Buff-Bot 9000 |
A monotonous voice greets Omen-Seeker. "GOOD AFTERNOON OMEN-SEEKER. I AM A BUFF-BOT 9000 UNIT, DESIGNATION MASS TIMES ACCELERATION MULTIPLICATIVE FACTOR. ma x {}. YOU MAY REFER TO ME AS MAX."
He pauses, then considers Omen-Seeker's designated role. Suddenly his voice smooths out and he adopts a much more vibrant facial structure and presence. "Have you considered using the Heal-Bot 9000 product line of med-kits? They are guaranteed to be 99.999% infection-free within 3 years of purchase, and come equipped with the appropriate personal protective equipment for handling wounds that may contain blood-borne pathogens."
Omen-Seeker |
The small ysoki female studies the Android. "I have heard of this line of products, but I have never used them myself. I'll definitely keep an eye out for them, Max." She walks around the android, looking him up and down before nodding to herself. "You'll do, Max. You'll do."
Shelldrake |
Another android appears, wearing Second Skin armour, a backpack with neatly arrayed pouches clearly containing various tools. She checks the safety on her artillery laser, and just regards the room with her artificial eyes.
She is clearly an android, and due to the simpleness of the design, probably an earlier model.
"I am callsign Shelldrake, and I am here to keep you alive" she smiles, not entirely convincingly. Clearly requires a firmware update.
Buff-Bot 9000 |
"UNDERSTOOD. UNIT 'SHELLDRAKE' ADDED TO ACTIVE ROSTER."
Shelldrake |
The android examies the small creature back, clearly a little territorial about her space "By making sure I put holes in our enemies before they put too many holes in you" she delivers, the tone being somewhat flat and passionless.
Aransevia |
The door to the waiting room slides open with a hiss, and a stout female lashunta in simple, militaristic garb steps through the threshold. She nods to everyone in the room, while trailing a large cargo case behind her – it is road-worn, marred by many scratches, dents, and even what looks like a few indentations from small arms fire.
”Greetings.” she says with a small smile. She lowers the case, then stands a little too upright, like a service dog that has tried to unlearn some of its former training and become a puppy again. ”I’m Aransevia. Pleasure to meet you all.”
Xochitl T'zek |
The door slides open behind the Lashunta. For a moment, your catch a glimpse of an arthropod standing outside the room. With a soft shht, the door slides closed again, before immediately reopening. This time, the creature hops over the threshold, an exhilarated smile across its face.
'YES! I will enter!' rings out in your heads, though you heard nothing. Pausing a moment to take in the scene, the shirren looks to each of you in turn. 'Android...android...ysoki...Oooo lashunta.'.
The stranger wears similar protective equipment, with a bulging pack. A pulsating gauntlet is strapped to his left hand. All the while, a strange black orb twirls about his head.
'Pleased to accompany you all. It's sooo much fun to be making ones own choices, don't you agree?' rings out in the same voiceless way as before. Stepping forward, he offers a hand before activating his mandibles for the first time.
"Eck Ello. Sssspeak name Xochitl T'zek" he manages to clack out, before returning to the strange communication he prefers. 'This is so much easier. Feel free to shorten the name as you see fit.'
Aransevia |
The lashunta, still standing in statuesque form, regards the diminutive ysoki with a friendly nod.
"It seems I’ve been tasked as bodyguard for this particular mission. I've been trained in executive and close personal protective services, for persons of elevated personal risk because of their employment, celebrity status, wealth, associations or location…”
She then looks around at the group, thinking she might have been a touch more verbose than needed. ”I uh… protect the squishies. Casters and such, I’m your squaddie.”
