"Helpin'" with what?
I can't tell you what the debacle is, I must fight my own personal battles. He laughs at Sonny No, not at all, but, putting others to work is what I like to do best, you want to earn your pay and know more about things, well, I hope you are all up for it, the physical labor, the battles, the chase and the will to interact with others.
One of my colleagues, Ailabiens
21:2, gave a rather incendiary public
lecture last night in which he examined
a war from nearly a millennium ago
and used the cultural fallout from it to
rationalize the genocide of the formian
species. Even before the lashunta citystates
and formian Colonies signed
peace accords thirty years ago, such
brutal conclusions would have been dismissed. Now
he is fomenting hate crimes under the guise of ‘pure
logic’ and anthropology. This is not what the
“I have neither the time nor the inclination to discuss that
showboating amateur’s exploits. However, my colleague
Doctor Olmehya Solstarni has a strong interest in the ruins
of Ukulam.” Muhali examines a screen and scrolls through
several pages. “According to my records, though, she
departed on personal leave two days ago.” A PC who succeeds
at a DC 15 Sense Motive check can determine that Professor
Muhali is somewhat confused by this development (assume you passed this). Muhali does not recall approving Dr. Solstarni’s absence, which the PCs can convince Muhali to share with a successful DC 19
Diplomacy check (assume you passed this). Even then, Muhali is not willing to let the PCs into Dr. Solstarni’s locked office at this time.
How can we help? Professor Muhali sighs and delicately
massages the bases of her antennae. “You’re persistent.
Maybe that could come in handy. What the university needs
right now is to smooth this over quickly, and Ailabiens 21:2
is not listening to anything I say. He has not quite violated
enough protocols to be dismissed; firing him would otherwise
be good for optics. I think the media would settle for a public
apology. If you can convince him to do that, I should be able
to handle the rest.”
You visit Ailabiens 21:2’s Office
Dust, debris, and discarded papers litter the floor of this
disorganized office. A single chair stands in the corner,
and the desk and shelves are crowded with books, scrolls,
statuettes, and loose computer hardware.
“I reviewed the entirety of Zan’s original notes early in my
time here as faculty, and to my considerable knowledge,
only Doctor Solstarni has studied them more recently. Zan’s
methodology was imperfect, catering to an uneducated
reader’s lexicon, fetishizing the ‘exotic,’ and conveying a
pathological love of his self-image as an adventurer—likely
to earn money or as an elaborate mating ritual. As a result,
his work is scientifically wanting and his conclusions
doubtful. Nevertheless, his notes provide enough detail to
hypothetically retrace his steps.”
currently on probation due to the weak-willed public’s
inability to process the logical arguments I posited in my
recent lecture. Until I am reinstated, I cannot assist you.”
suspended me, and barring the unlikely intervention by a
dean, only she can undo this. Your convincing her to do so
would allow me to help. If you also repair the damage she
has dealt, you shall have my undivided attention.”
“I am on track to attain tenure at
this university in several more years—requiring practically
twice as long an observation period
as a lashunta would, I might add,
likely because my assessors are
compensating for inferiorities, real
or perceived. This incident reflects
an egregious stain on my record
that challenges my advancement
and scholarly recognition here.
She must agree to erase this insult
from my file. I have spoken with her
about the matter, and her judgment is
clouded by stress and emotion. If she truly
cared about scholarly integrity, she would debate
my assertions. Instead she stoops to censorship in
violation of the university’s free speech principles.”
indicates a narrow perspective in the listeners.
I analyzed ancient lashunta armies’ strategies
against their formian neighbors and concluded that
the former’s conditioned sentimentality inhibited more
effectively destructive actions against their long-time
enemies. The audience found my conclusion upsetting.”
Ailabiens 21:2 bobs thoughtfully before adding, “Other
species are endlessly fascinating.”
Treasure If the PCs convince Ailabiens 21:2 to apologize, Professor Muhali offers the PCs a mk 1 ring of resistance as a token
of her appreciation;
"My colleague is quite skilled at logic." K'Klacklun adds
[Dice=Diplomacy (aid)]1d20-1]/dice]
"My colleague is quite skilled at logic." K'Klacklun adds
|
I agree with my fellow starfinders. Sigma-4 says, Androids are superior in their ability to ignore the emotions of bio based organisms and interpret the data logically eliminating bias. However, there remains universal truths and values. One of them being, Genocide is wrong. The wars between the formians and Lashuntas were horrific blooody affairs and genocide would not have helped. Opression is the enemy. Today I fight for Android rights and freedom, sometimes violence is necessary but never genocide. Perhaps that is a tactical weakness of the Lashuntas but it is a moral strength. You analysis of the data was incomplete. You did not take into account the societal cost of a species guilty of genocide. If the Lashuntas had committed such an act they would be seen as an enemy to the pact world and their economic and social prosperity would have suffered. Show me your Android logic and do the right thing. Apologize, repair the damage you have done to the your career and and continue you path to tenureship.
