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"So you are suggesting we go out on our own and look around for ourselves and we do not team up to explore together?"
"Yes, I am afraid that would be the case. None of us are combat trained in any way. We did not anticipate any danger here since Tabrantia has been abandoned for hundreds of years." He stops briefly, uncertain of his next request. Finally, he continues, "However, I am really curious about the Starfinders and eager to see you at work. Could you update me of your findings after you've explored each region? Or if you are agreeable, could I tag along. I admit that I am useless, as are the rest of us, in any dangerous situation. But if I could stay close by for an in-person discussion... You might have more questions at each region. If you agree, I promise to stay out of your way completely. Otherwise, I would likely be more a liability than help."
"And if you don't mind, could you tell us some more about the downfall of divergent copaxis and the divine intervention? I have an interest in the Divine myself and I would like to hear more about this if you care to share"
"Unfortunately, our records are sketchy about this. The flying cities were home to copaxis who ruled up till about three hundred years ago. They defied the natural order and were destroyed in an act of divine wrath. Surface city-states arose from the ashes, and our unifying government brought them together decades later. Interestingly enough, this seems to coincide approximately with the event that I understand you refer to as the Gap."
Quietly he asks, "Bryanisis, please tell us what we can see of the world below.
Bryanisis looks flustered to be addressed directly. They turn to look at Therseis who replies, "Oh yes, of course, go ahead. Show them what they would like to see so that they can make a good recommendation." Bryanisis shyly walks Burns to the edge.
Burn will ask about the sights below, landmarks, the ratio of open and agricultural to developed and urban space. Then "What do youthink about how you use the land and resources?"
Unfortunately, there is not much that Burn can see. Much of the land below is shrouded by smog. Through the few occasional breaks, you see a land much covered by sprawling urban landscape but you are also quite high above and it is difficult to make out the details.
"We very urbanised. Very industralised. Agriculture automated. Bio...diversity is concern. But now we understand. Sustainable development. Conservation. Much work there."
----
Therseis adds, "We have set aside a area for you. You may return whenever you need to rest."
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Zez'ka grins. "Oh, I am very happy to have befriended all of you! Joyous! But, there's much work to do! And I am excited to get started!" her antennae twitch in glee. "Anticipation!"
To her companions she mentally announces, < "I desire to explore the so-called safe places first, and then the unexplored areas. Is this agreeable? CURIOUS!" >
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While the others wrap up their conversations, Chk'tarlsh busies himself checking that all his equipment is in order, loaded, secured, and ready for action.
"That wash my thinkinhk, too," he concurs with Zez'ka. "Lookinhk over the map, I'd thought to travel to the ssitesh in order of proximity, but if we can take the shuttle..." he shrugs, trailing off.
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Therseis looks somewhat crestfallen that he is not tagging along. "I understand. Having an outsider might hamper your work and I do not want to be a burden. Thank you though for agreeing to update me along the way."
"Before you set off though, please have this." Therseis transmits a software to all your comms units. "Copaxi linguists have programmed a prototype translation software for Common and Copaxi. This should aid you in translating any ancient Copaxi text you come across. It would still be challenging though. Formal versions of written Copaxi include olfactory cues and punctuation shellacked onto the writing surface which obviously would have faded over time, which the software would not be able to analyse. As a result, even we struggled with the inscriptions we found earlier."
While you gather your supplies to load the shuttle, the copaxis also return to their work.
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Sensing Therseis curiousness Savoy tells him:
"Don't worry. We'll keep you in the loop. Maybe after we've gone over a few places we can circle back and take you along and show you what we found and explain how we did things and you can tell us all about what you think of them"
'If we are all ready to proceed I suggest we do so"
Savoy nods at Barnum's cautionary words
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With Chk'tarlsh back in controls of the shuttle and the rest of the Starfinders loaded up, you take off, heading towards to the ancient Markets.
Stepping out of the shuttle, you find this open area containing scattered debris and abandoned market stalls. Scorch marks, ash, and burnt-out structures reveal that a fire devastated the area long ago.
Anything of value was ruined or looted long ago, but you discover a few objects depicting copaxis flying, summoning fire, and performing other magical feats. In addition, you find a few metal coins scattered about the market. Each coin has a floating city on one side and a copaxi face on the other, with words (in Copaxi) reading “We Few Above All.”
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"You know what stands out to me about this market; it contains no sign the copaxis used physical currency — no system of weights and measures, no stashes of currency, no records of monetary transaction."
Savoy seems to ponder this as he's shown the relative new coins.
