Understandable, Nex. Best wishes. I certainly enjoyed the game. See you around on the boards.
Search Posts
"Alright. I'll take point since I'm better armored than the rest of you..." Tylur offers, "Stay alert...and if anything dangerous shows up, take cover until we can get a tactical read on it and decide how to deal with it..."
FYI...I'm traveling Monday thru Wednesday. Unsure of my internet access, so please move me along, as appropriate.
"It's a bit more than just a statue," Tylur remarks, "Those outbuildings must have served a purpose in the past, but now they might be home to more threats. Not that I'm paranoid, because everything we've seen since coming to this continent has tried to kill us..." "Lefty? Dee? Can you spot anything moving down there with your scopes?"
"You think there's any truth to those notes?" Tylur asks, "If it absorbed illnesses back in the day...you know, with some kind of residual magic that we can still activate...maybe it could cure Ahri?" He looks at Dee and Sybil as the resident experts on spellcraft. "It might be worth checking out, at least. After all, I'm not sure how much longer that med-kit is going to last us..."
"Unfortunately we have lost Ralkawi." Tylur hears Dee's announcement and says nothing, his face an impassive mask even as he tightens his grip on his rifle. He glances at Ahri and notes her condition has visibly worsened, mentally gauging how much she'll slow them down and the odds that she'll meet a similar fate. 'This is why the kidnappers left Ralkawi behind,' he muses. His mind wanders back to similar times among the mercenaries on Akiton. One petty war after another between factions and corporations picked off friends and family one at a time. 'I guess that's the life of a soldier...even when I try to start over...' "Sybil...Lefty? Keep an eye on Choi. Do what you can for her..." he finally states, "I'll see if I can dig a grave for Ralkawi..."
"Well...we don't have to trust her to save her life," Tylur dryly comments after Dee shares her insights into the Cult of the Devourer, "We're not judge, jury, and executioner, after all...despite our little stint being deputized back in the city. The way I see it, even prisoners of war deserve fair treatment." The big soldier looks over at the weakened lashunta. "Not that that's what you are, Ralkawi." He sits up and leans forward from the tree where he'd been resting. "Look, lady, we really don't know you any better than a vesk, now do we? But, as far as I see it...your friends...if that's what they ever really were...left you behind to die. Probably because they figured you were going to slow them down. And yet, here we are, making an effort to save you and Dr. Solstarni. So, I'd say that gives you a second chance. And yes, you could take that second chance and try to kill us or betray us or whatever." He looks hard at Ralkawi and puts a bit more steel into his voice to get his point across. "I can assure you, that wouldn't go well for you. We don't go down easy. And if you want to die that way instead, it'll be the last choice you ever make." "But...on the other hand...your second chance could be different than that. An opportunity at redemption doesn't come along all that often. And when it does, it sure doesn't last long. You gotta act on it if you're gonna make a change for the better. This is your chance. If we take you with us...and we somehow help you beat that infection...you can have a new lease on life, yeah? But what you do with it is up to you. I don't know what kind of family you've got...or what's left in this life that matters to you. But you might want to start thinking about that, and then use it to fuel your recovery. If you make it to the other side, maybe take a different path than the one you've been on. After all, it's what led you here in the first place, yeah?"
"Thanks, Sybil. Figured you guys would have my back. That thing was pretty vicious. Maybe worse than the last plant we faced. Especially if it can do...that," Tylur nods at the diseased lashunta. "Seems like everything on this continent is out to kill us...and we haven't even caught up to Solstarni's kidnappers yet!" Once the halfling has finished her ministrations, the soldier stands and stretches, testing the reknit tissues where the creature had impaled him. "That feels much better. Might be fully healed in a couple of days. I still need my wind back, though. While you guys treat our newfound friend over there, I think I'll take a breather..." Before he steps away, he examines the medkit Lefty is holding, sifting thru the various supplies. "Try these...and maybe a couple of those..." he suggests, "Couldn't hurt and might actually help her fight off the infection. Might be worth treating Ahri, too."
After that, he eases his big body down next to a tree so he can rest his back against it and closes his eyes to rest.
Tylur grimaces again as he can feel blood leaking into his armor from his new wound. Seeing the creature shrug off the flames and continuing to fight, he discards his laser pistol and focuses purely on chopping it back down.
"What are you?!" Tylur grimaces as he endures a solid hit from the plant and watches it take on aspects of himself. Determined to stop whatever transformation it's undergoing, he lashes out with two wide swings of his blade.
