SFS 2-13 - Storm of the End Times (KS) (Inactive)

Game Master phaeton_nz

Less than ideal.

Slightly panicked, with both hands on a weapon to long and unwieldy for close combat, Tofana releases one hand, fends the ooze awkwardly away with a one-handed push of her rifle and steps to the side while drawing her knife. She slashes at the ooze.

Cautious step 5' as shown and draw weapon.

Survival Knife v KAC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 ... damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 S Analog, Operative

Nice description of Antethriss' actions. Too bad the dice didn't go along.

Unfortunately, that doesn't get in either.

Liftt edges to his right, trying to get a slot in clear of his team mates.

Once everything is lined up he calls out a warning the CAAMC, "You may want to stay back a bit... this is going to get messy. "

And loud it is. Taking careful aim with his Excavation laser he tries to drill a hole right through the middle of the slime.

attack vs EAC: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
F damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Tetra draws his survival knife, seeing the hostile creatures approaching. He then moves behind everyone and to the side to approach them later.

(Red: -6)

Momo still to go.

Momo dances around Tofana, drawing her blade in the process, and proceed to outflank the blobby creature. She glows a little yellow when she does so.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 111d10 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 +2 to hit if flankable

Unfortunately an ooze, by it's very nature, is not flankable.

Red slithers around Momo before lashing out.
pseudopod: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 bludgeoning: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Antethriss and Skip are up before Yellow.

The first miss did not knock the mighty drow off the rhythm. Straining every muscle, Antethriss dodges a retaliatory blow and makes a pirouette and a U-turn. Two amphibious knives cut ooze with lightning speed while the drow spins in a new somersault.

Survival Knife (Multi-Weapon Fighting): 1d20 + 3 - 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 - 3 = 191d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Survival Knife (Multi-Weapon Fighting): 1d20 + 3 - 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 - 3 = 181d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

PS Yes, I involuntarily describe the combat scene as Bob Salvatore, for full compliance I have yet to start to write "at the last moment" 4 times per page .)

Move Action - improved Demoralize "Oh wonderful, there's a second one, just as ugly and odorous as the first"

Intimate vs Yellow for shaken: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Standard action To emphasize his point, visible cartoon stink lines appear in a hazy mist over the creatures.

Casting level 1 spell Acidic Mist. For the next two turns, any creature starting their turn in the most takes 2d6 acid damage, fort half, sr no

Antethriss discovers that the oozes have damage reduction v piercing or slashing, making the attacks ineffective.

acid: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 4) = 9
fort red: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
fort yellow: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 6 - 2 = 22 (shaken, not stirred)
((Red: -10 Yellow: -4))

Assuming Antethiss is wearing technological equipment, the yellow tinged ooze does a Magnetic Leap and attaches to him with it's magnetic field. If he isn't, it just slithers around and does not attach. In both cases, it swats him with a psuedopod.
swat: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 bludgeoning: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Magnetic Leap (Ex) - As a move action every 1d4 rounds, a ferrofluid ooze can move adjacent to a creature within its magnetic field that is either a technological construct or wearing or wielding technological equipment. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The ooze then automatically attaches to that creature, as per the attach universal creature rule.

Assuming Lifft, Tofana, Tetra and myself are up

This things smells of driftdead... Momo remarks to Skip as an acidic smells fills the room.

Momo glows a little brighter. Her blade flashes red before she strikes the nearest ooze with it

Curve Blade, Plasma Sheath: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 101d10 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Move: Plasma Sheath, Standard: Attack. Attune 2/3

Assuming Tetra is up...

Tetra gets close to Red and makes an attempt to trick the enemy by hiding his weapon before slashing at Red.
DC 20 + Red's CR, Sleight of Hand: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18 (Red becomes FF is successful)
Survival Knife Attack vs Red: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Survival Knife Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2 slashing damage
Additional Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2 slashing damage (if Sleight of Hand is successful)

Liftt continues to circle around, sending another blast into the red ooze.

"aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

attack vs EAC: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
F damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Momo misses
So does Tetra.
Liftt continues drilling a hole in Red (-23). He's nearly through.

Tofana is up before Red.

