Male Human Technomancer 12 Dataphiles | SP 84 HP 64 RP 10/11 | EAC 28 KAC 29 CMAC 37 CMD 29 CMB +9 | Kinetic DR 5/- | F+6 R+10 W+11 | Init+6 | Perc+3 | 1st 1/6 2nd 0/6 3rd 0/5 4th 0/4 Cache 0/1
Ted moves next to Spectre and throws a battery up to Xavra.
Explosive Blast to the top right so that it gets Green and Xavra. At the time of posting, that area was clear of anyone else.
explosive blast damage:9d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 6, 3, 5, 5, 6, 4, 2) = 38 Reflex save DC 18 for half damage
Explosive Blast:
EXPLOSIVE BLAST T3
School evocation (fire)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area 20-ft.-radius burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance yes
You magically transform a used battery into a powerful explosive device, propelling it in a straight Line to a grid intersection within range, at which point it detonates, dealing 9d6 fire damage to all creatures and objects in the area. If you send the battery through a narrow opening, you must make a ranged attack (usually against an Armor Class of 10 for a narrow opening or an Armor Class of 15 for an extremely narrow opening) to avoid hitting the side and detonating it prematurely.
Male Human Mystic 12 | 76/76 HP, 97/97 SP, 9/9 RP | Init +3 |Perception +25 | EAC 22, KAC 23 | F +7, R +8, W +12 | Spells/Day Left: oo/6/5/2/3/0/0
I'm going to target yellow with the first round of shooting stars/magic missiles. If Isu killed Yellow, I'll send them to Xarva instead.
Jellico stands back up, now that Arc is back on his feet. He concentrates and then throws his hand up toward Yellow. Three balls of light and force streak from his hand and hit the target straight in the chest.
3 Shooting Stars:3d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 4, 4) + 3 = 14
Focusing now on Xarva unless he did that the first time. Then it'll be "continuing to focus on Xarva". Jellico throws another round of shooting stars up toward them.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 20 | SP 198/198 HP 146/146 RP 12/12 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 20 | F +16; R +15; W +16 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +30
Forgot to put attunement on my first round back up when I took the serum. It'll be Graviton considering fire's only half-effective against Xavra.
Arcalinte, now reattuned, rises like a radiant angel into the air.
Using Defy Gravity as a Move Action.
"XAVRA!" he cries, getting the Huntmaster's attention. "The Dawn Brings New Light! Like the sun I rise anew!"
He then turns and alights next to Isu, taking a chance to strike at the other kish so Isu may focus his attention on Xavra.
Ted's blast catches both of the kish, and where Xavra is quick to shield themselves, the green kish is much too slow. Flames absorb into Xavra's armor, leaving them only slightly singed, but green gets badly charred. Isu's first swing falls short of hitting the fairly nimble yellow, but his second strike sends the kish flying. (yellow down)
Jelico sends two potent rounds of shooting stars into Xavra, pummeling the Huntmaster. Spec's first shot strikes the railing. While the second is more accurate Xavra is able to deflect the sonic pulse with their blade.
Arc, I've redirected you since yellow is down: Arc flies through the air to green and delivers a fearsome slash that cuts the kish down.
With all their allies gone, Xavra rumbles with rage "WHAT ELSE WILL YOU TAKE, DEMONS!?" Much like Arc, Xavra flies off the balcony and settles on the ground next to Jelico and Ted. Overflowing with anger, their swing catches on the shelf nearby and Ted is able to duck under the attack. Their armor grows bright...
Male Half-Elf Solarian 20 | SP 198/198 HP 146/146 RP 12/12 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 20 | F +16; R +15; W +16 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +30
"WE'VE TAKEN NOTHING! YOU'VE CAST THEIR LIVES AND YOUR OWN ASIDE FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR PRIDE AND HATRED!" Arcalinte yells back. He downs his last serum.
MK 1 Serum of Healing:1d8 ⇒ 1
Then he defies gravity once more, touching down just out of the reach of Xavra's blade, and brandishes his own.
"It's not too late, Xavra. You can still redeem yourself."
Male Human Technomancer 12 Dataphiles | SP 84 HP 64 RP 10/11 | EAC 28 KAC 29 CMAC 37 CMD 29 CMB +9 | Kinetic DR 5/- | F+6 R+10 W+11 | Init+6 | Perc+3 | 1st 1/6 2nd 0/6 3rd 0/5 4th 0/4 Cache 0/1
Ted flash-a-ports to the balcony and fires a volley of magic missiles in to Xavra.
magic missile:3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4, 1) + 3 = 9 With haste, Ted can caste a full round spell and do a move action? If not, then subtract 2 from the damage (the third d4+1)
Sadly, haste only gives you the extra move action to move when you full attack. Also worth noting now that I read the spell again - it grants only a move action to move, not to do anything else.
