GM Nomadical's 6-04 Secrets Long Submerged (Inactive)

Game Master Nomadical

Kōlēfō bangs the side of the computer, but at least it did move them in the right direction.

He ponders if his vocal modulator combined with a Bluff or Life Science check (ideally the former) could allow him to sound like another eel enough to distract their pursuer.

If not, he will auto-aid Tari's bluff-grenade.

I have an if/then thing for this round. IF an additional assist on piloting is allowed, Yith will do that. If not, she will survey the giant eel, the environment around them and see if there is anything out of the ordinary that a Mysticism check would reveal that may give them some positive result.
?: 1d20 ⇒ 3
Piloting is an auto aid at +16, ,+17 for mysticism.

Tari whips her grenade launcher off her back and dumps some random bits out of her pockets next to it. Moving quickly, she jams a spiky bit into the bottom of one of her grenades which starts to make that characteristic whiiiiiine.

"Out of the way," she shouts as she stands up and aims at the gigantic eel bearing down on them.

Feint: 1d20 + 22 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 22 + (2) + 2 = 30
Attack?: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12 (range 60 ft., shock grenade to try and disrupt it's field to find us. damage irrelevant unless you need it.)

Happy to reroll that. I want it to be cool! I have a campaign coin, since I don't remember if I've used my reroll yet.

Normally Azara would give an inspirational speech to the pilot at this point. But, he suspects the computer is not going to be inspired by anything he might say.

So, instead, he directs his inspirational skills toward the big guy with the big gun.

Diplomacy (Inspire): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (17) + 19 = 36

Kōlēfō considers some options and it does seem like tricking the eel could work. There were certainly other eels like it (that you heartlessly and mercilessly slaughtered), so it's not unreasonable to think it could be distracted.

Yith checks all the scanners as she would in a starship but doesn't find anything mystical out here that could help.

Tarifa chucks a customized grenade back behind the sub like a tiny sonic depth charge. Though she hits the spot she aimed for, the eel doesn't get distracted.
@Tarifa, don't waste the reroll now. You can beat its DC, but it'll take a pretty high roll and maybe some help. 

Azara inspires his buddy Azzirm. Maybe it'll help him hit it with the big gun.

Grump continues to help the ship’s AI pilot find the best route, though it looks like it will need to evade some wreckage up ahead.

Piloting, Evade DC 21, AP, Ship mod, Zone, Grump Aid, Positioning: 1d20 + 20 - 1 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 20 - 1 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 35

As the ship pulls out into the open ocean, you spot a pod of whales. There might be an opportunity to cause some confusion if you could get them to scatter. See slide

Round 2
BOLD May Act
Map: A Sur-eel Chase.
Surfboat statistics

Latest position update: Open Ocean

Pilot (Autopilot)

==========Chase Progress Phase==========

Azzirm (Aided)
Azara 
Grump 
Kōlēfō 
Tarifa
Yith

Azzirm's first shot was close....but still missed. He listen to Azara and smiles a little. "Thanks for spotting me....let's see if that helped."

The gun gets quickly overcharged, and he fires.

Ranged Attack (EAC) Overcharged: 1d20 + 14 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 14 - 2 + 2 = 25
Damage (Fire): 2d8 + 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (2, 5) + (2) + 9 = 18

Again....taking a -2 for speed....tell me if/when we go full speed and I will modify it to -5. Also took a +2 from Azara's aid.

"Tarifa, I have a spare shock grenade if that will help. Maybe aim for the nose this time..."
Yith will try to figure out the best place to put a shock grenade to acheive this desired result
aid trick, life sciences: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

I haz reroll: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Tari holds out her hand imperiously for the grenade and loads it into her launcher. This time she delicately pulls the pin partly out and loops a spare bit of wire around it before launching

Is the Bluff needed higher or the attack? Thrown weapons are definitely not her best skill, if someone else has a better chance of hitting.

Feint: 1d20 + 22 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 22 + (5) + 2 = 34 In case it's relevant, anything rolling SM against her bluff has "disadvantage"
grenade: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Rolling single digits sure isn't helping this either

"Anyone able to play with the whales? I don't think they'd notice anything I can do."

Kōlēfō tries to sound like a whale.

