GM SFS's 1-28: It Rests Beneath (Inactive)

Game Master Eric Collins - France

You remember that all the tower sites are about 50–75 miles away from one another, as well as from your base, the research camp.
They have been chosen specifically to be used to triangulate and such.

Knowing that you have to go to all sites anyhow, you follow Spike's wishes, and head first towards the Forsaken Canyon, speeding along through the bleak and challenging landscape of the Big Mina Plateau.

Since Gogglez keeps on plowing straight ahead without taking the terrain into consideration, he often becomes caught in the sand, or blocked off by rocks... and so you take a rather long time to reach the Forsaken Canyon.
It is around 3 p.m. Standard Time when you pull up, and ease off the accelerators.

You have slowed down as you are approaching the coordinates for erecting the tower.

Like the rest of the plateau, Forsaken Canyon is a bleak and lifeless region, the ground covered in a hard, gray substance that resembles the shell of a lobster or the surface of an oyster.
But, here, the ground slopes steeply down into a wide canyon with large mounds the size of vehicles and narrow gullies that wind between hills.

You check the coordinates you have been given and see that they lead to a hill in the middle of the canyon.
The scanning tower must be erected at the top of the hill in the center of the map you have on your Comm' Units.
see Slides

So, revving your engines, with your butts tired of sitting in the saddle for 3 hours, and your throats parched, you see that the path ascends gradually, whereas the sides of the hill ascend at about an angle of about 35–45 degrees, making these slopes difficult terrain.

Whaddya wanna do, cowboys? Canter up the easy path... or spur your mounts up the hillside and be the first one at the top?

Croaker looks at the terrain and says:

"Given that we have only one buggy can we take the easy route? If we break something severe we will be stuck here for probably a day. We didn't plan for any mistake in our travel plans."

Ysoki look at the sky trying to read if there will be a weather change in the next few hours

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Spike looks up at the sky, and turns his head around to get a nice look everywhere.
You feel is that the light slate gray sky is not going to change anytime soon.
It will remain as boring as during the whole trip.

Suddenly, you hear Spike emit a low croak, and wonder if that is where he gets his nickname from.

1d20 ⇒ 8

Pyksi, who arrived with Korl a few minutes before Gogglez (there are credits riding on it, after all[/i]), taps the handlebars. "Mind if I take the fancy route?" she asks the vesk.

It seems to be a rhetorical question, as she makes for the steeper slopes.

Take 10 Piloting: 10 + 16 = 26

what are you looking at she asks as she hears and sees him.
perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Croaker shifts towards Cashara:

"See that edge of the canyon over there. That flock of birds, they creep me out. Can you keep an eye on them from time to time with your sniper rifle?"

Ysoki points to a distant point, around 1 mile away from them.

Cashara sees nothing... but the slate grey cloudless sky.
Why would Spike be croaking?

Round 1
Pyksi revs the bike, moves in front of the buggy, and swerves to her right, coming up to the boulders, where she slips into low gear, and then jostles and bounces her way carefully up onto the side.
She is moving up skilfully.

Will wait till the buggy moves in round 1 before moving bike again
But others can act of course

Cashara nods, unslinging her rifle she scopes in on the ride to the top and stays on them when they reach it.
Every now and then does a quik scan around
perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Baròleg holds on as Gogglez swerves through the terrain trying to find a direct route. When the buggy stops, he watches the horizon where Croaker saw the bird-creatures.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 I think I'm safe to say I see the creatures.

"Those must be the creatures the doctor mentioned, let's try to keep an eye on them." He draws his Arc Pistol while keeping the creatures in view. To the team in the buggy and over the comm to the cycle, he tries to point out the creatures to those who haven't seen them, "Maybe we should take the short route. I'm not liking the way those birds are reacting to us."

Anything we can do to assist the driver, not just the navigator (with Piloting rolls)?

Croaker looks at the terrain and says:

"Given that we have only one buggy can we take the easy route? If we break something severe we will be stuck here for probably a day. We didn't plan for any mistake in our travel plans."

Ysoki look at the sky trying to read if there will be a weather change in the next few hours

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

"Ehh, don't worry, I'll fix it once we get there." he says, although he slows down the buggy and mumbles something about driving like and old grandma, but with good glasses.

Easy route
piloting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

"Ack!" Korl grabs on tighter to the bike. "You really weren't kidding, were you?!"