Ted and Isu are the only ones to land their attacks on the Huntmaster. While Xavra seems battered by the attacks, they're clearly far from defeated. With a yell, they float up toward Isu and Spec. Their armor glows white hot before a massive whirl of flame emerges all around them.
Both Isu and Spec manage to shield themselves from the flames, leaving them burned but not completely immolated. (21 damage to Spec, 16 to Isu) The flames vanish as quickly as they came, returning Xavra's armor to a neutral hue.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 20 | SP 198/198 HP 146/146 RP 12/12 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 20 | F +16; R +15; W +16 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +30
Fully attuned to the force of gravity once more, Arcalinte leaps into the air after Xavra.
Defy Gravity with 10 extra feet from being fully Graviton attuned puts me RIGHT next to Xavra!
And as soon as he lands, he strikes at the Huntmaster!
Sustaining wounds from all sides, Xavra looks battered, bloody, but not quite broken. Despite taking direct hits from Isu, Spec and the two spellcasters, they still bring up their guard against Arc and fend off his attack.
Mad with pain and righteous vengeance, Xavra strikes relentlessly at the nearest cloudwalker - Arc. Two slashes cleave into Arc's body. He's already mid-fall when Xavra's blade bites deep the second time (27 damage followed by 1 RP damage since you're unconscious for the second attack). Soaked in blood, Xavra turns to Isu, gait unsteady.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 20 | SP 198/198 HP 146/146 RP 12/12 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 20 | F +16; R +15; W +16 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +30
Arcalinte grits his teeth as Xavra takes him down again.
Male Human Mystic 12 | 76/76 HP, 97/97 SP, 9/9 RP | Init +3 |Perception +25 | EAC 22, KAC 23 | F +7, R +8, W +12 | Spells/Day Left: oo/6/5/2/3/0/0
"Arc, hold on! I can't get up there just yet!"
Jellico looks around and can't immediately find a way that will let him help his fallen teammate. Instead, he hurls another round of Shooting Stars at Xarva.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 20 | SP 198/198 HP 146/146 RP 12/12 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 20 | F +16; R +15; W +16 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +30
The cascade of force bolts from Ted combine with the shooting stars from Jelico, raining pain across Xavra's already battered body. The kish holds their blade to their forehead in defiance, but their wounds are simply too severe and they collapse, blood spilling across the balcony.
Male Human Mystic 12 | 76/76 HP, 97/97 SP, 9/9 RP | Init +3 |Perception +25 | EAC 22, KAC 23 | F +7, R +8, W +12 | Spells/Day Left: oo/6/5/2/3/0/0
"About time. Hold on Arc!"
Can I just make it up to him now that we're out of combat or do you want me to make the check?
Jellico climbs up to the fallen human and lays his hand on the man's arm. Over the next 10 minutes, he prays and chants as he funnels divine energy into Arc. Healing Touch for 40 HP back to Arc
Male Half-Elf Solarian 20 | SP 198/198 HP 146/146 RP 12/12 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 20 | F +16; R +15; W +16 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +30
Fallen HALF-ELF, Jellico! :P
Arcalinte's eyes snap open as the divine energy flows through him. He tilts his head towards Jellico.
Isu climbs down and casts two spells on Arc; he then proceeds to give two healing touches for an additional 10 HP.
"Well, Arcalinte Soter... it wasn't in your plans but it worked out okay. She was so busy killing you that the rest of us beat back her and the others in the process. Success!"
Isu will also take a look at the equipment Xavra holds. It must be truly powerful for her to cut apart Arc like that.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 20 | SP 198/198 HP 146/146 RP 12/12 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 20 | F +16; R +15; W +16 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +30
"Isu, Ted, could you please stop misgendering Xavra: even though they're dead, they clearly didn't present as feminine, kish culture doesn't appear to have that kind of a binary," Arcalinte says weakly as he turns over and gets to his feet. Then he kneels as Isu heals him and begins to meditate on the battle they've just won. "We should return the bodies to Tzayl as well, so they may have proper funerals. I doubt Tzayl will begrudge us their gear as a reward for ending the tribe's division, but we should still be polite and ask first."
RP for SP as well. I think I'm all topped off now!
