Kastien will take the doctor's advice and rest in the green room. As he does he focuses his mind on the photonic nature of the universe, sharpening his senses and preparing for the tasks to come.
"Hmm. Something I didn't look into too much while we were putting on extra engines and weapons...how many seats do these things have? I'm not a very good pilot, but I could give a good pilot regular injections to make them a better one!"
This is a good question. Each racer has one seat. We'll get to the full race mechanics later, but essentially one person will act as pilot while the rest act as pit crew.
Walter consults with the team but believes the various events are worth investigating. They know their strengths though, so would like to interview witnesses and in particular find any who have video of the events or the time leading up to the events when preparation/sabotage is likely. They will leave the technical analysis to others unless someone wants assistance.
Walter, please either make me a Diplomacy check to interview witnesses, or a Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate, or Profession (video personality or similar) check to talk the media present into turning over their footage, depending on which approach you want to take.
For everyone else, you can take turns guarding the racer enough that you each can make some sort of check if you wish. Some suggested options for investigating:
Investigate Drone (Engineering or Computers)
Interview Witnesses (Diplomacy)
Acquire Media Footage (Profession [video personality or similar], Diplomacy, Bluff, or Intimidate)
Investigate the Scene (Profession [detective or similar], Perception, or Survival)
Male NG Human Icon Envoy 7 | SP 63/63, HP 48/48, DR: 5/-| RP 8/8 | EAC 21; KAC 22 | Fort +6; Ref +9; Will +5 | Init: +8 | Perc: +10 (DV 60'), SM: +10+d6+1
Power, Abilities, and Ammo:
Clever Improvisation: 1/1
Comm Unit 80/80
Translator 10/10
Jetpack 40/40 (2/Round or 1/Min)
Ammo (Skipshot) 18/20)
Conrad plays to his strengths and tries to Acquire Media Footage He's something of an icon himself, so it should be pretty easy to make a play for footage that could lead to an awesome action photo for the wall back at the bar: Bluff:1d20 + 15 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 15 + (4) + 1 = 30
Zark and Lopodie quickly dig into the captured camera drone, looking for clues in its construction.
Drone findings wrote:
The extra battery attached to the camera drone was rigged to discharge all at once, likely intending to ignite one of the acetylene tanks. Additionally, you can tell that the welds mounting the battery unit to the drone are extremely recent, likely done today.
Dov spends some time investigating the scene of the near-accidents, looking for anything out of place.
Findings at the scene wrote:
A specialized wrench made for installing and removing the safety caps from gas tanks lies discarded in a pile of junk at the southern end of the track, near a rusty metal maintenance shed.
Walter and Kastien, meanwhile, chat with other people that were present during the near-catastrophes, hoping to find details the party might have missed.
Interview findings wrote:
Walter talks to a member of Ratrod's pit crew, who noticed several of the acetylene tank caps mi9ssing and reported their concern to Ratrod. They were instructed to send an immediate message to the track safety officer and then get back to work. They don't know what steps were taken from there.
Kastien, meanwhile, manages to get a few words in with Kyvex. They are adamant that the caps were in place at the beginning of the competition. As they complain into one of the livestreaming camera drones hovering around them, they had to waste several minutes tracking down a wrench to remove the cap off the extra tank they pulled off the stack, because the one that was supposed to be stored nearby was missing. They're sure that this was the work of one of their competitors, trying to hold them back from a certain victory.
While all this was going on, Conrad spends his time chatting with "Awesome" Ace Avarin. He leverages his own status, practiced confidence, and gift for gab to convince the reporter to share their footage! This unlocks the Analyze Footage option below!.
------
You have time for another round of checks if you want to look for more. I'll repeat your options below, and cross out ones where you have already learned all there is to learn. You have enough time for up to two more rounds of checks, but can at any point decide that you have enough information to pursue another avenue.
