The following is an example of an adventure, wherein a relatively inexperienced GM is leading a group of four adventurers on their first adventure. The GM has chosen a site-based adventure set in a post-SF2 era where the ultimate goal is to rescue an "expert" in plasma bolt technology that has been kidnapped by a small group of G'Nunk renegades and is being held at an ostensibly secret compound. The GM had the mission prepared before the players created their characters, enabling them to make informed decisions about what equipment to give their characters initially. There are four players whose characters are all members of the crew of the ISS Abylwyvern
(a name picked by the captain character's player and puzzled over/laughed at by the rest of the group). The characters are Chase Byers (a Human, the skipper), Lisa Freeman (a Human, she's the ship's doctor), Xxksax (a Veloxi, the ship's navigator), and Cohh-Wahhn (an Elowan, the ship's science officer). For purposes of discussion, the players will be referred to by their character names. The characters do have specific stats, but for the sake of brevity these will only be revealed through the course of the discussion, using italics. The character of Lisa Freeman is the same character that was created in Chapter 2.4.
After making the necessary transits to get to the correct world, the group has decided to land their ship near where their information sources have said the prisoner is being held. There is a search radar set at the compound, but through role-playing it has already been determined that the radar was not in operation at the time of the ship's landing. Once on the ground, the group makes the rather unusual decision to travel on foot to the compound, since they want to keep the element of surprise and they think that there would be a more significant risk of detection should they use a terrain vehicle to travel there. Determining why the radar was non-operational and disabling it permanently is something that certain members of the group have already suggested as a priority once the group arrives at the site.
Here's where we'll pick up the adventure.GM: The
Abylwyvern has landed in a fairly densely wooded area, approximately ten kilometers due south of the G’Nunk holding complex. As you know, the ship’s sensors did not detect any search radar sets, so the G’Nunk still don’t expect any company. It is unlikely that you have been detected so far.
Chase: I open the ship's airlock . What do I see?
GM (knowing there isn’t much for Chase to see): Make a
Perception check.
Chase: I rolled a 80, plus six for my
Acumen modifier and thirty for my
Perception level makes 116.
GM: You don’t see anything out of the ordinary. As I said, the woods are fairly dense. A fragrant aroma of local foliage permeates the airlock, replacing the rather sterile smell of the ship’s interior. From where you're standing you can see a spectacular stand of small native trees.
Chase (to group): Alright, it seems safe enough out there. Let’s gear up and get headed out. Cohh-Wahhn, start making scans of the area and link the results to the group's PDAs so that we each have a map and so we'll know about any hazards.
GM (realizing this shouldn't be too difficult): Okay. Cohh-Wahhn needs to make a
Sensor Use check.
Cohh-Wahhn (she has the Scientific Sense trait at 20, Sensor Use at ten and a Science
score of 110 for a modifier of eleven): I will take fifty, plus 41 makes 91.
GM: Very well. Cohh-Wahhn’s scanner is making a map of the area and has linked it to everybody's PDA. Now what?
Lisa: I think we should get going. There’s no telling when a G’Nunk warship may show up to pick up the expert.
Chase: Quite right. What’s going to be our marching order?
The characters take a few minutes to decide their marching order. Since he’s got the best armament of any of the characters, Xxksax elects to go first, with Cohh-Wahhn behind him to make their map and guide the group towards the complex. Lisa is third, and Chase brings up the rear. Meanwhile, the GM is reviewing the information that will be needed for an interplanetary transit. The distance to travel has already been established as ten kilometers. Cohh-Wahhn is an Elowan, the slowest species represented in the group; Elowan can move at 5 kph, so that'll be the group's speed. The math is simple enough: the transit will take two hours to complete, provided all goes well. The planet's weather is rated calm. There are two extant forms of non-sapient life, Electric Balloons and Fur Trees. Since the group is on foot, the Balloons could give them some trouble in the event of an encounter. Fortunately, the planet's bio rating is only 30%, so the chances of an encounter aren't terribly great. Finally, the planet's mineral rating is 64, though none of the characters are going to be able to haul any substantial amount of minerals. The temperature rating where the characters have set down is tropical, so there won't be any problems there.GM (rolls a 78 for the first hour): Alright, on foot it will take two hours to reach the compound. First hour: would anyone like to make a
Meteorology Check?
Cohh-Wahhn (rolling): I will. Let's see...damn, 21. 11 for my SCI, 20 for my Scientific Sense and 10 for the skill makes that a 62.
