The Starfinder Society has been invited to participate in the inaugural Dustwarren Cup, a three-day boat race across the vast, shifting sand dunes of Akiton’s Dustwarren silt sea. Hosted by wealthy eccentric and retired racer Mimli Nurkop, scion of the fabulously wealthy Nurkop ysoki clan, the Dustwarren Cup boasts an impressive prize and is drawing plenty of attention—not all of it wanted. As Mimli and the other racers prepare to brave the elements, battle local wildlife, and outrace their competitors, a band of pirates plot to abduct the Nurkop heiress! Weigh anchor, hoist the sails, and set sail for adventure! The stakes are high in the Dustwarren Cup!
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"Sand gliders! Pirates! Ahoy Me Heartiest!" comes the cry from the well renown dancer known only as Gunnz. Well, maybe not that well known. Perhaps better known for putting space-ships through gyrations that are best kept for the dance-floor. Few choose to voluntarily fly with her more than once. But this is race on the ground, how bad could it get?
As always she is wearing an "SMC #1 fan" t-shirt, but she seems to have decorated her head with a pirate hat and an eyepatch.
"Brace the mainsail and Rig the Speakers. We'll be sailin to the Sweet Sounds of Strawberry Machine Cake as soon as the tide turns... or the dawn winds pick up. Whichever happens first!"
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The swaggering space-jock flashes a smile as she enters the room and spots fellow Starfinders. A pair of hip-holstered pistols feature mother-of-pearl grips inlaid with a pair of dice showing the 'one' pips (snake eyes) - her matte black armour bears several snake motifs in a slightly lighter shade, giving the whole a mottled camouflage pattern. She seems to have handles of weapons all over her kit in easy-to-reach locations.
"Viper-6" the Android offers politely "Lab technician"
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Gunnz returns Rani's hug. Gesturing to her patch she smiles.
"Oh... this came with the hat. I got a new set of armour too. Check it out!" she gushes, before starting to fish out some leather-tech pieces. They look like they are more lined up with what Viper might wear, but certainly compliment the hat and eye patch.
"Freebooter armor! Hot from the smugglers hold!" she says, before leaning close. "It's this neat armourer on the 14th level"
Then, after assembling it around her she adds in. "They threw in the hat and patch for free!" Strutting her stuff, she looks the total pirate, although perhaps with a little too much wiggle.
"A little on the tight side at times, but I think it works."
She turns to viper. "They must have some tough labs where you come from."
There's something really unsatisfying about flying an atmospheric shuttle, and this particular model is no expection. It's a rough ride, with atmospheric turbulence shaking up the vessel, and the whole thing flies like a brick. One moment of poor attention, and the thing falls like a brick too.
It's a neccessity though, to take a shuttle in order to get to the start line of the Dustwarren Cup. Daza was, after all, the closest settlement to the Dustwarren silt sea, so this little ride was the only way to get there in time.
Daza? Silt Sea? Dustwarren cup?
We've got a little catching up to do. See, is was Venture-Captain Naiaj who sent you out to Akiton to participate here. She did it in her usual style: dropping an invitation by comm unit. At least she gave you the opportunity to stock up on supplies before sending you off.
[OK][OK] Rani
[OK][OK] Verrek
[OK][OK] Gunnz
[RPG Chronicles][Init/Perc/Icon] Viper
[RPG Chronicles][Init/Perc/Icon] (Ilmakis)
[RPG Chronicles][Init/Perc/Icon] (Scotti)
APL: 9+10+8+8?+X+X = ?? [High/Low Tier]
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An immaculately dressed elf sits in the back row of the shuttle. 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.
As the shuttle approaches the landing zone he leaves his seat and goes into the cargo bay of the shuttle. Minutes later he emerges from it dressed in a jaunty set of elven engineered armor and with a dual crossbolter slung over his shoulder.
