Zephyr reaches out to touch the computer interface, seemingly expecting his android circuitry to somehow interface with the alien tech...Something is definitely wrong with him--or at the very least he has been watching too many science fiction holovids...
"Let me have a look..." Jaeric offers, intoning the mystic words of Desna to assess the artifact as he examines the outer surface.
Jaeric wants to make sure the alien artifact is authentic before retreating to the ship.
”Oh, time to go? Let’s go,” says Zephyr thickly, his tongue swollen. He is looking forward to getting back on the ship, stripping down, and washing the residue of this planetary body off…
Zephyr dully helps Never, ending up shouldering most of the weight.
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Based on shape, which, although not a perfect match is stylisticly similar to Jagnura's Tear, material, density, aura, etc, Jaeric is confident that the obelisk is a Tear device.
The airlock door closes behind all of you and Lorne heaves a sigh of relief. "I'm not feeling well either. There's summat 'bout the place. I guessed radiation earlier. If it is, the ship' shielding should keep us safe enough. Do we rest up 'n' try again? Try to figure out what happened? Or do we high tail it out of here?
“Do we have any diagnostic equipment on board we can use to diagnose what is going on?” asks Zephyr. He plans to go through a full decontamination, then take off his powered armor and take a blood sample, using the ship’s medical equipment to assess the damage to his body…but he is not thinking particularly clearly at the moment.
plus ship bonuses?
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"I'll see what I can determine...whether with the onboard systems or the mystic help of Desna," Jaeric assures the android. "Never? Please keep an eye on the facility, but only from the safety of the ship and our radiation shielding for now. Alert us if anything emerges or approaches. Lorne? Please secure that artifact someplace that'll protect us from it in case it starts doing anything weird, as well. Then join us in the lab so we can work together on this mutating problem."
Jaeric then helps Zephyr to the med bay, making the android as comfortable as possible before running a series of blood tests, body scans, and divinations.
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Jaeric's checks for magic reveal a low level aura permeating his patients, including himself, but it's not strong enough to account for these kinds of physical effects. It is reminiscent of the aura he noticed pervading the izalguun installation when he examined the obelisk earlier. It's more complex than the aura of the obelisk, but there are points of similarity.
Detailed analysis using the ship's systems shows signs of DNA modification and structural mutation in everyone's bodies, except Never's. Effects are consistent with radiation, but the scanners detect nothing that might be the cause.
After reviewing the data, Lorne posits, "Assume it be some exotic radiation poisoning. We might be able to mitigate it using traditional industrial techniques. We limit duration of exposure. Question is with that engineering control in place, is it worth the risk ta keep exploring when we've got what we came for?"
"I don't know," Jaeric responds, "Will this radiation effect linger even if we depart? If so, will we have anything at our disposal...whether on the Pegasus or back at Absalom Station that'll be able to halt or reverse it? I don't know the answer to that either."
He gestures towards the readouts on the terminals in front of him. "I think this is beyond our technology. I mean, the scanners aren't really able to pinpoint the source of the radiation, but the low level magical aura present in each of us...except Never...resembles the aura I detected on the obelisk artifact. So, the source is probably the same ancient civilization that tried to keep the izalguuns from leaving their original homeworld...and which keeps sending these kinds of artifacts to them...which none of us, even the best of the Starfinder Society were able to fully understand or master. And that's what led to the incident among the Scoured Stars..."
He sits back in his chair and sighs, pondering the myriad possibilities. "The izalguuns themselves have pretty advanced technology of their own...and yet, these guardians here at the facility clearly mutated into...well, whatever I assume we're becoming. And Zephyr seems to have the worst of it so far. Could they have been working on a way to stop or reverse it? Even if just to protect their people from any further artifacts sent their way? If so, maybe there's records inside the facility of whatever they tried? And with that information, maybe we can complete any research they started?"
"I guess what I'm trying to say is it might be worth it to go back in...under strict industrial engineering controls as you suggested. Or, maybe it's worth waiting here for a bit to see if the mutations start to relax...or if they get worse. If they start to diminish, we're probably good to leave and get this artifact back to Luwazi. But, if they get worse, I doubt we'd survive the trip home before we succumb the same way those izalguuns did...well, all of us except Never. In that case, we should probably suit up and search the rest of this site for whatever we can find that might stop this transformation."
He looks around at everyone. "Thoughts?"
”Okay,” answers Zephyr vaguely…He seems to be having trouble following Jaeric’s reasoning.
"Alright...I'll take that as a 'yes'...I guess?" Jaeric nods, "Zephyr? Stay here. You seem worse off than the rest of us. So, I want the scanners monitoring you to see if the condition worsens, stays the same, or starts to reverse." Jaeric sets up an active protocol on the ship's lab systems to monitor the android and alert him if it detects any further degradation of his genetic code.
