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I can bring a mystic or an operative.
I just realized we are playing SFS. I have never played Starfinder. Will this be a deal breaker? If so, I can wait till next GM school. I apologize for holding people up.
I just realized we are playing SFS. I have never played Starfinder. Will this be a deal breaker? If so, I can wait till next GM school. I apologize for holding people up.
The most likely reason you were assigned an SFS table is because you signed up as an SFS player. If you prefer PFS1/PFS2, I can ask if we can assign you to a table there. If you want to stay here, we are going to run a demo game SFS, and then you'd be asked to GM an SFS game yourself. It's up to you if you're up for that.
I apologize for the inconvenience, if possible could I be moved to a PFS2 game. I havent ran a SFS game, and feel that I would need some context and better understanding of the rules.
In that case, head on over to the table of GM Valen (he has linked it in the GM school thread), I think they could use another player!
Let's go,
I can't resist
The Vercodisco
I must insist
We're not in Cuvacara
And I am dancing like a slow Diatha
I'm looking for you, but I can't see ya
But I keep dancing to the beat until I find you
Till the sun goes down!
We're not in Cuvacara, but we are on Verces, in the city of Thamal. The shopping streets are blasting Planet X's latest hits.
There's a rumor circulating that there is a job available at the visitors center for brave and skillful individuals interested in helping the city.
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An eight-limbed ijtikri zig-zags through the streets of Thamal. Both its upper and lower eyes are closed and four of its limbs are raised, writhing in the air. The ridges on its shell are gray, but there is an iridescent sheen on the areas between the ridges.
“I sense someone in need…” it murmurs.
It stops, turns slowly, and then begins walking again - in the direction of the visitors center.
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Obozaya moved through the space around her with practiced ease, avoiding the few people who didn't automatically give her space. When you are a 2-meter tall vesk carrying a small arsenal of weaponry, not too many people failed to give way in most civilian places.
Looking up at the visitor's center, there was little doubt she'd reached the right place. What she wondered was why this was the right place. A center for tourism and information didn't seem to have an obvious need for a soldier of her talents, and though plenty of people around her wore shipsuits or similar, not too many wore outright armor.
Oh well. Not like I fit in on most space stations. Maybe I'll be surprised and there will be mayhem and havoc after all.
We find our adventurers on Verces, an interesting planet. On this planet, the Ring of Nations is a band of 27 nations encircling the tidally locked Verces in the planet’s central temperate zone. Though all 27 nations are governed by a planetary Grand Assembly, laws and policies vary between settlements.
Thamal, the city we're in, is city located on the outskirts of the Ring-nation Shubu, a region known for its pastoral setting.
As we zoom in on the visitor's centre of the city of Thamal, we get a firsts glance of our adventurers... a Vesk, an Ijtikri a half-elf and...
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An intense skittermander makes his way to the visitor's center. He would seem hyper except for the fact that he's a skittermander so he just seems slightly more hyper than an average skittermander. He has bright yellow fur.
"Someone need help? I'm here to help. Who needs help?" he says half helpfully and half demandingly.
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The ijtikri enters the visitor’s center shortly after the skittermander.
“Hmm. Yes. This feels like the place.”
It addresses the room. “I’m getting a strong feeling about the letter G. Or a B? It could be a family member or a beloved pet. I feel that there was a disagreement, or a loss?”
It looks around expectantly.
There's a distinguished looking verthani who enters the visitor's center and strides up to the group.
"Thank you for coming,” The Verthani says, introducing herself as Councilor Kirslin Auganir says, “I’m sure you’ve noticed the city’s recent power troubles. It’s a problem the city council would like remedied as soon as possible.”
As if to illustrate what is going on, the lights flicker out, along with the lights and displays of nearby buildings. The councillor lets out a sigh as the room is shrouded in twilighted darkness. After a few moments, the lights flicker back to life.
The Councilor's skin pales to a dismal gray. “Did you see that? This city’s about to be named a top Verces travel destination for the first time in its history, but nobody’s going to want to visit us if the power won’t stay on. I can see the next story now: ‘Thamal’s future is looking dim. Literally.’ Luckily, that’s where you come in.”
“The city council managed to narrow the power issue down to a single plant. Station Green has gone completely offline, and the other power plants can’t consistently compensate. We sent repair drones in three times, but they went dead upon arrival. So now I’m sending you, if you’ll take the job, that is. And please, keep it quiet? We’ve got a reputation to maintain.”
It seems Shlushshla was right about that letter 'G' after all.
Ah, let me point the way to you The councilor says, taking a 'travel map of Thamal' brochure and a marking pen. You'll find the power plant right here she says as she marks a circle on the map, and we're currently here, in the visitor's center she points out a drawing of a building that is marked 'visitor's center'. The powr plant doesn't look to be too far from here.
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“Precisely. A loss of power in Station Green. That’s what I felt.” The ijtikri says, instantly forgetting all of the other guesses.
“It seems that the swirling currents of fate have brought the four of us together. My name is Shlushshla.” Some of the syllables sound like water being shaken in a bucket. “But most creatures call me Shush.”
“As to what we can expect, my guess is ghosts. It’s very often ghosts.”
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"Right. A station goes dark so you call in mercs. Sounds hinky. What is really going on? Don't tell me you don't have cameras there or anything. Drones failed to pick up life signs or catch video before they went dark? You've got mercs instead of power grid techs going in. You know something you're not telling. Spill."
