GM Hmm |
Big Jim and Buster both shoot! Hawthorne and Cadence hit with Salt Water, and although Xyklik misses, his grenade still gets the Black Void Zombie.
Meanwhile, the void zombies have a chance to act! They shuffle forward, mouthing something that looks to the lip readers among you to be “Draiiiiiiiiiins” but you cannot be sure.
Tongues hanging out, they attempt to slam the party!
Black Zombie SLAM!: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Purple Zombie SLAM!: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Poor Green, stuck out in front, dies instantly to the dual slams of the angry zombiies.
★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★
Round 1 / 2
Active conditions: None
Cadence
Big Jim & Buster
Xyklik
Hawthorne
================================
Void Zombies
Black (-11)
Purple (-5)
================================
Zeyram
Red Goblin
Green Goblin (DEAD)
Clara 247
Simagus
================================
Bold is up!
Hawthorne the Innovator |
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"No!" Hawthorne cries out inside his helmet as the goblin is pummeled to death.
At least he died swiftly and will not rise as an akata-spawn, Sophia comments pragmatically.
Zeyram |
Zeyram pushes off the wall to get behind the zombies before firing at Black.
Static Arc Pistol: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Electrical lethal damage, Photon mode: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Need to make Acro check next round
Xyklik Cold-Scythe-In-Harvest |
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Xyklik, seeing one of the new, albeit troublesome, members of his squad die in front of his eyes, clicks his mandibles together like the humans clench their teeth. He lets go of his laser rifle to let it float beside him and smoothly draws out his assault hammer with the fused seal attached to it in one fluid motion and then brains the creature until its head becomes space pulp.
Free Action
Drop laser rifle
Move Action
Draw assault hammer
Standard Action
Attack black
Assault Hammer: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
DMG (B): 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
crit DMG: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
'Big Jim' |
"NOOOO!"
Jim and Buster keep firing at the black creature, really annoyed about losing a Goblin apprentice!
Kinetic
Jim
Attack 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Damage 1d6 ⇒ 6
Buster
Attack 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Damage 1d6 ⇒ 3
GM Hmm |
Xyklik, in his rage at seeing an ally go down, completely obliterates one zombie! The other zombie looks battered!
Clara pushes back with acrobatics!
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27
Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
Azimuth Laser Pistol: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Damage+Crit: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 3) + 2 = 7
Trick Attack Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4
Clara shoots the zombie with deadly aim, splattering bits of it throughout the chamber.
“NOOOOOOO!” Red shouts. “Bad zombie kill best friend!’
Salt water gun: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Red shoots wildly at the zombie’s corpse in his grief! He collapses to the floor over his fallen comrade, sobbing. “She always be with me. Always!”
COMBAT OVER!
GM Hmm |
As you search the room, you find that one of the void zombies is still carrying a credstick with 470 credits. In addition, an azimuth laser rifle and needler pistol float in this chamber, discarded by the void zombies after their transformation. Both weapons are depleted of charges and ammunition.
An open metal door lays before you, behind which is a chamber with artificial gravity. In stark contrast to the caverns elsewhere inside the Drift Rock, this chamber looks more like a room on a space station or starship. Rather than the unfinished rock of the asteroid, the walls, floor, and ceiling are clad with finished sheets of some polished, metallic substance, along with components of unrecognizable equipment. Panels on some of the walls flash with lights and mysterious symbols, and an almost infrasonic hum of unseen machinery pulses through the walls.
CLOMP! CLOMP!
While you are standing outside the door still, you notice that there appears to be a strange looking security robot patrolling the room. It pays no attention to you, but you haven’t entered the room yet. It moves back and forth, erratically, and the years have clearly not been kind to it.
What do you do?
Zeyram |
Zeyram once again makes sure they get any identifying information from the corpses of the crew.
I’ve heard goblins like to tinker and they were excited to meet Big Jim...
Looking to Red, he try’s to console him by saying “At least the two of you got to make salt water weapons together. How many goblins get to do that?”
