Patron: Merchant
Required Skills: None
Required Equipment: None
Location: Any world experiencing social turmoil

Players’ Information:
The world is undergoing societal problems. The native populace is bitterly torn over social, economic and racial issues to the point that rumors of civil war are flying about. For now, however, the bitterness is confined mostly to increasingly nasty public debates and policy changes, with sporadic mob violence triggered by seemingly minor incidents.

This is the case as the adventurers are conducting their business. Another situation has sparked rioting recently and is still in the news feeds enough to stoke angry confrontations between citizens and local law enforcement. As the heroes try to conclude their business before violence breaks out, they see groups of people gathering, chanting and stoking themselves up. The police, alert to the signs of impending trouble, have also begun gathering in riot gear, hoping their mere presence is enough to deter violence.

It isn’t.

The crowds soon become physical. The police, feeling threatened, let fly with crowd-dispersal methods, and battle is soon joined. The street becomes a chaotic stew of looting, arson, and fights. The PCs, caught in the middle, are assumed to be trying to navigate to a safe area, but this is easier said than done. Each adventurer must throw DEX or less or take 1D-2 (minimum 1) hits from being in what currently amounts to a war zone.

While they are seeking shelter, they witness a battered and bruised woman bravely trying to defend a small storefront. While she is armed with a club, she is horribly outnumbered and on the verge of becoming another victim of an out-of-control mob. If the PCs decide to help her, they have a chance to disperse the group directly threatening her. They may choose whatever method they like, from intimidation to outright conflict, but the fight should not be long (seasoned adventurers, some of whom are no doubt ex-military, will have no trouble dealing with untrained citizens).

The heroes should drive the assailants off, but only for the moment. They don’t go far, and look like they’ll try to loot the store again as soon as they lick their wounds. The shopkeeper hires the group on the spot, promising to pay them Cr 10,000 after things calm down, to help her defend her store.

Referee’s Information:
Three things don’t matter to the plot: what the store sells (as long as it’s not against local law); how many opponents the PCs are facing (as long as the numbers and odds are reasonable); and what method the referee uses to resolve the fight or assign damage.

What does matter is the reason the store owner is so adamant about defending the business. The heroes can use whatever method works best for them to discover why:

1. She is simply stubborn, and wants to protect her livelihood from being stolen and/or destroyed.

2. The merchandise is far more valuable than the surroundings and the owner indicate. She regularly has nobility as clientele and so has the best of everything. This also indicates she could pay the group more, if they insist. On a throw of 9+, several of her customers are trapped within and will be very grateful to be rescued.

3. There’s someone within that she’s protecting: (2+) children; (7+) an aged parent; (10+) an injured spouse.

4. As 3, except the one protected is either (2+) a criminal; (6+) an illicit romantic partner; (9+) someone who is forcing the woman to protect him or her.

5. She has contraband hidden in the store that will get her in trouble if it’s exposed, but is far too valuable to be destroyed. The shopkeeper will sneak inside and save the item(s) at the first opportunity. Along with her subsequent disappearance will go the PCs’ chances of being paid.

6. As 5, except the cops were about to raid the place looking for the contraband in question. A patrol of 6 in riot gear will appear, arresting anyone who lingers in the area, especially anyone defending the store. The shopkeeper will disappear without her item(s) at the first chance, and so will the heroes’ pay.

Patron: Entertainer
Required Skills: None
Required Equipment: Starship

Players’ Information:
While looking for passengers on Regina, the PCs are approached by a frail old woman. Still striking and modestly dressed, she is accompanied by a tall, impeccably-dressed man with a conceited air. She politely offers the crew high passage for the two of them to Extolay. She mentions she is going to visit her son, but surprisingly does not have much in the way of luggage; just a pair of worn travel bags.

As the duo boards the ship, several passengers do a double-take upon seeing them. If questioned, the incredulous passengers swear that the woman is Lisbet Gugiidima, the legendary holovid star. But that couldn’t be; Gugiidima has been dead for 20 years!

Referee’s Information:
The man with Gugiidima, Iebert Wix, is arrogant and condescending — when he acknowledges the adventurers at all. He makes no bones about his superiority to the “scruff,” as he refers to anyone beneath his station, and boldly holds forth at length about the food, the surroundings and the other passengers. He treats his companion marginally better; she, on the other hand, is charming and friendly, with a quick wit and a ready yarn. She tires easily, however, so she is not seen much during the journey.