Droid Outlaw Mechanic 12 | SP 108/108 HP 76/76 RP 11/11 | EAC 28 KAC 30; | F +11; R +16; W +6 | Init +8 | Perc +16 | Conqueror (white star-class): +16 (3d12+12 E&F)
Spectre takes a moment to rest and refit.
"A strange concern for all the beating you sustained," Spectre drones. "You are lucky to be alive. And a one-on-one duel would certainly have resulted in your death," he adds.
"That said, I approve of utilizing their gear as a reward," he says.
With the kish all dead or dying, you're able to heal Arc back to consciousness and then back to prime health. The rest of you are able to sit and rest without being further attacked. Looking out the window to the north, the majority of the kish guarding the complex remain unaware that their leader now lies dead in one of their "Temple"s chambers.
The room is badly scarred by weapons fire and the swings of powerful weapons. Many of the archive shelves with their flat data storage slates lie askew with half their contents spilled across the ground.
Isu inspects the equipment that Xavra was using. The ancient kishalee tech is in pristine working condition - clearly either well sealed away or well cared for over the hundreds or thousands of years. The slightly curved ceramic blade incorporates a strange geometric design along its grip, and the blade's edge appears to bend light in an uncanny way as you inspect it. (Functions as an Ultrathin Longsword) You also find the pistol that Xavra was holding is cold to the touch. When you depress the trigger, it sends out a flash of icy energy. (Functions as a Hailstorm class Zero Pistol but you need to succeed at a DC25 Engineering check during downtime to get it to accept Pact Worlds batteries)
Now that Xavra's armor is no longer glowing with cosmic energies, you see that the pieces of kish tech were laid on top of a bodysuit of incredibly resilient make. (Functions as a White Carbon Skin) Woven around Xavra's armor, you find a strange shimmering scarf of iridescent material. Ted detects magic radiating from it. (DC25 Mysticism to ID)
The other kish were wielding axes, bows and knives, all of them archaic and nonmagical. Nevertheless, they may be of interest to collectors of just things back in the Pact Worlds. (The collected sale value of the other equipment they were using is, rounded up, 2500 credits)
"Her name ends in an A therefore she is female. Arcalinte, you perhaps should concentrate on your fighting and spend less time correcting this one on trifles mere seconds after you stand up from a near death that you brought on yourself. It is terribly annoying."
I would like that sword. Maybe Arc too. I would be willing roll off for it.
Male Human Technomancer 12 Dataphiles | SP 84 HP 64 RP 10/11 | EAC 28 KAC 29 CMAC 37 CMD 29 CMB +9 | Kinetic DR 5/- | F+6 R+10 W+11 | Init+6 | Perc+3 | 1st 1/6 2nd 0/6 3rd 0/5 4th 0/4 Cache 0/1
"Where should we plant charges?" Ted holds up some grenades. "We can't leave without dropping our calling card."
mysticism on scarf:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18
The armor is way above what Ted has, and the pistol is a damage upgrade and a 2nd damage type, so Ted puts in a bid for both... or either. Maybe the scarf too dependent on what it is... Whatever works best for the party.
"We are not here to blow it up, Sir Ted. We want to learn more about why the Cult came here; perhaps information on the location of the sun destroyer. Look around, there must be something here."
Isu begins poking around the shelves and various books.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 20 | SP 198/198 HP 146/146 RP 12/12 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 20 | F +16; R +15; W +16 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +30
"Isu, that's not a THING in linguistics. Clarifying and understanding things IS my primary purpose. Sarenrae smiles on those who illuminate the darkness of ignorance."
At Ted's question Arcalinte gasps and is about to start lecturing before Isu shuts Ted's suggestion down, and he calms.
"Yes...this was where the ancient Kish kept data...I imagine there's some means of computer access nearby."
While there aren't any books stored within the shelves of the archives, there are thousands of small ceramic and crystal slates, each one similar to those you found at the Maze of Ghosts and the House of Renewal. Thanks to your success at those locations, you're able to puzzle out how to turn a few of these on, finding that each of them projects an interactive hologram used to access the data stored within. Luckily they're rugged enough that those you knocked off the shelves earlier are still functional.
When accessing random data slates, you find they contain vast swaths of text in ancient kishaleen (which you're unable to read), along with diagrams and drawings of all manner of strange machines and objects. It doesn't take long before you realize that these must been documenting many different types of military inventions - including weapons. Unfortunately, its not easy to work out which of the many many slates were accessed by the Cult of the Devourer.
A search of the room uncovers another ceramic-orb terminal, an accessible ancient kish computer that - once accessed - appears to be some kind of indexing and records keeping system.
