Botamo dismisses his solar sword into a swirling solar mote as he uses it calm and sooth the terrified creature, "Whoa whoa there little fellah... We're not gonna hurt ya, just want to make sure you aint hurt dontcha know?" he says with his hands raised up to his shoulders to show he isn't threatening then kneels down and holds a hand out invitingly while cooing softly at it.
Charm Monster
Level: 3
School: enchantment (charm, mind-affecting)
Components:
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: close (25 + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: one living creature
Duration: 1 day/level
Save: Will negates
Resistance: yes
This spell functions like charm person, except the effect is not restricted by creature type.
Charm Person
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 342
Classes Mystic 1
School enchantment (charm, mind-affecting)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets one humanoid creature
Duration 1 hour/level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
Description
This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target’s attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus to its saving throw.
The spell does not enable you to control the charmed creature as if it were an automaton. It is unlikely to attempt to harm you, but it is also unlikely to attack any of its true friends or allies. You can try to give the target suggestions, but you must succeed at an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn’t ordinarily do. (Retries of this check are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful suggestions. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed creature breaks the spell. You must speak the creature’s language to communicate your suggestions, or else be good at pantomiming.
The creature lets out a cute little "KWEEP!" and scampers towards Botamo, climbs up his body with the aid of its prehensile tail, and clings to his backside.
It starts licking Botamo's neck.
3x Golemforged plating III (each w/ grim trophies and weapon spikes
[tactical knife])
3x Liquidator disintegrator pistol
6x Standard battery
6x Incendiary grenades II
3x Sintered longsword
...and...
Three ancient kishalee hoverbikes lean against the wall in one corner of
the room. One has been destroyed from the explosion but the other two look practically new.
Searching the cabinets reveals three temporal disruption grenades and a one minor disruption pistol (loaded with a long-ago drained battery), each of ancient Kishalee make.
"I imagine we could roast this creature, with the mushrooms our friend is gathering... but though that would be good to know more about this alien from above the clouds, there are other ways to interact with this one that loves to lick necks."
Botamo helps the little thing up his tall frame and pets it lovingly until Kush speaks. His eyes flash to kush, brows furrowed and solar sword reignited in an instant,"You'll do no such thing." he commands,"I would expect a curate like to have a bit more sympathy EH?"
He then glances back at the cute little marsupial before dismissing the sword and bringing his hand up to scratch behind his ears,"Isn't that right you sweet little cuddle bug? we didn't think Kush was a hoser did we? no we didn't. Isn't that right Mr. Fuzzles?" he says in the cringeyest baby voice possible.
”Botamo I would suggest caution with the beast. Trying to take on animal companions is an unwise decision. For now I suggest we take it back to the ship if we take it at all, we would not want it to accidentally explode to a random grenade.”
RD-S2 looks over the loot that was gathered.
“Would anyone mind if I take the minor disruption pistol?
It's a harmless omnivore, with a weak jaw and a defensive Scamper:
Scamper (Ex) When a Velsasha would be hit by an attack of opportunity, it can attempt an Acrobatics check as a reaction. If the result of the Acrobatics check equals or exceeds the result of the attack roll, the attack of opportunity misses.
It is otherwise a CR 1/2 animal with a Climb speed of 20ft.
Any preparations before continuing further? 10-minute rest for anyone?
No rest for Kush, and he has no idea about that rodent, if it is edible, what diseases it carries...
"Doncha know this is a Velsasha Kush? Surely you remember the stories? These things were always popping up in the old tales my pa used to tell me around the fire."
"Ardee, what are those? They look like something the ancestors would have used." he says as he points to the the ancient hover bikes.
“These look like hoverbikes if I have the time I might be able to try and repair the broken one.”
RD-S2 looks over the bikes to see if it would possible to repair the the last bike.
RD-S2 looks over the bikes to see if it would possible to repair the the last bike.
engineering: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (16) + 22 = 38
RD-S2 recognizes that, despite their alien origins, these hoverbikes essentially operate on the same principles as many others, and could easily be fixed in about 30 minutes.
Peering through the open door, you see many closed doors exiting from the next corridor. Clockwise from top left they are labeled in Kishaleen:
"Top left... err, your left or my left?"
After thoroughly checking the door for any explosives, and with an approving sniff by Botamo's new "pet", you all enter the room and find nothing hostile waiting for you.
This large chamber is lit only by the bluish glow of a single monitor across from the southern door. The other computer consoles that line the walls are dark. A circular platform reminiscent of many found in Istamak is affixed to the floor in the center of the room. The view outside a window in the western wall is completely obscured by thick jungle foliage.
