Kultainen tries to avoid the grease, but falls in, becoming doused with the substance. Even when getting out of it, it clings as persistently as it is slippery.
The rest of the party (so far) manage to avoid the effects.
Kultainen throws some of the lubricant after emerging from the pool of grease. She misses the camera (to the decided lack of amusement from the crew) but hits a small, helpless rodent that wanders in front of Raatchet. Regardless, she's covered in the greasy substance.
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With a good natured sigh the well lubricated android does her best Ursla Andreas impression emerging from the goo.
Remi likewise falls unceremoniously into the fissure, becoming covered in grease.
As the party traverses the fissure, several tiny camera drones follow your progress, being controlled remotely while not exposing the camera crew to untold danger. You emerge from the fissure into a small storage room that was mostly destroyed in the collapse of the tunnel. Continuing down a small worked passage way, you make your way to what appears a hall of worship that bears several lovingly carved likenesses of dwarves performing great deeds of forging and warfare.
As you proceed, though, several globules of fluid react to your presence, reorienting towards you and away from a dwarf trapped under some debris!
Zo! booms over the channel: "This looks like a job for a hero!" as almost obvious music surges
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"Hey Remi, come to join in the fun?" asks Kultanien.
Eventually she comes to the end, and does her best to scrape the goo off her nice new armour.
"Just as well this great new set of armour protected me from the worst of the Goo." she says pointedly.
"What are they?" asks Kultanien
She squeezes off a quick shot at the closest.
"I think I got it..."
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Being coated with a goopy fluid herself, Remi's mind is primed to recognize the fluid creatures. She spots an opportunity with the one to the north, and she takes a few careful steps forward, keeping her center of gravity well balanced to avoid slipping on the muck she drips with every step. Then she goes for a trick shot, aiming carefully over Chirrk's shoulder and just skimming the narrow hallway he's standing in to strike the autonomous fluid beyond from an angle it won't see coming.
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"It's pretty exciting, actually, to think that so many of you are watching everything we do here." She flashes a winning smile. "I like the idea that anything we discover will be public knowledge - you're all seeing it happen right along with us, and we'll get to uncover some mysteries together! I've never had a team this big before - thousands! Maybe millions! How many people did you say were watching this?"
We haven't gotten to see a lot from you yet in combat. Are there any tricks you're planning to pull out in the travels ahead?"
"I'll always have a few tricks ready to surprise you with! And spilling them up front would spoil the fun. But to be honest, the terrain here is a bit difficult for me. I trained on Castrovel, which if you haven't been there - and you should definitely visit, by the way, wonderful place - um, anyway, it's a very lush planet. Everything feels bigger there, the flora, the fauna, even the ideas and the conflicts. So I don't feel quite as much at home here, with these enclosed hallways and dark tunnels. Luckily, I have a highly competent team to back me up, and we're all doing our best to help each other out when we need it. I'm pretty sure Poppilo saved my life back there, for example, when that spicodranth got right up in my face. I won't forget it, either."
"Do you have any messages for your fans? I believe you have a bit of a fan club already."
"A fan club? Me?" Her eyes widen in genuine shock and embarrassed pleasure. "I sure don't know what I've done to deserve that, but thanks for your support! We'll try to give you a good show." She winks saucily at the camera. "And erm, know your enemy! Having adequate knowledge when you're going into a fight is the way to win. That's my best tip." Remi nods sagely, and bites her tongue to hold back the Stay in school, kids remark that comes to mind.
The party launches into attacks, while Raat's does far less damage than he thinks his perfectly aimed shot should have done... if the thing had discernable anatomy. As the first foe is felled, Remi's shot instead goes into the blue-tinged fluid.
One of the oozes slams into the solarian, dissolving parts of him as he moves away!
Blue vibrates as it takes another hit, but looks still together (as much as a viscous ooze can.)
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The energies of the universe that surround the solarian help to absorb some fo the damage, but the caustic ooze melting parts of armor and flesh emit an acrid smoke and a disgusting stench! Chirrk swings again at the thing...
