Water for the deserts

By: Loren K. Wiseman ()
Adventure Seed
This scenario was first played at "14te Bremer Spielertage" at 22 Sep 96 in Oslebshausen Bremen Germany Terra Sol Solomani Rim.

Many thanks to the people on TML exspecialy to :

A0.Intro

Lunion Subsector 1083

This scenario is intendet for game Coconventions. It should be played with the predefined characters. It takes place in the Spinward Marches, subsector K - Lunion, not far from the border worlds. Date: 1083.

The scenario involves three crew and three passengers of the Windfall (a 40 year old, 200 ton Jayhawk far trader). Various encounters and trading opportunites will lead them to Ianic where they may get involved in the first Jonkeereen rebellion. See "The Regency Sourcebook".

The scenario can unfold in several different ways as each character has his or her own goals. A lot of groups will not get to Ianic in the 4-6 hours of normal convention scenarios but they should at least arrive on Sharrip.

Six players are required: 3 for the crew and 3 for the passengers. Establish how old the players are and assign them appropriate characters. Ten minutes will be needed for each of them for the briefing, the character description and the rules.

Each PC should choose a name and fill in the right hand side of the character sheet with what they want to take on the trip.

The bounty hunter has an Imperial Licence for a laser pistol and, of course, has his own weapon. The captain could have weapons in the ship's locker and should decide what freight is being carried. Inform the captain that taking fertilisers to Ianic will bring 2kCr per displacement ton due to handling. Inform the stowaway passenger to hide as long as she wants.

You also need 2 tables, they should stand side by side, one for the passengers and one for the crew. So if a crew member (e.g. the stuard) wants to enter the passenger staterooms she should change the table, and vice versa.

Start the scenario with the crew on board, and the passengers arriving. Two scenes give the crew an opportunity to learn about ship combat rules. The first is a fat trader on a collision course. The second is a meteor storm while the referee should fake the wear value role of the thusters. You should make all sensor rolls uncertain to make this interesting.

The *main* fight will be at Ianic against a Fast Courier. The Ine Givar psionic will befuddle the sensor crew for two rounds (one hour) to make such a David and Goliath battle possible.

At Ianic the players need to arrive on the planet quickly as there is also a Cruiser in the system. The Jonkeereen will hide the Windfall underground so the players can help their revolution. (Double Adventure 6: Night of Conquest can be used for this.) They will also have to refuel at one of the gas giants and certainly have to leave the Imperium.

A1.Events


        Strouden      2327 A745988-D  N Hi In              920 Im

Strouden in one of the main worlds of the Lunion subsector, and has an excellent starport. Ling Standard Products is building tech level 13 warships near the frontier with the border worlds. The fast industrial growth caused an environmental disaster, so the atmosphere is now tainted and life is expensive here.

        Sensors/Average : 1000T freighter - trade - arriving
        Astrogation/Average : he is on a collision course

As you leave Strouden, you see a 1000dt freighter crossing your intended course, you have to change course and recalculate jump. If you communicate with them, they won't answer.



        Sharrip       2325 C575101-A    Lo Ni              503 Im

        Arival:
        Sensors/Diffcult : Free Trader - Trade and Transport - to Capton

You see a 200t ship very far away leaving the system.

Sharrip belongs to the Al Morrib Line. Nobody lives on the surface as a deadly virus exists on the planet. The planet has an obital starport with a small crew of 50 people. Four of the crew are happy to be leaving for a vacation on Strouden, the rest start unpacking brand new equipment.

        Departure :
        Ship.Eng/Easy: The thrusters get hot and need repair
        Sensors/Easy: One big meteor crossing flightpath
        Astrogation/Difficult: the metror will be 2 kms away
        Sensors/Difficult: it's not just one big one - its lots and
                lots of little ones!  

The referee should manage to fake the wear value roll of the thrusters so the ship can not maneuver. PCs will need to destroy the meteors. You should start your clock running and remember that lasers recycle every three minutes. You should roll 2d6 for the number of small meteors that are *really* on a collision course. Any of them need a difficult sensor roll to lock on to in the first 15 minutes and an average roll in the last 6 minutes. Every meteor has a 10% chance of actually hitting the ship in a random location. (Thus, the situation is not as dangerous as it should seem to the players). Ensure that all sensor rolls are uncertain, e.g. by asking whether it is even or odd and rolling a hidden die. There should be only one sensor attempt per minute, leaving the players with a feeling of uncertainty, helplessness and fear.



