GM Jhaeman's "Dawn of Flame, Chapter 1: Fire Starters" (Inactive)

Game Master Jhaeman

Now's not the time to talk about my kleptomania, Cabizo. Later, with fingerpaints.

Cabizo claps all three pairs of hands happily and hums to himself as he tries to guess which colors and/or textures would help Zharis process her emotions and thoughts the best when they were someplace secure enough for a session.

XD

No sounds are audible from nearby chambers and no one enters the museum, leading to the inference that the Sunrise Collective have decided on a "bunker and barricade" defense rather than a "rapid response" one. Vilo sits down to catch her breath. A quick look at the display cases reveals a collection of archaeological discoveries--strange tools and objects--thought to belong to the mysterious ancient builders of the Burning Archipelago. Plaques next to each display explain scholars' speculation about the items' function, but even they admit the evidence is slim.

Unless there's strong objections, Vilo is going to spend 10 minutes and 1 RP to get stamina back.

I'm guessing that means there is nothing here worth taking, but if any of the "strange tools and objects" looks interesting or like she could figure it out or if it is made of some bizarre material that is worth a lot, Zharis takes it.

Zharis joins Vilo in resting and regaining stamina.

The members of the expedition team rest without further incident.

None of the items in the display cases appear valuable or useful--more objects of potential historical curiosity.

Where to next?

”West will only lead back to the porch. North, then.” Xylian opens the northern door, pistol at the ready.0

Xylian opens the northern door, leading with his pistol.

Here, a set of stairs at the room’s southern end descends five feet into an open circular area. Murals of blazing angels and a golden sun decorate the small dome overhead.

A door on the northern wall bears a handwritten sign reading: “KEEP OUT!”

Culture: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Realizing this is a chapel dedicated to Sarenrae, Zharis pauses and says a short prayer apologizing for the intrusion, and then continues to the opposite door, to look through and see what they (or others) are being asked to "keep out" of.

Zharis opens the "Keep Out!" door to reveal a bathing room. Large, inset circular tubs about three feet deep cover much of the floor, each with a brass spigot and separated from the other tubs by thin walls five feet high. In the room’s northwestern corner, stairs curve up ten feet to a door. One of the eastern tubs has a ragged, two-foot-wide hole in its bottom where the spigot should be, and the whole chamber looks gnawed on. The reason for the hole is abundantly clear: sitting in the tubs are a quartet of small arthropods with hard exoskeletons, 20 segmented legs, and front-facing pincers! They begin to move rapidly toward the now-open door.

A picture of these creatures is on Slide # 3.

As a free action on your turn, you can try to identify them with a Life Sciences check.

Initiative (Round 1)

Shujae
Xylian
Cabizo
Zharis
Vilo (14/14 SP, 16/16 HP, 2/3 RP)
Creatures

Bold should go!

[b]”These creatures will likely try to eat Staim.”[b/] Xylian says, targeting one of the vermin with his combat ai.

Life Science: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Target Red with Combat tracking.

I don't know the rules of starfinder as well as pathfinder. I am going to move into the room to the other corner because it is better battle placement than blocking this doorway, and I don't *think* they get an AOO while flatfooted, but... I could be wrong. If I'm wrong, please roll acrobatics for me (+8), and I'll try to tumble through instead.

Zharis moves into the room and attacks black with her tactical dueling sword:

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Slashing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Guessing that doesn't hit, and is pretty worthless even if it did, but hey... down with the weird bug things!

Zharis's blade grazes one one of the creature, but Vilo rushes in and plunges a solar-powered fist right through its carapace, killing it instantly!

Zharis' attack hit. Yes, because they're flat-footed, they don't get AoOs. Xylian, did you have more in your turn? Combat tracking is only a move action, I believe.

Botting Vilo to do a move and attack on the same one. The attack hits the creature's FF KAC and does 11 damage, destroying it.

Solar Weapon vs FF: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Cabizo and Shujae are up--though I think we probably lost Shujae as well, as I haven't had a response from them in a while now--will bot if needed, as we're make it through this one way or another :)

Sure Ill overcharge shoot at red.
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Fire Damage: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (2) = 4

Xylian's blast burns one of the vermin terribly, reducing it to a mere smoldering husk.

Shujae instructs Staim to stay back and blocks the doorway, blasting at another vermin with her subzero hail pistol but unable to draw a bead.

Xylian, that was a natural 20, and another 1d4 base damage is enough to destroy Red.

Botting Shujae, but the attack misses.

Attack vs Blue: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Cabizo, time for some skittermander action!

Life Science vs DC 10: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Cabizo stops playing with the shiny golden altar decorations as his teammates start yelling from the doorway. Sliding up next to Shujae, he takes aim at the wriggly creature. "Don't worry, we'll keep Staim safe," he assures the taller scientist.

Laser Pistol: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Fire damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Apparently the skittermander thinks making eye contact with Shujae to reassure her is more important than looking where he's firing.

Cabizo's distracted laser blast chars some of the decorative mural, but a goddess of the sun can't complain too much!

