Following the disastrous Scoured Stars Incident, the Starfinder Society fights to remain relevant as the rest of the galaxy moves on. With surviving agents stretched to their limits, the First Seeker launches a desperate bid to search the false moon of Salvation's End. Will the mission reveal a discovery that can stabilize the Society long enough for a new generation of Starfinders to come to the fore? Players use 4th-level versions of the Starfinder iconic characters in this debut special event of the Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild.
Written by Larry Wilhelm.
Dot
Oy oy oy
lets go
You all find yourselves in a lavish room within the Lorespire Complex on Absalom Station awaiting the arrival of your contact, a woman named Luwazi Elsebo, who has hired your esteemed mercenary group for a secretive mission. Several couches surround a central table and exotic alien art decorates the walls.
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."
“The Starfinder Society endured a staggering setback several months ago when our previous First Seeker led a mission into a region of space known as the Scoured Stars. We lost almost all our experienced field agents and assets in that endeavor. What the Starfinder Society really needs right now is something to entice outside interest and investment. In short, we need to make a major discovery."
“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 comein. 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 high-level 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?”
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Sitting on one of the couches with her boots propped up on an ottoman is a young human woman. Her bright purple hair fades to black near the roots, indicating it's been a little while since her last dye job. But her weapons and d-suit are all well maintained and her expensive and rare Castrovelian sky-fisher-skin boots and the designer-label scarf around her neck show that she has taste and style.
"Starfinders, huh? Yeah, I've heard of you - do-gooder tomb raiders. Hadn't heard about your Scoured Stars problem, though. So now you need mercs like us to be your agents. That's fine by me as long as your credits are good."
She looks around at the others in the room before continuing. "I've got a couple questions though."
"First off, who's this prisoner we're supposed to see? Why's he being held in a high-level security compound for just being a prospector, albeit a "rogue" one? Seems a little excessive."
"And what exactly do you mean by "valuable enough?" Why do I have the feeling you're not telling us everything about this false moon?"
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“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 high-level 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?”
The pale-blue circuitry in their face flashed briefly as Iseph replayed the entire conversation as recorded back from their memory module to be sure they didn't miss anything. Iseph blinked at the dark-sinned human female as a means of registering their gaze. "Confirmed comprehension. Is the Starfinder Society providing a ship as well as credits?"
Iseph remained silent as the other human female asked questions, registering the level of mistrust noted in her voice. To pass the time, Iseph reviewed what they knew of the Starfinder Society from their internal files as a means of calculating a probability of being deceived by them. As a comparison, Iseph attempted to calculate the same probability by the physical appearances of his fellow mercenaries. The results were condemnatory for the latter group.
Altronus folds one pair of arms together while the other pair drifts restlessly. He listens quietly and nods with agreement at Navasi's questions.
"Luwazi of Clan Elsebo, what does your Society expect us to find on Salvation's End? To hire mercenaries while the Society is in such poor shape suggests you are optimistic about this moon and its secrets. Something hidden among its metallic structure? Living beings...?"
Altronus' eyes come alight with curious intensity at the thought of something hiding out in such an unusual place.
"Either way, I am willing to take this job. It seems a fair task for my skills. Though I would like to request a chance to review anything we find before the Society whisks it into their vaults, or auctions it to the highest bidder. There may be secrets there worth more than their value in credits."
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Keskodai had remained silent while leaning back on the couch comfortably.
His ceremonial robes and the sign of Pharasma being projected holographically above his head left no doubt as to his profession or rather vocation as he would call it.
The same could not be said about the other people in the room. Keskodai felt at a disadvantage, for not knowing the people one is about to travel with could spell doom, often in an instant.
Introductions were definitley in order. But first, there was something else on his mind
Keskodai stood up.
"First Seeker, I have heard of the tragedy that has befallen the Society. I can feel many souls adrift in the river waiting for the current to take them to the Lady's final embrace. They will be in my prayers tonight, as they were in the days past."
Keskodai sat down again, a little embarassed for himself. It needed to be said, he thought to himself.
He looked down to a cradle-jar resting next to him on the couch where he had placed it carefully upon arrival. A small larva rested comfortably in the cradle-jar suspended in some kind of liquid. Suddenly it began to move tabbing the glass of the jar twice in the process.
Chk Chk approves. Keskodai smiled.
"I am sorry for the interruption. Back to business."
The ysoki lies upon a couch, his head lower than his legs. Above him flies a small drone in figure-eights.
