Equilibria Starfinder – 10
Following the events of Equilibria Starfinder β 9, Xenon, Fluorine and Beste entered a cavern under the icy mountains of planet Sorth-9, looking for Beste’s brother. They encountered mining drones, who attacked them on first sight, as they traversed the mine on a boat.
Scene 27
Scene Setup
Context | π² Location Crafter β 10, 8, 12 β Cave, Alien World Encounter, Alloys 1 |
Design | π² Alien World Encounter β Giant pool of organic acid. π² Alloys β Permalloy |
Interpretation | As they traverse the cave, the water becomes π² Green? β Yes. The space gets more tight and the walls come closer. |
Scene Play
Beste β Is this… Acid? Just in case, don’t touch it.
Fluorine β We can take a sample of the walls of this cave… let us run some scans.
Beste β Now?
Fluorine β Yes, we might as well discover something useful for our own spaceship. It is high maintenance, after all. Perhaps we can extract some of these minerals for our own.
Xenon β Not a bad idea.
π² (Xenon, Physical Science DC14) β Success (15)
Xenon runs some scan with his data pad, and he identifies the mineral as Permallow, a highly magnetic material that can be utilized to empower electrical systems.
π² Can this be used to improve the party’s starship? β No.
π² Does it have significant market value? β Yes, and… (it is very expensive)
π² What can it be used for? β Hidden Environment (I guess it can be used for camouflage systems)
π² (Fluroine, Life Science DC14) β Fail (13)
π² (Beste, Life Science DC14) β Fail (13)
Fluorine β No idea about this acid… really.
Beste β Me neither, let’s try some experimental science…
π² Beste sumerges a piece of leather. Does it damage it? β Yes.
π² Beste then looks at their own boat, is it corroding it? β No, possibly.
π² Is there any kind of life-form under the acid water? β Don’t know, but… (there are some waves sometimes)
Xenon β Better not to touch the acid, but if we find a way of extracting some of that mineral… If there were mining drones, they must have some sort of depot somewhere where they store it. It is obviously being used by the locals… or someone.
Scene 28
Scene Setup
Context | π² Location Crafter β 14, 9, 10 β Complete, None, Xenoarchelogical Find |
Design | π² Xenoarchelogical Find β Tree-shaped metal sculpture about 4′ high with branches that are continually waving. π² Is it coming from under the water acid? β Yes. |
Interpretation | Unfortunately, end of the path, and no Beste’s brother. Let’s investigate. |
Xenon β I guess we are on a dead end… I am sorry, Beste.
Beste β Foolish brother! Where are you…
Fluorine β What is that… tree?
π² The PCs approach it. Does anything weird happen? β Unexpected complication.
π² Complications Designer β Something Erratic/Unreliable/Failing/Insufficient
π² Is somehow the air around this tree insufficient or radioactive? β Yes, obviously.
π² How hard is it? β Easy
Beste is the only human in the party, but let’s check everyone’s fortitude anyway. Might corrode the Android’s bodies.
π² (Xenon Fortitude +2 DC12) β Success (20)
π² (Fluorine Fortitude +2 DC12) β Fail (1)
π² (Beste Fortitude DC12) β Success (21)
π² How deadly is it? β Scarce
Fluorine’s eyes start fading, her signature becomes unstable and she drops to the sides weakened
π² (Xenon reflex save DC14 to grab her in time) β Success (22)
Xenon β Fluorine! Are you alright? I have you, I have you! It’s gonna be alright. Tell me, what do you feel?
Beste β What is it Fluorine?
π² Does she remain conscious? β Don’t know, unless… (we do something)
π² (Beste attempts to treat her. Medicine DC14)β Fail (9)
Fluorine falls unconscious, in Xenon’s arms.
Xenon β Damn it! What do we do?
Beste β Get the hell out of here
Xenon β What about your brother?
Beste β He is obviously not here! Let’s go!
Xenon β You take her outside, there’s light coming from up there! Here, take my graplin hook! Go! I will take one last look before we go…
Beste β You sure?
Xenon β Just go! Get her to a safe place, I’ll be right after you.
π² Beste uses the grappling hook, it is a hard attempt as the top of the cave is high and there aren’t many solid points Acrobatics, DC 18 β Success (18). They go up with unconscious Fluorine.
π² Xenon will on the other hand investigate the tree and take one last look at the area for footsteps or signatures DC18 β Fail (10)
π² What does Xenon learn about the Tree? β Toxic Solution
The metallic tree seems to be a xeno-construct made of a combination of minerals that produce a hazardous radio-magnetic wave, that could damage both biological entities and mechanical ones.
π² Fortitude DC14 Check for staying longer β Success (22)
He starts feeling a bit weaker, but he holds his inhalation systems, and rapidly follows Beste’s hook to get out of the cave.