[SFS-GameDay VIII-GM Skeemo] 1–27 King Xeros of Star Azlant (author run) (Inactive)

Game Master Christopher Wasko

Thanks for the tracking, Grif and Grinds! Stats should now be updated. @Grif: Ceiling is about 10 feet high throughout.

The Aeon Guard pauses for a moment, clearly affected by Grif's telepathic assault, which is just long enough for Grinds to cut him down and catch his ally on the backswing! Meanwhile, the Azlanti leader steps out of the microbot swarm and casts a spell, conjuring a duplicate of himself, while his robot steps out of the swarm and fires a sonic pulse at Brock, missing wildly. The trap fires again, still catching the stairwell in the radius! Roll me 2 more Reflex saves against DC 16; the first for for half of 11 damage, the second is for half of 23 damage, all electricity.

Round 2 (bold may post)
Brock (-59 SP, -4 HP, -1 RP; damage pending)
Gunnz (-40 SP; damage pending)
Red Aeon Guard (dead)
Orange Aeon Guard (-27 HP, covering and harrying fire)
Yellow Aeon Guard (-4 HP)
Elminar (-19 SP, -2 RP; damage pending)
Numina (-32 SP, -2 RP; damage pending)
Grif (-39 SP, -4 HP, -1 RP; damage pending)
Grinds (-30 SP; damage pending)
Aldroxis (-8 HP, 1 mirror image, covering and harrying fire)
Robot (covering and harrying fire)
Round 3
Trap

Reflex 1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Reflex 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Ouch ... So ... 34 addition damage ... -38 HP ... so 9 HP remaining. MEDIC! Oh, well ... I have ample Resolve.

Brock winces as electricity courses through his body. He steps into the fallen Azlanti. As he does so, a curved sword appears in his right hand. The weapon's hilt and coloring has a distinctive Azlanti design to it, well complementing the Aeon Guard rifle held in his left hand. "Took this off an Azlanti commander a few months back who thought she could get the best of me ..." He swings the blade at the robot.

Move action: Guarded step. Swift action: Summon called weapon. Standard action: attack robot

Sword attack vs. robot: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
Sword dmg vs. robot: 1d10 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18 S

Darnit ... that's a dispelling sword, so was really hoping I could crit on that summoned bot. Well, it's always a longshot.

The description of Microbot Assault suggests that if there are multiple enemies, the swarm will split up to harass multiple targets.

"Yikes!" screams Gunnz, quickly activating her cloaking shield as she dashes into the room.

ref DC 16, evasion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
ref DC 16, evasion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 I'll take a reroll
ref DC 16, evasion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17 Phew

Reflex 1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 (Take 5, one of my favorite big band songs of all time)
Reflex 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21 (And another 11)

Grif grimaces, even though his elevation seems to help him avoid the worst of it...for the moment.

SP 0/42, HP 23/40

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

Elminar is able to avoid the worst of the blast, but he isn't able to keep up with the barrage. He begins looking for a way to disable the trap or determine if escaping out of the stairway will evade them.

SP 0/36, HP 29/34

As mentioned, what sort of action would it take to disable the turrets? Does it look like they can attack elsewhere outside the stairs?

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

So 0 and 18

Reflex: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Reflex: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Ow, stop that grumbles Numina. We should leave the area of the stairs and quickly she says, fingers flicking oveer her statpad as she conjures her own set of mirror images and then dashes up out of the deadly stairway.

Casting mirror image creating 1d4 ⇒ 3 images and then moving. I provoke from oragne and black if they have melee weapons

Meanwhile her little cloud of killer robots splits up and continues to harass the two guards.

Yes, the swarms can split up and harass multiple targets. @Elminar: The turrets are rigged to the upper side walls of the stairwell, and can be disarmed with an Engineering check as a standard action.

The Aeon Guard lashes out at Numina as she passes, but the swing misses wildly. The robot gets closer, but only hits an image as the microbots continue their harassment. The first Aeon Guard fences with Brock for a moment, but then the second sneaks around in the fog of microbots and lands a lucky swipe on the dwarf's arm. Brock is looking worse for wear!