        Lunion        2124 A995984-D  A Hi In Cp           810 Im

                Arrival :
        Sensors/Easy :
               : Free Trader - Trade and Transport - to Lunion
                 Seeker      - Busines               to Lunion
                 Scout       -                       orbiting
                 Patrol Cruiser                      orbiting

Lunion is the capital of subsector K of the Spinward Marches. Ling Standard is also building warships here. Like Strouden, Lunion has a tainted atmosphere because of an environmental disaster. Two ships are orbiting and two others are arriving. The captain will need to use communications and admin skills to avoid long orbit times.

A lot of people on Lunion are talking about the civil war at Ianic, that Ianic has been declared a red zone and that it is forbidden to land there.

The (illegal) freight to Ianic is quite normal, but the passengers are not. They are Ine Givar trying to help the Jonkeereen rebellion with their psionic skills.

Departure : If they plot a course to Ianic the patrol cruiser will follow, so they have to make a dangerous jump from 10 diameters.


        Ianic         1924 E360697-5    Ni Ri De           924 Im

                Arrival : Fast Courier - Quarantine  orbiting planet
                          Two fighters - patrol      from AS2 to GG3
                          Cruiser      - refuelling  orbiting GG3

Ianic has a normal atmosphere, but no water. Normally the water is shipped by a modular cutter from the asteroid belts. The warships have recently shot these down and are now blocking the planet's downport in the hope that the Jonkeereen capitulate. The cargo bay full of water and fertiliser (which are really nuclear pumped x-ray warheads for planetary defence missiles), would certainly make the war more interesting.

If they manage to break the blockade, (one of the Ine Givar will befuddle the sensor crew of the Fast Courier) the PCs will be heroes, but they will have to leave the Imperium.

Probably 1822, 1721, 1522 is their best route to the border worlds.

A2.Commerce

        Windfall - Monthly payment calculation

        Credit rate         71 kCr per month
        Chief  salary        2 kCr per month
        Steward salary       1 kCr per month
        Maintenance          5 kCr per month
        Fuel                 2 kCr per jump
        Starport fees        1 kCr per jump
        Life Support (crew)  6 kCr per jump
                                    ------
                                    97 kCr per month

        Freight    max  57 kCr per jump (1 kCr per displacement ton)
        Passengers max  18 kCr per jump (5 kCr per middle passage
                                        -2 kCr for life support)

                ---------------------------------------------------------

        Strouden      2327 A745988-D  N Hi In              920 Im

        Freight to  Sharrip :   18 t mg Entertainment Equip
        Freight to  Lunion :    16 t mg Aromatics
                                11 t mg Clothing
                                11 t pr Textiles
                                13 t pr Petrochemicals
                                13 t in Data Records
                                15 t nr Raw Hydrocarbons
                                 2 Passengers
        Freight to  Ianic :     12 t pr Fertilisers (Fla,Exp)

        Cargo purchase 3

        ---------------------------------------------------------

        Sharrip       2325 C575101-A    Lo Ni              503 Im

        Freight to  Lunion :     4 Passengers

        Cargo sale      7 (from Strouden)
              purchase  7

        ---------------------------------------------------------

        Lunion        2124 A995984-D  A Hi In Cp           810 Im

        Cargo sale      8 (from Strouden)
                        7 (from Sharrip)
        purchase  3

        NB: Ianic is a now a Red Zone world and official
        freight is not allowed, departures Spinwards are forbidden!

