GM Skeemo |
With the shed skin, you have a positive DNA match and are able to crack the firewall. It contains several personal video logs of the izalguun Prima (art shown on Slide #5). Initially, she appears as a stern and commanding female with a silver coloration void of any dappling or marbling. She wears fashionable clothing and is obviously pregnant. Her logs detail major decisions and mark her as the facility’s chief caretaker. Her second-to-last entry describes the arrival of the golden obelisk artifact, which she finds particularly exciting. In her final entry, recorded the day after Ralveen’s final entry, Prima constantly scratches at a mucus-like sheen over her skin, particularly between her fingers. She seems distressed, and her speech is garbled, as if her tongue was swollen.
In Izalguun: "To those who discover this log, know that I am guilty of murder, and I would do it again. My children live, and I plan to bring them to term. As for Ralveen’s odious yellow cure, know that I threw it into the trash compactor and have destroyed it. No cure should come at the destruction of life. I embrace my change, and I realize that soon I shall be incapable of the thought required to run this facility and continue communications on this log. This is my last entry. I make my descent below to prepare for birth. I shall alter the environment to suit my metamorphosis. If you discover this, turn back now, and leave us alone. I have murdered before to protect my babies, and I will not hesitate to do so again."
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Gab sighs. "Oh, great ... How much you willing to bet we need to make a 'descent below' to find the Tear?" He walks over and pushes the button to open the southern door, now that we've gotten all of the information from the computer.
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
He reaches up and covers his nose, despite the environmental protections. "Yikes."
Sovyal |
Sovyal raises an eyebrow at the video log after the creature's speech is translated. "What a mad creature. Determined to perpetuate a race of mutant monstrosities, it seems. Tragic." He shakes his head with regret, but without much empathy. "Gab, I suspect you are very much right. We can only hope that Prima and its progeny are long gone by now, and our task remains a stroll in the park."
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
He looks idly around the storage room to the south, but sees nothing of obvious interest. He begins inspecting the east end of the storage room and its door for any traps or hidden nastiness.
Perception vs. traps: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
As he searches, he adds offhandedly "Ah, the monstrous Prima mentioned a cure being thrown in the trash. Perhaps we all keep an eye out for any yellow vials that might restore Arratoi to strength before the fellow starts squawking on us."
Elminar |
"This situation is a mess I wouldn't go digging into if there weren't so many lives at stake. This thing changed her, but I admit I wouldn't be happy anyone forcing their choices on me either, no matter if they felt it was for my good. I make my own choices and will live by them."
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Moving into the trash filled room Elminar doesn't react much at all. "Been a couple decades since I've had to dig through a pile this crowded.
Would be nostalgic if not for the mutating radiation." He runs his hands over some of the pieces of refuse and wreckage and stops at a particular trinket, pulling a technological band from the ground. "A null space chamber. Like the one I have but seems to be a bit more well built. Likely can hold a bit more than most the caches we would find."
What sort of action would it take to inventory what is in the chamber, if anything at all?
Arratoi |
"What a very sad series of events that occurred here. But yes, I do wonder if that creature you encountered was Prima's descendants somehow? Anyways, let's move forward. If there is any kind of medical cure here, it's surely expired by now. I believe we'll have to move forward, complete our mission and I'll seek further medical aid once we're away from here."
Shall we see what's beyond the next door?
HeeNee |
HeeNee looks nervous. "Okay, I think we've seen nine, maybe ten things so far that could kill us. This is a terrible place, but I know we have to find that Tear."
I am good to move on.
Sovyal |
"My dear fluffy Arratoi, you cannot lose hope. Think not on your likely transformation into an unthinking avian monstrosity and instead focus on the slim possibility that the cure is still potent!" Sovyal smiles broadly at the ysoki, perhaps thinking humor will bolster the fellow's spirits.
If the door appears to be clear of any dangers, Sovyal will keep one pistol in hand and slowly ease the eastern door open.
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Gab continues trying to look ahead through the door with the x-ray visor, trying to avoid any surprises by mutated izaalgun.
GM Skeemo |
Just got back onto WiFi, sorry for the delay. The chamber has nothing in it, so no action to determine its contents.
