Up next in 10
With a lead in their hot little hands freshly pried from the storage of a hijacked murder-drone, our crew of Starfinder adventurers -- brought together first to meet their friend Tier-99-Professor, then by happenstance to investigate his murder -- dive into the back alleys and data storage centers of Striving to see if they can pin down any clues as to why someone would want the good Professor dead. What they find may put themselves (and others!) in danger instead as they get embroiled in matters way out of their pay grade.
Liz Harper is here to GM for us yet again, and our group of intrepid investigators (one of them is even an actual detective!) are:
Joe Perez as "Nitpick" Bennit, Ysoki Witchwarper, who always knows a guy, and is a daft hand with both magic and technology
Phil Ulrich as Lunar-17, Android Mystic, who's so terminally online that it gave her magic powers
Matt Rossi as Tooth Hug, Skittermander Solarian, who could really use a snack right now
Special guest Trish Olson, a.k.a. AwkwardishPanda, as Jaedana, a Kasatha Operative gamer who's uncannily good with a gun, but doesn't know why she's here
This is the second in a three-part actual play series of the Starfinder 2E published adventure Murder in Metal City -- you can check out the first episode here, and be on the lookout for new episodes every Monday!
This game was played using the second edition of Paizo’s Starfinder, which expands their Pathfinder game into space. We're really fond of this rollicking science-fantasy game system -- so much so that we've even played it before on the show -- and if you like what you hear today, you can easily pick it up for yourself!
Music from this episode is “Start a Trek,” by Edgar Henderson; you can check out more of his music on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-126456914
Subscribe to Tavern Watch in your podcast player of choice to keep up with our latest actual plays:
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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tavern-watch-podcast/id1788120623
Visit us at https://blizzardwatch.com for the latest news on Blizzard games, and don't forget to subscribe on Patreon to support our efforts! https://www.patreon.com/blizzardwatch
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:26
Hello and welcome everyone to another
0:29
game of Tavern Watch plays. I am your
0:32
host this week. I am Liz Harper and I'm
0:36
going to be your GM for this game. We're
0:38
playing Starfinder, an adventure called
0:41
Murder in Metal City. And our group of
0:44
adventurers are chasing down uh their
0:48
missing friend, a tier 99 professor who
0:51
had been investigating
0:53
the first ones. And maybe someone had
0:57
been investigating them also. So, um,
1:01
after a bit of a chase last time, our
1:04
compatriots found a drone that had
1:08
attacked them, but they managed to dis
1:11
uh de disable it. Yeah, that's a word.
1:15
and uh figure out where it was going.
1:18
Reactivate it so it would lead them to
1:20
where it was headed, which I'm going to
1:23
say that's where we are now. You're
1:25
following this damaged drone as it uh
1:28
returns on its path to presumably where
1:31
its owner was. And uh I'm gonna let's
1:35
introduce everybody. Let's start with uh
1:40
Joe. Hi, I'm Joe Perez, Blizzard
1:42
Watches, Prince of Podcast, and I am
1:44
playing Nitpick. I'm I'm a Yasai uh
1:48
witch warper. Uh Tyranny was my friend.
1:50
He said I was actually important and
1:52
abandoned me. So, I'm a little mad that
1:55
stuff has happened to them, and I'm
1:57
going to go maybe exact a little bit of
1:59
uh uh revenge. Uh we'll we'll see how
2:02
that goes.
2:03
>> And Matt,
2:04
>> uh I'm sorry I don't have a official
2:07
podcast related title. Um, uh, I am
2:10
playing Tooth Hug, who is a Skitterander
2:14
Salarian. And to describe Tooth Hug in
2:18
as few words as possible. Hi, I'm
2:20
Toolfog. I like to hug things and make
2:21
everybody be happy and friendly. You
2:23
know, I'm a little excitable at
2:24
sometimes because I'm very, very, very
2:26
Hi.
2:27
>> Okay. And Phil.
2:28
>> Hi. Uh, I'm Phil. I'm playing uh Lunar
2:32
17, an android mystic. uh and apparently
2:35
detective. I just noticed on her
2:37
character sheet uh who uh is so
2:41
terminally online that it gave her
2:43
mystic powers um and has been kind of
2:46
the uh you know came to Tyranny seeking
2:50
information, has been kind of uh
2:52
discovering weird things going on around
2:54
the planet. I'm sure none of those are
2:55
foreshadowing at all.
2:56
>> Nah, it's probably fine. And our special
2:59
guest this show is Trish. Why don't you
3:02
introduce your character and uh you can
3:04
tell us where we can find you elsewhere
3:07
on the internet.
3:08
>> Hi. Yeah, I'm Trish Olson. I go by
3:10
Awkwardish Panda everywhere on the
3:11
internet. I am a professional mini
3:13
painter and Twitch streamer. Uh
3:15
basically that's all I do is paint a lot
3:17
and paint live a lot. It's kind of a
3:19
thing. Uh I am playing Jay Donna, our
3:22
newly minted adult chronic gamer who
3:25
just kind of got dropped off on the
3:27
planet by her parents and hey, go find
3:29
this guy. Okay. And then that guy
3:30
happened to have been a murder victim.
3:32
So now we're trying to figure it out.
3:33
>> Probably fine. It's probably totally
3:35
fine. I'm sure he's right.
3:36
>> Tails tails all this time. It's fine.
3:39
>> Uh so right now all of you are walking
3:42
through the streets of striving the
3:44
machine city. uh packed with vehicles,
3:49
robots of all shapes and sizes, steam
3:53
coming up from the streets as the uh
3:55
terraforming
3:57
system uh tries to keep the atmosphere
4:00
relatively breathable for everybody. And
4:03
>> not completely breathable, relatively
4:05
breathable.
4:06
>> Relative I mean, it's not it's not, you
4:08
know, it's not pristine fresh mountain
4:12
air, but it's breathable. I mean, come
4:15
on. There. I mean, Jana's got her
4:17
respirator. She's fine.
4:19
>> Make an effort, people. Try to breathe
4:21
for her. Why do we got to do everything
4:23
for you?
4:26
>> Um, so yes, you are all following this
4:30
drone, which Nitpick has just repaired.
4:34
Is a little wobbly. It's staying kind of
4:36
close to the ground. It It's not flying
4:38
as well as it used to. It happens. It
4:40
happens when a drone gets hits by
4:42
several vehicles and uh someone warps a
4:47
gravity field around it and yeah, it
4:49
just these things happen. It's it's
4:52
another day another day in the city and
4:54
it wobbles its way down some streets and
4:57
down to uh an and into an alley which
5:02
there's nothing notable about it.
5:04
There's uh but you come down here and at
5:08
the very end of the alley you see
5:13
there's kind of a ramshackle
5:16
shack.
5:18
Um it's a kind of a leanto in the very
5:23
back of the alley made by a tarp and the
5:26
roof of an old autob wedged between the
5:29
back stoops of a computer repair shop
5:31
and recycling center. Uh there's a vent
5:36
over here that seems to be broken. It's
5:39
putting out excessive amounts of smog.
5:42
So the air is slightly less breathable
5:46
here. Not deadly. Not great. It does not
5:50
feel great. Um uh but if you look in
5:54
here, it's um there's trash scattered
5:58
around, stained clothing, food remnants
6:01
littering the alley, and a thin bed roll
6:04
spread out under this little this little
6:08
leanto.
6:08
>> And this is where the drone went.
6:10
>> This is where the drone went. It's kind
6:12
of stopped here, looks to the left,
6:14
looks to the right, doesn't see anyone,
6:17
looks to the left, looks to the right.
6:19
It's but yes, this is where it's come
6:21
and stopped and it's it's a little
6:23
confused.
6:24
>> I kind of look at the other folks cuz I
6:26
I am not the I I have decent stealth,
6:28
but I am not the stealth.
6:30
>> I will gladly like be like, "Y'all hang
6:33
back and go find a place to sneak and
6:36
hide behind this thing."
6:37
>> I'm going to let her go by yourself and
6:40
someone gets her. It would be my fault.
6:42
>> You're What are you trying to hide
6:44
behind exactly? I'm looking for like a
6:47
dumpster or like something back in here
6:50
where I can duck into a shadow or
6:52
something and just hide and watch this
6:55
thing with everybody else being able to
6:57
be at an even further distance.
6:58
>> Okay.
6:59
>> And I am looking for something larger
7:01
than a Skittermander, which I don't
7:03
think is that hard to find.
7:05
>> I It's not There's u There's kind of an
7:09
old barrel with the embers of some
7:12
previous fires in it. It's not burning,
7:14
but it's clear that it was at some point
7:17
recent past burning. Um, so yes, give me
7:22
a stealth check, people who are trying
7:23
to sneak down the alley. And uh,
7:27
>> 28.
7:27
>> Okay.
7:29
>> Yes, you were extremely hidden. No one.
7:32
you were
7:34
uh so Jadana, you
7:37
uh sneak in and you find a good place on
7:40
behind a crate to hide yourself and you
7:44
know kind of look back at everyone, give
7:46
them a thumbs up cuz you you got this.
7:48
You got this. Uh meanwhile, Tooth Hug is
7:51
just gone. They were there and now they
7:53
are not.