Bluff if I can get away with it: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (10) + 18 = 28
Life Science if not: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

+2 of vocal modulator helps

Kōlēfō consults with Yith and together they trick the whales into scattering by singing a song of panic and fear. Cause who wouldn’t be a little panicky with a ginormous eel barreling after them?

Azzirm and Azara work together, but the eel slithers out of the way. Tari tries again, but the grenade still isn’t making much of an impression on the eel.

@Tarifa, it has no SM modifier, so the DC is based strictly on its CR. Which is kind of insanely high.
@Yith, Reroll not needed so keep it just in case. You hit the Aid Another DC already (Only DC 10 in SF), and I applied it as an Aid to Kōlēfō's Bluff. 

Round 2
AZARA May Act
Map: A Sur-eel Chase.
Surfboat statistics

Latest position update: Open Ocean

Pilot (Autopilot)

==========Chase Progress Phase==========

Azzirm
Azara 
Grump 
Kōlēfō 
Tarifa
Yith

"Hmmm...a little to the left, I think...but you're doing great!" Azara tells Azzirm.

Diplomacy (Inspire): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38

Suddenly, Narfalsr’s voice comes in over the comms. ”Starfinders, I see you’re in a bit of a situation. Let me see if I can distract the sovereign eel to buy you some time.”

Narfalsr’s crew sends out a series of pulses from their ship causing the serpent to appear momentarily confused. It slows down and seems to be hunting through the wreckage as if it lost track of the little Starfinder sub. After several seconds, though, it picks up the scent of canned meat again and resumes the pursuit.
As a result of your success with Narfalsr at the atoll, he caused the serpent to take the “slow down” action this round and not advance. It’s a one-time thing, though.

”I’m sorry we can’t stay to help longer, but we’re running low on battery power. And we don’t really want to become the sovereign’s next meal either. Good luck, Starfinders,” he signs off.

Grump keeps tweaking the AI’s routing,

Piloting, Keep Pace DC 21, AP, Ship mod, Zone, Grump Aid, Positioning: 1d20 + 20 - 1 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 20 - 1 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 38

The ship reaches a beautiful reef and the crew needs to program the autopilot to pick a path. You can either stay below the surface and dodge through the reef, or surface into a raging squall which will help hide you from the eel if it were to catch up to you, but the winds could also have other effects, too
See the Slide for the mechanical effects, all related to the next round’s Piloting roll.
If you want the Autopilot to do something other than Keep Pace, like Speed Up, etc., please let me know.

Round 3
BOLD May Act
Map: A Sur-eel Chase.
Surfboat statistics

Latest position update: Reef

Pilot (Autopilot)

==========Chase Progress Phase==========

Azzirm (Aid)
Azara
Grump (Auto-aiding Autopilot)
Kōlēfō 
Tarifa
Yith

"Thank you!" Tari shouts as she continues to fiddle with grenades.

I'd go up, but whatever y'all want to do. This'll work eventually. :)

Feint: 1d20 + 22 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 22 + (4) + 2 = 34

"I'm leaning toward using the squall to hide us while we pick up the pace."

"I'm with Grump on this!"

She then gives Tarifa encouragement.
Don't have feint so can I even assist?
a roll, just in case: 1d20 ⇒ 17

The skittermander bangs on the side of the computer. "Can't this thing go any faster?" He clearly thinks it's time to Speed Up.

Auto-aid Piloting

"Higher and faster, is my vote!" Azara says as it becomes apparent there are two possibilities.

"Third time's the charm, Tari! You got it, this time!" he encourages Tarifa.

Diplomacy (Inspire): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (6) + 19 = 25

"This thing...it seems just impossible to hit....", Azzirm somewhat says and somewhat snarls.

The gun gets quickly overcharged (again), and he fires.

Ranged Attack (EAC) Overcharged: 1d20 + 14 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 14 - 2 = 22

Damage (Fire): 2d8 + 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (6, 2) + (1) + 9 = 18

But all it does is hit the water...

.....next.....

A majority for up into the Squall, and a couple votes for Speed Up are good enough.

Azzirm can’t hit the broad side of a colossal eel.

