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A ysoki wearing a hard hat and orange safety vest covered in velcro pockets and a name tag saying "SAFTEY INSPECTOR can be seen running around the ship with a datapad checking off a safety checklist.
As Pockets runs into new faces he introduces himself
"My mother calls me pockets, the station security calls me pockets, my friends call me pockets, you can call me pockets too. What's your name?"
Pockets recognize Sovellis
"Sovellis, good to see you again, I see you're still alive, that's always a good check box to have checked! Got any good stories?"
Later when the team is hanging out on the ship
"Do any of you get a mission briefing? I didn't get a briefing, what's up with that? How can I make sure we are safe if we don't know what the mission is? I almost forgot, just in case they didn't stock the ship up with food again, I got us covered. On the way to the ship, I found a sandwich lying around on the dock and stuck it in a pocket for later, should be good for a few days, just let me know if you get hungry."
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A very elongated humanoid--twice the height of a human--with pointed ears and large eyes on her hairless head moves through the shuttle with uncanny grace for her size in the cramped quarters. The sarcesian wears light armor enameled with gaudy splashes of color, and seems to only be armed with a pistol that looks rather tiny on her hip. She smiles readily at the other Starfinders as she folds herself into a corner. "Hi, the name's Salamazarin, but you can call me Mazer, if that's easier. I haven't been to the Idari before. Have any of you?"
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"Master Pockets, your senses are keen indeed to identify me within my new armor." Unlike their earlier mission, Sovellis is currently housed in hidden soldier armor. He removes the helemet to greet the ysoki properly. Inside the helmet he has dispensed with the white half-mask he used to wear, but still has the butterfly patterned bandana drawn up over his nose and mouth. Of course the long sword and pointed star shaped case strapped to his backpack might have provided additional clues to his identity.
"It is good to be working with you again. I also have no information on the mission yet. I surmise we will be briefed en route or on arrival."
Sovellis is tall and lean for an elf, but still quite diminutive compared to the sarcesian who greets him. "Mazer, I am Sovellis. Idari will be a new experience for me. Fortuitously I have an interest in the kasthan martial traditions and equipment." He taps his armor's breastplate.
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To Sovellis
"You know what they say, got to have a good eye to be a safety inspector. I like the new look by the way."
Pockets gives Sovellis a thumps up.
To Salamazarin
"I like the name, but you know what Mazer got a nice ring to it. Nice to meet you, Mazer. If you got any safety concerns just let me know."
To everyone
"What's all this talk about Idari? Why does that name seem familiar?"
Pockets gets his trusty data pad out, and checks it for messages
"When did they start sending mission briefings over text messages? Don't they know no one reads those? besides I like getting briefings at the Lore Spire, they always have donuts and coffee. Who flys a ship with out coffee, don't want the pilot falling asleep you know what I mean."
Pockets takes a minute to read the mission briefing and than summarise it for everyone.
"So says here the boss want's us to go to the Idori, I think that's that big tin can floating is space. We need to talk to some friend of theirs about a missing person. Let me guess someone got lost treasure hunting again? Oh the big part, we need to stop two local groups from getting into a fight. Anyone know what kind of sandwiches thay have on the Idori? I know on some planets getting caught in the middle of a food fight could be lethal."
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Mazer's prominent ears perk up when Sovellis mentions martial traditions. "My own fighting style requires me to be more mobile than yours, I think. I've recently started learning the ways of the ukara, or battleflowers, of Ning. I would gladly demonstrate some forms, but they are more beautiful when I have more room to move in," she says, glancing at the low ceiling and giving a small but eloquent shrug.
The ysoki's rambling about food and drink prompts the sarcesian to pull a ration bar out of her pack, and a canteen to wash it down. "Hmm, some new cuisine could be fun. As long as they're generous with the portions. When you're my size and in training, you need a lot of calories," she jokes.
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"Pockets, Idari is the generation ship that the kasathas used to get here from their homeworld. Supposedly there are real wilderness areas in portions of the ship, a memory of home.
"Salamazarin, my people value mobility in combat. I am forced to compromise by my budget, and the requirements of my contract. I would be honored to see a demonstration of the famous battleflower forms. Perhaps I could show you some traditional elven techniques."
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The door to the shuttle’s meeting space opens and a light female voice squees from the hallway.
