Star Crash, Culture Clash.

[Siuddithsi]

On top of the cliffs is a grassy field that gives way to forest, in a strip about 6000 feet long by 1000 feet wide (the size of about 6 shopping malls incl. parking lots put together or a large park in a medium sized city). Beyond that, the forest moves almost up to the cliff, with the strip of grass barely 100 ft wide. The ship rests beneath about the center of the field, 150 feet above The goblinoids are concentrated above the ship, in the open, making them sitting ducks for the airship. The beach above the high tide line is about as wide as a football field is long by the ship, narrowing further down the beach. The Ship rests roughly in the middle third of the beach, far enough from the cliff to make rock throwing difficult and far enough from the beach that they aren’t washed into it.

Meanwhile, aboard the ship, Podzevitch and his team of 7 techs and 3 psychics and mystics in steampunk attire are talking with Enocxi, The Captain and crew.
“Welcome aboard, Friends” says the captain.
“Thank you Captain” Podzevitch says “Hate to be direct, but we’re in dire straits and I recommend we get to repairing your ship now and exchanging pleasantries later. We realize this world has field that we call ‘Mana’, that inhibits most electronics and some rapid chemical reactions like explosions, but induces what you might call psychic power in many species. For electronics, we’ve brought a supply of alloys that allow electron flow in spite of the field and a way to plate it over your electronics. Decide what systems you want to restart first and we’ll get those running.” (recall the techs teleported down at the start of the battle, so this is the speech when they arrived. The repairs will be taking place while the battle rages) "But while we set up, please talk with Auril, Kalind and Evan. A formality to make sure you don't plan to work against us."
The Captain chuckles. "Understood, friend. Captain Jack Rogers reporting for interrogation". He salutes the mystics, who ask questions based on the history of advanced races meeting primitive cultures. "Do you think it's ok to kill, cheat, enslave other races? ("No"), Do you think low tech species are stupid or ripe for conquest? ("No, and the alliances keeps a rein on the species that think that"), If we repair your ship, will you use its capabilities against us? (No, we don't attack our allies"). The questions continue in this line for a while with the captain and crew, until the mystics approve helping the star farers.

On the beach, the goblinoids see the heroes, and charge howling in their furs, with weapons raised. Mneta steps up out of the water they landed in and takes aim at the creatures coming toward her with teeth bared. VREET!, VREET!, VREET! Her aim is precise and the weapon that couldn’t light a match a few days ago, emits a blinding pencil thin beam of light that blasts through the goblins, usually passing through the first goblin and killing or injuring the one behind it. (If Shyeal is nearby, Mneta winks at her)

On the cliff, Thava, Cheerwind and the troops hear a commotion from the woods. Goblin voices are heading your way. Are reinforcements coming?

[SakuraHanaryuu]

[Thava Ironclaw]

Spoiler: show

"Gadak your in command again hold this line and give me some cover, Ironguard, break ranks and follow me, Zepherside if you please, were heading into the forest, I believe our foes just broke a big rule of warfare..." *someone lit a few smoke grenades and tossed them out in between the gap in forces, and in the cloak of red, Thava took zepherside and her Ironguard, and rushed into the forest to intercept this new threat. She sent their fairy companion forward as she was small, stealthy, and could fly, utilizing these advantages to gain intelligence on the ambush parties numbers and locations.*

"We probably don't have much time", *she whispered in the brambles, the armor protecting her and her soldiers from the thorns*, "...there are goblins in these woods, I heard them, I want you to circle around to their back lines, and run interference, but if they spot you, flee into the woods, your goal is to spread them out thin so me and my Ironguard can apply stealth tactics to kill them quick and quiet.", *Thava next handed Cheerwind a matchbox*, "this is quite possibly the most dangerous thing a fairy can possess given the right circumstances, if they have a store of oil or blasting powder, burn it, if they don't keep the box for any such opportunity. I don't have to tell you what a bunch of goblins can do with a barrel of explosives", *Images of wildfires and burning houses, landslides, and other devious images came to mind*

"There should be Jujapu trees in this forest as well, if you can find one, we can use the sap from a branch to quench any fires...just in case."

