[SFS/Shifty] #1-11 In Pursuit of the Scoured Past (A) (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

While the axiomite lectures on ksariks, Lynn fiddles with her extra handheld comm unit to disable its ability to transmit outbound data wirelessly (but leaving it capable of receiving wireless transmissions).
Computers: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

Once she's done she holds the reconfigured device up with a "Tada! This little guy's gonna be the trap for our scary doomsday virus. We smash the robots, then lower the security on this guy and *SHWOOP* it'll take a one way trip in!"

"As for the ksarik, umm, all I'm getting is that its smart-ish are pretty dangerous. It shoots acid and thorns and likes to eat corpses and copy your DNA. First of all, that's gross. Second, maybe we can lure it over with promise of some cool new DNA to try out?" She puts her hands on her hips. "Mmmmm... maybe we're just gonna have to see what its up to once we get there."

Having heard all she needs to know, Lynn joins Janilla and Royo on the stone shuttle.

Rocket scratches his head at Lynn's words

"So..is our tactic going to be to not let us get shot by acid and thorns and not let it eat our corpses and DNA? Or do we want to go get a corpse with some new DNA - preferably not a party member to drag after us and lure it into the cage?"

"I sort of doubt..or actually hope they don't have a pile of fresh corpses lying around for us to us"

" ...winging it it is" Rocket concludes with a wink while checking the ammo supply in his blasters

As you move to enter the shuttle, you notice that Iteration-177 and the Hellknight group each board shuttles of their own on the other side of the plaza. Iteration-177 seems to be on cordial terms with their Curator emissary. Kelria is gesturing angrily and berating her emissary while flanked by a contingent of her soldiers led by Loomarch. Albryan gestures for you all to ignore the scene and board your shuttle "Not all visitors agree with the methods and rules of Athaeum, do not concern yourselves with other visitors"

***
The shuttle whisks you across the surface of Athaeum for roughly 15 minutes before stopping at the feet of the Towers of Recondite Lore. There are nearly two dozen towers in all, each named after a different magical beast and filled with individual vaults of unusual lore. Hundreds of bridges connect the towers at varying heights, meaning the you could move from tower to tower without ever touching the ground, if you wished.

Glowing runes cap each tower’s entryway to the individual towers of the area. Royo explains "Each rune represents the creature associated with the tower in question."

The Tower of the Oma lies near the center of the Towers of Recondite Lore. This soaring 40-story-tall structure is made of black, glassy stone lined with beautifully carved frescoes. Eight bridges lead to the tower, each at different heights, and four looming archways allow visitors to enter the tower.

Royo pipes in again "The Oma, vast creatures, often called 'space whales', that travel endlessly through the inky void. They magically project electromagnetic fields that shield them from the effects of the vacuum as well as from the particulate rings and dense atmospheres of the gas giants in which they usually feed, extracting energy and nutrients with their energy baleen." The elderly scholar trails off, talking almost to himself, then proceeds towards the tower entrance.

A strange, creeping ivy fills the first floor and crawls 100 feet up the sides of the tower.

From the look of the windows, this used to be some type of greenhouse, and the massive vines grow out of planter boxes. There are plenty of clear passages that lead you to the four stairwells that lead up into the other levels of the towers.

Janilla still keeps an eye on the...issue...the hellknights seem to be causing, wondering exactly what that was all about.

Once entering the shuttle however, she is pretty wrapped up in listening to Royo about the history of the towers. "Albryan, Royo, why exactly are the towers named after magical beasts? I mean, they could be just alpha-numeric designations, or named after deities, or even named after somebodies favorite kind of cakes and pies. Is there some mystical reason--maybe a connection--to name them after beasts, besides just being....well...cool." She says this as she is smiling, hoping that Albryan realizes she is not slighting their naming system, just honestly curious about the reasons.

Going a bit wide eye on Royo's talk about Oma's, she blurts out a question, "Oma's...don't those 'whales' grow to be the size of a decent sized starship? That must be scary to see when you are in some of the little ships the Society lets us fly around in."

Lightly reaching out and touching the ivy, she barely recoils in slight revulsion then thinks about if she has ever heard of this plant.

