The swamps and jungles of Rodia are no place for the timid. While the great cities of Rodia belong to the Rodians, the vast tropics of the planet remain wild and untamed.
When an anthropologist and her team, trekking into the very heart of the swamplands, fail to check in for three days, her colleagues can only suspect the worst. Her employer knows that chances for the team grow slimmer with each passing day, and so he turns to offworlders – mercenaries, wanderers, and soldiers of fortune – to venture out and see what they find across the river...
The day after the funeral pyre service for Geela, the recently deceased sister of Roona, just outside the city of Karsteeku, found the team lunging in their ship, the Archelon. Unexpectedly, the holo-vid that came through their communications was not one of their normal financiers. This was the face of a tall blue-skinned male with piercing red eyes. But he did have a job for them.
Fer'ir'distex introduced himself and indicated that he had been hired to assemble a group to find a missing scientist and her team. The job called for the successful recovery of the completed work of Dr. Gena Tan and team. Dr. Tan was last known to be located in the jungles west of the city of Karsteeku. She and her team had reported a breakthrough in locating an historical data cache, but following that, the team failed to report in
for three days.
Her area of interest was an area sized in the several hundreds of square kilometers, and since she’s operating under a low-impact protocol, scout ships have been unable to locate her last campsite. Suggest that the search be made before nightfall, as waiting until morning decreases chances of survival dramatically.
Payment will be made for a successful recovery of the data cache and Dr. Tan’s work. Additional compensation may be afforded for the rescue of any members of Dr. Tan’s team.
The group began by trying to use long-range sensors to find any signs of the group or their route. Roona scanned through the visuals that Xander and R5-D12 could assemble. It took hours, but eventually Roona was able to eliminate enough of the unlikely areas in the overall scan zone to zero in on a few realistic options. Soon, the visual came in of an apparently deserted campsite. Ymira piloted the ship into that area and after a few moments found a place that was sturdy and stable enough to land.
After an exhausting search, success is revealed in the form of an eerily quiet campsite in the otherwise buzzing jungle. Makeshift shelters are overturned, and the team could see large gashes torn in the side of several durafiber tents. A small generator hisses and sparks to one side of a large tent, no longer connected to the overhead glowlamps that once lit the camp. A severed power wire leaves scorch marks on the flattened leaves nearby.
A hovertruck, sitting next to a pile of scattered electronic equipment, makes it plain that – this is, or was, Dr. Tan’s camp. Inspecting the area, the group finds that the gashes in the tents appear to be caused by a weapon of some kind, indicating an attack by a sapient people. Inside, a search of the tents will reveal several datacards. Zavi attempts to repair the generator and reconnect power to the camp. It takes a bit, the generator has been physically damaged, but the Squib mechanic is able to get some power flowing and will turn back on the peripheral camp lights, highlighting a trail to the north.
Just then, Roona turns and fires two quick shots into the treeline. She quickly runs in that direction but stops just short in the edge of the forest. "Someone watch," she says in her simple Basic. "Not dead. They are fast." A few moments later, Xander found a holocam dropped near the pile of electronic equipment. He fires it up and the cam shows a chaotic recording of a large group of primitive Rodians attacking the research team with spears and blades, killing or wounding most, and dragging all the bodies and captives into a jungle path to the north.
Across the River (Episode 11)
Moderator: GM Fang
Re: Across the River (Session 11)
After a slow ride through the jungle the group finally reaches a river. There is a bridge but it seems too flimsy to allow the hovertruck to pass easily. The group gets out and moves forward. Through a clearing in the jungle, the team can see a cluster of thatched-roof huts sit near a river – a river widening into the sheer drop of a waterfall! Several Rodians clad in leathers of various hues mill around campfires, and just at the edge of the light cast by one, you can see two wooden cages, each holding a Rodian woman wearing a ragged blue jumpsuit.
Although the daylight is fading, you can see a roaring fire near the edge of the riverbank – it lights a procession of hide-clad Rodians who open the cage to one of the Rodian women and begin to lead her toward the waterfall. She appears to be in some sort of trance. As you gather it in, you can hear a muffled shouting from beyond the firelight: “No! Dr. Tan! Gena! You’ve got to wake up! Don’t let them throw you over!"
The team goes into action at this site. They aren't going to get paid if their target is thrown is over a waterfall! Zavi acts first, firing a grenade into the midst of the procession. His skill with selective detonation managed to clear the area around Dr. Tan without harming her directly. Ymira and Roona quickly open fire and drop two more of the primitive Rodians.
