Chill - Amber Zone Reviews # 26

Amber Zone: Chill, by John M. Ford from JTAS #15

Check out the series introduction here.

 
Location: The planet Sainte Foy, a “rugged mining world” marked as an Amber Zone by the TAS. This represents the first Amber Zone adventure actually set on an Amber Zone world! The adventure references the Imperium but I can find no location for Sainte Foy.

  

Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tangra-Crest.jpg 

Patron: Initially the PCs are hired by a business agent who goes to lengths to conceal his (her?) identity. On Sainte Foy, the PCs report to the buyer, Count Ibraim Radge, a member of the Primacy, the local ruling elite.

Mission: The PCs are to act as tenders/minders for a cargo shipment of great importance intended for the capital city of Villefoix. They must accompany the shipment both through space and across the world's surface to its destination.

Complications: The secrecy surrounding the shipment will surely arouse suspicions among the PCs – giving the referee plenty of room to play with their suspicion (or paranoia). The cargo is large, bulky and has special handling requirements – it is heavy but fragile at the same time. The starport is a long way from the ultimate destination, requiring an overland trip by train. 

Sainte Foy is wet-concrete-bare-bench-cold. Hope the PCs packed their thermal gear! The trip, of course, will not be uneventful; there are those who wish to prevent the shipment from reaching its destination and don't mind using force to succeed. It seems this secret delivery is not so secret after all.

Payoff: The shipment is valued at 4 million credits, of which the PCs will (as a group) get 10%. Count Radge will offer additional reward for the overland trek.

Strong Points: This is a simple 'journey from A to B' scenario, that becomes a complicated survival scenario, nicely ramping up the drama. The PCs face big, big risks to win their big, big reward. The early stages of this adventures are dull, and can be summarized by the referee for players who want to get right to the action. This is not actually a mystery adventure, the PCs do not need to unravel all the 'whos' and 'whys' to survive and succeed; but the referee can play up the mystery aspect of the early stages, to keep the players interested and paying attention so they don't miss any significant cues.

Weak Points: I find it odd that the starport and the capital city of this export-based mining world are so far apart. Could it be that way just to necessitate an overland journey? The most noticeable weak point of this adventure is hard to explain without spoilers. In rough terms, it has to do with the motivation for the antagonist force that presents itself in the adventure. This group is opposed to a particular practice of the Primacy, which the adventure explains and makes a reasonable case for the Primacy acting as they do. By doing some math, I calculated that this behavior affects far less than one percent of the local populace in a meaningful way. So while it is dramatic on the surface, once you study it, the antagonist group is really fretting over trifles. This realization does not undermine the adventure, it just needs some more explanation.

What I'd change: I would develop the rationale & goals of the antagonist group further; the given explanation for their opposition would be a rhetorical cover for their real motivation, which is something more mundane and political that would not play well with the locals. There is a complication/plot thread mentioned in the epilogue that I would leave out of the adventure. If the PCs do well in this adventure, they will have gained some significant contacts with the Primacy, which I could use as lead-ins to further adventures. Also, the opponents they face in the adventure could return on a vendetta.

In My Traveller Universe: This adventure should be set on an Independent world, but one that is not too far from the galactic mainstream. I think the character of Sainte Foy matches Dorgenta (5 Worlds-America 0501) well enough – it's even an Amber Zone world.

Map: a portion of Sainte Foy, between Gateway Starport and Villefoix. 

 This map was created by me, using Hexographer (www.hexographer.com) It may be used or edited without restriction.

Hostile Takeover - Amber Zone Adventure Contest Entry #2

Amber Zone: A Hostile Takeover

This is my second entry in the Amber Zone adventure writing contest. The player's information is here, the rest of the adventure you can read at the Amber Zone. 

Player's Information:

The PC's are contacted by a business factor on Kubotoa (A-764854-D), looking for a small team to infiltrate a mansion. The Board of Directors of the Singletary Corporation, LLC, have a problem. The CEO of the corporation has been out of touch for weeks, and hasn't been seen in person in months. He was always reclusive, but this is the longest he's ever been gone. The corporation is facing a financial crisis occasioned by the CEO's absence & non-leadership. The Board has voted the CEO out, but the local law requires that he be present at the company offices to handle the transfer of power.

