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Dart looks around and after his long silence from before and finally speaks up. "I have been though many taverns on this world, both before I followed the good word of Kaydin Kalin picking fights for money, then after trying to have them Put down the glass and take up the sword of adventure. But this place seems....different. Not as desperate."
Dart moves though the bar and finds a table where he can take in the scene. "Maybe the Drinkless God has taken pity on these people."
As Dart gets comfortable with the natives, he begins to chat with the locals about the town's good mood.
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Faint electric lights dangle from the ceiling, while the open sky is visible from cracks between the planks that serve as a roof. The floor is solid wood. The interior walls and ceiling supports are mud brick, the latter being carved in a rare attempt at ornamentation. The tavern is divided in two halves by an energy field with an opening on the northern end. The bar lining the southern wall is open to either side, with a wall of half-empty bottles behind it. The tables are wooden and makeshift, but solid. The east end has square wooden platform about a foot above the floor. Two sets of double doors are built into the northern and southern walls on the west end, both ajar. A single closed door provides an exit behind the west end of the bar.
The group approaches the bar, where a female Ysoki slings drinks, though her mixing—at best—consists of combining only two liquids and nothing more. After ordering their drinks, 1 credit per person, the groups' tab is picked up by a nearby citizen "I'll take care of this one folks, we all got plenty of cred's to spare thanks to Reynald, this town's savior!" After hearing Talbot's name the bar erupts in cries of cheer and whistles of celebration.
After speaking with the person buying the drinks, Dart is able to discern Talbot's location in a recently reopened Thasteron mine, about 1 hour out of town.
Dart, Jaka and Renyaale note the out-of-place presence of a shirren and two vesk bodyguards in the corner of the bar.
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The group approaches the bar, where a female Ysoki slings drinks, though her mixing—at best—consists of combining only two liquids and nothing more. After ordering their drinks, 1 credit per person, the groups' tab is picked up by a nearby citizen "I'll take care of this one folks, we all got plenty of cred's to spare thanks to Reynald, this town's savior!" After hearing Talbot's name the bar erupts in cries of cheer and whistles of celebration.
Orion lifts up his glass towards the ysoki woman. A surprising, but appreciated gift. I suppose we should thank this Reynald as well. Did he stop a behir or beast from attacking the town?
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The Ysoki is still busy pushing out glasses, but a patron next to you responds "You could say he slayed a beast, he slayed the beast of famine and poverty and saved all of our families here! -and the crowd once again joins him- Reynald has a way to transmute thasteron into a more marketable fuel. Us miners were given our jobs back in the mine to excavate thasteron again, for Talbot to transmute, which has already resulted in a lucrative sale. The sale benefited entire town. Most of our families were jobless, thanks to the thasteron previous bust, but now, finally, there's some hope for the future."
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Entering office is a 7 foot Kasathas, dressed in a loose tunic and leather pants over obvious skin tight armor. There is a fine looking blade and holstered pistol hanging off his hips. On closer inspection the blade looks fancy but is serviceable although it seems to be mostly for show."Greetings and may the blessings of Kaydin Kalin be upon us. Another glorious quest for us from the Society!."
Dart walks with a swagger of over confidence and is always happy to talk. Especially if you ask about Kaydin Kalin.
Attending Dart is a small yoski valet. While waiting, he pours some tea for Dart and offers some to everyone else. Occasionally you would see the yoski whisper something in to Dart's ear.
...When hearing about heading back to Akiton
"Back to the Red Planet. A sad place, though few found comfort in the word of the Drinkless God. It will be good to go back again and see if the word of the Society could boost their spirits."
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She lifts her drink, downs it, then looks down the bar at the shirren and his entourage to see if they lift glasses as well.
Renyaale can see that the shirren is not as quick to raise his glass as the rest of the patrons, it's almost like he is trying to fit in.
He asks confidently, and goes to sit across from the Shirren without waiting for permission.
While Jaka approaches the table, someone walking over to the small stage on the other corner of the bar begins playing this song, most of the townspeople begin clapping along at first and singing the chorus when it's ending.
