Level 1 Fitch shows the PCs some of the inner workings of the Master of Stars, which help the PCs better understand other starships. Once during the adventure, the PCs can gain a +4 bonus to any non-gunnery skill check during a starship combat.
Level 2 When using the reward above, all the PCs' non-gunnery skill checks made during the same round gain the +4 bonus.
Level 3 In place of the level 1 reward, the PCs can force the crew of an enemy ship to take a –2 penalty to all non-gunnery skill checks made during the round. The use of this ability must be declared at the start of the starship combat round.
PRAYER AND REFLECTION
Level 1 The PCs gain significant insight into Iteration-177's understanding of the divine and share a portion of his intuition. A PC can gain a +2 bonus to any one Mysticism, Perception, or Sense Motive check within the Scoured Stars. This allows the PC to count as being trained in Mysticism for the duration of the adventure.
Level 2 In place of the reward above, a PC can add a +1 bonus to any one saving throw while within the Scoured Stars.
Level 3 When using either reward above, the PC can double the bonus.
ROOKIE TRAINING
Level 1 The PCs improve their allies' morale, making them more reliable in combat. Once during the adventure, the group can gain the benefit of aid another (+2 bonus) to all skill checks for 1 round.
Level 2 When using this reward, the benefit applies to both skill checks and attack rolls.
Level 3 In place of the level 1 reward once during the adventure, when the table uses an Aid Token, they gain two benefits instead of one. They cannot choose the same effect twice.
STARSHIP PRIMING
Level 1 Pleased with the PCs' review, Celita outfits the Starfinder fleet with better weapons-tracking software for targeting jinsul ships. Once during the adventure, the PCs gain a +2 bonus to any one starship combat gunnery roll, and that attack does not consume ammunition in the case of a weapon with the limited fire property.
Level 2 When using the reward above, all of the PCs' gunnery rolls during that round gain that benefit.
Level 3 In place of the level 1 reward, a PC can select any one successful starship weapon attack to count as critical damage if it deals Hull Point damage, even if the die result isn't a natural 20.
SUPPLY RUN
Level 1 Zigvigix grants the PCs priority access to some Starfinder Society equipment. Once during the adventure, each PC can requisition a weapon with an item level up to the PC's level for the duration of one mission. The group must use this ability prior to starting a new encounter, and this ability cannot be used during Part 4. The weapon comes with a full battery or magazine.
Level 2 In addition to the reward above, the PCs can also requisition a single consumable item with an item level up to the PC's level. These consumables cannot have permanent effects, and PCs who don't use them during the course of the scenario must return them at the end of the adventure.
Level 3 When using the level 1 reward, the weapon can have an item level up to the PC's level + 1.
TACTICAL PREPARATIONS
Level 1: The PCs assist overviewing the Society's default plan of engagement. The PCs can reroll any one skill check while in the same location as a fleet.
Level 2: Once during the adventure, while in the same location as a fleet, the PCs can instead activate this reward to gain a +2 bonus to each of their initiative checks for that mission.
Level 3: During a single encounter in the same location as the jinsul fleet, the PCs can activate this reward to remove any extra enemies or challenges provided by the jinsul fleet.
High Society Influence (Iteration-177) Ally boon:
Ailuros grants the PC some of their little remaining magical energy. Up to three times during the encounter, the PC can cast dimension door as a spell-like ability, using their character level as their caster level.
Iteration-177's Attention Ally boon:
The divine herald suffuses the PC's memory with divine power, manifesting as a magical effect for the duration of the encounter.
Melancholic memories grant all of the PC's weapons the benefits of the frost weapon fusion.
Phlegmatic memories grant the benefit of shield other, with Ailuros taking half the damage (up to 100 damage before they collapse).
For sanguine memories the PC can gain the benefits of greater remove condition at the start of their turn up to three times during the combat.
Surviving Companion boon:
The alien creature accompanying you decides to curiously inspect the devices. You can reroll one skill check to interface with the devices during the course of this encounter, as your alien companion inadvertently assists you with its meddling.
I'm assuming we'd have our guns drawn in this case. If you're ruling that we wouldn't have them out, ignore this as I'd spend a move in my surprise drawing my rifle.
Jindam kicks a branch out at purple, trying to distract it as he fires his laser rifle.
Clever Attack with Laser Rifle Bluff vs 10 + SM or 15 + 1-1/2 CR:1d20 + 14 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 14 + (2) + 1 = 33 Attack with Corona Laser Rifle vs EAC:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25 Fire Damage:2d6 + 7 ⇒ (4, 2) + 7 = 13
Buff-Bot 9000's activates Get 'Em on green, but misses the shot on the Jeskraal. Raatchet activates combat tracking. Jindam shoots the purple Jeskraal and makes it flat-footed.
