GRIM*! Gaming Network’s SFS2 1-02: Mystery of the Frozen Moon (Inactive)

Game Master Ashbourne

Speaking of everyone who is new to SF2e, everyone should have a hero point.

Thommo strikes red with a primary strike, then showers red and blue with ammo, hitting both. Red falls over dead as the second attack hits.

Big stabs and sticks it to black, then stabs black again as black attacks Étoile. The creature Big Red just hit looks to be in really bad shape.

CTU is having a bad day, but still holding his ground.
Would you like to use a hero point for a reroll?

Round 2

blue ? HP -7 (suppressed)
black ? HP -17
Blake AC: 16 HP: /1717
Leopold AC:17 HP: 15/15 shield raised AC:18
red ? HP -24 (dead)
yellow ? HP
CTU AC: 18 | HP: 10/17 -7
Thommo AC:18 HP: 21/21
Étoile AC:15 HP: 14/20 -6

Bold May act.
CTU, blue, are no longer concealed from each other.
Everyone else is concealed from everyone.
blue: suppressed.
Go to Ground! Allies within 60 feet of Blake can Take Cover as a reaction. count any form of lesser cover as standard cover until the start of your next turn.
Everyone has 1 hero point.
Map

Étoile marcheuse hurls magically a snowball on Black, and steps.

Telekinetic Projectile on Black: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Bludgeoning Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10

Étoile's Telekinetic Projectile misses, but the spell seems to drive off the injured creature, who has had enough of the fight.

Blue throws a quill at Thommo
Ranged ◆ quill (range increment 30 feet)
quill: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 - 1 = 8
Damage piercing: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
DC5 flat check vs Concealed: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Blue then claws twice at CTU
Melee ◆ claw (agile, reach 10 feet)
claw: 1d20 + 6 - 1 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 1 - 5 = 4
Damage slashing: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
DC5 flat check vs Concealed: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Melee ◆ claw (agile, reach 10 feet)
claw: 1d20 + 6 - 1 - 10 ⇒ (17) + 6 - 1 - 10 = 12
Damage slashing: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
DC5 flat check vs Concealed: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Blue growls as it misses all of its attacks.

Yellow throws a quill at Leopold
Ranged ◆ quill (range increment 30 feet)
quill: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 5 - 2 = 17
Damage piercing: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
DC5 flat check vs Concealed: 1d20 ⇒ 8
But Leopold's raised shield saves him from the attack.

Round 3

blue ? HP -7 (suppressed) (not conceled)
black ? HP -17 (fleas the area)
Blake AC: 16 HP: /1717
Leopold AC:17 HP: 15/15
red ? HP -24 (dead)
yellow ? HP (conceled)
CTU AC: 18 | HP: 10/17 -7
Thommo AC:18 HP: 21/21
Étoile AC:15 HP: 14/20 -6

Bold May act.
only yellow is concealed
blue: suppressed.
Everyone has 1 hero point.
Map

From behind his hiding place, Blake surveys the scene. He spots a creature that's not hiding in a smoke cloud, aims, and fires.

"Look at this bastard poking its head out of cover. Now's our chance, guys!"

Crossbolter: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 1 = 17
Piercing: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

◆ Recharge Weapon, ◆◆ Get 'Em! vs Blue

You single out an enemy for you and your allies to focus your attacks on. Select an enemy within 60 feet that you can see. You and your allies gain a +1 status bonus to attacks against that target until the beginning of your next turn.

Lead by Example If you used two actions, Strike the target. You gain a status bonus to the damage roll equal to your Charisma modifier. Regardless of whether the Strike hits, you and your allies gain a +1 status bonus to damage on subsequent Strikes made against the enemy until the start of your next turn. Increase the damage by 1 at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels.

Blake hits blue; it looks badly damaged.

