SFS1e 6-14 - The Missing (KS) (Inactive)

Game Master phaeton_nz

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. Furthermore, a shiny bauble on the floor turns out to be a clear spindle aeon stone.

“Looks like basic supplies for whatever people are down here. But why? Why bother? Unless the people didn’t want to leave…”

Nip gets a smarmy look on her face. She turns to look up toward the ceiling and says loudly, “What’s the matter? Couldn’t leave your weird quilt cats to go have lunch? Or are you just afraid of the outdoors with all that dangerous grass and terrifying shrubbery?”

She waits a few moments to see if there's a reply.

There is no response.

"Whoa, jackpot!" says Nixxer, seeing all the contents of the crates on display. "Better put these fruits of criminal activity to more 'sponsible use!" He starts stuffing his pockets (and cheeks) with an assortment of items.

Sorry for the lack of posting--been a hectic weekend!

OY! That's MY stuff. PUT IT BACK!!!!

"My name is safety inspector Pockers, we're here investigating a missing person, and this facility is racking up some big safety fines. Who are you and what is this place?"

Sovellis nudges Nippostia, gestures toward the hissing air vents, and with very deliberate motion, taps the button activating his armor's environmental protections. He jerks his head toward the other party members.

Otherwise the elf silently waits to hear the speaker's response.

There is no further response - but was that a sigh of exasperation? Or just the air vent.

Pockets follows Sovellis example activating his armor's environmental protections. Pockets waites until others have had time to activate as well. Then Pockets reaches into his backpack and hands Mazer a roll of duct tape, and whispers to Mazer.

"Can your reach that vent?"

"No doubt we will meet our possessive host if we keep moving forward."

Sovellis steps to the next door and opens it.

Nippostia misunderstands Sovellis’ nudge at first and prepares to playfully push back. When her eyes follow to the hissing vent and she sees him reach for his environmental controls, she quickly does the same.

“Good thinking. I was too focused on our—" she boosts her vocal volume a bit “—neurotic AND possessive host.”

Sovellis opens the door. This open concrete area faces an airlocked specimen cell to the north and a barricaded bunker door to the south.

The airlocked chamber’s walls and doors are made of adamantine alloy. A transparent viewport offers a glimpse of a bare cell with claw marks crisscrossing the metal walls within.

"Bet this fella's hidin' behind the bunker doors. Lemme see if I can't get one open." Nixxer goes to work on the barricaded door to the south.

Engineering: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Since Nixxer is working on that door - and getting precisely nowhere, he is the one that gets stung by the creature that just materialised behind him (see slides)

creature's stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19
stinger: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 piercing: 1d4 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 + venom.

Everyone gets a round of actions against it. Nixxer may need to make a Fort save.

"Safety first!"

Azmuth Lazer Pistol: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 2 - 4 = 11
Damage F: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Azmuth Lazer Pistol: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 2 - 4 = 6
Damage F: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Nippostia moves forward to see what’s happening.

“Wow — you’re a nightmare!”

A sickly green-black mist surrounds her balled fists. With a sharp punching gesture, the mist shoots toward the creature’s head.

Casting level 1 Mind Thrust. DC 14 will save for half damage.
Damage: 2d10 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2

Well that was sad…

Salamazarin's large eyes go a little wider at the sight of the thing that attacked Nixxer, but then she roars at the thing while shooting at it.

Combat Expertise vs. monster:
Intimidate: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18 (DC = 15 + 1.5 x target’s CR)
stabilizing static arc pistol: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Damage (E): 1d6 ⇒ 3
If Intimidate and attack both succeed, +1d6 ⇒ 6 damage and target shaken 1 round.

But her shot hits a wall, to no effect.

Sovellis is looking at the deep scratches in the adamantine cell. "That is something you don't see every day."

So the materialization of the creature goes unnoticed, but the eruption of motion and energy around him does not. In two steps his sword sweeps from its scabbard; the starknife appears in his hand and he is on the creature, hacking its flank.

Move as shown. Summon starknife as swift action.
Longsword v It KAC: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 .... Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Nixxer twirls around in pain and confusion, and is startled by the creature. "Yowzer! Half shark, half scorpion, all mean!"

With a quick flick of his wrist, he sends his homemade weapon arcing towards it.

Fort save vs venom: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 0 = 13

Junksword vs KAC: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
damage (B&S): 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

And nobody manages to hit it - yet.
will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
((Creature: -2))

Grimalki still to go.

Sorry - been busy with travel lately.

