Oh, where to even start. I guess from your question you were born here, right? What do you know about the Pact Worlds? I'd show you a travel blog, but my infosphere is not working. It's this cheap AB&C contract that i have, I suppose. Navasi says.
I'm from Absalom Station originally, but I'm not looking back on that too much... I try to be on the road whenever I can, which brings me to a lot of places. It's hard to choose a favourite location, I must say. That false moon was interesting, and our excursions to the Veskarium are always good for some rough encounters.
Those workers told me you're building a community center? What are popular activities around here? She asks.
"Oh, well, sports are very popular here. Nothing as exciting as what you've seen though!" She sighs. "I'll never get to leave the planet and see things like that."
You think so? I mean, Apostae bloodsports have quite the rep, and Akitonian siltraces are quite cool, but most of the time people just talk about Castrovel Cricket. That stuff is boring!
Hey, if you want you can hitch a ride with us once we're done here! she offers.
"Oh, that would be amazing! But I can't leave the planet."
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Reela’s comment focuses Tash’s attention, and his more charismatic companions follow up the question before he can respond.
Not leaving or not being able to leave… two very different things. Hmm...
He listens more closely to the conversation and looks around again for security cameras or other monitoring systems..
"Oh, well, I've got my family to consider. I can't just leave them to go gallivanting around the galaxy."
You don't think that she's lying, but it does seem like there's something she's not telling you.
You take a really thorough look around, but don't see any security cameras or monitoring system. It seems like a normal construction site.
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Grump nods as he pulls out his tablet, queuing up a video of a recent Strawberry Machine Cake concert, focusing mostly on the enthusiastic shots of two dwarven tween girls.
"Those are my nieces - Dora & Darla (short for Adorable & Darling). I'd do anything for them & would think... poorly... of anyone who threatened them. So, ya - I understand protecting your family."
[ooc]Grump's priming the pump for someone diplomatic to nudge her into a more trusting frame of mind.[/ooc[
Owwww. Look at them! Which one is Dora again? You must be so happy being an uncle to these two... I'm afraid my own relatives were lost to me long ago Navasi says, that last bit admittedly being a bit... loosely phrased. But my friends are like my family, and I'd defend them form anything! How is family tradition around here, then? You can't even leave for a short period?
She smiles, a little nervously. "Oh yes, well, we're very close around here! Small town, isolated, you understand. Well, I better start taking inventory of those supplies you brought! Thanks again!"
She darts off, avoiding talking to any of you further.
We might find some answers there on these 'family values' that are imposed?
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“I wonder if we hit a nerve with her. That was… abrupt.”
”We might find some answers there on these 'family values' that are imposed?”
Tash nods. “Understanding their spirituality feels like a good next step. After that, perhaps the hospital and the industrial center? I’d also like to look at the mine we saw outside of town.”
His ears twitch more than usual during the walk toward the church.
“I wonder if we hit a nerve with her. That was… abrupt.”
I grew up with a pretty intense family, so I can relate to some sensitivities. I can't quite put my finger on it either, but I feel there's more at play here
Amariel finds that the plumbing infrastructure is surprisingly up to code!
You all head to the church, which you see is called the Braerton Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is pristine, with rows of wooden pews in the main worship space, facing a raised stage with a few dozen different religious symbols and statues, and two smaller side rooms for gatherings.
You are greeted by a human with a holy symbol of Abadar. "Ah, hello!," they greet you warmly. "You must be our visitors from the Pact Worlds. I can offer a wide variety of services for you, for a reasonable fee."
"Oh, I should have mentioned, my name is Nikeela Phuvo."
Grump doesn't notice anything odd, but Iseph does.
You notice a holy symbol of Talavet in the church’s collection. As kasathas hadn’t arrived in the Pact Worlds on the Idari when Braerton was founded, it’s unlikely that there would’ve been any followers of Talavet present among the colonists.
The name's Navasi. Navasi says as she listen to the somewhat surprising comments of Iseph Good observation... I wonder where this goes.
She patiently awaits an answer, but would have questions of her own Does this church have many followers among the colonists here?
Navasi knows very little of religion, so feel a bit out of her comfort zone here.
