[SFS/Shifty] The Great Grav-Train Robbery (B) (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

/dot in!

Flashbacks

Everyone (except Aramesh) give us a short tale of how Aramesh recruited you to the team.
* Barat, where did Aramesh find you, and what were doing?
* Kevan, how did Aramesh get through your antisocial demeanor and persuade you to join the team?
* Elena, did Aramesh find you, or did you find him?

* Aramesh, want to give us all the downlow?

Kevan put a hoodie on, he grabbed his backpack, and fixes his glasses. Despite having an extremely comfortable apartment with a top-notch fiber connection to the infosphere it was one of those days when he had to leave it. His monster of a computer with six big-screen displays and a couple of different VR extensions stood in the corner humming softly.

Kevan locked his apartment which turned on his security measures. He went to one o these dens around the town. He and his friends were picking a different place around the town and did their 'activities' outside, 'to catch some fresh air as some said.

That was the day when he was approached by Aramesh, Kevan heard of him, and he was looking for a skilled hacker, and no Kevan could use some extra money, his computer always could use an upgrade.

Kevan rarely worked with others, almost never worked in the field, and definitely never worked with strangers. He knew Aramesh but knew nothing about his team.

He wanted to stay in his apartment or a rented server room, but this time it was not an option...

Sort-of at the topic ;)

Dark spider-like silhouette of a robot perched atop the spire of a high-rise building, illuminated by the neon glow of advertising signs and billboards, looking over the city below it.

Even now, after she had already sealed the deal with this suspicious creature (or should she say “creatures”?), Elena was still unsure if she made the right choice by trusting Aramesh. Is it really possible to rely on someone who isn’t even a single individual, but a colony of several entities? If only Elena wasn’t so desperate to collect enough money to finally set her beloved Catarina free, she would have never gotten involved with someone like this. Elena knew that SROs don’t really have an organic heart to feel pain, but every time she thought about Catarina being alone, scared and probably freezing in these horrible mines, she felt that something at her core aches and hurts. She would do anything to see Catarina again, even if it means to make a deal with The Devourer himself.

It was pure luck that Elena stumbled upon Aramesh while the spathinae colony was looking for companions to join their ambitious plan. She was in the middle of robbing some fancy venue, already hacked into the main system and transferring money from their accounts, when she overheard one of the guests – who turned out to be Aramesh – in the next room talking about a great treasure awaiting within arm's reach. It was a long-awaited opportunity for her to quickly make a lot of money, so she reluctantly decided to seek an alliance with the spathinae colony.

Finally making up her mind, Elena jumped off the spire and ran down the wall like a giant insect, blending into the shadows around her, unseen and unheard by anyone. She was on her way to meet her new allies, deep down full of hope that her dreams of reuniting with Catarina would finally come true.

Barat was in the corner booth of the dive bar he used as his office between jobs. The scars on the sinewy tendrils and the serious ordiance kept within his considerable reach ensured his privacy.
That was where he was when Aramesh approached him. Muscle for a heist wasn't the kind of merc work Barat was interested in these days. He work for credits but even he had standards. He only took on worthy causes these days. Then Aramesh told him who the target was, and whose pocket books would be most harmed by this little job. A little justice, now what could be a worthier cause then that.

So. Friends! And while we work, we become friends, yes, almost a family! We don't abandon our own! This is our credo. Remember that.

Aramesh is in some ways an amazing representative of his kind. Very mannered, in some ways even excessive in his gestures, he still managed to gradually hypnotize others with his phrases and emotionality, smoothly rubbing himself into sympathy and trust. His voice sounds unusual, like a set of buzzing sounds, but years of training in negotiations give their effect - he puts into each sound exactly the message and emotion he wants.

Friends, the job will not be dusty, but monetary. First, we rob the bad guys. This has advantages - we don't feel sorry for them, and disadvantages - we need not to leave our traces to these bad guys. No evidence, okay? If they find one, they'll find us all.

For another 10 seconds he stands with his finger raised up, enjoying the theatrical effect and then continues.

Second. Listen carefully. We'll rob the grav-train! Our prize is inside a crate sealed with magnetic locks traveling in cargo car 67C. After we access the car and open its bay doors from the inside, my buddy Ardo will bring there enercopter and airlift both us and the artifact to safety before anyone notices it’s missing.

Aramesh clears his throat (obviously also a theatrical gesture - a colony of intelligent insects depicting the presence of a pharynx with its buzzing does not need a cough) and then he gets serious.

However, the console that opens the doors requires access codes that are currently held in a datapad belonging to Brom Lancaster, the train’s chief of security. We need to find Brom among the other Ixo Syndicate personnel in the VIP passenger car, steal his datapad, take it to the cargo car, use the datapad to open the bay doors, find the right crate, and then safely escape on the enercopter.

