The Net Book of Plots
Volume V

Patrimony
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Any

Genre: Any

A character (or a follower, or henchman) receives an "inheritance" they didn't know they had from their father or some more ancient ancestor. Note that these types of inheritances don't have to be land, wealth or possessions: sometimes certain _rights_ were just as valuable. For instance the right to own land in certain places, the right to start a business, or be exempt from taxes, or whatever. For balance, it probably shouldn't be something _too_ wonderful. It may even have problems attached (squatters on land, politicians who don't like people exempt from taxes, etc.).

Chimneys
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Urban

Genre: Any

There's a killer on the loose in town. Someone (something?) is killing people and stuffing them down chimneys and fireplace flues. People find out when they light their morning fires and the smoke backs up. No visible wounds. Is it poisoning? Demons? Rabid Santa Claus?

Floating
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Urban

Genre: Any

Some washing women (damn, I'm sexist) are down by the river when something horrible floats to the surface. They run back and tell everyone. Was it alive? Dead? Is it there when someone goes to investigate?

The Crucible
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Urban

Genre: Any

Some guy off the street comes up to a character and wants to buy an object they carry (a sword? helmet? shield?). He offers to pay with a small marble crucible.

Calculus
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: City

Genre: Fantasy

Some sages in the city come up with a new higher-order mathematics which they say is very useful for describing natural phenomena. The local church immediately denounces it as unholy and sacrilege.

Prolapse
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Genre: Any

A medical condition with which to inflict a PC; specifically, the falling down of a part of the body from its normal position, usually the womb or the rectum. I kid you not. Look it up.

Get the Acid
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Wilderness

Genre: Fantasy

The players must (for whatever reason - debt, magical item required, payment to a mage, etc.) retrieve, whole and unbroken, the internal acid sac of an acid-spitting dragon. First kill it (non-destructively), then cut out the sac (tricky business).

Rumour
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Urban

Genre: Any

A nasty personal rumour spreads about a PC. It's untrue, and quite nasty. Who started it? What implications will it have?

Insane companions
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Any

Genre: Any

Henchmen or hirelings that turn out to be insane. For example, a soldier with monomania (becomes obsessed with one task to the exclusion of all else, becomes depressed when task completed), or a megalomaniac blacksmith.

You call this government?
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Any

Genre: Fantasy

Genre: Sci-Fi

Areas with unusual forms of government. For example, a pedocracy (government by scholars and the educated), or a syndicracy (rule by a body of syndicates, each representing some business interests).

Holy water
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Urban

Genre: Fantasy

A cleric must become involved in re-making a holy water font after the old one is defiled. Several weeks of time, and great cost.

Skunks
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Wilderness

Setting: Forest

Genre: Fantasy

A quest/magic spell component/item recharging ritual/whatever requires that the group obtain the intact scent glands of 6 skunks.

Magic toys
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Any

Genre: Fantasy

Little magic items that charm or entrap the user. For example, a little puzzle, made of wood and wire, that you're supposed to manipulate into some particular shape (you know the kind - even a Rubik's Cube, maybe!): if the owner fails a save, he/she becomes enraptured by it, and won't put it down. If it's finally forcibly taken away, they'll react violently for a couple of turns. Or one of them little kaleidoscope tubes: if the person doesn't save, they'll continue to stare through it and giggle. If it's taken away, same reaction as above.

Haunted item
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Any

Genre: Fantasy

Genre: Horror

An item that's haunted or cursed because it was used in the commission of a terrible murder. It'll move a little on its own, or tingle, or drop from your grasp, or moan eerily, or whatever. If the murder can be investigated and maybe solved, this behaviour will stop.

Community service
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Urban

Setting: City

Genre: Any

Character(s) get arrested for fighting/carrying weapons/some other obscure law, and instead of being thrown in jail they're forced to perform several days (weeks?) of community service:

• street cleaning
• city storage/library inventories
• stray animal extermination
• litter-bearer for someone important
• issuing summons or assisting in the arrest of particularly dangerous people

Dyed in the wool
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Urban

Genre: Any

An accident where a quantity of brightly-colored dye gets poured all over one of the characters. Takes _weeks_ to wear off.

Curious book
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Any

Genre: Any

The characters lay their hands on a book that has very curious things written inside: they may lead to further adventures, or just be teasers.

• the history of a land they do not know
• someone's diary
• an index of animals, with drawings, none of which they've seen before
• recipes
• astronomy

"Every Which Way But Loose"
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Any

Genre: Any

A friendly orangutan becomes the party's strong, goofy and unpredictable travelling companion for a while, whether they like it or not. See Clyde, from the Clint Eastwood movies "Every Which Way But Loose" and "Every Which Way You Can".

Gruesome
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Urban

Genre: Fantasy

Genre: Horror

People (not the party) get killed in bizarre ways:

• crushed within a grist mill.
• skewered on the walled city's front gate portcullis.
• struck dead by a falling cheese.
• leg held fast under the rubble of a collapsed wall, eaten alive by stray dogs.

Wyrd Witch
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Wilderness

Setting: Forest

Genre: Fantasy

A wacky old witch in a hut in the woods, who will procure magical potions of wondrous efficacy for anyone willing to pay the price. Each potion requires payment of something really odd: 6 turtles, 3 double-yolker eggs, a painting of a tree, or something equally goofy.

Pick Pockets
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Setting: Urban

Setting: City

Genre: Fantasy

Characters should get their pockets picked more often when they're in cities. They're big and rich-looking, and they'll be constant targets. Non-stop.

Ethnic Cleansing
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Urban

Setting: City

Some locals are being murdered - some of high standing, some common folk. The local Assassin's Guild is carrying out the executions, under order from a secret cult of half-elvan fanatics. Investigation will reveal that all of those killed were half-orc, although no one knew it, most of the time. The cult despises the idea of orcs defiling the human heritage they share.

Demon or not Demon, that is the question
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Urban

A rumour that a local priest of high standing is a demon. He's not, but if your players are like mine, they beat every rumour to death, especially if it's demonic. The priest will hear of their investigation, and may even start worrying and acting suspiciously: this may lead the players on even _more_.

DARK MASS OF KOREEM-CIL
Tim Dickinson (dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Urban

The general plot: the characters have to get information about, then infiltrate a ceremony of an evil religious sect, to save the intended sacrifice. (Hey, does this sound familiar? Ahhh, so what?)

If the party think they the goodies, then just drop them some rumours about the cult and its sacrificial doings. This should be sufficient to draw in properly-played PCs. If they are not inclined to do such a thing for nothing, then have them hired on to do so (a wealthy parent is concerned their newly-converted child is going to be a sacrifice, or the established local religion wants a stop put to this heathen bunch and their evil practices).

In any case, info about the cult should be sketchy. They'll have to sniff out rumours about town. They'll have to pay some snitches (who may or may not give them good information). They should get a little too close for someone's comfort, and they should get attacked for it. Maybe with magic, a curse or something serious.

Specifically, they'll want (i) cult background and (ii) location of the next sacrificial ceremony. The second will be very hard to get.

If some of the characters want to try to infiltrate the cult, this will be next to impossible. Unless some _very_ convincing magical method is possible to replace an existing cultist, they'll be found out. If they try to "join", they'll be turned away and everyone's guard will be up.

If they manage to locate the ceremony, they'll witness terrible magic and nasty rites. An attempt to rescue sacrifices will be met with (i) much priestly magic (ii) moderate armed resistance. If the party is strong, and they let the ceremony proceed at all before stepping in, they'll be confronted with whatever terrible otherworldly thing the cult was attempting to summon with the sacrifice (its notice was gained with the beginning of the ceremony, and it is furious at the sacrifices which it did not receive: it'll appear and attack everyone, cultists included).

There's also a chance that they'll get captured themselves and get added to the list of sacrifices. This is a good way to go if the party splits up and comes in from two different directions, or tries to co-ordinate two different tasks at once: one group will suddenly notice that the other has been captured and is being led to the slaughter. This adds urgency to their task. 8-)

If this is the case, a good hook is to have the cultists do something to one of the characters, pre-sacrifice, that is somehow permanent: a terrible scar, or a spell, or some such. Something that they have to live with (and role-play with) for the rest of their lives, preferably.

There's lots of good hooks from the after effects, if they're successful in saving the sacrifice, or even killing off most of the cultists. They'll earn the undying enmity of that sect, and they'll be after them forever. They may get some nasty curses from the priests before they win. They may have allowed a terrible monstrosity to be summoned, which will wreak havoc, of course. They may even get blamed for this. Perhaps they'll discover that local officials or nobles were somehow illegally involved (they belong to the cult, or have struck a black deal with them). Will they reveal such a conspiracy? Can they really prove it?

Taken in
Robert Underwood (GEO10701022@NKU.EDU)

Genre: Cyberpunk

Setting: Urban

The group is gathered together by Mr. Johnson. The group has a specified goal, like blackmailing a mob boss, or performing a dangerous extraction. The characters are promised support, if needed. They go on the job and encounter _heavy_ resistance. The support that was promised never shows up, the characters are hung out to dry. It would seem that the job was just a distraction that the Corp's solos could perform a job easily, seeing that everybody was hunting the PC's.

The PC's have a reason to hate the Corp that hung them out to dry, and need to look out for the ones that they crossed. Could even have cops, or CIA looking for them because of the first run. Makes for an interesting, if short, life.

Betrayal
Robert Underwood (GEO10701022@NKU.EDU)

Genre: Cyberpunk

Genre: New Age

Setting: Urban

Setting: City

The campaign starts with a Corp hiring the PC's, preferably the PC's do not know each other. The Corp is an assistant VP in some Corp. This Corp has ideals on how a company should act, in a way that promotes the common good. The Corp has most of the lower echelons in his division agreeing with him. The company president prefers the traditional style of business, you know the corporate way. The AVP cannot be removed without causing massive disruptions in his division. So between the division and the rest of the Corp there is animosity.

That is just the background, the characters are hired by the Corp for typical runner purposes. The Corp will provide as much in the way of help that he can (about level 3 or 4 of resources). Some missions will be nothing more than "good deeds" for various people. About the third or fourth mission the expected support will fail, bring the characters to believe that the AVP betrayed them (he didn't, it was a traitor in the division).

Eventually the characters will become involved in a war for control of the company when the old president is assassinated. The Corp will be split almost evenly between two factions. One is lead by our AVP, he has gained more support than he had, because he is better qualified than his opponent.

Good Cops
Robert Underwood (GEO10701022@NKU.EDU)

Genre: Cyberpunk

Setting: Urban

Setting: City

The players start out as a cop group. It is well known that the police force is quite corrupt. After some missions (with at least one internal affairs mission) the city decides to scrap the police force and hire corporate police.

The city can not pay for the police force that it needs (hence the corruption) and trades some control over policy for police protection. The trade is quiet, the city would riot if it knew. When the corporation takes over it fires everybody, including our players. The players should be left in job limbo for a while. Next let them find out the "cost" of police protection and encourage them to go public. Before the players go public have a council member explain why the decision was made that way.

If the players get into lots of trouble, remember that the good cops will do everything in their power to help. Of course, the players shouldn't know which cops are good and which work for other people.

The Magical Land of Ith
Chris Bova (chbova@vassar.edu)
Matt Sernett (sernett@max.muhlberg.edu)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Any

What follows is a campaign idea worked out for a fantasy campaign, and it uses monsters found in that setting, but, with a little work, you could use it for almost any role playing system short of sci-fi ultratech.

The malevolent race known as the Illithid (Mind Flayers) can well remember when their world Ith was a glorious paradise, when it's black jungles bloomed wild, when the warm, primordial oceans washed the unspoiled beaches, when the Shrouded sunned themselves atop armorlichen spires miles high, their razor sharp foreclaws glittering the violet light. All the Illathid race was happy, and lived at peace, with just the right amount of inter-racial violence to ensure nobody would get bored.