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 0 = 13 The Vesk casts an eye in the direction of the birds. "I think I can make out a couple. They don't look so bad. Take us up! We'll win that bet and get started on the tower before the others!"

With Baròleg also spotting what Spike saw, and pointing them out, you all look around and end up - even Korl, bouncing up a hill - spotting the attraction: a flock of "birds" a mile or so away, perched on the edge of the canyon and looking toward you all, following the noise of the engines.

Though Cashara does not spot anything else of interest, she does use her sniper scope to zero in on the "birds", and she tells you that these birdlike creatures have stony shells the same color as the plateau, and instead of a beak, each has a long proboscis.
@Cashara: your sheet states Life Science +0, which means, I imagine that you have no ranks in it? If so, you cannot really use that skill, since it is a "Trained Only" skill. Thus you cannot try to ID the species. If you want you can show the critters to someone, lending them a look down your sniper's scope... but maybe that is private!
If any do that, they can roll for a DC 15 Life Science check.

Baròleg sees he cannot help Gogglez, since there is only so much you can do.
But Gogglez drives you all safely to the top: granny went for the safe bet!

Meanwhile, before Googlez reaches the top by winding around the safe trail, Pyksi is scaling the rocks with her bike.
Made a mistake, I had you above the trail (on my computer I see it better!). So you need one more piloting roll to get up to the top of the trail on round 2, and then drive over to the end of the trail in round 3. Well before Gogglez... if you succeed!

Pyksi, not really worrying about the far-off birds at the moment, focuses on riding the road, hips and waist shifting as she maneuvers the bike beneath her, rocketing forward up the more dangerous path.

Piloting: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26

"Hey Gogglez, while you're taking your time down there, do you mind transferring those creds to my account?" she shouts.

Pyksi skillfully makes her way across rocks and inclines and arrives up at the top, parks the bike, gets off and leisurely watches Gogglez slowly make his up the trail.
Ah, the sweet taste of victory!

Once you all get up there, and park, and get out--
Remember the Life Science check that can be made
--you know it is time to unpack the crates and the tools.

Construction time!

Each of the scanning towers is a 30-foot-tall structure of titanium alloy rods that you must assemble on the spot.
A tower has a small platform at the top, which can support only one Medium or smaller creature. The scanner and computer must be installed at this platform.

Twenty feet above the ground is a secondary platform that can support two Medium or smaller creatures.

A ladder (Athletics DC 5 to climb) ascends the tower’s length.
Blue line on the map

A tower’s parts are 20 bulk in total, and an assembled tower occupies a 15-foot square.
The base of the tower is the white thingie on the map

Assembling the tower takes some time.
One person needs to lead the work (Engineering check) while the others can use the aid another action to assist the primary character.

Once the tower is hopefully finally assembled, only a creature perched atop the tower’s upper platform can calibrate the instruments.
This too takes some time, since you need to work, and communicate with Mora by comm unit (and succeed at a Computers check).

You have a nice booklet with documentation and the instructions on how to assemble and anchor a tower, as well as to calibrate its instruments once it’s intact.
These allow a PC to attempt the skill checks to prepare the tower and instruments untrained, though doing so requires repeatedly referencing these instructions and takes twice as long as a check by a character trained in the skill.

So, unless you wish to form a labor union... let's get to work you grease monkeys!

Gogglez picks up the directions...then tosses them over his shoulder before grabbing random components and slapping hem together. "Someone help me carry all these things and I'll put them all together, yo!"

engineering: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

So we need to move 20 bulk worth of equipment up a ladder, then build it right?

You will be working on the top of this small plateau, emptying 20 bulk from the first set of crates on the buggy, and building this three tiered tower.
You first set up some foundation, and plant poles, and build up to about 20 feet where you put in some floor - but that'll have taken up more than half of the bulk.
Then you keep on going till 30 feet up and the final platform.

The base is 15 x 15 feet. The 20 feet up floor is 10 x 10, and the top is 5 x 5.

All can go up and down the ladder to build, since you can take 10 (I hope none have -6 in Athletics).

Gogglez has decreed himself the tower architect, and is giving orders, telling people what to do and how... and you all work away.

Gogglez is actually good at the job, and does not even need help in organizing the work, so you all chip in, and feel that it'll take only about a half an hour, working in unison, to get this baby erected.

