TEXT: - 1 -
  QLI/RPGRealms
  TRAVELLER®20
  Science-Fiction Adventure in
  the Far Future
  EPIC Adventure 1
  Stoner Express
  For Referees Only
  CT - Classic Traveller
  T20 - Traveller20
  Gateway Domain
  
  - 2 -
  EPIC Adventure 1
  Stoner Express
  Copyright ©2004 QuikLink Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 
  Traveller is a trademark of Far Future Enterprises and is used under license.
  A single copy of this electronic document may be printed out for personal use and 
  reference only. Additional copies may only be printed to replace a previously printed copy 
  that has been lost or damaged. No part of this booklet may be reproduced in any form for 
  any other reason by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, except as 
  provided for under the terms of the Open Game License (a copy of which can be found at 
  the end of the document.).
   2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  QLI/RPGRealms
  2307 Brafton Ct.
  Acworth, GA 30101
  http://www.TravellerRPG.com
  http://www.RPGRealms.com
   
  Traveller for the d20 System
  Science Fiction Adventure in the Far Future
  AUTHOR
  Martin J. Dougherty
  ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE AND SUBSECTOR MAPS
  Shane Mclean
  LAYOUT AND DECKPLANS
  Hunter Gordon 
  
  - 3 -
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  About this Book ...............................................................................................................4
   
   
  The Color Code.................................................................................................4
   
   
  What You Need To Play ....................................................................................4
   
  The Epic Adventure System.....................................................................................4
   
  Rewards and Advancement .....................................................................................5
   
  Character Types And Skills ......................................................................................6
  Background .....................................................................................................................7
   
  The Third Imperium..................................................................................................7
   
   
  The Imperial Domain of Gateway......................................................................7
   
  Independent Worlds and Client States.....................................................................7
   
   
  The Grand Duchy of Stoner ..............................................................................7
   
  Miracru Tradecorp, LIC ............................................................................................8
  Referee’s Overview .........................................................................................................8
   
  Playing out the Adventure ........................................................................................9
   
  Push, Pull, Enigma, and Gimmick............................................................................9
  Glimmerdrift Reaches Sector ........................................................................................10
   
  Thorstone Subsector..............................................................................................11
   
  Kraxin Subsector....................................................................................................12
  World Data.....................................................................................................................13
   
  Arakaene ................................................................................................................13
   
  Shur........................................................................................................................13
   
  Phelina ...................................................................................................................13
   
  Spirit of Orlain ........................................................................................................14
   
  Gazala....................................................................................................................14
   
  Stoner.....................................................................................................................14
  Rumors and Scuttlebutt.................................................................................................15
  Plots and Episodes........................................................................................................16
   
  Act 1: Arakaene ......................................................................................................16
   
   
  Scene 1: In Port ..............................................................................................16
   
   
  Scene 2: No Chance Encounter .....................................................................16
   
   
  Scene 3: Leaving Port.....................................................................................17
   
  Act 2: En Route ......................................................................................................18
   
   
  Scene 1: Port of Call .......................................................................................18
   
   
  Scene 2: Board and Search............................................................................18
   
   
  Scene 3: Road Ahead Closed.........................................................................19
   
  Act 3: Obstructions and Counteroffers ...................................................................20
   
   
  Scene 1: Softly Softly......................................................................................20
   
   
  Scene 2: A Very Oblique Warning...................................................................20
   
   
  Scene 3: An Offer at Ander’s...........................................................................22
   
  Act 4: Desperate Measures....................................................................................23
   
   
  Scene 1: Journeying Onward..........................................................................23
   
   
  Scene 2: Mistaken Identity..............................................................................23
   
   
  Scene 3: Extreme Prejudice ...........................................................................24
   
  Act 5: Stoner or Bust! .............................................................................................25
   
   
  Scene 1: Contact! ...........................................................................................25
   
   
  Scene 2: Salvation is at Hand.........................................................................26
   
   
  Scene 3: A Running Fight ...............................................................................26
   
   
  Scene 4: A Moment of Realization ..................................................................26
   
   
  Scene 5: Endgames........................................................................................26
   
  Epilogue .................................................................................................................27
   
  Epic Adventure Checklist .......................................................................................27
  Cast of Characters ........................................................................................................28
   
  Mr. Jasin Saliss ......................................................................................................28
   
  Lady Elizabeth Randall-Hofnier..............................................................................28
   
  ‘Mr. Richardson’......................................................................................................29
   
  Sublieutenant Grantlee ..........................................................................................30
   
  Lady Elizabeth’s Huscarles (Ship’s Crew)..............................................................30
   
  Lady Elizabeth’s Huscarles (Marines)....................................................................30
   
  Hired Thugs............................................................................................................31
   
  Imperial Marine Boarding Party and Solomani Marines.........................................31
   
  People - Random and Incidental Encounters.........................................................31
  Starships .......................................................................................................................32
   
  Scoutship Broadside of a Barn...............................................................................32
   
   
  Deckplans .......................................................................................................34
   
  Velvet Glove Class Yacht .......................................................................................35
   
  Solomani Confederation Light Cruiser Gallant Liberty ...........................................35
   
  Imperial Patrol Cruiser Shaddalakkii ......................................................................35
   
  Imperial Scout/Courier Wild at Heart......................................................................35
   
   
  
  - 4 -
  About This Book
   
   
  This book contains a fully detailed adventure for Traveller. It follows the general 
  style of the original ‘Little Black Books’ or LBBs published as part of the Classic Traveller 
  product line. 
   
  This book contains a minimum of general background data and sufficient specific 
  background to allow it to be used without reference to any other setting or adventure 
  book. The adventure is presented in the standard ‘EPIC’ format developed by Marc Miller, 
  creator of the Traveller game. It can be played straight out of the book or adapted to fit 
  into an ongoing campaign. 
   
  It is possible to think of this adventure as being similar to the key episodes in a season 
  of a TV series. Unrelated episodes can be slipped in between the key ones, but eventually 
  the story will reach the series finale. Of course, there may well be another series, and so 
  other adventures may follow this one. 
   
  Stoner Express is set in the Gateway Domain setting described by in the QLI in the 
  Gateway To Destiny sourcebook. Possession of this sourcebook will be useful but is not 
  necessary for enjoyment of this adventure. Indeed, the adventure could be set in almost 
  any game universe with just a little tweaking. 
   
  This adventure ties in with other QLI products set in Gateway Domain. The Grand 
  Adventure Homecoming is set just to Coreward in Ley sector. The Starfall Cluster is only a 
  subsector away from the Grand Duchy of Stoner. The events of the Traveller Epic Across 
  the Glimmer Drift are played out just a subsector to Rimward. None of these products 
  is necessary to run this adventure, but Referees may wish to be aware of which other 
  supplements and adventures deal with the region. 
  THE COLOR CODE
   
  The Traveller Epics adventure series includes material set in the various major eras 
  and settings of the Official Traveller Universe. While any of them can be tweaked to fit 
  another region, era or even a totally different setting, each Epic sits best in its ‘home’ 
  setting. To allow the home setting of any given book to be quickly determined, a color code 
  is used for the cover-edge and central stripes. Books are coded as follows:
  • 
  993-1000 period: Blue
  • 
  1107-1116 period: Red
  • 
  New Era (1248) period: Orange
  • 
  Generic or one-off: Green
  WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY
  Please note that this is not a standalone game. It requires that you have access to 
  a set of Traveller rules. The adventure was created for use with he T20 rules system 
  from QLI and the original Classic Traveller rules, but can easily be converted to 
  other versions of the game or even other rules systems. 
  Assuming you intend to run this adventure with the T20 rules, you will require at least the 
  T20 Lite rules from QLI. We recommend the following:
  • 
  The Traveller’s Handbook (T20 Core Rulebook) plus either the T20 Player’s 
  Book or a d20 system core rulebook such as the Dungeons & Dragons™ 3rd 
  Edition Player’s Handbook.
  • 
  One or more of each of the following types of dice: four-sided (d4), six-sided (d6), 
  eight-sided (d8), ten-sided (d10), twelve-sided (d12), and twenty-sided (d20). 
  • 
  Pencil (or pen) and paper for keeping notes about your character and the 
  adventure. Graph paper is also recommended for making maps of places your 
  character has visited.
  • 
  If you enjoy playing online, or are interested in playing Traveller online, you 
  should also have a copy of GRIP: Traveller. GRIP (Generic Roleplaying for 
  Internet Players) will allow a Referee and up to eight players to get together 
  via the Internet or a local area network (LAN) and play Traveller (or any other 
  RPG) no matter where they are located physically in the world. Visit http://
  www.RPGRealms.com for more information.
  THE EPIC ADVENTURE SYSTEM
   
  This adventure uses the EPIC adventure system created by Marc Miller. The EPIC 
  system is a way around one of the most common problems with many RPG adventures; 
  the fact that they are very ‘linear’ in design. In far too many adventures, encounter one 
  typically leads to encounter two, which inevitably leads to encounter three, ad-nauseum. 
  This has several problems. Firstly, the players may not notice a critical fact and thus be 
  left in limbo with no clue how to find the next plot element. Railroading them is sometimes 
  the only solution, and in general railroading is a common feature of this kind of linear 
  adventure. This can lead to player frustration, since there is little worse than not being 
  captain of your own fate. 
   
  Reducing the amount of leading-by-the-nose is fine until one of those gaming groups 
  comes along, who insist on doing everything in the wrong order and generally do violence 
  to the plot of an otherwise great adventure. 
   
  The Epic Adventure System provides a new way to design and organize adventures, 
  incorporating enough flexibility that the player characters have the ‘freedom to roam’ 
  without causing the referee nightmares. Asides, delays  and additional adventures can 
  easily be slotted into an Epic Adventure.
   
  An Epic Adventure is broken down into 6 parts:
   
  The Cast of Characters – A description of major characters encountered in the 
  course of the adventure, possibly including pregenerated player-characters.
   
  The Background – The background provides the Referee with the information 
  needed to prepare himself, and lays the groundwork for introducing this adventure to the 
  players. 
   
  Minor incidents and encounters – Referred to as Minor Scenes or just Scenes, are 
  encounters or events that involve the player characters in some form. Many are directly 
  related to the adventure, and may provide clues, equipment, or other information and 
  materials needed to eventually complete the adventure. Others are merely to provide 
  diversion and amusement. Scenes, unless noted in their descriptions, do not need to be 
  played in any particular order, and may be sprung upon the player characters when the 
  Referee deems appropriate.
   
  Critical Plot Elements  – Referred to as Plot Keys, Key Scenes or simply Keys, 
  make up the heart of the storyline for the adventure. They contain vital pieces to the plot 
  that must be played for the adventure to make any sense to the players in the end. You 
  
  - 5 -
  may play any number of Scenes before and after each Plot Keys, but all of the Plot Keys 
  should eventually be completed in their proper order.
   
  Chapters – A Chapter or Act is made up of one of more Plot Keys. They outline the 
  plot to the Referee, and provide tips and information for playing the Scenes and Plot Keys 
  that are contained in the Chapter. In order to complete a Chapter, each Plot Key within 
  must be completed. Each Chapter must be completed, and played in order to successfully 
  run the adventure. Due to the ‘cinematic’ nature of an EPIC adventure, it is easy for the 
  Referee to allow the player characters to temporarily deviate from the current adventure 
  storyline to follow a false lead or pursue another short adventure that has interested them. 
  When you are ready to return the player characters back to this adventure plot line, simply 
  pick up with the next Scene.
   
  Adventure Checklist – The Adventure Checklist provides the Referees with a 
  recommended guideline of the order in which various Scenes and Plot Keys in this 
  adventure should be presented to the players. As the player characters complete each 
  Scene or Plot Key, the Referee simply checks it off the list. When every Plot Key in a 
  Chapter has been played, that Chapter has been completed the Referee may begin the 
  first Scene in the next Chapter. 
  REWARDS AND ADVANCEMENT
   
  Before embarking upon a Traveller game or campaign, it is worth deciding what the 
  pace of advancement will be for participating characters. For one-off games this is not 
  important but if the same characters are going to have future adventures, advancement 
  becomes a major issue. 
   
  If too little experience is given out, players may become frustrated. There is always 
  a new skill or feat that a character could have done with having, or that the player really 
  wants to have, and for many people working towards gaining such abilities is an important 
  part of the game. If the distant mountains never seem to be any closer, what is the point of 
  walking towards them?
   
  On the other hand, characters who gain large amounts of experience and other 
  rewards may become overpoweringly powerful. True, a shotgun in the back will be as 
  detrimental to the health of a 20th level veteran as a beginner, but skill levels are critical 
  to adventuring success; too much too fast is bad for a game even if it does not make the 
  characters invincible. Thus the Referee should tailor the experience awards suggested by 
  the T20 core rulebook to his or her own game style. In our experience it is better to keep 
  characters a little bit hungry.
   
  This brings up the question of whether to give out experience at the end of each Act or 
  at the end of the adventure. Each Act can be treated as a separate adventure in terms of 
  experience awards. Typically, each Act (or Chapter) is about equivalent to an Amber Zone 
  or Signal GK adventure, leading to the conclusion that it should be worth around 2000XP 
  X the Average party level. This is not a good parallel, since some Acts are quite short and 
  besides, over a 5-Act adventure this adds up to a LOT of experience. 
   
  If experience is to be given out at the end of each Act, it is better to use the following 
  system:
   
  Base Experience for the adventure is calculated as per the THB – this is a full 
  adventure so experience award is set as 4,000 XP multiplied by the average party level (at 
  the beginning of the adventure). Half of this is saved up to be awarded at the end of the 
  adventure. The other half is available to be assigned at the end of each Act. It is possible 
  to simply assign 10% of the total to each Act (assuming 5 Acts), but the Referee should 
  consider assigning greater or lesser percentages to certain Acts if he/she feels that the 
  characters would learn more from the events in that Act than from another. 
   
  The experience available for any given Act is subject to the standard multipliers listed 
  in the T20 core rulebook; some acts are just plain more dangerous than others! The 50% 
  block of experience is also subject to multipliers for difficulty of the overall adventure.
   
  Remember that all experience awards are totals, and are then shared among the 
  participating characters. Only characters present in a given Act gain experience for it. 
  When determining who gains experience from the adventure as a whole, the Referee 
  must use judgment. Obviously, characters who were there the whole time should gain 
  the full amount. People who popped in for a singe Act should not. If a player brought in 
  a new character to replace one killed or otherwise indisposed, the Referee should count 
  the character as being present for purposes of dividing up the experience but only award 
  a portion of the total experience, based on how long the new character was involved. The 
  rest of the experience entitlement was lost with the dead character. 
   
  Using this system, characters who were present for just one or two Acts of the 
  adventure gain some experience, but do not share in the overall end-of-adventure award. 
  Referees also are able to easily deal with the situation where a player brings along three 
  friends to a session in the middle of the adventure, only one of whom comes back to play 
  in the remaining Acts. 
  Example
   
  Alice, Bob and Candy play 6th level characters through a 5-act adventure. Ignoring 
  difficulty multipliers, this gives a base XP award of 4,000 x 6 = 24,000 points for the whole 
  adventure. The Referee ‘banks’ 12,000 for award at the end, leaving 12,000 available to 
  be divided up among the various Acts. She decides that Act 1 and 2 are worth 1,000 each, 
  3 and 4 (being much more complex) are worth 4,000 each and Act 5 is worth 2,000.
   
  Alice’s character manages to get killed during Act 2 and is replaced by a new one, 
  who survives to the end of the adventure. She thus gains no experience for Act 1-2 (well, 
  other than being a highly experienced corpse) but gains XP for Act 3,4 and 5. 
   
  Bob goes right through the adventure with no mishaps, but complicates matters by 
  bringing his friend Dave along to Act 3. Dave misses Act 4 but manages to turn up for 
  about half of Act 5.
   
  Candy misses the very last session of Act 5 but plays throughout the rest of the 
  adventure. 
   
  Experience is awarded as follows:
   
  Act 1: Three characters participate. Experience is awarded: 1000 points divided by 3, 
  or 334 points each.
   
  Act 2: Three characters participate. Experience is awarded: 1000 points divided by 3, 
  or 334 points each. Alice’s character is dead, so this experience is buried with her.
   
  Act 3: Four characters participate. Experience is awarded: 4,000 points divided by 4, 
  or 1,000 points each.
   
  Act 4: Three characters participate. Experience is awarded: 4000 points divided by 3, 
  or 1,334 points each.
   
  Act 5: Three characters participate in the majority of sessions in this Act. The Referee 
  decides that Dave’s relatively  trivial contribution should not take experience away from 
  the others and awards 2,000 experience divided by 3, or 1,667 points to each of the 
  
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  three main characters. She gives Dave a token award of a third of this – 555 experience 
  points.
   
  Final Award: The Referee decides that the adventure was carried by Alice, Bob and 
  Candy, and that Dave’s contribution was relatively minor. However, Act 3 was a big one 
  and Dave not only made his character useful but also got involved in the roleplaying. She 
  decides that the experience Dave got from the two Acts he was actually present for is 
  enough of a reward and awards the overall adventure experience among the three main 
  characters. This is 12,000 divided by 3 or 4,000 points each. However, Alice loses part 
  of this award since her character is a replacement. A 3/5 award (the new character was 
  present for Acts 3-5) does not seem fair, since the first two Acts were quite minor. The 
  Referee decides to award the overall experience in the same proportions as the per-Act 
  XP, i.e. Alice loses out on 2,000/12,000 or 1/10 of her possible award.
   
  Candy missed a single session, but the Referee decides that this is of no 
  consequence. 
   
  Thus the experience awards for the Acts and the adventure as a while work out as:
   
  Alice: 1,000 + 1,334 + 1,667 + 3600 = 7,601
   
  Bob and Candy: 334 + 334 + 1,000 + 1,334 + 1,667 + 4000 = 8669
   
  Dave: 1,000 (Act 3) + 555 (1/3 of Act 5) = 1,555
   
  The Referee has decided that although Dave was present in Act 3, a major part of 
  the adventure as a whole, it would represent an isolated incident to him and thus he does 
  not qualify for the overall experience award. This also avoids the problem of players who 
  rarely turn up for a game possessing quite powerful characters whose experience was 
  earned by other players.
   
  Other rewards are of course possible within an adventure. Each Act will normally 
  include opportunities for characters to gain advantages in terms of money, equipment, 
  weaponry and contacts among rich and powerful individuals.
  CHARACTER TYPES AND SKILLS
   
  It is not the practice of QLI to list the skills a team of travellers will need in order 
  to complete any given adventure (though skills required to get hired for the job might 
  be listed). This is because Traveller is an open-ended game, and there are a great 
  many possible paths to success. Almost any group, of any level, with any set of skills, 
  can complete this or any other Traveller adventure if they are able to think creatively 
  and maximize their strengths. There are no encounters or challenges in this adventure 
  aimed at any type or class of character. Different characters will use different approaches 
  and may struggle in some circumstances, but adventuring is not about having the right 
  weapons, skills or equipment to meet a challenge; it is about meeting what the universe 
  throws at you with what you have and finding a way to win – or at least survive.
   
  Since the characters and their ship are somewhat impoverished, it is recommended 
  that characters created specially for this adventure should not start with large amounts 
  of cash from their mustering-out bonuses. The Referee should allow the purchase of a 
  reasonable amount of equipment with this money prior to beginning play, then reduce 
  whatever is left by 50-90%, leaving the characters with a few hundred credits to their name 
  rather than tens of thousands. 
   
  Players who know about this in advance may decide to spend all their money before it 
  is taken away. It is up to the Referee if this is acceptable or not. For example, it is entirely 
  believable for a character taking a job as an engineer aboard a starship to invest her 
  mustering-out cash in the very best hostile-environment suit available or for an amateur 
  scientist to own an expensive personal computer. Characters who wish to buy a golf bag 
  full of guns and a robot to carry it should be firmly discouraged. 
   
  QLI recommends the T20 Travellers Handbook for this purpose; it is really quite 
  sturdy.
  
  - 7 -
  Background
   
  The following data is provided for the benefit of the Referee. How much of it can be 
  determined by the players, and with what degree of accuracy, is a matter for the Referee 
  to decide. In many cases a simple search on the ship’s computer or any library terminal 
  will suffice to provide at least the bones of the information. 
   
  Stoner Express is set in the Domain of Gateway, part of the Third Imperium, in the 
  Year 993. The Domain is a somewhat turbulent place at present, after the controversial 
  appointment of a new Archduke to oversee is affairs and a major war raging in the 
  Solomani Rim just a couple of sectors away. However, life goes on, commerce continues, 
  and starship operators need to make a living. 
   
  The characters are the crew of a small starship making a bare living performing 
  courier work among the frontier worlds of the Domain, in Glimmerdrift Reaches sector. 
  Their ship is old but the overheads are small, and it looks like the question of where next 
  month’s expenses are going to come from has just been answered…
  THE THIRD IMPERIUM
   
  The Third Imperium is a human-dominated empire of some 11,000 star systems. It 
  is not a vast, monolithic structure. The time lag inherent in interstellar communications 
  makes this impossible. Instead, the Imperium resembles a vast federation of worlds that 
  agree to certain common practices, and allow the Emperor and his subordinates to deal 
  with foreign policy, military affairs and similar multi-world considerations while maintaining 
  control of their internal affairs. 
  THE IMPERIAL DOMAIN OF GATEWAY
   
  Gateway Domain lies at the very fringe of the Imperium. As a result it is in some 
  ways a backwater and in others a vital strategic area. The nominal area of the domain is 
  the same as all others; four sectors. However, since much of the area that would be part 
  of the Domain lies either in the two Rifts or else beyond the Imperial border, the territory 
  administered by the Archduke of Gateway is rather smaller than that of other Imperial 
  Domains. 
   
