[GDVII, SFS, Special] GM Blake's SFS 1-99 (Tier 1-2) (Inactive)

Game Master Blake's Tiger

A loud shriek of audio feedback erupts from all communication devices across the Starfinder Society fleet and deployed teams. The feedback precedes an alert of a new threat: dozens of unknown starships are entering the Scoured Stars through the Drift!

Data screens across the fleet begin displaying a live feed of a chitinous, six-legged creature with a large mouth full of sharp teeth. Rings of glowing, unblinking eyes cover the upper and lower sides of the creature’s body, looking in every direction at once. The creature’s three-clawed forelimbs hold what looks like an alien plasma cannon, while its second set of limbs terminate in cybernetic augmentations resembling long sabers.

When the creature starts speaking, its words sound like a chaotic jumble of consonants, but soon the syllables turn into a sinister-sounding, digitalized voice speaking in the Common tongue: “We are jinsuls, and you are not welcome in our space. This is our ancestral home. You do not belong here. You will be removed.”

As soon as the ominous message ends, First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo speaks to the Society through the comm system: “According to our sensors, these creatures—jinsuls—are entering the Scoured Stars through a location near Bastiar-7. I need a group of volunteers, our best starship crews, to scout the area and keep these aggressors occupied. Meanwhile, I want everyone else to continue evacuating the survivors. Time is a luxury we don’t have, so make haste and be ready to be extracted at a moment’s notice!”

Table GM’s- You are now set to start Part 3, but remember Part 2 Evacuation Missions that are still open can still be accomplished. All Part 1 Recon Missions are now closed.

bluff: 1d20 ⇒ 12

"Vell vait no longer mein faithful zerffant, for I am returned. I am Kirk! Zee creador! Und um, err, zeze are mein other--er, less kood--zerffants."

"That is not a factual statement," the projection replies pleasantly.

OK. There are 2 ways to succeed and, it should be clear, the Diplomacy skill wasn't one of them. There are infinite ways to spin your wheels. Onda was on the right track by trying a different social skill.

You can continue to try to get the information out of the AI or you can move on to an open evacuation mission (none of them are complete, but Cracked Mirror--the nanite world--is almost complete so I don't recommend that) or you can move on to scout out the new threat.

"Look, you're holding sway over an empty world," Chogas says. "You need to tell us what information you have, or we will have to take punitive measures. It will cause harm to no one on this deserted planet if we slag your databanks."

Intimidate: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15

"A1," Aazanar says Sternly. "We have a fleet of ships in this system and are capable of destroying this city of we wish. We could crack open your memory cores and extract the data manually. Tell us what we wish to know or we will be forced to resort to these measures."

Intimidate: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Ninja'd by Chogas!

"No!" A-1 shouts. "Please! No! Don't destroy anything! I've worked so hard to keep everything in order for their return. And the robots! Oh, the poor robots. Don't hurt them!"

He weeps virtual tears and sobs until Sebrir calms him down.

"I will tell you what I know as long as you keep your word that you will not harm any of the robots or structures," A-1 eventually continues once he is calm enough. "The people that came here approximately one year ago were killed by the security droids. During their investigation of the trespasser's remains, they discovered data indicating that a large number of their fellows were trapped on a planet referenced as Callion-1. I have detected a faint signal coming from that planet within the past twenty-four hours. I believe there you will find survivors of your people."

End Mission. On to another Evacuation mission or scout the Jinsul?

I vote Jinsul!

"That felt... unfelicitous. It is not my preference to threaten other sentiences, especially those with whom I share an artificial origin. But, our goal is paramount at the moment."

I vote Jinsul!

I'm fine with that.

"That is not a factual statement," the projection replies pleasantly.

"I hab been ill."

That sounds fine.

A vanguard of jinsul attack ships exit the Drift and enter into orbit around Bastiar-7. The ships begin spreading out across the system, seeking to establish a foothold from which they can launch further attacks against the Starfinder expedition. There are too many Jinsul ships to stop them all.

