tt's Survivor's Salvation -- SFS 1-30 (Inactive)

Game Master therealthom

You pass through the second arch and turn right. The entrance to the Respite is a pair of open glass double doors. Immediately inside you see a small workout area within a room immediately to your left. There a female ysoki howls a squeaky victory cry and performs a combat maneuver to twist two of a kasatha’s arms behind his back while she sweeps his legs out from under him and they both tumble to the mat. The kasatha slaps the mat twice to tap out and they separate and roll to their feet.

The ysoki spots the party and comes over to them while still panting from the exertion.

Shokil advances on the yoski, extends his hand, and then, thinking about the scene he has just witnessed, withdraws it again -a smile on his face.

"Hello, Shokil, Xeno-warriors. I'm looking for Jiwalla.." he announces.

Staar stands next to Shokil and adds: "Zigvigix, the leader of the Exo-Guardian faction sent us."

The ysoki considers the group for a moment.

"I am Jiwalla Zarvim, second in command. Zigvigix is a friend. What can I do for you?"

Diplomacy rolls might be helpful.

Oda knows her skills do not lie in the diplomatic realms and so defers to others.

"We are in a mission to find the missing shobhad Hurondo. Zigvigix said you might have some clues where to find him."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Apologies about my inconsistent posting, everyone. I'll endeavour to do better.

Taken aback by the unexpected confrontation the group encountered at the Arches, Saeron, face flushed, is lost in her thoughts as they enter the Respite. "No, you're wrong! They're not all going to die," she utters, seemingly to herself. "See, no one got hurt."

Shokil and Staar's introduction and Jiwalla's reply bring her back to the moment.

Taking amoment to catch up and collect her thoughts, she adds, "Zigvigix is worried about Hurondo and has asked us to look into his whereabouts. We are hoping you ight have had more recent contact with him and can point us in the right direction."

Diplomacy (Aid Another): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

"It's true Hurondo is MIA. I don't know about clues. He's been worried that some of our people haven't shown up recently. A few days ago, he spoke about checking their quarters. Most of them are living down toward the Spike. He might be down there searching them out."

"Could you tell us more about these other missing people? And do you have an address for them - and for Hurondo for that matter - that you are willing to share with us?" asks Shokil.

"I know you don't really know us, but I can patch a call through to Zigvigix if that would be helpful."
diplomacy(aid): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Oda's hands move in a series of finger and hand gestures.

Jiwalla looks thoughtfully at the party. She smiles, barely more than a small evil grin that shifts the scars on her face. "You are all too tense. You need a little PT to take the edge off and get your blood moving. Who's ready for a little competition? I think you should. We can start with some weight lifting." She gestures behind her to a set of free weights in the corner of the gym, then turns and walks in that direction.

Mechanically, Jiwalla's offer is for opposed physical skill checks in three contests. The first is a straight up strength check. Participation is not mandatory, you are free to decline her whim.

Oda, I'm not sure if your signs are directed to Jiwalla or the party. Galifrey stayed behind unless you asked them to come along. Let me know and we'll retcon it either way.

My signs were for the party. The intent is to try to communicate through sign until such time as it is apparent that no-one can understand, at which point she'll switch to communication via datapad.

Oda looks at the set of free weights. With a quirked eyebrow she waves at them. She tosses a few plates on the end of the barbell, gets under it and attempts to squat the weight for reps.

Strength: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

"Will you provide more information after this?"

Shokil nods appreciatively as Oda makes short work of the weights.

"I'll have a go if you insist, but I'm generally better at different contests" confesses the author.

He moves to the head of the weights table and starts to spot Oda.

STR(aid): 1d20 ⇒ 4 but ineffectively.

This is not Kneepuncher's forte, but it's more interesting to him than the talky bits.

Strength: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"Yes, I know you have no interest in this."

"We all want to know where Hurondo is, and if he's okay. You'll get the help that you deserve." Jiwalla's reply is clipped, and distracted because she's watching Oda.

"Good lift, there -- you." She slaps Oda on the lower back. She watches Shokil and Kneepuncher impassively. Then she swivels her head to look back at the party. "Anyone else?

I forgot to mention. No aids on the contests. These are all on personal merit. But excellent thought on spotting. Jiwalla grins less evilly when you do.

