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A scenario for levels 1-4.
You begin the adventure onboard a Veskarium transport ship, Kagzala’s Jewel, on the final leg of their tour through several remote worlds in Near Space.
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A slightly unkempt Ysoki has been wandering the ship. He is short, even for his race, and a tad on the skinny side. His brown fur has random patches of white and grey in it. Hit tail is downright skinny. He always has some sort of medical contraption on one arm with vials and tubes and odd looking devices.
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A middle aged gentleman sits at another table, his face buried in a tablet. A glance over his shoulder reveals the planetary scan data from nearby worlds in this sector. As he reads he makes sudden and often exclamations of "Ah, fascinating!" or "Hmmm, yes, indeed!".
He is dressed quite well in casual clothes, with salt and pepper hair. He appears quite relaxed in his surroundings. Casual, charismatic, and what people of the galaxy attracted to human-standard males might find handsome.
You are called to an emergency briefing in one of the starship’s meeting halls.
First Seeker Ehu Hadif springs to his feet excitedly and gestures for his guests to choose one of the comfortable seats available inside the cozy meeting room. “Thank you for responding so promptly. I know you’re all tired and looking forward to returning home, but starting now, our tour won’t be proceeding as scheduled. A few minutes ago, we received a transmission from a nearby planet that we believed to be uninhabited. I’ll play it for you.”
A flickering holovid of an aging dromada appears over Ehu’s datapad. The dromada’s fur is speckled with gray, and he speaks in a tired but firm voice: “I am Colrid of the Star Treader herd. We took refuge on Zrulik-3, but now many of our herd are—” Colrid’s image stutters as the message fades into garbled static. After a moment, the message resumes. “—attacks. If anyone can hear this, please help us.” Ehu paces anxiously as the message plays, his brow furrowed with concern.
“This is truly a strange coincidence,” Ehu explains. “Colrid is a retired Starfinder and an old friend of mine. We can’t always assist former Starfinders, but since we’re already here, I’d like to help him however we can. We’ve already changed course for Zrulik-3; we’ll reach orbit in a few minutes. Please prepare to board a shuttle and find out what’s going on planetside.”
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Anteres-1 is an android, her synthflesh tinged purple due to the circuits that run beneath her skin like blood vessels and her hair (affected into a punk style that seems all the rage lately) is of similar hue. She is typing up the latest data procured after visiting an archaeological site that was the purpose of her current tour. When Ehu recruits her and the other Starfinders that had joined the tour as well for their own reasons, she accepts the assignment with a nod.
"What is known of Colrid and the Star Treader herd? He mentioned that they took refuge on Zrulik-3. Do you know the reasons behind this? Does Colrid have any enemies that you know of, as it sounds as though he and his kin were attacked by an unknown aggressor?"
On Colrid: “Dromadas are often skittish and rarely leave their herds, but Colrid was brave and independent. He once told me that he left his own herd in anger and sometimes regretted it. He wanted to fight the poachers that hunted them, but the others refused to stand together. He served as a Starfinder for many years, but his missions were often complicated by those who wanted to murder him for his meat—a despicable practice that still goes on today. He decided to retire after one of those monsters captured him and put his entire team in danger. I tried to talk him into staying, but he’d hear none of it.”
On the Star Treaders: “When last we spoke, Colrid confided in me that he dreamed of forming a herd for other exiled or lost dromadas. He must have succeeded."
Ehu does not have an answer to your other questions.
“We don't know much about Zrulik-3, to tell you the truth. It’s a remote world covered by thick forest. The Jewel’s crew say that landing might be tricky and scanning from orbit is nearly impossible. Pirates used the rock as a hideout in the past, but the High Despots put a stop to that after they began targeting vesk ships. I’m not surprised Colrid chose it as a hiding place.”
“The apex predator on Zrulik-3 is the zrulicat. A zrulicat can see in all directions at once and has a prehensile tentacle it uses to drag prey into its mouth. The beasts are solitary hunters that live deep in the forest, however, so you may not even encounter them.”
Before long, you reach orbit around Zrulik-3. There are no clearings large enough to land the Kagzala’s Jewel, so you will need to pilot a shuttle down. The signal is still spotty, and the shuttle's sensors are having trouble penetrating the thick canopy, so you will need to make a Computers or Engineering check to triangulate Colrid's location.
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Skip claps his hand watching his new crewmates work away. "Well, you seem to have this well in hand! Excellent job!"
He turns to Bonkers and lowers his voice. "Now, I asked this last time I submitted to this testing, but I just want to clarify; you're not checking my blood alcohol content are you? Just out of curiosity!" As he speaks the ice in his glass clinks together gently.
The group, led by Antares-1, has no difficulty pinpointing the location of the settlement. The nearest suitable clearing is 2 km away, and a Piloting check is required to set down safely.
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Skip sets his glass down at the pilots console. "I'm quite an accomplished pilot, mind if I take the helm?"
Before there are any safety objections, he brings the engines up to full power.
As he flies he shares his story. "I used to pilot shuttles such as these on low-orbit scans of planets in the vast. I would often land to explore whenever we discovered resources or local populations. It was a natural fit to the starfinder society after a full career there."
