(Outpost IV) GM Quirk's The Vast Experiment: Falling Into Deliverance (Inactive)

Game Master Quirk, Private Eye

Fizz hurries to stay with the group.

"Not happy that we haven't found anyone alive yet. Or anything alive for that matter."

Brock nods to Fizz. "True. On the plus side, no undead yet, either."

Fizz tilts his head to the side, thinking about some friendly undead he knows, then tilts his head the other way thinking about all the hostile/mindless undead he has fought.

"Yeah, you have a point there."

Most of the doors along this hallway have small sections chewed through them. The holes seem big enough for a tiny creature to wriggle through, though a small creature might be able to make there way through (DC 25 acrobatics check to try)

One of the doors is locked (A7B, DC 31 Engineeering to unlock).

The room next to the locked room (A7A) is open, and has a small tunnel chewed through to the next room (to A7B, tunnel as above).

The tunnels may be able to be widened, though if you can get through the door there is no concern.

Most rooms in this area are personal residences, and only have mundane items. Many obviously belong to SRO's and anacites.

Staying back a little, Kultanien tries to look through the chewed hole, to see what she can make out of the locked room. Darkvision

"Think it was that centipede that chewed through this?" she wonders.

Jopsie also considers the hole and the creature the team found earlier.

Life science to see if that is likely?
life science: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

"I think I've seen doors like this before. They are very hard to open but.."
engineering(aid): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

It does seem likely that the strange creature you saw earlier could do this sort of damage.

Am I able to see anything through the hole in the door?

"Chewing through metal..." Oddman wonders out loud, thinking about a bite attack with the penetrating special property - or adamantite teeth.

"Hmm this one looks tricky."
Albertus inspects the door to 7B perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26 and if nothing looks amiss will accept Kultaniens Aid in opening it.
Engineering take 10 + aid, 10+20+2=32

"I could try crawling through the tunnel and opening the door from the inside?"

I cannot fail to aid engineering, so if Kultainen doesn't count to an aid to Albertus, I certainly do.

Albertus, with the help of Kultainen is able to get the door open.

Inside is the personal quarters of Dr. Tsi Tsorek.

You find some of her personal effects like heavy clothing, a personal datapad, and several pill bottles.

The datapad (which is trivial to hack) contains a variety of simple vid games and leisure books,
plus a rather plain personal log detailing various accomplishments,
aspirations, and interpersonal interactions. Collectively, it conveys
that Dr. Tsi Tsorsk is quite pleased with where she is in leading a
team so far from corporate headquarters and performing scientific
studies, referencing displeasure at being fast-tracked for (and her
turning down) a more senior managerial position earlier in her career.

You identify the pharmaceuticals as artificial hormones commonly
taken by wrikreechees to maintain their shells in drier and cooler
environments. Wrikreechees traditionally spend cold periods
deep underwater in a sessile phase, and without this medicine, a
wrikreechee in colder environments slowly reabsorbs their shell,
losing considerable motor function. The labels and dosage suggest
that Dr. Tsorsk hasn’t consumed a dose in several weeks.

"Interesting... so Dr Tsorsk may be of extreemly restricted mobility." notes Jopsie, before retiring back behind her clip board.

Kultanien nods. "I wonder what the centipede was after in this room?"

She has a quick look around incase a more interesting document had been hidden.
perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

"Lets see if anything else is in these other rooms."

"yeah we should bring some of this medicine along just in case"
Albertus takes a look around the room before getting ready to move on.
perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32

"I doubt its super-fast acting, but if we find her it might help."

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

There seems to be nothing else worth noting in this area.

Would you like to move toward A8, then further down the hall? In fact, I think I will give you A8 For free, as it will help move things along.

This break room has several circular tables and a variety of
seating for Small, Medium, Large, humanoid, and arthropodan
shapes. Integrated shelves and pantries built to store months
of supplies are relatively bare.

All that remains here are a mk 2 culinary
synthesizer, two overlooked R2E meals, and 37 UPBs.

If you'd like to move toward A9, please move your tokens in that direction.

