The Dire GM |
Radaszam nods to Ytchkn and grins at Viper.
"If you want to focus on the assassin, I can have my Obsidian Spiders handle the explosives. That said, the more daring approach would be for your team to handle the entire affair yourselves. You'd need to be subtle in searching for the bombs and keeping the assassin distracted so she doesn't detonate them while some of your friends are disarming them. Whatever you decide, I'm good with, and I'll inform the First Seeker, too. The woman you described is up in the A/V booth - she was already in there when you called me. As far as I'm aware, she's in there alone. It's soundproofed, and overlooks the Skyreach room about 20 feet above the stage. It's got a window of transparent aluminum with a one-way hologram projector, so the booth can see out without anyone being able to see in."
The map is live with your positions and the last known position of the assassin. You now have a few minutes to come up with a plan!
Viper 6 |
"Transparent aluminium? Sounds fairly hard to target through"
"With that said, we don't know if it slides or moves so we need to consider that from that vantage point the assassin may also be a sniper as well as using explosives. Although explosives sure make a statement"
"My vote is that Luwazi takes and urgent call in the north corridor and steps away from the main room. No target equals no detonation. Meanwhile, we have a fireteam move towards the booth from the north, and a cut-off team positioned from the South."
"Luwazi will be well behind the fireteam so out of danger"
"Both teams should stay in communication with each other, propping at the doors to the north and south respectively"
"The main fireteam pops the North door and rolls in with bombs and smoke, laying down as much lead as possible, South team waits out the initial contact, and if she doesn't open the door and run towards them then the South team comes in after the initial blast"
"We don't know how much of our comms she can intercept so we need to probably use codewords. Teams moving in the corridor - 'Voxtini' for the North, 'Absalom Ale' south. Teams at the door - three radio squelches, keep it silent. Fireteam breaking in - 'Harry Wallbanger'. Abort attack - 'Lost waiter'. Enemy not sighted in booth - 'nice view'. Just drop the codewords into our usual radio chatter, but keep the chatter going as though nothing is going on."
"Actions on enemy fighting - return fire. Enemy fleeing - attempt cutoff, try avoid the main chamber, switch to non-lethal means if possible to avoid crossfire casualties, try not to panic the guests or they'll run around like startled zoo animals and it will be a pain to get good target acquisition in the mess. Luwazi position being assaulted - pop smoke and attempt to withdraw her under cover. We have a couple of smoke grenades yeah?"
"Questions, queries, doubtful points?"
Viper overlays her plan on the map.
X5NSA |
X5 listens to the astonishingly detailed plan from Viper. "I tend to agree with getting the targets to safety as the first action. But I would recommend we go full force onto the assassin because I am not one for 'daring' being more of a priority than 'efficient use of assets available'.
That being said, if we split the group then perhaps those of us with engineering skills should be the ones to look for and disarm the potential bombs? I don't have much experience with this type of thing but I should be able to figure out explosives, wires, and computer chips all molded together."
X5NSA |
PS I spend a RP for my stamina and repair drone with the mechanic trick "When you spend 10 minutes to repair your drone, you repair 25% of its maximum Hit Points instead of 10%."
The Dire GM |
Radaszam informs you that the First Seeker has refused to leave the gala or the Skyreach Room itself - something about "not appearing weak in front of our financial benefactors."
GM Notes: Finding an explosive device requires a Perception check. Disarming requires an Engineering check, or dealing damage to the explosive. Because you found the instruction sheet, all of these checks that you roll will get a +2 Circumstance bonus.
This part of the scenario will probably be slightly more tricky in PbP than in-person, since you have a pretty good idea of the layout and need to figure out a plan of action. I'll provide answers to whatever you need, but as long as your team wants to take the lead on this, you are now in control of the pace! Just post something indicating that you are "ready to go" when your plan is finalized, and I'll pick it up from there!
PS - This scenario runs significantly faster in PbP than at an actual table, in spite of what I wrote above...so take as much time as you want!
PPS - Understood, X5!
