Boston Theoretical PbP

Game Master Tarren Dei

Senses: ....A mech has low-light vision as well as darkvision with a range of 120 feet. Mechs also have blindsense (vibration) with a range of 30 feet, and as a standard action, the mech can detect anything in a 60-foot cone using blindsense (vibration) until the mech moves or until the beginning of the mech’s next turn, whichever occurs first.

From the playtest, which is now offline.

Wow thats fancy. Also explains why I couldn't find it. Whelp lets say Zellgato is doing that then; which may or may not work so well underwater. Cone towards the artifact nazi egg. Perception check or not as your judgement. Could relegate it to the cone or to the general 30ft

Kai sends Legion to scan the artifact, trying to determine its age and any other interesting properties.

Legion Engineering?: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Legion seems very confused by what it's seeing. After scanning the metallic device, Legion identifies the object, falsely, as a bell and sends a half-dozen pictures of bells close to that size including the Bell of King Seongdeok and the Liberty Bell.

Wow thats fancy. Also explains why I couldn't find it. Whelp lets say Zellgato is doing that then; which may or may not work so well underwater. Cone towards the artifact nazi egg. Perception check or not as your judgement. Could relegate it to the cone or to the general 30ft

Nothing seems to be moving or setting off the mecha's blindsense. At least, not within 60 feet of you.

"Legion identifies the object as a... bell? Doesn't make much sense." Kai shares the findings with the others, mind briefly flashing to the concept of 'diving bell', but what was that, actually? How did it work?

"I was thinking a spherical sub or mobile base; digs in and sets up a lab or something. I've not much ideas-past ringing it so to speak, or digging it up."

life sci roll to see if Zellgato would think of something I know: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29 I'm gonna go with yes.
So, I read up on biology last night. How sure are we on the Nazi-Octopod?
Given Nissa identified that as Illinois Nazi; a giant animal isn't as big of a jump considering the news. Depending on what kind its based out of it, it may have camoflague; so I'm worried this is bait-and its all around us...somewhere waiting like a hunter.
I keep being hunted. I'm real tired of being hunted."

If Kai wants to make an Engineering check of DC 18, Kai's player can look up diving bells on the internet and insert relevant knowledge. They've actually been talked about in 23rd century Engineering circles, because the special ships used to plunge into the gravity wells of blackholes worked in much the same way. They tended to use a larger ship outside of the blackhole's pull and then lower a somewhat bell-shaped craft on cables into the black hole as deep as it could go. A spaceship was lost in the late 2100s when they failed to cut their bells (and the android researchers inside) loose when the device got pulled too far into a gravity well.

Engineering for bells: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

A camouflaged giant octopus sounded like bad news, was there any way to try and discern if that was the case? Infrared scanning would work, if the mechas had such capabilities. Or perhaps... Kai checks the recovered camera to see if it has any recording capabilities outside the spectrum of visible light.

Zellgato may remember dozens of old nature documentaries about curious octopi examining various containers and objects. The scientists kept marveling at how intelligent they were.

The camera does indeed have special recording capabilities. It was made for recording deep underwater which is usually very dark and cold. It uses LiDAR and motion detection software to enhance shapes more clearly. This could help with enhancing what they see. It works better if the objects they're looking for move though.

Kai sends on the team channel. "Hey team, this camera we recovered has some extra features we could use to help us spot something that's hiding down there, but I don't know how to get it to you. I could recall Legion, but fitting it with the camera will take a little time. Thoughts?"

I totally learned a lot of octopods from a local aquarium + overhearing someone else teaching about them often haha. I do like that.

Chirping in,"Probably would be safer if we all backed off, and retrofitted. Or we push our luck and try to pull that thing up now and take it with us if we can. Nissa, thoughts? You seem most versed in this worlds... oddities to me."

Nissa replies, “I’m thinking the same thing. Let’s back away slowly…” …if we can, she thinks as her words form into action.

Theo waits for the mechs to join him.

"Have you even seen anything dangerous yet? I mean, we know there's supposed to be an octopus, but... it's not like it's going to be there less later than it is now."

Charles tries to remember anything about octopus behavior that hasn't been brought up.
Life Science: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Charles knows that the identified really large octopuses live in the Pacific ocean but that there have long been legends of a species of giant octopus that lives around the Bahamas. Legends say it's covered in teeth, but some octopod enthusiasts propose that those are warts like the kind that Giant Pacific Octopus and other species have and which seem to get more numerous the deeper it lives. The 'Lusca' octopus remains legendary. The octopus from the stories--sometimes described as a squid, a shark-octopus hybrid, or a sea dragon--was said to have been able to use camouflage and ink like many varieties of octopus

If octopus behaviour holds through for the large size as the small size, this creature would be smart, patient, attack fast, and have an exit strategy. It would probably be hiding either in a hidey-hole or using camouflage.

Theo can wait for them to join him, but it sounds like they are heading up out of the crevice to regroup and get some more equipment. Are you going to continue waiting at the crushing depth or do something else while you're down there or come back up?

