|
The meeting room is well furnished and stocked with various refreshments, but Fitch—the meeting’s initiator—is nowhere to be seen. After several seconds of silence following the last arrival entering the meeting room, a large holoscreen descends from the ceiling of the northern wall. Fitch’s small, albino ysoki face appears in clear resolution. She whispers quietly to the assembled group.
"“I have a very important mission for you. You should be aware that the Master of Stars, the best ship in the Starfinder Society’s fleet, is undergoing extensive renovations. Well, we’ve hit a bit of a roadblock. We need some clophirium to complete the next repair, but supplies have been quite scarce in the Pact Worlds for the last forty years. Luckily, we searched our archives and found a planet in the Vast with substantial reserves: Arniselle.”
Fitch’s transmitted image picks up a datapad but accidentally knocks a screwdriver off the desk while doing so. She flinches as the tool clatters to the ground, then continues whispering in an even lower tone. “NO! I’m sorry about that. They’re finally all asleep, you see. Now, back to the mission. We established a lodge on Arniselle about a century ago. It was abandoned when the First Seeker at the time decided to refocus Society resources closer to the Pact Worlds and abandoned several outposts in the Vast."
" Unfortunately, our scans show that Arniselle has undergone substantial seismic activity during the intervening years, and now the whole lodge is underwater. We assigned a special team to go investigate; they’re all kalos,
call themselves the Manta Corps. Maybe you’ve met them. Anyway, a ship dropped
them off, but the Manta Corps never reported back for their pickup.”
Suddenly, a loud shriek erupts from the holoscreen, followed by quick pitter-patter footsteps. Fitch drops the whisper and turns away from the screen. “Hey, you’re all supposed to be asleep for another hour! Back in the beds before I duct tape you in and leave you to find a way out!”
Fitch turns back to face the screen. “Anyway, the current First Seeker agrees with me about the importance of this mission and has authorized me to mount a second expedition. We must finish repairing the Master of Stars, and to do that we need Arniselle’s clophirium. This could be dangerous, so I’ve selected you, some of our most experienced agents. Go to Arniselle and investigate the submerged lodge. See what it will take to re-establish our presence there. And try to find out what happened to the Manta Corps. Best case scenario, they’re just down there working, but it’s not like them not to report in."
“I’m sending you information on the planet now. Oh, and remember! There could easily be intelligent life on this world. The lodge wasn’t staffed long enough to really explore the oceans. If you meet any new species, be diplomatic! It’s not only our mission as Wayfinders, but locals might help us with getting that clophirium as quickly as possible. Any questions?”
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
A short and frail white-furred Ysoki, with some kind of implant in her left eye, enters.
She is wearing a cured hide armor, a weather poncho, and a belt with a whole bunch of kits and vials and little pharmaceutical boxes.
She is armed with an injector pistol, and a baton.
And carries a roll of cable and a fire extinguisher on her back.
"Good day everyone! "
Looking up at the screen:
"Oh, the little ones have trouble sleeping? I have some nice Snorradoos™ here, made by Pzifer, from Castrovelian seaweed. Or, if they are giving you a headache: Cheez-Relax™, a Pzifer pill specially made for overworked Ysokis."
The lady Ysoki bows before you all:
"Well, I am the one the Wayfinders hired for this mission, to analyze Arniselle’s clophirium and make sure it is up to par. I am your friendly Pzifer Field Sales Rep', and trained in pharmaceutics and all pertaining sciences."
She raises her fist:
Before adding:
"Oh, you can call me Needles."
|
A bubbly human girl wearing a long violet sundress rushes on into the meeting room, datapad in hand and long, turquoise pigtails trailing behind her. She beams at Needles, then looks around in surprise. "Oh wow! I thought I'd be late! Lucky!" Holographic images of petals flicker across her dress as the ribbons that adorn its sides and back settle into place. Her outfit looks extremely impractical for adventuring and she doesn't seem to carry any weapons or equipment. She extends a delicate hand to Needles.
"Nice to meet you Needles! I'm Lynn, Starfinder and idol, all in one. Looks like we'll be working together on this one." She grins at the ysoki, then winks.
Lynn waves at Fitch on the holoscreen. "Hi hi Fitchie! Sounds like you've got a lot of trouble on your hands. But me and Needles here will have this Arniselle business totally covered!" She gives the ysoki a thumbs up "Though- we ARE going to have some other Starfinders joining us, right?"
Needles takes the proffered hand in her paw, and gently shakes it, not staring at any of the circuitry: "Oh, hello young lady! You are radiant! Like a blooming sun!"
|
|
A confident human on slight build smiles throughout the briefing, he's got a soft spot for the ysoki. "I mean I assumed if I got the call there might be some first contact schmoozing...."
