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"Koopi we may be able to help, our original mission is to find and return Envar home, if we complete our mission that should help you out as well. Depending on what Envar has done it may be in our mandate to seek to make him settle accounts for what he has caused to happen here. Do you have any idea where we could find him, also is there something you had in mind that we could help you with?
Koopi tosses you all brushes. Looks like the statue is too delicate for anything but manual labor.
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Pogo shrugs and agrees to climb the scaffold and scrub a bit.
His small, nimble fingers have little trouble with the task.
"I think there are scholars back home who have studied the effects of an individual from an alien world on society. I believe it is considered hard to predict, as societies are prone to non-linear responses to small stimuli. Perhaps by chance Envar resembles an anarchic figure from folklore or young people are stressed about things and looking for a way to rebel."
With the help of the Starfinders, Koopi is able to clean the statue before anyone gets too tired. Koopi happily thanks the group, then asks a final favor. Koopi explains that their littermate, Oblir, is one of the Tamm Squad who followed Envar to the Ruptured Hills. They request the Starfinders find Oblir and relay the message that they are dearly missed. If the PCs agree, Koopi blesses them, stating, “Remember, if you feel the Dark Hunter’s eyes on you, tell them: not today.”
As the agents are leaving, glass bottle crashes into the wall, barely missing its target by a few inches. “Haven’t you people caused enough harm?” shouts a nearby ixtli. “Do you know how many of our children, our lifemates, our parents, are missing? Gone off and joined that accursed cult! Haven’t you done enough to soil our culture?” Several other ixtli start to step forward, joining the group.
A large crowd forms, their faces angry. Several grab makeshift weapons and began a shouted chant of “foreign alien filth.” One spits on the ground. An ixtli with a brown patch of fur forming a crescent over their right eye moves to the head of the crowd. “Get out!” they shout. “We don’t want alien filth here!”
You can choose to fight the mob, though whoever takes the first violent action gains 1 point of Infamy. Otherwise, you may attempts to disperse the mob nonviolently. Each character can attempt or aid another on each skill check (listed from easiest to hardest) once.
* Culture to convince the crowd that the PCs respect ixtli culture.
* Mysticism to appeal to the beliefs of the religious in the crowd.
* Sleight of Hand to disarm the leader quickly, before they can attack.
* Bluff to distract the crowd and shift the mob’s focus.
* Diplomacy to soothe the crowd’s anger with calm, reassuring words.
* Intimidate to cow the more hesitant members of the crowd.
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using their telepathy to tell the rest of the team.
The leader wants us to start the fight so they could blame it on the Starfinder Socity to help push their agenda, so don't shoot first no matter wants happens. Best if we can talk our way out of this.
Asgrok floats up a bit to get the crowd's attention before speaking
"Do you really want to attack the people who just helped restore an important statue you seek to defend? Have you considered the legal consensuses of resorting to violence, fines, and possible imprisonment, which could lead to losing your job? Besides legal issues, there are philosophical and moral issues to consider, is violence ever the best course of action to solve a problem that could have been worked out through other means? Also do you realize our mission here is to find and return Envar home, and to clean up the mess he has made as we do. This is something you each need to decide for yourself, violence is often inspired by those with a hidden agenda and not the common good in mind."
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As the agents are leaving, glass bottle crashes into the wall, barely missing its target by a few inches. “Haven’t you people caused enough harm?” shouts a nearby ixtli. “Do you know how many of our children, our lifemates, our parents, are missing? Gone off and joined that accursed cult! Haven’t you done enough to soil our culture?”
Wilson nods initially, saying, "I hear you. Kids today, am I right? Listen, I don't even log onto social media." As things escalate, though, he stays near Domehead, to keep her from getting riled up.
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Pogo tries to contribute with some conciliatory words. "You people are not all the same. Obviously some have been weak willed enough to follow Envar while upstanding folks like yourselves know better. Well, humans and other Pact Worlds folk are also not all the same. Envar is a childish rich kid who hasn't got the sense the gods gave a goblin. We're here to help you by reuniting Envar with his family, so if you hinder us, you'll be prolonging your problem with him."
The mob disperses. As the crowd leaves, the Starfinders encounter a messenger from the Triumvirate council, requesting their return to the council building.
Nikku and Bhrea stand at the entryway to the council building. “We heard about your dispute with Rukos,” says Nikku. “Tension in the city is rising. I’m afraid your presence is making things, well, unmanageable.”
Waving their hand, Bhrea interjects. “What my associate means is, we are concerned Rukos’ faction intends to use your presence as an excuse to foment further disharmony. The two of us have no intention of allowing fear of outsiders to destroy what our culture represents. We cannot turn back the clock on Envar’s arrival, but we can strive to maintain unity, and we want to ask you to help. When Envar left, several ixtli followed him to the Ruptured Hills. Please, go to them. Convince them to return to us. If you can do this, it will show all ixtli the intention of your hearts.”
Minah will give you the directions you need and escort you to the entrance of the tunnel that leads to the Ruptured Hills, but will not accompany you on the journey.
"We do not fight the katura, for they are beyond our capacity to harm. We hide and we rebuild. Pray to the Dark Hunter that their gaze does not fall upon you."
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"They can't be harmed... so "Not today" it is. Minah thank you for your help, I think we are ready unless someone else has questions or preparations."
Once we get on our way Asgrok will have their pistol in hand ready and will fly 10 above the rest of the party to avoid pit traps and melee ambushes and to try to keep an eye out for danger.
