[SF] Attack of the Swarm! (Inactive)

Game Master artjuice

“We’re cut off from central command, and reinforcements aren’t coming, so the Fifth Battalion is on its own now. I’m not one for speeches, but it’s time that we check weapons and pray to whatever gods still hold us in their good graces, because this right here - this is the end of the world. The only way that we see another day is if we square up, shoulder to shoulder, and we look the Swarm out there in its bug eyes and in one voice shout, “This is not the day that we die!” Anyone who stands with me on the front line and stares death in the face, I promise you, the rest of your life will be bathed in the glory the likes of which this world has never seen before. So, who’s with me?”

Six months. It’s been six months since the Battle at Stone Sea. Six months since the Swarm touched down on Suskillon and began their consumption of the planet. The Fifth Battalion was closest to the site of contact, and although they were able to hold the Swarm back long enough for other troops to mobilize, they lost many in the fight.

The battle has continued since then, with many lost to both the Swarm and the extreme cold that came with one of Suskillon’s Dead Winters. With the ranks dwindling, the Suskillon Defense Force is recruiting anyone willing to take up arms and face the insects, hoping that when the next battle comes, they’ll have the numbers to turn the tide.

I am looking for a group of 4 - 5 players to take through the Attack of the Swarm Adventure Path. I’ve GMed a few games offline, but this will be my first time running a PbP game, so I’ll be learning as I go. I would like for everyone to post at least once per day, although I understand that people (including me) can get busy. This AP is quite combat-heavy, but there should be plenty of time for RPing as well, and I’m more than willing to step back a bit if RP between the players takes over for a bit.

If you’re interested, I’d like the following information:

Interested. I’ll have a character made up today. I am also willing to make one to fit the party if need be.

I'm really interested in this one. I'm building a human with the Career Trooper theme. I'd love to go Vanguard if you're open to that class, considering the Ops guide is so close. But barring that, I'm not sure if I want to go Envoy, Solarian, or Soldier. Depends on what everyone else wants to do.

Ideally, I'd have a native Suskillon that wanted to be done with the military when the swarm hit. Now, he can't foresee leaving anytime soon. He's needed, tired...but needed.

Name: Berith “Leech” Dantalion
Race: Tiefling
Class: Biohacker (Enzymologist)
Theme: Battle Medic

Backstory: Berith enlisted in the SDF to escape the small, insular farming community on Suskillon where his fiendish characteristics made him feel like an outsider at best. In the SDF, all those hours spent escaping into scientific materials as a youth made him a natural fit for a medic. However, his sometimes unorthodox methodologies and experiments occasionally got him into trouble with his commanding officers or, at least, made other soldiers uncomfortable. It was during these early years of service that he gained the nickname Leech. When the need to replenish the Fifth Battalion arose, Berith was informed that he was being transferred.

Personality: While Berith has a genuine desire to heal and assist his fellow soldiers, he’s not afraid to experiment and push the limits of science and technology in pursuit of that goal. This has sometimes resulted in some negative consequences, both for himself and his patients. Nonetheless, he accepts these results as part of the overall goal of serving the SDF. He doesn’t have much of a bedside manner and can be impatient with questions from those he is treating. While any discomfort other soldiers felt around him were more due to his demeanor and “mad scientist” reputation than due to his appearance, it nonetheless reminded him of how he felt in his hometown. As a result, he’s put up some walls to protect himself emotionally even though deep within he retains a desire for friendship and acceptance. He’s embraced his nickname and often introduces himself simply as Leech.

Starship Role: Science Officer (or Engineer)

Doctor Mono, I'm happy for people to use the upcoming classes. Obviously a few things might have to be redone if there are differences between the playtest and the released versions of the class, but I don't imagine we'll have gotten too far into the AP before that happens - if we've even started!

dotting in here.

I have a question: How open are you to me creating a conversion of the Kineticist? I want to play a telekinetic character, and I can't find an option that would allow me to do so.

Sorry, but I'd prefer it if you kept to the Starfinder classes. I think Technomancer's get access to a few Telekinetic spells though?

They do, but telekinesis is a 5th level spell (for some reason I haven't been able to fathom yet), and there's no good way to have decent AC without wearing armor yet.

I'll take a look and figure out something else. Thank you for the quick answer!

Question: What is the Fifth Battallion? For me to give my character a reason to join it, I need to know about it first. And is there a first through fourth Battallion? Your first paragraph tells us so little about the Battallion

There’s a link to the AP player’s guide under “Preferred role in starship combat.”