ROUND 2:
Investigate Drone (Engineering or Computers)
Interview Witnesses (Diplomacy)
Acquire Media Footage (Profession [video personality or similar], Diplomacy, Bluff, or Intimidate)
Investigate the Scene (Profession [detective or similar], Perception, or Survival)
Analyze Footage (relevant Profession, Computers, or Perception)
Male NG Human Icon Envoy 7 | SP 63/63, HP 48/48, DR: 5/-| RP 8/8 | EAC 21; KAC 22 | Fort +6; Ref +9; Will +5 | Init: +8 | Perc: +10 (DV 60'), SM: +10+d6+1
Power, Abilities, and Ammo:
Clever Improvisation: 1/1
Comm Unit 80/80
Translator 10/10
Jetpack 40/40 (2/Round or 1/Min)
Ammo (Skipshot) 18/20)
Conrad will offer up the footage if someone better trained knows what to look for. He's happy to interview witnesses too. By all means take the footage, but since he unlocked it it, he'll stay with it.
Conrad rolls the film Perception:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
Kastien continues to make his rounds, interviewing witnesses and generally building up a good rapport with the others at the track. It never hurt to have people like you.
| SP 40/42 | HP 48/48 | RP 7/9 | EAC 22 KAC 23 CMD 31 | Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +4; +1 vs poison/disease +1 vs Radiation +2 vs mind-affecting | Init +5 | Perception +16 (60': Darkvision, Blindsense: Thought, 30': Blindsight: Life) | Active Effects: Limited Telepathy 60', Radiation Badge | Armor Environmental Seals: Inactive (7 days) | Biohacks 1/7 used, Field Dressing 0/6 used, Treat Condition 0/6 used | CG Male Uplifted Bear (Battle Medic) Biohacker 7
Dov joins Conrad in looking through the footage, after mentioning the wrench he found to everybody, suggesting we check our racer's gas tank and cap before the event gets underway.
Conrad, Dov, and Zark spend some time examining the footage Conrad sweet-talked from Avarin and their team, looking for anything suspicious leading up to the attempted attack.
The footage reveals... wrote:
The trio find footage of an interview shot with the work area as backdrop. While the meat of the interview is not relevant to the investigation, they do spot a figure in the background (medium humanoid, ancestry and gender impossible to identify from the blurry background footage) doing something to the acetylene tanks. In another clip, they spot the drone in question, floating shakily toward the build pits from the south, near a rusty maintenance shed.
Lapodie and Walter, meanwhile, stick with the drone itself, trying to tease out anything useful from its programming. Unfortunately, whoever changed its code knew what they were doing and didn't leave any obvious clues.
While the rest of the team examine the evidence on hand, Kastien continues talking to other witnesses.
Interview findings wrote:
A track maintenance worker noticed a camera drone floating idly near one of the maintenance sheds near the southern end of the track earlier. She thought it was strange, as there was nothing to film that far from the action, but didn't have time to follow up before the attack.
------
You have time for another round of checks if you'd like. The only info you haven't gathered yet is whatever is to be gleaned from the code. Alternatively, you could forgo further investigation in order to act on the information you've already found. Let me know what you'd like to do next (whatever it is, we'll do it after GenCon, since at least one person is already away from their computer).
Kastien scratched his head and looked around. "I'm not really the coder type. But if that drone came from the maintenance shed in that video like the one witness claimed, we might be able to find more information there. I can lead a team over there if some of you want to continue scrolling through code."
Zark finally gains access to the root code controlling the drone. He finds that whoever altered the code is very proficient, their code elegant and efficient while structured not to stand out from the remaining manufacturing code. The only unusual or distinguishing details that Zark finds are several mentions of the name Orsis in variable names and inline comments.
You've found all the things! I'll assume you're going to the shed from here (another post incoming).