Encouraged by Azara and aided by Yith, Tarifa lets another grenade go. Just as the sovereign eel sticks its nose out of the last bits of wreckage, the grenade goes off below its chin. It falls for the fake out and glances downward right when Grump and Kōlēfō get the autopilot headed upwards into the howling winds and rain of the sea squall.

Piloting, Speed Up DC 28, AP, Ship mod, Zone, Grump Aid, Kōlēfō Aid, Positioning: 1d20 + 20 - 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 20 - 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 38

The little ship jumps ahead, and the eel dives back down deeper into the depths looking for other prey.

CHASE OVER!

As the giant beast turns away Yith slumps a little i relief.
"Well. For some reason that seemed more frightening than that faux Deity thing.."

"We done with being seafood for a while?"

Yith nods. "Indeed. Although I suddenly feel like some sushi. Anyone know a good place on this planet?"

"Yeah, the faux deity was surprisingly easy to take down. Maybe the giant eel would have been too, but it seems like we might have had to do it from the inside," Azara comments.

"I may know someone who knows a place," he continues when discussion about sushi comes up.

"We could check in with Narfalsr & his team before we head back."

"Sushi sounds good...as long as we get the type that we eat...not the ones that eat us....and I agree Grump. Narfalsr helped us out there when we really needed it. We probably should radio to see if they got away from the area safely too."

Tari slumps down in relief once the eel decides to lunch elsewhere. "I'm up for anything that isn't actually *in* the ocean."

Safely back on your ship and en route to Anduwar with visions of sushi and a hot bath in mind, you have time to delve through the data that Azzirm extracted from the server room. He finds that:

• Storm engines were developed and maintained by storm giants, who kept their creation and operation secret.

• This site was a secret research facility founded shortly after the Gap. Its goals were to reverse engineer, recreate, and improve upon storm engines.

• The founders of this research facility were clearly cloud giants of the ruling Cloud Imperium who believed that their storm giant colleagues would soon betray them. They feared that when this betrayal occurred, they would lose access to the storm engines that protected their cities, for the storm giants would surely sabotage, destroy, or weaponize the engines against them.

• The founders of this research facility were led by a very powerful, well-respected Cloud Imperium bureaucrat, though the founders’ identities were never entered into the system. Instead, they used code names. The codename of this ringleader was “The Weathered One.”

• The storm engines were researched, concepted, and prototyped in this facility, but manufactured and tested elsewhere, at sites likewise hidden behind code names, such as A-21, C-6, S-13, U-27, or V-9. These storm engines performed only fractionally as well as those created by storm giants and required more than a tenfold increase in power to function even suboptimally.

• Spies reporting to the Weathered One discerned that storm giants mystically transferred a portion of their own electric aura into the storm engines they crafted during the construction process. With dozens of storm giants providing a portion of their aura to each engine they built, this amplified the power of the engine exponentially while having a negligible effect on individual giants. This led the research facility to turn to biological sources to power their storm engines, including captive storm giants, electric eels, and Pholskar serpents. Being used as a power source in this way rapidly drained one’s life force and was always fatal.

• Researchers were attempting to reduce the lethal effects of aura siphoning by cryogenically cooling subjects such that their bodily functions slowed to a near standstill.

• Two researchers, named Algernal and Sopholine, were opposed to the heinous experiments they had become a part of and were instead attempting to create an artificial or biotech substitute. Their research proposal was denied by the Weathered One and they were fired shortly thereafter. There are no further records of these researchers on the servers.

========================================

Upon your arrival in Anduwar, Kurvasyr (the agent of High Marshall Taviss) greets you at the Pholskar spacedocks. They begin by asking what you discovered and asks that you share any data you collected. ”I would be glad to write a letter of commendation for each of you addressed to First Seeker Ehu Hadif with the promise that the Starfinder Society be granted exclusive archaeological exploration rights to Talgradur for the next 4 years,” they offer in exchange for your findings.

SM vs DC22: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34

"While I wouldn't mind sharing our findings with you & the High Marshall, we still have our patron awaiting delivery."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

"Can't wait to see what other people find here! I have a stellifera friend who would probably be great for this job!"

Spoiler: other than having a swim speed, Khubelu would be awful for this job.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Azzirm looks at the cloud giant agent.