“SOVEY!!”
A feychild gnome beelines through door, headed straight for Sovellis. The weave of bright red hair bounces off her back as she squashes into him with a hug.
Words fall out of her mouth in a bounding jumble. “It is you! I saw your name on the roster but I didn’t know if it was you-you or just some other Sovellis. But it IS you! I’m so glad we get to work together again. Where’d you go after we got back? You missed the tattoo party and drinks at the bar!”
She tugs at the collar of her rose blouse. A tattoo comes into view — a series of looping black swirls bisected by a dagger that curls with smokey shadows “See? Lash helped me pick it out. The scrollwork is for calm and connection. The shadow dagger represents what we did to that stupid nightmare dragon. I can’t believe we even listened to him in the first place!”
She finally realizes there are others in the room. “Oh, hi everyone.”
Nippostia blushes hard as she releasese Sovellis and smiles to the rest of the team. Her fingers fiddle with her braid.
“Um, I’m Nippostia Fernbreeze, your mystic and counselor. Sovey — er, Sovellis — uh, Sovey was a nickname I came up with during our last mission… we were undercover, it was very exciting — anyway, I’m very happy to meet you all.”
Nippostia wears forest green armor decorated with sweeps and whorls drawn in dusty rose and bluish pink. They give the armor a curiously mystical quality, although you couldn't explain why you thought so if someone asked. Her emerald eyes manage to radiate excitement, calm, piercing understanding, and generous peace all at once, but excitement clearly is winning in the moment.
“Has Grimalki checked in yet? I haven’t seen her lately.”
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At the words of a dragon Pockets eyes go wide.
"Pockets here, everyone called me Pockets, nice to meet you Nippostia, nice tattoo. Ok got the names out of the way, now lets back up, did you just say dragon?"
Pockets starts pacing around in circles obviously excited about something.
"Sovellis, you didn't mention another mission with a dragon in it."
Pockets points at Sovellis as he keeps pacing in circles.
"Sovellis you are one lucky Elf. How many Starfinders get to go on two missions with a dragon in it? Wow that's amazing, I'm jealous, Ok I want to hear all about the dragon's treasure! You found it right?"
Pockets takes out the sandwich he found back at the docking bay and takes a bite.
"And I was all excited about finding this sandwich, wow more dragons, anyone else want a bite?"
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Suddenly a ceiling access panel to the ship's ventilation system falls to the floor, bringing with it a ysoki! "Oof!" he groans, landing hard on his back. His overalls are covered with carabiner clips and pockets, all of which seem to be for the purpose of carrying . . . well . . . junk! Half a flywheel, the left leg of a child's doll, and a partially-crushed prosthetic big toe are just for starters.
The ysoki clambers to his feet quickly. "Heya folks! Guess I shoulda taken the lift--thought this would be a shortcut. Name's Nixxer! Pleased ta meetcha."
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Pockets points at Sovellis as he keeps pacing in circles.
"Sovellis you are one lucky Elf. How many Starfinders get to go on two missions with a dragon in it? Wow that's amazing, I'm jealous, Ok I want to hear all about the dragon's treasure! You found it right?"
"Not as much as I would've hoped." a gravelly voice says. Entering the room is a pahtra in a dark jacket, rifle slung over her shoulder. Her fur is dark grey, save for several spots of orange and white--a couple of which Nippostia and Sovellis wouldv'e sworn weren't there last time. She waves to Nip and Sovellis, grinning. "Name's Grimalki, nice to meet y'all."
She tugs at the collar of her rose blouse. A tattoo comes into view — a series of looping black swirls bisected by a dagger that curls with smokey shadows “See? Lash helped me pick it out. The scrollwork is for calm and connection. The shadow dagger represents what we did to that stupid nightmare dragon. I can’t believe we even listened to him in the first place!”
"Tattoo wouldn't work for me, so I got this instead." She gestured to a new piercing on her ear. "Itches like hell, though."
She tenses up somewhat upon noticing Pockets' nametag. "A safety inspector, huh."
She takes a seat, grabbing a flask from a jacket pocket. "So, that nightmare dragon keep it's promise for either of you? Any weird dreams?"
