Starfinder-Dead Suns ala Fabian (Inactive)

Game Master Fabian Benavente

Alright. I just know that Kamiya isn't much of a fighter so if she could help by talking them down or confusing them, I figured that would be of more help. Let's add the following...

Your clever feint is a good ability but have you looked at the inspiring boost? It would allow you to give your allies 6 stamina points (at 1st level), which sounds like it would be a good investment.

I know a couple of your allies would love to have more stamina points right about now.

Kamiya Opunui wrote:

Alright. I just know that Kamiya isn't much of a fighter so if she could help by talking them down or confusing them, I figured that would be of more help. Let's add the following...

Your clever feint is a good ability but have you looked at the inspiring boost? It would allow you to give your allies 6 stamina points (at 1st level), which sounds like it would be a good investment.

I know a couple of your allies would love to have more stamina points right about now.

I have to say, I wish Paizo had released a Crypt of the Everflame- or Black Fang's Dungeon-type adventure with Starfinder instead of jumping right into an AP. This doesn't feel like a very hand-holdy module, and I'm so unfamiliar with the rules I'm pulling out the CRB every time it's my turn. I'm not at all confident that I'm playing an operative to the level that's required to succeed at an AP.

I thought once she chose her improvisation that she couldn't change it until she was able to have another one...Or does that mean you'd be willing to allow her to change it?

Being flat-footed gives them a -2 to AC and they can't take reactions...wouldn't that mean that any spell cast by Robert needing a ref save would mean automatic full damage?

Joana: don't worry about Paizo holding your hand; we'll all hold hands together. :)

Kamiya: I meant that you could swap your envoy improvisation if you wanted to. You'll get another improvisation next level as well.

Flat-footed is a very good condition to give to your enemies. I don't think they would automatically fail their saving throws but I will check.

Guys: don't worry too much about not knowing the rules (I check as well). I mean when I say I'm interested in the story, which you are all performing at a very high level.

Questions?

Game on!

Ok... conditional action, since I don't know just who gets to go first... if Robert can still catch the vesk with another Overheat he will do so, and then back away, his better spells almost used up (excluding the cache). If Oriana's pull resolves first and ends up putting the vesk into an awkward position let's go with an Energy Ray instead, and backing away.

Overheat: 2d8 ⇒ (5, 3) = 8

Robert shivered in cold in the aftermath of his violent manipulation of thermodynamics... it had been one thing to shunt heat away from a tiny area of space, but to do the opposite, in much larger volume and much faster had left its mark. The air in the room swirled in miniature storm as the temperature differences sought to even themselves out. He could hear the room's environmental systems spinning up as it, too, struggled to smooth out the strange anomaly. Add to that the searing heat from his skinsuit as its near-superconductive fibers tried to spread out the energy transferred into it by the vesk's high-output laser, to protect its wearer from harm... no, there were certainly situations where a plus and a minus did not even each other out.

At least the vesk looked suitably singed after being on the receiving end of Robert's blast. And the other gangsters were going down, and hopefully staying down for the duration. Which meant they had to deal with the gang's apparent beefeater and possibly the woman hidden in the room behind her muscle. Preferably with one of them still calable of answering questions afterwards.

But not, Robert hoped, that damned lizard. It had hurt him, so it had to go.

His eyes on the vesk warrior, Robert repeated his earlier attack by tricking the local universe into believing a vast imbalance of thermal energy existed, and that heat had to flow in to even things out. A jet of super-heated air streaked towards the lizard even as Robert himself backed away, hoping to put a bit of distance (and possibly a few warm bodies) between him and the oversized laser cannon in its hands.

John...

I'll recap the other two games and come to this one, hopefully you can post by then.

Turn 037 – Gravitational Pull

Read the OOC.

Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?

Game on!

