GM Jhaeman's "Skitter Home" (Inactive)

Game Master Jhaeman

The seaside city of Morandomandrana--the oldest skittermander settlement on Vesk-3--is an architectural wonder, made even more stunning by the thousands of colourful decorations hanging from every building and streetlight

Built around a series of wide canals that allow the pink waters of the Vermilion Sea to surge and wane between the buildings with the tides, the city many outsiders simply call Mandrana also boasts expansive plazas surrounded by skittermander-owned and –operated business advertising special sales for the festival of Reetamander, which celebrates an eclipse of the planet’s two moons.

The streets and plazas are packed with residents and visitors--mostly skittermanders, with a few members of other species of the Veskarium standing head and shoulders over the rest--all excitedly chattering and laughing.

The revelry of Reetamander is already underway, though the eclipse that is the focus of the celebration is still a few hours away.

You’ve come for the festival as either employees of Nakonechkin Salvage or members of the Starfinder Society who are friends of their's, and you find yourselves in the Central Common, the largest of Morandomandrana’s open-air plazas, just after dusk.

The place is packed with festival-goers and stalls presenting all manner of goods, games, and contests, and it’s a riotous, raucous affair lit by hundreds of small, electric lanterns strung up between poles. Soon, it will be time for the Great Birthing!

A hot-pink furred Skittermander with a topnot steps off the transport. She is wearing a special limited "Strawberry Machine Cake" edition version of heavy armor, complete with integrated louspeakers that are playing "Star Sugar Heart Love" at a reasonably quiet volume (so as not to be obnoxious to other festival attendees.) She is also armed with a ember flame Doshko (deactivated and stored), a Talon blade (also deactivated and at her hip) and a singing disk (at her other hip.)

"Ah! I've been away so long! I mean, I really relish my work with Strawberry Machine cake, but who can say no to THIS?!" she muses to herself.

Through the crowd walks a green colored fur Skittermander. His hair and heard are nicely trimmed as he would leave a barber just a few moments ago. He walks through the crowd, smiles, hugs, and greets various skitters. Suddenly he begins to dance sub continuously bounding as he walks, side stepping and even making a turn

"Is it Strawberry Machine Cake?" wonders as he looks for a source of that sound

When he spots Stra-der with her speakers he moves in a few quick strides taking a pose 2 meters away

"I know only one nufriend who has integrated speakers and plays Strawberry Machine Cake... " says with a serious tone

"Well actually two. One is Ziggy, but you are lacking antennas, so you must be Stra-Der!" he quickly walks closer and hugs the Skitter

"It is great to see you. When I woke up in the morning I thought to myself: Gazigaz prepare for a great Reetamander!"

Quonx wanders in, tufts of blue fur sticking out from her armor around her various wrists. She stops to fuss with her quantum spanner and smacks it twice, causing it to whirl slightly. She spins excitedly and points it up, down, left, right, over a shoulder, until it stops.

She looks up to where its pointing, and seeing Gazigaz talking to a pink mander, runs to greet them.

"Good Reeta-noon, friends! Excited for the festival?! Its all just so...amazing, gree?!"

”Yeah, I was just saying how I haven’t been home in a while, feels good!” Stra-der answers Quonx. She then turns to Gazigaz. ”Oh, haven’t you seen the promotional skittermanders? We tour with Strawberry Machine Cake, just run around and make nufriends at the concerts. It’s VERY fun. For some reason they only want those with pink fur though. Which is odd, they could have so many more nufriends if they didn’t have that silly rule. But whatever, I have fun.”

A purple furred skittermander meanders over using his staff as a walking stick. "Ah yes I remember the excitment of coming the the big city for Reetamander when I was just the tiniest welp. So many new friends, so many games, so much...food. I look forward to viewing the eclipse."

Great start to the RP, everyone. I'll give you a little more time and then get the drama started tomorrow.

"Only with Pink fur! That is horrible. They probably don't follow the latest skitter act that guarantees every skitter regardless of the color of their fur access to fun activities..." responds to Stra-der.

Gazigaz turns around, his famous cloak floats on the wind and his silver armbands reflects the lights as he grins widely

"Quonx! Dakoyo! How good it is to mee you here nufriends! We should grab something to eat and drink rather than just stand here with all our six hands empty."

Catching up with old friends is a blast, and this festival looks like the perfect place to have some fun. Until the big event starts, stalls offer all sorts of games--"Concerchitecture" which has teams competing to build the tallest tower from oddly-shaped objects, "Jojokolea Burns!" which is an individual contest to eat as many spicy peppers as possible, and simpler games like throwing balls to knock down small canisters or piloting a drone through colorful rings. Some of the games offer pretty cool prizes to the winner!

