[SFS/Shifty/OP4] #3-17: Clone Batch Catastrophe (A) (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

You rouse the Joro, "You're a murderer!" the Joro screams - other Joros are watching the scene in the trashed sports bar. A few Joros come in and start tending to the other fallen Joros, people appear to be ringing emergency services.

Tariana looks at the body on the ground and says "Well, I think we have overstayed our welcome. Let's go before they think the other non-joros are involved." She sheathes her sword and heads out of the building.

Wisely exiting the place before too much more can happen, you make your way to the OurJoros hospital.

Fluorescent overhead lights keep this sterile building brightly illuminated, and cartoonish images of Joros sporting bandages with smiling faces decorate the pale blue walls. Vidscreens suspended from the ceiling corners relay hospital information, while the main screen shows a whizdisk analysis discussion by three Joros wearing pastel blazers. Several patient cells appear empty, while others maintain their privacy via purple holographic curtains.

Different permutations of Nurse Joro and Doctor Joro work on staff, and they seem to be doing their best to fill the hospital with positive vibes by decorating the facility with custom stickers, and referring to maladies by goofy names (concussions are “thinky-thunkys,” finger lacerations are “handy-bandys,” and nausea is “crummytummy”).

About a dozen other Joro patients appear to be waiting of or receiving treatment for minor injuries from accidents at home, attended by a comparable number of Joro hospital staff and a small handful of robotic Whizdisk team mascots that wander the waiting room.

Skorpahlich approaches one of the lookalike hospital staff. He does his best to appear friendly, though he's not really feeling it, and his deathly pale appearance and numerous teeth sometimes come across wrong.

"Excuse me," he begins politely. "We are looking for one of the other divergent clones, like us," he indicates the team with a wave of his clawed hand.

"A draelik named Centek. We heard he'd been gravely injured, and we really wish to check on him."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Yes ... we are concerned for our .. erm ... divergent fellow clone's welfare.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

"Of course, right this way" - a nurseJoro leads the group to an open public ward with loads of other Joros around visiting..other joros. You see a sleeping draelik laying in one of the beds covered in bandages and on a drip.

Medicine check

Seggas perks up some in he hospital, grabbing for a white doctor's coat from her bag as she watches the place with interest. She pauses for a moment as she takes in the newest 'deviant' wondering what medical procedures they could be undergoing. Medicine: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

"This is Centek' the nurse indicated to the draelik. Seggas can see the drealik appears to have been badly beaten but is now stable. They are also firmly unconscious.

If this was .... anywhere else ...... I'd try to find out who beat him up by probing his mind Celly said quietly once the nurse had left. But .... in this case ... I think we may be dealing with Joros who believe in racial purity. At least that's my working theory. Still like to know who ordered our .... erm .... arrest? Maybe we should go to their local .... erm .... security office next.

She is also curious if there are distinctive male and female Joros ... or do they look rather anhydrous.

"Celly, you have some medical training, too, yes? What do you think of Centek's condition?" Skorpahlich prompts his friend. He remembers when she'd demonstrated her training in their last mission together. He'd been impressed by how knowledgeable and gentle she was. Unlike the "doctors" he'd been raised by. But that goes without saying when the doctors are Eoxian scientists.

I don't know this, but I feel like GM didn't really give us much. Maybe Seggas didn't hit the DC. But Skorp and Tariana aren't trained, so we can't even Aid. Celly?

I'm more of a psychologist but I do hold a first aid certificate Celly replies.

medicine: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

But it's definitely blunt force trauma. Probably a lot of internal injuries as well. Certainly was given a good workover.

The Joros seem to consist of non-binary clones, you haven't really seen an exception to this

You were right that not much was given away, didn't his the DC :)

Celly starts examining Centek and her medical training shines through, she checks the patient's medical charts at the end of the bed and immediately spots that the painkiller drip is too potent. A quick double-check with the nurse gets several replies that concern Celly - although sincere in their desire to practice medicine, the Joros seem woefully unequipped to treat any non-human patient.

Celly reduces the drip to an appropriate amount, allowing Centek to regain
consciousness. The draelik blinks awake about twenty minutes later.

