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Gameplay Thread for my PbP of Starfinder Society scenario #1-01: The Commencement (Tier 1-2) as part of OutPost 2018. Recruitment can be found through the OutPost 2018 Recruitment Google Sheet.
If you are part of my table, feel free to "dot and delete" and be ready to play on March 5th!
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A sleek android quietly glides into the meeting space...
As always he intends to do some observation before making his presence too obvious.
He sees a Ysoki leaving to work out, and a human who seems to quickly shift to researching something as the former walks away.
The quiet android waits for others to arrive. He's not ready to make himself known just yet...
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When he sees that others might be a while before arriving he decides to go ahead and greet the man tapping away on his personal device.
He floats back to the entrance before he gives up his stealth, so that he can make a non-suspicious entrance.
"Greetings. Are we the first ones here? I'm Darkrunner." He starts, somewhat stoically.
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Kallus looks up, another window open on his datapad. "Darkrunner. I'm sure your name has come up before." He thinks for a moment, but then closes his datapad. "There was an ysoki in here earlier that decided to go attempt to make his muscles as big as his ego, but otherwise no. I have seen no one. I don't suppose you know what this is all about? The details escape my purview at the moment."
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An android sits at his workbench, tinkering with what looks like a mechanical cat.
"There I finally got that camera to interface. Now I can see what you see SP-07."
The custom rig in his head pops up a notification reminder. It's almost time to meet the others and join up for his first ever Starfinder assignment.
He grabs his gear and steps to the door, signaling Sp-07 to come with. Looking back at his quarters on Absalom Station for what could be the last time, D-474 heads down the corridor to the rendezvous point.
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Buster is still in the gym, bench pressing a bar loaded with an amount weight that would be impressive to see a Vesk lifting.
"Yeah, get some! Get some!" he shouts out loud in the sparsely populated gym before setting the bar on the rack with a loud clatter.
Just two more sets and I'm gonna get me a protein shake!
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Buster comes back into the room and sees that there are two more agents in the room. In his arms he is holding a pile junk, including a broken RV toy, a few cleaning bottles, an empty can of beer, and a bunch of loose cables and wires. He tosses everything down on a table.
"Not ready for us yet, huh? Just like the Corps, everything is hurry up and wait. Freakin' wasting our time."
Buster picks up the broken toy car and says "Can you believe the kind of things people throw out? You wouldn't believe it, I found this beauty in the trash." Buster's eyes grow wide as he exclaims, "I'm going to use this to make a bomb!" He pulls a tool kit out of his backpack and begins working on the pile of trash, chuckling deviously.
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"There was an ysoki in here earlier that decided to go attempt to make his muscles as big as his ego, but otherwise no. I have seen no one. I don't suppose you know what this is all about? The details escape my purview at the moment."
"No, I do not. To be honest I'm probably more patient than I should be. It has its advantages."
"I'm going to use this to make a bomb!" He pulls a tool kit out of his backpack and begins working on the pile of trash, chuckling deviously.
Darkrunner glances sideways at the Ysoki. "I guess... as long as you don't set it off here in your boredom."
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Kallus nods and watches as the ysoki illustrates his other skills. "That particular skill could come in handy. So does patience. Our handlers appear to be testing ours. Speaking of, I have found his military record, but you, you have none to speak of. As in you are a ghost in the Infosphere. I can find nothing on you. I must say, I am impressed."
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Kallus frowns. "Sounds illegal and I'm sure you would certainly leave some digital footprints for someone to find." He looks the android over. "Besides, define 'evil'. Just because someone doesn't like someone else's business practices doesn't make them 'evil'. I hunt lawbreakers and do things others can not, including kill, but I still operate within the law to do my job. This does not make me 'evil'."
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Into the waiting room slowly saunters a halfling in a green, brown, and gold station suit. He has a mop of unruly brown curly hair and an almost infectious grin as he surveys the gathered members of (presumably) his team for the upcoming mission. The short halfling sets his rifle aside (the longarm almost being as tall as he is) and clears his voice. "Hiya! My name's Brobdingnagian, now Captain Brobdingnagian, which means 'marked by great size.'" He waits a beat at the incongruity of that statement and quips, "Of course, height isn't the only measure of physical stature!" He grins guilelessly and continues. "Of course, my name is a bit of a mouthful, so feel free to call me 'Brob' or 'Captain.'"
With that he plops down into a cushioned chair and kicks his dangling feet a bit.
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As the doors to the Lorespire Complex slide open, a bluish-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 Starfinder 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.”
This implant rests underneath the skin of the palm of one
hand, or at the end of a tentacle or similar appendage in
species that lack hands. The augmentation can be activated
or deactivated mentally as a swift action. Activating the
implant causes a rendition of the Starfinder Society’s symbol
to glow underneath the skin. This augmentation acts as a
mark, letting others know you are a member of the Starfinder
Society. It also increases the light level within 5 feet by one
step while active.