Irdis rushes in after seeing that Dr. Tan is still wandering towards the waterfall in her dreamlike trance. He meets one of the Rodians in hand to hand combat but neither gets in a strike and Irdis only gets a slight advantageous position. But Xander fires into the combat and drops the opponent with his blaster.
The Rodians have a chance to counter the surprise attack now. And they are well-skilled in the use of their Bottwood spears. Zavi is glanced twice and Ymira and Roona also take gashes from the flying projectiles. They may be primitive but they were more dangerous than they originally looked. However, more blaster fire and another grenade into their midst caused the remaining tribe members to flee into the forest. Roona checke dto make sure it wasn't just a feint or an ambush, but it looked like they had departed the area for now.
While Irdis patched up a few of the team members with his medi-kit, the group discussed what happened with Dr. Tan's assistant, Tora Ninn. It turned out that Roona and Tora had known each other as children. Tora explained from what limited knowledge she had of their altered Rodian language that the Longspine clan was attempting a sacrifice to the “Mother’s Mouth,” the cascading waterfall near which they made their settlement.
The Rodians believe that Dr. Tan and her team have, by virtue of their work, desecrated their “Swampmother,” the river they worship. They were carrying out a sacrifice to the Swampmother to avert her retribution. In doing so, they’ve forced Dr. Tan to inhale the incense of burnt local flora, with the end result of her being in a waking-dream-like state, unaware of her surroundings. Irdis administers some adrenalin and it slowly brings Dr. Tan out of her trance.
Gena explains that they were pretty sure of the location of the data site. The Longspines threatened that Dr. Tan’s team was getting too close to the “Heart of the Mother,” their primary religious site. Recent discoveries pointed to this being an abandoned starship research factory and the location of the searched-for data cache.
As the team trekked through the jungle, they noticed the river growing wider and wider until eventually, the trees part and the river breaks into a glittering green lake. A small island pokes out of the center of the lake, on which sits a dilapidated metal structure. Rough, knotted vines cover the
outside of the complex – in the absence of use, nature has made its claim on the facility.
Two long bridges reach out from the edges of the island – one, a narrow, swaying footbridge, another, a partially collapsed speeder bridge, the two halves of which dip precariously into the lake halfway across. Ymira suggests swimming across the gap, but Roona advises against it. She says that the lake likely holds Svoor, some sort of aggressive snake-fish. The team takes the speeder bikes and ferries everyone across. The bikes are able to circumvent the damaged bridge as long as the keep up a fast enough speed. Otherwise they would sink into the water, just like the broken bridge.
Beginning to explore the complex, the first structure they encounter is the Primary Cargo Handling room. This is the entrance nearest the speeder
bridge. It’s an unremarkable room, wide and open, stacked with empty cargo crates and brush growing in some of the damper corners. A broken cargo lift hangs halfway between the floor and a shaft extending above the roof. Roona takes note of this as a possible route ahead if they could climb the cargo lift cables.
Next they rounded the complex and came upon he Simulations Offices which contain the entrance nearest the end of the footbridge. The simulations offices are five stories of office terminals and desks mixed with ingrowing vines and rubble. A large rupture in the floor has created a pit extending from the bottom floor all the way up to the next-to-top floor, and the bottom is littered with debris that’s fallen through. Additionally, the lower two floors of the Simulations Offices are filled with water approximately even with the lake’s level, if not a little higher. Xander indicated that it was likely that the computer core would be underground. They might be in for some swimming after all.
Roona manages to find a lift to the lower levels and the team proceeds. Each level it will stop and delay. At level three Ymira and Xander think they hear water nearby. The lift begins to descend again and the group tries to stop the lift. Unfortunately it will continue its trek to the bottom level before reversing direction. At the fourth level it was clear that they were underwater. Worry began to kick in as the lift hit its lowest level, but the opening doors were not met with rushing water, rather a startled swarm of Vurm Swoopwings scattered about as they stepped out into the darkness. Dr. Tan said that the lift was likely to have stops almost like an airlock in order to filter out any unwanted imperfections. This now also must be keeping the water at bay.
As the team moved through the Isolated Testing Cavern, they began to notice the lit exit in the back of the cavern. This led to an access hallway that takes the players to the Repuslorsled Access, a loading dock and tunnel access to the partially-built access tunnels to the remainder of the facility. Once, this included several testing rooms, but as the facility fell into ruin, most of the access tunnels to the underground rooms became caved-in dead ends. The only tunnel that remains wide enough and clear enough for access is the largest tunnel, the one that provides a winding path to the underground Computer Core. Several abandoned repulsorsleds sat waiting at either end of the tunnels. The tunnels, by necessity, are very circuitous and require careful, slow navigation, just slightly faster than walking speed on the sleds.
