Zero's Cosmic Birthday (Inactive)

Game Master Super Zero

”Vege-whatzit?” Laurel pulls out his empty pockets ”Nevermind ma’am”

He prepares to find Spike without Manee.

He counts the people in the room, makes a funny face, remembers something and ”Anyone seen Feng and Izzy?”

Zashodu shrugs.

No, not for some time. I'm sure we'll meet up with them by the end of day.

Fengsai decided she might be overreacting and decides to go with Grizzi to meet up with the rest of the team. Fengsai uses her comm unit to text the team.

"on the way where are you at?"

Assumming she gets directions and gets there in time
"What's up find anything fun going on?"

"You're really that hard-up? Well... Okay, for Spike. Though I think those squox treats you got are better bait anyway."
Manee loads a generous helping of steaming dumplings into a plastic container. They're quite large, but then they are made with a shobhad recipe. They are not small people.

Sounds like you want to look for the lost pet next--though you might want to call it a day after that.

The pipe the children pointed to is a tight fit for human-sized creatures, though it's only necessary to squeeze a short way. A trickle of water runs down the narrow pipe, which ends in a rusty grate. The openings are large enough for a squox to have slipped through, though even a ysoki has little chance.

Fortunately it looks relatively easy to force open.

”Aw shucks” Laurel looks around at his scrawny crew.

He looks for another way around…

Are none of us small enough to at least squeeze through an open the other side? We need only for the squox to wander back through!

He looks about for Grizzi have they rejoined us yet?

Are none of us small enough to at least squeeze through an open the other side? We need only for the squox to wander back through!

He looks about for Grizzi have they rejoined us yet?

Assuming he has...

Grizzi catches up with the rest of team. "Oh, good! I have found you. Say, I should leave and go tell Fengsai where you are!"

The skittermander prepares to leave once again, then pauses. "Did I hear you just say that none of us are small enough to squeeze through the pipe? I am one of us AND I happen to be small! I can help!"

Eager to please his allies, Grizzi begins moving through the pipe, then tries to shove the grate aside.
Athletics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Fengasi catches up just in time to hear Grizzi saying they should leave to go find Fengasi.
[b]"No need to look for me I had to run but caught up."[b]

Grizzi easily forces the grate open. The pipe opens up on the other side, allowing everyone to stand and walk relatively comfortably--though there isn't any lighting.

Following the trail past the grate and down dim corridors is relatively easy. At some point during their journey, the tunnels stop making sense, with odd intersections of up to six paths appearing at random leading to dead ends or confusing loops. The party follows Spike's tracks up to a dead end where they loop back and then go in a different direction then they did before. Still, they're on the trail.

A polyphonic growl echoes through the tunnels as the PCs approach yet another dead end. A large creature that looks a lot like an overgrown, mutated squox with tentacles wriggling from bald patches in its fur bursts through the wall—it’s Spike, the missing neighborhood pet.

It's a good thing Grizzi opened up the grate. She'd never fit going back the other way.

Image on Slide 2

Ocultism: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
"Fun fun, looks like we stumbled into the Ghost Levels once again. That's someone's pet this place keeps getting stranger."

I wonder… does the squox return to normal if we can get them out of the ghost levels? he looks back at the way they came, but doesn’t have high hopes for this.

That looks like a very severe allergic reaction. Carefully, it might be irritable. Sani says, and looks at Laurel Let's hope it is vegetarian.

Laurel Sizes Up ”Spike - were gunna hefta take you in” he looks at the gang ”Bullyboys, set lasers to stun” he looks for such a switch on his own gun…

The now-human-sized squox assumes a defensive posture, but she doesn't look like she's ready to attack. She's just wary. She growls and postures with her tail and tentacles fluffed.

Fengsai takes out a sports protine bar from her field rashtions, sqouts down to seem less threatening takes a bite, then slides the areas of the bar over to the squox, then backs up slowly.
"Maybe it's hunger."

society? trying to recall someone feeding animals on an infosphere show
Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

"It looks like you picked up some extra tentacles somewhere," Grizzi observes, "And they may be making you a little bit grouchy. Shall I remove them for you?" He asks cheerfully, reaching for his knife.

Spike perks up a bit when she hears her name, and the food also seems to attract her attention, but she still seems wary of approaching. Fengsai notices that she seems to be keeping her body between them and a nest behind her.

To calm her down you could attempt a Nature check to command an animal.

Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Um, maybe set the food over there in front of it?

