[SFS] 1-08 and 7-07 Arniselle Double Feature

Game Master Kludde

Kalhoun responds quietly to Twila, "The spice in this would be harmful to aquatic creatures. Surely it's not here by accident."

"Weird. ... Unless they used it on the Manta Corps. I wonder if they're stashed outside somewhere. ... And if we'll be followed when we go out there. Let's stick together. By the way, have you seen Gold-Flecked Black?" Twila-5 rises and leads the way to join Vega and Stella in their conversation about the sermon and their philosophy.

Twila-5 didn't notice the subtext in the sermon, so I'll leave it to Vega and Gold-Flecked Black to clue her in.

"Should we break it?"

@Dirk: Tempting, but that would definitely start a tense conflict immediately. ;P

"Ah nevermind" Dirk scratches his head realizing his stupid comment. He follows the others.

The sermon draws to a close, and Hinevera is quick to invite the group Now that you have seem our customs, why don't you join us for dinner? We always have a communal dinner after these sermons, and we'd be delighted if you joined.

The food is great is you happen to be an aquatic creature (or if you like pickled herring).

Oshessa meanwhile retreats back through the airlock that Gold-Flecked failed to open, though the other Morlamaws remain. A few moments later, Teltham arrives from the same door, and takes the lead in providing a blessing for the food From the depths of the ocean the servants of midnight share in this wonderful nourishment, and consume it in awe of thee

Let me know what you want to do during the meal. There is another chance to sneak off and investigate

---
Welcome to another episode of 'make Starfinders eat disgusting stuff'. Today, we are visiting Arniselle and hoo-boy, is the food disgusting there...
--- Zo! Media productions show pitch

mysticism: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

As soon as they are invited to join the communal meal, Twila-5 leans in to subtly whisper to Vega: "There may be a substance poisonous to aquatic creatures in the food. If you see Gold-Flecked Black before I do, pass it on." She then looks around for the Stellifera to share the same message as subtly as possible. She'll ask him to share the info with the rest of the team as well.

Stealth +17 if necessary on passing the message to Vega and Gold-Flecked Black.

Mysticism DC 20: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Well, I'm not aquatic, so it probably won't bother me. Still... Twila-5 sits down for a bit to keep up the pretense of believing everything at face value. She serves herself a very small portion of the fish and gives it a nibble. Her face remains expressionless the entire time. "It's...intense. Thank you for sharing." She remains at the table for a few more minutes, politely conversing and listening, before clearing her place and trying to catch the eye of one of her teammates. She inclines her head toward the shrine in the northeast corner. Perhaps the guard would be chatty if the right questions are asked. The first question she intends to ask is: "Do you want us to bring you some food, or are you not allowed to eat on duty?" Opening with consideration usually works well.

Mysticism: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Vega looks a bit worried as she puts her cutlery down, being an aquatic.

She then uses a Telepathic Message cantrip. Gold. Where are you?

Gold-Flecked Black quietly alights upon Vega's shoulder.

Right here. I heard that it might be dicey for aquatic creatures to eat this stuff, so I will hold off on joining the feast.

Yeah ... I'm tempted to excuse myself and go swim. Check the outside of this place.

Mysticism: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

Stell claims she has special dietary needs and so will eat some of her rations and drink from a water bottle instead of eating anything offered. But she will sit and converse.

Bluff, Skill Expertise: 1d20 + 15 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 15 + (2) = 32

At some point, she will bring up the subject of the room with the aggressive Starfinder robots. "I'm surprised the Manta Corp Starfinders didn't investigate that room. The robots were not that hard to defeat."

Glad you like it! Hinevera says and the morlamaw next to her makes some 'gobble it up' motion with their flippers.

Meanwhile, Vega takes the opportunity to take a swim outside, which gives her a good view of the outside of the building. The lodge is built against a rock wall. It could be that the building into this wall, but it's not clealry visible from the outside.

Yeah, that's a pity Hinevera remarks when Stell makes her remark they were so quick to leave, I didn't even have the chance to ask.

Vega comes back in from her refreshing swim, having scanned the exterior and finding it structurally sound. A quick spell prevents her dripping water all over the floor.

That was SO cool she exclaims. And all I encountered was a rather angry crab that snapped their claws at me. I think it was saying something like 'Get out of my water'. Sorta cute though - only the size of my fist.