You don't notice any traps in the cluttered room. Gab peers through the next door with Ralveen's visor. A small landing ends at a 10-foot wide conveyor belt that leads east and slopes slightly downward. The belt leads to others, all descending into a bank of greasy black smoke 60 feet below. There is a gap in the railing that lines the landing, but only the top two rungs of a ladder remain; the rest of the ladder is missing, providing only a vertiginous drop. The wheezing and clanking of machinery echo up from somewhere within the smoke.
With the power running again, opening the magnetic doors requires no effort.
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Are the conveyor belts moving?
Gab glances at the missing ladder. He looks into the smoke, tinkering with the dials on the visor. "Can't see down there. It's at the limit of my range. If someone wants to lower me down, I can use the visor to see through this smoke, I figure."
Sovyal |
"Hm, seems like a plan. And if there are any hungry fish down there, you'll double as a fine lure to pull them back up to our level." Sovyal's eyes sparkle with mirth as he pulls out his cable line and ties it securely around Gab. Before he sets about lowering the ysoki down, he heads to the previous room and grabs a small piece of metal debris.
He tosses it off the edge and tries to judge how far it falls into the inky black smoke before it makes a sound.
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Idly, he adds "This must be the trash disposal, so keep an eye out for it."
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Gab nods to Sovyal. "Yeah, I figured." He begins getting lowered. About every five feet down, he tells Sovyal to hold him still, as he looks around with the x-ray visor and motion sensor, trying to see through the black smoke.
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Elminar |
"Be swift, be careful, and return safely. The encounter with the ooze within the pit was already a mess. I'm not going to see you saved from that pit just to see you lost to this one." Elminar puts away his pistol to help Sovyal with the cable line while keeping his ears out for lurking dangers and the call to withdraw the line.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Arratoi |
"You're a brave one Gab and I admire that. Just one thought though. Should someone with a jetpack head down? I mean in case of emergency, just let go of the line and fly up outta there, yah?
"I've got a jetpack and can give it a go. Still slightly weakened from the ambient radiation in this place too. Would take 10 minutes to detach my jetpack and attach it to your suit. We may not want to waste the time.
"Any other takers?
"If not, I volunteer to head down. With my trusty jetpack, it's probably still safer for me than you, Gab."
HeeNee |
HeeNee has a jetpack, and can check it out!
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Gab nods at Arratoi's suggestion and offers him the visor, seeming relieved at the offer of a better plan. He pulls his gun and gets into position to provide cover fire should Arratoi need it.
Sovyal |
Sovyal unties Gab, then spins the end of his cable line in the air. "Arratoi, HeeNee, are you absolutely SURE you don't want to be dangled from the end of a cable? What if... the fog below eats jetpack fuel? You wouldn't want that now, would you?" He smirks at the two brave folks willing to head down.
"Ah, and if there is another of those oozes, just scream and we'll fire madly in your direction!"
Arratoi |
HeeNee has a jetpack, and can check it out!
"I'd suggest going down by the line first. Then in case of emergency, engage the jetpack to fly outta there. But I'm sure there's nothing down there and it'll be juuuuuuuust fine......."
GM Skeemo |
The conveyor belts turn slowly, comparable to a moving walkway in a starport. Sovyal's stray junk sounds like it clatters loudly against a metal floor beyond the mist.
With Sovyal and Elminar anchoring, Gab descends into the darkness, accompanied by Arratoi and HeeNee with jetpacks. Thick clouds of black smoke belch forth from oil-soaked machinery that sprawls throughout this factory. The machinery wheezes and clanks in a jarring cacophony.
Using the visor, Arratoi spots several external pieces of machinery that could possibly stop the spewing of the greasy smoke (Engineering DC 20). He also spots a bright-yellow case is lodged between the conveyor belts at the east end of this room, shortly before a spot where the conveyor belt is visibly damaged and drops unceremoniously to the center of the room below.
Arratoi |
"I guess we'll ALL go instead of just HeeNee as originally intended..." (hahah!)
Engineering: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28
"Hey I see the smoke source. All I have to do is augment the insulating field dampener because it's come apart. Aaaaaand done!"