(P.S: Fey Lore)

Spoiler: show

(little bit of fey lore, fairy magic can be conducted with tree branches, wrapped in natural materials. I added the Jujapu tree into the world, a fictional tree of my own creation, whose sap makes a fine fire extinguisher. In theory, Cheerwind should be able to blow the needles of the tree into fairy dust, scattering this effect to douse fires. Of course this is all if MeTheMe and Siu find the ability agreeable. Interestingly there is an african tree that is fire resistant, and drops flammable seed bundles with the intention of killing off surrounding vegetation to secure sunlight for its offspring.)

[Siuddithsi]

Your troops start the flanking maneuver, trying to get behind the goblins. The goblins are creeping or running, trying to use the trees as cover, because they're getting shot in the back. You find that the rangers Cheerwind had warned with her bird, have been getting into position and used your attack as a diversion to start their own attack. They're rapidly clearing the remaining goblins and traps out of the forest.

(The area doesn't have Jujapu trees. There's no blasting powder. Gobinoids couldn't afford the ingredients. Fairies have limited invisibility so Cheerwind can scout safely, but the effect dispels if she attacks, so she'd be visible with her match in the middle of the enemy. Your call Cheerwind.)

[SakuraHanaryuu]

[Thava: Additional movements]:
"How delicious, Mmmh I need to coordinate our movements with those scouts, Cheerwind, are you able to send them another message without revealing their positions? I want their commander to receive a simple phrase. {We Behead the Snake} That'll tell them everything they need to know." *Thava would then begin to move with her Ironguard, tree to tree taking as much cover as possible, using her crossbow to aid in picking off the Gobbies and making her way into the rangers safezone, from there she bolted through it at full speed, and headed uphill towards the orc line, she didn't stop until she saw them, then had her Ironguard hide among the trees. Watching, studying their lines and looking for weak points in their defenses.*

[MeTheMe]

Cheerwind fumbled with the book of matches handed to her for a moment, having not expected to be handed it! At her size if was roughly the size of a small shield for her, and she tucked it under her arm, keeping her wand hand free. "I d- don't think they have any blasting powder, they would have used some of it by now, I think..." She flew up a little bit to get a better look... but the goblin forces did seem free of explosions... but that sound off to the side, where the forest was... it was concerning her. "Get ready, I think hear sounds over..."

The Rangers! It seemed after her warning and message they had prepared to attack with them, catching flank of the goblins, and catching them unaware as well! The battle was going so well! Of course they had a little time to prepare, so that helped of course, but still, the faster this was over, the better! At Thava's command, she handed the matchbook back, and made herself invisible, before fluttering off towards The Rangers to give them Thava's message! She fluttered up by... wait, which one was their commander? She didn't know, and just ended up near the most important looking one! She became visible, and gave a little bow. "Hey! Warrior Princess Thava is commanding that group of troops, and she had a message phrase for you, {We Behead the Snake}, she seemed to think you'd know what that means!" She stuck close to them for a while, to make sure they knew what was going on, and to see if they could use some of her help.

[Fyr3]

Shyeal's face furrowed a little when the technomancers explained the source of their woes was magic. She really wished she had the luxury of questioning them over that. Perhaps later, but now they were deep in battle. Perhaps she could make this easier for a while though, seeing the horde charging goblinoids she held the knocked arrow and bow with one hand and reached into a pouch on her belt with the other. Pulling out a bundle of seven thorns she'd collected in the woods quite some time above and the area before the advancing creatures twisted and sprouted thorns damaging any who dared tread through the hazardous patch it made. ((It's supposed to camouflage also, but I don't know if this terrain makes that factor not work?))


((Ranger magic: http://engl393-dnd5th.wikia.com/wiki/Spike_Growth ))

[PlasmaTech225]

The field didn't matter now, really. What mattered was clearing the enemy forces from the area as quickly as possible, and Enocxi figured the ship's weapons would be more than enough, even at partial power. The main generator would be nice to have, but he was unsure of the techs' experience with antimatter systems. "Well, some firepower would be nice. The generators and engines can wait." He leads the techs to the ship's weapon systems, which were concealed neatly in a hatch under the floor. Next to the hatch was the control panel by which they were controlled. "Also, is there oxygen outside? I'm getting tired of running these life support systems manually."

