Hmm’s 1-99: Scoured Stars Invasion (Tier 5-6) (Inactive)

Game Master Hmm

Stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

"Note, our objective is retrieval of the beacon--not, necessarily, the termination of the saurid." Sev says after it seems the others have already dispersed.

In an effort to get to the objective most efficiently, Sev heads across one of the remaining bridges.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Then, with rifle drawn, across another. Double move
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

However, he is less successful the second time.

Took the liberty of marking the bridge and placing Sev in the green soup.

Ivok moves up, and Sev breaks a bridge and is stranded in the soup! Those Technomancers are bad for bridges!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Meanwhile, it is Maxi’s turn. Yay!

RAWRRRRR!

Maxi bellows ferociously, causing all enemies within 60 feet to roll will saves!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 1 / 2
Active conditions: Get Em +2 on Maxi, two bridges out.

Ivok
Al
Sorami
Sev
Antoine

================================

Maxi (-28)

================================

Neon

Will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

The faint sound of the roar reminds Neon Ten of his last visit to Castrovel. I like Vossi better than this one,

Neon Ten rolls to their feet, opens the null space attached to their backpack and starts digging around in the space.

Moxie: Swift to stand from prone. Move action to open the Null Space. Standard to start digging.

Will Save: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 2 = 10

Ivok can't helped but be treated as the road hits him. The memory of his recent wounds nags at his mind as he pushes forward. He tried to hold the line against the overpowering beast.

"Just make sure you get it then before this thing tests into is to badly."

move. Full defense action.

Botting Antoine

Will save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Seeing everyone else using non-lethal against Maxi, Antoine decides to switch weapons.

He holsters his Plasma ‘camera’ and shouts some encouragement to the team. “Get ‘Em moving away from the beacon!”

Move to stow weapon, Standard to use Improved Git’Em! Everyone is +2 to hit Maxi.
Next round will be able to use Clever Feint with Merciful Underwater Husket.

Botting Sorami

Will Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Acrobatics for Bridge: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Taking aim with her Merciful Thunderstrike Pistol, Sorami attempts to move across the bridge when it collapses under her!

Splooshh!

Maxi looks at you with a great big ‘HUH?’ on his Saurian face.

“Rawr?”

Unofficial Translation: THESE BRIDGES LASTED THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS HERE. WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THESE CLUMSY SMALL FOLK?

Will Save: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 2 = 24

Al is simultaneously glad and sorry that Yang is back at the ship and not present, thinking to themselves, "she *was* a paleontology major during her undergraduate years...seeing strange, new dinosaurs would be something she might really en...wait...no...she was an invertebrate paleontologist - trilobites were her actual forte." Their AI, Ruby, mentally shakes them free from that line of thinking, activating Combat Tracking (move action) while Al lines up another shot.

"I will continue to try and lure the as-yet-unclassified saurian in this direction."

Merciful Hutchket Rifle: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 2 + 2 = 20 vs. KAC (and cover)
Nonlethal Piercing Damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Life Science: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29 De-classify Maxi

Hearing Al’s rumination over the radio and thinking about it, Neon Ten trys to figure out if this is just another transplanted native species of Castrovel or a new type of saurian.

Sev climbs out of the soup and heads towards the next bridge. "Query: Who constructed such unsound structures and to what end? Analysis: Insufficient information. Conclusion: The saurian appears to be an unlikely candidate."

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

The android continues towards the next bridge.

Al just barely misses Maxi. The group took out a number of bridges, while Sev moves forward towards his goal.

Neon reflects that it’s very similar to the creatures on Castrovel, but perhaps with a few hundred years of local adaption to climate of Agillae-2, which seems well suited for it.

Meanwhile, it’s Maxi’s turn!

Athletics: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (3) + 19 = 22

SPLOOOSH!

Maxi leaps towards Ivok, but doesn’t clear the entire distance as it falls just short of the island. It splashes everywhere, and then climbs up for the remaining distance.

Bite: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (14) + 17 = 31
Piercing damage: 2d10 + 12 ⇒ (9, 2) + 12 = 23

The creature’s sharp teeth close on Ivok, grappling him, as it prepares for its next yummy Vesk meal.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 2 / 3
Active conditions: Get Em +2 on Maxi, three bridges out.

Ivok (-23, grappled)
Al
Sorami
Sev
Antoine

================================

Maxi (-28)

================================

Neon

Antoine continue to take picture if the combat while doing His part.