That was long ago, and now strange things are beginning to happen to the Mind-Flayer garden of Eden. The sun of their homeworld is becoming brighter and stronger. The seas are getting warmer, the foliage greener, and in time, the Illathid will be driven underground. Their home planet will soon no longer support them. Several centuries ago, the grand and glorious Order of the Ebon Tentacle finally seized the initiative from it's competitors and gathered almost a thousand Illathid in the great chamber of council. Heads bowed in reverence, the multitudes breathlessly awaited the commands of the great mind. At last the brain pool spoke, and it ordered it's children to cast themselves upon the Astral seas, searching for another world, a place where the ecology of Ith could be recreated down to the minutest detail, and the Illithid could once again live in the relative peace of constant interracial war. And so it was done, and not long ago, some fortunate Illathid began a hive on a world known to it's inhabitants as "Earth". The planet's measurements seemed exact, slightly larger than Ith even, with a comparable atmosphere and seas that had the potential to support Ith life with some modification. But the sun there was too bright for Illathid existence, forcing the first pioneers to take shelter underground. It was then that they found the moon. It was worshiped as a god by the local inhabitants, but the Illithid knew better. The moons of Ith were smaller by far, and completely unsuitable for the purposes that the Illithid had in mind.

Tunnelling out the centre of the moon, the Illithid plan to create a perfectly circular chamber that is in effect a giant lifejammer helm. The life force of thousands of living creatures will be necessary to accomplish the goal; move the moon to a position in which it will block the sun's light, and hold it there. Luckily, the planet beneath is crawling with living creatures of no particular consequence that will make excellent sacrifices... The Shrouded would just eat them anyhow, once the ecology of Ith is transplanted. And so was launched possibly the most half-baked plot for world domination ever cooked up by sentient creatures that smell faintly of squid and eat human brains.

Starting out in OverEarth
Carl Green (navarre@iafrica.com)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Any

This plot describes how I started characters in a new campaign. I had begun to envisage my new band of heroes as a weird mixture of technology and fantasy from three basic 'periods', viz: the 'normal' fantasy time frame, a modern (1995) period, and a futuristic, post-apocalypse period (very Terminator 2 in feel). The characters that could fit into this strange crossover seemed to step right out of my mind; they could include a knight on a Harley, wielding a magic bastard sword and an ion cannon, or an elf with cyber-enhancements, armed with longbow and Uzi machine-guns, or a robotic warrior armed with a staff of fireballs and a copy of the Necronomicon.

I realised that what I was trying to do was to combine all of my inspirations, from Lovecraft to Scwarzenegger, Tolkien to 2000AD - I'm sure you get the picture...

Right, the next phase was to design the fantasy world that would be the starting point for the campaign. I had had the name OverEarth rolling around in my mind for quite a while, which inspired a setting that was basically an alternative Earth with the normal fantasy/historical time frame, magic systems, etc. The starting point would be the island kingdom of Beorsca, off the west coast of Uropha, and basically an alternative England...

Next I developed my arch-enemy for Beorsca, the usual vicious mage and power-hungry tyrant, but added the twist that he was the father of one of the PCs...

Now came the real challenge - how to start the actual campaign, how to develop the characters, and how to provide the rationale for the 'jumps' to our own present-day Earth and its post-apocalypse future

My solution to the dilemma was based upon two beliefs that I had formulated over the years...

Firstly, that role-playing a character in a fully developed fantasy world is almost impossible, because of the lack of frames of reference. What I mean by this is that if I tell you to role-play someone from Paris, your mind automatically throws out images of the Eiffel Tower, street cafes, etc, but if I say role-play an elf from Elshaven, you have no mental images on which to base your character.

Secondly, I had found that role-playing groups often squabble and argue at every turn, even when playing fully in character. This arguing always seemed to spoil the impression that the group was a cohesive whole, and it seemed ludicrous that they remained together at all...

The solution to the first problem is simple to run, and turns out to be the 'engine' that drives the PCs towards their goal. In brief, I decided that the characters had actually battled their arch-enemy across Beorsca 900 years ago, and then followed him through a gate to present (1995) Earth and eventually to the post-apocalypse future Earth. However, when they finally faced him (by then armed with weaponry from all three settings), he once again stepped through a gate, trying to return to OVEREARTH. The characters followed, and the trap was sprung. The arch-enemy sealed access out of the gates, and the characters were trapped in an inter-dimensional limbo...

Time passes, and our PC benefactors (which could either be your campaigns gods, or some ultra-powerful NPC) stumble/s upon the characters locked in limbo, strips them of their techno-items, and sends them back to their home world (in this case OVEREARTH). However, it is now 900 years later, and the arch-enemy has just about destroyed the PC's realm, which is now a dead island dominated by his (expectably) demonic forces. To make matters worse, and to really spice things up, the characters don't have a clue who they are, where they come from, etc. Even better, their 900 year experience in limbo has caused their skills to atrophy, so that although they were, let's say 15th level, they're now 5th level, or 1st level if you're particularly cruel...Thus the players don't have to try to role-play in what in terms of geography or history is a totally foreign world, because it is also foreign to the CHARACTERS!

And the final twist, which accounts for the usual inter-character bickering, is that the party's original leader, a warrior of great skill and huge personal charisma * is not with them when they return*. They are aware of his (or her) absence, and cannot function as a unit without him/her.

And so the scene is set for the poor players, aware only of their names and their rudimentary skills, to...

• find out who they are...
• find out how they got there...
• relearn their skills...
• track down their missing leader...
• track down the arch enemy...
• and pursue him once more across the dimensions...

• they will automatically despise the arch enemy...
• their bickering will make sense...
• their lack of knowledge of the campaign setting will make sense.

No Honour among Thieves
Quinton (quinton@sumter.cso.uiuc.edu)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Urban

Setting: City

The captain of the guard is in the employ of the thieves guild. When the guild receives an item he really wants, he sets up an elaborate system to get it. He arrests the PCs on false or trumped up charges (a good way to get them introduced), then offers them absolution if they do him a favour. He wants them to infiltrate the thieves guild by a secret back door and find out some info on some item that will be showing up soon. When the PCs get through the sewers to the guild, the captain's men will frame them for a robbery that just took place. The players escape the angry thieves, but get captured by the town guard. Along the way they have picked up enough clues to figure out what has gone on, but they can't prove it. So they must escape from jail and go confront the captain as he is leaving town with the item. After this excitement, the PCs don't have much choice to become roving adventurers, since the thieves guild wants their heads.

From Rock to Plot
John McMullen (jhm@sentex.net)

Genre: Any

Setting: Any

I've been GMing for over a decade now. Every once in a while, people ask me how I come up with plots. I'm not entirely sure, except that I look for problems and then complicate them. The two most useful questions in plotting are "Why?" and "How?" ("Who?" "Where?" "What?" and "When?" also get a work out.)

Anyway, I thought I'd share a technique that I use when I'm absolutely tapped out or when I can't seem to come up with anything original. You know the times -- all you can come up with is cliche material you've done a hundred times in the past. The first idea that comes to mind establishes squatter's rights on your frontal lobes.

(I want to emphasise that this isn't the only technique, or the best technique. It's simply *a* technique that I find useful.)

The technique is to limit yourself. When you've got the whole wide universe to work with, then you have *too many* possibilities. By setting arbitrary restrictions, you remove things from consideration and narrow your focus.

You've already got a bunch of stuff established which places restrictions on you. You know what genre you're working in -- that gives you a bunch of genre conventions you can choose to work with or against. You know what your player characters are (usually), and you probably have some sense of location and season. All of these things are restrictions. If you're doing a sword and sorcery campaign, the question of aliens doesn't come up.

That set of restrictions presumably isn't enough (or you wouldn't need this technique). The next thing to do is set some arbitrary restriction: the entire adventure takes place in a single room, for example, or the entire adventure is built around what you did last weekend. Other possibilities include story anthologies and (ahem) a dictionary of cliches or quotations. The technique really relies on forcing the juxtaposition of unusual elements.

Here's a (lengthy) example. I have a Dark Champions campaign. I know the characters, I know the time of year, I know the city (none of which tells me what the next story is). So I'm sitting here listening to the soundtrack album for "Dumb and Dumber" and I decide that I'll create a plot that incorporates *something* from each song on the album.

Here are the songs on the album:

• The Ballad of Peter PumpkinHead - Crash Test Dummies
• New Age Girl - Deadeye Dick
• Insomniac - Echobelly
• If You Don't Love Me (I'll Kill Myself) - Pete Droge
• Crash - The Primitives
• Whiney, Whiney (What Really Drives Me Crazy) - Willi One Blood
• Too Much Of A Good Thing - The Sons
• You Sexy Thing - Deee-Lite
• Where I Find My Heaven - Gigolo Aunts
• Hurdy Gurdy Man - Butthole Surfers
• Take - The Lupins
• The Bear Song - Green Jelly
• Get Ready - The Proclaimers

New Age Girl is a sort-of love song to someone named Mary Moon who is (in fact) a New Age Girl. She's now an NPC in the adventure.

First plot that comes to mind with this: take the lowest charisma hero who often complains he doesn't have a love relationship and give him a groupie (Mary Moon) who follows him around as the group tries to track down someone who's committing a series of thefts (Take) based on nursery rhymes. That leaves me with Hurdy Gurdy Man, Crash, Insomniac, and Where I Find My Heaven as plot elements to incorporate.

I don't like it. So we'll try again. Instead, let's start with the insomniac. Suppose someone has the oft-used psionic power of tangible hallucinations and dreams. He or she knows it and has started trying to stay awake (Insomniac). It's not easy to make a living if you have this kind of disability, so he or she is living as a street musician (Hurdy Gurdy Man). That also gives us the street-level feel and makes the psionic harder to track down. He or she has a tremendous crush on Mary Moon (we're back to her again).

The first hallucination is Peter Pumpkinhead, a reasonably nice fellow. Freaked, she leaves and is pursued by other nursery-rhyme characters. Although Peter is quite likeable, but the others (the Bear that went over the mountain, for instance) don't have to be. Not knowing what's going on, Mary seeks out the PCs; if the PCs are too hard to find, they'll encounter her, trapped by the Bear. This leads to both Mary and the PCs trapped in the psionic's ideal world (Where I Find My Heaven). It's not pleasant for the PCs, because he regards them as competition (Too Much of a Good Thing). This is obvious because Mary has a crush on one of the PCs (You Sexy Thing). This environment, combined with Mary's information, lets them know who they're looking for. The PCs can get out by moving fast enough and far enough -- the psionic's powers aren't all-encompassing, after all.

This, with the uppers, unhinges the psionic (If You Don't Love Me, Whiney Whiney). The first evidence is when Peter Pumpkinhead (trustworthy up until now) turns psychotic.

In the meantime, (1) the psionic, worried, has been awake on uppers long enough for hallucinations to start anyway, and (2) our villain of the piece has figured out where these nursery-rhyme apparitions are coming from, and is also searching for the psionic.

Still to include: Take (a robbery of some kind?) and Crash.

The bad guy catches the psionic, uses hypnosis or mind control to generate some truly unpleasant hallucinations to perform robberies (Take), including running an armoured car off the road (Crash) and picking up the money.

The good guys catch up, there is a fight and the problem of what to do with the psionic. I leave that up to the players.

Now, a lot of the details still need to be worked out, but there's a basic setup, antagonist, and conflict.

Not entirely without cliches (to really eliminate cliches, you'd have to know the characters better), but it's certainly different than what I would have come up with otherwise.

Anyway, it's a technique I find useful, so I thought I'd share it for those who are having trouble jump-starting their plots.

A ship of fools
Ketil Z Malde (ketil@ii.uib.no)

Genre: Fantasy

Genre: Horror

Setting: Ship

The characters need to cross some ocean. It is difficult to get hold of a ship, but finally one merchant offers to sell them one. The price can be discussed - a lot. Now the reason the ship is sold cheap if necessary, is that it is a ghost ship. The previous captain was killed by the second in command when he discovered what they were *really* doing (Smuggling? Worse?) Now, the ghost will control the ship, and no matter how the players try, it will quietly "drift off" towards the island where the previous captain was killed. The players will experience his death in their dreams, some as the victim, some as the perpetrator. On the island, another ship will be arriving shortly with the murderer abroad, and the ghost will appear and explain that he must be avenged, and will show them a treasure if they do it. Of course, what the players do might have consequences for their social position etc, depending on how they do it.