Those weird birds grow more curious, or just as curious but less afraid, and slowly approach during the time you assemble the tower.

Knowing very little yet! about engineering, Korl sets to work as the party's pack mule, hauling equipment wherever it needs to be.

Strength score is 16 for hauling stuff about Athletics to climb: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 Nailed it.

Pyksi, who is small and just muscular enough to pull a flight stick, mostly sets about using her training to set up shop.

Computers: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Seeing the birds, Gogglez launches his hover drone to fly around him and keep the birds away from his delicate work.

Croaker sees that the party members are able to set up the tower says:

"I will set up a post to keep an eye for any beings willing to interfere."

With that, he positions himself near the eastern side. Using his comm he reports back to Dr. Montressi
" Dr. Montressi we arrived at the Forsaken Canyon. We started the work to build the tower. We spotted the flock of birds nearby, yet it seems that we have no knowledge to identify them so we will limit our activity to taking pictures. "

I clicked through peoples skills and no one has a level in life science. So unless they are magical creatures we are out of luck.

If we have any equipment allowing us to record the birds Croaker will try to do that.

Seeing the team has everything well in hand, Baròleg monitors the flock of Shell-birds... Or Shirds? He keeps his Arc Pistol ready incase they become too interested in the tower.

Is it one Engineering roll to build, and one Computer roll to set-up? Or are there multiples for each?

Ready action to shoot a shird if they start getting too nosy.

Korl lugs things around, and hauls them up the ladder.

Gogglez has his drone ready to ward the "birds" off, but though they have approached, they started a mile away, and so are not that close, some 100 yards away or so.

With a smart move, Croaker exchanges with Mora, about these "birds" that none of you have any idea of what they do, like, eat...
Using the sniper scope and his Comm' Unit, Croaker sends some pics'.
Mora examines them, and informs you that she believes: "the "shirds" must consume an enormous amount of calcium to maintain their shells, likely liquefying the calcium before drinking it up through their proboscis; the creatures are uniquely adapted to this ecosystem and there is nothing quite like them on record. I am very excited by this discovery."

Baròleg keeps his eye on the shirds, and his finger on the trigger.
One check only to build (Engineering) w. possible aids. One Computer roll only (w. possible aids, but little space up on top).

So, after the half an hour of work, with the tower built up--
--Pyksi is ready to climb up and get going at the computer.
Correct?

Several "shirds" are circling overhead, avoiding the drone, and more perch atop nearby hills.

Anything Cashara wishes to do before you all move to calibrate the research tower?

Gogglez is more than happy to aid a computers check if he can roll for both activities.

computers, aid: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Correct! Pyksi's gonna handle the computers... but probably should have left them to Gogglez.

I feel bad taking so much of the spotlight early on, but I need to remind myself that when combat starts, I'm going to be mostly getting out of the way and taking potshots :P

"Hey, quick question-- do any of you guys contain calcium?" she asks, leaning over the rail up top to shout below. "Asking for a flock of friends!"

During one of this trips up the ladder, Korl glances at the closing flock and answers Pyksi "I think we all do? Should we, uh, worry about that?"

He holds up one of the manuals included with the gear and points. The manual is clearly upside down. "Or about this?"

Computers w/ manual: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 = 16

"Nevermind, I think I got it! This isn't so bad!"

During one of this trips up the ladder, Korl glances at the closing flock and answers Pyksi "I think we all do? Should we, uh, worry about that?"

"I mean, I'm just saying, the thought did occur to me, and we don't really know if we have clearance to shoot back? Baro, can you ask Doc Mora if shooting birds that are trying to, and I hate every part of what I'm about to say, liquefy our bones and suck them out of us, is going to screw with the ecosystem or get us thrown into a cell?"

Croaker seeing the tower being set up hides his comm unit and looks around while holding his rifle.

"We have every right to protect ourselves. I think Baroleg is a lawyer he can help us out in case of any legal trouble, isn't that right Baroleg?"

"Set up that tower we have 2 more to go and it is already late."

While debating with Croaker about alien unknown life-form self defence lawsuits, Pyksi nimbly scales the ladder, all the way to the top of the 30-foot-tall titanium structure, and settles up on the small platform at the top, which can support only one person.
Pyksi starts to work on the computer, to put the scanner online.

