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After taking a few minutes to rest, you pass through the doors to the ship's bridge.
The ship’s damage extends to the portside of the bridge. In a bank of three large monitors, the one on the left is broken and partially covered by a glowing crystalline structure spreading from a bed of crystal in the debris scattered along the portside. A handsome, ethereal man standing before the controls in the bridge glows in a luminescent pastel purple color. His toes barely brush the ground as he hovers with his palms exposed in peaceful gesture. His furrowed brow expresses wariness and his voice betrays mild irritation as he speaks, “You are clearly capable, and as clearly desperate. What might you need from my precious home that you are so inclined to demand by invading it?”
After hearing your comments earlier and your general plight, he introduces himself to you as Dolain, apologizing for the trouble his security systems caused you, hoping that you will understand that his desire for privacy while he meditates are the reason behind such devices being deployed and not any malice towards you.
Because you display obvious knowledge of celestial mechanics and general knowledge (i.e. your earlier successes in checks to identify that you are on the moon Traverse and information about its unique path through this star system), Dolain is obviously impressed, and seems interested in chatting with kindred spirits. Several topics might give you insight into who he is and what he's doing here, such as...
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Looking through the ship’s flight information, personnel list, and logs kept by the crew indicates that the ship is from Gaskar III.
The logs also contain records of the ship’s final days. First, a haughty captain brags how they have just fooled Vesk-7 officers by faking their own destruction and slipping away to the dark side of Traverse to repair their broken ship. The following logs story the captain and crew’s descent into panic and eventually resignation to their fates as they discover that they don’t have the materials to repair the ship for flight again, and they are running out of power to refuel their life support systems. The final log describes a desperate final effort to explore the gateway cavern for a way to activate the portal the ship's magic officer detected there - the captain and magic officer heading in that direction while others in the crew made out in other directions hoping to find anything else.
After gaining access to the system, you can attempt to hack into the heavily encrypted “Trade” folder.
DC 18 Computers (Hacking) Check: This check may be attempted up to 3 times before there are consequences.
Jularaz would be especially enticed by this information, as it particularly condemns the leadership of several other Veskarium officials. This is especially so of Vesk-5, from which the starmetals appear to have been acquired, and Vesk-6, where they were apparently able to rest under the tall treetops of the jungle during their smuggling runs. Combined with Jularaz leveraging the find against Vesk-7’s officers, this information could give Jularaz a political advantage he could use to discredit his nearest neighbors. The computer is able to produce a portable data drive that holds this information.
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"Well, to be frank, your home does look more like a crashed Vesk ship than a home per se. The average peace loving citizen that is looking for shelter might enter here hoping to find a means of communication for instance. We would love to contact our HQ and call for a pick up. It seems sensibly obvious."
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"Pleased to meet you Dolen, and thank you for hosting us."
"You built those nannites!? That seems like a highly complicated achievement. Tell me are they based on an positronic intelligence system or did you use..."
"I think I can help you repair the security systems if you can... just... hold this... piece... there."
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As his companions converse with Dolain, Santos takes the opportunity to look around his 'apartment.' He takes note of the minerals on display. "You're a collector?" He says, nodding towards the dash. He takes out a sample of shimmerstone from his Starfinder Society branded backpack and holds it up. "Know anything about this?"
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"You have a very interesting rock collection. You might be interested in this one as well?" Jewel holds out a chunk of shimmerstone to the gentleman. "Would you like to look at it while I take a look at your computer system?"
Jewel then goes over and starts to fiddle with the computers. After gaining access to the details about what happened to the ship, she finds and interesting folder and attempts to hack further into the system.
Jewel bites her tongue and murmurs, "Well it wasn't that code... I wonder if this will work instead?"
"Interesting..." Jewel whispers as she transfers the data from the computer onto a small portable drive, then removes it and slips it into her pocket.
Sadly, it slips from Jewels hand and hits the floor in her haste, though she quickly picks it up and then puts it away.
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"Well, to be frank, your home does look more like a crashed Vesk ship than a home per se. The average peace loving citizen that is looking for shelter might enter here hoping to find a means of communication for instance. We would love to contact our HQ and call for a pick up. It seems sensibly obvious."
