Free Adventure Playtest

[hunter]

I'm posting this to get some feedback before I have it readied for general posting to the CotI site. It is a mini-adventure about 7 pages long. Fairly generic and usable for most any campaign or milieu, but nominally set in the Linkworlds Cluster (available free from the eLibrary). Stats and tasks are T20 but easily adaptable to any version of Traveller or other d20 game.

It is 99% complete, lacking only the T20 stat blocks for the 4 primary NPCs involved in the adventure. I haven't had a chance to work them up yet. If anyone feels game and would like to work up some stats and send them along I certainly wouldn't complain

Please post any plot holes, obvious gaffs or other booboos as a reply to this topic. I'll get them incorporated in before we officially post it.

Of course I'd also like to know what you think of the adventure itself as far as enjoyment!

Odyssey - a T20 mini-Adventure
160kb, 7 page, PDF Format

Hunter

 

[kafka47]

Are we meant to see illustrations in those boxes. I will try the actual playtest this weekend if work doesn't interfere too much.

 

[hunter]

Originally posted by kafka47:
Are we meant to see illustrations in those boxes. I will try the actual playtest this weekend if work doesn't interfere too much.

Currently those are just placeholders for artwork later.

Hunter

 

[notagoodusername]

Hunter,

I got a chance to read it through a few times today, and I couldn't find any problems with the adventure. You never know - I may even get my group in one place long enough to run it soon! What with the UK fire strikes and now the gulf, its hard to keep them together...

I also dropped you an e-mail related to Odessey too, earlier on.

Shane

 

[Tom Schoene]

Four years is a long time for even a backwater planet to go without a ship visit. No planet within rech of a typical group of PCs should reasonably go more than a few weeks without a ship visit. If there needs to be that long a gap (and there probably does), how about dumping the ship somewhere in deep space after the misjump and having them reach this planet by normal space drive? that cousd take several years

Also, the Author's Note has a confusing comment:

"You should try to keep the fact that Edgar is not really Edward Howard from the PCs as long as possible, though if they discover this early on it should not seriously alter the course of the adventure much."

This seems to be the only hint of a fake identity other that Edward Howard's travelling name. I'm assuming the PCs were to discover that the guy they were working for was in fact not Edward Howard, but an imposter who hoped to take over that identity. It looks like the plot was changed at some point to eliminate this extra complication but the author's note was not changed to match.

 

[hunter]

Originally posted by Tom Schoene:
Four years is a long time for even a backwater planet to go without a ship visit. No planet within rech of a typical group of PCs should reasonably go more than a few weeks without a ship visit. If there needs to be that long a gap (and there probably does), how about dumping the ship somewhere in deep space after the misjump and having them reach this planet by normal space drive? that cousd take several years

Why? If the world has little to offer why would ships regularly stop there? Even if ships are just passing through the system and refueling at the gas giant, they would likely miss a ship stranded on the mainworld unless the stranded ship had a distress beacon going (which is assumed not to have happened in this case).

The world I selected as the location the shipped crashed has a Class E starport, is a water world, and has a tainted atmosphere. On the face of it not much to lend itself as a regular stop for passing ships.

Dropping them into deep space is even more problematic. Few ships would have sufficient supplies in the form of lifesupport, food, or water to make such survival possible. Everyone would be dead long before the ship reached port.

Also, the Author's Note has a confusing comment:

"You should try to keep the fact that Edgar is not really Edward Howard from the PCs as long as possible, though if they discover this early on it should not seriously alter the course of the adventure much."

This seems to be the only hint of a fake identity other that Edward Howard's travelling name. I'm assuming the PCs were to discover that the guy they were working for was in fact not Edward Howard, but an imposter who hoped to take over that identity. It looks like the plot was changed at some point to eliminate this extra complication but the author's note was not changed to match.

Edward is not that nice of a fellow even though he is devoted to his family. Some PCs might decide not to help him (and thus negate the adventure) if they learn too soon of his history as governor.

