If you try to force Kurson to strip, he will fight back. At this point, you can easily overpower him, leaving you with essentially the same choice about whether to kill him or not.
On the ride back, Sefel has cause to regret mentioning how easy it was, as the group hears a revving of engines, and soon they see to pursuit cruisers behind them.
Once again, you have options. You can try to fight them, but they will not conveniently disembark, so it will be a vehicle combat. Or you can try to outrun them and have a vehicle chase instead.
| EAC 27 KAC 29| Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +4 | [SP] 99/99 [HP]72/72| Resolve: 9/9 |
"If Kurson messes with us again, either he or I am going to end up dead. I don't care what any of the rest of you say. I don't have ammo to waste on someone that many times."
An odd statement given his gun uses batteries.
As the cruisers roar into pursuit, Yargnod leans out the window to look at them.
Male Laborer Half-Orc Android: 5 Electric Resist, StarWright Daredevil Operative 12: Spd:70, Swim:30, Climb:30: Init:7, KAC:29, EAC:27, SP:144/144, HP:76/76, RP:10/10, 9 Piercing Resist, 12 Fire Resist, Fort:9, Ref:12, Will:13(misc bonuses for all saves), Perc:20, Darkvision, Electrolocation
How fast are the vehicles? Can I make a check to know that? Mordack has a speed of 70 with the bolt graft. So he can run at a speed of 350. Kurson just kidding. Thy shalt not warn anyone about us.
350 ft/6 sec is just a hair under 40 mph. Your vehicle goes 55 mph. Not that chases use measurements that granular, but Mordack definitely can't keep up.
Foliage Shield (Trick): The driver attempts a DC 23 Piloting check to put tree cover between them and their foes; on a success, the vehicle has concealment for 1 round.
Smoke Screen: The driver or passenger in the front seat can take a move action to activate the truck’s smoke screen, emitting a dense cloud of steam from the truck’s rear that lasts for 1 round. This grants the truck concealment from all foes in zones behind it and grants its driver a +1 circumstance bonus on Piloting checks to evade or do tricks.
Topple Tree (Trick): The driver attempts a DC 25 Piloting check to knock over a tree in the vehicle’s path, giving all other vehicles in that zone a –4 to Piloting.
Round 1 - pilot may go!
Smuggler's Truck (zone 0)
Red Pursuit Vehicle (zone 0)
Blue Pursuit Vehicle (zone 0)
Three of the shots strike various branches before they reach you, but one hits the gas tank. Fortunately, the vehicle's plating absorbs most of the impact.
| EAC 27 KAC 29| Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +4 | [SP] 99/99 [HP]72/72| Resolve: 9/9 |
"Oh, you want to shoot? I'll show you shooting!" Yargnod says, leaning out the window and somehow firing Justifier with only one hand after making some range and speed adjustments related to Red to it.
Male Lashunta(Damaya) Envoy 111 Soldier 1 (Steward Officer) // Init +7 Percept +15 SenseMotive +15+ 1d6 // F +6 R +10 W +10 (+4 on fort for a variety of saves) // EAC 25 KAC 30 ; Stamina 89/89 HP 71/71 Resolve 9/9
Telirix groans inwardly. Obviously Kurson has not been dissuaded from harassing them. The only way off planet is an all-out fight. "Attack the lead vehicle. If we disable it, it may block the other."
He takes his own advice, and opens up with his rifle on the nearest pursuer.
Hailcannon, Ultracold Cryo v EAC lead vehicle, get'em:1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 11 + 2 = 26 ... damage:4d8 + 10 ⇒ (6, 6, 6, 6) + 10 = 34 C & P
Get'em provides a +2 bonus for attcks on that vehicle.
Chases don't have enough detail about locations for area effects, picking a "lead vehicle", etc. You are either engaged, in the same zone, or in different zones.
Mordack drives the truck forward. It's odd that most core maneuvers include moving forward, but not the special ones in the module. Guess you will need to double maneuver if you want to advance and use a special trick.
Reflex save:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Telirix calls out an attack on the red vehicle, then hits it with an icy blast.
Sefel puts some electricity into the red vehicle.
Yargnod hits the red vehicle right in the gas tank. It explodes spectacularly.