He chuckles and completes the description of this audacious plan with a phrase in which there is a slight irony.

Everything is simple. A 20-minute adventure. Let's go in and out.

Present Day!

Slide up

“There she is!” shouts Arda Vonn, wrenching the enercopter’s controls hard to one side. Straining to make her voice heard over the whirling rotors, the jububnan pilot motions to a pile of packages under a tarp behind the passenger seats. “Better get yer war bags on!”

Through dust-caked windows, the train can be seen hurtling through the desert ahead like a massive serpent of glass and steel. This is it: the big score that’s going to make the whole team rich.

And the plan couldn’t be simpler! Just rappel onto the roof of a speeding train filled with armed gangsters, somehow get inside, find the passcode that opens the cargo car, locate and grab the prize, and then signal Vonn for pickup before the train reaches its destination. You could do this in your sleep.

Pausing for any questions or anything anyone wants to do

Kevan holds to the side of his massive seat ontop of enercopter "I don't like flying, I don't like flying." he repeats while one of his massive paws grabs Aramesh by his jacket and pulls him closer whether he wants it or not

"Why couldn't we get passes to get on the train without that acrobatic performance!? I am not a flying bear"

It always baffles you that the moves his jaws but it is not actually his throat that produces the sound but his telepathy. He does not need to outshout the roots, but the does shout nevertheless.

Just rambling.

Seems simple enough, at least at first glance. But my own experience as a renowned burglar tells me that there’s always a catch in straightforward plans like this. The information you have given us seems to be rather scarce, although promising.

Elena firmly holds on to the seat with her hind legs, while her front manipulators are pensively fold together.

What do we know about Ixo’s crew that will be on the train during the ride? How many people are there? What kind of defenses do they have? I understand that this is not the kind of info you will find in open sources. But maybe someone (Elena’s numerous artificial eyes cast a quick glance at Kevan) could search the deep Web to see if there are any data leaks regarding company’s defenses and and its employees?

Elena wound like to learn more about the company we are dealing with. Maybe Computers or Culture check will help?

Kevan keeps holding to the chair "How could you think that i did not do it already Elena" with his other hand he pulls out his personal computer and begins attaching it to his data jack in his head

Computers: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (3) + 17 = 20

If this is the option

And I'd like to go to the bars where all sorts of thugs hang out and learn more about Brom Lancaster (even before the briefing, I knew the goal). His peculiarities, habits, manners, oddities. By the way, his race and appearance. Etc.

Diplomacy: Gather Information: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32

The train has a hundred carriages total with a mix of passenger, baggage, and cargo cars with several hundred passengers in transit.

You expect to land towards the rear of the train (62), and your eventual target is 67C.

Roof hatches are mostly reserved for cargo and baggage cars to facilitate loading. According to Aramesh’s information, your targetted hatch on the roof leads to a baggage car, the syndicate VIP passenger car is adjacent and will require access via a locked door.

You aren't tracking any external defences, this is still mostly a passenger train with regular passengers aboard - some are just more VIP than others. With that said, inside the train (in areas the Ixo own) may be a different matter.

You manage to find a site on the Infosphere - Info on Ixo Syndicate

Brom is a fairly burly Lashunta with mostly grainy file footage captured by security cameras from his past violent exploits being the only 'photos', you suspect you'd know him if you saw him (despite the ski masks and balaclavas). Rumour is he likes the finer things, booze and luxury, and is partial to a card game.

Something inside Elena's body crackles and clicks, indicating an intense thought process.

We need to come up with a more specific plan, instead of bragging about “going in and out in 20 minutes”. I’m sure we don’t want to shoot up the train car and plunge dozens of passengers into uncontrollable panic. It would be better if we do everything as discreetly as possible. Although (she eyes Barat and Kevan disapprovingly) not everyone here is capable of such a subtle approach.

If only we could find a way to blend in with the crowd, we could probably trick the codes out of Brom… I’m sure Aramesh could pull off something like this, winning Brom's datapad in a card game, for example. But if it’s a private and locked car, it won’t be easy to get into it without raising suspicion.

Master, I would like to use my few credits to buy a bottle of expensive alcohol in advance and also mix sleeping pills into it in advance (I am sure that with the help of technology it is possible to restore the integrity of the cork later so that it will be unnoticeable). Will you allow it?

@aramesh - No problem

Vonn banks over the train coming in fast and low along the roofline before matching the speed of the train - "Ok, now jump!" - you land on the roof and the enercopter circles once and flies off, leaving everyone within crawling distance of an access hatch in the train roof. It’s locked from the inside.

Could be an engineering solution, could try knocking - over to you!

Well, we'll improvise on the spot then, - Elena says listlessly and jumps down onto the train roof, trying to land as quietly as possible.

