You've been summoned for a mission briefing on Aballon, a metallic world covered in sprawling megaplexes teeming with the mechanical beings known as anacites.
In a rented conference room in the city of Striving, you discover Venture-Captain Naiaj, a bleaching gnome, with her back to the door, preoccupied with a cluster of holographic screens that float about her head. Amid her fixation, she frustratedly swipes several screens away, only to have twice as many pop into view; she seems completely oblivious to your arrival. However, other Starfinder agents are present, and you might as well get acquainted with them while Naiaj finishes whatever it is she's doing.
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Into the room enters a mid-height half-orc with burn marks on his face. His slich back long dark hair are reaching to his shoulders. He is wearing heavy armor and on his back hangs an oddly looking shield that once must have been a hatch to a tunnel.
After him to the room enters a furry fellow walking on four paws. His large claws are leaving marks on the floor while the big head are turning left and right
"Smiley, wait in the corner till after the briefing. I am Aravon, it is nice to meet you."
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The Andriod mechanic known as Kat5e enters the briefing room, scans around at the other occupants, then drops herself down in an open chair. She is covered in tattoos, both ink and the glowing intricate designs of the circuit beneath her organic skin. She is lightly equipped, with a rifle, some gear strapped to her duty belt, and her signature leather jacket.
"Hello everyone. You can call me Kat. Any clue what we're in for yet?"
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A stout dwarf, well, mostly just the bit of extra belly, walks in. He has red hair a little past his shoulders and a neat beard hanging just 4 or 5 inches down from his chin. He has his entire kit with him. He wears Freebooter armor, a wrist comp, several bags and pouches and a tool kit or three. He has a pistol and knife at his belt and a carbine over his shoulder. A backpack has a broken down sniper rifle attached to it.
As he enters you first hear a series of beeps and whistles from the hallway and then his voice, "OK, OK. I heard ya the fifth time ya said it! Don't get yer knickers in a wad again. Now, shut yer yapping, we be here." A low whistle that sounds downright derogatory emanates from a small drone floating over the Dwarf' head as he enters.
"Hullo all. Mah name's Freeman. Nice ta meet ya."
The drone gives short shrill note out and Freeman rolls his eyes.
"Oh yes. This be Drone. He picked the name, not me." He looks at Drone, "There, ya happy now?" Drone gives a little happy whistle and joins Freeman as he gets situated in a chair.
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As the Yasakaja suddenly accosts him Freeman initially gives a little squeak and rears back.
Drone emits what could only be a high pitched electronic laugh and a quick squirt of jovial sounding digital notes.
"Well of COURSE I remember smiley! He just surprised me, that be all!"
He looks over to Aravon, "Apologies, old friend. Drone and I were having one of 'da usual philosophical discussions and, well, it been a while! How ya been?"
He takes a quick look around the room.
"Eh, no Drow with us this time, eh?" He smiles and winks.
Venture-Captain Naiaj's obsession with her data screens is temporarily broken when she hears Drone's high-pitched electronic laugh. She looks over and realises the agents she's requested have assembled. “Ah! By the stars, you startled me!” Swiping away the barrage of buzzing displays around her, she continues, “I did not expect you to arrive so soon. Just finishing with a bit of legalese, nothing interesting. Don’t worry. I won’t bore you with details.” As the last screen disappears, she moves forward and waves at a holographic image of a floating planetoid.
“Aballon is known for its technology and constant innovation. Today, its magnificent natural resources draw the Society’s attention. Rapid industrialization is threatening Aballon’s few natural areas, and it’s only a matter of time until they are gone. The Starfinder Society requires a group of agents to delve into the Gullet Ice Well and document the flora and fauna found deep inside before it’s too late.” Naiaj furrows her brow in frustration and continues, “While this sounds straightforward, it certainly isn’t, and the exasperated state you found me in attests to that. You see, the Xenowardens--a group of little more than glorified eco-terrorists--guard the entrances to the remaining Ice Wells, including Gullet. I was eyebrow deep in legal documents looking for a way around our next dilemma, but these plant herders seem to know their rights."
“We had to agree on a condition to gain access to Gullet. The condition requires that an ecological advisor accompany you to monitor your activities. If this advisor determines that you pose a threat to the ecosystem, our future rights to explore the Ice Wells may suffer. Starfinders, may I introduce you to Hemlock.”
The door swings open and a vine pokes out in an exploratory gesture. A moment later the vine fully emerges, revealing itself as one limb of a plantlike humanoid wielding a flamethrower. The creature leans against the doorway, the seedpod cluster that serves as their head glowing a mix of muted pastels. With this kaleidoscope of hues Hemlock makes their telepathic introduction: “Dudes, I’m so excited to be delving down the Gullet with you. The name’s Hemlock.” Without waiting for an invitation, Hemlock submerges a vine into a nearby receptacle of cloudy water. Their scintillating pastel seed cluster brightens to a vibrant shade of orange, and Hemlock’s mental voice addresses Naiaj. “Thanks dude, that totally satisfies the munchies!”
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Kat cocks an eyebrow at Hemlock's entrance, before some of her protocols take over and return her face to her usual stern glare.
"Hey, there Hemlock. That's quite some hardware you're packing there. Have you been down into the Gullet before? Are you expecting any kind of floral resistance?" Hmmm, might be worth blowing the dust off my old rifle. Take it out for a spin again Kat thinks as her security algorithms determine likely dangers ahead.
Hemlock's telepathic response can be "heard" by everyone in the briefing room. "Oh, like totally dude! I'm down there like all the time, but the Gullet's big, ya know, and always full of surprises! But yah, nah, should be totally a sweet dive. I'm feeling good vibes about it!"