  The Domain of Gateway is protected by a single Named Imperial Fleet; the Ley 
  Sector Fleet. Since the outbreak of the Solomani Rim War, force transfers have stripped 
  the fleet of a portion of its vessels, leaving it understrength and still responsible for an area 
  slightly larger than a normal sector.
   
  The Imperium reached its present borders in the region about 200 years ago, and 
  while a few worlds have applied to and joined the Imperium since then, there has been 
  little deliberate expansion in the past two centuries.
   
  Thus while still a frontier, Gateway Domain is also a settled area. There is some friction 
  along the border, but for the most part the worlds and states close to the Imperial border 
  are used to their status as clients or independent worlds. Relations are not always cordial, 
  but understandings have been developed. Cross-border trade and travel is common and 
  many businesses operate on both sides of the border. Law enforcement agencies usually 
  co-operate, much to the detriment of criminals seeking refuge on the other side of the 
  line. The Imperial Navy does make anti-piracy sweeps beyond its borders, usually but not 
  always with the consent and cooperation of the local independent worlds. 
  INDEPENDENT WORLDS AND CLIENT STATES
   
  Many of the worlds along the border of Gateway Domain are to a greater or lesser 
  degree ‘client states’ of the Imperium. In effect, they are friendly independents who allow 
  Imperial Navy vessels to use their ports and patrol their systems as a matter of course. 
  Trade links are strong and relations generally cordial. Joint naval operations are not 
  uncommon and extradition treaties are in place. Imperial-registered ships arriving in 
  port on such worlds are treated more or less as if they were local shipping – papers are 
  normally accepted at face value and customs checks are no more rigorous than usual. In 
  return, client worlds are guaranteed protection against aggression and can request aid 
  from the Imperium in times of trouble.
   
  Some worlds have formal Client status and are listed as such in the star system data. 
  Good relations with the Imperium and its citizens can be taken for granted. Some other 
  worlds are a kind of ‘informal client state’ with friendly relations but no formal treaty in 
  place. Some words listed as Independent fall into this group.
   
  Other independent worlds are truly that; non-aligned. Some are actually quite hostile 
  to the Imperium and will harass ships coming through their ports with endless paperwork 
  or intense customs inspections. Actual violence against Imperial citizens acting lawfully 
  would be a very stupid mistake, but some worlds will do everything they can to discourage 
  Imperial attention and Imperial visitors.
   
  The majority of Independent worlds are fairly neutral in their attitude to Imperial 
  citizens, and treat them no better or worse than any other visitors. Attitudes do shift, 
  however, due to internal or external factors. 
  THE GRAND DUCHY OF STONER
   
  Situated along the Trailing edge of the Delphi Rift, the Grand Duchy of Stoner 
  comprises a handful of worlds in the Alpha quadrant of the Glimmerdrift Reaches sector, 
  and additional holdings to Coreward, most of which enjoy a fairly high technology level. 
   
  The original Grand Duke of Stoner was a Sylean noble who, not caring for what Cleon 
  Zhunastu (Emperor Cleon I) was doing to the Sylean Federation, gathered his followers 
  and headed out into the unknown in a fleet of starships with the intent of founding his 
  own pocket empire. Centuries later, when the Sylean Federation had become the Third 
  Imperium its scouts contacted the Grand Duchy which by then was well established and 
  already a moderate success. 
   
  While the Duchy has no real love for the Imperium, there is no traditional enmity. 
  Nevertheless, the Duchy is suspicious of Imperial expansion and works through legal and 
  economic means to curtail it. Imperial corporations are not permitted to own facilities or 
  even maintain offices within the Duchy. 
   
  Most worlds of the Grand Duchy are ruled by either hereditary Princes (there are 
  several Princes, but the Grand Duke outranks them) or Appointed Governors, most of 
  whom are Dictators with wide powers who answer directly to the Grand Duke.
   
  The Grand Duchy annexed the world of Gazala in 960 through an economic 
  masterstroke that saved the world’s failing economy. Although Gazala gives its loyalty 
  freely and wholeheartedly, its deeply religious citizens are not truly integrated with the 
  population of the Grand Duchy as a whole. 
   
  The Grand Duchy of Stoner has a single armed force, the Ducal Household, which 
  encompasses ground troops, security personnel, naval forces, emergency services 
  
  - 8 -
  and royal couriers. Local (non Jump-capable) defense forces are backed up by Ducal 
  Reserves and Expeditionary Forces.
  The Ducal Household is well known for the arrogance of its personnel, and vessels entering Stoner 
  space can expect to be stopped and searched by every naval vessel they encounter.
   
   
   
  MIRACRU TRADECORP, LIC
   
  Miracru is a large corporation based out of Core sector in the Imperium. Founded in 
  706, the firm has grown steadily (though not without the occasional upset) and now has 
  offices in all the Domains of the Imperium. Miracru specializes in opening up long-term 
  trade relations in areas that have traditionally been difficult. Success of this sort is often 
  slow in coming, but the benefits can last for many years.
   
  One current project is the opening-up of relations with the notoriously anti-Imperial 
  Grand Duchy of Stoner. Stoner does not allow Imperial companies even to maintain an 
  office in its territory, though it is willing to trade on a sporadic basis. Miracru is currently 
  trying to win over the Grand Duke by presenting him with items of his family’s traditional 
  regalia. 
   
  The Grand Duke’s family were powerful on Sylea just before the founding of the Third 
  Imperium, but sold everything they had to finance a colonial expedition far away from 
  Sylean space, meaning to place distance between their people and the society Cleon 
  Zhunastu (first Emperor of the Third Imperium) was creating. 
   
  Miracru has managed to locate items that once belonged to the Grand Duke’s family, 
  and is returning them as a goodwill gesture. The firm naturally hopes to win over the Grand 
  Duke, and plans to make its pitch for a regular cross border trade run sometime in the next 
  few months. 
  Referee’s Overview
   
  The characters have been on Arkaene Highport for a few days when they are offered 
  a charter contract – and quite a good one at that. A representative of Miracru TradeCorp, 
  LIC wishes them to deliver a small cargo for him. The destination is over the Imperial 
  border; the Grand Duchy of Stoner. The cargo (less than a ton in all) must be delivered 
  to a contact on Stoner within three months. At Jump-2 the trip requires seven Jumps, so 
  while the characters do not have time to hang around the job is entirely doable.
   
  The package is nothing illegal, though it is quite valuable. It contains several items from 
  the ceremonial regalia of House Stoner when they were nobles in the Sylean Federation 
  1000 years ago. The items are mostly of fairly low value (a few tens of thousands of credits 
  each) but have a great deal of sentimental value to House Stoner, Miracru TradeCorp 
  hopes to gain the goodwill of the Grand Duke with the gift. Already other collections of 
  Stoner historical items have been delivered to a representative of the firm on Stoner (he is 
  not allowed a trade office but the Grand Duchy is quite happy for him to hang around the 
  starport running up a huge hotel bill).
   
  The representative has an audience with the Grand Duke scheduled for 3 months’ 
  time and wants to make the presentation then. Most of the rest of the regalia was 
  transported by armed courier ships hired specially, but the navy has called a lot of such 
  vessels up as auxiliaries for the duration of hostilities, so Miracru is forced to make other 
  arrangements. 
   
  The situation is entirely above board and as represented except for one minor detail.  
   
  Some of the regalia was bought from its current owners, but some was owned by 
  House Randall, a minor baronial house in Fornast sector. The regalia had come into their 
  possession at the founding of the Third Imperium and they were not willing to part with it. 
  Miracru TradeCorp did not exactly steal the items as such, but certainly used underhanded 
  methods to obtain the items or force a sale. House Randall is determined to track down its 
  heirlooms and retrieve them. 
   
  Note that the heirlooms are not stolen. House Randall could make a case that illegal 
  methods were used to force a sale, but the fact is that money changed hands on mutually 
  agreed terms. A legal case would be expensive, lengthy and by no means guaranteed 
  of success. Besides, it would embarrass some members of House Randall in ways that 
  the family is not willing to accept. In short, House Randall has no legal means to recover 
  ‘their’ treasures. If the regalia reaches Stoner, the situation becomes a diplomatic matter 
  between the Grand Duchy and House Randall, and one that is not likely to be resolved to 
  the satisfaction of the Randalls. 
   
  Therefore House Randall has decided to take direct action before it is too late. The 
  means they have selected are a little borderline but quite legal – their agents plan to 
  intercept the shipment and make the couriers an offer it would be inadvisable to refuse. 
  House Randall feels it is acting in a justified and honorable manner. Legal means will not 
  work once the heirlooms are across the Imperial border, so a direct retrieval is the only 
  solution. Which leads to a more serious problem.
   
  The task has fallen to Lady Elizabeth Randall-Hofnier, a junior member of the House 
  determined to make a name for herself and move on to better things. She can be a little 
  overzealous, especially when she thinks she is acting with full justification. Lady Elizabeth 
  is something of a loose cannon and will do everything in her power to locate the her family 
  
  - 9 -
  treasures and retrieve them. Her resources are finite but she is clever and tenacious, 
  and if push comes to shove is likely to forget all about legality and act upon her sense of 
  justice, rightness and family pride. 
   
  Lady Elizabeth will try bribery and coercion first, and if that fails she may resort to 
  outright violence. The characters have a slight headstart and the advantage of anonymity 
  – House Randall has not yet traced the missing items to Arkaene Highport – but pursuit 
  is already on its way. It does not take a rocket scientist to work out where the package is 
  headed and the route it will likely take (a decent Astrogator will do), and Lady Elizabeth’s 
  ship is faster than the characters’ old Scout/Courier. She will try to head them off at one of 
  the systems they have to pass through, after sending agents to other systems to catch the 
  characters as they come through.
   
  There are two efficient Jump-2 routes to Stoner from Arkaene.  The one that makes 
  best use of Jump-2 drives is as follows: Arkaene – Endpoint – Arlula – Phelina – Spirit of 
  Orlaine – Gazala – Massen’s World or Khad Khabar – Stoner. 
   
  The alternative route is as follows: Arkaene – Liga or Endpoint – Galik – Khirliish 
  – Shur – Gazala – Massen’s World or Khad Khabar – Stoner.
   
  It is possible that the characters might take a completely different (and more 
  roundabout) route, or make several Jump-1 hops to trade along the way. However, it is 
  possible to make certain assumptions regarding the route, and Lady Elizabeth will do so:
  • 
  The only Jump-2 entry to Stoner space is through Gazala, and Gazala is only 
  reached through Spirit or Orlaine or Shur.
  • 
  If the characters go via Liga, their most efficient route is via Khirliish and Shur.
  • 
  If the characters go via Endpoint, both routes are equally long.
   
  Since Lady Elizabeth has a Jump-3 ship, she can get ahead of the characters and 
  cross regions they will have to navigate around. She will try for an intercept before they 
  reach Gazala, but she knows that the earliest the characters can arrive there is a little over 
  5 weeks after their departure from Arkaene. Failing all else, she will attempt to intercept 
  the characters there. 
   
  Most of Lady Elizabeth’s agents will be travelling on commercial vessels capable of 
  only Jump-2. Communications lags are such that all she can do is place them ahead of 
  the couriers and hope they can perform their tasks using their own Inititative. Some of her 
  agents are House Randall personnel, but others are mercenaries and adventurers who 
  have been paid well and convinced of the righteousness of their actions (where it was 
  necessary). They will not sacrifice themselves for someone else’s heirlooms.
   
  PLAYING OUT THE ADVENTURE
   
  Stoner Express will play out as a fairly routine starship trading mission at first. The 
  characters are entitled to take on whatever freight or speculative cargo they wish so long 
  as the package is delivered on time, and they have sufficient time to spend a few days on 
  each planet they visit, perhaps even getting involved in sideline adventures.
   
  There are many opportunities for roleplaying and adventure along the way. The 
  characters’ ship is not in the best of repair, and port authorities may decide to investigate its 
  spaceworthiness. Customs officials and naval patrols will want to inspect the vessel from 
  time to time. Most importantly, the characters will have to get out of their ship whenever 
  they can. Living in a small starship is like being bricked up in an apartment for a week at 
  a time with nothing on TV or the radio and only the same people for company. Scrubbed 
  air and recycled water make the ship livable but humans are only able to tolerate the 
  environment for a certain length of time. Most crews go planetside for at least a couple 
  of days at every stopover, breathing air that smells of something other than recycling 
  filters, seeing things that are not bulkheads, and sleeping in beds that are not aboard ‘that 
  blasted ship!’.
   
  Perhaps most importantly, crews that go ashore get to mingle with other people and 
  relax for a while. Even in the military, shore leave is considered a necessity for a happy 
  (or at least, sane) crew and while a naval ship or a messenger vessel may make several 
  Jumps in rapid succession, every effort is made to ensure that the crew get adequate 
  shore leave once the necessity for rapid operations is over.
   
  The player characters should go planetside in the various ports they visit and have the 
  odd ‘day off’, wandering around seeing the sights or pursuing their interests. Characters 
  are people, after all. While it is possible to abstract this activity, Traveller games are 
  much richer if the characters live the various aspects of their lives rather than just being 
  assumed to do them in their off hours. 
   
  Thus, much of this adventure may be made up of events not relevant to the plot. This 
  is fine – so long as the players are having a good time then it does not matter if an entire 
  gaming session was spent finding a decent restaurant or sightseeing in a foreign city.
   
  It should not be immediately apparent to the players that they have opposition, and 
  the nature of the opposition should be slowly revealed rather than presented as a data 
  dump. The first attempts at coercion or bribery may seem like random events, especially if 
  the characters are ‘living’ the adventure in some detail. 
   
  However, in time it will become apparent that someone is determined to stop the 
  characters from delivering their package. The level of violence will escalate into a serious 
  attempt to kill them and take their cargo. Exactly where and when this occurs depends 
  on what the characters do; this adventure does not have a linear plot/location structure. 
  Instead the ‘Plot Keys’ – the critical incidents that make up the main story of this adventure 
  – should be presented as and when they seem appropriate. Some naturally come after 
  others but for the most part the structure of this adventure is flexible enough that even the 
  actions of the most off-the-wall players should not derail it too badly.
  PUSH, PULL, ENIGMA AND GIMMICK
   
  Four elements of the typical adventure story are push, pull, enigma and gimmick. 
  Stoner Express contains all four:
   
  Push: The characters are ‘pushed’ to move on from their present location by the need 
  to find a cargo and make enough money to refit their ship.  Later in the adventure they may 
  be ‘pushed’ by the knowledge that someone is hunting them.
   
  Pull: The main pull in this adventure is financial, or rather the knowledge that the 
  mission will provide finance for something the characters need (a refit for their ship).
   
  Enigma: There are two enigmas to be uncovered in this adventure. First, there is 
  the Grand Duchy of Stoner, a place the characters have never been beyond the Imperial 
  border. What is it like? What new adventures will be found there? 
   
  The second enigma is not immediately apparent, but manifests itself during the 
  course of play. Someone seems to be hunting the characters. Why? What do they want?
   
  Gimmick: A gimmick is something special the characters get out of the adventure. 
  There are two possible gimmicks in this adventure: the patronage of Miracru TradeCorp in 
  
  - 10 -
  future adventures and the possibility of improved relations with the Grand Duchy. Whether 
  these or other unexpected gimmicks become available to the characters depends greatly 
  on events in play.
  Glimmerdrift Reaches Sector
   
  Most of Glimmerdrift Reaches sector lies well beyond the borders of any major state, 
  so while influences are felt the region is in fact somewhat fragmented. Populations are 
  predominantly human, and Vargr are less common than in Ley Sector to Coreward.
   
  Star density is rather low in the central area of the sector. Some astrographers consider 
  this region to be an extension of the Darksky Gulf (or Delphi Rift), though it contains far 
  more stars than what is normally considered Rift space. The low-density central area is 
  known as the Glimmer Drift, since it contains numerous clouds of interstellar gas. It is 
  bounded to Spinward-Rimward and Coreward by a region of true rift some 2-5 parsecs 
  deep. This rift presents navigation problems, as it can only be crossed by Jump-2 ships at 
  two points, though once across the gulf, traversing the Glimmer Drift is somewhat easier.
   
  The Glimmerdrift Reaches sector is a battleground for Solomani and Imperial agents 
  trying to create sympathy for their respective causes. The Solomani could use neutral 
  worlds in the Reaches as a base for commerce raids into the Imperium (indeed, it is 
  suspected that they already are doing so), and are constantly seeking alliances or basing 
  agreements. Thus many worlds are equipped with Solomani weaponry sold at knockdown 
  prices in return for a little political favor. Both sides are using all the tools at their disposal, 
  from flag-showing naval vessels and economic assistance to covert action and blatant 
  strongarm tactics to prevent the other from gaining an advantage.
  
  - 11 -
  THORSTONE SUBSECTOR
   
  Situated at the very Coreward edge of Glimmerdrift Reaches sector and bounded 
  by the Delphi Rift in Darkling subsector to Spinward, Thorstone subsector contains 
  12 Imperial worlds and 13 non-Imperial ones, of which two are formal Client States. A 
  small Imperial patrol force is based out of 025-841. Most Imperial worlds are relatively 
  undeveloped backwaters of no great importance. 
   
  The main astrographic groupings are the Arkaene Group, the Phelina Main and the 
  Amunkhan Cluster. The Phelina Main, while short, is important in that it provides a Jump-
  2 link to Rimward-Trailing from the Imperium out into the neutral space of Glimmerdrift 
  Reaches sector.
  WORLDS OF THORSTONE SUBSECTOR
  Allegiance Codes: X - Non-Aligned; I - Imperial (Domain of Gateway); Ic - Imperial Client 
  State
   
  Name
  Loc.  UWP
  Bases
  Codes
  PBG Allegiance/Stellar
  Gar           
  0905 E5677BB-4    
  Ag                 
  340 I G0 IV M9 V  
  Khermi       
  1003 E100543-A    
  Ni Va             
  220 I K5 V    
  Esgiganuu    
  1004 B210300-C                       
  920 I K5 V    
  Amunkhan      
  1008 B1009BB-F    
  In                 
  450 Cs K0 V    
  Gidiilar      
  1009 E491100-6                       
  640 Cs K4 V G2 D  
  Vacc City  
  1103 C100243-A    
  Va                 
  120 I K7 V    
  Arkaene            
  1104 B100000-9    
  Va                 
  630 I M9 V M3 D  
  Liga
  1105 E200455-9
  Ni Va
  830 I M2 V F3 D 
  Endpoint  
  1106 D11079B-6    
  Na                 
  431 X M2 V    
  Hovel
  1109 D62389C-2    
  Na Po              
  341 X M1 V A6 D  
  Shur          
  1209 B333687-5   
  Na Ni Po           
  422 X M3 V A1 D  
  Lakeshore
  1301 D676400-7    
  Ni                
  552 I G2 V    
  025-841       
  1302 A9B6631-A     
  N
  940 I M2 V M6 D  
  Niish         
  1303 B631583-A    
  Ni Po              
  442 I K3 V M8 D  
  Galik    
  1306 C437678-8    
  Ni                 
  932 X G2 V    
  Arlula        
  1307 E4568BC-2                       
  700 X M2 V 
  Khirliish     
  1308 C110400-D                      
  940 X K4 V M5 V  
  Ku            
  1404 D210444-6    
  S
  Ni                 
  930 I M1 V    
  Broad-C
  1407 B76A636-B    
  Ni Wa              
  220 X G5 IV    
  Intrell    
  1507 C793578-5    
  Ni                 
  700 X A4 V    
  Phelina       
  1508 B873984-8    
  In                 
  820 X M2 V    
  Berdane   
  1509 A551378-9    
  Po                
  531 X M2 V    
  Spirit of Orlain  1510 D653538-2    
  Ni Po              
  630 X M0 V M2 D  
  Isda Kaille   
  1601 A453788-8    
  Po                 
  821 I M2 V    
  Ugekur        
  1602 C472424-A    
  Ni                 
  330 I M2 V    
  PRIMUS
  over one billion
  CHARACTERISTICS
  WORLD
  No Water Present
  border
  Quintus
  Secundus
  TRAVEL ZONES
  POPULATION
  Amber Zone
  Red Zone
  BASES
  Asteroid Belt
  Water Present
  No Gas Giant
  Travel Zone
  Code (Red)
  MAP LEGEND
  Starport Type
  Gas Giant
  Bases
  World
  Name
  World
  Type
  X-Boat
  Route
  Tertius
  A
  under one billion
  World names in red
  are subsector capitals
  Third Imperium
  A
  B
  C
  D
  E
  F
  G
  H
  I
  J
  K
  L
  M
  N
  O
  P
  X
  Thorstone Subsector
  Darkling
  Tri-Empire
  Kraxin
  Gar
  E
  Im
  Khermi
  E
  Im
  Esgiganuu
  B
  Im
  AMUNKHAN
  B
  IC
  Gidiilar
  E
  IC
  Vacc City
  C
  Id
  Arkaene
  B
  Id
  Liga
  E
  Id
  Endpoint
  D
  Xx
  Hovel
  D
  Xx
  Shur
  B
  Xx
  Lakeshore
  D
  Im
  025-841
  A
  Im
  Niish
  B
  Im
  Galik
  C
  Xx
  Arlula
  E
  Xx
  Khirliish
  C
  Xx
  Ku
  D
  Im
  Broad-C
  B
  Xx
  Intrell
  C
  Xx
  PHELINA
  B
  Xx
  Berdane
  A
  Xx
  Spirit of Orla
  D
  Xx
  Isda Kaille
  A
  Im
  Ugekur
  C
  Im
  0901
  0902
  0903
  0904
  0905
  0906
  0907
  0908
  0909
  0910
  1001
  1002
  1003
  1004
  1005
  1006
  1007
  1008
  1009
  1010
  1101
  1102
  1103
  1104
  1105
  1106
  1107
  1108
  1109
  1110
  1201
  1202
  1203
  1204
  1205
  1206
  1207
  1208
  1209
  1210
  1301
  1302
  1303
  1304
  1305
  1306
  1307
  1308
  1309
  1310
  1401
  1402
  1403
  1404
  1405
  1406
  1407
  1408
  1409
  1410
  1501
  1502
  1503
  1504
  1505
  1506
  1507
  1508
  1509
  1510
  1601
  1602
  1603
  1604
  1605
  1606
  1607
  1608
  1609
  1610
  (subsector B of Glimmerdrift Reaches sector)
  Naval Base
  Scout Base
  Way Station
  (Gateway Domain)
  
  - 12 -
  KRAXIN SUBSECTOR
   
  Kraxin Subsector has only one multiworld state, the Grand Duchy of Stoner. It 
  comprises nine star systems, of which eight are locate din the  Stoner Cluster. Only 
  Gazala, important as a Jump-2 link Coreward, lies beyond the cluster.
   
