You are moving through a massive subterranean facility under deep below the surface of Eox. Throughout various people move about the hallways attending to their own business.
Your arrival here was recent and at the request of Radaszam, leader of the Acquisitives. You had been ferried here with little information on board of one of his mercenary ships with the notice that you would be provided up to date information once you arrive in the meeting area on Eox.
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The android arrives in the same mood as usual and as it was the case for another mission. In fact he's always the same mood. But he's an android so far. That's perhaps the reason behind this.
Hello, my name is Mec-01.
His longarm on the shoulder he wears a carbon skin graphite armor.
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The Kasatha enters the meeting area with his material ready for a new mission, coming back from a preserved asteroid. Where will he be sent this time? No information was given for now.
Hi, I'm Nelek.
Not that he doesn't want to talk. But what to talk about? Let's see what kind of mission will be given.
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What appears to be a large moth flies into the meeting place.
Wearing what you would almost call a doctor's suit, if it was designed by a wilderness survival expert and colored by -- well a fey creature.
Upon arriving, the moth communicates to each of you using telepathy. "Greetings fellow Pathfinders. I am called Misty Kit. My species is that of a Kiirtia, recently brought into the Pact Worlds by our very agency."
Misty Kit does something like a flying bob/bow. "I am a specialist in boosting my allies and inconveniencing my enemies."
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the very petite woman practically shouts into her comms as she follows Misty Kit into the briefing room. Her voice carries across the room in a shrill high-pitch with a thick kasathan accent, though she is clearly not kasathan. In fact she stands only about 4 feet tall - taller than a halfling should be, but too short to be human. Her blonde hair frames a lovely face atop a dark blue business suit.
She rolls her eyes as she continues after the extended pause, ”Nooo, I don’t care how many younglings she has, or how “ailing” her partners are. I want. Her. Gone.”
She looks over at the rest of you in the room for the first time and gives you a surprisingly pleasant smile at odds with the tone of her conversation. She holds up one finger and turns her attention back to the poor guy at the other end of her comms.
”Look, I’m going to make this simple,” she continues in a tone of pure condescension. ”She’s incompetent, and I will not have her work impacting my division any longer. Have her gone by the time I get back to the Archipelago, or I will personally drag you and her into the nearest solar lock. Are we clear?”
She stares out the window trying to glare at whomever she’s speaking with. Somehow, it seems to have worked, as her tone shifts to one much more pleasant. ”Good. Thank you. I should be back tomorrow. I’ll see you at the shift-start meeting. Bye.”
As she terminates the comm and turns her attention to the Starfinder team, her demeanor and voice are now completely different. ”Can you believe they bought that I was actually their own Division Chief?” she says with a huge brilliant smile and without the kasathan accent. ”Getting the head of gravitational engineering at Sanjaval Spaceflight Systems fired will certainly throw a ysoki-spanner into their production schedule. And pay me handsomely for the effort.” She wiggles her pointed ears and her corporate business suit shifts into standard traveling clothes as she sits down into one of the chairs.
”Mahari Jones. Corporate espionage, sabotage, and occasional data slinger,” she says by way of introduction. ”Pleasure to meet you all.”
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”Oh, Misty - (can I call you Misty, or are both parts needed?) - I’m gonna like you,” she says with a smile. ”And, you can call me Mahari.”
”Corps are those organizations that make the things we use and supply the services we enjoy. Ringworks makes ships, Spellsight makes magic and hybrid items, Haruspex makes cybertech and augments. Almost everything,” she indicates with a sweep of her arm, ”is made by a corp. There’s thousands of corporations, of all sizes, and they provide goods and services all across the Pact Worlds and beyond.”
She pauses to catch her breath. ”Why do I infiltrate them? For the creds, of course. And the fun of it, and the challenge, and did I mention,… The Creds,” she finishes with a strangely predatory smile.
She cocks her head as something occurs to her. ”But if you don’t know what a corporation is, then what do the Kiirtia have instead? Who makes your gear or provides services like comms or power?”
