[SFS] PbP Gameday VI - GM Woran's Quest Starfinder: Into the Unknown (All 5 Parts) (Full) (Inactive)

Game Master Woran

Ready to dot

You are hastily summoned to the Lorespire Complex by Venture-Captain Arvin, a male damaya lashunta. The no-nonsense venturecaptain quickly gets to the business at hand.

He gestures to several functional chairs, inviting you to sit.
“Thank you for arriving so quickly. As I mentioned in my comm message, we have an urgent opportunity to recover some critical information.
“Several months ago, a crew of Starfinders took a ship called the Unbounded Wayfarer into the Vast to explore a series of uncharted planets. They never returned. Earlier today, a vesk pawnbroker in the Downlow neighborhood contacted us, offering to sell us several Starfinder insignias. These insignias belonged to the lost crew of the Unbounded Wayfarer, and that immediately caught the Society’s attention. The pawnbroker—named Julzakama—doesn’t realize the true value of the insignias. We negotiated a purchase price in exchange for the insignias and information about the seller. We hope this seller can lead us to the Unbounded Wayfarer and its crew.
“We’ve remotely transferred the requested credits to Julzakama. Now, we need you to collect the insignias and all the information you can from the vesk regarding whoever sold him the insignias, and then track down that seller. Learn where to find the Unbounded Wayfarer and its crew. I’m worried that the seller might not be on the station for long, so act quickly. If you have any questions, please make them fast.”

A muscular vesk (aren't they all), tries to get comfortable in the far to functional chairs, instead squirming uncomfortably. He wears a sleeveless red vest, showing off his guns (and here I mean biceps), the vest is open in the front showing off his chest scales which look to be cover by a second skin, upon closer examination. His skin is a pale green with just a hint of blue-green in a few spots, he's wearing a undersized (for a vesk, would be perfect for a human) pink and white cap with bright read letters that say Strawberry Machine Cake. He wears a grimace on his face, but mainly because he has a Castrovellian cigar clenched in his teeth. In his hands appears to be what looks like a grenade, and he nonchalantly, continuously pulls the pin, then replaces it.

So we head on over to this pawnbroker, I beat some sense into him and get him to tell us who sold him the insignias, and if he won't tell I blow him to smithereens, is that the gist of it? The vesk replies to the Venture Captain (clearly he is as dumb as he looks). Sounds easy enought.

Looking around at the others, By the way, names Gornoc. I like two things. First one is getting credits, can't get enought off 'em. Second thing is blowing stuff up! If I can do both then it's been a good day. He cheeses a grin.

Kallus nods as the two vesk finished talking, his dour face matching his dark armor. He wasn't sure if the two vesk grinning were challenging each other or if it was a mating ritual. He was still getting used to them being here and not at the other end of a battlefield. Remembering where he was, he spoke, his voice as even toned as the gray bulkheads. "It appears there is more to this story, but I suspect we will uncover it when we reach the pawnbroker. Otherwise, you would simply send a courier, not an armed group. We will get the ship back. One way...", he looks at Gornoc. "..or another."

The other Vesk is quite short, for a Vesk that is. He only measures slightly above six feet. His scales are polished to a bright green and he wears an immaculate but dull black suit.

"I am Baskoro, opera singer and starfinder agent. We will take care of this pawnbroker" he nods at Gornoc "We try diplomacy first. If that does not work we will turn to alternative measures"

Yeah, I'm kinda with him. a short ratfolk says as he scratches his fur with a survival knife. I mean if we did pay him, he shouldn't have any reason to nit just tell us, right?

The ysoki turns to the Venture Captain so fast he cuts off a bit of his pale fur with the knife and almost nicks the skin. I haven't heard of he Wayfarer before. How many Starfinders were on it?

Oh! he says, turning to the group where even the 'short' Baskoro towers above him. And I'm Zye! I only heard some of you on the group channel. Great to meet you in the flesh! Or fur. Or scales. Or chitin; are any Shirren joining us?[/b]

The third of the vesk present speaks up from under his robes. Most of the form is hidden underneath a full body robe that is oddly bulked out. His face bears the oddly white scales of an albino yellowed with age. The clawed hand holding a technologically embossed staff is clad in heavy armor. "Greetings all, I am known as Zabrutal. I know of many things, including energy manipulation. Let us bring those that have wandered home, we have a path before us to follow. Julzakama appears our first step."

Oh okay, talking first, we'll I always say if a small bomb won't get the job done, get a bigger bomb, but we'll try it your way, Baskoro. Gornoc spins the grenade in his hand, when he gets a couple funny looks, Oh don't worry this one is not live.

