I understand that our Pilot is still under the weather, so if anyone is willing to bot the [id]Drake'[/s] movement on the Map (and bot any Piloting rolls), please do so.
If Magic Officer takes Scrying Action and succeeds at Mysticism (DC 15):
You observe the following information on your view screen.
LIVING STARSHIP (?) TIER 3
N Medium starship aberration
Speed12 14 currently Maneuverability good (+3 +1 Piloting, turn 2) Propulsion glitching AC 15 ; TL 14
HP 65 38; DT —; CT 13
Attack (Forward) energy drain bite +5 2d4 and EMP effect
Attack (Port) claws +5 (4d4) glitching Attack (Starboard) claws +5 (4d4)
If the result meets a DC 20, you may open the spoiler below:
Spoiler:
Attack (Aft) tail splap +5 (3d4)
If the result meets a DC 25, you may also open the spoiler below:
It appears that our Pilot is still under the weather, so if anyone is willing to bot the Drake's movement on the Map (and bot any Piloting rolls), please do so.
Here ya go ... got all the tools ... mind you, it's Pegasi I've had to work a lot on recently. You would see the state of some of them when they come back in.
As the creature flies past the Drake, it attempts to take a bite out of the vessel.
Creature, energy drain bite v rear arc:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 Damage + EMP:2d4 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3
The Drake's aft shields take a hit and flicker, but they prevent any EMP effect.
Passing by, the creature slaps the Drake with its tail.
Creature, tail slap v rear arc:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 Damage:3d4 ⇒ (1, 2, 4) = 7
The tails slams directly against the ship's hull!
Any remaining PC who wishes to act in the Gunnery Phase my now do so.
A pair of direct hits put an end to the crystalline creature.
STARSHIP COMBAT OVER
Leaving what remains of the creature, the Drake approaches the planet that holds the outpost identified as "Colony-666". As previously indicated, it is a primordial world. Much of its surface is molten with superheated lava.
A particularly massive erruption is currently ongoing upon the continent containing the coordinates of the outpost, spewing gas, ash, and lava into the atmosphere. Although the fallout does not appear to be direclty threatening the location of the outpost, it does make it virtually impossible to land a starship any closer than several miles from the outpost.
The nearest suitable landing area is a cooling lavafield. Mostly flat, the landscape is pocked by now empty lava channels and a scattering of bulbous, pillow-like rock formations. The ground surface is blackened by the bastalt content of the rock though parts reflect the orangish hue of the planet's gaseous atmosphere.
Perception (DC 14):
You spot a pair of humanoid figures with rocklike skin stooped behind a rocky outcropping. They appear to be looking your way with some curiosity.
"There's a couple of rock-skinned humanoids over there. They don't look hostile; more curious."
Soarin wrote:
I wonder if they're similar to Quorlu .... silicon based lifeforms
While the android and sarcesian converse, the two rock-skinned humanoids realize they have been spotted. The smaller one approaches the party first, quickly followed by the second. The first begins by pointing at the sky and then banging the ground with her fists as she emits a series of thuds and clicks from an facial cavitation.
Her efforts are joined by the taller one, who waves appendages at the party before banging them together.
Sense Motive (DC 15):
You can determine that the creatures are communicating in an unknown language, each seeking answer to questions. The smaller appears to be asking about where you came from and how you got here. The other seems to focus on your forms, inquiring as to what nature of creature you are and what your intentions are.
Any PC who wishes to try and communicate back may describe such efforts and/or attempt a Culture check.
The two creatures appear receptive to Soarin's efforts.
What is it that you wish to communicate?
Dirk Starcliffe wrote:
"Hello are you friends?" says Dirk holding his hands out.
Looking to Soarin first, the shorter of the two humanoids then reaches a pair of rocky appendages out to Dirk. Spotting the solar mote circling the Starfinder's head, the humanoid steps back and begins conversing quickly with the other rocky humanoid.
The other humanoid picks up a nearby, cooled lava rock. Holding the blackened stone within a rocky appendage, the humanoid grips it tightly in hand as the appendage moves in a manner as to circle the humanoid's head.
The other humanoid's head bobs up and down, before grabbing another black rock and tossing it toward a cropping of larger, pillow-like stones in distance.
The other humanoid's head bobs up and down, before grabbing another black rock and tossing it toward a cropping of larger, pillow-like stones in distance.
The tossed stone clatters against one of the larger stones as it lands. From an opening with the larger stone, another rock-like creature--this one larger than the two others--emerges. The creature hefts a nearby stone and hurls it toward another collection of rocks.
Dirk Starcliffe wrote:
Dirk smiles and slowly leans down. He points at his head. "This..." He draws a circle with his index finger around his head. "I'm powered by a sun."
In response, one of the rock creatures draws a circle with an appendage around her head. She, too, then picks up a stone and hurls it another outcropping of rocks.