7:54
>> And I just kind of look around and I'm
7:55
just like, okay.
7:58
Um,
7:58
>> and I'm just, yeah, I want to keep an
7:59
eye on this drone and see if I can like
8:02
see anybody coming out to look for it.
8:04
Anybody peeking out a window? I'm trying
8:07
to see like is somebody looking for this
8:09
thing? Cuz obviously the drone itself is
8:11
confused cuz it's waiting to get picked
8:13
up and there's nothing there.
8:14
>> Yeah, I The drone just sort of uh it
8:18
keeps doing its thing where it sort of
8:20
spins like it's looking one way, it
8:21
spins a little the other way. It makes
8:24
kind of a sad little squeaking sound.
8:27
But the the alley's quiet. You wait for
8:30
5 10 minutes. No one comes out for the
8:33
drone.
8:34
>> I just kind of shrug and look back at
8:35
everybody else and like sneak back over
8:37
to where the group is. Uh so no one's
8:41
coming out for this thing and it's just
8:43
sitting in an alley. Now what?
8:45
>> I kind of look at Lunar cuz I've got
8:48
nothing. I've I've shot my shot at this.
8:50
>> So the drone is just kind of looking
8:52
around for someone presumably.
8:55
I want to wait till you're done
8:58
after you're done.
8:59
>> So, one thing we know about this drone
9:01
presumably from dissecting earlier is
9:04
that its log is kind of like it chatters
9:06
to itself constantly almost.
9:09
>> Um, I want to try to connect to it via
9:12
shortwave and not say anything. I just
9:14
want to kind of listen
9:16
>> to see like what is its like is it
9:20
internally logging anything that I could
9:23
pick up with that. Um, okay. So, you
9:26
know, with your with your skills, I
9:28
don't think you need to make a roll for
9:30
this. You uh connect to it and you
9:34
especially since Nitpick did this
9:36
earlier, more manually. Uh, you connect
9:40
to it and you listen to its log in real
9:43
time. Scanning area. Scanning area.
9:46
Awaiting pickup. Scanning area. SC. It
9:49
just repeats.
9:50
>> Yeah, I'll just kind of I'll disconnect.
9:53
It's waiting for pickup. Um, that's H.
9:56
>> While this is going on,
9:59
>> um, I have I You all need to tell me if
10:02
you think this is doable. While I'm
10:04
stealthing, I want to start moving
10:06
around looking for someone or tra tracks
10:10
from someone who might have been here
10:12
and scadaddled when things didn't go the
10:15
way they expected, when the drone didn't
10:16
show up immediately. So, I don't know if
10:19
you count that survival or deception or
10:22
what.
10:22
>> Uh, perception or survival. Survival
10:26
would be if you have survival.
10:28
>> I do. And that's a straight 18. Uh, with
10:32
my with my skill added.
10:34
>> Um, okay. So, yes, you're you're looking
10:38
around still after that stealth roll. No
10:40
one has any idea where you are. You
10:43
poof. Um, but you're poking around.
10:46
You're looking at the little trash of
10:47
food wrappers here and there. You think
10:50
someone was living here for maybe maybe
10:53
a while, but they aren't here now. They
10:56
aren't here now. There's signs that they
11:00
made a run for it pretty recently. Like
11:04
you look in this uh this barrel with the
11:07
embers in it. There was a fire here
11:09
keeping this area a little warmer not
11:12
too long ago. It's It's out. It's embers
11:16
now, but at some point recently, this
11:19
was a fire. And you poke your head into
11:23
this little shack at the end of the
11:25
alley. And I This is definitely a little
11:28
makeshift make makeshift camp that
11:32
someone was staying in. Um, and you look
11:35
around and you can see you've been
11:38
you've been around striving before.
11:40
Striving is hugely covered by security
11:43
cameras. They are everywhere. Everything
11:47
isworked. The cars have cameras. The
11:50
anites have cameras. The buildings have
11:53
cameras. There are cameras everywhere.
11:55
>> There are cameras watching cameras to
11:56
make sure nobody tampers with those
11:58
cameras
11:59
>> probably.
12:00
But this corner alley, there are not
12:03
cameras that come down here. And now
12:06
that you think of it, there there
12:08
haven't been this is a little this is
12:10
kind of a camera dead spot now that
12:12
you're thinking about coming down here.
12:14
This may be a a nice quiet spot where
12:18
someone might have wanted to hide if
12:20
they were staying, you know, off the
12:22
grid.
12:23
>> Well, um I guess I'll make my way out
12:25
trying to stay, you know, don't not not
12:28
to make a lot of disturbance or noise.
12:30
Um, I guess I'll go up uh behind uh
12:33
Nitpick then and start whispering and
12:36
hopefully he doesn't scream or freak out
12:38
that suddenly there's a voice. Go, I
12:41
think there was someone here. There's a
12:44
there's stuff down there in that that
12:46
that shack and there's there's signs of
12:50
someone leaving really recently. And
12:53
there's no good camera coverage here.
12:55
So, I think someone did it on purpose
12:57
that they came here on purpose. I look
13:00
at yeah I don't jump. Um and I kind of
13:03
like as we're all gathered I kind of
13:04
look at the Is this a dead end alley or
13:06
is this an alley that has like an
13:09
entrance and exit on both sides?
13:11
>> It's a dead end.
13:12
>> So this is the only way in or out from
13:14
this side. I guess at this point I don't
13:17
think anybody's uh in there. So I'm
13:20
going to say all right well maybe they
13:23
had a different way in or out than the
13:24
front too if they were that careful. So
13:26
maybe we look around and see if there's
13:28
like uh sewer grates uh entrance into a
13:32
building, a hole in the wall, something
13:34
like that that they could have uh
13:36
skidded on through.
13:37
>> I do want to add that between the time
13:40
chasing down the drone, which you
13:42
decided was probably sending back a live
13:45
feed to someone and h catching the
13:48
drone, hacking the drone.
13:50
>> They had a time
13:51
>> following your way back. There's there's
13:53
been some time. This isn't five minutes
13:55
after. Yeah. So, I'm just saying um
13:57
>> yeah, but I mean what we're look what
13:59
I'm looking for in particular is like an
14:00
indication of maybe what direction they
14:02
went or
14:04
>> because if if they're choosing this area
14:06
based off of what uh Tooth Tooth Hug
14:10
told me or set out to they probably were
14:12
trying to avoid cameras in general, they
14:14
don't want to be seen. So, my my guess
14:17
is either a they they ducked in during
14:20
like a a rush of foot traffic and like
14:23
we could maybe go back through cameras
14:24
and try to find where they came from. Uh
14:27
or they have a different way in and out
14:29
of the alley.
14:30
>> Uh because again,
14:32
I I I've been here for a while and my
14:36
character is I'm not a stranger to
14:40
sewers and and back alleys and stuff
14:42
like that. And a matter of fact, until I
14:45
until I met uh Tyranny, that's where I
14:48
spent most of my life was like
14:50
maintenance tuttles, alleys, rail
14:52
stations around striving, making
14:55
contacts and friends, and just being
14:57
around people, but I I kind of know
14:59
this. I don't want to say I know the
15:00
secret ways, but I know what to look for
15:03
for like quick exits or or stuff like
15:05
that. So, I think I'm just going to
15:06
start walking down the alley uh pretty
15:08
nonchalantly
15:10
uh and then seeing if I can find if
15:12
there's another way up like out or any
15:14
way to reach like access tunnels or
15:16
anything like
15:17
>> uh give me is anyone else doing anything
15:19
before we
15:20
>> I think while
15:23
he's doing that I would probably ask
15:24
Lunar if they have uh any ability to
15:29
connect to the cameras locally to see if
15:32
there's anything pointed near the alley
15:34
where we might have seen somebody come
15:35
and go in the last hour and a half.
15:39
>> Uh, that is a good question. I could if
15:42
they're within 30 ft, but I will
15:45
probably have to hack them to do it.
15:48
>> I'm going to just keep looking for
15:49
actual physical human or humanoid or,
15:52
you know, just anything physically
15:54
moving around on the ground here.
15:58
>> And I'd want to get to a high spot so I
16:00
can keep a be like be a lookout in the
16:02
shadows.
16:02
>> Okay. Uh there's so getting up to a high
16:05
spot very easy. There are piles of
16:07
crates you get on. You managed to get up
16:09
to like a second story sort of balcony
16:11
off the edge of the bu of the bu
16:13
building. So you have a good vantage
16:15
point to look around and watch
16:16
everybody.
16:18
>> Yeah. Um
16:18
>> I want to just kind of keep an eye out
16:19
to make sure nobody like gets jumped.
16:21
>> Yeah. So for hacking cameras, there is
16:24
not a camera within 30 ft of you. you'd
16:26
have to go back out to the uh front of
16:28
the alley and kind of get something
16:31
that's further around the corner because
16:34
quiet little corner. It's a quiet little
16:36
corner and it's away.
16:38
>> Uh since I can do it without looking
16:39
suspicious because I don't have to have
16:41
a hacking toolkit. I'm fine with that.
16:44
>> So, so let's me see if anybody has maybe
16:46
noticed that we're in the alley and or
16:48
is lurking to ambush us when we leave
16:51
this alley.