Yet! Bahaha!

Karine watches in barely-concealed horror as her fellows begin introducing themselves, but by the time they're through, it seems that sanity weighs out in this crowd. Quickly, she jots down some notes on her data-pad, not realizing she's narrating them out loud.

"Update - Baskoro is an opera singer; earlier singing unlikely to be mating call, but it's still too early to rule out. Two of three vesk are sane, one is explosion-prone."

With that complete, she turns back to the rest of the group. "Oh, sorry. I'm Karine Iwrin! I hope you don't mind if I take some footage for my holovid show, 'Iwrin's Wild Wild Life'! We probably won't be making it to any undiscovered planets on this mission, but my producer says I have to ask or the lawyers will get mad."

Karine bounces out of her seat and starts packing her things. "It sounds like we'd better get going to find this Julzakama. If that seller gets off this station, we're dead in the water!"

"Agreed.", Kallus says simply. "To Downlow then. We shouldn't have too much trouble with the locals with all this muscle. Though, I'm not sure how much they want to be holoed. Most folks down there tend to like their privacy."

Zye scitters over towards Karine. He stand on tip-claws and lightly taps her lower shoulder.

Hey, am I on the 'sane' side?

The venture captain quickly ushers you out of his study.
"Exelent. Sounds like you all have a plan already. You know how to reach me if need be. I've uploaded the coordinates of Julzakama's pawn shop to your comlinks."
He seems especially keen to get Gornoc out of the door.

Culture: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Pondering for a moment prior to leaving the office Zabrutal speaks up. "I have heard of this vesk. A degenerate and mercantile soul. Bring bluster not smooth words." He suggests while also pulling up the co-ordinates to the shop on his comm.

Gornoc grins at Zabrutal, Should be no problem! Well times a wasting,
let's go.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

The starfinders make their way to the downlow and Baskoro addresses a ysoki that he passes on the street "Excuse me, can you give me directions to the pawnshop that a Julzakama runs? And do you anything about the shop?"

The ysoki answers and confirms what Zabrutal already said. "Thank you" Baskoro replies.

To his fellow vesk he says "I can do bluster, that should be no problem" he points to Karine and Kallus "Although they will probably see confirmation there that vesk are bullies"

Pondering for a moment prior to leaving the office Zabrutal speaks up. "I have heard of this vesk. A degenerate and mercantile soul. Bring bluster not smooth words."

Zye looks around at the trio of vesk and the bounty hunter. Well at least that won't be a problem then.

Downlow is a poor and densely populated section of the Spike that extends below Absalom Station. Although some areas of Downlow are clean and trendy, this narrow alley of concrete and metal buildings drips with oil and sparking wires. A wide, red neon electric sign reads “Julzakama’s Loans” on a building sandwiched between a Kuthite sensation house and a derelict building covered with graffiti. The shop’s solid metal door contains a single, small window too grimy to
peer through.

The interior of Julzakama’s Loans is crammed with shelves containing all manner of near-valueless items, from small appliances to VR game consoles and jars of colored powders. The shop has the acrid smell of a reptile house that has not been cleaned in months.
A massive vesk in a muscle shirt stands at the rear of the shop, behind a low desk and a series of heavy metal bars anchored into the ceiling.
He is carelessly disassembling an old computer when you arrive, but he looks up from his work when you enter the shop.
"Can I help you with something?"

Gornoc starts to stray toward the Kuthite sensation house, before being redirected by the others. Entering the building, Gornoc gives the shopkeeper a nod, then hangs back and let's the others do the talking. Waiting for any cues that his talents should be employed.

Baskoro opens a hand and a hologram of the symbol of the Starfinder society appears above his hand "You have something for us. You will also tell us who sold those insignas to you. I have troubles enough as it is, you don't want to add others..."

Intimidate (1 rank): 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 7 + (1) = 16

Cultures: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Kallus takes note of what his informants say, but none of them confirm the story from the others. He tells himself to keep an eye out. He lets the Vesk talk for them, as they seem to have an affinity for bluster. All the while he is checking his contacts along the way to see if this particular one has a record.

Pro Bounty Hunter: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Arvin should have spoke to you. Lashunta. And already paid too. Zye adds.

The ratfolk looks around the cluttered shop as the vesk size each other up. His eyes landing on a piece of metal, Zye rushes over towards it. Oooooh! Is this a Quadlaserdisc player? I though all of those got recalled, you know because of the grydak eggs they were using as batteries.

Julzakama doesnt have a records. His name is mentioned in some reports, but he's managed to stay clean. So far.

