Sorry guys...I could have been running this fight round robin. AFter this round, I'll point out that you can all go after the jinsuls. That will speed things up.
Donovan manages to unsettle the jinsul just enough for Mahari to score a hit. Meanwhile, she feints it in a way that leaves it flailing about inaccurately as it prepares to attack.
Donovan also manages to land a hit and keep the jinsul off balance.
Meanwhile, Rhubarby once more fights off the effects of their opponent's spell.
Round 4 the Bold may act.
I'm going to skip the monster's turn, but may come back to it, depending on what you guys do.
Wilson -11
Rhubarby -16
Jinsuls Blue -36
Donovan
Monster
Mahari
Male LG human law officer soldier (guard) 4 | SP 31/36 HP 32/32 | RP 4/4 | EAC 13; KAC 15 | Fort +6; Ref +3; Will +5 | Init: +6 | Perc: +2, SM: +5 | Speed 30 ft | Expendables: Gauntlet Charge: 20/20 | Active conditions: None.
Round 4/5 the Bold may act.
I'm going to skip the monster's turn, but may come back to it, depending on what you guys do.
Wilson -11
Rhubarby -16
Jinsuls Blue -39
Donovan
Monster
Mahari
CN Male Lashunta | Envoy 4 | SP 28/28 | HP 28/28 | RP 5/6 | EAC 18; KAC 18 | Fort +2; Ref +7; Will +4 | Init: +3 | Perc: +5, SM: +4+d6 | Speed 30ft | Darkvision | Active conditions: None.
Donovan tries to demoralize the jinsul with blue marks!
Move action: Improved Intimidate demoralize vs. (10 + your opponent’s total Intimidate skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater), only sense dependent :1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21
Demoralize: If you succeed, the target is shaken for 1 round. The duration increases by 1 round for every 5 by which the result of your check exceeds the DC.
GM: Donovan has Grim Trophies (Magic) so if they are shaken then they also get -2 to DAMAGE rolls.
* *
He then makes a quick movement to feint and makes a clever attack to hit with his knife!
Standard action: Clever Feint vs. red (10 + your opponent’s total Sense Motive skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater), Sense-Dependent:1d20 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 13 + (6) = 23
Even if you fail, that enemy is flat-footed against your attacks until the end of your next turn. If you succeed, the enemy is also flat-footed against your allies’ attacks until the end of your next turn. You can’t use clever feint against a creature that lacks an Intelligence score.
If both the Trick and attack succeed, the target is Off-target until the beginning of her next turn. NVM. The curse of the operative strikes again; having to make 2 d20 rolls to be effective.
Male LG human law officer soldier (guard) 4 | SP 31/36 HP 32/32 | RP 4/4 | EAC 13; KAC 15 | Fort +6; Ref +3; Will +5 | Init: +6 | Perc: +2, SM: +5 | Speed 30 ft | Expendables: Gauntlet Charge: 20/20 | Active conditions: None.
It attacks Wilson again, landing another hit on him.
Round 5/6 the Bold may act.
I'm going to skip the monster's turn, but may come back to it, depending on what you guys do.
Wilson -19
Rhubarby -16
Jinsuls Blue -55
Donovan
Monster
Mahari
CN Male Lashunta | Envoy 4 | SP 28/28 | HP 28/28 | RP 5/6 | EAC 18; KAC 18 | Fort +2; Ref +7; Will +4 | Init: +3 | Perc: +5, SM: +4+d6 | Speed 30ft | Darkvision | Active conditions: None.
I assume the Jinsul is enough demoralized if that was possible.
He then makes a quick movement to feint and makes a clever attack to hit with his knife!
Standard action: Clever Feint vs. red (10 + your opponent’s total Sense Motive skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater), Sense-Dependent:1d20 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 13 + (6) = 29
Even if you fail, that enemy is flat-footed against your attacks until the end of your next turn. If you succeed, the enemy is also flat-footed against your allies’ attacks until the end of your next turn. You can’t use clever feint against a creature that lacks an Intelligence score.
Donovan and Rhubarby are able to finish the jinsul off. The others continue to frantically work their terminals, leaving this one for you to examine and access. The monster below continues to babble incoherently.