Stealth: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25

This lock shouldn't be a problem for me. But we should be careful not to trigger anything, like a trap or any security measures.

With that, Elena looks down at the access hatch, trying to notice if there are any surprises there. Then she attempts to unlock it carefully.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Engineering: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

:(

Hey Kevan, - she calls, - I might need a little help here!

Elena silently positions over the hatch, but can find neither any alarm system nor a way to open it from the outside.

Kevan moves towards Elena and brings out his tools

Engineering: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

The giant bear dwarfs Elena, but his hands move with speed ant enough care to maybe open it.

New slide up!

The hatch is quickly overcome by Kevans technical know-how, and surprisingly gentle touch for such a large looking bear.

The hatch opens into a nondescript baggage car, just as Aramesh predicted. At the end of the carriage a single nuar security guard is distractedly browsing the infosphere on his personal comm. It looks like he's just been put here as a last-minute addition, there is no obvious alarm button or signal system that you can see.

Opening the hatch hasn't alerted him, but entering the carriage you'd have to be pretty stealthy not to alert him (or be less sneaky - up to you!) - the red box is the spot below the hatch

Let's go in quietly. Repeat after me. Aramesh looks doubtfully at the bear, but still gets inside first.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Good job, Kevan! Of course, you are still not as great as my Catarina, but you certainly have some potential! - Elena whispers.
Now let’s try to take this guy by surprise, before he can yell out for his friends!

Elena quietly climbs through the hatch and hides between the crates.

Stealth: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28

Aramesh and Lena drop in silently, they can see the guard who has not noticed them - fixated on watching something on their personal comm unit.

Kevan looks at the others and contacts them telepathically "Stealth is not my strong suit, move closer. If the fight begins I will run to reach them."

No stealth, I will trigger the fight, so you can try whatever shenanigans you like ;)

Maybe we could try to lure the nuar closer to the hatch, so that Barat and Kevan could drop on him from above! – Elena’s voice is barely audible when she addresses Aramesh: – Hide behind the crates and try to knock over a small box, and I’ll make a shuffling noise, as if it’s some critter running around. These cargo cars are always full of vermin! When he comes to check it out, we’ll all jump on him!

I would like to help Aramesh with his bluff - if he is down to it, of course! If not, let’s just sneak up on the thug!

Bluff: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Doing the big ambush?

Maybe we could try to lure the nuar closer to the hatch, so that Barat and Kevan could drop on him from above! – Elena’s voice is barely audible when she addresses Aramesh: – Hide behind the crates and try to knock over a small box, and I’ll make a shuffling noise, as if it’s some critter running around. These cargo cars are always full of vermin! When he comes to check it out, we’ll all jump on him!

I would like to help Aramesh with his bluff - if he is down to it, of course! If not, let’s just sneak up on the thug!

"You want me to become a drop bear?" asks Kevan wondering if they are not indigenous to some small island on one of the planets. He prepares for the situation to develop.

I couldn't skip this, especially since we have someone at the table who fights drop bears on daily basis ;)

Barat rolls his gigantic eyes from on top of the train car as he whispers into his comm, "Isn't one of you a bullshirt artist? Try bullshirting him."

Easy as goblin pie! - AAramesh answers in a whisper, then flies (it looks like he is slightly falling apart and flickering, but everything is inside the armor) to the boxes, and then he makes a sound like a small insect running around somewhere here (it's not difficult for him since he himself consists of many insects).

Bluff: 1d20 + 13 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 13 + (1) + 1 = 23

Drop Bear approved!

There's a muffled whump as some baggage seemingly comes loose and drops onto the floor. The Nuar looks up from their communicator, you can see they are watching some sort of gameshow, they hit pause on the comm unit and head over to the bag.

As they arrive they look up to the hatch in time to see a giant falling bear, probably not how they saw this playing out.

Surprise round
Standard or move action
Aramesh
LNA

corona laser pistol: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 142d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 1) + 3 = 7

-I strongly recommend that you give up!

Aramesh apparently makes a warning shot.

That's right! The faster you give up, the less stabbing you will get! No need to die over other peoples' stuff!

To back up her words, Elena tries to stab the thug with a sharp-looking spike that appears from one of her manipulators.

opportunistic tactical retractable spike: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 131d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

:D

The sky rains bears and squids, and the shadows are lit up by a laser blast to reveal Aramesh and LNA - the Nuar is certain in a precarious position.

Luckily (for them) the opening shots are a miss.

The following may act - not worried about the order - you three all act before the enemy, then Barat will act

R1
Aramesh
LNA
Kevan
ENEMY

Click-clacking menacingly, Elena circles around the Nuar to block his escape route, and then plunges her spike into his leg again.