  The remaining 16 worlds of the subsector are all independent, and are mostly quite 
  undeveloped.  
   
  Just to Rimward of the midline of the subsector a finger of the Darksky Gulf (or Delphi 
  Rift) divides the subsector and makes Jump-2 transit difficult. 
  WORLDS OF KRAXIN SUBSECTOR
  Allegiance Codes: X - Non-Aligned; I - Imperial (Domain of Gateway); Ic - Imperial Client 
  State; Gs - Grand Duchy of Stoner
  Name
  Loc.  UWP
  Bases
  Codes
  PBG Allegiance/Stellar
  Adasha        
  0912 E785675-2    
  Ag Ni Ri           
  652 X M2 V    
  Modoc   
  0919 E65A303-5    
  Wa                 
  232 X K6 V    
  Irda          
  1013 A4238BA-7    
  Na Po              
  500 GS K2 III M3 V  
  Gesham        
  1014 B10088D-9    
  Na Va              
  610 GS G2 V    
  Ember
  1018 C989332-7                       
  742 X M2 V K6 D  
  Massen’s World   
  1112 B6468AC-6    
  Ag                 
  551 GS G4 V    
  Stoner        
  1113 B100ACB-E   
  N
  In                 
  801 GS A3 V    
  Iikhi         
  1114 D100462-9    
  Va                 
  551 GS M7 V    
  Khad Khabar  
  1212 B310885-6    
  Na                 
  721 GS M4 V M6 D  
  Irge          
  1213 B879457-C   
  Ni                 
  330 GS M3 V    
  Geon          
  1215 E647985-6   
  In                 
  451 X G1 V M8 D  
  Lagu          
  1219 E100400-8    
  Va                 
  830 X M0 V    
  Gazala        
  1311 D100AEC-D   
  In                 
  210 GS M5 III    
  Urmek            
  1313 D788563-6    
  Ag Ni Ri           
  920 GS G4 V F7 D  
  Shinan   
  1319 C422594-A    
  Ni Po              
  402 X M0 V    
  Grand Endeavor  
  1413 A475769-A    
  Ag                 
  120 X K8 III    
  Hope Rock   
  1414 E110489-5    
  Ni                 
  141 X M2 V M2 D  
  534-817       
  1417 B6A2100-D                       
  150 X M7 V    
  Uukishku      
  1420 B100574-B    
  Ni Va              
  510 X K2 V K6 D  
  Burukansse 
  1511 A542548-B    
  Ni Po              
  640 X M2 V    
  Kalder
  1515 E200200-5    
  Va                
  410 X F5 III    
  Kalash Nain      
  1520 X696389-0                       
  721 X M0 V    
  Kibarlimmar   
  1611 C756453-5    
  Ag Ni              
  800 X K2 IV A2 D  
  Gurgaliinash  
  1613 C672756-6    
  Ni                 
  740 X M3 III    
  Drahcir       
  1616 E300A96-8    
                   
  In
  541 X A3 V    
  PRIMUS
  over one billion
  CHARACTERISTICS
  WORLD
  No Water Present
  border
  Quintus
  Secundus
  TRAVEL ZONES
  POPULATION
  Amber Zone
  Red Zone
  BASES
  Asteroid Belt
  Water Present
  No Gas Giant
  Travel Zone
  Code (Red)
  MAP LEGEND
  Starport Type
  Gas Giant
  Bases
  World
  Name
  World
  Type
  X-Boat
  Route
  Tertius
  A
  under one billion
  World names in red
  are subsector capitals
  A
  B
  C
  D
  E
  F
  G
  H
  I
  J
  K
  L
  M
  N
  O
  P
  X
  Kraxin Subsector
  Thorstone
  Glowing
  Williamsburg
  Poonch
  Adasha
  E
  Xx
  Modoc
  E
  Xx
  Irda
  A
  GS
  Gesham
  B
  GS
  Ember
  C
  Xx
  B
  GS
  STONER
  B
  GS
  Iikhi
  D
  GS
  Khad Khabar
  B
  GS
  Irge
  B
  GS
  GEON
  E
  Xx
  Lagu
  E
  Xx
  GAZALA
  D
  GS
  Urmek
  D
  GS
  Shinan
  C
  Xx
  Grand Endeavor
  A
  Xx
  Hope Rock
  E
  Xx
  534-817
  B
  Xx
  Uukishku
  B
  Xx
  Burukansse
  A
  Xx
  Kalder
  E
  Xx
  Kalash Nain
  X
  Xx
  Kibarlimmar
  C
  Xx
  Gurgaliinash
  C
  Xx
  DRAHCIR
  E
  Xx
  0911
  0912
  0913
  0914
  0915
  0916
  0917
  0918
  0919
  0920
  1011
  1012
  1013
  1014
  1015
  1016
  1017
  1018
  1019
  1020
  1111
  1112
  1113
  1114
  1115
  1116
  1117
  1118
  1119
  1120
  1211
  1212
  1213
  1214
  1215
  1216
  1217
  1218
  1219
  1220
  1311
  1312
  1313
  1314
  1315
  1316
  1317
  1318
  1319
  1320
  1411
  1412
  1413
  1414
  1415
  1416
  1417
  1418
  1419
  1420
  1511
  1512
  1513
  1514
  1515
  1516
  1517
  1518
  1519
  1520
  1611
  1612
  1613
  1614
  1615
  1616
  1617
  1618
  1619
  1620
  (subsector F of Glimmerdrift Reaches sector)
  Naval Base
  Scout Base
  Way Station
  Grand Duchy
  of Stoner
  Massen's World
  
  - 13 -
  World Data
   
  Note that the adventure only details a few of the worlds on the route between Arkaene 
  and Stoner. UWP data is provided for the Referee to extrapolate from when the characters 
  visit worlds not detailed here. Further details on the Imperium, Glimmerdrift Reaches 
  sector and the states within it can be found in Gateway to Destiny: The Gateway Domain 
  Sourcebook from QLI.
  ARKAENE
  Arkaene             
  1104 B100000-9     
   
  Va                  
  630 I M9 V M3 D  
   
  Situated at the heart of the Araekene Cluster, at the very end of the Express Boat link 
  through Ley Sector and into the heart of the Imperium, Arkaene is a tiny rockball world 
  of no significance other than the fact that it acts as a handy gravitational anchor point for 
  Araekene Highport, a large Class B facility.
   
  Arkaene Highport has the dubious distinction of being pretty much the end of the 
  line for ships trading across the Imperium. It serves the local cluster but mainly acts as 
  a transshipment point for goods crossing the border via the Phelina Main. The Highport 
  is a corporate facility run as the sole asset of Arkaene Highport, LIC. Corporate security 
  personnel maintain a standard Imperial law level of 4 on the port (sidearms and blades are 
  permitted) and conduct rigorous checks on ships coming in across the border. 
   
  As might be expected this busy port sees a lot of shipping traffic and has been targeted 
  by commerce raiders in the past. At present it is defended by several squadrons of System 
  Defense Boats crewed by efficient mercenary personnel. An Imperial Navy destroyer is 
  normally also present on a guardship deployment out of the base at 025-841.
   
  All manner of goods are available in the shops of the port’s retail concourse. Some 
  of them are quite exotic, coming from far way or from alien cultures. Trade missions from 
  various worlds in the region are also present, and the port’s reputation as a good place to 
  get an efficient refit at a reasonable price is beginning to bring in independent ships from 
  across Glimmerdrift Reaches sector.
   
  The staff of Arkaene Highport, LIC know how important it is that visitors enjoy their 
  stay. Hospitality is excellent and generally inexpensive. The Arkaene Highport Corporation 
  hosts regular ‘networking dinners’ and parties (usually fairly dignified and sedate ones) 
  for visiting crews, at which it is possible to meet useful contacts. Of course, rowdy or 
  inappropriate behavior results in not being invited to another event. 
   
  Arkaene itself has no indigenous population. A small community of miners and 
  prospectors make a living from its mineral wealth. None of their communities numbers 
  more than 100 souls. Each has its own landing area (equivalent to a Class E Starport).
  SHUR
  Shur           
  1209 B333687-5    
   
  Na Ni Po            
  422 X M3 V A1 D  
   
  A link on the Jump-2 route to Amunkhan and Gazala, Shur is a small, cold world with a 
  very thin atmosphere  (too thin for humans to breathe unaided). Despite this, it does have 
  a reasonable ecosystem of its own, with many species of relatively primitive creatures. Life 
  is more common in the shallow, cold seas than on land, and large areas of the dry inland 
  areas are quite barren.
   
  The world is home to around 400 million people, ruled by a complex, over-bureaucratic 
  system whose myriad committees and sub-committees wrangle endlessly but never get 
  much actual work done. The world has a well-established TL-5 society which can  trace its 
  origins all the way back to a Rule of Man-era colony. Life support equipment is clunky but 
  extremely robust.
   
  Shur starport includes a small Highport built by offworld contractors many years ago. 
  It is now somewhat run down but remains quite capable of servicing the ships that pass 
  through. Facilities are fairly limited, so those vessels that can enter atmosphere tend to 
  proceed directly to the Downport. This sprawling facility is situated adjacent to the world’s 
  second-largest settlement, Karain City. Some offworld technology is available. Obtained 
  from Imperial, Grand Duchy and independent-world firms in fairly equal parts, high-tech 
  equipment is something of a mismatch, making maintenance a nightmare. 
   
  Shuur sees a fair amount of through traffic, though it has little industry of its own. 
  The economy is thus highly dependent on the Starport and the world’s ruling committees 
  are well aware of this fact. Service is efficient and friendly, though the port does seem to 
  employ as many ‘paperwork assistance officers’ as actual technicians. 
   
  With the annexation of Gazala 20 years ago it seems like the Grand Duchy of Stoner 
  is engaged in either a period of empire-building or else is trying to secure the Jump-2 
  routes into the Stoner Cluster. If this is the case, Shur is likely to be annexed at some 
  point. Several committees are currently discussing what can be done about this, though 
  they have been doing so for over a decade and have produced little beyond a system for 
  rating and reporting incidences of Stoner encroachment.
   
  Since Shur can afford only a handful of utility craft to serve the Highport, the system 
  is virtually undefended. Corsair strikes have taken several ships in the past few years and 
  incidents are becoming more common. Shur has vigorously refused offers of help from the 
  Imperium and Stoner, both of which occasionally send a patrol through anyway. 
   
  The nearby world of Amunkhan, which sends all of its outcluster trade through Shur, 
  has also offered assistance. No decision has yet been taken as to whether or not to accept 
  this aid. In the meantime, Amunkhan has armed its merchant fleet for self-defense and 
  occasionally sweeps the Shur system with units of its small but extremely advanced navy, 
  ignoring the routine protests issued by the Shur Planetary Government.
  PHELINA
  Phelina        
  1508 B873984-8     
   
  In                  
  820 X M2 V    
   
  Despite its rather uninviting nature (a hot dustbowl of a world whose atmosphere 
  is so thick with airborne dust that masks are required outdoors), Phelina is an important 
  population center in the region. Governed by an interlocking system of regional 
  bureaucracies and industry-specific guilds, Phelina’s 8 billion inhabitants have a 
  peaceable and liberal society. Differences of opinion are generally resolved in vigorous 
  debates that can go on for some time but are considered binding by the participants. A 
  significant fraction of such debates result in the mutual recognition that the other party 
  has a point but must be quite mad to stick to their view in the face of such overwhelming 
  evidence. Having established that there is no point in attempting to convert such a lunatic 
  to a rational worldview, both parties can honorably drop the subject.
   
  Daily interactions on Phelina are characterized by such debates, on topics ranging 
  from the morality of employing artificial intelligence robots of a sort that hypothetically 
  might just be possible some day on dangerous tasks that a human would not be assigned, 
  
  - 14 -
  to why synthetic protein food costs more than animal protein, or what color socks should 
  not be worn with a blue suit. In short, arguing is the national sport of the people of Phelina, 
  and they are very, very good at it. 
   
  Despite the endless debates and hypothetical questions, Phelina is an industrial 
  powerhouse that exports a range of high-quality TL8 goods across the subsector and 
  beyond. Some firms have contracts with Imperial and Stoner corporations to obtain 
  TL10+ components, allowing Phelina to build limited numbers of grav vehicles and other 
  equipment. Not as elegant as pure TL 10+ designs, Phelina’s TL 8/10 hybrids nevertheless 
  are popular on lower-tech worlds where an absolute minimum of high-tech components is 
  an advantage in terms of usability and maintenance. 
  SPIRIT OF ORLAIN
  Spirit of Orlain   
  1510 D653538-2     
   
  Ni Po               
  630 X M0 V M2 D  
   
  Spirit of Orlain is a fairly unremarkable world in physical terms – dry, with a thin 
  atmosphere and large areas of undeveloped wilderness. Its 600,000 inhabitants are 
  scattered in small city-states along the coastal plains or around the small inland seas of 
  the main continent. Technology is based on the muscle power of local beasts of burden 
  (many of which were imported long ago by the original colonists, or later by enterprising 
  offworlders). 
   
  There is some evidence that Spirit of Orlain once has a higher-tech society but at 
  some point (probably during the Long Night), the world fell into barbarism and has never 
  recovered its technological base. The city-states are ruled by a hereditary nobles who 
  retain all technology higher than TL-2 for their own use and that of their personal retinue. 
  Possession of offworld technology or weaponry by the citizens is harshly punished. There 
  is virtually no educated class to speak of, other than the personal households of the city-
  lords.
   
  The only real asset Spirit of Orlain has is its position as a Jump-2 link between Gazala 
  and the Phelina Main. Its rudimentary Starport is controlled by the most powerful of the 
  city-lords and staffed by loyal retainers. The common citizenry are not allowed contact 
  with offworlders to prevent the spread of undesirable ideas. Thus the Startown associated 
  with the port is rather small, though quite pleasant to visit despite its low-tech nature. Most 
  visitors prefer not to ask what conditions are like on the rest of the world; it is enough to 
  enjoy the (rather servile) hospitality, refuel and move on.
   
  With no Highport and no system patrol, the system itself is rather lawless. Stoner 
  warships make the occasional sweep but for the most part traders passing through rely on 
  their own armament and vigilance.
   
  GAZALA
  Gazala         
  1311 D100AEC-D    
   
  In                  
  210 GS M5 III    
   
  The world of Gazala is something of an oddity; a nasty little rockball inhabited by 
  20 million people. The world’s population arrived in waves during the last days of the 
  Rule of Man, and were thrown back on their own resources when the Long Night drew 
  in. Somehow the colony managed to do more than survive: it thrived, never losing Jump 
  technology and at one point becoming the center of a small empire covering parts of what 
  are now the Stoner Cluster and the Phelina Main. The empire gradually crumbled until 
  only Gazala was left, but by that time (late in the Long Night) its current form was well 
  established.
   
  Gazala is ruled by an extremely strict religious group whose practices are hidden from 
  outside observers. What is known is that the citizens are devout and even enthusiastic 
  followers of the True Faith, who labor contentedly for the greater glory of their deity or 
  deities. Nothing is known of these to outsiders and to citizens it or they are perceived 
  through the person of a single religious leader, an individual known only as the Glory of 
  Faith. Living standards are quite good in the underground cities, which are more or less 
  self-sufficient, with vast parks and gardens filled with plants and small animals from Old 
  Earth and worlds of the local clusters. 
   
  Gazala has an extremely insular society, which long ago lost interest in other worlds. 
  As a vital Jump-2 link out of the Stoner Cluster it was considered important enough to 
  annex. This act went virtually unremarked on Gazala itself; Stoner forces arrived and 
  chased off the private firm based out of Phelina that was at the time operating the small 
  Class D-equivalent port on Gazala’s only moon. The port is now known as Outpost 1209, 
  and its facilities are limited to say the least. It is little more than a refuelling point and a 
  base for a squadron of Stoner warships that secure the system. Access is restricted and 
  vessels passing through are carefully inspected by troops of the Ducal Household. 
   
  Although technically the world of Gazala now belongs to the Grand Duchy of Stoner, 
  no attempt has been made to gain control of the cities. Their industrial and technological 
  output would be an asset to the Grand Duchy, but the idea of taking on hordes of religious 
  fanatics in close urban terrain is enough to scotch any plans to annex the cities by force. 
  Instead, Stoner is content to hold the high ground and to patiently work towards an 
  accommodation with the Glory of Faith. The Grand Duchy has what it wants – control of 
  the system’s port and refuelling station, a base from which to deny the system to intruders, 
  and a secure Jump-2 route out of the Stoner cluster to Coreward.
  STONER
  Stoner         
  1113 B100ACB-E    
  N 
  In                  
  801 GS A3 V    
   
  Stoner, seat of the Grand Duke, is an airless rockball. It was not the intended 
  destination of the original colonists, but the opportunities offered by its vast mineral 
  deposits were too good to pass up. Stoner was at first a mining camp, then an industrial 
  complex, then finally the administrative capital for a pocket empire that controlled seven 
  (now eight) other worlds. Its factories fuelled the colonization of the rest of the cluster, 
  creating ‘breadbaskets’ at Massen’s World and Urmek that in turn fed an explosive 
  population growth. 
   
  Today, Stoner is inhabited by 800 million people grouped into large underground cities 
  that are highly industrialized and have access to very high technology. The world is ruled 
  by the Grand Duke through a number of city governors, and the regime is highly popular. 
  Citizens are subject to strict laws but enjoy a very high standard of living. Access to 
  facilities like university education is subject to a petition to the city governor, and if granted 
  is salaried like any other job. Standards of education are quite high, comparable to those 
  of high-tech Imperial worlds.
   
  Service in the Ducal Household is prestigious, with naval service being most 
  respected. Competition is fierce for places even in the ‘lesser’ branches such as medical, 
  administrative or ground forces, and the efficiency of the Household in all its activities is 
  famous. 
   
  The Grand Duchy is arrogant and high-handed in its treatment of outsiders, even in 
  
  - 15 -
  the impressive Starport. Foreign companies are permitted to maintain representatives at 
  the port (living in expensive hotel accommodation) but permanent offices are not allowed. 
  The Grand Duchy does not recognise trade representatives as anything but transient 
  visitors, no matter how long they have been on-planet, and absolutely will not permit 
  ownership of any property on-planet by anyone other than a citizen. 
   
  The Grand Duke does allow small embassies, but routinely ignores or snubs them. 
  Even the Imperial Ambassador is treated with bare courtesy at best, though over the years 
  the endless round of snubs and protests has evolved into a tired ritual and finally a strange 
  sort of working relationship whereby both parties go through the motions of hating one 
  another but actually get along without much friction. Actual co-operation is a rare thing, 
  and is fiercely bargained for.
   
  Vessels passing through Stoner from outside the Grand Duchy are rigorously 
  searched and certified. The port does not overhaul foreign ships for any price.
   
   
  Rumors and Scuttlebutt
   
  As they proceed through the various ports and worlds along their way, the characters 
  are bound to talk to people. They will likely pick up rumors about current events in the local 
  region and the wider universe. These rumors might or might not be true. They may lead to 
  new adventures or merely add to the feeling of a ‘living’ game setting.
   
  Rumors can be presented more than once. They can be rephrased or embellished at 
  the Referee’s discretion.
  RUMORS
  • 
  Corsairs operating in the Shur system have lost three ships lately. All have fallen 
  victim to Q-ships belonging to the Amunkhan navy.
  • 
  Endpoint has made representations to Archduke Erechs, asking for Imperial protection 
  and possibly full membership.
  • 
  The Imperial Navy is stretched very thin in the region now that many vessels have 
  been sent to the Solomani Rim. Smaller ships are being moved about a lot to maintain 
  the illusion of strength.
  • 
  The world of Grand Endeavor, ruled by a Stoner planetary governor but not a member 
  of the Grand Duchy, is to be given as a fief to a newly-elevated Hereditary Prince. The 
  world will become a full member at that time. 
  • 
  Imperial-registered trade ships have been turned back at Gazala in recent months. 
  This is causing tension between the Grand Duke and the Imperial Archduke.
  • 
  Corsair activity in the Phelina Main has shot up in recent months. 
  • 
  Ships of the Glimmerdrift Trade Consortium have been coming into Stoner ports 
  lately. 
  • 
  A Solomani cruiser called at Grand Endeavor last year. 
  • 
  War between the Farreach Margravate and the Loyal Nineworlds Republic, two states 
  to Trailing-Rimward across the Glimmer Drift, is looking increasingly likely. 
  • 
  Ruins have been discovered on Hope Rock dating from well before the Rule of Man. 
  They look like human habitations.
  • 
  An Imperial trading firm, Iikamaruu Enterprises, has been sending small ships into the 
  Coreward end of Glimmerdrift Reaches sector for some time now. It looks like they’re 
  being successful so maybe a larger follow-up mission can be expected.
  • 
  With the shortage of naval ships, the Imperials have started using Scout Service 
  vessels for routine patrols. How much use they’re likely to be is an open question.
  • 
  A ship came into Didan, over in Williamsburg subsector, a while back. It’d suffered a 
  massive Misjump and been in J-space for nearly 20 years!
  • 
  There is good money to be made in Belting out in the Glimmer Drift. The asteroids of 
  several systems have turned out to be surprisingly rich.
  • 
  Droyne ships all the way from Crucis Margin sector have been sighted in the region.
  • 
  The Glimmerdrift Trade Consortium, based out of the world of Fal over to Trailing, is 
  quietly expanding. It has run into some trouble at Lunarmise in the Starfall Cluster, but 
  this is sure to be transient.
  
