Agents of the Outer Rim 4 - The Saltwater Grotto

*Stories are told, invitations are received, Droo meets (and doesn’t get on well with) Cold Steele, and the team heads to their own afterparty. Is it just me, or are wet bars getting popular in this galaxy?*

## **Previously**

*Our heroes arrived in the Illsauvin city of Khloris amidst the beginning of a festival of games. With the whereabouts of Charlie Team still as yet unknown, the group decides that the best course of action is obviously to make their presence known. Bota placed his bets with the mysterious metal given to the group by Cold Steele, and Jowkazza and Katira put on a show. Winning their way to the final round of competition, what will the group do next?*

## **Recap**

### **Storytellers**

As the grand spectacle of games concludes its first round, Katira and Jowkazza are lead into a large, dimly lit chamber with the remaining contestants.

Walking in first, Katira is greeted by an Illsauvin who gestures to a tablet in hand as if asking her to make a decision.

> "*What is this? Dinner selection?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

Though she tries her best to convey that she has no idea what she is looking at, or what she should choose, Katira eventually flips a credit and takes option 1. The smiling guide bows and leads through a door to a backstage area where a placard reads - in a variety of languages - “History”.

On the other side of a curtain an impassioned speech can be heard coming to a close, the speaker finishing with a bow as the audience applauds. Four judges - three Illsauvin and one that looks like a giant shrimp - can be seen conversing in the front row and nodding in approval. Commenting that there is no time like the present, Katira drains her vial of glitterstim and steps out onto the stage. With the drug taking effect she gets an inkling of the judges thoughts as they speak, a vision of people arriving on the planet moving through her mind. She launches into a speech describing refugees coming to the planet and fighting for a life there, concluding with a dark premonition that the original inhabitants of the planet seek to return.

As she bows to a smattering of applause, Katira is sure to show the ring she received from Cold Steele. The glitterstim gives her a feeling that some of the audience may be disturbed by her story, and she exits the stage.

Entering behind Katira, the sound of Jowkazza’s translator droid soon echos throughout the chamber as it conveys the thanks of the Illsauvin for a participant from the republic, then asks what Jowkazza would like to compete in for the final round. Jowkazza and his translator argue back and forth for a bit, the Wookiee wanting a competition that will showcase his strength and the droid insisting they shouldn’t take the obvious choice, then the droid blurts out the the Illsauvin that they will compete in storytelling. Just as confused as to what’s going on as Katira, the Wookiee is lead to his own stage as his translator seizes his moment in the spotlight.

> "*Lovely people of Illsauvis, you’re always so welcoming. Last time you didn’t roll out the red carpet, so I brought my own this time around!*"
> ― MTD Translator Droid
>
>

As Jowkazza stands awkwardly observing the audience, his translator begins entertaining the crowd. The crowd sits transfixed by the tale of a translator droid serving under a space ranger, crash landing on an odd planet inhabited by a cowboy, a trio of weird space men, and a dog with a spring connecting its front and back end. Over the next hour, he proceeds to tell the tale of this space ranger and the cowboy, their struggle against the evil ruler that terrorizes the adjacent village, and their journey from adversaries to allies.

The droid finishes his tale with a bang, the crowd comes to their feet in applause, and a perplexed Jowkazza is lead away. Back in the entry chamber, he meets up with Katira as each is given an invitation to a gala celebrating the conclusion of the games. Hidden alongside her invitation, Katira finds a second note calling for her to report to Outpost 1 as a representative of the Eriadu Authority.

### **Choosing a Path**

Outside, Bota is waiting impatiently as a small Illsauvin child rushes up to him and presses a note into his hand before disappearing in the crowd. A message from Krinzod states requests Bota’s presence at the Saltspring Grotto to receive payment and discuss possible dealings for the metal that Bota used to cover his bet. He looks up from the note to see Katira, Jowkazza, and Cold Steele talking with Droo.

