Zigvigix's Granted Benefit
Once during the adventure, the party gains a +2 bonus to all starship combat attack rolls for one round, and that attack does not consume ammunition in the case of a weapon with the limited fire property.
Venture-Captain Arvin's Granted Benefit
Once during the adventure, the group can gain the benefit of aid another (+2 bonus) to all skill checks and attack rolls for 1 round.
Bonus: In place of the reward above, once during the adventure, when the table uses an Aid Token, you gain two benefits instead of one, but you cannot choose the same effect twice.
Historia-7's Granted Benefit
You have a priority code that allows your team to divert CPU power from a carrier to your starship, granting a +4 bonus to any one Computers check during starship combat. Alternatively, you can use this code on a ground mission, allowing someong to count as being trained in Computers for one check.
Bonus: In place of the reward above, when a PC fails a Computers check, they may activate the reward to reroll the check with a +4 bonus.
Enhanced!: When someone uses either of the rewards above, they can roll twice on the Computers check, take the better result, and add a +4 bonus to it.
We have a -4 from cover, but Hudathan ignores the first two points.
Hudathan pulls himself up to the turret as the worm arrives on the scene. He begins spraying bullets across the field, hitting mostly rocks. "HA! Now this is an honorable fight!"
Hudathan and Bugface both miss their attacks on the gigantic desert creature as the stone spires and the movement of the vehicles disrupt their usual accuracy.
Phase 3 Initiative
A Ride Through the Desert
Bold may post
Sand Slitherer
Arratoi
Huckle Jim
Hudathan
Bug face
Lynn
Kess
Null Android Technomancer 6 | EAC 21 KAC 22 | HP 34/34 SP 35/35 RP 9/9 | F +2 R +4 W +4 (+2 vs. disease, poison, mind-aff., sleep, blind, dazz., rad.) | Resist Fire, Cold 5 | Init +7 | Perc +0 | Spells Avail:: L1(6/6);L2(6/6) | Status: --
Life Science:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24Trying to recall what Lynn might know about the mighty Sandworm Slitherer. Biggest Priority: what its senses are. Secondary: if it has any specific weaknesses/defenses.
With little chance to help with her pistol, Lynn grips the front panel of the ATV with one hand to steady herself and turns to face the sandworm chasing the group. She spares a few seconds to flip through the backing music on her datapad and then sends a feed into the speakers of the ATV.
Soon enough, the beat from the speakers is thumping out across the desert, and Lynn ♫♪begins to sing♫♪!!! As her voice rises, ripples of energy rise in turn from the heat-haze of the desert. They swirl about her for a moment and then launch like bullets towards the sandworm!
EAC 16; KAC 17 Fort +1; Ref +5; Will +3 Defensive Abilities evasion Kess Female human outlaw operative 3 N Medium humanoid (human) Init +4; Perception +8 DefenseSP 0/18 HP 17/22 RP 3
Kess flips the the eyerifle around on it's turret to face the sand creature. "I haven't had this much fun in. Well forever. Who thought we would be running through the desert in vehicles? Whoo."
Male Human Arcane-Blitz Soldier 14: Spd:65, Init:14, SP:168/168, HP:130/130, RP:13/13, EAC:30, KAC:33, DR/5- 14 Fire Resistance, Fort:15, Reflex:12, Will:11, Perc:0, Darkvision
Huckle has the manetar attached, cause he has specialization in long arms and fires at the nearest sandworm Thanks for telling me what weapons were what. What slide map are we on for this? Or is it theater of the mind cause it a short encounter? hit:6 + 1d20 ⇒ 6 + (18) = 24 VS KAC obviously
dmg:2d8 + 3 ⇒ (4, 7) + 3 = 14
Male CN Ysoki Envoy 8 | SP 56/56 HP 42/42 | RP 10/10 | EAC 24 KAC 25 | Fort +6; Ref +10; Will +7 | Init: +7 | Perc: +11, SM: +10+1d6+1 | Speed 30ft | Active conditions: none
Huckle, we're currently on the first slide, which is kind of a chase scene tracker slide.
