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A rather nervous looking shirren enters the room, checking over his shoulder.
"ahh.. h..hi" he murmurs.
"I'm call-sign Liftt. I guess I'm hear to provide transport for wherever you are heading."
He settles into a seat, from which he can unobtrusively keep watch on the door into the room. Every few seconds his eyes pivot toward it for a moment.
"Did I hear.. dancing?" he asks.
"May-maybe we'll be going to one of the nicer destinations? Such as Songbird station or Brilliance. Though I here that is less popular now that Envar is around less. Their arena would be fantastic for a dancing competition."
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You are waiting near the Pegasus starship Spitfire provided for your interstellar journey as workers load the craft with astronomical recording equipment inside a Lorespire Complex hangar.
Venture-Captain Arvin, a male lashunta with a half-shaved head, emerges from the starship. He presses himself against the hull near the cargo-bay door to make room for several teamsters as they carry crates packed with intricate recording devices onto the starship. I’ve got good news!
Arvin announces, hopping down off the loading ramp.
He then pauses. Huh. Looks like we're short a few. In that case I better wait until they arrive. Hello Momo. Nice to see you on the team. How's Zoey these days? And Liftt. No CAAMC this time?
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A ruggedly handsome young man is waiting, playing with his knife, juggling it with one hand as he whistles. Wearing only a simple outfit but is designed against elements, he has also a kit of various tools and a backpack. The arrival of the venture-captain makes him stop what he is doing, puts his knife on its sheath, and proceeds to introduce himself.
"Ey, Tetra Park here. This is my first mission for the Society, yeah. But I'm ready for it. So what do we have to do now?" he asks the venture-captain. "And what is your good news?"
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An android whose posture is rigidly straight, as if trying to stretch her height to five and a half feet approaches the ship. Her straight black hair contrasts with her pale complexion, white eyes, and the pale blue tracery of circuits just under her skin. Mildly feminine features are offset by a broad mannish jaw and a compact body composed of wide shoulders, flat chest and narrow hips. A long-barreled rifle is slung over one shoulder beside the pack on her back. A shock pistol for a sidearm and a large survival knife in a calf sheath complete her equipment.
"News is seldom good, even when the brass says it is. Don't get your hopes up. I am Tofana. Who's the science lead on the team?"
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The mention of Zoey triggers an almost robotic response in Momo, and she rattles off a rehearsed piece of text Zoey is currently promoting her new song 'Boop beep bot', a song about love and the strength of relationships. It tells the story of a girl in love with an android, and how she is frustrated with the way he acts. Please look forward to many great performance and show our Zoey lots of love.
She seems to be very nervous about being near the Pegasus. When Lifft offers to help with the loading she suggests Can you check the escape pod batteries are fully charged?
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A well dressed older gentleman enters the hangar, spots some familiar faces and heads that way.
"Greetings, greetings, please forgive me for my lateness. Veture-Captain, at your service." He begins with a bow to Arvin, before moving onto the other starfinders "Ah, Liftt, a pleasure to see you again. Momo, what a delight. And who else do we have here, greetings, pleased to make your acquaintance" He takes a moment to greet each of you.
Skip is dressed neatly in a sport jacket and slacks. His shoes are shined immaculately, and his attire is accented by a few expensive looking pieces of jewelry. He appears unarmored except for the occasional glimmer of his Second Skin. As he moves the handle of a laser pistol is briefly visible inside his coat in a holster. Otherwise he appears to be packed very lightly for the journey.
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Liftt starts toward the Pegasus, and then when Tofana interjects, seems to shrink back on himself a little. "Ahh, good thinking Momo... and thanks for hte help Rofana. Maybe I'll.. just... check the fuel. "
Just as he is about to enter, the door to the hanger opens and he can't but help let out a little shriek, quickly swallowed as the figure of Skip enters. "Oh thank goodness. Hello Skip!" he chirps.
Then with a final glance over his shoulder the nervous shirren all but flees for the safety of the Pegasus flight deck.
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Tofana looks carefully at the other Starfinders while she starts drawing inferences. Subjects Momo, Lifft, and Skip have previous acquaintance. Skip could likely be described as likable, and seems harmless enough. Momo and Lifft both seem somewhat agitated. Lifft shows signs of fear of Skip, counter-indicated by his thank goodness statement. We should maintain close scrutiny of them for possible negative interactions between team members. Subject Tetra is obviously a neophyte. Mark them as possible ally without connections to the acquainted three and also as sacrifice should survival require it.
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Arvin's comm chirps and he looks at the text on the screen.
I appears we are expecting one more, but it seems Liftt is in a hurry to get going so I'll do the briefing now and you can fill in the sixth on the way.