When Baskoro gives the vesk behind the counter the stink eye, the other vesk holds up his large arms in a placating gesture.

"Woah there friend. Ease up. I was just trying to be a shopkeep you know."
He gives a nod to the Ysoki. "Your little friend there seems to get it. Yeah. That's a Quadlaserdisk. No eggs in there anymore. But I'm sure a fine handy fellah like you can rig something up. 10 credits and that baby can be yours."

Julzakama eyes Baskoro up and down. "Since my protection money to the Lowrigger gang is fully paid, the only others to walk in and threaten me bold as a Space Pirate, you must be Starfinders."

He slides a metal box through a gap in the bars. The box contains seven insignias bearing the compass-like logo of the Starfinder Society.

"This is what you want yeah?"

Sniffing with some disdain from the back next to Gornoc, Zabrutal adds to the conversation "You know we want more. The Insignias were stolen. My friend plays with grenades." while nodding to the soldier with his variety of round toys.

"You will also tell us who sold those things to you" Baskoro adds while passing the box to Zye "are these the real things?"

Gornoc smiles People who appreciate my talents. It seems to be going well so he continues to stand by. I wonder if he has any of the older 'Strawberry Machine Cake' Holodiscs? His mind wandering slightly.

Julzakama rolls his eyes.
"There is just no dealing with you people. Yes, these are the insignias your captain payed for. If I knew how to forge these, I wouldnt operate a broken down pawn shop.
The seller was named Exegara, and she wasn’t from around here. Wore a flightsuit, like she had come off a long trip. Once she had her money,
she asked about where to purchase clean skeletons. I don’t carry goods like that, so I sent her to the Vat Garden.
She was definitely an Eoxian. She looked like a man-ling, but didn’t breathe or blink or anything, and she mentioned something about hiring some local muscle 'just in case'.
Its all I know. I swear."

"Thank you. Now where can we find those Vat gardens?"

Sense Motive (1 rank): 1d20 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (2) = 9

Breaking his silence Gornoc inquires, Clean skeletons as in dead bodies, less all the muscle and stuff? Weird, hey do you have any of the older 'Strawberry Machine Cake' Holodiscs?

He gives a nod to the Ysoki. "Your little friend there seems to get it. Yeah. That's a Quadlaserdisk. No eggs in there anymore. But I'm sure a fine handy fellah like you can rig something up. 10 credits and that baby can be yours."

"Sold!" Zye says as he begins fishing out his credstick. Madly typing away, the ratfolk cocks its head as he thinks. "Eoxians, you mean a corpse? Not a fan of those myself. Especially as they always seem to be trying to add more corpses like this Exegara sounds like." Zye turns to Karine. "Are Eoxians 'Wild Wild' enough for your show, or just one Wild?"

Would Cultures let us know where the Gardens are?

Cultures: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Kallus leans back against the wall as he watches the other get excited over a holodisc that seemed to bear little importance. He was not a fan of popular culture. "I might know where the Gardens are, but we may have to hurry if this walking corpse thinks someone is on to her, she is bound not to stay long."

Kallus doesnt know exactly where the gardens are, but is quick with looking them up trough Absalom's public network. He shares the location with the group.

Julzakama hands over the Quadlaserdisk to Zye. It even comes with the original packaging. Damaged packaging, but still.

He rummages trough some stuff behind the counter and sets a big box down full off old disks on the floor before Gornoc.
"I think I have some old bootlegs in there. Recording of some of their first concerts. They come as is. No refunds. 5 creds per disk."

The box is stuffed with old crap, from a few seasons of 'Enemies, the sitcom' and 'How I met your Host' to single episodes of 'Bloodbrotherball Z'. If there are some bootlegs in there, you'd need to take some time to sort it out.

Showing surprising awareness to the mission, Gornoc comments: That sounds good, i'll have to come back and look through another time. Hurrying along toward the Gardens with the others.

Karine wrinkles her nose at the mention of the Eoxian. "It's not the 'Wild' part that's the problem," she says to Zye. "It's the 'Life'. And I'd like to keep mine, so me and my show stay far away from Eox. Unless you think maybe there are some clues to the Scoured Stars incident there?"

Karine is about to go down a deep, disturbing rabbit hole with the possibilities and implications, but the mention of Strawberry Machine Cake catches her attention. Unfortunately for her, she's dragged out of the store before she has a chance to find the tape. "Nooooo! I will come back for you," she wails dramatically at the box.

The box is indifferent to your pleas.

