Ashtif's shot at the masked merc goes high, but Arvoris' shout doesn't go unheeded. The man puts his hands in the air to surrender and moves to kneel down, promptly tripping over cable that ties his legs to the chair.
Red's morale condition has been triggered, and he is out of the fight.
The weaponless merc near the gate shouts to her masked companion "You coward! We have a job to do!" She tries to race over to grab a weapon from him. Meanwhile, one of the other assailants opens fire on the crowd to cause a panic while the last one tries to get close to Tharsa!
Yellow is doing Total Defense and a move action. This will trigger an AoO from Kosigan and Oraeus.
Black has done a double move and drawn an ember flame doshko.
Blue has done a move action and a special standard action to fire into the crowd. Under the rules of this quest, that creates a panic that creates a crowd of fleeing bystanders for 1 round. If triggered, anyone taking the time to ensure their ranged attack doesn’t hit a bystander if they miss takes a -2 penalty on their attack roll. Anyone who ignores this penalty and misses an attack with a ranged weapon has a 50% chance of striking a bystander and gaining a point of Infamy (this counts as your pre-action warning).
Hitting and hitting hard, he growls at the person. "Just walk away! Walk away and we'll act like you were never here. I don't want to have to kill you but I can and will."
Intimidate?:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
His voice gets swallowed by the panicking crowds.
Entropy points 1/3 AC is 17/18
Oraeus puts one of the mercs down before she can grab a weapon. Kosigan takes a shot at another would-be assassin, but the khizar has to abort his shot at the last instant to avoid a bystander.
Oraeus missed on the AoO but dropped Yellow with his regular attack (Oraeus, I moved your token to where you would have needed to be for that regular attack). Kosigan just missed Black.
Male CG halfling ace pilot operative (explorer) 5 | SP 35/35 HP 13/32 | RP 6/6 | EAC 15; KAC 16 | Fort +3; Ref +9; Will +9 | Init: +6 | Perc: +14, SM: +10 | Speed 40ft | Active conditions: None
Just to be clear, we gain infamy even if we're using nonlethal damage, right? Oh, well, I have fame I can burn before the end of the year if needed. :)
Ashtif says over the comms, "Who has Tharsa? Get her behind some cover. Once she's hidden, I can trigger my holo-grenade decoy." He rushes up, firing toward the black-armored attacker with the static arc pistol.
Trick attack (survival+4):1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18 Static arc pistol vs. black:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20 Static arc pistol damage (electricity, nonlethal):1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 Wow, that's a reversal. Looks like I probably hit, though, which is good ... but that is an unsuccessful trick attack
Male NG Ryphorian | Mystic (Star Shaman) 5 |Sta: 40/40 |Hp: 34/34|Rp: 6/6| EAC/KAC 20 | F +5 | R +6 | W +8 | Init +5 | Perception +16| SM + 12
Arvoris shoots a thumbs up to Ashtif as he moves towards Tharsa. Once there he guides Tharsa away from danger and into cover (maybe ducking her down behind a row of seats). Arvoris will then stand near Tharsa to give her additional cover and protection. "Get down behind these seats, Tharsa, we will take care of this."
Spiderwebs of crackling energy coruscate through one of the attackers as Ashtif's static arc pistol hits home. Meanwhile, Arvoris gets Tharsa to cover.
Ashtif's attack hit. Tharsa is now doing Total Defense and moved so she has a bit more cover.
@Ashtif: Yes, the Infamy can accrue even if nonlethal attacks are used. Nobody likes getting tasered :)
Lexicor gets another 12 hours before I bring down my mighty Bot-Hammer!
Bystanders rush for safety, heeding Lexicor's call. But the danger is far from over, as one of the assailants leaps over the chairs and readies his doshkos for a strike on Tharsa! Meanwhile, another assailant tries to pin down the Starfinders with stun bolts.
Black has done a double move and is now adjacent to Tharsa. Blue has done a move action and takes a shot at Arvoris, but it *just* misses thanks to cover from the shrubs and seating.
