[SFS - PbP Gameday VII] 1-10 The Half-Alive Streets - GM bigboom (Inactive)

Game Master bigboom

Botting Chogas and Kato's engineering assist. I'm also moving the tokens of everyone who is working on the laser cage up to the laser cage. I'm moving Raial into the room to watch the engineers do their thing. And I'm leaving Klaathu's token where it is as Klaathu is keeping an eye out for zombies in the alleyway.

Engineering Chogas: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Engineering Kato: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

With Telwyn, Chogas, and Kato's help, Antares-1 is able to remove a panel exposing the wiring and locate the connection to the power supply and give it a snip. With a whirring sound the laser cage powers down and each individual laser beam blinks off one-by-one.

A split second after the laser cage powers down, the cylindrical container bursts into pieces as a cube-shaped ooze busts out and attacks!!!

Image unmasked in the slides - and it's a really cool one, in my opinion. Betcha didn't see that ooze comin!! I certainly didn't when I played this scenario... And I was the lone engineer standing next to it when it bust out!

Combat Initiated!!!

Wow. That's gotta be the worst set of initiative rolls I've ever seen. If I keep rolling like that, you guys will make quick work of this ooze!

Because Telwyn, Chogas, Kato, and Antares-1 were working on deactivating the cage, none of you have weapons drawn. Raial and Klaathu, however, I assume have their weapons drawn.

Round 1
The following characters in bold may take their turn:

Antares-1
Klaathu
Telwyn
Raial
Ooze
Kato
Chogas

Quick question before I post my action. As Antares was using a tool kit to deactivate the cage, can I presume that whatever she is holding uses electricity? Or maybe the target is a 'part of' something that uses electricity itself? Either way, I'm thinking of casting Jolting Charge (no AoO) and it reads as: "You touch a target with a device you’re holding that uses electricity, requiring a melee attack against the target’s EAC. Alternatively, you can instead touch an electrical device a target is wearing (or a target that is an electrical device, such as a robot)." If the answer to either (or both) questions is 'Yes', Antares will cast that spell (and I've rolled attack and damage below). If the answer is 'No', Antares will 'Withdraw' into the square next to the door, away from the creature but with line of sight.

Yep, that sounds reasonable. Antares-1 can go ahead with casting the spell.

Boxed in again and unable to withdraw well, Telwyn draws her knife and attacks.

KAC attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Slasshing damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Extending one of it's limbs (lucky the one holding the club) for greater reach Klaathu swings his weapon into the cube and hopes it's not like one of those acid covered oozes he's heard ancient stories about as he gathers some surrounding energies into himself

To hit KAC: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
B damage if hit: 1d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6

Swift for more reach when can i do it again: 1d4 ⇒ 2, 1 photon attument for being in combat, standard to attack (and a move to get near the cube depending on where I was keeping watch)

That Assembly ooze is f+#*ing nightmare fuel, man!

Yah, the artwork behind that ooze is pretty awesome, I agree!

Botting Raial...

Raial takes aim with her pistol and shoots!!

Semi-automatic pistol vs KAC: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
piercing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

The sudden appearance of the ooze shocks Raial and her shot goes far wide!

Antares-1, still holding a subsonic screwdriver in hand when the ooze bursts forth, quickly casts jolting surge and tries to thwack the ooze with it. But like Raial, Antares-1 is thrown for a loop by the ooze and the attack misses!!

Telwyn, however, calmly but quickly draws her knife and slashes away with her knife, hitting the ooz for 2 points of damage!

Klaathu, hearing all the commotion over comms, quickly moves into the room and swings at the ooze, bonking it for 6 points of damage!

1d4 ⇒ 2
A pseudopod emerges from the ooze and it swings at Kato!!
pseudopod vs KAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Bludgeoning damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
But the attack misses!!

Round 1 cont'd & Round 2
The following characters in bold may take their turn:

Antares-1
Klaathu
Telwyn
Raial
Ooze (-8)
Kato
Chogas

Melee Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11 vs EAC
Jolting Charge Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 5) = 12 electricity

Antares moves away from the creature, allowing others to move in and engage.

