PbP Gameday VI: Hmm's Starfinder #1-00: Claim to Salvation (Inactive)

Game Master Hmm

Quig's eyes pop open: "I hope he ain't ettin' me!".

Keskodai waits to see what the creature will do, and what the creature does is attack!

He’s off-kilter. Per page 276 of the CRB: He can't take move actions except to right himself, he takes a –2 penalty to attacks, and he’s flat-footed. For flat-footed, that means he has a –2 penalty to AC, and he cannot take reactions or make attacks of opportunity.

Borgor looks at the well-armored Vesk and his eyes narrow as he casts a spell on Obozaya!

Then Borgor calls out, “Shoot them, fool!”

Bago replies in a slow, dull voice, “Uh, okay." Then the face blinks. "Sorry.”

Dual Mind Casting, Off-Kilter, Advanced Semi-Automatic Pistol: 1d20 + 13 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 13 - 4 - 2 = 23
Damage: 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (2, 4) + 6 = 12
Target?: 1d6 ⇒ 2

The shot was aimed at Iseph!

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round 1 / 2

Active conditions: Zero Gravity (in back half of room)

Keskodai

================================

BorgorBago (floating & off-kilter)

================================

Iseph
Quig & Scout
Obozaya
Raia
Altronus

Love the 'Binary heads are an improvement on the singular' line, Volandis :)

Raia recognises the voices from the audio logs "Bago!?" She exclaims, shocked that the twins share a body. Diving onto the catwalk floor as the pistol fires, she shares all she knows with her crew mates Be careful! If you hurt Borgor too badly, you hurt Bago too... She hurriedly scrolls through options on her datapad It looks like that no-good brother of his has drugged him, someone needs to shake Bago out of it!

Swift action to dive prone, and other actions to try and play Livewire's audio log file through the speakers.

Livewire's cheery voice once again plays over the speakers, “It's been a simple gig so far. Pilot the ship, flee the authority, get in and out. Sure, it's tough being around that slag-head Borgor, but his brother's attitude and constant apologizing goes a long way to make this gig palatable..."

Bago Will Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Bago blinks again, then the whole Ettin's body shudders. "Livewire?!" Then with tears in his eyes, he shouts, "Livewire! You okay? Where are you?"

Meanwhile, Borgor snarls, "Not now, you dimwit! She died in that crash, just like I told you!"

"LIVEWIRE!" Bago howls, sobbing.

"You're all such sheep! I'm slagging the lot of you!" Borgor hisses.

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round 1 / 2

Active conditions: Zero Gravity (in back half of room)

Keskodai

================================

BorgorBago (floating & off-kilter, Bago Awake)

================================

Iseph
Quig & Scout
Obozaya
Raia
Altronus

Quig's eyes bug out: these are the twins? No way!
Then he scurries down the steps and into the room, grabbing some random items as he goes.
Arriving where he can, he piles the junk up, making a little barricade between him and the monster brothers, and he calls out from behind it: "Hey Bago, Livewire misses her hairless monkey!"... even though he is not sure which is Bago and which Borgor, and, deep down, he does not want to meet either one.
Then he drops prone behind the barricade.

Move to move, move to make barricade, free to talk, and swift to drop

Meanwhile, Scout, feeling abandoned, and wondering if it could not graft itself to Quig's head like the Ettin, simply flies along some.

Move action

Hmph. Being stuck with someone you hate 24/7.... You have my sympathies. Obozaya grunts as she casts a sidelong glance at Quig. But that's not going to stop me beating that big fat face of yours!

:)

Double move straight up, doshko in hand. How high up is BorgorBago?

Obozaya double moves into the Zero Gravity zone!

Can you give me an acrobatics or an athletics check to push off the floor and move in the direction you want to go?

Oh I totally did not see that circle of zero gravity! Surprisingly Obo is actually pretty good at Athletics.

Athletics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

I spoke too soon.

Obo rushes forward and disengages the grav-locks on her boots, kicking off into the zero gravity area toward the giant.

Forgot about the boot clamps. He's only 15 feet up! If you want to 'stick' to the floor, I'd allow it. Otherwise, you're heading in the right direction, but off-kilter.

"Where Livewire? If she miss her hairless monkey, she can't be dead!" Bago says, clearly starting to think things through.