"Our initial findings need to be brought to Councillor Ethel first. After that, depending on what she says, it might be possible."

Azara isn't at all sure about Pholskar politics, but his instinct is to dance with the one who brought you.

The fact that Grump and Kolefo seem to have sussed out something suspicious only makes him stand firm by that decision.

The information that they actually got just makes him shake his head at the tragedy that people pushed themselves and others into in a quest for both literal and political power.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 13 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 13 + (3) + 2 = 33

Tari frowns slightly. The offer is *very* tempting, though she would rather never come back to this waterlogged world again. "The First Seeker is always on the lookout for more information and exploration opportunities. As long as we get the information back the way we left it, I don't see what the harm is myself."

Do any of the names ring bells for those of us with Culture?

Do any of the names ring bells for those of us with Culture?

Nope. No other mention of them in the scenario.

Seeing that they’re not getting the dataset, Kurvasyr turns away. ”I’m sorry you all feel that way. I would have wanted first crack at it, but I suppose I’ll just have to get it from the old bat herself later,” they say with a shrug. ”I hope you don’t live to regret your decision, Starfinders.” With that, they slide into a luxurious giant-sized stretch limo and depart.

Arriving back at the Imperium complex, you’re met by Private Roros who quickly escorts you in to see Elthel. Once more in the same grand receiving room as before, Elthel commends you for your hard work and dedication.

”Rest assured that after this success, I’ll continue to further lobby on behalf of the Starfinder Society. Furthermore, I’d like to have you all return in the future, as I suspect I will have some “independent work” that you would be perfectly suited for.” She particularly gives Azara a nod and a small half-smile, as Roros looks down at her feet in abject embarrassment.

She asks you to wait while she peruses the data you’ve brought her and considers the rest of your report. When she gets to the part about the research that was being conducted in the secret laboratory and the mysterious Weathered One mentioned in the datasets, Elthel appears grim yet resolute, saying that she had feared something foul was occurring in Talgradur.

”I would ask you to keep this information quiet for a week while I ensure the data is duplicated and properly stored to prevent foul play.”

”In the meantime, I understand that Private Roros knows an excellent seafood restaurant. Tell the owner to charge dinner to the Council,” she finishes. Though you are dismissed, she remains behind for a little while to continue reading your reports.

"You don't have to ask me twice."

The skittermander does his best to test the limits of "all-you-can-eat" and ends up asking Tarifa for more from her travel bag than shampoo.

"I have also worked up quite the appetite!"

Azzirm looks towards Ethel and speaks up. "So.....just so you know, there were at least 2 attempts to ask us where we were going before we left, with hints that they would be interested in our findings....and one of the agents asked us if we had data that we could share since we got back."

"People are definitely interested in it," Azara agrees with Azzirm.

"We don't mind sitting on the information for a while but it is important that people know the truth so we will release it after a reasonable amount of time."

He makes a point of not looking at Roros. "And I have to say that I'm looking forward to visiting your lovely world again. There's no denying that there may be trouble brewing, but what world doesn't have some troubles and I believe you're on the right path to clear things up."

At the restaurant, Azara eats but not as heartily as some of the others. He spends much of the time quietly talking with their escort.

Elthel seems unsurprised at Azzirm’s information. ”I rather expected my political rivals to interfere, as they’d like me out of the way. Thank you for handling them as well as you did, and for letting me know.”

The giantess stands and leads you all to the door of the conference room to bid you farewell. ”Please pass on my thanks also to Mr. Hadif for the loan of your team. I look forward to seeing you all again someday.”

====================

Back at the Lorespire Complex, First Seeker Ehu Hadif thanks you for your efforts and asks about the exploration. Ehu is proud of your discoveries, noting that “…even the darkest parts of history must be brought to light.”

Naiaj, on the other hand, is worried, sarcastically retorting, “Yeah, I’m sure that digging up the dirty secrets of a planet’s government won’t cause us any problems.”

Ehu Hadif rolls his eyes at the gnome’s reply and suggests that you all get some rest.

”I sense that big changes are on the horizon. For all of us.”

Fini.