GM (rolls a seven for the second hour): As you begin your walk, a light fog rolls in, making things a little damp. Other than that, nothing happens during the first hour. Second hour: anybody want to make a
Meteorology Check?
No one says anything, so the GM continues.GM (making rolls for lifeforms and minerals, grinning inwardly at the result of the mineral roll): No one? Very well. As your walk through the woods continues, the fog lifts. As you continue, you come across four Fur Trees in a clearing in the woods. What are you going to do?
Lisa): Well, if we were using the ITV, I'd say lets tag and bag 'em. Since we're on foot, though, we don't have the capacity to carry even one of these things. Fur Trees aren't dangerous, if I recall correctly, so I'm for letting them be.
Xxksax: I agree. Besides, the extra weight would only slow us down.
Chase: Alright. We'll just walk on past.
GM: Very well. Cohh-Wahhn, could you please make a
Geology Check?
Cohh-Wahhn (whose player is now frowning as they roll): Uh...that Check can't be good. Well, let's see......89! That's 89 for the roll, 20 for the skill, 20 for my trait, and 11 for the attribute...let's see...that's a big 140!!!.
GM: After the group has gone a little bit past the Fur Trees, Cohh-Wahhn's scanner detects a large deposit of Promethium nearby. The deposit contains 7.3 cubic meters.
Chase: Promethium is a very valuable mineral...we should collect a little.
Lisa: I don't think that's such a good idea, Cap'n. Aside from the fact it'll slow us down, Promethium is radioactive -- in fact, I'm kinda nervous just standing here...
GM (interrupting): The group is currently standing far enough away from the deposit not to have to worry about radiation exposure. However, the deposit is directly along your path to the compound.
Lisa: Okay. Still, we don't have any anti-radiation equipment and there isn't any anti-toxin in my Vita Kits. If any of us get too close to that deposit, they're toast.
Chase: Hmmm......good point. Maybe picking some up isn't such a good idea. We should take the time to go around the deposit.
GM (remembering Chase has Impulsive at -15): Are you sure, Chase? Make a self-control Check...
Chase (rolling): Aw, you would have to pull that one on me now. Well, let's see...81 for the roll, minus 15 is 66.
GM (making a quick roll and calculating): Okay. Chase isn't going to be glowing in the dark anytime soon. The group will walk around the deposit, which is going to add......38 minutes to the trip.
The players groan at the minor misfortune. It's not every day that minerals make things worse off.GM (rolling): Alright, then. Third hour: any
Meteorology Checks?
Everyone indicates no.GM: Very well. As you approach the compound, the skies darken again as a fresh bank of fog rolls in.
Xxksax: Good. That might buy us a little bit of cover as we get closer.
Chase: Yeah, but it might also keep us from seeing any bad guys. Everybody stay alert.
GM: The rest of the trek goes without incident. After two hours and 38 minutes, the group comes upon a clearing in the woods. In the middle of the clearing is a building, roughly cross-shaped and with the long end pointing to the local north. There doesn’t seem to be any activity. It seems unusually quiet, especially with the fog bank in place. You can see a helipad, which indicates how people seem to get to and from this complex. Finally, you can make out the outline of a radome on the far side of the complex, roughly 10 meters off the ground and supported by a lattice structure.
Cohh-Wahhn: I make an environmental scan of the structure and surrounding area.
GM (not wanting the scanner to penetrate the outer walls for great detail): Make an
Archaeology Check.
Cohh-Wahhn: I want to make sure I get a good scan, so I’ll roll…damn, only a six. Well, that’s still forty-seven, thanks to my bonuses. Thank goodness there's no crit potential on
Archaeology Checks!!
GM: Your scanner isn't able to pick up much of anything about the building, aside from the fact that it's there.
Chase: Try again, Cohh-Wahhn. Take as much time as you need.
Cohh-Wahhn:Fine. I'll take ninety-nine this time, plus 41 is 140.
GM: You take ten minutes to scan the entire structure. Your scanner cannot penetrate much of the outer skin, except around the few windows that are in the building’s exterior. What you do detect is that the structure goes underground approximately 7 meters below surface level, indicating two sub-basement levels. You detect G’Nunk life-signs within the building, along with a single Human lifesign somewhere on the lower sub-basement level. The radome is inactive, though it appears to only be shut off. (
The GM draws a rough sketch of the exterior of the building and begins indicating entrances). Your scanner has detected five entrances. The main entrance appears to be off of the helipad on north end of the building’s western side. There are also two entrances here and here, on the east side of the building’s north and south. Finally, there are two entrances here and here, on the east side of the building’s north and on the north side of the building’s east.