Gogglez and Korl are eager to help, but cannot go up onto the platform.

Pyksi is quite good at using the software, and she starts calibrating the scanner, and calls Mora to calibrate and make sure all is in tune.

BEEEP BEEEEEEEEP
The instruments’ signals and pulses distress are very loud, and they obviously stress the shirds.

After about 30 seconds of the calibration process, they begin fluttering their wings and tapping each other’s shells with their proboscises. Shortly after that, another test pulse--
BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP
--from the instruments spooks the shirds, many of which begin flying away while wailing in shrill tones.
"Eeek eeek!"

Several others instead respond by--
Combat music
--attacking!

You spot four shirds flying in towards you.
Image on the slides
Two shirds come flying in from above, and two come in from the side.

Important: on your first turn, you can attempt a "free" DC 20 Life Science (none have that) or Survival check. If you succeed, then you can look at the Spoiler below.

Only Cashara is up before the shirds.

Round 1
BOLD can act
Cashara
Red shird
Orange shird
Yelow shird
Blue shird
Korl
Pyksi
Gogglez
Croaker
Baròleg

we have 4 incoming! Cashara says with just the slightest bit of ergancy in her voice.
I will take one from a side, Baròleg you take one in front with Korl. Goggles, have your drone take the other side, Pyksi you choose which one to take but I think it might be better to join me she says all this as she airs her rifle aiming does take one round for sniping range

• Cashara was holding her rifle (you had stated: "unslinging her rifle she scopes in on the ride to the top and stays on them when they reach it. ") and even keeping an eye on the shirds.
re. the rules, it is a Swift action to change grips, so, even if you had your rifle in one hand, you can get it in 2 hands w. a Swift action.
• this means you have, at the least, a Move and an Action left
• re-check the rules on Sniper rifles: it is a Move action to aim and thus count the sniper range as your first range increment (and you have to shoot in the same round you aimed)
• this means you can aim (Move) and shoot (Action) in this round
• so... roll your attack + damage for the case you hit the shird (and you have no range increment penalty, since you are sniping!)
Cool! This is the first time I see a PC using a Sniper rifle I think.

your not the only one
Keeping calm she squeezes the trigger as to keep a steady aim on her target.
attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Cashara fires at and hits the shird with the blue eyes.
5 damage

The blue shird screeches.
And, along with the yellow one, it flaps its stony wings and they both coming flying in like mad, covering more than 100 feet in a wild aerial charge.
Blue flaps past Baròleg--
--who cannot lash out at the critter, because he is still flat footed.
Blue keeps on flying, and smashes into Cashara, furious that she winged him.
Despite not being able to aim well because of the charge, blue still manages to jam its proboscis really hard into Cashara's arm, piercing her armor.
6 damage

The shird with yellow eyes similarly charges Baròleg, and also manages to jam its proboscis into the Steward's chest.
4 damage

The shird with red eyes must have rabies or something, because it too charges like mad, and aims for the prime target: a tasty Halfling on a platform up high.
Red rams her like crazy, piercing right through her armor, slicing her belly open, and spilling blood.
The proboscis jams inside Pyksi's belly, and releases some kind of acid!
Before red pulls the proboscis back out.
Crit'! (sorry ; and, of course, max' damage!) 12 damage

Finally, the shird with orange eyes, flaps down towards Croaker, loving this tasty Ysoki at the edge of the steep incline.
It hits Croaker and jabs its needle like appendage at his thigh, but only deals a glancing blow.
1 damage

Just as Pyksi is going to react to this violent attack, she feels this acid-like liquid in her stomach starting to eat at her spine and ribs, liquefying her bones!
3 damage
@Pyksi: at the end of your turn you may attempt a DC 13 Fortitude saving throw for "free"

Time to fight back, Starfinders... or try to converse with these avians?

Round 1
BOLD can act
Cashara (6 damage)
Red shird
Orange shird
Yelow shird -2 AC
Blue shird (5 damage) -2 AC
Korl
Pyksi (15 damage)
Gogglez
Croaker (1 damage)
Baròleg (4 damage)

if I remember reading correctly, damage effects stamina first and then health when stamina is gone. I just want to double check with the DM before I mark

Correct. You first reduce Stamina. Then when that is @ 0 you start reducing HP.
When you go over your HP max' you do not go into negative, but you pass out @ 0 HP (unless the blow would reduce you to a negative = to your max' HP, in which case you die.
For example, if Cashara is @ 2 HP out 10 Max, and is hit for 12 HP, that should be a killing blow since it would end you at -10 which is = to your max HP.
After that there is all the business of stablizing and RPs etc., but we can see about that later.

