Adventures, Traveller

The Sylan Extraction

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Location: Syl/Reidain (Foreven/Reindain 0304) 2724 B510874-C
Patron: Johannis Arnaund, Journalist/Researcher
Required skills and equipment: Starship

Players’ Information:

Syl, the fourth moon of the Gas Giant Askew, has been a productive mining colony for several centuries and is currently the home of a number subterranean company towns, all of them locked in endless competition. Each corporate enclave tries to produce the best ore at the lowest price, but over the centuries, a sizable population of non-aligned Sylans has taken root in abandoned steam and aqueduct tunnels (known collectively as the Agrippa). These Agrippans are effectively Syl’s riff-raff, living by their wits, often doing the worst jobs for the lowest pay, and sometimes even serving as independent mercenaries whenever a corporate war breaks out, which is fairly often. Some Agrippans, unhappy with this arrangement, have joined together as the Sylan Liberation Front (SLF), a group that seeks to undermine corporate control of Syl and ultimately create a participating democracy among all of Syl’s people in order to effectively regulate and rein in the corporations. Needless to say, the SLF is considered an outlaw organization among all of Syl’s competing corporations, and anyone associated with the group may be considered a terrorist.

The PCs will likely be visiting Syl to pick up or drop off cargo. While in the Starport bar, they meet Johannis Arnaund, a rather inebriated fellow with a strange accent who seems to be somewhat disgruntled with Syl’s current state of affairs. He appears to be drowning his misery with alcohol, and while talking politics, he will wax eloquent about how the Sylans, Agrippans and Corpies alike, are all effectively prisoners to the corporate elite. The Corpies work in constant fear of being fired, because if they are fired they’ll become Agrippans, who are, in turn, essentially treated as human refuse. Sure, the consumers get a great price on the mined minerals, but what is the real cost in terms of human misery and broken lives?

If asked about himself, Johannis will say that he’s from the Spinward Marches and that he came to the Foreven Sector in order to study and write about governance, corporatism, and sophont rights along the Imperium’s spinward frontier. He has written extensively as an independent journalist and social commentator, but despite his work, he remains relatively obscure. Earlier this year, he came to Syl and met with certain members of the SLF, whose names he obscured in his notes by referring to them as A, B, C, D, etc…. However, as he returned to the starport, his notes were confiscated by Sternmetal Corporation’s security grunts, and he realized immediately that although they didn’t have the names of these people he met with, they’d be able to use security camera footage and data logs to figure out who they are. Hence, he sent a number of warning messages out via the public boards, but he’s very worried that these people will eventually by rounded up by Sternmetal or one of the other corporations.

“I will not be able to live with myself,” he states in one of his more lucid moments, “if my stupid lack of precautions causes these noble, brave, freedom fighters to suffer further.”

To this end, if the PCs will find these people and provide them with passage off-world, he will gladly pay three times the normal rate, and he can be talked up even higher.

TheSylanExtraction

Referee’s Information:

The passengers can be smuggled past security inside of large, hollowed out engine parts that can be obtained from a local scrap yard. These parts will need to be welded shut around them so that they can’t be easily opened by the guards.

The hard part will be in locating these people and communicating with them, but given Mr. Arnaund’s help, this is much more doable. The problem, he says, is that now that Sternmetal is on to him, they will be paying careful attention to anywhere he goes, and his life might even be in jeopardy if they think he constitutes a threat.

Possible variants are as follows:

1. All is as it seems, but Arnaund is secretly in love with one of the SLF leaders, a woman by the name of Este. He will be very eager to meet with her in person, possibly putting the whole operation at risk.

2. The operation is already at risk, as Mr. Arnaund’s table was bugged by Sternmetal security before the PCs even showed up.

3. Arnaund, having fallen on hard times, has effectively sold his soul to Sternmetal security and is helping them to entrap unsavory merchants in order to impound their starships, imprison their crews, and then employ them in hazardous duty in the lower mines.