The characters are ambushed lightly, and when the ambushers run away, they leave behind a sack. The sack contains a small faerie, gnome, or whatever, who wants the characters to help them open a gate to Arcadia. The gate turns out to be a frozen lake, and the only way to melt it is to remove the church that is being built not too far away...and perhaps a sacrifice is necessary.

Returned veterans
Mike Jones (MIKEJONES@safripol.senchem.co.za)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Any

I had a team that had played together for about three years. Unfortunately the team was about to fragment due to people moving for work. We finished the campaign with an extended and excellent war.

This led to the ideal opportunity to start off the new characters as newly enlisted men pulled into the system by a "draft bill" This allowed me to let them all know one another and also it afforded me the chance of letting them start with more powerful characters for the basic training that they went through. This pleased the older players who just shelved experienced characters. Additionally it opens the way for reasons why less suited characters would want to be multi-classed fighter-anything. Now with the returning heroes of the war they feel inadequate. All of the available jobs are being snatched by anyone who killed a worm let alone an Orcish commander. So the party is forced to seek an alternative livelihood. Roll on adventuring.

"Save the good dragon from the evil princess- pt1"
James Tackett (jtackett@lightspeed.net)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Any

In the first net plot book, there is a quick adventure idea summed up as: "Save the good dragon from the evil princess"

Some suggestions

Evil Princess intent on overthrowing her parents, but lacking the needed backing among the leaders of the army, has managed to locate an Arcane and purchased (with monies/items stolen from the kingdoms treasury) an amulet/ring/potion/item which allows her to control the dragon which for generations has helped protect the (select compass direction) borders and mountain passes of the kingdom from marauders and invading forces. The dragon under her control has been attacking outlying areas and the population is in an uproar. The forces of evil, alerted by the princess that her plan is beginning to bear fruit, are moving towards the kingdom. The king has suspicions, the general knows what's up, but can not take direct action against the princess, the court wizard is away at the time (arranged by the princess, false leads on an ancient artifact etc). The only hope for the kingdom is that heroes will arise and release the dragon from the princesses control, and bring to light the entire plot so that the king can banish her and make her younger sister the true and good heir. If the heroes should fail, the entire kingdom will be cast into a era of darkness and evil.

"Save the good dragon from the evil princess- pt2"
Rick DiTullio (rditulli@forest.drew.edu)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Any

Setting: Forest

Just to add my own thoughts on this interesting idea. "Save the good dragon from the evil princess"

The dragon in question does not have to be full grown. Imagine the evil princess holding a dragon egg or hatchling ransom to force the local dragon population to do her bidding.

To adapt this to a forest scenario use a faerie dragon protector of an ancient forest. Or even have the whole thing be an illusionary romp caused by the dragon!

Lastly, imagine the evil princess gaining control of the court wizard's psuedodragon familiar. This is possibly worse than ransoming the dragons depending on the wizard's level!

Behold Such Beauty
John A. Murphy (jam@philabs.research.philips.com)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Wilderness

This scenario is best played a bit light-hearted. It starts with the party entering a very remote village, Village. This village is far removed from normal government dealings and as such they have their own small local monarchy. As the party approaches there is great unrest in the town square. There are trappings as if a festivity is about to commence, but the townsfolk, also known as the Village People, are very concerned about something. Anyone they ask will point them to the garrison commander, Moostard (a colonel), who can relate the story.

"The town was preparing to celebrate the 16th birthday of the princess. The country side was invited for a great feast. But lo, this morning when the princess was not to be found we checked and found that her room had been breached and she had been kidnapped."

(Any clues or ideas who has taken her?)

"We suspect the black robed worshipers of Evil Mackricks. A hideous band of clerics that terrorised this area decades ago with the aid of terrible beasts. We found a black mace in her bedroom. They used a ladder to climb up to her window. She must have put up a struggle as the room was in disarray."

[ if there are any optional witnesses they will report of black cloaked individuals who, if anyone was close enough, had the symbol of a giant eye on their chest ]

(What was the princesses name?)

[look a bit flustered, look at your notes then answer] Beauty. Princess Beauty. She was very beautiful, renown for her charm and demeanour.

(Why?)

The Emaks haven't been heard from in a long time. From what little memory I have, they gave sacrifices to their deity (Ram) on the night of a new moon....that would be tonight! Over the past few months there have been a couple of others who have disappeared. We had no clue to their disappearance and thought they were the victims of monsters or bandits.

(Why us?)

The garrison is not very large. Most of the patrols are out on multi-day patrols and aren't due back for at least another full day.

(Where?)

Over the river and through the woods to grandmother willow you go. From there its over hill and dale. They came on horses so they should be trackable.

The party should have little trouble following the tracks and finding the valley. They should be approaching the temple about sundown. The temple is in a shallow valley. The clerics should have at least a few guards or patrols, avoidance is a fine way of dealing with them.

The main temple is a long building built into the side of the valley. The building has a large set of double doors, a single large eye is centred on the doors. There is a small stable that is adjacent to the front of the temple. A small door leads from the stable to the temple. There is a stable hand that is armed with a pitchfork in the stable along with a few horses among the stalls.

If the party is able to approach quietly they can enter from either the front doors, which open quietly and are not currently locked, or from the stable. Both lead into a small anteroom. The back wall of the anteroom is covered with a large heavy curtain.

As the party peeks through the curtain they can see the main temple area. It is dimly lit by several torches and braziers. Several of the pews have initiates in them. At the far end is the alter. A priest is concluding some sort of ceremony. The princess is chained, standing on the far side of the altar facing a statue. The statue is made of stone and is that of a large round (2 meter diameter) creature with one large eye in the centre. The creature also has several eye stalks (appendages ending in a small eye) sprouting off of it. The centre eye is made of a huge ruby, about the size of two large fists. The eyes at the end of each eye stalk are about the size of a regular human eye and are of various types including emerald sapphire, onyx, etc.

The priest at the altar is finishing a ceremony that concludes with his arms outstretched. The centre eye of the statue begins to glow and the light slowly begins to extend until it envelopes the princess. After a few seconds the princess collapses, her pallor now a dull grey. This entire process takes less than a minute.

If the party doesn't intercede at this point the priest will continue with the physical sacrifice of the princess's body. This will result in the unalterable death of the princess. What the party must do is intercede and rescue the body of the princess as well as the centre jewel from the statue. The ruby is hollow and if held up to the light, the face of the princess can be seen almost as a reflection or a ghost within. To restore the princess the party must merely break the ruby with the body of the princess close by.

Most of the initiates are not well trained and have Mediocre combat ability. The priest and optional acolytes have Fair or Good combat ability plus some magical ability. Along the back wall is a concealed door that leads to other chambers including a jail area (with jailer and optional prisoners), some storage rooms, and the private quarters for the priest.

Ultimately if the party does not succeed and the clerics continue on their way, they will continue to steal souls until they can animate their deity.

Fortress of the Sender
John A. Murphy (jam@philabs.research.philips.com)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Wilderness

Setting: Castle

This works best with a party that contains a thief. The party is in the capital city of Gunthenor for the first time. It is usually appropriate for thieves to visit or register with the local guild. Alternately, a member of the guild may seek them out, make friends and then later try to steer them with a tip if the party is looking for an adventure or work.

The guild master (or new friend), Nelbin, should eventually meet up with the party. He isn't someone to be totally trusted, although this has to be discovered over time. He isn't evil, just has his own agenda. He is or has been a thief at some point in his life. He doesn't relate all he knows and tries to paint a picture of a ruthless baron practically kidnapping his friend. He doesn't want to tell the party too much, because if captured they won't know anything. He is concerned that the baron might become proactive if he finds out that someone is trying to check up on him.

Nelbin relates the following:

Up in the remote Northlands the local baron has unjustly imprisoned a friend [maybe]. I ask you to rescue a personal friend [true] who did no wrong other than travelling through the area with too many gems in his possession [partial truth]. I have tried to rescue him myself, but failed [lie]. I was captured, and let go with a stern warning [lie]. I do not believe I would be so lucky if my face was seen again [true].

(What's your friends name?)

Leafloc, an elf and a good archer. [a good thief too]

(Where exactly is it?)

An associate of mine, Prelenna, can act as a guide. She is a good guide, but not much of a fighter. She will take you to the keep, but will not enter.

This tale is full of half-truths. The baron worries the guild and Nelbin in particularly. The baron has risen to power in a remote area, the wild woods of the Northlands. Information and intelligence on him is limited. Nelbin knows he likes to stay secluded, but has allies within the governmental hierarchy. He has shun any contact with the guild. Attempts to contact him have gone unanswered, sometimes the messenger doesn't return. The baron has a strong hold on his territory and works both sides of the legal fence. He conducts raids on some towns or trade routes, while others are protected. No one is aware of any of this.

Nelbin first met the baron [he thinks] face to face after he was captured after infiltrating the barons main [he thinks] fortress. He was sneaking around inside the fortress when something landed at his feet. Whatever it was caused the immediate area to go completely silent. He turned and saw a man with bright yellow eyes at the end of the hallway staring at him. Then he heard strange words in his mind that he recognised as some kind of spell, soon after he fell fast asleep. When he awoke he was imprisoned.

Nelbin is a Good thief and was finally able to escape. Over time he was able to collect enough pieces of scrap metal to create a crude pick. He then slunk in the shadows of night until he reached a small store room. There he was able to create a secret/false hole in one wall and make his escape.

Unbeknownst to Nelbin is that the baron is of a strange race called the Senders [ see below ]. Nelbin also doesn't realise that his run in was with the barons only son.

The stronghold is in the wilderness of the north. This particular stronghold is not the barons main quarters, but merely one of several outposts. The baron is known to maintain patrols over a large area. What is not known is that the baron maintains odd alliances. The fortress is currently being guarded by a band of goblins. In other areas the baron has employed humans, mercenaries, orcs, and even an ogre or two. He tries to keep racial skirmishes to a minimum by separating races where he can. As far as the baron knows, his prisoner is a poor thief he caught investigating. The Sender at this particular outpost turns out not to be the baron, but the barons only son. The guards at his outposts are well fed and organised. Usually reporting to a human captain.

The structure is a 2 story keep, two guard towers in the front with a battlement that runs across the front and halfway down the east/west sides. There are few windows. The front battlement covers a small courtyard that doubles as a small stable area. Oil holes and an arrow slit over the centre aid in the defence of larger scale assaults. If they have hot oil prepared is up to you. Tree cover makes it reasonably easy to approach.

Size of the structure and the number of guards is dependent on how strong the party is and how difficult the rescue is intended to be. The storage room is located in a back corner, there is some shrubbery and undergrowth in front of the hole.

The stairs in the middle of the structure give an idea of where the stairs leading down to the jail area are. Obviously the inside needs to be detailed. If a full lower level is desired it can also be detailed.

		+----( )-------( )----|     |----( )------( )------+
		|          |                           |           |
		| tower    |    battlement area        | tower     |
		|__________| _ _ _ _ _|_ _ _|_ _ _ _ _ |___________|
		|                     |     |                      |
		|          |                           |           |
		|  b. a.                                  b. a.    |
		|          |                           |           |
		^                                                  ^
		v          |                           |           v
		|                                                  |
		| _ _ _ _ _|                           | _ _ _ _ _ |
		|                                                  |
		|                                                  |
		|                                                  |
		|                                                  |
		|                                                  |
		|                                |_|               |
		|                                |_|               |
		|___                             |-|               |
		|  |                             |-|               |
		|SR|                                               |
		|  |                                               |
		+x---( )----------------------------------( )------+

A race of humans that have the gift of limited telepathy. They can speak to humans and most intelligent humanoids using their mind. The recipient can hear the Senders thoughts as if they were clearly spoken in their native language. The Senders can not read a persons thoughts, just place their thoughts as if spoken. Senders have a minimum of Good intelligence. It is unknown if the Senders are a separate race, or a human mutation. The Senders ten to have been either leaders of men or persecuted by the fearful.