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round 1 / 2

Active conditions: Zero Gravity (in back half of room)

Keskodai

================================

BorgorBago (floating & off-kilter)

================================

Iseph
Quig & Scout
Obozaya
Raia
Altronus

Lying down behind his barrier, Quig thinks that if this double-headed giant is the best man at his wedding with Livewire, his family will never forgive him.

Altronus decides to tell the truth. "She's in a bad prison. A part of our mission here is to send her toolkit. For escaping, I suppose."

-Posted with Wayfinder

As Iseph rushes into the room to find a nice place to hide he takes a nasty hit to his shoulder reeling with the brutal attack he quips in "I've taken harder hits than that before, and she was smaller!". Taking a quick shot with his Static arc pistol
Trick Attack Intimidate DC26: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Static arc pistol, Plus Obo: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 1 = 9
Electric: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Trick Attack Dmg: 1d8 ⇒ 8
Using his Jump jets he runs of the catwalk to land on top of the barrier to get a better shot.

Not my best lines. Need to work on it. Iseph thinks to himself.

I have offended the Dice Gods in some way.

"I'll see if i can slow down Borgor and give Bago some time to think."

Keskodai moves up to the far end of the gantry and starts to chant a prayer.

When he's finished he looks out towards the head called Borgor and shout a simgle word charged with mystical power, "HALT!"

I have no idea how Command would work on this type of creature, but i'll try it anyway. DC16 Will save or dazed for 1 round.

Borgor Will Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

And he halts!

BorgorBago and Obozaya crash to the ground as gravity is restored!

Bago, suddenly in full control of the body, shouts, "Quick, help tie me up!" He ties a gag on Borgor, then offers his hands for you to tie up!

-- END OF COMBAT --

The goblins cheer! "New New Chief vanquished Mean New Old Chief!"

"Livewire in prison?" Bago says to Altronus. "She not belong there. She have soft eyes, take good care of Bago. Was my fault that she was there in first place. Take me there! I take her place!"

Quig pops his head up from behind the barricade: "She DOES have soft eyes!".
He glances around, checking to make sure all the danger is gone, before kicking his barricade apart, and getting ready for the next move.

"I understand where you are coming from. I would gladly take the spot for any of my compatriots here. Even those I may have come across as abrasive or down right rude. What I lack in basic empathy," pausing I am still learning Iseph continues "I will gladly step in front of the cross airs to protect everyone of them." Iseph helps secure Borgor, and Bago as well. "Well seems we have reached the end of the line. I see something in the room off to the side there. Seems like we might make a bigger score."

Wow! I'm so happy that worked! Good job team! :)

"We can certainly do that for you Bago. Although i should warn you that the prison she is in is not the most inviting of places. You are very loyal to do that for your friend."

Keskodai looks over to where Iseph gstures. "We should fully explore the place. Maybe we can find a clue to who originally built this fake moon. That would certainly be a good find."

Raia picks herself up from the catwalk floor and smiles at the goblins "Now remember little ones, we did that so easily because we work together as a team." She taps her datapad a few times to make sure the lights are on throughout the complex "You need to learn that if you're going to come with us." She turns around to find Quig and calls down to him "What would you say to having a couple of apprentices in engineering, Quig? I'm sure you'll have such fun together, singing songs and taking stuff apart!"

Tucking the datapad away, Raia climbs down from the catwalk and gives Iseph a quick squeeze You're such a sweetie! on her way to meet Bago "That's such a nice thing to say Bago! I can see why Livewire likes you so much... Umm, I'm sorry, but I have to ask... Apart from Livewire, is your whole crew... Are they gone?"

Quig puffs up his chest and stares at the goblins: "I am God's Chosen One! I will teach you... how to commune with Glowing Green and Pulsing Red and Throbbing Blue thingamajings!".
Quig takes a step towards them: "First, open your mouths: can you stuff some grenades and your aftershave in there?"'

You are EVIL, Eric. And you owe me a new keyboard.

"Ooh! Good idea!" Orange and Red proudly stuff grenades and aftershave in their mouths.

Fort Save, Red: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
Fort Save, Orange: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9

Red manages to hold both in his mouth. "I'b bed Gobdin!" he shouts around all the stuff he's got crammed in there.