Snarling with anger, both at the beast having tracked them as well as with what it's done to Ralkawi and Ahri, Tylur spins and draws his azimuth laser handgun from the holster at the small of his back. "Burn it down once and for all!" the soldier encourages everyone. He fires once as he closes on the creature's location, brandishing his sword as he prepares to trim the weed when he arrives.
After training his weapon around the clearing and assuring no additional threats were present aside from the injured lashunta, Tylur finally lowers it and hunches down to be at eye level with the woman, tracing the dirt with the edge of his sword. "By the Devourer, huh? he notes, "Lady, it appears there's already something devouring you from the inside. Death is on its way soon enough, but before it arrives, there's just suffering. We could put an end to that for you...maybe. But we'd need something in exchange first. Information. Who are you? How'd you get here? What are you doing here? And do you know anything about a Dr. Solstarni from the university who was abducted and brought here against her will?"
As he speaks, his eyes also wander from the open medkit to the woman's wounds, assessing them for the type of condition she suffered and treatment she had attempted.
Uncertain if it's the same disease Ahri contracted, Tylur gives a sidelong glance at Dee and Sybil, curious if either of them can tell...
"Well...at a minimum...it seems there's someone else out here. Friend or foe, they might have crossed paths with our quarry. So better to cautiously come to their aid than pass by..." Tylur draw his blade and handgun. "Dee? Lefty? Spread out and create a flanking line of sight to either side of me. I'll go in and check it out. Sybil? Stay with Ahri. If things go south, I'd rather you two hang back, but try and cover us from range, if you can. If you stay close enough for Lefty to communicate with Ahri, we can coordinate and relay whatever we find." "Any questions or suggestions?" the soldier looks around at everyone, prepared to adjust the plan if anyone offers up an alternate idea.
"Tylur, what exactly does saddle up mean? I do believe it is a word used in reference to riding some sort of mount?" "It's not necessarily a literal thing, Dee..." Tylur explains, "Yes, if we had mounts, it would be. But, in less literal terms, it simply means to gather our things and get ready to move. For those who ride, the first step in getting ready to leave is to grab your saddle. For us, it means grab your gear and let's go..."
"We must keep an eye on Ahri, for I fear if whatever the creature has done to her, it isn't going to be an easy walk in the jungle." Dee said loud enough for only Tylur could hear. "Agreed." Tylur mutters the word for the android's ears only. "She doesn't strike me as the hardiest of natives. And I'm not sure she's suited to this hiking about in such a hostile environment. Hopefully, Sybil can help keep an eye on her condition. If it worsens, I've got a medpatch we can apply that might bolster her immune system for a bit. But it won't last. And neither will we if that thing infects anyone else. So keep a sharp lookout. It'll be tough considering it's got better camouflage than us. We really don't need anymore surprises." Tylur sets a reasonable pace thereafter, calling breaks to rest and hydrate. At each stop, he makes sure Ahri is off her feet to replenish her stamina as much as possible. And, he frequently consults with Sybil as their resident medic for the halfling's opinion on the lashunta's deteriorating health.
"Alright, folks! Saddle up!" Tylur announces. He gazes with grim concern at Ahri's condition. Maybe the lashunta was in over her head? "When we move out, we keep eyes all around. If that thing's trailing us, it's hunting us...or at least checking up on its...ummm, offspring?" The big soldier hefts his pack, tightening the straps to keep it in place. "Ahri? You let us know when you need a break. We can only move as fast as your pace will allow. It's important to catch up to Dr. Solstarni, but not at the risk of losing your life. So, make sure you communicate your status." "Everyone ready to move? Let's go..."
"We won't know how bad until we see how well her body tries to fight it off. Sorry, Ahri. I know you probably didn't sign up for this when you joined the team. But this is the kind of stuff we deal with on a semi-regular basis these days." Tylur stands and surveys the campsite again. "We could try moving...to put some distance between us and that thing in case it comes back. But, in all honesty, I don't think stumbling about in the dark or lighting up the night is the wisest thing either. Not with so many predators about. I just wish we had something we could use to keep that creature at bay...to dissuade it from coming back to infect more of us. Or leading more of its kind to use us as incubators, too." He pauses and considers all the tactical options for a long moment. When he speaks again, it's with a bit more clarity and confidence. "Okay then. We stay. And we pair up for watch duty. Nobody stands guard solo. We watch each others' backs. We put that thing down if it comes around again. And we make Ahri as comfortable as we can until we figure out how best to treat her infection." "Anything else?"
I know Tylur was the first to post, but I am curious if he is up for the higher post frequency. When we first signed up, the expectation was for 1/day. So, I'm fine with it. And I vote "Yes" as well. We should keep the game going as long as we can. And with as much detailed roleplaying as we can muster.
