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Berchta shakes her head and smiles at Af'val. "Sorry, mate. It's literally up a mountain face. The ATV's can't handle it. But your thighs can!" She laughs and leads the way. Over the course of the walk, she gives the story of the site. "Well, you see, the latest dig site was established to excavate a series of ruins belonging to the lost necropolis of Muthal. Lots of money there, let me tell you! Seismic disturbances unearthed these ruins several months back, and Taylehm ordered the expansion of the current excavation to encompass this site as well. You see, the area is cut into the side of Blackmoon, with two sizable exits into the nearby open stretches of desolate terrain. That way the machines can get in and out!"
Berchta has been to this site before to deposit several automated digging machines, which she has routinely moved since the establishment of this new dig.
The chaotic interplay of radioactivity and latent necromancy that infuses the Blackmoon sometimes produces deadly localized weather phenomena. As you arrive at the abandoned dig site, a dust storm of energized glass and razor-sharp silicate is beginning to form on the horizon. It looks like it’s a few minutes out, but gathering up speed fast and blowing right towards you! It’s going to be hard to walk when that comes, and the tiny glass shards are not going to care about your armor.
Four excavator machines stand scattered across the dig site, currently inactive. These sizeable machines each have an elevated, multi-story, cabin capable of housing up to five people at a time. On the north side, a slanted sprawl of rubble is the beginning of a new subsection of unearthed Muthal. These large, slablike stones jut from the earth at a crooked angle and look like a mix between slate and obsidian. In the center of the site lies a large, red stone which is crisscrossed with reflective silver slashes where the excavators’ blades dulled themselves while unearthing the ground once above the stone. The stone rises 20 feet into the air.
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While Af'val's idea might work, both Jack and Ratatat have an easier idea. Those excavators were built to withstand rockslides. They should definitely be able to withstand some glass! The group rushes inside two of the excavators, and just in time!
The forming glass cyclone descends upon the area. A sound like a depressurizing airlock roars through the area as driving winds rock the excavators with metallic creaks and groans. As dirt and dust fly up in a curtain of particulate fog, the wind’s sound begins to chatter like the sound of thousands of miniscule mandibles clacking together in search of things to shear and tear. The particles ping off the windows of the excavators, but do not penetrate it's hardened skin. The storm dissipates in 30 seconds, after which the wind immediately calms and the remaining silicate drops to the ground.
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Daire hops out of the excavator and wanders over to the big red stone, curious what all the fuss is about. Deciding it's nothing special she climbs up on top of the red rock and looks at the excavation sight from on top of it, hoping the higher vantage point might let her notice something interesting.
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Those inspecting the excavators note that their movement systems have been compromised by slashing damage. After a moment of studying the damage, you all agree that the damage is not the result of natural causes and appears to be internal - or self-inflicted.
Gizzmo-5, however, recognizes this damage. (Perhaps from his days as an outlaw?) Looking again at the internal components of one of the diggers, he can tell that the damage came from a very specific rewiring of the electronic circuits, rerouting power from the most powerful hydraulic motors in the excavators to the drive train and causing an overload. Such an action could be caused only by someone with basic knowledge of machinery—far beyond the actions of mindless or feral undead.
Daire, with her experience with sniper rifles, and Ratatat, from his close and thorough inspection, note something interesting while inspecting the ruins. Standing out amongst the erosion and damage from time is a few recent blast marks on some of the ruins. You recognize that these blast marks came from a sniper rifle.
Popper, looking at the large red rock, can tell that it is a rare stone valued for it's aesthetic appeal. Likely this dig was in equal part for the economic find as the archaelogical one.
Meanwhile, Jack has been wandering around the edge of the site. On the way here he had seen a few footprints, but the trail of the security team was faint. Yet he finally sees something useful! There are a few crushed stones at one point,perhaps from a mercenary's boot. When he points this out to Berchta she looks confused. "The only thing in that direction is Redspire Canyon. Maybe they saw something and went after it..." Concerned, she calls Taylehm.
The borai answers quickly, all business. "Yes, those knuckleheads finally reported in, just after you left. Said they saw some feral undead and were going to go hunt them down. I agreed. I don't need any more of my people getting taken down by this herd."
