Alledisil's Starfinder Quest - Into the Unknown

Game Master Alledisil

I'm going to say Supernova is a mental action. It doesn't explicitly say you need to Do anything, just release the accumulated energy. To be honest, I think a Daze while you were paralyzed would also work without AoO, since the enemy has no idea you're doing stuff with your mind, you're just standing there staring at him. We'll go with your supernova though, because it's awesome.

I'll close out the round later tonight!

Concealment: 1d2 ⇒ 1 @Hokhuckx: Sorry, your shot missed because of her excellent cover. But that's OK, because...

As Aazanar's supernova flames envelop the ghoul, she lets out a horrendous screech. Her undead flesh turns black and crumbles off her where she stands. Soon nothing is left except a pile of armor on an ash pile.

The two remaining mercenaries start to back away, visibly shaken. Their injuries are pretty extensive, and they no longer look willing to fight. The one on the catwalk steps back from Kultha, holsters his hammer, and begins to sprint towards the eastern exit.

You guys can continue the fight, but they aren't interested in risking their lives anymore now that their patron is dead. If you want to shoot them in the back...

Sefel faces the remaining mercenary. As he does this he projects his mind out to the group. We've destroyed our target and need this last one alive to talk. Maybe he knows where she found the insignias....

"You saw what happened when your friends attacked. We need to ask you some questions about your... boss." He gestures to the ash pile. "Will you cooperate with us?"

After a few moments Aazanar spasms and begins to move again, a little jerky for a moment. But he shakes it off and looks at the two mercenaries.

"Well, they say I have an explosive temper," Aazanar quips. "Now, if you gentlemen want to drop your weapons and cooperate, then I think we could see our way clear to letting you go. Weapons on the ground, please. NOW."

Intimidate: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Kultha tracks the mercenary's retreat, cautious he may just be getting distance to renew hostilities.

When confident he is not, the vesk moves toward her companions and their captive audience.

"Let one go. We have two tongues to loosen here..."

Laeshin steps out of the brush and over towards Aazanar. He leaves his weapons drawn while they interrogate the surviving mercenaries.
"It is a shame the Eoxian chose cremation..." Laeshin pondered aloud.
May I aid on Aazanar's Intimidate? The rules technically require I roll my check before his (pg 133), but that is difficult to arrange in this format, which is why I ask. If yes:
Aid Another: Intimidate: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Laeshin watches, and listens closely to whatever the mercenaries say or do next.
Laeshin will be making Sense Motive checks using his Expertise against anything they tell us. Laeshin rolls 1d20+4+1d6 on Sense Motive checks if you are making them for us.

Hokhuckx puts his pistol back in its holster, climbing down the ladder to meet the last mercenary. So what should we do with him? I am not privy to methods such as torture.

The mercenary surveys the landscape and notices his companion has already disappeared back into the station corridors. He raises his arms in the universal sign of surrender.

"Sorry for tryin' to shoot you all, its just business! I don't know much, 'cept that the Eoxian's credits were good enough. I have no fight with you now she's dead, or... deader? Redead?" He looks puzzled while he tries to figure out how an undead can die.

Laeshin Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (13) + (3) + 4 = 20 You believe him. He's just a local fighter she hired to defend her, but she didn't share with him whatever her mission was.

Great, this moron almost certainly didn't pick up any details from her. Well, we still have to try.

"What did she speak of in hiring you for this? Did she mention where she may have been recently? Did you help her acquire some loot recently, say some Starfinder insignias?" He keeps his supercharged pistol aimed at the mercenary.

Sefel the character doesn't know the results of Laeshin's sense motive.

"Do you have a portable comm unit or a datapad? Let's see them."

If the guy hands them over, he hands them to Sefel.

"See if there's anything from Exegara on there."

While Sefel looks over the electronics, Aazanar looks over the "re-dead" body of the ghoul Exegara, and that of the other mercenary who died.

If he's surrendered his weapons and we're satisfied that he's told us everything he could, I don't mind letting him go.

