Please dot in, we'll start once everyone checks in. Also, make sure you get me your character info in the Discussion tab.
Welcome Yomogiu!
Hopefully language won't be too big a problem. I think we have quite a few first time players. There are some helpful links in my GM description (all in English though) for first time players if anyone needs them.
Go to the Discussion tab, that's the best place for questions about creating a character or setting up an on-line character sheet. You can also go to the Flaxseed Sation LINK thread, the on-line community there is wonderful and very supportive.
Once you have a character ready, post the information I have listed in the Discussion tab.
One week till we start! If anyone has questions, please let me know in the discussion tab.
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Outside the office of Venture Captain Arvin, amongst all the various members of the Starfinder Society milling around, there is a large vesk, attempting to sit comfortably in one of the chairs in the waiting room, and failing miserably. As you watch, you see a tall vesk, with a medium build, changing seating positions every couple of minutes or so. With each change, his demeanor becomes more sullen. Continuing to watch, it becomes clear that not only is his size preventing him from becoming comfortable, but also the heavy armor that he is wearing. If you had encountered this vesk out on the station, you might not have noticed that he was in heavy armor, due to it being designed to look like scales. As a vibrant iridescent blue, it is difficult to discern the locations where the armor ends and the vesk's own scales begin. Eventually, the vesk resignedly drapes one of his legs over the arm of the chair and a smirk crosses his face. It is only now that you see the large weapon, resting vertically beside him. Clearly, this vesk is not one to be trifled with.
Each Starfinder receives a summons from Venture-Captain Arvin on their personal comm or through their designated communication channel. It requests your presence immediately.
Upon arriving you are each greeted by a humanoid robot, it greets of you identically in an extremely artificial and somewhat feminine voice "Hello, I am a Secretarial Assistance and Support Service Entity. You may refer to me as SASS-E." SASS-E escort you each to a small, comfortable reception area. "Would you care for a cup of hot distilled roasted bean water containing a moderate level of caffiene? Or perhaps a deep fried ring of flour coated in finely granulated glucose? I am told the shop we procure these from is of exceptional quality."
As the reception area begins to fill SASS-E addresses the team, "The Venture-Captain will be with you shortly, he is receiving the last of the mission requirements and reviewing them presently. I have been instructed to encourage conversation among you, as you have not met before. Might I suggest discussing all of the POLITICS that have been happening recently? I must say these POLITICS are extremely interesting are they not?" With the expression of its limited AI maxed out SASS-E retreats to desk and begins processing various bits of office work.
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An average sized human male with light brown skin, bright white hair and matching close cut beard enters for the briefing. He follows along as they are all ushered into the reception area and winks at the receptionist, "Ah yes Sassy, a coffee with bovine lactic byproduct would be excellent."
He sits next to the Vesk, "How ya doin? I'm Alejandro." He carries a variety of gear for many different situations but is not overly armed or armored. A set of pistols are holstered at his waist, mainly for intimidation purposes. Slipped into a shoulder holster is a non-lethal stungun with a well worn grip.
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A Half-Orc male followed on the heels of Alejandro. "For me, black's good. thanks...uh...I hope Sassy understands black mean...what ever."
He faces to all and nods strong, "Name's Bud. grad to see you all"
He looks like typical trained mercenary half-orc. but in comparison with Vesk's and Human's behavior and gears, It's too obvious that this half-orc is recruit.
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A very tall, very thin, regal-looking Lashunta woman with golden brown skin speaks as she enters the room. "No bean water for me, thanks. Do you have creamy melted chocolate with small fluffy sugary spheres? I would much prefer that if you do." Her green eyes scan the room. She offers a slight nod of her head to the Vesk, Alejandro, and Bud. She pushes her long, thick green braid over her shoulder. This draws attention to her head where the sides have been shaved bare to show off her green facial markings which are the same shade as her eyes. "My name is Minea Thomiall. I hope it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She sighs and takes a seat. She crosses her black leather-clad legs and smooths her loose black tunic, the light making the sliver stars dotting the tunic twinkle.
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A tall and very muscular looking kasathan male walks into the room. His mouth is covered with a white surgical style mask, his piercing blue eyes like chips of ice. If they are the windows to the soul, they look in on a cold personality tempered with the slightest hint of wisdom and cunning intelligence.
