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Grump splashes some of the detritus away, enough that he can locate the source of the leaking chemicals, pointing them out to the team's engineer.
While he knows a little bit about computers (enough to be dangerous), he's also aware that most complex tasks are beyond him. Once again, he points toward the out-of-place external hard drive.
He also notes the control panel & the power cables leading down into the flooded hallway.
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Grump points out all the important things to see in the room, then Azzirm and Gunnz get to work. Azara …. stands around looking pretty.
The incoming tide begins flushing the gunk out of the water in this area revealing more details about the nature and purpose of this giant-sized space. Azzirm and Gunnz put their heads together and compare notes, deciding that this control panel operated a storm engine, which produced and controlled powerful storms used to protect Talgradur. Grump briefed you on what was known about these engines back on the ship.
You spend another 2 hours doing excavation work now that the water is clear and uncover 3 bulk of cultural relics from this chamber which go straight into Grump’s Santa sack.. In addition, you turn up a mk 2 diffraction cloak and a flash shield generator.
Your portable tide tables tell you that high tide will be in about another 1 to 2 hours.
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A sealed and locked blast door bars entrance to the ship’s power core. Its exterior reads In spite of the warning - in this case a literally giant sign - the team elects to explore that area first.
The small group of small Starfinders (relatively) examines the door trying to figure out how to unlock it. It seems to require a security code which you don’t have. However, you’re pretty sure you could bypass the security code with enough hacker expertise.
Unlocking the massive door is only the first step and pulling it open requires a significant physical effort - it is sized for giants after all.
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Grump shakes his head to answer Gunnz.
"Naw - you go ahead & take the cloak. I've got my thermal capacitor... Wait, no - I pulled that to install that infiltration unit. Why don't we give that a go before we head thru that Don't Go There portal."
He'll toggle to Ping! to start mapping this area.
Maybe it'll show an easier route past the barrier.
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Grump fires up the infiltration unit and sends out the mystical {ping}. The images he gets back don't penetrate the sealed Power Core door, of course, nor do they show another way to get in. What you can see of the decks and areas below where the team stand appear to be impassable and crushed beyond use. The area to the southeast is currently beyond the effective range of the ping. The sensor does reveal a room above the control area on the yet unexplored upper level that might be worth exploring and appears to contain something like shelves or beds - it's hard to estimate given the lack of clarity and the unusual scale of things sized for giants.
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"So.. that keypad. Doesn't look like a brute force attack is going to work against it, but maybe we can work it smarter... see how some of those keys are more worn... that will reduce the number of possibilities."
She grins as the panel blinks.
"Did I ever tell you about Duncan, the mathematician I dated for a while? He certainly knew my buttons.."
She gives the door a disgruntled shrug as she thinks about that particular ex.
"He was no easier to push away than this door. But with a bit of a hand..."
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Despite being labeled a Power Core, this chamber looks more akin to a laboratory or prison - or a combination of them straight from a horror holo-vid. Six glass spheres, each containing a giant emaciated corpse curled in the fetal position, line the chamber’s perimeter. Each sphere is filled with a glowing blue fluid and connected to numerous machines via tubes and cables. Steel stairs lead up to a further two levels of glass spheres, and down to a mangled wreck of steel, glass, and rock that was clearly destroyed in the crash. Signs of storm giant corpses amid this rubble indicates there were once additional spheres below.
Near the blast door lies another corpse, this one a smaller giant still dressed in laborer’s clothes.
As Azzirm leads the team into the room, two huge storm giants that appear to have risen from the dead rise to greet you with ill intent.
GUNNZ may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: none
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump
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Gunnz acts before anyone else in the room even realizes what’s going on. She sets the one in the tattered Red robes back on its heels even though she barely did any damage.
"Ugh, dead giants. How could things get worse?"
The dead giant with the Yellow hue to his skin appears to have been down here for a very long time, as it’s learned how to swim quite well. It launches itself off the floor and moves through the water with surprising grace. It moans piteously as it homes in on its target - the big guy wearing the powered armor!
Azzirm’s armor easily protects him from the giant’s overeager clumsiness.