Orange tries, but spits it all over the floor as he gags. "No! Me try again!" Not to be shown up, he immediately stufffs it all in there again.

Fort Save, Orange: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14

"Dook! Me did id!" he says proudly.

Quig is actually amazed that they did it... and is suddenly quite moved. An emotional tear appears in the corner of his eye, and he hugs both goblins: "So proud of you!"

Raia turns around to see Quig hugging the two goblins, and she smiles Oh, I'm so glad they're getting along! I can't wait to see them worki- Wait... What's that in their mouths?

Iseph side steps from the trio of who knows what the would be called.

If the ever allow Goblins to be a playable race I swear to the great Glowing Green God that I will be making Red or Orange and continue the legacy of the all mighty Quig and Raia

Still uncomfortable that the goblins are being treated as pets or followers, and somewhat disappointed she didn't get to tangle with a two-headed space giant, Obozaya drags her feet back to the group.

Not a bad first mission. she concedes.

"Not bad Indeed. But are we finished? We don't know what is this planet."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Just as Altronus makes this statement, the group of you turns as you suddenly notice a noise that has been in this room all along.

The electric hum of a powered computer console echoes throughout the bowels of this recessed chamber. A series of thick cords attached to the console connect to a large, gore-covered hatch. The hatch firmly seals against the room’s rough stone floor. The computer console’s screen rapidly scrolls through a series of blueprints, plans, and schematics. Several vents surround the hatch, each spewing forth gouts of miasmic exhaust and emitting angry whistles at irregular intervals.

Quig turns towards the gouts of miasmic exhaust and angry whistles... "Mom?", he queries, as his whiskers quiver.

"Oh my gods, what is that!?" Raia exclaims on noticing the source of the noises. With curiosity getting the better of her, she approaches the hatch "Is this where the sacrifices happened? But why have these cords... some kind of biological battery perhaps? Or maybe there's a giant worm under there... Oh, are we in a giant incubator?" She wonders out loud, rattling out theories to no one in particular.

Despite desperately wanting to open the hatch to see for certain, a little bit of her is afraid to find out and the console screen provides a decent distraction "Quig, dear, I think even my theories are a little less far fetched..." Staring closely at the glowing monitor as schematics scroll by, she asks "What do you think these are for?"

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16 Looking closely at the hatch
Engineering?: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18 To get a general idea of what the blueprints and schematics are about

Obozaya cautiously approaches the vent and pokes at it with her doshko.

Can BorgorBago or BagoBongo.... urgh, I've lost track. And they say two heads are better than one... she says looking down at her boots and giving her head a shake. Can the giant tell us more about this?

Or the console maybe? Whatever it is, this is no moon. she adds.

Yay, you made the Engineering roll!

As Raia studies the hatch and the schematics, she realizes that the schematics detail part of a fantastic structure beneath your feet. It is possible that all of Salvation's End has been constructed. Not just the ship graveyard that lies clustered here in this section, but the entire moon, with many more mysteries to explore.

Alas, the hatch is made out of adamantine, and the the computer is far more advanced than what Raia and Quig normally deal with, and it's protected with anti-intruder measures. However, Raia wields the power of the mainframe with her. She realizes that if she can hook it up, she leverage the mainframe to gain access to the alien computers here.

It's a tough roll, but having gotten control of the mainframe earlier gives you a +20 on it.

What do you do?

"It's helping Time!"
aid another computer raia: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

-Posted with Wayfinder

Quig tries to set up some of the computing power to help Raia out.
Aid Another - Computers - DC10: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27
Then Quig looks at the metal itself, and bares his teeth: "I can try to gnaw through it?".

Strength check to get it open?

Ooh, the pressure... I have to try and beat a roll of 16 ;)

Raia smiles at Quig "Maybe we should call that plan B..." She turns around and studies the computer for a moment This one looks much more advanced, time to pull out my best tricks! Tapping away at the console, she thanks Altronus for catching the occasional typo, saving her precious time as the countermeasures start fighting back "Wow, this thing is so awesome! Look, it's closing doors as quickly as I'm finding them... When we get back to the glory, I'm updating the computers to be like this!" Thankful for all the extra computing power provided by Quig and the mainframe, Raia begins firing up multiple pieces of code to overload the countermeasures and give her time to hack in peace.

