[SFS-GM Skeemo] 1-07 The Solar Sortie (Inactive)

Game Master Christopher Wasko

Buster cracks his taclash across the vesk's back as he moves, but everyone turns toward the rising hum from the two ysoki in the back. Every seam in Fixit's rifle glows with barely contained energy, vibrating violently in his hands. The last thing any of the ysoki see is Razor's one good eye widen, before a massive laser beam explodes her body into several tiny, charred pieces.

The horrified vesk both drop their weapons and fall to their knees. Envar's jaw goes slack, before he mumbles, "Woah...I didn't know ysoki could shoot death rays out of their eyes..."

Seconds later, a team of armor-clad lashunta and humans barge in. "Security! Everyone drop your weapons and lie down on the ground!"

Combat over!

You are detained only briefly, interrogated by a lashunta and a vesk who review the security footage as the rest of the security staff arrests the vesk thugs, interviews witnesses, and cleans up the mess (which Envar aggressively takes selfies with). The vesk watches the video. "Sure looks like self defense to me. Wildly dangerous self defense, perhaps, but what else do you expect from a pro gladiator?" She looks at Fixit with a toothy grin. "Let me know who sold you that gun. I need a piece like that."

The lashunta, however, furrows his brow. "Yeah, about that." He holds up a datapad with multiple tabs open, including the personnel files on all of you. "Here's the boarding pass and fight manifesto: Pied Piper and his Deadly Horde, complete with narrator et cetera et cetera, but there is no forwarding company." He expands an infosphere browser with a search bar open. "I ran a search and I can't find any past records of the Pied Piper's gladiatorial matches. Facial recognition did find this, though." He pulls up media photos from the Starfinder Society gala—headline "STARFINDER SOCIETY FUTURE ANNOUNCED"—and from the Strawberry Machine Cake concert on Songbird Station—headline "STARFINDERS SHOWCASED BY GRATEFUL ROCK BAND"—and zooms in on photos of Mustachio in both locations, grinning for the camera. "This doesn't look like a pro gladiator to me. So why are you here, Mr. 'Piper'?

Before you can answer, Envar leaps in. "To KICK ASS is why, Officer! You should have seen them be like WOOSH and POW and—" he makes ever more extravagant karate gestures with elaborate sound effects before he tires himself out. "And all to save me from this criminal, who attacked me for no reason at all, and could have killed me with her LASER EYES! Is that what you have wanted?!

The lashunta officer becomes quiet, visibly confused and frustrated. "Um, no, Mr. Tamm. But if you'd look here—" Envar jabs the screen. "You mean at my FAMOUS BADASS FRIENDS?! Going 'round the Pact Worlds saving lives with songs in their hearts?! You ever think maybe they want one drink with their best, handsomest friend without paparazzi drones following them around, or even without some drug dealer getting all violent but even THAT was too much to ask?!"

Some of the other officers begin murmurring ("How did he know about the drugs?"), but the lashunta shakes his head. "No, sir, of course not." He takes one long acidic look at Mustachio, then offers a curt smile. "Clearly this was...self defense. You all are free to go." With that, he staches his datapad and leaves, gathering an entourage of other officers through what you suspect is telepathic communication.

Envar whoops and makes finger guns at you. "That was bananas! Hoo, I need to amp down! Wanna go to the observatory?! We can see the whole freakin' sun from up there, and the lame-ass scientists that work there are on break so we'll have the whole place to ourselves! Besides, this place is, like, Buzzkill Central now."

You'll have time to take a 10 minute rest, if you'd like.

It looks like da Pied Pipa has already been made. Some masta' disguise he is.

"They shouldn'ta messed with us. Musta' not seen the fight."

Buster lays out a pile of spare parts on the bar and starts assembling another bomb. Inbetween working on the improvised explosive he reaches over to his plate and tears out a chunk of meat, quickly scarfing his food down.

Buster is going to make another Mk I web grenade during the 10 minute rest.

"I prefer to think they just weren't very smart."

When the security officers come, Spider looks at his blade being glad that there is some blood at the edge of it. He cleans it and hides it, being left with a cane.

After the whole buzz goes away he goes and checks on Piper:

"You alright? The blow that you took could have killed a crest-eater. Let's take one of the tables to the side and take some rest."

