hunch, that you may be able to put down the beast permanently due to your special gifts.”

Ur’athan stops for a moment and turns to you, a worried look adorns his face. “I know that the current situation means she will no longer be chasing you, I cannot bear with the fact that her meaningless death is on my head. I hope you will help me rectify the situation.”

>1. Very well. I’ll help you slay this cerebrate.
>2. No way. She wants to kill me, remember?
>3. Ask some more specific information (specify of course).
>4. Write in.

>>34913612
>1. Very well. I’ll help you slay this cerebrate.
>>34913555
>wave of immense raw psionic energy bursts out from your opponent, and it hits you like a truck.

>>34913612
>4 It depends, will she see reason once I've helped her out?

>>34913612
>1. Very well. I’ll help you slay this cerebrate.
>4.
"I expect you to take my side if the grudge continues however."

>>34913683
"I think she is too prideful to fully admit that she was wrong, but I believe that if I get the chance to talk to her after the cerebrate is down, she may at least give up her crusade against you."

>>34913795
I guess that's enough for now.
>1

>>34913678
>>34913683
>>34913720
>>34913841
Writing.

“Very well. I’ll help you slay this cerebrate. But I expect you to take my side if the grudge continues.”

“Of course. Thank you.” You continue your way to the settlement. “I am mobilising my own forces as fast as I can, and we will rally with my collegues at these coordinates in two days.” He projects a location into your mind, much like he did when showing you this planet.

“Any allies or friends of yours are welcome to join us, but let me know about them before they arrive there.” You nod. The only thing applicable would be the Omega, Quartus and Sextus.

Once you arrive back at the settlement, you immediately notice the commotion. Protoss are running around everywhere, loading things onto carts, disassembling structures, and who knows what else. Ur’athan excuses himself and leaves for the Nexus, stating that he has a lot more to do.

>1. Take the wraith, head back to the Omega.
>2. Take the wraith, head back to Frontier.
>3. Psionically call Quartus, Sextus and Lisa.
>4. Write in.

>>34914114
Any chance we can refuel the Omega with protoss resources?
>1

>>34914114
>3. Psionically call Quartus, Sextus and Lisa.
Lets ask them if they want to join.

>>34914220
It's pretty much still full. It could remain operational for a few more months without refuelling if actively deployed. Right now it's parked in space so it only uses a fraction of the power it would. There's not really any need for refuelling.

>>34914114
>1. Take the wraith, head back to the Omega.

>>34914114
>1. Take the wraith, head back to the Omega.

>>34914220
>>34914236
>>34914299
Writing

>>34913172
its because you touch your self at night

You go into the nexus, collect Ed and some other stuff that was still on your room, and head out again. Once outside, you see a grand spectacle. The forge is glowing blue, and you see it slowly compress and glow harder until only a ball of blue energy remains, transporting it back to wherever it came from.

You head to your wraith and depart. Once in higher orbit, you let your computer calculate the jump while you take in the planet, probably for the last time. The wreck of the crashed Xel’naga ship is visible from outer space. Barely, but the crater caused by the explosion of the first segment stands out.

The computer is finished calculating, and you jump. A few minutes later, you’re in the hangar of the Omega. You remind yourself that you should really try to think of a better name for it. You jump out of your wraith, and find yourself face to face with Sextus.

“Hello Sextus. Everything okay here?” Sextus nods in response, then gestures to follow him. A few minutes later, you find yourself in the cafetaria, where you hear a very familiar laughter.

Lisa is sitting at a table across from Quartus, who seems to be in the middle of telling a joke of some kind. “I mean, who the hell calls their child like that? I got disciplined for laughing when I got that damn assignment!”

The laughter stops when they see you. Lisa freezes for a moment, then jumps up and before you know it you’re being hugged.

>1. “Nice to see you too.”
>2. Don’t say anything, just hug her back.
>3. Write in.

>>34914725
>2. Don’t say anything, just hug her back.

>>34914725
>2

>>34914799
>>34914817
Writing.

You don’t say anything. You wrap your arms around her and just stay like that for a moment. It feels a lot nicer in real life, even if there’s still armour in between the two of you.

Eventually, you let go, shooting an angry look at Quartus to stop rolling his eyes. You sit down, and Lisa and Sextus join you as you explain the situation to them.

“I’ve been keeping track of the work of some of my colleagues out there, “ Lisa waves her hand vaguely to the side, “ Working on the zerg, and I’ve never heard anything about these ‘Cerebrates’.”

“I hadn’t either. Apparently the protoss hadn’t either before their first encounter, so it seems they’re not exactly at the front lines. So anyway, the High Templar requested my help to rescue the Executor, and he said any friends or allies of mine would be welcome.” You let that linger in the air for a moment. Quartus shares a look with Sextus before he speaks.

“We’re with you. Thanks to Lisa, most of the crew has already improved quite a bit, so I think we’ll also have an easier time with the cruiser than before.” He says.

You smile. “Thanks.”

Suddenly you notice a very conflicted look on Lisa’s face.

>1. What’s wrong Lisa?
>2. I’d rather you stay on the planet Lisa, who knows what might happen out there.
>3. You can come along if you want, Lisa.
>4. Write in.

>>34915185
Lisa... I understand if you're afraid to leave your home.

>>34915185
>1. What’s wrong Lisa?

>>34915296
>>34915308
Writing. Probably last post for today.

“Lisa, what’s wrong?” You ask.

“I just… It’s going to be dangerous. I’d like to come, it’d be extremely interesting to see the zerg for myself, but I’m just… Scared.”

You put your arm around her. “Lisa, this is the zerg we’re talking about here. It’s right to be scared of them. I am too.” You sigh. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re free to come along, on the battlecruiser at least, but the choice is yours.”

She still hesitates. “I… Don’t know, honestly. When would you leave?”

“We’d have to be at the rendez-vous point in a bit less than two days from now. You still have some time to decide.”

She smiles weakly. “Yeah, I’d like that I think. I mean, it’d be an opportunity of a lifetime, but it’s still…” She falls silent again.

“Just think about it. No pressure, we’ve still got a lot of time.”

A few minutes later, Lisa heads back to her patients, and Quartus and Sextus start bombarding you with questions about your training and the obvious psi blade transmitters around your arms. Well, only Quartus, Sextus just nods every time Quartus asks you a question.

>And that’s where I’m gonna call it quits.
>Good night folks, thanks for sticking around. Next thread will be friday I think. Be sure to keep an eye on the twitter to be sure.

>>34915670
Cheers for the thread op

>>34915670
'night OP

One important thing to note: I am planning on ending this quest after the current storyline, which I think should be around thread 40 or something. I don't think I'll continue this later, but I do have some other ideas for different quests, though I'm not sure which one I'd do (first) yet, or when I'd actually start it.