Computers; 2 x Aid another, Mainframe bonus: 1d20 + 15 + 2 + 2 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 15 + 2 + 2 + 20 = 47

Combining her efforts with Quig and Altronus, Raia spends time dealing with the hardest system that she's ever dealt with -- a tier 5 alien device. Still, some things are universal when data is involved. With effort, she gains control of the system, disabling the security protocols that would have filled this room with exhaust gas and deleted precious data.

The hatch opens. Behind it lay two melted bodies, and passageways that stretch off as far you can see. It could take years to explore the rest of the place. When you search the bodies, you find a credstick
containing 1,500 credits, three mk 2 serums of healing, a carbon steel curve blade with an entangling fusion seal (6th level), and a mk 2 ring of resistance.

Loaded with data about the complex and an unusual prisoner, it's time to return to the society and report to Luwazi Elsebo. What do you do with your prisoner, and what do you say to Luwazi upon your return?

"Goblins!" Raia says enthusiastically as she tells the tale of their adventure on Salvation's End to Luwazi "Goblins everywhere! And a tractor beam, but it wasn't the goblins who were the problem... It was an Ettin." She pauses for dramatic effect "Borgor, had enslaved the mind of his other head, Bago, and took over as the Old-New Chief of the goblin tribe and made them sacrifice the rest of his crew to the Glowing Green God. Only the God wasn't a god, but a computer!" Taking a deep breath, she continues talking about how there are more goblins on the other side of the moon, that Bago is a sweetie, but Borgor is a psychopath and that they should take Livewire's place in the Sauna.

After a few more minutes of non-stop talking, Raia finally gets to the end of her story "Honestly, Salvation's End is quite an extraordinary place! You could send teams there for years and still have new places to explore, oh and don't get me started about the data..." She fishes out her datapad and passes it to Luwazi "There was a super advanced computer full of all these schematics, blueprints, and stuff! I think some of your tech guys are going to love these." She stands there silent and beaming for a few moments so that Luwazi Elsebo can inspect the data.

Something nudges Raia from behind, making her jump "Oh, and I'd like to introduce you to our two eager new crew members..." Raia steps aside to reveal two goblins "Red here, in particular, has expressed a keen interest in joining the Society."

"These schematics are amazing!" Luwazi inspects the data with delight. The goblins, less so. "Yes... I noticed the "new" recruits. They have been taking everything apart and then they set fire to the Cafeteria. Why, pray tell, are they walking around with grenades in their mouths?"

Then she turns to the rest of you. "Do you have anything to report? And what do you want to do with this prisoner you brought back? One of them keeps insisting that he want to be sent to Sauna, in Livewire's place. The other tells me, 'She can rot!'" She looks thoughtful. "Also, you met Livewire. What was your opinion of her?"

"Good Girl in a bad situation. If we gives her tool, some personnal hygiène product and her friends. She should be able to get out of this place.

She should be release with excuse from her mistreatement."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Taking everything apart, setting things on fire, grenades in their mouthsies..., Quig nods proudly: "Fine Starfinder material indeed!".

"Livewire? Our opinion of her... well, let me say that she has the smoothest, softest, silkiest fur one could want" - and on and on Quig goes, extolling the lady Ysoki's beauty, to his eyes.
"Oh, yes, and we did find some computer on a planet, but that must be in someone's report".

Obozaya's report is much shorter than the rest, terse and frustrated ending with "Installation run by one half of a ferocious ettin. Dealt with peacefully! the last word is double underlined.

Livewire found herself in a bad crew. I can see how that might happen. She's a good engineer and in my opinion doesn't deserve to die in that place because of one bad decision. she shrugs. But that's up to the Society. If it is my place to say, if the Society considers taking things like that into it's ranks; she points a claw at one of the foolish goblins, almost choking on a grenade stuffed into it's gob. ...then they should consider her too.

The ettin is more difficult. One side wants to kill the other and one won't survive without the brother. Maybe they could be split? I could defiitely do that! she adds firing up her doshko hopefully.

Raia nods in agreement with the others "Yes, she is good and kind... You should listen to some of the audio logs we found, and you'll see what Obo means about Livewire falling into a bad crew. I don't believe that she belongs in the Sauna... Borgor, on the other hand, very much deserves to go there! It's just such a shame about his brother." She says, not totally convinced that Obo's solution will work.

