E1 — Cell Block Crossfire – The Resonance Run (Development)

Encounter Overview

Cell Block Crossfire

The firefight begins when embedded Tamsin Rooks shoot the Onyx Team command element. Background combatants exchange fire beyond the PCs’ immediate section of the map; only the enemies in the encounter roster take full turns against the party.

Primary Objective	Secondary Objectives	End Condition
Move Kaelen and Vanya to the maintenance hatch and open both locks.	Delay the purge, download evidence, and rescue a survivor.	At least one PC and both twins enter the hatch, or the purge reaches final ignition.

Objective Actions

Action	Cost	Check	Effect
Override Hatch Lock	2 actions while adjacent to the hatch or linked console	DC 15 Computers, Crafting, or Thievery check; DC 17 Athletics check to Force Open	Success opens one of two locks; critical success opens both. Critical failure triggers a 1d6 electricity arc against the acting PC.
Delay Purge	2 actions at a guard-station console	DC 15 Computers check	Success delays final ignition by 1 round. The purge can be delayed no more than twice. Critical failure causes the next Vent Burst to affect an additional adjacent square.
Download Research Ledger	2 actions at the evidence terminal	DC 15 Computers check	Success gains Evidence 1. Critical success also reveals the safehouse route key. Failure locks the terminal until the next round.
Guide the Twins	1 action, auditory or visual	No check if they can perceive the PC	The twins Stride up to their Speed on initiative 15 toward the named position. Without guidance, they move toward the hatch while remaining adjacent to each other.

Round Events

Round	Event
1	CUSTOS-9 announces lockdown. The purge hazard rolls initiative, and the maintenance hatch seals.
2	Mara Venn shouts the hatch location and throws a smoke canister. A 10-foot burst near the center lane becomes concealed until the start of round 4.
3	The subdermal anchors in the twins’ necks flash. Vanya warns that the collars are trying to reboot. This foreshadows Scene 2.
4	A gantry support tears loose. One 10-foot line chosen by the GM becomes difficult terrain and provides standard cover.
5 or Later	Final ignition occurs unless delayed. Any creature still in the cell block faces Chamber Incineration.

Encounter Roster

Party	Budget	Roster	XP Award
4 PCs	80 XP	Omicron-9 Thermal Purge (complex hazard 1, 40 XP) and 2 Onyx Sweep Troopers (creature –1, 20 XP each)	80 XP
5 PCs	100 XP	As 4 PCs, plus 1 Automated Sentry Node (creature –1, 20 XP)	80 XP
6 PCs	120 XP	Omicron-9 Thermal Purge (40 XP), 2 Onyx Security Specialists (creature 0, 30 XP each), and 1 Automated Sentry Node (20 XP)	80 XP
7 PCs	140 XP	As 6 PCs, plus a second Automated Sentry Node (20 XP)	80 XP

Tamsin and the background rebels do not take normal turns. At the end of each round, describe them pinning down an equal number of off-map Onyx operatives. This keeps the visible action focused on the PCs.

The Resonance Twins in Combat

Kaelen and Vanya share initiative 15. Each has AC 17, Fort +6, Reflex +8, Will +9, 26 HP, and Speed 25 feet. They are support NPCs and are not part of the encounter XP budget.

When conscious, adjacent, and touching, they can sustain up to three effects: one Personal, one Allied, and one Hostile. Activating or changing one channel costs 1 action and replaces the current effect in that channel.

Channel	Opening Effect	Effect
Personal	Anchor Shell	The twins gain a +1 status bonus to AC and resistance 2 to physical damage.
Allied	Kinetic Defense	Chosen allies in a 20-foot emanation gain a +1 status bonus to AC against ranged attacks.
Hostile	None initially	Later options include Gravity Drag, Kinetic Deflection, and Resonance Static.

Gravity Catch [reaction] Reduce a willing creature's fall by 20 feet or forced movement by 10 feet.

If either twin reaches 0 HP, the other remains beside them and the shared channels end until contact is restored.

Omicron-9 Thermal Purge Hazard 1

COMPLEX TECH TRAP

Stealth +6; no check is required to notice the purge after the alarm begins.

