[SFS/Farol] #1-16: Dreaming of the Future (Inactive)

Game Master Farol

Oz reads the briefing and, of course, sighs.

"...Have I mentioned yet that I hate people? Fiine, I'll go buy something more appropriate than combat gear..."

Oz will go pick up formal clothing - nothing flashy, just something black and classy that will accommodate his armor.

You direct the Loreseeker towards Verces. The trip takes a few days during which you can spend some time looking for information about the planet

Culture Check

One day before the landing you receive from Arvin another message with a set of tickets to enter the club. The quick check on the infosphere gave you the map of the club. Slide 7 - only public areas uncovered

When you land on the landing pad in Vanos you are able to go and buy what you need.

That city-state lies in perpetual twilight, and the appeal of the city lies mostly in the traditionally nocturnal activities found there. The club is a short distance from the port, down a busy boulevard. Neon lights flash above various storefronts, advertising everything from virtual reality shows to high-end pet shops selling imported animals of dubious legality. All around, people of various species, dressed in expensive clothing, laugh as they make their way beneath the pulsing lights. Many are accompanied by androids dressed in similar black uniforms, all with red collars around their necks.

Before going to the club can everyone say if they buy clothing or not. You do know that Kozmos consist mostly of well-dressed clients. When you go to the club roll me a Disguise check pls (it is behind the spider's web between Diplomacy and Engineering)

Culture: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Disguise: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Oz's player forgets for a moment that elebrians can take 20 on recall knowledge and gets a lucky roll.

Oz will, in a bored tone, share everything he knows with the others while he's obsessively trying on suits, trying to find one he hates the least.

Oz will, in a bored tone, share everything he knows with the others while he's obsessively trying on suits, trying to find one he hates the least.

A black bear costume with tutu? :D

Seeing everyone else trying on various disguises Charlie tries to change his appearance as well by sticking a wig on his bald head.

Disguise: 1d20 ⇒ 9

It looks a bit odd as it won't stay in one place and slides around from ear to ear as he walks.

I will let K and Smoky do their disguise checks respectively and let you inside the club

When you arrive at Kozmos, a line stretches around the block, filled with eager concert-goers awaiting admittance. Gaining entry is easy; the tickets provided by Arvin are legitimate.

As with most locations in Vanos, weapons are permissible within the club.

You pass a long corridor and enter the main room, you are greeted with loud electronic music.

The main dance floor of Kozmos extends almost eighty feet from north to south. Two raised bars, tended by clearly augmented verthani, nest within raised platforms in the northwest and northeast corners, while two large vesk guards a door in the middle of the northern wall. Two androids with red collars tend a central bar, which serves as the main drinking station. Throngs of verthani and a handful of other species fill the dance floor, and the 10-foot ceilings barely rise two feet above most of their heads. A large stage covers the southern section of the room, flanked by ramps leading up from the east and west sides. Each ramp leads to a door, with the southern one guarded by an intimidating vesk who stands under a sign marked "Dressing Room." A double door marked "Fire Exit" lies in the middle of the eastern wall, and the club entrance is the sole door along the western side.

The map is filled with tokens:
- Starfinders are round
- Rectangular no-border are the club clients
- Rectangular with yellow border is the ones which you believe work there (vesks next to the doors are bouncers, next to the bars are bartenders).

Before they get to the club, Smoky looks at the othe three.

"So what is the plan? I am assuming that because of my size and....well distinctive look I will be the distraction?" She says, as she waves at the designer power suit she found. Black, with glittering sequins on it, the highly raised shoulder pads making the outfit even more striking. The designer Raymond Shades on her eyes, and her grey/brown fur tips artfully (and temporarily) died blue and yellow.

Link of power suit (well..the top half of it....Smoky won't be in a dress), minus the sequins....sigh.
Another scenario got me to think Smoky would look GOOD in sequins

Before

Kaixik response to Smoky. "I can keep everybody communicating via my telepathy. If Smoky makes a distraction, the rest of us can poke around, and Smoky can give us a warning when she's finally thrown out?"

Now

Kaixik enjoys buying some new clothes for the event. He tries to enter a little bit disguised.

Disguise: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Smoky will also keep people in the loop with telepathy as much as she can.

Being trained in Disguise, she will do her best to make certain that everybody looks a little different...and obvious trackable items (like Starfinder Society Badges, or her Xenowarden badge) is no longer on said person.

Disguise check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

I do have limited telepathy up to 60 ft...I got a psychic booster and never remember it...