The rocks being tossed about rouse more rock creatures, which emerge from the nearby outcroppings of stone. Within moments, a gathering of approximately forty rock creatures start encircling the party.
One of the newly-arrived rock creaturse whose peak is circled by a bright mote that shines as if containing a portion of stellar energy, produces a shard of crystal carved in a fusiform shape bearing a shark-like quality. The creature holds the crystal in one appendage while striking it with a lava rock held in the other. Others of the rock creatures rhythmically clack their stony appendages together in a production of raucous ones.
Another notable rock being also appears, a mote of near total darkness encircles her head, occassionally eclipsing her face. She, too, slams her appendages together in rhthym before approaching Dirk and muttering something the soft, grinding tones of her native tongue.
What do you wish to do, Starfinders?
Communicating with the creatures can be facilitated with a series of successful Bluff, Diplomacy, and/or Mysticism checks.
"Jei" | semi-binary NG Cyberborn Science Officer | Half-Elf Nanocyte - 1 | SP 10/10 HP 10/10 | RP 5/5 | EAC 10; KAC 11 | Fort +6; Ref +0; Will +0 | Init: +0 | Perc: +2, SM: +0; Darkvision
GM Valen wrote:
GM Valen wrote:
The other humanoid's head bobs up and down, before grabbing another black rock and tossing it toward a cropping of larger, pillow-like stones in distance.
The tossed stone clatters against one of the larger stones as it lands. From an opening with the larger stone, another rock-like creature--this one larger than the two others--emerges. The creature hefts a nearby stone and hurls it toward another collection of rocks.
Dirk Starcliffe wrote:
Dirk smiles and slowly leans down. He points at his head. "This..." He draws a circle with his index finger around his head. "I'm powered by a sun."
In response, one of the rock creatures draws a circle with an appendage around her head. She, too, then picks up a stone and hurls it another outcropping of rocks.
The rocks being tossed about rouse more rock creatures, which emerge from the nearby outcroppings of stone. Within moments, a gathering of approximately forty rock creatures start encircling the party.
One of the newly-arrived rock creaturse whose peak is circled by a bright mote that shines as if containing a portion of stellar energy, produces a shard of crystal carved in a fusiform shape bearing a shark-like quality. The creature holds the crystal in one appendage while striking it with a lava rock held in the other. Others of the rock creatures rhythmically clack their stony appendages together in a production of raucous ones.
Another notable rock being also appears, a mote of near total darkness encircles her head, occassionally eclipsing her face. She, too, slams her appendages together in rhthym before approaching Dirk and muttering something the soft, grinding tones of her native tongue.
What do you wish to do, Starfinders?
Communicating with the creatures can be facilitated with a series of successful Bluff, Diplomacy, and/or Mysticism checks.
okay, i'll bite: could Jeison possibly use Token Spell in conjunction with Mysticism to crate a super-minor illusion/holo which shows something like the party arriving in a spaceship and landing on the panet?
Soarin's efforts prove quite successful! The sarcesian seems to have the attention of much of the village.
What does Soarin wish to communicate? To say? Or to ask?
C-3PO wrote:
Iseph does their best to complement Soarin masterful first contact skills.
Iseph, too, is welcomed by the local villagers with open appendages!
What does Iseph wish to communicate?
Jeison Reyes wrote:
okay, i'll bite
Please do!
Jeison Reyes wrote:
could Jeison possibly use Token Spell in conjunction with...
While token spell has its limitations, I think it could be used to construct some minor objects representing the spaceship and its landing. Very creative! Not can Jeison use the spell, but I will say that it grants a +2 circumstance bonus to his Mysticism check to communicate with the local rock creatures.
He then indicates the rest of the team. Starfinders
The next gesture sweeps in the direction of the rock people You are?
Understanding, the creature circled by the bright mote begins emitting a series of striking and cracking sounds while trying to immitate Soarin's speech. Eventually, he is able to contort the shape of his stony maw in a somewhat close proximation, pointing to himself, "Gggruggrek."
Another one of the creatures, undergoing similar efforts, interrupts Gggruggrek. Stepping forward, they chime in and point to theirself. "Krizzk."
Soon, others follow, each trying nearly stepping over the other and shouting out apparent names in a swarm of chaotic motion akin to that of a landslide.
Having yet to be acknowledged, the rocky creature with the dark mote concentrates on a crystal that she has produced and calls upon gravitation forces to push back some of the rock beings that had been moving forward. Satisfied with her efforts, she thumps her rocking head and states, "Okcaruk."
Gggruggrek seems to shrug. Then, gesturing to the others still tumbling over one another, before declaring with something like a sigh."K'Kokkac.
