[SFS/Shifty] #2:21 Illegal Shipment (C) (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

Gustav cracks the door pretty easily - they were designed to keep out light-fingered passers-by, not Starfinders...

The office houses a local air-quality control terminal. An engineer could use them to alter the makeup and density of the mists.

DC17 Engineering

Gus takes a look at the terminal.

engineering: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Clearly, Gus is a renaissance man, nailing both medicine and engineering checks throughout this adventure. Of course now I jinxed the whole thing. . . .

Kippi drops back down to alight upon Gus' shoulder. "Sure seems like you've definitely totally absolutely got this one in the null-space chamber, Gus!"

Yeah! GJ saving us from all the checks we're bad at :)

The giant fans spool up outside with and the whole market begins to hum with the sounds of reclamation process taking place. You can see the mists beginning to thin out.

Visibility significantly increased - 20% concealment out to 60'

Darakwinn gives a satisfied nod as Gus not only gets them in the door but also clears out some of this ridiculous mist.

"Now we're cooking with high yield plasma."

She searches the room carefully for any sign of swarm infestation before following her own plan and moving on to the next one.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Dara finds no sign of swarm in the processing offices, the firmly locked doors good walls seems to have kept this area free... the warehouse across the courtyard, however, is clearly a different story.

Zapp's grin is more visible now as he wafts mist away from his face. "I think our target, or one of them, is obvious. Let us show them their folly!"

"Let's check out the door to the other warehouse."

Gus will also look for any other clues, tracks, blood trails, broken windows, etc. Any alternative ways in?

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

We have time for OMID to rest?

Gus checks out the warehouse - he notes it has a front entrance as well as a locked roller door 20' wide at the back cargo bay. The windows are clouded over - as though something inside was fogging them up....

You could take a 10 minute rest

"Let's catch our wind before we head into the Swarm nest," Darakwinn says, looking at the still ailing OMID.

Once everyone's feeling better she heads over to the warehouse. She tries peering into a window and wipes it with her glove before realizing the fog is on the inside.

She looks sheepish for a moment then scowls as though daring anyone to point out her folly.

"I don't particularly want to go single file, but I also don't like the idea of letting anything that can only come out of that door out," she says, pointing to the roller door.

"Unless someone thinks breaking a window is a good idea, I say we use the front door. It may seem obvious, but I don't think 'front door' is a concept the Swarm has."

"If we break a window, we'd be hard-pressed keeping the smaller Swarm from escaping through it," Zapp muses. "Plus, I was reprimanded - unjustly, I might add - last time I broke a window on assignment."

OK 10 minute rest it is. Thats enough to clear some SP, but OMID still has some nasty conditions. Last prep then we will kick forward :)

After resting, "I am less than optimal, but we must continue on." OMID prepares to enter the warehouse.

Gus is ready, though he wishes he could do more for OMID.

"Front door or back door?"

Kippi joins in for the short rest, then floats back up into the air as the group approaches the warehouse. "Darakwinn's right! Let's not give them a way out, if they're in there. Front door will bottle them up so we can shoot them down one by one."

"I hope that there isn't a whole bunch of fog in there... if there is, maybe we should open both doors to make a good draft and clear out the fog from inside?"

Official call?

Front entrance.

The warehouse doors slowly open revealing an old disused office space the emergency lighting 20-feet up cast the area in a dim light. The air scrubbers in the building hum gently and have cleared out the pervasive mist...

The Swarm has clearly been converting the warehouse. Under the dim lights, some of the walls and floors look almost alive with accumulated biomass. Whilst most of the wall is visible, there are numerous sacs with bodily fluids and a greenish slime. There is also soot and dirt everywhere with small pods and sacs in corners, and dead vermin attached to biological apparatus that appear to be drawing their biological material away. Cabling runs across the floor and deeper into the warehouse - but you notice it is fleshy...

A single swarm creature is gathering goop from some of the sacs, and so far hasn't noticed you.

Any offensive or overt action will trigger initiative...

Area is DIM light

Gus whispers quietly into comms. "Just say the word, and I can turn on the lights and commence beating that thing."

