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Qimok just needs a brief rest rather than medical attention, so he joins Keskodai in cleaning the crumbling remains of the mummy out of the armor, then helps the shirren don and adjust it. When they're finished, the skittermander soldier comments, "Good idea, nufriend Keskodai. Everything else of interest seems to be beyond there, so let's not risk leaving any surprises between us and the exit."
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This leads into the large warehouse.
Many shelves in this warehouse hold samples, models, crates, and construction materials. Others are bare or contain only the remnants of packing materials or fastenings. Empty and half‑empty containers clutter the area near a haphazardly parked forklift. Weld marks and burns scar some of the floor, and the wall paneling has been torn off in places, revealing severed wires and broken electrical connections.
Suddenly a flash grenade is thrown from a hiding spot, that explodes, accompanied by an individual shouting I'll never join them
"Which them are you talking about? We're not from around here, perhaps we can help if you stop throwing grenades at us."
Keskodia responds by casting Hold Person on Khendai DC 19 will save negates
"Will you just chill out?"
Keskodia looks at the goo all over his clothing.
"Look at what you did to my clothing, what's wrong with you? We haven't even tried to attack you.
Keskoidia tries to seem non-threatening.
"Is there any food around here? I'm getting hungry. You wouldn't happen to be Khendai?"
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Raia calls in the direction of the grenade thrower. "We will retreat. Please don't attack us any more."
More quietly, to the group she adds, "I have a plan. It's expensive in spells, but I think it may be worth it to get close to Khendai."
Raia steps back through the doorway, but stays where she can look through.
Outloud
"Retreating sounds like a good idea. Giving Khendai more space might help them realise we are not trying to hurt them. Khendai, did you hear that we were not trying to hurt you?"
Telipathically
"I'm trying but moving a bit slow, entangled in this goo."
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Qimok retreats to the corridor, our of Kendrai's line of sight, to listen to Raia's plan. He volunteers to be the one to grapple Kendrai if the others can't talk them down.
As the Starfinders plot telepathically, the skittermander exits his powered armor so that he can be more easily (and quietly!) levitated. That leaves Qimok in just the second skin armor that he wears as a flight suit, but he seems unconcerned about being less protected. He re-dons just one weapon from his arsenal: his enchanted pike, in case he needs to use it to knock Kendrai off the stack of boxes.
Keskodai follows Qimok to the corridor
Telepathiclly
"I could try to distract Kendrai while cast spells, and you get into position?"
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"I'm going to cast invisibility on me first, Qimok, then on you. We'll hold hands to keep track of each other while we walk to the crates. At the bottom of the crates, I'll cast levitate on myself and fly on you. We'll hold hands going up until we reach the top of the crates. Then pull me onto the top of the crate, and when you let go of my hand we'll rush him."
The rest of you be ready to rush in and help once we're visible."
Keskodia moves north as far away from Kendrai as possible before using a shelf for cover to move directly north of Kendrai, then tries to talk to Kendrai again.
"Don't shoot, we just want to talk, we are looking for someone named Rasheen, have you seen or heard of them?
Is there anything we can learn about Kendrai from Mysticism or Life Science?
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That's what we'll do if Keskodai's new line of questioning doesn't work.
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Hold person, might be just the thing, Keskodai.
Keskodia moves north as far away from Kendrai as possible before using a shelf for cover to move directly north of Kendrai, then tries to talk to Kendrai again."Don't shoot, we just want to talk, we are looking for someone named Rasheen, have you seen or heard of them?
Is there anything we can learn about Kendrai from Mysticism or Life Science?
[dice=Mysticism]1d20 + 21
[dice=Life Science]1d20 + 13
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And .... it works. Kendrai is subdued and you explain the situation. Kendrai asks for a ride back to civilisation and tells you what they know of the complex (areas A3, A4, A5, A6, and A8)
The warehouse is stocked with rare building materials from dozens of remote worlds—stone, wood, decorative tiles, and other more exotic materials. Rishni allows you to fill their cargo hold with a selection of these materials.
Kendrai is also able to reconnect with her friend Rishni. Rishni recommends she contacts the CEO of Corbosi Inc., pointing out that Khendai never resigned or retired, and is still entitled to the company’s benefits package (and over a century of back pay). She records a message explaining the situation to the current corporate leadership and requesting assistance for Khendai.
