PbP GameDay VI: GM S's "The Commencement" (Table 1) (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

Not able to get a clear shot as the thugs were cut off Y2K stands and moves out from behind cover onto the bridge. He fire on the purple haired thug.

Semi Auto Tactical Pistol: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Damage Piercing: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Crit Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Y2K's methodical approach to the fight pays off as it strikes center mass. The thug reels, but doesn't go down. Indeed, it looks like he's got a bit more fight left in him. Not sure which one you're targeting. Purple is Ceren. :-) I'll switch to blue.

Even with Y2K's danger, Obozaya looks to be a bit more immediate. One takes a guarded step while the other moves up.

Red v. EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 fior Nonlethal: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Blue v. EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Round 1:
Y2K: Crit!
Thugs: ATK
Kharos: Go
Obozaya: Go
Jered: Go

That's four nonlethal on Obozaya. Help me wrap my head around how that affects things, please? I presume it doesn't affect her resolve points, so I should be able to keep fighting.

Obozaya sees Y2K's shot hit Blue and her military training takes hold, as she moves to try and remove one threat to better the odds.

doshko attack vs. KAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
P dmg: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Sigh. First level.

Obozaya swings way wide, doing some damage to the bridge instead.

Round 1:
Y2K: Crit!
Thugs: ATK
Kharos: Go
Obozaya: Miss
Jered: Go

Kharos moves up to a better position.

Jered activates his auto-assist targeting through his custom rig, aims, and shoots!
Attack w/laser pistol vs Red: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Kharos moves for a better attack angle, while Jered wings the thug again! The shots are adding up as the thug's armor is beginning to smoke. He looks around, clearly seeking an escape route.

Round 2:
Y2K: Go
Thugs: TBD
Kharos: TBD
Obozaya: TBD
Jered: TBD

Trick Attack; Stealth; Ghost specialization: 1d20 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 4 = 14 DC 20 +CR

Operative Trick attack failed.

Y2k attempts to blend in with his surroundings as noone pays a lot of mind to his useless out of date model much anymore anyways as he moves back and fires a shot at the red thug.

Semi Auto Tactical Pistol vs KAC: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Damage Piercing: 1d6 ⇒ 1

This time Y2K's shot ricochets off the thug's armor! It doesn't matter, the man's resolve is broken.

The remaining thug curses, drops his pistol, and pulls out a tactical baton. He tries to go toe to toe with the massive Obozaya: ATK: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 but the attack is weak.

Round 2:
Y2K: Miss
Thugs: ATK and flee
Kharos: Go
Obozaya: Go
Jered: go

Jered shifts his auto-targeting on his rig to the remaining thug, and takes a shot.
Attack w/Azimuth Laser Pistol vs Blue: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Fire Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Run, little birds, yes! Obozaya shouts. Run back to your eggs to incubate some more.

tactical doshko: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 Oh, come on.
P dmg: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Jered's IRL dice are rubbing off on Obozaya's PbP dice...

Jered's shot strikes the thug in the chest as smoke erupts from the wound, but the man stands nonetheless. Obozaya can't finish the job with the doshko, missing by a centimeter.

Round 2:
Y2K: Miss
Thugs: ATK and flee
Kharos: Go
Obozaya: Miss
Jered: Kill

The proton energy continues to swell around Kharos. Photon 3/3 Attunement

"The inevitable has arrived. Make your peace with your decisions!" Kharos says flatly as he walks up to the remaining thug and his tendril blades reach out attempting to lash him.

Solarian Weapon: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 8
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7

Despite the powerful attack, Kharos swings wide over the thug's shoulder.

Round 3:
Y2K: Go
Thugs: TBD
Kharos: TBD
Obozaya: TBD
Jered: TBD

Y2K lurches forward with ungainly movements as he fires a shot right next to Ceren's head at the blue thug.

Trick Shot; Stealth; Ghost: 1d20 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 4 = 22 DC 20+CR; If pass the target is treated as Flat-footed.

Semi Auto Tactical Pistol vs KAC: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Damage Piercing: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Trick Shot Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Y2K's marksmenship scores another hit with aplomb. The man's spirit breaks as he turns to run. AoOs if you'd like from Kharos and Obozaya

"The Cycle cannot be escaped." Kharos sighs as the tendrils try to stay the fleeing thug.

Solarian Weapon: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 14
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6

These rolls though...

AoO with tactical doshko, because why not?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
P dmg: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Despite bad rolls nervous swings, the party drops the final thug.

Free to collect Ceren, eyes turn to the elderly woman. The hacker seems unperturbed by the gangers’ appearance, confident that your work at falsifying her death should throw off future investigations into her whereabouts. You provide Ceren with the information pertaining to her new identity, at which point the wizened hacker departs to find Jubair and go into hiding.

