[SFS_Aerondor] 01-28 It Rests Beneath (1-4) (Inactive)

Game Master Aerondor

I think Khubelu gets the cycle.

Talltree gathers their gear and boards the buggy.

I think Tania was going to ride with Khubelu on the cycle but otherwise yea.

I think Norbert is driving the buggy.

We'll get going as soon as I finish the preops checks. Go ahead and get aboard.

The canyon is a fair drive away. Luckily even without roads, Motressi has some good digital maps made from orbital scanning. "Sadly we don't have any positioning systems available here." she appologies.

"So you will need to navigate by hand."

Need drivers for each vehicle and a main navigator. The pilot can also navigate, but they are distracted, so will get a penalty on the check.Others can aid the main navigator in looking out for notable features and such

Drivers and main navigator each give me a pilot check. Supporters, if you wish to aid, can also do pilot checks, but make sure you know if you are lead on not.

"Norbert, you're the only one in the buggy who knows anything about piloting. The rest of us can try to help you, though."

Untrained Piloting check, Aid Another: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

Enercycle navigator: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

Khubelu follows Tania's directions and drives the cycle.

Piloting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Just need one navigation roll for the team as a whole

Tania keeps the team on track, while Khubelu and Norbert manage to keep their buggy and cycle out of the worst of the terrain. In two hours you find yourself at the canyon.

See map

The Forsaken Canyon is a bleak and lifeless region, the ground covered in a hard, gray substance that resembles the shell of a lobster or the surface of an oyster.

The ground slopes steeply down into a wide canyon with large mounds the size of vehicles and narrow gullies that wind between hills. The coordinates you have been given lead you to a hill in the middle of the canyon.

Driving up the hill will be tough.
Can each of the pilots make a set of checks. In theory the path you need to make is around 450' which would be 30 successful pilot checks for the buggy and 23 for the cycle. The DC is 15 and you only badly fail if you miss by 5 or more, which would be a 1 for Norbert and 3 or less for Khubelu

Once at the top you will need to erect the tower.
Engineering check, pick a lead, others may aid

Once the tower is up, someone will need to climb to the very top of it (a ladder makes this just a DC5 athletics check) to calibrate the sensors (computers check, no aid here unless someone can fly to help out...)

16 successes, 6 failures, 1 critical failure.

32 checks, 2 crit fails, 26 Success

In this block of 10 checks, no crit fails, 7 Successes, Total 43 checks, 33 Success, 2 crit fails

I am not an Engineer, so one of you folks with skills should take charge of putting the tower together.

If no one else can do the Computers check to calibrate the sensors, I can try but I am not great at it.

"That's what I'm here for, even if this isn't the sort of thing I usually do. I'm an archaeologist, not a surveyor."

Engineering check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Computers check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

The buggy and cycle get to the top of the incline without suffering too many bangs and scrapes.

buggy damage: 2d10 ⇒ (1, 6) = 7
cycle damage: 1d10 ⇒ 1

While they have scrapes, these are hardy machines, and designed for rough terrain.

At the top you all help with the unloading, while Talltree starts with the assembly... The assembly, while instructions are provided, they are pretty complex.

Can you give me another check Talltree, the DC here is 15, keep rolling until you get it.

The rest of the team helps out and keeps watch.

Status: Assembling the first tower
Time elapsed 2 1/2 hours
Time til dusk 7 1/2 hours.

Perception to keep watch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

There is a bunch of birds over that way as he points to the birds on the edge of the canyon.

Second Engineering check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

The technomancer gets the hang of things after their first try.

Norbert keeps an eye on the birds. They seem curious about the new "nest" appearing in the edge of their territory. As Talltree assembles his.. ahh.. tall tree, the birds slowly circle your group.

It takes about another half hour to finish the building, by which time several of the odd birds are circling overhead, and a few others perching on nearby cliff tops.

Going to press ahead with equipment calibration?

