SFS 1-03: Yesteryear's Truth (Inactive)

Game Master Z...D...

Of course

If you need to finish updating and buying armor, go ahead.

It does not take long before Venture Captain Arvin summons you all back into his office.

Venture-Captain Arvin stands before a hologram of a planet that appears to have been ravaged by some disaster; there is very little water and no obvious greenery. “Greetings, Starfinders,” he says, without turning.

“You are looking at Elytrio, a newly charted planet in the Vast. While you might dismiss it as a lifeless rock at first glance, it still has mysteries to plumb. The starship that discovered it was attacked by some kind of orbital defense system when it got too close; the vessel didn’t have the firepower to respond, so the crew made a prudent retreat. But we Starfinders don’t let these sorts of things go.” He pauses before continuing. “I’d like you to take a starship, travel to Elytrio, and discover all you can about it. If you find any inhabitants on the planet, do everything in your power to make peaceful contact with them. If the place is deserted, try to locate information about who might have built those defenses. Once you’ve got something interesting, report back to me here at the Lorespire Complex. Any questions?”

Hish is lounging in one of Arvin’s chairs, turning a shiny new blaster over and over in their hands. At his description of the planet, they perk up with interest. A newly charted planet, huh? Well, I could use to get off-station for a bit for...reasons. I’m in! I’m not the most sophisticated of starship fighters, but I can point a gun at things and shoot them, even in space. What kind of orbital defenses are we talking about, here?

Hish is gonna buy the static arc pistol from the last scenario’s chronicle. And hope to stay a bit farther away from the front lines this time!

Patterson stands at ease, or as close to at ease as his new armor permits. "So you're letting us take a ship into the Vast? That's..." The human's expression changes to a slightly manic grin before he can control himself. "...just fine. You can absolutely trust me--us--to get the data for you." He pauses. "One concern, hey? The five of us work well together, but we really need someone better at talking to front us. Do you have anyone who can join the team in that role?"

Bought a suit of freebooter armor 1.

Shiktal is slightly put off by Jim's manic look but then it is gone a moment later. They had a full crew, even with the mercenaries the Society had taken on recently, Shiktal was relatively certain they wouldn't attempt to steal the ship. Hopefully not with her aboard at least.

We are certain the defenses are automated? It would be a poor show of friendship if we were to murder anyone aboard. Shiktal asks, as she clicks something on her armour. She appears to be calibrating her custom rig to work better with starship systems.

Yasaera has seen fit to have guided my learning, and I am familiar with both the Pegasus and Drake class ship systems and can work on the internals during the battle itself.

Ears, a sleekly brown-furred ysoki with a streak of white between his ears and over his jowls, nods at each of the captain's points, then nods double quickly at Hish's question. 'Orbital defenses' is pretty darn vague.

The ysoki is sitting on his out-sized pack in form-fitting armor. A large semi-automatic is strapped to his thigh.

"Captain, once we get past the orbital defenses will we be landing on Elytrio or just scanning from orbit?"

Nice lead in to the new party member, John.

Will shop after I see answers to questions.

"Ah, it appears that I am late...though time is a cycle so perhaps I am simply almost infinitely early for the next time this happens," says a sturdy, confident, handsome Lashunta as he enters the room.

"Then again, reality is simply a series of inevitabilities hanging like so much fruit on the vine that is time, so I could do nothing other than be late," he continues.

"I am Azara and I heard that you could use someone that can assist in potentially dealing with new species. It would be my honor to aid you in that regard."

In addition to the verbal greeting, he sends silent, telepathic greetings to the two Shirren, showing little of the traditional hesitation of his people toward theirs.

Shiktal turns and gives the newcomer an impassive stare, before nodding and returning her attention to the briefing. Telepathically, she responds to the Lashunta. When she does, her telepathy is clear and vivid, accompanied with images and various minor sensations to give nuance and depth to her words. Welcome, Azara. My spoken name is Shiktal. It sounds as though you have some hypotheses on the nature of time and reality. It seems as though we may have a lengthy journey in front of us, I look forward to examining any materials you have on these hypotheses and discussing them.

Hishrizzik blinks in surprise at the lashunta's strange phrases. Well. Welcome, I guess, they telepathically communicate. Somehow they convey a vague sensation like when you miss a step - it may not be immediately clear what that means. I'm called Hishrizzik, or Hish if you prefer. I encourage you to talk to Shiktal about these...'theories' of yours.