Gus does try to ascertain if there could be more nearby.

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

"This place needs to be scoured and burned."

He too will look for other swarm.
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 13

The place is clearly ‘swarm infested’, but you can’t see any more from where you are...

Remembering the earlier warning about swarmians telepathically contacting each other, Kippi tries to see if she can reposition and spot any others while avoiding attention.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

She peeks her antennae around the corner to the south, then gets ready to deliver a coordinated attack against the swarmian that they can all see.

Kippi sneaks down and pops her antennae around a corner - at the same time the Swarm creature starts idling back the other way with its load of goop.

Kippi sees a terrible sight.

Biomass of some form or another covers the remaining shelves along the walls and forming aisles leading west to the office area.

Dark, living coils of some sort of bio-cable stretch along the floors and walls, only interrupted by small yellowish-green sacs to the south, glowing pustules and large translucent pods along the walls, and two dozen yellow eggs huddle together near the northernmost wall. A fallen shelf has eliminated most of the hanging lighting in the area, so a greenish glow and humid haze permeates this open warehouse space.

There are several Swarm here - including two angry-looking bipedal ones.

Darakwinn is not the least bit sneaky, but she heads up on the other side of the chamber to peak around the other corner.

Stealth: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

...but Dara is detected by the swarm.

The thing hisses as it turns around - Dara can also see the same large group of swarm that Kippi has spotted.

R1
Kippi
OMID
Dara
ENEMY

"By Anggradd's tangled back hair!" Darakwinn hisses as she realizes that she's spotted.

She pulls out her tactical pike and steps close enough to stab the red flapper.

Tactical Pike: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Piercing: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Uh oh. Not what I was hoping for!

Kippi zips back in before a bunch of swarmians start shooting at her with more barbs. Her wings brighten with orange-gold light and she emits a beam at the red swarmian!

Solar Flare vs. EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Solar Flare damage, photon mode (F) (force effect): 1d4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 1 = 4
:<

OMID moves into position.

Dara drops the flappy with a well-placed shot!

Omid moves up.

Kippi fires off a flare, but only adds to the ambience.

***
The swarm responds!

They begin bearing down on Dara, the two bigger 'guardian' looking specimens stride forward then halt and unleash a telepathic barrage of mindbending alien chatter!

Green vs Dara
Damage 3d4 ⇒ (1, 3, 4) = 8
DC12 Will for half

Blue vs Dara
Damage 3d4 ⇒ (1, 3, 1) = 5
DC12 Will for half

R1
Zapp
Gustav

R2
Kippi
OMID
Dara
ENEMY

R Dead
O
Y
G
B

Zapp crashes over as it becomes clear stealth is off the table, training his weapon on an angry Swarm creature.

Azimuth Laser vs. Blue EAC: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Gus hustles forward. As he does, he accesses his custom rig, activating an energy shield that coalesces around him!

"Energy shield" mechanic trick gives him 5 temp HP. Done as a standard action.

Zapp moves into position and puts in a well placed shot.

Gus repositions.

R1
Zapp - acted
Gustav - acted

R2
Kippi
OMID
Dara
ENEMY

R Dead
O
Y
G
B 1

Kippi flits back to the south, hovering a few feet above the ground. While most of the party holds a unified front in the northern hallway, she snipes at the small flying swarmians. Her wings flicker bright with plasma and she sends a beam at the orange one!

Solar Flare vs. EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Solar Flare damage, photon mode (F) (force effect): 1d4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 1 = 3

Kippi chars one!

R1
Zapp - acted
Gustav - acted

R2
Kippi - acted
OMID
Dara
ENEMY

R Dead
O 3
Y
G
B 1

Sluggish: The victim takes a –2 penalty to Reflex saves and Dexterity-based ability checks, attack rolls, and skill checks; the DCs of her spells and special abilities decrease by 2; and she becomes flat-footed.

Stiffened: The victim loses her Dexterity bonus to her Armor Class, and she can’t take reactions.

OMID moves up to Dara and touches her weapon. Supercharge weapon.

OMID charges up Dara's weapon!

