How are you both? A hybrid? I suppose if what they say about reptoids infiltrating other societies is true, then it might happen naturally. Or was it something else? The xenoarchaeology student pokes his head out from behind Rar'gul, looking very inquisitive. He approaches Kibotu.Did you grow up with Reptoids or somewhere else? You say you fought back, does that mean you were a prisoner here?
"I didn't understand my nature until about 10 years ago. I did know I was different. It wasn't that long after I started to figure things out that they came for me. They had me working on one of their ships for a while."
He also confirms that he was a prisoner, the cell you just let him out of is where he been confined for the better part of a week.
T'sorkel takes the ring and then realizes that it could be trapped or otherwise a trick. He inspects it closely, realizing it's magical. After a few moments, he responds psychically. It's a Mk II Ring of Resistance. Doesn't seem to be false in any way. He offers it to Rar'gul.
He turns back to Kibotu. You said you found out something about a Steward base. What was it? Who was in charge? And were the Reptoids working with them?
T'sorkel takes the ring and then realizes that it could be trapped or otherwise a trick. He inspects it closely, realizing it's magical. After a few moments, he responds psychically. It's a Mk II Ring of Resistance. Doesn't seem to be false in any way. He offers it to Rar'gul.
He turns back to Kibotu. You said you found out something about a Steward base. What was it? Who was in charge? And were the Reptoids working with them?
"Some place called Turalkis? Or was it Tyrkalis? A reptoid calling himself Hird was in charge."
You all realize that he's talking about the place you all recently escaped from.
Kibotu has nothing other than the clothes on his back. It's likely he's still dangerous, as you have seen far too many reptoids produce natural weaponry like claws when backed into a corner.
|
Lilly listens to Kibotu’s story with interest.
”What do you think, Doc?”
She shrugs at John’s question.
“Considerin’ everything we’ve been through on this trip, a kasathan-reptoid hybrid honestly feels kinda normal… like another day in the clinic.”
Lilly reloads and checks her weapon.
“Let’s walk and talk. Ah'm pretty sure they know we're coming, and I don't want tuh give them any extra time to toss us a party. About how many reptoids were here when you got locked up, Kibotu? Can you give us any idea useful areas ahead or things we should watch out for?”
This room is furnished with a recreation center and
holoscreen along the south wall, comfortable couches, and
a table equipped with an Imperial Conquest game. A case of
food and beverages stands against the eastern wall. Just in
front of it is a bar with stools. A pair of exercise machines
and an open padded mat fill most of the remaining space.
Lilly listens to Kibotu’s story with interest.
“Let’s walk and talk. Ah'm pretty sure they know we're coming, and I don't want tuh give them any extra time to toss us a party. About how many reptoids were here when you got locked up, Kibotu? Can you give us any idea useful areas ahead or things we should watch out for?”
"Near as I could tell, there were around a half dozen reptoids here, but I'm not entirely sure. There were also a number of those guard creatures prowling around with them. Like I said, they took me through some sort of control room on my way to the cell. That was down the hallway over there." Kibotu points down the western corridor, then continues "I think the starship bay is probably through that control room if I remember correctly."
Rar'gul regards the small ring resting on his massive palm dubiously.
Holding it aloft between thumb and forefinger, the ring resizes to fit him and he slips it onto his hand.
Flexing his fingers, he considers a moment. "Don't feel any different."
Rar'gul enters the rec room and glances around for anything interesting or unusual.
|
She shrugs at John’s question.
“Considerin’ everything we’ve been through on this trip, a kasathan-reptoid hybrid honestly feels kinda normal… like another day in the clinic.”
"The trip has been long and strange."
Lilly reloads and checks her weapon.“Let’s walk and talk. Ah'm pretty sure they know we're coming, and I don't want tuh give them any extra time to toss us a party. About how many reptoids were here when you got locked up, Kibotu? Can you give us any idea useful areas ahead or things we should watch out for?”
"Agreed. Let's keep moving."
...
Rar'gul enters the rec room and glances around for anything interesting or unusual....
"Anything interesting in there?" John looks in past Rar'gul.