Cohh-Wahhn: What about the windows?
GM: The windows are only a few feet high and only a few inches across. They are too narrow to try and squeeze through. They are solid, reinforced glass panes, so none of them open, either.
Chase: Okay, team. What entrance are we going to try?
Xxksax: Couldn’t we just make our own entrance?
Lisa: I don’t think any structure we can’t scan through is one we can blast through, either. I don't think any of us brought explosives. We can't go through the windows even if we do shoot them out. Besides, even if we somehow manage to set off an explosion or shoot out the windows, chances are good we won’t do anything besides alert everyone to our presence. Speaking of which, did the scan indicate any kind of scanning beam emanating from the building?
GM: No. The G’Nunk are still unaware of your presence.
Cohh-Wahhn: Okay. I’m voting for a service entrance of some kind. We go in through a main door and chances are good there will be a guard sitting right there.
Xxksax: Any service entrance is likely to have some kind or surveillance, or maybe even an alarm.
Lisa: So, our options are to enter through a main door and get noticed, or to go through a service door and
maybe get noticed. I don’t much like the sound of that.
Chase: If those are our only options, however, I’m for a service entrance.
Xxksax: Agreed.
Cohh-Wahhn: That sounds like a plan to me.
Lisa: Okay. Uh......which ones are service entrances?
GM (realizing this is something that would've been revealed by the scan): These two are service entrances (
indicating the entrances on the east side of the north part of the building and on the north part of the east side of the building).
Xxksax takes a good hard look at the plans to the building and notices something about one of the doors.Xxksax: This door takes us pretty close to that radome, doesn’t it?
GM: Yes it does.
Xxksax (to Chase): If the only problem with that thing is that it's switched off, I think we should sabotage it so that it stays that way. It might help us with our escape.
Chase: Good thinking, Xxksax. Do it.
Xxksax: Okay. Are there any entrances to the radar dish itself?
GM: Yes, but you’ll have to climb up the lattice to get there.
Xxksax: Okay. Can I borrow your lockpick kit, Chase?
Chase (hands over the kit; the GM notes the 3-point change in the EC of both characters): Go ahead. We’ll wait here for you to do your work, Xxksax.
Xxksax: I approach the radar dome tower.
GM: Make a
Perception check.
Xxksax: I’ll take fifty, plus...(
the player has to look up the stats; Xxksax has a Perception
score of 35 with an Acumen score of 67)...41 will equal 91.
GM: You notice a ladder going up about ten meters on one side of the lattice. It should make your ascent a whole lot easier.
Xxksax: Good! I’ll use the ladder to climb to the top of the tower.
GM: Make a
Three-Dimensional Maneuvers check.
Xxksax: I’ll take fifty again, with a 22 modifier is 72.
GM (to the player): You have an EC of 36, so halve that.
Xxksax: Whoops. Forgot about that.
GM: You make it to the top of the tower without incident. You try the door to the radar dome and find it locked.
Xxksax: What kind of lock is it?
GM: Make a
Perception check.
Xxksax: Okay, I’ll roll…it came up 65, plus 41 makes 106.
GM: The lock appears to be made of a simple mechanical construction. Getting it open shouldn’t be too hard.
Xxksax: Aw, dammit...this kit is for electronic locks! Okay. Well, I’ll try to pick the lock anyway.
GM: Make a
Dexterous Maneuvers Check.
Xxksax: Arrrrgh!!! That's another damned physical Check! I'll put my Satchel down first; that should lower my EC.
GM: Okay. You set down the satchel near the door. Your EC is now 21.
Xxksax: I’ll take fifty, plus 23 for the mods and minus 21. That's 52 total. (
muttering) Stupid freaking heavy-ass bullet belts....
GM (cutting the player a break): You manage to force open the lock. It is pitch black inside the radar dome.
Xxksax: First thing's first. Let me pick the Satchel back up before I forget about it.
GM: Okay. Your EC's back up to 36.
Xxksax: Now if only I'd thought to bring a flashlight......is there a light switch anywhere around the entrance?
GM: Make a
Perception Check.
Xxksax: I'll take fifty for ninety-one.
GM: Yep. There's one right by the door.
Xxksax: Okay, I'll flip it.