——
Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Looking into the chamber, he asks “Has anyone seen that model of robot before? What can you tell us about it?”
Hawthorne the Innovator |
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Hawthorne scans the ident-tags on the zombie's suits. "I'm sorry about your friend," he says over the comms. His voice carries sympathy even though his helmet creates an emotionless mask.
Engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
----------
The Triunite steps forward to look through the doorway at Zeyram's question. "It's a security robot. That model looks like it was designed to kill intruders rather than capture them. Seems like it's malfunctioning a bit. There's missing conduit insulation in patches. That makes it more likely to suffer overloads from external eletrical input--like from a puslecaster."
Zeyram |
Zeyram double checks that his arc pistol is set to kill.
"Well, I think they are going to want to know more about all this equipment." he says, gesturing with another hand towards the panels of blinking lights. "Do we shoot first, or is there some way to avoid destroying the robot?"
Cadence Rem |
engineering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
engineering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Cadence Rem |
”Those panels are the same ceramic as before, extraordinary stuff!”
He looks at the robot and shrugs, ”Anyone ever hacked a security robot before?.”
Xyklik Cold-Scythe-In-Harvest |
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Xyklik says to the others, "There is a hatch here." He points to the wall panel then examines it for any danger and opens it.
GM Hmm |
Oops. Alas, the hatch is past the robot. Sorry about that. Are you guys going to try to hack the robot, or just shoot it, or something else?
Zeyram |
I believe that getting to the wall panel requires going past the security robot.
Hawthorne the Innovator |
"I could only hack it if it was incapacitated, which defeats our purpose in hacking it," Hawthorne answers the kasatha.
'Big Jim' |
Engineering 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Perception 1d20 ⇒ 8
Engineering 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
"Jeepers, the wall panels are some sort of ceramic-metallic plating, as strong and durable as adamantine alloy and as far as I know this is a new product line - I have to get some of this over to Bamford Tool!"
"Don't think that robot wants to play though, maybe it needs some...Engineering"
Zeyram |
As the others are plotting to hack the robot, Zeyram takes out his laser pistol.
Holding it out, he tells Red “It doesn’t look like water will work on that thing. If you promise not to shoot any of us and not modify it, I will allow you to use my laser pistol.”
Xyklik Cold-Scythe-In-Harvest |
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Ah, no worries, I thought it was a secret door or something.
Xyklik says, brandishing his laser rifle, you can tell he's smiling by the tone of his voice through the mic, mandibles spread wide in a big gash of a grin, "We only know one type of engineering. Disassembly."
He pushes his way to the door and waits for the others to get behind him. Once everyone is ready, he will begin firing at the robot, trying to lure it into the zero gravity.
GM Hmm |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The Red goblin, presented with a new weapon, hugs Zeyram’s knees then holds up the weapon. “For Green-Guts Proudfang, bestest friend! And Zey Four Arm, other bestest friend. And Big Jim, third bestest friend! And...” He looks around, trying to remember your names. “Best bug friend, and best water balloon friends, and best...” He glances at Simagus. “Who are you, again?”
Clara 247 leans over. “And what am I?”
“Scary,” Red says.
She nods, approvingly. “You’re smarter than you look.”
★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★
The whole party gathers behind Xyklik, as Xyklik waits for the robot to clomp by on patrol. You wait for some time.
“This BORING!” Red complains.
“We can push you down the tunnel,” Clara offers helpfully to the goblin. “You’ll likely die, but you won’t be bored.”
“How long we got to wait?” Red asks. “Hate waiting.”
“Pretend that you are a top secret assassin, waiting from cover to strike.” Clara says, waiting patiently for her shot on the robot as it goes by.
“Oooh,” Red says, clutching his laser.
Finally, you see it again.
CLOMP! CLOMP!
Go ahead and shoot it, if you like, Xyklik.
Clara 247 takes a pot shot at the robot from behind Xyklik, not seeming to suffer the trifling constraints of cover that bother the rest of you.
Shirren Eye Rifle: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Damage: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
“I want to shoot it! I want to shoot it!!” Red clamors from behind Clara.
