[SFS_Aerondor] 01-18 The Blackmoon Survey. (Outpost IV) (Inactive)

Game Master Aerondor

While the others are shouting around, Gletch runs up to get cover behind the nearest of the machines.

I am wanting to cast summon creature which is a full-round casting, so if there's any way to get a jump start on that so the summoning can activate on the first round, I'd try to do that.

@Gletch noted. We are not in combat yet, so that move is fine, and I'll assume given your size, you re concealed from the opponents.

"Stumped for words I see!" taunts Mengian. "Undead got your tongues!" he cackles.

"You aren't the only ones who have problem with the Eoxians but making an enemy of the Starfinders isn't the right path to dealing with them. You want allies and more strength? Right?" Kharos says, following the advice of his companions and walks forward with his mote floating around his head still.

Rilynn steps forward in support of Kharos. Though she lacks patience for diplomacy, she believes in the power of words, and violence can often be avoided if two sides understand each other.

"You have more allies than you realize, Mengian! Countless civilizations feel the sorrow and anger that the Sarcesians experienced at the hands of these soulless bastards. I know the corporatists on Castrovel who deal with Eox, and even they do so with distrust, knowing the duplicitous nature of the undead. And of course, the Corpse Fleet has ravaged worlds unchecked while the so-called leaders of Eox claim no responsibility for it.

"Don't let your cause end here today, either by your death or ours. Don't let the bone sages win! Come with us."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Dytabail moves closer, without a weapon drawn. She is definitely not happy with this.

"I don't need allies who side with the uncounted Hoard!" sneers Mengian. "Your starfinder army won't find me or mine anyway."

As Rilynn speaks he looks at her in degust. "I'll not turn myself over to allies of the undead. Never! Answer for keeping the Pact worlds safe? That I will do, but not to you or your organization! Wings!! Attack, and start with that undead abomination!"

Wings init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Status: Init, roll and if you beat a 4, you may act
Dytabail - 0/10SP; 12/13hp
Karos - 16/16sp; 2/4RP;
Gletch - 12/12SP; 12/14hp; 4/5rp; Your summons may appear this round.
Talltree - 6/6sp; 4/5rp;
Rilynn - 5/5sp; 9/9hp; 4/5rp;
Tarifa - 12/12sp; 12/16hp; 3/4rp; (stealth 16)
Mengian (red)
Sarcesian (yellow)
Sarcesian (blue)
Sarcesian (green)

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Tari moves forward and takes aim at the leader to distract them.

Clever Feint: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 8 + (5) = 28;
DC 10 + your opponent’s Sense Motive total skill bonus OR 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater.
Success: Enemy is flatfooted to my allies until the end of my next turn; Failure: Enemy is flatfooted to me until the end of my next turn.

Rilynn throws up her hands. She actually thought that might work.

"Eat plasma psycho--" Her words are drowned out by the explosion of magic missles from her fingertips into Mengian's stupid face.

Magic Missile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 4, 4) + 3 = 13

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Rilynn, what's your initiative?

Talltree sprints to cover behind one of the crawlers.

Double move.

Didn't GM roll for us last time? I don't recall rolling init during this adventure...

Init: 1d20 ⇒ 12

Edit: I see now, we did roll init before the previous encounter, which was all the way back on page 2! And I plain missed the status note - I had been ignoring that block of bold text since it was getting posted over and over even when nothing was happening. Put me last, if you like.

Status: Init, roll and if you beat a 4, you may act

Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 5

Kharos moves up against the red rock and forms his solar weapon, a bladed staff of umbral energy.

"Well, you had a chance. Now your mission will be carried on by those with calmer minds." he scolds.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Dytabail shrugs off the shot(s) from the snipers and runs up to the nearest digger. She starts climbing. 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Is that enough?

@Dytabail:Certainly, if you want to climb on top of a digger, that will get you there.

Dytabail dashes forward and climbs on a digger to get eye to eye with one of your foes. Kharos settles for running forward

Rilynn decides the best way to silence the man is with magic. Three motes of light streak forward and slam into Mengian with a vengeance.

Talltree runs up to get cover behind a digger, while Tari keeps Mengian off balance with her words.

