[SFS] GM Mjolbeard's "Into the Unknown" Quest Series (Inactive)

Game Master Mjolbeard89

I'm assuming we're not aware of the presence of the last skeleton...

Not seeing any further threats at the moment, Kaiole moves up to join his teammates over by the computer terminal.

Dusty comes up behind Tchisk, but turns his lamp around and points his pistol backwards, ready to light up any other skeletons that might pop out.

Move to space, standard ready to shoot a skeleton that appears.

Master Filament approaches Flint. Move action

"It would be unwise for any of us to rush off on their own." The elder ysoki smiles at the younger. [b]"I suggest we maintain a 'buddy system'!"{/b]

Readied action - If Flint moves, Master Filament will move to an adjacent square next to him.

Ningth knows the computer issue is in hand so he takes position behind cover, but covering the hallway going "north". He readies an action to shoot any more skeletons that might appear.

"Looks like we have to make our way to the bridge." Tchisk waits for the others to catch up before continuing forward.

Flint readies a shot for any other undead from his vantage point until he gets the all clear.

Alright, I'm just gonna call it there on this fight. The most this skeleton is gonna do is get close to one of you guys before any one of you lands a shot and dusts him. COMBAT OVER!

With the skeletal crew dispatched, the way is now clear for you to make your way to the bridge of the Endless Threnody. The bridge is located behind the enormous crimson eye at the front of the ship, bathed in a blood-red glow. The crew stations are fabricated from bone and steel, apparently grown from the floor and walls of this room. Battle damage is evident throughout the bridge, but it is now empty and utterly silent—truly a ghost ship.

No creatures remain here now, and the only impediment that you face in recovering the coordinates of the crashed Starfinder vessel is the computer security. As the designated Science Officer aboard the Loreseeker, Dusty moves forward and instantly recognizes the bridge computer as a secured tier-1 computer system, meaning that retrieving the information will take two major steps: one to access the system itself and another to bypass the system’s security. Strangely, the system seems to be both technological and magical, so members of the crew with skills in the mystic arts as well as those with training in computers should be able to access the systems safely.

Dusty, since you were the Science Officer during our starship combat, I'd like to elect you to attempt these checks. If you would like to let someone else take the lead on this one, please feel free to nominate them.
Please make two Computers or Mysticism checks.

Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Dusty does his best to navigate the Corpse Fleet computer system, although his eyes cross somewhat from having to sit at a screen again. I get enough of this at my day job, yeesh.

Despite the boredom from having to work on computers again, Dusty manages to bypass the Corpse Fleet security protocols and bring up the data you are after: the location of the downed Starfinder vessel! The coordinates of the downed Starfinder vessel point to a planet in the Vast called Ulmarid. You have the location of the next stop in your journey.

His skill doesn't stop there, however, as he soon also finds a related report hidden within the first one. Opening the well-protected report isn't easy, but Dusty manages it easily enough. Most importantly, this report includes information about the Lawblight, the Besmaran pirate ship that initially crippled the Endless Threnody. You now feel that you would be well prepared to face this opponent if you were to come across them in your quest.

When you finally return to the Loreseeker with the coordinates, you find the hologram of Venture-Captain Arvin already active and awaiting your report. Arvin is grateful for the news and eager to get started on the next step of the quest. He asks you to leave the Endless Threnody and return to Absalom Station while he researches the planet Ulmarid and how best to approach it.

As an additional reward, Arvin provides a password to open a concealed compartment within the Loreseeker that contains delicacies that are suitable to most palates, such as sticks of candied meats and exotic fruits. “I know this mission isn’t yet complete,” he explains, “but you’ve earned the right to celebrate a bit on your return trip. I asked the quartermaster to include a few delicacies so you can enjoy being alive—after an encounter with necromancy.”

That's the end of Quest 3! You all are doing great! I'll have the start of Quest 4 up this afternoon, or perhaps by this evening at the latest.