Withdraw to avoid AoOs to current position on map.

Antares-1 gives it a little tap with the subsonic screwdriver and a surge of electricity issues forth into the ooze and it loses all motion and sinks down onto the ground into a little oozy puddle! It appears the ooze was particularly vulnerable to Antares-1's attack!

Just FYI, the ooze is vulnerable to electric attacks and your attack would have one-shotted the ooze at this tier!

Combat Concluded!!!

As the ooze sinks down into a puddle, it disgorges 800 UPBs. Having fully searched the room, you find nothing else of interest, except for that door to the south...

Antares investigates the door, mainly to make sure it isn't going to zap her again, and then to see if it is locked. If it is, she'll do something about it, if not, she'll back away and let others sturdier than herself open it up. The android knows that the 'doctors' they are seeking are probably not keen on being confronted with what they've done - whether or not it was done with malicious intent.

Perception check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Telwyn also takes a look at that door.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Klaathu is static from Antares display

"Well done" he comments on the sizzling pool of blubber.

The door appears to be clear of all traps and is unlocked.
In fact I'll say you can take 20 on it if you like. It's all clear!

"Poor blob? I've heard of my fellow androids being disassembled by these things and turned into consumer goods. Terrifying," Chogas says, a little bit of emotion breaking through his stoic mien.

"Well, we're all in one piece, and it isn't anymore. I wonder why they were keeping it..."

Telwyn ponders as she opens the next door.

You open the door and off to the far end of the room, you see two shirren taking cover behind a sofa. One of them yells out, "Home invasion!! Get out! As if we didn't already have enough trouble!!!" And they open fire!

NPC images unmasked.

Combat Initiated!!!

For simplicity, I'm grouping the two of them together with their lower initiative roll.

Round 1
The following characters in bold may take their turn:

Antares-1
Kato
Red shirren
Green shirren
Telwyn
Chogas
Klaathu
Raial

Antares hears the cries of the shirren beyond the door and the android is reminded of the 'other' invaders. Moving quickly toward the back door, she takes a quick look around to see if any zombies are moving toward it, and then shuts it closed and locks it, if possible.

Definitely not charging into the room first! Instead, Antares will secure the back door against any zombies that might wind up wandering into the back alley.

Yah, I'm not going to bot Kato into charging into the room first either so I'll put him on delay.

The same shirren as before yells, "Get out or we'll shoot! We're ready for you!!"

The shirren appear to ready themselves...

Round 1 cont'd & Round 2
The following characters in bold may take their turn:

Antares-1
Kato (round 1 delayed action)
Red shirren (readied action)
Green shirren (readied action)
Telwyn
Chogas
Klaathu
Raial

Telwyn tries to 'reason' with them.

"Knock it off, there's way more of us than there are of you! If you want to solve this with a firefight, it won't go your way!"
Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

She sets her weapon for stun.

"We just want to be left alone! We don't know who you are or why you're here. As far as we know, you're a band of murdering home invaders! Get out of our house! You have no right to be here!"

I've lost a little of the plot due to my brief absence. We think these shirren are the ones who were doing the underground surgery that was turning people into zombies, right?

Kato runs in the room keeping his back to the hallway wall drawing his two pistols. He rolls trying to surprise the shirren into not expecting a shot. He lines up a shot with his arc pistol at the green shirren.

Trick ATK (Survival): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21 dc 20+ cr
ATK, static arc pistol: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
DMG, regular: 1d6 ⇒ 3
DMG, trick shot: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Crit: 1d6 ⇒ 1 Plus it arcs to the other shirren for 2 points of dmg, and the original target is stunned for one round.

That seems a little powerful. I am reading that right, that a weapon with a critical effect gets both double damage and the critical effects. In this case, the static arc pistol has Arc 2 and stun as crit effects.

I've lost a little of the plot due to my brief absence. We think these shirren are the ones who were doing the underground surgery that was turning people into zombies, right?

Yup, that's right. Except the surgery wasn't underground. It was a legitimate clinic in the Free Markets.

That seems a little powerful. I am reading that right, that a weapon with a critical effect gets both double damage and the critical effects. In this case, the static arc pistol has Arc 2 and stun as crit effects.

