User:Chellewalker/Shake off the Cultists

Shake off the Cultists Skill Challenge created by Wikia user Lukewarner.

See also: Sample Skill Challenges

The heroes must outmaneuver a group of cultists' Starships, while simultaneously disabling the tracking beacon hidden on their ship. The Ember of Vahl, led by Iellax Blaise, launches several fighters to box in the heroes, and a Vahl Transport to board The Bechesmy. This Skill Challenge serves as an alternative to a standard space combat encounter.

If the heroes did not post a System Operator, or the System Operator failed their Use Computer check to notice the tracking beacon, the Skill Challenge begins with one Failure.

 Shake off the Cultists Statistics (CL 5)

Complexity: 1 (5 Successes before 3 Failures)

Suggested Skills: The following are suggested Primary Skills for this Skill Challenge:

• Perception (DC 29): Once the heroes know to look for a tracking beacon, they can attempt to physically search for it; checking items that seem out-of-place or from their travels. If a hero specifically states they wish to search the items they received from Scoth, the DC is reduced to 21.
• Pilot (Opposed DC): The Pilot can evade the approaching cultists' Starships, avoiding incoming fire and outmaneuvering the Vahl Transport. Iellax Blaise makes Pilot checks (+11) to set the DC for this Skill.
• Ranged Attack Roll (Reflex Defense 23): A hero can make an attack roll against the Vahl Transport or fighters, dissuading the strike force from coming closer. Only one hero may make such an attack each round.
• Use Computer (DC 20 or 26): If the heroes failed to notice the tracking beacon, a DC 20 Use Computer check will alert them to its presence. Following that, the heroes can make a DC 26 check to trace the signal from the tracking beacon back to its source, using a scanner or similar device.

Challenge Effects

The following are suggested Challenge Effects for this Skill Challenge:

• Initiative: Since the heroes are engaged in combat, they must act in Initiative Order during the Skill Challenge.
• Opposed DC: Certain Skills in this challenge can be opposed by the cultists. 
• Restricted Skills: The following Skills cannot be used in this challenge: Acrobatics, Climb, Endurance, Jump, Ride, Stealth, Swim, and Treat Injury.
• Timed Challenge: The heroes have 5 combat rounds to complete the challenge. After that point, they automatically fail the challenge.

Success and Failure

Success: The heroes can outmaneuver the Vahl ambush and escape to Hyperspace. If they noticed the tracking beacon but failed to find and disable it, they may freely do so on the way to The Citadel. If they end the Skill Challenge without noticing the beacon, The Ember of Vahl launch a second ambush on the heroes' return trip to The Viridux. Once they return to The Viridux, Republic technicians are able to find and disable the beacon themselves.

Failure: The cultists are able to board the heroes' ship, and four Ember of Vahl Initiates begin a combat encounter.