The core room is filled with several large databanks, and recovery of the data cache will be contingent upon succeeding breaking into the computer core and carefully extracting the data. Xander took his time and worked through the protocols and avoiding the safeguards. He was successful in fully extracting the data. But his success was very short-lived. Just then the facility triggered a core-level security procedure designed to prevent data theft. Several minor explosions ring out under the facility, and the whole complex will start to shake – it’s being collapsed from below!
This didn't leave them much time. Xander indicated that the computer system showed complete shutdown and collapse in ten minutes. They would have to rush, pushing the repulsorsled to faster speeds and rushing back to their bikes. They managed to speed off just as the center of the complex came crashing down.
The return trip to Karsteeku was much more leisurely and with Dr. Tan and Tora safely returned, Ranem Tivv met the team and paid them their retainer for recovering the missing doctors and their research as well as acquiring the data. This would prove to be a very influential finding. Dr. Tann and her assistant Tora Ninn explain that the facility that you were just in was a special projects facility. They thought it was Imperial, but appears to date back to the Galactic Republic based on the information they acquired from the computer while Xander downloaded the computer core. So this is older data and technology than they originally thought. They are very excited to learn what all is contained on this data cylinder. As it is highly encrypted, it's going to take some time to decipher it all.
-----------------------------------------------
All players earned 5 XP for this mission.
Group spoils (update)
11414 credits (gained 3500 from Ranem Tivv, spent 4000 to pay off Roona's debt to Teemo that Kel stole, spent 895 on bikes and grenades.)
Gear: quick sale value in ()
2x Blaster Rifle (450 ea)
1x Holdout Blaster (100 ea)
2x Laser Pistol (200 ea)
1x Stun grenades (45 ea)
Tool Kit (175)
Glow Rod (5)
Brass knuckles (10)
5x Breath Masks (25 ea)
Although the daylight is fading, you can see a roaring fire near the edge of the riverbank – it lights a procession of hide-clad Rodians who open the cage to one of the Rodian women and begin to lead her toward the waterfall. She appears to be in some sort of trance. As you gather it in, you can hear a muffled shouting from beyond the firelight: “No! Dr. Tan! Gena! You’ve got to wake up! Don’t let them throw you over!"
The team goes into action at this site. They aren't going to get paid if their target is thrown is over a waterfall! Zavi acts first, firing a grenade into the midst of the procession. His skill with selective detonation managed to clear the area around Dr. Tan without harming her directly. Ymira and Roona quickly open fire and drop two more of the primitive Rodians.
Irdis rushes in after seeing that Dr. Tan is still wandering towards the waterfall in her dreamlike trance. He meets one of the Rodians in hand to hand combat but neither gets in a strike and Irdis only gets a slight advantageous position. But Xander fires into the combat and drops the opponent with his blaster.
The Rodians have a chance to counter the surprise attack now. And they are well-skilled in the use of their Bottwood spears. Zavi is glanced twice and Ymira and Roona also take gashes from the flying projectiles. They may be primitive but they were more dangerous than they originally looked. However, more blaster fire and another grenade into their midst caused the remaining tribe members to flee into the forest. Roona checke dto make sure it wasn't just a feint or an ambush, but it looked like they had departed the area for now.
While Irdis patched up a few of the team members with his medi-kit, the group discussed what happened with Dr. Tan's assistant, Tora Ninn. It turned out that Roona and Tora had known each other as children. Tora explained from what limited knowledge she had of their altered Rodian language that the Longspine clan was attempting a sacrifice to the “Mother’s Mouth,” the cascading waterfall near which they made their settlement.
The Rodians believe that Dr. Tan and her team have, by virtue of their work, desecrated their “Swampmother,” the river they worship. They were carrying out a sacrifice to the Swampmother to avert her retribution. In doing so, they’ve forced Dr. Tan to inhale the incense of burnt local flora, with the end result of her being in a waking-dream-like state, unaware of her surroundings. Irdis administers some adrenalin and it slowly brings Dr. Tan out of her trance.
Gena explains that they were pretty sure of the location of the data site. The Longspines threatened that Dr. Tan’s team was getting too close to the “Heart of the Mother,” their primary religious site. Recent discoveries pointed to this being an abandoned starship research factory and the location of the searched-for data cache.
As the team trekked through the jungle, they noticed the river growing wider and wider until eventually, the trees part and the river breaks into a glittering green lake. A small island pokes out of the center of the lake, on which sits a dilapidated metal structure. Rough, knotted vines cover the
outside of the complex – in the absence of use, nature has made its claim on the facility.
