As requested, as soon as Talc began regaling everyone with more stories, f'Dirksi started to transmit soothing music to everyone else. Sounds of screaming babies, Deathsong eating chickens whole, and speeder bike accidents soon fill their heads.
f'Dirksi barely has time to look away when the dragon attacks. He quickly sends discordant thoughts to the fake guardian and draws his pistol. He follows up with a shot.
Surprise Mind Thrust:2d10 ⇒ (10, 10) = 20DC 13 Will for half. Spell Resist:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
R1 Subzero Hail Pistol:1d20 ⇒ 4 C&P Dmg:1d4 ⇒ 3
Surprise - Mind Thrust
R1: Draw and fire
Mind Thrust:
Descriptors: Mind-Affecting
Level 1st-level
School divination (mind-affecting)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range close (25 + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will half; Spell Resistance yes
Caster Level 1
Vs. SR 1
You divine the most vulnerable portion of your opponent’s mind and overload it with a glut of psychic information. The target can attempt a Will saving throw to halve the damage dealt by this spell. This spell has no effect on creatures without an Intelligence score.
1st: When you cast mind thrust as a 1st-level spell, it deals 2d10 damage to the target.
2nd: When you cast mind thrust as a 2nd-level spell, it deals 4d10 damage to the target.
3rd: When you cast mind thrust as a 3rd-level spell, it deals 7d10 damage to the target.
4th: When you cast mind thrust as a 4th-level spell, it deals 10d10 damage to the target and the target is fatigued for 1 round if it fails its saving throw.
5th: When you cast mind thrust as a 5th-level spell, it deals 15d10 damage to the target. The target is exhausted for 1 round if it fails its save and it is fatigued for 1 round if it succeeds at its saving throw.
6th: When you cast mind thrust as a 6th-level spell, it deals 17d10 damage to the target. The target is exhausted and stunned for 1 round if it fails its save, and it is fatigued for 1 round if it succeeds at its saving throw.
f'Dirksi moves into the room to get a closer look at the runes on the altar. He reaches out a hand(?) to touch one of the runes protecting against outside influences.
f'Dirksi moves to the force field and eyes the methane, <I can't remember if they said the repository was IN the core or nearby. Do you think we need to go in there to find the mausoleum? I wonder if that first rune needs to be disabled in order to let us in if so.>
Everyone hears a faint clacking sound in their heads but since it's unlikely anyone speaks Shirren, then can only guess that f'Dirksi is cursing all the physically capable party members.
For some reason f'Dirksi feels more at home in the methane. He quickly stabilizes himself and shoots through the tunnel, feet first and head up to see where they're going. He holds out his arms, <grab hold of me if you can>
f'Dirksi listens closely as the two largest members of the group ignore the others and take off into the storm. <The assist is appreciated Morsel Deathsong and Hairy Morsel> He actitates the environmental protection package on his armor focuses on the vibrations coming through the ground as he ventures out after them. Unfortunately, the wind is whipping so fast that he's barely able to detect anything through the ground and he quickly gets turned around. He's able to sense Dawnfriend briefly, but then loses touch.
Blindsense is the ability to use an imprecise nonvisual sense (or a combination of senses; see page 260) to operate effectively without vision. Blindsense operates out to a range specified in the creature’s description. A creature with blindsense typically perceives using a specific sense, which is indicated in parentheses after the blindsense entry in the creature’s statistics. If the indicated sense somehow becomes unusable-say, for example, if a creature that uses sound to perceive through its blindsense becomes deaf-the creature loses access entirely to its blindsense. The typical senses through which creatures with blindsense can perceive are emotion, life, scent, sound, thought, and vibration.
If you have the blindsense special ability and succeed at a Perception check to notice an unseen creature, you become aware of the creature’s location. Blindsense negates the bonuses to Stealth checks that an unseen creature would otherwise receive, but unseen creatures still have total concealment against the attacks of creatures with blindsense, and creatures with blindsense are still flat-footed against the attacks of unseen creatures. See Dealing with Unseen Creatures on page 261 for more information.