Oriana saw John get hit yet again, and knew he couldn't take another shot. She stepped towards the vesk, meaning to end this. As she moved, she used one of her free hands to reach into her pocket. She pulled out one of her healing serums and tossed it over her shoulder to Zadie. "Use this on John!"

The solarian then swung again, this time at the larger opponent. Her gravity staff came down hard on his armoured body, but a change of his position meant that it deflected harmlessly aside. Assuming his KAC is higher than the thugs

attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Out of the corner of her eye, Kamiya could see that John had literally taken a beating and wasn't looking very steady on his feet. She was grateful that Oriana had noticed as well and had the capacity to do something about it. Having nothing to help John with, Kamiya decided she'd do the only thing she could which was shoot at the vesk.

Taking advantage of the vesk's confusion that she had perpetrated, she stood up from behind cover, aimed her pistol at him and fired.

pistol: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Sorry, I was away for 28 hours. Tried to post before I left but got goblins.

Damage reports cascading through his nervous system, John realised another shot like that would end him. Reflexes honed through years of consequence free VR might make him deadly, but they were just as likely to make him dead! He decided tp to take a leaf from Kamiya's book, dropped Prone and returned fire.
return fire: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 5 - 4 = 3
return fire: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 5 - 4 = 14

'Serves that overambitious salamander right,' Robert thought as he saw the vesk who had shot at him stagger under a multitude of shots. Impressive that it still stood at all - or rather, a sign of its stubborn stupidity for not realizing it was already as good as dead.

"You have lost!" he hollered, hoping the woman - the boss of this group, perhaps - back in the other room would wake up and realize her situation. But not before the vesk got a few more holes blown in it, of course. "The odds are against you! But we came here for information, not to kill you all! So call for truce and you will have it!"

Who knows what the woman in the room is planning, so Robert is good right where he is - in a very awkward place to get attacked by anyone who doesn't actually step into the room ;^)

forgot to mention - photon attuning this time.

Zadie caught the serum tossed to her by Oriana and rolled it across the floor toward John's position before crouching down behind the table and chairs in case the Vesk had another good shot in him.

Turn 038 – Prone Shooting

Read the OOC.

Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?

Game on!

Hey Fabian; sorta critical information needed before I post.
When you say "dead" on the NPCs, do you mean "dead" or "dying"? As in, would prompt medical assistance possibly save them?
int: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Hey Fabian; sorta critical information needed before I post.

When you say "dead" on the NPCs, do you mean "dead" or "dying"? As in, would prompt medical assistance possibly save them?
[dice=int]1d20+1

So these NPCs have no resolve points so whenever they are brought down to below 0 hit points, they are dying unless they stabilize. Without any resolve points, the only way to stabilize them is with a medicine check DC 15 but this must be done 'right after' they are brought down below 0 hit points because if a creature (below 0 hit points) cannot spend a resolve point or stabilize then they are dead.

All that to say that the thugs are dead-dead and the vesk is dying but will die if nothing is done to it this round.

More questions?

Game on!

"What do you want?"

"Just a few answers!" Zadie shouted back. "And safe passage out of here!" She gingerly approached the downed Vesk, afraid it might have one last twitch in its trigger fingers. "Your bodyguard isn't dead, by the way! We really didn't want a fight!"

Medicine 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

I defer to John for everything after the Medicine check, if he has a different plan. But I think Zadie's the only PC with a good Medicine score.

int: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6 Dum de dum

With the immediate threat disappeared, Oriana's staff vanished from her hands, to reappear as the dark mote that hovered near her shoulder. A little surprised, she looked at the mote and argued with it. [/b]"Hey! Get back here! Who knows what's in that room?"[/b]

The mote, however, was not something that could be reasoned with. Her connection with the cosmos was one of absolutes, not of opinions. She absolutely was not in danger at the moment, and therefore, her alignment with cosmic forces was over. At least for the time being.