As a full round action, 1 person may attempt one of the below skill checks as they commune with Kadrical using the device. The rest of you are free to continue. Because the other Jinsuls are not moving to attack, I'll let you decide who wants to commune and then move on to the next round of combat. You can also just wait for the person to perform the check before all moving to the next station. Each device can be used to commune only once. The skill checks are:
One moment Mahari is working a magitech terminal on a world untold distance from her home after fighting an alien being that is fighting in a crusade to elevate the avatar it worships to true godhood. The next, things get weird.
She finds herself in a metarealm made up of barely comprehensible thoughts and ideals. A...presence exists on the periphery of her awareness, extremely powerful, undefinable.
"WHERE ARE MY HERALDS?" it asks.
The rest of the group wastes no time and charges at the next jinsul. Donovan makes a slash at it but misses.
Whatever Mahari is doing, seems to have an effect as the monster down in the pit flickers for a few seconds and when it becomes solid again seems faded.
Round 7 the Bold may act.
I'm going to skip the monster's turn, but may come back to it, depending on what you guys do.
Mahari feel free to answer my spoiler in a spoiler. You succeeded at the check.
Wilson -19
Rhubarby -16
Jinsuls Blue -55
Donovan
Monster
Mahari
Female Halfling (Corporate Agent) Operative 9 SP 81 / 81 | HP 56 / 56 | RP 9 / 9 EAC 21 KAC 21 | Fort +8; Ref +12; Will +8 (Evasion)| Invisibility 10 / 10 | Active conditions: none
"Thanks, Rhu! Yeah, keep killing ...."
What the?:
Mahari's consciousness is initially overwhelmed by the simultaneous vastness and closeness of the everything that surrounds her. It takes her a moment to orient herself to the voice and to focus on her own sense of self. She processes the question slowly, then focuses on what she's always been best at - conning people into doing what she wants them to do for her. That's about all that keeps her sane in this weird not-place.
"Your heralds? Oh, Dhurus and Ailuros. Yeah, not real sure. From what I can tell, Dhurus killed Ailuros, and left his little jinsul slaves here to siphon off your powers for his own ends. Hey, how does that affect you? One herald dead and the other is manipulating your energies? Dhurus isn't trying to become a god and supplant you, is he? Oooh, if he caught you while you were still waking up, could he even kill you?"
Mahari pauses to see if the presence that she presumes is Kadrical replies. She really doesn't know if half of that is true. Maybe Ailuros isn't dead down there in the pit. Maybe Dhurus is using the power for something else more immediate. Either way, she's hopeful that her misdirection leads big daddy Kardical to go whale on little Dhurus.
" .... Whoa. Uhh, yeah," Mahari mentally stumbles as she returns from that weird not-place. "Yeah, Rhu, keep killin' the bugs."
Seeing that whatever she did had some kind of effect on the amalgam thing, she adds, "Let's leave the big one alone for now. I want to try using another of those terminals first."
There is a tense moment of silence that feels like it lasts an eternity. Then, there is a ripple as thought Kadrical's uncertainty and displeasure physically affects the plane she is in.
"I fear you are correct about Dhurus. My herald of conquest has obviously become corrupted by chaos and his ambition."
A moment later, Mahari is tossed out the otherspace and into the real world.
Male LG human law officer soldier (guard) 4 | SP 31/36 HP 32/32 | RP 4/4 | EAC 13; KAC 15 | Fort +6; Ref +3; Will +5 | Init: +6 | Perc: +2, SM: +5 | Speed 30 ft | Expendables: Gauntlet Charge: 20/20 | Active conditions: None.
Did the fallen jinsul have any weapons other than the leg blades?
Wilson grabs anything useful from the fallen jinsul, then takes off with the others.
Only took a single move, since I assume it would take a standard action to loot the body. If it's obvious he had nothing of interest on him, then I'd double move.
It narrowly misses as a bombardment by the starfinder fleet lands nearby and it flinches at the last moment.
Round 7/8 the Bold may act.
I'm going to skip the monster's turn, but may come back to it, depending on what you guys do.
Wilson -19
Rhubarby -16
Jinsuls Blue down
Donovan
Monster
Mahari
CN Male Lashunta | Envoy 4 | SP 28/28 | HP 28/28 | RP 5/6 | EAC 18; KAC 18 | Fort +2; Ref +7; Will +4 | Init: +3 | Perc: +5, SM: +4+d6 | Speed 30ft | Darkvision | Active conditions: None.