Are you going to continue waiting at the crushing depth or do something else while you're down there or come back up?

H-A-D-E-S NO! Theo will swim up and out of the crevice, and reboard the submersive if he can.

As Theo swims back up towards the surface, he can see the glow from the area that first attracted him, especially now without the murkiness caused by the mecha descending and Theo's own lack of stealth while coming down. The clouds of silt have settled and as Theo ascends he sees.....

Make a DC 15 Fortitude save or take ...: 1d6 ⇒ 4 points of damage. Your uncle's love gives you a +2 on this check.

Fortitude 15 DC: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 2 = 28
Theo grunts a little, due to the pressure. Theo gets on his comm link. "Guys, I've got eyes on a ship, who's configuration I can't determine. It's inside a glowing sphere. Surprised we didn't see it before." The godling plugs in the coordinates, and continues his ways back to the submersible.

Perhaps Poseidon was looking out for Theo after all. He shrugs off the effects of the water pressure as only a godling could.

I updated the [url=https://discord.com/channels/768957031696433183/768957031696433186]map[/url to reveal what you found.

Perhaps Poseidon was looking out for Theo after all. He shrugs off the effects of the water pressure as only a godling could.

I updated the map to reveal what you found.

It takes a bit, but the two mecha make it back up to the level of the outpost where the Starfish is sitting. It takes Theo and any other swimmers even longer to get back up and get safely inside. No human should have been able to do what Theo did so easily.

You have comms and everyone is on the same level.

Kai starts tinkering with Legion to install the camera on it while listening to updates from the away team. "A ship? As in, a sailing ship? A spaceship?"

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

Oh, yes, that was ambiguous. It looks like a spaceship of sorts or a super-sub. But more like a spaceship. It's a lot bigger than this, but aesthetically, Imagine this was a spaceship/submarine..

Nissa is feeling pretty good about her time fathoms deep in the Caribbean Sea.

“For all the time I’ve spent at beaches, I can’t remember spending this much time in water since I did that men’s organic body soap ad.

“So… Nazi bells and stylish space ships. Ya think they’re from two different sides of a battle from long ago?” Nissa leaves no time for any fast-talking salesman to answer. A thought pops into her head—she asks, “Kai, if you can feel emotions, does that mean you can detect life signs? Y’know, like if someone on the ship’s in cryogenic sleep and, um… dreaming? Scary nightmare, sweet dream?—I guess any dream carries emotional baggage, right?”

Kai frowns at the question. "I would have to be pretty close for that, I think. But we can give it a try."

“For all the time I’ve spent at beaches, I can’t remember spending this much time in water since I did that men’s organic body soap ad.

[b]"Dumb question; what soap isn't organic? Isn't soap fat based? Even in my place." Prior to deciding its really neither here nor there. Soap matters little here.

Fair certain class feature probably can't plug into a mecha but I'll toss a Engineer in. It'll be for either trying to connect the sensors (to allow the standard 60 range for microlab) or to check if my gear'll squash with me.
Engineer with Biohack: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 10 + 2 = 32

"Maybe this ship is the source of all the telepathic whispering I've been hearing, so I'm inclined to give it a look, if I can borrow one of the mechas. Swimming is, ironically, not one of my strong suits." Kai interjects while watching Zellgato's work over their shoulder.

"Ah yes, I think I see what you're going for there. Let me give you a hand."

engineering aid: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17
Culture, the meaning of organic: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
Computers, to look up/translate the telepathic phrase: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16

After helping Zellgato, Kai spends a few minutes looking up the strange repeated phrase, trying to make sense of it. "Organic in this context is not about the chemistry of it, but a set of criteria regarding the ingredients and method of preparation. Personally I find it a silly concept."

"Dumb question; what soap isn't organic? Isn't soap fat based? Even in my place."

Nissa replies, “That ad raises lots of questions—none of which I’m legally permitted to ask aloud. When I was negotiating for the non-nudity clause, I…” She hesitates a moment. “Nope. Can’t talk about that either.”

It finally dawns on Nissa that Zellgato had already dropped the subject.

Zellgato figures out how to hook his microlab into the mecha's sensors, which allows the lab to work underwater easily and through the mecha. He even has the option of sharing what he sees with the other mecha, the Starfish, and the yacht.

While he's hooking that up he comes across the video storage for the mecha. Apparently they're constantly filming while they're in use.

Thanks to Kai's support, he even has time, if he wants, to switch out the harpoon tip with an injection of something and use the harpoon to both do a bit of damage and deliver a concoction, but he'd have to hook it up now and couldn't switch it out for a different injection later.

If Kai is going underwater in Big Blue, perhaps Charles could control Legion with the camera hooked up to it? He could stay in the Starfish and send Legion down. Nissa said she might be a passenger in one of the mecha.

Or is Charles going to swim down. He had the TD-Radiation detector, didn't he? The trench was giving off a lot of radiation with the detector set to indicate every single Kai of radiation detected.

Zellgato readily loads up the Harpoon with a particularly potent concation he brewed. "I can scan from mine now; Kai did you still want a mecha to take down?"

