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Azzirm nods at Silent Strikes warning(??) about bright light messing with these fusions, and grabs five or so to attach to all his weapons..figuring he can pull his power armor punches so not to make them lethal, or just use the welder.
Seeing that everybody seems to be more ready than him--probably because he doesn't have 6 hands--but has quite a few weapons and only two hands--he seems to be a little behind reacting. Seeing Croaker get to the balcony-- and knowing that Carlos will possibly do the same--Zir leaves Fang for those two, and moves to engage Biter in the corner. He swipes with the welder attached to his off hand, sending the command to overcharge it.
to hit
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Chip would have eagerly grabbed as many of those shadowy fusions as possible, trying them out on all of his weapons and grenades...and probably trying to eat one or otherwise apply them to his little skittermander teeth or allsix of his fists, too!
Seeing everyone jump and pair off and etc., the skittermander just shrugs, grinning at how Biter somehow managed to get himself into a corner.
"This skittermander might not be the brightest bulb in the tool-drawer, but I know a language or two. Let's kick this skree off alphabetically, gree?"
vs. KAC (Line)
(10/20 charges remaining)
Opening Volley vs. Biter
He then takes a guarded step closer to Biter, bristling with all his other weapons!
To all: Coordinated Shot = +1 to your ranged attacks vs anyone Chip threatens in melee with his (currently) 10' reach.
vs. EAC
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Azzirm closes on Biter and brings the welder to bear. The ysoki takes the hit as it drains his force field.
Breeze smiles and winks at Roquefort. ”Kinky boy. I’m liking you more every second.”
Chips fires a hail of slugs from his rail cannon, several of which strike Biter causing his small body to jerk back and forth under the assault. But as the cocky skittermander moves forward, Biter smiles as if the seven-armed hedgehog of death had just stepped right up to where he wanted him.
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: None yet
Banquet Room map
Carlos may act!
Fang
Biter
Kultainen
Croaker
Breeze
Chip
Roquefort
Carlos
Azzirm
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Carlos just smiles. Kindergarten. He snaps his fingers, and a cloud of darkness appears around him - not permeable even for those who are used to seeing in the dark. Only the silhouette of the halfling is guessed there, and something about him looks sinister to the point of goosebumps (as in horror films).
From this darkness comes a whisper, poisonous, terrible, penetrating into consciousness. A whisper that Breeze can't ignore. Non-lethal damage is very painful, baby. Just lie face down and we won't make you suffer. We won't maim you or kill you by accident. Just give up, you can't beat us.
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The Shadows reach up and swallow Carlos, and a rasping whispered voice worms its way into Breeze's ear.
The Aspect of the Thief gets a glassy look in her eyes, and lays face-down under the enormous banquet table and out of the fray, looking all the world like she's waiting for a massage.
Fang lines up another shot, again at Croaker.
But seems put off by how easily the party just took out Breeze, and her shot misses.
Biter seems equally surprised by Breeze’s sudden withdrawal from the fight, though perhaps he’s also a bit happy that at least he won’t be the one to bear the brunt of Silent Strike’s displeasure.
His swordcane flashes out at Chip not once, not even twice, but three time in a blur of micro-edged steel.
Only the first jab pierces the skittermander’s mid-left shoulder joint, though it doesn’t really do much damage.
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: None yet
Banquet Room map
Bold may act!
Fang
Biter
Kultainen
Croaker
Breeze
Chip
Roquefort
Carlos
Azzirm
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Kultanine watchers her teams tactics with impressed awe.
"Okay team, Biter is the one to take out."
She follows her own advice.
Jopsie stays near the edge of the room, watching with a worried look on her face. After a moment she takes out a clipboard and starts to make some notes.
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Kultainen gives her team the encouragement they need to take out the two remaining Acolytes, then follows up with a perfect shot at Biter’s kneecap. It’s so good, it lights the little liar’s Spy’s pants on fire!
Croaker slides over to the corner of the balcony by the wall and aims straight down to the top of Biter’s hat. But even with Kultainen’s tactical advise and Chip distracting him, Coraker is unable to hit.
Breeze turns her head and watches the fight from beneath the table, certain that if she gets up the scary halfling hiding in the shadows will turn her inside out. At least for now, she’s more afraid of him than she is of failing Silent Strike.
Active Conditions: Super Get ‘Em: +2 attack and damage on All targets.
Environmental Conditions: None yet
Banquet Room map
Bold may act!
Fang
Biter
Kultainen
Croaker
Breeze
Chip
Roquefort
Carlos
Azzirm
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Roquefort gets right up close and personal with Biter, looking the fellow Ysoki in the eyes as he pulls the trigger.
Trick attack
Sense Motive Take 10 = DC13 tricked.
Attack vs FF EAC
Damage
+Bleeding Shot = 9 Bleed.
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The onslaught by the seven-armed hedgehog of death and the Detective drops Biter.
