[PaizoCon/Shifty] #3-09: Frozen Ambitions: Freeing the Herd (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

Agatio is fighting in stun mode, so the downed guard is only unconscious, not dead.

As one vesk falls, the copaxi rounds on the other.

Full attack. Photon mode 3.

Attack vs KAC (full): 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 6 - 4 = 13
Damage (slashing, stun, photon mode): 1d6 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 = 12 plus 1 E

Attack vs KAC (full): 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 6 - 4 = 16
Damage (slashing, stun, photon mode): 1d6 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 = 14 plus 1 E

Joker reloads and fires another shot at black.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Damage: 1d10 ⇒ 6

The second guard is overcome and knocked unconscious.

/end combat

The glowing aura around Agatio winds down. "Let's get these two tied up and see if they respond to questioning. I could use a breather too."

If we have 10 minutes, Agatio will rest and recover Stamina.

Joker reloads his rifle and slings it over his back. Walking over to the guards.

"Sure I can tie them up and stand guard while you take a break. Hack can you take a look at the computers and maybe find out what is going on here? Also, maybe you can see if there are anymore nasty surprises like that laser."

Agatio gets the two tied up, and is able to get some snacks out of the vending machines to enjoy whilst he catches his breath.

Joker is standing guard, but so far there is no sign of further trouble.

"I hope next time you choose the path or redemption" Kai says as she assesses the damage across the party members..

Joker reloads his rifle and slings it over his back. Walking over to the guards.

"Sure I can tie them up and stand guard while you take a break. Hack can you take a look at the computers and maybe find out what is going on here? Also, maybe you can see if there are anymore nasty surprises like that laser."

"Ok, I'll try to take a look at the computers."

computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Once the group is ready, the newly rested copaxi positions himself in the front and presses ahead.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Hack manages to break into the computer system. Whilst there is not a lot of useful information, she does locate the controls to lock and unlock all the doors in the facility as well as a map.

In images

***

You push on.

The hallway leads to a large, open room with two halls on either side. Storage bins stacked along the walls contain caches of deep blue crystals. A large tank filled with pale blue liquid stands to the north. A lifeless dromada floats, preserved, inside the fluid.

There are several side rooms to look at too

Medicine check if inspecting the Dromada

Joker follows behind Agatio with his rifle out and ready. Seeing the dromada in the tank he stops to try and examine it.

Medicine: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

"I think that dromoda is dead!"

Sure is! Joker can't work out much further to that though

Agatio's gaze lingers on the tank. "What...is this place?!"

"We should rouse these vesk and figure out what they know."

He opens another unexplored room.

The various small rooms along these hallways are dormitories and lavatories specifically designed for each of the species employed here. The vesk lavatory has a fully shed skin in the trash can and the smell in one of the other creatures is horrific.
Agatio - DC15 Fort save

Examining the bins of crystal you find a significant amount of blue crystals.
Life Science to identify

In one of the other rooms you discover an eclectic collection of vidgames, including the cult classic action adventure game Interstellar Trials, which is worth a great deal of credits to the right collector

Kai will look carefully over the remains as we go around, keeping quiet as the worries of this place unfolds.

Medicine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Life Science: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

sorry, tried to post but it ate the post.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

His whole body sensitive to scents, Agatio steps back a pace as the foul aroma hits him.

""I'll take a look Agatio...luckily I don't need to breathe."

Joker will examine the room with the horrific smell to see if there is anything worthwhile

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Agatio is horribly nauseated and will need to take some time to recover from the sensory overload of the smells coming from the bathrooms.

The best that you can tell about the Dromada was that it looked like a fairly unpleasant death

Kai identifies the blue crystals as shimmerstone, a mineral mined on Vesk-8 that has a calming effect on emotions.

"Maybe we should go ahead and interrogate the prisoners? I can go get one but I'm not much a people person"

"These feel like thugs and ruffians rather than the masterminds behind this.. perhaps we investigate deeper before we turn our efforts to rousing and talking it out with these lizards."

Map updated

You press on and head around the corner.

Several long tables fill this room, and a counter with a stove and buffet-style table sit along the southern wall. The delicious smells wafting through the air suggest recent cooking.

Two Ijitkris are waiting in the area eating noodles with their noodly appendages. One immediately starts firing questions at the arrival of Kai "Who are you? What are you doing here? This is a restricted space and you can't just walk through at your own leisure!" it points its chopsticks at Kai accusingly with each question. They both look well armoured and armed to the... beaks?

