[YFF/SFS/DMK] 6-14 The Missing (Inactive)

Game Master Kludde

Xoni gives a low whistle indicating this is significant evidence. "What's the address on that acceptance letter? That might give us a place to check next."

When the group is ready to follow the tracks, she heeds the spirits' warning and checks that her rifle is loaded and rounds chambered and then grasps her doshko before moving forward. She will take the lead.

"So far seems like star-crossed lovers"

The drone takes pictures of the evidence.

It does seem that way doesn't it

The university acceptance letter is from the Kasathan Academy of Arts, a very prestigious institution indeed. Looks like Rahosa had everything going for him.

As the group makes their way up the path, Antethriss spots a momevement in the bush, which gives him enough preparation to warn the group of two incoming monsters!

---
Ratrace
Thrym
Antethriss
Theseius
Xoni
---
Enemy
Enemy
---

Everyone is up and can act at the same time!

Ratrace and scrapheap open fire at the things - especially that bluish whiskered one!

Ratrace
azimuth laser rifle
Attack 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 vs EAC
Damage 1d8 ⇒ 7 F

Scrapheap
static arc caster
Attack 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 vs EAC
Damage 1d8 ⇒ 1 E

I may not be able to post much on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as I work a double shift those days. 'Bot me if necessary. I've written spoilers in my profile with dice-bot texts for common rolls like attacks and skills, so check there to quickly copy and paste the text for the 'bot rolls. Thanks.

In this situation, Xoni will fire her rifle if she can first round to take advantage of her feat Opening Volley. Then she'll switch to her doshko for melee attacks. See Combat Dicebots spoiler for preset attack and damage dicebot texts for all her attack options.

Looks like your dicebots need an update (the boomer rifle is not in there), but for now I can work with this:
Boomer rifle vs EAC: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Damage, So: 1d8 ⇒ 7
Crit, So: 1d8 ⇒ 7

With two straighforward hits, ratrace severely wounds one of the stitched-together monster, just as Xoni, with a loud reverberating boom, splatters the other all over the place.

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Ratrace
Thrym
Antethriss
Theseius
Xoni
---
Enemy Red (DEAD)
Enemy Blue (8)
---

Drow stands in a stance (ala Bruce Lee), makes a threatening sound and springs gently on his feet, clearly ready to explode with a quick movement at any second.

Ready Action: Mae Geri: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 241d3 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 - Bludgeoning vs KAC

Theseius takes a shot with his explorer handcoil
eh: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20 electricity: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Any roll we can make to identify this creatures? Besides the picture, what are we apparently fighting?

Looks like your dicebots need an update (the boomer rifle is not in there), but for now I can work with this:

Fixed. Note, with a critical hit, the target must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be deafened for 1d4 ⇒ 1 minutes.

Figuring the others already have things handled, Thrym-Who-Speaks-With-Spirits focuses upon the surroundings, instead.

Red is no longer reacting to any sound, I hope that is good enough for you ;-)

Life Science to identify

Anthethriss has no patience with hilltop predator, and Mae Geri's the last one to an untimely end.

Combat over!

Thrym focuses on his surrounding. Over the sound of battle he hears the spirits whisper 'look! look!'

Thrym-Who-Speaks-With-Spirits inspects the creatures...

Life Science: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17.

...and then inspects the wider area for tracks, or things out of the ordinary.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26.

It's really strange... these creatures are leporines, which is not a species that is native to Kasath at all, so has no business being on the Idari. There's also many marks on the creatures, as well as tags that have been embedded in their hind legs, which suggests that the animal might be part of a research program or conservation effort, but the tags don’t match any known authority or organization in the Pact Worlds.

The leporines’ claws match the marks on the blanket and broken cane stalks.

Thrym also sees a glint of something bright in the bushes. It’s a shattered syringe of the type made to be fired from a needler weapon.

You can also roll Life Science (once more), Medicine, Physical Science or Survival

GM's post ninja-ed Xoni's.

Xoni replaces the fired shells from her rifle before doing anything else. She approaches the corpse cautiously. "What in Talavet's wild imagination is that?"

Medicine: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Theseius sends his drone in to record the evidence in situ.

physical science: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Xoni notes that the chemical inside the syringe is residue from a powerful tranquilizer used on large animals, something that Theseius can confirm. Xoni also finds some tracks.

The tracks lead down a short game trail past a “Keep Out” sign to another clearing. A tarp covered in mats of grass held in place by transparent netting has been pulled aside to reveal a tunnel leading underground...

The confusing mix of kasatha and animal footprints end in front of an adamantine alloy bunker door. The door is locked.

Engineering or Computers

"This suggests a completely different rationale for the disappearances. Looks like someone may be operating a rogue science station doing experiments. Perhaps our lovers were captured and taken somewhere."

She lets others work on opening the door, keeping her doshko in hand.

Let's see what we can do with this

engineering: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Not a lot it seems.

It feels like I'm not on Idari but at home. It happens all the time on Apostae. Drow examines the door without touching it for the presence of "gifts" that any other drow would have left here.

Perception - Traps?: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Anthethriss doesn't find anything dangerous on the door, but confirms it is solidly locked, and otherwise very solid.

Anyone else think they'll have better luck with this - or shall I give it another go?

"If it doesn't have a knob, latch, activation switch, it is beyond my technological know-how." Xoni murmurs.

Ratrace has a crack at it...

Engineering 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Ratrace works on the door, and manages to gain entry. Opening the door to the complex unleashes a wave of cool, conditioned air. Sterile metallic and concrete structures form a corridor leading past intersections of bunker doors and toward some kind of electronic hub or workstation. Overhead, long f luorescent tubes shine with light as bright as the artificial sun outside, but cold as the metal tiles underfoot.

