Rudura Storyscriber |
”Hmmmm, usually either a necromancer creates undead, which would appear not to be the case, or some great tragedy causes an undead to be spontaneously formed. Let’s fan out and see what we can find. Remember, take pictures and catalogue location, date, and time before touching anything!” Rudura says as she begins once again organizing an archaeological site.
Mysticism to find out how the undead were made: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
perception to look around: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Profession Xenoarchaeologist: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
GM Numbat |
With Rudura's assistance all checks related to Archeology and exploration in this area receive a +2 circumstance bonus.
Rudura once again organizes the team to begin a methodical investigation and documentation of the site. She muses out loud regarding the origins of the Skeletons they just fought and soon comes to the realisation that it was most likely massive trauma, a cultural tragedy, that caused some to rise as undead.
While exploring this area the Starfinders discover a few tiny, multicoloured flowers growing among the weeds near the cemetery.
DC 21
The graves are unmarked, but an inscription covers the remains of a nearby monument.
DC 25 or DC 15 with the translation software
If you can understand or translate the text then you may use Culture or Mysticism for further understanding.
DC 16
Those who investigate the soldiers’ equipment and vehicles see that the technology, though inferior to that of the Pact Worlds, is far beyond that found in the surrounding areas. An examination of the battlefield shows that one force had this technology, while the opposing force fought with devastating magical attacks.
DC 19
Edit to add...
Among the wreckage, the Starfinders find a commando enhancement serum, two nyfiber nets, two tactical pikes, and two shock grenades II.
Rudura Storyscriber |
Engineering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Medicine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Culture: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Rudura catalogs the Grafiti and then runs it through the translation software.
”Huh, the monument is dedicated to Copaxi who died, it says something like: ‘…those who died of the Message of Madness are forever a part of this great city, their contributions forever a part of our memories.’ But then there is graffiti that says: ‘Your lies cannot silence the Signal! Long live the First to Listen!’”. She turns to the Copaxi accompanying the group. ”Any idea what this ‘message of madness’ is? Or was? It looks like it caused a great bit of social unrest. May have been what animated these undead.
She goes on to explore the weapons. [b]”Now this is odd. These weapons are old, I’d say right before or after the gap give or take, but . . . Well, look, they are made out of modern-ish meta-materials. That’s why they got through out armor so easily. I don’t know if a magic-only society could have produced this stuff. These divergent Copaxi must have been more technologically advanced than we thought. But then, why aren’t we finding datapads and computer terminals? In fact. . . It looks like a battle took place here between magically advanced and technologically advanced factions.”
"Sunshine" Korvin |
Life Science: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Engineering: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Mysticism: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Sunshine seems disinterested as he pokes around with Rudura. "The Signal is probably a reference to Triune and Drift tech. How long have the copaxi been Drift-accessible? You think maybe a spat between magic-users and tech-users? Should we ask our friends back at the camp, you think?"
Rudura Storyscriber |
”Korvin, You sure? Triune’s signal? Arvin said they only recently developed drift technology, which I assume means they didn’t get the signal an instead reverse-engineered a drive from an existing ship like the Veskarium did. I don’t-I don’t think anyone can just develop drift technology on their own. I mean, it’s divinely inspired, right? I dunno, this is all out of my field of expertise. Silver, you’re a religious man, right? You have any insights?”
GM Numbat |
Therseis responds to Rudura’s question by making an appearance and asking ”You have secured this region already? That is most impressive. It sounds like you have questions on what you have found.”
As they listen to the report about weapons and magic, Therseis grows quiet and then admits, ”My government’s portrayal of the sky cities’ downfall is inconsistent with what you have discovered. I have had my own doubts recently. The premise that divine intervention destroyed the sky cities clashes with the signs of urban warfare and unrest that are evident here.
“Stories of the “Message of Madness” are not widely known. When the message arrived, copaxis lacked the technological framework to understand it. Those who heard it suffered psychological trauma and ultimately took their own lives. Only recently did these records resurface and inspire the copaxis’ recent ventures into space.”
The copaxi then looks around as the investigations continue, ”How may I assist with your current endeavours?”