Donovan tries to demoralize the jinsul with PINK marks!
Move action: Improved Intimidate demoralize vs. (10 + your opponent’s total Intimidate skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater), only sense dependent :1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
Demoralize: If you succeed, the target is shaken for 1 round. The duration increases by 1 round for every 5 by which the result of your check exceeds the DC.
GM: Donovan has Grim Trophies (Magic) so if they are shaken then they also get -2 to DAMAGE rolls.
* *
He then makes a quick movement to feint and makes a clever attack to hit with his knife!
Standard action: Clever Feint vs. red (10 + your opponent’s total Sense Motive skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater), Sense-Dependent:1d20 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 13 + (3) = 28
Even if you fail, that enemy is flat-footed against your attacks until the end of your next turn. If you succeed, the enemy is also flat-footed against your allies’ attacks until the end of your next turn. You can’t use clever feint against a creature that lacks an Intelligence score.
Female Halfling (Corporate Agent) Operative 9 SP 81 / 81 | HP 56 / 56 | RP 9 / 9 EAC 21 KAC 21 | Fort +8; Ref +12; Will +8 (Evasion)| Invisibility 10 / 10 | Active conditions: none
"Not sure you guys are gonna believe this (heck, I'm not sure I believe it yet) but I think I just had an interesting conversation with Kadrical. You know, the god of this place. Seems maybe she's not so happy with Dhurus now."
Trick attack, Spy’s Bluff vs CR:1d20 + 20 - 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 - 20 = 1 Trick damage:1d8 ⇒ 6 If the Trick succeeds, target is flatfooted to her.
If both the Trick and attack succeed, the target is Off-Target until the beginning of her next turn.
She shoots the jinsul next to Donovan and continues. "Could be that I said something to Kardical to make her (him? it? whatever) question Dhurus' loyalty," she explains with a wicked grin.
Male LG human law officer soldier (guard) 4 | SP 31/36 HP 32/32 | RP 4/4 | EAC 13; KAC 15 | Fort +6; Ref +3; Will +5 | Init: +6 | Perc: +2, SM: +5 | Speed 30 ft | Expendables: Gauntlet Charge: 20/20 | Active conditions: None.
Wilson steps over to the edge of the walkway and fires at the jinsul on the nearby pillar.
Everyone but Rhubarby manages to hit the target. The jinsuls are so unsettled by their comrades scurrying away from the battle that the are shaken and leave themselves more vulnerable, a fact that Donovan takes advantage of to land a telling blow.
Despite the covering fire of the starfinder fleet and Donovan's intimidating presence it manages to jab him, this time.
Round 8/9 the Bold may act.
Because of the success on one of the other missions, the Jinsuls are all shaken. Donovan do you have to shake a target yourself to cause the -2 penalty or does it affect other shaken creatures nearby?
Also, because of the success, all hits have a 25% chance of being crits so, going forward, feel free to roll that chance if you hit and the crit damage if you succeed (and any other crit effects that might apply.)
I'm going to skip the monster's turn, but may come back to it, depending on what you guys do.
Wilson -19
Rhubarby -16
Jinsuls Blue down; Pink -21
Donovan -15HP and confused DC17 Fort for half and negate confusion
Monster
Mahari
CN Male Lashunta | Envoy 4 | SP 28/28 | HP 28/28 | RP 5/6 | EAC 18; KAC 18 | Fort +2; Ref +7; Will +4 | Init: +3 | Perc: +5, SM: +4+d6 | Speed 30ft | Darkvision | Active conditions: None.
“Arghh!! That hurt!!“ the Lashunta shouts.
fort save :1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
~
GM: Grim Trophies (Magic) has no effect i think in case others demoralize.
* *
Donovan makes a quick movement to feint and makes a clever attack to hit with his knife!
Standard action: Clever Feint vs. red (10 + your opponent’s total Sense Motive skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater), Sense-Dependent:1d20 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 13 + (4) = 25
Even if you fail, that enemy is flat-footed against your attacks until the end of your next turn. If you succeed, the enemy is also flat-footed against your allies’ attacks until the end of your next turn. You can’t use clever feint against a creature that lacks an Intelligence score.
