This one will hopefully work
You are hastily summoned to the Lorespire Complex by Venture-Captain Arvin. The tall and confident lashunta man nods respectfully to Hikaze and then gestures to several functional chairs, inviting you all to sit. Thank you for arriving so quickly. As I mentioned in my comms message, we have an urgent opportunity to recover some critical information.
He waits until you are all seated before continuing Several months ago, a crew of Starfinders took a ship called the Unbounded Wayfarer into the Vast to explore a series of uncharted planets. They never returned. Earlier today, a pawnbroker in the Downlow neighborhood contacted us, offering to sell us several Starfinder insignias. These insignias belonged to the lost crew of the Unbounded Wayfarer, and that immediately caught the Society’s attention. The pawnbroker—some Vesk named Julzakama—doesn’t realize the true value of the insignias. We negotiated a purchase price in exchange for the insignias and information about the seller. We hope this seller can lead us to the Unbounded Wayfarer and its crew.
He walks over to his window, a floor-to-ceiling viewpoint for the entire Lorespire Complex. We’ve remotely transferred the requested credits to Julzakama. Now, we need you to collect the insignias and all the information you can from this vesk regarding whoever sold him the insignias, and then track down that seller. Learn where to find the Unbounded Wayfarer and its crew.
He turns to face you I’m worried that the seller might not be on the station for long, so act quickly. If you have any questions, please make them fast.
You recall hearing in a bar once that Julzakama is a domineering brute and that only the truly desperate deal with him. Further, he responds better to bluster than to honeyed words
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"Greetings, Venture-Cap'n!"
Bones bows before Arvin.
"Who's this Julzakama? A criminal element? We shake 'em up a bit if he's not being forthcoming?"
Bones looks to his comrades.
"What about the seller? If he, she, it, they, or whatever, try to make it off station... we can prevent 'em from leavin', heh?"
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Hikaze returns the greeting of the Venture-Captain in kind, and takes his seat.
"Bones, indeed from what I hear of Julzakama, he will be more likely to share information if intimidated. The seller may be another matter altogether, but we can skin that Nyssholora later."
"Venture-Captain, what class of ship was the Unbounded Wayfarer?"
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You'll see the inginisas soon enough once you get them from that wretched Vesk. But know this, the crew of the Unbounded
Wayfarer received the insignias long ago for exemplary service to the Society. Although this isn’t common knowledge outside the
Starfinder Society, these insignias are no mere trinkets; they can be used to encrypt or decrypt information that the Starfinders
wanted to keep hidden, hence their value to us. We have paid a heavy price both in the loss of the Unbound Wayfarer and in the price that Vesk has extracted from us. Tread carefully, Downlow as you know is...an interesting place. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some other urgent business to attend to. It appears we've had a report of the Aspis Consortium messing with our servers and causing problems
He waves you away.
It takes you around an hour to travel to Downlow in the morning hustle. Although some areas of Downlow are clean and trendy, you find yourself in a narrow alley of concrete and metal buildings dripping with oil, sparking wires and menace.
A wide, red neon electric sign reads Julzakama’s Loans on a building sandwiched between a Kuthite sensation house and a derelict building covered with graffiti. The shop’s solid metal door contains a single, small window too grimy to peer through.
You go inside, and dust motes rise up into the air. The interior is crammed with shelves containing all manner of near-valueless items, from small appliances to VR game consoles and jars of colored powders. The shop has the acrid smell of a reptile house that has not been cleaned in months.
A massive vesk in a muscle shirt stands at the rear of the shop, behind a low desk and a series of heavy metal bars anchored into the ceiling.
He is carelessly disassembling an old computer and looks up briefly before returning to his work.
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Grumbling about the darn Aspis Consortium, Bones travels into the Downlow with his companions.
Spying the Kuthite sensation house in the alley, Bones strokes his beard: "Methinks one of us should check out the surroundings, make sure there's no trap. If y'all want I could handle this wearisome task for us..."
Sighing, he follows his companions into the shop, and looks around, waiting to see who wants to handle the overgrown lizard.
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Hikaze enters the shop and takes up a position where he can watch both the door and the Vesk. While seeming to browse the merchandise, he is looking for any traps, security systems, hidden escape routes, etc. The dust in the shop causes a sudden sneeze to explode from Hikaze, distracting him from his intended purpose.
