TEXT: Secret of the Shifting Sands
  Rob Cavender
  A Dragonstar Adventure for four 3rd-level characters
  
  “Secret of the Shifting Sands” is a Dragonstar
  adventure suitable for a party of 3rd-level player
  characters (PCs). Consult the “Scaling the
  Adventure” section if you want to run the adven-
  ture with a larger, smaller, higher-level or lower-
  level party of adventurers.
  PREPARATION
  “Secret of the Shifting Sands” is written for the
  Dragonstar campaign setting by Fantasy Flight
  Games. Text that appears in italics is player infor-
  mation, which you can read aloud or paraphrase
  where appropriate. Normal text contains informa-
  tion important to you when running the adventure.
  Maps are included at the end of the adventure in
  their own appendix.
  The party will find it beneficial to have at
  least one rogue or mechanist. Although it is possi-
  ble to complete the adventure without one, the
  presence of a rogue or mechanist greatly enhances
  the party’s chance of success.
  The adventure takes place on Primogen II,
  found in Chapter 4 of the Dragonstar: Guide to the
  Galaxy, although any sparsely populated planet
  with a large desert will suffice. Although the Secret
  of the Shifting Sands assumes that the opposition
  consists of sand rats (see new monsters section)
  any low-level humanoid race can be substituted to
  better fit the DM’s campaign.
  BACKGROUND
  Ten years ago, an Imperial craft suffered a naviga-
  tional failure and went down amid the Burning
  Dunes. Although precisely what the craft carried is
  unknown, Imperial forces descended on the desert
  in unprecedented numbers to retrieve the craft and
  her pilot. After months of scouring the desert, the
  Imperial forces gave up the search. The cargo and
  pilot were never recovered.
  Some few days ago, after a brutal sand-
  storm, the sand rats came across the exposed
  remains of an Imperial pilot. Among his posses-
  sions, the rats discovered the black box from his
  craft. Ragash, the leader of the sand rats, surmised
  that the box and pilot could well have come from
  the Imperial craft lost to the sands all those years
  ago. Although the rats did not have the facilities to
  unlock the secrets of the box, Ragash reasoned
  that, at the very least, he could sell the box back to
  the Imperials for a princely sum. To make certain
  that none of his followers attempted to steal the
  box, he kept his suspicions to himself.
  Unfortunately for Ragash, one of his less
  competent tribesmen was not aware of the box’s
  value or his leader’s plans for it and traded the box
  to a caravan for some wine and a few other luxuries.
  When Ragash discovered what had happened, he
  was furious. He immediately put the fellow respon-
  sible to death and set off in search of the caravan.
  Ragash and his tribe caught up to the cara-
  van at the trading post known as the Shifting Sands
  and politely asked the merchant for the return of
  his property. The merchant, alerted by Ragash’s
  urgency, refused to sell it back and began to for-
  mulate his own suspicions as to the importance of
  the box. Ragash relented, but returned in the dead
  of the night with his warriors, killing everyone
  inside the trading post and reclaiming his treasure.
  In taking the box back, Ragash discovered
  that the merchant had used his computer equip-
  ment to unravel the secrets of the black box.
  Overjoyed with his new discovery, Ragash imme-
  diately sent most of his warriors back into the
  desert, took a trusted few with him to plunder the
  treasure, and left the rest to clean up the mess.
  ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS
  The PCs arrive at the trading post and come under
  attack by the sand rats. They then defeat the sand
  rat rear-guard while preventing the destruction of
  the trading post and investigating what the sand
  rats are trying to accomplish. Over the course of
  their investigation, they learn of the existence of
  the black box and its significance. Finally, the char-
  acters pursue Ragash and his band into the wastes
  to stop him from claiming the prize.
  SCALING THE ADVENTURE
  If the DM feels that the rats are too dangerous for
  his party, the simplest solution is to use basic sand
  rats instead of the specialists listed above and
  replacing the blaster carbines with lasers or con-
  1
  Secret of the Shifting Sands
  
  ventional slug throwers. For a party of 4th-level
  characters, use the adventure as written. The play-
  ers may have an easier time of completing the mis-
  sion, but their rewards will be lessened as well. To
  make the adventure more dangerous, add addition-
  al class levels to the sand rats and upgrade their
  equipment appropriately.
  FOR THE PLAYERS
  Getting the PCs to the trading post should be sim-
  ple. The Shifting Sands is the only such establish-
  ment for miles in any direction and has a local
  monopoly on fuel and other essential supplies. If
  the players need a more urgent reason to visit the
  post, the area is prone to violent sandstorms and
  the post would make a convenient safe haven in
  which to ride out the storm.
  Likewise, the Burning Dunes are known to
  harbor the ruins of lost civilizations, so the PCs can
  be in the area searching for forgotten wealth or lost
  items of power. Alternately, one of the heroes
  could have a relationship with the proprietor of the
  Shifting Sands, be it relative, lover, or old friend,
  and wants to stop by and say hello while he hap-
  pens to be in the area.
  DUNGEON FEATURES
  The Shifting Sands is constructed of industrial
  brick. All interior doors are made of two-inch thick
  steel (Hardness 12, 60 hp., Break DC 30) and slide
  into the ceiling when activated. Doors are activat-
  ed through a touch pad on either side of the portal.
  All doors have an electronic locking mechanism,
  but this is not engaged on most of the portals. On
  those doors marked with a key symbol, the door is
  locked and requires electronic lockpicks and an
  Open Locks check (DC 25) or a keycard to open.
  Exterior doors are six-inches thick and recess into
  the walls when opened (Hardness 12, 180 hp.,
  Break DC 36). They are also activated with a touch
  pad on either side of the door.
  Exterior walls are five-foot thick compos-
  ite bricks (Hardness 18, 2100 hp.). The interior
  walls are composed of concrete blocks six inches
  thick (Hardness 10, 120 hp.). Rooms and hallways
  have ten feet of ceiling clearance unless otherwise
  noted. The map is printed to a five foot per square
  scale.
  The Shifting Sands is well lit. Light from
  the outside comes in through windows and sky-
  lights. These windows are shuttered with sliding
  metal plates to protect against sandstorms.
  Glowing panels in the ceiling augment the natural
  lighting. These panels continue to glow as long as
  the reactor (Area 14) is functioning.
  Note that all of the NPCs in the Shifting
  Sands are in radio communication with each other.
  If they think the PCs are more than they can han-
  dle, they will regroup and attempt to make an exit.
  If the PCs capture a communicator and the rats
  detect them listening in, they will switch to a back-
  up frequency.
  Outside (Area 1)
  Outside the Shifting Sands is the beginning of the
  Burning Dunes. Sparse vegetation and rocky sand
  leaves the characters little cover for approaching
  the Shifting Sands unseen. Impose a –4 circum-
  stance modifier for the bright light and lack of
  cover unless the PCs employ unusual measures
  (such as sending the rogue in first under cover of
  an invisibility spell).
  1. SAND RAT SENTRY (EL 2)
  Slithburn, a member of the sand rats, stands watch
  from the roof. A Spot check (DC 15) reveals his
  position by the light glinting from his rifle. The
  roof is easily accessible by climbing over the over-
  turned dune runner. Characters wishing to climb
  onto the roof may make a Climb Check (DC 5) to
  2
  Dragonstar
  A square, gray building squats amid the desert
  ahead. Sunlight reflects off the many windows, a
  dancing cascade of light in contrast to the
  oppressive heat of the desert landscape. A small
  fueling station sits beside the building, and an
  overturned dune runner lies nearby, resting par-
  tially atop a small mountain of tires. Two figures
  lay sprawled in front of the metal door of the
  structure, their limbs spread awkwardly amid a
  pool of discolored sand.
  