The man's easy smile continues to the other agents, "Pleasure to meet you. I think I've seen you guys around the bar before. If we haven't met properly, I'm Conrad - Conrad Castamir Kerbouchard."
He turns back to Fitch, "Actually, remind me again what kalos are. And while you're at it, a nice and tidy description of clophirium would help too."
|
"Alright, got most of that here," says a human with a curious-looking contraption on his head. "Do you have any advice for us who are not used to being underwater for a long period of time?" He is holding a data-encoding gadget, but it seems that the contraption on his head blinks as information is being recorded automatically.
Upon seeing "Lynn", Mobius smiles and offers a warm handshake. "How's it going Lynn. Haven't seen you since the time we foiled that assassination attempt at a party. M.I.C.H. really loved your songs back there. Had it turn up in my playlist once in a while."
He then greets Needles and Conrad. "Hi there. Nice to meet new faces. My name is Mobius Caslan, and this is M.I.C.H, my exocortex." He points at the device on his head.
"Hello all!", says Needles. "Clophirium? No need to learn about that. The only thing you need to know is that Clophizfer™ will help alleviate your gall bladder problems. Purchase Pzifer! I can give you sample if you wish?"
|
|
Fitch turns back to scowl at something off screen, and can be seen reaching for something. The sound of scattering paws is picked up by the sensitive microphone.
"Anyway...Snorradoos you say? I might try that. Can't hurt, right?"
The sound of disappointment cannot be kept from her voice as she answers Conrad. "Humans often compare kalos to bats due to the thin membranes between their arms and legs. In fact, these winglike structures are fins, allowing kalos to swoop with grace and speed through icy waters. Kalo skin has a blue-green tinge and is translucent in places. Their bulging, glowing eyes can move and focus independently. Highly civilized and generally peaceful, kalos were the first residents of any moon to successfully win independent recognition!"
She nods to Mobius. "I'll download some helpful information for you. . Remember your armor will provide you protection and air underwater just as it does in space. Hopefully, you’re all decent swimmers. You’ll also want to be sure to bring some piercing weapons; those work pretty well underwater"
|
|
Lynn brims with happiness at Needles' praise "Aw, that's so nice of you!" She clasps her hands around the ysoki's paw "And I know you'll be able to sell some Pzifer products to Arniselle's folks, I'm sure of it!"
She steps over to Conrad and waves "Nice to meet you Conrad! I bet we'll need some First Contact experts. I bet Arniselle is filled with super unusual aliens!"
Lynn returns Mobius' handshake and adds a little wave for the contraption attached to his head. "Awesome that we're working together again Mobius! And it looks like MICHIE's gotten a bunch of upgrades since I last saw her! I've got some new songs for her too."
----
Upon Fitch's further explanation she looks over the information streamed to her datapad. "Hmm, so what is clophirium? Is it something dangerous? Maybe the Manta Corps got exposed to it while they were investigating."
"Oh, and another question. Is the lodge super deep underwater? And is the water there dangerous? I'm definitely not a good swimmer..." Her face flushes with overacted embarrassment at that fact. "But maybe I can get some special gear to help make up for it!"
|
|
Line has a think about what she knows of clophirium.
Some of you may have heard of the Manta corpse before.
The Manta Corps are all kalos. Kalos are an aquatic race from the Brethedan moon of Kalo-Mahoi known for their bluegreen skin, batlike wings, and glowing, protruding eyes. These four kalos are quite tight-knit and go on assignments together, typically deployed to underwater locations.
The Manta Corps prefer action-oriented assignments, and have been known to avoid assignments with a lot of detail or paperwork. Because of this, they’ve earned a reputation as underwater commandos but also as a group that doesn’t do well in overly social settings.
Kalos often redesign weaponry to function much better underwater. [i]You know where on Absalom Station to purchase underwater weapons (Starfinder Alien Archive 69.) While such weapons generally cost 10% more than a regular version of the weapon, you can purchase such weapons at the base weapon’s normal price. Many kalo manufacturers on Absalom Station are on good terms with the Manta Corps and want to help however they can.
The camera spins and for a moment you see a large roll of duck-tape on the desk, and an irritated looking Fitch glaring at something off screen.
"“Starfinder lodges are built to withstand almost anything. It might be flooded, but the structure should still be intact. The Society built a lot of lodges during that time, using a standardized design to be cost-effective and resilient. That means every lodge, including the one on Arniselle, has airlock systems, even if the atmosphere is normally breathable. If we’re lucky it could still be dry inside. There’s usually one airlock to enter the building, an airlock to go between levels, and an airlock to get into the records room.”