Life Science: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

"Oh Atienus, I haven't been to Castrovel much, but I remember one of my horticulture classes mentioning this plant." She will then go on to explain what little she knows. Feel free to open up the Life Science 18 spoiler, she will slightly babble about that to you all.

"They could be alpha-numeric, or named after gods, but perhaps different species and cultures would not have readily recognised the concepts, what are numbers to an oral tradition that doesn't include numeracy? The gods would be even more divisive. An Oma, on the other hand, is clearly understood" Royo ponders the question a little longer, but is pretty sure he's on the right path.

Dora looks around curiously, Arod flying silently behind. She shows no interest in the plant.

On the shuttle ride over, Lynn idly wonders out loud "Jeez, those Hellknights kinda seem like bullies, don't you think? And the curators here don't look like they could fight them if the Hellknights decide to cause trouble."

She oohs and aahs at the Towers of Recondite Lore as the group approaches, bringing her datapad up to take selfies with the buildings in the background. If she can, she also gets her allies in some of the pics.

At the Tower of the Oma, she nods with overemphasized excitement at the explanation about the Oma. "Oh my gosh, I've heard of those space whales before! They can gobble a starship right up. Though some of them are super kind and nice too."
---
Life Science: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

At the base of the tower, Lynn looks way up at all the vines and plant life. "Is it supposed to look that way? Or did the rogue robots let loose some quick-growing plants. Oh! We could take some of this atenius over to the tower with the lost ksarik and offer it as a treat to that big guy." If she thinks its safe to harvest some of the vine, she'll do so with her knife.

"Alright! In we go then!" She pumps a fist in the air and heads on into the tower in search of crazed deadly robots.

Janilla will spend a little time to help pick some more of the atenius with Lynn.

And will be ready to go fight these crazy robots.

Atenius in hand, you begin the long climb towards the top of the tower, as you pass the first landing you check the exhibitions beyond from the stairwell.

A large room with an enormous gold dragon chained to the floor with a golden chain, it appears to be in deep slumber, with gentle snores rumbling from it.

On the other side, a room filled with rows of obelisks carved from solid ice. Strange indecipherable formulae shift and float inside each obelisk.

Dora looks carefully around the room, her attention mostly on any technology.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Lynn skips ahead and peers into the dragon room, clutching a hand to her chest. "Woah! You guys seeing this? Are they really keeping a gold dragon chained up here? Or is this like a fancy hologram?" She spins around and hoists her datapad up to take a few selfies with the sleeping dragon. (Now I'm wishing we had a Starfinder scenario that involves rescuing a dragon from sci-fi jail.)

She's significantly less enamored with the obelisks, but still takes a moment to see if she can make sense of their formulae.

Mysticism ?: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Rocket stands guard while the others look around

"This place is giving me the heebie-jeebies. Let's just do what we came here to do and move on"

Rocket mentions as one of his eyes develops a twitch as he tries to make sense of shifting going on inside the ice obelisks

Dora thinks this is all pretty low on the technology scale, but in the realms of mystical alien artefacts, these are quite fascinating exhibits.

Lynn gets her selfie, and as she gets close she can tell these are real chains on a real sleeping dragon. As she leaves via the ice pillars, she deducts that they are likely to be some sort of alien sheet music for the symphony of a system of ice planets. Where or how, or on what instrument they should be played is a total mystery.

Climbing the stairs once more, you can hear quite a lot of mixed noises being muffled through a few (almost) soundproof doors.

On one side, an enormous room filled with thousands of vibrant birds. They fly and create aerial formations that spell out words and runes in a variety of languages.

The other side, a room filled with cacophonous noise created by hundreds of instruments played all at once by miniature robots.

Janilla just....wanders. Wide eyed and mouth hanging just slightly open. A very close listening can hear the very quiet "Wooooooow" coming from her lips.

Shaking her head a little, she see's Lynn taking selfies. Looking at the angle that Lynn is taking, she worries. "Lynn, when you do that, be VERY careful not to get anything that might be text or formulae or anything that might be possible written wording. That might technically count as copying something to the Curators. When I was trying to get them to give me an answer on if word of mouth and stories are technically a form of copying, their response has me believe that they will take a very literal view on things like photos accidentally capturing anything written."