4. As #3, but the SLF was secretly created by Sternmetal in order to gather subversive elements and conduct terrorist operations against the other mining companies. These “leaders” who are to be extracted are members who were up-and-coming in the organization who advocated hitting Sternmetal itself rather than just hitting the smaller corporate enclaves, something the SLF’s senior leaders obviously couldn’t allow. Hence, this extraction is being conducted so that these people can be effectively neutralized off-world so as to not create a rift within the SLF itself. Arnaund’s plan, then, is that after the ship reaches orbit with its human cargo, it’ll be stopped by a Sternmetal SDB, thoroughly searched, and then Sternmetal will deal with the PCs however they wish.

5. These supposed SLF members are actually Zhodani agents/agitators whose covers were compromised after a recent terrorist operation, and Mr. Arnaund is, among other things, a Zhodani agent who is trying to get them out on short notice. The PCs, therefore, are effectively useful idiots in case the extraction should fail.

6. As #5, but the Zhodani agents are not satisfied to merely have escaped Syl. They also want a starship of their very own to get back to Consulate space, and the PC’s ship would do quite nicely.

Adventures, Traveller

Madama Butterfly

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Patron: Noble
Required Skills: None
Required Equipment: Starship
Locations: Gotylu, Urnian Subsector

Players’ Information:

Whist on Gotylu the players are approached by two men wearing the brightly coloured and unusually tailored garments of the natives of that planet. They both also wear ceremonial (but quite functional) swords, marking them as higher status individuals allowed to carry such weapons despite the local law level.

They introduce themselves as Yakuside and Goro, and explain that they are looking for a group who can find the captain of a merchant starship who has gone missing. If the players are interested Yakuside will provide further details.

Pinkerton is the captain of the Lincoln, a type A free trader. Six months ago when on shore leave he courted and married Yakuside’s niece, Cho-Cho. After spending a few weeks with his new wife Pinkerton left to continue his business, with the intention to return once his trading route took him back to Gotylu. However Pinkerton has not yet returned from his voyage and the men are concerned that he is in trouble and wish to hire a group who can locate the wayward captain, help him with any difficulties he may be in, and then return him to Gotylu.

Yakuside acknowledges that Pinkerton may possibly have perished and in that case requires information on what has happened. Pinkerton also has a sword given to him at the wedding ceremony, similar to the ones they carry, which they want returned.

They are offering Cr 100,000 for Pinkerton’s safe return, half of this for definitive evidence of his demise and the other half for the return of the sword.

Butterfly
Cho-Cho – Image from Pixabay. Public Domain

Referee’s Information:

If the players suggest Pinkerton has absconded the patrons will protest that is an honourable man. However if pressed they will concede that this is a possibility and if so then there would be punishment administered when he was returned to them, and it would be unlikely he would be permitted to leave the planet again.

The situation is as follows:

1. Pinkerton is a scoundrel. Pinkerton is alive and well working the local cluster in his free trader and should be easily tracked down. He is a vain and arrogant man, the ceremonial sword is hanging pride of place in his stateroom seemingly as a trophy of his conquest. When confronted by the players Pinkerton will claim that he does intend to return to Gotylu soon to see his wife but has not yet had the opportunity. He will be quite dismissive of any suggestion that he should return immediately. Pinkerton will respond to threats with violence if he thinks he has the upper hand however if obviously out-gunned he will comply. He will also respond to financial incentives. If the players ingratiate themselves with Pinketon they will be able to encourage him, over a number of days or weeks, to visit Gotylu sooner that he may have otherwise. If Pinkerton discovers that he faces punishment or confinement dirt-side on his return we will not we willing to do so.

2. Pinkerton is a liar. Pinkerton is not in fact the captain of the Lincoln but is, or rather was, one of it’s crew members. He lost his position a few jumps after Gotylu and has been stranded ever since. The players will be able to track him to a world near to Gotylu where he is trying to secure a position on another starship that is likely to visit there. He is genuinely attracted to Cho-Cho and would like to return to her if possible. He will attempt to conspire with the players to concoct a plausible story of his absence from Gotylu and will happily accompany them if he thinks they will cover for him. Otherwise he will not be cooperative and will attempt to flee from the players at the first opportunity.

3. Pinkerton is a scoundrel and a liar. As number 1 however Pinkerton is not the Captain of the Lincoln but was one of its crew members. He is not currently on the Lincoln and has had a number of jobs since on different ships travelling around the cluster. He may be convinced to return to Gotylu as per number 1 however will expect to be aided in maintaining the ruse as per number 2.