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Pockets looks at Grimalki
"So you were in on the dragon mission too? What's up with dragons not having a lot of treasure lately, it's like they got smart and started putting it all in a bank."
Pockets start pacing again thinking deeply about something.
"So if we really want to find the treasure we need a bank mission, not a dragon mission, think I'm on to something!"
Pockets taps his trusty datapad
"Yep, safety inspector, someone got to make sure these buckets of bolts can fly."
Pockets taps his trusty data pad again
"I got a big checklist for that."
"Speaking of safety, how's everyone's starship role certification? I got a score of 10 for engineering, and 6 on the piloting exam."
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Nip smiles, happy that nobody seems to care about her friendly attack on Sovellis.
“Hi, Pockets, Nixxer.” She looks up (and up) to the sarcesian. "What’s your name?”
”Ok got the names out of the way, now let’s back up. Did you just say dragon?”
Nippostia nods seriously, an edge suddenly in her voice..
“It wasn’t a normal dragon — it an accursed enemy of the Dreamers, a nightmare dragon from the shadow plane. We put it down moments after it first spoke. We should have done it faster. It wanted to steal artifacts precious to the Dreamers. It deserved worse than it got.”
As quickly as the darkness entered her voice, it leaves when Grimalki comes in.
“Grimalki!” She moves in for a hug. “Love the piercing. Did Lash set you up with that? And no, I sleep just fine.”
She leans back and looks into Grimalki’s eyes, concern etched on her face.
“Are you affected? I can help you.” She looks over he shoulder. “What about you Sovellis? Any bad dreams? Or do elves even dream?”
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The sarcesian looks a bit amused--or is it bemused?--by the smaller team members' rapid-fire chatter. "I'm Salamazarin, but you can call me Mazer," the answers the gnome. "I'm a dancer, and a battleflower, but I think I mainly got tapped for this mission to talk with people. I tend to make an impression." Her smile is friendly, but her head alone is nearly the mass of a gnome or ysoki.
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Pockets looks at Grimalki
"So you were in on the dragon mission too? What's up with dragons not having a lot of treasure lately, it's like they got smart and started putting it all in a bank."Pockets start pacing again thinking deeply about something.
"So if we really want to find the treasure we need a bank mission, not a dragon mission, think I'm on to something!"
"Now you're talkin'."
“Grimalki!” She moves in for a hug. “Love the piercing. Did Lash set you up with that? And no, I sleep just fine.”She leans back and looks into Grimalki’s eyes, concern etched on her face.
“Are you affected? I can help you.” She looks over he shoulder. “What about you Sovellis? Any bad dreams? Or do elves even dream?”
Grimalki, once again, accepts the hug with mild discomfort.
"I mean, I've had plenty of nightmares, but that isn't unusual for me. Haven't been any dragons in 'em either."
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Grimalki knows basically everything.
They know the information in the Idari handout (Where in the Universe) as well as that some of the Idari’s most famous landmarks are the Red Corridors, a sprawling urban neighborhood where laws aren’t often enforced, and the Sea of Grass, a lush wilderness contained inside the generation ship that is mostly occupied by farmers and field researchers.
The Sea of Grass’s outermost regions are generally safe, populated sparsely by farmers growing crops or ranching domesticated animals. The interior region is full of wild animals that can be dangerous. Communities in the Sea of Grass usually settle in the outer regions. The Vocation of Voices is one of the largest farming communities according to a recent census. They’re a group who reject technology in favor of an agrarian lifestyle, forming insular communities who only interact with wider society to sell their homemade goods and heirloom crops.
Over the last eight months, ten people have been reported missing while visiting the Sea of Grass. Based on normal statistics for the area, that’s an unusually high number. All the cases are still unsolved. Rumors spread among the people of the Red Corridors and Vocation of Voices suggest that those communities might have lost people too, but most of those disappearances haven’t been officially reported or thoroughly investigated since both communities distrust the Doyenate and ship security.
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"Captain Imma Elotok Hin Xingothu," Salamazarin reads aloud as she scans the First Seeker's message again. She pronounces the unfamiliar name carefully, practicing it so she can recite it more easily later. "Captain of the Idari. Yes, definitely an honor. Let's try to make a good impression, hmm?"
With that in mind, she spends much of the rest of the shuttle ride cheerfully inspecting her armor and other gear to make sure it's clean, shiny, and in good repair.