Spider looks at Buster making a workshop out of the bar and says:

"People want to drink here friend, and not play Space Jenga with you. Why don't we move your toys to the table that we just found?"

Spider winks at the bartender, what a six arm beauty she is, and says: "Sorry for making a mess dear, we will be on our best behavior."

Mustachio grins broadly as the officers easily cut through his cover story and get to the bottom of things. He nods along as they point out his past adventures. "Yes. Yes. Absolutely. Oh, that was a great concert. I'm good friends with Strawberry Machine Cake, of course. Yeah, Starfinder, just a part time gig. You've probably seen me in "Star Rangers Ultra Paradox!" starring me, as Billy the Red Ranger. Hee-yaw!! You've seen me in that, right, Envar? Yup.... Uh-huh... Yup, here to kick ass and chew bubblegum. You didn't honestly think the Piped Piper was my REAL name, did you? I'm trying to get some gladiatorial real-life experience. There is an upcoming role with my name on it, gotta do some character exploration, don't ya know... Marcus Starcrusher in... "The Gladiator from Akiton!" Envar, you should come with me at the premier!"

bluff: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

Later, back at the bar, Mustachio gladly slumps down and tries to drink off his wound. taking a rest

Envar is noticeably confused by Mustachio's cover. "Wait, you're an actor? Are these, like, your stunt-rats? Did you also owe Razor money?" He presses about the premiere of Mustachio's upcoming film, which the actor easily improvises around once he catches his breath.

Envar's perplexed questioning keeps you occupied all the way up to the sixth level of the station. The elevator doors slide open to reveal a chamber with goldenhued metal floor and walls. Plasma screens on the south wall stretch from floor to ceiling and display crisp, breathtaking images of space. A fluorescent mural on the floor depicts the stages of a solar eclipse. Two silver doors to the east and west lead farther into the observatory, secured by key card slots and retinal scanners. (Map updated)

Envar smiles. "Friends, you're now officially in the closest point to Mataras in orbital Pact Worlds space! Only the hottest people can get up here." His smile fades to perplexion. "Woah, how do you stay so calm when you're, like, on fire? Is that, like, an acting trick?"

Spider collects his cape and gun before leaving the bar, and go with Envar. After arriving at the observatory he says:

"Wow, this is amazing? Is there a better view behind those doors?"

Spider points with one of his hands toward eastern doors.

"Woah, how do you stay so calm when you're, like, on fire? Is that, like, an acting trick?"

Buster shrugs. "Na, it's real fire. It don't botha' us cause we're so damn tough."

Fixit trails the group at the back of the pack pulling Ears with him and peppering the technomancer with questions about what he did to his gun.

"That was AWESOME! We need to do that again! How did you do that? Can you teach me?"

"Yes. Yes, when it's needed. It's simply complicated. Maybe."

"It woeks kind of like a laser. In a laser atoms are pumped up to a higher energy level and then they casacade nearly simultaneously to a lower energy state and release the excess energy in a focused burst.

But it takes tremendous mental effort. I can only do it a few times a day"

”So... what do those scientists actually do here?” asks Gordon looking around seeing if he can work out what is meant to happen in this laboratory

physical science: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

"Stellar..." the lashunta whispers as he stares at Buster for a long beat. Envar snaps back to attention with Gordon's question. "I dunno, nerd stuff. They usually yell at me when I come around here. Let's check it out!" He presents his key card and scans his eye for the door, opening it.

Two silver doors to the northwest and southwest admit entrance into this chamber with gold metal flooring. Metal shelving covers the eastern walls, while four mounted telescopes fill the center of the room, fused to the floor with strategic welding. The room also contains a storage unit and a row of lockers beneath the shelves.

Envar prances into the room. "I bet with these bad boys, I could watch your shows all the way from here!" He starts playing with the focus settings on one of the telescopes.

Map updated.

Spider walks after Envar looking over the telescopes. Casually he looks through one, to see what they are focused at.

While moving between the rooms, Spider keeps his eyes open for anything that could be of use.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

"Bet you could! I should get you in as a guest star on Star Rangers Ultra Paradox. Hey, do you think they keep any booze in these cabinets. Or maybe.... more enjoyable substances?"

