OK, WAKE UP! I Need Adventure Ideas

[Shawn Wilson]

Situation-

Science Fiction setting. Wooden Ships and Iron Spacemen.
Civilization (ie 'europe' in the age of sail) is high tech (Traveller
15/GURPS 12), everyone else is lower to varrying degrees, from a
little to barely have fire. You may recall I have mentioned this
setting before. Details are the same if you want to look them up.

Three characters. All 'english'. They are 'prisoners' under parole
on a French ship. Two are naval officers (LTs/O3s) who were
previously injured and were surrendered to the French because only
they had medical facilitites that could handle them. They are now
fine. The third is an enlisted Marine sent along to look after them
who was chosen for being sensible.

Officer 1 is a navigator/mathematician and strategic genius. Also a
known flake of short attention span, at least he pretends to be. He
is the son of the current Admiral of the Navy and is a navy brat of
the first water.

Officer 2 is an engineer and a Lady, of the educated by nuns variety,
not inherited title.

The Marine is an enlisted Marine. He was chosen for his sensibility,
he is physically average for a Marine. He is currently actuing as
their batman and general servant/assistant.

The French are reasonably polite and friendly, and the english
officers are under parole and have very few restrictions.


Mission-

The French ship is taking 'back roads' to Civilization. The visit a
backward planet off the main trade rolutes which has a message buoy
that sets off the adventure-

The buoy contains an encrypted and verified message containing orders
for any of His Majesty's officers-

About ten years ago some Imperial subjects (about a dozen) had turned
rogue and taken to piracy. They had attacked and looted a native
passenger liner in a different star system. They tortured and killed
everyone aboard. They have set themselves up here and are living in
great style and luxury. They have allies in the regime, who they
trade technology with. The local regime wouldn't care about the
piracy, even if they knew about it.

The orders for any Imperial officers who happen to receive them are
simple- the actions of these criminals were an affront to the Honor of
the King and his subjects that can only be washed away with their
blood. They are all to be killed. The orders are an explicit death
warrant. Imperial intelligence has more pressing concerns. They might
get around to it themselves in ten more years...


Issues-

The 'French' are willing to watch this affair, but they will not
participate beyond tarrying a while.

The officers have freedom of movement, but can't violate their
paroles. Their paroles aren't terribly restrictive, but they must
eventually returen to the 'french' ship and keep in periodic contact
while away.

The regime resembles the modern US in technology. There is something
of an expatriot community (so the heroes can get close to them) that
has access to more advanced technology, but no official presense from
'Civilization'.


I imagine this an Agatha Christie Mystery, ala Murder on the Orient
Express or Ten Little Indians. Meteor strikes on the houses of the
miscreants are right out, as are multiple sniper missions.

More ideas...?

[Rob Kelk]

On Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:59:34 -0800 (PST), Shawn Wilson

Post by Shawn Wilson
Situation-
Science Fiction setting. Wooden Ships and Iron Spacemen.
Civilization (ie 'europe' in the age of sail) is high tech (Traveller
15/GURPS 12), everyone else is lower to varrying degrees, from a
little to barely have fire. You may recall I have mentioned this
setting before. Details are the same if you want to look them up.
Three characters. All 'english'. They are 'prisoners' under parole
on a French ship. Two are naval officers (LTs/O3s) who were
previously injured and were surrendered to the French because only
they had medical facilitites that could handle them. They are now
fine. The third is an enlisted Marine sent along to look after them
who was chosen for being sensible.
Officer 1 is a navigator/mathematician and strategic genius. Also a
known flake of short attention span, at least he pretends to be. He
is the son of the current Admiral of the Navy and is a navy brat of
the first water.
Officer 2 is an engineer and a Lady, of the educated by nuns variety,
not inherited title.
The Marine is an enlisted Marine. He was chosen for his sensibility,
he is physically average for a Marine. He is currently actuing as
their batman and general servant/assistant.
The French are reasonably polite and friendly, and the english
officers are under parole and have very few restrictions.
Mission-
The French ship is taking 'back roads' to Civilization. The visit a
backward planet off the main trade rolutes which has a message buoy
that sets off the adventure-
The buoy contains an encrypted and verified message containing orders
for any of His Majesty's officers-
About ten years ago some Imperial subjects (about a dozen) had turned
rogue and taken to piracy. They had attacked and looted a native
passenger liner in a different star system. They tortured and killed
everyone aboard. They have set themselves up here and are living in
great style and luxury. They have allies in the regime, who they
trade technology with. The local regime wouldn't care about the
piracy, even if they knew about it.
The orders for any Imperial officers who happen to receive them are
simple- the actions of these criminals were an affront to the Honor of
the King and his subjects that can only be washed away with their
blood. They are all to be killed. The orders are an explicit death
warrant. Imperial intelligence has more pressing concerns. They might
get around to it themselves in ten more years...
Issues-
The 'French' are willing to watch this affair, but they will not
participate beyond tarrying a while.
The officers have freedom of movement, but can't violate their
paroles. Their paroles aren't terribly restrictive, but they must
eventually returen to the 'french' ship and keep in periodic contact
while away.
The regime resembles the modern US in technology. There is something
of an expatriot community (so the heroes can get close to them) that
has access to more advanced technology, but no official presense from
'Civilization'.
I imagine this an Agatha Christie Mystery, ala Murder on the Orient
Express or Ten Little Indians. Meteor strikes on the houses of the
miscreants are right out, as are multiple sniper missions.
More ideas...?