Venture-Captain Naiaj raises an eyebrow. "Besides climbing down a wall of ice in total darkness, there’s an entire ecosystem to contend with. The apex predators within these wells are sharpwings.” Naiaj glances at Hemlock and adds, “Of course, you are to preserve rather than prune, and while I expect you to defend yourselves if necessary, I’d recommend you incapacitate rather than kill any aggressive wildlife.”
Hemlock replies, "Sharpwings are like the best! Check this dudes and dudettes: even their eggs have eyes! How trippy is that?"
Naiaj sighs, but continues. "The Society has a positive history with the Xenowardens and we would like to keep it that way. If we have to jump through a few hoops to maintain this, such as being escorted during the expedition, then that’s what we’ll do. Watch your step so you don’t destroy a pretty flower, pet a few of the local wildlife instead of shooting them, and collect as many of the organic samples as you're allowed. Remember, the Ice Wells are lightless and a steep climb. I've requisitioned some equipment for you."
Hemlock gives the equivalent of a telepathic shrug. "I could chill all day! Just come find me like, whenever, really."
Naiaj, however, says "Treyvasho, you've got time to purchase what you need. After that, I want this mission underway. I need this off my 'to-do' list." After that, she returns to her array of holographic messages.
DAY ONE
Once everyone has geared up, Hemlock arranges to meet the group at the Gullet Ice Well. The site is teeming with Xenowarden activity, and Hemlock seems to be a popular member given the nods and smiles they receive.
Hemlock saunters to the crater’s edge and peers down into its completely dark depths; moments later, their seedpod glows a playful yellow and they reach out telepathically to you: “Are you ready, fellow well-divers? It’s three days’ ride to the bottom, so let’s do this!”
Without further discussion, Hemlock’s tendrils latch on to a nearby cable and they rappel headlong into the chasm.
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"Three days?" Kat asks, looking out over the edge into the depths. As the others prepare to go over, Kat's protection protocols kick into place as she checks and double checks the rigging on her fellow Starfinders safety anchors. "Long way down. Lots of time in freefall to think if it slips" she adds in her cold, calculated and not-at-all reassuring android manner.
She sets her rifle to stun before slinging it across her back. After one last look into the darkness, she grabs onto her own line and follows the group over the edge.
DAY ONE (Midday)
Hemlock makes the descent look easy, as does Aravon's yasakaja! Treyvasho and Kat5e make steady progress. Freeman struggles and slides a few feet here and there before managing to brace himself and continue.
After a few hours of descent, Hemlock's telepathic voice can be heard offering encouragement: "Party on! Halfway to our resting ledge, dudes!" But with the clifftop now barely visible, little daylight penetrates so deep into the Well. It's getting dark--very dark.
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Aravon looks around, his orcish eyes see through the darkness. "This is a hell of a hole. It is ok Smiley, keep going." Aravon says patting his mount, he knows that he does not climb and just takes a ride, but sitting in the saddle in such position is not very comfortable.
Smiley climbs down, his mandibles and nose scanning the air.
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While Kat misses out on the nuance of the descent, she muscles her way through the task. As they descend her vision slowly enters the greyscale spectrum.
She watches Aravon descend on his mount and tries not to be jealous, reminding herself to enjoy the experience. She switches her focus to Freeman who seemed to be having a harder time getting used to the rigging. "How you making out, Freeman?"
DAY ONE (late afternoon)
Quickly figuring out to descend safely, the team makes good progress. At the end of the first day, you all arrive at a slight hollow where clamps anchor a dozen large hammocks against the Ice Well’s walls.
Hemlock emits a telepathic transmission: “Dudes, it’s paradise!”
Offloading their gear into the hollow, they rub a few burrs off their feet and mentally transmit the safest way to enter a sleeping hammock without plummeting to one’s death. The demonstration is psychedelic and goofy in nature but gets the point across.
As the demo ends, Hemlock’s familiar mental drawl resumes. “Oh yeah, there’s a batch of slushflowers to the east. It’s an easy climb, and I think your venture-captain would like a small sample. As long as it’s not too many, then you should be fine to take some.”
Hemlock projects an image of a slushflower and exclaims: “Get to it, Starfinders--chow’s in an hour!”
Treyvasho starts moving across the wall clumsily, dislodging large chunks of the ice wall that careen into the darkness below! Mounted on Smiley, Aravon makes quick work of the challenge. Soon, both Starfinders see a cluster of slushflower bushes sprouting from an outcropping near the camp. The bushes bear twelve mature slushflowers, but extracting the roots from the icy casing around them won't be easy.
Aravon starts gathering samples, completely botching his first attempt. The task is much harder than it looks, as the roots also tear on the second slushflower he extracts from the ice. But finally, he gets it right on the third try.
When Aravon returns with a pair of damaged and a pair of intact slushflowers, Hemlock's telepathic voice is mildly disapproving. "Dudes . . . dudes! You gotta be like, more careful, alright? The Ice Wells are a delicate ecosystem, right? But it's all good. Have some porridge. It's organic!"
DAY TWO (Morning)
At the beginning of the second day, Hemlock telepathically wakes you: “Rise and shine! We have a gnarly change today that should get the adrenaline flowing. A simple fungus, the blackshroud cap mushroom, blooms in this portion of the Ice Well, and it hates light. Out of respect for the blackshroud cap, we need to make this portion of our dive without lights!”
Hemlock switches their lantern off and secures it into their pack. “Don’t worry, buddies! I can still see, and if you can’t, I’ll guide you.”
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Aravon wakes up in the hammock which moves in such a way to scare him. He curses loudly in orcish "I am not a bat to sleep hanging to the wall."
He gets onto Smiley and they begin to climb down. Yasakaja uses his tremorsense to find the right grips for his claws. Aravon is able to see a bit through the dark.