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Venture-Captain Naiaj summons you to meet in her office in the Lorespire Complex. Her office, usually utilitarian and organized, is a bit of a mess, with research materials, paperwork, datapads, supplies, and the detritus of various missions scattered across her desk. A holographic screen that runs across the entire length of one wall displays the Pact Worlds, with colored dots marking pending and in-progress missions—most related to the ongoing Drift Crisis.
Venture-Captain Naiaj surveys the group with her characteristic grim expression. “Don’t bother sitting. I’ve got no time to spare, so this’ll be brief.” She waves her hand through the air, causing the holographic wall to zoom in on Akiton’s central wastes. “During the Drift Crash, a large piece of planar debris was ejected from the Drift and collided with Akiton’s surface, crashing down outside of the town of Great Gwaz. The impact destroyed half the settlement and drew the attention of Avor Stelek, a Starfinder of some renown who was visiting Akiton at the time. Avor’s preliminary reports indicate the planar debris took root and sprouted into some kind of jungle, terraforming Great Gwaz and its immediate outskirts. Conflicting reports from locals suggest the jungle sprouted from the epicenter of the impact site, disrupting the natural ecology of the area and altering existing life forms, potentially on a genetic level. Despite the danger, the locals and some gangs have already moved into Great Gwaz, looking to cash in on what they’re calling the planar bloom.”
“Travel to Great Gwaz and assist Avor in investigating the planar bloom and its effects on local lifeforms. Determine whether the planar bloom is a boon or a bane and proceed accordingly. Your first of order of business is to report to Avor Stelek. The Drift Crisis is wreaking havoc on communications, so I’ve no way to know how old his preliminary report is. He’ll have to update you upon your arrival. Understand?”
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A female lashunta is making lots of notes as Naiaj speaks. A red ball of light floats between her antennae, the usual mark of a solarion. She is currently wearing Estex II armour with a starknife on one side and a single valve plasma ring on the other. She introduces herself as Luce Lumen but most people call her Stella.
I'm a Star Shaman Mystic with a bit of Solarion and I've been actively studying the Drift for a while now. We think that there has been some ... erm ... 'adjustments' to the Drift in an attempt to improve it but something went a bit .... erm ... loopy. Whether Triune did it, or some other Power did, we haven't been able to ascertain but there seems to be conflict between the old 'bits' and the new 'bits', which may be the cause of the problem.
Did he give any indication of what plane this fragment could have been ripped from? she asks Naiaj.
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In the room, an elven woman in a white toga, lies, lavishly on a couch. White vapors floats around her, coming from a hooka installed on the couch and the little sip she takes from it. The couch itself is well maintained, even if numerous cables, wires and circuits seem to come and go through it as well as some vines that grows all around.
In a half asleep voice, she says May the Dreams be kind to us, May the Stars guide us to our next journey.
I listen to the Stars, I look at the Voices and Here I am.
I'm Gil-Oloth, Dreamer of the Stars. I hope this mission will not be too tiring. I don't like when they are...
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An immaculately dressed elf enters the Naiaj's office. Every strand of his hair rests almost too perfectly around a face that has impossibly high cheekbones and a strong jaw. The light gray glen check three piece suit he wears is custom tailored to his body. A crisp white sea island cotton shirt, navy knitted silk tie, white linen folded pocket handkerchief, dark gray socks and black derby shoes complete his outfit.
Cavaler Traleth, is no stranger to the spotlight. The ambassador from the elf nation of Sovyrian on the planet of Castrovel to Absalom Station is known by most.
Seeing Gil-Oloth, he speaks to her in the elves native language.
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A rather green looking halfling, smelling of stale smoke and cheap fast food staggers through the door of the briefing room.
His eyes are glazed, and for a moment it appears as if perhaps he is in the wrong room. Then his eyes light on Gil=Oloth and her hooka. His eyes clear, at least momentarily as he sidles toward her.
"Well hello there!" he smiles. "I'm Shokil, and author of some renown." he says, breathing in deeply as he does so.
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Half-opening both her eyes, Gil-Oloth says Oh? I use some of them to cook too, I'm also a famous cook you could have see me on Pact World Warriors a few years ago. I love tea. I can use my herbs as infusion too, it helps with headache and hungover.