Tofana drops her knife, steps back from the ooze and levels her rifle at it.

Drop knife. Cautious step as shown.
Shobhad horizon striker, tactical v red KAC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23 ... damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 3) + 3 = 8 SP 100 ft. — 2 rounds 1 2 Analog, sniper (500 ft.), unwieldy

And, even with the damage reduction, red collapses into a gooey mess on the floor.

Antethriss and Skip are up before Yellow.

This things smells of driftdead... Momo remarks to Skip as an acidic smells fills the room.

"Oh, yes... Now that you mention it, it does, doesn't it." Skip Stammers for a moment, as he fiddles with his pistol in it's holster. "Something about monsterous creatures in ship's holds, no doubt...."

He finally draws his pistol. "Ah-Ha! Have at you!

Azimuth Laser Pistol vs Yellow EAC: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

It discharges before it's fully out of the holster, scorching the floor. "Cursed thing!"

It was very close to hitting Skip's foot.

Still waiting on Antethriss. Will bot in 24 hours.

I apologize. At the end of the year, I'm just torn in half because of the abundance of work.

Oh, you... Antethriss is straining with all his strength and trying to tear the monster away from him...

Str: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22 - DC to remove (DC = 10 + 1-1/2 × the creature’s CR)

On the one hand, the drow was not a little scared. Horror movies about face-grabbing monsters immediately flashed in his brain. On the other hand, there have been more vile and dangerous creatures in the tunnels under the Nightarch... One way or another, with one movement, he tears the creature away from himself. Then he just backs away in indecision, remembering that his knives did not help in this situation in any way... (guarded step)

Antethriss throws Yellow off. Yellow response by moving to the nearest Starfinder, which happens to be Antethriss and slapping him with with a pseudopod
smack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 bludgeoning: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Everyone is up.

And the drow falls dramatically, dropping both daggers. Darkness envelops his eyes...

Liftt, with a clear shot, opens up with a pair of blasts against the last of the holds "protective" ooze.

attack vs EAC,MAP: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 4 = 14
F damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
attack vs EAC,MAP: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 10 - 4 = 23
F damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

"D.doo..does someone have a medikit?" he calls out in a high-pitch voice.

"Kill it first. Medkit second," Tofana says, but her actions belie the words. She drops her rifle then reaches down to grab the drow's collar and drag him away from the ooze.

Not sure how far I can drag him, or if I'll draw an AoO, but the plan is to drag Antethriss as far away from the ooze as I can. I'll let you move us as Appropriate, phaeton.

Stay off... my friends! Momo shouts, now fully enshrouded in yellow flame. She is almost hot to the touch, but doesn't explode quite yet

A bit too crowded to go supernova :(

In stead, she lashes out with her blade.

Blade: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 111d10 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Liftt hits twice (-22)
Tofana attempts to drags Antethriss away.
Momo just misses with her blade.

The ooze gets an AOO against Tofana
smack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21 bludgeoning: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

If you're still up, you'd move as if in difficult terrain

((Waiting on Skip and Tetra))

"Holy scrap!" he exclaims when the handsome drow falls to the ground. "Not my handsome and muscular ally!" Tetra quickly gets close to Yellow and makes an attempt to trick the enemy by hiding his weapon before slashing at Yellow.
DC 20 + Red's CR, Sleight of Hand: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27 (Yellow becomes FF if successful)
Survival Knife Attack vs Red: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Survival Knife Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4 slashing damage
Additional Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4 slashing damage (if Sleight of Hand is successful)

Trick Attack for full action

Tetra tricks, hits, and kills, even after accounting for the DR.

--- Combat Over ---

Looks like I forgot to clean up Tofana's stat line from her last game. that hit will bring her down to 9 SP and she should still have full HP. I'll adjust her stat line accordingly.

Tofana absorbs the hit and keeps trying to drag Antethriss away from the oooze. She's silently grateful when Tetra ends the threat. Tofana gently lowers the drow's head to the floot. She searches in her bag and for a healing serum, snaps off the end of the ampoule and drips the fluid slowly between Antethriss' lips.