Gazigaz makes his way towards the station for piloting the drone

"I tried it the last time, and it was fur blowing! I need to do this again!" says making his way through the crowd.

Dokoyo follows after Gazigaz."Drone racing sounds much safer then real racing, plus everyone can try!"

"Drone racing! I almost made one once...then it kind of blew up after I hit it with my quantum spanner for some reason..." internal replay of drone building montage ending in explosion

"...Maybe I'll just help you win instead! Ooh, prizes!" Quonx is immediately distracted from the conversation as they pass the booths pointing to each prize with as many arms as she can.

"Oh, I'm not one for racing drones. Though I am a bit hungry. I might even try eating those spicy peppers. After all, they still count as food, right?"

Gazigaz, Dakoyo, and Qunox make their way to the drone-racing booth. There, a skittermander strides back and forth on top of a bench, holding (and using) a remote control in each hand to fly six small drones simultaneously! He makes it look easy, and you know you only need to fly one at a time. How hard could it be? "Come one, come all! Fly the rocket through the rings, win a prize! Just 1 credit to play!"

If you want to try this game, you'll need to attempt a Pilot (or Dexterity) check.

Meanwhile, Stra-Der heads over to a nearby stall. There, a stout-looking vesk introduces herself as Yoloveda. "Do you have the intestinal fortitude to win 'Jojokolea Burns?" she calls out. "Eat eight, win something great! Just two credits to enter. No cry babies!"

If you want to try this game, after eating a jojokolea, you must make a DC 5 Fort save; the DC increases by 1 for each new pepper eaten. If you manage to eat 8 peppers you win the game, but if you fail any save you begin retching and can’t eat any more peppers that day.

Gazigaz looks at the skitter and says puts his four hands at his hips

"I would like to try it, my good skitter." says Gazigaz trying to play it cool. In his head, he is constantly repeating himself

"Just don't mess it up!"

He grants the remote control in two hands pushing the cape backward to not get in a way. With his tongue stick out he attempts to fly the rocket through the rings...

Piloting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

"Stellar flight Gazigaz! I will take next game if you do not mind."
Dakoyo takes one of the controller and tries to fly the tiny ship.
piloting: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
"Oh my, you make it look so easy. Ah well maybe I should stick to stargazing and snacks."
Dakoyo gestures widely with one set of arms and pats his stomach and waits for the game to finish.

"Alright, allsix droney!" Quonx picks up the controls with two hands, mocks an airplane with two more, and keeps the remaining two clasped in concentration Dex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15 zoooooom noises from Quonx

Before Stra-Der begins the challenge she helpfully offers some free advice on how to better market the Jojokolea Burns stall. After all, helping is what the festival is all about!

Profession-Corperate agent: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Thinking that she has done a satisfactory job, she gladly accepts the challenge!

Fort save 1: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Fort save 2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Fort save 3: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Fort save 4: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Fort save 5: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Fort save 6: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Fort save 7: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Fort save 8: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

I think that passes? Fort save 7 was close.

Wow! A nearby crowd forms to watch Gazigaz fly the little rocket through the rings, and they "ooh" and "aah" with every cool new maneuver! Even the stall-keeper looks shocked, and perhaps a little embarrassed by the paltry prizes he normally has available to hand out (especially with so many people watching). He thinks quickly though. "Keep the drone and remote control, nufriend! You earned it! See how easy it is everyone? Anyone can be a rocket master with just a flick of the wrist!" The crowd surges forward to try, and the stall-keeper surely makes far more from their credits than the toy drone he just gave away is worth. But most of the crowd, including Dakoyo and Quonx, find that flying the things are a *lot* harder than they look.

Meanwhile, the vesk Yoloveda looks impressed and gives a grunt of approval as Stra-Der swallows jojokolea after jojokolea! "Not bad, little one, not bad at all. Here you go." The vesk hands over a clearly-labelled mk 2 serum of healing.

Yes, that was close--you made save # 7 *exactly*.

Everyone: There's time for maybe one more game, or you can join the crowd that is starting to settle in for the big eclipse.

"Ooh, ooh, lets go stack things! I think we can do it together! Teamwork!" bouncing back and forth, Quonx waves at her friends with an assortment of arms before bounding over to the other booth.

"Ooh, ooh, lets go stack things! I think we can do it together! Teamwork!" bouncing back and forth, Quonx waves at her friends with an assortment of arms before bounding over to the other booth.

