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Will this same twice yearly approach be taken for Starfinder?
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Wherever will the philosopher worm contemplate the nature of the universe?
How many times does Guidance need to be infected by a virus and nearly kill a group of Starfinders before Celita upgrades his anti-virus software?
i guess the point in Spectral step is as an escape option?Also infiltration, you can bypass walls and run deeper into a compound while it's active. It would require you to have EP to spend. While EP doesn't explicitly clear at the end of combat, the general consensus is that is probably an oversight. Either way you've either got to be in combat to start your infiltration, or pick a fight with a significant guard to build up EP for your infiltration; neither of which really feels much like "infiltration".
Is there any way to have 5 health bars to track starship shields/hp on a token on the map without Toggling to the character sheet? My educated guess is that is a Roll20 limitation. Just noticed the extra box for ammo/capacity thanks!
Especially if you're an overcharge mechanic some of those batteries don't last long. A charges left / max capacity vs the current capacity only box would be nice (for my high usage character's I deduct from the current capacity box and just know how much to refill it to), especially since it would just be a box with no mechanics behind it hopefully that wouldn't be hard. A single CS box that automatically adds +3 when there is a value > 0 in the ranks box would also be nice. Presumably the separate trained box was a workaround but plenty of other sheets manage it somehow.
As BNW said, Thank You! I never had any problem with the way the sheet currently does Trick Attack, though it would be easier to check the math if hover showed the actual die roll + modifier as opposed to just the total - 20, presumably that's just a matter of square bracket placement. For EAC/KAC I always put that in the Damage Type box, something like "Acid vs EAC". One thing I do wish the Simple sheet had is one click status effects like the sheet by Roll20 but I'm sure that would be a pretty big undertaking.
Chronicles! Let me know if you need any corrections/additions. I've crossed out the New Character portion of Halfling Admittance as they've been always legal for some time now, the +2 to one attribute is still very good though. A quick party could certainly kill or NLD the shirren before they release the ooze. I would think the PCs would still want to destroy the ooze though.
The Starfinders make quick work of the remaining two zombies. Back in the workshop you find records and billing statements identifying the remaining carriers of the corrupted biotech. Philt promises AbadarCorp will track down any remaining augmented individuals and pay to have their augments replaced, or their bodies destroyed if it is too late. Returning to the Lorespire Complex, Venture-Captain Arvin is disappointed the augmentation technology isn't safe or reproducible, he is glad the PCs were able to deal with the biotech monstrosities and prevent the creation of any more. AbadarCorp is grateful to be spared the negative publicity and is smart enough to give the Starfinder Society all the prestige associated with solving the missing-persons cases. Mr. Philt sends a personal thank-you message to all involved, with the implication that they will be requested for any future Society missions funded by AbadarCorp. Finally, Maija and her family send a personal thanks with an update that the halfling's health is returning to normal. Soon after several halflings make inquiries about joining the Starfinder Society. This much-needed boost in recruiting helps put the PCs in Arvin's good graces and even earns them a personal commendation from the current First Seeker.
I'm going to go ahead and get reporting started on this. Everyone roll a D20. A 19 or 20 wins a boon, roll a d4 to determine which one you get.
As Rhys rounds the corner of the alley she see the shirren nearing the other end and split off in different directions.
At this point you have defeated the final boss (ooze). I am willing to hand wave the final two zombies, or you can stay in init if you want to try to catch the shirren. Ooc it is unlikely you will catch them though (especially if you stop to deal with the zombies). Rhys is the only one remotely close enough and even then she will mostly have to double move just to keep up them in line of sight and I don't think she can slow them down on her own. The scenario doesn't have any penalty for letting them escape. It kind of assumes they will attack you before letting you in the house and then lure you to the ooze and release it as a last ditch effort when you break into the house. It doesn't give a lot of guidance if you try the diplomatic approach. Between Tara's Diplomacy rolls and no one threatening to turn them in, which was their main trigger for combat, I decided to allow it as an alternative and have no problem giving full rewards for that. Them using the ooze as a distraction to escape is something I made up myself.
Kat5e hits the ooze a final time, causing it to disintegrate into a pile of UPBs. Rhys chases the shirren pair outside.
To her surprise they are not in sight but she does hear running from the alley to the north. She does spot two more zombies shambling in her direction though.