As I said, I’ve got good news! Not long ago, some of your colleagues recovered ship logs describing a previously unknown planet called Wealdriad. The planet lacked any sentient life or noteworthy resources, so we sent a long distance probe to monitor it while we focused on the Scoured Stars debacle.
Well, that probe picked up something intriguing: solar flares from Wealdriad’s sun create auroras in the atmosphere, which are then ‘shaped’ into unnatural patterns by the magnetic forces arising from stone pillars on the planet’s crust. It is unlike anything we’ve seen in the Pact Worlds or Near Space, and the Forum decided it’s worth investigating further. Our probes indicate a massive solar flare will hit the atmosphere directly above the planet’s largest collection of pillars within the next few weeks, so we don’t want to miss what could be a once in a lifetime occurrence. Furthermore, the auroras should make for quite a spectacle, so we advertised the upcoming event to some interested parties throughout the Pact Worlds. The Society’s public image has taken a beating recently, so this aurora could give us some much-needed good press.
You’ll be taking the Spitfire, along with some state-of-the-art astronomical equipment, out to Wealdriad for the upcoming aurora. Your mission has three components. First, gather as much data about the aurora as you can. Second, make a good impression among the other visitors so we can start rehabilitating the Starfinder brand in light of this multimedia smear campaign against us. I suspect other spectators are planning to record the event as well, so if you can collaborate with the other attendees, you might just kill two electrovores with one bullet. Third, we might not be setting foot on Wealdriad’s surface again for a long time, so see if there is anything interesting on the ground that our probes missed. Any questions?
If any of you ((PCs that is)) have the Chronicle sheet from Starfinder Society Quest: Into the Unknown, Arvin specifically thanks you for
gathering the intelligence that made this mission possible.
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"How have you been keeping? Nothing too.. exciting.. I hope?"
"Oh, I thought I'd have nothing to do once I retired. But the society has kept me quite busy!" He gives a quick glance around to make sure Momo isn't to close by, and lowers his voice as to not upset the young lady. "Some business with a ghost ship most recently..... And you? You must be doing well! I see you are without your, uh, accomplice today. Wonderful!"
As Arvin briefs them, Skip is obviously excited. "Exploring a distant planet, a soiree with important delegates, and a light show!" He exclaims with a clap of his hands. "Should we expect and kind of electro-magnetic interference with our equipment during this solar flare. Or any dangers to ourselves or the other guests?"
"Speaking of these other guests... Do we have any information on these other, as you say, interested parties?"
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No, we don't - at least not to hand. As for the planet itself, Wealdriad is almost entirely oceanic; the only noteworthy landmasses are the basalt spires that seem to generate the magnetic fields we’re investigating. Orbital scans also detected harsh and unpredictable weather patterns, so expect a lot of wind and rain.
The magnetic fields that alter the aurora also scramble most of our orbital sensors, so to learn more we need boots on the ground. Also keep an eye out for any structures or ruins; our initial reports determined that Wealdriad lacks sapient life, but its atmosphere is habitable, and you might spot buildings the scanners mistook as part of the natural environment.
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"ah... are...are the others coming with us on the Spitfire?" asks Liftt.
"The quarters are not especially... spacious. Especially if we have a special load of astronomical equipment." he adds.
With a slightly too casual shrug, he replies to Skip. "I do hope so. I always feel so on edge when she is...Oh no."
The last comment comes out as an unfortunate squeak. Striding across the docking bay comes another shirren. Her antennae twitch in what appears to be a somewhat intimidating manner. From the look of horror on Liftt's face, you can only imagine what the psychic tongue lashing he must be getting.
"Oh... yes... sorry.. must have slipped my mind." he stammers to her out loud. "Um... I'm not..."
He quavers under a renewed psychic lashing.
"Of course I wasn't going to leave Absalom without you. Thought never crossed my mind. Not once...."
After another silent pause he turns to the associated Starfinders. "Ahhh.. Everyone. I am obliged to inform you that we will be being accompanied by my Count Appointed Anger Management Coach. Not that I think we'll be seeing anything that is likely to trigger another episode...."
His face flinches.
"But better safe than sorry, eh?"
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Mister Intro! Momo shouts as the well-dress gentleman steps in, and adds, in far more subdued tone They're sending out on a ship again...
Mister Arvin, are the electric storms dangerous to the ship? Will the electronics hold? Have there been any swarm sightings? Will the sensors work when we're near the planet? How can we call for help if anything goes wrong? So many worries...
When Lifft explains his CAAMC, Momo subconsciously hides behind Skip a little. I think you'll find me in the turret again
Halfway down the ship is the turret where I sit
There isn't any other space quite like it
It's not on the stern, it's not on the side
So this is the turret where I always hide
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They're sending out on a ship again...
Skip gives a knowing nod. "You did very well last time, remember. Especially when the going got tough."
"I do hope so. I always feel so on edge when she is...Oh no."