After you return to Absalom Station to resupply and do some research on the information gained from the Endless Threnody, Venture-Captain once again dispatches you to complete the next stage of your mission. This time, he has provided you with a larger Drake-class vessel, the Odyssey. "You'll need something with a bit more shielding," he explained just before you began to board the ship for your departure. "You're headed for the planet Ulmarid, and...well, I'll have explained later." He nods curtly at your group before turning on his heel and making his way out of the docking bay.

Please select your stations aboard the Odyssey. Information on the ship can be found on slide 1.

As your navigational computers bring you out of the Drift and you begin making your final approach to the planet, a chime sounds over the comms, indicating a message is incoming. A moment later, Venture-Captain Arvin’s pre-recorded hologram stands on the bridge of the Odyssey, his hands clasped behind his back. “Hopefully your journey was uneventful. Based on your previous mission, we’ve obtained information about the planet of Ulmarid. The desert world has breathable atmosphere but is devoid of intelligent civilization. A cloud of asteroids—leftovers from a collision of the planet’s moons long ago—surrounds the planet, so you must carefully navigate the Odyssey to the surface to find the crashed Unbounded Wayfarer.

“Be sure to bring the Starfinder insignias with you; they will be critical in recovering the information the Starfinders left behind. If you can recover any of the lost Starfinders—alive or dead—please do so as well. Good luck.”

The message blinks off as quickly as it began, and you are left looking down upon the approaching planet and its shell of asteroids.

The PC acting as the Odyssey’s science officer can attempt a DC 15 Computers check to get more information about the planet.

Shall we stick to the same assignments? Kaiole was engineer... If I remember correctly.

Shall we stick to the same assignments? Kaiole was engineer... If I remember correctly.

Works for me, although Filament was not a very good gunner; depending on how the next battle goes--the party may be better off with someone else gunning and Filament just staring at buttons! : P

Tchisk was pilot. He would make a competent engineer or science officer, but I see no reason to change up now.

I think at this point, any gunner is better than no gunner.

I think at this point, any gunner is better than no gunner.

True, but I can conceive of occasions when having one good gunner is better than having, say, both a great engineer and a poor gunner.

Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Dusty is sadly unable to get a good reading on the planet.

As the Odyssey approaches its destination, Dusty directs its scanners toward the planet to try to obtain more information, but interference from the asteroid field foils his attempts.

The asteroids continue to pose a problem for the Starfinders, however, as they find their approach to the planet complicated by the constantly shifting field of debris. It will fall to the pilot and his fellow crew members to navigate the asteroid field.

To reach the planet safely, the crew will need to successfully fly through. The Pilot will need to succeed at a DC 15 Piloting check. The Captain may give encouragement and aid with a DC 10 Piloting check or a DC 17 Diplomacy or Intimidate check, giving a +2 bonus. Science Officers may provide an additional +2 bonus each with a DC 15 Computers check (for the purposes of these checks, there may be multiple science officers, each of which may attempt the check once).

Just one roll? I'll make extra just in case.

Piloting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

Piloting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

Piloting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Piloting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Wow, look at those rolls...

Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
One for each Piloting check.

"Tchisk is on fire, he does not need any help!"

Yeah, that first roll is the lowest Piloting roll I've seen out of him, and that was still enough to pass!

Together with Dusty monitoring the asteroid field's movement by running some lightning-fast simulations, Tchisk manages to deftly and safely maneuver the Odyssey through the debris.

Shortly after passing through the asteroid field, you hear the boom of your ship leaving orbit around Ulmarid and entering the planet's atmosphere. Once inside the atmosphere, you are able to pick up the Unbounded Wayfarer's distress beacon and track the beacon to the ship's location on the planet surface. It appears that it crash landed on a group of sand dunes too soft to bear the Odyssey's weight, however, and the safest place to set down is about a half-hour's walk away.