Duhm and Ivok earn surprise rounds just because they rolled a natural 20.
★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
Still waiting on stealth rolls for:
Buff-Bot 9000
Ivok
Initiative Tracker:
★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
Round 1
Active conditions:
Buff-Bot 9000
================================
Red Jinsul Scout
Orange Jinsul Scout
Yellow Jinsul Scout
================================
Ivok
Jindam
Raatchet
Thri-Kreen
================================
Purple Jeskraal (-13, flat-footed)
Green Jeskraal (Get 'em)
Male Vesk Icon Soldier 6/Vanguard 3 | SP 36/81 HP 69/69; DR 9/-, resist 5 fire, 5 cold, 10 electricity | RP 6/10; EP 1 | EAC 24*; KAC 26* (*-1 if no EP) | Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +8 (+2 Fear) | Init +2 | Perc/SM +0 | Speed 30 ft. | Charges pike 36/40,U2; caster 38/40,U2
Huzzah! My action will be to be using a two handed weapon from the tree, let me know if that doesn't work from the tree, I would instead start climbing down.
From high up in the trees Ivok booms out a roar and calls out to the jinsul in their native language, "Greetings! I have seen the new home you made for yourself and walked across the lands. I have seen how you use adversity and hardship to make yourselves strong!"
"Through traveling them myself, I pushed myself even further with the aid of a demon casting lightning from the sky at me!" An ominous hum as a heavy, wide cannon-like weapon begins to power up as it glows and arcs with power. "Let me help you PUSH. TO. ORBIT!" As he calls out one of his shows motivational slogans he fires the weapon which releases a shining point of energy straight into the middle of the group of jinsul scouts.
Distance 60 ft on ground, 60 feet up, for a general total of 120 feet. That will put me just within the third increment for a -4 penalty I believe. Ranged Attack with Static Shock Caster, location on map Explode 15 ft Weapon vs AC 5. DC 15 11 (with penalty) Reflex for Half Attack Static Shock Caster:1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 10 - 4 = 8 Electricity Damage:1d12 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Male Vesk Icon Soldier 6/Vanguard 3 | SP 36/81 HP 69/69; DR 9/-, resist 5 fire, 5 cold, 10 electricity | RP 6/10; EP 1 | EAC 24*; KAC 26* (*-1 if no EP) | Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +8 (+2 Fear) | Init +2 | Perc/SM +0 | Speed 30 ft. | Charges pike 36/40,U2; caster 38/40,U2
Despite the lower result, the Jinsul attack on me does hit with my lack of armor I needed to remove to help climb the tree.
Seeing how well they avoided the explosion, Ivok can't help but complement them. "Excellent work! Very light on your feet! Only if you put your training to better use!"
Ivok straps the shock caster onto his back as he begins to clamor down the tree.
Raatchet hits Green soundly, and does 27 points of damage! Thri-Kreen barely hits Purple, who absorbs some of the damage with its DR, but he makes it harder for the creature to attack!
★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
Round 1
Active conditions:
Buff-Bot 9000
================================
Red Jinsul Scout (DEAD)
Orange Jinsul Scout
Yellow Jinsul Scout
================================
Ivok (-9)
Jindam
Raatchet
Thri-Kreen
================================
Purple Jeskraal (-13, flat-footed)
Green Jeskraal (-28, Get 'em)
Sorry about not giving you an identification check on the Jeskraal, but I read hastily, and missed that you were scanning the creature.
Thri-Kreen scans the creature. It's a combat-trained Jeskraal, with defenses of DR-5 and Inhabited Armor.
Inhabit Armor (Ex):
A jeskraal's tail has several muscular protrusions that allow it to shape a suit of armor into a suitable shell in moments. It then uses the shell to protect its vitals. A jeskraal can use its inhabited armor to convert a critical hit against it, or against an ally whose Armor Class it has increased with the Bodyguard Feat, into a normal hit. Doing so imposes a –4 penalty on the jeskraal's EAC and KAC until it takes a full-round action to readjust its armor. Jeskraals are proficient with all light and heavy armors and can don armor hastily at no penalty. The DC of any Engineering check required to resize armor reclaimed from a jeskraal increases by 4, and the armor requires twice as many credits to be refitted by a professional.
Jindam hits Yellow with laser fire, after making him flat-footed and applying Get 'em! The two devoted jeskraals run up to serve as bodyguards for their jinsuls!