Clever attack (bluff): 1d20 + 1d6 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (9) + (5) + 13 + 1 = 28
Camera (husket rifle)+ imp.get'em vs green: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 17
piercing non lethal: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

reroll bluff cunning liar if the under 6: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

Maxi is consider flat-footed for all if his 28 beat his 15+ 1.5Cr or 10+sense motive.

“Ah! There it is.” Neon says as they pull a grappler and some adamantine cable out of their Null Space generator. They then close it up.

That last splash sounded like more than just another bridge falling...

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Sev crosses another bridge.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Then... *SPLOOOOSH*!

The android returns to the soup.

Making the dinosaur the target of my uncanny mobility.

Sorami moves back through the water and trick attacks the dinosaur.

Trick Attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37

Attack with Sonic Pistol: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26 versus FF EAC.

Damage: 1d8 + 3d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + (2, 7, 6) + 2 = 18

Al will blink a little bit at the sight of the bridges being broken seemingly left and right, then quietly muses aloud, "I am venturing a hypothesis that this sort of thing happens to Ivok with alarming regularity," while utilizing their semi-automatic rifle to nonlethally full-attack, hoping that the lack of cover will make a difference in net accuracy.

Merciful Hutchket Rifle 1: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 2 + 2 - 4 = 19 vs. KAC
Nonlethal Piercing Damage 1: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Merciful Hutchket Rifle 2: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 10 + 2 + 2 - 4 = 24 vs. KAC
Nonlethal Piercing Damage 2: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Antoine successfully makes Maxi flatfooted, and as a result, his attack hits! Neon pulls out a grappler! Sev continues on his one-man mission to take out every bridge in this area. No bridge is safe from him!

Sorami also lands an attack, and Al hits the dino twice!

GM Damage Calculator: 28 + 13 + 18 + 10 + 11 = 80

Maxi roars in surprise and hurt. “Rawwwwwwr!”

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 2 / 3
Active conditions: Get Em +2 and Flatfooted on Maxi, three bridges out.

Ivok (-23, grappled)
Al
Sorami
Sev
Antoine

================================

Maxi (-80)

================================

Neon

With DR 5 Ivok 18 damage from that attack.

Ivok struggles against the heavy jaw of the giant as he calls out, "This is not pleasant but still better than the cold. This I can push back against!"

Attempting to break out of Grapple. I've included the +2 from get em. Also a reminder that I threaten with my natural weapons so you all should still be getting the +1 bonus to coordinated shot, I think, until Maxi eats me.

Attack to Break Grapple: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 2 = 22

Alas, Ivok does not escape the Grapple.

The target DC is 10 plus the creature’s current KAC. It is flatfooted, but...

I am letting Neon retcon his action. He thought he needed the grappler to get out of the water, when he could just walk back onto the islands, It’s only the dark rocks that need the athletics to climb.

Neon Ten gets out of the water, climbs up along the bank and looks at Ivok in Maxi’s jaws.

He shoots at the dinosaur, hoping his damage will at least distract it from making a chew toy of his friend.

Static Arc Pistol, Git’Em, Ivok: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 2 + 1 = 27
Electrical non-lethal Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Neon Ten hits Maxi solidly!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Then it is Maxi’s turn to try and swallow her tasty Vesk treat!

Maxi’s teeth continue to shred Ivok!

Bite Damage - Ivok’s DR: 2d10 + 12 - 5 ⇒ (1, 5) + 12 - 5 = 13

Maxi’s Follow-up Grapple to Swallow Whole: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21

Maxi fails to maintain the grapple, and his teeth release the squirming Ivok instead of swallowing him whole! Ivok, you are no longer grappled!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 3 / 4
Active conditions: Get Em +2 and Flatfooted on Maxi, three bridges out.

Ivok (-31)
Al
Sorami
Sev
Antoine

================================

Maxi (-87, flatfooted)

================================

Neon

Antoine continue to Do His job.

Clever attack (bluff): 1d20 + 1d6 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (8) + (5) + 13 + 1 = 27
Camera (husket rifle)+ imp.get'em vs green: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 18
piercing non lethal: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

reroll bluff cunning liar if the under 6: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

Maxi is consider flat-footed for all if his 27 beat his 15+ 1.5Cr or 10+sense motive.