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The door to the shuttle’s meeting space opens and a light female voice squees from the hallway.
“SOVEY!!”
A feychild gnome beelines through door, headed straight for Sovellis. The weave of bright red hair bounces off her back as she squashes into him with a hug.
Words fall out of her mouth in a bounding jumble.
...
“Has Grimalki checked in yet? I haven’t seen her lately.” ...
Nippostia's tumultuous arrival begins a casacade of questions and subsequent arrivals that leave no time for the elf to answer fittingly. He can barely nod a greeting and give newcomers his name, before the next team member interjects. Sovellis is pleased to meet Nixxer, and glad to see Grimalki again. During the remainder of the trip he tries to tie up the hanging threads in coversation the best he can.
'As for dreams -- elves do not sleep in the way most humanoids do, but we still require a period of rest for mental refreshment. In that time we may simply look inward, experience visions, or revisit memories -- something very like dreams. In any event, Kanavu has not made good his threat. He does not haunt me."
"I wouldn't sell a dragon mission short, as long it is a live, true dragon. Our dragon was long dead, and a philosopher. Neither condition typically leads to wealth. The more I think on the other mission, the shadow dragon we fought was more shadow than dragon. "
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"Captain Imma Elotok Hin Xingothu," Salamazarin reads aloud as she scans the First Seeker's message again. She pronounces the unfamiliar name carefully, practicing it so she can recite it more easily later. "Captain of the Idari. Yes, definitely an honor. Let's try to make a good impression, hmm?"
With that in mind, she spends much of the rest of the shuttle ride cheerfully inspecting her armor and other gear to make sure it's clean, shiny, and in good repair.
Sovellis agrees with the sarcesian's assessment, and joins Salaxazarin to similarly prepare his armor and weapons in companionable silence.
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Upon arrival, your shuttle is cleared for landing near the Crucibles, where it receives a swift but thorough inspection by polite android and kasatha officials before you are cleared to disembark. Outside the spaceport, you find prearranged transit to the bridge: a 15-minute ride in a sleek urban cruiser followed by a guided trip through the Hub, a zero-gravity transport tube connecting all major areas of the vessel. You are led to the captain’s swanky stateroom, where she is currently on duty. First Seeker Ehu Hadif is already there when you arrive and greets you warmly. However, Captain Imma Elotok Hin Xogathu briefs you herself since she feels responsible for your actions aboard the Idari.
Welcome aboard the Idari, transport to the future New Kasath. I am Captain Imma Elotok Hin Xogathu. My friend—your First Seeker—speaks so highly of you! Please, take a seat and make yourselves comfortable. As she says this, Captain Xogathu gestures toward a plush seating area with furniture that molds to fit its occupant’s body comfortably.
I’ve always admired the Starfinder Society, she continues. You are a group of people with different traditions and beliefs all working together toward a common goal. When I heard about this problem, I thought, the Starfinders are exactly the kind of people who could solve this!
A farmer living in the southeastern Sea of Grass seeks his missing daughter. She’s only the latest of several to disappear in that part of the ship. It’s undeniable something is wrong, but the farmer is blaming his neighbors, an artist commune in the Red Corridors. The farmer, Cohomir, is demanding the Doyenate authorize a thorough search of the Red Corridors, but there’s no evidence linking the disappearance to that community.
You Starfinders are resourceful. Go meet Cohomir and find out more about his daughter’s disappearance. Visit the locals in the Red Corridors and learn their side of the story, too. Gather any evidence that might lead us to the missing and, if you can, bring them safely home.
Do you have any questions?
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"So if I got the plan right, we find the captain with the big name, Mazer does the talking, and I'll make sure the food is safe, this sandwich isn't going to last forever."
Pockets spends the rest of the trip inspecting the ship making sure it's working right. Sometimes Pockets can't be found as he takes a nap behind a maintenance panel.
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Salamazarin is perfectly polite to the inspectors, but once the team is allowed to disembark, she is glad to stretch her very long limbs during the brief walk to their transport. She watches the passing scenery curiously during the ride, and seems almost ecstatic in the zero-g of the Hub.