Yeah, that's a pity Hinevera remarks when Stell makes her remark they were so quick to leave, I didn't even have the chance to ask.

"Interesting that you say that. We found technology in there that did not exist when the lodge was active, including an underwater weapon with something written on it in Kalo. How do you suppose those got in there?"

Since none of the Starfinders seem interested in chatting up the shrine's guard with her, Twila-5 meanders over to join Stella and Hinevera in conversation. She arrives just in time to hear Stella's technically-not-an-accusation. Hoo boy. Cat's out of the bag now. She fully expects Hinevera to come up with a mostly smooth lie about it, but would be pleased to see the Morlamaw flustered, if only for a moment.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Vega also drifts over as she had been suspicious as well.

Didn't find them outside either

Well then... do we need to investigate the areas that they *don't* want us to access...?

We might have to - even if they object

I... I really don't know how that got there. Hinevera says Maybe they forgot it?

"How long did they stay, exactly? Five minutes? Fifteen?" Twila-5's face is blank as she asks, though her mind is full of accusation.

Oh, no, they stayed a bit longer. They even joined us for dinner, and then suddenly they were gone. I didn't see them leave, I was cleaning up in the kitchen.

---

Alarm! Alarm! shouts are coming from the museum room, and only a few second later Irtrine, the guard in that room storm in There's sea serpents in the reliquary! You must do something!

The museum room is the one to the norteast, the reliquary is behind the (unexplored) airlock)

Let's go then Vega replies. She hurries off in that direction.

Gold-Flecked Black goes along for the ride!

Well, that's almost perfect. As she dashes to the formerly off-limits site of the trouble, Twila-5 makes a mental note to ask other Morlamaws about the Manta Corps' departure, assuming *someone* saw how they left. She draws her survival knife in one hand and her tactical rotating pistol in the other.

sorry I was out of town without regular access to WiFi

An airtight semicylinder of glass protects various decrepit tomes, a handheld computer, and a blood-encrusted, rusty spiked chain from the water that fills this chamber. An airlock exits to the east, while a steel door goes on to the west. A noticeable crack, almost the size of a human child, mars the northern wall here.

Stuck in the crack is a large sea serpent, thrashing about, and two more (smaller) serpents hiss about, looking for their next meal!

---R1
Gold-Flecked Black
Stell Z Lin
Kalhoun
Twila
---
Serpent
Serpent
Big Thrashing Serpent
---R1
Dirk

Tch. That's a big unagi!

Gold-Flecked Black slides into the room, and attempts to pacify the big serpent with a little shock therapy.

Trick: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (8) + 21 = 29. Flat-Footed for 1 round on a success.

Holy Underwater Living Static Arc Pistol: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24, for 1d6 + 2 + 3d8 ⇒ (5) + 2 + (2, 2, 7) = 18 Electricity damage.

"Never a dull moment around here, " Stell muses as she rushes with the others toward the airlock. As the water begins to fill the airlock, she activates her environmental controls on her armor so she can breath and checks that her new hydrojets are working. Standard action and move action during the round where the airlock is filling with water.

Once the airlock door opens, she uses her hydrojets to propel her into the room. She draws her semi-auto as she moves and points it at one of the small serpents, but then fires at the big one.

Trick Attack, Bluff, Skill Expertise: 1d20 + 15 + 4 + 1d6 - 20 ⇒ (3) + 15 + 4 + (6) - 20 = 8 = CR affected.
Success: Target is flat-footed against the trick attack; if attack hits add Trick Attack Damage and target is flat-footed until the start of Stell's next round.
Trick Attack Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Tactical Semi-auto pistol, vs KAC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Damage, P: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 (range: 30', underwater special property)

Just before entering the airlock, Twila-5 activates her Cloaking Field. She takes a cautious 5 foot step into the room and freezes, allowing herself to disappear for a moment before taking a shot at the big one.

I chose not to buy the underwater modification for any of my weapons.

Trick Attack (Stealth): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33
DC = 20 + target's CR
Tactical Rotating Pistol: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 10 - 2 = 25
Piercing damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 4) + 3 = 9 (Half of that = 4 damage)
Trick Attack damage, if applicable: 3d8 ⇒ (3, 1, 8) = 12 Does Trick Attack damage get halved too? If so: 6 damage

Fixed the slides - Vega has a +2 so she'll go on 10

Drat - I didn't see that hole

She uses her Energy Ray (cold) to zap the yellowish one.
er: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 cold: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Gold-Flecked safely stays out of range of the stuck serpent and tries to stun it.