Pyksi is looking at the computer for a little too long, trying to get it finished before the shirds arrive. When a proboscis rather suddenly fills her vision, it’s too late.

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Searing pain fills her middle and she cries out in pain. Not having much room to maneuver, she quickly grabs the knife from her harness and tries to jam it into the bone-sucker.

Survival Knife vs KAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

Survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Just an FYI since I'm last, my bonuses won't kick in until next round... Sorry.

Assessing the situation around him and seeing the shird gore Pyksi in the abdomen, Baròleg begins shouting tactical advice to the group. "...Pyksi's injured and the farthest away, if you're not engaged help her..." Get'em (+1 to hit) targeting Red Shird on Pysksi, Move Action.

Baròleg quickly draws a baton from his belt (AOO provoked) and swings it at the shird in front of him. Draw Weapon/Move Action, done.

Assuming Korl can move under the tower

Korl sees the birds start diving and punches his fist into his stellar mote. It coats his hand it what looks like the blades of a double-sided, fist held doshko. The blades are black as the void. "Someone shoot that thing on Pyksi!"

Hoping to clear Cashara to make such a shot, the Vesk starts barreling toward her attacker.

Move: 20ft next to Cashara
Standard: Attack Blue Shird Solar Weapon vs KAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Bludgeon Dmg: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Edit: Attuning 1 toward Photon

Pyksi yanks the knife out and slashes the shird.
1 damage
@Pyksi: remember, at the end of your turn you may attempt a DC 13 Fortitude saving throw for "free". If you did not forget it, no problem, you do not have to try and stop the acid eating your innards up!

Baròleg urges you all on, giving you a strong desire to kill red.
Since we are doing group init' (bundling you up) I will let things count as posted. So Get 'Em works as of now.
Baròleg draws his weapon.
That does not provoke. Only things that provoke are casting spells, ranged attacks, and moving from a threatened area.

Korl easily moves through the poles you all erected, passing under the tower.
His dark Void-Doshko rips into the blue shard.
You sheet states you have +6 damage (+3 str + 1 z-bozon crystal +2 cha soulfire fusion) yet you wrote +5.
I was checking to see if you have forgotten your +1 from Photon atunement.
So, if you sheet is correct, and your are Photon aligned as you wrote, should you not have +7 = 1+7 = 8 damage?

Round 1
BOLD can act
Cashara (6 damage)
Red shird (1 damage) +1 to hit
Orange shird
Yelow shird -2 AC
Blue shird (11 or 13 damage - waiting on Korl) -2 AC
Korl
Pyksi (15 damage)
Baròleg (4 damage)
Gogglez
Croaker (1 damage)

Just posted that correction in Discussion as I noticed it after my combat post, so...jinx? Rolls are already out so no worries, I'll have it correct in my next post.

Gogglez quickly constructs a barricade in his space and drops prone behind it while he pull out his drone controller, "Go Hole Puncher 2! Fry some birds, yo!"

Giving Hole Puncher my standard action.

Hole Puncher flies and lands on a perch closer to Pyski and opens fire on the red Shird. "FIRING LASERS! BLAM BLAM BLAM!!!" it yells in a robotic voice before playing Star Sugar Heartlove!!!

laser pistol at red, EAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
fire damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

As Korl's delayed photonic power kicks off, the blue shird drops down to the ground, dead.
Applying the full damage (w. that +2), which tips the poor birdie into oblivion

Gogglez creates a barrier and gets the drone out--
I put up a red line for where you barrier is.
Is that the correct place?
--which flies up and shoots at the red-eyed shird, burning it.
4 damage

Cashara--

Round 2
BOLD can act
Cashara (6 damage)
Red shird (5 damage) +1 to hit
Orange shird
Yelow shird -2 AC
Korl
Pyksi (15 damage)
Baròleg (4 damage)
Gogglez
Croaker (1 damage)

Yep, that location is fine. Did the drone hit? If there is a railing up where Pyksi is, the tiny drone will fly up to it, land/cling to it, and fire.