Obo and Philt turn toward the door to join Rhys, but she is some distance ahead.
The shirren couple seem undeterred by both words and fist. One opens the door and they both disappear to the east. Meanwhile the ooze while mindless is not so dumb as to continue to eat while being shot at. It slimes forward and reaches out a pseudopod to smack Obo.
Philt fires another shot filling the ooze with electricity again. Init
Everyone is up.
Kat5e and Tara delay and Obo readies a shot. The ooze takes the bait as predicted, sliding over the convulsing zombie, and begins to dissolve the biotechnical monstrosity into UPBs.
Kat5e and Tara hit but Obo misses.
Philt also hits he and Tara's arc pistols seem particularly effective. At that point Theskell and Vrisken bolt towards the door. "I am truly sorry Starfinders. I hope you do destroy that source of misery. We cannot risk you turning us in for our part in it though." Init
Round 2
Rhys is up. Kat5e, Tara, and Obo all move down the init order as a result of delaying/readying so cannot act again until after the ooze.
Everyone gets in position and Vrisken hits a button on his wrist pad. You hear the faint hum of the forcefield in the workshop cease and the ooze begin sloshing out of it's container.
Init
"So you let an Ooze produce all kinds of augmentations? Wait is Kinnakt still unalive here?" "Kinnakt is gone! Completely dissolved by the ooze! We couldn't even burry the body!" Vrisken is near tears, but pulls himself together. "We just weren't fast enough, all right? So we imported some tech to help out. They use assembly oozes in biotech factories on Bretheda. They're just supposed to take apart and assemble tech according to the blueprints entered into their programming, but something went wrong! It attacked Kinnakt and ate them! Please help us destroy this creature! We can't do it on our own! Help us avenge Kinnakt and prevent any more of these infernal augmentations from ever being created!" "We should draw it out into the hallway." "Yes, okay. I can trigger the cage release remotely from my datapad. Just let me know when you're ready. Don't worry about the carpet." Kinnakt takes position behind the couch and Philt takes cover near a corner. Unless directed otherwise Obo will take position in the doorway to draw the ooze.
The shirren wavers, then sighs, "Fine, but you must help us destroy the source of these augments! The assembly ooze that killed Kinnakt! Something in its programming went wrong—that's why it attacked Kinnakt in the first place. The components it produced must have gone bad too. Now it attacks anyone when its cage is opened." If you agree:
Vrisken leaves his post behind the refrigerator, you hear some movement inside the home, and after a moment the front door opens. "Hurry, inside! The ooze is in the workshop in the back. Theskell will watch the front while we deal with the ooze." He leads you through a 10' high open-concept living/dining area where a female shirren keeps watch to a workspace in the back.
The walls of the workshop are covered in metal boards with equidistant spacing for hanging tools. A workbench juts out from the western and northern facings of the area. A cylindrical container, guarded by a cage of glowing red lasers, rests along the eastern wall. A large steel door to the south connects to the rest of the home, while a smaller door to the north has a single one-way peephole looking out into the alley outside the house. An assembly ooze slops inside the energy field. "Get ready, as soon as I touch this button to deactivate the shield the ooze will attack."
Everyone may do an Engineering check to Recall Knowledge about or ID the ooze.
DC 11 Engineering:
Assembly oozes are essentially cores of nanobots suspended within blobs of animated protoplasm. As the ooze absorbs raw materials, the nanobots work at the molecular level to turn that matter into a functioning technological device, the blueprints of which have been entered into the machines’ original programming.
Oozes are immune to the following effects, unless the effect specifies that it works against oozes: Critical Hits, Paralysis, Poison, Polymorph, Sleep, Stunning, and are Unflankable. Oozes are sightless, rely on BlindSight (Vibration) and are immune to Gaze Abilities, Illusions, Visual Effects, and other attacks that rely on sight. DC 17 Engineering:
Technological oozes are often vulnerable to electrical weapons. DC 22 Engineering:
Although typically exactly 5' to a side, oozes often have surprising reach with their pseudopods. DC 27 Engineering:
Disassemble (Ex) As a full action, an assembly ooze can engulf an [u]unattended[/u] piece of technological gear within reach of its pseudopod of no more than 5 bulk and with an item level no greater than its CR + 2. Unless the object succeeds at a DC 12 Fortitude saving throw, the ooze moves into that object's space and deconstructs it into its component parts. The assembly ooze gains a number of virtual UPBs equal to the gear's price in credits. An assembly ooze can hold a maximum number of virtual UPBs equal to 100 × its Con modifier. In addition, if an assembly ooze succeeds at a grapple combat maneuver against a creature with the technological subtype, that creature takes 1d6+1 acid damage. The assembly ooze gains 1 virtual UPB for every point of damage it deals in this way.