  determine success.  Characters searching the roof
  area will notice that the communications antenna is
  down. The antenna was purposely sabotaged and
  cannot be repaired; it will need to be replaced
  instead.
  Slithburn is loyal, but he is not willing to
  lay down his life for Ragash. If he is losing the bat-
  tle and the PCs order him to surrender, he does so
  if it appears it will give him a reasonable chance of
  survival.
  One of the sprawled bodies belongs to
  Ray, a male dwarf mechanic. His name is proudly
  engraved on a patch over the left breast pocket on
  his jumpsuit.  The second body belongs to the
  female elf that owned the overturned dune runner.
  The keys are still in the pocket of her jumpsuit.
  PCs searching the bodies of the fallen will discov-
  er the keys on a successful Search Check (DC 5).
  NPC: Slithburn: 15 hp.
  Tactics: Slithburn is on the roof of the
  Shifting Sands and alert for danger. His prone posi-
  tion gives him one-half cover against targets
  attacking from the ground. If he comes under
  attack, Slithburn contacts the rest of his squad with
  his personal communicator and puts them on alert.
  He also uses his dermpatch of endurance to
  increase his chances of surviving the encounter.
  The only way to either action is to sneak past the
  vigilant rat (opposed Hide check) or take him out
  on the first round of combat (with sleep, color
  spray, or a similar incapacitating spell, or by taking
  him down outright).
  Treasure: The dune runner (see appendix)
  is still operational, just a bit scuffed and dented. A
  successful Strength check (DC 20) or some time
  with a lever or other special tools will get it back
  on its feet. The keys are in the pocket of the elf
  corpse (Search DC 5). If the PCs find the keys, it
  becomes much simpler for them to catch up with
  Ragash later in the adventure. Besides his listed
  possessions, Slithburn has no treasure.
  Developments: If the PCs fight Slithburn,
  he uses his personal communicator to alert the rest
  of the sand rats. If the PCs stealthily dispose of
  Slithburn, but take time to right the dune runner
  before continuing, there is a chance (Listen check
  DC 15) that one of the sand rats inside the Garage
  (area 5) will hear the commotion and come to
  investigate.
  Ground Floor (Areas 2-8)
  The ground floor is for services, resting, and gen-
  eral amenities when folks stop at the trading post.
  The walls are painted white, but are dingy enough
  to suggest that a new coat of paint or at least a good
  washing is in order.
  2. LOUNGE
  On closer inspection, one of the doors on the north
  wall leads to the kitchen area while the other is
  marked with the symbol of a unisex bathroom. The
  door to the western wall leads to the concessions
  area and is clearly marked with a plaque beside the
  portal. Both corpses were patrons of the Shifting
  Sands that happened to be in the wrong place at the
  wrong time. The pasta covering the second corpse
  is spaghetti and sauce. If the PCs investigate the
  bodies, their pockets appear rifled, all valuables
  and identification are missing. The video screen is
  operational, but not receiving at the moment due to
  damage to the communications antenna outside.
  3
  Secret of the Shifting Sands
  Two tables stand overturned in the failing light,
  their attendant stools scattered like fallen leaves.
  A booth in the corner of the room remains
  upright, patronized by a slumped figure lying in
  a sticky pool of spilled blood. A long counter
  dominates the northern half of the room; a body
  rests among the toppled stools at its feet, his
  chest half buried in noodles and sauce. A break
  in the wall above the counter leads to the kitchen
  beyond. Above the counter, a video screen flick-
  ers with static, bathing the scene in a ghostly
  light. A solid steel door on the eastern wall leads
  to the outside while three lighter doors exit the
  room to the north and west.
  
