Through this door is the power core. An inspection reveals that it is untouched and operating normally.
"I'm Tadasi. Didn't I mention that earlier?
You may attempt an Arcana, Nature, Occultism or Religion check.
"Anyway, to reach the dreamscape, you just need to insert this - " he hands you an aucturnite cube - " - and one of the purple crystals from the extraction lab into the slots in the machine."
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"The station video feed showed those invaders disappearing along with your colleagues." Gunther notes grimly. "Assuming they even made it into this 'dreamscape', who knows what condition we'll find them in."
He tightens the grip on his pistol with one hand as he receives the aucturnite cube with the other. "I hope this works as advertised. Though, if I end up dead I suppose it won't have been the first time."
Gunther inserts the cube, trying to time his actions with the others with the purple crystals.
You may attempt an Arcana, Nature, Occultism or Religion check.
You may attempt an Arcana, Nature, Occultism or Religion check.
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"Fascinating," Gunther mutters as he considers the potential sources of what he just experienced. "It would seem that we are experiencing the edges of an active psychic dreamscape occupied by living creatures. If I am correct, then we are on the right track."
"We need to get into that dreamscape. Let's go!" He urges.
Tadasi gives very clear and easy to follow directions for escaping . She also gives instructions for how to operate the machine, including where to insert that shard and cube.
When the Starfinders activate the device in the combination lab, the silence becomes so oppressive their ears start to ring. It feels as though the gravity in the room is slowly decreasing, and the lights flicker.
One second, the team is in a laboratory; the next, they’re standing on a platform that’s suspended amid blue clouds and a purple atmosphere. A loud scream draws their attention across the dreamscape, where they see Arta and three other scientists trying to maintain a psychic shield against their attackers. As the Starfinders watch, one of the orocorans stabs the shield with its proboscis and a crack radiates out from the point of impact.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Grepodak
Green
Gunther
Zivar
Indori
Blue
Red
Arda
Grepodak's shot flies harmlessly into the distance, vanishing before it makes contact with anything.
The enemy in green, alerted to the Starfinders' presence and spews at Grepodak.
It fails to clear the gap.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Grepodak
Green
Gunther
Zivar
Indori
Blue
Red
Arda
Zivar strikes the orocoran hard with his glaive.
Gunter follows up with a barrage of bullets. The first and last hit home.
Indori's spell is enough to take out the Starfinders' first target.
The enemy in blue moves towards Zivar and tries to stab the sarcesian with its needle-like nose.
The leader steps away from the shield and fires off two quick shots, reloading the weapon quickly afterwards.
Arda focuses on the raiders, causing them to fly through the dreamscape against their will.
Round 2 - bolded may go
Grepodak (-3 HP)
Green
Gunther
Zivar (-6 HP, Reaction)
Indori
Blue
Red
Arda
Indori hits the leader in the face with some magic. Unfortunately, that's the only hit the Starfinders land, though Zivar does make some contact on the backswing.
The blue orocoran steps up to Zivar and tries to sink its nose in.
It then tries to hold on.
The proboscis is in deep.
The red orocoran keeps firing and reloading.
A well-placed shot at Zivar leaves the sarcesian barely hanging on.
Arda once again uses the dreamscape's energy to toss the enemies around.
Round 3 - bolded may go
Grepodak (-5 HP)
Green
Gunther
Zivar (-23 HP, grappled)
Indori
Blue (-6 HP, suppressed)
Red (-11 HP)
Arda
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I appreciate you moving it away especially from the grapple, but if it was still in my reach, I could boost my weapon.
Zivar moves over to unleash a whirling swipe on blue
Reflex Save DC 17 for half
The target is also suppressed on a failed reflex save. On a successful reflex save Zivar will use his reaction to force a will save DC 17 or be suppressed (via Pin Down feat)
Gunther heads toward the enemies.
Grepodak fires two shots at the enemy near Zivar, hitting with the first.
Zivar steps closer and takes a swing with his glaive, dropping that foe to the ground.
Indori hurls three more magical missiles at the remaining orocoran.
The boss changes targets but continues to fire.
Zivar finally succumbs to the barrage.
Arda flings the boss far away from the fallen Starfinder.
Round 4 - bolded may go
Grepodak (-5 HP)
Green
Gunther
Indori
Blue
Zivar (-24 HP, dying 2)
Red (-23 HP)
Arda
Grepodak takes two more shots at the red orocoran, who cannot get out of the way now that it is full exposed.
Gunther, however, does not have as much luck targeting.
Indori fires another telekinetic projectile, then moves toward the critically injured Zivar with the medkit.
The enemy drops unmoving to the clouds.
Zivar continues to bleed.
Seeing no further threats, Arda uses his control over the dreamscape to get the Starfinders closer to Zivar.
Round 5 - bolded may go
Grepodak (-5 HP)
Green
Gunther
Indori
Blue
Zivar (-24 HP, dying 3)
Red
Arda
Grepodak tries to move via dreamscape, but ends up launching himself in the opposite direction. Indori gets Zivar back on his feet.
After the battle, the dreamscape dissipates, returning everyone to the combination lab. Back in the lab, Arta thanks the Starfinders for their efforts.