Kai begins to count off on her fingers, the tactical pike in the crook of her elbow. "One. I am Kai-Ryah and we are the Dromada rescue force. Two. We are here to rescue and there were no signs to say any restrictions. And Three. Not even going to offer us some of your noodles.. that just inhospitable." She says with a matter of fact response "Oh and your Vesks are sleeping on the job back there"

The squids stop for a moment, trying to work out whether Kai is a threat, being sarcastic, or whether there is something else going on.

Anyone able to throw a Diplo/Bluff?

I think this is where our Solarian might want to step in :) Kai can throw an aid if Agatio wants to try to step in

aid diplo: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

four less less if this bluff

The copaxi takes the lead. ”No reason to be alarmed. The vesk guards allowed us to pass. We’re here make life a little easier and less dangerous for everyone. Would you mind walking us through what you’re operations are?”

Diplomacy (Kai aid): 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 2 = 26

The squid rolls its eyes "Look new kids, telling you what your job is and what the deal is here was supposed to be up to your hiring agent - did they give you a hire agreement with a job description? You should speak to them. Anyway ignore the vesk, they haven't actually bothered to do any work since they turned up either, though it's a pretty quiet job and those boneheads still manage to do it poorly, Nrall is the boss and she spends most of her time in the lab doing...lab things. She really hates being disturbed so it's not worth bugging her if you can avoid it" - it points at the doorway opposite

"Aside from that, it doesn't look like you guys got the memo about food as I can see you haven't brought anything - so you can only eat the common food that is marked as such, no stealing peoples personal snacks and drinks from the fridge, oh and make sure you wash your cups and don't leave them laying around - your mum doesn't work here"

They stop brow beating the party and return to their noodles and office gossip.

"Make things less dangerous? He's probably some stiff health and safety rep" one mutters to the other.

"Understood. only the common snack piles and do a supply run when we can" she sighs.

"Guess we should at least check the lay of the land, best we avoid going in the labs though." she says as much to the other in the group as these nice squids "Thanks for the orientation rundown folks"

They continue eating and chatting, waving at you with their chopsticks.

You move past them, deeper into the facility. Automatic glass doors open to a second set of computer banks used for long-range communications. One of the computer workstations is equipped with a systemwide comm unit.

Computer check to access

"Thank you for the pointers. I'm sure we got agreements upon hiring, but who actually reads those things, you know? We'll check in with Nrall in a moment."

He then turns to Hack and nods toward the computer console.

"Do we have to? I mean we only really need to clock in, leave a note or something right?" Kai says as she follows up the rest.

Joker follows along thinking to himself. "We don't work here...what are they talking about?" But decides not to voice his concerns.

Hack - time to do your magic with Computers :)

Bot Hack - Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Video Folder

A backlit humanoid figure appears on screen, its face blurred to conceal its identity. A clipped monotone voice speaks: “Greetings, Nraall. I am glad that you accepted my offer. I sent you a few samples of a new mineral substance I acquired. You don’t need to know where it came from or what it is. All I need is for you to use it in your experiments with the shimmerstone. I would hate for our relationship to end on a sour note, so please see that none of these materials leave your lab. I realize that science takes time, but the sooner I get results, the better. A swift turnaround could result in a substantial credit bonus. I look forward to hearing your first report.”

The second communiqué is dated months later, just a week prior to your arrival on Zrulik-3.

The blurred silhouette appears again. Their frustration is apparent beneath the digital vocal alterations. “Nraall, I grow weary of your lack of viable results. I cannot keep committing resources to a useless project. Pack up your lab, purge all data related to the experiments, and destroy any unused materials immediately. Be aware that failing to follow these instructions will result in our relationship further… deteriorating.”

***

Files Folder

7 Rova
The lab’s finally set up and I’m eager to begin my work. The shimmerstone I’m using for the experiments is quite beautiful. I’m told that kothamas utilize it in their contemplations of the universe. I have no idea what the other substance is, and my client refuses to tell me anything about it. How can I run experiments without knowing what I’m working with? At least my equipment is state of the art, and this job should be easy money. A remote wilderness and a scientific problem to solve is my ideal vacation, after all. Off to prepare the lab!

19 Abadius
All my experiments end one of two ways: the subjects die or become more aggressive until the drug wears off. Meanwhile, my client is frustrated with these results and I haven’t had a chance to catch up on my leisure reading in days. They threatened to stop my shipments, but I’m not ready to give up yet. One of my guards discovered a local dromada herd. I don’t know what they’re doing out here, but they won’t put up much of a fight if a few of their people disappear. New test subjects may yield better results.

