Begining a campaign... (long)

[Vanyon]

Hi all, I wanted to post up this idea I am tossing around to use to introduce my current gaming group to Traveller (using the Mongoose rules). Only 1 has played traveler before and that was a long time ago, and I have not played it since the mid 80’s.

So here is what I was thinking. Get the group of characters made, and put a simple stipulation on them all that in their backgrounds they have to give at least 1 connection to another players character. There are 5 of them and they seem pretty cool with that so I foresee no problems getting the group together.

The basic plan is to get them hired by a patron who wants them to take him as a passenger and take him to a place of his choosing, and he refuses to give them the location. He will be dressed as an Imperial Navy Lieutenant and have credentials etc… as needed to try and get the party to let him input the nav coordinates as he is a trained navigator. He will do what he can to get them to allow this, upping payment showing his skills, etc… even vowing this is a top secret mission and such.

For the purpose of the adventure, if they allow this, he purposefully mis-jumps the ship to take them some place from his nightmares… I have a transcript style story of the patron in a therapy session below.

Lots of story takes place… but what I am looking for is if the following story would be interesting. I am planning on the PC’s getting a recording of this video so they can possibly be freaked out about it, but they wont get this until they are in jump.

So please tell me what you think. Does it sound like it would be a good opening to an adventure? Or dumb?

 

[Vanyon]

<<Begin Recording. Location: Ward 471, Bldg 32487 Dr. Ento in attendance with subject Macon devRies 324.1104>>

The nightmares began as they usually did. It always began the same with the nav comp alarms warning us that the engine had misjupmed. That’s right, some how I miscalculated the navigation information, and this horror is entirely my fault.

We were the crew of the I.S.S. Carolina. That being a 400 ton far trader in Imperial service to carry both personnel and small cargos around the sector as needed. Our captain was an active duty Captain in the Imperial Navy named Seranea. She was not only a dignified beauty, but a capable and intelligent leader.

More specifically I am First Lieutenant Macon devRies. I was the navigator and first officer on board the Carolina. I caused it all to go so horribly wrong.

I digress though. My attention in the dream is brought back with a jerk to the alarms going off. As I silence them I try to figure out where we will end up, however all of us on the bridge knew we would not know where until we got there.

In the dream the week in jump space is a blur. I am always left with the impression that all 7 of the other crew were angry with me. In that one week, they blamed me for everything that would go horribly wrong in their future. This has happened for so long that even in the waking word my memory has been blurred as to what occurred in the jump week.

When we exited jump space we knew we were nowhere near the sub sector we began in. This galactic cloud that surrounded us was obscuring sensors and visual recon of the surrounding space. So we settled on our priorities, and first on the list was find fuel. So we searched for a few days for a way to refuel. We realized this entire region had no star.

What we did find was an oddity in itself: a rogue gas giant. It was huge even for gas giants and explained a lot. Our science officer, Corporal Higgik, explained it as either a forming star or this region of space has failed to spark and it should have been a star. To us that didn’t matter at all, as it represented a way to refuel and possibly begin our journey home.

As the Capt ordered us in to the atmosphere to begin fuel scooping we detected a large debris field almost half way around the outer edge of the gas giants shell and north of us. In the dream reading those findings to the Capt still sends shivers down my spine and fills me with a sense of dread. It was entirely my fault.

Following my suggestion the Capt had us plot a course to this field to hope it was something useful to us. It was oddly in a tidally locked orbit in the event horizon of the gravity well for the gas giant. To me this was not odd; it showed there was some intelligence behind the debris placement. Meaning it could be useful. How could I have been so wrong?

As we approached the debris field it panned out that it might be very useful. It was a collection of derelict and destroyed star ships. None were of any sort of recognizable design, and seemed ancient. It was easily seen as a grave yard and had the same sensation of foreboding around it as one.

After a while of searching the debris one vessel showed itself to be intact. It was completely without power and even had an open hatch exposed to space. Scoring and other battle damage showed along its hull and armor plating. Remarkably it was not breached, and was in fact intact.

For some reason I remember we were all pretty excited to find the vessel. However years of the nightmares have made me doubt this. Although try as I might, in the dream I cannot warn them, I cannot tell them of impending doom. I cannot sit in my stateroom and cry and jibber insanely.

It was a beautiful ship. Sleek and streamlined with a touch of elegance. Frightening that it was unarmed and sitting alone within the debris of no less than 6 larger vessels. Its stubborn silence a testament to it’s survival of the carnage around it.

This should have been our first warning.