Should nothing out of the ordinary present itself, Rar'gul turns and heads down the corridor toward the control room.
"I don't want to hang arround this place a moment longerrr than necessary," he rumbles.
"Anything interesting in there?" John looks in past Rar'gul.
[dice= Perception] 1d20+ 11
There is one interesting thing about the Imperial Conquest game that is available for use in this staff lounge. It's particularly nice and very portable. The factions in this version include reptoids, grays, the Veskarium, and the Pact Worlds.
The door to the control room
[ooc]You'll need a DC 27 Computers check to hack
the biometric reader or a DC 27 Engineering check to bypass it.
As he turns to leave the Rec Room, the unusual pieces of the Imperial Conquest game catch his eye.
Running a finger over the game board, e snorts. "Some of these rreptoid and grray worlds are rright, but it looks like someone just made up most of it. Still, therre might be something useful here."
He collects the game.
T'sorkel takes one of the pieces from Rar'gul. Interesting. You can learn a lot from the games a culture plays. But in this case, it's the game makers that don't have much information. I wonder what they thought about a game with such misconceptions. He helps the Trox collect the pieces and the board.
With Dr. Flint-Bridge's assistance, John manages to get the door open.
Looking in, you see the following:
Two workstations face each wall to the east and west, amid
humming viewscreens, communications equipment, and
several computers.
You hear a familiar voice.
"You're all too late. We've made the appropriate transmissions so the authorities know it was all of YOU who blew up Tyralkis and killed all of those poor stewards. Do you really think anyone will believe it wasn't you? It all might be a moot point anyway. I don't plan on letting you off of this moon."
A chair turns toward you. It's none other than Narla Yalamis, one of your rescuers from the gray facility. One of the reptoid "pets" also emerges from under one of the consoles, and a reptoid guard steps through the far door.
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|
Listening Yalamis, John tucks his sword cane under his left arm. He replies, as a matter of bravado, and to cover the small motion of his hand while he touches the selector switch of his pistol. He wants to make sure it's set to lethal.
"Torching your own facility to frame us when we were your captives strikes me as laughably stupid. Are you sure your 'transmissions' were really any smarter?"
The reptoid guard who stepped through the door is apparently just as irritated with Narla's monologuing as all of you are. As Narla ends her speech and John responds, this guard simply shakes his head, turns to Narla, and says "Can I please just shoot him?"
And that's exactly what he does.
The shot is quite high, hitting the upper door jam above your heads.
1. Enemy red
2. Dr. Flint-Bridge
3. T'sorkel
4. John Rawlins
5. Enemy blue--Narla Yalamis
6. Enemy green
7. Rar'gul
T'sorkel steps up behind John, trying to get a better view into the room. He's surprised, however, when the shot hits the doorframe and reflexively gives a psychic scream right at the guard.
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|
"Don't forget the dog's a tech jammer. I'll tie it up. Rar'gul, you've got Narla. " John drops his probably useless pistol and dances around furniture to the wetzyl. Somewhere along the way his sword clears its cane-sheath. He feints a blow with the sheath and lunges with the blade.
... , critical Bleed 1d3; Analog.operative)
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|
That damned animal. Guess it’ll have to die first. Glad I hate throwing away gear…
Lilly draws her old analog needler pistol and aims a minor inhibitor at the animal.
The syringe buries itself in a chair by the creature. Dammit, Lilly -- aim!
After shooting, she steps into the room and crouches by the chair for cover.
Narla makes arcane gestures, and several magic missiles erupt from her hands!
In addition, Narla's "pet" is quite aggressive and wishes nothing more than to kill John.
[ooc]Miss!
1. Enemy red
2. Dr. Flint-Bridge (-5)
3. T'sorkel
4. John Rawlins (-6)
5. Enemy blue--Narla Yalamis
6. Enemy green
7. Rar'gul
Dashing along the corridor, Rar'gul follows his companions' lead.
Two massive strides carry him to the other side of the room, and face to face with Narla. "You won't be in a position to stop anyone frrrom doing anything," the trox rumbles, reaching out and attempting to engulf the woman's head in his huge hand.
