GM Quirk's GATEWAY TO ABSALOM, group 2 (Inactive)

Game Master Quirk, Private Eye

"Heh, ya got that right," Anton concurs at Thuldas sheepishly while Vivian silently looks on, a look of curiosity and bemusement almost present on her sensor array. "I really thought that multi-isolinear thruster was from Ke-Taka Consolidated!"

Apologies if I've taken too many liberties, but it seems like the adventure has been stuck in the "where do we go now?" phase for a bit, and a good push seemed called for.

Xic and Anton have indeed found a couple of choice routes deep into the bowels of this area of Absalom.

I'll make a post tomorrow.

Okay, I'm gonna be honest with you right now. Uh, I'm totally blindsided by Culture turning out to not only a CRITICAL skill, but it looks like the only skill that would be useful right here.

I had kinda dismissed Culture as SF's version of "Linguistics" as it has a lot of word-stuff about learning languages and deciphering writing.

Only at the end, for one single sentence, does it say that you can "Recall Knowledge" about customs.

In this interpretation, yeah, it makes total sense. I'm just saying that I've never seen this application. But I've got skill points enough that I should be able to invest heavily in it. Next level. =)

Now, to me, this seems like a good place for something like Diplomacy's Gather Information might be in the wheelhouse. And this seems like a common fact, for DC10. Or somesuch.

Or, like, a computers check to look on the internet for it...which is what I've posted in gameplay. So tally ho! I hope this works.

This particular culture check (regarding the security and other possible issues at the direct route to where hangar 18 was) is very much an issue that requires an understanding of the news, people, and events that occur on the station, along with their history. I think Culture best captures that.

I actually would be fine if you wanted to look at your character and move a skill point to culture. Take a mulligan! :)

Your rolls as far as the other route will have some validity. I'll post a response in game play tomorrow after a few other people have the opportunity to post.

I will certainly take up that mulligan! And if success had ever hinged on me making a Sense Motive roll, things have already gone horribly wrong.

I have defeated the elusive cookie monster, and am back and ready to post this weekend.

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I wish I had seen this on Saturday. It would have saved me some time trying to figure out what was wrong.

I had to get rid of those “stale” cookies. Anyway, I’ll get a Gameplay post up very soon.

It looks like we may have lost Thuldas for good.

If you want, I'll PM my bff who's been thirsting for some good StarFinder action, okay?

We may need to do that. In fact, please feel free to contact your friend.

Thuldas has been in another one of my games since early last year. I'm hoping he returns, as there is some history there. If he does, we can do this with 6 characters (assuming your friend wants to join).

Done!

I have the rather fun job of deciding what a blast firefighting chemicals will do to this creature (and possibly everyone in the room. I'll do that tomorrow. Xic--you get a reroll to be used for any skill check, saving throw, or to hit roll for this creative solution.

Greetings! I am Anton's/Atlas' friend. I have this character ready to roll but since the group already has a very capable technomancer (or is that who you lost?), I could convert her into a biohacker. I admit to not having played a biohacker before: any suggestions on the build?

It appears Thuldas (a technomancer) has left. I don’t have any problem with two different technomancers in the group. They’d have different personalities and spells, maybe fighting “styles” too.

Welcome, Chiaiese!

Thank you! I have a good idea how Chiaiese is connected to the Gateway District, and I will write that up later today.

Welcome! I'm pretty new here myself, but it's always fun to meet new people!

I'll wait for confirmation from GM before I post an introduction in gameplay. Cheers!

You obviously put time into this character, and I'm pleased to include her in these adventures. I read the background, and my mind is blown.

There are two challenges, and it appears you have started to think about the first one: what Chialese is doing on Absalom station, and in the Gateway district in particular.

The second is more immediate--how does she know this crew, and how do we get her down to the abandoned cargo holds where they currently are.

Honestly, I'm comfortable with Chialese knowing one of these people--perhaps Tremox? From there a call to Chasey's comm device could suffice to get everyone together.

