The deceased draelik had a suit of armor that seems comparable to Pact World Freebooter Armor I.
A bit of research determines that the staff is a lesser shadowstaff with 1 clip (40 charges).
Duncan is happy to either let someone else claim the weapon or sell it.
When the group was waylaid by the combat, they were headed for the next unexplored section of the station.
"I don't want this shadowstaff, or any other for that matter," Yoromishtali says. "Thak, you look like you would appreciate it. If you don't like it, you can sell it."
Yoromishtali checks the charges in the laser rifle. "Well, let's continue onwards."
What was once a smelting factory has been converted into a bustling marketplace, with unlit furnaces and overturned mine carts serving as various storefronts. The walls are decorated with bits of metal cans, worn ropes, and broken weapons hanging among the exposed pipes. A set of tracks emerges from the southern door, and another door exits to the west.
Duncan starts asking people if they can help us locate Talmrin.
Duncan starts asking people if they can help us locate Talmrin.
It appears that most people either can't understand you, or prefer not to converse with a stranger.
You do encounter an unusual character though. A massive brute of a humanoid walks up to you, grabs your pulsecaster pistol out of your holster, hands you a very colorful hat, and coos happily for a second before turning around and walking away (unless you stop him).
Thak tucks the shadowstaff under the straps of his backpack and follows Duncan into the marketplace area.
“Good call on coming this way. It looks promising.”
He rubs his paws together as a smile widens on his face. “ Let’s see who who’s feeling talkative today…”
[Dice=Diplomacy]1d20 + 13 + 1d6
After attempting to find someone who can understand you, or at least wishes to converse, you come across an unusual inhabitant of this area.
A tiny, pink squid-like creature floats in a large orb of water
next to an upended mine cart, upon which various merchant
wares have been arranged. The creature points at these
goods with liquid tentacles that extrude from the globe
of water.
This creature pulses in various bright colors upon hearing the name Talmrin.
Sensing the big blue guy is not trying to cause trouble, Duncan puts on the hat and tries to engage him in conversation, attempting what languages he knows. "The hat is impressive, but I'm not sure it's a fair trade. I'm Duncan, by the way. What's your name?"
If he does not appear to understand any languages, Duncan pantomimes pointing to himself and saying his name and then point at him with a questioning look and a smile.
Duncan glances back at Thak in an appeal for help communicating.
At a loss for what kind of creature that was, Augrok looks to Duncan to see if that was a issue that was going to be made, her hand flexes the gauntlet, wary but not too concerned about this turning into a fight again. Considering their diversity, they do not really stand out in this area, save for their association. This place seemed to be somewhat self-regulating regarding laws.
_____________________________________
|
You do encounter an unusual character though. A massive brute of a humanoid walks up to you, grabs your pulsecaster pistol out of your holster, hands you a very colorful hat, and coos happily for a second before turning around and walking away (unless you stop him).
Thak barely recovers from the arrival of his new hat when Duncan grabs it and begins talking to the happy pistol snatcher.
This place!! What the heck is going on here?
He trots after Duncan, trying to get a frame of reference for what’s happening and help Duncan make it through the interaction without starting another gunfight.
Sensing the big blue guy is not trying to cause trouble, Duncan puts on the hat and tries to engage him in conversation, attempting what languages he knows. "The hat is impressive, but I'm not sure it's a fair trade. I'm Duncan, by the way. What's your name?"
If he does not appear to understand any languages, Duncan pantomimes pointing to himself and saying his name and then point at him with a questioning look and a smile.
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20 + 4
Duncan glances back at Thak in an appeal for help communicating.
It's hard to put your finger on. But something...just feels different about this hat. You notice it most when you put it on. It's as if you can picture yourself with a whole different look...
You do encounter an unusual character though. A massive brute of a humanoid walks up to you, grabs your pulsecaster pistol out of your holster, hands you a very colorful hat, and coos happily for a second before turning around and walking away (unless you stop him).Thak barely recovers from the arrival of his new hat when Duncan grabs it and begins talking to the happy pistol snatcher.
This place!! What the heck is going on here?
He trots after Duncan, trying to get a frame of reference for what’s happening and help Duncan make it through the interaction without starting another gunfight.
[Dice=Culture]1d20 + 5
[Dice=Diplomacy]1d20 + 13 + 1d6
The brutish humanoid gives a nod to Thak, making a happy trilling sound as he does. He seems pleased with his new pistol.
Yoromishtali is looking at the broken weapons, trying to decide if these are being honored or displayed as trophies. After what felt like mere moments, he becomes aware that Thak and Duncan are attempting to converse with a large, blue being. Ill-defined eyes and prominent incisors.
"Is this Talmrin?" he asks coming over.
Duncan remembers stories about a magic hat allowing one to appear different. He imagines himself to be a vesk to see if it changes his appearance.
Duncan remembers stories about a magic hat allowing one to appear different. He imagines himself to be a vesk to see if it changes his appearance.
Duncan momentarily changes his appearance, in a quite drastic way.
He then returns to his normal feline styles after a second or two.
Seeing Duncan's appearance become a vesk, Yoromishtali chuckles. "That's a good trick. Have you been capable of that all this time?"
Duncan accepts the trade, especially as it had been a while since he had used the pulsecaster.
|
|
A tiny, pink squid-like creature floats in a large orb of water next to an upended mine cart, upon which various merchant wares have been arranged. The creature points at these goods with liquid tentacles that extrude from the globe of water. This creature pulses in various bright colors upon hearing the name Talmrin.
Thak puts all of his skills to work toward connecting and communicating with the squid creature.
He looks through the display of wares, hoping to find something to purchase. He keeps the conversation going as he browses.
“You know Talmrin? What are they like? We’re hoping they can help us with some ship upgrades.”
