Starfinder! You've been summoned for a mission briefing aboard the Gentle Gesture, a Starfinder Society ship currently orbiting Aballon. When you get to the conference room, you see it presently contains only your fellow field agents sitting across from you at the round obsidian table.
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Chorizal is about as far from shy, little and ysoki as you can get. A big, loud, reptilian warrior who has exactly no compunctions about telling anyone just how great he is.
"Hey there, pal. Name's Chorizal, I'm here to stab people and make them rethink their life choices," he says boisterously to the ysoki.
His armor has way too many insignia on it - Starfinder, Order of the Pike Hellknight and some obscure symbol that is a sword over a sun. One might question where his loyalties lie and if they lie with anyone.
A machine gun that has been attached to a glaive by a number of clamps, wires and tape is strapped to his back. Or maybe the glaive has been attached to the machine gun. It's hard to tell.
"What do you do?"
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A vaguely humanoid creature with a plantlike body and four long vines in place of arms enters the room. Its head is a mottled orange color and has no obvious features, so you have no idea if it may be looking at you at any given time. It walks slowly around the table, one appendage grazing the back of each chair until it finds an unoccupied one and has a seat.
You hear a voice in your heads. <Greetings. I am Kosigan. I believe I have been selected for my adaptable nature and ability to withstand harm - though I have to admit, I did not exemplify the latter in my most recent mission. It will please me to work with you all.>
Noting a familiar presence, it then communicated directly with Chorizal. <It is good to adventure with you once more. Perhaps this mission will not flood our roots quite so much.>
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Deep in the Akiton wasteland, a large, furry mountain of a figure sits tucked in his shelter, sipping tea and playing cards with a crew of Ysoki scrappers. Outside, yet another dust storm rages, but inside, all are content to wait it out, itching to return to the wreckage of a mysterious Gap-era starship, one of many that litter the planet’s red surface, remnants of a battle no one remembers from a time history itself has forgotten.
Nearby, a crate holds a carefully catalogued collection of culturally significant relics, tagged and stacked with almost reverent care. Specimen jars line a shelf beside them, each containing a hardy grass or thorned plant, survivors of this harsh world, natural aquifers in disguise.
When the signal finally comes, the bear sighs. Time to break camp. He’ll need to drop off his archaeological and botanical finds and rendezvous with the Starfinders. The Ysoki, meanwhile, will rumble back to their yard in their beat-up hovertruck, hoping today’s salvage holds something rare, valuable enough to change their luck.
***
The 11-foot koala, clad in sand-scoured armour and bristling with weapons, chomps a cigar and scratches behind one ear as he sizes up the assembled group. "Ahh, Chorizal" he rumbles with amused fondness "Not a diplomatic mission, then. No Space Admiral this time?" he looks across to the Ysoki "Hello again Twich, maybe we get to stay dry this time"
He pulls out an enormous thermos, flips the lid, and produces a few battered camping cups. A strong black tea—steaming and speckled with unfamiliar leaves—sloshes into each "Anyone else?" he offers, raising the thermos in invitation. He then looks at Kosigan with an appraising eye, and then at his tea... "We haven't met" - there's no mistaking the impression the oversized teddybear is contemplating at least a small nibble.
Beside him, a slightly battered medical bot totters up, medkit clutched in its spindly arms. Without a word, it finds a wall port, plugs itself in, and begins to recharge with a quiet hum.
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"Nice to see you again, Kosigan," Chorizal says, then hesitates, contemplating if that was offensive given the plant's unique way of sensing the world.
He decides to continue, anyway. "Yeah, I don't love swimming. Or the cold. Or getting a disease from an undead bite. So, hopefully, this mission won't have any of that."
As Blinky comes in, Chorizal stands taller and puffs himself up a bit. It isn't often that he's not the biggest around and just how much larger the bear man is unsettles the vesk. Still, it's nice to have a bigger target and one that he knows can dish out pain around.
"That's another thing I don't love. Diplomacy. So, hopefully there's not a lot of chit chatting, either."
He accepts the tea gratefully and takes a sip before answering the last question. "You know, it's been a while since I've seen the Space Admiral. We got sent on separate missions and haven't been reunited. I really ought to give him a call."
Your introductions are interrupted by the entrance of First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo and a white-and-brown furred ysoki who wears a fine black suit with matching black vest and tie.
“Thank you for meeting with us, Starfinders, Luwazi says. "Let me introduce you to our guest, a priest of Lao Shu Po who believes he can help us with our current public relations problems. His name is Biter.” Luwazi sits down while attempting to stifle the hint of an amused smile.
The well-dressed ysoki shoots a sidelong glance at Luwazi: “Hello! Yes, I am Biter, acolyte of Grandmother Rat. My sect is aware of the horrible, yet oddly efficient, attacks on the character of your Society and the negative spin you’ve been getting in the press across the Pact Worlds. I’m sure you’ve figured out that these attacks can be traced back to a single ysoki named Datch. I come offering a tool to help you solve your problem with her. My master, a very resourceful fellow, would like to offer this tool to you--”
“In exchange for?” Luwazi’s smile fades.
