[SFS_Aerondor] 01-12 Ashes of Discovery 2018A (Inactive)

Game Master Aerondor

Medrick takes an unnecessary deed breath. You can do this! It is just like a normal gun. When the crew mentions wanting music, Hey, I have the new CD from Strawberry Machine Cake. I haven't listened to it yet, so lets give it a shot! He then aims and fires.

Light Plasma Cannon (Forward arc): 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 5 - 1 = 12
damage?: 2d12 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4

Man, I am off to a bad start!

Savoy trades radioactive eye beams for radioactive music, broadcasting Strawberry Machine Cake at Full Volume. The whelp seems confused. Almost as much as the rest of their fan base. This lets Daqen send a solid stream of magnetically accelerated particles right into its exposed underside. Ouch.

Medrick waits for the whelp to come into his field of play, but it jinks away at the last moment.

Will continues to scan the whelp. He realises it has claws on both sides which could hook onto the Pegasus with nasty results. It's tail would do considerable damage if it connected as well.

The wounded welp tries a frantic move, skimming right past the Pegasus and trying to bite it. Luckily Mobius jinks left just in time.

Status, round 3. Actions required from bold:
Mobius.(pilot +11): Move the Pegasus on the map when you post. Your current facing is marked on the map, please leave a red dotted trail for your movement. Please also roll your initiative for round 4
Alimony (Engineer +11) -
Savoy (captain): Bluff +11(+1d6) -
Darqen (Turret gunner +6)
Medrick (gunner +5)
Will Science: - computers +10
Besmaran Whelp. already acted in round 3: taunted for 2 more rounds (-2 to hit)

Gunners you may make your attacks, I'll discount any in arc's that are not appropriate arc after Mobius does the move.

Whelp stats you are aware of :
damage - 28/55 damage
Port claws damaged (glitching)
Heart damaged (glitching)
AC 11, TL 11, hp 55; 150 PSU
Speed 12; Good maneuverability;
Weapon: Forward arc, radioacdtive beam (4d4, line; medium range)
Weapon: forward arc, bite - EMP attack (power drain)
Weapon: port and starboard - claws 3d4 + attach

Divert to Weapons, DC 13: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
The only number I fail this check on! I don't think duonode bonuses can be retroactively assigned, so oh well.

Alimony continues drawing power to weapons, but is distracted by Medrick's talk of Strawberry Machine Cake and doesn't complete the charge. "You got the new album too? I'm surprised how many people were willing to stand through that line! If I hadn't been on assignment..."

"Ok people,the music seems to effect it so let's keep playing it little while longer. And let's try to fire in sync with the rhythm of the music for a few seconds, really get into the flow so to speak"

Diplomacy to encourage our turret gunner: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (18) + 11 + (1) = 30 (Target DC 15 for a +2 to hit)

Darqen aims again and shoots thanking Savoy for the great guidance.

turret: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 1 + 2 = 11
turret damage: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 2, 4, 1) = 8

Mobius continues to bring the starship to the rear end of the creature. "That's alright Med. That cannon's a bit buggy, but you'll eventually get the hang of it. Make sure to use our ship's guiding system when you need it duonode bonus."

Stunt, Evade DC 13: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 11 + 1 = 17

Pilot Initiative, duonode bonus: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 11 + 1 + 1 = 15

I figured the turret and the piloting check were taking the two bonuses. I think it is better fitting for those rolls.

Medrick tries to focus and be quite as he fires again.

Light Plasma Cannon (Forward arc): 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 5 - 1 = 16
damage: 2d12 ⇒ (3, 9) = 12

His focus pays off as his shot makes a direct hit against the enemy for a decent chunk of damage!

This time it is Medrick who manage sto close a solid hit on the Whelp, with the light plasma cannon. Yowzer, that thing packs a punch. He manages to land the shots right on the damaged part of the whelps underbelly.

William continues to scan the whelp, getting lots of useful information for the society. Turns out that its tail is also a lethal threat.

Just as well for the pathfinder team most of its lethal array of biology can only be used when right next door.

Status, round 5. Actions required from bold: (evaded
Mobius.(pilot +11): Move the Pegasus on the map when you post. Your current facing is marked on the map, please leave a red dotted trail for your movement. Please also roll your initiative for round 6
Alimony (Engineer +11) -
Savoy (captain): Bluff +11(+1d6) -
Darqen (Turret gunner +6)
Medrick (gunner +5)
Will Science: - computers +10
Besmaran Whelp. notalready acted in round 5: taunted for 2 more rounds (-2 to hit)

Gunners you may make your attacks, I'll discount any in arc's that are not appropriate arc after Mobius does the move.

