SFS1e- Following the Trail of Rasheen (KS)

Game Master phaeton_nz

"What's going on? Who's in tripping imported ant plans?"

So wish Ears was at the font of the line for this one. He'd have so much to say.

"Sorry we are just looking for a missing person have you heard of Jelev Rasheen? We didn't know about any important plans, is that something we could help with?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Momo takes a quick glance at Jekcedo, hoping to warn him to be careful. She then looks at the ghost.

Yes, mister, Momo says politely, My name is Momo, and this is Jekcedo. We do not intend to interrupt anything, we are simply looking if we can lend a hand.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

All of this feels way too familiar.

Ghosts on ships is kind of Momo's thing by now

Ah, no wonder she's always so darn skittish! ;)

Qimok moves slowly into the room behind Jek and Momo, trying to look as non-threatening as a soldier in powered armor can (though as a gladiator, he's far more comfortable doing the exact opposite!). He waits to see if this conflict can be resolved with words, or if it will require less peaceful methods.

Unfortunately this ghost has no intention of calming down.

Initiatives:
Borq: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Ears: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Jekcedo: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Momo: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Qimok: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Thrym: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Ghost: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Everyone but Momo is up before the ghost.

Seeing that diplomacy has no chance of success here, Qimok draws his curve blade and moves to stand in front of his allies. The blade has images of Iomedae's blazing sword and other celestial beings along most of its length, but the pleasant low hum that it usually emits shuts off as the skittermander lifts it to swing at the ghost.

Move action to move and draw weapon; swift action to deactivate merciful fusion (usually on as default); standard action to attack once.
holy merciful carbon steel curve blade: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13, damage (S): 1d10 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

BTW, it looks like the ghost's token is straddling a couple squares? Qimok has enough movement to be adjacent to it, whichever square it's in.

Jek moves to make more room for the rest of the party to come in the room, then tries to recall knowledge about fighting ghosts.

Mysticism: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19

Oh, right, Qimok is (barely) trained in Mysticism.
Mysticism: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Pfffft....

Thrym feels somewhat conflicted about attempting to put-down a spirit, but consoles himself with the fact that at least it is not an Ancestor.

He then fires a burning flare at the ghost, which lets out a lazy trail of shimmering particles, like a comet's tail.

Trick Attack - 'Take 10' = 33. Flat-footed for 1 round on a success.

Ghost Killer Underwater Dazzler Flare Pistol: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29, for 1d6 + 3 + 4d8 ⇒ (6) + 3 + (4, 3, 6, 6) = 28 Fire damage.

The other habit of Momo is dramatically losing initiative <g>

Momo gives a soft whimper as the whole group spring into action, herself frozen to the floor for a moment. She sighs Momo slow..., her mind drifting back to Deedee teasing her.

Momo Slow
She found the right moment to stop the show
She's got all the moves
but with hesitation,
stop-and-go
You'd figure by now that she would know
She's moving too late, it's always so
---Deedee Strawberry, own composition

The ghost dodges Qimok's blade but then gets hit by the full force of the fire.

Jek remembers that ghosts are incorporeal (It is immune to all nonmagical kinetic attacks. All energy attacks and magical kinetic attacks deal half damage (50%) to it. An incorporeal creature takes full damage from other incorporeal creatures and effects, as well as from all force effects. Corporeal spells and effects that do not cause damage have only a 50% chance of affecting an incorporeal creature. An incorporeal creature is immune to critical hits.) and have undead immunities.

Undead are immune to the following effects, unless the effect specifies it works against undead creatures.
Bleed, death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, and stun.
Ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, exhaustion, fatigue, negative levels, and nonlethal damage.
Any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect works on objects or is harmless).

Ears still to go.

Jek passes on the info to the team through telepathy.

Drawing his arc pistol, Ears squeezes past Momo in the doorway. For a moment he's worried he'll lose his buttons, but then remembers his clothes and armor don't have buttons.

He steps back toward the control console to give Borq room to enter.

Then he sights and fires on the ghost.

arc pistol, static v EAC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20 ... damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 critical Arc 2; Stun) Electrical damage

((Ghost -30))

The apparition is still there and it lets out a Frightful Moan to scare everyone away.