The only room you haven't yet entered is the 'staff room'.
Elaborate stone sarcophagi line the walls of this narrow chamber. One black, angular sarcophagus has been modified, with irregular cables and erratic welds connecting it to an external power source. Underneath the alterations, engravings of chains are still visible. The other sarcophagi are a blend of styles—one incorporates an elaborate circuit board inlaid with silver and enameled with vivid green and violet; another imitates a ship burial, with an effigy of a dwarf in a boat-shaped coffin of polished hardwood; while another features a stylized engraving of a woman with a lion’s head in a desert oasis.
motifs from a nation or region of lost Golarion. Before Khendai’s modifications, their sarcophagus represented the ominous tombs of Nidal, while Rishni’s is quite obviously Osirian.
As with the pedestals in the museum foyer, scanning the bases of a sarcophagus yields computer records of the employee contained within. Rishni and four other employees are listed as retired. Khendai and one other employee, the android Keystone, are listed as missing. Rishni’s records show she won more “employee of the month” awards than anyone else in the history of Corbosi Incorporated. Khendai’s listed specialties include materials science and mechanical engineering, while Keystone is described as an expert in 3D modeling and hybrid technology.
The sarcophagi are works of art, and scans of them have historical value. The personnel records are valuable to Corbosi Inc.—they explain the disappearance of Khendai and Keystone, who were both relatively young and could’ve had long, productive careers had Dortay not interred them to upload their minds into her mausoleum.
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Qimok is pleased when Kendrai is subdued without incident, and seems touched when they are reunited with their friend Rishni.
The skittermander needs to have some of the details of Corbosi's HR arrangements explained to them in simpler terms, but their overall reaction is ill-concealed outrage at Dortay's vile treatment of the others who worked here.
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Qimok is pleased when Kendrai is subdued without incident, and seems touched when they are reunited with their friend Rishni.
The skittermander needs to have some of the details of Corbosi's personnel practices explained to them in simpler terms, but their overall reaction is ill-concealed outrage at Dortay's betrayal of trust towards the others who worked here.
After Kendrai finally calms down.
"I did mention we just wanted to talk a few times... Glad it all worked out in the end."
Seeing Qimok's outrage at Dortay.
"I think Dortay will get the judgment they deserve, I'm sure The Lady of Graves will be glad to see this one put to rest."
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At the mention of Rasheen, Rishni permits you to access the mausoleum’s communications logs, which include the coordinates of an intermittent long-range signal. This signal began broadcasting shortly before the completion of the mausoleum and is the next beacon Rasheen placed to indicate her intended course. Rishni also coolly replies that she is aware the famous treasure hunter sought an invitation to tour the mausoleum but was denied.
Rishni also offers you information on the AI ascension process. The files include schematics and algorithms for the upload sarcophagi, as well as a detailed program of meditation, including breath control and biofeedback, necessary for the transference of consciousness, without which the process has no effect.
And, that's basically it. When you leave, you can take Kendrai to Absalom Station and report to Radazam. Radaszam is ecstatic and immediately sets a team to work decoding the beacon’s signal. First Seeker Ehu Hadif recommends you bring Khendai to Respite, a therapy and support center on the grounds of the Lorespire Complex, so Khendai can receive the support and care they need to overcome their trauma and move on with their life.
You get both Reputation points as well as 1 additional with Acquisitives, and one additional with Second Seeker (Ehu Hadif).
After the mission, Keskodia meets Jek at Slices and Dices! after Jek finishes a maintenance shift, Keskodia tells Jek all about the adventure.
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Qimok spends his downtime on Absalom Station training new Starfinders in military exercises and hand-to-hand combat.
At one point during these lessons, Qimok stages an exhibition match for his students, and invites teammates from past missions to watch as well. The match pits the skittermander against a massive, musclebound shobhad--a long-time friend and rival from the arenas of Akiton. Both wield merciful weapons for safety reasons, but fight no less fiercely. It's a close and exciting match, with both warriors giving and receiving many punishing blows, but Qimok prevails in the end. His large friend accepts the loss with good grace, and the skittermander helps soften the sting of defeat with generous amounts of drink at Seeker's Respite afterwards.
I'm ready for Chronicles.
When to start? I'm fine starting with what the group decides. Taking the weekend off would be nice. Another thought is, do we want to delay to be able to run this as part of Gameday XIV?