Dirk points at the rock creatures "Gggruggrek" and nods. Then to himself. "Dirk"
Gggruggrek's eye cavities widen in excitement when he hears the Starfinder speaker. "Dirrrtrockkk." He speaks slowly, trying to be sure to pronounce the solarian's name correctly. Growing confident that he has identified the Starfinder, Ggruggrek repeats the name, speaking a little quicker every time in an effort to mimic the Starfinder's cadence. "Dirtrock. Dir'ock. Dir'ck" Gggruggrek beats his appendages together in stony applause, making it evident that he believes he has found some kindred being in Dirk.
The mote circling Gggruggrek appears to speed up until it matches that of Dirk's mote. "Dir'ck! Dir'ck!" He chants as he tries to usher the Starfinder towards the outcropping that serves at Gggruggrek's residence.
The party believes it can impress the local rock creatures more with additional, successful Bluff, Diplomacy, and/or Mysticism checks.
Iseph's entertaining (and non-threatening) pantomime seems to be well-received as some of the rock creatures, including Okcaruk, join the performance. Using their appendages to engage in extravagant and exaggerated mime with pieces of rock and crystals, the humanoid creatures describe some sort of massive, crystalline demon with enormous teeth that swoops down upon the populace from time to time.
Calling upon their training in the art of diplomacy and the nature of theater and acting to make an audience understand the symbolism behind certain objects and gestures, Soarin and Iseph conclude that this toothy demon was the object of worship by one of the rock creatures, who tried to convert others to her beliefs and to impose the rigorous demands of her demonic god upon all those who dwelled above or below the surrounding lavafield. Eventually, the disperate locals banded together. Led by the two solarians--Okcaruk and Gggruggrek--the locals drove the demon worshipper into exile.
As they continue, the rock creatures convey how this worshipper laid claim to an old, haunted structure--located near a ring of active volcanos--that she rededicated as a temple to the demon. When the exile threatened to return, some of the villagers went to confront her, but they were reportedly melted when the temple itself shot fire upon those that the exiled worshipper had declared unworthy.
How does the party wish to respond, if at all?
Mechanically, this encounter simply allows the party to make a certain number of successful skill checks in order to gain some information that may or may not be useful. So far, the party has accumulated 3 successes and the information obtained is referrenced above. One more successful skill check is required to gain all the possible information.
The Exile must have found the old Hellknight base and got the defenses working. Soarin concludes. And that beast we drove off, actually flies down and attacks these guys.
Soarin attempts to gather more information with mime and charades.
diplomacy:1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (9) + 11 + (2) = 22
The Exile must have found the old Hellknight base and got the defenses working. Soarin concludes. And that beast we drove off, actually flies down and attacks these guys.
Another success!
Soarin attempts to gather more information with mime and charades.
Sensing that Soarin speaks of the Exile's temple, the tone of the rock creatures' pantomime turns more to one of a warning. The creatures seem to describe another of their kind, apparently named "Ikkcrokek", who recently braved the ongoing erruptions surrounding the temple in an effort to seek out and stop the Exile on his own. However, Ikkcrokek has not been seen since.
"Iseph" | non-binary NG Android ace pilot operative 4 | SP 24/24 HP 28/28 | RP 6/6 | EAC 19; KAC 19 | Fort +1; Ref +8; Will +4 | Init: +6 | Perc: +9, SM: +0; darkvision, low-light vision | Speed 40 ft, fly 30 ft (Avg)| Evasion | Active conditions: None
Iseph looks to the others.
"If we want to leave a good first contact impression on these guys, seeing what happened to their missing friend, and 'dealing' with this exile might be a good idea."
can I use athletics to demonstrate strength against the demons to help influence the creatures?
You are welcome to demonstrate your strength against the demons or roleplay anything else you wish before departing the rock creatures' company, but mechanically there is nothing more you can do to "influence" them.
Once the party is ready to depart for the outpost:
Heading towards the area of active volcanic activity where the coordinates for the outpost lie and where the local humanoids can confirm the "haunted" temple lies, you travel for about an hour uneventfully.
However, as you travel, the volcanism around you becomes more intense. Hot ash and gases are being released into the surrounding air. The activity shows no sign of abating. It is clear that this ongoing phenomena cannot be waited out.
Over the next hour, as you continue heading towards the outpost, the heat in the surrounding air intensifies. The superheated air reacts with strong currents. The resulting winds create a stinging spray of noxious, fiery vapors, dust, and hot ash akin to the flames of Hell!
The gusts are sufficient to automatically put out any unprotected flames, non-volcanic flames.
Such gusts impose a –2 penalty to nonenergy ranged weapon attack rolls.
All PCs must attempt a DC 12 Fortitude save. If you fail, please open the spoiler below:
Unless Arod is stored in some protective area, then I am going to say yes. Given the amount of damage for the failed save, I don't feel too bad about this decision... yet.