Your disguises are of similar quality, except for Charlie-X who clearly stands out from the crowd.

The club is loud and a bit hectic, three bars serve drinks while bouncers stand next to the doors making sure that restricted areas are restricted.

Below I will describe the sections fo the club that you might find intriguing if you will go there.

Northern Bars

Both Bars on the opposite side of the stage are operated by Verthanis. They seem polite and interested in selling you drinks, and casual 'How do you like the band?'

Centrl Bar
The bar is operated by two androids wearing nameplates: Kozmos-13 and Kozmos-14. Their whole communication is restricted to "What can I get you, Sir/Madam?". They seem timid.

You might be able to get the to talk with a Diplomacy/Intimidate check.

Exits

Looking at the room you spot few exits. The one on the Northern wall are Vesked by two guards. The two behind the stage are protected by one. The doors on the easter wall are marked 'Fire Exit' and seem connected to the fire alarm.

Engineering check to disable, and stealth check to sneak out

Above I highlighted things of interest. Feel free to try other options, like creating distractions, etc.

Smoky walks confidently up to the central bar.

Telepathically to both Kozmos-13 and -14, "A Honey Castrovielian Orange Caipirinha for me please, one from each of you, as normal serving sizes just don't do it for me."

She gives them the barest of a smile.

The two androids nod and begin preparing drinks. After a while, almost at the same time, they put on the bar in front two identical glasses filled with Castrovielian Orange Caipirinha. The Androids avoided eye contact with the uplifted bear.

"2 credits please" is the only thing that he hears back

Smoky smiles, and pays the 2 credits...and a 10 credit tip for each.

"Got to love the music here. Though I do prefer Vesk heavy metal...or Skitter Jazz. Does the owner rotate his bands?"

Android looks at each other

"I am sorry, we are not allowed to accept tips. Those remotely activated collars that we wear are supposed to ensure our best behavior. In the other two bars, there are containers for tips." respond Kozmos-14, and both androids return the money

"With regards to bands, Kozmos club invites the greatest musicians in the whole Pact World. The genre contains Electric Verthani Music, Jazz, Blues, Heavy Metal, Filk, Pop ...." the monologue sounds like it is a recorded message.

With Kozmos-14 mentioning a collar, Smoky gives the collar a quick glance at it.

Engineering: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

To both Kozmos (and only them)"I hate seeing creatures in zoo's....and seeing sentients treated the same if not worse makes me very unhappy. If I can find a way to disable those, care to make your escape with me?"

Mental thought to Kaixik (if in range)"The two androids at the main bar seem to have some kind of collars on. I believe Oz said something about Verthani like to buy and sell androids. Abhorrent practice...barbaric really. If I am right, we definitely need to see about somehow disabling the collars so that these two--and any others here--can get out of under the thumb of this Verthani. Maybe get them back to our ship?'

Oz groans at the loud music and stalks through the crowd to the closest bar in the middle of the room, immediately finding elbow room and leaning over the countertop, hands over his ears (obviously not covered enough).

"Make me something that'll deaden my auditory nerves? Stat. Please and thank you."

While the androids are making drinks, Oz will try making small talk while sliding double the amount of credits the drink is worth towards them. "And I'm sure this might buy us some info about this place too, right?"

(Oz was going to go with Bluff to be more social, but if Diplomacy/Intimidate are his only options...)

Intimidate: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
(Bluff would be 1 less, but more civilized)

Both Kozmos androids look at Smoky and nod their head not responding in words.

After having a glance at the collars Smoky believe them to be short-ranged restraining devices. They can be controlled at a limited distance (this building only). But she can't learn much more without being noticed.

Oz is served what he asked for

"Here you are Sir." Kozmos-14 looks at the extra money and repeat what they said to Smoky:

"I am sorry, we are not allowed to accept tips. In the other two bars, there are containers for tips. With regards to info about the place sure", The android takes a pause and then begins to say information in a very advertisement-like voice

"Kozmos club is the most prestigious place in whole Vanos. It is the place for many concerts hosting the greatest musicians in the whole Pact World. The genre contains Electric Verthani Music, Jazz, Blues, Heavy Metal, Filk, Pop ...."

Oz sorry I should be more precise. Yes, Bluff is acceptable, for me any situation that accepts diplomacy accepts bluff. For me, the difference is if you are saying honestly or not ;) Either way with 5 on your dice it is a failure.