PPPS - An insect's thorax is it's midsection, but points from your friendly neighborhood geologist-GM for paleontology/entomology vocab use in-game! :P
Sigma Mu |
"Between my general spell reserves, my technomantic knowledge, and my limited ability to convert energy into raw magical energy I should be good for a few more casts at that tier. However, I tend to also lean toward securing the safety of the bystanders as best we can, especially since there is more than one way to activate an explosive device. My knowledge of engineering and computers, coupled with my ability to transfer electric charges from one source to another with a simple touch would prove invaluable in that scenario. The androids face remains largely unemotional, "But if its the groups desire to utilize a more direct method then I will go along with that as well. I can charge a weapon just prior to breaching the door so will most likely be apart of the team that approaches from...voxtini."
Viper 6 |
"It is all in on the Assassin, the only reason we are splitting is to ensure we have blocked the two exits. No point all trying to pour in one door stumbling over each other as she beats a retreat out the other. We lock her down by coming through both doors. She gets nowhere to run. Cut her off, cut her down."
"Once she is no longer operational we can search and clear the bombs in detail without having her interfere"
X5NSA |
"Given the reluctance of the First Seeker to seek shelter, we may want to modify the plan slightly by at least giving a quick once over the room to identify the explosives while we are moving to take positions for the assassin take down. If we see something along the way, then perhaps a quick disarm. It won't get explosives that aren't along the path to the assassin but it will bet the ones that we are in close proximity to."
so a perception roll enroute and if there is a bomb located within arms reach...5-10ft..conduct an engineering check for a disarm attempt. Then continue moving along the route to the assassin
The Dire GM |
Radaszam considers for a moment. "The only risk of your plan is that if the assassin has quicker reactions than you, she might blow the explosives and other people near the stage might get hurt or killed...and if we start moving people away from the stage, she might know that the jig is up and do something else deadly that we're not ready for."
For this scene, it is a standard action to make a Perception check to look for a bomb, and another one to make an Engineering check to disarm one (or to make an attack against one). If a Perception roll is high enough, you might find more than one at a time.
Viper 6 |
"Only planned on moving Luwazi to an angle not easily targetted from the booth, whether she steps outside or deep into the room with a crowd around her I'm not fussed. Moving people around draws attention as you say, so I wasn't planning on that. I'm banking on the assassin being keen on killing the target, not just random destruction"
"At the moment we're off the radar, hence I was hoping to keep us that way by not walking into the room and using the access ways - first she'd know we were back we'd be standing in the room with her"
"If we get seen again in the main room she'll know we are back, and if we disappear out both side of the rooms it would equally look suspect"
"If only we could jam the signal between the assassin and the explosives"
X5NSA |
"Then it sounds like we have taken the risks into consideration and going all in for the assassin take down seems like the plan."
I am ready to execute unless there is a dissenting or alternate plan.
The Dire GM |
Radaszam looks back and forth between you. "Are you sure that ignoring the explosives entirely is the best strategy? I am responsible for the safety of the guests, but this one is 100% your call."
Sigma Mu |
"I, for one, am not sure. The order of operations seems out of place. We seem to assume that the assassin knows that we know something about her plans to which I believe we are giving her too much credit. I doubt the assassin cares about our absence or presence as her plan was not contingent upon either."
"Additionally, Radaszam has expressed concern and while I myself have poor instincts with these matters, I find it difficult to dismiss someone who is as experienced as he in these situations."
"If someone can help me spot the bombs, I should be able to drain their triggering mechanism's power source with no more than a touch."
Via the Transfer Charge spell or would that not work?
"If it is still preferable to take a direct approach, perhaps some of us could cause some sort of scene or make a toast at the opposite end of the room to draw the patrons away from the stage."
X5NSA |
"I am tending to change my position given your logic. Perhaps we should scan the room for explosives and then disarm them, first. Safety seems to be the priority of Radaszam and therefore should be our priority. Or we can divide into 2 teams...Triskid, I think you have skills to help identify and locate the explosives? I should be able to disarm them through my skills with things mechanical." engineering
Viper 6 |
Viper shrugs her shoulders, "Bombs and bullets both work fine, but if you want to work the explosives first then let's get working"
Viper has 5 in Engineering, and both Engineers and Trap disarming tools
The Dire GM |
At this juncture, you have a few options...so let's break them down to a vote!
1 - Split into two teams. One team distracts the assassin while the other handles the bombs.
2 - Full-focus on the bombs and hope the assassin doesn't notice.