"Now, I enjoy a good adventure and romp through the desert as much as the next ysoki. But I find everyone's exuberance at being chased by a GIANT DESERT WORM to be...unexpected. It's as though none of you are actually concerned that there is a GIANT DESERT WORM capable of swallowing any one of us in a single bite! It's almost as though you guys think this whole death-defying chase is some kind of mini-game!?!?"
But having said this, Arratoi, like everyone else, cannot help but feel the exhilaration of riding through desert dunes in an ATV with his teammates shooting vehicle mounted turret weapons at a GIANT DESERT WORM!!!!
Arratoi finally gives in to the feelings, raises both hands up and excitedly yells, "WHAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
Haha! Glad you guys are enjoying the scene! It is a pretty awesome set piece, even in a game where you're regularly flying around in space ships blasting other ships out of the sky!
Anyway, on to the bad news...
Despite what she was sure was a good shot, Kess also fails to notice one of the rocky spires coming in line between herself and her target. Her shot ricochets harmlessly off the rocks.
Huckle, on the other hand, manages to show the group just where to place the shot, and the sand slitherer shrieks as his blast, followed soon after by the unerring magic missiles Lynn provided, crash into its thick hide.
Lynn knows the creature is called a sand slitherer and that, while it doesn't have any particular resistances, it is a very willful creature, and attempts to affect its mind are almost sure to fail. She also knows that Arratoi is correct--the slitherer could certainly swallow a careless Starfinder whole!
INITIATIVE
A Ride Through the Desert - Round 2
Current positions (See slide 1 for position and effects)
Vehicle 1: Zone 3
Vehicle 2: Zone 3
Sand Slithered (-24hp): Zone 3
Phase 1: Pilot Actions
Vehicle 2
Sand Slitherer
Vehicle 1
Phase 2: Chase Progress (GM moves vehicles)
With firmer ground beneath their tires, and sensing the frequent threat of collisions, the AI directing the auto-pilot on both vehicles accelerate, trying to pull away from the sandworm.
SFV-2 manages to find an opening between the stone monoliths and speeds out of the area. SFV-1, however, gets pinned in a ring of the spires that appeared out of nowhere.
SFV-2 moves forward 1 zone immediately. SFV-1 does not, and because it failed the check by more than 5, it will not progress forward in Phase 2.
The slitherer, with one target still nearby, attempts to engage directly with SFV-1.
The sand slitherer rears up once again and lunges toward SFV-1, it’s enormous maw full of rows of razor sharp teeth open wide to envelop the vehicle and its passengers.
Collision attack (DC15 to avoid) SFV-1 save vs collision:1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 13 - 4 = 16
The auto-pilot pulls through yet again, though, and the Starfinders remain unharmed!
Round 2- Phase 3 Initiative
A Ride Through the Desert
Bold may post
Sand Slithered (-24hp)
Arratoi
Huckle Jim
Hudathan
Bug face
Lynn
Kess
Also, here’s some music to give some extra inspiration for how awesome this scene is!
Yup, I'll allow that reroll! Good use of that ability!
As for the anthills, the way I'm ruling that is that you would have to evade the hazard if you started your pilot action phase in that zone. In this case, you started the pilot action phase in zone three, sped into zone 4 with a pilot action, and only could have taken the evade action if you had done a double movement, which would have made you fail the check. It almost creates a sort of paradox/catch-22 type thing. Basically, I'm letting you off on that one! We'll see if SFV-1 is as lucky...
Bugface finds a shot from way down town and nails the sandy monster assailing his companions in the other vehicle.