"Oh, yes... About the Cafeteria... I'm really sorry about that, and I will, of course, pay for the damage! The little ones are still adjusting, you see, and when they found some food in the bins around back, they got overexcited and tried to cook it right there and then. Why, they had no idea that building campfires on Cafeteria tables was frowned upon around here!" Raia, glances at the goblins with their mouths full, and gives Quig a suspicious look "As for the grenades... I have no idea where they picked up that little habit."

Keskodai listens tot he others as they share their opinions on the situation. He thinks carefully before giving his own opinion.

"I agree with the others that Livewire seems to have ended up in a bad group and wanted to find a way out before things got worse. The Borgor personality of the ettin certainly deserves to be in custody for the crimes he committed and the control he tried to force on his other half. The Bago personality is a better sort, but would gladly switch places with Livewire to make up for the crimes he has commited. The recordings that Raia has show their personalities very well. I believe that Livewire could be reformed with the correct guidance, such as the help of the Starfinder Scoiety."

He thinks again for a moment about the goblins that the group 'rescued' from Salvations end.

"I think the two goblins will require much more guidance to make them useful members of the Starfinder Society, but they could be very useful once they get over their current destructive ways."

Luwazi considers the situation. ”Thank you for your detailed and interesting reports. We’ll of course work on obtaining Livewire’s release, now that we have the Ettin to send in her place. Still... It seems the Society has a dilemma before us. What should be done with Borgor is obvious, but what should become of Bago?”

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

They leave you in suspense for days, before the Soriety’s lawyers and engineers work out an equitable solution. An empty android body is found for Bago’s soul, freeing him from his brother for good.

Luwazi meets with you one last time, offering payment and thanks. ”The discovery of such an immense and unexplored location is sure to get the attention of countless organizations—not to mention catapult the Starfinder Society back onto the galactic stage as an organization with sole rights to explore the false moon! If you are interested in future work with the Society, please contact me. You have all been exemplary.”

BOOOM!

Waaaaaahnk. Waaaaaaahnk. Waaaaaaahnk!

A warning klaxon sounds throughout the complex, followed by the sprinkler system going off... Luwazi slaps her forehead. ”They must have set fire to one of the labs...” Soaking wet, she runs off to deal with a latest crisis involving her new recruits, and leaves you to savor your victory.

THE END

-- While the Credits Roll --

It is a tradition in my games to invite my players to do a DVD-style Closing Credits Easter Egg for your character.

ON EASTER EGGS

King of Anything wrote a lovely treatise on PbP Easter Eggs that I've totally stolen for this.

<Philosophical Exploration of the Easter Egg>

The closing credits are a great place to sum up your adventure and how your character has grown throughout. You've been playing for awhile now, so take some time to look back through the adventure and think about what moments stood out as meaningful, or could be explored a little more.

Your Easter Egg can be presented as a vignette centering around your character, or as a report or letter to your superiors/family, or as a quick scene between NPCs reacting in your character's absence. There are many possibilities!

Some good questions to ask yourself and/or answer in an Easter Egg:

1. How did my character introduce themselves? Are they the same character now?

2. What relationships did my character form in this adventure? How will they end? (Or will they continue??)

3. What did my character learn about themselves or the world?

4. What does my character do between adventures?

Your game has been a pleasure to follow. Finish strong!

Some more questions to consider:

5. Will Quig meet with Livewire again?

6. Will Obo find satisfaction in pounding the daylights out of something?

7. What will happen with the new goblin recruits?

8. Are any of you joining up with the Starfinder Society permanently?

Thank you for being in my game!

That is such a nice way to finish a game! I'm totally stealing Easter Eggs for when I run games from now on :)

<incoming transmission from Absolom Station for Lt Danese of the Skyfire Legion... Decrypting...>

Pookie bear,

You won’t believe what I've been doing! The Starfinder Society hired us to explore an utterly bizarre artificial moon and investigate the disappearance of a few starships near it. I know, right... Totally crazy! But it turns out that they aren't half as stuffy as we thought they were, we even had a party before we left. I wish you had been there though, I may not have gotten quite so drunk... I think I actually called Luwazi Elsebo ‘Totes Amazeballs’ and then booped her nose.