You are weak! the inner voice mocks. You can't do anything right!

"Such activities are not my forte," Saeron says softly, eyeing the weights dubiously.

Give up before you embarrass yourself. Again. the voice continues.

Her cheeks colour and she tosses her head, defiant. "But I am much stronger than what I was. And I am not afraid to try." The slight lashunta makes her way over to the weights and gives it her best try.

Strength: 1d20 ⇒ 2

The inner voice cackles with glee. Saeron's pale face turns a deeper shade of red.

Bele has never visited a gym in her life - and has no intentions of beginning now. Seeing some perform well and others flounder, she knows she would be in the latter category, and so declines the offer to lift weights.

Strength: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Staar looks for the heaviest bar + weights combo she can find and lifts it up from the ground, her back muscles contracting bizarrely against her necrografted arms and legs.

"Is this enough?"

"At least you tried," Jiwalla comments to Saeron.

"Fantastic!" Jiwalla congratulates Staar. "But whether it's enough depends on what you normally lift. It's about challenging yourself."

"Stand clear." The ysoki steps up to Staar's bar and squats deeply to grasp it. With a rapid straightening of her legs, she yanks it from the floor and uses its upward momentum to get under the bar and thrust upward with her arms. She doesn't try to hold the weight. She steps forward and lets it crash to the floor behind her.

"One for me."

Strength: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

I really thought you had her with that 21. Tough break.

"Why don't we try something for endurance?" she says, eyeing four rowing machines in the corner. She practically skips over to them, seats herself in one and begins adjusting it to fit.

The rowing competition consists of Jiwalla and the PCs attempting a series of three DC 12 Athletics checks each while operating stationary rowing machines set to a high resistance. Each time a character fails one of these checks, they take a cumulative –3 penalty on subsequent Athletics checks to row. Add up each competitor’s three checks, and the highest sum wins.

This may take a little while in game time. Anyone who isn't currently participating could wander around the Respite.

The author looks slightly dubiously at the machine.

"This is a little better. When I was a boy I used to do a little rowing. Get some fishing done, you know."

He sits his somewhat rounded form down and grasps the pull handle.

athlethics DC12: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
athlethics DC12: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
athlethics DC12: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

"There was quite a current, if I remember correctly"

"When do we get to the competition about breaking boards? Just boards here, okay?"

Athletics: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Athletics: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Athletics: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Oda rolls her shoulders before seating herself on the rowing machine.

Athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

She huffs slightly as she gets a slow start but then finds her rhythm and pulls hard on the rowing bar in a steady cadence.

Her rowing done she stands up, wipes her brow and gestures for the next person to row.

"My strength is artificial. Augmented."

She sits on a rowing machine, expressionless.

Athletics DC 12: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
Athletics DC 12: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Athletics DC 12: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Shokil looks pretty happy with his performance, before Oda, shows him up as the rank amateur's he really is. Then, wit no apparent effort Staar almost matches him.

"Wow, you guys should totally come fishing with me some time."

Jiwalla rows with smooth, even strokes. Legs, back, arms in coordinated sequence. But halfway through she starts to cramp and eases off before finishing with a furious sprint at the end. The fur-dampening effort isn't enough to best any of you.

She laughs. "It looks like we found your strength. Well done!"

She looks at the remaining party members. "Care to try?"

Athletics DC 12: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Athletics DC 12: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Athletics DC 12, failure : 1d20 + 9 - 3 ⇒ (16) + 9 - 3 = 22

Bele considers using the machines for a split-second, but upon seeing the others do their thing she decides better of it. Instead she simply lurks around and wonders if a challenge might come up that she could have a realistic chance of doing well at - enough to integrate her into the group.

"One round for me. One round for you. It all comes down to a footrace.
Down and back in the hallway."

That seems simple enough. Jiwalla leads you out into the central hall. It's long. It's straight. It's cluttered with chairs, couches, desks, artwork, equipment cases, and crates.

Jiwalla lines up the participants. "We go on my mark. Ready ... set ... Go!"

The ysoki leaps forward and tears down the hall, leaping on and off the furniture with abandon.

This time you roll acrobatics and athletics and take the sum.

