Game Master S's "Yesteryear's Sorrow" (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

"Can't imagine why anyone would make Zoey here go through the front door at an arena."

"Can't imagine why anyone would make Zoey here go through the front door at an arena."

"Is she really that famous?"

Cautious after the last trap, the party slowly advances. Nothing of note (good or bad) stands out here.

The door to the business side of the room is locked Mechanical, so an engineering check.

The window to the other side of the room shows the soft glow of working computers!

Ysh' gets to the door and takes her tools out to open it.

Engineering: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16 +4 with tools

Zynn works with Ysh to open the door.

Engineering: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

K.I.N.A.A. wrote:

"Can't imagine why anyone would make Zoey here go through the front door at an arena."

"Is she really that famous?"

Ah ni! Zoey waves her hand in denial It's not like that... She blushes, turning red like the reddishes she just sang about ...silly...

I'd love to play a big arena one day, though, like Domakayo, or Sonic Tumult! I hope mister Manager can get that done one day!

Cheerful about the thought, she hum a tune while aiding with the door...

Aid, Engineering: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Nananana, I'm a rocket girl...

It's velvet rope for forming a queue. This looks like a customer service area.

While the others crowd around to unlock the door, Twila-5 puzzles over the crowd control device. "Why would they set it up so there's a dead end?" After a moment, she meanders to the window to peer into the room on the other side.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Can she see any signs of wildlife having taken up residence here? Any sign of recent activity? Any computer screens facing her that she could read?

Burn steps back while the others tackle the door.

"Someone with a sense of humor?" he replies to Twila's most probably rhetorical question.

"The ultimate metaphor for bureaucracy." She deadpans.

The party has little difficulty with the door. Twila-5 notes that this room has no wildlife in it for whatever reason.

Once the door is open, access to the screens is easy. The computers have only their desktop open. Computers check to poke around.

Ysh' takes her tools to access the computers.

Computer: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16 +4 with hacker tools

Ysh' finds the computers easy and primitive. There seems to be only a bunch of spreadsheets, and poorly kept ones at that. There's one file that catches the technomancer's eye though. It's a personal log entry by the same colonel.

It has been done. A few of my soldiers balked when I gave the order to launch the missiles, but they have been incarcerated until we can have a proper court martial. We must continue to have the rule of law down here while the world above burns. Otherwise, we are no better than the nighthoppers in the fields.

I was sure those cowardly Omathu would have surrendered right away, but perhaps they thought we were so addled by their perfidy that we would forget our treaties and that Bhyrri would fall alone. Their retributive strikes came swiftly. The foul Kolleo followed suit against us. Our allies then fired their own strikes… and it escalated from there. If only Omathu had acquiesced, this destruction could have been avoided

Helping with computers: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

"Why would they set it up so there's a dead end?"

The last line I was in had a big burly vesk bouncer at the end, so here's for improvement! Zoey says, while checking out the keyboard layout... where's the spacebar on this thing?

Leaning over Ysh'aal's shoulder to read the entry, Twila-5 snorts. "'The fight didn't start until they hit me back.' There are destructive fools with attitudes like that in almost every culture throughout history."

Agreed... better to live free of society!

Says Ysh' while looking around.

If there is nothing more to find here, let's open this door. she says poiting at the door on the back of the room.

Agreed... better to live free of society!

Says Ysh' while looking around.

...

"Hard to do unless you live alone," Burn observes.

He pivots to cover the next door with his rifle.

Zynn follows Burnham looking around for anything of interest.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

When his companion is ready to open the door, he draws out his Solar Sword!

Burnham steps up to the door and tries to open it.

"Hard to do unless you live alone," Burn observes.

Yeah, but dorm life has its advantages! Zoeys says, though her lack of substantiation is telling.

Feeling confident that the computers have given up the entirety of their story, the party turns to the door. It's easy enough to open despite the groan of disuse, and it provides choices. It's a hallway the splits and ends in two unmarked doors. Map updated.

Zynn joins Burnham and steps through the doorway. He bears right as they come to the fork. With his weapon drawn, he tries to remain vigilant but is more preoccupied with the fact that the others are not keeping up!

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Still paranoid about traps, Twila-5 takes her time, oblivious to the annoyance of Zynn.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Any traps in the hallway or on the doors?

Zynn goes right. Burn goes left. "Big door on this side."

Left or right?

"I feel no instinct either way. Let's go your way."

Zynn moves over to join Burnham.

Twila-5 gives the all clear, and then the party moves forward and left. The door seems safe, so with a click it opens. This large room is piled high with metal crates, many of which are upended, their lids nowhere to be seen. A few of these boxes contain masses of stringy, organic filaments and pulsating egg sacs, each the size of a fist.

Hey, Deedee plays a lot of infosphere games where such egg sacs spawn forth really gross-looking big spiders! She really likes that game...

Yeah, she's not stepping in there first.

"Where there are eggs, there is often whatever laid them. Keep your eyes peeled for something bigger. And if any of them start hatching... Klarima, do you know what species these are and if they're a threat?"

"I'm just glad that the eggs are no bigger than my fist. Let's just hope they don't all hatch at once."

Zynn looks around for evidence of 'Mama'.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Expecting trouble, the party is ready when trouble arrives! Two multi-winged insects the size of dogs with a strange gunmetal color take flight from the top of the shelves!

One closes on Zynn: Bite: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21 for Piercing: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

And the other on Burnham: Bite: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11 MISS

ROUND 1:
Insects: ATK!
Twila-5: Go
Burnham: Go
Zynn (SP 12/27): Go
Ysh'yaal:
K.I.N.A.A.: Go
Zoey: Go

Zynn Megavoom quickly enters a state of metaphysical alignment with cosmic forces. He attunes himself to photons and begins his attack on the green insect!

While his photon attunement grows, he strikes with his solar weapon, Lightrazor!

Solar Weapon Attack (Lightrazor): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Slashing Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7

Photon Attunement Points: 1

Hearing the ruckus, Twila-5 dashes down the corridor toward the sounds, drawing her static arc pistol as she does so. When she gets nearly even with Burn, she tucks into a forward roll and pops up in the corner to send a shot at the green one through the door.

Trick attack (acrobatics): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16
Failure
Static Arc Pistol (E) vs. green: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 161d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Trick attack damage, if applicable: 1d8 ⇒ 5

Zynn and Twila-5 both react quickly and efficiently, though Twila-5's tumbling doesn't help her shot.

ROUND 1:
Insects: ATK!
Twila-5: Hit
Burnham: Go
Zynn (SP 12/27): Hit
Ysh'yaal:
K.I.N.A.A.: Go
Zoey: Go

Without hesitation, Zoey reaches for the dueling sword that was the central piece of her viral performance on Pact World Warriors. Go Team Knockout! she shouts and takes a swipe at the closest insect

Pretend swordmastery!: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 121d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Ysh' moves and thanks to the reach of her makeshift weapon is able tot strike the strange creature.

junksword (reach, analog, block) vs KAC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Damages, S&B: 1d4 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

+1 AC against the creature

Can we make a knowledge check for the creature?

Yes, sorry, I posted in the slide for it, but not here. It's a Life Science check. (And for those who've been playing PF2, remember that you don't need to use an action to do so.)

Zoey's attack is a bit wild, but Ysh' connects with the junksword! The insect is clearly wounded, but in protecting it's eggs, there's no hint of backing down.

ROUND 1:
Insects: ATK!
Twila-5: Hit
Burnham: Go
Zynn (SP 12/27): Hit
Ysh'yaal: Hit
K.I.N.A.A.: Go
Zoey: Miss

Burn was going to call a retreat when the creatures appeared, but they engaged too quickly and one's on the wrong side of the door. The big man drops his rifle and his sword swoops from the sheath. He gets it into a high guard position and shuffles sideways.

Cautious move as shown.

Sword v KAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 ... damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

The bad rolls continue. At least I can play damage sponge! And the feat below might help.

Coordinated Shot You can maneuver a foe to be in the direct line of an ally's fire. When you are threatening a foe with a melee weapon, any ally that has line of sight to that foe without you granting that foe cover gains a +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls against that foe.

K.I.N.A.A. grabs a rock out of the armrest of her chair and magically hurls it at Black.

Telekinetic Projectile: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21 vs. KAC
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Burnham misses, but also plays interference as he lines things up for the others. K.I.N.A.A. strikes with a magically hurled stone, and the insect waivers, but stays aloft.