When nothing happened, Oriana said, "Fine. Stay up there. But if something happens to me, it's on you." She then moved cautiously up to the doorway and peeked in.

int: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 Dum de dum

With the immediate threat disappeared, Oriana's staff vanished from her hands, to reappear as the dark mote that hovered near her shoulder. A little surprised, she looked at the mote and argued with it. "Hey! Get back here! Who knows what's in that room?"

The mote, however, was not something that could be reasoned with. Her connection with the cosmos was one of absolutes, not of opinions. She absolutely was not in danger at the moment, and therefore, her alignment with cosmic forces was over. At least for the time being.

When nothing happened, Oriana said, "Fine. Stay up there. But if something happens to me, it's on you." She then moved cautiously up to the doorway and peeked in.

John turned to the others, variables playing through his mind. Zadie - one of their best negotiators - had engaged in discussions and they were working from a position of strength. Kamiya might have been a better choice, but she had skills better utilised elsewhere. There was almost certainly backup - or police - incoming, and this room could become a kill zone. John's fingers danced and his subdermal mike hummed as he sent a message through the air to his companions. Alice interpreted his cryptic shorthand into a quick transmission "@K: CHECK MIND INFO. @Z: NEG. TRUCE. ESC. INFO. @R: CAM & ALARM. @O: GUARD Z. @J: PREP 4 INCOMING."

not sure how much of an action that is. Move, maybe? if at all possible he'll also do some of...
John noted swivelling to face the exterior door was too easy - the floor was lubricated with his bodily fluids. Medical knowledge wasn't required to guess that was a bad sign.
His hand flopped over to where what he assumed was the stimulant was to be found.
He spared a moment to flick his gaze to the instructions and jabbed it into his thigh.

Kamiya began to concentrate on detecting the thoughts of Ferani in the next room. As she crouched behind cover, she focused on the mind of the woman to see what information she'd unwillingly give up.

Using Detect Thoughts

I assume she's within 60ft but if not, she'll move up while staying behind cover.

Int: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

It's not like I forgot, but I assumed the door to these back rooms is sound-proofed... if it keeps the music out, it'll keep most of the sounds of gunfire in, and what get through has to get noticed over the loud music originating from the speakers up there. So I'd have assumed we don't need to worry about the bouncers at least before we leave... unless the woman uses comms to alert them. But considering that we dealt with the four gangsters here...

BTW… do you heal or repair androids? Or both?

”Your hit in Docking Bay 94. Tell us about it. Who ordered it? Who was your target?” Robert asked, his eyes settling on the heavy laser the vesk had dropped with avid interest. The mere presence of a weapon was often enough to tip the balance from fighting into talking, and the bigger the weapon…

Robert will go and pick up the vesk’s gun if he can manage it without getting into the sights of whoever might still be in that other room. Perhaps using Token Spell to levitate it a few inches into reach. Was it a longarm or a heavy weapon, btw?

[dice=Int]1d20 + 4

It's not like I forgot, but I assumed the door to these back rooms is sound-proofed... if it keeps the music out, it'll keep most of the sounds of gunfire in, and what get through has to get noticed over the loud music originating from the speakers up there. So I'd have assumed we don't need to worry about the bouncers at least before we leave... unless the woman uses comms to alert them. But considering that we dealt with the four gangsters here...

BTW… do you heal or repair androids? Or both?

Robert will go and pick up the vesk’s gun if he can manage it without getting into the sights of whoever might still be in that other room. Perhaps using Token Spell to levitate it a few inches into reach. Was it a longarm or a heavy weapon, btw?

I'll throw something in there when I think people have forgotten things. Yes the noise is loud enough that no one has heard you from the outside but you all did see the bouncers were 'called' in earlier so take that as you will.

You heal androids.

The laser rifle is a Artillery laser, azimuth (heavy weapon).

Questions?

Game on!