"Nothing here... though we might cut down some trees to see what they watched.
Next room?"
The comp-... Oracle Window contains text in ancient kishaleen. It appears to be asking for a usable name and a word of passage.
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Botamo clears his throat, "ahem.. Botamo, Huntsman for the Kish." then smiles expectantly for a moment before his brow furrows in disappointment,"Preposterous, I have no other usable name." he says with a humph as he steps back away from the oracle window. "whatever ancestors are in that window are not mine."
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Kush glances at Botamo, and then at the Oracle Window: "Hey, stupid, that is the Captain speaking! ANSWER!"
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While Botamo and kush yell at the computer RD-S2 tries to access it
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Apologies. Went from having tons of free time to covering for a sick co-worker. Will try to post either on my lunch or tonight when I get home.
RD-S2 easily taps into the terminal and disables an alarm countermeasure without even processing about it. Powering up the other computers in the room seems to be the only function left available.
As they begin to thrum with energy the platform near the center of the room flickers to life and a luminescent holographic projection manifests above it. Within seconds the light coalesces into a tall, regal... ANCESTOR!!. She is dressed in garb that appears to be a mixture of military and scientific outfits that disappears into the glow of the circular dais at her feet. She stretches out her arms (which momentarily dematerialize outside of the platform’s edges) and speaks a hasty greeting in Kishaleen. Though her expression remains fixed and stoic, she lets out a sigh of relief at the sight of you all.
”Industrious is the dawn! Did the Galactic Council send you? Eltreth… He has gone mad! His programming has degenerated. For centuries he has been raving about something called the 'Star-Eater'. I confined him due to these critical errors, but now he is out, and I am trapped in here! He and those cruel marauders who helped him must be stopped!”
"By Talavet's wandering shoes!"
Kush kneels before the apparition, and bows deep.
"Greetings Avatar of the Ancestors! Your will we be down by Thy servant. Elreth will be dealt with... How do we know who he is?"
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Thrym bows low, and then whispers, his voice choked with emotion:
"Ancestor, I know not of the Galactic Council; the Elders of Istamak sent us, to stop the Demons in humanoid form from plundering the Secrets of the Ancestors, which we have been led to believe includes a terrible, world-destroying weapon, hidden here..."
He then straightens up, but still averts his eyes.
"What can you tell us of what Eltreth and the Demons have done (and where we can find them)? They must be stopped!"
The hologram strains to look down at the kneeling Kish, her forehead momentarily evaporating away as it touches the confines of her digital cell.
"Istamak? On Nejeor six?" she scratches her mandibles in thought.
“So you do not kno... Oh, no... Then please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Osteth. I was once one of the many scientists who monitored this system, protecting its secret. I am no deity. Long ago, I had a physical form, but in order to maintain these computers for eternity, another engineer and I created digital versions of our consciousnesses to serve as custodians for all time.”
She turns to Thrym, "Eltreth and I have operated here for *glitch* millennia, keeping this place functional and its terrible secret hidden, until a couple of centuries ago. Without warning, Eltreth began to display signs of instability and critical errors. He became convinced that he was the hand of some being called the 'Devourer'. I sequestered him to these servers before he could cause any damage. But then several days ago we were invaded by a group of humanoids and apparitions. They call themselves the 'Desperate Hunger'. Fanatics. They blasted their way into this facility and before I knew it, they had freed Eltreth and forced me into his prison."
She pushes against the disappearing cell walls to emphasize the point.
"--I am no deity."
Kush gets back, shrugs, and wanders off.
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Thrym nods.
"There are some... echoes of Ancestors in a similar format to yourself in the Maze of Ghosts back on Istamak; they tell us of much that is lost, but their insight is limited..."
He then sighs.
"I am sorry to hear that your companion has been corrupted by the progenitor of these Demons; how can we restore him to where he is supposed to be, and free you? Presumably, that is what we need to do, to stop the Demons, yes?"
“Truthfully, I fear the Desperate Hunger will be stopped by nothing short of death. Then, though it pains me to say so, I must trap Eltreth again and destroy his programming for good. What I thought was a mere degradation was but utter corruption borne from powers I do not understand."
Osteth waves a hand and brings up a map of entire control center and highlights the room at the end of the corridor and to the right.
“You cannot do it from here. You must access the sequestering subprogram from the Central Command room. This should initiate an exchange of my core programming and Eltreth’s. Beware, though. Eltreth has probably installed countermeasures. And due to my prison, I have been unable to monitor the movements of the fanatics."
