Chapter 4: Dark Side of the Moon

[greyarea]

Emile approaches the door and spreads his hands. It feels like weeks since I’ve been to the bathroom, he calls out to the door. Can I just go and wash up a bit?

He tries keeping standing straight and acting calm through the pain from the energy curtain.

Emile Cha+Talk [2d6r2+2]=9+2=11

Wow. That hurt! I guess walking through protective energy barriers might not be advisable.

[Marullus]

Where are our weapons being held?

In #1 on the map. The guns are in the triangle on the northwest corner (the lockers). The squares on the northeast and southeast corners are the two elevators (but their doors open inward, not outward). The larger space on the southwest corner is an office.

Wow. That hurt! I guess walking through protective energy barriers might not be advisable.

Hey, you only took half damage!

[cybersavant]

Báleygr Gangleri looks up and around, noting the actions of the residents. Nora, where's Oliver? If it is Mile, then our plan starts now - let's casually move toward the welcome center."

[Marullus]

*Bump*
Taavi?

[jemmus]

Taavi saves his psychic energy for what may be a few hours for frenetic, unpredictable action. He quietly says to those around the table, That alarm is likely cause by one of us. If you have an idea for acting, I think now is the time to do it. Objectives: Free Emile, use the portal out of here. Secondary objective: Retrieve our weapons. He stands and gets the attention of any marshal in the diner who isn't at the table.

[Marullus]

Ambiance: Too Good Too Bad

In the Diner

Shadrach mutters. "Doubt this is a coincidence. Gotta be Emile... Grim, lov. Find Emile and protect him." The church-hound slides out of the shadow beneath the table and lopes toward the door in a disturbing motion.

Taavi says quietly to those around the table, "That alarm is likely cause by one of us. If you have an idea for acting, I think now is the time to do it. Objectives: Free Emile, use the portal out of here. Secondary objective: Retrieve our weapons."

"Nora, where's Oliver?" asks Báleygr as he pauses to observe the locals. The waitress furrows her brow and she taps at the terminal's screen. Two other tables, each with three people, talk to each other in alarm but make no move to rise. Dantès, sitting alone and eating his crepes, pushes his plate aside and rises, looking to you all with conviction on his face.

Nora, a look of horror and alarm coming over her at Báleygr's words, leaps up and runs out the door, turning left and running towards the guest arm. Shadrach, also swift to action, swings his legs over the bench and sprints out the door and to the right, toward the Welcome Hub and then left to Security. The locals react as they see two Guests sprinting away, their confusion abating. One pulls a small communicator from his pocket and speaks into it.

Báleygr Gangleri replies, "If it is Emile, then our plan starts now - let's casually move toward the welcome center." Taavi signals Dantès, joining Báleygr in looking casual as they also turn right and head towards the Welcome Hub.


In the Security Station

Hansel's successful Notice check detects where the gun locker is. His "sucker punch" will be a melee execution attack with the intention of non-lethal damage. I'll have him roll CHA+Stab (I would say Stealth, but he's got Stab from Close Combat focus, which seems to apply well here) to set it up convincingly (dc 6 with the distractions) and then the attack hits automatically but the guard gets a Physical Save against being knocked out.
Hansel setting up the sucker punch [2d6+1]=8+1=9
Guard physical save [1d20]=8
The guard is knocked out and the stun rod taken by Hansel.

Grim Attack [1d20+3]=1+3=4 [1d10]=5

Hansel looks around, clearly startled and jumps back from the table against the wall. In a very loud voice, "What is it? What's going on?! Are we losing atmosphere?!!? What should I do?! How can I help?" His mind is working furiously, keen to the details. The guards don't check in with anyone and seem less prepared for this eventuality than Hans would have expected. It takes them a moment to also discern the reason for the alarm, in which time Hansel notices the concealed slide-drawer on the side behind the poker table, an amber indicator light now appearing to identify it with the alarm sounding - the illuminated Mandate-symbols identifying it as the weapons locker.

