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The grassy marshland recedes as low hillocks rise from the sodden ground, leading to a white sand beach. The dunes covering the beach shift as the wind blows sand into gusts and whirlwinds in the air,
creating an ever-changing landscape.
Coral’s trail leads across the width of the island and ends at a beach covered in rolling dunes. The central dune is difficult terrain due to the deep sand.
Coral is asleep. How do you wish to proceed?
"Perhaps someone good with animals can gently wake Coral up with those 'defrex nuts'? Always nice to wake up to a favorite snack, right? Then we can perhaps lure him back?"
Navasi will assist whomever takes the lead in trying to befriend Coral by voicing some soft, comforting cooing noises.
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Delia is actually successful in coaxing the hungry Coral into the harness ((the second check with the food bonus was just enough)). Coral ends up davouring the entire bucketfull.
With that done, you are able to return a docile Coral to the farm. Bozamn cheerfully thanks them and promises to pass on his gratitude to the governor’s office at Command 2. He gifts the PCs a picnic lunch of homemade biscuits, fish sausage, and aged defrex cheese.
Afterward, you accompany Jel to Trafodi for an informative but uneventful survey of the local ruins.
"Well done Delea!!! Who would have guessed you were a defrex-whisperer!!!"
Navasi delightfully enjoys the gifted picnic foods. "Thank you... And so very farm fresh!!" she says to Bozamn.
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You soon receive another message from Venture Captain Naiaj ((see Slides)) sending you to Vesk 4. You land in the planet’s capital, Command 4, a bustling industrial city designed with military efficiency, then board a large, tank-like vehicle transport that carries them through the reinforced Antreway tunnel beneath the Vyskandi mountains and into the barren Lodelands desert.
The Lodelands stretch as far as the eye can see in all directions, a sea of rocky fields broken by occasional crystalline outcroppings. Few landmarks exist to distinguish one location from another in this radioactive quarry. Miners bundled in protective gear gather near a massive drill, suspiciously eyeing the approaching transport. One of them, a young talphi with a sunburst symbol emblazoned on his environmental suit, approaches the vehicle.
You must be Starfinders, he says reverently. I’m Elgr. Kataali is waiting by the terrestrial scanner. Follow me. Over a rocky ridge, a muscular vesk in armored coveralls stands beside a dark gray pahtra with a cybernetic arm.
Good, you’re here, the vesk says. I’m Kataali, the site supervisor. This is my assistant Elgr, and our chief engineer, Rukka. They’re authorized to act as your liaisons while you’re with our team. Please begin the survey when you’re ready.
"Okay!! You're more familiar with the area. Anything of particular interest you'd like to draw our attention to?"
If there is no pointers offered, Navasi begins surveying.
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Use our equipment to perform a geological survey and give us your professional opinion about what’s under our feet. If you find ruins, we pack up and move on. Otherwise we can get back to work. Elgr replies.
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Four terrestrial scanners are set up at various points around the ridge, ((marked S on the map)). Each scanner is a bulky computer with three spiderlike legs and a large central needle that drills into the ground. Their dim readout screens provide accurate information to about a mile beneath the surface.
When the PCs are ready, Rukka (male pahtra) demonstrates how to operate the terrestrial scanners. He’s enthusiastic, but his lessons aren’t particularly beginner-friendly.
You also notice that the Vesk miners are looking at you suspiciously and keep your distance. If you approach them and succeed at a diplomacy check, can learn more about the tensions plaguing the crew.
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"Yes, that was some fine defrex charming, Delea!" chimes Sir Feignswelle comments en route back from Vesk-2.
On Vesk-4, the pinniped listens to the briefing regarding the conduct of a survey.
"I'm afraid I have little expertise in the handling of such equipment," he notes. "Though, if you need a healthy flipper to help haul it, I'm your morlamaw!"
Looking around for a way to be useful, Sir Feighnswelle notices the Vesk miners keeping their distance. He decides to approach them.
"Greetings, my fine, scaly friends! I am Sir Feignswelle of Arniselle. This would seem to be a fine world that you have conquered!"
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Four terrestrial scanners are set up at various points around the ridge, ((marked S on the map)). Each scanner is a bulky computer with three spiderlike legs and a large central needle that drills into the ground. Their dim readout screens provide accurate information to about a mile beneath the surface.
