Day 1 - 12p-8p
Pilot: Rogers (Pass)
Navigator: Trylara/Swizzers (Fail)
Day 1 - 8p-4a
Pilot: Lady Shrike (Pass)
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
DM:
Lady Shrik:1d20 ⇒ 8 Ohmarc:1d20 ⇒ 3
While not perfect, day one starts off strong. During the night shift though, something goes wrong. A solid force rocks the side of the yacht. Multiple creatures can be seen skimming the surface of the silt. You've attracted... Something. It's a pair of creatures that look like large mantas.
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Currently only Lady Shrike and Ohmarc are topside and awake. To get it going, I'll handle it by "charging" the sleeping PCs 1 round and a move to get topside. It's reflected in the tracker above. TACTICAL MAP GM’s Tracker Party Conditions: Inspiring Boost: , Get'em: Red Gravity:LOW Atmosphere: Normal Lighting: Normal within 30' of the yacht, dim beyond. Battlefield terrain: Consider it liquid. Drak squares are solid and 5' above "silt line."
SHIP STATUS: HP: 135/140
DM:
Black:
Red:
Future Checks:
Day 1 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Rogers
Navigator: Trylara
Day 2 - 12p-8p
Pilot: Lady Shrike
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
Day 2 - 8p-4a
Pilot: Rogers
Navigator: Trylara
Day 2 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Lady Shrike
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
Female LG Human Priest Divine Champion Solder 10 | Speed 35ft, 35 fly |SP 51/90 | HP 74/74 | Res 9/11 | EAC 30 | KAC 33 |Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +10 | Init +12 | Perc +9
Starship:
Engineering +4, Gunery +14, Piloting +17
Round 1
Reflex save:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
"Wake up! Rise! Beasts are attacking the ship!"
Lady Shrike shouts as she takes to the skies, jet pack flaring. She draws her fangbade and it revs to life in her hand. She makes an expert pivot in the air, twisting as she shoots blade-first towards her enemy like a holy missile!
The combat grid seems to be in view mode only. By the end of her turn, Lanius should be nudged up against any northern border of the beast that's ramming the ship.
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Currently only Lady Shrike and Ohmarc are topside and awake. To get it going, I'll handle it by "charging" the sleeping PCs 1 round and a move to get topside. It's reflected in the tracker above. TACTICAL MAP GM’s Tracker Party Conditions: Inspiring Boost: , Get'em: Red Gravity:LOW Atmosphere: Normal Lighting: Normal within 30' of the yacht, dim beyond. Battlefield terrain: Consider it liquid. Drak squares are solid and 5' above "silt line."
SHIP STATUS: HP: 135/140
DM:
Black: 23
Red:
Future Checks:
Day 1 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Rogers
Navigator: Trylara
Day 2 - 12p-8p
Pilot: Lady Shrike
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
Day 2 - 8p-4a
Pilot: Rogers
Navigator: Trylara
Day 2 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Lady Shrike
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
Ohmarc splits the fire and wounds the second manta. It's adaptation to the heated sand protects it a little from the laser, but not much. They don't seem deterred, and now that they understand that this prey will fight back, they change tactics:
The one locked in combat with Lanius whips a tail around to strike:
ATK:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35 for DMG:1d8 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15And a FORT v. venom
The other rams the ship again! DMG:1d8 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
ROUND 2
Mantas: ATK!
Rogers: Go
Swizzers: Go
Trylara: Go
Lanius (SP: 75/90): FORT + Go
Ohmarc: Go
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Currently only Lady Shrike and Ohmarc are topside and awake. To get it going, I'll handle it by "charging" the sleeping PCs 1 round and a move to get topside. It's reflected in the tracker above. TACTICAL MAP GM’s Tracker Party Conditions: Inspiring Boost: , Get'em: Red Gravity:LOW Atmosphere: Normal Lighting: Normal within 30' of the yacht, dim beyond. Battlefield terrain: Consider it liquid. Drak squares are solid and 5' above "silt line."
