Can you express how long ago that was? Janzi asks, while agreeing to a repast and meet their leader.
Janzi repeats the statements of the natives and their invitation to the Maiden crew.
The translator struggles with the units of time, but Janzi concludes that it's been about 6 days.
Gig puts away his weapon and quietly tries to assist Janzi. In the meantime, he watches and tries to understand if the aliens are warming up to the party or if they still have ill intentions.
Gig doesn't get a read one way or the other. The invitation seems genuine.
"Let's get movin' then."
The surviving "kish" are uninterested in accompanying you at the moment, they insist that you go (it appears that they want to do some kind of ritual for the ones who died.) They give you a password to make it past any other kish.
From the landing pad, you enter a building, a place where merchants and visitors might have once declared their goods and fill out the appropriate forms. The interior of the building was gutted long ago, and the walls are now covered with murals worked in crude paint and charcoal. The images seem to depict the sun in various positions in relation to the Emerald Landing Pad; each of these pictures is accompanied by a number of what appear to be tally marks.
Shortly after you enter, you notice the sounds of combat outside! An empty window frame overlooks the street in front of the building, where two small groups of kish are fighting. Both groups have taken casualties and only three remain standing on each side.
You notice that the kish of one of the two sides are all wearing a prominent, though crude, symbol on their armor: an outline of a shield-like shape with an upside-down tear drop breaking through the top and a circle in the middle. If you pass a DC 18 Mysticism check, read the spoiler below:
Janzi rushes to the window frame to observe the fight. He is confused why the two native groups are engaged in combat, but he will take his cue from those around him — if they are jumping into the fray, he will as well.
Hack-It spends all this time glowering at Booker. He also briefly swats Dunk, but is unable to stay mad at the Vesk.
Booker cracks through the door and fires a single shot into the air, hoping to alarm the kish into ceasing hostilities.
The single shot is enough to cause a pause in the skirmish. The kish (dressed like the ones you met) scurry off, while the others turn their guns on you.... but do not fire.
It is clear that one of the remaining three is severely wounded and the other two put down their guns to attend to him. His two comrades don’t seem to have the skills to heal him and look unwilling to possibly exacerbate his condition by moving him. They offer a short prayer to the sky,
Janzi recognizes the motions of a prayer to Talavet the Storyteller...
...but also sees that the natives are awkward at the ritual. He steps forward, palms out and looks inquiringly at the fallen one. He tries the tetrad certified translator for the words "help" and "heal", using the password the group the party defeated as well.
Janzi steps out from hiding. The native kesh are extremely apprehensive about his approach. They keep their weapons at the ready. The situation is extremely tense as you can tell they'll attack if threatened....
Gig looks on at Janzi with awe as he sees how to handle the negotiations. In the meanwhile, he keeps his hand off of his pistol at this tense moment to ensure that he doesn’t screw things up by inadvertently misfiring his new Corona pistol.
Janzi's demeanor transcends culture. The Kish step aside to let Janzi step in. One speaks in their more vulgar form of their language, "Help?"
It feels good actually. You're on this planet hunting a cult who is after a megaweapon. It's a race between you and the Corpsefleet to this weapon. The stress of the mission is ever present. But this. This feels good, helping heal someone during a first contact. You realize that this is actually a core component to the Starfinder mission.
Janzi, Medicine check please.
Booker quietly reloads and keeps his distance.
Janzi works his skills and the kish are awed not only by his skill, but how obviously their prayers were answered. Despite the alien anatomy, Janzi manages to patch up the third Kish.
The trio exchange thanks, and in time Janzi's translator begins to grab this version of the language. "Come, come with us and we will give you thanks. You are different from us, and Herald Tzayl will have questions and a gift for you. Please."
They begin to walk along the edge towards the planet-side corner
"Ask 'em what they're fightin' about," Booker instructs the translator device.
As the party walks, the presence of kish in the vicinity becomes obvious. Signs of life, and furtive glances increase as you walk. Janzi translates and gets a response. His device working with increasing efficiency as the conversation progresses, "“You come to us in turbulent times. Those you see around you have been recently cast out from their homes for daring to speak out about Huntmaster Xavra’s desecration of tradition. And now we clash in the streets to protect ourselves. It is very sad.”
They don't offer follow up information.
The view of the planet from this corner of the city is breathtaking.
Eventually you arrive at an interesting building. The space above its front doors is marked with a large (and fairly freshly painted) symbol of Talavet. A handful of younger kish are in the space in front of the building, playing a casual game involving a ball and pairs of vertical hoops on poles on opposite sides of the court. Dozens of other kish can be seen about the neighborhood, tending to small gardens, repairing the buildings, or maintaining weapons and armor. Many of them stop what they are doing to gawk at the aliens as you are escorted into the building.
The interior has clearly been recently converted into a small church, and hastily created symbols of Talavet are the majority of the decor.
You are quickly introduced to a "Herald Tzayl", who wears an austere brown robe accented with a colorful scarf around her head. She casts a spell of share language on each of you.
“We are kish, the keepers of our ancestral land of Istamak. We owe you our thanks for your succor after the skirmish. I'm sure we both have many questions."
Janzi takes in all the sights, and catches Booker's eye as they approach the interesting building. There is more to these natives than meets the eye, he sends via telepathic message.
In Herald Tzayl's presence, Janzi nods at her words. Only too happy to help such valiant warriors. We will answer your questions as best we can, as your guests. Janzi will allow her to ask questions first, as a guest should; but has some of his own if she does not ask. What has caused this rift in your people? Why are your followers cast out, and why do you fight between yourselves?
