Background
The Kansas Crescent a agro-ship owned by Agrotech
is traveling between systems.Aliens have boarded the vessel and captured the
crew. The ships robot released the docking clamps and their ship became
undocked. The robot then fired upon it with the ships laser cannon destroying
it.
The explosion of the
other ship has propelled the Kansas Crescent and
it is entering a asteroid field
Starting the Mission
The PCs have just FTL
jumped and went off course thanks to a mad navigation computer. Parts are
needed to repair the computer which are not aboard the ship. The PCs can do
another FTL jump but they will in all probability be even further off courser
then they are now. The PCs are not on the regular space routes. They find
themselves in a ghost route a little used space route near an asteroid field.
The PCs receive a repeating distress call from the Kansas Crescent a agro-ship.
"Mayday! Mayday!….Agro-ship Kansas Crescent out
of planet Gaia seeks immediate assistance. are attempting to
board the ship the other ship disengaged and exploded!
sealing off the sections to prevent the invaders. Ship
damaged…..heading towards asteroid field. They trying to break
into the bridge! Help! ."
The signal can be
traced to the edge of an asteroid field to an Agro-ship surrounded by a cloud
of ship debris. All attempts to contact the ship will fail due to no one
manning the ships space reviver. The Agro-ship appears to only have minor
damage and has it's matter screen up which deflects high velocity impacts. The Kansas Crescent running light illuminate when
the PCs ship approaches.
The PCs can decide
wither to dock with the Agro-ship or do a space walk to the other vessel. The
floating debris could damage the ship and the floating debris could injure the
PCs in a spacewalk.
Docking
If the PCs dock their
vessel they have two choices the Port Airlock and Starboard Airlock (see Area
descriptions). Only a shuttle or a fighter can fit in the Shuttle Bay so this
is most likely not an option for the PCs.
Space Walk
If the PCs decide to
space walk to the other vessel they will have to deal with the debris field
first before reaching the ship. The PCs can enter the ship by the Port Airlock,
Starboard Airlock, Shuttle Bay. Each entry is locked (see Area descriptions).
Random Space Walk Encounters
Roll 1d6
- Wrecked Robot - This robot floats nearby and appears half-melted but indicator lights flicker on an off. This is Ardent D-752 who on the exterior of the ship manually releasing the docking clamps of the alien vessel then it was caught explosion after remotely using the laser cannon to destroy the empty alien ship.
- Space Suite - A random PCs space suite is slowly decompression by micro-debris impacts. If the PC does not cover the hole with a patch sticker or hold it closed they take 1d6+2 damage each round until their oxygen runs out.
- Short circuiting - Electronics on large debris release current arc. PCs must make a Saving Throw or suffer 1d6 electrical damage.
- Dead body - This body is in a ruined space suite and appears to have been an alien called a Vor-thar.
- Cargo Container - This orange plastic crate is labeled 'Pan-Galactic Corp, 2 count, Matter Screen Field Coils' in the human language.
- Small Asteroid - This small asteroid was attached by the mass of the debris but has for now been repulsed by the Kansas Crescent matter screens.
Kansas Crescent Agro-ship
(frigate)
This long an thin
vessel has six argo-domes, a shuttle bay, port airlocks and a starboard
airlocks. It is dead in the water and the engine is offline. The ship is
currently drifting towards an asteroid field.
Kansas Crescent Agro-ship (frigate): Ship Class 3, Type
Frigate, Crew 4-12, Hull Points 20, Weapon Damage 1d6+2, AC 11, NPC SKill
15/13/11+, XP Value 240, Cost in Million CR 60
Random Encounters on the Kansas Crescent
Roll 1d6
- Ardent D-752: AC 16, HP 20*, ST 12+, MV 4, Cost 15,000 cr Programs: Data, Computers, Mechanics, Science, Pilot, Translation Upgrades: Armor plating +2 AC. D-752 is damaged and is at half hp. The robot will try to find out the PCs motives and follow them hiding in the shadows. If the PCs attack it will flee sealing bulkhead doors between it and PCs. It will try to gain control of the ships computer.
- Improvised Trap: The crew set these up to harm the Vor-thar. These simple traps do 1d3 damage and do not reset.
- Short circuit: Electronics on the ship are damaged. PCs must make a Saving Throw or suffer 1d3 electrical damage.
- Space Slug: AC 13, HD 2d6, THB +2, ATT 2/1d3 bite/bite, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 45 Special Abilities: Breath Weapon Acid
- Vor-thar mercenaries (2): AC 13, HD 1d6*, THB +3, ATT 2/1d3+1 fist or by weapon, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 60 Special Abilities: Acute Senses, Warlike Demeanor - +1 to hit and damage. Equipment: Sonic Pole-arm - Does 1d8+1 damage and costs 250 credits. Both are wounded and are at half hp.