Narla recoils from Rar'gul's barbaric attack. As she begins to bleed, she pauses, then looks toward Rar'gul, then finally makes a short nodding motion with her head. As she does, energy coalesces around her body and bursts forth toward Rar'gul.
The "Steward" steps forward and attacks Rar'gul with his blade.
1. Enemy red
2. Dr. Flint-Bridge (-5)
3. T'sorkel
4. John Rawlins (-6)
5. Enemy blue--Narla Yalamis (-37)
6. Enemy green
7. Rar'gul
Harnessing the stored momentum and kinetic energies within his body, Rar'gul slices at the incoming energy with the edge of his palm.
At 6th level, if the effect allows a save and you succeed, you can spend 1 additional Entropy Point to allow creatures that successfully save against the effect to take no damage.
T'sorkel struggles to get his exhausted mind to process the fight in front of him. He steps up to the doorway and aims at the 'Steward' in front of him. But knowing he isn't as sharp of a shot as the others, he tires to just provide covering fire for Rar'gul.
Narla's plight turns desperate. Looking for a way out, she attempts to cast a spell.
The reptoid pet in front of John strikes out with a claw at John.
1. Enemy red
2. Dr. Flint-Bridge (-5)
3. T'sorkel
4. John Rawlins (-20)
5. Enemy blue--Narla Yalamis (-37, get 'em)
6. Enemy green (-43)
7. Rar'gul--just your AoO for the moment. We'll come back to you.
Rar'gul tries to take advantage of an opening in Narla's defenses as she begins casting a spell...
Narla begins casting a spell. Just as Rar'gul attempts to put a stop to the spell using a generous application of inertial energy, Narla completely disappears.
Behind where she was, the door opens.
His attack misses Narla and she vanishes from sight. Turning in place, he searches for signs of her presence.
Seeing the nearby door seemingly open on its own, he nods and glances toward his friends. "Go afterr Narla. Watch forr trrickkks," he rumbles.
Rolling his broad shoulders, he hunkers down, adding, "I've got these two."
He then unleashes a rapid combo at the reptiod pet (and the Steward if the pet falls)
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"Right."
Doc backing up can only be an attempt to head Narla off. That leaves pursuit to John. He stabs at the dog to fend it away while he cuts between it and Rar'gul.
Fight Defensively
You can fight defensively when attacking as part of a standard action. If you do, you take a –4 penalty to attacks and gain a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn.
Total Defense
You can defend yourself as a standard action. Starting at the beginning of this action, you get a +4 bonus to your Armor Class until the start of your next turn. You can’t combine total defense with other actions that increase your AC, nor can you make attacks of opportunity while benefiting from total defense.
Tumble
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 136
As long as you do not have the encumbered or overburdened condition (see pages 275–276), you can use Acrobatics to move through a space threatened by an enemy or enemies without provoking attacks of opportunity from them. Tumbling is a move action, and you move at half speed. The DC to move through an opponent’s threatened area is 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR. If multiple opponents are threatening the same space, you attempt one check with a DC based on the opponent with the highest CR, and the DC increases by 2 for each additional opponent beyond the first.
You can also tumble directly through an opponent’s space; the DC is 20 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR. If you fail this check, you stop moving adjacent to your opponent and provoke an attack of opportunity.
If you attempt to move through multiple threatened spaces or opponents’ spaces during the same round, you must succeed at a check for each space, and the DC of each check beyond the first increases by 2. For example, if you tumble through a space threatened by two CR 1 creatures and a CR 2 creature, the DC = 15 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 22. If you then tumble through the space of the CR 2 creature, the DC = 20 + 3 + 2 = 25.
In all of these cases, the DC is modified by the same environmental circumstances that apply to the balance task of Acrobatics (see page 135). If you fail the check, you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal. If you want to move at full speed while tumbling, you take a –10 penalty to the check. You can use Acrobatics to tumble while prone, but you can move only 5 feet as a full action and take a –5 penalty to the check.
Use the following base DCs for Acrobatics checks to tumble.