Healing serum: 1d8 ⇒ 8

When she's sure the drow will survive, Tofana stands, nods to Tetra. Then she gathers her dropped gear, cleans it, and reloads her rifle.

"Ar.arrhh... are you alright? Is Antethriss okay?"

The CAAMC nods approvingly at Liftts concern.

"Here, let me have a look.," Liftt adds. "I've had to patch up a lot of agents in my time while flying medevac"

medicine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

But his suddenly shaking fingers drop the first aid kit.

Do you stay to help the Ibran fix their recording equipment before you leave? If so, Engineering checks.

Liftt heads through the ship to try and find the engineering bay.

"We must help them get recording going. The more data points the better."

He does however ask "You will share what you learn with us?"

engineering: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18 Happy to be an aid if someone is actually skillled in this.

That is actually enough. You gain Favour with the Iberians for staying to help them and they also promise to share their findings with you.

Unfortunately this means they get down to the planet before you and land on A2 - The Amphitheatre, where they begin to set up.

Which pillar do you choose to land on?

"Ingrates." Tofana observes from the sensor station while she watches the Ibrans swoop onto the Starfinder's planned landing spot.

"I suggest the Arch is the next most suitable site, but we will have to work hard to secure the instruments. Maybe we can use the ship as a windbreak."

A1 - The Altar - Looks like someone got here first. A massive dome made of pale-green alloys crowns this wide basalt column, its roof studded with telescope lenses, dish receivers, and recording instruments. Turret-mounted weapons form a defensive perimeter around the site, and a small hangar containing six-displacer hovercrafts abuts the main facility. A partially enclosed patio resembles a dining room set for guests, though no one appears to have visited.

A2 - The Amphitheatre - The peak of this pillar recently slid off into the sea, leaving a mostly flat top surrounded by a half-circle of grooved, weathered stone that is easy to walk on. The elevated perimeter functions as a windbreak, making it easier to secure astronomical instruments against the inclement weather. Ibrans

A3 - The Arch - Years of pounding winds and waves carved out a gap in the base of this pillar, leaving behind a two-legged platform with a wide, flat top. The Arch has plenty of open ground to set up instruments, though its surface is exposed to the elements.

A4 - The Bowl - Rainwater collects in the pit at the center of this column, forming a reflecting pool when the storm clears. The sloped walls make it difficult to position equipment, but they offer limited protection from the harsh wind.

A5 - The Dome - The top of this pillar is wider than its base, giving it the appearance of a head looking toward the sky. The convex surface makes it difficult to calibrate equipment designed for flat surfaces.

A6 - The Honeycomb. - Deep holes cover the walls of this pillar in a pattern resembling a beehive. The peak is mostly flat, but some collapsed holes create uneven terrain unsuitable for instrument setup.

A7 - The Lilypad - Large waves regularly wash over this low, flat pillar. Preparing gear to weather the constant barrage of waves requires finesse.

A8 - The Mosaic - This site is a collection of smaller, hexagonal columns of differing heights, formed by a volcanic eruption and fused together by the constant battering of the winds and waves. The height of each hexagonal pillar varies significantly, making level ground to set up recording equipment difficult to find.

A9 - The Needle - This column has the steepest point, and the only safe spots for a starship or vehicle to land are a handful of narrow cliffs left over from where chunks of stone calved off the pillar.

A10 - This misshapen basalt pillar lacks any safe landing sites.

"Or the needle. I think I could land there, and it looks like it would be fine for our instruments.." suggests Liftt.

The thought of a challenge to his piloting skills seems to cheer up the glum shirren.

"Are you should that is wise?" asks the ever present CAAMC. " It is almost like you are purposely courting danger.."

"O...oor.. maybe not?" he stammers.

"I suggest the Arch is the next most suitable site, but we will have to work hard to secure the instruments. Maybe we can use the ship as a windbreak."

Skip looks over the data about the landing sites and concurs with Tofana. "Nothing a scarf and our environmental protections can't handle, I'm sure."

With a nod, Liftt sets course for the Arch.

"No worries. This beauty could land on a cred-stick."

pilot: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28

The Arch it is. It's raining heavily as you land but the forecast is that it should clear up in a few hours.