A few of the undead staff helpfully point you out to your destination. You pass through a number of halls before ending up in a meeting room with a large round table and multiple wall-mounted flat screens. Inside you see Radaszam, leader of the Acquistives faction of the Starfinders, awaiting you along with an undead elebrian who responds your arrive with glee as he rubs his skeletal hands together and turns his rictus grin to Radaszam.
You recognize the elebrian as Zo!, one of the foremost media moguls in the Pact Worlds and especially on Eox itself. “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-onconquest 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.
“As you can see,” Radaszam grumbles, “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 while throwing his arms out for emphasis, “by competing on my show, Pact World Warriors!”
“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.”
The adds continue to play as Radaszam lowers the volume as he turns his attention away from the barrage of gossip and assaults on the character of the Society.
[ooc]Based on your conversations with the staff here as well as you own knowledge, you may already know information about Pact World Warriors program. Roll either a Culture to Recall Knowledge or Diplomacy to Gather Information then open and share any spoiler that your check meets or beats.
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The android searches in the infosphere to recall knowledge about this game.
Computer. Fast retrieval:
Commenting what he has found he says: Where is the other team and who are they? Don’t expect I sing during a fight.
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"Ah yes, I remember watching an episode of this program on the...display monitor, yes display monitor. They seemed quite interesting, if a little mild compared to such events on my homeworld."
"Why I remember one contest that I personally participated in before the coming of the society. It involved a game of eating disguised mushrooms, one of which was the deadly Aspectek. Then we had to run, run mind you, a...."
Misty Kit isn't lying per-say, but there is a LOT of exaggeration.
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A lightly polished android with a dark metal goetee walks into the room,
"How dare you? I thought we were all in this together! Is this what you do leave agents behind to wonder tunnels full of the living dead!...
Bwah ha ha ha just kidding you're all great I'm sure, my bad for being late. So am I to understand we're going to be broadcast before a unliving studio audience?!
This should be a cinche. I was once awarded the title of zinc Saucier duing a downlow neighbor hood cook off, plus there ain't an obstacle that I can't jet, jump, hoist, or jive over. Any special requests boss?
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Mahari listens to Misty Kit's story as it goes on and on....
Though it seems totally plausible, given how strange their new teammate is.
She finally snaps herself out of it and tries to remember what she's heard about this show. It's not something she'd normally watch, but it's not like she lives in a cave either.
"I've heard they leave gear and supplies on the set. But not always in plain sight. Is that right Zo!?"
She then makes a quick comms call to ask a friend what they've heard about the show.
"Skorpy's a little busy now, but he says he heard that someone leaked plans for future contests including 'cooking combat' and 'capture the flag.'"
Commenting what he has found he says: Where is the other team and who are they? Don’t expect I sing during a fight.
Radaszam snorts dismissively. "Probably a bunch of celebrity wannabes, he pauses a moment before adding in a more serious tone, "but don't underestimate them. I haven't been able to gain any intel on your opponents." Radaszam glances pointedly at Zo!, who responds only with a wide-grinning shrug.
So am I to understand we're going to be broadcast before a unliving studio audience?!
"More than that!" Zo! raises his hands as he gesticulates wildly. "Pact World Warriors is a Pact World favorite drawing crowds from throughout the Pact and beyond! A live and unliving studio audience will be watching your every exploit in real time!"
In responds to FlexNaught's question about any special requests, Radaszam gives a glance at one of the monitors showing yetis being questioned by reports before he turns his head in dismay. "Want you to win and put on a good show. Don't pull your punches, but don't break any of the rules laid out. We want to give the media something to talk about that doesn't involve any controversy."
"I've heard they leave gear and supplies on the set. But not always in plain sight. Is that right Zo!?"
Zo! gives a grin as he declares, "there may have been some sponsored gear in the past, but I wouldn't want to ruin any surprises!"
Hearing Mahari reveal information about the planned events Zo throws his head up in an exacerbated sigh. "Seems like someone doesn't care about their Non-Disclosure Agreements."