The Party
Jonas Steverud (d4jonas@dtek.chalmers.se)

Genre: Any

Setting: Wilderness

Setting: Forest

The PCs, who are travelling through a forest, comes out into a bigger clearing and finds out that there is a party going on there. What/Who has arranged the party and if the PCs are welcome is up to the GM.

Symbolica
Jonas Steverud (d4jonas@dtek.chalmers.se)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Any

The PCs are contacted in some way (by rich person in an inn? ;-) ) and this is the story which are told for them:

The master, of the one who contacts the PC, has a slight problem. The master is a wizard and he owns a book, called Symbolica, which has some *very* powerful spells in it (Ie. the wizard in the team might want it himself). But Symbolica is stolen! The master knows who the thief is, another wizard, and where he is. The master cannot pick it up himself because of reasons the PCs won't understand. Therefore he asks the PCs to help him, and he will pay them richly if they fulfil the task. The PCs sets off and do the quest. But it is one thing they overlooked: the truth!

This is the truth: The so-called thief is the rightful owner! The PCs master has fooled them! The master has also set out another team of adventurers who's task is to follow the PCs and make sure they fulfil their task. The second team are told that the PCs is doing this task as a punishment for a crime they have committed. When the PCs finally has discovered the truth they find themselves in a very delicate situation:

1. Their original master is mad at them (for not fulfilling their task and/or discovering the truth).
2. The rightful owner is mad at them (quite obviously!).
3. The second team don't know what they should think and might decide to fight the PCs (Depending on how much the second team knows.) They maybe don't know the truth and continue with their mission - to force the PCs to deliver the book.

A Royal Murder
Jonas Steverud (d4jonas@dtek.chalmers.se)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Any

The PCs are at the border on their way into a new kingdom. Shortly after the border, or just before it, they are contacted by a man who claims he is a nobleman and he needs their help.

This is the story he tells them. "For some years ago this country was a happy country. There were peace and the people were well fed. Everybody was happy and it was a healthy kingdom. But there was a snake in the paradise: Duke Foo (Call him something that's would make sense depending on your world). He had an eager longing for the crown and for three years ago he took it with the help of foreign help. The old king, and some of the noblemen who where loyal to him [the man lowers his head in a gesture that means that he's on of them], were send in exile.

The kingdom was sent into terror. People with opinions which didn't please the king where killed. Good men and women where tortured and killed for the sheer pleasure of the king. The once happy nation was now a frightened country!

For two and a half years the rightful king has been abroad but never, *never*, lost faith in once again come back and making justice! I am sent forward to make sure that the rightful king can enter his castle safely and it is in that task I need your help. I need your help to assassinate the pretender-king!"

The PCs get some extra details (like a map of the castle) and afterwards the sets off onto their task of justice. How far they comes before they discover the truth is up to you but they should get the chance of really, really screwing things up.

The truth is: the nobleman was lying. For some years ago the country was not happy, it was in terror - the terror of the king. After a while one of the noblemen was sickened by it and created a revolution and put himself in the throne. The new king is not a good king but his intentions are good. He wants to put things right and to make the country a happy nation. He has succeeded in some parts and the people love him (they will love anyone who threw out the old king). The old king was sent into exile together with some noblemen. That part of the story is correct, the fake part is the parts where the government of each king is described.

What the PCs now are going to do is to kill the good king and to reinstall the evil one.

Nice plans eh? Just watch out when you tell the players the truth. They might be angry... ;-)

Well, I think they should have a fair chance of discover the truth themselves, *before* everything goes out of hand. But if they overlook the evidence.... Make them suffer...

A Mansion Tale
Jonas Steverud (d4jonas@dtek.chalmers.se)

Genre: Horror

Setting: Building

This is one of my better adventures, the problem is that I didn't GM it correctly so the players didn't get scared. :-( Tip: Read "The Shadow over Innmouth" (sp?) by Lovecraft first.

On a medium big island (4-6 miles across) there is a village and a mansion a mile or two from the village. A forest lies around the mansion, which is next to the sea. The mansion is own by an eccentrically man who only has one servant. He also have a brother in some big city (who's a doctor).

One day when one of the people in the village comes up to the mansion for some purpose he discovers that the front door is partly open. In one room he finds all the furniture put away up against the walls and a lot of signs is carved in (with a knife or similar) into the floor, walls and roof. On the middle of a big symbol there is a body, recognised as the brother of the master of the mansion dead, sacrificed. The servant and mansion owner are no-where to be seen. The villager sends for help.

Tahadaah... The players enter the scene from the left... :)

During the search in the house they goes into the kitchen and then out of it (nothing interesting there, they shouldn't be allowed to investigate too much here...). After a couple of minutes they find that they are missing one of the NPCs (anyone you like) who was following them. They finds him in the kitchen, killed with a meataxe with tremendous force. They haven't heard anything! They should realise that someone (some_thing_?) was in the kitchen WHEN THEY WHERE THERE TOO! Dahdahdaahda!

It's the servant (who is 800% insane and lives in the forest on the island) who killed him, when returning to steal some food.

Handouts:

A letters from the mansion owner's brother. They are talking about what a grandfather did to his daughter (married her to a Deep One, but that's not said straight out) and in that way "put this curse on our family". He also talks about fact that he has found a medication against this ("my eyes are once again normal and I don't have to wear sun goggles in the middle of the winter"). He also says that he "comes home to cure you my dear brother, even though it seems that you don't realised what a curse this is". The last letter says that the brother arrives the night before the man from the village finds his body and ends with "Stay out of the water, for God's sake!". You may also give them a unfinished letter from the Mansion owner saying he is rejecting the offer. He thinks the grandfather did the right thing.

What has happened:

Persons involved: The Mansion owner, who is Deep Ones (or "Deep-Ones-will- be"); his doctor brother (who doesn't want to be one); the mansion owner's servant.

The mansion owner thinks the Deep Ones connection is the best thing that has ever has happened to him (there are letters telling about this in the doctor brother's home and they both write diaries). When the doctor-brother arrives late at night his brother is prepared. With the help of his servant (they both completely insane) he strikes down the doctor and sacrifices him to some Outer God. The servant now extremely insane (SAN= -[VERY big number] ;-) ) runs away out into the woods (it is he who kills the NPC in the kitchen when he tries to collect some food. He will later try to escape to the mainland and run to some place, not even himself knowing where to (maybe a secret temple, but that's another story)). The mansion owner escapes down a tunnel to the ocean, down to a Deep One-City.

Home of the Happy Hobbit
John A. Murphy (jam@philabs.research.philips.com)

Genre: Fantasy

Setting: Building

Setting: Cave

This is a good initial party get together, that works well for an initial or first time adventure. Someone needs to be a thief, best if he is just starting out. Since this is used as a characters initial adventure it tends to steer and have more of a fixed story line than many scenarios. (p.s. I avoiding typing he/she in many places, not because I don't want to be PC, but rather I think it reads easier.)

Note: Some GM only notes are included at points in [ ]'s, frequently it denotes bits of text that may be read directly to the player(s).

GENERAL BACKGROUND (optionally read to player(s)):

Years ago in the small village of Dillow, a hobbit named Pilar (pronounced Pee-lar) retired from adventuring and opened up a small inn, "The Home of the Happy Hobbit", a two- or three-storey structure with basic kitchen & dining services, a bar, and a few private rooms to rent. While some suspect Pilar used to be an adventuring thief, he denies it and uses colourful metaphors and ambiguous language to describe his previous experiences.

"Oooo, if I only had a gold piece for every time I've been misunderstood/misquoted/misplaced/misjudged/misbegotten/ misinterpreted/misguided/missing-in-action/miserable......."

The inn itself was nondescript for awhile, but soon began to make a name for itself. They have the ability to serve ice cold drinks even on the hottest of summer days. You can also get cheese, milk, and fruit out of season; things you can't even get at the inns in the larger cities. Pilar is the only one who knows the secret and he has yet to tell anyone. His part time helpers are mostly members of his extended family/clan.

GM PLOT TOUR and OVERVIEW:

Dillow has a small garrison, <30 guards, who patrol the countryside in an effort to keep order and monsters in their place. Usually there are no more than 5 to 10 guards in town. The captain of the guard is a human named Wooten.

The main player character is the thief. The thief's tutor, Pilar the hobbit and innkeeper, is murdered and the PC is accused of the crime. Unknown to any of the players, Pilar has a basement that leads to some cooled caves. He recently stumbled on a new fissure that eventually led to an ancient finished dungeon corridor. The corridor eventually dead ended at a cave in. There was also a room that looked either unfinished or caved in, but Pilar discovered that the rubble appeared to be silver ore. Knowing little about mining, but knowing from his adventuring days that many dwarves have knowledge of mining, he has been on the look out for a dwarf, or more precisely a miner. He has tried extracting some of the ore himself, but created a small cave in that almost buried him.

Pilar's actions were noticed by an unknown adversary (possibly an innkeeper from a nearby city who wanted Pilar's secret of cold drink) who sent a FAIR half-orc assassin (named Ugluk) to Dillow under the guise of a miner named Draggard. Draggard showed up in town and having been briefed on some very basic mining terms, was able to convince Pilar that he could help him. Pilar swore him to secrecy, got him to sign some form of a contract, and then took him to his secret cave. The hobbit explained how he had taken a small bit out, found it to be silver ore of decent quality and had been unsuccessful in extracting any large quantity. As the conversation progressed it started to become evident that Draggard didn't know mining from a hole-in-the-ground (so to speak). As Pilar was just starting to get suspicious, Daggard took the ice dagger he had broken off in the ice cave and killed Pilar with a vicious back stab.

What Daggard did NOT know, was that the door to this dead-end dungeon room had a hidden catch that left it locked from the inside. The catch is in the door frame right at floor level. Pilar found it, when he was in a similar situation as the door frame by the catch was slightly worn. Daggard is trapped, scared, and foreseeing himself starving to death, although he thinks that someone will find the way down here sometime today or tomorrow. As he waits he thinks of a plan.

CHARACTERS, WITH POSSIBLE STARTING LOCATIONS

• Thief, just starting out under Pilar's instructions
• Warrior, hired member of the guard or even captain of the guard
• Priest or druid, accused defence aid or impartial arbitrator
• Any dwarf or person with mining skill. Pilar will want to meet him and may have scheduled a meeting for the day of the murder
• Any class, lone patron at the inn
• Any class, resident of the town or nearby countryside
• Any class, just passing through, and/or waiting for the inn to open

BACKGROUND for thief player (optionally read to all players): [ This character may have grown up in or around Dillow. There are many farms and large woodlands in the surrounding countryside. ]

Pilar, the local innkeeper, is by far the most colourful individual in the village. You have always been fascinated by his stories of adventuring. His stories of adventuring have always fuelled your imagination. Going into deep dark dungeons, fighting evil monsters, and finding precious and magical gems seem almost dreamlike compared to this sleepy little town. Over the years you have found yourself helping out at the inn and fancy yourself to be a protege of Pilar's. He has shown you several "tricks of the trade" including how to pick simple locks ("I've only done this when the owner forgot his key or if I was curious as to what was inside", insists Pilar), how to sneak about quietly in shadows, and even how to scale a wall.

[ Make up an specific tales you feel will appeal to the character, sometimes explaining why a "thief" is not a bad thing to be. ]

THE STORY (as presented to the thief character):

It is a slow time in Dillow. Pilar's inn has no boarders. [ possible exception is to have one of the PCs to be the only boarder ]

Recently, however, Pilar has been noticed to be rather excited about something. He has been seen around town asking people if they know any dwarves.

[ Specific individuals may have even been asked if they know anything about mining. If someone investigates enough they may be able to learn that Pilar has recently purchased some mining equipment (shovels etc.) ]

You wander into town and immediately notice that the inn is still dark and closed. Usually Pilar is open by now, serving the occasional breakfast. There are no lights on inside.

