[SFS] GM Peet's 1-01 The Commencement Table 1 (Inactive)

Game Master Peet

Not wanting to spend too much time in line, Navasi thinks of a distraction to allow Khorvax to secure a few copies of the album.

When she believes her fellow Starfinder is ready, she cries "I can't believe it. It's them! The band! STRAWBERRY MACHINE CAKE! They are over there, in the lobby of the hotel across the street! They are so dreamy! Oh My Deities! Are they handing out copies of the album? I'm there!". She takes off running, hoping a mob will follow.

Bluff with expertise: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (18) + 6 + (5) = 29

Slow. Clap.

Altronus prepares to dodge out of the way of the screaming, stampeding tweens

Iseph tries to sneak to the front as well with the diversion that Navasi provided.

Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

Bluff with expertise: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (18) + 6 + (5) = 29

Well, I'd say the dice have spoken.

At first the reaction is confusion.

"The band? Where?"
"What did she say?"
"I didn't think the band was on the station?"

But as Navasi starts running, so do a few others, and then more, and as she pulls past the rest of the line in front of her the group becomes a mob.

"Where are they going!"
"CAKE! STRAWBERRY MACHINE CAKE!"
"Free concert? What?"
"Where? I don't see anything!"
"Follow them! They must know!"

By the time Navasi passes the store entrance she isn't even at the front of the mob. The Security Guards turn to watch everyone go by and crane to see what is happening as more and more people leave the line to go "meet the band."

With the guards and crowd distracted, Iseph and Khorvax easily slip inside. The store is mostly empty as people stream out to see what is going on. When they ask for their copy of the album, the clerk seems too busy to pay attention to what is going on.

"Gimme a minute... Somebody said the band is here. You guys know what is going on? Is Scarlet Candypuff really getting married across the street?"

The albums are 50 credits each. Zigvigix gave you enough credits for one album, but you may buy more if you want. I'll cap it at no more than one per character though. I'm going to move ahead so just post if you want one.

"I have no need of a personal copy for this low grade entertainment" Altronus proclaims, while quietly pulling out his comm unit to download the digital version of the album...

When the Starfinders report that they have the album, Zigvigix is excited.

"Wonderful! That was much faster than I expected! Well, I have a few things for you. Meet me at the art park again, and I can give you your reward!"

Being not far from the art park, the group actually arrives before Zigvigix.

{Here are my conquering heroes!} Ziggy broadcasts cheerily. {You've done wonderfully for your first day! The Society needs field agents like this. Here, have a look at what I brought you.}

Zigvigix presents the PCs with a large duffel bag. Within is a set of basic iridishell armor, a pair of incendiary grenades I, and 400 credits.

{I'm sorry about the money... I know it doesn't seem much for an assignment, but I have a budget I have to stick to and a headquarters to build. Good luck on your next mission, and don't forget to give my gift to Historia-7 when you see her. Have fun with the grenades, but don’t blow yourselves up—I like you!}

The next question is which faction to visit next?
* Radaszam of the Acquisitives?
* Historia-7 of the Dataphiles?
* Fitch of the Wayfinders?

Acquisitives

Senko will send a quick text to Navasi. If you have some spare credits for one, I can pick you up an album while you're busy leading that mob. Nice job, by the way. He'll then go purchase an album for himself (and possibly Navasi).

I'd also like to do Acquisitives next.

As a pregen, Navasi lacks sufficient funds to buy her own album unless someone floats her a loan (or she can quickly sell an item)

I'd love a copy. is all that Navasi texts back.

When she catches up to the others, she asks, Shall we see what the greedy vesk wants us to do?"

As a pregen, Navasi lacks sufficient funds to buy her own album unless someone floats her a loan (or she can quickly sell an item)

I'd love a copy. is all that Navasi texts back.

I can easily loan you some credits for an album until we get paid. Which seems to be right away, when we talk to Zigvigix.

@ Senko- Thanks. Grab one for her.

1) I’ll grab one too. 2) Radaszam

The group leaves the Downlow district and takes a trip to the post Palisades district.

Unlike most parts of the station, the Palisades are beneath the central dome of the station, and therefore the area has an outdoor, park-like atmosphere. The upper streets are open to the sky, and electric cars drive around on roads instead of through tunnels.