1. All is as represented. Gugiidima is indeed the legendary holovid star. Her death was erroneously reported years before and she wanted to retire anyway, so she saw no reason to dispute the account. Wix is her aide and executor of her estate.

2. As 1, except Wix is actually her son, accompanying his mother to what she believes will be her final resting place. She has dementia, and thus believes her son is waiting for her on Extolay. Her periods of lucidity are becoming rarer as the days drag on. For Wix’s part, he knows as soon as his mother has passed on, he will become very rich.

3. Wix is a swindler after Gugiidima’s extensive real estate holdings on Extolay. Once he has them, he plans to dump her in an offworld retirement colony.

4. Neither Gugiidima nor Wix are who they say they are. They are con artists who are taking advantage of Chandia Bulin’s uncanny resemblance to the star to swindle adoring passengers out of their money en route. They will then disappear with their ill-gotten gains and further another plot onworld.

5. As 4, except the two are fugitives from the law. At least one of the other passengers is an undercover law enforcement officer who has finally gotten close enough to nab the pair, and will not let anything or anyone stop get in the way.

6. As 4, except the pair is not impersonating Gugiidima for nefarious purposes; they are trying to convince a board on Extolay that Gugiidima is still alive in order to keep her assets from being seized by a corporation.

The referee should determine the flow of subsequent events.

Patron: Terrorist
Required Skills: None
Required Equipment: None
Location: Any world

Players’ Information:
While enjoying a night on the town after concluding their day’s business, the heroes notice that one of their servers seems to be putting on a brave face about something — and failing. Inquiring if they could be of any help, the woman first refuses, but then seems to think twice and takes the group into her confidence:

She is recently separated her husband, a local lawyer who counts several organized crime figures among his clients. Her plan is to divorce him and thus free herself from the near-constant presence of mobsters and their aides. But thanks to a combination of legal skill and good connections, he has never been convicted of anything. Even though he treated her well and she wanted for nothing, she had noticed her husband becoming more and more involved with the criminals outside the courtroom.

In her departure, she left behind several items of a sentimental nature, which she can live without, except one: a holograph her ex keeps on his person. The image is of her with her ex in happier times, along with her late mother. The holo is one of the few images the server has of her mother and she wants it back.

Simply asking for the photo is out of the question; so far she has managed to elude her ex, but were she to reappear, one of his aides would doubtless track her back to her home. She is willing to hire the PCs to retrieve the photograph for her. How they do it is of no concern of hers, as long as her ex can’t find her. She offers to turn over her life savings — Cr 6,000 — if the group will accept the task of retrieving the picture.

Referees’ Information:
According to his ex-wife, the lawyer frequents an upscale restaurant in the planetary capital, sometimes conducting business there. He has become important to the crime lords, and so has been assigned bodyguards. Two accompany him at all times unless otherwise stated. All bodyguards have weapons up to the planetary Law Level.

The restaurant is very swank. While they aren’t selective as to their clientele, they expect certain behavior from their patrons. A dress code is in place, and any disturbance immediately means a call to the police.

1. The lawyer is alone except for his bodyguards. On a throw of 8+, he has four bodyguards instead of two.

2. The lawyer is alone except for his bodyguards. On a throw of 8+, he has eight bodyguards instead of two.

3. The hologram has hidden information on it, revealed through a multispectral scan. Throw 1D for the nature of the data:

1. The information reveals some personal scandal of the ex-wife. Throw Law Level or less for it to be illegal. Revealing the information results in the wife’s arrest.
2. The information in question will get the lawyer convicted in any court on the planet if it comes out. On a throw of 11+, the information would get the attention of Imperial authorities.
3. The photo contains detailed information on local organized crime. Revealing the information would deal a death-blow to the lawyer’s clients and make him a marked man.
4. The image conceals details on retrieving a valuable treasure (for example, the mother’s will; or a map to a hidden cache of valuables.)
5. The information is to be used to blackmail a local or planetary leader.
6. The hologram contains classified information about regional or planetary military forces. On a throw of 12 exactly, the information pertains to Imperial forces.

4. As 3, but one level worse/better.

5. The lawyer is accompanied by several mob clients and their bodyguards; or (throw 10+) one or more local political leaders, their bodyguards and aides.

6. As 5, but a Zhodani nobles instead of local political leaders.

The referee should determine the flow of subsequent events.