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Jack doesn't quite convince Berchta to stand up to her boss, but the half-orc does look uncomfortable, "Uh, Taylehm? I'm going to put you on speaker. The team, uh, doesn't want to come in."
A holographic image of the borai appears. "What do you mean you want to go after the security team? I spent 2000 credits on those mercs a week. They can handle some mangy zombies!" Her floating head turns to Popper. "Yes, go over the site again then come back to the main site. I want to send out employees to the site as soon as possible. This project is already to far behind." Then she turns to Ratatat and sighs. "I suppose you may be right. But even if it was a thinking person, the sabotage was likely performed by my own staff, unfortunately. Not everybody out here is a hard working Starfinder! This lazy lot is probably trying to draw out their contracts. Or get some rest from the excavating! I mean, I don't care that they've worked three 20 hour shifts in a row! They're elebrian, they don't need to sleep!" She shakes her head.
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"2000 credits." mutters "Jack", shaking his head quietly. He then looks the hologram of the borai in the eyes. "Recall the security team or don't. The choice is yours. However, if your security team's compensation includes death benefits, then I suggest you recall the team or prepare to pay up."
"Regardless, this dig site not secure." the half-orc grunts. "No more excavators should be sent here until it is."
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Popper gives the half-orc an uncomfortable chitter before turning to Berchta. Please tell her it would be fiscally beneficial not to have to pay death benefits to her security team's next of kin. Also, as we are Starfinders, she is under no such obligation for us. It would be better to recall her security team to secure this digsite and have us go after whatever they are chasing. It is why we are here, after all.
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Taylehm listens to Popper, her expression changing to worry. ”Alright, you make a good point. Please, go find the security force I sent out earlier and bring them back to the compound. If this threat is as real as you think, you’ll need some help. I’ll send a drone. Wait there.” After about twenty minutes, a small drone comes flying over the hill with a box strapped to it’s rear. The box contains four mk 1 serums of healing, a frostbite-class zero rifle, a thunderstrike sonic pistol, and a suit of basic iridishell armor along with a note: ”Good luck.”
Taylehm also messaged each of you directions to the canyon where she dispatched her security force in pursuit of the feral undead. The canyon is roughly 2–1/2 miles from the new dig site, a 2-hour journey. As before, the uneven terrain requires traversing the Blackmoon on foot. Harrowed Jack takes a moment before leaving and examines the sky. He predicts clear weather and no anomalies like those at the dig site. Berchta wishes you the best of luck, but returns to the main dig site.
After about two hours of walking, the group crests a rise and sees a small valley below them. At the bottom of the gradually canting hillside lies a clearing, where the high, stony rocks of Blackmoon form a canyon of sorts. Along its bed a series of red pillars jut up toward the sky like stalagmites, as if the skeletal digits of a gigantic hand were rising from the cursed earth of the canyon. Near the base of one of the rocky protrusions is a strange mass, discernible even from a distance, its coloring different than the reddish stone and sallow dust of the canyon. Several of you who know the area can tell the others that Redspire Canyon takes its name from veins of red minerals that crisscross the canyon walls. The area also boasts a visible deposit of this unique red ore, jutting from the ground in a formation known as the Crimson Fingers. The smoothed canyon walls rise up for almost 150 feet, their sheer surfaces difficult to climb.
The beginning of the canyon has you walking through a set of ruins. Slate and obsidian ruins jut from the edges of the canyon walls and from the ground. These unearthed structures are half-walls and L-shaped junctions unearthed by whatever natural event formed this wide canyon. The ruins cover an area almost ninety feet long and nearly the entire width of the one-hundred-and twenty- foot-wide canyon. The canyon continues to the west, toward a set of distinctive red pillars and then a rising set of sloping cliffs several hundred feet away.
As you are beginning to walk out of the ruins, shots ring out! Echoing along the canyon walls, they are followed by a ping as a bullet glances off Daire’s armor!
Af’val
Jack
Daire 3/7 SP
Ratatat
Gizzmo
Popper
Snipers
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"Find cover." the half-orc calmly instructs the others. "Harrowed Jack" briefly scans around the canyon, then takes off in a sprint toward the nearest of the red rocks. His brown duster flapping behind him as he runs.
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When the loot arrives Daire snags some of the serums and tucks them into her belt pouch. She stows her pistol an shotgun, instead holding the new rifle and pistol in her hands.