Jiwalla, athletics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Jiwalla, acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Just realized that when I cut and paste her rowing rolls, I forgot to change her modifier. She had only 38. I think your high total was 53. You guys all really crushed her.

Staar runs in the improvised track, destroying Jiwalla's performance.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Jiwalla is all talk - I demand a recount on that first win

Might as well lose one more time.

Acrothletics: 2d20 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (14, 12) + 2 + 3 = 31

Athletics: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Deciding, eventually, that she needed to at least show willing, Bele entered into the spirit of the occasion. She was hardly the fastest in the group, but she suspected her acrobatic abilities might compensate somewhat.

Shokil eyes up the track, takes a couple of big breaths, sighs for a moment. "You tall folk get all the advantages" and then leaps for a couch, using the springs to give him extra lift as he tries to somersault down the hallway.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14
athletics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

However, exhausted from the rowing, he makes a real mess of it.

Saeron smiles ruefully as she looks over the cluttered alley, shaking her head slowly. "No harm in trying," she says with a shrug as she lines up for the foot race.

Athletics: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Staar easily leads the pack thorough out the race, cruising to the finish well ahead of all comers. Jiwalla's breathing heavily as she crosses the line just behind Kneepuncher.

"Great effort, everyone. That was good. Nice race. A little workout like that should have you ready for the job ahead. Loose, alert, relaxed. I've got some other business to deal with. Hurondo's office is the third door on the left. Maybe you can find some information in there."

She hands a credstick to Shokil. "The Society gives the Respite stipends for exemplary agents. If you're going to track down Hurondo, that's exemplary enough. This might come in useful. Good luck. Let me know whatever you find. "

The credstick has 1500 credits.

The second door on the left opens just as you're passing it and several humanoid creatures come out looking relieved and with a spring in their step. Inside, a heavily scarred android rearranges the chairs and picks up random bits of trash.

On the plus side, she hadn't disgraced herself and was at least - in some small way - becoming part of the team. There were leaders among them, and she respected that. She had no desire or intention to stake a claim to direct their efforts. Rather, she was happy - for now - to integrate and be ready when called upon.

Staar hesitates at the door just before Hurondo's office, wondering if his neighbor might have some insight on the missing starfinder.

Kneepuncher glances down at his prosthetic arm, wondering with unaccustomed trepidation just what could scar an android.

The android looks up and notices Staar looking in the door. It slowly straightens up. " I am Bygones-B. Are you here to receive
counseling services?"

Following her companion's displays of physical prowess, Saeron regards Staar for a long moment, a look of uncertainty on her face.

As they pass along the corridor, Saeron steps aside to allow the group exiting the other room to pass. Glancing into the room, she gives a small wave to the android. "They seem refreshed," she ventures, gesturing over her shoulder in the direction of the departing group.

After any interaction with the android plays out....

Reaching Hurundo's door, the lashunta tests the handle, pushing it open if possible, and entering.

"No. We are in a mission for the society, searching for Hurondo. Do you know where he is?"

Shokil bobs his head in agreement with Staar.

"I would be keen to understand more about the type of counseling that you provide. Was, that i, Is Hurondo one of your own clients?"

"All of us cycle through counseling at one time or another. Hurondo was part of a group counseling session, but I haven't seen him for a number of days." Bygones' tone is even and professionally, somberly, friendly.

"Our sessions are free and open to all. The sharing is beneficial. It helps to know that others are also struggling. That you are not alone."

Suspicious of the new character showing up all of sudden in the middle of the plot, Staar tries to Sense Motive her. For once, the voices in her head become quiet and allow her to pay attention to what the android is saying.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

What else can it be, all sincerity.

Of course androids are famously hard to read.

So? Counseling, Hurondo's office, split the party? ~eyes widen gleefully ~

"Thank you. I prefer to be alone." Staar excuses herself and goes towards Hurondo's office.

Well, that was odd

"We have a matter that may be pressing. First we need to visit your office next door. Maybe then we could have a chat?" suggests Shokil.

"As you wish." The android returns to reorganizing the furniture, but leaves the door open.

Kneepuncher's voices aren't in his head, as it happens. He thinks he probably won't need counseling when it quiets down, so he proceeds to the office as well.