Round 2 (bold may post)
Elminar (-36 SP, -5 HP, -2 RP)
Numina (2 mirror images; -42 SP, -6 HP, -2 RP)
Grif (-42 SP, -17 HP, -1 RP)
Grinds (-48 SP)
Aldroxis (-8 HP, 1 mirror image, covering and harrying fire)
Robot (-18 HP)
Round 3
Trap
Brock (-59 SP, -46 HP, -1 RP)
Gunnz (cloaking shield active; -40 SP, -11 HP)
Orange Aeon Guard (-27 HP, harrying fire)
Yellow Aeon Guard (-4 HP, harrying fire)

Stuck on the perpetually trapped stairwell Grinds gets frustrated and attempts once more to cleave with his great and powerful glaive held between his mandibles as he lets out a louf and predatorial clicking sound to alert the Azlanti of his anger.

Vs Orange
Glaiving Through Evil (Sonic/Electric): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 262d8 + 17 ⇒ (2, 5) + 17 = 24

Vs Yellow
Glaiving Through Evil (Sonic/Electric): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 252d8 + 17 ⇒ (5, 2) + 17 = 24

(Again I am at -2 AC for attempting this)

Should this damage drop the foes, Grinds gets out of the damn stairwell.

Edit: Numina posted early, so she has already acted this turn.

Grinds's mighty swing fells one Aeon Guard and devastates the other!

Round 2 (bold may post)
Elminar (-36 SP, -5 HP, -2 RP)
Numina (2 mirror images; -42 SP, -6 HP, -2 RP)
Grif (-42 SP, -17 HP, -1 RP)
Grinds (-48 SP)
Aldroxis (-8 HP, 1 mirror image, covering and harrying fire)
Robot (-18 HP)
Round 3
Trap
Brock (-59 SP, -46 HP, -1 RP)
Gunnz (cloaking shield active; -40 SP, -11 HP)
Orange Aeon Guard (dead)
Yellow Aeon Guard (-28 HP)

Elminar considers the options, but seeing the turrets still threatening both Grinds and the party's escape path he moves as far as possible to see to disassembling one of the turrets. He lets his concentration lapse on the swarm, allowing them to finish their function of harassing the remaining Aeon Guard.

Engineering: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28

If I can't get to turret from where I am, then cast invisibility on myself and move as far as possible into the room.

Free Action: Lifelink - Spending 6 of my HP to heal Brock 6 of his HP.

Before any of his allies potentially move further away from him, Grif will concentrate and utter a prayer to Iomedae. He knows the hazard of the turrets striking him remain, but all that matters are the lives of his fellow Starfinders. In his mind, he recites his mantra - "These things we do, that others may live."

Grifet's eyes shoot open, whole body radiating bright golden light as he pours his resolve and energy outward, unleashing a Healing Channel.

Spend 1 Resolve - Full Round Action

All Allies within 30 feet (at the moment that means all allies except maybe Numina 6) heal:
6d8 ⇒ (1, 3, 8, 5, 7, 8) = 32 Hit Points

(Brock, this means you healed a net of 38 this round)

Brock smiles as his bleeding, both internal and external, comes to an end, though his beard is still singed and smoking. He smiles toward Aldroxis and says, "I can do this all day long ..."

Thanks, Dizzy!

Elminar can't quite reach the turrets themselves, but he can reach the motion sensors guiding their actions; he makes short work of disarming them, rendering the turrets dormant as Grif emits a pulse of healing energy! Aldroxis maintains his cover from the cube between himself and Brock, emitting a pulse of green light into a grenade he pulled from his utility belt. "Your days are numbered, you sawed-off vermin! Enjoy your hubris while it lasts!" Fittingly, the summoned robot clocks Brock in the jaw with its appendage.

Round 3 (bold may post)
Trap (disarmed)
Brock (-59 SP, -20 HP, -1 RP)
Gunnz (cloaking shield active; -40 SP)
Yellow Aeon Guard (-28 HP)
Elminar (-36 SP, -2 RP)
Numina (2 mirror images; -42 SP, -6 HP, -2 RP)
Grif (-42 SP, -2 RP)
Grinds (-48 SP)
Aldroxis (-1 FF, -3 HP, 1 mirror image, covering and harrying fire)
Robot (-18 HP)

Dropping the cloaking field, Gunnz shoots from concealment, trying to finish off the guard in yellow.

trick attack, DC 20+CR: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 20 = 33
attack vs EAC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
E damaage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
trick attack damage: 3d8 ⇒ (3, 2, 1) = 6

"Let that be a lesson in ignoring a girl!" she calls out.

Brock double swipes at the robot with his curved sword.

Sword attack 1, full: 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 11 - 4 = 15
Sword dmg: 1d10 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23 S

Sword attack 2, full: 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 11 - 4 = 26
Sword dmg: 1d10 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18 S

With the assistance of the disruptive microbots, Brock fells robot, causing it to collapse into etheric matter that gradually fade into transparent white mist. He then strikes the adjacent Aeon Guard, who falls after an assist shot from Gunnz. Now only Aldroxis remains...