The CEO's last known whereabouts is his mansion at the edge of the city, which sits in a secured, walled compound. The PCs are hired to deliver the CEO to the company offices. They are authorized, as contract employees, to employ all necessary force to secure the CEO unharmed and bring him to the offices. The mansion is technically corporation property so they are not trespassing. The Board requests that the building itself be damaged as little as possible, but expect some damage as the CEO had installed numerous security measures without advising the Board; he was known to be very concerned about his personal security. Payment will be Cr 10,000 per man, plus any hospital expenses. Excessive damage to the mansion will be deducted from the pay. 

The illustration was taken from www.pixabay.com, a free image resource, and is in the public domain.

Traveller Motivational Posters!

A few "motivational" posters I found on the Web.

Exactly. It's out there, man. Go find it.

Yeah, but you knew the job was dangerous when you took it!

Chargen is like skipping the 'origin story' and going straight to the good parts.

One more term & I get retirement pay! And two more skills.

What are you waiting for?

They do NOT like meat-eaters. Like YOU.

And do not mess with the Imperial Marines.

Everything's better with rapid-pulse fusion guns.

Many of these are from the RPGnet wiki.

Drannixa Gambit - Amber Zone # 25

Amber Zone: Drannixa Gambit, by J. Andrew Keith from JTAS # 15

Check out the series introduction here.

 
Location: Azun (Solomani Rim 0809), in the Elskay & Drannixa arcologies

Patron: Arthur Wilcox, a politician of Elskay, and blackmail victim.

Mission: Wilcox wants the PCs to rescue his daughter, who was arrested under false pretenses by the government of Drannixa, another arcology. The Drannixans are using the trumped-up charges as leverage to force Wilcox to ruin a lucrative trade deal for his city, which Drannixa will then snap up at lesser cost.

Complications: The daughter is accused of participation in a conspiracy which attempted an act of terrorism. All the members are facing the death penalty. Because of the nature of the charges, simply removing the target from custody will not be enough; the PCs must also destroy all of the falsified computer records. She has been implanted with a tracer that will have to be removed. The computer records are restricted, and not easy to access. While the government figures are committing blackmail, they can hide/disguise it; the PCs are likely to commit several crimes which the government will prosecute if they get caught. Exposure of the blackmail may occur to the players, but it will be difficult and is outside the scope of the adventure. The target herself does not realize the severity of her situation, so she may not be completely cooperative with the rescue attempt.

Payoff: Cr 15,000 each, plus a High Passage off Azun. This seems low, given some of the price tags on previous Amber Zones, but that might be an indication that earlier adventures were overpaying.

Strong Points: This issue of JTAS has a feature article on Azun, which provides lots of detail and 'flavor' for the adveture. This is a classic rescue/extraction scenario, which will be familiar to all the players. While some specific skills are called for, it is not necessary for the PCs to have come from an espionage background. The mission will require a lot of planning and coordination by the PCs, and has plenty of opportunities for the referee to insert extra difficulties. These will allow for fast-thinking improvisation, which is always exciting. The drama level should be pretty high. 

Weak Points: Even with the main articles' details, there's not a lot that's very 'sci-fi' about this adventure. It all takes place indoors, which can become very generic without regular reminders of the peculiar nature of the arcology. This is a pretty mild criticism, and I'll even turn it around by saying that the 'generic' nature of the setting makes it easy to transport the adventure to another location.

What I'd change: I would make some of the evidence physical (say, hard-copy video recordings) rather than digital so that it can get lost/re-taken if the operation has gone too smoothly. I would introduce a specific NPC police character that will be a foil to the PC's plans. The officer will be an honest cop, who believes the evidence is genuine, and is loyal to the city. He is a former adventurer, so he thinks like the PCs, and can counter their moves. The PCs may try to convince him of the blackmail plot; what will happen if they succeed? If they get away with it, he may reappear after they leave Azun, pursuing them with a warrant for their arrest.

In My Traveller Universe: As I said, this adventure could effectively happen anywhere with better than 20th century tech level, so I will place it in the Corellian League, on Nouveau Avignon (Dormarc-Ostrander 0107)

Maps: The Drannixa arcology is several kilometers high, with hundreds of 'floors' so mapping it would be difficult. Referees should only design maps of detention areas, computer data centers and other relevant parts of the arcology. 

  A graphic showing the scale of an arcology vs. a modern skyscraper.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:XSeed4000BurjDubaiComparison.jpg

Aces & Eights - Amber Zone #23

Check out the series introduction here.

