Manitou Bleed Temple

The Manitou Bleed Temple is a ancient ruin with strange bleed-phenomena that was discovered and brought back online by the Tahora Whai, namely the crew of the exploratory ship "The Rānzo".

Crew

 * Tirta Alhaji
 * Beamish
 * Zakk Neuberg
 * Enitan -

Exploration Attempts
While searching for the lost facility, the exploratory ship found itself trapped in a gravity field. Improbably, the field appeared to follow the ship despite attempts to navigate around it. A highly-qualified gravity lens was eventually able to chart a safe path through the gravity field; however, the encounter with the field resulted in minimal progress in the search for the facility. Ship's records show a measured distance traveled, yet the ship remains where it was prior to traversing the field. There is as yet no explanation for this phenomena

Attempt 2
After the crew of The Rānzo managed to avoid the trap of falling back into the twisted gravity field a callout is made to Beamish, the helmsman: “Object Identified in a wide orbit around Langgan.”

Under the guidance of Zakk Neuberg, the master Lens taken on to observe the gravitational anomaly, traversal to the orbital object is slow but measured. As the object comes into view, the crew crowd the port-side windows. The station, as it is now clear, appears to have seen better days with only emergency exterior lighting active on large portions. Once the Whai ship approaches, a surge of power flows through the station, flood-lights and shielding activate below. On the bridge a klaxon and warning lights activate, We’re being targeted by automated defenses,” the engineer calls out “Engage Defensive Maneuvres!”

Ships of the Tahora Whai are accustomed to ambushes, but would rather be on the other side of the engagement. As the station's guns level upon them, the crew jump to their stations. Beamish pulls the vessel sharply starboard and enters into a retreating corkscrew pattern to evade the point-defense system. Once back at a safe distance, the ship enters a controlled orbit and searches for weaknesses in the mystery station below.

Attempt 3
The Rānzo holds back, undertaking a robust course of scans of the station ahead of them. The hedgehog-like station appeared innocent, but on whatever approach the crew took, the fortress awoke more vicious than the last. Each time a new engagement range and new hidden weaponry; rockets, chaff, radio blasts, kinetic shot, and more, all fired upon the Whai exploratory vessel. The station bristled with defences.

After several dozen unsuccessful attempts the crew reset their safe orbit and deliberated their options and alternatives.

Attempt 4
The crew of The Rānzo continue in an aggressive firefight before deciding on a bold new strategy! It was successful enough to land themselves and crew into a landing bay facility. Now the crew find themselves locked into a fight with turrets, EM fields, bleed neutralizers, and ancient traps. With the ship in a rocky condition the crew endeavor to secure a small portion of the station to plan out their next move.

Attempt 5
Beamish and the crew of The Rānzo manage to shut down the automated defenses in the hanger with their ship. With the battle in a momentary lull it's time to regroup and study the station. The Rānzo's data specialist, Enitan, discovers a rudimentary map of the facility pointing to 4 main chambers: Research & Destruction, Infusion & Alterations, Meditation & Mediation, and Power & Security. A section of the map is however unable to be read by any member of the crew and those partial to the bleed find themselves with a headache if they try to focus too hard on the map. With the downtime the crew has a chance to prepare their next strike to secure the facility and the secrets hidden within. How does the crew prepare for their next encounter -- only time will tell.

Attempt 6
The crew of The Rānzo take their moment to plan and decide to go tackle the Power & Security chamber so further exploration can be much easier. Enitan and a skeleton crew agree to hold their current position onboard so a boarding party can traverse the station corridors deactivating defensive structures and safely restore full system power. Over secure comms Enitan guides Alhaji, Beamish, Neuberg and the vessel's competent fighters around nearly all of the online defenses. Just as it seems like the exploratory team are going to have to traverse a treacherous gravitic minefield, Enitan opens a maintenance corridor leading the expedition straight to the power control system.

Inside the security room Neuberg and Beamish hold off a continuous swarm of what apparently bleed manifested special operations units. The party manage to restore full-power to this station, quite a surprise given how long it appears to have been unoccupied. As defense systems are slowly being deactivated, a monitor for power consumption notes that with full-power restored some dormant process within the other three chambers has enabled itself and draws 32% of all available station power. A project name is listed on the power consumption monitor, Alhaji utters it aloud in hallowed tones: Project Ithas ...

Distorted Lense
Deep in the bowels of Manitou Bleed Temple an arcane bio-lab spits out powerful promethean hulks known as Distorted Lenses. These powerful bleed-augmented warriors were allegedly developed for the defense of the temple in orbit over Langgan. Born of raw biomass, but capable of intense bleed power (as if they had stolen it from a god), the strange servants warp the bleed to their master’s command. Researchers of the ancient station have begun studies to further their understanding of these twisted spawn. The Whai teams leading the research have gained considerable prestige and influence with their discoveries here, receiving considerable investments from the sector at large. However, the power and rapid development of these warriors remains only tangibly under Whai control. It appears that with each batch of hulks they imprint themselves upon certain people or ideas, becoming dogged servants to a cause.