Situation DC*
Move through a threatened area 15 + 1-1/2 × opponent’s CR
Move through an enemy’s space 20 + 1-1/2 × opponent’s CR
* The DC increases by 2 for each additional threatened space or opponent’s space you move through in 1 round.
Rar'gul's torrent of strikes fail to find their mark. [ooc[One barely missed.[/ooc]
The reptoid uses his hooked sword to attack Rar'gul.
As Dr. Flint-Bridge exits the room, John attempts to follow Narla through the door she has apparently stepped through.
1. Enemy red
2. Dr. Flint-Bridge (-5)
3. T'sorkel
4. John Rawlins--STANDARD ACTION ONLY (-35)
5. Enemy blue--Narla Yalamis (-37, get 'em)
6. Enemy green (-43)
7. Rar'gul (-15)
T'sorkel shifts to fire at the 'Steward', trying to keep him away from Rar'gul.
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Moving quickly, to catch the reptoid, John can't protect himself as he normally might. He takes a ragged series of gashes to his ribs while he passes the wetzyl. One of the creature's claws slips between his ribs and finds something soft, and essential.
The man crumples to the ground.
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 250
If your Hit Points reach 0, you are dying. You immediately fall unconscious and can take no actions.
While dying, you lose 1 Resolve Point each round at the end of your turn. (If your Hit Points reached 0 during your turn, such as from an attack of opportunity you provoked, you do not lose a Resolve Point until the end of your next turn.) This continues until either you die or stabilize (see Stabilizing below).
Dead
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 250
When your Hit Point total is 0, if you are not stable and you have no Resolve Points remaining but would lose Resolve Points for any reason, you’re dead. If you have 0 RP when you are first reduced to 0 HP, you have 1 round to be healed or stabilized. If you have not been healed or stabilized by the end of your turn on the next round, you’re dead (see page 275 for more details on the dead condition).
You can also die from taking Constitution ability damage or ability drain equal to your Constitution score or from having a number of negative levels equal to your character level (see Ability Damage, Ability Drain, and Negative Levels on page 252).
Nonetheless, certain types of powerful magic and technology can restore life to a dead character, such as a 4th-level mystic cure spell or a raise dead spell.
Monster And NPC Death
Most monsters and NPCs don’t have Resolve Points, so injury and death work differently for them. A monster or NPC reduced to 0 HP is dead, unless the last bit of damage it took was nonlethal damage (see page 252), in which case it is knocked unconscious. If it is ever important to know exactly when a monster dies, such as if you want to capture the creature alive, the GM can decide that a monster reduced to 0 or fewer Hit Points with lethal damage dies in 3 rounds unless it takes any additional damage or receives healing. If a monster or NPC has Resolve Points, the GM can choose whether the monster dies at 0 HP or if it uses the normal rules for dying and death.
Stabilizing
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 250
There are several ways to stabilize a dying creature, including first aid, healing, and spending Resolve Points. Once stable, you are no longer dying and no longer lose Resolve Points, but you still have 0 Hit Points and are unconscious.
First Aid
You can stabilize a dying creature and keep it from losing any more Resolve Points with a successful DC 15 Medicine check.
Healing
You can stabilize a dying creature and keep it from losing any more Resolve Points with any sort of healing, such as the stabilize spell. Healing that raises a dying creature’s Hit Points to 1 or higher makes it conscious and fully functional again, just as if it had never been reduced to 0 HP.
Using Resolve Points
If you are dying and have enough Resolve Points, you can use them to stabilize. If you’re stable, you can use Resolve Points to regain consciousness and stay in the fight (see below).
Stabilize
If you are dying and you have enough Resolve Points, you can spend a number of Resolve Points equal to one-quarter your maximum (minimum 1 RP, maximum 3 RP) on your turn to immediately stabilize. This means you’re no longer dying, but you remain unconscious and at 0 HP. If you don’t have enough Resolve Points remaining, you cannot use this option and continue to lose Resolve Points as normal as per the dying rules.