If there's one thing I learned along the way, it's that ya gotta play the game.
Alright, I guess I'll up to his office and apologize
Five minutes later Professor Muhali comes to you guys. Thanks for that, here is your reward.
Ailabiens comes to you guys too in front of the professor I'm sorry, and you have access to the library if you want it, I had to restore some power.
With his library access restored, he can now assist the PCs. He swiftly checks out Halkueem Zan’s original journals—a combination of image files in a long-obsolete format and physical notebooks that wouldn’t require battery power during an extended expedition—and sets to converting and digitizing them. The process takes the contemplative approximately 8 hours, after which he can provide the PCs with a fairly complete copy of the reckless explorer’s original account. However, Ailabiens 21:2 notes that there appear to be some gaps in the records, either because Zan had been negligent
in documenting part of his journey or because someone else has removed some documents. Ailabiens 21:2 annotates the records as best he can in this short amount of time, identifying what he believes are the most relevant parts (see the Halkueem Zan’s Notes sidebar on page 10). The PCs can access this digital record on a computer of any tier. These files enable the PCs to retrace Zan’s footsteps from
centuries earlier. If the PCs acquire both these records and the notes left behind by Dr. Solstarni (see Dr. Solstarni’s Office on page 10), the PCs receive a +2 circumstance bonus to Survival checks to navigate Ukulam’s wilderness during Part 2 of this volume . The heroes resolved the dispute between Professor Muhali and Ailabiens 21:2, Muhali agrees to examine the language records the PCs found on the Drift Rock. She soon recognizes them as belonging to a non-Elven language group found in association with the few known elven sites on the continent of Ukulam to the west. Hoping to draw upon specialized knowledge of her colleague Dr. Solstarni, Muhali attempts to contact Solstarni in her office, at home, and through her personal comm unit. Even Muhali’s attempts to contact the professor’s friends and family turn up no results, making the lashunta concerned. She informs the PCs that she will report the missing Solstarni to the police, and she lends the PCs a spare key card to Dr. Solstarni’s office, asking the PCs to investigate to see if there’s any sign of where her colleague might be (see Doctor Solstarni’s Office below).
Ailabiens will help you break into Dr. Solstarni’s Office
The door to Dr. Solstarni’s fourth-floor office is made of
a heavy wood composite and is locked electronically
(hardness 5, HP 15, break DC 18, Engineering DC 20 to
disable). Professor Muhali’s key card unlocks the door, and
if the PCs have resolved her concerns with Ailabiens 21:2,
Muhali accompanies them here. Ailbaiens speaks Who wants to enter first? I'm afraid to use said key card and find Solstarni lying on the floor.
K'Klacklun sends his drone to follow Sonny. K'Klacklun, however, brings up the rear of the group.
Elene, always curious, follows the drone.
Sonny opens the door, no body
This office is in disarray, with cabinet doors ajar, several
stone artifacts scattered across the floor from open archival
drawers, and a traveling bag open and half-packed. The
computer on the desk at the far end of the room is dark, but
a diode at its base blinks regularly.
Look for clues to his whereabouts. Check psychical evidence, cameras, computer logs. when he was last here, when he last logged in.
Physical Clues: 2 Perception check and a culture, perception or relevant profession check like bounty hunter or something.
"Ah, a computer." K'Klacklun remarks as he saddles up to the console. "I believe that I should be able to obtain some information that my prove helpful in finding our missing professor."
He completes both computer tasks in record time.
When he is done, he remarks. "Well that was a relatively simple matter. The professor really ought to alter his passwords."
Seeing the others working on the camera, he inquires, "Would you like my assistance?"
Elene moves to inspect the security equipment.
I know how these things work. I used to evade the...uh...I used to work with them frequently.
hours
If so, consider this Aid Another.
If so, consider this Aid Another.
Hey, Klacky, you ever seen this kind of encryption key before?
K'Klacklun gets on the computers and hacks away decrypting everything in sight wasting no time typing away and reading what he sees very fast. Getting past the firewall was less than a five minute job for him. Accessing and interpreting all the logs was easy as pie.
He reviews the computer’s recent
functions and Dr. Solstarni’s correspondence. Her personal
calendar notes that she is scheduled for a research sabbatical
in approximately 2 months, as approved by her department
head, Muhali, and the authorities in Turhalu Point on the
east coast of Ukulam. However, one of the recent files on
the computer is a letter from Professor Muhali granting Dr.
