PbP GameDay VI: GM S's "The Commencement" (Table 2) (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

Once the party agrees to the plan, Ceren gives a final smile. "I'll pack my most treasured possessions, and meet you in say... Jatembe Park. Six hours should be enough I think. I'll see you there!"

Kultainen takes the lead, with Gideon offering some help. With a little bit of work, they combine to build her new life. Now all that remains is to fake her death...

Life Sci/Medicine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Spending 50 credits to get a body 'for research purposes' that matches Ceren's body reasonably well.

Physical Sciences(or Engineering at +1): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

To make the 'accident' convincing enough with the body.

Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

To make sure the documentation fits the damage to the body that's been procured.

Willing to accept assistance on this!

No assistance needed. Flush works to diligently fake Ceren's death, and with her identity already prepped, there's little to do but meet her in Jatembe park to send her on her way!

Open to all citizens, Jatembe Park occupies a wide portion of the Eye of Absalom Station. Filled with lush trees and open grass fields, the park offers some natural terrain to the otherwise metal-clad station. Your meeting point is one such forested portion of the park, specifically a spot often ignored by citizens due to the winding path required to reach it.

Ceren is already waiting for you with a smile...

And your timing couldn't be more perfect as three thugs seem to be approaching from the other side....

Tactical map is up to date.

"Stop right there!" calls out the golden girl.

Drawing her mk 1 Azimuth she points it at the nearest thug. "Back off now."

intimidate: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Thinking quickly, Jaynix bolts away from Kultainen (and directly at Ceren and the thugs). As he runs, his voice is panicked and he keeps looking over his shoulder in fear at Kultainen's fun.

"ITS STATION SECURITY! RUN, GUYS!"

Trying to bluff to convince the thugs that the crew is a security team.
Bluff: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
.
I'm guessing we'll need to roll Initiative before doing any actual moving on the map?

Indeed, the attempt at intimidating the thugs doesn't work, and they draw pistols to show that they're not buying the bluff.

Foes: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Flush: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Clayton: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Jaynix: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Gideon: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (6) + 0 = 6
Kultainen: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

Round 1:
Kultainen: Go
Foes: TBD
Jaynix: TBD
Clayton: TBD
Gideon: TBD
Flush: TBD

The golden girl takes careful aim and fires at the closest of the thugs.

attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

She gently squeezes the trigger and a bolt of light darts out, striking him in the chest.

I'm still learning the vernacular, so if you guys don't mind, for this table, remind me if you're targeting EAC or KAC. Kultainen's description of a bolt of light works too.

The Starfinders shoot first and on of the thugs recoils from the blast. red but the thug is made of sterner stuff.

All three take aim with pulsecasters EAC, shooting past Ceren at you!

Red v. Kultainen: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 for NONLETHAL: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Blue v. Flush: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 Miss

White v. Gideon: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22 for NONLETHAL: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Round 1:
Kultainen: Hit
Foes: Shoot
Jaynix: Go
Clayton: Go
Gideon: Go
Flush: Go

Jaynix moves forward, pulling his pistol out as he goes. ”Leave her alone, mates!”

move to draw pistol, then move forward. Trying to maintain a lane of approach/charge for our heavies, should they need it.

"Two light wounds, neither significant." mentions Kultanien.

NL in starfinder is the same as lethal, but won't kill you, you auto stabilise if the damage that sent you to zero was non letahl

Flush limbers down her own pulsecaster rifle, placing the stock to her shoulder and scanning over a target for a good shot.

Bringing up the Targeting Computer on White as a move action, standard action to draw weapon and ready to fire on next turn, unless I've messed up my turn order? Target Lock allows Flush to treat that target as if Mechanic levels=BAB.

"So, ah, you ah, probably just want to ah, put your ah, weapons down now."

Chatted with GM Sfounder on a private channel -- the Intimidate check was successful in giving us time to draw weapons prior to initiative for those who would do so. The Knight is one such bellicose individual.

Entering Photon Mode: 1 point attunement.

"I do not think that will convince them. I might." Gideon hand grasps at nothing and is instantly filled with a shimmering, impossibly black hammer that seems to suck light away from it.

The blast that hits him in the chest does nothing to slow his charge. He slams into the thug who shot him, hammer-first.

Gravity Hammer @ White KAC: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 4 - 2 = 11
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10

Seeing the thugs pulling their weapons he shouts a quick warning "Take cover, returning fire!" He went straight back into merc mode as he concentrated fire on the one the solarian just attacked to hopefully clear him up from any threats and have him wade in for more damage.

Azimuth Laser Rifle (wpn focus) (EAC): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

If GMS says we had a chance to draw weapons, then Jaynix would have taken a shot at Blue last round...
tactical pistol vs KAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

I'm back! And I'm not going anywhere. Indeed, I did say you could draw.

