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Just idle curiosity. But I should be frank with you, my friends. There are legitimate threats to Anduwar already at our door. War is brewing. Offworld rebels and spies from Agrishall stoke unrest and turn our own people against the Cloud Imperium. They aim to weaken us before they attack—shatter our bonds of community, sow doubt, and nurture discontent. Then, they will act. Elthel is old, and I know she comes off as shrewd, but in her heart, she’s nothing but a naive idealist. She doesn’t understand how deep tensions run in Anduwar. She doesn’t see that her plans will get this city and its people crushed in the coming war. Agrishall is not our ally. They never were. We don’t have peace; we have a détente—one that Agrishall will soon end. Elthel’s deluding herself. If we don’t act against Agrishall and these rebels soon, Anduwar will fall.
"Look," Pon starts seriously, "we are not here to engage with the political climate here. It is not our business, both in the literal sense or the metaphorical sense. We are here only to engage with your history. We will not spin, twist, or otherwise alter anything. If your intent is to try to get us to engage in any other way, that is neither our job, nor our methodology. I do not mean this in a hostile, nor malicious way. Think of us like a datapad or a pistol, you would not request action from a datapad nor pistol. You would not beseech the tools to assist with your situation."
"And," Pon continues, "if you were to follow us as we do what we do, I see no issue. Though it has been known for trouble to find us, so following at a safe distance would likely be wise. As far as I know, we are under no directives to avoid being followed."
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Sense Motive
A new hover truck quietly glides up to the scene, it seems to have an expanded crew-cab in the front and the markings suggest the vehicle is a medical platform or ambulance.
Out steps a furry 11' Koala -looking mountain covered in sand-scoured armour and weapons chomps his cigar and rubs behind an ear stops to read his datapad. A small slightly weathered-looking medical bot carrying a medkit accompanies the giant bear.
The giant koala nods as he looks at the three Starfinders "Hey, I just got the brief, you needed an archaeological specialist for this trip - I'm here to help"
He looks up at the non-starfinder giant "Sorry to intrude, is your business concluded here? I just need to get an update from this new team, didn't mean to interrupt" the Bear offers, polite but clearly on a task and not keen to wait around/
Pon interjects, "Probably. This person mentioned a name we did not mention during a minor political rant. They clearly intend to keep themselves appraised of what we do." He then shrugs, "It matters little. We are headed to two locations to gather resources before going to the third location. We are probably going to be followed by other people as we go because this place is a political powder keg."
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Well, it's easy enough to shake her in a hover truck. Just before you drive off, she gives you directions and as a sign of good faith, she gives you a [i]mrk 2 diffraction cloak[/b] and a [i]mrk 3 ring of resistance[i] 'courtesy of of High Marshall Taviss.
You’ve allied yourself with the wrong side, Starfinders. Elthel is a fool. High Marshall Taviss is the only hope Anduwar has. Wouldn’t you rather be on the right side of the coming war? Tell me what Elthel asked of you. When your exploration of the ruins is complete, provide me with a full report and any data you collect. Wait a few hours and I’ll return your data. Then report to Elthel. Easy. You’ve nothing to lose. You would do the same, if it was your home that was at risk.
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Blinky asides to his passenger as he drives "Sometimes we don't get a choice" the bear shrugs "Try working in academia, the egos and politics is insane. I'd prefer to socialise with the Jinsul"
"Rules of the truck, ask before adjusting the aircon or the tunes on the stereo - and always share road snacks. There's some tea in a thermos in the glovebox, don't mind the leaves floating in it - plenty safe"
"So what's the first pick up?"
"Here" Pon responds, swiping a finger across his datapad screen toward Blinky, "Expedition Emporium. I already looked it up on the infosphere." Blinky's truck's computer chirps in notification.
Pon then turns to the rest, "History is history. That is our job. Whether peoples can handle what we find is not our problem. Plus, I have yet to have such a close tie to the start of a war." He then adds with an excited smile, "This is exciting."