The A-Men may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: none
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump
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Grump shakes his head, mostly at what appears to be the esoteric batteries, but at least partly at the undead giants as well.
Also curious whether or not these still have the Giant subtype, as that factors into the Dwarven Traditional Enemies ability.
"Dwarves still train to fight their ancient enemies. A dwarf gains a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against a creature with the goblinoid or orc subtype and a +4 racial bonus to AC against an attack from a creature with the giant subtype."
PS - looking over Grump's spells for underwater applications & limitations.
1) This late in the day I presume that he's somewhere in the midst of his 4th casting of See Invisibility.
2)Magic Missile & Mind Thrust probably won't be affected.
3) Burning Ash Cloud is very likely a non-starter.
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Azzirm pushes the door open...the door protesting on not being used for likely over a century or two. The manual releases did disengage, but still it was a tough go for the power armor and the operative.
Getting the door open, and seeing the fact that this room is also flooded...Azzirm goes in cautiously, and almost immediately sees the bones of a dead giant in front of him...along with the 2 undead looking huge giants that advance.
Having one punch at him, and miss, he moves forward, likely making him a target for both giants.
As he does step forward, his right hand goes to his belt, where a heavily modified singing disk (altered to click onto clips on 2 of his fingers) comes out...since he knows almost all of his other weapons are electrical and/or fire.
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Azara has a new respect for creatures that can swim as he makes his way through the water. It's like trying to walk through a time dialation.
He he can't get close enough to either giant to attack them with his melee weapons so he fires his pistol.
He's no scientist but he suspects that the fiery birth and life of a star aren't going to do him much good so he attunes himself to the darkness and weight of their death.
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Grump racks his brain but can’t come up with anything other than that the big things are indeed dead and not technically giants.
Azzirm trudges through the water and throws his disk at Red which hits only by virtue of Gunnz tricking it. The Yellow tinged one sees an opportunity to take another swing.
This time the giant hits, but once again, its eagerness is its undoing and it fails to grab the big man.
The one in the tattered Red robes sees Azara right in front of him and moans as if starving. Azara’s shot misses, but when it discharges an electrical blast, the giant moans even louder like a starving man seeing a buffet. It swings a huge desiccated fist at the lashunta.
Red has more luck snagging his prey and grabs Azara, holding him firmly.
BOLD may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: none
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump
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Grump fights his way through the water to get into Red’s face … er, … kneecap. Gunnz tries switching weapons, but the wet grip throws her aim off.
Azzirm’s foe seems upset that Red already caught a meal and lashes out twice trying to grab the big juicy morsel.
Neither desperate swings connect.
BOLD may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: Allies do not provide Cover.
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump
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Azzirm takes a small knock from the lucky punch "Ugh....that I actually felt..."...but realizes that they seem to want to grab him....wondering if that means that they will toss him into their mouth???
Knowing that is a possibility...he decides to try to slice the giant with the yellow stained robes....twice!
"Grump...any idea on these things...anybody? Besides obviously being Giant..and obviously undead....I mean I can literally see the back bone of this one through the chest cavity....So...yeah...Dead! Info please????"
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Azara doesn’t bother struggling against the enveloping hand of un-death, but also can’t seem to aim well as his ribs begin to get sore.
Azzirm wonders what more is in store with being held, manages to get one good cut in on the giant and calls out for something - anything! - they can use against them. Sadly, Grump can’t help much.
But what Grump can’t tell you about, Azara soon finds out the hard way as he feels himself being drained, almost like a battery. The giant moans in ecstasy rather than in hunger as the very electrical bonds between molecules in Azara’s body break down.
BOLD may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: Allies do not provide Cover.
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump
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Grump kneecaps the Red-robed giant just as it releases Azara. It seems the dwarf got its attention….
Gunnz looks pleased until she realizes that she did exactly nothing to the giant. It appears to be completely immune to electricity!
Red licks its lips at the prospect of draining another tiny battery and tries to grab Grump.
At least Grump’s electrostatic field tickled it for a little more damage
BOLD may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: Allies do not provide Cover.
