The creature watches for several moments, then nods and gestures for you to follow. The pack of beetle-like aliens then begin to march back to the bluffs.
It's a 30-minute trek to the bluffs as you follow the aliens away from the city. As you all approach you can see dozens of the beetle-like aliens crawling in and out of the many caves that dot the face of this otherwise drab cliff. Most of them are dressed in simple leather frocks, while the few with crude weapons are covered with sturdier armor. A small garden filled with sickly plants is visible off to one side, next to what looks like the opening to a well. A handful of children sits in front of a pair of older aliens, who are both wearing brightly colored necklaces. They appear to be either telling the young ones a story or teaching them a lesson.
This enclave lets out a friendly cheer, which dies off as their attention moves to your foreign group. The one leading you engages in a animated conversation with two other aliens, involving various clacking mandibles. You are then gestured to come join the three and introduce yourselves.
As Builder-42 begins to juggle the children aliens begin to get excited and some of the adults start chattering among themselves as well.
This elaborate datapad has several additional audio receptors
to capture nearby sounds. If you don’t share a language with
creatures you encounter, you can activate this device to collect
basic linguistic information. The device requires 10 minutes of
observed conversation to gain enough information to operate.
The device then acts as a rudimentary translator. It does not
allow you to converse with creatures with whom you don’t share
a language, but it can relate very basic information. Examples
of statements the device could interpret would be: “come with
us,” “lower your weapons,” or “leave immediately.” The device
cannot parse proper names, including personal designations or
the names of items and places. Some extraordinary complex or
obscure languages might not translate clearly with this device.
A Tetrad certified translator has 10 capacity and 1/hour usage.
The Tetrad certified translator has been whirling ever since you entered the encampment. The alien that lead you here speaks to you and for the first time a semblance of understanding is gained. While the translator isn't perfect, it does relay the basic meanings.
"We welcome you here. Impressive hunt with the brute. What is your purpose?"
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Thorval looks to the translator, and then to the alien leader. In a very loud voice he says, "WE ARE HERE TO FIND WHO LIVES HERE. AND MAYBE TO PUNCH SOME BAD-ASS ALIEN CRITTERS IN THE FACE. NOT YOU, OF COURSE, UNLESS YOU WANNA BRAWL?"
He thinks a moment. "AS I SAID BEFORE, I AM HORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF THORVAL SON OF AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY OF THORVALS. WHO ARE YOU?"
They chatter and the translator box starts to speak at a slight delay. "Don't understand what you speak of. Welcome Fizz-pop-pop-spudit. We do not wish to fight. If you have questions you will speak to SHHHHHHHHH_CHHHHHHHHH. We must perform Welcoming now to receive our hunting party home." Seeing Builder-42's juggling the alien nods to you all," You can join if you wish."
The alien beetles then turn and move into a cave in the side of the bluff.
As you follow, you find the cave is spacious, with plenty of natural handholds leading up to other tunnels into the cliff. A large bonfire burns in the center of a cleared-out space, providing light but making the cave quite stuffy. As you step inside, it seems as though the entire tribe is converging here. Many of these aliens are carrying drums and assorted instruments made from stone. A few moments later, they begin playing a stately tune and the remaining aliens face each other in a couple of straight lines. The husks proceed to start a formalized processional dance.
Ryu and Thorval gracefully join in the dance. It is quite remarkable actually, their natural movements give off the illusion that they have performed this before.
Overall they are quite pleased with how you are successfully joining in the dance. As the ceremony comes to a finish a new alien steps into the firelight. They are thinner than the others and dressed in shimmering fabrics, though it is clear they have a few bandaged wounds. Most strikingly, they sport a pair of membranous wings.
The stocky beetle aliens treat this thinner alien with respect, but not reverence, and allow them to walk right up to you all. It looks you over more a moment and then gestures to their throat and mouth. Their hand lights up with energy, and they use it to point to Ryu's throat and mouth.
With a touch to Tolmu, the creature speaks. (Ghibrani)"Hello. My name is Klarima. I can share our language with two other of your circle as well."
The spells are cast and the alien bows to Ryu, graciously accepting the serum. "Serum, of Healing? This is very kind of you, thank you. What do you call yourselves? You are unlike any other people I have ever met. Possibly the same is true of you for me. We have much we can teach one another.”
Klarima appreciates Ryu's explanation of the Serum and how to use it. Once her wounds rapid heal she is astonished. "Ahh! Thank you, yes, we have a dark liquid that acts similarly. I would like to compare it to these, serums. I am not sure if I understand you correctly, your tribe is from another world? What are you exploring for?"
|
"The Starfinders explores other worlds to learn about the life forms that live there, both in the past, as well as in the present, so that possible trade in goods, services, and knowledge might be possible."
"For instance, what can you tell us about the city with the force shield around it we landed near?"
"That is Arkeost, a shining beacon of civilization! One of the few left on this world, I’ve been told. It is also my home. There was a great war in the past between the nation-states. The invisible fire they rained down upon one another killed most living things across the globe. It was only thanks to the foresight of our ancestors that any of us survived to see today. I can take you there, to Arkeost, if you agree to escort me across the wastes."
"Only the beast like the one I am told you slain and soarnettles, which are just a dangerous piece of local flora, razor-sharp weeds that can catch the winds. They aren’t too hard to avoid, unless of course, you’ve got your head in the clouds." Her mandibles move in a way that makes you think she might be smiling.
The other aliens come forward and present a few items to you. "It has been a honor to host you here and perform the Welcoming ritual with you all. Please, take this ancestral weapon as a gift along with some supplies to aid your travels." They hand over three vials of a dark liquid that taste like black licorice , and one of the rifles that you had seen them armed with earlier.
The huchket is a generational weapon of the husk
ghibranis. It includes some technological elements from
the ghibrani’s past, but is otherwise appears like an
archaic projectile longarm.
Stats
A huchket rifle is a 3rd-level, projectile longarm ranged
weapon that deals 1d10 piercing damage and has the wound
critical hit effect. It has a range of 80 feet and holds 6 rounds.
It has the analog special property and 1 bulk.
Klarima leads you through the badlands toward the shining metropolis in the distance. The journey takes only a few hours, allowing the share language spells to remain in effect. Elytrio’s sun is beginning to set as you approach the edge of a visible force field half a mile outside of the city. Klarima retrieves a clunky and ancient-looking datapad from her pack and presses a few buttons on it. There is a brief pause when nothing happens and, a little frustrated, she touches the same sequence of buttons on the device. This time, a circular portion of the force field opens like a door. Klarima steps through and gestures for you to follow. When everyone has passed through, Klarima presses another button on her datapad and the force field closes again.
Continuing on, you soon reach your destination with Klarima. This strange metropolis sparkles like a jewel in the gloom of dusk. In stark contrast to the desolation surrounding it, the city is a bustling center of activity, with dozens of winged insectoid aliens going about their business, flitting from one high doorway to another. The streets below seem almost like an afterthought, used only occasionally by small automated machines. Several overgrown flower beds and shaggy trees fill the spaces between the roads and hug the sides of the tall buildings. Though the structures still look sturdy, obvious patches of rust and other disrepair indicate that they haven’t been very well taken care of.