True Silver |
Life Science: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 7 + 2 = 27
Culture: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 2 = 10 reduce difficulty by 5 if priest theme applies.
True Silver takes a bit of rest to recuperate from the bruises he got from the fight. After that, he excitedly collects plant specimens."These may be unique to the sky cities. What a special find."
GM Numbat |
Flenn, do you also take time to rest and spend resolve to recover SP?
True Silver is a little slower to begin their investigations than some of the others but is the first to find a few tiny, multicoloured
flowers growing among the weeds near the cemetery, spotted while resting.
Therseis is excited by the find, "We must share these with Bryanisis. I wonder if there are enough here that I can remove another small sample without further endangering them?"
Later as the team wraps up their investigation in the gardens, Thersies asks "Do you wish to continue to one of the other sites? Or would you prefer to return to either our base or your shuttle?"
Flenn |
Yup. I will also take green's hunting rifle, and any ammo it had.
After taking a few minutes to rest, he nods to Therseis. "I'm good to keep movin' on to the next site." He motions toward the commando serum. "Anybody care if I take that?"
"Sunshine" Korvin |
Sunshine stows his plasma fork and looks to his map. "How about this excavation site next? Seems appropriately archaeological to me."
Flenn |
Flenn nods. "Sounds good."
GM Numbat |
At their request, Therseis is happy to escort the Starfinder team to the excavation site and remain outside while they explore. They explain that the research team discovered a gaping hole excavated in an otherwise mundane residential neighbourhood. They detected the presence of dangerous creatures within the tunnels and have yet to explore further. It is a simple matter to travel to this district and locate the tunnel. The tunnel leads beneath the surface to a long-abandoned mining operation.
The area’s walls are worked stone; the rooms have no natural light. Carts, tools, and digging machines lie dormant in this massive cavern, the walls of which are covered in impressive coral-like organisms. Several of the carts are partly filled with decaying chunks of coral.
DC 19
A pile of rusted metal and debris lies outside an out-of-the-way tunnel. That tunnel leads north from the mining operation to a small room. The partial barricade leading to the room beyond is wide enough for any of the Starfinders to walk through though it would be a squeeze for any larger creature.
Rudura Storyscriber |
Rudura makes sure to take pictures of everything and mark it.
”Looks like they were. . . Mining coral? That can’t be right, can it? Unless this coral grew in the carts after the excavation ended but I doubt that. Maybe they were shipping it in, but that makes no sense.”
Engineering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
”Odd, these machines look technological, not magical, in nature. I-I don’t know if the divergent magical Copaxi could have made this stuff. It certainly doesn’t match the surrounding level of technology.”
Flenn |
Flenn glances around. "All got dark vision, he? Good. No need for lights, then. Makes us bleedin' targets."
He pulls his pulsecaster rifle and moves forward, slowly through the gap in the barricade. His tactical computer scans for any potential targets.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Flenn |
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Flenn brings his pulsecaster rifle up to cover the stairs.
Over comms, the text THIS ROOM IS CLEAR. STAIRS UP TO NORTH.
Rudura Storyscriber |
”Careful, something ripped the barricade off its mount. . . Something strong.”
True Silver |
Therseis is excited by the find, "We must share these with Bryanisis. I wonder if there are enough here that I can remove another small sample without further endangering them?"
"Of course. I'll gather additional samples."
Rahdokama |
Earlier...
Rahdokama listens to the wisdom of his team, "But why would Triune's signal be treated a some form of madness?" He scratches his head, "Wasn't the gift to travel across the drift a bless to most civilisations? Ahhhhgggg, even the great Veskarium empire has to give it's thanks to the three-faceted-god."
He asks the copaxi, "When you first encountered the signal, what did your people do with it...if you couldn't understand?"
At the excavation site.
He asks Radura and the rest of the party, "Do we know exactly when these copaxi first landed on this planet? Doesn't this all point to the existence of a more technologically sufficient race which existed before them? Or is this all for show?" He later muses at the the mystic's comment, "Arhg! Nothing is stronger than me, little one! Come, let's see what did this!" as he marches straight up the stairs.
