The indicator light on the starship's console notes an incoming communication from Venture-Captain Naiaj.
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Kaylee is a human in her mid twenties with bright red hair. If you've seen her around the Lorespire Complex, she's always had her comm unit in one hand and has been almost absentmindedly scrolling through the infosphere on it. Here on a ship, her reconfigurable clothing is in the form of a snug zero-g environmental outfit, programmed to synergize with her armor.
She would have introduced herself before we departed in the first place. "Hi everyone! I'm Kaylee! I love ships and vehicles and engines...and well ships most of all. I can build 'em, repair 'em, write code for 'em, or fly them too if you need me to!"
"Oh, and Simon says hi too. He'll be helping keep an eye on things when I'm not paying attention!" She waves her personal comm unit, which if you look at closely you might notice appears to be custom-built and very much more high-tech than a standard phone or data pad.
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Slim grayskinned woman with silvery white hair and leather jacket over blue trackpsuit idly hangs around while doing her makeup. As other starfinders arrive at meeting area she raises her gaze from her datapad to look at her colleagues "Howdy! Names Chrissy and I'm a self-appointed monster expert, who loves hiking outdoors
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Rilynn looks a little glassy-eyed, like she's not entirely present, or rather, in two places at the same time. Nevertheless, she spots a familiar face among the gang for this mission.
"Cha'mon Cha'mon, good to see you again so soon, and without you-know-who this time."
The rest of the team are female - wonderful.
"Rilynn," responds Rilynn to the various enthusiastic introductions. "Apologies, there's a bit of quantum entanglement going on in my head, but I should recover shortly."
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Tricsie admires Sultavi's hair while frowning at the comms. Seems someone has decided to put the transmission on 'hold' and Tricsie is now listening to elevator music while waiting for Naiaj to come online.
She also admires Kaylee's outfit.
To Chryssy. Tricsie knew a Chryssi once but you're not her. That Chryssi is a tiefling pirate turned Starfinder we encountered on a wrecked ship in the Drift
She introduces herself as The Great and Powerful Tricsie. Technomancer and stage magician extraordinaire. You may have seen my shows Her introduction is accompanied by illusionary fireworks.
Rilynn gets an odd look. Concepts like Quantum Entanglement go right over Tricsie's head, although if she could find a way to use it on stage - she would.
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A short while later, a human girl, wearing what can only be described as a yellow 'battle bikini' ((think Yuri from the Dirty Pair)) shyly enters the bridge. She seems a bit uncomfortable in gravity and uses a staff, with a fist sized crystal of shimmerstone on top as an aid. She sits down at the science station since Cha'mon is at the helm.
Hello.She says a bit shyly. I'm Amy and I'm a Star Shaman Mystic. Usually I'm the pilot.
She's short with shoulder length blue hair. She also smiles at Rilynn whom she seems to recognise. Her Holy symbol of Desna is also made of shimmerstone.
Um. I should warn you. I'll be setting the gravity in my quarters to about half gee.
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While Sultavi doesn't see any familar faces you might recognize her from her SpaceTube channel that showcases her traveling the galaxy with friends looking for good food. Hi! I'm Sultavi. I'm excited to meet a bunch of new friends, and Obozaya told me about this seafood place her friend runs in one of the fish markets I can wait to check out!
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Amy admires Sultavi's hair but it's soon apparent that Rilynn is the only one here she recognises. A search for her on socials shows little or no activity. Nothing on Spacetube or Spacebook. She does have a Spacebook account but it is hardly ever used with less than five friends following.
She also seems to sort of recognise Cha'mon
"Cha'mon Cha'mon, good to see you again so soon, and without you-know-who this time."
"Sure, one of these days we'll get back to Castrovel, as long as Morvruul isn't there..."
With Tricsie having pressed the response button sometime ago and then exiting the ship, the ship's systems seem somewhat confused, but eventually an image of the Venture-Captain appears.
This is followed by a message:
"As a result of recent improvements to our relationship with Veskarium leadership, the Council of Despots has afforded us the privilege of surveying previously restricted locations for our mutual benefit. One such location includes the famous submerged ruins of Trafodi on Vesk-2. Take the attached clearance forms and report to the Antiquities and Histories offices of Command 2," states the message. "From there, an archaeological expert will escort you on a sanctioned tour of some of the ruins. This is a straightforward trip, but please ensure that you keep your heads about you and do your best to foster a diplomatic dialogue."
