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Continuing on, you summit the ridgeline of rocky outcrop, and follow it down to see the wreckage of the Unbounded Wayfarer. You come to the precipice of a cliff face that stands 10 feet or so above the sands where the crashed ship lays. about 120 feet or so beyond to the northeast.
Perception Check, DC 18
Survival Check, DC 18
Jaxen notices that there is a rather large divot in the otherwise smooth and windswept sandy ground of the valley. No-one in the crew can surmise whether or not it's naturally occurring. The wreck of the Wayfarer lies to the north, and the furthest south a piece of wreckage lies strewn about is directly in front of you to the east. A small piece of hull, looks to be what was a hardpoint that still has a tactical x-gun attached to it.
You feel a slight tremor in the rocky cliff you're standing on, but aside from that, the valley looks calm and serene. The cliff drops off to the south, but leads down gradually to the north.
The ship lies slightly to the north, and the gun to the east. There's the slight terrain deformation to the south.
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Korskal looks over at the gun still hooked to the ship. "So, I think we should detour over to that gun. If we can pop it loose I'm sure it would be handy incase there's anything or any one dangerous in the wreckage. And we shouldn't leave a voluble piece of equipment like that out here. I'm sure the Society could use it." The soldier's underlying desire for a bigger gun is barely hidden beneath a thin veneer of plausible excuses. And fairly obvious to the rest of the group that's been traveling with him. Unable to help himself "I've always loved the X-Gen line, they have a grace and power missing from the autobeam models. I've wanted to buy one for years but I can't seem to get the clearance. A little matter of a fight while off duty, but that guy had it coming even if he was an officer." seemingly just realizing he's rambling Korskal goes silent and gestures hopefully towards the piece of hull, and the gun, to the east.
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"A gun of that nature could prove a useful tool, especially if we are going to run into more trouble the likes of which we found previously." Jaxen takes the analytical approach. One can have only as much preparedness as he has foresight, and it was never a grievous disadvantage to have too much preparedness.
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Perception Check, DC 18
Survival Check, DC 18
Another slight tremor is felt underfoot, and attention is brought to the sands to the south.
Having researched or spent some time in desert climate worlds before, you know of large subterranean insectoid creatures that bury themselves in the sands and wait in ambush for predators; the rumbling could very well be from one of these creatures, and the indentations you've spotted could be entry or exit holes from such a burrow.
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Korskal will shout out "I think we have burrowers, probably a big ambush predator. Or maybe several of them. Keep your weapons ready, they could pop up anywhere." Having spread the word Korskal will pull out his sticky grenade and hold his Cannon in one hand. He'll also try to make a bit more speed to the X-Gen gun.
The kalushta will cast detect magic.
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Altronus slowly trudges with the others, his normal pace in the sandy desert absent since the little storm blew through them.
Looking over the wreckage, he agrees that the gun is a good place to start.
"I was going to suggest splitting up but if there is a chance of being attacked by burrowers, then I don't think that would be a good idea." Altronus states as they try to move faster to the gun.
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As you make your way to the wreckage and approach the gun emplacement, the sands around you shift in a peculiar manner. The rumbling has subsided, so you assume the coast is clear – however, when you approach the weapon emplacement, a 14 foot burrowing beast with six powerful legs bursts skyward from the sands in the middle of the party - the creature's chitinous carapace is made of thick reflective crystal, and it bears enormous mandibles that thrum with sonic energy.
The large bug thrashes about, and its mandibles gnash at Raia!
The barbed crystalline blades rake across Raia's torso, and a gut-shuddering sonic pulse thumps through the tines, dealing 7 damage.
Effects:
Terrain:
Those bolded below may act.
Enemy - Surprise Round
Ian
Korskal
Jaxen
Enemy
Raia
Altronus
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Seeing the beast burst out into the middle of them Korskal yells and moves. "Pull back!"
Move: move up to the gun, provoking AoO (I'll be ready, waiting and hoping to note the damage)
Standard: Throw Strickybomb grenade to the point on the map, no one else is in the area.
Creature must make a DC 13 reflex or become entangled rounds: moves half speed, -2 to AC, attacks, ref, and a few more besides.
Free:drop my reaction cannon
If possible use my swift to heft the X-Gen gun, but if not(most likely) that's it till next turn.
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The beast takes a swipe at Korskal as he retreats to the gun emplacement.
- HIT
The beast's vicious mandibles connect for a bone crunching 10 damage. Korskal staggers to the gun emplacement, tosses the grenade, and then attempts to lift the x-gen gun from it's mounting. However, it won't budge; attached to a heavy section of fractured hull, and the mount release is covered in sand that would take far more than a couple of rounds to uncover. When Korskal racks the bolt back, he is relieved to see that it otherwise looks to be in operational shape - the external magazine hopper states "10" in holographic read out, which doesn't leave a lot of rounds left, but certainly enough to combat the large burrower downrange.
The stickybomb detonates, and covers the surrounding area in a viscous fluid.
- SUCCESS
Perhaps it's the sand that doesn't let the contents adhere properly, or perhaps it's the slippery nature of the giant insectile predator, but it appears to be moving unhindered by the effect of the grenade.
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RaiaBOT takes a step back and unleashes a torrent of magical force.
Altronus engages in melee with the large beast, but his solar blade finds no mark so far.
Ian and Korskal lay down a concentrated barrage of small arms fire, but the laser beam and heavy automatic rifle gunfire fails to pierce the chitinous plating of the beast.
Those bolded below may act.
Ian
Korskal
Jaxen
Enemy
Raia
Altronus
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Something clicks, and Jaxen has finally sussed the creature out. "Skreebara! This thing's a skreebara!" he ducks under a rock that's been cast from the burrowing and the ensuing commotion. "Crystal chitin means it'll deflect energy attacks a lot more easier than kinetic projectiles!"