Nervously looking at any moving shadow Rocket comments

'This place is nothing like I'd expected. Who in what's her name again? 's name would use flipping birds to write things down?"

"Anyone else hoping those miniature robot's ain't getting infected by that virus we're here to take care off and we get attacked by small instruments?"
Rocket glances over his shoulder as he walks past that room.

Janilla offers a prudent warning, which in turn prompts her to look about for any text - she notes the omission of obvious object labels or descriptive text, which seems to be deliberate given the otherwise museum-like quality of the displays.

Rocket has disturbing visions of swarms of tiny robots, and the more he looks at them, the more he concludes that thousands of sharp objects coming in at speed would probably inflict gruesome wounds...

***

Map up!

You finally arrive at the twelfth floor.

Pallid green light fills this area. Ten large glass containers, each filled with translucent green slime, are arranged in a half square in the middle of the room. Scrolls of parchment float lazily inside the slime of each container.

In the centre of it all, two robed 'humans' constructed of brass and silver with visible clockwork mechanisms inside them. One of their arms ends in a vicious blade, while the other is an intricate clockwork re-creation of a hand.

You are currently 'off the map', you can enter via any of the four stairwells you choose, collectively or individually. The first person who posts an action that involves going into the room will trigger initiative :)

I've put Dora near the staircase she wants to come from, when everyone is ready. I'd suggest we pick two of the entrances to use.

If we go that route I suggest having them in the middle, so I've put Rocket at the opposite entrance.

"..what gun to pick, what gun to pick..?" Rocket wonders to himself

Peeking around the corner and taking a look at the clockwork humans constructed of brass and silver Rocket tries to figure out what would work best

1d20 ⇒ 7 (+1 is mysticism, +10 if engineering)

Before asking over the comms
"Hey, what do you think on how to handle this? This is the "Destroy the machines and retrieve the virus" assignment they gave us right? How do you guys think we can best destroy those clockwork humans?"

Janilla peers around Dora, trying to get a look at the creatures.

Roll to determine info about them: 1d20 ⇒ 13 ( If it is Mysticism +10, Engineering is +7, additionally if it applies Arcanamirium Sage gives +2 to identify items....don't think it counts, but who knows ;-) )

Over the comms Janilla mentions,"I wonder if this is the time we should turn off your wireless communication devices that can send and transmit data, as you don't want them infected. Which by the way, makes me wonder if we should turn off our comms.........dang." With that, you see Janilla has left the comm chat.

As the group approaches the final set of staircases, Lynn begins to hum a light-hearted tune. As she does so, telepathic links connect all four members of the party together. She thinks towards others "Hey, this way we can keep our comms off but still chat! No doom viruses in our nice little comms!~" Her voice is still bubbly even while talking telepathically, though it tends to be accompanied by a staticky haze of noise.

Lynn joins Rocket at the northern staircase, then peeks around the corner herself to see what the robots look like.
Mysticism to ID: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 OR
Engineering to ID: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

"Huuummmmm, don't they make you think of the Brigh facet of Triune? I wonder if that's where they came from to start with?" She sets her headset on her head and starts quietly flicking through the backing music options on her datapad.

Ready when you guys are. Lynn's pretty frail, so I'm hoping someone else might steal their attention first.

I am fine with Janilla starting it off...I just want to know a few things about these critters...mainly if that mind affecting effects won't work on them. If my guess is right (which they are immune to say mind thrust), Janilla will otherwise just be a person with a gun.

Rocket identifies they are indeed Lore Wardens, which are considered constructs that have no particular weakness or defence against his collection of small arms but little more.

Line I'll take your first die roll and apply Engineering to that, allowing you two questions

What special abilities do they have? And are they able to cause any problems for our tech equipment due to their virus?

Also if they're constructs that means immunity to mind affecting unfortunately Janilla. Unless they have an exception to the general rule, which it doesn't look like is the case here.

You can that they don't have transmitters, so no way to remotely infect your equipment. You are aware they have a 'proclamation' (SU) ability they can use requiring DC 15 Will saving throw at the start of their turn or become off-target for one round. This is a mindaffecting, sense-dependent effect.