Looking at the halfling she adds Good day to you mister Shokil, I think I've read Twice Dead, Three time the charm?.
She then takes several sips from her hooka and rejects some puff of smoke, looking like stars before closing her eyes again.
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"Well, only a couple of novels have actually been published at the moment.." smiles Shokil, interest entering his eyes.
He is about to say more when Gil-Oloth speaks.
"Yes! That was my second novel. It followed from 'Sgt. Smith bites a bullet''" he explains.
"But just recently I had "Trip.. to murder' also come out." He leans forward "It was inspired by my own exploits with The Society!" he adds.
Plonking himself down next to the elven prophet he peers at her closely. "You do look a bit familiar now I can focus better. I think some of the Bro's and I sat down and watched your show as we were... chilling"
He breathes in the starry smoke. "You know I think they would love to meet you in person.. And it is always nice meeting a fan."
From the last expression you get the feeling that perhaps there are not *that* many fans out there.
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As the team ponder about the drift crisis, Shokil's writ-com beeps. He looks at it and sighs. "Yes, yes, we have time.."
Within a couple of moments an excited looking FanBoy hurries into the room.
"Social media accounts are going wild. Well.. going anyway. Apparently there is some interesting in when 'One bazooka, one rifle and one beer for Victory day' is going to release."
Shokil looks stricken. "I have so much other stuff to do today.. We are just trying to put together some information about the Drift Crisis."
The FanBoy smiles, sits and starts to tap away. "I can put a data dump up for you? Is this your writing group? Oh this is exciting."
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"Mr. Stelek is a hylki from Akiton known for his swordsmanship and medical knowledge. He’s a well‑respected Starfinder who was in the running for Second Seeker a few years ago. Avor invests a great amount of his time
in training new recruits and ensuring less-experienced agents gain the skills to stay alive out in the field. Some of you may have taken one of his instructional sessions on emergency medical procedures at the Lorespire Complex.” she answers
10+: The Drift Crisis is a galaxy spanning disaster, wherein the Drift, the space that starships and data travel through to move faster than light, suddenly stopped working. Everyone in the Drift at the time was lost—most are presumed to be dead or to have been ejected to a random location in existence. Drift engines overloaded and ceased functioning. Communications, usually sped by the Drift, have likewise failed. Most people know someone dead, dying, or lost during the Drift Crisis. The moment the Drift failed is known as the Drift Crash, or the Crash for short.
15+: Refugees are making their way to Absalom Station, carried by the Starstone’s continued reliability as a Drift Beacon. While this has yet to strain the station’s resources, it’s certain that both supplies and space will soon become scarce. Some citizens of Absalom Station petition to close the station to outsiders, while others look for ways to expand the Station’s capacity. The galactic community that the Drift facilitated is in shambles and each system is isolated. While the Pact Worlds will endure, for many colonies, space stations, and systems, this isolation could be a death sentence. Though a few scant weeks have passed since the Drift initially failed, numerous corporations, governments, and scientists have turned their attention to either repairing the Drift or finding a new method of reliable, affordable
faster-than-light travel.
20+: No one knows what caused the Drift Crisis, but most citizens of the Pact Worlds blame Triune and its clergy, since Triune was the one who first shared knowledge of the Drift and is rumored to be its creator. While the Church of Triune is facing harsh words, protests, sanctions, governmental meddling, and widespread demands that they “fix the Drift,” it’s the average Triunite who suffers most. In addition to the doubt and helplessness many Triunites feel, they’re often treated with suspicion, aggression, and violence from their wider communities. With no clear place to vent their anger, most citizens place their blame on the Triunites nearest to them. It’s said that Triune no longer answers the prayers of even its most devoted clergy.
25+: While the Starfinder Society has suspended all Drift travel and told its agents not to attempt to activate their starships’ Drift engines, the Drift isn’t entirely broken. It currently functions intermittently, but it’s incredibly dangerous; travel times have increased drastically, Drift engines malfunction and break, the denizens of the Drift are behaving violently, and storms and other strange anomalies make even the Drift itself hazardous.