The wizened woman winks as she departs.

Where to now Starfinders? You have options:

"Alright, that mess is sorted." Jered says, relaxing. "What's next? My vote is to hit what's closest. No real urgency to business that I see."

Y2K holsters his weapon, which loads another pair of rounds into his clip as the droid looks to his personal computer. "Closest would indeed make the most sense. Would you like me to find directions?"

Y2K pulls up an old form of the infosphere known as Mapquest and begins to plot a route to the Nyori Palisades.

"Start at the top of list and work our way down?"

Once the threat is dealt with the energy emanating from Kharos dissipates with a crack and his weapon is drawn in to the mote of darkness that takes it's place above his shoulder once again.

"That was handled excellently. I agree the only important order is the most expedient order." he agrees with the others.

Confirmation of success is quickly sent to Historia-7 as the party makes a quick exit from the scene of the action.

The Acquisitives’ leader, Radaszam “The Dealmaker” manages the deployment of the Acquisitives and his personal mercenary outfit, the Obsidian Spiders. He keeps a public-facing office for this purpose in the Nyori Palisades, a luxurious neighborhood located in Absalom Station’s transparent central dome.

The plain white doors of the office slide open to reveal a stark, dimly lit room. The chamber is bleak and expressionless in its emptiness—no vanities line its smooth black walls, and no signs of use mar its smooth black furniture. The only occupants of the suite are a bug-eyed tadpole wriggling in a glowing blue aquarium and a reptilian vesk seated behind an onyx desk. The vesk gestures to a number of chairs in front of him, his features sharply illuminated by the light of his desk’s green holoscreen. “The new graduates,” he greets, in a low and pleasant voice. “Good day. I am Radaszam, though since you are here, I should hope you already knew."

“I trust you are aware of our Society’s traditions, so I will cut to the point. I have a minor situation that needs resolution. One of our members, a human named Laboni, had a rather public altercation with a junk scavenger from the Spike. You might be more familiar with the scavenger than I, actually; he is a ysoki who fancifully calls himself Ratrod. I am told he runs a popular racing competition that has, hmm, several hundreds of thousands of viewers on the station’s infosphere. For some reason, Laboni felt the need to tell him that any ‘real’ mechanic could easily beat the garbage that Ratrod and his associates slap together. Now that Ratrod has issued an infosphere-wide demand that she race him and prove it, Laboni doubts she can back that claim up."

“Embarrassing, isn’t it? Not really the sort of troublemaker that suits our Society. Perhaps she would be better suited to the bottom of a trash compactor... Well, we cannot afford to throw her out, not after so many Starfinders were lost in the Scoured Stars. Besides, we can’t let people think we are so weak that we can’t control our own members, or that we cannot stand up to a scrapyard junker. No, I would like you to assist Laboni in winning this race. Show our detractors that even the least of our Society is not someone to be trifled with.”

Jered rubs his hands together. "Now this is work I can dig into. Where's Laboni?"

"She's already there, and she's... easy to recognize." The massive vesk chuckles. "Here are you directions Good luck recruits."

Y2K uploads the directions into his Mapquest to help lead the group to these races.

In a scratchy and damaged voicebox that sounds like a blown speaker Y2K explains. "I have minimal experience piloting these newer models and little more experience with computers which should allow us a 50% chance of success."

The meeting is interrupted by a knock at the door. A servant enters after being granted permission. He drops off a package, addressed to you

He shakes his head and smiles "I don't much care what you do, but I remind that you the Starfinders’ reputation is currently precarious, and any disciplinary issues can be settled after saving face. You lot should be more worried about MY good opinion than any glory you might find from a mere racing victory or punishment for any exposed cheating."

With a couple buttons on his wrist he adds, "There, directions sent. You'll find the race in a hollowed-out section of a mountain of spare parts in Botscrap."

And indeed, the place is packed when you get there. Laboni is easy to find in the crowd due to her paisley clothes and bright white lab coat. She is in her late teens. She's also frantically tweaking a true piece of junk...

-Before-

Y2K grabs the package addressed to them and waits to open it once they are out of the meeting.

What is in the package?

***
-At the race-

Y2K approaches Laboni and gets straight to the point as his sensors take in all that is around. "We have been sent by Radaszam to assist and make sure you win this race."

Formatting mistake on my part: It's a gift box containing a standard datajack and 200 credits. A simple electronic message from Historia-7 indicates that the datajack is a token of thanks from the Dataphiles. There's also a frostbite class zero rifle!

