Osuro shoots out another light that isn't being used.
The Feather Stalker doesn't like all of these people bothering it while it's hunting. It spins on the last one who attacked it and swipes out with both appendages.
Round 5 Bold May Go.
GM -18hp
Data Z
Nalun
Joker
Isho
Osuro
Osuro and Data Z somehow all miss their shot. While they are playing stormtrooper, Isho sticks Joker with yet another needle, which must make his rump sore, but it’s enough to get him up and on his feet.
Round 5 Bold May Go.
GM -18hp
Data Z
Nalun
Joker
Isho
Osuro
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Joker opens his eyes. The sound and smell tell him he's still in the hangar, and his friends are still fighting the alien. He should help them...
He stands up to his feet and grabs the pistol, which he dropped before when he fell unconscious. Looking everywhere, he assesses the situation and gets a general idea of what has happened while he was sleeping.
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Sickened 1/2
Photon 2/3
Nalun feels bad, perhaps the creature's claws are venomous.
He ripostes, trying to kill the creature swiftly. It pains him that he must end this beast, but it is definitely not part of the Cycle of Absolom Station. It did not belong here.
However, whatever substance the creature injected into him...it weighs down his arms making them unable to find an opening.
The Feather stalker keeps hearing these shots around him. But the Feather Staler is content to continue attacking one prey at a time, until he has enough food.
One of his appendages connects, depleting him of his stamina and dealing some damage to his body.
Round 6 Bold May Go.
GM -18hp
Data Z
Nalun SP 0/8 HP 7/11
Joker Stam:0/7, HP:2/10
Isho
Osuro
The flames of Data Z's overheat wash over the Feather Stalker, who is quick enough to avoid almost all of the damage. Almost right after a pain explode in its rear leg, making it his. But it doesn't go down as it's prey is still in front of it.
Nalun, not feeling all that well, goes into defense to try and survive the mauling of this beast. Osuro does some magic and helps Nalun recover some of his stamina. Will that be enough to keep him up for the next few seconds, only time will tell.
The Feather Stalker lashes out with its appendages yet again, the first one goes wide, but the second one latches into him, depleting him of the stamina that was just granted to him by Osuro and snatching some health as well.
Round Bold May Go.
GM -26hp
Data Z
Nalun SP 0/8 HP 4/11
Joker Stam 0/7, HP:10/10
Isho
Osuro
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Running out of better ideas, Osuro decides to try to overload the creature's mind. After moving up as close as he can get without climbing, he begins sending images of fire and explosions from media he's seen over the years, substituting speed and variety for details. Trying to force the flickering of destructive images into the creature's mind.
The Feather Stalker feels a presence washing over him. Struggling as he might, he shakes it off. Then hears two more pings of metal against the far wall.
Round 7 Bold May Go.
GM -26hp
Data Z
Nalun SP 0/8 HP 4/11
Joker Stam 0/7, HP:10/10
Isho
Osuro
Joker was finally able to trick his opponent and score a dirty trick shot. Wounding the Feather Stalker and making it his in furry. Data Z follows through with another successful hit. Dealing massive damage it it. The Feather Stalker hisses and goes to swipe one more time at Nalun before collapsing onto the catwalk, dead.
A few moments after you defeated the Feather Stalker you hear a whistle outside. "All's Clear, Move in." you hear someone call as a band of Station Security moves into the warehouse and starts to move the cargo out, freeing up space for the Exo-Guardians. Zigvigix moves in after them and approaches the Starfinders.
Good Job. I see that that Feather Stalker didn't give you too much trouble." he reaches into his pack. "And for your good work, you can have this." he pulls out 400 credits and a set of basic Iridishell Armor and a pair of incendiary grenades. "Now, have fun with the grenades, but don't blow yourself up.... I like you."
You eventually leave once you are ready and head to the last mission assigned to you.
The station’s Armada can be seen from the shuttle’s view screen as it takes off, gleaming figures standing out against the emptiness of space.