“Sure that I can’t push him down that tunnel?” Clara asks the rest of you, conversationally.
Zeyram |
Taking careful aim, Zeyram fires down the narrow hall at the security robot. He then takes a step to the side so someone else can step in and attack.
Static Arc Pistol: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Electrical lethal damage, Photon mode: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Cadence Rem |
"Well, I hope it's not made out of this stuff." Cade taps the wall plates.
Xyklik Cold-Scythe-In-Harvest |
Xyklik takes aim and fires when the others do, hoping to hit a vital piece of its equipment and shut it down quickly.
Laser Rifle: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
DMG (F): 1d8 ⇒ 2
GM Hmm |
Clara and Zeyram’s shots hit the robot squarely, clearly damaging it. Zeyram’s electrical arc hits the robot with a great big Bzzzzzt! and sparks fly off the robot as it jolts a moment. The robot pauses, scans the doorway entrance that you are outside of, then goes back to its patrol.
CLOMP! CLOMP!
“That is some busted programming,” Clara 247 notes as the robot clomps off in the distance. “Should we keep taking pot shots at it as it goes by on patrol?”
“I want to shoot it!” Red clamors, trying to squeeze past Clara.
Zeyram |
“Alright Red, but we have to prove how much smarter we are than the robot!”
Pointing to the doorframe, he explains “Evidently it will not cross this line, so we can just shoot while staying behind the line until it is just a bunch of parts to salvage!”
Diplo, Red: Request he not cross the line: 10 + 7 = 17
Cadence Rem |
Speculating wildly, Cade readies detect magic to cast when the robot is in range again.
Simagus |
Taking in the sight of the robot making their way and seeing that the robot didn't flinch or appear threatened by the shots he raises his rifle for a shot should it be needed be. "ready to shoot it when it is near..."
'Big Jim' |
Jim only has bullets... so watches on, ready to provide harassing or covering fire.
Xyklik Cold-Scythe-In-Harvest |
Xyklik waits, patient and observant, for the next opening. When the robot appears again, he squeezes the trigger.
Standard Action
Ready attack
Laser Rifle: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
DMG (F): 1d8 ⇒ 4
Hawthorne the Innovator |
"Interesting," Hawthorne comments as the sentry robot continues its patrol despite being fired upon. "I wonder if its self-defense protocols have been damaged. If that's true, then we should stay out of the constructed zone until it has been destroyed."
Poor programming, I say.
GM Hmm |
Much to Cade’s consternation, the robot does not prove illusory. Fascinated with the idea of turning it into scrap that he could then show off on Jim’s Jams, Red lasts through another couple rounds of pot shot carnage. Eventually, the robot’s patrol ends as it short circuits on the combination of electrical, fire and kinetic damage put out by the party.
Yep, hand-waiving this combat.
Surveying the apparently lifeless robot, Clara 247 energizes her holographic clone and slips down the hallway to check him out. “Shall we see what he was guarding?
The walls glow and hum with the flashing lights and mysterious systems of a long-gone culture. Even the scrap of the robot reveals sleek design elements and tech unknown to the Pact worlds.
Clara walks down the hallway in both directions. “There appear to be doors to the East and West. Do we want to secure the western one first?”
Hawthorne the Innovator |
"West is the back the way we came, so, yes, best to clear that one first," Hawthorne replies over the comms to the mercenary android.
He moves slowly down the hall and examines the robot.
Do you think there's a data core to examine?
"If it's self-defense programming was glitched after however many years, I doubt its data integrity is very good either."
Hawthorne rummages around in the remains of the sentry despite his doubts.
GM Hmm |
Hawthorne realizes that the robot was broken and damaged, and that its programming was probably far more complex and interesting before it’s main systems were damaged. If you can navigate your way home, the data core will be a treasure for you and Sophia to dissect for some time to come.
★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★
The party heads west down the gleaming hallway to the West, finding a sealed door.
