[RD][SFS] 2-06/2-08: The Stumbling Society (Inactive)

Game Master Andrew Harasty

Viper examines the terminal and surrounds - first for traps tricks and treachery - then for files or things of note.

Perception 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
Computers 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19

The computer does not have any direct sabotage. Although not to hard to get access, a wave of uneasiness washes over the party. The only message on the terminal is “PRIORITY NOTICE. Barachius squadron escalating access requests. Those pixel wings must think they run the place. Monitor and report all activity to security. ”

A cabinet under the computer terminals contains a sentinel staff, one pair of darksight goggles, and a tactical cluster launcher loaded with four stickybomb grenades II, two flash grenades II, and two riot grenades III.

After recovering the information, Rocket and D'yzliit seem to notice strange "noises" that get their attention and are being a bit distracted.

You have the two doors out of the reception area.

To keep things moving I will go with what ever path gets two votes first

Hermena clicks three new rounds into her rifle and shuts off her force field, saving the power for later. "I vote we go right and hug the right-hand wall, it will minimize the chance we miss anything."

Hmm, what? the shirren snaps his attention back to Hermena. Oh, yes: consistent sweep pattern would be best. Unlikely that an apari, even multiple, could have taken down a facility of this nature. But no sings of other entry from our access point; vermin may have entered through other gap in defenses, or may not be alone.

Swizzers nods. "If one of you take point, I'll take a trailing position and watch our rear."

As Rocket practically drools over the tactical cluster launcher loaded with four stickybomb grenades II, two flash grenades II, and two riot grenades III he glances over his shoulder as if startled by something

"Did you guys hear that?"

After scratching the back of his neck and not seeing anything that caused the noise Rocket nods at Viper
"Sounds logical, let's do that"

Both doors lead to long rooms that were used for security screening.
Inactive cameras and scanners cover the walls and ceiling in this long room. A single control console sits near a vidscreen next to each of the room’s doors.

Opening the door at the end of one hall. Computer terminals line most of the walls of this dusty room. Their vidscreens rapidly switch between blank, static, and error codes.

"Sounds like a good plan," Thomagar replies in a low voice. He keeps near the front, ready to move forward to engage if the party encounters any danger. However, all that seems to be in the room are computer terminals. Leaving the rest to look through, he takes guard position at exit.

Viper follows on.

I moved us all into the new room, feel free to rearrange marching order based on character preferences. I'm also nabbing the darksight goggles unless someone else wants them.

After slipping on the darksight goggles pre-emptively in case of an ambush, Hermena looks around the flickering monitors, her forehead creased with concern. "Those screens don't look too promising. Can anyone try to get into the servers? Maybe there's some useful information that isn't corrupted by whatever's causing that error message."

Accessing the terminals you locate the following partial file.

MISSION BRIEFINGS

Mission SB-XTR6-45: Scan of sixth moon of “Planet XTR” complete. Subject has decimated 17% of moon’s surface.

Mission SB-XTR6-46: Surface expedition conducted. Environment remains stable. Subject’s aggression remains undiminished by science team’s efforts. Communication unsuccessful. Minimal casualties.

Mission SB-XTR6-47: Second contact. Subject foiled our sensors and ambushed us, inflicting heavy casualties.

Mission SB-XTR6-48: No report. Ship returned with no crew aboard. 100% casualties. Ship’s cargo hold contained relics of XTR6’s lost civilization. Further study required. Missions to XTR6 canceled until further notice.

Something catches Thomagars attention out of the corner of his eye but he can't find it. D'yliit and Rocket's paranoia also seems to intensify as something is really not right here.

Down or right next?

this 'subject' D'zyliit broadcasts, antennae quivering. Ominous. Extremely ominous. How did ship return unmanned? Possible contamination of this threat hidden aboard?

Once a strategem is chosen, changing mid-stream reduces its effectiveness. Propose continue keeping to the right as much as possible
which of course to the characters' perspective is the 'down' door

Hermena blanches a bit reading through the macabre mission briefings. "I'm liking this less and less. Anything that leaves a contact team with 100% casualties should probably be nuked from space."

