Recovering from its recent trials in the Scoured Stars, the Starfinder Society finds itself the target of a vicious media smear campaign. To combat this unexpected threat, the Society sends a group of agents to build up some standing in the Pact Worlds by taking part in a series of televised events orchestrated by the undead media mogul, Zo!. What these heroic agents don't know, is that their competition is willing to do whatever it takes to stop them from restoring the Society's tattered image.
Scenario Tags: Faction (Acquisitives)
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Starfinder-19 makes his way to the briefing room, exactly on time. An android with a forlorn look, he(?) wears a crisp Starfinder uniform. He has a small sidearm, but beside from that, no weapons. He introduces himself by saying, "I am Starfinder-19, the 20th in this line of experimental androids designed to bolster the ranks of the Starfinder Society.
"Before you ask, I do not know where the previous nineteen are... yes, nineteen... we are zero-indexed. I am different than the rest, as I can see that magic and technology are one... in fact I would not be here were they not."
He really does not look happy to be here, especially when he hears this will be a Zo! performance.
You’ve just arrived in one of Zo! complex on Eox, after Radaszam arranged for a starship from his private mercenary outfit, the Obsidian Spiders, to secretly ferry you here.
Zo!’s complex is a multistory subterranean facility with floors dedicated to film sets, employee amenities, and cavernous boardrooms.
You stand deep beneath the surface of Eox, in one such meeting area, furnished with a large round table and multiple wall-mounted flat screens.
Zo!, an undead elebrian, rubs his skeletal hands together and turns his rictus grin to Radaszam. Excellent work, you truly are the Dealmaker. My viewers will love these agents you’ve assembled!
Radaszam nods, briefly showing his teeth, then gestures toward the empty seats across from Zo!.
Before we get too carried away, I need a moment to explain the situation. Radaszam sighs wearily as he takes a seat barely appropriate for his large vesk frame. We thought our troubles were over after the Scoured Stars business. We were wrong.
Allow me to elaborate! Zo! excitedly explains, seizing a remote. The screens behind him flicker to life, and the undead mogul spins around in his chair for a better view. Radaszam buries his head in his hands as the video plays.
The Starfinder Society emblem appears on screen as a deep, confident voice narrates: The Starfinder Society, a group dedicated to the pursuit of truth and knowledge—or so they say. The music dramatically flares as the voice-over continues. What does this fraudulent organization really stand for? The camera pans over a fleet of Starfinder starships engaged in vicious fleet-to-fleet combat with unseen attackers. Today, the Scoured Stars; tomorrow, your system. Where exactly will these hells-bent-on-conquest soldiers stop? The scene then changes to that of a shirren, faction leader Zigvigix, dancing in a crowd, their torso and arms crammed into a Strawberry Machine Cake T-shirt.
While Starfinder operatives carry out secret wars across the galaxy, Society leaders embezzle funds to purchase VIP concert tickets. What is their true agenda? The screen transitions to grainy footage of Venture-Captain Arvin emerging from the Lorespire Complex, his hand raised to block the flash of cameras. Society leadership refuses to elaborate. But the question remains: does this group have any place in the Pact Worlds? A half-dozen similar ads play as Radaszam shakes his head and Zo! watches intently.
Not even my best profile grumbles almost silently Radaszam be continuing grumbling. As you can see, We’re facing a multimedia smear campaign. The First Seeker is working through legal channels while Celita locates the source of the commercials. But there’s a way you can help. Radaszam catches Zo!’s eye and nods.
You’re going to turn the tides of public opinion in your Society’s favor, Zo! gushes, by competing on my show,
Zo! and I believe that a good showing on a prime-time game show might undermine this attempt at slander. Radaszam explains. I handpicked you to compete as a team. If you can impress Pact Worlds viewers enough, that’ll be the distraction we need to get the time to figure this whole situation out.
Turning to you, asks Any questions?
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"Uh, ew... UH! WHAT'S THAT SMELL?" a tall, pale lashunta exclaims, pinching her nose. "This place stinks! How does anyone live in a place without proper fresh air?!"