  - 16 -
  Plot and Episodes
  ACT 1: ARKAENE HIGHPORT
   
  The characters are approached with a job offer.
  SCENE 1: IN PORT
   
  Some details of the port at Arkaene are listed under World Data. The port is quite 
  busy, with several ships coming and going each hour. Express Boat tenders are always 
  busy picking up the Xboats as they come in from 025-841 and bringing them to the tiny 
  Scout Service facility at the Highport for replenishment and turnaround.
   
  Much of the traffic in port is local, small Jump-1 merchants serving the local cluster, 
  with here and there the rather grander (and generally cleaner) uniforms of one of the 
  bigger merchant lines to be seen. MAE Lines runs a regular service up to Coreward; its 
  personnel are the commonest of the corporates likely to be encountered. There are also 
  a small number of Scout and Naval personnel on the Highport, and crews of prospectors 
  enjoying a break from planetside operations. 
   
  In short, Arkaene Highport is constantly busy at a moderate level. Never crammed or 
  bustling, it nevertheless has enough going on to keep most of the restaurants, shops and 
  bars open round the clock. Cargoes are auctioned at regular times and deals are struck 
  over coffee or wine by experienced frontier merchants from both sides of the Imperial 
  border. 
   
  Among the ships in port is the Scout/Courier Broadside of a Barn, just arrived from 
  Ley Sector by way of Lakeshore and Niish. After a week in Jump her crew are ready for 
  some portside R&R, but there are other considerations on their minds too. For the Barn is 
  an elderly ship and her last few refits have been skimped. Her drives are not dangerously 
  run-down, not yet, but they are getting that way. Problem is, there is little money in the 
  ship’s coffers and virtually nothing for crew pay.
   
  The Barn has delivered her cargo (standard freight for which she has already been 
  paid) and needs to fill her holds again. Speculative cargo is one option, but with so little 
  money available this would mean gambling all the remaining funds on being able to sell at 
  a profit at the other end – and the Barn is unlikely to make so much profit that she won’t 
  have to gamble again and again. That way lies eventual ruin. 
   
  The alternative is freighting for standard rates, which doesn’t pay all that well but 
  at least is a fairly safe investment, or courtier work for whatever fee can be negotiated. 
  Passengers are not really an option, not for a ship as dilapidated as the Barn. 
   
  One thing is certain as the crew stroll down the main Highport concourse. They need 
  to find something profitable to do, and fast.
  Referee
   
  The characters should be allowed to wander about the port and indulge in recreation 
  for a while. They’ve been in Jump for a week, they deserve to unwind. The crew may pick 
  up rumors that will lead them to other adventures after (or even during) this one. At some 
  point, however, Scene 2 will occur.
  SCENE 2: NO CHANCE ENCOUNTER (KEY SCENE)
   
  As the characters are going about their business in the port, they are approached by 
  a port courier with a handwritten invitation to lunch at Shuuru Kaninii, an expensive Vilani 
  restaurant just off the concourse. Lunch will be at the expense of a Mr Jasin Saliss. This 
  can only be a business proposal. The question is, how lucrative will it be?
   
  The restaurant is classy, with tables arranged in a traditional Vilani open-plan style 
  around a central kitchen where several chefs work under the direction of a Shugili (a Vilani 
  chef trained in the traditional cooking arts of Vland). The staff are dressed in traditional 
  Vilani style and the floor manager wears big gloves to show his status – he never touches 
  anything or does any work. There are waiters for that.
   
  If the characters like Vilani food, the fare is excellent. Highly authentic Vilani food is 
  hard to get this far from the cultural Vilani regions of the Imperium, but this is just like being 
  on Vland. On the other hand, if the characters don’t like Vilani food then they are forced 
  to choke down one horrible mess after another, each slathered in some contrasting but 
  equally yucky paste or dressing. 
   
  The restaurant does not serve anything but traditional Vilani dishes and makes no 
  concession to special diets or preferences. 
   
  At the table waiting for the characters is Mr Jasin Saliss, a representative of Miracru 
  TradeCorp LIC. As might be expected Miracru is a Vilani firm. Saliss wears a dark gray 
  three-piece suit with a single medal ribbon on the left breast pocket. The ribbon is easily 
  recognizable as an Honorable Discharge (Combat Veteran) medal issued by the Imperial 
  Navy. 
   
  If asked, Saliss shrugs and mentions that yes, he was in the navy for a few years. 
  He does not elaborate. If anyone wants to look up his record, it is listed in the Cast of 
  Characters section of this adventure.
   
  Saliss explains why he has chosen to buy lunch for the crew of a tired old courier 
  starship. It’s not very complicated. He needs a small ship to charter for a courier run, and 
  true merchant vessels are expensive to charter – far too expensive considering he needs 
  to deliver just one displacement ton of cargo. Given the state of the ship, it’s obvious that 
  the Broadside of a Barn doesn’t have much else going on, which makes negotiations less 
  complex. 
   
  The job is really very simple. Miracru TradeCorp wants a small cargo delivering to 
  Stoner, capital of the Grand Duchy of Stoner. The cargo is a gift for the Grand Duke, to be 
  presented in the hope of being granted a trade license for the Grand Duchy (something 
  no other Imperial firm has achieved). It must be delivered to Miracru’s representative on 
  Stoner within 10 weeks – easily doable for a Jump-2 ship.
   
  The cargo, Saliss is quite willing to admit, is a collection of items, some of them 
  reasonably valuable, that belonged to House Stoner centuries ago when it was a noble 
  house on Sylea. They were left behind when the first Grand Duke brought his people out 
  to the frontier to found their own pocket empire. Now Miracru has tracked them down and 
  plans to return them as a goodwill gift to the Grand Duke. 
   
  Miracru does have trading ships of its own, of course, but it is not worth pulling a ship 
  off a profitable line for several months for the sake of 1 ton of cargo. Instead, the firm hired 
  a courier. However, armed couriers are much in demand as Naval Auxiliaries, and the one 
  Miracru hired was pulled for Naval service just last week. An alternative was needed… and 
  here it is.
   
  The trip to Stoner is about 7 Jumps, and the cargo must be delivered within the next 
  12 weeks. It is thus obvious that so long as the characters do not hang around on any 
  particular world along the way, they can easily complete the delivery in time. 
  
  - 17 -
   
  Saliss offers a charter fee for the whole mission. In fact, he is willing to charter the 
  Barn for a full 12-week period. This means that if the delivery can be performed in a 
  shorter time, the characters will have some of the charter fee left over as a bonus. 
   
  Charter for the Barn works out at a standard rate of Cr900 per cargo ton, or Cr 18,000 
  per week, for 12 weeks. This is a total of Cr216,000. Saliss offers Cr50,000 up front and 
  the remainder payable by the agent at the far end – a fairly common arrangement. He 
  could be bargained up to Cr80,000 up front, but no more. 
   
  The characters will have to find their expenses and salaries out of the trip, of course. 
  A quick look at the ship’s projected budget and the starmap suggests that if the characters 
  move fairly quickly (no more than 2-3 days at any world), and make the trip in 6 Jump-2s 
  and a Jump-1, buying fuel rather than skimming it, the trip will take a little under 10 weeks 
  and cost Cr15,600 for fuel, Cr42,510 in bank payments (assuming the 3rd month payment 
  is taken early for ease of bookkeeping) and Cr7500 per crewmember for basic life support. 
  Putting nothing into the maintenance fund, this comes to Cr80,610 for a crew of three. 
  There will be some minor incidental expenses such as berthing fees and however much 
  the characters want to draw as salaries, but it is obvious that the ship will come out of the 
  deal with enough for its much-needed overhaul and still have a tidy profit in hand.
   
  Saliss also points out that his cargo adds up to 1 ton, leaving plenty of space for any 
  additional cargo the characters want to ship. He does insist that they agree not to take on 
  passengers while under his charter (for security reasons), though.
   
  This looks like a pretty good deal (it is) and a bit of checking will show Miracru 
  TradeCorp is a firm with a reputation for fair and honorable, if occasionally highly 
  competitive, trading practices.
   
  Saliss wants to get his cargo underway as soon as possible, but he will reserve the 
  deal for 24 hours to let the characters make a decision. 
  SCENE 3: LEAVING PORT
   
  Arkaene is a busy port, so it should be possible to find some freight bound for the 
  characters’ next destination. Shippers will pay a standard rate for freight. When a ship 
  is under charter it is sometimes forbidden to take on extra cargo, but Saliss specifically 
  stated that he did not mind, so the characters have a chance to make some additional 
  money on the side.
   
  Departing the port is routine. There is a fair bit of traffic but the port authority’s traffic 
  control system is sound. Unless the characters do something monumentally stupid they 
  will clear port and head out to Jump without undue incident.
   
  The Referee should use this scene to determine the characters’ routine when in 
  transit. Questions about bridge watches, location of weapons and security procedures 
  should be asked now and the answers noted to avoid alerting the players that something 
  is afoot when the information is really required. 
   
  The Referee may wish to ask some or all of the following questions during the run out 
  to Jump:
  • 
  What is the procedure for bridge watches? One person on the bridge throughout 
  each watch period? One person ‘on duty’ but anywhere aboard the ship so long 
  as they are available to answer alerts? No policy, whoever is nearest deals with 
  an alert? (note that this is a small ship and reaching the bridge is normally a 
  matter of seconds from anywhere in the ship.)
  • 
  Security procedures for the cargo? Is it monitored by cameras? Are they recorded 
  all the time? Do they actually work at all? Does anyone ever go in the cargo hold, 
  and if they do, do they conduct a close inspection of the cargo?
  • 
  Weaponry aboard ship? Does everyone keep their weapons in their cabin? Do 
  they routinely wear sidearms, even in Jump? Are there guns lying about all over 
  the place or is everything locked up until needed?
   
  Some players will claim that their characters are in a state of hair-trigger readiness for 
  danger at all times, and will usually claim that this is reasonable because they served in 
  the military at some time, or give some similar justification. In fact, even in the military the 
  level of discipline necessary for such readiness is rare, and aboard a small ship that has 
  been isolated in space for some weeks, the chances are virtually nil. Characters who insist 
  on tight security regimes will find that after a few days things start to unravel and people 
  get complacent or lazy. To simulate this, the following system can be used at the Referee’s 
  discretion to determine the state of readiness at any given time:
  T20: A player who claims his character is alert, at his post and has the right weapons or 
  other tools to hand when something happens should make a DC20 Will save. Success 
  indicates that he is indeed entirely ready and in the right place. Failure means that he is 
  going about normal business aboard ship and can at least remember where his sidearm, 
  toolkit and vac suit are. Failure by 10, or a natural 1 in any case or more means that he is 
  drunk, deeply asleep, in the fresher with a badly upset stomach, or otherwise completely 
  unready.
   
  If the characters try to stick to a system of alertness and security procedures, make 
  a DC15 Leadership check for the character in charge, with a special modifier of –1 for 
  every full week since the characters left Arkaene or had a major security alert to reflect 
  increasing boredom and complacence. If successful, the procedure is in place. If not, it 
  has unraveled to the point where everyone is goofing off.
  CT: To determine a character’s alert status, roll 2d, (DM +1 if END 7+, +2 if END 9+, DM 
  +1 per term spent in any military or merchant service, or the Scouts) On a roll of 10+ the 
  character is totally hair-trigger alert. On 5- (or in any case on a natural 2) he is totally 
  unready as noted above. Otherwise, the character is partially ready – awake and not 
  oblivious to the problem.
   
  To enforce security procedures, roll 9+ (DM Leader skill) to succeed. Apply a DM of 
  –1 per 2 full weeks since last major alert.
   
  As noted, this is at the Referee’s discretion. Characters who have recently had a good 
  scare or have other reasons to be alert may not need to roll. The default state of alertness 
  is not high; characters respond unhurriedly to alarms (false alarms are not uncommon), 
  have to scramble about looking for vital tools or run to their cabin for a flak jacket they’re 
  supposed to be wearing (those things are HEAVY and HOT!), assume that someone else 
  will deal with a given problem, forget to monitor the cameras that have been showing the 
  same cargo crate for 2 months, etc. Total incompetence is rare, but even adventurers get 
  complacent eventually, however determined they are not to do so. There eventually comes 
  a time when a few minutes’ snooze is just too tempting, especially when there is virtually 
  no chance that anything will actually happen in that time…. 
  
  - 18 -
  ACT 2: EN ROUTE
   
  It is 9 parsecs from Arkaene to Stoner as the crow flies. Unfortunately starships 
  are not crows, so the characters will have to choose a more roundabout route to follow, 
  stopping to refuel and perhaps take on cargo along the way.
  SCENE 1: PORTS OF CALL
   
  After the characters leave Arkaene, they have many choices of worlds to visit. Along 
  the way they may have other adventures, perhaps even Misjump or make a navigational 
  error. They will almost certainly want to trade or look for freight at the worlds they visit. The 
  UWP data listed in the Referee’s Information section can be used as a startpoint to make 
  each world interesting. Even if the characters see only the starport at each world, it should 
  be distinctive. After all, they are beyond the Imperium. Some of the worlds that they visit 
  have developed for their own culture and ways of doing things for many, many years with 
  little outside influence.
   
  Interstellar travel is a fundamental part of the Traveller game experience, but what 
  makes it interesting is not rolling for cargo and Jumping on to the next set of UWP codes. 
  What makes interstellar travel interesting is the places visited and the people met there. 
  The Referee should thus mention a few little details about each world that will make it 
  stand out in the players’ imagination. Is it a scorched rockball or a vast expanse of blue 
  ocean with just a few green islands? Are the cities towering arcologies or collections of 
  rough concrete bunkers huddling against the desert wind. Are the locals friendly or surly? 
  Is the port clean and efficient or a filthy, weed-choked mess?
   
  It is not possible in an adventure of this type to detail every world the characters may 
  visit. Indeed, the world descriptions that are provided are merely a starting point. It is up 
  to the Referee to make the places visited memorable and interesting. Use the UWPs and 
  the world descriptions as a starting point and work from there. 
  Referee
   
  Don’t be in a hurry to push on to the plot keys. Let the characters explore each world a 
  little, involve them in local incidents, perhaps throw the odd short adventure at them. Apart 
  from any other benefits, this will help put them off the scent when a plot key comes along. 
  If they cannot tell an incident is critical to the plot, they are less likely to react in a contrived 
  manner. 
   
  And it makes for a better game.
     
  SCENE 2: BOARD AND SEARCH
   
  The characters; ship is hailed by a vessel identifying itself as the Imperial Patrol 
  Cruiser Shaddalakkii. The vessel has been sitting quietly, powered down and virtually 
  undetectable in this system, monitoring traffic. Now it lights its drive and accelerates 
  towards the characters’ ship, sending a blunt message to power down weapons and 
  heave-to for boarding.
   
  The patrol ship matches the general parameters of a Type T patrol cruiser, a type 
  of vessel that has been in service in one form or another for centuries. The transponder 
  codes check out – it is virtually certain that this ship is what she says she is, an Imperial 
  Navy vessel on cross-border patrol. 
   
  The Patrol Cruiser massively outguns the characters’ ship, even though it is only 4 
  times the size. It is also faster. It might be possible to escape by entering Jump, but for the 
  fact that running from an Imperial patrol ship is usually taken as proof of criminality. The 
  Navy will open fire on fleeing vessels and cannot always shoot to disable. The description 
  of any ship that successfully escapes is circulated on the ‘known felon’ list, and such 
  vessels are given short shrift by naval ships they meet later on.
   
  The only sensible thing to do is to comply with the instructions and await docking.
  The Search
   
  After the Shaddalakkii comes alongside and docks, the airlock opens to admit a 
  squad of Imperial Marines in Combat Armor. The first four through have drawn cutlasses 
  (an old tradition) which is quite intimidating to see but in fact indicates that they are not 
  expecting a fight. If they were, the snub pistols at their belts would be in hand instead. 
  The four form an honor guard for the lone naval officer (in uniform, not a vac suit) and her 
  Marine bodyguard that come through next. 
   
  The Navy officer, an attractive young blonde Sublieutenant whose name tag reads 
  ‘Grantlee’, halts and asks permission to come aboard. This is something of a formality, 
  given how many marines she has on call, but the answer is what differentiates a courteous 
  inspection from a boarding action. If the answer is affirmative, Sublieutenant Grantlee 
  thanks the captain, inspects the ship’s papers, then says that she is empowered and 
  ordered to conduct a search for contraband. She requests cooperation – and as every 
  spacer knows, refusal is proof of criminality.
   
  Assuming the characters agree to the search, another four Marines come through 
  in combat armor, cradling Snub SMGs. They move to secure the bridge and Engineering 
  (two each). Two Navy technicians come through and are escorted by two of the Marines 
  to take a direct download of the ship’s manifest and logs from her computers. This leaves 
  two motionless Marines at the airlock with drawn cutlasses – and at least three more on 
  the far side of the lock as a rescue and counter-boarding party. The Navy has lost ships 
  on routine search operations. They do not intend to lose any more. For this reason the 
  Marines at the lock will not allow anyone near the lock or themselves, a point that is made 
  with a cutlass and a sharp challenge in the first instance, and with a gun if the Marine 
  thinks it is necessary. 
   
  The Bridge and Engineering teams are similarly standoffish.  They do not talk to 
  the crew and do not allow anyone near a console. Bodyguards cover the back of the 
  technicians and Sublieutenant Grantlee as they work. Naval personnel do talk to the crew. 
  They are polite and courteous, but firm – they know their lives are at risk on any boarding 
  and that the stringent security procedures are in place for a reason.
   
  Grantlee is a little more friendly. She insists on seeing all the critical sections of the 
  ship (bridge, engineering, weapons and, for some reason, the galley) and of course the 
  hold. She questions the ship’s captain (or appointed representative) as she goes. She is 
  not brisk or harsh, but she wants answers and will accept no nonsense. 
   
  The captain is likely to sweat some of the inspection. Safety and rescue gear is 
  substandard, which can get a ship grounded. Some systems are showing their age and 
  certain backups have been running full-time to replace a burned-out main system for 
  months now. However, Grantlee finally passes the ship with the words, “What a horrible 
  vessel. Your ship needs an overhaul and it needs it badly, Captain. You’re two points off 
  failing the Spaceworthiness requirement, and that’s after I gave you three discretionary 
  ones because I know how robust the Type S is. Your galley is virtually a biohazard area… 
  but at least your cargo seems to be legal.”
  
  - 19 -
   
  Before departing with her guards, Grantlee adds,  “Just a couple of advisories for 
  you. We’ve got a suspected commerce raider operating on the Phelina Main. Probably 
  a Solomani ship. And a pirate attack on a courier like yours just a couple of weeks ago. 
  Looked like an inside job. They left the ship gutted and derelict. The crew are still missing, 
  which is not good. But I have some good news for you. You’re the only Imperial ship in 
  system right now and we have ‘extend every courtesy’ orders. That means you get an 
  escort into orbit or out to Jump….”
  Escort Duty
   
  As offered, the patrol cruiser Shaddalakkii, having ascertained that the Barn is a 
  legitimate vessel, escorts her to planetfall or the Jump point. Her communications officer 
  bids the characters a friendly, if somewhat formal, farewell as she breaks away to return to 
  her patrol and they move on to their next destination.
  Referee
   
  The Solomani commerce raider may or may not be a factor in the adventure, at the 
  Referee’s discretion. The looting of the courier is directly relevant, however. The ship was 
  an armed courier that made the Stoner run quite frequently, and as such was a likely 
  candidate to carry the heirlooms to Stoner. The ship’s schedule was leaked to a pirate 
  vessel operating in the area by one of House Randall’s agents. The ship was taken and 
  the crew murdered. The agent was disciplined for acting too zealously and with too little 
  information, and of course the heirlooms were not aboard anyway. 
   
  This tragic incident may serve to alert the characters that someone is out to get them, 
  though its significance may not be noted until later.
   
  At the Referee’s discretion, the characters might hear about the Shaddalakkii again, 
  in a new report. Perhaps the ship has been at the heart of a protest about over-zealous 
  searches. Perhaps she has heroically engaged and destroyed a pirate vessel – or perhaps 
  she was lost with all hands trying to defend a merchant ship from a commerce raider. 
   
  Alternatively the ship may be encountered again as the characters return to Imperial 
  space and may even become a regular contact.
  SCENE 3: ROAD AHEAD CLOSED (KEY SCENE)
   
  This scene will most likely occur on the Phelina Main, before the characters Jump to 
  Shur (assuming they decide to go that way). If the characters are not planning to travel 
  via Shur then this scene will present a piece of information that is interesting (and may be 
  relevant later) but not critical.
   
  As the characters make planetfall, one of their routine tasks is to check for news 
  and current events in nearby systems. Normally this information comes back with the 
  high points of local news over the past few months – the engagement of a planetary 
  ruler’s daughter, a major business merger and a military exercise in nearby systems, for 
  example.
   
