"Dozens of Starfinders have been freed from captivity!" lxthia announces. "Against all odds, these stalwart Starfinders survived the original assault on Sangoro's Bulwark and have languished for years as prisoners under cruel grioth rule. Now freed from their bonds, those still able and willing have taken up arms and joined the fight to overthrow their captors."
"Welcome back, Starfinders. You've been missed." Naiaj nods her head in respect. "But there's no time for a tearful reunion now. The enemy's not beaten yet!"
|
Hellih goes and tries to approach the prisoners by doing things with them.
First he goes to Murther
"Look, I am send here to just keep an eye on you, I am not a talker. Here look what I brough"
He pulls his tools and parts of weapons that he begin to clean and assemble. He picked the parts in a such a way that no functioning weapon can be made out of them
"Any interest in weapons? Can you pass me the laser line generator lens?"
============================
Then he goes to Pelev and tries to do some tinkering with them
"How about you help me working on listening devices"
=============================
As the last one he approaches Shabida
"Have you ever piloted Pegasus, so you say to know things about defenses. Let's say that we have this base, how would you approach it when piloting a ship?"
Doing jolly good Pelev responds with somewhat less enthousiasm than warranted as Blinky starts to tend to the human just doing my part for the society, and... he whinces with pain as Blinky applies the drip ...keeping a stiff upper lip
When Blinky mentions redeployment, Swizzers picks up on a degree of unease, and when the bear continues mentioning Remthaize, the 'hero' cracks that's a bit on the nose isn't? I'm not necessarily as far away from that unpleasant being as I want to be. Not as evil as a pit fiend, but nastier than my grandmother, that one, if we understand each other. I jolly well can't be returning to the frontline he says, showing his trembling hands to evidence his unfitness.
I see what you are getting at with your questioning, but you should know that all of us here have been through a thing or another. I can't be too thrilled about the prospect of returning to the frontlines. No, I have seen my share, there's nothing I'd rather prefer than wearing slippers at the homestead, and reading a newspaper with a cup of tea. Each of the others will have their own reason for keeping a tight lip. Pelev explains.
Blinky also finds something far more disturbing about the prisoner: he has extensive cranial scarring, silent witness to his time as a test subject, and enough to indicate that any experiments performed were invasive
and cruel.
With this evidence, it is enough to conclude that Pelev is innocent.
Blinky and Hellih move onto questioning the Vesk. Ah, a fellow in the know the vesk responds, not less pompous than before mental health and the effect of stress on the faculties, they are quite fascinating, aren't they? One cannot help but be intrigued by the experiments going on here, she says in the cold-blooded manner than only academic would describe the heinous experiments performed here Would you not admit to being at least a bit intrigued by the capabilities of the grioths?
I must admit, having been subject to these experiments, I am missing bits and pieces of memory.
It seems like Shabida is not entirely clean here, far from innocent. When pressed, she finally admits Yes, I have been conducting experiments that my peers would deem questionable, even before I came here. I did it in the name of progress! Please do not judge me, or destroy all of of this hard evidence I have obtained!
---
--Round 1---
Swizzers
Navasi
Altronus
Blinky
Hellih
Diz
---Round 2---
Swizzers
Navasi
Altronus
Blinky
Hellih
Diz
---Round 3---
Swizzers
Navasi
Altronus
Blinky
Hellih
Diz
---
Murther (who knows?) - 2/3
Pelev (innocent) - 3/3
Shabida (sleeper agent) - 3/3
---
Altronus will continue to ask carefully about what Murther saw and experienced in captivity.
|
D'zyliit thanks Shavida for her time as he sees Blinky approach, and exits into the hall to move to speak with another of the recovered agents.
The doctor goes to Murther, being briefed on their responses. Unfortunately a novice when it comes to mystic or magical rituals, the shirren does sit with the lashunta to follow-up on one of their topics.