Emile approaches the door and spreads his hands. "It feels like weeks since I’ve been to the bathroom", he calls out to the door. "Can I just go and wash up a bit?"
"How did he get out?" exclaims one guard, their attention now all turning to the doors. The front guard places his hand on the palm-print scanner and the door slides open, allowing him into the space between the two doors. "Get back! Hands up! I mean, keep them up!" barks the second one, holding his electrified nightstick up as they yell at the second sealed door, the guards and Emile all watching each other through the reinforced glass window in the door. With only enough room for two between the doors, the front guard places his hand on the panel, causing the door to seal between the second and third guards and the door to Emile then open...

Hansel picked up the object off the table with the most heft and concealed it as he stepped up behind the rear guard with a concerned look. As the door closes, leaving the two of them alone on this side, he catches his card-playing friend by surprise with a blow to the back of the head! The guard crumples to the floor, Hansel grabbing his stun-rod.

Emile, appealing for the washroom, steps back obediently to show his respect for the guards, successfully convincing them of his inoffensiveness enough that they opened the door. As the front guard steps through, the shadows roil, fluxuating with the flashing red lights already, and Grim leaps from seemingly nowhere into the hallway and lunges at him. "Augh!" yells the guard, stumbling backwards and evading the shadowhound, but bumping into the second guard and blocking his entrance in their confusion.

The Hallway, just left of the Welcome Center

Taavi, Báleygr, and Dantès round the bend just in time to see Shadrach dissappear, stepping through the solid wall at the corner of the next intersection. "Merde... whispers Dantès, "You all have some tricks."

Three locals with security guard insignia, electrified stun-rods in hand, round the far corner from the right around the Welcome Hub, originally heading to the left archway that leads to Medical and Security, but they stop upon seeing you. "Hey! Stop, what are you doing? Turn back the other way, to your rooms. Now!"

...

viewtopic.php?p=652004#p652004
Shadrach Evasion save (12) [1d20]=2
Shadrach Damage [1d6]=2
Shadrach HP: 13 / 15
+1 System Strain

Please figure out (via Readied Encumberance) what you grab-up to take out of there.

Shadrach dematerializes, stepping into the realm of Hell and feeling the heat of it around himself. He passes through the wall and into the locker-spaces within. He quickly identifies the slot containing your own items and squeezing himself as small as he can, rematerializes. There's a loud creak as the sheet metal between lockers bends abruptly, the space not quite enough for him (-2hp). He hears the whirring of the armed drone, still connected to Báleygr's controller. Feeling around in the dark, he begins to identify their gear - Taavi's rifle, his laser pistol, Hansel's harmony armor, combat rifle, and pistol, Nora's shotgun, Shadrach's combat rifle and spike thrower, Báleygr's laser pistol...

I'm assuming those of you that had knives and kept them are carrying them. You also have whatever of your other gear you brought with you to breakfast, the rest stored in your quarters at the end of the Guest Services arm of Deck B.

Next Actions!

[redwarrior]

Hansel sets to work on the security gun locker, looking for its opening mechanism, be it key card, retina, palm, etc. - luckily he has a guard handy if it's biometric! Once identified, he will attempt to open it, feeling that his friends will need weapons sooner rather than later. It appears that the guards are being kept busy with Emile and Grim for the moment.

Not sure what to roll, so I rolled this.
Notice [3d6c1+2]=11+2=13
Fix [2d6+2]=3+2=5

[Enoch]

Shadrach is only carrying 3 / 15 encumbrance readied at present:

• 81 rounds ammo (2 enc)
• combat knife (1 enc)

After grabbing the spike thrower and combat rifle, he's at 7 /15 enc. Unless their total encumbrance is 9+...

Shadrach grabs up everybody's weapons and phases back through the wall, in the direction of the security station. He thinks as hard as he can: Got the weapons. Let everybody know I'm headed for Security.

If he sees anybody that looks like security, he opens fire with the spike thrower on burst:
Spike-thrower: [1d20+4]=17+4=21, damage [1d12+4]=9+4=13
EDIT: I should probably throw an initiative roll in here, too. Initiative: [1d8+1]=8+1=9

[Marullus]

Stowed is your full STR and not applicable to this moment. Readied is 1/2 STR, so you can grab up 7 enc of stuff total to phase out with.

