The Lost Flavors of Vat-world Prime

Recommended levels 3-4.

Millennia ago, the urban planet of Silorus struggled with severe over-population and food shortages. Crowded with high rises and lacking the land for large scale agricultural operations, an experimental farm system was established on a nearby planet dubbed Vat-world prime. Silorus' scientists developed a nutritional algae that could be grown in colossal vats, requiring only sunlight and water to thrive. Strains of algae were genetically modified to produce concentrated flavors to break up the monotony of subsisting solely on nutritional slurry. The product was extremely popular on Silorus, unfortunately the newfound food security lead to a catastrophic population boom and soon both Silorus and Vat-World Prime were abandoned. Nature has since reclaimed the surface of Vat-world and a strange new eco-system has sprung from the slurry vats.

The party is contacted about a job opportunity by "Chip" C. Camrin, an upbeat android executive from Flavornova LLC. Flavornova are the producers of the popular snack food Tasteroids, commonly found in vending machines through out the galaxy. Chip would like to hire the party to travel to the recently rediscovered Vat-world Prime and collect samples of as many flavor strains of slurry as possible for the upcoming line of New! Flavor-Blasted! Tasteroids!

From space, Vat-world Prime appears to be a featureless beige orb. Scanning the planet reveals large amounts of life with limited bio-diversity. Finding a dry area to land the party's ship proves difficult, most of the surface of Vat-World is covered in a shallow ocean of Simply Seafood flavored Slurry.

After an hour of flying over the planet's monotonous surface, the party discovers an island containing the remnants of several structures. They can land wherever they wish and explore the island on foot in any order they choose. The island is overgrown with translucent vegetation and the ground is covered in a beige film of algae. Harmless white arthropods flit through the humid air.

The dominant life form of this island are the Vatlings, large amphibious creatures that resemble hippos with eye stalks and tentacles for legs. Though they are herbivores and subsist off the nutritional algae, they are highly territorial and have gained physical attributes based off the slurry flavors they consume.

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Vatling CR 1 XP 400 N Large animal Init +0 Senses low-light vision Perception +5

Defenses HP 20

EAC 11 KAC 13 Fort +5 Ref +5 Will +1 Immunity or Resistance based on Flavor

Offense Speed: 20 ft. Swim 40 ft. Melee: bite +8 (1d6+5 B + attribute from flavor) Space: 10 ft. Reach 10 ft. Offensive abilities: Trample (EX)

Statistics Str +4 Dex +0 Con +2 Int -4 Wis +1 Cha +0 Skills: Athletics +10 Intimidate +5 Stealth +10 Other abilities: Amphibious

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Slurry Flavor Chart

For areas 3 and 4, roll on this chart to determine the type of slurry inside the vats and the attributes that the local Vatlings have acquired. You can also use this chart to expand the adventure and add additional areas with more types of Vatlings if you choose.

1- Spicy Curry Slurry- These aggressive orange Vatlings have 5 Fire resistance and their bite damage is half bludgeoning and half fire. Trap damage is fire.

2- Refreshing Mint Slurry- These icy blue Vatlings have 5 Cold resistance and bite damage is half bludgeoning and half cold. Trap damage is cold.

3- Sour Citrus Slurry- These lime colored Vatlings have 5 Acid resistance and after being successfully bit by a Vatling, enemies take 1d4 acid damage the next turn. Trap damage is acid.

4- Zapberry Slurry- These bright blue Vatlings have 5 Electric resistance and enemies are dazzled on a hit. Trap damage is electric.

5- Salty Brine Slurry- These bumpy green Vatlings have tough skin from pickling in the brine giving them DR 2/magic. On a critical bite attack, the target must make DC 12 fortitude save or take an extra 1d12 damage from desiccation. Trap damage is acid.

6- Sleepy Herbal Slurry- These lavender Vatlings are immune to sleep from steeping in this tea flavored slurry and have +2 to saves against mind affecting. On a critical bite attack the target must make a DC 12 fortitude save or become fatigued for 1d4 rounds. Trap damage is bludgeoning and if the target fails their reflex save they are fatigued for 1d4 rounds.

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1- Pump House Ruins

The largest structure on the island is the ruins of an ancient pump station. Massive tangled tubes twist through piles of debris, some still leaking into pools of unflavored nutritional slurry. A PC who searches the area and makes a DC 16 perception check finds a Pump Gun sticking out of rubble next to a half fallen steel wall. This high pressure device was once used by vat technicians to transfer samples. When loaded with slurry or another liquid it can be used as weapon.

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Pump Gun- Long arm, 1d8 B damage plus 1d3 damage of slurry flavor type. Range 40' Ammo- 10 Usage 1 Critical- Entangled

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2- Making Friends

The ruins of this vat have leaked Sweet Berry Slurry into a nearby depression, forming a picturesque pond that gives off a pleasant fruity aroma. Several pink Vatlings are playfully swimming in this pond, though they shy away as soon as a PC approaches. The Vatlings will allow the PCs to collect a slurry sample without interfering, however a PC can try to befriend the Vatlings with a DC 18 Survival check. If they succeed, the Vatlings approach the PC and allow them to pet and play with them. In the process, the PC is playfully spit on by the Vatlings. This disguises their scent from other more hostile Vatlings, who won't attack the PC unless attacked by them first.

3- Overrun

This vat is mostly destroyed, though remnants of its original stainless steel walls jut up from the lake of slurry at odd angles. Inside this lake are openly hostile Vatlings that charge the party as soon as they approach. Roll on the flavor chart once to determine the Vatling and Slurry type. For level 3 parties there are 5 Vatlings, for level 4 parties there are 6.

4- Under Pressure

This vat has one intact wall, with some of its solar powered pump mechanisms still operating, though malfunctioning. When the PCs approach to collect a slurry sample, they are sprayed from an over-pressurized pump filled with concentrated slurry for 4d6 damage (DC 13 Reflex Save for 1/2 Damage). A PC can notice this malfunctioning pump with a DC 23 perception check and disable it with a 18 engineering check. Failing the disable check sets off the pump. Also hiding in the slurry are several Vatlings that attack once alerted by the malfunctioning pump or if the PCs attempt to collect a sample. Roll on the Flavor chart once to determine trap damage type, slurry type and Vatling type. For level 3 parties there are 4 Vatlings, for level 4 parties there are 5.

5- In the Thick of it

This area contains the ruins of the Verdant Veggie Slurry vat, though most of the liquid has been consumed by the local vegetation. As a result this area is incredibly overgrown. At least half the party must succeed at a DC 15 Perception check to notice the small remaining pool of slurry. Alternatively the party can spend two hours to clear the vegetation, but they must each make a DC 14 Fortitude save or the exertion will leave them fatigued for the remainder of the adventure.

Conclusion

Upon returning to Flavornova LLC., Chip is pleased as long as the party is able to retrieve 3 of the slurry flavors and pays each party member 1000 credits for their efforts. He provides the party a bonus of 1000 credits for each additional slurry they retrieve. If the party retrieves all the flavors (Seafood, Verdant Veggie, Sweet Berry, and the flavors rolled from the chart) Chip installs a Tasteroids vending machine on the party's starship. If the party does not own their own starship, Chip gives them each a keycard that will give them free snacks from any Tasteroid vending machine for life, as long as they don't abuse the privilege.