After landing on Vesk-2, you navigate to an administrative complex within Command 2. Inside, an ijtikri receptionist asks you to wait while your escort finishes her current meeting.
Eventually, a female vesk, who introduces herself as Jelbnerjeckti “Jel” Sqidtich, emerges from a meeting room, frowning. With a massive, clawed hand, she signs a multitude of forms at the reception desk. Jel then ushers you outside to her roomy hover vehicle.
"Strap in," urges the vesk moments before the hovercraft lurches forward heads toward the waters of the Trafodi Ocean.
As the hovercraft glides over the clear water, the vesk visibly relaxes and finally speaks her mind. “I hate all the bureaucratic garbage they force on me—especially meetings and paperwork. I’d rather be out in the field.” She gestures towards islands in the distance. “Welcome to the real Vesk-2. Beautiful views as far as you can see and a climate perfect for days spent on the beach, rather than in an office. Ruins practically cover the planet, some in better shape than others, and they all hold mysteries of the past.”
Jel smiles and looks to the horizon. “I remember once I was surveying on Kilti when—” Jel curses as the hovercraft bumps against a sandbar just under water’s surface. She refocuses and steers around the obstruction.
“Sorry about that. I get to telling stories, and sometimes they get me! So, about the ruins on Trafodi—I’ve spent years exploring them, but there’s so much I haven’t discovered. They’re structurally similar to other sites, but nearby radiation levels are unusually high. I’d love to get my hands on the technology you Starfinders have access to and take another crack at those ruins!” Jel excitedly punches a few buttons to set the hovercraft into autopilot, then turns to fully face her passengers and grins.
“Now we can chat without wrecking our ride."
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Administrivial procedures accomplished, Rilynn settles in for the tour of Vesk-2, a planet she's always wanted to visit despite the sometimes prickly reputation of its more outwardly visible inhabitants.
She is instantly seduced by Jel's charm and easy story telling style. "Trafodi sounds magical, although I suspect, as will all such antiquities, a complex and often darker story is revealed when one delves deeper. My sister and I spent a lot of time in the jungles of Castrovel exploring the ruins there. How we're both still alive I have no idea."
Rilynn pivots the conversation. "The relationship between Vesk and Ijtikris is fascinating. Vesk-2 would seem to be a natural environment for them, and yet the planet, for all intents and purposes, is managed by vesk. I wonder how you came to stabilize your relationship with the ijtikris and what they bring to the table, so to speak."
. "I think the excitement of discovery is appealing no matter what form it takes"
"Agreed," Jel replies amiably, chatting amiably as you speed towards the looming Trafodi beachhead. "And there is no shortage of thinks to explore, why--" A chime signals an incoming comm, even as the hovercraft passes a sandy archipelago. Looking over the message, Jel frowns. "I'm afraid we need to make a pit stop. A local farmer put out an advisory about escaped livestock."
"I realize that you may be hesitant to divert our trip," muses Jel. "Although a positive recommendation from my superiors could improve the Starfinders’ diplomatic negotiations with Vesk-2 leadership. And, I must admit, the rancher, Bozamn Zorbolo, is my friend. He's an ijtikri that I mentored years ago. He's practically family." Regardless of any objections, the vesk changes course for Zorbolo Ranch.
After a half hour of driving full throttle around a chain of islands, Jel slows the vehicle and parks at a rickety wooden dock. A strip of sandy beach gives way to rolling hills. On the crest of a large hill stands a cottage with fenced fields all around it.
A male indigo ijtikri squats in the yard, repairing a gate with synthetic ropes. As the ijtikri catches sight of Jel, he shouts happily: “Big sis! Thank gods you came—and brought friends! As you can see, my fence is busted. Coral—that’s the little one—charged me this morning at feeding time and broke clean through the gate. I couldn’t run after her and leave the fence like this.”
Two of his tentacles gesture to the damage. “One of them getting
loose is bad, but the entire herd? I’d never risk it. But now I can’t figure out which way Coral went. Can you help track her down?”