Round 2 - pilot may go
Smuggler's Truck (zone 1, -4 HP)
Red Pursuit Vehicle
Blue Pursuit Vehicle (zone 1)
Mordack dashes forward, knocking more trees over into the pursuer's path. They follow as best they can.
The enemies lean out of the windows and shoot at the smuggler's truck's tires. Or they would, if a combination of Yargnod's cannon and Sefel's magic electricity didn't wreck their vehicle.
Even if they succeeded, there is nothing left stopping you from getting back to town on flats, though it would be somewhat slower.
Once the pursuit ends (spectacularly, you can return to Mersall. Zefne is alarmed that Ayleth’s agents knew their route. She promises to investigate the matter immediately. It’s obvious she’s troubled as she stalks out of the meeting in a hurry.
The crates contain 30 elite semi-auto pistols, 30 combat rifles, and 15 suits of white carbon skin armor. The resistance needs equipment but Zefne allows each of you to take one item of your choice from the cache.
Male Lashunta(Damaya) Envoy 111 Soldier 1 (Steward Officer) // Init +7 Percept +15 SenseMotive +15+ 1d6 // F +6 R +10 W +10 (+4 on fort for a variety of saves) // EAC 25 KAC 30 ; Stamina 89/89 HP 71/71 Resolve 9/9
End of the chase
"Nice work, team. Nice driving, Mordack."
But his heart might not be in it. He stares back at the wrecked cruisers until a bend obscures them from view.
Back at the hideout.
"What do you guys think? Check the power source?"
One vote for Power Supply
Power SUpply:
The power flickers, and Zefne curses. “Our energy issues have been getting worse lately,” she says, gesturing at the half-lit room. “Twenty years ago, we had to ration but we kept the lights on most of the time. Now? We’re lucky if we even get our full energy allotment every month. Ayleth claims nothing’s changed and we can last if we all work together but we can all see the civic hall and the claw’s house don’t seem to have any problems staying powered.”
She nods to a map of Genrovis’s continent on the wall with an area west of Mersall circled in red. “That’s the location of our nearest wellspring fissure, our power source. I’d like you to check it out. If I’m right, something’s causing problems beyond the wellspring’s usual diminishment. Just be careful—Ayleth forbids anyone besides her people from going near there.”
You rest for the evening as the resistance starts allocating the gear you retrieved.
Zefne loads a map into your data pads. It looks like it will be about half a day's walk to get there, and the resistance can't spare a vehicle for this just now. She asks if you have any questions before departing.
| EAC 27 KAC 29| Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +4 | [SP] 99/99 [HP]72/72| Resolve: 9/9 |
Yargnod is not one to pass up anything free and he takes one of the pistols. You can't have too many guns, after all.
"Yeah, yeah, we'll just fix all this world's problems before we fix the ship," he says to Telirix, which is the close to active agreement anyone's going to get to any plan.
The fissure’s easy to find by following the main northern highway from town. The heroes see few vehicles on the road, but pass people walking between farmhouses and villages. Most of the terrain is farmland, tended with lowertech, labor-intensive methods.
The heroes pass through a few farming communities, some scarcely more than a cluster of buildings along the road, though a tavern is present in even the smallest and most ramshackle settlement.
At the bottom of a deep ravine lies a chasm in the earth, forked in a wishbone shape and emitting a soft white glow. Glass tubes reinforced with metal struts surround the chasm, connecting to a network of copper pipes. The surrounding rocky terrain is vividly green compared to the barren cliffside above. A melodic hum emanates from the area, though it’s difficult to pinpoint the sound’s source.
Anyone who can fly can descend easily. Otherwise, you must make DC 20 Athletics check to climb down or a DC 25 Survival or DC 30 Perception check to find an easier route.
Male Lashunta(Damaya) Envoy 111 Soldier 1 (Steward Officer) // Init +7 Percept +15 SenseMotive +15+ 1d6 // F +6 R +10 W +10 (+4 on fort for a variety of saves) // EAC 25 KAC 30 ; Stamina 89/89 HP 71/71 Resolve 9/9
Telirix waits at the lip of the ravine. "I'll follow you after you're all down."