Solstarni leave to depart 2 months early to take advantage
of special conditions in the field, signed 2 days ago. Muhali
has no recollection of submitting this letter, he can determine that it’s a forged document generated by an off-site computer that
spoofed Muhali’s identity.
He also finds a series of 15 messages exchanged
between Dr. Solstarni and a person named Dr. Eyrub
Paqual regarding Solstarni’s research into the ancient elven
settlements of Ukulam. The exchanges begin fairly cordially
as Paqual and Solstarni discussed minor details of interest
from the minimal research published about these sites. As the
discussion continued, however, Paqual grew more insistent
and attempted to cajole the kasatha to meet with him at a
cafe called the Five Arches in Qabarat’s Gateway District
2 days ago to appraise several artifacts he had recovered.
Solstarni refused, citing a busy schedule, though he also notices that the kasatha’s message conveys she was feeling increasingly
skeptical about Paqual’s motives.
He continues the search for information about Eyrub Paqual
on Castrovel’s infosphere, and finds a series of articles
about elven ruins he has published over the past 6 years. At
first blush, he appears to be a moderately well-established
academic. However, most of his articles appear in poorly vetted
journals or cite him as one of numerous secondary authors.
Furthermore, as he continues accessing computer logs,
researching Paqual can detect inconsistencies in his online
bios and records, suggesting he might be entirely fictitious.
Elene watches the cameras and nothing gets by him, he even notices when people scratch in places you don't want to know, he notices when people do thing you don't want to see.
The building has security cameras in its hallways
and at the entrances, but there aren’t any inside individual
offices and classrooms. The receptionist Ikimsi can review the
video logs to see that a trio of korasha lashuntas carrying
heavy backpacks and wearing uniforms entered the building
2 days ago in the late evening—after all reception personnel
had left, as Elene sees this with him. They then took the stairs up, but there seems to be no footage of them on other floors or even leaving the building. Elene Identifies the uniforms as those of the Gateway District’s Port Authority.
He is able to note that there are inconsistencies in the footage on
several floors (including the fourth floor, where Dr. Solstarni’s
office is), suggesting that someone hacked into the building’s
security cameras and looped footage of empty hallways to
hide whatever they were doing.
Wheeler and Sigma-4 look for physical clues. They aren't able to collect every bit of piece of evidence, but get quite a good bit of it.
The heroes can find more information by
searching the office. One of the cabinets is ajar and contains
Dr. Solstarni’s field suit, a set of basic lashunta tempweave
fitted for a kasatha, though it has fallen from its hanger
where Solstarni hastily attempted to grab it when she heard
strangers disabling her door lock. By examing the scene closely they are able to make this connection and also notice the slight dent in the carbon fiber cabinet where someone (Solstarni) collided violently with the furniture in a short fight. In addition, they find printed version of Eyrub Paqual’s invitation to the Five Arches. Solstarni printed this out, intending to pass it by her colleagues to see if they had been likewise contacted. When she heard strangers breaking into her office, she slipped it just behind her cabinet as a breadcrumb to help identify her likely assailants.
K'Klacklun shares his findings with the party.
With a little bit of help the Starfinders find
some printed scans of Halkueem Zan’s notebooks marked in
red pen. These are copies Dr. Solstarni annotated by hand,
though the papers found here represent only a fraction of her
work on the texts; her abductors snatched most of those notes
when they attacked the office. Even so, these notes include
both some duplicates of the stolen research and some unique
conclusions that are sufficient to help the Starfinders chart a course
from Turhalu Point to, as Zan described it, the “accursed
pyramid city of Loskialua.” Dr. Solstarni helpfully writes that
this regards what’s now known as the Oatia culture, a poorly
understood dynasty of elven immigrants to Ukulam.
Treasure: Thanks for all your help, here take his basic lashunta tempweave suit. Just then a detective arrives I'll take your statements when you are all ready.
Following Sonnys explanation, K'Klacklun offers to download a copy of the recovered data for the detectives. "By the Forever Queen, we make every effort to comply with the wishes of the local authorities, but certainly with Pact World norms and customs." he notes, trying to sound helpful. "However, it would appear that a being is in likely danger and in need of assistance. Surely, the limited resources of your fine institution would be better allocated to a mounting a rescue effort than questioning travelers who have come here primarily seeking educational and informative pursuits."
The detective thanks you all Well, thanks for your statements, I'll be looking for the clues, probably the same clues you all found, just to confirm all this. You guys are good, but this is my specialty, so I gotta doublecheck that you interpreted everything right. Oh, right here is a copy of my notes
Heroes head out to the five arches.