"These are Starfinders!" Jel responds proudly. "These agents are more than capable of locating Coral, while you and I stay behind and help repair the fence."
"Much appreciated," nods Bozamn. "Coral is a young defrex, and I need her back alive and in one piece. Here's a specialized defrex harness." He produces a piece of equipment and beings demonstrating its use. "You can use it to restrain Coral, like this, once you find her."
"The poor girl missed this morning's feeding," he warns. "So, she may be a bit difficult. You'll want to approach her with caution and the sooner the better. You'd best start out by the field"
As you embark on the hunt (in a marching order of your choosing), the weather is calm. The still air is tinged with a faint smell of salt coming off the water. A line of tracks in the sand lead north past the broken gate but disappear after a few yards into a grassy field. Coral's tracks are hours old and finding her won’t be
easy.
Do defrex swim? Amy asks.
"Don't let their armored hides fool you," cautions Bozamn. "They weren't made for swimming, but they are big and strong enough to get where they want to get."
As they reach the grassy field, Amy points out the disturbed grass.
Now found, it is clear that Coral’s trail leads through the field to a marshy clearing. The water is 2 feet deep and dotted with small clumps of grass and sediment.
To continue moving forward quickly, the party will have to keep moving easily on dry land.
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As the hovercraft skims across the water, Cha'mon Cha'mon enjoys the view and the sun on his face.
When the hovercraft changes course toward the latest disaster about to happen, Cha'mon Cha'mon just sighs and goes along with it. Just my luck that this easy mission already has turned sour.
Seeing that the team will have to hunt a defrex, Cha'mon Cha'mon dons his camouflage membrane and allows it to adapt to the environment that he is in.
Cha'mon Cha'mon, begins moving along the fallen tree trucks that connect the small islands.
"Think you can keep up with me ladies."
All anyone can see is the back of Cha'mon Cha'mon's head and the small aeon stone that orbits around it as he sprints ahead of everyone.
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"I don't mind you telling stories, I have a many to tell myself!" the damai laughs heartily. "Finding the source of that unusual radiation will be quite exciting."
"Yeah, I do have job experience on tracking various creatures and incapacitating them. My advice on capturing big beasts is to stay out of way, aim for the feet and bait with its favorite food."
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Morvuul. I believe Seggas mentioned him a few times. Usually something about his maniacal laugh being awful, and always scheming about something.
She uses her free hand to review information on her datapad before pulling up a picture of one of Seggas's selfies.
This the guy? she says, pointing at a masked witchwyld in the background.
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Rilyn, seems to have forgotten that her comm unit is still on as she is speaking to Amy. When Cha'mon Cha'mon hears the name Morvruul spoken over comms he almost falls off the tree trunk he is traversing.
"Morvruul, where is he? Is he here? I can't stand that conniving merchant and his inane laughter. Are those clouds moving in? The sun doesn't seem as bright as it was earlier. What a miserable day this has turned out to be."
Kaylee clearly hung back admiring the vehicle we took to get here and got absent-minded about the task at hand, rushing to catch up. "Hey, wait for me!"
The entire party is remarkably skilled at physically navigating the marsh, which leads to a dune-covered beach. A set of defrex tracks is clearly visible in the sand, but as the you follow them across the beach, the sky darkens as distant sand clouds obscure the late afternoon sun.
Agreed she replies. I would wait out the storm in the water but, I suspect the two of you do not have that option. Logic tells me we should stick together
Amy is able to find a suitable shelter that Rilynn and Cha'mon Cha'mon had each overlooked and the party is able to wait out the worst of the storm, staving off likely fatigue and discomfort.
Once the worst of the storm has passed, the party is able to move along.
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. There the large form of the defrex is sprawled atop a central dune, apparently napping in the warm sand.
Map of the beach now available on Slides, along with a picture of a more awake Coral.
The ongoing storm’s high winds cause sand squalls that have the potential to obscure vision and hamper movement.
Assuming we may move about the map freely without consuming actions.
THE BEACH (or TO CORRAL CORAL) - Rounds 1 & 2
Coral
Amy Mercury
Cha'mon Cha'mon
Chrissy Damai
Kaylee Kanta
Rilynn Rae
Sultavi Pasken
Mechanic(?)