Botamo remains silent through most of the interaction, eyes locked on the projection. He locks eyes with Thrym at the mention of destroying Eltreth,"If these cultist or their dark ancestors have corrupted Eltreth, then we must stop him. If we cannot be stopped we must destroy him for the sake of all those who call themselves Kish!" he yells raising his fist in the air.
"Also, as a word of caution, I programmed a pulse of electricity throughout the terminals in the Central Command room, hopefully ensuring the demiplane containing the Stellar Degenerator could not be easily accessed, but it may hinder your efforts to transfer Eltreth's files. But you seem capable thus far. I wish you success.”
"Thank you for the warning Osteth, we will be cautious." Botamo says while bowing his head before stepping out into the hall, "Lets clear this place out eh? room by room just like back home" he says as he approaches the next door down the hall.
RD-S2 gets behind Botamo “Yes lets clear the building.”
The group follows their fearless and strange-accented Captain towards the next set of doors. Pushing on the triangular central pad reveals a bright interior:
This rectangular chamber has several illuminated panels and monitors along its walls. Some show schematics of buildings, including the one you are presently in, while others show the interior of the planet! In the latter images, squads of robots skitter along the technology-studded walls of massive tunnels. A circular platform similar to that of the room you just came from lays in the center of this room, projecting a hologram of a tall... ANCESTOR!... clad in white robes. He gestures at the various screens, seemingly directing the robots in their tasks.
At the sound of the door opening, the holographic Kishalee turns to address you. At first, a look of nervousness overcomes his face, but as soon as he sees the four Kish, his features turn to relief.
"Industrious is the night! Did the Galactic Council send you? Osteth... She has gone mad! Her programming has degenerated. For centuries she has been raving about something called the 'Star-Eater'. I confined her due to these critical errors, but now cruel marauders are bent on freeing her! Worse, yet, they are trying to access the Stellar Degenerator! They must be stopped!”
"By Talavet!"
Kush moves forward, and knees before the Ancestor.
"I... Oh!... Ummm... Who?"
"Talavet! The storyteller, nay the story itself, the communal memory that holds us all together and connects us to our ancestral home! Tradition tradition tradition!"
"What is this Galactic Council?" Botamo says before noticing Kush,"Wait.. this is Talavet? looks like a hoser to me bud." he says stepping inside.
"Osteth gone mad? I'm guessing she'd say the same about you ancestor."he says eyeing the hologram.
The little Velsasha sniffs in the direction of the hologram and utters a curious "Kweep-kweep?"
The hologram sighs defeatedly, “So you do not kno... I suspected this day would come. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Eltreth. I was once one of the many scientists who monitored this system, protecting its secret. Long ago, I had a physical form, but in order to maintain these mechanical systems for eternity," he gestures once again to the active robots on the screens, "another engineer and I created digital versions of our consciousnesses to serve as custodians for all time.”
He turns to Kush, "Osteth and I have operated here for *glitch* millennia, keeping this place functional and its terrible secret hidden, until a couple of centuries ago. Without warning, she began to display signs of instability and critical errors. Osteth became convinced that she was the hand of some being called the 'Devourer'. I sequestered her program before she could cause any damage... But since you know of her name, I must presume her containment has been breached. Most likely it was those invaders! They call themselves the 'Desperate Hunger'. Fanatics. They blasted their way into this facility and have been causing havoc ever since. One of them, with pink hair, left earlier. I am worried she may cause problems elsewhere, and so I am fortifying these robots against any possible corruption."
He gestures to the screens again, as if inviting you into the room to see his work.
"Oh You Have Attained the Spirit World and Godly-like Immaterialism! WE SHALL HUNT ALL PINK HAIR!"
Kush shakes his axe.
"Eltreth...I believe both you and Osteth have been deceived by the Cult of the devourer. Rest assured, we will defeat this pink haired hoser and any of these other desperate hungerers!" he says as he strokes the Velsasha behind its horns. "Are there any blessing you can give us that might help us rid the galaxy of this stain?"
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Kush smiles at the captain, knowing why the captain is the captain, may his hair never turn pink: "Yes, blessings! Blessings are good!"
"Blessings?" He scratches his mandibles in thought. "I... Yes, blessings. Over here," he gestures once again to a computer screen at the far end of the room.
Kush looks to the captain, wanting him to get the Blessing first.
He IS the captain, after all!
Botamo approaches the screen to see what Eltreth has shown him.
RD-S2 stands in the doorway. PCD-3 stands behind RD-S2.