The Master of Stars immediately stands out from the rest, as layers and layers of scaffolding obscure its hull. Tiny lights flicker among the metal beams as distant figures weld plates and heat shields to the ship’s exterior. The shuttle smoothly glides closer until it reaches the starship’s docking bay, slipping through the magic field that keeps the hold pressurized with breathable atmosphere. As the shuttle doors open, a small drone flies in and pops up a holoscreen, displaying a harried-looking ratfolk. “Finally, fresh meat!” the ysoki exclaims over the screen, sounding pleased. “Name’s Fitch—pleasantries over, time to get to work. I had some trouble earlier with the lights flickering on the ship, and now both the lights and computers have suddenly gone out on E-Deck. No idea what’s causing it, but you work this job long enough and—” Fitch’s attention flicks to something offscreen, and she shouts “Kirkath! The welding torch is not a toy! You wanna go in the toddler’s pen with the other kids?” She snorts dismissively before continuing, “Sorry, some of these little ones would cut off their own heads if I let them. Anyway, it could be some lunkhead screwed up the wiring, but that’s a pretty big system failure for a simple electrical short. I’d prefer to send in some people with combat training to scout it out, just in case someone or something is sabotaging the ship. If it’s nothing, great, get the power back on if you can. If there’s something suspicious, use your comm units to report in to me. I’ll give you the access codes, so— Selicha! If you touch that panel I will staple you to the hull!”
The screen on the drone cuts out, then flashes to display the ship’s schematics
You move on to check the ship to see if it's been sabotaged. You enter onto E-Deck to find an empty storage room. Scattered barrels and boxes line the lower floor of this storage chamber. A thick bulkhead to the port side leads farther into the deck, while a similar bulkhead to the aft connects to an arterial hallway that runs to length of the deck.
As your group heads to the next chamber, Isho and Osuro stop the group as they spot a trap.
You all hear a click as the trap is deactivated.
In the next room, you look around and come across a strange creature. It attacks but is quickly defeated by the group.
You report back, Guidance summons you back to the Lorespire Complex. This time the holographic projection displays a wizened male korasha lashunta. "Congratulations on your success. We need more skilled agents, now more than ever." looking over each of you. "I see potential in this group. Each of you have shown yourself to be useful and resourceful."
It has been a few days since you finished up your mission for the four factor leaders. Isho departed for another grand adventure, leaving you four to continue on your own.
Once again, you are called into the Lorespire Complex at the Absalom Station and are waiting to hear from Venture-Captain Arvin.
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 full attention. “Right. I have an assignment for you. This one is a little a different than others you might have received.” He pauses before he explains, “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.”
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"Consider it done."
Joker is a bit infuriated. One can disagree and leave, but a treason like this... The Society will punish this to make an example.
Joker checks his equipment before they're called to leave. Everything has to be ready, that's his duty, and the ship will be the Society's duty. "What will they give us today for a ride?"
Listening to Nalun's questions, Arvin interjects "The Artifact 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.” thinking for a moment. "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.”
"Talbot is 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.”
Arvin nods. "Then be on your way."
Culture Checks
You know that Akiton suffered an economic crash when the revelation of Drift tech rendered the numerous pre-Drift fuels mined on Akiton virtually worthless.
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 a 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!”
A long dusty road, lined with single-story dwellings, runs through the town of Tasch. Some powered vehicles rest chained to their owner’s homes. A small general store stands near the center of town, illuminated by flickering white lights. Another building, full of locals, hosts a signpost that reads “Digger’s Dive”—clearly the town bar. Although the sun beats down on this desert town, its citizens meander around the bar in good cheer. Most are ysoki and humans, with the occasional lumbering fourarmed shobhad mingling among them.
Faint electric lights dangle from the ceiling, while the open sky is visible from cracks between the planks that serve as a roof. The floor is solid wood. The interior walls and ceiling supports are mud brick, the latter being carved in a rare attempt at ornamentation. The tavern is divided in two halves by an energy field with an opening on the northern end. The bar lining the southern wall is open to either side, with a wall of half-empty bottles behind it. The tables are wooden and makeshift, but solid. The east end has square wooden platform about a foot above the floor. Two sets of double doors are built into the northern and southern walls on the west end, both ajar. A single closed door provides an exit behind the west end of the bar.
You notice the out-of-place presence of a shirren and two vesk men. sitting in the corner.
There are several people in the bar, each having fun and enjoying a night out. If you wish to talk to them, please do so.
One of the elder men look up at Nalum "What do you want kid?"
You think that they might not be impressed by you... for some reason.