"Nice to have a mixed break room like that." comments Kultanien.

She then continues along the corridor (hopefully with the others close behind), checking doors as she goes.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

Oddman joins the expedition towards A9, staying a bit behind.

"Hmm, bare shelves don't seem like a good thing."

Albertus gives the intersection a methodical once over (perception take 10 for 24) before deciding if a more thorough inspection of the A9 intersection is order

I'm afraid I must offer a bit of a mea culpa. I'd like to retcon a small matter that goes with the A7 area. One of the tunnels that I mentioned DOES cross into the areas near A12. I placed a red arrow there. The same conditions apply to this tunnel--a small character MIGHT be able to squeeze through (unless you come up with a way to widen it).

Meanwhile, looking toward A9...

Scattered technological debris covers much of the floor here,
though the surrounding structure doesn’t show signs of
major damage.

I love what one of you did with your token. I added one too.

engineering: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

"Ugh... umm, people... that debris... is not what it looks like. Look.. blood. And look, bullet holes... " she adds, pointing to a wall.

"I wonder if it was the centipedes they were trying to keep at bay?"

She cautiously steps forward, the lovely Jopsie close behind her.
"What do you think Jopsie?"

The lab coated lady leans forward and pokes at the debris with a pencil.
"Blue blood. I'd guess those parts belong to and anacite and SRO staff."

Oddman moves closer and looks into A10.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

Albertus looks solemnly at the scattered remains of the constructed beings "...can't repair...must've been a fan...tell Ta'im" He pauses a moment before picking up the ammo. "Maybe this will do us some more good than it did them." Then he begins to look at area A10. [ooc]Take 10 on perception for 24. If no one minds I'll look up the stats on the explosive longarm rounds and put them into my accelerator rifle.

"I wonder where the invaders came from."

Moving toward A10.

This cramped engineering bay includes four small rooms
with broad glass windows and external robotic arms setup
to manipulate a large, roughly spherical probe at the area’s
center point. The probe appears to be only partly built.

If you wish to move into the area, I may be able to tell you more.

Albertus moves towards the engineering bay and takes a slow look around Perception take 10 for a 24

Looks like it's been a week since Brock posted. We may have lost him. Either that, or whatever is crawling around this space station may have eaten him...

As you take a closer look, it appears that resourceful staff looted the probe for parts when Indigo Deep
came under attack. The device sits atop a floor port, designed to
load and fire the probe deep into the planet.

Computers here primarily serve to control the robotic arms to
service and build probes, though the computers do log that the
most recent probe launch was 23 days ago.

The fourth room (to the southwest) has no windows
and is a heavily reinforced storage area. In addition to an
engineering specialty tool kit (grants a +2 bonus to repair space
station components on Indigo Deep) and a fully charged purple
force field armor upgrade (black force field for Levels 7–8), this
room also has five armored crates built to contain explosive
charges; under normal circumstances, the probe would launch
and detonate these deep inside the planet as part of various
studies. All but one of the crates is ransacked and empty,
leaving only one crate with three surviving explosive charges.
These function as mk 1 screamer grenades (one of them is actually
a mk 2 screamer grenade).

AT THIS POINT, all of you hear a "crunching" sound, then a skittering sound. You see nothing.

"Anyone else feeling.... vulnerable?" asks Kultanien. She pushes Jopsie behind her into the secure room.

"I think whatever did for the station may be after desert."

She looks for airvents, or other places that might hold a hoard of centipedes.

Oddman casts See Invisibility on himself, and looks around.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15

"I knew i should have gone with that invisibility sub processor..."
Albertus scans the room as well, before backing out.
perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16
"Maybe we should finish this loop then check out that other corridor. See if we can get into the area without crawling though a jagged metal bulkhead"

You get the feeling that the skittering is IN the walls, or perhaps in the nearby rooms that are closed up.

Oddman, you notice nothing that could be invisible. Albertus, you really don't see anything that was not noted above. Kultainen, there are most certainly some small vents, and many of the grates have been chewed or bent.