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Mahari beams Zo! her contact info. "If you need someone to find your leaker, let me know. Or if you need your competitor's secrets, that's right up my alley."
Turning her attention back to the team and Radaszam she asks, "So what are the rules? You know, the ones we're 'not supposed to break.'" she finishes with a wink to the Aquisitive's leader.
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As the meeting nears its end, a lanky gender-nonbinary human sits up in the giant extruded windowsill of the large meeting room window. They were definitely asleep. The more perceptive of you will see the worn medic symbols on their unkempt ship crew jumpsuit. "Shoma. Hi. Sorry, Shoma Steel. The, you know," they tap their head, their eyes glow a little, and you each hear psychic one. They stand and join you. "Don't worry, I'm all caught up. Sensed everything."
Even if they didn't sense everything, they feel like they did. They sure saw through Misty - but they prefer to just learn things about people, and try not to show it.
They're not so much the preparing type. Unless the mission is something personal, like an adventure that might help reveal more to them about the true nature of the cosmos.
Zo! exclaims in response to Mahari, "I very well may need to take you up on that offer! No deals yet though, I want no distractions to you as you take center stage!"
Radaszam takes a meager grin as he thinks of a response to Mahari. "Another day I might have some fun suggestions." he pauses as he takes another longer glance at the screens. "Right now you are going to have a full studio of cameras on you. Listen to the rules and play within them. Stepping out of line might just get thrown on loop with everything else here."
With the majory of issues settled various undead, skeletons and zombies take the group to a dressing room for any last minute preparation before meeting the cameras. Zo! stops Mec-1 for a moment to take him aside, speaking in a stage whisper walking him off to another room. "A moment Mec-01, despite the ... ugliness," he says as he gestures to the screens without sparing them a glance, "there are some wonderful scenes of your dynamic actions within the Scoured Stars that have spread throughout the infosphere. Stories drawn from the logs! Images taken of battle! Enough for you to have developed a bit of a name for yourself."
"A name that would be certain to draw far more ratings if you manage to make it through the whole show even!" Leading Mec-1 into a equipment room with costumes and weapons he begins pointing to pieces of gear. "There are many sponsors who agree and love to see you don their quality gear as you prove yourself a true Pact World Warrior!"
"Select any three bits of gear and you may use them freely throughout the show. Just try not to block the logos."
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The android is first surprised to know that some images are running from him in the infosphere. But then he’s thinking that everything really turns around the image and celebrity in the Pact Worlds. All in all his circuits react quickly.
Thank you. I choose the vesk brigandine II and 2 MK 2 serum of healing.
After that brief preparation you are brought by staff deeper within the megacomplex. Down several flights of stairs and a few elevator rides brings you into a large hexagonal room with camera drones littered throughout. A number of them catch sight of you all and focus their lenses on your approach.
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.” Quell winks at a nearby camera.
“Well, here they are!” Lethea 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.”
A team of five stands opposite of you as you catch sight of screens meant for the audience filled with overlays describing and naming each of them and yourselves.
Leading their team is Mia Moxie, a short halfling woman, just a bit taller than three feet high carrying a few weapons on her back that are nearly as large as herself. She gives a disgusted look at the lot of you before yelling at you, “From what nursery did they pull you lot from? You look greener than the protein shake I had for lunch.!” She takes a look at Mec-1 and gives a shrug. "I heard some big talk about someone come from that Scoured Stars mess, but you are so disappointing seeing you here in person. It won't even be fun crushing you."
Next is a damaya lashuta who is too busy waving to the cameras as well as the pair of undead hosts to want to even interact with the party. Rafelo calls out to pair of hosts, “once this is over, I would love to offer a personal interview. I have done more exceptional things this week than most will have accomplished in a lifetime. Many of those stories are untold, but I'm willing to tell all for you and our wonderful audience.”
