Loki manages to stay on target despite the hypnotising effect of the moth, but misses his mark all the same. Burnham hits the moth, but only scratches some outer protective layer.
The moth emits a nasty, muskous scent, and unlike the hypnotic effect from its wings, this is not confusing, just really gross
The stinking moth takes another bite at Burnham
---
Loki
Luce
---(round 2)---
Trober
Burnham
---
Enemy - Red (DOWN)
Enemy - Blue
---
|
"Ahhgk! " The funny lights finally sap Burn's will to preserve the party, but the pain of the bite gives him a different and singular focus. Destroy the moth.
...
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 273
You are mentally befuddled and can’t act normally. You can’t tell the difference between ally and foe, and thus you treat all creatures as enemies, even your closest friends and family, if applicable. An ally who wishes to cast a beneficial spell on you with a range of touch must succeed at an attack roll against your Energy Armor Class, since you cannot be considered a willing target. If you are attacked while you’re confused, you always attack the creature that last attacked you until that creature is dead or out of sight, unless it is otherwise impossible for you to attack it that round. While confused, you can’t make attacks of opportunity against any creature or thing that you aren’t already committed to attacking.
If you are not devoted to attacking a target, roll on the following table at the beginning of your turn each round to see what you do in that round.
D% Behavior
1–25 Act normally.
26–50 Do nothing but babble incoherently.
51–75 Deal 1d8 + Str modifier damage to self with item in hand.
76–100 Attack nearest creature.
If you can’t carry out the indicated action, you do nothing but babble incoherently. Attackers are not at any special advantage when attacking you.
Toughness
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 163
You have enhanced physical resilience, and harsh conditions or long exertions don’t easily tire you.
Benefit: For every character level you have (and whenever you gain a new level), you gain 1 Stamina Point. In addition, you gain a +4 bonus to Constitution checks to continue running, to avoid damage from a forced march, to hold your breath, and to avoid damage from starvation or thirst. You also gain a +4 bonus to Fortitude saving throws to avoid taking damage from hot or cold environments, to withstand the harmful effects of thick and thin atmospheres, to avoid choking when breathing in heavy smoke, and to avoid fatigue caused by sleep deprivation.
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 276
You can neither run nor charge, and you take a –1 penalty to your Armor Class, attack rolls, melee damage rolls, thrown weapon damage rolls that add Strength to damage, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and Strength- and Dexterity-based skill and ability checks. The amount of bulk you can carry without becoming encumbered is reduced by 1. If you are already fatigued and would gain the fatigued condition, you lose the fatigued condition and are exhausted for the total duration of all fatiguing effects. After 8 hours of complete rest, you are no longer fatigued.
Loki's confused but sneaky moves take the moth by surprise, and he lands a shot just before Luce blasts the moth with magical force.
Burnham hacks at the gloomwing, and though he feel a weariness from the stench, he still scores a solid hit. Trober, from behind his barrier, blasts the gloomwing, and its enough to make it succumb to its injuries.
With the dangerous creatures out of the way, and the portal now silent, the data tag is easy to retrieve from a nearby dune. No sign of Envar, though. The data tag contains another holographic recording:
A lashunta man sweeps a bow to the camera recording the hologram, tossing his pink hair as he straightens up. “Hello hey, Envies and fortunate new viewers! I’m here to give you an advance first look at an upcoming episode of Envar’s Expeditions, straight from sunless Nemenar. Being shrouded in darkness hasn’t dampened its nightlife—but as your intrepid host, I’ll be showing off something a little more unique! Ever seen a portal to the Shadow Plane? You can on my channel, coming soon!”
Pakahano is a planet with many tropical islands, and all tour-guides on the planet mention the illusory attractions of the City of Veils. The planet looks blue from space, which a single, rather rough-looking supercontinent, an enormous ocean and many tiny tiny specks of island.
A scan from space suggests the data tag is nowhere near the City of Veils, but rather centered somewhere else: an island in the Tarpak megaocean, containing a small spaceport and tourist town.
The data tag itself seem to be on the caldera of a nearby volcanic island... that's going to be way too small and unstable to land a starship on.
The closest safe landing space is a nearby settlement. On the ground, the town turns out to be a typical tourist community, with tour guides offering various thrilling experiences, mostly centered around the nearby volcanoes. Luce arrives in style with rainbow-colored prismatic sunglasses, complying with rule #1: always look cool.