After providing a genetic sample and deciding whether or not to receive an implant, Guidance continues:
“It is our pleasure to officially 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.”
With that, your personal comm units buzz, and you receive a digital readout listing your four assignments that you may attend to in any order you wish.
In addition, you can make Culture checks to see what you know about the current state of Absalom Station, where your missions will be taking place, and Diplomacy (Gather Information) checks to see how much of the latest gossip and rumors you are informed of!
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.
~~~~~
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.
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Buster wraps his finished shock grenade mk 1 up in paper and stuffs it into his cheek pouch for safe keeping. He climbs up on the table and introduces himself.
"Alright, ya goons, I'm Buster Blitz, but I'll just go by Buster. The only thing ya need to know about me is that I'm the meanest, toughest mouse you ever met. I don't wanna hear no short jokes from anybody! I could break any one of youse with my bare hands." Buster flexes his swollen biceps for emphasis. "So, I get one short joke outta any of you and you'll be finding out what the barrel of my reaction cannon tastes like. And it ain't strawberry!"
Buster hops off the table and walks over to give his cheek swab. He takes one look at the glowing panel and shakes his head. "Nah, I ain't doing that."
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Kallus swabs his cheek. He already has a Starfinder Insignia, as is seen on his uniform, but a subdermal one could have its uses. He places his hand in the device and stoically accepts the implant.
He then turns to the others as he turns off his comm. "My contacts have gotten back to me regarding our missions for each of these leaders. As Starfinders, our reputation is slowly rising and we should endeavor to keep it that way. The problem is, our reputation also has an open door policy and some ships have been joining the Armada before they have been properly vetted and bring..things.. back that somehow get loose. With the recent reports of something killing a guard in Downlow, I think that might be our first stop. Zigvigix is there and he would probably be able to point us in the right direction. Then again, so would Fitch, in the Armada. She might know which ship this creature came in on."
"It is my job to find people and things. Usually people who don't want to be found. I bring them to face the consequences of their actions. After we look into the creature in Downlow, two other pieces of information came my way and they might be of some use, should our other contacts need it."
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Earlier...
Kallus frowns. "Sounds illegal and I'm sure you would certainly leave some digital footprints for someone to find." He looks the android over. "Besides, define 'evil'. Just because someone doesn't like someone else's business practices doesn't make them 'evil'. I hunt lawbreakers and do things others can not, including kill, but I still operate within the law to do my job. This does not make me 'evil'."
"Perhaps. The problem with the law is that it's just a system, a tool. It's inherent value is weighted towards those who have the power to change and control it. My goal is never directly to break the law, but I do not let it constrain me if some adjustments to a system free up some of the control. Leave footprints? No, the whole game is to not, so as to live and fight another day. I would not judge you for your job, but be wary of the basis for a branding of "lawbreaker". There is general safety and peace and there is the convenience of it as a tool for megacorps."
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Brob looks a bit askance at the swab, but complies, opening his mouth wide with an "Aaaaah". He proudly accepts the implant; there isn't anywhere he would want to be other than in the Starfinder Society. He <spoils the spoilery spoils> with glee.
He listens into all of the tasks ahead with grave seriousness. "So, where to first?" There's all sorts of interesting things going on: Junkraces, an alien predator, non predatory aliens, and Strawberry Machine Cake!"
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"I got the same message on my comm link, bub," Buster says, flashing his comm unit at Kallus. "I got no problem with putting down some alien scum. Sounds fun! Let's go talk to Zigzix and get the details."
Buster glares at the Barathu that just came in to the room. "You got a pocket or something to put those weapons in? Ya' making me nervous just holding them in yer hands like that."
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He eyes the swab receptacle with a sideways glance at first. "The society gives us the opportunity to accomplish things at a much larger scale. I trust they would not share this identity data with any other organizations."
He swabs his cheek and accepts the implant.
Darkrunner accesses a private information network via his comm unit to do research and gather data.
"Kallus' information is good. I agree that our first stop should be resolving the active danger, the alien creature quarantined in the Downlow warehouse."
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Everybody except Tyrone and Buster accepts the subdermal implant , and you depart the Lorespire Complex, making your way to the Downlow district. Garbage litters the ground around the district’s largest art park—a cement lot filled with undulating metal sculptures and covered in graffiti of grotesquely adorable creatures. Thesounds of music and chatter drift over from the nearby clubs, chronically interrupted by the roar of the local gangsters’ engines. A heavily augmented host shirren is sitting on one of the park benches, eating a simple meal of cold grub-noodles and rice candy. Their antennae perk up at the tremor of approaching footsteps. “Welcome, new Starfinders! And congratulations!” the shirren’s voice telepathically projects. “My speech-name is Zigvigix, but feel free to call me Ziggy, if that would be easier for you. Have some rice candy to celebrate your graduation! Today is *your* big day!"