You don't notice anything suspicious but the Vesk sees you looking and shouts over You browsing or buying Lashunta-ling?
The Vesk leans across the counter, and peers at you And what is you think you've already paid for Dwarfling?
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Bones raises himself on his tiptoes, to gain an inch, though he is still lacking many opposite the tall Vesk: "Those old useless trinkets, err... insignia. You bought from someone... something. You got your Credits wired by the Society. We're hear to collect those old badges, and get the info' on the vendor or vendors, Veskling."
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"Mister... Julzakama, is it?" Keyrock says as he approaches the vesk , "May name is Keyrock, Keyrock Marbleheart." The dwarf reaches into his well-tailored attire and produces a business card, which he then offers to the vesk.
"I'm just an archaic dwarf. I was trapped in an artificial simulation of ancient Golarion until I was found by some of your modern scientists and set free. Your automated financial transfer system astounds and amazes me. I look at a credit stick and wonder to myself, 'Is this stick just a microscopic bank, with tiny tellers within it that remove tiny coins from a tiny vault to be transferred to another tiny bank that someone else is holding?'" The dwarf shrugs his arms in apparent confusion.
"I don't know." he says, "I'm just an archaic dwarf."
"But what I do know, is that failure on your part to transfer possession of the chattel known as Starfinder insignias to us--the transferees--constitutes a breach of contract and a statutory violation of the Pact World's Consumers and Commercial Code." he notes. "I suggest that you render the merchandise for which you have already been compensated in full unless you prefer to address this matter in a court of law."
Julzakama raises his hands in submission as Hikaze’s knife presses against his skin. Now now friends, let’s not get too hasty here. Old Julky here was just jibbin’ with you fine folks. Can’t trust too many down here in Downlow He gives a wide smile But I sure am certain I can trust you. Now, do an honest man a favour and let me just get those little insignias for you.
He reaches under the desk and pulls out a small, rusting tin. He opens it to reveal seven insignias bearing the compass-like logo of the Starfinder Society.
The vesk scratches the scaly skin between his bony beard- spikes with a clawed hand and says, Wouldn’t you know it, it seems I’m now fully paid for these trinkets there. I remember Arvin said something about wanting information, too, and I can do that. But information costs extra. Say ten credits?
All right, all right; the seller was named Exegara, and she wasn’t from around here. Wore a flight suit, like she had come off a long trip. Once she had her money, she asked about where to purchase clean skeletons. I don’t carry goods like that, I’m an honest broker. She was definitely an Eoxian. She looked like a man-ling, but didn’t breathe or blink or anything. She mentioned something about hiring some local muscle “just in case.” I sent her to the Vat Garden. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have honest work to do
All right, all right; the seller was named Exegara, and she wasn’t from around here. Wore a flight suit, like she had come off a long trip. Once she had her money, she asked about where to purchase clean skeletons. I don’t carry goods like that, I’m an honest broker. I sent her to the Vat Garden. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have honest work to do
You leave Sulky Julky to his own devices and you make your way to the Vat Garden
The station passageways open into an enormous sunken pool filled with a riotous growth of plants. A narrow walkway leading to other parts of Downlow encircles the overgrown vat, and a spire of some kind of machinery stands in its center. For such a busy section of Downlow, the area is surprisingly quiet. Two ladders and a steep staircase pierce the foliage and lead down into the vat.
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Having no idea where they are going, and thinking it is a place where one hires muscle, Bones trods along through the passageways, and then looks around, taking in the overgrown pool and the spire in the middle.
"For her sake, I hope this Exegara does not aim to animate skeletons. For, I must warn you: as a chaplain of Pharasma, it is my duty to destroy such abominations, as well as those who create such monstrosities. Undead are a desecration".
Bones move onto the narrow walkway, placing himself in front of the northern.
He peers into the foliage...
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Ai thes be an eerie place tae be sure! Mr Scott slowly draws his laser pistol and keeps a sharp eye about. [dice=perception]1d20
Hearing his fellow Starfinder's words, Keyrock responds, "I have no idea what you just said, but I think it wise that you drew your laser pistol." The dwarf then draws his assault hammer.
"After all," Keyrock adds, "This is an eerie place to be sure."