Seeing the dinosaur's teeth shred into Ivok makes Al's brain go through mental checks as to where they store all of their healing serums and how their combat-serum-delivery method has not yet gone past the theoretical stage. When Ivok manages to slip out of the creature's maw, Al actually gives a slight sigh of relief, while mentioning through their comms, "Ivok, if you wish it to have another target, I am on rare occasions useful at being 'bait' that is difficult to hit."

In the meantime, Al fires the last two shots in their rifle's magazine as a full attack, hoping that maybe the group can bring the dinosaur down before it comes to that.

Merciful Hutchket Rifle 1: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 2 + 2 - 4 = 12 vs. KAC
Nonlethal Piercing Damage 1: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Merciful Hutchket Rifle 2: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 2 + 2 - 4 = 13 vs. KAC
Nonlethal Piercing Damage 2: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

As the internal mechanism of the magazine goes *click* and the bolt-catch locks the gun's charging arm back, Al next wonders if too much time spent wondering can have a physical effect on one's aim...

Antoine hits! Maxi is still flat-footed to everyone!

Al gets lost in his own philosophical musings, and misses both shots!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 3 / 4
Active conditions: Get Em +2 and Flatfooted on Maxi, four bridges out.

Ivok (-31)
Al
Sorami
Sev
Antoine

================================

Maxi (-94, flatfooted)

================================

Neon

"While will this beast not go down! Sorami bites her upper lip and takes aim at the creature. Trick Attack

Bluff to Trick Attack: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (11) + 21 = 32 I have been forgetting the +4 trick attack bonus to my skill because reasons.

Attack on the dinosaur: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11 That's not gonna hit though.

Balance making it out if the jaws Ivok keeps on pressing the attack as he takes a guarded step away. "I won't turn down the help! I'm a bit it off my weight class here!"

Attack includes get em.

Thrust-Merciful Tactical Cryopike vs EAC (reach): 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 10 + 2 = 16
Non lethal Cold Damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

coordinated shot for +1 to ranged attacks.

Climbing out of the soup, Sev begins to head towards the objective. However, when the words and injuries of the vesk register within his positronic brain, the android stops. (Move action)

Sev then raises his laser rifle and fires at the saurian.
Ranged attack v EAC(Laser rifle, azimuth) with Get'Em and Coordinated Shot: 1d1 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 13 Damage (fire): 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Sorami, Ivok and Sev all miss Maxi. Ivok comes very close to hitting, his cryopike just barely glancing off of Maxi’s scales!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 3 / 4
Active conditions: Get Em +2 and Flatfooted on Maxi, four bridges out.

Ivok (-31)
Al
Sorami
Sev
Antoine

================================

Maxi (-94, flatfooted)

================================

Neon

Worried about Ivok, Neon decides to fire at the animal as quickly as he can.

Static Arc Pistol, Full Attack, Git’Em, Coordinated Shot: 1d20 + 7 - 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 7 - 4 + 2 + 1 = 18
Electrical non-lethal Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Static Arc Pistol, Full Attack, Git’Em, Coordinated Shot: 1d20 + 7 - 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 7 - 4 + 2 + 1 = 13
Electrical non-lethal Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Neon Ten only hits Maxi once!

♫ 99 hitpoints of dinosaur.
99 hitpoints all gone...
Hack one down,
Hope we last the round
99 hitpoints so far! ♫

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Somewhere in Maxi’s dim brain, he realizes that he is heavily wounded and out of his league. He’s had shots fire off all around him, a cryopike waved dangerously near his nose, and lots of flashing lights in his eyes.

The creature gives one last “RAWR!” and lopes away, leaping from rock to rock!

Combat Over!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Sev arrives at the beacon first.

You find bones, destroyed equipment, and other evidence that the Starfinders who left the beacon have long since died. However, the beacon contains information about a larger group of Starfinders that established an outpost on another planet in the Agillae system. The information is encrypted, and it will require time onboard one of the larger ships to decipher, so the you can now carry on with the other missions.

SUCCESS!

Luckily for you, a group of landing craft has just become available and can extract you from the site immediately. Piloting one of the landing crafts is Ziggy! “Oh good, I was hoping to find your team! If I give you a lift to back to your ship, can you do a mission for me?”

Neon Ten goes over to Ivok and gives him the Serum that he had requisitioned.

“Please use this now, before anyone can request it be returned.”

When he gets to the shuttle, Neon Ten cries out “Ziggy! So good to see you.”