Male LG human law officer soldier (guard) 4 | SP 31/36 HP 32/32 | RP 4/4 | EAC 13; KAC 15 | Fort +6; Ref +3; Will +5 | Init: +6 | Perc: +2, SM: +5 | Speed 30 ft | Expendables: Gauntlet Charge: 20/20 | Active conditions: None.
Frosbite attack w/ multi-attack penalty vs. green's EAC:1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 5 - 4 = 3 Frostbite damage (cold):1d6 ⇒ 3 Crit (76-100):1d100 ⇒ 99 well, I don't think I can crit if I didn't even hit .. ;) I'm shooting like a stormtrooper this turn.
It barely connects but that doesn't do much to reduce the pain.
Round 9/10 the Bold may act.
Because of the success on one of the other missions, the Jinsuls are all shaken.
Donovan you may want to go ahead and keep trying to shake the targets because of the bonuses you get from your skill. Reading the rules it looks like shaking a target just extends the time so you can shake a shaken target and get your bonuses.
All hits have a 25% chance of being crits so just roll a d4 and if you get a 4 you also crit.
I'm going to skip the monster's turn, but may come back to it, depending on what you guys do.
Wilson -19
Rhubarby -16
Jinsuls Blue down; Pink -35
Donovan -7 plus -15HP and confused: DC17 Fort for half and negate confusion
Monster
Mahari
Male LG human law officer soldier (guard) 4 | SP 31/36 HP 32/32 | RP 4/4 | EAC 13; KAC 15 | Fort +6; Ref +3; Will +5 | Init: +6 | Perc: +2, SM: +5 | Speed 30 ft | Expendables: Gauntlet Charge: 20/20 | Active conditions: None.
Wilson keeps laying on the rapid and wild "fire" of ice blasts at the jinsul.
CN Male Lashunta | Envoy 4 | SP 28/28 | HP 28/28 | RP 5/6 | EAC 18; KAC 18 | Fort +2; Ref +7; Will +4 | Init: +3 | Perc: +5, SM: +4+d6 | Speed 30ft | Darkvision | Active conditions: None.
“Ouch!! That hurt more than before!!“ the Lashunta shouts.
~
Donovan tries to demoralize the jinsul with PINK marks!
Move action: Improved Intimidate demoralize vs. (10 + your opponent’s total Intimidate skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater), only sense dependent :1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
Demoralize: If you succeed, the target is shaken for 1 round. The duration increases by 1 round for every 5 by which the result of your check exceeds the DC.
GM: Donovan has Grim Trophies (Magic) so if they are shaken then they also get -2 to DAMAGE rolls.
* *
He then makes a quick movement to feint and makes a clever attack to hit with his knife!
Standard action: Clever Feint vs. red (10 + your opponent’s total Sense Motive skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater), Sense-Dependent:1d20 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 13 + (4) = 27
Even if you fail, that enemy is flat-footed against your attacks until the end of your next turn. If you succeed, the enemy is also flat-footed against your allies’ attacks until the end of your next turn. You can’t use clever feint against a creature that lacks an Intelligence score.
With everyone piling onto it, the starfinders do, indeed put that thing down, leaving an open terminal.
As a full round action, 1 person may attempt one of the below skill checks as they commune with Kadrical using the device. The rest of you are free to continue. Because the other Jinsuls are not moving to attack, I'll let you decide who wants to commune and then move on to the next round of combat. You can also just wait for the person to perform the check before all moving to the next station. Each device can be used to commune only once. The remaining skill checks are:
Culture or Diplomacy
Intimidate, Life Science or Physical Science
GM Screen:
Fort Save:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Round 9/10 Anyone may act.
Because of the success on one of the other missions, the Jinsuls are all shaken.
All hits have a 25% chance of being crits so just roll a d4 and if you get a 4 you also crit.
I'm going to skip the monster's turn, but may come back to it, depending on what you guys do.
Wilson -19
Rhubarby -16
Jinsuls Blue down; Pink down;
Donovan -22 HP and confused 4 rounds
Monster
Mahari
Female Halfling (Corporate Agent) Operative 9 SP 81 / 81 | HP 56 / 56 | RP 9 / 9 EAC 21 KAC 21 | Fort +8; Ref +12; Will +8 (Evasion)| Invisibility 10 / 10 | Active conditions: none
As as the Jinsul falls and Donovan knocks himself out, Mahari turns her attention to the next console.
