Of course, I'm not invisible. So those three goons with guns? They react. One of them even faster than I do… luckily, he targets me, and I dodge the bolt of lightning coming from his weapon,which hits a bulkhead behind us, leaving a scorch mark.
Fighting is NOT my jam. So I throw up one of the nastiest defensive spells in Pathfinder: Prismatic Sphere. I need Spell Enhancer to make the caster level requirement, but that’s easy. It creates a spherical barrier that stops all energy attacks cold, stops all projectile attacks cold, and has seven different flavors of “screw you” to apply to anyone trying to push their way through, is natively dismissable, and the methods to get rid of it simply don't exist in Starfinder. Oh yes, and it is also bright enough to temporarily blind people who get too close. It doesn't move with me, but it's a great way to say “No.”
And killing these goons would accelerate my transformation, which I do not want.
“We have some time now,” I inform Euler, “So tell me what's going on, hmm?”
“Ah… that. Well, I wanted some money,” of course you did, Euler, nearly everyone does, “so I decided to sell my knowledge of the natives to an exploratory publisher. A quick memory upload, and I was a good ten grand richer.”
Well, that's fine, saves me from needing to ask you to do it, “Okay, and I'm guessing the goons came by a few hours later, saying something about wanting you to recall the data?”
He pauses, “Yes; how do you know that?”
“The company that contracted the survey reminded me, spontaneously, of the confidentiality clause. Stephanie clued me in on why they would want to do that, we figured out a workaround to try and cut off our best guess as to why they would… which you did without us asking.”
Euler nods, “And from there, it's not much of a jump to ‘goons want to reverse the publication’.”
I smile, “Exactly. So I take it you want safe passage off the station?”
Patricia interrupts, “Hmmm… tasty….”
Great, one of the goons must have convinced himself… or one of the other goons… that it was an illusion. Ah well; I'm not going to cry over a murderer for hire... I might the extra cc's eventually, though.
Euler fakes taking a breath, “I'd like to sign up as your first immortal super soldier.”
Ugh. I'd rather not feed Patricia his soul.
“We just ate, but I could go for another serving,” I can ‘hear’ Patricia licking her lips.
I ignore my silly symbiote for a moment, “Keep in mind: I am not certain of the full list of effects, but I've been as honest on the matter as I can. Do you understand what that will do to you?”
He nods, “I have a huge breast fetish. I like looking at huge hooters, holding them, sucking on them, and so on. Which means after, I'll want huge hooters on me, want people to look, want people to hold them, want people to suck on them, and so on. It will be DIFFERENT, but that doesn't make it wrong. Based on Cowbird, I will enjoy the new state.”
He changes tone, “But what I will leave behind is worry and weakness. You said Cowbird will survive basically anything?”
I nod, and Euler continues, “I want that. Thanks to you, Cowbird can fly through the void, survive basically anything, regrow lost limbs… the works… and that was just you protecting her from herself. I want the whole package. I don't want to ever need to fear anything ever again. Please make me strong: I am willing to pay the price.”
How can I say no to that? “All right. But I will want to keep you close to make sure that's all it does.”
He shrugs, “I need work anyway. I'll cheerfully sign up as your crew.”
I take a breath - after all, I'll be paying a price too, just not as big - and reach out to him.
I put Fleeting Spell on everything and use the Strand of Prayer Beads for the caster level boost, of course. The first spell I use is Body to Body: It's a sixth level spell that gives me half of the damage from the targets as long as they're in range… but more importantly, it lets me apply Personal spells to the target. And I apply a full suite. This flips Euler immediately, of course.
SpoilerI start with defensive spells: Holograms are alive in Starfinder (they have Constitution scores), so he's an ideal target for Delay Death (a fourth level spell that prevents hit point damage), Greater Celestial Healing (a fourth level spell that grants four points of fast healing), Monstrous Regeneration (a fifth level spell that grants Regeneration four), Energy Immunity (five times, once for each element: Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, and Sonic; it's sixth, and does what it says on the tin), Favor of the Martyr (which I duplicate via Limited Wish, a seventh level spell: It grants a host of status immunities), Golem Immunity (it’s an eighth level spell that grants the Magic Immunity of one of the classic golems… I went with Flesh as the least likely to cause Euler serious trouble; but it will stop basically any hostile spell), Death Ward (a fourth level spell that helps with death spells, death effects, and negative energy), One Step Beyond (a ninth level spell that stops all divinations cold), Sheltered Vitality (a fourth level spell that stops ability damage, ability drain, and fatigue), Delay Disease (not that I expect her to catch any, but hey: It might work against computer viruses - a second level spell, effectively grants immunity to diseases), Delay Poison (also a second level spell, and effectively grants Immunity to poisons), Protection From Evil (a first level spell that helps with mind control and posesion…. it also has some bonuses vs. evil creatures), Greater Shield of Lathandar (I need to duplicate it via Miracle, a ninth level spell, and I can't make that one Fleeting… but it's twenty points of damage reduction), Mystic Shield (an eighth level spell that stops spells of sixth level and lower - which is all spells except Miracle and Wish in Starfinder - and also negates enchantments on weapons), Starmantle (a sixth level spell that turns non-magical weapons into harmless light - combines scarily well with Mystic Shield), and the 2nd level Darkness spell to counter the light from the same. And to top it off, One with the Cosmos is a ninth level spell that grants the benefits of True Seeing (see through transmutations and illusions automatically), Freedom of Movement (prevents being held down or restricted by most things), comes with a host of immunities, stops aging, and gives a ten point boost to knowledge checks.