Welcome aboard! Please visit this link GM Nomadical’s Secrets Long Submerged slides and drop a token on the cover page, post here with the below info, and then jet on over to the Gameplay thread and dot in.

Sign in’s will be on : RPGChronicles

Please ensure you have an Email or Discord link. I will download the chronicles, add art and/or comments, then send them to you myself.

Have you Played and/or GMed this scenario before?

Anything weird or tricksy about your character that I should know, especially always-on abilities that give you rolls (like Trap Spotter, etc.)

New question: If your character found a classic genie-in-a-bottle, what would they wish for?

While we wait to start, please allow me to lay out the ground rules, which are designed for fairness and consistency, while keeping the game moving at a pace to ensure we finish in a timely manner.

⚔ Please make it obvious what buffs you have active and what your AC is.

⚔ Miss is always low if a miss chance applies. For example, if there is a 20% miss chance on a melee attack, a result of 1-20 on d100 is a miss.

⚔ I roll group initiative and track character actions. Unless you state you are waiting for another to act, I will adjudicate those actions in the order they were posted to the extent that it makes sense, as those posting later have the benefit of acting based on what’s come before in the thread.

⚔ You may delay to a later position in the initiative sequence as usual.

⚔ If I make a mistake, please let me know, and I will try to make it right. If it’s too far back, too complex to correct, or too minor to matter, we may have to accept it and move on, with the understanding that I will be fair and equitable.

⚔ I generally prefer PCs to roll their own saving throws, miss chances, and Attacks of Opportunity (AoO). It keeps the game moving, and by reducing my workload it means I may be able to make a quick post when I otherwise wouldn’t have had time.

⚔ I like a relatively fast-paced scenario. However, do be aware that my posting can be irregular.

⚔ As such, if you do not post an action within 24 hours from when I invite you to post, I reserve the right to take actions for your character (botting). However, because of my highly unpredictable and erratic work and sleep schedule (see below), that 24 hours is not a hard limit by any means. I encourage, but do not insist, that you have some botting instructions and/or dice macros in your character’s profile especially if you have specific things that they always or never do in combat or have very complex dice rolls for combat.

⚔ If at all possible, please let me know if something comes up that prevents you from posting. Likewise, I will do my best to update you all if I will be much more than 24 hours before my next post.

Questions? Just let me know. Let's have fun!

Sorry all...had a con start on the 7th...and when I was ready to start thinking about typing...I think I got con crud. Was kinda out of sorts until this morning. But I am here and ready (finally).

Purchase:
Kalo Shredder, Cascade-Class 6,630
glamered fusion 1560

If I am understanding correctly, the underwater property an be applied to any weapon for a 10% price increase? If so, I will buy an Underwater Decimator Disintegrator SMG for 15070 credits. Otherwise... take the penalties, I think, because the only natively underwater weapons are the one gun type I am not proficient with.

Either way, also getting a hydrojet for 1400 credits and swapping out the forcepack for the duration of the mission.

Oooh, a hydrojet. Ditto!

Hydrojet unable to work on power armor....so will be walking slowly on the ground....or else attempting a swim check :-)

If I am understanding correctly, the underwater property an be applied to any weapon for a 10% price increase? If so, I will buy an Underwater Decimator Disintegrator SMG for 15070 credits. Otherwise... take the penalties, I think, because the only natively underwater weapons are the one gun type I am not proficient with.

The other alternative would be a trailblazer fusion, of course, possibly as a fusion seal using the newly revised rules for fusion seals. It doesn't negate the attack penalty for being underwater, and it doesn't completely negate the damage penalty for fire damage, but as a seal it would be swappable and keep you from having one particular permanently "underwater" weapon.

@Grump, still need you to  sign in to RPGChronicles, please.

We had a 6th express interest, and I closed recruiting, but Yith has yet to check in. I PMed them here in the Paizo Forums, but if anyone knows them personally, please reach out. I'll give them a day or so to check in, then I'll reopen recruiting for a late arrival to get us to 6 players. Sorry for the delay, I thought we were ready to go.

Apologies to all. I've had.. a week. :) Better now though and Yith is ready to go!

Welcome aboard. No worries, now.

@Tarifa: My charisma-based spy operative has intercepting ears also, but she got the Mark 2’s since she can just tap the DC. I’ll keep yours in mind.

