[SFS] GM-8574: 01-QUEST Into the Unknown - Part 1 (28 AUG 2017) - Table 2 (Inactive)

Game Master Jason Lillis

Keskodai remains in the back hoping that no violence comes of this, but just in case he takes out his pistol.

When the three human men get a good sight of you as you come through the door, their eyes narrow quickly. "HEY! You ain't security! Not even a uniform to try Gurge, Jarkin - these blokes think they can muck about in our business. Let's teach 'em how we handle meddlers in Downlow!" They raise heavy hammers, and get ready to advance on your positions!

Iseph continues to go undetected, and will get a surprise round. Then, round one initiative order is below!

Round One!
Group 1) Navasi (Envoy), Obozaya (Soldier), Raia (Technomancer)
Group 2) Exegara(?) and "C"
Group 3) Iseph (Operative), Keskodai (Mystic), Altronus (Solarian)
Group 4) Gurge and Jarkin

Iseph is up first, then initiative continues!

Make sure to note the two text boxes at the top of the map! There are concealment conditions in place due to the thick vegetation: Total (50% miss chance if shooting down from the walkway) and Partial (20% miss chance if shooting more that 10' from the target).

Not especially keen on getting down into an area she can't see, where she knows that there are hostiles, Raia delays.

Having heard the blustering taunt from the goons, Iseph frowns. Time and again, the situation gets out of hand, and always so quickly. Utilizing the element of surprise. Taking aggressive preventative action.

The android, pistol already in hand, targets the nearest hostile's legs, taking care to avoid hitting an artery.

Avoid casualties if possible. Morally? Grey. Legally? Grey.

Iseph smirked. Walls? Grey. Floors? Grey. Everything on this station is grey.

Pistol, Semi-auto, Tactical: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Damage, piercing: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Given the terrain in the gardens, I moved Navasi forward so that she could see them and be seen as well. If I need to move back some I can.

Obozaya

"Finally! A fiiiiight!" Obozaya crows, exultantly slinging the canon back and raising her Doshko to fight like a real warrior.

Moving and switching as part of that move. Attacking "C" with my Doshko. I just noticed there's no +1 1/2x Str for 2-handing melee weapons...

Attack KAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Damage: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

The terror that is 400+ lbs of excited Vesk crashes into battle and draws first blood. Assuming that Iseph's shot goes on his initiative round after me.

Iseph Concealment Check (20% miss chance): 1d100 ⇒ 82

Iseph's shot happened during a surprise round - first blood goes to Iseph!

Iseph's bullet grazes one of the men, and he cries out in surprise and pain, but not as much pain as when Obozaya comes crashing into him!

I'm presuming that Navasi's movement was pre-combat. Go ahead and take an action. Raia, just let me know when you want to jump in!

It should be pre-combat. Given the sight restrictions, I would need to be meaningfully closer to them.

Sounds good - you're up as part of Group 1!

Whoops, forgot about rolling the concealment check. I told myself that I'd have to do so, but then I went through last night and pre-wrote out all the dice codes for my various characters' various attacks. Totally just copied, pasted, then posted. :P

Navasi:

Navasi draws her Azmuth Laser pistol and shout "Get em!" while pointing at C.

That will give everyone a +1 bonus to Attack Rolls against C until the end of my next turn. Have fun Obodaya!

Raia continues to hold back and assess the situation. If you don't act by the end of the next group of PCs, I'll BOT an action for you.

The cloaked figure in the back hisses, then pulls out a laser pistol and fires at Navasi...

ATK: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
DAM: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
20%: 1d100 ⇒ 20

...but the cutting through the foliage is harder than she anticipates, and the shot just misses. It hisses again, and yells, "Corvell, do what I pay you for!"

Corvell, you assume, hefts his assault hammer and attempts to slam it into Obozaya's side...

ATK: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
DAM: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

...landing a solid blow to the Vesk's midsection!