D20 / LOCATION / SAVE / EFFECT
1–10 / General / — / Bleed 1d6
11–13 / Eye (sensory) / Ref / Lost eye, –2 Perception
14–15 / Leg (mobility) / Fort / Severed limb, –10 land speed
16–17 / Arm (manipulation) / Ref / Severed limb, lose a hand
18–19 / Vital organ / Fort / 1d4 Con damage
20 / Brain / Fort / Stunned 1 round
Through a barrage of flame, lasers, and bullets you manage to disperse the fluid into non-sentient puddles that seem to no longer be mobile or threatening. With that treat gone, you can now move to aid the struggling trapped dwarf. It takes a bit of lifting but you are able to displace the rubble that has him pinned down.
Once freed, he looks at you appreciatively and starts to try to talk to you in Dwarven, almost with a sense of deja vu.
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Raatchet replies to Holsin in Aklo, "Waddup bro! Daaaaaang you were in a tight spot...literally! You're lucky we arrived just in time! We're Starfinders and Ygla said we should speak with you."
Raatchet then puts out his hand to perform a bro handshake. However, due to hundreds (or thousands? hundreds of thousands?) of years of cultural differences, it fails.
Raatchet looks around to see if the structure is in danger of further collapse?
Raatchet will also translate anything the party wants to say.
The temple looks relatively stable for now, but given the occasional rumble it probably would be best to leave while you still can. With only a bit of exertion from your side and pulling the rubble on the other by the dwarves outside, you are able to exit before anything else can fall.
Dusting bits of temple from his clothing, Holsin uses the Spell Gem of Comprehend Languages to understand whatever you might say, though still requires Raatchet to translate Aklo in return.
Holsin is very disturbed by the cave-in that nearly killed him. ”For generations my people have climbed higher and higher in the Darklands, following Torag’s prophesied tremor that began the Quest for Sky. As the years stretch on, Torag has rumbled periodically, coaxing us to ascend! Yet, despite my... er, our piety, it seems that Torag is angry with my clan. Now Torag’s miracles have become less powerful, which I believe is because the god’s power is diluted by the influence of surface faiths with which I must contend with.”
Ylga mutters, ”Is that what caused that one time the ceiling rained shapeless meat when you prayed for food?”
Holsin shushes her and continues. "I have a suspicion that we are near the surface. The short orcs have also returned with magic wands from the surface to renew our age-old enmity! They came accompanied by large explosions and live in a strange fog that makes people choke and get sick. But even worse, the orcs have used vile surface magic to channel the sky-realm’s toxic air into the caverns and kill my people. If we are to survive and reach the surface, of which I believe we’re so close—someone able to survive the poisons must travel into the deadly fog and clear the tunnels.”
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Raatchet responds, "Mmmmm... Shapeless synthetic meat.... Sounds yummy!"
Raatchet quickly continues, "I believe the short orcs you refer to are actually goblins. But don't you fear their magic wands... Raatchet unslings his rifle, keeping it pointed safely up at the ceiling and finishes, "...my magic wand is bigger!"
Raatchet looks into the camera and says to the audience, "Sorry... Someone had to say it - we were all thinking it, right?"
Raatchet will attempts to scrutinize Holsin's words, suspecting that Holsin knows a little more than he's letting on...
...but no, this is one of the most honest, forthright beings in the universe!
Raatchet also has a ponder about the fog, trying to figure out what it may be. Perhaps some exhaust fumes or other gaseous waste produced by the machinery of this planetoid?
Kultanien listens in amazement.
"Tell him we know the way to the surface, but we need to move quickly as this place is unstable..." she suggests.
Holsin looks confused. "You have been through the deadly fog and defeated the orcs? How can that be? From my understanding, you came from the tunnels below, not above." He shakes his head. "Our destiny is within our grasp, I'm sure of it. But perhaps... your strange armor. Maybe you can use it to survive in the fog? I could use a spell to accompany you, and grant aid."
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Remi shakes her head, listening to Raatchet’s translation. Everything these dwarves say is very strange, and she’s not sure how much of it to believe. “I think you should take us to this fog, and maybe we can figure out what you’re talking about. It might indeed be true that our armor can protect us from it.” She sweeps one arm forward in a gesture indicating that the dwarf should lead the way.
With most of the party in agreement, Holsin nods, then turns grim. ”Ylga, please stay behind and oversee the preparation of our clansmen’s final interment.” He faces back to the party. ”More protracted funeral rights will have to wait until once we have gotten to the bottom of matters and reach our destiny at the top of the caverns. I believe lingering too long will risk Torag’s displeasure to further and cause more calamity.”