Round 3

blue ? HP -15 (suppressed) (not conceled) (Get 'Em!)
black ? HP -17 (fleas the area)
Blake AC: 16 HP: /1717
Leopold AC:17 HP: 15/15
red ? HP -24 (dead)
yellow ? HP (conceled)
CTU AC: 18 | HP: 10/17 -7
Thommo AC:18 HP: 21/21
Étoile AC:15 HP: 14/20 -6

Bold May act.
only yellow is concealed
blue: suppressed, and Get 'Em! +1 to hit and damage
Everyone has 1 hero point.
Map

Leopold regains for his vitality network. +4 HP, Vitality Network: 9/10 He then transfer some for Etoile. +6 HP
◆ Transfer Vitality, +6 HP to Etoile (Vitality Network: 3/10 HP)

He then goes behind CTU and quickly puts a modified medpatch on the wounds.
Battle Medicine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Trained Healing: 4d8 ⇒ (3, 6, 1, 1) = 11 HP for CTU

◆ Stride
◆ Battle Medicine

Yellow targets Leopold wiht a quill
Ranged ◆ quill (range increment 30 feet)
quill: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Damage piercing: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
DC5 flat check vs Concealed: 1d20 ⇒ 6
◆◆ Yell maintains its mist, after its quill misses

Round 3

blue ? HP -15 (suppressed) (not conceled) (Get 'Em!)
black ? HP -17 (fleas the area)
Blake AC: 16 HP: /1717
Leopold AC:17 HP: 15/15
red ? HP -24 (dead)
yellow ? HP (conceled)
CTU AC: 18 | HP: 17/17 +11
Thommo AC:18 HP: 21/21
Étoile AC:15 HP: 20/20 +6
Big Red AC: 18/19 HP: 18/22

Bold May act.
only yellow is concealed
blue: suppressed, and Get 'Em! +1 to hit and damage
Everyone has 1 hero point.
Map

"I gotcha, Doc," Thommo assures his companion. Dashing around to his left, the soldier positions himself between Leopold and Étoile and the creatures.

THOONK he lobs another round at the feet of the closest enemy. (Blue)

◆ Stride

◇ Primary Target (Blue)
Stellar Cannon: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 1 = 9 (on hit, successful save vs Area Fire becomes failure)
Stellar Cannon Damage, Piercing (Blue): 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

◆◆Area Fire (10ft Burst - refer to map) vs Blue: Basic Reflex DC 16; target suppressed on failure; crit failure Fort DC 16 slowed 1
Bombard: CTU excluded; enemies who succeed are still suppressed until start of Thommo's next turn.
Stellar Cannon Damage, Piercing: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Stellar Cannon: 5/8

CTU will Step back, draw his laser rifle, and shot at blue once

Forgot that I'm actually expert in my attacks, oops!

ranged attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
ranged laser damage if hit: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"Thank you whoever applied a nanite regeneration formula to me. Battle Damage is completely repaired."

Big Red flies overhead and clses in on blue!

Attack 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 1 = 16
Damage 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11

He then raises his solar shield.

* Stride
* Strike
* Raise Shield

blue Reflex save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

The creature (Blue) manages to dodge Thommo's Stellar Cannon blast by jumping in the air, doing a back flip, but doing so has used up all of its luck, as it lands in the path of both CTU and Big Red's attacks, finishing the job, leaving a mangled pile of fur on the ground.

Étoile is up, and only yellow is left.

Étoile marcheuse strides into the danger, and attempt to hurl magically a snowball on Yellow.

Flat DC: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Telekinetic Projectile on Black: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Bludgeoning Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

Étoile barely misses the creature with a snowball, but the snowball hits a nearby tree, knocking snow from its branches in a dramatic shower of snow.

Round 4

Blake AC: 16 HP: /1717
Leopold AC:17 HP: 15/15
yellow ? HP (conceled)
CTU AC: 18 | HP: 17/17 +11
Thommo AC:18 HP: 21/21
Étoile AC:15 HP: 20/20 +6
Big Red AC: 18/19 HP: 18/22

Bold May act.
yellow is concealed
Everyone has 1 hero point.
Map

Blake keeps his rhythm, apparating a bolt in the rail and firing at the creature. "Last one, fellas! Let's teach it regret!", he calls out to the crew as he fires.

Get 'Em!: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 = 13
Flat 5: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 1 = 21
Damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

◆ Recharge Weapon, ◆◆ Get 'Em!