- Vor-thar mercenaries (3): AC 13, HD 2d6, THB +3, ATT 2/1d3+1 fist or by weapon, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 60 Special Abilities: Acute Senses, Warlike Demeanor - +1 to hit and damage. Equipment: Sonic Pole-arm - Does 1d8+1 damage and costs 250 credits.
Map Key to the Kansas Crescent
Area 1: Bridge
Two Vor-thar
mercenaries are forcing the Captain Dennis Cork trying to repair the control
console that was blasted by a errant laser rife by the Vor-thar. Two dead crew
persons are on the floor. The Captain's adopted
son Rory is telepathic and is in
communication with his father. The Captain has ordered Rory to stay in hiding
but asked Rory to act as communication hub for the crew. The Captain plans on
stalling until help comes or the Malvarine Sleek-star has evened the odds by
taking care of other Vor-thar. The Vor-thar leader is missing and the Captain
fears what the Sanath may do. A damaged unusable computer terminal is in this
room.
Vor-thar mercenaries (2): AC 13, HD 2d6, THB
+3, ATT 2/1d3+1 fist or by weapon, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 60 Special Abilities: Acute
Senses, Warlike Demeanor - +1 to hit and damage. Equipment: Sonic Pole-arm -
Does 1d8+1 damage and costs 250 credits.
Area 2: Galley
A group of three
Vor-thar are searching the galley for food and anything useful.
Vor-thar mercenaries (3): AC 13, HD 2d6, THB
+3, ATT 2/1d3+1 fist or by weapon, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 60 Special Abilities: Acute
Senses, Warlike Demeanor - +1 to hit and damage. Equipment: Sonic Pole-arm -
Does 1d8+1 damage and costs 250 credits.
Area 3: Living Area/Sick Bay
This area has a couch,
coffee table and a holographic game table. In the far corner is a Surgery Bed
with a curtain around it. A Vor-thar is unconscious on the floor. A Sonic
Sparring Sphere hangs in the air listlessly thrusting a sonic sword. A hapless Vor-thar
activated the Sonic Sparring Sphere and was knocked unconscious. He will wake
up in 1d6 rounds after the PCs arrive. The
Sonic Sparring Sphere
will try to attack unless it is turned off with the remote on the coffee table.
Sonic Sparring Sphere: AC 10-15. HP 30, THB +1
- +5, ATT 1/1 damage, ST 14+, MV 6. The small semi-intelligent flying robot is
designed only to spar. It has a sonic baton. It's AC and THB can be controlled
by the remote. It only does 1 damage with the sonic baton.
Vor-thar mercenaries (1): AC 13, HD 2d6, THB
+3, ATT 2/1d3+1 fist or by weapon, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 60 Special Abilities: Acute
Senses, Warlike Demeanor - +1 to hit and damage. Equipment: Sonic Pole-arm -
Does 1d8+1 damage and costs 250 credits.
Area 4: Crew Quarters
These rooms serve as
he crews quarters. They are filled with person affects. The doors are unlocked.
Space Slug (5) : AC 13, HD 2d6, THB +2, ATT
2/1d3 bite/bite, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 45 Special Abilities: Breath Weapon Acid
Area 5: Computer
The ships computer
sever is in this area. A computer terminal is in this room. A successful
computer skill check reveals one of the
following one data points per check. The referee should be creative if the PCs
asking specific questions unrelated to the below facts.
- Several red lights flash on a schematic of the ship showing passcode locked doors. The passcode is a four digit code '1234'.
- Dome C is below optimal pressure due to a thermal coupling being dethatched and a ventilation obstruction.
- A small alien vessel enter the Shuttle bay after the explosion. And there were energy weapon fire there as well.
- Three ship robots are missing. Two were semi-intelligent agro bots J-K145 and Q5-803. J-K145 last located in Dome E and Q5-803 last located in Dome A. One AI robot Ardent D-752 was last located on the exterior of the ship manually releasing the docking clamps of the alien vessel.
- The near by explosion has damaged the internal sensors and they are unreliable at best.
- A flock of Meeps have escaped Dome B and are in Dome E.
- At least five Space Slugs are crawling through the ventilation systems.
- A Malvarine Sleek-star has left Dome A and is in the main ship.
- One of the airlocks was opened and closed after the PCs arrived.
Area 6: Repair Shop
The area is full of
tools and partially repaired equipment. A disassembled agro robot is in the
room.
Area 7: Port Airlock
Three spacesuits
colored green, blue, and orange hang on the wall. The red and yellow suits are
missing.
Area 8: Starboard Airlock
Six spacesuits colored
red, green, blue, yellow, and orange hang on the wall.