Upon setting down the Odyssey, you open the cargo bay doors and step out onto the alien world's surface. The surface of Ulmarid is a wind-scoured desert with jagged protrusions of rock thrusting up through the sand. The air has a harsh tang, like burning metal.

Everyone please give me a Survival check

"That's some fancy flying there!"

Down on the surface, Kaiole says, "Deserts. Why is it always deserts?"

Survival: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Survival: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

"Why didn't we bring along a skimmer? I distinctly recall saying we should bring a skimmer."
Survival: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Ningth peers over the endless dunes and mutters to himself.

survival: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

Although not trained in wilderness exploration, Dusty's amateur xenoarchaeology background and survival smarts win out, and he navigates the fittingly dusty terrain reasonably well.

Flint tries to navigate around the dunes:

Survival: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

And stumbles though the sands.

After looking up at the sky and tasting the air for a moment, Dusty, Kaiole, and Tchisk all come to the same conclusion. A sandstorm is coming, and from the taste of the air, it will carry some sort of toxin within it.

Armed with this knowledge, you prepare yourselves to the best of your ability, but the question remains of how to protect yourselves against the toxic effects of the storm. That is when you recall that you were sent out with a small gift package. As you open the package, you find a card that names the giver as the ysoki family who runs the Vat Garden back on Absalom Station. Inside, you find 6 small bulbs and a note explaining that these plant bulbs protect the one who consumes it against all varieties of toxins for a short time. You've done about as much as you can think of to prepare yourselves for the coming storm. Now is the time to begin your trek.

About 15 minutes after you begin your trek to the crash site, a rainstorm of poisonous crystals coalesces out of the clear air and pounds down on the region, catching you in its area, even as you consider turning back to return to the Odyssey for cover.

If anyone has any additional preparations you'd like to make from class abilities, now is the time.
If not, please make 3 Reflex saves with a +4 bonus from your preparations, and 3 Fortitude saves with a +4 bonus from the plant bulbs.

Ref: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 4 = 9
Ref: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 2 + 4 = 17
Ref: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 2 + 4 = 15

Fort: 1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 4 = 24
Fort: 1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 1 + 4 = 25
Fort: 1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 1 + 4 = 20

Reflex: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 2 + 4 = 16
Reflex: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 2 + 4 = 23
Reflex: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 4 = 12
Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Ref: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 4 = 10
Ref: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 2 + 4 = 16
Ref: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 2 + 4 = 16

Fort: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 2 + 4 = 23
Fort: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 2 + 4 = 19
Fort: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 4 = 10

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 4 = 10
Reflex: 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 + 4 = 24
Reflex: 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 4 = 16

Fort: 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 4 = 16
Fort: 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 4 = 23
Fort: 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 4 = 13

Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 4 = 7
Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 4 = 24
Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 1 + 4 = 18

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 4 = 28
Reflex: 1d20 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 4 = 16
Reflex: 1d20 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 4 = 20

*Starting up Ningth-bot*

Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Tchisk, Master Filament, and Flint all are slashed and scratched by the razor-sharp crystals as they form out of the air and begin to fall upon you, but they resist the poisonous effects of the crystals thanks to the bulbs provided by the ysoki family.

Tchisk takes 5 points of damage
Master Filament 6 takes points of damage
Flint takes 2 points of damage

And then, the storm of poisonous crystals ends as quickly as it began. The harsh metallic smell in the air abates, as there is no similar storm pending in the near future.

You continue your trek through the deserts of Ulmarid, following the tracking beacon coming from the Unbounded Wayfarer until you come around the southern edge of a ridge and spot what appears to be some sort of turret-mounted weapon peeking up through the sand! You begin making your final approach toward the wreckage, but find you have to make your way there carefully.

Entering Initiative!
Please note how you will be moving toward the wreckage and move your token on the map accordingly.

INITIATIVE
The Crash Site - Round 1
All players may post
Filament
Ningth
Tchisk
Flint
Kaiole
Dusty

May I assume that after the storm passes, Master Filament and others may take a 10 minute rest to restore Stamina Points by spending a Resolve Point?