Is it running away?

Is it running away?

not yet, you're the first to hit that one.

+4 HP to Vitality Network, now at 7/10 HP

Seeing that his allies are in no mortal danger, Leopold focuses now on attacking the last enemy. He draws his pulsecaster pistol, gets closer and shoots!
DC 5 Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 20 vs Concealed Yellow
Pulsecaster Pistol (nonlethal, tech) + Get 'Em: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 1 = 25 vs Yellow
Damage + Get 'Em: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 E damage

◆ Draw weapon
◆ Stride
◆ Strike

Leopold breaks the curse of the low dice rolls, critically hitting the last creature. Although not enough to kill it, it does drive it off.

Combat over

The Doctor has done well keeping the party healed.
Only Big Red has any injuries left
Big Red HP: 18/22

You have time to heal if you like.

After the fighting ends, several small furry heads of your friends that were following you pop up out of the snow, but they still seem reluctant to come closer.

”Whoever is documenting these little furry dudes should probably document the larger enemies as well.”

Blake looks around, freezing wind hitting him from all sides. "Red, if you need that looked at, we can. But I would suggest finding some shelter from the wind first. If I am to do stitching, you want the tissue to be pliable. Cold won't help that."

DC 14 Nature or Life Science to learn more about the creatures that attacked you.

DC 17 perception to find a sheltered location
DC 12 survival to build a quick shelter and start a fire (if you find a good location.)
DC 16 survival to build a quick shelter and start a fire (due to the wind, if you don't find a good location.)

The checks from my previous post are still available, too.

Blake climbs on top of a few snow mounds to look for a nearby cave or something resembling a ravine or an overpass.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

To no avail.

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

"Nice work, everyone," Thommo says, nodding at the crew's handiwork. "Not as efficient as I'd have liked" he grimaces, reloading his cannon. "But everyone kept their heads and looked out for their mates."

The soldier crouches and inspects the nearby creature, brow furrowed.

He then joins Blake in surveying the area.

Nature (Untrained): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Survival (Untrained): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Not trained in Nature, so can't roll them :(

Big Red takes to the air and looks for shelter...
Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

At the newly located shelter, he looks for materials to build a fire.
Survival 1d20 ⇒ 9

"Anyone more used to camping?"

Looks like we just need a Dc12 Survival/Wis check

Étoile marcheuse gets grumpy as she doesn't success to build a shelter.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Not trained in Nature, so can't roll them :(

Big Red takes to the air and looks for shelter...
Perception 1d20+5

At the newly located shelter, he looks for materials to build a fire.
Survival 1d20

"Anyone more used to camping?"

Looks like we just need a Dc12 Survival/Wis check

”Survival was not part of my programmed training regimens, and I was not permitted to leave the complex in the Veskarium.”

Then...
Before they resume their exploration, The Doctor offers to tend to Big Red’s minor injuries.

"If you’ll allow me..." He produces a scalpel and begins his assessment, carefully studying his ally’s condition. After gathering the necessary information, he proceeds with the treatment.
◆◆ Analyze Target — grants a +1 status bonus to Treat Wounds
DC 15 Medicine to Treat Wounds: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 1 = 11

"Hmmm... I can’t seem to focus properly in this environment. Let me heal you with magic instead." The Doctor channels restorative energy into Big Red.
Infusion: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 HP restored to Big Red

◆◆ Infusion

Afterward, The Doctor takes a moment to refocus and regain his spent energy.

Now...
He looks at the creatures that has been following and finds out something.

"These prey seem to rely on their magic and instincts for safety, fleeing or hiding from danger." Unfortunately, he seem to not care about them, that he asks for his allies if they can help the creatures to assure them that the area is already safe for them.

The Doctor also helps in finding a suitable location for shelter. He leads them somewhere with a cave structure that can protect them from cold elements outside.
DC 17 Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Not skilled in terms of survival, he tries if he can make fire from what is currently available.
DC 12 untrained Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

CTU comes to the conclusion that Vesk training did not teach him how to fight the weather.

Blake finds a few snow mounds that are good for climbing on, but not facing in the direction of anything helpful. However, sliding down them is quite fun.