Group 3) Iseph (Operative), Keskodai (Mystic), Altronus (Solarian)
Group 4) Gurge and Jarkin

I read the rulebook and I'm still not understanding how a few things in combat work. I moved my character where I want him. And it says my frag grenade has 15 ft, which I assume is radius. I placed an F on the map showing where I would throw it, but how far can I throw a grenade? and is says -1 to hit, how could it be -1 to hit when it is a blast radius not a target? If I can't throw my grenade cause it is too far, my other thing would be to pull out my gun and shoot. I think it says 20 feet, but do I just take a penalty like in pathfinder if I go range 2 and throw it 40 feet?

Altronus moves closer, goes into Photon mode which deals 1 extra damage from all weapons he uses, and (throws his frag grenade? If not, he shoots his pistol)

The pale azure-skinned android tilted its head slightly, in awe of what it just witnessed.
'Zaya's reaction time is incredible; almost immediately after I took the initial shot, she was there a beat later, following through with her doshko.

After seeing the thug's counterattack against his vesk friend, Iseph knew they had to react immediately. Head down, rushing though the rows of plants, Iseph comes to the end of a row, and peeks around the vegetation. The one they called Corvell. The same Corvell who was now the proud owner of the first bullet Iseph fired. Soon to take possession of another.
Not that he knows it... Iseph mused, training their slugthrower where the center-mass would be, calculating that the shot would be through about ten feet of lush greenery. Most firefights are just high-speed, high-stress lessons in geometry, after all.

A slight pull of the trigger. A metallic click, then a jarring report, tens of decibels louder than anticipated.

Stealth, DC vs 20 + Corvell's CR: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18
Pistol, Semi-auto, Tactical: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Damage, piercing: 1d6 + 1d4 ⇒ (6) + (2) = 8

Iseph couldn't believe it.
He moved. I... missed?
The android frowned, despite itself. self-query: likelihood of making previous shot, given conditions at time. result: pending...

Full action: (botched) Trick Attack

I read the rulebook and I'm still not understanding how a few things in combat work. I moved my character where I want him. And it says my frag grenade has 15 ft, which I assume is radius. I placed an F on the map showing where I would throw it, but how far can I throw a grenade? and is says -1 to hit, how could it be -1 to hit when it is a blast radius not a target? If I can't throw my grenade cause it is too far, my other thing would be to pull out my gun and shoot. I think it says 20 feet, but do I just take a penalty like in pathfinder if I go range 2 and throw it 40 feet?

The range on thrown grenades is 20 feet. And to throw a grenade, you target a line intersection on the map, which is an attack vs. AC 5.

And yes, correct about the -2 for every range increment. Max range is 10x the range increment for ranged projectile weapons, and 5x for thrown weapons. So you can toss grenades 100 feet in total, albeit at a -8 on top of your usual attack modifier.

Aleon you have a -1 to grenade because Solarian's do not automatically gain grenade proficiency. You incur a -4 to use a grenade. However you have +1 Base attack bonus and +2 from your 14 Str so you attack mod is -1. Also when using a grenade you target a grid spot not an actual square. You only need to roll vs AC 5 to hit that spot. As for range the grenade can be thrown 20ft. For every 20 ft past the first 20 ft you take a -2. So throwing 40 would another -2 to your roll.

Still unable to see anything, Raia moves around for a better look.

Double move, in the direction of the ladder.

The negative -1 has bab and str already factored in. 3 for that and -4 for not proficient, so -1. It does not factored in the range penalty which is another -2. So -3. Alright, pick a point on the map.

Altronus throws his grenade (f marked on the map) hit the point: -3 + 1d20 ⇒ -3 + (19) = 16
dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 5 to all creatures in 15ft radius range, piercing dmg, plus whatever else it does. unless I roll dmg for each individual creature

no you roll once but anyone affected in radius can make reflex save for half

I forgot, I did say he was in Photon mode, so grenade should have done 1d6+1, since Photon mode deals a +1 bonus to insight damage, which means everyone got hit for 6 damage instead

Keskodai moves up cautiously wary of the combatants. He draws his pulsecaster pistol and removes the safety at the same time his antennae become attuned searching for any of these would be criminals.