Sleight of Hand for Trick Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30

opportunistic tactical retractable spike: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 121d4 + 3 + 3d8 ⇒ (2) + 3 + (4, 8, 5) = 22

This is just the beginning! After drop bears, the combat flying walruses will arrive now! Look up!

Bluff: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14 Clever Feint

Guys, get him!

+1 to attacks from the bard

LNA misses with the spike, and Aramesh has no luck convincing anyone about flying walruses - but there is no mistaking the order to get that nuar!

LNA misses even with get em

Kevan Drop-Bear up!

Kevan drop to the ground and slashes with his huge paw, aiming to take nuar's head

Claw vs KAC flanking, get'em: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 1 = 17
Damage, slashing: 1d3 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

Kevan misses by a whisker.

The nuar reacts, attempting a couple of mighty headbutts at Kevan.

Attack 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 12 - 4 = 18 vs KAC
Damage 1d6 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Attack 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 12 - 4 = 20 vs KAC
Damage 1d6 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Party up!

R1
Barat

R2
Aramesh
LNA
Kevan
ENEMY

Kevan blocks both attempts of headbutts and slashes again with his claws
I would wait for Aramesh for get'em

Claw vs KAC flanking, get'em: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 - 4 = 10
Damage, slashing: 1d3 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

Claw vs KAC flanking, get'em: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 - 4 = 9
Damage, slashing: 1d3 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

His swings are powerful but lacks accuracy

Elena continues to try to to stab the Nuar in the back.

I would also wait for Get'em

Sleight of Hand for Trick Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25

opportunistic tactical retractable spike, flanking: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 2 = 151d4 + 3 + 3d8 ⇒ (4) + 3 + (7, 8, 4) = 26

One of this days I'll do it, I swear!! T_T

Barat lashes out with a tentacle.
entropic strike vs KAC: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 9 + 1 = 17,
A&B damage: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (2, 6) + 10 = 18

Perception: 1d20 + 13 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 13 + (5) + 1 = 22

You don't believe it, but the walrus is over your head! Guys, let's get him!

Clever feint + Get Em

The Nuar feels like a champion as all these blows rain down but none manage to connect.

The headbutting attempts continue on Kevan!
Attack 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 12 - 4 = 26 vs KAC
Damage 1d6 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Attack 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 12 - 4 = 13 vs KAC
Damage 1d6 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

As one blow lands the nuar let's out a whoop of self-congratulation "Yeah, first blood!"

Party up!

R2
Barat

R3
Aramesh
LNA
Kevan
ENEMY

Kevan grabs to his side where nuar hit him, he roars angry and swings again

I would wait for Aramesh for get'em

Claw vs KAC flanking, get'em: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 1 - 4 = 5
Damage, slashing: 1d3 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

Claw vs KAC flanking, get'em: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 1 - 4 = 20
Damage, slashing: 1d3 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

The nuar is wise to the attempts to convince it about a walrus, but not fast enough to dodge the bears mighty paws forerver, one finally clipping the nuar with a fair amount of force.

R2
Barat

R3
Aramesh
LNA
Kevan - acted
ENEMY

Enemy 13

Here goes the stabbing! - Elena screeches.

Sleight of Hand for Trick Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (2) + 16 = 18

opportunistic tactical retractable spike, flanking: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 2 = 12

damage, piercing: 1d4 + 3 + 3d8 ⇒ (4) + 3 + (8, 6, 5) = 26

Not today, apparently

The confusion in the carriage is really messing with LNA!

Bluff: 1d20 + 13 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 13 + (2) + 1 = 36 Clever Feint; if successful enemy FF for attacks of all my comrades for 1 round

Well, that's it! Walrus 3... 2... 1... go, drop on him!

+ Get 'Em

Come on guys, kick him harder!

UPD. Oh, crit! I should have shot )) Anyway...

entropic strike vs KAC: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 1 = 24
A&B damage: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (4, 3) + 10 = 17
You guys have an invisible Morlamaw?! Well I hope they decide to hit this guy soon.

Despite the invisible morlamaw not manifesting, Barat starts taking back the fight landing a vicious blow that knocks a lot of the confidence out of the nuar.

The headbutting attepts begin on Barat!
Attack 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 12 - 4 = 15 vs KAC
Damage 1d6 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Attack 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 12 - 4 = 24 vs KAC
Damage 1d6 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Party up!

R3
Barat

R4
Aramesh
LNA
Kevan
ENEMY

Enemy 30

All the same!

*Something witty and rollicking in the spirit of westerns of the past*

Bluff: 1d20 + 13 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 13 + (5) + 1 = 39 - Clever Feint; if successful enemy FF for attacks of all my comrades for 1 round

+ Get 'Em

UPD: Ahah )) LOL! It's incredibly funny and ridiculous.