  3. CONCESSIONS & SUPPLY
  This room serves as the store and supply depot for
  the Shifting Sands. As a repository of useful and
  portable goods, the sand rats hit it hard. The robot
  is irreparable, but a character clever with electron-
  ics and a datapad can recover some of its recent
  memory with a successful Use Device check (DC
  17). Characters who succeed in this check can
  replay the last few moments of the robot’s life
  including the sand rat attack. 
  Searching the room will uncover some
  informative pamphlets about the Burning Dunes
  and their history. In the recent history section of
  these pamphlets, the characters find mention of the
  events outlined in the Background section of the
  adventure. The sand rats already looted this room
  for anything of value.
  4. STORAGE ROOM
  This room serves as storage for spare parts for the
  garage and the trading post. The sand rats left noth-
  ing of any value when they looted the place. Of
  real interest to the PCs is the device on the canis-
  ters. The canisters all carry vehicle fuel; this is
  obvious from their labeling. The device is a small,
  powerful explosive, set to detonate the fuel. The
  bomb is not set to explode any time soon, the PCs
  have hours to disarm the device (Disable Device
  DC 10) or clear the area. Loud noises in this area
  will alert the scavenging sand rats in area 5,
  prompting them to investigate.
  5. GARAGE (EL 3)
  The garage is full of vehicle parts and empty can-
  isters of vehicle fuel. If the PCs need to perform
  any repairs on their vehicles, most any minor repair
  short of a full rebuild can be accomplished here.
  NPCs: Shakara: 19 hp, Nesrek: 17 hp.
  Creatures: Giant sand lizards (2): 22 hp
  each.
  Tactics: The sand lizards are pack animals
  and non-combatants. Loud noises like explosions
  or gunfire will spook the creatures, causing them to
  run away into the desert.
  Shakara and Nesrek will be largely oblivi-
  ous to the characters unless one of the other rats
  sounds the alarm and will require a Listen check
  4
  Dragonstar
  Rows of broken shelves line the walls of this
  room. Banners proclaiming brand superiority
  dot the walls, gaudy posters at odds with the
  drab bricks. Discarded packaging litters the
  floor, broken merchandise and tattered paper
  forming a chaotic tapestry of debris. A broken
  robot stands behind a small counter in the north-
  ern part of the room, its metal body rent and bro-
  ken. Three doors exit the room, one on the east-
  ern wall and two to the north.
  Stout metal shelves fill this room, forming aisles
  running north to south. A broken skylight supple-
  ments the light thrown from the ceiling panels,
  casting the room in a sunny glow. Broken glass
  litters the floor amid oil stains and a fine dusting
  of sand. Stacks of boxes clutter the northern cor-
  ner of the room beside a huge set of double
  doors. A row of large canisters stretches from the
  door itself nearly to the southern end of the
  room. The central container bears a mechanical
  device with a blinking light and an ominous, red
  display.
  Two large lizards stand silhouetted before an
  enormous metal door. A hovering cart trails
  behind the scaly beasts laden with a veritable
  mountain of goods and gear. The reptiles stand
  nearly motionless in their blinders and harness,
  only occasionally stamping a foot or swinging an
  enormous tail. A lift ponderously rises from the
  oil-stained floor, pulling free from the debris like
  some strange mushroom thriving in the dark. On
  the western wall, a long workbench lies half-
  buried in tools and broken vehicle parts. A row of
  orange canisters lines the eastern wall of the
  room, bracketing a pair of double sliding doors.
  A smaller door on the south wall is clearly
  marked with the word “restroom” in the common
  tongue.
  
  (DC 15) to avoid surprise. If the rats are alert, then
  Nesrek covers the loading dock with his rifle while
  Shakara covers the southern exits with her cross-
  bow.
  Treasure: Most of the loot heaped onto the
  hovering cart consists of supplies and spare parts of
  no interest to PCs. However, among the debris are
  a masterwork toolkit, a medkit, and two
  dermpatches of cure light wounds. The hovering
  cart is also valuable, but less likely to be of interest
  to PCs. More information regarding the hovering
  cart can be found in the new items section at the
  end of the adventure.
  6. KITCHEN
  This room serves as the kitchen for the trading
  post. The food on the countertops is spoiled and
  inedible, but there is enough food in the local
  refrigerators for the PCs to make a meal if they are
  so inclined. The stairs in the alcove in the north-
  western part of the room leads to a larger food stor-
  age area and the personal apartments of the owner
  and his family.
  Treasure: The proprietor’s corpse has a
  magnetic keycard that will open all locks within
  the Shifting Sands. The knife is simply a good-
  quality cooking knife, roughly equivalent to a dag-
  ger if used in combat.
  7. LOCKED BATHROOM (EL 1)
  This room contains Klezac, a bucket, and some
  cleaning supplies, which Klezac has rigged into a
  crude, caustic trap.
  NPCs: Klezac: 7 hp.
  Tactics: Klezac waits behind the door with
  a full bucket of cleaning chemicals. When the door
  opens, he will throw the bucket in the face of the
  first PC. To hit, he needs to make a successful
  ranged touch attack. Failure means that he doused a
  PCs lower half, but nothing serious or incapacitat-
  ing. If successful, the PC takes 1d4 damage (save
  vs. Fortitude DC 12 for half). PCs who fail their
  saves are also blinded for 1d3 rounds. If he blinds a
  PC, Klezac attempts to flee. Otherwise he curls up
  in a ball screaming, “I surrender! I surrender!”
  Development: If Klezac manages to flee
  past the PCs, he has a 50% chance of running
  towards the garage (area 5). If the sand rats in area
  5 are still alive, this will alert them to intruders if
  they were not already alerted. Also, if they were on
  the alert, they will open fire on Klezac when he
  enters their room.
  8. UNISEX BATHROOM
  This is a simple unisex bathroom. It is unusually
  clean for a public restroom, but it is otherwise
  unremarkable.
  5
  Secret of the Shifting Sands
  The mighty stoves lie dead and cold in the
  kitchen, the grills and fryers silent and empty.
  Half-prepared food lies out on the countertops,
  already buzzing with flies and vermin. Pots and
  pans lie overturned on the greasy floor amid the
  remains of half-cooked meals. A break in the
  southern wall provides a clear view of the lounge
  area over a simple counter. Beneath the counter,
  a portly corpse lies broken, his hand still clutch-
  ing a stained cooking knife. Racks for dishes and
  supplies hang on the northern wall, while an
  enormous dishwasher dominates the eastern
  portion of the room.
  A toilet rests against the eastern wall, flanked by
  a small cabinet mounted with a sink. A mirror
  hangs over the sink, spotted with crusty droplets
  of dried fluid. The cabinet doors are open and
  empty bottles lay strewn across the white tile
  floor. The room is otherwise clean and smells
  faintly of lemons.
  A toilet peeks from behind a wooden cabinet in
  the northern part of this room. The cabinet is
  topped with a marble countertop and pierced
  with a steel sink. A plain mirror hangs over the
  sink beside a fluid dispenser filled with a thick,
  pink gel. Beside the door, a metal container holds
  paper towels, over an overflowing trash bin.
  