Finally, to be clear, Thuldas will be welcomed back should he return. As I have noted, he has participated in some of my other games. I am sure he has important reasons why he has stepped away, and I feel compelled to have a spot for him if he wants to rejoin the party.

GM Quirk, I sent you a PM, from my GM alias, with the details. Chiaiese has actually worked with Anton once before, in another game that did not get far.

Thanks for the compliment!

GM Quirk, I sent you a PM, from my GM alias, with the details. Chiaiese has actually worked with Anton once before, in another game that did not get far.

Ha! That's right! Awesome!

@GM: Oy, can we keep that as canon? When Chiaiese asks what happened with that, I can just say we lost it all through some "timey-wimey, bibbley-bobbly" thing. (Like, literally I'll probably say that. =)

Chiaiese, thank you for the PM. I read it yesterday.

And we're live!

Yeah, that time-ship thing was a campaign from our own local EltonJ. Guy's a real piece of work.

He has a new campaign up looking for players. On a generational ship. That is also a nudist colony.

Imma take a pass on that one.

I'm in that game. It ground to a halt pretty quickly. Chose to play a laborer android with big bolted on armor who didn't wear clothes, but was a big hunk of metal, not your standard bio-circuitry android.

I'll admit that I've had my creative differences, but I'd really rather not speak ill of anyone; especially if they aren't here.

Ha! An android on a nudist colony! Well done!

The thing is a don't actually dislike the guy. I've played in more than one of his games (well, two, I think) and his base concepts are always ASTOUNDING! Like, in the other one, I think we were toys that came to life. Wonderful concept. It's just, well, you know.

We seem to be getting a bit bogged down by trying to divy loot that, it appears, no one really needs.

Is it okay if we just say that Yoro is carrying the lot in a bag, and if someone needs something just say so, ok?

Then we can move on, yeah?

On a nudist colony ship. With bolted on.....armor?

I admire this GM's chutzpah. It's all a little avante garde for me though.

On a nudist colony ship. With bolted on.....armor?

I admire this GM's chutzpah. It's all a little avante garde for me though.

I know right? Total chutzpah. Just like with the last game. He gave us a ship and said it was super fast. Okay, good to know. And then mentions, casually, almost as an afterthought that, oh yeah, it can go through time.

WHAAAAT?!?!

And then he had, like, no plan for it. Like, if you give a party a TARDIS, shouldn't that be the -point- of the entire game???

We had a billion questions about this, but he only came back with short, terse, 1-2 sentence answers a day.

Massive, interest-grabbing chutpah, but weaksauce execution.

Even though Yoro volunteered to carry the loot, doesn't mean the player needs to keep track of it.

Unless someone has a better plan, Imma do my patented method of tracking loot. That is, I'll create a spoiler at the top of my character, and just C&P everything into that. If someone wants something, just let me know. =)

Yeah I assumed Yoromishtali would carry anything that nobody wanted. Thanks for using your patented method for tracking the gear.

How much bulk would this be?

We'll just say that for now you all figure out a way to divide the loot up and carry it without affecting anyone's encumberance.

BY THE WAY...

Please enjoy looking at slide #1. I'm quite proud of it. It's a combination of Paizo's new flip tiles and the ass-end of the starship you're look for.

I'll tell you more about it later tonight!

Yes...I know it's probably far too soon to level up. It gives me some flexibility about what exactly you'll find INSIDE the starship though!

Yes...I know it's probably far too soon to level up. It gives me some flexibility about what exactly you'll find INSIDE the starship though!

My only worry is that we won't have a chance to level up our armor and weapons to match the new threat level, but it is a small concern.

Imma echo Chiaiese on this one. The experience I've had with SF is that leveling is both gift and curse. It's a curse because if your gear doesn't ALSO level up with you, you may very well find yourself behind a very aggressively climbing curve.