One of the ships breaks off as you approach Bastiar-7, the location of the ghost transmission and wrecked Starfinder ships. The wrecks have mysteriously vanished--too quickly for the Jinsul to have destroyed or removed them without some sort of massive power or magic. However, the chunks of ice and heavy gravity of the gas giant provide the same challenges as before.

Ship Combat!

Helm, Science Officer, Captain act now.
Pilot roll initiative now.
Gunners may pre-attack, but you may want to wait until either you have scans or know your facing.

Doesn't the engineering phase come before helm? I think we are using a Drake, right, so that gives us three floating +1s I think?

Piloting for initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

"Scanning hostile vessel!"

Computers: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

"That's it? That's all you'll tell me? I can see that much on the visual spectrum, a hostile bearing down on us and you choose now to be non-communicative?"

Exasperated, Takeshi then thumps his station with his fist and dives under it to try to find where the problem lies. He mutters, "there has to be a data bus issue in here someplace. Soceity gear is supposed to be better than this."

He kicks the underside of the console for good measure.

leaving the floating +1s for other's use

Exasperated, Takeshi then thumps his station with his fist and dives under it to try to find where the problem lies. He mutters, "there has to be a data bus issue in here someplace. Soceity gear is supposed to be better than this."

He kicks the underside of the console for good measure.

"Zey chust don't know vich trasch bile to check first."

I forgot to include Engineering. Basically, everyone do except pilot.

The enemy vessel that you face appears to have seen better years. It's thrusters spurt and stutters as it advances slowly toward your ship.

Now pilot can go: maneuvers and positioning on map.

engineering check for speed: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Quirk diverts power to the engines.

With that boost, our speed is 10 this turn instead of 8. Moving 6 spaces as shown by the red arrow, turning 60 degrees, moving 4 spaces, and turning another 60 to face the foe. We should be able to fire our coilgun and our missile launcher.

Chogas fires the engines and pursues a wide, looping course to circle the enemy and aim at its starboard side.

Sebrir yells at the gunner. "Take em out, my friends! Your skills are needed!" Using the Encourage action to boost the gunner's aim by +2.

Diplomacy 15: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Sebrir yells at the gunner. "Take em out, my friends! Your skills are needed!" Using the Encourage action to boost the gunner's aim by +2.

Thought I was the captain until I had exhausted my intimidate actions (which are more useful than Encourage)?

If I am correct:

Aazanar leans into the communicator.

"Attention unidentified ship: We are now lowering shields and cutting engines to give you guys a chance. That little garbage scow of yours is so pathetic we thought we would try to give you guys a fair fight, it that is even possible."

Taunt: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21 ... this is a success against ships up to Tier 4.
Duration (rounds): 1d4 ⇒ 2

Sorry, yeah, got confused. Aazanar is the current captain.

The Jinsul craft moves sluggishly even in comparison to the Drake. It slowly veers around your ship and fires its linked laser cannons from its turret into your starboard side. Your shields are burned away and the hull scratched.

Drake
Shields: F: 15, P: 10, S: 0, A: 15
Hull: 69/70
CT: 1/14

Gunners are up
Engineering, Science Officer, Captain can post for Round 2.
Pilot give me your initiative. If your initiative is less than 19, you can also move first.

Takeshi is thrown about and bounces his head off the underside of his station as the incoming fire blasts through the port shields.

The critical shield level warning starts flashing for the port side as Takeshi hauls himself out from under his station.

"Scrap! Oh, no you don't, hold together you blasted Drake."

Round two action

Computers: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

He yells out toward the captain's chair, "Re-balancing shields!"

The shield readouts shift and indicate 2/3'rds shield power fore and aft, and full shield power restored on the port and starboard sides.

"Chogas, don't let them hit us like that again, we cannot take many more of those!"

Piloting Initiative for round 2, taking 1/3 ship bonuses: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 1 = 23

Come on, who's on gunnery? Looks like Onda and Sebrir this turn? Use the +1s and let's fire! Then let's divert power to weapons next turn, since the shields are balanced. Maybe Onda could make an engineering check for turn 2 as well as a firing check.