Status: Init, roll and if you beat a 4, you may act
Gletch - 12/12SP; 12/14hp; 4/5rp; Your summons appears this round.
Put it on the map.
Talltree - 6/6sp; 4/5rp;
Tarifa - 12/12sp; 12/16hp; 3/4rp; (stealth 16)
Mengian (red) 13 damage; FF vs everyone
Sarcesian (yellow)
Sarcesian (blue)
Sarcesian (green)
Dytabail - 0/10SP; 12/13hp
Karos - 16/16sp; 2/4RP;
Rilynn - 5/5sp; 9/9hp; 4/5rp;

As Gletch concentrates, muttering to himself something about "cognitive matrices" and "trans-planar neural interfaces", his prosthetic leg glows along the etched sigils built into the design.

Near the yellow Sarcesian, a tiny spiral of dust forms. The spiral then immediately expands out into a large whirlwind, zipping through the three Sarcesians.

Each of the 3 minions must make a DC 10 Fortitude save or take damage listed below. Since they are so large, they don't get picked up by the whirlwind. Airborne creatures do have -1 attack/damage against the air elemental. Its stats are in my profile, under a spoiler

Whirlwind damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

While the first one attacks, Gletch continues generating more artificial intelligence constructs that draw cohesion from the Plane of Air.

fort: 3d20 ⇒ (2, 18, 4) = 24
Two of the Sarcesians look a little battered by the debris churned up by the whirlwind.

Scowling, Mengian orders one of his followers to finish off the whirlwind and points a second at Gletch.
If you can see the spot where the whirlwind goes, he can definitely see you.

The blue Sarcesian slashes at the whirlwind
attac vs EAC: 1d20 ⇒ 19
F damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Causing it to disipate.

The one in yellow fires a pistol, left handed, at Gletch.
attack vs EAC: 1d20 ⇒ 6
But misses.

The final one strikes out at Dytabail
attack vs EAC: 1d20 ⇒ 12
F damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Status: Starfinders are up.
Dytabail - 1/10SP; 12/13hp; 3/4rp;
Karos - 16/16sp; 2/4RP;
Rilynn - 5/5sp; 9/9hp; 4/5rp;
Gletch - 12/12SP; 12/14hp; 4/5rp;
Talltree - 6/6sp; 4/5rp;
Tarifa - 12/12sp; 12/16hp; 3/4rp;
Mengian (red) 13 damage; FF vs everyone
Sarcesian (yellow) 2 damage
Sarcesian (blue)
Sarcesian (green) 2 damage

Talltree peeps around the crawler and casts a spell matching Rilynn's that takes up all of their time for the round. Three more darts of force streak from their claw at the sarcesian leader.

Casting magic missile, full round for three (not terribly effective) missiles.

Magic missile damage: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 2, 1) + 3 = 7

Tari runs towards Dytabail, taking a shot at Mengian as she darts out.

Tactical Semi-Automatic Pistol: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22; potential magical piercing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Talltree and Tarifa wound Mengian some more, he is starting to look considerably worse for wear.

Status: Starfinders are up.
Dytabail - 1/10SP; 12/13hp; 3/4rp;
Karos - 16/16sp; 2/4RP;
Rilynn - 5/5sp; 9/9hp; 4/5rp;
Gletch - 12/12SP; 12/14hp; 4/5rp;
Mengian (red) 21 damage;
Sarcesian (yellow) 2 damage
Sarcesian (blue)
Sarcesian (green) 2 damage
Talltree - 6/6sp; 4/5rp;
Tarifa - 12/12sp; 12/16hp; 3/4rp;

Rilynn winds up again, blasting away at Mengian with another trio of magic missiles.

"This one's for the Starfinders you murdered!"

Magic Missile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 2, 2) + 3 = 11

Under a massed magic assault Mengian falls, his allies letting out an audible gasp as he does so.

Status: Starfinders are up.
Dytabail - 1/10SP; 12/13hp; 3/4rp;
Karos - 16/16sp; 2/4RP;
Gletch - 12/12SP; 12/14hp; 4/5rp;
Sarcesian (yellow) 2 damage
Sarcesian (blue)
Sarcesian (green) 2 damage
Talltree - 6/6sp; 4/5rp;
Tarifa - 12/12sp; 12/16hp; 3/4rp;
Rilynn - 5/5sp; 9/9hp; 4/5rp;

(Did Dytabail get an attack of opportunity from getting shot from melee?)