Mustachio starts rifling through the storage unit and shelves.

”So... what do those scientists actually do here?” asks Gordon looking around seeing if he can work out what is meant to happen in this laboratory

"I'm pretty sure we can parse it out. Don't let the idiots touch anything else."

Ears scuttles over to a scope not being fiddled with by Envar, and looks around for a computer.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 4

[ Phys Sci] Take 10 or 20 +7

Plan -- get Envar to let us into any computers we find up here??

Spider's peek is to no avail; the telescopes have lens caps on at the moment. Mustachio pokes around the lockers and finds mostly miscellaneous astronomy equipment common throughout the Pact Worlds, but the storage unit is locked.

Ears looks around, but only sees one computer: a tier-1 locking mechanism affixed to the storage unit (see above).

"That would be stellar! Way more exciting than wasting away around here. Bet I could get time off to come be on your show no problem! My mom runs the place anyway, so I got mad pull." Envar looks in some of the other lockers. "Nah, typical nerd stuff. Maybe in the other room." He abandons the scopes and walks toward the west door.

After Envar turns away, Fixit quickly disables the locking mechanism and looks inside the locker.

"Interesting. But not really interesting."

He takes nothing and relocks the locker once everyone else has finished with it.

Take 10 on either gets Fixit in.

Buster peaks over Fixit's shoulder, and seeing that the cabinet is filled with interesting and useful looking things, he begins filling his rucksack with items.

"I don't think they gonna be missin' any a' stuff. And I think I could make use outta that rad buster unit."

If Buster has 10 minutes, he can install the radiation buffer into his armor or anyone else's. He doesn't have a use for the prosthetic arm, but who would pass up the chance for a free arm?

As Buster starts tinkering with the stolen goodies, Envar grows restless and opens the door to the next room. "This one's my favorite!" he exclaims.

The sun blazes above the transparent, domed ceiling of this gold metal room. An enormous gray-and-silver telescope is mounted near the western wall and points up toward the ceiling. A halfcircle desk and associated chairs rest near the northwestern wall. A dark-silver control station in front of the northern wall houses twin computer terminals. A set of silver shelves juts out from the northeastern wall, displaying various scientific instruments and tools.

Envar immediately walks over toward the far control station, drifting left as he does so and correcting only to catch himself on one of the hoverchairs.

"Hey man! Oh, oh this is perfect. Log into that computer and make it aim the telescope at my butt. Get a picture, I'll autograph it for you!" Mustachio starts loosening his belt in order to moon the telescope.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 10 + (2) = 18

If you prefer a bluff, it is the same final number actually. Boo bad roll but it isn't terrible.

Seeing where Mustachio's pitch is leading -- namely computer access -- Ears chimes in.

"Awesome idea, Mustachio! Best you've had all day!"

The ysoki scuttles quickly over to the computers and tries to access them using the ID and password provided by Envar.

Aid Mustachio, untrained: 1d20 ⇒ 6 ~sigh~

First, Ears wants to verify that he is indeed locked out. Second he wants to evaluate the defenses on the computer.

COmputers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

Spider walks after Ears and looks at Envar logging into a computer. He tries to aid Ears in assessing the security measures:

Computers aid: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Seeing what kind of con they are doing he tries to help Mustachio

It is more of a bluff than diplomacy if you ask me. I will do one roll and make GM decide. Diplomacy is +7 and Bluff is +10 for me

Diplomacy/bluff aid: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Envar guffaws at Mustachio's suggestion. "EPIC! Let me get it set up!" He starts fiddling with the controls. A holo-projection of Ilia Tamm appears near the telescope and announces, “Guest safety is important to Arch Energy. Only authorized personnel may enter this restricted area.” Envar rolls his eyes at the recording. “Mom, you never let me play this game when I was a kid.” Envar mashes the buttons on the control panel. Ears and Spider spot warning windows flashing just in time for a loud droning sound to fill the room. The floor vibrates, and sun above appears brighter as a shield lowers.

There is a flash, and suddenly what look like two miniature suns manifest in the room!