The ghost can emit a frightful moan as a standard action. All living creatures within a 30-foot radius of the ghost must succeed at a Will save (DC 15) or become frightened for 2d4 rounds. This is a hearing-dependent, mind-affecting fear effect. A creature that successfully saves against frightful moan cannot be affected by the same ghost’s moan for 24 hours.

Everyone is up.

Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Jek moves 5 feet while drawing a grenade
"Don't worry this one won't hurt... I think."
Not wanting to miss Jek just pulls the pin of the grenade without throwing it.

holy water grenades explode with a spray of consecrated water that harms undead creatures and evil outsiders while leaving other creatures and objects merely damp. This typically isn’t enough water to damage computers or other electronic or technological items. It's a 5th level object if that matters

Holy Water Grenade, Mk 2 : 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Damage B 20'r: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 2, 6) = 13

"Sorry about the water hope I didn't get everyone too wet."

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

"I'm scarier that you are, spirit," Qimok boasts with a hearty laugh. He flourishes his curve blade and makes a couple of quick swings at the ghost.

holy carbon steel curve blade, full attack: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 10 - 4 = 20, damage (S): 1d10 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

holy carbon steel curve blade, full attack: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 10 - 4 = 24, damage (S): 1d10 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20

Will: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29.

Thrym, already used to the depredations of Spirits, ignores the moan, and lines-up another shot.

Trick Attack - 'Take 10' = 33. Flat-footed for 1 round on a success.

Ghost Killer Underwater Dazzler Flare Pistol: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24, for 1d6 + 3 + 4d8 ⇒ (1) + 3 + (1, 2, 8, 5) = 20 Fire damage.

Will: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Borq peeks in the room, looking for some space to stand. "It's a bit crowded in there, huh." He ducks past Momo and nods thanks at Ears as he brings up his plasma ring.

Trick Attack: 1d20 + 16 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 16 + 4 = 22 for Trick Damage: 3d8 ⇒ (5, 1, 6) = 12
Pew pew (single-valve plasma ring): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22 for E&F Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 with crit wound

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
I'm guessing you guys have laid the ghost to rest, but ...

"Shobhads! Everybody run!" Ears drops to all fours and darts for the door. He nearly overturns Momo when he goes into a low glide to get through her legs. Then he's through the door and left around the corner, lost to sight.

Frightened: You flee from the source of your fear as best you can. If you are unable to flee, you can instead fight. You take a –2 penalty to ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. You can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, you must use such means if they are the only way you have to escape while you are frightened. If you are already frightened and become subject to an additional effect that would cause you to be frightened, the duration of the frightened condition increases by the duration of the second effect.

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Nearly overturns Momo, if only Momo had stuck around long enough to be in the way.

To the escape pods with her...

While Momo and Ears flee, the rest of you dissipate that ghost.

Meanwhile the rest of you find notes that tell you that the crew were unable to broadcast from the damaged ship. Qinhu (the engineer) worked at breakneck speed to code a program to boost Rasheen’s beacon’s signaling capabilities and use it as a transmitter, and Hinji (the captain) dispatched the other two crew on foot to deactivate Jelev’s original signal, to hide it from other treasure‑seekers, and transmit their own data package.

The technomancer, Qinhu hastily scrawled a paper copy of the technical specifications of Rasheen’s beacon, which rests on the desk. A crude surface map also shows the route to the beacon from the crash site and lies beside the technical specification.

To access the data in the computers here, requires a computer check.

Jek chases down Momo and Ears
"It's ok, it's ok, we got the ghost, it's gone. Now let's hope we don't find another ghost, that was my only holy water grenade."

"I never thought I'd need a holy hand grenade. Did you get it from Antioch? It's down in Little Akiton on Absalom Station."

Borq takes a minute to calm Bzzt back down, who has been wailing up near the stratosphere since the ghost appeared. After shocking Borq a couple of times, she eventually curls up again with a bottle. He holds her in one arm, petting her soothingly with another hand while sucking on his scorched fingers.

