Armed Forces

Myriad Reality

does it still send the notification if you edit the mention to not be borked?

@Tank O The Lake

It does I believe

Myriad Reality

@Melodious, where are you?

@Tank O The Lake

Irl or IC? That character IC is at a large battlefield of a cosmic-scale battle that's been going for a while now. IRL, though, I'm just working for the next hour or so.

And here's yet another creature I'm planning to include in Alexei's adventures (I'm practically making a universe myself here):

Withers

Name: Lash
Gender: ???
Description: Lash is a member of a species known as Xenaris polydeimos, or Withers. Withers are shapeshifting sadists that reproduce through implanting an egg into their victims, slowly turning them. They can shapeshift into any creature of similar size whose DNA they have consumed, and the only thing that brings them satisfaction is bringing suffering to others. They are also powerful psychics, with their main focus on the ability to psychically modify genes. Due to all of these traits, when a single Wither appears on a world, that world is often doomed.

Lash is a Prime Wither, meaning the already dangerous qualities of Withers are enhanced yet more. His entire purpose is to infiltrate worlds and reproduce rapidly, overtaking, enslaving, and eventually murdering the population.
Skills: Withers are incredibly powerful, yet even more dextrous. They are naturally masters of manipulation and infiltration, but can be found out due to a hard-to-conceal lack of empathy. Their analytic minds allow them to outwit, bait, and lure their prey, and they absorb the memories of those they kill, allowing them to quickly become very proficient in their profession.
Powers:
Gene Manipulation: Withers can psychically manipulate the genes of their victims and themselves, often using this to create monsters to further their objectives. Common creatures include:
Morphs, a ‘runt’ form of Wither that is used to sabotage worlds before the Withers arrive.
Insectoids, ravenous, car-sized hybrids of human and insect, used in huge swarms as shock troops.
Amalgamates, animate hunks of flesh that can absorb and integrate lifeforms into themselves.
Wilthounds, crawling, perverted humans with snapping jaws and extreme speed and senses.
Technomorph, a biomechanical slime capable of integrating with and controlling technology.
Vampyrs, mutant Withers capable of ambushing and sucking all the fluids from prey.
Strangler Oaks, animate trees with black vines that entangle and suffocate prey.
Ceremorphs, larva-like creatures that stimulate pain nerves to torture captured victims.
Goldentongue: Withers can focus their power into speaking a suggestion that is almost impossible to resist.
Gaze: Looking into a Wither’s eyes can cause madness in all but the most resilient.
Shapeshifting: Withers can almost completely disguise themselves as prey they have consumed, acting the same and even remembering what they remembered. While in this form, they are nigh-impossible to detect.
Weapons:
Claws and Bite: Wither claws and teeth are both incredibly sharp, with the claws capable of inflicting painful slashing wounds and the teeth spaced perfectly to slide between human vertebrae and sever spinal cords. Wither saliva is toxic, so bite wounds can still kill even if the bleeding is staunched. They can distend their jaws as well, swallowing victims whole before quickly and agonizingly digesting them into an extremely acidic substance they can then regurgitate at enemies.
Secretions: Withers can secrete various chemicals from their bodies. They can regurgitate a substance that encases enemies before hardening to the strength of concrete. They can also create a healing chemical that allows quick regeneration, often used to prevent victims from dying from their cruel experiments.
Armor:
Resilience: Withers regenerate at an exceptional rate, and take little harm from poison, acid, flame, radiation, and even hard vacuum. However, they are weak to psychic attack, which can stun and blind them.
Utilities:
Companions: Withers are often accompanied by several creatures of their own making, which are even more dangerous.

@Tank O The Lake

Nice! I like the creative enthusiasm. If you feel so inclined to keep making sheets, you can, but I definitely feel like you've made enough that you don't have to anymore.

Myriad Reality

<Snipped quote by Armed Forces>

We have to hold them back, so we can move our operation. We need to buy time!

*The deafening sound of dozens marching in perfect unison fills the air. Turning the corner is a group of skeletal androids, not even flinching as rifle bullets ping off of their armor. Behind them, five hunter-killer drones advance, their weapons primed.*

*I duck my head as a laser light illuminates it, barely dodging a sniper's bullet, which continues on to dome one of my subordinates.*

You have anything to suppress the snipers?

@Tank O The Lake

*Places the rifle back over my shoulders*
Yes and no.
*Reaches into my jacket and pulls out a pair of sleek looking handguns of my own, that have several multicolored lights dotted across them*
I can keep them from seeing us for a bit
*Points up into the sky between us and the snipers and fires a handful of rounds from the handguns that detonate mid-air, unleashing white hot clouds of gas that linger in the air and obstruct both normal view and thermal vision*

Myriad Reality

<Snipped quote by Armed Forces>

*A missile flies by, detonating a second. Behind you, Mikhail reloads a rocket launcher.*

You don't know what you're up against, Leon. The NKVD is a very powerful enemy. We cannot face them!

@Tank O The Lake

*Contemplates for just a brief moment, before looking back to you and nodding*
Alright, then how do you usually handle this?

Myriad Reality

<Snipped quote by Tank O The Lake>

Katyusha: *Gestures to Leon* Prove your mettle! *Lets off a shot with a sniper-rifle*

@Tank O The Lake

Don't worry about me.
*Reaches behind me and pulls a burly yet sleek looking rifle*
Far from my worst scrap.
*Aims with it around the corner and fires off a singular very loud shot, shredding one of the vehicles with a very power anti-materiel round*

Myriad Reality

<Snipped quote by Armed Forces>

No, you idiot! We're under attack!

*Puts both hands to my mouth*

NIGHTWATCH, TO ARMS!

@Tank O The Lake

*My expression quickly changes as I dash to the nearest wall for cover*

Myriad Reality

<Snipped quote by Armed Forces>

*Goes completely still*

*Raises one hand in a 'shh' motion*

*The rest of the group goes silent as well*

@Tank O The Lake

...
*Looks around*
What? Don't act surprised. After what I've shared, you should expect it.

Myriad Reality

<Snipped quote by Armed Forces>

Not quite, but I don't doubt that with enough training, Alexandria could learn, and with enough research, we could shrink the Gateways to fit in the palm of a hand.

@Tank O The Lake

Such is the way of technological advancement.
*Taps a wristband that I'm wearing with a grin*
It's best when it's wearable, I'd say.

Myriad Reality

<Snipped quote by Armed Forces>

It's untouched by any sophisticated life. All the natural resources Earth now hungers and starves for, they're there. If I can get this and bring it back, I can dangle so much in front of the rest of the world, and they will pay me any price I wish.

*Chuckles darkly*

@Tank O The Lake

Hmmm... That's an ambitious goal. I don't take it any of you developed the ability to travel dimensions freely, by chance? Or do you require the gate for travel.

Myriad Reality

<Snipped quote by Armed Forces>

*Bows*

Alexei.

Yes, I have found things beyond this. A world, not like Earth. There are humans there, at least they look human, but they live in caves and roast aliens on spits. Their world is very bountiful, unlike this hellscape, but I will need to grow in manpower before I can set up any meaningful operation.

@Tank O The Lake

*Taps my chin*
What promise have you seen in this seemingly primitive world?