Dolain looks around at your words. "Oh, is that what it is? I've only been living here for about a decade now. I’ve lived on this ship since I first arrived. Its demise appeared to have been recent at that time and was abandoned. It took a while to get some power restored to its systems, but since then, I’ve been able to patch it up well enough. I never much cared why it was here to begin with. It makes a fine residence.”
"Pleased to meet you Dolen, and thank you for hosting us."
"You built those nannites!? That seems like a highly complicated achievement. Tell me are they based on an positronic intelligence system or did you use..."
You think you see his eyes glaze over for a moment. "Those, actually, were already here when I arrived. Programming them was relatively simple. They weren't much good for building anything - only destruction, so I deemed them useful to protect myself with."
"You're a collector?" He says, nodding towards the dash. He takes out a sample of shimmerstone from his Starfinder Society branded backpack and holds it up. "Know anything about this?"
"You have a very interesting rock collection. You might be interested in this one as well?" Jewel holds out a chunk of shimmerstone to the gentleman.
When Santos and Jewel offer, Dolain looks ecstatic, and enthusiastically offers rare Traversian crystal regolith in trade for a unique shimmerstone sample!
Sadly, it slips from Jewels hand and hits the floor in her haste, though she quickly picks it up and then puts it away.
He doesn't seem to care at all for what is on the computer or its data-storage modules, shrugging and waving a hand, suggesting that he is fine with you taking it.
After consideration and chatting with you all for a good hour, he comes to a decision. “There is a kothama hermit at a shrine not too far from here who might be able to help you. They are a star shaman, and likely to have some kind of power to get you all back through your portal. It’s difficult to pull their attention away from the stars, but if you do, they might be your only chance to leave Traverse. I can give you their location, and normally I would take no responsibility for you getting there...but I rather enjoy your company and would prefer to know you get through this safely. Would you permit me to give you some safety equipment, and accompany you part of the way there?”
Assuming you say yes, Dolain goes digging through some storage closets and crates, during which time you can ask more questions if you'd like.
He returns, giving you 5 survival flares that when struck create a 10-foot area of light for 1 hour, one grappler, one set of climbing equipment for each of you (and Manta), and an insulated helmet that provides some relief from the moon’s chill for each of you as well.
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The utterly still chill of Traverse’s climate welcomes you as you emerge from the starship. Before you lays the large, lifeless tundra of the moon, and your goal in the distance.
After walking with Dolain for about an hour while he describes the route you must take to his kothama friend, you come across a large chasm that cuts a deep scar across the landscape. The slick edges threaten to plummet the unwary to the bottom of the fifty-foot-deep crevice. Rather than having to devise methods to cross this obstacle, Dolain reveals his ability to fly, offering to lift you each into the air and over the canyon, depositing you safely on the other side. Once beyond the chasm, however, Dolain decides that if portals in the are acting strangely that he should perhaps not be gone from his home for too long. He wishes you well, and departs, leaving you with three challenges to overcome before reaching the shrine.
Challenge 1:
As you reach the base of some nearby hills, you come across a gaping pitch-black hole in the side of the hill that descends into a cave system. To successfully navigate, you can either make...
or
Challenge 2:
Upon emerging from the cave system, you are greeted by a billion microscopic ice and rock fragments that float in complete stasis, like a dense opaque fog. The sharp fragments cut like a million icy needles, and glisten blindingly. The haze is hundreds of feet in diameter in all directions, meaning you need to go through them - going around would 100% turn your navigation around and make finding the shrine impossible.
Keeping your bearings in the white, reflective void requires succeeding at a DC 15 Perception (Notice) or Survival (Orienteering) Check. Each check represents one minute of travel. On a failed check, you make no progress. You must make three successful checks in order to navigate this obstacle.
Challenge 3:
When you emerge from the fractal suspension, the silhouette of twin symmetrical spires and a large beast, snout turned toward the stars, looms on the edge of the cliff above. The rocky mountainous terrain stretches upward ahead of you.
Scaling this cliff requires a DC 15 Athletics Check that each character must perform. Dolain's climbing gear reduces this to a DC 10. Characters with a climb speed automatically succeed. Whoever reaches the top first can throw down lines for the others, performing an automatic aid another (+2) action.