She adjusts her green and yellow dress and hood. She looks around at the people she doesn't know. "I'm Lilith Flowerblossom."
Focusing on Zo!, Lilith frowns. "Sounds like I'd rather watch this show than star in it. Haven't I earned a break from the last performance I did for you? I was on Live Exploration Extreme just last week." She sighs. "Let's try not to die on a tv show everyone." She looks at Zo! "What exactly is this show? I don't watch your programs."
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Jastrow is a short, brown-furred ysoki with twitchy whiskers and a big, green, cybernetic eye that looks like it was made out of leftover robot parts and scrap metal. He wears all sorts of tools and gadgets on his belts, and a survival knife strapped to his hip. All of his gear looks well-used, or recycled.
As Jastrow skittered down the halls of Zo!'s Complex, he stopped to pick up any trash, garbage, and lost things he finds and puts them into his huge, stuffed, overflowing pockets.
"Hmmm..." he wonders as they walk. "I wonder what the mission is today... I hope it's worth it! That ship they shuttled me here on was a gas-guzzler! Uh! Doesn't anyone speak for the trees around here?" He stops to pick up some litter and sticks in his pocket, then keeps walking. When he sees the others he says, "Oh, I'm Jastrow, by the way. From Akiton."
Once they're in the meeting room, Jastrow can't help but smile at the charismatic tv show host and his grand ideas. "I loved being on Live Exploration Extreme!!!!" he exclaims. "This sounds amazing! I can't wait!" He jumps around a bit in excitement. "Can you hire me more in the future? I love being on your shows!"
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A green-haired gnome swaggers into the meeting room, spinning a playing dart deftly between his fingers. On his left forearm is a miniature bandolier, lined with playing darts. His tanned skin occasionally displays iridescent shifting patterns that faintly glow. Over his left eye is a digital monocle. Earrings line his ears, and his goatee is styled into a point. He wears a black leather jacket with red stripes running down the sleeves overtop of a white t-shirt. Both articles of clothing are festooned with logos, the most prominent of which is a large starship surrounded by a nimbus of ice-cream cones and rainbows that reads 'Roxy Sprocket's Spectacular Starships.' All the other logos appear to be small businesses from Absalom Station.
He grins at the assembled Starfinders. "The name's Ezmer. Ezmer Tychoblast, professional dart-player. You may have heard of me." He gives the group a thumb's up.
Looking at the other agents who've been on Zo!'s shows before, Ezmer gives them a nod. "A fellow celebrity, I see! Yeah, I've been on the vidcasts plenty of times before. Never on one of Zo!'s programs, of course." He nods at Zo! "You've found yourself a winner."
While the slanderous commercials play, Ezmer slams his hands on the table. "That's an outrage!" He wails. "Defamation! I won't stand for it!" He nods at Zo! and Radaszam. "You can count on me!"
He grins, a twinkle in his eyes as his skin shifts to a subtly starlike pattern. "Let's shine!"
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-EARLIER-
A gruff human enters the room, his comm device held up to his ear. "Yeah. . .no. . . .NO! I had to sell the tickets. I know, I know, it's the playoffs. Yes Charlie, I know Buzzblades tickets aren't easy to get. YES! I know. Look, we'll get tickets when I get back from this Starfinder gig. I owe you, big time. Yeah. I'll talk to you when I get back."
The man places his pack and a holster holding a wicked looking pistol with some sort of syringe attached down on a table in the back. "I hope someone brewed some coffee. I just got off an overnight at the clinic. A shot of some good hooch might help a little too."
-NOW-
Scut Lockley listens intently to Zo!'s briefing. An incredulous look crosses Scut's face as he simply shakes his head. "If there is a payday in there somewhere, I'm game. I'm not much for game shows, but I'll do my best. . . ."
Zo! beams. Pact World Warriors is an action-packed game show filmed here in my megastudio. Two teams compete in a series of death-defying challenges. The winning team earns eternal adoration from millions of fans—and a cash prize!