With a glimmer of hope we approached the ship. In my nightmare I remember watching the Captain’s shapely form and wanting to warn her. Wanting…
With a glimmer of hope we approached the ship. In my nightmare I remember watching the Captain’s shapely form and wanting to warn her. Wanting…

We had hopes though of boarding this vessel and finding Star Charts and Navigation information that would help us find a way home. Others had ideas of salvage to bring home.

We all chuckled at Ensign Pinorro, our second pilot, who drew the short straw and had to stand over watch instead of sharing the excitement of the initial boarding party. I wanted to tell her not to board the ship, to take us out of there. In the nightmare though, I only join in the humor.

It was eerie entering the belly of the beast. This vessel was easily 800 tons in mass. As we entered through the open air lock we found ourselves in a cargo hold. Some things we immediately noticed about the ship: no gravity, no atmosphere, and no bodies, interior in pristine condition.

This should have been our second warning.

There was no cargo in the hold. It was just a large, empty chamber. From there though we explored a bit and kind of worked out the general layout of the ship. So from there we split up and went to our respective areas of the ship to evaluate what we had. I made sure I was on the way to the bridge with the captain. In the dream she always seemed bitter that I was accompanying her. I’ll never again remember accurately whether she and I really had something together.

 

[Vanyon]

We climbed our way to the bridge. Amazed that this ship had to be out here for decades, if not longer, and yet had tech beyond anything we were used to working with outside of Admirals star ships. By the time we reached the bridge Cpl Higgik announced over comms that he had located the power plant and would begin work. It was with some relief that the ship began coming to life mere minutes later. He reported that the ship was completely in working order and almost perfectly preserved. No damage and ready to be powered up.

Yet another warning we should have listened to. Why was I so stupid?

The bridge was beautiful when powered up and life support kicked in to begin to defrost everything. The overhead view port was more of a stained glass window to the universe than a mere porthole. I vaguely remember the Capt. checking in with the others. They all reported the same thing. All systems nominal and the interior was fine.

I noted a couple of things about the bridge that in my dreams bring me increased sense of dread. The technology was equivalent to bleeding edge tech used in the current Imperium. Secondly was that it was all written in an alien language. So we went to work.

In my dream I try to lose myself in the time spent with her. Yet she is always torn away from me. I dread every time she left the bridge as I knew one of those walks would be her last. I wanted to take her and run, but could not. My dream shackled my will and drove me to work on those computers and navigation charts.

I always seem to miss this part.

As I worked with the multiple computer systems on the ship it never felt like I was alone. I always felt like I was being watched. I always wondered what it was. I would sit and wonder some times when it would over take my sensibilities. Always my eyes were drawn to that beautiful view port.

Some time while I was working this all out they had found ten crewmen locked in emergency cryogenic booths. A couple of them were critical; the others were all wounded but should live with some attention. I never knew when they began to wake them and tend to them. All I knew was I wanted to make amends to the Capt and get us home. I wanted…
Some time while I was working this all out they had found ten crewmen locked in emergency cryogenic booths. A couple of them were critical; the others were all wounded but should live with some attention. I never knew when they began to wake them and tend to them. All I knew was I wanted to make amends to the Capt and get us home. I wanted…

I never knew when it began. I was close to a navigation solution when all the systems around me locked up. In the dream I can still hear a sinister laugh. The screens all display the words “You are about to become us.” So it was with no small amount of fear I got on comms and wanted to know what was going on.
Begin it did though, and with a bang.

It really sounded bad. We were not fresh hands, we knew our way in around ship combat to repel borders and other situations. I heard screaming and panic. Someone was barking incoherent orders. Yet anther voice on the comm was one I never would forget, yet it was not one I knew. I did notice I did not hear the Captains voice.

While I was screaming questions in to the mic Sgt Belko made the decision to perform a fighting retreat. Knowing he would have no problems leaving me aboard a hostile ship, I packed up my computer and raced to the airlock where our vessel was.

I got to the cargo bay in time to see a nightmare. The Captain and several others I did not know were in a firefight with our crew. All I saw was our Sgt put a burst in to our Capt from an ACR and she got back up. She was no longer our Captain. So I fled in blind terror.

I vaguely remember shouting to Higgik to do something about that airlock. I was as surprised as the others when he threw a HE grenade in the airlock. The resulting explosive decompression was a moment of terror beyond comprehension. Somehow though, five of us had made it back to our vessel.

I immediately threw up and got sick. I think a few others did as well. Then I noticed all eyes on me. At first I thought they were going to space me. Then I realized they were waiting for me to give orders. So I told them to head to the other side of this giant and get us fueled. I then went to my stateroom, locked the door and went insane for 2 days. I kept hearing that voice. All my terminals seemed to keep saying I would become us. It was all a nightmare.