Area 9: Forward 0-G chamber
This area houses the
elevators and ladder wells leading to the three surrounding domes A,B and C.
The domes radiate from the ship's axis. The domes radiate from the ship's axis.
The area is 0-G to facilitate entry and exit out of the domes.
Space Slug (3) : AC 13, HD 2d6, THB +2, ATT
2/1d3 bite/bite, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 45 Special Abilities: Breath Weapon Acid
Area 10: Dome A
Trees heavy with fruit
inhabit this dome. Shree the Sanath leader of the aliens took refuge here after
the explosion and the ship's bulkhead doors auto sealing. Sanath was injured by
the Malvarine cub but managed to lock it out of the dome. Shree the Sanath has
been communicating with her Vor-thar mercenaries and knows their status. If
anyone enters the dome she will shed her space suite and pretend to be one of
the fruit trees and then attack.
Shree the
Sanath: AC 12, HD 4d6, THB +4, ATT 2/1d6 fists or by weapon, ST 15+, MV
4, XP 180 Special Abilities: Disease Equipment: Sanath Fork - This two pronged
trident discharges electric bolts doing 1d6+3 damage.
Area 11: Dome B
Golden grain fields
are in this dome. Two Vor-thar are in the fields and hide when the PCs enter
the dome and fire upon them.
Vor-thar mercenaries (2): AC 13, HD 2d6, THB
+3, ATT 2/1d3+1 fist or by weapon, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 60 Special Abilities: Acute
Senses, Warlike Demeanor - +1 to hit and damage. Equipment: Sonic Pole-arm -
Does 1d8+1 damage and costs 250 credits.
Area 12: Dome C
This dome has a field
of potatoes, beets, onions and radishes. Rory Cork the captains son Psionic boy
hid in this dome from the Shree the
Sanath and the Vor-thar mercenaries. He has been in telepathic contact with the
Malvarine and the robot Ardent D-752. Rory has asked the Malvarine to wait by
the Shuttle Bay door and to slay the two Vor-thar when it opens. Ardent D-752
has told Rory of the PCs arrival but does not know their intentions. Ardent
D-752 is following them to ascertain their intentions and then bring them to
Rory if they are trustworthy.
Area 13: Food Processing/Packaging
This area seems to be
a small food processing and packaging factory. The machines are functioning
erratically. A computer terminal is in this room.
Automated Canner Trap: The auto canner is
launching cans over the room. In order to cross the room the PCs need to make a
agility based saving throw to avoid getting hit by the flying cans of food. The
cans do 1d3 damage.
Area 14: Aft 0-G chamber
This area houses the
elevators and ladder wells leading to the three surrounding domes A,B and C.
The domes radiate from the ship's axis. The area is 0-G to facilitate entry and
exit out of the domes.
Area 15: Dome D
The dome has several
varieties of melons. Crew members Connie Venice in red spacesuit and Jose
Caracas in a yellow spacesuit are in a fire fight with two Vor-thar among the
melon patches. They are using equipment as cover. The elevator and ladder well
is between them. They are at a draw with both sides equally matched.
Vor-thar mercenaries (2): AC 13, HD 2d6, THB
+3, ATT 2/1d3+1 fist or by weapon, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 60 Special Abilities: Acute
Senses, Warlike Demeanor - +1 to hit and damage. Equipment: Sonic Pole-arm -
Does 1d8+1 damage and costs 250 credits.
Area 16: Dome E
Brushes lush with
bright berries are in this dome. Small reptilian bird like creatures fly about
happily eating berries. These creatures a are Meeps. They mimic sounds and
recount bits of human conversation and the fighting with the Vor-thar. Notably
a weird other alien voice named Shree seems to be commanding the Vor-thar.
Meep (20): AC 10, HD 1d3, THB +0, ATT 1/1d3
beak, ST 18+, MV 8 (16), XP 15 Special Abilities: Optional Movement Fly.
Area 17: Dome F
Bright peppers are
planted in the fields in this dome. Crew members Mitchel Denver, Beth St.
Louise and Hans Rotterdam were working in the dome when the aliens took boarded
the ship. The captain ordered them to lock the doors and defend them selves.
They have created a improvised pepper spray gun and use it on anyone who they
don’t know. Rory has contacted them and told them his plans.
Area 18: Cargo Bay
This cargo bay has
many containers some empty others full. The lights are off in this area due to
a sort in the power system. The cargo bay has no external doors since the ship
never lands on the surface. Cargo is loaded in the bay from the shuttle or from
the main airlocks.
Bio-safety gas trap: A jury-rigged trap was set
up by a human crew member. An alien detector and canister of bio-safety gas
meant to scour microbes from sealed suits; dangerous to unprotected organisms.