"I think she is protecting a nest."

Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Did we actually catch if Spiky is a he or a she? Sani asks Because mothers defending nests are a great recipe for lacerations.

"I didn't check but wouldn't bet against lacerations at this point if we got too close."

Spike growls a little at Zashodu, but she still holds her ground and doesn't seem like she really wants to attack.

She seemed least hostile when Fengsai offered her food.

can we take diff actions to try Nature again or one and done?

Go for it.

To aid others trying to calm the squox Fengsai sits done trying to look unthreatening and checks the latest brutaris scores, not paying attention to the squox. Without looking up from her comm unit Fengsai says

"Something I learned playing brutaris, if the other team thinks you are not paying attention they will think you're not a threat and start watching the other players more, that's when you make your move. I'm not planning to make a move on the squox, but making it feel less threatened seems worth a try."

I know it's a stretch but doesn't hurt to try
Lore Sports aid?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Moving away does seem like a decent idea, and...

Zashodu sets some different food back near the entrance to see where the squox is willing to move.

Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Spike hesitates, then tentatively moves forward to accept the squox treats (and dumplings, and even the field rations). She seems rather hungry. Calmer, she does not prevent the adventurers from approaching her nest, and even seems to encourage it! She proudly shows off her four kits, already the size of normal adults squoxes and with matching squirming tentacles--yet somehow just as adorable. Probably. ...it's subjective.

"Hollup" Laurel bolts off...

...returns with "Auria and Zaza - you is parents now. Folks sez it's easy but hard. Whatever thet means. Congrajulayshuns!" he pats them both om the back.

Fengsai tries to get a closer look at the squox and kits to see if she can learn anything about them having tentacles

"I wonder if being on the ghost level is causing them to have tentacles, I don't think that's normal for squox."

Ocultism: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

The tentacles and large size are quite unusual for a squox. Fengsai reasons that Spike was transformed by a wave of transdimensional radiation caused by... well, whatever caused every other strange thing going on.

The children aren't disturbed by Spike’s new appearance; they cheer for “the coolest squox on the block” and immediately start planning a campaign to show her off to all the kids in nearby neighborhoods. Spike seems to enjoy the attention, and is pleased to be reunited with the children.

Scooping up two of the babies (and looking expectantly at the children and the adventurers until someone collects the other two), she happily leads the way back to the broken pipe and back into the neighborhood.

The neighborhood children give the party 40 credits from their combined savings in a combination of random coins and credsticks, with one child breaking open his ceramic bank (it looks like a tube-shaped cow) to offer his share. Zaza gives them a pair of tactical sunshades with fuzzy silver frames. They once belonged to her uncle—the person who taught her how to raise squoxes—but she wants the party to have them.

"If you come back during the day," she whispers, "we can show you some access tunnels that nobody uses any more. You can probably get around the blockade that way if you wanna--but I hope you stick around for a few days."

The artificial sun has fully set by now, and the children and their now-oversized pet hurry home, anticipating scolding for being out late. The bodega and the scrap yard are certainly closed by now.

You probably want to call it a night, but what would you like to do first the next day? Bodega, scrap yard, something else?

The scrap yard was the one we need to do as a group, I'm thinking of doing the Bodega on the way to the scrap yard in case going to the scrap yard leads us out of here.

Let's do it like that. Sani'll come along to the Bodega

The night is uneventful. When the adventurers enter the dormitory laid out with cots at the community center, Lotus is already pretending to sleep. With the rise of the artificial sun, they leave quickly.

Joia is quick to ask the group if they'd be willing to help out some more. "We can always use extra hands!" she says brightly. Though she does admit, with a dramatic sigh, that "I guess I can't ask for more after everything you did yesterday."

Manee Moonpuncher is happy to hear that everything went well in finding Spike, and is excited to see the kits later. If anyone suggests that finding that the squox was now five feet tall and covered with eldritch tentacles means that things did not, in fact, "go well," she doesn't seem to understand the problem.

"Anyway, thanks for helping out with cleaning out the basement--I'll pay 100 credits for the job. I'm pretty sure there's something alive in my recent shipment, so keep an eye out." She hands Fengsai the iron key to the correct door. "Yes, a physical lock. Maybe I'm old-fashioned."

Stone steps follow filtered light to a tomblike hall of worked stone. Three mismatched doors line the wall. One door is blocked by a stone slab with no obvious hinges or lock, another is an autodoor with an electronic control pad, and the third is an iron portcullis with a lock matching the key from Manee.