First: During the Age of Sail, an officer had to actually give his
parole to be legally bound by it. Unconscious officers cannot give
parole. Did the Royal Navy officers give their parole once they were
capable of doing so (you said they were surrendered to the French
because they were seriously wounded), or did the French assume they had
done so? (If the former, then they're restricted in what they can do. If
the latter, then they are duty-bound to carry out their orders.) If they
did give parole, do the French "return their swords" - that is, are they
allowed to go armed?

Second: Can the PCs locate the pirate base, or at the least a favourite
recreation place of the pirates? (If not, then this is a wash; without
their own ship, they don't have the ability to fight ship-to-ship.)

Third: Can the PCs call upon the expats for assistance? (Without
actually being in command of a ship, they can't just press their
countrymen into service... at least, not legally. However, it has been
known for Imperial citizens to volunteer for service.)

[Shawn Wilson]

Post by Rob Kelk
First: During the Age of Sail, an officer had to actually give his
parole to be legally bound by it. Unconscious officers cannot give
parole. Did the Royal Navy officers give their parole once they were
capable of doing so (you said they were surrendered to the French
because they were seriously wounded), or did the French assume they had
done so? (If the former, then they're restricted in what they can do. If
the latter, then they are duty-bound to carry out their orders.) If they
did give parole, do the French "return their swords" - that is, are they
allowed to go armed?

This is actually a story element I worked out. Their captain had
issued written orders via the Marine and cryptic verbal instructions
to him that their paroles were to be given on *his* word. Once they
recovered they gave their paroles on their own words.

The circumstances of their 'surrender were a little detailed, as
actually doing that would have been against regulation. But, you can
send two injured officers off on a ship's boat, with a marine pilot
who doesn't get it yet, to rendevouz with a hospital ship that doesn't
actually exist (oh, no, I made a mistake...), and if their
(specifically ordered) course takes them close enough to the 'french'
to be captured by them, oh well... Hey! What luck, the french' have
hospital facilities... You can imagine the pretend discussion with
senior officers talking about things but not looking in each others
eyes, and a baffled Marine wondering what the hell is going on.

Post by Rob Kelk
Second: Can the PCs locate the pirate base, or at the least a favourite
recreation place of the pirates? (If not, then this is a wash; without
their own ship, they don't have the ability to fight ship-to-ship.)

Yes. Note that the pirates don't have a base or a ship any longer.
They have wealth now, so they are respectable citizens. The local
expatriot community occasionally has get togethers/house parties.
Very Agatha Christie. Someone is killing these people for no apparent
reason, and leaving references to something others don't understand,
or pretend not to understand...

Post by Rob Kelk
Third: Can the PCs call upon the expats for assistance? (Without
actually being in command of a ship, they can't just press their
countrymen into service... at least, not legally. However, it has been
known for Imperial citizens to volunteer for service.)

No. If they told the expats, some wouldn't care (they are expats for
a reason) and the others wouldn't believe it with nothing more than
these orders to go by. The chief investigator, on hearing the
details, MAY not be particularly urgent in pursuing the 'murderers'.
But he would never cooperate with them. He's a police officer through
and through.

Some additonal character detail.

The Marine is a Marine, and if given orders to kill these miscreants
will do so, no problem.

Officer one, while outwardly a flake, is inwardly cold blooded, and
has given lawful orders to kill before (not in the heat of battle),
with less justification (and indeed some controversy, but he was
legally justified, even if no one would have had a problem with his
not doing it). He has no problem carrying this out either. His whole
family has been serving the Empire forever. As far as he's concerned
he is already drenched in blood, a little more doesn't matter.

Officer two is, as I said, a lady and an engineer. She has never
killed or ordered a death. She understands her responsibilites as an
officer and is willing to do this (if reluctant) but officer one would
GREATLY prefer she not get blood on her hands.