Wasn’t it?

Either way, I plotted our return and we got ourselves home. Along the way we decided to sell the ship and split it and desert and go our own ways in hiding. We were shaken to our cores for some reason. I still do not understand why we were so afraid. It was so primal in nature, and the grip it had on me was unnatural.

I wandered for more than a year. Relocating every time I heard that voice or saw a terminal tell me I would become us. Eventually it happened that I came upon our younger pilot Pinorro in a bar. We talked a lot over drinks and late that night as we found solace in each others company. That morning she told me she heard the voice as well. That she ran from it and it chased her. She said she had seen Belko and he was not Belko any more. She could not explain it. She did recall though that Higgik had killed himself on Regina because he could not run from the voice or the memory. She said he had left her a holo message telling her good bye. He also said they had to go back or it would never end.

I still remember how she then took her side arm out and blew her brains out all over me. All the while she was saying she would never go back.
That was 4 years ago. Since then I have tried to track us all down. I never could find Belko, but the others each killed themselves and sent a holo to the next person. All of them said they had to make it back to end this.

Then I received this holo from Belko. He said he was coming for me too. That he had to get me back to that ship. He needed me to get us out of there. So I ran, and here I am in this hospital ranting to you about a nightmare. Not a reality.

Things like that can’t be real can they?

Please tell me it’s just a dream!

<<End Recording>>

 

[CosmicGamer]

Sorry, didn't read much past the part about being able to purposely causes a 'misjump' to a location.

If someone can control a misjump why is it called a misjump? This would quickly become a new way of navigation wouldn't you think?

 

[Vanyon]

True... I guess I should just change it to he is taking them back by retracing his route home from that system? Was going to use the misjump on purpose as a plot device to get the group there in one jump.

 

[rancke]

I don't care what credentials he has, unless he's willing to put up a bond for the full value of my ship, I wouldn't let him control the destination of the jump. Far too much risk of winding up in a quiet backwater system with a pirate waiting for me to arrive with empty tanks.

This is one way a pirate might actually succeed in intercepting a victim and have the peace and quiet he needs to capture it. If he can find a victim stupid enough, that is.

But maybe that's just me...


Hans

 

[robject]

I agree with Hans - there has to be some reason to trust an otherwise complete stranger with the astrogation helm.

I have no problem with an intentional misjump, tho. It's okay once in awhile.

 

[rancke]

I have no problem with an intentional misjump, tho. It's okay once in awhile.

An intentional misjump that puts you in a random spot within 36 parsecs, sure. But I gathered from the original post that he meant an intentional misjump that was aimed at a specific destination. Which is a contradiction in terms.


Hans

 

[aramis]

I suspect he meant a plotted jump other than to the announced destination which is passed off as a misjump.

 

[rancke]

I suspect he meant a plotted jump other than to the announced destination which is passed off as a misjump.

That would work.


Hans

 

[Vanyon]

Yes, as Aramis put it much better than me. It would be an intentional jump, that he would pass as a misjump.

The players would find out during the week in jump space that he was insane and unstable, and eventually find the recording.

As for a bond, I suppose he could forge something to pass off to them. Most of them beinig fairly new would not think to check it.

 

[bromdenlong]

If it's really a standard jump, it can't be more than 6 parsecs. I can't imagine why they would be lost. All the local stars should be recognizable by their spectral "fingerprint".

Why not just have the navigator approach the crew with an offer to salvage a pristine ship? He could easily have pictures of it, and say that the local salvage pros won't give him a decent cut of the profits.

The navvy saying that 'he knows he'll never know if he had a romance with the captain' doesn't really make sense to me. How does he know his memory can't return? Then again, he's half-crazed, so...nevermind.

I really like the rest of it!

 

[Peter Schutze]

>It was huge even for gas giants

in other words its a brown dwarf star ??

I see no problem with intentionally repeating the sequence that led to the original "misjump" so long as its basically a normal for the ship range jump into an empty hex

I would have the orginal ship be something like a T class patrol ship rather than a regular navy crewed trader, just because most people dont expect small frieghters in navy service

 

[Agrikk]

I suppose all of this depends on how savvy your new Traveller player are as gamers. If you lead them by the hand a little bit (like it sounds like you are doing with the insane Navy guy), if they are still starry-eyed and just having fun gaming at all then it'll work.

But if they've played a lot of other games with other groups, they might balk at the slightest discrepancy or attempt at deus ex machina-type plot devices like guided mis-jumps.


edit: Nevermind. The guided jump disguised as a misjump would work. Plus it becomes another plot device when the ship's engineer goes over the logs and determines that the jump went perfectly with no malfunction, and the astrogator discovers that the "misjump" coordinates were actually plotted by the insane guy. Unless they really are asleep at the switch, don't expect them to let him anywhere near any control point a second time, though.

