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Bribruon listens to Hellih about who the ghoul was, and what she was doing and the information received on the datapad. He just nods as if this was expected.
When listening to Arvin about the function of the badges, Bribruon seems more distracted...a feeling of uneasiness when talking about the Endless Threnody and the need to go deal with it.
When getting on the Loreseeker, Bribruon notices the docking bay...94. The sense of dread gets stronger.
Taking the 'magic officer' seat--probably taking the seat from the science officer--Bribruon quickly gets comfortable with what he thinke he can do.
With the ship in motion, and entering the drift, Bribruon starts to fiddle with the flow of the drift...seeing if it is similar to what his reality warping energies are....
Apparently something clicked in Bribruon's mind right as the ship is about to drop out of the drift.
He blinks a few times...and notices that a hour is gone.
Shrugging he mutters, ...might not want to do that again....who knows what alternate dimension we might have dropped into...maybe back to even lost Golarian.....and crashing into the planet..."
Scanning the ship mystically ...
'Uhh...guys. Eoxian ships seem to be running on both magic and technology...a weird blend that included necromantic spells. I think there is something going on there...reading excessive cold in some places. Also.....crew members of Eoxian are almost always undead...so life support over there is likely non-existant....breathing might be tough without our suits...unless you can bread vacuum."
"....umm..I might be able to fix that sparking cold and necromantic energy...maybe....though if it is like last time....it might explode on me....."
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Sonomi takes her time and checks the merc over again after noticing the pooling blood. Hopefully the bandages hold this time.
She thanks the Yosoki for the plants, quickly looking them over and determines their uses and genetic uniqueness.
"These plants will work as an antitoxin - they might prove useful.' Sonomi places them in her pack, and passes some to her teammates.
Sonomi prepares herself for space travel, planting (pun intended) herself in the captains seat - both so she can encourage her crew and because the lights always seem to be brightest around the captains chair. She photosynthesizes and regrows her damaged shoulder. She takes the time during the flight to take genetic samples from each of her teammates to make sure her biohacks are properly formulated.
She notices the loss of an hour because her shoulder has stopped throbbing. But she resumes her roll as "captain" and encourages their pilot to dock carefully.
Once the ship is docked she activates the life support in her second skin armor and prepares to exit the ship - needler pistol drawn and loaded with her first inhibitor.
"Let's go guys. These dead guys aren't going to rest until we put them to sleep - permanently."
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"Thank you for the assistance in that last fight. Embri may appear soft and squishy to boney races, but my race is actually quite resilient," Kaixik says as a matter-of-fact as the party goes back to report to Venture-Captain Arvin.
Upon hearing the tale of the Starfinder ship and its attack by the Corpse Fleet, the embri again speaks in a mostly monotone voice. "We cannot allow the attack and plundering of Starfinder vessels to stand. We will board this Corpse Fleet vessel and extract our vessel's coordinates, in all likelihood by force."
If Kaixik is disturbed by the time jump when coming out of the drift, they don't let it show; then again, it's hard to determine what they are thinking most of the time with masked armor covering most of their face and body.
Drawing their laser arc pistol, Kaixik is ready to take point upon entering the vessel. Hearing Sonomi's encouragement, Kaixik replies, "Yes, Captain Sonomi. We should endeavor to teach this Corpse Fleet a lesson."
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Hellih arrives at the docking bay a bit nervous. He spent his whole life on Absalom Station and so far only once he went to the drift. He is a capable pilot (for a rookie) but still feels unease when flying between the worlds.
He smoke the cigarette as he walks on board of pegasus. They didn't discuss it but it seems that everyone took their seats and the pilot chair was still free, so Hellih took it.
He pushed few buttons and got himself familiar with the ship as the engines warm up. Then after getting permission to take off, he lifts the vessel and flies to the stars.
"Are you fleeing now?" Hellih hears in his head, wondering what is happening.