Raia maneuvers for positioning!

Iseph's shot goes wide, to the surprise of the android.

Keskodai cautiously moves into the foliage.

Altronus dashes forward, and lobs a grenade where he thinks it will have the best effect.
I'm still going to apply concealment to the attack, and if I roll 1%-20%, I'll roll 1d8 and move the grenades explosion point as detailed on page 245 of the SRG.
Grenade vs. Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 27
E Save vs. 12: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 (FAIL, -5 HP)
J Save vs. 12: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 (PASS, -2 HP)
G Save vs. 12: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 (FAIL, -5 HP)

Gurge reels from the grenade blast, but the man still lurches forward to attack Navasi with his assault hammer...
ATK: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
DAM: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
...but the concussion seems to have stalled him.

Jarkin, slightly less rattled, runs through the foliage and tries to slam a hammer into the mighty Vesk, Obozaya...
ATK: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
DAM: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
...scoring a SOLID hit on the soldier.

Round One!
Group 1) Navasi (Envoy), Obozaya (Soldier, -13 HP), Raia (Technomancer)
Group 2) Exegara(Maybe? -5 HP) and Corvell (-8 HP)
Group 3) Iseph (Operative), Keskodai (Mystic), Altronus (Solarian)
Group 4) Gurge (-5 HP) and Jarkin

Navasi:

Navasi will take a guarded step away fromm the man attacking her and then shoot the one attacking her.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Raia hustles down the ladder, and, tapping some targeting details into her bracer, fires a pair of Force missiles into Corvell.

Magic Missile: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 2) + 2 = 6 Force damage.

Obozaya (Stam:0, Hit Points: 8)

Battered and outnumbered, Obozaya now has them right where she wants them. With a bloody-tinged roar of battle, Obozaya swings her Doshko at Jarkin. Her holographic war-banner is a flickering red light in the green of plant life.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Damage: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

I'm going to hope Nevasi's shot killed Corvell.

Navasi's shot hits the thuggish man and burns him badly on the arm!
Fire Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Raia's targeting data makes her missiles strike true, and Corvell screams as he falls to the ground and lies still.

Obozaya's attack slams home, piercing heart and lungs to utterly destroy his internal organs. Jarkin collapses to the ground in a bloody heap!

The hooded figure hisses again, and fires a parting shot at Obozaya as she races for the ladder in the back of the room...
Laser ATK: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Laser DAM: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 95
...the shot piercing just through the Vesk's armor!

Round Two!
Group 3) Iseph (Operative), Keskodai (Mystic), Altronus (Solarian)
Group 4) Gurge (-7 HP) and Jarkin (DEAD)

Seeing the hooded figure make a break for the far ladder, Iseph gives chase.

The android clears a row of hydroponically grown bushes, and makes it to the clear pathway in the middle of the vat. Two steps behind, Iseph won't be able to tackle the rogue. Back's turned... haven't spotted me yet. Iseph takes a knee, takes aim, and takes a breath.

Trick attack, Stealth vs. (DC 20 + Target CR): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19

At the last second, the hooded figure looks over their shoulder. Damn, spotted me. I still got you in my sights, though.

Pistol, Semi-auto, Tactical: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Damage, piercing: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Man, the dice roller hates me lately. :[

Altronus rushes into melee with G while pulling out his solar weapon hit: 4 + 1d20 ⇒ 4 + (9) = 13 dmg: 1d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6 +1 for being in Photon mode Slashing dmg

Keskodai moves up and senses that the threat in front of Obozaya no longer lives. His antennae pick up that that one of the threats are fleeing but currently out of his range to do anything.

He turns his attention to the threat by Navasi watching as Altronus summons his solar weapon. Opening up his body he begins to summon a considerable amount of psychic energy and channels it into the occipital lobe of Gurge.