"Don't worry, I'll keep our shields towards their weapons."

Which ship is ours?

Which of our guns can engage?

Round 2:

"Engineering! Get more power to those shields!"

Demand (intimidate): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12 ...Natural 1 probably isn't going to do it. :)

The orange ship is the enemy.
The Drake has a forward, aft, and turret weapon.

Sebrir-bot belatedly pulls up the weapons console and fires off the missiles. Unfortunately, they fail to gain a target lock.

Everyone may act now. Enemy ship has moved.

engineering (divert power to the engines): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

"Vat are you doing?" Onda shouts to Sebrir. "Let's chust get zee Duck out of here!"

"Incorrect, Mr. Fritz. We have a job to do here, and running away is not going to aid our objective."

We have enough people for two gunners to fire each turn. We need to take those shots if we're positioned correctly! The additional speed wasn't necessary this turn.

Chogas flies the Drake again behind the enemy ship. "We have them in our sights."

Because the others are using the guns, I can't take a gunnery minor action this turn, I believe, right?

Sebrir uses the turrets once again.
Gunnery check: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 2 + 1 = 15
damage: 4d8 ⇒ (5, 5, 6, 5) = 21

Correct, Chogas.

Onda diverts power to the engines as Chogas swoops in behind the Jinsul ship, placing it squarely in the forward arc of the Drake's weapons. With Takeshi rebalancing the shields, Quirk-bot takes the moment to pull up the targeting system and fire the forward coilgun.

The Drake and the enemy vessel exchange gunfire that sails past each other's hulls. However, Sebrir is able to lock onto the rear of the enemy vessel and deliver a barrage of missiles.

The missiles slam directly into the hull and explode gloriously. There is exposed conduit near the Jinsul's weapon turret, and it appears as though something is interfering with the hydrolics. There is also a rent in the hull.

Drake
Shields: F: 10, P: 10, S: 10, A: 10 (depleted 10)
Hull: 69/70
CT: 1/1

All non-Pilots stations are up. Pilot goes first if Initiative is less than 10.

"Nice job crew, reading hull damage near the turret, attempting to target weapons!"

Computers(Target System): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

I read that as successful unless this ship has defensive countermeasures aboard

"We have a good lock on the weapons systems!"

Now one of our gunners needs to roll a critical.... *nervous drumming of fingers*

piloting: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 1 = 13

"Incorrect, Mr. Fritz. We have a job to do here, and running away is not going to aid our objective."

"Oh? Und ven did Asanaar die und make you cabtain?"

The broken Jinsul ship drifts forward as its engineer tries to patch its turret.

Everyone who has not gone can do their thing.

Your comm device vibrates as Luwazi Elsebo echoes another reply. ”The Society has released a group of Starfinders whose minds were trapped in a virtual world, which released their bodies from stasis on Agillae-5. One of the survivors is Historia-6 of the Dataphiles!”

The lost Dataphiles leader disseminates information about the Scoured Stars to all teams across the fleet. Until the end of the ongoing mission, you can roll twice and take the better result each time you attempt a skill check to identify a creature or to recall information.

Chogas Steelskin wrote:

"Incorrect, Mr. Fritz. We have a job to do here, and running away is not going to aid our objective."

"Oh? Und ven did Asanaar die und make you cabtain?"

"You don't appear to be listening to him, either."

"Vhat?" cries the scrapper trying to force more speed out of the 'Duck'.

Chogas Steelskin wrote:

"Incorrect, Mr. Fritz. We have a job to do here, and running away is not going to aid our objective."

"Oh? Und ven did Asanaar die und make you cabtain?"

"Setle down you two!"

"Sebrir! Good shot. Let's have another one just like that."

Demand DC18: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15 ...Apparently the Dice Gods aren't with me either.

Sebrir attempts another shot with the turrets, hoping he doesn't hit TOO well and outright destroy the ship.
gunnery: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 = 9
damage: 4d8 ⇒ (7, 4, 1, 3) = 15 Unfortunately, Aazanar's yelling distracts him instead of helping him. :(

A message blips across your screen. ”Starfinder agents have evacuated a group of survivors who were trapped within a magnetic storm on the harsh, wind-blown desert of planet Callion-1.”