Tylur wasn't suggesting that we have any medpatches...just that they'd help if we did. I'm not sure he knows what everyone else in the party is carrying, but he does have one. Back during the group's original adventures on the Drift Rock, I think we obtained it as loot and haven't used it yet. Even so, it's probably best if we wait to apply it until we see how the infection progresses and whether or not any of the rest of us contract it. After all, it's not an immediate fix. It just elevates the chances of resisting a disease. But, setting that aside, it's been 6 days since the last in-game post and two of the last three were mine. Is everyone still committed to this game? It seems like we're making very slow progress, not just in terms of encounters and the module's plot, but also in terms of roleplay and character development within the party above and beyond the scripted adventure. How does everyone else feel?
"Yep. Looks like it got you good. Infection has already started, but you're not in extreme danger yet," Tylur advises Ahri. "We could probably put a medpatch on it and your boosted metabolism could fight it off. Might take a couple of days, though..." He looks back at the forest. "The troubling thing...is we're all in danger of becoming infected if that thing keeps coming back. We might have to put it down first, and then assess how many of us need treatment..."
"I can take a look at it..." Tylur offers. "I'm mostly used to quick first aid on the battlefield, though. Not sure I can diagnose any alien infections..."
"Well that's gonna be a problem..." Tylur grumbles as he lets the creature retreat. "Sybil? If Dee's right and that thing injects spores into creatures to spawn, you might want to lend some first aid to Ahri." The big soldier takes another look at the terrain where they were about to set camp, double-checking the sight-lines and defensible positions in the event the ksarik were to return. "Lefty? You think we should keep moving? Or maybe stay and set some traps or a few early-warning tripwires in case that thing comes back?"
"Ah, crap!" Tylur snarls as yet another unknown predator on the gods-forsaken planet attacks them. He quickly snaps his autorifle up and takes a shot.
"Understood..." Tylur whispers back, "Thanks for the sharp eyes. You're pretty handy even in the wilderness, Syb." The soldier shifts around, pretending to do various camping tasks, but he uses those motions to occasionally glance in the direction the halfling indicated to get a better sense of who or whatever is tailing them.
But, try as he might, his taller stature must put him at the wrong angle to get a good view through the foliage. So, Tylur leans back down to Sybil to continue their quiet conversation. "Do you think you can get a closer look at them without being noticed? It might be one of the kidnappers, if we're lucky...or, some other predator out in the wilds, if we're not. Whatever you do, keep safe and I'll be ready to support you if things turn bad." He then leaves the halfling for a moment to quietly visit with the rest of the team, alerting them to the situation, telling each one: "Hey...don't be alarmed or overreact. Sybil just noticed we've picked up someone or something following us...or just observing our camp. Could be anything, but we should be on guard in case they're hostile. We don't know exactly who or what it is yet. So, act normal until we figure it out. And, be ready in case something bad happens."
"I've got my wind back," Tylur responds, "Still got a bit of a wound from that plant, but it shouldn't slow me down too much. I've had worse." He climbs back to his feet and checks his ammo to make sure all his guns are fully loaded again. "If you guys are done exploring the obelisk, I think we can press on. In fact, that might be the wise thing in case those monkeys circle back to harass us again if we camp here."
The halfling nods and moves up to Tylur examines the man's wounds... "Those look nasty..." And says and starts to pray to her Goddess. "May the Lady Luck grants me the power to heal these..." she pauses the incantation as Tylur moves several times and works it in, "wounds... and that this warrior will stop fidgeting while I tend to his injury... we will be on our way soon... And give us your blessing..." "I can't help it," Tylur replies, "It's itchy. You don't think that plant's going to give me a rash, do you?" His fidgeting subsides as he feels the magic stop the bleeding and reknit his flesh. "Whew! That's much better, Syb. Thank you. I'm still worn out, though. That thing nearly took me down. I don't suppose we could stop here for a breather before pushing on? Maybe give everyone else a chance to examine the obelisk..."
Still reeling from the multiple wounds inflicted by the viciously predatory plant, Tylur begins to feel desperate. How'd he wander up so close to the thing. Everything was fine at first. He was going to climb the monolith and look for their quarry. Only now, he was the quarry! "Get off me, weed!" he snarls, slashing again with his longsword in an effort to fend it off while everyone else puts it down.
With the pain of his wounds finally clearing his head, Tylur recoils from the attacking plant. "Son of a...!!!" he raises his longsword and makes two quick strikes to defend himself.