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Antares-1 watches as the lush jungles of the planet grow larger in the viewport. "Indeed? I also seem to have found my niche in the science of exploration. Though I must admit that dealing with most sentient life forms is not my strong point. It is the past that I am drawn to. Investigating lost civilizations and the exploration of archaeological sites are what brought me to join the Starfinders. It is my desire to learn more about my own past and those that created me, that keeps me here."
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Skip claps his hand watching his new crewmates work away. "Well, you seem to have this well in hand! Excellent job!"
He turns to Bonkers and lowers his voice. "Now, I asked this last time I submitted to this testing, but I just want to clarify; you're not checking my blood alcohol content are you? Just out of curiosity!" As he speaks the ice in his glass clinks together gently.
Bonkers smiles in return, "Oh no, just establishing a connection but since you brought it up..." He looks at his micro lab, "You should be fine for another two or three of those."
With someone not drinking at the controls, the Starfinders set the shuttle down at the desired coordinates. It is afternoon when you land, but the light beneath Zrulik-3's canopy is dim.
A set of hooved tracks meanders around the clearing appears to lead south to an overgrown trail. You need to make two Survival checks to follow them.
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Antares-1 gives the human a faint smile, having learned that such is expected given his words and actions. Though she's not entirely certain as to the nature of his salute, she has seen for herself that as alcohol is imbibed, one's mind tends to meander and illogical actions become commonplace.
Once on the planet's surface, she takes a look around, admiring the jungle canopy and trying to identify the birds and other animals she can see or hear. The hooved tracks seem to follow a trail of sorts, but Antares-1 is hardly conversant with tracking wildlife or sentient species.
The party has significant trouble following the tracks out of the clearing, and end up doubling back on themselves multiple times. Dusk is beginning to fall on Zrulik-3.
Norbert says, "I can see fine in the dark, so don't worry about me."
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As the group makes their way back to the landing site, Skip pipes up. "This isn't quite what I had pictured, but it's all part of the adventure!" His energy and determination don't seem to have faded at all.
Skip readies his portable lantern as the day grows dark. He scans around with it trying to spots the trail when he can.
Donovan makes his appearance just as Bonkers figures out where the dromada headed. The party begins to hike through the night.
A massive old-growth forest stretches unbroken for miles beyond the clearing. Trees with vibrantly pigmented bark form a nearly impenetrable living wall. A chorus of hoots and screeches reverberates through the humid air, and thorny vines grasp and tear with every step. Suddenly, all the cacophony dies away, and an uncomfortable silence settles over the trees.
A pair of felines emerges from the forest, clearly intent on making a meal of you.
The cat to the southeast leaps toward the group, trying to push down as many enemies as possible.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Red
Antares-1
Bonkers (Reflex save)
Blue
Donovan
Morbo (Reflex save)
Norbert
Skip (Reflex save)
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Antares-1 cocks her head slightly as the sounds of the forest suddenly die out, and then sees the big cat plow through the group, another one just behind it. She draws her arc pistol on the move, turning as she reaches the nearby tree and fires at the trailing cat. Knowing that some predatory animals might possess special abilities - and perhaps weaknesses as well - the android swiftly accesses her data banks for any feedback on these particular creatures...
vs EAC
electricity
to learn something about these creatures (preferably special attacks, weaknesses and defenses.)
Antares draws a gun and fires at Blue, singeing its flesh. She recognizes these as zrulicats, animals with no subtypes. The only special attack they haven't shown by the end of Blue's turn is ferocity - they can fight for one round after being reduced to 0 HP.
Bonkers hops away and tags Red with his pistol, piercing the skin just enough to apply a debuff.
Blue, angered by being shot, takes a step toward Antares and lashes out with a tentacle.
vs. KAC
plus grab
It hits her hard and wraps her up.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Red (-1 HP, -1 attack for 7 rounds)
Antares-1 (-9 SP, grappled)
Bonkers
Blue (-7 HP)
Donovan
Morbo (Reflex save)
Norbert
Skip (Reflex save)
Donovan tries to back away, but the creature lashes out at him.
vs. KAC
plus grab
He is hit, but manages to get free of the tentacle and draw his weapon..
Morbo positions himself, and remembers that this animal has blindsense (scent).
Norbert confuses one of the cats, but it still gets out of the way of his attack.
Skip covers Red with hazardous mist.
It dissolves a bit.
Red tries to grab Skip.
vs. KAC
plus grab
Failing to do so, it moves out of the mist.
Round 2 - bolded may go
Red (-11 HP, -1 attack for 6 rounds)
Antares-1 (-9 SP, grappled)
Bonkers (AOO)
Blue (-7 HP, get 'em)
Donovan (-8 SP)
Morbo
Norbert
Skip (AOO)
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Bonkers did not have a hand to hand weapon out but seeing his positioning does so now for any flanking bonuses...
He tries to stab the big cat with a syringe...
[ooc] If that does any damage, minor inhibitor. The target takes a –2 penalty to AC. For 7 rounds. Didn't count anything for any flanks that might be in effect.[/dice]