Heavy? Damn. In that case Robert's interest is mostly academic. Although just holding onto that cannon would make the enemy hesitate ;^)

Also, Zadie, Robert also has Life Sciences at +8... although I imagine his bedside manner lacks certain something ;^) (.Has that fellow been useful to me lately? Not really... Well, let's see... where was that biggest needle again....)

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16

Oh yeah... Robert doesn't actually have Diplomacy skill so I didn't think of rolling, but if this would in any way improve our chances of getting answers instead of more bullets outta that woman...

"Look, you don't want to fight, we do not want to fight, but we can't leave without getting some answers. So tell us what we need to know and we'll leave. Just like she said," Robert tried to reason with the woman, echoing Zadie's words in almost an afterthought to his questions.

"Look, you don't want to fight, we do not want to fight, but we can't leave without getting some answers. So tell us what we need to know and we'll leave. Just like she said," Robert tried to reason with the woman, echoing Zadie's words in almost an afterthought to his questions.

The voice from inside yelled, "I don't know what you are talking about."

She added, "What I do know is that you caught me by surprise and that you have a very little time to get out with your lives. My gang will be here any moment now and then I will be the one asking questions! Or not."

-----------

Bluff: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16 Bluff might be more appropriate

"Look, lady, I said we couldn't leave without answers and I don't think you are trying hard enough," Robert growled back, wondering at her claims of backup... they had heard that the Kings was a small gang but what did that really mean, numbers-wise? But they had come here and bled for the answers so it'd take more that that to discourage him.

"So stop wasting our time or we'll have to take our chances with your head and the necromages. It's amazing what they can do with a fresh brain and some nanotech, if you have the credits and the stomach for it," he threatened, calling for the hopefully baseless rumours from his ill-spent student years for inspiration.

Sense Motive 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

"She's lying," Zadie murmured to the others. "Unfortunately, not about us running out of time, but about not knowing anything about Docking Bay 94. We could take the Vesk," she suggested, "and see if he knows anything, too. Do you think there's another way out through there?" she nodded toward the door the woman was yelling through. "Robert, think you can access the schematics of this place?"

Zadie quickly rifled through the Vesk's belongings, looking for anything that might be of use, like a key card or personal comm. She also detached the battery from his hand cannon, just in case.

Was Oriana able to peek inside?

Was Oriana able to peek inside?

The Downside Kings orchestrated most of their gang business from this office, which contained a desk, several chairs, and vidscreens tuned to multiple entertainment feeds. There was a door to the northeast that apparently led to a storage area.

Ferani was alone in there.

are we still in combat turns? If we can keep her thinking about it then Kamiya might be the answer. Also John wants to heal himself, and reload some shells, and scavenge, and start prepping a way out.

I have things happening at certain times but I will move everyone forward a couple of rounds after dinner. Hang tight. :)

So one of my cats 'brought home' a baby squirrel a couple of weeks ago. The baby was blind and bold but we decided to try and save the little guy. My wife had (still has) the patience to feed it with a syringe and he's doing quite well. The plan is to keep him over the winter and then let him back out to my backyard. I'll let you know how that goes.

but for now, let me introduce you to Chip the squirrel; is that cute or what?

I don't think Kamiya can do much else but I forgot the INT check...

INT: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 She's too distracted and focused on detecting Ferani's thoughts I guess :)

SQUIRREL! Dug from 'Up' would be going crazy at your house right now.

Missed the Int check. 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

I think you need to change your avatar to a squirrel. That's cute! Does he poop everywhere?

SM: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Oriana didn't pick up on whatever Zadie had, but she trusted her instinct. Moving into the room, Oriana tried to imitate the way she'd heard some of the others in the bar speaking. "Listen here, this ain't personal, getit? We just need some answers, then we'll be on our merry. So tell us what your target was at 94, and you live to plot revenge."

bluff, aid another: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Turn 039 – Just a few Answers

Read the OOC.

Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?

Game on!