Janilla takes a deep breath. [b]"This is what they trained you for. Get in and get their attention. Right...should be easy."[b]

With that she runs in and casts a spell on the southern construct.

Move action, move in 30 feet.
Standard Action, cast Wisp Ally on the southern construct for covering fire for me (+2 to AC). Ally will stay on that one as it moves unless I use a move action to move it to the other.
Also, I hope that my microwave gun was out...if not it would be drawn as I move.

Before we move in, Dora makes sure that she and Arod are both ready to shoot. Arod is a little flying drone who is hovering right behind Dora at least until combat starts.

Janilla strides in, gun in hand, and casts a spell - the robots take notice!

R1
Rocket
Lynn
ENEMY

Lynn sweeps into the room, telepathically communicating the facts she knows about these creatures to the rest of the party. Mid stride, her headset's speakers begin to ring with the opening notes of a piano.

She faces the two robots and stretches her hands out to them, smiling with practiced impishness. She opens her mouth and ♪♫♬ begins to sing ♪♫♬! In moments, the air around her buzzes with ripples of energy that pulse in time with her singing. She drags her hand through them like the surface of a river - and two rippling beads of force peel free and rocket towards the southern robot!

Magic Missile (w/ harmful spells): 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2) + 4 = 7

Lynns missiles coalesce and streak unerringly into their target!

R1
Rocket
Lynn - MM
ENEMY

R
O 7

Moving into the room - and not to mention bravely shielding Lynn from the enemies - Rocket lines up a shot with his weapon and pulls the trigger of the biggest gun he's carrying.

To hit EAC Red: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
Damage if hit F (laser): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Rocket dashes in and fires an accurate shot that deeply scores the robot.

The two spring into action, the one Rcoket shot is [i]so indignant[/i[ it releases a stream of grandiose self-promotion and profound insults about Rocket (and his shady companions!)

The other responds by returning magical missiles at Lynn!

MM 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 4) + 2 = 9

All, DC15 Will save on your turn or be Off Target for a round

R1 Cotd
Janilla
Dora

R2
Rocket
Lynn

R 13
O 7

Will Save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Janilla shrugs at the one that spits annoying self-promotion and vitriol at Rocket. That she would never have guessed a good construct should know how to do.

With a mental thought she moves the wisp to the northern one, having it provide harrying fire.

With that done, she turns in the profile she was taught how to shoot while dueling, and quickly aims at the northern one, preferring to attempt to focus fire on one and drop it.

Scorchgun: 1d20 + 4 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 + 2 - 4 = 19 to hit. +4 total to hit bonus, +2 harrying, -4 fighting defensively (getting +2 to AC until next round)
Fire damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Move action, move wisp to Red to give harrying fire (before I fire--my to hit isn't bad, but it isn't good). Standard action fighting defensively at Red.

Will save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Rocket bites back a tear
" ..man, those words sting.."

before deciding to went his frustration on one of the constructs by aiming his blaster at it and pulling the trigger

To hit EAC Red: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 10 - 2 = 18
Damage if hit F (laser): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Janilla adjusts and shoots - landing a shot!

Rocket is slightly bamboozled by the bluster but still manages to get his aim true enough to get another round home!

Dora and Lynn to act

R30
O 7

Will vs. mind affecting: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 + 2 = 24

Lynn pouts at the robot as the retaliatory magic missiles hit her, but doesn't halt her song. If anything she grows more exuberant, stepping from side to side in time with the music as ripples of sonic energy crowd around her. She gathers another three ripples, transforms them into beads of force, and sends them rocketing at the red robot!

Magic Missile, full, w/ harmful spells: 3d4 + 5 ⇒ (3, 1, 4) + 5 = 13

The first guardian sputters and pops in a an electrical surge as it begins shorting out through the pile of damage heaped on it!

Dora up

R DOWN
O 7

Since Dora won't be posting her own action for a bit I'll suggest she'll fire her pistol at the still standing construct. I can't find stats for the droid...so I'll suggest it goes fully on the defensive?

And just in case the GM prefers for a player to take the action

Dora fires her pistol
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
P damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Dora will save 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Dora is rattled by the speech, but manages to land a shot on the standing guardian.