'Why would there have been a market here where they didn't use coins and then people started coming here with coins..and where did they go? It's only been a few years since the coins where made. You'd think the Copaxi might have know about this being in use a few years ago"
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Chk'tarlsh squats on his heels,poking through the remnants of a stall. Cocking his head, his antennae stand erect as he regards the fragments visible of the artworks and jewelry.
Having overlooked the significance of the clues his companions found, the shirren soldier listens to their theories.
"Maybe it'sh jusst not common knowledgeknowledg?" he says to Savoy. "It might have ssomething to do with thesse unidentified shootersh.
"
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Not finding anything else noteworthy in the abandoned markets, the Starfinders troop back to the shuttle, still pondering and discussing the mystery of the coins. As the shuttle is piloted to the next location, Therseis radios over. ”Our sensors indicate that your shuttle have left the Market. Did you find anything significant?”
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Zez'ka nods her head and clacks her mandibles at her companions assessments. "Agreed! Very strange! Suspicious!"
As Therseis speaks to them over the comms, Zez'ka's antennae quiver a little bit. She seems to think about what she's about to say very carefully. "...Oh, yes, Friend Therseis. Every find is significant. Small details paint a grand picture in the end. Lovely site. Your flying city is beautiful. How long have you and your team been examining this flying city? You must be very proud... Curious!"
After he answers she asks, "And others? Are there any others who have explored the flying city before you? Or are you the first? Being first is always an honour. Curious!"
Finally, she asks one more question. "Market site was large. You have large markets now, too? Credsticks or coins?"
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"Yes, we can tell that it was once beautiful but it is in a state of ruins now. The other cities are in worse state. We have been investigating the flying city for about 20 days."
"We are the first government-sanctioned exploration team. But the city has been abandoned for hundreds of years, so I am uncertain who or what else might have been here before us and when."
"Our markets? We use digital credits. Our economy still used physical currencies up to about forty years ago when the world bank rolled out digital currency. Did you find something of relevance in the Market?"
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Ivan walks through the market, not very interested in its former wares save the jewelry. He examines the coins with a dwarf's keen eye. "These're recent. Well, relatively. Last few years or so. Not bad workmanship, although I don' get that inscription."
"Are you sure that they're not just well preserved? They're definitely only a few years old?"
"You know what stands out to me about this market; it contains no sign the copaxis used physical currency — no system of weights and measures, no stashes of currency, no records of monetary transaction."
Savoy seems to ponder this as he's shown the relative new coins.
'Why would there have been a market here where they didn't use coins and then people started coming here with coins..and where did they go? It's only been a few years since the coins where made. You'd think the Copaxi might have know about this being in use a few years ago"
"What are the coins, if not currency? Seems an expensive way to pump up your ego."
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Burnham feels allright jumping into the conversation with Therseis, "We found some coins in the market. They're remarkably well preserved, and look almost new."
Looking at the others he flicks a finger across his throat to signal that they should shut down the comms. Once they're down he continues. " Something's going on here. If the coins are fresh, the events and timeline that they've told us don't add up. I know I'm not smart enough to figure it all out, but you guys, think about it."
"Meantime, let's let them think we're really interested in the academy. We'll tell them that we're spending a lot of time there, but we can easily walk to the hole, the gardens, and the arena. Check them out without our hosts knowing."
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"Are you sure that they're not just well preserved? They're definitely only a few years old?"
Ivan gives Burnham a look. It isn't angry, but plenty disbelieving. "Never, ever question a dwarf's judgement on steel and coin. Torag above, man."
Aboard the shuttle, he doesn't say as much. He planned on mentioning how new the coins were, but when Burnham decides against it he follows suit. "Maybe tha's a good place to learn more, the academy. In the meantime, wonder if these check-ins will keep up like so."
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Soon, the shuttle settles down on what appears to be the entrance of what quite a large complex. Overgrown vegetation covers this sprawling campus of lecture amphitheaters, study halls, and dormitories. Despite the ruins, many of the building are intact enough to have protected the materials within. You slowly painstaking scour through the buildings, especially the libraries, looking for clues on the copaxi past.
You find abundant materials containing generic knowledge such as books on basic chemistry and geology. Through the length of time, many of them have degraded considerably. The most common materials are devoted to simple magical theories, but there is nothing advanced or practical enough to be useful.
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"Are you sure that they're not just well preserved? They're definitely only a few years old?"Ivan gives Burnham a look. It isn't angry, but plenty disbelieving. "Never, ever question a dwarf's judgement on steel and coin. Torag above, man."