Active Conditions: Super Get ‘Em: +2 attack and damage on All targets.
Environmental Conditions: None yet
Banquet Room map
Bold may act!
Fang
Biter
Kultainen
Croaker
Breeze
Chip
Roquefort
Carlos
Azzirm
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Breeze's eyes are filled with fear as they shift rapidly between the unconscious Biter and the haunting shape in the darkness that is Carlos. But she doesn't look away either and keeps watching to see what will become of Fang.
The little one with the big gun merely shrugs as Carlos tries the same trick on her that Croaker did. With the same effect.
Azzirm climbs up onto the balcony to confront Fang face to face....
… and takes a blast of cold to the face for his efforts! Some of it even gets into one of his eyes, making it just a little harder for him to aim at his tormentor.
Active Conditions: none (Get ‘Em currently expired unless/until Kultainen reactivates it)
Environmental Conditions: None yet
Banquet Room map
Everyone may act!
Fang
Biter
Kultainen
Croaker
Breeze
Chip
Roquefort
Carlos
Azzirm
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Roquefort takes aim at Fang.
Trick attack
Sense Motive Take 10 = CR13 tricked.
Attack vs FF EAC
Damage
+Bleeding Shot = 9 Bleed.
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Croaker recognizes the spell that Carlos is casting he looks at the Fang and yells to them
"Fang, do you want to know what I learned on this ship? Silent Strike put you against us as they knew you would fail. Then he would have an excuse to kill you. You don't have what it takes to survive this trial."
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Jopsie soothes the fallen Biter, whose eyelids flutter as if he’d heard a golden angel’s voice relieving him of the phantom pain inflicted by the Starfinders.
Croaker tries to get into Fang’s head. She’s shaken for a moment as his words sink in.
In that hesitation, Carlos sees his chance and tries to Hold the Assassin in place. Again.
But she doesn’t seem to be very susceptible to these attempts.
Roquefort fires into the balcony area and just barely hits the little mouse’s head as she hides behind the railing.
Azzirm follows up with a powered armor punch clocking her in the side of her head.
Seeing two of his acolytes downed so quickly, and the third trapped and outnumbered 6 to 1, Silent Strike quietly speaks one word, though it is clear and audible to all. ”Enough.”
Fang shakes her head to clear the stars from Zir and Roquefort’s strikes, nods to the big man in the powered armor, and lowers her weapon.
Breeze whimpers once. Free of her compulsion to remain down for the fight now that the fight is over, she slowly climbs out from under the table, making sure to emerge on the side farthest from the crazy-scary halfling that crushed her soul so easily.
”You have won, Starfinders. Your teamwork took advantage of my acolytes’ own … inadequacies,” Silent Strike says with a pointed glare at Breeze from his position in the upper balcony, ”and I applaud you for your skill. Give me a minute, and I will join you there to give you your earned reward.”
As Silent Strike disappears from the balcony, Fang descends from her sniper’s nest on her jet pack and begins removing her gear and placing it on the table. Breeze does likewise, her head downcast the entire time, not meeting any of your eyes - especially Roquefort’s and Carlos’. Together the two Acolytes strip Biter of his gear, place it all on the table, then drag his body from the room toward the med bay you used earlier. Or perhaps towards an airlock…
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The ancient, one-eyed ysoki takes a seat at the table and waves politely for you to join him. As everyone gets settled, he takes a long, slow sip of tea. The porcelain cup makes absolutely no sound as Silent Strike gently places it on the saucer.
”You may keep my Acolytes’ gear as reward for besting them so easily. I will admit I underestimated you. I will certainly not do so again,” he says with a nod. ”But to the business at hand.”
“Datch. She was not trained by me, but she is a Laoite, a grandchild of Lao Shu Po. She has worked very hard to keep this a secret, and her reach from her position with AbadarCorp makes it all the easier for her to silence anyone who discovers her secret. She calls herself a ‘character assassin,’ specializing in destroying the reputations and public image of those with power, and she no doubt makes Grandmother proud. Yes, I have known since the beginning of her training—training under the guidance of a former pupil of mine, a ysoki named Dispassion.
“I remember when Dispassion killed my other disciples—the price of his graduation. Many do it because they must, because it is survival. Still more do it as a way to show their skill at arms, at stealth, or at strategy. Dispassion acted without hesitation or remorse. No trace of sorrow or regret made his whiskers tremble, just resolve and purpose. And so, I named him Dispassion and gave him the choice to return to whatever life he chose.
“Any life at all except for one as teacher in the ways of Grandmother Rat. He vowed before me to never take a student under his paw. And yet...” Silent Strike pauses to take another long sip of tea before continuing.