"Rhubarbie, can you take care of Donovan? I'm going to try 'talking' to Kadrical again. Let's see if I can't win him over with a little charm this time" she says with a sweet smile.
Geez, am I really talking about trying to sweet-talk a god?
She taps into the console just like last time and...
Diplomacy:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32
Sorry for bogarting again, but her Diplo is +13. Her Intimidate for the next one is also +13, but Donovan's is better so maybe he can take the next one.
Do you guys want to take a 10-minute rest while she chats up the deity?
I know it seems like you guys have lots of time, but you're in an ongoing encounter so a 10-minute rest is not allowed.
Mahari:
Mahari once more finds herself in a space that is not a space, one defined more by the psyche of a god than by any paltry considerations such as distance and direction.
It seems more focused this time and the entity turns its attention to her more quickly and directly.
WHO ARE YOU STRANGE NEWCOMERS?
Mahari, again feel free to check the spoiler and answer with your own. Unless you have some way of flying or teleporting, you guys will need to climb (or jump) down then up to get to another platform. The central one you're on is 60' up but the others are only 30'.
Female Halfling (Corporate Agent) Operative 9 SP 81 / 81 | HP 56 / 56 | RP 9 / 9 EAC 21 KAC 21 | Fort +8; Ref +12; Will +8 (Evasion)| Invisibility 10 / 10 | Active conditions: none
Who we are:
Mahari is also able to adjust and respond more quickly this time, having experienced the un-space once before. She considers for a moment before answering to make sure she hits all the press-points she'd want to cover.
"We are Starfinders, peaceful inhabitants of a system called the Pact Worlds and other worlds beyond those also. We are explorers, collectors of information, preservers of antiquities, and keepers of the peace when needed. We fight when challenged; we fight to overcome oppression and evil; and we fight to preserve property and lives. But fighting is the last choice; we'd rather explore peacefully, seek out new life and new civilizations, and boldly go where no one has gone before!
We represent dozens of species who all get along and work together. Even here, this little team I'm on has beings from four different species from four different Pact World planets. We don't share a common heritage, but we do share a common goal: remove these aggressive and destructive jinsuls from this star system.
Will you help us do that?"
Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. But wasn't sure.
When she finishes chatting up Kadrical, Mahari suggests they go back to the first platform and try to get down to the crater floor from there since it's lower.
Assuming you guys decide to dismount and climb back up elsewhere, please go ahead and make your climb checks, if you're going to. You could always engage in ranged combat but, to use the terminal, the person will need to be next to it. The athletics checks to climb are DC14.
Female Halfling (Corporate Agent) Operative 9 SP 81 / 81 | HP 56 / 56 | RP 9 / 9 EAC 21 KAC 21 | Fort +8; Ref +12; Will +8 (Evasion)| Invisibility 10 / 10 | Active conditions: none
"You guys stay there and start shooting the next bug. I'll head over to the pillar and access it once the critter is dead," Mahari calls out as she hustles back to the first column and peers over the edge.
Not liking the her odds of climbing down without slipping, and reeeeeally wishing she'd bought jump jets, she spots a nice open space to land in, and jumps down.
She heads over to the next pillar and waits to see how her team is doing on killing the bug before she starts to climb.
Climb:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
I don't know if Donovan is really "knocked out" (unconscious) or not, or if he needs help, or what. I figure it'll take Mahari 4 full rounds of movement including the jump down and the climb up to reach Green Jinsul's console. If you 3 shoot it from where you are, it can't attack Donovan or infect anyone with nanites. She'll wait at the base of the pillar and climb up once it's dead.
Mahari dismounts the platform with bravery but not an excessive amount of skill and prepares to climb the new one. Meanwhile, Rhubarby and Wilson begin opening fire while Donovan lays and bleeds.
Male LG human law officer soldier (guard) 4 | SP 31/36 HP 32/32 | RP 4/4 | EAC 13; KAC 15 | Fort +6; Ref +3; Will +5 | Init: +6 | Perc: +2, SM: +5 | Speed 30 ft | Expendables: Gauntlet Charge: 20/20 | Active conditions: None.
Wilson continues firing to give Mahari cover, since she appears to be the only one able to interface with this evil jinsul machinery.
Perhaps he is also confused, because his shots continue to go wild. "Sorry!" he calls down toward Mahari as one of the shots comes disturbingly close to her.