As you are spending time drinking near the central bar you can see that aliens carrying musical instruments from time to time go through the southern doors not bothered by the solo Vesk.

Smoky will nod once to them, and project to the 2 androids, "Good....if something happens...try to follow, or at least find me at Lot B6, Hanger 53."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

With that, Smoky will down both drinks, smile to Oz and 'flounce' (as much as a large bear can flounce) off, looking to get seen dancing around the floor.

Doing Acrobatics for natural grace when dancing: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Flounce off? Are we still speaking English here? Googling for meaning.... ok got it, wow even a quote by Agatha Christie:)

The androids respond telepathically

"Bogdin has a computer in his office from which he is able to control the collars. We would appreciate it if you would be able to turn them off."

When someone as graceful as Smoky begins to move it has to make an effect. After a couple of seconds, she finds herself with plenty of room on the floor and most of the aliens are looking at the uplifted bear...

Kaixik, standing in a corner this whole time while Smoky (and Oz) work to make a distraction responds telepathically (via Smoky).

"Now we're getting somewhere! Where might Bogdin's office be? Is there any additional security? We'll see what we can do..."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 + 1d6 ⇒ (14) + 15 + (3) = 32

Once he gets the correct information, Kaixik will literally dance toward the door/window/area behind/in which the office is located.

Oz slams his drink back in a single gulp and keeps his big mouth shut, letting the more diplomatic Starfinders gather the Intel before he is invariably called upon to spearhead whatever clandestine plan results...*sigh*

Charlie strolls over to one of the bars while avoiding most of the club visitors while trying to appear he isn't actively trying to avoid said people

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Shaking his head and blinking his eyes before focusing on the Verthani asking him a question he answers:

"The band?"

"I don't think he's asking about our connection, so he wants to know about the noise I guess ..so this is what goes for music around here...'

" ..is nice?"

The Komos-14 eyes dancing Smoky as most of the aliens are. The android responds after a moment

"Bogdin's office is beyond that fire doors over there, opposite the entrance. It is unguarded, but opening it will trigger an alarm. In his office is a computer that can activate and deactivate those collars. If you could help us escape we would be grateful."

Kaixik begins to dance towards the fire exit...

The obvious thing to do with the alarm would be to use engineering to disable it. Smoky provides a bearable distraction.

Charlie's bartender nods

"Cool, cool. What do you drink?"

Smoky will just cause as much a distraction as a dancing bear can cause. Though she does attempt to get people to work on such things as break dancing, and if that fails, she will definitely want to set up a Castrovelian Conga Line--like a normal Conga line, but with more eccentric dancing.

Oz sighs, rubbing his considerable temple before subvocalizing into his comm unit as he starts slipping through the crowd in the direction of the fire doors.

"So, am I silencing the alarm and breaking in alone while all eyes are on the dancing bear, or is anybody else coming along for the ride?"

Kaixik telepathically responds to Oz while continuing to dance across the room.

"I won't be able to assist with silencing the alarm, but I'm along for the ride!"

The shirren continues girating as he nears the door, dancing in place several feet away.

"I'm ready to duck in as soon as the door is open!"

Oz will shrug and sigh dejectedly and make his way to the door, turning around to "casually" lean against the wall next to the alarm mechanism as if he was one of those "cool guys" watching the dancers.

Either in response to Kaxik or softly through comms, he'll whisper. "Alright, just say when."

Whoever will want to sneak out of the room, need to make the stealth check

Oz begins to work on the alarm trying to be casual about it while K keeps dancing his way towards him...

Smoky keeps on dancing and people do follow her into the Conga Line. Maybe they are so enthralled by her movements or afraid of those bar paws. The Castrovelian Conga Line is formed and even Charlie is getting dragged into it by some overexcited club-goer

Looking up and over his shoulder as the conga line starts Charlie excuses himself from the bartender and joins in once he sees who's leading the line figuring that even though he has no clue what so ever what's going on that Smokey would know what's going on (or possibly just needs close supervision and needs to be carefully watched from here on).

As Charlie joins the conga line he takes a glance towards the fire exit doors seeing Oz working on them. Looking away and back Oz is no longer there, simply the doors are closed.

K sees Oz quickly sneaking behind the doors.

If anyone wishes to join the stealth check is needed to avoid getting detected.

After sneaking through the doors Oz sees a long corridor, there are doors opposite the fire exit that he just sneaked through probably leading to the office. To the right, there is something that looks like a storage space consisting of pods designed for deep-space travel. From that distance, Oz is unsure what could be in them.