[ If at this point the character asks around he MAY find out that yesterday Pilar was seen talking with an ugly stranger. ]

[ If one of the players characters was staying at the inn, they found themselves locked out last night and had to go stay in a farmers barn. They plan on coming back into town later to have a word with Pilar, but that is later. ]

[ Hopefully the character will now be asked to do some roleplaying and try to enter the inn. ]

[ If checked, the door and windows are locked]

Your curiosity is aroused and since Pilar has shown you several times how to pick the lock, it only takes you a moment to open the door (after all you help out here, you're practically an employee!).

Inside, all is quiet, too quiet. You look around, it doesn't look like Pilar finished cleaning up last night. There are a few tables that haven't been cleared. There is no fire in the fireplace either. You notice that the kitchen door behind the bar is open, which is very unusual.

[ There is nothing else out of place, perhaps some unwashed glasses on the bar. ]

As you enter the kitchen you notice that the door to the basement stairs (under the stairs that lead upstairs) is also open.

[ If the character proceeds. ]

You slowly descend the stairs into the darkness. The creak of the stairs sound especially loud in the eerie silence.

[ There is a lantern hanging at the bottom of the stairs if needed. ]

You find yourself in the basement storeroom. Boxes and barrels fill the room, in some places from floor to ceiling. The room is filled with an abundance of odours from the containers. Off in one corner you see some shovels, torches, and rope.

You are about to leave when you feel a chill. You give one more look around and notice some boxes in one corner seem out of place. You look behind those boxes and you see an open trap door with a ladder leading down into a rough hewn passage.

[ Assuming the character continues.... ]

You proceed down the ladder, finding it a bit odd as you realize the rung spacing is intended for someone shorter than yourself [ OK, so I'm assuming the character isn't a hobbit ]

You find yourself in a rough passageway. It seems like it might be a natural fissure, with minimal working to make it wider in a few places. It slopes down slowly. After 50 or 60 feet of rough twisty passage you come to a crude door. On closer inspection, it is really a very heavy curtain.

As you slide the curtain to one side you are met by a very cool blast of air. Inside is a crude chamber with rough walls, a few stalagmites and stalactite, and yet more containers, some cheeses, and kegs of beer. The ceiling and walls are very damp. Looking around, you see in the far corner behind a stalagmite is another crude trap door. This one is at a 45 degree angle between the floor and the wall. The hinges are on the top of the door.

[ If they look carefully they will see a hook mechanism that can hold the door open. ]

Pulling open the trap door, you are met with a freezing cold breeze. A small opening leading steeply down is revealed. You notice a muddy rope has been tied to the stub of a stalagmite and has been fed down the hole. As you start to make your way down you start losing your footing as it gets very slippery [ check Dex ]. You slide down the rest of the way, figuring your total descent to be at least 40 feet. The last 5 feet is a drop off, leaving you on your butt, and a cold one at that. Looking about, you have entered a small underground ice cave. Ice stalagmites and stalactites abound in this 100 foot circular cavern. A small pool is visible on the far side. You can hear the sound of dripping and/or running water. The ice glitters like diamonds.

[ This is what it appears to be, a super cooled cave from an unknown source. There are no diamonds here. An ice toad lives in the pool, which Pilar knows of and now knows to avoid. The to/from destination of the feed stream for the pool is not detailed, nor is the full reason for the ice cave. The floor is slippery, rough, and uneven. If the floor is examined at the entry point, a path/trail (.) can be found that winds through the cave, avoiding the pool, and leads over to the other opening. ** If the stalagmites along the path are ALL CAREFULLY examined, ** one of the smaller ones can be found to be flattened, having been ** recently broken off. This clue should NOT be given out easily. ]

You see between the stalagmites a passage that leads back, sloping upwards slightly. The going is rough as the floor is slick. The rough passage winds back a little bit and then unexpectedly turns into a finished corridor. The stone work on the walls seems extraordinarily good.....and old. The passage way leads straight back for about 50 feet or so, ending in a cave-in of rubble. Oddly enough, there is a door about 40 feet along the right hand wall.

[ This next part need to be played out carefully. Daggard is trapped inside. He will probably hear if the person makes any kind of noise coming down the corridor or checking the door. The following is only one possible scenario. ]

You carefully open the door. It goes in a little bit and then opens up into a room. You can see what appears to be Pilar lying face down. You take a step into the room and are shoved from behind. You fall to your knees and you are just able to make out someone human sized running out of the room.

[ If the character takes off after Daggard..... ]

As you come out of the room you see the fleeing person is at the end of the hall, going out of sight round the bend. His footsteps echo loudly in the otherwise silent surroundings.

[ At this point you should allow the person to chase, keeping the culprit in sight, but not gaining ground significantly. If the person is able to make the proper dice rolls, you might allow them to grab a foot when going up the slippery chute or the ladder, but then give Daggard a good chance at kicking them off.

After following Daggard closely, as they reach the kitchen/bar area they can see/hear Daggard bursting out of the inn and shouting "Murderer! Murderer!" to the captain of the guard who happens to be in the street in front of the inn with a couple of guards. ]

[ If the character takes their time and looks around the room first... ]

The room is long and narrow. One side ends in a finished wall, the other ends in a caved-in mess of rubble. There is a wheelbarrow full of wet dirt near the rubble. There are no other pieces of mining equipment. Pilar is lying face down, between the wheelbarrow and the door. He is pointed towards the rubble. Upon examination he is found dead from a some sort of stab wound to the back.

[ At this point they will probably leave to find out more. By the time the character gets up to the first floor, he will be met at the door by the Wooten (the captain), two guards, and Daggard.

In either case, something resembling the following ensues.

• Daggard spins a tale which includes the following points
• He had a meeting scheduled with Pilar today, about mining
• Finding the inn dark, but the front door open he proceeded down the various passage ways, much like the character did
• He found you standing over the body and ran back to tell the captain
• As the character raises objections, Daggard tries to dispel them.
• Daggard is willing to be searched, even suggesting it if no one brings it up. Furthermore, Daggard suggests searching the inn, passageways, and the room itself for the weapon. The results of such a search reveal NO pointed weapons or tools. There are no spikes or picks among the mining equipment. Searching the final room and rubble reveals no weapon.
• If the character happens to have a dagger or pointed weapon, Wooten can examine it and tell that it doesn't have any blood on it, and it doesn't appear to have been used recently and/or doesn't match the stab wound.
As this goes on, part of Daggard's natural personality should come out. He is a half-orc and is very abrasive and ugly to boot. He is also slippery and a stranger in town. Wooten would like to believe the character, but doesn't trust Daggard. If the character is having trouble figuring out the puzzle part, have Wooten ask some leading questions, but do NOT solve it for the character. Have the other characters help if need be. Maybe the contract between Pilar and Daggard can be found. As a last resort maybe someone will notice the broken ice stalagmite along the ice cave path.

The key is the wet dirt in the wheelbarrow. That is where Daggard put the ice dagger after stabbing Pilar. Wooten is willing to take the characters word especially after Daggard gets a scared look in his eye when the key piece of evidence is explained.

Maybe the characters will get a reward. Maybe Daggard will confess and name his employer. Do with it what you will.

If the characters are later allowed to enter dig into the tunnel after the cave-in, what wonders they find is up to you.... ]

	Map Key:
		| or - : wall
		|   |  : door in horizontal wall
		  =    : small door in vertical wall
		|xxx|  : heavy/locked door
		 < >   : window
		  #    : rock, or inaccessible
		  .    : path
		  %    : cave-in or rubble
		  $    : silver ore
		V or > : slope in direction indicated
		  {    : water, pool or stream
		  S    : ice stalagmite and/or stalactite
		  m    : shovels and misc. mining equipment
		  w    : wheelbarrow
		  P    : Pilar's body

    Ground Floor:

		+-----------------------|xxx|----------------------+
		|                      =            =s __|         |
		|                      | Kitchen/   =t _ |         |
		|---raised floor-------| Upper store|a _ |         ^
		|______________________|            |i - |
		|     B A R         !  |            |r - |         v
		|___________________!__|____________|s . |         |
		|                       | fire  |                  |
		|                       +-------+                  |
		|                                                  |
		^                                                  ^
		        ( various benches, chairs, & tables )
		v                                                  v
		|                                                  |
		|                                                  |
		|                                                  |
		+----|     |------------< >---------------< >------+


    Upper Floor:

		+---< >----------< >-------------------------------+
		|              |                     s __|         |
		|   medium     =                     t _ |         |
		|   private    |       +------------+a _ |         ^
		|   room       |       |############|i - |
		|--------------|       |############|r - |         v
		|   cheap      |       +--------+###|s . |         |
		|   private    =       |  fire  |########|         |
		|   room       |       +--------+--------+         |
		|--------------|       |           |               |
		^              |       = Pilar's   =  Pilar's      ^
		    large      |       | Office    |  Room
		v   expensive  |       +-----------+               v
		|   private    |       | cheap     |               |
		|   room       =       = private   |               |
		|              |       | room      |               |
		+----------------< >----------------------< >------+


    Lower Level:

############## -|xxx|------------+############################################
############## =            =    |############################################
############## | Kitchen/   +-||-+############################################
############## | Upper store| _ |########     >   ###   ######################
############## |            | - |###### > #######V##     #####################
############## |            | - |###### #########  |  (cool ##################
############## |____________| . |#+-----+############ room) ##################
##############  | fire  |###|   +-+    X|############      ###################
##############  +-------+###| basement  |#############     ###################
############################| storeroom |################ X ##################
############################|m          |#################V###################
############################+-----------+#################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
########################################################## ###################
#########################################################   ##################
######################################################   ..    ###############
############################################           ... S   S    ##########
##$$$$#######################################   S  ..... S   S           #####
#$$$$##------------------+################# S    S .            S      #######
#$$$$$$$%  w             |###############       S .   S   S          S  ######
#$$$$%$$     P           |#############   S  ... S .           S       S  ####
$$$$$$$%%                |###########    S  .S  ....S      S     S  S      ###
##$$$$$$-----+  +--------+##############   ..   S                       ######
##$##$#$#####|  |######################### .S   S  S      S   S        #######
----------%%--||--------###############.S..  S     (ice cave)    S        ####
<-UNKNOWN %%%              ####   > > ..S        S    S                    ###
--------%%%-------------##  #    ############      S        {{{          #####
##########################     ####################       {{{{{{{{     #######
######################################################  {{{{{{{{{{{{{ ########
#######################################################{{{{{(pool){{{{{#######
#########################################################{{{{{{{{{{###########
#########################################################{###{{{{#############
########################################################{######{##############
#######################################################{{#######{{############
#####################################################{{##########{{###########

DECEIT AT DEJU
Colin Steele (colin@aol.net)

Genre: Sci-Fi

Setting: Building

Introduction:
This is a short (and somewhat hackneyed, but still fun) sci-fi adventure I've run a few times. The results are usually quite good if you can create the proper atmosphere. Think Aliens, or Outland. I run it using my own homebrew background and mechanics, called Star Patrol, which is based on FUDGE. Check out http://www.io.com/~colin for more details.

Synopsis:
Minions of the Dark have begun constructing a dimensional gate beneath the Republic outpost on Deju. The outpost's leader has been replaced by the minions, who are using the Gift to create a perfect illusion of the leader. They are proceeding to infiltrate deeper into the outpost, replacing more key figures. And, they have begun enslaving part of the outpost's inhabitants, using them as slave labor to dig/construct/whatever the secret.

The characters are travelling on the starship Fickle Fate, which is scheduled to deliver several geolocks and some replacement personnel to the outpost. The stopover is supposed to be a short one, and the poor design of the landing bays, which are just next to the garbage collection/expulsion unit, make the stop seem even longer. But, the outpost's only canteen, "the Pit", is abuzz about something...

Legalese:
This document is free. Permission is given to redistribute it and/or modify it under 2 conditions:

1. My name stays on it.
2. No profit is made from redistribution or modification.

Characters go to the bar, as the Fickle Fate's entertainment console is pretty pitiful. They notice that the party in the back, which is getting progressively louder, inebriated and angry, seems to be talking about a at the bar.

