Outpost VII GM Kate SFS 5-14 Ghost Level Delve (Inactive)

Game Master Kate Baker

mysticism: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

The drow doesn't understand either. But is careful around the creature.

Since the Mysticism check is to know more about the creature, I think that Rex as a biohacker could use Life Science. I'll roll it to keep us moving.

Rex Life Science: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

And with that roll, I'll say he also thinks of what's behind the Engineering check!

Rex calls upon his knowledge of prenatal care he believes he obtained one time when he visited a maternity ward. He employs his custom microlab in an effort to quickly brew some folic acid, iron supplements, a dose of a Tdap vaccine, and a stool softener.

Medicine: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

"Don't worry, Starfinders. When it comes to dealing with pregnancies, Dr. Rex Remorhaz always... delivers."

Tiny glares at Rex's pun, then does his best to help convince the hexolin to follow.

Survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Seeing Tiny's reaction to Rex's pun, Gideon says, "With these things, resistance is futile."

Survival: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Gideon tries to lure the creature by discharging low amp electricity into the floor. "I wonder if these would benefit from a blast from an arc pistol or emitter?"

The creature is uninterested in shots from Rex, but she does seem more interested in Tiny and Gideon. She gets really excited when Gideon discharges electricity. That is a +2 to your roll!

You are able to guide the hexolin back to Fullbridge, then, using the footage from Gideon's bodycam, you find a shortcut to get back to the same place.

Unfortunately, you soon reach a dead end. As you retrace your steps, you see passages that definitely weren't there the first time. However, you do see more of the pink marks from the missing engineer.

This new path follows steeply down for several hundred feet, then opens into a massive cavern. You feel light on your feet as you enter into low gravity.

This dark cavern is lit by stalactites that protrude from the ceiling hundreds of feet above, each pulsating with a faint cyan glow, and a lake of indeterminate depth taking up most of the chamber’s floor. The gentle sound of droplets hitting the lake is audible every so often, causing its liquid to luminesce in gentle blues, greens, and purples. Some of these drops illuminate another figure crouched at the lake’s edge.

You see a lightly armored jubabnan--a human-sized toad who stands on one leg--at the edge of the lake. He looks at you very nervously, and you realize that you are a little bit scary as an armed adventuring party, and he probably thinks that you're gang members.

You can try to ease his fears and get him to share information with Bluff, Culture, Diplomacy, Mysticism, or Sense Motive.

"No need to be nervous, my one-legged friend," Rex assures. "After all, I happen to be rather famous."

Bluff: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

"Friend, we are only travelers who geared for danger. You have nothing to be afraid of. continues Calisst.

He seems to relax somewhat.

"I'm Jresspr. Who are you? What are you doing here? I'm trying to do a ritual, but it isn't going very well."

The drow raises an eyebrow.

"We are Starfinders, we are looking for a missing person. Elymilra a human, hydraulics engineer."

"What the problem with the ritual? We are not bad with the mystics arts.

"Oh, I think I saw her a day or two ago. I hid when I heard the footsteps. Aaagh, the ritual. You see those glowing stalactites on the ceiling? They're pure quintessence—pure magic given form, created when condensation from the chamber surrounding the Starstone Reactor trickled down over decades into this chamber and then crystallized on the ceiling. At certain times each year, droplets called glowtears fall from the tips of these stalactites into the lake below, where their magic is diluted and lost. I had to travel here alone to catch pure glowtears in glass vials that can provide aid to the community’s mystics in the coming year. But I've been here for two days and I haven't caught any yet. I missed a couple by just inches!"

"I suppose I have left a few in tears myself over the years." Rex replies, apparently only half listening. "Those glowing stalactites seem to be dripping. Do you think we should do something about that?"

The doctor looks around at his fellow Starfinders for a second opinion.

I assume it takes Mysticism to collect the glowtears, which Rex doesn't have.

Mysticism: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Gideon mostly applies mysticism to help solve magic technology challenges, not for anything like enlightenment. Still he tries to think of a way of catching some drops.

Engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Jresspr exclaims, "Gosh, thank you!" He distributes a glass vial to each of you.

You can each use whatever skill makes sense for how your character would collect glowtears! Examples include Acrobatics or Athletics to dive underneath a falling droplet, Perception or Physical Science to precisely predict where droplets are going to fall, or Mysticism to prognosticate the proper placement of glass vials.

Tiny holds the tiny vial in his massive paw, years of quick-twitch muscle-building straining as he waits to move quickly when he sees a drop.

Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Rex computes some physical probabilities.

Physical Science: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Gideon writes a computer program on his comm unit that observes the sounds of water hitting the water linked to a video view of where the drops hit with a link to the video camera. Then it calculates where to be to capture the next drop.

Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Gideon studies the comm unit and walks where it indicates, holds out the vial and makes steady progress collecting drops for Jresspr.

