BLACK DUKE WORKING OUTLINE (96-PAGE BOOK)
I. Introduction
A. What's in this book?
1. Background data & maps on Dulinor's factionary turf
2. Campaign adventure material for extended play with interlinked small adventures
3. New minor race information
4. New starship information
B. How do you use the material herein?
1. PC type useable for this campaign
2. Improved "Cinematic nugget" version of adventure material
a. "Scene" & "Action"
3. Use of the background material for further campaigning
II. The Campaign A. Fiction/Introduction to the Campaign
1. What the initial situation is and where it will lead
a. Itinerary of the campaign (map of the route)
i. variations possible in itinerary
2. Description of the Lady Jo
a. The Lady Jo will be an Alexandria class free trader
3. Description of the Tukera Lines freighter
a. The Tukera freighter is a type AT freighter
b. Deckplans of the Tukera Lines freighter
c. Description of freighter's layout/compartments
B. Crew NPC's of the Tukera freighter
1. NPC illos, stats, and descriptive blurb on each detailing background & status
2. Another NPC (or 2 crew NPC's) might be an Ael Yael for alien fun
3. Putting two Suerrat (mates?) on the ship might be good, too
C. Scenario #1 - A Prequel: We love our ship (5 pages)
1. This is designed to get the PC's attached to their ship so that when they have to leave it, they'll still want to get it back (therefore they'll go off to make money for repairs)
D. Scenario #2 - Into the Drink on a Planet
1. Players' set-up info:
a. Setting out on board their ship, the Lady Jo, the characters get hit by commerce raiders and must head for the nearest world in order to make repairs. The ship doesn't quite make it to the spaceport, and instead lands in the shallows off-shore from the spaceport. Ship needs to be pulled out and have major repairs done on it - all of which will cost major bucks that the PC's don't have.
2. Referee's notes on this scenario:
a. World description with spaceport map
b. Need to provide notes on getting the PC's successfully into this pickle
i. Notes on running the raider combat
ii. Where the Lady Jo should/shouldn't get damage
iii. Coming in for the landing
(1). Power plant/thruster plates failure?
(2). Navigation/attitude thrusters out of control?
(3). Somehow, they should end up in the drink
E. Scenario #3 - Gaining the Suspicions of Dulinor's or Lucan's
intelligence branch (3 pages)
1. Players' set-up info:
a. Somehow the PC's will get the attention of an intelligence officer of Dulinor's or Lucan's (not sure which to use; maybe both?). Being on a Tukera ship in Ilelish will be bad enough (in the Dulinor's case), but something else should happen here to make them seem all the more suspicious.
3. Referee's notes on this scenario:
a. Some sort of location map for this scenario
b. Background information on Tukera/Dulinor relationship at present
F. Scenario #4 - Fun with Aliens (8 pages)
1. This scenario should involve at least one of the new minor races of this sourcebook. Perhaps a visit to the race's homeworld would be in order. Ref's info should include alien NPC info, a map of the homeworld region visited (maybe a map of the whole world, too), and maybe some info/stats on some sort of alien vehicle/equipment used by the PC's. The aliens should play a fairly major role here, and overall, the tone should be one of discovery (perhaps enigma) rather than peril.
2. Having a planet where you must procure and wear a specific type of business garb in order to be taken seriously in trading could be fun
a. These outfits would be ridiculous, uncomfortable and hard to move in - but if you don't wear them, no one takes you seriously as a business-sophont
4. Something Suerratian might also be good here, perhaps with some other aliens also being prominent
G. Scenario #5 - Something with a Mercenary Company (5 pages)
1. What might happen here is some meeting-up with a mercenary company (maybe hired/commandeered to transport supplies/troops somewhere). This is mainly to tie in with the Mercenary interview; it may also add some Rebellion shoot-out type excitement. Perhaps the Unification Day raid (Unification Day=Soviet May Day) could be fit in here with the major attack force being mercenaries hired by an anti-Dulinor/pro-Lucan underground resistance on this world in the heart of Dulinor's Domain. PC's would be caught in the crossfire action, maybe some captured by the mercenaries and held as prisoners for ransom of some sort (mistaken identity type thing?). Perhaps a passenger from the Tukera ship could be used as the catalyst here.
H. Scenario #6 - Fun with Gas Giants (5 pages)
1. The PC's come into a system known to have a fuel depot only to find when they arrive that the depot has been hit by commerce raiders and the fuel taken/destroyed
2. An x-boat has been dispatched but it will be another week and a half for new supplies to reach the depot
3. The depot is located on an airless world and was just a drop-off depot with no on-world fuel supplies
4. PC's can wait around (no fun?) or can try fuel-skimming an in-system gas giant with their shuttle for fuel
5. If they opt to skim:
a. There are lifeforms in the atmosphere of the Jovian in-system
b. These lifeforms are intelligent and know about humankind, but haven't been able to figure out any way to contact us
c. They have finally found a method to communicate with humans and are dying to try it out
d. Our PC's are the first ones to come along and end up being the "guinea pigs" for these aliens (it will happen during the fuel-skimming)
e. PC's get to deal with the aliens and their "method of communication"