16:52
>> Wait, are you going you're physically
16:53
going away from here? Yeah.
16:57
If we want if we want camera if we want
16:59
camera footage, I have to.
17:00
>> No, that's fine. I just I'm going to
17:02
make sure to follow you. Trying to stay
17:04
as hidden as possible so you're not
17:06
alone to be caught up, you know, so
17:08
someone doesn't just come out of a wool
17:09
and grab you and take you and we don't
17:10
even know what happened. So, I'm I'll be
17:12
following after while I'm looking for
17:13
tracks on the ground.
17:15
>> I'm just gonna be writing down future
17:17
adventure ideas right here. H next time
17:21
next time I can do that. Um, you know,
17:24
everyone everybody uh give me a
17:27
perception check except for the except
17:30
for Lunar. You you're you're looking for
17:32
something. You're off to hack cameras.
17:35
>> I see nothing. I rolled a one.
17:38
>> Oh, you you see nothing. You in fact do
17:41
not see the piece of trash that you trip
17:43
over and fall on your face in the middle
17:46
of this alley.
17:47
>> I rolled a 21.
17:49
>> But Jadenna definitely saw you do that.
17:52
Um, so
17:54
>> 20 something. I I know the natural 20
17:57
and I'm trying to remember what my
17:59
>> uh plus. Okay, so 25.
18:02
>> Okay. Uh, Jana, you are looking very
18:05
closely up and down the alley. You don't
18:07
see anything moving except wait a second
18:10
at that broken
18:12
air vent. That broken air purifier. Uh,
18:17
where the smoke is, you kind of smoggy
18:20
air. There's a creature kind of poking
18:23
out. Not not a humanoid creature.
18:27
Kind of a little batsized thing.
18:30
>> I just poking it palm. And I just
18:34
quietly into it. There's something
18:35
poking its head out of the air broken
18:37
air vent. And I like try to look at it
18:39
through like the scope on my rifle.
18:42
>> It's It's a bat-like creature with wide
18:45
eyes. And it sort of has a It really
18:48
blends in with the small. Yeah, I would
18:51
I would just go across comms and tell
18:53
them and be like, I have eyes on it.
18:56
It's got its head, big eyes, kind of
18:58
blended in, but it's peeking out of the
18:59
smog blowing out of that air filter. Um,
19:03
I am I'm afraid at Tooth Hug, there's
19:05
nothing going on at that end of the
19:06
alley. There are some at the end of the
19:07
alley. There are passers by. There's a
19:11
little bit of foot traffic down here,
19:13
but there's not any big activity.
19:15
There's not any cameras directly pointed
19:18
at the front of this alley. Um,
19:20
>> I'm just tracking after him more than
19:23
anything else. I don't want Luna to
19:24
>> Right. Yeah. Yeah.
19:25
>> to be alone essentially.
19:27
>> Um, Luna, do you want to give me a hack
19:30
roll? See, now everyone's starting to
19:32
call you Luna. Now I am, too. It all of
19:35
these things are catching.
19:36
>> You know, it's probably a feasible
19:37
nickname. I'm not bothered by it. Yeah.
19:41
>> Uh, okay.
19:42
>> I do not know if if Lunar 17 is a
19:44
nickname kind of person.
19:46
>> Uh, maybe. Probably does. probably the
19:49
kind of person who like doesn't object
19:50
to it but isn't like you know nitpicky
19:52
about what you
19:53
>> call me spider sket
19:56
>> uh it's lunar 17 every time. Thank you.
19:59
No. Uh 22.
20:02
>> Okay. So you there's there's a camera
20:05
not looking in this direction that you
20:07
can reach from here that uh points out
20:09
onto a busier intersection that does
20:12
seem to have kind of a regular flow of
20:14
traffic going on. There are people
20:17
coming and going. You you grab some
20:19
footage for I don't know the last but
20:22
you just package up the footage for the
20:23
last day and sort of start scanning
20:25
through it. But there's no one coming
20:27
through that's like bad guy here arrows
20:30
pointed at them.
20:32
>> Well, at this point I mean they don't
20:34
have to necessarily be a bad a bad guy
20:36
bad eye bad guy but if they're going
20:39
into this dead end alley they are of
20:41
interest to me
20:44
besides us. Uh yes, you just don't have
20:47
a clear view of people coming into the
20:50
alley directly. You can see because it's
20:52
pointed out onto the street. You just
20:55
don't have a good you don't have a good
20:57
vantage point, but you do you have
20:59
captured some footage of people coming
21:02
and going here. And you may be able to
21:05
compare that to things later if you have
21:08
an idea of what you're looking for.
21:10
>> All right. Well, I will mentally file
21:12
all that away for later and rejoin my
21:15
compatriots who I believe are aiming at
21:17
a bat a bat thing sticking out of an air
21:20
vent.
21:20
>> Yeah, I'm just keepen eye on it.
21:22
>> I know that I know that simplified it a
21:24
lot, but
21:26
>> yeah. No, I'm keeping an eye on it just
21:28
so that it doesn't move because it's
21:29
like the only thing I've spotted down
21:30
here.
21:31
>> Uh Jana say it saw it and said so I
21:34
believe. So
21:35
>> yeah,
21:36
>> anyone who looks in its direction can
21:39
probably see what she's now that she's
21:41
called it out.
21:41
>> Well, in that interest,
21:43
>> somebody going to go talk to our little
21:45
friend.
21:46
>> You want to you want to come out of the
21:47
air vent there, friend?
21:48
>> Um,
21:50
it now that it's been spotted, it sort
21:51
of ducks down with it just the tips of
21:53
the very tops of its eyes sticking out.
21:56
It makes kind of a a hissing sound like
21:59
a teacettle, you know? It's a steam sort
22:02
of sound. Um h
22:05
>> uh give me a do you have a recall
22:08
knowledge role on like striving lore or
22:13
any do you have like that?
22:15
>> Yeah, I thought you
22:16
>> under I got underworld lore.
22:18
>> Yeah, I have a I have I have striving
22:19
lore plus seven.
22:21
>> Yeah, give me a roll.
22:22
>> Uh not 20. That's a 27.
22:26
>> You're making all the best rolls
22:28
>> and all the worst ones. I rolled a
22:30
critical fail before this.
22:33
Uh so nitpick you know this is a that
22:37
sometimes you will find these things
22:39
living around the air vents are
22:42
specifically in like polluted areas.
22:46
It's a smog scan just a little bat-like
22:49
creature that kind of thrives in this
22:51
sort of semiotoxic environment. Uh they
22:55
aren't very big and they have they have
22:58
very large eyes and they do have fangs
23:00
and they could they you usually you want
23:03
to this is this is something you want to
23:07
uh steer clear of or eliminate as a
23:10
pest, but you know they're they're not
23:12
unintelligent. They're not but they're
23:15
kind of pest creatures.
23:17
>> They're like they're like uh sky puppies
23:19
that nobody wants to touch.
23:20
>> Sure. I mean much like much like bats
23:23
themselves, you know, bats are bats can
23:25
be very adorable. They can be very
23:26
interesting and they can also be very
23:29
dangerous because they can carry
23:30
diseases and maybe you don't want to pet
23:32
them.
23:33
>> But would I'm a Midwestern middle-aged
23:36
white woman. I will pet the bat all day
23:38
long.
23:41
>> Um, we I know that they're they're
23:43
intelligent. Do I know what level of
23:45
intelligence they have?
23:46
>> Um,
23:47
>> like are we talking pure animal
23:49
intellect? Are we talking dog? Are we
23:51
talking uh you know humanoid? Are we
23:54
talking subhumanoid?
23:57
>> Like they've kind of got an animal
23:58
intellect, but they can understand and
24:00
they they have been known to speak.
24:02
>> Okay. So, a hey friend, don't we're not
24:07
here to hurt you. We're not here to hurt
24:09
you.
24:10
>> Uh listen, I'm I I I know what you are.
24:13
I've seen plenty of your friends and
24:15
family probably. Uh, this is not unusual
24:18
for me to be in this area, too. Look at
24:20
me, right? I'm sure you've seen plenty
24:23
of things that look like me, right?
24:24
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm trying to make
24:26
nice with it. See if I can coax it out.
24:28
>> You're not here to fix the vent.
24:30
>> Do you not want the vent fixed? Cuz I'm
24:33
I I'm not here to touch it.
24:35
>> This is our vent.
24:36
>> Okay, that's not a problem. I You I
24:39
won't touch the vent, but can I ask you
24:41
a question? Is that cool?
24:43
>> Its eye is just sort of looking back and
24:45
forth.
24:46
I point I point to the I point to the
24:48
shack. Did you uh did you happen to see
24:51
who was uh who was shacking up here?
24:54
>> Humanoid. It
24:57
also said it wouldn't fix the vent.
24:59
>> It
24:59
>> was it was it bigger than me or was was
25:03
it like and I I kind of point to all of
25:05
us like
25:06
>> Yeah.