The two surviving vermin rush the door, leaving an opening for Vilo, who crushes another one in her glowing fists! But one of the arthropods survives and claws at Shujae's face!

The two creatures move to the door and will attack Shujae, but Vilo gets an AoO on one of them. The attack hits and destroys Blue before it can attack.

Yellow lands a crit on Shujae, doing 7 damage.

Vilo's AoO vs Blue: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
attack vs Shujae: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
crit dice: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Initiative (Round 2)

Shujae (7/14 SP, 12/12 HP, 5/5 RP)
Xylian
Cabizo
Zharis
Vilo (14/14 SP, 16/16 HP, 2/3 RP)
Creatures

Bold should go!

Zharis steps forward, swinging at the remaining creature.

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Slashing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Xylian fires a blast from his laser pistol, somehow managing to hit the last bug despite his allies standing in the way.
Move action to target last bug.
Laser: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Fire Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

With the aim of a marksman, Xylian blasts the vermin despite all of his allies moving around in the scrum. Vilo then finishes it off with a two-handed over-the-top smash!

Xylian's attack hit, Zharis' slash missed.

Botting Vilo. Vilo hits! I think the dice-roller likes Bot-Vilo more than it did the real thing!

We are off Initiative. Here's a reminder of the room description: "Large, inset circular tubs about three feet deep cover much of the floor, each with a brass spigot and separated from the other tubs by thin walls five feet high. In the room’s northwestern corner, stairs curve up ten feet to a door. One of the eastern tubs has a ragged, two-foot-wide hole in its bottom where the spigot should be, and the whole chamber looks gnawed on."

Vilo's attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Zharis inspects the tub with the hole to make sure there aren't any more of these bug things coming up, and then checks the other tubs to make sure they aren't similarly compromised.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

If there isn't anything else of interest in the room, she suggests that they move on.

You guys! I found a secret passage! This might give us an actual chance at surprise again... I mean, unless it is a dead end or a trap of course, but I think that is unlikely since it was hidden like this. What do you say?

”I do believe that would give us an upper hand. Maybe come out underneath or behind those guards. Or find the politician’s and sneak them out with no further violence. Well done, Zharis.”

Who would have thought those creatures were actually a blessing. I never would have found this passageway if they hadn't broken into that other tub.

Purring,Zharis opens the passageway, telling everyone she will go first because she has darkvision, but to stay close. She reminds whoever goes last to close the opening so no one stumbles upon them, and then sets out, the most hopeful she's been all morning.

The tunnel is dusty and shows no sign of having been used in years--if not decades. It stretches over a hundred feet to the west before starting to gently slope upward, terminating at a hatch in the ceiling. Pushing quietly at the hatch, Zharis is able to look around. You've come all the way to the library on the opposite side of Horizon House!

Stairs at the north end of this split-level room rise to a circular overlook with an ornate railing. Bookshelves holding a variety of ancient-looking tomes line the walls of the lower level, and tables bearing terminals and digital storage take up floor space, each with several chairs. A double door exits east from the overlook, and another to the south.

There are three female lashuntas belonging to the Sunrise Collective here, and clearly two of them are twins. Having been alerted that there are intruders in the building, the twins have taken up defensive positions at the bottom of the overlook stairs in order to protect the third insurrectionist behind them.

The lashuntas are expecting trouble, but not from below!

I've drawn a yellow line from the Baths to the Library indicating the course of the tunnel. Because the lashuntas have no idea the tunnel exists or that they're being observed, if you want to start an encounter in the library, you can each place your token adjacent to the hatch and have a surprise round (standard or move action) before I roll Initiative for everyone. The ornate railing gives Black a +2 partial cover bonus from attacks from below.

When they arrive at the end of the tunnel and light starts to illuminate their surroundings again, Zharis assesses the situation, and motions everyone to silence, pointing ahead and indicating there are 3 opponents.

When they are ready, she takes one of her three remaining frag grenades and tries to take advantage of the bunched up group by lobbing it over the railing close to them.

Ranged-Thrown attack to place grenade: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Piercing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Dicebot loves me today. Too bad I wasn't doing anything that offers a critical hit effect. (I indicated where I was aiming the grenade with a little sun icon on the map, but basically they all get 6 damage, and it doesn't hit us.)

Xylian follows up Zharis’ ambush with an overcharged shot from the pistol as his targeter paints one of the lashunta.

Zharis MVP =) My mobile internet is too slow right now to load the map so I can’t see what’s going on. I’ll target and overcharge attack... one of them if they’re in Xylian’s range.
Laser Gun: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Fire Damage: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (6) = 9

Ooh, one short of max damage. Hope that hits!

Zharis lobs a grade in the perfect spot to maximise its effect, and Xylian follows up with a powerful blast from his laser gun.

Zharis, I'll add an extra 1d6 to the grenade damage vs Black (the nearest target to the explosion) because the grenade has the Explode special property and was a crit. All three baddies attempt Reflex saves for half damage, and all three make it.