Whelp stats you are aware of :
damage - 40/55 damage
Port claws damaged (glitching)
Heart damaged (Malfunctioning)
AC 11, TL 11, hp 55; 150 PSU
Speed 12; Good maneuverability;
Weapon: Forward arc, radioacdtive beam (4d4, line; medium range)
Weapon: forward arc, bite - EMP attack (power drain)
Weapon: port and starboard - claws 3d4 + attach
Weapon: Tail (2d4)

"He seems wounded, let's scare him off. Blast the music a bit louder and shoot him where it hurts"

Diplomacy to encourage our turret gunner: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 11 + (6) = 27 (Target DC 15 for a +2 to hit)

"Looks like the creature won't hold up for long. Let's give it all we got. Take it down gunners." He flies the ship again rearing the creature while being careful to steer the ship against incoming danger.

Stunt, Evade: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 11 + 1 = 20

Pilot Init R6, node bonus: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 1 + 1 = 22

Darqen aims with more care now! Again he shoots thanking Savoy for the guidance.

turret: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 1 + 2 = 22
turret damage: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 4, 3, 4) = 12

The coil gun continues to wreck carnage on the Whlep, this time continuing to mangle the claw on the whelps left side. Surely it can't take much more of this punishment.

Darqen, either you or Medric can make an AOO on it as it tries and fails in its flyby attack

crit: 1d100 ⇒ 22
arc: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Status, round 5. Actions required from bold: (evaded;
Alimony (Engineer +11) -
Medrick (gunner +5)
Will Science: - computers +10
Besmaran Whelp. notalready acted in round 5: taunted for 2 more rounds (-2 to hit)
Mobius.(pilot +11): Move the Pegasus on the map when you post. Your current facing is marked on the map, please leave a red dotted trail for your movement. Pegasus init for round 6 is 22.
Darqen (Turret gunner +6) - encouraged.
Savoy (captain): Bluff +11(+1d6) -

Gunners you may make your attacks, I'll discount any in arc's that are not appropriate arc after Mobius does the move.

AOO available to the first gunner who wants to take it..

Whelp stats you are aware of :
damage - 53/55 damage
Port claws damaged (Malfunctioning)
Heart damaged (Malfunctioning)
AC 11, TL 11, hp 55; 150 PSU
Speed 12; Good maneuverability;
Weapon: Forward arc, radioacdtive beam (4d4, line; medium range)
Weapon: forward arc, bite - EMP attack (power drain)
Weapon: port and starboard - claws 3d4 + attach
Weapon: Tail (2d4)

Darqen sees an opening and shoots from close range as the ship flies by! aims with more care now!

turret: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 6 + 1 + 2 = 25
turret damage: 4d4 ⇒ (3, 2, 2, 2) = 9

And with a final flurish Darqen rips open the heart of the beast with a massive burst from the turret. The dead carcass, pulled by the planets gravity, starts the long and destructive process of re-entry to the atmosphere.

Your pilot checks really helped in this. If it ever gets next to you, that critter can rip large holes in the Pegasus.

You follow it down with the ships sensors. The body seems headed, inconveniently, for the same rough area that you were heading. Even more inconveniently there seems to be a massive storm in the area that start to play havoc with your readings.

It would be much too dangerous to try and fly the Pegasus through the storm. It looks like you are going to have to land and do some foot slogging...

"Bring us down somewhere - relative - save so we can continue on our mission"

"..oh, and if someone could turn off the music now..that would be nice as well"

Medrick collects his CD again and puts it away. We work well together as a crew! Great job everyone. Though, that storm does not look very good. Let us hope we can stay safe!

"Phew! That could've gone a lot worse," Alimony grins, getting his normal gear ready. "Time to see what'll kill us planetside, then?"

As you bring the Pegasus into land you realise the storm contains vast, rapidly fluctuating energy fields. Maybe the energy source is what brought Abdar Corp here. Certianly it looks unusual.

Leaving your ship behind the team heads off in the direction of the outpost you spot what must be some type of small village nearby...

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15.

Will remains oblivious, and continue slogging forward.

Mobius steps outside the Pegasus and views the world with awe, not noticing anything outside the ordinary.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Engineering : 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

Darqen tries to locate the source of the strange sound and makes his colleagues aware of the fact that this is an antique engine!

"An antique engine? Huh. That bears some looking into." With that, Alimony continues his quiet approach, not too fussed if the others don't follow suit.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Heading toward the sound the team is spotted by a pair of young... well.. humanoids. From a distance you almost mistake them for androids, but the subliminal glow to their faces and hands has none of the intricacies of android lines.

They approach, hands open and jabbering in an unknown language.

woo hoo, those of you into first contact situations... this is for you. Also can you all make clear in the discussion thread what your archetype is?

Will pulls out a large tricorder, and encourages the two humanoids to continue talking.

This is my Tetrad Certified Translator, as per the Starfinder Society Guide. So after 10 minutes, we will be able to communicate basic concepts.

It takes a few minutes but you quickly start to get beeps from the machine indicating that these are non hostiles.

A few minutes more and they come through with "Who are you?" and "Did you kill the sky demon?". From gestures, it looks like they would like you to come to their village.

”If you refer to the living space animal that almost killed us, then I can assure you that we killed it first . May we ask who you are and what you are doing here?” Darqen says in a very neutral tone.