The male shirren shouts from behind the refrigerator. He seems agitated and on edge. "We didn't know! Couldn't have known! Kinnakt was the doctor, not us! Not until the first undead showed up. By then it was too late! The rest are as good as dead. You won't have to track them down. They're compelled to come here! Best thing to do now is bunker down, let the zombies come to us, and make sure they are destroyed. Can't let you in though. We're not going to jail! We've been through so much already! Kinnakt is dead. That's punishment enough!"
The second zombie drops from Kat5e's blast. You notice a shirren occupant peeking out at you through one of the windows from behind the refrigerator pushed in front of it. A second shirren peeks out around some furniture pushed in front of another window.
Tara hits the second zombie causing it to convulse with electricity. Rhys and Kat5e's shots fail to hit their mark. Rhys notes these zombies are similar to the reanimated Shenge. They likely have standard undead immunities, and appear to be vulnerability to electricity and have integrated pistols, but the implants are beginning to breakdown the host body making them easier to destroy. Obo continues to move forward and fires her rifle, also failing to hit.
The zombie shuffles towards Obo firing its pistol, and misses.
Philt likewise moves forward and fires his pistol at the zombie, causing it to convulse again.
Zombie -18
Not willing to roll for Obozaya. So far we had not much luck in combat. Oh sure, make me roll so you can blame the GM. j/k
Kat5e gets off to a better start this time striking the zombie. Obo runs forward drawing her rifle and fires, also scoring a hit.
The zombie now taking notice, turns and shuffles towards Obo firing an integrated pistol, and misses.
Philt likewise moves forward, draws a pistol, and fires at the zombie, scoring a third hit. The zombie convulses at bit as the electrical damage wracks its systems before going down permanently, just then another zombie turns a corner in the distance and starts shuffling towards you.
Everyone is up!
After a short rest the address recovered from Shenge's computer takes you to a remote part of the Ring, where old storage buildings have been converted into housing. While fashionable several decades ago, this type of neighborhood has since fallen into disfavor, with many buildings reverting to their original purpose. As you enter the area you are met by Mr. Philt. "Thank you for the tip Starfinders. If you are planning to confront the Renew-You staff I would like to join you. I would like to speak with the owners, discover the exact role they played, and avert any negative press for the Freemarkets and AbadarCorp, and of course prevent this from happening to anyone else." Joined by your new ally, you pass fewer and fewer people while heading towards your destination, and more poorly maintained buildings. After passing a dozen decrepit units, the streets are virtually empty. Most of the buildings lining this end of the street are boarded up and sealed. Occasional streetlights flicker, while up ahead, light seeps out of a single structure, making the area's only occupied building stand out like a sore thumb. You spot a biotech zombie shambling in front of the occupied household. There is a steel door along the building's southern facing that opens towards the street and three ground-level windows. The zombie shuffles between the windows battering on them. They appear to have been barricaded from the inside, from the outside you can spot what looks like the back of a refrigerator pushed in front of one. This main stretch of street is roughly 20 feet wide with 5-foot and 10-foot wide alleys. There are several waste disposal bins around the area.
Init
Initiative! Everyone but Rhys (and Philt) may go. The zombie does not appear to have taken notice of you yet. (Regular round, not surprise, it just doesn't seem interested in you.) Edit: Updated MAP
Kat5e's shot finally puts the undead down permanently, offering our heroes a few minutes to catch their breath and recover from the battle. A more thorough search of the apartment also uncovers a total of 800 credits across numerous unmarked credsticks, a Static Arc Pistol that had fused with the zombie's cybernetic systems but which can be removed with a few minutes of work, and a spare standard battery.
Kat5e also notices a hidden compartment in the back of the desk. The compartment contains two uninstalled augmentations: an ocucloak processor and a high density datajack, they do not appear to be Renew-You make. Unfortunately Kat5e was not able to bypass the firewall but you do have what appears to be the home address for the owners of Renew-You from the earlier less secure files and can depart when ready.