  This time, however, the news is rather more grave. Among the usual rumors and 
  gossip are a disturbingly large number of ship ‘missing, presumed lost’ notices. There 
  have been three vessels lost in the region in the last 2 months. Wreckage from one has 
  been found, and there are rumors that the crew of another ship lost some months ago 
  were taken prisoner by a commerce raider which then destroyed their vessel. The crew 
  spent some time aboard the raider then were transferred to a merchant vessel acting as 
  a support and resupply ship, finally being released on a backwater world several parsecs 
  away. 
   
  It is obvious that a commerce raider is operating in the region. Experienced spacers 
  would prefer to be ‘taken’ by a raider than a pirate, since their chances are better with 
  a lawful raider than with a crew of scum facing the death penalty if they are caught. 
  However, losing your ship is never a good prospect. 
   
  Perhaps more immediately important to the characters is the reaction of the high-
  tech world of Amunkhan to these developments. Amunkhan, which possesses a small but 
  highly efficient navy, has sealed off the Amunkhan cluster by deploying naval squadrons 
  to Shur. All non-Amunkhan vessels entering the system are briskly turned around and fired 
  on if the show the slightest sign of resistance. Amunkhan has issued a statement to the 
  effect that it is allowing no traffic whatsoever (other than its own ships) through Shur, to 
  any destination. Therefore there is no reason for foreign vessels to be in the system, and 
  any that are detected run the risk of being treated as pirates or raiders. 
   
  In effect, the route through Shur has just been closed. The characters are going to 
  have to take the longer route via Spirit or Orlain.
  Proceeding Through Shur Anyway
   
  It would be possible to try to get through Shur and on to Gazala. However, it will be 
  necessary to refuel in the system somewhere. The Starport is impossible, which leaves 
  few alternatives. Skimming fuel from the system’s two gas giants is the most likely option. 
  However, the Amunkhan navy will be well aware of the possibility, and will almost certainly 
  have patrols or, worse, mines, to prevent this.
   
  Ice can be obtained from a suitable planetoid in one of the two belts or far out in the 
  Oort cloud. However, this means searching for a suitable source, which can takes weeks 
  in the far outsystem. The planetoid belts are likely to be patrolled, and Jumping direct into 
  one is rather hazardous. 
   
  The necessity for safe Jumps and movement into the search area, the search itself 
  and the need for stealth all add up to considerable delays that the characters probably 
  cannot afford. All the time the characters will be consuming shipboard stores and running 
  down their life support, and of course there is the ever-present possibility of a sudden and 
  violent death or a long period of internment as a result of an encounter with the Amunkhan 
  navy.
   
  The Imperium will be protesting the restriction of its free trade and the movement of 
  its citizens, but it will be some time before this has any effect, if ever. Until then, travelling 
  via Shur is not really an option.
   
  If the players are sufficiently stubborn (or worse, they are the sort that think in meta-
  game terms like ‘the Referee would not kill us off for this’ then they may try the passage 
  anyway. Let them.
   
  The Amunkhan navy has only a few dozen ships, but its highly efficient TL15 vessels 
  are backed up by sophisticated sensor drones and mines. The latter are little more than 
  passive sensor drones with a pair of missiles aboard. Upon detecting an unidentified 
  vessel they will obtain a good lock and launch their missiles before broadcasting a general 
  alert. This system is cheap enough that coverage is considerable. Even if the missiles do 
  not kill a ship (and being hit by a missile while skimming fuel is not a pleasant experience 
  for any vessel!), a 300t patrol ship should be close enough to respond to the intruder. 
   
  It is up to the Referee and the players whether pig-headed insistence on going 
  
  - 20 -
  through Shur will lead to death, internment, a stern warning and turnaround or just severe 
  damage to the ship, but in any event the Referee can use this incident to establish that 
  the Traveller universe is a harsh place where bad things really can happen and where 
  metagame thinking does not apply.
  ACT 3: OBSTRUCTIONS AND COUNTEROFFERS
   
  As the characters make their way towards the Grand Duchy down the Phelina 
  Main, agents of House Randall attempt to intercept them and prevent the delivery of the 
  heirlooms. 
  SCENE 1: SOFTLY SOFTLY (KEY SCENE)
   
  Early in the journey, the characters enter port and clear customs without undue fuss. 
  While looking for a suitable venue for some R&R, or maybe as they seek cargo or freight 
  to ship to their next destination, the characters are approached by a female Vargr. Vargr 
  are relatively uncommon this far to Rimward, but not unknown. 
   
  The Vargr (whose name is Gonuksuen Ulo, but goes by the human name of Sue Ulo) 
  says that she is an independent shipping factor temporarily based out of the port here. 
  Her clothing  (Solomani-style trouser suits worn with brightly colored shirts and loud ties) 
  certainly screams ‘well-off Vargr!’, and she has records on file at the port showing several 
  deals brokered over the past few weeks. 
   
  Sue tells the characters that she urgently needs passage for herself and a couple 
  of tons of cargo. She needs to get back into the Imperium to deal with a crisis that has 
  blown up. The situation is quite complex but the short version is that her business partner 
  has managed to get herself arrested on embezzlement charges and Sue needs to sort 
  out the legal defense. Her first stop is the Scout Way Station at Ku (her partner sells a lot 
  of supplies to the Scouts and Sue hopes to obtain transaction records to show the deals 
  were above board), then she needs to go on to 025-841.
   
  Sue offers to pay double High Passage rate per Jump (Cr20,000 per Jump) plus 
  standard freight rate for two tons of cargo. This is mostly a collection of trade samples she 
  has been using to build a client base out here beyond the Imperial border. If the characters 
  bring up the subject of their cargo or the charter, Sue appears to think for a while, then 
  suggests that one of her colleagues at the port might be able to find a vessel bound for 
  Stoner to take on the freight. Sue can pay for that. The charter will still be completed and 
  the characters get their fee plus what Sue is paying. They win both ways…
   
  If the characters refuse, Sue will act disappointed but will not push the matter. She 
  has orders not to jeopardize later attempts to obtain the heirlooms by tipping House 
  Randall’s hand. 
   
  If they agree t Sue’s proposal, the characters will be paid for their services but sooner 
  or later they will be confronted by representatives of Miracru TradeCorp, who want to know 
  why the delivery never happened. Under Imperial law, failure to discharge the terms of a 
  charter is a serious offense, and the characters can expect to be hauled in by the Ministry 
  of Justice at some time. At the very least they will lose their ship and be sued by the firm. 
  They may face prison if criminal charges are brought.
   
  New adventures, involving a run for the border and a new life far from Imperial space, 
  beckon – but this one is over.
  Referee
   
  The Referee should introduce this event early in the journey; perhaps at the first or 
  second port of call. House Randall was hoping to spend a little money and quietly make 
  the problem go away. They will now move to more direct methods, though they are still 
  reluctant to use violence. 
  SCENE 2: A VERY OBLIQUE WARNING (KEY SCENE)
   
  After the encounter with Sue, the characters move on to their next destination. Here, 
  things begin to go steadily wrong from the moment the characters’ ship enters berth. 
  The ground crew are slow and inefficient, and are called away several times to deal with 
  ‘urgent’ tasks elsewhere. The port authority insists on a full customs check and safety 
  inspection before it will allow the ship to unload, refuel or take off. This is entirely legal of 
  course, but taken to an extreme.
   
  The inspection is particularly nit-picky and is more slow than thorough. However, by 
  the time the port authority team have finished crawling over the hull looking for smuggling 
  compartments and looking inside every ventilator grille, they have compiled an impressive 
  list of defects that must be put right if the ship is to be declared spaceworthy.
   
  The attitude of the port authority team is very different from that of the Imperial 
  Navy crew who conducted the original inspection. Characters who are good judges of 
  character (i.e. who possess skills such as Sense Motive, Leader or similar, may realize 
  that something is going on here. 
  T20: Make a DC15 Sense Motive check to realize that something is amiss. A successful 
  DC15 Interstellar Law check (at a –2 penalty for unfamiliarity with local regulations if the 
  characters have never traveled this region of space before) indicates that the character is 
  sure that some of the reasons for declaring the ship unspaceworthy are invented on the 
  spot and not covered in any regulation.
  CT: Roll 8+, DM Leader skill to realize something is amiss. Roll 9+, DM Legal skill, to spot 
  irregularities in the inspection procedure.
   
  Observation of the inspection team suggests that the leader is prompting her 
  subordinates to find or invent problems, or blatantly overruling them. She eventually 
  comes up with a list of defects, which must be put right before the ship is allowed to 
  unload, take on fuel or lift off. These include:
  • 
  Contamination in the ventilation system (slight long-term biohazard)
  • 
  Incorrect calibration of portside aft Contragrav lifter (in-port navigation hazard)
  • 
  Backup avionics software provision inadequate (advisory only)
  • 
  Unacceptable biological contamination in galley area (slight immediate 
  biohazard)
  • 
  Fuel-flow regulation system slow to operate. Emergency cutoff inadequate 
  (hazard to navigation)
  Some members of the inspection team look surprised when the leader marks the ship 
  down as unsafe. The faults all exist but they are well all within reasonable tolerances. 
  However, the report makes it look like the ship is a flying plague bomb, liable to wobble 
  
  - 21 -
  across the landing area if its lifters are used, or simply explode due to fuel leakage. 
   
  The ship will not be permitted to take off until the lifter problem is sorted out (“and 
  ideally the avionics backups should be brought up to standard”), it will not be permitted 
  fuel until the fuel regulation system is overhauled (“in fact, I’d order you to pump your tanks 
  dry immediately if that didn’t pose such a danger of explosion”), and she cannot offload 
  her cargo until the Biohazard label is lifted. To add insult to injury, characters will not be 
  allowed to go ‘ashore’ – i.e. into the port and the world beyond – until they have either 
  cleared the Biohazard situation or passed through a medical examination and a day-long 
  quarantine period.
   
  This is a shocking misrepresentation of the situation, but the characters are going 
  to have to comply. They could probably just lift off and run for it, especially if the port has 
  few defenses, but this would result in their ship being labeled as a ‘suspect vessel’ and 
  the captain a felon. Every legitimate port in the region would be closed to them and every 
  patrol ship would be a potential enemy. Running is a bad option, as any experienced 
  spacer would realize.
   
  The only options seem to be to fix the problems or to persuade the port authority to 
  rescind the inspection result. 
  The Guilty Parties
   
  House Randall has thoroughly bribed the port authority administrator, a middle-aged 
  man named Garvin Dharikstaan, and the inspection team leader, a woman named Ruath 
  Thierrell. They have been instructed to give the characters a very hard time while they are 
  in port, to soften them up for an offer they really won’t want to refuse. 
   
  Neither Garvin nor Ruath are willing to lose their jobs over the matter, so they will 
  remain just within the outer extreme of legal conduct. However, they are willing to be 
  very unreasonable. Other ships come and go without so much as an inspection while the 
  characters attempt to obtain permission to just offload their cargo or go ashore. 
   
  Their adherence to the letter of the law means that if the characters can sanitize their 
  ship to the satisfaction of the inspection team, they will be cleared. However, the standards 
  are insanely high.
   
   
  Reason, Bribery and Influence
   
  Since both Garvin and Ruath have been bribed to act the way they do, sweet reason 
  will not work, and it is unlikely that the characters have the money to outbid House Randall. 
  Both officials have received Cr10,000 already and have been promised another Cr10,000 
  if House Randall is happy with their performance. The characters would have to offer at 
  least a similar amount to have any chance of success. 
   
  Attempts at intimidation are risky. The port has security personnel who would react 
  violently to an attack on port staff, and a shootout with officials in any port is a good way to 
  make it onto the ‘wanted’ list. However, if the characters manage to strike the right balance 
  of subtlety and threat they have a chance. 
   
  Attempts at intimidation should be roleplayed rather than merely being the subject of 
  a die roll. Both officials feel quite secure and thus will be difficult to intimidate. 
  T20: DC20 Intimidation check required to intimidate each official into cooperating. If the 
  check is failed by 5 or more, the official becomes actively hostile.
  CT: Roll 11+, DM +1 is STR A+, Intimidation skill, to successfully intimidate each official. 
  Failure by 3 or more results in hostility.
   
  Hostile officials may respond by calling security and threatening to arrest the 
  characters. They will do this as a last resort, since they do not want to answer questions 
  about why the incident arose.
   
  A clever group may instead play the two officials off against one another, perhaps 
  intimidating one and misdirecting the other. This is a matter for good roleplaying. The 
  Referee should note that neither official is willing to jeopardize their job over this matter, 
  so they will back down as gracefully as possible if outmaneuvered. 
   
  Arguing the Case
   
  The characters can attempt to get the quarantine and safety downchecks rescinded 
  through ‘proper channels’ if the choose. The easiest way to do this is to show the official in 
  question that there is no way their assertion can be upheld within the letter of interstellar 
  law, and perhaps threatening legal action of some sort. Arguing the case this way requires 
  separate attempts for each problem.
   
  T20: Each matter requires a DC15 K/Interstellar Law check, or a DC20 P/
  Administration check. 
   
  CT: Roll 9+, DM Legal skill, or 11+ DM Admin skill if Legal is unavailable. 
   
  If the characters think of it, they should have the results of a boarding an inspection 
  by an Imperial warship just a few days previously on file. This would not be proof that the 
  ship is spaceworthy, especially given how borderline the inspection was, but it could be 
  used as a bargaining chip if they characters want to try to show the port authority is acting 
  unreasonably. As already noted, the two officials want to avoid an investigation so will be 
  influenced by such measures.
   
  Getting the Restrictions Lifted
   
  Ruath is responsible for the fuel and lifters, and Garvin for the Biohazard/quarantine 
  issue. The relevant official must be persuaded in some way to lift each of the three issues 
  before the characters can proceed. If wheedling, psychology intimidation and legal 
  arguments fail the characters, the only solution is to fix the problem.
  Biohazard: This one is fairly simple, but hard work. The characters must renew their 
  air filters and crawl around inside the air ducts cleaning out all the little crannies where 
  biological contamination can grow, and must thoroughly sanitize the galley. The task is 
  quite a big one and will take several man-days of work. Each 6-hour stint put in by a 
  character allows them to make a check to see if they made any progress. Five successes 
  are necessary before the ship’s systems are squeaky-clean enough to satisfy a second 
  inspection. Required skill checks are given below:
  T20: DC10 T/Mechanical or DC5 P/Janitor skill (this is not one characters are likely 
  to have!)
   
  CT: Roll 7+, DM Mechanical skill or JoT.
   
   
  Fuel Flow: The fuel flow problem is a minor one, which could someday become 
  quite serious. Fixing it will require some spares (costing 2d6X500 credits) which can be 
  obtained by someone going out of the port (but remember the one-day quarantine) or 
  
  - 22 -
  ordered in from a supplier (which will take much longer as the parts get mysteriously held 
  up at the port for 1-3 days).
   
  The job is a long and complex one, and can only be carried out by a qualified engineer 
  (i.e. someone possessing T/Engineering skill at a rank of at least 1 (CT: Engineering skill). 
  Up to two other people can assist the task, which requires a total of 4 man-days of work.
   
   
   
  Lifters and Avionics: Recalibrating the lifter can be carried out alongside improving 
  the backup provision in the ship’s avionics system. This one is actually a fairly simple, 
  though lengthy, task which can be carried out by anyone with T/Computer skill at a rank of 
  at least 1 (CT: Computer skill at any level. It takes 3 man-days, though this period is halved 
  if assistance is available from a character with T/Gravitics skill (CT: Gravitics skill) at any 
  level.
   
  Reinspection: As might be expected, the port authority will drag its feet over 
  conducting a reinspection, and can probably get away with this for a few more days. The 
  characters can speed up the process in various ways. Their ship is an Imperial vessel, 
  and even out beyond the border the Imperium has a lot of influence. Threats to lodge a 
  protest (which would lead to an investigation) are likely to get results after a token period of 
  delay. It is also possible to get the ship inspected by the chief engineer of another starship. 
  Any character with K/Interstellar Law (CT: Legal) skill will know this. If the two engineers 
  concur that the ship is spaceworthy, an immediate inspection by the port authority can 
  be demanded in order to confirm this. Even in the backwaters, this practice is generally 
  honored, since word gets around about ports that unnecessarily detain starships.
   
  Getting another ship’s engineer to assist is a matter for some roleplaying, and could 
  lead to a useful future contact or an adventure hook if the engineer decides he needs a 
  favor in return.
  Resolution
   
  Finally, after much delay and hassle, the characters will have managed to get their 
  ship certified spaceworthy and have the run of the port. As they refuel and perhaps look 
  for a cargo, they receive an anonymous, text-only com message. It reads:
   
  YOU SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM.
   
  I CAN MAKE IT GO AWAY.
   
  REPLY WITH THIS MESSAGE FOR INSTRUCTIONS.
   
  If the characters do reply, they receive an automated message directing them to 
  Ander’s Bookstore and Coffee House. They are instructed to ask for ‘Mister Richardson’ 
  and wait there. Scene 3 will play out when they go to meet this Mr Richardson.
   
  If they do not reply, they characters will eventually eave the world. As their ship climbs 
  to orbit, another com message arrives, again anonymously:
   
  LAST CHANCE.
   
  THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN EVERY PORT, ON EVERY WORLD.
   
  IT’S GOING TO GET WORSE.
   
  YOU WILL LOSE YOUR SHIP BEFORE LONG.
   
   
  IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS. 
   
  YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF MONEY AND GAIN POWERFUL FRIENDS.
   
  TURN AROUND AND LAND AGAIN.
   
  REPLY FOR FURHTER INSTRUCITONS.
   
  The same instructions to meet Mr Richardson will result from a reply to this message 
  – and the crew will not be harassed by the port authority. 
   
  SCENE 3: AN OFFER AT ANDER’S
   
  If the characters do decide to meet this Mr Richardson, they find that Ander’s 
  Bookstore is a popular coffee house that also sells the odd book – actual paper books, 
  something of a rarity but popular among traditionalists. The place is always fairly busy, with 
  10-20 patrons sitting at tables or lounging on sofas chatting or reading their purchases. 
  The coffee is pretty good, too.
   
  The staff nod knowingly when the characters ask about Mr Richardson, and say he’ll 
  be here soon. Menatime, they are invited to select a coffee and a cake fee of charge.
   
  After a few minutes a young female Vargr in nondescript workers’ clothes approaches 
  the table and sits down without being invited. The staff bring her a bowl of tea (she hates 
  even the smell of coffee, but one must make sacrifices). This is of course the mysterious 
  ‘Mr Richardson’. Her real name is Sengknua Ruedharkaedh, though she will not reveal 
  this.
   
  “Please address me as Mr Richardson, and in case you feel belligerent, let me point 
  out that this is a very public place. You don’t know how many of my people are around. You 
  understand?” the Vargr says briskly. 
   
  “I’ll be blunt. You have something I want, or more accurately, you have something I 
  have been asked to obtain. I am willing to buy out your charter for 150,000 credits in cash, 
  right now. If you agree, there is more work for you in future, for a more influential patron 
  than your current employer. If you decline… well, there are many ports between here and 
  Stoner and you will run into delays and additional expenses in every single one. Maybe 
  afterward too. None of us wants that, now do we?”
   
  ‘Richardson’ leans back in her chair and manages a fairly human grin, though coming 
  from a Vargr this is more predatory than friendly. Her manner is one of absolute confidence 
  and authority. Despite her clothing it is apparent that she is a Vargr of some power and 
  influence, or at least is skilled at projecting that image (which in Vargr society amounts to 
  the same thing!). 
   
  Richardson is not willing to divulge the identity of her employers, but she is quite 
  happy to try an appeal to the characters’ patriotism (if any). Most of what she says is based 
  in fact, though it could not be said to be true in the strictest sense of the word.
   
  “I’ll level with you, gentles,” Richardson says. “You are carrying objects that belong to 
  an Imperial noble house. They were more or less extorted out of owners whose situation 
  was vulnerable at the time. Your mission is to deliver them to the Grand Duchy so that 
  they can be returned to House Stoner, their original owner. Now, this is House Stoner, 
  staunch opponent of the Imperium, whose founders turned their back on Emperor Cleon 
  and headed out to found their own petty Empire. Hardly a deserving recipient. And you 
  know why you’ve been hired to do this? So that Miracru TradeCorp can bribe its way into 
  an exclusive freighting deal between the Duchy and the Imperium – a deal that will put 
  folks like you out of business. How do you feel about that?”
  
  - 23 -
   
  Richardson shrugs (another very human gesture that looks odd on a Vargr) and goes 
  on. “The people opposing you are doing it out of patriotism. These objects have been all 
  but stolen from loyal Imperial citizens, to be presented to not-quite-enemies – and for 
  nothing but commercial gain. That’s the heritage of the Imperium you’re shipping, Gentles. 
  Can you stomach turning it over to the descendents of traitors?”
   
   Richardson is deliberately hinting that the characters may encounter fanatical 
  opposition along the way. She wants to plant seeds of doubt and fear in their minds. 
  Characters with appropriate skills (Psychology, Sense Motive etc) may be able to 
  determine that she is choosing her words more carefully than she appears to be, and that 
  her patriotic fervor is a poise. However, most of what she says is more or less true. 
   
  Richardson finally repeats her offer: “150,000 credits to walk away now, and I can 
  broker you some very nice cargo deals or courier work if you want. Or help big business 
  undermine the shipping trade and put yourselves out of business. What about it?”
  Considering the Offer 
   
  Richardson is willing to be bargained up to 250,000 credits but has no budget for 
  more. However, on the flip side there is the consideration that the characters have taken 
  on a charter to deliver the goods in Imperial space and are bound by Imperial law on the 
  subject, which takes a hard line with dealbreaking of this sort. If they ever go back to the 
  Imperium, the characters can expect a summons to court and at least some considerable 
  fines. They are likely to lose their ship-operator’s license and maybe even spend some 
  time in prison. 
   
  Of course, if the characters do not expect to return to the Imperium then they are 
  free to accept the offer. If the subject is brought up, Richardson says she can ‘sort that 
  out’. In truth, she might be able to do so but would never bother. All that is important is the 
  cargo.
   
