[PaizoCon 2023] SFS 6-02: Drift Scars (Inactive)

Game Master cmlobue

Precog rolls since I forgot to do them:

roll 1: 1d20 ⇒ 1
roll 2: 1d20 ⇒ 17
roll 3: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Retconning...

"No problems here helping you in the Drift Lane. If you can't pilot and do the research you need to, we certainly can. Your explanations of what a Drift Lane is sound mostly straightforward. Do you have any sense of how these patterns of Drift Lanes change or is this sort of a go with the flow type of thing?"

Once on the ship...

"Well on paper it's easy, in actuality, I guess we'll see what we're up against. Wasn't sure if they had any additional knowledge, but I think I can sort out how this works."

It's actually rather pretty Celestia replies.

mysticism: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26

To Zoey Oh ... alright ... just one or two ... but I want copies please. And I have worked as a professional model as well so I expect to see a release She giggles at the last bit.

The Starfinders have no issue getting Ferra's device to collect information.

Computers and Physical Science remain.

aid physical science: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Time to navigate this thing...

Ainsley and Zoey have attempted to aid Physical Science, and Zoey and Frinke have attempted to aid Computers. Someone needs to make primary checks for each of those, and everyone can attempt each check even if untrained.

I better give my hireling a call. Celestia comments. Maybe she can talk me through this.

She turns on her comm unit and puts the call though. When it answers, the speaker blares out some rather loud dance type dub-step. Jillian? Jill? HOLTZMANN!!!

The mnusic gets turned down. Oh hi boss .... whatcha need? says a woman's voice. Celestia quickly explains the situation.

Oh that looks SO GROOVY! Holtzmann replies. Now .. this is what you need to do.

Following instructions, Celestia achieves the following (not including aids):
phys sci: 1d20 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 6 + 4 = 26
computers: 1d20 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 4 = 13

It's actually rather pretty Celestia replies.

To Zoey Oh ... alright ... just one or two ... but I want copies please. And I have worked as a professional model as well so I expect to see a release She giggles at the last bit.

Oh, I should ask the manager about releases, Zoey says in a way that doesn't suggest any agency in this, but I can get you copies!

Zoey tries very hard to help Celly through her computers check, but isn't sure it's going to be successful in the end.

Botting

Ainsley Computers: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Thraega Computers: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Thraega Physical Science: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Frinke Physical Science: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Frinke nearly bangs the ship into the side of the drift lane, but Celly corrects the course in time. The Starfinders end up with a lot of good pictures of Zoey, as well as one usable image of the Drift lane, after about an hour trying to mess with the computer.

A few hours after entering the Drift lane, you receive a staticky message from the Drift Lab scientists. While hard to make out the exact words, the gist is clear—the scientists are checking on the data they’ve asked you to collect.

Ferra informs you that the Drift lane remains entirely within the Drift, though the readings are irregular and will require further study to parse. She believes that a starship in the Drift would be incapable of entering a Drift lane mid-journey—if the Drift lane could even be found. You must enter a Drift lane from one of its ends or not at all.

Hyyxzen determines that the width of the Drift lane isn’t static, though it averages several miles. Furthermore, they confirm that leaving the Drift lane before its destination will mean being dumped into the Drift at a random location.

Vaalaris estimates that the time of arrival when traveling through a Drift lane is 7 days divided by one’s Drift engine rating. He also confirms that entering a Drift lane leaves no visible manifestation behind on the Material Plane—when you entered the Drift lane, only you saw it. To the researchers, they simply disappeared, just like any starship entering the Drift.

Assuming you don't want to experiment with the "random location" hypothesis, there's nothing to do except finish the ride. Probably.

Which is to say, I need a bit of time to set the next part up. Probably a good time to get into your chairs for starship combat.

Ainsley takes a deep breath and takes the pilot seat.

"Alright, Legion, m'lady....let's do us proud tonight. Just like you have legions of hobgoblins, don't fail us now.

Ainsley studies the controls and the Drift lanes very carefully as they look at the rest of the party and will introduce them to the ins and outs of the ship.

