Game Master S's "Cries from the Drift" (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

X5NSA and Noble-44 both combine to do their best, but 1d2 ⇒ 2 Noble-44 overloads the set up and shocks himself for Elec: 1d6 ⇒ 6. It looks like you're going to need some kind of fresh battery to get this up and running.

Would a weapon's battery suffice, or are we talking a larger 'ship' battery?

Unable to be useful to the engineers, Gideon tries the door opposite to hurry things along.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

”Do you geeks have this? Would it help if I shot something, or tried blowing it up?”

Weapon battery is too small.

engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Noble is flat out of ideas right now. Perhaps the recent shock has set him off...

Let me cover down as X5 for a second.

Engineering (C)(1): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

X5NSA decides to try the battery from the sparring dummy to operate the system.

X5NSA grabs the sparring dummy battery, and begins to wire it in. Following the threads, it looks like there are two options; power the MESS or power BRIDGE...

The bridge

The battery gets plugged in, but there is nothing beyond a few sparks from where you're standing to indicate that anything has happened...

Gideon tries the door to the bridge to confirm.

The bridge doesn't open, so the party heads back to the power room, and switches the connection to MESS.

This room resembles a charnel house. The remains of two dead kasathas are piled in the northwest corner, surrounded by knocked-over chairs. A ceremonial table setting in the center of the chamber is spattered with blood. The stench of decay is palpable in this room, and even the sink along the southern wall is coated in a dark-red shade. Storage containers fill the eastern side of the room, each similarly spattered by gore. An impressive set of double doors bars passage to the north.

"This amount of violence has to be either animalistic or pure evil... certainly not professional"

Noble goes and listens at the doors...

Perception as needed: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Noble-44 edges forward. As he looks at-

BLECHAPBPBPTTT

The dead body literally explodes! It's not an explosive or bomb. It's thousands of .... alien larvae! Hundreds land on the android, and immediately begin to burrow!

The vicious burrowing larvae do P DMG: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7 and Noble-44 takes 2 CON damage. REF DC 12 to avoid enough to only cause half damage and negate the CON damage.

Ref Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Noble fully takes the explosion to the face .... he's falls back gagging, clawing at the gore/larvae on his face.

[ooc]for my notes later, 0 SP, 2 con dam)

The larvae are quickly stamped out., and the android is confident the worst is past.

Once he's done gagging, he confirms that there's no noise or anything... weird at the door.

”By the first egg! What disgusting things were those?”

Gideon proceeds, unperturbed by the sanguinary scene, and inspects the eastern cabinets. Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

If he finds nothing, Gideon then joins Noble at the northern door and gives it a try. Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

“that was very ... unexpected.” X5 tries to provide answers to the Vesk’s question.

Life Science (1): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

“I am as perplexed as you are.”

Switching the battery back, Gideon leads the party towards the bridge.
The ship’s bridge is alight in red warning screens. The nearing ethereal storm looms beyond the forward viewing platform, while the ship’s failing power causes each station’s panels to flicker intermittently. A battered captain’s chair oversees two tiers of descending operations panels.

It looks like there is still a kasathan sitting in one of the chairs, but it's far too still to be alive.

Noble dry heaves slightly at the sight of the body, thinking of all the things that must be crawling inside, but quickly composes himself. He softely mutters”A stick ... we need a realllllly long stick.”. You imagine he’s not eager to go hear the body though still.

X5 will take care to avoid the blast radius of exploding corpses and find a computer terminal that is clear of that to access.

"Attempting to ascertain the status of the ship and the status of the crew."
Computers (C)(1): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

"This may take some hacking to get into their systems." X5 pulls out the Tier 2 computer and connects into the ship's network and attempts to get root access to ascertain the status.

Computers (C)(1): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

"Much better. CD1, keep over-watch while I look through this data."

"Found anything?"

Gideon is frankly surprised that no ghost has attacked the party. Yet.

As if on cue, and confirming the party's worst nightmares, the corpse violently moves within the chair. No mere larvae, the entire body concealed a single adult, armed, and furious alien!

Hostiles: 1d20 ⇒ 13
The Knight of Tides: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (6) + 0 = 6
Noble-44: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
X5NSA: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Obozaya: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Round 1:
Noble-44: Go
Obozaya: Go
Hostile: TBD
X5NSA: TBD
Gideon TBD

Obozaya takes aim and fires at the creature

Squad machine gun: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 161d10 ⇒ 6 Analog, Automatic

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 121d6 ⇒ 3
Trick Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 321d4 ⇒ 2

You have to roll Mysticism first!

Obozaya and Noble-44 both shoot the alien! It shrieks in agony, but it's not slowed down.

The alien steps out of the body and with freakish teeth bites at Noble-44 Bite: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23 for DMG: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 and the android can feel something... more. FORT DC 12 or be paralyzed.

Round 1:
Noble-44: Hit
Obozaya: Hit
Hostile: ATK
X5NSA: Go
Gideon Go

Gideon's hammer of perfect darkness appears in his hand, even as his entire form begins to glow.

Photon Mode: 1 point.

He advances with taciturn gusto and lays into the alien.

Gravity Hammer @ Alien: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 d'oh
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

X5 commands CD1 to get into a better position to fire and then activates CD1's cannon.