Two long bridges reach out from the edges of the island – one, a narrow, swaying footbridge, another, a partially collapsed speeder bridge, the two halves of which dip precariously into the lake halfway across. Ymira suggests swimming across the gap, but Roona advises against it. She says that the lake likely holds Svoor, some sort of aggressive snake-fish. The team takes the speeder bikes and ferries everyone across. The bikes are able to circumvent the damaged bridge as long as the keep up a fast enough speed. Otherwise they would sink into the water, just like the broken bridge.
Beginning to explore the complex, the first structure they encounter is the Primary Cargo Handling room. This is the entrance nearest the speeder
bridge. It’s an unremarkable room, wide and open, stacked with empty cargo crates and brush growing in some of the damper corners. A broken cargo lift hangs halfway between the floor and a shaft extending above the roof. Roona takes note of this as a possible route ahead if they could climb the cargo lift cables.
Next they rounded the complex and came upon he Simulations Offices which contain the entrance nearest the end of the footbridge. The simulations offices are five stories of office terminals and desks mixed with ingrowing vines and rubble. A large rupture in the floor has created a pit extending from the bottom floor all the way up to the next-to-top floor, and the bottom is littered with debris that’s fallen through. Additionally, the lower two floors of the Simulations Offices are filled with water approximately even with the lake’s level, if not a little higher. Xander indicated that it was likely that the computer core would be underground. They might be in for some swimming after all.
Roona manages to find a lift to the lower levels and the team proceeds. Each level it will stop and delay. At level three Ymira and Xander think they hear water nearby. The lift begins to descend again and the group tries to stop the lift. Unfortunately it will continue its trek to the bottom level before reversing direction. At the fourth level it was clear that they were underwater. Worry began to kick in as the lift hit its lowest level, but the opening doors were not met with rushing water, rather a startled swarm of Vurm Swoopwings scattered about as they stepped out into the darkness. Dr. Tan said that the lift was likely to have stops almost like an airlock in order to filter out any unwanted imperfections. This now also must be keeping the water at bay.
As the team moved through the Isolated Testing Cavern, they began to notice the lit exit in the back of the cavern. This led to an access hallway that takes the players to the Repuslorsled Access, a loading dock and tunnel access to the partially-built access tunnels to the remainder of the facility. Once, this included several testing rooms, but as the facility fell into ruin, most of the access tunnels to the underground rooms became caved-in dead ends. The only tunnel that remains wide enough and clear enough for access is the largest tunnel, the one that provides a winding path to the underground Computer Core. Several abandoned repulsorsleds sat waiting at either end of the tunnels. The tunnels, by necessity, are very circuitous and require careful, slow navigation, just slightly faster than walking speed on the sleds.
The core room is filled with several large databanks, and recovery of the data cache will be contingent upon succeeding breaking into the computer core and carefully extracting the data. Xander took his time and worked through the protocols and avoiding the safeguards. He was successful in fully extracting the data. But his success was very short-lived. Just then the facility triggered a core-level security procedure designed to prevent data theft. Several minor explosions ring out under the facility, and the whole complex will start to shake – it’s being collapsed from below!
This didn't leave them much time. Xander indicated that the computer system showed complete shutdown and collapse in ten minutes. They would have to rush, pushing the repulsorsled to faster speeds and rushing back to their bikes. They managed to speed off just as the center of the complex came crashing down.
The return trip to Karsteeku was much more leisurely and with Dr. Tan and Tora safely returned, Ranem Tivv met the team and paid them their retainer for recovering the missing doctors and their research as well as acquiring the data. This would prove to be a very influential finding. Dr. Tann and her assistant Tora Ninn explain that the facility that you were just in was a special projects facility. They thought it was Imperial, but appears to date back to the Galactic Republic based on the information they acquired from the computer while Xander downloaded the computer core. So this is older data and technology than they originally thought. They are very excited to learn what all is contained on this data cylinder. As it is highly encrypted, it's going to take some time to decipher it all.
-----------------------------------------------
All players earned 5 XP for this mission.
Group spoils (update)
11414 credits (gained 3500 from Ranem Tivv, spent 4000 to pay off Roona's debt to Teemo that Kel stole, spent 895 on bikes and grenades.)