Description Floor vents, servo doors, and buried thermal charges turn the cell block into an automated incinerator.

Disable DC 15 Computers check (trained) at a guard console to delay final ignition for 1 round, to a maximum of 2 rounds; DC 15 Crafting check (trained) at a vent assembly to disable that vent’s square; opening the maintenance hatch lets creatures escape but does not disable the system.

Lockdown Protocol [reaction] Trigger: The twins’ gravity flare breaks containment. Effect: The hatch locks, the hazard rolls initiative, and the countdown begins at 5 rounds.

Routine (2 actions) The purge uses Vent Burst, then Seal Route. At the end of its turn, reduce the countdown by 1.

Vent Burst [one-action] The purge vents superheated gas through one 10-foot burst that was not used on its previous turn. Creatures in the area attempt a DC 17 basic Reflex save against 1d6 fire damage. A creature that critically fails also takes 1 persistent fire damage.

Seal Route [one-action] A servo barrier rises in one 5-foot square along the center lane. The square becomes difficult terrain and provides standard cover. A creature can clear it with a successful DC 15 Athletics check or by dealing 10 damage to it (AC 15, Hardness 2).

Chamber Incineration When the countdown reaches 0, every creature still in the cell block attempts a DC 17 basic Reflex save against 6d6 fire damage. The chamber then remains lethally hot; surviving creatures must escape immediately.

Reset None.

Onyx Sweep Trooper Creature –1

MEDIUM HUMANOID

Perception +4

Languages Common

Skills Athletics +5, Intimidation +3, Stealth +5

Str +2, Dex +3, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0

Items commercial light armor, pulse pistol, shock baton, comm unit

AC 15; Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3

HP 9

Tactical Step [reaction] Trigger: A ranged Strike targets the trooper while the trooper is adjacent to cover. Effect: The trooper Steps and gains a +1 circumstance bonus to AC against the triggering attack.

Speed 25 feet

Melee [one-action] shock baton +7 (agile, nonlethal, tech), Damage 1d4+2 electricity

Ranged [one-action] pulse pistol +7 (range increment 40 feet, tech), Damage 1d4+1 fire

Advance Under Fire [one-action] The trooper Strides up to half its Speed. If it ends adjacent to cover, it can Take Cover as a free action.

Onyx Security Specialist Creature 0

MEDIUM HUMANOID

Perception +6

Languages Common

Skills Athletics +6, Computers +5, Intimidation +5, Stealth +6

Str +2, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +0

Items commercial tactical armor, automatic carbine, shock baton, security badge

AC 16; Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +5

HP 17

Covering Fire [reaction] Trigger: An ally within 30 feet moves. Effect: One enemy the specialist can see takes a –1 circumstance penalty to reactions triggered by that movement.

Speed 25 feet

Melee [one-action] shock baton +8 (agile, nonlethal, tech), Damage 1d4+3 electricity

Ranged [one-action] automatic carbine +8 (automatic, range increment 60 feet, tech), Damage 1d6+2 piercing

Suppressive Burst [two-actions] The specialist fires into a 15-foot cone. Creatures in the cone attempt a DC 16 basic Reflex save against 1d6 piercing damage. The specialist cannot use Suppressive Burst again until it spends an Interact action to cycle the weapon.

Automated Sentry Node Creature –1

SMALL CONSTRUCT TECH

Perception +5; darkvision

Skills Computers +5

Str +0, Dex +3, Con +2, Int –2, Wis +1, Cha –5

AC 15; Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +2

HP 10; Hardness 2; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, nonlethal, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious

Fixed Mount The sentry cannot move and is immune to forced movement.

Ranged [one-action] laser emitter +7 (range increment 60 feet, tech), Damage 1d4+1 fire

Targeting Sweep [one-action] The sentry designates one creature it can see. Its next Strike against that creature before the end of its turn gains a +1 circumstance bonus.

Remote Spoof [two-actions] A creature within 30 feet with access to a comm unit can attempt a DC 14 Computers check. On a success, the sentry is stunned 1. On a critical success, it shuts down for the encounter. A creature can critically disable a particular sentry only once.