You arrive at the address, an ordinary-seeming office tower, and take the elevator to the 7th floor, to the office of "Obsidian Spiders Corp". Inside the office the lobby is stark but expensively furnished, and when you announce yourselves the receptionist brings you to a set of doors in the back.

The plain white doors of the office slide open to reveal a stark, dimly lit room. The chamber is bleak and expressionless in its emptiness—no vanities line its smooth black walls, and no signs of use mar its smooth black furniture. The only occupants of the suite are a bug-eyed tadpole wriggling in a glowing blue aquarium and a reptilian vesk seated behind an onyx desk. The vesk gestures to a number of chairs in front of him, his features sharply illuminated by the light of his desk’s green holoscreen.

“The new graduates,” he greets, in a low and pleasant voice.

“Good day. I am Radaszam, though since you are here, I should hope you already knew.

“Embarrassing, isn’t it? Not really the sort of troublemaker that suits our Society. Perhaps she would be better suited to the bottom of a trash compactor... Well, we cannot afford to throw her out, not after so many Starfinders were lost in the Scoured Stars. Besides, we can’t let people think we are so weak that we can’t control our own members, or that we cannot stand up to a scrapyard junker. No, I would like you to assist Laboni in winning this race. Show our detractors that even the least of our Society is not someone to be trifled with.”

Radaszam lays a set of five clip-on badges onto the desk.

“Here are some badges that will identify you as members of Laboni's pit crew, and I've sent you a file with directions. I suggest you don't delay, as you will need as much time as you can manage to help Laboni win.”

“Any questions?”

"In what manner are we capable of helping? I have some skill in design, both physical and digital."

Feeling his communit buzz, the android quickly reads the informational brief.

"I've heard of these junk races. They can be real dangerous if you aren't careful or well-prepared. Other than Ratrod, do you know anything about the other competition?". Navasi asks.

"Hmmm ... that is a good competition! I will fly or shoot!" he says eager to start the designing phase and the competition.

"In what manner are we capable of helping? I have some skill in design, both physical and digital."

"I am not sure precisely. You will need to speak with Laboni for specifics. But she will need help both upgrading her racer and operating it during the race. I am sure that she will have something for you to do."

To be honest, Altronus' skill set isn't very well designed for the first part of this encounter, but perception and sense motive will both be usable untrained.

"I've heard of these junk races. They can be real dangerous if you aren't careful or well-prepared. Other than Ratrod, do you know anything about the other competition?". Navasi asks.

"To be honest, I hadn't ever paid attention to this race before today. But I understand that most of the racers are regulars, and as public figures it should be easy to track down commonly known details about them on the infosphere."

I can shoot, I'm trained at marksmanship.

"Sounds like, we should check in with Laboni before making a game plan, er, race plan. Shall be going then?" Navasi asks.

"Sure, let's go win a race and back up someone else's insults for them." Senko heads towards the track, wondering if he made a mistake in choosing to join the Acquisitives when becoming a Starfinder.

"Off to the races!" Navasi agrees.

"Yes, I am really looking forward to this!!" he says.

"All right then, Let me wish you good luck. I'll be watching the race tonight," Radaszam says as you take your leave.

The track is located in the Spike, the lowest part of the station. The Botscrap district is the home of the Ysoki Scrap Union and salvages equipment from all over the station and beyond. Most of it is left in enormous piles in Botscrap. There is no artificial gravity in Botscrap, and the rotation of the station around the central axis (where the Spike is located) provides a centripetal pull that keeps materials stacked against the outer hull. This makes it easier to move large pieces of wreckage by hand.

The track itself runs in a gap through a mountain of scrap, and this tunnel runs all the way around the circumference of the spike. Thus the vehicles experience the track as if it is a centrifuge, and this increases the downward feeling of gravity, which in turn allows for more traction. So the faster a vehicle goes, the more traction it has. A large open area around the start/finish line is the only access to this area.

On the way, the group i able to find the rules on the infosphere.

* The race consists of a single lap around the track (approximately 3000 meters). Whoever crosses the finish line first is the winner.
* The vehicles must all be built from nothing but scrap materials found in Botscrap.
* The vehicles may have weapons as long as these weapons are nonlethal and merely interfere with the operation of a competing vehicle. Firing into the audience causes immediate disqualification.

Upon arrival the group sees that there is quite a bit of activity here at the track, even though the race is not until tonight. A large lounge area is dominated by a huge animated billboard that shows images of the racers and the odds being given by bookmakers.