Hellih is dreaming, he seems an odd world, full of high vegetation and large animals. He observes a group of Vesks fighting some alien enemies. One of the Vesk that fights using a long sword has an artificial left arm that looks surprisingly similar to the one that Hellih is now using. He hears screams and shouts and a sound of bodies falling to the ground. As he wakes up hearing a voice saying
"You are not a Vesk, there is no honor in your actions! I am not planning to help you in what you do, maybe you will die and I will go to a more formidable warrior."
Hellih opens his eyes, looking with worry on his hand.
He then looks where they are:
"Hey Team! I must have fallen asleep, what has happened? I will attempt to dock the ship"
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Encouraged by his captain HK has no trouble avoiding the strange necromantic energies and larges spikes as his dockes the Loreseeker to the Endless Threnody’s rear cargo bay.
After everyone activates their armors environmental protections
you exit your own ship through the airlock and enter the Exonian vessel.
There is normal gravity but no light apart from what you bring with you.
The cargo bay is mostly empty, you assume that the crew already used their few supplies to patch up their ship after the attack.
Three wide openings lead to the ship’s central passages.
The cargo bay contains a small computer that is predominantly used to store manifests and access basic ship systems.
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After landing Hellih grabs one cigarette and puts it in his mouth before turning on the environmental protection. As he holds his rifle Hellih walks outside of the ship and looks at the vessel
"That looks depressing if you ask me. Let me check what can we do with that computer over there."
"Bribruon, you understand that energy right? Can you disable it by any means?"
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"Zo! is an exception to what I know of Eoxians...this ship fits more in the 'level' of an Eoxian's mentality. I think they like depressing. Probably some kind of lack of character."
On hearing if Bribruon can disable the energy fields..."Maybe???
The energy is necromantic, so not really my expertise, but maybe I can warp it to something I can work with..... On working it via this computer...I haven't taken the Eoxian Rosetta stone class yet....so it might be a lot of hit and miss....let me try
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As HK gives some tips on how the mechanical scheme seems to work Bribruon takes a more ..intuitive approach to things while Sonomi stands guard.
You can feel the necromantic aura coming from deeper inside the ship reduce a bit..but not shut down completely.
The branching corridors inside the Endless Threnody are not made of solid bulkheads of metal and plastic, but of a lattice of enchanted bone and steel. A metal grating on the floor provides stable footing, but the walls have gaps large enough to fit a fist.
The passages split and recombine in a manner eerily reminiscent of being inside a giant rib cage.
As you enter through a corridor you notice a split in the hallways and you see the first signs of enemy movement.
You can feel the necro aura leaking through part of the corridors here and the central hallway contains a computer panel.
At the other end of the corridor is this ship "skeleton"crew
which are moving to intercept you. They are dressed in tethered clothes and don't seem to be carrying weapons.
The skeletons are surprisingly nimble and stride forwards spreading out through the corridors
initiative
You guys
Skeletons again
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"I know this seems scary...Eoxian ships can often feel like crypts....they even like naming their ship classes with graveyard like names....but let's get these skeletons down, and get what we need from the ship and get out of here.......unlike last time....that stupid necro chill killed the party..."
With that Bribruon moves forward a little, and tosses a barrage of ectoplasm at the 2 in front.
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After reassuring the party that this is nothing to be scared about Bribruon proofs that he knows what he's talking about as his 2 summoned globs of ecto plasm take out a skeleton each.
For all his efforts he does experience a chill running down his spine (and the rest of his body)
init
HK, Sonomi, Kaixik
Skeletons
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Sonomi is momentarily stunned by Bribruon's attack.
"Wow! You don't mess around do you? That was impressive." She exclaims.
Seeing that the enemies are now out of sight she turns to her party and readies a biohack booster.
"Hold still Kiaxik, this shouldn't hurt if I aim right," Sonomi says as she shoots a needle into his fleshy backside.
Sonomi might be the smoothest talker in the group, but she prefers to hang to the back of the party and let the guns do the talking in situations like these.