Round 1 (bold may post)
Mustachio
Spider
Solar creatures
Buster
Fixit
Gordon
Ears

"Fixit, if we raise the shield do you think it will choke those things?"

What are they: 1d20 ⇒ 18 Life Science +8. Mysticism, +4, or Physical Sci +3 untrained

"Envar... what is this? A security system! Can we just destroy it!?!"

Get em! on the red outlined sun, and then he fires at it

Huchket Rifle w/ damage: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 = 91d10 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

"Could be worth a try..."

What are they? Do I know...

Physical Science: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Life Science: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Spider this time is not surprised. With one of his hands he pulls his pistol and takes a shot at one of the creatures.

Move Action: pull out pistol
Standard Action: shoot at red creature
Shooting at red sun vs KAC: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 1 = 8
Ammo: 7/9

The bullet misses the target hitting the wall not that far from Fixit.

Ears IDs the creatures as solar elementals, specialized fire elementals spawned from the thinned dimensional barrier on the surface of the sun. He suspects lowering the dimensional shield surrounding the observatory gave them a window to materialize. Pick two stats to learn: senses, skills & initiative, EAC, KAC, saves, DR, SR, resistances, immunities, weaknesses, speeds, melee attacks, ranged attacks, special attacks, or other abilities.

Mustachio Fort: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Spider Fort: 1d20 ⇒ 5

Mustachio and Spider both lodge slugs into the observatory walls, each provoking one of the elementals to attack. Mustachio dodges the lunging attack and grits his teeth against the heat, but Spider feels a potent radiation burn against his exposed skin, compounded by a fiery blow to the gut.

Round 1 (bold may post)
Buster
Fixit
Gordon
Ears
Round 2
Mustachio (aura)
Spider (-6 SP, -4 HP, aura)
Solar elementals

"Stay strong, my narrator!"

Mustachio backs away from the elemental and inspires Spider, helping him regain all his SP.

"I could use a hand here, my horde!"

So I regain all of my 6 SP

Spider seeing an enemy a bit closer than he would like to feels his strength to come back after inspiration from Mustachio. If he survives it he needs to buy him a drink. Making a horrified face (which should not be hard given the amount of damage that he took), he tumbles his cylinder from his head and starts running away screaming:

"Run Envar, you are too important to be hurt!"

Almost falling down Spider runs next to the elemental and moves toward his Ysoki colleagues. Just before stopping he turns around and shoots with his pistol at the enemy.
Full action: trick attack. If I succeed in the bluff part I should not provoke AOO. I couldn't find if my Bluff-based trick attack is dependent on senses or shared language. So I leave it for you to decide

Bluff for trick attack: 1d20 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 4 = 20 Fail => my movent provoke AOO
Trick attack extra damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Attack at red vs KAC: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Ammo:6/9

Gordon pulls out his pulsecaster and heads towards the 'northern' door thinking their may be an issue trying to shoot sun elementals with lasers

Hearing combat coming from the other room, Buster unslings his reaction cannon from his back and rushes towards the action.

"Hah! Fir monsters! Eat lead suckas!"

trailblazing Reaction Cannon: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Piercing, magic: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Resistances and weaknesses please.

Ears hops up and down, rubbing his hands over his ears and down over his face. "Stop making all that noise. Stay calm. Luminous, stellar appearance, roughly person-size. I've read something about these..."

No resistances (note: not the same as immunities), vulnerable to cold.

Fixit stands around gloomily looking at his weapon...

"Ah guys... I dont think my laser is going to hurt these things. Anyone got another gun?"

I could have sworn I had another weapon but, looking at my character sheet, apparently not.

"Solar powered fire elementals! Now that they're here, I don't think we can de-power them. Anyone have a cryo weapon?" Ears draws his pistol and focuses on it briefly, before holding it out to Fixit.

"Here take this."

One supercharged lead-slinging automatic pistol, for your use.

I was planng to sell it in favor of an energy weapon, but didn't get around to it. So things are working out.

@Ears: You'll have to get to Fixit first, he's back in the other room.

