[SFS]1-13 On the Trail of History (Author Run), Table #2 (Inactive)

Game Master Christopher Wasko

"Indeed, we hear this Icefront might hold some forgotten lore and information that the Society would be interested in. Do you know much about the planet?"

Dr. Monsylkis nods. "We've been here for a while now, I can't tell you too too much about the planet as a whole since that's not the scope of our research, but we'd be happy to give you the lay of the land, share what we have found, and help you find what you came for. If you'd like you can even park your starships on our landing pad so you won't need to worry about finding a safe spot in the wilderness."

"Awfully accomodating," Obozaya mutters sotto voce.

Ruuk crosses both sets of his arms. What group you say your with exactly?"

"You are very kind! As my comrade said, who do you work for?"

Dr. Monsylkis beams proudly. "I'm here directing a research effort funded by Winterharvest. It's a big Triaxian nonprofit that wants to revolutionize domestic agriculture. Would you like to land and speak face to face? I'd love to show you some of our facilities!"

Omen-Seeker hits the mute button and turns back to the crew. "Shall we?"

As the communications are ongoing and the name becomes known she does a quick search for the Winterharvest.

Search information Winterharvest (Computers): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

This far out from the Pact infosphere, you can't easily perform a search for Winterharvest. I'll let you try a Culture check to reveal some knowledge about it, though.

culture because my computers fail me :P: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

"Well, as long as we're aware it may be a trap, can't hurt too much. I'm sure I can take care of anything they have to throw at us, and it could give us some idea where to start," Obozaya says.

Culture: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Buzz looks at the others curiously, then pulls out his data-chip library, and plugs his 'Culture' one into his custom rig, as he does an info-search.

Culture: 1d20 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 4 = 32.

Buzz recalls that Winterharvest is the name of a young but apparently wealthy agricultural non-profit on Triaxus. Their mission statement claims they wish to overcome Triaxus’s lengthy seasons and support year-round farming. They have no notable developments, claims, or discoveries credited to them as of yet.

Nice roll there Buzz! I'm guessing you'll beat 701 there.
Culture: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20

"Buzz seems for more knowledgeable about Triaxian corporations than I am. Maybe these agriculture researchers pose no danger, but I've wrong in assuming the best of people before."

Ruuk lets out a strange laugh. "Let's meet 'em. Farmers shouldn't pose much of a threat." He trusts in the crews knowledge on the situation.

Listening to the rest of the team she gave them a quick nod. Pushing a few buttons on the computers before briefly making her way towards her bunk room. Shortly afterwards returning with the needed items for the trip including the large rifle she kept with her. "I agree, no harm to meet them and learn from them... however, caution would be in order since we don't know anyone down there... "

Omen-Seeker thumbs the mute button off and smiles at the Vercite. "We would be honored to meet you in person. Please transmit the coordinates, and thank you!"

Dr. Monsylkis smiles, although the video glitches for a split second. ”Perfect! I’ll send you the coordinates now. I’ll get my team to launch our orbital satellites, so once they’re gone you should have plenty of room on our landing pad for both your ships.”

Any change to see what could cause the glitch? if computers is possible, here is the roll, if not... c'est la vie :D

Computers cause someone glitched: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Obozaya smiles.

"Well, hopefully they'll be something more interesting than farming down there," she says, joining Pilgrim as she recovers her own weaponry and making sure she's fully equipped.

"Of course, if they are just farmer, we might like a little silly with all this gear, but those are the risks we choose to take, I guess," she says with a grin as she adjusts her blade and guns so they fall within easy reach of her hands.

Ruuk awaits the coordinates. "At least there is someone to talk to down here. Instead of getting sent to a desolate wasteland to look for clues. These fool farmers may have dug up something."

Buzz shakes his head.

"An agri-business they may be, but I strongly doubt they are foolish. We should still be careful..."