Buff-Bot 9000 |
Buff-Bot looks at the Shirren and Lashunta and cocks his head sleightly. "UNDERSTOOD. UNITS XOCHITL T'ZEK, ARANSEVIA, ADDED TO ACTIVE ROSTER. TACTICAL OBSERVATION - NEW UNITS CAPABLE OF STRONG DISPLAY OF FORCE. ROSTER DEEMED ACCEPTABLE. REQUEST FROM XOCHITL T'ZEK TO SHORTEN NAME ACKNOWLEDGED. IN THE PRESENCE OF NO OTHER XOCHITL DESIGNATED PERSONNEL, APPLICATION OF SURNAME WILL BE OMITTED. OBSERVATION OF MALLEABILITY BY OMEN-SEEKER DEEMED ACCURATE. LACK OF RIGID EXOSKELETAL STRUCTURE, EITHER ARTIFICIAL OR INHERENT, INCREASES MALLEABILITY OR 'SQUISHINESS' OF THE BODY STRUCTURE. INTERPRETING ARANSEVIA'S DESCRIPTION OF FUNCTION TO BE THAT OF PROTECTION FOR LOW-ARMORED PERSONNEL. FUNCTION DETERMINED TO BE TACTICALLY ACCEPTABLE. I AM A BUFF-BOT 9000 UNIT, DESIGNATION MASS TIMES ACCELERATION MULTIPLICATIVE FACTOR. ma x {}. YOU MAY REFER TO ME AS MAX. I PROVIDE TACTICAL SUPPORT AND DIPLOMATIC ASSISTANCE."
He pauses for a moment, then his face goes a bit slack before shifting into a smile. He clears his throat and adopts a more relaxed pose and tone. "I am well versed in the customs and protocols of many races and cultures, and I strive to learn more. It is a pleasure to meet you all."
SFS WereGen47 |
Another android enters the room, albeit a little more stealth and shadowy-like..
"Call sign Shadow, reporting for duty. If you do not see me, fret not, for I am in the shadows."
He says with an ominous tone.
Spacefarer Redelia |
The doors to the office slide open with a soft pneumatic hiss. Inside is a well-lit and blue-carpeted office. Venture-Captain Arvin, a handsome and determined-looking damaya lashunta, sits behind a desk, his eyes riveted on a glassy display. After a heartbeat, he glances towards the open door and motions everyone to enter.
"Apologies, please come in. Be seated if you like, although this shouldn’t take long." Arvin taps a button on a console and murmurs to a digital assistant, "Croyd, put everything on hold for a few minutes. If anyone calls, please explain I’m in mission briefing and I’ll get right back to them." He then darkens the display to give his you full attention. "Right. I have an assignment for you. This one is a little a different than others you might have received. It’s an internal matter. You’re probably aware that after the Scoured Stars incident many of our colleagues elected to leave the Society. That is unfortunate, but not surprising. We hate to lose good field agents, but no one is conscripted into our ranks. Normally we wish them well and that’s that. In this case, the defector, former field agent Reynald Talbot, stole an artifact from the Lorespire Complex before departing. Theft is where the Society draws the line; I need you to get that artifact back. Unfortunately, Talbot left weeks ago and we only discovered the theft in the last 24 hours. We launched an immediate investigation to determine the identity of the thief and their last known whereabouts. It’s our bad luck that Talbot was smart enough to get off the station and head to Akiton, where there’s no central government or law enforcement to easily call upon. I need you to track him down and recover the artifact. We know Talbot caught a shuttle to the Akitonian city of Maro, so that’s a great place to start. The Society will, of course, cover your travel expenses."
Buff-Bot 9000 |
"UNDERSTOOD.
MISSION PARAMETER: RECOVER ARTIFACT.
MISSION PARAMETER INQUIRY: DESIRED DISPOSITION OF FORMER FIELD AGENT REYNALD TALBOT?
INQUIRY: REYNALD TALBOT, RECENT KNOWN ASSOCIATES?
INQUIRY: ARTIFACT, FUNCTION OF?
INQUIRY: AKITON, KNOWN ARTIFACT SELLERS?"
Xochitl T'zek |
'Sit? Not sit...?' considers the strange shirren as it steps into the room. Promptly sitting in an open chair, a massive grin across it's face, it listens intently to the VCs words.
'So why did it take so long to realize it was missing? Will our presence disturb the whatever enforcers are on Akiton? Do we know of anyone else searching for this...thing?' rings out in your heads as Xochitl fires off its list of questions. 'Oh! Any particular laws of the land we should be aware of ahead of time?'
