GM_Foxy's Incident at Absalom Station (Inactive)

Game Master Foxy Quickpaw

Welcome! I'd love it if someone else were posting regularly!

Hey GM, how do you feel about me rerolling Eric to be an operative. It'll allow me to do more pushing posts (since I'll be more survivable and stealthy). Originally this guy was supposed to be a foil for the free wheeling and crazed operative we began with. I'd keep Android as a race and just go Ghost Operative, personality wise I'd be less eccentric (no more undergarment references) but still standoffish and blunt (calculating odds of success and letting people know how awful they are at things).

Sure.

You're all deciding for classes, I don't have the books for. References please.

You're all deciding for classes, I don't have the books for. References please.

Are you wanting page numbers from books, or links to the SRD?

Mine (mystic with star shaman connection; SRD link) is all Core Rulebook, as is EH-RK's (operative with ghost specialization; SRD link).

so is starjammer the starfinder equivalent of the d20pfrd?

you could also just use this link too its AON

so is starjammer the starfinder equivalent of the d20pfrd?

Yes it is--there's some convoluted story about why it uses the name Starjammer that I don't remember. But I forgot that Archives of Nethys had a Starfinder site, too (which EH-RK pointed out), so that might actually be my preferred option to refer to.

Archives of Nethys is why Paizo hasn't done a Starfinder SRD, he's doing it for them.

EH-RK is now a Ghost Operative. He specializes in getting in and out unseen.

Short recap for Dr. Solstarni.
You got abducted from your office in the university and dragged along to help find that temple of the twelve suns.
your office: This office is in disarray, with cabinet doors ajar, several
stone artifacts scattered across the floor from open archival
drawers, and a traveling bag open and half-packed. The
computer on the desk at the far end of the room is dark, but
a diode at its base blinks regularly
Dr. Olmehya Solstarni is an archaeologist specializing
in archaeoastronomic validation: the study of how
ancient cultures viewed the cosmos and expressed those
observations in their architecture, artifacts, and writings.
Her office contains an assortment of outdated astronomy
tools from sundry planets. This disarray is not typical for the
kasatha, as Professor Muhali can relay, and even at a casual
glance, it appears that someone was packing quickly and
erratically—perhaps even ransacking the room.

a series of 15 messages exchanged
between Dr. Solstarni and a person named Dr. Eyrub
Paqual regarding Solstarni’s research into the ancient elven
settlements of Ukulam. The exchanges begin fairly cordially
as Paqual and Solstarni discussed minor details of interest
from the minimal research published about these sites. As the
discussion continued, however, Paqual grew more insistent
and attempted to cajole the kasatha to meet with him at a
cafe called the Five Arches in Qabarat’s Gateway District
2 days ago to appraise several artifacts he had recovered.
Solstarni refused, citing a busy schedule, though a PC who
succeeds at a DC 15 Sense Motive check also notices that
the kasatha’s message conveys she was feeling increasingly
skeptical about Paqual’s motives.

You know the evil guy now personally, a cultist of the Devourer Cult. A lashunta named TAHOMEN.

And you're in the temple of the twelve, while the rst of the party is still in the Stargazer. You came past that on your travel, but you of course have no idea they're coming.

You can either play damsel in distress and wait for the royal heir of your preferred gender and race to save you. Or you come up with some ideas to get out of this deathtrap on your own.

Cool. What is the nature of my fetters? Am I chained to a wall? Is it just (appropriately high tech for Starfinder) handcuffs around my wrists?

Also, I haven't yet been in a situation in Starfinder where I had to be concerned about somatic components for spells, but if I need to worry about my capability to fulfill those in my current state, let me know.

Also, I had the vital stats on my alias profile already, but now I'm finishing up getting the skills and equipment listed.

Oh, hold on. Verbal and somatic components don't exist in Starfinder. Cool.

Let's say zipties around wrists and ankles. Spellfailure chance 50%

Jazzming hasn't posted on any alias in over a month, we might not want to be waiting on her to post.

Alright, looks like I have to live with these for now. Do I know how many cultists remain in the temple where I am?

Also, if I decide to cast a spell, how should I do that 50% failure chance? Roll d100 and if it's 51 or more I succeed?

Spell Failure DC51: 1d100 ⇒ 97
And as always, greater or equal is a success.

Also creativity helps more than simply trying checks (str) that don't work in a mystics favor.

You got a precise idea how many came here with you. How many are still in the temple you have no clue.

Also creativity helps more than simply trying checks (str) that don't work in a mystics favor.

Oh, I know--but that relies upon me managing to think up a creative solution! I've been thinking on it off and on for a couple days now. I can't think of any way to use my computer to do anything helpful...

Wait a minute. It is controlling the comm unit plugged into it. I could try broadcasting an SOS on all channels or something...but I don't know of anyone being out in this jungle except cultists, and they would hear it and probably just come and destroy my computer.

The only other thing I can think of is luring a cultist over and trying to cast Charm Person and seeing how that goes. But I'm not sure if releasing the bonds of a prisoner falls under the realm of "anything it wouldn't ordinarily do" or not, thus requiring an opposed charisma check.

The only other thing I can think of is luring a cultist over and trying to cast Charm Person and seeing how that goes. But I'm not sure if releasing the bonds of a prisoner falls under the realm of "anything it wouldn't ordinarily do" or not, thus requiring an opposed charisma check.

There are so many points at which this plan is likely to fail:

"This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally"

Releasing a trusted friend and ally from bonds would definitely be something most people would do, so I don't think an opposed check would be necessary.
Maybe a bluff if you wanted to tell him some of the others had set a prank on you because they are a**&+~#s.

Psychokinetic Hand can help you get some stuff to you. See if there are any objects in the room you could use to cut yourself free. And that is even a cantrip so you can spam it if you fail.