4. Pinkerton is a scoundrel, a liar and a thief. As number 2 however Pinkerton has no interest in Cho-Cho beyond material gain. He is no longer on the Lincoln but left at the nearest port where he was able to enjoy both the considerable dowry he received from his marriage and the proceeds from the sale of the sword. By the time the players catch up to him he will have spent most of his money and will be either carousing, blind drunk or sleeping. He will not willingly return to Gotylu and will flee from the players as soon as he learns of their intentions. The sword is now in the possession of a local collector of Gotylu artefacts. They will sell, reluctantly, for a sufficiently generous offer (Cr 20,000 – 40,000). The collection is at their private residence and not securely guarded.

5. Pinkerton is in an unfortunate situation. The crew of the Lincoln mutinied soon after Pinkertons marriage to Cho-Cho and he is now stranded in a wilderness area of the planet on which the mutineers left him. Pinkerton is smitten with Cho-Cho and will happily return to Gotylu with the players if they find him, however he will want to retrieve the sword first which is in the possession of the leader of the mutineers.

6. Pinkerton has met an untimely end. The Lincoln was attacked by pirates whist wilderness refuelling. The ship has been looted and the crew executed, along with Pinkerton. The wreck with the bodies of the crew on-board is currently adrift. The sword was taken by the pirates and fenced. The pirate ship may be tracked down through the fence if the very distinctive sword is located.

Adventures, Traveller

The Cousin

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Location: Titan (Foreven/Titan) 1429 A642ABA-D
Patron: Minor Noble
Required Skills: Pilot
Required Equipment: none

Players’ Information:

After mustering out of the Avalar Scout Service, the player visits his cousin, hoping to gain a cushy job in one of his businesses. The cousin is delighted to see the player, and has already arranged a position for him.

On a moon in the Titan system
On a moon in the Titan system – image from wikimedia – public domain

Referee’s Information:

The player’s cousin has completely believed the player’s stories, and is excited to have the opportunity to employ such a “highly skilled, heroic”, Scout. The cousin has never been off planet and does not have a realistic view of what travelling really entails, having always lived a spoiled, privileged life. The cousin is an incompetent businessman, and has been depleting his fortune by carousing, but has so far been able to kept this information secret. In most of the cases below the cousin will behave as a spoiled tourist, wishing to visit every ‘exciting’ location, in which to engage in various risky ‘adventures’, with the player as his guide/bodyguard. At the referee’s option the cousin may turn out to have one or more addictive behaviors (drugs, drinking, gambling).

1. The cousin has sold almost all of his holdings, some 40 million Credits worth, in order to buy an interstellar Yacht (Type Y). He now wants the player to be his pilot as the two, plus the cousin’s butler, explore the sector looking for adventure.

2. The cousin has arranged to employ the player as the commander of a Far Trader that runs a route for one of the companies he has holdings in. The pay is good. The cousin will accompany the player on his first run of the route, ostensibly to provide the player with advice on the company’s policies and methods. The Far Trader picks up and delivers cargoes and employees for the company, and does not engage in speculative trading.

3. The cousin will provide the player with a Type J Seeker to scout outlying systems for resources for his companies to exploit. The cousin also provides an experienced prospector to accompany the player. The cousin expects great results in short order, and will arrange to rendezvous with the player frequently to check on his progress. The cousin will, of course, use these meetings as opportunities for carousing.

4. As #2 however the cargoes are (mostly) fake, and the containers contain nothing of value. The cousin is attempting to defraud the company, and let the player take the blame.

5. As #3, however the prospector is in fact an old friend of the cousin who has no real experience in prospecting. He will eventually admit he had just been telling the cousin tall tales of being a prospector, when in reality he was a minor bureaucrat for a mining company.

6. Roll again and use the description for one of the above cases. However the cousin is in fact a shrewd business man despite his privileged life. He quickly learns how to make a profit in the situation described, and does not engage in much, if any, carousing.