Easy, easy! Not the face! the councilor cowers before the huge stature of the Vesk. That's really all I know. I hate to say it, but the outages were the first real sign something was wrong. We get logs from the power plants, sure, but who has time to dig into all that? I do know this: the plant didn’t send out any warning before it stopped functioning, and there’s no indication of intrusion, an explosion, or anything like that.” The councilor is trembling like a reed, and singing like a canarie.
If you suspect foul play... That plant—all our power plants—are what keep our city running. These outages have already led to shows being canceled in the arts district, restaurants closing for days, and construction projects grinding to a halt. Who would want that?
Shlushla suspects ghosts, and notices the logs that the councilor provides are unnaturally consistent, as if they’ve been doctored. This oddity in the plant's logs goes back to the earliest days of the plant, long before the outages began.
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"Skittermander Technomancer, nice to meet you. Skittermander Technomancer, nice to meet you," the skittermander says, shaking the hands of each of the other three volunteers, using a different hand for each. Then, he realizes that he has three more hands and goes through the process all over again.
"Oh, man...power outtages? That's bad. Everyone needs power," he comments.
ng-Dizzy does a quick search of the Dark Infosphere, but finds nothing that points to sabotage activity of the power plant, or any else clandestine.
Skittermander Technomancer, once he has a hand free, notes that the faked logs contain patterns that mimic organic processes more closely than technological ones. The drone data and regional rumors show evidence of unexpected plant life around the power plant.
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Station Green stands in a paved clearing decorated with a tile mosaic of a forest against a city skyline. Grass grows in the spaces between the tiles in the area immediately surrounding the plant, edging onto its outer walls. The exterior door is ajar.
The entryway to the power plant is lit by sunlight coming through the plant’s open front door, though emergency lights in the ceiling also flicker dimly. Pieces of metal and circuitry are scattered across the floor. Some spark erratically. The sound of dripping is accompanied by faint squeaking and skittering.
Shlushshla tries to remember what kind of wildlife lives here, but all he can think of is rats.
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"Ah, that makes sense Skittermancer. Well, the bit before the p9 whatever. But I'm not sure how plants could have destroyed the drones."
Shush doesn't say it out loud, but it's also thinking ghost rats.
Shush moves next to the doorway and leans over to use it's top set of eyes to peek in.
"So. Who's going first?"
Shlushshla notice there's some damage to the wiring, and with the puddles on the floor, this can create a dangerous situation: stand in the wrong place, and you might shock yourself!
The floor is also awfully slippery - with some careful movement you can stay upright, but move too fast or be distracted, and you might just fall on your face.
Some engineering might be needed to clear up this safety hazard.
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Obozaya looked at the mess on the floor. "This didn't just happen suddenly. This plant's been out of maintenance for a while for the grass to grow through the tiles like that. Someone's been neglecting their systems. No wonder they wanted mercs for this. A standard crew would report this negligence immediately. Probably should let me go first. If there's this mu negligence, likely to be some vermin about. Ghost rats or just big ones, no need to have them chewing on the squishies, eh?"
The big vesk took the lead into the power plant, moving slowly to avoid electrocuting herself.
Shlushshla points out the hazard, and that's enough for ng-Dizzy to spot another area that is charged, alarming Obozaya just in time for her to avoid stepping into an electrified puddle.
Technomander easily adjusts the situation, taking some cabling - which has been throughly gnawed through - out of the puddles, and making the room safe again. Wiping up the oil takes more effort, though, and would need a mop and bucket.
The next door leads to a curved corridor, which leads to a room filled with debris, as if someone has been scavenging metals parts from all over the station.
Soon enough, it becomes clear who, or rather what, has been scavenging parts, as two weasel-like creatures with sharp metallic quills spring forth.
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Skittmancer
Obozaya
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Scrap rat
Scrap rat
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Shush
Dizzy
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Obozaya heads straight for the nearest rat and swings with her doshko.
Obozaya seems to hesitate for a moment, and his timing is off when he swings at the rat.
The skittermander calls forth an energy of acid, which causes a little yelp as it hits.
One of the rats doesn't like being threatened by Vesk, and gnaws down ferociously. The other rat seems to like seafood, and runs right up to Shlushshla
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Shush
Dizzy
Skittmancer
Obozaya
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Scrap rat - Red (3)
Scrap rat - Blue
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Dizzy ids the creatures as scrap rats, chunky versions of the street vermin that scavenge metals parts to make their homes. These particular creatures are dangerous to face, because their bite carry a nasty filth fever disease. They have no particular resistances or immunities.
Dizzy rains fire on the injured rat, scorching its fur.
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Shush
Dizzy
Skittmancer
Obozaya
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Scrap rat - Red (6)
Scrap rat - Blue
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Although Daze-ing the nearest rat is a good idea, the spell only affects Humanoids, unfortunately.
So, it seems that pain is the way.
Skittermancer moves all six of his hands in Aracanomechanic motions and thrusts one palm out, sending a horde of suddenly generated, short lived nano-bots at the nearest rat thing to devour it's flesh.
"I'm helping!" he declares.
Skittermancer and Shlushshla seems to be very concerned with the rat coming in, and both cast their spells at it, dousing it in acid and terror.
Shlushshla's attack is not without reaction, though, as the rat takes the opportunity to sink his fangs into the ijtikri!
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Shush
Dizzy
Skittmancer
Obozaya
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Scrap rat - Red (6)
Scrap rat - Blue (9)
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Obazaya, slightly embarrassed at her previous miss, aimed a bit lower for the sweeping strike this time.