[SF] Fly Free or Die AP - GM Ewok

Game Master EwokBanshee

Guess? got post #2500. What a landmark.

Jaraduk smiles as the lamprey feeding tendril he smashed sinks into the bog.

Where's the last one? There? Behind you Akh? He cranes back and forth and finally circls around to find it and slam the flat of his doshko on it.

[move] 15'
[standard] attack PINK
tactical doshko (nonlethal) attack PINK, nonlethal P damage: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 7 - 4 = 91d12 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

This one seems jumpy and dances away fro the swing.

With the feeding tendrils "neutralized", Akh turns back to the creature's main body. He briefly ponders if - should the group survive this - the customer would somehow have some esoteric way to know just how battered its prized creature is getting right now, and withhold payment as a result. With how dangerous it is, the group doesn't exactly have much of a choice. He calls out "Get back if you can Strek, it seems to like you." then sends two nonlethal swings at the caypin's main body.

Entropic taclash (nonlethal) vs. EAC: 1d20 + 9 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 1 - 4 = 25 Damage (B): 1d3 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Entropic taclash (nonlethal) vs. EAC: 1d20 + 9 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 1 - 4 = 17 Damage (B): 1d3 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

"He likes his food chewy and strek is the one that can regrow limbs so I am perfectly fine with that."

"I get it. I taste like radiator fluid. Animals find me irresistible."

Melissa pokes her rifle above the water, but forgets to hop up to see as she fires. The sonic pulse ripples the water but misses the tentacle-monster. Guess? is distracted by the shot, and he is unable to psyche out the Caypin. Strek launches another frozen energy bolt into its chest and the animal shudders in pain. Akh's whip slashes at the beast, draining it's energy. It takes a lumbering step forward, its small mouth snapping out to rip into the android's chest with surprising force. It's face pulls back, blue fluid dripping from fangs.

bite @ Akh: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23
P Damage: 3d4 + 13 ⇒ (2, 4, 2) + 13 = 21

On the other side of the melee, Jaraduk swipes at the last feeding appendage. Unfortunately, all he ends up doing is splashing the water and reclaiming its attention from the hunk of meat. The thing wriggles through the water and leaps out at the nuar's thigh but bounces off to splash into the water.

bite @ Jaraduk: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15
P Damage: 3d4 + 13 ⇒ (4, 3, 4) + 13 = 24

Round 5! Everyone is up!
Strek  SP 0/28, HP 14/30, RP 4/4
Jaraduk SP 0/28, HP 17/34, RP 5/5
Akh  SP 0/36, HP 27/32, RP 4/4
Melissa SP 25/25, HP 27/27, RP 5/5
Guess? SP 3/24, HP 22/22, RP 6/6
Del x2 SP: 20/20, HP: 24/24, RP: 5/5

Red Caypin 41 Nonlethal Damage
Blue Feeding Appendage 24 Nonlethal Damage, Stable
Yellow Feeding Appendage 10 Damage, 17 Nonlethal Damage, Stable
Pink Feeding Appendage 0 Damage

Just realized—shouldn't Akh be dealing 1d4 damage?

Strek is going to "delay". It looks like it has reach if it can hit Akh where it's at, which means Strek is also within reach >.>

Burbbles "EEEK get em!"

Shock caster: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 = 8

1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 Electric damage

Nom nom noms a few of the cookies meant for the monster not paying nearly enough attention to her aim

@Strek: what happened was that I realized I've been doing entropic strike wrong - if the item level of the weapon you attune to it is lower than your level, you use the item level to determine your entropic strike damage. So 1d3 with the taclash, and 1d4 with regular non-attuned attacks.

Akh twists and invokes his entropic connection to reduce the impact of the blow, (Mitigate for -4 damage) then slashes back with his taclash. "It doesn't appear to be very picky about its meals. Or maybe I left some radiator fluid inside me and it can smell it."

Entropic Taclash (nonlethal) vs EAC: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 9 - 4 = 23 Damage (B): 1d3 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Entropic Taclash (nonlethal) vs EAC: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 9 - 4 = 6 Damage (B): 1d3 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

D'oh! Forgot the room is difficult terrain. Okaaay...

With their payday nearly breathing down his neck, Strek throws up his arms and attempts to make a tactical retreat.

Standard Action: Total Defense (+4 AC)
Move Action: Stride 3 squares right and 1 square up (I won't move myself yet)

This will provoke; and if it hits me, I go unconscious.