25:06
>> Like I tell me when to get like the
25:08
height right and I just kind of like
25:10
point to each of us until like it's
25:11
close or or whatever. Uh you hit kind of
25:14
a vaguely human human height and it goes
25:18
yeah humanoid humanoid
25:22
that big
25:22
>> emphasis on the oid. Got it on the
25:26
>> on the fix promised it wouldn't fix
25:30
vent. Wouldn't let anyone else fix vent.
25:32
Good neighbor. Good neighbor.
25:34
>> Do you know where good neighbor went?
25:36
>> Uh um left. Left. Man in the mask left.
25:41
>> Yes. Do you uh go ahead? I'm sorry, my
25:44
friend.
25:46
>> Used to come around more, but now it's
25:48
the first time. Why? But gone again.
25:51
>> Do you Do you want me to help hide your
25:53
vent so nobody sees it and sees that
25:55
it's broken? This way they don't fix it.
25:58
>> Its eyes kind of go wide like in
26:01
excitement. And now that you've said
26:04
this, you see the head of another one
26:06
stick up behind it and it's like, "No,
26:08
get down. Get down. Down out." you would
26:10
do that for us.
26:11
>> Yeah. I mean, I I it's been a while
26:14
since I've talked with one of your one
26:15
of your kind, but like you you've been
26:17
very nice and you told us what we need
26:19
to know or at least what you can. So,
26:21
it's only fair that I repair the favor.
26:23
That's what that's what we do. We take
26:25
care of each other. I could break the
26:26
vent more.
26:30
Uh you you would know that these
26:31
creatures, they like live in this kind
26:33
of sort of smoggy atmosphere and sort of
26:36
the terraforming machines trying to make
26:38
the air more breathable. Not good for
26:41
these little guys.
26:42
>> I really break that vent. I I take like
26:44
a bunch of like scraps and stuff like
26:46
that because I actually have an ability
26:47
called tinkering fingers that I can I
26:50
can essentially it says I can repair,
26:52
but I'm pretty sure I can just like do
26:54
like general tink uh without necessarily
26:56
having to have like a kit to do so. So,
26:58
I'm going to take trash. I'm going to
27:00
obscure the vent uh make it so that it's
27:03
harder for folks to see. Uh but they can
27:06
still get in and out freely cuz I mean
27:08
they're helpful. Uh that's a 19 on
27:10
crafting. Uh, yes, you do an amazing job
27:13
of just sort of disguising all of this.
27:16
So, it's a smoggy alleyway, but there's
27:18
not clearly something broken back here,
27:22
if anyone just gave it a glance. Uh, so
27:26
this another there are like three or
27:29
four of them poking their heads out of
27:31
this vent now.
27:32
>> Uh, so one I hope this works for you.
27:34
I'm really happy that you you made a
27:36
home here. This should help. Uh I just I
27:40
got one last question for you. I know I
27:42
I don't know if you know some of you
27:44
know understand time. Do you understand
27:47
time like days time hours?
27:50
>> I just full full day and not day.
27:55
>> What time of day is it right now in
27:56
game? Is it like evening?
27:58
>> Uh it's getting into evening. Yes.
28:00
>> Okay. Did uh when neighbor your neighbor
28:04
left was it when sun coming up? Was it
28:08
at the when sun was bright or just
28:11
before sun start going away?
28:13
>> Before go away. Before not not long. Sun
28:19
it's trying. It's trying.
28:21
>> No, that's I think that's good enough.
28:22
So, we know that it was it it really
28:24
wasn't that long between
28:26
>> Yeah.
28:26
>> when they they they scooted. All right,
28:28
friends. Uh be well and thank you. Stay
28:32
safe. I want to adopt one, but I'm not
28:34
going to do the player way of adopting
28:35
the random cute creep. Do you use guns?
28:38
I say to them.
28:40
>> Are you Are you asking a bat if it can
28:43
fire a gun?
28:44
>> Yes.
28:46
>> Guns. Guns. Bad. Guns.
28:50
>> Guns hurt.
28:50
>> You couldn't use a gun. Okay.
28:52
>> I was going to give you a gun, but you
28:54
don't you don't have to take one. I have
28:56
two and I don't even need them. I don't
28:58
know why I bought them. I was I was
28:59
panicking at the at the equipment area.
29:02
I was like, "Oh, go. I got have
29:04
something." Gun. Okay, great. Another
29:06
gun. Why did I do that? I don't use
29:08
guns. I'm going to shoot lasers out of
29:09
my own hands. So, you can have one if
29:12
you want it.
29:12
>> No good. No good. Hide. Hide. Okay,
29:15
>> we hide. I'll fight.
29:16
>> That's fine. Does anybody else want I
29:20
>> I've I've got all the guns I need.
29:22
Thanks. Thank you.
29:24
>> We've all got guns.
29:26
>> I just I don't ever use it. I
29:29
>> I think it'll come across the across the
29:31
comms because Jadana hasn't left her
29:33
like post of in the shadows keeping an
29:35
eye on everything. She'll come across
29:37
calm and go I'll take one and then just
29:38
like go back.
29:40
>> Okay. When they see you.
29:42
>> Uh but they do they're watching you. Is
29:45
is everyone planning on leaving?
29:47
>> I assume so. They didn't they didn't
29:49
take my offer to break their thing more.
29:51
So I assume they don't want it broken
29:52
more. Uh, so yeah, I guess we're done
29:56
>> be
29:56
>> before you all if it looks like you're
29:58
starting to head out, they'll they'll
30:00
say man with mask leave things
30:02
sometimes.
30:03
>> Oh,
30:03
>> and like they'll look over the lean to
30:06
>> wheel around. Oh
30:10
>> yeah, Nitpick is already in the tent at
30:12
that point. The minute they say he
30:14
sometimes leaves stuff. Yoink.
30:16
>> I was in there at one point. Did I see
30:18
anything dangerous?
30:19
>> You didn't see anything dangerous? But I
30:21
but I'll just let him go in.
30:23
>> Yeah. You were you were looking for
30:25
signs of someone having been there or
30:28
left. So I was going at it from that
30:30
angle.
30:30
>> I just assumed if there was a big like
30:32
landmine on the floor. I was
30:33
>> Yeah, there's I No, there was not a huge
30:36
landmine on the floor. Uh so
30:40
um you sort of It's a It's a really
30:42
shabby little hideout. I mean, there's a
30:44
there's a bed roll. There's a lot of
30:46
trash, but there's also a few things
30:47
here. If uh you just take a few minutes
30:50
to sort of shuffle through uh there is a
30:56
um there's an old data pad, a very old
31:00
data pad that looks pretty worn out. Uh
31:06
there is a commercial med patch, a set
31:09
of micro goggles, and an infiltrator
31:13
serum. So there is a little bit of loot
31:15
and a data pad. I think it's I got to
31:18
try to get into this data pad. I have
31:20
to. This is going to happen.
31:24
Unless anybody takes it out of my hands.
31:25
I think I'm trying to see what's on the
31:26
data pad.
31:28
>> Most equipped to do it. So, I just
31:30
figure you come out of the tent already
31:31
poking at it.
31:32
>> 100%. If nobody takes it out of my
31:34
hands, it's already happening.
31:35
>> Uh you swipe through it. It's not It's
31:38
not locked. It's not locked. There's a
31:40
There's a profile on here uh named Z.
31:44
just the letter Z, not anything else. Uh
31:47
there are some old images. They're very
31:51
they're very grainy. Either, you know,
31:53
they've gotten some data corruption
31:55
that's lost some of the Yeah. resolution
31:58
of them or they were just not good
32:00
images in the first place of people you
32:03
don't recognize, places you don't
32:05
recognize.
32:06
But there also some shots of the lot of
32:09
you. There are pictures of you that look
32:10
like security footage that might have
32:13
been pulled or maybe drone footage that
32:16
might have caught you while you made
32:18
your way to analog things of that
32:21
nature. Um, and some pictures of Tier 99
32:26
Professor. Same sort of thing from uh uh
32:30
from security cameras just here and
32:33
there. and of actually you never asked
32:36
their name but uh some pictures of
32:38
Gellon who's the android bartender at
32:41
analog.
32:42
>> All right. Well, they've definitely been
32:43
observing us for a while,
32:44
>> but there aren't like anything like
32:46
notes. There's not like detailed here is
32:49
my plan and this is what I'm doing kind
32:50
of thing. It's just there are some
32:51
picture.
32:52
>> Okay, I show that to everybody, let
32:54
everybody know. And then I'm kind of at
32:56
a loss here for what to do next. I'm not
32:58
going to lie.
32:58
>> The one that stands out on this list for
33:00
me is the bartender. Granted, we know
33:02
they know tyranny and they knew the code
33:05
phrase and they were on the lookout for
33:08
us, but the fact they were observing us
33:10
ahead of time is interesting because it
33:12
implies that whoever this was knew that
33:14
Tyranny was going to send us a contact
33:17
of some kind.
33:18
>> I guess that's the question. This is all
33:20
before we received the contact or after
33:21
we received the contact.
33:23
>> These are pictures. So, you got the
33:25
initial letter from Tyranny two days
33:27
ago. These are pictures of you guys on
33:29
striving. So these are not these aren't
33:32
months old. These are maybe pictures in
33:34
the last day or so since you've gotten
33:36
on world or were already on world.