LABONI 6-1 - Pictures of Laboni show her to be a young human woman in her late teens.

LEMGEM 7-2 - Lemgem is a female gnome with bright blue hair. her bio indicates that she is a technomancer.

NYIZIN 2-1 - Nyizin is a Winterborn Ryphorian Female, with a grizzled look. Her bio indicates she is a veteran from the Skyfire Legion.

ORSIS 3-2 - Orsis is a well-dressed Lashunta male with a black-and-gold uniform. His bio indicates that he is a mechanic.

RATROD 1-3 - The star of the show, everyone can recognize the raggedy male Ysoki with mottled gray-and-white fur.

VELOCITY 5-1 - Velocity is a non-binary android with silver hair and skin. Their bio has few details but they seem very comfortable with the media.

In her paisley clothing and white lab coat, Laboni is easy to find.

"I'm so glad you're here!" she shouts, clearly relieved and happy at the presence of the group.

"The older Starfinders are always talking about how great they are, and I was just trying to be like them. I got carried away! But now I'm in this race, and Radaszam has said I better win or I'm in deep trouble!"

"If I had lots of time I'm sure I could build a really great racer... but the other drivers have been working on their own racers for months, or even years. I put one together but I don't think it'll hold up, and the race is tonight! I really hope you can help! Are any of you guys mechanics?"

"I'm actually not that great of a pilot either," she confides sheepishly. "Or good at shooting things. I'm just good at building stuff! But it has to be me on the racer or it doesn't count. But if any of you can drive one of these things, I built a remote control rig into the racer. You guys could fly it remotely from the pit while I ride on it! What do you think?"

Navasi rolls her eyes. They'll let just about anyone into the Society these days, she thinks. "Sure, Laboni. Sounds like a plan. But if you need to know what to build into the racer, you had better find out what kind of racers you'll be up against. I suggest that we conduct a little recon on the competition."

"We will help you! Show us you ride in more detail and we will all give input to see where you can squeeze out more performance!" Iseph says.

"I have little skill in these pursuits, however I am willing to help in whatever ways possible. I would imagine it is most important to see what is already built, and then identify opportunities to improve in design."

The Kasatha scholar looks on at the proceedings, mostly helplessly. Eventually, he finds a role helping fetch tools and instruments for the other members of the party and generally tries to make himself more useful.

Laboni smiles. "I knew I could count on the Starfinders!"

She hits a switch on her rig, and projects a set of holographic schematics for her racer.

"Okay, here's the layout for my racer."

LABONI'S RACER

Speed 40 ft., full 400 ft. (each round of the race the vehicle will either move the full value, half this value, or not move at all.)
EAC 10; KAC 12
Attack: energy weapon (a hit gives target –4 to Piloting)
Steering: +2 Piloting
Targeting: –3 attack
Passengers: 1
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Remote Control: Laboni’s junkracer and weaponry can be
remotely controlled by the PCs, allowing them to make attack
rolls and attempt Piloting checks in her place.

"What I really need is better components. This racer is decent, but not good enough compared to the others. If you find cooler stuff I can put it in pretty easy, or we can upgrade the stuff I have already."

Helping Laboni

There are eight hours until the race, and each "round" here takes about two hours. So you can undertake four "rounds" worth of actions to help her prepare. The easiest way to descibe this is in terms of the action types you can take in a normal combat round: Standard actions, Move actions, and Full-Round actions. You can take one Full-Round action or one Standard and one Move action each "round."

The consensus among SFS GMs seems to be that you cannot take 10 or take 20 on these actions. So we'll go with that.

Standard Actions

The only standard action here is to Improve Laboni's racer. Laboni is assumed to be making minor aid checks to help out the players and this is facctored into the DC.

Laboni wants you to help improve her racer. You can do this in a variety of ways:

* You can Scavenge more parts by making a Perception roll.
* You can Repair damage to a component by making an Engineering roll.
* You can Optimize a component by making a Physical Science roll.
* Or you can Integrate a component by making a Computers roll.

Succeeding on any of these checks basically allows you to do the same thing. You choose a component and upgrade it.