[Enoch]

Gah, that's right. He'll drop his knife and ammo before he phases into the locker. He can grab 3 enc worth of items then. Emile still has his Sun Shooter, right?

[jemmus]

Taavi's eyes go unfocused and into a 1,000-yard gaze. He says to the three approaching guards, There is nothing to see here. No visitors are present here.

That costs 3 Effort for three guards, correct? Do I need to roll three times? If so, GM, please feel free to roll for me if you'd like to move things along.

Suppress Cognition (Level-2)
Through intense focus, the telepath can make the target of a Telepathic Contact simply not think about something, whether that’s the presence of the telepath, the possibility of committing violence, the absence of important documentation, or any other single potential action or one specific person. This technique requires the psychic to Commit Effort for the scene as a Main Action. The target gets a Mental saving throw to resist this power and become immune to it for the scene. If failed, the thought remains unthinkable for the rest of the scene unless the target perceives physical danger or a traumatic threat to something they prize highly. In that case, the block instantly dissolves and cannot be re-established during the scene. Once the effect ends, the target will remain oblivious to their temporary fugue unless it is brought to their attention somehow.

[greyarea]

Emile swings

Emile Punch/Unarmed [1d20+1]=15+1=16 Damage [1d2+2]=1+2=3 No Shock

[Marullus]

. Emile still has his Sun Shooter, right?

The Sunshooters are not in the locker with you.

[Enoch]

Shadrach grabs the following:

• The spike-thrower, whose sling he throws over his shoulder;
• His assault rifle;
• Hansel's rifle;
• Taavi's pistol

As he phases out, Shadrach looks for comrades to distribute the weaponry to.

[cybersavant]

Three locals with security guard insignia, electrified stun-rods in hand, round the far corner from the right around the Welcome Hub, originally heading to the left archway that leads to Medical and Security, but they stop upon seeing you. "Hey! Stop, what are you doing? Turn back the other way, to your rooms. Now!"

does Báleygr Gangleri sense/ see through the armed drone? If so, move it to the door and shoot the panel / lock.

"What's going on? Is something wrong? Are we safe?" He acts shocked by the alarm, but tries to locate the local with the communicator.

[Marullus]

OOC:

That costs 3 Effort for three guards, correct? Do I need to roll three times? If so, GM, please feel free to roll for me if you'd like to move things along.

Technically: The power states it applies to the target of your Telepathic Contact. So, you need to establish contact first (spending 1 effort for the day) then you can use the Supress Cognition through the link (a 2nd effort for the scene). It also says the thing you're masking has to be a single person, not the group of the three of you.

That said, a simple "these are not the droids you're looking for" is an awesome move for a powerful telepath. I'll allow it under the Rule of Cool, as this application is broader but also more limited in scope. So, spending 3 effort, making one Supressed Thought for the 3 of them.

Also of note, the thinking on Telepathic mind control seems to have shifted significantly between SWN:R and Codex of the Black Sun - The following ability is available to Emile (who is actually the party Jedi) with far less investment than what you've already put into telepathy -- I'll allow you to buy it as a Level 2 Telepathy power or swap Supress Cognition for it. (Supress Cognition requires telepathy, can be done silent and undetected, and prevents a thought. This one is verbal and aloud, limited in distance, and compels a thought. If you keep Supress Cognition, I'll probably waive the pre-requisite of paying to establish contact.)

Insinuating Will: You may Commit Sunblade Effort for the day as a Main Action to make a verbal suggestion to a single listener within 10 meters, whether or not they understand your words. The target gets a Mental save to resist; on a failure, they will believe what you have stated or carry out the request you made, unless it would expose them to physical danger or inflict deep emotional anguish. Targets who save against this ability are immune to it for a scene. Compliance or clearly incorrect belief never lasts more than one scene.

Not sure what to roll, so I rolled this.

Picking/overcoming locks is actual a Sneak roll. The fact that you can drag the guy over to the scanner means it takes an action or two but doesn't need a roll.

does Báleygr Gangleri sense/ see through the armed drone? If so, move it to the door and shoot the panel / lock.