DoubleGold, there should be more information at the link in the first post. I should have made it more obvious though, so here's the link again.

A Brief Player's Guide

The Fifth Battalion is a division of the Suskillon Defense Force, and was the first troop to respond to the Swarm's attack, leading to them suffering the most casualties and needing to rebuild with new recruits. They're recruiting anyone who can hold a weapon, hoping that they can eventually drive the Swarm back.

Hopefully that helps, but feel free to ask more questions!

Dotting for interest - thinking Shirren Soldier (Armoured Storm Fighting Style ultimately w/ Bombard 2nd Fighting Style) - drawing inspiration from the Prawn Exo-Suit in District 9.

Name: Gil Tel'kk Varr
Race: Shirren
Class: Soldier (Armoured Storm)
Theme: Ace Pilot
Starship Role: Pilot

I'll work up a build and background o'er the next day or so for your critique and consideration...

So, thinking about how I'd like to build, I'm going to go operative first. I can follow up with Vanguard at level 2 and make better use of the vanguard weapon's operative tag. Plus that gives me time for the ops guide to release.

Name: Ryder Davan
Race: Human
Theme: Career Trooper
Class: Operative (daredevil)
Starship Role: with positive modifiers in Attacks, Engineering, Piloting, and Social skills, Ryder can fit pretty much any role except Science Officer. Unless we get an envoy, he might be best used as Captain.

Background: The day he was of age, Ryder volunteered for the SDF. He'd planned to do his tour, save some credits, and build for the future. He built the kind of friendships that could last lifetimes, and built the well-rounded skillset expected of today's SDF soldiers. Like many Suskillon's born in the larger megaplexes, Ryder dreamed of leveraging his military work to one day help elect him to office- perhaps as a mayor or governor, or even a role in Brinnoa. He'd even accepted the odd promotion to help pad his file when the Swarm came. Prior to the Swarm, Sgt. Dravan had bounced between roles- from burner roles in atmo and space, to foot slogging with other dusters. Eventually, he was posted to the 82nd, an elite unit used to scouting far ahead of the SDF lines. In the days leading up to the Battle of Stone Sea, the 82nd was among the worst casualties. In the end, Ryder Dravan figured out fairly quickly that his tour had just begun.

Psychological Assessment: Sgt. Ryder Dravan has a bit of a reputation. As a pilot, he'd been known to take risks, and like the best in Suskillon's skies, leverage those risks to great successes. It's not to say this has made him reckless, just prone to take chances. But in the wake of the Swarm's invasion, something different has taken hold. Dravan's tour was up months ago, and he'd been winding down to a civilian life. But too many of those he'd help train and mold had died. Too many lives were lost. When the 82nd Forced Recon was decimated in the push to Stone Sea, Dravan found he was among the few from the 82nd left whole. But without the brothers he'd lost to the Swarm, Dravan is far from whole himself. -Lt. Ch'trselkit

Appearance: Ryder Dravan is nothing spectacular to look at. He's tallish with mousy brown hair that is perpetually tousled and fair skin that seems like he's had too much sun. Depending on the attention he pays to his hygiene, he varies from regulation beard to merely unshaven. His eyes seem tired, but not haunted, and his smile never seems to reach them.

Specialist Bandizyr Rogar is a Half-Orc Space Pirate Mechanic with a Stealth drone named Penumbra-4. Like many of his kind, he's a little younger than he looks with skin more on the grey-ish end of the grey-green spectrum. Penumbra 4 is a small quadruped shaped like a large cat. On a Starship, Badizyr is good anywhere but the Captain's Chair.

Of all the places to get stranded, it had to be on this doomed planet during an invasion by the Swarm! The! Swarm! Those damn bugs attacked my ship and it is beyond repair. It wasn't much but that little box was my home! I couldn't even save Penumbra-3. So, I ... 'acquired' enough UPBs to create Penumbra-4.

Contemplating my situation, I've come to one conclusion: the only way out is to fight the Swarm. I'm no fool, even if I could get a ship, there's no running from this. The bugs need to be fought and this 5th Battalion could use my know-how and Penumbra-4's stealthiness.

Here is my submission:

Taking into account the great submissions above I've done some tweaking rethinking on my Soldier.