Doh, just a little late...

Oz sneaks inside and immediately places one hand on the hilt of his gun, just in case. While waiting for the others, his other hand grabs the Broad-Spectrum Scanning Kit he carries, scanning around for any security cameras, tripwires, or other security measures.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 4 = 24 (+4 on top of this vs. traps)

Sorry Oz, tried to predict your posting times and as you were unlocking the doors I wanted to open that avenue for others - btw. It was more stressful than rolling as a player :D

Oz scans the surroundings but he discovers no traps, alarms nor cameras...

Smoky keeps a partial eye as Oz moves towards the door. When he starts to work on the lock, she gets everybody to be more energetic with the Conga, turning it into a Aposte Conga--where you dance in the line, but add more twirling and spinning.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Mentally smiling as she hopes her dancing has allowed Oz--and anybody else who wants to slip in with him--enough time for their caper to be unnoticed.

No, it's all good - just cursing that I didn't poke in here earlier.

Oz will tuck the scanning kit away, noticing that nobody else is following him through the doors. With a predicable sigh, he'll creep down the hallway towards those strange storage pods, hand still hovering near the grip of his pistol.

Anyone who wishes to join Oz, feel free to do the stealth roll. I could bot K but I see no point until Oz bumps into a task that he can't do on his own.

Oz moves quietly towards the area with the storage pods (C4). Some of them are stacked one on top of the other, so he can see only the side panel showing the temperature and status of the pod.

There are a few that are standing on the ground and have a very thick glass-like cover. When Oz looks down he sees an android face with their eye closed, wearing a similar collar as he saw outside. The android seems to be sleeping.

A quick check of the other pods shows that they all contain restrained androids. Pods seem to be waiting to be sent somewhere off-planet.

=================

On the other side of the doors, Smoky did get the party going. Aliens keep dancing, swirling, and jumping. Every now and then someone bumped into someone else and some other alien have fallen to the floor.

Soon Kozmos-14 comes to Smoky and passes him another drink

"On the house, for making this a night to remember."

Smoky gets the party going...and going, and going. She does her best to keep the energy up....hoping to set the stage for the after-party...where hopefully she can get the two androids out of here, along with the tablet.

Taking a quick breather, seeing Kozmos-14 come up and pass her another drink, she smiles and telepathically says "Thanks...all this fun has worked a gal into an unbearable mess....this should help"...and proceeds to knock back the drink in one quick gulp.

"Back out there to make it more fun...hopefully with all the lights and such we can make this a night for you to truly remember."

Charlie debates going after Oz and then almost trips over the feet of the person in front of him and continues to stomp his big flat feet on the floor in the middle of the...let's call it "distraction"..instead of messing up the chance of going unnoticed that Oz has without Charlie stomping on after him..possibly with an entire conga line in tow.

" ...actually maybe moving _all_ these people to the restricted area is just what we need?...."

Oz is actually speechless at what he's found, and only barely has the presence of mind to take out his comm unit to take pictures. Over comms to the others, he whispers in a cold voice. "Collared androids locked in storage pods back here...if we see whoever is responsible for this, we're killing them. Nobody should go through this."

Assuming he's unable to get the pods open (he will try), he will reluctantly return to the office and check it for traps or alarms.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 4 = 20 (+4 on top of this vs. traps)

If there are none, and if no one else is coming with him, he'll force his way inside.

Engineering: 1d20 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 4 = 23

Oz looks at the pods and he is certain that he would be able to open them, but the process would take long and Androids inside would require aid to recover. That all would cost time that he might not have at the moment.

He comes back to check the traps, and as he finds non he opens the doors which were in fact closed but not very well.

This office contains several small workstations, a desk, and well-stocked bar. Two doors lie on the western wall, with one clearly being a leftover
relic from a previous renovation. A door on the eastern wall is blocked by an open and empty deep-space storage pod. Two doors frame the northern wall.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 4 = 30 Oz spots a picture on the wall hanging a bit off the wall. When pulled it reveals the safe with a control panel. Need a computer check to open it.

===============
In the meantime in the fun part of the club, Smoky and Charlie continue to dance with the crowd ....

A male Verthani enters the club, he has a series of augmentation, and immediately he goes to one of the northern bars, beginning to chat with the bartender there.

You may suspect him to be Karelite Bogdin, and he seems to be briefed about how the club is operating. You can see one of the Vesk guards stop by Karelite and make his way towards the exit.

