"Message received, Rikard Girsten. We are the Torrent of Embers, on a critical mission for the Archipelago on behalf of the Radiant Temple. Please state the nature of aid you need, the identity of your friend, and any connection you have to the Pact Worlds," responds Flint, nodding at Sammad as he purposefully gets the name of the most famous Cathedral in the Archipelago as a test...
"Assuming you pose no threat to us and your crisis is genuine, I will pass you along to our ambassador for further details," he adds.
The pause before you receive a reply is long, almost half an hour, but it does eventually come. "Uh, wow, you actually heard me. My friend here says their name is Uzmat. I'm hoping you can pick me up, both of us up, actually. Floating here is uh, kind of unnerving. No offense Uzmat." The ululating noise in the message rises for a minute before subsiding enough that you can hear Rikard again "I'm from Stellacuna, originally. Have two sons back there, little Dwite and Kelvin, though they're not so young any more, heh. If you're from the Archipelago, maybe you've met them? Though sounds like you're not natives."
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Belmarniss' eyebrow visibly rises over her shades upon receiving Girsten's message. This was...not necessarily the strangest thing they'd encountered inside Mataras yet, but there was a lot of logistics to consider if they really wanted to play rescue-pilot in the extremest of extreme environments. Still, she was loath to leave someone stranded in such an environment. After all, it was in a similar situation that her life had been saved by the woman who'd become her mentor and change the course of her life forever. Maybe it was time to pay that forward...
"Belmarniss, what say we divert to the coordinates specified and investigate. How long would that delay us in reaching the Crucible?" asks Flint.
"I have...so many more questions, but if they are in need it seems time is of the essence. Though I can think of many ways this could be a trick."
Bel examines the coordinates and determines that it shouldn't add more than a few hours to your trip to deviate sufficiently to investigate. Knowing you've already spent over a week getting the Torrent operational, you recognize that a few additional hours are unlikely to make or break the Legion's operation. With some agreement that this bears investigating, you head out.
Several hours later, you find yourselves approaching the exact coordinates provided. At first glance of the Torrent's instruments, it almost seems you've been had, that this has been a rather transparent hoax. And then Mari notices a strangely "non-flowing" section of the sun's interior, barely 40 feet across. More detailed scans reveal that the plasma in that region is moving at a glacial pace, swirling slowly around a tightly layered patch of flame in its absolute center. As you watch, the flame itself seems to "unfold" into a pair of fiery wings that almost completely blend in with the surrounding plasma.
Clearly, this is some kind of solar being. It seems to have noticed you, but isn't approaching.
You also know that Onkushu have a unique ability to manipulate flame, strong enough to shield other creatures from the predations of either the absolute cold of interstellar spaces, or the overwhelming conditions of intrastellar plasmas.
"All stop," says Flint, "Let's not startle it. Science Officer, refine your scan if you can and tell me what this creature is."
"Captain, that's an onkushu--fire elementals with close ties to the celestial planes. Their heat control let's them protect others from cold or fire. If this Rikard was rescued by such...well it still seems wildly unlikely, but less so now."
”Indeed,” responds Flint to Ordyt, his eyes widening in wonder.
”Please open a channel to Rikard,” he adds.
”Greetings Rikard Girsten and Uzmat, favored of Sarenrae. As a Holy Vindicator of the Burning Mother, I would be delighted to welcome you aboard once we figure out how to safely do so—our shields are struggling with the plasma and we will need to work out how to let you in and keep the plasma out,” says Flint once the channel is open.
”Ordyt, Mari, can you reinforce and locally lower our shields to allow them to pass through without damaging them or us? I am guessing we will need to rely somewhat on the onkushu’s abilities to make it go smoothly,” Flint asks.
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Belmarniss' eyes widen as it becomes clear what they're looking at.
"I'd heard of such beings...In my studies preparing to join the Knights I sought to 'conquer my weaknesses' by learning as much about the stars, their significance to the gods, and the beings with ties to both. Sort of a way to push the darkness of Eclipse out of me by building ties to them, but never thought I'd meet one in person."
She makes the sign of the sword and folds her hands, bowing a little in her seat.
"It's an honor and a pleasure to meet you both. It's about time we met a fire-elemental on the side of light and justice."