Hey! No! It wasn't supposed to transfer to my leg!

[standard] attack PINK
tactical doshko (nonlethal) attack PINK, nonlethal P damage: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 7 - 4 = 71d12 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

He splashes his weapon around in the water some more, hoping to at least confuse it.

Del takes careful aim and unleashes another few blasts from her pistol at the caypin.

Ranged Attack vs. EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Nonlethal Electricity Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Ranged Attack vs. EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Nonlethal Electricity Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

That's both rounds of attacks.

Guess? takes another shot at the caypin...

Stunt and Strike (Bluff) vs CR: 1d20 + 15 + 4 - 20 ⇒ (17) + 15 + 4 - 20 = 16 or below is flat-footed
12-atm extrusion rifle vs KAC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 flat-footed to all and -2 to saves if Stunt and Strike succeeded

...and misses, again.

"Yep, that clinches it. Nonlethal weapons hate me as much as I hate nonlethal!"

Melissa's shot misses by a mile, while Guess?'s misses by an inch. But at the end of the day... more fetid water splashes up into the air. Akh's whip continues to crack in the air, one blow glancing off the thing's thick hide while the other slaps at a tendon. Strek, backed into a corner and running out of options, gets into a sprinter stance and begins to run around his companions with his defenses down...

AoO @ Strek: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24
P Damage: 3d4 + 13 ⇒ (2, 4, 2) + 13 = 21

Unfortunately, the Caypin lunges out again and its teeth cut deep into the back of Strek's neck. Blood sprays into the air, setting off Melissa's geiger counter, and Strek falls unconscious into the bog below with his ... nose poking an inch above the water. (Actually, I suppose you can't really drown when you're in armor...) ... armored form just inches below the murky water. Del fires another pair of stunning blasts, one of which hits the wild animal in the forehead. The creature takes another heavy step forward, enjoying the mouth-feel of Akh's insides. It's jaws clamp down hard on Akh's side, exerting an enormous force to break through his armor.

bite @ Akh: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
P Damage: 3d4 + 13 ⇒ (3, 1, 4) + 13 = 21

While Jaraduk continues to splash around in the corner, his epic duel with the feeding appendage continues. The tentacle wriggles up his leg in a spasm of muscle and dives into the nuar's chest. It burrows inside, feeding on his blood. Jaraduk crashes into the water with a huge splash, right next to Strek. The feeding appendage perks up, apparently only interesting in moving targets.

bite @ Jaraduk: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32
P Damage: 3d4 + 13 ⇒ (2, 3, 2) + 13 = 20

Your armor's HUDs flash with overlapping warning messages. TEAMMATE STREK IS - TEAMMATE JARADUK IS UNCONSCIOUS - UNCONSCIOUS. CALL LOCAL MEDICAL AUTHORITY IMMEDIATELY. You look from your bleeding teammates to the caypin, who seems injured but still vibrant and full of power.

Come to think of it... I never gave Melissa that extra bit of Identify Creature info. Well, how about a piece of timely and focused bit of info... Melissa eyes go to the feeding appendage poking out of Jaraduk's chest and notices something. The feeding appendages each have a single eye in addition to their toothy mouths. But the caypin itself has no eyes! Legend has it that the caypin sees through it's tentacles, though no one has been able to understand why. If you knock the last feeding appendage unconscious, the Caypin will be Blinded.

Round 6! Everyone is up!
Strek  SP 0/28, HP 0/30, RP 4/4, UNCONSCIOUS
Jaraduk SP 0/28, HP 0/34, RP 5/5, UNCONSCIOUS
Akh  SP 0/36, HP 10/32, RP 4/4
Melissa SP 25/25, HP 27/27, RP 5/5
Guess? SP 3/24, HP 22/22, RP 6/6
Del SP: 20/20, HP: 24/24, RP: 5/5

Red Caypin 54 Nonlethal Damage
Blue Feeding Appendage 24 Nonlethal Damage, Stable
Yellow Feeding Appendage 10 Damage, 17 Nonlethal Damage, Stable
Pink Feeding Appendage 0 Damage

With his allies settling down to take naps, Akh turns for a moment to the people still standing. "It seems slightly more dangerous than we bargained for."

Not deciding an action just yet. I'm not sure if the remaining party members have enough strength among them to actually pull Strek and Jaraduk to safety. Seems like our best bet, even without Melissa's new insight, is to start by attacking the feeding sucker, since it has less HP but deals full damage at a full attack bonus.