SHIP STATUS: HP: 129/140
DM:
Black: 17 (DR 5/-, Resist Fire 5)
White: 12 (DR 5/-, Resist Fire 5)
Future Checks:
Day 1 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Rogers
Navigator: Trylara
Day 2 - 12p-8p
Pilot: Lady Shrike
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
Day 2 - 8p-4a
Pilot: Rogers
Navigator: Trylara
Day 2 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Lady Shrike
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
NG male nuar ace pilot soldier (blitz) 8 | SP 80/80, HP 62/62, RP 10/10 | EAC 25, KAC 27 | F+8 R+5 W+7 | Speed 50 | Init +7 | Perc +1 (darkvision), SM +1 | Piloting +17 (8 ranks) | Active Conditions:
Rogers, rocked awake by the assault on the yacht, shakes the sleepiness from his eyes as he reaches the deck. Seeing the huge creature ram the ship again, Rogers charges at it, drawing his axe and bringing it around at his foe in one practiced motion.
Swizzers rolls out of her sleeping back and leaps to her feet, adrenaline kicking in as the shouts and rocking of the ship make the urgency of the situation clear! Grabbing her Steward-issued counter-terror assault rifle, she opens fire on one of the flying predators!
Move action to stand from prone, spend Hyper for a second move action (to get a clear shot on Black), and one attack. My Hyper Speed feat gives me 20% concealment for one round.
NG male nuar ace pilot soldier (blitz) 8 | SP 80/80, HP 62/62, RP 10/10 | EAC 25, KAC 27 | F+8 R+5 W+7 | Speed 50 | Init +7 | Perc +1 (darkvision), SM +1 | Piloting +17 (8 ranks) | Active Conditions:
Game Master S wrote:
Currently only Lady Shrike and Ohmarc are topside and awake. To get it going, I'll handle it by "charging" the sleeping PCs 1 round and a move to get topside. It's reflected in the tracker above.
Sorry, I missed the "and a move" part of this. I think it doesn't change anything, though. As a blitz soldier, Rogers can charge as a standard action without any of the normal charging penalties, so I should still have been able to reach the beast and swing, I think.
The party erupts from below decks to bring the fight to the mantas.
Rogers rushes up, but his powerful axe misses by the thinnest of margins. Trylara too misses, though hers is considerably off target.
Swizzers, however, gets a solid shot, ripping a couple holes in it.
Lanius suddenly coughs, and.... dust comes out? That can't be good. It doesn't stop her from a solid hit on the target though. Currently the manta is still eager for a meal, but the wounds are starting to add up.
SHIP STATUS: HP: 129/140
******************************************
Currently only Lady Shrike and Ohmarc are topside and awake. To get it going, I'll handle it by "charging" the sleeping PCs 1 round and a move to get topside. It's reflected in the tracker above. TACTICAL MAP GM’s Tracker Party Conditions: Inspiring Boost: , Get'em: Red Gravity:LOW Atmosphere: Normal Lighting: Normal within 30' of the yacht, dim beyond. Battlefield terrain: Consider it liquid. Drak squares are solid and 5' above "silt line."
DM:
Black: 55 (DR 5/-, Resist Fire 5)
White: 12 (DR 5/-, Resist Fire 5)
Future Checks:
Day 1 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Rogers
Navigator: Trylara
Day 2 - 12p-8p
Pilot: Lady Shrike
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
Day 2 - 8p-4a
Pilot: Rogers
Navigator: Trylara
Day 2 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Lady Shrike
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
TACTICAL MAP GM’s Tracker Party Conditions: Inspiring Boost: , Get'em: Red Gravity:LOW Atmosphere: Normal Lighting: Normal within 30' of the yacht, dim beyond. Battlefield terrain: Consider it liquid. Drak squares are solid and 5' above "silt line."
DM:
Black: 55 (DR 5/-, Resist Fire 5)
White: 12 (DR 5/-, Resist Fire 5)
Future Checks:
Day 1 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Rogers
Navigator: Trylara
Day 2 - 12p-8p
Pilot: Lady Shrike
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
Day 2 - 8p-4a
Pilot: Rogers
Navigator: Trylara
Day 2 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Lady Shrike
Navigator: Ohmarc (Pass)
Female LG Human Priest Divine Champion Solder 10 | Speed 35ft, 35 fly |SP 51/90 | HP 74/74 | Res 9/11 | EAC 30 | KAC 33 |Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +10 | Init +12 | Perc +9
Starship:
Engineering +4, Gunery +14, Piloting +17
For Lady Shrike, the sight of her breath coming out as dust should be of greater concern, but at this moment the foe in front of her is a far more immediate problem!