  Underground (Areas 9-22)
  The underground areas include showers, storage,
  and living space. All doors marked with a key can-
  not be opened without a keycard or electronic lock-
  picks and an Open Locks check (DC 25). This
  level has a thin, gray carpet to cover the floors. The
  northern portion of the underground is off limits to
  guests and contains maintenance equipment and
  the generators to run the building.
  9. SUITE ONE
  This room serves as one of the two suites that trav-
  elers can rent for a refreshing nap or a night in an
  actual bed. It was not in service when the sand rats
  attacked and still stands ready for visitors.
  10. SUITE TWO
  The bloody figure belongs to the merchant who
  purchased the black box from the sand rats.
  Although he did not give in to Ragash, the infor-
  mation was on his datapad. The papers are merely
  hardcopy of records and receipts for the merchant’s
  business. Although the datapad itself is missing, a
  Search check (DC 10) finds a standard data crystal
  under the bed. This contains a backup of all the
  merchant’s records. A Use Device check (DC 15)
  defeats the relatively simple encryption and reveals
  the merchant’s notes on the black box including the
  GPS coordinates of the crash and his suspicions
  that the black box is related to the lost Imperial
  cargo. The PCs need a datapad to display the infor-
  mation.
  11. SUITE TWO BATH
  This private bath serves the second overnight suite.
  The toiletries belong to the dead merchant in area
  10. There is nothing of value in this room.
  12. SUITE ONE BATH
  This private bath serves the first overnight suite.
  Many spacers and travelers greatly appreciate the
  opportunity to soak their travels away and pay a
  premium for use of the tubs. There is nothing of
  value in this room.
  13. LAUNDRY ROOM
  6
  Dragonstar
  A simple bed, neatly made, rests against the
  southern wall. A small nightstand with a single
  lamp stands vigil beside the bed, its surface
  clean and buffed. A single video monitor hangs
  from the eastern wall, its screen dark and empty.
  A long tub dominates the western half of this
  room opposite a small toilet and sink. A razor
  and a few small bottles lay atop the sink with an
  open tube of toothpaste. The floor is scuffed,
  white tile and half-covered with a damp, white
  towel. A few towels lie scattered across the room,
  one hanging over the edge of the tub. A simple
  mirror hangs over the sink.
  A bloody figure lies sprawled atop the thick
  green carpet of this room. A rumpled bed lies
  against the northern wall, its covers slithering to
  the floor in a heap. Beside the bed, a nightstand
  sits beneath an overturned lamp, its drawer open
  and empty. A blank video screen on the eastern
  wall stands dark and silent like the great, disap-
  proving eye of some long forgotten god. Sticky
  papers lie like fallen leaves about the room,
  slowly seeping up the blood from the broken
  corpse below. Two doors exit this room, one on
  the northern wall leads back to the hallway, and
  another door to the south.
  A long tub dominates the western half of this
  room opposite a small toilet and sink. The floor
  is scuffed, white tile and half-covered with a
  shaggy, white towel. More towels hang above the
  toilet and a simple mirror hangs over the sink.
  A bank of washing machines dominates the east-
  ern part of this room. A pressing board rests in
  the southern portion, toppled over a still, female
  form. Small piles of clothing sits atop the fallen
  woman, stained red from the spreading pool
  beneath.
  
  Designed to take care of the guest’s laundry needs,
  the equipment in this room is capable of washing
  and pressing most clothing in record time. The
  corpse belongs to the proprietor’s wife. Her pock-
  ets have been searched and turned inside out. Close
  inspection of the body will determine that she was
  about six months pregnant when she died. There is
  nothing of value here.
  14. UTILITIES (EL 3)
  The device is a bomb, set to send the reactor into
  critical overload and blow the Shifting Sands to
  tiny bits. A Disable Device (DC 20) check disarms
  the bomb. A Spot check (DC 15) reveals that the
  reactor has been damaged and is building to an
  overload. A Repair check (DC 20) is necessary to
  stabilize the reactor. Alternately, a Use Device
  check (DC 5) will shut the reactor down. This will
  kill power for the entire building, plunging it into
  darkness and alerting all the sand rats to the pres-
  ence of intruders.
  NPCs: Siltasha: 11 hp and Rekburt: 13 hp.
  Tactics: If the rats have not been alerted at
  this point, both Siltasha and Rekburt are hard at
  work on setting the charges and making certain the
  reactor builds to overload. Due to the noise in the
  room, they do not hear the PCs approach, allowing
  the PCs a surprise action on both the saboteurs.
  If alerted, Rekburt watches the door with
  his blaster at the ready. He shoots the first PC he
  sees.
  Treasure: In addition to their personal
  gear, Siltasha has a master key for all the doors in
  the building.
  15. FOOD STORAGE
  This room harbors the basic necessities and dried
  goods for the restraint upstairs as well as dining for
  the shopkeeper and his wife. The clipboard is
  merely a list of goods with check marks next to
  what needs to be reordered.
  16. FREEZER
  This large, walk-in freezer keeps supplies for the
  restaurant fresh until they can be used. The broken
  bottles once held some of the high-quality chilled
  wines that the proprietor kept for special occasions.
  There is nothing of value here.
  17. APARTMENTS (EL 1)
  These apartments house the main living area for
  the proprietor and his wife. The northern half of the
  room has a small kitchen and dining area while the
  southern part of the room is for watching video
  programs, reading, and general recreation.
  NPCs: Selness: 13 hp.
  Tactics: If the rats are not on alert, Selness
  is looking for more loot to add to her bag. She will
  require a Listen check to notice the arrival of the
  PCs. Otherwise, she will be listening for activity in
  7
  Secret of the Shifting Sands
  Large hoses and cables throb around the edges
  of this chamber. A reactor dominates the south-
  ern portion of the room while less identifiable
  devices cluster around to the north. The din of
  machinery permeates the air, in a cacophony of
  industrial noise. A device is affixed to the reac-
  tor, its blinking light and red display at odds with
  the otherwise drab exterior of the device.
  Shelves and boxes clutter this small room. A
  bewildering variety of brand names, and cans
  assaults the senses each label proudly proclaim-
  ing its superiority to the next. The stacks are
  uneven and some spots on the shelves are bare. A
  clipboard hangs from a peg next to the door.
  A blast of cold air emanates from this room.
  Inside, rows of frosty shelves hold preserved
  meats and beverages. Broken bottles litter the
  floor, their contents already frozen into pools of
  golden ice.
  Thick, red carpeting covers the floor of this large
  room. The room is divided into two halves. The
  northern half holds a small kitchen and dining
  area while the south bears some comfortable
  chairs, a low table and a dark video screen.
  