"Lorne?" He turns back to the dwarven engineer. "Let's get to work on those industrial-grade radiation protections. If any of our conditions get worse, we'll need to suit up and go back into the facility in short excursions until we've fully learned what happened there and if the izalguuns were onto any kind of cure. For now, though, we get some food and rest to recover as much as we can."
"Never?" he adds, "I'm still counting on you to keep watch and secure the ship. Who knows if there's anything left in that place that might come for the artifact? If so, we need to detect it, and then fight it off or subdue it..."
Nodding, Zephyr relaxes into the med bed as best he can and closes his eyes. If he still feels wounded, he sets his nanites after fixing the damage. If not, he just goes to sleep.
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As Lorne starts work on the protective gear, Jaeric reviews his findings thus far. He feels that he's missed something, maybe something obvious. The half-elf has trouble concentrating. His armor itches. He wipes a hand across his sweaty forehead. Then he draws his fingers along the beard-stubble on his jaw before trying to focus on the numbers again.
From the workshop, a tool clangs to the floor and bounces several times. Or perhaps it was thrown by a frustrated dwarf.
Picture Robert Stack telling you that you have a 'brain cloud'.
Staring at your data you finally realize that although you and Lorne aren't showing symptoms as badly as Zephyr yet, Lorne's blood tests indicate that significant damage has been done and it's only a matter of time before symptoms will appear. The damage done to you isn't major yet, but there are definite subtle changes to your body chemistry already.
Further exposure is likely to result in a worsening condition, and permanent changes to your bodies -- if they're not permanent already.
Investigation will show that you've become quite hirsute under your armor. And your mental faculties are definitely slowing.
Something that looks like peculiar radiation poisoning: The victim takes a –2 penalty to all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based ability checks and skill checks, but you gain +4 circumstance bonus on Athletics
checks made to climb.
"Stupid! I'm a bird-brain! "
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Lorne soon gives up and goes to sleep. "I'm too beat. I'll rest up and get to work in the morning."
In the morning Jaeric re-examines the crew. The three afflicted crew members are feeling slightly better after their rest, but there is no change in their medical state, except that Lorne is now growing patches of feathers. Small downy feathers at the edges of the patches indicate that they'll likely continue to grow. Zephyr's skin problems and Jaeric's new hair persist.
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Lorne soon gives up and goes to sleep. "I'm too beat. I'll rest up and get to work in the morning."
In the morning Jaeric re-examines the crew. The three afflicted crew members are feeling slightly better after their rest, but there is no change in their medical state, except that Lorne is now growing patches of feathers. Small downy feathers at the edges of the patches indicate that they'll likely continue to grow. Zephyr's skin problems and Jaeric's new hair persist.
"Considering our conditions are still worsening--despite being removed from the radiation--we may not survive the trip before devolving into something akin to those aquatic izalguuns we fought," Jaeric replies, "You'd either have to put us down, or put us in induced comas and hope the Starfinders can fund some kind of treatment once we reached Absalom. I suppose that's possible...maybe after consulting with Ulyapses and his people on Icefront?"
Jaeric wheels around in the lab on a rolling chair, consulting various scanners and then Zephyr and Lorne again. "It seems odd that each of us are exhibiting characteristics from different base species...amphibian, avian, and I can only assume mine is mammalian. Were these 'gifts' from the izalguun 'gods' meant to evolve them for life on different planets or biospheres? Or were they just playing with genetics like children with a box of toys? Either way, I don't like the indiscriminate nature of it. It runs contrary to everything my people believe on Castrovel..."
"Lorne? Zephyr? What do you guys think? Never's a vote for getting out of here now. I'm not fully convinced, but I also won't command us to stay if it's against anyone's wishes that's undergoing these effects..."
”I think it is better if I stay in the ship for now. I can fly us out of here, but I won’t be much help with the computer hacking,” says Zephyr, going to sit in the pilot’s chair.
”I think if you minimize your time exposed to the radiation and just go straight to the computers, get what you can, then come back, that would be ideal,” he suggests.
"So, you're a vote to try going back in, but you yourself would prefer to stay on the ship while the rest of us go?" Jaeric asks. "Lorne? What about you?"
"Dwarves aren't quitters. We're winners. "
"I believe you," Jaeric nods. "And that's why I'm counting on you to put together the best anti-radiation gear I can wear." He looks around to Never and Zephyr. "I'll go back in...for all of us. Zephyr? Have the ship ready to go, even if I tell you to lift off and leave me behind. Never? Protect the ship until I can get back or give the order to leave."