When Jaka sits at the shirren's tables, one of the hulking vesks tries to stop him, but the shirren, clad in black silver-trimmed armor, raises a hand to stop the bodyguard, wearing a similar uniform. The shirren addresses Jaka first, "Yes, please, have a seat", then a voice inside your heads begins. My name is Mr. Philt, please join me and your friend at the table. I'm a representative of AbadarCorp, I may have overheard you are looking for a man named Talbot. I'd like to inquire, what are your reasons for trying to find the man? He is a -you feel a small pause- person of interest to the Corp.
AbadarCorp is hands down the largest, wealthiest, and most influential corporation in the Pact Worlds —in no small part because it’s also the church of Abadar, god of civilization, commerce, and wealth. In addition to the manufacture, transport, and sale of a wide variety of goods both magical and technological, AbadarCorp also provides a multitude of other services, including banking, financial, labor, legal, shipping, and utility services. There are AbadarCorp corporate offices, factories, stores, and trading outposts (all of which also function as temples of Abadar) on every one of the Pact Worlds and on nearly every civilized planet maintaining trade relations with the system. Virtually every conceivable product available for purchase in the Pact Worlds or friendly systems is sold (and often produced) by AbadarCorp or one of its subsidiary corporations. This is not to say that AbadarCorp’s products are always the best or that it doesn’t have stiff competition; one might argue whether an Arabani Arms laser rifle has a more coherent beam than an AbadarCorp weapon, but everyone knows there’s a good chance the local AbadarCorp hypermarket probably has both of them in stock.
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Thasteron. I never thought of that as a fuel. Orion says as he sips his drink. The android notice several of his party slipping away from the bar towards a side of the room, but lingers for a moment.
Orion. he says to the ysoki, shifting his glass so he can extend a hand. So you have a buyer already. Congratulations. A contract can do great things to town's like this, in my experience. Who is picking up the Thasteron?
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Renyaale stays by Kandoon, and points down at her glass to indicate that she'll have whatever the little ysoki is getting. She tries to keep an ear on both of the conversation that her teammates are involved in, and keeping an eye on the townsfolk.
She smirks when she hears the song, tries to join in at one point, then seems to remember herself and refrains.
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Orion. he says to the ysoki, shifting his glass so he can extend a hand. So you have a buyer already. Congratulations. A contract can do great things to town's like this, in my experience. Who is picking up the Thasteron?
The barkeep refills 0-Rion's mug, unsure of who you were speaking to, leans a bit towards to prevent the townsfolk from hearing her "The name's Podswald, I'd love to chat, but this week, every wino in town is filling up every credstick I own, and I plan to take advantage of that. And because of the increased foot traffic, all I've got is unreliable rumors from every single drunk head in Tasch." She pulls back to keep sending filled mugs across the bar.
The miner gets closer after Podswald goes back to her job. "My name's Bob, what's with the questions? You tryin'ta land a job with Talbot? He doesn't share any information on his deals, but he shares on the credits, and that's alright by me."
She tries to keep an ear on both of the conversation that her teammates are involved in, and keeping an eye on the townsfolk.
Keeping an ear on the conversation with the AbadarCorp representative is easy, since the shirren keeps mentally talking to all of your group.
The townspeople are in a happy mood, nothing that raises any alarms.
Dart joins Jaka and Mr. Phlint. Sensing the tone of conversation, Dart cautiously offers, "He is of interest to us in the issue of some misappropriated property. And your interest in him?"
Whatever property he may hold, means little to the Corporation, we are far more interested in punishing Reynald Talbot for his attempt at swindling us. This, deserter, I assume, that's why you are in Akiton searching for the man, approached our corporate buyers in Maro with a new, alternative fuel for Drift engines. The fuel was purchased for analysis, and if it checked out, would have been evaluated as a new commodity on the galactic markets. To the chagrin of Abadar, the fuel reverted to common thasteron not long after the ships made to depart Akiton’s orbit. The fuel was purchased on good faith and AbadarCorp does not tolerate outright fraud.
