AMBER ZONE: The Githiaskio Mystery

PoetrySue April 19, 2021April 19, 2021Leave a comment

Players’ Information:

The Githiaskio have recently discovered a piece of the Ancient’s technology on their planet buried in the deepest part of their ocean. Their archaeologists called on the neighboring Imperium to send their Ancients experts. After years of cooperative research, it was determined that this is one of many beacons the ancients placed on planets that had emerging sophonts on them. It has been theorized that the Ancients would take groups of emerging sophonts from their home world and transplant them to similar worlds with the express intention of observing evolutionary patterns. After the recent discovery of theorized sophont cephalopods on Marduk and Chalchiutlicue the Githiaskio are curious if they might be the descendants of the prehistoric Githiaskio .

Larshon, a Githiaskio representative, has enlisted the aid of Nosi an uplifted dolphin to help recruit a crew to visit a set of planets to research the possibility of the aquatic cephalopod life being sophont and making contact with them. If they are sophont the crew is asked to leave a deep-sea capable communicator that can relay messages to and from Githiaski. Larshon would like a DNA sample from each discovered species for further study.

Tasks:

Visit the list of water worlds given by Larshon.
Make contact with any Sophont Cephalopods on those planets.
Convince the discovered sophonts to open communication with Githiaski.
Obtain a DNA sample for research by Githiaski Scientists.

Continue reading →

AMBER ZONE: The Gods of Yesterday

Patrick Kanouse April 16, 2021April 16, 2021Leave a comment

Players’ Information:

Count Alam Kertzov’s xenoarchaeology expedition to Tavisol (X686327-4) outside Imperial space failed to report in as scheduled. The count’s popularity in the Imperial court resulted in a general request for assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts of the count and either rescuing him or reporting back that he is safe with appropriate supporting evidence. The 150,000 credits is payable upon verification of the count’s safety or return.

Funded by the University of Collette and the Azeus Corporation, the primary mission of Kertzov’s expedition to Tavisol was to investigate rumored alien artifacts. Kertzov, in the past, published widely derided theories about a species co-existent with the Ancients. He believed this expedition would serve to bolster his claim. Specifically, he cited that he had come into possession of a mysterious artifact: a globe 30 cm in circumference and made of a strange material. Kertzov has yet to explain how he obtained the artifact or what studying it revealed about Tavisol. He has also refused to allow independent scholars and scientists access the artifact.

What is known of Tavisol is that it is a lightly populated planet, off the main trading routes. A jump-4 capable ship is necessary to reach there, though those who take the job to return Kertzov to safety are given the location of a deep-space refueling cache Kertzov himself set up. Players can find little in the way of information outside of this. No significant writings have ever circulated widely enough to find. The few small merchants who have visited Tavisol report that the population is too small to support much trading and though the locals were friendly, all sensed they were pleased when visitors left.

Kertzov, who has theories about a species either concurrent with the Ancients or shortly thereafter, suggested to his family that he had heard credible rumors that Tavisol possesses potential evidence bolstering his case and that the artifact provides the corroborating evidence. He spent a year preparing and planning for the journey, including refitting an Armstrong-class ship he named Illustrious. Because of Tavisol’s location outside the Imperium and Kertzov’s concerns about securing his finds from others, he also hired a sizable security detail, mostly of former Imperial Marines.

Continue reading →

AMBER ZONE: The Kh-Djatsc

Neil Lucock April 15, 2021April 16, 2021Leave a comment

Players’ information:

The players are on a world at the edge of human occupied space. They asked to meet with Minister Valerie Dupont, a high-ranking official from the sector government and Walter Klimov, the colony manager from Three Stars Colonies

Manager Klimov says that Three Stars Colonies have invested millions of credits in surveying a potential colony world called Harvest. It lies a few parsecs beyond the borders of the local human community.

They discovered the earth-like planet 6 years ago and have had a scientific survey there for the last 3 years. The planet has a breathable atmosphere, seas covering more than 40% of the surface and gravity around 1 G. The planet is temperate, with tropical temperatures at the equator and no ice caps. The ecology has plants and insects on land, but no other animals. There is a well-developed sea life. It is like Earth in the Devonian Period.