Needles rattles off some information , adding that "Mnemonicon™ by Pzifer helps a great deal to remember trivia. If any want a free tablet?".
|
|
Lynn listens in intently to Needles' explanation, tapping at her cheek throughout, before pursing her lips "Humm, I guess we shouldn't be too worried about that Clophirium stuff. But the Manta Corps... those guys should be really good at fighting, right. I wonder, what kind of dangerous things might've stopped them out there!"
She claps her hands as Needles finishes the explanation. "Oh my gosh, you're super smart Needles! I'll take a free tablet, but, maybe I'll try it later if that's OK?"
Needles blushes - but can you see it, beneath her fur?
"No, no, I'm not smart. Maybe well educated. I went to Pzifer Academy. It's very good. Here... I have a brochure somewhere."
|
|
The flight through the drift is aboard the "Peregrination into Night", a large personnel freighter. The captain, Zhast is a jovial host and offers delicious meals she prepares herself to you daily in her own quarters.
Ten days into the trip you come across an organic arkship lazily floating n the Drift. The ship openly broadcasts affiliation with the Xenowardens, and has some free informational download packs on recent ecological events which you may download if you wish.
Needles will happily look at any informational pack.
"Hello hello, we have some free some free informational download packs on recent pharmaceutical events which you may download if you wish!"
|
|
Hidden among various reports on the plant growth rates of various worlds, the most interesting piece of information in the packet is a report on plans to “cruelly place the last known feathered renkrodas into captivity in small Castrovelian wildlife preserves.
The arkship is unresponsive to Needle's hail. Some ships eh?
The rest of the trip takes another eight days. Zhast bids you farewell, supplying a small submersible vessel once the Peregrination into Night gets into orbit overhead. While unarmed, it appears sufficient for your needs.
"I'll be in orbit for two days, see you then!" she says cheerfully.
You descend to the planets surface and head down into the depths.
The Arniselle lodge appears to be intact. The structure’s northern edge is pushed into a cluster of rocks and boulders, with obvious signs of other past impact. As you perform a closer inspection of the exterior of the lodge you see many subtle signs that indicate that someone (or something) currently resides within the facility.
Broken parts of the exterior are haphazardly repaired, exterior lights are active, and the front door is decorated with a strange broken chain.
The arkship is unresponsive to Needle's hail. Some ships eh?
Needles transmits out into the answerless void: "Wait till you get ill, then you'll regret not having good Pzifer information!"
Having bid Zhast good-bye, and plunged into the deeps, Needles points out the holy looking arrangement of the chain.
|
|
Floating next to the front door in her armor, Lynn places a hand under her chin and purses her lips in an overacted display of thoughtfulness. "You don't think the Manta Corps redecorated while they were repairing things, did they? This broken chain doesn't seem their style."
She mulls over it for a few more moments and then pipes up with "Oooh! This is a holy symbol of some goddess right? Maybe this is here as like... a ward? Against things getting in to the lodge."
Lynn begins a low, sonorous hum, sending vibrations through her armor. The humming resonates with the water around her to produce a low, pleasant tone. She focuses her magical senses on the door to see if there's anything there before Twik or Mobius try to do any physical tampering.
|
|
The airlock door spins open, and two creatures await on the other side. One creature is a vibrant teal and the other a similarly bright indigo. Both are large creatures with an imposing presence, each with a stout body that ends in a single wide flipper. They have articulated side flippers with a surprising level of fine motion, brightly colored whiskers, gills, and four long tusks, two on each side. The tusks are lightly carved with decorative patterns. They both wear white robes that flutter with the movement of the ocean, and the indigo creature speaks in slightly accented but otherwise perfect Common.
“Hello, and welcome! I am Hinevera, and this is Teltham of the morlamaw people. Welcome to our home. You must be more Starfinders, I presume? The last group left rather quickly, so we assumed another group would arrive soon. Greetings!”
Beyond them you can see that a large curtain divides this room, and faint lines on the ground indicates that several walls were likely removed to make this space more open. A five-foot-high stage and eight rows of benches fill the northern half of the room, while the southern half has several large tables. You entered through an airlock on the eastern wall which acts as a front door, and airlocks on the northern and southern walls lead to other areas. Steel doors lead to the north and south
Needles raises an eyebrow.
"Hello, hello!"
She is ready to enter... following whoever else does.
|
|
Twik steps out & forward from behind his much taller companions.
"Our greetings to you as well!. I'm Twik. The rest of these fellows are my Starfinder companions but they can introduce themselves."
After they have done so, he continues...
"We come in peace! An exploration mission in fact! I can't really fault you for moving in after we've been gone for so long."
Twik makes a show of looking around, checking out the condition of everything he can see.
"It's a nice place - love what you've done with it!. Sooooo..... About those earlier Starfinders.... When did you see them last? Why did they leave in such a hurry?"