If the ravine's not too deep, he can also belay a cable if anyone has one and wants the help.
cmlobue, please check my questions in the discussion thread.
Sefel casts Flight and begins a leisurely descent. He gets out his datapad, squaring it up to various views and sightings along the way and snapping pictures.
Male Laborer Half-Orc Android: 5 Electric Resist, StarWright Daredevil Operative 12: Spd:70, Swim:30, Climb:30: Init:7, KAC:29, EAC:27, SP:144/144, HP:76/76, RP:10/10, 9 Piercing Resist, 12 Fire Resist, Fort:9, Ref:12, Will:13(misc bonuses for all saves), Perc:20, Darkvision, Electrolocation
Yarnod, you should have just used your Jetpack or whatever you have, I'm just that good.I rolled cause I'm guaranteed to not fail, so why waste 1 charge of that battery. Although we could 10 minute rest here, I still got to get to full from the last fight, and you will probably need that 32 points.
Male Lashunta(Damaya) Envoy 111 Soldier 1 (Steward Officer) // Init +7 Percept +15 SenseMotive +15+ 1d6 // F +6 R +10 W +10 (+4 on fort for a variety of saves) // EAC 25 KAC 30 ; Stamina 89/89 HP 71/71 Resolve 9/9
Male Lashunta(Damaya) Envoy 111 Soldier 1 (Steward Officer) // Init +7 Percept +15 SenseMotive +15+ 1d6 // F +6 R +10 W +10 (+4 on fort for a variety of saves) // EAC 25 KAC 30 ; Stamina 89/89 HP 71/71 Resolve 9/9
Telirix has a last look around the rim and surrounding area. Then he checks his armor's systems and leaps into the chasm. About halfway down he triggers the hover suit's boosters to slow his descent, and makes a gentle landing.
"Yargnod, are you all right?"
Perception on the rim, is anyone watching:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27 Perception in the ravine:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15
That's one problem with jumping into high level characters with lots of fancy gear and abilities. You forget exactly what you have available. Heaven knows I'm not on top of everything Telirix.
| EAC 27 KAC 29| Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +4 | [SP] 99/99 [HP]72/72| Resolve: 9/9 |
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I'm not a baby. A little fall doesn't hurt," Yargnod growls.
He stands up and checks his gear then pats his armor and scowls when his hand touches the jet pack. He forgot he'd gotten it from the body of that helmeted human.
I even looked through my gear list and still forgot I had it.
Male Lashunta(Damaya) Envoy 111 Soldier 1 (Steward Officer) // Init +7 Percept +15 SenseMotive +15+ 1d6 // F +6 R +10 W +10 (+4 on fort for a variety of saves) // EAC 25 KAC 30 ; Stamina 89/89 HP 71/71 Resolve 9/9
Will save:
Will :1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
"Something here tugs at my mind. Can you feel it, Sefel?"
Telirix swings his rifle into his hands and looks around.
Male Laborer Half-Orc Android: 5 Electric Resist, StarWright Daredevil Operative 12: Spd:70, Swim:30, Climb:30: Init:7, KAC:29, EAC:27, SP:144/144, HP:76/76, RP:10/10, 9 Piercing Resist, 12 Fire Resist, Fort:9, Ref:12, Will:13(misc bonuses for all saves), Perc:20, Darkvision, Electrolocation
will save:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19 perception:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20, I also do have electrolocation, so if they are in contact with a metallic or crystalline floor or surface, which I doubt they are.
Yargnod feels the tug of the strange humming, but manages to resist. He turns his technology toward the source and sees a number of tiny glowing balls, seeming to draw energy from the ground.
Their color seems to change from a calm blue to an angry red as they realize that their trap is not working. The mechanic shouts a warning.
Male Laborer Half-Orc Android: 5 Electric Resist, StarWright Daredevil Operative 12: Spd:70, Swim:30, Climb:30: Init:7, KAC:29, EAC:27, SP:144/144, HP:76/76, RP:10/10, 9 Piercing Resist, 12 Fire Resist, Fort:9, Ref:12, Will:13(misc bonuses for all saves), Perc:20, Darkvision, Electrolocation
Until Yargnod takes his/turn action to point them out, I'm guessing, also I'll know when they attack. I will take the total defense action to up my defense.
