GM Jhaeman's "Dawn of Flame, Chapter Four: The Blind City"

Game Master Jhaeman

Initiative (Round 4)

Xylian
Revenant (grappled)
Jin
Zharis
Hani (Fort save vs catching fire curse)
Wraith
Tulgram

Bold should go!

@Everyone: At least for me, the forums have been acting up this weekend, so make sure you copy your posts before hitting Submit.

Xylian steps up and shoots at... something.

Mobile Internet is too slow to load the map. Shoot... someone.
Cannon vs KAC (Ignores up to 4 points of AC from cover): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
P + C Damage: 2d8 + 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (8, 8) + (6) + 7 = 29
Oh, max damage roll.

Xylian blasts the burning skeleton held in place by Tulgram's capture pole!

@Xylian: Since you weren't able to specify, I had the attack go against the revenant (Blue) because it'll do full damage. It's still up, but another attack like that will take it down.

Unable to slip free of the capture pole, the revenant blasts the weapon's holder with a beam of pyric fire!

Blue is doing a ranged attack against Tulgram. The attack misses by a mile.

Initiative (Round 4)

Xylian
Revenant (grappled, inhibited)
Jin
Zharis
Hani (Fort save vs catching fire curse)*
Wraith
Tulgram

Bold should go!

*@Hani: Before taking your turn, please attempt a DC 14 Fort save vs a curse effect. If the check failed, you're on supernatural fire that bypasses fire resistance and take 3 F at the beginning of your turn.

@Everyone: Usual periodic reminder to make sure to update your taglines every round if you take damage, have active conditions, etc.

Zharis adjusts her grip and fires againat Blue.

Attack (Screamer Decoupler): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Damage (Acid): 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Ah, better thinks Zharis. Actually hitting the target made the editing job so much easier.

Zharis' decoupler disintegrates part of the revenant's chest!

Zharis' attack hit, but Blue is still up.

Jin & Hani are up.

Although his initial strike doesn't connect, Hani stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Jin to help destroy the apparition!

But the wrathful creature responds by reaching out with a flaming spectral claw towards the telia!

Hani's attack missed.

The wrath attacks Hani. The attack hits. Hani, you take 12 F (that bypasses fire resistance) and need to attempt a DC 14 Fort save vs a curse effect to avoid getting the Burning condition.

** spoiler omitted **

fort save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Made the save. Will note the 12 damage.

Hani presses the attack.

to hit: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
damage, magic, B+So: 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Hani also takes advantage of calibrate defenses for +1 to AC against his current opponent.

Hani takes a wild swing, but can't connect!

Jin is up and then we'll see what this wraith can do!

Jin keeps attacking, but it's no good this time around:

Aurora Storm Doshko vs. EAC: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 13 - 4 = 10
Electricity damage: 2d8 + 14 ⇒ (2, 7) + 14 = 23

Aurora Storm Doshko vs. EAC: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 13 - 4 = 17
Electricity damage: 2d8 + 14 ⇒ (6, 2) + 14 = 22

Tulgram loosens his grip only to deliver an unexpected blow to the creature's undead muzzle...

Merciful Capture Pole: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 201d8 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17 (I keep my fingers crossed and hope for -2 to AC from the inhibitor)

The wraith barely manages to evade Jin's attacks, and then tries to set both him and Hani on fire!

Meanwhile, just twenty feet away, the revenant is slowed so much by the chemicals it's been injected with that it can't escape being squeezed to destruction by Tulgram's capture pole!

Jin's attacks missed--the second attack by just one.

The wraith is doing a full attack, one on Jin and one on Hani. Jin gets hit and takes 9 F, and needs to make a DC 14 Fort save or catch on fire. The attack on Hani misses.

Tulgram's attack hits (thanks to the inhibitor) and does enough damage to destroy Blue.

Everyone, don't forget little bonuses (like gradually working around for flanking, the inhibitor, Jin's Coordinated Shot feat, etc.) make a big difference in Starfinder because the math is tight. Also, please don't forget to list whether your attacks are vs EAC or KAC and/or the type of damage your weapons are doing. Saves me having to look stuff up :)

The runes on the door pulse again, filling the chamber with sickly green light!

Xylian is still technically outside the room. However, I need Zharis to attempt a DC 17 Will save or the battery on her light source is drained.

Initiative (Round 5)

Xylian
Jin (DC 14 Fort save vs catching fire curse)*
Zharis (DC 17 Will vs light-source battery drain)
Hani
Wraith
Tulgram

Bold should go!

*Jin, if you fail the save you are on fire and will take 4 F at the beginning of your turn.

Will Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Zharis' light suddenly goes out, and although she is torn between attacking again and switching out the batteries for her light, she opts for the batteries, remembering the dire warnings about the darkness.

Zharis has plenty of batteries, and I think I even mentioned earlier that some extras were in my pocket, so I don't have to dig through my bag. Not sure how long it takes to switch them out though... longer than a round?