  If the characters refuse the offer, Richardson will try one last gambit after offering a 
  little more money. She tells the characters they’re traitors and they will regret their actions, 
  then tries to goad them into attacking her. She is pretty sure that the security people she 
  has planted among the patrons will be able to intervene in time to prevent any real harm 
  coming to her, and the staff are primed to summon local law enforcement personnel. 
   
  With many witnesses to an assault (even one prevented by ‘concerned bystanders’), 
  Richardson should be able to get the characters locked up for a while. Once they are in jail, 
  facing a trial and possible incarceration, they may be amenable to further persuasion.
  Opposition: 
  • 
  Richardson
  • 
  Security/Thugs
  • 
  Local Police, if called
   
  ACT 4: DESPERATE MEASURES
   
  The characters have rejected an opportunity to be bought out. Now the gloves come 
  off. 
  SCENE 1: JOURNEYING ONWARD
   
  As the characters continue their trade run, House Randall implements more decisive 
  measures. Its agents are now authorized to use lethal force as well as harassing the 
  characters using more legal means. It might be that the next two scenes do not occur for 
  a while, and that all the characters encounter is increased bureaucratic hassle and nit-
  picking at the various ports of call. 
   
  If the characters are sociable and tend to talk to other ship crews, they my encounter 
  the crew of a Scout/Courier similar to their own, the Surplus to Requirements. Over a 
  couple of drinks, the crew talk about how dangerous the shipping lanes have become 
  since the Solomani Rim War began. Just a couple of weeks ago they thought they were 
  goners when a small vessel – a patrol ship or corsair of some kind – appeared on their 
  passive detectors at very close range. It must have been lying in wait for a victim. After 
  firing a warning laser salvo across their bows, the raider demanded surrender. At that 
  range there was no chance of running and the raider was 3-4 times larger than a mere 
  Scout. The Surplus surrendered and was boarded by several people in Imperial-style vac 
  suits armed with snub SMGs, accelerator rifles and some lasers. 
   
  The boarders held the crew at gunpoint as they searched the ship from one end 
  to the other (that doesn’t take long in a Scout/Courier) and interrogated her computers. 
  Then they locked the crew in a stateroom and ordered them to remain there. When they 
  eventually broke out, the raiders were gone. They hadn’t taken anything, though they had 
  wiped part of the ship’s records. 
   
  There was no sign of the raider, and the Surplus to Requirements made for the safety 
  of port as fast as she could. 
  The crew note that while they cooperated they were 
  not harmed, though the raiders made it very clear that they were willing to deal harshly 
  with resistance.
  Referee
   
  This incident should set off alarm bells among the characters, and may forewarn them 
  to maintain a good sensor watch. The Referee should decide on a local star system as 
  the scene of the incident. The Scout crew did not see the raider vessel clearly, but can 
  guess at its performance. With a little prompting they make a best-guess at 2-g or better 
  performance, at least two weapons turrets mounting lasers, and a displacement of 300t. 
   
  The most likely Imperial vessel matching that description is a 300t Velvet Glove 
  class yacht, a Jump-3, 3g vessel designed more as a personal VIP transport than a flying 
  palace; the vessel of a working noble. 
   
  Of course, there are many other vessels of similar characteristics, especially beyond 
  the frontier. The Amunkhan Navy, for example, is known to operate 3g 300t patrol 
  vessels.
  SCENE 2: MISTAKEN IDENTITY
   
  Emerging from Jump, the characters pick up a GK (Distress) signal. It is emanating 
  from a moving position some distance from their location. A quick navigational plot 
  indicates that the source is drifting without power and is on a collision course with a nearby 
  moon. The characters’ ship is the only one in range, and can make intercept with a couple 
  of hours’ safety margin if it changed course right away. 
   
  Interstellar law and the customs of star travel (the ‘siblinghood of the void’) dictate that 
  a distress call must be answered if at all possible. The characters have no passengers 
  aboard or any other real reason not to attempt a rescue of the distressed vessel.
   
  The GK signal is an automated repeat beacon. There is no response to any attempt 
  to open communications with the distressed ship, but the beacon does include some basic 
  
  - 24 -
  telemetry data and the ship’s transponder ID.
   
  The vessel is an Imperial Interstellar Scout Service Scout/Courier registered out of 
  the Scout Base at Ku. Its designation number is followed by an unofficial name – Wild at 
  Heart. Telemetry data indicates that the vessel has some power but has suffered sudden 
  and catastrophic damage. Parts of the ship are open to vacuum and she has fired her 
  weapons. This suggests that the vessel was attacked rather than suffering a systems 
  breakdown or other calamity. 
   
  No other data is available, except to note that the ship has a crew of 4 and was on 
  active Scout Service duty – probably routine navigational survey work but possibly fill-in 
  patrol duty replacing some of the naval vessels transferred Rimward. 
  The Wreck of the Wild at Heart
   
  As the characters’ ship closes with the wreck, instruments pick up a cloud of debris 
  around the ship, most of it on slowly divergent courses. The wreck is tumbling slowly, 
  making a direct docking problematical. There are clear signs that the vessel received 
  several laser hits. Her bridge is open to space and her turret has been shot away, along 
  with part of the port ‘wing’. There are several entry points to the hull.
   
  Access is possible by jumping across on a line; a tricky maneuver but one that most 
  spacers end up carrying out at some point. 
   
  The floorplan of the vessel is almost identical to the characters’ ship, so there is no 
  problem moving around. It does not take long to search the vessel (about 30-40 minutes). 
  The following will be found:
   
  General: This was indeed a serving Scout ship. It is old but well-maintained, 
  comfortably messy with the personal items the crew brought aboard. Clothing and small 
  items are floating about all over the ship since internal gravity has failed. Emergency 
  lighting is on and there is still power, but the loss of the bridge rendered the ship unable to 
  maneuver.
   
  It should be obvious to the characters that people not very different to themselves 
  lived and worked aboard this ship. They left boots and coffee cups lying around. They 
  drew sketches of sunsets over strange worlds and pinned them to cabin walls. They spent 
  long hours processing survey data in the ship’s common area. 
   
  And they died suddenly without even knowing why…
   
  Bridge & Avionics Area: Shattered by laser fire. Smears of whoever was on bridge 
  watch can be found on the walls, but the body is gone. Likely they did not live long enough 
  to die of decompression. The bridge iris valve, leading to the rest of the ship, is distorted 
  and jammed open.
   
  Crew Staterooms and Common Area: Doors to all rooms have been blown off 
  by internal pressure as the main section decompressed. In one stateroom is a deflated 
  rescue ball containing a half-dressed human corpse. It is obvious that the crewmember 
  was able to get into the ball and inflate it before the semi-airtight door failed, and that the 
  ball was then punctured by several rounds from a projectile weapon of some kind. There 
  is no sign of a weapon on or near the body.
   
  There are data terminals in the common area. They are still functional but the central 
  computer cores have been physically destroyed, rendering them useless. 
   
  Aft Section, Main Deck: The ship’s Air/Raft is in place and intact. At the opposite side 
  of the rear area the sensor room has been shot up with smallarms, probably to conceal 
  the identity of whoever attacked the ship. The engineering section is still sealed and has 
  life support. The drives have been disabled by weapons fire. There are brackets for two 
  shotguns over the main engineering console. One is missing.
   
  Upper Deck: The ship’s ‘loft’ or upper gallery is open to space. The turret has 
  been shot into wreckage, and near-misses have peeled open the hull along the length 
  of the upper gallery. The storage area has been rifled and the forward sensor position 
  deliberately smashed. 
   
  Lower Deck: The lower deck cargo area contains a few crates of supplies stenciled 
  with Scout Service markings. They have been forced open but the contents (life support 
  spares, mostly) have not been removed. 
   
  There is a vac-suited body on the floor between the crates. Her faceplate is cracked 
  and her suit breached by several smallarms hits. An empty shotgun lies nearby. The 
  corpse’s nametag reads “Senior Scout A. Stevens.” The corpse was once a middle-aged 
  woman. Her ID, personal comm and wedding ring could be retrieved but the search would 
  be rather grisly. 
   
  A blood splash on a back wall suggests that Stevens hit at least one of her attackers 
  before they killed her.
   
  Searching: The characters are on a tight time frame, since the vessel is on a collision 
  course with a moon. It is obvious that the attackers took pains to conceal their identity, 
  though they left behind several 10mm cartridge cases from snub weapons. These are all 
  made by Instellarms, the biggest arms manufacturer in the Imperium. Instellarms sells its 
  wares widely but does not have a very large market beyond the Imperial border. It is highly 
  unlikely that a foreign navy would equip its personnel with Imperial ammunition.
   
  It is likely that the vessel was not originally on a collision course with the moon but 
  was redirected. This might have been possible from the emergency piloting console in 
  engineering, though the drives are quite thoroughly wrecked. It is possible that the drives 
  were still partially functional when the ship was boarded, and that the destruction was 
  finished off as the attackers departed. This is in keeping with the general destruction of 
  the ship’s computers, an unusually thorough measure given that the ship has been sent to 
  crash into a moon, which will destroy all evidence of the attack completely.  
   
  Referee
   
  The Scout ship was simply the victim of mistaken identity. It was attacked from close 
  range by the House Randall yacht, then boarded to finish off the job. The boarders knew 
  they faced the death penalty for piracy if they left any witnesses, so have engaged in a fit 
  of overkill. 
   
  The attack occurred about 4 hours before the characters arrived, but the yacht fled 
  the area (perhaps Jumping out if the Referee thinks this is appropriate) immediately 
  afterward.
   
  The families of the crew, and the IISS, would be glad to learn what happened to the 
  missing ship. Returning Stevens’ wedding ring would be a gracious gesture that would win 
  the characters goodwill with the grieving family. 
  SCENE 3: EXTREME PREJUDICE
   
  At a planetfall after the attempted rescue of the Wild At Heart, the characters (who 
  should by now be expecting a serious attempt on their lives) will be attacked by a team of 
  thugs hired by House Randall. Their orders are to capture the crew and force them to turn 
  over their cargo in return for their release. If this is not practicable, the thugs are to kill or 
  
  - 25 -
  hospitalize any and all members of the crew they can. If the ship can be prevented from 
  moving on, the cargo can be obtained by other means. 
   
  The Referee must choose a suitable moment and situation for the attack. If possible, 
  it will be carried out  away from the Starport. If local law levels are very high, the thugs will 
  not have access to firearms at all. However, it is safe to assume that they have managed 
  to obtain weaponry available a law level or two lower than that of the current location. 
  The stats presented in the Cast section list two weapons options (one for low law, one for 
  higher) but the Referee should feel free to give the thugs extra weaponry or a couple more 
  personnel if the situation warrants it.
   
  The Hit
   
  The thugs are not fanatics. They are professionals in the field of violence and are 
  willing to take risks, but they will not fight to the death. Ideally, they will ambush the 
  characters and threaten them into surrendering without a fight. If that fails, a simple, brutal 
  assault will be carried out. The thugs will try to have a clear escape route (vehicles waiting 
  etc) open to them, and will withdraw if things go badly. They will usually try to rescue 
  wounded comrades.
   
  Tactics will be simple and direct, but the thugs are not stupid. They do not want a 
  standup fight, they want a quick and easy victory. If guns are in use, some of the thugs 
  will attack at close range while others give covering fire with longer-ranged weapons. All 
  of them will use sensible basic tactics: using cover, moving from position to position to get 
  a clear shot, and helping out comrades who are under fire. This is not a military unit but 
  neither is it a bunch of amateurs who will stand in the open blazing away until they are shot 
  down. Characters who attempt to do that will not last long. 
   
  The Referee should note that in   firefight, some people (even experienced thugs) can 
  become fixated on a single target to the exclusion of all else, while most will shoot at the 
  easiest available target unless deliberately attempting to suppress someone. 
   
  Individual thugs can be driven into cover by several near-misses or hits on body 
  armor, and will remain suppressed for 1-3 combat rounds before beginning to act 
  offensively once again. Characters who respond to the attack with a hail of fire should be 
  able to keep at least some of the thugs under cover and unable to shoot, perhaps gaining 
  time to escape.
   
  The hit might become a car chase, a running gunfight or a martial arts brawl at the 
  Referee’s discretion. Like most combats, it should rapidly go out of control and become 
  a desperate, confused scramble rather than a neat set-piece of die-rolling and damage 
  recording.
  Opposition
  • 
  Several thugs (probably 3-5)
  ACT 5: STONER OR BUST!
   
  Having failed to stop the characters, Lady Elizabeth resorts to outright piracy in a final 
  bid to reclaim her family’s heirlooms. 
  SCENE 1: CONTACT!
   
  As the characters prepare for Jump to Gazala (or perhaps as they emerge in the 
  Gazala system), their sensors pick up an unidentified vessel closing fast. It masses 300t 
  and matches the parameters of a high-Jump yacht. Its transponder seems to have been 
  disabled (this is illegal in most civilized systems and is the hallmark of a military ship or a 
  pirate).
   
  Any doubts about the identity and intentions of the vessel are dispelled when it drops 
  a tight maser communications beam onto the characters’ vessel and broadcasts a curt 
  message:
   
  SCOUT/COURIER BROADSIDE OF A BARN. 
   
  YOU ARE IN POSSESSION OF CONTRABAND. 
   
  HEAVE TO FOR BOARDING IMMEDIATELY. 
   
  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO INTITIATE COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER VESSEL 
  OR INSTALLATION.
   
  FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL BE MET WITH LETHAL FORCE.
   
  The message sounds quite official and military, which is the intent. In fact this ship has 
  no legal power to stop other vessels and is engaging in an act of piracy. A visual message 
  follows the initial contact. The screen shows a clean, orderly starship bridge. A pilot and 
  another officer (astrogator or electronic warfare officer perhaps) sit at conn positions, 
  with a raised captain’s chair behind them. Beside this chair stands a regal-looking young 
  woman. Like her crew, she wears a military style vac suit (helmets are off but secured for 
  ready use on stands nearby), but hers has a long cloak attached – a fashion common 
  to Imperia nobles. She has a sword and dagger on her belt rather than guns. Before 
  the characters can say much, the woman starts talking over the top of them. Her tone is 
  imperious, clipped and angry:
   
  “I am Lady Elizabeth Randall-Hofnier. You have goods belonging to my family in your 
  cargo hold. You will stand down your gunners and prepare to receive my boarding party. 
  Be advised that I am quite prepared to destroy your vessel rather than allow our heritage 
  to be turned over to traitors. 
   
  Cut your drive now and signal your surrender or I will open fire.”
  Options
   
  The characters’ options are rather limited here. Their vessel is armed, but it is almost 
  certainly not a match for Lady Elizabeth’s. Their ship is also slower than hers and she is 
  already in weapons range. Any attempt to negotiate results in a repeat of the demand to 
  surrender, though Lady Elizabeth does offer a personal guarantee that after she takes off 
  the cargo and destroys the ship, captives will be safely delivered to the nearest starport 
  and released unharmed. 
   
  There are a couple of rays of hope. If the characters are outbound, they may be able 
  to run for Jump. If they can survive long enough to bring up the drive and reach a suitable 
  Jump point, they can Jump out (though there is no guarantee that Lady Elizabeth will not 
  catch up later). 
   
  If they are inbound, it might be possible to reach the safety of the Starport if it has 
  any decent weapons. Lady Elizabeth will not chase a ship into weapons range of an 
  installation, and will sheer off before she gets too close. She will have to leave the system 
  almost immediately after that, since a piractical attack of this sort will bring warships after 
  
  - 26 -
  her either immediately or as soon as a patrol vessel arrives in system. However, reaching 
  a safe Jump point or the port is a longish run and outgunned as they are, the characters 
  can’t take many rounds of fire from the yacht’s laser batteries. 
  SCENE 2: SALVATION IS AT HAND
   
  Just as things seem hopeless, a third option presents itself. A look at the long-range 
  scope shows a warship on patrol in the system. It has been coasting quietly (as warships 
  on patrol often do) and now activates its transponder, sending a standard greeting and 
  please-identify message to the two vessels it has just picked up. 
   
  Depending upon circumstances and location (the Referee should decide), the ship’s 
  transponder might indicate it is a Stoner or Amunkhan vessel, or even an Imperial ship. 
  Almost all navies are sworn to defend civilian ships from piracy, so it is a sure bet that this 
  vessel will help if asked, or if it detects weapons fire. 
   
  However, if the characters open communication with the warship, Lady Elizabeth has 
  said she will open fire (and she will!). It is some distance out, and will not be able to assist 
  them immediately. Lady Elizabeth will surely not chase the characters under the guns of a 
  warship, especially one like this, in the 400t range and therefore more powerful than her 
  yacht. It is safe to expect that as soon as the patrol vessel is in range she will admit defeat 
  and enter Jump to escape. 
   
  If the characters intend to keep their cargo and their ship, their best option is to 
  pretend to comply, then make a run for safety (Jump, port or the warship), calling for help 
  as they go. They will take some hits but Scout/Couriers are built tough – maybe they’ll 
  make it. Their best hope is the warship.
   
  Or so it seems…
  SCENE 3: A RUNNING FIGHT
   
  As the Broadside of a Barn comes about and accelerates like a startled rabbit towards 
  safety, Lady Elizabeth’s ship attempts to jam their communications and opens fire. A 
  sudden lunge might surprise the gunners and gain a few moments, and the first salvo will 
  be fired to miss – warning shots only. After that, the gloves are off and Lady Elizabeth will 
  shoot to kill. If she cannot have the heirlooms back, Grand Duke Stoner isn’t getting them 
  either. 
   
  The scene should play out as a running fight between the scout and the much larger 
  yacht. It will take two rounds of space combat to get close enough to the warship that a 
  message can punch through the jamming, plus a third round to reach effective weapons 
  range. The first round is ‘free’ (i.e. the characters’ ship is not hit) unless they are especially 
  blatant about their intention to run.
   
  As the characters reach comms range, the warship is already turning to intercept 
  them. It sends a simple burst transmission in a standard code which translates as ‘close 
  me; I will assist’ – a standard warship signal straight out of the manual. 
   
  Straight out of the Solomani Confederation signals manual, that is…
  SCENE 4: A MOMENT OF REALIZATION…
   
  The characters realize that they are accelerating towards a Solomani commerce 
  raider just as the vessel drops her false ID codes and starts to display her real ones. She 
  is CNS Gallant Liberty, under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Alexi Hastings. A 
  voice-only message is sent to the characters’ ship: 
   
  “Imperial Vessel: Commander Hastings conveys deepest apologies and regrets at 
  his necessary ruse de guerre. This vessel’s actions are legal under the Laws of War. 
  She is a regular warship of the Solomani Confederation Navy. Your ship will be disabled 
  but personnel who surrender are guaranteed safety and all consideration under the 
  relevant treaties and conventions. Please surrender to avoid an unnecessary effusion of 
  bloodshed. We will engage the pirate.”
   
  As the characters take this in, the Solomani vessel brings up her weapons and 
  prepares to fight. The characters are headed straight down the throat of her batteries with 
  the yacht in pursuit. 
   
  There are some decisions to be made here…
  SCENE 5: ENDGAMES
   
    There are several possible outcomes to this situation. Lady Elizabeth is fanatical 
  in her quest to regain her heirlooms but she is an Imperial noble, and thus personally 
  involved in the war against the Solomani. The Solomani ship thinks Lady Elizabeth is a 
  pirate, but will not allow the scout to escape. The characters could in theory ally with either 
  vessel against the other, or they could just run for it. Bearing in mind that whichever won 
  the fight, the characters would have to surrender to, their best option would be to take 
  advantage of the situation and run for port or Jump. 
   
  If they do so, the characters will have to endure 3 more rounds of space combat. The 
  two larger ships concentrate on firing at one another since each sees the other as the 
  significant threat here. Both spare the odd shot for the characters’ ship. The most likely 
  outcome is that the characters just managed to escape as the two larger ships battle it 
  out.
   
  If the characters’ vessel is disabled and the Solomani win the fight, they will indeed 
  be treated with courtesy and respect so long as they do not resist their captors. They will 
  spend several weeks locked in a secure stateroom doubling as a brig before being turned 
  loose at a neutral world. A possible adventure opportunity might arise if the raider is badly 
  damaged and the crew have to free their captives to help them operate what’s left of their 
  ship. 
   
  If the characters fall into Lady Elizabeth’s hands they will receive quite a beating but 
  she will not be able to bring herself to murder them. They will be dumped on a low-tech 
  world somewhere after a thoroughly unpleasant few weeks aboard the yacht.
   
  The situation becomes more complex if the characters ally with one of the ships and 
  manage to contribute to its victory. This creates a moral dilemma for the group they aid. 
  Lady Elizabeth will not allow her heirlooms to be taken away when she’s come so close 
  to regaining them, and Commander Hastings is not permitted to allow Imperial ships to go 
  unmolested. Neither will like what they have to do very much, but they will do it. 
   
  The characters are thus best advised to flee and let the others get on with it. If so, 
  the fight will be inconclusive and both ships will break off, perhaps returning in future to 
  encounter the characters in a new situation.
   
  Assuming the characters manage to escape the fight with a borderline Jump-capable 
  ship, they are now free to press on to Stoner.  
  EPILOGUE
   
  The characters reach Stoner at last.
  
  - 27 -
  SCENE 1: ARRIVAL AND AFTERMATH
   
  Imperial ships are not welcome in Stoner space, and so the characters can expect a 
  frosty reception at Gazala and subsequent ports of call on the way to Stoner. In the Stoner 
  system itself their vessel, like all foreign ships, escorted by fighter into the ‘foreign quarter’ 
  of the extensive starport, here it is searched by brisk and rude Ducal Household troops. 
  The characters are then kept waiting for half a day before being cleared to enter the port. 
   