Jaxen aims his azimuth laspistol, and takes fire.
The beam finds its mark, sizzling through the crystalline carapace. The beast lashes out in pain, and directs its rage towards the nearest thing it can see; Altronus.
Altronus sees the lumbering beast telegraph its attack, and deftly steps aside it, ready for a counterattack.
Those bolded below may act.
Ian
Korskal
Jaxen
Enemy
Raia
Altronus
The technomancer begins to concentrate on the ground underneath the creature as a greasy reside forms under the creature.
Reflex 14
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Raia's slippery substance appears to have little effect underfoot of the tunnelling beast, possibly due to its six lumbering legs. It lets loose a roar, and darts its attention between the group, possibly looking for it's next target.
Those bolded below may act.
Altronus
– Round 3 –
Ian
Korskal
Jaxen
Enemy
Raia
That is a pretty neat ability
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The combined arms of the crew sets to the beast with incredible efficiency.
Surrounded from all sides, the beast takes a rending wound from Altronus' solar weapon, and faces its attention towards the kasatha. Then from behind, Ian places a precision beam of laser-light between the skreebara's chitinous plating while it is distracted. While the beast recoils in pain, it is hit by a high powered round from the x-gen gun manned by Korskal, and then finally it is felled by the snapcrack of Jaxen's laspistol.
The skreebara limps over in a heap, struggles for a moment, then its many limbs relax into the shifting sands.
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As Korskal starts to free the x-gen gun from its mount, he can see that the gun is in a worse shape than he previously thought. The hopper feed from the external magazine has been damaged to the point where it requires a complete replacement. Apart from firing its remaining shots, the only use at this point would be to sold as scrap (for 212 credits).
Altronus' background in xenobiology presents him with a curious learning opportunity now the skreebara is dead. The tough, overlapping crystals that make up the skreebara’s carapace are certainly of value on markets of varying legality - he is able to harvest crystals (worth 800 credits)
from the creature.
The wreck of the Wayfarer lies mere steps away. When you approach, you can plainly see that the vessel is far beyond repair. Although one of the Starfinders survived long enough to activate the distress beacon, there are no survivors—seven desiccated corpses remain in the wreckage, while the remaining crew members must have been pulled out by the skreebara and devoured.
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As the crew makes their way through the Wayfarer, Korskal recognizes characteristic impact marks of heavy ferromagnetic slugs, such as those used in coilguns or railguns on starships.
The damage on the ship’s hull gives Korskal the impression that the pilot of the Wayfarer tried to dodge the strafing fire, but darted the wrong way at the wrong time.
As you make your way to the cockpit, you see that the helm as a whole has suffered a great deal of damage. What wasn't destroyed in the crash must have been scavenged by the Corpse Fleet when they came across the wreck. The main computer of the ship is still onboard, and mostly intact save for a perfect hole in its one corner. Another railgun slug. Was this a lucky one-and-a-million shot, or was it targeted?
Though heavily damaged, the Starfinder insignias you've brought along are able to interface with the computer, and the ship system recognizes you as its deceased crew members when you come closer.
When one of the insignias is slotted into the indentation, the computer flares to life just enough to display a datafile of worlds previously explored by crew of the Unbounded Wayfarer. They include:
• A wasteland planet called Elytrio that displayed signs of scattered technology.
• A sentient asteroid called Lamentia teeming with morlock “children” in the Vast.
• A massive space station called End of Bright Things stuck between the orbits of two blue dwarf stars.
• A stormy, oceanic world called Wealdriad, with upthrust columns of basalt piercing the storm-tossed ocean’s surface.
The final location’s coordinates are too damaged to display, but the computer has enough power for one last task. A slot opens up on the side of the computer terminal, containing a single item - a long iridescent stone with smooth edges. You get the feeling that there is more to this stone than meets the eye.
You send the navigation data through a shortbeam wireless transmission to the Odyssey for storage,
Msyticsm check
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Pointing out he damage to the others. ”I think I remember Exegara mentioning that her ship was attacked after scavenging, maybe that ship is what took the Wayfarer out? We should let the society know about it. Maybe one of our ships can pay her back for this, or at least keep from being surprised. Korskal looks around and shakes his head. ”Well, if you’re ready grab a corpse. I’m good to go when you all are.” With that Korskal will shoulder two of the bodies of the unfortunate Starfinders.
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You're able to locate some body bags in what was at one point the ship's med bay. Once the corpses are placed in the soft cocoon-like sarcophagi, you push the button on the bags' attached control panels. This brings to the life the whirring sounds of small motors, and the hissing of air escaping. The bags contract and constrict the late members of the Wayfarer, keeping their remains preserved to the best of your abilities.
You're able to find some lightweight panels of the outer hull in which you can fashion a few sleds to haul the bodies back to the Odyssey.
Once inside, everyone unpacks their gear, and prepares to leave Ulmarid’s surface.
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Raia examines the stone, and indicates to the group that it is a iridescent spindle aeon stone (SFSRD link) - it's power contained allows its user the ability to negate the need to breathe.
Korskal, having completed the pre-launch checklist, signals to the group to strap into their crash chairs and prepare for liftoff from the sands of Ulmarid.
A short time later, the craft rumbles and shakes itself from the surface, then begins its gradual ascent to the stars.
As Korksal begins to navigate through the dense asteroid field, a warning klaxon blares from the ship's navcomputer, and the ship lurches to one side - the asteroid field around the world of Ulmarid is more agitated than on the descent down to the surface.
Although it’s not clear what's caused the anomalous activity, what’s certain is that you must reach safer altitude before a more serious collision occurs!
, make me a Piloting check to get the Odyssey through without a scratch!