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After accepting Sonomi's injection, Kaixik moves to the left to ensure the party is not being flanked. While they do so, they feel the energies of the drift, pushing against the energies of the ship, containing the necromantic energies of the engines...
"Team, I have discovered a skeleton over here. I will engage it."
Kaixik moves forward, drawing their pistol as they go.
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After Sonomi injects Kaixik with another boosting injection Kaixik bravely strides forward.
Hellih walks after Kiaxik and takes a shot at one of the skeleton crew members. The laser hits the skeleton in the rib cage scoring a very minor burn mark.
Then to your horror you see the skeleton absorb a bit of the cold necro energy leaking through the wall and you can see it's damaged bone re-knit it self until it's whole again (as opposed to hole).
The skeleton moans something about "I'll get yarrr skull!"
before it tries to claw it's way through Kaixiks armor
but ends up just scraping it's bony finger tips across the dense armor.
From the other corner another skeleton quickly shambles forward and takes up position next to Sonomi and Bribruon
"Yaarrr skulls be mine!"
init
You guys
Skeletons
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"No my dear, I don't mess around, especially with things like undead. Their lives have ended, but they are still forced to be in this dimension.......and one dimension I seem to have become an undead, sigh"
Seeing a skeleton coming for them both, Bribruon does a quick step back, and casts another barrage...but with only one target, focuses both ectoplasmic shots at the single skeleton.
Bribruon looks over to Sonomi and seeing that the skeleton might attack her, says as the two ectoplasmic missile fly toward it, "Begone foul beast, and hinder us no more!"
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Hellih looks at the two skeletons and shoots at the one next to Kaixik shooting a tiny hole in the center of the skeletons skull. But it seems nothing of vital importance is being kept inside it as it doesn't seem to slow down the skeleton much.
Seeing a skeleton coming for them both, Bribruon does a quick step back, and casts another barrage...but with only one target, focuses both ectoplasmic shots at the single skeleton hit first attempt goes wide and hits the bulkhead above it but the second one sends it bones scattering all across the floor.
init
Kaixik+Sonomi
skeleton...maybe?
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Sonomi doesn't know where to look - skeletons are circling them and her party is making quick work of them. She turns to Kaixik and realize he doesn't need help with armor, but he might need help getting his hits to stick.
Sonomi moves down the hall to better see what her new friends are doing. She fires a Biohack Inhibitor at the remaining skeleton.
Inhibitor: -2 to AC
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Focusing his energy Kaixik looses touch with the current goal and swings by just in front of his intended target.
Sonomi decides to back up the rest of the party facing a skeleton and fires a dart in it's general direction hoping to distract it but her shot bounces of one of the bulkheads
The skeleton absorbs a bit of the cold necro energy emanating from the wall again and the hole HK made in it's skill shrinks a little bit
It then tries to claw it's way inside Kaixik
and managing to land a very lucky blow tear into Kaixik with it's bony finger tips ripping through a weak spot in Kaixiks armor
init
You guys
Last skeleton
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Hellih breathes out and aims at the remaining skeleton shooting at it with two empowered shots, his first shot is shaking too much and doesn't hit, but the second shot manages to damage the skeleton slightly.
Kaixik, once again on the receiving end of a powerful blow by an enemy, tries to take the energy and turn it against their foe and just barely manages to connect with the enemy but when he does..oh, boy,,the connection is powerful and the skeleton's skull in knocked of and sails through the air to land on the other side of the corridor
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Sonomi looks around at her party to assess the damage. She is willing to do as the party suggests, but would appreciate time to recharge her biohacks.
"We can move on if you want. But I wouldn't mind taking 10 minutes to reformulate a few biohacks. I spent 2 of my 6, might be nice to be prepared. And stay away from the glowing walls - don't take unnecessary damage."
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After spending 10 minutes huddled in a corner just outside the reach of the life force draining walls you stand up and get ready to move on.
Hugging the save walls you make it across the rest of the ship towards the bridge without any problems.
