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deathbymanga
2015-12-27, 01:36 PM
So, I'm running a Pseduo-Spelljammer campaign that's got a lot more science and advanced technology. Computers, AI, firearms, etc. The players just finished their last adventure and reached 5th level each. They're getting 2 more people joining next session, for a party of 5, and I'm lookin g for some ideas for this current adventure their in.

The Bounty Hunter member of the crew got a job notice sent by a King of a Fire Genasi planet named Sadem requesting help with Pirates blocking their trade. When they get there, they find the entire orbit being patrolled by pirate jammers and get hailed by one of them asking for a toll and that if they are a merchant vessel, they are required to do trade with them first. Their ship is a research ship they found abandoned in space, so they can't risk a fight, so they score a great Diplomacy roll to convince them that they wanted to join their crew and that they needed the work. They get allowed to bored the mother ship to meet the quartermaster for inspection. The Pirate fleet is a group of Blue Dragonborns.

They meet with the Quartermaster who tests out the Rogue's skills with the sword and tells the Wizard he'll be tested later. Then our Psion mentions that he's a Psion, and in this setting, Psionics is beyond rare. One of the rarest powers any non-Illithid could be born with. So he doesn't believe him, and has the Psion test his power on him. He rolls a rediculous Nat 20 (we use NAt 20s and 1s on everything, skills, spells, weapons, it's more fun that way) and blows the quartermaster's brains out, but this impresses the captain, so he hires them to do a job for him.

He's been using this blockade to try and convince the King to give in to his demands, which is to let him marry the eldest Princess and become legitimately the ruler of the Planet. Pretty standard evil villain plans. So he hires the party to go kidnap the Princess to force the King's hand.

They agree and head down to the planet, and are now meeting with the King, and the session ended there. They aren't 100% sure who they should help just yet. They aren't criminals, but don't know anything about the king or his daughter, so they are just going to wait out the situation for now.

So, what kind of things can I do here to make it a bit interesting. I want to add a little moral flexibility here by making either option a valid option. The players already know that if they help the Pirate they'll get a King's Ransom out of it, and I plan at the end of the quest to award the players Land and Title either way if they do a good job. The Pirate isn't a backstabber, he's just ruthless and power-hungry. He doesn't care if his crew dies if it means he gets some pretty good pawns to go kidnap a princess, however he'd have ripped the player's guts out any day of the week.

I'm not sure what to do for the Kingdom. I know there's a King and a Princess. could be a queen. could be other princesses or a prince. the Princess could agree to marry the pirate out of duty, desire, or refuse entirely.

John Longarrow
2015-12-28, 03:19 AM
First and foremost, I'd suggest talking to your players about what kinds of adventures they'd like their characters to get involved with.

Once you know what they are interested in, let us know and we can see what we can work out that will fit their desires.

deathbymanga
2015-12-28, 04:38 AM
First and foremost, I'd suggest talking to your players about what kinds of adventures they'd like their characters to get involved with.

Once you know what they are interested in, let us know and we can see what we can work out that will fit their desires.

oh that's already planned. one of the characters is supposed to be an amnesiac hibernating lycanthrope and when the adventure is done, tails of their exploits will reach his homeworld, where he's going to be sent a letter, inviting him home, where he gets into a violent confrontation.

The other I have plans to meet a man he believes to have been responsible for his wife's death when they get to the new world. he's wrong of course and it was his fault all along, but he'll refuse to believe it. one believing a old blood to be trustworthy when he's treacherous while the other demonizes a man who did nothing wrong.

the third guy, our wizard, hasn't really desired much for his character. i'll ask him again if anything's come to mind but he's just a technomancer, got a formal education and everything.

the last two guys/girls i dunno since they're still making them up as we speak


for now, this Pirates and Princess plot is to get the players some kind of reward for their committed playing and to give them a successful mission that they can look back on.

John Longarrow
2015-12-28, 12:31 PM
If your OK stealing some plots, I'd suggest looking at Star Wars. You've got the beginnings of the clone wars set up almost exactly.

Pirates = Trade Federation.
Players = Jedi

Run with that and you've got a LOT of story line already set up. Plus it lets your players be the ones to start an intergalactic war to save the princess!

deathbymanga
2015-12-28, 12:37 PM
If your OK stealing some plots, I'd suggest looking at Star Wars. You've got the beginnings of the clone wars set up almost exactly.

Pirates = Trade Federation.
Players = Jedi

Run with that and you've got a LOT of story line already set up. Plus it lets your players be the ones to start an intergalactic war to save the princess!

that was a major inspiration for this, though you're thinking of phantom menace, not clone wars

John Longarrow
2015-12-28, 12:51 PM
By beginning of the clone wars, I'm not thinking the movie I'm thinking "Hey, this is how the whole war started, the one Palpatine set up!".

Course you'll have to hand out some brilliant energy weapons to your party. What good is being a Jedi if you can't wield a light saber. B-)

yellowrocket
2015-12-28, 12:56 PM
that was a major inspiration for this, though you're thinking of phantom menace, not clone wars

I believe he was referring to the clone wars as an Era and not the specific plot that occurred in the first movie.

That's what I get for stopong to finish eating before finishing my reply

deathbymanga
2015-12-28, 04:41 PM
By beginning of the clone wars, I'm not thinking the movie I'm thinking "Hey, this is how the whole war started, the one Palpatine set up!".

Course you'll have to hand out some brilliant energy weapons to your party. What good is being a Jedi if you can't wield a light saber. B-)

only one of them would actually benefit from that (the Bounty Hunter Rogue) since he currently uses a Rapier, the other two aren't proficient in anything like a lightsaber.

The biggest problem with following the clone wars plot to the T is that the Players are currently working for the Pirates, so the Pirates are on Stand-by and not sending an Army onto the Planet. so there's no immediate need for the party to go run to the government to go get help like in Phantom Menace

Was thinking of giving the Pirate Captain the power to teleport through shadows or something, maybe give him a Shadow Cloak from DotU. He's a Blue Dragonborn, so Lightning Breath weapon. Anything else to give the Pirate?

Heheh, thought it might be kool to include some Dragonborn Dragoons who are mounted on Large Lizards or Wingless dragons. Any good Reptilian Mounts?