[SFS_Aerondor] 03-20 Fleeting Truth: Everchanging revelation (11-14) (Inactive)

Game Master Aerondor

-We are mostly adult here but have different approach to tactics, subordination... and having fun. , - Joe mentally comments Dridapex continuing to cover Kait'lax....

So the vanguard Dampens next Tolar splash assault if it happens.
When obvious danger is away, Joe calls for Fabula and suggest that ID check everyone condition.

-Lets take a quick look around, eat some vitamins and continue. We are in a hurry.

Id looks around to the group. We are hurt. If we keep pressing ahead without caution we’ll be slaughtered. I think we should take a moment to rest before continuing. This data isn’t worth our lives. I’m happy to look ahead for threats alone.

Really think we should take 10 to recover stamina. Lots of folks still hurt. Can Id and other unharmed folks scout ahead with Dridapex while others rest?

@Tolar, it is just that nearest person that you think is a spy or enemy or whatever, so if you can target your weapon to only get them and nobody else that is fine, otherwise just minimum number of allies.

Interesting thinks Dridapex back to Joe.

Another explosion rocks the tower. Every explosion destroys more information! Including maybe that which you need. But if you must rest, then that may mean some information is saved, just not all. it thinks agitatedly.

Splitting the party is really, really not a good idea.

Okay, still think we should rest though.

"I disagree. We have come through everything else together; we can take on some pitiful Hellknights. To spend weeks here and still fail our mission... not sure I could show my face to Guidance after that."

One vote either way.

A quick check outside shows the stairs continue up the outside of the tower with huge drops below. Most importantly they are only 5' wide.

Joe, as a large creature... effectively you will have to squeeze. This gives you the entangled condition.

Well then, should we go up? Jackojare reloads his rifle and if we are resting then he makes another shock grenade III which takes 10 minutes, if not oh well, he has 5 more grenades and is only down the free one he made. Unless there is some rooms on this floor yet to explore, otherwise we go up.

Jaqweh looks worriedly at Tolar and thinks that if he were in command, he'd call for a rest. But he's not, so the best he can do is express his position, and then support the team's decision.

He returns the rifle to its normal place in his magical glove (of storing) and draws and checks his poacher pistol.

Still voting for a rest, but it's up to Tolar.

I think Tolar culd angle the blast to only hit Joe and he was the closest.

Ranged vs Joe's EAC: 1d20 + 17 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 17 - 2 = 17

Miss.

"The Heelknights are not responsible for me being used as a puppet but I find myself hoping they are in no mood to surrender. I'm fine with resting or moving on."

Looks like we’re moving on then. Hang in there, Tolar.

The team, somewhat the worse for wear heads out onto the narrow stair that spirals up to the next pass through the tower. Before you venture out, the keen eyed Id does a quick scan of the route.

A narrow staircase of rough-hewn stones circles the outside of the tower, leading to the floor above. On the walls above the staircase, the upper half of the tower is covered with a field of suppurating flesh and tumors that grow on the stone with unwholesome tenacity. Over the edge of the staircase, the spiked spires of another section of the Citadel of the Black glint dimly several hundred feet below. There is no railing.

More worryingly there are large masses of orocorans clutching at the edges of the tower. If they swept down over the walkway... well.. it wouldn't be pretty.

Given Id's request to scout ahead and his rather good rolls up there, I'll provide you the warning.

-We likely have to rest later even though our mission is endangered. But being a hero with lack of tactical thinking may compromise all involved agents. And the mission also. But for now lets move...

Joe proceeding slow as he is too large to feel comfortable at narrow stairs. He constantly use one hand for self support additionally.

That's great ID is fine and can take his time.

He is leading rest of the party scanning surroundings for dangers.
If Dridapex is still nearby, the vanguard asks him about these orocorans at towers edges.

"I know Fitch will drag me home - by the antennae, probably - if I get killed in this godsforsaken place," Kait'lax says sardonically as they ascend, "if I give my best effort to stop the Hellknights. If I give up and live, I should probably start getting used to the gravity here."