  the hallway beyond, if she hears movement she
  will open the door and commence firing.
  Treasure: Selness’ bag contains 170 cred-
  its, a silver chain inset with lapis stones (130 cr), a
  pair of nightvision goggles, a dermpatch of cure
  moderate wounds, and a dermpatch of cure light
  wounds.
  18. APARTMENT BATH
  This is the private room for the proprietor and his
  family. It is quite clean and well kept. Toiletries are
  in a cabinet under the sink or in the cabinet behind
  the bathroom mirror. There is nothing of value
  here.
  19. BEDROOM
  This room was to house the couple’s coming
  daughter. The box contains simple baby toys and
  the house is a hand-carved replica of a frontier
  homestead. There is nothing of value to the PCs in
  this room.
  20. MASTER BEDROOM
  Both dressers contain simple working clothes. The
  western dresser belongs to the proprietor; the other
  belongs to his wife. There is nothing of value here.
  21. SHOWERS
  A simple shower facility, this room exists so trav-
  elers can wash some of the road from their bodies.
  There is nothing of value here.
  Observation Deck (Area 22)
  The observation deck is simply a lounge area with-
  out food. This floor is carpeted and the furniture is
  quite plush. Unlike the ground level, the windows
  in the observation deck are only shuttered during
  inclement weather. The windows in the observa-
  tion deck provide a clear view of the roof.
  22. OBSERVATION LOUNGE
  The observation lounge allowed travelers to sip
  drinks and relax away from the busy restaurant and
  lounge below. The door leads out onto the roof. If
  the PCs have not disposed of Slithburn already, he
  has a good chance to notice the characters snoop-
  ing around this area. There is nothing of value here.
  8
  Dragonstar
  A long tub dominates the northern half of this
  room opposite a small toilet and sink. The floor
  is scuffed, white tile and half-covered with a
  shaggy, white towel. More towels hang above the
  toilet and a simple mirror hangs over the sink.
  Three curtained stalls line the eastern portion of
  this room, the curtains drawn back to reveal a
  single showerhead and drain beyond. Small
  lockers stand before each stall, their doors slack
  and open. Clean, white towels sit atop each of
  the lockers. A hamper in the western wall allows
  for disposal and a shelf above the hamper holds
  fresh towels, ready for use.
  Pink, floral wallpaper covers the walls of this
  room. Sky blue carpeting covers the floor in a
  thick layer of comforting shag. A crib rests
  against the western will with a simple mobile
  twirling above. The crib’s coverlets are neatly
  folded back before a small but plush pillow. A
  box sits against the north wall beside a tiny repli-
  ca of a simple home.
  A plush double bed dominates the southern part
  of the room flanked by matching nightstands and
  lamps. Twin dressing cabinets nest against the
  northern wall. The cabinet to the east is stuffed
  to overflowing with garments and additional
  clothing rests atop the cabinet or hangs from its
  knobs.
  Shuttered windows and ample skylights brightly
  illuminate this room. Comfortable couches line
  the walls before low tables. A few stools stand at
  attention around a scattering of tables in the cen-
  ter of the area. Dingy white carpet covers the
  floor, giving way to the simple gray furniture and
  pale, whitewashed walls. A door pierces the wall
  to the north, leading onto the roof beyond.
  
  23. SHOWDOWN WITH RAGASH (EL 5)
  Ragash and his minions reached the downed
  Imperial shuttle and penetrated the hull before the
  PCs arrived. One of the rats on guard (opposed
  Spot check to notice) is watching from the hold. If
  he sees the PCs, he alerts his comrades who will
  attack from behind cover of the other cargo aboard
  the ship.
  NPCs: Ragash: 33 hp, Astithak: 17 hp,
  and Bereek: 17 hp.
  Tactics: Astithak and Bereek will be clos-
  est to the entrance, fighting from behind the crates
  and boxes in the cargo bay for as long as possible.
  This gives them the benefit of half cover.
  Meanwhile, Ragash spends the first few rounds of
  combat protecting himself from errant energy
  weapons with his endure elements spell before
  attacking with spells and blaster attacks augmented
  with his true strike spell.
  Conclusion
  Secret of the Shifting Sands has several possible
  outcomes. If the party finds and defeats Ragash,
  they now have possession of the Imperial cargo.
  Once they have the cargo, they need to decide what
  they are going to do with it. The DM is left to
  decide on the exact contents of the shuttle, so he
  can tailor it to his campaign. It could be a new
  weapon, a strange alien artifact, a canister of frozen
  spores, a captive demon, or even a clutch of drag-
  on eggs.
  If the characters return the cargo to the
  proper authorities, they win points with the Imperial
  government and should be rewarded. Their bank
  balances should grow by 1,000 credits. The DM
  should adjust this amount to fit his campaign.
  If the characters choose to keep the cargo,
  the DM can make it something more ominous.
  Something valuable or dangerous without being
  immediately useful would be most appropriate.
  Again, the DM is encouraged to fit the cargo to his
  campaign and the style of his players.
  If the party opts not to proceed to the final
  confrontation with Ragash, or doesn’t manage to
  discover the whereabouts of the crashed ship, then
  the cargo should definitely be a weapon or some-
  thing else that the PCs would rather not fall into
  Ragash’s hands. If the DM wishes to use Ragash
  and the sand rats again, the PCs can learn of a pow-
  erful warlord among the Burning Dunes.
  If Ragash escapes, he can bedevil the party
  at a later date. The canny sand rat has a small army
  of humanoids at his disposal and is vengeful
  enough to make certain that the PCs suffer for
  thwarting his plans.
  New Monsters
  Sand Rat
  Medium-Size Monstrous Humanoid
  Hit Dice:
  1d8+1 (6 hp)
  Initiative:
  +1 (Dex)
  Speed:
  30 ft.
  AC:
  16 (+1 Dex, +5 armor vest)
  Attacks:
  Scimitar +1 melee
  Damage:
  Scimitar 1d6
  Face/Reach:
  5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Qualities:
  Darkvision 60 ft., scent
  Saves:
  Fort +3, Ref +1, Will –1
  Abilities:
  Str 11, Dex 12, Con 13, Wis 8,
  Int 11, Cha 8.
  Skills:
  Listen 
  +3, 
  Spot 
  +3,
  Wilderness Lore +2
  Feats:
  Alertness, Technical Proficiency
  Climate/Terrain:
  Any arid
  Organization:
  Solitary, Band (2–10), Pack
  (12–24) or Tribe (50+)
  Challenge Rating: ½
  Treasure:
  Standard
  Alignment:
  Usually Lawful
  Advancement:
  By character class
  Sand rats are a variation on the several rat-like
  humanoids common throughout the Empire. A
  9
  Secret of the Shifting Sands
  The desert sands part to reveal a fallen starship.
  A simple Imperial cargo shuttle lies half-buried
  in the choking desert sands. Three riding beasts
  stand tethered before the ship, eagerly awaiting
  the return of their masters. The cargo bay lies
  open, its contents exposed to the outside air for
  the first time in many years.
  