Assuming Melissa shares the creature info...

"Good to know. Let's switch targets to the last eye. If it can't see us, then perhaps we can withdraw without it chasing after us. Or if it can't fight back at us effectively, perhaps we can smack it down..."

In the interest of attempting to put down pink quickly, Guess? fires twice!
12-atm extrusion rifle vs KAC: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 8 - 4 = 21
Non-lethal Damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

12-atm extrusion rifle vs KAC: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 8 - 4 = 21
Non-lethal Damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Guess? has two healing serums mk 1. I have an action economy question: If Del wanted to, can she use a move action to take one from Guess? and a standard to apply it to Jaraduk? From her current position, can she reach Jaraduk without having to move?

Also, looking at the picture, does the main body itself have teeth to attack with?

"GET EM! Get the eye! We can blind it. That'll make strek easier to move"

PTOOH Melissa spits out a not reallygirlscout(tm) cookie. Noms that. Then spits out a lemmon flavored spell gem and waves it with a saranite handsign at Strek "is it left shoulder right shoulder or right shoulder left shou..oh well"

Stabalize on Strek

Strek snoozes comfortably, his gill slits bubbling at maximum efficiency.

@Guess: It's been biting with its main body.

Akh nods to the others then spins, taking advantage of his massive reach to deliver an overhand slash down into the last of the feeding tendrils. He follows with a second swing, making wild splashes in his haste to turn the tide of the fight.

Entropic Taclash (nonlethal) vs EAC: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 9 - 4 = 22 Damage (B): 1d3 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Entropic Taclash (nonlethal) vs EAC: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 9 - 4 = 16 Damage (B): 1d3 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Hopefully not too late REACTION to use Prevent Wounds when Strek takes HP damage this last time
Del nudges reality a smidge, making Strek's wounds a little less... bloody.
Reducing the damage Strek took by 2d4 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

----

Del pulls out a healing serum (got plenty, no need to borrow Del one), reaches over and feeds it to Jaraduk!
Healing Jaraduk: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Or, if she can't reach, cause she can't unless you're being super generous, she moves closer to Jaraduk. (haven't moved myself yet)

----

And finally, if anyone takes HP damage this coming round, she'll use prevent wounds to reduce that damage by 2d4!

Much appreciated, but that's not enough to prevent Strek from going down.

Everyone has +1 to hit on the eye this round if it makes a difference

Guess? turns in place and sends percussive force into the tentacle, which drops into the bog with a soft gasp of air. It does have a small mouth underneath those tentacles. Those for this fight, the tentacles have all dropped off to wander around in packs on their own so it's all raw eye sockets surrounding a mouth. The caypin ROARRRRRS in pain and anger and it's head swivels from side to side trying to get its bearings.

Melissa turns the crowd's attention back to the beast, and stabilizes Strek. Akh's whip continues to fly around the room, both of the lashes digging into the caypin's skin thanks to it's blind thrashing and Melissa's inspiring words.

Hopefully not too late REACTION to use Prevent Wounds when Strek takes HP damage this last time

Del nudges reality a smidge, making Strek's wounds a little less... bloody.
Reducing the damage Strek took by 2d4

Actually... That is enough to keep Jaraduk standing! Del shifts reality a hair, just enough to keep the feeding appendage from breaking a major artery. Jaraduk remains standing, however feebly. ONE HP! Jaraduk, you can take your Round 6 action as well. Having saved one person's life, she pulls her healing serum out and moves closer to Strek's slowly breathing body.

bite @ Akh: 1d20 + 14 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 14 - 4 = 25
Total Concealment, 1-50 misses: 1d100 ⇒ 61
P Damage: 3d4 + 13 ⇒ (2, 3, 2) + 13 = 20

bite @ Akh: 1d20 + 14 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 14 - 4 = 13
Total Concealment, 1-50 misses: 1d100 ⇒ 11
P Damage: 3d4 + 13 ⇒ (2, 1, 1) + 13 = 17

The Caypin thrashes in place, it's mouth finding Akh's large form. The teeth dig in, the thing's fury and strength overpowering even the condition debilitating it. Akh falls, internal fluids seeping out into the nearby water. The beast howwwwwwwls and Melissa recognizes the call as one of dying pain, anger, and satisfaction of the kill.