Hence, I've never seen a SF campaign where money wasn't a constant worry, especially around level time.

It's a bit more forgiving in the lower levels, since weapon damage doesn't start to explode for a while yet, but still.

I'll take that into consideration. I'm not sure you have many credits yet anyway, although the piece of art you have come across may help you (assuming Bubs lets you have it--he probably will, he has bigger fish to fry with this ship).

I'm considering multi-classing with a level of Operative. Does anyone have guidance on that path?

Asking for confirmation if this is rules-allowed. For my level of Operative, I will take Class Features Operative's Edge and Specialization from the Core Rulebook, and Stunt and Strike from the Character Operations Manual as a replacement feature for Trick Attack. Is that allowed?

Sure--you may certainly do that.

I found stunt and strike to be a little tedious when I was making a character recently. That said, I think it could work for you as a multi-class and within the urban setting we have going.

Hit Points: 7, Stamina Points: 8, Fort and Will saves increase by 1, attack bonus increases by 1, 4 skill points (Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception, Profession)

At second level, instead of a combat feat (for the Soldier level 2), Yoromishtali takes the Doshko Specialist archetype gaining the Tooth That Seeks Honor class feature. Gaining fresh insight from the latest fight, he’ll put on the second tooth during downtime.

I realized I should have chosen Perception for the +3 vesk racial bonus, not Sense Motive. Oh well.

Added Operative lvl 1. +6 HP, +6 SP, and a crap-ton of skill points. Notably, Perception is now +6, and Initiative is +1.

Class Features: Operative's Edge, Specialization - Hacker (Skill Focus feat for Computers & Engineering), Stunt and Strike - Computers Stunt, Dirty Trick: Whenever you attempt a Computers check as part of your stunt and strike and succeed, you can cause the target to gain one of the following conditions until the start of your next turn instead of the flat-footed condition: deafened, off-target, shaken, or sickened (your choice).

I'm done leveling up (yep, the drone gets more of a boost than I do...as it should be!) and now I feel bad for not writing a narrative like Chelse did. =p

I'm done leveling up (yep, the drone gets more of a boost than I do...as it should be!) and now I feel bad for not writing a narrative like Chelse did. =p

Shame on you! But in truth, I was taking a page from your book and your excellent posts in the Mirkwood campaign. So here, I figured a short narrative was necessary since the character was adding a completely new class in the middle of the story without any plausible explanation as to why she would suddenly be really, really good at everything.

And Neo.

Operative is a disgusting class, btw. I think that if everyone took one level of Operative it would demonstrate to Paizo just how dumb all their rules are.

I'm so sorry.

I really am.

(Hopefully you spotted the Easter Egg in my last in game response).

Right back at you. ;)

Nie!

So, how do we wanna move forward with this?

I have 2 ideas:

1) Xic tries to re-program him to come around. I'm not entirely sure how we'd get him docile enough to let us try, tho.

2) One of us says "I'm the Captain! Yeah, like, and totally."

I could come up with a story tangible enough to make it sound likely, but my dice roll would only be average, so I'd need some assist.

Uh, I think I'm the only one who can do this since I haven't spoken yet. tbh, this might be our best option. ^_^

(Crazy third idea: We say my drone is the captain. His brain is in a jar inside. Then anyone make the roll. Probably. =)

Hope everyone has a great Easter! I'll try hard to get back on track tomorrow night. We'll have to see what this creature does when Chiaiese brazenly walks past!

Pssst, Chiaiese, can one of the things be 'what can hurt it?'. Imma wait until you get your two things.

The only idea I have is from my tactic of 'Infinite Defence'. That is, we have as few people as possible in melee and that person does Total Defense (or fights defensively, as they see fit). That might give the rest of us enough time to wear it down.

And, yes, I only have a fifty percent chance of doing one damage a round, so I should step up as a meat shield soon-ish.

GM did my Engineering checks shed any light on the mechanical difficulties?