Male CG halfling ace pilot operative (explorer) 5 | SP 35/35 HP 13/32 | RP 6/6 | EAC 15; KAC 16 | Fort +3; Ref +9; Will +9 | Init: +6 | Perc: +14, SM: +10 | Speed 40ft | Active conditions: None
Ashtif darts over near the shrubbery by the holographic statue. As he moves, he presses the button on the detonator to trigger to the holo-grenade of Tharsa. He nods to the hologram of Tharsa. "Stay down. The decoy worked. We'll get you out of here," he shouts loudly, as he shoots at blue.
An instant before the doshko-wielding assassin can attack Tharsa, Arvoris hits him with a stunning psychic battering ram! The man cries out in agony as he drops to his knees, clearly out of the fight.
After triggering a holo-duplicate, Ashtif shows some pinpoint accuracy with an electric blast that strikes the last threat right in the chest. The foe spasms and looks disoriented, but is still trying to stay in the fight.
Although Black somehow succeeded on the saving throw, half damage is still enough to trigger his surrender morale condition. Blue took a solid chunk of damage, but is still in the fight.
Male NG Android (Laborer; Lashunta Xenometric) Vanguard (Medic) 4 | SP 40/40 HP 32/32 | RP 3/5 | EAC 16 ; KAC 18 | Fort +7; Ref +4; Will +1 | Init: +0 | Perc: +7, SM: -2 | Speed 25 ft | Entropy 0/3 | Detect Thoughts 1/1 | Active conditions: none
Oraeus advances on the final enemy, slapping his frost maul shaft into an open hand. "Are you SURE you want to continue this? Everyone of your colleagues have fled, been knocked out, or died. You are a single lone target and very, VERY, vulnerable here. Count it as a loss and leave, or force our hands."
Intimidate, never expected to get this much use of this skill:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
intersex N khizar nanocyte 9 | SP 0/108 HP 0/60 | RP 14/14 | EAC 24; KAC 26 | Fort +12; Ref +7; Will +5 (many bonuses) | Init: +1 | Perc: +6 (unusual senses), SM: +2 | Speed 40 ft. | Current Arrays: Gear (paramagnetic storm hammer), Sheath | Nanite Surge 3/10 | Reroll: 0 | Active conditions: Dying
Kosigan can't perceive the last combatant, so moves next to Tharsa, switches its gear array to the defender icestar staff, and says telepathically to the target, <Sorry this got messy, but we're here to help.>
So intent is the remaining gunman on carrying out his mission, he doesn't even hear Oraeus' and Lexicor's words. Meanwhile, Tharsa is relieved that Kosigan is at her side--that was a near miss!
Sometimes the dice just don't support the excellent RP when it comes to social skills, but I like it nonetheless!
Lexicor and Arvoris send a volley of unerring force missiles against the final foe, knocking him off his feet and sending him sprawling, unconscious. Bystanders applaud, as Tharsa gets to her feet, a grateful look on her face.
Male NG Android (Laborer; Lashunta Xenometric) Vanguard (Medic) 4 | SP 40/40 HP 32/32 | RP 3/5 | EAC 16 ; KAC 18 | Fort +7; Ref +4; Will +1 | Init: +0 | Perc: +7, SM: -2 | Speed 25 ft | Entropy 0/3 | Detect Thoughts 1/1 | Active conditions: none
Oraeus moves right over to Tharsa and helps her up, taking a good look around for any further threats before asking, "Are you okay? Did you get hurt at all?"
Tharsa gets to her feet, brushes herself off, and says to Oraeus "I'm fine, thank you. The Starfinder Society has earned the gratitude of myself and of AbadarCorp! I'm sure we'll have a fruitful and mutually lucrative relationship in the weapons trade long into the future."
Seconds later, the Stewards arrive to take the assailants into custody. It doesn't look as if any bystanders were hurt--the residents of Absalom Station seem to expect the occasional gun battle, and know how to get out of the way quickly.
Good work! That's the end of Quest # 1. I'll start Quest # 2 tomorrow.