The fun thing with zipties, you don't need to break them. If you can find something as small as a pin in the room, you can use it to release the locking mechanism on the zipties.

You also have four arms. Are all four bound together, or are they bound into two pairs of two? If they are bound in pair it might be possible to convince Foxy to let you make unarmed strikes against one of the zipties.

You could magic missile your bonds.
Another option is also to go into starlight form and literally fly out of the room, unless you are bound to something solid.

Nevermind. Magic missile specifically targets creatures which is slightly weird.

I think the best bet, enter starlight form and fly through a window. You are generally fleeing, you could then do the general movie thing of find a branch to 'saw' through your bonds. An idea to break free would be to hold your arms out and try fall, hooking your ziptie on a sturdy branch to try break it.

Forgot about the four arms. They are bound two and two.

But that's what I mean with creativity.

Starlight Form doesn't allow me to fly--not until 9th level when I get Starflight. Starlight Form only causes me to shed normal light in a 30ft radius and gain the benefits of concealment (20% miss chance).

But that was pretty silly of me to not do a thorough search of the room for any edges (of bricks in the wall, maybe) or anything that could be used to cut/break the zip ties.

Whoops, misreading stuff on starlight, and starflight.

Remember that you can also use anything small to release the ties.
Do kasatha have fingernails? You could possibly pull off a piece of fingernail and use it is an improvised tool to try "pick" the zipties.

Something that might even be possible, and humorous, would be to use the untrimmed end of one ziptie to release the locking mechanism on the other.
If Foxy says it wouldn't fit, you could file one end down against the floor, if it is rough at all.

Not all the zip ties have the unlocking mechanism, depends on the use case - we use zip ties all the time at work, and there are distinct 'releasable' ones, and ones you use on thigns that you totally don't want to release.

[/sidebar]

Not sure how you can make a ziptie without a release mechanism. They all have that little plastic ratchet don't they?

Not sure how you can make a ziptie without a release mechanism. They all have that little plastic ratchet don't they?

cable ties/zip ties listed at Target

There's no mechanism to release these, you just cut them if you're not leaving them permanently.

Well now I'm totally going to try picking a zip tie here at work

Nope. It does have a release mechanism.

That little plastic bar/ratchet that you can see in the middle of the square.
That is the locking mechanism.
It is also the release. If you lift it up from the exit side you release the ratchet and undo the cable tie. You can also push it up from the entrance side of the lock.

That thing the pin is under can be released from either side

Roll a dex, to see if you manage to do that without hurting yourself.

Another cultist is reduced to a red splat.

Gotta love a melee soldier.

I have been rolling hot for my damage.
And yes, a melee soldier is great for punching things it can get to, but put me in a starship and watch me do little besides take up a seat.

Talk to me about the door that has me locked in here. Is it an ancient stone door? Is it a metal, relatively "standard" door? What kind of handle does it have, and what kind of lock did I notice when I saw it from the other side when they threw me in here?

Look at it in game to give me some context to describe what you need. BTW you get a new map of the temple.

And you're in C6

Eric grabs a smoke grenade and tosses it up the stairs to provide cover.

Smoke Grenade

[dice=Toss] 1d20+6

Where exactly are you throwing it? Just in front of you? Or do you want to shroud the sniper in smoke.

Well, as I understand it the sniper is 60' away which is a far toss for a grenade. So, rather I was just trying to create some concealment for us to advance through. We'd have to hold our breath, or not end our turns inside the smoke.

Party's turn now?

well, manteca took his turn already, so only boreal left

@Dr. Olmehya
What is it that you don't heal yourself with Mystic Cure and run away?

When you take damage, it's to your stamina points until they run out and then it's to your hit points.

Mystic Cure heals hit points, not stamina points. The only thing that heals stamina points is rest (and the Envoy's Inspiring Boost improvisation).

Perhaps we should have said that the damage from the fall was directly to hit points rather than stamina (which is not something technically allowed by the rules, but it would make sense for the situation when it's common sense that someone's leg be hurt from a fall)? If we retcon that, than a Mystic Cure and running away is exactly what I would have done.

See, that's what you get for actually reading the rules ;)

Mythic Cure not healing Stamina points is not really helpful and doesn't apply in this game. It's a waste of powerful magic to fix something 10 minutes rest would fix too, but I see no reason why it shouldn't heal it. Also it totally ruins my roleplay options.

As for fixing the current situation: Simply take as many actions you need to get yourself fixed up and disappear into the undergrowth. No retcon.

I think there are ways to receive direct HP damage, (some poisons and diseases come to mind, as does CDG actions?)

IMHO the DM should be free to assign direct HP damage if the situation warrants it.

I like the "Healing is HP damage not SP damage" rule. SP damage isn't damage, its like scrapes and bruises.

I wasn't aware of that issue at the time. If I were I would have called for HP damage.

But I still stand to my ruling, that everything that you get from a hit over the head can be healed with Mystic Cure.

I guess it is difficult terrain?

It's dense forrest I guess and trackless. See SCRB page 258.

But: Trailblazer (Ex) When determining how far she can move
while traveling overland, Salask treats trackless terrain
as though she were traversing a trail and treats terrain
with a trail as though she were traversing a highway.

Which means you can try to hinder her with an attack of opportunity, if you kept an eye on her and were close. Or you shoot after her. But catching her afterwards will be difficult.

Well I was thinking how quickly I could move, as I have jet dash, so there is no way I can keep up on a long distance chase, but I might be able to catch her with a burst.

Just try it. Your chances are directly connected to the cool ropleplay you do ;)

Hmmkay
I will make a fency post in a bit

I've seen so fence in your post ;)

What are you trying to achieve? Catch her? Cut her down? O rjust proof that you're faster, until she gives up?