The visual flickers again, and Pilgrim goes to the sensor board to check the video feed for interference. She sees on the perimeter sensors a huge display of energy behind the Drake.

Dr. Monsylkis's visual becomes pixelated. "I'm sorry, you're cutting in and out, is everything all--" The video abruptly shuts off, and the Drake's intercoms suddenly shriek with deafening feedback. Pilgrim's sensors show a starship emerging from the Drift behind you. Pilgrim kills the intercom to stop the noise, but her sensors are able to pull up a visual of a sea-urchin-like starship ringed with multi-segmented, tentacle-like appendages each tipped with three-pronged thrusters, weapons, and manipulative tools. The design is unlike any you've seen in Pact Worlds production before, and red klaxons flash and sirens blare to alert you that weapons systems have locked on to your ship.

Starting Position: 3d6 + 5 ⇒ (2, 2, 5) + 5 = 14
Starting Heading: 1d6 ⇒ 6
First slide is the encounter map. PCs are red.

Round 1
Buzz Initiative: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21

Omen-Seeker lets out a yelp as she sees the ship. "What IS that?!? It's magnificent!" She stares intently at the thing, then looks toward the Pilot. "You're going to do just fine, just concentrate on keeping us out of grappling range!" She tries to encourage our Pilot! Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Obozaya cuts off what she was about to say as Omen-Seeker beats her to it and scrambles to get to the weapons systems.

She was about to shout some sort of warning as the ship comes out of the drift, scrambeling to get a hold of the computer she frantically starts to push buttons to get the ship in range of the scanners before kicking off the scanning procedure.

Scan Enemy vessel: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Buzz pulls the ship into a sharp turn, and attempts to evade incoming fire.

Piloting (Evade): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36.

Engineering (Divert to Weapons) vs DC 16: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

"Gunners! Weapons primed and overclocked, let's try and get first scrape here. I'll worry about shields later. Captain, should I keep the energy overflow on weapons or assign it to the science corner?"

The question is meant for everyone, chime in if you want me to change our bonus from Engineering.

Between the surprise and stifling the feedback, Pilgrim is unable to get a read on the approaching ship. The enemy ship flies toward you a relatively short distance, also performing some evasive maneuvers as a flurry of weapon fire launches your way.

Omen-Seeker peers at the viewscreen as the missiles fly past. "I vote keep up the weapons, 701. Let's give them a bloody nose before we root around in their pockets."

"YEAH!" Obozaya shouts. "SEND 'EM TO THE ABYSS! OBOZAYA!!!"

She fires a missile from the turret toward the attacker.

Targeting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 Not sure if there are any other modifiers
Damage: 4d8 ⇒ (5, 4, 3, 6) = 18

Also, just making sure, do I need to worry about ammo with the missile launcher? I didn't see any listed...

"YEAH!" Obozaya shouts. "SEND 'EM TO THE ABYSS! OBOZAYA!!!"

She fires a missile from the turret toward the attacker.

[dice=Targeting] 1d20 + 7 Not sure if there are any other modifiers
[dice=Damage]4d8

Also, just making sure, do I need to worry about ammo with the missile launcher? I didn't see any listed...

No other modifiers unless you get one of the floating computer bonuses. Missile launcher has 5 shots, now 4 after your attack.

Ruuk hops into the coilgun turret, "What is this thing!?" He calls back, looking for any sort of weakness that he can. The magnetic coils let loose. their poles releasing a stream of projectiles at the strange alien vessel.

Using 1 of the Computers checks.

Turret Coilgun Gunnery; Computers: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 1 = 28
Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 2, 3, 4) = 10

Obozaya's missile careens off into space, but Ruuk's coilgun barrage hits home. Sadly, the attacker's forward shields absorb most of the damage.

Round 2

Drake FS/PS/SS/AS/HP: 20/15/15/20/85
Buzz Initiative: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23

PCs win initiative! Enemy ship has moved, you may now take all of your actions, ending with gunners.