Round 2- Phase 3 Initiative
A Ride Through the Desert
Bold may post
Sand Slithered (-32hp)
Arratoi
Huckle Jim
Hudathan
Bug face
Lynn
Kess
But I was looking over the rules for ranged attacks and it might be the case that Arratoi cannot actually do anything this combat round because vehicle 2 is two zones away from the worm. In CRB pg 282, under relative positioning, being one zone apart is about 200 feet. Vehicle 2 is two zones away, so that's about 400 feet. That's way out of range for Arratoi's Get 'Em and heavy range penalties for his little pistol.
And there's more! In CRB pg 284, under ranged attacks, it says that ranged attacks can be attempted on targets within the same zone or one zone away. Vehicle 2 is two zones away, so I'm not sure if a ranged attack is allowed even if 400 feet worth of range penalties are factored in. I'm kind of guessing the answer is no.
Ah! Forgot those pieces, Arratoi! Thanks for the reminder. Here’s how I’ll rule it: when you’re within the same zone or 1 zone away, you can use any weapon without range penalties. It doesn’t bring that up in the chase section if I remember correctly, so I’m going to treat it as allowed.
In the second instance, if you’re two zone away, you may only attack with the shirren-eye rifle, as the sniper ability on that weapon allows you a range of up to 500 ft if you spend a move action to steady it.
I’m making this allowance because, technically, this occasion shouldn’t even come up according to the chase rules. If we were playing normally, SFV-2 would have already escaped and would be out of the chase. The scenario contradicts the normal rule in how it motivates the monster. Because of this, I want to give you guys a chance to stay in the action and not punish you for having the good luck on piloting rolls that you’ve had.
Hudathan turns around in the turret and begins yelling at the onboard computer. "Hey, stupid car! Slow down! We're to far ahead!" He growls and aims through the sight. "How can I hunt if I can't reach it?"
Null Android Technomancer 6 | EAC 21 KAC 22 | HP 34/34 SP 35/35 RP 9/9 | F +2 R +4 W +4 (+2 vs. disease, poison, mind-aff., sleep, blind, dazz., rad.) | Resist Fire, Cold 5 | Init +7 | Perc +0 | Spells Avail:: L1(6/6);L2(6/6) | Status: --
Lynn stifles a yelp as the giant sandworm crashes next to the ATV, but somehow manages to not miss a beat with her singing. If anything, she sings more loudly and insistently than before, determined to drown out that Abysshead garbage!
(So here's the question: Does damage seem to have any effect on this thing? Ie. is it actually helping us get away from it? Because Lynn has pretty darn limited spell slots and like every Special, there's going to be tons more encounters before she gets a chance to recover them.)
In the mean time: While Lynn sings, she also starts tapping away at the ATV's control console trying to make improvements to the ATV's auto-pilot in real time!
Engineering or Computers to try to aid Piloting (?):1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Hudathan: Yes, I think you could ready an action. That's not really called out in the rules, but I think your shot could go off during the pilot action phase if the enemy is within range.
Lynn: Your damage does have an effect. It's not an immediate effect that goes against its piloting check or anything, but there is a damage threshold at which the monster will give up and stop chasing you. Just to clue you in--you're still quite far from that threshold at this point.
Also Lynn: There's no rolls for using engineering to aid the auto-pilot, but I feel like you should be able to boost the engine kind of like you do in starship combat, which I will rule as granting you an extra +2 to your next piloting check.
Bugface: I'm afraid your attack did fail. With that in mind, I'd allow you to retcon your action or ready your attack like Hudathan is doing. If you do the latter option to delay, I'll roll over the rolls you already made, which would be a hit.
Huckle Jim takes a desperate shot at the worm, but his shot goes wide of its target.
Round 2- Phase 3 Initiative
A Ride Through the Desert
Bold may post
Sand Slithered (-24hp)
Arratoi
Huckle Jim
Hudathan
Bug face
Lynn
Kess
EAC 16; KAC 17 Fort +1; Ref +5; Will +3 Defensive Abilities evasion Kess Female human outlaw operative 3 N Medium humanoid (human) Init +4; Perception +8 DefenseSP 0/18 HP 17/22 RP 3
Kess turns the eyerifle around to where the worm is. She steadies it and fires.