"What's going on? Is something wrong? Are we safe?" He acts shocked by the alarm, but tries to locate the local with the communicator.

I moved you out of the Diner with Taavi and Dantes, so I'm taking the first one as your action. I'm confused by the second action - you all saw the local talking into the communicator before you left the diner, so you know right where he is/was.

Also, as your eyesight works, I didn't assume you had your surveillance drone hovering over your breakfast table. Let me know if you use an action to launch it from your pack.

In the Security Station

Grim Attack [1d20+3]=3+3=6 [1d10]=2
Guards with stun rods [1d20+4]=19+4=23[1d6+2]=2+2=4[1d20+4]=19+4=23[1d6+2]=5+2=7

The two guards recoil into the space between the doors for a moment as the hellhound's appearance surprises them. Grim lunges at them again, but this time they're prepared. They both jab into his shadowy mass with their electric batons and the spectral hound arcs with electricity for a moment before disolving into black shreds that drift to the floor as they dissipate.

"That's enough out of you," one guard says to Emile, both their eyes narrowing now as they focus on his imminent subdual.

As the first guard steps towards him, however, Emile swings and connects solidly with the man's jaw (-3), showing he's not going down easy.
...
Hansel drags the unconscious guard over to the small round ocular scanner next to the drawer, hefting the body up to line it's head up appropriately. The drawer beeps and pops open - inside are three sleak black Anodyne Corporaton laser rifles and a row (6) of type A magazine batteries. In a separate storage bin on the righthand side, Hansel sees Emile's pistol belt and its two large-bore Sunshooters within...

The Hallway, just left of the Welcome Center

Shadrach takes a second System Strain.

"Hey! Stop, what are you doing? Turn back the other way, to your rooms. Now!" the guards shout.

"What's going on? Is something wrong? Are we safe?" replies Báleygr, an act of shock and alarm.

"There is nothing to see here. No visitors are present here." Taavi's voice is calm and declaritive and sends chills down your spine. The the three guards appear to forget you. Though they're still looking your direction, its as if they don't see you any longer.

At that moment, Shadrach steps out of the wall itself, an insubstantial ghostly figure that then solidifies. He's slung with several longarms as well as Taavi's pistol. He tenses, swinging around his combat rifle, before noting the guards don't appear to see him either.

There's then the sound of grinding metal within the Welcome Center, followed by one, then two gunshots. Balygyr divides his attention, working to get his armed drone to blast its way out of the locker.

"There! They're in the Welcome Center!" yells one of the guards into his wrist comlink and they sprint right past you to the sealed bulkhead doors around the Welcome Center, using a palm print to make the door slide open and the lights turn on inside. "Shots fired! Shots fired! Code Zed!" All three of them simultaneously pull laser pistols from the back of their belts as they move to storm the empty room ahead of them...

[greyarea]

Very cool. Thanks for the reminder.

Emile insinuates his will on the second guard (the one he didn’t punch), making eyes contact and saying, I could use a hand over here, I need to get out of this place.

[Marullus]

Very cool. Thanks for the reminder.

Emile insinuates his will on the second guard (the one he didn’t punch), making eyes contact and saying, I could use a hand over here, I need to get out of this place.

Sorry, didn't mean to confuse - the ability is availableto your class but not one you picked. You will have a pick to spend on it when you next level up (to level 4). FYI your sheet is still level 2 - you need to updateit to level 3.

[greyarea]

Well so much for that.

Emile swings again.

Emile Punch/Unarmed [1d20+1]=5+1=6 Damage [1d2+2]=2+2=4 No Shock

I’ll update my character sheet this evening when I’m at a computer rather than just my phone.

[Enoch]

Shadrach's eyes narrow as he notices the charging guards, but remains motionless for a moment as he sees no aggression toward him or his companions. "Taavi, Bal," he says, his voice low but urgent. "Here, I've got weapons." He unslings his combat rifle and holds it out toward Balegyr and pulls Taavi's pistol from his belt.

"Báleygr, could you hack those door panels? If we can trap those guards in there, that's two less men we'll have to kill."