Shuka gets up with some minor battering as a grip breaks off the pile and forces a few more attempts up the mountain.
Osuro inpsects the weapon and identifies it as a vivifier flare rifle that uses flares for ammunition, consuming it in a flash of directed heat and light. There is some denting, but otherwise functional.
Inspecting the remnants of the door, you all notice parts of it that were once painted bright colors prior it to being shattered. Darkrunner and Osuro are able to determine that it was battered open by a sudden external force well over a century ago.
Brigadier Teshgari shakes her head, looking over the area and past the years of grime burying the writing on the wall. "Plenty of other hunters seek glory in Gadraveech. Not all succeed. I don't know which of the lost might have headed to these paths of the tunnels. They may have found another entrance somewhere else."
She shakes her head toward Skip as she declares, "if there was any record of this structure, I was not aware of it. The maps of the tunnels did not include any hint of it. It isn't much interest to me though beyond it now serving as a strovian nest. Feel free to figure that out as long as it doesn't get in the way of the hunt."
Darkrunner is able to tell from the passage of blood isn't a singular blood trail, but is actually multiple trails of smeared blood from bodies that were dragged toward the northern passage.
The entryway for the moment is secure for now. You still hear the sounds of skittering, chittering life echoing through the vents.
There are three passages that lead deeper into the structure. The passage with the trails of blood to the north, halls to the east that lead to a desk with a computer console, and a long hall to the south.
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There are multiple trails of blood here... not just one. Darkrunner plainly states.
He notes that the Eastern passage soon ends at a computer console.
Darn. It would have been convenient if that passage circled back somehow with the Northern passage. Strictly following our prey through a singular passage is not ideal.
It would take but a moment to see what relevant information there is to be had on this computer console.
At this point he's no longer laboring under the injuries of his climb, but they are still visibly apparent as scuff marks on his light armor.
Approaching the console, he sets his small-arm to the side of the desk and sits at the terminal...
Moving through toward the adjacent room Darkrunner finds the computer station is filled with damaged monitors, electronics, and an array of rotten stuffed animals and plastic toys.
A swivel stool stands in the middle of the chaos.
The console doesn't respond to Darkrunner's command, checking the equipment it is clear that it is heavily damaged. There are bloody bullet holes that have done damage to the system that will need some skill to repair. There is also no power to these components as well. To get the system up and running both the damage would need to be repaired and power restored.
This room has more hallways and doors in all directions. The door to the north-west has a sturdy blast door handle. Movement echoes from around the party, but no sign of life erupts forth yet.
Brigadier Teshgari holds her sidearm ready as the group check equipment and the area. Mimzy and Jomp are a bit rattled and keep near the vesk, their backs at the wall.
Schuka is able to get her drone into the ventilation and the sounds of skittering echo even louder within.
Darkrunner is able to repair the damage to the cabling on the computer system but it isn't enough to restore the power to the system. He is able to follow the systems and confirm everything is properly connected. Checking systems there is no power flowing to the area. Reactivating that would require the power grid which is elsewhere in the facility.
Cleaning off decades of grime off reveals whimsical, bright, and large calligraphy that spells out something in Vesk. Mimzy is happy to take a moment to confirm, "that says 'Welcome!' and looks pretty nice once is cleaned up." She offers Skip a bottle of water and a reminder to keep hydrated, especially with all the physical exertion.
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Skip accepts the water and the translation graciously. "Of course, thank you Mimzy. As to the translation, It doesn't fill me with the warm welcome that it may have once intended."
He glances down at his now dirty scarf. "Well, my poor scarf is ruined. Shame, I purchased it from a merchant ship in the vast, he claimed it was a rare fabric from a distant planet called Wistinte-4, lightweight, moisture wicking, fireproof. Price, 45 credits." He discards the item in the hallway.
"Yes, onward then. What could go wrong investigating this trail of blood"
Mimzy looks at the writing a with a bit of concern as they offer, "well that isn't good. They put a lot of detail into it and they wouldn't want you to feel unwelcome."
Looking at the discarded scarf Jomp looks a bit confused as he asks, "do you want me to toss that in the laundry for you?"
A curt grunt from Brigadier Teshgari calls them to her side as you all move forward following the bloodstained hallway into long room that is made to feel far more cramped given desiccated corpses hang from the ceiling of this vile larder in long, irregular rows. The bodies are combination of vesk, pahtra, and numerous subterranean animals. The maze of swaying bodies obscures the chamber's deeper recesses.