Arriving at the shed, you find a structure made of rusting corrugated metal, white paint flaked patchy. The hasp of the door is locked with a simple mechanical padlock. Before you decide how to approach the lock, Zark and Dov both clock a small wire attached to the door, just visible in the small gap between the door and the jamb. Closer examination reveals a simple, homemade alarm attached to the inside the door.
You can tell that, if not disarmed, the alarm would trigger on opening the door, rather than on touching the lock. The alarm can be disabled with an Engineering check, and the lock can be opened with an Engineering check to open it, or an Athletics check to break it.
Kastien waits for Zark to disarm the door alarm and get it unlocked. Once everyone nods that they are ready, with pistol in one hand and gauntleted fist cocked, he braces himself, then kicks open the door.
Zark has no trouble carefully disarming the wire and unlocking the shed door, which Kastien then pushes open with his leg. Inside, racks of dusty, seldom-used tools, partially used buckets of paint, and other miscellaneous maintenance equipment line the walls. A small lamp on an articulated arm shines above a workbench tucked into the back corner of the room, mostly obscured by crates and a rack of broken equipment. The shed appears to be unoccupied.
As you move cautiously into the shed, you get a better view of the workbench. Resting atop, you see a partially disassembled camera drone, its case removed (you think with an engineering check to reassemble followed by a computers check to restore its programming, you could return this camera drone to functionality to record your investigation).
Pinned to a bulletin board above the workbench are an array of photographs, one for each of the pilots scheduled to compete in the race. The pictures are in an analogous arrangement to the array of build competition work pits.
You all notice that the arrangement is the same as racers were arrayed in the pits, except that Kyvex and Lemgem are switched. Most dramatically, a small dagger is embedded through the picture of Kyvex, penetrating through the board and into the wall, as if thrown at the picture with great force.
Conrad:
You notice a small latch on the back of the workbench.
Finally, you see a small, closed hatch in the floor near the workbench. The lack of dust on it compared to the surrounding area indicates it has been opened recently.
Conrad and Zark look over the hidden latch carefully, not finding any traps attached. Carefully flipping the lever, a panel on the side of the workbench pops open to reveal a hidden cabinet. Inside, you find the following:
A black business card, blank but for the image of a lidless eye and a handwritten contact number; it's very similar to the one you found on the mercenaries that ambushed you on the way to the track.
A datapad containing schematics for the hoverlift model used in the racing pits, as well as the model of camera drone favored by Ratrod.
A half-full box of organic meal-replacement drinks.
DC 20 Culture:
This brand of meal-replacement drinks are popular on Castrovel, but rarely seen elsewhere in the Pact Worlds.
| SP 40/42 | HP 48/48 | RP 7/9 | EAC 22 KAC 23 CMD 31 | Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +4; +1 vs poison/disease +1 vs Radiation +2 vs mind-affecting | Init +5 | Perception +16 (60': Darkvision, Blindsense: Thought, 30': Blindsight: Life) | Active Effects: Limited Telepathy 60', Radiation Badge | Armor Environmental Seals: Inactive (7 days) | Biohacks 1/7 used, Field Dressing 0/6 used, Treat Condition 0/6 used | CG Male Uplifted Bear (Battle Medic) Biohacker 7
Culture:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23
Weapons at the ready just in case, as well as his right to bear arms, Dov leans in and sniffs the meal-replacement drinks.
"Hmmm. I've smelt these before. Popular on Castrovel, but not elsewhere in the Pact Worlds. We rarely see them in the health care system either, since drinking too many of them can lead to build up of unpleasant gastrointestinal distress."
Dov notes the black business card that matches the one he identified earlier to the others as well, while also keeping an eye out for anything else.
Male NG Human Icon Envoy 7 | SP 63/63, HP 48/48, DR: 5/-| RP 8/8 | EAC 21; KAC 22 | Fort +6; Ref +9; Will +5 | Init: +8 | Perc: +10 (DV 60'), SM: +10+d6+1
Power, Abilities, and Ammo:
Clever Improvisation: 1/1
Comm Unit 80/80
Translator 10/10
Jetpack 40/40 (2/Round or 1/Min)
Ammo (Skipshot) 18/20)
Culture:1d20 + 7 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 7 + (1) + 1 = 25, "The doc's right. Customers at the station sometimes ask for it, but it's rare, and definitely not worth stocking. Now, who in this place is Castrovelian? and these cards... It's like that holovid with the bandits who have a schtick that leads to their undoing."
"Yeah, I remember seeing these around. Not anything I've ever had, but they were pretty popular back on the home world. i am assuming we are heading down through the hatch?"
Kastien is less interested in the meal replacements than he is in finding the person or group responsible. Oh and the race. They couldn't forget about the race.
Left the weekend to see if anyone else wanted to chimed in. I'll take Kastien's suggestion as your next step.
Conrad turns on his flashlight and waits for Kastien to open the hatch. Unfortunately, none of you spat the small cable connected to the panel, and the moment Kastien pulls it open, the area erupts in a ball of explosive fire! I rolled perception checks against this earlier, and I'm afraid no one spotted it.
Fire damage to everyone:4d10 + 2 ⇒ (3, 7, 7, 6) + 2 = 25 DC 16 Reflex avoids
One the ringing cacophony of the explosion subsides, you see that the open hatch has exposed a ladder heading downward into what looks like a maintenance corridor below.
The fireball catches Kastien completely unprepared as he was hauling back the hatch cover. Someone really didn't want to be followed into the tunnels.
Kastien staggered backwards, eyes blinking against the glare of the fireball. Every exposed bit of skin on him felt raw from the heat and burns. He was really not having a good day.
Male NG Human Icon Envoy 7 | SP 63/63, HP 48/48, DR: 5/-| RP 8/8 | EAC 21; KAC 22 | Fort +6; Ref +9; Will +5 | Init: +8 | Perc: +10 (DV 60'), SM: +10+d6+1
Power, Abilities, and Ammo:
Clever Improvisation: 1/1
Comm Unit 80/80
Translator 10/10
Jetpack 40/40 (2/Round or 1/Min)
Ammo (Skipshot) 18/20)
REF:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23 Dodging the worst of it, Conrad dusts himself off. "Sounds like we're on the right track. Now let's be a bit more cautious."
Gender neutral N SRO, Icon, Envoy 7 | SP 3/42 HP 44/44 | RP 5/8 | EAC 18; KAC 20 | Fort +4; Ref +7; Will +6 | Init: +6| Perc: +11, SM: +11 | Speed 30ft |Darkvision |Robotic, Healing Circuit | Active conditions: none.
Reflex:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
"Ouch! That really was not very nice." Walter was caught completely unprepared as they were leaning over to examine the Castrovelian food products, looking for signs of tampering.
Perception:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19 Walter tries to establish if the meal replacement drinks could possibly have been intended as another attack on one of the racers.
Once everyone had recovered from the fireball trap, Kastien headed down the ladder, motioning for someone with better eyes than him to keep close behind to keep a watch out for more traps.
Zark does not mind waiting, especially if others are hurt, but he personally does not need to wait. GM, could you kindly post current stamina and hitpoints to help us see our current status?
Kastien nodded his thanks and sat down for a rest. While he did, he decided to focus his mind on the photonic concepts of the universe. Diplomacy was king in all things.
Will recover stamina and prep Sideral Influence for Diplomacy
Gender neutral N SRO, Icon, Envoy 7 | SP 3/42 HP 44/44 | RP 5/8 | EAC 18; KAC 20 | Fort +4; Ref +7; Will +6 | Init: +6| Perc: +11, SM: +11 | Speed 30ft |Darkvision |Robotic, Healing Circuit | Active conditions: none.
Walter watches Kastien for a moment then pulls out a few simple items and finds a quiet corner to reenergize and buff out a few scratches and scorch marks.