Biter laughs as if Luwazi had just told an excellent joke: “Your friendship, of course. Grandmother Rat is all about resourcefulness and making the most of things. Our sect is no friend of Datch, and she seems to be no friend of yours, so why wouldn’t we help you? We just need to make sure that we’re giving this tool to capable friends who will know what to do with it. That’s why my master would like you all to undergo a few trials to prove you’re ready for what we have to offer. I’ll guide you on a short journey to my master’s starship in the Shadow Plane, where he will test your abilities. I will act as your guide along the way, answering questions and observing your progress. This should be simple, considering the reputations of Starfinder agents.”
After an uncomfortable pause, Luwzai adds: “Whatever they’re planning to put you through, it’s likely dangerous. I won’t lie: the Society could use a weapon to fight against Datch. Every good deed we do is twisted to look like a selfish act. Every historical find gets shrouded in allegations of damage to cultures or planets. Right now, we can’t even defend ourselves against physical attacks without being painted as an aggressive paramilitary force. We need something to fight back with.”
She sighs. “I won’t force you to go,” Luwazi says after pausing a moment to compose herself. “Lao Shu Po and her followers have an infamous reputation as assassins, spies, and thieves. What you’re being asked to do is likely quite dangerous, and I’m offering you this choice only because you’re some of my best agents. If you decide to go, Biter can bring you to his master’s ship through a planar gateway we recently secured on Aballon, in the Gullet Ice Well. He’s also promised transportation back to Starfinder headquarters on Absalom Station. Do you have any questions before accepting or denying this mission?”
Biter considers Twich's question for a moment, and then says: “I can’t tell you what to expect, but I can tell you that Grandmother expects her grandchildren to be resourceful and to survive against all odds. My master will expect the same from you. Bring your wit, your resilience, and your versatility. Leave your honor and your courage at home. Those will only get you killed.”
• 10+: Lao Shu Po, or Grandmother Rat, is the goddess of the night and those who would shroud their activities in darkness. She’s a neutral evil goddess, strongly associated with rats due to their resilience and resourcefulness.
• 15+: Often called the patron of the ysoki race, most ysoki pay respect to her for no other reason than to avoid her notice. Her symbol is a curled and emaciated rat.
You know the following about the Shadow Plane:
• 15+: As the name would suggest, the Shadow Plane is a dark and twisted reflection of the Material Plane. Locations on the Shadow Plane are often distorted versions of a similar locale on the material Plane, such as Shadow Absalom Station.
• 20+: A strange dim light barely illuminates much of the plane without any apparent source. Additional light tends to shift this gloom, but it has a hard time penetrating the abundant darkness. The range of any light source is halved.
Kosigan will share its knowledge telepathically - again, with only the other Starfinders.
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Blinky takes a hot minute to scroll his datapad and check his notes.
Culture - take 20 = 40.
Mysticism
"I agree with Chorizal, we are an aggressive paramilitary force - I mean have they looked at the Master of Stars and the rest of our battle fleet? That's not a cruise ship - go ask the Jinsul" Blinky shrugs before taking another slug of tea. "Sounds like we have a mission here, I'm interested in seeing the ship just from an academic standpoint - I'm sure they won't ask us to do anything I haven't had to do in the past"
Seeing the Starfinders are remarkably agreeable, Biter smiles widely, showing an array of sharpened teeth. "Excellent! We can leave when the sun falls on Gullet--in about three hours. That should be long enough to gather your belongings. If all goes well, you’ll be back before dawn."
You know the following about Lao Shu Po:
• 10+: Lao Shu Po, or Grandmother Rat, is the goddess of the night and those who would shroud their activities in darkness. She’s a neutral evil goddess, strongly associated with rats due to their resilience and resourcefulness.
• 15+: Often called the patron of the ysoki race, most ysoki pay respect to her for no other reason than to avoid her notice. Her symbol is a curled and emaciated rat.
• 20+: Lao Shu Po often embodies three aspects, which in turn become her primary areas of worship: the assassin, the spy, and the thief.
• 25+: Silent Strike is a one-eyed master of assassins. He trains assassins from the Executioners’ Nest, a starship dedicated to Lao Shu Po that traverses space on the Shadow Plane. Silent Strike is known to be a brutal and unforgiving instructor. He takes only three candidates every 6 years, one for each of Lao Shu Po’s aspects.
• 30+: At the end of their training, students receive a final trial to murder their fellow acolytes. The survivor is given a new name in the priesthood and allowed to return to whatever life they wish, enriched by Lao Shu Po’s teachings.
You know the following about the Shadow Plane:
• 15+: As the name would suggest, the Shadow Plane is a dark and twisted reflection of the Material Plane. Locations on the Shadow Plane are often distorted versions of a similar locale on the material Plane, such as Shadow Absalom Station.
• 20+: A strange dim light barely illuminates much of the plane without any apparent source. Additional light tends to shift this gloom, but it has a hard time penetrating the abundant darkness. The range of any light source is halved.