3 - Full-focus on the assassin and hope she doesn't trigger the explosives.
4 - Focus on the assassin and have the Obsidian Spiders handle the bombs.
Once a majority has been reached, I will move us forward in that direction.
Ytchkn |
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I like your spirit! But tend to agree with others that disarming any bombs is also a pressing priority.
Viper, what details were you able to obtain from the instructions we found in her living quarters? Any idea what type of detonation method she could be using?
EDIT: Ha! I was writing my post at the same time as you were posting, GM. We can discuss details of the bomb detonation devices after the vote. That said, my vote is to split and half take the bombs while half distract the assassin in battle.
Sigma Mu |
I vote 2 teams, its not like were so far apart that we can't provide backup to one another.
"Perhaps we modify Viper's original plan, only the "Absalom Ale" team focuses on disabling explosives and are ready to re-route should the assassin make a hasty escape for the southern exit. Our communication devices should suffice in facilitating the necessary communication."
Triskid |
We should have spotters and disarmers, so it goes quick. I have a decent Perception, so I should spot using my Standard, then I point it out as a free or move action. Then someone move actions to it, and disarms as a standard.
X5NSA |
vote 2 teams. I have a great engineering (for lvl2) and a decent perception. So I could be a 'fixer'. And if the GM allows me to remote control CD1, I could send my drone to help with Team Kill.
The Dire GM |
Seems like a vote for 2 teams. In that case, go ahead and position yourselves as you would like on the map - outside the doors of the A/V Booth if you're going there (you can do that just fine, X5!), or near the stage if you're going after the explosives.
At this point in the scenario I'm going to be turning Torqe into a full NPC so as not to penalize you all for having a party of 5, just fyi. Since he hasn't really been here except for like 1-2 dice rolls, he is effectively not in the scenario - just posting that here for the record. I've already sent him a message to let him know.
Triskid |
Seems like a vote for 2 teams. In that case, go ahead and position yourselves as you would like on the map - outside the doors of the A/V Booth if you're going there (you can do that just fine, X5!), or near the stage if you're going after the explosives.
At this point in the scenario I'm going to be turning Torqe into a full NPC so as not to penalize you all for having a party of 5, just fyi. Since he hasn't really been here except for like 1-2 dice rolls, he is effectively not in the scenario - just posting that here for the record. I've already sent him a message to let him know.
”X5NSA, will you join us? We will look for the devices, and you can try to disable them.”
Not even 2 rolls. He has 2 posts total, only 1 in character.
Ytchkn |
I will be equal value to both the disarm or assault team. Which is to say I’m pretty average at perception/engineering (+5 for both) and not great on combat but can give +1 to attack.
I’ll fill in wherever we need an extra person.
Triskid |
To X5: ”I will telepathically notify you when I spot something, so as to not tip off the enemy.”
Triskid will start looking...
Perception (C)(1): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
X5NSA |
presuming Triskid's percept is sufficient...if not then Damn we shouldn't be here!!
X5 receives the telepathic direction to something that seems amiss, and proceeds directly towards it to disarm. move to get there and then engineering check?
Engineering (C)(2): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
The Dire GM |
You break into two teams, with "T" following behind Viper and Sigma Mu.
We are now effectively moving into rounds but are NOT necessarily in combat (yet). We'll do things alternating between groups.
The Dire GM |
BOOTH TEAM:
You open the unlocked doors into the A/V Booth to find it well-lit and soundproofed. Startled by your sudden entry is a human woman with tawny skin and thick curly hair - the A/V tech you saw setting up at the start of the gala. You can see out into the Skyreach Room from anywhere within the booth, an impressive view, in fact.
When you enter, she stands up, turning her back on the gala. "Uhm, can I help you? This area is for staff only...the First Seeker's speech will be starting any minute and I need to be handling the sound system for it."
Your entry has distracted her for the moment from watching outside, but to keep her attention, you'll need to continue to distract her - how would you like to do that?
BOOTH TEAM:
Viper and Sigma Mu are up!
Torqe and CD1 will follow your leads. If you want to engage her in combat, we'll just roll into initiative. If you want to try guile first, you can.
The Dire GM |
BOMB TEAM:
Don't forget that you have a +2 Circumstance bonus on Perception and Engineering checks because you found the instruction manual in the assassin's trash!