Yoromishtali's jaw drops slightly and he glances from his companions to the stranger. "Oh he is not Talmrin. My misunderstanding. Sorry about that," he adds directed to the stranger.
He grins and chuckles. "That could have been much more awkward."
Likewise, Augrok is looking at the wares somewhat appreciatively, well aware of the rifle across her back that needs some work. The concourse has a good amount of her attention, at the various individuals that were going about their cycle here. A wave was given to the shopkeep, one of the beings like the one that had stayed behind at the colony, and she could not quite recall the name of their race. Interesting. Either way, the perusal was more out of curiosity than a desire to purchase, since Madelon's Landing had seen most of her investment.
"Hello, who trades weapons?", she tried. It was possible there was someone here with something that suited her better than what she currently had.
It does seem obvious that this creature is a merchant here on Outpost Zed. She has her wares displayed, and there are flashing holograms near each item making the price obvious.
Thak, this creature seems to believe that you are the friendly sort. Though you're not sure if she understands a word you're saying, her skin colors flash excitedly upon the mention of Talmrin.
"I think it uses colors and patterns as its language," Duncan suggests.
"Colors and patterns?" the vesk says in response to Duncan's suggestion. "It must have really good eyesight. Probably sees colors and details I can't. I think it knows Talmrin since the skin flashed when you mentioned him, Thak."
The vesk taps his chest. "My name is Yoromishtali."
|
|
”I think it uses colors and patterns as its language.”
Thak nods to Duncan. “That makes sense… let’s work with it.”
Following Yoro’s lead, Thak smiles warmly to the creature and puts his paw on his chest.
“And I’m Thak. Thanks for your help. I never met anyone like you before. What’s the best way for us to communicate?”
He also attempts greetings in the other languages he knows — Brenneri, Castrovelian, Vest, and Draconic, and waits for a moment in mental silence to see if the creature uses telepathy.
At some point, he gestures toward their goods display.
“I’d like two of the mark 1 serums of healing, aaaaannnnndd… ” -- he pauses to consider the list again -- “… and one of the mark 1 holo grenades. We’d also deeply appreciate your help to find Talmrin.”
The holo-displays near each of the items clearly show the price, and this creature is happy to take your money for the serums and grenade.
On the other hand, you don't think she understands any of the languages you are speaking, other than recognizing the name Talmrin. Her only communication following the transaction for the goods is to slowly pulse back and forth between a pleasant blue color and a bright pink.
While they did not speak the language, there was a possibility that they may be able to manage some sort of communication... Looking around for some sort of comm-link near them, she set hers to ping locally to see how many responses came back. If it worked, she would see if there was some type of rudimentary image or symbol communication that they could attempt so that they could mutually understand each other.
Looking at the stranger, Yoromishtali points to his eyes, the first finger from each hand moving back and forth, as he repeats "Talmrin, Talmrin, Talmrin." He then looks away, searching the room with his gaze in an exaggerated manner.
Someone walks by, speaks to this strange merchant in Azlanti, smiles, then steps away.
The squid-like creature psychically create the outline of a friendly waving hand within the pool of water that surrounds him.
"I thought that sounded like Azlanti too," Yoromishtali says. "I've been more focused on learning written words. Too focused I think."
Duncan does as Thak suggests.
If that doesn't work or if it can help with the conversation, Duncan tries to program the holographs he uses with the trick attack to generate some holograms that might help convey what he is asking.
The squid creature's eyes light up at the sound of Azlanti being spoken. In face, the tiny squid-like creature dances in her psychically-bound pool of water.
After a moment, she begins to form images within the water that surrounds her, first of a crude map of the promenade, then zipping through the tunnels and ending in a nondescript chamber.
She then turns a bronze color and taps out a rapid pattern on the nearby mine cart that holds her wares with a tendril.
Duncan says a word or two in Azlanti and bows slightly (thanking the merchant) and explains in common, "Tamrin lives in the pipes of this place. We need to find an opening near her which our friend here has told me about."
Duncan asks what image the holo grenade creates.
If any merchant in the area has a flashlight and a lantern, Duncan will buy one of each.
"Lives in the pipes?" Yoromishtali says in surprise. "Okay, let's go find this opening."
Mentally adding on a note for a low-tier computer to assist with their needs, Augrok surveys the other shops open around them before nodding to hersef, giving an awkward wave to the water-bodied creature whose name she could not recall. "Thank you", she said to it, before setting out to scout in that direction.
_____________________________________
It appears that the instructions related to you by the alien merchant take you back to the general area where you battled the insect creatures that plagued your new friend Hasshashir.
One of you taps out the pattern you were shown.
The sounds of the rhythmic tapping echo from one pipe to another, reverberating in a soft chorus with each other until they finally die out. A minute passes without response, then two, then three. Patience eventually pays off, as the soft sound of nails clicking against metal heralds the arrival of a creature in response. A pair of huge, shimmering eyes appear in the darkness of a large bronze pipe twenty feet above the ground, then blink in curiosity as they regard the creatures down below. “Foreign critters in Azlant space?” the being asks, craning her long neck to get a better view of the people who summoned her. “What dost thou seek here?”
|
|
”What dost thou seek here?”].
“Hello!” Thak puts on his most diplomatic smile.
“We seek one named Talmrin. A witchwyd trader we met spoke highly of them and suggested they could help us with some… ah... ship modifications to help us fit in better here. Would you be Talmrin?”
While the minutes pass before the creature appears, Yoromishtali stands vigilant, waiting for more insect creatures to appear.
Once Thak responds to the creature, Yoromishtali thinks in vesk, Ohhhh, a gift would have been a nice gesture. But what do you get for a creature that lives in pipes?! Ah is it telepathic?