The Vat Garden is eerily quiet and the thick foliage of the plants prevents you from seeing anything from the walkway. There are ladders to the North and East that you can climb down easily into the garden.
You can also enter the garden at any point of the walkway by climbing down one of the long tendrilled plants that snake their way up to you. If you fall, you take damage
As Bones and Hikaze drop down into the garden, there is a rustling of leaves as a tall Eoxian emerges, along with three muscular thugs. It's Exegera Long-Tongue Oh must I have to be distracted by such filth? she says.
Allow me! shouts the orange jacketed Merc as he steps up and swings his assault hammer at Hikaze
Kill them! screams Exegera. The yellow-clothed Merc runs toward Bones and takes a swipe at his torso
Blue is too far to get close enough to hit but takes a shot at Bones from distance
Exegera takes aim at Hikaze and shoots from distace
Orange Merc
Yellow Merc
Blue Merc
Exegera
Bones
Hikaze
Scott
Keyrock
Funfreemy
Bold may act
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Seeing this Eoxian, this probable undead, who wants to do things with skeletons, Bones, his Singing Disk in hand, takes a careful step towards her, and then swings his weapon at Exegara.
The perforations of the metal disk cause the air flowing through them to vibrate with a range of sonic frequencies, like hundreds of voices singing simultaneously.
While attack, Bones tries to see what this Eoxian is...
• Action = Attack roll against Exegara
• Melee vs. EAC (Critical: Confuse w. DC 14 Will save)
• Free Action: Mysticism check to see if this is an Undead, and what kind?
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Exegera and her hired mercs unleash their anger on you as you distract her important search for skulls. Exegera grins as she sees her pistol strike Hikaze. The yellow Merc tries to take out Bones’ but in his angry state he misses whilst the Blue merc is distracted by the foliage and sees his shot go wide.
Hikaze shoots at Orange but his shot flies wide and pierces a tall plant that starts to ooze sap. Funfreemy has more luck and his spear pierces the side of the Yellow Merc who screams in agony but still stands.
Bones singing disk flies through the air, piercing the Vat Garden with song which hits Exegera with a wave and causes severe pain. She scream in agony as Keyrock speaks to her
Mr Scott hits, and Exegera thrashes in pain
Take them out! hisses Exegera as Mr Scott punctures a hole in her arm with his pistol
Orange tries to take of Hikaze's head with his club
whilst Yellow tries to exact vengeance on Funfreemy by removing his head from his shoulders
Blue steps up to Bones and screams And here was me thinking this was a boring gardening trip! before swinging for Bones's skull
Meanwhile, a wounded Exegera laughs at Keyrock Trust me, I've seen more handsome Sand Gluttons! She aims and shoots at Keyrock
Orange Merc
Yellow Merc
Blue Merc
Exegera
Bones
Hikaze
Scott
Keyrock
Funfreemy
Bold may act
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Bones starts to look to his companions, to see if any are in need of healing, when BONK, he is hit on his bald skull and forgets all about his comrades.
Should'a kept me hair, he thinks, as pain flashes across his head.
He swings his disk at Blue, calling out as it in sings in the air: "How d'y like me plowing?! -- and raking?!", as he back-hands the disk towards the one who hit him.
As a wounded Exegara does not think, Bones seizes the opening she creates while shooting, and swings his weapon at her: "Glutton this, you desecration!"
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Bones is @ 4/8 SP
Bones' disk continues to cause mayhem and shatters both eardrums of Blue who is groggy but still stands. Keyrock swings but Exegera ducks just in time. Funfreemy takes a swipe at Yellow but the foliage gets in the way and he misses whilst Mr Scott looks for a better position on the walkway [/ooc]
Round 3
Orange tries to finish off Hikaze with a vicious swing of his club
whilst Yellow, blood pouring from the gaping wound in his side screams at Funfreemy Your head will look good mounted on my wall, along with your hat!
Blue has blood pouring from his ears and swipes at Bones, his loud voice piercing the night I can't HEAR anything you bloody dwarf. See how YOU like it
Exegera lunges at Keyrock Let's see how handsome you are with my teeth sunk into you!
Exegera then moves back 5ft
Orange Merc
Yellow Merc
Blue Merc
Exegera
Bones
Hikaze
Mr Scott
Keyrock
Funfreemy
Bold may act.