Patterson starts when the lashunta enters, but quickly recovers enough aplomb to roll his eyes at the Venture-Captain. "Always a step ahead, hey?" He turns back to the newcomer. "Azara. I'm James Patterson the Sixty-Second, give or take. Glad to have you aboard."

"Ears, it wouldn't be much of an exploratory mission if you didn't land on the surface." Arvin respond to the Ysoki. "While you are down there, I want you to look for any signs of civilization: a city, or even the ruins of one. If the planet is completely deserted, search for some king of interesting flora, fauna, or mineral deposit. Those defenses have to have been put there for a reason.”

He looks over to Shiktal, "All we know it is an orbital defense platform. Can not be sure if it completely automated or it i manned. The previous crew did not stick around to find out."

The pink inside of Ear's ears changes to dark red. He squeaks. At the same time he drags his ears down over his eyes. His hands slid off his snout and the ears spring back into place.

He looks around at the others. "Planet-side on a new world! Thank you, Captain!"

He quickly continues on. Is it possible for a high-pitched voice to be laden with sardonic intent?

"Did the other crew happen to notice if they were attacked by energy weapons or missiles? Or the range to the platform when it opened fire?"

"It's about time I get to visit somewhere in the Vast. My training is wasted staying in the Pact Worlds. Please let me know our assigned ship and dock location; I'd like to give it a diagnostic survey before we depart. "

Unless there is something else, I need to go acquire a specialized piece of equipment. Would you join me Ears? I may require your expertise. Shiktal asks politely as she prepares to leave.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Patterson, and you all," Azara says, first to human then to the entirety of the crew.

He turns his attention to Shiktal before she leaves. "Not so much hypotheses as philosophies. Hypotheses require testing and proof. Philosophy requires only thought and truth."

"Right behind you, Shiktal." The ysoki pauses on the way out.

"Good to have you with us, Azara. Thought and truth -- if you can think it, you can be it.'

He waves to the others. "See you at the ship."

Generally facts require testing and proof. And what is truth but the facts? Unless you ascribe to a different epistomology of truth? Shiktal responds to Azara, in as quippy a manner as anyone has heard, before she follows Ears out the door.

Shiktal leads Ears to a magical supply shop, and after perusing for a few minutes, selects a spell gem and hands it to Ears.

Are you able to use this? I would like to have every opportunity to avoid violence which might cost life. This may help.

The spell gem is Comprehend Languages, which Ears should be able to use.

"Let me see...." Ears turns the gem over in his hands, then kind of rotates his whole body around it in examination.

Strapped for time until late tonight. Will double check rules then, but for now I'll take your word for it. Good idea -- another channel for communication might be crucial.

Ears ends his evolution looking straight up through the gem held overhead, at the light coming through it. "Interesting, This could temporarily reorder synaptic connections, presumably to enable one to understand foreign language if the advertisement is right. You don't need to buy it. I'll take three and pay for them myself."

VC Arvin clicks an unseen button behind the desk and the hologram shuts off. "You all are dismissed. The Drake has been supplied for you all and is ready when you are."

While en route to the docks, a small robotic drone intercepts them. It stops in front of Azara and a small hologram pops up in the shape of the Wayfinder's insignia. Once Gwin and Hish approach, the image turns static and then is replaced with that of confused young ysoki male, whose head is quickly pushed out of the screen by an older ysoki woman.

“Fitch from the Wayfinders here. Sorry about Kirkath popping on the screen; kids always like the holoprojectors. Anyways, long and short, I hear you’ve been assigned to explore Elytrio. First contact is important. Need to make a good impression. Wayfinders specialize in this sort of thing, so I wanted to offer some help! The drone has a translation module strapped on its back. It’s not as reliable as some magical solutions you might have, but if you’re in a pinch for communicating, it might help!”

As promised, strapped to the back of the drone is a Tetrad certified translator. Rules for it can be found on page 33 of the SFS field guide. Once unstrapped, the drone hovers away.

The trip to Elytrio take 5d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 3, 3, 1) = 11 days and is uneventful until they began final approach. Suddenly, the Drake's comms squak to life, filled with a crackling robotic voice in an alien language. The tone of the message is strident.

Subsequent recurrences of the message stutter and distort like a corrupted audio file, eventually cutting off with a loud burst of static. Simultaneously, a hemispheric vessel comes into view from behind one of the planet’s moons. It approaches the the Drake, and while it has no visible weapons, it does emit a ring of red light from the edges of its flat bottom hull.

Attempting to contact this ship gets the same warning in reply.

Shortly afterward, apertures open on the platform’s bottom hull as the vessel enters a combat posture.

