Ok so I've been running the Starfinder 2e playtest module, A Cosmic Birthday, over the past few months with some friends, and it's been a wild time. First, I'm going to introduce the characters and a brief overview of what they've done so far. Once that's done, I'm gonna be talking about a scenario that occurs in the second chapter of the adventure that we just played through tonight.
Let's start with the general straight man of the group, Nova-5. Nova is an Android Solarian who uses their ability to harness the energy of space in combat. They like to collect trinkets, and they're slightly awkward in social interactions. Played and drawn by @winter-wolf-35
Next is Jinx, a short Pahtra Envoy who often serves as the face of the party. His go-to social tactic is to start crying and make everyone around him feel guilty. This works quite well. Played and drawn by @poolwaterbrine
Finally there's Xylophosphorialiquilitarxianiope, also known as Lindsey. Lindsey is a Barathu Witchwarper whose magical abilities seem to spawn from their delusions of grandeur. They're very slimy and VERY eager to tell anyone who will listen all about a cult they're trying to establish. Played and drawn by @rhoshilio
With introductions out of the way, let's get caught up on events so far. The party all found themselves on Absalom Station, the jewel of the Pact Worlds. In need of work, they found an odd job that led to some strange experiences when their elevator let them off in the Ghost Levels, a strange parallel dimension to the lower levels of the station filled with occult occurrences and all sorts of strange magic. They manage to fight their way through to a working elevator that let them escape, but now they're stuck in an unfamiliar part of the station until further notice. While they're here, they've been helping people around the neighborhood, and they've met a lot of new people! Last session, one such individual let them in on an idea for a bank heist, a way to get money back in the hands of those who had been wronged by the company running the bank. While the bank is usually very secure, security has been relocated elsewhere on the station due to a recent power surge that threw the whole station into lockdown. Eager to stick it to the man, the party decided to run over to the bank and scout things out...
The three walked into the lobby, looking around for security cameras to try and find any gaps that could be used to their advantage. While Nova sat down to read some brochures and continue scouting out security, Jinx and Lindsey got in line to talk to the lone teller at the desk. After waiting a few moments for an old lady to finish her business, they met Gavin, an overworked and forgetful young man. He explained a few things about the different accounts available and assured them that while he couldn't discuss specifics, the bank was quite capable of protecting any deposits they might choose to make. After some friendly back and forth, the party left to rest for the night and prepare for the heist to come.
After reviewing what they had learned, the group decided that the best way forward would likely be to don some disguises and try to get into the Employees Only area without being noticed. Considering that the bank branch was running on a skeleton crew, they decided to pretend that they were I.T. workers sent to check some of the bank's systems after the power surge to verify that everything was working properly. With this plan in mind, they went to purchase new outfits that would sell their fake identities.
With their masterful disguises procured, the three returned to the bank to take their shot at the loot within. As soon as they walked in, they were met with a problem. Gavan was working again. They were disguised, but they had made a bit of an impression the previous night. Fortunately, through the combined power of looking official enough and Gavan being distracted by a very long line of customers, they were able to walk right in. With one hurdle out of the way, they had to find their way to the vault. The crew began opening doors, seeing what they could find. They were lucky enough to find poor Gavan's security badge in the employee lounge. It seems he forgot it after his last break. Their luck soon ran out, however, when they stumbled into an office occupied by the other staff member on the clock, Katara. She, unlike Gavan, was skeptical of the group. Through the power of lying, Nova and Lindsey managed to convince her of their false identities. She agreed to lower the automated security systems while they went down to the vaults. Unfortunately, now that she was aware of their presence, she would be watching them on the security cameras.
The group walked down to the basement, past the automated turrets and laser web that would have caused trouble had they snuck their way down. Now they just had to figure out how to break into a safe while being watched. Lindsey proposed that they use their magical abilities to aid the process. As a witchwarper, Lindsey is able to manipulate the space around them, distorting their surroundings and providing cover for those within the distortion. This might give them the cover they need, but they'd have to pass it off as nothing. As Nova got to work disabling the mechanical lock, Lindsey proposed a way to distract Katara and provide an escape route for the safe crackers.
Two days prior, the crew visited a diner where Lindsey acquired a pancake that they chose to store in their slime. Lindsey suggested that, if Jinx were to ingest it, he could fake a medical emergency in the lobby to draw Katara away from the cameras. Jinx agreed to partake, choking it down before making his way back upstairs.
Upon his return, Katara asked what was wrong with the cameras, as she had noticed some strange distortions while watching them work. Continuing his cover as "teenager who doesn't want to be here", Jinx managed to brush off her questions while holding in the oncoming storm that had begun to churn within his belly. He could only do so for so long, however. As soon as he reached the lobby, he realized he had to make a choice: where to aim.
At this point, I should probably provide a trigger warning for emetophobia. This is unpleasant, and if you don't want to read about it, just skip ahead to the next paragraph. In a split second, Jinx decided to aim at a child in line. Upon rolling a natural 20 on the ranged attack roll to hit this child, the entire table erupted in laughter as we realized what was about to happen. Imagine, if you will, that you're a bored elementary schooler whose dad has brought you along to run some errands. You're growing bored as you wait in line, and suddenly someone not much taller than yourself busts through a nearby door. You only have about a second to react as they lock eyes with you before projectile vomiting in your direction. You open your mouth to scream in horror, only to realize that you should have kept it closed. The vomit blasts you in the face, muffling your screams and filling your open mouth. You can't help but vomit in return. An old woman in line behind you walks over to try and help you, only to slip and fall in the puddle of sick that surrounds you.
These are the events that Nova and Lindsey overheard on the phone as they chugged away at the locks before them. After a few moments, and despite a few missteps on Lindsey's part, the two were able to disable the mechanical lock. They were then able to swipe Gavan's security card to disable the second, computerized lock. They quickly packed up all of the loot they could fit in the duffel bag they had brought with them before making their way upstairs.
Luckily, Katara had been drawn away from her post, and she and Gavan had begun cleaning up the huge mess as customers poured out of the building. The party reunited, quickly making their escape before their crime was noticed.
I think the real lesson to be learned from all of this is that the best way to get away with an unofficial withdrawal is to make a large deposit of your own.
annaxmalina
jacobvanloon
janainaart
stormborns
germansingergirl