Kess, like her fellow Starfinders before her, misses her shot on the tough-hided beast. With that, the chase continues!
INITIATIVE
A Ride Through the Desert - Round 3
Current positions (See slide 1 for position and effects)
Vehicle 1: Zone 3
Vehicle 2: Zone 3
Sand Slithered (-24hp): Zone 3
Phase 1: Pilot Actions
Vehicle 2
Sand Slitherer
Vehicle 1
Phase 2: Chase Progress (GM moves vehicles)
With plenty of room away from the sand slitherer, Arratoi punches in a command on SFV-2’s console to slow down to allow the other vehicle to catch up. (Slow Down - no check needed)
Meanwhile, SFV-1 still searches for a way out of the beast’s reach, even if it means taking things a little more slowly. It does its best to create more space behind, though, by creating an obstacle for the monster to avoid. (Trick - Topple Rocks [DC18])
The vehicle steers over a long rock that had been leaning against one of the spires for thousands of years, just at the narrowest point of its base. The rock acts as a lever and topples to spire over, causing a chain reaction of destruction behind the vehicle as it speeds out of the rocky landscape.
The sand slitherer, with the threat of the falling spires all around him, has to take its focus off of SFV-1 for the moment, and simply tries to push through to the other side of the spire-filled plain. (Double Maneuver [-4 to both checks] - Evade [DC10] and Engage [DC16])
The beast is so focused on pursuing the fleeing Starfinders that it fails to notice the falling rocks in time, and is battered by them. The rocks slow the creature so much, in fact, that the Starfinders are able to get away for the moment.
SFV-2 slows down and does not progress this round (still in zone 5)
SFV-1 succeeds at its trick maneuver and advances to zone 4
Sand slitherer fails at both its maneuvers and does not advance this round (still in zone 3)
With no enemies in range, the slitherer is unable to attack for the time being.
Round 3- Phase 3 Initiative
A Ride Through the Desert
Bold may post
Sand Slithered (-49hp)
Arratoi
Huckle Jim
Hudathan
Bug face
Lynn
Kess
Null Android Technomancer 6 | EAC 21 KAC 22 | HP 34/34 SP 35/35 RP 9/9 | F +2 R +4 W +4 (+2 vs. disease, poison, mind-aff., sleep, blind, dazz., rad.) | Resist Fire, Cold 5 | Init +7 | Perc +0 | Spells Avail:: L1(6/6);L2(6/6) | Status: --
Nice luck on our end!
As she sings, Lynn pats the console of the ATV as if the auto-pilot is a precocious child (or pet) that needs to be praised. As the Sand Slitherer falls for the hazardous rock slide, she punches a fist in the air, injecting a "YEAH!!!" into the middle of her song.
Determined to push the auto-pilot to keep building their lead, she does some more real-time adjustments to optimize it.
Engineering to aid autopilot:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26BTW, thanks for allowing this as a solution Mjolbeard! Lynn would be struggling to be useful otherwise, what with her bad accuracy with her pistol and no piloting modifier.
Male CN Ysoki Envoy 8 | SP 56/56 HP 42/42 | RP 10/10 | EAC 24 KAC 25 | Fort +6; Ref +10; Will +7 | Init: +7 | Perc: +11, SM: +10+1d6+1 | Speed 30ft | Active conditions: none
With vehicle 2 out of range versus the worm, Arratoi doesn't take any actions, but he says, "Woah!! Did that other ATV's autopilot just knock over a thousand year old rock formation? I'm gonna have to speak with the manufacturer's autopilot software programmers about implementing some nature conservation algorithms..."
Then, turning to his teammates, Arratoi yells, " Let's punch it!!! Wooooooo!!!" Arratoi continues pumping tiny little ysoki fists in the air!