A green outfit with gold tribal markings covers most of a healthy, grey-skinned figure. A large doshko is secured in a scabbard fastened to a black non-descript belt around the kasatha's waistline. A bandolier with grenades is draped over the man's right shoulder, coming across the front of his chest at an angle to the lower left side of his body.
Finally, a braclet adorns each of the man's four hands. From the bottom left hand to the top right hand, each is construed of a different metal: brass, bronze, silver, and gold. Finally, a plain platinum circlet wraps around the man's elongated cranium.
He looks over everyone and then introduces himself. "Greetings. I am Sen Shruken of Clan Blastdoor. And coffee. Black," he says to the robot as he finds an empty seat and sits down. His voice is a rushed, squeaky voice that almost sounds android in quality, a voice that doesn't add to a personality that by all appearances looks pretty intimidating or bad-ass.
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The large vesk extends his clawed hand toward Alejandro. "Ah, a bold one. Greetings and Honor to you Alejandro."
He then turns to acknowledge SASS-E, "Two fried rings, with the, oh what did he call it? Ah yes, Jelly. Two fried rings with jelly in them!"
He quickly surveils the group and a large unsettling grin, filled with fangs and proudly exclaims "It seems there are many warriors called today. This will be a glorious mission."
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"I will be frank with all of you," Sen says. "My experience is lacking."
"Thank you," he says to SASS-E as the robot sits a plain white mug of black coffee down on an end table next to the seat.
"I undertook my commencement shortly after graduation into the Starfinder Society and I recently returned from Tabrid Minor. I was part of a group sent there by the Society and the Stewards to assess if the groups should support or reject the petition for protectorate status in the Pact Worlds that the government of Tabrid Minor submitted. Almost died. Twice," the kasatha finishes before taking a big drink of coffee. "That hits the spot."
SASS-E returns with all of the requested drinks and a plate of donuts. "I am pleased to be of service. I am sure the Venture-Captain will be with you all shortly." SASS-E looks over the group, awkwardly trying to assess comfort. "If you require anything further please just request it."
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Alejandro nods at Komodo, "A good strong name." He takes a long sip of the coffee and listens to the chatter, "A couple missions of experience here, but not enough to pretend to be more confident than usual. There are a lot of dangers out there, but I'd rather be risking them than where I used to be." He takes another sip, "But hopefully we'll know more about what to prepare for after the briefing."
SASS-E jolts momentarily, shifting focus as if listening to whisper. Proceeding in a more masculine, though still wholly artificial sounding voice "Thank you for your continued patience. I have just received a request for additional information prior to the briefing. The appropriate forms have been forwarded to your personal data devices, paper copies are available if you are unable to access your devices." Each of you notices that a message with a short form has been sent to your comm (if you have it with you).
SASS-E waits as each of your responses are returned. "Thank you, the Venture-Captain assures me he'll be ready shortly. Perhaps you could discuss the CONTROVERSIAL PUBLIC FIGURE? They have been very CONTROVERSIAL haven't they?" Again, SASS-E returns to office work seemingly satisfied at the socialization attempt.
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Komodo tilts his head towards Alejandro, "Do you think that SASS-E is experiencing some sort of malfunction?" He then chuckles and addresses the group. "Oh yes, that CONTROVERSIAL PUBLIC FIGURE... They have taken some quite controversial actions lately. I don't know how much longer they can stay in their public position."
SASS-E snaps to life again, in a genderless computerized voice announces - "The Venture-Captain will see you now"
The doors to the office slide open with a soft pneumatic hiss. Inside is a well-lit and blue-carpeted office. Venture-Captain Arvin, a handsome and determined-looking damaya lashunta,sits behind a desk, his eyes riveted on a glassy display. After a heartbeat, he glances towards the open door and motions everyone to enter. "I hope SASS-E was able to see to your needs while you wait... Help is hard to come by these days. My apologies, please come in. Be seated if you like, although this shouldn’t take long.” Arvin taps a button on a console and murmurs to a digital assistant, “SASS-E, put everything on hold for a few minutes. If anyone calls, please explain I’m in mission briefing and I’ll get right back to them.” He then darkens the display to
give his full attention.
“Right. I have an assignment for you. This one is a little a different than others you might have received.” He pauses before he explains, “It’s an internal matter."