I’m not sure how much I can say about the actual job over this channel, but I can say that it looks like Quig... You remember Quig right? What am I saying, of course you remember him! Well anyway, Quig may have found his soul mate. He met her in a prison labour camp (Darn! I just remembered, I owe Obo 15 credits) and was immediately smitten. It’s just so cute, I really hope she likes him back.

Other than that, all I can say is that everyone did amazing. I'm counting the days until we can all meet up again, and especially to our week alone together on Castrovel. I miss your furry little face so much!

Eternally yours,
Raia

P. S. I may have adopted two goblins.

<End of message>

Thank you for such an awesome game everybody, y'all were such fun to play with. Extra special thanks to Hmm for putting it all together!

THE ABSALOM ENQUIRER
Seconday, Lamashan 10th, 317 A.G.

First Seeker Raia "the Goddess" Danviri & Pookie Bear in Custody Fight
Radiant Raia rules but Pookie Bear bears no expense in trying to get custody of Gobbling Goblin twins as our famed couple enter their third divorce. The Gobbling Goblin twins will be touring Akiton next week for their new album I Ate A Strawberry Machine Cake. Pyrotechnics galore during the show, wear protective gear.

“The Godshield” is going down
Obo the Hobo Obozaya's been bashing at the Godshield for 2 years now and he is quoted as saying it "going down like a gurgling gorgon". No cracks have yet been reported though.

A baker's dozen
The Drexel family is happy to announce the birth of their 169th baby, a little girl Ysoki. Old Grand'pa Quig stated "She's our 13th 13th one, makin' her our baker's dozen dozen", before stuffing some baked goods into his own cheeks, where Old Granny Livewire just said they were calling the newborn one Hmm. Galaxy beware, Hmm Drexel'll be out to get you, along with her 168 siblings!

Poblanoites Pueblo
Grand Guru Iseph held the annual reunion of the Poblanoite Sect at Pepper Pueblo. 'Tis a sad day when the Aspis Consortium's religious leader calls for a ban on organics!

Air Volandis to resume flights to the Vast
CEO Keskodai has announced that all flights to the Vast will resume, and that passengers should no longer fear intempestive Mind Thrusts. "Further more, all burial costs for last week's victims will be covered by Air Volandis, and all brain matter returned to the families of the deceased".

So long solarian!
Altronus finally graduated from Castrovel Tech', and is happy to have acquired the basics in technological aptitude. It is however rumored that he passed his finals after exploding some ball of energy. His words: "Meditate that!".

Golarion rumored located!
It seems the planet all feared disappeared, was simply carried away in the purse of some Earthling name Hilary Golarion Gurphy, a.k.a. Hgg. The latest report is she will only exchange it for a million hugs. The Absalom Enquirer has thus launched a program: A hug for Hgg!, please contribute!

That's all the news that's fit to misprint

Thanks all for the game, and be safe!

Obozaya smashes her doshko through the armour of the advancing BorgorBago. The plasma exhausts burn with a heat equivalent to a starship's jump-engine and they melt away the tungsten breastplate before cleaving into the flesh below.

She shouts in joy and triumph as the giant staggers from the mighty blow before waving it on to her. Roaring in a mixture of pain and anger the thing charges and ducks it's head, avoiding the horizontal slash of Obo's weapon and crashing into her mid-rif, lifting even the "immense bulk" of the Vesk easily off her feet before driving her down into the floor of the Sauna's cell, the spongy gelatinous coating fortunately absorbing some of the impact.

But with her weapon knocked from her hand and this massive thing atop her, she is forced to raise her arms in a guard posture as it pounds down with mighty double fisted attacks. One slips through and smashes into her forehead, opening a cut that immediately begins seeping blood into her eye but rather than panic she laughs, unable to contain the pure ecstasy of life-threatening combat.

Every blow is like a cargo crate landing on her chest and head but she is patient, even as the pain flares. As soon as the ettin's latest punch lands she springs up and to the side, bringing her elbow around like a swinging axe. It crashes against one of the giant's noses so hard that even the other ones' eyes fill with tears.

Intending to reverse the hold Obo twists harder but with an almost supernatural strength the ettin holds her in place; first one meaty hand clamping her arm down to the cell floor and then the other. Struggle and snarl as she might, she cannot break the hold and she prepares herself for the thing to start biting chunks out of her face and neck.