Agree with Diz, down door.

Only way to be sure.

Tables and chairs form a makeshift barricade dividing the room. A food and drink dispensing station occupies the northeast corner.

This mess hall allowed staff to take breaks without leaving the facility. The floor shows signs of the furniture being dragged carelessly into its current position, but there are no signs of fighting.

Doors: left up, left down, right up (lock-down mode), right down, down down

D'zyliit cautiously makes his way past the furniture, keeping his eyes out for any signs of life - or unlife.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14

Were these an attempt at a barricade? Or moved to clear space for something else to be moved? the shirren speculates out 'loud' as he moves towards the 'left up' door.

May be a tight fit Hermena.

May be a tight fit Hermena.

Oddly it isn't. Seems like this whole base is some what accommodating to larger creatures. Ceilings are 15ft and doors are a bit wider than normal medium sized doors.

Viper slides past D'Z, "Don't want us all stuck in a bottleneck if combat breaks out"

Rocket nervously scratches the back of his neck as he keeps glancing behind him.

He follows the others and keeps his big blaster pointed in every direction he thinks he hears any noise coming from.

"Ready when you are"

The glow surrounding Thomagar starts to pulsate unrhythmically, as he glances about uneasily. He can't shake off the feeling of being spied upon no matter which way he looks, and the hair on the back of his neck starts rising, his antenna swivelling around restlessly.

He does what he can to ignore it, moving into between the doors, ready to burst through the 'up' door as soon as those more perceptive declares an all clear.

With nerves fraying in the spooky facility, Hermena does her best to approach the situation systematically. She slides as quietly as she can towards the west-most door, pressing an ear against the wall and the door itself to try to identify anything abnormal.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

"No blood, no broken furniture, no sign of a fight... so where is everybody?"

Long, cluttered workbenches take up most of this room. Every surface is covered in objects, including beakers, scales, vials, safety equipment, test tubes, funnels, ring stands, pipettes, burners, and more. Much of the room’s contents are melted or covered in scorch marks.

The Arsenal’s scientists used this lab for small experiments after thouroughly studying their subjects in the safety of the containment Blocks.

A personal datapad, barely functional, sits under a pile of charred papers.
The door to the west is sealed with the same LOCKDOWN SECURITY ENABLED seen on other security doors.

As the rest of the team moves in to examine the room, Thomagar stays outside to stand guard. He looks worryingly at the door at the other end though.

Engineering 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35

"Looks like a fire broke out. The safety systems contained the fire, but the laboratory was destroyed" Viper comments as she picks up the datapad to examine it.

"It might have just been an accident, but I remember from Steward crime scene training that arson is often used to cover things up. A fire could have been intentionally set to destroy the papers and datapad. Is the datapad still salvageable?"

Unfortunate. Extra so if it also obscures what was being experimented with here.

While the experienced officer tries to examine the datapad, D'zyliit looks around at the damaged vials, seeing if there is any evidence that survived the scorching.

Any possible check to ID any of the substances/things being worked with in this lab?

The datapad plays an audio message: “This is Doctor Fenstrix. The date is… Oh, who cares. I find myself holding my tongue around the commander more and more these days. Her decisions seem rash, even stupid. We are not playing with toys! We are researching unfathomable alien technology! We can’t just turn things on and see what happens. We are the defenders of the Pact Worlds, not the activators of things that might help but probably go boom. If this keeps up, I’m moving back to Akiton.”

The emergency lights flicker, and there is a sound of static and claws scampering across metal. As the sounds fade, there is a distant whisper, like an unpleasant thought that is trying not to be ignored.

A lot pop startles both D'yzliit and Rocket.

Thomagar feels something not right here.

Hermena and Swizzers start to see things just outside the corner of their eyes.

Viper-6 is otherwise unperturbed.