Calisst observes the dropping droplets.

This is an soothing effect. Perhaps, i should accept that my species will disappear from the multiverse.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Tiny, Rex, and Gideon each collect a droplet, while Calisst gets existential about the situation.

Jresspr is overjoyed at your help. He pauses and then adds, "Hey, let me show you something."

He leads you to a shallow part of the lake where a broken stalactite has sunk beneath the surface, and still pulses in perfect rhythm with the stalactites high above. Jresspr guesses that this stalactite broke off and fell during the turmoil a few months ago that shook this whole part of the station. You presume that he means the Drift Crisis.

"It would be taboo for me to touch it, but I'd rather you know about it than let a random passerby discover it."

"'Preciate that. Would it upset your taboo if we touched it?"

"Let me put it this way; I'm not going to worry too much about what my new friends do once I leave. By the way, you're also welcome to this if you'd like. I scavenged it while making my way here, but it doesn't fit my armor."

He hands you a jump jets armor upgrade.

Gideon takes the jump jets upgrade and says, "Who wants? I've got a slot I could fit it into if no one else wants it, but I don't think I'll need it as much as those who wade into combat."

"Let me put it this way; I'm not going to worry too much about what my new friends do once I leave."

Tiny nods and taps the side of his nose in understanding.

Gideon takes the jump jets upgrade and says, "Who wants? I've got a slot I could fit it into if no one else wants it, but I don't think I'll need it as much as those who wade into combat."

"I got my eye on a pair just like 'em at the pawn around the way, but ain't had the spare creds for 'em. I'd take 'em."

Tiny is most effective up close and personal, so those could be pretty useful for him. Happy to defer if someone else wants them, too, though, since I have some charge abilities that help me close the distance with most enemies.

"Let me put it this way; I'm not going to worry too much about what my new friends do once I leave. By the way, you're also welcome to this if you'd like. I scavenged it while making my way here, but it doesn't fit my armor."

"So, you'll be leaving us, then?" Rex inquires of Jresspr.

Gideon takes the jump jets upgrade and says, "Who wants? I've got a slot I could fit it into if no one else wants it, but I don't think I'll need it as much as those who wade into combat."

Rex adjusts his jacket, then prepares to step forward and take hold of the jump jets for himself.

"I got my eye on a pair just like 'em at the pawn around the way, but ain't had the spare creds for 'em. I'd take 'em."

Rex quietly huffs at the Starfinder's words. However, upon taking stock of the "Tiny's" relative size, he chooses to remain quiet and takes a few steps away from the jump jets.

Rex wouldn't really benefit much from the jump jets. He just happens to be greedy.

"Yes, it took me too long as it is! I've got to get back with these tears. The person you're looking for went that way, though." With that, Jresspr starts bounding off.

Gideon hands the jump jets to Tiny, saying "Hop to it!"

Gideon volunteers to investigate the stalactite, unless the group thinks it's best left alone. "Let's see if it might be helpful."

He examines it trying to figure out whether the glow is natural or magical.

Mysticism: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

If someone has physical science, it might be worth a roll to see what it's made of. Anyone with mysticism might also see if they can determine what Gideon's pathetic roll did not.

Calisst looks around the room and verify his gear before nodding.

Once Gideon (and anyone else) has had a chance to examine the stalactite, Tiny effortlessly hauls it up off the ground in one hand and slings it into his pack for later examination.

He examines it trying to figure out whether the glow is natural or magical.

If someone has physical science, it might be worth a roll to see what it's made of. Anyone with mysticism might also see if they can determine what Gideon's pathetic roll did not.

Rex prepares to take the stalactite from Gideon until he notices the glow now coming from the elf's hands. "You may need to see a doctor about that." Rex suggests, pointing to the Starfinder's new glowing condition.

Rex wonders if the stalactite might be made of something radioactive or otherwise toxic.
Physical Science: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Rex determines that it is not dangeours. He's pretty sure that it is magical.

Ready to move on the way that Jresspr indicated?

Seeing Rex's interest, Tiny pauses before picking up the stalactite. "You wanna carry this instead, doc?" Spoiler above says 2 bulk, which is not an issue for Tiny. He doesn't particularly care about holding onto it, though, so happy to defer to the doc.

Seeing Rex's interest, Tiny pauses before picking up the stalactite. "You wanna carry this instead, doc?" Spoiler above says 2 bulk, which is not an issue for Tiny. He doesn't particularly care about holding onto it, though, so happy to defer to the doc.

"Uh, no. That is quite alright. It is all yours, Timmy," Rex replies, waving the object away. He then checks his lab coat to make sure that it didn't get any glowing "stuff" on it.

Gideon studies his hands and waves them about, apparently amused. He tries rinsing the glow off with some of the water and dries his hands with an old rag to see if it washes or rubs off.