Regarding the Trailblazer fusion seals you received, a reminder of the recent CRB errata regarding fusion seals:

Change the rules for fusion seals by changing the second sentence of the second paragraph to the following:
“Removing a fusion seal and transferring it to a new weapon takes only 1 minute and does not require any specific skill training, but the fusion doesn’t function until the seal has been in place on a weapon for 10 minutes.”

There are also updated fusion seal rules for the Mystic Smith archetype from Tech Revolution and for the Fusion Specialist mechanic trick from Galactic Magic. See the FAQ and Errata page for details.

You'll have well more than 10 minutes before you will need the Trailblazer seals to work, but just wanted to bring it up in case you're thinking of hot swapping them during the adventure.

I'll keep my purchases. Kōlēfō likes having a gun for each hand, and versatility is kind of an operative thing.

So...who needs hydrojets and who needs a trailblazer?

I need both, but I've got some left over credits so I can afford to buy them both, assuming we end up somewhere that we can make those purchases.

I'm assuming that we'll be giving the ones Elthel gave us back after the adventure and I wouldn't mind having them permanently but will save the money if no one needs them.

Can't afford the 2s yet. She's working on it. :)

Power armor can't use them.....so the hydrojets are for the rest of you.

On the trailblazers....I could use one but it would be for the welding torch, so not a high priority.

I guess i'll swap my jump jets for the hydrojets. My Doshko is underwater ready so no worries there. My rifle is not but if someone else needs it more... It's a disintegrator rifle so Acid damage. How would underwater action affect that?

Grump's Seismic pick works just fine underwater.

He would need to swap a gear slot to accommodate a set of hydrojets.
He may still look for a set at the gear store if others need the provided jets.

Underwater Combat is minimally detailed on p 405 of the CRB. Additional information on Aquatic Biomes is on pg 396. For the purposes of the explorations you’re doing and any fights that may or may not ensue, I assume that you’re walking along the bottom rather than swimming. Certainly Azzirm is walking on the bottom in his powered armor. If you wish for your character to be swimming instead either because you're using hydrojets or just want to be above the bottom in this 3d environment, please state so. Either swimming or just walking along the bottom requires a DC 10 Athletics check unless you're using the hydrojets. Azzirm and Azara can tap those and don't need to roll. But that still means you’re limited to half speed.

Attacks Underwater:
Most attacks made underwater take a –2 penalty and deal half damage. Attacks that deal fire damage do only one-quarter damage. Attacks that deal electricity damage (including those that are part electricity and part something else, e.g. plasma = fire + electricity) take a –4 penalty rather than a –2 penalty. Melee attacks that deal piercing damage deal full damage. Thrown weapons are ineffective underwater, even when launched from land.

Hydrojets grant you a swim speed of half your land speed. CRB pg 259 has the swim speed rules: "You can move your full swim speed while swimming, and you can use the run action while swimming, provided that you swim in a straight line. Creatures without a swim speed use the Athletics skill to swim."

Trailblazer fusions reduce the penalty for using fire and eliminate the penalty to damage for all other types. But note that they do not reduce or eliminate the penalties to attack rolls. Plasma would still take the -4 to attack from its electricity component, and the damage from a plasma weapon would be just half.

That's pretty much the extent of the SF CRB's discussion of Underwater Combat. As you can see, it's pretty lean, so when I ran the previous one, I went back to the PF1 CRB which has more detail. True, we're not playing PF1, but without any other guidance, it seemed like a reasonable source to make rulings in the absence of more details.

Generally S/B damage is halved and takes a -2 attack even for those with a swim speed. I previously ruled that Piercing melee attacks are at no attack penalty and full damage for everyone.

In the previous scenario I also ruled (and was supported by the rules of PF1) that sonic deals full damage as an exception to “most” types.

I think acid just falls into the "most types" category and takes a -2 attack penalty and the damage is reduced by half.

Hey - I'm on the road for the next 3 days, so my posting might be slow.

I'll check in at least once per day though.

Has anyone else noticed that all the NPC's are women?

I wonder if it's a stylistic choice or if we're supposed to pay attention to that.