Dytabail grins."Heh. Some 'valor' you ******s have when your target can fight back."

She swings a glowing fist at the Wing next to her. 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"Well, saved me from having to climb this thing again." Kharos smiles as he runs around the rock then bursts into a sprint as his body is encased in photonic energy.

Photon Attunement: 2
Move & Stellar Rush.
Solar Weapon: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Damage (S): 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Dtabail didn't get shot from melee. They are using big flaming Doshkos. And have reach.

Dtabail swings and misses. Do you have improve unarmed or some similar feat that lets your fists threaten?

Kharos charges forward and also misses his opponent.

Status: Starfinders are up.
Gletch - 12/12SP; 12/14hp; 4/5rp;
Sarcesian (yellow) 2 damage
Sarcesian (blue)
Sarcesian (green) 2 damage
Talltree - 6/6sp; 4/5rp;
Tarifa - 12/12sp; 12/16hp; 3/4rp;
Rilynn - 5/5sp; 9/9hp; 4/5rp;
Dytabail - 1/10SP; 12/13hp; 3/4rp;
Karos - 16/16sp; 2/4RP;

Vanguards have entropic strike: "Your entropic strike is a magical one-handed advanced melee weapon with the operative weapon special property that targets EAC (even when dealing bludgeoning damage)."

Sounds good. Just waiting for Gletch. I'm guessing he is summoning another elemental to repeat the same tactic, but will give him until this evening to confirm or deny that

Yes, that is the tactic.

The second air elemental manifests near yellow, forming into a whirlwind and whipping past the three enemies again.

Fort save DC 10 or damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Perhaps Gletch's power has dissipated a bit by two castings so close together, because this second whirlwind is barely a stiff breeze.

Since the Sarcasians are airborne creatures, they would take a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls ... so is possibly the first air elemental still present this round?

Seeing the leader fall, Gletch yells out, "Surrender now!" He runs from cover, pulling his static arc pistol and firing at the yellow Sarcasian.

Arc Pistol attack vs. Yellow's EAC: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Arc Pistol damage(electricity, nonlethal): 1d6 ⇒ 3

None of the Sarcasian's are currently airborne, though the wings do look impressive. It's unclear if they would be strong enough for actual flight though.

fort: 3d20 ⇒ (17, 10, 2) = 29Last fails

The sarcesian in a yellow suit swings at Kharos, but is obviously upset by the fall of Mengian, and misses badly.
attack: 1d20 ⇒ 2

The one in green swings its flaming weapon at Dytabail, drawing blood.
attack: 1d20 ⇒ 18
F damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Lastly the one in blue knocks off the second irritating elemental.
attack: 1d20 ⇒ 12
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Status: Starfinders are up.
Talltree - 6/6sp; 4/5rp;
Tarifa - 12/12sp; 12/16hp; 3/4rp;
Rilynn - 5/5sp; 9/9hp; 4/5rp;
Dytabail - 0/10SP; 5/13hp; 3/4rp;
Karos - 16/16sp; 2/4RP;
Gletch - 12/12SP; 12/14hp; 4/5rp;
Sarcesian (yellow) 5 damage
Sarcesian (blue)
Sarcesian (green) 4 damage

Tari fires a shot off at yellow, trying to aid Dytabail in attacking them, then darts forward flattening herself against the closest digger. "I was told this was going to be hard. Not such a threat without your boss, are you?" she taunts.

Clever Feint: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 8 + (5) = 28;
DC 10 + your opponent’s Sense Motive total skill bonus OR 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater.
Success: Enemy is flatfooted to my allies until the end of my next turn; Failure: Enemy is flatfooted to me until the end of my next turn.

Rilynn draws her pistol while she advances, then squeezes off a shot at the Sarcesian pestering Kharos.

Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 9
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Talltree draws a pistol and starts to advance.

The joy of +0 BAB...can't draw a weapon as part of a move action.

Gletch advances and fires at yellow again.

Static arc pistol attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Static arc pistol damage(electricity, nonlethal): 1d6 ⇒ 5

I just realized I swapped Yellow and Green in my head. Tari is firing at Green, not Yellow. Sorry, I can't go back and fix my post.

Dytabail keeps swinging at the one in front of her.
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Photon Attunement: 3
Supernova Zenith.
Unattuned.

