[Outpost II] GM Dennis - SFS #1-31 Treading History's Folly (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Muldoon

This SFS game is part of Outpost II. Once you are signed up on the sign-up sheet, please ninja-dot this thread to add it to your Campaigns.

You each received the same cryptic message from First Seeker Jadnura; now you find yourselves waiting in an unfinished meeting room deep in the Lorespire Complex.

Feel free to introduce yourselves in-character. I've posted the message from Jadnura to the Maps & Handouts deck, linked at the top of this page and in my tagline. Please add your initiative and perception modifiers to the code block on the second slide. We'll get started tomorrow once Outpost officially launches.

Gear leans back on the shoulder of her vid-screened face drone. Her spiked pink hair and glowing tats make her look like a punk rocker, and the leather jacket clad drone who's face flickers with old music vids. She pops a gum bubble and smiles wide.

Heya! Name's Gear, just gear. Dropped the last name a few bodies ago, didn't seem appropriate to claim it before. This is me mate, Boytoy.

[Friendly Greeting]Hello Everyone! I hope I can be of service! :) [/Friendly Greeting]

She giggles.

Couple centuries looking for the right man, I just said "F it, Let's just build a man to my tastes!" Worked like a charm! Right Boytoy?

[Slightly Embarrassed]Darling, there is no need to get into such things on first introductions. o.o;;[/slightly Embarrassed]

Gear scoffs.

And go the whole mission without a hug or a kiss? B~*!&$#s to that, Rather it be out in the open from the start.

[Resigned]I suppose that would be stressful, I understand dear.[/resigned]

That's my sweetums.

Mordin grumbles as he trudges through the bare halls to the designated coordinates. He stops chewing his cigar as he lifts his gaze from the floor to find other Starfinders at the location. His bushy brows rise.

"Ah, hello..?" he says tentatively. He furrows his brow and squints even more skeptically as Gear introduces herself and her drone.

Next through the door is an Ysoki who has seemingly put close to an entire tin of pomade in his fur the have his hair in a stylish coif.

He wears a blue suit with an orange tie. And has on slotted shades. He also has a comically large heavy weapon strapped to his back Names Wheeler. Hows you guys doin. Not sure why Jadnura selected me. He ought to know just how tight me and my girl Luwazi Elsebo is. My role is usually behind the scenes making deals getting sponsors for the Starfinder Society but I like to lend my moral support to the guys who go on missions too from time to time.

He hands each of you a small stack electric blue business cards with his contact information on - WheelerDealer@SFS.org.

He looks boy toy up and down and slides an extra card to gear. I know some people who are gonna REALLY like Boytoy. There may be a place for you in Middle Management of the SFS . Ain't that swell?

"Thenk ye, ah guess?" the dwarf says as he is handed a business card. He watches the ysoki a little more critically as the agent moves on with his frenetic introduction.

A half-orc woman enters the room. Her bearing is tall, straight-backed, and proud, giving her an almost regal presence. A small glowing light orbits her head, resembling a halo or crown, but old scars reveal a hard life.

She frowns. "I am Trylara. I must admit, I am also highly uncomfortable with being asked to keep a mission secret from Luwazi Elsebo." She takes a business card from Wheeler and finds a chair, sitting primly on the edge.

Gear takes the card.

Where my Boytoy goes, I go, got it bub?

At Trylara's comment, Boytoy bobs his head.

[concerned]We are used to having Historia know what we are doing whether we want to or not. [/concerned]

Gear nods to.

It's right uncomfortable, that's for sure.

A night-black shirren with white-flecked eyes resembling stars stands aloof for a moment, seemingly staring off into space. As the other Starfinders assemble, though, he tilts his head quizzically and joins them, reaching out telepathically to speak. Hello! My name is Id-Sinitis, but most just call me Id. This does seem a strange precedent for a mission. I hope the First Seeker—or the first First Seeker, rather—is okay. He accepts a card and stares at it for a while, seemingly absorbing all its contents.

Mordin throws up his hands and plops down, chewing the end of his cigar as he grumbles under his breath, "At leest Ah ken aam in th' reit place."

Another android walks in the room. A female body, the android's hair is a dark blue, with on half shaved. Circuits, typical of the race, glow under her skin - most of whom are covered by a tight black suit. She sets down the legal briefcase at her side and sticks out a hand (to no one in particular). "Breq. Breq Torren. Here for any of your legal or adventuring needs. " When offered a card, she accepts gladly - handing out her own in return.

BREQ TORREN, ATTORNEY AT LAW.
LICENSED ACROSS THE PACT WORLDS
SPECIALIZING IN ANDROID OWNERSHIP SUITS

Hearing the discussion on the First Seeker dilemma, she shrugs. "As long as they keep paying and make smart choices, I don't care between the two."