Needles looks around: "You live in a long abandoned place? And it is very... moist. That is a bad combination where mold is concerned. Do any of you have allergies? I would be happy to provide you with antihistamines, courtesy of the Starfinder Society and . The first samples are free of charge, of course. We are here to help."
|
|
Lynn swims over and grabs one flipper from each creature in her hands and gives them an energetic shake. "Hi there Hinerva and Teltham! This is a zetta cool surprise! You two moved in here? It sure is great that someone was able to make good use of the lodge!"
"Oh and we're definitely Starfinders! I'm Lynn, and this little one here is Needles, then Mobius and Conrad are the two tough guys. Twik's right that we're looking for Starfinders. A bunch of kalos actually. Did you get to talk to them before they left? What did they say?"
"You said the place has been abandoned for a long time? Have you been around here for a long time too?"
While Lynn is peppering them with questions, she thinks about what she might know of these walrus-like creatures.
|
|
Hinevera smiles enthusiastically at Twix. Other walrus-folk in the background keep a keen eye one you, some going to other rooms, but after a little while, most return to their previous activity leaving Hinevera to do most of the talking.
"Those other Starfinders? They were quite funny, weren’t they? With their… wings? Is that what they’re called? The other Starfinders visited for a little while, and we offered to let them inventory and take back all the Starfindermarked property. We certainly have no need of your weapons and armor; it’s hard for us to use them![b]” Hinevera waves one of her flippers to demonstrate. “[b]They left quickly though; I don’t think they were keen on inventorying.”
She points to Needles whiskers. "What are they for? They look like ours, but you don't have good teeth like us."
She turns to Lynn, admiring the blue tattoos. "So pretty. Like a shell reflecting light near the shore. The lodge? The whole
structure was flooded when we found it. The computers and other equipment in there don’t function underwater, so we managed to restore breathable air to a lot of the rooms. There are airlocks, like the one you just came in from, between some rooms. Still, we try to keep some areas filled with water—it’s just more comfortable for us.”
She thinks about the details of the question. "We don't think on time quite the way you do. There is no sun to show us day from night down here. We have been here for several cycles of the system though..." she turns and squawks something at Teltham, who replies. "Years!" she says brightly "Several years."
Needles smiles, twitching her whiskers: "Maybe we could do some research on your teeth? Have Pzifer subsidize some testing here. See what you eat... My whiskers are for feeling my way around in the dark."
"Oh yes, this Pzifer, as you say, carries a whole line of appetite stimulants that you will just love... I think we should talk exclusive distribution here. Let's sit down, or float in the current, or however you like, but have a nice talk once I have finished my mission here.
Do you know why the other Starfinders left quickly? What made them depart? And did they mention where they were headed? Deeper down... or back up?"
|
|
Lynn cocks her head to the side. "Humm, they were here and they vanished?" She looks at her allies "You think there might have been something inside the lodge that caused them to vanish? Like some kinda weird portal to another world? Or maybe they're still here somehow?"
She looks back at the two walrus-y aliens. "You two mind if we take a look around inside the lodge? It's zetta important that we find out what happened to the Manta Corps, the other Starfinders! You'd be really helping us out if you could show us around." She puts on her best winning smile.
"Oh, and I was wondering. You've been staying here right? Why is that? I mean, Starfinder lodges aren't famous for being super comfy. Do you not have another home?"
|
|
"There are lots of doors.." she says helpfully but perhaps misunderstanding the concept of 'portal'. "I'm not sure which they took. But you can look around - apart from a couple of sacred areas."
Then she thinks, and tries to explain their history.
"“Our species is morlamaw, and we live in trench cities all over this planet. Our particular group was cast out of our homeland because we discovered a new faith, but we were lucky enough to stumble upon this structure to shelter us from local predators. We’ve spent the last 10 years repairing this place and making it suitable for us to live in. It’s now both our home and temple.”
"Oh? So you are all followers of this new faith here? We saw your... holy symbol on the door. Do you convert others, or keep to yourselves? I mean, can you tell us of your faith, or is it... secretive?"
|
|
"We worship the the Weeping Knight, and we know through him that we can only find meaning through enduring many trials. Losing our old home was painful, but that was but one early trial and now we can worship freely.” she says gladly.
"Others are more than welcome to join us. Our leader will be having a service in an..." she thinks for a moment. "[i]hour[i] or two."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Needles' eyes pop wide open, trying to keep her excitement in check she stammers: "Enduring trials? Do clinical trials count?!"
She smiles: "Because I sure can hook you up with those! Pzifer has a nice compensation package. What kind of trials do you aim for?"
Needles is ready to take a tour of the property before the service, if others are up to it too.