Sands of Oblivion has now been completed.

Sebrir fires before the missiles have a lock. The Jinsul fire back, sending laser fire into the void of space.

Quiet and unassuming, Quirk-bot fires the forward coilgun. The strike disables the Jinsul ship.

End Starship Combat

Many jinsul ships are destroyed in the surprise attack the you and other Starfinder crews carried out, momentarily halting the jinsul advance.

"Good work, Starfinders," First Seeker Luwazi says over the fleet-wide comms. "Return to the fleet to prepare for your next mission before the jinsul can regroup."

Ships are restored to full shields and hull points as well as armaments.

Open Missions:
Last Outpost
God's Home
Lava River Rescue

"Yes. Let's head back. Ve are like a sittink duck out here."

Onda is past due a visit to a house of worship.

Sounds ok to me.

A message from First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo comes in. ” Several Starfinders have located a group of survivors on Agillae-1. We’ve rescued these survivors from the creatures were attacking their outpost. Among the survivors is First Seeker Jadnura, who has now joined mission command to help us rescue other groups of survivors!”

The Starfinder Society rejoices at the return of First Seeker Jadnura. Each PC may immediately recover any one spell expended, one daily use of a class ability, or 1 resolve point!

"Yes. Let's head back. Ve are like a sittink duck out here."

Onda is past due a visit to a house of worship.

If that means you are voting for the "God's Home" mission, I am fine with that.

The Starfinder Society rejoices at the return of First Seeker Jadnura. Each PC may immediately recover any one spell expended, one daily use of a class ability, or 1 resolve point!

Back to full resolve. :)

"Well done, everyone. That Jinsul ship didn't seem like much, but we need to assume there are more of them. Keep your eyes peeled."

I was saving RP for before, can I use one to recover SP and then get it back from the boost?

The bleachling gnome Venture-Captain Naiaj points to a digital image of an ice giant planet labeled as Bastiar-8. She taps her finger on a barren moon orbiting the planet, zooming in on it. “We were able to analyze logs recovered from a medical research ship. According to the data, many Starfinder ships landed on a rocky moon of Bastiar-8. Our hypothesis is that they deemed the moon safe to land on, and perhaps they found useful resources there. The moon looks completely barren and inhabitable, but our scans indicate there is an air-filled cave system beneath the surface, which is where the Starfinders have presumably taken shelter. Your landing craft is waiting. Get down there and safely extract our agents.”

Your ship's sensors detect an air-filled cave within the moon. Once you land, it takes several minutes of searching, but you find a large cavern with a fresh water lake in the middle. On the other side is the entrance to what looks like a temple.

Gravity is Low; all stairs in the temple are Difficult Terrain; statues occupy their spaces and provide cover to those adjacent to them.

Two statues flank the entrance. Each statue depicts a six-legged and many-eyed insectile creature wearing robes over a suit of armor.

Many narrow corridors extend from the entrance hall. Above the entrances to the corridors, sigils of reddish metal have been embedded in the walls.

The walls of the antechamber are covered in bas-reliefs depicting the same kind of creatures as the statues in the entrance hall. The creatures are depicted as worshiping a faceless, formless god, killing their enemies with many kinds of weapons, and sacrificing their prisoners on an altar.

The chamber at the far end of the temple contains a large statue and an altar in front of it. The statue resembles those near the entrance, except it is much larger and has dozens of legs and even more eyes.

Will save vs. DC 11; failure = Shaken Condition for as long as you remain within the temple

A disembodied voice suddenly asks, "Who are you? Why have you come here?"

A Will save vs. DC 11 is required in order to lie or obfuscate the truth.

Will: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Takeshi takes in the surroundings, as his eyes move from carving to carving his face goes pale. When his eyes fall on the larges statue in the hall, he turns nearly green. His eyes start darting from object to object, and person to person as he gets ever more nervous.

Shaken Condition added