This one-shot was played in April 2026 in the RATS club. It was set in Voidspace a few months prior to Beneath the Void as Sezza Starburn hired some men to figure out what was wrong with her mine on the moon Rhosai.
The characters were:
Milo - M Tiefling (Krros) Necromancy Wizard (Matthew)
Orwandil - M Warforged Stars Druid (Jesse)
Lamp - M Thri-Kreen Psykinetic Psion (Miguel)
Tannhauser - M Plasmoid Oathbreaker Paladin (Tiffany)
Zeta - F Astral-Elf Psi-Warrior Fighter (Grace)
Xennari Evos - F Centaur Twilight Cleric (Lachlan)
Storn - M Haanari Swashbuckler Rogue (Timothy)
Within the Rings of Zaeria on Zaerock, Sezza Starburn hired this party for an urgent mission and gave them one of her new shrike ships to complete it. An illithid ship had crashed on the moon Rhosai, piloted by a rogue independent mind flayer named Qhalt. Subsequently, one of Sezza's mines went dark.
"A mind-flayer illithid Nautiloid crashed onto the surface of Rhosai. Rhosai is one of the moons of Dobuna, the first planet in this solar system closer to the sun. A large gas giant. Rhosai is one of its many moons, a dead charred world (not unlike mercury) full of volcanic activity- Molten from the inside out and seared black from the sun above. Rhosai has an aura of red death around it. Its high temperatures cannot be wisthood by many, though duergar still man its many mines under the surface. An illithid ship crashing is rare. Reports from the dwarves indicate that there was but one sole survivor… An illithid named Qhalt, who broke out of the hivemind's control and is now an independent sentient Mind Flayer. Isn't that rare. And then, I proceeded to lose all contact with one of my mining operations there. I don't know what's going on, but I need you all to go there, check what's happening, deal with it in a way that befits my interests, and bring back Qhalt- Dead or Alive. And please do remember, no one can pay more than I can, and no one can hide from my eyes."
—Sezza Starburn
The party headed towards Rhosai with the spelljammer helm piloted by Orwandil. However, the party was ambushed by Vampirates along the way and had to fight them off. Upon reaching Rhosai, they had to drink fire resistance potions given to them by Sezza to withstand the red death. Entering the mines, they found no miners at all. Heading down the elevator shaft, they saw duergar being mind-controlled by Qhalt. Once discovered, the duergar escorted them into a large amethyst geode that was focusing Qhalt's psionic powers.
"I only just broke out of the Elder Brain's influence… I apologize. All I need is freedom. I have knowledge of magic… Magic forbidden by Illithids. Your master is but humanoid, we can be so much more. Join me willingly and you can be a part of the future."
—Qhalt offering illithid tadpoles.
He negotiated with the party, and in his newfound independence from the Elder Brain he wanted to take over Sezza's place as the new crimelord of inner Voidspace. Milo, who considered himself a child of Sezza, immediately turned against him and combat broke out. It was incredibly difficult to take Qhalt down, but everyone together managed to destroy him before he could focus his psionic power through the geode.