★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
Round 1
Active conditions:
Buff-Bot 9000
================================
Red Jinsul Scout (DEAD)
Orange Jinsul Scout
Yellow Jinsul Scout (-14, flat-footed, Get 'em +1)
================================
Ivok (-9)
Jindam
Raatchet
Thri-Kreen
================================
Purple Jeskraal (-13, flat-footed)
Green Jeskraal (-28)
Android Envoy 8HP 51/52 RES 9+1/10 STAM 48/48 Speed 30ft Init 7 KAC 23 EAC 22 Fort 3 Ref 9 Will 6 Resistances: E10, F5, C5
IVOK, WOULD YOU CARE FOR A RAPID EXIT FROM THAT TREE? I CANNOT PROMISE IT WILL BE PAINLESS...
Offering to gravity-yank him 20 ft towards me which will of course result in a bit of a plummet, but get him towards the party quickly.
If Ivok accepts the charge...:
PERHAPS IT WOULD BE IDEAL FOR YOU TO FOCUS ON THE WOUNDED JESKRAAL FIRST. Clever Attack vs FFEAC:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14 Yank 20 ft directly towards me, then Improved Get 'Em on Green Jeskraal
Acrobatics +13, Athletics +7, Bluff +14, Comp +13, Culture +13, Diplomacy +14, Eng +13, Intimidate +14, Life Sci +7, Med +12, Perception +9, Piloting +16, Profession-Writer +12, Sense Motive +6, Stealth +11
Stats and Abilities:
Str 9 : Dex 22 : Con 12 : Int 16 : Wis 12 : Cha 18 | Corona Laser Rifle +12 (2d6+7 F) : Static Arc Pistol +11 (1d6+3 E) : Survival Knife +11 (1d4+2 S) | Get 'Em, Clever Feint, Inspiring Boost, Clever Attack
Jindam hums a little tune to himself as he yells, "I'm a gonna get you, sucka!" He then adds, in Jinsul, "Доош бүү хар. Чиний гутлыг тайлаагүй байна."
Jinsul:
"Don't look down. Your shoelace is untied."
Get 'Em and Clever Attack on Yellow.
Clever Attack with Laser Rifle Bluff vs 10 + SM or 15 + 1-1/2 CR:1d20 + 14 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 14 + (4) + 1 = 33There might be a +2 to this from Stain of the Perplexity. I'm still not sure if this counts as 'influencing' them. Get 'Em Attack with Corona Laser Rifle vs FFEAC:1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 12 + 1 = 27 Fire Damage:2d6 + 7 ⇒ (3, 6) + 7 = 16
"Хараах хэрэггүй гэж би хэлсэн шүү дээ." He adds, laughing.
Incoming transmission from First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo: "Our salvagers managed to extract enemy strike coordinates from some of our felled starships orbiting Agillae-5. It appears the jinsuls’ plan to topple our long-range scanning towers on Bastiar-8’s fourth moon, which feed us all our information about their fleet movements in that system. We need stalwart warriors to stop the attackers so our data can keep coming in."
You watch on the monitors as both the Starfinder fleet shifts to Agillae-2 and the Jinsul fleet begins to converge on Bastiar-8.
GM's Recovery Efforts has now been completed and the Scanner Defense Action Mission is now available!
Thri-Kreen realizes that these jinsul are pretty wimpy. They're low level operatives with evasion!
He hits yellow, inhibiting it, but it does not matter, because Yellow is now DEAD!
Seeing that, Raatchet takes his shot and hits Orange with it, and Orange goes down!
So... all that is left is the two Jeskraals. The beasts look confused and start fleeing. If Duhm Kaoh wishes, he can take an attack of opportunity on Purple. Do you let them go and disappear with your intel, or stop them?
LN Nuar Mindbreaker Mystic 7| | SP 16/56 HP 41/41 FF: 10/10 FH: 3| KAC 24 EAC 22 | Fort 4 Ref 4 Will 9 | Speed 30 | Active Conditions: None | Shirt Reroll: Not Used | RP 7/7 | Kinetic Resistance: 5, Acid/Fire Resistance 5, Reflecting Armor
Duhm Kaoh brings his axe down against the purple Jerkface laying before him. "How bout I chop you and send you to your family, like you did so many?!" The bull is angry as heck. Sorry for my pottymouth.