Round 7! Everyone is up!
Strek  SP 0/28, HP 0/30, RP 4/4, UNCONSCIOUS, STABLE
Jaraduk x2 SP 0/28, HP 1/34, RP 5/5
Akh  SP 0/36, HP 0/32, RP 4/4, UNCONSCIOUS, DYING
Melissa SP 25/25, HP 27/27, RP 5/5
Guess? SP 3/24, HP 22/22, RP 6/6
Del SP: 20/20, HP: 24/24, RP: 4/5

Red Caypin 71 Nonlethal Damage, BLINDED (FLATFOOTED), GET EM
Blue Feeding Appendage 24 Nonlethal Damage, Stable
Yellow Feeding Appendage 10 Damage, 17 Nonlethal Damage, Stable
Pink Feeding Appendage 16 Nonlethal Damage, Stable

Gwewt owm..

Melissa pops out the rootbeer flavored spell gem, winces and holds her hand over Jaraduks bobbing form "I mean get em!"

"This is going to hurt this is going to hurt" there's a loud CRACK and a SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK "oh grandmas pinch to the cheekpouch that hurts. HOW am I feeling pain there i don't even HAVE a....

Melissa donates 24 Hit points + 1d8 ⇒ 5 Hit points to jaraduk

"third stomach..."

Jaraduk comes to in a slightly different reality. Was he ever out? He could have sworn everything went to black momentarily, but like a skipping record the song continues...

Still, his wounds aren't looking good. That warm feeling of rising nausea indicating that blood loss will take him at any moment. He looks up just in time to see the beast howl and it furthers unsettles him.

He limps away from the thick of it before switching weapons...

Last round:
[move] 20'
[move] stow doshko

This round:
[move] draw weapon: grenade launcher

And hones the scope of his grenade launcher to a space just behind the creature where he can catch it alone in a blast.

[standard] attack

grenade launcher (frag grenade II) attack vs AC5, P damage (DC 16): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 102d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6

Melissa donates 24 Hit points + 1d8 ⇒ 5 Hit points to jaraduk

Plus your Wisdom modifier ^_^

Seeing the tentacle eye mouth go down from his double attack, Guess? exclaims, "Woah, that worked! Let's try that again!"

12-atm extrusion rifle vs KAC: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 8 - 4 = 6
Non-lethal Damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

12-atm extrusion rifle vs KAC: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 8 - 4 = 14
Non-lethal Damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Seeing his shots miss horribly, "Yah, well... Nevermind. Don't rush my shots and stick to lethal... Lesson learned!"

Melissa_Norveg wrote:

Melissa donates 24 Hit points + 1d8 ⇒ 5 Hit points to jaraduk

Plus your Wisdom modifier ^_^

Is that a thing for ANYONE in this party? :)

Strek Armstrom wrote:

Melissa_Norveg wrote:

Melissa donates 24 Hit points + 1d8 ⇒ 5 Hit points to jaraduk

Plus your Wisdom modifier ^_^

Is that a thing for ANYONE in this party? :)

Seeing as everyone seems to be okay with a goblin acting as the ship's captain, no - Wisdom ain't a thing for ANYONE in this party! ;-D

KO'd with life threatening injuries, Akh rolls about on the ground, murmuring "Cotton... Candy... why are you running... away."

1RP to stabilize.

Seeing as everyone seems to be okay with a goblin acting as the ship's captain, no - Wisdom ain't a thing for ANYONE in this party! ;-D

Its the dilbert principle

Del plunges her healing serum into Strek's limp form, then draws a second as she takes a step closer to safety.

Healing Serum, Strek: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Was Del before Strek in the Initiative Order...: 1d100 ⇒ 82

Strek can take a Round 7 action.

Melissa and Del band together to get Jaraduk back on his feet. The nuar's grenade blast catches the hindquarters of the caypin, though the creature does not react much to it.

Reflex, DC 16: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 10 - 2 = 26

Guess? is a better assassin than kidnapper, as his rifle bolts keep glancing off the non-threatening portions of the creature's body. Del brings Strek back from the brink, and prepares to assist Akh. The caypin continues to howl, fumbling around him for any sign of an enemy. It's jaws snap once above Melissa's head, but then manage to tear into her paper-thin armor to weaken it's protections.

bite @ Melissa: 1d20 + 14 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 14 - 4 = 28
Total Concealment, 1-50 misses: 1d100 ⇒ 45
P Damage: 3d4 + 13 ⇒ (2, 4, 1) + 13 = 20

bite @ Melissa: 1d20 + 14 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 14 - 4 = 14
Total Concealment, 1-50 misses: 1d100 ⇒ 77
P Damage: 3d4 + 13 ⇒ (4, 3, 3) + 13 = 23