Containers of every imaginable shape and size crowd the storage basement. A stone sarcophagus leans against a wall next to wooden chests crafted in an archaic style. Metal storage crates are stacked beside leather briefcases, and cloth satchels hang from hooks on the walls. Examining and cataloging the trove of worthless tchotchkes mixed up with priceless relics in this room would take weeks of effort, but the party can devise a simple storage method and clean up the most obvious messes with a few hours of labor.

Fengasi unlocks the door and opens it assuming that because we have the key it's not trapped.

"Keep an eye out, Manee said there could be something alive down here, with all the crazy stuff we have seen the past few days could be anything, I'm hoping it's not a trox that grew tentacles."

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 Dark vision

If the boxes are properly labeled, there will be no need to open them anyway! Zashodu suggests.

He looks around to see what major groups they could sort them into.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Joia is quick to ask the group if they'd be willing to help out some more. "We can always use extra hands!" she says brightly. Though she does admit, with a dramatic sigh, that "I guess I can't ask for more after everything you did yesterday."

"I have extra hands!" Grizzi notes enthusiastically, stretching out all four of his palms. "We'd be happy to help!"

Grizzi inspects the various containers, beginning with the metal storage crates, he gives each a knock, hoping to hear some sign of life in response.

Then, he does the same with the wooden chests.

He, then, tries the same with the leather briefcases, but finds that they give too much to make a nice knocking sound.

He is less certain what to do when he gets to the cloth satchels. He pauses for a moment, then just gives them a shake.

Then, he turns to the stone container. Closing his eyes and hoping not to bruise a knuckle, he gives it a knock too.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Some of the crates seem to be stacked pretty haphazardly. Enough so that as soon as Grizzi touches one, the stack collapses and a crate falls on him.
Grizzi Reflex: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14. Failure for bludgeoning damage: 2d4 + 1 ⇒ (4, 3) + 1 = 8 and knocked prone.
If you'd like to reroll that, it was a basic save with a DC of 16, and on a success you're not knocked prone.

This disturbs a couple of insects that were hiding under the bottom of the shelf, which would be fairly normal and of little consequence... except these insects are nearly six feet long and seem rather upset at having their hiding place disturbed.

Fortunately they also seem a little dazed, and the adventurers react to their emergence before they've actually attacked anybody.

Laurel's turn.
Initiative:
Laurel (AC 19, 24/24 HP)
?
Zashodu (AC 17, 30/30 HP)
Grizzi (AC 19, 14/22 HP)
Fengsai (AC 18, 25/25 HP)
Red Giant Dust Weevil
Dr. Sanity (AC 18, 24/24 HP)
Jazz (AC 18, 24/24 HP)
Blue Giant Dust Weevil

"Crikey!"

Laurel shoots first.

◆) Get 'Em vs Red (-1 AC / Reflex vs Red)
◇) Lead by Example (Laurel +2 and allies +1 damage vs Red)
◆◆) Autofire vs Red and Blue

Basic Reflex (DC 17 w/ -1 Reflex) vs Red: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Basic Reflex (DC 17) vs Blue: 1d8 ⇒ 5

He empties like almost half the clip in sheer panic.

"Less get these buggers!"

Laurel's shot pierces the closest bug's head, though the other one avoids the laser.
Auto-fire has an area of a cone half the size of the range increment of the weapon, so they're both out of range.
I'll just... Laurel's rotolaser: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Laurel's rotolaser: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 7 - 2 = 12
Well, I think you'd prefer that as an attack roll then as a save anyway. That crit kills Red, though the second attack misses.

A third one scuttles out of its hiding place, skittering around the shelves and fallen goods to get to Dr. Sanity, whom it bites once. It might have attempted a second bite, or it may have just been some kind of odd dance--it is legitimately difficult to tell.
◆ Stride
◆ Strike mandibles: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25, hit for piercing damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 minimum 1 damage, and make a DC 14 Fort save
◆ Strike mandibles: 1d20 + 6 - 5 ⇒ (5) + 6 - 5 = 6, critical failure

Zashodu, Grizz, Fengsai, Sanity, and Jazz's turns.
Initiative:
Laurel (AC 19, 24/24 HP)
Yellow Giant Dust Weevil
Zashodu (AC 17, 30/30 HP)
Grizzi (AC 19, 14/22 HP)
Fengsai (AC 18, 25/25 HP)
Dr. Sanity (AC 18, 23/24 HP, DC 14 Fort vs venom)
Jazz (AC 18, 24/24 HP)
Blue Giant Dust Weevil

Zashodu is quite happy where he is, being the squishy center of the party. He happily assaults YELLOW mentally without needing to move into any vulnerable position.