Obo smacks the zombie again. Obo 20/32 SP
Rhys Round 4 action goes off after the Zombie. Kat5e, Tara, and Obo are up.
Inspiring Boost is a Standard action so you can't Inspire and Attack unless Tara has some ability I am unaware of.
Kat5e pays for switching to a ranged weapon with a zombie arm to the jaw. Obo finally gets a piece of the undead with her doshko, and the rest miss. Obo 20/32 SP
Everyone is up!
Trying to hit Shenge in such close quarters continues to frustrate the Starfinders as only Rhys unerring missiles make contact, slamming into the undead with reasonable effect. The zombie continues to mindlessly strike out at Obo. Obo 10/32 SP
Everyone is up!
The corpse rising up to attack them must have surprised the Starfinders as all their attacks go wide. The zombie has no such difficulty as it flails in the confined space and smacks Obo in the snout. Obo 20/32 SP Everyone is up!
While Kat5e works on the computer, the datajack on Shenge's body begins flashing red as the corpse stands. "Braaains..."
Combat! Tara, Kat5e, & Obo may act in any order, followed by the zombie. If one of you would like to post for Obo please do, if no one else does I will roll for Obo just before the zombie. I moved Rhys back outside the door to make room, I assume she was not standing on the body. Init
DC 13 Mysticism to ID:
This is a Cybernetic zombie. They have typical undead immunities. (Bleed, Death Effects, Disease, Mind-Affecting, Paralysis, Poison, Sleep, Stunning, Ability Damage, Ability Drain, Energy Drain, Exhaustion, Fatigue, Negative Levels, Nonlethal Damage, and any effect that requires a Fort save - unless the effect works on Objects, is Harmless, or the effect specifies it works against undead). DC 18 Mysticism to ID: In addition cybernetic zombies are Vulnerable to Electricity
The interior of this cramped dwelling reeks of death. Sweat-stained bedsheets completely cover a three-foot long lump on the bed. A computer terminal and associated desk are bolted to the west wall. Investigating the Bed Lump:
The lump under the bedsheets is Shenge's corpse. Above + DC 20 Perception:
A PC who searches the body and succeeds at a DC 20 Perception check finds a well concealed datajack installed in Shenge's left wrist. Above Perception + DC 15 Life Science or Medicine:
A PC who succeeds at a DC 15 Life Science or Medicine check confirms this augmentation as the cause of death; it appears that the circuitry connecting the datajack to Shenge's brain grew out of control, trying to connect to components it couldn't find. The computer is a tier 3 device that PCs can attempt to hack. A lockout countermeasure activates after three failed attempts.
Computers DC 21:
Successfully hacking into the computer grants the PCs access to Shenge's appointment calendar for the past month, including several visits to the Renew-You clinic and a follow-up appointment with someone named Vrisken to discuss "promotional activities" at a residential address farther out in the Ring. There is also a firewall, requiring a separate DC 25 Computers check. DC 18 Perception: A PC who succeeds at a DC 18 Perception check reveals Shenge taped a note with several access codes to the bottom of a desk drawer; discovery of these codes provides a +4 bonus to the above Computers checks to hack Shenge's computer.
Only Kat5e needs to make the save.
Unfortunately no one noticed the wire attached to the metal floor grate under Kat5e's feet, and knocking on the metal door completed the circuit. DC 15 Reflex for Half, don't forget +2 from Tara's Watch Your Step Fortunately the circuit shorts out quickly, or maybe the battery only had enough juice for one charge, in either case setting off the trap also disabled it. No one responds to Kat5e's knock... or the shout that no doubt came after, and if anyone checks the knob carefully they find door is unlocked, the trap appears to have been the only deterrent against unwelcome guests, or maybe Shenge was just tired of annoying solicitors.
Obo advances to the door. "Come comrades. Who has made you all so paranoid? Does anyone have skill to pick lock, or should I 'knock'?" She says hefting her doshko.
Each 'apartment' has a single steel door. Shenge's apartment has a transparent aluminum window that is covered from the inside. Unlike the Renew-You clinic it does not look like it could be easily opened, or even that it was designed to open at all. The walls are a think sturdy plastic. There is nothing stopping you from walking right up to the front door.