I edited my post above re. drone attack. Had not seen the post (which came up behind mine, sorry).

I did in fact completely forget the save! Thanks for the reminder!

Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

...well.

Thanks she says in a gasps of breath as she turns and aims at th orange shird I am taking the time to aim
attack vs KAC: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5 pierce damage

Cashara aims her gun at the orange eyed shird--
Taking the time to aim: is that something special?
--but, because of Korl, the orange shard has cover.
You can see p. 253 of the CRB (Core Rulebook) re. Cover - or I can talk a bit about it if you wish
Because of the obstacles in the line of sight, because of the cover... the bullet misses.

If I may... the best would have been to take a Guarded Step out to the side to have no Cover

As Pyksi stomach gurgles, the red eyed shird goes at her like mad, ready to slurp out her liquefied bones--
1st Proboscis vs. KAC: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 5 - 4 = 18
P: 1d6 ⇒ 4
2ns Proboscis vs. KAC: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 5 - 4 = 14
P: 1d6 ⇒ 4
--but the sturdy Halfling dodge one of the attacks, and is only hit by the first.
4 damage
The acid however keeps on eating at her insides.
1d4 ⇒ 2
Pyksi will take 2 damage at the start of her turn (counted already).
At the end of her turn she can roll a DC12 Fortitude check.

The orange-eyed shird goes crazy on Baròleg--
1st Proboscis vs. KAC: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 5 - 4 = 9
P: 1d6 ⇒ 1
2ns Proboscis vs. KAC: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 5 - 4 = 4
P: 1d6 ⇒ 1
--but is totally inept and misses by far.

Finally, the yellow-eyed shird tries to nail Croaker--
1st Proboscis vs. KAC: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 5 - 4 = 18
P: 1d6 ⇒ 6
2ns Proboscis vs. KAC: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 5 - 4 = 5
P: 1d6 ⇒ 3
--hitting him hard with the first blow.
6 damage

The Starfinders are ready to fight back!

Round 2
BOLD can act
Cashara (10 damage)
Red shird (5 damage)
Orange shird
Yelow shird -2 AC
Korl
Pyksi (21 damage)
Baròleg (4 damage)
Gogglez
Croaker (7 damage)

Having punched out one of the Shirds, Korl steps into the next one, orange, winding up with his fist as he does so. "Watch out, Croaker!"

Move: Guarded down in front of Orange
Standard: Smack Orange with Solar weapon
Solar Weapon vs KAC (Orange): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Bludgeon Dmg: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
2 points photon attuned

Korl steps over and crushes the orange eyed shard in one blow.
No more "proboscissing" for it...
dead

Round 2
BOLD can act
Cashara (10 damage)
Red shird (5 damage)
Yelow shird -2 AC
Korl
Pyksi (21 damage)
Baròleg (4 damage)
Gogglez
Croaker (7 damage)

Baròleg continues to provide tactical advice focusing on the shird attacking Pyksi. Move Action, continue Get'em on Red shird +1 hit.

Taking a chance and provoking AOO this time with either action(thanks for the head's up before, I was in Pathfinder mode), ...

"What is the beneath that can rest?"
This is thread for all the OOC (Out Of Character) discussion, questions etc..

Hello all!
You can go to the link that is up on top of the page, to the left (and that you'll always find there), that I named Sideshow Slideshow, which has all the slides of the game (where the maps and handouts and images will be etc.).
So, you can go to that link, which link? This --> (link... and you can fill some information out (the name you want on your chronicle sheet, the name of your character etc.) ; and, below, you can put in your name and the bonus you have in Init' & Perception...

Gogglez and Hole Puncher reporting in, thanks! Since marching order is on the sheet, I'll just let you know now that Gogglez has a pet carrier armor mod that stores his hover drone until combat starts, so he doesn't need to be in the marching order, but I just put his token underneath Gogglez's.

"Reporting for c-COMBAT AND EXTERMINATION, yo."

Hello and welcome!

Reporting for duty, sir! I’ll get that paperwork filled out before long, as well!

Thanks again SFS!

Just figuring out which character I want to bring through...

Welcome!
You can wait and see who brings what before deciding, if you want.

Android operative here
SFS # 2357683-702
Profession (hired Protection):+0
First adventure with this character

Hi there, Farol signing in. I will fill out the data soon.