Rikard responds to Flint and Bel over a mid-range comms channel with a croak in his voice "Heh, I thought you'd changed your minds. I think Uzmat's doing their best, but as much as I appreciate not being burned to ash, I could use somewhere a little less bright. If you don't mind." Following Rikard, the ululation you heard earlier rises again and you make out the semblance of words amidst the noise. The onkushu's voice is incredibly deep and resonant, and it certainly seems under a lot of strain. It speaks in common for your benefit and that of Rikard, but its speech has the stilted cadence of a non-native speaker.
"GREETINGS. I AM UZMAT. THIS LITTLE ONE IS SLOWLY LOSING USE OF THEIR SENSORY ORGANS DESPITE MY ASSISTANCE. ALLOW ME ENTRY THROUGH YOUR SHIELDS AND TO YOUR AIRLOCK AND I WILL DEPOSIT HIM THEREIN. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE."
Mari recognizes that there's no easy way to bring the onkushu in to the airlock in this situation. You'll have to bring the shields in that arc down for just a moment, sustaining the effects of the localized plasma breach on the hull, and then immediately bring them back up. The Torrent can probably take it, but not without some damage.
"I can't bear the thought of leaving someone out there to die, but exposing ourselves to a plasma breach is...not ideal." Hopping onto the comms, Ordyt sends a tight beam to the onkushu.
"We recently came from a city hidden here in the star, Khalannal. Uzmat, would you be able to make it there before Rikard suffers permanent harm? We are concerned about exposing our vessel to the plasma unshielded."
Uzmat answers after you explain the location of Khalannal "THAT WOULD BE A GREAT JOURNEY. THE LITTLE ONE WILL NOT LAST NEARLY THAT LONG. IT IS MY INADEQUACY AS A RESCUER AT FAULT."
"Nothing for it then. Uzmat, standby for the shields to drop, let's make this as quick as can be."
”Let’s do our best and coordinate as best as possible,” says Flint, dedicating Popoko’s resources and his own diplomatic encouragement to facilitate the maneuver.
Bel brings the Torrent up close to where the stellar "dead zone" around the onkushu lies. Uzmat comes up close to the surface of the shields, and then for just a moment Mari drops them to allow him inside. Accompanying the burning outsider is a great crash of solar plasma. All around you you hear the groaning of the hull as the full solar pressure presses against it, and sensors on your bridge going wild as the temperatures spike and the hull begins to melt, and then Mari snaps the shields back up and the violent attack upon your vessel ebbs and fades.
You assess the hull's status and find the Torrent suffered notable, but far from life threatening damage ( ). Once you've confirmed that everything looks OK from the bridge, you head to the airlock to see Uzmat and Rikard.
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Rikard, a scrawny verthani in loose fitting charred coveralls, lies on the deck. He's breathing hard and you can see blisters all over his skin. His eyes are pressed closed with a great intensity, and what little he moves seems to be with pain. Hovering next to him is the onkushu Uzmat, a large winged serpent seemingly formed of pure flame. At the end of its long neck is a surprisingly human looking face, whose features are little more than areas of hotter or colder heat. The onkushu intones "IT IS DONE. THE LITTLE ONE WILL SURVIVE. YOU HAVE MY THANKS."
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Belmarniss grimaces as Marisol drops the shields and gets them back up, breathing a sigh of relief as she looks at the damage assessment.
"Nothing we can't fix."
When they meet Uzmat and Rikard, she gives a polite bow.
"I'm glad we were able to help both of you. Rikard, let's get you to our med-bay."
She offers him her shoulder to lean on so she can escort him to a bed to rest in.
Nodding his greetings, Flint says, "Welcome aboard. Let us know what we can do to make you more comfortable," he adds, remembering the facilities for fiery creatures the Breath of Embers had and wondering if this ship has anything similar.
Moving back towards the bridge, he says, "Popoko, get us back on course and prepare a damage report. I'd like to know how badly we were damaged."
Rikard groans as he struggles into a upright position. "Never, going to sunbathe, for the rest... of my life..." He gladly takes Bel's shoulder as she takes him to a bed. He's clearly suffering from significant dehydration and burns, and it'll take him some time to recover. Uzmat's face is a neutral mask as you aid the verthani, but its voice sounds contrite "THIS STELLAR SPACE IS ONE OF GRAVE DANGER FOR BEINGS SUCH AS YOURSELVES. THE ONES THAT KIDNAPPED THE LITTLE ONE MAY HAVE PLACED HIM IN SUCH PERIL, BUT IT IS MY ERRORS THAT LED TO THIS."