The road leads down into a large canyon. Great serrated crags of crystalline outcroppings form steep hills. Each formation glows with faint white illumination. From a distance, the entire region resembles a collection of sharp needles. Numerous rocks float through the air, some swimming lazily while others hurtle back and forth in random directions, moving at great speeds.
to anyone with uncovered feet (or similar goound based appendages) - betting that's no one
To safely navigate this area, you need to make a Survival check as a group (only one success needed) to find the correct path, then individual Acrobatics checks to avoid the randomly-moving floating rocks.
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"I don't know how anyone could find their way through this strange terrain, it doesn't seem to flow any natural pattern I recognize which is really odd since crystalline structures are known for forming patterns. Perhaps they are reflecting the light causing an illusion."
Distracted by not understanding the crystalline structure pattern in the terrain Asgrock doesn't see whats coming their way...
Wilson is able to find the path, though most of the Starfinders get hit by floating rocks as they navigate it.
, reflex DC 10 for half.
No damage if your Acrobatics result was at least 15.
(Still need rolls from Pogo.)
As the Starfinders work their way through the Ruptured Hills, they find another cave mouth. Outside the cave, they notice a 2-foot-tall statuette of the Dark Hunter carved from rock, with a pair of black sunglasses painted across its eyes.
A sparkling rock on the ground catches the agents' eyes. It functions as a major t-quark crystal.
The cave winds its way down several hundred yards into the earth. Small glow-tubes illuminate the path, leading into a wide chamber. The bodies of several ixtli lay scattered across the cavern. Blood flecks the walls and pools on the floor. Several dozen corpses in varying stages of decomposition rest here, all showing signs of large bite marks and vicious scratches. A powerful bellow echoes from the south, followed by a frantic cry.
A large creature is trying to pull apart a scrap metal barricade hastily erected by an ixtli. They are currently trapped under their own barricade. They’re dressed in torn, blood-spattered robes and have several deep cuts in their left leg.
The creature rushes toward the Starfinders.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Creature
Wilson
Oshari
Asgrok
Pogo
Domehead's head does not penetrate the creature's tough hide.
Pogo and Howland, however, both land their shots. You begin to smell burning hair.
Oshari summons forth his weapon as he approaches.
Asgrok takes cover.
The beast goes after the nearby officer and his mount.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Creature (-4 HP, burning)
Wilson (-4 SP) and Domehead (-13 HP)
Oshari
Asgrok
Pogo
Asgrok recognizes this as a fermawr, a type of magical beast.
The fermawr has no weakness and no resistance to spells.
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Oshari, seeing the obstacles between him and the creature, messes with an attatchment to his armor. "I really hope this works..."
Suddenly, the nuar goes flying towards the creature, landing with a loud thud, and has just enough time to take a swing at the creature.
After the landing, he slouches a bit and grabs his back. "Oh, I'm gonna feel that tomorrow."
Pogo's shot goes wide, but Howland's strikes the creature.
Wilson maneuvers into position and punches the monster. Domehead is still smarting from the last attack and misses.
Oshari jumps in and swings a doshko off target.
Asgrok barely misses.
Fermawrs don't like being punched.
Round 3 - bolded may go
Fermawr (-19 HP, burning)
Wilson (-13 SP) and Domehead (-13 HP)
Oshari
Asgrok
Pogo
Asgrok's missiles and Wilson's gauntlet nearly put it down. The burn finishes the job.
There’s no sign of Envar here. The Starfinders can free Hetta from their fallen barricade when combat ends. In a shaking voice, Hetta whispers: “They’re gone. All my friends...We came here to be with Envar, but…Envar had already left, so we set up a home and… then the fermawr attacked…” Hetta breaks down into tears, utterly inconsolable.
Asgrok manages to console the ixtli, but they are unwilling to speak more about their friends.
As the Starfinders emerge from the cave, several ixtli surround the mouth of the cave, each with dour and hateful expressions etched on their face. Rukos stands at the front, a large tactical spear clasped in their hand, the bladed point crackling with electric light. “You were asked to leave this planet” Rukos states coldly.
One of the other Ixtli catches sight of Hetta’s injuries and points accusingly, “What did you do? What did you do to those people?”
Spitting angrily, Rukos raises a sharp cry, “Isn’t it obvious? They did what we knew the offworlders would do; what all predators do!”
* Bluff to confound Rukos’ group with a barrage of words. This reduces the DC of Intimidate checks by 2 and increases the DC of Diplomacy checks by 2 until that character’s next turn. This does not accrue any Negotiation Points.
* Culture to exposit on their respect of ixtli culture and way of life. A success gains 1 Negotiation Point.
* Diplomacy to insist on their own peaceful and good intentions. A success earns 2 Negotiation Points, but the character who made the check forsakes their next action.
* Engineering to appeal to Rukos by describing how Pact World technology can aid them to survive their predators. This gains the party 1 Negotiation Point but increases the DC of Bluff and Intimidate checks by 2 for the whole party for the rest of this encounter.
* Intimidate to accuse or threaten Rukos’ group into submission. A success decreases the party’s total number of Negotiation Points by 1 but reduces the DC of all remaining skill checks for the character who succeeded the check by 2.
* Medicine to reason that the injuries the dead suffered could not have been caused by the Starfinders' weapons. A success gains the party 1 Negotiation Point.
* Mysticism to display an understanding of ixtli faith and plead with Rukos. A success gains the party 1 Negotiation Point.
* Sense Motive to get a better sense of the mood of the crowd. This reduces the DC of skill checks by everybody in the party by 1 until that character's next turn. This does not accrue any Negotiation Points.
Round 1 - all may go
Wilson
Asgrok
Oshari
Pogo