Round 3 (bold may post)
Elminar (-36 SP, -2 RP)
Numina (2 mirror images; -42 SP, -6 HP, -2 RP)
Grif (-42 SP, -2 RP)
Grinds (-48 SP)
Aldroxis (-1 FF, -3 HP, 1 mirror image, covering and harrying fire)
Robot (destroyed)
Round 4
Brock (-59 SP, -28 HP, -1 RP)
Gunnz (-40 SP)
Yellow Aeon Guard (dead)

Raising one hand Numina summons a small fleet of vesk battlecruisers and sends them swarming at Aldroxis. They swoop around him firing tiny blue laser beams at him.

Full roound magic missile dealing 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 2, 1) + 3 = 7 force damage

The swarm disperses as the elf focuses on the duplicate images of final Azlanti holding the station. "You have the gall to try to call out our arrogance? You're banter is nothing but empty words. We won't meet our end today."

Elminar pushes forward and launches another swarm of acidic nanobots to either stop the grenade or dispel the image.

Move, standard to cast caustic conversion targeting Aldroxis

Caustic Conversion + harrying Fire vs EAC: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 2 = 28
Acid Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (3, 2, 2, 2) = 9 Plus 5 acid damage at the end of it’s turn for 3 rounds if normal duration.

Still feeling Brock's injuries through the link, Grifet focuses on ensuring he stays strong enough to outlast the azlanti commander.

Free Action: Lifelink - Spending 6 of my HP to heal Brock 6 of his HP.

The mystic then leverages his wings to fly forward, just above and behind Brock, casting Mystic Cure II on him!

Curing Brock: 3d8 + 6 ⇒ (3, 7, 3) + 6 = 19 Hit Points

As part of casting the spell, Grifet will sacrifice 3 more of his hit points to heal the last 3 HP of damage on Brock.

(Grif takes 9 damage / Brock heals 28)

Grinds rushes forward and attempts to drive his glaive into the Azlanti leader.

The Knights of Golarion will accept your surrender - drop your weapons and surrender

Challenge (Intimidate to Shake, will be off target vs targets other than Grinds): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
Glaiving Through Evil (Sonic/Electric): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 282d8 + 17 ⇒ (4, 3) + 17 = 24

The Azlanti's armor seems to be absorbing some of Grinds' attacks between a combination of forcefield and electrostatic shield, although the haan's own electricity resistance absorbs the backlash in kind. "If I go down, you'll all go down with--" he gets cut off just as he prepares to throw his magically charged grenade as Grinds delivers a vicious blow to his gut. The grenade falls limply from his hand, its pin still intact.

Combat Over!
Brock (-59 SP, -1 RP)
Gunnz (-40 SP)
Elminar (-36 SP, -2 RP)
Numina (2 mirror images; -42 SP, -6 HP, -2 RP)
Grif (-42 SP, -9 HP, -2 RP)
Grinds (-48 SP)

With the Azlanti defeated, only the flashing monitors of the King Xeros's helm remain. The ship quakes with another surge of energy.

Numina scarmbles over to the monitor.

Computers: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (3) + 17 = 20

Hold on everyone, I think I can reset things to buy us some time and send the ship into the ethereal plane. Otherwise it is going to explode, and soon.

Computers: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34

Gunnz looks over Numina's shoulder. "Try "Azlant!" as the password."

computers (aid): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
computers (aid) #2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

Brock scoffs. "That's the kind of password an idiot would use ..." He glances down at the Azlanti on the ground. "Nevermind, good guess." He and Myron both head over to try to assist with the work in preventing the trans-dimensional explosion.

Not sure if I can use Mysticism to assist on Numina's computer roll. If so, my action will be for Myron to auto-assist. If not, then my action will be for Brock to assist with Computers.

Computers(assist): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Either way, between my help and Myron's, Numina gets another assist.

Seeing the computer full of other experts Elminar watches from a distance as Numina gives her prognosis. The elf curses under his breath before pushing forward, "Naiaj will be furious, but if that is the way it needs to be. She rather see this ship lost again then destroyed forever."

"Get as much time as you can Numina and pull what you can from their systems, we need to make sure to get as much documentation and equipment out of here before this place vanishes with along with it."

Elminar leaves the job to them as goes to the equipment filled rooms from earlier to help sort through the most important recoverable items while scanning the room for any other writing or other information he can pull out with him.