Perhaps I should have noted the above in the notes. Or maybe I should just remove it?

Hunter

 

[hunter]

Originally posted by Shane Mclean:
Hunter,

I got a chance to read it through a few times today, and I couldn't find any problems with the adventure. You never know - I may even get my group in one place long enough to run it soon! What with the UK fire strikes and now the gulf, its hard to keep them together...

I also dropped you an e-mail related to Odessey too, earlier on.

Shane

Got the email with the stats, thanks!

Hunter

 

[notagoodusername]

Originally posted by hunter:

Perhaps I should have noted the above in the notes. Or maybe I should just remove it?

That got me thinking...

Ordinarily I wouldn't say Edward's ethics would be a problem for most PCs as he isn't an evil mass-murdering psycho - just a strict governer, and the PC's own ethics are often soluble in credits. *However*, Edward's statement he can't pay much now, but can reward later will mean a lot of PCs may look into him in detail to see if he can pay later, or just turn him down flat. That could work two ways, as thye might see he has the money, or might see him as evil.

You might want to make a more solid amount of reward aviailble originally, to motivate the PCs, so that later on if they find anything unpleasant out he can quite feasibly offer them a lot of money. ALso more ethical PCs will see nothing more than a guy paying his way normally as he wants to get home, and may even take pity on him as he doesn't stand out for his lack of resources. I'm not talking about a huge amount, maybe just normal ticket cost if on a PC starship, or pyament of a percentage now and the rest later if the PCs haven't got a hip (with no mention, of course, that he doesn't have the rest of the money on him now).

Then again, there is always the "five years on a backward planet gives you perspective and I've changed story..."

Shane

 

[Tom Schoene]

Originally posted by hunter:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Tom Schoene:
Four years is a long time for even a backwater planet to go without a ship visit.

Why? If the world has little to offer why would ships regularly stop there? Even if ships are just passing through the system and refueling at the gas giant, they would likely miss a ship stranded on the mainworld unless the stranded ship had a distress beacon going (which is assumed not to have happened in this case).</font>[/QUOTE]

Just feels funny to me. If it's such a hole that no one's been there in years, then what are the PCs doing there? And if there's enough population to be self-sufficient, there should be more demand for ships, if only an annual visit from the IISS.

Certainly the folks I usually game with would be unlikely to visit, and if they were given a job that took them there, they'd be suspecting some sort of set-up.

Dropping them into deep space is even more problematic. Few ships would have sufficient supplies in the form of lifesupport, food, or water to make such survival possible. Everyone would be dead long before the ship reached port.

OK, that may be influenced by my playing GT, where power plant erndurance is longer, but I think it is a canonical soliution to a misjump. Give the ship some empty low-berths and make the misjump only into the outer periphery of the system and it might be less bizzare. Of course, you only need this if you agree with me on my forst point, which you probbaly don't. Which is your prerogative.

Edward is not that nice of a fellow even though he is devoted to his family. Some PCs might decide not to help him (and thus negate the adventure) if they learn too soon of his history as governor.

Perhaps I should have noted the above in the notes. Or maybe I should just remove it?

Hunter

OK, I understand the intent, but the words as written do not convey this. It reads "Edgar is not really Edward Howard." when it should read "Edgar is really Edward Howard."

 

[rancke]

Originally posted by hunter:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Tom Schoene:
[qb] Four years is a long time for even a backwater planet to go without a ship visit. No planet within rech of a typical group of PCs should reasonably go more than a few weeks without a ship visit. If there needs to be that long a gap (and there probably does), how about dumping the ship somewhere in deep space after the misjump and having them reach this planet by normal space drive? that could take several years

Why? If the world has little to offer why would ships regularly stop there?