The half-elf then heads to the engineering bay to help Lorne finish whatever gear they can manufacture or jury-rig for him.
”Yes, Captain,” says Zephyr almost reflexively, his hands flying over the controls as he brings the ship to a state of readiness. He seems to be moving just fine, even though his higher mental functions are somewhat lacking at the moment.
"Roger that," Jaeric replies with a hopeful smile.
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Working on the new gear takes a long time. The normally skillful Lorne makes mistake after mistake. Sometimes the errors pile on each other, as the fixes he tries turn out to be worse than the original mistake. But with your help eventually everything is ready.
Jaeric and Lorne depart the ship and make their way to your cable bridge. Once across the dwarf looks around, then down the deep hole behind the two Starfinders. "That went better than yesterday."
"Let's see if we can bypass this door we intended to access before we all went leaping into the trash pit below us..." Jaeric replies, "I mean, even after we worked our way into the facility from below, we never made it back this high. So, let's see what the normal entrance is all about..."
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A short set of stairs to the north and another set to the south flank this long hall. Each set of stairs terminates at double doors, although the doors to the north swing audibly on neglected hinges. At the west end of the hall stands a massive metal storage locker. Debris and trash are scattered across the hall.
"We've reached the main entrance again," Jaeric calls back to the team over the comm, "Lots of debris, but there's a big storage locker here. We're going to do a full search and see if we can find out exactly what happened here...and what steps, if any, they took to counter it."
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The locker contains several brightly colored geometric containers, many containing what appear to be large toys made of silvery plastic.
"Let's look in here real quick." Lorne swerves to north. He squeeezes through the open, but jammed doors, and steps into the room beyond.
Ruined linens lay scattered about this partially flooded room. A steady stream of brackish water washes out from under a door along the area’s eastern wall and drains into cracked flooring near double doors to the south. A huge, nest-like structure dominates the western half of the room, comprised of shattered furniture, shredded mattresses, and several torn pillows. The nest reeks with the stench of mildew.
Muddy water flows slowly from under the door to the northeast.
"I wonder what these things are for...?" Jaeric holds up one of the geometric shapes, "A key of some kind?"
When Lorne suggests they check the new room and starts wandering that way, Jaeric pockets the item to bring it with them just in case. Upon sighting the large nest and flowing water, he pulls the dwarf back to reassess everything. "The habitat looks like it could be from a large bird or maybe rats?" he says, "And since you've been showing avian traits like feathers, and Zephyr seems to be undergoing some kind of amphibious transformation like those izalguuns we fought...maybe this is the resting place of another izalguun, but more bird-like?"
Jaeric summons his star-blade using the power of Desna, using its light to illuminate the chamber more fully and prepare himself in case they need to fight. "Let's see where that water's coming from..." he says, moving forward to open the door.
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To the east of this bedroom is the area’s lavatory , where a massive bathtub overflows with muddy water dribbling from a tap. You can easily stanch this flood by turning off the tap. Inside the tub, you find a submerged izalguun skeleton wearing a strange visor.
Jaeric touches his comm again to speak directly to the entire team in addition to Lorne. "We've found another izalguun," he explains, "Already deceased. He's lying in what appears to be a bath tub of some kind...dead from blunt force trauma to the head...likely murdered. Judging by his remains, he was undergoing a transformation, too...but the bones are more porous and bird-like. Possibly the same thing affecting Lorne, I guess. I hope these conditions weren't causing the izalguuns to turn on each other, though. If so, that could make things worse for us...even as we try to return home."
Jaeric moves closer and removes the visor to examine it, as well.
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Jaeric touches his comm again to speak directly to the entire team in addition to Lorne. "We've found another izalguun," he explains, "Already deceased. He's lying in what appears to be a bath tub of some kind...dead from blunt force trauma to the head...likely murdered. Judging by his remains, he was undergoing a transformation, too...but the bones are more porous and bird-like. Possibly the same thing affecting Lorne, I guess. I hope these conditions weren't causing the izalguuns to turn on each other, though. If so, that could make things worse for us...even as we try to return home."
"Don't worry, I'll only kill you if I have to," says Never reassuringly.
"Yeah. Okay. Might as well limit our exposure..." Jaeric replies. He taps the comm for Never and Zephyr. "We're heading back for now...be there in a bit."
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Back at the ship, further testing shows that the disease, or mutation, whatever it is, is not progressing. You seem to have established a safe level of exposure.
After that, it's a simple matter to explore in short, successive trips.