Popoko fills Flint in on the damage to the hull. Unfortunately, it won't be possible to make repairs until the ship can dock somewhere where the atmosphere is less immediately hazardous.
Sammad finally steps up to the celestial, clearing his throat. "Benevolent Uzmat, as happy as we were to aid you and Rikard, I believe we'd like further details on how exactly this situation developed. What can you tell us?"
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Once Belmarniss is sure Rikard is okay, she goes back to confer with Uzmat and the rest of the group. She nods at Sammad's question.
"Yes, you said Rikard was kidnapped. There's very few people who could kidnap someone only to maroon them this deep inside the sun, and I have a feeling the ones responsible for this may be the exact people we're about to take a strike at."
Once Rikard is situated comfortably in bed, Uzmat explains.
"MY JOURNEY INTO MATARAS WAS A TRIAL, SET BY MY MENTOR. A CHANCE TO COMMUNE WITH A GREAT HEART OF RADIANCE, A BEACON OF HEAVENLY INTENT. AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IN WISDOM AND EXPERIENCE. HOWEVER, I DID NOT EXPECT TO BE TESTED SO, NOR FOUND SO LACKING."
"I SENSED AN UNUSUAL RIPPLE IN THE SOLAR MEDIUM AND SPENT SEVERAL LONG CYCLES EXAMINING IT. WHILE DOING SO, A VESSEL, SIMILAR TO THE ONE YOU USE, RETURNED ALONG IT, COMING FROM THE SURFACE OF MATARAS. I HAD LEARNED BEFORE COMING HERE THAT THE BEINGS DWELLING BEYOND THE STELLAR MEDIUM WERE NOT CAPABLE OF SUCH FEATS, AND WAS IMMEDIATELY INTRIGUED. AFTER HAILING THE CRAFT, I WAS ALLOWED ACCESS. WHAT I FOUND WAS A MILITARY VESSEL, CARRYING PRISONERS OF WAR BACK TO A PLACE THAT THEY NAMED THE CRUCIBLE TO BE PRESSED INTO SERVICE. THE SIGHT OF CAPTIVES IN CHAINS CONVINCED ME THAT THIS MUST BE STOPPED. HOWEVER, I WAS NAIVELY DETERMINED TO FOLLOW THE WISDOM OF MY ELDERS AND SEEK REDEMPTION FOR THOSE WAYWARD BEINGS THAT WOULD STOOP TO SLAVERY."
"THE VESSEL'S CREW ALREADY WERE EXPECTING THIS AND NO SOONER THAN I HAD BEGUN MY SPEECH THAN THE EFREETI ATTEMPTED TO BIND ME WITH MAGIC. IT IS ONLY BY THE EVERLIGHT'S GRACE THAT I RESISTED. HOWEVER, WITH THIS ACT OF EVIL I WAS OVERCOME BY ANGER AND FELL UPON THE CREW IN UNSIGHTLY VENGEANCE." Uzmat's voice is dry and mournful as it crackles.
"MY ATTACK WAS TOO GREAT, TOO MERCILESS, TOO EFFECTIVE. THE CREW PANICKED AND ORDERED THE VESSEL'S DESTRUCTION WHILE I WAS DISTRACTED BY THE BATTLE THAT SURROUNDED ME." Uzmat is grave. "I SAVED ONLY ONE FROM THE RESULTING EXPLOSION. THE LITTLE ONE YOU FOUND WITH ME. ALL OTHERS ARE NOTHING MORE THAN ASH."
Ordyt sighs at the tale. "The Legion is prone to acts of self-destruction, yes. I'm sorry you weren't able to save more of them, Uzmat, but rest assured that they are our enemies and we seek to stop them too. There won't be anything left of that ship to check on, but did you learn anything else about the Crucible?"
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Belmarniss gives a somber nod.
"I can relate. My own journey here was a test of my strength and skill as a Knight of Golarion, and both my curiosity and my anger too have led me to impulsive acts."