It will count for double damage and the arc effect. However, stun isn't a critical effect, it's a weapon special property which allows you to switch between lethal and nonlethal damage.

Kato bravely dives first into the room drawing an attack from the red shirren!!

Static arc pistol vs EAC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
electrical damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
But he misses!!

Kato's attempted trick fools no one but he nevertheless lands a strong blow on the green shirren for 4 points of damage and a bolt of electricity arcs over to the red shirren for 2 points!

In retaliation, the green shirren casts magic missile at Kato, dealing 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 1, 3) + 3 = 8 points of damage!!

Round 1 cont'd & Round 2
The following characters in bold may take their turn:

Antares-1
Kato (-8)
Red shirren (-2)
Green shirren (-4)
Telwyn
Chogas
Klaathu
Raial

Kato, you get to go again. Your attack just now was your round 1 turn and you're now free to post up your round 2 turn.

She will attempt to cast daze on the green shirren
DC 13 wILL

Klaathu double times it inside the room, hoping to bridge the distance before he get's shot.

double move, using a swift to get resist 2 vs elec. when can i do it again: 1d4 ⇒ 3, photon attunment 1 for being in combat

With the back door secured, Antares moves into the room with her laser pistol in hand, firing it at the nearer of the shirren just in range of the weapon, though her aim is well off the mark.

Static Arc Pistol: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 vs EAC (Red Shirren)
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3 Energy

Move 30' into room, draw weapon and ranged attack against Red Shirren.

Botting Chogas and Kato

Chogas moves into the room and fires his laser rifle at green!
Laser rifle vs EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Fire damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

Kato moves in closer and attempts another trick shot versus green!
Trick ATK (Survival): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29
ATK, static arc pistol: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
DMG, regular: 1d6 ⇒ 4
DMG, trick shot: 1d6 ⇒ 1

As the party enters the room, you can barely see through the barricaded windows to the south the zombies that were banging on the windows. The currently pose no threat, however, as unless they learn to work together, the window is too strong for them to breach.

Chogas moves in and lands a hit on green for 8 points!
Klaathu fearlessly charges ahead to the front!
Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 ; Raial's attempt to incapacitate the green shirren doesn't succeed this time!
Antares-1 takes a shot but it goes way off target!
Kato moves further in and catches green off guard, hitting him for 5 points!

Klaathu represents a clear an present danger as both shirren shifts focus to attack Klaathu!
Static arc pistol vs EAC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
electrical damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
3d4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 2, 1) + 3 = 10

The red shirren lands a hit on Klaathu and it is partially resisted but does hit for 5 points of damage!
The green shirren launches another volley of magic missiles but this time at Klaathu who is hit for 10 points of damage!

Round 2 cont'd & Round 3
The following characters in bold may take their turn:

Antares-1
Kato (-8)
Red shirren (-2)
Green shirren (-17)
Telwyn
Chogas
Klaathu (-8SP, -7HP)
Raial

Re-evaluating the life choices that brought him here to this point of his career Klaathuu flies past the shirrens and hides around the corner of a wall.

Double moves to stay clear of them and not provoke, attunment: 2

sense motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Telwyn walks out, and given the flurry of fire, she fakes injury, supporting herself against the opposite wall. She takes a surprisingly quick shot at green from the far end of her range.

Trick Attack Bluff vs DC 20+CR: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29
EAC Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Nonlethal Electric: 1d6 + 1d4 ⇒ (5) + (1) = 6

Telwyn's shot knocks the green shirren down to the ground and upon seeing her go down, the red shirren drops his weapon and surrenders.

He says, "I don't know who you are but please don't kill us. We never intended things to get so far out of control...."

Combat Concluded!!!

Checking on the green shirren, you find that she's stable.

We're pretty much at the end of the scenario but before we fully conclude, what do you want to say and do next?

Antares faces the two shirren as she returns her pistol to its holster, and though her facial expression is flat there is a tone of anger in her voice. "Your experimental augmentations have caused death - and worse, as you have seen, for some of your former patients are even now trying to reach you from beyond that veil." She points toward the windows and the door, where the zombies presumably still hammer away in a futile effort to enter the abode.

