Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Scenario #1-01: The Commencement
The Gap was a sudden loss of history that shook the entire galaxy. It was an event where history disappeared from the minds of everyone throughout the multiverse, and only the gods have an inkling of what happened, but they refuse to speak of it. In that nebulous time of missing history, the world of Golarion disappeared, though the gods indicate the world—wherever it is—is safe. In the aftermath of the Gap came the revelation of faster-than-light travel by means of the Drift. It was during this time that the Star Finder Society formed and became one of the eminent organizations of the Pact Worlds. The machine god Triune’s gift of rapid interstellar travel facilitated a sudden land rush by colonists and corporations alike, and as exploration became an extremely lucrative business, the information that Star nder agents retrieved secured the Society’s prestige and wealth.
This prosperous age recently came to an abrupt end within the star systems known as the Scoured Stars. An armada containing almost 80% of the Society’s agents and assets joined the Society’s First Seeker on a mission to the Scoured Stars, only for all its transmissions to cease. When the remaining Star finders in the Lorespire Complex attempted to make contact, they discovered a terrifying truth: the Scoured Stars were now cut o from the rest of the multiverse by a barrier of incomprehensible power.
The events of the Scoured Stars left the Star nder Society crippled, as most of the Society’s agents and assets resided within the now inaccessible systems. The Society’s prestige crumbled, and many of the Star finders’ distant holdings fell to alien forces within months of the incident. Only the actions of one outspoken Star finder, Luwazi Elsebo, held the Society together. Even with the dedication of Luwazi and her allies, the Society suffered further losses as disillusioned agents opted to part ways with the organization. Maintaining the Society’s interests was too much for the few remaining agents to handle, so Luwazi turned to outside assistance from reputable mercenary organizations.
With the Star finders on the brink of ruin, Luwazi’s hopes now rest in the hands of a new generation of recruits and ambitious factions. Today is a momentous day for the Society, as it marks the graduation of the rst wave of fresh agents from accelerated Star nder training. These agents represent the rst step the Star nder Society is taking to reposition itself at the forefront of galactic exploration.
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We begin after the party's graduation ceremony aboard Absalom Station. Guidance, the Star Finder Society’s compiled intelligence of Star Finder personalities, summons the new graduates to the Lorespire Complex.
As the doors to the Lorespire Complex slide open, a green holographic image of a middle-aged human woman shimmers into view at the center of the room. “Greetings,” it says. “I am Guidance. Please use the cheek swabs in the open receptacle to provide a genetic sample for Star finder Society identification purposes. If desired, you may place your hand on the glowing panel to receive a subdermal implant further marking you as a member of the Society.”
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A sleek and rather featureless android steps forward. He draws a swab and places it in the indicated receptacle. He then presses his palm upon the glowing panel. He removes it after a pneumatic hiss.
"Greetings," he says to the other Society recruits. "I am Blake-03. Feel free to just call me Blake."
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"Hello!" Jakt'chit projects mentally as he moves forward. He swabs his cheek and happily places a hand forward for his implant. After the quick sting is over he rubs his hands energetically.
"The name is Jakt'chit. Though" he says conspiratorially, "I do so ever love nicknames!"
He stops, wondering if Guidance can hear his mental projections. Jakt'chit had never much grown used to the sound of his own voice.
"Guidance," he says out loud, "Can you hear psychic projections?"
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The third android steps up to the panel to deposit her cheek swab and places her hand on the panel. She presses down on her palm, nodding when the Starfinder Symbol glows just beneath the skin. "Useful," she mutters.
"You can call me Six," she says, turning to the rest of the group. "It's a pleasure to meet you all." She offers smiles and polite handshakes to those who would accept them.
"why yes, Jakt'chit we can hear you're psychic projections. But like your companions, we cannot respond that way."
"It is our pleasure to offcially welcome you into the Starfinder Society. Today is the commencement of your new role as a Starfinder field agent. It is our tradition, at the end of the graduation ceremony, for new graduates to present themselves to the heads of our most prominent factions and complete a task at those leaders’ behest. This allows the leaders of these groups to become familiar with all new Starfinder agents, and it provides a constant supply of agents for handling situations in our holdings on Absalom Station. While these tasks were formerly symbolic, the heavy loss of Starfinder agents in the Scoured Stars necessitates that these missions become something more. Please treat any tasks given with the gravity you would grant any other Starfinder assignment.”
Guidance provides an overview of the factions (see Handout #1: Starfinder Faction Summary on on the Google sheet)
"once you complete any faction leader’s desired mission, that leader will signal us to indicate the mission is finished. Once all missions are complete, please return to the Lorespire Complex to finish your commencement and prepare for future missions.
Absalom Station is the cultural hub of the Pact Worlds. Races from every planet in the system, including those once prominent on lost Golarion, can be found on the station.