She shudders a bit as she remembers the trauma her stubbornness inflicted on her mind back at Ezorod.
"Ordyt is right. You are not to blame for the Legion's choice to destroy themselves and keep their secrets when faced with defeat, and that you managed to save even one life from the conflagration is nigh a miracle. Take comfort in that, at least. I...would offer you a hug if you'd allow it?"
Belmarniss isn't sure if Uzmat's form is corporeal enough for such, even if it clearly could prevent its touch from burning her.
Once they are back underway, Flint asks Popoko to re-engage the cloaking device and keep a sensor out for anything else unusual, then he heads to the med bay to check on their rescued guest.
Offering a med serum, Flint says, "I hope you are recovering well, Rikard. What have your experiences been like within the Burning Mother, other than the obvious fiery end?"
To Ordyt, Uzmat answers "VERY LITTLE, BEYOND HEARING THAT IT HELD A PORTAL TO THE PLANE OF FIRE. THE EFREETI WERE VERY PROUD OF THIS CONNECTION DIRECTLY TO THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE CRIMSON SUN, AND SPOKE WITH AWE OF HOW CLOSE IT PLACED THE CRUCIBLE TO THEIR SPIRITUAL LEADER. FOR MYSELF, I WOULD SEEK OUT THIS PORTAL TO RETURN HOME IN SHAME, BUT I FEEL I MUST FIRST FIND SOME MANNER TO REDEEM MYSELF. I HAVE HEARD MUCH OF THE TEMPLE WITHIN THE BURNING ARCHIPELAGO, AS A CENTER OF SPIRITUAL INTROSPECTION..."
Uzmat consents to a hug, and while its flames are surprisingly gentle, its body has an unexpectedly yielding consistency. It thanks Bel "IT IS NOT THE MANNER OF ONKUSHU TO EXCHANGE SUCH SYMBOLS, BUT I APPRECIATE THE GESTURE."
Meanwhile in the other room, Rikard looks at Flint incredulously before shaking his head "Beyond almost dying in an explosion that would have reduced me to atoms? Beyond being held, frozen in place, waiting for the moment my rescuer's concentration would break and I'd burn alive?" A small slightly delirious laugh escapes him "Never been better."
He adds after a long pause that sobers him up "It was a nightmare. All of it, even going back to the Archipelago."
Hesitating, Ordyt realizes Rikard isn't well served by dissembling so he plunges ahead. "The Archipelago has fallen, the Legion holds most of it--maybe all of it, by now. We're on our way to their main stronghold, called the Crucible, to try and close the portal and cripple their resupply lines while the Pact Worlds musters a response. I'm glad we were able to help you, but I'm very much afraid you're not exactly safer with us."
To Uzmat, the oread can only offer a helpless shrug. "That temple is likely now in the hands of the Legion, but if you would see it liberated we would welcome your aid."
Rikard closes his eyes when Ordyt describes the situation. "I knew the Archipelago was in a bad way, but it's a relief that there's someone able to fight back." He opens his eyes reluctantly "I think I'm safer than I would be out in the plasma, no matter where you're going, so don't change your plans for my sake. I wish I was able to help you somehow though. Maybe after some rest."
Uzmat roils in surprise at the other bit of news "THE SAME EFREETI HAVE INVADED THE TEMPLE? THAT IS... AN OUTRAGE. MY GOAL IS CLEAR." After confirming that Rikard is doing well enough, Uzmat readies to leave. The flight to the Burning Archipelago will be long at the oknushu's speed, but with no passenger it may be able to get back in time.
"Well, once you are healed, you are welcome to join our effort. What skills do you have combat or starship related?" asks Flint, hoping to get Rikard focused on the future and not the recent past of fire and pain.
Mari, focused on examining her patient for anything she can actually treat, doesn't turn to Uzmat when she finally speaks.
"Uzmat, we could use your help, too. Another chance to rescue those held in bondage, not just punish the people hurting them."
”If you choose to go to the Burning Cathedral, I will send a message to my contact there to expect your arrival,” offers Flint. ”But Mari is right, we could certainly use your help here first if you are willing…We have yet to sneak past all the defenses and get to the Crucible, and having someone who can travel through the solar plasma could be a great asset.”