Well, Luce is having some luck locating the right souvenir shops (selling miniature volcanic islands, very iconic) and 'Original Elytrian Mush' restaurants (yuk!). She also gets handed a flyer for the 'Grand Caldera Cook-Off Extravaganza Deluxe!', something that is so insanely out of this world that it wouldn't take a genius to figure out Envar did this. The tout handing the flyer indeed confirms Envar was here: Lashunta, kinda tall? Walking around as if he has no clue? Yep.
The 'Grand Caldera Cook-Off Extravaganza Deluxe!' is just a regular cooking show where several groups of participitants compete to create the best dish. Boring you say? Okay, to spice things up we start the course by air-dropping you into the caldera of an active volcano! There, you'll batter, baste and broil delicious dishes over the spicy-hot open fire of the volcano! If you can't stand the heat, get out of the crater!
---Grand Caldera Cook-Off Extravaganza Deluxe!, flyer
Sign-up is for the cooking show free, and - as luck has it - the contest is taking place today. Following sign-up, the group is flown out to the nearby volcanic island, and air-dropped out of the plane. Talk about a flashy entrance here.
Luce, Loki and Burnham all make spectacular entries, and the contestants cheer at the flashy acrobatics of the trio.
Where's Trober, though?
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"Skydiving, I'm not doing that. There is no way you are going to convince me to jump out of a plane into an active volcano. My insurance doesn't cover that type of stunt let alone how dangerous it is."
However, seeing everyone jump exposes the dromada's species weakness. They have to do what the pack does and hate to be left alone.
Closing his eyes and hoping for the vest Trober falls out of the aircraft as if he was pushed out the door.
Banners reading “The Grand Caldera Cook-Off” in numerous languages flutter over a cauldron-like hollow in the mountain peak forming this island. The bubbling glow of the lava within the hollow illuminates the walkways built atop it, spiraling down to a platform holding four cook stations. As the contestants land on the platform, a grinning summerborn ryphorian standing before a camera gestures exuberantly.
“And here are our contestants! Who knew Dromada's could fly like that? What a flashy entrance for Loki, Luce, Trober and Burnham! Give them a waaaaarm welcome!
I, Viktaria, will be your host for this culinary journey, and our judges are eager to see what our contestants whip up. So, without further ado… let’s get cooking! Your recipe today is…” They pause for effect...
Nine-claw Lobster Rolls!
The nine-clawed lobster! Native of this planet! The lobster is the centre of this popular favourite, creamy, creamy lobster rolls!
---(Phase 1: Catch and Boil!)---
Head chef:
Aides:
---
Let's hear it for the Starfinders! What a flashy entrance they made. Let's see if they are as good in the water as they are in theair. Viktaria announces the team Ready to start, contestants? Leeeeeet's caaaaatch soooome loooooobsteeeeeer!!
Trober seems to have no trouble at all foreseeing where the lobster in the talk will go, and when the volcanic stove erupts to burn him, he sees it coming from a mile away. He manages to cook the lobster to perfection, completely unscathed.
That red color looks really tasty! Viktaria says Looks like our Starfinders are on a roll! But now comes the hard part, will they succeed at shelling this thing without making a mess?
Burnham cracks open the rock-hard exterior of the crustacean, exposing the tender meat to further processing.
Raw ingredients prepared! Viktaria says Skill they have, but they have the know-how to create the perfect traditional taste?
---(Phase 1: Catch and Boil!)---
Head chef: Success!
---(Phase 2: Crack open!)---
Head chef: Success
---(Phase 3: The perfect roll!)---
Head chef:
Aides:
---
It's a wrap! Viktaria shouts Cooking utentils down! Doesn't that roll look absolutely delicious? The judges confer, and seem to quickly agree that, yes, these are indeed delicious lobster rolls!
We have our winners! Viktaria concludes, Pricebot, what have our contestants won?
Well, Viktaria Pricebot, an aptly named robot announces They will never have to be hungry again with this Ring Of Sustenance! Brought to you by today's sponsor Mush Bars! Mush Bars, the mushiest bar!