Thommo joins Blake.

Balke or Thommo, Athletics or acrobatics to race down the biggest snow mound.

While others look for a good location for a shelter, Étoile looks for building material. Étoile discovers some unusually straight objects hanging from some free branches that might make good poles for a shelter, but they snap in half as Étoile tries to collect them. (Étoile has discovered icicles.)

Big Red takes to the air and looks for shelter, and spots a good location to investigate on the ground. While in the air, Big Red also notices there are not dozens but hundreds of smaller creatures that have been following them, although after the battle, they still stay at a distance.

The Doctor heads to the area Big Red spotted in the air and finds a small cave just big enough for the team to fit comfortably. While others try in vain to find dry material outside to start a fire, the Doctor discovers that maybe the old outdated supplies, med kits, always included to his annoyance, are useful after all, when he discovers that gauze makes for good tinder to start a fire.

While the Doctor heals up Big Red and the rest of the team warms up around the fire, Thommo has time to tell what he noticed about the creatures that attacked them. (The large creatures are vagually felin in appearance but with gills on their necks, their huge paws look like they would be ideal for traveling on snow.)

As the battle ended, the Doctor, through the headband, got a sense of emotional relief, there was a moment of feeling proud, then caution. Your new friend must be close enough to see into the cave because, as you get the fire started, there is a sense of fear, then curiosity.

Is anyone trained in nature or life sciences lore?

With no one else volunteering, CTU starts recording his observations, despite not being trained in such things.

Small, marsupial-like creatures who are evidentially adapted to the cold. Have sentient-or near-sentient levels of intelligence. At least one had a headband that allowed emotional communication, which it offered to us as a group. They have displayed little to no aggressive signs so far.

Not seeing anything on the mound, Blake sighs. He notices Thommo next to him and also looking around. "I don't see squat in this weather. Just whites, grays, and light blues wherever you look." He sighs. "I ain't used to this kind of environ. My eyes are adjusted to the interplanetary medium and the warp."

He checks his comm unit for something, shrugs, and looks at the crew below. A wry smile appears on one side of his face. "Hey." He pats Thommo on the shoulder. "Want to race down? Last one down washes the crew's socks!"

Blake jumps forward, flattening himself on the snow with his belly sliding across the snow.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Thommo nods agreement with Blake. "It's real different than Spacin'. Been all sorts of places, some real bad. Not the worst, but up there." He shakes his head. "Hate the cold, seeps in everywhere. To your bones. And the light, the glare off the snow - makes it hard to tell where the ground ends and the sky starts, hard to tell how far anything is from anywhere, get a sensebof scale. No point of reference. It's got a beauty for all that."

"At least it's not swamp."

Chuckling, he returns Blake's grin. "Righto. On the count of- Hey! No fair! Wait for me!" Thommo calls, launching hinself forward after Blake.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

I’m trained in Nature, though it seems Thommo already rolled it with a success.

The Doctor shares his findings about the creatures that have been following them outside. Now aware that the friendly beings number around a hundred, he can’t help but wonder on how many more might still be out there. While tending the fire, at least this gives him an excuse to dispose of some expired medical stuff from his briefcase, finally.

"Fortunate, isn’t it, that we weren’t overwhelmed, neither by their numbers nor by the waves of emotion bleeding through these headbands," he remarks, adjusting it slightly.

"They seem to feel safe now that their predators are gone. Sensible creatures. Though, for a moment, they did panic before curiosity took over when we started our little bonfire here." He glances toward the others, a hint of satisfaction in his tone. "Fascinating emotional progression, really, and it all begins from their tiny curiosity."

"Maybe we should give them a name, something to identify these creatures. What do you think?" he muses as he toys with a few ideas in his head. He pauses for a moment, glancing toward the shadows beyond the firelight. Perhaps, he wonders whether these beings can hear their thoughts as well through the bands or at least sense their emotions.

We're back! We left off with Étoile and Big Red still needing to respond ot the last GM post. Is there anything else you want to do here before moving on? Also, the Doctor has suggested naming the creatures.