Technically Kurvasyr was agender, hence my using they/them pronouns, but admittedly the image certainly trended feminine. And Roros and Sergeant Beattry weren't really supposed to be here, but were added by me just for you, Azara.

I'd originally planned for the Sergeant to be male, but I've been playing around with AI art, and the image I ended up using was one I liked, so she became a female Sgt.

Of the official NPCs you've yet to encounter, there's 3 males, 1 more female, and one nonbinary. In the end, fairly balanced. So to answer your question directly, I think it's just stylistic.

You got three successes, so I'll move us along.

@Kōlēfō: The 18 Acro was indeed a failure, so we'll mark off your reroll used.

@Tarifa: Your first Culture roll was actually a success, so no need to burn your reroll.

Sorry...been getting things ready for next week....got a few games I have to prep for a small convention ;-)

Upcoming stuff for me, I will be out of state for a couple of weeks with irregular internet at best.
--I will be at GenCon, leaving next Wednesday and returning Monday. I will probably be non-functional for that first day.
--I will be at a work conference Aug 18-25 and will likewise be non-functional that first day back.

Speaking of disappearing, sorry that I did. I started running a fever on Wednesday that I found out yesterday was Covid. I'm not completely over it but I'm feeling good enough to feel like doing things other than watching TV and sleeping, again.

Yikes! Hope you fully recover soon.

Finally thought about purchases for our underwater journey. Going to buy a few spell gems, just to be safe. 2 x life bubble (1st) and 2 x Swim (1st.) 140 each so 560 credits.

Any other thoughts on things we might need?

Trailblazer fusions if you haven't gotten one....we were given some. I would always say have at least 2 different ranged weapons that have these, or are not affected by underwater (i.e. specifically made for it). A melee with the same as above.

The extra life bubbles...shrug. Grump has it as a spell he can cast, and it lasts for a long time.

Besides that, no idea. I plan on getting some explosives...I have a detonator. Just need to figure how many 'grenades' I need (since explosives like C-4 are not in the game, but the generic 'demolitions' count as grenades...shesh...they don't make it easy).

After the last mission on Phoskar, Grump modified his tactical pistol for underwater operations. His primary melee weapon is based on a Piercing weapon (a pick), so isn't hindered by the water.
And yeah, his Life Bubble has a 10-day duration & he rarely lacks a 1st level slot to recast it if needed.

As previously mentioned....going to be at that small convention called Gencon. I might have brain power to post early Friday and Saturday, but it is best to assume I might not post at all until Sunday evening...or if I pass out...Monday morning ;-)

Also...per RAW....explosives count as grenades in cost, damage and weight. And Explosives "if placed' correctly remove 1/2 hardness when trying to breach it. So...I could be cheap and buy 40 mk1 'frag' grenades (about 4 bulk) and make the assumption I have 40 lbs of a explosive when trying to breach a starship exterior wall (which has Hardness 35 and 2400 hp (per 5' thinkness) per 10'x 10'...or 24 hp per 1' x 1'. To blow a hole for most non-powered armor would be ~ 3' x 3'...or about 240 hp. I decided to just buy the more expensive (the mk2) so I am only carrying 2 bulk worth ;-)

That's way too much math'ing, Jim! Sounds good.

Given that it is the weekend, and the weekend of that "little con in Indy," I don't expect to move us much if any for a couple days. If anyone wants to post over the weekend, please do so.

I just landed, and with about 36 hours off before my next flight, I'm hoping to be able to fit a GenCon Online game or two in around needed sleep.

One of my adult sons will be the first of us to get to attend in person. I told him to go say hi to Alex for me. I know he's planning to play in maybe one PF2 session, but will be spending time with his friends doing other games mostly. It was actually easier for me to get to PaizoCon Sydney than to go to GenCon, but I'll get there eventually.

stays to cause trouble while everyone else is gone

Starting to process the Starfinder 2e announcement.

I was just thinking about it myself.

First, do I want yet a fourth system going (since I'm still playing 1e.)

Second, I guess I really need to get on the stick with creating and releasing my 3PP supplement that turns the starfinder species in to 2e ancestries since the 1PP is going to do it in a year or less.