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"Indeed, I'm just there to find the facts and understand what took place"
"Expedition Emporium? With a name like that, you just know they will try gouging shoppers with overly marked-up prices on over-rated consumer and hobbyist-grade adventure wear. YOu see all those people walking around wearing Southface jackets and you just know they haven't ventured past the watercooler at the office"
Blinky keeps following the on-car navigation system to the store, occasionally looking at any POIs on the heads-up display as they pass them "Reckon they have a Mumma Fats Bodega dumpling franchise out here?"
"Mumma Fats?" Pon asks, tilting his head quizzically.
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"Yeah the Bodega- noodles and dumplings, real family friendly joints. Owned by ysoki but dont let that fool you, the serving seizes are generous and the food cheap an tasty. They opened up on level 21 of the Downlow on Absalom Station"
"I hope there is a car park nearby, or I'll just tell the truck to keep doing laps and come back to pick us up"
"Ha!" Pon laughs and then shrugs. "Does not surprise me we are being followed," he says nonchalantly.
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You lose your tail in the crowds.
When you arrive at Expedition Emporium, where Ethel asked you to speak with the owner, you are greeted by Gyli Bakmor, a female hill giant. Gyli has the broad shoulders and square jaw of a former marine. Her neatly kept, minimalist appearance evinces decades of training and readiness, though the slightest of sags in her belly and the graying of her short-cropped hair betray that it’s been years since she’s seen any real action.
She is initially suspicious of you until you pass on Ethel's message.
of Gyli’s collar. Culture check for it's meaning.
To get her talking, you need to Impress her with Culture (to show Gyli the customary respect due to a local veteran), Survival (to assure Gyli of
their competency) Athletics/Acrobatics (to demonstrate physical prowess), Diplomacy(to convince her to speak) or a Profession check with a suitable profession, such as first responder or soldier to recount an old war story
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Athletics
Blinky just moves his (relatively) large frame into the store, small by Giant standards, but a furry mountain by human standards.
"I'm an archaeologist and survival expert by trade, and with sound medical knowledge and my own emergency vehicle, so this bear can be grilled on a lot of topics" he comments as he flexes a bicep drinking his strong tea from a thermos.
"I heard word that you took part in the war. It is my understanding that it was intense..."
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With Cuture 22+ you know that the pin is associated with followers of Forgotten, a seer who knows many secrets buried by the Cloud Imperium, and who is slowly rallying support through underground meetings.
Gyli relaxes a bit and settles into a large chair against the wall opposite the door. She pours herself a drink, offering you a keg-sized mug of hard liquor as well.
Back in the day I was in the Pholskar Frontier Forces. One night we were patrolling Talgradur and I was monitoring the sonar in the combat information center. Everything was quiet as we made our way through the heart of the Talgradur ruins, when suddenly a seaquake shook the area and a massive sonar contact appeared, moving directly at us! Gyli takes a long sip of her drink. The skipper ordered an emergency crash dive and we just barely scraped past that thing, whatever it was. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone—off into the ruins somewhere. We searched for hours but never saw it again. I had heard tales of giant sea monsters haunting the old ruins, but the old salts telling them were usually three sheets to the wind! It’s hard to write them off now, though, once you’ve seen something the size of a sub suddenly appear and disappear deep within the wreckage of Talgradur.
"Into the ruins you say? I hope the ruins you are talking about are not the same ruins we are headed to."
"Oh! Also," Pon adds, "Ethel said that if we find the supplies we were looking for, whichever shop owner should contact her about it."
"Do you have any datapads?"
"Well, if you have any my size, I'd like three of them," Pon says as he holds up three fingers.
"Thank you, and thank you," Pon replies as he quickly checks the datapads. "Oh, and again, Ethel requests that those whom we get supplies from, get in contact with her. I do not know why, just that was her request."
"Do you have an underwater knife?"
"Oh, and a hydrojet?"