Katira tries to peek into Droo’s mind with the last bit of glitterstim fading from her system, and then attempts to convince her that the beauty of the city hides a dark underbelly, one that Cold Steele may be right to purge (they made her fight an animal for entertainment!). Though she is unsure about Cold Steele, Droo is happy to see that Katira has started to be concerned about the creatures of the galaxy.

> "*I don’t like her influence on you.*"
> ― Cold Steele to Katira
>
>

> "*Screw you, droid! Is this the guy I swore allegiance to at the city gates?*"
> ― Droo
>
>

Bota reads the messages and decides that the best course of action appears to be touching base with the underworld element of the city, and leads the group toward the Saltspring Grotto as Droo and Cold Steele exchange insults.

Outside the appointed location, the group finds a drunk sitting on a stoop staring blankly at them. Jowkazza and Katira each approach the man, one offering medical aid as the other asks where she can find more glitterstim, and the bum simply tells the group that they must be the ones he was told to allow entry to. They walk inside and find Krinzod waiting for them, commenting that he’s glad they brought more of that metal as he looks at Cold Steele. He gestures to a massive being in the center of the bar, saying that the team should talk to him if Bota wants to settle his bet.

### **The Saltspring Grotto**

Entering in, the team is surprised to find that the Saltspring Grotto is an actual grotto beneath the city streets. Stalagmites scattered through the area have been formed into tables and chairs, others serving as raised surfaces for a stage and resting areas, and a massive column turned into the central dais for Azkatos, a massive, multi legged crustacean that is looking down upon them.

With the gaze of Azkatos boring a hole through them… Jawa Jimmy heads straight past him to the bar, followed by Droo and Jowkazza. As Jimmy is given what he recognizes as a spiced ale, Droo reads the bartender’s mind through the force, and is overwhelmed with empathy for a man who longs for little more than the praise of his patrons - particularly those from off world - a chance to get back to his wife at home, and the possibility of owning his own bar. Quickly ordering a drink of her own and complimenting the bartender, Droo lets slip that she knows a little more than she should and worries the man.

> "*This is the best drink I’ve ever had in my life. You’ll be very successful if you keep this up. Also I hope your daughter will be president some day.*"
> ― Droo
>
>

> "*Thank you. Wait… how did you know about my daughter?*"
> ― bartender
>
>

Also approaching the bar, Jowkazza asks after the Imperial presence throughout the city. The barkeep explains that though there were some protests and opposition initially, most citizens have begrudgingly accepted the Imperial presence so long as they keep providing a consistent revenue stream and aren’t drunk and disorderly all of the time.

At the entrance, Katira notices that while most people in the bar are indifferent to the newcomers, the guards seem to be paying particular interest to the team scattered about. She asks Cold Steele the best tactical position to protect the droid in case a fight arises, and being told in a roundabout manner that she might want to avoid the water she asks Krinzod to come with her to a nearby dry spot. Forgetting that the gambler doesn’t speak common, she asks Cold Steele to translate but doesn’t think that the droid conveyed her message so much as a series of insults.

### **You've Got a Friend in… Need?**

With the rest of his team predictably off target from the mission at hand, Bota approaches the dais to speak with Azkatos.

> "*I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. I’m Azkatos. You know, Azkatos the unrelenting, Azkatos the merciful. You may have heard of me.*"
> ― Azkatos the Long Winded
>
>

> "*Do you happen to know Teemo the Hutt?*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*Teemo! We go way back. We’re cut from the same cloth, that’s what ‘ol Teems always says.*"
> ― Azkatos
>
>

Getting right to the point, Azkatos states that the metal that Bota paid for his bet with is known as “ebaq”, an ancient material that was long ago made on the planet. Excavations have at times found bits of the metal, but a piece the size and quality that Bota presented is exceedingly rare and valuable. Having ebaq of such size and quality indicates that the group must know of a hidden cache of the material, since it was not known to have been found off Illsauvis. With that being said, Azkatos is principally interested in talking with the group to obtain more.

