[SF Adventure] To Defy the Dragon

Game Master cmlobue

Telirix flinches, watching Flame Knight take another hit. He lines the shotgun up for another shot.

Sonic Shotgun, Aim, v robot EAC: 1d20 + 10 + 1d4 ⇒ (5) + 10 + (3) = 18 ... damage, damage boost: 6d10 + 11 ⇒ (5, 1, 10, 8, 2, 8) + 11 = 45

Spent 4 PP

Mordack hits the armor hard once more, but Telirix and Sefel have more difficulty.

Round 5-6 - bolded may go

Yellow
Time Knight (-47 HP, 2 PP)
Green (-101 HP)
Flame Knight (Yargnod) (-14 SP, -48 HP, 8 PP)

Everything seems to be missing, so Yargnod sticks with the thing that does the most damage on the rare occasions when it doesn't miss.

Replenish Shields: 3d8 ⇒ (8, 6, 5) = 19

PP to Aim

Missile Battery (2 Missiles,Aim): 1d20 + 13 + 2 - 3 + 1d4 ⇒ (19) + 13 + 2 - 3 + (4) = 35
Fire and Piercing: 18d4 + 22 ⇒ (3, 4, 2, 3, 3, 1, 3, 2, 2, 4, 4, 1, 4, 3, 3, 2, 1, 3) + 22 = 70

"Wait...what's this 'flip y axis' setting?" he says, toggling off a setting he just found.

Yargnod finally finds a missile that works right, and the remaining armor shatters under the impact.

Time Knight (-47 HP)
Flame Knight (-48 HP)

"Are you two all right? The guardians here are much tougher than the others were."

Much tougher... Sefel concurs.

How does the repair process work again? I see replenish but that doesn't look like the base repair ability.

UPBs + time + engineering checks

aid engineering if needed: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21

Repair! Engineering: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 20 = 28

Yargnod is too busy cursing this outdated, shoddily made, inaccurate technology to be the first one out of Flame Knight so, by the time he's out and muttering curses, he lends a hand to Sefel's work rather than being the one getting a hand lent to him.

Engineering (Aid): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (17) + 21 = 38

The crew does a good job with the repair, so 22 HP are restored to the mech Sefel is working on. It takes either 220 UPBs and 30 minutes or 110 UPBs and 1 hour.

More repairs, or down the stairs?

"At least we're gaining valuable maintenance experience."

We went cheap last time. I guess we'll stay true to form. I'm happy to move on, but I'll leave the repair v stairs decision to Flame Knight's crew since I still thinkthey should take point.

Let's do the repair to Time Knight. Then, it will have the most HP. It's more aligned for close combat and Flame Knight is more ranged and Time Knight can take point.

Yargnod pats the UPB created plating that has just been put over the gap in Time Knight's armor approvingly and gives a nod to Sefel for a good job.

"Good enough for now," he says and points at the stairs. "I don't know about the rest of you but I want to see the new mech."

Plan.

"I do too, but let's take some more time and patch up Time Knight some more."

Engineering, aid if it's what we do: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

I think I can help with that...

Repair time knight (engineering): 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (6) + 20 = 26

That's enough to do a repair at full cost - 22 HP, 220 UPBs, 1 hour.
Did you want to fix both equally or put them all into Time Knight?

Let's roll with Yargnod's plan. We'll repair Time Knight and use it as punching bag.

Yargnod scowls and grumbles, but then again, that's his default expression so what matters is that he throws in his own skills and assistance while they spend another hour finishing up the repairs on Time Knight.

"Everyone satisfied now or do we need to wrap it in bubble wrap?" he asks, even as he's climbing back into Flame Knight's cockpit.

Time Knight (-3 HP)
Flame Knight (-48 HP)

>Slide 17<

A stairway descends into this diamond-shaped room. At one tip of the diamond stands an enormous mech in the shape of a rearing dragon, its frame a shimmering, pale green hue. Two banks of computers merge at the other tip, and elevator controls are visible on an indented platform at the center of the floor.

Something about the mech's color captures Telirix' imagination but also leaves him vaguely disturbed. "That's a good looking beast. Environmental controls on, and let's have a closer look."