Gunnz and Rani both can immediately tell you that the Nurkops are one of Akiton’s most famous rags-toriches stories. Before the Gap, they were nobodies, one of the hundreds of downtrodden ysoki families trying to scrape together a living on the dusty planet. After the Gap, they found themselves
fabulously wealthy, and nobody knows how. Smart investments and a series of savvy business decisions have kept them riding high ever since.
Mimli Nurkop is an influential member of the family, the unmarried eldest of five who occasionally dotes on her niblings but otherwise seems to have only true passion: racing. Despite being in her mid-50s, which is rather old for an ysoki, she hasn’t yet given up on her lifelong dream to compete in the Absalom Run. She’s almost never seen in public without the company of her butler, and there are some wild rumors in the press about her reportedly “tempestuous” relationship with a fellow well-off racing enthusiast, the sarcesian technomancer Zwarna Linsholm.
Cavaler knows a bit more than just that: A long-standing rumor holds that, during the Gap, the Nurkops discovered a vast treasure in one of the many wrecks that dot Akiton’s surface. Rumormongers dub this secret treasure site the “Nurkop Richpick,” and insist that the family still knows the location, but is keeping it a secret among themselves to protect their wealth and good fortune.
The faded iron sign over the entrance to the Warrenbound Pulrina is just barely visible as the colorful banner stretched across it flutters in the wind, welcoming participants to the promised, double-underlined, “First Annual Dustwarren Cup!” Beyond the arch, a modest boardwalk eventually gives way to a small harbor, at which a half-dozen identical-looking crafts resembling large sailboats are moored and waiting. Instead of water, the boats sit partially immersed in soft, fine, pale red silt, which stretches as far as the eye can see. Solid ground ends only a few feet past the welcoming sign.
The Dustwarren is made up of silt, a fine, soft sediment that doesn’t behave exactly like sand or water. Rather than forming full waves, dunes slowly crest and fall in steady undulations between and against the solid rocky coasts, and the creatures who live here have all adapted to swim through it as easily as oceanic creatures swim through water
A modest crowd of all shapes, sizes, and species occupies the boardwalk, mostly clustered into groups talking among themselves in low voices.
Getting closer, the group is met by a sprightly, older ysoki dressed in goggles and a waistcoat like a vintage race car driver, trailed by an
elderly male ysoki in a full black suit.
Ah, splendid! the woman says with dashing tone of voice absolutely jolly that you could make it, I am delighted, absolutely delighted. The excitement seems quite genuine as he goes around to shake everybody's hand Mimli Nurkop, at your service! And here, at my own service, this is Wat Ryshel. Wat is my butler.
Wat was my best friend growing up. Mimli says, to which the butler respond Yes, miss, and Mimli continues Wat has been in the family service for over 35 years! That's quite a contribution.
Now let's talk about you. You reputation as racers has preceded you! Did you ever race the silt before? You've got some heavy competition racing against you, isn't that true Wat?
Yes, Miss Wat responds
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Gunnz eyes up the sailboats with a gleam in her eye.
"Not the dust not. But I've done a bit of junkracing in my time. And spaceships. I love to race spaceships..." Her eyes dilate a little as she talks about racing spaceships.
"Do we get a day or so to practice with the yachts? How deep is the silt? What happens if we lose someone overboard?" The questions come back and fast, and full of enthusiasm.
"Oh... and what kinds of creatures live in the dust?"
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A female android wearing a race pilot jacket stands in the room. Her eyes scans the place to see if she knows some of the agents present before saying with a flat voice.
Hi everyone. Sorry for my lateness. I'm M'Shak. The chance for not having already have met one of the four other agents present was 20.6%.
Turning to the old Ysoki she says.
Never had the chance to race the silt before but I've raced many time in other places.
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"Maverick? Thought they retired out, now just over at the Academy teaching rookies how not to get their noses wiped by Jinsuul flyboys. Would have been interesting to go head to head and see if the rep meets the hype"
"Do we get a day or so to practice with the yachts? How deep is the silt? What happens if we lose someone overboard?" The questions come back and fast, and full of enthusiasm.