Manticore Tier 4
Medium explorer
Speed: 6
Maneuverability: good/turn 1
AC: 14, TL: 15
HP: 65, DT: --
Critical Threshold(s): 13
Shields: Light 70; forward 20, port 15, starboard 15, aft 20
Attack (Forward): Railgun [8d4]
Attack (Port): Gyrolaser [1d8]
Attack (Starboard): Gyrolaser [1d8]
Attack (Turret): High explosive missile launcher [4d8]
Power Core: Pulse Red (175 PCU)
Drift Engine: Signal Basic
Systems: mk 2 duonode computer, basic short-range sensors, mk 4 armor, crew quarters (common), mk 5 defenses
Expansion Bays: Escape pods, cargo hold x2, recreation suite (gym)
Modifiers: +2 to any 2 checks per round; +2 Computers, +2 Piloting
Complement: 6

"Power and tactics, this one. Two powerful guns plus auxiliaries, I know speed is slower than maybe what some of you might think or be used to but you don't fly this thing like you do the Society's legacy ships.

Oh yeah, and there's a small room for any animal companions or pets you may have, that's where my hexoglin will rest in case any of you want to play with it." They smile at Zoey.

Huh. So it's like a wormhole .... in one end and out the other Celestia comments.

She settles in the Captain's chair, trying it out for size.

Frinke mans the railgun. Someone should also be on the turret, unless your needed elsewhere.

>Slide 4<

On the second day of Drift travel, you encounter a large starship with a frame and hull of dark brown wood grain under attack from a number of smaller starships. While the smaller ships appear to be working together, each looks as if it has been assembled from a scrapyard, and is sporting a variety of materials in various styles and states of wear. As you arrive, two of the smaller ships break off to attack you, while the rest of the small starships continue to focus their attacks on the large starship.

An all-frequencies hail from the large starship cuts through the Drift lane. “I told you my backup was on its way!” says an unfamiliar voice. “Do you really think that a captain as renowned as Tosin Jaws of the Yonder would fly through Jatembe’s Jaunt without someone to help him fend off Drifter scum?” The speaker lets out a confident and easy laugh that echoes over the comms.

The smaller ships don’t pause or slow down their attack, returning the hail with one of their own, “the Drifters recognize only one captain—Metzari Angelfang! Surrender now or we’ll take you both down!”

Pilot - please roll five initiative checks so that we don't need to waste time with that during each combat round.

"It's about to get real everyone..."

Ainsley keeps focused...and waits for their captain to reply...

Legion Initiative Round 1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Legion Initiative Round 2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
Legion Initiative Round 3: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Legion Initiative Round 4: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Legion Initiative Round 5: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Ainsley sighs. I think we really have our work cut out for us now.

Celestia ponders the situation. We don't know either side and in this situation Hylax suggests we attempt to mediate. But if they refuse that opportunity I think the big ship is getting bullied by the little ships ..... and two of them are going for us ... tch tch.

She opens the hailing frequency. This is Captain Celestia Sol of the Starfinder Starship ... erm ... Legion. I strongly suggest you stand down, power down your weapons, and accept the opportunity for peaceful negotiation. If you don't .... well .. things could get very bad .... FOR YOU

intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

She cut communication. Sound Red Alert, shields up, target those two ships coming at us and ... if they don't back off ... fire at will ... and may their deity have mercy upon their souls.

She then looks around the bridge.

What? she says looking at all the expressions.

>Starship Combat Cheat Sheet< (also added to header)

Celestia sends out a threatening message. Pick a phase and ship to affect and roll 1d4 for duration.

“Thanks for coming to meet me as planned,” Captain Jaws broadcasts. “Remember, if you help swat these Drifter gnats, I’ll owe you a free dinner at Mama Rae’s restaurant on Xibion.”

Round 1 - Starfinders move first

Legion
Red Ship
Blue Ship

“I hope you’re ready for that Mama Rae’s spice!”

Please post all your actions for the full combat, listing alternatives if it depends what the enemy does, when possible, to try to keep this from bogging down the game.

What? she says looking at all the expressions.

Zoey gives a sheepish grin and two very encouraging thumbs' up to Celly, shouts Shotgun! then runs off to gunning stations.

Bogey at three-five-five and another one at three-one-oh! Zoey rattles over the intercom, because she thinks it sounds cool. Firing the big gun!