Triskid and Ytchkn move up to the stage and start looking around. Triskid immediately locates a very powerful industrial explosive rigged up to a remote trigger underneath the stage (white X on the map), but Ytchkn isn't able to locate anything out of the ordinary on her side of the stage.
You gain an additional +2 on checks to search for subsequent bombs after each one you find, meaning your Perception bonus is now +4 above normal.
X5 comes over to the spot Triskid indicated and scoots under the stage...and is easily able to disarm Bomb #1!
As X5 finishes disarming the first bomb, Ytchkn is suddenly surprised...as Zo! comes over and leans down to where she's crouched and looking around. "Heya! Whatcha up to?!"
BOMB TEAM:
Ytchkn, Triskid, and X5NSA are up!
(Saying a few words to Zo! does not count against your actions, just fyi)
Sigma Mu |
I'm under the impression that we were rolling through guns blazing. IF thats the case, I would have charged Viper's weapon again just prior to us kicking in the door.
We didn't really discuss any other scenario.
Ytchkn |
Zo!! You startled me... Oh, umm.. they're just having trouble establishing a link to the AV gear to the booth so we're checking the connections. Actually, I'm glad you're here - would you mind letting Luwazi know that we should have the system up and ready for her speech soon?
bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Ytchkn continues to look around the stage while attempting to fend off Zo!'s curiosity.
perception: 1d20 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 4 = 20
Triskid |
Triskid tells the assault team telepathically: ”We found and disabled one large device. We continue looking.”
Triskid will keep looking...
Perception (C)(1): 1d20 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 4 = 17
Viper 6 |
Viper does a half turn as though leaving then pirouettes rapidly and discharges her pistol at the assassin!
Trick attack.
Sneak 1d20 + 12 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 12 + 4 = 34
Attack 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15 vs Flat footed KAC
Damage 1d6 + 1d4 + 4d6 ⇒ (6) + (1) + (6, 4, 5, 3) = 25
The Dire GM |
BOMB TEAM:
Zo! nods and grins at Ytchkn. "Defusing bombs but don't want guests to panic - got it!" The undead media mogul suddenly hops up on stage to the podium, his camera-drones dropping down from the ceiling and turning on two spotlights to focus on him!
"Ladies and gentlemen, living and dead, people from across the cosmos, your attention please! Let's give it up to the STARFINDER SOCIETY!!!" (His drones create festive lights and sounds! "Before our lovely host gets up here to speak, I'm gonna tell you about these awesome Starfinder field agents I've met tonight..."
Zo! starts putting on a little show, distracting everyone (including the assassin up in the booth) for the next several rounds!
Triskid and Ytchkn find three explosive devices (white Xs on the map) between them, but before X5 can move in to begin disarming them, the two Shirren notice Ykris - detached from his host-elf - scuttling along the ground past you. The isopod moves to a bomb you had not yet spotted (red X on the map) and quickly pulls several wires out of it - disarming it! It seems to give Triskid a little insectile "wink" as it scurries back towards its host body while the crowd is distracted by Zo!
X5, meanwhile, hears a soft voice from just behind him. "I've got you covered if anything comes after you." Looking over his shoulder, he sees Iteration-177 leaning against a nearby wall, but a quick double-take notices that the Aspis agent has a small silenced pistol of unknown configuration held in-hand but tucked clandestinely under their opposite arm, and is in position to provide covering fire for the bomb defusal team!
Combined with the healing serums from Naiaj and the intel from Royo - your contacts from the gala return your earlier friendliness by helping your team out!
The Dire GM |
BOOTH TEAM KILL SQUAD:
Viper and Sigma Mu will get a surprise round, but we're definitely moving into:
Sigma Mu: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Triskid: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Viper 6: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
X5NSA: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Ytchkn: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
T: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Triloteya: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
This is where your GM started to write what the assassin did since she pulled high initiative after the surprise round for people in the AV booth...but then he realized that Viper and Sigma literally killed her dead, so her actions become really easy to write....
The combination of Zo! suddenly turning on bright lights and Viper's ghost-like movements manages to catch the assassin flat footed!