This was a multi-function lab. The idea was to able to test/experiment on any possible discovery as needed. You don't get any sense of what was done before the fire.

There is nothing else of note in this room

As Rocket jumps around to point his blaster at ....nothing he grunts through clenched teeth

"This place is realy starting to get on my nerves"

His right eye twitches as he turns around in the direction he was facing before.

"Well yeah the datapad does sort of work it seems - sounds like this wasn't the best workplace"

Viper signals to move out of the room and keep investigating.

I noted the next door viper wants to check with a 1, then 2

Hermena's training keeps her startle response to a minimum as shapes dart through her peripheral vision, but she is concerned when she sees her allies also starting to jump as shadows. "Maybe we should start closing the doors behind us. I'm worried we're not alone here, and any extra bit of warning might help."

Hermena agrees with Viper's order of interest, and tries to listen at the door before entering.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Door 1 is currently sealed due to the base lock down. As is Door 3

For Rocket and everyone, yes something is going on. However I have not revealed the mechanical effects yet. For the record everyone has some level of it right now except Viper-6. Welcome to the Haunted Base, that you learned from the Haunted Ship

Eight vertical storage lockers line the walls of this room. Decals and crude graffiti cover most of them. A memo taped to one of the lockers reads, “This place better be spotless before next inspection. Commander’s orders. FINAL NOTICE. Otherwise, ONLY flavorless tubes for one month.”

A few of the staff stored personal belongings and equipment here. Most of the lockers are empty, though one locker is still secure and contains its former owner’s equipment.

The security door on the far side sealed with LOCKDOWN SECURITY ENABLED

"Nufriends, I've got a bad feeling about this place! Let's be cautious but not dally. Can one of you pop this locker open?"

Viper looks at the lock.

Engineering 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29

In a matter of moments, the locker is open.

"Someone must have left it unlocked. Nice pistols, sweet blades."

Thomagar's breathing starts to quicken, unable to shake the feelings of unease. And looking at the rest of his team, clearly they are are sensing it to.

All except Viper.

"Viper, do you truly not feel anything strange? I believe I speak for the rest that we are sensing... something." At the end, he finds himself at a loss of words.

Viper looks at Thomagar, "I've seen radiation from Izalguun ruins twist and warp people into growing wings and becoming long-limbed hairy monkeys, I have found myself trapped on derelict spacecraft inhabited by tormented souls that hated the living and raised themselves back as undead through pure spite and hatred to murder us and condemn us to a cold eternal tomb in the depths of space, I have fought a dragon on an ice planet after it went on a murderous rampage and ordered an orbital bombardment of a corporate dinner, I have defeated jinsul attack craft and faced down the avatar of their god. A bunch of burnt tables and some creepy sounds don't seem particularly strange or unsettling anymore - I'm an android, maybe my synthetic emotions need updating" Viper shrugs.

So Doors 1, 2, and 3 are currently in Lockdown. That leaves door 4 and 5 that you can investigate

4 I suppose

Opening 4 and 4a

This room contains a single table and four chairs. A holoprojector sits at the center of the table. The projector is glitching, creating random shapes above the table. The Arsenal’s senior staff used this room for meetings.

The room beyond

In contrast to the stark metal walls of the rest of the facility, this room contains wood paneling, decorative light fixtures, and large wooden cabinets. A computer console in the southwest corner is housed in a vintage casing, but with a modern vidscreen and controls.

The computer currently displays:
“WARNING: Unstable hazard in environment chambers.
Emergency lockdown. Security doors enabled.”

On the desk is a Bombarding fusion seal. There is a locked cabinet that looks be made of wood, but is really a custom adamantine alloy. It is locked. Engineering to open

D'zyliit has been silent for a while. The whole..vibe of this place is putting him heavily on edge. Moving past the conference room into the space beyond, he tinkers with the cabinet while glancing at the display screen.

Lockdown appears surprisingly haphazard. The number of rooms, including labs, we can still access is surprising. Perhaps protocols failed.

