Both of the megafauna creatures bellow as they are hit with spell, ranged, and melee attacks. But the big creatures have an amazing amount of resilience and anger. The fallen izalguun regained its feet and stabbed out at its target, catching it in the chest. The other hunter pierced its foe as well. Both took huge swipes from teh claws in return, and this time, both izalguuns were left laying on the ground.
R3: janilla, senesdar, saryn, fixit, izalguuns, megafauna, chikasa, creed
R4: janilla, senesdar, saryn, fixit, izalguuns, megafauna, chikasa, creed
current status:
chikasa 20/20 SP | 22/22 HP
creed 18/18 SP | 22/22 HP
fixit 24/24 SP | 26/26 HP
janilla 30/30 SP | 32/32 HP
saryn 30/30 SP | 25/25 HP
senesdar 19/32 SP | 32/32 HP
izalguun (yellow) -33 (prone)
izalguun (white) -30 (prone)
megzoloth (blue) -45
megzoloth (red) -50
The blueish megzoloth was slashed by Saryn's sword, and reeled at the rifle assault, but bugled its war cry as it turned on Saryn. The half-meter claws ripped into the soldier, but he managed to keep his feet. The other one lashed out at the nearest izalguun, but the hunter turned the blows aside.
Saryn takes 12 damage
R4: janilla, senesdar, saryn, fixit, izalguuns, megafauna, chikasa, creed
R5: janilla, senesdar, saryn, fixit, izalguuns, megafauna, chikasa, creed
current status:
chikasa 20/20 SP | 22/22 HP
creed 18/18 SP | 22/22 HP
fixit 24/24 SP | 26/26 HP
janilla 30/30 SP | 32/32 HP
saryn 18/30 SP | 25/25 HP
senesdar 19/32 SP | 32/32 HP
izalguun (yellow) -33 (prone)
izalguun (white) -30 (prone)
megzoloth (blue) -67
megzoloth (red) -63
Chikasa drops another heavy round into the nearest creature, the one Dr. Creed has been keeping targeted. Fixit fired at the same one, even while Senesdar and Saryn hacked away at it. But, it was the laser rifle that got the kill, bringing the enormous beast down. Saryn and Senesdar scurried out of the way of thrashing limbs as the creature died.
On the other side of the battle field, Janilla once again burned the mezoloth's mind, though she felt it resisting her efforts. The prone izalguuns both leaped to their feet and charged the remaining megzoloth, driving their spears deep into its chest. With a roar that turned swiftly into a whimper, the beast collapsed to the ground.
With the battle over, the izalguuns stood on their hindlegs, folding their arms across each other and staring at the fallen creatures. Then, one moved to tend to the fallen izalguun while the other turned to speak to you in a strange and garbled tongue.
|
Janilla will attempt to non-verbally communicate to the 2 izalguun's that she wishes to cast a spell on one of them, a non-dangerous spell that would allow them to converse.
If that goes well, she will touch one of the izalguuns...whomever seems to be less hesitant and cast Share Spell...learning Common, Azlanti and Halfling for 24 hours.
"Ahh...a reason--besides being forced to pilot the ship apparently--for me to actually be here," Janilla says.
The izalguun looked hesitant for a moment, then allowed Janilla to cast her spell on him. Once it was in place he spoke, though haltingly.
"Thank you strangers. My name is Nutama, and I am in your debt for the aid in fighting these tug-zathi beasts. Please, if you have any healing magics or tonics, I beg of you to help our elder, who was felled while collecting the corrupted samples of kathi-weed. There are more of our tribe on the way, but I fear that elder Chagathuun will not linger that long."
|
|
Chikasa reloads his rifle again before he clicks on the safety and once again activates the glamer on the weapon. He jump jets down from on top of the rock and extends a hand up toward Nutama. "How ya doin' there, friend? Name's Chikasa. Me and my friends here are from the Starfinder Society, a group of explorers and researchers and such that are from a different world. We're sorry we had to kill those critters that you was fightin' but we're here to make friendly with the locals, and that's ya'll. So we'd love it if you'd tell us a little about yourselves."
Janilla managed to heal the fallen elder and he sat up, rubbing the wounds on his legs. Even as she did, the other izgaluun went on to explain that recently, a number of samples of this kathi-weed has been spreading throughout the forest. The animals that normally fed on kathi were turning wild and crazy, ignoring all other sources of food. The hunters were trying to collect samples of the corrupted kathi in hopes of determining what was going on, and how to stop it.