"As well we have met another of your victims, and saved her from that same fate to her family's great relief. Explain what you have done to these people. We have seen the notes of another halfling named Shenge, who spoke of a third owner involved in your operation. A physician named Kinnakt, who died mysteriously - and after his passing your struggling company quite suddenly began turning a profit. You will fill in the blanks for us, and perhaps your only punishment will be to face whatever the law decides." The android waits patiently for an answer, and despite the tragedies she has described, in truth the curious Antares is interested in hearing the explanation from a purely scientific standpoint.

"Yeah what she said! And also - do you have ANY idea if there is ANYTHING we can do to fix those things - er people - outside?"

The shirren, looking extremely downtrodden, replies, "Kinnakt was family. We're a family... Kinnakt was our host."

As the shirren says this, it becomes clear that he is the male, the unconscious shirren is the female and Kinnakt was, as he stated, their host.

"We never meant to cause any harm... The clinic was our family business. Theskell here crafted cybernetic augments, Kinnakt was the surgeon who handled the implantation, and I handed sales and promotions. But business was tough and we could only sell a couple augments a month... not nearly enough to keep our business permit active in the Free Markets.

"But little did we know, the augments began to mutate, killing its owner and reanimating them to those things outside."

He points at the zombies outside, still pounding on the windows and doors.

"We shut down the clinic as soon as we found out and decided to hole up here. Theskell thinks that the memories of Kinnakt led all the reanimated zombies to come home to this address. So we figured if we stayed here and eliminated them as they showed up then we can end this entire nightmare..."

Turning to Telwyn, he says, "Those things outside are already dead. There's nothing we can do except to put them down.

"Please don't kill us. We know we've done wrong. We'll surrender to the authorities and accept the punishment that fits our crime."

Searching around the dwelling, you find some records and billing statements that validate their story. Sales of cybernetic augments were slow and infrequent but biotech augment sales rapidly shot up through the roof. In these statements, you also have names and contact information of all customers who have received these tainted biotech augments...

What would you like to do with these two shirren?

"I'm not usually a law-an-order type, but what you've done has endangered and even killed many, and you should have known better at many steps along the way. I think we have to turn you in to the authorities."

Antares suggests that they lead the Shirren out the back way, in order to avoid the zombies. The male shirren can carry the unconscious female and we can lead them back to Starfinders headquarters and turn these two over to Venture-Captain Arvin, who can decide their fate after they tell him the whole story directly.

Klaathu nods his approval of Antares words

"Turn you over we must. Face what you have caused you do."

"Avoiding zombies will be smart though"

Instead of marching them back to the Lorespire Complex, I'm gonna say you guys just give Arvin a call.

You call up venture captain Arvin, giving him a brief explanation of your discoveries. He instructs you to call the authorities and hand the two criminals over. He also tells you to be sure and hand over the billing statements as well. Perhaps the authorities can track down those who have received the augments and get them medical care in time to save their lives - same as what the party did for Maija.

You do exactly that and between your team's firepower and the station's security forces, you easily take out the poor souls that have already turned into zombies. Happily, station security does inform you that they managed to get the needed medical attention to some of the victims in time, so your efforts weren't for naught.

Back at the Lorespire Complex after you provide Arvin a full debriefing, he says, "While I'm disappointed that the augmentation technology is neither reliable nor reproducible, I AM pleased that you managed to deal with the biotech monstrosities, prevented the creation of anymore, and saved lives of innocent victims. That assembly ooze could have spelled disaster for the entire station if you did not deal with it as you did. Well done, Starfinders!"

In addition, it appears that your actions made an impression on the halfling community aboard the station. Soon after this mission concluded, the Society received a sharp spike in halfling inquiries regarding joining the Society. This much-needed boost pleases venture captain Arvin and even earns you all a personal commendation from the current First Seeker, Luwazi Elsebo!!

Well done!!! If anyone wishes, please feel free to continue posting any final bits of RP!

"Pray for repentance," Chogas tells the shirren. "Those you harmed may not forgive you, but the gods may."