  highly adaptable species, creatures similar to sand
  rats are found on hundreds of worlds. A sand rat is
  easily mistaken for a wererat, standing between
  four and a half and five feet tall and rising on two
  legs. Their claws are atrophied and useless.
  Although they sport large gnawing teeth, they
  never use these natural weapons in combat.
  Sand rats are social and highly intelligent,
  easily capable of learning Imperial technology.
  Generally shunned by other races, sand rats form
  colonies in out of the way areas on the planets they
  inhabit where their extremely hardy natures allow
  them to thrive.
  Creatures
  Giant sand lizards are merely a variety of giant
  lizard that has adapted for desert survival. The
  creatures have pebbly scales in shades of dull yel-
  low and gray, allowing them to blend more thor-
  oughly with their sandy surroundings.
  Giant Sand Lizards (2): CR 2; Medium-size
  Animal; HD: 3d8+9; hp: 22 each; Init: +2 (Dex);
  Spd: 30 ft., swim 30 ft.; AC: 15 (+2 Dex, +3 nat-
  ural); Atk: +5 melee (1d8+4, bite); AL N; SV: Fort.
  +6, Ref. +5, Will +2; Str 17, 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis
  12, Cha 2.
  Skills: Climb +9, Hide +7*, Listen +4, Move
  Silently +6, Spot +4.
  *In their natural sandy surroundings, this Hide
  bonus improves to +8.
  NPCs
  SLITHBURN
  Slithburn is a sand rat loyal to Ragash. Although
  he would not betray his leader under most circum-
  stances, he is a self-serving rat at heart. Given a
  combat gone badly, he will barter information for
  his escape. Slithburn knows that Ragash tore the
  place apart to regain an item mistakenly sold to the
  merchant in area 10. He also knows that his tribe
  looted most of the Shifting Sands already. His
  group is to dissuade passers-by and to erase the
  evidence of their presence. He does not know what
  item Ragash ordered the raid to reclaim.
  Slithburn, male sand rat War2: CR 1; Medium-
  size Monstrous Humanoid (5 ft. tall); HD: 2d8+6;
  hp: 15; Init: +2 (Dex); Spd: 30 ft; AC: 18 (+2 Dex,
  +6 combat fatigues); Atk: +4 melee (1d6+1, keen-
  blade scimitar) or +5 ranged (1d12, masterwork
  assault rifle) or +4 ranged (6d6, concussion
  grenade); SQ darkvision 60 ft, scent; AL LE; SV:
  Fort. +6, Ref. +2 Will –1; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 16,
  Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 8.
  Languages Spoken: Common.
  Skills: Intimidate +3, Listen +3, Spot +3,
  Wilderness Lore +2. Feats: Alertness, Technical
  Proficiency.
  Possessions: Keenblade scimitar, combat fatigues,
  concussion grenades (x2), masterwork assault rifle,
  assault rifle magazines (x2), dermpatch of cure
  light wounds (x2), dermpatch of endurance, per-
  sonal communicator, 25 credits.
  SHAKARA AND NASREK
  Shakara and Nasrek work as a team. Shakara is
  somewhat vain and quite proud of her spellware
  enhancements and looks for excuses to use them on
  her victims. Both of the sand rats are loyal to
  Ragash, but will trade their knowledge for their
  own safety. These rats know that the tribe attacked
  the Shifting Sands to get at a merchant staying
  here. They also know that the merchant had a
  kobold manservant, but don’t remember his name.
  They are tasked with sorting and loading any use-
  ful goods their scavenger Selness finds.
  Shakara, female sand rat Rog1/War2: CR 2;
  Medium-size Monstrous Humanoid (4 ft. 11 in.
  tall); HD: 2d8+1d6+4; hp: 19; Init: +7 (+3 Dex, +4
  Improved Initiative); Spd: 30 ft; AC: 18 (+3 Dex,
  +5 armor vest); Atk: +3 melee (1d6, retractable
  claws) or +5 ranged (2d6, automatic crossbow);
  SQ darkvision 60 ft, scent; AL NE; SV: Fort. +5,
  10
  Dragonstar
  
  Ref. +5, Will –1; Str 11, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12,
  Wis 8, Cha 9.
  Languages Spoken: Common.
  Skills: Appraise +2, Climb +5, Disable Device +4,
  Hide +4, Intimidate +4, Listen +2, Move Silently
  +4, Open Lock +4, Ride +4, Search +2, Spot +2,
  Tumble +4. Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative,
  Technical Proficiency.
  SA: Sneak attack +1d6.
  Possessions: Retractable claws, automatic cross-
  bow, bolts (x50), armor vest, dermpatch of cure
  light wounds (x2), personal communicator.
  Nesrek, male sand rat Thug1/War1: CR 1;
  Medium-size Monstrous Humanoid (5 ft. 2 in.
  tall); HD: 1d8+1d6+9; hp: 17; Init: +2 (Dex); Spd:
  20 ft; AC: 20 (+2 Dex, +8 battle armor); Atk: +4
  melee (1d8+2, heavy mace) or +4 ranged (1d12,
  hunting rifle); SQ darkvision 60 ft, scent; AL LE;
  SV: Fort. +4, Ref. +4, Will –1; Str 14, Dex 14, Con
  16, Int 9, Wis 9, Cha 8.
  Languages Spoken: Common.
  Skills: Intimidation +4, Listen +3, Spot +3. Feats:
  Technical Proficiency , Toughness.
  SA: Backstab +1d4.
  Possessions: Masterwork hunting rifle w/ laser
  sight, magazine (30 shots), masterwork heavy
  mace, smoke grenade, battle armor, dermpach of
  cure light wounds (x3), personal communicator, 38
  credits.
  KLEZAC
  Klezac worked as a personal assistant for the mer-
  chant in area 10. He is terrified, but will be very
  cooperative if the PCs act like they might give him
  a chance to escape alive. He will do his best to earn
  the PCs goodwill volunteering information and
  helping out with food preparation and equipment
  maintenance if allowed. Klezac knows that his for-
  mer employer purchased a black box from the sand
  rats a few days ago. His boss was pretty excited by
  the find, and became even happier when he had a
  chance to take a crack at decoding the data. Klezac
  knows that his boss refused to sell the black box
  when Ragash, the leader of the sand rats, came
  looking for it. He also knows that the sand rats
  came that night and killed everyone in the Shifting
  Sands. Klezac doesn’t know for certain what was
  on the black box, but he suspects it has something
  to do with the Imperial shuttle that crashed in the
  Burning Sands ten years ago.
  Klezac, male kobold Exp2: CR 1; Small
  Humanoid (Reptilian); HD: 2d6; hp: 7; Init: +2
  (Dex); Spd: 30 ft.; AC 13 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +1 nat-
  ural); Atk: +2 ranged (1d4 + blindness, bucket of
  cleaning supplies) or –1 melee (1d2–2, unarmed);
  SQ Darkvision 60 ft., light sensitivity; AL N; SV:
  Fort. +0, Ref. +1, Will +3; Str 6, Dex 13, Con 11,
  Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Languages Spoken: Common, Draconic.
  Skills: Appraisal +5, Hide +10, Listen +7,
  Profession (personal assistant) +5, Search +5, Spot
  +7. Feats: Alertness, Technical Proficiency.
  Possessions: Work clothes, 25 credits.
  SILTASHA AND REKBURT
  Siltasha and Rekburt are the demolition team for
  the rats. More accurately, Siltasha is the demolition
  team and Rekburt is her bodyguard. Although both
  are reluctant to betray their fellow rats, either will
  offer information for their freedom. Siltasha even
  offers to repair the reactor and disarm the bombs if
  it means that she and Rekburt will go free. The rats
  know that they came to massacre the Shifting
  Sands to recapture an item from the merchant in
  area 10. They know that Ragash retrieved the item
  and left with some trusted assistants to an undis-
  closed location in the desert. They also know that
  the rest of the tribe returned to their encampment.
  They will not disclose the location of the camp.
  
