The easiest type of adventure to prepare and to plan are those that take place at a specific location, or group of locations that are very close to one another. These locations can either have a fairly straight-forward and easily navigable layout, or they can be complex labyrinths, with many traps and few ways out. Any location, no matter how complex or dangerous, can make an excellent setting for an adventure. Traditionally in the RPG world, these locations are known as
dungeons (from
Dungeons and Dragons™, the leader of the genre). Here, they will be referred to as
sites. Sites are the most common type of adventure setting because tailoring encounters for them is usually fairly easy to do. The site itself provides the structure for advancing the plot of the adventure.
There are several different types of sites that can be used for adventure settings. Perhaps the most common type in the Starflight Universe is the
ruined structure. Ruins are sentient-built buildings that have since collapsed from disuse and age. In the Starflight Universe, these ruins are usually either recent or ancient ruins, with the only real distinction being that ancient ruins were built by the Ancients (usually Endurium deposits can be found in close proximity). Archaeological sites are typically set around ruins, as are base camps for fortune seekers. Ruins can either be small or extensive. Most are difficult to navigate for one reason or another, usually because portions of the structure have collapsed or are likely to collapse. The usual denizens of ruins are either wild creatures that have found the ruins to be a good shelter and have thus taken up residence, or sentient beings that have a reason to remain hidden (fugitives, the insane, etc.).
The next most common type of site in the Starflight Universe is the
occupied structure. This type of site refers to a sentient-built structure that is usually occupied by one or more members of the race that built it. It is possible that members of another sentient race are present (either as guests or as new owners), or that the structure has no occupants whatsoever and yet is still in too good of a shape to call a ruin. Some examples of occupied structures include houses, shopping centers, trading posts and military installations. They can either consist of a single structure, or multiple structures built over a predetermined area. Most of these structures are designed to be relatively easy to navigate.
Another type of site is the
storage structure, which (as it sounds) is a structure designed primary to hold things. Examples of storage sites include cargo bays, warehouses, catacombs, vaults, and prison complexes. These structures differ from occupied structures in that they have a tendency to sprawl a little bit and usually have at least one area that is both difficult to navigate and hard for intruders to penetrate. Storage structures are good settings for more challenging adventures.
The fourth and final major adventure site setting is the
cavern. Caverns are typically natural formations formed by thousands of years of wind and water erosion or through volcanic action. Some caverns can be sentient-built; examples might include complex underground tunnel networks, safe storage sites for hazardous materials (such as radioactive waste or nuclear weapons) and shaft mines. Caverns generally form huge networks that spread out for miles. Some caverns can be located underwater, or have portions that are submerged. Caverns generally are very dangerous places to explore and fight in, due mainly to the low-light, thousands-of-tons-of-rock-overhead environment. Creatures that live in caverns usually live fairly close to a reliable source of food and water.
To build a successful site for an adventure, a GM must first consider what type of site they are building. This will determine the type of terrain that exists in the site and how complex of a layout it has. Sentient-built sites will have various types of walls, doors, rooms, corridors, and other miscellaneous items (such as vent shafts, columns, storage cabinets, furniture, and the like). Natural sites will usually have walls and openings, stalagmites and stalactites, pools, and so forth. No matter what type of site is selected, there are some common issues to address, including level of habitation (by both sentients and non-sentients), terrain features, levels of illumination at various points within the site, and whether or not any special hazards exist.
When building a natural site, a GM must consider the size of the site they are building and add the various features of walls, openings, slopes, pools and so forth. Illumination in these sites usually comes from natural sources, and (to name a few examples) may come from bioluminescent organisms, underground lava flows, or even sunlight in the upper levels. They should also consider putting in areas that are unstable, and where it is likely that a cave-in will occur or has already occurred. Getting around cave-ins of this type may constitute a challenge goal for the characters, and might even function as a special hazard. Natural settings typically have an animal ecology of some sort. The GM should consider the types of creatures they have living in the natural environment, and should give those creatures ready access to such things as food, water, clean air, and shelter. Doing this will make the setting appear all the more natural to the players.
Sentient-built structures are not all that different to build from natural sites. A GM should first consider the size and layout of the structure they are attempting to build, as well as its function. From there, they can add the various walls, doors, rooms, corridors and miscellaneous features they need. Illumination in these sites is usually artificial, but may also include some natural light sources (such as windows and skylights). Something to consider is the stability of the structure. Determine areas where a concussive weapons (such as a grenade) would cause part of the building to collapse. Always provide more complicated routes to critical destinations if necessary. Finally, the ecology of the structure should likewise be considered. If it is a residence, the occupants should have rooms that contain their personal effects, wardrobe, and beds. If it is an office, there should be cubicles for people to work in. If it is a barracks, there should be bunks for soldiers to sleep in.
One final element that can be added to both natural and sentient-built structure is the special hazard, also known as
traps. Traps can include pressure switches, tripwires, motion detection-activated alarms, and the like. Traps can be counted as hazards or goals for the characters to overcome. Traps vary in effect, but all have the same general elements. All traps have a trigger, a way to re-set the trap, a way to bypass the trap, a way to disable the trap, and an effect should the trap be triggered. The GM can design traps to add to their structures, as a way to make them more dangerous. When creating a trap, the GM should remember to include all of the above elements in their traps. To disable a trap, characters must first spot the trap. This usually takes a DC 100
Perception Check. Once discovered, traps can usually be disabled using a DC 125
Dexterous Maneuvers Check. If the triggering conditions are fulfilled (such as a character moving in the presence of a motion detector) or if an attempt to disable a trap fails by 25 or more, the trap is triggered. If the characters trigger a trap, whatever effects it may have go into play immediately. This can include causing direct damage, producing an environmental effect (such as shooting poison darts, dropping down barriers, or filling the area with toxic fumes), or setting off an alarm. If the trap causes physical damage, make an attack roll for the trap against the character that set it off, using their FHD. The trap causes damage once and must be reset before it can be triggered again (it should be noted that some traps have automatic resets). If the trap causes environmental effects, characters in the area suffer from its effects immediately. If the trap sets off an alarm, all the remaining opponents at the site are now aware of the characters' presence, something which may not bode well for the characters.
Finally, when building an adventure around a site, it's essential that the GM knows exactly what can be found where within the site. This is best accomplished by drawing a detailed map of the site in question, including distances of corridors, sizes of chambers, and locations of encounters. Usually a GM can get away with drawing just the outline of the map while using a key or legend to mark particular areas within the site (
for example, the Psychic Blaster with the two dead guys, one of whom is carrying a PDA is in Area C, whilst the locked key-coded door with a hidden switch leading into the reactor chamber is in Area E, and so forth). Things to include in the key are a description of what the characters can see and notice when they first enter the area, what they can discover via Skill and Sub-Discipline Checks, and any notes as to what else might be occurring within the area.
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