Welcome back to my GM diary for episode 5 of the Starfinder Drift Crisis actual play! The episode is below; I have lots I want to talk about in the back half of this season, but this episode is pretty quiet, so let’s dive in.
Second Verse, Same as the First
This episode was the first one we shot on our second and final day of filming, several weeks after the first. Where episode 1 opened with endless possibility, a world of options, I was keenly aware that now I only had four hours left to bring the story home. It was an interesting challenge! We’d gotten pretty much where I wanted in the first half, but now I had to wrap everything up.
I had planted my two NPCs here to give our PCs a sense of what they were headed towards and some additional motivation. I made it clear that things were dire: the top decks were going to do what they needed to do to survive, regardless of anybody down below.
The break in filming also gave me a chance to figure out what mysterious items I had just given my PCs! I tried to dig up some items that would be useful to them, knowing what was coming. I won’t say too much about them just yet, but if you look at the three items, two of them were provided because I thought they would be helpful, while one was just fun. See if you can figure it out!
The other thing I did over the break was loaded Tam up with random serums. There are a bunch of fun mid-level serums in Starfinder, and I don’t think consumables get enough love, so I just gave Tam a bunch and told him to use them as he found them useful. Give your players weird shit, see what they do! What’s the downside! My alignment is chaotic good why do you ask?
The destroyed mall with critters running around it was the first real “setpiece” I had envisioned for this show, way back when I was doing my initial planning. I figured a ship like this would have plenty of places to let guests spend money, and “destroyed mall” is just a fun environment for a Starfinder session. In my mind, the critters got loose from a pet store, but really I just wanted cute animals running around.
Two other notes: first up, I demand fanart of Gary and Gary 2. That’s all I want. I’m begging someone to draw this for me! Second, if you’re curious about what the heroes are about to fight, you may want to go back to those “morning announcements” from episode 1. There was more foreshadowing in there than you knew…
Other Random Thoughts
- This week’s shirt is some lovely Foundry VTT merch! I ordered it before the first filming date but it didn’t arrive in time, so I’m glad I got to show them some love this time. Foundry rules, best VTT.
- I promise not to do anything too terrible to the pets next time! Probably. Maybe.
- Seriously, Gary 2 fanart. I’ll pay for it. Hit me up.
Next time, our heroes will attempt to prevent their pets from being snatched away, before moving further into the ship! Will the noble feathered skysails prove too much for them? Find out next week!
Alex Speidel 