  Siltasha, female sand rat Mech2: CR 2; Medium-
  size Monstrous Humanoid (4 ft. 6 in. tall); HD:
  2d6+2; hp: 11; Init: +3 (Dex); Spd: 30 ft; AC: 18
  (+3 Dex, +5 armor vest); Atk: +1 melee (1d3,
  unarmed) or +5 ranged (3d8, blaster pistol*); SA
  sabotage; SQ darkvision 60 ft, scent; AL LE; SV:
  Fort. +1, Ref. +3, Will +3; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12,
  Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 9.
  Languages Spoken: Common.
  Skills: Craft (explosives) +6, Demolitions +6,
  Disable Device +6, Knowledge (chemistry) +6,
  Open Lock +8, Profession (engineer) +5, Repair
  +8, Search +6, Use Device +10. Feats: Gearhead,
  Hacker, Technical Proficiency.
  SA: Sabotage (can make a touch attack that dis-
  ables a device on a successful Disable Device
  check [DC 20] or deals 1d8+2 damage to a soul-
  mech or robot. A sabotage attack prompts an attack
  of opportunity.)
  Possessions: Blaster pistol w/ minor upgrade,
  minicell, armor vest, masterwork demolitions kit,
  masterwork electronic lockpicks, masterwork tool
  kit, 10 cr.
  *Because of the minor upgrade ability, Siltasha’s
  blaster pistol ceases to function if she rolls a 1 to
  attack. Her blaster has been modified for accuracy
  and receives a +1 bonus to attack rolls.
  Rekburt, male sand rat Thug2: CR 1; Medium-
  size Monstrous Humanoid (5 ft. 6 in. tall); HD:
  2d6+6; hp: 13; Init: +1 (Dex); Spd: 30 ft; AC: 17
  (+1 Dex, +6 combat fatigues); Atk: +2 ranged
  (4d8, blaster carbine) or +6 melee (1d6+3, master-
  work keenblade shortsword); SA Backstab + 1d4;
  SQ darkvision 60 ft, scent; AL LE; SV: Fort. +6,
  Ref. +2, Will –1; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 9, Wis
  8, Cha 7.
  Languages Spoken: Common.
  Skills: Intimidate +3, Listen +6, Spot +6. Feats:
  Alertness, Technical Proficiency.
  SA: Backstab +1d4.
  Possessions: Blaster carbine, minicell (x2), master-
  work keenblade shortsword, combat fatigues,
  dermpatch of blur, dermpatch of cure light wounds
  (x2), personal communicator, 120 cr.
  SELNESS
  Selness is a fanatical follower of Ragash. She will
  fight to the death to protect the secrets of her leader
  and will try to take as many of her enemies with
  her as possible. If somehow coerced, she knows
  that her leader went to an undisclosed location with
  an object that he reclaimed from a merchant with-
  in this building. She thinks that the merchant stole
  the item from Ragash and that the tribe was entire-
  ly justified in its slaughter by way of revenge.
  Selness, female sand rat Thug2: CR 1; Medium-
  size Monstrous Humanoid (5 ft. 4 in. tall); HD:
  2d6+6; hp: 13; Init: +1 (Dex); Spd: 30 ft; AC: 17
  (+1 Dex, +6 combat fatigues); Atk: +2 ranged
  (4d8, blaster carbine) or +6 melee (1d6+3, master-
  work keenblade shortsword); SA Backstab + 1d4;
  SQ darkvision 60 ft, scent; AL LE; SV: Fort. +6,
  Ref. +2, Will –1; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 9, Wis
  8, Cha 7.
  Languages Spoken: Common.
  Skills: Intimidate +3, Listen +6, Spot +6. Feats:
  Alertness, Technical Proficiency.
  SA: Backstab +1d4
  Possessions: Blaster carbine, minicell (x2), master-
  work keenblade shortsword, combat fatigues,
  dermpatch of blur, dermpatch of cure light wounds
  (x2), personal communicator, 120 cr.
  RAGASH
  Ragash is the leader of the sand rats. He is both
  warrior and sorcerer, giving him considerable pres-
  tige among his people. He is a crafty rat and cares
  12
  Dragonstar
  