Computers aid: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

"I haven't been to Antioch yet how are their prices? I got a Yoski contact that gets me a good deal on all kinds of stuff."

"Not bad, if you can cut through the flim-flam. They get a lot of tourist types down there, right on the docks."

"It's always good to have more shopping options! I could even dress up like a tourist and pretend I'm on vacation."
Jek realizes they are wearing their adventure hat, takes it off looks at and and puts it back on.
"Or I could wear this hat and go on a shopping adventurer, or I could dress up like a hunter and go bargain hunting! I'm glad you brought up that shop so many options!"

Carry on with the banter, I'm just waiting for a primary computers check

Jek looks at his pirate hat and then at Borg, then back to the hat and back to Borg a few times, then asks.

"Borg you know of any good skittermender pirate stories, I can't imagine there isn't at least one skittermander pirate captain out there helping people get rid of their treasure, want to try the pirate hat on?"
Jek holds out the pirate hat to Borg as another question comes to mind,
"Are skittermander ghosts helpful too? That sure would be nicer than that ghost we just dealt with. Does anyone else have a pirate story?"

Jek finds Ears crammed into a corner behind a toilet in the ship's head.

"The ghost, fine but what about the shobhad? I heard it's battlecry."

After a few moments Jek convinces Ears that it's safe and the ysoki rejoins the group. It doesn't take long for him to start prying into the computer.

computers: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24

"shobhad? I only know one Shobhad but he's a Starfinder like us, He's even got his own video channel on the Infosphere, here have a look."
Jek pulls out his comm unit and plays a video clip, of a grim-looking Shobhad named GRIM*! yelling at a wrestling opponent.
"I AM GRIM*!"

Jek chases down Momo and Ears

"It's ok, it's ok, we got the ghost, it's gone. Now let's hope we don't find another ghost, that was my only holy water grenade."

It's gone? Are you sure? Momo is unconvinced.

When she regains her composure she looks at the floor apologetically I... I was... she stutters, then adds It won't happen again...

I know some skittermander ghost stories... but this is probably not the right moment for them

Qimok is of little help when it comes to computers, so keeps watch and listens to the others' banter.

"The ghost is gone," the skittermander assures Ears and Momo. "And there was no shobhad. I would know one if I saw one, I've fought many of them in the arenas on Akiton."

He grins at the video Jek called up. "I shall have to watch more of this...Grim?...at a later time. When we're sure this ship contains no more threats."

Ears is able to pull the engineer's voice logs from the computer behind the firewall.

(see handout 2)

He also gets some of the captain's log which confirm that the Xinya family owns the Bliss of Pursuit.

Culture checks please.

Culture: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Culture: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

Jekcedo (and anyone else who gets 23+) identify that the Xinya family has connections with the Golden League, a corporate syndicate of several family lineages from old Golarion widely believed to be involved in illicit activities.

Where to now Starfinders?

Borq listens closely to the audio files. "Sounds like Rasheen didn't survive the crash. Do we have a crew listing so we know who did make it?" As the final file plays, Borq frowns, tucking Bzzt back into her carrier for safekeeping. "Sounds like trouble found them before they could leave. We didn't get anything off the beacon, did we? Actually, did we even *find* a beacon?"

Culture: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27 (-5 artistic stuff, probably not relevant here)

"Who was on this gods-forsaken planet to attack them? Did we find anything on *why* they had crashed to begin with? These people were good pilots, which usually means something made them crash rather than just screwing it up."

He continues moving forward, even more cautiously, now that they know something is out there.

Stealth: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23

Happy to let other folks go first. Just moving along.

"The ship looks too new for Rasheen to have used it, I'm not sure Rasheen had connections to the Xinya family. the Xinya family has connections with the Golden League, a corporate syndicate of several family lineages from old Golarion widely believed to be involved in illicit activities. Sounds like they could have been pirates to me."

Jek switches to their pirate hat.

"Shall we finish checking out this side of the ship (have we been to A2) and then head to the bridge?"