Platform Piloting: 1d20 + 1 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 8 = 28
Patterson Piloting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

So Patterson make you maneuver first please. All phase may go, just remember I will try and resolve them the best I can in order of phases, but it will be clunky. The only liberty I take is rolling for all piloting checks to determine who moves first. Remember the Drake offers 3 +1 modifiers to any checks for the round.

One final note on the map. Yellow side is front.

Culture: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Computers: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Well, Hish communicates dryly, the bad news is that I recognize the tone of, ‘Kindly f*&~ off’ in any language. The good news is that I’m not reading any lifeforms at all on that thing—seems to be a totally automated system. Permission to blow it out of the Void before it does the same to us? Deftly moving over to one of the gunnery stations, they take manual control of the ship’s coil gun.

Gunnery Check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 +/- any range penalties and Captain bonuses
Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (4, 2, 3, 4) = 13

I’m assuming, maybe wrongly, that we have two gunners—if I’m the only one, I’ll use the missile launcher instead for 4d8.

"I believe that children are the future. If that is true, the future belong to the Ysoki," Azara replies to Fitch's apology.

He thanks her before taking the translator and stashing it with the rest of his gear.

He spends the trip out working on his latest epic and discussing (perhaps infuriating) Shiktal with his views on time, space and reality...which are based nowhere in such pedantic things as "facts" and "proofs."

"Though breaking other people's things is rarely the way to make friends with them, we won't be killing anyone and we certainly have the right to defend ourselves. Permission granted! Missiles away!"

Encourage - Diplomacy (Missile Gunner): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

Several times during their discussions on the trip out, Shiktal excuses herself to leave and meditate at a small shrine to Yasaera she has constructed in her room, to clear her mind and recommit herself to the Truth and to Knowledge. After this, she usually returns to begin the discussions anew.

"Let us get a good reading of what we're up against. Boosting the sensors." Shiktal calls through the ship's intercom from the bowels of the ship.

Engineering Check to boost Science Officer actions (+2).
Engineering vs DC13: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Thought I'd be engineer, but I'm cool being sci officer

"Let's see what this thing is made of . . ."

Computers check for Scan action: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 20

that's +2 from Shiktal and +1 from Drake since those haven't been used yet

Ears starts for the computer station, but gets cut off by Gwin. All right, let's see what I can do with the guns.

The ysoki diverts to the armaments board. "Aye, aye, Captain! Missiles away."

Missile fire, encouragement, comp bonus: 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 16

Didn't include any range penalties

Patterson grins as his hands dance over the controls. Under his sure guidance the transport handles more like an explorer, screaming through a tight turn. "Closer in, Cap'n?"

Piloting check to maneuver: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Patterson, are you going to move the ship and what maneuver were you trying?

Yes; wanted to get input on where to move, though. AFAICT, the roll to maneuver just reduces the turn spacing by 1.

"Keep us at our range, perhaps out of their range," Azara answers. "But since we're still healthy, err on the side of close."

I'll evade, then. Updated position on map.

Patterson attempts to keep its distance, while the platform moves into position.

Ears fires off a missile. It collides with the platform.

damage: 4d8 ⇒ (3, 1, 1, 4) = 9

Hish is getting used to the guns, overcompensates missing the platform.

A smaller ship begins to emerge from under the platform.

New round

platform initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Drone #1: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Patterson: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

I alway like it when the GM has to go first on these rolls.

The smaller ship leaves the platform and darts off and maneuvers itself behind The Drake.

All Phases Go

"I don't like this, men. And women. And hosts. Even iron must bend when it is between the hammer and anvil and under fire," Azara says.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you would get rid of the hammer, Ears," he continues.

Diplomacy (Inspire Missiling): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

"Boosting the engines, put us where you need to Jim." Shiktal calls before manually re-routing power into the engines, giving them a temporary kick.

Engineering DC13: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14; increases speed by 2.

"Righto!" Ears stands on the chair in front of the weapons board and throws some switches to steer the launcher after the dodging mothership.

Missile fire, encouragement, comp bonus: 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 16 ... damage: 4d8 ⇒ (2, 7, 5, 8) = 22

I rolled with it for story flow and that looks pretty good, but we should get Hish on the missiles next round. His gunnery mod is +4 to my +3

Hish swings the coilgun around once more. That was a tortured metaphor, but I get the idea, they comment as they target the other ship, trying to adjust their aim.