Viper's super-charged shot strikes the woman, whose form shifts from that of a curly haired human into a reptoid woman who was hiding a weapon of her own behind her back! Sigma Mu's follow-up magic missiles strike the reptilian once...twice...three times...and she collapses to the ground, dead! A detonator with the safety already turned off rolls out of her other hand and across the floor to T's feet, who picks it up even as he's stowing his machine gun. "Glad I was here to help." the kasatha says.
Out of combat!
I have never seen or even heard of the assassin going down that quickly before! Well done!!! One more post coming in a minute or two!
The Dire GM |
The fight in the soundproofed A/V booth was over so quickly that nobody was even aware that it took place except for Starfinder leadership and the Obsidian Spiders. By the time your team is finished taking your time defusing the rest of the bombs now that there is no danger of remote detonation, someone (you suspect it was Luwazi Elsebo) started a rumor about tonight's events! The fact that an assassination plot was discovered and foiled while the gala was in full swing without the guests even noticing...that is no small feat!
The gala attendees are stunned that someone would have the audacity to attempt an assassination on the First Seeker, and she holds their rapt attention as she ascends to the stage to deliver her address.
“I had planned for this evening’s announcement to be an excitingone, but I’ll admit this is not quite what I had in mind,” the First Seeker begins, her smile wry but determined. “Now I find my resolve only further galvanized.
“As many of you know, the First Seeker has the privilege and the responsibility for choosing the direction of the Starfinder Society’s research efforts. I have refrained from setting such a direction while we regroup and rebuild—an undertaking which all of you here have made possible. Also, the fact that Guidance has not yet chosen to formalize my election is another matter, but not one the Society can risk dwelling on. Now that the Society is again in a position to reach for the stars, I am pleased to formally announce the focus of our efforts during my tenure.
"Thanks to the tireless research of my associate Royo, we have identified a lead on understanding the Scoured Stars incident. And so, the Starfinder Society will continue researching the Scoured Stars, in the hopes of reuniting with our lost colleagues and better understanding this phenomenon.
“And I already have highly qualified agents in mind to undertake the first mission!” With a smile, she motions towards your team, now back together in the Skyreach Room.
There is a moment of surprised quiet over the room, and then the guests, starting with Ykris, begin to applaud in force. Iteration-177 regards the elected First Seeker with an indiscernible expression, slowly joining in on the applause. Royo nods enthusiastically, taking in some of the fanfare for his role in the announcement. Naiaj frantically appends work orders, noticeably perturbed by some news she has just received. Zo! actively backs away from the assembled group, still enthusiastically clapping but also making desperate calls to acquire televised rights to all Scoured Stars related endeavors.
Your Primary Success Condition: To impress at least three of the five dignitaries you were assigned during the gala.
Your Secondary Success Condition: To impress all five dignitaries, contain the assassin, and disarm the bombs.
After the gala, First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo congratulates each of you individually on a job well done - you have earned the Protector of the Future Social Boon.
Radaszam congratulates you as well, and offers you compensation for acting as unofficial members of his mercenary league during the event. He presents the you with an advanced Diasporan rifle (Alien Archive 95) marked in the sleek black design of the Obsidian Spiders mercenary group - you have earned the Honorary Spider Social Boon.
By keeping the First Seeker alive, you have earned the Journey to the Scoured Stars: Segment 1 Boon.
By gaining influence with dignitaries present at the gala, you have earned the High Society Influence Ally Boon.
With that, you have now observed...The First Mandate!
With some amazing rolls, that concludes this scenario! I really hope you all had fun playing at my digital table!
Watch this space - I hope to get your chronicle sheets done and posted in the next 24 hours! Feel free to continue to roleplay anything you'd like here and OOCly on the discussion thread in the meantime! :)
Viper 6 |
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"Snakes eyes lady" Viper declares over the fallen reptoid assassins body, then smiles like the rattlesnake she is at the black humour of it.
Viper takes a moment to clean her pistol and gives the magazine a kiss before slamming it home. She admires the four aces motif inlaid in the mother of pearl handgrip momentarily before re-holstering the weapon
"Sigma, I think I need to bottle you" the Android adds with a genuine note of warmth and humanity.
Think I'll be getting that rifle!
Thanks GM! Thanks team! Look forward to bringing more hard hitting [Black] Operative goodness to your tables again in the future!