Round 8! Everyone is up! Note: Strek, Melissa, and Akh are currently in AoO range. Also, healing downed players in PbP is awkward since I do block initiative. If anybody raises Akh, flip a coin to see if you did it before or after he came up in the initiative order. If before, he can still act this round.
Strek x2  SP 0/28, HP 5/30, RP 4/4
Jaraduk SP 0/28, HP 30/34, RP 5/5
Akh  SP 0/36, HP 0/32, RP 3/4, UNCONSCIOUS, STABLE
Melissa SP 2/25, HP 3/27, RP 5/5
Guess? SP 3/24, HP 22/22, RP 6/6
Del SP: 20/20, HP: 24/24, RP: 4/5

Red Caypin 74 Nonlethal Damage, BLINDED (FLATFOOTED), GET EM
Blue Feeding Appendage 24 Nonlethal Damage, Stable
Yellow Feeding Appendage 10 Damage, 17 Nonlethal Damage, Stable
Pink Feeding Appendage 16  Nonlethal Damage, Stable

The Capin is blind/flat footed so shouldn't be able to make AOOs

I regret that i have but one bucket of hit points to give for my party

Spits out the healing serum, jabs Akh with it BE HEALED: 1d8 ⇒ 1

Coin flip: 1d2 ⇒ 1 2= tails= Awake Akh.

No get em this round, melissa likes you all but standing there is just asking to be eaten. Moves out. Hopping up on Akhs tail and then hopping back with a CANNONBAAAALLLL behind del.

"Back out! make him move around and try to find us! "

Round 1:

Strek shakes his head groggily, stands up, and grabs his weapon from the water.

Round 2:

Seeing the monster blinded, Strek makes a break for the other side of the hallway, then spins around and shoots from the safer distance.

Merciful Frostbite-Class Zero Rifle vs EAC: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 1 = 15
Nonlethal (C): 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Overcharge: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Guess? takes a step back and open fires!

Stunt and Strike (Bluff) vs CR: 1d20 + 15 + 4 - 20 ⇒ (10) + 15 + 4 - 20 = 9 or below is flat-footed
12-atm extrusion rifle vs KAC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Nonlethal Damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 flat-footed to all and -2 to saves if Stunt and Strike succeeded

Good point about AoO's! Monster is still standing, barely.

No longer dying, Akh enjoys a quality power-nap while his team face the life and death struggle above him.

Uh... darn. That didn't do what I'd hoped it would. Okay, one more try. Last one in the launcher!

grenade launcher (frag grenade II) attack vs AC5, P damage (DC 16): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 152d6 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7

Sorry, y'all, quick post today.

Strek, still shaking in his boots from blood loss, gets in a shot at the monster. Nearly missing, the energy hits the top of the Caypin's temple. Guess?, pretending his safe rifle was a lethal one, hits the beast with another blow. It shakes in place, woozy, until Jaraduk's grenade explodes across it back and the giant creature collapses into the water with a thud and a soft sigh.

COMBAT OVER!

"Lets rest up and patch up, who or what ever tossed this guy in the escape tube could still be around. I got odds we'll find him in a few hours when its time for walkies but just in case they're around the corner .."

medicine Akh: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
medicine Strek: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
medicine healer heal thy self: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

"Nope, doing this the old fashioned way. Here's to modern medicine" Glugs a healing serum 1d8 ⇒ 4

Jaraduk exhales audibly.

Yeah... rest up. He starts to look around at himself to assess the damage before settling in for a breather. While he does so he takes to carefully reloading his grenade launcher.

Note to self: stop chasing escaped creatures...

1RP and 10m for all the SPs

Guess? stows his extrusion rifle away and picks up his diasporan rifle. "Yep, I agree. Time for a breather."

Guess? takes a 10 minute break.

Strek hog ties the caypin's legs then looks over the rest of his gear.

"I don't exactly have cannisters for these little fellas. Anyone else got something that can withstand their mouthparts for the time being? Once we get back to the ship, I can whip up a cage of some sort. But it'll take a few hours."

Yeah 10 minutes to recover Stamina; realized I only have 1 healing serum so I'll hold onto that in case of emergency.