She remains in place, striking at her foe.
Fangblade:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22S damage:1d12 + 19 ⇒ (11) + 19 = 30
Excellent catch Rogers. I pictured an upward ram like a shai-hulud going after a sand crawler, but even then, you'd be able to get it as it dove. If I apply your first attacks in time as AoOs, you wouldn't kill it until the current round, so in effect this would still happen. Nevertheless, thanks for the catch.
As the battle progresses, the team starts to hone in on the mantas. Fighting on two fronts: Ohmarc, Trylara, and Rogers attack astern. When the mantas surfaces, the team gangs up with such ferocity that it's dead before it can flee!
Lady Lanius, indeed holds her own, delivering another devastating blow! The manta turns to flee. Officer Swizzers lets her hand off the trigger, saving ammo for an engaged opponent.
You're still racing, but there is a corpse off the port quarter. You might be able to make something out of it with a Survival check.
I meant literally.... Ohmarc's blade work is as quick as a Castrovellian chef. Before long he's got enough to make a set of basic dust manta hide armor!
Day 2 - 4a-12p
Pilot: Rogers Go!
Navigator: Trylara Go!
Day 2 - 12p-8p
Pilot: Lady Shrike Go!
Navigator: Ohmarc (Passed)
Female LG Human Priest Divine Champion Solder 10 | Speed 35ft, 35 fly |SP 51/90 | HP 74/74 | Res 9/11 | EAC 30 | KAC 33 |Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +10 | Init +12 | Perc +9
Starship:
Engineering +4, Gunery +14, Piloting +17
At the conclusion of the battle, Lady Shrike will take a knee, deactivating her fangblade and bowing her head over its upturned handle.
"Spirit of Golarion, My goddess Iomedae, thank you for our this victory. May you guide us to the end of this race, may my blade cut down any who seek to harm my friends."
With an nod, she stands and wipes her lip with the back of her hand. "My breath has turned to dust. Is there a trained physician among us?"
Midday, while making good headway, you happen to cross paths with some of your competition, spying the Solardarity (Amek Na's ship) in the near distance, roughly half a mile away. The silt sea here is relatively calm and the weather is clear, so there’s nothing to block your view as the Solardarity drops out of sight with a sound like a distant, muffled explosion...
An important decision to make. You could pull forward, improving your chances of winning, or you could investigate in case something bad happened. What do you do?
The party opts for checking it out rather than using the opportunity. It looks like the unpredictable shifting sand-tides of the Dustwarren have opened a sinkhole in the lower depths of the silt, forming a massive sand whirlpool. The Solardarity is unluckily caught in its pull and is too far in to escape under its own power - about half way down. Without assistance, the ship will be lost to the sands...
They shout as soon as they see you. Clearly they thought they were all gonners.
While you've got a titanium cable you can use, I'll take whatever skills you can justify via descriptive prose to make the checks...
Female LG Human Priest Divine Champion Solder 10 | Speed 35ft, 35 fly |SP 51/90 | HP 74/74 | Res 9/11 | EAC 30 | KAC 33 |Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +10 | Init +12 | Perc +9
Starship:
Engineering +4, Gunery +14, Piloting +17
Reassured that Rogers has control of their vessel, Lady Shrike leaps over the edge and fires up the jet pack. "Get as close as you can! I'm going to check for wounded!"
The soldier crosses the distance over the turbulent whirlpool in hopes that she can make sure a line can attach on that side. And if need be, she can try to ferry individual survivors herself.
Apologies, the long weekend got away from me and yesterday... well... yesterday. Lanius, I'll gladly let you use up your jetpack to ferry people for 1 auto-success if you'd like.
Ohmarc and Rogers combine to make progress, both physically and psychologically, but it'll take more than the two of them.
Swizzer and Trylara give it their all, but the chaos is a bit too much.
Although the chaotic movement of both ships makes it difficult, Swizzers manages to fire a secure line with her hand grappler and shimmy hand-over-hand to the other ship!
Rogers heaves to with some excellent piloting as Swizzers and the others get the crew safely aboard! Amek Na and his crew are eternally thankful. Amek Na gives you his eternal appreciation, and "This. These. Take these. It's the least I can do!" He then hands you a set of mk 2 animistic tools.