Mind Thrust vs Gurge: 2d10 ⇒ (5, 3) = 8
DC 15 Will save for half

Iseph's bullet grazes the shrouded figure, and it's hood falls back revealing an emaciated face and a long, slavering tongue...
Keskodai Mysticism Check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
...a creature that Keskodai easily identifies as a ghoul.

Altronus' solar weapon strikes home, dropping Gurge to the ground.

Keskodai is able to re-direct the mental assault to the black-clad figure after Altronus dispatches the man...
E Will Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
...and the ghoul reels, collapsing to the ground and dropping it's laser at the base of the ladder. "Aaarrgghhh!!! Stop, stop, I surrender!" it cries out.

What do you do?

We gave you a chance to surrender and you refused our offer. I don't believe in 2nd chances.
hit: 4 + 1d20 ⇒ 4 + (8) = 12 oh man, only 12 to kit, maybe he is flatfooted or whatever dmg: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

If we're going by initiative order, Navasi, Obozaya, Raia, and Exegara can act first, before Altronus executes the ghoul. I'm going to let his action stand on his initiative turn unless one of the other members of the group does something that would prevent this from happening. Just remember that if you do act, you don't actually know that Altronus is planning to do this. Any other actions?

Iseph holstered their pistol, and began to bend down and retrieve the laser pistol that the ghoul was carrying. Hostilities ended. Begin retrieval of any possible weap--

*shluk!*

It was a brilliant light, all things considered. A quick streak that had started and ended all in one instant. It was then that the android realized what happened.

It's rather hard to surprise an android, with their computing core attempting to calculate all possible outcomes before quickly coming to conclusions, but the look on Iseph's face was purely that; surprise.

Surprise that the lanky kasatha would strike down a surrendered combatant.

... or perhaps the surprise was that Iseph just didn't see it coming.

Raia has no reason to attack.

Raia chews her lip thoughtfully.

"Why should we accept your surrender? What benefit to us is there in doing so?"

Obozaya

Obozaya catches her breath, checking her body to make sure she hadn't lost any parts again. "There's no honor in killing someone who surrenders." she growls, obviously disappointed but moving up to take the prisoner under her control. She glares at Alronus as he raises his blade, showing her teeth. "No. Honor." she growls, hauling the ghoul up and wrenching her hands behind her back.

Navasi:

"Very well. What were you looking for?" asks Navasi as she moves towards the ghoul.

Sense motive to notice Altronus' planned action: 1d20 + 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (7) + (6) + 4 = 17

Going to go out on a limb and guess that let me see his intention to murder someone who has surrendered:

Looking right at Altronus, Navasi will say "Now, now. We have everything contained. No need for all that. Besides, he probably wants to be really cooperative with us, given the situation, and if worse comes to worst, you can always follow through with your intention."

Intimidate vs. DC 10+intimidate skill bonus or 15+.5 target's CR: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Iseph closed their eyes, and when they opened back up, it was if time itself had been scrubbed back a few seconds, like rewinding a holovid file. The prisoner... is still alive?

A wave of dysphoria washed over the android. Was it a neural feedback loop? Something wrong with my event prediction routines? Iseph stood calm, their face emotionless.

Internally, their very soul was screaming for answers.

Posted last night around the same time as the GM, then couldn't edit my earlier post. Whoops.

Keskodai watches on with intrigue at the many differing choices that must be going through the thoughts of each of his companions.

He began to follow each action thinking of a question with each turn he took. 'The creature was unnatural it could not die if it was not living? Still the creature must know something about the fallen Starfinders. Should we destroy creature after it tells us information? If we let it live will it only create more harm for others? How can we be sure it deserves mercy?'

