AMBER ZONE: Hold Your Horses

Will Post April 8, 2021April 8, 2021Leave a comment

Players’ Information:

After lengthy litigation with a rival firm CorBeOn Corporation has won the mining rights to Cestus, an uninhabited world (X6640000) rich in mineral deposits that is largely unexplored. There is one final legal hurdle- under the Endangered Species act CorBeOn cannot strip mine the planet due to the presence of Plover’s horse, a small, pony-sized creature which is the sole fauna on the planet.

CorBeOn has assigned their researcher Dr. Algon Hess, PhD, to prove that these are mutations of Terran ponies, in which case they would not be protected, and much less expensive strip-mining methods can be used.

Players are hired to crew a CorBeOn owned ship to transport Hess, his assistant, a five-member mining survey team, and related equipment to Cestus and provide any necessary security (possibility that the rival firm will try to disrupt things). Time is of the essence, as CorBeOn wants to start mining before the rival firm can create a legal appeal. The mining team will need three weeks to collect samples, after which CorBeOn wishes the mission to return (contract requirement for players to get paid, with a weekly 10% penalty if delayed). CorBeOn will provide a vessel with atmospheric capability and some staterooms converted to well-equipped laboratory space (something along the lines of a type R merchant) for Hess and the mining team to work in. The ship will also have a pair of air rafts for transporting the mining survey equipment on planet to various survey sites and some portable temporary structures.

If any PCs have appropriate medical or science skills, they can function as Hess’ assistant. Also, they may be asked to accompany the survey team for assistance.

Normally CorBeOn would use their own crew. However, at the last minute they became ‘indisposed’. Players are offered 2x the normal rate along with a 100% bonus should they meet the required schedule.

Plover’s horse Continue reading →

AMBER ZONE: Rue nee Curios

Timothy Collinson September 29, 2019Leave a comment

Players’ Information:

A close relative of the PCs, a key NPC employee of theirs, or perhaps even one of the PCs who has not made the gaming session has gone missing on a world with a very low Law Level. The subject has fallen foul of gang customs and is being held in a highly secure location in the city of Torgan. Unfortunately, several gangs in the area are essentially at war with other and internecine conflict is ongoing and brutal.

Contacting any relatives of the subject is a bad idea as that will draw them into conflict with the gang, called The Barony of Torgany, run by two shadowy figures known as the Baron and the Baron. (If the two need to be distinguished, it has become the practice of gang members to refer to the first with a two fingered stroke of the chin representing his goatee and the second via a stroke of the cheek representing his sideburns). Two distant relatives of the imprisoned character, the Grendel brothers, are members of a gang that is in alliance with the Barony but are not involved in the current situation. They could potentially be allies, however, if they could be contacted.

The PCs arrive in the city on Day 185 of the present year, a day of festivity, feasting and fireworks. They have had a lengthy wait for the owner of the cargo they’ve shipped in an ancient stone and wooden house deep in the swamps close to the city of Ruie. Now they realize the cargo owner is the heir of the Barony gang and is intent on killing the imprisoned character as part of a plan to replace the elderly Baron and Baron. After a tense encounter, the PCs now know where the prisoner is being held (a villa in Rue nee Curios – a leafy old-fashioned street known for its antiques dealers) and that he or she may be killed imminently. The PCs have access to a safehouse in the city that is unknown to any of the gangs.

The Grey Messengers:

On a world where there are few laws and few government institutions of any kind regulating life, some basic functions of ordinary living would be difficult. A swift, secure and stable postal service is one such function. On this world the solution is an organization known as the Grey Messengers. They are trusted, impartial and ask no questions. They carry messages, packages and data; go anywhere; see everything; see nothing. They work for payment or payment in kind if they need a service of some sort. They may be any age, gender, or species.

They are also known for their ability to procure equipment of any kind, legal or illegal, and possibly of any tech level – for a price of course. They ask no questions and will deny any involvement of illegality.

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AMBER ZONE: Passage for Carlo

James September 26, 2019Leave a comment

Players’ Information:

The players are contacted by Alberta Picerno, who wants to meet them to discuss an urgent passenger transportation mission. They meet Alberta in her office, which is lavishly appointed and in a prominent location in the heart of the city.

Alberta explains that her grandson (Carlo Picerno) needs a passage out from a nearby planet. Civil order is breaking down as several years of a poor economy has drained the authoritarian (Impersonal Bureaucracy) government’s resources and led to mass unemployment. Several new factions are vying to seize power, and supporters of the factions are now starting to target each other with bombings, kidnappings and beatings.

Carlo can’t get to the starport safely, but his house is in the countryside and a small craft could land nearby. Whilst starships must land at recognized ports, small craft are free to land anywhere where the landowner gives permission.

Alberta will cover all reasonable preparatory expenses for the rescue in advance, plus a fee of Cr200,000 when Carlo is delivered to Alberta personally. She explains that time is of the essence, you must make any preparations and depart within 24 hours.

Consulting the library, the players find that in practice the local law level is low (Level 1), although the government insists that the local laws are still in effect (Level 6).

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AMBER ZONE: Medivac!

Timothy Collinson September 24, 2019Leave a comment

An adventure for 1-6 players on any TL3-14 world with population 6+ that is either balkanized (Government Code 7) or has a unified government but is embroiled in civil war, insurgency, rebellion or invasion by a neighbouring world. Mongoose Traveller 2nd Edition rules have been used here.

Players’ Information

One PC has injured their little finger in a freak accident – perhaps cargo loading, R&R, sport, or combat etc. What appears to be a sprain has within 24 hours swollen nastily and become heavily bruised. Fortunately, it is the little finger, on the non-dominant hand.

Medical staff recommend treatment within a week to ten days. How easy this is to arrange depends on the world’s medical care model and the rate of more serious trauma cases arriving as a result of any ongoing conflict.

Law Level determines if and how the PCs are armed outside starport environs.

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AMBER ZONE: Research Double-Cross

Marcus Maxiumus September 23, 2019Leave a comment

Players’ Information:

A backwater world with a breathable atmosphere and a population of several million is dealing with a decades-long civil war. Due to the remoteness of the settlements, much of the conflict has been marked by sharp raids with few set battles. One cobbled together militia group has managed to capture a corporate research facility on a remote island. They have contacted the corporate leadership in the hopes of obtaining a decent ransom.

The corporation has decided to meet the demands of the militia and they are sending hard currency, medicines and food in exchange for the researchers and their data. A 200-ton free trader, the SS Damocles, was dispatched and quietly intercepted by the opposing side just as it exited hyperspace. The PCs are being hired to pilot the free trader to the research station, using the codes and protocols provided to them by the captured original crew. The military of the backwater world all have a distinct look and accent, so off-worlders are essential.

With the cargo removed from the trader the PCs are masquerading as the corporate crew now in isolation. They will be joined on their journey by a reinforced platoon of (28) troops. (There will be a O1 in command, an E9 and an E5 in the command section; additionally, 5 squads of 5 troopers comprising of an E4 and four E1’s make up the rest of the raiding party). These should be equipped as regular soldiers according to the Tech Level of that warring planet.

The PCs will pilot to the regular docking pad of the facility and simply stay out of the way. The O1 in command has orders to minimize damage to the facility and after the threat has been neutralized gather the researchers and their data for extraction back to the main military base where the mission started.

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