Some days later, you each receive a message from Venture-Captain Naiaj: “I’ve selected you for a secretive mission. A rival dragoncorp, who wishes to remain nameless, has enlisted the Society to gather data acquired by Frozen Trove Labs in one of their hidden communication outposts. Through contact with an old ally of mine, Captain Argente, we’ve discovered a small outpost in the Diaspora that Frozen Trove calls Whitescale. Your mission is to act as part of Argente’s crew and deliver supplies to the outpost. While there, download the data acquired by the long-range communication network; the data is going to be located with the station’s sole occupant. We expect there to be significant security measures in place to keep Frozen Trove’s adversaries out, so be prepared for anything.” The message concludes with a rendezvous point to meet Captain Argente and board his ship, the Ercinee.
Because this is the start of a new Quest, an indeterminate amount of time has passed since the Gate 83 encounter. You can recover any lost health, daily powers, spells, etc.
DC 10 Culture (Recall Knowledge) or Profession (Corporate Professional):
Frozen Trove Labs is a Triaxian megacorporation that develops genetic modifications.
DC 15 Culture (Recall Knowledge) or Profession (Corporate Professional):
Working for the company in research and development is considered a prestigious and lucrative scientific career.
DC 20 Culture (Recall Knowledge) or Profession (Corporate Professional):
Frozen Trove has made enemies of several other Triaxian dragoncorps, and corporate espionage has become the norm on Triaxus. Frozen Trove has a few “deep cover” stations in distant parts of the Pact Worlds and elsewhere in the Vast to gather and collate information for Frozen Trove’s use. These outposts act independently, but rely on similar security protocols and usually have automated or small crews running them.
DC 25 Culture (Recall Knowledge) or Profession (Corporate Professional):
In these remote outposts, Frozen Trove frequently employs out of favour research or security personnel with extra training to watch for spies or other types of espionage. For a scientist looking for a promotion, these postings are the death knell of potential career growth.
Male CG halfling ace pilot operative (explorer) 5 | SP 35/35 HP 13/32 | RP 6/6 | EAC 15; KAC 16 | Fort +3; Ref +9; Will +9 | Init: +6 | Perc: +14, SM: +10 | Speed 40ft | Active conditions: None
Culture:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26
"These outposts are where they stick people who are out of favor, and not going up any higher in the company. Maybe we can use that to our advantage." He shares the other information with the team during the trip.
The journey to the outpost is quick and uneventful. Whitescale Outpost is a small, seemingly abandoned mining site on the asteroid bearing the designation KV-441F. The site would be almost unnoticeable if it weren’t for the light bleeding out from a handful of thick translucent windows of a building and by the faint shimmer of a force field protecting the only obvious entrance, a loading bay in a cavern too small for the ship to dock directly.
Captain Argente brings the Ercinee in as close as possible. The glow of Whitescale’s force field bathes the loading dock in a faint blue light while holding the atmosphere within. A small amount of gravity bleeds off the sparse deck plating, allowing an easy transition of the ship’s cargo into the storage chamber. It's clear the outpost was ready, as the double-door to the chamber stands wide open. The well-lit chamber cut directly into the asteroid’s stone surface has an airlock to the south and a long-out-of-use mining chute on the west wall.
As the cargo is being unloaded, your comms chime and the speaker says "Welcome to Whitescale Outpost! I'm Karezen. Did you have a good voyage? Or would you prefer fighting off pirates to milk runs like this?" The voice is putting up a brave face, but seems a little lonely.
Because Ashtif made the highest tier of info about Frozen Trove, the whole group gets a +2 bonus on any Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks made with Karezen.
On Slide 2, I've place a map of what you can see of Whitescale Outpost so far.
Male CG halfling ace pilot operative (explorer) 5 | SP 35/35 HP 13/32 | RP 6/6 | EAC 15; KAC 16 | Fort +3; Ref +9; Will +9 | Init: +6 | Perc: +14, SM: +10 | Speed 40ft | Active conditions: None
Ashtif glances around at the team, after making sure the comms channel is turned off. "Do we want to go in through the airlock, or see if we can sneak in through that mining chute while the Captain delivers the supplies?"