He unseals the cockpit and has a good look for traps before dismounting Time Knight and approaching the new mech.

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30

Sefel peers at it, looking for any current pilot.

Is it empty?

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18

The mech is powered down and currently has no occupant. There do not appear to be any traps here.

Telirix has dismounted. Anyone else?

Sefel will stay in the flame knight at the ready. In case they are ambushed, he doesn't want them all caught out of their mechs.

That makes Yargnod the designated explorer out of Flame Knight.

He hops out and, just to be safe, pulls Justifier out of it's pocket dimension before looking around.

He heads toward the computers, ready to run a diagnostic, if nothing else.

Computers: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (9) + 21 = 30

Teliorix joins Yargnod at the console.

Aid computers: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

As soon as Yargnod touches the computer, he is shocked.

Shocking Touch: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (20) + 22 = 42
Electricity Damage: 2d12 + 12 ⇒ (8, 6) + 12 = 26

Extremely shocked, as it were.

After that, some sort of being emerges from the computer.

Round 1 - bolded may go

Telirix
Yargnod (-52 SP)
Time Knight (-3 HP, 5 PP)
Flame Knight (-48 HP, 4 PP)
Creature

Sefel squints at the being. Seeing at how it's immediately hostile he goes ahead and takes aim.

[standard] attack
Plasma rifle attack, E and F damage: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 2 = 196d10 + 11 ⇒ (2, 9, 9, 1, 6, 8) + 11 = 46

Is there a check we can make to identify it? Strangely it seems like Computers would be valid but that's not common for this task :)

"Oooow! I don't like it when computers bite!" Yargnod snarls.

"I like it even less when they generate avatars," he continues when the machine man pops up.

He's used Justifier so much that it's more than second nature for him to whip it around and take a shot. Although, he takes a step away so that he doesn't get smashed while blasting.

Justifier (Doom Caller Desperation Cannon): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25 Electricity and Fire (Improved Overcharge): 3d12 + 11 + 2d6 ⇒ (10, 1, 3) + 11 + (4, 5) = 34

"Yargnod!Are you all right?"

Telirix looks across the room. It's a long way. He looks back at the green mech and makes his choice. He begins to climb to the cockpit.

Full round action to mount and become an operator.

It can be identified by Engineering. Computers is odd, but in this case I'll allow it as well.

Telirix enters the mech, hoping he can get it into the battle.

Yargnod fires his favorite weapon, but can't line the shot up correctly among all the computer banks.

Flame Knight's blast also goes wide.

Round 1 - bolded may go

Telirix
Yargnod (-52 SP)
Time Knight (-3 HP, 5 PP)
Flame Knight (-48 HP, 4 PP)
Creature

What slide we on, looks like the creature is north of me
hit: 1d20 + 10 + 1d4 ⇒ (8) + 10 + (3) = 21 whip using aim dmg: 6d8 + 17 ⇒ (5, 4, 6, 3, 3, 6) + 17 = 44

Well, Sefel does have engineering too :)

Engineering: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21 lol

>Slide 16<

Sefel is sure he's seen one of these before. He's just not sure if it was real or a holovid. Either way, he doesn't remember anything helpful.

Mordack swings Time Knight's whip, not connecting with anything.

The creature sees another mech like the one in this chamber and goes after it.

Shocking Touch: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (4) + 22 = 26
Electricity Damage: 2d12 + 12 ⇒ (7, 12) + 12 = 31

A giant robot is a bit tougher than a kanabo.

Round 2 - bolded may go

Telirix
Yargnod (-52 SP)
Time Knight (-3 HP, 8 PP)
Flame Knight (-48 HP, 7 PP)
Creature

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Yargnod says, though being ignored would actually be a very good thing to be right now.

He steps to the side to keep a good shot at the thing but takes a moment to calibrate his weapon against it.