The mercenary kicks his azimuth laser pistol that he dropped earlier over towards Aazanar, and he throws his assault hammer over as well.

"I don't know anything about Spacefinders or insignias. She just gave us some cash and told us to keep people out of her business. We tried, but you lot are scarier than I thought. Can I go now?"

On the dead mercenary you find an assault hammer and an azimuth laser pistol. He's wearing street clothes, and in one of his pockets you find a credstick with 250 credits on it.

On the ash pile that used to be Exegara, you see her azimuth laser pistol. The flight suit stationwear she was wearing seems untouched by the magical fire from the supernova, and there's a datapad in one of the pockets.

Klutha eyes the merc with a degree of compassion;

"Job is job. Creds can be hard to come by when you are this..."

The vest hefts the assault hammer;

"Go. Find new line of work. Tell friends not to mess with us or Starfinders. Understand?"

The mercenary looks grateful that you spared him and starts off to the east. "You got it, lizard lady! I won't get in any more fights with the likes of you! I prefer to keep my head right where it is!" And with that, he sprints off into the bowels of the station.

I would have created a new alias for this guy, but I can't select a portrait, looks like the new website still has some bugs!

Shortly after the last mercenary leaves, a dirt-covered ysoki comes barreling down into the vat.

"Did you lot drive off those thugs? We were off trying to get station security, but... they seem to think they have more important things to do than defend our garden! Can you imagine?!" He talks extremely fast, not stopping to let you get a word in.

"We'll have to resort all these bones, and clear up all the laser damage. That'll take some doing. Oh! You left us an ash pile, that's great fertilizer. And another body here, can we keep him too? I guess we should pay you. I pay the Stewards taxes but what worth are they? You're much more useful. Here, take these!"

He reaches into his cheek pouch and pulls out six plant bulbs, immediately handing them to Hokhuckx.

"Good medicine, these. If you get poisoned, just chew em up and you'll feel great again in no time. We don't have much in the way of credits but you're welcome to take those hooligans' gear. They don't need it anymore, haha!!"

He immediately starts over toward a pile of skulls that Exegara had collected, and begins returning them to their original places.

Hokhuckx takes the bulbs politely, unsure exactly how to hold them. Especially with the Ysoki's spit all over them. I, uh, thanks. He decides to put them in his backpack for now, covering them up so they don't get damaged. How nice of him. I think.

We should investigate the datapad Exegara had. Sefel, if you don't mind?

Give me a Computers check to hack the datapad.

Kultha follows the exchange of the antidotal bulbs with interest.

"Probably just ratter's breakfast."

She handles the assault hammer, nodding at its balance, before slipping it into a loop on her tool harness;

"I keep this. Good tool for straightening out crooked things yes."

Know she doesn't have Advanced Melee Weapon Proficiency but its one for future consideration :)

I don't actually need the weapons but others might find the laser pistols useful. If all you have is a tactical pistol or a needler then this gives you some energy damage. Or if you already use a laser then this gives you extra batteries.

Sefel picks up the azimuth lazer pistol dropped by the dead mercenary, while still holding his. He ejects the batteries of each and holds them close together, transferring charges until his is full.

Cast Transfer Charge (GM, how many charges?)

He looks around at the group holding up the extra pistol. "Anybody mind?"

He then walks over to Exegara's ashen pile and picks up her datapad...

computers, hack datapad: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

Cast Transfer Charge (GM, how many charges?)

Since you only need 2 charges to fill up, that should still leave plenty for the others.

Kultha could use a laser for when his flame pistol is out of range, and Laeshin could use one for when he would rather target EAC.

Sure thing

After transferring the charges Sefel hands off the pistol to Kultha.

Kultha turns down the pistol with a smile;

"Too refined for me friend Sefel. You keep. Or give to Laeshin. Happy with flamer."

Like i said I like sub-optimising my characters lol.

You have three almost-full batteries from your foes, totalling 56 charges.
So you have 54 left.