Kamiya wasn't surprised by what she overheard from Ferani's thoughts but it also wasn't enough information. To the others she said inside their minds, "She confirmed that it was a hit for 'corporate people' but she never actually said who."

She knew it was a long shot but she decided to speak directly into Ferani's mind. "The Starfinder Society can protect you. You won't be as good as dead. Then, when the proper people are punished you'll be free from looking over your shoulder wondering when they'll tie up the loose end. In case you don't realize it, you're the loose end."

diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 10 + (3) = 20

does Robert have the laser? Working on the assumption he does.
John took advantage of the break in combat to roll easily to his feet and move towards the artillery laser. Flat against the wall - but careful not to impact loudly enough to give away his position - he hissed to Robert. "Are we on camera here? Can you erase us being here? I don't want them coming after us for revenge." he sighed as he realised what this meant and continued"If we leave no witnesses."

Kamiya wasn't surprised by what she overheard from Ferani's thoughts but it also wasn't enough information. To the others she said inside their minds, "She confirmed that it was a hit for 'corporate people' but she never actually said who."

"If we ask if it was Astral, maybe she'll give confirmation?" shot back John. "There'll be backup here in a minute."

"Are we on camera here? Can you erase us being here? I don't want them coming after us for revenge." he sighed as he realised what this meant and continued"If we leave no witnesses."

"Happy to take a look, as soon as someone shoots that woman or convinces her to give in," Robert said, happy he had a wall between him and the suicidal gang matron while he examined the oversized laser rifle, struggling with its weight. Sure, he could use it - a monkey could point it and press the trigger - but hitting any particular target would likely be asking too much. "Say, shoot off a few bits that aren't too important and see if she changes her mind."

But since he didn't think he fancied charging into the room while the woman inside had a bead on the door, he might as well take a look... if the gangsters knew the first thing about op sec, there wouldn't be anything too vital accessible without direct physical link, but then again, these were gangsters, not comporate webheads, and nothing they had seen as of yet suggested they had any particular technical skillsets available to them.

So Robert leaned against the wall, shouldering his new heavy-duty toy and waved his fingers in the precise way needed to start giving orders to his computer, commanding it to start scanning the immediate vicinity for network interfaces he could try to exploit.

Computers: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28 Don't feel like assaulting the room just now, so let's take a look if there's anything connected wirelessly Robert could take over...

Robert only picked up the comm feeds of patrons outside the room; there were no cameras in these private rooms.

---------------
The gang leader was way past diplomacy at this point. She was already committed to violence and the only language she understood was intimidation.

Ok, Fabian settled it - someone go and shoot off some unimportant bits and if that isn't enough to make her talk just aim for the head and let's hope loot will answer enough questions!

I'd like to move this along after dinner...

John's actions were (A) stabd up and (B) move.

Zadie stuffed the Vesk's belongings inside her oversized hat where her pistol used to be. "We know who ordered the hit," she reminded Kamiya; "we just don't know who on. Maybe there'd be a clue in her office?"

"Robert, what do you got in their system?" she asked the gruff man exploring the network. "Think we could trigger a fire alarm or something to cover us getting out of here when we go?"

Turn 040 – Committed to Violence

Read the OOC.

Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?

Game on!

Kamiya quickly made her way to the door of the office. "I agree with you Zadie that there may be some info in the office but what's more important is that we can't leave Oriana in there alone."

She peeked inside the room and waited until Ferani made eye contact with her. As soon as their eyes met, Kamiya used her ability to affect another's mind and dazed her.

Using Daze on Ferani, DC=14

Thanks for moving us along.

Blood dripping onto the floor, Orianna shifted her grip and struck at Ferani again. She had no more words, just the need to end this as honourably, and quickly, as possible. She swung the staff in a narrow arc and jabbed the end of it as hard as she could into the woman's abdomen. She must have hit something important, or sensitive, because Ferani went down and didn't get back up again.

"She's down! If you don't want her dead, we'll need to do something pretty quick."

attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9