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You find yourselves in the office of First Seeker Ehu Hadif. This office is a comfortable, wood-paneled room at the heart of the Lorespire Complex. Ehu sits at his sleek wooden desk while a maintenance technician finishes the re-installation of a vidscreen system.
First Seeker Ehu Hadif nods respectfully in greeting and gestures at the room’s comfortable leather chairs. “Greetings. Thank you for your time today, Starfinders. Give me just a moment—this computer is almost restored from a pre-Scourge backup.” He enters a few final keystrokes before bidding the technician farewell and settling back in his chair.
“I apologize for the delay. We’re still working on restoring the complex to full technological operations. Now that the Data Scourge has been resolved—thanks to the efforts of Starfinders such as yourselves—we’re able to re-install the equipment we locked away. The thorough inspections take a good deal of time and effort, but I think you’ll agree they’re worth it.”
“Before I begin today’s briefing, I have a question for you. Is there anything I can help you with? Any issues that have been troubling you lately or anything that you believe the Society needs to take a closer look at?”
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The First Seeker listens attentively to everything, "Just looking to investigate any ongoing issues is all."
“I appreciate your candor, agents.” Ehu leans forward and clasps his lower set of arms on the desk. “While the threat of the Data Scourge is over, I must confess that all is not well within these walls. I’m not sure how much you keep up with current events, but public opinion of us is dire, to say the least, and many of our own agents have responded to recent events with concern, fear, even outrage.”
For the briefest moment, a trace of concern flashes across the normally stoic face of the First Seeker. “Historia-Prime has wronged the Pact Worlds, this station, and the Starfinder Society. With Prime destroyed, many direct their anger and grief at us. My goal is to ensure that we emerge from this crisis stronger than before. I’ve always believed in listening to all agents and providing an open door to any who wish to raise concerns, though I admit I’ve been rather occupied as of late. As such, I’d like to ask you to act as my agents today."
“In recent months, I’ve been made aware of three factions growing in popularity within the Society. I’d like your group to visit the leaders of these factions to speak with them, figure out where their interests lay, and see if you can aid them in feeling welcomed within the Society. My hope remains that interfaction outreach can help spread understanding between factions and remind our agents that we’re all in this together. When you’re done, report back to me with information on how best to aid these factions and what their goals are. As soon as my computer finishes updating, I’ll send you the data I have on these factions. While we wait, do you have any questions for me?”
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I would like to talk to Zigivix first if possible. I heard they were ... erm .. captured then rescued during the Data Scourge. My best friend was involved in that ... by the way. I .. would like to know how they are doing.
She also resolved to put in an immediate call to said BFWB, as soon as possible, in order to see how she was doing as well. At least her (Bordle) latest foray into vidgaming had been a distraction from current events - and she was getting rally good at it too. Who said accountants had to be boring.
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Sotrry I am late lets go meet the advocates. But first let me check your vital signs and Bio histories. Dont want to be making any elementary mistakes if you need some first aid. Sorry QVD Joseph Qualified Veskarium Doctor. The smartly dressed Ysoki smiles and then pulls out a syringe stick from his cheek before inspecting it and putting it back
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During the Data Scourge, Royo was one of the loudest voices speaking out against the Society’s overreliance on technology. A group of Starfinders interested in exploring the possibilities of low-tech, natural, and magical solutions to problems formerly solved by technology coalesced around him, becoming the Cognates faction.
The group decides to meet with Zigvigix first to check in and see how the shirren is doing. Zigvigix, better known as Ziggy, is currently packing up their former office in the Lorespire Complex, assisted by Celita, some friends, and some members of the Advocates. When you arrive, you are greeted by Camellia, a raxilite dressed in red and green robes and carrying a box with their LFAN. They lead you to Ziggy’s office.
The door slides open to reveal a room stripped of its personal effects, which now fill boxes lining the walls. A shirren in a power chair turns at the sound of new arrivals, their face lighting up in recognition as they wheel that chair out from behind a stack of boxes. “Greetings, Starfinders!” Zigvigix projects telepathically. “Come in, come in! Watch the clutter. We’ve kept a path clear this way. I assume Ehu sent you? Delightful! For those of you I haven’t yet met, my name is Zigvigix! You may call me Ziggy. It seems I find myself once again leader of a faction. Isn’t that exciting? We call ourselves the Advocates, and we—”
Camellia interrupts, saying “I voted for ‘Heartloves,’ but apparently there’s a copyright issue.”
“Yes, well, I quite like that name too,” Ziggy admits. “But not everyone shares our love of sugarpop! At any rate, our goal is to ensure that the Starfinder Society supports its agents and to promote community and kindness among our membership. The past few years have been difficult for the organization, and we think it’s time we learn to cooperate and uplift each other again!"