Not taking his eyes off the drone, he pips up, "We got co-ordinates for this Salvation End? Is it possible to get there on impulse, or are we driftin'?"
Luwazi nods to Keskodai gravely and with respect, giving the words the moment they deserve.
After a modest amount of time Luwazi comes back from her reflection and smiles to Navasi, “We need you to seek out a pilot named Livewire, who is interred at the ‘Sauna’—a prison colony on the volcanic moon Varos. She is the only survivor of an expedition that trespassed on Salvation’s End, which then lead to her current fate. 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.”
The human woman shifts to her other foot and nods knowingly to Iseph, "I’m glad you asked, follow me and see.” Luwazi continues answering the groups questions as she leads them towards a private hangar bay in the Lorespire Complex.
“I have no idea what to expect there, but what I do know is anything that size and guarded will be worth it. Please do study whatever you find thoroughly, Altronus, and share with us what your take is on it. 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."
She spins as she walks to flash a knowing grin to Quig, "Which you'll find quite suitable for your jaunt through the Drift. 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.”
She arrives at a vast entry door and pauses, turning back to the group with a more serious tone. “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.”
Luwazi scans each of you, narrowing her eyes. "Understood?"
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Navasi uncrosses her arms and lets her posture relax as a smile slowly spreads across her face. Not quite the do-gooders I had assumed these folks were. Though the cover story is amateurish, I can work with it. And this crew looks pretty competent given the questions they asked.
"Credits, a nice new ship, and the chance to pull a con at a prison? I'm beginning to like you Starfinders!"
With that, Navasi steps forward to the First Seeker, her hand extended. "Here's to a successful job, and more to follow."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Iseph cocks their head.
"We are to provide credits as an enticement to a prisoner within a penal compound? I do not see the logic in why this particular prisoner would be interested in credits. Would they not be interested in freedom from their penal lifestyle?"
They cock their head in a different direction. "You mentioned salt and a fresh wound. Am I to assume that the Starfinder Society wronged this warden? This Livewire person? Whose ego is to be buffered in this outcome - your syntax was poorly-constructed and did not clearly convey your meaning."
Humanoids can be needlessly obfuscatory, Iseph reflected.
"Eh, if you ever spent time in the joint, you'd know that there's always some sort of economy going. Maybe Livewire needs 'em to pay a debt in there, or just to trade." Quig says, "Or if there's a betting ring on some fight club going on. There's guards to pay off. Really, there's no place worse to be missing creds that a prison. Oh, there's the vending machines in the visitation room, too."
"I think the idea, Iseph, is to just keep it under our lids that we're working for Starfinders, since they don't have permission either way. Does it matter why?"
Altronus stills his arms and nods gracefully "Understood, Luwazi of Clan Elsebo. I am not overly fond of deception, but we must not leave any of Livewire's knowledge to remain unclaimed. This Salvation's End seems to be quite a dangerous place."
As he listens in to the comments from the rest of the group he adds "You place great trust in us for this task. We will not disappoint you. I am sure of that."
He sweeps his gaze across the motley group of mercenaries, eyes the various weapons stashed around them, notes the confidence in their behavior, and nods to himself.
Quite sure.
“Wonderful! I am so excited to conduct business with you.”
She opens the door with a slight flourish to embellish the significance of the moment, and then crosses the threshold into a hub of activity. 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!”
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Looking at Luwazi with her eyebrows raised and a slight smirk, Navasi gestures toward the ship's "stylized symbol of the Starfinder Society along its hull."
"Soooo, no one's supposed to know who we're working for, huh?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Keskodai walks around the ship with a certain awe-struck attitude in his step.
He looks at the symbol the lady just mentioned. "It is a beautiful ship that is for sure. But I have to agree with the lady...we would announce our intentions as soon as we're out of the drift. Not sure we could make the approach without being stopped."
For once, Iseph did not feel the need to point out the flawed logic inherent to the situation.
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"Ah, I believe I understand what you mean." Altronus nods to Luwazi, then holds a hand up to stall the protestations of his allies "I will do the honors."
He takes the bottle from the leader of the Second Seekers, calls out "The christening will begin!", and climbs up the stairs or scaffolding until he is right next to the ship's hull. He leans in close to the symbol of the Starfinder Society, eyes narrowing.
With a flourish he unseals the champagne, spills a splash onto the Starfinder Society symbol, and then starts rubbing at it with dramatic sweeps of a loose polishing cloth.
A few moments pass before it is clear that the champagne has no effect on the printed-on symbol. "Hm. I was certain..." he seems to muse quietly to himself. "The old human custom is to spill the spirits upon the hull of the ship to clean it... or was it?"