--------------------------------

Begin Mission Parameters
--------------------------------
Mission ID: PZO-701112

Commanding Officer: Captain Zenthrosa of the Endless Threnody

Operative: Ensign Exegara

Objective: Infiltrate Absalom Station and collect repair materials to power the Drift engine. Once you have recovered the materials, return to Drift waypoint (8675309, -332, -1232) for extraction.

Mission Briefing: After we picked up a distress call of a Starfinder vessel, we went to investigate the desert world it came from. We acquired numerous treasures from the crashed site, including several insignias which appear to be of some value. However, before we could re-enter the drift, our ship was ambushed and crippled by a pirate ship identified as the Lawblight. We managed to escape into the Drift but our engine is now non-functional. Exegara, you are to take an emergency necroglider and travel to Absalom in order to acquire clean humanoid skulls for use in the repair of our drift engine. Once you retrieve the skulls, return to the Endless Threnody.

End Mission Parameters
--------------------------------

"I'll hold onto it just in case. Its a shame the mercs didn't know anything." Laeshin says, taking the laser pistol with gratitude.
Then he glances over at the datapad. "Did she leave any clues on the datapad that we can use?" He asks.

Sefel reads the briefing and then looks up from the datapad at his team.

"Well, the good news is that after all this effort I have some coordinates. It appears our missing Starfinder crew crash-landed on a desert planet. Exegara's associates followed their distress signal just to salvage the remains. They were set upon by pirates and had to escape. So, when we head out to the site, we should not expect it to be unattended. We need drift travel and we should be prepared for a fight."

"Well, I'd say this part of the assignment was a success!" Aazanar says cheerfully.

"We should report this back to Arvin. If we're lucky, we'll be the ones he sends out to have a look."

Kultha emits an excited hiss;

"We should push to be the ones. It is our right no?"

"Oh yes... I guess I just assumed it would be us."

Er, whoever would be the best for the job should get it. I do hope that will be us, though.

Kultha eyes the shirren curiously;

"Friend Hokhuckx, we have hard-won our knowledge. Others should not steal this honour from us..."

You can call up Arvin on his personal comm unit if you'd like. I'm sure he's eager to hear how the investigation is proceeding.

Aazanar activates the comm unit in his armor.

"Hello? Venture-Captain Arvin, please... yes, I'll hold... ... ... (hmm, nice music)... ... Oh, hello? Yes, sir! Yes we found the person, an Eoxian. She's dead but we got her mission file. She came from a ship called Endless Threnody which had found the wreck of a Starfinder vessel. We don't know where the wreck is but the Threnody is stuck in the drift and we have the coordinates. Yes... right. So what now?"

The Venture Captain patiently listens to your report.

"Hmm... The Endless Threnody... We have no record of a ship with that name. Please hold for a moment."

"Right. If you are interested, I have managed to secure your party a starship. There are few available at the moment, but recovering the Unbounded Wayfarer expedition is a high priority. Please meet me at docking bay 21 immediately. Oh, and you are free to keep the insignias, they might prove to be useful later."

"Alright! It is us. Let's head over to that docking bay. Anybody need to pick up anything before we head out into the stars?"

"Looks like you wish came true - we got us a ship!" Aazanar reports with a grin. "There's one waiting at Docking Bay 21."

I suppose I could pick up a serum of healing or two for emergencies...

"Let's go!"

"I don't think so..." Laeshin replies to Sefel as he hands out a retrieved Insignia to each of them, before stashing the remainder... "Although that does remind me. I brought some basic medical equipment with me just in case one of us needed patching up. I don't claim to be a real medic, but I can take a look at that bite wound once we're safely aboard at least. Laeshin continues.

You meet with Venture-Captain Arvin in one of the Arms of Absalom Station to receive your ship and your orders.

Venture-Captain Arvin stands next to the entry ramp of a sleek-looking starship. He waves his hands over the side of the starship affectionately.

"This is the Loreseeker, a Pegasus-class ship that's one of the fastest and lightest in the Society's fleet."