Under the circumstances, officer one sees it has his *personal*
responsibility to do the dirty work, aided by the others as
necessary. While the Marine is subject to his orders, the order to
kill was not given to him. It isn't a general "any imperial citizen
who gets this" order. It only binds imperial officers. And he
doesn't want officer 2 to get blood on her hands, but he can't give
her orders. They have the same rank and seniority. Neither could or
would issue an order to the other.

Of course, killing innocent bystanders is strictly forbidden. As is
causing egregious property damage, even if that wouldn't kill innocent
bystanders.

The heroes do not have access to anything that might be considered
heavy weapons, but CAN manage personal weapons, borrowed from the
French for 'self defense' (ie knife, pistol, tasers and such, no
rifles or machine guns). The local economy won't provide them weapons
legally, and none of the party is skilled in streetwise enough to get
extremely illegal things from criminals on short notice. The marine
is skilled enough about the seemy side of life to get lesser illegal
goods that might be necessary, but street gangs and drug dealers do
not keep military ordinance, biological weapons, or really subtle
poisons on hand. Anything that could be got legally in the US by J
Random Passerby can be got by the heroes though, money really isn't an
issue. Though they couldn't go all Count of Monte Cristo, they could
pull off a convincing impression of wealth for a brief time. Anything
that could be reasonably made can be. The engineer is quite the
MacGiver. This includes making/extracting basic poisons or explosives
from legal materials.

As foreign language training is mandatory for all officers, the heroes
can pose as 'germans' if necessary. They are both fluent in the
language, and while a native would notice their accents a non native
would not. They cannot pass as locals. Their automatic translators
will translate the local language though.

As I said, the 'french' are willing to cooperate slightly. They find
these pirates as vile as anyone. But they view is as an internal
problem of the empire, and they definitely won't be directly involved
in the killing of imperial citizens, even if there is an imperial
warrant.

It would be better all around if the name of the Empire were not
blackened, even in this backwater. This includes public revelation of
the piracy. The killing also needs to be done over a short time
frame. If the survivors get spooked they will go into hiding or even
leave the planet. No way they could be ferreted out then.

Basically, it's an Agatha Christie mystery, but instead of solving the
crime, you have to commit it. And get away with it. The GM wil have
to contrive a house party, a train, an excursion of some sort to set
the scene up.

The pirates do NOT know there is an imperial death warrant out for
them. They think they got away with it, though they aren't stupid
enough to be lured back to the Empire. As I said, the buoy was
encrypted. The 'french' know because the officers told them.

Hmmm... if the heroes can *capture* the miscreants somehow the
'french' would likely be willing to transport them...

[Ingo Siekmann]

Shawn Wilson schrieb:
-snip

Post by Shawn Wilson
Yes. Note that the pirates don't have a base or a ship any longer.
They have wealth now, so they are respectable citizens. The local
expatriot community occasionally has get togethers/house parties.
Very Agatha Christie. Someone is killing these people for no apparent
reason, and leaving references to something others don't understand,
or pretend not to understand...

If they are smart, they place some "evidence" that one of the "pirates"
must be the mastermind behind the killings ("Looks like he took more
than his share"). Done right, the other pirates become paranoid and
start to kill each other.
Or if they can "proof" that pirates want to take over the local
goverment (say, by hiring mercs or sponsoring political opponents),
other people will take care of them.

Forget Christie. Go "Mission Impossible"! :-)

Bye
Ingo

[Shawn Wilson]

Post by Ingo Siekmann

Yes.  Note that the pirates don't have a base or a ship any longer.
They have wealth now, so they are respectable citizens.  The local
expatriot community occasionally has get togethers/house parties.
Very Agatha Christie.  Someone is killing these people for no apparent
reason, and leaving references to something others don't understand,
or pretend not to understand...

If they are smart, they place some "evidence" that one of the "pirates"
must be the mastermind behind the killings ("Looks like he took more
than his share"). Done right, the other pirates become paranoid and
start to kill each other.
Or if they can "proof" that pirates want to take over the local
goverment (say, by hiring mercs or sponsoring political opponents),
other people will take care of them.
Forget Christie. Go "Mission Impossible"! :-)

While not my original conception, that is also a workable plotline.
Or Ten Little Indians meets Murder on the Orient Express meets The
Name of the Rose, as one by one the victims are induced to kill each
other...

[Ingo Siekmann]

Shawn Wilson schrieb:
-snip

Post by Shawn Wilson
While not my original conception, that is also a workable plotline.
Or Ten Little Indians meets Murder on the Orient Express meets The
Name of the Rose, as one by one the victims are induced to kill each
other...

Or this one:

After establishing themselves as "German Princes", the pc invite the
pirates to a special party onboard of their brand-new yacht. The pirates
and their hosts raise the anchor and open the bottles, the yacht starts
its two-hour-tour, and than desaster strikes.
O.k., thats a rather crude one.

Bye
Ingo