The witchwarper, who has seen first hand reality shape around his perception, can't help but feel a little guilty at the appearance of the CAAMC. Even though he was trying to be vague, he feels as though somehow willed then into existence here by speaking about them. "Ah, Yes, Liftt was just saying how he's looked everywhere for you, glad you could make it." he offers with a smile to try and lessen the damage for his crewmate.
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A male drow enters the briefing room. He is incredibly athletically built and his tight black suit is a size smaller than necessary clearly chosen to emphasize his broad shoulders, powerful trapezoids, strong biceps, muscular legs and narrow waist. He shakes the protein shaker noisily, and with his other hand enters data on the foods eaten at lunch into the calorie counting program.
Hey! Name's Antethriss. Master of martial arts and melee. He smiles at you with a beautiful smile of perfectly bleached teeth.
Sitting down, the drow runs his eyes over the briefing slides. So, our task is just to film this event and not to quarrel with other guests of this planet?
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Tetra looks at the drow from head to toe. "Nice bod you got there." he gives Antethriss a compliment with a raised eyebrow of approval of whatever the drow is doing to get such kind of body. Tetra may be handsome but not as well-built as this newcomer. Nevertheless, his lean but toned body is perfect for him anyway."I'm Tetra. It is nice to have you with us today." he adds offering a hand to see how strong is the drow's grip, hoping not that strong to break his bones.
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Drow nods to you Tetra, Tofana, hi. Antethriss continues to smile radiantly and the smile only gets wider after the man's words. His somewhat narcissistic nature is obviously pleased with your attention (although he does not doubt that it is absolutely deserved). Perhaps you've seen some of my wrestling matches? I became the third in the Open Nightarch Championship! And this is one of the most prestigious and life-threatening wrestling tournaments on Apostae! The Mother of Slaves reproached me then that I did not become the first and gave me 30 lashes, but just think... Hmm. Although judging by your eyes, don't know what I'm talking about at all... Oh, yeah. Recently I were running all sorts of small errands for Society. We were looking for thieves in casinos, escaped on a beetle ship from giant space predators, and so on. And there was one guy who was constantly filming us for his show for some TV channel or maybe StarTube. It becomes clear from his voice that Antethriss is more interested in talking about drow wrestling, but less about the show. Not his genre, probably. I tried not to shine too much on the camera, however.
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Culture to Recall Knowledge or Diplomacy to Gather Information.
Mysticism to Recall Knowledge
With everyone aboard, including the CAAMC, you take off, weave your way carefully through the traffic around Absalom Station, then into the Drift. The transition is a bit bumpy but soon it's smooth flying all the way to your destination.
Liftt spends the first part on the trip in a counselling session with his CAAMC, starting with the topic 'Why are you trying to avoid me'.
The trip takes . Again, upon arrival, the transition is a bit bumpy. You can scan the planet for a good landing site with a Computer's check.
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The lady shiren takes a seat near to Liftt and watches him closely.
"I'm not trying to ignore you.." he says. "And why do we have to have these conversations out loud anyway." he adds in an almost whine.
"Perhaps if you concentrate on your job at hand rather than avoiding your responsibilities?" she retorts, pointedly.
"Have you even done any background research? It's not just be you are avoiding..." she adds.
"Wealdriad seems to have first entered the Pact Worlds infosphere due to the word of group of your fellow Starfinders. They salvaged exploration files describing the planet from the wreck of another Starfinder ship called Unbounded Wayfarer."
Liftt stares at the Pegasus's control surfaces. At least ships didn't vanish on you.
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Skip listens as the other explain the details of the environment and the discovery of the planet.
"Sounds like a rugged place. I'm concerned it may attract some of the darker faiths, Such as the worshipers of Groetus... Or cultists of Nyarlathotep or some other such Great Old One."
Skip spends the drift time lounging about the ship, telling stories and carrying on with the other crew.
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What makes the imminent aurora so extraordinary is the fact that the solar wind causing it is predicted to hit the atmosphere directly above a dense cluster of basalt columns called Wealdriad’s Crown. This maximizes the pillars’ distortive effect on the resulting lights, while also providing platforms for multiple visitors to land starships and set up recording equipment. You and other visitors claim observation sites by landing their starships on a given pillar.
A1 - The Altar - Looks like someone got here first. A massive dome made of pale-green alloys crowns this wide basalt column, its roof studded with telescope lenses, dish receivers, and recording instruments. Turret-mounted weapons form a defensive perimeter around the site, and a small hangar containing six-displacer hovercrafts abuts the main facility. A partially enclosed patio resembles a dining room set for guests, though no one appears to have visited.
A2 - The Amphitheatre - The peak of this pillar recently slid off into the sea, leaving a mostly flat top surrounded by a half-circle of grooved, weathered stone that is easy to walk on. The elevated perimeter functions as a windbreak, making it easier to secure astronomical instruments against the inclement weather.