In the stateroom, the sarcesian returns the First Seeker's warm greetings, and politely greets Captain Xogathu. Mazer's background as an entertainer allows her to seem at ease despite their host's rank, though she remains carefully deferential at all times. When the group is seated, she chooses to sit cross-legged on some floor cushions instead of using the other seating, in order to put her head closer to the level of the two kasatha.
"What can you tell us about the other disappearances? And about this artist's commune that Cohomir blames?"
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"This area you call the sea of grass, sounds like that's where your farming is done here, is that a large open area? Half my relatives went missing never to be found after crossing large open areas without cover. Do you think there are any flying predators in there? What else can you tell us about the sea of grass?"
Pockets looks nervous just asking the question, as he looks around the room for the best places to hide.
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Nippostia sits in the offered chair, looking and acting like the professional counselor she is.
“Captain, it is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for inviting us aboard the Idari. We do not take this honor lightly.”
She listens to the captain’s outline of the issues and takes notes on her data pad. When the captain asks for questions, Nippostia raises her stylus.
“Captain, are the people in the Sea of Grass and the Red Corridor used to seeing non-Kasathans in their areas? Would it help our investigation if we followed the custom of covering our mouths while we're on board?”
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You are outsiders. Both the communities in the Red Corridors and in the Sea of Grass are also outsiders who diverge from the typical way of life here aboard the Idari. They don’t want agents of the Doyenate poking around their neighborhoods, but your presence won’t present the same kind of threat. Hopefully you can investigate without making things worse.
Some people leave the clans for another way of life, and it’s far better to let them go and allocate what space we can spare for their needs. The Vocation of Voices is one such community, and the people of the Red Corridors are another.
The Vocation of Voices are a few hundred souls who have chosen to embrace an earlier style of life. They farm the Sea of Grass, shun most forms of technology, and sell their homemade goods to other communities to pay for any supplies they can’t make on their homesteads. Some might find their lifestyle admirable, but I admit that being stuck on a plot of land would not appeal to me.
Cohomir is a member of the Vocation of Voices. His daughter, Nindir, is not the first to disappear, but this case has shaken up the entire community.
The Red Corridors are a network of city neighborhoods bordering the Sea of Grass. They don’t enforce our traditions from Kasath, instead offering a haven for artists, young people beginning their Tempering, and… criminals, if I’m being honest.
As for why they are at odds, I don’t know. Both groups value freedom and seek to live independently in their own ways. They have a lot in common, but their lifestyles are so different that they struggle to find any common ground. The farmers might sell their goods to people in the Red Corridors, but they aren’t friendly neighbors.
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”Yeah yeah, I say we go check out these Red Corridors. They might know somethin'.”
Nippostia shakes her head.
“The Captain asked us to start with Cohomir in the Vocation of Voices. She must have good reasons. If we go to the Red Corridors, we won’t have any idea where to begin looking. We have a starting point with Cohomir.”
Her smile turns into a friendly smirk aimed at the ysokis.
“Besides, a little outdoor time’ll be good for you two. Get some synthetic sun. Smell the fresh grass. You might discover a whole new class of interesting stuff just waiting for you...”
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After the briefing, Zye (female kasatha), a driver hired by the captain, drives you to where they want to go on the Idari. Zye has instructions to prioritize trips to the Red Corridors and Sea of Grass.
So the Sea of Grass is first.
Part of the Idari’s interior nature preserve, these rolling plains are home to tall grasses, scrub brush, and a variety of unique animals. One of the most common are the domesticated virix, long-legged, shaggy mammals farmed by the people who live here. The Vocation of Voices is a sprawling network of farms and thatched straw huts dotting the region’s southeastern territory, bordering the Lake of Memories.
Most buildings inside the Idari are made of glass and metal, with clean lines and sleek surfaces that mirror the outside of the ship. The buildings dotting these wide, grassy plains are simple structures built from all-natural materials. Most are thatched straw over stone foundations, and some are underground barrows covered in vegetation. Simple dirt roads wind between clusters of buildings and plots of farmland. Youngsters scurry down the streets between homesteads, chasing after livestock or playing, and people wave at them from porches and open windows as they pass by. Rickety wooden pens corral groups of shaggy, long-legged animals grazing on the lush grass.
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Grimalki is polite, but seems somewhat uncomfortable, and multiple times on the journey flinches when a guard gets too close.