Gun (taking computer bonus): 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 4 + 1 = 23 for 4d4 ⇒ (1, 1, 3, 4) = 9

EDIT: Got myself confused. I want to be targeting the small ship, not the platform.

Petterson continues to jink back and forth, spoiling the enemies' aim, as he opens up some distance between the Drake and the other two vessels. "Thanks for the boost, hey?"

Piloting check to evade: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Gwin attempts to get a lock on the drone's engines. Target System

Computers: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 8 + 1 = 28

using the Drake's +1 again since I don't see anyone else using it. If this works it means "The next attack made by your starship that hits the enemy ship scores a critical hit on a natural roll of 19 or 20. If that attack deals critical damage, it affects the chosen system."

Gunnery phase

Ears launches a missile away, due to the distance, it still not at its target.

Hish swings the cannon around and opens fire on the drone and walks the laser up the hull of it.

The drone fires it laser after the drake. It hits and damages the port shields. You port shield arc takes 6 points of damage

The platform launches another drone.

New round
platform initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
maroon drone: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
pink drone: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Drake: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Drake moves first

Okay, lets just try the helm and engineering phases. We will settle gunnery after everything moves and all the modifiers are in place.

just carry over what I posted?

just carry over what I posted?

Sounds good. Which drone are you going for, there are two of them now.

"Patterson, don't drift so far from the mothership. It will have too much time to dodge the missiles."

We'd like to stay inside 12 hexes (missile speed) of the mothership, else we need to make additional to hit rolls for the missiles.

Can Ears fire a new missile and control one already in flight simultaneously? If so, are both To hit rolls made with full bonuses?

All it says is that the missile has to make another gunnery check and if it misses then it is lost. I would say it uses the same modifier as when it was first fired, which would be Ears' roll. And the gunnery rules says you can fire one weapon per round. So, I believe you can fire off a second missile.

So when it is gunnery phase, I will have ears give me another gunnery check vs TL for the first missile. Then he can fire another weapon

The human nods, concentrating on the displays in front of him as his hands dance across the controls. The ship turns ponderously, ending pointed at the station, still cutting back and forth in short bursts.

Evasive maneuvers: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Shiktal's keeping track of the fight through her Custom Rig, which is feeding her information from the ship's computer.

Engineer DC13 to boost Guns: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

All gunnery damage gets to change 1s to 2s this round.

Target System: Engines on Pink

"Well, that is unfortunate. The man who tries to stop a stream will fail where a man who stops a leak will succeed," Azara says as the platform sprouts another drone.

"Hish and Ears, switch stations, if you please. One of you keep the drones off our backs while the other focuses fire on the platform. We'll never in if it can just keep doing that and we don't deal with it."

Encourage Missilery(Diplomacy): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

The platform readies to release another drone.

The maroon drone lights up the blue shield. 2 damage to blue shields

The pink one opens fire on the front side. Yellow shield takes 5 damage

Gunners go. Ears I will need you to roll another gunner check for the missile that you fired. Then a check for which every weapon you are operating now.

Ears nods at Azara's command. "Hish, I'm still guiding that last missile. Can you take over missile firing?"

Re-rolled with all original modifiers. Does it make sense that the encouragement carries over from last round? Azara's encouragement this round applies to one crewmember's (Hish's) action. Can't believe the computer bonus carries over also. Shouldn't its use count against this rounds' usage?

Missile in transit, encouragement, comp bonus: 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 24... damage: 4d8 ⇒ (5, 6, 8, 1) = 20

After seeing the missile strike home, Ears switches his board over to controlling the coilgun and opens up on the damaged drone.

Coilgun roll. I put in a comp bonus, on the assumption that the missile's comp bonus came for free. If the missile's comp bonus isn't free -- then I'd rather spend it there than on the coilgun.

Coilgun v damaged drone : 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 3 + 1 = 15... damage: 4d4 ⇒ (3, 3, 2, 4) = 12

So that gets Hish onto this rounds missile fire and should leave a computer bonus available to him.

The platform shields flicker and then fails as absorbs the blast. some of the percussive force damages it hull.

Ears then takes controls of the coil gun and spins it around. He attempts to track the small drone, but can not catch up with it.

Hish May Act

Missiles, eh? New to me but let’s see why I can do... Hish calls up the missile command interface and launches a second missile streaking after Ears’s toward the platform.

Missiles Away! (Encouragement, Comp): 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 2 + 1 = 10
Damage: 4d8 ⇒ (3, 7, 1, 5) = 16

...maybe I’ll get lucky? If I do that’s actually 17 damage thanks to Shiktal.