Profession gambling: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

It won't let me edit from my phone. So I will put the rest here.
SFS # 2357683-702
profession-hired protection: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11
Player:Wastelander
Character:Cashara A3ion
Faction: Aquisitaves

So what's everyone's general deal? For example, Pyksi's a mercenary fighter interceptor pilot; on-foot combat isn't her idea of a good time, so she makes due with sniper rifles to keep her distance and stealthy maneuvers when that's not possible (sniping from stealth and/or Trick Attack using stealth). She has kind of a cool, military demeanor.

Gogglez hides behind things and uses his hover drone to fight. Out of combat, there aren't too many level 1 characters better at computers or engineering checks than he is.

Not a big hand to hand fighter, she could do it but would prefer to snipe from a distance.
If she needs someone alive, she has a pulscaster.
With a stealth of 7, this might be her better skill.

Are we just a bunch of cover diving snipers?

I did notice that the stats seemed to lean that way, so I was asking mostly to confirm my suspicion :P

Those enemies won’t know what hit them!

So...

@Googlez & Pyksi & the other who will be signing in: you can make your Day Job rolls here, like Cashara, so that way it is done.

@Googlez & Pyksi & the other who will be signing in: do you have your Welcome to Starfinder Boon, was one given to you?
This is a boon that you receive as a welcome to playing Starfinder, and can use with your first character, the one with the -701 number.

@All (except Gogglez, who probably had HolePuncher do the work!): can you enter your character's name and their bonus in Perception and Initiative, like Googlez did.

@Do not forget to put your minis up on slide 3 (thanks to those who did so already). So they can be used if there ever is some combat!
If you do not know how to do so, I'll help, but you simply can take a screenshot of your avatar, and then paste that on the slide, and reduce the size.

And... we have:

A Drone Mechanic, two Operatives, and a Mystic.
If we hear from Peff I imagine he might be bringing a Solarian.
So, for Anxa, it seems that of the characters of yours I know, Baròleg might bring diversity to the group's classes, but any one of them would be fine, truly.

I'll let you finish all this out, and see what our last two characters are.

And I'll start the Gameplay introductions now.

Later on, as we play, we can have a look at character sheets if any want, to give one another tips etc. (remember that you can change your character totally - even change the race/class - up until you play your PC at level 2 for the first time).

Croaker is a mercenary mystic. He is hired as a medic or a battle support mystic. He is a gambler, lier, and a talker. He has a paramilitary experience and will rely on it in the times of danger.

All necessary info are in spoilers above the OC image.
Anything else you need may be in the character sheet

Profession Merc: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
First time I've ever rolled well on my day job on any character!

I've got the Welcome to Starfinder boon, yes, thank you very much for reminding me of it!

Agreed SFS, I was thinking either this character or Akkedis for potential close combat. I would mind hitting the level with Baròleg though.

Baròleg is a tactically minded negotiator. He is fairly capable in combat, preferably ranged. When it comes to social interactions, his skills really shine.

Day Job (Lawyer): 1d20 + 6 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 5 = 25 +6 skill mod, +5 gear

GM SFS, I need to add in the creds from Baròleg's last mission. I'd like to do a little shopping with him too.

Purchasing (with approval) two cybernetic mods:
- Vocal Amplifier
- Retinal Reflectors

Yep, I got my welcome to starfinder boon. Since I started playing when the game came out, everyone was handing them out. I never got my pathfinder one though since I started playing long after it started.

profession mechanic: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

I'm rusty on how slotting boons works in Starfinder, but I'm slotting my dataphiles faction one and I guess a couple slotless ones as well.

I'm not sure how boons work in Starfinder (especially online!) but:

I'm using my Scoured Stars Field Experience to boost to level 2, and I'm slotting

Korl Larst via Peff, Solarian reporting in! Doing a little housekeeping to get posting ready but otherwise ready to go.

In SFS you can slot as many slotless boons as you wish, since they are "slot-less", not needing a specific slot to be used.
On the other hand, you can only slot 1 named boon per named slot.
For example, if you have two Personal Boons, you can only slot one (in the Personal Boon Slot).

@Spike & Cashara can you enter your character's name and their bonus in Perception and Initiative, in the space below where the character info' went.

@Baròleg no problem at all for picking up your implant purchases.

