The Dire GM's [SFS] #3-03: Frozen Ambitions: The Shimmerstone Gateway (PaizoCon Online 2021) (Inactive)

Game Master CanisDirus

Engineering: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Staying clear of the trapped door, thanks to Blastoff's warning, Santos heads towards the unusual lever. He takes a look at it from a short, hopefully safe distance, before turning back to the ysoki and replying with a shrug, "no idea."

Hanmi avoids the potential explosion and sends the small bot to reconnoiter. "Reconnoiter is a cool word. You should hear it under the water, it tickles my lip!"

"Ho Ho Santos. Let me help with that.'
Engineering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

"Like strawberries? But I thought those were supposed to be a good thing?" Jewel shakes her head, not understanding why anyone would think they could be bad. Then she looks over at Hanmi and Santos, "Mind if I lend a hand?"

engineering: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

"Keep it up team, I am hear to support" Grimace is looking out for the team members.

"Dark magic is at play here. Everyone brace yourselves!“
Valamir says.

Before any of you can try your hand at the trap, Santos moves towards the odd lever. That, combined with Valamir and Blastoff's words, alert the creatures that they have been noticed, prompting a reaction!

The lever quickly breaks down into a swarm of tiny robots, and begin to attack!

Soundtrack 8: Combat - The Lever

Blastoff and Valamir's warnings are useful, though, in helping most of you react quickly!

ROUND 1
Blastoff
Santos
Grimace
Hanmi
Swarm
Jewel
Valamir
ROUND 2

Blastoff, Santos, Grimace, and Hanmi are up!

Map is updated!

Grimace summons his Solar Weapon and repositions himself on the map.

Photon Attunement 1

A swarm of tiny robots strikes Santos as the perfect opportunity to test out his new doshko. He takes out the blade and swipes at the swarm, not exactly sure what to expect.

doshko: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
cold damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Blastoff screams in fear, "FLEAS!" He then draws his weapon and fires off a shot, his hand shaky with hate and fear, his huge pupils still black as night.

azimuth laser pistol: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 111d4 ⇒ 4

Hanmi lacks the speed and the space to get any closer, so he draws a grenade from his belt and issues a command to Manta. The bot moves a little then fires its gun the swarm.

Semi-auto pistol v KAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6, Tikkatikka: 1d6 ⇒ 6
I can't affect map from my tablet, so if someone could please move Manga to wall 10 feet behind Santo :)

I moved Manta for you. :)

Grimace prepares, while Blastof and Hanmi make attacks that miss. Santos, however, strikes the swarm...and finds that single-target weapons deal 0 damage!

Soundtrack 8: The Lever

The Nanobot Mimic has an easy target, and advances to swarm over Santos!

Swarm Damage: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 Piercing

Santos: DC 12 Fortitude Save or you are Nauseated for 1 round.
Santos: DC 12 Reflex Save or you are Entangled for the duration of your next turn.

ROUND 1
Jewel
Valamir
ROUND 2
Blastoff
Santos (7 damage)
Grimace
Hanmi
Swarm (0 damage)

Jewel and Valamir are up in Round 1, followed by Blastoff, Santos, Grimace, and Hanmi in Round 2!

Map is updated!

Recall Knowledge (Engineering) is the check to ID this - the results are HERE

Jewel moves up, flying into the air, and takes a look at the cloud of small robots.

Knowledge Check - Engineering: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

Reroll +1 for nova

Knowledge Check - Engineering: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 13 + 1 = 17

"There is nothing I can do about these... They are a Nanobot Mimic - a swarm of fine nanobots that can assume the shape of any tech-like object then lay in wait for prey. They have construct and swarm defenses, meaning they are immune to mind-affecting effects and also cannot be damaged by any attack, spell, or effect that targets a single creature. If they manage to hit you, you can end up not feeling so well."

If you are damaged, you need to make a Fortitude save or be Nauseated for 1 round.

Jewel, you have an untyped fruit-related +1 to that Engineering check.
(Which Blastoff also has for their next non-attack roll).

:P

Jewel scratches her head, and then also remembers to inform the rest of you, " This swarm is large-sized (10ft), can fly, and automatically deals damage when it ends its movement in someone's space... and if you start to move with it in your space, you have to really wiggle to get out of it."

If you start in their space, you have to make a Reflex save or spend that whole turn Entangled.

Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

"I'm useless here too." Santos wiggles out of the swarm while making a mental note to buy some grenades for scenarios like this. "At least I can soak up their attacks for a bit."

Grimace will bide his time. Adjust his position, raise his shield and

Photon Attunement: 2

Thanks Valamir. :)

"Santos? Can you lead them to the trap?" Hanmi booms out a chuckle just thinking about the luck. "I need to get in there," the marlomaw pauses for dramatic effect, "because I am holding a thermal detonator."

Between size and speed, Hanmi Booki has no where to go except into the 'trapped'zone. Unless I can occupy the same square as an ally? I will delay.

Jewel looks around at that the group, and then calls out, "If we can get them to the trap, we can hurt them. That door goes BOOM in a 10ft radius... if we get them into it, they cannot avoid getting hurt the same way that they can with our weapons. So, we need to find a way to get them to follow us and trigger it."

Santos nods at Jewel and Hanmi. "Great idea. I'll try to lead them over to the door. Maybe everyone else should leave the area?"

"Sounds like a good idea. I am gathering my power so I can try to burn the thing down with the power of the stars. Maybe between the two, we can finish that creature off"

Because it's all of you up before the mimic goes again, you can coordinate your actions, etc. Feel free to act however you'd like!

I should have been more clear in my last post. I would like to move in and toss a grenade, and I have a couple more once within range. Manta has a decent Reflex, (probably not PC good) but could trigger the trap.

Valamir walks just behind Santos and conjures a web like wall form out of nowhere in between Santos and the Nanobot Mimic.

Infinite Worlds (Su)1st Enviromental= difficult terrain, Save=none

Hanmi, I marked some green arrows on the map in a path I'd allow you to take without setting off the trap. Since you've all identified it, I marked the detection and explosive radius of the trap, as well.

Santos moves out of the way while Grimace powers up. Jewel stays in the air and tries to coordinate strategy with the others. Blastoff contemplates what to do (on hold), while Valamir merges sticky webs from a parallel universe (white box) to impede the swarm's progress!

Hanmi moves up, and tosses a grenade into the center of the Nanobot Mimic swarm! (botting)

Hanmi Incendiary Grenade: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17 vs. AC 5
Note - your sheet only lists your attack with grenades as a +2, but it should be a +4. Also, you list it as a mk.2 but your equipment list states you have two mk.1s with the damage and DCs for that item level, so that's what I'm going with.
Fire Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3 Explode 5' radius.

The grenade seems to do more damage than you'd expect! (4)

Nanobot Mimic Reflex Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 DC 13

Plus, the swarm catches on fire! (Burning condition)

Soundtrack 8: The Lever

Fire Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1 (technically area damage, so multiplied by 50%) (2)
The swarm takes fire damage as it begins its turn, impeded by Valamir but still going for the closest target(s) it can reach - Santos and Manta!

Swarm Damage: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 Piercing

Santos & Manta: DC 12 Fortitude Save or you are Nauseated for 1 round.
Santos & Manta: DC 12 Reflex Save or you are Entangled for the duration of your next turn.

Nanobot Mimic Reflex Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 DC 12
The burning condition ends.

ROUND 2
Jewel
Valamir
ROUND 2
Blastoff
Santos (15 damage)
Grimace
Hanmi
Manta (8 damage)
Nanobot Mimic (6 damage)

Jewel and Valamir are up in Round 2, followed by Blastoff, Santos, Grimace, and Hanmi in Round 3!

Map is updated!

Special options since you have identified using the trap against the swarm: If you want to use an Engineering (disable) or Stealth check, I will let you enter the detection/blast area of the trap without setting it off instantly.

If you use Engineering, you can disable the sensor and then choose when the trap activates as a Reaction. If you use Stealth, it will allow you to move into/through that area without setting it off, but the next creature to do so without making a check sets it off immediately.

For those unusure what else to do: If you would like to take a full-round-action to look around for clues/ideas, please give me a Perception check, or a much lower DC Intelligence check.

This combat is very challenging, but as a GM I love rewarding creative solutions. Feel free to come up with anything you'd like beyond simply dealing damage, and we'll see what we see. The above Perception/Intelligence check may lead to me giving you some hints of things I've thought of that can help get past this obstacle!