People around the station are increasingly amenable to Starfinders. They respect both the dogged veteran field agents who were not lost in the Scoured Stars disaster and the new recruits, whose presence brings renewed hope. Stating one’s association with the Starfinder Society is likely to garner support from the locals of Absalom Station.
A host of starships, known locally as the Armada, orbits Absalom Station. Ships from the Armada are often starships that have taken advantage of the station’s Starstone core—a mystical device that allows for quick travel through the Drift back to Absalom Station. The ships of this fleet are increasingly at risk of bringing back undetected alien life, simply because the policing Stewards lack the numbers to search every orbiting ship.
Everyone is excited about the upcoming junkrace. Apparently some nobody mouthed off to Ratrod, the reigning junkrace champion. People know that trash talking really gets under Ratrod’s fur and wonder whether there will be more harsh words exchanged before the race.
The latest prerelease song from sugar-pop sensation Strawberry Machine Cake is about to be released. Unlike previous releases, the band is putting out a limited-edition physical copy prior to the concert when the released single and additional tracks are scheduled to debut and become available in digital form.
Word on the street is that a dangerous alien predator got loose somewhere in the Downlow district of the station. The creature is now contained in a warehouse, but not after it impaled a security officer with a harpoon-like natural projectile.
Historia 7
Dataphiles Faction
The Lorespire Complex, home and heart of the Starfinder Society, is a striking campus dedicated to knowledge. Communal labs and historical departments study the Archives’ massive collection of artifacts and texts, gathered by generations of agents from across the galaxy. A quick search of the directory indicates Historia-7 frequents the Archives’ Cortex, a computerized matrix containing digital records of the Starfinder Society’s most prominent discoveries.
The android reclines on a raised chair and is plugged into the local infosphere when the doors open. The neural cables detach themselves from her neck as she swivels in her seat to address the new arrivals. “Greetings, Starfinders,” she says calmly. “I am Historia-7. If you are seeking a mission from me, please be aware that my request requires both discretion and speed. Do not accept it if you feel incapable of working within these parameters.
“I discovered someone recently hacked into Bluerise Tower’s computer systems and stole a large amount of sensitive data from the resident corporations. I wish to be privy to this information. I managed to trace the hacker’s location through many proxies and erased the trail so that station and corporate security should be delayed in their pursuit. This deception will not fool them for long, so you must move quickly to retrieve the data before they can recover it. I will leave you to decide what to do with the hacker afterward, but should it be feasible, I believe that person would be an asset to the Society.”
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"It is an honor to meet you, Historia-7. As luck would have it, tracking happens to be my specialty. If you give us what information you have, we should be able to handle the rest."
Bringing in the hacker unharmed might be slightly more difficult however. Hopefully one of Six's comrades would be better suited for the persuasion part of the mission.
" We don't have much more information... Bluerise Tower, is a private office structure maintained by multiple corporations and legally protected to the point that even the station’s Stewards have diffculty entering. Why these corporations need such absolute sovereignty over their own affairs is a question of great interest to many people, including me. I believe the companies know more than they let on, and that the Society needs to stay informed in its vulnerable state."
"Excellent, you'll do the mission. My kind of star finders."
Historia-7 gives the party the address to a flat in Drifter’s End, a district in the station’s Ring known for providing cheap housing to vagabonds of all sorts.
The coordinates that Historia-7 gives the party lead to an apartment that resembles a cement cube, with several tomato plants in plastic barrels sitting on an otherwise barren porch.
A young human man is hand-pollinating the plants.
When you first approach he looks at you with a questioning look on his face. He stands, apprehensive, and calls out, "Gramma! Ceren! There might be a problem out here."
A wizened old woman in a blue and white abaya hobbles out. "What is it Jubair? Who are all these people?"
Jubair says, "They say we need to leave right now, that we're in extreme danger, I think we need to go!"
"Go inside Jubair... ", she steps back letting Jubair go through the door, "I think you need to explain yourselves. I don't intend to run off with just any rag-tag group."
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Blake extends his hand and illuminates the Starfinder insignia.
"We are Starfinders. The Starfinder Society intercepted evidence of someone at this home hacking into Bluerise Corporation. We believe that they are sending mercenaries to eliminate the hacker," the android explains. He pauses to let his words sink in. "Before you ask, you can be certain we are not those mercenaries because we have not murdered you and the boy already. We are here to protect the occupants of this home and--if amenable--offer employment to the hacker."
"That is very odd... please come in."
Boxes of nutrient broth, gardening tools, and various cultural knickknacks clutter the floor of the flat, leaving barely any room for visitors to sit down.
She proceeds to check what some of the party recognizes as neural implants.
"Oh my! I DO have the stolen files. But sadly, I have no idea how I got them." Jubair is shocked, but Ceren calmly explains, "I was a hacker, and a mighty fine one I might add, in my earlier years... really, one of the best in my field. However, old age brought on a degenerative brain disease, which forced me into retirement. Augmentations in my brain have halted the damage and keep me functional, but I have lapses, apparently large lapses, in memory and am no longer as capable as I once was."
