PbP Gameday VI; Starfinder 1-00: Claim to Salvation [4] (Inactive)

Game Master Revvy Bitterleaf

Dot

Ditto dot

You've arrived at the Lorespire Complex on Absalom Station, where you await the arrival of your contact, a woman named Luwazi Elsebo - whom has hired you for a secret mission. The room is a lavish meeting space, with several couches and a central table.

As you wait you are joined by some others, clearly here on the same business as yourself.

Feel free to introduce yourselves and get to know each other

Raonalt steps forward you notice he is tall for a Kasatha his slight frame standing out as his pair of arms are folded you can hardly make out his expression under his armor and head dress. He looks around the room studying each person there intently, a yellow orb of light lazily floats around him changing its orbit slightly at every pass. While some may find it distracting the Orb seems a part of Raonalt almost like an extra appendage.

He takes in a deep breath and speaks. "I see we were all called for this mission." He studies each person reaction. "My name is Ranoult Barasul Dovenayan, I'm from the house Goldare. If it is not evident to most of you I am a Scholar Solarian discharged from my watch to strives out of Idari mothership to explore... and learn." With that he takes a step back and sit on a chair back from the central table.

A female human with purple hair is leaning against the wall. Her space suit is festooned with weaponry, multiple pistols and grenades, along with a well-worn dueling sword.

She responds "Indeed, the job sounds interesting. My name is Navasi, and I'm something of a professional adventurer. With a little luck we'll be able to accomplish our mission, earn some well deserved credits and perhaps do some good along the way. Let's hope our employer will be here shortly so we can get started."

This said, she begins to pace around the room, clearly eager to begin.

The shirren's mandibles click in a sound utterly alien yet still vaguely pleasing sound. As a hologram of Pharasma's holy symbol slowly spins above his head, a voice enters your minds: "Ah, interesting, so your services have been retained by the Society as well? I am most pleased to meet you. I am Keskodai, and this...", the voice pauses as a hand-like tarsus pats a heavily fortified cradle-jar at his hip, "...is Chk Chk. 'Say hello', Chk Chk."

There is a soft tap-tap on the jar's glass as something moves within. The shirren's mandibles spread in something resembling a smile before he looks back at you.

"If it comes that you need healing, I'll be happy to tend to your wounds. And, should you succumb to them anyway, it will be my honor to send you to the Lady of the Graves. Either way, this should be very exciting."

The tall Vesk snorts at Navasi's comments and again at Keskoday's.

"Obozaya," she says, apparently her name. "I'm looking for more than doing some good. Credits are nice, but fame's better. No one knows who you are, you're no one. And if we need healing, that simply means we're not worth knowing about. A good soldier avoids getting hurt!"

Raonalt smiles. "It is a pleasure." he brings both hands up closing them into firsts and bowing. "This is all well and good, I'm out for information and the credit will get more. Although it matters not I do wonder where we will be heading."

He steps up to the Shirren. "Greeting Keslodai and Chk Chk." He bends over and smiles at the jar. "I must say I find the Shirren fascinating, your people sharing a hive mind it must be a strange sensation."

A short hiss precedes the opening of an adjacent door. A woman with a determined look steps through the opening, holding a datapad in one hand as she sits down at the nearby table, takes a calm breath, and begins to speak, “Ah good, you made it. All of you come highly recommended. You have skills, and the Starfinder Society has credits.”

She pauses, looks over the group she has assembled, and continues, “How rude of me—introductions. I am Luwazi Elsebo, the elected First Seeker of the Starfinder Society, and I have an exceptionally fair sum of credits available in return for your specialized services. For this mission, each of you will represent the Starfinder Society, but hold no official title within our organization. As you can probably tell by the empty halls around us, I need to use mercenaries to act as temporary agents. If you agree to the terms, I would like to offer you all a job.

“Prior to the Scoured Stars incident, the Society acquired exclusive rights to explore a rather unique moon. The inhabitants of the nearby planet call it Salvation’s End and see it as a ‘false moon’ due to its visible metal components and underlying superstructure. There’s the potential that it’s nothing more than a mangled hunk of stellar debris on the remains of a moon, but there’s also the chance that the entire object could be one inconceivably large structure.”

Luwazi lets loose a devilish smile. “This is where you come in. I want you to go to Salvation’s End and explore the surface.
First, you’ll need to make a quick trip to the moon of Varos, which orbits the nearby gas giant, Bretheda. There’s a highlevel security complex on Varos that has a survivor from a rogue prospecting mission to Salvation’s End. I want you to question the prisoner, find out what you can about the so-called ‘false moon,’ and then make way to Salvation’s End. Once there, you will need to see if the moon is worthless, or something valuable enough for the Society to announce. Understood?”

Navasi perks up as the First Speaker starts speaking, and listens thoughtfully to her description of the mission. As the speaker finishes up, she clears her throat and begins to speak.

"This sounds like a mission that our collective skills would be well suited for, if the price is right. A few quick questions though. What was this 'rogue prospecting mission' looking for, and do we know anything about what happened to them? Also, have there been any previous expeditions to Salvation's End?"

"I assume they were looking for a lucrative oppurtunity. I don't have all the answers, but I can set you on route to finding answers to those questions"

“We need you to seek out a pilot named Livewire, who is interred at the ‘Sauna’—a prison colony on the volcanic moon Varos. Contact this prisoner, as she is the only survivor of an expedition that trespassed on Salvation’s End.
Once you establish contact, it’s a matter of gathering intelligence. We doubt this information is cheap, so we authorized a spending account for you to encourage Livewire to talk. We need to know why her team’s illegal salvage on the moon failed. Once you get this information, we need you to travel to the false moon. Touch down, scout for hostiles, and look for any indications that it’s more than a moon with crashed starships piled atop it.”

"Then you will have answers to your questions.."

"And about the price being right...;

“I’m able to provide a spending account of 2,500 credits for mission expenditures; this does not include expenses for personal use, but instead for dealing with Livewire and the other occupants at the Sauna to help in your mission. Upon completion of your greater mission to Salvation’s End, you will each receive 3,000 credits. In addition, you have use of a brand-new Pegasus-class starship for the mission. If we end on agreeable terms, you can count on the Starfinder Society for more work in the near future. Trust me when I say an ongoing partnership would be quite… lucrative, for both parties.”

An ugly ysoki listens in on the briefing while a drone buzzes around behind him exploring the facility's engineering. He introduces himself: "I'm Quiq. And that there is Scout: he is a little project of mine. We have done some bounty work before and will do whatever you Starfinders need as long as the pay is right."

Before he can ask about transport, she mentions the starship. "Brand-new?" He whistles, causing his whiskers to bend like summer wheat. "Anyone here know how to fly something like that?"

Keskodai is pleased when Raonalt addresses Chk Chk directly and is about to respond to the kasatha's comments on the shirren hive mind when the First Seeker enters. He listens intently and with growing excitement to the woman's explanation of the task before them.

"It is an honor to meet you, First Seeker. One question, if I may. You say this prisoner, Livewire, is our first point of contact. Credits may be useful as one option but prisoners usually desire freedom, not wealth they cannot spend. If the crime is poaching a claim owned by the Starfinder Society and we are there representing the Society, will the local authorities release the prisoner into our custody?"

Later, to Quig, "Unfortunately, I have only basic training when it comes to piloting and gunnery."

Apologies for the tardy arrival, got busy over the last couple of days. I will be occupied at a con all day tomorrow, but will generally be around to post in the near future.

A slim, androgynous figure steps through the door immediately behind Luwazi, seemingly appearing out of thin air. As the First Seeker introduces herself, the emotionless eyes of the android – for that is clearly what he is – widen ever so slightly. Working directly for the First Seeker? There may be some real money in this… The glimpse of emotion fades as the mission briefing and follow-up questions go on, though the mental calculations continue, They want me to go to the Sauna by choice? Never thought that would happen…still, if the money’s good, it’s worth it. And they’re providing a ship and a budget…I’m liking this more and more.

In response to Quig’s question, the android nods once and speaks for the first time, ”I can fly it. I’m Iseph.”

Still have to copy Iseph’s stats into my alias, hope to do that today.

Raonalt turns from Keskodai as the First Seeker enters, he sits and listens to what is expected from them going over it all in his head.

He nods to each of the new people joining them. "We were all here for the same reason and we have our mission. To Varos a volcanic moon we head for Sauna a prison colony, where we will speak to a pilot named Livewire. Extract the information we need and then head for the moon Salvation’s End." He states everything just as the First Seeker did, running it around in his head again. "I'm not very skilled with space ships but I will do my best. My skills come out more in melee combat."

He turns back to the First Seeker."I hope after all this you can tell us more about this Scoured Stars incident, that seems like quite a large setback."

I dont think Im very good as anything for the ship

Obozaya's jaw drops open in a reptilian grin as Luwazi explains why she's summoned them.

"Oh yes, this sounds good. They'll will speak of our name far and wide when we discover what's happening here. And if this Livewire doesn't want to talk..."

She lets the threat trail off ominously.

"Excellent, Iseph. Let us get to this ship then and get underway!"

I have no ship skills at all, as far as I can tell.

FYI, both the Soldier and the Solarian are fine as gunners, just due the fact that they can use their Base Attack Bonus instead of the Piloting skill when shooting

"Well if you can get it up into space then I will keep her flying. I'm rather handy with electronics, as you may have noticed." Scout issues a few beeps and clicks, evidently agreeing.

I'm glad you are all enthusiastic about the starship and who's going to do what on board. Follow me and we'll give you a closer look of it"
Luwazi says as she moves out of the room and into the corridors leading you towards what you assume will be a hanger bay.

As you move with her through some hallways she continues to speak;

"The warden denied our requests to meet with Livewire. They indicated that our presence would rub salt in a fresh wound. So, whatever you do, do not let the warden or Livewire know that you are working for the Starfinder Society. I have set up a front to explain your meeting with Livewire: you are all investigators hired by an unnamed corporation looking to remain anonymous.
You’re researching a rash of disappeared spacecraft that have gone missing when their flight path took them too close to Salvation’s End.”

Luwzi arrives at a vast entry door. She opens it with a slight flourish to embellish the significance of the moment, and then crosses the threshold into a hub of activity.

“Wonderful! I am so excited to conduct business with you.” With a renewed energy, Luwazi steps further into a large hangar bay containing a pristine ship with a stylized symbol of the Starfinder Society along its hull. Several engineers, laborers, and mechanics buzz about the hangar running diagnostics, polishing the vessel’s unspoiled hull, and finishing the last touches for a maiden launch. Luwazi looks up to the ship with beaming pride, reaches into the folds of her clothing, and pulls out an expensive vintage of champagne, and extends the bottle outward as she exclaims with a wide grin, “The ship is yours for the mission, it is only right you christen it!

Tonight, we celebrate; tomorrow you sail off into the stars.”

Earlier...

"Is that true?" Obazaya asks. "About the spacecraft going missing?"

Later...
The vesk sucks in a breath, letting it whistle between her teeth.

"Nice," she says, taking the bottle.

"The Obazaya?" she asks, as if it's a foregone conclusion that the ship should be named after her.

Unsure if I'm reading it wrong but the soldier is just a little better right?

Raonalt follows along both sets of hands behind his back and his small orb of yellow light circling around him. "I was going to ask about that, we have a cover then. I think before we all set off we should talk about each of our capabilities and where we all expect to excel in the group." He looks around at the others as they step into the hanger. He looks up at the ship and nods, not one to know much about a ship but if it can fly it will do.

"Celebrate our new partnership, I suppose a drink and some time getting to know each other will do well for morale." He

Navasi chimes in with "I've always felt that ships should earn their name. Shall we simply call it 'Pegasus' until it's found itself something more appropriate?"

Keskoday listens to the news about the warden's denial and their cover story, nodding as some options fade while others move the fore.

"I see. Deception and guile... I see the necessity of it, though if subtlety and misdirection is required, perhaps the Vesk and I should stay in the back during negotiations."

An antenna twitches as Obozaya proposing naming the ship after herself. He does not object to the proposed name, instead finding humor in the proposal, but is open to others as well.

You are free to partake in the celebrations, which include a tour of the Pegasus, a breakdown of its capabilities, and a description of its armaments.

See the link at the top of the page called Starship combat overview for the stats - which are the same as the ones found in the Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide for this tier

The next morning, once you complete any unfinished business you might have and possible nurse a hangover, you meet with Luwazi one last time before departing Absalom Station for Varos.

"The distance between Absalom Station and Bretheda requires only a few days of standard space travel. You can use the Drift engine of the new starship, but I suggest against it; I want you to avoid any unnecessary encounters in the Drift. But in the end the choice is u to you, it's current crew. I hired you because of your competance, so I'll trust in your judgement."

If you could compile a list of who is going to take what role on the spaceship as a default (which of course can be altered if you feel it needs to be) and let me know if you plan to use the drift engine or not we'll take it from there.

"I agree with Navasi. Let's let her earn her proper name. Pegasus for now."

I can function well as a science officer or engineer.

"I don't see any reason to risk entering the drift, we're not in any particular hurry, and this is our ship's shake-down cruise."

Sketching out what looks like a reasonable set of roles based on the pregen character skills:
Captain: the envoy.
Pilot: the operative.
Science Officer: the priest.
Engineer: the mechanic.
Gunner 1: the soldier.
Gunner 2: the solarian.
Any objections?

"Letting the ship earn her name appeals to me," Iseph says, "we will get to know her as she gets to know us."

Assignment list looks good to me, thanks for putting it together.

You take a few days to fly to your destination enjoying the flight in a brand new starship when you arrive - without any problems during your travel - at your destination.

This bizarre organic complex wildly contrasts the more pleasing Brethedan arcologies found within the swirls and eddies of the neighboring gas giant. Here, only the indentured or the foolhardy suffer Varos’ tidally heated hellscapes for a chance to mine the moon’s spectacular gemstones. While the prison is safely above the moon’s surface, the extreme temperatures radiate upwards, heating the structure despite its distance and advanced organic coolant systems. From this clammy complex, indentured prisoners descend upon the moon’s blistered surface as conditions permit.

As you get closer to the orbiting prison a light on your display panel starts to blink; you are being hailed.

Iseph enjoys the days traveling, getting the feel for the ship. He alarms his crewmates once or twice as he tries out rapid accelerations and evasive maneuvers, and manages to resist the temptation of going on the Drift. "This is the Pegasus out of Absalom Station," Iseph says when they are hailed, as he taps a series of buttons on the display panel. "Who am I talking to?"

List also seems fine to me.

Raonalt joins in the festivities learning much about his new team mates. But stopping at one drink not wanting to over do anything when they have a big day tomorrow.
--

Raonalt walks the ship, attempting to learn about every inch of it. He spends most of his time training and helping out where he can about the ship.
--
Finally getting to their destination Raonalt stands and stares out at the complex. He holds his touch as Iseph deals with the hail.

"Greeting Pegasus. This is operational command of the prison facility Sauna. Please state the nature of your business in our sector."

Keskoday remains quiet when they are hailed, believing Iseph and others are more skilled at navigating the bureaucracy and deception. Instead, he spends his time looking out the viewscreen at the scene before them, marking at the ability to work and survive in such a place.

"Greetings Sauna, this is Navasi of the starship Pegasus. We've been told that you have a prisoner named Livewire in custody at the moment due to their involvement in an unauthorized prospecting expedition to Salvation's End. They have some information our employer requires and as such we'd like to speak to them as soon as is convenient. Would it be possible to get some landing coordinates?"

Iseph casts a sidelong glance at Navasi, then shrugs, grudgingly accepting that it is the captain's place to have this conversation with Sauna's ground control.

Ship roles look good to me.

Obozaya sighs and waits as Navasi negotiates.

Always politics before the fighting. Somethings never change, no matter where you are...

She checks her weapons, hoping they'll find some obstacle she needs to take care of soon.

"This warrants more personal communication, please proceed to the following coordinates for further discussion"

A set of coordinates is uploaded to your screen

"Be advised that any armaments and contraband (such as food,toiletries, or anything else to tempt prisoners with) should be left on your ship."

The instructions go on to specifically note that credsticks are allowed into the complex, as the facility always accepts “donations.”

Please let me know if you plan to smuggle anything other then your armor - which is allowed for safety reasons - or a credstick in to the prison

"Excellent Sauna Control, we will proceed to the landing coordinates immediately."

Then, after turning off the communication channel, Navasi turns to the rest of the crew.

"So, do we want to play this straight, or should we try to bring in any contraband? The fact that they're willing to take 'donations' makes me thing this isn't the most law abiding prison in the Pact Worlds."

"I think we should play this as it is, we're here to speak to Livewire, I don't see anything happening that could threaten us in a prison like this." He gestures out to the large prison.

"We get in and get out with the information, we have the credits to bribe her and remember we might be playing a part here but we represent the Star Finders. I council we attempt to smuggle nothing in."He begins to pull out his blaster and other items from his belt and places them in his bag.

Does my Solar Manifestation(The mote of light I can use to manifest my light saber) count as a weapon? I don't think It can be taken off me, can it?

"Don't worry," Obozaya grins. "I'll keep you all save if something bad happens."

She flexes her fingers, showing the sharp claws there. All vesk have natural weapons, so ...

She lovingly puts her other weapons down, patting them.

"You stay right there. Mama will be back soon."

Keskodai's antennae twitch in an expression of bemusement. "Given the evidence that this facility operates with a degree of moral...fluidity, I think we should be on guard. However, the damage I can do to a person's mind is far more severe than with anything as crude as a weapon. It's of no matter to me. And as Obozaya says, we can just take shelter behind her." Keskodai will leave his weapons and hygiene kit, but does bring his healing serums (as he wasn't explicitly told not to).

En route, Keskodai would have happily told people about his abilities.

It's a prison run as a business," Iseph remarks drily, "of course it's going to be all about the money. I'm not much use in a fight without my weapons, but I can get out of sight and find other ways to make myself useful."

DM - Iseph has an internal quick-release sheath, which can store a single, one-handed weapon. I don't know if such things are common and would automatically be searched or if they're less well known and would allow him to smuggle in a weapon - but Iseph would know. What do you think?

"Scout, it looks like we have to leave our weapons here in the ship. I know, buddy, but those are the rules if we want to become Starfinders." Scout beeps sadly.

Scout can come in with me, right?

@Roanalt; I think it does count as a weapon, but it doesn't seem to work for anyone else other then you. So unless you touch it to active I think it should be fine. Let's assume that it's common enough knowledge that the prison guards are aware, but don't care since it's not something prisoners should be able to use. I can't find if you are able to leave it behind, so it doesn't seem you have much choice unless you choose to stay behind...which seems wrong to me in game even though it might make the most sense.

Yes, Vesk have natural weapons...not much that can be done about that ;)

@Iseph;Seems like this is what it's intended to be used for. It gives you a +2 bonus on sleight of hand checks to conceal something. From the rule book; Though this compartment can usually foil a simple pat down, most security checkpoints include a scan that can detect such devices. So it's up to you if you want to try to smuggle something inside it into a prison

@Quig; It seems the drone has a weapon mount with a blaster attached..so I'm going to go with no. Maybe you take out the blaster. I'm not 100% up to date on drones, but I assume you can do that. But then it would still be a piece of metal that the prisoners could use to bludgeon something with potentially.

Once docked, an organic bridge connects the pad to the structure itself. As soon as you disembark from the ship, extremely hot air (over 120 degrees Fahrenheit) blasts into you, and while your armor should protect you for the jaunt towards the Sauna, it becomes evident that any prolonged exposure outside the prison is foolhardy.

A flotilla of four barathus—floating, iridescent masses of flesh with draping tentacle appendages—wordlessly greets you and is ready to escort you to the nearby Warden’s office.

Let me know if you do decide to try to smuggle anything in. I know it tends to breed paranoia when you get into situations as players where you are pushed to leave most of your gear behind so let me tell you that it doesn't matter that much if you end up without (most) of your weapons in this case..unless you decide to start pick random fights with either prisoners or guards ;) So in this case I wouldn't overthink it too much

Thanks, Revvy. I'll go with the original plan and leave weapons on the ship.

Iseph studies the barathus wordlessly, waiting for them to lead the way.

Navasi leaves all her contraband on the ship.

"Why hello there, if you could please convey us to whoever can grant us access to the prisoner Livewire that would be most helpful."