The initial scan also establishes a timeline for when the aurora occurs. Your scans estimate the aurora’s peak brilliance to occur in about 12 hours, divided into 12 setup periods each roughly 1 hour long. The PCs can use these setup periods to explore the planet’s basalt pillars, interact with the other attendees, or prepare their recording instruments.

The interactions with the Ibrans cost you a set up period but you still have 11 to work with.

You can use 1 setup period to prepare your recording equipment.

If you succeed at an Easy Computers, Engineering, or Physical
Science check, you earn 1 Recording.

There is also another arrival who lands on A4 1d6 ⇒ 2 just after you do, the Church of Desna. It is easy enough to know it is them, there are butterflies painted on their hull.

Is this one action each, or one for the group as a whole?

Liftt helps get the equipment out of the hold. He is no scientist, but he has been around equipment enough that he can at least help set up the routine bits of recording equipment.

engineering (aid if there is just the one check, or whole check if we get one each.: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Every now and then he glances out at the other rock formations, and the other recording teams. "I wonder how they are going?"

Just one check is required and Liftt succeeds - told you it was easy

Still recovering from the crushing knockout (but not forgetting to pick up the knives), Antethriss listlessly looks around the process of installing equipment. When you need to drag something, call me. And he sighs, as if he expected more

"I wonder what they are doing there." Tetra ponders as he sees the arrival of the church of Desna from another spot. "Maybe we could interact with them, if we catch them? What do you think?" he asks the others.

Physical Science: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Momo breathes a sigh of relief as she rushes off the ship. After Lifft sets up the equipment, she tries to make sense of the readings... Hold on, a little noise here. Quite a bit of static, but I'm getting a blip off the machine... maybe this is helpful?

Mysticism: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Which she does until the newcomers arrive. She knows just about enough about religions to know that butterfly typically don't indicate evil religions. Which is enough for her to try to approach the cultists.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Hello everybody. My name is Momo and I'm in charge of dancing. she offers her ususal, rehearsed-sounding greeting, and adds with a bit more enthousiasm, and calibration! Are you here to study the aurora as well?

Although she does well by her standards, Momo can't just help but think how her sister would've handled this more naturally.

Tofana helps Lifft and Momo with the equipment. She focuses intently on that work. After the equipment is positioned she uses her tool kit to begin calibrating and making minor physical adjustments.

She has no apparent interest in the other groups.

Since the groups are on different pillars, surrounded by ocean, your only current way to visit other groups is to use your ship, but this could result in someone else landing on your spot.

Momo, however can use the communications system to talk to the Desnians.

Does anyone have the Contractor's Respect Boon from 1-12 slotted, and it is for the Church of Desna?

Momo discovers that followers of the Song of the Spheres received dreams about Wealdriad and decided to investigate further when they heard about the impending aurora. They follow a cagey priestess named Estrima (female damaya lashunta), who believes the dreams are prophetic warnings and the planet isn’t as uninhabited as it appears.

If she wants to help interpret these dreams, Momo, or anyone else helping, needs to make a Mysticism check

Momo uses the communication system to talk to the desnans. She quickly flicks away an unrelated incoming message

Mister Intro, are the dreams something you can help with? Momo says with expectation, hoping to get a grasp of nightmares of her own.

Mysticism, aid for skip: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Off-handedly, she types a return message

---

Welcome to my dream world
Run, run, run away in circles
Fall into the endless well
And scream without a sound
The more you are determined to escape
The more your soul is trapped inside
Forever more
Locked in the darkest slumber
Rest well, good night!

Liftt eyes up the new arrivals.

"I.. ahh... that is...perhaps you could ask about their dreams? Find out what might be about to happen?" he suggests.

"What's going to happen is that we're not going to collect enough data if we don't finish setting up, testing and calibrating this equipment."

Tofana's tone is flat. Was she grumbling, or stating an obvious fact.

Esterima, their leader, comes on the comms. I believe the dreams are prophetic warnings and the planet isn’t as uninhabited as it appears. If you Starfinders find evidence of that, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know about it.

Anyone else rolling Mysticism?

Not Tofana.