Stay In The Fight
If you are stable and have enough Resolve Points, or if you were knocked unconscious from nonlethal damage (see page 252), you can spend 1 RP at the beginning of your turn to regain 1 HP. You are no longer dying, immediately become conscious, and can take the rest of your turn as normal. You can spend Resolve Points to regain Hit Points only if you are at 0 HP and stable, and you cannot regain more than 1 HP in this way. You can’t spend Resolve Points to stabilize and to stay in the fight in the same round.
Long-Term Stability
If you are unconscious and stable but lack the Resolve Points to stay in the fight, there is a chance you will eventually recover on your own. After 1 hour elapses, you must attempt a Constitution check (see Ability Checks on page 242). If the result of this check is 20 or higher, you regain 1 HP and become conscious again. If the result of the check is at least 10 but less than 20, you don’t regain any Hit Points, but you remain stable and you must attempt another Constitution check 1 hour later. If the result of the check is 9 or lower, you die. You must continue attempting a Constitution check once per hour until you regain consciousness or until you die. After 8 hours, if you have not regained consciousness or died, you regain consciousness and recover 1 HP per character level, as if you had a full night’s rest (see Recovering Hit Points Naturally below).
If a healer or medic is tending you are while you are unconscious and stable, the attendant can attempt a DC 15 Medicine check each hour before you attempt your Constitution check. If the Medicine check is successful, you gain a +2 bonus to your Constitution check, and if your Constitution check result is less than 10, you treat it as if the result were a 10.
Constitution Check Result Outcome
20 or higher Heal 1 HP, regain consciousness
10–19 Remain stable, attempt new check in 1 hour
9 or lower Die
Taking Damage while Dying or Stable
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 251
While you are dying, if you have any Stamina Points, any damage you take still reduces those first. The first time each round you take Hit Point damage (whether from an attack or from continuous damage, such as from a bleed effect), you lose 1 Resolve Point. At any point after that in the round, if a single source (such as one attack) deals Hit Point damage greater than half your maximum Hit Points but less than your maximum Hit Points, you lose 1 additional RP. As mentioned earlier, if you would lose Resolve Points but have no Resolve Points remaining, you die instantly. If you take damage equal to or greater than your maximum Hit Points from a single attack, you also die instantly.
If you take damage while unconscious but stable, you are once again dying and no longer stable.
The last thing John hears as he falls unconscious is Narla's disembodied voice. "One down, three to go. That doctor is next..."
The door to the corridor opens, as if on its own. Inside, Dr. Flint Bridge sees only some typical spartan Steward furnishings, along with the unconscious body of John.
That is, until Narla slowly materializes just inside the room. She draws upon her magic, sending a spread of magic missiles into Dr. Flint-Bridge.
The wetzelt claws Rar'gul.
1. Enemy red
2. Dr. Flint-Bridge (-13)
3. T'sorkel
4. John Rawlins--(-35)
5. Enemy blue--Narla Yalamis (-37)
6. Enemy green (-43)
7. Rar'gul (-15)
"John! No!" he calls, seeing his companion fall.
For an instant, the scene before him is superimposed by the training grounds of the Forever Hall, John's body that of a critically injured brother-in-arms crumpled at his feet.
It's your fault. All your fault, he hears the whispered accusations.
Shaking off the ghosts of the past, he focuses his attention on the pair of foes now facing off with him.
"Hang in therrre, John," he rumbles, holding an arm out before him. Shimmering energy coalesces along his forearm, forming a protective shield. "We'rrre on ourrr way."
He continues his high tempo attack on the pet (and then steward?).
Rar'gul's mighty strike dispatches the wetzelt pet. He won't be biting anyone else...ever.
The reptoid has dropped all pretense of being a Steward. Before your eyes, his human-like features melt away, and he takes the form of a grotesque, fork-tongued reptilian.
He attacks Rar'gul with his hooked sword.
1. Enemy red
2. Dr. Flint-Bridge (-13)
3. T'sorkel
4. John Rawlins--(-35, unconscious)
5. Enemy blue--Narla Yalamis (-37)
6. Enemy green (DEAD)
7. Rar'gul (-27)
T'sorkel fires at the Reptoid, not to hurt it, but to drive it towards Rar'gul for a moment, hoping he can take advantage. Then he moves down the corridor to try and help the Doctor.