I agree. With us out front, we can try to gun it and outrun the worm. But vehicle 2 wouldn't leave vehicle 1 behind, of course...
A loud shriek of audio feedback erupts from all communication devices across the Starfinder Society fleet and deployed teams. The feedback precedes an alert of a new threat: dozens of unknown starships are entering the Scoured Stars through the Drift!
Data screens across the fleet begin displaying a live feed of a chitinous, six-legged creature with a large mouth full of sharp teeth. Rings of glowing, unblinking eyes cover the upper and lower sides of the creature’s body, looking in every direction at once. The creature’s three-clawed forelimbs hold what looks like an alien plasma cannon, while its second set of limbs terminate in cybernetic augmentations resembling long sabers.
When the creature starts speaking, its words sound like a chaotic jumble of consonants, but soon the syllables turn into a sinister-sounding, digitalized voice speaking in the Common tongue: “We are jinsuls, and you are not welcome in our space. This is our ancestral home. You do not belong here. You will be removed.”
As soon as the ominous message ends, First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo speaks to the Society through the comm system: “According to our sensors, these creatures—jinsuls—are entering the Scoured Stars through a location near Bastiar-7. I need a group of volunteers, our best starship crews, to scout the area and keep these aggressors occupied. Meanwhile, I want everyone else to continue evacuating the survivors. Time is a luxury we don’t have, so make haste and be ready to be extracted at a moment’s notice!”
Table GM’s- You are now set to start Part 3, but remember Part 2 Evacuation Missions that are still open can still be accomplished. All Part 1 Recon Missions are now closed.
Hudathan listens to the communication then nods to Arratoi. "Yes, we have a more important enemy to fight. Full speed ahead!" He tracks the slitherer, ready if it gets in range.
EAC 16; KAC 17 Fort +1; Ref +5; Will +3 Defensive Abilities evasion Kess Female human outlaw operative 3 N Medium humanoid (human) Init +4; Perception +8 DefenseSP 0/18 HP 17/22 RP 3
Kess is ready to fire if the worm gets in range. Otherwise "Get moving we have Starfinders to find."
SFV-2 waits for their chance to take a shot at the worm again, while the riders in SFV-1 continue the fight. Lynn punches in a command to keep the engines running hot, while Kess and Huckle takes shots at the beast. Kess's shot misses its mark, but Huckle is able to wound the enormous sand worm.
INITIATIVE
A Ride Through the Desert - Round 4
Current positions (See slide 1 for position and effects)
Vehicle 1: Zone 4
Vehicle 2: Zone 5
Sand Slithered (-61hp): Zone 3
Phase 1: Pilot Actions
Vehicle 2
Sand Slitherer
Vehicle 1
Phase 2: Chase Progress (GM moves vehicles)
With their companions beginning to catch up, SFV-2 moves around the large natural stone ramps that lead to the salt flats beyond, carefully weaving back and forth to avoid any stray hazards that might appear. [ooc](Evade [DC13])
Meanwhile, SFV-1 finds itself in the midst of a wide field of dangerous ants. The auto-pilot carefully navigates between the anthills, then guns the engines to catch up to SFV-2. (Double maneuver [-4 to both checks] - Evade [DC13] and Speed Up [DC20])
Summary
SFV-2 advances to zone 6
SFV-1 successfully evades the anthills, but does not succeed at the speed up maneuver. It failed by less than 5, however, so it still advances to zone 5
Sand slitherer advances to zone 4
Null Android Technomancer 6 | EAC 21 KAC 22 | HP 34/34 SP 35/35 RP 9/9 | F +2 R +4 W +4 (+2 vs. disease, poison, mind-aff., sleep, blind, dazz., rad.) | Resist Fire, Cold 5 | Init +7 | Perc +0 | Spells Avail:: L1(6/6);L2(6/6) | Status: --
Lynn keeps up her efforts, determined to help the "little-autopilot-that-could" escape the deadly, deadly sandworm.