Janyx draws and moves into position, winging the thug with a shot!

Gideon's hammer misses by the smallest of margins, but gives the man a fright nonetheless. Claton's shot to goes astray.

Flush zeros in, ready to go.

Round 2:
Kultainen: Go
Foes: TBD
Jaynix: TBD
Clayton: TBD
Gideon: TBD
Flush: TBD

Kultainen advances up the bridge, firing at the one in blue this time.

attack vs EAC: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

As Kultainen crosses the bridge, another shower of sparks erupts from the envoy's target.

The three thugs, only barely injured focus all their attention on the Starfinders:

White and blue move to more easily attack The Knight White taking a guarded step.

White Pulse v. EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 Nonlethal: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Blue Pulse v. EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10 Miss

The final thug takes aim over the crowd to target Kultainen:
Red Pulse v. EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 but misses!

Round 2:
Kultainen: Hit
Foes: ATK
Jaynix: Go
Clayton: Go
Gideon: Go
Flush: Go

The second shot elicits little more than a grunt from Gideon. He advances deliberately (guarded step because why not) on the white-clad thug and again brings the gravity hammer to bear.

Gravity Hammer @ White KAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7

Photon Mode: 2 points.

The Knight of Tides slams his hammer into the third thug. Now all three stand injured, but non are so bad that their morale breaks.

Round 2:
Kultainen: Hit
Foes: ATK
Jaynix: Go
Clayton: Go
Gideon: Hit
Flush: Go

”Lady!” Jaynix grunts as he dodges to his right, cracking off a second shot at the nearest thug, ”Get back behind us!”

Trick Attack against Blue, ending in the square north of Gideon
Trick Attack, Acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20; if this is successful, the target is flat-footed and Jaynix deals an additional +1d4 damage.
pistol vs KAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
damage: 1d6 + 1d4 ⇒ (2) + (4) = 6

Jaynix totaly makes the thug bite, but the resulting shot is still wide, despite getting him off guard.

Round 2:
Kultainen: Hit
Foes: ATK
Jaynix: Miss
Clayton: Go
Gideon: Hit
Flush: Go

Pulsecaster rifle(on White, Target Lock, vs EAC): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Damage(Non-Lethal): 1d6 ⇒ 4

"So, um, please just put down your ah, weapons um, now, okay??" Flush is trying not to kill anybody with her shooting, even though she is theoretically using a non-lethal weapon.

Bit of an oxymoron though, isn't it? Aren't weapons designed to hurt people? She asks herself.

Flush's hit really jars the thug, and though he stays up, his eyes dart to paths of escape!

Round 2:
Kultainen: Hit
Foes: ATK
Jaynix: Miss
Clayton: Go
Gideon: Hit
Flush: Hit

I'll post an attack for Kultainen, even though she heads off round 3, as I don' want to slow things down and it doesn't look like anyone is acting after the end of the part and before her next turn.

The golden woman-android raises her pistol at the blue thug again. "Give up and run away."
attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

That works. It's also been a few days since Clayton last posted. I don't mind a bot here as it's relatively straight forward.

Clayton....

Immediately after, Kultainen scores another hit. The thugs seem to see that the odds are against them. as the latest one is clearly losing heart.

Round 2:
Kultainen: Hit
Foes: ATK
Jaynix: Miss
Clayton: Go
Gideon: Hit
Flush: Hit

Round 3:
Kultainen: Hit
Foes: TBD
Jaynix: TBD
Clayton: TBD
Gideon: TBD
Flush: TBD

Been around, was just waiting for my time to post and yesterday was a bit more hectic then suspected

Taking aim at the thugs he lets go another round

Laser rifle Azimuth (EAC): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

No worries! Nice hit :-) I'm going to guess you're aiming at blue.

Clayton's shot is dead on the smoking hole in the man's chest is a clear sign that he's done.

The thug in back turns and runs for parts unknown, if he can make it. AoO from Gideon.

The remaining thug takes a pot shot at the Knight ATK: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10, but misses as his confidence wavers.

Round 3:
Kultainen: Hit
Foes: Run and Attack
Jaynix: Go
Clayton: Go
Gideon: Go and AoO
Flush: Go

The Knight of Tides swings his mighty hammer to hinder any escape, but is clumsy in his haste.

Gravity Hammer AoO: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Bludgeoning: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

No matter. Now fully attuned to the power of the blazing stars, he Maneuvers around the nearest thug, opens his mind to the heavens, and looses a mighty fire.

Supernova Fire Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 6) = 10
DC 14 Reflex for Half, all targets within 10 feet (both of 'em).

Jaynix jukes back to his left, rolling to his feet to crack off a shot at the retreating thug. He grins excitedly over at Gideon, ”That’s a MEAN trick! I like it!”