The sound of whelps echo from the area as they scramble along the corpses. Upon your entry they shriek at you and flee down corridors and into vents.
Brigadier Teshgari bares her teeth as she strengthens her combat posture. She calls for one cannons from Jomp who frantically provides it as he and Mimzy look about the room horrified by the sight. Jomp holds his polishing cloth close and Mimzy covers her pack with all six arms in an effort to protect the contents. She shudders as she slowly follows into the room.
The room isn't just host to whelps though. As you move into the room the air shifts as the camouflage of a creature vanishes revealing a creature that is almost six feet tall walking on four limbs and wielding a spear in the other four. It is immediately striking at Osuro as it ambushes the party, another moves deeper into the room as is moves along the walls and presents both teeth and feeding tendril. Your information makes it clear that these are stridermanders.
The attack is barely able to schuka, catching her while she is flat-footed. The obsidian isn't well suited for tearing through armor though at the advanced materials deflect most of the archaic weapon.
Schuka (4 damage)
Osuro
Skip Intro
Darkrunner-42
Brigadier Teshgari
Stridermanders
Momo Strawberry
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Skip raises his pistol focuses his attention on it for a moment. The slight glow of the weapons power system seems to flicker and grow as a blue hue begins to pulse from the small pistol.
"I'll see if I can find the light switch!" Skip calls out, hoping the bright lights will daze their prey. As he waves his hand around the wall, four bright lights bathe the room in bright white light.
As the lights direct at their vision, the creatures his and bare numerous teeth. They sweep at the magical lamps in fury.
The distraction is all that was needed as Osuro lands a devastating shot and causes the creature to drop spear and collapse to the ground as the electricity arcs through it.
Darkrunner is also able to line up a shot through the swaying corpses and land the laser on one of the stridermander's limbs. It does not a fall for the noises though and takes only a moderate blow.
The vesk doesn't answer Osuro's question directly but does begin to evaluate the enemies, but shakes her head in how quickly one has already fallen. With her weapon she moves to the edge of the room and fires her psychic wave cannon at the second.
Firing past the mass of bodies the blow lands and causes some pain, but doesn't dispatch it.
Schuka (4 damage)
Osuro
Skip Intro
Darkrunner-42
Brigadier Teshgari
Blue Stridermander (12 damage)
Momo Strawberry
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Momo stands as if nailed to the ground when a barrage of fire mauls the creature next to her.
Momo starts radiating some yellowish light, outlining the dancer. She spring into action, drawing her sword and moving forward in a single smooth movement.
And then swipes the air, as if to warn it...
Schuka makes some distance and the stridermander lunges for Darkrunner. The feeding tendril pushes out of the stridermander's chest and attempts to wrap around Darkrunner's arm. The attack is deftly avoided before it can do so.
Momo's attack misses but her energy builds.
Schuka (4 damage)
Osuro
Skip
Darkrunner-42
Brigadier Teshgari
Red Stridermander (12 damage)
Momo Strawberry
The mass of hanging bodies provide enough cover hamper the weapons fire. Even still the barrage of lasts connect into the shrieking creature bringing it down.
The battle over, Brigadier Teshgari hands the cannon back to Jomp. Both he and Mimzy are still terrified of this ghastly room and it takes a moment for Jomp to collect himself enough to take the weapon.
Teshgari focuses on the Stridermanders and shakes her head with disappointment as she gives kick at the body. "Average size. Plenty of places you can find these terrors and this isn't worth a trophy."
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Schuka becomes simple fish in the tank again and approaches skittermanders in stress.
She jumps few time up from the water and show some focuses with Psychokinetic Hand. She want to support little folks and even shoes a long message on the screen.
We are small and may be harmless but we have our inner power and usefulness. No worries, we are together!
The stellifera wants to take a look at dead strittermander and also take a closer look at bodies, maybe helping with Psychokinetic hand to move em a little.
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Skip takes stock the the hanging bodies quickly. "Well, now I regret the lights" He swipes his hand at the wall and the dancing lights go out.
Skip will cautiously move farther into the room. He keeps his pistol in hand in this horrifying place. As he directs it around where he's looking, he keeps one of the dancing lights moving about in front of him as if his pistol had a flashlight. Even if the room is decently lit, the extra light provides some comfort.
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Terrors indeed, Momo says, at least they don't seem to have any psychic abilities She shudders.
She activates her torchlight and shines it on the double doors in the back.
It's hard to see in this light. Momo says, anxious to get out of the ghastly room, what would those doors lead to? I wonder what this place could be, she says, thinking of the welcome sign some former Vesk hotel?