The world I selected as the location the shipped crashed has a Class E starport, is a water world, and has a tainted atmosphere. On the face of it not much to lend itself as a regular stop for passing ships.</font>[/QUOTE]Still, 10,000 (or however many there are) people should be able to generate some trade. What are the people doing there in the first place? Descendents of shipwrecked spacers? (Not relevant to this adventure, I know).

Maybe the Marlon didn't come down right next to the starport but on an island some way off. It took the survivors four years to build a ship (raft?) and make their way to the starport. Or maybe it took four years before a local boat passed by their island.

Dropping them into deep space is even more problematic. Few ships would have sufficient supplies in the form of lifesupport, food, or water to make such survival possible. Everyone would be dead long before the ship reached port.

Hunter

The traditional scenario is that the crew and passengers go into low berth for the time it takes the ship to get close to a system. Someone on the TML once suggested that it would be more likely that they'd send off a distress signal and get rescued by a jump ship a couple of years later.

Hmm... Both versions require that there are empty low berths aboard.

Hans

 

[rancke]

Originally posted by hunter:
I'm posting this to get some feedback before I have it readied for general posting to the CotI site.

Hunter

1) I feel there is a basic problem in that Edward is the prime mover of the plot with the PCs just along for the ride. As long as Edward is with them, he makes the decisions. After all, he is the patron, isn't he?

How about Edward doesn't anticipate that Charles has suborned the Gubernatorial (lovely word, that) Guard? He promises the PCs a big reward for getting him to the palace. Then he disappears into it and the PCs can't seem to reach him, leaving them to deal with the problem on their own. If they want their money, they'll have to rescue Edward.

2) I'm also a bit confused about the legal and political aspects. Liar's Oath is run by a military dictator. How does one of its territories get a governor-for-life? Are the governors of Wherever actually hereditary autocrats rather than elected or appointed? Is that why the post can lie vacant for five years? Is Charles sub-governor because he is Edward's heir or is he Edward's heir because he is sub-governor? I know you can't waste many words on that kind of background, but perhaps a few lines?

The idea that Edward will lose his wealth if he is declared dead is fine (and a classic), but that his political position would also hang on this seems strange (unless his political position is one of his 'possessions').

3) I suggest you put a name to Edward's country.

4) One possible outcome has Edward become ruler of Liar's Oath. Is he a military officer? Or will the military suddenly decide to turn things over to the civilians? (That has happened in Real Life, but it just seems a bit out of left field).
5) Taylor seems to control a large amount of money if he can offer to cover expenses and standard salaries for an entire ship and crew. One of the first things I would suggest to him (if I was a PC) was to invest some of that money in hiring a few dozen thugs of his own.

6) In scene 3 Edward and/or Taylor are recognized by the thugs no matter how they're disguised. What if the PCs do something clever, like smuggling them in in cargo boxes or disguising them as belly dancers?

7) Is there a starport in Edward's Land and, if so, why are the PCs using that instead of the one at the capital? If there is only one starport, won't Charles' agents have to behave circumspectly since they're in the capital and not in the Territory?

8) What is the relationship between the world government and Edward? Can't he get any help from them?


Hans

 

[Jame]

So far, it looks interesting. Eventually I'll print it, give it a thorough reading and post my thoughts.

 

[hunter]

Just feels funny to me. If it's such a hole that no one's been there in years, then what are the PCs doing there? And if there's enough population to be self-sufficient, there should be more demand for ships, if only an annual visit from the IISS.

Certainly the folks I usually game with would be unlikely to visit, and if they were given a job that took them there, they'd be suspecting some sort of set-up.

Ah I see, you thought the PCs meet Edward on the world he was stranded on. The world Edward was stranded on is almost 15 parsecs away. The adventure meet Edward in the Linkworlds Cluster as he is nearing his journey back home.

Dropping them into deep space is even more problematic. Few ships would have sufficient supplies in the form of lifesupport, food, or water to make such survival possible. Everyone would be dead long before the ship reached port.