The door to the sparse conference room slides open and in strides a tall Kasatha man, recognizable to all of you as First Seeker Jadnura. “I’m glad you could make it. I apologize for the secretive nature of this briefing.” Jadnura paces a mostly empty meeting room, with only a single table in front of a force-field shielded viewing port. He looks each of you in the eye. “I want you to know that I hold the fine work of First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo in the highest regard, but if she knew I was assembling Starfinder Agents for missions, it would complicate the already difficult situation of having two First Seekers. What I ask of you is of paramount importance to the Society, you see I—how do I begin?” Jadnura looks out the vast open port at the stunning view of The Eye of Absalom Station. His hand dances across the force field window before he continues.

“I have failed the Society. Over a year ago I discovered an artifact called a Tear on a small moon known as Kukanou-2b. It guided me to the Scoured Stars trinary star system. I dreamt of making impressive new discoveries, perhaps even some protected from the ravages of The Gap. In my excitement I had forgotten caution. For that, the Society lost so much.” He takes a deep breath, then exhales slowly. “Resources. Lives. So many of those under my command were trapped or killed behind the Godshield that enveloped the system.

“I need to make amends, that much is certain. But I also need to find out where I went wrong. What vital clue I must have missed. For that, I need you.” As he continues speaking, he looks at each Starfinder meaningfully. “You are the finest group of agents that I can assemble, each with an impressive service record. I need you to go to Kukanou-2b, where my folly began. Retrace my steps and find any clues to the Tear, the Scoured Stars, or anything else that can make sense of this catastrophe. If you find anything illuminating, return to me at once. Do you have any questions before you depart?”

"Nae. Sae ye jist need us tae gang inspect 'at moon an' try tae fin' whit ye missed? 'at isnae sae bad," Mordian says as he pushes himself back to a standing position. "Hoo ur we gettin' thaur? Since Ah assume we're nae usin' th' Drake ur th' Pegasus.

Gear nods, Boytoy's virtual face a concerned frown.

Ya want us to get something solid before you tell the boss about it. I can feel ya there.

"Something like that. “We will present the information to her once we have something to show for it. I also don’t want it to look as if I’m usurping her role. I’m still trying to figure out what my role will be in the Society.

"As for how you get there, I've arranged for a Pegasus to be available to you. I don't anticipate any trouble along the way." No starship tag on this one, so it doesn't really matter which ship you take.

Wheeler seems introspectful as he considers Jadnura's words. Lookie, obvious we were glad to get you back - all those sponsorships we secured were for this purpose and if you's looking to make amends that makes sense. Do you have any useful notes from the last time you did this?

"Maps woods be a stoatin help," Mordin adds Wheeler's request.

Trylara's frown doesn't change, and she arches an eyebrow slightly. "What exactly do you think we might find there?"

“I'm afraid I didn't spend the time to map the place when I was there before--another error, perhaps--but I can at least tell you a bit about the system. There are only two planets orbiting around the blue star at the system's center. The first is almost entirely molten rock, the second is a gas giant with various moons. You’re heading toward one of those moons. Kukanou-2b once had a liquid core but met some seismic catastrophe that rendered it lifeless. I found the Tear in a carved-out chamber near the surface, perhaps left there by smugglers or, as with the Tear Luwazi found, hidden away by the civilization it was intended for.”

Breq listens to the incumbent Seeker respectfully. After he finishes, she probes further. ”What led you to the Tear the first time? The cause of events is almost as important as the events themselves, I find.”. She grabs a datapad from her hip and begins taking notes as she goes. ”The planet was completely lifeless? No elemental or magical residents?”

Id's antennae perk to attention. A lifeless moon? I wonder how it got there. Space is fascinating! I hope we find remnants of an obliterated civilization! He pauses, as if hearing his own statement aloud and recognizing its gravity, then shrinks away, somewhat embarrassed.

"I discovered the Tear purely by accident, as I and my team explored the system. We didn't find any residents on the moon."

Breq nods, business-like. "Then this should be easy. Uneventful. Excellent." The android prepares to leave. These missions so rarely are, this will be a nice break.

If there are no other questions, please finalize your boon selections and I'll move us along later this evening.

Those of you that haven't done so yet, please finalize your boon selections.

---------

Travel to Kukanou-2b takes 5d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 2, 6, 4) = 20 days through the drift and into the vast. About four days into your journey, you intercept a strange signal from Near Space.

Computers: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Culture: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

Id stares quizzically at the signal for a moment. Looks like a some kind of Goblin message. We can track it by going a day off course. Sounds interesting. What do we think?

"We're nae in a coorie, ur we?" Mordin asks, likely rhetorically. "Hiner it's nae a goblin ambush."

Breq nods. "Priorities seemed to be weighted on secrecy, not speed. I say we investigate." The android flips the screen to the radar view, on the lookout.

Computers: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Trylara can't make heads or tails of the signal, but trusts Id-Sinitis.

"It seems worth looking into.

Alright, that's a few votes for checking it out, so I'll move us that way.

Arriving at the source of the signal, you find the area of space littered with the wreckage of two starships.

Culture: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Wheeler looks over Id-Sinus's shoulder and nods agreement.

Yup that's goblin alright - and as good a lead as any. Why don't we enter those coordinates into the computer and see what's supposed to be there - and then go there because lol maps. The cheery Ysoki says.