“When you are ready, I have two assignments I could use assistance with. The first is to help me secure a new headquarters on Absalom Station. I’ve been in talks with our station’s protectors, the Stewards, and they were kind enough to give us ownership of a warehouse here in Downlow for that purpose! The current owners no longer want it because a vicious alien took it over and kills anyone who goes inside. Once the alien is gone and the warehouse cargo has been returned to its owners, we can start installing desks and computers, so please go in and incinerate the creature!"
“My second assignment...” Zigvigix twitches their tooth barbs for a moment and then holds out a credstick. “Please buy the brand-new Strawberry Machine Cake album, 'Star Sugar Heartlove!!!', which is out today, and give it to Historia-7 when you see her. She is the head of the Dataphiles, so you should meet her today! I wish to do it myself, but I..." Zigvigix looks down at their augmentations for a moment, "I have trouble standing for long periods of time..."
"Thank you very much!”
Unless you have questions for Zigvigix, the address of the warehouse and several local music shops pop up on your personal comm units!
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When you inquire about the creature, Zigvigix explains, "I believe the creature is a feather stalker, a predator far more unpleasant than its name implies. As far as the Stewards have been able to piece together, a two-bit crime lord illegally imported the creature, and the beast promptly ate him...so I suppose that makes him a two-*bite* crime lord now, right?"
...
After a brief pause for a trash-tumbleweed to roll by the park, Zigvigix provides you with a grainy holorecording of the incident taken off the station’s security cameras from earlier today, which also includes the layout of the warehouse (maps updated to show the warehouse layout), even though Ziggy doesn't know anything about its contents.
Feather stalkers come from different worlds and environments, and as such have different adaptations to things like heat, cold, etc. From the holorecord, this one appears to be slightly resistant to electricity.
Just like its defensive adaptations, feather stalkers have other varied evolutions that make each one a little bit different. This one seems to be capable of raising an energy shield around itself (similar to the spell "reflecting armor").
Barring any more questions for Ziggy, will you go to the Warehouse or Record Store first? :)
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Kallus ignores the candy, focused on the creature and the fact that some pondscum might have imported it purposefully. The musical CD didn't concern him, but they would do it anyway, as it was asked of them. "We will be back with the creature's carcass as proof of the deed." He pauses, trying not to let a sigh escape. "And we will see to it that Historia-7 gets her music."
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Brob pipes up to Zigvigix: "Do you want us to get you a copy too?" It would only be polite..."
The halfling mulls over the options. "Featherstalter? How nasty could it be if it stalks feathers? Then again, I don't know much about it, though I figure that getting it taken care of before it can kill someone else would be more pressing than waiting in line."
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In response to Brob's question, Ziggy kind of shuffles their feet a bit. "Well, Historia-7 has seemed down after losing her mentor in the Scoured Stars. I'm hoping the sugar-pop music can cheer her up!" Zigvigix adds that the band’s music always makes them feel better. They go on to gush about favorite songs, expressing regret they cannot hear the newest releases, as the shirren finds it incredibly difficult to stand in the long lines...
"...the credstick only has enough for one copy of the album. The Exo-Guardians budget is really thin right now, so those are the only funds I have available for a personal purchase like this."
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"Featherstalter? How nasty could it be if it stalks feathers? Then again, I don't know much about it, though I figure that getting it taken care of before it can kill someone else would be more pressing than waiting in line."
"In fact they are nasty aberrations. They can lance you with feathered, bone-harpoons. We should not underestimate this thing."
"...the credstick only has enough for one copy of the album. The Exo-Guardians budget is really thin right now, so those are the only funds I have available for a personal purchase like this."
** spoiler omitted **
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It only takes you a few minutes to head to the warehouse, which is currently cordoned off by station security personnel. Once you inform the local district law enforcement that you are ready (showing off your new Starfinder implants, which gets you past the literal red tape) station security allows you through the force barrier set up around the perimeter of the warehouse.
The doors to the warehouse were forced open and no longer lock. The warehouse ceiling is 30 feet high, and a catwalk runs 15 feet above the floor. The crates and vehicle are approximately 5 feet tall, while the cylindrical containers and the crate-filled scaffolding are 10 feet tall. Climbing the crates and scaffolding requires a successful DC 10 Athletics check. A pit in the warehouse floor is 10 feet deep. The scattered junk in the center of the floor creates an area of difficult terrain. The lights on the catwalk are not bright enough to illuminate the area, leaving the warehouse in dim light.