This round I can use my Stellar Nova power which is 2d6 to all creatures with in 10 of me. I can position to just catch the swarm if Santos can jog just once hex to his left (looking at the map)

Party Banter "I have the power! Keep clear!" :-)

Grimace - feel free to post your action and rolls (and DC), on the assumption that you'll be able to get your preferred positioning :)

If he can move in and position so he can get the swarm (RED Box) without damaging Santos, he will do so and Supernova (10ft radius) Grimace would attempt to do so after the grenades are thrown. He won't attempt supernova if he would catch a comrade.

Position updated.

Supernova Reflex DC14 half: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6

Blastoff looks at his useless weapon in disgust, reaches for a grenade, remembers he spent his money on other things, then turns his dilated pupils to the surroundings to try to find clues.

perception: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 1 = 24

That move works for me, thanks! I briefly looked at my chronicles for the discrepancies, but didn't find anything. I will give it a more thorough look this weekend, so I will trust this inventory.

Manta Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19
Manta Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

grenade: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15, boom: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Hanmi pulls out his last grenade as Manta moves north. Once all his allies are clear he launches the weapon at the swarm and reaches for the next. "Oh. Hum." he says after realizing the holster is empty.

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Will: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Feeling his stomach start to churn, Santos attempts to leave the area of the swarm and realizes movement isn't coming easy to him this time around.

Santos should can only move for his action, and should have enough left to move one square out of the swarm.

My stuff went way later than expected (~5am at the moment) so I'll get a full post made when I wake up, but for now...

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

The Nanobot Mimic takes the full blast from the supernova, which does more damage than expected! (9), and while it also takes more from the grenade (2), it does not catch on fire this time. (17 damage total)

Jewel and Valamir can still take actions!

I’m not sure if this will work, but here goes nothing:
Valamir puts out his hand, touches the Nanobot Mimic swarm and sends an electrical surge throw the Nanobots. Jolting Surge, Save= none, DC=12, no AoO

Melee attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 4, 3) = 14

work or not, it is a cool move

Jewel (botted) takes a breath (figuratively speaking) and flies over to try and take control of the trap's sensor and firing mechanism.

Engineering: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

The work is tense, but fortunately for her, whoever set this trap was clearly orders of magnitude better at disguising its presence than the actual mechanics of having it fire! Jewel easily disables it and can now choose when to make it fire as though she wielded a detonator (free action out-of-turn, move action, or full action). Jewel - note that you can exclude yourself from the blast if you are flying, too.

Valamir gathers electrical power and tries to lash out with it, but unfortunately as Jewel warned all of you a few seconds ago, that attack only fries one or two individual nanobots, leaving the swarm otherwise fully operational.

Blastoff frantically looks around, searching for anything that can be used to turn the tide in your favor...

Soundtrack 8: The Lever

With multiple targets to choose from, the swarm moves (1N,2W) 1d2 ⇒ 2 towards Valamir, keeping Manta in its general area.

Swarm Damage: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 Piercing

Valamir & Manta: DC 12 Fortitude Save or you are Nauseated for 1 round.
Valamir & Manta: DC 12 Reflex Save or you are Entangled for the duration of your next turn.

ROUND 3
Jewel
Valamir (8 damage) + saving throws
ROUND 4
Blastoff
Santos (15 damage)
Grimace
Hanmi
Manta (16 damage) + saving throws
Nanobot Mimic (17 damage)

Jewel and Valamir are up in Round 3, followed by Blastoff, Santos, Grimace, and Hanmi (& Manta) in Round 4!

Map is updated!

For those unusure what else to do: If you would like to take a full-round-action to look around for clues/ideas, please give me a Perception check, or a much lower DC Intelligence check, as mentioned previously.

Putting this in now so I don't miss it, even though others go ahead of me. Not certain if this is a free, move, or standard action.

Blastoff starts jumping up and down excitedly and pointing in different directions. His intentions become clear, though, as he starts squeaking excitedly, "Lead the fleas into crew quarters. We seal them up. See if they can chew through metal bulkheads," he finishes with a cruel sneer at the nanopod swarm's potential fate.

Ref Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Fort Save: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10

After a failed attempt at damaging the Nanobot swarm, Valamir manages to move away to a safe distance. He then braces himself against a wall as he looks like he is going to throw up.

Map updated, but I did not update my character sheet for the 8 damage.