Trylara's face grows increasingly serious as you approach the wreckage.

"I'm familiar with these groups. The Marixah Republic and the Gideron Authority. It would seem the violence between the two is increasing. I suspect all-out war isn't far off. The Gideron Authority has many hobgoblins; it makes sense that the signal was in Goblin."

Wheeler gives a frown I helped to sponsor that mission - to extract Gideron materiel from their territory they were ceding to the Marixah. I suspect their relationship is more entwined than either cares to admit.

Wheeler takes a note and prepares an email to Luwazi Elsebo.

Picking through the wreckage of the two ships you find nothing of value and no survivors, so after a while continue on toward your destination.

The next 16 days of travel pass uneventfully, leaving you plenty of time to train, maintain weapons, read poetry, or whatever else you like to do to pass the time.

When you exit the drift at the end of your journey, you find yourself in a small system around a blue dwarf star. You can easily head toward the blue-and-green gas giant and locate the second moon, a black and grey rock that spins silently, ash storms marring its lonely surface.

Whoever is acting as Science Officer when you emerge into the system may make a Computers check with a +2 bonus from the ship. I'm assuming that person will then put whatever info they find up on the main screen, so anyone may look at whatever spoilers the Science Officer unlocks.

Computers: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 10 + 2 = 32

Breq is hard at work at the scanners, having learned them well over the last two weeks since the wreckage. Her scans go deep into the rock, unveiling much. ”What a delightful place to live,” she says dryly. ”Looks like a settlement remains. We should start there.”

"Weel, isnae 'at a brammer wee place tae bide?" Mordin comments as Breq displays the scanner's findings. "Guid job wi' th' scanner, Breq, by th' way. Ur we gonnae sit doon near th' wee, exposed settlement? Seems loch th' best place tae gie a scooby abit th' fowk 'at lived 'er in th' pest."

Wheeler looks surprised at the mention of a settlement. Well that's surprising. You would think if there was a settlement Jadnura would have found it the last time he was here. Unless its abandoned I guess. But that does make a good starting point, I agree master dwarf.

"Probably did nae hae a science officer as guid as Breq," Mordin surmises.

The descent to the landing zone is blind, as the ash suspended in the air reduces visibility to only 50 ft. Jadnura's directions, combined with Breq's thorough scanning, however, make it a trivial matter to accomplish via sensors. Once on the ground, the directions to the chamber where Jadnura found the Tear are easy to follow and the journey on foot takes about an hour. Once underground, the air is no longer full of ash, but is, as might be expected, completely dark

The plain rocky walls are occasionally highlighted by black mold that emits a pungent musty odor. The remnants of a camp indicate the former presence of sentient life, including a portable self-pitching tent. A single set of humanoid foot prints stand out starkly against the undisturbed dust and ash.

Please tell me what kind of light sources you're using, so I know how far they extend. Also, please show me your marching order on the marked section of the map.

Trylara has darkvision for 60 feet, and her mote sheds dim white light in a 20 ft radius.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

"I suppose this is where Jadnura stayed?"

"Someain was haur. Recently, tay," Mordin says, inspecting the tracks in the dust. "Looks loch they kent th' area. Th' tracks ur sure an' direct."

Darkvision 60 ft; also note Stonecunning

Perception: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
Engineering: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14
Physical Science: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Id surveys the tracks using the flashlight on his comm unit, his antennae tingling as he senses for vibrations in the poor visibility. These tracks are fresh. And direct. Whoever left them knew where they were going. Should we follow them? His comm pings, and he glances at it. My hired help is watching my live feed, he says watch out for earthquakes. Those cracks over there suggest seismic disturbances.

Engineering: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

Decision 60 ft

Wheeler nods I have a protege watching remotely as well. They are so useful to have around are they not?.

Knowing what to look for now he sees the tracks and takes in the information.

Are these tracks humanoid? Or Jinsul? But Jadnura seemed to indicate this heading was very secret. So who could this be? Could they be enemies of ours? And if so who?

Wheeler pulled his enormous weapon in hand. Better safe than sorry.

"Bipedal, cheil sized," Mordin clarifies.

(I basing that on the description as 'Medium sized person' and the assumption that the writers/editors would either specify the creature type or use alien/creature for non-standard races.)

Seeing Wheeler take out a weapon, Trylara nods and does likewise. She reaches for the glowing mote above her head, and it transforms in her hand to a greataxe, glowing white and crackling with electricity.

"We should be cautious."

Gear nods, pulling out her pistol.

Aye, everyone be careful.

Gear sees with darkvision, but will also turn on her suits flashlight to be able to see color when possible.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Engineering: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28

I also have darkvision and low light vision.

Breq moves to the front of the group, pulling two knives from her waist. "Indeed, this will be interesting.. The seismic disturbances could be very dangerous. Stay awake."

"Ah cannae believe 'at Ah didne notice 'at!" Mordin grumps.

You set off deeper into the cave, but your trek is disrupted almost immediately by the sound of rock loudly cracking off from the wall! The stone pieces coalesce into the form of two creatures, who advance on you with obvious malice!

Initiative!

...really?