She whispers to Nippostia a bit. "Is this what it's normally like going to a government office when they like you?""
The Sea of Grass is similarly unfamiliar to her, and she seems unsure of where to step.
"Right, we'll... go talk to Cohomir, see what he knows. It's weird being on this side of things."
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Salamazarin assures the Captain that they will endeavor to solve the mystery and, gods willing, improve relations between the two communities somewhat.
As they depart the briefing, the sarcesian seems to share Nippostia's amusement at the ysokis' paranoia. "If this place is truly a Sea of Grass, nobody is going to notice the two of you while when they can see the fourteen-foot scarecrow from a mile away."
Once they reach the Vocation of Voices, she watches the pastoral scene with open curiosity. As a native of the Diaspora, and an entertainer by training, she's spent very little time in such agrarian settings."Let's see if we can find someone who can direct us to Cohomir."
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Nixxer breathes a little easier once they're among the farms. Farmers are known for being naïve and trusting, and leaving all sorts of interesting bits of scrap to rust out in the sun (or the Idari's equivalent). He keeps an eye open for interesting finds to pocket as he strikes up a conversation with a local. "Heya! Me and my pals here are lookin' to help with the recent problems. Ya know Cohomir? Or anyone havin' a junk sale?"
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Grimalki whispers to Nippostia a bit. ”Is this what it's normally like going to a government office when they like you?"
Nippostia nods and whispers back, hoping her voice doesn’t carry. “It is! Kinda nice, right?”
After Zye drops off the team at the Sea of Grass, Nip skips toward a nearby meadow and kneels in the lush grass.
“It’s been sooooo long! I haven’t seen this much nature in forever.”
She bends closeto the grass and inhales deeply.
“Such sweet nature. You can almost taste the color it’s so intense. Wonderful!”
Nip stands back up and follows Nixxer to the farm, sliding slightly in front of him as he starts speaking to the farmer.
“Hello! Yes, what my friend was starting to say is do you know a member of the Vocation of Voices who is called Cohomir?”
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Grimalki whispers to Nippostia a bit. ”Is this what it's normally like going to a government office when they like you?"Nippostia nods and whispers back, hoping her voice doesn’t carry. “It is! Kinda nice, right?”
"It's weird. I don't like being this... trusting."
She does her best to help, but it's clear she's not generally a diplomat. "We're, uh, we're looking to help with the disappearances. Would you know where we can find him?"
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"Hello there!" Salamazarin says, hailing some of the farmers. She's careful to keep her friendly wave small and restrained, to smile without showing too much teeth, and to squat somewhat, all to make her size appear less threatening. "Would you be so kind as to direct us to Coromir's house? Or wherever else we might find him this time of day?"
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You locate Cohomir rather quickly. Locals are wary but courteous toward
strangers, and after a few minutes of talking, they are eager to offer you their hospitality—a wheel of farm-fresh virix cheese, hot sweetgrass tea, and homespun wool hats.
When you find him he is tending his herd of virix, a long legged grass-eating animal farmed for its milk. You can make him friendly towards you with Diplomacy to make an impression, or a Life Science, Survival, or appropriate profession check to demonstrate knowledge of farming or nature. Offering to help out by doing two hours of hard labour is also a potential success.
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Pockets takes one bite of the cheese, and throws out his sandwich, then takes another bite from the cheese as he talks
"Wow this is good cheese, Nixxer have you tried this cheese? I love this cheese, best cheese I've ever had."
Pockets starts pacing in circles again thinking.
"Ok I got it, think I solved the issue with people disappearing, someone is after the cheese, were the people disappearing working with cheese?"
Pockets finally stops pacing
"I'd like to help out and make sure your cheese is safe, I mean the people working on the cheese. If you don't mind I'd like to do a safety inspection of the cheese farm and its equipment, if you throw in another slice of cheese. I'll even tune up all of your farm equipment I inspect it. I have to say this is the best cheese! Nixxer am I right? Best cheese ever."
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Salamazarin is duly gracious for the information and the gifts, even the hat which is comically undersized for her. Perhaps she'll save it in case she ever has children?
When they find Cohomir, she tries to put him at ease by explaining that they are Starfinders. Their First Seeker was born aboard the Idari, so is concerned about the recent troubles here.