“You’re probably aware that after the Scoured Stars incident many of our colleagues elected to leave the Society. That is unfortunate, but not surprising. We hate to lose good field agents, but no one is conscripted into our ranks. Normally we wish them well and that’s that. In this case, the defector, former field agent Reynald Talbot, stole an artifact from the Lorespire Complex before departing. Theft is where the Society draws the line; I need you to get that artifact back."
“Unfortunately, Talbot left weeks ago and we only discovered the theft in the last 24 hours. We launched an immediate investigation to determine the identity of the thief and their last known whereabouts. It’s our bad luck that Talbot was smart enough to get off the station and head to Akiton, where there’s no central government or law enforcement to easily call upon. I need you to track him down and recover the artifact. We know Talbot caught a shuttle to the Akitonian city of Maro, so that’s a great place to start. The Society will, of course, cover your travel expenses.”
The Venture-Captain leans back, waiting for questions from the team.
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Alejandro heads into the office with his coffee in hand. He sits down and listens carefully, "Do we have access to the dossier on Talbot so we know what he did when he was an agent? It would help when dealing with him as I'm sure most of us would be happy if we could just deal with this situation without violence. Less press that way at least."
Arvin answers the team's questions as they present them...
"If I may, what kind of artifact that we gona track down?"
“Good question, but the answer is complicated because it’s actually two questions: what the artifact is and what Talbot thinks it is. We’re operating under the assumption that Talbot thinks he’s stolen an object from old Golarion called a philosopher’s stone. Legend has it that the stone could transmute matter, among other properties. What Talbot actually stole was recently re-cataloged as a charlatan’s stone. It does something similar, except the effect is a potent illusion and only temporary. We think ancient con artists used to make false gold.”
"Do we have access to the dossier on Talbot so we know what he did when he was an agent?"
“No, not a dossier per say. I do know a little about Talbot. He’s smart, capable, a bit brash, and a reasonable field agent. Talbot is also self-entitled and ambitious. After the Scoured Stars incident, he expected to be promoted to venture-captain, but the Forum felt he needed more time. He got angry. We think this theft is retaliation.”
"It would help when dealing with him as I'm sure most of us would be happy if we could just deal with this situation without violence. Less press that way at least."
“I want the stone back. Talbot’s not worth the expense of dragging back here, so you can do whatever you think is necessary with him. That said, you don’t have a license to go on a mass killing spree. Don’t make the Society look bad. It might be tough to do on Akiton, but don’t take that as a challenge.”
Arvin pauses to see if there are any more questions...
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Alejandro shares what he knows, pulling up a bit of info from the general database about the world to supplement his memory. "Planet has a third of standard gravity with a thinner atmosphere. Better wear armor, though I hope none of us are going into this without some sort of protection. Bad economy which means very little government so keep on your toes. I'm guessing bribes are on the table and probably cheap if we need to use them. Most likely we won't be trusted as we are outsiders but that also means Talbot might be remembered. He will probably be on the move though and we are quite a few days behind the chase."
He muses a bit, "Hmmm... skilled enough to be a VC, that's a tough mark to take. We'll have to be careful."
Ever the mercenary, Varanus smirks and his eyes sparkle. "Our orders only speak of the artifact. Does the Society wish for us to bring Talbot back to stand trial for his theft?"
"As I mentioned, no. The time, funds and energy aren't worth a trial. You can deal with him based on how the situation unfolds. The message will be clear enough if the stone is returned: theft will NOT be tolerated. Though neither will murder, so no killing outside of self-defense."
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Sen's shoulders seem to sag with a little disappointment when Venture Captain-Arvin advises them against using lethal force to recover the artifact.
"We find Reynald and give him a chance to give the artifact back. If he doesn't, we take it back. Sounds pretty cut and dried to me. Let's go find him."
The Venture-Captain has secured passage for the team on a standard passenger vessel, not luxurious but comfortable. The team has a quiet and uneventful trip to Akiton. As you approach the planet...
Outside the observation windows floats Akiton, a world the color of blood, rust, and red clay. A thick shell of white caps both poles. The shuttle descends toward the planet, and a barely perceptible shift in gravity occurs as the ship’s artificial gravity begins to lessen and the planet’s natural gravity begins to take hold.
From suborbital heights, a handful of small towns, large complexes, and industrial sites that spew noxious fumes into the thin atmosphere surround the trench city of Maro. A spidery web of dirt roads scratched into the rust-colored ground by regular traffic connects these sites to the metropolis.