All tracks stop abruptly. Tiny cleaning drones scuttle across the floor, keeping it spotless.

Thrym gets one more warning from the spirit They're not going to let you in... as he spots a laser gun whirring up!

The turret can be disabled by disabling motion sensors (Engineering) or repogramming the targeting system (Computers). Both of which are standard actions (you have to be anywhere inside B1). Please place your tokens in the dashed area.

---(Surprise round)--
Ratrace
Anthethriss
Thrym
Xoni
Theseius
---(Round 1)---
Turret
---

Just as well Ratrace got the door open as Theseius was reaching for a hammer and a crowbar.

Theseius goes for the motion sensors
engineering: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Theseius moves in on the motion sensor, but only manages to disable it after the laser cannon has taken a first shot!

Laser Cannon vs Theseius: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 211d6 ⇒ 5

The motion sensor is easily disabled. The door to the north can be opened, but the one to the west is completely jammed.

"North it is"

Boxes and crates are stacked along the northeastern wall. Some of the containers are open, exposing the contents inside. Prepackaged food wrappers lie discarded on the floor nearby. The hiss of the air conditioner is audible through a ceiling vent to the northwest.

The containers are full of basic supplies, including two mk 1 antidotes, six weeks of R2E rations in an assortment of flavors, a basic medkit, and two mk 1 serums of healing.

There's also a shiny bauble on the floor, which upon closer inspection turns out to be a clear spindle aeon stone.

"Someone was planning an extended stay, well rationed"

Ratrace looks to the west to check the doorway or vent.

Once the the technical work is done, Xoni moves up to cover the others. "This is ... unexpected."

She looks around to spot cameras or booby traps.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

As the group inspects the room, the intercom crackles to life Looking for something? a voice tauntingly says You better not take any of my belongings!

Xoni doesn't find anything noteworthy, but notices the western door is unlocked.

The next room is an open concrete area that faces an airlocked specimen cell to the north and a barricaded bunker door to the south.

Thrym-Who-Speaks-With-Spirits lingers over the specimen cell, thinking about the poor beasts that were undoubtedly held prisoner there, like he was by the Devourer cultists, long ago...

"Looking for people, not equipment. Come out for a talk"

Xoni's alert level maxed out after hearing the voice. She couldn't be sure such a facility wasn't known and approved by the governing bodies of the ship, but anything so secret was most likely illegal and up to no good.

The next room is an open concrete area that faces an airlocked specimen cell to the north and a barricaded bunker door to the south.

Is this the room currently under a spoiler rectangle to the west of the northernmost room? Can we see and enter that area?

Drow silently follows the squad, slightly bouncing on his toes - he is clearly ready to break into battle with a kick (just indicated that I am here).

I've updated the mamp now

Stinger vs Xoni: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 91d4 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

As the group looks around and explores the room, accompanied by the whirring of an air conditioning system, the silence is suddenly disrupted by a swooping sound of something swinging in. Xoni sees a scorpion-like tail swinging at him, and only then conludes it is attached to a beefy creature made up of stiched-together components, an amalgamation of Shark, Scorpion and whatever brutal creature supplied the body!

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Xoni
Ratrace
Antethriss
Thrym
---
Shark-face scorpion-tailed monster
---
Theseius
---

Flashwarp! By Nocticula, it's just like home.

Antethriss runs forward and, with a slight somersault, pushes off from the wall with his foot and lands behind the monster. He bends down sharply and, using his own momentum, spins around and does another somersault and hits the monsters with his foot exactly under the lower paws.

(this completely unrealistic description is sponsored by Bob Salvatore)

Acrobatics to avoid AoO: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

Stunt and Strike (Athletics): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14 - vs DC 20 + target’s CR
Low Kick: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 2 = 181d3 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 - Bludgeoning vs KAC; target could be FF (see check above)
If Stunt and Strike and attack roll both succeed, target should roll a DC 15 Reflex check or be knocked prone

Thrym-Who-Speaks-With-Spirits is incensed by the damage done to the spirits of the poor animals involved in the amalgam, and attempts to help put their body out of its misery.

Trick: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36. Flat-Footed on a success.

Tactical Skipshot Pistol: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6, for 1d4 + 1d4 ⇒ (1) + (2) = 3 Piercing damage.

Xoni swings her Doshko at the monster. It appears as something she had a childhood fear of hiding in her bedroom closet. Her mother assured her such monsters did not exist.

Tactical Doshko vs KAC: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Damage, P: 1d12 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Ratrace repositions and joins scrapheap opening fire at the thing

Ratrace
azimuth laser rifle
Attack 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 vs EAC
Damage 1d8 ⇒ 3 F

Scrapheap
static arc caster
Attack 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 vs EAC
Damage 1d8 ⇒ 2 E

Drone. Engage Offensive mode

Anthethriss reacts promptly and kicks the frankensteined creature, and Xoni and Ratrace are equally alert, striking the creature and landing a laser blast. Thrym reacts on time, but misses.

The creature then teleports away Looks like you got lucky the voice over the intercoms says, but your luck will run out

Combat over (for now)

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Shark-face scorpion-tailed monster (15)
---

"I mean, we can keep going this way or you can let us know what is going on here"

Theseius sighs Stand down. Surveillance mode they say to the drone.

"It looks like you've spent a lot of time on all this," Xoni yells. "I could reprogram some of these machines ... with my doshko! Or you could quit attacking us and show yourself and explain what is going on!"

Ratrace and Xoni rail against the intercom voice, but there is no answer. The door to the south is jammed, but the western door is unlocked.

Xoni positions herself next to the west door and waits for others to check the door for traps. When cleared she will open the door and advance cautiously into the next room.