“One of our first tasks is to find a new headquarters. We’ve been granted permission to use an old wing of the Lorespire Complex. It’s been abandoned since the Scoured Stars incident. We’re hoping to turn it into a place for agents to spend time together, with a recreation room, a lounge, training rooms, medical facilities, and even living quarters for those who want to spend more time in the space. Won’t that be lovely?”
“We’re almost finished here, but we could use your help clearing out the central room in the new wing so we can use it as a place to coordinate renovations from, and turning on the breakers to restore power to the wing. Would you mind helping?”
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Camellia smiles. "I am! I hope you had fun." Ziggy wheels through a lane created in the pile of papers and boxes. "I have been better, but it is good to remain in high spirits. Star Sugar Heartlove helps a lot! Have your friend stop in when they are back on Absalom Station, we can listen to some music together." He says quite enthusiastically.
“Well, if you have time to spare after clearing out the room and restoring power, I suppose you could look around and start making the place a little more comfortable! Tidy up a bit. Or you could take a well-deserved snack break! We’ll meet you up there once we finish packing these boxes.”
Heading out you begin making way towards the wing of the Lorespire complex that Ziggy wants cleared out.
This wing of the Lorespire Complex has been abandoned for years. While the Advocates have recently taken possession of this space, they’ve done very little to make it habitable. The floors are dirty, cobwebs and droppings litter the space, and only the emergency lighting is powered.
The entry is a grungy space, illuminated by weak yellow emergency lighting. Numerous halls lined with closed doors lead deeper into the wing. A wide stairwell descends to another floor of the Lorespire Complex.
The connecting rooms are clear of personal effects, save for a few boxes and a pair of computers in a security office.
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I did thank you Camella. Maybe we should do that again next year. Certainly beats being in the office working on balance sheets. Although I did take on Dot as a client to help her do her tax returns.
And yes Ziggy, I shall pass that on when she gets back which should be any day now. She's been out in the Drift mopping up the last of the Data Scourge. See a job through to completion she said.
When she got to the area that needs cleaning, she sighed, seeing the mess and went looking for a broom.
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The connecting rooms are clear of personal effects, save for a few boxes and a pair of computers in a security office. Accessing the computer Joseph is able to tell that the power to this win has been cut off at the circuit breaker to the south.
Joseph looks over the droppings and determines that they are left by some sort of vermin known as a klikharp. They are quite small based on these droppings, hatchlings at best. Tasen determines this is the only way in and out of the room.
Bordle and Fussoa enter the room to the south to begin leaning and organizing.
This crowded lounge is dimly lit by emergency lighting and piled high with boxes and crates. Narrow pathways have been cleared through the room, the stacks of abandoned crates leaning over them precariously.
This lounge is the area Ziggy would like the PCs to clear out. To the east and west of this lounge are four banks of elevators. While the elevators function in other parts of the Lorespire Complex, access to this abandoned wing via these elevators has been cut off until the wing’s power is turned on at the circuit breaker.
Bordle's broom hits one of the stack of boxes and it topples over onto her.
The boxes collapsing startles a small gremlin hiding underneath. No more than 2-1/2 feet tall (and nearly as wide), this gremlin boasts a round, furry body teeming with lice, biting flies, and other loathsome insects. Numerous klikharp hatchlings scurry away from the gremlin in fright as the gremlin orders them to attack. "This is my home!" The guttural voice grates.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Joseph
➤ Tasen
➤ Bordle
➤ Fussoa
Gremlin
Klikharp (Green)
Klickharp (Pink)
Exile Praapses
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A small box on the top of the pile bounces off Bordle Ow. Then she hears the gremlin. Eeeep, she squeaks backing off a bit - well she would if she wasn't completely surrounded by boxes and nearly stepping on Tasen in the process. So she squeezed past Fussoa Excuse me please, moved to a position where she could see the gremlin (Red), and cast what seems to be the the most popular spell for Witchwarpers - Puncture Veil.
The poor gremlin finds itself stabbed by multiple microscopic needles doing
Consider this your eviction notice from your landlord
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The boxes tumble onto Bordle as Joseph and the others seem prepared as Joseph draws his pistol. Tasen goes nuclear as the room needs cleaned up anyways. He lobs a grenade right into the middle of the room.
The small insects shriek in pain as they cower in fear. Bordle shoves through the boxes to get a better view of the gremlin.
Sharp painful needles pierce into the gremlin as it reflexively rolls into a fuzzy looking ball. "That hurts!, You pay for this."
Fussoa pulls out a tactical rifle and burns the small hatchling with fire.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Joseph
Tasen
Bordle
Fussoa
Gremlin
Klikharp (Green)
Klickharp (Pink)
Exile Praapses
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Joseph recognizes this gremlin as a Drikluz Gremlin. They are very vermin-like and able to emit a psychic call into to vermin that are drawn towards this call to do its bidding. This is likely how these two innocent Klikharp hatchlings are under its sway. Those bitten by a Drikluz become quite fatigued.
The gremlin rolls out towards Bordle. "Flee from here!" Bordle feels a strange sensation of wanting to flee the area.