"Sunshine" Korvin |
The rhyphorian peers into the darkness, his cybernetic capacitors piercing the gloom. He listens to Rudura’s analysis quietly while he pokes around. ”The copaxi timeline is very inconsistent. Which came first, magic or tech?”
Rudura Storyscriber |
Rudura nods to Korvin: ”Additionally, this ‘message of madness’ thing doesn’t make sense. If sounds like they weren’t ready for Triune’s signal and it drove those that received it mad, but I’ve never heard of that happening. If they, as a species, weren’t ready for the signal, they would have just . . . NOT received it right? I mean, the Veskarium didn’t. No offense Rahdokama.”
GM Numbat |
As Rahdokama enters this large room, he barely has time to note that it is precisely carved from the surrounding stone with an exit to the east before spotting a large creature resembling a cross between a crab and a turtle, with coral-like growths on its claws and a shell shaped like a boulder.
DC 17
Select one spoiler below. For a successful roll of 22, and for every additional 5 points above the DC, select another.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Black Hole (Su) This functions as the black hole stellar revelation (Starfinder Core Rulebook 103).
Flenn 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Korvin 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Rahdokama 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Rudura 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (15) + 0 = 15
Shelldrake 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
True Silver 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Rhadokama may of course briefly notify his teammates of what he sees.
Round One
Those in bold may act
Shelldrake
True Silver
Korvin
Rudura
Flenn
Rahdokama
Red corchaaz
Green corchaaz
Act in any order within your section
Flenn |
Flenn moves up into the room so that he can see the creatures. Double move
Mysticism: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
"Don't know what these blokes are, but might as well turn the lights on. They can definitely see us ..." Anyone else who makes the Mysticism roll, don't open the first spoiler in the list.
True Silver |
Mysticism: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
True Silver moves into the room and fires at red corchaaz.
Tactical Semi-Auto Pistol: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5
GM Numbat |
The team of Starfinders begins to move in response to the threat. True Silver even manages a very accurate shot that does some minor damage to one of the giant crab-like creatures.
Round One continues
Those in bold may act
Shelldrake
True Silver
Korvin
Rudura
Flenn
Rahdokama
Red corchaaz (-5)
Green corchaaz
Act in any order within your section
Rudura Storyscriber |
Rudura double moves into the room. As a swift action she calls her singing disk to her hand.
Mysticism: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
”I’ve never encountered anything like THOSE on a dog before!”
"Sunshine" Korvin |
Mysticism: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Hearing the commotion ahead, Sunshine rushes up the stairs and glimpses the beasts within. He casts a spell to supercharge Shelldrake’s weapon. "Don't miss."
Move to space, standard cast supercharge weapon on Shelldrake’s weapon. With the magic missile in the last fight, that makes two 1st-level spells cast.
Flenn |
Flenn glances over at the xenodruid unloading on the creatures that have not yet moved. "You know these things? Got any weaknesses or vulnerabilities?"
GM Numbat |
While Flenn realises the crablike creatures are at home and therefore perfectly able to see in the dark, none of the rest of the team recognises anything about these new beasts.
Round One continued
Those in bold may act
Shelldrake
True Silver
Korvin
Rudura
Flenn
Rahdokama
Red corchaaz (-5)
Green corchaaz
Act in any order within your section
Rahdokama |
"I don't know what this thing is, but it stands no chance, RAWWWR!" as he rushes in to punch it ints gut.
Tactical Pike + Photon At.: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 131d8 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Special! Allies who shoot the target Rahdokama is in melee with, gain +1 to hit!
GM Numbat |
Rahdokama steps in, challenging the nearest corchaaz with a mighty roar while striking with his pike. Unfortunately the pike skids off the hard shell of the alien creature.
The red corchaaz, in turn, strikes out with its claw but finds the vesk equally as difficult to connect with.
Red Corchaaz Graviton mode 1
Claw attack vs KAC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14
potential slashing damage + grab: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
The green corchaaz takes a different approach, targeting True Silver but also fails to obtain a hold.
Green Corchaaz Graviton mode 1
ranged Graviton Grip vs EAC: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
potential bludgeoning damage + paralysis: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Round Two
Those in bold may act
Shelldrake
True Silver
Korvin
Rudura
Flenn
Rahdokama
Red corchaaz (-5)
Green corchaaz
Act in any order within your section
Shelldrake |
Shelldrake smiles upon seeing the brave vesk has kept the two creatures nailed in position and takes aim around the corner at the reddish tinged one.