Stra-Der comes back to the others, rubbing her tummy. "Oooh, maybe eating 8 spicy peppers all at once wasn't a good idea. Oooh, I'm gonna feel that in the-did you say you need help building a tower? I'm not real good at building things, but I can help however I can!" at the sound of someone wanting help Stra-Der seems to forget all about her tummyache.

Gazigaz smiles broadly when he is called a winner and looks at the drone with joy.

"Building something together sounds great. Let us all'six this!" says almost bouncing up and down

A lavender-furred skittermander wearing a rainbow-colored top-hat with a spinning disk on the front is calling out like a carnival barker as you approach Concertitecture. "Name's Honx, and that's no hoax! Can I coax you folks to stack my stock as tall as a wall?"

A veritable cornucopia of oddly-shaped objects are on the ground before you: glass sculptures, enercycle engines, khefak carapaces, and everything in between!

In this game, you work as a team to build a structure as tall as possible from a random assortment of objects of various shapes and materials. You can each make one skill check per round for six rounds (or you can use Aid Another as one of your checks in a round). Here are the types of checks available:

* Acrobatics to keep a precariously balanced piece in place
* Athletics check to lift a heavy object and move it into place
* Engineering check to ensure the subject’s stability
* Physical Science check to quickly analyse the material of an object and determine if it will bear weight

You can make the same checks every round or switch. Victory is measured by how many of the group's 24 skill checks are "successes" (the successes don't have to be from different types of skill checks).

Damn I was hoping for the ability to roll some social skill to inspire :D Ok.

Gazigaz looks at the elements and is not certain how to make it work.

"Quonx, I am a bit lost in here, any idea how to start?"

At first discouraged Gazigaz tries to lend a helping hand, or six to aid another in their tasks.

Acrobatics, aid another: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Acrobatics, aid another: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Acrobatics, aid another: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Acrobatics, aid another: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Acrobatics, aid another: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Acrobatics, aid another: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Yet some of his hands are better at the tasks than the others...

Gazigaz has neither of the listed skills :D

"Well ok let me just lean this over here while you get things in place"
[ooc]DEfinately not Dakoyo's wheel house dex checks it is![/b]
untrained acrobatics to aid another 1: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
untrained acrobatics to aid another 2: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
untrained acrobatics to aid another 3 : 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
untrained acrobatics to aid another 4: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
untrained acrobatics to aid another 5 : 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
untrained acrobatics to aid another 6: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

"Oh oh oh! There, there annnnnnnnd there!" Quonx darts around the pile of objects pointing out the best used for their structural strength.

Engineering: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15
Engineering: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22
Engineering: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16
Engineering: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20
Engineering: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34
Engineering: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32

Going with Quonx's best skill, hopefully...

Before starting Stra-Der will take off her big, bulky armor and carefully set it aside. Undeneath she wears a Star Sugar heart Love T-Shirt and some sweatpants. Then she does some stretches.

"That's better! That armor is great for protecting you . . . . and playing music, but it's REALLY bulky."

I could switch out for acrobatics if the athletics checks get progressively harder, but my acrobatics skill is only +6

Athletics 1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Athletics 2: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Athletics 3: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Athletics 4: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Athletics 5: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Athletics 6: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Oh no! Who's idea was it to balance the horned helmet upside-down on the inflatable cushion?!? The whole tower topples down, well short of the mark. "Thanks for the pranks!" says Honx. "Fine fun for a first foray."

Sorry guys, the DCs were pretty high and you didn't make enough Successes.

Not surprising considering I only made one roll above a 10 on the d20

The other attendees at the festival tart chattering excitedly: the eclipse has begun! Skittermanders around Central Common pick up various musical instruments and commence playing upbeat melodies, many of them singing lyrics they’ve concocted on the spot. Meanwhile, most everyone looks up at the lunar phenomenon and marvels as Firstborn slowly disappears behind the Big Mother.

The crowd lets out a massive cheer, but the cheering suddenly turns to startled screams of sheer panic as havoc breaks out all over the plaza! Strings of lights and colourful pennants snake down to grab and squeeze members of the crowd, leading to shouts and screams!

Near you, a strand of lights wraps itself around an aquamarine-furred skittermander, and the shock and fear is clearly visible on her face. Two other strands wrap tightly around Dakoyo and Gazigaz!

Initiative (Round 1)

Strands
Gazigaz*
Quonx
Dakoyo*
Stra-Der

Bold should go!

*Grappled--see condition below. You can try to escape the grapple with an Acrobatics check or by grappling the strand in turn. Others can try to free a grappled PC by making an Athletics check.