That is definitely a thing. I swear Paizo said that SF2 was not on the horizon when they announced Starfinder Enhanced, but maybe I need a mnemonic editor.

It's sort of how I just released something with centaurs and giants as ancestries in the first quarter of the year then the new primal thing got announced.

That is definitely a thing. I swear Paizo said that SF2 was not on the horizon when they announced Starfinder Enhanced, but maybe I need a mnemonic editor.

Although I got that impression, too, in retrospect I think they neither confirmed nor denied it and merely deflected. Though I could be wrong.

I think now that Enhanced is the swan-song of Sf-One (this is simply going to get too confusing) and is intended to clean up the rules of that system for ongoing legacy play especially legacy Society play.

But I think I've made my last Sf-One character, and I'll just run and play mid- to high-tier stuff in this system from now on. I've got one level 11 that I'd love to get all the way to 14, and a couple mid-rankers that I greatly enjoy.

In 1e, I'm 1 XP away from getting my first Seeker even though I started playing Society in 2014 because I ended up with too many characters, many of which were just mechanical and mathematical experiments without enough "character" to them. With 4 systems, I'm simply going to have to limit how many characters I make since play opportunities are so limited for me that otherwise none of them will ever progress into the cool and fun upper tiers.

I will say that the SF Enhanced it likely going to be more of a 'let us fix the issues that we have seen with 1e before we leave it'. My 100% guess is that a lot won't affect SFS. Also as a guess is that it is kinda like what Pathfinder Unchained was in 1e...an end cap on PF1 rules.

I honestly think that this is just the 'we need to get all away from OGL to ORC' reasoning...which unfortunately I can understand. The 900 lb gorilla (i.e. the other company) does like to throw it's weight around...and the more that is kept that could be considered under the old OGL, well, it is probably better to have it officially announced it will be done.

As I heard...at least they are giving us this year and next for wrap up/swan song of 1e characters. As season 6 is already started, and at least the official Playtest won't be until Summer 2024...which means we will get Season 7 too. And since right now at Gencon they are still running P1 scenarios, I would highly assume we will have 1e scenarios support at cons...just not new scenarios.

Then I should be able to finish the campaign. Not counting unreleased products, there are 30 SF1 scenarios I have not either played or GMed. Though I guess my novian agent will never come to be...

Nod - Thursty confirmed yesterday that SF Society would continue thru Season 7 for 1st edition.
So, 2 more years, as folks have mentioned.

Sorry about not posting. Gen Con was insane and I just got back yesterday. Will get caught up later today.

Waiting to see what the SF stuff does. I like the idea of 3 actions and having it be less of a struggle between the systems, but I'm going to wait until I see it. And have a chance to build with it.

You don't already have five SF2 characters?

Recognizing that everyone's pretty burned out from the con weekend, I'll give Tari about 24 more hours to post, then I'll move us along.

I should be able to keep up a fairly good pace for the rest of August as my flying schedule is pretty light and then I go into days off.

You don't already have five SF2 characters?

I don't. TBH, I've run out of ideas for SF characters that I want to explore. I think I'll just wait to see how the S2 classes shake out. But if it's fully compatible with PF2, then how long until we get kineticists in space?????

I have one more idea for a SF character (it is because I got a Major Con boon for it).....but yeah...kinda out of ideas.

On the kineticists in space....can I be honest and say 'too soon'?

I kinda got burned out on kineticists from 1e....had a Society table of 6 players....4 of them some kind of kineticists (and this was not a low level table). All I can say is...it was not fun for me to run.

Not yet. I haven't had time to do more than skim the test doc. :)

My take on PF1 kineticists was that they were generally OP & that I didn't enjoy the mindset that usually accompanied them.

Wasn't all that happy to see them reappear in PF2.

@Kōlēfō: Thanks for signing up for my inaugural foray into GMing PF2! But the scenario I'm running is a 5-8, and you signed up with a level 4. Wrong character? Typo? Or planning to level before GameDay? Just curious as I start prepping.

Typo. Ra'uf is level 5. Fixed.

Btw - I don't see the map you described.

But I suspected that the map is hiding behind the 1st of Abadar's Golden Vault doors, so I opened it.

Pretty sure that my assumption was correct.