[Siuddithsi]

(Not sure Thava’s manuver matches the terrain, but…)

As the goblinoids from the woods are driven to their main force by the rangers, Thava and her troops enter the woods and use them as cover to manuver into a position to attack and/or spy on the enemy. The skirmish takes long enough that Thava sees something she might use to her advantage. There’s almost no order to the attackers. They’re kept in line only by orcs beating goblins, the goblins are openly cussing the orcs and each other. Apparently rival tribes all saw the ship and headed for it, then the orcs and drow showed up to take their prize. If the orc overseers were removed, the goblins might rout.

Cheerwind passes her message to the rangers. They thank her and nod in understanding and point to the next soldier up the line to pass the message. Soon, enough goblins have fled that they openly pass messages with hand signals. (no point in shouting their plans)

(Shyeal is on the beach fighting alongside Mneta, and the technomancers are on board the ship. But you could have picked up a communication between the crew and Mneta that explained the anti-tech effect of magic. And the thorns can be used for spike growth, but even a goblin can figure out there must be someone hiding behind the thorn bush that just popped into existence on the beach. It will give a minus to their attacks by obscuring their aim)

Podzevitch says “The fires they built below the ship are out, so no smoke, we haven’t had a plague to contaminate things in at least 50 years and I don't think our foes are powerful enough to invoke poisonous gas. Go ahead, open the windows”. The techs separate into pairs that talk with their shipboard counterparts and Enocxi, to find the parts that need repair. They begin at the weapons themselves, pulling out circuitboards and exposing the conduits, working their way toward the main power cables.. The technomancers pull jewelers loupes from pockets or the headbands of their hats to magnify the circuit diagrams. Then one tech holds a block of alloy, while the other chants and waves a metal wand over the alloy. A glowing circuit diagram appears in the block of alloy, then the tech touches the want to the circuitboard, which gains the appearance of the strange alloy in the wiring, while the glow fades. When they finally convert the last main power cable, Podzevitch says “Turn her on, she shouldn’t blow up” The main weapon systems hum to full powered life.

[SakuraHanaryuu]

[Thava]:
"Hey Agadar you seeing what I'm seeing?", *the princess stated to her right center guard while examining the troop layout and tree line*(If I recall you stated there was a thinner region of grass between the cliffside and forrest), "I'll need two breaths, those two quick n dirty, then we charge.", *Thava pointed to two of the trees spaced ideally appart, before two of her ironguard took a deep hissing breath, plenty loud enough to blow their cover, the other two began hacking at the trees with their swords on the sides facing the goblin main forces. As the goblins reacted, two massive gouts of dragon fire lit up both trees, flung from her guards maws. First low and focused on the spot to be cut, and then shot up into the trees branches. To ignite the structure and prep it for its collapse, When the gouts ended a single strike from the fire breathers would snap the trees down at an angle leaving them to drop on the goblin army, sectioning off about fifty of the mean little bastards, sandwiched between two great trees larger than houses and blazing with the roar and crackle of dragonfire, Many goblins and several orcs screaming murder beneath the inferno, Thava roared for their blood. A beastial terrifying sound, like the gutteral bellow of a mountain, joined by her companions, it became the warcry of the dragonborn, just five warriors, to chew through fifty and more would follow...but their moral would be shattered, especially after this*.

*Just as the fire scorched away the trees, Thava and her Ironguard bit into the hoard, the clashing of spears against shields, swords splitting throats, whole goblins crushed, trampled under red clawed boots. The dragonborn snapped and hopped through the hoard like demons dancing in hellfire, their expressions of excitement and joy in the grisly bloodbath of war, would terrify all but those who shared their love of combat. Mad with bloodlust, they would drive the hoards clear off the cliff, if backed into a corner one of the ironguards remaining fire breaths would be expended securing a path to fall back to, all the while the rangers of the forest finding open targets to plug with their arrows, easy prey, whose attention was fixated on the hellfire before them...instead of the shadows at their backs!*

[Siuddithsi]

The Airship had completed another pass when your plan took effect. You charge across the cannon blasted field cutting through the trapped goblinoids like a hot knife through butter. The rangers concentrate on preventing the fire from torching the forest, so a few minutes delay before they join you. The trees aren't tall enough to reach the command tents but it puts you in a straight shot to attack them.