Shonvyzam passes by Rafelo as she looks down on the party. She is a vesk that stands easily over seven feet tall and has a small quadroped drone that follows behind her. She has a wide set of tools and a few weapons at her side and comes close enough to get a look at Nelek's rotolaser. "Nice piece of tech you got there. Solid build, well maintained, durable enough." Inspection done she pulls back and scoffs at it. "Fine enough. A step down from my Veskarium-honed engineering. I could put something together like that in my sleep." She then takes a glance at Misty Kit's gear asking, "anything of yours worth a glance?"
There is a clatter of a camera drone as the next rival manages to barely keep themselves up as they have tried to sneak up behind the Mahri but has ended up tripping up over one of the many drones in the area. He doesn't take even a moment to reclaim a swagger as he says to Mahri, despite his blunder, "I wonder if you are distracted by all the glitz and glamour of the spotlight." He is Tillit, a pahtra who has come from the Veskarium. He is a humanoid with panther-like face that is showing nothing but amusement as he shrugs off any animosity. "The stage is nothing special for me myself." He laughs at his own commentary as he asks FlexNaught, "you have anything to show for yourself, or are you saving all the mystery for the show proper?"
Last among them is Verity-5, an non binary android who is entirely content with the entire event. They take looks aroudn at the various cameras, equipment, staff, and the party. They seem to find the entire process incredibly interesting. They stop before Shoma and give a small bow as they introduce themselves, “hello one of my defined rivals. It is wonderful to meet you and I'm excited to have this chance to compete against you. This is a very exciting and rare experience that I'm grateful to be able to experience. I apologize for the rest of my team, they can be a bit brash. Don't take this as a sign of ill intent though. I assure you that my team will win fair and square. No hard feelings!”
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Misty Nods to Verity-5. Pulling out their miniature computer, Misty quickly types out a message which the computer says out loud. "Thank you for the warm greetings. I understand how competitors get. We aren't going to make it easy for you, but look forward to a fair competition."
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"Pfffft, I don't think I'm the one that got distracted by the lights, little kitty cat. But it's sooooo cute that you tried to sneak up on us," she taunts the pahtra condescendingly.
She then winks at Mia Moxie. "Hey, b+$$!, talk about nurseries, how's it that you're still kiddie sized - even for one of us?" She gives her best corporate-predator smile and wiggles her pointed halfling ears. It should be noted that Mahari is unusually tall for a halfling, and with no others on stage to compare to would indeed make Mia look extra short.
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Flex-naught erupts in outrage glaring at the other team, How dare YOU!? My chassis did not survive 320 years post gap only for me to boot up and be disrespected off camera, by a bunch of low rent CHUMPS!...Mwah ha ha ha naw I'm just kidding I'm sure you've got the skills to provide an entertaining challenge. My outer covering is 40% titanium alloy, which means I may not be thick skinned but I am durable. Now, where are the chairs."
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The android looks at Mia: Who told you that you will crush me? It's not on the program list. That's an error from you. First one! In the end the one who makes the more errors loose.
Looking away in attempt to hide any embarrassment remains silent. He doesn't have much to say for himself as he examines his nails in an attempt to appear non-nonchalant.
Shonvyzam laughs in the face of Nelek's claim. "I also hope that the show lets us put that to the test."
Mia Moxie fumes at Mahari's jabs. "You say that, but you are bringing toys," gesturing to Marhari's pistol, "and I've brought real weapons. You aren't even strong enough to carry my guns."
She then turns on Mec-01, "And the program said they would put on a real competition here, but all I see is a band of scrubs. Seems like a lot of mistakes already happened on programming here."
"Well it seems like this competitors have some life in them! Let see how that plays out on the first challenge where both teams will be forced to contend with an obstacle course that only a true Pact World Warrior could survive."
Staff begins to hustle you out of the room and toward the set as Quell declares to both teams, "Smell you later, contestants. Feel free to be scared-fear is my favorite flavor!" He cackles as the teams head separate ways.