Leaning back in the chair, arms folded behind its head, the solarian awaits the man's response.
Aransevia |
Aransevia looks pensive, arms crossed and hand to chin in a classic thinker's pose. In truth, it's because all of the pertinent questions have already been asked, and she eagerly awaits the Venture-Captain's response.
Spacefarer Redelia |
the artifact: "Good question, but the answer is complicated because it’s actually two questions: what the artifact is and what Talbot thinks it is. We’re operating under the assumption that Talbot thinks he’s stolen an object from old Golarion called a philosopher’s stone. Legend has it that the stone could transmute matter, among other properties. What Talbot actually stole was recently re-cataloged as a charlatan’s stone. It does something similar, except the effect is a potent illusion and only temporary. We think ancient con artists used to make false gold."
Talbot: "He’s smart, capable, a bit brash, and a reasonable field agent. Talbot is also self-entitled and ambitious. After the Scoured Stars incident, he expected to be promoted to venture-captain, but the Forum felt he needed more time. He got angry. We think this theft is retaliation."
What to do with Talbot: "I want the stone back. Talbot’s not worth the
expense of dragging back here, so you can do whatever you think is
necessary with him. That said, you don’t have a license to go on a mass killing spree. Don’t make the Society look bad. It might be tough to do on Akiton, but don’t take that as a challenge."
Akiton: "The planet has low gravity, but armor of any sort will deal with the problem. It's not likely there will be artifact sellers on the planet wanting to but items of such value as the stone appears to be, so Talbot is probably up to something else."
At this point, you may slot your boons. Please post here what boons you are slotting. Do not forget that your first champion boon is free. Any last minute purchases?
Buff-Bot 9000 |
"UNDERSTOOD. QUERY: EXPECTED GOAL OF THEFT? OPTION A: USE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE. OPTION B: SELL PHILOSOPHER'S STONE. EXPECTED OPTION?"
Buff-Bot looks around at the assembled party, then looks back at Arvin. He pauses, thinks for a moment, then shifts his face. His voice comes out awfully close to a used hoverbike salesman. "Don't you worry, we'll get this all taken care of in no time."
Champion Boon: Dataphiles
Slotless Boons: Elixir of Renewal, Starfinder Insignia, Marked Field Agent
Starship Boon: Hero of the Stars
Social Boon: Faction's Friend
SFS WereGen47 |
Apologize but i got called in for work out of town this weekend and im on 12s with. O phone service at work.. I will be here til monday night so my post rate will be mostly nill till then.. Just giving a heads up, sry again.. Bot if u need to.
Xochitl T'zek |
Sorry for my delay. Got stuck pulling a 24hrs shift yesterday and was wiped. Slotting Champion of Second Seekers (Faction boon)
'Understood. Do what we have to with the thief. Bring back the rock thing. Oh, and try not to make the Society look worse than it already does.'
With a nod, the Shirren tries to smile. 'Well, let's get to it the.'
-Posted with Wayfinder
Spacefarer Redelia |
I'm going to keep this moving. Those who have not yet slotted boons can certainly slot a champion boon in the next day or so. We will talk about other boons, if they have any they want to slot.
You leave the venture captain's office, and get on your ship to travel to Akiton. On your journey, you discuss what you know about the planet.
Everyone who is trained give me a culture check to see what you know about the planet. One roll, you can read all the spoilers you pass the DC for. It's about the planet, if that lowers the DC for any of you.
Xochitl T'zek |
Culture: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Thinking a moment, the shirren's compound eyes light up. 'Oh! It's one of the Pact Worlds. It's generally lawless, likely brought on by the economic collapse when drift tech was created... If Akiton went there, we should be able to follow the money to him. He probably wont be too hard to find if he's acting strange, ya know? It's really a fascinating...' and it continues to drone on in your heads.
Feel free to read all them spoilers. :-)
Buff-Bot 9000 |
Culture: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
"I WILL PREPARE MY NEURAL NETWORK TO RECEIVE EXPERIENCED INFORMATION ON AKITON."
This seems to be Buff-Bot's way of expressing excitement.