Oz sees the control unit and *sighs*

A moment later, over party comms, "I found a secret control panel in here behind a painting. I don't suppose any of you line-dancers know how to hack into computer systems? The last time I used anything more complicated than a comm unit was when I had an AOL... I mean, Akiton Online account."

If nobody else comes back there, Oz's only option would be to try a 4-mile radius signal jammer and hope for the best.

As quietly as she can, Smoky says "Eeyyyee Doo....Buutt....Eeyyye mmmiggghhtt haaavvee pprrooblems gheetting thheere..."

Even saying that...she does her best to try to slip through the door....

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Smoky is able to sneak out of the dance hall, ease-peasy. The club was having a great night even without the bear in the room.

As Smoky gets herself up to the safe storage she was able to hack the computer, just bearly, but still.

To her eyes shows up the following options:
- Deactivate control collars on androids
- Open the safe
- Theatrical smoke/fog on the dance floor
- Strobe lights on the dance floor

Smoky does believe to be able to plug her or Oz datapad into the computer to use above options remotely if they wish With a DC20 Computer check.

If they open the safe, they find a perfectly preserved sandstone tablet.

Smoky will, pop open the safe, and then add the controls to Oz's datapad if he wants, otherwise she will put it on hers.

Computer: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Okay....will use my shirt now....
1d20 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 4 = 22

Two completely average rolls...sigh

Smoky was able to do what she wanted. You are now able to disable Android collars as well as turn on the lights and the fog.

You sneak back to the dance floor room with the tablet hidden in your backpack. It seems that no one has noticed anything so far. You see two Kozmos android throwing you glances full of hope mixed with fear. You spot Bogdin standing with one of the Vesk next to a bar in the northern part of the room.

Will you help the androids? Confront Bogdin? Or sneak out of the place never to be discovered.

K stands next to Smoky and Oz while Charlie is still part of the Conga Line.

As you might remember, the scenario forces your confrontation with Bogdin, But I feel like giving your choice to do the good thing or not is something that shapes your PC, so here we are...

Oz would cover Smoky when she headed into the safe, but would insist on deactivating the android collars before leaving the office - not even leaving to chance being able to activate these controls remotely.

Once back in the main club, he'll whisper to the others nearby. "I know the mission is the tablet...but I kind of feel like killing a slave-trading sunofab-" his words are cut off by the passing conga line, but you all get the idea. He looks to the rest of you, though, before making any moves.

Kaixik, in between dancing the conga line and sneaking back with the giant bear (well, a normal sized bear, which is pretty big), would approve of Oz's actions.

"Of course. The more harm we can do to literal slavers, the better."

With smoke filling the dance floor and lights strobing, Kaixik telepathically reaches out to the androids, telepathically "CCing" the party, once the collars are deactivated.

"Your inprisonment here is at an end; the collars no longer function. There is likely to be a distraction soon; you might be able to get out once it starts. It should be fairly obvious."

Kaixik's hand reaches over toward his smart watch/tablet/spell-chip-computer. Excluding the androids again, he asks the party, "How should we get this party started?"

[]i]"I hate zoo's....and slavery of a sentient being is worse than that....I do NOT want to leave these androids here...and I would really like to give this owner a big BEAR HUG to show him how much I love his club."[/i]

Smoky sees that Charlie is able to keep the Conga line going while she slipped out.

"You know...for being built so compactly and so densely...Charlie really can bust a move if he wants to and you can tell that once he is moving, you don't want to be in his way..."

The Kozmos looks at the collars and at the club owner in the corner

"We can't sneak past the owner. He will see us..."

If you decide to fight you need to make a hostile action, or do a hero speech with guns pulled out etc. The crowd is formed in conga line. One bouncer is left on the map with the club owner.

Oz will follow behind the conga line, near the front of the stage, trying to see how close to the door he can get before things escalate.

On mobile at the moment so I can't edit the map. Feel free to move me if you'd like.

Thinking to her allies she says ""If this works, get at close as you can to to Bogdin...I think we need to pacify him and his goons...so we can get the rest out."

Smoky quickly looks around, and tries to find some kind of pole....either one of those stupid poles they use with rope to form lines or something. Barring that she will grab a stool.

She walks over to the conga line, holding her improvised Limbo pole about hip level to most medium humanoids, and keeps it level. She mentally broadcasts to all people near her (60 ft), "HOW LOW CAN YOU GO!"

And did that for you Oz