Survey Mission

“We have a nice, boring survey mission,” Frank begins while we're using the mess hall for a meeting… and all still naked from having had lunch, “We have coordinates for a recently discovered system, and we're to map out the celestial bodies, take samples of the rocks and any plants we find… they've provided some habitat boxes for the purpose. Pretty straightforward, but obviously a lot of unknowns. Our launch window opens in a couple hours, and yes, we're being escorted until we jump to the Drift. Any questions?”

“No animals?” I raise an eyebrow as I summon my second skin and cast Fastidiousness to handle my personal cleanup.

“Not unless we're sure that's all they are,” Gregory chuckles, looking for his pants, “It's one thing to take a couple individual plants out of some farmer's field because we don't know what's going on… it's quite another to kidnap the farmer's child thinking she's just some random fauna. Plants are mostly safe.”

“‘Mostly’… thinking about Raxelites?” I consider the Tiny plant species, seed still flowing out from between my legs and simply running down to the floor rather than sticking, thanks to the spell.

“Pretty much,” Bob nods, his twin rods slowly softening and retracting into his body, “mistakes may happen; we'll want to make sure as best we can to avoid things that move on their own, and check the containers regularly during transit for any signs of possibly intelligent creatures coming out of a sessile stage: We find any, we take them back where we found them, explain as best as we can, and apologize. It's one thing to colonize a life-bearing world that nobody owns: It's quite another to bulldoze someone's house for a landing site.”

“Which is why we always pick rocky outcroppings for landing in such cases,” Frank starts dressing, “also… aren't you worried about illusory clothing?”

“It's ectoplasm, not illusion, so no,” I chuckle, “There's no disbelieving this,” I tug at my ‘shirt’, “as it's effectively real, and does a bit more than just cover me.” I normally would have gone with a Synthesist Summoner's Eidolon or maybe a Skullshield Necromancer's Bone Commander, but this is compatible with armor while those aren't… which will be important at fourth level, although isn't relevant yet, and substitutes for clothing because I have control over the appearance. It takes eight hours to change out what it looks like (and does: I went with Darkvision, a swim speed, and a climb speed; flight isn't available yet, but I'm covered from my racial pick in an atmosphere), but only a swift action to put on in the Astral Skin form: Mythic Traditions are handy.

“Could I get one of those?” Frank idly asks.

That gives me pause, “Technically.” I consider, and explain because of the look on Frank's face, “Okay, so… I can hand out certain abilities, but my ability to do so is contingent on getting something from the person first that's unreasonable to ask.”

“Well now I gotta know,” Gregory gets in on that aspect as he finishes getting in his armor, “what, exactly, would we need to give up?”

“Your worship,” I shrug, “which also lets me do things like see where you are whenever I feel like it or mete out arbitrary punishments for perceived wrongdoing. So you can see why nobody should…”

“I think I can trust you…” Bob smiles… showing way too many teeth… and bows his head, “so I will be your humble servant.”

And yes, Know Your Followers, part of the package, makes it clear to me that he's legit. Well. “Okay then,” I take a breath, focusing, “Arise, Bob, with my blessing.” I feel… something… settle on him as I say that. Huh. Well… I guess it's working… and the world kind of pauses where I am as I see… huh, a character sheet for Bob. Oh, I can Gestalt him with a divine class? Handy, I guess. Hmm. Second level, just like me, huh? Hmm… he's a Strength / Constitution split build, with intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma at ten. That's annoying, makes it hard to give him magic… ah, the Eldritch Godling can do Strength-based casting, nice, and can use any divine full spellcasting list. Okay. So that's him, then, using the same generic spellcaster I do for the base… go ahead and get him Strength for his Lineage Domain so he can boost his casting attribute along with his melee prowess briefly… I go through and optimize him as best I can (he doesn't qualify for Freelancer, unfortunately, as he already has levels in another class), including giving him a Mythic rank (Hierophant, to go with his casting, and yes, Inspired Spell so he can cast basically anything he can think of).

When I'm done, time resumes, and he blinks at me, “Oh, wow.” He casts his first spell, just going with the Token Spell cantrip as a test, “This is amazing my goddess. Thank you.”

Surprised me, too, but I had a couple hours outside of time to get used to it… “You're welcome. Now, obviously…”

“I'll make that trade…” Frank flashes a smile as he kneels.

Gregory grins, “Me too. I've always wanted magic,” and also bends the knee.

I chuckle, shaking my head, “Then I accept your allegiance, arise with my blessing,” as time stops again, and I go through the same rigamorole; Frank is a Dexterity/Intelligence split build operative, while Gregory is a Solarian with a split Strength/Constitution build. A little annoyed with character creation, I cheat slightly by copying and tweaking the same build I used for Bob: Gregory doesn't really need many tweaks, but I give Frank a different domain and Intelligence based casting.

And yes, I give them Mythic Traditions. Cursed for Unaligned (a two point penalty to charisma-based checks vs. Aligned outsiders won't bother them) and Patron (me, of course: I can revoke their Mythic status whenever, may as well give them a bonus for the fact), and Burden of the Master (Android subtype: It doesn't matter too much if they can be affected by android specific things, as there aren't that many) to buy the boons of Expertise (yes, I give them Astral Suits, same as I have: There's a lot of use there) and Mythic Exemplar twice (to grant each Mythic abilities appropriate to their original classes). Also “When All Seems Lost” as a quality, of course, because three rounds of invulnerability makes for a nice last ditch option.

…and I have another nineteen of those I can hand out.

We get ready for launch, and head off world when our window arrives, escorted by a pair of Fighters until we activate the Drift engine.