Aliens entering the area will be sprayed with bio-safety gas which does 1d6+2
damage per round in the area until it dissipates in 30 min. A computer terminal is in this room.
Area 19: Engineering
The large engineering
room is almost silent. The explosion has knocked both engines off line. One of
the Matter Screen Field Coils is damaged and non functional although the other
is working. The PCs need to replace the coil so that the asteroid impact damage
will be halved. There was one floating in a cargo container in the debris
filed.
Rory in area 12 has
telepathically contacted the Malvarine Sleek-star. Rory has asked the Malvarine
to wait by the Shuttle Bay door and to slay the two Vor-thar when it opens. The
Malvarine if encountered will put on a threatening show but will refrain from
attacking. It will try to avoid conflict but will defend itself. It
telepathically communicates with the PCs telling them that he is not their
enemy and that it's partner desires to speak with them in Dome C. He also
requests the PCs to open the Shuttle Bay doors so he can kill the Vor-thar.
Sleek-star,
Malvarine: AC 14, HD 2d6, THB +2, ATT 2/1d6, ST 17+, MV 6, XP 55 Special
Abilities: Telepathy - Empathy/Send Messages
Area 20: Shuttle Bay
A standard shuttle
which seats 10 people is in the
The engine appears to
have been partially taken apart and never put back together. A small alien
fighter is wedged in the shuttle bay.
Two Vor-thar a pilot
and his navigator are busy in the bay. The pilot is refueling their fighter and
the navigator is trying to open the door the rest of the ship. A computer
terminal is in this room.
Space Slug (1): AC 13, HD 2d6, THB +2, ATT
2/1d3 bite/bite, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 45 Special Abilities: Breath Weapon Acid
Vor-thar mercenaries (2): AC 13, HD 2d6, THB
+3, ATT 2/1d3+1 fist or by weapon, ST 17+, MV 3, XP 60 Special Abilities: Acute
Senses, Warlike Demeanor - +1 to hit and damage. Equipment: Sonic Pole-arm -
Does 1d8+1 damage and costs 250 credits.
Asteroids!
The computers
collision alert system sounds at some point during the adventure indicating
that asteroids are approaching and that the ship needs to move out of the way
of fire the laser cannon at the asteroid and blast it appear. The matter
screens are weakening because of the repeated impacts and will not hold off
another.
If the ship has not
been repaired it will only has maneuvering thrusters. Careful use of the
thrusters will allow the ship to move out of the way. The ships laser cannon
does 1d6+2 Hull Damage.
The PCs and the
Vor-thar may try to defend the ship from the asteroids by going to the bridge.
Alternatively the PCs can return to their ship and combat the asteroids. The
Vor-thar may even pilot the fighter and combat the asteroids.
The asteroids bombard
the ship from different directions and occur at different rates. All asteroid
have a BHB +0. They do random amounts of damages based on velocity and size.
Direction of incoming
asteroid on the face of the hexagon the ship is centered in.
Roll 1d6
- N
- NE
- SE
- S
- SW
- NW
Occurrence of
asteroids.
Roll 1d6
- 1 round
- 2 rounds
- 3 rounds
- 4 rounds
- 5 rounds
- 6 rounds
Hull Damage
- 1d6
- 2d6
- 3d6
Conclusion
The adventure as
designed is opened ended with a fair amount of latitude possible for the PCs.
That being said the rescue of the Kansas
Crescent is the primary goal no matter what form that takes. Addition
actions such as capturing or killing Shree the Sanath and her Vor-thar
mercenaries ill advance the plot and the PCs should be rewarded for it. Finally
getting the Kansas Crescent back in working order and out of the asteroid
field would be advisable.
Getting Paid
Once the Kansas Crescent
is recused and Captain Cork communicates with Agrotech Field
Offices on the planet Goodone in the Goodone System the PCs will be suitably
rewarded. They will have to travel to the Agrotech Field Office on Goodone to
collect their reward. (see Awarding XP)
Dealing with Prisoners
If there are any
prisoners they can be turned over to the UCNP on planet Goodone. Or they can be
set down on a habitable planet and marooned.
Awarding XP
The PCs receive 1435
XP total for defeating the hostile parties each. For rescuing the crew the PCs
are granted 150 XP each. Those PCs who helped save the ship form asteroids
receive 300 bonus XP each. Agrotech pay a reward of 1000 cr each and the PCs earn
1000 XP each. Agrotech also gives them a months supply of manna food. PCs who
actively participate in the adventure are granted and additional 100 XP. The
PCs can potentially receive 2985 XP each.
Further Adventures
The PCs can sell the
Vor-thar fighter which will net them 15 XP and 15 Million Credits. Or they can
keep it for themselves.
The PCs can
investigate the mysterious new alien race Sanath and try to determine where
they will strike next and how to cure their disease.
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