"OBSERVATION: MOST SENTIENT RACES REQUEST ANDROIDS TO SELECT MANNERISMS TO EMULATE THEIR OWN.
OBSERVATION: PRESENT ROSTER INCLUDES MULTIPLE SENTIENT RACES.
QUERY: DESIRED MANNERISMS?
OPTION A: PRESENT STATE
OPTION B: DIPLOMATIC, CALM
OPTION C: GRUFF, INSENSITIVE
OPTION D: PURVEYOR OF PREVIOUSLY OWNED GOODS, SIMILAR TO AREA IN OBSCURED LIGHTING
OPTION E: NONE OF THE ABOVE"
Aransevia |
On the shuttle, Aransevia has long since revealed the contents of her travelling road case; she's now clad head to toe in a heavy ceramic hardplate kinetic armour, one based on a tried-and-tested kasathan design. She finishes inspecting her doshko, then straps it to the side of her rucksack. Made for her smaller stature, it's a touch more compact than typical vesk-wielded models.
She then picks up her light reaction cannon, and sets to giving it a quick once-over inspection, when she notices some other members of the crew eye her up. She glances back done at the heavy weapon and pats it with the love and affection one would show their firstborn.
"Heh. Figure we'll be looking to bark more than bite down there. Best look as mean as possible, and worst case, this'll bark well enough."
And if that doesn't scare them off? Well, I'd be just as happy to demonstrate how bad a bite from this little guy really is...
Buff-Bot 9000 |
"UNDERSTOOD. BARK MORE THAN BITE IS A METAPHOR RELATING OUR POSTURE TO BE SIMILAR TO THAT A WOLF. BARK IMPLIES MAKING AGGRESSIVE NOISES AND BITE IMPLIES PHYSICAL VIOLENCE. TO SUGGEST MORE BARK THAN BIGHT IMPLIES TO ACT IN A DEMEANOR SUGGESTING IMMINENT THREAT OF VIOLENCE WHILE AVOIDING DELIVERING ON THE PERCEIVED THREAT. OPTION C APPEARS TO BE THE APPROPRIATE CHOICE OF DEMEANOR FOR THIS TASK."
He pauses and thinks for a moment. "CALIBRATION PHRASE: THIS IMPASSE WOULD BE EASILY RESOLVED THROUGH YOUR TERMINATION. I REQUEST THAT YOU PROVIDE ACCEPTABLE PARAMETERS TO JUSTIFY SAID COURSE OF ACTION."
He pauses again, then his lips upturn slightly to form some cross between a smirk and a scowl. His voice changes to a deeper tone. "Go ahead... make my day..."
He looks back at Aransevia. "Well, whaddya think?"
SFS WereGen47 |
Will socket Aquisitives Faction Boon.
Shadow reamins quite much of the travels, although when speaking he appears to talk in the third person.
"Shadow feels like a dagger in a sensitive area would be the best way to extract information. While on the subject that is. Shadow feels like finding this Talbot might be more difficult than at first glance."
Xochitl T'zek |
'Really? I wouldn't expect the Society to give us something tough so early in their rebuilding. Surely it's a straight forward case of retrieve the rock and build our rep. Nothing to it, right?' remarks Xochitl.
Glancing towards the amusing android and Lashunta, it adds 'Before we threaten anything's life, shouldn't we try talking nice? I read once, the ancient ones used to say...what was it...OH! You get more flies with honey. Though, I'm not sure what a delicacy food has to do with flying a ship...'
Omen-Seeker |
Slotting Champion Boon: Exo-Guardians
Culture: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
The small Ysoki nods along to the briefing but does not speak. Finally she raises her head and smiles at the others. "I think we will be effective in this mission, Venture-Captain. My comrades seem eager and ready to act in the Society's best interests. We will not dishonor you, Arvin."
Aransevia |
Aransevia looks at the shirren, and telepathically replies. ”I’ve always thought the trade of idioms and aphorisms as… difficult across cultures. For example, most of my great-great-grandmatron’s favourite turns of phrases tended to involve some sort of derogatory use of an… insectile body part.”
Her expression turns a little sheepish.