The Five Arches is readily apparent from the street, thanks
to its glaring neon sign suggestive of the numerous portals in
the district. A riot of different worlds’ souvenirs plasters the
interior’s walls, and each table, booth, and bench bears the
name of one of the Pact Worlds’ planets or habitable moons.
Here you run into three smugglers, all Lashunta. Hey you all, not allowed past here, we will get rid of snoops like you. And they show you their fists. You know these guys are partially responsible for this operation and you must do something to arrest them, or kill them.
Elene steps forward, hands down confidently.
We gonna do this the hard way, or the easy way? Cause one way or another, we're moving through. You guys can surrender now and be breathing in ten minutes, or...
She ends the sentence with a shrug.
So what's it gonna be? Do you get paid enough to die for your cause? Because I definitely get paid enough to kill you for mine.
"Oh my! I assure you that we are not 'snoops' as you gave called us!". K'Klacklun declares. [B]"I highly suggest that you put those fists away."
They are ready to fight you, they draw weapon, however they are also scared. They are shaken for the first round because of the intimidate check
Sigma-4
They are shake as can be, but ready to fight, they don't fire at Elene, cause they are scared of him. They will focus fire with Azimuth laser pistols on K'Klacklun
VS EAC He got shot twice taking fire dmg
All heroes are up and they are still shaken.
Elene drops prone and readies her Shirren-eye rifle and fires at the nearest Lashunta foe.
K’Klacklun retrieves his pistol and fires as the ysoki had directed.
The drone hovers nearby and fires on the leader.
Starfinders fight and open fire, Sonny knocks one out instantly.
Elene fires and near misses the heart.
Wheeler can't hit the guy
K'Klacklun shoot the injured one and he drops dead. The drone shoots the last one in the knee. Being the last one conscious he values his life and surrenders.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Praise Hylax that was brief!" K'Klacklun cries. "We should notify the authorities. Oh, I certainly hope I didn't end up hurting anyone.".
The drone responds with a low whistling tone.
"It was all in self-defense I'll have you know." the shirren eepliea.
"Praise Hylax that was brief!" K'Klacklun cries. "We should notify the authorities. Oh, I certainly hope I didn't end up hurting anyone.".
The drone responds with a low whistling tone.
"It was all in self-defense I'll have you know." the shirren replies.
You notify the police and they arrest them. Their goods are compensated by the police.
Treasure Heroes get paid 100 credit per person for their efforts.
The police get answers out of them.
the lashuntas can convey that they helped a male korasha lashunta named Eyrub Paqual secure travel documents for 15 individuals, permitting them to use local portals to reach Turhalu Point. Most of the visas were counterfeit—including three fake IDs for Port Authority employees to help move the group’s equipment—though the
smugglers had to make only some minor adjustments to the legitimate academic visas that Paqual and his ill kasatha colleague had. They also share that they had doubts about Paqual’s identity, suspecting he was using an alias to avoid suspicion; ultimately, his money was
good enough that the smugglers didn’t mind. Because their role focused more on securing paperwork and conveying the group’s equipment through customs without scrutiny, the smugglers are not familiar with the group’s exact composition. They do, however, know that Paqual was shipping a considerable number of firearms and heavy gear, most notably a shirren-eye rifle and a sizable comm unit that was disassembled into three bulky pieces. The smugglers also had to secure special permits for transporting fungal spores.
The Starfinders need to travel to Turhalu Point,
Elene inquires of the police how to get travel permits to Turhalu Point, for the purpose of tracking down and capturing these criminals.
"Tracking them down! I thought we came to search for knowledge, not criminals!" K'Klacklun laments. When he has an opportunity, the shirren tries to access the local holonet to find out information about Turhalu Point.
K'Klacklun is able to find Turhalu Point easily, but tracks down no criminals or anything else.
The station at Turhalu Point sits at the tip of a broad
peninsula covered in rolling plains and expanses of tall, palegreen
grasses that shimmer with violet hues in the wind.
Short-lived blooms of magenta fungus tower nearly twenty
feet over the landscape, though many have begun to wilt
and others are marred by bite marks of half a dozen sizes.
Trumpeting calls echo across the plains as immense, sixlegged
creatures with long, swooping necks trek steadily
across the grass toward the western jungles. Beyond rises
the Singing Range, its peaks barely visible through the haze.
At the site, heroes find Dr. Khair al-Nuaf Greetings, Pasquals group came through and departed into the wilderness a little more than a day ago, a group of armed lashunta mercenaries.
Thank you, Doctor. How many mercenaries, and what can you tell us about the wilderness?
Elene glances at the bite marks on the fungus towers with apprehension.
Are those dangerous?