33:39
>> So this is this is after everything went
33:41
out.
33:41
>> So it did get intercepted as he was
33:43
concerned. There was a 16 something%
33:45
chance of
33:46
>> very dangerous. Yes. Um there's there's
33:49
another possible thing that a thing that
33:52
could be um we don't know that Tyranny's
33:55
dead and it said in his video that he
33:59
wanted someone to solve his murder. What
34:01
if he did this? Like he might have
34:05
wanted to draw us like he he invited us
34:08
but he let people know so they would
34:12
come out cuz he wants us to find them. I
34:15
don't and by then like I think she
34:17
probably has climbed out and is walking
34:19
up me like I don't know but it is kind
34:21
of weird that we're being followed like
34:23
nobody knows me from anybody on this
34:25
planet.
34:26
>> Yeah. They followed from the spot they
34:28
knew we were going to go and we only
34:31
went there cuz cuz Tyranny invited us to
34:35
go right.
34:36
>> Yeah. But that was like yesterday
34:38
morning while I was having breakfast.
34:40
>> Is that the picture of you?
34:41
>> Yeah. Yeah, I'm just like looking at it
34:42
knowing that knowing that it's like a
34:44
day or two ago being like that was like
34:46
yesterday.
34:46
>> I mean know he said got sent two days
34:50
ago. He he would have known to invite
34:53
you and so once you were invited maybe
34:57
that's how they found you.
34:58
>> Maybe maybe we should go talk to the
35:00
bartender.
35:01
>> It seems like the only lead we got
35:04
unless there's any other indication of
35:06
where this thing may have gone.
35:07
>> I mean does Tyranny have a house?
35:10
>> Yeah. The other thing I would want to
35:11
check is check out Tierney's uh
35:14
restaurant.
35:15
>> Possibly we could split up and
35:17
completely not a good idea,
35:19
>> but we could do it or we could go both
35:21
places.
35:22
>> Perfect.
35:23
>> You could do that if you want to. I
35:25
mean, I'm never going to tell you
35:27
something's a bad idea
35:30
possibly go wrong.
35:31
>> I feel like the uh the universe is
35:33
trying to tell us not to do that, but
35:35
that might be, you know, so I'm going to
35:37
I think we stick together. I think we're
35:39
stronger together than we are apart.
35:40
>> So maybe since we don't know, we know
35:44
where the bartender should be, right?
35:46
>> Yeah, we are.
35:48
>> They were they were working. Yeah.
35:51
>> Tyranny trusted Ty trusted them enough
35:52
to give them something for us. So I mean
35:54
>> we know that Tierney actually trusted
35:56
them though. They they maybe they want
35:58
us to find T. Like we don't know what's
36:00
going on. And I know from not knowing
36:03
what's going on cuz a lot of times I
36:04
have no idea what's going on. I I just I
36:07
feel like we can't just accept things
36:09
too quickly. Maybe we should go find out
36:12
what the bartender knows and then we can
36:14
go to Tierney's house and find out maybe
36:16
he left some clues.
36:18
>> Yeah. And you know what? Maybe I think
36:20
you you got a good uh point. My
36:22
>> Yeah, I think we should go talk to the
36:23
bartender for sure.
36:24
>> All right, let's uh let's go uh wet our
36:28
whistles.
36:29
>> So, it's not hard to track your way back
36:32
to the bar. Um, it's been it's only been
36:35
a few hours since you first all met here
36:38
and were chatting and hoping to meet
36:40
Tyranny themselves here. It's uh this
36:43
was not the way this day was supposedly
36:45
going. Uh, you make your way back to the
36:48
bar. Uh the broken window has been uh
36:52
covered up with like a a temporary bit
36:55
of cardboard and uh but analog is still
37:00
maybe a little quieter than usual, but
37:01
there's still quite a lot of traffic in
37:03
and out. Things happen. Drones break out
37:06
windows sometimes. And uh you go inside
37:08
and uh yes uh Gellen is still at the bar
37:14
uh talking to people, serving drinks,
37:17
etc. I think I would walk up and be
37:19
like, "Hey, you good? Everything okay?
37:21
We caught that drone that fired through
37:23
the window, but it didn't. We can't
37:25
figure out what's going on with it."
37:26
>> No one else came inside. Nothing else
37:28
happened. It was the one shot and that
37:29
was it. So, patched up the window. Can't
37:33
go off running chasing every thug or
37:37
drone or whatever the place.
37:40
>> Stupid drone.
37:41
>> Drone thugs. Yes, that's that's pretty
37:44
accurate. I remember when people used to
37:46
care enough to do their thugy
37:48
themselves.
37:49
>> I mean, it's
37:50
>> I look objectively really effing sad
37:52
about this. Like, I look I am I am
37:55
drooping just just like completely
37:57
inconsolable. The idea of handcrafted
37:59
thugery going by the wayside in favor of
38:03
stupid drone thugs who don't even like
38:05
don't have any personal touch.
38:07
>> Yeah, AI sucks.
38:08
>> Uh, it's it's checked all the security
38:11
cameras outside. It's been cloaked out
38:13
there for I don't know how long. It only
38:16
It only really popped up when it when it
38:19
fired a shot and then it ran.
38:22
>> Yeah. Well, uh can we get that table
38:24
back and that tab reopened to get some
38:26
food? We got to talk, I think.
38:28
>> Sure. Sure. Tierney said you were on
38:31
their tub, so you're on their tub.
38:33
>> Yeah. You might want to come back
38:34
because we got questions that you might
38:36
be able to answer for us, but privacy
38:39
probably a good idea. Yeah. Is Tyranny
38:42
okay? There's nothing. Okay. She hands
38:45
off bartending to another anite and uh
38:49
follows you back to the same table that
38:51
you were at earlier which has been
38:54
cleaned off and otherwise otherwise
38:57
you're back to where you started. So
38:59
that apologist that you gave us was a
39:02
message from Tyranny saying that if we
39:04
are listening to it, he's dead and we
39:07
got to solve his murder. And then as
39:09
soon as that thing ended, that thing
39:11
shot through the window at us.
39:13
>> What? Tyranny's
39:15
>> We don't know. That's just what it said
39:16
on the hollow disc. I don't know him
39:18
personally. He knew my parents.
39:20
>> So this is where the first question
39:23
>> This is where the first question for
39:24
you, my friend, comes in.
39:26
>> Tyranny handed you this disc themselves.
39:28
>> Yeah. About a month ago, and they
39:31
haven't been They're They're a regular.
39:33
Well, they're semi-regular, but they
39:36
did. I look at everybody else. I got my
39:39
message not too long ago. How long did
39:41
you get your
39:42
>> I got mine I was I was
39:44
>> a couple days at most.
39:45
>> I was actually over in Abselam on New
39:48
World and I came over here cuz I got the
39:51
note saying to come here. So I came as
39:53
fast as Tyr T one time he uh he helped
39:57
me uh with some people who weren't very
39:59
good and we we used to like to talk
40:01
about the space stuff more more profit
40:04
margin oriented for me and more super
40:07
excited for him but when he called I
40:10
came cuz we're
40:11
>> I haven't seen him since he gave me he
40:13
gave me this and he told me about the
40:16
phrase and if there was a group here
40:18
that used that phrase that this was for
40:21
them.
40:22
>> I'll show the bartender my note, like my
40:24
encrypted message, like on my data pad.
40:26
I'll just pull it out and show them be
40:28
like, "This is what I got."
40:30
>> I'm assuming we all got similar
40:31
messages.
40:32
>> Yeah.
40:32
>> Yeah. You all got exactly the same
40:34
message.
40:35
>> Yeah.
40:37
>> I think uh I think you were the fail
40:40
safe, which means whatever whatever's
40:42
been tracking.
40:44
>> Oh man, Tyrann's Everyone loved
40:46
>> T.
40:48
We don't actually know that he's
40:50
actually gone. We just know that he was
40:52
assuming that he would be gone.
40:54
>> Yeah.
40:54
>> Something else could have happened. He
40:56
could have taken him there. There's lots
40:58
of possibles. Just we shouldn't
41:00
shouldn't be too quick to assume
41:02
>> cuz that lead us from wrong ways.
41:04
>> When uh T was here, did he uh was he
41:07
spending time with anybody else that uh
41:09
maybe wasn't a regular?
41:11
>> Tier's friends was just about everybody.
41:13
They came in here a few nights a week
41:15
and almost never dined alone there.
41:17
We're always talking, having
41:19
conversations.
41:21
It's not super unusual for him to ghost,
41:25
but Tney always comes back. Uh,
41:29
>> everybody
41:30
>> specifically, did he did he have any
41:32
non-anocite guests who may have worn a
41:34
mask?
41:35
>> Uh, he has he's been meeting with a
41:37
visiting professor lately. Uh, I saw him
41:41
a few times. name started with a Zami
41:46
Zombi
41:49
something like that
41:50
>> or Zym
41:52
>> I don't know I I remember the Z sound at
41:55
the beginning but I don't I never caught
41:57
their name
41:58
>> I'm going to go I'm going to go behind
42:00
to where I can whisper to Lunar isn't
42:04
that on the pad the guy Z
42:08
>> that was the data log from the drone
42:10
>> yeah no get get that off the booth
42:12
Uh,
42:13
>> get down on the booth.