The largest of the lot gets up, goes over to him, spins him around in his barstool, and shouting something about "This one's for Jorick!", attacks the surprised <alien race>.

A fight ensues, with the attackers inebriated buddies crowding around, cheering him on with phrases like "That's it, Kitoog, help him find Jorick!" and "One more for Landers!".

The is getting his butt kicked, and unless the characters intervene, will end up an unconscious bloody pulp on the floor. If they do, they easily defeat the drunks, who are quickly shipped off to lockup by the local constabulary, which show up after a few rounds. The introduces himself as Sergeant Thargrim, buys several rounds, and pours out the story of the disappearances. It ends with mention of the reward for finding them, and a plea to call him if they hear anything.

Thargrim

Str - Great (+2 @ scale -1)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Good (+1)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Good (+1)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Great (+2)
Scale -1

Gifts: Longevity, Legal Enforcement Power: Deju Outpost.
Faults: Stubborn, Kinda Ugly, Prefer Enclosed Spaces.
Skills: Mechanicals - Poor (+0), Blaster - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Detect Whopper - Fair (+0), Melee - Great (+2),
        Deal-making - Great (+2), Languages - Good (+1), Medical - Fair
        (+0), Swimming - Fair (+0), Alien Culture - Fair (+0),
        Intimidate - Fair (+0), Tailing - Mediocre (-1)
Weapons/Equipment: Blaster, Comlink, Light Armor (+2).
Notes: (alien race)

Kitoog

Str - Good (+1 @ scale 2)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Fair (+0)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Fair (+0)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Good (+1)
Scale 2

Gifts: Regal Bearing, Excellent Sense of Smell, Roar, Reputation:
       Don't Mess With Me.
Faults: Farsighted, Phobia of Water, Odious Personal Habit: Licks Fur,
        Odious Personal Habit: Coughs up Hairballs, and Code of Honor:
        (another alien).
Skills: Hold Liquor - Superb (+3), Melee - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Unarmed Melee - Great (+2), Mining - Good (+1),
        Blaster - Fair (+0), Techn

		+---< >----------< >-------------------------------+
		|              |                     s __|         |
		|   medium     =                     t _ |         |
		|   private    |       +------------+a _ |         ^
		|   room       |       |############|i - |
		|--------------|       |############|r - |         v
		|   cheap      |       +--------+###|s . |         |
		|   private    =       |  fire  |########|         |
		|   room       |       +--------+--------+         |
		|--------------|       |           |               |
		^              |       = Pilar's   =  Pilar's      ^
		    large      |       | Office    |  Room
		v   expensive  |       +-----------+               v
		|   private    |       | cheap     |               |
		|   room       =       = private   |               |
		|              |       | room      |               |
		+----------------< >----------------------< >------+


    Lower Level:

############## -|xxx|------------+############################################
############## =            =    |############################################
############## | Kitchen/   +-||-+############################################
############## | Upper store| _ |########     >   ###   ######################
############## |            | - |###### > #######V##     #####################
############## |            | - |###### #########  |  (cool ##################
############## |____________| . |#+-----+############ room) ##################
##############  | fire  |###|   +-+    X|############      ###################
##############  +-------+###| basement  |#############     ###################
############################| storeroom |################ X ##################
############################|m          |#################V###################
############################+-----------+#################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
########################################################## ###################
#########################################################   ##################
######################################################   ..    ###############
############################################           ... S   S    ##########
##$$$$#######################################   S  ..... S   S           #####
#$$$$##------------------+################# S    S .            S      #######
#$$$$$$$%  w             |###############       S .   S   S          S  ######
#$$$$%$$     P           |#############   S  ... S .           S       S  ####
$$$$$$$%%                |###########    S  .S  ....S      S     S  S      ###
##$$$$$$-----+  +--------+##############   ..   S                       ######
##$##$#$#####|  |######################### .S   S  S      S   S        #######
----------%%--||--------###############.S..  S     (ice cave)    S        ####
<-UNKNOWN %%%              ####   > > ..S        S    S                    ###
--------%%%-------------##  #    ############      S        {{{          #####
##########################     ####################       {{{{{{{{     #######
######################################################  {{{{{{{{{{{{{ ########
#######################################################{{{{{(pool){{{{{#######
#########################################################{{{{{{{{{{###########
#########################################################{###{{{{#############
########################################################{######{##############
#######################################################{{#######{{############
#####################################################{{##########{{###########

DECEIT AT DEJU
Colin Steele (colin@aol.net)

Genre: Sci-Fi

Setting: Building

Introduction:
This is a short (and somewhat hackneyed, but still fun) sci-fi adventure I've run a few times. The results are usually quite good if you can create the proper atmosphere. Think Aliens, or Outland. I run it using my own homebrew background and mechanics, called Star Patrol, which is based on FUDGE. Check out http://www.io.com/~colin for more details.

Synopsis:
Minions of the Dark have begun constructing a dimensional gate beneath the Republic outpost on Deju. The outpost's leader has been replaced by the minions, who are using the Gift to create a perfect illusion of the leader. They are proceeding to infiltrate deeper into the outpost, replacing more key figures. And, they have begun enslaving part of the outpost's inhabitants, using them as slave labor to dig/construct/whatever the secret.

The characters are travelling on the starship Fickle Fate, which is scheduled to deliver several geolocks and some replacement personnel to the outpost. The stopover is supposed to be a short one, and the poor design of the landing bays, which are just next to the garbage collection/expulsion unit, make the stop seem even longer. But, the outpost's only canteen, "the Pit", is abuzz about something...

Legalese:
This document is free. Permission is given to redistribute it and/or modify it under 2 conditions:

1. My name stays on it.
2. No profit is made from redistribution or modification.

Characters go to the bar, as the Fickle Fate's entertainment console is pretty pitiful. They notice that the party in the back, which is getting progressively louder, inebriated and angry, seems to be talking about a at the bar.

The largest of the lot gets up, goes over to him, spins him around in his barstool, and shouting something about "This one's for Jorick!", attacks the surprised <alien race>.

A fight ensues, with the attackers inebriated buddies crowding around, cheering him on with phrases like "That's it, Kitoog, help him find Jorick!" and "One more for Landers!".

The is getting his butt kicked, and unless the characters intervene, will end up an unconscious bloody pulp on the floor. If they do, they easily defeat the drunks, who are quickly shipped off to lockup by the local constabulary, which show up after a few rounds. The introduces himself as Sergeant Thargrim, buys several rounds, and pours out the story of the disappearances. It ends with mention of the reward for finding them, and a plea to call him if they hear anything.

Thargrim

Str - Great (+2 @ scale -1)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Good (+1)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Good (+1)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Great (+2)
Scale -1

Gifts: Longevity, Legal Enforcement Power: Deju Outpost.
Faults: Stubborn, Kinda Ugly, Prefer Enclosed Spaces.
Skills: Mechanicals - Poor (+0), Blaster - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Detect Whopper - Fair (+0), Melee - Great (+2),
        Deal-making - Great (+2), Languages - Good (+1), Medical - Fair
        (+0), Swimming - Fair (+0), Alien Culture - Fair (+0),
        Intimidate - Fair (+0), Tailing - Mediocre (-1)
Weapons/Equipment: Blaster, Comlink, Light Armor (+2).
Notes: (alien race)

Kitoog

Str - Good (+1 @ scale 2)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Fair (+0)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Fair (+0)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Good (+1)
Scale 2

Gifts: Regal Bearing, Excellent Sense of Smell, Roar, Reputation:
       Don't Mess With Me.
Faults: Farsighted, Phobia of Water, Odious Personal Habit: Licks Fur,
        Odious Personal Habit: Coughs up Hairballs, and Code of Honor:
        (another alien).
Skills: Hold Liquor - Superb (+3), Melee - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Unarmed Melee - Great (+2), Mining - Good (+1),
        Blaster - Fair (+0), Techn

		+---< >----------< >-------------------------------+
		|              |                     s __|         |
		|   medium     =                     t _ |         |
		|   private    |       +------------+a _ |         ^
		|   room       |       |############|i - |
		|--------------|       |############|r - |         v
		|   cheap      |       +--------+###|s . |         |
		|   private    =       |  fire  |########|         |
		|   room       |       +--------+--------+         |
		|--------------|       |           |               |
		^              |       = Pilar's   =  Pilar's      ^
		    large      |       | Office    |  Room
		v   expensive  |       +-----------+               v
		|   private    |       | cheap     |               |
		|   room       =       = private   |               |
		|              |       | room      |               |
		+----------------< >----------------------< >------+


    Lower Level:

############## -|xxx|------------+############################################
############## =            =    |############################################
############## | Kitchen/   +-||-+############################################
############## | Upper store| _ |########     >   ###   ######################
############## |            | - |###### > #######V##     #####################
############## |            | - |###### #########  |  (cool ##################
############## |____________| . |#+-----+############ room) ##################
##############  | fire  |###|   +-+    X|############      ###################
##############  +-------+###| basement  |#############     ###################
############################| storeroom |################ X ##################
############################|m          |#################V###################
############################+-----------+#################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
########################################################## ###################
#########################################################   ##################
######################################################   ..    ###############
############################################           ... S   S    ##########
##$$$$#######################################   S  ..... S   S           #####
#$$$$##------------------+################# S    S .            S      #######
#$$$$$$$%  w             |###############       S .   S   S          S  ######
#$$$$%$$     P           |#############   S  ... S .           S       S  ####
$$$$$$$%%                |###########    S  .S  ....S      S     S  S      ###
##$$$$$$-----+  +--------+##############   ..   S                       ######
##$##$#$#####|  |######################### .S   S  S      S   S        #######
----------%%--||--------###############.S..  S     (ice cave)    S        ####
<-UNKNOWN %%%              ####   > > ..S        S    S                    ###
--------%%%-------------##  #    ############      S        {{{          #####
##########################     ####################       {{{{{{{{     #######
######################################################  {{{{{{{{{{{{{ ########
#######################################################{{{{{(pool){{{{{#######
#########################################################{{{{{{{{{{###########
#########################################################{###{{{{#############
########################################################{######{##############
#######################################################{{#######{{############
#####################################################{{##########{{###########

DECEIT AT DEJU
Colin Steele (colin@aol.net)

Genre: Sci-Fi

Setting: Building

Introduction:
This is a short (and somewhat hackneyed, but still fun) sci-fi adventure I've run a few times. The results are usually quite good if you can create the proper atmosphere. Think Aliens, or Outland. I run it using my own homebrew background and mechanics, called Star Patrol, which is based on FUDGE. Check out http://www.io.com/~colin for more details.

Synopsis:
Minions of the Dark have begun constructing a dimensional gate beneath the Republic outpost on Deju. The outpost's leader has been replaced by the minions, who are using the Gift to create a perfect illusion of the leader. They are proceeding to infiltrate deeper into the outpost, replacing more key figures. And, they have begun enslaving part of the outpost's inhabitants, using them as slave labor to dig/construct/whatever the secret.

The characters are travelling on the starship Fickle Fate, which is scheduled to deliver several geolocks and some replacement personnel to the outpost. The stopover is supposed to be a short one, and the poor design of the landing bays, which are just next to the garbage collection/expulsion unit, make the stop seem even longer. But, the outpost's only canteen, "the Pit", is abuzz about something...

Legalese:
This document is free. Permission is given to redistribute it and/or modify it under 2 conditions:

1. My name stays on it.
2. No profit is made from redistribution or modification.

Characters go to the bar, as the Fickle Fate's entertainment console is pretty pitiful. They notice that the party in the back, which is getting progressively louder, inebriated and angry, seems to be talking about a at the bar.

The largest of the lot gets up, goes over to him, spins him around in his barstool, and shouting something about "This one's for Jorick!", attacks the surprised <alien race>.

A fight ensues, with the attackers inebriated buddies crowding around, cheering him on with phrases like "That's it, Kitoog, help him find Jorick!" and "One more for Landers!".