◆◆ Cast a spell: Eldritch Lance YELLOW
Spell attack YELLOW, mental damage (get ‘em): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 102d6 ⇒ (4, 6) = 10

A weevil sounds like it would be nature?

◆ Recall Knowledge: Nature +8

The spell misses.

Zashodu knows that, unlike insectile people like shirren, simple insects have minds that are very... well, simple. But that can be an advantage, making them difficult to influence mentally.
Will is their best defense.

Grizzi, Fengsai, Sanity, and Jazz's turns.
Initiative:
Laurel (AC 19, 24/24 HP)
Yellow Giant Dust Weevil
Zashodu (AC 17, 30/30 HP)
Grizzi (AC 19, 14/22 HP)
Fengsai (AC 18, 25/25 HP)
Dr. Sanity (AC 18, 23/24 HP, DC 14 Fort vs venom)
Jazz (AC 18, 24/24 HP)
Blue Giant Dust Weevil

↺ Quantum Pulse to Warp Reality as a free action when rolling initiative.
WARP REALITY: quantum field 15-foot-radius enemy creature –5-foot status penalty, allies +5 foot movement.
◆ stride 5
◆◆ Injury Echo Basic will save DC 17 vs blue
Injury Echo Damage P: 1d6 ⇒ 1
(Choose bludgeoning, piercing,or slashing damage.)
If the target fails it ssave and then takes the same type of damage before the end of your next turn, it takes an additional
Injury Echo Damage persistent bleed damage P: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Grizzi draws his rifle and points it at a dust weevil (blue) and fires.
Interact
Ranged,shirren-eye rifle (unwieldy, volley 30, fatal d12, kickback, analog, range increment 100 feet, reload 1): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Damage, piercing: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Then, he reloads.

Blue Will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

The bug is affected by the spell--but the lasting effect is rendered moot when Grizzi kills it.
That's a crit. It would take persistent damage from injury echo, but it's too dead to care.

Sanity, Jazz and Laurel's turns.
Initiative:
Laurel (AC 19, 24/24 HP)
Yellow Giant Dust Weevil
Zashodu (AC 17, 30/30 HP)
Grizzi (AC 19, 14/22 HP)
Fengsai (AC 18, 25/25 HP)
Dr. Sanity (AC 18, 23/24 HP, DC 14 Fort vs venom)
Jazz (AC 18, 24/24 HP)

”Thet one” our young hero points with his forefinger.

Which he then lays on the hair trigger of his trusty gun!

◆) Get 'Em vs Yellow (-1 AC / Reflex)
◆◆) Strike x2

Lasgun (Fire): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 161d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Lasgun (Fire) w/ MAP: 1d20 + 7 - 5 ⇒ (6) + 7 - 5 = 81d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Electric arc the Weevil dmg: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4 dc 18
Then move

Zashodu knows that, unlike insectile people like shirren, simple insects have minds that are very... well, simple. But that can be an advantage, making them difficult to influence mentally.

Will is their best defense.

Zashodu tells all! The party now knows.

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 - 1 = 13

The weevil is too slow, and Jazz shocks it badly. Then Laurel shoots it and finishes it off.

One problem solved!

Oh, whoops, dreadfully sorry. I forgot something!

As soon as Fengsai uses magic, a decrepit voice whispers invocations in a forgotten language as shadowy shapes trickle over the walls. Shadowy hands crawl out from the sarcophagus to touch her. Their touch is rather unpleasant.
DC 17 basic Fort save against void damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11. On a failure, you are also Drained 1.

After that, the sarcophagus is quiet and it does not react a second time when Jazz casts a spell. It seems its power is expended and it is no longer dangerous. A second problem solved! The party is being very efficient.

The fallen crate is broken, and its contents are spilling out. It's a cache of ammunition, including 100 projectile rounds, five commercial batteries, two tactical batteries, and 5 silver-coated projectile rounds worth 40 credits each.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
"I don't feel so good, I think I need rest, Dr. Sani, you got anything for...what just happened to me? What just happened? Why can't anything just be normal around here?"

Fengsi sinks to the ground and just sits there.