When the PCs are ready, Rukka (male pahtra) demonstrates how to operate the terrestrial scanners. He’s enthusiastic, but his lessons aren’t particularly beginner-friendly.
** spoiler omitted **
You also notice that the Vesk miners are looking at you suspiciously and keep your distance. If you approach them and succeed at a diplomacy check, can learn more about the tensions plaguing the crew.
The Specialist is excited to see new tech.
"Terrestrial scanners! With a one mile depth? These things are the real deal!"
He listens to Rukka carefully and then begins scanning on his own.
"C'mon, team. Let's finish here and move to the next scanner! Keep your eyes out for anything hostile out here while I do the scanning, yeah?"
"This one looks like it needs a bit of repair before I can analyze the scans."
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The Specialist practises with the scanner and has the hang of ot. ((Does anyone else understand how the scanners work?))
Meanwhile Delia and Sir Feighnswelle discover that the miners are annoyed that their last three expeditions were derailed because scans found archaeologically significant artifacts beneath the surface of the worksites, costing them credits and time. They believe Elgr, who joined the team just before the first ill-fated expedition, is tampering with the equipment—and that Kataali is protecting him.
They're supposed to be mining solarion crystals but they're not allowed to disturb archaological sites.
Upon hearing of Sir Feighnswelle and Delia's discovery, Navasi quietly says to The Specialist so that Elgr and Kataali cannot hear, "While you use that scanner, can you also do a check for any tampering or sabotage? There are some grumblings going around that it may have been altered by Elgr with Kataali protecting him."
Navasi will then approach the miners and ask, "Any evidence to back up your tampering suspicions? Afterall, Elgr himself is a solarion in training so I can't see why he would want to cause delays with a solarion crystal mining operation. Doing so would be to his own disadvantage, no?"
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Upon hearing of Sir Feighnswelle and Delia's discovery, Navasi quietly says to The Specialist so that Elgr and Kataali cannot hear, "While you use that scanner, can you also do a check for any tampering or sabotage? There are some grumblings going around that it may have been altered by Elgr with Kataali protecting him."
"OOOF!!!" says Navasi as she gets knocked prone!
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Only Tanila and The Specialist remain standing. As the tremours finally subside you hear a low rumble as the ground vibrates. Kataali shouts to Elgr and Rukka to get to safety, recognizing the approaching danger.
Remember that Vesk-4 is a high-gravity world, and unacclimated creatures reduce their land movement speeds and throwing range by half. Kataali, who grew up on the planet and is accustomed to these conditions, can move and throw without penalty.
As miners scramble for cover, a group of solenoid worms erupts from the ground and go for the scanners. Kataali fights to defend her worksite alongside you. Those prone start the combat prone.
Initiatives:
Katalli will activate her Solar Armour. All scanners are currently intact (green). Glitching is Yellow, Orange is Malfunctioning and Red is critically damaged.
Navasi yells, "Perhaps the worm will leave the scanner alone if concealed in smoke!" Navasi draws a smoke grenade and throws it 35' towards the scanner near the blue-ish worm .
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"Now, this Navasi, is more my style of diplomacy," says the Specialist with a grin. He swings his customized huchket rifle around, bringing it up.
He settles the butt of the huchket rifle into his shoulder and sights down the barrel. "All right, Positive Thoughts. Positive Thoughts."
He whispers to himself, "You're good enough."
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Since Kataali goes before you, and you all go before the worms ...
These are aberrations so Life Science is the correct skill. Navasi notices that the smoke does not seem to affect these creatures in any way.
The Specialist hits a worm ((which one?))
Delea discovers that these worms are immune to mind affecting effects.
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Since Kataali goes before you, and you all go before the worms ...
These are aberrations so Life Science is the correct skill. Navasi notices that the smoke does not seem to affect these creatures in any way.
The Specialist hits a worm ((which one?))
Delea discovers that these worms are immune to mind affecting effects.
Red, plz.
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((Red: -20 Green: 0, Blue: 0))
Red doesn't look too happy at being shot at and magic missiled so it decides Kneepuncher is the source of all it's pain. It roars and goes to bite him.
The other two go for the nearest scanner and damage them (two scanners now glitching)
Kataali runs towards Green and whallops it with her ember flame doshko
All PCs are up.
The Specialist sights down his rifle, zeroing in on the red worm.
He whispers, "You're smart enough."