The bridge of the Endless Threnody is located behind the enormous crimson eye at the front of the ship, bathed in a blood-red glow. The crew stations are fabricated from bone and steel, apparently grown from the floor and walls of this room. Battle damage is evident throughout the bridge, but it is now empty and utterly silent—truly a ghost ship.
In order to get the information you require you need to hack into the computer - which being part magic and part mechanical can be done in a few ways
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Hellih positions himself on a lookout when the team rests. He holds his rifle keeping an eye on any sign of trouble.
"Well if, they didn't send reinforcements already, you could survive it" Hellih jumps when hearing that words being said, and begins to look with suspicion on his artificial limb.
He is glad when Kaixik commands to move out, and Hellih walks behind him, aiming into every passed corridor. His artificial crest on his head begins to change colors which could be some nervous reaction.
When Hellih enters the bridge he sighs with relief that there are no more enemies and walks to the computer.
"Bribruon, try to access the system while I will try to take down the security measures. "
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Bribruon has seen that HK seems to know what to do around computers. "I can see that mystical energies can also access this system, however you seem to be doing such a good job with computers, it might be safer if you do it without playing with the forces of alternate dimensions as I would have to."
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HK easily gains access to the Endless Threnody's computers and in short order bypasses the system security.
You manage access the bridge’s computer records. Most importantly you recover the coordinates of the downed Starfinder vessel on a planet called Ulmarid in the Vast.
But also includes information about the Lawblight, the Besmaran pirate ship that initially crippled the Endless Threnody.
You learn the Lawblight’s basic information, defenses, and weapons.
Medium transport
Speed 6; Maneuverability average (turn 2); Drift 1
AC 13; TL 13
HP 70; DT —; CT 14
Shields basic 30 (forward 15, port 5, starboard 5, aft 5)
Attack (Forward) coilgun (4d4), heavy torpedo launcher (5d8)
Attack (Aft) gyrolaser (1d8)
Attack (Turret) coilgun (4d4)
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You return to the Loreseeker without any problems with the coordinates, and find a hologram of Venture-Captain Arvin already active and awaiting your report. Arvin is grateful for the news and eager to get started on the next step of their quest. He asks you to leave the Endless Threnody and return to Absalom Station while he researches the planet Ulmarid and how best to approach it.
As an additional reward, Arvin provides a password to open a concealed compartment within the Loreseeker that contains delicacies that are suitable to most palates, such as sticks of candied meats. “I know this mission isn’t yet complete,” he explains, “but you’ve earned the right to celebrate a bit on your return trip. I asked the quartermaster to include a few delicacies so you can enjoy being alive—after an encounter with necromancy.”
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You guys enjoy a relative easy trip back through the Drift in which you come up with multiple theories about what happened during your missing hour but none that conclusively explain what happened.
After changing vessel and getting a new set of clothes and toiletries you set out on your next mission. This time in a larger Drake-class vessel called the Odyssey. Venture-Captain Arvin recommended the Odyssey rather than the Loreseeker, as its heavier shields can better withstand asteroid impacts while reaching Ulmarid’s surface.
Your mission handout included a bit of information about Ulmarid.
It is a desert planet wracked with fierce storms that scour the surface. Several square tunnels pierce the earth under much of the planet’s crust; although plainly artificial, there is no evidence as to who made these tunnels or why.
A startling variety of vicious, unintelligent monsters inhabit the planet’s surface as well as these subterranean tunnels.
The planet’s two enormous moons collided long ago, filling the planet’s upper atmosphere with a dangerous cloud of tumbling asteroids that makes approaching the planet with large ships difficult.
It has normal gravity and an atmosphere.
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As you get closer and closer to your destination you start to suffer from a lack of Drift beacons to facilitate long-range communication in the Vast. You receive a pre-recorded message from Venture-Captain Arvin which you play just before arriving at your destination.
Venture-Captain Arvin’s pre-recorded hologram stands on the bridge of the Odyssey, his hands clasped behind his back.