Jomp and Mimzy as slightly heartened by Schuka's support. Jomp gives a bit of a nod and straightens up as he warily follows the brigadier. Mimzy still is anxious though and keeps all her hands to protect the bags of supplies.
In response to Darkrunner, Brigadier Teshgari answers, "for something worth hunting, at least several feet taller. The leaders of packs grow far bigger and hopefully one is still deeper in."
She grunts dismissively to the Momo's suggestion. "Building a hotel within Gadraveech would be madness." Walking along the walls she focuses on the metal that is covered with chips of inconsistent bright patterns. Examining the coloring she declares, "this ridiculous paint job could only be the work of skittermanders."
Looking at the walls the there is old paint still clinging to the walls in places in a variety of colors. Along the wall there are dents from a multitude of bullet impacts that were here long before you arrived.
Looking around more, longarm bullet casings litter the floor.
Also along the wall is and old-fashioned and out of date entertainment unit that is filled with bullet holes.
Inspecting the bodies, Skip finds that some of the bodies have been here for weeks and others months. All show signs of being torn into by teeth with several additional wounds from simple tools. Little attention is taken to precise cuts across the body as they show signs of mauling regardless if they were beast or humanoid. The pahtra and vesk have been striped of gear. A look around the room reveals it stacked in a pile in the corner.
"One would hope," responds the brigadier as she looks to Jomp and Mimzy before readying to move forward.
Looking through the pile of gear there is a wealth of destroyed and rotten equipment set aside in the pile. They include various suits of hunting armor like basic defrex hide, enforcer armor I, graphite carbon skin, squad defiance series, field tactical shield. Attached to one of the armor suits is a infrared sensors armor upgrade. There are also 25 scattergun shells, an efficient bandolier, and a ring of sustenance scattered about the grimy pile.
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There's some useful protection here... Momo says, ...and look at these she says holding up the infrared sensors, Miss Osuro, Mister Intro, these would be useful for you, no? ().
"It would be useful, but my armor doesn't accept accessories. Now, if I took the Graphite Carbon Skin and attached it to that . . .. I don't know if he has the ability to attach the sensors to his current armor, though."
Schuka checks the doorway and doesn't hear anything in the area beyond. The brigadier has her weapon ready while the skittermanders seems to look to get out of this room.
Opening the double doors reveals six bullet-riddled alcoves dominate this semi-circular room, each cradling an empty bed frame, broken shelves, shattered glass, and heaps of debris.
The walls in each living space are painted a different color and feature a different word along the back wall in bold font.
The first alcove reads "Prismacora" in bright pink along the wall and right below it is a triticale, a three-necked guitar familiar to skittermaner performers. Set in the corner is an old-fashioned, blood-stained speaker system in the corner.
"Sprout" marks the wall of the next alcove in a verdant green. There are a dozen dirty planters and several more than have been shattered to weapon fire. Throughout this alcove there are almost two dozen more jars filled with various seeds.
Opposite the entrance are two alcoves where the divider wall has been removed. The first labeled "Viverivim" in dark blue print. There are various painting supplies and canvases leaning against the wall that depict skittermanders and idyllic landscapes. Most feature a serious red skittermander as the focus or part of the picture. Some of the broken paints have stained the ground. Next to that, the text reads "Bixby" in a vibrant red. The area is a mess and that has not changed with the bullet holes perforating the area. There are heaps of rotten paper with illegible markings across them, a golden wedding band, and a framed photograph of two skittermanders, dressed in old-fashioned wedding robes to complement their red and blue fur. The beds of these two alcoves are pushed up against each other at the middle.
The final two alcoves on the lift are labeled "Tipps", in a bright, sunshine yellow and "Razzlefrazz" in a royal purple. The Tipps alcove is filled with rotten stuffed animals, dirty plastic toys and a comm-unit. Many of the toys have been ripped open or destroyed by weapons fire and others are stained in blood. The comm unit is undamaged, but would need a new battery as the current one is depleted.
The Razzlefrazz alcove has a small number of sparklers and a half-filled lighter. There several more sparkler boxes that are empty.
There is a lot in the room and would take a bit more time to search properly.
Brigadier Teshgari, Mimzy, and Jomp enter the room. The latter too especially glad to be out of entirely horrible room as they show more curiousity to the array of alcoves. The brigadier focuses on clearing the room and, upon finding nothing of interest to her, she moves back out of the room and motions to follow.
Mimzy and Jomp are a bit more focuses on the room as they look about the names and possessions. Jomp pulls out their polishing cloth as he notes, "this place needs a good cleaning."