Perception, Big Jim: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18
Perception, Cadence Rem: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Perception, Hawthorne the Innovator: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Perception, Simagus: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8
Perception, Xyklik: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Perception, Zeyram: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Perception, Clara 247: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Perception, Red: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
One can never be sure about these things, but none of you think it’s trapped. Any engineers want to take a crack at it?
'Big Jim' |
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Buster and Jim move up closer to the door, and as an afterthought Jim swaps to his livestream "So here we have the old classic 'sealed door' isssue, now at a time like this we always take time to check for any issues - like obvious loose wires, which we did, and now we move to the panel to have a little look at what's going on here. Remember, SAFETY FIRST, move all your buddies at least fifteen feet back - because if things go zap zap you want someone around who can help you afterwards... ok Buster, lets get to work.
Buster Aid another (take 10) pass.
Jim - Engineering 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 7 + 2 = 24
Zeyram |
Starfinder crb, pg. 133, You cannot take 10 or take 20 on an aid another check, but you can use aid another to help a creature who is taking 10 or 20 on a check.
Figuring that Big Jim will be more than capable of getting the panel off, Zeyram takes up a position to watch down the hall. Still a few crew missing.
Hawthorne the Innovator |
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Realizing that the circuitry and materials are not consistent with anything in the Pact World library, Hawthorne removes the data core and pockets it for later study.
"I've never seen this much of a plane displaced due to Drift travel," Hawthorne remarks to Sophia.
No. Something this substantial must have been part of the ignition of a massive Drift engine or an experiment gone horribly wrong.
"Indeed."
Bot Buddy 2000 |
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It is true that aid anothers must be rolled, so...
Click. Whirr.
AID ANOTHER ROLLS
Buster, dependable drone that he is, hands Big Jim each tool at exactly the time Big Jim needs it.
Buster Aid Another: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Meanwhile, Red rummages noisily through the tool box all through the boring safety speech. “I’m Red, newest addition to the Jim’s Jams show!” Red triumphantly holds up a wrench, all the while mugging for the cameras.
Red Aid Another: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Amazingly, with his help, the door opens!
GM Hmm |
This small chamber was once a storage area for spare parts and small maintenance and repair robots, but it is now empty save for the dead body of a woman with long dark hair and a estex suit bearing the label M. Nash.
You recognize the body here as belonging to the driftdead you destroyed. Numerous wounds are visible upon it, but the cause of death appears obvious: a self-inflicted wound to the head.
Perception, Big Jim: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14
Perception, Cadence Rem: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Perception, Hawthorne the Innovator: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Perception, Simagus: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18
Perception, Xyklik: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Perception, Zeyram: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Perception, Clara 247: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Perception, Red: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Xyklik, Hawthorne and Simagus all easily notice the gear still with the body. She’s still wearing an estex suit I with a brown force field, though the force field's battery is depleted. The body also carries two spell amps of lesser restoration and a personal datapad (tier 1 computer). An empty static arc pistol lies on the floor next to her outstretched hand.
What do you do?
Hawthorne the Innovator |
"I wonder how she arrived here," Hawthorne says as he picks up the datapad. He boots up the pad's system.
Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Cadence Rem |
”Was some civilisation living in the Drift? Could this be gap-era stuff?”
Cade speculates as he observes the strange gear, making recordings, taking photos and recording voice notes.
He regularly casts detect magic as well, eager to find any possible magi-tech.
—-
When the corpse is found, Cade shakes his head ”Another one: she dodged the space lions and ended up trapped by the security bot, makes sense. What was her role on the Acreon?”
Cade salvages the cool gear, ”Anyone want this now, or we can sort it out later: brown force-field!”
GM Hmm |
Hawthorne realizes that the datapad’s battery is depleted, and quickly supplies a new pack. He discovers a message marked, Please play this. Last Will and Testament of Moriko Nash.
Curiosity provoked, Hawthorne plays the message after checking first for malware. A hologram flickers into place (now pictured on Slide One) of an attractive yet clearly wounded and exhausted officer. Her uniform is different than those of the crew of the Acreon.