With vegetation flying in all directions from his blows, the big soldier regains a sense of hope that he might yet survive such a devious predator. All he needs is a bit of extra help from his friends.
Ignoring the calls of his companions, Tylur proceeds toward the plant, heedless of any danger.
Still intent on climbing the monument, Tylur tracks his way toward it. "Ain't no stars out right now, Sybil. Won't take a minute to scale this thing and see if there's an easier route to catch up to them. I think we lost a bit of time avoiding that herd, and I'd like to make it up while we've still got daylight..."
"A platform, Lefty?" Tylur looks up at the spire, tracing its length with his eyes in attempt to spot any handholds that might help in climbing it. "It might not be a bad idea to scale the thing and see if we can get our bearings on the path our quarry took. Or, failing that, maybe we can sight the next landmark in Halkueem's journal? I'm willing to give it a go if the rest of you can cover me..."
"Whatever they are...they're crafty little buggers," Tylur responds, still keeping his eye on the creatures lest they mount another assault, "Suicidal, though. We could gun them all down, if we wanted, but it's a waste of ammo. Ammo that we'll probably need against whoever took the professor." The big soldier spares a glance at the spire. "You guys think there's anything worth investigating with that thing? If these monkeys want us there, it's probably not in our best interest...physically-speaking...but, if there are clues that we'll need to retrace this original explorer's route, maybe we should check it out?" He re-slings his rifle across his back and draws his longsword to pair with the sidearm still in his hand. "I can keep watch and cover everyone, if you want to give it a go...otherwise, I think we need to move on and make sure these things don't follow and harass us any further..."
With the clip in his rifle emptied, Tylur draws his handgun and steps around Dee . He takes a quick shot at the monkey harassing her before it can flee to safety.
The soldier then sweeps his eyes upward, making sure no more are descending from the trees...and prepared to dissuade them if they do. "Help Lefty!" he calls out, "I'll hold them off..."
With one of the nimble alien monkeys on him already, and an empty clip in his rifle, Tylur lashes out with a heavy boot in an attempt to kick his adversary away.
"Watch those stingers, folks!"
"Ah...dang it!" Tylur mutters under his breath as the agitated monkeys descend and charge, "So much for not provoking them..." He toggles his rifle to fully automatic and rakes fire across the oncoming horde.
"You're more and more useful everyday, Dee," Tylur thanks her for the extra intel, "Choi? Sybil? Lefty? Dee says these things can be dangerous. She thinks they're trying to lure you to the obelisk. So, might want to keep your distance a bit until we can figure this out." Still keeping his eyes on the monkeys, he locates a fig on the ground nearby...picks it up...and then takes a small bite to test the taste. He also watches the monkeys to see if they view his act as an indiscretion in their territory.
"What are those things?" Tylur asks, "Are they dangerous or just annoying pests?" He looks at Lefty and Ahri since they're the local 'guides' for this mission and the only native Castrovellians on the team. Like Lefty, he readies his rifle in case he needs to put down an overly aggressive monkey, but makes no move towards the obelisk...just holding his position to maintain a watchful eye for threats. When he sees Ahri moving somewhat carelessly on her own, he calls out. "Careful, sister..." he warns the lashunta, "Better safe than sorry. Make sure you're not wandering into a trap..."
"Be careful..." Tylur warns as he leads the group forward, "Watch your step, but keep alert. Predators could be drawn to this place. And, if they're not, it could be because there's some other danger here that we should be worried about. That said, these ruins are mentioned in the notes we read. So, we're on the right track if we're retracing their steps. Maybe the obelisk can help us get regain our bearing and we can pick up the pace to make up for lost time. Dee? Sybil? One of you want to see if you can make sense of it?"
"I've never seen anything like them. They're big, though. If they decide to get in our way, or resent our intrusion into their grazing territory, we'd waste a lot of ammo defending ourselves," Tylur suggests, "It might take awhile, but it's probably best to go around them. And we should keep an eye out for predators, because...as big as those things are...I'd hate to run into whatever hunts them for food."
"Actually, Lefty...I think I'd prefer you with a long gun at range and me in the ringwear up close and personal. I trained as a sword-and-handgun commando. So, the heavy armor and blade are my kind of style...and probably a better fit for me. You're welcome to my kasatha microcord, if you'd like? It's lighter and could make it a bit easier to carry that load you've got?"