“What can we do for you?”

RECON MISSION 4: THE THIRD KIND

“Oh it’s good to you too!’ Zigvigix, leader of the Exo-Guardians, turns on the Lander’s autopilot feature and then gestures at a screen behind them. “Anyone want some popcorn? I hear it’s traditional for screen viewings!”

Ziggy hands out bags of pre-popped popcorn, and then zooms in on the screen.

On the screen, several derelict ships can be seen drifting amid the ring system of an ice giant planet. “Look, look at that! So many ships. They all look pretty badly banged up, so we don’t expect to find any survivors here, but there must be a reason why they’re there. If you can find any intact data modules, we may be able to uncover what happened. Something destroyed those ships and we don’t know what it was, so choose a functional ship for yourselves that you think can handle any trouble you may find.”

Please select either the Drake or Pegasus Class ship.

I believe our consensus was the Drake.

Neon points out the many advantages of the Pegasus in terms of speed and sensors. It is obvious that he highly values information.

When the others argue for the durability and firepower of the Drake, he acquiesces.

Character wants sensors, but player is going with the group’s previous decision.

Antoine thanks Zigvigix as he takes some popcorn.

It is better to not contradict him about the popcorn. He would be sad. And after fighting this Beast, i want this popcorn.

He listens to the discussion, when they talk about the drake he adds with a grin on his face:

" I don't always the Choice for the starship, but when I Do, i take the Drake."

"Might Pegasus not be better for a recon mission." Sev suggests.

Will go with group consensus, though Sev agrees with the ysoki.Z

Uh-oh, looks like I need some ship votes since I currently have two for the Pegasus. Though I know you voted for the Drake in discussion last time... I want confirmation now.

Al will also give Ivok the Mk. II Serum of Healing they requisitioned from Radaszam. "You fight with wild abandon, Ivok. It is most impressive. It is also my hope that your ability to continually out-fight creatures on scale with the largest of dinosaurs continues, for all of our sakes."

Al's vote is for whatever the majority picks. I remember us voting Drake before the special started, but Al of all people understands people changing their mind based on new data. They prefer people like that, in fact! :P

<~ probably no help, here, at all.

GM: Is it possible to visit a quartermaster between missions? Al may not have brought enough ammunition for all of this! Thanks, and no worries if not!

Once your popcorn is finished and new mission accepted, you take your leave of Ziggy. Your ship, the Verde, is painted a lovely shade of green.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

@Al — you do not need to restock the Verde’s ammo. Consider it fully charged for this mission. After this mission, it may be possible to draw from the Quarter Master’s office, depending on mission. But often you may not have time.

Setting the scene in preparation for handing this off to GM Mjolbeard, who will be backing me up tomorrow while Bret and I are on the road.

Your votes will determine whether the VERDE is a Pegasus or a Drake! I have a green arrow pointing to it, on the map on SLIDE ONE.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

When you approach Bastiar-7, your ship's sensors confirm what Ziggy showed you earlier—there are several Starfinder ships floating in the planet's ring system. In order to investigate a derelict, you must move your ship to a hex adjacent to the destroyed ship.

Once there, you can use engineering check to investigate the ships to see if they are intact enough to have useful information.

I’ve provided a red X that you can copy to mark off ships you have already investigated.

HAZARDS OF NOTE:

Derelicts and Ice Chunks: Two types of dangerous objects, derelict ships and clusters of ice, orbit the planet. Whenever a starship enters a hex that contains a dangerous object, the pilot must succeed at a DC 20 Piloting check or the ship takes 6d6 damage.

There is also 50% chance the ship's facing changes by 1 step in either direction (determine randomly). If a ship collides with a dangerous object or hits it with a starship weapon attack (AC 5), the object is destroyed and all adjacent hexes are sprayed with debris, dealing 5d4 damage per the ship's tier unless the affected starship's pilot succeeds at a DC 24 Piloting check.

Heavy Gravity: When a starship ends its movement within the heavy gravity zone, it automatically moves 1 hex closer to the planet (the east side of the map.) If this moves the ship off the map, the planet's immense gravitational forces and heavy atmosphere crush the ship, killing everyone on board. You think this may be a bad thing.

While a starship is within the heavy gravity zone, moving away from the planet (so that the ship's distance to the planet increases) costs an extra hex of movement for each hex moved.

Neon Ten gladly grabs some popcorn and throws it in his mouth. Then he takes another handful and does the same. He stops after that and starts watching the briefing.