A male kasatha in red armor enters and folds his 4 hands in greeting. "My name is Altronuus. I am pleased to meet you." Looking and seeing his twin brother he smiles and bows."Brother it has been many cicles. How was your life?"
Iseph glances briefly at the latest kasatha to join the group.
Brothers, eh? Twins, even. Curious, that organics seem to have the capacity for cloning and yet view android life cycles with suspicion and trepidation.
Iseph spins his wheels calculating odds ratios of twin embryogenesis in various organic species while he awaits the Starfinder's explanation of their illogical choice of vehicles for a stealth mission where the Starfinder name should be obfuscated, but the Starfinder logo can be emblazoned on the ship without concern for repudiation.
"Ah Altronuus, it HAS been many cycles." Altronus bows respectfully at the other Kasatha "As ever, I learn much, but too much remains a mystery. Life goes on as we learn and live." He looks down in dismay at the slightly depleted bottle of champagne.
"I suspect I have ruined this fine moment due to my misunderstanding of human ship-christening customs. Another lesson to learn."
Luwazi shrugs at the comments of the hull painting, "You use Unions, you get union work. It's all done standard but don't worry, we'll laser something else on over it before you take off." She does start clapping at Altronus' attempt to mimic human customs though. "No you're pretty close! Now smash that bottle so I can show you around this beauty!"
Throughout the tour Luwazi talks excitedly about the ships' specifications, highlighting the formative on-board arsenal and the top-of-the-line power core. "Of course, it is Drift capable, but it has good maneuverability as well. Add in surprisingly comfortable quarters, science and Tech labs, and the best sensors we could pack into her. I don't see why you should have any trouble out there." She ends the tour there, enjoying her own jokes in the galley while she pops another bottle of champagne and pours it for those interested.
The next morning you are each able to complete any unfinished business before departing Absalom Station for Varos.
Altronus quickly smashes the bottle against the ship's side, bowing to Luwazi "Thank you for the clarification." He follows along with the tour, nodding appreciatively at each of the areas of the ship.
The next day he faces the rest of the party and says "It is quite the well featured ship. We will need to attend to a broad range of equipment, especially if we end up facing combat. I believe I would serve best as a gunner, though I could stand in as a captain. I have been told that I can be inspiring... at times." He stands up straighter, trying to look the part of a reliable captain.
"I have come functionally competent for embarkment at the present hour," Iseph explains, "but determining how best that I will pilot this ship will pass time that ought not to be wasted."
Iseph stows their bag in one of the bunks and finds their way to the cockpit, where they settle into the lead pilot position. "I hope this Livewire provides accurate reconnaissance information regarding this 'Salvation's End'," Iseph says to no one in particular.
Reduce the DCs of Culture checks by 5 when recalling knowledge about starship and vehicle models and parts as well as famous hotshot pilots)
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During their tour, Navasi takes Luwazi aside and suggests, "You know, I've run cons like this before. Best thing to do is leave any markings off that ship of ours, I'm mean, yours." Recovering from her Freudian stumble, she continues, "I'm thinking we'll go as reps of an insurance company looking into the disappearances of ships, if anyone asks. It's plausible given the circumstances, and has that grain of truth that helps the best lies stick. Anonymity of the insurance firm is required to protect their investors, of course."
Watching Iseph settle into the pilot's seat and Keskodai get familiar with the science station, Navasi steps toward the Captain's seat. "I presume Quig will handle Engineering, and someone's gonna need to be Captain. Any objections to it being me?" she asks the team.
Then looking over at the twins, she comments, "Can you two handle the gunners' platforms? Not sayin' you gotta, if you've got something else you wanna do."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Altronus responds to Navasi with a bit of disappointment in his voice "Please go ahead, I will see what I can learn about the captain's role from you, for the future. Attending to the guns will be good practice as well."
And if there are no hostilities to be had in the drift or at Salvation's End, I could finally compile some of my notes. A fine opportunity."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Quig says, waving a paw at Navasi.
Then to Scout, "Maybe I wanted to be captain for once. I even made a special hat for it." Scout makes an appropriate sad noise.
The trip is uneventful, as the distance between Absalom Station and Bretheda requires only a few days of standard space travel. Coming into orbit around Bretheda's moon Varos, you can see the prison space station known as The Sauna in orbit over the tiny horizon.
A radio hails your ship, "This is the Warden's office, declare yourself and state your business."