The is getting his butt kicked, and unless the characters intervene, will end up an unconscious bloody pulp on the floor. If they do, they easily defeat the drunks, who are quickly shipped off to lockup by the local constabulary, which show up after a few rounds. The introduces himself as Sergeant Thargrim, buys several rounds, and pours out the story of the disappearances. It ends with mention of the reward for finding them, and a plea to call him if they hear anything.

Thargrim

Str - Great (+2 @ scale -1)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Good (+1)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Good (+1)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Great (+2)
Scale -1

Gifts: Longevity, Legal Enforcement Power: Deju Outpost.
Faults: Stubborn, Kinda Ugly, Prefer Enclosed Spaces.
Skills: Mechanicals - Poor (+0), Blaster - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Detect Whopper - Fair (+0), Melee - Great (+2),
        Deal-making - Great (+2), Languages - Good (+1), Medical - Fair
        (+0), Swimming - Fair (+0), Alien Culture - Fair (+0),
        Intimidate - Fair (+0), Tailing - Mediocre (-1)
Weapons/Equipment: Blaster, Comlink, Light Armor (+2).
Notes: (alien race)

Kitoog

Str - Good (+1 @ scale 2)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Fair (+0)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Fair (+0)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Good (+1)
Scale 2

Gifts: Regal Bearing, Excellent Sense of Smell, Roar, Reputation:
       Don't Mess With Me.
Faults: Farsighted, Phobia of Water, Odious Personal Habit: Licks Fur,
        Odious Personal Habit: Coughs up Hairballs, and Code of Honor:
        (another alien).
Skills: Hold Liquor - Superb (+3), Melee - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Unarmed Melee - Great (+2), Mining - Good (+1),
        Blaster - Fair (+0), Techn

		+---< >----------< >-------------------------------+
		|              |                     s __|         |
		|   medium     =                     t _ |         |
		|   private    |       +------------+a _ |         ^
		|   room       |       |############|i - |
		|--------------|       |############|r - |         v
		|   cheap      |       +--------+###|s . |         |
		|   private    =       |  fire  |########|         |
		|   room       |       +--------+--------+         |
		|--------------|       |           |               |
		^              |       = Pilar's   =  Pilar's      ^
		    large      |       | Office    |  Room
		v   expensive  |       +-----------+               v
		|   private    |       | cheap     |               |
		|   room       =       = private   |               |
		|              |       | room      |               |
		+----------------< >----------------------< >------+


    Lower Level:

############## -|xxx|------------+############################################
############## =            =    |############################################
############## | Kitchen/   +-||-+############################################
############## | Upper store| _ |########     >   ###   ######################
############## |            | - |###### > #######V##     #####################
############## |            | - |###### #########  |  (cool ##################
############## |____________| . |#+-----+############ room) ##################
##############  | fire  |###|   +-+    X|############      ###################
##############  +-------+###| basement  |#############     ###################
############################| storeroom |################ X ##################
############################|m          |#################V###################
############################+-----------+#################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
########################################################## ###################
#########################################################   ##################
######################################################   ..    ###############
############################################           ... S   S    ##########
##$$$$#######################################   S  ..... S   S           #####
#$$$$##------------------+################# S    S .            S      #######
#$$$$$$$%  w             |###############       S .   S   S          S  ######
#$$$$%$$     P           |#############   S  ... S .           S       S  ####
$$$$$$$%%                |###########    S  .S  ....S      S     S  S      ###
##$$$$$$-----+  +--------+##############   ..   S                       ######
##$##$#$#####|  |######################### .S   S  S      S   S        #######
----------%%--||--------###############.S..  S     (ice cave)    S        ####
<-UNKNOWN %%%              ####   > > ..S        S    S                    ###
--------%%%-------------##  #    ############      S        {{{          #####
##########################     ####################       {{{{{{{{     #######
######################################################  {{{{{{{{{{{{{ ########
#######################################################{{{{{(pool){{{{{#######
#########################################################{{{{{{{{{{###########
#########################################################{###{{{{#############
########################################################{######{##############
#######################################################{{#######{{############
#####################################################{{##########{{###########

DECEIT AT DEJU
Colin Steele (colin@aol.net)

Genre: Sci-Fi

Setting: Building

Introduction:
This is a short (and somewhat hackneyed, but still fun) sci-fi adventure I've run a few times. The results are usually quite good if you can create the proper atmosphere. Think Aliens, or Outland. I run it using my own homebrew background and mechanics, called Star Patrol, which is based on FUDGE. Check out http://www.io.com/~colin for more details.

Synopsis:
Minions of the Dark have begun constructing a dimensional gate beneath the Republic outpost on Deju. The outpost's leader has been replaced by the minions, who are using the Gift to create a perfect illusion of the leader. They are proceeding to infiltrate deeper into the outpost, replacing more key figures. And, they have begun enslaving part of the outpost's inhabitants, using them as slave labor to dig/construct/whatever the secret.

The characters are travelling on the starship Fickle Fate, which is scheduled to deliver several geolocks and some replacement personnel to the outpost. The stopover is supposed to be a short one, and the poor design of the landing bays, which are just next to the garbage collection/expulsion unit, make the stop seem even longer. But, the outpost's only canteen, "the Pit", is abuzz about something...

Legalese:
This document is free. Permission is given to redistribute it and/or modify it under 2 conditions:

1. My name stays on it.
2. No profit is made from redistribution or modification.

Characters go to the bar, as the Fickle Fate's entertainment console is pretty pitiful. They notice that the party in the back, which is getting progressively louder, inebriated and angry, seems to be talking about a at the bar.

The largest of the lot gets up, goes over to him, spins him around in his barstool, and shouting something about "This one's for Jorick!", attacks the surprised <alien race>.

A fight ensues, with the attackers inebriated buddies crowding around, cheering him on with phrases like "That's it, Kitoog, help him find Jorick!" and "One more for Landers!".

The is getting his butt kicked, and unless the characters intervene, will end up an unconscious bloody pulp on the floor. If they do, they easily defeat the drunks, who are quickly shipped off to lockup by the local constabulary, which show up after a few rounds. The introduces himself as Sergeant Thargrim, buys several rounds, and pours out the story of the disappearances. It ends with mention of the reward for finding them, and a plea to call him if they hear anything.

Thargrim

Str - Great (+2 @ scale -1)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Good (+1)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Good (+1)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Great (+2)
Scale -1

Gifts: Longevity, Legal Enforcement Power: Deju Outpost.
Faults: Stubborn, Kinda Ugly, Prefer Enclosed Spaces.
Skills: Mechanicals - Poor (+0), Blaster - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Detect Whopper - Fair (+0), Melee - Great (+2),
        Deal-making - Great (+2), Languages - Good (+1), Medical - Fair
        (+0), Swimming - Fair (+0), Alien Culture - Fair (+0),
        Intimidate - Fair (+0), Tailing - Mediocre (-1)
Weapons/Equipment: Blaster, Comlink, Light Armor (+2).
Notes: (alien race)

Kitoog

Str - Good (+1 @ scale 2)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Fair (+0)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Fair (+0)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Good (+1)
Scale 2

Gifts: Regal Bearing, Excellent Sense of Smell, Roar, Reputation:
       Don't Mess With Me.
Faults: Farsighted, Phobia of Water, Odious Personal Habit: Licks Fur,
        Odious Personal Habit: Coughs up Hairballs, and Code of Honor:
        (another alien).
Skills: Hold Liquor - Superb (+3), Melee - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Unarmed Melee - Great (+2), Mining - Good (+1),
        Blaster - Fair (+0), Techn

		+---< >----------< >-------------------------------+
		|              |                     s __|         |
		|   medium     =                     t _ |         |
		|   private    |       +------------+a _ |         ^
		|   room       |       |############|i - |
		|--------------|       |############|r - |         v
		|   cheap      |       +--------+###|s . |         |
		|   private    =       |  fire  |########|         |
		|   room       |       +--------+--------+         |
		|--------------|       |           |               |
		^              |       = Pilar's   =  Pilar's      ^
		    large      |       | Office    |  Room
		v   expensive  |       +-----------+               v
		|   private    |       | cheap     |               |
		|   room       =       = private   |               |
		|              |       | room      |               |
		+----------------< >----------------------< >------+


    Lower Level:

############## -|xxx|------------+############################################
############## =            =    |############################################
############## | Kitchen/   +-||-+############################################
############## | Upper store| _ |########     >   ###   ######################
############## |            | - |###### > #######V##     #####################
############## |            | - |###### #########  |  (cool ##################
############## |____________| . |#+-----+############ room) ##################
##############  | fire  |###|   +-+    X|############      ###################
##############  +-------+###| basement  |#############     ###################
############################| storeroom |################ X ##################
############################|m          |#################V###################
############################+-----------+#################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
########################################################## ###################
#########################################################   ##################
######################################################   ..    ###############
############################################           ... S   S    ##########
##$$$$#######################################   S  ..... S   S           #####
#$$$$##------------------+################# S    S .            S      #######
#$$$$$$$%  w             |###############       S .   S   S          S  ######
#$$$$%$$     P           |#############   S  ... S .           S       S  ####
$$$$$$$%%                |###########    S  .S  ....S      S     S  S      ###
##$$$$$$-----+  +--------+##############   ..   S                       ######
##$##$#$#####|  |######################### .S   S  S      S   S        #######
----------%%--||--------###############.S..  S     (ice cave)    S        ####
<-UNKNOWN %%%              ####   > > ..S        S    S                    ###
--------%%%-------------##  #    ############      S        {{{          #####
##########################     ####################       {{{{{{{{     #######
######################################################  {{{{{{{{{{{{{ ########
#######################################################{{{{{(pool){{{{{#######
#########################################################{{{{{{{{{{###########
#########################################################{###{{{{#############
########################################################{######{##############
#######################################################{{#######{{############
#####################################################{{##########{{###########

DECEIT AT DEJU
Colin Steele (colin@aol.net)

Genre: Sci-Fi

Setting: Building

Introduction:
This is a short (and somewhat hackneyed, but still fun) sci-fi adventure I've run a few times. The results are usually quite good if you can create the proper atmosphere. Think Aliens, or Outland. I run it using my own homebrew background and mechanics, called Star Patrol, which is based on FUDGE. Check out http://www.io.com/~colin for more details.

Synopsis:
Minions of the Dark have begun constructing a dimensional gate beneath the Republic outpost on Deju. The outpost's leader has been replaced by the minions, who are using the Gift to create a perfect illusion of the leader. They are proceeding to infiltrate deeper into the outpost, replacing more key figures. And, they have begun enslaving part of the outpost's inhabitants, using them as slave labor to dig/construct/whatever the secret.

The characters are travelling on the starship Fickle Fate, which is scheduled to deliver several geolocks and some replacement personnel to the outpost. The stopover is supposed to be a short one, and the poor design of the landing bays, which are just next to the garbage collection/expulsion unit, make the stop seem even longer. But, the outpost's only canteen, "the Pit", is abuzz about something...

Legalese:
This document is free. Permission is given to redistribute it and/or modify it under 2 conditions:

1. My name stays on it.
2. No profit is made from redistribution or modification.

Characters go to the bar, as the Fickle Fate's entertainment console is pretty pitiful. They notice that the party in the back, which is getting progressively louder, inebriated and angry, seems to be talking about a at the bar.

The largest of the lot gets up, goes over to him, spins him around in his barstool, and shouting something about "This one's for Jorick!", attacks the surprised <alien race>.

A fight ensues, with the attackers inebriated buddies crowding around, cheering him on with phrases like "That's it, Kitoog, help him find Jorick!" and "One more for Landers!".

The is getting his butt kicked, and unless the characters intervene, will end up an unconscious bloody pulp on the floor. If they do, they easily defeat the drunks, who are quickly shipped off to lockup by the local constabulary, which show up after a few rounds. The introduces himself as Sergeant Thargrim, buys several rounds, and pours out the story of the disappearances. It ends with mention of the reward for finding them, and a plea to call him if they hear anything.