If the jar holds any more clues they elude the Starfinders' investigation. As you make your way towards the address provided for Shenge your comms beep with a message from Venture-Captain Arvin. "This is Venture-Captain Arvin. I am afraid Meme and Oda have been reassigned. I am sending you a replacement though. I understand your investigation has turned into a missing persons case, which is a little more dangerous than I originally intended so I'm sending one of our best available agents, Obozaya. She may not contribute much to the investigation itself but when trouble arises there are few more proven to make sure our agents make it back safe. She will meet you at your next destination." Obo meets you at Lodging Camp 66, Located a half hour away from Maija's apartment, Lodging Camp 66 is one of several scattered camps throughout Absalom Station that provides basic housing for those unable to pay the heightened rates for proper station housing. While Maija lives in a predominantly halfling area, this neighborhood is more mixed. Foot traffic is low in this neighborhood, and most of the roughly dressed citizens ignore newcomers and expect to be ignored in return. Short halls connect several basic square lodging units together in simple patterns, while exterior areas with open tables and chairs act as communal gathering points. Few people walk the dirty streets here, and many of the doors are unnumbered with multiple locks installed. The address Hermot provided is one of six single-occupant dwellings crammed together. From the outside each appears to be an approximately ten-foot-cube chamber with a single door. Some of the chambers have armored windows, though each of these is covered by posters or shaded over by crude spray paint. A communal restroom unit is located near the center of the accommodations.
The Starfinders provide funds for a replacement augmentation, which the halfling family accepts, and a doctor is found to perform the replacement. Fortunately she has an immediate opening for emergency procedures such as this. The faulty augmentation is provided to the Starfinders in a jar for further examination, but the doctor comments "The augmentation was originally a set of adaptive biochains mimicking a respirator compounder. However, the biochains continued expanding unchecked like cancer within Maija's lungs. She is fortunate you brought her to me when you did."
"Thank you Starfinders, you've saved Maija's life." Hermot tells you as Maija recovers. "I am sorry for my earlier behavior. The halfling who recommended Renew-You is named Shenge. He is a bit 'shady' but supports the local halfling community. Shenge has contacts in the local gangs as well as the Freemarkets and would likely know how to find the owners of Renew-You. He lives in a nearby workers' lodging camp," he says giving you the address.
As a party you would need to have the credits in advance (which doesn't look like a problem) as you haven't actually earned any from this scenario yet. You definitely can and should split the cost evenly though and if anyone is short owe the party out of credits for this mission. It increasingly looks like Meme and Oda are MIA though. I've pinged both and if they don't respond soon Arvin is going to reassign an iconic to this mission, I'm not botting two PCs through an entire mission, so think about who you would like to have join you. I don't think any of the level 4 pregens have enough credits to cover 250 themselves but most should be able to chip in 1/4.
Senndi's father (Hermot) speaks up "If we could afford magical healing we wouldn't have resorted to augmentations at all." Tanit adds, "The clinic didn't offer magical healing, but I think the shirren who handled the operation might be a technomancer. I saw her using telekinesis to manipulate tools as she prepared the room." "Maiji, have you spoken to your friend who referred you to Renew-You? Did they also get sick after their procedure?" "I... I don't think we've heard from him in a few days. Do you think he might be sick too?" The only signs of the augmentation Tara notices are two small scars one on either side of her trachea. Tara knows that a skilled surgeon could remove the apparently defective augmentation, and probably save Maija's life in the process, though she would still need a new augment within the week. Tara is not sure her skills are up to the task though. Alternatively 250 credits should cover the cost of both the new augmentation and the services of a medical professional to perform the replacement.
Maiji speaks up from the bed. "That stubborn old codger doesn't talk much. If you want to know about my 'condition' ask me instead of talking about me like I'm not here. I'm sick, not deaf." Maiji goes on to explain that her lungs were damaged from working long hours in a chemical plant and that she needed a variation of a respirator compounder to continue providing for her family. A halfling acquaintance persuaded her to seek out a biotech augmentation, which would be less obvious than standard cybernetics. As it happened, this acquaintance had recently received his own augmentation—a high-density datajack—from the Renew-You clinic. This friend claimed his graft had taken almost immediately, without problems or scarring, and he had returned to work just days afterward. Her friend Tanit (she points to the adult female halfling tending to her now), accompanied her to the Renew-You clinic 2 weeks ago. A shirren male-female couple operated the clinic. The male, whose name was Vrisken, explained the procedure and booked the appointment. According to Vrisken, his partner had personally crafted the augmentation with components from "a new source" that would enable rapid recovery. The female shirren performed the operation; Maiji was unconscious for the actual implantation and can't remember her name. The operation took less than an hour and she was back to work in 2 days. DC 18 Medicine:
Such a complex operation—adding an augmentation to support a failing organ—should have taken hours, and without magical aid Maija's recovery should have taken weeks. Unfortunately, she began feeling ill again 5 days ago. She went back to the clinic to ask about follow-up care but found it closed down. The family has been unable to afford another doctor, so she has been bedridden at home for the past 3 days.
The older male speaks, "We don't need any help from outsiders," but the boy, Senndi, tugs on Tara's arm towards the back. "Please don't listen to pa. Ma is very sick. She needs help. Please, you must help her!" He pleas as tears begin to form. Senndi's father sighs then nods, "Very well, you may see her." Maija lies resting in the apartment's larger bedroom, exhausted but lucid. Another adult female halfling tends to her nearby.
The boy is obviously very worried about his mother. It doesn't take much to convince him to let you help. He leads you to his family home. The halfling apartment complex is only a short distance from the Freemarkets. Inside jumpsuits and equipment belts hang from pegs, crowding the entryway. Farther in, the cluttered apartment is dimly lit. To the right of the entryway is a small kitchen, where an older male halfling is preparing food while assisting two adolescents doing schoolwork at the table. To the left of the entryway is a common area, full of worn but comfortable-looking furniture. A heavy, wracking cough echoes from deeper in the apartment. The coughing comes from the boy's mother, Maija, in the back room. DC 14 Culture: Augmentations are somewhat stigmatized in the halfling community; in their family-centered culture, an ill halfling should be tended to by friends and family. Seeking out serious medical interventions like augmentation forces the acknowledgement that family and some good poultry soup can't cure all ills, and most halflings flinch at that thought.
Thank you for being active. I'm trying to give everyone a chance to post especially on the weekend. Don't worry we'll finish, you just skipped a lot of roleplay in the investigation but nothing of consequence, and the end of the con is almost 2 months away. I would appreciate if everyone could post daily though even if you don't have much to contribute, if you post something I'm not left wondering if I should wait a little bit longer.
The child appears to be put at ease by Tara. He shakes his head, "I don't know where they are, but my ma received an augment here. It was supposed to make her better. It did for a few days, but now she is sick again. I'm really worried about her."
If there were any sources of magic present they have also been removed. As Tara climbs back out the window, a halfling child approaches. The boy nervously asks if she is looking for the owners.
There is no response to Kat5e's "knock" and no alarms. The inside of the clinic is divided into a reception area, an office, a small workshop, and an operating area. Searching the premises reveals that all computers and physical records have been removed. There are no traces of activity within the past week. DC 20 Medicine while examining the operating room: If a PC examining the operating room succeeds at a Medicine check (DC 20 in Subtier 3–4), she knows there is less equipment than would be expected for an augmentation clinic.
A search of the immediate area reveals little of interest and no magic auras. The clinic is bordered on one side by a temporarily vacant unit and on the other by an accountant's office closed for lunch. The locks on the shutters are of low quality, Kat5e is certain she could pick them given a minute. Such subtlety turns out to be unnecessary however as Meme steps up and snaps the latch holding the lock in place with ease. No one seems to notice the Starfinder's actions. You could probably still leave and return later if you wish.
"Oh! Mr Philt, one last thing do you happen to know why Renew-You closed?" "I'm afraid not, businesses come and go so quickly that it isn't usually noteworthy." Kat5e finds an RFID chip embedded in the badge but no listening devices or active sensors of any kind. Whether she considers an RFID chip a tracking device depends largely on how paranoid she is. If you head over to Renew-You you find that it is a modular unit that resembles a shipping container. Although it is clearly older than the surrounding structures, it looks clean and well maintained. Metal doors are rolled down over the entrance and windows, with a neat sign that reads "CLOSED INDEFINITELY" hanging over the previously posted business hours.
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