Xylian, I've placed your token on the map and how your damage go against the closest enemy, Red. The lashunta is still alive, but she's badly hurt.

Everyone: Please don't forget to keep track of ammo and consumables. Xylian, don't forget that overcharge uses 3x ammo.

Shujae goes for broke, and opens up with her recently-acquired tactical plasma bolter! The vesk-made weapon has a devastating effect on one of the lashuntas, killing her instantly. Her twin sister yells out "Nalahi, no!"

Vilo then sprints forward, aiming to ensure the twin doesn't have to mourn her sister for long!

Botting Shujae. Attack hits and is enough to kill Red.

Botting Vilo, who has the Blitz soldier fighting style so she can charge as a standard action without penalty. The attack hits, but doesn't do enough damage to bring Blue down.

Shujae's attack (nonproficient) vs Red FF: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (18) - 3 = 15
damage: 1d10 ⇒ 5
Vilo attack vs Blue FF: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Cabizo, once you take your surprise round action, I'll then roll Initiative.

GM, thanks for making those adjustments. Sorry, guess I didn't read the rules clearly enough. Hopefully I'll get used to Starfinder eventually. :) Also, I have been keeping track of grenades really well, but not sure I kept track of charges used from guns earlier in the adventure, so thanks for the reminder.

Most of the time time 20 charges is enough to get you from one charging station to another. It's more of a concern when someone uses Overcharge to eat through them faster than normal. XD

Popping his head out of the secret passage, Cabizo takes careful aim with his trusty pistol at the wounded lashunta. They all seem so happy to be adventuring, he thinks happily to himself as he closes one eye for maximum accuracy. Who knew that role-playing could be so therapeutic?

Laser Pistol vs Blue: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Fire damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Cabizo's laser shot grazes the arm of the surviving lashunta twin.

A 9 actually gets the flat-footed EAC, but the damage isn't *quite* enough to bring her down.

Initiative (Round 1)

Blue
Vilo
Xylian
Cabizo
Black
Zharis
Shujae

Bold should go!

Tears flowing freely and hatred in her eyes, the lashunta at the base of the stairs draws a longsword and chops at Vilo and draws blood!

Vilo gets hit for 5 S.

Vilo tries a solar-powered uppercut right to the lashunta's jaw! But this time, the lashunta is ready and manages to dodge just in time.

The attack missed.

attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Initiative (Round 1)

Blue
Vilo (9/14 SP, 16/16 HP, 2/3 RP)
Xylian
Cabizo
Black
Zharis
Shujae (7/14 SP, 12/12 HP, 5/5 RP)

Bold should go!

That's weird--the previous two posts appeared out of the order I submitted them. But in any event, Xylian and Cabizo are now up.

Xylian targets and fires at the remaining twin, the one who seems to be the most dangerous.

Lazr vs blue: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Fire Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Cabizo tries squinting with the other eye this time!

Laser Pistol vs Blue: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Fire damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

”Well, it can’t be both eyes...”

Xylian's shot also grazes the twin, but sheer anger keeps her fighting! Cabizo's shot goes wide.

The lashunta behind the railing traces glowing mystical sigils in the air just before magical spheres of force strike with unerring accuracy! "I don't know how you alien scum got in here," she sneers. "But you're going to regret it!"

Blue is down to a single hit point. Black is doing a full action to fire three magic missiles. One at Vilo (takes 5 damage), one at Shujae (takes 4 damage), and one at Cabizo (takes 4 damage).

Initiative (Round 1)

Blue
Vilo (4/14 SP, 16/16 HP, 2/3 RP)
Xylian
Cabizo
Black
Zharis
Shujae (3/14 SP, 12/12 HP, 5/5 RP)

Bold should go!

Shujae reloads her tactical plasma bolter and sends a stream of deadly energy toward the lashunta spellcaster! But the bannister deflects just enough of the energy to protect the target.

The attack misses due to the partial cover.

Attack (nonproficient) vs Black w/ partial cover: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (14) - 3 = 11
damage: 1d10 ⇒ 8

Zharis decides not to throw another grenade for fear of hurting her friends, so instead she joins Vilo on the stairs and swings her tactical dueling sword at blue.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

I don't think the crit matters since blue only had one hit point.

The lashunta soldier is no match for Zharis' cat-like reflexes, and succumbs in a spray of blood.

Blue is *very* dead from that crit.

Initiative (Round 2)

Vilo (4/14 SP, 16/16 HP, 2/3 RP)
Xylian
Cabizo
Black
Zharis
Shujae (3/14 SP, 12/12 HP, 5/5 RP)

Bold should go!

With the path clear, Vilo rushes up the stairs and swings an elbow at the spellcaster's nose! But the solarian slips on bloody stairs, and barely manages to keep her feet.

attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Xylian fires on the remaining hostile, but he can barely see the spellcaster through the railing and his allies.

Laser Pistol: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Fire Damage: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (2) = 4
Target and Overcharge remaining bad guy.

Cabizo goes back to closing the first eye. For science.

Laser Pistol: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Fire damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3