The DC for using it is currently only 24, so Ted and Spec working together can't fail :)
Spec and Ted examine the records terminal, and after a few minutes to decode the cryptic interface, manage to learn two useful pieces of information. First, that the terminal has a magitech function that allows creatures that touch it to be granted an understanding of ancient kishaleen (at least temporarily). Second, that a number of searches were done with the terminal around a week ago. These searches were extensive, at first starting with what appears to be general weapons data, before narrowing down over and over until their final search corresponded to a single data slate.
Ted and Spec are able to use the terminal and locate that specific slate, which, after a brief command on the terminal, begins to light up and identify itself.
Pausing here for today for reactions, and also because the slate is a big infodump!
Male Half-Elf Solarian 20 | SP 198/198 HP 146/146 RP 12/12 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 20 | F +16; R +15; W +16 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +30
Arcalinte is in awe of the sheer volume of information they've uncovered.
"And I thought the library in the Temple of the Twelve was impressive! This is...amazing! If the Pact Worlds weren't in danger, I could spend YEARS here!"
He also touches the terminal to facilitate understanding the ancient Kishaleen language to aid in the search. As he does, much of the modern language that he's managed to work out clicks into place, lending it a better sense of clarity. He tries to hold on to that feeling as long as possible, to retain that understanding for the future.
And I'll be taking Ancient Kishaleen as a new language when I finally get another rank in Culture. :P
"This one wonders if the very weapon that we hunt down was created in and then used on this city in the clouds. Clearly this place was once technologically advanced..."
Droid Outlaw Mechanic 12 | SP 108/108 HP 76/76 RP 11/11 | EAC 28 KAC 30; | F +11; R +16; W +6 | Init +8 | Perc +16 | Conqueror (white star-class): +16 (3d12+12 E&F)
I'll also regain stamina.
Spectre looks at Isu. "An intriguing possibility," the droid says. "If so, perhaps there are other weapons we could find schematics for and monetize. Perhaps we will become galactic arms dealers after we shut down the halfling pizza cult. It is curious that they have devolved into such a primitive nature."
"This one would not be opposed to make money and buying Abadar goods with the proceeds, as long as our arms sales were to uphold goodness and law across the galaxy."
Using the power of the reference terminal to grant understanding of ancient kishaleen, you boot up the slate that the Devourer Cult eventually ended on. It takes some time to get through the hefty and detailed series of reports stored within, but by the time you're done you learn quite a lot about the ancient kish, and about the Stellar Degenerator.
Confirming your previous interpretations, you learn that the Foundry was an ancient kishalee weapons-research facility and factory, built to supply high tech weapons to the kishalee who were locked in a centuries long war with their neighboring race, the Sivv. In addition to frequent "hot" conflicts between the two, there was a golden age of weapons development during the era. The kishalee developed many devastating weapons, but it was the Sivv who developed the first galactic-scale superweapon. This weapon was the Stellar Degenerator - a means by which to quiet suns of enemy systems from light years away.
Kishalee agents ended the war by capturing the weapon before it could be fired, averting a swift end to their species and civilization. Meanwhile, the Sivv civilization was thrown into upheaval after the loss of their most powerful and expensive weapon yet. Though the kishalee never fired the Stellar Degenerator in retaliation, they didn't need to, as Sivv interests turned inward and they waged war against their own people. The civilization collapsed within decades, if not years.
The kishalee then turned many of their civilization’s resources to studying and understanding the Stellar Degenerator. The Foundry was sent vast information about the weapon so it might participate in the study and analysis of the doomsday device.
In time, the kishalee decided that they currently had no need for the Stellar Degenerator’s massive destructive power, so it should be hidden away, in part to store it for future use and in part to keep it out of the reach of any other enemies. The best and brightest kishalee technomancers created a demiplane in which they would store the weapon — a place accessible only through a titanic structure called the Gate of the Twelve Suns, which was constructed far from the Nejeor system. The study of the Stellar Degenerator in Istamak came to a close, and all engineering and test data was stored within the Foundry's Archives.
Within the data slate, you find endless details around the Stellar Degenerator's energy requirements, destructive potential, and numerous safeguards and restrictions.
There is one appendix to the report, added in a revision years later. The brief entry mentions that the Stellar Degenerator had been used against an enemy home system. So horrifying was the terrible, dark fate of that species, that the note mentions that the Degenerator would be permanently sealed, and all records beyond those at the Foundry would be scrubbed clean.