As Kharos feels his energy swell to a climax, he unleashes a torrent of energy consuming the area around him. Photonic wisps swirl around and claw at the Sarcesian.

Fire Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 2) = 9 DC 13 Reflex to Halve damage.

"Dying is not a choice when I still have work to do." he says while shifting sideways during the explosion.

Tarifa taunts the sarcesian in green, who is really mad.

Rilynn shoots... and misses. Talltree pulls out a gun and dashes forward. Gletch wings the one in yellow, in its wing. It's not happy either.

Dytabail strikes out at the creature in green, hitting the taunted figure.
Dytabail, can you roll your damage. Or update your stat block so if you hit, I can calculate your damage for you?

Kharos explodes into action.
reflex: 1d20 ⇒ 11

Status: bold may post
Sarcesian (yellow) 14 damage
Sarcesian (blue)
Sarcesian (green) 4 damage; flat footed vs everyone.
Dytabail - 0/10SP; 5/13hp; 3/4rp; - Damage roll required
Rilynn - 5/5sp; 9/9hp; 4/5rp;
Talltree - 6/6sp; 4/5rp;
Tarifa - 12/12sp; 12/16hp; 3/4rp;
Karos - 16/16sp; 2/4RP;
Gletch - 12/12SP; 12/14hp; 4/5rp;

(Sorry, I really didn't expect a 12 to connect)
1d3 + 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + (4, 1) + 3 = 10

No worries, we are playing tier-1!

"Mengian's down, no point in us dying too" says the sarcesian in yellow, backing away from Kharos.

"Too right!" agrees the one in green, pulling back from Dytabail.

The one in blue eyes up his retreating companions and the body of his leader. He moves to cover the other two.

"We've got no stick with you!" he says, keeping his weapon at the ready.

"You let us go, and we can keep it that way."

He looks ready to attack anyone who closes with him.

Status: bold may post
Dytabail - 0/10SP; 5/13hp; 3/4rp; -
Rilynn - 5/5sp; 9/9hp; 4/5rp;
Talltree - 6/6sp; 4/5rp;
Tarifa - 12/12sp; 12/16hp; 3/4rp;
Karos - 16/16sp; 2/4RP;
Gletch - 12/12SP; 12/14hp; 4/5rp;
Sarcesian (yellow) 14 damage
Sarcesian (blue) -readied action.
Sarcesian (green) 14 damage; flat footed vs everyone

Flat footed for the win!

Tari holds her fire for the moment. "We aren't the ones who started this fight. I get that you aren't happy with the way things are, but this is not the way to fix it. Our fellow agents were gunned down and you think you deserve to go free? I don't think so."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

The Diplomacy is not strong with this one.

The shirren wordlessly points their weapon at the ground.

Gletch, hidden largely behind the rock he's using for cover, begins another summoning of an air elemental.

"That's not how this works. You killed the living without cause. You killed Starfinders on a diplomatic mission, and you attacked us with intent to kill. You will surrender yourselves to us and be subject to due process. Your only alternative is to die here and now, and then everything you stand for will be forgotten. The Sarcesians will be known as terrorists and nothing more, and the Eoxians will win the day because of your hubris.

"You heard my words earlier. If you want to tell your story, then come with us and stand trial."

The two wounded ones start to slowly climb the cliff behind them.

"In what court? That of the undead? We don't recognize the legitimacy of their genocidal regime." continues the other, still backing up as he keeps his weapon trained on you all.

They're not willing to listen, says Rilynn telepathically to the rest of the team. I think that makes us judge, jury, and executioners.

Maybe remind 'em we were going back to Absalom Station? Dytabail offers. Or just tell 'em that if they don't surrender, we'll let the Eoxians have their corpses. Let the undead decide how long these guys stay dead.

"We could bring you back to Absalom Station, if you surrender right now. Or we will be forced to leave your bodies here for the Eoxians. It's your choice." She pauses for a moment. "And if you don't stop moving, we will take that as your answer and deal with you accordingly."

Intimidate: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

The two wounded continue to climb. The unwounded one offers. "I will speak on behalf of all of us. The other two you must let go. You already have the body of Mengian, though your threat to hand over our bodies shows what little regard I should have for all of you."

Dytabail looks at the others. She's can't really pursue the others, between the shape she is in and the fact that she can't climb well. This is somebody else's call.