"Sorry, Ivan. Something's just not right. We've got to be sure about everything."
Aboard the shuttle, he doesn't say as much. He planned on mentioning how new the coins were, but when Burnham decides against it he follows suit. "Maybe tha's a good place to learn more, the academy. In the meantime, wonder if these check-ins will keep up like so."
"We did tell them we'd keep in touch, and they are monitoring the shuttle. So yeah, the check-ins will keep up." Burn rubs his chin. "Or do you think they're monitoring our datapads? Could their download be helping them track us?"
After the comms are turned off, "I wonder if the citizens of these flying cities were in some kind of stasis and recently awoke." Archaius realizes it is not a strong theory, but he is not willing to abandon it just yet.
"Something's goin on. It's hard to believe anyone could live up here for years, let alone centuries. "
...
Burn provides a rational to terminate transmission, "Therseis, we're over flying the Gardens. We want a good look from above, so I'm going to sign off."
And to make that the truth, Burn urges everyone to look for shooters, etc in the Gardens as we fly over.
Soon, the shuttle settles down on what appears to be the entrance of what quite a large complex. Overgrown vegetation covers this sprawling campus of lecture amphitheaters, study halls, and dormitories. Despite the ruins, many of the building are intact enough to have protected the materials within. You slowly painstaking scour through the buildings, especially the libraries, looking for clues on the copaxi past.
You find abundant materials containing generic knowledge such as books on basic chemistry and geology. Through the length of time, many of them have degraded considerably. The most common materials are devoted to simple magical theories, but there is nothing advanced or practical enough to be useful.
Burn doesn't complain although he quickly grows bored with pawing through the library stacks. He hefts a book. "Can you believe they would use something this clunky and expensive? Why not just provide datapads and learning files to the students?"
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Archaius starts to flip through some of the tomes on magic. He scoffs, "Whoever wrote these has a limited understanding basic magic theory. No possibility they were an actual practitioner. I am beginning to wonder if this whole site has been staged, or was in the process until they ran into actual danger."
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"This whole thing starts to feel like there was a cleansing a few years ago."
At Thersis question if anything significant was found Savoy answers :
"We found a few metal coins scattered about the market. Each coin has a floating city on one side and a copaxi face on the other, with words (in Copaxi) reading “We Few Above All.”. I'm unsure at this time what the significance of those. But it's only our first stop. I'm sure we'll find more once we continue our exploration. You said you stopped using them 40 years ago?"
After the comms are shut down again
"They haven't used coins in over 40 years...and these coins are what? 5? years old? Something doesn't add up"
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Therseis pauses on hearing about the coins. "Um, yes, that does sound strange. We know little about the economy of the ancient copaxis. But only 5 years old? That is odd. Might they be preserved by the ancients' magic? Regrettably, there are facets of Tabrid Minor’s history that are poorly understood." Therseis sounds embarrassed or ashamed at this. "Hopefully, your further investigations would help to uncover our past. I thank you on behalf of the copaxis and please let me know how I can help." This last part sounds genuine, but you still sense that he is holding something back.
He acknowledges Burn about flying over the Gardens and terminates the communication on his end. Over the site, Burn fails to spot anything moving but with how dilapidated the place has become, it would not have been easy.
---
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His attention occupied with flying the shuttle to their next destination, Chk'tarlsh leaves reporting to Therseis up to his more-than-capable companions.
"Ssomethinhk'sh not addinhk up, here" he announces after shutting off the comms.
Helping scour the Academy buildings for any items of value or significance he passes over anything he finds to hu6s more learned companions.
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Savoy takes a look around the Academy Main Campus
"Anyone else find it strange that the campus is devoid of materials that reveal anything about the copaxis themselves?"
"It's almost as if some other race lived here before them and they just took it over like..5 years? ago and someone removed all evidence of them being here."
Reporting back:
"Not much here. We found abundant materials containing generic knowledge such as books on basic chemistry and geology. Through the length of time, many of them have degraded considerably. We are moving on to the next site."
"How are things going on your end?"
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"Not much here. We found abundant materials containing generic knowledge such as books on basic chemistry and geology. Through the length of time, many of them have degraded considerably. We are moving on to the next site."
"How are things going on your end?"
"That would be understandable considering how many years the cities have been abandoned. We found similar conditions when we explored the Academy ourselves. We are thus far been consolidating our findings for the last few days, to await new inputs your team uncovers. Did you find anything interesting at the Academy that we might have missed?" Therseis sounds excited and anxious about this.