I also load him up with movement modes: Earth Glide to let him go (slowly) through dirt and stone (fourth). Ride the Waves (swim speed, 30 feet; also a fourth level spell). Fly (for a sixty foot fly speed). Also Greater Dimension Door (5th; lets her teleport at Close range once per round as a move action).
I don't neglect senses: Greater Blindsight, a fourth level spell that grants blindsight out to sixty feet (which allows “seeing” through fog, mist, dust, and the like). Dragonsight is a 5th level spell that grants low-light vision (an upgraded sort), Darkvision at ten feet per caster level (I squeeze out a caster level of twenty-two for the purpose), and blindsense for half that range. Ebon Eyes is a first level spell that lets Darkvision penetrate magical darkness in addition to the normal sort. Tremorsense is a third level spell that tells you where everyone is when they're in contact with the same ground, out to a thirty foot range (good when underground). Greater Arcane Sight is a seventh level spell to show her exactly what spells are on creatures or objects. Aura Sight is a third level spell that will tell Euler everyone's alignment (a very rough indication of personality).
I also toss in some offense: Stormrage (an eighth level spell) that grants flight, immunity to wind and ranged projectiles (of all stripes: An arrow, a bullet, a shot from a trebuchet, or a cannon: It's all the same), and gives her the option of zapping with lightning from her eyes. Superior Magic Fang is a fourth level spell that gives any natural weapons she might gain a nice bonus to attack and damage. Shapechange is a ninth level spell that lets her take on a very wide variety of forms (and a lot of monster abilities with them). Dragon Breath is a fourth level spell that grants a draconic breath weapon; I pick Brass, to give Euler a save-or-sleep attack she can use very often.
And of course, basic numbers boosting. Chasing Perfection is a sixth level spell that grants a four point Enhancement bonus to all six base ability scores. Superior Resistance is a sixth level spell that gives a six point resistance bonus to saving throws. Conviction is a first level spell that adds a five point Morale bonus to the same. Greater Heroism is a sixth level spell that grants Immunity to fear, and a four point morale bonus to attack, saves, and skill checks. Bestow Insight is a second level spell that gives a nice bonus (six points, at my working caster level) to a specified skill check… which I repeat for each of the nineteen basic Starfinder skills. Finally, Opportunity is a fifth level spell that lets her roll three times and use the best result for attacks, saves, skill, and ability checks… which makes it a really good blessing of luck.
[collapse]When I'm done, Euler is ageless, immune to nearly everything, superbly skilled, VERY accurate when aiming, and will heal rapidly from what little can actually scratch her… but that’s two hundred forty six levels of spells… an estimated twenty four thousand, six hundred cubic centimeters per side. She has two globes on her chest, each easily sixteen inches in diameter… and yet, they move naturally. She’ll need to go through many doors sideways… seems painful… I may want to trim the list a bit and get her a Restoration….
“Oh, don’t bother,” Patricia beams, “with his specific fetish, she will always want more… you’ve got a nice little BE addict there. And he didn’t tell you everything… he valued some traits in his women most folks would call wonderful: Loyalty and bravery. She’ll have those, and will have latched onto her captain in the transition - you. She’s pretty far into it now… she’ll never leave you nor forsake you, and she’ll always want what’s best for you. She’ll make a wonderful addition to our harem, and a competent bodyguard. Ooh yes, and he wanted his women ‘eager’, so she’ll always be ready to throw down with you for a good session in bed, more so than most I affect.”
Ugh. I did warn him… I could push further but… well, Euler can probably take down most dragons now, so… “How do you feel?”
“Wonderful,” my newest addition purrs as she hefts her huge hooters to test their weight… and get them out of her ripped shirt. They bounce freely, and have a surprisingly natural shape despite their stupidly huge size, “I feel like I could take on the world… but would you mind dropping the shield now? I think I know what to do….”
I grin, and make myself invisible so I can watch the carnage - and the beautiful bouncing bust - as I dismiss the barrier as she asked. Oh… she’s HUGE… hmm… I can’t wait to… wait a minute….