  nothing for his followers. He hopes that the cargo
  will contain something that might boost his per-
  sonal power. Ragash is not willing to sacrifice him-
  self for his cause. If his minions appear to be los-
  ing their fight, he activates his dermpatch of invis-
  ibility and attempt to escape. Ragash fights with his
  spells and blaster unless forced into melee. If
  forced into melee combat, he does his best to dis-
  engage and escape.
  Ragash, male sand rat Sor3/War2: CR 4;
  Medium-size Monstrous Humanoid (5 ft. tall); HD:
  2d8+3d4+15; hp: 33; Init: +2 (Dex); Spd: 30 ft;
  AC: 18 (+2 Dex, +6 flight suit); Atk: +4 melee
  (1d3+1, unarmed) or +6 ranged (2d10, laser pis-
  tol); SQ darkvision 60 ft, scent; AL LE; SV: Fort.
  +8, Ref. +4, Will +5; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 16, Int
  11, Wis 13, Cha 16.
  Languages Spoken: Common, Draconic.
  Skills: Alchemy +7, Climb +3, Concentration +9,
  Intimidate +5, Ride +3, Spellcraft +7. Feats:
  Combat 
  Casting, 
  Leadership, 
  Technical
  Proficiency.
  Spells Known: (6/6; base DC = 13 + spell level)
  0–daze, detect magic, flare, read magic, resis-
  tance; 
  1st–endure elements, magic missile, true strike.
  Possessions: Laser pistol w/ laser sight, +2 flight
  suit, cloak of resistance +1, dermpatch of invisibil-
  ity, personal communicator.
  ASTITHAK AND BEREEK
  Astithak and Bereek are simple-minded thugs,
  fanatically loyal to Ragash. He used the pair as
  strongmen and leg-breakers among those who
  oppose his rule of the sand rats. Both rats gladly
  lay down their lives for their master. They use sim-
  ple tactics, shooting from cover for as long as pos-
  sible before moving in to melee.
  Astithak, male sand rat Thug1/War1: CR 1;
  Medium-size Monstrous Humanoid (4 ft. 11 in.
  tall); HD: 1d8+1d6+9; hp: 17; Init: +2 (Dex); Spd:
  20 ft; AC: 20 (+2 Dex, +8 battle armor); Atk: +4
  melee (1d8+2, heavy mace) or +4 ranged (1d12,
  hunting rifle); SQ darkvision 60 ft, scent; AL LE;
  SV: Fort. +4, Ref. +4, Will –1; Str 14, Dex 14, Con
  16, Int 9, Wis 9, Cha 8.
  Languages Spoken: Common.
  Skills: Intimidation +4, Listen +3, Spot +3. Feats:
  Technical Proficiency, Toughness.
  SA: Backstab +1d4.
  Possessions: Masterwork hunting rifle w/ laser
  sight, magazine (30 shots), masterwork heavy
  mace, smoke grenade, battle armor, dermpach of
  cure light wounds (x3), personal communicator, 38
  credits.
  Bereek, male sand rat Thug1/War1: CR 1;
  Medium-size Monstrous Humanoid (5 ft. 3 in.
  tall); HD: 1d8+1d6+9; hp: 17; Init: +2 (Dex); Spd:
  20 ft; AC: 20 (+2 Dex, +8 battle armor); Atk: +4
  melee (1d8+2, heavy mace) or +4 ranged (1d12,
  hunting rifle); SQ darkvision 60 ft, scent; AL LE;
  SV: Fort. +4, Ref. +4, Will –1; Str 14, Dex 14, Con
  16, Int 9, Wis 9, Cha 8.
  Languages Spoken: Common.
  Skills: Intimidation +4, Listen +3, Spot +3. Feats:
  Technical Proficiency, Toughness.
  SA: Backstab +1d4.
  Possessions: Masterwork hunting rifle w/ laser
  sight, magazine (30 shots), masterwork heavy
  mace, smoke grenade, battle armor, dermpach of
  cure light wounds (x3), personal communicator, 38
  credits.
  13
  Secret of the Shifting Sands
  
  New Tech
  Dune Runner (Utility Truck): Huge Vehicle; hp
  90; Top Spd 20; Acc 2; Dec 3; Hand –2; Stealth 3;
  AC 3 (–2 size, –5 Dex); SQ vehicle, hardness 10;
  Fuel 270.
  Stations: Pilot 1, Passenger 6.
  Cargo: 1,000 lb.
  Cost: 25,000 cr (20,000 base price + 5,000 for off-
  road modification).
  The Dune Runner is a standard utility truck with
  extra-wide tires and a high off-road suspension that
  allow it to drive over soft sand.
  Hovering Cart: The hovering cart is a cart or even
  just a large metal disk that rests on a permanent
  Tenser’s floating disk. The cart itself is sturdy and
  suspended by the spell, allowing the owner to pile
  it high with cargo. This cart can hold a maximum
  of 1000 pounds, but larger or smaller versions of
  the hovering cart can be constructed. If overloaded,
  the cart simply sinks to the floor. Like a mundane
  cart, the hovering cart can be affixed to beasts of
  burden or pulled along by the user. Unlike a normal
  Tenser’s floating disk the cart has no range limita-
  tions (the spell is affixed to the cart) and does not
  automatically follow the user. Caster Level: 10th;
  Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Tenser’s float-
  ing disk; Market Price: 40,130 cr; Weight: —.
  14
  Dragonstar
  Secret Sands: Ground Level
  
  15
  Secret of the Shifting Sands
  Secret Sands: Basement Level
  Secret Sands: Observatory
  
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  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 License.
  6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT
  NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPY-
  RIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modify-
  ing 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 you Distribute.
  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 ele-
  ment of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or
  co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunc-
  tion with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly
  licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such
  Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in
  Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of
  that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open
  Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that
  Product Identity.
  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 authorized version of
  this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content orig-
  inally distributed under any version of this License.
  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 writ-
  ten 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 Material so affected.
  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 termi-
  nation of this License.
  14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unen-
  forceable, 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.
  Traps & Treachery Copyright 2001, Fantasy Flight, Inc.
  Deadlands d20 Copyright 2001, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc.
  Dragonstar: Starfarer’s Handbook Copyright 2001, Fantasy Flight, Inc.
  Dragonstar: Guide to the Galaxy Copyright 2002, Fantasy Flight, Inc.
  Secrets of the Shifting Sands Copyright 2002, Fantasy Flight, Inc.
  Designation of Product Identity
  The following are designated as Product Identity: the Dragonstar name,
  logo, and trademark, the graphic design and trade dress of this book and
  all other products in the Dragonstar line, all graphics, illustrations, and
  diagrams in this book.
  The following text is designated as Open Game Content: all NPC stat
  blocks and all game rules and statistics derived from the d20 System SRD.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dragonstar/Secret of the Shifting Sands.pdf