The glow remains, despite Gideon's attempts at washing it off.

You continue along the path pointed out by Jresspr until you reach a corridor.

This long access corridor is host to four pairs of hybrid access terminals and three perpendicular hallways spread between them. The air down each of these crosswise corridors is visibly energized, glowing an eerie green color. Every few seconds, this coalesces into a massive blast of green lightning whose energy output is so high that the power levels of all nearby technological items, including armor environmental seals, fluctuate wildly.

Tiny, up in front, can see into the chambers. Cordoned off by lead blast doors that are currently open, each of these chambers is host to a massive sphere of strange metal, a blend of dark copper and gray colors. Each sphere has numerous jagged protrusions, and spins in rapidly-changing directions inside a field of green energy. Research equipment is visible in the periphery of each chamber, but shimmering force fields at the thresholds of each room cause distortions in the air, making identifying anything else a challenge.

Engineering/Physical Science or Mysticism would tell you more about these spheres. Different information from Mysticism.

The blasts will hurt you! The blast areas are marked in red. You can attempt to time your travel through a blast zone with an Acrobatics check to avoid getting hurt. You can try to close the doors to the spheres with Athletics or Engineering, but you must be adjacent to do so. There are also some terminals next to you that might be useful! Computers, Engineering, or Perception to know more.

We are not in initiative currently, but we are on a map. Please move your tokens as you go places.

Let me know if the spell Holographic Interface would help with making a computer check, perhaps without having to move into a hazard zone.

Gideon will work the terminals to try to learn more about what is what.

Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

"I don't much like the look of those forcefields. Quite dangerous, I suspect." Rex notes. He glances at his fellow Starfinders and gestures. "After you."

Realizing that he may have seemed a bit too eager to avoid any hazards, he adds. "I'll... stay put for the moment. One of these terminals here should probably be checked out."

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

Clearly, Rex had no intention of checking them out. Even the RNG knows that Rex was just making excuses!

Gideon identifies identifies the spheres as an alloy of the rarest starmetals in the galaxy, adamantine and horacalcum, the latter of which has properties that warp space‑time around it on a quantum level.

He quickly realizes that the terminals next to him are non-functional, but it seems like the next pair of terminals just past the first blast zone would allow him to shut the first pair of doors, and so on.

That spell is literally perfect for this encounter. You can cast it on the first set of terminals to bypass the first hazard and so forth. Give me a few Computers or Engineering checks.

Calisst is impress by how tech-savy his companions are.

The bonus is the same for computers and engineering.

Gideon grins as he figures out things poking at the computer.

"First, those spheres are made of very rare star metals. Let me get a video record of them before we do anything else." He scans what he can and then resumes his explanation.

"Someone thought he was clever, putting the actual terminal to control the first pair of doors on the other side of the zap zone. Fortunately, I have an app for that."

He concentrates and sends a faint bit of mystic energy at the terminal across the aisle from everyone. It sinks in and in front of Gideon a holographic set of computer controls appears and responds to his hand motions as if here were at the other computer.

Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Computers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Gideon records the spheres, then starts using the terminals to shut the blast doors, one by one.

As you come in to the area, you all start to notice a signal coming through on your comm units. It is very faint to begin with, but it gets stronger as you move further down the walkway.

It seems to be coming from the room marked with an arrow.

Tiny gestures toward the room with a nod of his massive head, then moves cautiously that way, doshko in hand.

"That signal might be from the person we are looking for. Maybe she got trapped down here. All those energy blasts likely overwhelmed a weak signal, perhaps a comm unit. Let's investigate."

You enter the room. It is seemingly a storage room that was cleaned out long ago. A few pieces of modern gear rest on the tables at the center
of the room, surrounding an active emergency beacon.

Engineering or Survival to analyze the beacon.

Resting next to the beacon is a slipstream-class kalo shredder and an industrial welder.

Engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Gideon is baffled by the technology of the beacon. He stands back to allow someone else a chance.

Tiny scratches his head an looks at the beacon.

Engineering: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

You enter the room. It is seemingly a storage room that was cleaned out long ago. A few pieces of modern gear rest on the tables at the center of the room, surrounding an active emergency beacon.

Rex has never been trained on the use of the type of beacon before him, but he thinks that he has seen others use something similar on the popular survivalist reality vid show, entitled Unclad in the Unknown.

Survival, untrained: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Rex deduces that the interference from the starmetal spheres has cut the broadcast range of this device to less than 100 feet, and that somebody activated this beacon remotely from within that range.

Rex deduces that the interference from the starmetal spheres has cut the broadcast range of this device to less than 100 feet, and that somebody activated this beacon remotely from within that range.

"Could be our missing person. Let's press on."

Where to next? Across the hall to the other room or through a hatch?