"Maps would be good," Tylur nods as he immediately gets down to business, taking stock of the compound and its capabilities. It would have to do as a potential base of operations while they looked for Dr. Solstarni. "Our sponsor at the University told us to find you. We'll be happy to talk specifics about Zan's notes, but first we need a bit more information about our quarry. The kasatha is Dr. Solstarni. We have reason to believe she's been abducted and coerced into accompanying those who came through before us. So, I need to know numbers and any details about their weapons in case we have to fight them to free her. Also, if there's anything you can tell us about the elven ruins and the route there...including hazards or predators we should avoid...let us know that, too." "As for the notes from Halkueem Zan, we obtained those from the university. Apparently, he visited this continent a long time ago and found some alien markings or records that we came across ourselves on a prior mission off-world. We're trying to better understand them, and we need Dr. Solstarni's assistance with that. So, that's all the more reason to free her from her captors." "Dee? You and Choi want to share the notes with Khair here? While you're doing that, maybe Sybil and I can double-check their stores and see if there's anything else we need for our supplies. Lefty? If there's any kind of satellite or sensor arrays here at the compound that might give us more data about the trail ahead or these elven ruins, see if you can dig up anything."
"Let's ask the Port Authority if there are transports, mechanical or otherwise, that we can use...and whether or not our quarry went into Ukalom on foot. Surely, they'll have a record of something like that, right? I mean if it's as controlled as everyone's making it out to be, they wouldn't just let anything go in there, would they?"
Tylur's got Survival +5, as well. So, that should help a little bit more. Also, as a Starfinder Forerunner, he has the following class ability from that archetype: Trained for Trouble:
Spoiler: Tylur gains Culture and Survival as class skills. Once per day he can choose to roll a Survival check twice and take the best result. He can attempt Engineering, Life Science, and Mysticism skill checks to identify creatures even if untrained in those skills. He can attempt Survival skill checks to endure severe weather while moving at his full overland speed and receive the bonus he would normally receive for moving at half his overland speed. He can also attempt Survival checks to live off the land while moving at his full overland speed.
Tylur nods. "Sounds like we've got a destination...and a plan for coping with the elements once we get there. I'll lay odds, however, that these people who abducted Dr. Solstarni won't be wanting to part with her all that easily. So, we need to know we're going in for a tactical extraction. She may be our only link to solving the Drift Rock mystery, so we can't afford to lose her. I'll work on the weapons load and terrain strategy."
I don't understand the 24-hour protection limitation. In this advanced far-future of magic and technology, everyone gets stymied by a simple high temperature, humid environment? How do foot-soldiers cope with being in the field for more than a single day at a time if their high-tech armor can't properly hold up to simple environmental conditions? Seems like ground wars wouldn't last very long...in fact, even less than tromping through the jungles of 1960's Vietnam, African Congo, or Central America. :)
"It sounds like these are your people.. Does this answer your question?" "It answers the question that they were here. Now, how do we reach Tarhalu Point and catch up to them? We have reason to believe the kasatha, Dr. Solstarni of Qabarat University, was taken against her will. We've been authorized to investigate..." "So...can we catch a shuttle to Tarhalu Point? Is there anything we should know about that particular destination? Most of us aren't local to Castrovel, so we're kind of going in blind."
As you have this conversation just outside the port authority. You see quite a few workers moving to and fro around the boxes and crates. Tylur leads the team over to what he assumes is a Port Authority foreman or overseer. Once he has their attention, he shows them the credentials that deputized the team to act on behalf of the Castrovelian law enforcement of Qabarat. "Sorry to bother you, but this should only take a moment of your time," he explains, "We're looking for a group of 15 or so individuals. From what we know, they wanted to visit a place called Ukulam? They should've had a bunch of crates with them and a special permit for fungal spores. There was probably a rather ill looking kasatha with them. Can you help us track down their whereabouts, please?"
You can count on me, but i would also refer to you for ground operations if possible. May I suggest you let me try the friendly talking first and if talking doesn't work, you take over? "I'm not one to start trouble, ma'am. I just look to finish things before it gets out of hand. In all honesty, the best inspiration Zam gave us in firefights was to point out the optimum or most dangerous targets, and then rely on us to bring'em down. If things go south...after the talking, of course...I suggest you stick close to Dee or Sybil. They've got magic to protect or heal you. I expect Lefty and I will do the upfront stuff, seeing as how he doesn't yet have a sniper rifle. The rest of you are essentially fire support." "But, hey...that's all just talk. We don't know what we'll find at the Port Authority anyway. And there'll be security there, too, if we do stumble across any troublemakers. So, we won't be the only ones trying to stop them. The main thing is to avoid hurting any innocent bystanders and saving Dr. Solstarni..." |