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This is the gameplay thread for Skitter Shot (Tier 1-2: using pregenerated Skittermander characters or your own level 1-2 skittermanders) as part of the PbP GameDay VIII, set to begin on August 26th, 2019!
Sorry for only getting this page up now, but post-Gen Con 2019 has been a bit insane for me - moving, medical/back issues, and other things I won't bore you with.
Feel free to "dot and delete" if you are part of the game, and look for us to begin in the evening of August 26th!
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You be Skittermanders!
It began as a dull day aboard the Clutch, Nakonechkin Salvage’s only ship and your home for the past year or so.
Your boss, the vesk Nakonechkin Ginnady, brought the ship out of Pact Words space and into some of the void beyond, looking for derelict space stations or the remains of forgotten starship battles to pick through.
Suddenly, with a buzzing chime, the ship’s computers registered a starship drifting in the region. Nakonechkin rushed to the captain’s console and initiated a scan. An image of the target ship appeared on screen: a large, ornate green starship with brass accents. It looked abandoned and ill-suited to be so far from the Pact Worlds.
Nakonechkin quickly pulled on his space suit and grabbed a set of all-purpose tools. “This looks like an easy enough job. You lot stay here and keep an eye on the Clutch. Try not to ‘repair' anything while I’m away. I should be back in a couple of nanoseconds.” He nodded curtly and cycled the airlock to float over to the derelict ship.
Knowing that your boss always called on you when the time was right, you gathered together on the bridge to watch him float his way across open space to the green ship until he was out of visual range. Not having much else to do, you decided to play a little game, telling each other the stories about how you wound up on board the Clutch, working for Nakonechkin!
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Nako stops at the edge of the door, with doshko in a hand little fingers twisting on the trigger. "But... But.... Nako come with boss?! Nako help Gree?" She jumps up looking through the view port that is made for someone much taller than a skittermander. After a moment she props the doshko against the door and climbing up the handle to look out the view port without jumping. One little skitter claw on the trigger making it turn on.
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Sitting near the bridge's giant window is Quonx, the Clutch's mechanic, currently engrossed in the examination of a small electronic device resembling a wrench with wires and screws sticking out. Her shaggy electric blue fur is littered with various bits and bolts, and she scratches a tangle of cables on her forehead as she tucks the contraption away in her stained brown overalls. Quonx walks beside Nako and pats her on the back.
"The boss needs us to hold the ship! Who will protect the ship otherwise, gree?"
The mechanic then hears the others talking about telling stories and barges in.
"Oh! Oh! Me! Pick me!"
"I'm working allsix to fix my quantum reality spanner!" The mechanic starts walking around, talking more to herself than to the assembled crew. "I recently read this amaaaaazing work by Dr. Wolfram on qwark entanglement and thought, 'Hey, maybe if I just tweak the tunneling radius, I might..." She pauses, seeing her friends impatiently waiting for her story.
"Oh, yes, my story!" She clears her throat in a high-pitched squeak and begins, six arms gesturing rapidly. "I grew up on Absalom Station and worked as a freelance mechanic. And then I get called to do this job on the Clutch." She waves a wrench in the air as she speaks. "Previous mechanic really could have used some help. He probably used the wrong approximation of the Pauli length constant, so the photon-ion ratio was a bit off in the main reactor." She goes back to shuffling around pensively, all the while gesturing even more than before. "But that doesn't make any sense! So I just took to fixing the compression chamber using a modified Alpha-X barrel taken from..." The skittermander goes on rambling for a few minutes, seemingly without breathing. When interrupted by her comrades, she huffs and puffs.
"Oh, yes! Where was I... Oh, right! So yeah, I made those repairs, and the Boss was so happy he wanted us to be Nufriends! So I ended up on this ship!"
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Dakoyo is quick to reach the bridge to watch their vesk employer cross to the derelict. He stays at the viewport after Nakonechkin disappears from sight and watches the stars while the others talk.
"A lucky ship, this, greee? Look beyond the salvage ship. You can see the stars of the Harvester, but from this position her scythe-blade looks straight, almost like a spear. We are blessed by Ibra with this drift sight. Is it part of a divine design or a portent of a turbulent future?"
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Gazigaz brushes his fur while listening to Quonks presentation. When everybody's done talking, he puts his hand mirror in his pocket and smiles to the crew.
"So we're telling each other our stories, gree? I talked Nakonechkin into letting me on his ship. I got on board to meet nufriends like you, but I would give allsix to make contact with a new race. It would make a drift nufriend, gree?"
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A chime beeps on the bridge console of the Clutch, indicating that time has really flown! Two hours have passed since Nakonechkin departed, and he isn’t responding to the ship's automatic attempt at establishing communications. Something must have gone terribly wrong - and Nakonechkin might need help!!!!
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"The alarm! Two hours already. It's good talking with you all, but let's see what Nako is doing."
Dakoyo straightens his stubby self up and skitters from his chair to the control console. He pads across to the radio controls and opens a line to the vesk.
"Nakonechkin, come in. Are you there, boss? It's a long time since you checked in."
Quonx comes up next to Dakoyo and starts pressing buttons in quick succession.
"Must be the transmission relay acting up again! I told the boss we should have bought Perihelion Industries' newest model! Did you tell you about the drift features they added?" Quonx begins a long tirade while trying to fix the comms.
"He probably met nufriends and lost track of time. He should be here any minute now. No need to worrie, gree?"
Gazigaz tries to encourage his colleagues, but looks around frantically, obviously hiding his own worries.
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While checking the comms, Quonx notices that Nakonechkin's only ran a quic surface scan of the derelict ship before grabbing his salvage gear and floating over. The blue mechanic is able to learn significantly more information !
~~~~~
* The vessel’s transponder identifies it as the Emerald Empyrean, a pleasure barge owned by a Vercite company called Trendsetter Excursions. The only ways to enter the ship are through two airlock doors, one on the port side near the aft and one on the starboard side near the fore. The forward airlock is completely sealed shut, but the aft airlock could be forced open with simple engineering tools.
* The Emerald Empyrean is a modified heavy freighter with a forward-facing heavy weapon and a small turret weapon, but plenty of room for passengers and recreational activities. Though its thrusters are active, they are currently idle, and the ship has enough power to provide artificial gravity, interior lighting, and life support.
* Further scans reveal over a dozen life signs aboard the ship, which Nakonechkin missed on his initial scans. Most of these life signs are concentrated in an area in the ship’s aft, on the starboard side. Nakonechkin’s life signs are visible, but the vesk is currently in a semi-conscious state and his location cannot be pinpointed. An additional anomalous energy signature is detected in the ship’s center.
* It appears that most of the Emerald Empyrean’s functions are controlled by a single onboard artificial intelligence core, which is very unusual for a ship this size. However, the AI doesn’t respond to any attempts to communicate with it.
~~~~~
It's clear, now, that the four of you will need to leap into action! You quickly grab your armor, gear, and weapons. Your armor's environmental seals will protect you during a space-walk, and you think simply pushing off from your air lock will be enough to get you across to the other ship. Do you want to take any special preparations before making your space-walk?
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"BOSS!!!!" Nako jumps from view port to view port trying to see what the computers aren't showing the rest.
After a minute she realizes looking at her gear she's not suited for space and starts to look around for either proper attire, or skittering together a sealed suit.
"Must...save Nakonechin! Holding up various bits and bobs of gear that doesn't match up together. Eventually making thing fully match up, with two hands holding a doshko, one a pistol, one a grenade and facing the door.
"Oh no! Oh no no no!"
Quonx runs his arms frantically across the console, trying to find something that could help them contact Nakonechkin. He gives every bit of information he can find to the crew, then runs to his locker and gathers his tools and equipment.
"Good idea Dakoyo! Let's try to approach the ship! We're coming, boss!"
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The airlock on the Emerald Empyrean could, in theory, be docked with...if that ship's computer would acknowledge your communication request or if any crew on board would answer your hails. Neither of which has occurred.
Bringing the Clutch to within 200 feet of the Empyrean's airlock, however, would mean that you can float yourselves across without any effort .
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The four of you grab armor, weapons, and gear. You turn on your environmental protections and move the Clutch just off the port side of the Emerald Empyrean before moving into the airlock, cycling it so that you can drift across to the derelict ship after hooking tethers to the Clutch and to each other.
The spacewalk is as silent as space, and uneventful...until...both ships are suddenly engulfed in a passing micrometeoroid storm!
Bludgeoning Damage
DC 13 Reflex Save Negates!
Once the storm passes...
It appears that someone used manual tools to pick the locking mechanism to the Emerald Empyrean's airlock. Judging by the positioning of the tools still attached to the outside door panel, you'd say this attempt was made approximately two hours ago, and a simple button-press will now safely admit you into the ship's airlock.
Quonx makes his way between the two ships, and...
...manages to avoid the storm completely!
"Huh, look at those tools! Someone tried to open this door manually, I'd say about two hours ago! It must be the boss!" The door already unlocked, Quonx presses a small button and the airlock opens.
"Let's go!"
"Anyone can be a nufriend Nako, but I agree that we must give all six for the boss right now", says Gazigaz, walking carefully.
"No, no, no!"
Quonx looks at the door anxiously, fidgeting with some bolts stuck in her hair while waiting for it to open.
"Hold on boss! We're coming!"
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Dakoyo suits up and follows the others into the airlock and outside for a spacewalk across to the Empryean. The trip between the two ships is hard on him, as micrometeorites slam into him.
He crowds into the back of the airlock. He cranes to see past the others.
"Is there a window? Can you see into the ship?"
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"Not so fast nufriend Dakoyo, or we could hurt ourselves again. Your fur looks ravishing by the way."
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Dakoyo heals 8 Stamina of the 9 damage he took!
Just then, the airlock finishes cycling. This square chamber has little in the way of furnishings, and the walls and ceiling are a clean white, while the floor is a silvery metal. Four cages are stacked in the two forward corners of the room. A heavy door leads into the airlock to the port, while a flickering holographic sign reading “Welcome Guests” floats over the door to the starboard.
Three small robots float here, buzzing to themselves. Each one is identifiable with a colored stripe on its underbelly, and each is dressed up with a black bow tie.
As soon as they see you, they perform a quick visual scan, followed by an angry beep and a computerized voice emitting from all three of them in unison:
“Error! Pets must be placed in approved carriers before boarding the Emerald Empyrean. Initiating containment protocols.”
The Red robot immediately floats in front of the other two, lobbing a grenade right into the airlock!
vs. AC 5
Everyone - DC 10 Reflex Save or you are Entangled for Rounds!
ROUND 1
Nako
Quonx
Cyan
Yellow
Dakoyo
Gazigaz
ROUND 2
Red
Engineering Checks to Recall Knowledge:
Each robot has two Mk I Stickybomb Grenades in addition to their pistols, and once per day they can reroll a failed Reflex save with a +10 bonus - they are very fast! They are, however, vulnerable to electricity and critical hits!
Observer-Class Security Robot
"Nonono! Stop, nufriends!" Quonx tries to dodge the incoming grenade.
She manages to sidestep quickly enough, and begins to look at the robots.
She grimaces as she recognizes Observer-class robots.
"Ah, those are some cheap robots, but careful, they're fast and can shoot! They're vulnerable to electricity, too!"
Quonx activates her combat tracking against the robot marked with a red stripe and pulls out his laser rifle to get a shot against it.
F
"No, no, no! There's been a misunderstanding!"
Gazigaz avoids the sticky grenade.
"NUFRIENDS, STOP THIS FREE VIOLENCE! Their hostility might be based on a huge misunderstanding", shouts Gazigaz to his crew members.
He then turns to the floating robots:
"Sorry robotic nufriends, but we are no pets! We are skittermanders looking for our dear Nakonechkin. Have you seen him?"
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Botting Nako:
Nako rushes forward to swing at the closest robot...
!!!
(Plus, these robots are vulnerable to critical hits, so the extra damage does 1.5 as much, so that's 16 instead of 11 on the crit, for a total of 27 damage!)
...and neatly cuts it in half!
Quonx is able to adjust her shot and shoots the Yellow robot instead!
The Yellow robot returns fire!
vs. EAC
...and hits!
While the Cyan robot advances on the very aggressive Nako and attempts to reposition Nako closer to the cages!
vs. KAC+8
...but fails to push Nako around!
ROUND 1
Dakoyo
Gazigaz
ROUND 2
Red
Nako
Quonx
Cyan
Yellow
"Careful friends! They also have grenades!"
Quonx switches her combat tracking to the Yellow robot and fires again.
F
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Gazigaz charges his static arc pistol and aims at Yellow.
"I'm so sorry for your bad programming..."
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Dakoyo steps up behind Nako and fires, hitting the Yellow robot, even as Nako slices and dices bits off of the Cyan one! Quonx follows up with another laser blast against the Yellow robot as Gazigaz also lands a hit, doing 2 extra damage because his weapon is electricity-based!
As a result of the peppering of ranged-fire, Dakoyo, Quonx, and Gazigaz render the Yellow robot inert as it drops to the ground, unmoving and destroyed!
The Cyan robot continues to flail at Nako with a full-attack, trying to fulfill its programming to place anything it perceives as a pet into an appropriate cage!
vs. KAC+8
vs. KAC+8
...but yet again fails to get a grip on its not-so-nufriend Nako!
ROUND 2
Dakoyo
Gazigaz
ROUND 3
Red (Destroyed)
Nako
Quonx
Cyan
Yellow (Destroyed)
"Let's finish this quick and soft. I don't want to hurt this poor robot more than necessary.", says Gazigaz as he aims for the last one.
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The robot does, indeed, try to take a swing at Dakoyo as the mystic rushes by!
vs. KAC
However, once in position, Gazigaz and Dakoyo hit hard enough that the robot collapses to the ground, destroyed! You are now out of combat!
End of combat damage tally:
Dakoyo
Gazigaz
Quonx
On the destroyed robots, you find a total of 3 Pulsecaster Pistols and 5 Mk 1 Stickybomb Grenades.
Moments later, a soothing, computerized female voice comes over the ship's PA system:
Any attempt to contact M2 is met with silence, and all attempts to send communications from this room appear to be jammed.
Whenever you are ready to move on, the door panel has no security, and a simple button opens up, revealing a long, illuminated hallway with three doors other than the one you emerge from. The door on the southern side of the hallway looks like it has been barricaded from the inside.
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"Pets?? We need to explain ourselves to the person in charge here. I don't want to be in any more trouble because of this misunderstanding", says Gazigaz as he checks his appearance in his hand mirror, licking his fingers to replace a wild hair or two.
"Dakoyo, this last hit of yours was so gracious! It should be your signature move!"
"And Quonx, you may seem like a messy skittermander with all those bolts in your fur, but your style begins to grow on me. It looks like avant-gardist fashion, I like it! Do you want to replace some bolts with my hand mirror before we keep going?."
Quonx smiles at Gazigaz.
"You think so? Thanks Gazigaz!"
She then wipes her brow with an oil-stained cloth and adds: "Whaddaya all say we take a little break? I'm pretty exhausted from that fight."
Quonx gets a drink of water from a metal bottle stowed in her overalls, then gets up with energy and looks to the corridor.
"Shall we go? We still need to find the boss!" Upon further inspection, she points at the southern door. "Looks like someone barricaded himself in there! Do you think it's the boss? Maybe the robots thought he was a pet, too!"
She bends over, picking up one of the Pulsecasters and a grenade , and moves over to the door.
"Are you all ready?"
Gazigaz puts his hand mirror in his pockets and grabs a grenade.
"I'm ready! One thing before we head out: try not to react impulsively when meeting strangers. Always keep in mind that we're on THEIR ship and that our unannouced presence here might surprise them. So no more shooting at first sight, gree?"