Background:

This encounter is intended to be used to start a campaign, and provides initial motivation for the referee to build the campaign on. The first player has spent most of his career in the Communications branch of the Avalar Interstellar Scout Service. The player has visited his cousin, a well to do minor Noble, at every opportunity, regaling him with stories of exciting daring do in the AISS. The stories he has related are true, BUT the player has exaggerated, in fact completely fabricated, his role in these events. In reality he has spent his entire career being little more than a glorified mail man.

If there is more than one player the referee should make the second player the cousin. The referee then tells the cousin player only the information about himself, and does NOT tell him that the Scout player is not the hero he makes himself out to be. Tell the players their backgrounds separately, then let them play out their interaction. Additional players can be hangers on of the cousin, for example the prospector or the butler, or possibly friends of the Scout.

Adventures, Traveller

Idol of the Space God

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Requirements: A ship and a decent reputation.

Players’ Information:

The characters are approached by an individual seeking passage to a world a few jumps away. He introduces himself as The Revered Smith-Juboru, and needs to bring along 2 displacement tons of personal cargo. In addition to his personal luggage, this turns out to be a large stone idol, about 3 meters tall and bulbous, ancient-looking but carved with outlandish stylized designs and letters in an unidentifiable script. Smith-Juboru claims to be an elder of a religion called the Childer of the New Earth.

The Idol
The Idol – Image from wikimedia – Public domain

Referee’s Information:

The Childer believe that all biological life (not just human life) started on Earth and was transplanted by unknown divine agents to bring life to the universe. They are small in number, standoffish and isolationistic, but keep in touch through “circuit priests,” individuals like Smith-Juboru who travel with their religious trappings to perform yearly rites. A preliminary check at a library data terminal confirms the Childers’ existence, but the religion is too small and diverse to have a large online presence and no specific details of the passenger can be confirmed. The idol will require special handling.

Variations:

1. Everything is as it seems. Smith-Juboru is a gregarious passenger and engages the crew in lively theological/philosophical debates, but takes no offense if people are irreligious or espouse differing views. When the trip is over, he invites the crew to services on-planet, which involves some rites, followed by several days of celebrations and feasting.

2. Everything is as it seems. Smith-Juboru is a first-class pest who expects the crew to bend to his beliefs. He regularly berates crew members for behavior at odds with the Childers’ strict rules. When the trip is over and assuming the crew actually made an effort to accommodate him and the idol was delivered with no issues, he pays each crew member a Cr 1000 bonus.

3. The set-up is a sham; the idol is a prop. Smith-Juboru is a con artist who travels from Childer community to Childer community defrauding them by masquerading as a religious prophet. During the trip, he will make remarks and perform actions which should make the crew suspect the deception. The Childer at the destination are unaware of Smith-Juboru’s true nature.

4. The set-up is a sham; the idol is real. Smith-Juboru is a smuggler. He has successfully stolen the idol from a Childer community at the last port of call, and masqueraded as a priest to escape; the deception was discovered after the ship took off, and a Childer group takes ship to pursue the PCs. Smith-Juboru has a buyer lined up at the next port of call, and will be in a hurry to disembark when the PCs arrive. The PCs will be asked for assistance offloading and delivering the idol to Smith-Juboru’s prearranged meeting point. There the PCs will see Smith-Juboru accept a briefcase from a man surrounded by heavily armed bodyguards, then the scammer will sneak off, using transportation he stashed nearby for just this purpose. The Childer vigilantes will arrive after Smith-Juboru has left but before the buyer can depart with his purchase. The referee must determine the flow of subsequent events.

5. The set-up is a sham; the idol is a trap. The destination is a sparsely inhabited system near the edge of the territory. The idol contains an EMP-generator which Smith-Juboru will set off as the characters arrive in-system; it will disable any ship system on a throw of 5+ (roll for each system — twice for communications and sensor systems). Smith-Juboru will have locked himself in his cabin and is a good combatant; there he will wait for his partners (in a shuttle nearby) to take over the disabled ship. The referee must determine the flow of subsequent events.

6. The set-up is a sham; the idol is an Ancient artifact. Smith-Juboru is a psionics researcher who has discovered the idol, which apparently functions as a psionically accessed computer. The idol-computer’s capabilities, the effect it has on Smith-Juboru and the crew in-flight, and its ultimate purpose are unknown to any – even Smith-Juboru doesn’t know what it can do. The referee must determine the flow of subsequent events.

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