While the adults are having their serious conversation in the center of the room, the rest of the team continues to be a force for chaos. At the entrance with her usual grace and charm, Katira has Cold Steele threaten Krinzod with death or dismemberment if things don’t work out well for the group. From the bar, Droo surreptitiously reads Azkatos’ thoughts - he seems mostly okay, has a bit of a temper, might be hiding something, trying to feel out the group to make a decision - and relays what she learns to Bota. Also from the bar, Jowkazza and Jimmy make a move to the stage, where Jowkazza begins to play the piano and sing a duet with his droid, and Jimmy collects the junk that people throw on the stage.

> "*People walk over and start dumping junk on the stage. You think this might be a custom here.*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

> "*I start to pick up all the stuff, and I want to investigate this key.*"
> ― Jawa Jimmy
>
>

> "*It is the broken shaft of a key, it looks like it won’t open anything.*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

The conversation with Azkatos moves slowly ahead without the music causing any serious distraction as Bota requests information on the missing New Republic operatives under the guise of concerned friends. Azkatos quickly surmises that the missing persons may be connected with a recent commotion caused by the Imperials at an excavation north of Khloris, and offers to exchange information for a lead on the ebaq that the team has discovered while Bota tries to exchange payment with his gambling winnings. With only minor details to be worked out, Azkatos intimates that he is growing somewhat fond of Bota and company, giving them warning to stay sharp moments before a squad of stormtroopers barges in the rear entrance to the grotto.

Lead by a trooper garbed in magenta (pink) armor, the troopers bring their weapons to bear on the nearest members of the group as they take up position for battle.

> "*I had no choice. They arrived right before you did. I’m sorry.*"
> ― Azkatos
>
>

> "*Under orders from Admiral Daala you are under arrest.*"
> ― Magenta Trooper
>
>

> "*Bartender raises hands in the air*"
>
>
>

> "*No… not you.*"
> ― Magenta Trooper
>
>

The troopers march forward into the area, weapons trained first on Droo and then on Bota as they come closer. At the entrance opposite the Imperials, Katira convinces Cold Steele to intervene by pointing out that these troops are in support of the government that is currently in control of the planet. The droid begins lumbering toward the soldiers, his intentions not completely clear, as the amplified voices of the infantry can be heard referring to the Magenta (pink) Trooper as “Grand Commander”.

## **Featured Characters**

### **Our Heroes**

* Bota Zi
* Droo Vos
* Jawa Jimmy
* Jowkazza
* Katira Eve

### **NPCs**

* Cold Steele
* Krinzod the Gambler
* Azkatos
* Magenta (pink) Trooper, “Grand Commander”

### **Mentioned**

* Charlie Team
* Teemo

## **Inventory**

* -2cp for piano performance of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” (Jowkazza)

## **Notes**

* Waking up from her hibernation trance, Droo introduced herself at the city gates as Sawkonn Deeznuts from Glee Anselm, pledging allegiance to Cold Steele the Destroyer
* Messages following the final round of the games:
	+ Katira: Congratulated on her participation as the first and only representative of the Eriadu Authority
	+ Jowkazza: Congratulated on his participation as a representative from the Republic. The Republic has only won the games once, and it is noted that he placed very high in the standings.

* After using glitterstim in the final round of the games, Katira shows symptoms of addiction

* Azkatos is not a native of Illsauvis, as noted by Krinzod
* Azkatos commented that Krinzod has an interest in history, always looking to learn new things to give insight to his gambling habits

## **Quotations**

> "*Do we have any weapons before we head out?*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*I've got McKlunkey 1 and McKlunkey 2*"
> ― Jowkazza
>
>

> "*I've got a lightsaber.*"
> ― Droo
>
>

> "*I've got... a long list of weapons.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*Can you possibly translate to Krinzod that I’d like to go talk over there?*"
> ― Katira to Cold Steele
>
>

> "*I don’t know their language, it tastes like filth on my tongue, but they may understand this… \*\*\* \*\*\*\*\* \*\* \*\*\*\*\**"
> ― Cold Steele
>
>

> "*I see nothing wrong with the strong suppressing the weak. I’ll assess the situation myself.*"
> ― Cold Steele on the Imperial arrival
>
>

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