"Greetings Murther. My name is D'zyliit. I don't mean to push you too far, but you mentioned you came to be stationed here due to 'the founders'. Who were those? I presume based on tone you're not referring to Sangoro; were there other beings on this world before? And were they the ones who created this 'Spire' of voidglass? I do note that we have noticed some strange markings associated with what appears to be planar magic in just our short time here. Was this 'Founder' civilization associated with interplanar travel in your findings?"
Yes, the f-ff-f-founders, Murther responds nervously, they're the original inhabitants of this planet. Some say they were massive, with as many as twelve limbs. There's also a strong connection to the elemental planes... fire, earth, water, air the lashunta rambles on and this planet is full of ancient artifacts that attest to their knowledge of plane rituals, as you also found Murther pauses a moment, and D'zyliit recognises this as the hesisant pause of someone who misspoke. There is a moment of tense energy, with Murther twitching and hesitating, and then finally owning up I...I... I found a stash of artefacts just before I got captured... I didn't report it, because I wanted to be able to investigate it first. Do you reckon I'm in trouble now?
They captured us, there's a lot of prisoner held in a special area in the complex, but be careful, they always kept us next to some high explosive device That checks out, based on what the group has seen already.
D'zyliit and Altronus conclude that Murther is innocent, and that Shabida was the only sleeper agent.
Murthed goes on to provide further details: Remthaize was the one conducting experiments on me. They call him an Eclipse Seer, a powerful spellcaster. She is reporting to one 'General Itharris', who she referred to as 'Vessel for the Void' at times.
Pelev joins in Itharris? I daresay I've seen that name in reports. Following our little attack on Sangoro’s Bulwark, General Itharris and her forces became stranded on Mazdrun, which is a bit of a pickle for them. I've got no information on what caused them to be stranded.
It could be the planar anomalies, Murthed offers.
Whatever it was, the grioths didn't seem to mind, thank you very much. Anyway, that blighter Itharris is served by her second in command, Lieutenant Ulgaran. You'll find that one is muscular, boastful, and has white fur.
Murthed also offers directions to a stash of ancient artefacts, and their notes on in. The notes decipher the artefacts quite clearly, describing another ritual, related to the plane of fire this time.
Alora detains Shabida, and allow the other survivors to return to the fleet, relived of active duty.
Naiaj never wastes any time, and she immediately calls over the returning Starfinders upon their return. She is grim when she speaks. “Starfinders, you’re just in time. I’ve received reports of a laboratory nearby filled with unsettling machinery. The lab’s robotic defenders drove off our scouts and seem intent on destroying whatever is inside. Head there immediately and recover whatever data you can.”
---
The entrance to the laboratory is rough-hewn and filthy, with dirt and dried smears of an unidentifiable fluid coating the floor. The entrance looks to be completely and utterly wrecked.
The group moves forward to the entryway. Two large vats of fluid stand in this room, filled with the remains of humanoid creatures. The walls are covered with dials, computer equipment, and delicate machinery.
Blinky notices a nasty proximity alarm in the center of this room, based on thermal sensors, coupled to an explosive device.
To make matters worse, there are four robots further down the hallway, in the process of destroying lab equipment, that notice the new arrivals and move to the attack.
---(round 1)
Swizzers
Blinky
Navasi
---
Robot
Robot
Robot
Robot
---
Altronus
Hellih
D'Zilyyt
---
Blinky disarms the motion sensors of the proximity sensors, making the room safe again.
---(round 1)
Swizzers
Blinky
Navasi
---
Robot
Robot
Robot
Robot
---
Altronus
Hellih
D'Zilyyt
---
"Starfinders," lxthia announces. "We've nearly cleared Sangoro's Bulwark of foes. Finish your missions and regroup. The Voidglass Spire awaits."
Swizzer smoves in and scratches the paint of the robot!
---(round 1)
Swizzers
Blinky
Navasi
---
Robot - Blue (12)
Robot
Robot
Robot
---
Altronus
Hellih
D'Zilyyt
---
Following on Blinky's heels, Navasi pauses at the top if the stairs while the uplifted koala deals with the trap.