I can reasonably search the room with azlanti gear or the other with crates of medical supplies. Is there a preference from others where I go?

Searching the Ship Post

Does the dead Azlanti have the SpecOps armor? I can grab his corpse, and then not have to spend 10 minutes breaking into the equipment lockers. I assume the other two bodies are in regular Aeon Guard armor.

The massive soldier knows his duty is done for the moment. He sits back into the charred stairwell, and begins to sip water and catch his breath.

Recovering SP at the cost of 1 RP

Good catch Numina. Do you think she will fly under our command?

Elminar will quickly connect to his contact and begin feeding him a video transmission of the crates of medical supplies and other perishables. Given the latency and the less than optimal resolution, the recovery operation is slow moving.

Medicine : Ally + Administrator: 1d20 + 6 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 6 + 3 = 19

Numina slowly turns and stares at Grinds, You want to me on this ship when it moves between dimensions and vanishes into the limitless grey void of the Ethereal plane? You realise that you would probably grow old and die before you found a way out of that grey waste. It has few inhabitants, the occasional intelligent species eeking out an existence on odd bits of matter floating through nothingness and they are mostly all hostile. I mean, if you want to you can and it might be exciting just to see what it was like but I imagine in time we would grow bored. You biologicals need change or you have a tendency to go mad. I suspect that after a decade or two you would be tearing each other to pieces just for something to do.

"I think Grinds thought you meant we'd slip into the ethereal plane, and then be able to come back." He does a quick survey of the rooms. He points to the corpses. "Hey, can you get those to our escape pod, and rest there? Even with her buying us a few minutes, we're on a tight clock here."

I think there was still a Perception check needed from those room explorations, right?

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Does anybody have lockpicks? I have only a +5 on Engineering, so assume someone else can do a better job getting into those lockers.

With Numina's fast action, she unpacks the ship's dire situation with a correct prognonsis: at this time, there is no way to stop the ship from fading into the Ethereal Plane. The android can, however, put the system on a delayed reset protocol, buying you some time to scour the ship for valuables to take with you off the ship.

You already have a couple options from what you found in the earlier rooms (sadly Elminar's efforts back in the medical supply room are initially unsuccessful). As you explore deeper into the ship, you also find the following options.

Bridge: PCs with a digital storage device, such as a computer or datajack, can spend 10 minutes decrypting and downloading lost Golarion’s ancient Azlanti code from the cube, which would be invaluable to Starfnder data analysts. Doing so requires a separate successful DC 24 Computers check.
Captain's Quarters: These private chambers have been outftted with Aldroxis’s personal furnishings and effects, including a memory foam mattress and three holographic pictures of himself with what appear to be his teenage son and daughter before picturesque landscapes from planets in the Aristia system. The opposite wall holds his framed diploma from a magitech institute on New Thespera, alongside a holograph photo of himself shaking hands with Zolan Ulivestra, the Sardat whom Brock defeated in his past adventures against the Aeon Throne.

Numina bought you 30 minutes to collect whatever you can from the ship, including the gear of the Azlanti in the bridge which doesn't require a check. Elminar tried and failed to collect valuables from the cargo hold, Brock tried and failed to search the crew quarters, and Grinds took a 10-minute rest for 1 RP; they each have 2 ten-minute actions to gather valuables, the rest of the party has 3 actions each.

Culture: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Brock takes the diploma and the holophoto. "These will go well in my vault back on Absalom Station. Make good target practice, if nothing else."

He goes into the stasis hold and points at the cocoons. "Myron, what fresh hell is this?"

Mysticism(hireling): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22

Myron stammers, "I am not sure ... some kind of stasis ..."

I assume Grinds can handle the Athletics check to get stuff from the main hold. I can't do anything particularly useful on the computer check. Can anyone assist myron? Can he take 10 on that Mysticism check?

Ally Culture + Administrator: 1d20 + 6 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 6 + 3 = 23

Getting the feed from the captain's quarters, Elminar sends that to his ally off ship. From that relay he just starts getting on the various titles within the Azlanti empire and their military structure.

Gunnz dashes around from place to place helping others.
While I can do most things, I'm not especially good at any, so I think my best best it to use aid-anothers in many locations. If someone doesn't take the lead in any of these places, then I'll think again or maybe go lead.

help searching the barrakcs: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17 Auto succeed in aid

"So this guy I used to date was really into shamanism. He'd be really into those cocoons. Wanted to tranform himself into a dragon.."
mysticism aid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

She then moves down into the hull, where she helps to move boxes
athletics (aid): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21 Auto succeed in aid

Myron blinks, realization dawning as Gunnz speaks. "Yes, of course. I mean, not transformation, but if we obtain one of the cocoons, the Society could study them, and mystics might be able to use the creatures as a basis for new summoning spell variations." He begins the process of extracting one of the cocoons, places suddenly switched as he bosses Brock around.