Étoile marcheuse may not be able to give advice, but says "We can use those straight objects hanging from some free branches that might make good poles for a shelter. Or not."

Étoile marcheuse tries to recall Knowledge about an element they may not searched yet.

Étoile remembers a Dream Prophet dream, where they are surrounded by snow, perhaps in a small cave made of snow. The snow is cold, but it's insulating from the wind, and helps retain the heat from a small fire in the center of the cave. The dream is void of any straight objects like the ones you have found here.

"We need to find a small cave made of snow. I know the snow is cold, but it's insulating from the wind. It should help retain the heat from a small fire in the center of the cave. I don't recall that location contain any straight objects, like this object," Étoile says as she shows the icicle.

"That works for me." The Doctor agrees in finding this snow cave.

Big Red shrugs - "They seem nice, and hopefully edible if we get stranded here" he jests.

Ready to move

It takes almost an hour for the party to arrive at the artificial
structure you were asked to investigate. Your friends still seem spooked by the earlier attack. They still follow you but at a greater distance, and when you do see one, you only see them sticking their head out from behind cover. Eventually, you spot a square tunnel of stone and metal that juts from the foot of a small mountain.

The artificial foyer soon gives way to a frigid natural cavern even colder than the snowy forest outside. Softly glowing blue and green crystals light the way as the passage leads to a massive chamber with artificial structures of metal and masonry built into the natural stone. At the chamber’s heart stands a towering slab of polished stone mirror (B1), its surface swirling with magic that leaks faint green smoke into the surrounding air. The ceiling of this natural chamber is 60 feet high and covered in stalactites.
______

Even creatures without such sensitivities can tell there’s something wrong, and that leaving the mirror (A1) active isn’t safe for anyone.
_______

I've placed your tokens on slide 4. Feel free to rearrange them as you like.

Just ahead of you (A2), you see what looks like magical writing on one of the stones, and what appears to be 2 more of the bands your friend gave you.

What do you do?

Étoile marcheuse observes the mirror and exclaims, "There is ominous energy coming from the mirror. It feels somehow like a gaping wound. I don't feel it."

Observing at the band, "Should I take one?" with a pensive look.

Blake quietly follows the rest of the explorers, but can't help to wonder how the shirren civilisation developed spacefaring technology without somehow stumbling into refrigeration. If nothing else, by accident. He dismisses the thought as a temporary lapse of memory. This keeps him occupied until the group find themselves in front of the polished stone.

"Well...", Blake scans the room visually, his gaze stopping at the stone with what is clearly a set of symbols. Étoile's question brings him back into reality. He shakes his head. "Be my guest. I would rather not expose those critters to my thoughts. They might jump off a cliff or something." He looks at Étoile some more. "You okay, by the way? Not used to this kind of temperatures?"

Big Red loses the casual swagger and cockiness as his eyes narrow at the touch of this 'feeling', "It feels bad to me too" - he takes one of the bands and places it on "Whatever is going on here, I think these things would like us to fix it"

He grips his fiery spear tighter, as he exhales the scent of fire begins to permeate.

“Interesting . . . Obviously sentient advanced creatures were here if they constructed this. Any sign who?”

"I feel it too. We should remain alert," The Doctor tells Etoile as he also senses this ominous energies emanating from the mirror. He draws his blade, ready to slice anyone who attacks him.

"If we can fix it, the better." he adds.

I moved your tokens to area B2 rearange your selfs as you like

Big Red spots an object on the ground near where those bands were hanging.

Anyone wearing a band, you realise you might be able to understand the writing on the wall Big Red, the Doctor, and likely Étoile

Also, anyone wearing a band can now telepathically communicate with each other, as well as hear the emotional state of your new friend, which currently is a mix of curiosity and terror.
____________

Everyone notices the creatures that have been following you enter the chamber behind you, but will not move closer to the mirror they all stay behind the dotted line

"This seems like some writing. Anyone familiar with the symbols?", Blake takes a few steps forward and observes the... runes?

Wearing the band, Étoile marcheuse reads the wall.

Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

My eyes are slightly tired. So, I am not able to resume the knowledge.