Engineering to aid autopilot:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
EAC 16; KAC 17 Fort +1; Ref +5; Will +3 Defensive Abilities evasion Kess Female human outlaw operative 3 N Medium humanoid (human) Init +4; Perception +8 DefenseSP 0/18 HP 17/22 RP 3
Kess continues to watch the sandworm from her Turret. She concentrates and fires on it.
Huckle and Kess both take shots on the worm, but their shots get lost as they bump along between the giant ant hills coming up on either side.
Lynn sings as she works on the engines to spur on SFV-1 to catch up with SFV-2.
Meanwhile, the crew in SFV-2 takes it easy as the vehicle bears them off toward the evacuee Starfinders.
INITIATIVE
A Ride Through the Desert - Round 5
Current positions (See slide 1 for position and effects)
Vehicle 1: Zone 5 - Ramps (Either take ramps or go around with -4 penalty)
Vehicle 2: Zone 6 - Salt Flats (+4 piloting)
Sand Slithered (-61hp): Zone 4 - Ant Hills (Evade or take damage)
Phase 1: Pilot Actions
Vehicle 2
Sand Slitherer
Vehicle 1
Phase 2: Chase Progress (GM moves vehicles)
SFV-2 finds itself landing on a wide stretch of salt flats, and the vehicles treads dig deeply into the hard-packed ground. With a powerful lurch, the vehicle attempts to dig into the salt and propel toward its destination. (Speed Up [DC20])
SFV-1, now facing the ramps simply tries to keep pace as it goes over the long sloping rock formations. After moving past them, however, the vehicle tries to catch up to SFV-2. (Double Maneuver [-4 to both checks]: Keep Pace [DC13] to get past ramps, then Speed Up [DC20] to catch up to SFV-2)
The sand slitherer struggles to keep up to the quickly escaping vehicles, but has to avoid the ant hills it knows litters this part of its habitat, so it cannot pursue more quickly. (Evade [DC10] - auto-success)
Summary
SFV-2 fails the speed up maneuver, but by less than 5, so it advances to zone 7
SFV-1 passes both maneuvers, meaning it also advances to zone 7
Sand Slitherer lags behind, despite advancing to zone 5
As SFV-1 flies over the ramps and slams into the salt flats, its tires suddenly gain remarkable traction, and the vehicle manages to catch up to its companion. Both vehicles continue on through the sandstorm ahead and into the narrow canyon beyond, leaving the sand slitherer roaring in their dust.
CHASE OVER - SUCCESS GAINED!
I'm ruling this as over. You guys can't shoot the creature any more from your distance, and you could pretty easily make the last couple rounds of checks to get to the finish anyway. Congrats!
Now to decide what's next. You can refer to Slide 1 to see the other evacuation missions that are available. With the recent arrival of the Jinsuls, however, these missions might be tougher than normal.
You can also decide to participate in the First Line of Defense mission, which features starship combat with the Jinsul fleet.
What would you like to do next?
Null Android Technomancer 6 | EAC 21 KAC 22 | HP 34/34 SP 35/35 RP 9/9 | F +2 R +4 W +4 (+2 vs. disease, poison, mind-aff., sleep, blind, dazz., rad.) | Resist Fire, Cold 5 | Init +7 | Perc +0 | Spells Avail:: L1(6/6);L2(6/6) | Status: --
Nice! But, what happened after the chase? Did we find any Starfinders?
Stepping out of the ATV with unsteady legs after the incredible journey across the desert, Lynn heaves an overacted sigh of relief. "PHEW! After escaping that ship and all the bugs, I never thought we'd be right back into running for our lives!" She straightens and then gives a thumbs up (and a sunny smile) to the team. "But we did it! That was awesome guys!"