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Jewel is quiet most of the walk with Dolain, though when he goes to leave he bids him goodbye. Then she turns back to the mission, trying to help everyone continue to move forward. As we approach the cave system, she attempts to orient the group, hoping her ability to see in the dark will help.
Emerging on the other side, the dense fog is disorienting, but she tries to find some kind of landmark within it.
Finally reaching the rocky terrain, Jewel curses to herself again that her wings will not work here.
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As Dolain lifts the large sea-born over the chasm, the Marlowmaw remembers something about lunar fey and powers of gravity, refracted light, or other lunar powers. "I have never been carried by a fey before. You are the albedo lucandrians are you not? HO Hoo Hoo.
"I don't suppose you know anything about the gates do you?"
At the first challenge, the marlomaw is stymied. He is completely dependent on his fellow.
On the second challenge, It goes quite poorly for he mechanic.
Manta's feet stick to the wall with a mechanical schlump, schlump, schlump as Hanmi directs him up trailing the rope.
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Santos is content to listen to Hanmi and Dolian as they talk, but contributes little, instead focusing on taking in the landscape.
As they reach the cave, Santos does what he can to navigate through it, taking cues from Jewel.
In the icy fog he focuses on find some semblance of a path for them to follow safely.
Still feeling sore from the encounter with the nannites, he struggles with the ascending the cliff.
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Blastoff was obviously distracted on the ship. Once he realized it wasn't able to fly, he entered his own world.
Challenge 1:
Blastoff's fingers tap near his drum, an obviously nervous rhythm at being underground again, but doesn't actually play, lest he give away the team's position. His need to be back under the stars guides him unerringly through the caves.
Challenge 2:
Blastoff breezes easily through the mist, pointing, "Look, they are just like the stars! They can guide me. Do you see that constellation?"
Challenge 3:
The little Ysoki shaman invokes the power of the stars and floats easily to the top of the cliffs.
Despite getting help from one of the other team members and using a rope, the Ysoki mystic weakly climbs, cutting himself in the process.
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Jewel, aided by Santos and Blastoff, leads you through the cave system rather quickly.
Blastoff, Jewel, and Santos help guide you through the fractal suspension of particles, but even a short exposure is painful...
- thankfully Dolain's insulated fuzzy hats reduce this by half, so you each only take 4 cold damage
Finally, close to the summit; Hanmi, Blastoff, and Jewel reach the top, throwing down lines for the others.
Santos struggles, taking bludgeoning damage before making it up to the top.
Party Injuries:
A smooth platform carved into the side of the icy lunar hill provides the perfect viewing spot for the speckled sky above. A , sits at the edge of the cliff, gazing up at the stars. The kothama’s hefty snout turns with great effort from the skies, like an ancient oak attempting to bend an old bow. The stars still appear reflected in the depths of their four black eyes. A maw of teeth and tusks opens to speak in a low, soothing voice that magically reaches you despite the vacuum. “You appear to be seeking me in particular. Explain, for I grow nervous of what you intend for me.”
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"I understand you are a star shaman. What do you see when you stare at the stars?" Hanmi had never experienced flight, and being among the stars was unimaginable. That was before the Starfinders of course. Eventually, he will ask if the shaman may even see a path home for the Starfinders so they may continue exploring the indigo firmament.
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Jewel looks at the creature, and reaches out to touch his fur, while gazing up at the sky. "Sorry sir, but you're so... fluffy and tall... But, had we not all but walked into you, I would have never seen you against the snow covered terrain - so does anyone else know you are here? Also, the stars are beautiful, aren't they? Though I do prefer to look at the spaces in-between myself, I do love to look at how they shimmer and shine - almost like the shimmerstone does itself. What do you think?"
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"Greetings. We encountered this helpful citizen on a derelict ship. We had thought it abandoned and were searching it for a means of escape from here. We met, discussed and Dolain suggested we come speak with you. Mayhaps you can send us back through the Portal we entered that brought us here?"
"We've travelled a long and perilous journey to get here. Please tell us our journey has not been in vain."
The kothama regards each of you with their four large eyes, rumbling gently in their throat before replying.