GM: The internal lights fire up with a sputter. From where you're standing, you can see the internal workings of the radar dish.
Xxksax (thinking): Okay. Where are the gears that turn the dish?
GM: Make a
Perception check.
Xxksax: Aw, enough with the
Perception already! I’ll take fifty for ninety-one.
GM: You can see the gears about five meters from the door. They appear to be normal, mechanical gears that will turn when the radar dome is activated.
Xxksax: Okay, here’s what I want to do. I’m going to take out one of my spare bullet belts and wrap it around the gears such that when the gears turn, the belt will jam up the gears. Hell, they might even squeeze some of those bullets and set 'em off. Might get to 'splow something up after all.
GM (makes a note to reward the player's creative thinking later): Okay. Make a
Dexterous Maneuvers check.
Xxksax: I'd better take 99 for this one.
GM: Alright. It takes you a full five minutes to set the belt in position, but finally you get it the way you like it. Your EC drops to 26.
Xxksax: Okay, I will set stuff back like I found it then, sans bullets, and go re-join the team.
GM: You flip the lights out, walk to the door, close it, and get ready to climb down the ladder. Make a
Three-Dimensional Maneuvers Check.
Xxksax: I’ll take fifty. Add eight for my
Power and fourteen for the skill, then subtract twenty-three for the EC, and that's 49.
GM: Xxksax has rejoined the team after successfully sabotaging the radar dish.
Chase: Okay, let’s get this door open. Cohh-Wahhn, can you scan the door for alarms?
Cohh-Wahhn: Sure.
GM (knowing they can’t scan through the door): Cohh-Wahhn, make a
Sensor Use check.
Cohh-Wahhn: I’ll take fifty, plus 41 for ninety-one.
GM: The doors are made of the same material as the rest of the structure. You can’t get any readings from the door.
Chase: Damn. Okay, I’ll try the door. Everybody, get ready.
Lisa: Are you sure that's a good idea, Cap'n?
Chase: Can't get in any other way. Xxksax, can I have my lock-pick kit back, please?
Xxksax: Sure, take the damned thing, for all the more good it did me.
Chase: Okay, I'll try to open the door.
GM (knowing there’s a camera on the far side of the door): Everyone, make
Perception checks.
Chase: Ah, crap! The sure sign of the wrong door! I’ll take fifty for eighty-six.
Lisa: Finally, a chance to roll some dice!! I’ll roll…a seventy-five! Plus six for my
Acumen modifier and 22 for the skill makes one-oh-three!!
Xxksax: I’ll also take fifty for ninety-one.
Cohh-Wahhn: I’ll roll...damn, a ten. Fifty-nine for me total.
GM (since no one spots the camera, which required a DC of 125): The door opens easily. You find yourselves in a room, running eight meters north and south and about four meters east and west. The exit to the outside is to the north. There is a door leading west into the compound.
Chase (to the GM): Wait a minute, what was the
Perception check for?
GM: To see if there were any alarms. Either there weren’t any or nobody caught it, so don’t worry about it. At least, don’t worry too much yet.
Chase: Great…
Xxksax: Let’s get the hell out of this room. Let’s try the door to the west.
Chase: Agreed.
GM: Wait a minute. What’s your marching order?
The characters take a minute or two to re-establish their marching order. Xxksax stays in the lead, Chase moves up to the number two spot, Cohh-Wahhn is next and Lisa brings up the rear. The GM makes a Perception
Check for the camera that the characters missed in the outer room and determines the characters have been spotted, but keeps that information secret for now.
GM: The door to the west opens easily. You enter a chamber, roughly twelve meters by twenty meters. It appears to be a bunkroom. There is a light buzzing sound emanating from some of the bunks. There are doors to the east and to the west, and two doors north and south along the west wall.
Xxksax: I move quietly to find the source of the noise.
GM: Make a
Dexterous Maneuvers check followed by a
Perception check.
Xxksax: I’ll take fifty for both checks. That'll stay fifty for the
Dexterous Maneuvers Check and ninety-one for the
Perception Check.
GM: You have discovered two G’Nunk security guards asleep in their bunks. Your movement has put you within two meters of one of them. Everyone else is still twelve meters away. The other guard’s bunk is on the far end of the room, about four meters from Xxksax. Everyone roll for
Initiative!
The characters roll for initiative. The order comes up as Xxksax, Lisa, Cohh-Wahhn and Chase (who got a crappy roll).Xxksax: I move up quietly to the sleeping guard and draw my silenced pulse laser.