I finally feel useful in battle!

Not only does Zharis' bright light suddenly fade, but her vision is filled with the sickly green glow emanating from the doorway. She can't see!

@Zharis: Failing the save by 5 or more means that not only is a battery drained, but that you become (temporarily) blinded. Changing the battery in a device is a move action (you can add the light back into your token; I removed it before realising you were going to spend your turn to put a new one in).

Xylian, Jin, and Hani are up.

Zharis finishes changing out the batteries, putting the used ones in a different pocket so she doesn't mix them up. Then she draws her pistol again, switching the light on. But... it didn't go on? Wait. There should be some illumination. The door used to be glowing strangely green, but now that's all she could see, a vague. sickly green glow, and her darkvision wasn't adjusting, which sometimes took a bit from light to dark, but... not this long. She keeps an appropriately determined smile plastered on her face, knowing she should be shooting the bad guys, but she is at her limit. She listens to the battle, trying to make sure that she is faced in the right direction at least, posing for the camera and wondering what in the universe she was going to do if this was permanent.

It's temporary; it's an acting challenge; none of this is real... she mentally goes through the mantras, trying to find one that will snap her out of her shock, but, at least for now, it isn't working. She wonders if the camera is even on anymore, but she can't afford to believe it isn't. Acting was the only thing she had, and she held on tight.

Hani ducks under the attack by the undead, attempting to make an effective strike of his own as he does.

to hit vs. KAC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
damage, B + So, magical: 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Hani will also activate calibrate defenses for +1 AC.

Xylian, too, is blind!

Ice Cannon vs Yellow KAC (Combat Tracking; Ignores up to 4 AC from Cover): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Hani's enchanted gauntlet seems to harm the persistent wraith somewhat, causing it to recoil in pain and inadvertently dodge Xylian's attack!

Hani hit for half damage, while Xylian's attack missed.

Okay Jin, let's see what the heavy hitter can do!

Jin just saves from the curse again:
Will save DC 14: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Then he recovers from his despicable last attempt:
Aurora Storm Doshko vs. EAC: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 13 - 4 = 22
Electricity damage: 2d8 + 14 ⇒ (1, 6) + 14 = 21

Aurora Storm Doshko vs. EAC: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 13 - 4 = 21
Electricity damage: 2d8 + 14 ⇒ (8, 1) + 14 = 23

Jin's hardened flesh resists catching on fire, and his crackling doshko wreaks havoc on the wraith! Its form looks wispy and close to the point of complete disintegration!

But the undead apparition has only hate and destruction in what passes for its mind, and no concern for self-preservation. It lashes out again at Jin!

Both of Jin's attacks hit. Almost there!

The pyric wraith is doing a full attack vs Jin. Result: Both attacks hit. Jin, you take 12 F and 12 F. (all of it still bypassing fire resistance) In addition, please roll two DC 14 Fortitude saves to see if you catch on fire.

Initiative (Round 5)

Xylian
Jin (Two DC 14 Fort saves vs catching fire curse)
Zharis
Hani
Wraith
Tulgram

Bold should go!

Tulgram silently and somehow ferociously approaches the last monster. Over the radio you can hear his heavy breathing like a bear.

Merciful Capture Pole: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 321d8 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21 (piercing vs KAC; lethal dmg!)
Crit: 1d8 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20
& minor inhibitor: –1 penalty to attack rolls for 9 rounds

Tulgram rushes to Hani's and Jin's aid, and the magical fusion on his capture pole is just enough to disrupt the integrity of the wraith's form! It combusts fully in an anguished wail as its spirit leaves the Material Plane forever!

Tulgram's crit finishes off the wraith.

I would normally take us off Initiative at this point, but there's an active hazard (the pulsing door) and I still need the two saves from Jin to see if he would catch on fire from the wraith's previous attacks. If so, Jin would take 5 F and have a special burning condition that we'll deal with if it happens.

Initiative (Round 6)

Xylian
Jin (Two DC 14 Fort saves vs catching fire curse)
Zharis (blind)
Hani
Tulgram

Bold should go!

As the sound of the battle ends, and Zharis still can't see, she attempts to climb down from the raised bench where she is and move back through the entrance to the room. She needed to get back to somewhere she knew was safe.

She attempts to do it without looking like she is disabled... a big acting challenge, and she hoped she was up to the task.

Acrobatics (to move normally): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Profession: Actor (to pretend she can see): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28

Getting to the entrance works, but she has to squeeze past giant Xylian to get out of the room.

Sorry Xylian, just need to take a breather, excuse me. she says, then leans up against the wall in the hallway, hoping that getting out of the room is enough, and that her vision will return.

Close but not enough

Will save DC 14: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Will save DC 14: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Science has answers against ordinary fire, not magic fire. But the experiment is definitely worth it! Tulgram in one movement gives a short injection to Jin with the same pole with which he just killed enemies. It's good that the mechanism implies replaceable needles!