The pair of klikharps gentle trum of their legs rubbing together increases in intensity as it creates a shattering sonic noise that hurts Fussoa's ears.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Joseph
➤ Tasen
➤ Bordle
➤ Fussoa
Gremlin
Klikharp (Green)
Klickharp (Pink)
➤ Exile Praapses
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Joseph oves forward and shoots at red trying to slow it down
If a hit I introduce a mild hallucinogen into a living creature’s body, making it difficult for the target to move or act. The target gains the encumbered condition and must succeed at a Fortitude save DC13 or also gain the entangled condition. This is a mind-affecting poison effect.
3 biohacks left
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Exile Praapses squeezes into the small room and sends a few magical missiles into the wounded klikharp hatchling killing it. Joseph takes a potshot at the small gremlin and ends up piercing one of the side containers.
Bordle flees, though Tasen's latest grenade shatters through the central crates, killing the gremlin.
With the gremlin defeated the lone klikharp hatchling seems to have been attacking purely under the duress as it seems extremely maltreated. The klikharp scurries into a corner and safely hides within one of the boxes.
Clearing the room looks like it is going to take roughly 30 minutes of hard labor.
Praapses will begin making minor repairs, but not before taking a moment to pay his respects to both the living and the deceased klikharp.
I'm sorry, little one, both for your mistreatment, and for your friend.
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Moving the boxes all around and organizing the room allows Bordle access to the breaker panel to get the lights all back on. While this takes a bit of time Bordle tips over a heavy box and ends up finding a basic imaginarium projector.
Over the 30 minutes Tasen makes some headway with the klikharp hatchling as it calmly chirps at him with a soothing strum of its legs rubbing together while you all finish up.
With power restored Ziggy, Celita, and Camellia arrive via the elevator with several other agents in tow. “My goodness, this space will be perfect!” Zigvigix exclaims aloud. “I can’t thank you enough for your help. We’re really going to do some good here, and I hope you come back and visit us once the lounge is up and running.”
Ziggy draws you a little closer and speaks telepathically. “This means a great deal to me. It’s no secret that, in recent years, the Society hasn’t always taken good care of its agents. I don’t mean to blame anybody—it’s been a nonstop barrage, and we’ve barely had time to catch our breath. But, well, I thought it was important that somebody started speaking up, and people seem to listen to me still. If any of you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to seek the Advocates’ help. That’s all we want to do—provide help! And if you’d like to help too, well, the more the merrier!”
Zigvigix chuckles as they wheel away. “We could always use more members!”
★ -- ★ -- ★ -- ★
With the Advocates mission complete you head out to speak with the Royo at the Cognates. On the way you come across a small crowd that has gathered in the hallway, surrounding two individuals who are arguing fiercely.
“And I’m tellin’ you, it’s just too dangerous!” shouts the dwarven Starfinder at the center of the circle. The sword strapped to their back clanks against their old-fashioned, metal armor as they move. “Have you learned nothin’ over the past year?”
The lanky verthani opposite the dwarf scoffs. “It can’t be denied that the events of the Data Scourge were a travesty.” Several cybernetic augmentations whirr and flash as he speaks, including a prominent datajack on his right temple. “However, to completely shun any form of innovation is simply folly.”
“I ain’t shunnin’ innovation, you tech-head,” the dwarf retorts, shaking their head. They look about the crowd. “Come ‘ere, you lot. You look like you know what you’re about. Settle this for us, will ya’?”
The individuals arguing are Faelin Grimm and Markosi. They have spent the past ten minutes arguing about the Starfinder Society’s continued use of technology: Faelin believes the Society is entirely too reliant on technology and shouldn’t be so quick to restore the computer systems, while Markosi trusts his faction’s efforts in scrubbing the Data Scourge from the Starfinders’ systems.
Faelin begins to counter the argument. "My clan was kept prisoner by a malevolent AI for centuries, and we’ve heard rumors that a similar AI was behind the Data Scourge. If your technology is so great, how come it keeps tryin’ to hurt people?”
Markosi concedes, "Yes, those AI were certainly a problem, but technology isn’t inherently evil. Technology is a tool, just like your clan’s mining picks,” he pontificates. “It’s not about what it is, but about who uses it. Evil will always exist in the universe, and without technology, how will we defend ourselves?”
Faelin grumbles before reminding Markosi, "Technology is but one tool of many. Any miner worth their salt isn’t just relyin’ on their pick,” they say. “They’re watchin’ their back themselves, talkin’ with their clan’s priests to keep ‘em safe, and surveyin’ the ground before they even start diggin’. You’re just askin’ for trouble if all you’re doin’ is askin’ the computer to solve everythin’!”
Markosi dismisses this argument with a wave. “Pah! We Dataphiles know what we’re doing. Technology is one tool of many, yes, but it’s the most powerful tool we have. Surely, a few hiccups along the way don’t merit abandoning an entire field of study"