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Fire incoming! Zoey translates the Jaws' message, and she pre-emptively shakes herself left-to-right in her seat

Zoey is also happy to go fix the shields if it ever comes to that, engineering +6

I hear the Arabuk tail soup has a real kick to it! Zoey hopes to help the captain shake an enemy of his rear end.

Celestia was particularly aiming that taunt at one of the attacking ships hoping to put their gunner off
1d4 ⇒ 4

Ainsley steadily moves their ship forward and evades. piloting to evade: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

"We're a bit too far, I'm going to keep in so our gunners can get their first shots in, but then my thinking is veering hard left or hard right to keep one enemy closer and the other further away."

Make it so

No prizes for guessing who her favorite holovid captain is.

These ships are fast and maneuverable, and quickly put the Legion in a pincer maneuver. Hopefully the legion's superior firepower will be able to make up for the difference in agility.

The blue ship manages to tag the Legion's starboard shields, while the red ship can't seem to get a lock on.

Zoey has to quickly change weapons as the ships flank the Legion, but still manages to hit the blue ship solidly.

Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

Round 2 - Starfinders move first

Legion (Shields: S 7/15)
Red Ship (Gunnery taunted 3 rounds)
Blue Ship (Shields: F -8)

You hear “Mama Rae’s new appetizers will make you weak!" over your comms.

Do you mind if I bot Frinke and Threaga?

Zoey is trying her best to get the shield back to full

Engineering phase, R2
Divert, 8sp: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 Fail

So if starboard is vulnerable, going to hard turn left since they are flanking and expose port/aft side, that should buy us more time, and red being between us and the far end will be our first target, safer path seeing as we intimidated them.

Ainsley swerves hard left. Let's hope luck is on our side.

pilot to evade: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Come on Zoey and Frinke, we gotta hit this go.

My last post is gone.

What are we fighting?

Scan w/Mysticism: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Was working back to back, without warning.
Shoot at blue hit: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17 dmg: 4d8 ⇒ (6, 6, 7, 8) = 27 with turret
Then if I can catch up on what I missed, round 2 hit: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24 dmg: 4d8 ⇒ (6, 2, 5, 5) = 18 with turret.

Thraega scries on the ships. He determines that they are tiny interceptors with 1 crew, speed 12 and perfect maneuverability (turn 0).

Zoey has never worked on a Manticore before and can't figure out the engineering console's layout.

Ainsley takes an evasive course past the Red fighter.

Frinke fires the turret, once now, and once in his memory of the last round. The first shatters their forward shield, and the second disables is completely.

Both of the Drifter ships fly toward the Legion's damaged starboard side, but neither is able to line up a good shot.

Round 3 - Starfinders move first

Blue Ship
Legion (Shields: S 7/15)
Red Ship (Gunnery taunted 3 rounds)

The comm crackles to life. “These Drifters are just sad they can’t join us for the meal.”

Sense Motive plus expertise die : 1d20 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (9) + 4 + (2) = 15

Hey, these two have no teamwork, they're completely out sync. Zoey shouts over the intercom, then responds to the captain Yeah, they're missing out on all the cheese sticks!

Zoey tries once again to get the shields back up.

Engineering, Divert: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Aish. she curses under her breath, This is hard stuff! Where's the bachotronic converter?

"BOOM! Nice work Frinke! One down, one to go!"

Ainsley keeps piloting the Manticore at a awkward angle for adversaries.

"These guys want the starboard? I'm going to make it hard for them. No starboard for you dingbats!"

Pilot to evade again: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

They turn around to Zoey.

"Drat Zoey! I know you haven't flown a Manticore before but I did give a tutorial of the ship! Bah, keep trying, the bachotronic converter is two panels down from where you were searching."

I have no idea what a bachotronic converter is but it does sound important Celestia comments. But I do know you have this. I have extreme confidence in you

Encouraging the gunners
diplomacy: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30

@Celly: You can take two actions because of the sense motive check that Zoey rolled

In that case ... encourage the pilot as well

As for you Ainsley .. that is some slick maneuvres you pulled off there. Keep it up.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30

Zoey spends too much time decoding Jaws' message to remember what button controls the energy flows within the ship.

Celly calls out encouragement to the pilot and gunners.