"I mean, she did lose most of her family in a Swarm raid on her family’s frontier colony outpost, but I understand that three centuries is a long time ago. And not that you’d know about that, or have anything to do with that. I mean… Because of your…"
Her expression then turns to outright embarrassment.
"My sincere apologies. I’m still getting used to your people. You seem like a good… person. I’ll shut up now.”
Shelldrake |
"Perhaps he will see reason and simply hand the object over. I feel no need to bark." the Android simply offers in a flat and emotionless tone "If I need to bite, I see no advantage in advertising it ahead of time and providing warning that it is coming"
Spacefarer Redelia |
Outside the observation windows floats Akiton, a world the color of blood, rust, and red clay. A thick shell of white caps both poles. The shuttle descends toward the planet, and a barely perceptible shift in gravity occurs as the ship’s artificial gravity begins to lessen and the planet’s natural gravity begins to take hold.
From suborbital heights, a handful of small towns, large complexes, and industrial sites that spew noxious fumes into the thin atmosphere surround the trench city of Maro. A spidery web of dirt roads scratched into the rust-colored ground by regular traffic connects these sites to the metropolis. Maro, the so-called City of Lights itself, comes into view as the ship begins its final descent. The city occupies more of a vertical space than horizontal, built into a six-mile-long section of trench that is half as deep and a half mile wide. Entire neighborhoods and business districts are built into the walls, accessed by patio entrances. Lights, neon signs, and holographic advertising bejewel either side of this urban canyon, while an active spaceport and industrial zones occupy the ground level. As the shuttle lands, it does so beneath the backdrop of an immense mural of brightly glowing neon-green graffiti that reads in Common: “Git Out! Planet’s Broke!”
How would you like to proceed? You want to find where Talbot went.
Buff-Bot 9000 |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"APHORISM REGARDING CAPTURE OF FLIES, WHILE COMMONLY QUOTED, IS IN FACT FALSE. A SOLUTION OF APPLE-CIDER VINEGAR IS IN FACT MORE EFFECTIVE THAN HONEY FOR THE CAPTURE OF FLIES. REGARDING SHELLDRAKE'S ASSESSMENT OF DEMEANOR, HER TACTICAL ADVICE IS SOUND. PERHAPS A COMBINATION OF OPTIONS C AND D WOULD BEST ACCOMMODATE OUR MISSION NEEDS."
As the shuttle makes it's final descend, Buff-Bot stretches his arms, and exercises each of his joints one by one. "TO FIND TALBOT WILL NOT BE A TRIVIAL MATTER. RECOMMENDATION: LOCATE EDIFICE OF ILL REPUTE, SUCH AS THOSE WHICH SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. INSINUATE THAT WE ARE BUYERS AND/OR SELLERS OF ANTIQUES. INSINUATE THAT WE DO NOT MAKE INQUIRIES INTO THE SOURCE OF SAID GOODS, AND THAT NO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ARE TO BE USED AS SO-CALLED 'MIDDLE MEN' FOR OUR TRANSACTIONS. WITH ENOUGH CONTACTS WE SHOULD EITHER HAVE HIM SEEK US, OR BE POINTED IN HIS DIRECTION AS A POTENTIAL CLIENT."
He pauses and shifts his demeanor. "PRACTICE AND CALIBRATION." He looks at Aransevia. "Pleased t' meetcha... my name's Max. Antiquarian." He tilts his head to the side ever so slightly, smiles, looks her straight in the eye as he shakes her hand with a firm grip. "Just made our way back from the Station unloading our last haul... and boy are those docking fees pricy... whoooeee!" He releases and laughs. "You know some of those museums'll pay top creds for even simple relics from pre-gap time... especially Golarion junk. Lookin to make another haul and maybe branch out a bit... willin' to pay a small finder's fee too."
There is a touch of awkwardness in his mannerisms, as though he's got about a 1/4 second latency on everything he says and does, but when he really focuses it seems like he can sell it.
He looks around at the party.
"Well? Whaddya think? Will this work?"
Aransevia |
The lashunta soldier is taken aback by Max's sudden shift into his antique dealer persona.
"Ooh, he's good. I think we ought to source a decent hat to really make it work." she says with a smile.