Although I generally use italics as interior monologue elsewhere, they'll just be used as emphasis or accenting with Ristretto.

Ristretto examines some of the bodies of the Defaced. Not in a way that necessarily requires a description, more just because they interest her. She cautiously pokes one, then frowns.
"Huh," she muses, scratching her chin. She turns to the rest of the party, "So... I'm not really too familiar with the story, but I'm with you guys, taking out these sorts, right? If that's how it is... then my name's Ristretto! I'm a pirate! Nice to meet you all!"

Having introduced herself to... whoever she introducted herself to, she idly bounces on the balls of her feet. "So... fighting! Have we got any more of that to do?"

With no responses, she shrugs, and slinks off to the factory with everyone else. Flipping an axe in her hand, she gets psyched up for the fight ahead.

Judging by his calm mannerisms as of right now, 'Splodimus probably never went after Engietech's stuff. And if he did, he regretted it, and decided against ever shooting one down again. Which one's true is unknown...

He turns to the trio next to him. He's slightly miffed that there were personnel who would've helped with their assault.

'SPLODIMUS: Oi, really now? Ya d'cide tha' hidin' und'r floors'll git ye places? Anythin' wit' 'alf a functionin' brain or low-grade sensory equipm'nt coulda rooted y' lot out.
'SPLODIMUS: If ye really don' wanna die, stay in th' back.
'SPLODIMUS: An' if we'se talkin' revivals... well, 'ealth care's cheap 'round 'ere. As in, free.

'SPLODIMUS: ...We'se got a few Abandoned near th' factory. If y'ain't up fer th' challenge, we ain't forcin' ya. Jus' don' git in our way.

'Splodimus departs for the Factory Foregrounds. He initiates battle there.

After snuggling with Mocha some, Java went down and nodded, heading to help out at the factory.

>Analysis: Extremely dangerous Defaced nearby. Appears to possess higher intelligence than lesser Defaced; however, hostility still extremely likely.

Morningstar quickly exits the Supply Depot and talks to Planner, and anyone else interested, about the Shining One.

Morningstar: The Shining One. God of honor and fighting against evil, especially demons and undead.
Morningstar: Followers are restricted to a code of honor, though not as restrictive as that of Zin, a similar holy god.
Morningstar: The Shining One, with the rest of his pantheon, originated in a distant realm, most of which is long since destroyed.
Morningstar: As a result, the gods of the pantheon preserved what little they could, and began travelling to other realms to spread their respective faiths.
Morningstar: I am the result of one of the Shining One's projects. Research shows that robots are approximately 97.34% less likely to be raised as undead, and 94.72% less likely to become corrupted by demons.

Morningstar: I could give more information about this pantheon, if desired. First, however, I suggest taking the Factory Foreground might be advantageous.

Morningstar quickly scouts the area east of Further Along, then heads to the Factory Foreground to join the imminent battle

Contritum - Round 15

People seem eager to get the factory battle underway... Can't really blame them, I suppose.


Chinook burns the corpses around the place. A faint breeze picks up as the bodies burn, ashes scattering in the wind. They then wander to the landing pad, preparing to join the upcoming factory battle.

Strix does some alterations to his stats and build.

Ristretto investigates some of the bodies. Before they're gone, she gets time to identify that the bodies are in fact dead. They all seem to have humanoid shapes, although with minor degrees of specialization for their dedicated roles... She then speaks with the rest of the group, doesn't get much of a response, and goes to the factory.

Splodimus talks with the trio of personnel. The spear-wielding one seems a bit miffed about Splodimus's tone.

???: Hey, it worked. We're alive, the people out there aren't.
???: Sides, that group had no Alerters. We would've been fine for ages! Not like those things are smart enough to search prop-
PLANNER: For your information, those things are likely smart enough to notice three of their prey going unexpectedly missing. Do you think they would not wait until you emerged, or grow impatient and call an Alerter in to root you three out?
???: ...

The spearman would take too long to form a proper response now. Splodimus moves to the Factory Foregrounds, initiating battle there.

Java also heads to the factory battle area.

Morningstar leaves the Supply Depot, speaking with Planner and any ambient listeners about the Shining One. Planner hums while listening, shifting a little and just taking in the information... Once he finishes speaking, Planner nods.

PLANNER: I see. Adding that information to a relevant database...
PLANNER: I will be interested in hearing more once we have dealt with situations elsewhere.

He then scouts out east of Further Along, before heading to the Factory Foreground to join the fight with everyone else.


Everyone at the battle would find themselves being confronted by a small force of Abandoned - four of those mechs, and two turrets. Upon detecting the unfamiliar presence, the drones and turrets turn themselves towards the new arrivals, prepared to do battle with them. It might be worth noting that each of them seem to be in various states of decay, yet still fully functional...

All situations have been processed. Round over.

Ristretto grins a toothy grin. She dashes to G6 and empowers her axes with a ghostly aura- Vampiric Venom- before tossing one of them at SWMech1.

Strix spawns at K3 moves to L7, then uses Enchant (Psychic mode).

'Splodimus runs to (F8), and revs up his weapon.

'SPLODIMUS: 'Xperimental Weapon: W H I M S Y!

The hand cannon fires it's RNG blast out at MGTurr1.

Chinook moves to H3 and shoots SWmech1.

Java moves to I5 and thinks about life. And murder for that matter.

Mocha gently places her skillpoint into SPC, before making her way to the factory at about the same time as Java.

She spawns at I3, and very cautiously makes her way to G7, chilling there for the moment next to Java and Ristretto. Mocha does her best to smile at the newcomer, somewhat intimidated by her teeth, but attracted to her bounding energy.

Both of Latte's skillpoints are thrown into STR, and Cleave is advanced to Sweeping Blow (didn't set a physical damage before, oops.)

Latte spawns at J3 and dashes over to E8, just short of the SWMech2, and seems to be annoyed by this. Her lips curl up at the edges, baring her sharp canine teeth into a snarl. Latte growls deeply, almost a threat to the SWMech2. (This is Intimidation, just to clarify.)

Auth slinks from Spawn onto H9 and casts Teneveil on Mocha. He's just in range of Aura, but is ideally far enough away to not be shot.

Auth assigns one Skill Point to MP and one to INT before he spawns in.

Contritum - Round 16

It is time. Let us see what we have to do... Some skillpoint stuff, which I'll cover just below, and quite a couple of battle actions...

Skillpoints - Mocha (SPC), Latte (STR), and Auth (MP, INT). That's... less than I may have been expecting, sure, but we'll go with it. Shouldn't be too hard to fit in.

Battle has been processed.

Elsewhere, movement and dialogue...

All situations have been processed. Round over.

Ristretto returns Mocha a smile, before turning that smile on SWMech4.
"Gurah! This is fun!"
She dashes to H11, tosses another axe at SWMech4, then retreats to J11.

Chinook moves to I6 and activates bunker mode.

'Splodimus looks at his weapon. Then at the area around him. Then the turret he just shot. Then the weapon. He seems... disappointed with the result, somehow.

'SPLODIMUS: Fer thermonuclear 'splosions, they'se nev'r did much. Tha's disappointin'.

He then receives buffs from the Planner. He nods in her general direction, and focuses on the turret again. He shoots Turret1.

Strix moves to L9, then fires Glitchlance to the west.

"Take THAT!"

Morningstar moves to J8 and slaps the adjacent SWMech.

SWMech gets slapped with trait debuffs, as usual.

Java moves to I8 and fires off a simple Shinebright at SWMech3