"Well, that does seem odd. I'm afraid it's been part of the church's collection since I took over ten years ago, so I can't tell you much more about it. If you'd like it, I could sell it to you for a reasonable fee of 5 credits. I never get any followers of Talavet here who want services, so I’m spending more on storage and upkeep than I can recover in fees. You’d be taking a liability off my hands."
What followers do you get here? Navasi asks.
Navasi is slightly weirded out by this sudden garage sale of holy symbols
"Well, we have Abadar of course, Lao Shu Po, even some elven gods! I can perform a Desnan service if you need."
Navasi turns over the symbol and reads an inscription that says “Good
luck with your new job, Paoro” and is dated thirty years ago (292 AG).
Amariel has realized that the mayor's aide also shouldn't be here!
Maybe we swing by the hospital to drop off our supplies before we head into the forest?
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”Maybe we swing by the hospital to drop off our supplies before we head into the forest?”
Tash’s ears perk.
“I like the sound of that. Hauling around these supplies makes us a bit conspicuous… plus I’m getting a very weird vibe from this place. I can’t exactly see it yet but something feels very wrong.”
As you head out of the church, you are greeted by the sight of a vesk coming out of the woods, dragging the carcass of a mammal behind him. He stops short suddenly when he sees you.
"What a surprise! You must be the Starfinders everyone has been talking about!"
"I'm Redozoko. I'm a hunter. I get us meat from the forest. Along with what they farm over on the east side of town, we can keep everyone fed pretty well. It's very dangerous out there in the forest with a lot of vicious animals, so we don't want just anyone wandering out there. Including new visitors," he says pointedly.
"None at all, really. You're the first I've ever seen."
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”It's very dangerous out there in the forest with a lot of vicious animals, so we don't want just anyone wandering out there.”
Tash cocks an eyebrow at the vesk.
“I’m a hunter too. Tangling with ’vicious animals’ sounds like fun. I'm in. So, what’s out there in the wild? Do you have any issues with animals coming into the settlement?”
"Lots of different critters. Rock bears. Insects bigger than you. Birds that embalm you before they eat you. They don't come into the settlement as much these days, as they've learned we can be dangerous too, but anyone going out there takes their life into their own hands. We lost a skilled hunter just two years ago, and she knew the terrain better than anybody."
Is the way through the forest the only way to the mine? How do workers get there safely? Navasi asks Doesn't sound like a very safe working environment
Redozoko gives Navasi a piercing look when she asks about the mine.
"People travel together for safety to get out to the mine."
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“Lost a hunter? That’s sad. What happened to her? Friend of yours?”
Tash doesn’t understand the vesk’s apparent hostility, but if that’s how he wants to be, that’s how he wants to be.
“We thought we’d take a look at the mine shortly, so l guess it’s a good thing we’re together. Is anyone working out there right now?”
"She was, yes. She went out hunting and the rock bears got her, which is very likely to happen to you if you head out toward the mine. I don't know the schedule out there and when people work. Speaking of which, I should probably get back to my work." He hoists the carcass back up on his shoulder.
You arrive at a small but well-maintained hospital. There are a few people waiting to see the doctor, all seemingly for minor wounds and illnesses.
I guess we'll get to see all the vicious rock bear injuries here, Navasi says with a hint of sarcasm Guesse we're on an off-peak hour. Good time to drop those supplies!
She announces herself at the reception desk Starfinders here, could we talk to a doctor? We're here to drop off some supplies
Grump definitely is capable of providing magical care to cure some of these ailments, but when he asks, the patients politely decline. "That's very nice of you, but I'd rather see my regular doctor."
The nurse at the desk replies to Navasi, "Oh, well that seems important. I'll take you to see Ellemie-2 as soon as she is done with her current patient."
After a few minutes, a lashunta walks out with a neatly bandaged arm, and the nurse gestures for you to come back.
An android in a white coat greets you.
"Hello, I'm Ellemie-2. I'm afraid I don't have a lot of time, you probably saw all my patients waiting, but I do appreciate the medical supplies. That's very generous."
You all observe that the hospital seem surprisingly well-supplied. All the medicine in Ellemie-2’s office is stored in glass vials with cork stoppers and hand-written labels.
Amariel notices that one jar is labeled “zotizole,” which is an antibiotic that she's taken before. But the funny thing is, zotizole was first synthesized only twenty years ago.