With a toothy, bloody grin it leers forward, opening it's mouth, bearing those blunted fangs... and plants a kiss firmly on her lips. She is shocked into stillness. But then she finds her hand reaching up and caressing the rough skin of the giant's face while the other head kisses softly along the scales of her neck frills in a way that sends a quiver down her spine and all the way to her....

------

Obozaya rips the headset off and hurls it across the recreation room. Eventhough it was all a simulation she hawks and spits on the floor before stomping over to the comms unit and once again jabs her finger into the button;

Quig, you bug-eyed space vermin! she yells into the comm loud enough to cause a reverberation of feedback to echo along the steel corridors of the Glory. You mess with my combat simulator again and I'll stuff and mount you on the dashboard!

A growl of anger rumbles in her throat. With a sigh she reaches down to a nearby table to grab her canteen, full of her new low fat diet shake. But instead she grabs something small and fleshy.

Looking down she sees the red goblin looking back up with googly, mismatched eyes, his face plastered in thick, creamy protein shake.

<BBUURRPPP!!>

This crew is either going to be the death of me or I'll be the death of them!

------

UNTIL NEXT TIME FOLKS!

Keskodai sits at a table alone outside 'The Posh Kettle' on Absolom station. From the empty drinks containers on the table in front of him it's quite clear that he has probably tried half the drinks on the menu by now.

He takes another sip on a drink that that gnome called 'Triune's triple blend', a tea that is said to have been designed to be mathematically perfect, at least that's what the android owned marketing company claim.

Well my little one, the last few days were certainly rather eventful. I was contemplating writing a missive back home to our loving family, but i think they would find the details a little too frightening and could make them worry about us too much. he takes another slurp of tea and finds that he's finished another cup.

"Excuse me gnomish miss, could i try the next one on the menu, please? I think it was the 'Eoxian Grey'. Thank you!" he says to the retreating form of a colourfully haired tea stall owner.

I think there is something to be said for the optimistic outlook that these Starfinders have. If they offer any additional work in the future i think i will vote that we take it. Being around good people will do the crew well. Maybe Oboz will find something else to like in addition to physical violence! Keskodai chuckles to himself, which gets a funny look from from gnomish tea vendor as she plops down the brackish grey drink on the table.

"I am sorry, i was just telling a small joke to my little one here." he says as he strokes the cradle-jar caringly. The gnome smiles and dashes off to serve one of the other tables where two goblins are sat making a lot of noise and almost as much mess.

Those two worry me Chk Chk. I'm not sure who will visit The Lady of Graves first, them or Raia and Miss Elsebo from chasing after them all the time! They are still quite young though so i think they have time to learn. Maybe the other races can learn from the Shirren and keep their larvae in a jar for a while to learn from their parents?

Keskodai's pondering is interupted by a beeping from his comm unit and a message from Raia.

Time to go little one. It seems that the crew may have another mission already. These Starfinders want us to do a first contact mission out in the vast somewhere. That should be fun!

He stands up and places Chk Chk back on the secure hook on his belt. He places a cred stick down with enough funds to cover the cost of all the drinks and a small tip too, then takes a sip of the 'Eoxian Grey' that he knows he won't have time to finish.

"Hmm, i don't think i like this one." He says to himself as he takes another sip. "No, this one still tastes dry and desiccated even after brewing."

He picks up his staff and waves goodbye to the gnome. "See you next time miss!"

An amazing game with amazing people. Thank you all for the laughs. I'll certainly keep an eye out for each of you in my future PbP games.

<incoming transmission for Raia Danviri from Lt Danese of the Skyfire Legion... Decrypting...>

Dearest!

Your adventures sound wonderful, and they made me jealous. Not just because I wanted to see the exotic places you did, but because I wanted to be there with you. My pilot training is going great. Once I complete it, I may be half the pilot your Iseph is...

Oh well. We can’t all be geniuses, and I’ll just content myself to becoming the best Captain I can. Sometimes I wonder about the crazy stuff the rest of my troop is into... I play some Strawberry Machine Cake, then one the Vesks here follows up with musical farting. I wish I were kidding. I also wish that I could vamp up the air filtration system.

Missing you endlessly.

Your Pookie Bear

PS Goblins? Please, please tell me that was a typo....