Thermoregulation: [Booster]: You protect a creature against extreme heat and cold…. If the creature is burning, it can immediately attempt a Reflex save with a +2 bonus to end the burning effect.

Jin's body and soul begins to burn from the lingering effects of the wraith's touch! As Tulgram injects him with a possible cure, Zharis makes her way safely out of the chamber.

The pyric fire burning condition is a little ambiguous in that it has the line: "a creature burning due to this fire can gain no bonuses to end this condition". I'm going to interpret that to mean that nothing can provide a modifier to the saving throw to end the condition (like the normal bonus a character gets for previous attempts, or the bonus from trying to smother the flames), but that an ability that gives a new saving throw altogether (like Tulgram's) could work.

Xylian, Hani, and Jin's new save are up.

I think it's the perfect solution, GM.

Xylian fire-extinguishers Jin.

Xylian sprays Jin with enough foam to douse even the magical flames burning him!

And fortunately, the sickly green light obscuring Zharis' normal vision gradually fades to occasional spots, and she can see again.

Ok, we'll call that good and go off Initiative since no one with an active light source is in the room to be affected by the periodic pulse. Zharis' blindness only lasted another round.

Is everyone okay? Someone to patch up?

Jin needs another stamina break

Yep, ye are definitely battered. Wait, old man Tugram has a couple of good bandages for ye!

Med: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (20) + 18 = 38 - so bad nothing special for crit success; but still it's a 13 hp for Jin! Exactly how much is needed, as far as I can see.

After the rigors of battle, a quick rest and some medical intervention seems warranted.

Ok, a 10-minute break it is. Anyone who wants to spend 1 RP to get back their SP can do so. (Tulgram, just make sure to note how often you've done Treat Deadly Wounds on a particular PC this gameday.)

Zharis's vision comes back after a little while and she relaxes again.... but she didn't really want to go back into that room, although they had to at some point if they wanted to get to the theoretical room beyond. She makes sure the cameras are on and Jin is okay, acting like a rest is just what she needed as well, but really she was scared.

The show must go on she whispers to herself, and after her vision returns she stands by the door while Jin is resting, trying to see if there was a timing to the pulse on the door. Maybe if there was she could avoid it. It could be random, in which case she would just have to buck up and do it anyway, but if it could be avoided, that is what she was going to do.

Rolling perception to determine whether there is some sort of timing on the blinding pulse. I have no idea, but it didn't seem to react to anything we did specifically, so maybe it goes off regularly. If it is random, just ignore.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

A careful examination (from the safety of the entryway) reveals that there is a fixed regularity to the pulsing! But the flashes are quick, with barely seconds between them . . .

Smart idea. You're able to discern that the pulse is at the beginning of every third round.

Zharis tells the group how the pulse is timed, and when everyone is ready she

R1 -- Walks into the room and tries to open door.

R2 -- If it works, enter next room, hoping that the door pulse won't reach in there.

R2 -- If it doesn't work, go back out the entrance where we came from to think of something else.

Hani will spend a bit of time to rest with the others.

One RP marked off.

Following this, Hani will observe Zharis attempting to avoid this "pulse." He'll follow Zharis into the next room assuming Zharis can make it through.

Aey! Clever, Zharis! Let's try it.

Zharis' plan works, and the group is able to quickly enter the room and open the door in the space between pulses!

Multiple mirrored slabs stand in the adjoining room, each fifteen feet high, ten feet wide, and five feet thick. The light reflecting around these slabs is dazzling, and the heat is intense.

Pulses of light and heat emanate from the far end of the room where there's a niche, 5 feet from the floor, containing a jewellike object that looks like a star that just exploded.

Something that looks like an orb of fire containing within it a gelatinous sphere shaped like a giant maw is pacing the room--noticing your reflections, it moves to attack!

Please feel free to adjust your tokens around the doorway.

I've placed a picture of the creature to the side of the map.

Initiative (Round 1)

Hani
Thing
Xylian
Zhairs
Jin
Tulgram

Bold should go!

Engineer Hani, you've got 12 hours or so before I bring down my mighty bot-hammer :)

Hani moves up next to Zharis, then activates his energy shield.

This will give him 10 temporary HP. I don't want to try to move his token, as I'm not sure how to do it with all of the layers of effects over the token. My intent is to move him into the doorway area next to Zharis.

A beam of intense light shoots forth from the strange gelatinous sphere, striking Zharis in the shoulder! Then, the sphere zooms towards the rear of the chamber, the mirror slabs reflecting it in a dizzying strobe effect.

The thing shoots at Zharis and just hits. Zharis, you take 9 F and need to attempt a DC 18 Fort save vs a curse effect or gain the burning condition (taking 1 F at the beginning of your turn). (and as with the previous battle, this special fire bypasses fire resistance).

Initiative (Round 1)

Hani
Thing
Xylian
Zharis
Jin
Tulgram

Bold should go!