She pauses, thinking.
"I must have slipped into a younger mindset, performed the hack... really AM one of the best... and forgotten about it. I have no idea why I stole these files. They are of no use to me. You may have them, but in exchange for your aid. Since I apparently am guilty of stealing from the Bluerise Tower, it is only a matter of time before corporate security hunts me and young Jubair down. There is no way I'll be able to evade the agents in my current state."
"If you would like the files, I need you to help fake my death, that should get me out of this delicate situation. Also, you must place Jubair under Society protection."
Despite the circumstances, she seems quite enthusiastic, "How exciting, this so reminds me of my younger days!!"
"What do you say? Just how important are these files to you?"
She seems to be acting truthfully.
Through some discussion the party realizes that Blake-03 is correct in that they'll need to file a false claim. But first the party will need to come up with a corpse. Once the corpse is obtained the party with either need to alter the corpse to match Carens records, or alter Ceren's medical records to match the corpse... there may be other options as well.
The next step will be obtaining her a new identity. But first thing's first, the party must come up with a plan to fake her death.
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"I can see about procuring us a body. It might require a bit of breaking and entering. As for cause of death, may I recommend a house fire? The damage to the body would save us the trouble of disguising it." Six seems strangely at ease discussing fraud and arson. If anything, this seems like her comfort zone.
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"Oh my!" Jakt'chit projects as the whole conversation unfolds. "This is most irregular, though I suppose it doesn't seem anyone would be harmed by such a thing..."
Making a choice that they are doing the right thing (and giving a slight shiver of pleasure at his ability to make such a choice) Jakt'chit pulls out a datapad and begins searching for the dark corners of the infosphere where he might find some useful information.
Jakt'chit is able to do some searching on the dark web and determine...
One option is to fake her body by obtaining a cadaver and disguising it to alter the corpse to match Ceren’s records (disguise or medicine check). Shady coroners can provide fresh corpses for this purpose with a bribe of 60 credits, Alternatively, Someone could hack the medical system and change Ceren’s records to match the corpse (hacking).
Another option might be to Bluff a mortician to believe the party are grieving relatives and falsely identify an unclaimed body as Ceren’s.
Alternatively, another option is to simply bribe a mortician to file a fake death report for 100 credits, though the party would be counting on the mortician not selling out the group to corporate pursuers without some serious intimidation of the mortician.
There are certainly other options. But even with a fire, you'd need a body... and some work to fake dental records and such (you couldn't incinerate your "body"!)
Sounds like you are going to...
1. Purchase a corpse for 60 credits
2. Hack the Mainframe to change the medical records.
After some searching of the infosphere the party locates a coroner that seems to fit the bill. Entering his office, a rotund little Ysoki beckons the group to sit. He is unphased by the number of you. Looking both ways out his main office door before he closes and locks it. He shuffles back to his desk, muttering under his breath. Plopping in his office chair, he leans back, the chair obviously in need of some grease.
He looks at each of you and opens his mouth as if he's going to say something... but surprisingly instead reaches in and pulls a half eaten apple out of his cheek sack.
Taking a bite he looks at you all and says, "So, how can I help you upstanding citizens of Absalom Station?"
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"Hey hey, nice office you have here. My blood brother from the Diaspora died recently, I heard she ended up in this cold room. I really need to take him home urgently for a traditional burial, ya know. Think you can help a partner out? Maybe a favor to fast track this. She is an out-of-towner, all that paperwork is unnecessary." Sam gives the coroner a conspiratorial nod and flashes some credits.
"Ha! You're either the worst group of Starfinder noobs, or the best damn undercover police this station has ever seen... and I tell you, this station hasn't seen many talented peacekeepers. Ha, ha... tax assessors... ", the shady coroner hobbles up, and as he walks towards some stainless swinging doors behind him says. "just leave me 60 shinnies... slip your credsticks into the reader." He enters the room and you hear him banging around a bit. He calls out
"Your friend, was a female right... human?', With a bang, he comes back out, pushing a gurney with a body on it.
"Here you go. Fresh Jane Doe here. You can do what you wish.", glancing at the payment receipts on the screen, "Good, good... looks all in order... not upstanding, seem to be 60 creds upstanding to me. And I never saw any of you."
The party stuffs the body into a body bag that he so kindly left for you. While you're doing that the coroner pulls another couple apples from his cheeks, offering them to the group.
"So, you all may want to work on your sly underworld methods. Would hate to see you get hurt by some of the more shady fellows you'll be dealing with in your line of work."
The party now has a body they'll need to transport, and the next step is to either alter the body (disguise or medicine), or to hack the medical system (computers) to change Cerens' records to match this fresh corpse.