        Freight to  Ianic        5 t Precious Metal
                                 7 t Alcoholic Beverage
                                 5 t Biosamples (Fra, Per)
        Cargo to Ianic          10 t Natural Curiosities
                                 6 Passengers

        ---------------------------------------------------------

        Ianic         1924 E360697-5    Ni Ri De           924 Im

        Cargo sale      9 (from Lunion)
                        6 (from Sharrip)
        purchase 10

A3.Lunion

        @SUB-SECTOR: Lunion    SECTOR: Spinward Marches
        #
        # Trade routes within the subsector
        $1824 1526 -1 0
        $1824 1924 0 0
        $1824 2124 0 0
        $2124 2323 0 0
        $2323 2324 0 0
        $2323 2621 1 0
        $2324 2726 1 0
        $2124 2125 0 0
        $2125 1826 0 0
        $2125 2327 0 0
        $1826 2327 0 0
        $2327 2228 0 0
        $2228 2231 0 1
        #
        #--------1---------2---------3---------4---------5---------6---
        #PlanetName   Loc. UPP Code   B   Notes         Z  PBG Al LRX *
        #----------   ---- ---------  - --------------- -  --- -- --- -
        Arba          1721 C200200-C    Lo Ni Va           610 Im
        Wardn         1727 B756486-B  S Ni              A  502 Im
        Olympia       1728 C328342-7    Lo Ni              120 Im
        Smoug         1729 C14078A-9    Po De              902 Im
        Rabwhar       1822 D5448BA-6  S                    313 Im
        Adabicci      1824 A57189B-B  N                    801 Im
        Zaibon        1825 B000544-B    Ni As              512 Im
        Tenalphi      1826 A774102-E    Lo Ni              610 Im
        Ianic         1924 E360697-5    Ni Ri De           924 Im
        Spirelle      1927 C766846-8  S D1 Ri              715 Im
        Derchon       2024 C512799-8  S Na Ic              901 Im
        Lunion        2124 A995984-D  A Hi In Cp           810 Im
        Shirene       2125 B984510-B  S Ag Ni           A  901 Im
        Penkwar       2128 X978310-1    Lo Ni           R  320 Im
        Harvosette    2129 C330737-9    Na Po De           910 Im
        Carse         2224 C463325-9    Lo Ni              601 Im
        Persephone    2228 B775833-A  W                    922 Im     m
        Quiru         2321 B365300-8    Lo Ni              323 Im
        Gorram        2322 X554220-0    Lo Ni           R  801 Im
        Resten        2323 B310100-B  S Lo Ni              501 Im
        Capon         2324 B747748-A  N Ag                 610 Im     m
        Sharrip       2325 C575101-A    Lo Ni              503 Im
        Strouden      2327 A745988-D  N Hi In              920 Im
        Gandr         2425 E000347-8    Lo Ni As           813 Im
        Drolraw       2426 EAB6311-5    Lo Ni Fl           904 Im

C1.Captain

Captain - male 25

Two weeks ago you purchased the Windfall. As it is known that a Jayhawk will not operate on the usual 1kCr per displacement ton, you are searching for a good trade route and found Ianic, a non-industrial, rich, desert planet with a population of nearly 9 million. Water will fetch a price of 10kCr per ton. So it would be possible to pay for the Windfall (57 dt cargo hold) in just a few months.

        Flight plan :

        Strouden      2327 A745988-D  N Hi In              920 Im
        Sharrip       2325 C575101-A    Lo Ni              503 Im
        Lunion        2124 A995984-D  A Hi In Cp           810 Im
        Ianic         1924 E360697-5    Ni Ri De           924 Im

To keep your finances in the black, you hare hoping for passengers and have refitted the staterooms and the bridge section.

You were lucky with the crew. As a stewardess you hired a medical school graduate. She is young and agreed to a crew salary. The chief is an old hand, took a quick look at the ship and said: "OK, I'll get this beast flying."

        13 A66898-C
           Hobbies : Acrobatics 2, Archery 2, Piloting IG 2,
             Streetwise 2
        17 A76798-C
           Flight Academy : Piloting IG, Space Vessels 4, Leadership 2,
             Gun Combat, Spacehands, Spacetech 2, Technican 2, Explore
        21 A76798-C
           Wealthy Traveller : Determination, Perception, Economics,
             Charm, Interaction, Explore, Animal Handling
        
        25 A76798-B : Captain

        Str A + Slug Rifle      1 = B
                Archery         2 = C
        Agl 7 + Acrobatics      2 = 9
                Piloting IG     3 = A
        Con 6 + Env. Suite      1 = 7
                Riding          1 = 7
        Int 7 + Streetwise      3 = A
                Astrogation     1 = 8
                Sensors         2 = 9
                Survey          1 = 8
                Psychology      1 = 8
        Edu 9 + Ship's Eng.     1 = A
                Ship's Laser    1 = A
                Communications  1 = A
                Computer        1 = A
                Admin/Legal     1 = A
        Chr 8 + Leadership      2 = A
                Liason          2 = A
                Recruting       1 = 9
                Persuasion      1 = 9

