Fritz_Brown
Super Moderator
Heck, they even did it on Firefly.... 
Idea for a traveller scenario, can't seem to get past initial concept.
- Thread starter The Thing
- Start date
Don't know if anyone posted this:
The local sun is about to go Nova. The locals found out and jumped out, over a period of days.
The group lands and the find newspapers "Star to Explode soon" and "Scientists report Surprise Nova Imminent" This, along with reports of murders of scientists, apparently at the hands of rich corporations who stand to lose everything if people bail.
Make it a race against time as the PC's ship is broken down, and the part needed to fix it is Probably located in a spaceport mechanical shop, on the downport.
Now that's plot A. Plot B is...
A strange ship arrives out of jump, as the players are preparing to make the jump, minutes before the published deadline.
They are warned that the star is "About to blow" and they'd better high-tail it out of there.
Surprisingly, if the crew doesn't jump, the scientists start firing on them (with a better ship, natch)
Turns out the whole thing is a hoax, cooked up by a secret cabal of space scientists, who murdered those of their colleagues that wouldn't "Go along with the plan."
Their objective was to create enough fear and hysteria that people would evacuate in a mass exodus, leaving them free to loot the place, and then scam off for the border, near vargr space, or something.
Off the top of my head, obviously many holes in it.
The local sun is about to go Nova. The locals found out and jumped out, over a period of days.
The group lands and the find newspapers "Star to Explode soon" and "Scientists report Surprise Nova Imminent" This, along with reports of murders of scientists, apparently at the hands of rich corporations who stand to lose everything if people bail.
Make it a race against time as the PC's ship is broken down, and the part needed to fix it is Probably located in a spaceport mechanical shop, on the downport.
Now that's plot A. Plot B is...
A strange ship arrives out of jump, as the players are preparing to make the jump, minutes before the published deadline.
They are warned that the star is "About to blow" and they'd better high-tail it out of there.
Surprisingly, if the crew doesn't jump, the scientists start firing on them (with a better ship, natch)
Turns out the whole thing is a hoax, cooked up by a secret cabal of space scientists, who murdered those of their colleagues that wouldn't "Go along with the plan."
Their objective was to create enough fear and hysteria that people would evacuate in a mass exodus, leaving them free to loot the place, and then scam off for the border, near vargr space, or something.
Off the top of my head, obviously many holes in it.
Actually had a very similar idea for a 5th Frontier War scenario after reading
CT-7-Broadsword.
The Zhos are after the starport at Garda-Vilis, but can't get near it (with it's
deep site meson gun). So they send commandos who can teleport. Naturally these
are Zhodani "Hawks" (extremists). Rather than risk a large scale invaision, they
use a smaller team with bio-toxins which they release into the atmosphere.
Anyone on the surface should carry it down to the deep-site, site. During this
time the Zhodani deliver the item then use a ship to retreat into space for X
hours/days/whatever the GM needs as the toxin runs it's course. After Y hours of
duration the toxin "oxidizes" or goes inert. Feel free to use a nano-virus of
some dark, zho type.
During this time the PCs show up. They know something's strange since the auto
-beacon is on and greets them, but no responses by living people. When they get
over the starport, they find it either empty or littered with bodies. Preferably
the GM can motivate them to investigate out of some sense of duty (either via
post-muster requirement or the pcs are just game). Free fuel ? :rofl:
Eventually the Zho's will be coming back. They don't have numbers but they will
be fairly powerful. Perhaps the PCs spend most of the time just "getting thru
automated security" and eventually they either figure out what's going on or
discover it. A frozen watch at the site could be a GM trick to equalize things,
unless they want war/combat to take place as a segue into other things.
Just my 2¢
Well if its not The Quiet Earth then its got to be The Langoliers. Either could be the result of an unnoticed misjump.
Garyius2003
SOC-13
If you have all the people gone, avoid the Forever Free garbage of <some god> doing it, and also avoid the dead pets issue which made me like the book even less. He is now on my ban list because of that book, next to all the 70s and 80s 'Best of SciFi' and Spider.
!!!Man! How did I miss this thread!?! This is GREAT stuff!
A scenario I played out once was sort of a combination of several already posted; it went like this:
The Ancients originally, as they did numerous other worlds, terra-formed this world using biologics to perform most of the dirty work. They took air and dirt samples then manufactured microbes and single celled plants to most effectively convert the environment they found into what they wanted. After sowing their seeds, they left ... and never came back.