Manta Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Manta Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

"Or lead them through the airlock altogether? The marlamaw looks at the doors they have made it through so far. "Perhaps we can close the doors on them and split them apart?"
His eyes widen as he thinks this. "That would be worse wouldn't it?"

On his turn looking for something clever... Hanmi Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 Manta will try and get out of the swarm's area, going straight up the wall if it has to.
"I am trying to imagine a small drone coughing.

Jewel sets the detonator to be set off with the push of a button, but isn't sure how to lead the swarm into the blast radius. She decides to stay in the far corner, ready to be in the blast if it means that she can also get the swarm with it.

Jewel is basically delaying, since her hope is that they get into her area so she can make them go boom... today.

Seeing that Valamir has gotten to safety, Santos heads into the blast zone. "Hanmi, Grimace, please get as far away from the swarm as possible. Manta as well. The plan only works if we can get them into the trap." He looks up at Jewel and nods, ready to take the hit once the swarm is in range.

"You got it Santos!"

Grimace repositions.

Attunement 1 (Photon)

Not exactly sure where you want me to reposition, but that is where I am trying to be. :-)

just far enough away that the people in the trap look like better targets :)

Everyone is still in their space suits, Hanmi shouts "Head for the door?" unless he hears otherwise, he moves to the door and opens it. That is safe to do so correct? Manta moves 40' toward the trap as bait.
Edit: I can as affect map, please adjust as necessary

Apologies for not posting sooner - covering RL stuff set me way behind.

Blastoff identifies another avenue to try and deal with the swarm as Jewel readies the repurposed trap.

Valamir and Manta are afflicted with nausea from the Nanobot mimic, causing the former to withdraw and the latter to be driven (literally) up a wall!

Grimace repositions and begins to re-attune, while Santos and Hanmi enter the blast area of your trapped area!

Soundtrack 8: The Lever

The Nanobot Mimic moves where it can reach the highest number of targets, swarming over and around Hanmi and Santos...right into Jewel's sights, setting off her readied action!

Shrapnel Explosion: 1d12 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13 Piercing Damage

The Nanobot Mimic swarm fails its save against the maximum-damage explosion, taking 19 points of damage - enough to destroy it!!!

Pending Hanmi and Santos making Reflex Saves for half damage, you are...

Out of combat!

Party Injuries:
Santos (21 or 28 damage) Reflex Save
Hanmi (6 or 13 damage) Reflex Save
Manta (16 damage)
Valamir (8 damage)

In the aftermath, you find that the materials that make up the nanobot mimics’ forms can be scavenged for over 1,500 UPBs.

After silence returns to the area, a calm voice comes over the intercom.

"Well...now that you have invaded my home and walked one of my security systems into the other to the destruction of both...what do you want?"

What now, Starfinders?

"Do not blame us for the destruction of your doorbell. I wager you have had more than ample time to ask us our business before it came to that. To be frank, we know not where we are, and our means of escape are unknown. We saw this wreck and hoped we could find a means to our escape. Are you going to send more of your toys to destory us or would you be willing to come to some sort of peaceful accord now?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

"That's right, come get us." Santos mutters to himself as he sees the swarm approaching. He tries to dash out of the blast just before it goes off, but still feeling sick from his last encounter with the swarm, he isn't all that quickly.

"We don't mean any harm," he calls out at the sound of the calm voice, "We're just looking for a way off this planet."

Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Wow. That was cool. the mechanic thinks. "Nice job Jewel!"

"As we have been saying for close to an hour," Hanmi thinks upon all the unanswered hails. "We are stranded and are heading to the nearest settlement. This derelict--no offense, but again we received no answer--seemed like a good respite on our journey."

"By the by, I am Hanmi Booki," Ho Hoo Hoo he booms. "To whom should we address this conversation?"

Even though Santos and Hanmi speak with a calmer tone, something about Grimace's words seem to resonate with the unknown speaker. You hear the locking mechanisms to the bridge doors click and disengage.

"It seems as if some of you could do with a bit of a breather, so to speak. Feel free to take a short rest, than join me in my apartment, as it were."

The comm shuts off, leaving you with time for a 10-minute rest to recover stamina and etc. in addition to any other healing or things you wish, before proceeding.

Longer post coming in a bit with more.

Santos gladly takes the opportunity for a rest, and uses the time to administer a few serums of healing. mk1 serum of healing: 1d8 ⇒ 1mk1 serum of healing: 1d8 ⇒ 4