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump
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Azara never realized just how powerful electricity was. The giant's jolt somehow damaged a broad swath of cells in his body and sapped his life force.
Azara wishes he could just make the undead giant go away. Then, with the dirge of stars moaning in his ears, he realizes he can.
He steps up and reaches out a hand to touch the giant.
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"So.....no idea on these things....except no electricity. If you think we should try to get out of here, we can try....but they have reach, and seem awful grabby..."
Thinking quickly weighing defense over offense, and decides that offense is the best defense.
And...with that....Azzirm attacks with his overcharged disk.
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Time stutters strangely in the presence of Azara’s fist-sized event horizon. Though he missed with his punch, and he’s certainly feeling the fatiguing effects of the giant, he’s ready to try again.
Gunnz and Grump discuss options for getting Gunnz some new gunnz, while Azzirm boosts his weapon but misses with the ensuing attack.
Yellow is still sad that Red keeps hogging all the snackies.
Only the second strike hits Azzirm, and it’s just enough to grab the big guy. Yeah! Snackies!
BOLD may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: Allies do not provide Cover.
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump
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This'll be interesting, if this works is what Grump mutters.
Being denied the use of his 2-handed weapon, he falls back on mystical measures.
"Angraad hear me - bring this tortured soul under my command."
He attempts to cast Command Undead on the former giant that restrains him.
If he completes the spell, it'll require a DC18 Will save on the part of the ex-giant.
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Fwiw, here's the text on those two fusions.
Holy: Any attacks with the fused weapon are good-aligned. Damage from the weapon bypasses DR/good and ignores the energy resistance of evil dragons, evil outsiders, and evil undead. "
Ghost Killer: Attacks from a weapon with this fusion deal full damage to incorporeal creatures. They also pass into the Ethereal Plane, allowing such attacks to affect ethereal creatures normally. Weapons with the ghost killer fusion can also score critical hits against incorporeal creatures. In addition, an incorporeal creature (though not an ethereal one) can pick up, move, or wield a ghost killer weapon.
Note that GK probably isn't all that useful vs these undead.
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Grump tries casting a spell, and the giant grasping him takes advantage of his focus. It slams the dwarf into the silty floor
And the spell is disrupted.
Gunnz makes the most of her new gunn, hitting Grump’s attacker and disorienting the giant.
Yellow finally gets to feast on the juicy electricity flowing through Azzirm’s body
As soon as it’s done, it releases Azzirm, though it certainly doesn’t look sated.
BOLD may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: Allies do not provide Cover.
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump
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Azzirm powers through by calling upon hidden reserves to overcome the giant’s weakening touch. As his swing misses, he aligns his armor to protect himself from getting grabbed again.
Azara tries once more to shunt the Red-robed giant out of time. He would have made contact this time, except for the effect of the lingering fatigue.
Red wants mooooorrrrre energy and proceeds to siphon what it can from Grump, dropping the star shaman to the ground in the process.
BOLD may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: Allies do not provide Cover.
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump
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Gunnz seems much happier now that she’s putting some tricksy hurtz on the giant, and Grump follows up by putting the pointy end of his sonic pick straight into its belly. It howls in pain, the sound echoing through the water-filled chamber eerily. It looks like it couldn’t take another of either of those attacks.
Yellow looks at its friend(?) and bellows in frustration. Its skin begins to glow, increasing in brightness until a flash of electricity bursts from its undead torso lashing out at most of the team.
BOLD may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: Allies do not provide Cover.
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump
|
|
Neither Azzirm nor Azara are able to dodge the flash of electrical power that courses through the fetid water.
Azzirm puts a nice sonic cut into Yellow, but Azara once again misses with his shunting paw even against the flat-footed giant.
Red looks at the three meals within its reach and chooses …
To try stealing Yellow’s dinner.
Maybe Yellow’s angry glare threw off its slams, but either way both attacks miss the big guy.
BOLD may act!
Map: Power Core Horror
Active Conditions: Allies do not provide Cover.
Environmental Conditions: Underwater Combat Discussion post
Gunnz
Yellow giant
Azara
Azzirm
Red giant
Grump