GM Jhaeman's Dawn of Flame, Chapter Five: "Solar Strike"

Game Master Jhaeman

When our actress finishes the performance, let's just kill them, Tulgram says in a whisper.

"Fine by me." Theodore sends telepathically.

Amhesha responds, also telepathically due to her circlet, "fine by me as well."

Xylian abides, lining has cannon up to shoot whatever elemental next comes around the corner.

I assume Zharis left her mic open... Ready Action to blast whomever bad guy appears next. Does telepathy still work, just kinda bad, or is it blocked?

Ice Cannon vs KAC: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
P + C Damage: 4d8 + 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (5, 6, 1, 1) + (4, 5) + 8 = 30

The hot-blooded guards rush to follow "Grunph's" commands! As two burst out the front door, the other two perform a perfectly executed flanking maneuver along the sides of the building--only to run into the expedition's trap! Xylian's ice cannon blasts the northern flanker!

Zharis' Bluff works; a wise GM doesn't argue with a natural 20!

Okay, we'll treat this ambush as a Surprise Round. Xylian's attack hits Black and the cold half of his weapon's damage is extra effective against the flame-headed azer. I'll put us on Initiative and roll for them in the first regular round.

Ninja'd by the GM again... but leaving this part:

They are determined to fight, so although Zharis always prefers to talk people down (read: show off her acting prowess), sometimes you gotta shoot. :)

And hey... guard uniforms might make good disguises if we have to go in after Vessu's brother.

Initiative (Surprise Round)

Theodore
Zharis
Xylian
Tulgram
Amhesha

Bold should go!

Reminder: During a Surprise Round, you can only take one standard or move action (no full actions).

I've moved Theo so he's not still inthe tower, but waiting in ambush with the rest. Unless I was misunderstanding where E1b was supposed to be?

As the blue-burning azer rounds the corner, Theo meets him with a claw.

Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34
Damage, Magical/Slashing: 2d6 + 25 ⇒ (2, 1) + 25 = 28

Actually, I thought we were fighting two inside the front lobby and waiting to fight the other two while they walked around the building, but GM already has it set up, so I am good with just readjusting to where we are.

Zharis wants to get this over with so she still has some disguise time left when she goes to find Nurleth. Why couldn't people do as she ASKED? Was it so hard? ... Although, no need to tell the camera to keep a low profile anymore. She sends it up to get a better angle of the overall battle. Then she whispers under her breath

Sorry about this.

and stabs Red in the back, literally and figuratively, with her claws.

Claw attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24 (BAB +Dex mod)
Slashing Damage: 1d3 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16

"Oh bloody hell," Amhesha intones as she suddenly starts spraying frigid cold projectiles at the creature in front of her, stepping slightly back to avoid full onslaughts from two different creatures.

Frost Projector, no CT: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

She then blurts out, extremely loudly, in Protean once she realizes the misfire that just happened.

Ursine and feline claws cut deep as Theodore and Zharis choose the perfect time to strike! But where natural savagery proves effective, advanced technology falters as Amhesha's frost projector misfires!

Theodore's attack hits Blue.

Zharis' attack hits Red.

Amhesha's nat 1 misses of course.

Tulgram is up.

Tulgram steps up to cover the doorway, ensuring the azers are trapped between him and Zharis!

Botting Tulgram's Surprise Round action as a guarded step forward.

Initiative (Round 1)

Theodore
Guards
Zharis
Xylian
Special
Tulgram
Amhesha

Bold should go!

Theodore pounces on the slow-footed azer guard!

Botting Theodore as doing another attack on Blue as before. Result: Hit.

Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34
Damage, Magical/Slashing: 2d6 + 25 ⇒ (1, 6) + 25 = 32

"Betrayal!" shouts the azer injured by "Grunph's" sudden attack, as Zharis' illusory disguise finally slips. The azer's heavy maul is suddenly wreathed with fire as he brings it down toward the pahtra!

Just a few feet away, another guard moves to protect his flanks, swinging hard at Tulgram!

The flankers, coming around the side of the building, choose very different responses! One, grievously wounded by Theodore, makes a tactical withdrawal. The other opens fire on Xylian with an acid-spraying rifle! But the damai's powered armor proves impervious!

Red is attacking Zharis. Result: Hit. Zharis, you take 14 B&F.

Yellow does a guarded step and attacks Tulgram. Result: Hit.
Tulgram, you take 15 B&F.

Blue does a guarded step to get around the corner, and then a move action to get further away.

Black attacks Xylian. Result: Miss

Initiative (Round 1)

Theodore
Guards
Zharis
Xylian
Special
Tulgram
Amhesha

Bold should go!