It looks like we're in Low G, but not zero G, right?
Android Technomancer 4 - Consumables (gland 0/1) (jumpers 0/1) | HP 24/24| SP 24/24 | RP 5/5 | Speed 30 ft. | Init +2 | Perc +3 | KAC 14| EAC 13 | Fort +1 | Ref +4| Will +4
Lexicor displays the slightest of emotion at the mention of the mining chute.
The mining chute sounds perilous if not filthy. If the chances of success are increased over those of the airlock, then we can reluctantly proceed in that direction.
Male CG halfling ace pilot operative (explorer) 5 | SP 35/35 HP 13/32 | RP 6/6 | EAC 15; KAC 16 | Fort +3; Ref +9; Will +9 | Init: +6 | Perc: +14, SM: +10 | Speed 40ft | Active conditions: None
My thinking is that we don't really have a "Face" in this group, from what I can tell, so I'm not sure Diplomacy/Bluff of the guy is our best play here.
Karezen replies to Arvoris over the comms. "Ha, I hear you! You're a pretty diverse-looking crew. Let's see, a lashunta, an android, a halfling, a ryphorian . . . is that a khizar there in back? Been working together long?"
A quick glance at the mining chute shows that it hasn't been used in a long-time and has caved in at some points--it'd be passable, but certainly a tight squeeze.
Male NG Android (Laborer; Lashunta Xenometric) Vanguard (Medic) 4 | SP 40/40 HP 32/32 | RP 3/5 | EAC 16 ; KAC 18 | Fort +7; Ref +4; Will +1 | Init: +0 | Perc: +7, SM: -2 | Speed 25 ft | Entropy 0/3 | Detect Thoughts 1/1 | Active conditions: none
Oraeus just tries to look like the hired muscle that is tehre to fight off the pirates if they board the ship, keeping his expression blank and his lips sealed.
He does glance at the collapsed shaft with a bit of apprehension, but otherwise just agrees with what the leaders decide to do moving forward.
Male CG halfling ace pilot operative (explorer) 5 | SP 35/35 HP 13/32 | RP 6/6 | EAC 15; KAC 16 | Fort +3; Ref +9; Will +9 | Init: +6 | Perc: +14, SM: +10 | Speed 40ft | Active conditions: None
Ashtif waves awkwardly. He glances toward Arvoris, who has taken the point in talking to the person. He considers, not for the first time, how starship communicators could be improved. Why is it that comms always feel the need to display the entire crew? Plus, half the time, people can just take over the speakers on another ship, transmitting taunting messages without anyone even having to authorize them. It should be simple enough to just open a short auditory channel, or a narrow view of a single speaker....
I feel like the adventure is trying to push us toward taking the supplies in as the way into the facility, and I'm fine with that. Arvoris seems to have a good diplomacy, so if he wants to take point on talking to Karezen ...
Male NG Ryphorian | Mystic (Star Shaman) 5 |Sta: 40/40 |Hp: 34/34|Rp: 6/6| EAC/KAC 20 | F +5 | R +6 | W +8 | Init +5 | Perception +16| SM + 12
Arvoris kicks back and continues a casual conversation.
"Yeah, this is a pretty good team. This is actually only our second run together, but they're WAY better than many teams I've been assigned to. Lots of diverse skills that mesh well together. Is there any particular place you want this stuff unloaded at?
GM, what are your thoughts about taking 10 on skills? If possible I would like to take 10 on this check, giving me a total of 20. If I can't take 10 please use the roll above.
"Oh, you can just leave those supplies in the storage room. Hey, do you folks have a few minutes? I've been working on some cool projects I could show you, and I'm sure you wouldn't mind getting out of that stuffy ship for a little while."
@Ashtif: Just to clarify, the comms aren't displaying you. Although there aren't any obvious cameras, it's clear that Karezen must be watching you somehow.
@Arvoris: I'm fine with Taking 10 outside of combat or distracting circumstances. In this case, either way succeeded.