-------
The data slate also holds the coordinates of the Gate of the Twelve Suns — an artificial megastructure deep in the Vast that acts as the entrance point to the demiplane holding the Stellar Degenerator. With that information in hand, you'll be able to plot a course there. It seems that the Gate of the Twelve Suns consists of a dozen stars arranged in a circle, each orbited by a single planetoid; the devices that control the gate are located on these planetoids.
The data slate also includes mention of a "Key", presumably an activation code of some kind for the control devices. When you finally navigate to the section of the data slate that should contain the key, you find that section replaced by a single note.
> Praise to the Devourer for this, the finest of Gifts.
Also: With your victory over Xavra and the discovery of the location of the Gate of Twelve Suns, you guys advance to 9th level!
"Well.... s#%$e on a sword. Those pizza cultists stole the code! Is there any mention of what caused the cultural collapse in this city?"
I'm just really curious. If it doesn't matter to the story anymore, Cellion can you just tell us the background our characters will never learn? Also, woo-hoo level 9! I propose a trip back to Absalom station to check in.
Male Human Mystic 12 | 76/76 HP, 97/97 SP, 9/9 RP | Init +3 |Perception +25 | EAC 22, KAC 23 | F +7, R +8, W +12 | Spells/Day Left: oo/6/5/2/3/0/0
Mysticism if still needed:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21
Jellico gets more and more upset as the information is shared with the group. "I thought the weapon was here. We came all this way and almost died only to find that we've got more places to go? We need to find this gate. Then what? We can't even open it! This cult beat us to it."
Jellico stops talking, feeling himself about to lose his temper in a manner unbecoming of a priest of Desna. Instead, he closes his eyes and attempts to center himself.
Male Half-Elf Solarian 20 | SP 198/198 HP 146/146 RP 12/12 | EAC 35(37) KAC 36(38); DR 5/- Resist Fire 20 | F +16; R +15; W +16 | Speed 25 ft. | Init +6 | Perc +30
"Well, as far as we know, Mataras hasn't suffered whatever horrible fate the ancient kish mention when they attempted to use the Stellar Degenerator, so they haven't beaten us to it yet," Arcalinte replies as he continues to read and read. "And remember, we're not the only pieces on the board in this game: we only found out this location because the Corpse Fleet beat us to the cell of cultists out in the Diaspora. I imagine that they've not given up the chase either, and while they're our enemies too, and we can't let THEM get their hands on such a weapon either, they'll probably slow the Devourer cultists down enough for us to finally catch up."
When they've finished, he stands up straighter and nods.
"For once, Spectre, we are in near-complete agreement. We should try to wrap things up here quickly. We should return Xavra's body to Tzayl. That should signal to the rest of the kish that this 'civil war' is over, and they may begin reconciling, hopefully. We should make some copies of the most relevant data and send it to Chiskisk. We came very near death several times on this world, and it's only going to get more dangerous from here. If we don't come back, the Starfinders should know where we went, so they can follow after us and finish what we started."
How much of a time-crunch ARE we on anyway? We need a way to reintroduce Sydney if she still wants to rejoin, but a trip back to Absalom Station would take a week, and then another week to get back into the Vast.
@Isu: You already learned some of what happened to the city of Istamak back when you found the message in the Maze.
Checking through the other data slates, you're able to get a vague picture of Istamak's violent final days. The few researchers who were left went to great extents to lock down the Foundry and secure its technology against misuse by those involved in the great civil war. The way that the records suddenly cut off suggest that the researchers never had a chance to return.
---
Spectre notes from an inspection of a few additional data slates that there is an incredible trove of data on kish weapons development stored here. Considering the incredible power and potency of even mass produced models like the ones you retrieved from the ooze downstairs, this data is likely to be of great interest to weapons researchers and merchants. It would likely fetch a pretty pile of credits, should you be able to find someone who is interested in a risky purchase.
---
@Arc: There's no clear way of telling how much time you have. The Gate of the Twelve Suns is way out in the Vast, so you're right in saying that the travel time is likely to be long. Keep in mind that the Starstone means that returning to Absalom Station is fast.
And yes, we WOULD like to have an opportunity for you guys to restock and regroup with Syd if she's joining :)
---
I'll give you guys a bit more time to discuss next steps and start getting leveled up. Probably do a wrap up on Istamak tomorrow if you've settled on how you want to handle it.
"Let's deliver the body and be back to Absalom Station. We can our time there very short; check in with the Starfinders and buy food and go to AbadarMart."
with the way drift travel works it might take just as long even if we don't go to Absalom, and it makes sense to restock