Justifier (Doom Caller Desperation Cannon): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27
Electricity and Fire (Improved Overcharge, Calibrated): 3d12 + 11 + 2d6 + 11 ⇒ (8, 8, 7) + 11 + (1, 6) + 11 = 52

Identification (Engineering): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (20) + 21 = 41

Swing at creature again hit: 1d20 + 10 + 1d4 ⇒ (5) + 10 + (2) = 17 aim dmg: 6d8 + 17 ⇒ (3, 6, 7, 3, 2, 7) + 17 = 45

Sefel moves the Flame Knight up slightly to get a better view around the Time Knight before he resumes his assault.

[move] 5ft
[standard] attack
Plasma rifle attack, E and F damage: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 10 + 2 = 136d10 + 11 ⇒ (1, 5, 4, 6, 6, 3) + 11 = 36
aaaaarg!

Telirix sits in the cockpit. The controls look similar to Time Knight, but not exactly the same. Power should be here?

Not sure what I need to do to get the Green Knight started. Here's a couple checks to start.
Computers: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31
Engineering: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24

Yargnod identifies the creature as a virtual phantom, a construct with the incorporeal and magical subtypes. 5 questions

Sefel and Mordack both attack it, but have no luck making contact.

Yargnod, on the other hand, blasts it with his cannon. Some of the energy seems to pass through it, but it definitely is disrputed somewhat.

Telirix messes with the controls of the new mech, but it seems to be locked down from elsewhere.

The phantom, angered, moves back to Yargnod and tries to shock him again.

Shocking Touch: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (13) + 22 = 35
Electricity Damage: 2d12 + 12 ⇒ (6, 9) + 12 = 27

Some of the creature's code reforms.

Round 3 - bolded may go

Telirix
Yargnod (-79 SP)
Time Knight (-3 HP, 8 PP)
Flame Knight (-48 HP, 7 PP)
Virtual Phantom (-21 HP)

Mordack tries again hit: 1d20 + 10 + 1d4 ⇒ (11) + 10 + (3) = 24 using aim dmg: 6d8 + 17 ⇒ (6, 2, 8, 5, 1, 2) + 17 = 41

Sefel remembers the special capabilities of the flame knight. He chooses to activate weapon devastation...

[standard] attack (Spending 3pp for Devastating Hit 1d10 => 2d6)
Plasma rifle attack, E and F damage (Devastating Hit): 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 2 = 3112d6 + 11 ⇒ (4, 6, 4, 2, 5, 2, 5, 5, 3, 2, 4, 1) + 11 = 54

Telirix stares at the controls, punches a few buttons in the power-up sequence. Too long to hack it.

He grabs his rifle, climbs out of the cockpit and starts running for the far side of the room where the action is.

I think it's a move action to dismount, then another move action to go north as shown, assuming those are 10' squares.

"Ow! Stop that!" Yargnod says as he gets shocked again.

Knowing that it's incorporeal, he adjusts a couple of settings on Justifier, switching out the flames for something more...forceful.

He steps away from the creature's reach before blasting away again.

Justifier (Doom Caller Desperation Cannon): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30
Electricity and FORCE(Improved Overcharge, Calibrated): 3d12 + 11 + 2d6 + 11 ⇒ (4, 6, 2) + 11 + (3, 2) + 11 = 39

He tries to remember more information about Shocky McShockenstein.

Is it regenerating? If so, how do I stop that? Special Defenses? Special Attacks? Lowest Save?

It has fast healing 5, which will turn off when it's dead. In addition to its defenses as a result of the incorporeal trait, a virtual phantom reduced to 0 HP will attempt to return to the last computer it possessed to heal, which can be stopped by keeping it out for 1 hour or with a level12 or higher signal jammer. It can merge with a computer and take complete control of it, during which it can be forced out with a Computers check. Its lowest saves are Fortitude and Reflex.

Telirix abandons the new mech and hustles back toward the enemy.

Time Knight's whip barely misses the phantom.

Flame Knight, on the other hand, is right on target with its rifle.

Yargnod toggles his gun and fires another blast that the creature takes the brunt of.

As it restores its flesh-analogue, it tries to get rid of the annoying mechanic.