"You don't look like the other Joros" he jests weakly.

Neither do you Celly replies with a smile while pulling up a chair and sitting near the end of the bed. My name is Celestia Sol, but you may call me Celly. She then proceeds to introduce the others. This is Doctor Seggas, Skorpahlich, and Tariana

So, if you feel up to it, could you please recount the events that led you ending up here?

Seggas gets just a little miffed by being called 'Doctor Seggas' she steps forward and adds, "Call me Dr. Yakan, please. Or Mistress Seggas if you're feeling a bit forward. And we certainly aren't like other Joros. Now why are you so battered and bruised?" She pauses for a moment and flashes an official looking document at the nurse. "Would you mind if we had a moment alone with the patient? We need some privacy here, if you don't mind."

Sorry Doctor Yakan. Forgot about that. Celly replied a bit sheepishly.

"Certainly" the nurseJoro gives you your space.

"I was ambushed by a gang of armored Joros who hit me with saps; I played at falling unconscious until the attackers tried to pick me up, then lashed out and escaped into a crowd of passersby. Luckily the passersby brought me here as I was really badly hurt"

You notice a crowd wandering in with a couple of the robot mascots, something seems wrong though and your gut feelings are all that something is about to go down... are those gun ports opening on the mascots!?

The joros seem to have no idea and are taking photos.

The big joros 'groups' are just difficult terrain, and attacking from within a crowd is 'off-target'

R1
Seggas
Celly
Tariana
Skorp
ENEMY

So we are still in the open ward of the hospital and some robots come in, surrounded by some Joros?

@Seggas: My apologies. I think I accidently started calling her Dr. Seggas during the intro's as Skorp stumbled between wanting to be formal and call her "Doctor" but also be familiar and call her "Seggas." Then I just conflated them into Dr. Seggas without actually looking at how her name should have been said. Sorry.

Skorpahlich realizes that he's been guilty of mis-naming the good Doctor since early on. He resolves to correct it, but his arrogance prevents him from apologizing to her right now.

Instead he compliments her on how well she got rid of the pesky (and incompetent) nurse, then also compliments Centek on his fast thinking escape.

Diplomacy: Centek: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

When he notices the robots' gun ports(!!!) opening, he realizes something is very wrong. Mindful not to hurt the Fan-boy-joros, he steps away from the closest knot of them and flips thru the local realities again. Finding one with another nice electrical storm, he opens a little portal to it right next to the Red mascot just as an discharge goes off.

"These robots shouldn't be arming weapons. In a hospital. In a crowd. Though I don't suppose we need to be nice to them this time," he growls.

Hazard, Elect, Reflex 13: 1d3 ⇒ 2

Yes you are in an open hospital ward, robot mascots for the Thumbs Up have come in, surrounded by bystander Joros, it appears the mascots are armed, it appears the joros have no idea what is going down and think these are some sort of publicity event

There is a flash of light as the red painted mascot is hit by the electrical hazard - the joros comment about the cool special effects!

Ref 1d20 ⇒ 13 - it shakes off the damage though

R1
Seggas
Celly
Tariana
Skorp - acted
ENEMY

R
O

Tariana moves closer to Orange.
Double Move

Seggas moves into the crowds around the room with a small smile on her face. If whoever was controlling those robots wanted to get aggressive then she was going to make sure that the crowds here sided against them.

She reaches to pull out a camera herself before she gives a gasp and points at the closer robot. "OH my whizdisk! IT HAS A GUN! It's going to kill us all."

Dangit why couldn't this be Vyviane? Bluff (deceitful): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

She then glances back at Celly and the rest of the group, hoping they won't fire before the robots. Risking the outcry from being the aggressors TWICE was not something she wanted to face again.

Tariana moves up, Seggas puts out a warning that is interpreted as street theatre or something - the joros are super entertained.

R1
Seggas- acted
Celly
Tariana - acted
Skorp - acted
ENEMY

R
O

Celly is more concerned about protecting Centrek. She moves to put herself between them and him and waits to see what they do.