 

[Vanyon]

Sorry for such a long break between posts, kids and Christmas time makes for a lot of busy days around work.

Ok so back this. My premise was to put them in the Lanth sector near the Abyssal Rift. I read in the Spinward Marches supplement (MGT version) that the Rift is well known for it’s ghost stories and strange occurrences. Specially in jump space.

So it got me thinking of some way to take advantage of this. An insane navigator came to mind and a ghost ship that spawned his nightmares.

So with this in mind I have been coming up with the ideas for this in bits and pieces. However let me begin with my group and a little explanation of them. I have 6 players, 3 of which are brand new to RPG’s at all, and D&D 4E is the only system they know. One has been playing a few years and is fairly proficient with games like AD&D, D&D 4E and Shadowrun. The other two are long time players like myself who have played a wide variety of games over 20+ years and both are freelance writers and published authors for other gaming systems. However only 1 has ever played Traveller, and it was CT in the early 80’s.

Long story short they are all interested in giving Traveller a shot and I don’t want to let them down. Since they are heavy role players mixed with the newer players desiring action, I am trying to give them both in this introduction adventure. Does it need to be perfect? No, however I would like to have it show them the rules and have some fun.

So the insane Navigator will be able to get at the controls. I know I can get them to let him. Don’t ask me why, I wont fudge it or force it, but I just have this feeling the two long time players will allow it just to teach the kids a lesson LOL…

What I was originally planning was to have the Navigator choose them because it is a similar vessel to the one they went there with. I was thinking of ways to make the calculated misjump work. His insanity allowing him to do some odd mathematics, or even for so far as to have recovered the original flight recorder from his vessel that went there and have it rerun the calculations that misjumped them there in the first place. He would have everything as exactly the same as he could possibly get. Yes, I understand it would have taken some serious hand-wavium to make it plausible. So I thought of the situation where he would make it seem a misjump, and it would in reality be a planned jump. I was not sure which would make for a better story though. So that was one thing I wanted to ask.

Also, the transcripts of his interview in the insane asylum was to be found by the players too. Does it sound like something that would unsettle players? Or maybe sound like it would set the mood at all for finding a ghost ship?

As for the gas giant and what it is. I was looking at brown dwarfs when I was writing that. So yes that is what I meant by a super sized gas giant. Also with as obscure and difficult to find as they are it could help explain why it has not been previously found within the Abyssal Rift. That and the nearest place to jump to was going to be Victoria in Lanth. Victoria is an interdicted system so it is not like many people would be going there to search the rift for brwon dwarfs.

So the adventure when they get there will be discovering the ghost ship, boarding it and searching it. Then getting ambushed and chased off of it… or maybe not. I am still deciding on this and how to get some ship combat in there to illustrate ship combat rules too. Since my goal is to have a fun story, illustrate skills, planet life, shipboard life, personal combat and ship combat. Something for everyone to see if they will like the rules system.

 

[Vanyon]

If it's really a standard jump, it can't be more than 6 parsecs. I can't imagine why they would be lost. All the local stars should be recognizable by their spectral "fingerprint".

Why not just have the navigator approach the crew with an offer to salvage a pristine ship? He could easily have pictures of it, and say that the local salvage pros won't give him a decent cut of the profits.

The navvy saying that 'he knows he'll never know if he had a romance with the captain' doesn't really make sense to me. How does he know his memory can't return? Then again, he's half-crazed, so...nevermind.

I really like the rest of it!

Thank you Brom, and yes the places that are there not making sense are due to his insanity. I wanted it to not make complete sense because when things like that are found by players they tend to over think them and it unsettles them. Same with the sections that repeat. In the video he actually says those lines twice without seeming to ever realise he is repeating himself. I was not sure how else to portray his insanity without getting more techincal than I wanted to with mental instabilities so logic errors in his statements were what I used, and claimed the interview was during his most lucid moments.

 

[Vanyon]

>It was huge even for gas giants

in other words its a brown dwarf star ??

I see no problem with intentionally repeating the sequence that led to the original "misjump" so long as its basically a normal for the ship range jump into an empty hex

I would have the orginal ship be something like a T class patrol ship rather than a regular navy crewed trader, just because most people dont expect small frieghters in navy service

Peter, thank you for the reply. My reasoning was that the trader would be the most likely vessel they would start off with. So if they asked why the IN would use one I was going to say it was used to run re-suply between Lanth and Victoria for the interdiction fleet.