Male Lashunta(Damaya) Envoy 111 Soldier 1 (Steward Officer) // Init +7 Percept +15 SenseMotive +15+ 1d6 // F +6 R +10 W +10 (+4 on fort for a variety of saves) // EAC 25 KAC 30 ; Stamina 89/89 HP 71/71 Resolve 9/9
Reacting to the shout, Telirix turns toward the kanabo, then toward where the goblin is looking.
"What?"
If we can't see them, I'd like to delay until Yarg shows their location. Then toss a grenade their way.
DC 15 Fortitude save for half damage against each. If you fail any, you are also blinded 1 round. If you make them all, you are instead dazzled 1 round.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Telirix (delay, 3 Fort saves)
Mordack (delay, 3 Fort saves)
Blue
Orange
Purple
Sefel (3 Fort saves Yargnod (-32 SP, 3 Fort saves)
Red
Yellow
Green
The spaces that Blue, Orange and Purple in are known, but they are still invisible to anyone but Yargnod.
Male Laborer Half-Orc Android: 5 Electric Resist, StarWright Daredevil Operative 12: Spd:70, Swim:30, Climb:30: Init:7, KAC:29, EAC:27, SP:144/144, HP:76/76, RP:10/10, 9 Piercing Resist, 12 Fire Resist, Fort:9, Ref:12, Will:13(misc bonuses for all saves), Perc:20, Darkvision, Electrolocation
fort:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23 fort:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21 fort:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Move up to blue and use my dragon breath, which is electricity in a 15 foot cone, which affects all creatures in that cone, regardless of who sees them. dmg:3d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 2) = 12 DC 20 for half. Those other enemies might be in different spots, I'm guaranteed to get at least 2 blue and purple and hoping I do get more, at least that is how the character would see it, but won't be disappointed if they moved 5 feet after the attack and he only gets 1.
Male Lashunta(Damaya) Envoy 111 Soldier 1 (Steward Officer) // Init +7 Percept +15 SenseMotive +15+ 1d6 // F +6 R +10 W +10 (+4 on fort for a variety of saves) // EAC 25 KAC 30 ; Stamina 89/89 HP 71/71 Resolve 9/9
DC 15 Fortitude save for half damage against each. If you fail any, you are also blinded 1 round. If you make them all, you are instead dazzled 1 round.
Round 2 - bolded may go
Blue (-6 HP)
Orange (-2 HP)
Purple (-10 HP)
Telirix (-38 SP, 2 Fort saves)
Mordack (-32 SP, 2 Fort saves)
Sefel (-43 SP, 2 Fort saves)
Yargnod (-70 SP, 2 Fort saves)
Red (-2 HP)
Yellow
Green (-2 HP)
Yellow, Blue, Orange and Purple are now visible to all. Red and Green are only visible to Yargnod.
Male Lashunta(Damaya) Envoy 111 Soldier 1 (Steward Officer) // Init +7 Percept +15 SenseMotive +15+ 1d6 // F +6 R +10 W +10 (+4 on fort for a variety of saves) // EAC 25 KAC 30 ; Stamina 89/89 HP 71/71 Resolve 9/9
Fort:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 Fort:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 That's what I was dreading.
"There they are!" Telirix's thriumph is momentary. New blasts of light blind him. He claws for another grenade to lob over Mordack.
Frag grenade, target blue circle center v 5, range, blinded :1d20 + 9 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 9 - 4 - 4 = 10 damage:1d6 ⇒ 3 P Ref save DC 14 for half
Guessed at the -4 penalty based on my reading of blinded. Subject to your ruling, cmlobue.
Blinded:
You can’t see. You are flat-footed and take a –4 penalty to Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks and to opposed Perception skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Perception checks based on sight) automatically fail. You can’t observe other creatures, which means (among other things) that you treat all creatures as having total concealment (50% miss chance; see page 253). You must succeed at a DC 10 Acrobatics skill check to move faster than half speed. If you fail this check, you fall prone. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them. Creatures that become blinded but that have a precise sense (see page 260) other than vision still automatically fail all checks and activities relying on vision, but they suffer none of the other effects.
