Stranded?

[tpetters]

I am looking at the Stranded module from the free MgT2E Starter Pack. The adventure starts aboard the trader Mathvein with the player characters boarding escape pods and bailing out...

I have looked at the ship plans in the Core Rules for the Free Trader, Far Trader, Fat Trader, and even the ubiquitous Type-S Scout. Unless I am missing something, none of these have "escape pods". The Scout carries an Air/Raft, but giving the PCs an Air/Raft makes for a very short adventure. I see the Rescue Bubble under Survival Equipment, but this is a plastic inflatable bubble and likely would not survive re-entry.

How do I get the PCs to the surface?

 

[Badenov]

Unless your Rescue Bubble also comes with a Grav Belt and your mishap was in Orbit, your Rescue Bubble is just going to give you time to think about how doomed you are. I imagine a Rescue Bubble is fine on reentry if you're also using a grav belt, even one of those single-use belts.

 

[bookwyrm]

1. Mathvein IS the escape pod used to get to the surface. It ends up a pile of scrap metal that the characters are just barely able to survive.

2. Use the escape pods as is and don't worry about what any other sources say.

3. Redesign the Mathvein so that it has enough escape pod space for any crew & passengers.

4. Psionic Teleportation. This is harder to justify than escape pods but makes more sense.

5. They're in a cantina celebrating a profitable score, and when they wake up with a terrible hangover, they're stranded on a strange planet somewhere with just their clothes and whatever is in their pockets and bags they had with them at the cantina.

 

[Vargr Breath]

Drop Capsule - Traveller

wiki.travellerrpg.com

Deck cargo for delivery to the navy.

 

[kilemall]

Fun option to consider- Star Citizen has several ships where the sleep berth IS the escape pod. Slide into the bed, seals up, eject. Easiest way I can think of retrofitting without altering the ship floor plan.

 

[Condottiere]

Interestingly enough, an issue I was just thinking about, as a general concept.

I think it's pretty circumstantial, with spacestations having escape pods specific to get to the next planet surface, safely.

With spacecraft, escape pods are just to get away from a critically damaged vessel in an emergency, as opposed to a sustainable lifeboat, or a jump capable lifeship.

 

[whartung]

Star Citizen has several ships where the sleep berth IS the escape pod.

Not sure how comfortable I am sleeping with my head next to explosive bolts.

 

[Condottiere]

Reboot of Lost In Space, has the Jupiters with entire family suite.

 

[kilemall]

Not sure how comfortable I am sleeping with my head next to explosive bolts.

Apparently comfortable with liquid hydrogen all over your hull.

 

[tpetters]

I like the idea of bunks-as-escape-pods. I rode an ejection seat for six years, so "sleeping with my head next to explosive bolts" is a non-issue for me. The text specifies that "the cabin doors sealed and would not open". This will explain why they can't get to the air raft. I am also considering conventional ejection seats on the bridge and other duty stations, and having the ship enter the atmosphere before the crew bails out.

 

[Condottiere]

If you like explosive bolts, you could repurpose the drop tanks as staterooms.