Ainsley maneuvers the ship evasively as best he can, but the Drifter ship once again maneuvers onto the Legion's starboard side.

Round 3 - gunnery phase

Blue Ship
Legion (Shields: S 7/15)
Red Ship (Gunnery taunted 2 rounds)

using the ships +2, I will shoot the turret at the legion hit: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 2 = 25 dmg: 4d8 ⇒ (4, 2, 1, 3) = 10

Frinke fires the turret at the fighter, knocking out their forward shields.

Botting Thraega

Thraega fires the starboard gun.

Gyrolaser: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

No luck there.

Round 4 - Starfinders move first!

Blue Ship
Legion (Shields: S 7/15)
Red Ship (Shields: F -10, Gunnery taunted 1 round)

I'm sorry. I get lost in starship combat in pbp. I wasn't sure where we were in the round.

Engineering: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

AAA. Mee Chin Que Ssoooo! E see recky Zoey shouts a bit too loudly in the intercom. She sounds as if she's blown a gasket.

Ainsley keeps piloting the Manticore trying to keep the enemy off their starboard.

"Dingbats never learn. Blow them up!"

Pilot to evade again: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

"Unleash the wrath of a thousand hobgoblins!"

Are you okay down there Zoey? Do you need help? Celestia replies And yes, they seem to be favouring our starboard side. I would recommend taking advantage of this and rotating the shields. Is anyone able to do that?

And yes .... you have permission to reduce them to their component pieces.
diplomacy to encourage gunners: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18

Thraega - I've been letting everyone roll at once, to keep the starship combat from bogging the game down. It shouldn't be long before it's over.

The more maneuverable Drifter ship continues to circle the Legion, while Zoey frantically searches for a manual printed in Akitonian Gutter Slang.

Round 4 - gunnery phase

Blue Ship
Legion (Shields: S 7/15)
Red Ship (Shields: F -10, Gunnery taunted 1 round)

"Has Zoey had too much to drink lately?" Ainsley starts.

"No seriously, are you okay?"

I hope so. The last time I heard language like that was when Chryssi stubbed her toe - but what Zoey said didn't sound like Abyssal

"No seriously, are you okay?"

Yes, Ainsley, I'm okay Zoey says, a bit ashamed I just can't get this pie.. thing to work.

After a second or two she adds It's going to be fine, just keep pointing the sparkly gun at them!

Another turret at the red ship hit: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 = 22 dmg: 4d8 ⇒ (6, 4, 8, 3) = 21

Thraega continues to fire the gyrolaser.

To Hit: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 To Hurt: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Although Thraega's shot sails wide, it sets up a solid blast from Frinke. The Drifters, deciding that it's not worth what they're being paid to risk being converted from biology into physics, flees down the drift lane toward the Pact Worlds. It can easily outrun the stronger but less maneuverable Legion.

Combat over!

You receive a much less cryptic signal from the captain of the larger ship, thanking you for your assistance and inviting you onto the Yonder.

With the pressure off, Zoey finally finds the bachotronic converter button, and she shields slowly start to recharge.

See, all is going to be fine. Let's see what the captain is like!

You dock with the other ship, and are greeted at the airlock by a dark-skinned elf.

“Do you feel the power of the Yonder all around you, my friends?” Captain Jaws asks. He has an improvised bandage around his arm and winces slightly as he moves, but says nothing about it. “This ship is conrasu wood, from a grove not far from where I was born. A piece of home I take with me wherever I go. But what brings you to my home among the stars? It’s not often that I see anyone in Jatembe’s Jaunt other than Drifter vultures and their Angelfang captain, and I’d hate to think you have fallen in with that lot.” He pats the sidearm on his belt, wincing again in the process.

He seems suspicious of you, despite heling him drive off the Drifters. You can convince him otherwise with Diplomacy or Life Science (the latter to discuss conrasu wood) or providing magical healing.

We are not with them at all. We're Starfinders, and we were working to chart a course through these Drift Lanes. We were working with some researchers earlier who were showing us the way and we only ran into trouble afterwards. I am personally not a healer, but someone by my side is. We're here to help, gather information, and explore, to make these areas, safer for everyone. If there are pirates or whatever, we need to know that so we can all pool our collective efforts against them.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15