Take a tour of Near Space on the trail of Envar Tamm, star of the extreme travel v-log series “Envar’s Expeditions.” Ordered to “save” Envar and bring him home to his mother, the Starfinders track Envar’s digital data tags to exciting, over-the-top travel destinations to find and assist the thrill-seeking influencer. Survive a colossi-safari on Daimalko, outrace a storm on Gaskar III, mingle with the local brenneri on picturesque Varturan, and more! This is one “vacation” you’ll never forget!
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A heavy duty datapad tucked under one arm, a redhaired lashunta woman walks into the meeting room. A cord leads from the datapad to an implant in her neck and into a cyberarm that replaces her right arm below the elbow. Taking a seat near the rest, she sets the datapad on the desk and unplugs the cord.
"Tanila, nice to meet you all."
She extends her cyberarm to shake hands, only for it to perform a rude gesture.
"Piece of crap!"
She bangs the disobedient arm on the table, causing it to relax.
"Why is my luck with ripperdocs so shitty?"
She pointedly extends her left hand instead.
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A female aasimar, wearing diplomatic robes, enters the room, looking rather cheerful.
And good morning everyone. I hope ...... oh COME ON. What are the odds?
She freezes in place, looking towards Lifft, then K'ssatak-Sul, then back to Liftt, before smiling again.
... And it's nice to see both of you again ... on the same mission as me ... again ... as I said, what are the odds?
Celestia Sol, empath mystic of Hylax and trainee diplomat slash councilor at your service. Now .... where's the tea? There'd better be tea.
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Greetings to you, Celestia Sol. There are no accidents, everything is subject to the system, even if the mind is not able to comprehend it. The voice sounds intermittent and a little strange, as if a creature under a mask covered with infernal runes has to pronounce the sounds of a Common language with the help of organs that are not intended for this. Hylax is a worthy deity. This goddess seems to overlook that sometimes the best way to achieve the goal of universal happiness is to bring severe punishment to all who do not want to live in the peace of the absolute law. But otherwise, her lawfulness is commendable.
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Liftt pales a little as he sets eyes on Celly. The reason is more than evident as another shirren bursts into the room, her eyes blazing.
"You can't get away from me that easily Liftt!" she says. Eyes scanning the room they alight on Celly. "Oh hi! Glad to see you here. Liftt here seems to have forgotten than he has not yet completed his post-sentence assessment, and.. " here she turns to glare at the unfortunate Liftt again. " thus CANNOT travel unaccompanied. Yet."
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I must apologise Liftt Celestia replies as she makes herself a cup of tea. But I assure you, there is no conspiracy going on, between myself and Jancrast. My actual reason for being here is that this is a mission that has nothing to do with what I have been investigating
After balancing a cake on her saucer, she turns to K'ssatak. Hylax is of the belief that diplomacy is always an option although there are times when a good smiting may be the only obvious answer. Just because that is the obvious answer does not mean that it is the only one.
This is intergalactic music radio, brought to you by AbadarCorp Broadcasting Services. From the Drift to the Dispora, from Verces to Vesk-3, we bright you the latest hits. Here's the latest one by 'Not Your Android' called 'Bretheda' Of course, every starfinder vessel is outfitted with a station that dispenses Poshkettle tea, even this old (we prefer the term 'pre-flown' around here) instruction vessel that is taking a tour of Near Space with a choice group of Starfinders on board. It's a nice tour, but with no space whale sightings so far.
♫ There's a ship, red and black
Flying on the silver track
It is headed out to Bretheda
And then it's coming back
And it's passing by the diaspora
Once we had ourselves a drink or two
(oooh-ooh)
Traveling around the pact Worlds
Tell me baby, where in space are you?
(Bretheda! Bretheda!) ♫
A ping sounds from the ship’s comm unit and its screen blinks on, displaying Radaszam sitting at a desk. “Hello, Starfinders,” the vesk says.
“According to our data, your ship is currently in Near Space, so you’re well-placed to take on the request I’ve just received. Some of you may recall we’ve worked with Ilia Tamm, CEO of the Arch Energy Consortium, in the past. Her son Envar hasn’t been responding to her communications, and she wants him found. A team previously managed to track him to an unexplored planet, but he was gone by the time they arrived. Now, Ilia’s got new information: a set of data tags tied to some v-log show of his, marking where he’s been.” Radaszam shifts in his chair. “Tracking down an errant influencer might not be the most earth-shaking of missions, but we’d like to keep on Ilia’s good side—and she’s paying well. I’m forwarding you the data tag coordinates. Investigate them in whatever order you like; they aren’t time- stamped, so we don’t know when Envar’s been where. Find him and bring him back for a family reunion if possible, or at least verify his safety.