Gear: quick sale value in ()
2x Blaster Rifle (450 ea)
1x Holdout Blaster (100 ea)
2x Laser Pistol (200 ea)
1x Stun grenades (45 ea)
Tool Kit (175)
Glow Rod (5)
Brass knuckles (10)
5x Breath Masks (25 ea)
Re: Across the River (Session 11)
Tora Ninn will reach out to Irdis (either on the flight back to Karsteeku, at TSS facility or soon after by holocomm).
"Thanks you for the rescue," she will say in Rodian. "If you and your team hadn't shown up when you did, Dr. Tann and I would have been sacrificed to the Longspines' "Mother's Mouth". It is horrible that the rest of our team were killed in the attack."
"It seems you are more than just a doctor, Irdis the Chiss," she will say with a hint of sarcasm. "Not that I am complaining. That waterfall was too high to survive the fall." She hesitates a few moments as her large dark eyes take in her subject. "So who are you really?"
"Thanks you for the rescue," she will say in Rodian. "If you and your team hadn't shown up when you did, Dr. Tann and I would have been sacrificed to the Longspines' "Mother's Mouth". It is horrible that the rest of our team were killed in the attack."
"It seems you are more than just a doctor, Irdis the Chiss," she will say with a hint of sarcasm. "Not that I am complaining. That waterfall was too high to survive the fall." She hesitates a few moments as her large dark eyes take in her subject. "So who are you really?"
Re: Across the River (Session 11)
"Whatever do you mean?" Irdis replies, feigning mock surprise. "I am merely someone who wishes to see you achieve your full potential." Smiling warmly, if not without a hint of being predatory, he adds, "Certainly you do not expect to be a mere assistant for the rest of your professional career? Seeing you obtain the freedom to chart your own course matters to me.""It seems you are more than just a doctor, Irdis the Chiss," she will say with a hint of sarcasm. "Not that I am complaining. That waterfall was too high to survive the fall." She hesitates a few moments as her large dark eyes take in her subject. "So who are you really?"
Irdis settles back, watching Tora intently with his enhanced sight and awaits her response.
You think my methods are crude? You should see what passes for medical care in the Imperial Corps. True barbarism.
Re: Across the River (Session 11)
Tora Ninn, Rodian Xenobiologist -
"The sarcasm is strong with you," Tora responds mirthfully. "Not many doctors are found fighting hand to hand in the jungle with a group of mercenaries at their side." She considers his next words though, unsure of what to make of them. Why was he interested in her potential? She hadn't met any Chiss before so wasn't sure if it was a cultural or racial issue. Most other races didn't think very highly of Rodians.
Tora's leathery green skin tightens around her eyes as she considers his words. She knows that working under Dr. Tan at the Tyrius Sysworks Syndicate hasn't been all that she had hoped for. The constant scrutiny and the feeling of being undervalued had worn on her, but she had always felt loyal to her mentor and the mission. "There is a great opportunity here. For now, this is my course."
"The sarcasm is strong with you," Tora responds mirthfully. "Not many doctors are found fighting hand to hand in the jungle with a group of mercenaries at their side." She considers his next words though, unsure of what to make of them. Why was he interested in her potential? She hadn't met any Chiss before so wasn't sure if it was a cultural or racial issue. Most other races didn't think very highly of Rodians.
Tora's leathery green skin tightens around her eyes as she considers his words. She knows that working under Dr. Tan at the Tyrius Sysworks Syndicate hasn't been all that she had hoped for. The constant scrutiny and the feeling of being undervalued had worn on her, but she had always felt loyal to her mentor and the mission. "There is a great opportunity here. For now, this is my course."
Re: Across the River (Session 11)
Irdis just smiles, giving Tora nothing else. Let her wonder, he muses, it will keep things interesting."The sarcasm is strong with you," Tora responds mirthfully. "Not many doctors are found fighting hand to hand in the jungle with a group of mercenaries at their side."
Irdis leans forward, placing his hand not quite on hers. A sign of comradery, maybe a bit more, but clearly not overt flirtation. "If you feel it best," he pauses dramatically, "for now."Tora's leathery green skin tightens around her eyes as she considers his words. She knows that working under Dr. Tan at the Tyrius Sysworks Syndicate hasn't been all that she had hoped for. The constant scrutiny and the feeling of being undervalued had worn on her, but she had always felt loyal to her mentor and the mission. "There is a great opportunity here. For now, this is my course."
With that, this conversation is over, and Irdis stands, returning to his other considerations. He has a patient to check on, and preparations to make if he is indeed going to Tatooine. It will largely depend on what might be required of him from his benefactor, although he plans to make the case of sticking close to his new comrades, at least for the time being.
You think my methods are crude? You should see what passes for medical care in the Imperial Corps. True barbarism.