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As she gets winged by a bullet Daire hisses in pain. She casts her eyes to the horizon, trying to find the shooter!
Then she hurries towards the nearest rock pillar in the hopes of taking cover from the shooters.
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Ratatat, Af’val and Harrowed Jack take the lead, running out ahead of the group! Daire moves a little more slowly, running from cover to cover. Gizzmo stays back with Popper, sending Extension high into the sky. Most of you can tell, now that you’re closer, that the shots are coming from beyond the red rocks up on the hill at the end of the canyon. But Ratatat and Extension spot two large humanoid forms lying down on the topmost tier of the hill! They appear to be Sarcesian. On Eox?!
Two more shots ring out and the grey sand near Ratatat’s feet explodes in small tufts as the bullets miss his little body!
Af’val
Jack
Daire 3/7 SP
Ratatat
Gizzmo
Popper
Red Sniper
Orange Sniper
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The whole group runs forward, trying to get to somewhere other than right out in the open! Harrowed Jack knows that ever since the Sarcesians set off the Thousand Moons Trap, wiping out Eox’s major settlements and creating Blackmoon, the race has been banned from the planet. There has always been bad blood between the races, since the eoxians once destroyed both Sarcesian ancestral planets. (Prior to the Thousand Moons Trap.)
The first three Starfinders enter the area known as the Crimson Fingers. Five tall, tapering stone stalagmites rise from the ground like fingers. Holes varying from pinprick shafts to fist-sized gaps mar the surfaces of each digit. The western rock is the shortest, at roughly fifteen feet in height, while the remaining stones reach about thirty feet into the air. You are able to find total cover behind the fingers, up to two people per finger. The third finger is surrounded by three bodies. From this distance you can see that they wear standard mercenary gear. They appear to have been picked clean of useful gear, though there is a backpack still resting against one of the bodies. Even their armor was taken. The resulting exposure to the elements has puckered their skin and allowed the toxic atmosphere to swell portions of the bodies with necrotic tumors.
You can match the primary wounds on the on the bodies as matching the sniper weapons used by the sarcesians
Two more shots ring out. With the majority of their targets hidden, they aim for the large kasathan who is partially visible. Unfortunately for her, both targets hit with muted THUDS. Blood sprays across the canyon floor as Daire struggles for breath.
Af’val
Jack
Daire 0/7 SP 2/11 HP
Ratatat
Gizzmo x 2
Popper
Red Sniper
Orange Sniper
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Sarcesian snipers. Outlaws." "Harrowed Jack" reports. He looks back over his shoulder. "Our longarms are behind us."
"Get close. Fire back." he barks directly to the Starfinders closest to him. The half-orc continues running forward.
Spying the backpack and bodies, he cries out, "Found security. Picked clean. Keep running." He races toward the furthest "finger" rock, already calculating the placement of his first shots once he arrives.
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Daire makes it to the large rock, positioning herself carefully. Gizzmo-5 quickly joins her, fully covered by the red rock. Harrowed Jack and Ratatat run past the bodies and the lone backpack, eager to close with the enemy. Popper and Af’val move forward as well.
The two sarcesians scan the battlefield, most of their targets hiding. Cowards. MOST of them…
One of the bullets glances off the large red rock, but a second flies true – hitting Popper’s shoulder! Thankfully, it didn’t penetrate the armor, but it will definitely leave a massive bruise!
Af’val
Jack
Daire 0/7 SP 3/11 HP
Ratatat
Gizzmo
Popper 1/7 SP 12/12 HP
Red Sniper
Orange Sniper
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Having reached the furthest outcropping of rocks. "Harrowed Jack" draws his azimuth laser pistol, attempts to get a bead on a target despite the considerable distance and, and fires.
Realizing that his chances of hitting the target with the pistol are slim. "Jack" grunts, "Lay down harrying fire. Let the marksman take the shot."
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Popper hustles up to Daire, keeping low against the rocks. He lays a clawed forelimb on her shoulder and mutters a prayer in Shirren. The words vibrate with mystical power, but his voice sounds strained and slightly slurred; the act of speaking clearly gives him great discomfort. It doesn't seem to affect his magic, however; the eldritch power drifts through his forelimb into the kasatha's body, erupting her wounds with the bone-deep itching sensation of healing magic as they stitch back together.