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As the group explores the library, Zez'ka finds nothing her companions haven't. "Hmmm.... You are right, Friends! Something is strange here. Curious! Suspicious!" She thinks for a while, trying to come up with some theory the others haven't suggested. Apparently she come sup empty.
---
"Oh, my. Are you feeling alright?" Zez'ka asks Therseis over the comms. "You sound anxious! Curious!"
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Burn asks his companions, "Are any of the books dated? Or have any of you seen other means of establishing a date for this stuff? I haven't found anything, but I can barely work the copaxi translation program. 'Puters just aren't my thing."
As the group explores the library, Zez'ka finds nothing her companions haven't. "Hmmm.... You are right, Friends! Something is strange here. Curious! Suspicious!" She thinks for a while, trying to come up with some theory the others haven't suggested. Apparently she comes up empty.
"At least our suspicion is unanimous. What are we going to do about it?"
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"Oh, my. Are you feeling alright?" Zez'ka asks Therseis over the comms. "You sound anxious! Curious!"
If it's ok with the rest of the party Savoy will share that we haven't found materials that reveal anything about the copaxis themselves on the campus when asked if the research team have missed anything while trying to sense what they themselves feel about that
Therseis pauses over your comms units, before replying. "Yes, indeed I am anxious to see if you have found anything that would help shed light on our past. But my team had searched the Academy earlier and found nothing particular of note. Some of the ancient texts would be of curiosity to scientists and collectors. Gnaucara and Panacula informed us that some of scientific findings recorded were only discovered, or perhaps rediscovered about slightly more than century ago. That suggests that there was a regression in our science after the fall of ancient copaxis although that is likely expected. However, there are little practical use now as we have already progressed significantly beyond that. Also, we found few text that help us understand the history of our people. I was hoping that you might have found some."
Savoy notes from his tone as being truthful and that he is indeed keen to uncover the past. But you also can tell that he is holding something back.
Meanwhile, Burn and Zez'ka spend some time going through the books. As the method of production is unusual for you, you are not able to put down precise dates. However, you can at least tell that the books on magic are more recent that the ones on basic science.
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Zez'a speaks into the comms. "Understandable! And we discovered much the same! Well done, Friend Therseis!" She continues on, asking, "You said that the flying cities were ruled by mages who were brought low by divine retribution, yes? After this happened, did the copaxis people continue to use magic? Or have they stopped completely?" After waiting for an answer she asks, "Really? Is there anywhere your people can learn of magic?"
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"Thersseish, what can you tell ush of the martial abilitiesh of the copaxis? What armsh technologiesh are in usse? Do your people usse armed forcesh? You mentioned beinhk fired upon near the gardensh - what can we expect to face?" Chk'tarlsh asks over the comms.
After they have shut down the comms, he swivels in the pilot's seat to address his crew mates. "Too much ish not makinhk ssensse, too many holesh," he says, antennae twitching in thought.
Yes, like the Black Butterfly, the realisation hits him abruptly and sets his antennae twitching at greater frequency.
"Maybe if we continue on foot we will ssee more of what liesh between and can sstart to fill in ssome of what ish misssinhk."
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"Maybe if we continue on foot we will ssee more of what liesh between and can sstart to fill in ssome of what ish misssinhk."
"Are you thinking of going to the Gardens next? It's one of the closer sites and sounds less dangerous than the hole with tunnels full of monsters.
Savoy already told them we were moving on. If the shuttle stays here, they'll probably ask about it. We should probably preempt the question, make it look like we suspect nothing."
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"You said that the flying cities were ruled by mages who were brought low by divine retribution, yes? After this happened, did the copaxis people continue to use magic? Or have they stopped completely?" After waiting for an answer she asks, "Really? Is there anywhere your people can learn of magic?"
"Oh no, definitely not. Most copaxis view use of magic as a depravity. However, I have since learnt that magic is quite prevalent in the Pact Worlds, so it cannot be an evil in itself? Is magic inherently evil or was it just our ancient mages that was practising a particularly depraved form? This is still something that I still need to spend more time pondering over. And hopefully your investigations would turn up something."
"Thersseish, what can you tell ush of the martial abilitiesh of the copaxis? What armsh technologiesh are in usse? Do your people usse armed forcesh? You mentioned beinhk fired upon near the gardensh - what can we expect to face?"
"Access to what you refer to as firearms is strictly restricted, but it is not unknown ... divergents of the society to gain access to them. Some recent scientific work has been going into energy-based handheld weapons, but definitely not the technological standard of what I understand is available in the Pact Worlds."