Approaching the location of the signal beacon, Master Filament scans the area looking for life--hoping to see signs of the crew.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Assuming he doesn't spot/sense anything...

"The mounted weapon would seem to indicate that the ship has been buried. Come, let us see to it quickly before another storm overtakes us!" The older ysoki moves toward the wreckage--breaking out into a run.

Assuming the sand is not difficult terrain, run action allows movement in straight line up to 4 times speed. Token updated on map.

Yes to short rest. Up to you whether to heal up.

Tchisk approaches a little to the side.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 16

Flint keep his rifle out an slowly moves towards the gun emplacement from the other flank keeping an eye out for any other signs or clues.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Kaiole follows along keeping an eye out.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Yeah, you definitely have time to take a short rest after the storm abates. Feel free to use that time to heal up as needed.
Tchisk, that would take 1 RP from you as well, right? Or did you have some other ability that allowed you to avoid the majority of the damage?
Giving Dusty and Ningth until this evening to post, then I'll bot them and move us along.

Dusty sticks close to Flint, cautiously approaching the wreckage with his wits about him.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Ningth also watches the team cautiously, scanning for danger as the others approach the weapon.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

No. Just an oversight.

Okay, just making sure we were on the same page there. I'll assume Flint did the same.

As your party moves across the dunes toward the wreckage of the Unbounded Wayfarer, a few of you begin to notice a low rumbling sound coming from beneath you. Before you have time to sort out what the source of the sound is, an enormous creature bursts from the sands in the middle of the group that had ventured along the edge of the ridge to the west, catching you all off guard. The creature is a 14-foot-long burrowing beast with six powerful legs. Its carapace is made of thick crystal and it bears enormous mandibles that thrum with energy.

As the creature erupts from the sands, it lunges its large body at the only creature it can easily strike - Flint!

Bite: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15 Damage; Sonic Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 91d3 ⇒ 3

The beast just manages to find a weak spot in Flint's armor, but the bite wounds him badly. What's worse is that even as the creature's mandibles work their way into his flesh, Flint feels powerful vibrations ripping through his body, harming him further!

INITIATIVE
The Crash Site - Round 2
PCs are up! All players may post!
Flint (0/9 SP, 6/9 HP, 4/5 RP)
Unidentified beast (Mysticism DC 14)

Tchisk scampers along while firing at the sand creature.

Semi-Auto Pistol: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18 Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Yes he would have with everyone else

In a bit of a panic Flint takes a guarded step back and fire wildly at the creature.

Rifle Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Rifle Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1

Seeing that his well aimed hit did not do much, Flint eyes the large gun in the distance.

Upon hearing the sounds accompanying the exposed mandibles of the creature and its emergence from the sand coming from behind him, Master Filament stops his run and sighs loudly. Didn't see that one coming, did you, Old Buck?

Photon attunement 1

Turning towards the creature, he concentrates as his body is enveloped in glowing armor. Move action

He then moves over the sand, looking for an opportunity to open a charge lane. Second Move action

Mysticism: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Kaiole takes two guarded steps away from the monstrosity.

Kaiole recognizes the creature as a skreebara--a magical beast that has the ability to hunt its prey with a bite that inflicts sonic damage as well as the normal damage suffered from the bite. Furthermore, the creature is able to discharge the sonic energy resonating between its mandibles in a line, but only does this in rare situations.

As he and the other Starfinders begin moving around the field of battle in which they've found themselves, two of the explorers turn their weapons on the skreebara, both hitting the creature.

INITIATIVE
The Crash Site - Round 2
PCs are up
Dusty and Ningth may post!
Flint (0/9 SP, 6/9 HP, 4/5 RP)
Unidentified beast (-6)

Ningth's eyes open wide, and he fires on instinct.

Laser Rifle, Azimuth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16Fire damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2