She also ponders about why Seggas uses the title 'Mistress', and why she had said 'being forward'. Something to quiz her about later? This could actually be interesting.

The mascots move and open fire!

Attacking Selly
Attacl 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28 vs EAC
Damage 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 NL

Attacking Seggas
Attacl 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 9 - 4 = 9 vs EAC
Damage 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 NL

The crowd still thinks this is a game.

R2
Seggas
Celly
Tariana
Skorp \
ENEMY

R
O

OW! Celly exclaims as she is hit. HEY! That robot SHOT me. That's NOT funny

She looks absolutely indignant. Her hand moves to her recently acquired weapon but doesn't draw it just yet, preferring to play the part as the wronged individual.

The crowd applauds at Cellys acting - this is the best PR stunt ever!

Tariana steps forward drawing her sword. "Time for some sword dancing choreography."
Attack Orange v K: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 121d8 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Hoping to minimize damage to the joros, Skorpahlich wonders if it's possible to scare them a little to get them out of the way while also damaging the robots that are shooting at Celly and Seggas. He pulls out a grenade and tosses it in front of the red robot....

Grenade: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Damage, Fire 5', DC 12: 1d6 ⇒ 3

"I think that one's malfunctioning and on fire. Get away from it! And you there," he points at the Joros closest to the door, "call a Firefighter-Joro!"

Bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Target is also Burning 1d4

The grenade detonates - the Joros 'ooh and aah' at the show, "Those flames seem super real!"

Reflex 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Burn 1d4 ⇒ 3

Tariana swings and misses.

R2
Seggas
Celly -delay
Tariana - acted
Skorp -acted
ENEMY

R 3 (burn 3)
O

Seggas groans inwardly at how hard it can be to convince people that their perceptions of things might be wrong. She pulls out her gun and decides to try thinking about maybe putting on a show.

She raises her gun as she tries to roll out of the crowds, firing a shot at the yellow robot. "I give your firing a BoThumbs Down!"
BioBolter (Castrolance) vs EAC: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Acid Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Sooo do we take on the roles of the heroes in this scenario or the villians? Should we play along with it or not? Personally if they want a show I say we give them one.

Celly is also annoyed. She hisses at the robot and glares at it, looking and sounding more like an angry tiefling. She then charges the robot that shot her, brandishing the chair she was sitting on.

I'm going to give you a reprogramming you're NEVER going to forget she growls, baring her teeth. It would have looked more intimidating if she had tiefling fangs.

The mascots try bashing into the party

Attacking Tariana
Attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 vs KAC
Damage 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Attacking Celly
Attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16 vs KAC
Damage 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Ref 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

R3
Seggas
Celly
Tariana
Skorp
ENEMY

R 6 (burn 3)
O

And Celly gets hit again. (still non lethal? - if so total of 7 NL).

She brings the chair crashing down on the robot.

vKAC: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

(If that hits, how much damage does the chair do?)

It's now lethal...they are now playing for keeps

The chair misses.

Skorpahlich draws another incendiary grenade and tosses it between Celly and the robot after it moves away from her.

"Celly, are you okay?" he asks worriedly. "It looks like these things are "Playing for keeps"" he adds in an attempt to make a bad pun about sports mascots robots.

Grenade: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Damage, Fire 5', DC 12: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Failing the DC adds another 1d4 burning, cumulative with the previous one

Celly looks like she should have moved her token forward and would be base to base - so you'd hit her with the grenade. Plan B?

Easy peasy....

Just as the grenade leaves Skorpy's hand, he's horrified to see Celly step right into its blast zone. He quickly twists reality, bending the space next to the robot through the fourth dimension. When the grenade lands, it suddenly <pops> 5 feet further away from the beautiful aasimar, keeping her out of harm's way.

Using his reaction to Push Grenade. Moved the blast marker to reflect it.

It's not often that Celestia loses her temper and goes into what her partner calls 'expressing her inner tiefling' but it's certainly happening now.

Let's DANCE! she says to the robot, still holding the chair.