I will assume you are finishing the loop, and are headed back toward the cargo bay where you entered the station. Any of the rooms you investigate along the way are unremarkable. I will take the liberty to move your tokens. If you would like to make a slight adjustment (say two squares or so), you may. I'll also keep Brock with the group, as maybe he'll come back around if there is a combat (and if not, I shall bot if there is enough info on his character sheet).

As you near the cargo bay, you hear the skittering once again, this time louder. As you look behind you, you see several small creatures running toward you. Their ravenous demeanor makes it clear that they are not queuing up for Strawberry Machine Cake tickets.

They mean to eat you.

Bold may go. I rearranged the order slightly to make this a bit easier. Round 1.

1. Fizz
2. Kultainen
3. Brock
4. Red
5. Yellow
6. Albertus
7. Oddman
8. Blue
9. Green

"Ugh....Get the red one!" suggests Kultanien, as she fires at the indicated critter.

attack vs EAC, get-em: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 1 = 22
F damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 4) + 3 = 10

"They are everywhere. Keep count of how many we find..."

Brock drops his taclash, then grabs the red star plasma cannon firmly with both hands, bracing himself as he fires it at the spot between the red and blue creatures.

Red Star attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Red Star damage(5 ft. explosion, DC 16): 2d10 + 7 ⇒ (1, 3) + 7 = 11 electricity/fire

Get'em active on rd, so =1 to hit if you are targetting it.

"Well I see three o so, but in a second or two I'm going to be seeing a lot less!"

Time for Fir...err, Explosive Blast. I think I can land it right next to yellow and catch four of them. Reflex DC 20 for half damage.

Explosive Blast: 9d6 + 3 ⇒ (4, 6, 1, 2, 4, 1, 1, 2, 1) + 3 = 25

reflex saves: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 201d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 81d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 161d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Kultainen calls out one of the little beasties, and hits it with her pistol.

Brock narrowly misses one with his rifle even including get 'em.

Fizz causes an explosive eruption that shakes this section of the station, and badly injures all of the creatures. Red made his save, the others failed.

Two of the creatures sprint forward and attack Brock and Oddman with their claws.

to hit, red vs. Brock: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16
slashing damage: 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Looks like a miss.

to hit, yellow vs. Oddman: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24
slashing damage: 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Appears to be a hit. Noted below.

Bold may go. Round 1.

1. Fizz
2. Kultainen
3. Brock
4. Red (-23 w/ get 'em)
5. Yellow (-25)
6. Albertus
7. Oddman (-15)
8. Blue (-25)
9. Green (-25)

GM: The red star plasma cannon is an exploding property weapon. My attack roll was at the grid intersection, so I believe I hit it with a DC 5. Red and Blue need to make DC 16 reflex saves against the 11 electricity/fire damage. Unless I'm misunderstanding how it works. Since I'm aiming at the intersection, rather than the creature itself, I wouldn't get the get 'em bonus on the attack roll.

Oddman uses a move action to activate one of his photoenergetic nodes, then strikes at the yellow monster.

Tactical trident vs. Yellow's KAC: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Piercing damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Fire damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Sorry about that Brock. Correcting it now.

reflex saves red, blue: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 261d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Both save, and will take 6 points of damage each.

Albertus targets red with his exocortex and fires his seeking AG accelerator rifle
EAC with get'em: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
P: 3d4 + 6 ⇒ (2, 4, 2) + 6 = 14

Oddman's trident strikes true, causing the little beastie near him to squeal in pain!

Albertus is not quite so lucky, with his shot going just wide.

The two remaining creatures round the corner, seemingly in a frenzy. Surprisingly they stop short of melee scrum and spew some sort of sticky electrified resin toward Brock and Oddman!

to hit, blue vs. Brock: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 11 + 1 = 32
damage, E: 1d4 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 2 = 11

to hit, green vs. Oddman: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 11 + 1 = 30
damage, E: 1d4 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 2 = 9

These appear to be hits. Please make a DC 16 Reflex save or be entangled for 1d4 rounds: 1d4 ⇒ 21d4 ⇒ 4 (Brock is first d4, Oddman second).