"Smiling" at you Zo! continues I'm sure you will asks me, but Zo! what are the challenges? the mogul makes a Tu tu tu... That’s a surprise! A Pact World Warrior can think on the fly, roll with the punches, expect the ! Zo! gesticulates wildly as he speaks.
Radaszam snorts dismissively and says As for the other team, probably a bunch of celebrity wannabes, but don’t underestimate them. I don’t have any intel on your opponents. He glances pointedly at Zo!, who gives a wide-grinning shrug in return.
Zo! eagerly turns to the Starfinders and says Be the best Pact World Warrior of the season!
Pact World Warriors is known system-wide as the foremost display of physically grueling and mentally exhausting trials, pitting two teams against one another in various competitions.
DC15+
Events on the show frequently change but some recurring themes include obstacle courses, tests of skill, and modified war games. A particularly memorable episode featured a “combat karaoke” challenge in which contestants performed karaoke while battling monstrous aliens.
DC20+
The show’s film crews supply crates containing useful gear in every challenge, either in plain sight or hidden on the set.
DC25+
A former host recently leaked plans for future episodes, including a references to “cooking combat” and “capture the flag.
Has you have no more questions, explains that filming is scheduled to begin today, leaving little time for preparations.
Zo!’s staff arrives to collect the contestants as soon as you are ready.
Before you exit the boardroom to begin filming, Zo! invites Starfinder-19 into a nearby prop room.
There Zo! explains that heroes of the Scoured Stars can earn him more ratings if well equipped. He encourages you to use the selection of quality gear provided by his myriad sponsors.
You can select up to three pieces of gear from
- *(Armor): Thinplate (heavy armor), vesk brigandine II (light armor).
- *(Weapons): Frost subduer (small arm), tactical rotolaser (heavy weapon).
- *(Miscellaneous): Mk 2 serum of healing
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"Oh, great." mutters Starfinder-19
Starfinder-19 accepts the gift, regardless of whether it will make ratings better. He takes the a suit of vesk brigandine II, but he is unimpressed with the weapons. He does grab the frost subduer, as he really doesn't see the need to kill everything he sees, and if he chooses to boost it with a spell, it will still be pretty potent. Worst case, he figures, he could just drain the battery. Finally, he takes a mk2 serum of healing, because you never know.
"Thank you, Zo!" he says, as he looks for product labels on the armor. "At least someone recognizes the horrific losses that we took in the Scoured Stars. So many Starfinders that won't be coming home again."
After the briefing, production staff lead you deeper into the megacomplex. Several flights of stairs and a few elevator rides later, you arrive in a large hexagonal room crawling with camera drones.
Various mini-sets form a mismatched still life. To the west, a raised circular platform housing a comfortable white couch stands in front of several vidscreens. A long newscaster’s desk occupies the area to the south. Two undead chat animatedly in front of a green screen in an open area to the east.
A spectral woman turns to a pale, gaunt man with clawed hands. Are you ready to meet our contestants, Quell?
The woman’s breathy voice echoes through the chamber as a skeleton hoists a microphone in
front of her ghostly lips.
I died already, Lethea! I can already positively taste their excitement, and hesitation, and fear! Ah, and that piquant touch of nerves. Simply exquisite.
winks at a nearby camera.
Well, here they are! announces. We’ve brought both teams together for an exclusive meet and greet. Be on your best behavior, contestants. Our audience cheers loudest for living challengers, if you catch my drift.
The cameras turn towards you and another group of individuals and follows until you meet in the same green area as the two hosts.
welcome both teams and says Please, make a round for our two Teams.
First, let me introduce you, the STARFINDER'S TEAM. You hear preregistered clapping.
Then he turns to the other team and says then the REAL WARRIORS OF THE PACT WORLD
again, you hear preregistered clapping for the other team.
The rival team has 5 members, a female halfling, a male damaya Lashunta, a female Vesk with a small drone following her, a male Pathra and an agender android.