"The trouble started when the outsiders came, not long before you. Our people once held impossibly powerful knowledge, but it is lost. The outsiders came looking for it. Our way is a way of friends and hosts. These outsiders brought death and destruction. They arrived in a metal cloud like yours, but different in shape and color. Theirs looked angry, as did their clothes. We welcomed them into our great temple, but they profaned the Vault of Tales and attacked us, causing many deaths and much destruction. They then returned to their cloud and ascended into the sky. Huntmaster Xavra convinced our chief to abandon our ways and to barricade themselves in an ancient building. We protested this xenophobic choice, so they cast us out."
Janzi describes some of those they've met from the Corpse Fleet. Were these the outsiders of whom you speak? They are our enemy, and your enemy, and they enemy of all who breathe.
Can we help in some way to bring you and Huntmasteer Xavra back together? We would repay your kindness, if we can.
"No, they did not look that way at all. We have not seen outsiders such as that." The Herald then begins to describe Pact world races with only one thing in common, the symbol of the Cult of the Devourer!
"I fear help may not matter. The other strangers desecrated the Vault of Tales within our temple, looking for something they called The Stellar Degenerator. Now our temple is impregnable, and Xavra and the others are there. There is no way in."
"Stay outta my head, doc," Booker growls. "Did they find what they were lookin' for?" he asks of the priestess.
Gig listens intently as his interest in peeked. ”What is the Stella Degeneraor? What does it do? Has anybody here heard of it?”
Gig wracks his brain trying to remember the Degenerator superweapon.
Answering Booker's question, "They found something. At one point they quickly stopped looting the temple and left. There was a steady trail of fallen kish behind them."
The kish leader's shoulders droop, a very "Pact Worlds" kind of body language, "Please. Our way of life has been disrupted by the outsiders before you. If you wish to hunt them, you'll need to find out where they went. To do that, you'll need to get into the Temple. The doors are shut from within and can be opened only if Xavra allows it.”
She thinks for a moment. “But I have heard the voices of our ancestors speak of another way in. Perhaps if you were to listen to them, you might benefit from their insights. But first you must prove yourself worthy enough to hear those voices yourself.”
Booker groans audibly. "Fine. What're the tests?"
Tzayl explains there are two places of significance where kish go when they want to hear the voices of their ancestors or seek their blessings. "While these are sacred ceremonies for my people, I admit that not many kish have performed them in close to a year. Perhaps if Xavra and his warriors had shown more devotion, they wouldn’t have been so quick to break away from tradition...."
"I do not see any harm in you enacting these rites; after all, if you do so, you might better understand the kish community. Anyway there is both the House of Renewal and the Maze of Ghosts I'm happy to give specifics on either."
"I'd like to tell you to feel free to explore our city, but the other Kish no longer welcome outsiders. It'll be dangerous where ever you go."
"Won't be a problem," Booker nods. "Specifics on both'd be good."
Tzayl describes the House of Renewal as a “place of either healing or silence,” depending on the kish who makes the pilgrimage there. Kish go there when they are ill, physically or spiritually, and step into the chamber at the center of the building. If the ancestors judge the kish’s heart to be true, she emerges healed, sometimes even healthier than before. Otherwise, the pilgrim is never seen again. Some kish whisper that the House of Renewal has become corrupted in some way, but I can't speak to it."
"Despite the site’s name, that the Maze of Ghosts is not a frightening place. Instead, it is where our visions of the ancestors are the strongest. Kish who want to feel a deeper connection with the city’s history meditate within. If the kish’s intentions aren’t pure, the ghosts don’t show themselves."
Booker grunts in acknowledgement. "Maze first, I guess. Let's get movin'."
”Why would the house of renewal be a more dangerous place than the maze of ghosts? I’m fine with going to either place, but somebody in the naming department should look into this matter.”
The kish wish you luck and offer a prayer before you go.
The party heads out, taking much of the same route used to get to the ostracized kish. About half way to the Maze you spy a patrol of three kish. It looks like they're blocking off the route to the Maze
(Darkvision 60')
(Darkvision 60')
(Darkvision 60')
--->
The party heads out, taking much of the same route used to get to the ostracized kish. About half way to the Maze you spy a patrol of three kish. It looks like they're blocking off the route to the Maze
It doesn't look like they've seen you. Avoiding them might be possible. Engaging them is absolutely possible. What now?
”If you think it would be useful to sneak past, I can offer to cast an invisibility spell for a few of us. However, if you guys are just going to attack, I wouldn’t bother.”
You know that thus far all the kish who DON'T try to kill you where the trappings of faith venerating Talavet. These kish are NOT dressed like that.
"I say we let 'em know our business, and push through if they try to stop us."
Expect trouble, though, Janzi warns as he points out their attire matches that of the ones meeting them when they landed.
"Always do," Booker replies with a chuckle.
”I trust you know best, Booker. I’ll be ready for the worst.”
The party opts for the direct approach. Two Kish step out from behind a building and pull bows out. They don't even both trying to tell you to turn around. They speak only with violence.
There is a Kish sneaking up on you from behind. If you CTRL+A the map, you'll see a square NE of Gig with a border. That's the third Kish.
(Darkvision 60')
(Darkvision 60')
--->
Round 1:
Dunklezahn: Go
Hostiles: TBD
R1G5: TBD
Booker: TBD
Gig: TBD
Janzi: TBD
Hack-It: TBD
By now Dunklezahn is accustomed to eyes going wide as he charges. He strikes the kish with his pike. It's not fatal, but there is blood everywhere!
The two swarm dunk and switch to axes:
MISS
for
A third rushes out of the alley as if on cue from Dunk's warning. He swings an axe at Gig:
for
A fourth, unseen by everyone shoots at Booker from a rooftop!
but misses!
Round 1:
Dunklezahn: Hit
Hostiles: ATK
R1G5: Go
Booker: Go
Gig: Go
Janzi: Go
Hack-It: Go
Yellow: 17