"Gah!" Her foresight not helping in this circumstance, Grimalki draws her rifle and takes a shot at the creature nearest her.

Plasma Bolter vs Green: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9, 1d10 ⇒ 8

@Grimalki: We're on a new map (see slide 5), fighting the monster featured on the cover. Your token is a couple rooms back, because you weren't around when we were exploring there. But maybe the GM will let us assume that you moved closer before the fight started, so you won't have to spend a couple turns just moving close enough to engage the enemy. (Right now, it's around a corner from your token, and the creature nearest you is ME!)

I will assume that, yes.

And Grimalki also misses as the creature teleports away.

What now? Fortunately, Nixxer made the fort save so the poison doesn't take effect.

Damage: 2d10 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2

Well that was sad…

But you did more damage than the rest of the team put together!

Pockets pulls up the team's training records on his trusty datapad.
" According to our training records we should have done better than that, everyone check your weapons to make sure they are working right."
Pockets takes his pistol's batteries out and puts it back in, making sure it's connected right, then shakes the pistol a few times by the barrel, before checking off a box on his trusty datapad.
"Good as new. So where did that creature come from and is it still around?"

Sovellis lifts his sword in front of his face, but looks past it at Pockets. "Nothing wrong with this." He kneels to return his starknife to its case. "Apparently the creature can teleport. No doubt it will return to attack when it is convenient. We must remain watchful."

The elf stands and shakes his sword. "Mazer." He keeps the long blade in hand, steps forward beside Nixxer at the door. "Try it again."

Sovellis lifts his sword in front of his face, but looks past it at Pockets. "Nothing wrong with this." He kneels to return his starknife to its case. "Apparently the creature can teleport. No doubt it will return to attack when it is convenient. We must remain watchful."

The elf stands and shakes his sword. "Mazer." He keeps the long blade in hand, steps forward beside Nixxer at the door. "Try it again, NIxxer."

"Damiar and Iovo!* Where did it go?" Salamazarin exclaims. She moves into the room cautiously, gun and baton at the ready, frequently turning her head to keep watch all about her.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

(* The twin worlds whose destruction created the Diaspora. Seemed like an appropriate mild oath for a sarcesian.)

Nippostia Fernbreeze 2 wrote:

Damage: 2d10 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2

Well that was sad…

But you did more damage than the rest of the team put together!

Pockets pulls up the team's training records on his trusty datapad.
" According to our training records we should have done better than that, everyone check your weapons to make sure they are working right."
Pockets takes his pistol's batteries out and puts it back in, making sure it's connected right, then shakes the pistol a few times by the barrel, before checking off a box on his trusty datapad.
"Good as new. So where did that creature come from and is it still around?"

Grimalki changes out the batteries of her rifle.

"Sure, give me irradiated wastelands all you want, but the moment something might be useful, nooooo..." she mutters to herself.

She sighs. "Right, let's stick close together."

With allies guarding his back, Nixxer tries the door again.

Engineering: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

"Sure's a tough one, eh!"

It's extremely tough.

"Try the one over here, maybe?" Mazer suggests, gesturing at the western door with her pistol. She takes a step closer to it, leaving plenty of room for the more technically trained members of the party to move past her to get at it.

Nixxer heads over to the western door. "Yah, lemme see what I can do on this one . . ." From a bandolier, he removes a laser pizza cutter, two broken hypersonic toothbrushes, and some toenail clippings before getting to work.

Engineering: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

This one you can get open.

This control room contains a computer workstation facing a wall of monitors and displays. Many of the monitors play live security footage showing every room in the facility, the entrance tunnel, and the grassy wilderness outside. One monitor plays a local news channel on mute, and another displays data about a creature labeled “leporine.” The image looks exactly like one of the animals you fought in the clearing. The file notes that leporines are a biohacked cross between several species of pack animals with powerful hind legs that have been modified to jump higher and farther, then trained to fight tactically and hunt as a pack on command.

Pockets moves over to one of the computer work stations
"Lets see if I can find the safety recorded on the other creature we encountered, that one the teleports."
Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Unfortunately there is an electrical trap on the console. Pockets takes electricity: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 1) = 10 DC 12 ref for half.

Now you know it's there, it can be disabled with an Engineering check.

"Yowza! Better you than me! Lemme slap some rubber on those wires . . ." Nixxer goes to work on disabling the electrified console.

Engineering: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Took the liberty of moving everyone to the new room.