“My name is Moriko Nash. I am captain of the independent starship Sunrise Maiden. The mission went wrong when I discovered a strange asteroid in the Drift and decided to investigate.” Moriko shrugs and gives you a wry look. “Curiosity. My mother always told me it was a major character flaw. Still, how can one not explore?”
Moriko tells her story calmly. She landed her ship in a cavern on the asteroid and began exploring other chambers inside it, but she was attacked by a terrifying monster that seemed to consume life energy and could walk through walls. Wounded and unable to escape the monster, Moriko managed to modify her armor's force field to extend in a bubble around her. This gave her a little time, as it seemed that the monster was unable to pass through the force field. Nevertheless, Moriko realized her force field would eventually run out of power, and the monster would finally be able to reach her. She ends the recording with the following.
“I think I've come to terms with it. I won't survive, but at least I've explored strange worlds and seen wonders I would never have dreamed of as a child. I guess everything comes to an end eventually. I've always been the master of my own fate, and I'm not going to change now.” Captain Nash holds up a pistol. “When my force field goes down, I'll fight. But I'm saving my last charge for myself. My life, my death.”
She takes a deep breath. “This is my last will and testament. Despite the state that you will no doubt find my body in, know that I was of sound mind. To whoever finds this recording, I leave the Sunrise Maiden to you. It's a good ship, and no matter where I've gone, it's always brought me home... until now. If you treat it right, it'll do the same for you. Leave my body where you found it—we came from the stars, and to the stars I'll return—but the Maiden deserves to keep flying.” Nash takes a deep breath and ends the recording.
Cadence Rem |
Cade takes a deep breath, the sound ruffled and distorted over the comms, ”Desna’s Wings... I would’ve been a mess.”
Zeyram |
Unskilled Culture, Moriko Nash and the Sunrise Maiden, -5 DC for Ace Pilot: 1d20 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (20) - 1 + 2 = 21
Zeyram watches a relay of the message from where he is.
Once it finishes, he gives a silent prayer for the captain's soul. At least now, hopefully she can find peace.
"Any idea what killed her? The captain's log said there was something other than the Akata here."
GM Hmm |
Xyklik Cold-Scythe-In-Harvest |
Xyklik's mandibles stutter for a moment in the comm channel. "She died a true soldier's death. We should all be so lucky."
He hoists his laser rifle up and checks his ammunition and jams a fresh battery pack in. "A thing that could phase through walls. I've never heard of such a creature. Maybe one of you know?"
When everyone is ready, he and Clara will lead the others down the other hallway.
Zeyram |
“I have never heard of one, but such topics were not part of my studies on the Idari.” It seems much of my studies were far too narrow.
“I do remember mention of the Sunrise Maiden though. She was lost in 242 AG, shortly after we came into the system. That is about 75 years ago.
'Big Jim' |
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Jim covers Reds eyes paternalistically as the holotape message takes a dark turn , "Hey little buddy, you are too little to listen to this stuff"
"Jeez. I'm going to dedicate this next episode to her - our salute to a hero"
GM Hmm |
My assumption is that you’ll want to talk about who gets to wear that force field and use that arc pistol in discussion. All that both items need is a fresh battery.
The various lights and controls on the machinery in this room provide dim light. This chamber seems torn between two worlds—its southeastern half is an unfinished rock wall, while the northeastern portion of the room is finished with the same ceramic-metallic plating found in the rest of this part of the complex.
You can attempt a hard Engineering or Mysticism Check here to figure out what the controls in this chamber might be for. For the purposes of this Check, I will allow Engineering or Mysticism skills to aid each other. Anyone with either of those skills can aid, whether it be party members, NPCs or Buster the Drone.
'Big Jim' |
Jim and the team get to it "Well this is new... let's see if we can work out the purpose of this ancient pile"
Bustar Aid 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Red Aid1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Jim Engineering 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 2 + 2 = 22
GM Hmm |
Clara sighs and pulls out her toolkit. “I’ll aid too. Maybe there’ll be something interesting here.”
Clara Aid Another Engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
We are now at a 24... Can we get this higher?