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Desha turns to check on Starfinder-19 as they send a bolt of magical electricity whizzing past her and sees that the android is badly hurt. She can't do anything to help restore their mental faculties, but she can tend to their wounds to an extent. "Here you go, 19! Don't want you falling down on us now." She gives the android a smile as she lays a hand on his shoulder and heals him.
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Sadly, Starfinder-19's electric bolt passes right through the Hantu.
The android can only hope that Starfinder-20 will have an upgraded targeting system.
The Void Hantu floats forward, and turns its rhino snouted head towards Desha, with a grin that must be some kind of uncanny smile.
It's telepathic message booms inside Desha's mind:
Y̕͟O̶͘U͏̢͢ ̶̧À̢͠R͏͞É̡͘ ̀͡͝Ǹ͏̴̴͝Ę̀͟͝X̧͞T̨͟!͜͝͝͏
Then it lashes out at Chassarch--
--luckily inflicting only a glancing blow, but still sucking out Chassarch's sentience.
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Seeing how badly hurt Chassarch is, Desha moves to step in between the halfling and the enemy creature. "That was a nice shot, Chass," she calls over her shoulder, "Stay alive a bit longer so you can pull another one of those out, okay?"
She reaches back and lays a glowing hand on Chassarch's shoulder, restoring some of his vitality.
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The supercharged plasma bolter rips a hole in the very fabric of the Void Hantu, and rips it apart, totally destroying it...
A booming telepathic shriek of terror invades your minds.
N̡͗ͦ͗̒͐ͦ̋͒̀̽́͞͞҉̣͇͔Ơ̶̜̣͈͈̟͍̪̮̰͍̾̎͊ͫͤ͌͗̾̌͆̋͊͌̋͆̈́͑̋̚͘O̧̢̺̟̻̞͇̤̝̩͎̠ͦ͋́͋̐ͦ͂Ò̿ ̶̢͕͙̘͕͕̫̝̬̤̖̬̯͛͆ͨ̌͢͞Ȏ͌̄̀ͫ̾̎̆͋̎ͨ͐ͫ̃̓͗ͪ҉̢̤̫̰̫Ȯ̢̡̑͛͋͒͌ͭͬ̽̄̈͘͏̘͈͎̻͖̠̝̘̖̱̰͉̳̩̭ ͉̳O̍̃ͦ̃̎̊̄ͯ̈́͏̴̴̢̝̱̭̬̲̜̟̬͈̭͙̠̪͢O̍͆ͪ̃ͭ͐̾ͩ͂̌̎̎̂͏͓̣̘̻̻̫̗̘̣̜̰̤̮͟ͅÖ̓̊͊ͧ̽͐̓͑́̀҉̶҉ ҉͓͕̦̯̬̗̖̺O͂̒ͥͪͣ̓͆͐̂͗͆ͣ̍̇̾̇͌͗̚҉̴̥̪̻͉̭͉̣̬̱̪̦̜̤̩̬!̪͚͚̳̩͔͉̫̩̙͓̎̎̓͂̾̐͗ͤͩ̀̕!ͥ͋ͬ͌͗ ̡̬͚͎͓̺̑͂ͥ̽̒̌̽̇̄̕̕!̶͍̲̖̹̭̪̰̘̯̜͍̖͙̲̼͛͋͗̊̾ͭ͜͠͡͞!̶̨̩̯͕̖̥̤̜̗̯̑̽̋̒̂͋́͋̑̚͘͞!͆̈̅ͧ͒͐ ̶͏̩͔͔̲͍̞̝̟̱̜͍̭̟̲͘!̸͛̉ͯ͗ͤ̈́͐ͪ̊̎͞͠͏͏̱͕̺̠̞
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"I wish I knew, Eselar. Maybe we will learn more if we continue on. Maybe the First Seeker will know something about the history of this place!" With renewed motivation, Desha stands and strides across the room to open the door to the east. She tries to be prudent, though, and first checks it for any signs of traps.
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Neither discovering any traps, Eselar stands guard as Desha opens the door to the east of this room.
You are standing in the single door to the west of the smaller room you discovered.
It allows entrance into what is still a spacious stone room.
Rubble blocks what should have been a second door to the north.
A wooden bedframe, chair, and footlocker take up much of the space here, while a bath basin sized for a Medium creature stands along the room’s eastern edge.
A person seems to be waking up on the bed...
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Hearing his name, the figure sits up, and then gets up off the bed.
You see that color is rapidly coming back to the kasatha's face.
Jadnura, First Seeker of the Starfinder Society, listens intently, and then nods: "My mind... it was lost... coming back. Still very slow."
He rubs his head, and though his eyes look as if he is peering off into some long- distant memory, he eventually says:
“Thank you... Starfinders. For, yes, you are Starfinders, right?
In my meditative state, I was unaware that this alien creature was assaulting my mind.
In my meditations, I have seen many truths. It is time that I return with you to the Society.
I will not forget the service you have done for me.”
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"Ah, Eselear... I remember encountering you. Yes. What exploits you accomplished in that daring mission that rescued me."
He bows deep to you all.
"I owe you my freedom, or maybe my life. Thank you."