Seggas, still unsure on how to play this up and even if she should, decides, aw to heck with it, and pulls out her best mad scientist laugh, "You can't stop me, you puny robots! MUAHHAHAHAHAHAHA- *sputter* *hack* *cough* Dangit I can never stick the ending! ARGH!"

She then raises her gun and aims it at the robot, acting as if she was going to fire another glob of acid. Before she flips a vial into the open mouth of the mass of tentacles that is her weapon and instead quickly retargets to Tariana.

Automatic hit that deals no damage and gives our melee fighter a +1 to AC. Assuming she's a willing target.

The grenade skitters and blasts the robot!
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10 - more fire!
1d4 ⇒ 1

Seggas gets the party going, offering out some performance enhancement!

R3
Seggas - acted
Celly - acted
Tariana
Skorp - acted
ENEMY

R 8 (burn 4)
O

Tariana swings her sword at the robot twice.
Attack 1 v K Orange: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 141d8 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Attack 2 v K Orange: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 111d8 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Tariana takes a couple of swings, one connects!
Just noted that first swing again!

***

The burning bot disregards Celly as being combat ineffective against it, and drifts backwards

Shooting at the ceiling.
Attack 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26 vs EAC
Damage 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

There is an explosion of broken glass, monitors, and the lighting system as the robot shoots out the ceiling.

Damage 1d6 ⇒ 4 piercing
DC10 negates.

The groups of Joros screech in pain as they are bloodied by the blast, they bear horrible lacerations and begin fleeing - you can see that three of them are bleeding out on the floor from their wounds and will likely be dead in moments if no one intervenes.

Reflex 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 - the burning bot continues to blaze!

The other continues brawling with Tariana.

Attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

R3
Seggas
Celly
Tariana
Skorp
ENEMY

R 12 (burn 4)
O 14

Dodging out of the way of the falling debris, Seggas gives a curse as the 'act' is ruined for some of the joros. "I TOLD you this was unsafe. I was truly hoping they'd only target us! NOW GET THE BLOODY 9 LEVELS OF HELL BACK OR SO IOMEDAE'S HOLY PALADINS HELP YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO GET HURT!"
Reflex save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

She takes a moment to look over to the dying as the back of her neck gives a whirring noise and a small needle extends from her left ring finger. She reaches over and stabs the Joro next to her with the needle from her finger, and drops the needle into a sharps container on her leg as she finishes triaging the other two.

Medicine, First Aid: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

The Joro's wounds start to knit close, stopping his bleeding as his skin starts to take on a vivid pink color. Seggas then rushes over to the next Joro on the ground, another needle extending from her finger.

Seggas gets one stable...!

nvm. Given that there's a door/wall there, I think I can manage now. Still good to know for the future.

Skorpahlich stalks forward, utterly sick of these bots and just a little sick of the stupid Joros that didn't flee when they were told to. He's of a mind to put one of them out of its misery, but quashes that instinct quickly.

Instead, he focuses his ire on the bot. "That was an interesting tactical move. Not something I'd expect of a sports mascot. I wonder who or what is actually directing you."

He pauses for a heartbeat on the hope that it will further surprise him and answer. He shrugs his narrow shoulders and tosses another grenade through the door.

Grenade: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Damage, Elec 15', DC 11: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Move and draw, throw at intersection marked by the yellow lightning bolt. Celly should be outside the 15' radius and have cover from the wall.

"Celly, please help these ... people. I'll handle this one."

Skorp finds the grenade VERY effective - perhaps these robots really dislike electical damage?

It collapses in a flaming and sparking trash heap.

Detroyed

Celly realises that some Joro's are down and her first aid training kicks in.

ref: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

She scoots over to one and casts Mystic Cure
healing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Celly stablises a Joro!

Tari up!

Tariana, knowing her team will handle the civilians, continues her assault on the robot in front of her.
Attack 1 v k Orange: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 171d8 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Attack 2 v k Orange: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 121d8 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Tariana shows the mascot the reason the Vesk gained such a fearsome reputation - shattering the robot!

Medical staff pour in and begin helping treat the casualties, only one joro didn't make it, but they all thank you for your heroic efforts.

10 minute rest then off to the ambush location?