Android Envoy 8HP 51/52 RES 9+1/10 STAM 48/48 Speed 30ft Init 7 KAC 23 EAC 22 Fort 3 Ref 9 Will 6 Resistances: E10, F5, C5
Buff-Bot eyes the retreating Jeskraal. OBSERVATION: RETREATING BODYGUARDS WITH NO WARDS MAY RAISE ALARM. OBSERVATION: EXTENDED CHASE MAY RAISE ALARM. RECOMMENDATION: ATTEMPT RAPID DISPATCH, BUT DO NOT PURSUE.
HMM wrote:
Do you let them go and disappear with your intel, or stop them?
Does that mean let them (go and disappear with our intel) or let them go, and we disappear with our intel? If it's the latter I'm quite happy to slip away fast as possible.
Improved Get'em on green Clever Feint:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22 (DC 15 + 1.5xCR or 10 + Sense Motive)
Sonic Pistol + Get 'Em vs FFEAC:1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 2 = 17 Sonic Damage:1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Male Vesk Icon Soldier 6/Vanguard 3 | SP 36/81 HP 69/69; DR 9/-, resist 5 fire, 5 cold, 10 electricity | RP 6/10; EP 1 | EAC 24*; KAC 26* (*-1 if no EP) | Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +8 (+2 Fear) | Init +2 | Perc/SM +0 | Speed 30 ft. | Charges pike 36/40,U2; caster 38/40,U2
I'm largely fine falling back and escaping, and the more I stare at this post I've written, the more I question it for multiple reasons, but I'll just go with my gut here. For others, I'm fine whatever action you take no matter what I do here.
Seeing the Jeskraal fleeing back toward the jinsul camp Ivok follows with haste. Hitting his chest a few times with a fist and his heart rates spikes as his cardiac accelerator activates and he takes forward an incredible pace. Hitting the edge of the undergrowth Ivok leaps into the air attempting to clear the plant life and block their line of escape.
With the cardiac accelerator that gets my speed up to 50 feet for the action, which I think gains me a +8 bonus on the jump check. Looking for around a DC 25.
The movement will carry me right past Green in case it wishes to take an AoO.
Landing near the farthest creature, the accelerator and Ivok does his best to ignore the ache and exhaustion as his body recovers from the physical stress.
Pulling out his cryopike and directing at the nearest jeskraal, Ivok gives a clear command to halt to the creature.
Jinsul:
"Stay."
Holding pike ready to block the path Ivok states, "Jinsul train them as guards, take blows meant for them. They may not be as lovable as Champ, I don't want to see the jinsul to lay any of their eyes on them again if they treat them like that. Even now in battle, we can find them better home."
Move action + spend 1 RP to make super jump, standard action to command jeskraal to stop. Will use Stand Still on AoO to try to stop fleeing.
Let me know if this is not the right time, place, or creature to do this on.
N Host Shirren Mystic (SF Data Jockey) 4/Soldier 1/Biohacker (Medic) 2 | DR 5/- | SP 22/50 HP 49/49 RP 4/7 | EAC 19; KAC 20 | Fort +7; Ref +7; Will +10 | Init: +6 | Perc: +15, SM: +13 | Speed 30' Fly 30' (Average, Jetpack) | Biohacks: 1/5 Spells: 1st 4/4, 2nd 0/3 | Active conditions: None.
Thri-kreen hits the thrusters on his jetpack hopping 30' closer to the fleeing jeskraal over the difficult terrain. He slings his needler rifle back over his shoulder mid-flight, and calls his Blindmark rifle to his hands before taking aim at purple.
Acrobatics +13, Athletics +7, Bluff +14, Comp +13, Culture +13, Diplomacy +14, Eng +13, Intimidate +14, Life Sci +7, Med +12, Perception +9, Piloting +16, Profession-Writer +12, Sense Motive +6, Stealth +11
Stats and Abilities:
Str 9 : Dex 22 : Con 12 : Int 16 : Wis 12 : Cha 18 | Corona Laser Rifle +12 (2d6+7 F) : Static Arc Pistol +11 (1d6+3 E) : Survival Knife +11 (1d4+2 S) | Get 'Em, Clever Feint, Inspiring Boost, Clever Attack
I think from the above and based on the damage provided earlier that purple may be dead. If it isn't, I use Get 'Em on purple (since Green already has it), and the attack below is directed at purple. I'm also not sure if the Clever Feint on Green was successful, so I'm going to go ahead and do Clever Attack either way.
"Let's finish this and get out of here."
Clever Attack with Laser Rifle on Green (See Above if Purple is alive.) Bluff vs 10 + SM or 15 + 1-1/2 CR:1d20 + 14 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 14 + (2) + 1 = 31Might have +2 from Stain of the Perplexity if they're evil and this counts as 'influencing them' Attack with Corona Laser Rifle vs FFEAC:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19May have +1 from Get 'Em if on Purple, or +2 from Improved Get 'Em on Green Fire Damage:2d6 + 7 ⇒ (2, 5) + 7 = 14
Purple only goes down with Ivok's hit. Those creatures were tough!