Zynn faces one alone, and it tries to chomp down on him again:
Bite: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21 for DMG: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

The severely wounded one turns on Burnham:
Bite: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 MISS

ROUND 2:
Insects: ATK!
Twila-5: Go
Burnham: Go
Zynn (SP 5/27): Go
Ysh'yaal: Go
K.I.N.A.A.: Go
Zoey: Go

Second verse, same as the first.

Telekinetic Projectile: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 vs. KAC
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

She then moves two squares north. If that was a KO, she also moves two squares east.

K.I.N.A.A. strikes the insect! It immediately starts twitching. Suddenly it expands a bit and then EXPLODES!

Fire DMG: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 Everyone EXCEPT Zynn can roll a DC 13 REF for half. When it's gone only chunks and the smell of gunpowder remain!

ROUND 2:
Insects: ATK!
K.I.N.A.A.: BOOM REF
Twila-5: Go + REF
Burnham: Go + REF
Zynn (SP 5/27): Go
Ysh'yaal: Go + REF
Zoey: Go + REF

Reflex DC13: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9 Ysh' has resist 5 F/C/E

Ysh'yaal takes the full blast of the exploding creature.

Despite that, she decides to move to get into position and strikes at the second creature.

Junksword vs KAC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Damages, S&B: 1d4 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

+1 AC vs Green

Ysh' takes the explosion in the face, but the fire isn't so bad. She makes good on the charge, seriously wounding the remaining bug.

ROUND 2:
Insects: ATK!
K.I.N.A.A.: BOOM REF
Twila-5: Go + REF
Burnham: Go + REF
Zynn (SP 5/27): Go
Ysh'yaal (SP: 23/24): Sword!
Zoey: Go + REF

Zynn Megavoom continues his metaphysical alignment with cosmic forces as he strikes the green insect with lightrazor!

Solar Weapon Attack (Lightrazor): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Slashing Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11

Photon Attunement Points: 2

DC 13 Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Success with Evasion = no damage

Leaping across the hall, Twila-5 kicks off the corner of the wall to land between Burn and the door before firing her pistol at the remaining creature.

Trick Attack (acrobatics): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16
Static Arc Pistol (E) vs. green: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 - 2 = 181d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Trick Attack damage, if applicable: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Zynn takes on the remaining one alone while the others handle the aftermath. He strikes hard, nearly dropping it. Suddenly there's a shot from over his shoulder as Twilia-5 finishes it off.

So too does this one balloon before exploding! Fire: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3 Zynn, Ysh', and Twila all need DC 13 REF for half. Out of combat, maintaining the tracker for REF purposes.

ROUND 2:
Insects: ATK!
K.I.N.A.A.: BOOM REF
Twila-5 :REF + Ref
Burnham: REF
Zynn (SP 5/27): REF
Ysh'yaal (SP: 23/24): Sword! REF
Zoey: REF

FYI, I've been roped into some real world stuff until Sunday morning, and there's no service or WIFI where I'm going. Sorry everyone. If I can sneak something in at a pub, I will! Feel free to make your saves and handle rest/healing

Refl: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 3 damage

Ah, gross! Zoey says as she avoid being covered by the worst of the burning insect chunks. Is everyone ok? Sheesh, I didn't think they'd be flying... let's be careful, everybody!

Reflex DC13: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Ysh' avoid part of the blast and her natural resistance absorbs the rest.

I'm good! Mainly, thanks for my heritage. she answers with a devilish grin.

As the last creature is no more, Ysh' looks around.

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Zynn takes reacts quickly and takes minimal damage from the blast. ”Well done, Starfinders. If you’re willing, I think I could use that rest now.”

Zynn rests and uses a resolve point to regain his stamina. After ten minutes, the lashunta gets up and is ready to proceed.

DC 13 Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Evasion = no damage

"Sure, Zynn. Take a breather--maybe in the hall. I'll keep an eye out for more of those things, but if the eggs hatch we'll want to be able to close the door on them." Twila-5 takes a watchful stance to make sure Zynn can rest without an ambush.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
She's mostly checking for hatching eggs or more creatures.

Ref save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Burn rolls heavily aside to avoid the worst of the explosion. He hears the second explosion before he can get to his feet. He looks over to see Zynn and Twila spinning away.

He pushes himself to his feet.

"Maybe next time we don't stand next to the exploding deathtrap when we kill it. Now what do we do with those?" He gestures with his rifle toward the eggs.