"We know that a lost Starfinder vessel, the Unbounded Wayfarer, was discovered by undead creatures from a starship called the Endless Threnody. We've pulled some strings with our more reputable Eoxian contacts to get more information, but they've disavowed knowledge of the Endless Threnody entirely: this likely confirms our suspicions that the Endless Threnody is connected with the Corpse Fleet, a group of Eoxian separatists who refuse to work alongside the living."

"We have the location of the Endless Threnody in the Drift, courtesy of that ghoul you tracked down. Its Drift engine is incapacitated, so it's unable to escape the Drift. Take the Loreseeker into the Drift, cripple the Eoxian ship - as a Corpse Fleet vessel, they won't be open to negotiations - and recover the location of the lost Starfinder vessel. You'll have a couple days to recover from your last encounter during transit. The ship is already stocked with food and basic medical supplies. Any questions?"

"Undead fleet..." Sefel visibly shudders. "I don't have any additional questions." He looks around at the rest of the group. "Who's our most accomplished pilot, for getting us to our destination?" piloting +6 here

Kultha stoically listens to the Venture Captain's outline of the mission, then turns to her companions as Sefel broaches the pilot's chair;

"I know ships. Fixing them and loading them. Not piloting them."

"I've never been part of a ship's crew before. But I'm eager to learn."

Aazanar has +9 intimidate and +7 diplomacy so captain is a good spot for him. His gunnery is +1 and he has no computers, engineering, or piloting.

"Well, I'm no ace in a dogfight, but I can fill in to get us somewhere if there's nobody else." He smiles sheepishly.

Um... The Shirren looks around sheepishly. I don't have much experience with ships. I'm sure just another hand would be helpful.

I don't have... any relevant starship skills. Except Diplomacy, which is only a +5

Kultha flashes a toothy grin at her companions;

"So we learn together."

Kultha has Engineering +10 so am thinking she's a lock for Ship's Engineer.

Laeshin raises his hand. "I'm a decent pilot and gunner, but I doubt I can fill any of the other roles well."
I've got Piloting +6 and Diplomacy +6, but no Intimidate or Bluff to speak of.

"Ah, Laeshin! I'm probably no better than you at it then, and perhaps I can stick to the science officer role with my software background."

Laeshin breaks the piloting tie to free up sefel for computers checks at +11.

So we're looking at:
Captain - Aazanar
Pilot - Laeshin
Engineer - Kultha
Science Officer - Sefel
Gunner - Hokhuckx

Remember that anyone can switch stations at the beginning of each round, but you can't "take over" Captain or Pilot unless the current occupant is willing.

Loreseeker Stats

"Be warned. The fact that the Corpse Fleet agent was prevented from acquiring replacement parts means its Drift engine is probably still offilne. But you should assume that its armaments and other systems are operational. I would be prepared for a fight, not a negotiation. If they're willing to talk, be prepared for treachery."

He listens to the party work out their assignments and smiles confiedntly. "I'm sending you all out there because you've proven yourselves. I am confident that you'll return successfully. I will handle filing the flight and crew manifest with Absalom Station, please stow your gear and leave as soon as you are ready."

You may attempt a culture check to recall information about the Corpse Fleet.

Sefel allows himself a smirk as the VC complements their teamwork. We did just recently come together. I suppose many groups aren't so fortunate in their internal workings. But, I'm getting ahead of myself... we have many more tests ahead.

I don't have... any relevant starship skills. Except Diplomacy, which is only a +5

FYI your gunnery ability is just your DEX + BAB (or DEX + your ranks in piloting if they are more than your BAB). So your gunnery is +2. Which isn't amazing, but for first level is half decent.

"Be warned...."

"Yes sir! You won't regret it. We'll get that ship prepped and be on our way."

Though sparsely furnished, the Loreseeker is surprisingly comfortable. The journey to the location you received from Exegara's datapad takes a little under 8 days of Drift flight. When you reach the coordinates, however, the Endless Threnody is nowhere to be seen. This is just a void of, although colorful, completely empty space.

Sefel, give me a Computers check to scan the surrounding area.
Anyone else can Aid Another if they'd like.