OK, that may be influenced by my playing GT, where power plant erndurance is longer, but I think it is a canonical soliution to a misjump. Give the ship some empty low-berths and make the misjump only into the outer periphery of the system and it might be less bizzare. Of course, you only need this if you agree with me on my forst point, which you probbaly don't. Which is your prerogative.

Power plant fuel is usually figured for 4 weeks of operation. While I imagine this could be stretched out I don’t think it would last long enough to get the ship back to port before everyone died if it were in deep space.

Few ships carry enough low berths for everyone on board. Even then, it is a risky proposition particularly if no one is there to monitor things. You also run into the power problem. What happens when the fuel runs out and the power goes with it.

Putting the ship on the outer periphery is possible, but then you really shorten the time it will take to reach port. But this is an option.

OK, I understand the intent, but the words as written do not convey this. It reads "Edgar is not really Edward Howard." when it should read "Edgar is really Edward Howard."

DOH! I got it now. Sorry was being thick headed

Hunter

 

[hunter]

Originally posted by rancke:

Still, 10,000 (or however many there are) people should be able to generate some trade. What are the people doing there in the first place? Descendents of shipwrecked spacers? (Not relevant to this adventure, I know).

Maybe the Marlon didn't come down right next to the starport but on an island some way off. It took the survivors four years to build a ship (raft?) and make their way to the starport. Or maybe it took four years before a local boat passed by their island.

It is a TL3 world, I don’t figure the trade would be too much. On why the population is there, I really didn’t give it much though as you said, it wasn’t relevant to the adventure itself. But that’s good because it sparks curiosity about that world and WHY they are there for the referee!

My take was that the ship landed near an island and a few of the survivors were able to make it ashore before the ship sank. Eventually they were rescued by some locals or maybe they built a raft, etc. Again I didn’t delve to far into the specifics because I wanted to keep the adventure short and it didn’t really matter all that much to the adventure itself.

Dropping them into deep space is even more problematic. Few ships would have sufficient supplies in the form of lifesupport, food, or water to make such survival possible. Everyone would be dead long before the ship reached port.

Hunter

The traditional scenario is that the crew and passengers go into low berth for the time it takes the ship to get close to a system. Someone on the TML once suggested that it would be more likely that they'd send off a distress signal and get rescued by a jump ship a couple of years later.

Hmm... Both versions require that there are empty low berths aboard.

[/QB][/QUOTE]

I agree IF there are enough low berths, but few ships carry anywhere near enough to hold everyone on board. Particularly liners. The subsidized liner has a crew of 8 and 21 staterooms. At maximum capacity the ship would have around 50 people on board (assuming all staterooms are sold at middle passage and double occupancy). Only 20 lowberths available…Even if all of the staterooms have only one passenger, you still have 29 people on board.

Also as you mentioned, what if there are already low berth passengers aboard?

But yes it could work as an alternative with some work on the details. Perhaps the ship was underbooked for passengers so there are enough low berths available.


Hunter

 

[Tom Schoene]

OK, I did miss that this is only the last leg of his trip home. It's stated, but might be emphasized a bit.

Here's an idea that might solve both my earlier objections. Rather than having the liner misjump a measly 15 parsecs away, why not make it a really long way away -- a couple of years travel time? This is within the GM's discretion on a very bad catastrophic misjump (roll of 97 or better, per THB p.353).

Doing it this way actually echoes the "Odyssey" from the title -- a long voyage, frought with dangers even before reaching home. It makes Howard a much more sympatheic character; he's had to work hard just to get this close.

The 15 parsecs issue was bugging me anyway; for someone of his prominence, I'd have expected the search effort to at least try to visit every system within the usual 36-parsec misjump range.

 

[rancke]

Originally posted by Tom Schoene:
Here's an idea that might solve both my earlier objections. Rather than having the liner misjump a measly 15 parsecs away, why not make it a really long way away -- a couple of years travel time? This is within the GM's discretion on a very bad catastrophic misjump (roll of 97 or better, per THB p.353).