”Belmarniss, our shields must have the capability to drop for the briefest of instants to let our weapons discharge…Can we leverage that capability to try and time a small and quick opening for Uzmat should he need to get past our shields while we are still in the solar plasma?” asks Flint.
"Starships or combat? Hah." Rikard submits himself to Mari's inspection. She recognizes that he could benefit from a cool soak and a cold compress for his eyes to treat the overexposure, but that none of his damage is likely to be permanent. Rikard continues "I wish I could fight, but I'm a lawyer by training, blessed by Abadar."
Bel recognizes that the time it takes for weapons fire to pass through is on an entirely different order of magnitude from a creature passing across the shield threshold. There's no way to let Uzmat out without the same blast of plasma as when it first entered. While she ponders this, Uzmat considers Flint and Mari's suggestion "THAT WOULD ALSO BE A WORTHY PURSUIT. YET I FEEL DRAWN TO AIDING THE RADIANT CATHEDRAL'S DEFENSE, TO PROTECT THE VERY SYMBOL OF THE EVERLIGHT'S PRESENCE."
"Perhaps speaking with our ambassador will help you decide where best to use your talents, Uzmat, though I personally think you could help here and then go to the Radiant Cathedral," suggests Flint.
"The Crucible is where you can help us strike the greatest blow," Ordyt urges. "Without it, the Legion will be cut off from reinforcement and resupply. Then we can link up with the Pact Worlds' response force and retake the Archipelago--and the temple--all at once. As long as that portal stays open the Legion can pour more resources into making this a longer, bloodier war."
"Good news is you should be fine," Mari says, handing Rikard a compress damp with cool water. "But you should keep this over your eyes for a while, to let them rest."
Flint and Ordyt's arguments sway the onkushu, and Uzmat announces "YOU ARE RIGHT, AIDING THE TEMPLE FIRST WOULD ONLY INVITE ANOTHER WAVE OF ATTACKS. I WILL JOIN YOU. THERE WILL BE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR REDEMPTION IF THE THREAT POSED BY THE LEGION CAN BE STEMMED." And with that you have another two members on your crew. You head back to the bridge and find that per Flint's instructions, you've resumed course toward the Crucible.
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It's no more than a few hours later when Popoko interrupts once more with a chirp "O-oh wow, take a look at this! There's something out there. OwO " and brings up an odd data readout. The ship's longest range scanners are picking up what appears to be a scattered field of debris out in the plasma. There's no other signals, and you're still about a day's journey away from the Crucible.
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Belmarniss salutes Uzmat.
"It's probably for the best, considering we'd risk more damage to the ship letting you back out that might render us unable to get to the Crucible at all. I'm honored to be your sister-in-arms, Uzmat."
She returns to the pilot seat and gets the Torrent moving again. When Popoko alerts her to the new discovery.
"THAT is odd," she says to the others. "Solid debris this deep in the Sun wouldn't be possible unless it was made of something really special like some starmetals or even stranger stuff. Especially since nothing seems to be shielding it. Flint, request permission to slow down and scan the anomaly?"
"Of course, Belmarniss, bring us in close enough for a deep scan," replies Flint, directing Popoko's resources to the scan (+2 from Popoko, probably +2 from Flint for captain's diplomacy).
"Probably a Legion ship, and good riddance. Maybe they ran into some of those plasma oozes--but I doubt there's anything salvageable, shouldn't we press on?"
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Belmarniss takes them in closer and starts scanning.
"Looks like the remains of a Pyre Overwatch, one of the Legion's ships...One life sign...that's odd but we have obvious precedent for that now...errrgh...my head..."
Her face scrunches up as she concentrates and then her eyebrows rise over her shades.
"'Looks like' were the key words, it seems. This is an illusion. There IS something alive out there, but the debris isn't. Some magical deep-sun predator trying to lure in prey, maybe?"
”Can you get us any more detail on the life sign without getting any closer? I would rather not approach, especially given the deception used to lure us in,” responds Flint.
”Uzmat, do you have any idea who or what this might be? I am inclined to move on without risking ourselves to find out what this is, but I value your counsel,” adds Flint as he also looks to the others for them to voice their opinions should they wish.
"If it's a trick, we should move on--whatever it is, its apparently capable of destroying starhips. Or maybe it just interferes with the shields long enough for the star to do its work. Either way it's not a risk worth taking."