Shocking Touch: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (17) + 22 = 39
Electricity Damage: 2d12 + 12 ⇒ (10, 2) + 12 = 24

Round 4 - bolded may go

Telirix
Yargnod (-99 SP, -4 HP)
Time Knight (-3 HP, 8 PP)
Flame Knight (-48 HP, 7 PP)
Virtual Phantom (-73 HP)

Try again with whip hit: 1d20 + 10 + 1d4 ⇒ (11) + 10 + (3) = 24 using aim dmg: 6d8 + 17 ⇒ (6, 1, 8, 6, 5, 6) + 17 = 49 I'm consistently missing.

The sonic shotgun targets EAC and the damage is energy based. Better for attacking an incorporeal creature. Also you can use the aiming and devasting hit in the same round, for a few rounds anyway.

"Yargnod, retreat! Get the mechs between it and you! Then torch it!"

Telirix tries to figure out what the thing is while he hurries forward to close the range. [i]Close enough.[/ooc] He slows to a standstill and swings the rifle to his shoulder.

Move as shown. I think I made it to the edge of the first range increment. Then get'em as part of attack. +2 to Yargnod to hit.

Hailcannon, Ultracold Cryo v EAC purple, get'em: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 13 + 2 = 19 ... damage: 4d8 + 11 ⇒ (4, 2, 3, 5) + 11 = 25 C & P 80'

Clear the area Yargnod. It's about to get hot near that thing.

Sefel again intensifies his plasma rifle, draining some of his mech's standby energy.

[standard] attack (Spending 3pp for Devastating Hit 1d10 => 2d6)
Plasma rifle attack, E and F damage: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 2 = 2812d6 + 11 ⇒ (5, 1, 3, 1, 4, 2, 4, 6, 4, 4, 1, 3) + 11 = 49

Yargnod is reminded of a game he used to play with his friends back on Daimalko. It was called "Whose the Punk" and involved two people taking turns hitting each other as hard as possible until one of them gave up.

Well, Yargnod ain't no punk so he's not going to quit.

"Get ready to shut this thing down and out. When I blast it to pieces, it's going to try to jump into a computer. If we let it, I'm just going to have to blast it to pieces, again," he says.

Justifier (Doom Caller Desperation Cannon): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31
Electricity and Force (Improved Overcharge, Calibrated): 3d12 + 11 + 2d6 + 11 ⇒ (4, 12, 5) + 11 + (3, 4) + 11 = 50

"What if we blast the computer first ? Can we keep it out in the open? "

Telirix slows to a steady march, closes the range, and tries to get a better look at the thing. Then he tries to take another shot.
Move as shown.
Identification, Engineering: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35

Hailcannon, Ultracold Cryo v EAC purple: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20 ... damage: 4d8 + 11 ⇒ (6, 1, 8, 8) + 11 = 34 C & P 80'

Telirix would get 5 more questions, but I don't think there's enough left of interest to ask about. It is vulnerable to positive energy, has DR 10/-, maximum 185 HP (which it will need to regenerate fully at 5 per round before it can emerge from the computer), EAC 26 and KAC 27. He also thinks the computer might be important for getting the new mech working.

Telirix starts planning for how to deal with this creature once it runs out of energy, but does not concentrate as much on aim.

Yargnod tries to convince the phantom that it is the punk.

Flame Knight heats things up.

Time Knight continues having trouble using its whip.

Yargnod is still drawing aggro.

Shocking Touch: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (8) + 22 = 30
Electricity Damage: 2d12 + 12 ⇒ (5, 12) + 12 = 29

Round 5 - bolded may go

Telirix
Yargnod (-99 SP, -33 HP)
Time Knight (-3 HP, 8 PP)
Flame Knight (-48 HP, 7 PP)
Virtual Phantom (-130 HP)

Try again hit: 1d20 + 10 + 1d4 ⇒ (3) + 10 + (2) = 15 whip using aim dmg: 6d8 + 17 ⇒ (4, 2, 8, 1, 5, 2) + 17 = 39

"Ok, ok, you win! You win!" Yargnod says as the ghost out of the machine hits him yet again.

He withdraws, hoping it will go after a bigger, juicier target, two of which he hides behind.

Like a punk.