“Hopefully your journey was uneventful. Based on your previous mission, we’ve obtained information about the planet of Ulmarid. The desert world has breathable atmosphere but is devoid of intelligent civilization. A cloud of asteroids—leftovers from a collision of the planet’s moons long ago—surrounds the planet, so you must carefully navigate the Odyssey to the surface to find the crashed Unbounded Wayfarer.
“Be sure to bring the Starfinder insignias with you; they will be critical in recovering the information the Starfinders left behind. If you can recover any of the lost Starfinders—alive or dead—please do so as well. Good luck.”
In your front view you can see the planet Ulmarid get bigger and bigger as your approach.
You learn that Ulmarid’s atmosphere experiences sudden and ferocious storms of poisonous crystals.
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Kaixik thanks Venture-Captain Arvin for the treats. "Happy to help get back at the folks that attacked the Society, sir," they say.
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From a "science officer"-ish position, Kaixik will make two Mysticism checks - one to scan the planet, and the second to assist the pilot.
"I do not know what awaits us, but you're doing a fine job, pilot!"
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Hellih is glad to leave the Endless Threnody, the necromantic energies caused chills on his back. That whole ship felt like a graveyard. Fortunately, his computer skills were enough to get what they wanted, and the way back passed in a nicer atmosphere.
Now he is back to piloting. Hellih again glances through the brief information about Ulmarid and the belt of asteroids. He looks at the readings, trying to find a good angle to fly through the asteroid belt. Suddenly his artificial arm again begins to twitch, Hellih focuses on controlling it. He was in contact first with some M.D. and later with a Technomancer and a Mystic from SFS. After a number of tests, they came back with information that his artificial arm has a ghost trying to get control of the hand. Now Hellih has 3 options: buy a new prosthetic arm, but he can't afford it just yet, pay for an expensive and painful exorcism or try to live with the angry spirit.
First things first, the landing. Hellih listens to encouragement spoken by Sonomi, but he reacts with fear when Sonomi propose the biohack shot
"I don't like needles, don't like needles!"
Then he turns terrified towards Kaixik, when he says his advice, and Hellih screams:
"Auch! That stings." Just as Sonomi applies her injection.
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When the candied meats and such is delivered from the closed compartment, Bribruon's eyes light up. He indulges himself in one of each type (if possible), savoring the taste.
When discussing the missing hour, Bribruon just nods in agreement. "Yeah...weird huh. We all had it. Strange."
"Umm...that planet has poisonous crystals in the air, especially when the storms happen...DEFINITELY keep your environmentals up...and I am still not 100% certain that will help......it didn't last time did it...and people got hurt bad......but I think that is all we can do right now."
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Showing what a professional he is HK pilots the Odessy through the asteroid belt and down to the planets surface without hitting any of the asteroids - not even one of the small ones.
You can easily track the distress beacon emanating from the Unbounded Wayfarer, but the ship is not easy to reach. It crashed amid dunes too soft to safely bear the Odyssey’s weight, and the safest place to set down is about a half-hour’s walk away.
After you put up your environmental protections and debark your ship you see;
The surface of Ulmarid is a wind-scoured desert with jagged protrusions of rock thrusting up through the sand. The air has a harsh tang, like burning metal.
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As the ship touches down, Bribruon turns on his environmentals. Turning on his simple comm unit, he uses it to keep in touch with his allies, and also attempt to use that as a beacon detector.
"Be careful around these rocks...some might be sharp enough to cut our suits...especially with the temperature of this planet."
"Oh....and I think we need to go this way....it might not be as direct, but I think it will be faster....I think there might be some super loose sand the other way."
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"Wow! Look at those dunes! I only saw some documentary about deserts, but I never been to one."
Hellih listens to what Bribruon is saying nodding with agreement
"This is literally the first planet that I am visiting outside of Absalom Station! I traveled to difference space stations, but my experiences are useless here."