  Foreigners are closely watched in the port, and ID checks are a frequent hassle. Even 
  basic services like news and ship resupply are slow and subject to interference by openly 
  hostile officials. It is obvious that non-Imperial crews are treated a lot better, and Stoner 
  nationals suffer none of these delays. 
   
  While struggling through the procedures, the characters encounter a smartly-dressed 
  party from a merchant ship berthed in the Foreign Quarter. This is the Williamsburg 
  Explorer, a large merchant cruiser operated by the Glimmerdrift Trade Consortium which 
  is based  over to Trailing from the Grand Duchy. The crew are having a scarcely better time 
  than the characters and are happy to spend the time of day swapping tales of places the 
  respective crews have visited. 
   
  Finally, with all their business concluded the characters are able to meet the Miracru 
  TradeCorp representative, a man named Andreas Gehrlicht. Gehrlicht is forced to live in 
  a hotel in the foreign quarter and struggles daily with all the hassles the characters have 
  just been through. But, he says, all that could change sometime soon. Now that he has the 
  regalia to present at his audience with the Grand Duke in a couple of weeks’ time, perhaps 
  his petition for a permanent trade mission will be agreed. At that point Miracru will establish 
  a regular service from Arkaene to Stoner, the first Imperial company to do so.
   
  But that’s the future, he says. For now he has the remainder of the charter payment 
  to give to the characters, and he has some funds available for reasonable expenses (such 
  as combat damage). Getting anything more than emergency repairs here on Stoner would 
  be an exercise in frustration, so Gehrlicht recommends the excellent starport at Grand 
  Endeavor, just two Jumps away to Trailing, as a possible site for a good overhaul. After 
  that, well, perhaps the characters will be headed back towards Imperial space, or maybe 
  they might want to head onward to Trailing or Rimward across Kraxin or Williamsburg 
  subsectors. The Glimmer Drift is an amazing sight in the night sky, and there are 
  opportunities for a resourceful crew out here beyond the Imperial border.
   
  But that’s another story…
  Referee
   
  The characters will receive their payment and reasonable additional expenses. They 
  should also gain experience, and will have time to train and learn new skills (if they gain 
  a level) while their ship is being overhauled at Grand Endeavor. Stoner Express is a full 
  adventure, so an experience award of 4,000XP x the average character level is called for. 
  See notes at the beginning of this adventure for more details on experience awards.
  EPIC ADVENTURE CHECKLIST
  Act 1: Arkaene Highport
  Key?
  Done?
  Scene
  -
  ______
  Scene 1: In Port
  K1
  ______
  Scene 2: No Chance Encounter
  -
  ______
  Scene 3: Leaving Port
  Act 2: En Route
  -
  ______
  Scene 1: Ports Of Call
  -
  ______
  Scene 2: Board And Search
  K2
  ______
  Scene 3: Road Ahead Closed
  Act 3: Obstructions And Counteroffers
  K3
  ______
  Scene 1: Softly Softly (Key Scene)
  K4
  ______
  Scene 2: A Very Oblique Warning
  -
  ______
  Scene 3: An Offer At Ander’s
  Act 4: Desperate Measures
  -
  ______
  Scene 1: Journeying Onward
  -
  ______
  Scene 2: Mistaken Identity
  K5
  ______
  Scene 3: Extreme Prejudice
  Act 5: Stoner Or Bust!
  K6
  ______
  Scene 1: Contact! 
  K7
  ______
  Scene 2: Salvation Is At Hand
  K8
  ______
  Scene 3: A Running Fight 
  K9
  ______
  Scene 4: A Moment Of Realization
  K10
  ______
  Scene 5: Endgames
   
  Epilogue
  -
  ______
  Scene 1: Arrival And Aftermath
   
  
  - 28 -
  Cast of Characters
  PEOPLE – MAJOR CHARACTERS
   
  Skills and stats are not necessary for the majority of these characters as they are 
  highly unlikely to be involved in a situation where combat or skill rolls are necessary. 
  MR JASIN SALISS
   
  Representative of Miracru TradeCorp at Arkaene Highport.
   
  Description: 
   
  Aged about 45, Saliss is a human of typically mixed blood who has been employed by 
  Miracru since he left the Imperial Navy on a medical discharge some 12 years previously. 
  Saliss’ record with the firm has been excellent and his promotion to head the trans-border 
  shipping operation when it is properly set up is a matter of course. 
   
  Saliss is in reasonable physical shape, though he walks rather stiffly as a result of 
  wounds received in the service. He is somewhat fastidious about his appearance, even off 
  duty, and is very fond of traditional Vilani food. His ready smile and easy, relaxed manner 
  belie a sharp and calculating mind, but he is no corporate weasel. Saliss does not take 
  himself too seriously and is prone to acts of charity prompted by a soft heart that even a 
  decade in the shipping business cannot repress. 
   
  Saliss prefers to work with individuals he has selected himself and who he trusts 
  than hotshot merchant-academy graduates. He considers a handshake to be as firm a 
  commitment as any contract, and will never again trust someone who breaks a deal. 
  Notes:
   
  Characters seeking to investigate Saliss’ history will find that he served mainly in staff 
  appointments, including a period in cruisers as flag lieutenant to Commodore Vinter on the 
  Trailing border in Ley sector. He holds a MCG (Medal for Conspicuous Gallantry) but on a 
  sealed citation. The relevant period in his personnel jacket simply reads; “It is known that 
  during this period the officer served to the satisfaction of his superiors”.
   
  Saliss left the service as a Lieutenant-Commander on a medical discharge as a result 
  of wounds incurred in Aid to Civil Government operations defending an Imperial embassy 
  from a rioting mob. The location is not listed. 
   
  Saliss will not discuss these matters.
  LADY ELIZABETH RANDALL-HOFNIER
   
  Representative of House Randall and main opponent of the characters.
  Description:
   
  A less than attractive young woman of about 28, Lady Elizabeth has a chip on her 
  shoulder. Lacking the grace and charm normally expected from nobles, she has found a 
  niche for herself as a troubleshooter for her house. Her mother married a commoner and 
  had the bad grace to have three elegant and attractive children before Elizabeth herself. 
  Elizabeth thus grew up as a very angry and resentful individual, though she turns this 
  anger outward rather than at herself or her family. 
   
  Something of a zealot, she is very effective in her chosen role and she has made it her 
  
  - 29 -
  goal in life to excel as a ‘doer’ rather than someone who gives orders or attends functions. 
  She intends to inherit part of the family holdings, and is quite prepared to put the work in 
  beforehand to earn the right. Already her siblings have come to rely upon her to get things 
  done for them, and in time she hopes the whole House will view her this way. 
   
  Although she is somewhat ruthless, Elizabeth is not amoral. She believes that the 
  ends justify the means but unless one of her rages blinded her (it has happened before) 
  she would not serve a cause she did not deem to be just. Her crusade to recover the family 
  heirlooms from Miracru is of course (in her eyes) the most just of causes, and so almost 
  any means are justified. 
  Notes: 
   
  Elizabeth has served as a ship’s officer and a ground combat commander among 
  her family’s Huscarles (household troops). She has some experience and a little formal 
  training, though she is to some extent still learning her trade. She has discovered the value 
  of agents, spies and hired thugs, though she dislikes such underhand methods. 
   
  Elizabeth is competent with a range of weapons and enjoys kickboxing and fencing 
  for sport. She carries a foil and dagger as tokens of her rank. However, her practical 
  streak is such that if she fights she will normally use the most effective weapon for the 
  circumstances, such as a combat shotgun or gauss pistol.
  Lady Elizabeth Randall-Hofnier: Level 6 Noble Medium human
  Stamina 48, Lifeblood 12    Init +5; Speed  9m (6 squares); 
  Armor Class: 15 (+6 Cloth, +1 dex), Armor Rating: 6 (Cloth)
  Str 11, Dex13 Con11, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha16, Edu 17, Soc 15
  SV Fort +2; Ref+3 Will +6;
  Attacks: 
  Weapon
  Hit
  Damage
  Rng-M
  Crit
  ROF
  Rnds
  C o m b a t 
  Shotgun 
  +4
  3d6/2d6/1/d6
  3
  20 x2
  1
  10
  Gauss Pistol
  +4
  1d12
  80
  18 x3
  1/4
  40
  Foil
  +4
  1d4
  1.5
  18 x2
  --
  --
  Dagger
  +4
  1d4
  1.5
  19 x2
  --
  --
  Fist
  +6
  1d4
  1.5
  20 x2
  --
  --
  Skills: Bribery +9, Gather Information +8, Intimidate +9, K/Interstellar Law +6, K/Imperial 
  Noble Culture+ 8, Leader + 9, Liaison +8, P/Administration + 7, Sense Motive + 7, 
  Feats: Brawling, Armor (Light, Medium, Vac Suit), Iron Will, Natural Born Leader, Noble 
  Presence, Noble Indignation, Trust Fund, Weapons (Marksman, Swordsman), Weapon 
  Focus (Brawling)
  Equipment: Cloth Armor, Combat Shogun, Gauss Pistol, Foil, Dagger, Vac Suit-14.
  CT: Noble, 2 terms 7878BA
  Skills: Brawling-1, Leader-1, Gun Combat-0
  Equipment: Cloth Armor, Foil, Dagger, Shogun, Gauss Pistol, Yacht.
   
  ‘MR RICHARDSON’
   
  An agent of House Randall. Her real name is Sengknua Ruedharkaedh, and she is a 
  Vargr.
  Description:
   
  A young female Vargr with silver-gray fur and a white muzzle, Sengknua is a covert 
  operative of House Randall. As such, she dresses and acts as seems appropriate for 
  the circumstances. Normally she pretends to be a humble office worker or port authority 
  technician. She has a basic competence in a range of skills to allow her to at least pass a 
  cursory attempt to determine if she is what she seems.
  Notes:
   
  Sengknua has been an employee of House Randall since she was a pup, and is 
  completely loyal. She is a personal friend of Lady Elizabeth, one of only a handful of 
  people who do not irritate Elizabeth.
   
  Sengknua is skilled at bribing, coercing, intimidating and misdirecting people. She 
  has handled innumerable confrontations, normally without recourse to outright violence. 
  Depending upon circumstances and local laws, she often carries one or more concealed 
  body pistols in addition to a large and ostentatious iridium-plated autopistol. She has found 
  that while foes’ attention is fixed on ensuring she does not reach for the hand cannon, it is 
  relatively easy to palm out a body pistol and get the drop on them.
  ‘Mr Richardson’ Vargr Rogue level 9
  Stamina 55, Lifeblood 12     Init +5; Speed 12m (9 squares);  
  Armor Class: 14 (+2 jack, +2 dex), Armor Rating: 2 (jack)
  Str9, Dex14 Con10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha14, Edu12, Soc11
  SV Fort +3; Ref+8 Will +3;
  Attacks: 
  Weapon
  Hit
  Damage
  Rng-M
  Crit
  ROF
  Rnds
  Infighting 
  (Claws)
  +9/+4 
  1d4
  1.5
  20 x2
  --
  --
  Bite
  +9/+4
  1d6+3
  1.5
  20 x2
  --
  --
  Dagger
  +8/+3
  1d4
  1.5 
  19 x2
  --
  --
  Magnum
  Autopistol*
  +8/+3
  1d12
  65
  20 x2
  1
  10
  Body Pistol
  *8/+3
  1d8
  24
  20 x2
  1
  5
  Skills: Driving +13, Innuendo +12, Intimidate +12, Listen +14, Spot +14  
  Feats: Vessel (wheeled), Weapons (marksman, swordsman), Armor (light, medium), 
  Alertness, Toughness x2, Brawling, Improved Initiative, Spot Trouble, Quick Draw, Point 
  Blank Shot, Precise Shot
  Equipment: jack armor, heavy autopistol*, 2 body pistols
  * Mr Richardson’s Magnum Autopistol has a built-in laser dot pointer, giving +2 to hit 
  at close range only. Details of this weapon are found in Travellers’ Aide Vol1: Personal 
  Weapons of Charted Space.
  
  - 30 -
  CT: Rogue, 4 Terms 5A7787
  Skills: Streetwise-2, Autopistol-1, Brawling-1,Bribery-1, Jack-o-T-1
  Equipment: Jack, 2 body pistols, autopistol*
  * Stats for the Magnum Autopistol in CT are included in TA1: Personal Weapons of 
  Charted Space.
  SUBLIEUTENANT GRANTLEE
   
  A young and earnest Imperial Navy officer
  Description: 
   
  A small, blonde woman not long out of Naval Academy, Alice Grantlee is an earnest 
  and hard-working young officer with an excellent record. For someone with so little 
  experience she has a rare trait – the ability to know when ‘the book’ must be followed 
  and when individual initiative is appropriate. She is serving the obligatory hitch in small 
  patrol ships but is destined for a rapid transfer to big fleet units and perhaps increased 
  responsibility.
  Notes: 
   
  Grantlee prefers to treat even the scruffiest free trader crews with courtesy and 
  respect, but will not take any nonsense. She knows her life is on the line during a boarding; 
  things can go sour very fast. As a result she always maintains distance (physical and 
  interpersonal) between herself and those she encounters in the line of duty. She is not 
  afraid to put a hand to her sidearm and issue a chilling warning if necessary. She has 
  worked with the Marine boarding team aboard her current ship for a few months now and 
  has an excellent working relationship with them: trust where it is needed and backup as a 
  matter of instinct. 
  Sublieutenant Alice Grantlee, Imperial Navy (Navy level 6)
  Stamina 22, Lifeblood 10    Init +0; Speed 6m (4 squares); 
  Armor Class: 10 (armor not normally worn on routine boarding)), Armor Rating: 0
  Str 10, Dex12 Con10, Int 15, Wis 11, Cha10, Edu 13, Soc 13
  SV Fort +2; Ref+3 Will +5;
  Attacks: 
  Weapon
  Hit
  Damage
  Rng-M
  Crit
  ROF
  Rnds
  Snub Pistol 
  +4
  1d10
  21 
  20 x2
  1
  15
  Fist
  +4
  1d4
  --
  20 x2
  --
  --
  Skills: all: Pilot +9, T/Computer +10, P/Administration +9, Liaison +9, Gunnery +11, T/
  Sensors +10
  T/Astrogation +10, T/Communications +10, T/Sensors+10, 
  Feats: Vessel (grav), Armor (light, vac suit), Weapons (marksman, laser), Brawling, Zero-
  G/Low-G adaptation, Zero-G combat, First Aid, Vessel (ship’s boat), Weapons (ship’s 
  weapons)
  Equipment: vac suit-14 (not normally worn for boardings), combat snub pistol
  CT: Navy, Naval Academy Honors Graduate plus 1 term 787A99
  Skills: Liaison-2,  Admin-1, Handgun-1, Navigation-1, Vac Suit-1
  Equipment: Snub Pistol
   
   
  LADY ELIZABETH’S HUSCARLES – SHIP CREW
  Human Ship Crew (Navy level 6)
  Stamina 22, Lifeblood 10    Init +0; Speed 6m (4 squares); 
  Armor Class: 13 (+3 vac suit), Armor Rating: 3 (vac suit)
  Str 10, Dex10 Con10, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha10, Edu 12, Soc 11
  SV Fort +2; Ref+2 Will +5;
  Attacks: 
  Weapon
  Hit
  Damage
  Rng-M
  Crit
  ROF
  Rnds
  Snub Pistol 
  +4
  1d10
  21 
  20 x2
  1
  15
  Snub SMG
  +4
  1d10
  24
  20 x2
  1/4
  30
  Fist
  +5
  1d4
  1.5
  20 x2
  --
  --
  Skills: all: Pilot +9, T/Computer +10, P/Administration +9, Liaison +9, Gunnery +11, T/
  Sensors +10
  T/Astrogation +10, T/Communications +10, T/Sensors+10, 
  Feats: Vessel (grav), Armor (light, vac suit), Weapons (marksman, laser), Brawling, Zero-
  G/Low-G adaptation, Zero-G combat, First Aid, Vessel (ship’s boat), Weapons (ship’s 
  weapons)
  Equipment: vac suit-12, combat snub pistol
  CT: Navy 2 Terms 777787
  Skills: Gunnery-1, Pilot-1, Vac Suit-1, Handgun-1
  Equipment: Vac Suit, Snub Pistol or Snub SMG
  LADY ELIZABETH’S HUSCARLES – MARINES
  Regular Marine (Marine level 6)
  Stamina 44, Lifeblood 14    Init +1; Speed 6m (4 squares); 
  Armor Class: 13 (+2 vac suit, +1 dex), Armor Rating: 2 (vac suit)
  Str 12, Dex12 Con13, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha10, Edu 10, Soc 10
  SV Fort +6; Ref+3 Will +5;
  Attacks: 
  Weapon
  Hit
  Damage
  Rng-M
  Crit
  ROF
  Rnds
  A c c e l e r a t o r 
  Rifle
  +11/+6
  1d12
  60
  20
  1/3
  15
  Snub Pistol 
  +10/+5
  1d10
  24
  20
  1
  15
  Skills: Spot +9, Demolitions +6, Pilot +5, Forward Observer +5, Survival +4
  Feats: Vessel (grav), Armor (light, medium, vac suit), Weapons (marksman, combat 
  rifleman, swordsman, high energy), Weapon focus (accelerator rifle), Brawling, Zero-G 
  Combat, Second Wind, Toughness, High Morale
  
  - 31 -
  Equipment: combat armor-12, Snub Pistol, Accelerator Rifle, personal medkit, 
  communicator
  CT: Marines, 2 Terms 889777
  Skills: Combat Rifleman-1, Brawling-1, Handgun-1, Vac Suit-1
  Equipment: Vac suit, accelerator rifle, snub pistol
  HIRED THUGS
   
  The thugs encountered Act 4 Scene 3 are professional muscle. They are competent 
  but nothing special.
  Human Rogue level 6
  Stamina 32, Lifeblood 12     Init +5; Speed  9m (6 squares); 
  Armor Class: 13 (+2 jack, +1 dex) or 15 (+4 flak jacket, +1 dex), Armor Rating: 2 (jack) 
  or 4 (flak jacket)
  Str 11, Dex12 Con11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha10, Edu 6, Soc 5
  SV Fort +2; Ref+6 Will +2;
  Attacks: 
  Weapon
  Hit
  Damage
  Rng-M
  Crit
  ROF
  Rnds
  Fist
  +5 
  1d4
  -- 
  20
  --
  --
  B a t o n /
  Cudgel
  +4 
  1d6
  1.5 
  19 
  --
  --
  Dagger
  +4
  1d4
  1.5
  19
  --
  --
  Autopistol
  +4
  1d10
  45
  20
  1
  15
  Shotgun
  +4
  3 d 6 / 2 d 6 /
  1d6
  3
  20
  1
  10
  Skills: Driving +10, Innuendo +9, Intimidate +9, Listen +11, Spot +11  
  Feats: Vessel (wheeled), Weapons (marksman, swordsman), Armor (light, medium), 
  Alertness, Toughness, Brawling, Improved Initiative, Spot Trouble, Quick Draw, 
  Equipment: (High Law Level): Concealed jack armor and cudgel or dagger. (Low Law 
  Level): Flak Jacket, Cudgel or Knife, Autopistol (possibly plus shotgun)
  CT: Rogue, 2 terms 787755
  Skills: Brawling-1, Gun Combat-1, Streetwise-1
  Equipment: jack or flak jacket, cudgel or dagger, autopistol plus possibly shotgun
  IMPERIAL MARINE BOARDING PARTY AND SOLOMANI MARINES
   
  Very similar stats can be used for Marines serving both the Imperium and the 
  Solomani Confederation. Solomani Marines do not use the cutlass. Ignore references to 
  the weapon or its associated skill.
  Regular Marine (Marine level 6)
  Stamina 44, Lifeblood 14  Init +1; Speed 6m (4 squares); 
  Armor Class: 18 (+7 combat armor, +1 dex), Armor Rating: 7 (combat armor)
  Str 12, Dex12 Con13, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha10, Edu 10, Soc 10
  SV Fort +6; Ref+3 Will +5;
  Attacks: 
  Weapon
  Hit
  Rng-M
  Crit
  ROF
  Rnds
  Snub SMG
  +10/+5
  1d12
  60
  20 x2
  1/3
  15
  Snub Pistol 
  +10/+5
  1d10
  24
  20 x2
  1
  15
  Cutlass
  + 11 / + 6 /
  +1
  1d8
  1.5
  18 x2
  --
  --
  Fist
  + 11 / + 6 /
  +1
  1d4
  1.5
  20 x2
  --
  --
  Skills: Spot +9, Demolitions +6, Pilot +5, Forward Observer +5, Survival +4
  Feats: Vessel (grav), Armor (light, medium, vac suit), Weapons (marksman, combat 
  rifleman, swordsman, high energy), Weapon focus (cutlass), Brawling, Zero-G Combat, 
  Second Wind, Toughness, High Morale
  Equipment: combat armor-12, Snub Pistol, snub SMG, cutlass, personal medkit, 
  communicator
  CT: Marines, 2 Terms 889777
  Skills Combat Rifleman-2, Brawling-1, Cutlass-1, Handgun-1, Vac Suit-1
  Equipment: combat armor, snub SMG, snub pistol, cutlass
  PEOPLE – RANDOM AND INCIDENTAL ENCOUNTERS
   
  During the course of their travels, the characters may encounter and interact with a 
  wide range of individuals. Combat or other interactions requiring skill rolls may occur with 
  some of these. However, stats are only included in this volume for characters and groups 
  with whom there is a high likelihood of conflict. If stats are needed for others, examples are 
  available in the T20 Core Rulebook and in Travellers’ Aide #4: 76 Gunmen, or in Classic 
  Traveller materials such as 1001 Characters and Citizens of the Imperium. Guidelines are 
  given here as an indication of the sort of stats that may be needed. 
   