Iseph awaits Navasi's reply, curious to see the new captain in action.
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Navasi takes a second to think about what she knows regarding the prison complex and to get her story straight in her mind before speaking.
"Sauna Warden's Office, this is the private ship Siren's Voice. We have an appointment to meet with one of your prisoners regarding an investigation. Request landing clearance."
Iseph awaits at the controls of the ship, ready to take evasive actions at a moment's notice lest this conversation turn for the worst.
"Affirmative, I have found your corresponding request here. Head to docking pad 15. Please leave any armaments and contraband, such as food or toiletries, on your ship. Remember that credsticks are allowed into the complex though, as we are always willing to accept donations."
Once docked at the floating docking pad #15, an organic bridge grows out and connects the floating pad to the prison's structure.
The Solarian looks at the prison and shrugs."Not my favorite place to visit, to be sure!"
"Toiletries and weapons are contraband but credsticks are encouraged in order to make 'donations'." Iseph expertly pilots the ship onto the prescribed landing bay. "A literal translation of that could be: 'Bring nothing to make yourself feel more comfortable or to defend yourself with, but please be sure to bring all of your money.'"
The android sighs. He takes off both of his guns and leaves them at his pilot station.
"I have certainly seen worse places, brother. At least this one has some semblance of order around it." Altronus frees himself from any harnesses he was strapped into from the space flight and deposits his belongings in the ship's quarters. While people get ready to disembark, he spends a minute in meditation and contemplation regarding the radiance of the stars. He focuses on channeling that radiance into his own speech.
"Iseph, it does indeed seem a perfect set up to free gullible travelers from their hard earned credits. We can only trust that Luwazi knew well where she was sending us. If she was misinformed... well, we would have to manage." He gazes confidently at the spheres of solar energy hovering near himself and his brother.
"I will assist in negotiations with Livewire, if they are necessary. Let us speak to her quickly, before something gives away our true employer."
"Not much of a talker, but you know that, cap'n o' mine," Quig says, "They always get all offended-likes. But if ya want, I can come aboard, maybe hack into their system if the chance presents itself. Should I bring along Scout, see if there's anything they dont want us to see?"
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"Quig, any extra sets of eyes or sensors or whatevers," she adds peering at Scout, "can't hurt. And as for hacking into their system? Sure thing! Especially if we give them any creds. Let's get a little something extra for our money, eh?" she finishes with a wink to the ysoki.
"Kasatha's are excellent 'talkers,' and I'm good at ... let's call it improvisational prevarications. Cellion, feel free to take the lead on this, and we'll back you up."
"Just remember the story. Insurance investigators looking into an unusual number of shipwrecks. Can't name our employer to protect the shareholder's interests."
As she heads to her quarters to drop off her weapons, she calls back over her shoulder, "And nobody better jinx this by even thinking we'll just be in and out quickly!"
"Excellent, I will do so with pride." Altronus seems thrilled to take the responsibility "There is much in common between studying the cycles of the stars and the art of insurance investigation. I am certain that I can explain to Livewire the similarities, and that she will feel inspired to aid us, if for no other reason than to be part of a grand cycle of her own." He brims with confidence.
As the group disembarks, he quietly seems to be rehearsing arguments to himself. "... and with its stellar foundry finally spent, the star shrinks down to a white dwarf, though there is still much to learn from such a solar entity, much like a wrecked starship holds secrets that insurance agencies need to set their prices..." He seems to be rambling.
Exiting the ship and following the bridge that grew out of the prison's structure, you all enter the facility. The halls and rooms of the Sauna are entirely organic, comprised mostly of fleshy blue walls replete with pulsating green veins. Tunnels take odd angles, sometimes sloping up or down, which some of you may find as a nuisance. A flotilla of four barathus, floating and iridescent masses of flesh with draping tentacle appendages, wordlessly greet you in a larger corridor.
'This way,' they telepathically command you.
After a maze of turns and dips, you arrive at what is labeled the Warden's Office. Several hard, plastic chairs await arranged in a semicircle around a matching table. Opposite the table floats the Warden, an almost comical creature that looks like a dozen of the barathu guards mashed together into a floating mass of iridescent flesh and tentacles.
A clam presence enters each of your minds, 'Welcome my, what is the term, fief? Please, have some delicacies and drink. Refresh yourselves.' Three hover trays of a gray mush and glasses of an opaque, milky substance float in behind you and make their way to the table. While these refreshments look welcoming, especially the drink to help cool off, the ever-present stench is.. unique.