Levelling her pistol toward the robots, she carefully selects her target.
"There. That one," she says. "Focus on the front one to the right!" she calls to her companions before loosing a blast at blue.
lxthia the Unbreakable addresses the Society via broadcast, "Starfinders, enemy forces have been driven back to the Voidglass Spire at the center of the bulwark. We've discovered the entrance, a lone bridge that leads to the spire. Resistance is fierce and they appear to be massing for a counterattack. All Starfinders still able to tight are ordered to report to the bridge to aid in the assault."
Navasi blasts the blue robot, the quartet open fire, standing in tight formation as if they're a parody of Astrowerk.
---(round 1)
Altronus
Hellih
D'Zilyyt
---(round 2)
Swizzers
Blinky
Navasi
---
Robot - Blue (19)
Robot
Robot
Robot
Radaszam briefs the group in the upper reaches of Sangoro’s Bulwark, in a large room bustling with Starfinders. From the front of the room, Radaszam addresses the gathered teams
“Sangoro’s Bulwark is ours, but this so-called Voidglass Spire remains an enemy stronghold. The Spire punches right through the center of Sangoro’s Bulwark, piercing through floors and other construction, out the roof and into the sky. The floors around these areas are highly unstable or are collapsed completely, which has made it tough to get close. Fortunately, we’ve found the entrance.
“There’s an opening near the top of the Spire, connected to the nearest level of the Bulwark via bridge. We’ve deployed temporary fortifications along our end of the bridge, but as our foes can fly, they’ve got the advantage. Furthermore, intel indicates they’re preparing a counterattack, to drive us from the bridge and the upper reaches of the Bulwark. This is it, Starfinders! It’s on this bridge that the battle for the Bulwark will be decided!”
“We’re preparing a two-pronged counter-offensive. The bulk of our forces will remain on our side of the bridge, serving as an Anvil to withstand the brunt of their blows. Meanwhile, we ask for volunteers for a special mission to deploy behind the enemy, serving as a Hammer to shatter their ranks.
“This second force will approach from the air, dropping through the broken roof of the Bulwark on the far side of the bridge, to flank the enemy attack force and seize the entrance to that blasted Spire.” Radaszam grins. “They get the big guns.”
“This second force will approach from the air, dropping through the broken roof of the Bulwark on the far side of the bridge, to flank the enemy attack force and seize the entrance to that blasted Spire.” Radaszam grins. “They get the big guns.”
The group is led to a nearby hangar with doors that open up to the sky above.
A dozen gleaming mechs, each thirty feet tall, stand within a vast hangar. A grease covered Starfinder mechanic approaches and gestures toward the machines. “Beautiful, aren’t they? These babies are experimental weaponry that were under development when the Bulwark was captured. Truth be told, they aren’t really in fighting shape, but we’ve done our best to get them running. We’ve programmed each with a simple flight plan that will automatically pilot them onto the bridge behind the enemy battalion. From there, the controls are yours. You’ll only have a brief window of time before they run out of juice and power down. Your mission is to do as much damage to the enemy as possible before that happens.”[/b]
The mechs look like they can fit at most four pilots, so you need at least two to fit the whole group.
Once everyone is aboard, the mechs take to the air, flying from the hanger and then smashing through broken roof near the Voidglass Spire. As the mechs land on the bridge, the group can see their Starfinder comrades in desperate combat at the bridge’s far end.
---Wave 1
Altronus
Hellih
D'Zilyyt
Swizzers
Blinky
Navasi
---
D'zyliit analyses the doors for weak spots, and Hellih tunes up the mechs for MAXIMUM HYDRAULIC POWER. Blinky and Swizzers each take a controls and start pounding the entrance, the shocks of which reverberates through the metal exoskeleton. Cracks start to show, but they're not quite there.