Raatchet will grab the case,take one more look around for anything useful, then fly up out of there.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Sovyal |
Nice! You guys are making me want to buy a jetpack ASAP :O Makes hazards a lot less hazardous.
"Splendid." Sovyal sounds a little disappointed that there's nothing more dangerous down there. "No exits down there? Perhaps that means we'll have to head down outside to join our laser ooze?"
The west end corridor of the computer room looks like it has collapsed on the map. Did that look like something we could clear?
Elminar |
Elminar keeps his hands steady on the tether while focusing on the sounds from the pit below. "As much as I find a reason to disagree, if there is no other path out of through this area, I believe you are right to suggest we return to the pit outside. Let's be thorough though and finish searching for more secret doors rather than running around recklessly."
Arratoi |
Yah, I figure at this level we'll be running up against flying enemies soon enough so it seems prudent to buy a jetpack when it became affordable...
Arratoi holds up the case. "Ummmm... Anyone want to examine this and then open it before we go running around in more pits?"
Arratoi places it on the ground and looks it over...
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Arratoi will tell the group if he sees anything or not then step back and say, "Anyone else want to take a look?"
HeeNee |
"We should be careful; it could have something very dangerous inside!"
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
Sovyal |
With the others seemingly all looking at the same things, Sovyal does his own once-over of the yellow case. "Allow me, dears."
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
He stays silent when he realizes he's not discovering anything other than what the others have seen. Clearly he's getting rusty.
Elminar |
Elminar helps examine it as well, "Given the danger of this place, I wouldn't doubt there is dangers left behind in every corner of this tomb."
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Gab watches everyone peering into the bag, standing back and asking, in a somewhat frightened and ominous tone. "What's in the bag? If it's a severed head, I'm totally getting off this planet."
Am in work meetings the next couple of days, so won't have a ton of access. If this way is sealed off, then my vote is to go down through the pit. With the smoke gone, we may be able to see the ooze and fire on it from above.
GM Skeemo |
No chance of clearing the rubble in a tolerable timeframe, given the active radiation.
You wipe off the case of grease and it reads, in Izalguun, "Vaccine." Inside is a needler pistol with 6 darts, each containing a viscous, opaque yellow substance.
Given your resources and approach tactics, I'm going to assume that you use the cable to climb down into the lower room without using the conveyor belts. If that's not your preferred approach, let me know. Map is now updated with all of you in the lower room. Also, spitballing time usage, I'm gonna rule that navigating this space using the jetpacks uses about 4 charges each at 1 per round. Use that to keep track of how much jetpack fuel remains.
You collaboratively use the jetpacks and cables to descend into the space, which rapidly clears via the air ducts once Arratoi fixes the smoke leaks. Two large mechanical pistons that have seen better days loom over a work floor in the room's center. A double door leads to the west.
HeeNee |
Sounds good!
HeeNee inspects the door for traps.
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22
If that looks fine, she opens the door.
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23
"Pssst...hey folks, we have things under the water. Izalguun. Probably going to kill us."
GM Skeemo |
Gab: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Sovyal: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
Elminar: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Arratoi: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Gab: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Sovyal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Elminar: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Arratoi: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
HeeNee: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Izalguuns: 1d20 ⇒ 14
How right HeeNee is! Shortly after your group (arranged by preferred marching order) enters the space, the creatures rear their heads. They release guttural croaks that unnaturally distend their throat skin, which along with the rest of their skin has become porous and translucent, and long tongues coated with sticky slime protrude from their mouths!
Surprise round (single action only; bold may post)
Elminar (-8 SP)
HeeNee
Red batrachian izalguun
Yellow batrachian izalguun
Green batrachian izalguun
Round 1
Elminar (-8 SP)
HeeNee
Red batrachian izalguun
Yellow batrachian izalguun
Green batrachian izalguun
Sovyal
Arratoi (-4 HP, -1 RP)
Gab (-2 RP)
Sovyal |
Hmm, looking at the map, we have a wall between us and those izalguun (I put an arrow pointing to the wall in question). Is that a low wall/low barrier of some kind that leaves us with line of sight?