"Dolain is a friend, and if he directed you to me, I am willing to speak with you. You may call me Mathun. I may be able to help you, yes."
"I understand you are a star shaman. What do you see when you stare at the stars?"
"Do you see how Desna and Nyarlathotep are waltzing over there?"
Mathun nods, sharing a bit of a toothy smile with Blastoff.
“I am seeking to deepen my connection to the stars. Without the atmosphere, I can observe the unobstructed sky always. I could not stand to bring myself too far from home, as I still have connections apart from those with the stars to foster during the Meet.”
"As for what I see...I see ourselves, and in that moment will reveal to you all one of the greatest mysteries of life. The molecules of your body are the same molecules that make up this moon, Dolain's ship, the very armor you wear, and that burn inside the stars themselves. We are star-stuff. We are the universe, made manifest, trying to figure itself out. And sometimes the universe needs a change of perspective."*
"does anyone else know you are here? Also, the stars are beautiful, aren't they? Though I do prefer to look at the spaces in-between myself, I do love to look at how they shimmer and shine - almost like the shimmerstone does itself. What do you think?"
Mathun turns their kindly face towards Jewel.
"I reside here in secret. I don’t have faith, based on their repeated dismissal of our traditions, that the veskarium would approve of my living so far out of their reach, yet close enough for them to imagine I scheme against them. My disciples have kept this secret, and I hope that your presence here doesn’t threaten it.”
"As for the shimmerstone itself - it is an empathic mineral. It has a calming effect, much like kothamas. We gaze into its starry surface to contemplate the cosmos when poor weather obscures the skies. Its magical qualities can be used to amplify spells attempting to influence the mind or emotions.”
Looking up at the stars from their sanctuary once more, Mathun nods as if to the universe itself, coming to a decision and turning back to you.
“It alarms me to hear of this phenomenon at the portal. The shimmerstone’s power is the key to the activation of the portals. When these portals are close together, they connect automatically. A portal with enough energy to forge a connection while Vesk‑8 is nearly at its farthest point from us in orbit is beyond its normal abilities. Because emotional energy charges the shimmerstone, an infusion of powerful emotions could overcharge it and cause a portal to connect from well beyond its normal range. The stars shudder to prophesize what powerful feeling could cause something like that.”
"Regardless, you have come from far away, and it is in my power to help you safely home. Give me a few minutes to prepare myself. I will take you back to the portal - my abilities should let me reopen it for you."
Mathun uses their mystic powers to heal all of your wounds, and asks that you take a rest while he prepares himself.
*Delenn, Babylon 5, A Distant Star
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Once ready, Mathun accompanies you on the return trip to the portal. With the kothama star shaman leading you, the way is significantly easier and faster. Mathun uses mystic abilities to protect you all from the fractal suspension, clairvoyance to guide you swiftly through the cave system, and their immense strength and starflight ability to carry you across the canyon.
Upon your return, it is evident that the cave-in became much worse after you left, and entry into even the outer tunnels near the portal are blocked. Mathun asks you to stand back, then begins to work. The shaman's telekinetic powers drags rubble into side passages and shores up supports for the caves, excavating a path for you all of the way back how you came. The gentle quaking of the floor ceases as Mathun completes their work, looking a little bit tired.
"I have opened the way, and your portal should be active once more. It shall stay that way for one-quarter of one of your hours, then shall cease. I wish you a safe journey home, and hope that my aid to you will not lead to my discovery by the veskarium."
After saying their good-byes, Mathun begins a slow, tired trek back in the direction of their shrine.
After traversing the cave corridors, you near the portal that glows a faint blue. As you near the chamber where you fought earlier in the day, a sudden vein of the shimmerstone around you burns red, just before an bursts through the floor between you and your escape!
ROUND 1
Jewel
Blastoff
Santos
Hanmi
Grimace
Shimmerstone Elemental
Valamir
ROUND 2
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Jewel, uncomfortable fighting in a region where there is no air for her wings to beat against in order to gain altitude, finds her trick doesn't work. Partially as a result, her arc pistol's shot refracts from the creature's skin off in a different direction.
Grimace and Santos rush in, swinging at the thing standing between you and your escape from this airless moon. Both swing, and both connect with their strikes! (10+11) The creature is clearly injured, but its smooth outer layer isn't even cracked yet!