* Upgrading Engines improves base speed by 5 feet.
* Upgrading Steering improves the Piloting modifier by +1.
* Upgrading Targeting improves the attack modifier by +1.
* Upgrading Deflectors improves EAC by +2.
* Upgrading Armor improves KAC by +2.
* Adding an Energy Weapon adds an energy attack that imposes a -4 piloting penalty on a hit.
* Adding a Projectile Weapon adds a kinetic attack that imposes a -4 piloting penalty on a hit.
* Upgrading a weapon increases the piloting penalty caused on a hit by an additional -2.

It is worth mentioning that during the race any PC will be able to do one thing per turn: drive, or fire a weapon. A weapon can only be fired by one PC per turn. So multiple weapons give more PCs the chance to do things during the actual race.

Move Actions

It is assumed that you are going to take breaks now and then, and during these breaks . While you are on break, you can do one other thing that doesn't take much time. These are your "move actions," and include:

* Sizing Up an enemy pilot (choose one) by visiting their pit and making an Sense Motive roll.
* Appraising an enemy vehicle (choose one) by visiting their pit and making an Engineering roll.
* Socializing with an enemy pilot (choose one). What roll needs to be made depends on who you are talking to so this will need to be roleplayed out.

Full-Round Actions

There are other actions you can potentially do if you are not helping Laboni improve her racer.

* Instead of working on the racer you can go around and Size Up every enemy pilot by making five separate Sense Motive rolls.
* You could also go around and Appraise every enemy vehicle by making five separate Engineering rolls.
* You could Sabotage an enemy vehicle (choose one) by first making a Stealth roll, followed by a Engineering roll. Note that getting caught will get you tossed out of the pit crew, and you won't be able to participate further.
* Or, you could think up Something else. Let me know what you have in mind. I will have to adjuducate it, and success will have an effect that has the same kind of scale as the other actions here.

So what constitutes a "Full Round" action?

Navasi gets to work looking for parts.
Perception for Engines Upgrade: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

She spots a slight-used thrust component that will help Laboni's racer go faster. She figures that she can probably create a timing subroutine for a fuel injection system to better integrate the component into the racer.
Computers for Engines Uprade: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Navasi attempts to apply 2 Engines Upgrades

"There, hopefully that ought to get the racer going fast enough." Navasi says as she closes a circuitry panel on the frame of the racer. "Once, I am finished here, I'll go check out the competition."

So what constitutes a "Full Round" action?

Looks like I ninja'ed you. See above.

This constitutes two "standard" actions, for rounds 1 and 2. You still have "move" actions for rounds 1 and 2. I'm going to resolve this round by round so that the results of one round can inform the group of what they can do the next round.

Round 1:
Altronus:
Huckle Jim:
Iseph:
Khorvax:
Navasi successfully upgrades engine, and:
Senko:

Iseph starts to work on the bike to get some repairs on the kinetic weapons!

Engineering: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

** **

Iseph also takes a loot at Ratrod's bike!

Engineering Appraise @Ratrod: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Senko will join Navasi in scavenging for engine parts.

Perception to upgrade Engines: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

-------

Clarifying question: Are the checks to Socialize with the other racers retryable? As in, can a PC with poor social skills, such as myself, go talk to someone to try (and probably fail) with the appropriate skill, then we can send someone else who actually has that skill?

Altronus does his best to dig through the junk piles, clearly uncertain of what he is looking for. Using his beacon, he climbs through the wreckage of what he assumes is a previously fast looking ship.

Perception, to Scavenge: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Finding what he thinks looks like a useful weapon, he lugs out the machine mounting and barrel of a projectile weapon. He delivers it hopefully to Laboni. "This is the best that I could find for the time being, I hope that it is helpful."

Catching a quick break, he carefully observes Ratrod's prerace routine.

Sense Motive, Size Up ratrod: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Isn't it odd how he just walks back and forth like that? And what is he doing with that screwdriver?

perception: 1d20 ⇒ 8 He looks for used parts in a garage sale. Wonder what he found.

Clarifying question: Are the checks to Socialize with the other racers retryable? As in, can a PC with poor social skills, such as myself, go talk to someone to try (and probably fail) with the appropriate skill, then we can send someone else who actually has that skill?

As far as I can see, all checks here are retry-able except possibly sabotage (since if you get caught you get thrown out).

I will also tell you that all the checks here are simply success/fail; if someone has succeeded in socializing with Ratrod, no more information will be gained from doing it a second time.

As far as I can see, all checks here are retry-able except possibly sabotage (since if you get caught you get thrown out).