Reaction cannon, light: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 141d10 ⇒ 1 (BAB=1, Dex=1, Weapon Focus=1) Pierce, Penetrating

Seeing the pitiful impacts, X5 fires and hopes to find holes to fire through the melee in between.

Azimuth Laser Pistol: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 71d4 ⇒ 4 (BAB=0, Dex=2) Fire, Burn 1d4

So much for hope.

The Knight of Tides begins to attune, but swings wide with his hammer. X5 misses with the pistol, and CD1 barely misses on the shot!

Round 2:
Noble-44: Go
Obozaya: Go
Hostile: TBD
X5NSA: TBD
Gideon TBD

For my combat tracking, 0 SP, 7HP, 2 con dam

Fort: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Noble-44, in his head blames his own stupidity for putting himself in this situation. He should have blasted the body from a distance... Savain is disappointed in him. Unfortunately, those feelings skyrocket as he feels his body lock in place.

The wound to the android causes him to stiffen! The effect is short, and Noble-44 gets to go next turn.

Round 2:
Noble-44: Paralyzed
Obozaya: Go
Hostile: TBD
X5NSA: TBD
Gideon TBD

Obozaya keeps firing at the creature...

Squad machine gun: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 181d10 ⇒ 9 Analog, Automatic
2 usage, 36 rounds, 60’

The vesk lands an awesome shot! The alien is cearly hurt, and while it has plenty of fight left, Obozaya knows her guns work well.

The alien takes a guarded step back and fires back! ATK Obozaysa: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24 and hits for F and E: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Round 2:
Noble-44: Paralyzed
Obozaya: Hit
Hostile: ATK
X5NSA: Go
Gideon Go

Gideon maneuvers around one of the monitor stations to get behind the alien. Unfortunately, he is not at his best.

Gravity Hammer: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 an improvement!
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Photon mode: 2 points.

He swings hard, but he swings a fair amount of target.

Round 2:
Noble-44: Paralyzed
Obozaya: Hit
Hostile: ATK
X5NSA: Go
Gideon Miss

Seeing the shots are clear of obstacles, X5 and CD1 launch a pair of blasts at the alien.

X5 Azimuth Laser Pistol: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 221d4 ⇒ 1 (BAB=0, Dex=2) Fire, Burn 1d4

pistol crit Burn: 1d4 ⇒ 1

CD1 Reaction cannon, light: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 151d10 ⇒ 10 (BAB=1, Dex=1, Weapon Focus=1) Pierce, Penetrating

"Take that!!"

X5 nails the alien! The creature shrieks as it catches fire! CD follows up with another powerful hit! The creature, whatever it is, acts as though the end is nigh, and it's not going down without a fight!

Noble-44 regains limb control!

Round 2:
Noble-44: Go
Obozaya: Go
Hostile: TBD
X5NSA: TBD
Gideon TBD

”It cannot last forever.”

Obozaya fires again at the creature...

Squad machine gun: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 121d10 ⇒ 3Analog, Automatic
2 usage, 34 rounds, 60’

The threat falls on deaf ears, and the shot misses.

Round 2:
Noble-44: Go
Obozaya: Miss
Hostile: TBD
X5NSA: TBD
Gideon TBD

X5NSA, your pistol does double damage AND the burn. Crit damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Round 2:
Noble-44: Go
Obozaya: Miss
Hostile: TBD
X5NSA: TBD
Gideon TBD

Arc Pistol: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 71d6 ⇒ 5

Noble stumbles back as he regains control but still attempts to fire at the damnable creature. His poor shot adds to his growing frustration.

Despite the alien being serious wounded, it fights on. This time it opts to go all out against Gideon, even though it's on fire Burn: 1d4 ⇒ 4. It bites and slams its gun into the Knight's face:
Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 MISS
Gun 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 MISS
Gun 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20 for DMG: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Round 2:
Noble-44: Miss
Obozaya: Miss
Hostile: ATK
X5NSA: Go
Gideon Go

Gideon takes most of the blows on the armor, and the Knight of Tides is not about to let a few bruises slow him down. Though he feels the stellar fire welling within him, he directs the power into the warped well of his hammer rather than let the energy erupt -- lest it accidentally burn the sought-after hard-drive.

The hammer, however, is mighty enough.

Gravity Hammer: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Photon mode: fully attuned.

Gideon's next hit is enough, and the alien's head snaps back to an unnatural angle.

Out of combat

”So, with that thing running around, you think there are any survivors?”

Obozaya's comment is marked by the lights flickering yet again. This time the ship rocks a bit. You quickly look out the forward window to see the Ethereal storm fast approaching! You know it's only a matter of minutes before it overtakes the Struggle’s Scholar

”Ummm, do any of you geeks have a plan? Preferably a plan that ends in success and survival?”

A reminder that you're supposed to simply get hold of the ships logs and data banks.

Back to my original plan before I was rudely interrupted. :)

X5 accesses the bridge computers and scans for life forms on the ship; gathers as much data from the ship's computers as possible; and assesses whether the ship can fly or is a total loss.

Computers (C)(1): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

and if that normal access didn't work, I break out my tier 2 computer to check for countermeasures; disable them; and hack the system.

Computers (C)(1): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26