Borq listens closely to the audio files. "Sounds like Rasheen didn't survive the crash. Do we have a crew listing so we know who did make it?" As the final file plays, Borq frowns, tucking Bzzt back into her carrier for safekeeping. "Sounds like trouble found them before they could leave. We didn't get anything off the beacon, did we? Actually, did we even *find* a beacon?"

"Who was on this gods-forsaken planet to attack them? Did we find anything on *why* they had crashed to begin with? These people were good pilots, which usually means something made them crash rather than just screwing it up."

"I'd say the jury's still out on all counts. We don't have enough data to answer any of your questions, but enough that we know we should be careful. " Ears waves the map. "We have a good location to look for the beacon right here."

"The ship looks too new for Rasheen to have used it, I'm not sure Rasheen had connections to the Xinya family. the Xinya family has connections with the Golden League, a corporate syndicate of several family lineages from old Golarion widely believed to be involved in illicit activities. Sounds like they could have been pirates to me."

Jek switches to their pirate hat.

"Shall we finish checking out this side of the ship (have we been to A2) and then head to the bridge?"

"Interesting. You know a lot about pirates, Jek. Let's finish the ship, then follow the map."

Pretty sure we've been through A1, A2, and now A7. Check A3 and A4 on the way, then hit the bridge?

... you find notes that tell you that the crew were unable to broadcast from the damaged ship. Qinhu (the engineer) worked at breakneck speed to code a program to boost Rasheen’s beacon’s signaling capabilities and use it as a transmitter, and Hinji (the captain) dispatched the other two crew on foot to deactivate Jelev’s original signal, to hide it from other treasure‑seekers, and transmit their own data package.

The technomancer, Qinhu hastily scrawled a paper copy of the technical specifications of Rasheen’s beacon, which rests on the desk. A crude surface map also shows the route to the beacon from the crash site and lies beside the technical specification.

Thank you! Borq must have been skritching Bzzt to miss all of that.

Pretty sure we've been through A1, A2, and now A7. Check A3 and A4 on the way, then hit the bridge?

Sounds good to me.

You proceed up the port main corridor. A3, the Port Crew Quarters had already been looked at but A4, the Central Quarters have not.

This center compartment is quite neat, with the exception of a few papers displaced from the desk. An antique star map is framed above the entertainment screen, and a small stone statue of an upright rat with an incense burner is affixed to one desk. Curtains hide the contents of two bunks with tasteful hangings in red and gold, and the remaining bunks appear to have been converted to couches with the addition of many small cushions matching the curtains. Several decorative scrolls hang from the walls above these seats. A single bloody humanoid handprint mars the inside of the door.

Perception - Skill Mastery = 28.

Thrym readily identifies that the map on the wall is a stylised representation of the map the party got from Radaszam, but it is clearly *better*, since it has angels on it...

You then make it to the bridge

As in the hallways, blast marks scorch the walls and ceiling here. The starboard duty stations are badly damaged and appear to have been electrically overloaded. Blood stains spatter the seats at those posts, but no bodies are present, though bloody streaks in the floor indicate they may have been moved. The monitor at the pilot’s station appears to have exploded, leaving the seat riddled with debris and covered with blood and even some frozen pieces of bone. Additional shrapnel appears to have reached the captain’s station. The port duty stations remain intact except for one cracked monitor.

Perception - Skill Mastery (Vs. Traps) = 31.

Thrym notices that the fire suppression system is still active, but isn't sure what to do about it.

"Nice job, Thrym. I think Ears is probably the best to work on it. Engineering, not my strong suit."

Engineering, aid: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Qimok tries to lend a hand (or three) as well.

Engineering, add: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Momo looks quizically at Qimok and Borq when they don't take the lead on the engineering task What? You don't want me to do it, right? I'm not good at all...

Engineering, aid: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19

In the fancy quarters:

"Mother Rat. Did not expect to see her here. Bur since she's here, it's not surprising that violence follows. Possibly trickery too."

Ears draws his shock pistol, and switches it to non-lethal.

On the bridge:

"Don't sell yourself short, Borq. " Ears takes a look at the nozzles.

Engineering: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34

"Odd that these are still functional, maybe they they've been repurposed. Disabling them seems simple enough. "

Were the nozzles a trap?