The guardian is incensed by Lynn not only ignoring how amazing these guardians are, but also talking nay SINGING over the top of it all!

The remaining guardian coalesces some missiles of his own and hurls them back at Lynn!
Magic missile 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 3, 4) + 3 = 13

R2
Janilla
Dora

R3
Rocket
Lynn

R - Smoking remains
O - 14

Will save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Rocket moves a bit closer to line up a better shot before he pulls the trigger on his gun once more.

To hit EAC Yellow: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 10 - 2 = 22
F (laser) damage if hit: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

While asking Lynn over his shoulder
"Are you alright? That looked like it hurts if you get hit by those."

Janilla looks at the last guardian with a bit of pity. Realizing that these wonderful creations are going to be destroyed.

With regret she aims at it, and pulls the trigger, not worrying about her profile as she does so, while the wisp distracts the guardian.

Scorchgun: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 4 + 2 = 19 +4 for to hit, +2 for harrying fire (3rd round it has been active).
Fire damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Rocket and Janilla maintain the volume of fire, both making their marks, but the Guardian remains standing and returning magical blasts!

O 29

Lynn pouts at the robot, waggling a finger in its direction as if to chastise it for being naughty. Ever the persistent performer, the pummeling she's received doesn't cause more than a small kink in her singing. She swirls around, gathering herself for a finale...

Magic missile, full, harmful spells: 3d4 + 5 ⇒ (4, 3, 4) + 5 = 16

And lets out a shout! Three ripples turn into spears of force and converge on the remaining robot!

Lucky damage roll!

The second guardian seems to almost implode under the magical assault - both of them lay sparking and fizzing as their energy sources begin to fry and short out.

Lynn pauses for a moment with a pose at the end of her song, then makes a show of wiping (nonexistent) sweat from her brow and beaming at the rest of her team. "We did great! Now lets get that virus!"

She steps up to the robot husks and attaches the non-transmitting comms device that she prepared earlier. "Come on in, its super cozy in heeeere~" She whispers to the virus in the robots.

Computers; if needed: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19 (In case it matters, she prepared her computer hardware trap in this post earlier.)

Lynn has to work fast to get the virus copied before the power supplies fizzle out, but just as it is looking like it is too late she manages to 'infect' the prepared comms device which immediately shows signs of being buggy.

Looking over Lyns shoulder as she works Rocket inquires
"Do you need a hand with that...oh, never mind. You managed all by yourself"

Rocket then scratches his chin

"uhrm..what do we do with it now? Hand it over to someone in charge and move on to the acid spewing plant that we're not allowed to kill?"

Janilla nods, "Keep it away from other things it can infect. Probably take it back to Albryan before we head to the acid spewing plant that infects us with spores and such."

Lynn flourishes the glitchy comms device and gives the others a thumbs up. "Yep! Let's bring it back to Alby before the little guys trapped in here stumble on a way to escape."

Before the group leaves, Lynn takes a look at the robots that they had to destroy. Is there anything interesting in them or in their construction?
Engineering: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

Much of the circuitry inside each lore warden construct is crafted from precious metals, most of which can be stripped. In addition, the bladed arm of one the destroyed lore warden can be salvaged, acting as a sintered longsword.

You do recall that Albys last comment to you was that he was headed somewhere as he was needed for some other matter - he might not be available for some time

Royo blanches a bit at the mention of some spore creature possibly infecting him with nasty spores, quite a feat for the paleness to be noticeable under his fur "I trust that such talented and insightful Starfinders as you have shown yourselves to be will avoid it coming to all that unpleasantness"

The scrolls in the room float in their suspension fluid, bathing the place in an eerie glow.

"Well, if we can't give it to Albryan, maybe we should hand it to the next most likely person. Royo, will you carry and protect the virus? That way we keep it safe. I figure that if one of us is carrying it, that plant creature would likely attack him and release the virus somehow."

With that said, Janilla goes over to look at the scrolls, knowing that she can't copy them, but to at least see what kind of information is on them. While curious, she won't take them out of the fluid, as she is worried that would be something Albryan wouldn't like.