C2.Chief

Chief - male 33

You have been hired on whilst on Strouden and are happy that the captain only asked about technical things. He seems to be a bit green. The Windfall is not a wreck but it's not far off one. The power plant has a wear value of at least 4 and the thrusters, jump drive and contra-grav are not looking much better. The bridge section and passenger staterooms were refitted recently, but the rest of the 40 year old Jayhawk needs a lot of rust chipping.

        13 665676-5
           Hobbies : Unarmed MA 2, Armed MA 2, Swimming 2,
              Disguise 2
        17 775676-5
           Corsair : Spacehand 1, Gun Combat 2, Technican 2,
              Space Tech 1, Interaction 1, Vice 1
        21 775676-4
           Corsair : Spacehand 1, Melee, Gun Combat 1, Technican 1,
              Space Tech 1, Interaction 1, Vice 1, Charm 1
        25 775676-3
           Corsair : Spacehand 1, Technician 1, Space vessel 1, Charm 1
        29 775676-2
           Prisoner: Economics 2, Crime 1, Vice 1, Str +1, Edu +1

        33 874686-3 : Chief

        Str 8 + Unarmed MA    3 = B
                Armed MA      2 = A
                Laser Rifle   2 = A
        Agl 7 + Laser Pistol  1 = 8
        Con 5 + Swimming      2 = 7
                Vacc Suit     2 = 7
                Z-G Env.      1 = 6
        Int 6 + Sensors       2 = 7
                Gambling      1 = 7
                Streetwise    2 = 7
        Edu 8 + Computer      1 = 9
                Electronics   1 = 9
                Machinist     1 = 9
                Ship's Eng.   1 = 9
                Ship's Laser  2 = A
        Chr 6 + Disguise      2 = 8
                Interrogation 1 = 7
                Recruiting    2 = 8
                Bribery       1 = 7
                Admin/Legal   1 = 7
                Marketing     1 = 7
                Instruction   1 = 7

C3.Steward

Steward - female 25

Strouden is a nasty planet. Ling Standard is building ships here and caused an environmental disaster. Now 9 million people are suffering as a result. Leaving has been your dream for as long as you can remember. You went to school and have now been hired on as crew on a far trader. The captain is the same age as you but comes from a noble family. You have caught a glimpse of the chief engineer, a man in his mid-thirties who looks very tough.

        14 376858-6
           Hobbies: Acrobatics 2, Persuasion 2, Music 2, Streetwise 2

        17 386858-6
           Undergrad : Biology 1, Chemistry 1, Xeno-Biology 1, Computer 1,
              Admin/Legal 1
           Hobbies   : Sensors 1/Piloting 0 (Computer game)

        21 386868-6
           Med.School: Computer 1, Diagnosis 2, Trauma Aid 2, Surgery 2,
              Observation 1
           Hobbies   : Piloting 1,Gunnery 0 (Computer game)

        25 386868-6 - Steward der Windfall

           Str 3 +
           Agl 8 + Acrobatics   2 = A
                   Music        2 = A
                   Piloting     1 = 9
           Con 6 +
           Int 8 + Observation  1 = 9
                   Streetwise   2 = A
                   Sensors      1 = 9
           Edu 6 + Biology      1 = 7
                   Chemistry    1 = 7
                   Xeno Bio     1 = 7
                   Computer     2 = 8
                   Admin/Legal  1 = 7
                   Medical DTS  2 = 8
                   Gunnery      0 = 6
           Chr 8 + Persuasion   2 = A

P1.Passenger

Passenger - male 33

Anyway, things being what they were there wasn't much work for a ex-Marine Colonel who had seen lots of action to do.

You visited the office of a local bank and did some discreet inquiries. Yes, they said, they paid 0.75% of the principal on the loan for ships recovered. Yes, we keep lists of skipped ships with holographs of their skippers... Oh.. but you need to have a private investigator's license.