Of course, I'm not invisible. So those three goons with guns? They react. One of them even faster than I do… luckily, he targets me, and I dodge the bolt of lightning coming from his weapon,which hits a bulkhead behind us, leaving a scorch mark.
Fighting is NOT my jam. So I throw up one of the nastiest defensive spells in Pathfinder: Prismatic Sphere. I need Spell Enhancer to make the caster level requirement, but that’s easy. It creates a spherical barrier that stops all energy attacks cold, stops all projectile attacks cold, and has seven different flavors of “screw you” to apply to anyone trying to push their way through, is natively dismissable, and the methods to get rid of it simply don't exist in Starfinder. Oh yes, and it is also bright enough to temporarily blind people who get too close. It doesn't move with me, but it's a great way to say “No.”
And killing these goons would accelerate my transformation, which I do not want.
“We have some time now,” I inform Euler, “So tell me what's going on, hmm?”
“Ah… that. Well, I wanted some money,” of course you did, Euler, nearly everyone does, “so I decided to sell my knowledge of the natives to an exploratory publisher. A quick memory upload, and I was a good ten grand richer.”
Well, that's fine, saves me from needing to ask you to do it, “Okay, and I'm guessing the goons came by a few hours later, saying something about wanting you to recall the data?”
He pauses, “Yes; how do you know that?”
“The company that contracted the survey reminded me, spontaneously, of the confidentiality clause. Stephanie clued me in on why they would want to do that, we figured out a workaround to try and cut off our best guess as to why they would… which you did without us asking.”
Euler nods, “And from there, it's not much of a jump to ‘goons want to reverse the publication’.”
I smile, “Exactly. So I take it you want safe passage off the station?”
Patricia interrupts, “Hmmm… tasty….”
Great, one of the goons must have convinced himself… or one of the other goons… that it was an illusion. Ah well; I'm not going to cry over a murderer for hire... I might the extra cc's eventually, though.
Euler fakes taking a breath, “I'd like to sign up as your first immortal super soldier.”
Ugh. I'd rather not feed Patricia his soul.
“We just ate, but I could go for another serving,” I can ‘hear’ Patricia licking her lips.
I ignore my silly symbiote for a moment, “Keep in mind: I am not certain of the full list of effects, but I've been as honest on the matter as I can. Do you understand what that will do to you?”
He nods, “I have a huge breast fetish. I like looking at huge hooters, holding them, sucking on them, and so on. Which means after, I'll want huge hooters on me, want people to look, want people to hold them, want people to suck on them, and so on. It will be DIFFERENT, but that doesn't make it wrong. Based on Cowbird, I will enjoy the new state.”
He changes tone, “But what I will leave behind is worry and weakness. You said Cowbird will survive basically anything?”
I nod, and Euler continues, “I want that. Thanks to you, Cowbird can fly through the void, survive basically anything, regrow lost limbs… the works… and that was just you protecting her from herself. I want the whole package. I don't want to ever need to fear anything ever again. Please make me strong: I am willing to pay the price.”
How can I say no to that? “All right. But I will want to keep you close to make sure that's all it does.”
He shrugs, “I need work anyway. I'll cheerfully sign up as your crew.”
I take a breath - after all, I'll be paying a price too, just not as big - and reach out to him.
I put Fleeting Spell on everything and use the Strand of Prayer Beads for the caster level boost, of course. The first spell I use is Body to Body: It's a sixth level spell that gives me half of the damage from the targets as long as they're in range… but more importantly, it lets me apply Personal spells to the target. And I apply a full suite. This flips Euler immediately, of course.
SpoilerI start with defensive spells: Holograms are alive in Starfinder (they have Constitution scores), so he's an ideal target for Delay Death (a fourth level spell that prevents hit point damage), Greater Celestial Healing (a fourth level spell that grants four points of fast healing), Monstrous Regeneration (a fifth level spell that grants Regeneration four), Energy Immunity (five times, once for each element: Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, and Sonic; it's sixth, and does what it says on the tin), Favor of the Martyr (which I duplicate via Limited Wish, a seventh level spell: It grants a host of status immunities), Golem Immunity (it’s an eighth level spell that grants the Magic Immunity of one of the classic golems… I went with Flesh as the least likely to cause Euler serious trouble; but it will stop basically any hostile spell), Death Ward (a fourth level spell that helps with death spells, death effects, and negative energy), One Step Beyond (a ninth level spell that stops all divinations cold), Sheltered Vitality (a fourth level spell that stops ability damage, ability drain, and fatigue), Delay Disease (not that I expect her to catch any, but hey: It might work against computer viruses - a second level spell, effectively grants immunity to diseases), Delay Poison (also a second level spell, and effectively grants Immunity to poisons), Protection From Evil (a first level spell that helps with mind control and posesion…. it also has some bonuses vs. evil creatures), Greater Shield of Lathandar (I need to duplicate it via Miracle, a ninth level spell, and I can't make that one Fleeting… but it's twenty points of damage reduction), Mystic Shield (an eighth level spell that stops spells of sixth level and lower - which is all spells except Miracle and Wish in Starfinder - and also negates enchantments on weapons), Starmantle (a sixth level spell that turns non-magical weapons into harmless light - combines scarily well with Mystic Shield), and the 2nd level Darkness spell to counter the light from the same. And to top it off, One with the Cosmos is a ninth level spell that grants the benefits of True Seeing (see through transmutations and illusions automatically), Freedom of Movement (prevents being held down or restricted by most things), comes with a host of immunities, stops aging, and gives a ten point boost to knowledge checks.