"Oh... and what kinds of creatures live in the dust?"
Ah, racing the dust is something else, but you'll get the hang of it. If you fall overboard... well... I hope you can silt-swim!
Should any land-based creature attempt to step into the open silt without a flotation aid, they immediately sink up to their waist.
Each round thereafter, the creature must succeed at a DC 20 Athletics check to Swim or be pulled one stage further under by the shifting tides; a creature submerged up to its waist sinks down to neck-level, while a creature submerged up to its neck is pulled under and must hold its breath or begin suffocating.
Worse, the heavy silt applies more pressure than water, halving the number of rounds the creature can hold its breath and applying a –2 circumstance penalty to their Constitution checks to continue holding it thereafter.
Creatures with a swim speed count the silt as difficult terrain.
Creatures without a swim speed can move no more than 5 feet per round.
Did nobody tell you about the pop-sharks? Mimli says, waiting so long for effect that it's very clear she's saying this in jest. Truth be told, there are some dangerous creatures in the Dustwarren, mostly wildlife that does't want to be disturbed, so be careful
"So based on that, have any tips or suggestions? Is there a list of the other teams?"
Well, it's about time you meet the competition! she point to several groups clustered around the boardwalk.There is still time before the festivities to mingle a bit. I'll leave it to you to introduce yourselves. Have a splendid time!
Apart from the Starfinders and Mimli's team there are five more groups of participants.
One such group clusters around a sarcesian who stands out from the crowd with a towering 15-foot height, who Viper and Cavaler immediately recognise as Zwarna Linsholm.
There's a cluster of five hylki humans and two shobhad-neh, all in simple work clothes, have settled onto some crates near the back of the boardwalk and are trading lively conversation over a cooler of non-alcoholic drinks.
There's also a chaotic team of space goblins, a group of very athletic lashunta academic jocks, and a group of gnolls, one of which is glaring angrily at a nearby stray cat.
Rani gets closer to the group of gnolls, who are just having a conversation Yea, actually, Raycatcher is also quite a good name for a business, don'cha think, Sly? one says in a typical whiney gnoll voice perfect naming for a fishing store. In reponse, the gnoll called Sly reponds With you on the name, Rinko, but we'll be selling hovercars! Only the slickest models... catch the Rays! Oi, Dweevil, leave that cat alone!
Rani manages to get in before Dweevil gets a hold of the cat.
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Hey you one of the Shobhad in the group shouts at Viper come sit with us and grab a cold one! Who are your friend over there?
The Shobhad introduces himself I'm Amek Na, and this is my crew. All locals, Akitonian born and raised. They’re folks who’ve made their honest living doing salvage work and shipping cargo over the ol’ silt. Nobody knows the silt better than these guys.
Amek is inviting, but has a somewhat indifferent attitude towards Viper, as if he's checking out if she's 'one of them'.
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The towering Sarcesian is wearing luxury-brand gear and looks at Gunnz with a snort Well they say you're here to learn then. In that case, keep the keel pointed to the sand, and stay out of the way of pros. This is between me and Mimli anyway.
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"My understanding is that Maverick is still best pilot in the fleet and also continues to be the current holder of the Top Gun trophy. I wouldn't bet against him in a head to head dogfight and if you think you'll be able to turn and burn with him, you are mistaken."
Cavaler then joins in the conversation with Amek.
"Please tell us about what to expect."
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Viper wanders over and picks up a can, cracking the seal and necking half of it before saying a word.
[Akitonian]"Nothing better than a cold one on a hot day"
"So, the silt. How do you manage keeping that stuff out of your Mass Airflow Sensors and throwing faults on the engine systems?"
Engineering
Well, the keel hitting the silt is the basics, along with yourself being on the other side. It's still not clear if Zarna is being serious or oddly sarcastic, but the latter is still most likely. Still, xe seems to exhibit some respect for the intelligence Gunnz is displaying[/b]
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Atta, Amek responds in Akitonian and offers a drink to Cavaler too.