Name▸ Brundus Kadesh
Race▸ Lashunta
Theme▸ Mercenary
Class▸ Soldier (Shock & Awe)
Starship Role▸ Gunner

Background▸ Hailing from the Pact World of Castovel originally, Brundus hired on locally as facility security (muscle) for the mining mega corp Astral Extractions. His role generally required guarding the base and their equipment, or "dissuading" any Xeno-Warden protestors from interfering in the Corpsicum sluicing operations.

It was this latter, more “hands-on” assignments that were a natural fit the the hulking korasha. Brundus relished the work, and soon caught the eye of a superior within AE who saw a potential application off-world.

News had reached the Corp that with rumoured Swarm incursions on Suskillon, their local mining interests were under threat. Mercenaries were dispatched to provide local support and close protection to AE’s assets and personnel. Seeing it as an opportunity to see some real action against “bugs” like Castovel’s indigenous ( formians, Brundus readily hired on and travelled to Suskillon.

Within months the threat level had escalated to the point where AE pulled their interests from the war-torn world and the contract was nulled. Keen to see more action, and without the shackles of corporate politics or moral agendas to keep him in check, Brundus sighed up with the SDF and asked the put him to work...

Psychological Assessment▸ The Lashunta cultural emphasis on self-improvement, honour, and communal defence is evident in his psyche, yet like his homeward the subject exhibits wild tendencies where his discipline can be found wanting.

He is overly reliant on a brute force solution to most obstacles, but when strongly pushed/directed can provide alternative (and appropriate) approaches.

When engaged in direct combat the subject is heavy-handed and exhibits an appetite for ruthlessness, something that may need to be monitored.

SDF Medical Officer Recommendation▸ Fit for frontline service and forlorn hope missions.

Digital Scan Capture of Brundus

Dotting for interest, will make a character once I have proper SRD access at home (ie, not at work). Expect a Witchwarper, most likely...

I'm considering putting something together but wanted to double check on when recruitment ends. Is it at noon or the end of the day GMT on the 25th?

End of the day GMT. Sorry about that! I forgot the PM.

Psychological Profile: Bandizyr Rogar

Clinician: Daen Thrune

Specialist Rogar admits to an extra-legal past and displays what can only be described as"moral fluidity". While he claims to be committed to liberating Suskillion from the Swarm, he is clearly motivated by revenge for the destruction of his ship and fear for his own life if the Swarm were to prevail.

Cognitive assessment:
Analytical and mnemonic capacity is high. Creativity is above average and displayed the design and construction of [url+https://paizo.com/people/Penumbra4]a feline shaped robot[/url] he claims is a 'pet’. I do not belive that Specialist Rogar possesses sound judgement and is less than inspiring or charismatic.

Ability to work with others:
Although he has lived alone on a small vessel for several months, he seems to enjoy collaboration. Scores evenly on the Introvert/Extrovert scale.His attachment to the “pet” robot seems strong on the surface but given that this is the 4th in a series of said pets, one wonders if that is truly the case.

Conclusion:
Bandizyr Rogar is a technically-minded, adaptable personality who can be trusted to act in his own self- interest. Commanding officers would do well to leverage said self- interest to ensure compliance. Rogar himself, however is not suited to command positions and should be allowed to focus on his areas of expertise (engineering and intelligence).

End of the day GMT. Sorry about that! I forgot the PM.

That's what I figured but wanted to make sure.

I'm thinking about putting together an envoy. I've been reading about dipping a level in soldier to get weapon and armor proficiencies that would normally take multiple feats which I'm considering. There seems to be an issue with the feat at character lvl 3 as I'd want to take Versatile Specialization but couldn't until I received Weapon Specialization at Envoy 3 the following level. Can you delay taking a feat at a level?

I suppose an alternative would be to take Soldier at level 4, but then would be limited to small arms for the first 3 levels. How do you feel about retraining? If I took Longarm Proficiency and Specialization (if human) at level 1 to have some additional usefulness in combat, I could then retrain those at level 4 if I dip into Soldier. It would come across as a natural progression into more powerful weapons.

AGamer70, I've been reading about similar things myself! My new SFS character is an Envoy, but it's been difficult to find a way to make them more viable in combat. I'm not sure if you can take specialization at level 1, even as a human? I thought it required being level 3 (but correct me if I'm wrong).

As for retraining, I'd be okay with retraining a couple of feats once you got that soldier class at level 4, but they'd still have to be limited by the level you initially were when you took them? I think you could take versatile specialisation at level 3 as an envoy anyway because it just requires being level 3 and having weapon specialisation, unless I'm missing something. So, you'd really only need to retrain the longarm proficiency feat once you got a level in soldier.