[SakuraHanaryuu]

[Thava]:
*Recognizing the dangers of crossfire, Thava holds this position for a while, the blazing trees forcing goblins to attack from one direction, cutting off their ability to effectively flank her unite, they also draw so much attention that the Airship would take notice, and with the host of rangers at her back, there was virtually zero chance any forces could strike from behind. Rather than rush the tents, Thava would wait for support from their airship, and for the Rangers to fully secure their positions. But she wouldn't wait forever, the next good opportunity she saw, she'd charge the tents, for now she held position firing crossbow bolts into any orc she saw to keep them soft and off balance.*

*Thava was down to five bolts from the even twenty she'd brought at this point though, she'd restock later, she'd brought spare bundles of gnomish bolts from Spindlethorp. On swords she would only wield Ironclaw steel, no substitutes, but even she, proud dragonborn she was, acknowledged the might of any ranged strike, arrow, bolt, fireball or otherwise. There was a reason she traded her shield for a crossbow, though after this battle, she swore to put her father's shield to better use than a room decoration. Not because it increased her raw defensive capabilities, but because it cloaked her from view. The Ironguard had been using their shields to deceive their foes, their tactics brilliant and cunning. They made Thava wish to join them, as a link in the shield wall, she would figure out a way to keep her gauntlet mounted crossbow. Perhapse an underslung, clockwork design to keep the mechanism out of the way.* (Lol assassins creed anyone)

*But that was later, as proud as she was of the Ironguard, Thava needed to keep her head in the game. She flung the blood from her blade and sheathed it, before lifting a goblin spear up and hurling it like a javelin into an oncoming orcs shield, before charging him down. The spear weighing the shield down as the princess aimed to sunder his shield-side ribs by out maneuvering him and exposing his flank.*

[MeTheMe]

With the message sent, and The Rangers now working with Thava's troops a bit more effectively, Cheerwind... didn't feel as useful. The forces were tearing through goblins hordes like they were paper... and yet it seemed like there were always more goblins! She flew up, just past the canopy of the forest, to get a better look, but it was so hard to tell their numbers.

Oh, fire! She flew off to help The Rangers put it out, holding out her hands, and producing a large gout of water that easily put out anything in it's path. That was an easy spell! Despite her work with the troops though, she was feeling... inadequate for this battle. Still happy to help, but feeling so out of place on a battle field! She had to wonder how much longer the battle would rage on, and what she might do to help now that she hadn't been doing before... the thought of going into the forest to find a bear could help, though it may be a bit late for that, finding, and charming, and then bringing it back would take time. She instead laid a few buffs out on The Rangers, while returning to her old tactics.

[SakuraHanaryuu]

[To Me-Me]:

Spoiler: show

Might I suggest running tactical interference? The rangers are in no danger, but Thavas five man party is taking on an entire army of goblins, if I recall Cheerwind could create hazardous terrain, she could use that to slow their battle flow to ease the burden on the Ironguard. Aside from that reporting to Thava the current layout of the battlefield from her birds eye view, would ensure she could act in accordance with updated Battle positions. Adding additional branches to the trees to extend the fire line would also be advantageous, the longer those fire lines the more of a choke is applied to the goblin hoards, get it far enough and all they'll be able to do is trickle, or figure out a way to catapult themselves over the fire.

[Siuddithsi]

Cheerwind,

Spoiler: show

another option is to use flight. Can you think of anyone who might be able to help?

On board the ship, while the technomancer crew is moving on to the next repair

Spoiler: show

(presumably the shields, main engine or propulsion units)

a 6 ft tall praying mantis woman, with compound eyes and four mantis clawed limbs greets the news that weapons are back online with a smile "That's my cue". She sits at the weapon command console. "Somebody warn our allies on the beach not to look at the ship or the lasers could blind them!" "Yes officer Vaath, I'll warn Mneta immediately!" Vaath pauses and pushes buttons, adjusting the weapons while they make the announcement. "Power to forward lasers, set focus to wide, set intensity to 90 percent, make sure turret has good range of motion..." she mutters to herself.