Dara up

Will Save 1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Will Save 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

I really wish those rolls had been reversed...

Darakwinn isn't quite able to fight off the full force of the first assault on her mind. But with Anggradd yelling in her ear, the second is overwhelmed.

She's ready to join Anggradd's army and she can't look a gift of war in the mouth, so she moves up with her pike and takes a stab at Big Blue.

Tactical Pike: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Piercing: 1d8 + 1 + 4d6 ⇒ (8) + 1 + (5, 6, 6, 2) = 28

Dara strikes a mighty blow!
The creature survives.

***
The flying creatures go after Kippi!
Attack 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Attack 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

They cant seem to get their stingers in though.

The other two take an interest in Dara and continue blasting her mind with alien chatter.

Damage 3d4 ⇒ (2, 3, 3) = 8
DC 12 will for half.

Damage 3d4 ⇒ (2, 4, 4) = 10
DC 12 will for half.

Then the wounded one backs off slightly.

Party up!

R2
Zapp
Gustav

R3
Kippi
OMID
Dara
ENEMY

R Dead
O 3
Y
G
B 29

"That's right!" Zapp gloats, running between the two clusters of Absalom's potential doom. "If you won't be swayed by my wiles, then guns must do the talking!"

Azimuth Laser vs. Yellow EAC: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Gus steps forward, aiming to lay a beat-down on one of the creatures (green).

to hit, Battleglove, Cestus: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Bludgeoning damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Merry Critmas to me Bludgeoning damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Zapp fires off a shot, doesn't hit the target.

On the other hand (literally) Gus plants a big one right on the kisser.

R2
Zapp - attacked
Gustav - attacked

R3
Kippi
OMID
Dara
ENEMY

R Dead
O 3
Y
G 12
B 29

Kippi floats carefully away from the two swarmians causing trouble (guarded step) and send a thin flickering beam toward the orange one to try to finish it off.

Solar Flare vs. EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Solar Flare damage, photon mode (F) (force effect): 1d4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 1 = 3

She loudly blames the mist and fog for putting a damper on her normally potent beams.

Kippi chars one of them out of the air!

R2
Zapp - attacked
Gustav - attacked

R3
Kippi - acted
OMID
Dara
ENEMY

R Dead
O Dead
Y
G 12
B 29

OMID comes up to Dara super powers her weapon again. "Last time."

Cast Supercharges weapon.

Dara's weapon is super-powered!

Dara up

OMID will probably want to change his action. If Darakwinn makes both saves she'll be at exactly 0 HP and, due to the way Starfinder works, if she fails either or both, she'll be at exactly 0 HP.[/ooc

"Worth it..." Darakwinn says with a grin as she sees the powerful damage she did with her pike.

Then, bleeding from her ears and nose, she passes out.

[ooc]Spending a Resolve point to Stabilize.

Sluggish: The victim takes a –2 penalty to Reflex saves and Dexterity-based ability checks, attack rolls, and skill checks; the DCs of her spells and special abilities decrease by 2; and she becomes flat-footed.

Stiffened: The victim loses her Dexterity bonus to her Armor Class, and she can’t take reactions.

In that case, if I can, OMID will hold his action until Dara falls, then move to stand over her and cast Overheat DC 16 (14): 2d8 ⇒ (7, 1) = 8 at the two creatures.

OMID sets fire to the two creatures!

G 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
B 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Both of them get washed by the flames...! They appear to be in poor shape, one of them almost dead.

***

They continue the assault.

G attacks Gus
3d4 ⇒ (4, 1, 3) = 8
DC12 Will for half.

B attacks Zapp
3d4 ⇒ (2, 3, 3) = 8
DC12 Will for half.

R3
Zapp
Gustav

R4
Kippi
OMID
Dara
ENEMY

R Dead
O Dead
Y
G 20
B 37

DC 12 Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

DC 12 Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Gus will engage his defensive protocols to optimize his armor (+1 AC vs. Blue). He will then punch the same Swarmian he hit last turn.

to hit, Battleglove, Cestus: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Bludgeoning damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6