This is a little bit like a hazard mixed with a combat encounter, and we don't need a grid. Because the strands automatically go first in combat, I won't actually roll for Initiative. The three strands can be targeted with attacks to destroy them (please specify which strand--the one on the spectator or one of the two on your allies). Those of who Trained in Engineering or Mysticism can tell they must be animated with nanites, and by making a successful check as a standard action you might be able to temporarily disrupt the nanites in a single strand for a round, making a strand flat-footed.

"Hold on friends! Help is coming!"

Engineering on strands (Gazigaz): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

Gazigaz yells when he is grabbed by the odd thing and reaches for his baton and begins to smack the arm that holds him

"Let me go! The fact that you love my cape is not a reason to grab me!"

Baton vs KAC, grappled: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 - 2 = 20
Damage, bludgeoning: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Reach out for Baton and smack it with it

"It is the dazzling light of the stars I wish to be ensnared by not these blink-blinkies! Away! Shoo!
mysticism: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25

Quonx can't quite figure out how to slow the nanites, but an invocation by Dakoyo seems to work better. Gazigaz bashes the strand wrapped around him, and seems to weaken it somewhat, but it still maintains its grip.

Quonx's engineering check failed. Gazigaz's attack hit and did damage, but you think cutting or chopping the strand would be even better. The strand wrapping around Dakoyo is now flat-footed until the beginning of Dakoyo's next turn, which lowers its AC by 2.

Stra-Der is up.

Stra-der will draw and activate her Ember Flame Doshko as she rushes up to sever the line of the NPC

Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
damage: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Stra-Der's flaming doshko cuts right through the strand, severing into two pieces that lay on the ground, completely inert. "Thank you thank you thank you!" shouts the rescued civilian.

The strands around Dakoyo and Gazigaz constrict tighter and tighter! Gazigaz manages to slip free, but Dakoyo is feeling the pain!

Dakoyo, you take 7 B and are still grappled. Gazigaz, you are no longer grappled.

Initiative (Round 2)

Strands
Gazigaz
Quonx
Dakoyo* (21/28 SP, 26/26 HP, 7/7 RP)
Stra-Der

Bold should go!

* Grappled

The strand that isn't grappling anyone is still a threat, and can be targeted.

Quonx makes a grumpy faces after having not been able to engineer Dakoyo out on her last attempt, levels her laser rifle, and fires at the strand holding Dakoyo.

Az. Laser Rifle v EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Dmg(F): 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Gazigaz shakes his clothes and points at the strand holding Dakoyo

"Shoot that thing! Set Dakoyo free!" Get'em on that strand

"Dakoyo, hold on! It is only a scratch!"

Inspireing boost to restore 11 SP to Dakoyo

Now looking decidedly un-skitterlike as Stra-Der spins her Doshko around and charges Dakoyo, ready to cut her strand.

"Don't worry, I'll help." she says in a cold menacing way as her eyes are leveled on the strand.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
damage if hit: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

"Hey Light strands, leave use all alone!"
mysticism: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23

Quonx's laser blast partially melts the animated strand wrapped around Dakoyo, but the writhing thing moves too quickly for Stra-Der to get a bead on it. Drawing on his mystic powers, Dakoyo gets it to slow down slightly.

Quonx hit. Stra-Der missed. The strand around Dakoyo is now flat-footed for one round.

Although partially-melted, the strand around Dakoyo continues to try to squeeze the life out of him! Another turns its attention to Stra-Der!

Dakoyo, you take 7 B (essentially, back where you were before the inspiring boost). Stra-Der, you are now grappled. Both strands have been damaged some.

Initiative (Round 3)

Strands
Gazigaz
Quonx
Dakoyo* (21/28 SP, 26/26 HP, 7/7 RP)
Stra-Der*

Bold should go!

* Grappled

Full attack
Attack 1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Damage if hit: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Attack 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage if hit: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

Quonx takes the time to dial in her exo-cortex and fires two shots at the strand holding Dakoyo

Full Attack 1 v EAC: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 4 = 6
Dmg(F): 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Full Attack 2 v EAC: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 6 - 4 = 17
Dmg(F): 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

"Get that one! Get that one" yells Gazigaz jumping up and down as he smacks the thing with his batton

Attack@the one holding Dakoyo vs KAC, get'em: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 1 = 15 I think it is flat footed
Damage, bludgeoning: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Stra-Der cuts himself free, and Quonx burns the last remaining animated strand into ash.

The aquamarine-furred skittermander you rescued gives you each a hug and a kiss on the cheek before rushing off to safety. But there's no time to celebrate, as more shouts for help are coming from nearby! A pahtra runs right towards you and points behind him. "A suit of armor just came to life and is about to kill someone!"