Mustachio Fort: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Spider Fort: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Spider Fort: 1d20 ⇒ 3
Ears Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Buster Fort: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Envar recoils to the corner as the creature's radiant aura burns his skin. Buster lands a solid shot on the nearer elemental, prompting it to zip over to him and lunge out with its solar-flare-like limb. The close proximity of the elemental continues to sear Mustachio's and Spider's skin, although Ears and Buster avert their eyes and use their armor to protect their vulnerable spots. Buster dodges the oncoming attack, but Mustachio takes it in the chest.

Round 2 (bold may post)
Buster (aura)
Fixit
Gordon
Ears (aura)
Round 3
Mustachio (aura, -8 SP)
Spider (aura, -4 SP, -4 HP)
Red solar elemental (-14 HP)
Orange solar elemental

Full action: Trick attack
Spider pretends to make a stab with his cane trying to take the attention of the elemental from the real threat - Buster. When the elemental shift his attention to Spider he says:

"Now Buster, smack him!"

Bluff for trick attack: 1d20 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 4 = 33 Success
Trick attack extra damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

After saying that, elemental quickly turns toward Ysoki making himself exposed to the attacks from the clown.

Shooting this thing close distance vs KAC (-2 to AC due to being flat-footed): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Ammo: 5/9

@Ears: You'll have to get to Fixit first, he's back in the other room.

I figured he would come to me. He was asking for a weapon afterall.

Buster plants his feet and begins to fire rapidly from his hip at the rampaging elemental, attempting to duck under it's fiery attacks.

Reaction Cannon, Full attack 1: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 6 - 4 = 201d10 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Reaction Cannon, Full attack 2: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 6 - 4 = 221d10 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Reaction Cannon, Critical damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

If the first attack kills the elemental, Buster will fire his second shot at the other one.

Gordon will sneak up to the door and shoot his pulsecaster at the sun elemental thing

stealth: 1d20 + 15 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 15 + 1 = 33
pulsecaster: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6

Feeling seperate from the others and in a really dangerous tactical position, Mustachio double moves to the north end of the room to be nearer to the rest of the group.

provokes aoo

Fixit runs around the outside of the room and snatches the pistol off of Ears before turning it on the red sun...

Pistol Fire!: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 1 = 8
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (5, 4, 5, 5) = 21

If its ok, Fixit will use his first round action to move to Ears and take the pistol. 2nd round action to fire.

Adjusted Gordon's location so he could shoot the other elemental after the first one died.

The flurry of attacks collapses the near elemental, but the second one zips over to Gordon to counter his shot against it, catching everyone in its dangerous aura of radioactive heat. Its reactive lunge against Mustachio's escape hits home, but its attack against the halfling misses.

Round 3 (bold may post)
Buster (aura, -2 HP)
Fixit (aura)
Gordon (aura)
Ears (aura, -2 SP)
Round 4
Mustachio (-18 SP, -2 HP)
Spider (aura, -6 SP, -6 HP)
Red solar elemental (dead)
Orange solar elemental (-11 HP)

Having disarmed himself, Ears sees no better alternative than to try to raise the solar shields again.

Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Mustachio continues to back away after receiving another burn. He points his finger and continues to stammer about everyone needing to save him.

Get em! +1 on your attack rolls

Buster would have probably suffered an AoO against the first elemental, as he was firing in melee.

"Nuther one? Didn't ya see what I jest did t' yet little buddy?"

Buster grabs his reaction cannon by it's carrying handle and uses his free hand to pull loose a rugged looking assault hammer. Buster squares up and swings at the elemental with an overhand blow.

Assault hammer: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Blunt: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Gordon attempts to tumble away from the creature and then shoot it

acrobatics: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17
shot: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Fixit steps away from from the fiery being, takes aim with his borrowed pistol once more and fires...

Pistol Fire! vs AC: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 1 = 22
Piercing Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Spider limps away, leaning his weigh on the wall and his cane. His hands, neck, and face are covered in burns and his clothing have a burned out holes in it. After gaining some ground he turns and says:

"This is your last chance to surrender. We will spare your life. You have 3 seconds. Three, two..."

Not waiting for an answer Spider takes a shot at the elemental

Bluff - trick attack: 1d20 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 4 = 16 Fail

Attack vs KAC: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 = 9
Dmg piercing: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Ammo:4/9

The bullet goes somewhere above the Buster and hits the doorframe.