  T20 uses a standard rating system for NPCs, as follows:
   
  Green: Inexperienced or unready: Level 3 characters
   
  Regular: Experienced and capable members of their profession: Level 6 characters
   
  Veteran: Highly experienced members of their profession, alert and ready to react: 
  Level 9 characters.
   
  Elite: Extremely capable or dangerous individuals. Level 12 characters.
   
  Note that these levels may be split between classes. For example a regular army 
  technician might be a 6th level character with 3 levels in Army and 3 in Professional.
  Incidental Encounters:
   
  Stats will probably not be needed for incidental characters. If they are, use the 
  guidelines below:
  BAR PATRONS AND PASSERS-BY
   
  T20: Random people encountered can be considered to be Green (level 3) in 
  most cases. Ordinary people will be Professionals. Spacer crews can be considered to 
  be Scouts or Merchants, and are more likely to be Regular (level 6) due to their more 
  
  - 32 -
  adventuresome lives. It is unlikely that these individuals will be carrying weapons illegal 
  at the local law level, and if weapons are legal they will be armed with handguns and/or 
  blades that can be carried comfortably. People rarely lug heavy weapons around in their 
  daily lives unless there is a clearly perceived need.
   
  CT: Assume stats of 777777 and no real combat skills (e.g. gun combat-0 for armed 
  civilians)
  BARFIGHTERS AND BOUNCERS
   
  T20: People of a sort likely to actually brawl (rather than fleeing from an incident) 
  are likely to be fairly experienced: Regular and in some cases Veteran members 
  of their profession. Tough guys can be considered to be Rogues while professional 
  security personnel such as bouncers or door supervisors will be Mercenaries. In most 
  establishments, the security staff are ‘officially’ unarmed but able to grab an implement 
  very similar to a baton that ‘just happened to be there’. Some low-law worlds may have 
  armed bouncers on the door (usually with pistols) and heavier weaponry available at 
  need. 
   
  CT: Assume stats of 889777 and Brawing-2, Handgun-1
  LAW ENFORCERS, GUARDS AND CUSTOMS OFFICIALS
   
  T20: Guards and customs personnel at various starports, and indeed law enforcement 
  officials, can be considered to be Regular (Level 6) Mercenaries. They are normally 
  equipped with a flak jacket and a sidearm (autopistols or snub pistols are common) and 
  a baton. Most guards have access to heavier firepower (shotguns, SMGs or rifles) if 
  necessary. 
   
  CT: Assume stats of 889888 and Brawling-1, Handgun-2, Shotgun, Rifle or SMG-1
  Starships
  SCOUTSHIP BROADSIDE OF A BARN
   
  This adventure presumes that the characters have access to a small starship such 
  as a Scout/Courier. If an existing group of characters has a ship available, then obviously 
  they can use that vessel. If not, they might be hired as the crew of a ship such as the one 
  described below.
   
  The Scout/Courier Broadside of a Barn is old; over a century and a half old. She has 
  had many owners, and few of them were particularly careful. Passed from hand to hand, 
  sold on, refitted in less than reputable ports and occasionally shot up, the Barn is prone 
  to a range of annoying glitches from landing gear that refuses to retract to an intermittent 
  short that dims the galley lights (Murphy’s Law being what it is, this seems to happen 
  whenever anyone tries to use a sharp implement!). But overall she s a good ship; she 
  gets her crew and whatever they are carrying from place to place safely, on time, and only 
  drives them slightly nuts in the process.
   
  Unable to carry much cargo or any passengers, the Barn has been making a living 
  doing courier work along the very Rimward frontier of the Imperium. Small-package 
  freighting of this sort is not commercially viable for most ships, but an almost-paid-for 
  Scout/Courier can make a reasonable living at it if the crew will accept less than standard 
  salaries or a cut of the meager profits.
   
  The Barn is a standard Type S Scout/Courier in most respects. She mounts a dual 
  turret containing twin missile racks, and carries three missiles for each rack. Spare 
  missiles could be carried in the cargo hold and manually transferred to the turret while the 
  ship is grounded; otherwise no reload is possible outside a starport. 
   
  A Scout/Courier is nominally worth MCr42 if purchased new. However, as the Barn 
  has changed hands and aged her value has dropped. Her existing mortgage is for MCr 
  3.4, with a monthly payment of 14,170. This is quite a lot of money to find for a ship that 
  can make only Cr20,000 per jump freighting with a full hold.
   
  In addition, the crew must provide for annual maintenance. A proper annual refit 
  would cost Cr42,000, requiring an additional Cr 3500 to be put away each month to cover 
  the costs. However, maintenance is usually skimped somewhat (this carries some risks 
  that add up over time). It is possible to get a just-good-enough refit for about Cr25,000 if 
  the crew are willing to bear an increased chance of Misjump and the general deterioration 
  of the ship over time. 
   
  Life-support costs add up to Cr750 per week per crewmember. The ship will happily 
  run on unrefined fuel (though her purifiers are becoming slow and erratic as a result of 
  skimped maintenance), which costs Cr100 per ton. This works out at Cr2400 per Jump-
  2.
   
  Overheads for a month of operation, assuming two Jumps and purchasing fuel 
  rather than skimming it, add up to Cr 18970 plus Cr750 per Jump per crewmember (or 
  passenger, though it is unlikely that a vessel of this type would carry any). If funds are put 
  away for a minimal refit, add Cr2100 per month, and for a standard refit Cr3500 per month 
  must be found. This is of course in addition to any funds the crew draw for themselves or 
  take as salaries. A crew that never leaves the ship and eats only ship’s rations can live 
  very cheaply right up until they go stir-crazy and knife one another. 
   
  Referees who dislike book-keeping should assume that Cr70,000 per month will 
  
  - 33 -
  cover fuel for 2 Jumps, life support, annual maintenance, berthing fees and such like for a 
  crew of 2-4 individuals, leaving only personal cash to be found.
  SHIP STATUS
   
  At present Broadside of a Barn has Cr9,000 in her general coffers and an additional 
  Cr12,000 put away for annual maintenance. This is not a great situation to be in. The next 
  annual maintenance is due in 5 months and it really needs to be a full-price one. The ship 
  has had too many skimped refits in the past and she is becoming unreliable. It is only a 
  matter of time until she becomes dangerous or is condemned as a hazard to navigation. 
   
  The vessel is short on all necessary tools, rescue gear and so on. Lost or damaged 
  items have not been replaced, and the air/raft that comes as standard with ships of this 
  type long ago broke down and was sold off for spares. The Air/Raft bay now contains 
  an assortment of spare parts, tools and random junk picked up here and there on the 
  offchance it might be useful someday.
  SHIP’S LOCKER
   
  The contents of the ship’s locker varies from vessel to vessel. Supposedly it should 
  contain emergency equipment, a few weapons for security, spares, tools and other items 
  necessary for operation of the ship and conduct of missions aboard it. In the case of 
  older ships like the Barn, the locker tends to be a dumping ground for all manner of junk, 
  magazine collections belonging to crewmembers who retired yeas ago, old shoes, sports 
  gear and anything else that does not have a place of its own aboard the ship.
   
  The Referee should ‘personalize’ the contents of the ship’s locker. For example, there 
  is indeed a toolkit, but it contains components from several other kits, a set of sockets 
  that don’t fit any bolt aboard the ship and a Blade that has clearly been used to lever up 
  deckplate at some point and become very bent in the process. 
   
  If the crew needs a relatively trivial item, they may be able to find it after a period of 
  uncomfortable rummaging around in the back of the locker, even if it is not listed here. 
  Note that there are some items (such as vac suit spares) that will always be present. They 
  are literally lifesavers and no sane crew would go into space without them. How accessible 
  they are is a different matter – especially if the crew have been rummaging about looking 
  for other items. 
  Suggested contents of the Ship’s Locker include:
  Survival Kit, Personal – A small backpack or belt pack containing personal survival 
  equipment. There should be one per crewmember plus a couple of spares. Contents 
  include:
   
  Small knife
   
  Fire-starting equipment
   
  Blanket/poncho
   
  4 days’ preserved rations
   
  Water bottle
   
  Compass
   
  Light cord or string
   
  Mirror
   
  Water purification tablets
   
  Survival manual
  Survival Kit, Vehicle – A standard kit carried aboard lifeboats, vehicles and starships, the 
  Vehicle Survival Kit designed to equip 4 people. Imperial Law requires that all spacegoing 
  vessels include one kit per 4 passengers or crew. The one aboard the Barn has probably 
  been pillaged several times to deal with minor emergencies and may lack much of its listed 
  contents at the Referee’s discretion. Contents include:
   
  1 Survival Rifle, plus 50 rounds shot and 50 ball
  1 Hatchet
  1 Field Medical Kit
  4 Personal Survival Kit
  4 Field Kit, Personal
   
  4 Sets/Emergency Cold Weather Clothing
   
  4 Combination Masks plus extra filters
   
  Field Rations for 60 person-days (15 days for 4 people)
   
  4 Bulk water storage containers with filters
   
  1 Water Purification Kit
   
  2 Pressure Tent
  Arms and Protective Equipment:
   
  1 Snub Revolver  
   
  1 Shotgun 
   
   
  3 Blade 
   
   
  8 Combination Mask 
   
  8 Life-Support Mask 
   
   
  Assorted Vac Suit Spares
   
  1 Standard TL 12 Vac suit per crewmember
   
  The Locker also includes slings, holsters and a few dozen rounds of ammunition for 
  the two guns. 
  Survival and Emergency Equipment:
   
  Rescue Balls (Located throughout the vessel)
   
  Emergency Softsuits: (1 per duty station, 8 spares in Locker)
   
  1 Portable Airlock
   
  Emergency Bulkhead Patches
   
  4 Emergency Radio Distress Beacons
  Tools and Other Equipment:
   
  Electronic Toolkit (Originally quite comprehensive)
   
  Mechanical Toolkit (Originally quite comprehensive)
   
  
  - 34 -
  1.   Avionics Bay
  2.   Bridge
  3.   Central Corridor
  4.   Stateroom One
  5.   Stateroom Two
  6.   Stateroom Three
  7.   Stateroom Four
  8.   Common Area
  9.   Fuel Tankage
  10. Landing Pylon Bay
  11. Gallery Access
  12. Drive Room
  13. Commo Bay
  14. Air/Raft Bay
  15. Ship’s Locker
  16. Gunner’s Position
  17. Storage
  18. Upper Gallery
  19. Forward Sensor Position
  20. Forward Cargo Bay
  IMPERIAL SCOUT/COURIER (Type S)
  Class: Starship, type S
  EP Output: 4 (2 excess)
  Double Turret: (empty)
  Tech Level: 11
  Agility: 2 (+2 EP)
  Size: Medium (100 tons)
  Initiative: +2 (+2 agility)
  Streamlining: Yes
  AC: 12 (+2 agility)
  Jump Range: 1x Jump-2
  Repulsors: 0
  Acceleration: 2-G
  Nuclear Dampers: 0
  Fuel: 24 tons
  Meson Screens: 0
  Duration: 4 weeks
  Black Globes: 0
  Crew: 1
  AR: 0
  Staterooms: 4
  SI: 100
  Small Cabins: 0
  Main Computer: Model/1 (5 CPU)
  Bunks: 0
  Sensor Range: Close (Mod/1)
  Couches: 
  Comm. Range: Close (Mod/1)
  Low Berths: 0
  Cargo Space: 20 tons
  Cost: MCr42.578 (new)
  Atmospheric Speeds:           NoE =  275kph   
  Cruising = 825kph Maximum = 1100kph
  Other Equipment: Air/raft, fuel scoops
   
  The Type S Scout/Courier is the most commonly seen ship in 
  Charted Space. Small, cheap, and reasonably economical to operate, 
  these ships have become a workhorse for both the government and 
  military fleets; some are encountered in commercial use. Most Scout/
  Couriers are actually former Scout Service vessels either purchased 
  as surplus from the government or are assigned for the private use 
  of former Scouts currently on Detached Duty. In return for use of the 
  ship the Scouts (and the ship itself) are subject to recall at any time for 
  temporary or indefinite duty, as the Scout service requires.
   
  The ship itself is built using the smallest available hull for a 
  starship, 100-tons. The vessel carries a Maneuver drive capable of up 
  to 2-G acceleration and a Jump-2 drive. The power plant provides just 
  enough energy to power the maneuver drives or the Jump drive. If laser 
  or energy weapons are installed, a larger power plant will be needed. 
  Most ex-Scout vessels have had their powerful computer and sensor 
  arrays removed and replaced with a standard Model/1bis computer. 4
  staterooms are available for crew and passengers. Small cargoes may 
  also be carried in the ship’s compact 20-ton cargo hold. The vessel also 
  carries a small vehicle bay, usually containing an air/raft.
   
  The Scout/Courier requires a crew of one to operate; the pilot who 
  must assume the duties of pilot and astrogator, and also oversees the 
  highly automated drive section. A second crewmember is desirable. 
  The Type S costs MCr42.578 new, and takes 5 months to build.
  
  - 35 -
  Velvet Glove-class Yacht
  Class: Starship, type Y
  EP Output: 13 (0 excess)
  2x Double Turret:  Beam 
  Laser; 
  Attack 
  Bonus 
  +3 (+3 USP), Damage: 
  3d8, Range Increment: 
  30,000km.
  1x 
  Single 
  Turret: 
  Sandcaster; Bonus +3 
  (+3 USP).
  Tech Level: 14
  Agility: 0
  Size: Medium (300 tons)
  Initiative: 0
  Streamlining: Streamlined
  AC: 10
  Jump Range: 1x Jump-3
  Repulsors: None
  Acceleration: 3-G
  Nuclear Dampers: None
  Fuel: 103 tons
  Meson Screens: None
  Duration: 4 weeks
  Black Globes: None
  Crew: 10 + 5 troops
  AR: 0
  Staterooms: 15 + 1 double
  SI: 130
  Small Cabins: 0
  Main Computer: Model/2bis
  Bunks: 0
  Sensor Range: Short/2
  Couches: 0
  Comm. Range: Close/1
  Low Berths: 2 +2 emergency
  Cargo Space: 14.6 tons
  Cost: 
  MCr 
  130.0248 
  excluding 
  smallcraft and supplies
  Atmospheric Speeds:           NoE  275kph
  Cruising  825kph                  Max  1100kph
  Other Equipment:  Sickbay, 10-ton Boat Hangar, 2x Air/raft bays, Office 
  space (equivalent to 3 staterooms), Extra Airlock.
  Solomani Confederation Light Patrol Cruiser Gallant Liberty
  Class: Starship, type ST
  EP Output: 30 (6 excess)
  1x Triple Turret:  Beam 
  Laser; 
  Attack 
  Bonus 
  +4 (+4 USP), Damage: 
  4d8, Range Increment: 
  30,000km.
  1x Triple Turret:  Pulse 
  Laser; 
  Attack 
  Bonus 
  +3 (+3 USP), Damage: 
  3d10, Range Increment: 
  45,000km.
  1x Triple Turret:  Missile 
  Rack; Attack Bonus +3 
  (+3 
  USP), 
  Damage: 
  3d10 
  (Bomb-Pumped 
  Laser), Range Increment: 
  90,000km.
  1x 
  Triple 
  Turret: 
  Sandcaster; Bonus +4 
  (+4 USP).
  Tech Level: 13
  Agility: 2 (+1 EP)
  Size: Medium (400 tons)
  Initiative: +2 (+2 agility)
  Streamlining: Partial
  AC: 12 (+2 agility)
  Jump Range: 1x Jump-4
  Repulsors: None
  Acceleration: 4-G
  Nuclear Dampers: None
  Fuel: 190 tons
  Meson Screens: None
  Duration: 4 weeks
  Black Globes: None
  Crew: 9 + 10 troops
  AR: 0
  Staterooms: 8
  SI: 145
  Small Cabins: 0
  Main Computer: Model/4bis
  Bunks: 0
  Sensor Range: Short/4
  Couches: 0
  Comm. Range: Close/4
  Low Berths: 10 emergency
  Cargo Space: 19.2 tons
  Cost: 
  MCr 
  223.588 
  excluding 
  smallcraft and supplies
  Atmospheric Speeds:              NoE  75kph
  Cruising  200kph                     Max 300kph
  Other Equipment:  Sickbay, Engineering Shop, Extra Airlock, 3 Missile 
  Magazines (60 missiles total).
  Imperial Patrol Cruiser Shaddalakkii
  Class: Starship, type P
  EP Output: 26 (4 excess)
  1x Triple Turret:  MIssile 
  Rack (x3), Attack Bonus 
  +2 (+2 USP), Damage 
  2d6
  1x Triple Turret:  MIssile 
  Rack (x3), Attack Bonus 
  +2 (+2 USP), Damage 
  2d6
  1x Triple Turret:  Beam 
  Laser (x3), Attack Bonus 
  +3 (+3 USP), Damage 
  3d8
  1x Triple Turret:  Beam 
  Laser (x3), Attack Bonus 
  +3 (+3 USP), Damage 
  3d8
  Tech Level: 12
  Agility: 1 (+1 EP)
  Size: Medium (400 tons)
  Initiative: +1 (+1 agility)
  Streamlining: Partial
  AC: 11 (+1 agility)
  Jump Range: 1x Jump-3
  Repulsors: None
  Acceleration: 4-G
  Nuclear Dampers: None
  Fuel: 140 tons
  Meson Screens: None
  Duration: 4 weeks
  Black Globes: None
  Crew: 9 + 10 troops
  AR: 0
  Staterooms: 20
  SI: 145
  Small Cabins: 0
  Main Computer: Model/3
  Bunks: 0
  Sensor Range: Medium/3
  Couches: 0
  Comm. Range: Medium/3
  Low Berths: 20
  Cargo Space: 24.8 tons
  Cost: 
  MCr 
  227.76 
  excluding 
  smallcraft and supplies
  Atmospheric Speeds:              NoE  75kph
  Cruising  200kph                     Max 300kph
  Other Equipment:  6 Missile Magazines (120 missiles total).
  Imperial Scout/Courier Wild at Heart
  Class: Starship, type S
  EP Output: 4 (2 excess)
  Double Turret: empty
  Tech Level: 11
  Agility: 2 (+2 EP)
  Size: Medium (100 tons)
  Initiative: +2 (+2 agility)
  Streamlining: Streamlined
  AC: 12 (+2 agility)
  Jump Range: 1x Jump-2
  Repulsors: None
  Acceleration: 2-G
  Nuclear Dampers: None
  Fuel: 24 tons
  Meson Screens: None
  Duration: 4 weeks
  Black Globes: None
  Crew: 1
  AR: 0
  Staterooms: 4
  SI: 100
  Small Cabins: 0
  Main Computer: Model/1
  Bunks: 0
  Sensor Range: Close/1
  Couches: 0
  Comm. Range: Close/1
  Low Berths: 0
  Cargo Space: 20 tons
  Cost: 
  MCr 
  42.258 
  excluding 
  smallcraft and supplies
  Atmospheric Speeds:              NoE  275kph
  Cruising  825kph                     Max 1100kph
  Other Equipment: Air/raft, fuel scoops.
  
  - 36 -
  Open Gaming Information
  OPEN GAME CONTENT
  Except as specified as Product Identity (see below and section 1e of the OGL) or 
  Trademarks (see below and section 1f of the OGL), the following material is considered 
  Open Game Content under section 1d of the OGL:
   • EPIC Adventure format; pages 4-5
   • Rewards and Advancement; pages 5-6
   • All NPCs from the Cast of Characters; pages 28-31
   • The 5 starship data blocks under the Starships section; pages 34-35
   • Any paragraph or section beginning with T20:
  It is the express intent of QLI that all classes, feats, skills, and other rules that are 
  derivative of the d20 SRD and other Open Game Content be released and added to the 
  existing body of Open Game Content for free use under the principals and requirements of 
  the Open Game License. Those sections that are solely derived from the original Traveller 
  canon works, such as the vehicle and starship design, or the world building rules remain 
  closed content and are not considered Open Game Content.
  PRODUCT IDENTITY
  In addition to the items specified under section 1e of the Open Game License, the 
  following terms and titles are also reserved as Product Identity. A copy of the Open Game 
  License can be found below:
  Vargr, Miracu TradeCorp, Arakaene, Ley sector, Solomani, air/raft
  OPEN GAME LICENSE
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). 
  All Rights Reserved.
  1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; 
  (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer 
  languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other 
  form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, 
  lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the game mechanic 
  and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product 
  Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the 
  Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, 
  but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying 
  marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, 
  language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic 
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  personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural 
  abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as 
  Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” 
  means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the 
  associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, 
  Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or 
  “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game 
  Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that 
  you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms 
  or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
  3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, 
  worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
  5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent 
  that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this 
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  6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text 
  of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the 
  title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content 
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  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as 
  expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not 
  to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing 
  Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark 
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  8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are 
  distributing are Open Game Content.
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any 
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  10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You 
  Distribute.
  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor 
  unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
  12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of 
  the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game 
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  13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach 
  within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
  14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the 
  extent necessary to make it enforceable.
  15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document, Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip 
  Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  T20 – The Traveller’s Handbook Copyright 2002, QuikLink Interactive, Inc. Traveller is a trademark of Far Future Enterprises 
  and is used under license
  Traveller’s Aide #1 Copyright 2002, QuikLink Interactive, Inc. Traveller is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises 
  and used under license.
  Traveller’s Aide #4 – 76 Gunmen, Copyright ©2003 QuikLink Interactive, Inc.
  EPIC Adventure #1 – Stoner Express, Copyright ©2004 QuikLink Interactive, Inc.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Traveller/Traveller d20/EA0001 Epic Adventure 1 Stoner Express.pdf