Royal Hunt - Amber Zone Review #20

Check out the series introduction here.

Amber Zone: Royal Hunt, by J Andrew &William H Keith from JTAS #12  

OK, Jumbo, now just hold it steady here a moment.

Location: Krajraha (no known location in the OTU), no planet UPP given, but the details of the adventure mention a medium size world with a type 6 atmosphere.

Patron: Elias Dulandir, VIP of an industrial corporation which is seeking mineral & mining rights on Krajraha. He is negotiating directly with the Potentate of Krajraha.

Mission: The PCs will act as bodyguards/lackeys to Dulandir for the two month visit to Krajraha, which will include going on the titular royal hunt into the jungle with the Potentate.

Complications: The PCs are barred from coming along with their usual combat load; the party is restricted by custom to use bow weapons only. What is supposed to be a leisurely trek with a large group of retainers and only occasional actual hunting becomes anything but relaxing as aggressive creatures invade the camp, pack animals become belligerent, weapons have accidental discharges, and the hunting party becomes temporarily lost. Through it all, the PCs have to keep themselves and their patron alive. The patron will want to keep the Potentate alive as well – if he dies, the deal is off, or at least negotiations will have to start over with his son.

Payoff: Cr 15,000 per PC for the two months of bodyguard duty.

Strong Points: The PCs will be busy on this trip, it seems a most ill-fated expedition. Part of the challenge will be that they will have to get used to low-tech weapons, as the patrons will send home any PC caught with firearms. The referee can 'motivate' the players to investigate all the mishaps by having the Potentate or the patron accuse them of trying to undermine the deal.

Weak Points: Only with setting it in my TU – Mishima is a TL12 planet, which means communication with the city (weather, GPS, hi-speed contra-grav rescue) should be pervasive enough to take the wilderness out of this wilderness adventure. It works better if the hunting party are out of touch with the capital and on their own.

What I'd change: I think this one stands up well as it is.

In My Traveller Universe: Mishima, in the Barrick Cluster, is a suitable match for the described geography. It is also out of the way, of modest population and has trade code Non-Industrial. 

The Map

The map scale can vary, probably best between 5 and 10 km/hex, and assuming that the pack animals will move at best 3-4 km/hr, and the party will frequently stop and camp out. 

I made this map, using Hexographer. It may be reproduced or modified without permission.