Mia Moxie gets fumes from the comments as Verity-5 helps avoid pushing forward the conflict. The android notes, "it is only friendly banter, that will be proven ill founded with our victory."
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The party is led to an elevator while the undead staff take the time to relate the rules of the obstacle course.
You will be placed at the start of a course and given up to 15 rounds to reach the end.
For each PC that crosses the finish before the end of the 10th round, your team will score 20 points.
For each PC that crosses the finish before the end of the 15th round instead will score their team 10 points.
Anyone still on the course (living or dead) after 15 rounds will score 0 points for their team.
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The place you on an elevator by yourselves as they do final camera checks. The doors close and the party has a short drop before the entire elevator floor opens up dropping the party in the middle of a windowless, featureless steel chamber. It appears to contain no doors or hatches to allow for escape. Searing heat radiates from the floor and walls, suggesting a scorching climate or a raging fire outside the building.
Nelek
Mec-01
Mahari Jones
FlexNaught
Misty kit
Shoma Steel
As he declares it the wall opens up revealed a red hued room colored by the ever present molten material carpeting the area outside the island you stand on.
You hear Lethea's voice come over the speakers as she announces, "and no sooner than the race starts we see Mec-01 has already unlocked the Escape Room freeing the Starfinders! But that was only the first challenge and now the group must content with the Mires of Misery."
Beyond the room you see the deep lava channels surrounding the area. A section of hard-packed dirt rises above the lava, protected on its sides by a visible force field of blue-white energy. The bank slopes downward toward an area completely submerged in muddy water. Four narrow wooden planks float along the bog's surface offering a dry route through the morass.
The wooden planks end at a cliff edge rising about thirty feet up to the next part of the course.
Nelek
Mec-01
Mahari Jones
FlexNaught
Misty kit
Shoma Steel
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Flex-Naught quickly runs towards the swampy pit. At the edge of the swamp something ignites in the soles of his armored boots as he begins to hover over the the planks, landing a short distance from the cliff.
"I told you there was nothing I can't jet, jump, hoist, or jive over"WOOOOOOOOO! HA HA HA HA
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"Nice going, Mec-01. Let's hope those other chumps are still stuck in their hot box."
She follows Flex across the dirt, then gracefully hops up onto the catwalk. "I do not like the look of that water." she remarks looking into its murky surface.
"Flex, what's the plan once we get across? Can you fly us up one at a time?"
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"I can do that. Please be aware that my people are a bit slow compared to yours, though what you need with that speed is beyond me."
Misty Kit begins to squeeze into the vent before pausing. "Do any of you have any rope? I can easily secure such at the top of the cliff to make climbing easier."
Misty Kit then enters the vent proper and quickly looks around.
Inside the vent Misty Kit finds a metal crate lodged in the shaft. A brief inspection inside reveals a number of pieces of labeled and branded medicinals and climbing gear.
Quell declares, "is that excitement I smell as Misty Kit finds a package of gear from the wonderful people from Diaspora Expeditions? Yes, Diaspora Expeditions, the company that provides everything you need from climbing the mountains of Castrovel to even the most cavernous piece of space rock!"
FlexNaught notices something very hazardous about the portion of bog he is heading toward.
Before he lands FlexNaught notices that the patch of bog he is heading toward is a patch of quick sand that extends to the bottom of the cliff. If anyone fell in it, it would be difficult for most to to extract themselves.
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Shoma's eyes light up as Mec-01 opens the door. They shake their head, coming to from being very zoned out. "Just like I dreamed it would be... off we go!" They hustle towards the door to follow their new friends.
Still coming to from their trance, and gazing into the room in excitement, they trip on the doorframe, drawing looks from some of the squad. "Nevermind, I'm taking this one nice and slow." They move up to the edge of the bog but don't try to cross yet.
Shoma Steel takes a look through the room and confirms location and danger of the quicksand of the bog, but doesn't detect anything else hiding within the area.
Nelek
Mec-01
Mahari Jones
FlexNaught
Misty kit
Shoma Steel