You notice as he is watching it, he is slowly chewing the popcorn a few pieces at a time. You realize he must have put it in his cheek pouch and storing most of it there.

After seeing the display, Neon Ten immediately uses a digital pointer he puts from his pocket and marks two ice chunks. See Yellow on map.

“Given what you have told us, it seems our best first step would be to clear these two ice chunks. They are far enough from the nearest derelict ship that they shouldn’t damage it and it gives us a clear path to one of the ships.”

“When we get there, we will want to look for more opportunities like this!”

Looking at task, Antoine change His mind.

I vote for the pagasus.

Three votes and one abstain? It’s the Pegasus!

The party settles in to the lovely and comfortable Verde, a Pegasus-class ship!

Ziggy waves, “Bye, bye Buddies! Have fun storming the Ice Rings!” Then he radioes Historia-7. “Do you think they’ll succeed?”

Historia-7 calmy replies, “It will take a miracle. Which my analysis places at a .006789 chance to avoid a crushing defeat!’

Ziggy beams. “Ah, Historia. You always cheer me up!”

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

A few minutes later, Ziggy messages her again. “Hey, I should cheer you up! Shall I play you some Strawberry Machine Cake?”

“No.”

“Are you...’

“No.”

“But their new album came out!”

“Oh dear. There is static on the line.” Historia-7 says, flatly. “I fear we may not be able to maintain the connection.”

ENJOY YOUR EXPLORATIONS!

Al looks over Neon's projections and nods. "Most astute. Neither ice-object overtly puts the nearby ships at risk of further damage, allowing us both easier passage and more security while scanning. I concur with Neon Ten's assessment."

As Neon Ten boards the ship, he swaps out the battery in his static arc pistol, putting the partially discharged one in the Verde’s recharge station.

He settles into one of the computer stations, connects his datajack, and loads his scripts and play list. It seems he has some of the same tastes in music as Ziggy. As Al goes through the pre-flight checklist, he does a check of scanners and engineering.

Once he is satisfied everything is in order, he calls out “Ready!”

The lyrics to an Indy song are scrolling in a small window of his display. It seems to be a remix of a song about someone named Major Tom.

Neon Ten goes over to Ivok and gives him the Serum that he had requisitioned.

“Please use this now, before anyone can request it be returned.”

Al will also give Ivok the Mk. II Serum of Healing they requisitioned from Radaszam. "You fight with wild abandon, Ivok. It is most impressive. It is also my hope that your ability to continually out-fight creatures on scale with the largest of dinosaurs continues, for all of our sakes."

"I thank you for the thought but I am feeling great after the fight. Maybe drained, but a good kind one feels after a long workout. I will say that I enjoy the challenge. Still I didn't out fight it. If given a few more moments I would be in a far poorer place."

"I'll try to keep my excitement in check. Maybe I will try to keep more distance. A challenge is good, but it needs to be balanced by rest. That I do need now."

let me know if I made an error but I spent a resolve after last fight to recover my stamina points so this combat didn't do damage to me. I'll be needing another short rest to restore the damage from here.
Also I think the consumables we requisition from Radazam are only returned at the end of the scenario. The weaopms are return at the end of the mission.

Handing this off to Mjolbeard. Team, feel free to start your first shooting of ice balls, piloting and engineering checks! Don’t forget to update the map!

See you late Tuesday. Please bot Neon if you need him!

"I suggest we approach the vessels in a grid pattern, searching each for useful information before proceeding." Sev notes.

As Neon jacks into the systems and begins checking over the scanners, the screens around him flicker briefly, and the vibrant purple of the screens cools to a lighter blue. He does a quick check not he systems to ensure everything is working properly, and finds a piece of harmless code has gone into operation as your crew makes its way to Bastiar-7

...engaging Mjolbeard protocol...

A short while later, you find yourselves approaching the outer perimeter of the ice rings surrounding the planet, and you find them littered with Starfinder vessels. Neon and Sev+ both recommend cautious approaches to the rings, but extracting data logs from the ships will require you to first decide which ship to approach. But which ship contains data logs intact enough for you to gain any useful information?

In order to extract the data logs, you will need to move adjacent to one of the derelict ships. Please start out by moving your ship's token adjacent to one of the derelict ships.
If you want to destroy any of the ice chunks, please give me an attack roll vs. AC 5