I will also tell you that all the checks here are simply success/fail; if someone has succeeded in socializing with Ratrod, no more information will be gained from doing it a second time.

Then my "move action" will be to socialize with Velocity

While taking a break from searching for scrap, Senko heads over to chat with Velocity. Velocity's odds of winning are nearly as bad as ours, he thinks. Might as well start from the bottom and work our way up.

Something else. Can I kidnap the other drivers and take them to a remote location without getting caught? We win the race by default, they get Disqualified by not being there and racing.

Iseph's repairs fail to generate any results, but he is able to get a good look at Ratrod's junkracer.

Ratrod's Racer is fast and has improved armor and deflectors. It is armed with an energy weapon, and is equipped with some kind of energy converter. This will allow Ratrod to gain a boost to his piloting instead of a penalty each time his racer is hit with an energy weapon.

Senko and Huckle Jim fail to find any parts that could be of use.

Altronus finds a kinetic weapon that Laboni is able to add to the chassis, and visits Ratrod on his break, and realizes that Ratrod has taken personal offense at the challenge to his legitimacy, and the trash-talking has gotten him riled. However, he is unable to get a feel for how skilled Ratrod actually is.

Something else. Can I kidnap the other drivers and take them to a remote location without getting caught? We win the race by default, they get Disqualified by not being there and racing.

It's interesting and theoretically possible. If none of the drivers are present though the race might get postponed or cancelled, which means that the results are left until the racers get back (which leaves you in the same situation you were in before), and meanwhile you would have committed a major crime, and probably in front of witnesses since each driver is currently surrounded by a pit crew and loads of cameras.

If this were a home game I would let you run with it and see where it goes, but as a society game I am honestly not sure what to do if you initiate combat with people whose stats are not in the scenario (which is a distinct possibility). So while it's interesting let's shelve that idea for today.

While taking a break from searching for scrap, Senko heads over to chat with Velocity. Velocity's odds of winning are nearly as bad as ours, he thinks. Might as well start from the bottom and work our way up.

"You're right," says Velocity. Velocity is a beautiful android with silver hair and skin. They have self-modified to have both masculine and feminine attributes, and have decorated their clothing, eyelids, and lips with bright, colorful patterns.

"I have yet to win a race, even though I have been on the circuit several months. The odds the bookmakers lay reflect this."

Senko: please make a diplomacy check, or some other check if you have an "angle."

LABONI'S RACER
Speed 45 ft., full 450 ft. (improved once)
EAC 10
KAC 12
Attacks:
* energy weapon (a hit gives target –4 to Piloting)
* kinetic weapon (a hit gives target –4 to Piloting) (added)
Steering: +2 Piloting
Targeting: –3 attack

Round 1:
* Altronus successfully adds a weapon, and fails to size up Ratrod.
* Huckle Jim fails to upgrade, And:
* Iseph fails to upgrade, and successfully analyzes Ratrod's racer.
* Khorvax:
* Navasi successfully upgrades engine, and:
* Senko fails to upgrade, and socializing with Velocity (TBD)

Waiting for Khorvax (all actions) and Huckle Jim and Navasi (move actions only).

Senko, Shirren Xenohunter wrote:

While taking a break from searching for scrap, Senko heads over to chat with Velocity. Velocity's odds of winning are nearly as bad as ours, he thinks. Might as well start from the bottom and work our way up.

"You're right," says Velocity. Velocity is a beautiful android with silver hair and skin. They have self-modified to have both masculine and feminine attributes, and have decorated their clothing, eyelids, and lips with bright, colorful patterns.

"I have yet to win a race, even though I have been on the circuit several months. The odds the bookmakers lay reflect this."

Senko: please make a diplomacy check, or some other check if you have an "angle."

The stuff about Velocity's poor odds was inner thinking, not telepathy. I certainly wasn't planning to be that blunt to their face.

Senko takes a moment to look them over before replying. "First off - love your appearance, who does your clothes and makeup? Though on a more serious note, why have you struggled thus far in the races?"

Here's my Diplomacy roll, though if Velocity's response indicates a better "angle", I may try that instead.

Diplomacy for socializing with Velocity: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

... or maybe I should just be happy with an untrained 20 Diplomacy :P

Iseph starts to work on the bike to get some repairs on the kinetic weapons and improve it!

Engineering: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

** **

Iseph also takes a look at Nyzin's bike!

Engineering Appraise @Nyzin: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7