Which - after double-checking the rules - works! At half damage, but still better than what I would've expected for an underwater tazer

Stell tries to harpoon the underwater snake, but misses.

Twila also goes for the larger serpent, and manages to take it by surprise, which only increases its thrashing.

---R1
Gold-Flecked Black
Stell Z Lin
Kalhoun
Twila
Vega
---
Serpent (Yellow)
Serpent (Blue)
Big Thrashing Serpent (19)
---R1
Dirk

"Let the stuck one be stuck. We need to take out the serpents that can get to us."

Kalhoun moves further in, attunes to energy (because he's a solarian even though he usually forgets), and fires on Yellow.

Underwater Thunderstrike Blindmark Rifle: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11 vs. EAC
Sonic Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8

I thought having the Underwater property on my weapon negated the 'half damage underwater' side of things?

Yes, you're right. Underwater combat is just a *** to run. Damage adjusted

Kalhoun blasts an underwater-attuned sonar ping at the eel, but misses.

The big serpent thrashes around some more, hopelessly stuck as it is, further damaging the display case of relics and creating a larger hole for itself as it does. It's only a matter of time before it breaks free...

The smaller eels just shoot forward at Stell and Kalhoun

Bite, Stell: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 262d6 + 10 ⇒ (2, 4) + 10 = 16
Bite, Kalhoun: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 312d6 + 10 ⇒ (2, 4) + 10 = 16

---R1
Dirk
---R2
Gold-Flecked Black
Stell Z Lin
Kalhoun
Twila
Vega
---R2
Serpent (Yellow)
Serpent (Blue)
Big Thrashing Serpent (28)

Dirk moves and swings at yellow with this solar blade.

attack with penalty: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

damage: 1d6 + 9 + 1d2 ⇒ (5) + 9 + (1) = 15

half damage not calculated

Did Vega's first energy ray do anything?

Vega zaps Yellow again
er: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 cold: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Gold-Flecked Black attempts to taser the big eel again.

Trick: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (4) + 21 = 25 Flat-Footed for 1 round on a success.

Holy Underwater Living Static Arc Pistol: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20, for 1d6 + 2 + 3d8 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (8, 2, 4) = 20 Electricity damage.

Stell's armor stands up well to the eel attack. She draws her knife and feints and then attacks the one attacking her. She shifts so she is between the south wall and the blue eel.

Trick Attack, Bluff, Skill Expertise: 1d20 + 15 + 4 + 1d6 - 20 ⇒ (13) + 15 + 4 + (3) - 20 = 15 = CR affected.
Success: Target is flat-footed against the trick attack; if attack hits add Trick Attack Damage and target is flat-footed until the start of Stell's next round.
Trick Attack Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Survival knife vs KAC, underwater: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Damage, S: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Blah!

Stepping cautiously sideways (5 foot step) Twila-5 again freezes, allowing her Cloaking Field to cause her form to melt out of sight before firing again at the big serpent.

Trick Attack (Stealth to Hide): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20
DC = 20 + Target's CR. On a success the target is Staggered until the start of Twila-5's next turn.
Tactical rotating pistol: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 10 - 2 = 21
Piercing damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 3) + 3 = 9 (Half of that = 4 damage)
Trick Attack damage, if applicable: 3d8 ⇒ (6, 8, 7) = 21 (Half of that = 10 damage)

Sorry, somehow missed Vega's attack

Vega's energy makes a little mark on the smaller serpent, which is made larger by Dirk's attack.

Vega's next energy ray dissipates harmlessly against the wall

Gold-Flecked zaps the trapped eel, which squirms once more, and looks severely hurt now.

Stell very fancily misses, and Twila - failing to make as much of an impression as Stell, hits the big serpent.

---R1
Dirk
---R2
Gold-Flecked Black
Stell Z Lin
Kalhoun
Twila
Vega
---R2
Serpent (Yellow 8)
Serpent (Blue)
Big Thrashing Serpent (52)

Kalhoun steps/swims back carefully and fires another shot at the yellow serpent.

Underwater Thunderstrike Blindmark Rifle: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22 vs. EAC
Sonic Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2

He absorbs more electrical energy.