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Kandoon almost chokes and splutters as the AbadarCorp being says the fuel reverted back to thasteron. That's not gonna be good for Talbot. she thinks to herself. She quickly drains the shot of liquor, holding it in her cheek pouch, looks longingly back at the empty glass but decides to make her way over to where Dart, Jaka, and O-Rion were conversing.
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"So you are only interested in this trinket? I see, I can stay out of your mission, we do not interfere in any form or way, if you handle us Talbot in the end. You may even end up in the good graces of Abadar.
"If we can't agree to this, we will have to take care of Talbot ourselves, but I can't guarantee I will deliver your stone, whatever that means"
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The barkeep refills 0-Rion's mug, unsure of who you were speaking to, leans a bit towards to prevent the townsfolk from hearing her "The name's Podswald, I'd love to chat, but this week, every wino in town is filling up every credstick I own, and I plan to take advantage of that. And because of the increased foot traffic, all I've got is unreliable rumors from every single drunk head in Tasch." She pulls back to keep sending filled mugs across the bar.
The miner gets closer after Podswald goes back to her job. "My name's Bob, what's with the questions? You tryin'ta land a job with Talbot? He doesn't share any information on his deals, but he shares on the credits, and that's alright by me."
Oblivious for now as to what the rest of his party is discussing off in a shadowy corner, O-Rion gives an understanding nod towards the bartender as she rushes to the next customer. Turning to Bob, he replies. I am not in need of work right now. But travel can be an expenseive task. It pays to know what suppliers may be able to provide reliable fuel. Literally.
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After the successful negotiations with the AbadarCorp representative, just as you are approaching the exit, a deep booming female voice echoes from outside the front of the bar. “Intruders! We know you’ve come to Tasch in search of our savior. I give you this one chance. Lay down your weapons and leave our town. You will not disrupt the salvation of Akiton, not when Reynald Talbot has come so close to saving our world! You have one minute to decide.”
During this time, some customers flee through the entrance, while Podswald ,the bartender, rushes out the back door, leading the rest of the patrons out. Mr. Philt and his bodyguards take this opportunity to duck out alongside the other citizens. "I wish you the best of lucks Starfinders, we expect Talbot, dead or alive, soon. Maybe in this very bar if it survives." the shirren plants words in your head once again.
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Dart moves to where he can get a clear line on the main door (or what ever is the closest entrance to the "voice") He draws his blade and summons his solar weapon which looks like a tankard made of red and gold light.
"I will not lay down my weapons, but by Kaydin Kalin, if you let us pass, we will not harm you."
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Somewhat taken aback by the woman's call (and further by the voice in his head implying they've had talks about Talbot with someone else), 0=Rion stands up and calls out adding his voice to the others'.
"We do not mean any harm of ill will towards your town. There seems to be a mistunderstanding: perhaps words can settle this without jumping to violence."
As he speaks, the android moves toward the main door to the Dive and stands to the side of it.
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You had one minute, so I had one minute.
A shobhad moves into the storage room to the back of the Dice and after a short mumbled incantation, Centian begins to feel an overload of psychic information.
After the shobhad, two ysoki come running into the room, one of them shoots at the only Starfinder he sees, Centian. Who is now badly injured after the physical and mental barrage. 2 damage from the laser pistol.
Kandoon
Jaka
Renyaale
Dart
Centian
0-Rion
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Dart, hearing the commotion from the back and Centian's call, leaps back to cover the door and his companion. He enters Photon mode and readies his weapon mote. The Gold and Red tankard.
Dart shouts in Akiton
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Kandoon - Careful of not spilling the contents of her cheeks yet, she moves closer to the bar.
Jaka - Casts lesser confusion on the shobhad, but the giant akitonian appears unaffected.
Renyaale
Dart - Dart darts and tumbles across Digger's Dive, ending with a gold red tankard in one hand.
Centian - ...waiting...
0-Rion - Hurries towards the rear door and pulls his shadow lance from thin air, maybe trying to land the first strike.