A3 - The Arch - Years of pounding winds and waves carved out a gap in the base of this pillar, leaving behind a two-legged platform with a wide, flat top. The Arch has plenty of open ground to set up instruments, though its surface is exposed to the elements.
A4 - The Bowl - Rainwater collects in the pit at the center of this column, forming a reflecting pool when the storm clears. The sloped walls make it difficult to position equipment, but they offer limited protection from the harsh wind.
A5 - The Dome - The top of this pillar is wider than its base, giving it the appearance of a head looking toward the sky. The convex surface makes it difficult to calibrate equipment designed for flat surfaces.
A6 - The Honeycomb. - Deep holes cover the walls of this pillar in a pattern resembling a beehive. The peak is mostly flat, but some collapsed holes create uneven terrain unsuitable for instrument setup.
A7 - The Lilypad - Large waves regularly wash over this low, flat pillar. Preparing gear to weather the constant barrage of waves requires finesse.
A8 - The Mosaic - This site is a collection of smaller, hexagonal columns of differing heights, formed by a volcanic eruption and fused together by the constant battering of the winds and waves. The height of each hexagonal pillar varies significantly, making level ground to set up recording equipment difficult to find.
A9 - The Needle - This column has the steepest point, and the only safe spots for a starship or vehicle to land are a handful of narrow cliffs left over from where chunks of stone calved off the pillar.
A10 - This misshapen basalt pillar lacks any safe landing sites.
It is raining heavily over the area when you exit the Drift, but the forecast says it should be clear in time for the aurora. You also receive a distress call from another vehicle in orbit. The distressed ship is the Whispered Wish, an explorer starship used by the Church of Ibra to conduct pilgrimages out into the Vast.
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"It looks like 'The Amphitheatre' is the best spot to land on." suggests Liftt. He gets ready to bring the ship in to land when the distress call comes in.
"Hmm oh my... we can't ignore that. " he shrieks.
"Boosting back toward them?" he suggests, getting ready with the controls.
However the ship is hit by a big gust of wind, and Liftt struggles to keep in under control.
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It seems that the Whispered Wish is having trouble with it's cargo. It's captain, Jinarra (halfling female technomancer),explains that her crew’s astronomical equipment began malfunctioning as soon as they entered Wealdriad’s orbit. She uses a ferrofluid suspension to stabilize her recording equipment in harsh environments, but something about the solar flares causing the aurora is making the ferrofluid behave strangely, eventually breaking out and entering the rear cargo area.
... and now the stuff is attacking the crew. Could you guys come aboard and fix it?
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Liftt directs the Pegasus toward the Wispering Wish. "Thanks Tetra... she really is behaving poorly today."
As the ships close, he adds. "E..en...environmental seals... up please people."
The CAMOC looks on with a mixture of pride and worry. "Now remember, stressful situations can be triggering... But it is good to see you trying to do the Right Thing."
She then reluctantly adds "Perhaps I'd better come along with watch.
Lets hope it is not as horrible as that last trip into the drift." A shudder runs down her, making you wonder if she needs a counsellor of her own.
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You dock with the Whispered Wish and discover that their storage area is being taken over with some sort of ooze. The storage area is well lit, featuring 20-foot-high ceilings and various pieces of equipment. Scraps of metal and spare parts belie intentional damage to the recording equipment, though close investigation reveals drops of ferrofluid that seem to twitch and crawl on their own.
The other equipment in the room functions as difficult terrain and provides cover for creatures occupying their squares.
Initiatives:
Red comes out to play and double moves to the group.
Antethriss and Skip are up before Yellow.
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As Lifft brings the Spitfire near the distressed vessel, Tofana hurries to the airlock. She takes the pilot's advice and buttons up her seals. Then she checks her weapons and other combat gear.
"Who leads?"
Boarding the vessel, she trails the group headed for the forward hatch, when the ooze approaches from behind.
"Behind us!
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Drow did not warm up in vain - it was his strong body, like a spring, that shoots forward first. He easily does a somersault over the heads of his allies and lands right in front of the strange creature, simultaneously shoving it with his foot and taking it out of balance. Two knives are clenched in his hands and one of them right now flashed a bright lightning of death towards the enemy...
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From the rear of the group Skip pipes up, his voice dripping with sarcasm"What a charming creature. Has anyone got a mop?"
Shaken - You take a –2 penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks while you have the shaken condition. If you are already shaken and then become subject to an additional effect that would cause you to be shaken, the duration of the shaken condition increases by the duration of the second effect.
He continues his verbal assualt. "Look out everyone, it appears to be acidic as well" He watches as a splash of acid washes over the creature in the same fluid way that it moves.