I have 5 fire resistance from thermal capacitor... does any of it come off, or not because it is fire *and* bludgeoning? My tagline represents the full amount, just wasn't sure on that part.

Zharis hits red again.

Claw attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
Slashing Damage: 1d3 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17

Xylian braces, his ice cannon sapping heat from the surrounding area and creating a hazy, cold mist around him. With a loud cracking sound, the cannon sends another jagged chunk of supercooled ice at the elemental.

Overcharge and Shoot Black.
Ice Cannon vs Black KAC: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
P + C Damage: 8d8 + 4d6 + 16 ⇒ (8, 2, 8, 6, 3, 5, 5, 5) + (4, 2, 4, 3) + 16 = 71

Zharis' claws elicit a cry of pain from the azer she's locked in close-combat with, but the shouting is soon drowned out by the cracking BOOM! of Xylian's ice cannon! His foe is flash-frozen and then shattered into thousands of tiny pieces by the over-charged weapon!

The sound of the blast is still reverberating when Nib's voice comes over the comms, her voice sounding distant and tinny by comparison. "Taeress says they're almost here!"

Zharis' attack hits Red.

Xylian's crit kills Black very dead.

@Zharis: If damage is of two types, half the damage is one type and half is the other type. So your fire resistance will apply to reduce the half of that damage that was fire.

Initiative (Round 1)

Theodore
Guards
Zharis
Xylian
Special
Tulgram
Amhesha

Bold should go!

Resist Fire 5 as well

CLEAVE (with reach)! FINALLY!

Called Capture Pole, YELLOW : 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 13 + 2 = 252d8 + 16 ⇒ (4, 2) + 16 = 22 (piercing vs KAC)
Called Capture Pole, RED: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 302d8 + 16 ⇒ (7, 7) + 16 = 30 (piercing vs KAC)

Tulgam gets hit by someone who looks like a fellow tribesman set on fire, grunts and shows them the duergar fighting skills in response.

When the injection enters the second enemy, Tulgram slightly presses on the handle of the pole and the biohack decomposing azer's nervous system enters his circulatory system.

-2 AC for RED for 9 rounds = till the end of his life.
-2 AC for me for Cleave for 1 round

Tulgram whirls his capture pole like a whirling dervish, wounding any foes who get near!

Both attacks hit. Red is down to a handful of hit points.

Amhesha is up, or I can bot tonight.

Move: Combat Tracking on Yellow. Standard: Fire Horizon Striker.

Attack v. KAC: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33
Horizon Striker Damage, P&C, Crit: 3d4 + 8 + 3d4 + 8 ⇒ (4, 1, 4) + 8 + (2, 1, 4) + 8 = 32 Oof. That's.... 48 damage?

She says in Ignan, very well aware that the Azer's native language is probably Ignan. Her ice-cold projectile from her sniper rifle, even if she isn't using it as such now, lands directly in the gut of the Azer, causing massive damage to them with a single shot.

Amhesha's target is hurled into the wall and barely manages to keep his feet!

Yellow is *badly* hurt but still up.

@Amhesha: It's actually 40 damage (only the half of the damage that is cold is increased by 50% for the azer's vulnerability to cold). Still a powerful shot!

Initiative (Round 2)

Theodore
Guards
Zharis
Xylian
Special
Tulgram
Amhesha

Bold should go!

I Could swear I posted the other day for last round. Maybe it ate it. Alas.

Theodore does his best to latch on to the azer with both paws and rip him in half.

Attack: 1d20 + 15 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 15 - 4 = 15
Damage: 2d6 + 25 ⇒ (2, 6) + 25 = 33

Attack: 1d20 + 15 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 15 - 4 = 15
Damage: 2d6 + 25 ⇒ (4, 2) + 25 = 31

Two 4s? Seriously? Anyway, if both hit (somehow), the Azer will take an extra 4 damage, plus:
Bleed: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Zharis says

You've lost. Surrender immediately and we will spare you. Otherwise, I hope the afterlife treats you well.

One of the azers ducks behind the door frame just in time as the steel is shredded by Theodore's claws!

Although badly wounded, the two guards show no disposition to surrender. "For Khaim!" they shout, swinging battle-mauls with wild abandon!

@Theodore: There are no adjacent azers, so I moved you to the closest one and resolved your attack against it--Red (removing the full attack penalty, adding cover for attacking around a corner, and factoring in Red's inhibitor effect. Alas, the attack still misses.

Red attacks Zharis. Result: Hit. Zharis, you take 15 B&F.

Yellow attacks Tulgram. Result: Hit. Tulgram, you take 17 B&F.