“He has trained many students in Grandmother’s ways. Many times over, he has given me enough reason to kill him. However, I am curious what he expects to accomplish.” Silent Strike pulls a small data node from a hidden pocket inside his voluminous sleeves. “Take this—it is all the information I am willing to share about Dispassion, including his hiding place in the Diaspora where he continues to train Laoite assassins. You will not find him, I think, as polite as me. If you can locate him, you will learn all you need to know about Datch and her schemes. Before I send you back to Aballon, do you have any more questions for me?”
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Azzirm looks down at the small ysoki when the call for "Enough" rings out. He reaches out a hand to help the ysoki, just in case he rang the little ones bell a bit hard with that punch.
"Nice Shooting there. I knew a Drow that you would have put to shame. She was an ass, but she was still one of the nicest of the Drow I dealt with back when I was a slave. I hope your boss isn't..." he winces a little as he knows the language of the ysoki, and quiets a little"...err....well...you might have gotten off slightly better than the other two....if you ever need a friend though, look me up at the Starfinder Society."
Seeing the little ysoki take to the air, Zir sighs, and climbs back down...one day his power armor WILL have flight....
*****
Zir again looks at the chairs...and does the mental math to realize that the power armor is likely enough to break most of them...so decides to kneel at the table.
Listening to Silent Strike talk about Datch, Azzirm nods. "Character assassin...yeah. From what I have seen and heard...she does seem to be good at that. And thanks for the info on Dispassion, the Society will use this to help deal with Datch."
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Kultanien nods. "Our thanks. And hopefully we have shown that alliances with the Society can be of mutual benefit. And don't necessarily mean that only one can win. We can both benefit from working together. Do you know any more about Datch's background? Or about Dispassion that might be handy if we end up crossing paws with them?"
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"No shame on your agents, they fought well but they were up against a dedicated and battle-hardened group that had a stark numerical advantage - loss was always inevitable - I would go onf further and remark that you and your organisation deserve credit for consistently producing efficient, effective and highly lethal agents - your people are scalpels, ours are sledgehammers - and this style of combat merely favours sledgehammers"
"Thanks for the information, and for sticking to your word"
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Chip just looks at the bruise he got, hears the resolution, and yawns a bit. "Meh, Besmaran parties, tests, and trials are way more fun...but at least things went as expected in the end..." Then he starts eyeing the gear already arranged on the defeated ysoki scattered about the room, "but at least helping ourselves to loot is always fun. Yar!"
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" Do you know any more about Datch's background? Or about Dispassion that might be handy if we end up crossing paws with them?"
”I have kept tabs on her, yes. Her current plan revolves around ousting the executive archdirector, AbadarCorp’s highest position, and creating a power vacuum within that mega-corp. To gain enough prominence for these plots, she needs an antagonist to catapult herself to fame. With its broad reach and recent troubles, the Starfinder Society was a perfect foil for her schemes.
“But what she doesn’t know is that by being involved with Dispassion, she is on my radar. As I mentioned before, those who train under me are forbidden from training any followers. But what I didn’t say was that the prohibition only lasts until they complete their final trial: killing me. Having allies for their final task is, of course, not forbidden. Tools are tools. But Dispassion has acquired those allies by training them as students. And that I will not allow.”
Silent Strike taps another sip of the tea before changing the subject.
”You have all earned my respect. I invite you to return here to the Executioner’s Nest. I could give you training that you might use in your work for the Society. Or perhaps for me, too, in the future.”
Just then Fang steps silently into the room. ”Escort our guests back through the portal to Aballon,” the Master instructs her, to which she gives only a crisp thumbs-up sign.
As you gather up the Acolytes’ gear and make ready to follow Fang, Silent Strike makes makes one final suggestion. ”Starfinders, if you choose to, you might snuff out a candle in respect of Grandmother Rat, that your journey and future will pass unmolested.” His emphasis on the word “a” comes with a direct look at Chip for some reason.
At the portal that leads home, Fang steps aside and ushers you through with a gesture. But as Azzirm prepares to step through, she touches his arm lightly to stop him. She inclines her head just slightly, raises her eyes to the big man, and smiles. But never says a word.
Once you arrive back on the Gentle Gesture, Luwazi Elsebo debriefs you, taking in the news with calculating curiosity and compensating for the dangers you faced. Though frustrated by Silent Strike diverting the Society toward Dispassion, she agrees that finding and questioning him is the next best course of action. She thanks you for your services and promises to let you know when she’s formulated a plan to go after Datch’s mentor in the Diaspora.
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"Luwazi, I think we're being used to further Silent Stripe's interests against Dispassion as we pursue Datch, but I don't see a problem with that"
"I'd also comment that this was a great team of Starfinder and a real credit to the Society; I enjoyed working with such a competent and capable crew"
The psychic-detective finishes the out-brief"Another case closed, nice working with you guys - if you ever need a hand just call my number, I have a ship, and a girl, to go re-visit" Roquefort makes some finger pistols in the air miming shooting lasers, then waves as he heads off.