Bold may go. Round 2.

1. Fizz
2. Kultainen
3. Brock (-11)
4. Red (-29)
5. Yellow (-44)
6. Albertus
7. Oddman (-24)
8. Blue (-31)
9. Green (-25)

"Right, finish off that yellow one first." suggests Kultanien.

"Don't worry Oddman, its just a flesh wound."

Get'em on yellow, +1 to hit it. Inspiring boost on Oddman restoring 20 STA

@GM if you could note down IB next to Oddman, it will help me remember I have used it on him.

Bold may go. Round 2. Oddman and Brock, don't forget your saves as noted above.

1. Fizz
2. Kultainen
3. Brock (-11)
4. Red (-29)
5. Yellow (-44, get 'em)
6. Albertus
7. Oddman (-4, IB)
8. Blue (-31)
9. Green (-25)

Gesturing and typing frantically, Fizz launches a series of bolts against the closest of the creatures. Red seems to take the worst of it, catching two bolts, while the bolt striking Yellow seems brighter than the rest.

Magic Missile, full round cast. Two bolts on Red, and the bolt altered by Harmful Spells against Yellow.

Red 1: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Red 2: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Yellow: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Reflex save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 Close but no cigar ... So, there a way to get out of this?

Brock releases the gun with one hand and then punches the yellow insectoid creature.

Unarmed strike w/ get 'em and entangled vs. Yellow's KAC: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 1 - 2 = 25
Unarmed strike damage (bludgeoning): 1d4 + 18 ⇒ (4) + 18 = 22

Here you go, Brock:

Fizz sends out a full spread of magic missiles, hurting the front rank of creatures. Brock pounds one of them, handing out a severe beating (Wow! +18 to damage? The math starts to change at these levels...)

red attacks Brock: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 14 + 1 = 31
damage, S: 1d6 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 9 + 2 = 15

Appears to be a hit.

yellow attacks Oddman: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 14 + 1 = 26
damage, S: 1d6 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 2 = 17

Another hit.

Bold may go. Round 2. Oddman, don't forget your saves as noted above.

1. Fizz
2. Kultainen
3. Brock (-26)
4. Red (-58)
5. Yellow (-49, get 'em)
6. Albertus
7. Oddman (-21, IB)
8. Blue (-31)
9. Green (-25)

Albertus fires at Red again, hoping to finish it off.
KAC: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
P damage: 3d4 + 7 ⇒ (1, 3, 1) + 7 = 12
Critical P damage: 3d4 + 7 ⇒ (3, 2, 2) + 7 = 14
He then targets green with his exo cortex

Reflex save DC 16: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Oddman can't escape the entanglement, so keeps attacking the yellow creature and its never-ending supply of hit points!

Tactical trident vs. Yellow's KAC: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 11 - 2 + 1 = 28
Piercing damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Fire damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Double minimum damage, how nice

Albertus blasts the creature near Brock right in it's little noggin'.

The shot sprays ichor in an interesting pattern behind it.

In much the same way Monet or Picasso use their brushes, canvas, and paint, Albertus has mastered his craft by applying ichor to the metallic space station floor. Red is dead.

Oddman also finds his mark with his trident.

I will add another post later today moving forward with blue and greens attack, then on to the top of the order.

One of the creatures from the second rank is happy to take the dead ones place attacking Brock. In a frenzied rush, it moves forward and attacks!

to hit: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 14 + 1 = 28
damage, S: 1d6 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 2 = 14

Appears to be a hit! Noted below.

The creature that is still further down the hall spits its resin, this time targeting Kultainen.

to hit: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19
damage, E: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Miss!

Bold may go. Round 3.

1. Fizz
2. Kultainen
3. Brock (-40)
4. Red (DEAD)
5. Yellow (-63, get 'em)
6. Albertus
7. Oddman (-21, IB)
8. Blue (-31)
9. Green (-25)