"After we find the Starfinders here, where are we going next? Maybe Bastiar-2? I think I heard someone mention that place has lava rivers! Oooh, what if we have to ride a boat through a lava river! That's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, right?"
"Hmm, but Agillae-5 sounds interesting too!"I'm curious what a 'persuasion' mission might be like! Either of these two options is good for me.
Male CN Ysoki Envoy 8 | SP 56/56 HP 42/42 | RP 10/10 | EAC 24 KAC 25 | Fort +6; Ref +10; Will +7 | Init: +7 | Perc: +11, SM: +10+1d6+1 | Speed 30ft | Active conditions: none
I'm good with either. But with about 5 days left for part 3, we'll probably want to get started as soon as we can! If it's a toss up, I'll vote for Agillae-5.
Male Human Arcane-Blitz Soldier 14: Spd:65, Init:14, SP:168/168, HP:130/130, RP:13/13, EAC:30, KAC:33, DR/5- 14 Fire Resistance, Fort:15, Reflex:12, Will:11, Perc:0, Darkvision
With 5 days left for part 3, we need something quick, mystery might take a while. Not sure I want to do a divine mystery, plus we don't have any divine classes at the table.
Oh yeah! Guess you might want to know what happens with all those folks you just raced across the desert to rescue.
As you hop out of SFV-1 and 2, you are greeted by a crowd of people wearing hopeful expressions. "Are you...Starfinders? Are you here to get us out?" says a ysoki wearing a dust-covered flight suit. As you confirm that you are indeed part of the Society and that you are here to evacuate the trapped Starfinders off-world, a loud cheer goes up, and everyone begins excitedly getting to work organizing for an immediate evacuation. It takes several trips back and forth in the SFVs, and each trip takes quite a while since you have to find a route around the sand slitherer's hunting grounds, but you eventually manage to get Starfinders to safety.
As for your next mission, it sounds like we have 2 votes for Agillae-5 so far.
I'll give you a small spoiler about the divine mystery just to clear that up--it's combat. I'll leave it at that for now.
Let's try to have our next mission picked in the next 6-8 hours if possible. The earlier the better though.
I'm assuming there were live starfinders waiting for us in the canyon?
Hudathan gets out of the ATV and quickly ushers the newly found Starfinders on. "Quickly now, nu-friends. We have other groups to get too, and a new menace which threatens."
As you load the last of the evacuated Starfinders into a transport ship leaving Callion-1, you assemble into another briefing room. This time, Historia-7, leader of the Dataphiles, briefs you on your next mission.
“Greetings, and good work thus far, Starfinders. Our initial recon teams found dozens of our colleagues held in stasis on Agillae-5. Forcibly removing their bodies from the stasis pods would leave their minds trapped in a virtual world, which means we’re sending you in to release them. Our specialists have put together a digital tether that allows you to enter the virtual world without getting trapped like your colleagues did. Still, you must careful. Even though nothing that happens in there is real, dying in the simulation might kill you.” She sends you the coordinates to Agillae-5, and your transport's pilot delivers you to the facility housing the stasis pods and their Starfinder occupants.
As you arrive, a team of Starfinder computer specialists waits at the facility. One of the specialists, apparently the lead judging by the pin on their lab coat's lapel, approaches and directs you toward a ring of chairs surrounded by quickly erected computer stations that are uplinked to the virtual world in which your colleagues are trapped. As they sit you down and straps you in, the android specialist explains how things will work. "Everything is ready for you; all you have to do is plug in. In the virtual world, you'll have all the same equipment you have in the real world. The good news is that equipment, spells, and abilities used in the virtual world won’t affect your real world resources. The bad news, however, is that any harm you suffer in the virtual world is also dealt in the real world, and you could die of shock if you die in the virtual world. Also, temporary conditions will end when you leave the virtual world. Any questions? No? Good! Good luck."
With that, the lead gives a signal, and one of their assistants pushes a throttle forward. You feel yourself letting go of your grasp on the real world...