Initiative (Round 2)

Theodore
Guards
Zharis
Xylian
Special
Tulgram
Amhesha

Bold should go!

Finally learned one of the guard's names, thinks Zharis, just a little bit too late.

She attacks Red again, hoping to finish it.

Claw attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
Slashing Damage: 1d3 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15

Xylian pivots, targeting the next closest elemental and fires again.

Move action to Combat Tracking Yellow. Standard Action to Overcharge and shoot.
Ice Cannon vs KAC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22
P + C Damage: 4d8 + 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (2, 1, 6, 1) + (4, 5) + 8 = 27

The azer guards get their seeming wish, and fight to the death as Zharis and Xylian dispatch them.

For a moment everything is still, but then an armored hover-truck careens into view! It charges towards the side of the detention center and then brakes at the last moment, centimeters from the wall. A tall, thin, triangle-headed alien emerges from the cockpit and walks slowly forward until he's about fifteen feet away. A voice can be heard in your mind, muffled as if speaking through a layer of thick cloth. “I have the designation Zhyffor.” The alien gives a slight bow. Excitement, trepidation, and genuine humility accompany his telepathic words along with--somehow--a vague sense of his gender and lineage tied to his name. “Apologies for arriving too late to explain the situation here before violence found you.”

Zharis' attack hits and drops Red.

Xylian's attack hits and drops Yellow.

A pic of Zhyffor is on Slide # 5.

We can go off Initiative for now.

Zharis wipes her claws off using Red's clothing, and then bows to Zhyffor.

Greetings Zhyffor. My designation is Zharis, and this is Tulgram, Xylian, Theodore, and Amhesha. No apology necessary, I assure you, although I'm afraid we aren't quite done. There are prisoners inside, your people I take it? But also another member of the hostile force that we were told is in there. Someone named Nurleth. And, we have to retrieve Vessu's brother who is presumably with someone named Gorshak at the "Spire" ... there's a way to contact him inside, so it's possible we could trick him into sending the brother here or somewhere else we can intercept him, but not sure... hadn't gotten around to figuring that part out yet.

What can you tell us of the situation?

Tulgram squints, then forces out a smile, which he probably finds pleasant (no), and raises his hand in greeting. Meanwhile, the biological computer in his brain is looking for a match for this creature with any other known creatures in the universe.

Life Science 41 to identify this creature (biohacker can use LS checks on any living creature; no culture needed)

"Amhesha of Ydajisk," Amhesha says as she briefly introduces herself with a smile, not wanting to get much in the way of the group's captain speaking (as good as she is with words, diplomacy isn't Amheshastrong suit!)

Feelings of admiration and relief accompany Zhyffor's telepathic response. "You are willing to aid us? Truly Faeffel's sacrifice was not in vain." Grief accompanies his mention of Faeffel.

"There is much we must discuss, including the Spire, but this location is not secure. We observed detention facility personnel fleeing this location, and they will return with others. The occupiers will strike back quickly, and in greater numbers. I will accompany you inside to free my imprisoned brethren, while those I brought with me secure our escape route." Determination and a sense of urgency underlie his words.

Two other aliens, each armed with machete-like blades and short, snub-nosed firearms, exit the hover-truck and take up overwatch positions.

Okay, let's move.

She asks Tulgram

Would you like to loot the dead while we secure the prisoners? We'll meet you back here soon.

She presumes that Tulgram will want to take samples as well, so it seems a fitting task.

She heads back inside with Zhyffor to release the prisoners, but takes Amhesha and Theo with her in case they run into the elusive Nurleth. She glances at Xylian, but lets him decide whether to come or make up a new password or something. She does pan over the whole scene with the camera first though, making sure to get a lot of good shots of everyone for the next documentary.

"Theodore" the bear sends telepathically, with a nod to their new allies.

He then follows Zharis inside.

"O' course, go on, I'll catch up with ye!" - tha famous last words o' minor characters in movies, huh? Tulgram smiles a kind of thug smile, nods and winks, showing that he is joking, and proceeds to examine the bodies, really taking blood samples for DNA analysis first.

Tulgram begins taking DNA samples and inventorying the fallen foes, while the others move inside. Upon reaching the corridor with the transparent walls that show over of a dozen of his kind in the detention block, feelings of joy spread out telepathically from Zhyffor! The others of his kind leap to their feet, and although they obviously can't see what's happening in the corridor, they know that rescue has come!

"We must open these doors" Zhyffor says to you telepathically, indicating with the heavy doors on either side of the corridor. They are doubtlessly locked, with a large panic button off to the side of each one.

I've moved everyone's token inside (except Tulgram's), but if Xylian or Amhesha would like to stay outside or do something else, that's okay.