Thargrim

Str - Great (+2 @ scale -1)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Good (+1)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Good (+1)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Great (+2)
Scale -1

Gifts: Longevity, Legal Enforcement Power: Deju Outpost.
Faults: Stubborn, Kinda Ugly, Prefer Enclosed Spaces.
Skills: Mechanicals - Poor (+0), Blaster - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Detect Whopper - Fair (+0), Melee - Great (+2),
        Deal-making - Great (+2), Languages - Good (+1), Medical - Fair
        (+0), Swimming - Fair (+0), Alien Culture - Fair (+0),
        Intimidate - Fair (+0), Tailing - Mediocre (-1)
Weapons/Equipment: Blaster, Comlink, Light Armor (+2).
Notes: (alien race)

Kitoog

Str - Good (+1 @ scale 2)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Fair (+0)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Fair (+0)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Good (+1)
Scale 2

Gifts: Regal Bearing, Excellent Sense of Smell, Roar, Reputation:
       Don't Mess With Me.
Faults: Farsighted, Phobia of Water, Odious Personal Habit: Licks Fur,
        Odious Personal Habit: Coughs up Hairballs, and Code of Honor:
        (another alien).
Skills: Hold Liquor - Superb (+3), Melee - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Unarmed Melee - Great (+2), Mining - Good (+1),
        Blaster - Fair (+0), Techn

		+---< >----------< >-------------------------------+
		|              |                     s __|         |
		|   medium     =                     t _ |         |
		|   private    |       +------------+a _ |         ^
		|   room       |       |############|i - |
		|--------------|       |############|r - |         v
		|   cheap      |       +--------+###|s . |         |
		|   private    =       |  fire  |########|         |
		|   room       |       +--------+--------+         |
		|--------------|       |           |               |
		^              |       = Pilar's   =  Pilar's      ^
		    large      |       | Office    |  Room
		v   expensive  |       +-----------+               v
		|   private    |       | cheap     |               |
		|   room       =       = private   |               |
		|              |       | room      |               |
		+----------------< >----------------------< >------+


    Lower Level:

############## -|xxx|------------+############################################
############## =            =    |############################################
############## | Kitchen/   +-||-+############################################
############## | Upper store| _ |########     >   ###   ######################
############## |            | - |###### > #######V##     #####################
############## |            | - |###### #########  |  (cool ##################
############## |____________| . |#+-----+############ room) ##################
##############  | fire  |###|   +-+    X|############      ###################
##############  +-------+###| basement  |#############     ###################
############################| storeroom |################ X ##################
############################|m          |#################V###################
############################+-----------+#################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
########################################################## ###################
#########################################################   ##################
######################################################   ..    ###############
############################################           ... S   S    ##########
##$$$$#######################################   S  ..... S   S           #####
#$$$$##------------------+################# S    S .            S      #######
#$$$$$$$%  w             |###############       S .   S   S          S  ######
#$$$$%$$     P           |#############   S  ... S .           S       S  ####
$$$$$$$%%                |###########    S  .S  ....S      S     S  S      ###
##$$$$$$-----+  +--------+##############   ..   S                       ######
##$##$#$#####|  |######################### .S   S  S      S   S        #######
----------%%--||--------###############.S..  S     (ice cave)    S        ####
<-UNKNOWN %%%              ####   > > ..S        S    S                    ###
--------%%%-------------##  #    ############      S        {{{          #####
##########################     ####################       {{{{{{{{     #######
######################################################  {{{{{{{{{{{{{ ########
#######################################################{{{{{(pool){{{{{#######
#########################################################{{{{{{{{{{###########
#########################################################{###{{{{#############
########################################################{######{##############
#######################################################{{#######{{############
#####################################################{{##########{{###########

DECEIT AT DEJU
Colin Steele (colin@aol.net)

Genre: Sci-Fi

Setting: Building

Introduction:
This is a short (and somewhat hackneyed, but still fun) sci-fi adventure I've run a few times. The results are usually quite good if you can create the proper atmosphere. Think Aliens, or Outland. I run it using my own homebrew background and mechanics, called Star Patrol, which is based on FUDGE. Check out http://www.io.com/~colin for more details.

Synopsis:
Minions of the Dark have begun constructing a dimensional gate beneath the Republic outpost on Deju. The outpost's leader has been replaced by the minions, who are using the Gift to create a perfect illusion of the leader. They are proceeding to infiltrate deeper into the outpost, replacing more key figures. And, they have begun enslaving part of the outpost's inhabitants, using them as slave labor to dig/construct/whatever the secret.

The characters are travelling on the starship Fickle Fate, which is scheduled to deliver several geolocks and some replacement personnel to the outpost. The stopover is supposed to be a short one, and the poor design of the landing bays, which are just next to the garbage collection/expulsion unit, make the stop seem even longer. But, the outpost's only canteen, "the Pit", is abuzz about something...

Legalese:
This document is free. Permission is given to redistribute it and/or modify it under 2 conditions:

1. My name stays on it.
2. No profit is made from redistribution or modification.

Characters go to the bar, as the Fickle Fate's entertainment console is pretty pitiful. They notice that the party in the back, which is getting progressively louder, inebriated and angry, seems to be talking about a at the bar.

The largest of the lot gets up, goes over to him, spins him around in his barstool, and shouting something about "This one's for Jorick!", attacks the surprised <alien race>.

A fight ensues, with the attackers inebriated buddies crowding around, cheering him on with phrases like "That's it, Kitoog, help him find Jorick!" and "One more for Landers!".

The is getting his butt kicked, and unless the characters intervene, will end up an unconscious bloody pulp on the floor. If they do, they easily defeat the drunks, who are quickly shipped off to lockup by the local constabulary, which show up after a few rounds. The introduces himself as Sergeant Thargrim, buys several rounds, and pours out the story of the disappearances. It ends with mention of the reward for finding them, and a plea to call him if they hear anything.

Thargrim

Str - Great (+2 @ scale -1)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Good (+1)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Good (+1)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Great (+2)
Scale -1

Gifts: Longevity, Legal Enforcement Power: Deju Outpost.
Faults: Stubborn, Kinda Ugly, Prefer Enclosed Spaces.
Skills: Mechanicals - Poor (+0), Blaster - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Detect Whopper - Fair (+0), Melee - Great (+2),
        Deal-making - Great (+2), Languages - Good (+1), Medical - Fair
        (+0), Swimming - Fair (+0), Alien Culture - Fair (+0),
        Intimidate - Fair (+0), Tailing - Mediocre (-1)
Weapons/Equipment: Blaster, Comlink, Light Armor (+2).
Notes: (alien race)

Kitoog

Str - Good (+1 @ scale 2)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Fair (+0)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Fair (+0)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Good (+1)
Scale 2

Gifts: Regal Bearing, Excellent Sense of Smell, Roar, Reputation:
       Don't Mess With Me.
Faults: Farsighted, Phobia of Water, Odious Personal Habit: Licks Fur,
        Odious Personal Habit: Coughs up Hairballs, and Code of Honor:
        (another alien).
Skills: Hold Liquor - Superb (+3), Melee - Great (+2), Streetwise -
        Great (+2), Unarmed Melee - Great (+2), Mining - Good (+1),
        Blaster - Fair (+0), Techn

		+---< >----------< >-------------------------------+
		|              |                     s __|         |
		|   medium     =                     t _ |         |
		|   private    |       +------------+a _ |         ^
		|   room       |       |############|i - |
		|--------------|       |############|r - |         v
		|   cheap      |       +--------+###|s . |         |
		|   private    =       |  fire  |########|         |
		|   room       |       +--------+--------+         |
		|--------------|       |           |               |
		^              |       = Pilar's   =  Pilar's      ^
		    large      |       | Office    |  Room
		v   expensive  |       +-----------+               v
		|   private    |       | cheap     |               |
		|   room       =       = private   |               |
		|              |       | room      |               |
		+----------------< >----------------------< >------+


    Lower Level:

############## -|xxx|------------+############################################
############## =            =    |############################################
############## | Kitchen/   +-||-+############################################
############## | Upper store| _ |########     >   ###   ######################
############## |            | - |###### > #######V##     #####################
############## |            | - |###### #########  |  (cool ##################
############## |____________| . |#+-----+############ room) ##################
##############  | fire  |###|   +-+    X|############      ###################
##############  +-------+###| basement  |#############     ###################
############################| storeroom |################ X ##################
############################|m          |#################V###################
############################+-----------+#################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
##########################################################V###################
########################################################## ###################
#########################################################   ##################
######################################################   ..    ###############
############################################           ... S   S    ##########
##$$$$#######################################   S  ..... S   S           #####
#$$$$##------------------+################# S    S .            S      #######
#$$$$$$$%  w             |###############       S .   S   S          S  ######
#$$$$%$$     P           |#############   S  ... S .           S       S  ####
$$$$$$$%%                |###########    S  .S  ....S      S     S  S      ###
##$$$$$$-----+  +--------+##############   ..   S                       ######
##$##$#$#####|  |######################### .S   S  S      S   S        #######
----------%%--||--------###############.S..  S     (ice cave)    S        ####
<-UNKNOWN %%%              ####   > > ..S        S    S                    ###
--------%%%-------------##  #    ############      S        {{{          #####
##########################     ####################       {{{{{{{{     #######
######################################################  {{{{{{{{{{{{{ ########
#######################################################{{{{{(pool){{{{{#######
#########################################################{{{{{{{{{{###########
#########################################################{###{{{{#############
########################################################{######{##############
#######################################################{{#######{{############
#####################################################{{##########{{###########

DECEIT AT DEJU
Colin Steele (colin@aol.net)

Genre: Sci-Fi

Setting: Building

Introduction:
This is a short (and somewhat hackneyed, but still fun) sci-fi adventure I've run a few times. The results are usually quite good if you can create the proper atmosphere. Think Aliens, or Outland. I run it using my own homebrew background and mechanics, called Star Patrol, which is based on FUDGE. Check out http://www.io.com/~colin for more details.

Synopsis:
Minions of the Dark have begun constructing a dimensional gate beneath the Republic outpost on Deju. The outpost's leader has been replaced by the minions, who are using the Gift to create a perfect illusion of the leader. They are proceeding to infiltrate deeper into the outpost, replacing more key figures. And, they have begun enslaving part of the outpost's inhabitants, using them as slave labor to dig/construct/whatever the secret.

The characters are travelling on the starship Fickle Fate, which is scheduled to deliver several geolocks and some replacement personnel to the outpost. The stopover is supposed to be a short one, and the poor design of the landing bays, which are just next to the garbage collection/expulsion unit, make the stop seem even longer. But, the outpost's only canteen, "the Pit", is abuzz about something...

Legalese:
This document is free. Permission is given to redistribute it and/or modify it under 2 conditions:

1. My name stays on it.
2. No profit is made from redistribution or modification.

Characters go to the bar, as the Fickle Fate's entertainment console is pretty pitiful. They notice that the party in the back, which is getting progressively louder, inebriated and angry, seems to be talking about a at the bar.

The largest of the lot gets up, goes over to him, spins him around in his barstool, and shouting something about "This one's for Jorick!", attacks the surprised <alien race>.

A fight ensues, with the attackers inebriated buddies crowding around, cheering him on with phrases like "That's it, Kitoog, help him find Jorick!" and "One more for Landers!".

The is getting his butt kicked, and unless the characters intervene, will end up an unconscious bloody pulp on the floor. If they do, they easily defeat the drunks, who are quickly shipped off to lockup by the local constabulary, which show up after a few rounds. The introduces himself as Sergeant Thargrim, buys several rounds, and pours out the story of the disappearances. It ends with mention of the reward for finding them, and a plea to call him if they hear anything.

Thargrim

Str - Great (+2 @ scale -1)
Dex - Good (+1)
Int - Good (+1)
Tch - Fair (+0)
Per - Good (+1)
Psi - Fair (+0)
Tou - Great (+2)
Scale -1

Gifts: Longevity, Legal Enforcement Power: Deju Outpost.
Faults: Stubborn, Kinda Ugly, Prefer Enclosed Spaces.
Skills: