[SFS 1-01] GM Cellion's The Commencement B (Inactive)

Game Master Cellion

Kalkan looks at the fleeing children curiously. Good thing my mates are better at this than I. I have a lot to learn. He walks into the other room, eyes wide open for any killer cups. He speaks into the group's minds. "I wonder if it will have a chipped edge. There was this classic Golarion novel I once read..."

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Haastaskin follows the Shirren mechanic further into the room. "Harmless self motivated cups? Probably not much of a cause for alarm."

Twik considers the childrens story in light of their speech patterns and facial expressions.

Sense Motive: 10 + 6 = 16

He asks a couple more questions before the children leave....

"What else can you tell us about this "cup"? What did it look like?"

He pauses momentarily...

"Hmmm... If I was to turn invisible and then say... carry around a cup that wasn't invisible.... do you think it would look the same as the one you saw?"

"There is no cup creature. The children told us that." Ella speaks slowly to try and explain the situation.

Arnold frowns at Ella.

"Really? Because it kind of sounded like there was, based on what they said...?"

He then peeks into the room, looking for any cups moving around by themselves.

Kalkan, Haastaskin and Arnold forge ahead into the western chamber, eyes out for any moving cups. Steam billows through the room, making identification of any unusual objects more difficult. After a bit of careful wandering, you each see that four large containment capsules fill the northern room, three of which hold stasis-locked objects, including a tablet, a strange curved sword, and an odd spiral of bioluminescent coral. A fourth capsule looks like it must have at some point been full of liquid, but it now lies in shattered pieces upon the floor.

The particularly warm southern room contains several desks, each inlaid with a computer terminal. Some of the terminals are damaged and inoperative, but the rest seem to be running in emergency power mode and retain some basic functions.

None of you notice anything cup-like. (Feel free to give me perception or culture checks, your choice, to search the room)

Meanwhile in the entrance chamber, Twik's questions are answered with "She was white, with a fancy handle, like something out of a oldy-vid show. Maybe like... this big" The older of the two lashunta children shows a cup the size of a beer stein. "Invisible? Um, I don't know? She was all jumping about if we tried to carry her."

Culture: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Kalkan looks around the room, humming under his breath. I'm a little teapot, short and stout. Here is my handle...

Haastaskin looks around the room, looking for places for the not-cup to hide. "There must be something here, cup or not-cup we need to find it."

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Ella wanders into the next room with Haastaskin and Kalkan. "I am confused. Is there a creature or not? The children explicitly said there was not, but now everyone is acting like such a thing exists."

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

"I believe that your techno-biological interfaces are malfunctioning," Solenopsi broadcasts before entering the next chamber. "The younglings were being deceitful."

Her antennae waver through the air, trying to identify the presence of another life form.

Perception (Blindsense): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

The group searches through the dense steam, looking for stray cups but finding none. As steam wafts around and makes the search more complicated, Kalkan notices an oddity sitting upon the floor of the chamber to the south, underneath one of the computer terminals. A discarded flashlight, but one with a lamp at both ends. As he comes to take a closer look, the flashlight suddenly twitches and in a flash turns into a wriggling stream of black liquid smoke! The smoke zips out of his view and further into the steam.

Soon afterward, Ella spots another unusual object, a porcelain tureen, sitting atop one of the other computer terminal keyboards when there was nothing there before. When she steps close to it, it similarly turns to black, liquid smoke and zips away from her!

Solenopsi's antennae don't pick up on any scents beyond those coming from her allies.

As you all continue to search, you find yourselves stumbling across other incongruent objects: a waste bin without a bottom, a giant spoon, and others. Each time when you get close, the object dissolves into smoke and flees. As you persist, it quickly becomes clear that this is just a single "object", some kind of shapeshifting black smoke that keeps taking on different appearances each time it gets away from you. While its disguises rapidly become easier to spot, it persists in fleeing!

Kalkan puts his gun away and smiles. "I think our quarry may be less bloodthirsty than we thought. " With that, he backs away from the group, trying to be hidden.

Stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

When the smoke coalesces by him, he tries to catch it!

Sensing what Kalkan is planning, Solenopsi attempts to herd the shapeshifting smoke toward the waiting shirren.

Survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 = 16

Haastaskin will assist in attempting to herd the changer towards Kalkan.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Kalkan finds the black smoke 'creature' (if that's what it is) to be exceptionally perceptive. As Solenopsi tries to herd it in his direction, it continuously slips away to portions of the room far from his waiting claws, almost as if it knows where *not* to be. Even Haastaskin's efforts at keeping track of it are thwarted by its speedy movements.

With how blindingly quick it is, it seems that getting a hold of this shapeshifting smoke creature will take more than herding and stealth. While it may be possible to simply attack it from a distance (before it senses your approach), if you want to tackle this without injuring it, you'll probably need to find a way to calm it down.

Twik loudly ushers the others to put their weapons away & to move away from the creature. He approaches as close as he can get without making it move away before speaking to it using friendly gestures with no illicit intent.

"Hi, we are Starfinders and we would like to help you out. Can you tell us what you need or are looking for?"

He looks over his head towards the rest of the SFS group

"and perhaps the more.... gentle .... of you could broadcast my words telepathically as well?"

Diplomacy: 10 + 9 = 19

Arnold, knowing that he is not especially diplomatic, wisely keeps to the sidelines whilst Twik tries to reason with the creature.

Fully expecting the Emohawk Polymorph to try to eat Twik's emotions ;-)

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Kalkan follows Twik's request, pushing his words gently into the creature's mind. "We are friends. Not food. We are here to help. "

Solenopsi stops trying to herd the elusive creature and moves to guard the exit into the ship.

Haastaskin will join Solenopsi at the door attempting to ensure that nothing passes them in either direction.

Twik's calm approach and Kalkan's gentle and soothing mental messages seem to resonate with the shapeshifter. It allows the group to get much closer to it next time. But at the last moment it still zips away to safety. You're close to convincing it to accept you, but aren't quite there. (You can attempt additional skill checks if you'd like. Repeats are OK)

Solenopsi and Haastaskin don't see any threats approaching from the hallway while their team attempts to commune with the creature.

Diplomacy : 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

Kalkan continues to relay Twik's words, adding his own as well. " Good little shadow... yes... come with us... Starfinders will help you... " He treads slowly closer, sending soothing thoughts.

Ella merely tries to stay out of the others' way as they communicate with the creature that she now understood to be real. She can be heard muttering to her self. "Add notation to data processing. Children are liars and are not to be trusted."

Arnold looks thoroughly bemused by what is going on, but nods encouragement to the party's resident Shirren (apparently) diplomat.

As Ella learns a valuable lesson, Kalkan's soothing thoughts seem to have a positive effect on the smoky shapeshifter. He manages to approach it without it speeding away. As he gets close, it swirls it place for a moment before reforming as a small ceramic mug with "Bring Your Daughter to Work Day - 317 AG - Vysvanen Contracting Inc." printed on the side.

The creature is even comfortable enough to allow Kalkan to pick it up. Though if he does so, it squirms very slightly in his claw.

Arnold claps quietly.

"Good job! We should report back..."

Solenopsi texts to Fitch: Cause of damage located and isolated. Malfunctioning alien lifeform. Safe to begin repairs.

Kalkan whispers into the team's heads. "Let's call Fitch. Perhaps the Wayfinders can send down a first contact team. Or someone with Share Languages. They'll know what to do." He picks up the mug and holds it gingerly with both hands. "It's ok, little guy. I've got you."

"Intriguing," Ella remarks. "The creature appears to have a polymorphic cellular response to stimuli. I would like to study and document it for inclusion in the data archives."

Solenopsi's comms receive a quick reply from Fitch. Got it. Bring it up so we can take a look.

-----------------

Your group heads to the bridge of the Master of Stars, where Fitch has set up a haphazard center of operations during the repairs. You find her stalking back and forth, shouting irritably at "incompetent and lazy" contractors hired for the repairs, but she breaks into a broad grin when she sees you.

"You found an alien? Something 'malfunctioning'?" She looks around you to see if she can spot the alien and then puts her paws on her hips. "Come on. Ya didn't leave it down below did ya? I told big-and-spiky there to bring it up with ya!" She flicks a finger at Solenopsi.

Before she can get too irritated, the mug Kalkan's hands breaks into a stream of black liquid smoke and swirls over to hide on top of his head, turning into a blonde wig in the process.

"AHA! Is that it then? Fascinating! A shapeshifter, and not any of the kinds we have in our logs so far! Must've been something we picked up in the Drift... we did smash through that spread from who the heck knows where..." She rubs at her whiskers before turning her attention back on you all. "Great work! We can take it from here! Our empaths and researchers are going to have a field day learning about this little guy!"

"You outdid yourself recruits! I didn't think you'd solve my electrical problem AND find a new species. With this guy not causing problems on E-deck anymore, I'll send the regular engineers to reset things and fix any wiring." Fitch gives you a toothy grin "Ya have my approval recruits! And here, a little something." She passes over a credstick (With 400 credits).

That's the last mission done! Feel free to finish up any RP with Fitch if you want. I'll post the wrap up a little bit later today.

Kalkan smiles. "Happy to help, boss. Uh... this babysitting gig you got here. Do you take little Shirrens?" He smirks a little, doubting his partners would allow that to happen.

Arnold nods.

"Happy to have sorted out your electrical problem. All in a day's work."

"Good for us, good for you, good for the little shapechanger, and now we are proven Starfinders. Yes?"

Fitch squints up at Kalkan. "You look a little too big to be babysat. Or are you looking for a space for a little grub of yours? Normally, the daycare's only for folks working on repairs, but you all did such a great job that I'll make an exception. You bring Grix over there one of your little guys or gals, and Grix'll keep 'im safe." The shirren that Fitch is indicating delivers a weary look in response.

"Alright, now back to home base for you all. Guidance is probably waiting for ya."

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The return visit to the Lorespire Complex comes late at night. This time when you enter the lobby of the main building, Guidance is already present in holographic form, this time taking the appearance of a slim, wide eyed male elf. "Ah, yes. Welcome back recruits. You have proven yourselves to be admirable field agents, dealing with a broad range of tasks with precision and elegance. From the inconsequential to the critical, you have done all that was asked of you. We are pleased to commence you as full Starfinder Field Agents from this moment onwards! Please continue to make our organization proud!"

And that gives us our wrap! I'll sort out chronicles and get things reported tomorrow, but I never did get information from Arnold on reporting, so please get me that soon!

Ella nods to Guidance. "I am comfortable with the full distinction as a Starfinder Agent. I would like to take the subdermal graft now, if the offer is still available.."