Ilia wants those tags collected too, to track what he’s been up to. Should be straightforward, though I understand his travel destinations can be… eclectic. Good luck. Radaszam out.”
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When the music starts playing, Tanila cocks her head to listen.
"Hm, not bad. I prefer Abysshead, but still decent"
On seeing Liftt's parole officer burst into the room, she turns to him.
"Heh, what'd you do to get such a dedicated officer? Usually, they just give up if you skip planet for a few months. Not that I have any experience with the legal systems of any of the Pact Worlds!"
"I don't know if he should be punished. I don't think he's done anything illegal."
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A tall, delicate looking lashunta woman enters and smiles at you. You all hear her voice in your head hesitatly, like she is unsure if you welcome the telepathic contact. 'Hello, I am Delea. Is it alright if I talk to you this way? I much prefer it to voice.'
She looks a little overwhelmed by Tanila's big, brash personality.
So far, the name Envar Tamm doesn't seem to trigger much associations with anyone, save for Celly, who knows Envar Tamm is a social media influencer and the host of Envar’s Expeditions, an “extreme travel v-log.”
A quick search on the infosphere is enough to know his show is popular as much for his boisterous, irreverent antics as for the destinations showcased.
Radaszam has provided the group with four locations (), which can be investigated in any order.
While Lifft performs a pre-flight check mid-flight (better safe than sorry), Delea recounts her previous encounters with Envar.
Envar has been out of contact with his mother for over a year, and she previously engaged a team of Starfinders to find him. While they tracked Envar to the planet of Tio Major and resolved the problems he carelessly caused with the locals, he was gone by the time they arrived.
The Starfinder Society’s first contact with Envar and Ilia Tamm was years ago, when Starfinder agents used Envar to infiltrate the Arch Energy Consortium’s headquarters to obtain confidential data. The Starfinders have kept this hushed up, although Ilia suspects (but couldn’t prove) they were the culprits. Since then, she’s seemed willing to let bygones be bygones, particularly given their proffered assistance in finding Envar.
Once the checklist is complete, the vessel sets course for Nemenar!
The brown dwarf around which Nemenar orbits gives off barely any light, and the entire planet of Nemenar gives off a purplish hue. The planet draws visitors from all over near space, to admire its strange landscape. Nemenar's surface capital, Vehenstrenal, is the landing spot of choice to set down on the planet.
Glowing prismatic spires dimly illuminate this city’s skyline, casting multicolored light over its short buildings. The streets extending beyond the spaceport are crowded with people and lined with market stalls selling food, electronics, and portable prismatic crystals to visitors. Above, the sky is pitch black.
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{b]I do not believe so ... no. I do not believe the Jinsul are ... interstellar tourists yet. Presumably they're all back in their home worlds.[/b]
Cut off while driving huh? And people wonder why I usually walk or take public transport while on station .... oh wow that looks nice.
And a Nemenar themed two piece swimsuit with tiny reflective crystals in it, joins Celestia's collection of shopping.
The place is an utter tourist trap, which makes gathering information and hunting for souvenirs somewhat easy. The gift shops selling brown marbles (supposedly the sun this planet orbits), '1 days without a Jinsul sighting' novelty t-shirts, and miniature dark portals with the text 'I went to Garalufin and never came back'. Dark, like most of this planet.
Speaking of portals, some local tour guides claim to have seen Envar, and he has indeed headed out to Garalufin , which turns out to be a - somewhat unstable - portal to the negative energy plane out in the northern and frigid desert. I suppose he went there for two reasons the guide explains he probably wanted the thrill, but also to give his 'new friends' the slip. This Envar guy really thinks he's good at astronomical chess, but I've never, ever, in my lifetime, seen anyone get fleeced so bad. He probably owes his 'new friends' a whole planet by now.
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It's not long until the group gets a chance to meet Envar's new friends when walking through a more remote part of town. A drow in a slick business suit with the squarest jaw in pact world history and a build that would suggest he can take a frontal hit by a spaceliner and come out unscathed calmly approaches the group. Mister Arabini would like to have a word with you. The silence communicates an 'or else' that could imply anything from broken bones to well-timed head-shots, Arabini being one of the drow Houses that has spread over Near Space doing trade in... very diverse business lines.