"Yes, I'm Laboni. I'm guessing you were sent here to admonish me too? Look I'm sorry. I screwed up. I made a boast that got the best of me in the moment, but now we're on the hook. If I back out now, the Starfinders look incompetent (something we can't afford.) If I apologize, we look weak (something else we can't afford.) I'm stuck with one option..." She gets a glint in her eye, "Win."

She looks about the pit. there are numerous other racers, junk everywhere, and people posturing, flirting, and trash-talking everywhere.

"Please, with us cooperating, I'm sure we can report some good news, now go explore our options here."

----
Indeed, she's not wrong, your curious eyes and ears pick up a bunch of opertunities. I'll lay out your options, but not explain the mechanics right away. It looks like you've got time to try a few things, so I'll treat it like "initiative".

Options:

Jered gets about the business of making the racer actually fast.

Take 10. Computers is a 20, Engineering is 18. Physical science is 17.

You get SIX "turns" of actions. We can make it go quicker by posting multiple actions. That's not always feasible until you know the results of previous actions, but let's give this a go for now.

Jered works his skill on the racer, and after a few moments discovers ALL manner of places improvements could be made. He makes the racer faster, but there's a lot of untapped potential:

• The vehicle’s base speed increases by 5 feet.
• The vehicle gains a +1 Piloting modifier.
• The vehicle gains a +1 attack modifier.
• The vehicle gains a +2 bonus to its EAC.
• The vehicle gains a +2 bonus to its KAC.
• The PCs install a basic energy weapon on the vehicle (imposes a
–4 base Piloting penalty on a hit).
• The PCs install a basic kinetic weapon on the vehicle (imposes a
–4 base Piloting penalty on a hit).
• The PCs upgrade a weapon to impose an additional –2 penalty to
enemy Piloting checks on a successful hit.

Obozaya watches Jered work for about six seconds before growing bored. She moves on to make her way about the pit, looking at all the drivers and their assorted vehicles.

Obozaya is the Fighter in the social scenario here, alas. Maybe an Intimidate check on the drivers to "persuade" them to underperform?

Intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Round 1; Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 Improve our racer.

Y2k sets to tinkering with the racer as he hacks into the computers, tweaking a small bit of the coding which should make the racer have a faster response.

+1 Piloting

***

Round 2; Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 Investigate the competition.

Staying somewhat proficient moves about the other racers to try and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. It is quite simple for him as very little people pay attention to him as he looks like a broken and very old droid.

***

Round 3; Sleight of Hand: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25 Sabotage opponents racers.

While moving about a small bit undetected Y2K loosens a few bolts on the opponent's racers.

***

Round 4; Engineering: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 Improve our racer.

Heading back to the racer Y2K grabs some armor plating and places it on the racer.

Increase KAC +2

***

Round 5; Engineering: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21 Improve our racer.

Y2K grabs some armor shaded armor plating and places it on the racer that should protect it against some elemental effects.

Increase EAC +2

***

Round 6; Engineering: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 Improve our racer.

Grabbing a gun mount as old as he is Y2K mounts it on the rear of the racer.

install a basic kinetic weapon on the vehicle (imposes a
–4 base Piloting penalty on a hit).

For Obozaya's round 1, I'm going to give him the list of competition. You can make intimidate checks to talk smack, but you can also make Sense Motive to "discover" what makes them tick or what you could do, or even ask me what their piloting skill looks like. You can also make an engineering check to see what capabilities their racers have.

Y2K sets to work right away, knocking it out of the station, making a SLEW of upgrades to the racer. He and Obozaya make some solid discoveries:

Lemgem is a blue-haired gnome covered in piercings, tattoos, and augmentations. A short conversation reveals she is obsessed with continual alterations to herself and her racer, to the point where her vehicle modifications skirt the bounds of common sense.

Nyizan is a female raphorian. Unstable black-market mods made of dragon bone and elemental energies fill Nyizin’s vehicle.

Orsis is a male damaya lashunta. He is a stoic, dark-haired lashunta who looks unfairly good in black and gold.

Ratrod is a ysoki with mottled gray-and-white fur. He has a showman’s personality to match his icon status. People in the Spike consider him something of a hero to the ysoki-dominated Scrap Union. You don't need to win so much as to beat him...

Velocity is a beautiful nonbinary android with silver hair and skin. They have self-modified to have both masculine and feminine attributes, and have decorated their clothing, eyelids, and lips with bright, colorful patterns.

Y2K, include a stealth check during your sabotage, unless you want to be caught :-) also, let me know which racer you target.