Not long after, on the afternoon of the second day, you get a straight up distress call from Mimli Nurkop’s ship, the Flyting Jenny, about 30 miles east from their current location—well off-course from what was charted for the race.
For the sake of momentum, I'm going to assume your reasoning stays consistant, and you answer the call.
Following the beacon brings you to a lone, rocky “island” in the middle of the silt sea.
The Flyting Jenny has run aground, smashed against the rocks with such force that the lightened armor of its hull has been cracked open. Its mizzenmast has fallen, caught on the cliff at a 40-degree angle, and its lightsail has deactivated, though occasional sparks still flicker among the exposed wires at its base. Dangling from the ship’s center is Wat Ryshel, trussed up in cable lines like an arabuk for Reunion feast, but alive and wriggling as though trying to signal for help. A mismatched pair of strangers perch atop the crooked deck, one a copper-scaled kobold waist-deep in the ship’s supplies, her clawed feet and tail wagging in the air. The other is a gangly dromada with a long face who hunches over to peer into the dark hole and call, “Can we go now?”
“No!” squeaks the kobold, kicking blindly at his ankle. “I’m tellin’ you there’s something good down here! I can smell it!”
Human Mystic 9 SP 72/72 HP 58/58 RP 6/10 | EAC 21 KAC 22 | Spells 1: 7/7 2: 6/6 3: 3/4 | F+4 R+5 W+12 | Init+0 | Perc+18
"Hey folks. We're following the code of ethics for ships. If you are truly in distress, then fine, we are here to help. However, if you are way off the path because you are looking for treasure, then you are on your own. Now, tell me plainly. Why have you called us off course from our race?"
Officer Swizzers takes in the scene and suspects something very different than Ohmarc: piracy! With her holographic sashimono displaying the Stewards badge, she calls out: "I'm declaring this a nautical emergency and potential crime scene, and coming aboard. Do not run or resist."
A sailor turns to Swizzers and screams, "GAH! I SURRENDER!"
Another, a familiar looking kobold, takes a different tack, “Avast, ye scallywags! Ye’ll not get the better of Tayyara the Terrible!” only to trip over her own feet and face-plant into the dirt. She then takes better stock of the situation, realizes that she’s outnumbered and outclassed, and covers up her embarrassment by offering to “graciously” parley.
The others shake their head. Wat answers while nervously stroking his mustache. “I can hardly tell you. Out of nowhere, these pirates—pirates, of all things!—came barreling down on us. Miss Mimli’s piloting was the only reason they didn’t blow a hole in our ship! But we didn’t know the area, and we were going too fast. By the time we realized we were headed for the rocks, it was too late to stop. When I woke up, I was being hoisted up onto the mast as you found me, and this towering red fellow was carrying Miss Mimli away onto his boat. It was all I could do to grab the emergency beacon with my tail before they left me to dangle.”
"Okay, everyone stay calm. Wat, my associates will get you free momentarily. As for you two," she says, turning to the kobold and dromada, "I'll have to take you into custody--piracy is a serious offense and someone could have been killed as a result of this collision. Not to mention, you're now part of a conspiracy to kidnapping. Make things easier on yourselves and tell us where this 'towering red fellow' took Miss Mimli."
Once the ship has pulled up to the Flying Jenny, Officer Swizzers is careful to distribute her weight carefully as she puts binder cuffs on the criminals.
"Wait... what? No! I don't even want to be a pirate!" The dromada whines.
Your kobold friend, however, is a bit more forthcoming. “Hey, I ain't no kidnapper! They've got credits and treasure in their eyes. I'm just looking for what a rich so-and-so like Mimli has aboard. If you want to arrest someone, go after Cap'n Odrag. That Cap’n Odrag Nao; he’s a demon though, is what he is. A scary, mean pirate! He doesn’t care who he has to go through so long as he gets what he’s after.”
DC 23 Culture or DC 20 Profession (bounty hunter or pirate):
You recall that Odrag Nao is an infamous kanabo pirate with two bounties on his head, the most recent as a sand pirate on Akiton and the other as a Free Captain in Near Space. It’s rumored that he and his crew were stranded on Akiton years ago after a confrontation with unknown enemies damaged their spaceship beyond repair, leading to their change in career.