Tania would at best offer to help with the engineering,
Engineering Aid: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Totally failing at that, she just shrugs and goes back to straggle the seat of the enercycle, hoping to stay out of the others' way.

Other than that all she'd be really useful for is keeping watch?
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17 (in case there's anything else out there)

After finishing building setup, Talltree takes a break to check out the birds.

GM A, would a Life Science check be appropriate here?

<If you need anyone to get into a small space, I'm your Starfinder.>

Engineering or Computers, Aid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Hopefully, they don't need anyone in a small space, though.

Chrysanthemum eyes the circling birds warily. She keeps a taclash in one hand and a pistol in the other. Just in case.

Yes, life sciences might tell you a bit more about the birds.

Dirk tries to help with the towers.

Engineering: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Life Science check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

(I totally forgot I had Life Science.)

Life Science: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

(I didn't say it was any good though.)

Tania isn't great at that field of science either, but maybe she an tell something?

Life science: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Tania has never heard of these birds before, but you nte they seem to have stony shells, the same colour as the plateau. Instead of a normal beak they have a proboscis.

Pausing for a moment. Feel free to mention anything you want to do before continuing with the calibration

"Okay, that's new to me. It looks like they drink huge amounts of calcium to keep their stony shells, liquifying it somehow before they do." She shudders at that ugly thought and starts keeping a closer eye on the birds. Maybe a warning shot or something will keep them away if they get too close for comfort.

<It's amazing something that heavy looking can stay aloft.> Khubelu comments as she tries not to get in the way too much.

Those are really strange birds, and Dr Motressi said they are not sure how things survive here. They make me nervous.

Norbert will pull his Semi-auto Pistol, just in case.

Dirk looks around. "Aw Norbert they're just birds! But I got your back." He draws his laser pistol.

Still eyeing the flying elephants, Chrysanthemum says, "Maybe we should finish this tower before they get mad?"

Talltree clicks their mandibles together. "Meteors! That's it! If we finish building the tower, they'll tear it down like they did the other one! We have to figure out how to keep them from doing that."

"Are they strong or fast enough to do that?" Tania ponders while straddling the enercycle.

"Can anybody calculate the airspeed velocity of an unladen rock proboscis bird thing?"
I couldn't resist! ;)

While some of the team contemplates pre-gap comedy show recordings, the tower is finished and Khelelu sets to work on the calibration. However that is when things start to go wrong. The strange "birds" start fluttering their wings and tapping each other’s shells with their proboscises. Then after maybe half a minute of this many shriek and turn to flap away. A few remain, and head toward your group...

Status, bold may post
Talltree
Tania
Chsanthemum
Dirk
Norbert
Khebelu
Birds

Additional life science checks maybe helpful here

"It wasn't my joke...was it?"

Tania curses herself for not having her gun drawn earlier. She does that now then takes a shot at the blue bird hoping to scare it off

Anchoring called static arc pistol: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 2 = 8
Electric damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

<I am sure they simply want to know what region's rock proboscis bird things we are talking about.>

Static Arc Pistol: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 vs. EAC
Electricity Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

I thought they looked hostile.

[ooc]No Life Science for me.[/b]

Norbert moves up to get a better shot with his pistol.

Bluff to Trick Attack Blue, Spy Specialization: 1d20 + 9 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 9 + 4 = 17
Attack Blue, 2nd Range Increment: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 2 = 22
Piercing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Trick Attack damage, also Piercing Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Additional damage for Crit
Piercing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Dirk shoots at the birds. But his shot goes wide and far.

"They look hostile now!"

laser pistol: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Life Science: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

"They most certainly do! Anyone speak rock bird thing?"

Chrysanthemum levels a shot at blue as her hands start shimmering with energy.

laser pistol: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
fire damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Note: 10 ft. reach with taclash in case of melee attack.

Life Sciences check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

The shock of insectile adrenaline analog from the onset of hostilities jolts loose some memories in the shirren's brain.