Communalism (1/day):
Description
Source: Shirren, granted option
Shirrens are used to working with others as part of a team. Once per day, as long as an ally is within 10 feet, a shirren can roll a single attack roll or skill check twice and take the higher result.
<It seems Talc has decided to set off a smoke grenade. We should leave. Grab the fragment and let's go. Can you close the door again, too?>
f'Dirksi glances at the control panel again, <And maybe some extra chaos.> He punches the fog machine and strobe light buttons and moves to the hallway, looking around for any emergency exit signs.
f'Dirksi pauses in the doorframe as Talc thinks super loudly in his direction. Between the flashes of Rei's undercarriage and the blossoming feelings threatening to overwhelm Talc, f'Dirksi is able to discern a question. <We're in the room now. A few moments more.>
He looks at 6ix and Dawnfriend and seems to roll his eyes before he moves into the room. HE takes a quick look around before seeing the painting askew and the control panel behind it. He peers over 6ix's shoulder trying to figure out what buttons to press.
f'Dirksi chitters as the others protest their assisted exit. He relays what's going on to 6ix and Dawnfrield and keeps an eye out while they work on the door.
f'Dirksi watches Talc and Sarankahn square off and blinks. He doesn't turn around but addresses the others,
Rei, Dawnfriend, 6ix:
<This was bound to happen. There's only so much space for egos that big. I'm sure the next tree days will be lovely. Dawnfriend, do you have any projects planned for us?
Verces looks fascinating. I've never met a Verthani. If I recall, Vanos is the second most wretched hive of scum and villainy - a perfect place for Bogdin's club. Rei and 6ix - you need to be careful since there's quite a market for sentient androids and they'll have no qualms about just grabbing you and bringing you to market.
When we to Verces, we'll need to get proper clothes. We don't want to get stopped a the door.>
f'Dirksi is ready to fall out of his chair when Talc yells for them to hold on. Then he does something unusual and smoothly navigates around to bring the enemy ship in range. f'Dirksi's teeth clack as he hammers the trigger, sending the laser straight into the back of the ship.
f'Dirksi's hands slap uselessly at the trigger and he watches the lasers shoot toward the asteroid on the port side. He reaches out to Dawnfriend, <cap, it seems I'm not that effective down here. anything else you'd rather I be doing?>
<Maybe if you were piloting instead of playing Triaxus Drift up there, we could get a clean shot off!> the visibly agitated Shirren practically yells to everyone.
f'Dirksi's seat spins as Talc does a jig with the ship, <careful up there Morsel!> He straightens out and confirms where the ship should be, pressing the red buttons when he's zeroed in. He clicks anxiously when he realizes he was focused on one of Dawnfriend's beads resting on the screen.
f'Dirksi braces himself as Talc power slides around an asteroid, thinking to everyone, <Let me know when the carnival ride is over and 6ix takes over!>
He's mildly surprised to see the enemy ship in front of them as they round the last rock outcropping. He fires the laser but it goes wide.
f'Dirksi mans the light laser aimed in the general direction of the pirates. He can feel the wrath coming off the vesk and reaches out to him briefly, <Morsel Deathsong, I will distract them with the laser while you unleash the coil gun.> He then opens up to everyone, <Pewing now!>
f'Dirksi enjoys the trip through the Drift, wearing with pride the macaroni necklace Dawnfrield helped make.
Something about Mr. Smiles reminded f'Dirksi of a pickpocket met years before in one of the less traveled halls of Absalom Station. <Mr. Smiles and crew appear to be followers of Lao Sui Po. They are probably pirates and not to be trusted.>
Mysticism:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17(reduce the DC of Culture and Mysticism checks to recall knowledge about hidden cults and secretive religions, including knowledge about their beliefs, hierarchy, and symbols by 5)
f'Dirksi chases after the others, drawing his pistol in case he gets close enough to do anything but shudder at the pool of viscera Morsel Deathsong is likely to make from Mini Morsel Deathsong.