Sovyal raises his hands and calls out at the sound of croaking "We come in peace! Unless this is an ambush. In which case we very much come in war."
GM Skeemo |
Hmm, looking at the map, we have a wall between us and those izalguun (I put an arrow pointing to the wall in question). Is that a low wall/low barrier of some kind that leaves us with line of sight?
It's the edge of the water, so no barrier.
HeeNee |
HeeNee is skeptical of the chance of reasoning with these things, but she spends her surprise round getting tracking data on the yellow one rather than firing.
Muncher, let's track the one in the front. Got it?
Elminar |
Elminar holds his pistol ready against the croaking izlaguun. Still he hesitates on his shot while Sovyal offers a plea or they open with an attack. "We are here to rob them of their golden relic. If that is peaceful then I know a lot of people behind bars who would love to know that. In any case, if what their saying is speech I'm not picking up on it."
"I know you don't understand me, but I rather not shoot you if I don't have to!"
Preparing for their attack Elminar once again pours his energy to supercharge HeeNee's weapon of choice.
Standard: Supercharge weapon on HeeNee's weapon.
Life Science to Identify?: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Gab grumbles as he has difficulty trying to untie the rope from around his waist.
Arratoi |
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If no one else takes it, Arratoi will take the vaccine needler pistol. Arratoi is a horrible shot though, so if someone else is a good shot with pistols and wants it, Arratoi will defer to that person!
"Woah woah woah!!! Why you mad??? We're friends! Other Izalguun sent us! Chillax! Chillax!!" yells towards the them. Until Arratoi notices they're not quite Izalguuns but Izaltoads!!!
"The vaccine! The vaccine! Use the vaccine!" exclaims Arratoi to his teammates.
Arratoi then looks directly into the non-existant camera and says, "And remember kids. Get your shots or you too will turn into a toad!!!"
Arratoi winks and displays a thumbs up..... at absolutely nothing.
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Actually, since combat has not actually begun, I would like to invoke my Fast Talk feat before combat starts. It technically happens before initiative is rolled, but can I still use it? If these creatures are so devolved they can't understand Common, then it wouldn't apply.
You can distract a creature with a confusing barrage of words, causing it to be surprised at the beginning of combat. You can use this ability only on a creature you are able to converse with (it must be able to see or hear you and understand your words) prior to the beginning of combat, and you must continue to converse with it until combat begins. You can’t use this ability if you are the one to instigate combat or if you are unaware at the start of combat.
When the GM declares that combat has begun, but before initiative is rolled, you can spend 1 Resolve Point to attempt a Bluff check against a single creature that this ability can affect. The DC is equal to 15 + the target’s total Perception skill bonus, or 20 + 1-1/2 × the target’s CR, whichever is higher. If your check is successful, the target creature is considered unaware at the start of combat, allowing other creatures (including yourself) to act in a surprise round. Once you have attempted to use this ability on a creature, whether or not you succeed, it is immune to this ability for 24 hours.
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Also do we see that yellow thing to the north of the water, which I suspect may be the time-lost Tear we are meant to reclaim?
GM Skeemo |
Yes, the yellow is the Tear, and it is visible. Sadly the izalguuns' metamorphosis has reduced them to animalistic intelligence, so you cannot converse with them, rendering Fast Talk unusable.
The three izalguuns move toward you, swimming with startling speed through the deep, murky water!
Round 1 (bold may post)
Elminar (-8 SP)
HeeNee (supercharged weapon, tracking yellow)
Red batrachian izalguun
Yellow batrachian izalguun
Green batrachian izalguun
Sovyal
Arratoi (-4 HP, -1 RP)
Gab (-2 RP)
HeeNee |
Posting from mobile, could someone move HeeNee so she has a clear shot and is within 70 feet of yellow?
Static arc rifle, combat tracking: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 2 = 19
overcharged and supercharged ouch!: 1d12 + 6 + 4d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 6 + (1, 1, 6, 6) + (4) = 31 electricity damage
Elminar |
I've moved HeeNee up about 10 feet which should put her in that range without cover.