After only a few more moments for the camera crew to ready themselves, you make your way into the passageway Holsin guides you towards. Somewhat dubiously, Ylga remains, calling out to you, ”Strange Divine Messengers… return swiftly.” Then she turns to direct some of the other dwarves as they try to shore up the cavern and other stoic duties.
After following the tunnels for about half an hour the air becomes visibly cloudy with a blue-tinted gas and over the course of the next hour it becomes increasingly difficult to see further ahead. By the time you reach a large opening, the air quality is such that anyone two ahead down the tunnel becomes difficult to see while you can barely make out details 60 feet ahead of you. You are also quite certain that the gas is poisonous, though it would be difficult to determine the effect without subjecting yourself to it.
You reach an opening in a cavern that has a spooky and menacing blue-tinged ambiance. The floor is covered by blunted stalagmites and a ten foot deep trench splits the visible area covered by a large stone bridge. To the north, there is a large door shrouded by the fog, though from here it seems crafted from some metallic alloy. The ghoulish camera crew rush into the cavern to capture a reaction shot as you glance around… then several pivot as several concealed goblins start gibbering in the thick fog. One of the goblins in particular has a strange silhouette: heavily armored, this goblin appears to have three arms, two of which clutch blasters, one of which has a long slicing edge.
Zo! cheers excitedly, ”What secrets will our heroes uncover and… is that a three-armed goblin!” It all comes down to this folks! I can’t wait!!!” before starting some more Battle Music.
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With most of the party in agreement, Holsin nods, then turns grim. ”Ylga, please stay behind and oversee the preparation of our clansmen’s final interment.” He faces back to the party. ”More protracted funeral rights will have to wait until once we have gotten to the bottom of matters and reach our destiny at the top of the caverns. I believe lingering too long will risk Torag’s displeasure to further and cause more calamity.”
Raatchet will translate this to the party by saying, "Holsin is telling Ylga to stay behind to finish burial preparations while he joins us. He believes we've gotta go up in order to get down to the bottom of what's going on here. He's also saying that if sticking around much longer will cause the dead god Torag to get angry and cause more tremors, death and destruction. Errrr...wait a sec, he's got comprehend languages, doesn't he? Soooo...he just heard what I said...?" Raatchet, who was facing the party, turns around to face Holsin.
Raatchet tries to quickly recover by saying in Common, "Oh wait, did I say 'dead' god? He he he... You see, that's just slang. I didnt' mean literally dead. I meant...uh.... 'Dead' actually means silent & mysterious but strong & honorable as well!! Really! It does! I mean it's like the word 'bad'!! 'Bad' doesn't actually mean bad...it means 'good'!! As in the phrase: "Raatchet, you so bad!!!" See what I mean? Bad is good. Dead is silent/mysterious/strong/honorable."
Without waiting for a reply, Raatchet immediately turns away and starts walking, declaring, "Welp, let's go! I believe up is this way!!" Raatchet starts walking towards the grease-filled pit that led to the collapsing temple when a facepalming ghoul cameraman taps Raatchet on the shoulder and points Raatchet in the opposite direction.
"Right! This way!" Raatchet swings around and walks in the directed direction.
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"What tha....??? A mutated three-armed goblin??"
Raatchet moves 30' up to the edge of the trench and takes a shot at the red goblin!
Closer inspection by Raatchet makes it seem like one of the right arms is actually robotic (he's more machine now than man...) There's little interesting about him physically but his suit appears to also have explosive boosters which can damage everyone around his. His suit also seems reinforced and sufficient from keeping him exposed to the poisonous air.
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"Guys! That three-armed mutant isn't actually a mutant! It's a heavily augmented goblin with an extra robotic arm! I estimate it's got about six million credits worth of augments built into him! It's more machine than goblin...and watch out! His suit seems to have some kind of explosion attack that radiates out from him! Which I gotta admit is kind of a cool idea... something I may have to work on myself back home in my garage..."
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As they enter the creepy fog, Remi double checks to make sure the environmental seals on her armor are properly filtering the air. She pauses and jerks her head up when she hears the chattering and gibbering ahead. "Goblins!"
She pulls out her static arc pistol this time and moves forward to just behind Hudathan. She can barely make out the other side of the ravine, so she stands waiting for the goblins to come closer.