Over millenia, a cycle developed. While evolution produced a bounty of multi-cellular lifeforms, pockets of the original geneered species became isolated in deep rock or under ice. When exposed to surface again, whether by climate change or tectonics, the originals would activate again and again, returning the entire eco-system to a base state.
The first human colonists arrived to find a primitive paradise with a multitude of readily accessible resources. They introduced new species of plants and animals that spread quickly. The colony grew and became economically viable, bringing extra-solar trading interests and even more homesteaders.
The increase in population led to the necessity to drill deeper wells or warm the environment or dig mines to expose resources, releasing the terraforming bugs to wreak havoc. They rapidly spread and consumed everything, leaving no evidence of the colony or their introduced species.
When the players arrive, it's all sunshine and daisies, with no sign of anyone or anything in the travel brochure.
A scenario I played out once was sort of a combination of several already posted; it went like this:
The Ancients originally, as they did numerous other worlds, terra-formed this world using biologics to perform most of the dirty work. They took air and dirt samples then manufactured microbes and single celled plants to most effectively convert the environment they found into what they wanted. After sowing their seeds, they left ... and never came back.
Over millenia, a cycle developed. While evolution produced a bounty of multi-cellular lifeforms, pockets of the original geneered species became isolated in deep rock or under ice. When exposed to surface again, whether by climate change or tectonics, the originals would activate again and again, returning the entire eco-system to a base state.
The first human colonists arrived to find a primitive paradise with a multitude of readily accessible resources. They introduced new species of plants and animals that spread quickly. The colony grew and became economically viable, bringing extra-solar trading interests and even more homesteaders.
The increase in population led to the necessity to drill deeper wells or warm the environment or dig mines to expose resources, releasing the terraforming bugs to wreak havoc. They rapidly spread and consumed everything, leaving no evidence of the colony or their introduced species.
When the players arrive, it's all sunshine and daisies, with no sign of anyone or anything in the travel brochure.
I have only recently bought a rulebook - so don't know much of the history of traveller but here's my two pennies worth. The idea is a twist on some star trek episodes.
The merchant ship has time travelled into a different time line where the planet is uninhabited and landing on it is forbidden. Also their counterparts (in this timeline) have made at least one different choice - thus leading them down a different path. At least one the PCs counterparts is dead and one is (or was) a terrorist. As soon as they land military personnel seize them and hold them for questioning, separately.
The PCs need to discover what has altered the time line (possibly an artifact or new technology) and try and 'reset' it.
There are possibilities for some fun as a referee - when the character's reassemble one could be a counterpart. (You could take each of the players individually and role play their encounter). Also at some stage they may meet their counterparts. This could result in 'temporal damage' e.g. poison or disease.
Hope this isn't too tacky.
The merchant ship has time travelled into a different time line where the planet is uninhabited and landing on it is forbidden. Also their counterparts (in this timeline) have made at least one different choice - thus leading them down a different path. At least one the PCs counterparts is dead and one is (or was) a terrorist. As soon as they land military personnel seize them and hold them for questioning, separately.
The PCs need to discover what has altered the time line (possibly an artifact or new technology) and try and 'reset' it.
There are possibilities for some fun as a referee - when the character's reassemble one could be a counterpart. (You could take each of the players individually and role play their encounter). Also at some stage they may meet their counterparts. This could result in 'temporal damage' e.g. poison or disease.
Hope this isn't too tacky.
Hmmm... this is a good thread.
1. I love the "shhhh... they mostly come out at night... mostly" scenario. Players investigate (during day) and find scenes of flight, very little blood. They continue to explore until finally determining that half the population is still alive, hiding in "X" because there are fricking monsters eating them at night.
2. Roanoke Colony! No answer. Just gone. Players have to decide what to do? This could get interesting. Do they loot? Do they contact the Imperials?
3. "Jonestown" Mass religious suicide. Who did it? Make him pay!
1. I love the "shhhh... they mostly come out at night... mostly" scenario. Players investigate (during day) and find scenes of flight, very little blood. They continue to explore until finally determining that half the population is still alive, hiding in "X" because there are fricking monsters eating them at night.
2. Roanoke Colony! No answer. Just gone. Players have to decide what to do? This could get interesting. Do they loot? Do they contact the Imperials?
3. "Jonestown" Mass religious suicide. Who did it? Make him pay!
Easterner9504
SOC-13
Nuggets
After arriving and exploring it begins to grow dark. One large building can now be seen admitting an eerie glow from the windows. (This was always the big giveaway in THE INVADERS, Aliens love eerie glow.)