"Tchk..tchk..Speak now. Tchk..tchk..I do not care for what you are. You reek of dark force..Tchk..tchk..to destroy you would make this station more safe. Unless you have information to provide us otherwise?"

diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Altronus, if you feel at all swayed by your companions, you can withhold your strike and we'll adapt accordingly. It's ultimately your call, though I might recommend that you consider whether Altronus, a LN character, would actually execute an opponent who has surrendered.

Altronus is about to strike, but when Obozaya said he has no honor, he purposely strikes the ground in front of the ghoul instead of the ghoul itself to intimidate it. Fine, I guess, you live, but let this be a warning to whoever it is you work for, or for whoever else is out there working with you.

"What am I here for? What are you here for? Why can't you just leave well enough alone? GAH!" she jumps when Altronus' weapon furrows the dirt near her. "All right, all right! I'm in the Corpse Fleet, on a ship call the Endless Threnody. Our ship is damaged, and I'm here looking for skulls to fix it. I hear the rats that run this place take bodies for fertilizer, so I thought I'd help myself to get my ship back up again. What are you going to do about it, huh? Why are you coming to me for information?"

"Sorry to hear about your transportation troubles, but that's not our concern."

Iseph pulls out their hand terminal, calls up an image of the Starfinder insignia, and tosses it down to the helpless ghoul.

"No, our concern lies in how you obtained this property of the Society. And before you start, we already know you offloaded the lot to a pawn shop. We only care about how you came across the insignias, and the livelihood of their previous owners."

The android looks to Obozaya and Altronus, then back down at the ghoul. "And I would advise prudence with your answers; insulting someone who already wants to see you dead would be... highly inadvisable."

Obozaya

"Dead-er than you already are." the Vesk adds.

"Are you serious? You come down and kill my hired muscle like some band of armigers of justice and your just a pile of Starfinders? Pah!" She spits, then shakes her head. "Yeah, I found 'em and sold 'em. The lot of them were already dead when we got there, and their ship barely had any salvageable scrap to speak of. I took anything that looked like it could get me a credit, but we got jumped on our way out of the system by pirates. My ship's stuck in the Drift, disabled, so I brought my shuttle here to get repair parts. You satisfied? You still want to end me over some trinkets, or are you going to let me go and get back to repairing my ship?"

"Tchk...tchk...You found the ship where? Provide us the coordinates. Tchk...tchk...no survivors? Tell us of the pirates...Tchk...tchk..did their ships bear any markings you can identify them with?

She snarls. "I don't have the coordinates for your ship here with me. They're on my ship, the Endless Threnody. You let me go, and I'll give you the coordinates for my ship. Then I'll get what I need here, and you'll meet me there, at the Threnody, and I'll give you the coordinates for your ship. What do you say - do we have a deal?"

Iseph turns to the rest of the crew, and shrugs. "Looks like the only way we'll get to the crew of the Wayfinder is to trust in the validity of these coordinates. Hrm."

The android wanders away from the crew and the bargaining eoxian and over to the bodies of the hired muscle. I hate trusting the word of someone who tried to punch a hole through you minutes earlier.

Iseph looks down at one of the fallen gunmen. Well, I can't say I'm sorry we killed you, poor sap. The android gives a soft push with their boot, turning the corpse over, then searches various pockets for ammo or credits. And I can't say I'm sorry for looting you. Dead men have no use for material posessions.

Each of the men is carrying an assault hammer, an azimuth laser pistol with twenty charges, and a credstick loaded with 250 credits.

Keskodai turns his head looking at the others silent in his expression.

Edited my previous post, added some flavour and a bit of speech. I'll leave the choice of what to do with our newfound "friend" to a quick committee vote.

Iseph examines one of the laser pistols, looking down the holoproj sight post. Could use something to punch through shielding.

self query: possible streetnames/nicknames
result: Iseph Two-Guns?

The android holsters the pistol in the dead man's leg-strap, then unhooks the release. No. No new nickname needed.

I'll grab one of the pistols, then put the 750 credits into a communal credstick labeled "MISSION BUDGET" to be dispersed how we see fit. :P