• 25+: Creatures from the Shadow Plane there tend to recoil from light and fire, but producing these through magic is difficult. Conversely, shadow effects are enhanced on the Shadow Plane (inform the PCs of the mechanical effects).
Although Luwazi clearly doesn't trust Biter and is reluctant to let you go on such a dangerous mission, she knows you're capable . . . and assistance in dealing with Datch is urgent. She wishes you luck, and adds a reminder to watch your backs--both figuratively and literally!
A Starfinder shuttle takes you and Biter to Aballon’s Gullet Ice Well. After descending to the bottom of a cylindrical pit, Biter disembarks onto stable, high-tech scaffolding standing in a pool of water and surrounding a submerged pit, black as midnight. He beckons you to follow him as he pulls the statue of a small rat from an inside coat pocket and starts to walk around the scaffolding.
After reaching the lowest platform, Biter stops and whispers something.
When he finishes, the waters start to gently swirl into a whirlpool at the center of the dark pit: “After you,” says Biter in Common, gesturing towards the now-swirling vortex.
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Perc
Blinky is too busy looking around to notice much, however, he does note the prayer uttered by the ysoki and relays it telepathically to his companions, “Lead me into the darkest night./Giver us cover of your shadow/So we may learn your wicked bite/In the darkness of your burrow.”
Blinky then softly utters the same prayer in Ysoki, looks at the swirling water, and then the enormous bear lowers himself in.
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Noticing subtle cues isn't something Chorizal does. Just ask his ex-girlfriends.
Praying also isn't something he does.
Complaining...well, sometimes he does do that.
"I'm almost certain I was promised no water!" he grumbles.
Yet, after Blinky and Twich have gone through, he holds his breath (though he's got his environmental seals on) and jumps in after them.
When you enter the well, you feel a great pulling sensation dragging you down into a dark abyss. After what feels like falling for minutes, your feet suddenly find the solid ground of a squeaky metal grate--in an interior chamber of a starship!
Biter is the last to arrive on the ship and lands without making a sound. He immediately turns to a small wooden altar in the back of the room and snuffs out one of the candles with his fingers. After a moment of silence, he asks, “Would you care to pay your respects?” indicating the handful of lit candles still on the altar.
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Chorizal falls long enough that he gets worried about the landing. Though he's relieved when he doesn't splatter on a hard surface, that nervousness remains and he immediately unlimbers the dragonglaive/x-gen gun combi-weapon he's made.
And he's got a scowl cued up for Biter when he finally lands. "Hey! Showing up last to the hot zone isn't exactly the way to instill trust in strangers."
The scowl just extends as his talks about paying respects. Chorizal isn't doing anything symbolic that might be magic without understanding it first. Not in this place.
Biter waits for a moment, and then motions towards the exit. "After you," he says with a disconcerting smile.
This large octagonal chamber features several three-foot-high walls arranged in various patterns. Each wall features a large set of sliding double doors. All doors are surrounded with dim red lights except for the fore doors, which are open and display dim blue lights.
Once you've all made you way into the chamber, including Biter, the forward and aft doors abruptly shut and the lights around them turn red! Over the ship’s intercom booms the voice of a ysoki, patient and precise: “This is Silent Strike. You’ve come here, at my request, to prove yourselves worthy of my assistance. I assume you are expecting an ambush. You expect this is all an elaborate setup. Very well, let us begin by meeting your expectations.”
Suddenly the light around the forward-port doors turn blue and the doors open, revealing two cat-like creatures with five legs, bat-like ears, a long snout, and covered in thick hair. A moment later, all lights in the room extinguish, plunging the entire room into total darkness!
Initiative (Round 1)
Chorizal
Blinky
Creatures (Sickened)
Twich
Kosigan
Bold should go!
Blinky easily traverses the low walls to close with the five-legged foes, but his haymaker misses the mark!
Chorizal rushes forward, the illumination from his flashlight suppressed by the omnipresent darkness. But still, the light seems to confuse and further enrage the furry creatures. They instinctively snap powerful jaws at the Starfinders!
Initiative (Round 1)
Chorizal
Blinky
Creatures (Sickened, Blinded1)
Twich
Kosigan
Bold should go!
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With the other Starfinders bracketing the enemies, Kosigan won't be able to hit them both with its line weapon. It moves closer, uses a nanite surge to change what gun it has equipped and tries to figure out what it is, then takes a shot at the one to the south.
vs. EAC
If that hits, Kosigan will use a reaction to cause 1d6 bleed (DC 20 Fort negates).
Acid starts bubbling on one of chambers low walls as Kosigan's transformed rifle fires a touch too low!
Twich's force missiles slam into one of the creatures!
Initiative (Round 2)
Chorizal
Blinky
Creatures (Sickened, dazzled1)
Twich
Kosigan
Bold should go!
Blinky and Chorizal work together, slashing and stabbing the furry creatures! But the ferocious beasts don't back down!