Omen-Seeker sees that Buzz is competent enough without encouragement. She nods to him and turns to Obozaya. "Ready the missile, Obozaya, you'll hit them next time!" Encourage Obozaya: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Going over the computer again she tries to scan the ship once more, only to get frustrated as the computer seems to give input of one of the missile that Obozaya shot at the enemy ship

Scanning enemy ship: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Ruuk swings the coilgun around, continuing to batter away at the powerful shields.

Using 1 of the Computers checks.

Turret Coilgun Gunnery; Computers: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 1 = 27
Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 4, 2, 3) = 10

Didn't Ruuk crit on that first shot?

Buzz continues to move evasively.

Piloting: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22.

"OBOZAYA!" Obozaya excitedly cheers again as she fires another missile.

Targeting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 +2 I'm guessing for encourage? And if it's available, I'll take a +1 from the computers, which would be 17 total
Damage: 4d8 ⇒ (7, 3, 6, 2) = 18

Critical Hits on space combat: "Critical damage is scored whenever a gunnery check results in a natural 20 on the die and damage is dealt to the target ship’s hull."
This means that if shield's are not broken through, it was not a crit =(

Engineering (Divert to Weapons) +1 from trinode computer vs DC 16: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 1 = 16

"Pheew! That was close! Buzz before you shake us around like that, a heads up might be nice, I almost ended up diverting power to the waste-bio container instead of the weapons system, those two buttons are too close... Who tought of arranging the outputs alphabetically..."

Buzz’s evasive piloting protects the Drake from turret fire again, and with a little help from the captain both gunners hit their marks! The ship’s port shields disintegrate, and some of the damage pushes through to the ship’s hull.

Round 3

Pegasus FS/PS/SS/AS/HP: 20/15/15/20/85
Buzz Initiative: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (14) + 17 = 31

The enemy ship thrusts forward, banks left, then seems to reverse itself, its forward weapons now protruding from the opposite end.

PCs win initiative! Enemy ship has moved, so you may make all your actions, ending with gunners.

Buzz continues to try and be evasive, maneuvering around to the rear of the other ship as best he can.

Piloting: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (10) + 17 = 27.

Using 1 of the Computers checks.

Turret Coilgun Gunnery; Computers: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 7 + 1 = 18
Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (3, 4, 2, 3) = 12

Ruuk stays locked onto the port side of the strange alien craft. "Keep on "em" His multiple hands help with keeping the weapon steady while releasing short and precise bursts.

Engineering (Divert to Weapons) vs DC 16: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 1 = 20

"Captain Omen-Seeker, we still have plenty of power to go around, should I stick to weapons?"

to see who the enemy is: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

She started to punch the computer some more before speaking up "looks like it is a no person ship, no weap... Oh samnit to hell, the scanners are broken, they keep on scanning missiles... Can we get a refund when we are back in Absalom station?"

"Yes, stick to weapons!" Obozaya calls back. "That's how we destroy them!"

Targeting (missile 3: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 = 14 using another +1 from the computer
Damage: 4d8 ⇒ (8, 3, 2, 5) = 18

Man, not rolling well so far

Omen-Seeker nods at 701 and encourages Obozaya! Encourage: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

@Obozaya: You actually couldn't have fired a missile, since the ship is currently in your port arc arc, which doesn't have a weapon.

Ruuk's coilgun burst hits the enemy's port side, barely cutting through their shields to scrape the hull. The enemy turret, however, returns with twice the firepower, ripping through your own port shields and damaging your hull.

Round 4

Drake FS/PS/SS/AS/HP: 20/0/15/20/80
Buzz Initiative: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22

The enemy ship reverses itself a second time, its forward weapons now facing you.

PCs win initiative! Dicebot is very much on your side, it seems. Enemy ship has moved, please take all of your actions, ending with gunners.

Omen-Seeker turns back toward Pilgrim. "What IS that ship? You can find out, right?" Encourage Pilgrim: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12