It might be worth waiting to see if the Character Operations Manual adds anything to help with combat and Envoys as well? Maybe there'll be something there?

Thanks for the quick response. Yes you are right on the Specialization, have to be level 3. The issue with dipping Soldier at character level 2 is that I wouldn't get Weapon Specialization until Envoy 3 which would be my 4th level and that's a prerequisite for Versatile.

I'd be fine with retraining feats being limited. So I could take Longarm Proficiency and Improved Initiative at level 1. Then at level 3, when I get Weapon Specialization as a bonus, I can take Versatile Specialization. Then at level 4, I can dip into Soldier and retrain Longarm Proficiency for Toughness or something like that.

Who knows, after playing the character for a while, I may decide not to dip.

Sounds good! I'd love to know more about your character once you've put them together.

He'll be an Icon. Sees himself as a wanna-be investigative reporter. Has a blog or podcast (or whatever they would be called) but nothing exciting happens so it's not very popular. He's from Alappu Minor so when the invasion happens he sees it as his chance to make a name for himself. From an RP perspective, I was envisioning he has some kind of mini camera drone to film himself. I don't know that I want to spend 275 credits to buy an actual video camera. He tries to get some footage of the fighting but can't get close enough as everyone continues retreating. Once the civilians are evacuated to Alappu Major, he decides his best shot is to join the 5th.

So far we've got:
steinkrug - Berith "Leech" Dantalion, Biohacker
BlackDow - Brundus Kadesh, Soldier
Doctor Mono - Ryder Davan, Operative
Sha'ir - Bandizyr Rogar, Drone Mechanic
Vrog Skyreaver - Skyreaver, Vanguard
AGamer70 - Envoy

All the submissions look great so far! I said that I'd close the recruitment at 11:59PM today, but as I'll be asleep at that time, I'll still accept any between that time and 7:00AM GMT tomorrow morning.

@AGamer70: Very cool concept - kudos :)

As an aside think Longarm Proficiency might be a wasted early pick for you? See them carrying a 1-H weapon and camera in the other??

@Black Drow - thank you. I can't help but think of the reporters in Starship Troopers. Hopefully I won't get eaten.

I'll have to give some more thought to my weapon. That's why I was thinking of some sort of mini camera drone so I could use the longarm. Maybe that will have to be something I work towards.

To summarize so far:

Name: Jerry Rivera
Race: Human
Theme: Icon
Class: Envoy
Starship Role: As an Envoy, his natural role would be as Captain, which he would take reluctantly at first. I also have skill in Engineering and Computers if needed.

Background: Jerry was born and raised on Alappu Minor. However, he finds it boring so spends much of his free time watching the news. He feels that he is missing out on all the exciting things going on. He sees himself as a wanna-be investigative reporter. Has a blog or podcast (or whatever they would be called) but nothing exciting happens so it's not very popular. When the invasion happens he sees it as his chance to make a name for himself. He tries to get some footage of the fighting but can't get close enough as everyone continues retreating. Once the civilians are evacuated to Alappu Major, he decides his best shot is to join the 5th.

Psychological Assessment: He is a natural leader but lacks confidence due to his limited experience and limited success in his previous endeavors. He is willing to learn and should grow to fulfill his potential abilities. He has a tendency to be careless to get what he wants for a story/picture/video, which could be a liability in battle. Hopefully he will learn to balance his desire to succeed as a journalist with his need for self-survival and to avoid putting his companions in harms way.

Man do I wish I'd seen this sooner

Name: Aygavan Salmain
Race: Human
Theme: Paranormal Investigator
Class: Witchwarper
Starship Role: Captain