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Jastrow raises a furry eyebrow at the other team. "The 'REAL' warriors of the Pact Worlds?" he asks with skepticism, placing finger quotes around the word real. "Really?" he adds. "I totally believe that." He rolls his eyes, making it clear he doesn't.
Jastrow turns and faces the cameras, makes some finger guns and 'shoots' them at the cameras, clicking his tongue for emphasis. "Hey everyone! My name's Jastrow!"
The halfling, carrying guns bigger than her, responds to the greeting by turning to her comrades saying Hey! They look greener than the protein shake I had for lunch!
The Vesk chuckles.
The Lashunta turns to the group and says Greetings competitors, I'm Rafelo.
You are quite a flower dear. I would like to be a bee... after smiling even wider than before to Lilith he turns to the Lethea and adds My dear, you look so bright today! Even this little blooming flower can't share your gloom.
The Vesk doesn't talk but move next to each of you, inspecting your equipment while grumbling from time to time inferior...
The Pathra gets behind Jastrow giving him back his knife.
You let this fall. I'm Tillik by the way.
While the android cheerfully comes to you. Pleasure to meet you all! I'm Verity-5, priest of Pharasma. Do you follow a deity? Are you religious?
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Scut makes a show of drawing his needler/syringe stick combo (keeping it safely pointed toward the ceiling, but only after he looks at the camera in an aloof, disinterested manner.
To the other competitors he says, "you can talk all you want. I'm only interested in settling this on the in this game. Your chatter bores me."
After the two opposing teams finish to mingle together, announces as the cameras turn toward her.
Viewers! Iiiiiiitttttttt's TIME for the FIRST CHALLENGE!
An Obstacle Course that only a true PACT WORLD WARRIOR coud survive!
Will The True Warrior of the Pact World will live up to their name?
Do the Starfinder will prove, once again, that they are the greatest explorer of the galaxy?
You will know NEXT!
As the staff hustles the contestants out of the room and toward the set, fires a parting shot Smell you later, contestants. Feel free to be SCARED—Fear is my favorite flavor!
The rival team gathers together and says in unisson Clear Eyes, Full Heart, Can't Lose!.
An elevator drops you through the ceiling, which promptly closes with a pneumatic hiss, to a windowless, featureless steel chamber, 15 feet tall and is constructed entirely of steel, that appears to contain no doors or hatches, preventing escape.
Searing heat radiates from the floor and walls, suggesting a scorching climate or a raging fire outside the building.
You see cameras in the celling and microphones as voices says The First Challenge!
Who, from the Starfinders or the True Warrior, will find how to exit this room first?
Tic-Toc Tic-oc, the clock is ticking...
Jastrow see that ten feet up the west wall, a 2-foot-wide opening leads to a ventilation shaft.
With a *clunk* the grappler attached to the ventilation's shaft!
Someone can climb toward the small ventilation shaft or continue to search to bare room.
Ezmer starts to climb and get to the ventilation shaft.
He sees that he is small enough to get into it without squeezing and starts moving into it !
The temperature into the room starts getting hotter and hotter !
During this time, the two hosts, and discuss.
- Well it seems that the Starfinders have found a way to the Exit!
- Very ingenious from their part to have taken small contestant with them, now they can move through the shaft without penalty!
- Yes Lethea, but are the True Warriors have been more thorough in their investigations?
- Ah Yes Quell, cleverness vs eagerness!
As Scut tries to climb the rope se to get to the shaft, Jastrow wonders if something else is hidden.
The Ysoki's intuition was founded! The smooth metal walls are not that smooth finally.
Jastrow see the form of an hidden door on the north wall of the room!!!
Now, how could they open it?!
You hear through the speakers and speech.
- Oh!Oh-Oh! I smell victory here! Not the best smell for me Letheal...
- Yes Quell, but that was smart for the Starfinders to look for more!
- You are right Lethea, but don't the True Warrior have been already getting out?
And before an answer can be heard, the sound is cut!
As Ezmer moves into the shaft, he sees a metal crate, will we open it, leave it, or take it with him for later?
Ezmer gives the metal crate he founds to his comrades below.