Waiting on results from the check before acting.

Tania fires off a warning shot, far from where any of the birds are. Khebelu tries a similar tactic. So does Dirk. They don't seem disuaded.

norbert bonus trick crit damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Norbert decides that the best way to scare them away is to hurt them, and hits one right in the chest. It drops like a ...stone bird.

Chysanthemum also catches one with her laser redirected to the bird next door.

Talltree pauses to try and understand what is happening. They think the stonegulls appear to be attracted to movement and are attacking out of a
sense of alarm. Hiding or remaining very still *might* be enough to encourage them to go away.

Either requires a stealth check.

[b]Status, bold may post
Dirk
Birds
pink 2 damage;
Tania
Khebelu
Norbert
Talltree
Chsanthemum

Hopefully it doesn't change anything, but the Trick attack failed. The DC is 20+CR of the target, so 17 is an Automatic failure.

"Everyone, keep still! They hunt by movement!" Talltree freezes.

Untrained Stealth check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Let that me a lesson to me to check things more carefully.

Tall tree remains very still, like a tree.

The blue stonegull was apparently just winged, flapping back up into the air. It and the pinkish one quickly flap up the slope toward the group.

Double move, but flying up slows them down, so no attacks.

One of the stone birds that was circling overhead dives toward Khebelu..
attack vs KAC 16: 1d20 ⇒ 3, narrowly missing the exposed starfinder.

The other dives on Who is the character outlined in red? It makes it really hard for me if you use different icons on the map from the one you play with. I'm guessing it is Chrysanthemum - but then who is the black outlined figure?
attack vs KAC: 1d20 ⇒ 5
Also missing.

Status, bold may post
Tania
Khebelu
Norbert
Talltree - hiding
Chrysanthemum
Dirk
Birds
pink 2 damage;
blue 8 damage;

I think I've solved my icon problem, we had two Khebelu's and no Dirk.

It doesn't do me any good to hide if the rest of my party gets attacked instead.

Bluff to Trick Attack Pink, Spy Specialization, DC 20+Target CR: 1d20 + 9 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 4 = 24
Attack Pink versus KAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Piercing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Trick Attack damage, also Piercing Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

As long as Pink is less than or equal to CR 4, and KAC less than or equal to 19, it gets hit for 6 damage

Dirk holsters his pistol then grabs his sword and swings at the bird near him. But he swings at the air.

"Go away.."

@yellow, have quick draw

attack long sword: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

GM ty for putting the map in your name. Makes it so much easier when posting from a phone!

Tania thinks about hiding but doesn't want anyone else to get hurt! She tries doing a little head-fake on blue before shooting!

Bluff trick attack: 1d20 + 11 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 4 = 21
DC 20+cr (success = flat footed)
Static arc pistol: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 eac
Electricity damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Electricity critical damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Arc 2
Trick attack damage?: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Trick attack critical damage?: 1d4 ⇒ 2

She smiles as her shot is right on-target, but winces when some of its energy arcs to hit her companion!

"Um...sorry about that!"

I think I am in red. Cuttlefish, ya know?

Khubelu is not comfortable this close to murder-lobster-birds, so steps back and tries to stun Green.

Static Arc Pistol: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 vs. EAC
Electricity Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Norbert wings the ping bird again. Dirk changes weapons but can't land a solid blow with his sword.

Tania hits the blue creature with her pistol, it drops from the sky. but doesn't arc as there are no enemies close enough.

Khubelu remembers he is on top of a tower, and can't really just step back..
Athletics check to climb down the ladder, but that would give an AOO

Status, bold may post
Khebelu
Talltree - hiding
Chrysanthemum
Birds
pink 8 damage;
Norbert
Tania
Dirk

Sorry, I lost this game off my RSS feed and then I got Covid.

Chrysanthemum focuses on the bird harrassing her companion on the tower (green I think). She then moves closer to Yellow.

pistol: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
fire damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3