ROUND 1
Blastoff
Hanmi + Manta
Shimmerstone Elemental
Valamir
ROUND 2
Jewel
Santos
Grimace
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Hanmi Booki and Manta move into advantageous positions, while Blastoff concentrates on channeling the cosmos into projectiles that strike true! (11)
Now showing signs of cracks along its surface, the creature takes a guarded step back from you...then flares with brilliant azure hues flecked with red, lighting up the area around it with beautiful energy!
Valamir determines that this is a Shimmerstone Elemental, similar to an earth elemental (with standard elemental immunities) but with special properties, such as the witnessed-ability to confuse emotions in those around it.
ROUND 1
Valamir
ROUND 2
Jewel (Will Save)
Santos (Will Save)
Grimace (Will Save)
Blastoff
Hanmi + Manta (Will Save for Hanmi)
Shimmerstone Elemental
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Valamir repositions himself and casts Infinite Worlds: Making a pool of water underneath the Shimmerstone Elemental, hopefully causing him to lose his connection with the ground.
Infinite Worlds (Su) 1st level[list]
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Jewel succumbs to confusing emotions while Valamir disrupts the elemental's connection to the shimmerstone ground around it!
Manta's gunshot connects even as Hanmi's goes wide (6), and Santos lays in with another powerful doshko strike! (12)
ROUND 2
Grimace (Will Save)
Blastoff
Shimmerstone Elemental
Valamir
ROUND 3
Jewel
Santos
Hanmi + Manta
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Botting Grimace and Blastoff:
Addled by the conflicting emotions pressing upon him, Grimace strikes himself for points of damage!
Seeing his party seizing the upper hand, Blastoff attunes himself to the void around him and one last time sends stars shooting into the target!
Combined with the elemental not being able to connect with its shimmerstone surroundings (courtesy of Valamir) Blastoff's mystic powers rend the elemental into fist-sized chunks of shimmerstone, removing any confusion from your party members and taking you out of combat!
This remnant shimmerstone is of high quality, and its unusual properties will surely fetch a high price upon your return. No sooner have you collected yourselves and samples of this does the portal flare even brighter, suggesting that this is your best chance to traverse back from whence you came!
Soundtrack 12: Debrief & Conclusion
The portal thankfully returns you to the mine on Vesk-8. You emerge to find that High Despot Jularaz himself has arrived. While you were gone, he cleared the cavern of everyone aside from himself and Rahla. Jularaz is joyous and oddly eager now that you have returned. He mentions that he and Rahla had begun to wonder if you were dead, and he heavily implies he expects thorough information for such a lengthy excursion.
The High Despot will give you a few minutes to collect yourselves, then will eagerly hear every piece of information you have to tell him. Jularaz primarily asks about where the portal led, who and what you found on Traverse, and the events that resulted in your delayed
return.
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"There were active threats as well, particularly that element that attacked us as we tried to go back through the portal. It was made of shimmerstone, as those the evironment itself wanted us dead." He gestures to Grimace's self-inflicted wound as evidence of the danger. "We were lucky to make it back here alive. I don't think it can follow us, but I can tell you that sending anyone else through that portal would be sending them to their graves."
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"Didn't you say this portal is used to reach Vesk 7? Well it doesn't now. HOOHOO HO. We went through the portal. The other side is, like your workers have noted, lacking atmosphere. There is a tunnel which led to the surface and from there we were able to ascertain the location as the moon." the marlamaw does some calculations, then lifts his datapad to reveal a steeply climbing graph. "Chances are good, that within a day or so the portal will lead strait to empty space."
"The tunnel also collapsed which took way too long to dig out again." The mechanic checks a display on the chest of his suit. "Eighty-seven percent. I did not think the protective gear of my suit was going to make it. Very deadly."
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"Further proof of the dangerous of the terrain can be seen in the records of a ship we found on the surface. They slowly burned out trying to fix their ship and find a way off of the moon, sadly succumbing to the environment and dying before they could leave."
Jewel then offers a copy of her flash drive, and gives a generic set of directions for how they got there (specifically leaving out everything about Dolain from her report).