Once the contest wraps up, there is some time for the team to quickly explore the volcano. No sign of Envar, but the data tag is here, containing a holographic recording.
As the hologram activates, a lashunta man with a chef’s hat perched jauntily on his head waves cheerfully. “Hello hey, Envies and newbies alike! You’ve earned a sneak preview of a new episode of Envar’s Expeditions, featuring sunny Pakahano! Now, plebian tourists might think the City of Veils’ illusions are all this place has to offer, but the beaches here are way better than some fake holo-adventure. Check out my channel to see thrilling lava-hopping adventures, culminating in a special surprise crossover with another hit program!” He winks at the camera. “Don’t miss it!”
There is one destination left, the Bustling Waterways of Peace of Varturan. A little sorer and back on firm footing, the group takes a rest from mountaineering aboard their ship, as a greenish-blue planet comes into view.
The data tag signal leads to the seaside town of Gruddonar. Gruddonar consists of hundreds of buildings on stilts hundreds of feet above the shore, connected by swaying rope bridges.
The signal can be tracked to a large plaza, which stands on two-hundred-foot-high stilts at the center of a network of rope bridges, connecting it to other buildings and plazas that spread along the coast.
Music fills the air, shifting from one genre to another as the musicians around the plaza alternate performances. Tourists in beach garb sun themselves on the hammocks lining the plaza’s edge. To the east, a massive twine ball sits on a pedestal at the other end of a bridge, with a holographic sign reading “See the Galaxy’s Largest Ball of Twine!”
There's no sign of the data tag. Some person must have taken it, which is going to take some asking around.
It takes a while, but eventually Loki manages to get on the trail. All signs rather quickly point to a busking brenneri on the town square, who is playing soothing note on his saxophone.
The brenneri is a well-known and respected artist around this area: he is Dako “Bluepaw” Seiriss, a local talent on the saxophone who is busking on the plaza so often that he is considered part of the furniture.
The brassy humming of saxophone notes carries far over the plaza, where Dako is playing a song in one corner. Once he finishes, he stop for a break and a breath of air, and with a laid-back voice says “What’s flowing, anemones?”
When asked about Envar, he says “That dude’s a wild cat. Bounced off the Civic Center roof like he had wings.”
A real cool hopper that one, and in tune with the music he plays a couple of notes to accentuate what he just said (or to demonstrate what music is). At any rate, it is really smooth Had no money, but gave me his bluey thing to show his appreciation.
Hey Bluepaw says Bluepaw and the blues, they go together! I live for the music the Brenneri says and again noodles some notes, as if to remind his audience what music sounds like and not for the money.
You want to buy it, you have to buy it in my currency. If you.. he says, again interrupting his sentence to toot some notes can beat me in a duel, the trophy is yours!
There's some rather jaded looking locals standing by, who are quite used to Bluey. One of the grumbles Looks like Bluey is up to something again. Ah, that kid will never be no good... The guy next to chimes in and says ...should've just stuck to the carwash. Play only these modern songs with weird toots and beeps. Nothing like a good ole tune. HEY! PLAY YA YA DING DONG!
Bluepaw turns to the group Sounds like I have home advantage, eh? What do you say? May the best musician win?
Loki tries his hand at singing something, but he quickly gets the point when people cover their ears and a heckler shouts NONO! We don't want to hear that song! PLAY YAYA DING DONG!
Bluepaw is actually a bit stunned, not really knowing what to do. He decides to just help Loki save face, by starting with a couple of false notes, then play a mellow song
♫ Is your head in a bubble?
Are you made or air?
Is your fur humongous
Or do you barely have any hair
Do you talk in backward
Or have to tell everything twice
Do you have three eyes,
Or are you cyclops in disguise? ♫
♫ It doesn't matter what you are
Or where you are from
The most important thing to keep in mind
Is to stay happy ♫
---(First half)---
Trober (26)
Loki (3)
Luce
Burnham
---(Second half)---
Trober
Loki
Luce
Burnham
---
Luce gets a pretty good idea of what kind of music the crowd wants to hears (not that that was very hard to guess), and it certainly helps in giving the crowd what they want.
---
Sense Motive: Pass
---(First half)---
Trober (26)
Loki (3)
Luce (15)
Burnham
---(Second half)---
Trober
Loki
Luce (18)
Burnham
---