10 Pharast
They shut us down! That skitter-brained client shut us down! The materials I have left will only last for another week or so of trials. I intend to solve this problem even if I can’t leave the lab for days. I will figure this out, with or without the client’s funding.

***

A mk 1 computer idol shaped like a caricature of a gray alien sits atop the computer monitor. Tucked beneath the desk is a datapad stocked with an impressive assortment of romance novels, including the newly released The Gray Abducted My Heart, by acclaimed romance author Dallia Silver. The cover illustration features a gray with an unusually muscular chest.

Kai looks over Hacks shoulder as the text appears on the screen, looking a little hypnotized by the technologies. After a moment she looks up with a mix of stoic and angered.

"I guess this proves they have been snatching up locals and experimenting, likely killing them in the process. This raging up or dying is a worrying sign of the drugs they are researching. Science is not worth this many lives, this gray scientist needs to be stopped."

Happy to weapon up and go scientist hunting unless anyone has any other needs here.

You know the next room appears to be the final in the complex, ready to push?

"I agree...lets shut them down"

Joker readies his rifle and is ready to begin the hunt.

Agatio arms himself, shaking off the disgust of the video content. "Let's bring this nightmarish place down."

Computer banks line the walls of this brightly lit, sanitized room, each processing biometric data and displaying strings of numbers and diagnostic images on their monitors. A machine towers up to the ceiling in the middle of the room. Glass pods positioned in the room’s four corners each contain a living dromada. They pound on the glass and snarl, their faces contorted in rage. A series of holding cells to the northwest house several emaciated zrulicats. A grizzled, cybernetically enhanced nuar woman stands beside the central machine’s console, her scarred brow creased in concentration.

She faces the intruders and roars, “So, shutting me down wasn’t good enough? Now they send minions to dispose of me like I’m some failed test subject? No! I’ve survived worse than this. You, mercs, you have one chance to run. Flee this place and never come back—but don’t go running to your master. Discovery is what I do. I will discover their identity, and I will find them!”

There is also a zrulicat that looks set on creating a problem for you.

R1
Joker
Agatio
ENEMY

After seeing the dromadas caged in the glass pods Joker decides there is only 1 answer to give.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Damage: 1d10 ⇒ 4

He stays put and reloads his rifle.

Joker lets rip with the rifle - striking the nuar!

R1
Joker- acted
Agatio
ENEMY

N 4
Z

Agatio bears his shield, rushes toward the giant cat while glowing with solar power, and emits a surge of radiation.

Photon mode 1. Move to square, standard activate radiation revelation.

Agatio draws the attention of the zrulicat!

Attack 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 vs KAC
Damage 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

The Nuar bellows at Joker who just shot it, and fires back with mystical powers - manifesting as three bolts of force!

Damage 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 4, 4) + 3 = 14

R1
Kai
Hack

R2
Joker
Agatio
ENEMY

N 4
Z

In turn, Hack takes out a tactical semi-auto pistol and shoots at the the nuar.
Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Her drone shoot at the same enemy, as it was programmed.
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Kai Grits her teeth, realizing that now is the time to try to stop this mad doctor. She moves up in her heavy armour pointing her tactical spear out front of her readying for any attacker that tries to get past her.

((internally: If we can show strength then she may give up, may be able to still be redeemed..))

Joker takes another short at the Nuar and reloads again

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Damage: 1d10 ⇒ 5

Kai advances as Joker and Hack blaze away in support.

No shots land.

R1
Kai - acted
Hack - acted

R2
Joker - acted
Agatio
ENEMY

N 4
Z

Need a DC 14 Fortitude save vs the radiation from the zrulicat.

Taking one hit from the monster already, Agatio gathers his power and presses the attack.

Full attack vs cat. Photon mode 2.

Attack vs KAC (solar weapon; full): 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 6 - 4 = 19
Damage (P, photon): 1d6 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 = 13 plus 1 electricity

Attack vs KAC (solar weapon; full): 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 6 - 4 = 4
Damage (P, photon): 1d6 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 = 14 plus 1 electricity

Agatio thumps the zrulicat.

***

The zrulicat responds.
Fort 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Attack 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23 vs KAC
Damage 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

The nuar casts another round of missiles!

Agatio - damage 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Joker - damage 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 4) + 2 = 9

R2
Kai
Hack

R3
Joker
Agatio
ENEMY

N 4
Z 13

Crazy day today, might not get to post until tomorrow.