42:14
>> No, get down off the booth. To whisper
42:16
in my ear, he would have had to like
42:17
crawl up to the back of the booth.
42:19
>> I know. It's just so funny.
42:21
>> Adorable.
42:22
>> I just picture like little chaos
42:24
toddler.
42:26
>> I wasn't doing nothing. I Okay, I'll get
42:30
off.
42:30
>> Yeah.
42:32
Back down.
42:32
>> Toddler is usually a matt a Matt
42:34
special.
42:36
>> Sometimes I'm a chaos large thing.
42:38
>> It's true. Um, all right. So then, yeah,
42:41
that that and I look at everybody that
42:43
was definitely in the the drone data.
42:45
All right, I think we uh our next step
42:47
is we need to check out where the the
42:48
the prof was staying.
42:50
>> Yeah, I think so too.
42:52
>> Um
42:52
>> well,
42:53
>> Gellum, we should let you know someone
42:55
has been watching. Someone intercepted
42:57
the professor's uh messages, and that
43:00
includes the one to you. They've been
43:01
watching you just and all of us. Just
43:04
watch your back. Okay.
43:06
>> Yeah, that that drone might have been
43:07
out there for a lot longer in a couple
43:09
of days. We keep security here pretty
43:11
tight, but I'll step things up.
43:13
>> Well, you just make sure that it is
43:16
watching you, that you're friendly
43:18
watching you, not just bad.
43:19
>> Yeah, if you're if you find Tyranny, let
43:21
me know. Uh, their charging port is
43:24
actually not very far from here.
43:26
>> That'd be great information to have. If
43:27
you have it for us,
43:30
>> I never met him at home.
43:33
>> Well, yeah, most ances don't really have
43:36
homes and Tyranny was always busy. you
43:38
know, it's excited about work, always
43:42
excited about its new projects, its new
43:44
research. Um, so it's just a charging
43:46
port. They have a a charging port with
43:49
uh usually a data storage cache where
43:51
they might keep things near their
43:53
charging port in the same building.
43:55
>> Okay. Then possibly should go there
43:57
before we try to find the Z person.
43:59
>> Yeah, probably a good idea. Uh so yes uh
44:03
their charging platform is right here in
44:04
the north circuit if you go and that
44:06
gives you some directions to it.
44:08
>> Awesome. That's at least a start. Thank
44:10
you.
44:11
>> Yeah. Yeah. Tell me if you find anything
44:13
or if I can if there's anything I can do
44:16
to help Tierney or help you help
44:17
Tierney, let me know.
44:19
>> Professor seem to like you a lot and red
44:21
shirts tend to be bad luck. You might
44:23
want to go change and then she'll just
44:24
leave.
44:26
>> Yep. Time to start heading over to the
44:28
port. Uh, okay. So, yes, you're just
44:32
back on the busy seats of st streets,
44:37
streets of striving. Uh, you you you try
44:41
and follow their direction, uh, Gellen's
44:44
directions, and you wind up at this just
44:47
massive building just towering over the
44:50
street. Um, it's to where the top of it
44:53
is kind of lost up in the atmospheric
44:55
gases. Uh, anyone who's been around for
44:58
long knows that most ances are solar
45:00
charging. So, they go way way up into
45:04
the sunshine to charge. So, it's a very,
45:06
very tall building. Um, it casts deep
45:10
shadows on the street. Well, you know,
45:13
it's it's probably it's dark. It's dark.
45:15
There are no shadows. It's just
45:16
darkness. Um, I assume you are walking
45:20
towards it. There's just a it's it
45:23
doesn't have a big elaborate label. that
45:26
just has a number on it and a set of
45:27
metal doors that slide open as people
45:29
approach. If you you see some anites
45:32
come out, anites go in. Just steady
45:36
stream of traffic coming and going.
45:38
>> Yeah. I mean, I'm going to I'm going to
45:40
head right for the directions we were
45:41
given and go right for the port.
45:43
>> Uh, okay. So, you go inside. Um, there
45:48
is an elevator and a corridor. Uh,
45:52
there's not a lot of signage here. It's
45:54
kind of the the anocytes assume that
45:56
other anocytes know where they're
45:58
supposed to be and trying to be, but if
46:01
you step into an elevator, there is a
46:03
loud warning ping uh with an
46:06
announcement for all organics. Avalon
46:09
sun is a dangerous is dangerous at
46:11
fullbrite. Riding the elevator is safe,
46:13
but stepping outside and onto the
46:15
charging platform exposes a creature to
46:17
the harsh, hot, unfiltered sunlight,
46:19
which is harmful for most creatures. and
46:22
it just repeats that message.
46:25
>> I will say
46:26
>> Gellen Gellen would have said that their
46:30
their charging ports are usually up on
46:32
the roof, but they keep their data
46:34
storage
46:36
>> uh caches usually somewhere in the
46:38
building where their charging ports
46:41
where they charge.
46:42
>> So, I guess we'll look for the data
46:43
store in a port first because
46:46
>> that that's really what we're after,
46:47
right? Mhm.
46:50
>> Is there like this thing of like here be
46:52
lockers?
46:52
>> Uh, okay. There is there is not. But you
46:55
keep on going down the corridor looking
46:57
for whatever you're going to find and
47:00
you come to another set of doors and
47:02
they slide open and you are suddenly in
47:05
a forest of petrified trees. You look
47:10
around and there's uh give me someone
47:14
give me a
47:17
All right, just give me a perception
47:19
check everybody and we'll we'll figure
47:20
out what everyone knows.
47:22
>> 11
47:24
you are like wow trees
47:27
>> 12 if it's a hologram.
47:28
>> Uh today I've inherited Joe's terrible
47:31
rolls. I rolled a two for a grand total
47:33
of eight.
47:34
>> Oh wow.
47:36
>> 25 plus eight.
47:38
>> What? Okay. Great. Yep. Sorry.
47:41
Maybe 25.
47:43
>> Okay.
47:43
>> Not 25. 15. Sorry. 15. 15.
47:46
>> 15 is still pretty good.
47:48
>> Trish, I think got the highest though.
47:49
17 plus eight. I think I heard you say.
47:51
>> Mhm. So, yes, it's it's it looks a lot
47:54
like a forest with these stone trees,
47:59
but you keep u you keep looking and you
48:02
see each one of these trees is a
48:06
different color. Each one is differently
48:10
designed. They're actually they're
48:13
pillars that are carved to look like
48:15
trees. And
48:18
uh as you continue in into the room, you
48:22
see there are other carvings here. There
48:24
are statues of uh anites made out of
48:29
jade and amethyst.
48:32
Uh but also barus, skitteranders,
48:35
magical beasts of lost galorean. This is
48:38
a This is you. You have not been in
48:42
striving for long and you have no idea
48:44
why this place is the way it is. You
48:47
thought you were looking for like a
48:48
locker.
48:50
>> Mhm.
48:51
>> I was looking for servers and I'm just
48:53
like, "Okay." Um, so yes, this is a
48:58
mystery, but
49:00
I'm gonna say,
49:03
wow, the two technical people really,
49:05
you made terrible roles. Oh my gosh. Um,
49:09
>> I mean, somebody come tell us. Somebody
49:10
come tell us about it, but we're not
49:12
going to see it on our own, apparently.
49:15
>> That's how it works. I'm just like,
49:16
"Hey, can somebody come explain all of
49:18
this to me? I play video games, and this
49:21
sure looks like the inside of a video
49:22
game." And uh I tooth hug you do once
49:26
this is pointed out to you you I mean
49:29
you you were seeing this at the same
49:30
time but Jadana has it in
49:34
>> Yeah. I was basically just looking
49:36
around everything not having no idea
49:38
what was important but seeing it. Yeah.
49:40
>> Like oh it's there. Yeah that's there
49:42
and that's there but I I don't know what
49:44
any of
49:45
>> um so yes this is this is all
49:48
um and I'll say okay one more thing
49:50
maybe this will help. I'll say that
49:52
Jana, you also spot a humanoid being in
49:56
the distance,
49:59
forearms,
50:00
bushy mane around their head.
50:02
>> Maybe we go talk to them. I'll point
50:05
them out to everybody. Do we go talk to
50:06
them?
50:08
>> I I I love it that you were you were
50:11
going to point things out and someone
50:13
else is going to do it.
50:16
>> She's just She's literally like a lost
50:17
kid. She's just like, "What am I doing
50:19
here?" Okay, fine. Well,
50:21
stand here. She'll go march over and say
50:23
hello.
50:24
>> Um, and this is this is a tall, thin
50:27
figure that uh with with bright yellow
50:32
eyes and a a huge nose. Um Oh, hello.
50:38
Yes, you aren't Oh, you have friends.
50:40
You don't see many organics here.
50:43
>> Yeah, we're looking for our friend,
50:46
Professor Tyranny. He left some stuff
50:49
for us on his data storage, but we don't
50:51
really know right where it is.