Over her com badge Mneta got the warning "Ships lasers are online, repeat ships lasers online, LOOK AWAY FROM THE SHIP, anyone who looks at the lasers risks blindness!"
Mneta pushes the 'talk' button on her communicator "Copy That! (com off) EVERYONE LOOK AT THE OCEAN" She turns around her self, listening for the attackers. "PASS IT ON, DON'T LOOK AT THE SHIP OR YOU'LL GO BLIND, LOOK AT THE OCEAN, TELL EVERY LANGUAGE TO LOOK AT THE OCEAN!" She then speaks in Millerite (space goblins) as her allies start turning away. "DON'T LOOK AT THE AIRSHIP, IT IS FORBIDDEN TO LOOK AT THE METAL SHIP!" Hearing it in their own language, about 10% of the goblins in earshot turn and look at the ship.

"Officer Vaath, it looks like our allies have turned, but they're being attacked!"
"Then lets draw a line in the sand." Vaath aims between the goblins and the allies on the beach, aiming for dryer sand.
VreeVreeVreeVreeVree... screams the ships laser as the continuous beam is focused in a swath about 20 feet wide, but the brightness looks like the sun behind those who are looking to sea.
(GORE WARNING)

Spoiler: show

Those looking toward the ship scream as the brightness blinds them. Vaath sweeps the beam across the beach. Within the 20 ft path the goblins burst into flame, their blackened skeletons falling into the molten glass the sand has become, like insects in amber.

Soon, the few surviving goblins are either blind or trapped between the beach and their enemies, retreat impossible through a 20 ft wide swath of molten glass.

Vaath stops firing, and pivots the gun turrets toward the landward goblins. Any drow with teleport spells on the beach immediately disappear. The four male and two female drow left behind, join the remaining 30 goblins and 15 orcs in dropping their weapons, falling to their knees, surrendering and begging for mercy.

Witnesses on the cliff spread the word and soon, the nine drow who can teleport are gone with the drider. The remaining 7 (4 m, 3 f) begin retreating to the cliffs, away from Thava's troops. "Retreat", they command, and the enemy tries to escape the battlefield.

[Fyr3]

Shyeal was in her element more or less. Her favored enemy was goblins and she was a mob hunter ranger so she was sending arrow after arrow down the battlefield, the ice enchantment was probably enough of a boost to make them go down as they rounded her spells radius, helping hold the line. She wasn't sure where Cheerwind took off to, and was a little worried about her much smaller friend. She wasn't able to focus long though, and upon hearing the translation via Mneta she'd echo the warning in common, elvish and whatever other languages she knew.

Shyeal was not prepared for the raw destruction the ships weapons inflicted, she dropped an arrow in shock as a raging pillar of flame ravaged and destroyed their enemies only able to utter "By the gods..." It took her a moment to recover from seeing the destruction as she heard it fire again, looking around for any soon to be prisoners nearby, she'd bind them if needed though the army was probably going to deal with them. It was already over, and perhaps the most carnage she would ever witness happen so fast. She turned to mneta and couldn't help but ask "What manner of weapon was that?!" Shyeal had no concerns about the ones retreating, they would tell the story of...whatever that was, and she couldn't even imagine them dare challenge it again.

[SakuraHanaryuu]

[Thava]:
*The Dragonborn princess saw the opertunity, the positions were ideal the goblins suddenly routing. She gave the charge command and...they ran around her, giving them a huge berth...she realized they had dropped their weapons fleeing away from the beach and into the woods...all of them at once. What could be so terrifying that it could scare away an entire army?*

*The princess made her way to see what the comotion was about...when she looked over the cliffs upon the beach her eyes widened...so few things had ever caused her to experience fear...but, she fell to her knees at this sight, and her guards joined her. The beach had turned to a bubbling hell, the stench of burned goblin grease practically exploded from the sea breeze stinging their eyes.*

"Wha...why did we even bring troops..." *none of her guards could answer her*, "why...they could have just teleported into the ship and been done with it...it's not like they were in danger...look at its haul...not a bloody scratch, after days of bombardment..."