Elminar begins another magical subroutine as they push through the water. "That isn't a friendly sort of charging. As much as I would love to leave it to your silver tongues, I'm not going to let them charge us down without a fight."
He takes control of a larger wealth of magic to create a larger swarm of nanites that he directs toward red to convert the water around the izalguun into a caustic acid.
Casting caustic conversion on Red. Using Extended Spell to spend 1 RP to double duration of this spell.
Caustic Conversion Attack vs EAC on Red: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Acid Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (4, 4, 4, 4) = 16 and 5 additional acid damage at the end of each of its turns for the next 4 turns.
Move: Move west.
Standard Action. Caustic Conversion, Extended.
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Any of these larger than the others?
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
"Um, guys, we should really try to incapacitate them." He glances at Sovyal, "Need some harrying fire laid down? You're probably our best shot at hitting them with that needle pistol."
This has never come up for me before, but ... does harrying fire from two different sources stack?
Arratoi |
Are you suggesting we turn off murder hobo mode and switch to field of daisies non-lethal mode? Hehehe
Circumstance bonus so two different circumstances will stack. But here I don't know if two sources of harrying fire will count as two different circumstances or if harrying fire itself is considered a circumstance, not allowing any stacking. Probably a GM call.
GM Skeemo |
Are you suggesting we turn off murder hobo mode and switch to field of daisies non-lethal mode? Hehehe
Circumstance bonus so two different circumstances will stack. But here I don't know if two sources of harrying fire will count as two different circumstances or if harrying fire itself is considered a circumstance, not allowing any stacking. Probably a GM call.
Since it's coming from the same circumstance, I don't think multiple instances of harrying fire against the same target would stack.
Damage (B): 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Next time: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Elminar Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
HeeNee Reflex: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
Sovyal Reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
The izalguuns take devastating hits from your attacks, and increase their rate of swimming toward you. The outer izalguuns close to the edge, revealing their towering postures, while the one at the stairs hocks a giant glob of spittle at the foremost Starfinders. The projectile hits you with dangerous force, but you shake off the slime before it hardens into a coagulated shell.
Round 1 (bold may post)
Sovyal (-7 SP)
Arratoi (-4 HP, -1 RP)
Gab (-2 RP)
Round 2
Elminar (-15 SP, -1 RP)
HeeNee (-7 SP, tracking yellow)
Red batrachian izalguun (-21 HP, 3 rounds of -5 HP remaining)
Yellow batrachian izalguun (-31 HP)
Green batrachian izalguun
Arratoi |
Obviously intimidated by the attackers' size, Arratoi squeaks, "They're HUGE!! Ohmigawd ohmigawd ohmigawd!!!"
Without much confidence, Arratoi raises the pistol and fires twice, first at red then at green!!
Needler Pistol vs Red KAC: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 8 - 4 = 23
Piercing Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Needler Pistol vs Green KAC: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 8 - 4 = 24
Piercing Damage, crit: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Gab shakes his head, finally getting untangled from the rope just as he witnesses the spit attack. "Now, that is just disgusting ..."
Since I know these are unique mutations, and not an existing species, I don't know if this applies, but I'd like to try Life Science to identify any weaknesses, immunities, special defenses, vulnerabilities ... in that order.
Life Science: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Arratoi |
Oh yes, I've forgotten til Gab mentioned! Arratoi wll also attempt life science to identify. Will use Gab's questions.
Life Science: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
Gabbers "Gab" McTalkington |
Gab steps forward, drawing one of his pulsecasters. The gun flickers as he draws it, the illusion dropping to reveal the electromagnetic radshot pistol. Suddenly, a spectral image of a grenade manifests, flying forth from the weapon in an arc toward the creatures.
Aiming for the grid intersection between yellow & green. Should get all 3 in the 10 ft. radius without hitting any of us.
Stickybomb Mk I grenade throw: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Entangled rounds: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6 if failed DC 12 Reflex save
HeeNee |
HeeNee takes a guarded step diagonally back to get behind Elminar. She shoots at the yellow one.
Static arc rifle, combat tracking: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 2 = 19
overcharged ouch!: 1d12 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 6 + (4) = 16 electricity damage
Can someone move my icon, please?