Before the device has started working Medrick looks to will, Now that is a nice machine! I could of used that in the hospital a few times.

Once the device starts translating, Medrick seems more than willing to go back to their village. He tries to study them to maybe get some more information to share with his friends.

life science: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 DC is 5 lover when dealing with xenobiology.

Using the device to communicate

"We visitors from beyond stars. We come to take look. You show us?" Not trying to speak like an idiot, but assuming that the machine likes to keep things simple

Hoo boy, first contact again. Not that Alimony is tired of it, but he lets the others take charge. If asked directly, he replies with "I am Alimony, we are here to look around. Yes, we did kill the...demon." Otherwise, he grins and follows along.

Savoy has the right of it, the machine tranlates basic concepts, but will fail on things like names.

"We are <static screach>" translates the machine as they guide you toward the village. On the way the smell of petrol becomes more prevalent. Those of you who have completed your Confirmation will recall a very similar smell while you were helping out Laboni. Indeed the two locals stop and watch as you pass a makeshift track which has a couple of vehicles tearing around it at worryingly high speeds given the low level of tech and almost total absence of safety equipment.

"How you kill sky demon <possible excitement>" translates the machine. Several move of the glowing locals notice you and start to converge on your group.

Darqen speaks in a methodical manner again "We are traveling in a spaceship that we used to disable your so called 'sky demon'. What did the 'sky demon do to you? What are you doing here?"

"We are the <estimated proper name>" translates the box.

"The sky demon drove away friends from the stars" explains the machine before it translates the second part of the answer "We race!"

Just wondering is there one alien that seems to be doing most of the talking/interacting with us or is it a different one each time?
I have share language as a spell, so if there's one who seems like he'd like to stick around us and explain things it might make things easier in communicating if he'd agree to let me cast the spell

"Racing? What do you race? Can tell more? Show us?"

There are the first two who "found you", but there are more coming toward you now, and they appear a little larger.

They seem keen to show off the various gas powered life threatening heaps of scrap that they drive around the track at breakneck speeds.

"You want to try? it asks.

A larger one approaches repeating the questions you gave the initial ones before.

"If you want us to try we can. I like a challenge in driving or piloting." Darqen says although the monotone voice does not betray excitement.

In case needed:
piloting: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Darqen slips into a car and takes off to shrieks from the assembled crowd.
"<High emotion, possible excitement>" chimes in the translator.

"Good Driving Skills" it notes as one of the slightly larger glowing people approaches your group. "Why your presence here?"

"Long time ago, other strangers from the stars came here. We come to find what happened to them."

The larger glowing person is quiet for a bit. "Storm bad. Rest here?" you have translated.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

"They don't seem to wanna talk about others yet. Let's butter 'em up," Alimony whispers as an aside to his comrades. "We can rest here if need be," he adds to the glowy people. "But first, I'll take a turn in these cars." He then walks off to follow his fellow ysoki's lead.

Piloting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Medrick needs to invest in some some social skills!

Knowing that he has a habit of making people more uncomfortable when trying to win them over, he leaves the buttering up for others.Well we are here, is there any one sick or ill? I am a good medic.

The translator whirls for a bit but eventually you get a "Everyone healthy" response from it.

Alimony however does a credible job of racing. He doesn't win, but it it neck and neck all the way to the end, and the glowing people seem to think that was a pretty good result.

"Storm very bad. We rest. We sit? We talk? Share stories?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 11 + (5) = 24

Savoy retells the story of how we defeated the "Sky Demon" using a stone and a stick as visual aids as he makes blaster noises each time the Pegasus fires and has the props zoom through the air, doing loopings, evasive maneuvers and last second dodging.

Anyone else going to tyr

Diplomacy through the translator is difficult, but achievable. You get the feeling they are warming to your team a bit...

"Yes! Talk of battle with sky demon. We talk of Holy Racing."

I have a negative to my diplomacy and would rather not try in case I roll low because I do not want to give us any penalty for a bad roll.

Can we re-try? I'm fine with rolling another bluff check to regale them with more stories if we need more successes

Bluff: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (19) + 11 + (2) = 32

Savoy tells a story about podcast racing he once heard

Sure, unless you fail badly you can retry.

You identify a local "leader" of the community and settle down with them to tell stories and find out what has happened. The village seems obsessed with racing, and even with the elders the conversation comes around to it again, and again, and again.

"The storm is bad at the moment, but this season it's anger is directed against the haunted ruins. The ghosts there blast any who approach with painful sounds."

From his description of the area, and your earlier scans, you think that could be the area you are looking for.

"Angry ghosts in ruins you say? Can we take look? Maybe scare ghosts away? Then we have ruin race?"

Diplomacy if needed: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 11 + (2) = 23

Will nods.

"We already kill sky demon; maybe we can drive away ghosts, too?"

Diplomacy(Assist): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16.

"Just ghosts? We've faced worse, this shouldn't be a problem."

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 ⇒ 19

diplomacy aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

"You can trust in our abilities and our sincerity." Darqen says.