Once repaired, the mainframe displays two secure data files (one labeled “Ralveen” and one labeled “Prima”), each secured behind separate firewalls. Trying one of the feathers from the nest satisfies the scanner. "Welcome Custodian Ralveen. "
Secondary security on the files still has to be penetrated, but Lorne handles it easily. Ralveen’s Personal Log contains several personal video logs of the izalguun Ralveen, who wears a thick ocular visor. Initially, Ralveen appears as a jovial, middle-aged male with several patches of brown mottling intermixed amid his silvery flesh. The initial logs are exceedingly dull, but in the third-to-last entry, he explains the arrival of a curious golden artifact. In the next day’s log entry, Ralveen plainly suffers some sort of ailment, and his skin has strange, downy patches. The last entry is dated many years ago. In this final entry, Ralveen’s skin is covered with feathers. He perches awkwardly on the back of his chair rather than sitting in it, and his eyes dart around nervously as he speaks.
Prima’s Personal Log is also hacked by Lorne. It contains several personal video logs of the izalguun Prima. Initially, she appears as a stern and commanding female with a silver coloration void of any dappling or marbling. She wears fashionable clothing and is obviously pregnant. Her logs detail major decisions and mark her as the facility’s chief caretaker. Her second-to-last entry describes the arrival of the golden obelisk artifact, which she finds particularly exciting. Her final entry was recorded the day after Ralveen’s final entry. In it, Prima constantly scratches at a mucus-like sheen over her skin, particularly between her fingers. She seems distressed, and her speech is garbled, as if her tongue was swollen.
HANDOUT #1: RALVEEN’S FINAL LOG
Relic number 001237 has infected Prima and me with a strange radiation sickness. I fear our unborn children may have suffered the brunt of this taint, and I am unsure I can reverse the radiation’s change—it’s affected their base genetic code. I have found an antidote for this sickness, but there is a small risk of terminating Prima’s pregnancy. While I have this vaccine at the ready, Prima has refused it. Since we detected our genetically altered code, she has grown both in physical stature and in foul temperament. She has turned violent on several occasions, but I forgive her. I know it is the sickness and not her. I plan to inject her tonight while she sleeps, as I cannot risk our sickness becoming worse. If we lose our unborn children, I beg for forgiveness.
HANDOUT #2: PRIMA’S FINAL LOG
To those who discover this log, know that I am guilty of murder, and I would do it again. My children live, and I plan to bring them to term. As for Ralveen’s odious yellow cure, know that I threw it into the trash compactor and have destroyed it. No cure should come at the destruction of life. I embrace my change, and I realize that soon I shall be incapable of the thought required to run this facility and continue communications on this log. This is my last entry. I make my descent below to prepare for birth. I shall alter the environment to suit my metamorphosis. If you discover this, turn back now, and leave us alone. I have murdered before to protect my babies, and I will not hesitate to do so again.
"Well...it would seem we've solved the mystery of what happened to this place...even though it was many years ago," Jaeric shares, while also commending Lorne on his skills at hacking the alien computer files. "And now we know this Ralveen fellow did create what he believed to be a cure. I suspect he's the one we found wearing this visor with the caved in skull while taking his bath? That must be the murder Prima referred to..."
"If Prima threw this cure into the trash compactor, it's either been destroyed or lying somewhere among the trash or that chute we had to crawl thru to reach the lower level. For our next run, I think we need to head straight there and do a thorough search. If Prima referred to it as a 'yellow cure', at least we'll have an idea of what it might look like..."
"Yellow shiny make us sick?" asks Zephyr with concern. "Need shielding before we leave," he adds, hoping someone who's brain is working properly will figure out how to shield them from the obelisk's effect for the trip back home.
"Yellow shiny could make us better," Jaeric replies, "At least, I hope so...before we turn into whatever Prima became." He looks at the android with the most concern, because he believes Zephyr is suffering from the exact same mutation as the violent caretaker of the facility. Lorne, on the other hand, appears to have acquired Ralveen's mutation. And, other than being a bit scatter-brained, at least the dwarf's constitution seemed to be holding up well enough to accompany him back into the izalguun facility. What worried Jaeric more was his own mutation seemed entirely new and different. None of the recordings from the izalguuns made reference to whatever he might suffer. So, he was in unexplored territory from the influence of an alien artifact.
"Lorne and I will rest up and then go back. I think we've got enough shielding to see us thru the effort. And maybe we can take a few scanners...medical or otherwise...to narrow down the search. In fact, I'm curious if these goggles I took from Ralveen's body might help with that. If he created the cure, maybe there's a setting on here that was last used from when he was working on it..."
Jaeric then takes the visor with him to the engineering lab to try and discern its purpose, taking Lorne in hopes he can keep the dwarf's mind occupied with something that he'll find interesting.