Then both Ivok and Buff-Bot strike the fleeing Green, and it finally goes down as well!
SUCCESS!
You acquire enough information about the jinsul operations to report back to Zigvigix, and can escape the planet without incident. The shirren begins using the intelligence into an attack plan the Starfinders can use in a location similar to Agillae-2.
"Great job, gang! Have some rice candy!" He grins. "When this is all done, we should totally have a Strawberry Machine Cake dance-off!"
Celita, the android leader of the Dataphiles, looks down at a three-dimensional hologram of the Scoured Stars, complete with red and green dots representing jinsul and Starfinder ships. “The jinsuls know this system better than we do; as long as they are well supplied, they will outlast and repel us. We need to starve their fleet of resources, but we cannot do that without finding their courier ships’ flight paths. The communications I have intercepted have limited value, but I traced them all back to a massive data-processing station on Agillae-4. I need you to infiltrate the data center, hack the computers, and bring back some intelligence we can use to cut the jinsuls’ supply lines.”
Celita leads you to a stealth pod that shares many similarities to a torpedo. She smacks the side with her palm. ”This stealth pod is a disposable, single-use landing pod. So you will need to find your own way off the planet, which you should do quickly before you are caught and slaughtered by the local jinsul forces.”
Celita sends you to your destination in the cramped stealth pod. It quickly reaches Agillae-4, a hyper-industrialized city-planet that the jinsuls have adapted into their main information hub. You land in an isolated alley, allowing them to enter the city unnoticed. It doesn't take the PCs long to identify their target: a vast ovoid tower dotted with spines tipped with satellite dishes.
Heist Phases:
The process of reaching and entering the tower, finding and retrieving useful data, and escaping without being killed requires several sequential steps. During each step, each of you can either attempt one of the skill checks listed for that phase, or attempt to aid another for another PC's skill check. For each skill check that the PCs succeed at, they increase their total number of successes by one. Multiple PCs succeeding at the same type of check do not increase this total, so you may want to discuss who is going for which skill, and who is aiding in the discussion thread.
You must blend into the jinsul community long enough to reach the tower! You can mask their approach by fitting into the scenery as “captured” or “converts” (a Hard Culture check), creating a compelling jinsul armor suit (an Average Disguise check), or approaching via unoccupied back routes (a Hard Survival check).
Android Envoy 8HP 51/52 RES 9+1/10 STAM 48/48 Speed 30ft Init 7 KAC 23 EAC 22 Fort 3 Ref 9 Will 6 Resistances: E10, F5, C5
Buff-Bot opens up his disguise kit and considers his options. He augments his shoddy Jinsul disguise from earlier, which was little more than purple paint and googly eyes, with scavenged true Jinsul armor. Throughout the process, he adjusts his vocal modulator to better capture the Jinsul tone. His common sounds strangely authoritative and gruff with the Jinsul dialect as he addresses his comrades. "I have learned much from my time in makeup rooms as to what corners can be cut without risk to the mission. At the end of the day, adopting a guise is as adopting a role. Learning how to act it is more important than what you wear. Walk in like you are supposed to be there and act like you own the place. With luck, your disguise wont be questioned until after you've left, and by then it will be too late."
He assists his compatriots is maintaining at least a rudimentary disguise to ward off at least a passing glance, but makes sure to keep the focus on himself.
"Oh, and don't use that strategy for long cons. That will get you killed."
With that, he switches to speaking exclusively Jinsul.
Male Vesk Icon Soldier 6/Vanguard 3 | SP 36/81 HP 69/69; DR 9/-, resist 5 fire, 5 cold, 10 electricity | RP 6/10; EP 1 | EAC 24*; KAC 26* (*-1 if no EP) | Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +8 (+2 Fear) | Init +2 | Perc/SM +0 | Speed 30 ft. | Charges pike 36/40,U2; caster 38/40,U2
I'll hold off on 10 minute rest for now.
Ivok does a few stretches as he looks about the cityscape, "A few less trees to climb here. Should still be a good bit of exercise!" Looking around he asks, "so how should we find our way through Buff? Without makeup teams I'm no match for a disguise. I best play the back up here." Waving about himself, "I'm thinking I play better as prisoner than an ally to them."
He shakes his head in a bit of dismay as he clarifies, "I haven't seen one quality gym on a jinsul ship."