30+: When the Crash happened, it wasn’t just starships ejected from the Drift: creatures, planar matter, and the Drift’s own essence have also landed in random locations on the Material Plane or the other planes of existence. The full effects of these planar collisions and seepages are not yet known.
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The journey to Akiton takes days. The vibrant multi-colored foliage sprouting from the planar bloom is visible even from space, thanks to its stark contrast from the scorched red of Akiton’s usual terrain. During descent, you can clearly make out Great Gwaz, a collection of practical and sturdy buildings partially swallowed by wild jungle. An area on the western edge of town has clearly been staged as a port; the clusters of abandoned starships parked there are in various stages of being claimed by the jungle foliage.
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"It's going to be a long walk to get to the center of the anomaly," Cavaler comments. Then looking at Gil-Oloth he says, "Or ride I suppose."
He activates the environmental protections that are a part of his armor and attaches his syringe stick to the light bayonet bracket on his dual crossbolter before leaving the ship.
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At the entrance to the town, a few people are gathered at a stall prepared with trays of bright drinks with inviting floral and fruity aromas. Slices of fruit dripping with sweet juices hang preciously off the edges of the cups offered to the visitors, and flowers float delicately atop the drinks. Two smiling ysoki hand out a free beverage to each person entering town, cheerily exclaiming “welcome to wonderful Great Gwaz! Now with more green!” in greeting. More than once, one of the ysoki pretends they’re going to spill a drink as they hand it to a visitor before chuckling loudly, slapping their knee, and exclaiming “I joke! I joke! Enjoy, my friend!”
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The FAnBoy, who appears to be Shokil's self appointed "social media manager" seems to have secreted himself in the group... somehow.
He smiles at the yoski, handing out a set of poorly photo-copied images of the cover of "Trip.. to murder", complete with photocopied autograph.
"So.. what is happening here?" he asks.
Shokil himself... well. he looks a bit green again and downs the offered drink in a single gulp. "My thanks my good yoski.."
Smith entered the smoke filled bar, his massive frame silhouetted in the doorway. The place went quiet as the bartender poured him a pint... of the strong stuff.
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Gil-Oloth doesn't stand up from her couch, as it moves, following her comrades out of the ship and towards the new town.
Almost invisible inside the smoke produced by her hooka, she stays half-lying in her couch in a state of sleep, letting her comrades do the talking, while she do the dreaming.
*Puf* *Puf*
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FanBoy slowly shakes his head, while Shokil, sensing the smoke subtly shifts back to stand in it as he drinks the yoski's offering.
"No, but it is available for download from AbsalomOnLine, or you can rent-a-read if you are a member of any reputable download service - Shoky,-iLib and FanLib being some of the best."
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You found following with asking around:
10+: “A while ago, something crashed a few miles outside of town. The shockwave destroyed half of the city, and created a large crater. Over the course of a couple of days—or was it a few weeks? After some time, anyway, a jungle grew out of thin air. Bam! Jungle! I guess it seemed strange at first, but the fruit is delicious and the water is crystal clear so it’s turned Great Gwaz into a tropical paradise. I’m not complaining!”
15+: “Some of us enter the jungle to collect fruit and water. No matter how much we harvest there’s always more! But those who venture deeper into the jungle, past the edge of the crater, never come back. Anyone who spends time in town starts to grow plants on their bodies or get glowing eyes, but no one really minds since the changes are harmless. Some of us even grow berries we can eat right on top of our heads!”
20+: “Some townsfolk went to investigate the object that impacted outside of town before the jungle grew in, but they never came back. People are always showing up from all around these parts to experience a piece of paradise, and anyone who isn’t happy here leaves.”
25+: “I remember some researchers stopped briefly in town before heading out into the jungle a few days back—or was it a month? One of them usually hangs out at the Jungle Juicery. Come to think of it, I don’t remember if the others came back.”
30+: “A Starfinder interviewed a bunch of people from town. He was geared up like he was heading somewhere. He spoke with someone at the Jungle Juicery and then went into the jungle with her. She was a researcher from that expedition a while back. They were called the… Gilded Tree? Garden Tree? I don’t know, something tree. Anyway, I haven’t seen the Starfinder since.”