Oh, it's tough he continues, his eyes glistening a bit at the spot-on engineering question we learned that the hard way. There's not much use for a mass airflow system out there, so we just use a much simpler device. Ondy here built it together, good honest low-tech drag measurement. It's not as accurate but doesn't even break if you jam a rock in it. Guy's a genius, but that's what you get with twenty years of hauling the cargo and doing salvage work on the silt.
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She asks if we race the silt? Does a gnoll chase cats? Of course we race the silt. We've got the leanest, meanest, cleanest racing machine the silt has ever seen, and we'll just drift all over the silt. A-ooo! The gnoll says with a wide cheshire cat grin.
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“Hey! Watch where you’re going!”
If the heavy thump of bodies against the boardwalk hadn’t drawn the crowd’s attention, Mimli’s indignant shriek does the job. Wat Ryshel has been knocked to the floor, tangled in the limbs of a scrawny copper-scaled kobold only a little shorter than he is. After a few seconds of furious scuffling, the kobold manages to untangle themself, scrambles on all fours, and bolts for the pulrina entrance, shouting, “Sorry—sorry—sooooorryyyyy!”
“Oh, honestly!” Mimli huffs, puffing her cheeks out angrily.
“Who brings a kid all the way out here? Wat, are you okay?”
“Quite all right,” says Wat with a patient smile as he brushes himself off. “Goodness knows I’ve taken heavier falls following you around.”
Pretty easy, but our boats is not special boat. We've got custom rigging, the fastest and sails set for speeed. She's the fastest, best-looking boat on this ocean.
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Well, there is a good reward to be had. These guys aren't in it for the fun, you know, they're down on their luck, so we'll give it a shot.
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No! goblins says. M'shak not sure if goblin mean racing or goblin mean first time. Goblin has boat. We race. Faster than you. We eat you. You be food! Again, goblin not clear if meaning beating in race or really eating.
Why you talk? You enemy!
Looks like goblin very good at knocking head at boom. Goblin like things that go boom.
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That kobold is making tis way out again.
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Amek Na
"This is my buddy Cav, good guy, but not up to speed with the local lingo"
"As you say, it's worth a shot - something like this could really turn a fortune around, know much about the other teams? Any bad sportsmanship we should keep an eye out for? If only we could find our own Nurkop Richpick"
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I know well how to blow things. I find the Goblin's science very unusual and certainly quite efficient in a way.
Can I help you blowing things or take a look at your formidable boat?
M'Shak starts explaining the different way to blow things to the goblin, trying to engage in somehting they seem more interested in.
Gunnz catches up easily with the kobold kid before she escapes Sorry... soooorrrryy... the kid says collision was accidentsss, Tayyara very ssssoorryy...
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Well, I'd stay clear off those goblins before they blow anything up, to be fair. I think we all know who the big favourites are, Mimli and Zwarna aren't the one to leave much for the competion, but hey... third place pays well too!
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M'shak talks boom. Goblins like boom. But word just words. Goblin speak Wooords! Boooring!. Goblin wants REAL boom, not just talk of boom.
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Not too long after, Mimli clambers up on a crate at the end of the boardwalk and gets everyone’s attention by blaring an airhorn. Welcome everybody to the first annual Dustwarren Cup! I hope you've all been enjoying the terrific weather in this neck of the woods. It's now time to get down to - as they say - brass tacks. In the great tradition of this race, you are all provided with a lightsail yacht, and you have two hours to make your modifications. Following that, we sound the start! May the best team win!
Each yacht comes stocked with enough rations and fresh water to last its crew up to five days; two basic emergency rafts and three emergency beacons; and a small store of spare parts for improvements and repairs, including a few hundred feet of titanium alloy cable line. The onboard navigation systems can detect and track the emergency beacons, but the yachts otherwise have no comm systems.
All competitors are given two hours to modify their new ships before the race begins.