He bows once again to Eselar... looking to see if he recognizes others.
"You I now owe a double life-debt! I hope that next time I will be the one rendering the assistance."
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Desha stands at attention and salutes Jadnura, "First Seeker, sir! Captain Desha Doash at your service! I was one of those agents trapped in the Scoured Stars alongside you, sir, though my missions were on another planet within the system." She then quickly moves inside to assist the kasatha. "Are you alright, sir? There was a creature, Chassarch here called it a...void hantu, I believe? It seemed to feast on the consciousness of its victims. Chassarch and Starfinder-19 both suffered badly from the attack, but we're all still alive."
Looking somewhat uncomfortable at the dangerous situation her companions had endured, the former Steward faces her new leader and asks, "Can you tell us what you were hoping to find out here, First Seeker? And what truths did you find?"
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»Desha! »
He stumbles over and, surprisingly, gives you a hug!
»My failings trapped you in the Scoured Stars! Yet you come again to the heart of danger to save me.
Thank you! »
»Ah, Chassarch! Yes, I know of your deeds.
As you say, I better be worth it.
And the beat way to be so... is to be active and make sure I
am.
And I will do so. »
Looking back at Desha: »I came here to witness this incredible stellar vision.
In the peace of this quiet monastery.
But it seems a creature of evil slipped through a rift created by the very
event I was watching... and crippled me while I was lost in meditation. »
He thinks a bit, and adds that he will keep his decisions secret for now, but that they soon will become clear.
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Leaning against the wall by the door, Drak looks at Jadnura. "So, First Seeker, do you think that ye have observed enough of this event? 'Cause if so, we have a ship waitin' to take us back to Absalom Station. Your recent absence has caused a bit of an issue, so I would recommend that we head back as soon as possible." Glancing at Chassarch and Starfinder-19, he continues. "Time aboard ship would also give everyone's minds a chance to heal from the damage that the Hantu caused."
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Jadnura squints and looks 'down', spotting Drak: "Oh?! Master Thrurg?!
My oh my! It is like the Scoured Stars Rescue all over again!
You all suffered so much... because of me. And, yet again you come so far for me...
I will not let you down again!"
It is obvious he is so deeply moved that you were either trapped within the Scoured Stars with him, or came to free the Starfinders who were... and have once again put yourself in such grave danger for him and the Society.
"Yes, I am keen on getting back as fast as I can, so I think I shall stop observing now, and start acting. Well said, Drak."
Upon hearing, later, how you met with Eshki, Alsuka, Boojan and Kahir in order to rescue him, he is grateful, and commends you on getting this far, and promises that you services will not go unremarked.
For now, though: "Let us escape the temple and return to Absalom Station!"
He retrieves the treasures he discovered in the temple during his visit. And wants you to present this to the Society, "as you were the agents who overcame the true threat within the temple."
Jadnura presents you with a cache of items including: an inspiring fusion seal (5th level) (Starfinder Armory 63), a set of lashunta mind mail (Starfinder Armory 69), a chill bone scepter (Starfinder Armory 9) and 1,200 credits in collected art pieces and gemstones.
You do a quick final exploration of the temple, using the smart Psychokinetic Hand move to get gems out of the monk-cellars, as well as some little spark-knife.
And you see that the rooms just South of the Void-Hantu's lair, were empty.
You trudge back to the Void Scholar where Kahir greets you: "I have had all your bed-linen cleaned and scented with Castrovelian jasmin extract. My personal foot-massage therapist-bot is ready for you, Jadnura... but, first, you must be thirsty! Come share some liqueurs with me."
And you do see that it is very nice and refreshing to have such fine beds awaiting you after the cold darkness of the hantu temple.
Also, Desha Doash discovers a fresh, natural, Akitonian red rose in a simple white vase beside her bunk.
The journey back to Absalom Station is short and pleasant, even though Jadnura remains in isolation during the trip, upsetting Kahir by not taking a foot massage.
Jadnura finally emerges, from his quarters, just as the the ship is about to exit the Drift, at destination.
"I spent my time meditating on your actions, and I recognize that my inactivity in the aftermath of the Scoured Stars rescue must come to an end.
I cannot request of you, but I do plead with you that you keep my return a secret for the time being.
I am likely to call upon you, soon, for a future assignment involving the fate of the Scoured Stars. For II believe that there is still much to learn about the Scoured Stars and the jinsul attackers who’ve reclaimed the system, but I wants to put together a few more plans before I assign that mission."
In the background you hear Kahir mumbling about not accepting kindly offered massage-bots, yet ordering to keep quiet...
The ship exits the Drift and approaches Absalom Station.
Jadnura indicates that he has also spent time meditating on each of you, and hopes to follow your continuing careers.
"I have seen glimpses of potential futures based on your actions, and though my visions have not always proven true, I offer my services to each of you five heroes."
He whispers in each of your ears, giving you short pieces of advice based upon these insights, that you will see will help you during future missions you may embark on.
And then it is back to the turmoil of the Lorespire Complex... with Jadnura pulling a cape over his head, and slipping away from you, with a last wave, in Docking Bay 94.