Required Equipment: Grav Vehicle or Small Craft

3014 Apinanto E431432-6 Ni Po 303 Na

Apinanto is a backwater system in the Saphi Cluster of Fessor Subsector of Foreven. Overlooked by everyone except those who only have jump 1, and even then the mainworld itself is largely ignored as fuel is only available from skimming the Gas Giants.

Not only is Apinanto ignored because there is no fuel, it’s also ignored because there is no trade. Apinantoians are a subsistence lot. They produce enough food and manufacture enough goods for themselves. When surplices are available there generally isn’t anyone to sell them to, and there isn’t anything the Apinantoians need to buy. The 37,526 inhabitants pretty much get along by themselves.

There is only one populated area on the planet. West of Clark’s Mountains rainfall creates the tributaries that become the Apinan River that for millennia has carved a deep gorge through the landscape to deposit its water into the depression that holds Clark’s Sea. Here the westerly prevailing winds evaporate the water blowing it back up the gorge to deposit it as rain on Clark’s Mountains to continue the cycle. Nearly everyone makes their living from the river; whether it’s to grow crops in the river valley, to find ores on the sides of the gorge to mine, or to run the boats up and down the river providing transport.

The source of the people’s livelihood is now the source of their troubles. The rains have stopped, and while this in itself isn’t a problem, what is, is that they have stopped for weeks. The water level in the Apinan has dropped to an all time low such that barges and river boats can no longer travel its length. Roads, such as they are, are just local affairs in the towns and villages, never between them. And with the air so thin, even in the deep gorge where it collects into more than just a trace, there are no aircraft or helicopters.

Through the phone and radio systems the Jose council, the oligarchy that runs the place, know that there are people stuck along the river in the wrong villages, boats are grounded on sand banks, fruits are sitting in their crates on the wharfs, and the alcohol and wood used for fuel is sitting next to them causing shortages everywhere.

The players have made their way to Apinanto for whatever reason, and they are currently at Apinanto Down, a patch of bedrock with a landing beacon, blast wall and a hanger about 1km from Clark’s Town, the capital. The counsel approaches the players for help and while it might seem like the thing to do there is one slight problem; the council have nothing with which to pay the PCs. Their stocks of grain and meat are needed as the crops that do not have irrigation will be devastated, and the livestock that they feed may die. There are many jobs for players with a grav vehicle, or small craft to do however.

Moving supplies. Wood and alcohol need to be moved to the market villages and farms where there are shortages to ensure that the compressors providing air to the habitats keep working. Fruits, grains and livestock need to be moved from the villages and farms to the towns.

Moving people. People who have been stranded need to be ferried back to their homes or places of work. They may have been visiting relatives, taking a vacation, or been on business trips and now need to get back home, and those who are injured or sick need to be moved to hospital in Clark’s Town.

Moving equipment. Boats and barges that have been stranded on sand banks need lifting off and moving back to their home wharfs. There is farm equipment sent for repair that needs delivering to those that sent it, there are new product that needs to be delivered to those who ordered it, and replacement compressors delivered to those who need them.

Salvage. With the water levels so low there are a number of boats, barges and equipment that have been lost to the river in the past that are now visible and reachable. If the PC’s other priorities have been met salvaging these would be a boon to the Apinanto’s economy providing unexpected resources for the future.

In order for the PCs to help they will need to set-up communications to co-ordinate and prioritise the tasks that need to be done and work out a flight plan to accomplish it as efficiently as possible.

In addition to the immediate relief work that needs to be undertaken the council would like to know the reason for the drought, and if the players continue to help and scan the planet they may find:

Image from wikimedia.  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

Referee’s Information:
1. There has been a crater made by a recent meteor strike on the other side of the planet to Clark’s Town that has caused a disturbance in the weather patterns. Predictions show that the patterns are likely to return to normal in the coming weeks.

2. As 1, except that the crater was made by the explosion of a ship’s missile and the missile is found to be from the Imperial Navy Squadron based at Askadero.

3. There has been a weather monitoring and control satellite installed into geostationary orbit over the Apinan by the Imperial Scouts at Fessor. The satellite is malfunctioning and instead of monitoring the weather is controlling the amount of evaporation from Clark’s Sea.

4. As 3, except that the original programming was changed two months after the satellite was deployed by someone who uses Zhodani spelling.

5. As 3, except the satellite was never delivered to the Scouts, it doesn’t have their parts and delivery designation, and could only have come off the production lines direct from Ling Standard Products.

6. As 3, except the satellite was made by Priantqlovr Drafr in one of its electronic subsidiaries.