Their last supply ship returned reporting serious problems. The survey team report that they have discovered an alien settlement. There is a new and hostile life form that has attacked and killed several scientists and support staff without provocation.

Manager Klimov has millions of credits invested in Harvest. In three months, a fleet of colony ships will bring 2000 technicians to set up the buildings and industrial production units, erect the habitation modules, power plants and water systems and construct houses for the colonists who will start arriving in 6 months. They do not want a dangerous alien predator loose; it would ruin the colonization effort. Klimov wants justice for the families of those killed and the removal of the alien species.

Minister Dupont’s primary motivation is to avoid a war with an unknown power while avoiding the negative publicity that would be generated if she is seen to be doing nothing to support Three Stars and the families of the workers killed. The sector government is under pressure to “do something” by the managers of Three Stars Colonies.

The sector authorities do not have a suitable team available, even if they did, Harvest lies in unclaimed space where they have no legal authority.

The player’s team would ideally have someone with a sciences background, a person with Liaison or Xeno-biology skills, Leadership and a decent amount of intelligence will be good enough.

The players will be given the use of a suitable ship if they do not have one. Dupont will hire a merchant ship and crew for 6 weeks. The players will have 2 weeks on Harvest to resolve the issues. The ship will have an air raft or small ship’s boat.

If the players have their own ship, it will be fueled and provisioned at the sector government’s cost for the journey there and for their departure after they return.

Kh-Djatsc

Continue reading →

AMBER ZONE: The Hunt

Craig Oliver April 13, 2021Leave a comment

Location: Near the edge of Imperial space, or immediately outside it.

Players’ Information:

The players are approached by an alien of a type they’ve never seen before while at the space port bar. He or she speaks Anglic well enough: “I am Nerot of the Clan. If I may be so bold as to converse with you?” If the players accept Nerot at the table, they will order a round, and will have a proposition for the players. “We are hunters of the savannahs of our forefathers, “ and names a nearby planet that is outside of the Imperium that the players may or may not have heard of. “We would share our culture with others, and in particular share our hunting prowess. We have heard many humans enjoy a good hunt. We would enjoy the chance to share our skills and are willing to pay you to share your knowledge with us.”

If the players are not the hunting type, the offer may be worded in a way to allow them to share in the sport of hunting. In either case, the offer is a free vacation essentially to a neighboring world and back to where they are now, with the chance to go hunting. And the potential for up to Cr 5,000 as part of a “cultural exchange program”.

Should they accept, they will be taken to an alien ship, and make the jump to Nerot’s home world. Similar to the Safari class ships, this ship has a trophy room, and a cabin set aside for various weapons and training aids. The players get to know Nerot and the pilot, as well as familiarize themselves with the guns. These are close enough to human-centric guns that there will be no negative DMs other than the characters’ normal modifiers. There are several guns and a few energy weapons. Both the pilot Ginta and Nerot are pleasant hosts and seem to know a great deal about the guns. They will spend considerable time training the characters in the use of the guns.

Upon landing on a broad savannah, Nerot hands out weapons, and says, “We’ll give you 3 hours before our hunt for you starts” and closes the air lock.

Nerot of the Clan – Image from Pixabay

Continue reading →

AMBER ZONE: Milk Run

Will Post April 9, 20211 Comment

Players’ Information:

The players are hired by Marketside Interplanetary Bank (“The FRIENDLIEST Bank!”) to repossess a ship (the Glomar Ascendent) due to eight month’s delinquent payments. The bank provides the ship’s scheduled stops and wishes the players to seize the vessel on a specific low law-level world (to minimize any complications). No resistance from the crew is anticipated but players are advised to be armed ‘just in case’.

Because of sector legal requirements, any contracts for passage or delivery of cargo are considered to be with the ship and not with the owners or operators of the vessel, so the players are required by the bank to complete the vessel’s currently scheduled voyage. The bank is insistent on this detail as Marketside does not want to get involved in any litigation. There are twelve passengers (possibly more at referee’s discretion), two of whom have a cargo contract mandating delivery in twelve days.

Players will be paid standard rates for the crew positions they are filling, plus the bank is paying them each Cr. 20,000 for the repossession. Continue reading →