“Oh, thank goodness the Newborn answered my prayers!” Arta exclaims. “You arrived just in time! Or a few hours late, depending how you look at it, I suppose. But really, you could hardly be expected to arrive before I prayed for your arrival!”
Arta looks panicked and emotionally overwrought, but she straightens her coat and rearranges her hair, clearly trying to maintain an air of professionalism despite the grim situation. “Pardon the terrible state of the station. I assure you we usually maintain the strictest standards here at Dreamlink Laboratories.”
With a flourish and a tilt of her head, she introduces herself. “I’m Arta, founder and head researcher of Dreamlink Labs, professor at the vaunted Arcanamirium, and devout worshipper of the Newborn. How can I help you?”
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Zivar stows his glaive and turns to Arta.
Hello, we are starfinder agents. Venture-Captain Arvin sent us as he said you had made an important discovery and requested help in your investigations. Please let us know more about this.
We have a sample for you of Aucturn’s crust that was collected just hours before the Hatching.
Aside from that, I am curious about this attack. Do you know if it was prompted by anything in particular? What seems to have been the motivation for it?
Please let me know anything else you think is relevant.
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“Oh, thank goodness the Newborn answered my prayers!” Arta exclaims. “You arrived just in time! Or a few hours late, depending how you look at it, I suppose. But really, you could hardly be expected to arrive before I prayed for your arrival!”
"I ain't sure there's anything divine about [i[our[/i] presence here." Gunther mutters, glancing at what remains of Zivar's wounds and the invaders' corpses. He holsters his pistol.
Aside from that, I am curious about this attack. Do you know if it was prompted by anything in particular? What seems to have been the motivation for it?
Please let me know anything else you think is relevant.
Gunther nods his head as Zivar asks the attack. "Are you sure these creatures don't serve the Newborn?"
When the Starfinders give Arta the sample Arvin sent with them, she gasps in surprise. “Oh, this is a magnificent sample! Thank dear Arvin for me, won’t you? Dreamlink Laboratories is at his disposal!
“Dreamlink Labs was attacked by orocoran raiders called the Ichorwells. They wanted to steal all our aucturnite. Orocorans used to eat it, you know, back when they lived on Aucturn. They drank it right out of the ground and called it ichor. It’s addicting and terribly bad for your health. I would like to say I feel bad for them, but I find today’s events have put a damper on my empathy. Anyway, they burst into the labs without even bothering to dock—tore right through the hull! Some of my colleagues attempted to hold them off while the rest of us grabbed a data drive containing our research and fled into a dreamscape. We didn’t expect them to follow us in, of course.
“I caught a glimpse of what I believe is a holy site important to the Newborn, perhaps even a temple, in the dreamscape. Once I get the dreamscape a little clearer, I’ll be able to pinpoint the location. I’d like the Starfinder Society to help us explore it—in the real world, of course! While we here at Dreamlink Laboratories possess boundless enthusiasm, we admittedly lack the field experience to undertake what could be a dangerous mission alone. You’ll help us, won’t you?”
Arta volunteers to give the Starfinders a tour of the entire space station, including the laboratories. Arta doesn’t allow them to make a recording of her, her researchers, or the laboratory — for privacy and safety reasons — although she does allow them to take photos and recordings of the rest of the Dreamlink Labs space station.
She also agrees to give the Starfinders a data packet with a selection of information, but she refuses to give them all her research — it is property of Dreamlink Laboratories, of course, and Arta believes it has great value.
The trip back to Absalom Station through the Drift takes days. The team doesn’t encounter any anomalies or strange structures on the return visit, although the team finds their dreams plagued by disturbing sights and haunting cries.
Back at the Lorespire Complex, Arvin thanks the team for their hard work and apologizes for the unexpected complication. He promises to investigate the data they collected and asks each Starfinder their opinion: should the Starfinder Society help Dreamlink Labs with their research?
As a show of his appreciation, Arvin takes the group for dinner at a high-end restaurant called Perfexion located in the Eye of Absalom Station. The restaurant is known for its experimental cuisine and psychic chefs who deliver delicious meals the guests didn’t even know they wanted.
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She also agrees to give the Starfinders a data packet with a selection of information, but she refuses to give them all her research — it is property of Dreamlink Laboratories, of course, and Arta believes it has great value.
"Keep some secrets if you want, though it looks like they nearly got you all killed. Fortunately, for you, we showed up." Gunther replies. "Besides, we know where to come should your secrets be needed."
Back at the Lorespire Complex, Arvin thanks the team for their hard work and apologizes for the unexpected complication. He promises to investigate the data they collected and asks each Starfinder their opinion: should the Starfinder Society help Dreamlink Labs with their research?
"I suppose the Society should." Gunther concedes. "If only to keep an eye on them and make sure they don't make things worse for the living or the dead."
As a show of his appreciation, Arvin takes the group for dinner at a high-end restaurant called Perfexion located in the Eye of Absalom Station. The restaurant is known for its experimental cuisine and psychic chefs who deliver delicious meals the guests didn’t even know they wanted.
Gunther appreciates the meal although he laments that his taste buds no longer work as they did back when he was fully alive.