Numina flips open her data pad and her fingers dance across the screen as she starts to try and decrypt the information available on the bridge.

Computers: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29

Quicky finishing up she hops off the chair and flicks a switch, sending the Vesk thrash metal music she has running on a loop reverberating throughout the ship, overlaying the playback of her last victory in the Battle of Aleda tournament.

Heading down into the body of the ship she finds herself in the armoury where she starts removing the Azlanti weapons and armour.

Engineering: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23

Skipping along, pigtails flying, she wanders into the Captains cabin.

Culture: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23
Using my tshirt reroll

Culture: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22

Where she idly flps through his personal possessions. Biologicals are so sentimental

Grif should assist Numina on culture ...

Griff's Culture assist: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

With that assist, Numina succeeded on the check. Any other rolls Griff needs to do, or re-rolls with his +4?

With collective effort, you're all able to gather a wide variety of treasures from the ship before returning to your own escape pod! Shortly after you depart the King Xeros, it sheds several more of its external Azlanti modifications and then floats slowly forward, fading into nothingness as it passes into the Ethereal Plane. Venture Captain Naiaj returns to your comms: "We've shaken the last of the vanguard! Everyone into the Drift before the Azlanti regroup!"

***

Back at home she debriefs the Starfinder teams. "I can't say that I'm not disappointed that the King Xeros slipped through our fingers, but at least it slipped through those damned Azlanti's fingers too. Thankfully, Strike Team was able to find some precious relics and Azlanti gear and intel aboard the ship before it vanished. This gives us a huge leg up in our study of both the ship and the Star Empire, so I'd still consider this mission a success. Many thanks to all of you for your efficiency and professionalism."

That's it! Chronicles will be up early next week, make sure all your Chronicle stats are up in Discussion. Hope you all had fun!

Gunnz, having miraculously found a clean [i]Star Sugar Heartlove[i] tee-shirt packed away in her girl-carry, looks surprisingly awake and alert.

She keeps the team entertained on the way back with her Favourite Band (tm) playing over the Drake's speakers - offering everyone lessons in all the Latest Moves(tm) so they won't embarrass her if she ends up taking them to another concert... unlike her last team.

Thanks for the game everyone. And a big thank-you to Skeemo for running it for us!

Whether or not it matters, I'll roll the two additional medicine checks against the supply room out of principle to use the ally and administrator boon a bit more.
Medicine : Ally + Administrator: 1d20 + 6 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 6 + 3 = 21
Medicine : Ally + Administrator: 1d20 + 6 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 6 + 3 = 28

***

Watching the colors of the Drift by in the distance, Elminar holds to his seat while Gunnz moves to the music. "I can't get behind these songs at all. What about the hold classical rock?"

Thank you for the wonderful game and adventure Skeemo!

Brock grumbles, "I prefer Bones' solo work," as he makes his way toward a cargo hold where he disables the speakers.

Yeah was a lot of fun

Grinds gruffly returns the sentiment. You should have seen the look on that one's face when I asked if it was possible the giant spider hisses in some semblance of a joke directed towards Numina.

Grinds begins belting out a tune thats familiar to him but to all others is a series of high pitched clicks and scratches.

Youre right music is good team building

Finally back home with time and the ability to think...

Following scouring the ship and returning to their own, Grifet checks everyone over for injuries no matter how small - if anyone has any discomfort, he'll check up on you. He'll also happily enjoy any zero-g acrobatics Gunnz puts the ship through on the return voyage.

"Well done, everyone. As long as everybody - from all our teams - made it back in one piece, I call that a successful day at work."

Grifet will make sure to spend time with He-Who-Grinds-Blades-To-Dust during the trip home, as well. "Since joining the Society, you are the first fellow Knight-Errant I've had the pleasure to team up with during a mission. It was an honor to serve beside you, and I hope we meet again, friend."

It's always slightly difficult playing something you've GM'd before, especially when you've GM'd it 3 times before and love the scenario to death, so thank you all for being awesome and never putting me in a place where I had to dumb down my RP! :) Also huge thanks to Christopher for GMing this scenario by some amazing author whose name slips my mind at the moment ;)