"...Azakon...you must return to my father...Your the swiftest of us...vanish into shadow...tell him-"

[MeTheMe]

Cheerwind took off, the Rangers seemed to be fine, handling things on their own, but Thava only had her small band and was up against an army! She went invisible, and zipped off, ending her flight at the back of Thava's group again, and raised her wand for another bombardment of support when... there was some shouting she couldn't quite make out from the beach crew, and...

Something... happened. It was loud, like a terrible high pitched screaming that went on too long. And light. She was a little ways away from the cliff edge, and couldn't see the ship, but the glow that came up from behind the ridge told her something had happened. Something big. She had to know now, and flew over to the ridge with Thava, looking over at the carnage the ship left in the weapon's wake. She looked over to see the retreat command given to their enemies, those who weren't holding their eyes in some vain attempt to restore their own vision. Horror filled her, she was already scared of this battle, but that was... something else.

"Thava... I... umm... I will return, don't tell anyone, but The Court must know what that ship is... capable of. I trust Mneta, but... I need to send a messenger. They're in retreat, so I think I have some time..." She fluttered off, to cast her Animal Messenger alone.

[Siuddithsi]

(quick spoiler/retcon alert notice. After PMs about the scene, I realized that I had omitted scenes/information/actions that I either planned to add but missed, or realized after thinking about it that, as the GM having knowledge of what's going to happen, That I had forgotten to add precautions, forgetting that the technomancers do NOT know what will happen.

So I'll be retconning some of the action, adding precautions that I'd missed, like the mention that the repairs had a limited time, and that the Psychics from page 6 (Auril, Kalind and Evan) will come to the ship to verify that the captain and crew are as benign as Mneta) Other actions will be taken by the technomancers, but none of it will have much effect on the story so far. The Fantasy Worlders have had a shock, realizing that starship weapons are as powerful as Mystic Artifacts like Mjolnir.)

[Siuddithsi]

Current Retcons:

Spoiler: show

Added:
A team of technomancers and wizards, including the psychics and diviners that had interrogated Mneta, prepare to teleport to the ship and Mneta coordinates with the ships crew for an open space and not to attack the rescue team.

Added:
Decide what systems you want to restart first and we’ll get those running.” (recall the techs teleported down at the start of the battle, so this is the speech when they arrived. The repairs will be taking place while the battle rages) "But while we set up, please talk with Auril, Kalind and Evan. A formality to make sure you don't plan to work against us."
The Captain chuckles. "Understood, friend. Captain Jack Rogers reporting for interrogation". He salutes the mystics, who ask questions based on the history of advanced races meeting primitive cultures. "Do you think it's ok to kill, cheat, enslave other races? ("No"), Do you think low tech species are stupid or ripe for conquest? ("No, and the alliances keeps a rein on the species that think that"), If we repair your ship, will you use its capabilities against us? (No, we don't attack our allies"). The questions continue in this line for a while with the captain and crew, until the mystics approve helping the star farers.

"Sorry, I'll need to post the technomancers response to the weaponry tomorrow, too tired tonight)

[SakuraHanaryuu]

[Thava]:
"That would be best Cheerwind...send the word out to as many people as you can, the fairy courts, the college, and my home if you can get a message that far west, For the time being, antagonizing the aliens in any way is to be considered a war crime punishable by death. We cannot afford to be perceived as a threat. Our people must know and that ship is to be classified as a god tier artifact...'artifact' that's important, not 'threat'. Try to downplay the idea that they could flip on us...I don't want to spook the elders, and provoke a knee-jerk reaction from them."

*Thava stood and gathered her wits and addressed her men*, "Let us find out what the inquisition team has gathered first...if they have been killed in that hunk of metal..." *Thava put her claw to her head*, "...If we have been betrayed...secure the Anti-Manatite on the dirigible, or sabotage the ship's power source...that...thing, could conquer our entire world on its own...probably in less than a week if it can fly as they claim...if possible, I want that weapon off of it and disassembled before it is allowed flight."