Over at the Amber Zone site, this adventure is rated #1 of the Top Ten Amber Zone Adventures.

Amber Zone: Aces & Eights, by John M. Ford from JTAS # 14

The famous Dead Man's Hand - but what's the hole card?

Location: Aboard ship, the cruise liner Domine Allegro, and the planets it visits.

Patron: Firenze Ltd., the cruise line owners.

Mission: The line's administration wants the PCs to take a journey aboard the ship, and observe a professional gambler aboard, a retired soldier named Sgt Major Prester, who the line suspects is cheating. Get some proof either way, and keep the pro from bankrupting other passengers – this would be negative publicity for the line. It's a pretty easy assignment – keep your eyes open, play a lot of cards, and don't tip your hand to the target.

Payoff: The line is offering transportation and good accommodations, an initial block of chips with which to gamble, and the ability to keep any winnings above the initial stake. If the PCs don't gamble or don't win, they effectively lose nothing – it's the house's money.

Complications: The Sergeant Major is not the only soldier on board, and some of them seem to have interest in Prester as well. Prester gambles well. and talks a lot but not about his old Army unit (the 1188^th  "Aces and Eights" Brigade); he might be cheating, but it is difficult to tell because he's so good. The mission takes an unexpected turn when Prester is directly accused of cheating by another gambler. The search for the truth will lead to revelations about Prester's old unit, and who else is interested in it. The other interested parties are willing to play hardball to get what they want, and the PCs may find themselves in the way!

Strong Points: This is a well constructed adventure, where the mission is clear, and there's no railroading by the referee. The players face one then two mysteries, and the second can expand into another adventure or easily a whole new campaign. The second mystery is a real puzzle, but like all mysteries, it is obvious once you know what you're looking for. The opposition is tough, but not overwhelming, and there is plenty of opportunity to use brains and skills, but the PCs better have their guns handy.This is another adventure that I really want to play out.

Weak Points: The key to this mystery is hidden pretty well, if the players don't catch on quickly, the other interested parties may well get away and disappear.

What I'd change: This adventure stands well as it is. I would change nothing but the details to put it into my TU.

In My Traveller Universe: I would begin this adventure in the Ostrander Federation, with the cruise liner travelling in a sweep towards Gringamore, the last stop on the cruise ship's line. 

Maps: If the referee has access to the FASA Adventure Ships set of deck plans, the plans for the Type M Subsidized Liner would work well for the shipboard action. Or use the Starships and Spacecraft booklet from Judges Guild. There is a planetside stop, but as a map would give away important plot points, I will not include one. 

The illustration is taken from the Wikipedia article "Dead Man's Hand" and is licensed to be shared.

Amber Zone Adventure Contest Entry #1

This is my first entry in the Amber Zone Opening Contest. I am posting the Player's information here, the Referee's Information will be posted at the Amber Zone site.

Amber Zone: A Walk Through the Valley

 
 Player's Information:
      Planet Melpomene (C-5437B7-9, Red Zone) is entering its second year of a civil war between the repressive central government and a coalition of rebel groups, which has some foreign backing.

      The Melpomenian government is a non-charismatic dictatorship, under Premier Alcazar, that is somewhat efficient, repressive but not brutal, and indifferent to religion as long as they pay the taxes.

      The rising rebellion (the Freedom and Justice Party) claims to be democratic, having several several ideological camps under its umbrella. The rebel leaders claim to be neutral towards religion, but several of the sub-groups are accusing the Church of endorsing and collaborating with the old regime. They are targeting Christian parishes for ransom, seizure and destruction.

      Government forces are too tied up with fighting a war to protect the Christians, which they never cared about in the first place. Some government forces are reportedly claiming the Church is supporting the rebellion and carrying out punitive strikes.

      The Archbishop of Longmire, a neighboring world, has learned that the PCs are an honest and honorable crew, and seeks to charter their ship. He asks that they go to Melpomene and find the local Archbishop, Konstantin. The situation has gotten dangerous enough to warrant withdrawing him from the planet until the war is over. 

     Most of the world's Christians have gone into hiding, and Bp Konstantin knows where the sanctuaries are. The Archbishop of Longmire is able to offer a success-only contract for Cr 20,000 to each crew member who participates in the rescue mission. Part of the contract stipulates that the crew must avoid the use of deadly force, even when protecting the Archbishop. 

 Who's up for a rescue operation?