Obozaya lumbers around the pit crews, snarling and spitting. It's obvious that he's getting into some of the races heads, but mostly out of a confused fear on their part... they're afraid of Obozaya personally, but they're not deterred from the race. For Ratrod though, things are different. The ysoki knows Obo's game and the vesk is clearly in his head.

Kharos advises the two technical specialist while they work to maximize their efforts. His astute knowledge of particles helps fine tune their adjustments.

Round 1:Physical Science: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
+1 Attack
"The energy from the exhaust could be re-purposed to energize the weapons." he points out as Y2k installs the Kinetic Weapon.

Round 2:Physical Science: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Upgrade Kinetic Weapon
"The kinetic rounds when heated up will better pierce any armor they may have on board." he reiterates as the connection is made.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

After exhausting what useful knowledge he had it was time to gather information. He heads off into the crowd with purposeful steps looking for someone receptive to calm talk.

Round 3:Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
"Greetings. Interesting to see another of our kind here racing. Can you tell me more about it?" Kharos speaks to the man in Castrovelian attempting to improve relations before probing into information about the racers.

Kharos, too, lends his expertise, further improving the weaponry on the junker. Lobani is starting to show signs of hope finally.

Khaoris then talks Lashunta to Lashunta. The other man probes his thoughts gently, but it doesn't seem hostile, "Huh it is I guess. Look friend, I need to focus, but we need to stick together. LEt me tell you a little about the course...." Piloting skills for the course are made with a +2 bonus

Round 1 Complete

Jered pours all his energy into improving the racer. He wires in his custom rig to the vehicle, pulls down diagnostic information, and nods to himself. "Right then. Leave to to it. No distractions."

Round 2: Increase base speed 5ft
Round 3: +1 attack modifier
Round 4: +1 Piloting
Round 5: +2 EAC
Round 6: +2 KAC

I'd like to take 10 on any of the checks. For Computers it's 20, for Engineering it's 18.

After having a successful discussion about the track with the Lashunta Kharos continues his rounds avoiding Hotrod who looks like he is on edge after dealing with Obo. He walks over to the colorful gnome, Lemgem.

"Oh, those are very interesting modifications you have! Are they all for show or do they serve secondary functions?" he asks attempting to show genuine interest much like he has to do with his constituents.

Round 4: Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

He carries on the conversation while working towards something that can help the group.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

A short while after that conversation concludes if he has no further business he approaches the interesting looking android, Velocity, attempting a similar conversation with her as well.

"What transcendent beauty! My name is Kharos of Eox. Could I bother you with a conversation? I couldn't dare pass up the opporunity." he says with a tone of admiration.

Round 5: Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

He stumbles a bit but still attempts to direct the conversation.

Stealth check as requested

Round 3 Stealth; Take 10: 10 + 5 = 15

Y2K is used to noone paying him any attention as he moves about like some broken clean-up droid.

Jered's skill is up to the task, as he continues to improve the racer right up until it's time to race.

Kharos, charms Lemgem. "I'm so glad you noticed. Some are for show, some are for function, and some WOULD be for function if I get the chance to work on them. I'll tell you what, I like the balance of your polarity. I know you've got it out for Ratrod. I'll focus on knocking the others out to get you ahead. We just need to beat that loser."

Unfortunately Y2K gets caught, "Get outa there you stupid piece of junk!"

Before you know it, the call for racers is sounded, and it's time to go. The party feels good about their chance after all the prep work. All that's left is to win the race!

At the table, I'd assign the other racers to players so that EVERYONE has dice to roll. In PbP this is tricky. It's hard to maintain the rush of a race when others have to wait 24 hours to have a player roll a d20 for an NPC to make a piloting check. Today I'll work out a system to make the chase smooth. Meanwhile, there are some things you can do.

Laboni doesn't AT ALL mind if one of you pilots from the sidelines. She also actively asks one of you to handle the weapon. So I'll need two characters for those jobs. Once those are chosen, we'll dole out jobs and run the race!

Near as I can figure it:

• Jered the Shiv: Piloting +6, Gunnery +8
  
• Kharos of Eox: Piloting +0, Gunnery +0
  
• Obozaya: Piloting +3, Gunnery +4
  
• Y2K: Piloting +3, Gunnery +3
  

Please let me know if I calculated wrong or missed something.

I think Jered has only a +3 for Gunnery (+1 rank in Piloting, +2 Dex bonus). Still getting the hang of the rules though, so I could be wrong.

Yep, you're right, otherwise I'm adding the DEX modifier twice by taking the Piloting skill total. My mistake.

Obviously Jered should be our pilot with his +6. Obozaya looks like best bet for Gunner with +4.

Jered is the pilot and Obozaya the gunner? I'm good with that. Will post later