If created by instability in environmental chambers, stabilizing those may lift obstructions to final rooms.

Engineering to unlock the cabinet: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Inside the cabinet is a battle harness with a deflective reinforcement upgrade and a corona artillery laser. It also contains a mk 2 diffraction cloak

The Doors that have been locked are more like starship airlock doors.

The normal doors are 2-inch-thick steel doors. These doors slide swiftly into the ceiling when a creature touches a hand (or appendage) to a panel on either side.

Hermena shoots Rocket a sidelong glance. "Do you want that laser, or shall I?"

She then turns her eyes to the airlocks. "I don't think we're alone, and I'm not sure we should open an airlock until we sweep the rest of the facility. Whatever's lurking just out of sight might be waiting for us to grant it access to something it can't reach on its own."

That Diffraction Cloak is awesome, someone who's worried about saving throws should take it.

Prudent. Something is here. Something stealthy, and likely very bad.

The shirren's grip on his rifle is noticeably tight. Only one room not heavily sealed. Unsure if that is promising sign of bad. Still, sweep. A Sweep is good.

Door 5?

Also, the diffraction cloak is great, but someone more likely to be a combat threat may want it. If they are spending their turn shooting at Diz...well he's not gonna be happy, but that's probably a net good thing for the party.

Similarly that D-Suit II is far better than his own armor, but if someone else wants to equip it its a solid bit of equipment

If the party is ok, Thomagar could take the diffraction cloak. His saving throws are nothing to sing about, and would often be in the frontline.

Thomagar takes a few deep breaths, trying to push aside his sense of unease. It helps that he is clearly not the only affected, and he turns to look at Viper, drawing from her some level of stability as he pushes himself into some stable meditative state with some success.

"Yes, let's push on. Time we flush out whatever is causing this." He again brings himself to the front, and waits for someone to check the door before going through.

Ok with Door 5. But have we checked Door 2?

Only 4 & 5 were available at this point

Viper moves up to check the next door (for traps) before opening it, not sharing the same sense of foreboding as her friends.

Doors 1, 2, and 3 are all sealed due to lockdown. The terminal in room 4 says there is still something preventing removal of the lockdown. All that can be explored now is 5

A massive metal hatch dominates the northwest corner of this room. Multiple computer terminals—all of them dormant or malfunctioning—crowd the rest of the room.

As you enter a large Angelic creature in high-tech Armor and feathered wings raises its rifle at you and in a quick demanding tone. “Intruders! Identify yourselves”

"You worthless creature! Here to steal more again! I will stop you this time!"

[ooc]

”Woah there, we’re not trying to steal anything.” Hermena says, glad to finally have a target in sight that’s not always darting into the shadows. ”Our organization built this facility, and the Bulwark down on the surface. We’re here to set everything back to normal and make sure the fortress’ contents don’t fall into the wrong hands.”

"Yes, as Hermena says--we are members of the Starfinder Society--the lawful owners of this facility. Identify yourself, please."

I'll take 10 on Diplomacy for an 18.

Mysticism: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Mystiscm: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

"I'm pretty sure this is my first time here..."

Aid on diplomacy: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17

"You worthless creature! Here to steal more again! I will stop you this time!"

Deeply unclear what this figure is, D'zyliit throws up his implanted hand to display the starfinder insignia.

Starfinders. Specifically exo-guardians. Are you what remains of the outpost? Contact and location was re-found only recently; Society experienced a massive disruption two years ago.

As he does this, Diz will try to take a scan with his microlab to determine what sort of being this is - result of 35 to ID the creature. If the creature seems to tense up at all at his movement towards his lab however, he'll hold off for now.

Behind him, a meek halfling looks ready to bolt the moment a shot rings out, but tries to back up the story with a bit more tact.

"I mean, you clearly look like you've gone through a lot. I imagine it must have been tough to be here all alone for so long. But we're here now, and here to help? What's your name? And what's wrong?

Hireling Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21