Trick attack: moving 10ft right, then attacking Red.
Trick Attack, Acro: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20; if successful, target is Flat-footed and is dealt Trick Attack damage
.
Pistol vs KAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
damage: 1d6 + 1d4 ⇒ (2) + (4) = 6

The Knight of Tides misses wide with the gravity hammer, but his attuned power quickly overtakes both of the thugs.

Red REF: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
White REF: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

In the blink of an eye, they're both incinerated!

Out of initiative

Jaynix rolls back on his heels, leaning against the rail of the bridge as he reloads his pistol. "I like that a LOT!" Then he shifts his gaze to Ceren, "I say we get out of here while the getting's good." He looks around, "Where's the kid?"

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:

With the remaining options Flush considers for a few moments.

"Um, maybe ah, something more ah, lightweight to ah, try and ah, make up with um, this uhm, 'BargainProducer' person in the ah, Palisades?" she offers half-heartedly, willing to go with whatever the party decides if that's not the choice.

"And here I thought tracking down a hacker would be the lightweight portion of these tasks." He shrugs, holstering his pistol, "I'm great with seeing The Dealmaker next."

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.”

Grinning after the issue with the hacker is solved he makes his way back towards the dealmaker together with the rest of the party. Listening to the request before shaking his head for a brief moment. "Great, guess we will have to see what is and isn't allowed with that race then... "

"Soo... we need to help Laboni make her car faster than the ratrods?" asks Kultaninen.

"Or were you thinking more along the industrial sabotage route?"

When Flush enters her tail droops a bit and she slouches some, showing deference to the faction leader through her body language. He's a jock, he's gonna do something horrible, just have to show he's the boss here and then it won't be as bad.

"Um, so we can ah, make her car ah, go fast and maybe strap some armor ah, plates on it too, to make it a full ah, combat type vehicle. That should ah be um, possible, if we have enough ah, time. So ah, how much ah, time do we have?"

The massive vesk chuckles a bit, "This seems about right."

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

Radaszam laughs a bit, "Indeed, you lot seem very right!"

He shakes his head at the proffered ides, "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."

The lives of Ceren's pursuers extinguished, Gideon nods an acknowledgement to Jaynix and stands over the bodies in a moment of solemn prayer. "We are all stardust, and to that we shall one day return. Your time has come, and I will join you soon in the eyes of the stars."

* * *

Gideon also lags some ways behind the others, taking time to collect himself, though he does his best to disguise it. 10 minutes plus 1 RP to recover SP.

* * *

"I assume we will find Laboni there as well, and not fled the station?" Gideon nods curtly to the vesk and turns for the door.

Somebody should take that rifle!

"ohhhh. She'll be there. Once you know her, you'll understand why she'd never flee."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Jaynix’s usual grin grows and grows as Radaszam’s plans are laid out. ”Oh, now this is a job!” The enthusiastic young human gives a comical imitation of a salute to The Dealmaker, ”Jaynix Cray, sir, but I’m guessing you already knew that. I’ll make sure Raboni is ready to win … or I’ll take her place. We ain’t losin’ this race.”

Does Jaynix know anything helpful about Ratrod, this race, or Laboni that would be helpful?
Culture, Ratrod: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Culture, the race: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Culture, Laboni: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Sorry for my absence yesterday, guys. Busy day. This assignment seems right up Jaynix's alley. :)

Real life Comes First (tm)!

Jaynix doesn't know know anything in particular, but also isn't surprised such a race exists on the station. The location is probably rife with opportunities to reconnoiter though.

------

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...

Jaynix strolls up, chewing on a huge mouthful of the last bite of an off-brand Shirren R2E, and stops a few feet away from Laboni. "Hey, you're Laboni. I'm Jaynix; Radaszam sent us." He hastily wipes the food from his hand on his pant leg, then extends it for a shake. His eyes dart to the object of her work, his voice becomes skeptical, "Is that what you're racing?"

Such a cluttered place. Such a messy place. Flush thinks then shakes her head a bit as she watches the mechanic go through their evolutions on the equipment, giving it a quick glance-over before speaking up.

"So, ah, I'm ah, Flush, I'm good with ah machines sometimes could I ah, please ah, take a look at your baby and ah, see if maybe we can ah, get them ah, humming like a flower-pollinating insect?"

K: Phys. Sci/Eng/Computers(whichever is appropriate): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Not quite sure what the human is trying to do here. Perhaps after some explanation and walk-through it might make more sense?

"You mean a bee?" She looks down sheepishly, "Yes, I'm Laboni. I'm guessing you were sent here to admonish me? 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:

Round 1 of 4:
Flush: Go
Clayton: Go
Jaynix: Go
Knight of Tides: Go
Kultainen: Go