Melissa hands Strek a cooking pot a lid and some duct tape

"We keeping the mouthparts separate from the main body? We fixed up that nice cracked terrarium for Willies"

Del hands out healing serums to anyone who wants one. I have 8 mk 1 serums of healing left, so just shout out if you want one.

Then she sifts through the room while the others rest, looking for any stray loot or weird leech-things that they should bring with their new (very dangerous) cargo.

Everyone rests for ten minutes, trying to catch your breath.

Status
Strek SP 28/28, HP 5/30, RP 3/4
Jaraduk SP 28/28, HP 30/34, RP 4/5
Akh SP 36/36, HP 0/32, RP 2/4
Melissa SP 2/25, HP 7/27, RP 5/5
Guess? SP 24/24, HP 22/22, RP 5/6
Del SP: 20/20, HP: 24/24, RP: 4/5

You look through the overgrown hydroponics bay and don't find anything of note. You take a quick walk through the dilapidated space station and come upon the escape pod. The pod's interior is destroyed, clawed apart. But the computer panel is still working and Strek is able to pull up footage of the minute before it was launched from the ship. The footage shows a group of crew members using shock prods to corner the caypin into the escape pods. They manage to seal the creature inside the pod, presumably for safe keeping during the rest of the journey. Just seconds later yellow warning text scrolls across the feed, HULL BREACH. LIFE SUPPORTS SYSTEMS FAILING. LAUNCHING POD. The pod is fired into the void, with the dangerous predator still inside.

Eager to not meet the same fate, you carry the caypin's body along with the mass of tentacles - which are quite slippery and difficult to hold - to your ship and deposit them inside the repaired cage you salvaged. The creature is injured from Guess?'s first shot, down 10 hp, but you figure you can fix him up. Does anyone want to heal the caypin before you deliver it? You fly from the old space station and prepare to jump into the drift. But during your startup procedures a characteristic flash of purple light temporarily blinds you through the helm's window. Another starship has dropped from the drift! Still minutes away from being able to drift jump, you wait in anticipation. A communication request comes through titled TRUCE!.

You open the video feed and another starship crew appears onscreen. The captain, a half-elf by the looks of it, speaks first. "Hello, we are members of the Wild Wardens. Our conservationist group believes Rok Dregnaugh’s private zoo is a cruel practice. I'm guessing you're here to pick up another of his finds." She pauses. "It seems our intel got the location a little too late. We're here to prevent the merchant from acquiring more creatures. But... we're pacifists by nature, we won't be fighting you today. But perhaps we can convince you to do the right thing." She looks offscreen, thinking. "I'm sure he's offered you a bundle of creds for the creature. We're not billionaires, so this probably doesn't compare to what Dregnaugh offered, but we can give you 3000 credits. Give us the caypin and we'll release it back to its native environment."

Melissa will have Akh Dangle her in the Aquarium by a rope, duct taping a bag of peas frozen peas to the creatures head

Medicine Check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Of course. She can only heal murderous things that try to eat us...

with that, the critter should have more than enough days in the drift with bed rest to heal up. If the drift god is kind and pops us up before then, or he paces the ship a lot. we could pop a healing serum or 4 in there as needed.

The ysok on a rope pauses a second to text them back

Democracy in progress. Downloading

On the groups infochat

Click $$$ for returning the creature to Rok Dregnaugh

Click Smiling Defrex Emoji to let the Druids handle it.

Melissa clicks the smiling Defrex emoji without much hope.

"Maybe we could make a donation to save something cuter that didn't eat most of Jaraduk, Twice? "

We should also get the shields up just in case, the other ship had a LOT of laser fire for "pacifists"

"I was thinking of taking him along if we bust our friends out of prison. But it would take a few days to see if that was even a possibili....Hey maybe one of these guys knows how to do that. I mean, they set a trap for us, they know what we can do and can account for it. But what if we take Willies here for walkies and get him some new chew toys? "

"Anyone over there good with guard animals and/or in the same drum circle as someone in the Marixah Republic?"

*texting* I always vote third party

Strek codes in "Whoever pays us enough for a cloaking device so we don't need to keep having these encounters"

$$$

Heh I think you added a bunch while I was typing mine out =P

"I wonder how they feel about space whales. Maybe we can sell them those rocks. All natural, rather than mined, right?"

Jaraduk sighs and clicks the smiling defrex, adding his own text to the thread.

"I'm starting to get the feeling our bad karma follows us around like a grey storm cloud. Maybe time to get a little more good?"