Loaded my Spark of Ingenuity double pack Biohack into the Injection spear. Inherently speaking you decide when stabbed. But if you'd like I can decide now. (If so. I'll go with "sickened" and "-2AC" two pack for my 1/day. This also activates my Hampering Theorom-Will also reduce all speeds by 50% to a min of 5.

there isn't enough space to have a passanger in a mecha cockpit right? If not, and Kai still wants to rock a mecha can take Zellgatos; though we just retrofitted it haha. Only I can rock the scanner combo (won't help with machine identifcation anyway; but other stuff sure).
The injection; I can change to a Medicnal; that way anyone could use that.

If Zellgato is able to change the formula after it's already loaded, then that works in the harpoon too. I guess I can imagine such a futuristic needle. Now it's harpoon sized!

Nissa says to Kai, “Y’know, if you and Zellgato want to un-modify Big Blue, I can be your co-pilot. I mean, if you want to get close to the ship to check for signs of life.”

She changes to her fairy-like mote form to demonstrate: “The two of us can fit in the cockpit comfortably if I’m like this.”

Charles was glad enough to get out of the crevice and back into the submarine. The suits were nice and all, but water was not his element.

"So now we've got two weird, mysterious objects to check out. But we still haven't seen any signs of an octopus, right? So maybe we're lucky and it's not hanging around the area any more. Or maybe it just learned last time that mechs don't taste good so it was leaving us alone."

"As for me... I'm not swimming down there, so what can I do to help? Watch the video feed and tell you about octopus behavior?"

He grinned just a bit, a strange expression on his vulpine face.

Kai ponders the options. "Well, if you want me to get close to the ship and try to discern signs of mental activity I will need a mecha. Nissa and I can share Big Blue, just need to detach the pedal extensions."

Engineering to de-mod, if needed: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23

It doesn't take long to demod the mecha ... except that you have to take them all the way back up to the yacht first, which is where Nissa and Zellgato first got into the mecha. This involves raising the Starfish to the surface level.

Once up there you find Mackie and Ian have cooked up some fish. They claim to have caught the fish while you were down there, but a DC 15 Sense Motive check would tell you they are pulling your legs.

The gang refuels the Starfish and the mecha systems remind you that they need to step onto their pads to get recharged. As soon as they reach their pads, they begin recharging. Their systems offer to 'upload video of last mission' or 'archive video of last mission'. It seems to be an automatic recording thing.

Once you're up there, it's pretty easy to rip the extensions out and put it back the way it was.

Zellgato has time to prepare his concoction.

You have time to eat and even digest your food a little before everything is ready for getting back in the water.

So, someone has to pilot the Starfish back down and then you're heading back into the crevice with the mechas? Who has which sensors now? You had the infrared camera and the TD-Rad detector. I think the camera is attached to Legion. Charles was swimming with the TD-Rad detector but didn't want to swim again. Who will take that?

Time allowing while eating, Zellgato will review the video feeds. Just to double check anything. Watching in 2.5x (or faster) mode to keep up with the short break.

I assume Kai and Nissa can pilot; and bring Legion with them. Settle in a spot while Kai 'listens' and uses the camera with Legion. As for the sensor. Unless someone is coming down; Zellgato and use it. He can be Sensor Guy; radiation and living/unliving creature scanner dude. is it used in the cockpit or carried by the Mecha?

Zellgato buzzes through the video. Nothing to see that he didn't see already. The mecha files the video away with the video from its last 8 missions.

I assume the previous 8 missions have little to do with us. It was with the Dude-Bros; who have probably told the group most if not everything of use anyway.

Only the last mission, the undersea battle between Nissa and Tosh, would involve the party. You don't know what the other ones were.

Gonna "earmark" the previous recordings then.. for later viewing. Curiousity of this world and all

Okay then, it's back into the water. Whoever is Piloting the Starfish down, make a Pilot check to keep it from crushing any parts of the ruined area ... the possibly Atlantean outpost.

Blue One and Big Red can make their way back down to the bottom of the trench again. How do they approach?

If either mech offers an airlock, Theo will go too.

I think both mecha are full up on space; Don't think there is space in Zellgato's mecha. Though if you wanted to ride on the back and tank the pressure you can. Otherwise may have to remain as a Starfish crew

On the way down to the murkey depths. Zellgato will take the lead; as if something goes hard sideways- they may have to juggle piloting; while he's solo. Plus in the worst case its one life vs two lives.

Assuming I have the Rad Detector? I think I do? unless they want it
Making his way down, Zellgato will keep an eye on the various sensors he currently has. "What's the call folks; Nazi Sphere, or potential Nazi-Alien-Ancient ship?"

Nissa says, “I’m not sure if the ship is Nazi or not. The aliens could be friendly… or… well… long dead. But cryogenic sleep’s a thing, ain’t it?

“Anyway, I’m up for a closer look at the ship.”

@Theo, only Nissa can join someone else in a mech. She has to be fairy-sized for that to be possible.