I also load him up with movement modes: Earth Glide to let him go (slowly) through dirt and stone (fourth). Ride the Waves (swim speed, 30 feet; also a fourth level spell). Fly (for a sixty foot fly speed). Also Greater Dimension Door (5th; lets her teleport at Close range once per round as a move action).
I don't neglect senses: Greater Blindsight, a fourth level spell that grants blindsight out to sixty feet (which allows “seeing” through fog, mist, dust, and the like). Dragonsight is a 5th level spell that grants low-light vision (an upgraded sort), Darkvision at ten feet per caster level (I squeeze out a caster level of twenty-two for the purpose), and blindsense for half that range. Ebon Eyes is a first level spell that lets Darkvision penetrate magical darkness in addition to the normal sort. Tremorsense is a third level spell that tells you where everyone is when they're in contact with the same ground, out to a thirty foot range (good when underground). Greater Arcane Sight is a seventh level spell to show her exactly what spells are on creatures or objects. Aura Sight is a third level spell that will tell Euler everyone's alignment (a very rough indication of personality).
I also toss in some offense: Stormrage (an eighth level spell) that grants flight, immunity to wind and ranged projectiles (of all stripes: An arrow, a bullet, a shot from a trebuchet, or a cannon: It's all the same), and gives her the option of zapping with lightning from her eyes. Superior Magic Fang is a fourth level spell that gives any natural weapons she might gain a nice bonus to attack and damage. Shapechange is a ninth level spell that lets her take on a very wide variety of forms (and a lot of monster abilities with them). Dragon Breath is a fourth level spell that grants a draconic breath weapon; I pick Brass, to give Euler a save-or-sleep attack she can use very often.
And of course, basic numbers boosting. Chasing Perfection is a sixth level spell that grants a four point Enhancement bonus to all six base ability scores. Superior Resistance is a sixth level spell that gives a six point resistance bonus to saving throws. Conviction is a first level spell that adds a five point Morale bonus to the same. Greater Heroism is a sixth level spell that grants Immunity to fear, and a four point morale bonus to attack, saves, and skill checks. Bestow Insight is a second level spell that gives a nice bonus (six points, at my working caster level) to a specified skill check… which I repeat for each of the nineteen basic Starfinder skills. Finally, Opportunity is a fifth level spell that lets her roll three times and use the best result for attacks, saves, skill, and ability checks… which makes it a really good blessing of luck.
[collapse]When I'm done, Euler is ageless, immune to nearly everything, superbly skilled, VERY accurate when aiming, and will heal rapidly from what little can actually scratch her… but that’s two hundred forty six levels of spells… an estimated twenty four thousand, six hundred cubic centimeters per side. She has two globes on her chest, each easily sixteen inches in diameter… and yet, they move naturally. She’ll need to go through many doors sideways… seems painful… I may want to trim the list a bit and get her a Restoration….
“Oh, don’t bother,” Patricia beams, “with his specific fetish, she will always want more… you’ve got a nice little BE addict there. And he didn’t tell you everything… he valued some traits in his women most folks would call wonderful: Loyalty and bravery. She’ll have those, and will have latched onto her captain in the transition - you. She’s pretty far into it now… she’ll never leave you nor forsake you, and she’ll always want what’s best for you. She’ll make a wonderful addition to our harem, and a competent bodyguard. Ooh yes, and he wanted his women ‘eager’, so she’ll always be ready to throw down with you for a good session in bed, more so than most I affect.”
Ugh. I did warn him… I could push further but… well, Euler can probably take down most dragons now, so… “How do you feel?”
“Wonderful,” my newest addition purrs as she hefts her huge hooters to test their weight… and get them out of her ripped shirt. They bounce freely, and have a surprisingly natural shape despite their stupidly huge size, “I feel like I could take on the world… but would you mind dropping the shield now? I think I know what to do….”
I grin, and make myself invisible so I can watch the carnage - and the beautiful bouncing bust - as I dismiss the barrier as she asked. Oh… she’s HUGE… hmm… I can’t wait to… wait a minute….