The group is ushered into a private dining room. Everybody is served a bowl of... beet soup? It's a reddish liquid, which no doubt is symbolic for something. An elder drow in impeccable dress enters and starts giving a statement that halfway between a threat and a demand I have been informed he starts, you are looking for Envar Tamm. I also have been told she adds, with pauses that lend her speech a degree of gravitas you are aware of his gambling debt with the House. The House would like to recoup this debt. We'd like to accompany you while you look for Envar.
To accentuate the demand, the wall-of-meat drow, silently present in the room, cracks his knuckles, lending the suggestion that recouping debt is a particularly painful process.
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Liftt pales a little at the implied threats to the group. Jancrest, worried that he might snap offers up.
"That might be counter productive. If he saw a group of drow with us... that might cause him to actively avoid our help..."
"And..." she adds "Doesn't your house have dealings... extensive dealings... with the Arch Energy Consortium? I don't imagine they would be at all happy if something happened to Envar. He may owe you money, but you make even more out of that relationship."
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Those are two very good points. Seeing us with your employees is likely to make Envar run ... and maybe do something incredibly stupid like running into one of those negative energy portals. No no ... let us try and sort out his debt with you, by ourselves, assuming he is out there, and besides, it would be more profitable for you to stay on Arch Energy's good side.
(before aids)
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Tarrakk, who has been hanging out in the background up until this point, glares at the drow, and looks like he's about to try an intimidate.... when others in the group show their skills at diplomacy. Tarrakk waits to see if talking nice has the intended effect of getting rid of the drow.
Since I missed character introductions earlier: Tarrakk is a half-orc who wears a D-Suit and looks like he's ready to begin an expedition. He is generally serious, and tends to let his actions speak more than his words. He has black hair and blue eyes. Tarrakk carries a static arc pistol at his hip, and wears a sleek diasporan rifle on his back. A single aeon stone orbits his head. Tarrakk is very professional, and takes every job seriously, whether it is the colonization of a new planet or a mission for the Starfinders. By the glares he is giving them, he clearly does not trust drow.
Well, seems like Envar's friends have aptitude for business. House Arabini appreciates your efforts, and we will take up the matter with the maternal side. I'm sure we can find a proper he pauses again resolution.
Resolute is also what the square-jawed drow is when he ushers the group back out onto the street. We'll meet again he says with a dark voice.
Garalufin is out in the northern desert of the planet, and the surrounding area is wide open - more than enough space to land a starfinder spacecraft, and good landing training.
The group moves up to the site of the portal. An inky void yawns open in the middle of the desert, shadows lashing from its jagged edges. The air is dry and cold, and eddies of sand swirl over the ground in the wind.
As the group approaches, the portal spring to life, and three dark-looking hound-like creatures emerge, with teeth bared
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K'ssatak-Sul
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Enemy
Enemy
Enemy
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Tarrakk
Celestia
Lifft
Delea
Tanila
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Organized crime is much better than unorganized, the hellknight says goodbye to the "Bully". Both must be exterminated, but in the right order. We'll meet again.
A glaive of absolute darkness, edged with a reddish glow, appears right in front of K'ssatak-Sul when he goes to meet the enemy. It seems that only his power of thought and his discipline keeps this weapon hanging in the air in the material world. Come here, beasts!, the hellknight commands.
K'ssatak-Sul stands his ground.
The dark creatures are hard to see in the dim lighting conditions, and seem to shift with the shadows themselves. Suddenly, one of them lets out a terrifying howl
The other two move up to K'ssatak-Sul, who stands his ground and deals a blow at the first one to arrive.
The dark hounds then both sink their fangs into the Hellknight, and the force of their attack throw K'ssatak-Sul to the ground.
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Tarrakk
Celestia
Lifft
Delea
Tanila
K'ssatak-Sul (prone)
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Enemy (16)
Enemy
Enemy
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Tarrakk steel his nerves again the loud wail, and steps aside to get a clear shot, which he lands his ease.
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Tarrakk
Celestia
Lifft
Delea
Tanila
K'ssatak-Sul (prone)
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Enemy - Blue (25)
Enemy - Yellow
Enemy - Red
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"Oh my... ahh... Jancrest... maybe you should stick behind me.."
Liftt eyes up the creatures of darkness and decides that light is the obvious way to counter them. Now, it may be a tourist planet, but you never know when you might want to do some recreational digging, so really is should be no surprise when Liftt extracts a mining laser from his bag and lines up the already wounded dog in his sights...