Background:
Aygavan Salmain was once a talented researcher working at the largest university on Suskillion, the Suskillion Academy of Brinnoa, looking into the field of alternate realities. His upbringing was fairly mundane, though he showed great talent in sciences and physics. He excelled in school, and eventually got a doctorate in theoretical physics at the unprecedented age of sixteen, one of the youngest people to do so on Suskillion. He settled on his research field of alternate realities and, though taking a few more risks than many of his colleagues, became a well respected researcher. Most of his experiments were fruitless. He accidentally opened several portals to other planes, and even managed to briefly open a conduit to the Dimension of Dreams. But the ultimate goal of finding another reality was out of his grasp. Years passed, and eventually he created it, his magnum opus. A small portal to what, he was fairly certain, was another reality. He sent in a camera drone and immediately lost connection to it so, in the absence of any better options, stuck his hand in. He felt a sensation he’s still completely unable to describe through any medium, and his vision went completely white. When he came to, the portal was annihilated, the outbuilding he had been working in was largely in ruins, and most concerningly he had lost nearly all of the technical knowledge he possessed. And strangely, his right hand had been replaced by one made from jagged but living crystal. Something had taken his hand, and he had taken the hand of...whatever it was. For his recklessness, his doctorate was revoked and his reputation ruined. He slid into obscurity, depression, and growing eccentricity. He became obsessed with finding out what had happened, and unravelling the secrets of what his new hand came from. He also noticed brief moments where flashes of other realities came through, as if the extra-reality material that was fused with him was pulling other realities closer to itself. He refined his powers, and when the Swarm attacks began on Suskillion, he joined the Fifth Battalion. He had nowhere else to go, and figured he’d use his talents to kill some bugs.

Psychological Assessment:
Aygavan is a somewhat unhinged man. Whatever happened to him with the portal slightly damaged his sanity, and left him a fundamentally different man. Much of his fine technical knowledge has been lost, either to amnesia from the accident or the drugs and alcohol he began to heavily partake in after losing his position. What he lacks in wisdom and keen intellect, he makes up for in sheer force of personality and growing powers. Though what he does could not be exactly called magic, the effect of imposing parts of other realities onto the “main” one creates an effect that is functionally similar. In terms of personality, Aygavan is a good-natured is somewhat unpredictable man. Though he rarely intends malice or pain, his abilities are inherently unstable and can have unintended consequences. When he is able to keep his eccentricities in check, he is an exceptionally charismatic man with sophisticated intrapersonal skills, of a level that seems to surprise even Aygavan. Some extra-realistic influence may be the explanation for this.

Sorry, last minute post, just wrapped up my first Play-by-Post on Discord.

Name: Shri'zha
Race: Shirren
Theme: Priest
Class: Mystic
Starship Role: Gunner

Background: Shri'zha, Shri for short, was always a bad apple. Ran with the wrong crowd, dabbled with things he should have left alone, and eventually joined a Cult associated with Lao Shu Po. With his innate healing ability, Shri was able to help the cult set up a series of scams, selling false healing salves and ointments. It was a good gig until he and his group got busted and he landed himself in prison and prison would be where he would be sitting right now except for the Swarm. As fate or the look of fools and thieves might have it a ship crashed into the small prison complex near where Shri was imprisoned. He ran out into the black smoke and fire and found that it was a troop ship. Spilled around the exercise yard were dead and dying SDF troopers. The swarm was not far off and sirens began blaring around the entire complex. Shri found a wounded Shirren trooper, took his backpack, ID, and wallet and changed quickly into the trooper's spare uniform, then he fell back with the rest of the fleeing people until he was scooped up by a patrol and deposited in the staging area with the rest of the broken remains of the unit.

Psychological Assessment: Shri is about Shir, but...the swarm has touched a primordial nerve of terror. He knows it is a matter of time before his world falls and he believes that his best bet is to fight with the SDF and wait for them to sound the retreat so he can get off of the planet. Shri works well with others, they are useful tools and his way off of the rock, and maybe a means to get rich doing it.
Deity Lao Shu Po

:( I came in just too late.

I wish the GM good luck. And to the players, may you character die an awesome death.

Thank you all so much for your submissions! These are all so great it's going to be difficult to decide on five of you. I'll have made my decision by the end of the day, so I'll get back to you then

Thank you all so much for your interest! I've spent a long time today trying to pick five as all of your submissions are so good! I've decided on:
Berith "Leech" Dantalion - steinkrug
Ryder Davan - Doctor Mono
Brundus Kadesh - Black Dow
Jerry Rivera - AGamer70
Aygavan Salmain - Simeon

Thank you again for all the great characters. Those who weren't picked, I'll keep you in mind if we end up with any free spaces. For those who were chosen, the discussion thread is now open.

Good luck and have fun guys!

@artjuice: Thanks for the selection - much appreciated! Didn't envy your choices as the standard was excellent.

Looking forward to this one!

Black Dow said it well. Thank you and that had to have been a tough choice.

Thanks for the selection! I’ll get an alias up ASAP!

Good luck, don't miss the last transport out.

Ugh! I totally missed this entire recruitment! =( I've been looking to get into a SF game for a while.