I don't have my T20 with me, but surely is dosen't allow greater misjumps than 36 parsecs? It is supposed to apply to the OTU, isn't it?

Doing it this way actually echoes the "Odyssey" from the title -- a long voyage, frought with dangers even before reaching home. It makes Howard a much more sympatheic character; he's had to work hard just to get this close.

How about this: The liner misjumps, winds up in an unpopulated system 31 parsecs off, refuels, and misjumps another 26 parsecs, winding up somewhere far outside the Imperium where the locals confiscate the liner and leaves the crew and passengers destitute. That should be good for four years' wanderings and more.

The 15 parsecs issue was bugging me anyway; for someone of his prominence, I'd have expected the search effort to at least try to visit every system within the usual 36-parsec misjump range.

How important is he? Liar's Oath has 60 million inhabitants. How many does his territory have? 6 million? If his position is hereditary he is sort of as important as the Queen of Denmark. If he is elected or appointed, he'd be sort of as important as a US governor -- maybe a little more. Enough to rate some effort, sure, but a 73 parsec diameter search?


Hans

 

[Beladan]

Originally posted by rancke:
How important is he? Liar's Oath has 60 million inhabitants. How many does his territory have? 6 million? If his position is hereditary he is sort of as important as the Queen of Denmark. If he is elected or appointed, he'd be sort of as important as a US governor -- maybe a little more. Enough to rate some effort, sure, but a 73 parsec diameter search?


Hans [/QB]

Well if he was insured for megacredits, an insurance company might be interested in financing a limited rescue mission with an eye to a cheaper alternative to a payout...

 

[Falkayn]

Originally posted by Tom Schoene:
Four years is a long time for even a backwater planet to go without a ship visit. No planet within rech of a typical group of PCs should reasonably go more than a few weeks without a ship visit. If there needs to be that long a gap (and there probably does), how about dumping the ship somewhere in deep space after the misjump and having them reach this planet by normal space drive? that cousd take several years

I could easily imagine them landing on a low-tech world, the other side from the flat bit of rock + beacon that starships use to land on. Edward spends 4 years getting the original survivors from where they landed to the starport, and then has to wait for a month or two for the next frontier trader to pass through.

The PCs should pick him up at the system that the frontier trader drops him off at ... the real puzzle is why Edward is travelling on his own and not with the other survivors (especially the engineer who can prove the sabotage).

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by Falkayn:


<snip>

... the real puzzle is why Edward is travelling on his own and not with the other survivors (especially the engineer who can prove the sabotage).

Well I haven't finished reading the adventure yet but I'm following the discussion. Possible reasons Edward came ahead on his own could be the last ship only had room for one or the survivors could only "afford" to send one so Edward was chosen to go ahead and arrange for the others to be rescued.

 

[endwarde]

Originally posted by far-trader:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Falkayn:


<snip>

... the real puzzle is why Edward is travelling on his own and not with the other survivors (especially the engineer who can prove the sabotage).

Well I haven't finished reading the adventure yet but I'm following the discussion. Possible reasons Edward came ahead on his own could be the last ship only had room for one or the survivors could only "afford" to send one so Edward was chosen to go ahead and arrange for the others to be rescued. </font>[/QUOTE]I like to think that Edward, being a harsh ruler-type "cut loose" the rest of the crew. If he had reason to believe the ship was sabotaged, he'd probably know who his competitors were back home. Perhaps he didn't know who to trust amoung the survivors, so he made sure to do away with them before he was rescued. Either that, or he realized he could get back to his planet much easier without having to worry about his fellow crew opening their big mouths, and he either ordered them to go somewhere else in the universe - or he just killed them on surface.

Perhaps the natives on the backwater planet were cannibals and he lost his crew to them to keep himself alive... heheh

Or maybe they played out a "ALIVE" scenario after the crash...

Ok, I am breaking down into cannibal thoughts again...