Maro, the so-called City of Lights itself, comes into view as the ship begins its final descent. The city occupies more of a vertical space than horizontal, built into a six-mile-long section of trench that is half as deep and a half mile wide. Entire neighborhoods and business districts are built into the walls, accessed by patio entrances. Lights, neon signs, and holographic advertising bejewel either side of this urban canyon, while an active spaceport and industrial zones occupy the ground level. As the shuttle lands, it does so beneath the backdrop of an immense mural of brightly glowing neon-green graffiti that reads in Common:
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During planetfall, Varanus pulls out his pack and places many different pieces of equipment in front of him. He stares at the objects and then proceeds to pick up the pieces and assemble them. Over 10 minutes of concerted effort, a grenade appears among the detritus. After he is finished, he chuckles to himself. "Wonderful. I think that will hold, as long as no body else touches it." <Varanus has created an Incendiary grenade I, using Grenade Expert>
The team settles into the new planet's gravity and the bustle of the docking station...
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Upon landfall Alejandro gets to work very quickly searching for leads with the dockworkers and anyone else who will give him the time of day. "Hey friend, I saw that sign out there. Would you believe if we said we were just here to help?"
With the blank looks staring back at him he gives a big smile, "Hah, I know you wouldn't so I won't even pull your chain. In all honesty, we are here tracking someone and it would definitely be in your best interest to see if you can recall anything to help us."
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Not being one for having the gift of gab.....at least not with his voice, anyways, Sen accompanies Alejandro as he seek information on locating the thieving ex-agent.
The kasatha stands by and mostly listens as his human counterpart speaks with an eloquence that belies wisdom and experience, his smooth voice begging his listeners to convey trust in him.
"Reynald Talbot. Have you heard that name?" Sen asks, noting that Alejandro didn't mention their quarry's identity.
Acquisitives Champion: Faction Boon
Faction's Friend: Social Boon
Marked Field Agent: Slotless Boon
Copaxi Linguist: Slotless Boon
Alejandro spends about two hours drifting through shops and bars around Maro. He's able to discover that after arriving and spending a few days around Maro, Talbot departed to small mining town called Tasch a few miles outside of Maro.
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Alejandro rounds up the crew, relaying the information. He then tries to figure out if it is safe to walk there or if they need to hire some sort of transport.
"Aight, got a pretty solid lead. Our guy was here for a couple days and then headed off to a small mining town called Tasch a couple miles away."
He thinks for a bit about an earlier mission, "So obviously there wasn't a way to avoid looking out of place when we arrived, we had no clue about customs and clothes and whatnot. But now we've got a taste of the life here, do we want to try to blend in more for our travel to Maro? Could buy some local garb, work up a bit of a disguise, pick up a couple mannerisms. It might let us arrive there without immediately being outed as outsiders. Thoughts?"
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Varanus looks down at himself, pauses, and then lifts up his head. "Um, my friend, I do not think any attempts on my part to blend in will be effective, due to my size and armament. However, I do pose an alternative: I could blend in, by not blending in." He then gestures to all the other soldiers in the group, "If we pose as your bodyguards, and you put on airs of someone high in a corporation, say a mining company, that might be more believable."
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Alejandro shrugs, "That's certainly a good way to play it. I'm in. I'll start easy though, try to be nice. If we get any push-back I'll expect you all to give some nice glowering looks to help my threats... though would prefer that we don't have to follow through with any of them."
The older human looks around at everyone, "Anything left to do here? If not, let's start hoofing it. Sooner we get there, the less time our quarry has to go to ground."
Since the Society is funding your transportation it isn't difficult to find a ride to Tasch. An elongated dune buggy transports the team from Maro into the red dunes of Akiton’s surface. The journey only takes 2 hours, with the buggy stopping just outside the city limits before continuing to other peripheral towns.
A long dusty road, lined with single-story dwellings, runs through the town of Tasch. Some powered vehicles rest chained to their owner’s homes. A small general store stands near the center of town, illuminated by flickering white lights. Another building, full of locals, hosts a signpost that reads “Digger’s Dive”—clearly the town bar. Although the sun beats down on this desert town, its citizens meander around the bar in good cheer. Most are ysoki and humans, with the occasional lumbering four-armed shobhad mingling among them.