Kalhoun lands another hit on the large serpent, who thrashes some more, damaging more relics and looking as if it can break free any moment.

The two smaller serpents still believe Dirk and Stell make for tasty meals.
Bite, Stell: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 282d6 + 10 ⇒ (4, 1) + 10 = 15
Bite, Kalhoun: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 272d6 + 10 ⇒ (4, 5) + 10 = 19

---R2
Dirk
---R3
Gold-Flecked Black
Stell Z Lin
Kalhoun
Twila
Vega
---R3
Serpent (Yellow 8)
Serpent (Blue)
Big Thrashing Serpent (54)

Gold-Flecked Black frantically fires another shot at the big eel.

Trick: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (8) + 21 = 29 Flat-Footed for 1 round on a success.

Holy Underwater Living Static Arc Pistol: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16, for 1d6 + 2 + 3d8 ⇒ (5) + 2 + (8, 2, 3) = 20 Electricity damage.

I guess I'm gonna have to go outside again to get that serpent out then seal that crack Vega observes, while firing another energy ray at the yellowish one.

er: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14 cold: 1d3 ⇒ 2

"Maybe after these snakes die!"

attack with penalty: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

damage: 1d6 + 9 + 1d2 ⇒ (2) + 9 + (2) = 13

half damage not calculated

at yellow

Kalhoun was aiming at the yellow serpent.

Kalhoun reaches the threshold of electricity he can contain. Seeing that the Strafinders' current tactics are not working and that the larger eel is going to be joining the battle soon, he unleashes a bolt of electricity at Red.

Electricity Damage: 5d8 ⇒ (4, 3, 4, 7, 6) = 24
Destructive Discharge - Fort DC 17 half.

Where are all the Morlamaws? Twila-5 wonders. There's another door on the other side of the room; presumably at least one of them ought to be able to come through there and help. Deal with it later. Business first. After freezing in place for a moment to hide in her Cloaking Field, she aims the business end of her pistol at the large serpent and fires.

Trick Attack (Stealth to Hide) vs. Flat-footed?: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26
DC = 20 + Target's CR. On a success the target is Staggered until the start of Twila-5's next turn.
Tactical rotating pistol: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 10 - 2 = 17
Piercing damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 2) + 3 = 7 (Half of that = 3 damage)
Trick Attack damage, if applicable: 3d8 ⇒ (3, 8, 1) = 12 (Half of that = 6 damage)

Stell shifts to give someone a chance to swim over and flank the serpent that just gave her a painful bite. Then she continues trying feinting and shifting hoping to give her an opening to do plant her knife in an extra sensitive spot. She still finds fighting underwater off-putting.

Trick Attack, Bluff, Skill Expertise: 1d20 + 15 + 4 + 1d6 - 20 ⇒ (7) + 15 + 4 + (5) - 20 = 11 = CR affected.
Success: Target is flat-footed against the trick attack; if attack hits add Trick Attack Damage and target is flat-footed until the start of Stell's next round.
Trick Attack Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Survival knife vs KAC, underwater: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Damage, S: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Gold-Flecked zaps the thrashing serpent until it stops moving, instead becoming a dead, stuck serpent.

Vega's energy ray barely misses, as does Dirk.

Kalhoun ponders hitting the big serpent with a double-tap, but notices it's already passed, to retargets at one of the smaller ones.

Fort: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Twila then finishes off that serpent, leaving only a single live one. Stell tries to kill it, but misses.

Bite, Stell: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 191d6 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

---R3
Dirk
---R4
Gold-Flecked Black
Stell Z Lin
Kalhoun
Twila
Vega
---R3
Serpent (Yellow DEAD)
Serpent (Blue)
Big Trashing Serpent (DEAD)

The sea serpent chomps down on her leg, but her new armor protects her. She acts like it did her great harm, then lashes out again with her knife. She was feeling a personal grudge against this beastie.

Trick Attack, Bluff, Skill Expertise: 1d20 + 15 + 4 + 1d6 - 20 ⇒ (8) + 15 + 4 + (5) - 20 = 12 = CR affected.
Success: Target is flat-footed against the trick attack; if attack hits add Trick Attack Damage and target is flat-footed until the start of Stell's next round.
Trick Attack Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1

Survival knife vs KAC, underwater: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Damage, S: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Finally a hit, but then minimal damage. Oh well.