As Nutama finished his short story, noise from the woods heralded a much larger party of izalguuns. At their lead was a tall and broad female, who introduced herself in flawless common.
"I am Naarma of the Uplifted Arm tribe. I thank you for your efforts on our behalf, both in assisting my hunters and for saving the life of Chagathuun. We are in your debt. I must ask, though, do you work at the research station? Or were you perhaps involved in the starship battle earlier?"
The izalguuns thank Janilla and Dr. Creed for their treatment, and all seem to be moving better, not fully healed, but not in immediate danger of collapse, either.
Naarma waited to see if any other questions were forthcoming, but when you remained quiet, she said "I believe we should return to the village now. Our tale is long enough that it would be better to say in comfort and with food. Please, will you join us? Whether you choose to or not, our tribe is in your debt. As thanks, please allow me to present these gifts."
One of the izalguuns that had come with Naarma brought over a bundle of some kind of treated hide. Unwrapping it, you saw a pair of finely crafted longknives and an armor upgrade that would allow the wearer to handle the cold extremes of this world.
Once the gifts had been given, the izalguun leader made a call in her native language, and as one the hunters turned to leave.
"Please, follow us."
Naarma led you through the woods to a hilly clearing, the ground peppered with both temporary shelters and permanent ones resembling earthen ziggurats. Numerous izalguuns populate the camp, wielding primitive-looking tools and wearing animal furs to resist the cold.
You recognize that, despite the rustic look of the village, the layout of the shelters is subtly sophisticated, optimizing visibility, accessibility, and defensibility.
She ushered you into an underground chamber beneath one of the ziggurats, which is inexplicably heated and illuminated using electricity, and well stocked with various tools and medicines.
The pharmaceuticals and madical equipment here are on par with standard Pact Worlds equipment.
The layout of the shelter bears resemblance to a standard Pact Worlds starship medical bay.
Naarma approached a sweaty, unconscious izalguun bound to a "stone" table with rope and leather straps. "We believe the research station's experiments are causing an ecological disaster on our homeworld. The climate control device they are using to maintain temperature and weather stability for their experiments has extended the harsh winter around this area, and is stifling local plant growth. In the meanwhile, there are new forms of the kathi-weed in the area, forms of the plant that did not exist before the off-worlders came."
"The kathi-weed is important to both the local wildlife, and to my people. We use its fibers to make rope and rough cloth, and the leaves are dried and smoked for recreation. The kathi-weed has a stimulating effect, but has never proven to be addictive in the past. This new variety seems to overstimulate, driving the creatures who eat or smoke it mad, and is so addictive that even a single dose leaves the victim craving more. And the withdrawal symptoms..."
Naarma shuddered and rand a hand tenderly along the forehead of the restrained izalguun, who moaned as if the touch burned her.
"Well, they are bad. I have been analyzing the kathi-weed, both the original strains and these new ones, trying to isolate the addictive proteins so that we can have a chance of neutralizing them. I sent the hunting party to gather samples nearer the station so that I could determine how fast the change was spreading. I think I have found the troublesome protein, and can put into place a long-term treatment, but after seeing what the hunters found, I am not sure we can keep pace with the station's output of genetically modified plants. "
"I am hoping that offworlders such as yourselves might be open to helping us take back our planet."
|
|
Chikasa's initial impression of the izalguun's settlement somewhat reaffirmed what he suspected about them based on how they discovered the hunting party. An intelligent, but still primitive culture, still using rudimentary weapons and tools rather than the technology he so admires.
Entering into the underground chamber, however, completely changes his outlook. "Well if I ain't a shobhad's uncle," he whispers with surprise, "This here's laid out 'bout as good as any run o' the mill med bay you'd wanna find in a Pact ship! I gotta admit, I had my doubts, but ya'll got yourselves a nice set up here. Now, about the research station, what can ya'll tell us about your interactions with 'em? They gave us the impression that ya'll were a bunch o' primitives, which I'll confess I thought at first glance as well. But have they asked anything about how ya'll feel about all their tests and whatnot?"
|
|
Looking around Janilla sees a few things unusual. "For all the outside appearance of being more tech savvy than your main weapons we saw against the megafauna, you have electricity and central heating. Impressive. Though stuff like this doesn't of course need to be told to anybody...protecting yourself from the harsh climate should be absolute priority."[b]
[b]"Hmm...well we were kinda figuring out that the corporation is making pharmaceuticals that might not be exactly...good...for people. And likely because of cross pollination your native kathi-weed is likely gaining some of the properties of the variety of items they are growing. I doubt that the corporation even knows it is doing that, though considering the people in there, they probably wouldn't care either way."