Lisa: I move quietly in between the bunks, hoping they might offer some cover.
Cohh-Wahhn: I’ll do the same thing as Lisa.
Chase: I will walk quietly across the room to the other guard.
GM: Okay. Everybody make
Dexterous Maneuvers checks to stay stealthy.
The characters report the results of their rolls to the GM, who reports they have successfully moved to their positions.
Xxksax: I'll make a coup-de-grace with my laser! I can do that, right?
GM: Yep, the guard’s asleep and therefore Helpless. Hit location...vital body area. It's an automatic critical hit, so roll 1d10x10 for damage!
Xxksax: Okay...zero, which counts as ten! A hundred extra damage points for 130 total!!!
GM (at best a G'Nunk has 100 HP): The shot goes right through the guard’s heart. He dies quickly and quietly.
Cohh-Wahhn: While I’m waiting, I want to try to scan the complex again. Now that we’re inside, maybe I’ll have better luck.
GM: Okay, make a
Sensor Use check.
Cohh-Wahhn: I’ll take fifty, plus 41 for 91.
GM: Your scanner indeed works better inside, as the building’s interior is made of common materials. You detect nineteen G’Nunk inside the building, excluding the one Xxksax just dispatched. You also detect the Human bio-sign two stories down on the west end of the building. You make sure to note the positions of the G’Nunk guards that you detect.
Chase: Nice job, Cohh-Wahhn!
Lisa: I’ll draw my Sonic Gun and get Ready to shoot at the guard if he suddenly wakes up.
Chase: I draw my phased laser, aim it at the guard and fire!
GM: Roll for attack, Chase.
Chase: Okay...I got a 47, plus five for my Ranged Attack Bonus makes 52. 35 and five for the RAB makes 40 points of Basic Damage!!
GM (rolling for location): Your shot goes into the guard's upper left arm. The guard wakes up with a startled cry, screaming in pain. Lisa, roll for attack!
Lisa: Okay...hot damn, 99! Double damage for eighty!!
GM (rolling for location): Your shot goes into the guard's body!!! He loses consciousness from the pain of the combined shots and is going to be out for quite some time.
Chase: Let’s search the room. Are there any cabinets along the walls?
Cohh-Wahhn: You mean like cabinets for weapons and stuff?
Chase: I was mainly thinking armor for you, but yeah, that's the idea.
GM: There is nothing like that in this room.
Xxksax: I’d betcha one of those other doors opens up to a locker room. Let’s try one of them.
Chase: Okay. Let’s try the one to the south. Is that cool with everybody?
The group nods in general agreement.GM: The door to the south opens up easily. You enter a room about eight meters long by four meters wide. There are twenty large storage lockers along the east and west walls, with benches running down the center. Doors are to the north and the south. What do you want to do?
Chase: Let’s start picking some locks and see what we can find.
GM: Okay. Make a
Dexterous Maneuvers Check.
Chase: I’ll take fifty, down seven (
Chase has a Finesse modifier of three, a score of 10 for the skill and an EC of 20) for forty-three.
GM: The first locker is open. Inside you find the effects of one of the guards in the previous room. There is a ballistic mesh shirt (
Class One, and it's damaged), an unloaded laser pistol, a medium battery (
the GM knows the battery is dead), and a wallet.
Chase: Cohh-Wahhn, why don’t you claim this stuff?
Cohh-Wahhn: Okay. I guess the owner won’t need it any more. I'll leave the gun, though.
GM: Cohh-Wahhn takes a minute put on the armor, put the battery in her satchel, and to examine the wallet. There is 1.5 SP inside. The objects add five to your EC, bringing it up to 24. What next?
Chase: Let’s try another locker.
GM (deciding time is up): Before you can attempt to open another locker, a shrill alarm begins to sound throughout the room. A voice begins to sound over a loud-speaker.
Xxksax (to the group): We’ve been detected!
Chase: Crap!
Lisa: Dammit, I would have liked a shield for myself at least...
Cohh-Wahhn: I scan to see where the guards are moving.
GM: Roll a
Sensor Use Check.
Cohh-Wahhn: I’ll take fifty, plus 41 for ninety-one.
GM: Sixteen G’Nunk life-signs are converging on the room. If you don’t get out of there now, you’re going to be knee-deep in guards! What are you going to do?
The game continues in this manner until the end of the session, when the GM awards skill points to the characters.
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