Of course you had one, so now you've got the list of skipped ships. You've heard rumours that a well known pirate has recently hired on the Windfall, a 40 year old Jayhawk, and you think this would be worth investigating. It would be interesting to compare the serial numbers of some of the more expensive items such as the power plant, jump drive, thrusters, contra-grav, computers and weapons.

        13 895566-8
           Hobbies : Music 2, Piloting IG 2, Streetwise 2,
              Computer 2
        17 895566-8
           Mil.Academy : Determination, Engineer, Interaction, Social
              Science, Space Tech, Techican 2, Gun Combat 2, Sword,
              Melee, Spacehand, Heavy Weapon, Acrobat, Personal Transport
        21 895576-8
           Marines : Gun Combat, Spacehand, Heavy Weapons, Tactics,
              Determination, Charm, Personal Transport
        25 895576-9
           Marines : Spacehand, Tactics, Heavy Weapons, Personal Transport
        29 895576-A
           Bounty Hunter : Gun Combat, Melee, Determination 2,
              Perception 2, Spacehand

        33 885566-A - Bounty Hunter

        Str 8 + Laser Rifle       1 = 9
                Sword             2 = A
                Unarmed MA        1 = 9
                Energy Artillery  3 = B
        Agl 8 + Piloting IG       2 = A
                Laser Pistol      3 = B
                Stealth           1 = 9
                Grav Belt         2 = A
        Con 5 + Env. Suite        2 = 7
                Z-G Environment   2 = 7
                Parachute         1 = 6
        Int 5 + Streetwise        3 = 8
                History           1 = 6
                Tactics           2 = 7
                Investigation     1 = 6
                Observation       1 = 6
        Edu 7 + Computer          2 = 9
                Construction      1 = 8
                RCV Operation     1 = 8
                Electronics       1 = 8
                Communications    1 = 8
        Chr 6 + Music             2 = 8
                Leadership        3 = 9
                Solomani          1 = 7
                Persuasion        1 = 7

P2.Passenger

Passenger - male 17

The *Disciples of the Bright Way* are a sect that believe their deity exists in jumpspace, and communicates directly with people while they are in jump. They call the sight of J-space *The Face of the Deity* and have a secret combination of drugs and meditation practices that reduce (but not eliminate!) the insanity impact of viewing J-space.

They are generally not dangerous, but their disturbing practice of shooting up drugs and staring out of an open porthole into J-space during the week of a jump means that most captains will refuse to allow them on board under *any* circumstances.

However, the Disciples will pay an *obscene* amount of money for passage on a ship, and since they don't care about bodily comforts they are quite happy to bunk two to a stateroom under middle passage conditions, and pay up to Cr25,000 each for their 'pilgrimage'.

You are a noble count so you don't need to worry about money. You haven't asked the captain yet to be allowed a place in front of the porthole in the air lock.

        13 837496-E
           Hobbies : History 2, Env.Suite 2, Unarmed MA 2, Astrogation 2

        17 837496-E
           Str 8 + Unarmed MA  2 = A
           Agl 3
           Con 7 + Env. Suite  2 = 9
           Int 4
           Edu 9 + Astrogation 2 = B
                 + History     2 = B

P3.Passenger

Stowaway passenger - female 17

You have run away from home, ended up at the downport and hidden inside a container going to Lunion. You have heard that the ship will go to Ianic - a desert planet populated by Jonkeereen.

" Deneb 1324 Jonkeer : The inhabitants of the world, the Jonkeereen are geneered humans, created by Imperial Ministery of Colonization of Desert Environments.

Jonkeereen are tall, thin and dark skinned, with protective membrans shielding thier eyes and ears. More important than these cosmetic differences are sophisticated changes to their metabolism that allow them to survive in the temperature extremes of the dry desert environment.

Jonkeer's live at Spinwards 2215, 1924, 3123, 0533, 1736, 1836, Deneb 0701, 2717, 1524, and 1433. "

        13 6B4468-A
           Hobbies : Act/Bluff 2, Piloting Glider 2, Grav Belt 2
             Xeno-Biology 2

        17 6B4458-A

           Str 6 +
           Agl B + Piloting Glider 2 = D
                   Grav Belt       2 = D
           Con 4
           Int 4
           Edu 6 + Xeno Biology    2 = 8
           Chr 8 + Act/Bluff       2 = A