"When the scientists from the research station first visited us, we were skeptical about their motives, but eventually were persuaded to allow them a small outpost in which to do their research. After we became suspicious about the new biota and climate changes, I went to them to tell them to leave, but my party was violently turned away by the dragonkin leader of their security forces."
"As i said before, I don't know what you are doing here, but it seems that you might be in the same position we are, held hostage on the planet by an unfriendly group. I believe that working together, we might be able to force them to leave the planet, which would allow you to leave as well. Why don't you spend a day or so here at the village with us, and give us the chance to convince you of our good intentions towards you?"
|
|
Chikasa's whiskers twitch a bit at the "invitation", though at this point he doesn't think rejecting it would do the group much good, since they're no longer in the good graces of the Frozen Trove research group.
"Well that seems like a fine idea," he finally concedes, "And could be ya'll could help us out with what brought us here in the first place. See, our bosses sent us this way followin' the trail of some old relic that we suspect landed here a while back. Ya'll know anythin' about such a thing as that?"
Naarma is telling the truth, as far as you can tell.
"Perhaps. We can talk about it after you help us evict the Winterharvest group from Izalraan."
|
|
"I don't know exactly if we should get involved...but I always keep an open mind. If we stay with you for a day or so and find out more about your culture, and maybe anything you might be able to help us with on what we are looking for, that would help with relations."
Janilla seems sincere, she is just worried on making a very powerful corporation mad with the Society.
|
|
"Well o' course they wanted us gone. They're in there cookin' up some kinda addictive hybrid version of the local flora. They don't want no one gettin' the drop on them makin' drugs. And that tower, the one controllin' the weather, it ain't exactly stable." Chikasa moves toward Naarma and extends a hand. "I for one would be glad to accept your hospitality. Thank you very kindly."
The izalguun village was actually a very nice place to stay and recover from your recent trials. The izalguuns were a friendly people, and were happy to answer questions about their daily life, and even include you in whatever they were doing survival— boiling frozen vegetables, fletching arrows, stitching tents, tanning animal hides, and the like. On the afternoon of the next day, you were even invited to play in a local sport that involved a combination of running and throwing an aerodynamic plastic discus to each other. Goals were scored by hitting the opposing team's painted tree with the disc. Certain players on each team were not allowed to touch the discus, but were tasked with trying to knock it from the air by throwing snowballs at it. It was an enjoyable few days that only served to strengthen your resolve to push the Winterharvest - or Frozen Trove - research team from the planet.
|
|
Chikasa keeps thinking about the weather control tower at the "Winterharvest" research facility and its instability. After a couple of days, he can't help but think that the tower might be the most vulnerable target for some corporate sabotage.
"I wonder if we can't cause some kinda havoc with that tower," he tells the group as they join the izalguun for a meal one evening. "It's right near one of the main gates into the facility, and I wasn't the only one what could tell the thing was unstable. Maybe we could stir up some trouble with the local fauna, like them tug-zathi beasts we helped the hunters fend off. Might be we could engineer a little bit of a stampede that runs 'em right through that gate and into the tower. Or at least use the beasts to create enough of a diversion that we could get ourselves in and disable it. What do ya'll think? I'm open to suggestions."
You all agree that the tower was the best place for infiltration, being somewhat isolated from the rest of the facility and a solid chance for intel gathering. The nest day, you set out early, putting the morning sun to your back for your assault on the tower.
As you recall from your previous visit, the scaffolding tower is surrounded by tall walls, ostensibly to keep out the local wildlife. Not even the snow can muffle the shrieks of steam valves and the hum of electric generators emanating from the steel scaffold tower. Regularly spaced blue signal lamps send waves of blue light up the length of the tower, while thick reinforced plastic walls enclose the tower’s base like a makeshift fortress.