Attack 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26 vs KAC
Damage 1d10 + 6 + 4d6 ⇒ (1) + 6 + (2, 1, 3, 6) = 19
Ugh underwhelming! those 1's break my heart
Rudura Storyscriber |
Rudara steps forward so her weapon is within range then throws it, then falls it back to her hand.
Attack Red, Eac: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Damage if hit, Sonic: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Rahdokama |
Would the ranged attach provoke and AOO from Rahdo?
"Ahhhrgh! I meant to do that! Try this, you over sized crab! Keep firing, team!" Rahdokama activates his radiation aura! He begins to glow a pale green causing creatures within 5ft to make a fortitude save [DC13] or be sickened.
Special! Allies who shoot the target Rahdokama is in melee with, gain +1 to hit!
Flenn |
Flenn brings his pulsecaster up toward red as his targeting computer begins feeding attack telemetry into his visual field.
Move action: Pick red as target for combat tracking. Standard action: Attack red w/ pulsecaster.
Pulsecaster attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Pulsecaster damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6 E nonlethal
"Sunshine" Korvin |
Sunshine's face falls when he sees Shelldrake's shot land. "Well, still better than a stick in the eye. Except for that creature. I guess it's roughly comparable from it's perspective. Anyway." He shakes his head and hustles to the rear of the party, taking aim with his plasma fork and taking a shot.
Move to space, attack target Rahdokama is attacking.
Attack vs. EAC (Rahdokama): 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 4 + 1 = 22
Damage (E + F): 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
GM Numbat |
Yes, the ranged attack, despite being SU, would provoke an AoO
Shelldrake leans in, quickly focuses on the nearest corchaaz and lands a solid shot.
Rudura sends forth her singing disk again vs red? adding to the harassment of that creature.
Rahdokama dials up his personality and tries to sicken them both, succeeding against green.
True Silver's attempt to join the fray is, unfortunately, a miss.
Flenn is frustrated with a near miss as well.
Korvin, however, lands a solid hit
Both corchaaz lash out ineffectively at Rahdokama.
Red Corchaaz Graviton mode 2
Fort save vs sickened DC 13: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Claw attack vs KAC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
potential slashing damage + grab: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Green Corchaaz Graviton mode 2
Fort save vs sickened DC 13: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Claw attack vs KAC - sickened: 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 12 - 2 = 14
potential slashing damage + grab: 1d6 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 - 2 = 7
Round Three
Those in bold may act
Shelldrake
True Silver
Korvin
Rudura
Flenn
Rahdokama
Red corchaaz (-36)
Green corchaaz (-AoO from Rahdokama) (sickened)
Act in any order within your section
Flenn |
Flenn fires again at red, then casually saunters over to stand in front of the doorway, glancing through it into the next room.
Pulsecaster rifle shot, coordinated shot: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 1 = 17
Pulsecaster rifle damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2 E nonlethal
Text comes over the comms: DON'T WANT ANYTHING SNEAKING UP FROM BEHIND, IF WE WOKE IT WITH OUR COMMOTION.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 Just in case needed
"Sunshine" Korvin |
Sunshine takes a moment to conjure a barrage of magical bolts and launch them at the beasts.
Full action cast magic missile, first on red (which I suspect is almost dead), second and third on green.
Force Damage (red): 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Force Damage (green): 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 4) + 2 = 8
True Silver |
True Silver fires twice at red.
Semi-Auto Pistol, Tactical: 1d20 + 3 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 3 - 4 + 1 = 17 Pierce: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Semi-Auto Pistol, Tactical: 1d20 + 3 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 3 - 4 + 1 = 12 Pierce: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Rahdokama |
"Aha! That's more like it! Now this is a real combat! Take this you...!" as the large vesk continues to swing his weapon.
Tactical Pike + Photon At.: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 91d8 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 - aoo
Tactical Pike + Photon At.: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 261d8 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Special! Allies who shoot the target Rahdokama is in melee with, gain +1 to hit!