50:53
>> Whoa. Tyranny. Tyranny hasn't been here
50:56
for a while. I did. But yes. Yes. Their
50:59
their data storage cache is here. Do I
51:02
do you like them? Like indicating to one
51:05
of these uh tree like statues.
51:08
>> Yeah. I think they're beautiful, but I
51:11
don't understand them. Oh, I just I just
51:14
I like decorating and everyone No one
51:16
minds it. No, I think they like them. I
51:19
think I think they like how I
51:21
>> They're really Thank you. Thank you. Uh
51:25
I I worked very hard and everyone they
51:28
they let me they let me beautify the
51:31
space, I suppose. And as as she's
51:33
talking, she's you have a gender um
51:37
walking through this sort of forest of
51:39
sculptures until finally leading you to
51:44
um
51:46
to a cache. Well, it's it looks like a
51:49
tree, but it's uh uh it's it's an object
51:52
of unusual beauty like everything else.
51:54
It's about a 4ft tall plinth of smooth
51:57
dull opal carved with concentric
52:01
fractals. And there are tiny white
52:04
flowers blossoming in the moss over its
52:07
base which are which has all along the
52:11
base there are tiny capering sculptures
52:14
of anites with uh with oddly
52:18
proportioned bodies that are just
52:21
frolicking in the moss out around it.
52:24
Um, this particular plinth stands behind
52:27
a deep well around which lush and
52:31
creeping garden of little ferns and
52:34
frued vines seeps up into the floor's
52:36
metal titles tiles. I'm going to ask for
52:40
another perception check for anyone who
52:43
wants to analyze this uh cache in
52:46
particular. And if you want to roll
52:48
something other than perception, just
52:50
make a case for it. I mean, it's a data
52:52
cache, right?
52:54
>> It is a data cache.
52:56
>> I mean, I would argue that I would be
52:57
using computers to kind of like
52:59
>> Okay.
53:00
>> Do my thing.
53:00
>> Trying to connect to it. Trying to
53:02
connect to it or something. Yeah.
53:04
>> Yeah. But it's
53:05
>> on that perception.
53:07
>> Oh, so it is a data cache.
53:09
>> Oh, it's a data cache, but it is also a
53:12
physically physical store. Like it's
53:14
both. There's uh data in here, but it's
53:17
also typically a place to store physical
53:20
objects that anite might possess. Um
53:24
>> 19 plus uh if I'm using perception, it's
53:28
just plus three. But if I'm using um
53:31
artifacts, it's plus five. Remember
53:33
trying to connect it up to that idea of
53:35
the
53:36
>> what would they be bringing to him? What
53:37
was he looking for sort of thing? So
53:39
would you
53:40
>> Yeah, artifacts would not apply in this
53:42
case. Um, who got the highest just
53:45
non-computer related role?
53:47
>> Uh, my
53:48
>> 23 on perception.
53:50
>> Okay. Uh, so yes, in anyone in the 20s,
53:54
you're looking at this thing and I it's
53:57
it's beautiful. It's you've never seen
53:59
anything quite like this.
54:02
um
54:03
stuff. Uh but you look at it and you see
54:06
uh there's like the thinnest hairline
54:10
crack that goes all all the way through
54:13
it.
54:13
>> Is that broken or is that like is it a
54:16
>> is it is that broken or is that just a
54:20
like a gap?
54:21
>> The creature who has led you here who
54:24
again no one has asked their name. Uh
54:26
>> oh, what's your name?
54:29
Someone reminded me in my head that I
54:31
just shouldn't ask. I didn't ask. That's
54:33
rude. I'm really sorry. What's your
54:34
name? I'm too far.
54:37
>> Oh, hello. Hello. I'm You know, I said
54:40
that one and I just did this another
54:42
name. I don't know if I pronounce uh
54:44
Shala Luma. I'm going to go with that.
54:46
And I may never be I may not be able to
54:48
say it like that again because that's
54:51
amazing. That sounds like a name that
54:53
would be really hard to say. Shaluma.
54:56
Yeah, I'm having a hard time with it. I
54:59
I will keep working on this cuz it's
55:00
your name.
55:03
>> Anyway, broken.
55:05
>> You You point it out and uh she looks at
55:09
it and you know that's that's new. That
55:13
shouldn't be there shouldn't be a crack
55:15
there. Um but y'all are examining this
55:19
sort of tiny tiny hairline crack. Um,
55:24
nitpick, you were connecting to the
55:26
thing and uh, so as you as you approach
55:31
it, are you do you do a physical
55:34
connection or are you wirelessly
55:36
connecting to it? What are you doing to
55:39
>> I think I physically jack into it
55:40
because like I have the data pad or my
55:42
my little like I'm air quote omni tool
55:45
thing. So, I'm just going to jack in and
55:46
sort of
55:47
>> So, as as you approach it looking for
55:49
something to jack in, the it sort of
55:51
lights up in this pattern of circuitry,
55:53
and that's where you can clearly see a
55:55
place to jack into it. Um uh so yes, you
56:00
hack into it and you see you see a uh
56:04
log of tier 999 professors latest
56:07
activities reported in me memory storage
56:10
along with just a kaleidoscope of
56:15
different information, sensory memories,
56:19
things about various topics and
56:21
experiences with timestamps that seem to
56:23
exp span about 3 months of tearing.
56:27
daily routine. Uh, and but their only
56:29
recent activities were study and rest.
56:33
The last time Tier 999 professor used
56:35
this memory storage was after charging
56:38
two weeks ago during full dark. Um, and
56:42
I'm I'm really not trying to do this,
56:43
but I have another handout for you to
56:45
read, Joe.
56:47
>> That's okay. I keep doing the things
56:48
that result in handout. This is this is
56:50
this is my job in life.
56:51
>> Uh, well, if I could if I if I could
56:54
technology this. Uh so yes you find this
56:57
log of their recent activities which
57:01
>> download
57:02
>> ah things are always weird. All right.
57:05
Memory storage. Gen99 professor memory
57:07
log partial access. Decryption key
57:09
unavailable. Most recent upload two
57:11
weeks prior. Uh approximate duration of
57:14
memory storage 3 months. Crypt time
57:16
stamps failed. Sort least recent to most
57:20
filter unavailable. Study rest assisted
57:23
in recalibrating scan field stabilizer.
57:26
Output stable. Recommended reapplying
57:29
for upgrade funding due to repeat
57:31
incidents of scandalization. Unknown
57:33
date. Anonymous access attempt detected.
57:36
Report to supervisor. Study. Rest. Some
57:41
repeat study and rest logs have been
57:43
removed from this search. Study. Rest.
57:46
Someone is following me. Study.
57:48
Anomalous access attempts grow more
57:50
frequent. Rest. Someone attempted to
57:52
bypass my storage unit's biometric lock.
57:55
And then a file is corrupted. Somebody
57:58
got into this. Maybe through the break
58:00
and it
58:01
>> Yeah, I mean it looks like they would
58:04
have tried to get in here. Maybe they
58:05
got in. They either got directly to they
58:07
got to the log. Clearly there's stuff
58:09
missing. There's files. Cor and I turned
58:11
to uh our tall friend. Everybody has
58:14
access to this room, but I'm assuming
58:17
you log who comes and goes. Yeah.
58:19
>> No, I it's just this is just all of the
58:23
caches are biometrically locked. They
58:26
can't just be they shouldn't be able to
58:29
just be accessed.
58:31
>> Well, I mean being biometrically locked
58:33
is one thing. Putting a hairline
58:35
fracture and slipping a wire in is
58:37
another.
58:38
>> There is not a specific coming in
58:40
Cummings. And
58:41
>> what about um
58:42
>> and can one of you three smart people
58:44
figure out where the crack came from?
58:47
>> My guess is and I'm I'm going to look at
58:49
it. I'm guessing that somebody forced a
58:50
crack in it.
58:51
>> Um uh no. Someone give me an
58:56
>> occultism.
58:57
>> Cultism. Does anyone have a cultism or
59:00
>> Hannah?
59:01
>> Yep. Uh, occultism is my uh casting
59:05
style actually.
59:12
>> Um, yeah. Come on. Decent roll. 16.
59:16
>> 16 is a decent roll. You see this? This
59:21
was not brute forced. This was made by
59:25
extremely powerful magic creating a
59:28
slice at an atomic level all the way
59:32
through the cache.
59:33
>> That sounds more like somebody tried to
59:34
destroy it than anything else. Relay
59:37
this to the rest of the group.
59:39
>> Weird.
59:39
>> Um,
59:40
>> literally I have pin wheels going over
59:42
my head. I have no idea what's happening
59:44
with this.
59:45
>> Um, I will say nitpick. you you were in
59:48
the
59:50
now that you're connected and you've
59:51
hacked into the the cache, you can just
59:54
command it to open and see what's inside
59:56
if you the physical part of it.
59:59
>> I'm just going to to to cause it to open
1:00:01
up and say like what's missing inside of
1:00:03
it.