---Wave 1---
Sucesses: 2/3
(Support bonus: +4)
Altronus
Hellih
D'Zilyyt
Swizzers
Blinky
Navasi
---Wave 2---
Altronus
Hellih
D'Zilyyt
Swizzers
Blinky
Navasi
---
R2
Altronus sings a song that has been around for thousands of years and which tells about brave warriors going to the last battle on the sands of his home world...
"You've got nothing to worry about, D," Navasi laughs as she repsonds to the shirren over comms. "Swizzers and I have it covered."
She whistles appreciatively. "You just keep doing what you're doing!"
Obsidian splinters fly around as Altronus and Navasi pummel the door.
Blinky keeps pounding the doors, while Navasi and Swizzers swoop in. Their aim is greatly helped by Altronus' song, Hellih's makeshift repairs and D'zyliit's targetting adjustments, which would have made the situation dire otherwise!
The starfinder force on the ground pushes on, looking for more entries into the Spire... one more wave should do it!
---Wave 1---
Successes: 4/3 -> Success!
---Wave 2---
Successes: 3/3 -> Success!
---Wave 3---
Altronus
Hellih
D'Zilyyt
Swizzers
Blinky
Navasi
---
Altronus attacks the doors of the spire...
"You're doing great, Swizzers," Navasi encourages her companion. "One more pass - follow me, nice and steady, now.. "
Altronus and Swizzers make their runs, but they're havign a hard time finding their target in the chaotic scene. Navasi almost misses, but the target lock support from D'zyliit helps her get back on track, smashing through a wall. Blinky tears through an opening, exposing the spire to another horde of Starfinders that try to get in.
Everything hangs in the balance now, can Hellih make this last wave a success as well?
---Wave 1---
Successes: 4/3 -> Success!
---Wave 2---
Successes: 3/3 -> Success!
---Wave 3---
Successes:
Altronus
Hellih
D'Zilyyt
Swizzers
Blinky
Navasi
---
Hellih comes through with a powerful volley of missiles as the batteries to the mecha are almost drained. It looks like it is just enough - with a big blast he rams through another of the entrance doors, and the grioth forces on the ground realise the situation is lost, and retreat!
The group is summoned to a side chambre in the voidglass spire by Naiaj.
Naiaj crosses her arms and tilts her head toward a secret door in the wall of the Voidglass Spire, now ajar. “This door opens into an ancient cavern carefully preserved within Sangoro’s Bulwark and studied by teams of Starfinder scholars. There’s a set of obelisks inside, each pulsing with energy. Looks like old magic, probably built by Mazdrun’s mysterious Founders. Frankly, I don’t understand it. But this site was important to Sangoro and it clearly remains important to our enemies. Head inside and check it out. See if it can help us. If it can’t, leave it be. It’s still a site worth preserving. Understood?”
---
A small stone cavern juts out from the worked masonry of Sangoro’s Bulwark. Six stone obelisks, weathered with age, stand in a half-circle, each engraved with symbols and pictographs. The obelisks pulse in perfect unison, each beat releasing vibrant, colorful energy and a thrumming vibration that reverberates through the stone walls and floor of the cavern.
|
|
Six obelisks? D'zyliit broadcasts in surprise as they arrive at the cavern. From the elemental signs I would have expected four. Perhaps the schools of magic? No, those number eight...
The doctor takes in the pulsing energy while wondering if he should have attended more metaphisical lectures during his residencies.
D'zyliit has the right gist: each of the six obelisks is aligned with one of the elemental planes (which got upgraded to six when Metal and Wood got admitted to the club).
Each obelisk contains a wellspring of psychic energy that can be tapped into by individuals who properly attune to that obelisk. Each obelisk can only attune to one creature each day.
The six obelisks are linked in a web which, together, forms the touchstones to a far more powerful psychic reservoir located deeper within Sangoro’s Bulwark.
D'zyliite also knows how these obelisks could be attuned to, and he realizes that the rituals that you found on the stone fragments are quite helpful to get attunement.
Altronus approaches the earthen obelisk and hugs it tightly with all four hands.