Anyone wonder why Kait'lax is not an envoy?

Dridapex thinks back They are distraught... and I cannot calm them. They may flee, but I think it more likely they will swarm over any strangers they see in the tower or on the stairs.... that includes you.

Kait'lax activates their holoskin to make them blend in as much as possible.

Any way we can get around them without their noticing?

Unless you can all go invisible and maybe fly? suggests Dridapex the only other alternative is to wait, but they grow more anxious with each.. and another perfectly timed explosion rocks the tower. Those Hellknights are having fun.

How far exactly to fly over it? Presumably also need to be using rounds of anti-grav for effective flight, yes?

I can jump through dimenssions up to 800 feet. But I will lack of this tactical advantage later. You'd better think it around while we approaching. , - Joe really does not like this time race

Tolar can just walk over them but that doesn't help the rest of the party. Do we know if they can fly or have ranged attacks? If not Tolar could probably drive them away.

Id sighs. We'll probably have to disband them. Best get ready with whatever blast effects and weapons you can muster. I'll try to slow them down.

Id prepares to slow the orocorans' advance with umbral tentacles.

The mass extends along as far as you can see, which to be fair is only about 20' due to the curve of the tower. The last set of stairs going around the tower was around 600'. To be fair that is based on a rough calculation of roughly 50' radius chambers and our friend pi. Alternatively if you flew directly up, it would only be around 50' (roughly the height of the chamber plus floor

Sounds like the est bet is to fly straight up. But does that get us past them?

Jaqweh looks up at the horde and does some quick mental math to fly straight up past them.

"Who can't fly up to that level up there?"

It would certainly get you past them. Whether they would then follow you through the next level... that is a possibility unless you had some way to seal off behind you the entrance you presume is up there.

Kait'lax has a fly speed, but Killdroid has just jump jets.

Massive powered armor with antlers spend some standing still, you only hear flips paper pages.
Acording to instruction, this suit does not have functinality to fly. Fabula could make it fly in few hours but protocols prevent me from provideing her with technology. , - Joe remebers about his ward and starts looking for a cunning misantropic android. I can still dimenssionaly jump at the place you will reach via flying...

So, plan? Just press ahead and hope they flee? Some fly or d-jump?

Another shock rocks the tower. It sounds like the Hell-knights may be speeding up...

Is there a map so we can see the layout of where they are? Can they be identified from here? Maybe Tolar could lead them away if they lack flying or ranged options.

If there's no clear way around them and we don't have a throwaway resource like a summon or illusion to draw them away, I'd say let's just power through.

No map as such for this. But I've put together a slide to help visualise.

"Joe, can you carry other people when you teleport?"

If necessary, I can use Killdroid as a distraction for us. It will weaken us against the Hellknights - if they have the decency to be on the ground - but may save us a lot of time and trouble getting to them.

"I'll go out about 40 feet past the bridge and start shooting. At that point the rest of you head past asap. I'll catch up."

Tolar starts his walk.

Jaqweh joins Tolar flying out over the expanse of emptiness. He's not keen to get trampled by a horde.

Auto-succeed at hover maneuver with 5 ranks in Acrobatics.

Right, so two of you are flying out to open fire on the poor razzled scholars :-) and the rest are ....

I cannot fly... reminds Dridapex.

Status: Bold still to work out what they are going to do..
Id: (antigravity 2/20); (could fly with Starlight form)
Joe: 41 damage (likely dimension doors via armor, can carry 4 others.)
Jackojare: 33 damage;
Kait'lax : 4 damage; antigravity used 1/20;

Dridapex (pink)
Tolar: 0/110SP; 77/77HP; haste used(5r); inspiring boost used; Flying (force soles)
Jaqweh : 14/15rp; antigravity used 2/20; Flying (jet pack)

I can carry only Fabula this way. And tose on land need cover, while Tolar provides some distraction. Tolar, these are still citisens of Pact World, avoid lethal force unless... unavoidable. I am slow here, so If I say run - you run. , - last words powered armor addresses to the ground team.
It is not usual Dimenssion door, so I can carry no one but my hireling. I will stay with group if someone have to move with legs through orocorans. If I see this foolish - I will Dimdoor.