"I've been thinking about our teleporting foe. I suggest a compact formation. Mazar stays near the middle of the group where they can reach over all of us. Grimalki and I guard the edges. Nippostia and the ysoki stay near the walls. Hopefully the creature can only teleport to our perimeter."

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
"Ouch!"
Pockets takes off another velcro pocket on his safety vest and reattaches it to cover up another hole, then gets out his trust datapad and starts yelling at the ceiling or wherever the voice talking to them seems to come from while furiously checking off boxes on the datapad.
"You're going to pay for that, the safety fines are going to be so astronomical I'm going to be able to retire and buy my own planet, and I'm not just talking any plant it's going to be a really nice one. We find one more trap in here and I'm calling in an orbital bombardment to eliminate this place before anyone else gets hurt!
Pockets gets on his comm unit and pretends to give the quadrants for an orbital bombardment.
Bluff: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

"Good idea Sovellis."
Then Pockets takes a healing serum
healing serum mk1: 1d8 ⇒ 5

Salamazarin winces when Pockets gets shocked, but cautiously enters the room, looking around.

New placement is fine. Thanks! And sorry, Pockets, Mazer doesn't have Inspiring Boost to help with the SP.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

The sarcesian does her best to not roll her eyes while the ysoki makes his brazenly outrageous claims to their unseen quarry, but instead nods at Sovellis. "Sounds good to me."

Bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

The trap is disabled and the computer console is now accessible.

Pockets tries to get up his nerve to try using the computer again
"If anything bad happens I'm shooting this computer."
Will save to not shoot first
Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Pockets starts to work on the computer with one hand while pointing his pistol at it with his other hand.
Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Grimalki nods at Sovellis, taking the position he recommended.

At the ysoki's threat against the computer, she pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration. "I'm not getting paid enough for this."

You manage to access the computer this time. It has the following modules.

Security: This module controls the security system throughout the facility, including alarms, door locks, the intercom, and security cameras. Recent security logs are stored here

Specimen Data: This module contains data about the creatures engineered and trained in this facility. The leporine display can be switched to a file named carusidae. The carusidae display shows a monstrous creature with a stinger and cybernetic augmentations. The carusidae is described as a modified ambush predator with a venomous sting and the ability to pounce and trample its enemies. The file notes that the carusidae’s ability to phase through walls can be stopped by materials made from starmetals, such as adamantine alloy.

Another file details an animal training regimen, based on a combination of behavioral science techniques and pure bravado. A short vid shows a kasatha demonstrating how his trained pack of leporines can perform tricks and attack on command.

You also remember that you're inside a world ship so, the idea of an orbital bombardment sounds a bit silly in hindsight.

...

You also remember that you're inside a world ship so, the idea of an orbital bombardment sounds a bit silly in hindsight.

Sovellis had too much respect for Pockets to chide him on that.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 ANy resemblance between the video kasatha and anyone involved in this case?

"When you are done, Pockets, please save the data on those creatures. We can use it as evidence when we report to the authorities."

Sovellis settles into a watchful silence, waiting for the return of the carusidae. The description of the creature a phasing through walls makes him wonder if his strategy to protect the smaller, less lightly armed party members is actually the best one.

Coming at us through the walls is a different challenge than teleporting in. Maybe put the squishies in the middle and hope the floor is either too thick to phase through or has vacuum 'below' it.

At the ysoki's threat against the computer, she pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration. "I'm not getting paid enough for this."

"Good point Grimalki, with all of the safety hazards we have encountered we should all be getting hazardous duty pay."

Pockets takes note to ask for more pay for the team and then backups the data found to his trusty data pad, while sharing the info with the team.

"Maybe we can use the security cameras to find where that Ccarusidae thing is hiding, and also whoever has been talking to us over the intercom."

Salamazarin extends the index finger of the hand holding her baton to point at Pockets. "Now that is the best idea you've had all day, my little friend."

I wonder if it can phase partway through a wall to attack, or if it needs enough room to fully materialize first? If the latter, Mazer's position only 5 feet away from the door seems perfect until we're ready to move on. (BTW, I'm happy to have this speculation be in-character tactics chatter with Sovellis, if players and/or GM prefer.)

"Heya, can you open the security logs? Mebbe we can see where the missing went off to!"

"If the carusidae phases through walls instead of teleports, my deployment plan can stand improving. Any suggestions?"

Pockets tries to open the security logs and get access to the cameras.
Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Getting access is easy. Reviewing the security logs could take some time though.

How long do you want to spend doing that?