1:00:03
>> Um, so it folds unfolds open and kind of
1:00:08
the door of it sort of slumps off and
1:00:11
falls as it unfolds because it's
1:00:13
>> I will try to catch it. No, it's just no
1:00:16
longer fully properly attached. And
1:00:19
inside you see two professors crumpled
1:00:22
chassis hurled tight in a hunched
1:00:25
posture as though they were protecting
1:00:26
themselves from an unseen attack. One of
1:00:29
their hands clutches a note printed on
1:00:33
nano press paper and folded with dozen
1:00:36
precise folds to resemble a tiny boat. I
1:00:40
very carefully unfold the note to read
1:00:43
what it's
1:00:43
>> You're volunteering to read something
1:00:45
again, Joe.
1:00:46
>> This is what my character does. Like
1:00:48
this is I'm sorry. I'm just saying true
1:00:51
what he does.
1:00:52
>> I I'm I'm just saying I thought this
1:00:54
would be a fun way to get lots of
1:00:56
different people to kind of tell parts
1:00:58
of the story and it's like no, it's just
1:00:59
it's nitpick is getting right into
1:01:01
anything.
1:01:02
>> We're just giving block armor and it's
1:01:05
totally fine.
1:01:07
I'm committing to the bit. Uh
1:01:09
>> yeah, no, it's great.
1:01:11
>> He reads it. I'm going to obviously this
1:01:13
is read out loud from Nitpick. Friends,
1:01:15
I fear my studies are leading towards
1:01:17
danger. This is why I have called on all
1:01:20
of you. Take whatever material objects
1:01:22
you find in my possession. What's mine
1:01:24
is yours. Consider this a partial
1:01:26
payment uh services I hope will soon be
1:01:30
rendered, namely solving my murder. I
1:01:33
believe my murderer seeks an important
1:01:35
item. This item could be very dangerous.
1:01:37
I have removed it from Polytenica's
1:01:40
collection and hidden it. I dare not
1:01:42
write more about it in case this note
1:01:44
falls into the wrong hands. Trust you. I
1:01:46
believe I have no other options. T99
1:01:50
possess. I look at the two uh two fug
1:01:55
looks like it is a relic. I look at
1:01:57
everybody else. Looks like it was a
1:01:59
murder. And I look at him with his
1:02:01
deactivation. I'm not like a robotics
1:02:05
like or an android specialist, but like
1:02:08
can I see the mechanism of his shutdown?
1:02:10
Can I see if can I see if anything of
1:02:13
him remains?
1:02:14
>> Um, give me medicine or perception.
1:02:19
>> Medicine is not as good as my
1:02:21
perception. So, we are going perception.
1:02:23
>> And I anyone can make the check if they
1:02:25
want.
1:02:25
>> Uh, 14 + 4.
1:02:27
>> Yeah, I mean I'll help out and like look
1:02:29
around.
1:02:32
14 + 8 for a 20 22. Yes, 22.
1:02:39
>> So, okay.
1:02:40
>> Staring at a dead robot and thinking,
1:02:42
"My friend, my friend,
1:02:45
>> and and uh Shaloluma is doing about the
1:02:49
same thing with her hands over her beak.
1:02:52
No one no one sees this coming." Um, so
1:02:56
you examine the body and you you saw
1:03:00
there was that hairline crack through
1:03:02
the through the entire cache. You see a
1:03:06
similar slice through Tyrann's abdomen.
1:03:11
It goes all the way through. There are
1:03:14
no vital signs there. The body is
1:03:17
perfectly preserved, undamaged except
1:03:19
for this slice right through the middle.
1:03:22
this atomic level slice. Um
1:03:27
>> I actually I does this wasn't a solar
1:03:31
weapon, was it?
1:03:32
>> It was not. And actually, um uh Lunar,
1:03:36
you would know that this is actually I
1:03:40
said it was powerful magic. It was a
1:03:42
spell called slice reality which severed
1:03:46
sensitive internal mechanisms at an
1:03:49
atomic level. It's incredibly powerful
1:03:51
magic
1:03:52
>> and very precise, too.
1:03:54
>> Extremely precise because it didn't even
1:03:56
like the cash didn't even collapse. It
1:03:59
was just such this fine fine slice into
1:04:03
the surface that went all the way
1:04:04
through. Uh,
1:04:06
>> ma'am, I I'll look up at the person
1:04:08
that's helping us whose name she's not
1:04:10
even going to attempt because she
1:04:11
doesn't want to embarrass herself.
1:04:12
>> Luma. Shala.
1:04:15
>> Dal Luma. Yeah. I'm sorry if I got your
1:04:18
name wrong. Are there video cameras that
1:04:20
watch who come in and out of here?
1:04:23
>> They're There are not. I mean, there are
1:04:24
cameras on the streets. They're not
1:04:26
>> Did we take an elevator up? We took an
1:04:29
elevator up, right?
1:04:30
>> Um Well, there's there's the elevator
1:04:32
that goes up to the
1:04:35
>> Did we need to take that to get to this?
1:04:37
>> You This is the lower levels.
1:04:40
>> Somebody I mean, obviously, he hid in
1:04:42
here
1:04:44
>> trying to protect things knowing someone
1:04:46
was chasing him. So, somebody followed
1:04:48
him in here.
1:04:49
>> What's in there besides him? Cuz he
1:04:51
said, "Take whatever you find."
1:04:53
>> Yeah, I I looked through the rest of the
1:04:54
stuff, too.
1:04:55
>> Um, let's see. There is a null space
1:04:58
chamber full of goods. It contains Okay.
1:05:01
And actually, there was there was loot
1:05:04
from the last place, and I don't know if
1:05:06
anyone is keeping track of it. Uh,
1:05:10
because there is there is a lot of stuff
1:05:11
in here. Um, there are two cellular
1:05:15
stimulant spell amps, and some of these
1:05:18
we're going to have to look up. Um, a
1:05:20
Kimmelizer,
1:05:21
two commercial smoke grenades, a
1:05:24
commercial irising shield, a commercial
1:05:27
carbon skin armor with a dark vision
1:05:30
visor. Man, this guy had a lot of stuff.
1:05:33
And
1:05:34
>> I should have considered wearing his
1:05:35
armor.
1:05:37
I I don't know if the armor would have
1:05:39
helped against a a atomic level attack,
1:05:43
but um an antiquated shock pad that
1:05:49
plays a theraminlike melodies, an aosic
1:05:53
download spell gem, first rank, a
1:05:56
breaching gun, and a commercial Starfall
1:05:59
pistol with a commercial silencer and
1:06:02
commercial battery. There are also 50
1:06:05
credits for each of you. I mean, they're
1:06:07
not like put in envelopes and labeled,
1:06:09
but they're that's how credits from this
1:06:12
split up. Does anyone want to keep track
1:06:14
of treasure and its distribution?
1:06:17
>> I don't write that fast, but I can if
1:06:20
you want to study the list.
1:06:21
>> I got everything down. Um, so we have
1:06:24
the irising, we have the the uh nano
1:06:26
armor, the irising shield, the uh
1:06:29
antiquated shock pad that plays the
1:06:31
melody, which I would like to take. Um,
1:06:34
you have the akashic gem, which I think
1:06:36
under 17 all day long. Uh, you have a
1:06:39
breaching gun, uh, and then the
1:06:41
commercial gun with the commercial
1:06:43
silencer and battery pack for it and 50
1:06:46
creds each. I think I got everything.
1:06:48
>> Yes, I also just paste our chat.
1:06:51
>> Thank you. Uh, so you're
1:06:53
>> um,
1:06:53
>> well, Jaydana's eyeballing all the guns
1:06:56
and is just like whatever y'all don't
1:06:58
want.
1:06:59
>> At this point, Shell Shala Luma has gone
1:07:03
off. I need to contact the authority
1:07:05
even though he was missing.
1:07:07
>> Yeah, I look at everybody. I think we
1:07:10
need to go find that professor friend he
1:07:11
was talking.
1:07:12
>> I think you're right.
1:07:14
>> Cuz I'm thinking either Professor friend
1:07:16
is uh knows a little bit more than going
1:07:17
on or something's right around in
1:07:19
professor Professor Man's skin.
1:07:21
Professor Z something. Zyum.
1:07:23
>> Well, Zyum was on the on the
1:07:25
>> Was the world, wasn't it? Zyum was the
1:07:27
world.
1:07:28
>> No, that was
1:07:29
>> Zyum was just a word that we had.
1:07:31
>> Zyum was just a word from the from the
1:07:32
drone. It was set to activate
1:07:34
>> and then the the bartender said it was a
1:07:38
somebody Z something. We couldn't
1:07:39
remember the rest of it. So, I'm going
1:07:41
to guess that's the thing. Yeah.
1:07:43
>> Yeah. I think we need to find that
1:07:45
person. I I think I don't know. I think
1:07:47
that's I think it's where we're going to
1:07:48
have to start for for the next session.
1:07:50
Right. Cuz
1:07:51
>> as you are looking over this scene and
1:07:55
considering this a booming voice echoes
1:07:58
through the room, bouncing off of the
1:08:00
statues in a melodious disharmony.
1:08:04
The voice is accompanied by a strange
1:08:06
staticky sound. You have no idea what
1:08:09
you're involved with. Thus, I give you
1:08:11
one final chance. Stay out of it. You
1:08:14
know, I think that's that's our
1:08:16
adventure for now. We'll catch back at
1:08:18
the next one.
1:08:43
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1:09:03
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