Time phase: It's not the players out of synch but the planet. Players will keep seeing people, movement in peripheral vision, spin about: nothing there.
THE BLOB
IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE/NIGHT SLAVES Mind control.
The city is not human but some minor Alien Races. A whole number of cultural things can account for this though outworlders would also need be accounted for too.
Double check the UWP, huh.... RESEARCH STATION Zeta is here!!!
After arriving and exploring it begins to grow dark. One large building can now be seen admitting an eerie glow from the windows. (This was always the big giveaway in THE INVADERS, Aliens love eerie glow.)
Time phase: It's not the players out of synch but the planet. Players will keep seeing people, movement in peripheral vision, spin about: nothing there.
THE BLOB
IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE/NIGHT SLAVES Mind control.
The city is not human but some minor Alien Races. A whole number of cultural things can account for this though outworlders would also need be accounted for too.
Double check the UWP, huh.... RESEARCH STATION Zeta is here!!!
ThunderChilde
SOC-13
Sachen,
Welcome aboard! First post Alert!
Now that that's out of the way, Traveller tends to be a more hard science trope than the technobabble of ST under Berman. He is a timetravelholic desperately in need of a harsh intervention.:frankie:
Don't be put off by the response to your first post, Berman isn't at all popular here abouts.
Welcome aboard! First post Alert!
Now that that's out of the way, Traveller tends to be a more hard science trope than the technobabble of ST under Berman. He is a timetravelholic desperately in need of a harsh intervention.:frankie:
Don't be put off by the response to your first post, Berman isn't at all popular here abouts.
Madarin Dude
SOC-13
Well for a red herring it is the world grav ball championships and everyone is either at the game or watching it on vid. The week was declared a holiday and everyone is off work. When you encounter a local they shrink away because you are not dressed in team colors and you are about to waste their time with a series of tiresome questions. Most are likely to be drunk or in some stage inebriation.......Your cargo will have to fecking wait until the playoffs and championship is over.
Or for more less than exciting adventure. The parties library data is incorrect and after the mines ran out of all significant ore and value everyone just packed up and left.
Or for more less than exciting adventure. The parties library data is incorrect and after the mines ran out of all significant ore and value everyone just packed up and left.
ThunderChilde
SOC-13
And they just missed them on the outbound transit of the last transport.
One element of this plot is salvageable for more "Traveller-like" purposes: being mistaken for the "bad" guys doesn't require timelines. The colony has been wiped out due to a terrorist-seeded plague, and Our Heroes stumble upon, almost fall into, a Naval Intelligence trap set to catch the terrorists. Voila, they're embroiled in a fast-paced and dangerous search for the REAL bad guys, before the Dudes In Black catch them and execute them.
It would be a nice twist if the Players first anger the terrorist group, due to them getting in the way of an assassination/firearms sale/drug trafficking drop/slave transaction. Then the players get the Dudes In Black mad at them as well, and so they're targetted by BOTH groups.
In A.B.Chandler's book Far Traveller, a collection of John Grimes shorts, he is a captain of a rich lady's yacht. They find a colony seemingly abandoned. The yacht, BTW, is sentient, and searches around and finds the colonists. When Grimes, the lady, and a party of robots get there, they discover the colonists all in a cave acting drunk. Cutting it short, the moss lining the cave provides all nutritional needs plus an intoxicant. The colonists have basically turned into vegetables, only eating the moss and having sex and sleeping.
The crisis for Grimes is that he falls into the trap of the moss, and it takes the lady quite some time and ingenuity to get him free of it.
Decent story, like most of the Grimes stories. Could fit easily into Traveller.
The crisis for Grimes is that he falls into the trap of the moss, and it takes the lady quite some time and ingenuity to get him free of it.
Decent story, like most of the Grimes stories. Could fit easily into Traveller.
Thank you for not being blunt and writing "yes it is tacky!" I would agree that star trek does over use the time travel thing although I do enjoy the odd one. Sorry for the tangent.
Of the ideas so far I like the giant fungus one.
Just a thought - a couple of the ideas listed could be combined so that it wasn't just one thing that resulted in the situation but two or three. So character's would face multiple challenges. Pulling them all together would be a challenge though.
Of the ideas so far I like the giant fungus one. Just a thought - a couple of the ideas listed could be combined so that it wasn't just one thing that resulted in the situation but two or three. So character's would face multiple challenges. Pulling them all together would be a challenge though.
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