Mimzy is immediately elated by the idea and agrees, "yes! Can I help?"
"No!" Brigadier Teshgari's voice cuts through the air. "You're helping me. Stay on mission."
Mimzy and Jomp snap to attention and brandish warm rolls, water, weapons and polishing clothing wildly.
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"Oh, no, thank you, Momo" is all he manages to his friend. "If Miss Osuro can make use of them, please feel free. If not, I can see if Mimzy has some bleach wipes...."
Ah, yeah. I suppose it is a bit gross. It's just so dark in here, and some extra protection wouldn't hurt.
She takes out the armor cleansing spray can, and sprays a nice citrus aroma on the armor, the shield and the infrared sensors. Then proceeds to don the armor.
How do I look? Momo says with pretended lightness, though it is clear that she cares more about the added protection that her looks. Or the smell. There is a certain casualness with which she dons the suit that suggests she's been here before.
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When Momo enters the bullet-riddled, blood-stained room, and slowly takes in the suggestion of catastrophe that the room depicts.
"This really does look like a very soiid set for a good slasher vid."
Momo makes a waving gesture with her hand, hinting Osuro to be... well.. less eager... and nods at the Skittermanders. I'm not sure they'd agree... she whispers.
She hands the can of cleaner to Mimzy with an apologetic stare, then moves to the comm unit and checks it the battery from her own unit fits.
Mimz takes the cleaner and and glances back toward the frustrated Brigadier Teshgari who looks to the group as they go through the room. Despite the damage to this room, Mimzy and Jomp hold her rather than wait in the makeshift larder.
With a bit of working Momo is able to connect her battery into the comm unit. It quickly powers up to a short, cheerful bootup song. The device is packed full of episodes of colorful cartoons. The animations seem to be various, old skittermander shows that date back several centuries based on the air dates marked on the openings.
One of them, Nufriend Yufriend, is still a familiar and popular show that has seen several remakes and followings even on groups on Absalom Station.
Skip's magic does easily detects some several bits of magic scattered throughout the room.
Brigadier Teshgari stands outside the room and glares inward before she looks to corners for attackers. "This is a skittermander barracks. It is clear that it contains nothing of interest. I don't know what you will gain digging through their junk."
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Brigadier Teshgari stands outside the room and glares inward before she looks to corners for attackers. "This is a skittermander barracks. It is clear that it contains nothing of interest. I don't know what you will gain digging through their junk."
Nufriend... yufriend... everybody... our friend... Momo lets the jingle run for a moment, the with a click turns off the device and replaces the battery in her comm unit. Her own device boots up showing a cheerful picture of a much younger Momo alongside someone else. She places the skittermander comm unit in the sunshine yellow alcove labeled 'Tipps' with a careful, solemn gesture and adds the most intact of the stuffed toys next to it. I hope your star shines bright she whispers.
She then straightens her back, takes a deep breath and marches out of the room.
Brigadier Teshgari vocalizes her disapproval of the search and attention to the room, "many moments can be lost following the nonsense of skittermander distractions. I'm focused on the strovions that are here now, not the skittermanders that used to love here."
Mimzy is absolutely willing to give equipment to Schuka. She watches from the brigadier's side as she wishes she could jump in and help as well.
Searching for trails Darkrunner finds the passage of passage throughout the complex. The trails of stridermander whelps passing through halls and vents. There isn't any exit out of the barracks to the east and doesn't seem to have any recent traffic. The same for the western door which reveals a dirty, but functioning, lavatory, but nothing of any other interest.
Searching through the bullet-filled barracks you find more shells of the same make as the previous room as well as several pieces of equipment that is still functioning. Among them are weapons of common skittermander usage, spell gems, and miscellaneous equipment that includes provincial skitterstaff, a surge rackarack, a tactical infinity rifle, a charge cloak, a spell gem of invisibility, a spell gem of laser net, and a spell gem of supercharge weapon can be found among the living spaces.
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"A couple of observations if I may? First, the blood trail wouldn't continue past the larder where the bodies are stored. If one did, it would be an indication that somebody wasn't dead when hung up, and had tried to escape. That NEVER goes well. Second, you, Brigadier, chose to bring Starfinders hunting. One of the problems with this is that Starfinders as a group are SEIOUSLY focused on the past. The good news is, despite the boring time waiting, if this is a larder for their children, then we really can't be very far from amating or birthing nest of some kind. Of course, in the vid it would still take us another 45 minutes or hour to find it. But this isn't a vid."