The station passageways open into an enormous sunken pool filled with a riotous growth of plants. A narrow walkway leading to other parts of Downlow encircles the overgrown vat, and a spire of some kind of machinery stands in its center. For such a busy section of Downlow, the area is surprisingly quiet. Two ladders and a steep staircase pierce the foliage and lead down into the vat.

I've put the link to the map in my profile and placed you on it.

Culture: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Zye looks around surprised at the light crowd. "Huh, there's usually a few of our type around here. Well, my type. Ysoki."

The ratfolk moves up to the edge of the walkway and looks down, trying to spot any gardeners through the trees.

"If the mystery lady of the hour's looking for bodies though, she'd be down there. Apparently corpses make good mulch."

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Culture: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Life Science: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

With a nostril flare and a nod at Zye's insight he follows behind staff tapping on the decking as he uses it to aid his steps lightly. "A cycle of life. How very the undead to interrupt. Violence may remedy."

Gronoc follows Zye into the Vat Garden. Ain't no one around, we mighta missed the Eoxian, let'ts look for any signs its been here.

The garden is quiet. You'd expect workers, but there is no one around.

Kallus' hand instinctively goes to the hilt of his sword. It was far too quiet down here. Zye was right. There should be a lot more of his kind here. He listened intently for the telltale signs of an ambush.

Perception : 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

-Posted with Wayfinder

"Ysoki vat wardens! Where art thou?" Baskoro half sings, half shouts.

Gornoc climbs down the ladder and looks around.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Zye follows Gornoc below. Hey, if the ysoki have abandoned this place, do you think they'd mind if I grabbed an apple? These look delicious.

Climbing down to follow Zabrutal looks around at all the greenery and breathes in deeply. "Death feeds growth. Life abounds here. Undeath seeks death." He muses.

There is sudden movement in the foliage. The denseness of the plants helped to keep them hidden.

Three of them appear to be humans, the fourth is something else...

shooting, blue at zabrutal: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
20% miss chance, high is good: 1d100 ⇒ 70
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

shooting, yellow at gornoc: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
20% miss chance, high is good: 1d100 ⇒ 34
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

shooting, red at zye: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
20% miss chance, high is good: 1d100 ⇒ 53
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

shooting, strange lady at zye: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
20% miss chance, high is good: 1d100 ⇒ 83
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
crit damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

burn: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Blue and Yellow only manage to burn some poor plants.
Red and the strange lady however, manage to shoot up poor Zye pretty badly.
If I got crits correctly, Zye gets 8 damage now, and 4 damage on his turn, puting the reflex save to put out the fire to 14

Take note:
The floor of the Vat Garden is 15 feet lower than the walkway surrounding it, and the foliage is so thick that creatures in the vat have total concealment (50% miss chance) from creatures up on the walkway. Within the vat, the orderly rows of plants provide concealment (20% miss chance) to opponents more than 10 feet away; enemies closer than this do not benefit from concealment.

Initiative

Round 1

Zye
Kallus
Strange lady
Zabrutal
Thugs
Karine
Gornoc

Zye and Kallus can act.

In the face of the enemies, Zye valiantly...

falls down. At least the angle of him landing puts out the flames.

Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

At 0 hp at start of round, and dying. Burning would deal damage, eating an RP at the start of my turn, then spending a second RP to stabilize. Thank Weydan burn reflexes saves are now automatic instead of an action

Kallus moves to circle around, drawing his burner pistol, trying to keep the woman in sight so he can get a better shot at her.

-Posted with Wayfinder

@Zye - Wouldn't you be at 2hp. 8 dmg would wipe your stamnia points, and then 2hp, leaving you at 6 hp, then 4 burn, would put you at 2 hp. Am I missing something?

@Zye - Wouldn't you be at 2hp. 8 dmg would wipe your stamnia points, and then 2hp, leaving you at 6 hp, then 4 burn, would put you at 2 hp. Am I missing something?

Yeah, I think you have 2 HP left. And you can save at the end of your turn for this, so you would have actions left

Zye would still have an action left, but we'll say he's shaken by nearly blasted down for now and doesnt take any other actions then taking out the fire

Zye: Puts out the fire, too overwhelmed by what has happened to do anything else.

Kallus: Moves over the walkway, making for what appears to be some sort of balcony.

Strange lady: With Zye being a rather scorched rat, the strange lady turns her attention to Gornoc.

shooting, strange lady at Gornoc: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
20% miss chance, high is good: 1d100 ⇒ 62

But she misses.

Round 1

Zye
Kallus
Strange lady
Zabrutal
Thugs
Karine
Gornoc

Zabrutal can act.