Joe inspects how shield attached, and proceeds to orocoran groups with a stern gaze and ready to ram them away.

Actually I have cool ability for push through - Clothesline. Unfortunatelly it only works with Entropy points...

As far as they approach to the orocoran crowds - Jow opens voice channel aloud to inform people following with Crowd Control:
Citisens of Aucturn the Stranger! This is the Law here to stop distruction of you local facility. Clear the path, we are in a hurry. We appreciate your cooperation. Should I roll for intimidate?

100' would be enough to get you up to the next tower level. I missed that you couldn't take others.

Kait'lax unfurls their wings (ultralight strix wings) and activates antigravity and flies up 40 feet, while instructing Killdroid to cover the distance any way it can.

*beep boop double move at speed 30, Athletics +17 and jump jets*

Note that your hireling is not actually here mechanically speaking. Unless they added rules recently they are just considered to be following you... somehow. They are there when their skills are needed and not there during combat. I bring it up because having one along is fun RP but no point in saving it over a PC.

At Joe's words there is an unseen frown.

"Very well. Warning shots. Unless I need to defend myself."

I am a leaf on the wind.

And what shall you have me do as Jackojare turns towards his allies. He can't fly and even with a stealth of 15, I think would not be good enough to get past the Hellknights. I would probably require multiple checks and I don't think I'd have something to hide behind the whole way.
Hellknights, I have a grenade launcher if you just want me to blow them up

Status: Bold still to work out what they are going to do..
Id: (antigravity 2/20); (could fly with Starlight form)
Jackojare: 33 damage;
Dridapex (pink)
Joe: 41 damage dimension doors via armor,
Tolar: 0/110SP; 77/77HP; haste used(5r); inspiring boost used; Flying (force soles)
Jaqweh : 14/15rp; antigravity used 2/20; Flying (jet pack)
Kait'lax : 4 damage; antigravity used 1/20; Flying (Strix wings)

Id looks to his flying comrades and activates his own starlight form. Happy to bring someone if they need a lift.

Would probably cost 1 minute off of starlight form.

Jackojare will hitch a ride on Id.

Unfortunately, I don't think that you can carry other people in Starlight form. If Jaq were strong enough, he might be able to carry you with a jet pack but he can't do that if his load would take him to encumbered. Similar for Kait and his wings, or Tolar and his force soles.

Why not? It grants the benefit of a 3rd-level flight spell. Does that preclude carrying? The spell just says I can’t carry more than my normal bulk limit.

Tolar probably could carry someone using the force soles but only if he wasn't encumbered. In this gravity no chance.

@Id I was reading it as becoming some what insubstantial

You can transform yourself into blazing starlight as a standard action.

But if we just take that as fluff, then if whoever you want to carry is in your weight limit, go for it.

That said... even without heavy gravity, one bulk is 5-10lb. Lets be generous and double that to 20lb. Your average shirren is 100-150lb. If we assume that jack is at the bottom end of that range, and has no equipment on them that is 100lb (5 bulk). If Id has no equipment of their own, then with his strength of 10 he could just fly jackojare somewhere.

Flying other people is really hard in Starfinder - even with a level 6 flight spell (which has a ridiculous casting time of 10 minutes per caster level!)

Yeah, the weight limit is a tougher nut to crack. Not sure how to get around that with a heavily armed and armored Jackojare other than maybe multiple trips.

Rope?

I saw a PF2 chart once that said a Medium creature was 6 Bulk, and each size category off doubled or halved that. I can't find it any more, but it's not far from the GM's estimation and still tells us we are not carrying each other around in this gravity.