I'm not sure how boons work in Starfinder (especially online!)
They work the same online as tabletop.
You "slot" your boons (during/after the mission briefing, so you still have time to change some before we start - the GM prompts you when it is time, also giving any 'hints' the scenario provides as to what you might want to slot).
As stated above: you can slot as many Slotless as you want, and 1 Boon per "named" Slot.

So, for Pyksi:
• Scoured Stars Field Experience is the choice you decide for in your Scoured Stars Veteran boon, which is a Slotless Boon. So, using it does not prevent you from using any other boons.
So you have now used it and cannot use it again.
(you've added the XP and Credits and Fame etc., correct?)
• Scoured Stars Survivor is a Personal Boon, so when you decide to slot it during an adventure, you cannot slot any other Personal Boon you might have (but when you acquire other Personal Boons you can then choose at the start of each scenario which to slot).

And a warm sunny (or lunar?) welcome to the Solarion Korl "Voidfist" Larst.

The team is now complete, so I will pursue with the start of the adventure.
Take your time completing your characters, any purchases, introducing them to all etc., since we will only truly be getting off to active adventuring in a couple days at least, after the briefing.

Credits added (and spent!), as for XP and fame, I've added them to my considerations but I'm not sure how that works for online reporting.

@Pyksi if I were you, I'd maybe make a list of the adventures you've played somewhere on your character sheet, like:
• 1st - 1-99: Scoured Stars
• 2nd - 1-28: It Rests Beneath
And then show what your XP total is, maybe w. a note where the extra XP come from, like:
3 XP (w. 2 xp bonus from 1-99 Boon)
I'd think that's enough.
But there are other ways, I'm sure.

Profession(Mercenary): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Boons:
(Slotless) Welcome to Starfinder

Also, the lack of Vesk avatars :(

Ah-- I'd also like to slot the Acquisitives faction boon as well as the Elixir (like my new pal Voidfist has).

No problem about slotting boons.
As I said, there will be an official Boon Slotting moment coming up soon.

In that case, I ready an action to slot my boons :P

Good one!

@GM SFS done, meaning the initiative and perception. You meant it in the slides below the table with SFS number, day job etc?

Correct, Spike!
Thanks

Had to pass on the Retinal Reflectors, they're one level over the limit... So close. Did get the Vocal Amp.

As a player (so this 100% subjective) I like the Vocal Amp a lot (and it is super cheap) and find it very nice & useful for certain characters.
But I do not find the Retinal Reflectors really good (I don't think I've ever seen Lowlight be used, vs. Darkvision which is useful now and then - though a lot less than in Pathfinder), and, they are quite expensive (for me, it's a lot of money for what amounts to a +1 in Perception).

@Cashara can you enter your character's name and their bonus in Perception and Initiative, in the space below where the character info' went, on the Slide.

Boon slotting time. The only boons that I have are starship boons (Mystical Guidance System Upgrade and Star Monster Slayer), if none of them can be applied to vehicles than I am left with

Acquisitive Champion Boon.

Correct, no Starship combat.

@Cashara can you enter your character's name and their bonus in Perception and Initiative, in the space below where the character info' went, on the Slide.

Cashara A3ion

Okay, thanks.

... they are quite expensive (for me, it's a lot of money for what amounts to a +1 in Perception).

I do like the look of the Amp, especially with a character that has voice based powers.

I am waffling on the Reflectors. I forgot this character can pick up carbon skin/graphite armor from a sheet, and that is a good deal more helpful for the same price range.

SLOTTED BOONS:
Ally: Duskmire Alligence: Yeti
Faction: Exo-Guardian Champion
Social: Faction's Friend
Slotless: Marked Field Agent, Sugar Heart Love!

Let me know if I'm too post happy, I can calm down a bit ;)

Everyone left me in the dust. I skipped most of the posts and posted a reason why I wasn't there.

Pretty much all of the posts were just us sitting on the shuttle, Cashara. You didn't miss much :P

I agree that posts are flying! This group really likes character RP sections! (I'm not that big on them, but Gogglez is fun to RP sometimes, as long as engineering is involved)

No one will be left in the dust.
I am fine with people posting a lot, and am not really waiting that much for others to post before moving on, since we are still in the intro' phase.

I was trying to allude to the "sound" after we landed as the comms but I wasn't clear, should have ooc tagged it. Not an issue though, figured it got lost trying to figure out how to play 8 int well.